Cheating is a part of the game

Belial and Xin were situated in the little waiting room, both apprehensive about what was to come. While Belial had failed the test, Xin was confident that his success in defeating Pacey would be adequate to ensure his admission to the guild.

"Well, you beat the proctor, didn't you?"

Xin said, his voice low and rumbling.

"It should be a for sure pass. Why are they holding us up?"

Belial shifted uneasily in his seat, still feeling guilty about what he had done.

"I used a technique that masks my presence,"

he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It's not exactly a hax, but it's close."

Xin's eyes widened in amazement.

"A technique that masks your presence?"

he echoed, his curiosity arouse

"That sounds like a useful skill to have. How did you learn it?"

"My master taught it to me."

Xin let out a whistle, impressed.

"That's pretty cool," xin responded .

"No wonder you were able to beat the proctor."

Belial shook his head.

"But that's the thing. I didn't use it,"

he said, his gaze fixed on his hands.

"I wanted to, but I knew it wouldn't be fair. So I fought without it."

Xin frowned.

"Then why do you feel guilty?"

"Because I feel like I still cheated,"

Belial confessed, his voice weighed down with shame.

"I used other tricks to try to win. I wasn't playing fair."

Xin placed a hand on Belial's shoulder.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up over it,"

he said, giving his friend a reassuring smile.

"You did your best. And besides, cheating is part of the game. Everyone does it."

He shrugged indifferently.

The waiting room door swung open, revealing Natalie as she stepped in, followed by Pacey who had bandages wrapped around his neck. Belial and Xin looked up, their expressions anxious.

"We talked it over with the other proctors and.."

Natalie began.

"You pass,"

Pacey interrupted, rubbing his neck.

"The technique you used isn't a hax, so..you passed."

Xin couldn't contain his excitement and let out a loud cheer.

"YES, I KNEW IT!"

Belial let out a sigh of relief and smiled softly, the tension lifting from his shoulders. They had been waiting for what felt like hours for the proctors to deliberate, but now they had their answer.

Natalie cleared her throat softly to get their attention.

"Now, if you may please follow me to the front to get your rank and group assigned,"

she said.

Before they left the room, Pacey added,

"Good luck. You're gonna need it."

Walking down the stairs to the first floor of the crimson phoenix Guild, Natalie gestured for Xin and Belial to follow her. Approaching a metal door-shaped object against the wall, she said,

"This is where we'll assign your rank and group. Step through here to scan your bodies and it'll asses your status"

she instructed.

Stepping forward, Xin entered the metal door-shaped object first. A faint humming sound filled the room as the machine began to work. After a brief moment, the machine beeped, and a small screen displayed his race as a elf and his Xin's rank as a C.

With a racing heart, Belial approached the metal door-shaped object and stepped through it. The machine hummed loudly as it scanned him, taking longer than it had with Xin. Belial anxiously waited for the result to appear on the small screen.

As Natalie read the screen, Belial felt a wave of relief wash over him. The machine had confirmed his full name and identified his race as human. It was a secret he had been guarding closely, not wanting anyone to know his true nature. The revelation on the screen meant that his identity remained hidden, preserving the facade he had carefully crafted.

"Congratulations, Belial. You have been ranked as a D! Let me explain how this works,the hunter card is your identification it also has your rank embedded on it, it keeps track of your rank based on how your overall stats"

She points at the small bulletin point and continues "for an example let's see..Belial Nocitis..interesting name..your Hax is rank is E-

But your combat is C+ and your durability is C+ ,your intelligence is B- and mix that with other factors it all adds up to (D)"

As Natalie read his rank, Belial's heart dropped. He had been training for years and thought he had done well in the test. The result was a blow to his confidence.

Natalie retrieved their ID cards and handed them to Belial and Xin,

Belial's disappointment was palpable as he took his ID card from Natalie's hand. He had worked hard, but it didn't seem like it had been enough.

"Make sure you keep these with you at all times. They contain your rank and guild information,"

she said.

Belial shook off most of his disappointment and took his ID card, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment. He had made it into the crimson phoenix Guild, even if his rank wasn't as high as he had hoped.

"Thank you,"

He said, with a monotone voice

Xin nodded his agreement,

"Thank you. It's an honor to be part of this guild."

"And with that, you're now officially part of the Fire Bird Guild,"

Natalie announced, a small smile appearing on her face.

As they left the guild and made their way through the bustling streets, Xin, with his boundless energy, led the way, skipping and jumping every few steps, while Belial trailed behind, moving at a more leisurely pace and absorbing the sights and sounds of the lively marketplace.

Xin suddenly stopped, turned to Belial and exclaimed,

"Since we got our hunter cards, we should celebrate! Let's go get some snacks and drinks!"

Belial, who was abit laid back, agreed with a smile.

As they stepped inside the convenience store, the vast selection of snacks and drinks left the duo in awe. Belial turned to his companion and asked,

"What do you want to get?"

Xin's face lit up with a broad grin as he answered,

"Everything!"

As they perused the aisles, they picked out an assortment of snacks, including chips, candy, soda, fruit, and nuts. Xin made sure to grab plenty of his go-to energy drinks, while Belial opted for a revitalizing green tea.

As they headed to Xin's apartment, loaded down with snacks and drinks, Belial double-checked,

"Is that everything?"

Xin's excited nod and affirmative response of,

"Then let's party!"

They entered the apartment and quickly organized the snacks on the coffee table. Xin, who was also a musician, turned up the volume on his favorite lively songs. The room was filled with a contagious energy, and they eagerly anticipated what was to come.

Belial grabbed a bag of chips and turned to Xin, asking,

"So, what do you think our first mission will be?"

Xin's reply was lighthearted but self-assured,

"Who knows? But whatever it is, we'll be ready for it!"

Throughout the night, they snacked on their favorite treats, sipped on their preferred beverages, and chatted about their future endeavors. Xin provided a musical backdrop, strumming his guitar and creating an impromptu melody as they talked.

Xin's gaze was fixed on the magnificent katana that Belial held. It was unlike any sword he had ever seen before, with its long, elegant design and shining surface. It was undoubtedly a prized possession, with a value that matched its beauty.

As he looked at Belial's stunning katana, Xin couldn't help but wonder about its origins.

"So I've been dying to ask where did you get that katana? It looks really expensive,"

Belial's eyes gleamed as he spoke of his katana.

"Oh, this? I got it from my master. It's pretty neat,"

He said, a hint of pride in his voice.

"That's pretty cool,"

Xin said, looking impressed.

Belial sank into the couch, closing his eyes, as Xin's fingers danced across the strings of his guitar. It was an odd contrast; Belial seemed completely at ease, while Xin appeared on edge.

"How long do you think it'll take to clear the debt?"

Belial asked, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between them.

"I don't know,"

Xin said, his voice weighted with sorrow.

"But he's going to send those cyborgs, one stronger than the last, until we pay him or he kills me."

Belial turning is gaze away from Xin.

"That won't happen, I promise,"

he said confidently.

"Thank you, man. I--"

Xin opened his mouth to continue speaking, but the sound of Belial's snoring interrupted him.

Xin couldn't help but roll his eyes at Belial's nonchalant attitude. He was used to Belial's laid-back demeanor, but sometimes it felt like he was the only one taking their situation seriously.

As he observed Belial sleeping, Xin felt a sense of optimism. Perhaps they could triumph over the cyborgs and repay their debt by working as a team.

Xin strummed his guitar and a soft melody filled the room, easing his troubled thoughts. He played for what seemed like an eternity before finally ceasing.

Standing up from his seat, Xin walked towards the window, peering out into the darkness of the night. The bustling city sounds of honking cars and chattering people filled the air, a stark contrast to the reality that just a few blocks away, there were people who wanted him dead.

At the sound of a rustling noise, Xin spun around to see Belial stretching.

"Morning,"

Belial mumbled with a yawn.

Xin smiled as he was combing his hair.

"Hey, sleepyhead. Did you get enough rest?"

Belial nodded.

"Yeah, thanks. I feel better now."

Xin sat down on the couch next to Belial and asked,

"So, what's the plan?"

Belial thought for a moment before replying,

"We go do some high paying jobs."

Agreeing with determination, Xin acknowledged the necessity of resolving their debt promptly. Accepting a position as a bodyguard seemed to be the most feasible choice. Gathering their gear, they made their way towards the guild, which conveniently lay close to Xin's dwelling.

Walking alongside his companion, Xin was filled with a sense of anticipation. This job had the potential to be the breakthrough they needed, to finally emerge from under the cloud of their financial troubles.

As Xin and Belial walked through the guild, their ears perked up as they overheard a group of hunters discussing a raid in hushed tones. The pair approached them cautiously, bracing themselves for any surprises.

"What raid are you up to?"

Belial asked, his curiosity evident in his voice. A tall, bald man with a massive claymore stood up and crossed his muscular arms over his chest, eyeing Belial with disdain.

"The name's Troxl, and you little man, should you be out saving a little kitty D ranker?"

Troxl's voice was thick with sarcasm as he insulted Belial. Belial, however, was unbothered and answered back with a smirk.

"Shouldn't you be getting rejected by Natalie again?"

In a flash of fury, Troxl swung his fist towards Belial. But before he could make contact, Cassidy, a formidable presence, intercepted the punch.

"There should be no fighting in the guild,"

Cassidy asserted, his voice firm and unyielding. Troxl pulled his arm away from Cassidy's grip and stormed off, cursing under his breath.

"Now that's out of the way,"

Cassidy said, turning to Belial and Xin.

"Did you two want to join in on the raid?"

Belial and Xin exchanged a glance, feeling a weird shiver down their spine. Xins eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Let's do it,"

Xin declared, throwing his axe over his shoulder confidently. Cassidy grinned, his eyes sparkling with admiration.

"That's the spirit. The raid will start in 3 hours from now at the north gate. Be there on time, and come prepared for anything."

Mr. Cole's office was interrupted by the sound of the doors opening, and Natalie walked in with a stack of papers.

"Mr. Cole, here are the results for the hand-to-hand combat test for new guild members,"

she said, handing over the papers.

Cole looked through the results, his facial expression remaining stoic as he scanned the names of the successful candidates. However, his eyes widened in surprise as he came across the name 'Noctis.' He was about to put the results aside when he noticed a first name that caught his attention. He chuckled to himself as he looked out the window.

"Looks like she has a kid now..Looks like things will be getting interesting from now on."

Natalie raised an eyebrow at Cole's sudden change in demeanor.

"Is everything okay, sir?"

Cole turned to face Natalie, a small smile on his face.

"Yes, everything's fine."