Chapter 23

After waiting for over an hour, more people began to come into the Mercenary Guild's lobby area.

"Hello, sir Lest."

Turning around, Heat saw Chi Mels with a slightly taller, brown-haired woman.

Noticing Heat's gaze, Chi Mels introduced the woman beside her. "This is Fay Mo, my teammate for this test."

"Yo-You're Chi Mels?!" Cho Mun exclaimed quietly, he seemed very nervous.

"Ah, you must be sir Lest's teammate, how may Chi address you?" Chi Mels asked when she realized that there was actually someone beside Heat.

"I-I'm Cho Mun, I-I'm not Quanye's teammate, we're just friends." Cho Mun was stuttering as he was speaking and Heat noticed.

With a raised eyebrow, Heat was not sure why Cho Mun suddenly got so nervous. It can't just be because Chi Mels is quite attractive right?

"I have something to ask you Chi Mels, I studied the neutral crystals you gave me last time and have been wondering if you know what element the crystal is indicating if it glows black?" Heat ignored Cho Mun's odd behavior and directly asked Chi Mels what he wanted to know.

"Black? I've never heard of that before. Have do you know anything Fay Mo?" Chi Mels had a curious expression on her face.

"No, I've never heard of that either." Fay Mo furrowed her eyebrows, she was not sure why Heat would be asking about something that's impossible.

"Nevermind then, I was just asking to see if it's possible for the neutral crystal to shine a color outside of the five basic elements." Heat replied casually, he was quite disappointed but he didn't let it show.

"If Cho Mun is not your teammate, where is your teammate sir Lest?" Looking around, Chi Mels wondered who it was that could cause Heat to pick them over her.

Before Heat could reply, a woman in tall leather boots, black mini-shorts, and a tight white, sleeveless vest walked in. She had long blonde hair that extended down to her butt, with cleavage that seemed to want to burst out of her tight top.

Walking to the reception desk, she turned and faced everyone waiting in the lobby. "Everyone looking to take the D Rank test listen up! I will be your instructor for this test, my name is Jess Ica. You are to pair up forming a team and stand together with your teammate at the city gate. We'll be going to a catacomb that was discovered within the outskirts of the Endless Forest, it'll take about a month for us to arrive, everyone must present their Mercenary Guild temporary member token when we depart!" Jess Ica spoke in a loud and firm volume.

"Be warned! The D Rank test this time is many times harder than the tests before. The catacomb that was discovered by the Mercenary Guild is supposed to belong to an ancient low ranking alchemist and should be covered in traps."

Murmurs began to sound as people began whispering to each other in hushed voices. The tomb of an ancient low ranking alchemist might contain their legacy or information on how to become an alchemist. It was a profession that many people sought after.

When Heat heard it, his ears perked up. Right after he learns about the alchemist profession, this opportunity coincidentally presents itself.

Regardless of danger, Heat is determined to take part of the test now. If it gets too dangerous he would retreat, but if it's possible for him to learn more about alchemists which in return, might help him learn more about neutral crystals and what a black glow on one means, it would be well worth the risk!

"The Mercenary Guild has already sent two D Rank mercenaries and they have both not returned, presumed dead. If anyone wishes to forfeit the test this time, please hand in your token now and leave. Otherwise, we depart from the city gate in 30 minutes."

After saying that, Jess Ica walked up a staircase to the second floor and disappeared from sight.

When everyone heard that official D Rank members of the Mercenary Guild have fallen inside the catacomb, everyone began to worry. Some people went to place their temporary Mercenary Guild member token on the counter and left.

"We'll see you at the city gate then, sir Lest." With a slight bow, Chi Mels left with Fay Mo.

"You're acquainted with Chi Mels?!" Cho Mun looked at Heat with eyes of respect, "I snuck into the Mels party just to see her! How is it that you know her?!"

Heat looked at Cho Mun with a raised eyebrow, speechless. It seemed that Cho Mun cared more about his idol than the dangers of this test.

"Oh nevermind! I need to rush back home and get my father to quickly find a stronger teammate for me." With that, Cho Mun sped away.

Looking around, Heat noticed that more than half the people that were originally waiting in the lobby have already left. Most of the remaining people were conversing with each other, apparently trying to team up into pairs.

As more people began to leave in pairs, Heat saw someone he recognized.

"That girl from Pebble inn..." It was the black haired girl that he saw when he first arrived at Pebble inn. Even though they never spoke, Heat remembered her by the cold yet familiar feeling that her presence gave off.

She was standing there alone, just like Heat, looking around at the other people in the lobby, with straight black hair that extended below her shoulder blades.

Dressed in black knee-high, pink laced boots, and a black min-skirt, the first thing one would notice would be the gleaming daggers wrapped around her right thigh where her skin was exposed.

She also wore a pink, translucent, short sleeved shirt that hung loosely over her tight, black, sleeveless undershirt. It created the impression of pink fog over her alluring body's curves.

People were leaving in pairs rapidly and in just a few minutes, Heat and the black haired girl were the only two left.

Tilting her head to one side, she put on a curious expression with perked lips and inquisitive eyes as she stared at Heat.

This left Heat to wonder though, why was she alone?