Chapter 380: Platinum Test.

Chapter 380: Platinum Test.

“Do I really need to go?”

"He'd truly appreciate it if you were there, though he might not express it openly. He holds a deep respect for you, perhaps even looks up to you."

"Look up to me? Him? That's hard to believe... I suspect he just wants to flaunt his skills as usual."

"I genuinely believe you should give him the benefit of the doubt. If not, then please just do it for me.”

Roland and Elodia strolled along the path leading to the adventurer guild, engrossed in a conversation. They had received invitations to participate in an unexpected platinum rank-up test, an event that usually wouldn't pique Roland's interest since it had little impact on his life. However, this time was different because someone he knew well was among the participants.

“Fine but we’ll leave if he starts gloating...”

“Thank you~”

As he gazed into his fiancee's eyes, he found himself unable to resist her plea. The individual in question was none other than Armand, who had apparently deliberately distanced himself from Roland’s home. Both Armand and Lobelia had ascended to the esteemed tier 3 class. Lobelia had refrained from pressing for an advancement test, preferring to wait in the hope that he would speak a few kind words to hasten her progress. She knew that, with the support of the new Knight Commander, the rank could easily be bestowed upon her without any difficulty.

On the other hand, Lobelia's older brother Armand had been quietly scheming. He hadn't returned to report or flaunt his tier 3 status; instead, he disappeared for several days. Then, out of the blue, he reappeared before his family and instructed them to assemble at the adventurer guild. Regrettably, after his proposal, he had become an official member of this family, which also encompassed a sizable group of orphans residing within the city. Fortunately, many of them had already reached an age where they could support themselves and were gainfully employed.

This didn’t mean that Elodia wouldn’t pull him into some uncomfortable family gatherings later. It wouldn't be astonishing if they began utilizing his home as the primary rendezvous spot, thanks to its abundant land and available space. Before he knew it, he'd find himself relegated to a corner of his own home, attempting to dodge conversations with family members he knew nothing about. His life was beginning to come full circle, and this was just the start.

“Well if it isn’t the bride and groom~”

“Oh don’t be silly...”

Upon their arrival at the adventurer guild, they were welcomed by an old acquaintance. Solana, the sun elf, stood outside to receive them on their way to the training facilities. The moment she spotted Elodia, she skipped over with a radiant smile gracing her face. It brought back memories of his initial arrival in the city. Her warm smile and somewhat easygoing demeanor had led him to favor Solana's friendliness over Elodia's more stern exterior.

Roland had once believed that Solana was excessively friendly, suspecting a hidden agenda. However, his now-fiancée didn't share his suspicions. She had shared stories of Solana's genuine concern for her. She remained thankful for the way other women at the reception had allowed her to work overtime, even when some of them could have used the extra income. It was evident that the two were true friends who had stayed in touch throughout the years.

"Oh my, you are absolutely radiant."

"No, I'm not..."

"You totally are!"

Solana chuckled as she commented on Elodia’s current looks. Her life was a lot simpler now and she had more time to take care of her body. The clothes that she was wearing had become better and the accumulation of fatigue had stopped. In Roland’s eyes his now fiancee looked ten times better than before but that could be due to his love for her rising to this extent.

“I’m glad that you showed up, I wanted to have a nice chat about some things... only ladies allowed though.”

Solana glanced at Roland, who was standing to the side. He simply nodded in response to their request, not particularly interested in eavesdropping on the young women's conversation.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure she comes back in one piece~"

"I won't be long."

Elodia replied in a somewhat apologetic tone. It seemed that she wasn’t sure about something and that something probably involved Armand.

"It's alright, take your time. I'll go check on that fool and make sure he doesn't injure himself."

"Thanks~"

Frenzy was an advanced form of the berserker status that bestowed significant stat boosts to the user across the board. It was considered superior because when not used to its fullest, it allowed the person to maintain their sanity more effectively. However, if employed for an extended period, it could lead to an uncontrollable, mindless rage, transforming the user into a ferocious, berserk monster. In this state, their stats would continue to surge even further, enabling some people to employ unconventional tactics.

"I've heard that they sometimes deploy lone Berserkers to clear out monster encampments on their own. As long as there are enemies nearby, the frenzied state will persist, and the stat increase is nothing to underestimate."

There were tales of Frenzied Monks taking out swarms of monsters and even entire battalions of soldiers. Armand's class should have granted him the ability to harden his skin to an incredible degree, a class that benefited from wearing less armor and thrived on sustaining wounds to fuel their passive abilities. The real challenge lay in managing the relentless rage, usually achieved through the use of potions or the intervention of priests skilled in calming magic.

‘It would have been better if he told me this sooner, I might have been able to prepare something...’

“Wayland! You have finally come!”

“Please don’t say it like that...”

Muttering under his breath, Roland reluctantly approached Armand and the group of individuals he was conversing with. Aside from the irritated tier 2 archer, there were approximately eight women clustered around Armand, evidently vying for his attention and favor. To his dismay, his foolish brother-in-law was waving enthusiastically in his direction with a silly grin plastered across his face, compelling Roland to approach the group. Fortunately, before things could escalate further, reinforcements in the form of his sister-in-law, Lobelia, arrived.

"Hey, you big idiot, what are you causing such a commotion for?"

As Lobelia scolded Armand from what seemed like an elevated position, it became apparent that her new class had bestowed upon her a level of nimbleness and agility she hadn't possessed before. She moved gracefully, akin to a spider monkey, effortlessly leaping from high places and traversing through forests without making a sound. With her presence and ability to manage the situation, Roland felt relieved and could simply revert to his default mode of nodding and grunting.

“Make way before the great Knight Commander!”

However, instead of improving the situation, Lobelia made it even more awkward than before. She promptly disclosed Roland's noble status to everyone present, causing the previously chatty adventurers to abruptly fall silent, clearly uncomfortable in the presence of someone of his stature. Not everyone was acquainted with his true face due to him usually wearing armor to cover it.

"What are you..."

"Just leave it to me!"

After winking she turned to the group and started talking.

"How can you all be so discourteous in the presence of the Knight Commander? Have you already forgotten about the recent trial?"

The adventurers who had been previously chatty now stammered, their demeanor shifting as they suddenly showed some fear. The archer who had been voicing his complaints about Armand earlier bowed his head and quickly retreated, as did the group of young women who had been vying for Armand's attention.

"Ah, uh... We apologize for the intrusion, Knight Commander... Sir?"

Armand of course didn’t take the whole thing too well as he was just about to flex his muscles before the group of beauties.

"Hey, why did you do that?"

"Stop surrounding yourself with those individuals. You're on your way to becoming a platinum adventurer; start acting like an adult for once!"

"You're just jealous that my class is more unique than yours!" Armand retorted, which made Lobelia reply instantly with a raised voice.

"What? Who cares about a class that rots your brain? Only a meathead like you would be thrilled about something like that!"

Soon the two were back to the old ways of arguing.Their shouting served as an effective deterrent, keeping others at bay. Amidst their dispute, Roland spotted a certain imposing figure in the distance. The man was as wide as a brick house and as tall as a barn, it was the bald Guild Master.

‘I wonder how this will go...’

The Guild Master assumed several functions when leading the guild, one of which was conducting battle tests for platinum adventurers. It was a rule that not many people followed these days, but it seemed that for Armand, an exception had been made. Perhaps the Guild Master was curious about how his former student would fare, or maybe Armand had pressed the matter himself. Whatever the reason, the upcoming battle promised to provide valuable insights.

While Roland believed that his brother-in-law stood little chance of winning, it might afford him the opportunity to gauge the Guild Master's fundamental strength and compare it to his own. He had come prepared for this occasion, equipped with his runic eyes and other runic gear that would allow him to examine this old acquaintance in detail. While he wasn't sure whether the Guild Master was a friend or a foe, Roland believed that being prepared was always the wisest course of action.

‘I guess both parties are finally here...’

Soon, both burly men had locked eyes on each other. They wore peculiar grins that made it evident that engaging in battle was one of their favorite pastimes. The anticipation in the air was palpable as the showdown between Armand and the Guild Master finally drew near...