"Can you train me?"
"...?"
Brandon's head tilted further in perplexion.
Train him?
Why should he do that?
Unless Brandon wanted to reveal his tricks to Raven, there was no reason why he should train him.
In the first place, Raven already had a teacher for himself.
'So go ask him.'
Brandon thought to himself, keeping his expressions steady.
"So? Can you train me?"
"No."
A flat–out refusal.
"....Of course."
A defeated expression spread across Raven's features as he lowered his head with a somber smile.
He looked like a defeated puppy.
However, training was the only problem. Helping Raven become strong in his own way wasn't.
"Alright, I kinda expected that answer. Forget I ever asked, thanks for hearing me out."
Just like that, Raven walked ahead.
"Hold on."
But stopped as Brandon called out to him.
"Yes?"
Raven turned around, meeting Brandon's gaze. Despite Brandon's refusal, Raven didn't seem disheartened in the least bit.
"I did say I wouldn't train you. But I never said I wouldn't help you."
"Oh, you will?"
Raven's eyes glimmered.
"Firstly, are you a validated ranker?"
***
"So this is what you were up to when you were gone?"
"Something like that."
Raven asked and Brandon shrugged.
It didn't take long for them to arrive at the main guild.
The hub that oversaw all the present guilds, requests, and labyrinths.
The two stepped inside the building soon after.
It had to be said, Raven was already a verified ranker, and was ranked a bit higher than him.
After completing his first job–regarding Carl's matters, Brandon was given the right to be evaluated.
Of course, he had already gotten his evaluation, the moment he turned in Carl's request—stamped completed.
Currently, his card displayed ranked–A.
"Welcome."
The receptionist greeted them as they entered the bustling guild hub, filled with the hum of rankers going about their business. Notices covered the walls, displaying jobs, and missions.
It had to be said.
Brandon was already well aware of Raven's current standing within the main guild.
He was an A–ranker as well.
Its large, reptilian form was covered in jagged black scales that glistened under the faint light of the labyrinth.
Its yellow eyes gleamed fiercely, and its claws scraped against the stone floor.
It wasted no time, lunging at Raven with a speed that didn't quite match its size.
The Ravager's fanged maw opened wide, aiming straight for him.
Raven barely had a moment to react.
Clank—!
The impact sent sparks flying as he parried the beast's massive claws with his dagger.
The force of the blow pushed him back once more, feet scraping the ground as he struggled to maintain balance.
"Nice reflexes."
Brandon commented from the side, leaning casually against a rock. He still didn't plan on intervening.
"Not helping!"
Raven growled through gritted teeth, repelling the Scaled Ravager's attacks without any mana to help him.
Cuts began to appear on Raven's clothes as he was having a hard time to even land a counter–attack.
Brandon shook his head and held his hand up.
A thread extended from his fingertip and whistled in the air. Raven hadn't realized it, but a thread had latched onto his leg.
Just as the Scaled Ravager was about to swipe its claws at him....
Swoo—
"Ah—Ukeh!"
Thud!
Raven fell flat on his face as Brandon merely pulled his hand back.
"Dude!"
Raven exclaimed. He didn't seem angry, but rather baffled as he noticed the threads wrapping around his right leg.
"I helped you. Now roll to the right."
Raven blinked his eyes before realizing the Scaled Ravager was about to swipe at him again. Brandon's initial action wasn't without reason.
Raven had been too occupied with its claws, that he hadn't realized he was being pushed back to the wall.
For that reason, Brandon gave him space to recover his thoughts.
Crack!
Claws scraped the ground where he laid a moment before. The force of the swipe sent dust and small stones flying.
Brandon's voice came out calmly from the side.
"You've got some room now. Make it count."
"I hate how you're enjoying this...."
Raven cursed under his breath, quickly getting back on his feet.
He tried to catch his breath but there was no time.
The Scale Ravager was already preparing for another attack, its muscles coiling for another deadly leap.
"Alright, I see where this is going."
Raven muttered to himself, flipping his dagger back into a defensive stance.
The Ravager lunged forward again, and this time, Raven was ready.
Slash—!
He sidestepped just enough to avoid its strike while slashing upward across the creature's exposed underbelly.
"Hueek—!"
The beast screeched in pain, but it wasn't done yet. It snapped back at Raven with lightning speed, forcing him to jump back to avoid its gnashing fangs.
"Huaam...."
Brandon watched the scene unfold and yawned, still relaxed but his eyes were sharp, analyzing every movement.