Volume 3 Chapter 5: Part 2: Announcement

Vinnie and Blaine were beaten to a pulp. And it wasn't from the blows Nigel dished out. Their entire body was black and blue. If it wasn't for the clothing yesterday, Onyx wouldn't have recognized them. 

 

"Apparently, they tried to make a run for it. But a guard spotted them trying to jump off the walls. And when they resisted, they were beaten up." Etta explained

 

"I see." Onyx understood. Well, it wasn't that surprising. With how much damage they caused, it was no wonder they tried to escape.  

 

"Hmm? What's wrong, master?" Rena felt something was off with what Onyx said. 

 

"No, it's nothing to worry about." Rather than worrying, Onyx felt something was off with the two of them. Lifeless. That was the feeling Onyx got as he stared at them. 

 

Is it because they couldn't escape? Their eyes were blank. What was more, they looked like they would fall any second. However, there was no use worrying about them. 

 

They tried to ruin his life. That was retribution. 

 

"These two have falsified their claims. Rather than being used as bait, they abandoned their own. And they have even accused them instead."

 

Revealing all of this, the people around start to murmur around. And Oliver stepped up, 

 

"Let the man finish!" And silence came about again. 

 

The messenger continued, "And for people who don't believe us: we have asked the client about what happened. And under a lie detection orb, everything the two said is false."

 

The silence continued further as they knew what was about to happen next. 

 

"For lying and trying to accuse your own fellow adventurers falsely, your guild licenses will be revoked. You will be sentenced to 4 years of jail." Revoking their guild licenses meant they could never become an adventurer again. 

 

Vinnie and Blaine's expressions turned paler when they heard that. They knew this was the outcome. But hearing it brought shock to him. The messenger said nothing else.

 

"Take these two away!" Oliver ordered. The guards pick up the two of them. Their bodies were limp as they dragged them away.

...

That was the end. Onyx was about to leave,

 

"Onyx," Madelyn called out to him,

 

"What's up?"

 

"The guild master wants to speak with you." 

 

"Understood." Onyx turned to Rena, "Rena, you can do what you want. You don't have to wait for me."

 

Rena nodded, and Onyx walked away and into the guild hall. Going into the office, he asked Oliver, "What's up, Oliver?"

 

Oliver smiled, "It hasn't been long, Onyx."

 

"Hmm? But we haven't seen each other for a week or two."

 

"Yeah. And in those weeks, you always do something big." Oliver laughed. It was as if trouble were clinging onto Onyx's back like ghosts. Sometimes even Oliver wondered what kind of black star the kid was born from. 

 

From fighting with the demons to this incident with Finn and Blaine: these were all in a short timeframe! 

 

Onyx scratched his head, "My bad on that. But it isn't my fault." How am I supposed to know these guys would do something like that?

 

"I know it's not your fault." Oliver sighed, "But do you know how much paperwork I have to do?" From the demon incident, he had an increase in paperwork! And now this, there was a lot more paperwork he had to do now!

 

Just let me vent abit! Oliver also warned, "You need to be careful about people around you now."

 

Onyx sat down, "I know. Those two were on my radar for the most part. But I didn't really have to worry."

 

"Hmm?"

 

"After all, someone was watching over us after all." 

 

Like some magical force, Oliver almost slipped out of his chair. He stared at Onyx, "What do you mean?"

 

"Oliver, you don't need to hide it from me. I know Cyrus isn't a C-rank."

 

Cyrus was not C-rank at all.

 

"There's no point in trying to deny it." Onyx's smile grew larger. In the end, Oliver gave a long sigh, 

 

"Sometimes, I wonder whether you are foolish or actually bright." Oliver really couldn't tell with this child at all. He would have sparks of genius. And sometimes, he would do the most inconceivable thing. 

 

But Oliver nodded, "You're right. Cyrus is not a D-rank adventurer. He's a proctor for the examination."

 

"A proctor?" 

 

"Mmhmm. Sometimes depending on the group's level, we'll have proctors go with them. There will be fewer deaths, and they act as an extra judge on whether or not the person is deemed to rank up."

 

"But how did you figure out Cyrus is a proctor?" Oliver found it impressive. Most proctors have great control, making them harder to figure out. So how did Onyx figure it out?

 

"Oh, that wasn't my doing. All of it was from Rena." Rena was the one who discovered it. As someone who used a bow, she found something was off with Cyrus. 

 

"Master, please be wary of him. He's holding back." In the tent, she said those words to him. 

 

Onyx understood and kept his eyes on Cyrus. He didn't know what was up with Cyrus. But he trusted Rena. And bit by bit, he started to notice it. But it became clear with the horde of stone lizards. 

 

Cyrus's moves during that incident were way too refined. It was similar to Rena's level. That was when Onyx realized that Cyrus was hiding it. 

 

"He was cutting corners, trying to make it look like he's C-rank." Cyrus was only doing the bare minimum work. But he was also guiding Tricia and Willa on what to do. 

 

So that made Onyx realize Cyrus was harmless, and maybe he was set up by Oliver. 

 

"Onyx, don't tell anyone about this. And tell this to Rena too. If the lower rank adventurers were to find out about this: they wouldn't be focused on the mission." The purpose was to allow the adventurers to fight with death in mind. 

 

Knowing that a high-rank adventurer was with them would make this goal obsolete. 

 

"Don't worry about it. Rena and I won't be saying anything about it."

 

"Thank you."

 

"But where were you these past few days?" The reason why Blaine and Vinnie could go all in was that Oliver wasn't in Advent City. 

 

If Oliver was here, there was no way those two would cause so much havoc for Onyx and Rena. He would have ended the two right then and there. 

 

"I have some guild master matters to attend to," Oliver explained. Onyx knows he wouldn't say anything else other than that. He asked again, 

 

"Oliver, what are you going to do about Galven?" That was the other matter they had to deal with. They had to punish Vinnie and Blaine as the two culprits. But that shouldn't be the end. Galven shouldn't be let off too.

 

When Galven stepped up, Onyx had a hunch he was the instigator. 

 

Oliver touched his head, "Don't you think I know that too? But Galven is one slippery fellow. Do you know how Vinnie and Blaine got those injuries?"

 

"Isn't it from the guards?"

 

Oliver shakes his head, "Those injuries came from Galven."

 

Huh?! Onyx was surprised.

 

"Blaine and Vinnie took a chance and tried to sneak out of Advent City, knowing that people would be on the lookout. But when they were about to escape, Galven was the one who brought them back."

 

"...Damn." Onyx didn't know what to say. 

 

"Yeah." Oliver didn't know what to say either when he saw it too. He essentially threw his disciple down to save himself. He continued, 

 

"You don't have to worry about Galven doing anything to you for a while. With this stunt, he will lay low. And you guys are in the same rank now. Go get some rest now."

 

"Understood."

....

"Let's congratulate our 4 adventurers who've ranked up!" Stewart raised his mug in the air as a toast!

 

"Now, let's party!" With that, the party started. 

 

Onyx scratched his cheeks, "You guys didn't have to do any of this."

 

"Nah! Do you know how many people can rank up to C-rank?" Etta said with a smile. Rising to C-rank was something not many could do. It was breaking the boundary. It defines a beginner adventurer advancing to the middle tier. 

 

"Also, shouldn't you be helping Rena?" Etta pointed over to the side. Rena was surrounded by girls. Well, it was the girls Scarlett Lynx and Blue Cats.

 

"It's ok. Rena's fine." Despite her wry look, Rena seemed to not mind it. Thank goodness she's having fun. Onyx smiled gently. 

 

White hair was a bad omen. 

 

Despite Blaine saying this: people were treating her with kindness. She was just another person.

 

"Hey, Onyx." As he watched over them, Mord called out from behind. 

 

"What's up, Mord?"

 

"You know-" There's a moment of silence before, "I'm so sorry!" Mord quickly apologized as he bowed his head to top it off. 

 

"Hmm, what are you talking about?"

 

"I mean, I tried to beat you up. I'm sorry about that." Mord knew he messed up. Anger clouded his mind. The only thought he had was to seek justice for his juniors.

 

"It's fine. Let bygones be bygones." Onyx didn't think of Mord as a bad person. Hot-headed, yes. But he didn't have that hostility from before. 

 

"Thanks!" Mord had a big grin.

 

"Enough with that gloomy mood, you two!" Out of nowhere, Reynold came behind Onyx. With one look and breath, he could tell Reynold was drunk. He stood at the table, "Eat your fill, everybody! Our Scarlett Lynx will be the one to pay for all of it!"

 

"Wha-"

 

"Woohoo! Thank you so much, Stewart!"

 

"He's soo cool!"

 

"As expected of a captain of a B-rank party!" 

 

"Ughh! Yeah! I'll be paying for it all! So eat up and have fun!" Stewart screamed out with a strained face. 

 

"...." You gotta stop getting peer pressured like this. Onyx shook his head. This wasn't the first time. 

 

And this wasn't the first time to see the rest of Scarlet Lynx staring in dismay. Reynold was the only one who looked happy about what had happened. 

 

Onyx didn't know what to say. But one thing was for sure, he knew tomorrow won't be a good day for Reynold. 

 

Should I prepare some flowers as well?

...

 

"Ughh." I overate. As Onyx walked down the street, he could feel something coming up from his stomach. 

 

Yesterday was a feast. Onyx didn't stop a single second from eating. Well, he was forced to eat. Lucia, Rebecca, and the other girls continued to add more.

And he didn't want to be rude, so he ate it all. And the aftermath was him feeling unwell. 

 

Thank goodness Rena didn't come with me. Rena was not in a different position than him. She got force-fed just the same, maybe even more than him. 

 

She was going to come with Onyx. But Onyx told her to stay in bed to rest up. 

 

When Onyx arrived at the guild building, he walked over to Madelyn, "Madelyn."

 

"Hmm? Onyx. What's wrong with you?"

 

"Don't mind me. Just have a stomachache." 

 

"..." That doesn't look like a stomachache. Onyx was hunched over, "Do you need me too-"

 

"No. You don't have to do anything." Onyx flapped his hand, "I'll be fine after a while. Do you have any quest you can give me?"

 

Madelyn frowned, "As an advisor, I can't give you any quest given your condition now."

 

"It doesn't have to be a difficult one. I don't want to fight monsters right now. Just give me something easy and simple to do. I need to move my body to get rid of this stomach ache."

 

"Hmmm, if you want only something with manual labor: these jobs should be good for you." Madelyn brought  out a couple of quests for Onyx.

 

Rank G: Need help loading cargo onto Wagon. 

 

Rank F: I need people for farming.

 

Rank F: Need help at the auction house. 

 

"These are the ones that fit what you want." All these quests focused on manual labor. Madelyn added, 

 

"I suggest the cargo one. It's in Advent City and is the easiest of the three."

 

Hmmm. Onyx thought about it and grabbed one, "I will take this one instead."

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