Chapter 3: A guilded entry
Hestus scrutinized each of Them for an uncomfortably long time before finally speaking. "Alright, I have gathered everyone's measurements and have all the necessary equipment to make proper clothing for all the tens of thousands of you."
She then turned back to the group and introduced Hestus as the leader of the craftsman guild. "Upon your reincarnation here, each of you has been bestowed with skills and abilities. Those with the appropriate abilities can join Hestus's guild, while others can join either the adventurers or merchants guild."
Sariel cleared her throat and gave a brief overview of the situation. "You have all recently died on Earth and been reborn here. This is one of the nations in this world, just like the other ten nations. We have rules, a library, a boss cave, guilds, and an angel administrator. The rules are located in the center of the nation, in front of the spawn circle. More information is available in the library. That's all you need to know. Retrieve your clothes and visit each guild to see which one you can join. I have to prepare for tomorrow's group, so I hope you enjoy your stay." With that, Sariel smiled and disappeared.
"Alright, everyone, come collect your clothes," Hestus instructed, patting a massive pile of clothing. "You should be able to identify which clothes are yours. They glow with a dim hue so they're easy to spot."
After receiving his clothes, Oliver remained bewildered by the sheer size of the courtyard. Looking around, he observed groups gathering and an especially large one around the rules of the kingdom. He decided to go and attempt to comprehend the laws of this new world.
Suddenly, a loud booming yell echoed throughout the courtyard, startling everyone. "Welcome, new summons! WHOA, there are at least two thousand more people than yesterday. Is there a war going on back on Earth?" The people turned to see a man standing on a wooden box with a large entourage of armored individuals. He projected his voice across the courtyard. "We are from The Ironclad Guild. We project power, strength, and provide armor, weapons, and equipment that match your build for each qualifying adventure." He began grinning. "If you're interested in joining our guild, follow us, and we'll get you all set up."
Most people in the courtyard began to migrate over to the man on the wooden box, forming a group around them, but the rest started walking away.
"This is stupid," a man beside Oliver said before walking away.
Oliver reached out, grabbing his arm. "Hey, where are you going? Are you not going to give him a try?"
"Why should I? He is advertising his guild and lying out his teeth. Now let me go," the man said, trying to turn his arm free.
"Wait, what do you mean?"
"Look around. Most of the people in this summon are old people or young kids. Those people are just taking advantage of them. It's like those ads on streaming sites. They are lying to gain a member base. Now let go."
Oliver reluctantly released the man's arm and watched him walk away. He couldn't help but wonder if the man was right.
Oliver caught up with Leon and smiled. "Hey, what's your name? I'm Oliver," he asked.
"Leon. What's it to you?" Leon replied.
"Well, Leon, I was thinking you have a point. Most older people and kids are easy to trick, so I decided not to take the chance," Oliver said, nodding in agreement.
Leon chuckled. "Smart move, Oliver. It's always better to be cautious and do your research before making any decisions."
Oliver nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I agree. How about we look at the Merchant Guild to see if we have the abilities to join."
As they approached the Merchant Guild, they were greeted by a friendly woman who introduced herself as the guild master.
"Welcome to the Silver Road Merchant Guild," the woman greeted them with a warm smile. "I'm Elara, the guild master. What brings you to our guild?"
"We're interested in joining," Oliver said.
Elara's smile widened. "Excellent! We're always looking for new members."
The guild was bustling with activity, with merchants of all kinds coming and going. Elara led them to a table and sat down with them.
"But before we proceed, we need to assess your skills and abilities," Elara explained. "We have a unique system in place to determine if you're a good fit for our guild."
Oliver and Leon exchanged a look of confusion, unsure of what to expect.
Elara gestured towards a small knife on the table. "Please cut your finger and let a single drop of blood fall onto this piece of paper," she instructed.
Oliver hesitated for a moment before doing as he was told. He winced as the blade cut into his skin, but a single drop of blood fell onto the paper, immediately filling it with words and symbols.
Elara examined the paper before nodding in satisfaction. "Interesting. You seem to have the skills and abilities we're looking for in a merchant." She turned to Leon with a grin. She then turned to Oliver "As for you, your abilities would be better suited for the adventurers guild."
"Wait, what do you mean my abilities suit the adventurers guild?" Oliver asked, confused.
Elara's smile faltered slightly. "Our system analyzes the blood and determines your skills and abilities. You have the ability "forward march." Your skills seem to lean more towards combat than trade, commerce, or other things we do."
Oliver was taken aback by Elara's response. He had never considered himself a fighter, but he couldn't deny the thrill of the idea. He looked over at Leon, who seemed to be deep in thought.
"I think that makes sense," Leon said.
Elara handed Oliver a piece of paper with the address of the 5 main adventurers guild. "Go to one of these, I don't suggest Ironclad, but good luck."
Oliver took the paper and thanked Elara before standing up from the table. Leon stayed to discuss with Elara.
So Oliver set to the streets, looking for the first guild on the list, The Silver Blade. Asking questions to passers-by as he maneuvers through the massive city.
After some time of wandering, Oliver finally arrived at the entrance of The Silver Blade guild. The building was tall and imposing, with intricate carvings and designs etched into its stone walls. Two guards stood at the entrance, watching as Oliver approached.
"State your business," one of the guards demanded.
"I'm here to join the guild," Oliver replied, showing the piece of paper with the guild's address that Elara had given him.
The guard examined the paper before nodding. "Very well. Follow me."
The guard led Oliver through the halls of the guild, showing him the various rooms and facilities that were available to members. They passed by a training room, where several members were sparring with wooden weapons, and a library filled with books on history, magic, and monsters.
Finally, they arrived at a large room where a man in a suit of armor was sitting at a desk, going through paperwork.
"This is Guild Master Roland," the guard said to Oliver. "He'll be the one to interview you."
Roland looked up from his work and gave Oliver a nod. "So, you're interested in joining our guild. What can you offer us?" he says, sliding a piece of paper and a knife in front of Oliver. "Cut."
Oliver cuts his finger once more, spilling blood onto the paper, after which Roland picks the paper up inspecting it. "your ability is forward march; that's a rare ability. Your skills are all base Z tier. This means you aren't an "abnormal," so I suggest joining a party." he reached into his desk and took out a piece of paper and pen, "fill out this information and stamp it with your blood."
Suddenly his finger and paper caught on fire. "Cool now welcome to our guild. what's your name?"
"I am Oliver; quick question what is an abnormal? And why did the paper and my finger catch on fire, and how come I felt nothing?"
Roland raised an eyebrow at Oliver's questions. "An abnormal is someone with legendarily rare abilities, something that's not normal for most summons. As for the paper and your finger catching on fire, that's just our guild's way of sealing the contract. The fire burns away any residual blood that might be on the paper, and it won't hurt you because it's magical fire. It's just a formality."
Oliver nodded, still a bit surprised by the whole process, but he was excited to be a part of the guild. "Thanks for explaining that. I'm looking forward to being a part of The Silver Blade."
"We are looking forward to having you. Now, the party requests are at the front of the lobby. Now I need to get back to work, I don't normally make guild requests, but I guess since the guild leader of a merchant guild sent you here. The guards thought they should send you to me."
Oliver thanked Roland before making his way to the front of the lobby to check the party requests. As he looked through the requests, he noticed one that caught his eye. It was from a group of adventurers who were looking for a sixth member to join them. Their group specializes in level 2 adventuring in the central cave.
Excited by the prospect of going on a real adventure, Oliver brought the request to a lady at the center desk.
The lady at the center desk took the party request from Oliver and examined it. "Ah, this is from the group led by Richard the level 4. They're a well-respected party here in the guild. I'm sure they'll be happy to have you join them."
You can find them in the lounge over there." She pointed to a door on the side of the lobby.
Oliver thanked her before making his way to the lounge. When he entered, hundreds of group of adventurers sitting around at tables, standing, discussing their adventures or simply sparking discussions. Everyone in Richard's group looked up when he walked in, waving him over.
"Hello, I'm Oliver, looking to be the new member of your party," he said, approaching them.
"Ah, good to meet you," said Richard, the leader of the party. "I'm Richard, and these are my companions, Amelia the healer, she is level 2, Luis the planner, he is level 2 as well, Charles the carrier, level 1, and last but not least Raphael our level 3 wizard. Why don't you tell us about yourself?"
Weekly Power Status
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