The next morning, Aya was up early, eager to tackle the challenges that lay ahead. 

With her sights set on the rank exam, she made her way down to the basement, where Hiroki was busy working on his latest batch of energy drinks. 

“Good morning.” She greeted him with a cheerful smile, eager for the plans that she had ahead.

Hiroki took full advantage of the opportunity to expand his business while residing in the roomy mansion that Lucas provided for him. 

Thanks to his recent level-up, he was able to effortlessly levitate in the air, juggling a variety of ingredients and cooking pots with ease. 

Aya looked at this whole process, marveling at the charred Funky trees and the pure mineral water that would soon infuse the drinks with their energizing aroma. 

After Hiroki finally noticed that Aya was in the room, he glanced at her before showing a small smile.

“Seems like you’re excited for today.” 

“Yes,” Aya said, her voice firm and resolute. “I want to show you that I'm capable of earning that rank even without your help.”

Hiroki gave another glance at Aya before focusing on all of the objects that were being levitated from one place to another. 

Then, once the hot pots reached the boiling temperature, he would fill the bottles up with the drink. Aya, on the other hand, had a determined look on her face, her fists clenched at the determination she had.

“If that's so, then I wish you luck on today's exam.” Hiroki said, his eyes now fully focused on what was going on around him.

Expecting a different kind of response, Aya looked a bit bewildered at the ghost in front of her. 

“Is something wrong?” 

Hiroki inquired after seeing the confused state of the girl in front of him. And despite noticing this kind of behavior, he still continued his work with his energy drinks.

“I’m about to go to the guild….” Aya, who wasn't sure how to form her sentence, tried asking in a small, yet concerned voice.

“I know, that's why I wished you luck.”

“But….”

“But?”

“...Aren't you coming with me?”

After continuing her attempts to hint at what she was expecting, she gripped her fists even tighter in anticipation of the response she might receive. 

She didn't want to bother Hiroki. However, she always had him by her side, no matter what. That's why, naturally, she expected that Hiroki was going to be inside her during the event that the exam was going to take place.

She didn't want any sort of help from him, as she knew that this wasn't going to prove her strength. She, at least, expected that Hiroki was at least going to witness her during the quest. Even if at least he was going to come as the merchant and not inside her. 

Once Hiroki listened to what Aya was expecting at this important event, he put all of the objects and potions on the ground before going near her so he could look at her closely.

“Aya.” 

His deep, yet smoothing voice called out her name. 

“I know what you’re thinking right now… but I can’t come with you today. However, I believe that even without my presence there—”

Hiroki pretended to hold the palm of his hand over the girl’s head to give her a feeling of comfort.

“—you will be able to achieve what you're aiming for.”

Aya understood that Hiroki had things that he had to deal with. Now he was a merchant, and his time was limited due to the request from one of the biggest merchants in the kingdom. 

‘Once again…. I'm dragging him down just because of my selfish thoughts….’ Aya thought to herself, recalling how unreasonable her expectations were.

If she truly wanted to become independent, this was her chance to show Hiroki that even without his presence there, she was going to succeed no matter what.

However, this was going to end right now because, starting now, she was going to do what it took to impress him. 

“Thank you.” Aya closed her eyes in acceptance. “I will give my best shot and prove to you that I'm worthy of the C rank.” Aya placed the palm of her hand on her chest as she expressed her feelings to Hiroki one last time.

Hiroki gave a small smile. 

“I’ll be waiting for your return.”

“Yes.”

And once Aya was done talking to him, she greeted him one last time before heading outside of the mansion. Her face, which did not show any nervousness, looked into the clear, open sky before clenching her fists.

‘I won't disappoint him anymore!’ 

She expressed herself from within before heading towards the guild at a constant speed.

* * *

Hiroki, who was still in the basement, shifted his usual face into a relaxed one, making his face much gloomier and sterner. He had been trying to keep this kind of expression to himself most of the time, which is why he found this a moment of slight relief to act like he used to.

Once he confirmed that Aya was far enough from the mansion through the link he had with her, he quickly organized all of the materials with his skill ‘Mind’s force’ before creating his usual black cloak with ‘imitation’ skill. 

That way, his white hair wasn't going to be seen as easily in public.

In this world, people with white hair are very rare because old people usually die before they reach their fifties. 

But if a young boy or girl was seen with this sort of white colored hair, they could clearly tell that they are not elderly. 

Only a demon had such characteristics. And at this point, Hiroki had accepted the fact that his hair wasn't going to turn back any day now, despite his different attempts with his combined skills.

After all of the materials in the basement were properly organized, he then headed outside the mansion. And while walking on the main streets of this busy part of town, he kept his head hung low, trying to hide any eye contact with anyone. He wouldn't want anyone noticing him, which is why he tried his best to hide himself.

Normally, he would have taken the quickest and most direct path by slipping through walls in hidden areas. 

But today, he had a different plan in mind. His eyes darted around, scanning the area for any potential threats as he moved silently through the crowded streets, his steps carefully calculated to avoid any collisions. 

He kept up the facade of walking while continuing to glide through the crowds like a ghost. 

He kept walking in one direction without being noticed until, suddenly, a young girl stumbled and fell directly in front of him, which quickly drew his attention. 

She was dressed in dirty, tattered leather clothes, her long brown hair was disheveled, and her body was covered in bruises. It was clear that she was in a difficult situation

The girl slowly raised her head and looked at Hiroki with tears in her eyes. Her face was clearly swollen, indicating that she was hit a lot. She looked at the stern, cold face of Hiroki before attempting to get up.

“H….he” She seemed to be saying something, but the pain in her cheeks seemed to be preventing her from uttering any words.

Where did she come from? Would be the first question that anyone would ask, but from the looks of it, Hiroki immediately understood where. 

And it didn't take long before, from a distance, the shouts of a man could be heard.

“Hey, you!” 

The man shouted in the distance. It was a slender man in a darkish-blue professional costume. His brown hair was all bent backward, and on his hand, a rope could be seen. 

“Keep that brat from escaping!”

Hiroki did not move as his gaze returned to the injured girl. His eyes didn't show any emotion, nor did he attempt to say or take any action.

The girl, who was still lying on her stomach after falling over, glanced back at the red-eyed boy before flinching at the realization that the man who was shouting was right behind her.

“You really thought you could escape!?” 

The man asked, grabbing the girl by the arm and lifting her up before tying her up right away.  

The girl attempted to escape once again, but failed as she grunted in pain from the way she was being treated. Her body was way too weak, and she couldn't even have the strength to push away the captor.

“Sheesh! Because of you, I made this new suit all sweaty. When we return, I’ll teach you a lesson that you won't even be able to eat.” 

The man smirked as he watched the hopeless girl struggle.

The other people around them? They only kept glancing before walking away as if this wasn't their business at all.

Hiroki, despite this all happening right in front of him, remained unbothered as if watching someone pathetic. The girl, who didn't have the strength to even move anymore, fell unconscious. While the captor, after making sure that this girl was properly tied, looked at Hiroki, who was still there.

“Hm? Whatcha looking at?! Do you think this is some kind of show?” A vein popped on his head, feeling already irritated at having run this much.

“No, I—” 

“Release that child, you criminal!”

Hiroki attempted to say something to mind his own business, but suddenly, his words were interrupted by a sudden feminine, yet boyishly stern voice that came from behind the captor of the injured girl.

“Hah?!” Another vein popped on the man’s head after being called a criminal. “Who do you think you’re calling a criminal?”

The moment he turned around, both Hiroki and the man in a suit noticed that the voice belonged to a girl with long, red hair, narrowed blue eyes, and a well-curved body that matched the typical girl who belonged to the knight group. 

However, her armor and clothes were a lot different. She was wearing light metal armor around her breasts and around her limbs, which would allow her to move much easier. 

But what made her stand out more was the heavy metal sword behind her back. That thing alone could be as heavy as several normal swords. And to the man’s surprise, this girl was carrying the sword with ease.

“So not only are you carrying an innocent abused girl in your arms, but you also refuse to accept yourself as a criminal?” 

The red-haired looking knight glared at the man before grabbing the handle of her sword from behind.

The man, however, after taking a good look at the girl, gasped as if realizing something.

“A-aren’t you…. W-why are you here?!” He swallowed his saliva as he attempted to form a question.

“What I do here is none of your business.” The girl responded with a cold voice before preparing herself to pull out the massive cluck of metal from behind.

“Ah, p-please wait!”

However, before she could take any action, the man raised one of his arms, trying to indicate that he didn't wish to fight her. The red-haired girl didn't move her hand away from the handle of her sword, but she did seem patient after seeing the nervous and scared look on the man’s face.

“I have done nothing wrong. This girl is simply one of the merchandise that attempted to escape. Her parents were charged with felony crimes, so their child ended up in the slave’s house. That's why I think you’ve misunderstood something.” 

The man slightly trembled while trying to reason with the intimidating girl in front of him.

Despite showing that he wasn't doing anything illegal, the red haired girl glared even more, veins popping on her hand, which seemed to be shaking in rage. However, after a minute of thought, she relaxed her arm before standing straight and then closing her eyes.

“What was your name?” She inquired.

“I-it's Eldric. I am an assistant of the Slave House that has recently arrived in this town.” The man tried to keep himself from shitting himself while trying to explain his situation.

“Very well.” The red-haired girl relaxed her arms before closing her eyes in annoyance. “Tell that merchant of yours to not sell this child until I come back.”

“Y-yes, I will definitely leave this message to my boss for you, Miss.” 

The man wryly smiled as he tried not to offend her. Then, before she could change her mind, the man walked at a rather hurried pace while clenching his own butthole to prevent himself from releasing all of his tension and fear from the inside.

What was left from the collision of the two was now the same stern-looking girl and Hiroki, who was standing still and watching this whole thing unfold in front of him.

The red-haired girl had already noticed him, which is why she quickly shifted her stern face towards the guy covering himself with a dark cloak.

“And you are?” She asked with the same kind of cold tone.

“I was just passing by.” Hiroki casually responded.

“Passing by?” The red-haired girl questioned, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. “You don't seem to be from around here. Are you also related to that Slave house?”

“By any means, I have nothing to do with them. And to answer your first question, yes, I recently arrived in this town in order to establish my business as a merchant.” 

Hiroki spoke with a cool, collected demeanor, his hidden eyes meeting the gaze of the person before him.

The red-haired woman looked to her side in thought, seemingly unsure of whether this boy was telling the truth or not. He didn't seem like a merchant at all, based on the way he was wearing his dark cloak.

“Well anyway. Be careful not to find yourself in trouble.” She said this before turning around and leaving, seemingly a bit hurried after confirming that there was nothing else to discuss.

Hiroki, on the other hand, continued staring at her as she was leaving before also heading to his own destination.

Since this town isn't that big, it didn't take long for him to arrive where he was headed. 

And his destination?

It was the same abandoned house that both he and Aya used as a temporary base in this town.

Once he confirmed that there was no one else around to see him, he floated through the walls and immediately went to the basement of this house.

The house was in the same state as when it was left last time. But since the basement was blocked from the outside, no one would know that there was one in the first place. Hiroki, on the other hand, could just walk through the walls without any problems, making this place almost the best room to hide anything.

The moment that Hiroki was in the basement, he was already met with a strange stinking odor. 

Dust that has been piling up for several days, and now, rats that were passing by due to the lack of light coming to this dark place. And at the other end of the room, a certain person could be seen lying on the ground, his arms and legs tied together.

“To think that a knight would piss his own pants. Don't you have any shame?” Hiroki expressed disgust at the state of the prisoner in front of him.

The person tied to the ground didn't seem very responsive. That wasn't because he was already used to it, but because his body had become so thin from lack of food and water that he no longer had any strength to even move an inch.

Upon having a closer look at the tied-up knight, Hiroki noticed the broken, dry lips of his that were slightly open from dehydration. Not only that, but he also knew the condition of his body thanks to his appraisal skill.

Confirming his state, Hiroki levitated a certain potion from the other side of the room before making this knight drink all of it. The first few seconds, the knight didn't seem to respond, but once the potion took effect, his eyes went wide open at his current situation.

“Finally conscious?” 

The green-haired knight looked ahead of him, and suddenly, his whole body shook to its core. 

What he saw was an ethereal figure, seemingly floating in front of him. The sight of the terrifying entity made his heart skip a beat, especially with its glowing red eyes in the dark. His eyes began to well up with tears as he struggled to bear the unbearable sight before him.

“He-he—”

“You are underground. it's pointless to ask for help.”

Hiroki quickly shut off any hope of escape from the knight. 

The vacant home was as ominous as its name suggested, with a broken yard that seemed to dare anyone to enter and a half-burned facade that only served to heighten its menacing aura. It was no wonder that no one dared to venture near this place. And Hiroki was aware of that.

The knight was paralyzed with fear, trembling violently as he tried to understand what was happening. 

His eyes were swollen from crying, yet he dared not scream or call for help, knowing that it would be futile. The knight felt dread and helplessness as he stared at the mysterious white-haired monster in front of him. 

Why was he being kept alive? What could this red eyed monster possibly want from him?

As the green-haired knight trembled in terror, he watched in silence as the ghostly figure loomed over him menacingly. The cold, glowing eyes of his captor seemed to contain some unfathomable power, beyond anything he had ever experienced before. It was as though he was in the presence of something otherworldly.

Suddenly, the ghostly figure spoke, his voice unnervingly calm and collected. 

"I need you to do something for me," he said, his piercing gaze fixed on the shivering knight. 

* * *

After entering the adventurer’s guild, Aya drew her hood further over her head, hoping to remain inconspicuous amidst the crowds.

She knew that her hair would cause more rumors inside the guild, which is why she tried to avoid as much attention as possible despite the fact that the guildmaster vouched for her. 

The guild hall was as busy as ever, with Mirai flitting back and forth to handle different requests and inquiries. Though Aya was eager to speak with her, she hesitated to cut through the long line of adventurers waiting to be served. Waiting for her turn was the right choice.

As she surveyed the room, she couldn't help but notice that several adventurers from a nearby party were eyeing her curiously. She was aware that her distinctive white hair distinguished her, so she kept her head low and avoided drawing undue attention to herself.

Despite her best efforts, she couldn't help but experience a little bit of self-consciousness due to the attention she was getting. It wasn't just her hair that made her stand out. 

There were rumors circulating about her strength and skill as well. Aya was aware that some of the other adventurers were aware of these rumors. That's why she'd mentally prepared herself for the possibility of being recognized.

Thankfully, the dark cloak she wore seemed to be doing its job well, masking her hair and making it harder for anyone to spot her. Aya breathed a small sigh of relief at this, grateful for the small measure of anonymity it provided.

Finally, when her turn came, Mirai's face lit up with a warm smile. Aya felt the stress of the day melt away in that moment, grateful for the friendliness and familiarity of the guild hall.

“Aya, sorry for taking so long to get to you. But as you can see, there are a lot of quests going on. Do you mind waiting on that seat over there? The one that will supervise you for your ranking test will shortly arrive.” Mirai quickly explained with a wry smile on her face.

Aya quietly nodded before going to the public seat, waiting for the supervisor to arrive. 

She waited in the same seat for several more minutes before a certain girl entered the guild. The girl was a red-haired looking knight with a heavy piece of sword metal behind her back. She was known in this guild, which is why most of the adventurers didn't even attempt to get in her way.

However, the moment some of the adventurers began whispering her name, all of the adventurers waiting in Mirai’s line immediately looked behind them before opening the way for her to pass through. 

Mirai also noticed the way the adventurers reacted, giving a wry smile at the intimidating aura of the red-haired girl.

“Theresa, there you are,” Mirai greeted with a wry smile.

“I heard that you had a favor to ask me,” Theresa said, her eyes darting around at the scared adventurers before letting out a small sigh.

“I need you to look after this adventurer.” Mirai nodded, sliding a piece of paper towards the red-haired girl.

Theresa quickly scanned the information on the paper before letting out a troubled sigh. 

“A ranking exam, mh? Look for someone else,” she replied with a stern voice, closing her eyes with no interest.

“I know that this may seem troubling to you, but please help me out this once. We’re a bit short staffed right now, that's why I had no one else other than you to ask this from.” 

Mirai explained before a sly smile appeared on her face.

“Also, I'm sure that you will take an interest in this certain person who wants to rank up.”

 She continued before looking to the side at the seat where Aya was currently waiting.

Theresa also looked on the side, noticing a certain young looking girl in a dark cloak waiting patiently for the exam. 

She didn't seem like the kind of girl who would give off a powerful vibe. However, the moment Theresa looked at her bruised hands, her gaze shifted back to the receptionist in front of her.

“Alright, I’ll deal with her,” the red-haired girl said.

Once Theresa made up her mind, the receptionist grinned for a bit before continuing on with dealing with the line of adventurers that were nervous to shout to the red-haired girl who was speaking to Mirai. 

They all knew who she was and what she was capable of, which is why none dared to speak in those moments.

In the meantime, after Theresa introduced herself to the inspiring young cloaked girl, they both headed somewhere outside the borders of the town where they would proceed with the rank-up exam. 

During the way there, Aya noticed how strict and serious Theresa was going to act based on the way she was walking. 

Theresa also never said a word, nor did she explain what they were doing before they departed from the town. The only word that Aya heard from this tough-looking girl was when she was told to follow her.

Both of them continued walking in silence until they found themselves somewhere near a certain part of the forest. And after almost 30 minutes, Aya noticed that they were heading towards a hidden cave that was covered with mold.

“We’re here.” Theresa spoke up once they arrived at the entrance of the cave.

“O-okay.”

Aya had a grasp of what her exam was going to be, which is why she only responded with short words without offending or dragging this whole exam down.

Upon entering the cave, Theresa let out a sigh before walking one step behind Aya, allowing the girl to take the lead while inside the cave. Aya understood that this was the beginning of her trial, which is why she quickly pulled out her daggers from her dimensional pocket.

Theresa got a grasp of what kind of position Aya had when attacking, which she found surprising at first. 

A small-looking girl like her using short-ranged daggers would require incredible speed and power on her swings, but that would also require confidence when dealing  with monsters.

“Are you sure about your choice of weapons?” Theresa asked in a stern, yet disciplinary voice to the girl in front of her.

Even though this was supposed to be her exam, she found it surprising that this young girl could fight with only two daggers since only assassins and fools would use them in combat. However, 

Aya was actually going to use them against monsters, which is why the red-haired woman had to confirm with her one last time. 

“Yes, this is what Hiro– I mean my mentor has taught me to fight with.” 

And without looking back, Aya responded with a confident voice that surprised yet concerned Theresa at the same time. 

But that wasn't enough to convince Theresa about this method of hunting. Not only was using daggers inconvenient, but it was also impossible to even land a fatal blow on the monsters that they were going to hunt.

“....I don't know who your teacher is. However, daggers have one sided blades. What you're about to fight are cave trolls. They have thick skin and a muscular body, which is why those daggers aren't going to work.” Theresa explained with a stern yet thoughtful voice. “Thats why, you should give up and use a different kind of weapo—”

“I'm thankful to hear your concerns, but I won't change my mind.”

But despite the thoughtful explanation, Aya still refused to give up on the exam. Theresa was a well-experienced adventurer, and she knew what she was doing. 

She knew very well how weapons work and what kinds of tactics are most efficient against certain monsters. However, the moment she caught a glimpse of Aya’s eyes, Theresa was left with a slight, unexpected turn.

What she saw in those beautiful eyes of the young girl was confidence and determination. And deep down inside them…. Anger, which fueled this sort of confidence. But confidence can also bring you death, so Theresa let out a troubled sigh before looking ahead in the cave.

“Alright, but the moment I notice any struggle against one troll. You’ll run back, and I’ll deal with them. Your exam is going to be that you at least injure one troll. If you can manage to do that, you pass.”

Aya gripped her daggers. “Thank you.”

From the depths of the cave, a certain heavy stepping noise could be heard. 

Both Aya and Theresa were already aware of the presence coming towards them, which is why Aya had already put herself into a fighting position while her eyes narrowed at the huge green troll coming towards them.

The troll was almost three meters tall with a green muscular body that intimidated any other monster. 

Its unwashed, dirty, yellow front teeth were crooked, and its face was almost humanoid-looking but closely similar to that of a goblin. However, what made this troll more dangerous was the fact that they used big weapons such as tree logs or rocks to smash their prey. 

“While they aren't that fast in close combat, they can even one-shot B-ranked adventurers. So make sure to not get hit by its cub. They don't really have any weaknesses. However, due to spending a long time in dark caves, they aren't able to detect fast objects. That's why arrows or elemental spells are most effective to catch it off guard.”

Aya carefully listened in the distance as she analyzed the approaching troll. She knew that she would die with a single swing of that massive log in the troll’s hand.

However, that didn’t intimidate her at all. She only gave a glimpse at the troll before she prepared herself to use her speed against this sort of target. 

She was already used to overwhelming goblins or other monsters with her speed, so allowing the troll to get any closer was not an option for her.

‘Her eyes….. Remind me of my own when I was younger…..’ 

Theresa thought about the standing, still girl in front of her as her eyes narrowed. 

‘However, no matter how quick she is, going against a troll should be impossible for her. So how come that she is still so confident? Is it her own foolishness? No…. Even if she wants to go against targets that are beyond her power, I should be ready to take that thing down. Allowing her to sense the true defeat of something stronger, is a feeling that every rookie adventurer should have.’

Aya, after taking a deep breath, launched herself from her position at an incredible speed, to the point where only an afterimage was left behind. 

The troll, whose blank white eyes were locked on her, looked around in confusion before feeling a slight scratch on the side of its own knee. 

Upon looking down, it noticed a small line where a bit of blood was coming out. It was only a scratch, and this didn't cause any sort of problems for the troll, which is why this sort of thing wasn't going to slow it down at all.

Theresa, who watched the sudden speed, looked surprised with her eyes wide at what Aya just pulled off. Even though it was just a small scratch, she actually managed to go past the troll without getting noticed.

‘She’s fast!’ She commented in surprise on her own mind. She never actually expected that a small looking girl like her would be able to pull off a speed like that. But right in front of her, Aya actually managed to move right behind the troll in just one second. 

The troll however, despite the fact that it was blind to fast movements, still felt the presence of its target that had managed to reach behind its back. So without having any doubts, it turned around and swung its big log towards Aya, only to miss the target.

With just a swing of its massive log, Aya saw how it could even graze thanks to the powerful wind force that it caused. Theresa, too, didn't let her guard down. She had her hand on her massive sword on her back, ready to interfere in case that things would go south. Even if Aya was fast, she was responsible in case something would happen to her.

Upon having quickly dodged the first swing from the troll, Aya immediately located herself at another blind spot where she landed her next swing on the other knee of the troll. 

While her movements were quick, she still failed to land an injury where the troll would slow down. That's why Theresa was doubtful about Aya’s choice of weapons.

Aya was simply going to tire herself out until the troll would finally get a hit on her, bringing immediate death on her.

This sort of fighting pattern continued for a while. Aya dodged the strong swings of the troll while landing scratching marks on its green body. But this did not continue for any longer as after a few more quick movements, she found herself cornered at an awkward part of terrain inside the cave.

‘It's skin is so tough!’ Aya’s thought to herself, her breathing getting faster as she was trying to think of a way to bring this troll down. 

But there wasn't any more time to think as the troll wasn't going to allow this opportunity to go to waste. With another powerful swing of its arm, the troll crushed the place where Aya was standing, creating dust and debris flying around from the powerful force.

‘She….’ 

Theresa’s eyes widened in surprise and shock at this sudden turn of events. Her surprise however, wasn't because of the powerful force of the troll, but because right as Aya was about to get hit, she managed to disappear from her position. However, after the dust cleared out, what Theresa saw next, understood the reason behind Aya’s sudden increase in speed. 

‘She can use art enhancement?!’ Theresa thought in her head.

Aya, who had become much faster, had a glowing white aura around her body. Her eyes had become much sharper, and her body much flexible, allowing her to use her own skills to their fullest. But because she had no choice but to go all out, the cloak that was covering her hair, revealed the true color.

Theresa, of course, didn't miss this reveal, as she was able to see quite well in this dark cave. 

‘White hair?!’ 

There were many questions that she had to ask about this, however, at the same time, she was also curious to know how this fight was going to turn out.