The Author's POV

"Woahhh."

Taking a step out of the portal, Emma looked at the scene presented before her with amazement.

Wearing a white baseball hat along with a simple shirt and shorts, Emma's curiosity piqued as she looked around the place with an excited gaze.

"Curb your excitement."

Exiting the portal after her was Melissa. Squinting her eyes and taking out her glasses, she glared in the direction of the sun.

"If only that damned bastard didn't force me to come here…"

She muttered out loud, obviously not hiding the displeasure in her voice.

Overhearing Melissa's comments, Emma turned around and asked, "What's wrong about coming here?"

"I would've much rather spent my time finishing my project.

"And what's fun about that? You never go out. Just look at you, you remind me of a vampire."

Pausing, Emma pointed at the sun.

"The first thing you did as soon as you got out was glare at the sun!"

"Shut up."

Rolling her eyes, Melissa put her glasses back on.

As the two of them were bickering, not far from them, the other group members were slowly coming out of the portal.

It wasn't long before eight more people exited the portal. Once the last person came out, an elf came to greet them and led them to an area outside of the portal where there were others waiting.

As they were headed towards the larger group, Emma was instantly able to spot Amanda.

"Amanda, you're already here."

This part wasn't hard since she stood out quite a bit.

The fact that most of the males' gazes were directed at her also didn't help since it only made it easier for Emma to spot her.

Walking up to her, Emma tried to hug her, but Amanda swiftly dodged, prompting Emma to pout.

"Hey!"

"Save that stuff for Kevin."

"Hey!"

Emma shouted even louder as her cheeks turned rosy.

"How long have you been waiting here?" Emma asked, in hopes of trying to switch the topic.

Fortunately for her, Amanda had tact. Pretending to have not seen anything, she casually answered, "It's been about three hours since we arrived."

Lifting her head and staring into the distance, toward the direction of where Emma came from, Amanda continued.

"Besides you, we should be waiting for one more group before they will bring us to the city."

"Another group?"

Emma turned her head and stared in the same direction as Amanda.

"Any idea who it is?"

"They are from another city."

"Oh? Which one?"

too sure

here." Melissa said from the side, gazing into the distance where another group was slowly headed in

the group was a young man with black hair and blue eyes. He may have been the youngest of the group, but his demeanour was

"Aaron… so it's him."

on everyone's faces as their eyes paused on

who he was. After all, it was hard for them to not have heard of him when he had been a thorn on their side during their first

group, and a surprised look flashed across his face. It wasn't long

while since I've

eyes soon stopped on Amanda. His

Stern. I think we maybe briefly met during your first year.

short and indifferent acceptance of his

froze for

too keen on talking to me, so I will take my

Aaron turned around

back from behind, Emma turned

you want to treat him like that? His guild is pretty powerful. You sure

"No."

head as she stared at Aaron's

Aaron had. He was the heir of the most powerful guild in Lutwig city,

great as hers, but in terms of influence, it was very powerful. They were not someone that the

softly said, "The reason I'm doing this is because he is already working with another diamond-graded guild

"He is?"

flashed in Emma's

reach out for the other

"Because they are greedy."

coldly replied, her voice taking a chilly

wide, and not just the guilds in Ashton city, but even the other guilds

enraged by this, but she

of

was a crisp and melodious voice that

paused on an elf standing far

he seemed

will escort you to the

elf started to walked along a pathway

he left, one by one, the other people present

"Let's go."

move out of the three girls was Emma who quickly lined

flashed across her

"Here, take this."

about to follow Emma, grabbing

as well be useful and advertise this as well. The better the performance, the

Melissa also lined

lowering her head, Amanda stared at her hand where several different cards of various

a couple of times, her lips tugged upwards ever

***

Clank—!

sounded throughout a small room as a broadsword crossed against two

wind sprang out from the point of contact between the blades

other from the distance, the individual holding

"You've improved a lot."

"You too."

none other

up together, they decided to spend most of their time sparring against

the past two years back at the Lock, both of them were quite familiar with the way

had not sparred together ever since leaving the Lock, the both of them were still quite familiar

one thing that was different about the two, it was that Jin

ever. The

dagger art, the

that he lagged behind Kevin, in

that had accumulated on his forehead, Kevin

enough for today, the others will be coming

"Okay."