Akirion was being followed by three girls who had suddenly decided that they wanted to train swordsmanship and become stronger, strong enough to walk beside him, strong enough to face whatever waited ahead.

The way they trailed behind him looked almost dramatic, as if they were some sort of little squad that formed on its own, yet each of them carried their own reasons, their own fears, and their own excitement.

All of them had their eyes wide open, filled with a hungry spark.

Not hungry for food, hungry to finally see the dungeon with their own eyes. They didn't say it out loud, but every single one of them felt their hearts thudding harder the closer they walked.

Their school uniforms were still on them, fluttering lightly in the breeze, and they didn't even care about the whispers or the judgemental looks people threw along the way. They kept their heads high, walking as if nothing could shake them, even though their legs felt lighter than expected, almost shaky from anticipation.

It took a long, long walk before they finally reached the path leading to the guild. Once they got closer, their steps slowed down naturally, almost as if their bodies knew they were nearing something serious.

Akirion glanced at the two new faces beside Elina, studying their expressions. Both Emily and Emma looked excited, terrified, nervous and confident all at once, which confused him even more.

They all stopped walking, and as expected, they waited for Akirion's words, he was the leader whether he admitted it or not.

"Hey, you guys," he started, scratching the back of his neck a little, "this might sound rude, but would you mind introducing yourselves? I'd like to know your names… or you can tell me privately. And I'd also love to know what you can do." He glared directly at Emily and Emma, shifting his attention between them.

Then he took in a deep breath and closed his eyes gently, as if calming his nerves.

"I'll start! My name is Akirion, as you all know. I'm a fire user, mostly… but I can use all types of magic."

"What?" Emma and Emily gasped at the exact same time, their shock practically shaking through their skin.

Akirion nodded, continuing. "Yes, all types… but for now, most people just call me a fire magic user."

"Hey…" Emily and Emma muttered simultaneously again. They immediately shot glares at each other, almost annoyed that they kept talking at the same time. After a shared deep breath, one of them finally spoke up.

Emily took the lead, stepping slightly forward. "Ohh hey, Akirion! I'm Emily, you can tell my name is easy to remember, right? Just joking! Anyway, I'm a water magic user, but I can also use a little fire. So I guess I can say I'm both, a water and fire user." She introduced herself with a calm, cheerful tone.

"I guess I'm next…" Emma said softly. Her eyes narrowed a bit, and she looked visibly scared, almost shocked that she was being watched so closely. Her heart was thudding so loud in her chest she swore the others could hear it, yet no one did. Her whole mind raced, trying to find the right words to say, especially with all six eyes glued on her.

She slowly closed her eyelids, inhaled deeply, and forced her nerves down.

"My name is Emma… and I'm a nature magic user. I mostly use green plants for combat, and for healing. It's the best healing spell I've ever used, and it has worked well for me since the beginning. So… I can help with healing during battles. You can rest assured."

Speaking with her eyes closed gave her enough confidence to finish the introduction without completely melting in embarrassment.

"Ohh, that's nice. Now I guess we really make a good team!" Akirion said, smiling genuinely.

Elina stepped in with her own introduction. "It's great that we have some people who are going to help. My name is Elina, you know me too! I'm a wind magic user. So with how different our powers are, it makes fighting much easier, right?"

Emma and Emily nodded with their eyes closed and hands folded, almost like they were showing respect or pretending to stay calm.

"Seems like the introduction is over," Akirion said, looking back at the road. "Let's continue our journey."

He walked ahead, leading the group toward the guild.

The guild was a striking building, large, sharp-edged, and almost intimidating, with statues of swordsmen, martial artists, and magic users standing like guardians near the open gate. The gates were always open, welcoming anyone who dared enter. Guards stood on either side, watching everything closely.

They weren't just guards, they were helpers, supporters, protectors of the guild.

The guards wore blue shirts with no ties, black hats, black long trousers, and polished black shoes. Two stood at the gate while others patrolled around, checking every corner.

Inside the guild grounds, the place was full of life. People walked everywhere, some with swords strapped on their backs, others empty-handed. The empty-handed ones were either magic users or the type who fought with their fists, relying on pure strength, punches, kicks, and guts.

Akirion and the others stopped at the entrance for a moment, feeling the breeze brush over them. The guild was surrounded by strong green vegetation, making the air fresher and clearer.

The wall near the entrance had the name clearly carved:

[The Non-Monster Federal Guild]

Reading it gave them a strange feeling, a feeling that something new had officially begun. A new chapter. A new path. A new identity.

They finally stepped inside… and immediately, the guards noticed that they were new faces. New kids. New potential members.

So naturally, they were called in to introduce themselves and receive IDs according to their fighting classes.

There were three classes displayed on the signboard:

Magic Users.

Sword Users.

Punch and Kick Users.

Just as they were about to walk in fully,

"Hey kids, stop right there!" a deep male voice echoed from their left.

All four of them froze instantly and turned quickly toward the voice.

The two guards were staring directly at them.

A sudden coldness hit all four like a wave. Their bodies shook slightly, not from cold, but from the sharp, unexpected fear that stabbed into their thoughts.

Are we in trouble? Did we break a rule? Did we enter the wrong way?

"Come here, all of you!" the guard said again, pointing at them firmly.

Akirion, who was in front, looked back at the girls with confusion plastered on his face. He then pointed at himself silently, his expression asking, You mean me?

"Yes, you. You and the other three," the guard repeated.

Akirion's pulse quickened. He looked at the others, then back at the guards. His mind ran in circles, each thought bumping into the next. Among those thoughts, the strongest one hit:

Maybe we should run away.

He leaned back slightly and whispered, "Hey guys… what should we do now?" His eyes stayed locked on the guards, but his mouth secretly moved toward the girls.

Emily whispered back, "I don't know. This is a dire situation. What if we're not allowed here? What if we need permission or something? Maybe… we should run?"

Elina pointed inside the guild. "Wait… those ones are younger than us! So how are we in trouble?"

Emma whispered, "Yes… exactly. Are we in trouble or what?"

Akirion muttered, "Maybe kids need their parents' letter… or maybe we're supposed to come with our parents." He stared at the guards as if that would give him answers.

"Hey! Come here and stop whispering," the fat guard snapped.

All four went completely silent.

Slowly, painfully slowly, Akirion began walking toward the guards, leading the others again. His heart pounded harder with every step. The atmosphere felt heavier, like the air didn't even want to be breathed. The girls behind him felt the same fear, each of them wishing they could sink into the ground or hide behind the wind.

The guards watched the four approach with puzzled expressions. One of them raised his eyebrow, confused by how ridiculously slow they were walking.

"Were you guys walking like this when you got in?" the slim guard asked, unable to hold his words in any longer. He looked genuinely shocked.

Embarrassed, they sped up and quickly reached the guards.

Akirion bowed first, eyes shut, trying to trap all his fear inside his chest before it slipped out. Emma, Emily, and Elina bowed too, following him instantly. Their voices trembled slightly when they greeted the guards.

The guards were stunned. They blinked a few times at the four teens who acted like they had just met royalty.

"You guys are new here, right?" the guard asked.

Akirion replied immediately, and politely, "Yes, we are new. It's totally our first day."

"That's right. That's why we called you."

"Wait, did we do anything wrong?" Emily asked, worried.

"No, don't worry," the guard said with a calm tone. "There's nothing wrong. You just have to register your names here for vetting. We check your skills, then give you a rank and a qualification card."

The fat guard added, "Yeah, just like he said. A simple verification test. We don't want people going out there unprepared and getting hurt. And if someone gets hurt doing something reckless, we have to deal with the trouble."

The slim guard nodded. "If your names are with us, you'll receive help, protection, and support whenever you need it."

Akirion blinked. "So… what is the test all about?"

"Oh, that." The guard smirked. "Don't worry. You'll see. It's easy. But first, there is one thing you should tell us."

"Ohh? What's that?" Akirion asked.

The guard pointed at all four of them.

"What are your skills?"

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