To the ravine!

Aeris stood still, staring at Ethan as if her conviction had once again been proven right. Her eyes were wide, lips slightly parted, and her staff trembled faintly in her hand. She already admired him as the Herald, but his abilities still managed to surprise her every time she saw them.

"Oh Goddess, you really never get tired of being right…" she thought, a shiver running down her spine.

Beside her, Sylfie had her arms crossed, her body still dusted with ash from the earlier fight. Even so, her expression was hard to read. Her eyes were half-closed, analyzing every movement Ethan made after the battle.

She said nothing, but the tension in her shoulders and the slight grinding of her teeth gave her away. That display of power irritated her... and fascinated her.

The feeling of inferiority she used to have with Aeris had lessened ever since she met Ethan. But now, it felt like he was slowly taking her place.

High above in the stands, the three evaluators observed in complete silence.

The oldest among them, a man with a thick beard and hawk-like eyes, broke the silence with a deep tone.

"In less than ten minutes..."

The second, a man with white hair tied tightly in a bun, simply stroked his chin, eyes still fixed on Ethan's hand where Nexus rested.

"No mistakes. No hesitation. Not even signs of magical exhaustion..."

The woman, upright and calculating, didn't take her eyes off the young man.

"And with no external support," she said finally. "If I weren't seeing it with my own eyes, I'd call him a liar."

On the field, Ethan dusted off his sleeve like he had just taken a casual stroll. His gaze lifted briefly to the sky, then slowly turned to the evaluators. He gave a faint smile, almost polite this time, though still laced with his signature touch of arrogance.

Aeris took a deep breath, still watching him. She was proud.

Sylfie, on the other hand, looked away with a sigh.

"I hate to admit it... but that was impressive."

Aeris replied in a lower voice, as if to herself.

"He is our Herald. It's only natural for him to be like this."

Above, the three evaluators exchanged glances. The woman stepped forward, her eyes locked on Ethan.

"Bring him to the audience chamber. Immediately."

The bearded man nodded, still without words.

The test had been mere formality. Ethan was already beyond A-rank. The way he completed missions, combined with Sylfie's recommendation, had already placed him under the Guild's watch.

In short, they already knew the level of his power, but they couldn't just promote an unknown out of nowhere without a test, even if the result was obvious.

Still, even the evaluators hadn't expected him to defeat those monsters so quickly. If they had known, they would've picked less valuable ones, the loss of those summons was a cost to the Guild.

It didn't take long before Lenne arrived to escort Ethan to the audience chamber. Judging by her expression, she already knew what had just happened.

The double doors of the chamber were opened by two Guild guards, and Ethan entered like it was nothing. His hands were in his pockets, his gaze calm as if he were heading into a casual meeting, not a formal convocation that could define his career as an adventurer.

The room was spacious, with high ceilings decorated by old tapestries depicting the feats of legendary heroes. Three chairs were arranged before a single, elevated seat, the symbol of Guild authority in that region.

The three evaluators were already waiting, still wearing their high-ranking robes. The woman in the center, with dark brown hair tied in a rigid bun, was the first to speak.

"Ethan Blake. It's a pleasure to receive you here."

Ethan offered a faint smile.

The bearded man continued the conversation with a serious posture.

"You've demonstrated combat, magical, and strategic prowess far beyond expectations. Whatever you were doing before becoming an adventurer remains a mystery."

The second man stepped forward.

"And before we officially deliberate on your promotion, we want to understand your intentions. Why would someone like you join the Guild? And why are you so eager to reach A-rank?"

Ethan looked straight at him, that signature smile on his face.

"Fame, prestige... and access."

"Access?" the woman narrowed her eyes.

"To the Crimson Ravine." Ethan didn't hesitate. "I want to go in. And A-rank is the minimum requirement."

Silence fell over the room. The three evaluators exchanged glances, it was not a common answer to that question.

"You know what's inside?" asked the bearded man.

"More than you think," Ethan replied with a smile, but offered no explanation.

The woman sat back down in her chair.

"Very well. We will officiate your promotion to A-rank later today. You'll have access to the Guild's restricted areas and classified missions."

"And the ravine?"

"Yes. But be aware that expeditions to that region are monitored. If you cause trouble…"

"I won't," Ethan cut her off, his gaze serious. "I didn't go through the trouble of reaching this rank just to lose it a few hours later."

She studied his face for a few seconds, then nodded.

"Then welcome to the top of the Guild, Mr. Ethan Blake. From now on, you are an A-rank adventurer."

Ethan slowly turned to leave. But before crossing the door, he threw one last glance over his shoulder.

"Not for long."

The doors closed behind him.

Outside, Aeris and Sylfie were waiting. Aeris stood impatiently, and Sylfie was sitting on a stone bench, arms crossed and eyes on the sky.

"So?" asked Aeris, standing up.

Ethan just smiled, opening his arms as if announcing a grand show.

"A-rank. We can finally go to the ravine."

Sylfie looked at them in silence, but there was a glint in her eyes.

"Looks like you two aren't going to let me rest..."

Aeris approached Ethan, visibly excited.

"When do we leave?"

Ethan looked out toward the horizon. There was no need to rush, in the original novel, the barrier hadn't been broken for years. But that didn't mean he should procrastinate.

"Tomorrow," Ethan's eyes gleamed. "At dawn."

The next morning arrived with a clear sky and a thin mist hanging over the rooftops of the city. The streets were still quiet when Ethan, Aeris, and Sylfie departed through the eastern gate.

The carriage was simple, the same one they had used when arriving in the city. Aeris sat beside Ethan, holding a detailed map of the route to the Crimson Ravine. Sylfie rode on her turtle, which somehow managed to move at the same speed as the carriage.

Ethan was reclining, watching the road stretch into the distance. His knowledge of the novel was vast, and he believed nothing in this world could surprise him. But when that turtle started moving at that speed... he began to question whether his knowledge was truly infallible.

"This world really is vast," he thought. "Aurelia… I hope you're watching."

Sylfie, riding beside him, glanced sideways.

"I still can't believe we got permission to enter the ravine that easily. That place is known for killing everyone who goes in."

Ethan smiled, not turning his head.

"What can I say? I'm very convincing."

Aeris lowered the map, looking at Sylfie.

"Do not underestimate the one chosen by the Goddess."

Sylfie scoffed but didn't argue. She was already thinking she'd have to get used to this kind of answer if she planned to travel with them. Then she started questioning why she was even considering staying with them at all.

The road continued through hills and scattered woods. At one point, Sylfie's turtle suddenly stopped. Sylfie furrowed her brow and raised a hand, signaling for silence.

"Something's coming."

Ethan straightened up.

"Hostile?"

Sylfie closed her eyes for a moment, focused. A pale green aura surrounded her body.

"Yes. And big."

Aeris immediately moved into position, staff in hand, while Ethan jumped lightly down from the carriage.

Across the road, bushes began to rustle. The heavy sound of paws pounding the earth echoed until a creature resembling a massive bear, cloaked in a dark aura, emerged from the trees and let out a powerful roar.

"I don't remember any creature like that in this region," commented Sylfie, already drawing an arrow. "And that aura is... troubling."

Ethan raised a hand.

"Leave it to me. I was getting bored anyway."

Aeris hesitated but stepped back. So did Sylfie. Ethan snapped his fingers, and Nexus reshaped into a long blade.

The creature charged.

With a smooth motion, Ethan spun the blade and rushed toward the enemy with a grin on his face.

The clash lasted only seconds.

One strike. A dark flash. A body hitting the ground with a dull thud.

"That aura..." Aeris murmured. Still analyzing the bear's body from afar.

"Show-off," Sylfie shouted, now with a slight smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

Ethan wiped the blade clean with one smooth motion from top to bottom, and let Nexus revert back into its glove form.

"Well... that was disappointing."

He turned to them.

"Let's go. The ravine awaits."

The group continued down the road, unaware that the bear's body was slowly regenerating. Its torn flesh reattaching, and its dark aura growing more intense.

Once it returned to full form, it resumed following its target.