THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR

David exhaled deeply, removing his hand from the now-dim crystal orb. The residual hum of energy faded into a tense silence, leaving the room awash in awe and disbelief. He clenched and unclenched his fist, as if reacquainting himself with his restrained power.

The receptionist gawked at the orb, his expression a mixture of shock and confusion. "I-I've never seen the glyphs rearrange themselves like that... It's as though the system didn't know how to categorize you."

David simply shrugged, his face calm and unassuming. "Guess I got lucky."

Mariana tilted her head, her sharp eyes narrowing. She wasn't entirely convinced by his nonchalant demeanor but chose not to press further. "Lucky? That's one way to put it," she said, her tone laced with subtle curiosity.

Luna, meanwhile, folded her arms, smirking. "So? What's the verdict?"

The receptionist fumbled for words, finally consulting the intricate glyphs etched on the pedestal beneath the orb. After a long pause, he looked up, his voice barely steady. "It's… inconclusive. The system recognized extraordinary energy, but the rank fluctuated. It couldn't pinpoint a definitive grade."

Mariana raised an eyebrow, impressed despite herself. "Inconclusive, huh? That's rare."

David ignored the murmurs of the others, taking a step back from the pedestal. He breathed out slowly, calming the subtle ripples of power still coursing through him. That was close, he thought to himself. He'd intentionally suppressed his aura, feeding only a fraction of his true energy into the orb. If he hadn't, he wasn't sure what kind of chaos he might have unleashed.

As he adjusted his cloak, David's lips curved into a faint smile. Yeah, he told himself, suppressing my aura was the right choice.

He glanced over at Luna and Mariana, their faces still reflecting varying degrees of intrigue and curiosity. "Well," he said casually, "what's next?"

Mariana smirked, her competitive spirit reignited. "Next? I think it's time to see how you handle a real fight."

David chuckled, shaking his head. "You never stop, do you?"

"Not when it comes to someone as interesting as you," she replied, her grin widening.

As they exited the room, the receptionist remained frozen in place, staring at the orb as if it might offer answers to the mystery he'd just witnessed. But it didn't. Instead, it seemed to hum faintly, as if acknowledging that it had barely scratched the surface of David's true potential.

****

The receptionist blinked, his quill pausing mid-scribble. "You'll be placed in the master's category," he began cautiously, still trying to process the anomalies surrounding David. "But I must ask—how much are you willing to bid for this match?"

Before David could respond, Mariana stepped forward, her voice carrying its usual commanding tone. "He doesn't need to. I'll still offer the 500 terran gold to anyone who can defeat him."

The room buzzed with murmurs as adventurers craned their necks to get a better view of the conversation. Mariana, the Flaming Blade herself, putting such a hefty bounty on an unranked stranger? It was an event worth noting.

The receptionist adjusted his spectacles nervously. "Lady Mariana, I—"

"Just write it down," she interrupted with a smirk, leaning her weight on the counter. "Trust me, it's worth it."

David's calm gaze flicked between Mariana and the receptionist. "That's generous of you, Mariana," he said lightly, "but I have a condition of my own."

The receptionist stiffened. "A condition?"

David nodded, his expression unreadable. "I'll fight anyone below the master rank. No exceptions."

A hush fell over the room. The receptionist frowned, clearly perplexed. "But… you've been placed in the master's category. Why would you—"

"I'm not using my aura," David said plainly, cutting him off.

The receptionist froze mid-sentence, his jaw slack. His confusion quickly morphed into disbelief. "Y-You're… not serious, are you?"

Mariana's eyes widened slightly before narrowing as she crossed her arms. I forgot about that part, she thought, her lips curving into an intrigued smile. "David," she said, her voice laced with skepticism, "are you really going to fight without using any energy at all?"

David shrugged, a faint smirk on his face. "That's the plan."

Murmurs erupted throughout the guild hall, adventurers exchanging incredulous glances.

"Is he insane?"

"Not even using aura? What's he planning?"

"This is going to be a massacre!"

Mariana, however, felt a flicker of excitement stir in her chest. Battle sense, she reminded herself, recalling their earlier conversation. She'd dismissed the concept initially, but now, she was genuinely curious. Could someone truly fight and win without tapping into the energies of the world?

The receptionist, still pale, looked at David as though he'd just announced he could walk on water. "Sir, I… I strongly advise against this," he stammered. "The adventurers here don't hold back. Without aura—"

"—I'll be fine," David interrupted, his tone steady and confident. "Just make the announcement."

The receptionist hesitated, glancing at Mariana for confirmation. She gave him a small nod, her smirk unwavering.

With a reluctant sigh, the receptionist scribbled the details into the guild ledger. He cleared his throat and raised his voice, addressing the crowd. "Attention, all guild members! A ranked match has been requested by an unranked challenger!"

The hall erupted into whispers and gasps, every adventurer's attention now firmly on David.

"He'll face anyone below the master rank or at the set rank of a master swordsman," the receptionist continued, his voice growing firmer, "and he won't be using aura!"

The room fell silent for a heartbeat before bursting into laughter and jeers.

"What kind of fool is he?"

"Does he think this is some kind of joke?"

"I'll take him on. Easy money."

David stood there, unfazed by the commotion. His calm demeanor only added to the mystique surrounding him.

Mariana watched him intently, her mind racing. Is this confidence or arrogance? she wondered. Either way, I'm about to find out.

As the murmurs and laughter settled, the receptionist sighed again. "The challenge will take place in the guild's central arena. All interested participants, please register now."

David leaned against the counter, glancing at Mariana. "Looks like it's showtime."

She smirked, her excitement barely contained. "Don't disappoint me, David."

He chuckled softly, his eyes glinting with determination. "Wouldn't dream of it."