Naked Provocations

Within moments, the duo arrived at their destination, standing before the impressive edifice that housed the city's main guild center. 

It was a beautiful structure, to be sure, but one that exuded an aura of domineering power and potent mystical might – a palpable sense of danger that seemed to whisper a stark warning: only true warriors belonged within these hallowed walls.

Arianna and Gladius calmly ascended the steps and stepped through the entrance, the sudden whirl of noise and activity that assaulted their senses a stark contrast to the relative quiet of the city streets outside.

Gladius's gaze swept across the expansive lobby, taking in the various groups of mages clustered throughout the cavernous space. 

Some appeared to be in the midst of planning and strategizing with their compatriots, while others were engaged in the buying, selling, or trading of mystical items and artifacts. Still more were actively perusing the available mission postings, seeking out their next challenge or source of employment.

It was a mixed bag of expressions and demeanors that greeted Gladius's discerning eyes. Some mages exuded an air of supreme confidence bordering on outright arrogance, their eyes glinting with disdain as they allowed their potent mana auras to flare outward in oppressive waves of power.

Others carried themselves with the bearing of hardened, grizzled veterans fresh off the battlefield, their world-weary gazes hinting at horrors and challenges most could scarcely fathom. 

A select few even seemed to move with an almost regal grace, as if they were bestowing a great favor upon the world simply by gracing it with their presence.

Naturally, there were also those calm, focused mages who simply wished to go about their business in a professional manner, seemingly unaffected by the swirling eddies of ego and bravado that permeated the very air around them. But they were outnumbered by those who reveled in the raw expression of their mystical might.

As Arianna and Gladius made their way into the lobby, eyes flickered in their direction – the majority fixating on Arianna with thinly veiled looks of disdain and open scorn. Gladius, on the other hand, went completely ignored by most of the mages present, his existence deemed as negligible and inconsequential as that of an insect beneath their boots.

Gladius could even pick up the mocking scoffs and derisive whispers with his enhanced sword sense, the words "common mortal fucker..." drifting to his ears before the speakers turned their attention back to their own conversations and dealings.

Utterly unbothered by the open displays of contempt directed their way, Arianna led Gladius over to the section reserved for the bronze-tier missions – the first and most introductory tier, meant primarily for Nascent Novices and Nascent Apprentice still in the earlier stages of their magical journeys.

As they made their way across the bustling lobby, Gladius sensed the auras of their shadowy pursuers slipping in behind them, the cloying presences converging as they seemingly met up with others of their ilk scattered throughout the crowd.

But for now, Gladius kept his focus centered on the mission board laid out before them, scanning the various postings and bounties with a discerning eye. 

These missions weren't overly complicated in nature, though he recognized that even the most seemingly innocuous task could potentially prove to be one's last if approached without the proper caution and preparedness.

There was no need for much discussion between Arianna and himself – they seemed to operate on an almost intuitive wavelength, their thoughts and intentions perfectly aligned. 

Arianna plucked a posting that called for the elimination of ten peak Nascent Novice-stage boars and the retrieval of their tusks as proof of the deed's completion.

Gladius nodded his agreement without hesitation, his body thrumming with an anticipatory energy as visions of clashing blades and gushing arterial sprays danced through his mind's eye.

They swiftly made their way over to the registration counter to formally accept the mission parameters, but as they were in the midst of finalizing the details, Gladius and Arianna both detected the purposeful approach of two mages making their way toward them with deliberate strides.

The duo flickered their gazes over to assess the potential threat, only to be met with the sight of two young, handsome mages garbed in the distinctive robes and regalia of the prestigious EmberForge Sect. 

Welcoming smiles curved their lips, though their eyes glinted with a look that hinted at ulterior motives simmering beneath their polished veneers of civility.

As if expecting a response, the EmberForge mages came to a halt a respectful distance away, one of them addressing Arianna directly with a tone that seemed to drip with feigned cordiality.

"Well now. I didn't expect to see the infamous woman herself show up in a place like this without a care in the world."

Arianna calmly met their gazes, her own expression a polite mask of serenity – though her mind was already working at lightning speeds, meticulously analyzing and dissecting every nuance of the duo's posture, the subtle glint in their eyes, the almost imperceptible undercurrents woven into the very cadence of their speech.

She had a strong inkling as to their true intentions, but she replied with a diplomatic neutrality that belied the whirlwind of thoughts racing through her consciousness.

"Here to potentially scout me out, or perhaps to offer some sort of team-up in the hopes of swaying my mind toward embracing your sect's more rigid school of thought?" 

A faint, knowing smile ghosted across her lips as she added, "You'll need to be far more subtle than blatantly labeling me as the 'infamous woman' if you wish to make any headway in either endeavor."

"You-" The EmberForge mages faltered for the briefest of moments, their masks of civility slipping ever so slightly before they managed to regain their composure. 

Their gazes flickered toward Gladius, lingering on him with unabashed looks of disdain as the one who had initially spoken continued on in a tone laced with thinly veiled hostility.

"Is what we have to say really that much worse than associating yourself with a mere common mortal? Why is this peasant even here in the first place? Are you not aware that when peasants wander onto grounds where they are not welcome, it is up to us mages to teach them a stern lesson in obedience and their proper place in the world?"

As he spoke those words, his mana began to flare outward in a palpable aura of fiery oppression, a display of force meant to cow and intimidate any lesser beings who dared to stand in their presence. 

An overwhelming weight of power swept forth, a scorching tide of mystical might that would undoubtedly bring even the most stubborn of common mortals – and weak Nascent Novices – crashing down to their knees in abject submission.

But to the utter confusion of the two posturing EmberForge mages, neither Arianna nor Gladius seemed affected in the slightest by this heavy-handed attempt at intimidation. Rather than quailing beneath the suffocating deluge of power meant to subjugate them, the duo simply stared back at their would-be tormentors, cold smiles playing across their lips as if they found the entire situation more amusing than threatening.

Eyes from all across the expansive guild lobby began to gravitate toward the unfolding scene, sensing the palpable undercurrents of tension crackling through the air like invisible shockwaves. 

But neither Arianna nor Gladius seemed to give the growing audience of spectators even the slightest damn – since trouble had so brazenly presented itself before them, they had no intention of backing down or allowing themselves to be cowed and disrespected.

Gladius, in particular, knew that there were times when it was prudent to take a measured step back, to avoid escalating a volatile situation that could easily spiral out of control. But when dealing with those who commanded power through sheer force and arrogance, he found it far more preferable – and often, more effective – to strike first and issue a blunt warning, rather than simply standing on the defensive.

And so, the words that rumbled forth from his lips carried not a single hint of hesitation or uncertainty, reverberating across the cavernous lobby with the same effortless confidence that had allowed him to slay gods in his previous life.

"Is this just a poor attempt at scouting us out, then? It doesn't matter either way. Use whatever pathetic scare tactics you have at your disposal, or simply fuck off and quit wasting our time."

His bold declaration rippled outward like a stone dropped into a still pond, the rowdy noise and cacophony that had filled the air mere moments ago gradually quieting down into an expectant hush. 

Mages across the lobby turned their attention toward the confrontation, their brows furrowing in a mixture of disbelief and outrage at the sheer audacity this common mortal dared to display.

And what's more, the mage by his side – this woman they all seemed to regard with such disdain – was apparently just allowing him to run his mouth unchecked, making no move to reign in her apparent subordinate. It was an unthinkable breach of decorum, one that clearly infuriated the gathered mystics to their very cores.

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