"Ah… that would be !"
Sylph hesitated for a mont before stepping forward, looking a little embarrassed.
Facing Tresed and his elite Gold-rank team, she no longer had the cocky confidence she typically showed toward other adventurers.
After all, these weren't ordinary adventurers.
Every mber of the Swift Wind Adventure Team possessed top-tier strength and talent, and so even believed they had the potential to reach Platinum rank.
Sylph knew that her own talent gave her the potential to beco a Gold-level adventurer one day, but potential alone ant nothing.
It was one thing to be recognized as a gifted Explosion Magician, but another to turn that talent into real power.
Many adventurers in Wittes believed Raymond's team could one day match Tresed's… but that was still just a dream.
Until they grew into their strength, there was still an imnse gap between them and these seasoned warriors.
And right now, Sylph could feel that gap as she stood before them.
The Team Introduction
Sensing her hesitation, Raymond stepped in smoothly.
"This is Sylph, the Explosion Mage everyone has been talking about," he said, gesturing toward her.
Then he motioned toward the others.
"This is Lorene, our team's priest. And this is Arya, our archer."
Tresed grinned and focused on Sylph first.
"So you're the famous Explosion Mage!" he said, eyes shining with curiosity.
Before Sylph could respond, Shatinara let out an exasperated sigh.
"Tresed, could you please stop being so stupid?"
Everyone Gangs Up on Tresed
The female elf crossed her arms, tilting her head at Tresed with an unimpressed expression.
"She's the only one here wearing a mage's robe. Who else could possibly be the Explosion Mage?"
The rest of the Swift Wind Adventure Team chuckled, giving Tresed the sa unimpressed look.
Even Arya and Lorene had to turn away, trying to stifle their laughter. Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire
Sylph, who had been nervous just a mont ago, relaxed slightly, watching the teasing unfold.
Tresed, however, crossed his arms defensively.
"Hmph! What do you know? I was just trying to make conversation, build rapport, you know? Strengthen relationships!"
His loud protest only made everyone laugh harder.
"Sure, sure," Shatinara said, rolling her eyes dramatically.
Proper Introductions
After the laughter settled, Tresed clapped his hands together.
"Anyway, I forgot to introduce myself! Just call Tresed. I'm a warrior, but not just any warrior."
He gave his silver spear a proud pat.
Before he could say more, Shatinara cut in again.
"Tresed, stop acting so special."
She turned toward Raymond and his team, offering a graceful smile.
"My na is Shatinara. As you can see, I'm an elf."
She flicked her long ears playfully before her gaze locked onto Sylph.
Her smile turned sly.
"And by the way… my ears are very sensitive."
The Callback—And Instant Regret
Sylph's face turned bright red.
She instantly realized; Shatinara had heard everything she had said earlier.
Including the part about her flat chest.
"U-Um…" Sylph stamred, flustered. "I… I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said that!"
Shatinara tilted her head, feigning innocence.
"Oh my…? Said what, exactly?"
Sylph looked like she wanted to disappear.
Raymond, anwhile, could barely keep from laughing.
At this mont, Naimila, the broad-minded female magician from Tresed's team, smiled warmly at the group and tried to lighten the mood.
"Don't worry," she said with a twinkle in her eye, "Shatinara isn't that sensitive. Right?"
Shatinara, who had been quiet up until now, curled her lips in a smirk.
"Of course I'm not that kind of person," she replied with a wink.
Naimila chuckled before introducing herself properly.
"I'm Naimila, a magician from the 'Wind Adventure Team.' I'm sure my attire gave that away," she said, her robe flowing elegantly with every movent.
Then, she turned her attention to Sylph, her expression turning a bit more serious.
"Sylph," she asked kindly, "I was wondering, have you been able to comprehend a deeper level of 'Explosion Magic' yet?"
Sylph's expression shifted slightly as she hesitated before answering.
"Well… not yet," she admitted, looking a little embarrassed.
Naimila imdiately apologized, her face softening with understanding.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I should've realized. You only awakened this year, and you're still so young, just under sixteen. 'Explosion Magic' is a notoriously difficult spell to master. My bad for assuming."
The Challenges of Mastering Magic
Sylph nodded in agreent. The truth was, mastering a spell like 'Explosion Magic' wasn't just about passion or talent, it took a lot more than that.
The initial comprehension of a spell might co with enough dedication, but to reach the next level often required years of refining. The process was slow, and for many adventurers, they would struggle at the early stages for a long ti before making any real progress.
In Sylph's case, though she had awakened the spell, she had yet to reach the second level of mastery, and it was sothing that many would consider inevitable, as long as she continued her training.
However, only the truly gifted could push themselves into deeper comprehension in a short period.
Raymond, listening to their conversation, felt a flicker of realization. Could Sylph have already reached the second level and was just keeping it to herself?
He knew Sylph well; she wasn't one to boast about her accomplishnts. Still, the thought lingered in his mind.
But Sylph didn't show any hint of her deeper magic abilities, and Raymond didn't let it show on his face. He simply kept his thoughts to himself, knowing Sylph would tell them when she was ready.
Next, Iffy, the priestess from the Swift Wind Adventure Team, spoke up with a smile.
"I'm Iffy, a priest," she said warmly, her deanor just as calming as her uniform.
Finally, the burly warrior; Rondo, who had been silent until now, grinned broadly and introduced himself.
"Rondo," he said simply, tapping his massive shield with a proud thunk.
As the introductions concluded, Tresed turned back to Raymond with a playful gleam in his eyes.
"A dual-class adventurer and an Explosion Mage? Now that's a team I want to join," he said, putting his arm around Raymond's shoulders in a familiar, brotherly manner.
He flashed a grin, looking at his team for confirmation.
"Hey, what do you think? How about I join Raymond's team?"
There was a mont of silence before one of his teammates responded.
"That would be the best!"
Another teammate added with a smile, "Perfect. We wouldn't have to worry about you getting in trouble. Plus, Raymond's team has so much potential!"
Tresed nodded enthusiastically, but then turned back to Raymond with a slightly apologetic look.
"But seriously, I'm sorry if we caused you any trouble earlier. We didn't an to interrupt your team."
Raymond, ever the smooth talker, simply smiled and shrugged.
"No harm done. It's all good, Tresed."
He didn't take offense; after all, Tresed and his team were known for their playful nature.
"But if you're really interested in joining our team," Raymond added with a mischievous grin, "I think we could make room for one more!"
The exchange was lighthearted, but deep down, both teams recognized the strength in each other.
Tresed's team, with their experience and reputation, had built a solid foundation for future growth, and Raymond's team, despite being newer, had imnse potential, especially with a dual-class adventurer like him leading the way.
They weren't just adventurers, they were future allies in a world full of challenges and opportunities. And who knew? One day, their paths might cross again in ways that no one could foresee.
When Tresed jokingly offered to join Raymond's team, he paused expectantly, waiting for his teammates to argue or beg him to stay.
Instead, Shatinara and Naimila exchanged glances and nodded approvingly.
"Sounds great to ," Shatinara said smoothly, crossing her arms.
Naimila smirked. "Yeah, I think it's a perfect fit."
Tresed's jaw dropped.
"Wait… shouldn't you be trying to stop ?!"
He quickly turned to Iffy, the priestess, and Rondo, the burly warrior, looking for support.
"At least you two wouldn't abandon , right?"
Iffy gave a polite smile but said nothing, while Rondo simply shrugged with a teasing grin.
Tresed clutched his chest dramatically.
"If even you two had agreed, I swear, I would have just collapsed right here!"
Raymond and his group burst into laughter, quickly catching on to the dynamic between Tresed and his teammates.
The once-tense atmosphere had now completely lifted, and even Sylph and Arya, who had been nervous about facing a Gold-ranked team, were now smiling.
Raymond also noticed sothing interesting, Lorene hadn't shown any nervousness from the start.
In fact, when Tresed's group first approached, she had exchanged polite nods and smiles with Iffy, the priestess, clearly recognizing each other.
It wasn't surprising. Lorene had previously served in the temple of the 'Sun Goddess,' and she had likely t Iffy during her ti there.
Now, with both teams standing together, all eyes in the guild were locked onto them.
After all, these were the two most talked-about adventurer teams in Wittes Town, one a Gold-ranked powerhouse, the other a rising team with imnse potential.
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