Me and the others gazed at the castle walls as we approached the kingdom of Quath. They marched up to the entrance.
"Who are you?" one guard asked as we approach the gate.
"We are newly awakened guardians" Hikari replied creating a small fire on his finger tips to prove to the guards. "We have travelled here to join a guild."
"There is only one guild here, it is known as Black Widow", the guard answered
The guards directed us to the local guild for guardians known as the 'Black Widow'. According to the guard the guild offers food, housing, and even a salary in exchange for working as a guardians.
A guardian guild, as the name suggests, is a place for those blessed with special abilities. Members use these powers to safeguard the celestial beasts from demons and mutants. If we could infiltrate the guild, we might learn the whereabouts of a celestial beast. I'm not worried about Hikari but Alina and Katherine might be a problem. We need to get our story straight before he head to the guild.
Quath was renowned for its exquisite silk and elegant clothing, and the kingdom bustled with life. Merchants shouted their wares from colorful stalls, their voices mingling with the laughter of children playing in the streets. My instincts told me something was off about this place especially their so called 'Best Silk'. Look, even I know it would be considered crazy to be paranoid about silk but something wasn't quite right. The air was thick with the scent of spices and the sweet aroma of freshly baked goods, creating an intoxicating atmosphere that beckoned both travelers and locals alike.
The happy atmosphere made me feel nauseous. Hikari walked around with a big grin on his face like the hero in a fantasy story, with his two main heroines by his side. I guess that makes me the emo friend with black hair, and a tragic backstory who eventually turns evil.
Alina and Katherine walked side by side, their eyes wide with wonder as they absorbed the sights around them. The streets were alive with activity, and the vibrant colors of the silk fabrics fluttering in the breeze captivated their attention. Each stall was adorned with shimmering textiles, showcasing intricate patterns and rich hues that seemed to dance in the sunlight.
"Look at that one!" Alina exclaimed, pointing to a stall draped in deep emerald silk.
Katherine nodded, her excitement palpable. "I've never seen silk like this before! I can only imagine how it feels against the skin." She reached out to touch a nearby fabric, her fingers gliding over the soft material.
This somewhat reminds me of my old life. My family was extremely wealthy, and I had everything I ever wanted. I used to live in the finest houses and wore the most expensive clothes and jewelry. We made our money by exploiting the poor, but then it all came to an end, and we were chased out of our home. It's shameful what happened to me. When I become a god, I will ensure that those beneath me remain in their place; they'll never get the chance to rebel.
Me and Hikari walked a few paces ahead. "Stay focused, you two," Hikari called back, a playful grin on his face.
"This place is beautiful," Katherine said, her smile brightening her face.
"It will all be mine once I become god" I replied confidently.
"Hikari is the one destined to become a god, I'll make sure of it" Alina shot back. What a good girl doing he best to get on my nerves.
"Does that mean you don't want to become a god, Alina?" Katherine asked.
"No, I don't. I came here to help Hikari. How about you? Why do you want to become a god?"
At that moment, a somber expression crossed Katherine's face as she replied, "It's the only way I can protect my home."
The group walked for a few minutes, admiring the merchandise as we passed by. Soon, we arrived at the Black Widow guild. We entered the Guild, making our way down the hall, their were people inside siting, laughing and drinking, Hikari made his way to the receptionist while I stopped to gaze at the guildhall.
After a moment, I joined the others at the desk that's when I saw her. I was taken aback the moment I laid eyes on her. I watched her lip closely as she said her name "Mariah".
Survive—The voice echoed again in my mind.
The receptionist was a beautiful lady that seemed to be in her late 20s. She had beautiful black hair, and a pale beautiful white skin, her body was exquisite and very very curvy. If you need a more detailed explanation just imagine a graceful parabolic shape, where the vertex represents the most aesthetically pleasing point, akin to a defined waistline, while the gentle arms of the parabola flow outward, mirroring the soft contours of her body.
She was the type of girl that young men would often dream about—That I often dream about!
"Welcome to the Black Widow guild, how may I help you."
Hikari gathered his composure and stepped forwards. "...M-My friends and I are hoping to join your guild.... We have just awakened as guardians." When have I ever seen him this stiff? What happened to the lively mc? Why is he acting like Katherine?
"Is that so?" Mariah replied with a slight chuckle , her expression shifting to one of professionalism. "We'll need to conduct a test to verify that you possess special abilities. We will also conduct an interview to learn more about you."
"Cyrus," she called out, "it seems we have some new recruits. Will you take them to the test room and verify their abilities?"
Cyrus was a tall, muscular man. He approached us and, with a small grunt, muttered, "Follow me." He led us into a spacious room down the hall from the reception desk. "I need you all to demonstrate your powers."
I turned to the others as I was confused on what to do. That's when I saw Hikari with a mischievous look on his face.
"You ready, Banri?"
'Ready for what?—' but before I could utter this phrase I was hit with a powerful blast that sent me flying across the room. The blast melted everything in its path. The area where I had stood was engulfed in flames, and from the fire, only I remained, covered in scales reminiscent of a dragon.
"What the hell are you doing?!—" I shouted at him, but as the words left my lips, I felt my body began to sink deeper and deeper. The ground had turned into quick sand and I was being pulled to the bottom. This was Alina's ability. In truth, I was glad that this ability belonged to a moron like her. I would hate to face off against a more capable opponent with her mutant ability. That's how powerful her ability is.
As I sank, my body started to change again. Webbing began to form between my fingers and toes, allowing me to push against the quicksand more effectively and swim through the material rather than sink. Small bumps also developed on my skin, providing traction against the quicksand. I imagine I must have looked like a giant frog.
"What are you waiting for, Katherine? Show him what you've got!" Alina called out encouraging the assault, a big smile plastered across her face. She really is my biggest hater, the only time I see her smile is when she is causing me harm. I guess this must be payback for running off.
Katherine hesitantly stood there. "I don't want to hurt Banri."
"He'll be fine; cockroaches like him are hard to kill."
With a deep breath, Katherine pulled out a large slingshot, loading it with a hefty metal ball as ammo. She aimed it at my head and fired without hesitation. Which was surprising for someone who claimed they didn't want to hurt me. The shot flew through the air at an incredible speed, enhanced by her ability to increase the velocity of objects.
The shot collided with my head, but just a fraction of a second before impact, my skin took on a metallic form. A loud clang echoed through the air as sparks flew.
I struggled to my feet, a bit bewildered by the impact. "Now it's my turn to demonstrate my ability," I said, glaring at the trio as I morphed my hand in preparation for what was going to happen. With my claws now ready I made my way over to the trio, but just then—
"I've seen enough!" Cyrus called out. As his voice rang out, they turned to look at him, except for me, who was was about to demonstrate the law of equivalent exchange.
"How dare you refer to the perfect being as a mere cockroach!" I directed my ire at Alina, the one happiest about this situation. She knew I prided myself on being the 'Perfect being' which was why she always refers to me as a cockroach.
"Thanks for your help, Banri. We couldn't have demonstrated our powers without you," Hikari said mockingly.
"Thank you, Banri," Katherine added while acting shy.
"Thanks, Banri," Alina chimed in with a wink.
"I will interview you individually now. Banri, you're first. Come with me." Cyrus wore a slight smile as he spoke. I don't get what was so funny about someone being ambushed by his friends.