The hide and seek went really well. It was always Genken who was hiding, and Locus who was searching.
Whenever Locus closed his eyes and Genken tried to hide, Locus felt a shift in pressure.
He didn't even need to open his eyes to search for Genken. He just had to follow Genken's Aura.
After playing four rounds, Genken decided that this would suffice.
"At this time of day, the guild should be full of rather powerful adventurers who are lurking around and waiting for a nice job."
"So you're saying that they can use Aura as well?"
"That's very unlikely. It's a skill that I wouldn't even have shown you if your goal weren't this high. Only very strong individuals possess it."
Locus smirked.
"So you're saying that I'm a powerful individual."
"You will be... after I'm done training you."
"Can every strong person use Aura?"
Locus shook his head.
"The perception of Aura is usually triggered by a huge disturbance in one's own. As long as they didn't get in contact with an Aura user with a strong Aura, they don't notice its existence."
"Does that mean that you have a strong Aura?"
"Questions like that always depend on the comparison. The emitted Aura you feel from my body is pathetic in comparison to truly strong people. But it is quite considerable, if I compare it to you."
Genken paused for a second.
"I don't immediately know whether someone might be able to perceive Aura, but except for some exceptions, I wouldn't expect someone below rank B to be able to use it.
Still, when you get stronger and ascend to a higher standard of people around you, for example, the higher ranks of the Mastermind Guild, you can expect everyone to be a master of Aura."
Locus nodded.
"But remember, just because they can't perceive it, they don't necessarily have a weak Aura. Try to stand firm when entering the guild."
Locus had already noticed that even the objects around him emitted Aura. In comparison to Genken, it was barely noticeable but still there. It was probably the same with people who couldn't use Aura, just stronger.
One tap from Genken on Locus' shoulder later, the two of them stood in an alley next to the guild. The overall Aura around then was much stronger than in the forest. After all, humans possess more potential power than trees and bushes.
"Let's go."
Genken went straight ahead, facing the guild's entrance. Locus walked closely behind him.
"It would be wiser if I opened the door and let some Aura leak from the room, so that you know what awaits you. Like preparing for heat in the summer."
"Okay."
When Genken had left Locus' room the day before, Locus had already noticed that Aura is weaker behind a wall. He imagined it a little bit like smoke.
The Aura that came out of the guild was chaotic, as Locus would later describe it. And it was no wonder, considering how many different people with different strengths were inside the building.
They stepped inside, and it was not as bad as Locus had expected.
"The Auras cancel each other out. Two force fields don't combine. They reject each other. That's why you don't feel the combined Aura of every adventurer here."
That made sense. So different smokes couldn't combine...
When Locus walked up to people, their respective Aura would feel stronger than the others'.
Nevertheless, Genken's Aura seemed to be the strongest in the room.
While looking around the room, Locus noticed a table with five adventurers sitting at it.
"Of course this had to happen."
Locus went back to Genken.
"Those annoying adventurers are sitting over there."
"Oh, right! They said that they'd take walk-in-quests."
"So what are we going to do?"
"Your combat abilities still haven't advanced that much. For now, we'll take our leave."
"As you say."
Genken and Locus walked out of the room, back into the bright sunlight.
"I think it's time to go for a walk."
Without any other kind of warning, Genken touched Locus' shoulder once again. They were not standing in a small valley with tall mountains surrounding them. Locus heard a distant rumbling.
"Where are we?"
"What does it look like? We're in a valley."
Suddenly, Genken pulled Locus closer to him. While Locus was still confused, a rock that was about as big as his fist fell down on the position that Locus had been standing at just a split second earlier.
"You should watch your step. There are lots of rocks coming down from the mountains, each possessing the potential to kill you."
"AND YOU JUST BROUGHT ME HERE WITHOUT A WARNING?"
"You want to get strong, don't you?"
Genken pointed at one of the mountain peaks.
"I'll be waiting up there. Let's see how long it takes you to meet me at the top."
And with that being his last words, Genken vanished.