The receptionist: "Time's up!"
"Test passed!"
The runes went out instantly.
Boom
The golem froze.
An impressed silence fell over the field.
Then, slowly, an adventurer applauded.
Another followed.
These weren't the adventurers mocking him, but only those supporting him.
Adventurer #1: "Well done, kids!"
Adventurer #2: "You did it!"
Adventurer #3: "Congratulations!"
Adventurer #4: "You'll be even faster soon!"
Adventurer #5: "Well done, kid, Arlan's was right to believe in you."
Even though most of the adventurers already present were professionals who would have also passed the golem test, they were still happy to see that Venty had succeeded.
Venti, still a little out of breath, blinked.
He didn't really understand why everyone was staring at him like that.
He had simply… moved as his instinct dictated.
He had simply done what came to mind to dodge each of his opponent's blows.
And yet, his instinct was no longer that of an ordinary boy.
It was something else.
A trace of what he had been.
Or of what he would become again.
The receptionist: "Congratulations, you passed the test."
Venti let out a slight smile, shouting with joy.
Venti: "YES!"
"I PASSED!"
The receptionist stepped towards him as the golem froze completely, its runes now dull.
Silence lingered for a few more seconds, as if everyone was trying to comprehend what they had just witnessed.
Then she took a deep breath, regained her professionalism, and offered a genuine smile.
The receptionist: "Venti... congratulations."
"You just passed all the tests with flying colors."
A few adventurers nodded in agreement.
Adventurer #1: "Not bad, kid!"
Adventurer #2: "I swore he'd get crushed!"
Adventurer #3: "Seriously, did you see his movements?
They were inhuman!"
"Anyway... congratulations all the same!"
The receptionist raised her hand to restore some calm, though a mixture of surprise and admiration was evident in her eyes.
The receptionist: "I must say, I've never seen a candidate dodge the golem's attacks with such ease, let alone a novice."
Venti movements surprised everyone who witnessed them.
The receptionist: "You have a very particular way of moving."
"It was... impressive."
Venti lowered his eyes shyly, a little embarrassed by so much attention.
The air seemed to swirl around him, as if to emphasize his presence.
Venti: "Thank you."
He replied softly.
The receptionist nodded seriously.
The receptionist: "In any case, in accordance with the rules of the Adventurers' Guild."
"And since you have passed both tests... I officially announce that you may become an adventurer."
A murmur of astonishment rippled through the crowd, followed by a few more enthusiastic claps this time.
Even those who had laughed at first seemed to have to admit that he had more than earned his place.
The receptionist: "You still need to finalize your registration inside,"
She explained.
"but you've perfectly met all the requirements."
"Congratulations, Venti."
A burly adventurer at the back of the crowd nodded his approval.
Adventurer #1: "Hey, kid!"
"Well done."
"Keep it up and maybe you'll become someone important!"
Another, younger and overexcited, added:
Adventurer #2: "You have to show us someday!" "That thing with the wind!"
"It was incredible!"
Venti scratched his cheek, a little confused but happy.
What he didn't know was that at the other end of the field, behind the entrance gate leading to the training grounds, someone else had witnessed Venti skills in action.
And that person was Arlan.
Arlan, who had been watching from the start, smiled proudly while Leona waved her arms, beaming.
Leona: "Dad, did Venti succeed?"
Arlan: "Yes, my dear, he did!"
Back with Venti, the receptionist spoke again, more warmly:
The receptionist: "Come on, come with me."
"We'll finish your registration and give you your adventurer badge."
"And one more..."
"Congratulations."
For the first time since waking up in this world, Venti felt a pang of certainty.
A small inner flame.
He had just taken a step.
The first on the path to becoming who he once was.
Or perhaps… discovering who he could become.
The receptionist: "But before that, please follow me."
"We first need to define your skills."
Venti: "Huh?"
A few minutes later:
The next step for Venti was to determine which skills would guide him throughout his adventuring career.
As the crowd on the grounds dispersed, returning to their activities, the receptionist asked Venti to follow her.
In the building's corridors, the receptionist led Venti to a side door, away from the prying eyes of the adventurers still gathered on the grounds.
The muffled sounds of conversation faded behind them as they walked down the corridor, until they reached a small, enclosed room lit by a hanging lantern.
The interior was simple:
- A wooden table.
- A few chairs.
- And most notably, a large slab of white marble set in a metal base.
It emitted a pale, almost imperceptible glow.
The receptionist: "This is where we officially confirm the abilities of new adventurers."
The receptionist explained, closing the door behind them.
The receptionist: "Don't worry, everything shown here will remain confidential."
"The guild is obligated to respect the privacy of its members."
The procedure for learning one's skills was simple: in the center of the room, there was a marble plaque.
One simply had to place their hand on it and wait a few moments to learn which skills they possessed.
Each of my skills can have a varying level depending on the number of times it's used; the more a skill is used, the higher its level increases.
(Of course, as in the game, I've decided that the maximum level for a skill is 10).
Venti nodded gently, even though he felt his stomach clench.
He still struggled to understand these strange powers that seemed to be returning little by little.
He didn't know exactly what kind of power he possessed, and he was afraid the marble slab would reveal too much.
Fortunately, the receptionist reassured him, saying that it could see what he had.
The receptionist placed her hand on the pedestal.
The receptionist: "Just place your palm on the slab."
"It will analyze your elemental affinity, your primary abilities, and assess your potential."
"It only takes a few seconds."
Venti approached, doubtful.
The slab was cold, as if it were absorbing the heat around it.
Venti: "Well, when it's time to go."
He inhaled, hesitated for a second… then placed his hand on it.
Pressing his hand against the stone, he could feel a warmth spreading through him.
A light burst forth from the marble, instantly intensifying and surrounding him with a pale green halo.
Runes appeared, slowly swirling around the marble like leaves carried by an unseen breeze.
And then, words raced through his mind.
Clear.
Bright.
As if they were floating in the air around him.
Identified Skills:
- Telekinesis — Level 1/10
- Stat Boosting — Level 1/10
- Intangibility — Level 1/10
- Flight — Level 1/10
- Soul Manipulation & Lie Detection — Level 1/10
- Elementary Anemo Mastery — Level 2/10
- Illusion Creation — Level 1/10
- Resistance Reduction — Level 1/10
- Stat Reduction — Level 1/10
- Mass Increase/Decrease — Level 2/10
- Teleportation — Level 1/10
- Wind Communication — Level 1/10
Author Note: Feel free to let me know in the comments if I've missed anything.
Venti abruptly withdrew his hand.
His heart was racing.
These skills… there were too many, too specific.
And he barely understood half of them.
But more importantly, a question was nagging at him.
Venti: "What does 'Anemo' mean?"
Venti remained silent for a moment before the marble plaque, observing the faint glow that continued to pulse after his touch.
The receptionist, still standing nearby, was noting information on a form, visibly focused.
Yet, a question had been nagging at the young bard ever since she had uttered the word "Anemo."
He stepped forward tentatively.
Venti: "Excuse me..."
He said, his voice soft.
Venti: "I've heard several adventurers speak of 'wind mastery'... but on the marble plaque, I can read 'Anemo'."
"What exactly does that mean?"
The receptionist looked up, a little surprised by the question.
The receptionist: "Anemo?"
She repeated.
The receptionist: "Well… if that's what was briefly written on the plaque when you touched it."
"Normally, the stone indicates a candidate's elemental affinity—fire, water, earth, that sort of thing."
"But 'Anemo'… I've never heard of it."
She frowned, clearly searching her memory.
The receptionist: "In any case, it's not a known element in our system."
"It's neither a traditional element nor a listed subtype."
"Perhaps a rare form of wind magic?"
"Honestly, I couldn't tell you any more."
She apologized with a small, clumsy gesture, a little embarrassed at not being able to answer.
Venti, meanwhile, felt a familiar sensation stir in his chest, like an inner breeze.
At the mere mention of the word Anemo, something within him seemed to resonate, as if the term had always been a part of him, even if he hadn't been aware of it until now.
He lowered his gaze, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Venti: "I understand…"
He murmured.
Venti: "This Anemo energy must surely be linked to… this strange energy I sometimes use."
He thought back to the arrows he'd fired earlier, the involuntary gust of wind that had accompanied his third shot, the natural lightness he felt when he fought.
Everything fit together, even if this world didn't know the name.
The receptionist looked at him for a moment before continuing, a little more reassured:
The receptionist: "In any case, as long as you stay in control, it won't be a problem."
"You were honest about your abilities, that's all we ask."
"And besides... wind magic, even if rare, is still something very useful for an Adventurer."
Venti nodded, feigning naiveté, but inwardly relieved that she wasn't looking any further.
Venti: "Thank you, I'll do my best not to... draw too much attention to myself."
He replied with a slight smile.
FFFFFFFFfffffffffffffffff
A new, invisible gust of wind seemed to brush against his mind.
Venti: "Anemo..."
Even if this world didn't know the word, he... already knew it without knowing why.
How could he explain them?
How could he hide them?
The receptionist, for her part, hadn't seen anything.
The plaque didn't show anything visually; it simply transmitted the information directly to the mind of the person concerned.
Even if she couldn't see the skills each adventurer acquired, she still needed to know at least a little to ensure that the individual possessed a dangerous skill, such as hypnosis or invisibility, which could be misused if they fell into the wrong hands.
The receptionist: "Well?"
She asked with an encouraging smile.
The receptionist: "What did the plaque show you?"
Venti forced a small smile.
Even if he didn't understand all the skills he had or still possessed, he had to at least hide them. The reason was simple.
Because he thought he had too many skills, and he wondered if they were dangerous, and they were.
Venti: "I don't like this, but I'll have to lie."
"Well… nothing too impressive."
He replied, scratching his cheek.
Venti: "Just… wind control."
The receptionist seemed surprised but not suspicious.
The receptionist: "Only wind control?"
"No other special gifts or skills?"
Venti nodded, feigning simplicity.
Venti: "Hm."
"I'm pretty good at archery, but that's... just talent and practice."
Actually, Venti couldn't remember any practice, but he knew he must have practiced archery a lot before waking up.
Venti: "As for the wind, it's the only thing I can use."
She noted the information on a tablet.
The receptionist: "A unique affinity, but already more or less mastered?"
"That's rare for a novice... you're lucky."
"Many adventurers need to train before they can properly control an element."
Venti: "I think I acquired this affinity before I woke up."
She looked up at him.
The receptionist: "I suppose that explains your performance during the test."
Venti gave an embarrassed smile, trying to hide the faint breath that was already swirling around his fingers, as if his power refused to go unnoticed.
Venti: "I'll do my best."
He murmured.
The receptionist put away the tablet and nodded.
The receptionist: "Very well."
"I'll officially register you with the guild."
"You will be registered as an adventurer."
"You can accept simple missions starting today."
She handed him a small copper card with his name engraved on it:
VENTI
The receptionist: "Welcome to the guild."
Venti He studied the card for a moment, a strange mix of pride and apprehension coursing through his mind.
He also wondered when the receptionist had the time to take a card and engrave his name on it.
Venti: "Well, I guess it doesn't matter as long as I join the guild."
He was now an adventurer.
But deep down, beneath his calm smile, one question kept repeating itself:
How long could he continue to hide who and what he truly was?
The receptionist: "Honestly, even if you only have basic archery skills and a basic wind elemental skill."
"I wouldn't be surprised if, in a few years, your name was known throughout the guild."
Venti, for his part, didn't know whether to be reassured... or terrified.
He didn't know if he had done the right thing by lying. Or not.
Because one thing was certain:
If he possessed these abilities, it meant he had been something, or someone, far greater before his awakening.
And his mind whispered to him that Barbatos… was not just a name.
A few minutes later:
A few minutes later, Venti and the receptionist returned to the bustling main hall of the Adventurers' Guild.
Several glances turned toward them as soon as they arrived:
Some adventurers, who had witnessed the test, were still whispering amongst themselves, their feelings a mix of incomprehension and frustration at having seen a "mere bard" succeed where many others failed.
Adventurer #1: "He's the famous bard."
Adventurer #2: "You should have seen him during his fight against the golem."
Adventurer #3: "Are you sure he didn't cheat?"
Adventurer #4: "Shut up, imagine if he hears us!"
The receptionist, however, remained professional.
She invited Venti to follow her to the counter, opened a small, secure drawer hidden behind her desk, and took out a small varnished wooden box, engraved with the Guild's symbol: an eight-pointed star.
She opened it gently.
Inside lay a small, finely cut diamond-shaped gem, its translucent hue ranging from pale blue to emerald green.
It seemed to vibrate almost imperceptibly, as if already reacting to Venti's presence.
The receptionist: "Here is your personal stat gem."
She explained.
The receptionist: "Every adventurer receives one upon official registration."
"This gem is linked to your magical signature and will only function in your hands."
"This gem will allow you to know your personal stats at any time, as well as when one of your skills will level up."
Intrigued, Venti moved closer and watched the object gleam in the light streaming through one of the large windows in the lobby.
The gem seemed almost to breathe.
Venti: "Oh?"
"It's very beautiful..."
He remarked, tilting his head slightly.
The receptionist froze for a moment, unsure whether he was joking or serious, after all, one doesn't usually pay such compliments to a crystal.
The receptionist: "It's just the magical resonance."
Venti: "If you say so."
He replied with an innocent smile.
Around them, a few adventurers watched the scene, some with curiosity, others with a touch of envy.
One of them even blurted out:
Adventurer #1: "Pfft... Such a clear gem for a guy who looks like he's being blown away by the wind... that's favoritism."
Another replied:
Adventurer #2: "Did you see him during the tests?"
"That kid's weird."
"I don't know if it's talent or a walking problem."
Venti, who had obviously heard everything despite the whispers, acted as if nothing was amiss and delicately took the gem between his fingers.
It emitted a faint turquoise glow, soft and round, like a musical note.
The receptionist: "I'll now let you discover your stats."
"Have a good day."
After a few seconds of trying to understand the situation, Venti decided to sit down on a chair a few meters away. He didn't know where Arlan's and Leona were, so he decided to check his own stats to see what his level was.
Venti: "Alright, now we can officially begin."
Chapter 10: Twelve skills
The End