NOVPUBThe crowd was momentarily silent.
"Wait… that's Astra, isn't it?"
"The Demon Hunter?" someone whispered.
"No way. An actual S+ Rank? What's he doing here?"
The whispers spread like wildfire. A few participants took a step back, instinctively making space as Astra continued forward, unbothered by the attention.
He didn't speak right away. Instead, he studied the remains of the shattered crystal, then glanced at Asher with an a unreadable expression.
"So... who broke my measuring device?" he asked, though from the way he was looking, he already knew the answer.
The tester tensed. "Apologies, sir. It was—"
Astra held up a hand to stop him, eyes still locked on Asher. "I already know."
He stepped closer, just enough to be face to face with Asher. "What's your name?"
"Asher," he replied, standing his ground.
Astra nodded once. "You're strong. So what's someone like you doing here? Any organization would've taken you in without question."
"I just want to join. What, strong people aren't allowed?" Asher matched the guild's master presence.
Astra shook his head. "Of course not. We just don't usually get people like you walking in on their own. But if that's really the truth, we'd be glad to have another strong individual in our ranks."
He paused, then turned to the tester. "No need for a retest. Give him the highest score and move straight to the combat trial."
Astra gave Asher a final nod , as they were peers before turning way and headed out .
Everyone who witnessed the exchange was in disbelief. The Guild Master was infamous for his short fuse and for looking down on anyone weaker than him.
Shery felt her chest tighten. Asher once asked her what would happen if someone stronger than an A-Rank showed up.
That time, she thought he was just joking around. But after seeing how Astra treated him with respect, she realized he was serious.
'My boss is actually a big shot!'
She regretted telling him to come here. If she had known, she would've suggested a more exclusive organization—or even tried to get a powerful family to adopt him.
It wasn't usual for families to adopt powerful individuals, They would even provide the resources to help them grow even stronger.
However, there was a catch: they had to sign a contract, pledging to never betray the family. While it had its advantages, the downsides were hard to ignore.
Everyone moved on to the next test. This time, they were separated into large training rooms—each one about the size of a basketball court used for team practice.
For Asher, five individuals were waiting.
They stood in a loose formation, each one completely different from the other.
One of them stepped forward first.
Tall and silver-skinned, with four glowing eyes stacked vertically down his face, he tilted his head slightly. His voice echoed without emotion.
"Name is Ward"
Next was a stocky figure wrapped in thick steel cords, his helmet locked tight over his face. The red light on his visor pulsed slowly.
"Call me Torque. Don't waste my time."
From the side, a slender, insect-like being flicked his wings. His arms were bladed, his limbs jerking slightly like they didn't belong to him. He didn't walk—he hovered.
"Name's Rix. Fastest in this room. If you can land a hit on me, I'll kneel."
A woman with skin like coal dust and tattoos that moved across her arms stepped forward, arms crossed. Her violet eyes watched him with detached interest.
"Vira. Don't worry, I don't bite. " She winked. "We should go on a date after this, handsome. I'll show you a good time."
Last was the tallest. Horns curled from his head, and faint green mist drifted from his mouth as he breathed. He leaned on a worn cane but didn't look old. Just tired.
"I'm Dard"
All of them were (A-.)
It was obvious the Guild Leader had handpicked them .
But it didn't matter. No matter how skilled they were, the gap between A Rank and S Rank was like the difference between heaven and earth.
Torque scoffed, his visor pulsing red.
"Grab your weapon already so we can get this over with," he sounded very irritated. "Can't believe we got called in for a damn newbie,"
Asher shook his head. "I don't need a weapon."
Vira raised an eyebrow, her smile not fading. "You fight with your fists, then?"
"I don't need one to pass this test."
His words were bold, maybe too bold for the situation he was in.
Torque let out a low growl from the corner, while Rix clicked his mandibles, amused by the display.
"It's your funeral, I'll face you first." Torque stepped forward, his body hissing, and releasing hydrogen gas.
"There's no need to waste time. You can all come at me together," Asher declared, his tone not arrogant, just stating facts.
The room went deathly silent again, each trainer exchanging a glance.
Vira's violet eyes flashed with interest, a smirk tugging at her lips. 'Brave… or stupid?' she mused, flexing her fingers as she prepared herself.
Rix's wings buzzed, his bladed arms twitching.
"This'll be fun," he hissed, eager for the challenge.
The other two trainers—Warden and Dard—exchanged quick, unreadable glances, but the tension in their postures told everything he needed to know. They were ready to test take on his offer.
With a final glance at Asher, Torque's voice cut through the air. "You'll regret underestimating us, kid."
SWOOOOOSH!
Without warning, Rix vanished from his spot, his insect-like blades reappearing inches from Asher's face.
The strike almost passed through—so close, it seemed like it should have made contact.
'An illusion?' The trainer wondered.
BOOOOOM!
Rix barely registered the punch before it hit him directly in the stomach—so fast, he was already flying through the air before he could feel the pain.
The other four trainers froze in their tracks, eyes wide with disbelief.
Their fastest member was defeated in a blink of an eye.
"I think there's a misunderstanding here," Asher shook his head. "I didn't ask you to come at me all at once because of my ego. It's because it's the only way you'll have a chance to touch me."
This time, none of them dared to respond.
His presence changed.
It was as if they were staring at someone completely different.
How could someone radiate such a dominating aura?
Every cell in their bodies screamed a warning, a primal instinct telling them they were facing something far beyond their reach.
Dragon's Aura. Though he tried to mask it with a spell, dulling its power to make it less recognizable, it was still enough to send a wave of fear through those around him.
"We need to go at him with our full power," Rix spoke up while flying back to the group.
Though wounded, his injuries were visibly regenerating. He was still an A Rank, after all, and a punch like that wouldn't be enough to bring him down.
Everyone nodded in unison. They finally understood why Astra told them to work together to push Asher to the limit.
"LET'S DO THIS!"
They collectively released their auras, and charged their weapons.
Asher, seeing their resolve, grew serious. He cast a series of body-enhancing spells, amplifying his physical attribute to the limit.
Even with his power, facing five experts of their caliber using only his raw strength would be impossible.
Vira stepped forward. "I won't hold back, even if you're handsome,"
With that, the smoke around her thickened, billowing out in a dense cloud that completely engulfed the space between them.
Asher's senses immediately began to dull. His eyes, which were accustomed to scanning the battlefield with pinpoint precision, found nothing but an impenetrable smoke.
Even worse, his sense of direction vanished. It was as though the world around him was spinning in a never-ending loop, and his body couldn't keep up.
'What a terrifying ability…'
'Unfortunately, you faced someone like me,' His lips barely moved as he spoke.
A brilliant flash of light erupted from his finger, expanding outward, swallowing the smoke.
When the light finally died down, the dense black smoke was gone—purified, dispersed into nothingness.
Vira, standing at the center, staggered. Her secret weapon was countered in seconds.
Still, it wasn't for nothing. Her attack gave the others time to close in and prepare
Torque was already in front of Asher.
He raised both hands, and fire roared to life—red at first, then turning orange, then burning bright blue.
The heat rolled out in waves. It was so intense the floor beneath them began to melt.
"He's not defeated yet!"
Ward, who had been preparing until now, unleashed an energy base attack. It burst from his palms.
"Take this too!" 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝙗.𝒄𝒐𝒎
Dard summoned several orbs of purple energy. They floated around for a split second before detonating—each explosion rattling the reinforced floor beneath them.
If this training room wasn't built from some of the toughest materials in the universe—and equipped with a high-level shock absorption system—the entire building would've collapsed by now.
When the dust settled, all eyes turned to where Asher had stood, hoping they'd at least managed to wound him .
But there he was—completely unharmed.
Not a scratch, not a bruise. He hadn't even moved from his spot. It was like none of their attacks ever happened.
"Seriously?" Vira's lips twitched.
This was the first time she ever felt this humiliated in Starfront.
She wouldn't have been surprised if they were facing someone from a more powerful organization or family, but a newbie?
"What is a monster like him doing in a place like this?" Dard spoke up what was on everyone's mind.
Torque clenched his fists, flames flickering from his fingertips.
"Are you all done?" Asher inquired. "Or do I have to attack everyone now?"
