READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 5: Guild Master Gray
A week had elapsed since the incident with the Ancient Troll.
The majority of my classmates from the Adventurers Academy had already attained E rank as adventurers.
Guild Master Gray had announced a forthcoming meeting at the Guild Hall scheduled for this afternoon, concerning the impending Monster Siege that could occur at any moment.
After a month since monsters first appeared in the world, people received a notification about an event known as the Monster Siege.
This event was set to transpire approximately every three months, during which the ancient pillar would lose its protective light, and hordes of monsters would attack the city.
The blue light of the pillars would transition to red a few days before the onslaught commenced.
Once the Ancient Pillar lost its radiance, the residents within the city would no longer benefit from its protection, which allowed the resident to be immune to death as long as they're within the ancient pillar's protective zone.
The event would persist until the final monster was vanquished, at which point the light of the ancient pillar would be automatically restored.
Fear and chaos grip the city as its inhabitants come to the realization that, in a matter of months, monsters will swarm their homes and bring destruction.
This realization is one of the driving forces behind my request to Guild Master Gray to establish a guild, a request made after I saved him at the Black Swamp.
The eerie ambiance of the Black Swamp set the stage for a fateful encounter with a middle-aged warrior of level 18, Gray Greenfield embarked on a quest to raise his level and safeguard his city.
Fearlessly defying the specter of death, Gray relentlessly carved through successive hordes of Goblins, his unwavering determination guiding him to the lair of the formidable Goblin King.
It was on this day, as the shadows deepened within the black swamp, that I was on my way to Arachnia's Cave, chanced upon the unfolding battle inside the Black Swamp, a place rarely explored by adventurers.
A masterful display of swordsmanship unfolded as Gray skillfully maneuvered through the labyrinth of goblin adversaries, his sword glinting in the dim light.
However, the dynamics shifted dramatically when he confronted the Goblin King, a creature of immense power with unpredictable attack patterns.
Unfamiliar with the monster's lethal skills, Gray found his HP dwindling perilously, teetering on the brink of defeat.
Yet, undeterred by the impending doom, the Old Man maintained a steadfast gaze, his eyes ablaze with courage even as the Goblin King sought to drain the last vestiges of life from him.
In that crucial moment, the narrative took an unforeseen twist as I quickly armed myself with Kaleidoscope, and materialized on the scene.
The resonance of steel meeting flesh echoed through the swamp as I executed a rapid succession of Quick Slash, a symphony of slashes that engulfed the Goblin King in a torrent of lethal strikes.
The Old Man, initially taken aback by my intervention, swiftly transitioned from surprise to realization.
In his eyes, I look like a mysterious young swordsman, draped in a black cloak, who effortlessly defeated the Goblin King, a monster that had nearly claimed his life.
The air in the Black Swamp hung heavy with the echoes of victory, marking the end of a perilous chapter.
To aid his recovery, I offered him some HP potions to restore his health to a more satisfactory level.
As he regained his footing, the Old Man inquired about my name. "Young lad, what is your name?" Old Man Gray asked. "I'm Asriel Sanchez," I replied.
Expressing gratitude, he said, "Thanks for saving me again."
The old man seemed to recognize me from when I saved him and his family from the Ogre.
"I'm sorry I didn't thank you earlier for rescuing us," he said, bowing his head.
"These times are tough; I'm just glad your family is safe," I replied, lowering the hood that had hidden my face.
Seizing the opportunity, I asked Old Man Gray for a favor once he had regained his composure. "Anything within my ability, young Asriel," he replied.
I then requested that he establish a guild in our city and take on the responsibility of guiding adventurers. "But I'm just a powerless level 18 adventurer.
I couldn't even stand against the Goblin King," he responded.
I acknowledged his concerns and explained, "I understand, I'm still very young and lack the experience to lead others."
Despite my likely strength compared to most, I doubted people would follow my guidance because of my age.
In return for my request, I promised to help him level up and share strategies for surviving in this world. Initially, our interactions were somewhat formal, but after a few days, he began to open up.
As we rested and traveled to different hunting grounds, he started sharing his story.
Gray Greenfield joined the military at 18, completing his training in a year. However, he never saw actual combat and was assigned to military office duties instead.
After 20 years of service, he retired and pursued a career in politics.
Though I wasn't personally familiar with him, I knew he had served as the town's mayor before I returned from overseas.
Gray Greenfield is the ideal candidate to lead the people sheltered by the Ancient Pillar. Age, experience, knowledge, strength, and bravery are the five qualities needed to unite the confused and frightened residents.
While he may currently be lacking in strength and knowledge, he'll gain both in a matter of days.
To build mutual trust, I began sharing some of my adventures in Arcadia Online with the Old Man.
He listened attentively, often while enjoying his favorite roasted Red Boar meat.
At times, when he recounted his life experiences, he reminded me of someone I used to know.
Old Man Gray wasn't naturally inclined to be a swordsman, but his desire to protect the people he cared about fueled his dedication to mastering the basic sword techniques I taught him.
He meticulously recorded the simple tactics for defeating stronger monsters in his notebook, treating it as if he were preparing for a practical exam.
In a way, he wasn't wrong, true success in a lesson comes when someone can apply it independently.
The Goblin King was Guild Master's first adversary.
Although I defeated all the Goblins guarding the boss monster, Old Man Gray was the only one facing the Black Swamp Boss without my assistance.
His eyes showed no fear, just as they did when I saved him. Instead, he seemed eager to test his newly acquired strength against a monster that had once been an obstacle to his goals.
Without wasting a moment, Gray Greenfield charged at the Goblin King, provoking a downward Greatsword Slash from the monster.
The Old Man swiftly sidestepped the attack and delivered a Horizontal Sword Slash to the Goblin King's abdomen.
In response, the Goblin King swung an upward Greatsword Slash, but Old Man Gray evaded it with a quick back Dash.
He waited patiently for the monster to lunge at him with its downward vertical Greatsword Slash, allowing his Dash to recharge.
The Old Man dodged the attack with ease, as if it were child's play, and followed up with an upward vertical slash on the Goblin King's back.
His attack pattern continued, skillfully baiting the monster's strikes, dodging, and countering with precise sword slashes.
The Goblin King's HP steadily dwindled until only a third remained.
Aware that the Goblin King's Berserk would trigger when only a fifth of its health remained, Old Man Gray skillfully baited an attack from the Goblin King, this time using a backward Dash to evade it.
He then unleashed the Warrior's lunge attack, Sword Thrust, a level 25 Warrior skill with a mid-range close-gap effect.
The Old Man's sword carved a circular wound into the Goblin King's chest, ending its life.
He looked a bit exhausted from expending a lot of stamina while maneuvering around the Goblin King, but a satisfied smile was visible on his face as he accepted my hand to help him up.
After he had regained his strength, we headed to a newly opened diner to celebrate his victory over the Goblin King.
As a supportive mentor, I treated him to a delicious dinner.
While he enjoyed his roasted Red Boar meat, he looked at me with a dawning realization.
"Is defeating the Goblin King the final exam for my training?" he asked. "It's just the beginning," I replied, taking a bite of my fried Sand Fowl.
Over the course of a week adventuring together, the Old Man's level rose from 18 to 30.
This achievement was highlighted by his successful use of Quick Slash to defeat the Elder Lich.
To support his continued progress, I gave him a copy of my notes, which included details about monsters and crucial information for new adventurers, as well as upgraded equipment to safely hunt monsters in the level 25 hunting grounds.
A few days later, he began the process of forming the guild and, to my surprise, appointed me as the Vice Guild Master, using the character name I had shared during our travels. The title of "Leirsa, the Vice Guild Master" quickly became shrouded in mystery, with the figure remaining unseen even months after the guild's establishment.
Guild Master Gray explained Leirsa's absence by saying she was on a lengthy exploration mission to collect information about the world's changes.
With Gray's leadership, adventurers began to broaden their explorations beyond the city.
Soon after the guild was established, the information I provided helped guide adventurers to higher-level dungeons, reducing potential casualties.
Within a month, several adventurers reached D rank.
The system created by Old Man Gray and me assessed an adventurer's strength.
Local artisans crafted insignias from different metals and gems to serve as badges of achievement: Iron for F rank, Bronze for E rank, Silver for D rank, Gold for C rank, Platinum for B rank, Mithril for A rank, and Emerald for S rank Adventurer.
New adventurers were given an iron insignia, indicating their starting rank of F.
To progress beyond F rank, they needed to clear dungeons of a certain level and present the corresponding boss drop or equivalent item.
For instance, the Goblin King's Necklace was required for E rank, Arachnia's Thread for D rank, Ancient Troll's Ring for C rank, Cyclop's Eyes for B rank, and so on.
The creation of the Adventurer's Academy was another brilliant initiative by Old Man Gray, designed to help younger adventurers survive and build their strength.
Given his skills and experience as the city's current Mayor during the initial monster invasion, I entrusted him with this important responsibility.
Receiving an unexpected invitation from the Guild Master, I eagerly attended the Academy, both to support the younger adventurers and to reconnect with my old friend Ash.
Old Man Gray presented me with two insignias: one made of iron and the other of obsidian.
The Obsidian Insignia represented my role as the Vice Guild Master, while the Iron Insignia allowed me to mask my strength and continue aiding new adventurers.