The silence in the ruined chamber was thick enough to chew. Arjun's pathetic, squeaked question hung in the air, a testament to his utter bewilderment. He wanted to elaborate—to explain about the root, the fall, the very unfortunate headbutt—but his throat had seized up. All he could do was offer a wobbly, apologetic smile.
To Seraphina, the smile was a smirk of supreme confidence. The casual dismissal in his tone—"I was just lost"—was a clear mockery of their own frantic efforts against a mere handful of goblins. He had wandered in here, "lost," and accomplished more in a single moment than she had in her entire life. Her knuckles turned white on the shaft of her spear.
To Eirlys, the smile was one of beatific serenity. He was "lost" in the way a saint is lost in divine contemplation. He had descended into this profane place and, through his own innate purity, brought it to heel. His trembling form wasn't fear; it was the struggle of a mortal vessel trying to contain an overwhelming spiritual power. She offered a small, reverent bow of her head.
To Proctor Sorran, it was the single most terrifying statement he had ever heard. This boy hadn't just defeated a nest of monsters; he had pacified the lingering malevolence of a Demon King's fortress. And he was claiming he did it by accident. It was either a lie of galactic proportions or a truth so terrifying it could reshape the balance of power on the continent.
Sorran cleared his throat, the sound unnaturally loud in the dead quiet. "Aspirant... Veylor," he began, his voice carefully neutral. "Per Guild regulations, I need to conduct a formal assessment of your abilities. Please, step forward."
An assessment? Oh, thank the gods! Arjun's heart leaped with relief. An assessment meant rules, procedures, paperwork! He could explain himself. They'd see his stats were abysmal, realize it was all a fluke, and maybe only charge him for the damages to the wall.
"Yes, sir! Of course, sir!" he said, a little too eagerly. He took a step forward and immediately stumbled over the helmet of a slumbering Stone Guardian. He pinwheeled his arms wildly, the legendary dagger Soulfang making whooshing noises as he fought for balance.
Seraphina gasped, taking a half-step back. "His movements... they look like flailing, but there's no wasted energy. It's some kind of advanced, unpredictable martial art!"
Arjun finally steadied himself, his face flushed with embarrassment. He scurried over to Sorran, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor.
Sorran produced a fist-sized, smooth crystal orb from a pouch on his belt. It glowed with a faint white light. "This is a standard-issue Guild Assessment Crystal," he explained, his eyes never leaving Arjun's face. "It measures a person's core attributes: Strength, Agility, Endurance, Intelligence, Charisma, Mana Control, and Luck. Please place your hand upon it."
This was it. The moment of truth. Arjun placed his hand on the cool surface of the crystal, praying it would show them just how spectacularly unremarkable he was.
The crystal's white light immediately turned a brilliant, violent gold.
[Strength: B... A... A+...]
Sorran's eyebrows shot up. A+ Strength was the level of a royal knight captain.
[Agility: A... S...]
Seraphina's jaw dropped. S-Rank Agility? That was legendary speed, the kind spoken of in myths. Had he been holding back that much when he "stumbled"?
[Endurance: A+... S... S+...]
"To withstand the curse," Eirlys murmured, her eyes wide. "Of course."
The runes on the crystal were flashing faster now, the light growing almost painfully bright.
[Intelligence: S... SS...]
Sorran felt a bead of sweat trickle down his temple. SS-Rank Intelligence was the realm of archmages and grand strategists who could command armies with a glance. Abyss-Brained Tactician, indeed. The whispers were true.
[Charisma: B+... A...]
[Mana Control: A...]
The proctor was barely breathing. These were the stats of a Hero of Myth. A being who could topple kingdoms. Then, the crystal moved to the final attribute.
[Luck: S... SS... SSS...]
The light pulsed frantically. The runes spun into an incomprehensible blur.
[Luck: ?]
A high-pitched whine emanated from the orb. Tiny fractures began to spiderweb across its surface.
CRACK!
The Assessment Crystal exploded, showering Sorran's hand in glittering, harmless dust. Silence returned once more, thicker and more profound than before.
Arjun stared at his empty hand, horrified. "I-I'm so sorry! I'll pay for that! I don't have much money, but I can work—"
"Don't be absurd," Sorran interrupted, his voice hushed with reverence. He brushed the crystal dust from his gauntlet as if it were a sacred powder. "To possess a power that transcends the Guild's ability to even measure it... Unfathomable."
Arjun's mind was reeling. SSS-Rank Luck? What does that even mean?! Does that mean I was lucky to trip? Lucky to fall in here? Lucky to break their expensive ball? This is the worst luck I've ever had!
His gaze fell to the dagger still clutched in his hand. It felt cold, heavy, and evil. This was the source of all his problems. He had to get rid of it.
He held it out to Sorran with both hands, like a child returning a stolen cookie. "Here," he pleaded. "You should have this. It's... it feels important."
Sorran looked from the dagger—the mythical Soulfang—to Arjun's pleading face. He saw not a plea, but a test. A profound gesture. This living legend was offering him, a humble proctor, a weapon of immense power. It was a test of his character, his greed, his worthiness. To accept would be the height of arrogance.
He bowed his head deeply, a gesture of ultimate respect. "I cannot, Sir Arjun. A weapon of that caliber chooses its master. It has clearly chosen you. I am not worthy to even touch it."
Sir Arjun?! The name echoed in his skull. No, no, take the stabby thing! Please!
But it was too late. The misunderstanding had set like concrete.
Sorran straightened up, his face now a mask of grim determination. The F-Class exam, the goblins, the other aspirants—all of it was meaningless now. A new reality had dawned.
"The exam is over," he declared, his voice booming with authority. "Seraphina, Eirlys, you will act as official witnesses. Aspirant Veylor has not passed the F-Class exam."
Arjun's heart sank. Of course. He broke a wall, destroyed a valuable artifact, and now they were kicking him out. Maybe he could still be a turnip farmer.
Sorran continued, his voice ringing with conviction. "He has shattered it. He has demonstrated power that exceeds any known adventurer. Forget F-Class. Arjun Veylor, by the authority vested in me as a Senior Guild Proctor, I am granting you a provisional S-Rank designation. Effective immediately."