As Vlad read the last of the event details, the door opened, and he was greeted by a striking woman in a high-neck shirt, a black coat, and skin-tight pants.
"Sir V, I hope I am not disturbing you." She smiled warmly as she stepped inside.
Vlad wasn't the least bit surprised that they recognized him, because most NPC establishments could easily sense his uniqueness through the fluctuations in his aura, a trait shaped by his immense reputation.
While NPCs could only recognize a person through aura recognition arcane devices, players faced no such limitations. They could easily inspect his status since he used no means to hide it.
So one of the players had likely rushed to sell his whereabouts to the information ring for a handful of easy coins.
"Can we sit?" she asked politely. Vlad simply nodded as he settled into his chair.
"I hope you found what you were looking for, but if not, we would be happy to assist," she said.
"No, I just came to gather some event intel, and I am satisfied with my findings," Vlad said casually, implying he wanted information to stay alert for interesting opportunities once he ventured out.
"I understand." She smiled, leaning forward. "Immortal adventurers are always on the hunt for challenges that could be both thrilling and rewarding."
"So why not let us help you?" she said, a confident smile playing on her lips. "Obviously, free of charge. A small token of friendship from the Information Ring."
"Is this a time-limited offer? And do I have a choice?" Vlad asked, not shy about squeezing out free value.
She showed a brief flash of surprise and then answered. "There's no time limit. And yes, you may ask for any information up to Tier 3."
Vlad felt disappointed because while Tier 3 information was valuable, it wasn't hard to acquire if one was willing to spend some gold.
The Information Ring classified its intelligence into seven grades, going from Tier 0 to Tier 6. Up to Tier 4, information was primarily available for a price in gold coins.
However, the real treasures were Tier 5 and Tier 6: information at these levels was considered Empire-grade and Continental-grade, respectively.
A Tier 5 intel, such as the location of a lost legacy or a high-priority criminal, was valuable enough to spark fierce competition across the empire, while Tier 6 intelligence could make one known throughout the continent.
"Well, the Information Ring has my appreciation, but I can afford services that cost some gold," Vlad said as he rose from his seat, not so eager to accept every offer tossed his way.
"So, then Tier 4 should suffice as the start of our friendship?" she offered without missing a beat.
"No," Vlad said calmly. "I would like to ask for Tier 6, but since I haven't earned that level of respect yet, I will settle for Tier 5." He said, stood up, and strode toward the door without waiting for a response.
"It's not easy to earn the friendship of the information Ring, so you should reconsider," she said after a momentary silence. Vlad ignored her and left the room.
Vlad left the entry key at the counter and began to descend the floors, his mind occupied with figuring out his plan of action.
'My main priority is to find more intel on that fisherman, but I need to be careful because my actions could shape future events,' Vlad thought, eyes narrowing as the thought settled.
'The Adventurers Guild rewards those who track down criminals, so I should use that as cover for a search.' Vlad reasoned.
Vlad understood it was a public incident, so the Deceiver or the cult might be on high alert, watching closely to ensure no one discovered their involvement.
Any reckless move could cause any little trail to vanish without a trace.
While happy to have found a lead, Vlad was left with many questions.
Why target a simple fisherman and not a wandering thief or mercenary? Was the Cult of Anarchy working alongside the Deceiver or not, and if they were, what purpose did this ordinary man serve in their scheme?
Vlad left the area and made his way toward the Adventurers' Guild, a towering, European-style white marble structure whose entrances are marked by the imposing insignia of a horned goat's head.
The Adventurers Guild was a major organization that offered licenses to qualified individuals and allowed individuals and powers to post jobs in exchange for appropriate rewards.
The Adventurers Guild differed from the Information Ring in both scope and structure, while the Guild had branches spread across the continent in every major empire, the latter operated solely within the borders of the Human Empire.
The Guild was also wasn't led by a single president but by a council of twenty-one individuals, one powerful representative from each major Race. All of whom operated independently and were not affiliated with any kingdom or ruling power.
Adventurers were ranked from F to SSS, and quests followed the same tiered structure, ensuring that only those with sufficient strength and experience could take on a job.
Vlad made his way to the second floor and joined one of the long lines exclusive to the players, standing in silence as he waited for his turn.
After a few minutes of waiting, his turn finally came. Following a polite greeting, the female receptionist said, "Sir, please place your hand on the crystal."
Vlad placed his hand on the crystal sphere and immediately felt a faint warmth as it drew a sliver of mana from him.
Within seconds, the pure white crystal shifted to a clear light blue, and glowing characters surfaced, displaying his Race and strength, with the blue color giving an estimated number of his reputation.
The receptionist's eyes widened in surprise, clearly taken aback by the grade of his reputation, but she quickly regained her composure—she had been expecting a great result.
After all, she had already confirmed his identity from the players whispering among themselves, as the player responsible for stopping the world event and triggering a world announcement just a few hours ago.
"Sir, your reputation is exceptional," she said with a respectful nod. "With this level of recognition, you are eligible to skip directly to D Rank without fulfilling the usual quest and strength requirements."
"Also, when you feel ready, you may challenge the Combat Trials for C and B Ranks as well, since until that Rank, there is no need for you to meet the minimum number of quests."
"So, would you like to begin your journey as a D Rank adventurer, or start from the very beginning at F Rank?" She asked, maintaining a professional tone, even though her eyes curiously scanned his face.
"I will gladly accept the advancement," Vlad replied.
The receptionist slightly nodded, then asked, "Sir, do you wish to keep your original name, or would you prefer to choose an adventurer alias?"
"V will do," he answered without hesitation. "Sir, would you like to add any of your titles or other details to the card?" she asked, and Vlad simply shook his head.
She nodded again and swiftly retrieved an iron plate from beneath the counter, sliding it into a compartment below the Guild's arcane engraving device.
Just like the ranks, the adventurers' cards were divided into nine ranks, each created using a different material, starting with wood for the F rank and ending with Adamantine for the SSS Rank.
A moment later, his Adventurer Card was ready. It was a sleek, palm-sized, rectangular iron plate, gray in color, with seemingly no details visible.
"Sir," the receptionist said, offering it to him, "To use it, you just need to channel mana into the card, and a holographic page will appear, displaying everything accessible to your Rank.
"If you ever wish to change your name, update details, or acquire a new card in case this one is lost, you can do so at any Adventurers' Guild branch, but it will come at a cost." She said, and after a moment, continued.
"If you have any questions, the Inquiry Office would gladly assist you." She said, and with a polite nod, Vlad left the booth and continued on his way.
'I have decent enough armor and the Sovereign's Gauntlets are best as my main weapon,' He thought, checking his inventory, 'So, I should get a hooded cloak, leather boots for better speed, and a few higher-grade potions.'
Vlad left the registration hall and navigated to the adventurer guild bar area, not because he wanted to eat or drink, but because this was the only decent sitting location in the entire building.
He secured a seat in the massive hall and took out his Adventurer Card. As he channeled mana into it, faint white veins crawled across its surface, converging at the center.
A moment later, a holographic display of light bloomed into the air above it, displaying the list of options.
Status: Personal Details, Recent Activity Log, Merit Points, Guild Resources.
Quests: Available Quests, Ongoing Quests, Bounties.
Shop: Equipment, Skills/Spells, Consumables, Services, Special Offers
News: World News, Guild News, Criminal Reports.
Rules: Guild Regulations, Advancement Criteria, Code of Conduct.
Vlad opened the shop, selected the category, and began to look for a decent cloak, something practical that was resistant to magic, reinforced for defense, and offered great concealment.