The bustling streets of Terrilstead sprawled before Yun Jin and Merlin, an intricate web of shops, stalls, and lively chatter. For a while, they wandered aimlessly, the vibrant chaos pulling their attention in every direction.

Finally, Yun Jin stopped in the middle of the street, rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish grin. “Welp, looks like I’m completely lost.”

Merlin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Maybe we should ask someone for directions before we wander into more dead ends.”

Yun Jin chuckled. “Nah, that’s not the way. My father always said, ‘When you’re lost, follow the crowd.’” He pointed ahead where groups of armed individuals entered and exited a large, imposing building with a distinct symbol above its entrance. “And it looks like the crowd is heading there.”

The building radiated a familiar energy to Yun Jin—one of purpose and strength. Warriors clad in polished armor, mages wielding ornate staves, and even beast-like humanoids passed through its doors. Many carried high-quality weapons and a quiet air of confidence.

Merlin squinted at the large sign hanging above the entrance. “That’s the Adventurer’s Guild! We should—”

But before Merlin could finish, Yun Jin grabbed his arm and dragged him through the doors.

--

The interior of the guild hall was lively and chaotic. Long wooden tables lined the space, occupied by boisterous adventurers sharing food, drink, and laughter. A hum of activity filled the air as groups huddled around a massive quest board pinned with parchment notices.

Yun Jin’s gaze swept the room, intrigued by the diverse gathering. His eyes lingered on a humanoid lizard, a man with fox-like ears, and a mage with glowing tattoos.

“This place is incredible,” Yun Jin said, his tone light but curious.

A nearby group caught his attention as they discussed forming a party:

“We’ll need at least one healer for this dungeon run.”

“Don’t forget a tank—our last one nearly got shredded!”

“Bah, we’ll manage! I can double as DPS and crowd control.”

Merlin followed Yun Jin’s gaze to the quest board, where his companion was now fixated. Yun Jin stepped closer, scanning the notices.

“Merlin,” Yun Jin asked, pointing to a particular notice, “are these dungeon rifts where those green little creatures came from?”

Merlin peered at the notice and nodded. “Yes, goblins usually appear in D-rank gates. But the one we encountered had a shaman, so it was probably closer to a D+.”

Yun Jin tilted his head. “D-rank? Is that strong? I could handle two or three hordes of those things at once.”

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Merlin smiled faintly, though a hint of unease lingered. “Not really. There are higher ranks like D+, C, B, A, and S. And then there are special types like red gates, black gates, and boss raids. I’ve only heard about them from my grandfather, though—I’ve never seen one myself.”

Yun Jin rubbed his chin, intrigued. “Then why don’t we try one? We’ve got time.”

Merlin hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “That’s... actually not a bad idea.”

--

At the end of the hall, a striking blonde receptionist stood behind a polished counter, attending to adventurers with a practiced smile. As Yun Jin and Merlin approached, her gaze landed on them, and her smile brightened.

“Welcome to the Adventurer’s Guild! How can I help you today?” she asked warmly.

Yun Jin placed a quest notice on the counter. “We’d like to take this one.”

The receptionist glanced at the notice before looking back at him. “May I see your adventurer cards for registration?”

Yun Jin blinked. “Adventurer cards?”

Merlin scratched his cheek, sheepish. “We don’t have those.”

The receptionist raised an eyebrow, her eyes quickly assessing them. Yun Jin’s muscular frame and fine sword spoke of combat experience, while the dense energy radiating from Merlin hinted at latent magical potential.

“In that case,” she said, “would you like to take the registration test? We offer a full test, which takes about 5–6 hours, or a quick test to determine your energy rank.”

Yun Jin tilted his head. “What’s the quick test?”

The receptionist smiled, though there was a hint of pity in her tone. “It only measures your energy level—no combat or skill evaluation. Are you sure? It won’t showcase your swordsmanship.”

“That’s fine,” Yun Jin said. “Let’s do the quick test.”

The receptionist retrieved a smooth, glowing orb and placed it on the counter. “Simply place your hand on the orb and pour your mana into it. It will display your rank.”

Yun Jin stepped forward, placing his hand on the orb. As soon as he made contact, he felt an instant connection. Is this thing a weapon? he wondered. A smirk crept onto his face as a mischievous thought crossed his mind.

He focused, channeling his energy into the orb. The light within it began to grow brighter and brighter, until it glowed like a miniature sun. Gasps echoed through the hall as the letter S appeared on its surface.

The receptionist’s face went pale, and adventurers around the room turned their heads, murmuring in shock.

“S... S-rank?” she stammered.

Yun Jin, satisfied with the chaos, relaxed his energy. The orb dimmed, and the light stabilized to reveal C instead.

The receptionist exhaled, still shaken. “C-rank...”

Merlin stared at Yun Jin, his mouth agape. Yun Jin flicked his forehead playfully. “Your turn.”

Snapping out of his stupor, Merlin stepped forward and placed his hand on the orb. The light pulsed, growing steadily until it displayed B.

“B-rank?” Merlin whispered, his voice trembling with excitement.

The receptionist handed them forms to fill out, requiring their names and a drop of blood. Once completed, the papers glowed and transformed into cards. Yun Jin’s bronze-colored card bore a bold C, while Merlin’s iron card displayed a proud B.

The receptionist registered their quest and handed them the details. “Good luck on your first mission!”

Here’s the expanded version of the swarm dialogue scene:

As Yun Jin and Merlin walked out of the guild hall, the air still buzzed with murmurs from adventurers. The moment the door swung shut behind them, the receptionists wasted no time swarming their colleague.

“Who are they?” one of them demanded, leaning over the counter.

“Did you see that? The orb glowed like the sun! That has to be a mistake, right?” another chimed in, her voice a mix of disbelief and excitement.

The blonde receptionist, still recovering, shook her head, her hands clutching the counter. “I... I don’t know.”

“Wait, wait,” another receptionist interjected, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Are they a couple? They looked awfully close.”

The blonde receptionist blinked. “A couple? I didn’t ask, but... I don’t think so?”

“Does it matter?” another said, her tone teasing. “The swordsman, though—wow. Tall, muscular, and that smirk? I don't care!”