"Shortly after, the adventurers arrived to save the day. Seeing that their work was already done, they invited me to join the guild and use my strength for the sake of the people, which I accepted," Ryuji explained.

"A year passed. I continued taking quests on my own and quickly rose through the ranks until I reached B-rank. After completing a particularly difficult mission, slaying hobgoblins in the dark forests of Eterna who were preparing to raid several villages, I brought the commander's head to the Guild master as proof that the threat had been eliminated. I also expressed my wish to advance further in rank," he finished, his tone calm but resolute.

Ryuji's gaze drifted to the outskirts as memories from a few months ago resurfaced. He remembered returning to the guild, covered head to toe in blood, carrying the head of the hobgoblin commander—nearly the size of his own torso. He walked toward the reception and slammed the severed head onto the table. Its grotesque, inhuman features would have made lesser men cower.

The eyes rolled back, revealing only sclera, and the jaws gaped wide, its long tongues stretching unnaturally. The stench of decay, lingering from a day on the road, filled the room.

He looked at the receptionist and said, "I wish to speak with the Guild master, please."

The receptionist, pinching her nose to shield herself from the horrendous smell, quickly called for him. The Guild master descended a set of stairs to meet the bloodied young man.

"Well done, Cub!" the Guild master said.

Ryuji looked up to see a well-built old man with short black hair and a thin, scruffy beard that was beginning to streak with grey.

As the Guild master descended the steps, Ryuji noticed someone walking behind him, an old man with long white hair and a flowing white beard, clad in long blue robes with white and gold stripes on the sleeves, carrying a long wooden staff. Ryuji paid him no mind, his attention fixed on his promotion.

"As promised, Guild master… the threat has been dealt with," Ryuji said. "I'm ready for the promotion test. Please let us proceed with haste."

"Patience, Cub!" the Guild master said, puffing out his chest and crossing his arms. "Shouldn't you clean yourself up first? You look like you just came out of a massacre," he added, laughing obnoxiously loud.

"Go now, clean yourself up, and meet my guest and me in my office," he commanded.

Ryuji scoffed before leaving the guild hall and heading to his room.

A little over half an hour later, the Guild master and his guest heard a knock at the door.

"Come in!" the Guild master commanded loudly.

Ryuji, looking much fresher with slightly damp hair, arrived at their office.

"Is this more suitable?" he asked.

"Watch that arrogance, Cub!" the Guild master chuckled. "Come and meet my honored guest!" He nodded toward the old man, gesturing him forward.

"Greetings, young one," the old man said.

"Greetings, old man… who might you be?" Ryuji asked, studying the man's face and attire.

"Let me introduce you!" the Guild master interrupted their chat loudly and excitedly. "This is Elian Stewart, the headmaster of the School of Gifted Children."

"He is also the most powerful mage on this continent! Bow your head and show proper respect to your elders, Cub!" he commanded.

Ryuji looked at the old man in surprise and quickly bowed to the headmaster.

"It is my utmost honor to meet you, Headmaster," he said.

The headmaster chuckled at the young boy.

"What a noble and elegant young man. You may lift your head," he said softly.

"Pray tell, what brings you to the guild? And why are you so eager to advance and take on greater challenges?" Elian asked.

"I…" Ryuji hesitated briefly, glancing at the Guild master before turning his attention back to the headmaster.

"I seek answers… to a problem I cannot share with anyone. Rising through the ranks as an adventurer would allow me to take special requests from the nobility in the cities… perhaps they hold the answers to my questions," he replied, hesitating to reveal his true intentions.

"I see…" the headmaster said. "I understand your desire, but I do not understand your urgency."

"I…" Ryuji hesitated again; he did not wish to share more information.

The headmaster read Ryuji's body language and decided not to pry. He sighed before saying, "Very well then… Say, young one, what do you think about joining my school? The Guild master here has told me much about your achievements. I'm certain my school could offer ample opportunities to further enhance your skills!" he added excitedly.

"Did he now?" Ryuji replied, shooting daggers at the Guild master.

"What did you expect? My guest saw you walk in, covered in blood, carrying a head as big as you! Anyone would have questions about that!" the Guild master said, laughing obnoxiously loud once again.

Ryuji sighed at the Guild master's lack of delicacy. "My apologies, Headmaster," he said, turning his attention back to the older man. "I'm afraid I'm not seeking improvement at the moment. My problem is time-sensitive, and I cannot afford to waste time playing the role of a student."

"I see… hmm…" The headmaster was lost in thought, stroking his long white beard. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he looked at Ryuji with renewed focus.

"Then how about a bet?" he asked excitedly.

"A bet? You shouldn't be betting at your age, old man," Ryuji said mockingly.

"Hoho! How fierce," the headmaster chuckled at the young boy.

The Guild master quickly stood and smacked Ryuji across the back of his head.

"I told you to curb your arrogance, little cub!" the Guild master exclaimed.

"Ow…" Ryuji muttered, scratching the back of his head.

"Just humor me, young one," the headmaster said.

Ryuji turned back to the headmaster and nodded, ready to listen to what he had to say.

"You claim your problem is time-sensitive. Then I shall offer you a deal of a lifetime. If I'm not mistaken, your promotion relies on a combat test against the current Guild master. Should you defeat him, or if he deems you worthy, you will rise to the next rank, correct?" the headmaster said, his eyes scheming.

"Then how about this: face me instead." His expression shifted swiftly from that of a kind old man to an experienced battlemage.

"Should you win, or if I deem you worthy, I will personally raise you to the highest rank. However, should you lose, you will join my school for the next two years. And who knows—perhaps our archives will provide the answers you seek," he continued, his eyes studying Ryuji's body language intently.

"What do you say?" the headmaster asked, his expression serious as he leaned on his staff, waiting for a response from the young man.

Ryuji stood in shock at the headmaster's outrageous gamble. He looked at the Guild master, and all he received was an obnoxious laugh and a nod of approval.

Ryuji turned his attention back to the headmaster, studying his body language to discern his intentions—but it was in vain. His mind raced as he considered all the possible outcomes.

"If I stay here any longer… it could take me another year or two to reach the desired rank, or maybe I'd need to stop a natural disaster on my own just to achieve it faster… Maybe I should…" Ryuji muttered, thinking for about a minute, his head lowered, arms crossed, and his right hand covering his mouth.

"Why would you propose such a gamble? What do you hope to gain from this?" he asked the headmaster.

"What do I gain? Another brilliant student, one who will shine even brighter at my school! What more could a professor want? Is there anything that fills a professor with more pride and joy than this?" he replied, chuckling softly.

"I see… very well, then. I accept," Ryuji said, staring sharply at the headmaster.

"Wonderful. Shall we proceed to the Guild's training grounds?" the headmaster asked.

The trio made their way through the halls to the back of the guild, where a vast open field lay. It was rarely used by the members, who preferred actual combat experience over swinging their swords at wooden mannequins. Ryuji and the Headmaster took their positions, preparing for a fight that would determine Ryuji's future, with the Guild master acting as judge.

Ryuji flicked his arm to the right, as if signaling for something to come to him. His shadows began to distort once again, and from his shadow storage, he summoned his sword.

"Ohoho! Shadow magic? It's always so fascinating to see!" the Guild master exclaimed excitedly.

"Are you familiar with it?" Ryuji asked, surprised by the old man's reaction.

"Young man, I am two hundred years old! I have seen things beyond your wildest imagination!" the headmaster exclaimed, chuckling loudly.

Ryuji grew nervous. He was facing the strongest mage on the continent and tried his best not to show fear, but it was of no use. His hands trembled slightly, something an experienced mage like Elian noticed instantly. The Guild master stood at the far edge of the arena, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire, and with a loud voice, he yelled, "Begin!" to initiate the test.

At the Guild master's shout, Ryuji rushed forward toward the headmaster, summoning two shadow puppets along the way. He wasn't holding back against the strongest man he had ever faced. He fully intended to finish this fight as quickly as possible.

As he approached the old man with lightning speed, the headmaster, who hadn't assumed a fighting stance, simply lifted his arm. Seeing this, Ryuji summoned a third puppet behind him, each wielding a sword made of shadows. Ryuji and his three puppets closed in, attacking from all directions. They were only a few feet away.

The headmaster simply snapped his fingers. A loud shockwave erupted as he manipulated the air around him at Mach speeds. The invisible explosion reverberated across the arena, forcing the Guild master to cover his ears and wince in pain.

The supersonic shockwave sent Ryuji and his puppets flying in all directions. His shadow puppets vanished as he hurtled through the air, landing hard on his back and sliding across the ground for several meters. He finally came to a stop, unconscious, his ears bleeding from the force of the blast.

The headmaster sighed and gestured for the Guild master to come forward and pick up the unconscious young man.

Half an hour later, Ryuji awoke in shock, cold sweat running down his face. He found himself lying on a sofa in the Guild master's office.

His head throbbed, and he struggled to steady himself. His ears no longer bled, thanks to the headmaster, who had used his magic to heal him before he woke. Ryuji looked around the room but did not see the headmaster anywhere.

The only person in the room was a loud, burly old man.

"Good morning, Cub!" he bellowed.

Ryuji's headache throbbed even more at the sound.

"Where's… the headmaster?" he asked, groaning.

"He left! Back to his scholarly duties at the school, which is where you're going next, Cub! He said to visit him first thing when you arrive!" the Guild master replied, chuckling at the young man's defeat.

The young man blushed in embarrassment, his irritation rising, but he had no choice but to comply. After resting for a day, he packed his belongings and set out for the capital, traveling across the nation's open fields for a full day until he finally reached the city's massive stone walls.

An excited gasp from Sawano snapped Ryuji back to the present. He looked up to see her standing extremely close, her eyes wide with anticipation.

"You're telling me you actually fought the headmaster?!" she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

The sight of her face drawing closer made Ryuji blush, and he quickly turned his head away.

"I wouldn't be that excited about it," he said with an embarrassed laugh. "It was an instant defeat for me."

Sawano looked slightly confused. "But why was he there? The headmaster seldom leaves the school… It's very odd," she asked.

"I'm not sure, but that's how I ended up here. But tell me something, Miss Sawano," he said, turning his face toward her.

"Yuki told me your mother was never married… does that mean you were adopted into the family?" she asked.

"Ah… yes, I was," she replied, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"I was born a commoner. During the civil war, both my parents fought for the current king… and they lost their lives in that brutal conflict. I spent a few years living on the streets, stealing and doing my best to survive… until one day, I stole from the woman who would soon become my mother," she said, giggling softly at the memory.

"She picked me up off the streets and gave me a home… taught me her martial arts, and over time became my family. I owe everything to her," she said, a wide smile spreading across her face.

Ryuji blushed once again at the sight of the smiling young tigress.

"Her smile is infectious… She looks her best when she's wearing it…" he thought, trying his best to hide his bright red face.

"But… wouldn't you have preferred to spend the day with her rather than with me?" Ryuji asked.

"No, she's busy… she's managing the city watch. Besides! When I graduate, I'll join her, and we'll work together to keep the city safe! And I get to spend the day with the person I chose!" she continued, her infectious smile glowing even brighter in the setting sun.

The young couple laughed and chatted as they walked. Eventually, curfew arrived, and they made their way back to their dorms, still joking and talking until the last moments before they parted. Goodnights and farewells were exchanged, smiles lighting their faces as they carried the memory of the day with them.