Chapter 43: Invitation

*Bang*

*Bang*

In the basement where the weapons training area was located, Leslie was shooting at targets that were moving back and forth.

Here they were not target figures in the shape of a human, but dummies taking cover in rocks, and the whole shooting space looked like a straight valley with trees, rocks, and various places to hide.

Still, every shot Leslie fired hit its target.

*Bang*

Her last shot caused a dummy to hide behind a large rock that was difficult to penetrate; Leslie frowned slightly but nodded to herself.

Using her ‘Weapon Mastery’ talent, she braced her pistol and fired, twisting her arm in the process as if her shot was erroneous.

But inexplicably, the bullet spun in an arc and rounded the rock, hitting the arm of the concealed mannequin.

“That was great!” Applause could be heard behind Leslie’s back, and she turning around, just smiled.

“I’m lacking more practice,” Leslie said honestly.

That last shot was fired using the skill ‘Curved Shot,’ one of the skills that individuals with ‘Firearms Mastery’ talents could perform.

Leslie’s ‘Mastery’ talent was the highest and most versatile but also only focused on firearms.

“That’s the last skill you ‘awakened’?” Andrés asked curiously.

“Yes, this is a new skill,” Leslie answered truthfully.

Talents that were not related to magical or psionic energy had other rules by which they were regulated, and at the same time, a functioning that for humanity was still a mystery.

The ‘Firearms Masters’ learned the use of weapons as if it came naturally to them, but the more they developed their talents, the more their abilities awakened in their minds, as if the knowledge of them had always been in their heads.

Talents related to technology or craft or culinary masteries were the same.

“Do you know if there has been any response?” Leslie asked after cleaning her weapon.

Clémentine and Andrés looked at each other, but both shook their heads.

Registration had already opened, and many students were already excited to have joined guilds or be in the tutelage of a recognized hero.

But they...

“Aurora and Alice haven’t been coming to class all week,” Clémentine reported with a heavy tone, keeping to herself that they hadn’t accepted their registrations, either.

Clémentine, for her part, had long since joined Aurora and Alice’s group.

She had her personal reasons, and also her fanaticism for Alice had influenced her decision, but after reading Alexey’s story about how he was saved by Aurora, her decision no longer seemed to change.

She could join under any guild or heroes because of her high abilities, but that didn’t mean she could find a group like Aurora... One where its members fought without fear or trepidation when everything was difficult.

Still, that they wouldn’t accept her yet...

“Do you think anyone else has gotten in yet?” Clémentine asked doubtfully and nervously.

The exams were still going on, but there were about two weeks left until the end of June.

Time was passing faster than she had expected, and that generated a lot of anxiety.

For the first time in her life, she felt nervous about the uncertainty of the future.

“I don’t know,” Andrés replied and, with a sigh, stated. “The other day I wanted to tell them I wanted to join, but... I got nervous and played mysterious.”

Why didn’t he just say directly that he wanted to join the mercenary group?

Now he was regretting it...

That statement reduced the group’s concern, and Leslie stowing her gun in her holster, commented. “I heard that Alexey and other students that Aurora saved have asked to join.”

Duo’s expression quivered as they heard that.

“That seems to be just fanaticism.” Clémentine muttered in a simple tone... Hiding the fact that part of their decision was also fanaticism.

Most people knew Alice, as she was quite famous on the academy app, and even her fame had started to spread on other external social networks, but the biggest problem was Aurora.

She saved two groups of students, and many of them followed Alexey’s footsteps, wanting to join her group.

“Yes... A large group of female students want to fight and learn alongside Alice,” Leslie added with a hopeless tone.

Alice was an A-Rank; many people wanted to be like that freshman heroine who had beauty, strength, and strangely charisma, even though she was almost always seen eating chips.

“They are also quite pretty and there are a considerable amount of male students who wish to conquer them,” Andrés added in a serious tone.

Clémentine and Leslie frowned, but in the end, agreed.

They were no longer teenagers, most of them were eighteen, and although Aurora and Alice were slightly older, they were beautiful and strong.

Who wouldn’t want to share a romantic moment with a beautiful, strong A-Rank woman?

There were individuals who viewed the conquest of these types of women as a crusade in which they would receive a ‘big trophy.’

“The duo has drawn too much attention and although it’s not official in the last dungeon they say Aurora has become A-Rank... Or maybe she was since the academy started. There are so many theories to choose which one to believe,” Leslie said with a tone that made it clear she didn’t know what was going on.

There were theories on the academy forum that Aurora was an A-Rank from the beginning that she had hidden her strength and had acted scared to trick the students to see who was worthy of being on her side and then be invited into her group personally.

Of course, the creator of that theory also published his own very well-punctuated novel on the forum, so his writing skills were excellent, making the theory make sense.

Those who heard it sighed.

“Have you had invitations come to you from other places?” Leslie asked curiously, changing the atmosphere.

The three present were excellent students that many individuals wanted on their side.

Not only did all three become leaders at the start of the trial, but after the fights, they could be considered B-Rank forces, experienced, and talents that, if ‘cultivated’ correctly, could become powerful forces.

“I have received an invitation to the ‘Executors of Order’, you know the guild of the Church of Order,” Clémentine said, and everyone looked at her in surprise.

The ‘Executors of Order’ were a very well-known guild because they were part of the Church of Order and they were the ‘sword and shield’ of the church, those who were in charge of enforcing the beliefs of the church.

This guild was well known for eliminating corrupt creatures and being a fearsome force against demons.

“My brother is a member of the Enforcers of Order and my father is an important member of the Church of Order... That’s why I was invited, but I don’t wish to be under my father or brother,” Clémentine replied with a half-smile.

To be under her family was to be under their surveillance and excessive care... Besides, since her father was an important person, it was very certain that the other members of the church would treat her well and protect her, missing out on the true meaning of this test.

Experiencing a new side that perhaps would be difficult for her to experience usually.

“I understand you. My father had also wanted me to go to his company’s guild, but I refused right away,” Leslie stated and, looking at Clémentine, gave a smile and added. “I want to experience the reality of things, even if it’s hard.”

They both knew that the mercenary guild which Aurora and Alice were members of was a B-Rank guild.

Even though Zerzura City was a metropolis that had grown tremendously in the past few years, hundreds or maybe even more mercenary groups of that rank were in the city.

Competitiveness was high, and it was quite possible that it would be challenging for them to enter a mission, but the experience would remain... Perhaps that experience would help her understand the reality of other people.

“By the way, I have also received an invitation from the guild ‘The Unbridled Hunters’,” Leslie added, and seeing that Andrés didn’t know it, she held back her smile and explained. “It’s a guild related to the Apicius Company, which is in charge of food... Hunting magical creatures. They protect dungeons where the Apicius Company has their crops and they are in charge of collecting magical plants that they can use as food.”

Andrés could only blink, not knowing how to react.

The Apicius Company was famous for focusing on food and producing magical ingredients, so he had heard that they used low-ranking dungeons to grow their crops and used hunters to get the edible meat of magical creatures, but...

“How did you end up getting chosen?” Andrés asked with disbelief and an amused smile.

“They asked if I could use a hunting rifle... I think that’s what they were looking for me for,” Leslie replied, not knowing how to react.

Clémentine couldn’t help but smile.

Although that guild was dedicated to the production of any item usable for the food market, it was also a famous guild that focused on protecting the Scandinavian countries.

“What about you Andrés, do you have any interesting invitations?” Leslie asked curiously.

“I received an invitation from ‘The Immortal Eagles’, an American military guild, but I turned it down,” declared Andrés and seeing that the duo was interested, he explained. “There are benefits, though. Those benefits create too many ties and bonds with too many responsibilities... I’m not willing for now.”

Entering a military guild serving a country was nice because of the high benefits of the guild, but once inside with contracts, they were very difficult to be able to withdraw from, and too much was lost.

Someone who did not want responsibilities like that, it was the worst idea to join the military guilds.

That was why those guilds held the least interest for most people.

As Andrés thought about that, their holographic clocks vibrated in unison.

“An invitation for an interview,” Clémentine murmured after reading the message, and with a serious tone as she read the location, she added. “I think there’s more to the group than meets the eye.”

The location and the interview invitation felt too formal.