As they continued talking, a loud rumbling echoed around them. The group instinctively looked around for danger before turning their attention to Kai, who laughed sheepishly. "Well, I guess I'm just hungry."
Elara sighed, crossing her arms. "Of course you are."
Lilith smirked. "With all that power surging through you, I suppose even a Death Mage needs to eat."
Kai chuckled. "Skill: Void Gate!"
A swirling portal formed in front of them, and Lilith and Elara stepped through first. Kai followed, and within seconds, they emerged inside the inn's dining room.
Lila, who had been cleaning a nearby table, turned and smiled. "Hey guys!"
Kai and Elara both greeted her. "Hey, Lila."
Lila's gaze shifted to Lilith, her eyebrow raising slightly. "And who's this?"
Kai gestured toward Lilith, grinning. "Meet Lilith. Former cult leader, blood mage, and now, apparently, my newest headache."
Lilith chuckled, flicking her dark hair back. "You make it sound so dramatic."
Lila folded her arms, looking between them. "Huh. Well, welcome, I guess."
Lilith smirked. "A pleasure."
Kai clapped his hands together. "Anyway, we're here for dinner. Got anything good, Lila?"
Lila rolled her eyes playfully. "Yeah, yeah, I'll get something cooking. You always show up at the best times, don't you?"
After Dinner...
Kai stretched and yawned, leaning back in his chair. "Man, I forgot how nice it is to sit and eat without dodging fireballs."
Lilith chuckled. "A rare luxury, I suppose."
Elara gave him a look. "You're seriously acting like you did all the hard work."
Kai materialized a small stack of gold coins, tossing them toward Lila. "Here. Give a room to Lilith."
Lila's eyes widened slightly, clearly surprised. "Didn't expect you to be so generous."
Lilith smirked. "Hmm. So thoughtful of you, Kai."
Elara's brow furrowed, her arms crossed. "You're seriously letting her stay here?"
Kai shrugged. "She's my responsibility now. And as long as she doesn't cause trouble, she's staying."
Elara narrowed her eyes at Lilith. "You better not make me regret this."
Lilith laughed softly, her gaze playful. "Oh, Elara, darling. You wound me."
Elara rolled her eyes before turning on her heel and leaving the room.
Lilith chuckled as she watched her go. "She's fun."
Kai stood up, stretching again. "Alright, ladies, it's been a long day. I'm off to bed. Good night!"
With a smirk, he vanished into the shadows.
Lilith and Lila exchanged glances before Lilith smirked. "He does like making an exit, doesn't he?"
Lila sighed. "You have no idea."
Kai's Room
Kai lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His mind drifted over the day's events—the mission, Lilith, Elara, and everything that had changed.
"That was... interesting," he murmured to himself.
Then, his thoughts turned to his Gold Rank Promotion Test tomorrow. A small grin formed on his lips. "Time to see just how far I've come."
With that, he closed his eyes, letting sleep take over.
The next day arrived, and Kai stirred in his bed, blinking against the morning sunlight filtering through his window. He let out a long yawn, stretching his limbs lazily before shutting his eyes again, content to sleep a little longer—until he suddenly remembered.
Gold Rank Promotion Test.
His eyes snapped open, and he sat up abruptly, the excitement coursing through him like an adrenaline rush. "Right. Today's the day," he muttered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before stretching his body. "Time to show them what I can do."
As he got up, he fixed his hair, dressed quickly, and with a simple flick of his wrist, vanished from his room.
He reappeared instantly in the inn's dining room, spotting Lila already tending to the morning crowd. She glanced up and smirked. "Hey, Kai. What do you want for breakfast?"
Kai grinned, leaning against the counter. "Surprise me. I trust you."
Lila chuckled. "That's a dangerous thing to say. But alright, I'll cook up something good."
As she disappeared into the kitchen, Kai sat down, his mind drifting back to what Lyra had told him yesterday.
"The Gold Rank Promotion Test isn't just a regular mission. You'll be tested on three key areas: Combat Proficiency, Tactical Thinking, and Leadership. You'll be given a team and have to lead them through a real mission."
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. This was his chance to prove himself, to show everyone just how much he had grown.
He was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of his name being called.
"Hello there, Kai."
He didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. A smirk crept onto his lips. "Hey, Lilith," he teased, still facing forward. "Miss me already?"
Lilith chuckled, sliding into the seat across from him. "You're far too entertained by yourself, you know that?"
Kai laughed, finally turning to face her. "What can I say? Confidence is attractive."
Lilith smirked, resting her chin on her hand. "That's why I'm here, isn't it? To see just how confident you really are."
They exchanged playful banter, Lilith flirting shamelessly, and Kai matching her energy effortlessly. Even as he ate his breakfast, his thoughts remained focused on his upcoming challenge.
Finishing his meal, he leaned back and looked at Lilith. "You wanna come with me to my promotion test?"
Lilith's eyes glowed with amusement. "Oh? Watching you try to prove yourself? Sounds fun. Sure, I'll come."
Kai smirked. "Great."
He was about to open a Void Gate to the guild when the door suddenly slammed open, shaking the inn.
"KAI!"
Kai let out a low chuckle, not even needing to look up. "Hey, Elara."
Elara stormed over, her green eyes flashing with irritation. "Where are you going?"
Kai grinned, completely unfazed. "Oh, you know, just heading to my Gold Rank Promotion Test. Lilith's coming too."
Elara's eye twitched. "You're bringing her?!"
Lilith smirked. "Oh, don't be jealous, Captain. You can come too."
Elara groaned. "I wasn't asking for permission! I was already going with you!"
Kai chuckled, throwing his hands up. "Then it's settled!"
Without another word, he raised his hand, opening a swirling Void Gate. The dark portal pulsed, casting eerie shadows around the room.
Kai smirked, gesturing toward it. "Beautiful ladies first."
Elara grumbled something under her breath before marching through the portal. Lilith laughed softly, brushing past Kai as she entered. "Charming as always."
With a final stretch, Kai stepped inside, ready for whatever awaited him on the other side.
All three stepped through the Void Gate, emerging into the guild hall in a swirl of dark energy. The moment their feet touched the ground, Lyra looked up from behind the reception desk, her cat-like ears twitching with recognition.
She smirked, arms crossed. "Well, well. Look who decided to grace us with his presence after stirring up trouble."
Kai laughed, running a hand through his hair. "Hey, Lyra. You know me, always making an entrance."
Lyra rolled her eyes but grinned. "So, I take it you're excited for your Gold Rank Promotion Test?"
Kai's crimson eyes gleamed, and his aura pulsed with energy. "Excited? More like ready to dominate."
Lyra chuckled, resting her chin on her palm. "Oh, I love that confidence. Let's see if you still have it after I tell you what today's test involves."
Lilith leaned against the counter, curious. "This should be interesting."
Elara sighed. "I still can't believe he's actually being promoted."
Lyra giggled. "Believe it, Captain. He earned it."
Kai grinned, glancing between them. "Alright, Lyra, hit me with it. What's today's grand challenge?"
Lyra's eyes sparkled with amusement. "For your Gold Rank Promotion Test, you'll be tested in three key areas: Combat Proficiency, Tactical Thinking, and Leadership."
Kai smirked. "Sounds easy enough."
Lyra leaned forward. "Oh, don't be so sure. You're going to be leading a team of adventurers on a high-risk mission, and whether or not you pass or fail will depend on how well you command, strategize, and fight."
Kai's smile widened, his excitement radiating off him in waves. "Perfect. Sounds like my kind of fun."
Lilith chuckled. "I do like watching you work."
Elara crossed her arms. "Just don't mess this up."
Kai turned to them with his signature smirk, his aura flaring slightly. "Ladies, sit back and watch the Shadow Reaper in action."
Lyra giggled. "Oh, this is going to be good."
Kai took a deep breath, his excitement settling into focused determination. "Alright, Lyra, who's on my team, and when do I meet them?"
Lyra pulled out a sealed guild document, flipping it open. "You'll be leading a four-person team, handpicked from skilled adventurers. Their abilities are diverse, so it's on you to utilize them effectively."
Kai nodded. "And the mission?"
Lyra's expression turned serious. "A corrupted ruin has been uncovered outside the kingdom, and dark creatures have begun emerging. Your team is tasked with investigating and eliminating the threat."
Kai's grin sharpened. "Sounds like my kind of challenge."
Lyra smirked. "Here are the names of your teammates: Darius, a frontline berserker; Sylva, a precision archer; Veyna, a tactical mage; and Garric, a defensive tank. They're waiting for you in the guild's training hall. Your mission begins in an hour."
Kai's excitement surged, and his aura flared subtly as he grinned. "A well-rounded team. This is gonna be fun."
Lilith chuckled. "Try not to scare them off before the mission even starts."
Elara sighed. "Or get them all killed."
Kai laughed, throwing an arm around both of them. "Relax, ladies. I've got this."
To Be Continued...