Point-of-View: Argent Stryker

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"I’m finally back, huh?" I muttered to myself, as the familiar, nostalgic sight came into view.

Today’s the 5th of October, 2011, I looked up the exact date during my stay in Blont Town. A few days ago, I’d begun setting out towards Marri Town, mainly to have another go at the ranking exam.

I’m quite confident that I can make it to Platinum rank now, though I’m likely still a ways away from being good enough to reach Diamond rank at my current level. Each Guild in Obsidian has no more than three active Diamond ranks at most, a couple of the Guilds only have one.

It takes a lot to qualify as a Diamond rank...you have to be proficient in a wide variety of quest types, those who specialize in certain types of quests and aren’t very good at other types rarely ever get to Diamond rank, regardless of how strong they are.

And this is kinda unspoken, but a person’s Skills is also a significant factor in whether they can reach Diamond rank or not. Though that can become less of a factor if they’ve mastered a reasonably advanced level of Spellcasting.

However, a lot of people don’t have even a single useful Skill, and proficient Spellcasting is pretty rare among Commoners. I’ve learnt that only about one in ten Adventurers can use Magic at all, and of that fraction, only about a quarter can do so proficiently, and almost all of them are Diamond ranked.

So, on paper at least, I’ve got everything it takes to get to Diamond rank. I’m decent at Spellcasting and constantly improving, plus I’ve got three highly useful Skills. It’ll likely still take quite a while to get there though, and the determining factor will be my own competency...or lack of it.

Anyway, there’s no point in thinking about Diamond rank now, no sense in getting too far ahead of myself, after all. I’ll just focus on ensuring I get promoted from Gold to Platinum today, I’ll take things step by step.

As I began to make my way towards the Guild after entering the town, I gulped as a tantalizing, familiar scent wafted into my nostrils, my mouth watering and my stomach grumbling slightly.

That meat skewer food stall is still here, huh? I remember dad taking me here every time I came to town with him, as well as that cafe with the really delicious ice cream.

It’s been a while since I tried either, might as well give my tastebuds a reminder. Plus, I shouldn’t take the ranking exam on an empty stomach, that’s just good sense.

"Welcome, what would you like-...is that you, Argent?" The skewer guy recognized me after a brief pause, before a smile appeared on his face, "I suppose I should say welcome back instead. You’ve grown, young man, it’s good to see you again."

"Oh, uh...thanks mister, likewise. It’s been a while since I’ve had your skewers, way too long...I think I’ll take three," I smiled in response, as I began to reach for my money.

"Don’t worry about it, it’s on the house, just this once," He waved dismissively at my coins, before handing me two skewers, and then giving me another one that looked a bit different, "This one’s a rare treat...it’s White Stag meat."

Woah, seriously? That’s a Magical Beast that’s widely considered to have to most succulent and delectable meat in the entire world. I’ve never tried it before, but it smells incredible...

"Wow, you mean it? Thank you so much, I really appreciate it," I grinned gratefully, before adding as I walked away with the skewers, "But before I leave again, I’ll be back at least a couple times a day. As a paying customer, of course."

"Hahaha, I look forward to it! I’ll see you around, young man," He replied with a smile and a wave.

I then gulped in anticipation as I chomped into one of the beef skewers, a slight shudder going through my body as I munched on the tender, flavorful meat, letting out a delighted sigh...oh, yeah, it’s as amazing as it always was!

The meat is cooked to perfection, and that sweet and sour sauce with a tough of spiciness to it, it’s so good! Ohh, I can’t wait to try the White Stag skewer, I’ll save it for last.

I swiftly wolfed down the two beef skewers, but not so fast that I wasn’t savoring each bite, because I was. Damn, this is good! The other towns I’ve visited over the past few months had similar street food, but none of them could top this.

Well, that could be the nostalgia and bias talking, but since this is just as good as I remember, I’d argue against that. I really needed this...it’s giving me flashes of my childhood, the time I spent with my family.

Once I was done with the two skewers, I raised the last one towards my mouth with a rising sense of anticipation, salivating as I paused for a brief moment before taking a bite...I suddenly found myself letting out a sigh of delight, as I chewed into it.

This is...this is amazing! It’s so juicy and tender, and every bite is just an explosion of delightful flavor. This is the best meat I’ve ever had, no question...how is this so damn good!?

Chills were running through my body as I trembled with delight, a sharp but pleasant sensation erupting across the sides of my mouth. I let out a blissful sigh of gratification as I swallowed the meat, before going in for another bite.

I couldn’t control myself and ended up wolfing it down ravenously, unable to hold myself back...and by the time I was done, there was a sense of disappointment that it was over so quickly. I should’ve bought, like, five more of those, damn it!

I then tossed the skewer sticks in a trash can, as the Guild came into sight. I walked over towards the entrance and headed inside, making my way over to the reception desk. Looks like the receptionist is a different person this time.

"Hi, excuse me. I’m here to take a ranking exam, I’m a Gold rank registered with this Guild," I greeted the receptionist, a middle aged woman.

"Oh, I see, very well, sir. Please head down to the basement space, I will be with you shortly along with your opponent," She replied with a nod, after checking my Status Bar to confirm my registration.

"Sure, got it," I responded, before heading for the stairs at the back of the room.

I made my way down the stairs to the basement, feeling pretty excited...I know I’ve gotten stronger over the last ten months or so, it’s time to see just how much.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs and stepped out into the basement, my eyes widened slightly in surprise...they’ve changed this place up a bit. They’ve added more rock formations and small cliffs, meaning a lot more hiding spots.

Hm...this works out great for me. I’ve been spending more time traveling that I’ve been staying in any one place, and I’ve encountered plenty of Monsters and bandits out in forests and other wild areas, so I have no complaints about this.

After all, hiding from me is impossible, thanks to my Radar Skill, arguably the best detection Skill there is. I’ll decide where to hide after I see where my opponent goes, no need to plan things out too much.

I’ve learnt that, the more complex a plan or strategy is, the more likely it is that something won’t go according to that plan, there’s a narrower margin for error.

And I’ve also learnt how to fight without planning too far ahead, instead focusing on adapting to changes in circumstances and being proactive. I’d also say I’ve grown more instinctive, but that’s hard to train deliberately.

I then glanced back as I heard footsteps heading down the stairs, the receptionist showing up with my opponent. If I win this duel, I’ll be promoted to Platinum rank, the same rank that my father held.

My opponent was a woman who looked like she was in her mid-thirties, with light brown hair tied up in a bun, silver eyes and a slightly heavy build. She wore a dark brown leather armored sleeveless vest and trousers, under metal armor around her chest and upper back, arms and knees.

"She will be your opponent for this first duel. If you win, your rank will be raised to Platinum, and you will also have the option of attempting to rank up to Diamond. Are you familiar with the rules, or would you like me to explain them to you?" Inquired the receptionist.

"No, I remember the rules. Unless anything’s changed or something new has been added?" I asked her in response.

"There have not been any changes or additions, no. Now, then, if you’re ready, shall we begin?" She suggested in reply.

"Yeah, sounds good. Let’s do this," I nodded affirmatively, as a sense of determination and anticipation welled up inside me...

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