As they continued walking, Hiro practically bounced with energy, his hands animated as he gestured enthusiastically. “Kyren, there are three main steps to joining the Sacred Selection Guild or any high-tier guild,” he began, his voice buzzing with excitement. He punctuated his points with exaggerated movements, making it impossible for Kyren not to be drawn in.
Kyren’s eyes followed Hiro’s every move, his curiosity growing with each word, though his expression remained thoughtful. Hiro was always lively, but this energy was something else.
Hiro, now walking backward so he could face Kyren, continued, “The first step is getting at least one Star Badge from Arramaya’s Legacy Guild. They’re the officials who organize this whole system in our realm to keep things running smoothly.”
As Hiro spoke, he mimicked holding an imaginary badge in the air, his fingers fidgeting as if he already held their ticket to the guild. Kyren’s lips twitched, almost smiling at his friend’s antics.
“But the thing is… we can’t just get a Star Badge directly from them,” Hiro said, now spinning on his heel to face forward again, the excitement in his voice fading into something more subdued. “We need to enroll in Sky Academy. It’s the only school in the realm that teaches the fundamentals—combat, choosing the right role path, everything.”
Hiro’s shoulders slumped as he said the word “fundamentals,” as if the mere idea of all the training ahead was weighing him down. “After we graduate, we get a Star Badge based on our performance. Sounds straightforward, right?”
Kyren raised an eyebrow, noticing Hiro’s sudden shift in energy. He couldn’t help but ask, “Why are you sounding uncertain all of a sudden?”
Hiro sighed dramatically, running a hand through his hair, his playful mood dimming. “Well… Sky Academy’s entrance requirements are tough. Really tough. There are people way better than us, Kyren.” He glanced at Kyren, eyes wide as if waiting for him to react. “And the entrance fee? It’s five silver. If we don’t pass the entrance exam, we lose the money. No refund.”
Kyren stayed silent, watching Hiro with a serious gaze. Hiro was never one to hold back, but the hint of doubt in his voice caught Kyren off guard. He placed a hand on Hiro’s shoulder, stopping him mid-stride. “Hiro, time spent working to earn that money will be part of our training too. Nothing will be wasted. Trust me, we can do this.”
Hiro blinked at him, then broke into a small chuckle, shaking his head. “Hmm… I don’t know, Kyren,” he said, scratching the back of his head. “Even if we train, there’s no guarantee. And there’s the cost of living in Arramaya City—way higher than here. We’ll need at least 15 silver: 10 for the entrance fees, and 5 for living expenses.”
Kyren crossed his arms, eyes narrowing as he thought. “Then we’ll just have to work harder, save up. You said yourself people in this town know you for being hardworking. They’ll give us more jobs, right?”
Hiro’s grin widened. He gave Kyren a light punch on the arm, his playful spirit bouncing back. “Yeah, you’re right. They’ll probably line up to throw extra work our way.”
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The two shared a light laugh, their earlier tension lifting. As they walked, Hiro began hopping from one foot to the other, clearly eager again. Kyren’s curiosity, however, wasn’t satisfied just yet. “What’s the next step after we get the Star Badge?”
Without missing a beat, Hiro spun around again to face Kyren, walking backward with a grin. “Well, after we have our Star Badge, we can apply to guilds. If we do well, we might get recruited by a good guild or even start our own if we get three Star Badges.” He gave a little flourish with his hands, mimicking a grand announcement. “The top students at Sky Academy get three-starred badges, so that’s the goal.”
Kyren nodded, finding Hiro’s theatrics amusing. “It sounds like a long process, but at least it’s organized.”
Hiro shrugged, his previous energy dipping slightly. “Yeah, but… it’s really competitive. Last time, about 4,000 people took the exam, but only 900 passed. And out of those, only 35 graduated. We’re talking about some of the most skilled people in the realm.” He let out a long breath, flinging his arms out dramatically.
Kyren caught the glimmer of doubt in Hiro’s eyes again. He gave him a playful shove. “Do you think we can make it?”
Hiro stumbled a little, laughing as he caught his balance. “I mean, I want to believe we can, but… the odds…” He glanced over at Kyren, expecting him to crack a joke.
But instead, Kyren gave him a determined look. “Hiro, I don’t know much about my past, or even if I was ever a warrior, an adventurer or reincarnated. But one thing I do know? Luck exists. In some reason I survived, this is my second chance, or whatever. But if we don’t try, we’ll never know.”
Hiro’s grin returned, his confidence boosted by Kyren’s unwavering belief. “You’re right. And who knows? Maybe going to the Academy will help you remember something about your past. Maybe someone there knew you before… or maybe, just maybe, you were part of a guild yourself.”
Kyren chuckled at that. “Exactly. We help each other. That’s what this journey’s about.”
Hiro nodded, resuming his playful pace, his steps light and quick as if the weight of the conversation had been lifted. They walked in silence for a moment until Kyren broke it again. “Anyway, what’s the third step?”
“Oh! The third step is the most exciting one,” Hiro said, his voice suddenly picking up again. He threw his hands up dramatically. “After joining or forming a guild, we’ll be eligible to compete in the yearly Triumph Tournament organized by Arramaya’s Legacy. It’s basically where all the guilds showcase their strength. The top guilds are the judges, and the prizes? Well, they’re worth fighting for.”
Kyren grinned. “They really push people around here to become warriors, don’t they?”
“Yeah,” Hiro nodded vigorously. “The tournament has three segments. Newcomers without a star badge would compete in a survival-style game where the goal is to be the last one standing or be the most KO’d people in that tournament. Then there’s a second segment for low to mid-tier guilds, and the winner of that moves a lot significant on the top ranking and of course become more famous, and the last one is for the top-ranked guilds they will represent their best player to compete in one-on-one battle.”
Kyren’s eyes lit up. “A lot of battles and strategies...”
Hiro gave an exaggerated nod. “Oh, and guess who’s the reigning champion?” he asked, bouncing on his toes.
“Let me guess… Rezhura?”
Hiro’s grin widened. “Yep! He’s been undefeated since the 7th Triumph Tournament. Beat every reigning champion before him, and now he’s still undefeated after the 12th.”
Kyren chuckled, “Now I’m curious to see him in action.”
“You should be!” Hiro’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “People say even if the Royal Squad participates, they could wipe the floor with everyone else.”
Kyren’s curiosity deepened. “Do you know what Rezhura looks like?”
Hiro threw his arms out with a shrug. “That’s the thing! No one’s seen his face since he left the orphanage. If we want a picture, we’d probably have to go to Knight Bay City and visit the orphanage. But we’d need a really good reason to ask for that.”
"Why do I have a feeling I’m Rezhura?" Kyren though.
"Hiro... what if I’m Rezhura?" Kyren said.