Chapter 29 Finally Back To Adventuring （3）
As I stood behind the enemy line, I could feel the weight of their gazes snap toward me. Every single adventurer's eyes burned with disbelief and alarm-none of them had even seen me move.
I glanced down and noticed one of the archers trembling, his bowstring quivering in his shaking hands. A slow smile spread across my face.
"Get him!" one of the warriors shouted, his voice cracking with fear but filled with desperate bravado.
I turned my head toward the loudmouth, my grin widening. "So you're the one with the big mouth..." I muttered.
Dozens of boots thundered against the ground as the adventurers charged, their weapons raised, battle cries echoing through the training grounds. The crowd watching from the sidelines erupted in cheers and shouts of encouragement, the atmosphere buzzing with anticipation.
I remained still until they were nearly upon me. Then, with a calm exhale, I gripped my Glacier Sword tighter and whispered, "What a waste of time."
With a sharp thrust, I drove the blade into the ground.
A deafening crack tore through the arena as an explosion of freezing mana erupted outward.
The temperature plummeted instantly, breath turning to mist. A blinding snowstorm roared to life, icy winds swirling violently around us.
Shards of ice erupted from the ground, twisting and weaving like chains to ensnare everything in their path.
Cries of shock and panic rang out, but they were quickly smothered by the howl of the storm.
And then-silence.
When the snow finally cleared, the training ground had transformed into a frozen wasteland. Every single adventurer who had stood before me was now locked in jagged prisons of ice, their bodies immobilized mid-motion. Expressions of shock, anger, and fear were preserved like statues for all to see.
The audience was speechless. Not a single cheer. Not a single breath. Just silence.
I walked forward slowly, the crunch of ice beneath my boots echoing across the arena.
My Flare Sword blazed to life in my right hand, a streak of fire cutting through the frozen air as I stopped before the warrior who had dared to shout at me earlier.
His body was trapped in ice up to his neck, only his face visible-eyes wide with terror.
I lowered the flaming edge of my sword to his throat. The heat hissed against the frost, steam curling in the air between us.
"This trial," I declared, my voice cutting through the silence like a blade, "is over."
The crowd gasped, but still no one dared to speak.
Finally, the stunned voice of the Guild Master broke the silence. "W-with the entire group immobilized and rendered incapable of movement..." He paused, eyes wide in disbelief before shouting at the top of his lungs. "The winner-and now proven worthy of A-rank-is Sir Raito!"
The entire training ground remained silent, the crowd still frozen in shock at what had just happened.
I let out a long sigh, resting my sword on my shoulder, and glanced around at the stunned faces surrounding me. "Wow," I said dryly, "what a tough crowd."
A few minutes later, I found myself back in the Guild Master’s office. Ramon sat slouched behind his desk, rubbing the back of his head with an exasperated sigh.
“Well,” he muttered, “that was a complete waste of time.”
I leaned back on the couch across from him, folding my arms. “Yeah, I guess so.”
His eyes widened as he shot up, slamming his hands on the desk. “Guess so!?” he barked. “You completely froze every last one of them in a single move!”
I shrugged with a faint smile. “What can I say? Efficiency.”
Ramon groaned, dragging a hand down his face before throwing them up in resignation. “There’s no point in denying it… as of now, I officially promote you to A-rank. Congratulations.”
He stood and extended his hand. I rose to meet him, clasping it firmly. “Thank you,” I said sincerely, then tilted my head. “Though… can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“Well, the Guild Master from Altheria promoted me from D-rank by recommendation. But he never mentioned anything about this trial. Why’s that?”
“I see…” Ramon leaned back in his chair, thoughtful. “So this isn’t your first promotion, huh?”
“That’s right.”
He gave a low chuckle. “Makes sense then. The Adventurers Guild in Altheria is only a mid-grade branch. This one, however, is a high-grade guild. There’s a big difference between the two.
To keep it simple—mid-grade guilds focus on maintaining order in towns, cities, and surrounding areas.
High-grade guilds, on the other hand, are responsible for far greater threats.
We’re the ones nobles turn to for protection, we’re the first responders when calamity-class monsters appear, and in times of war, the guild master can even be granted the authority of a general. ”
I raised my eyebrows, impressed. “I see. That explains a lot.”
“Exactly.” He nodded firmly. “Now then, you can claim your A-rank card at the front desk. As for the monsters you brought in, come back tomorrow—Warner will have finished the calculations by then.”
“Right,” I said, turning toward the door.
Descending the stairs, I could feel dozens of eyes on me. Adventurers filled the guild hall, their whispers buzzing like flies. I caught fragments—‘That’s the guy who froze us…’ ‘Is he even human?’ ‘An A-rank just like that?’
I sighed, ignoring their stares and muttering, and continued forward.
“Sir Raito!” a voice called out.
I turned to see one of the receptionists waving me over from behind her counter. Walking up, she smiled warmly and held out a gleaming new card. “Congratulations on becoming an A-rank Adventurer.”
“Thanks,” I replied, taking the card from her. With a swift motion, I slid it into my item box.
She tilted her head slightly. “So, what are your plans now, Sir Raito?”
I stretched my shoulders and gave a small grin. “I think I’ll explore the city for now. I never really got the chance to see everything when I first arrived.”
“Of course,” she said with a polite nod. “We’ll see you again soon.”
“Yeah.” I waved casually before turning toward the exit.
As I crossed the hall, the weight of countless eyes bore into my back. Whispers still trailed in the air like smoke. I sighed once more, choosing to ignore them, and pushed through the heavy doors. The cool air outside was a relief as I finally stepped out into the city streets.
As I walked through the bustling streets, the chatter of merchants and the clatter of horse-drawn carts barely registered in my ears. My mind was elsewhere, heavy with thought.
Hmm… what should I do first? I wondered, glancing at the busy storefronts and food stalls. Part of me wanted to just relax and enjoy the city—try the local cuisine, maybe browse the markets—but another part of me itched for something else.
I sighed and muttered under my breath, “Alright, if I can’t decide, I’ll just use my Advanced Search skill.”
Activating the skill, a translucent map appeared before my eyes, marking out the city and its surroundings in detail. At first, nothing seemed unusual. Then my gaze drifted to the outskirts—just beyond the city walls. There it was: a cave, hidden deep within a small thicket of trees.
But what caught my attention wasn’t the cave itself—it was the feeling that seeped out of it. Dark. Heavy. Wrong. The kind of presence that made your instincts scream.
I narrowed my eyes. “Tch… I know I should just explore the city first,” I muttered. “But that cave… I’ve got a bad feeling about it.”
For a moment, I hesitated, torn between reason and instinct. Finally, I clenched my fists and let out a short laugh. “Damn it. Looks like I’m going to that cave.”
Turning on my heel, I slipped through the crowd and began making my way toward the city gates, my heart quickening with anticipation. The streets behind me faded into noise as I set my sights on the strange presence waiting outside.
A few minutes later, I was moving swiftly through the forest, weaving past roots and low branches as the canopy filtered the afternoon sun.
My eyes sharpened as I spotted something unusual on the ground—a set of carriage tracks, faint but clear, cutting through the undergrowth.
My curiosity grew with each step as I followed them deeper into the woods.
Before long, I arrived at a gaping entrance carved into the earth. Weathered planks framed the opening, and next to it stood a crooked wooden sign. Its letters, though faded and chipped, were still legible:
Abandoned Mine.
I raised an eyebrow. “An abandoned mine, huh?”
Without hesitation, I stepped inside. The air was cool and damp, carrying the faint metallic tang of old stone.
My footsteps echoed against the cavern walls as I scanned the interior.
At first glance, it looked just as the sign claimed—empty, silent, long forgotten.
But then my gaze dropped to the ground, and my pulse quickened.
The tracks continued inside, cutting deeper into the mine. I followed them cautiously, each step deliberate, until they came to an abrupt halt at a massive boulder lodged against the cavern wall. I narrowed my eyes. The carriage marks didn’t end there—they slipped right behind the rock.
“That’s no natural blockade…” I thought grimly.
Before I could investigate further, my instincts screamed. A chill ran up my spine. Someone was watching me. Their gaze pressed on me from the shadows, sharp and probing.
I clenched my jaw, forcing my expression to stay calm.
Best not to act suspicious. Slowly, I let out a loud, frustrated sigh and shouted, “Damn it! For an abandoned mine, I was hoping to find at least some leftover ores!” My voice echoed through the cavern.
I kicked at a loose stone and turned on my heel, feigning disappointment.
As I walked casually toward the entrance, I kept my senses sharp. Sure enough, the unseen presence trailed me, keeping just far enough back that they thought I wouldn’t notice. Step after step, they stalked me—until I crossed the threshold and stepped back into the fading daylight.
The pressure vanished. Whoever it was had stopped.
I allowed myself a slight glance over my shoulder, scanning the dark mouth of the mine. My lips curled into a faint smirk. “Something’s definitely wrong about that cave,” I muttered under my breath. With that, I set my course back toward the city, the weight of unease still lingering in my chest.
By the time I returned to the city streets, the sun was already dipping below the horizon.
The last rays of gold stretched across the rooftops, giving way to the soft glow of lanterns being lit one by one.
Warm light spilled onto cobblestone paths, and the city began to hum with its evening rhythm—merchants closing stalls, children being called home, and travelers gathering at inns.
As I walked toward the heart of the city, my eyes caught sight of something towering above the skyline. A massive bell tower, taller and more impressive than the one I’d seen back in Altheria. Its stone spire pierced the twilight sky, its silhouette proud and unyielding.
“Now that’s worth checking out,” I muttered with a grin.
Without hesitation, I broke into a run, weaving through the thinning crowds until I reached the base of the tower. The heavy wooden doors gave a low creak as I pushed them open, revealing a spiral staircase winding endlessly upward.
I didn’t waste time. My footsteps echoed against the stone walls as I climbed, taking the steps two at a time, the anticipation building with every turn. My lungs burned slightly by the time I reached the top, but the moment I stepped out onto the open platform, all fatigue vanished.
The view was breathtaking. The city stretched out in every direction, bathed in the warm glow of lanterns and torches.
Streets glimmered like rivers of light, and beyond the walls, the dark outline of forests and distant hills framed the horizon.
The cool evening wind brushed against my face, carrying the scent of roasted food from the markets below.
I sat down near the edge of the platform, letting my legs dangle freely as I took in the sight. “Not bad at all,” I whispered, a rare sense of calm washing over me.
Then my stomach growled. Loudly.
I chuckled, opened my Online Shop, and began scrolling through the endless list of food items. My eyes lit up the moment I spotted it. “There you are.” With a grin, I selected my favorite—a double chili burger with extra chili.
A warm package materialized in my hands, the spicy aroma immediately hitting my nose. My mouth watered as I unwrapped it. “Man,” I said between bites, “nothing beats the taste of spice.”
The fiery heat of the burger made my tongue tingle, but that was exactly how I liked it.
As I chewed, I leaned back against the stone wall, gazing at the shimmering city below.
For the first time in days, I felt a rare kind of peace—just me, the night sky, the city lights, and the burn of chili reminding me I was alive.