The bde of the swleamed as it was raised overhead. Frantic screams and shouts exploded from the adventurers. Before the on could fall, a fged ball of fluff appeared in a blur motion. Two rows of sharp teeth ped down onto the youth’s hand.

  “Guaghhhhh! What the hell?” he roared out in pain, his oerializing in the same beat.

  He shook his arm in a desperate attempt to untch the feral beast, but it absolutely refused to let go. He spun around, he forcefully smmed the creature into a desk, and he yelled, but nothing worked.

  It was only after one of his panions pulled a dagger did Zephyr relinquish his hold areated into Daisuke’s clothes. After angrily chugging a potion, the snob and his party promptly frohe owner of the savage beast.

  “You bastard! You’ve got some he tank of the group, which was obvious by his rge frame, excimed. “Who do you think you are, huh?”

  “Have you any idea who you’re dealing with?” a female mage added with a scowl. “This is Osten, a member of the Dragonsbane guild.”

  G!

  Osten pced his armored foot atop the bench just inches away from where Daisuke sat. He propped his elbow upon his knee and openly leered. “You have some ting your shitty dog attack me like that,” he began, his calm toraying the rage that boiled inside of him. “How do you pn to pensate me for this brazen assault?”

  Daisuke remained silent. He didn’t even cast his gaze in Osten’s general dire. And the css kly what would follow; because Osten’s ahied to the point where it was almost palpable.

  “Bring it out,” Osten demanded darkly. “If you let me kill that mangy dog of yours, I’ll sider letting this whole thing slide.”

  The entire room held their breath.

  Daisuke tio ighem.

  Finally, Osten snapped, his face red with fury. His armor ked as he raised his arm, i on bading the i bastard so hard the entire front row of his teeth would go flying.

  At that moment, for the first time sihe dispute began, Daisuke turned and aowledged their existence. But it wasn’t in a positive light. His eyes widehe Eye of Verity making his pupils seem to ignite, and a dark and threatening energy rolled off his body like a toxic miasma.

  Osten stumbled back, him and his two ckeys recoiling ihe entire css did. For a moment, everyone and everything was still, until Osten fell on his behind and broke the deafening silence.

  DING!

  [The active skill ?Intimidate? has been acquired.]

  [Intimidate]

  Rank: Rare

  Cssification: Active Skill

  Lvl: 1

  Proficy: 0%

  The path to being a warrior yields many bes.

  Skill Effect:

  ?? By exerting your aura, you possess the ability to instill paralyzing fear in targets whose Stats are weaker than your own.

  Mana Cost: None

  Skill Cooldown: None

  Daisuke visualized drooping dog ears and a tail tucked between their legs as Osten and his party shamefully retreated to fis. Amidst the css’s excited chatter, the trio that had been targeted approached—a male and female Beastkin, apanied by a youth garbed in a healer’s gown.

  “That retty impressive,” the male Beastkin remarked, his chest puffed out fidently while his legs trembled like leaves in the wind.

  It makes sehat they’d still be terrified, Daisuke observed calmly. They almost got beheaded, and that jerk retty serious about doing it too. After all, this is just a game.

  What Daisuke failed to factor in was that the Wolfkin, iy, was still affected by his own Intimidate skill but attempted to ceal it. Everyone did.

  “T-Thank you,” stammered the girl, her face blue. “Y-You really saved us back there.”

  The healer tried to for appreciative smile while hugging his staff tightly, but it was hard to summon any gratitude when his life had just fshed before his very eyes. His plexion ale as a sheet of paper.

  Daisuke brushed aside their presence, even as Osten shot him a fierce scowl. However, Zephyr’s furry head popped out of his shirt with a friendly “Arf,” almost as if greeting them on his behalf.

  Color returo the girl’s face, and her eyes widened and glittered like stars. But before she could ask to pet him, the ambiance of the ged as two individuals with a distinct preseered.

  Daisuke watched as the trio shuffled back to their seats. Normally I would be upset that Zephyr caused a se, but I ’t pin since I got a pretty great skill iurn. Still, he surreptitiously stole a g Osten and his party. I have a feeling this won’t be the end of those three.

  “Settle down, everyone,” a anding voice resonated from the front of the . Its owner, a middle-aged man with blond hair, exuded an air of authority. “My apologies for the dey. I am Baldin, the Guildmaster. Since I’ve kept you all waiting, let’s get straight to the matter at hand.

  In light of the increasing number of casualties among young adventurers, the guild has decided to implement signifit ges to our sing process for nelits.”

  Whispers fluttered through the assembly.

  “From what I’ve heard,” said a youth to another in a hushed tone, “quite a few poor children have joihe guild only to get gobbled up by monsters.”

  “Even if the children are from the slums,” said another, “I see the guild’s petence being called into question if enough of them are killed.”

  Refleg on the challenges he faced in Dusthaven, Daisuke furrowed his brow. He had serious doubts that the deaths of impoverished childrehe driving force behind this reform.

  It robably triggered by some eic or political agenda, or perhaps due to the injury or death of a noble’s child. Daisuke found it bewildering that individuals as young as twelve were sidered adults in this world.

  Though, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised sihis system is derived from the a s of the real world.

  “Adventurers py a vital role in our society,” the Guildmaster tinued with vi. “They are the imperable towers standiween us and a world overrun by chaos and monsters.

  As the monster popution and the threat they pose tinues on the rise, the guild has taken it upon itself to ehat every adventurer is not only capable of defeating monsters and surviving in the wild but also tributing as well-rounded members of society.

  Allow me to introduce Professor Liam Michael Bayley,” he said, gesturing to the entleman beside him who offered a polite wave. “Professor Bayley will be dug a written examination c nguage, arithmetic, dedu, and analytical skills to assess your educational level.

  Afterwards, you will then undergo a practical and field test. Based on your performan these examinations, you will be pced into csses suited to your academic aptitude.

  You may alsnize some familiar faces among your homeroom teachers as our clerks from the front desk will be leading these csses.”

  “Really? That’s awesome!” — these and simir ents echoed among the students.

  The Guildmaster raised his hand, stilling the crowd. “This part is crucial, so pay close attention: adventurers who perform poorly on this examination will be required to enroll in the guild’s academy until they demonstrate readiness for independence.

  We uand that many of you are the primary breadwinners for your families and must work to make ends meet. With that in mind, everyone will be assiged parties while pleting manageable quests assigned by designated guild clerks.

  Yesterday, we had you all seek aodations at local establishments, but the stru of the dorms was officially pleted today. You will now be assigned rooms for the duration of your lessons.”

  Several hands shot up.

  “Please, go ahead,” the Guildmaster enced.

  “What happens if we don’t perform well and also refuse to enroll?” a female adventurer inquired.

  “It’s not pulsory to undergo the sing or enroll in the academy, but if you’re found unfit to be an adventurer, your ID… in other words, your lise, will be revoked.”

  Another young girl raised her hand.

  “Yes,” the Guildmaster aowledged.

  “What if I want to retake the exam after receiving training from a personal trainer?”

  “That’s acceptable, but there will be a fee for retaking the exam.”

  “And what about the dorms?” a young man inquired. “Is b free?”

  “No,” the Guildmaster replied.

  And there it is, Daisuke mused, a frown creasing his features as his expression grew lethargic. There’s no way they’re just helping people out of the goodness of their hearts; there had to be an iive—and, of course, it all came down to money.

  Guildmaster Baldin raised his hand again, hushing the animated crowd. “A small fee will be deducted from the proceeds whenever you plete a job. These funds will be utilized to cover food, lodging, and the operational costs for the academy. If that is all for questions, then I will hand you over to Professor Bayley.

  Oh, just one more thing,” he added, his sharp gaze settling on Daisuke almost immediately. “Haxks, I received your reendation from Thalia. It’s always a pleasure to enter individuals with such sharp minds.”

  The man’s words were sincere, but as his aura reared its head like a venomous s became quite clear they were ced with somethiirely different. But against the targeted waves of bloodlust, Daisuke returned his gaze unflingly.

  DING!

  [You were subjected to a mental attack. Αφιν?τη’s Blessing has tered the threat and preserved the sanctity of your mental state.]

  “Oh-Oh?” the Guildmaster stroked his in amusement before taking his leave.

  “Eh?”

  “What was that all about?”

  “Do they know each other?”

  Osten ched his teeth in irritation as the entire css cast curious goward Daisuke. Even Professor Bayley couldn’t resist stealing a curious gnce before he reintroduced himself and initiated the examination.