Joe finally allowed himself to relax. He let out a slow breath and felt his shoulders loosen. That had been one of the most tense moments of both his lives. He still struggled to believe he had walked out of that office alive. The Headmaster had clearly intended to kill him. If not for the promise he made, his fate would have been sealed. Now he carried another impossible vow on his back.

  The seven day deadline was not just pride. It was practical. He had promised Sophia he would repay the damages within a week. If he killed the Lord of the Woods in seven days, the core alone should be enough to cover the debt. That way he would keep his word to Trogard and honor his promise to Sophia at the same time. It was a gamble to bargain with the Headmaster, but it had worked. For now.

  He still remembered the hostile stare from the girl at the entrance when he left the office. The look had sent a chill down his spine. It felt as if she could have killed him on the spot. She clearly disliked him, which confused him since he had not even mocked her like he originally planned.

  Joe shrugged and focused on the card Trogard had given him. He had more urgent matters than a hostile assistant. The blue card looked plain at first glance, but when he tilted it slightly, the words Guild Pass shimmered across the surface. He grinned. He intended to make full use of it and clear as many Dungeons as possible before facing the Lord of the Woods. He needed every bit of strength and experience he could gather if he wanted a real chance against a Grade 3 creature.

  As he descended the stairs, conversations in the hall dimmed. Dozens of eyes locked onto him while he moved between tables and chairs. Some gazes carried anger and resentment. Most held admiration and curiosity.

  “How did a piece of trash like him manage to enter the Headmaster’s office?” someone muttered.

  “I know, right? Elder Trogard won’t even glance at me and I’m in a top ten party,” another whispered.

  “I heard the Headmaster traveled a long way just to meet him,” a girl added quietly.

  “First he survives an impossible quest, then he chats with the Headmaster. What a lucky bastard.”

  The murmurs blended into background noise. Joe ignored them and walked straight to the reception area. The queue was gone. Anyone who had been waiting earlier had left while he was negotiating for his life.

  He stepped up to the second station, the one used for registration matters, and placed the blue card on the counter.

  “Please sign me up for the earliest Dungeon Raid opening.”

  The girl behind the desk had long purple hair and bright eyes. When she looked up and recognized him, her eyes widened.

  “It’s you…” she said, her voice trailing off.

  “Yup,” Joe replied casually. “Bet you didn’t expect me to come back after signing up as a porter for the Lord of the Woods quest.”

  “Do you blame me? You were the only person in the Guild to fail the test with 0% mana affinity.”

  “Yeah, that was hard to accept. But when someone falls, they have to get back up.” He gave her a small, steady smile.

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  She took his card and summoned a large blue interface similar to a system screen.

  “I’m glad you didn’t give up. When you failed the test twice, I was worried you might… do something drastic.”

  “I almost did,” Joe admitted quietly. “One of my party members stopped me. If not for her, I wouldn’t have joined the quest.”

  “I’m sorry about your teammates. No one deserves to lose their comrades. It’s worse when it’s your first mission.”

  “Thanks.”

  The silence grew heavy, so Joe changed the subject.

  “Is it always this empty at night?”

  “Yes. At sunset, automatic runes activate. They lock the doors. Only the Awakened can open them because of the strength required. All Unawakened wait until morning. The Guild stays open, but without exam candidates, it gets quiet.”

  Joe nodded. He could not help thinking how useful such security would have been in his previous life. After surviving two break ins while living with his uncle, the idea of protective runes sounded incredible.

  “It must be nice getting a break from telling people they failed. I probably made your job harder by forcing you to test me twice.”

  “It’s actually boring without constant traffic,” she replied, eyes still on the screen. “Staying busy helps me avoid thinking about things.” She paused. “You insisting on a second test surprised me. I thought it was… kind of cool.”

  Her cheeks tinted slightly, though she kept typing.

  “Most people give up immediately. You ignored everyone mocking you and tried again. It didn’t work, but you kept pushing. You might see it as desperation. I saw someone chasing his dream.”

  Joe felt heat rise to his face and looked away for a moment.

  “By the way, what’s your name?”

  “Bella. Bella Heart.”

  “Nice to meet you properly. I’m Joseph Millers. Remember that name. I’m going to be the most famous adventurer in the world.”

  Bella giggled. “Then I’ll be able to say I met you at the start.”

  Joe laughed, then grew serious.

  “Thank you for giving me that second chance.”

  She answered with a shy smile.

  After a few moments, Bella spoke again. “There’s a Dungeon opening in four days. I can move you to one in three if you want.”

  “You can do that? Won’t you get in trouble?”

  “Don’t worry. Consider it a gift for surviving your first quest.”

  Joe’s chest warmed. “Then I’ll take the third day.”

  “There are two openings then. A First Grade Dungeon and a Second Grade Dungeon.”

  “I’ll take the hardest one.”

  Bella finally looked up from the screen. “You’re Unawakened. You just survived a quest that killed every Adventurer who accepted it. And you still want the harder option? Are you trying to die?”

  “No. I just need proper preparation before my next quest.”

  “A First Grade is already dangerous for someone like you. A Second Grade is cleared only by top five parties. It’s a graveyard for the Unawakened.”

  “I’ll take the Second Grade.”

  “Are you even listening?” Bella raised her voice, drawing a few glances from nearby adventurers before they returned to their meals. “How do you plan to survive if things go wrong? Are you trying to follow your teammates?”

  “That’s not it,” Joe said calmly. “Dying on purpose would insult them. I’m not looking for death. I need to face the strongest creatures I can. If I want to become a true adventurer, I need to understand that level.”

  “You still plan to be an adventurer with 0% mana efficiency.”

  “Of course. I won’t let that stop me. The day I stop pursuing strength is the day I die.”

  Shock and admiration mixed in Bella’s eyes.

  “You’re unbelievable,” she said softly.

  Joe gave a small chuckle.

  “You’re registered,” Bella said a moment later.

  “Thanks. I owe you one.”

  “I told you not to worry about it.”

  Joe turned to leave, but Bella tugged his jacket.

  “Don’t get yourself killed,” she said, staring down at the counter.

  “I won’t. I promise.”

  “I’ll hold you to that.”

  Joe walked out and closed the door behind him. A few seconds later, he rushed back inside. Bella blinked in surprise.

  “What now?”

  “I forgot my card.”

  She looked down at the Guild Pass still in her hand and sighed before returning it to him.

  He gave her an embarrassed smile and ran out again, this time pushing the door open with enough force to stir a small breeze across the counter.

  “You really are something, Joe,” she muttered as she gathered scattered papers.

  Then she froze.

  “Wait… how did he open the door? The runes should be active. No Unawakened should be able to move it.”

  A puzzled expression crossed her face, along with growing admiration.

  “Just who are you, Joe?”