Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Finishing With the Assessment

The ZPL Trio’s Perspective

At the rendezvous location, near the outskirts of the Great Elion Forest.

The trio was intensely staring at the forest, awaiting earnestly for the return of their friend. Zeth, in particular, was clenching his fists so intensely that no gap could escape his grasp.

“He should be back by now.” His gaze focused on the gap of trees, not missing a single point where he might come out.

“I’m sure Vincent is gonna make it. I’m sure…” Lara silently prayed while clenching her long staff, worry on her face.

Pallad, on the other hand, didn’t utter a single word, but despite that, his eyebrows were constantly wrinkling from time to time.

After what was about three hours or so, the sun was already high above and most of the adventurers that participated in the assessment had gathered. The place was bustling with people talking to each other, spreading experiences and rumors that they had gained through this endeavor.

Naturally, they joined in with the discussion, hoping that maybe Vincent’s whereabouts would be revealed this way. But alas, except for a particular “strange rumor,” they didn’t hear a single word about him.

“He’s gonna make it, right?” Zeth didn’t believe that the worst would happen, but he couldn’t help but voice his doubt.

“He will.” Pallad finally opened his mouth.

“B-But,” Lara assumed, “what if he doesn’t make it back then or at the time when we are not with him?”

They had searched the forest, almost turning it upside down if not more, without a trace of wind about him ever surfaced — it was like his whole existence had disappeared.

“Yeah…”

“He will surely make it,” Pallad firmly said.

In what appeared to be a long moment later, finally, a figure of a person walked out of the bushes. A not-so-tall stature with black hair and a foreign face, wearing rather fancy, but compact clothes and a large bag on his back. Clearly, he was the person that they had been waiting for.

“There! That’s Vincent!”

“Vincent!”

“Where have you been? We’re worried sick!”

The three quickly approached the young man that just came out with great strides.

***

Vincent’s Perspective

Being asked that question, I was already prepared with the answer.

“It’s a long story…” I told them that I managed to escape from the clutch of the hybrid wolf through my magic and flee to the other side of the forest while spending time hunting until right before the assessment ended.

“No wonder we couldn’t find you anywhere.”

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No, I’m fine. See?” I spread my arms to show that I was unhurt, to which she heaved a sigh of relief.

“Well… everything’s good that you’re fine.” Zeth hit my back as he laughed heartily.

“And it’s right on time before the assessment concludes.” Pallad held his chin. “It’s such a coincidence that if you’ve arrived half an hour from now, you would have failed.”

“Haha. All’s well that ends well.” Trekking the whole forest actually took longer than expected, even with Blizzard’s help

I inspected the adventurers around. Curiously they were discussing something intensely… not about their near-death experience that would be common in adventure, but a rumor.

“Hm? What are they talking about?”

“According to hearsay, a hybrid wolf was seen going from place to place… You see, it seems to be the same one that dragged you away, Vincent,” explained Pallad.

“I see…” Um, I have to get to the bottom of this. “Did you hear anyone riding the wolf? A man with a mask, perchance?”

“That’s what I’m telling you guys! I caught a glimpse of… Um, I mean, what?” Zeth scratched his head, fumbling something.

Lara quickly cut him off, “I’m sorry, Vincent, but Zeth has been speaking nonsense ever since hearing this hearsay. But no, no one has seen ‘the man’ you’re talking about.”

It seemed that the effect of the mask made me not leave any impression on those who saw me, even when I was wearing the exact same clothes from before. Really, what a convenient magic tool. Still, to think that I had stumbled across Zeth when hunting without me knowing, perhaps those that knew me would have a more lasting impression — like Blizzard was completely unaffected by the mask.

While I was still deep in thought, suddenly, a guild staff approached us and stated, “Excuse me, please turn in your proof of subjugation. Also, please return the badges to us for verification.”

We nodded in tandem and gave him our loots and badges. I myself took out a bulging burlap sack from my backpack that I had prepared beforehand; the content of the sack was pretty much what I had hunted from before we separated, and when I was with Blizzard. I obviously didn’t include any strong hybrids nor monsters to play it safe, but still enough to pass the assessment.

“All right. We will process the content and determine whether you pass or not. Please wait patiently here until the announcement, then the corresponding reward depending on the creature you killed will be given at the guild.” The guild staff then left with our bags and badges.

“I see that your sack is full.” Pallad inferred, “Without us to hinder your progress, you seem to have soared into the sky.”

“Mm-hmm!” Lara nodded intensely.

“Well, it’s just luck.” I scratched my chin while hiding the fact that it was all thanks to Blizzard’s help.

“Hahaha. Don’t undermine yourself. Hear me, Vincent, after we separated…” Zeth began retelling his part of the story along with Pallad and Lara.

We continued exchanging information until the instructor, Bernard, walked to the center of the area and announced:

“Congratulations on lasting three days in the forest, young adventurers! While some of you have failed to meet the quota, some even had to activate {Transmitter} at the last moment and failed as a result, but that’s fine; there’s still the next time in this assessment.”

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At that moment, his smile subsided, his gaze turned stern, and Bernard looked at each of us slowly.

“Now before we announce who passed the assessment, I want to say one thing: We have come to the realization that some of you have cheated. While none of those lead to killing, nor dispute between fellow adventurers, we will give out punishment accordingly. In the worst case, the cheaters will get their guild cards revoked, and they’re suspended from joining the Adventurer’s Guild for a whole year. But of course, if you step up and confess, we will give out leniency. So now’s your chance.”

The adventurers went abuzz in murmurs. Each eyeing the people around them with a suspicious look, but none had voiced out about their involvement in the matter, much less stepped up.

The trio wasn’t unbothered, though, as they were a bunch of immaculate people, and it was me who was sweating instead. He’s not referring to me, right? Does getting help from a familiar count as cheating? I don’t think so…

Bernard once said that he had eyes on us, but I figured that it was more about there being several guild individuals among the adventurers who clandestinely joined in this assessment. On top of that, I wasn’t worried that the connection between me and the dungeon was revealed since I had checked through [Developer Interface] that there were no other fancy spells hidden in the badge.

“None, huh…” Bernard mumbled. “Alright. That much is on me.” He then cleared his throat. “Anyway, with this I hereby announce that the assessment has been concluded!”

***

“Congratulations on passing the assessment!” Tia informed, showing a consummate elegance in her conduct.

Because the assessment had wrapped up, we were told to go to the guild to check our assessment status. There was nothing to worry about passing, though we needed to inform the guild about our experience in the forest — the attack of hybrids in the middle of the night — which made Tia’s serene expression fade in surprise.

“Oh my, I apologize to hear that. To think that hybrid creatures are still roaming about in the forest…” Tia covered her falling mouth and took a step back, her face sinking into concern.

Pallad was quick on the uptake and inquired, “Are you perhaps on to something, Miss Receptionist? Does this have something to do with the hybrid incident from two weeks ago?”

“The ‘Frenzied Hybrid Incident’ — that’s what we call it.”

Hm? Is she talking about the assassination plot? The perpetrators are in my dungeon, you know. I held myself back from saying anything and kept quiet; I didn’t want to open up a can of worms.

Tia paused, seemingly to collect her thought, then continued, “My apologies, but I cannot disclose more information regarding the incident. Although going by the description of the hybrids you faced, then I don’t think it has to do with the incident whatsoever.” Yeah, I also think it’s got nothing to do with them.

“Alright, we understand.” Pallad nodded in understanding.

“Wait a sec, what about Vincent’s opinion on the matter?” Zeth quickly interjected, wherein Lara frantically nodded her head in support.

Before coming to the guild, I’d told them not to reveal the fact that I was abducted by the hybrid wolf, but it appeared that they were still not over with the matter. How considerate of them.

“No, that’s fine. I mean, here I am, safe and sound.” I motioned them not to worry about it. “Anyhow, when will our new guild cards be issued?”

“Well, about that…” Tia clasped her hands together and explained, “According to the guild’s regulation, an interview is obligatory when advancing to Iron rank as it entails that you’re no longer just some newbie adventurers.”

Indeed. Becoming an Iron rank meant that we were recognized as capable, full-fledged adventurers — a full-time profession that had the full backing of the guild itself. Therefore, it was natural to collect our personal information as collateral.

“I see. Then when will the interview be?”

“The sooner, the better. In fact, it’s better now than tomorrow since most adventurers usually opt to take a rest following the assessment.”

“What do you guys say? I think we should strike when there is the chance,” I reasoned.

“Mm! Let’s do it then!” Zeth was the first to agree.

“Yup, yup.”

“Since we spent most of this morning waiting at the meeting point, we got some steam left.”

And thus, we headed for the interview room. However, since the interview was conducted one person at a time, the trio decided without my consent that I should be first while they waited in the hallway outside the room.

So here I was, sitting like a good student waiting for the exams to begin as Tia had to prepare for the interview.

“Sorry for the wait. Are you ready for your interview, Vincent?” Tia sat behind the desk across from me and made a friendly smile.

“Y-Yes, not at all.” Uh-oh, I misspoke.

“Pardon?”

“I mean, no problem at all.”

“Very well, then we will begin with the interview…”

The interview began with questions about the assessment and continued with some simple inquiries about whether I cheated or not. Of course, I did none of that, so I simply answered, “I abided by the rules of the assessment.”

What worried me was the metallic bell placed on the desk; it was a magic tool that worked like a lie detector or so according to the information given by [Developer Interface]. This was the whole reason that I carefully answered all her questions like that (giving a half-truth statement).

Moving on, I was asked about the information from when I first registered as an adventurer: my personal information, my ability, and whatnot. Naturally, I answered each of the questions with flying colors like an elementary student answering multiplication table questions.

“All right, that’s all with the interview. Thank you for sparing your time.”

“That’s all?”

“Yup.”

“Great. So when will my guild card be upgraded?” Can’t wait to feel the texture of an iron card.

“My apologies, but the guild is currently flooded with other adventurers who passed the assessment as well, so expect the guild card to be completed by tomorrow,” she answered with a smile.

“Sounds good. Thank you.”

“With pleasure. Also, congratulations again for passing the assessment and advancing to Iron rank.”

Once my turn was over, the trio entered one by one until we were all done with the interviews. Afterward, they asked me to tour the city with them to spend the money they just received after turning in the three wolf hybrids and from other creatures, which I agreed since the sun was still high in the sky — a great way to pass the time because I couldn’t leave for the dungeon yet until I got my new card.

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