After I defeated Axel, those who were worried about me had relief and a surprised expression at the same time.
And the others who were jealous of me didn't even dare to look me in the eyes.
"Did I pass?" I asked the receptionist who was processing what happened in front of her eyes.
"Huh...? Y-yes, you passed." She said as she hurriedly went back to her counter.
[Third Person POV]
As the receptionist confirmed Charles's victory, the surrounding adventurers couldn't contain their astonishment any longer.
They approached him one by one, congratulating him on his impressive display of skill.
"Boss, that was incredible!" one adventurer exclaimed, his eyes wide with admiration.
"Boss, what stage are you at to take him down so swiftly?" One of the adventurers asked. As Charles appeared to be pretty young.
"Ah, um... Advance low level." Charles replied.
"Huh...? Everyone present there was shocked after hearing Charles's words.
"Don't lie to us, boss. There's no way you're at an advance low level." Nobody believed him, as they knew it was nearly impossible to defeat someone higher level.
"I am really-" Charles tried to explain, Eliza came back with a card in her hand.
"Congratulations, Charles on directly becoming a D-rank," Eliza said. "It's a shame, you would have been a C-rank, if not for the guild rules.
The adventurers' eyes widened in astonishment, their disbelief slowly giving way to awe.
"Charles, if you want to become a C-rank you have to take the test. If you're interested, the C-rank promotion test will be held two months later." Eliza handed him the bronze card that she was holding.
The bronze guild card that Eliza handed to Charles held great significance for adventurers.
It served as proof of their identity and affiliation with the guild, granting them various perks and benefits.
"Thank you," Charles said as he examined the bronze card.
"This guild card is more than just a token. It will help you in your travels as an adventurer," Eliza explained.
"It serves as identification, allowing you access to guild facilities and services. You'll find it useful when accepting quests or interacting with other adventurers."
Charles nodded, starting to grasp the importance of the guild card.
It was his ticket to the world of adventurers, providing legitimacy and recognition for his abilities.
"Additionally," Eliza continued, "the guild card grants you certain privileges. For example, it may provide discounts at affiliated establishments, access to restricted areas, and priority in accepting quests. It also ensures that you'll be properly rewarded for your achievements."
Charles's eyes widened with each piece of information. The guild card was not only a symbol of his rank and accomplishments but also a practical tool that would facilitate his journey as an adventurer.
Eliza said, her voice filled with encouragement. "Make good use of your guild card, Charles. It will open doors for you and serve as a reminder of your progress. And, as a D-rank adventurer, you can take up to a C-rank quest."
After explaining she went back to her sift, while the others congratulated Charles before they headed for their respective quest.
"Congratulations Charles, I didn't know you were so good at dual wielding. Anyways, today I am your guide.
Quickly choose your quest and we will head out." Victoria congratulated him and asked him to hurry up as she could not wait any longer to be alone with Charles.
Charles was filled with a mix of excitement and anticipation as he walked alongside Victoria towards the quest-choosing location.
As they reached the quest board, Charles glanced at the various requests posted there.
The quests ranged from simple tasks like delivering goods to more dangerous endeavours like monster hunting.
"I suggest you take the goblin quest," Lucious recommended, "It's a challenging quest suitable for someone with your skills."
Charles considered his suggestion and read through the details of the ogre quest.
It involved tracking down and eliminating a goblin's village that had been causing trouble in a nearby forest.
The difficulty level was marked as D
C-rank, making it a suitable challenge for Charles.
"Alright, let's go for the goblin quest," Charles decided to take this quest as he wanted to know how he would fight multiple opponents.
Goblins were known for their numbers and cunning, it would provide Charles with an opportunity to test his combat skills and tactical thinking.
Victoria smiled approvingly at his choice. "Good decision, Charles. The goblin quest will push your abilities to the limit. Be prepared for ambushes and traps, as goblins are notorious for their sneak attacks. But I have faith in you."
Charles nodded, his determination shining through. "I won't let you down, Victoria. I'll give it my all."
With their quest chosen, Charles and Victoria made their way back to the guild counter to officially register for the goblin quest. The guild staff processed their paperwork swiftly, and soon they were ready to embark on their adventure.
As they left the guild, the air was filled with a sense of excitement and anticipation. Charles could feel the excitement running through his body, he was excited to fight the goblins.
The journey to the goblin-infested forest was not far, and they soon arrived at the outskirts.
Victoria led the way, her expertise as a guide evident in her confident strides. "Charles, back when we fought, you were clearly Advance High Level. So why did it drop?"
The whole time they were walking, Victoria was thinking about this. As it was her first time hearing someone's level being dropped.
"Oh, that, it happened because of my skill." Charles lied, as he could not tell that the sword god used his body.
"What kind of skill is it to make your level go down?"
"Th-that, it triples my power when I activate it. But the problem is my level drops when the skill is worn off."
"That's a shit skill then. Don't use it unless it's necessary, ok?"
Charles nodded, understanding Victoria's concern. "I'll keep that in mind, Victoria. I won't use the skill unless it's absolutely necessary. I don't want to risk my level dropping again, anyway."
Victoria smiled reassuringly. "Good. It's important to maintain a stable level for consistent growth as an adventurer. We'll focus on honing your skills and strategies without relying too much on temporary boosts."
With their conversation concluded, they continued their journey towards the goblin-infested forest, their anticipation growing with each step.
As they entered the forest, the atmosphere grew dense and eerie. The sounds of rustling leaves and distant growls.
The presence of goblins lurked nearby, and Charles tightened his grip on his weapons, ready for any confrontation.
Sure enough, as they entered a clearing, a group of goblins ambushed them from the underbrush.
There were a total of eight goblins and before Victoria could do anything, Charles leapt towards the goblins, using his thought acceleration and sixth sense, he was easily able to avoid all attacks, the goblins did.
Slash!
Mere seconds later, all the goblin's heads dropped to the ground. While Charles was standing in the centre, looking cool.
Victoria was shocked to see him defeat the goblins in mere seconds.
As she looked at Charles who was standing there all cool. She blushed. "I love you so much." the words came out of her mouth instinctively.
"Huh...? What?"
"N-nothing."
'Thank god, he didn't hear.' She sighed, 'What are you doing idiot?' She was just one step away from ruining her relationship with Charles.
"Ahem! That was amazing, Charles." Victoria complimented him, trying to bury the embarrassing moment. But the compliment was genuine.
If she was in his shoes, she would have problems facing eight goblins by herself. Not to mention finishing them in just mere seconds.
"Thanks," Charles replied.
Swoosh!
A little dart was thrown towards Victoria. But it was not an attack as she caught it and with the dart was attached a paper.
Dhe sneakingly checked the content of the paper, hiding it from Charles.
Soon her expression changed, "Charles, I am sorry, I just remembered something important. I am really sorry but I have to go."
"It's ok, you don't have to apologize."
"Be careful Charles, and don't recklessly fight the goblins next time." Victoria really wanted to stay but she had something urgent to do.
"Don't worry, the goblins were very easy to kill. I was just thinking about choosing a different quest," Charles assured her.
Victoria nodded, a slight worry lingering in her eyes. "Alright, just be cautious. And next time you go on a quest, invite me, too."
"Sure, take care, Victoria," Charles said with a smile.
With a quick farewell, Victoria hurriedly left, her footsteps fading into the distance.
"Was fighting a group of goblins, easy for you." Lucious cold voice rang inside his head, making him startled.
"Yes, it was way too easy. Master, you should not have given me this easy quest."
"Then let's increase the difficulty."
"Ye-" Charles felt something was wrong with the way Lucious spoke.
"From now, you will complete the quest with your skill and magic sealed. How's that? Sounds difficult?" Lucious said, with a mix of amusement in his voice.
"What do you mean, master? I'll die at the hands of goblins if you do that. Do you want your dear disciple to die?" He pleaded to Lucious, as he was sure, he would die without his skills.
But, no matter how much Charles pleaded, he didn't get a response from Lucious.