Time slipped by relentlessly, paying no heed to Sage's grumbling, moans, or half-hearted curses. By the time he finally made his way down the narrow staircase from the upper floor, a solid five hours had disappeared without a trace.

He rubbed his temples as he descended, his fingers digging into the sides of his head as if he could physically knead the pain out of his brain.

Each step dragged him down, slow and heavy, resembling the gait of someone who had just emerged from an intense intellectual battlefield rather than a simple morning lesson.

His eyes were half-closed and unfocused, carrying that unmistakable emptiness typically seen in students who had pulled an all-nighter or researchers lost in a maze of complex equations for too long.

"I swear…" he muttered, his voice raspy from fatigue, "…if I lay eyes on one more magic circle, I'm reporting this whole thing for cult activities."

As he continued down, he couldn't help but replay the last five hours in painful detail: endless dense pages, diagrams piled upon diagrams, mana flow charts that resembled ritual patterns, and magic circles that looked suspiciously like summoning symbols from a forbidden book. The system had demanded he read, memorize, and grasp the material, no skimming, no shortcuts allowed.

At one point, Sage had genuinely started to wonder whether he was learning magic or unwittingly becoming part of a secret cult.

"Mana perception, mana circulation, mana compression, mana resonance…" he grumbled. "Why does everything sound like it's about to explode if I get it wrong?"

He shook his head vigorously, trying to shake off the memories, his disheveled hair flying about. The headache throbbed again, but he ignored it, straightening up as his focus shifted.

The Guild.

The system had mentioned an upgrade to the Guild.

That thought sparked a flicker of excitement in his weary frame. His steps quickened unconsciously, his fatigue momentarily set aside by curiosity and anticipation.

Whatever grievances he had with the system, a tyrant, a sadist, a joy-killing tutor—it rarely outright lied. If it said the Guild had been upgraded, then something must have changed.

By the time he reached the bottom of the stairs, he was practically jogging.

Just a few more steps.He stepped into the Guild Hall.

And he immediately froze in place.

The enthusiasm on his face froze mid-motion.

Silence stretched around him.

Sage blinked slowly as he surveyed the scene.

The Guild Hall looked… unchanged.Same layout. Same overall feel. The familiar empty space where chaos usually reigned remained just as it was.

No glowing runes traced the walls, no monumental transformation had occurred. No beams of light illuminated the space, no divine statues stood proudly, and no floating platforms had appeared.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"Huh?" Sage murmured to himself.

He turned his head left, then right, before spinning slowly in place, his eyes darting around the hall with growing incredulity.

"System?" he called carefully.

No immediate answer came.

Sage's brow twitched. "System," he raised his voice, annoyance seeping in. "Did you pull a fast one on me?"

He spread his arms wide, as if presenting the hall to an unseen jury.

"You said the Guild was upgraded. After five hours of academic torture, this is what I get?" His voice rose with each complaint. "It looks exactly the same! Where's the upgrade? Where's the grand reveal? Did you waste the upgrade points on something trivial?"

A moment passed.

[Ding.]

The familiar chime echoed in his mind, calm and utterly unconcerned.

[ Guild Upgrade: Completed ]

[ New Features Unlocked ]

[ Expanded Mission Board.]

[ Reinforced Receptionist Desk.]

[ Installed Guild Archive Wall.]

Sage squinted. "That's it?"

The system continued undeterred.

[Additional Details Available.]

Sage released a deep sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Alright," he muttered, "let's hear it."

He raised his head, determined to take a closer look. At first, the Guild Hall seemed unchanged, but as he shifted his focus, the differences began to surface, subtle yet unmistakable.

His attention darted to the Mission Board.

"Wait a minute." He moved closer, his eyes widening in surprise.

The Mission Board had grown.Not just a little, it was significantly larger.

What used to be a simple wooden board had transformed into a grand display that nearly doubled in size, stretching widely across the wall.

The rough, plain wood was gone, replaced by a polished dark surface adorned with delicate, intricate patterns that drew the eye in a sophisticated manner. It looked sturdier, more refined, less like a mere notice board and more like the focal point of an important establishment.

"Okay," Sage mumbled softly. "That's… nice."

He approached it and tapped the surface gently with his knuckles. The sound was deep and resonant, suggesting that even if Brutus slammed his fist against it, it would hold firm.

Feeling pleased, Sage turned his attention toward the receptionist desk.

"Oh."

The desk had undergone a transformation.

The old, slightly battered piece that had barely survived Mina's energetic handling was no more. In its place was a larger, elegantly crafted desk made from polished wood that gleamed with a natural luster.

The smooth grain of the wood stretched across the surface, complemented by subtle metallic accents along the edges that hinted at durability without looking ostentatious.

Three additional chairs were neatly arranged in front of it, spaced out perfectly to accommodate several Adventurers at once.

Sage reached out, placing his palm on the desk. It felt solid. Very solid.

"Good," he commented with a sense of relief. "I was one desk slam away from being broke."

Then his gaze shifted upward. Behind the desk, taking up the entire wall, stood something completely new.

The old cabinets,crooked, mismatched, and on the verge of collapse, had been replaced with a grand, tastefully designed shelving unit that seemed to be integrated into the walls themselves.

The craftsmanship was immaculate, both functional and elegant, with a grid of clean shelves and compartments.

Sage stared, astonished. "Wow."

The system chimed in, almost as if it were proud.

[ Guild Archive Wall ]

[ Main Purpose: Centralized Storage and Organization of Guild Records.

Secondary Purpose: Secure Storage of Mission Items.]

Sage stepped closer. The upper shelves of the Guild Archive Wall were designed to hold documents, ledgers, and records. Neatly lined within were Adventurer Ledgers, dozens of them,carefully arranged.

His eyebrows furrowed as he noticed something.The shelves were organized into sections. Clear dividers separated each category, subtly labeled along the edges.

Iron Rank.

Copper Rank.

Silver Rank.

Gold Rank.

"Ranked storage," Sage murmured.

He leaned in, inspecting the Iron Rank section, where all the current Adventurer Ledgers were lined up in tidy rows.

"So this is how you're organizing it," he remarked, surprisingly impressed. "No more digging through chaotic stacks."

Below the shelves, integrated into the lower part of the wall, were multiple storage compartments resembling sturdy cabinets. Each one was sealed, clearly labeled, and equipped with simple locking mechanisms.

The system explained in a calm voice.

[Mission Item Storage Compartments:]

Function: Temporary storage for retrieved mission items awaiting commissioner collection.

Sage opened one cautiously. Inside was a clean, dry space, cool and clearly protected from external elements.

"Very convenient," he commented. "Extremely convenient."

Then his attention was drawn to something else. A smaller compartment, slightly isolated from the rest, piqued Sage's curiosity. He decided to open it, and his breath hitched in surprise.

Inside, he found a compact, reinforced vault, nothing extravagant, but clearly designed for security. The walls were lined with a thick material meant to safeguard whatever was held within, with soft, pulsing runic carvings tracing the edges.

"Guild Funds," Sage whispered in realization. The system confirmed his assumption.

[Guild Treasury Vault.]

[ Purpose: Secure storage of Guild currency and assets.]

As he slowly closed the compartment, he stood there for a moment, taking everything in. The changes were subtle, not loud or showy, but they were essential.

Efficient,organized and institutional. This wasn't just the flashy upgrade of a hero's base; it was the solidification of a lasting system.

Sage exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Alright," he said softly, a small smile appearing on his face. "I take it back. You didn't trick me after all."

He looked around the hall once more, seeing it with fresh eyes. Everything felt cleaner, more structured, and undeniably real. The Guild was evolving from a mere location into a genuine organization.

Leaning back into the elegant, taller chair positioned behind the desk, Sage tested its sturdiness. It supported him comfortably, the backrest finally providing the proper support he'd missed since stepping into this new world.

"Finally," he sighed, "something that doesn't crumble with a single breath." A soft chuckle escaped him, exhaustion mingling with a sense of relief.

"And yet," he muttered, rubbing his temples again, "even in this new world, I can't escape school."

Books. Lessons. Homework. Mandatory training. The scenery had shifted, but the struggle remained unchanged.

Sage closed his eyes for a moment, allowing the calm of the Guild Hall to envelop him as the early morning light streamed through the windows.

Then he smiled,tired but content, and braced himself for whatever challenges the system might throw his way next.

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