LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 7: Guild Assessment – The S-Class Decision
The next morning, Li Ran and the Darkmoon Dragon Princess pushed open the doors to the bustling Adventurers' Guild.
A whirlwind of sights and sounds greeted them: quest boards covered with notices, rowdy adventurers swapping tales and rumors, and hawkers displaying shiny weaponry. Yet, when the pair first stepped inside, they barely drew a glance—just two more faces among the daily stream of newcomers.
An Unexpected Test
Undeterred, Li Ran approached the reception counter, where a weary-eyed clerk handed him an adventurer registration form.
"Fill this out," she said flatly. "Then proceed to the aptitude-testing array next to the counter."
Her tone all but screamed: Don't get your hopes up—most rookies never last.
Once Li Ran finished, he followed instructions to the guild's talent-measuring circle, a meticulously inscribed array on the floor. The guild's examiner activated it with little fanfare, clearly not expecting much. Then, a sudden, blinding light flared from the circle, startling everyone in the hall.
"This…this is an incredible magical surge!"
"Impossible—only those of legendary bloodlines or near-S-rank potential could trigger such a reaction!"
The clerk who had scarcely looked at Li Ran moments ago now stared in shock, her face a mix of awe and apprehension.
Within minutes, senior guild officers hustled over to witness the phenomenon firsthand. They quickly realized that Li Ran was no ordinary new recruit.
Even the once-indifferent staff members were now eager to help, suddenly deferential and beaming with polite smiles.
Li Ran, feeling a bit self-conscious, scratched his head.
"Quite the sudden change in attitude…"
He recalled that back on Earth, he'd been just another hardcore gamer. But years of power-leveling, dungeon raids, and a binding contract with the Darkmoon Dragon Princess—plus Eileen's arcane tutelage—had honed his body and magical potential beyond normal limits. No wonder the guild was astounded.
A Perilous S-Rank Quest
With Li Ran's remarkable test results, the Guild's top brass was anxious to curry favor with him. Fearing he might be recruited by rival factions—and keen for him to handle some of their toughest problems—they immediately presented him with an array of high-level quests.
Gone was the clerk's earlier indifference; instead, she offered him a sheaf of special scrolls, the most striking of which read:
"Eliminate the Hellhound Pack in the Northern Mountains (Difficulty: S–)."
Studying the scroll, Li Ran couldn't help exclaiming in surprise. According to the mission details, each hellhound possessed one of three elemental alignments—fire, poison mist, or frost—enabling them to launch devastating multi-element attacks and providing formidable defenses.
Countless A-rank adventurer teams had tried and failed to wipe out the pack. Working together in a coordinated hunt, these monstrous canines posed a terrifying challenge for even the bravest warriors.
Yet, rather than backing down, Li Ran felt a rush of excitement. Memories of countless high-level raids in The End of the Divine Realm stirred his passion for extreme challenges.
Beside him, the Darkmoon Dragon Princess gave a calm nod, silently indicating she was eager to test her might.
"Alright," Li Ran declared with a confident smile, "I'll take this quest."
Preparing for the Hunt
Before heading out, Li Ran used his newly earned credentials to purchase advanced gear and research the terrain.
He poured over old guild records to uncover the hellhounds' known patterns and best guesses at their lairs. Armed with these insights, he and the Darkmoon Dragon Princess set forth for the rugged mountains north of Alva City.
Employing his well-practiced detection skill—a vestige of his gaming days—Li Ran scouted the location of the hellhound dens.
He planned to minimize direct confrontation by separating smaller sub-packs from the main group, hoping to whittle down their numbers.
With the Darkmoon Dragon Princess's unwavering vigilance and formidable power at his side, he believed they stood a real chance against the S-rank threat.
With the guild's eyes upon him, Li Ran found himself standing on the precipice of a whole new level of adventure.
The test array's brilliance had revealed not only his hidden potential but also the dangerous path that lay ahead.
This bold quest against the hellhound pack was set to push his skills, cunning, and partnership with the Dragon Princess further than ever before—and whether they emerged triumphant or faced a crushing defeat would soon become the talk of Alva City.