Sage reclined in his chair, his fingers lightly tapping against the sleek surface of his upgraded desk as his eyes wandered toward the newly expanded Mission Board.

After a moment of contemplation, he quietly asked himself, "System, what do I need to do to upgrade the Adventurer Guild to D Rank?"

Almost instantly, the familiar mechanical voice answered in his mind.

[Ding]

[D Rank Guild Upgrade Requirements:]

[ Reputation Points: 1,000.]

[ Guild Treasury Funds: 1,000 Gold Coins.]

[ Registered Adventurers: 100 active Adventurers.]

[ Mission Activity: 100 posted missions (with at least a 60% completion rate) ]

[ Guildmaster Identity: Level 2 – Established Guildmaster. ]

Sage's gaze sharpened as he focused on the last requirement. The first conditions were straightforward and quantifiable, but the Identity Level 2 aspect left him feeling somewhat perplexed.

He fell quiet, resting his elbows on the desk and interlocking his fingers as his mind raced to make sense of it all. The system hadn't clarified how to climb the Identity levels, but he had a knack for recognizing patterns.

Since he began his job as a Guildmaster, he had noticed that any significant boost in his Identity Experience had come during times when he actively played his role as Guildmaster, whether it was registering new Adventurers, managing missions, overseeing finances, planning for the future, or taking on responsibilities instead of passing them off. It clearly wasn't about combat skills or raw power; it was about function.

Thinking up to this point, a slow, knowing smile spread across his face. "So that's how this works," he whispered to himself.

"My Identity isn't upgraded through sheer strength; it's about how well I perform my duties."

The more he embraced the responsibilities of being a true Guildmaster rather than merely holding the title, the more the system recognized his efforts.

It was a brilliant, unforgiving, and logical approach, yet also remarkably fair. Sage leaned back, his eyes sparkling with quiet confidence.

If that were indeed the case, then leveling up his Identity was no mystery at all,it was simply a question of excelling in his role better than anyone had done before.

----------

Time slipped away like a river, quiet, relentless, and unconcerned with those who tried to seize it.

Even when one reached out with both hands, all that could be felt was a brief chill, a gentle reminder that moments do not wait for anyone.

In a flash, four uninterrupted days had gone by, free from disaster and the chaos that often comes with significant change.

Greyvale City continued its usual rhythm: merchants opened their shops at dawn, carriages clattered down cobblestone streets, children weaved through alleys, guards swapped shifts atop the walls, and life in the Evergreen Region carried on as it always did. Yet beneath this veneer of normalcy, something subtle but unmistakable had occurred.

A new name had begun to echo through everyday conversations, muttered in taverns, discussed in markets, and debated in workshops: The Adventurer Guild.

It was mentioned with a mix of curiosity, skepticism, excitement, and disbelief. People endlessly repeated the name, almost as if doing so would make it more tangible.

Whispers circulated about how missions posted there were completed with an uncanny efficiency, while requests that might otherwise linger for weeks, or be entirely overlooked, were fulfilled within days, sometimes even hours.

A merchant boasted that his escort mission was finished before he had even completed packing his goods. A herbalist claimed that rare ingredients he had searched for over the years were delivered to him in perfect condition.

Though some dismissed these tales as exaggerations, they kept pouring in, stacking up until even the staunchest skeptics found themselves listening with increased interest.

While rumors and speculations swirled through the city, the man at the heart of it all hadn't experienced a single leisurely morning since the Guild's rise began.

Sage found himself caught in a relentless routine that left no room for his usual inclination to take it easy.

Each morning, even before the sun fully peeked over the rooftops of Greyvale, he was already awake, often against his will, sitting cross-legged on his bedroom floor, dark circles under his eyes, surrounded by piles of magical tomes and hastily scribbled notes.

The system he was bound to was harsh and demanded hours of studying magical theories, practicing mana circulation, refining spell structures, and attempting spellcasting drills that swung from mildly frustrating to outright humiliating.

Fire spells fizzled out, wind gusts spiraled chaotically, and lightning mana crackled dangerously close to his furniture. By the time he wrapped up his morning training, his head throbbed, his shoulders drooped, and his patience was wearing thin.

Yet even that didn't grant him a moment to breathe. Once the Guild doors swung open, Sage effortlessly shifted from a weary mage-in-training to the composed Guildmaster behind his desk, exuding calm as if he hadn't just spent hours battling unruly magical forces.

With the gossip surrounding the Adventurer Guild spreading, a trickle of visitors had rapidly become a steady stream.

Every single day, without exception, at least one to five new Commissioners showed up to post missions, each bearing expectations fueled by the buzz they had heard.

Some approached cautiously, testing the waters with small requests, while others arrived with boldness, slamming mission details onto his desk with the confidence of those who believed they had stumbled upon a miraculous solution.

Sage managed them all with a smile, stamping mission documents, explaining the terms, and marveling silently at how swiftly the Guild's reputation was taking root.

Gregor emerged as an unstoppable force driving momentum within the Guild. Nearly every day, he showed up with a fresh group of warriors, welcoming them to the Guild, assuring them of its credibility, and urging them to sign up as Adventurers.

His mere presence seemed to instill confidence in many; after all, if the very first Adventurer ever had faith in this place, it made sense for others to give it a shot.

Moreover, the Guild's reputation started to spread organically within the warrior community. Veterans, mercenaries, and solo fighters came to investigate for themselves, lured by the promise of fair rewards and clear guidelines.

In just those four days, dozens signed up, rapidly increasing the membership of Iron Rank Adventurers beyond what Sage had initially anticipated.

The real turning point, the factor that transformed steady growth into a rapid surge, was the internal competition Sage had mentioned almost casually.

The first Adventurer to achieve Copper Rank would earn a mysterious prize. No specifics were provided. No further details. Just a tantalizing promise of something valuable enough to ignite interest.

The impact was both swift and profound. Missions disappeared from the board at an incredible pace, snatched up by eager hands before the ink had even dried.

Adventurers became increasingly driven, coordinating their efforts better than ever and approaching tasks with a fervor that verged on obsession.

Watching the chaos unfold, Sage couldn't help but smile. What had started as a spontaneous idea rather than a meticulously crafted plan had produced remarkable results.

In a single stroke, he had achieved multiple objectives. Missions were being finished at record speeds, leaving Commissioners not just satisfied, but often amazed and eager to share their experiences.

This wave of happiness spread, encouraging more people to post missions, which, in turn, attracted even more Adventurers. It created a self-reinforcing cycle.

The Guild's dependability became its most powerful advertisement, far more effective than any flyers or rumors could ever be.

All of this stemmed from a simple incentive tapped into human ambition, and Sage took a moment to congratulate himself for how seamlessly everything had come together.

At the heart of this competition were two key players, engaged in an escalating silent rivalry: Gregor and Mina.

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A/N : Ok guys we are 70 Golden Tickets away from 200, let's do our best and reach that goal before the month ends. Bonus chapter is waiting.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.