Natalie nodded and motioned to one of the guild’s healers, who had been standing by. “Take Pacey to the infirmary. Make sure he’s stabilized.”

The healer quickly approached and lifted Pacey off Belial’s shoulder, carrying him away with care. Belial watched as they disappeared into the distance, feeling a mixture of relief and regret.

Once Pacey was out of sight, Natalie turned her attention back to Belial and Xin. “Now, as for your performance,” she said, addressing them both, “the proctors will review everything, but from what I can see, you both demonstrated a solid grasp of combat. Belial, your strength and adaptability are impressive, but as I said, control is key.”

Xin, who had remained stoic, gave a slight nod, acknowledging her words. Belial, however, shifted uncomfortably, feeling as though he had barely scraped by.

Natalie went on to say, "You'll get another opportunity to demonstrate your skills during the last test." I anticipate that you will both take it seriously. This is not only about your combat skills - it's also about your suitability to be a member of this guild.

Belial looked into her eyes, sensing the significance of that moment. This was his opportunity to demonstrate his abilities, and he couldn't risk failing once more. "I comprehend," he stated, his voice remaining stable.

"Okay," Natalie said, her tone indicating conclusiveness. Take a break and relax. I'll be back shortly”

As she turned to leave, Belial let out a long breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. 

“You good?” Xin asked after a moment,

Belial nodded, though he wasn’t entirely sure. “Yeah. Just... got a little carried away.”

Xin chuckled softly. “It happens. Just make sure it doesn’t happen next time. Natalie’s kind of scary.”

Belial smiled wryly. “Yeah, I got that.” He paused, then added, “Thanks for backing me up.”

Xin gave him a brief nod. “No problem. We’re in this together.”

Belial felt a small sense of reassurance at his friend’s words. The path ahead was still uncertain, but at least he wasn’t walking it alone. And for now, that was enough.

"I don't think I passed”, Finally, he spoke, his voice hardly more than a whisper. studied him for a long moment, then she said, sighed,

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait here for a little bit longer. I need to appraise the two of you so that I may give a verdict on whether or not you qualify to join the guild."

This feeling of dread washed over Belial as he realized a cold, hard truth-there was no way out or escape, if he was found out just because of this blunder, what would become of him?

…

in the small,brightly lit waiting area, each immersed in their own thoughts while awaiting their outcomes. The room felt stuffy, in sharp contrast to the tension between them. Belial looked at his hands while tapping his fingers on his knees, as Xin sat back in his chair with crossed arms, gazing at the ceiling in mild impatience. 

Belial couldn't rid himself of the knot that was forming in his stomach. He thought he had not passed his test. Unlike Xin, who had performed admirably in the battle with the proctor, Belial had opted to utilize a forbidden technique that concealed his whereabouts. It wasn't quite cheating, but it felt close to enough to bother his conscience. 

In contrast, Xin seemed much less worried. He emerged victorious in his battle with Pacey, the examiner, and was confident it would earn him a spot in the Crimson Phoenix Guild. 

"Hmph, but you defeated the proctor, right?" Xin abruptly spoke, shattering the quietness. He spoke with a deep, resonant voice that exuded confidence. "That is definitely a pass for sure,so how did you win?"

Belial squirmed in his seat, anxiously shaking his legs. He couldn't shake the unease as he replayed the fight in his mind. 

 voice, eyes fixed on his hands. "I used battle art..It's not quite cheating, but...it is though." 

Xin was surprised, his eyes widening as he turned his head towards Belial. "An approach to hide your presence?" he repeated, intrigued. "That skill is very useful. "So how did you learn the technique?"

“My master taught it to me,” Belial said with a shrug, not meeting Xin’s gaze.

Xin let out a whistle, clearly impressed. “That’s pretty cool. That’s why you could beat the proctor.”

But Belial shook his head. “The skill has two parts—one that uses energy and one that uses pure battle arts. But the problem is, I used energy.” His gaze hardened as he continued. “I didn’t want to, but I wasn’t given a choice.”

Xin frowned, leaning forward slightly. “So, why do you feel guilty? If you had no other choice, it’s not your fault.”

Belial sighed, his shoulders slumping. “Because I feel like I still cheated,” he confessed, shame evident in his voice. “I resorted to other tricks to try and win. I wasn’t playing fair.”

Xin placed a hand on Belial’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Hey, don’t beat yourself up over it,” he said, flashing his friend a grin. “You did your best, right? Besides, cheating is part of the game. Everybody does it.”

Belial wasn't convinced, but before he could respond, the door to the waiting room swung open with a creak. Ntaalie one of the guilds administrators, entered, her expression neutral as she glanced between the two of them. Behind her, Pacey limped in, his neck swathed in bandages, and both Belial and Xin tensed.

“We’ve talked it over with the other proctors,” Natalie began, her voice calm and measured.

“You pass,” Pacey interrupted, his voice gruff as he rubbed at his injured neck. “The technique you used wasn’t a hax, so… you’re good.”

Xin leapt out of his chair with a loud whoop, throwing his fist in the air. “Yes I knew it!”

Belial let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding, a soft smile tugging at his lips as the tension began to ebb away. They had been waiting for what felt like hours, and finally, they had their answer.

Natalie cleared her throat, drawing their attention back to her. “Now, if you’ll come with me, we’ll assign your rank and group,” she said, turning on her heel and gesturing for them to follow.

As they walked through the guild’s corridors, Belial’s nerves started to creep back in. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but he feared the worst. They stopped in front of a metal door-like object, something that looked out of place in the otherwise medieval-1900’s -style guild.

“This is a scanning machine,” Natalie explained. “It will assess your abilities and assign your rank accordingly.”

Xin went first, stepping through the machine. A soft humming noise filled the room, followed by a brief beep. The screen flashed his information: Race: Elf. Rank: C. Fighting ability: C-. Durability: C+. Intelligence: B. Your overall rank is C.”

Belial swallowed hard as he stepped into the machine. The hum seemed louder this time, the scanning process dragging on longer than it had for Xin. He waited anxiously for the result, his mind racing. Finally, the screen lit up- Race: Human. Rank: D+.

Natalie read the results aloud. “Belial Noctis. Fighting ability: C+. Durability: C+. Intelligence: B-. Your overall rank is D.”

Belial’s heart sank. He had trained his entire life for this moment, but it seemed like all his efforts weren’t enough. He felt a wave of disappointment wash over him as he stared down at the ID card Natalie handed him. 

“You’ve done well,” Natalie said, offering a small smile. “Welcome to the Crimson Phoenix Guild.”

Xin, still buzzing with excitement, nudged Belial. “Come on, don’t look so down. We made it!”

Belial forced a smile, trying to shake off the lingering disappointment. “Yeah… we did.”

As they left the guild hall and stepped out onto the bustling streets, Xin turned to Belial with a wide grin. “Now that we’ve got our hunter cards, we’re celebrating! Let’s go buy some snacks and drinks!”

Belial chuckled, the tension finally starting to leave him. “Sure. Sounds good.”

They discovered a nearby convenience store, with shelves full of snacks, beverages, and all the items they needed. Xin rushed through the aisles, snatching chips, candy, soda, and a bunch of energy drinks.

Exiting the store with bags in hand, Xin was practically bouncing with excitement. "Now let's throw a party!"

Belial couldn't resist chuckling at his friend's eagerness. "Lead the way."

While walking, Belial looked at his hunter card, feeling its weight in his hand. He didn't achieve his desired rank, but he was accepted. And that was really something.

Belial and Xin stepped into Xin's apartment, carrying bags filled with snacks and drinks that made their arms heavy. They threw all items onto the coffee table, creating a noise of crinkling chip bags and clinking bottles in the room. Xin, always the musician, smiled and quickly started his stereo, filling the room with lively, cheerful melodies. The enthusiasm was contagious, and the atmosphere appeared to awaken with excitement for the night ahead.

Belial slouched into the worn-out couch, grabbing a bag of chips. He stared at them for a moment before looking up at Xin, who was already cracking open a soda with an effortless grin plastered on his face.

"So," Belial began, his voice trailing off, "what do you think our first mission will be?"

Xin, ever the optimist, shrugged nonchalantly. "Who knows? But whatever it is, we'll be ready for it!" he said, his voice carrying a lighthearted but confident tone.

For the next few hours, they indulged in snacks and drinks, stuffing their faces with junk food while sharing dreams of their futures in the guild. At one point, Xin brought out his guitar and began to strum a soft tune, improvising as they spoke. The music filled the air, a gentle contrast to the chaos of wrappers and laughter.

It wasn’t long before Xin’s attention drifted to the sword resting against the couch beside Belial. The katana's gleaming blade caught the dim light in the room, casting an otherworldly shimmer. It was a long, undulating weapon, its craftsmanship flawless and intimidating.

"That Blade..." Xin began, eyes widening in admiration. "Where did you get it? It looks expensive."

Belial’s face lit up at the mention of his sword. He reached out and grabbed the hilt, the familiar weight of the weapon comforting in his hand.

"Oh, this?" Belial said with a small smile. "It was a gift from my master after I completed training; my first sword."

Xin nodded, impressed. "Man, that’s really cool."

Belial leaned back into the couch, closing his eyes as the melody from Xin’s guitar filled the room again. There was a moment of silence, a rare calm amidst the chaos of their lives. But then, Xin broke the quiet with a question that had been on his mind for a while.

"How long do you think it'll take to clear the debt?" Xin asked, his voice serious for once.

Belial’s eyes opened slowly, and he exhaled a long breath. "I don’t know," he admitted, his tone laced with uncertainty. "He’s gonna keep sending those cyborgs after me—each one stronger than the last—until either I pay him what he wants or... he finds me."

Xin frowned, his fingers pausing on the strings of his guitar. "That won’t happen," he said firmly. "I won’t let it."

Belial turned his head slightly, giving his friend a tired smile. "Thanks, I—"

Before he could finish, Belial’s head lolled back, and he was out cold, his snores filling the room in rhythm with Xin’s soft guitar strumming.

Xin rolled his eyes but couldn’t help chuckling to himself. "Always so laid-back," he muttered. As much as Belial liked to play things off, Xin knew the weight of their situation was pressing down hard on both of them.

For a moment, Xin stood and looked out the window into the dark city streets. The hustle and bustle of life continued outside, oblivious to the life-threatening challenges awaiting them. He sighed, his mind racing with thoughts of their future.

The rustle of sheets pulled his attention back to Belial, who was now stretching and rubbing his eyes. "Morning," Belial mumbled, his voice groggy.

"Hey, sleepyhead. Did you get enough rest?" Xin teased.

Belial nodded slowly. "Yeah. I feel better now, thanks."

Xin sat back down on the couch next to him. "So, what’s the plan?"

Belial pondered for a moment, then said, "We do high-paying jobs. We need to clear the debt quickly."

..

In the president of the Phoenix guilds office Natalie handed the guild results to Cole black burn, he glanced down the list, emotionless, until he saw a familiar name: "Noctis." Surprise etched on his face, A chuckle escaped his lips as he remembered the small child who had once shown him a toy hunter of himself.

"Things are about to get interesting," Cole mused, his gaze drifting out the window.

Natalie raised an eyebrow, curious about the sudden change in his demeanor. "Is everything alright, Cole?"

Cole smiled faintly. "Yes, Natalie. Everything’s just fine."