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nDespite Hugo having told Kieran that the assessment of his Rank Up Ceremony was over, Kieran didn’t drop Crimson Ashrune as Hugo would suspect.

nOn the contrary, Kieran readied himself once more, seemingly more focused than ever.

nDuring their last two brief bouts, Kieran gained more insight than all of their collisions combined. This time was too valuable for him to squander simply because the ceremony had been completed.

n“I can keep going,” Kieran voiced, assuring Hugo that he shouldn’t drop his weapon.

nSeeing the fire lit within Kieran’s eyes, his gaze set ablaze with passion and drive, Hugo revealed a faint smile that conveyed his astonishment, praise, and approval.

n“Very well. I won’t drop my weapon before my opponent,” Hugo agreed.

nBut once Hugo agreed to continue, Kieran sprang into action like a battered predator given a new burst of life!

nA thin blood platform formed roughly one foot above the ground as Kieran stomped the floor and sped forth.

nAfter reaching the foothold created seconds before, Kieran used enough force to shatter it as if it were a glass pane. As a result of his powerful force, Kieran barreled forth with all the speed of a fired cannonball.

nFor a second, Hugo was taken aback by how fast Kieran moved—he was significantly faster than earlier, although he didn’t sense any change in Kieran.

nAt least… not one that he could identify.

nSurprisingly, the subtle change in Kieran’s movement speed came from Tormented Beliefs.

nAs it turned out, the more battered and bruised he was in combat, the faster this passive ability accrued its Mastery percentage.

nSo, against an opponent like Hugo, who could make his body feel as if it was being torn apart with one strike, Tormented Beliefs experienced a surge in progress.

n‘I was surprised back when Tormented Beliefs barely changed after reaching Lv.5. In fact, I thought it was a dud. But it seems the passive is somewhat different from the rest,’ Kieran thought, looking at the ability that had just increased to Lv. 6.

nA significant boost in Movement Speed, but the other aspects remained untouched. This was odd for a skill since all improvement was usually dispersed equally.

nNevertheless, since this was the passive’s distribution system, Kieran began to wonder what it would all look like after he became a Blood Fiend.

nClang! Clang! Clang!

nThe Vampiric Blood Encrustation rippled every time Kieran’s blade made contact with Hugo’s axe. Apart from the ripples, small fragments of the encrustation also broke away after every third strike, but Kieran ignored it.

nOnce the encrustation was on the verge of shattering, Kieran would sacrifice a great portion of his Health to repair it then use Vim Restoration to restore the vitality he sacrificed. .

nAn endless cycle of wear and tear and rising conviction ensued as Hugo lifted his brow.

n‘We’re well past ten minutes now, but this boy doesn’t seem like he wants to stop. No… this power of his—the power of the Bloody Hero

n—is simply phenomenal. Control over one’s brimming vitality. That’s simply the making of a monster on the battlefield,’ Hugo thought.

nNow curious about the limits of this ability, Hugo’s axe suddenly blazed with a silvery light that seemed to make the atmosphere around it curve.

nAt the same time, the field beneath the axe’s edge started to sink.

n“Let’s see how remarkable that vitality is,” Hugo exclaimed.

nLess than a second later, Hugo disappeared, his streaking body creating a whirlwind aftermath.

nWhen Kieran tried to respond to Hugo’s swings, he noticed his weapon becoming increasingly difficult to lift, as if his arms were tiring from the toll of swinging the hefty beast of a weapon.

nHowever, that wasn’t the case.

nKieran could wield Crimson Ashrune for hours without tiring, and he was confident of this because he had done so before.

nThat wasn’t anything new to him. However, this weary and incapable feeling of struggle was.

n‘This is his ability… it definitely has something to do with weight; otherwise, I wouldn’t feel this slow. Maybe it’s something like Mass Manipulation?’ Kieran mused, taking a moment to analyze Hugo’s axe while being thrown backward.

nThere wasn’t much to go off of because, aside from the silvery light, Hugo didn’t activate any other ability. Kieran wasn’t an opponent that could warrant the use of his full abilities.

nIt’d be a different story if Kieran were a mid-level or peak Advanced Being.

nStill, Kieran couldn’t go out like this—feeling unaccomplished.

nScrrrrr!

nKieran stabbed Crimson Ashrune into the platform as his body jerked suddenly. Using the tremendous momentum supplied by this motion, Kieran twisted his body and removed the blade from the ground.

nAfter a stable landing, Kieran extended his hand.

n“Seethe Burst!”

nIn an instant, the large, majestic crimson blade that symbolized the use of Seethe Burst hurtled toward Hugo seconds later, but the latter didn’t retreat. Instead, he used a thrusting motion that one wouldn’t expect from an axe user.

nBang!

nWhen the silvery light met the attack, it was as if the majestic crimson sword was being compressed into a ball. This included the explosive aftermath that typically followed the impact.

nThough contained, Hugo couldn’t help but be shocked by the power of this skill, which the battered Kieran had unleashed.

nAfter doing so, unfortunately, Kieran dropped to his knee, powerless and exhausted. Stamina, Mana, and his Health… they had all reached an all-time low after the numerous clashes with Hugo.

nIn this state, he couldn’t employ another Vim Restoration. Hell, he could barely focus.

nUnleashing that Seethe Burst required his everything!

n“Do you finally give in?” Hugo asked, his large axe resting upon his broad shoulder.

nGlimpsing at the large man’s cuirass, Kieran shook his head defiantly. “I haven’t given in, but my body has. It’d be smart for me to listen to it.”

n“Hahaha,” Hugo responded with a peal of unrestrained laughter, his chest and throat trembling as a result.

nKieran didn’t quite feel he had said something even remotely funny. Nevertheless, he went along with it, straining to chuckle weakly.

nAfter that, Hugo extended a hand while a system message appeared before Kieran.

n〈System: «Vice Guild Master, Hugo»’s impression of you has improved greatly.〉

n〈System: You have completed the «Rank Up Ceremony» with flying colors, gaining Hugo’s genuine approval.〉

nWith a pull after clasping Kieran’s hand, Hugo hoisted him up and clapped his shoulders. “You did well. Through pure will and conviction alone, you kept your battered body going. Not many would choose to do that. Instead, they’d rather give in to the pain.”

n“There were many times when the me from before reacted the same way. However… I understand that pain is an indicator… no, a precursor of growth. If you can withstand it, you will grow in some Listening to Kieran speak, Hugo’s lips curled in an astonished smile. “I couldn’t agree with you more. Though, as you exercised earlier, shape or form,” Kieran replied.

nListening to Kieran speak, Hugo’s lips curled in an astonished smile. “I couldn’t agree with you more. Though, as you exercised earlier, there are times when you must concede. Not to your opponent… but to your body.”

n“Live to fight another battle, I suppose?” Kieran remarked, posing it more as a question.

n“Live to fight another battle,” Hugo attested, nodding in agreement.

n…

nRoughly twenty minutes later…

nAfter giving Kieran some time to heal, which in Hugo’s eyes was remarkably fast, the hulking man brought Kieran back to the Adventurers’ Guild’s main building.

nBefore arriving there, though, Kieran sent out a message to get all his team members’ attention, especially Alice, Altair, and Bastion.

nThey were to meet him at the building posthaste. There was no time to dally for greatness; perhaps mayhem, too, was upon them.

n“I’ve already given the direct orders. Sammy will take care of you—

nbadge and all,” Hugo said, stopping at his door.

nIt was clear he wouldn’t be stepping out onto the lobby floor. After all, his presence wasn’t necessarily needed.

n“I appreciate you sparing your time for me,” Kieran thanked him sincerely.

n“No worries. Anytime—it was actually a very decent change of pace and scenery for me,” Hugo answered lightheartedly.

nA moment later, he disappeared into his room, standing silently against the door. As he looked down, he noticed his axe-wielding hand was trembling nonstop.

n‘To think that young man possessed enough raw power to aggravate old bodily trauma. He is by no means weak… I was simply more heavy-handed than I needed to be.’

nMeanwhile, Kieran stood before Sammy, who seemed lost in filing mounds of paperwork.

nHowever, that changed when she was startled by Kieran lightly tapping his finger against the desk.

n“L-Lord Aatrox! My apologies; I’ll be with you in a moment. I was just finishing your badge upgrade paperwork,” Sammy exclaimed, alarmed and jumpy.

n“It’s alright, Sammy. Calm down,” Kieran said, appeasing Sammy’s worked-up nerves.

nSighing a bit, she took her time completing the paperwork and took good care not to make a mistake.

nA few minutes later, Sammy extended one hand while holding a violet-gold iridescent badge in the other. The badge glistened and glimmered differently, depending on the light from the chandelier above.

nIntrigued, Kieran claimed it and held it up to the light, inspecting its magnificence.

n〈System: Congratulations, you have become a «Platinum Adventurer».〉

n〈System: As the first Platinum Adventurer, you’ll receive an exclusive benefit upon employing any of the rank’s advantages.〉

nThe wording of the last notification was ambiguous, but Kieran understood the gist of it. As long as he was the first to use a benefit granted to Platinum Adventurers, he’d receive a unique benefit.

nIn the past, notifications like these were strange because they didn’t give a concrete reward. Instead, the reward depended on the advantage employed.

nIn this case, Kieran already knew what he would do with it.

n“Sammy, I’d like to apply for an official guild.”

n“Official guild?” Sammy gasped, her eyes sparkling as if looking at some big shot. “Sure thing! Give me all the credentials and the name you’ll like to register it as.”

nAs he retrieved the credentials from his inventory, Kieran revealed a cryptic smile that perhaps only he would understand.

n“Let’s call it….”

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