As the golden sun slowly rose from the horizon, its rays shone upon the eyelids of a certain ashen-haired young man, waking him up from his peaceful slumber.
Stretching his arms while yawning, one would never think that Shye had just killed five people the previous night.
He was getting too comfortable slaughtering people— a bit concerning, however, Shye didn't notice since in his mind, he was simply defending himself—which was true.
Lazily getting out of bed, Shye entered the bathroom and took a quick bath. He then wore his pristine white mage robes, appearing extremely dashing and scholarly
'Hmm...looking fine today, Shye Crowley!' Shye inwardly thought, admiring his current appearance for a few moments before exiting his room.
Subsequently, he grabbed a hearty breakfast at the inn's canteen, heading towards the city square shortly after with a smile on his face.
'Ahhh...what a nice day to receive everyone's admiration!'
...Exactly one hour later, fireworks exploded in the skies, improving Balkrow City's atmosphere from that of a normal day into one of eventful exuberance.
Due to this, people—both adventurers and mundane folks—naturally gathered in the city square to check what was up, filling its vast center with tens of thousands.
Realizing that he had such a...huge source of points, Shye couldn't help but smile.
Moments later, City Lord Felix finally ascended the stage, successfully capturing everyone's attention with his dignified appearance that commanded respect from all.
"Everyone, I know many of you are puzzled by this sudden festivity, yet you still took the time to attend. For that, I extend my heartfelt gratitude." Felix said with a slight bow, continuing soon after: "This ceremony will be short as its purpose is to honor one of our beloved city's adventurers for clearing an (A-) ranked mana dungeon that had remained unconquered for more than three years."
Moments later, thunderous cheers erupted, echoing towards the azure skies—a celebration unlike any Balkrow had ever experienced.
[Congratulations! You've earned 125,681 points!]
'H-Holy crap!'
Shye expected to earn a lot of points today, however, more than a hundred thousand for simply showing up?
What a delightful way to start his day!
With this, he could acquire a few skills he realized he needed after battling the dastardly armored shark.
Meanwhile, City Lord Felix watched his citizens celebrate with a faint smile dropping yet another bombshell of a news mere seconds later.
"Bringing such honor to our beloved city, it is only fitting that we reward him appropriately for his achievements." Felix said, scanning his eyes over the crowd for a brief moment before continuing: "While I cannot reveal the exact rewards that the city and Raven's Blade will bestow upon him, we will be making one of them public."
"And that reward is...promotion! After discussing this matter with Guild Master Corvus, we figured that it would be inappropriate and disadvantageous for someone of Shye Crowley's talents to remain a ruby-ranked adventurer."
"Early and absurd as it might seem, we truly believe that Crowley is ready for the big stage. Therefore, he will not only be promoted to the rank of emerald but also be transferred to the Raven's Blade Main Headquarters in Valenzia City, where he will proudly wear our city's badge, representing both the city and its citizens on the region's main stage."
"With such a talented representative, our city is sure to prosper!"
After a brief pause, Felix picked up the wine glass from the table beside him.
"Naturally, this occasion calls for a celebration. The city has prepared food and beverages for everyone, so please eat and drink to your heart's content! Cheers to a prosperous future!"