License

Asher's head was spinning out of control. The guild was a strange place even by the standards of a magical world. As Asher freaked out, he was brought back to his senses by Helen's voice. "Are you okay, hon? You look kind of faint." Asher felt a little strange having this large of a granny acting like that sweet older woman who gives you candy when you pass their house.

Asher snapped back to reality and calmed himself. "Yes, I am fine. I was thinking about something. So what did I do?"

"You just write your name and age, dear." Asher did as instructed. However, instead, he wrote the name 'Veras Loki.' He decided to keep the age of 10 since there was little he could do to hide that. When he finished, he handed the sheet back to the cat boy. Talan looked it over carefully.

"Mr. Loki, correct? You're only ten, pretty young to start Mercenary work." Talan giggled like a school girl. "So now we have to check your aptitude so we can make recommendations for the jobs you can take." Talan reached under the counter and pulled out a glass rod and a crystal ball. It was the same kind that he had used for his awakening. "Now, these are similar to the awakening items, but these are not going to awaken any new elements. They are going to check what you can do."

Asher understood the energy coming off this crystal felt significantly weaker than the awakening stone that the church had used on him. He followed the cat boy's instructions and picked up the wand just like before. Asher lets his mind wander, and he focuses on the wand. Light began to fill the glass rod till it became a shining wand. The light exuding from the wand was so bright that it began to attract some of the mercenaries. They all knew what the intense light meant. There was a recruit with a high affinity for magic.

Even though they all worked in the mercenary guild, there were factions and people who regularly formed parties. So when someone with a high affinity appears, everyone clamors to get them on their side. Having a team full of high-level individuals means that they could get some of the more challenging quests with more fantastic pay. Everyone was shocked to see the light coming from a very young boy, and some of the other individuals were amazed to see a young individual being the one who created the light source.

Asher set down the glass wand as Talan wrote something down on the registration form. He then instructed Asher to place his palm onto the crystal ball. Asher put his hand on the crystal ball and focused his energy on the orb. The sensation was completely different from the last time. The awakening crystal felt like a force was burning its way out of his body. But this time, Asher did not feel the burning sensation at all. It was the opposite. The orb was like it was sucking the heat from Asher's body.

After about one minute, six lights formed and appeared inside the crystal ball. Talon looked over a chart on a clipboard. "A hexamage. Light blue is... Enchantment. Teal ... enhancement. Dark purple is illusion. Silver ... spacial... Lime... taming... and last is the turquoise that's Alchemy. Ummm.." Talon wrote each element on the sheet and thought for a moment before adding. "Looks like you're lacking in the offensive department, but it looks like you could be a good porter."

"Porter?" Asher asked Talon. Many of the people that had gathered around Asher seemed disappointed when they heard Asher's elements. The golden child had turned out to be nothing special. Many of them dispersed and when back to whatever they were doing before.

"Yes. Porter is super important," the way the cat stressed the word 'super' made it difficult for Asher could not tell if he was saying it out of pity, seriousness, or sarcasm. "The porter is the one that handles carrying gear and equipment. They collect loot from the monster after the rest of the party kills it. You have spacial and taming. If you can learn 'Interdimensional space' or tame a monster that you can use to carry a sachel or pull a wagon, you will have a lot of people who want you to help out their party."

"I see. I will be sure to consider that," Asher said through his teeth, not wanting to lay out the cute cat boy in the middle of the guild. It felt like he was saying that he would be worthless otherwise.

"Okay. Now for your license." Talon reached into the box and pulled out several blocks of materials. They were all about the size of a smartphone. "These are the license card. As you can see, there are several different ones. All of them are equipped with advanced tier mana crystals and have enchantments designed to help out mercenaries." Asher nodded but chose to tune Talon's explanation out. He turned his focus onto the first of the licenses.

[Scan complete]

Item: Mercenary Bronze License

Owner: None

Grade: A

Description: A magic tool is given to the mercenary guild members as a form of identification. The complex enchantments allow the device to communicate with other mercenaries. Post and accept jobs from the guild. Buy and sell items within the guild. Only the owner is the only one that can access the license. This license indicates a low-ranking member of the guild.

Asher understood the description, and he mainly wondered what kind of enchantment would produce the effects in question. A powerful enchanter must have created it. Talon slammed a sharp stiletto knife onto the desk, causing Asher to snap his attention back to the cat boy. Talon had a look of a slight annoyance towards Asher for him zoning out during his explanation.

"Now, let's go ahead with the binding," Talon said with a somewhat sadistic smile. He places the bronze block in front of Asher before pointing the sharp knife toward Asher. "Do you want to do it, or should I?" The cat boy looked strange with his menacing smile, and his cute innocent look made it only more terrifying.

"I can do it," Asher said, scared of the cat boy as something sinister flickered behind his amber eyes. Talon handed the sharp knife to Asher and smiled. Asher could not figure out what he was supposed to do, but Talon, seeing the boy's confusion, let out a sigh as it confirmed he was not listening during his explanation.

"You need a drop of blood to bind it to you. After that, no one will be able to use it but you." Talon answered Asher's unspoken question.

Asher looked at the cat boy in shock as he did not expect that he needed to make a blood contract. Asher took a deep breath before digging the sharp knife into his fingertip. Thankfully the knife was incredibly sharp, so it cut quickly.

[You have lost 1 HP.]

Asher was shocked that his health decreased just from a little cut like this. Asher held his finger over the bronze block, and a single bead of crimson fell onto the bronze block. The drop spatters onto the block staining the block red. But the stain disappeared as if the bronze block just sucked it into the bronze license. Talon then picked up the license and held it over the registration sheet. A light emanated from the license causing the sheet to light up.

Once the lights disappeared, Talon handed the license to Asher. "That's all your setup. This is a bronze license and will allow you to enter any affiliated city or certain restricted areas. Though the higher licenses will have more options and abilities, replacing it costs one gold. So don't lose it."

Asher nodded as he picked up the license. The license lit up just like a smartphone, and the stats he had just registered on the screen.

Name: Varas Loki

Status: Hexamage Mercenary

Element: Alchemy, Enchantment, Enhancement, Illusion, Spatial, Taming

Current Missions: None

Completed Mission: 0

Available Mission: 12 (expand)

Guild standing: Novice

Guild Shop (expand)

Messages (expand)

The license was the same as a smartphone, as he could send messages and order items virtually. Asher became enraptured by the device. The system chimed as he looked over each of the features.

[You have received the title 'Beginner Mercanary']

[You have received the title 'Adventure seeker']

[The license is somewhat compatible with your system. You can now track quests in your system under the quest screen.]

Asher was again baffled as the system was evolving again. It made him question just how far the system could grow. This time it was an item that caused it to evolve. Asher found it rather interesting since the system only evolves when Asher performs a specific action. Asher closed the system as Talon began to speak.

"You can accept your first quest from the board on the back of your license. Here." He held a black license over Asher's, and they both glowed for a second. A notification appeared on Asher's license.

{'Talon Heras' is now registered. They have been added to your messages}

"I just registered myself on your license, so you can send me a direct message if you need it." Asher was amazed at the ability of such a simple looking magic item. It only sparked farther curiosity into what enchantments could do.