Stana, Adventurer’s Guild Headquarters, front desk.
Miss Emily finished verifying the task records on Yize’s identity token and looked up to confirm.
“Yes, Mr. Yize. You have currently accumulated ten Black Iron Rank task completions, meeting the qualifications to apply for the Bronze Rank promotion assessment.”
She paused, lightly tapping a fingertip on a summary of regulations on the desk, deliberately emphasizing a certain word.
“The promotion assessment requires you to solo complete a designated Bronze Rank task.”
“Please note, it must be completed independently. You cannot seek or accept assistance from others, not even from temporary teammates.”
“Simultaneously, to ensure adventurer safety and the fairness of the assessment,” Emily continued explaining, her voice steady and professional, “the Guild will dispatch a dedicated observer to monitor you covertly during the execution of your promotion task.”
“Their duties are twofold: to confirm your solo completion of the task, and also to have the authority to intervene if you encounter danger you cannot handle, thereby safeguarding your life.”
“Of course, if the observer intervenes, it means the assessment has failed.”
Yize nodded.
This system sounded fairly comprehensive, preventing cheating while maintaining a basic safety net. In this power-centric world, it was a surprisingly humane setup.
“Understood. So, can I accept a Bronze promotion task now? I’d like to start this afternoon.”
“Of course, please wait a moment while I filter suitable tasks for you.”
Emily smiled and nodded, turning to operate the Magic Crystal Panel behind her, pulling up the current list of assignable Bronze Rank promotion tasks.
She needed to comprehensively consider task difficulty, location, and compatibility with the applicant’s past task records.
Just then, the Guild’s heavy door was pushed open. A petite, agile figure rushed in as if carried by a gust of wind, heading straight for the counter Emily was manning—it was Vivian.
“I’m here to submit a task!”
Her voice was crisp, carrying a hint of post-work lightness. She took out her Bronze Rank adventurer identity token and three Wind Demon Wolf Magic Crystals.
Emily paused filtering tasks for Yize and quickly turned to Vivian.
“Alright, Miss Vivian.”
She expertly checked the Magic Crystals, then recorded points on Vivian’s identity token.
“Third Wind Demon Wolf Extermination Task confirmed complete.”
Vivian put away her token and Magic Crystals, a barely concealed look of triumph spreading across her small face. She tilted her head, her crimson eyes glancing at Yize, who was waiting nearby, her tone clearly boasting.
“Hey, Yize! Why are you still dawdling here? I’ve already completed my third task, you know!”
She puffed out her flat chest, trying to strike a senior’s pose.
“At this rate, I might soon have enough completions to apply for Silver Rank! You need to work harder. It would be so embarrassing if I became a Silver adventurer and you were still struggling with Black Iron tasks!”
Having said that, as if to prove her “efficiency” wasn’t empty talk, she immediately addressed Emily again.
“Please, I’d like to accept another [Exterminate Wind Demon Wolves] task!”
After receiving the new task voucher, she turned, ready to rush out again, her silver hair flying, full of drive.
For this Queen of the Bloodkin, she might not be able to beat that monster Yize in a head-on fight yet, but in the realms of “work efficiency” and “intelligence,” she was desperate to prove herself superior.
This concerned her dignity, and… reclaiming a bit of the face she lost from being suppressed and “kept” before.
“Wait.”
Yize’s voice stopped her.
Vivian’s footsteps halted as she turned back, confused.
“What? Jealous of my speed?”
Yize looked at her, his eyes holding a hint of something indescribable… exasperation?
He pointed at the task voucher she had just put away and asked.
“You didn’t… on your last trip out, did you really just precisely hunt three Wind Demon Wolves and then immediately run back to submit the task?”
Vivian blinked, righteous.
“Yes! The task requirement is three, isn’t it? What’s the problem?”
She even subconsciously waved the newly accepted voucher in her hand, as if showcasing her meticulousness.
Yize couldn’t help but raise a hand to his forehead, letting out a soft sigh.
He realized he might have indeed overestimated this one’s “common sense” and “adaptability.”
“You, kid…” he started.
“I’m not a kid! Don’t call me that!”
Vivian immediately retorted like a cat whose tail was stepped on, her cheeks puffing out slightly, crimson eyes wide.
“And don’t look at me with that… that kind of look!”
She had keenly sensed the meaning in Yize’s gaze.
“Alright, alright, not a kid.”
Yize readily changed his wording, but the exasperation in his eyes didn’t fade.
He simply took out his own Black Iron identity token and turned the side displaying his task records toward Vivian, tapping a finger on the clear data.
Vivian leaned in a bit closer, peering at it.
Instantly, the triumph and righteousness on her face froze solid, then slowly transformed into stunned disbelief. Her small mouth unconsciously fell slightly open.
“T-twenty-one times?! Goblin Extermination Task, completed twenty-one times?!”
She jerked her head up, crimson eyes fixed tightly on Yize, her voice rising a pitch.
“You… you said you couldn’t use Space Magic! You were lying to me all along! You must have used Space Magic to teleport back and forth, or have some speed-boosting secret technique, right?!”
Her first thought was unconventional means, because conventional methods simply couldn’t explain that number.
Yize curled a finger and gave Vivian’s smooth forehead a light flick.
“Ow! That hurts!”
Vivian covered her forehead, where a faint red spot quickly appeared.
She yelped in pain, glaring angrily at Yize, inwardly cursing: ‘This guy really holds a grudge! It’s definitely because I flicked his forehead when we first met!’
“I already said I don’t know Space Magic.”
Yize withdrew his hand, explaining calmly.
“Otherwise, why would I think you’re being too honest?”
“Honest? What do you mean?” Vivian asked, still holding her forehead, confused.
“Didn’t it occur to you to collect far more Wind Demon Wolf Magic Crystals than a single task requires in advance?”
Yize explained patiently, like teaching a slow student.
“For example, hunt thirty, or more, all at once. Then bring all the Magic Crystals back here,”
He pointed at Emily’s counter.
“And repeatedly accept and submit the same task in batches. Accept once, submit crystals, settle; immediately accept again, submit ten more, settle again… repeat like that until the crystals are used up.”
“That way, you only need to make one round trip to the task area to complete ten or even more task records. Instead of doing it like you are now: kill three, run back; accept a task, run over, kill three more… Are you training for long-distance running?”
Vivian: “……!!”
She was completely stunned. The anger in her crimson eyes was replaced by vast confusion and sudden realization.
R-right! You can do it that way?!
She had been completely trapped in the linear thinking of “accept task -> complete task -> return and submit.”
It never occurred to her to “stockpile” task items and then use the Guild’s task acceptance/submission process for “batch settlements”!
A sense of shame from having her intelligence utterly crushed washed over her belatedly.
‘Oh no… not only is my strength lacking, but it seems my brain isn’t quite up to par either…’
“Th-this kind of thing…” Vivian’s cheeks flushed visibly red, whether from shame or anger was unclear. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?!”
She tried to shift the blame onto Yize.
Yize looked innocent, even a bit amused.
“This is my first time doing tasks too. I only discovered this method by trying it myself. You’ve already completed three tasks; how was I supposed to know you hadn’t figured out this ‘trick’?”
He paused, adding in an even more infuriating, matter-of-fact tone.
“Besides, something so obvious for improving efficiency… shouldn’t you think of it with just a little brainpower?”
“Your IQ is as cute as your face.”
Vivian: “…”
“Grrr!!!” She felt her self-esteem had taken a ton of critical hits.
Unable to stay any longer, she let out a low roar of shame and anger, turned, and rushed out of the Guild doors, almost dropping her newly accepted task voucher.
Her retreating figure looked distinctly like someone fleeing in defeat.
Emily had witnessed the entire brief interaction. Beneath her professional smile, the corner of her mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
She cleared her throat softly, shifting her attention back to the Magic Crystal Panel.
“My apologies for the wait, Mr. Yize. Based on your task records (primarily the large number of Goblin exterminations), I have filtered a relatively safe Bronze promotion task for you.”
She showed Yize the task details.
[Bronze Rank Promotion Assessment Task (Solo)]
Objective: Head northwest of Stana City and independently eliminate at least one “D-rank Goblin Elite.”
Requirement: Bring back the complete Elite Goblin Magic Crystal as proof.
“Goblins again?” Yize glanced at the task description.
Emily smiled and explained, her tone carrying a bit more sincere consideration than before.
“Yes, Mr. Yize. Considering you have been an adventurer for a very short time but have already completed a large number of Goblin-related extermination tasks, you might be more familiar with the habits and countermeasures for this type of Magical Beast.”
“Choosing this task allows you to maximize the use of your existing ‘experience,’ increasing the likelihood of a smooth promotion assessment.”
This was the most reasonable convenience she, as a front desk receptionist, could offer a newcomer within her authority.
In fact, after seeing Yize’s small mountain of goblin magic crystals and hearing his “efficient yet outrageous” method of grinding tasks, Emily’s initial judgment that he “might be relying on hired help” had already wavered.
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