Zeki thanked the doorman and returned to the apartment, the guild envelope weighing in his hand. As soon as he stepped inside, he sat down on the couch, the exhaustion from yesterday's battle mixing with an anxious curiosity about the letter's contents.
"Zeki, are you going to open the letter now?" his mother asked, her curiosity mirroring his own.
"I am, Mom. I want to see if I got accepted into the guild."
Carefully, Zeki tore open the envelope and unfolded the paper. He began reading out loud, his voice as calm as ever.
"Zeki, congratulations! You have been accepted into the guild, and based on your performance in the test, your new rank is Class D, Rank 2."
"Class D, Rank 2! That's amazing, son! Congratulations!" his mother exclaimed proudly.
"Thanks, Mom," he replied, though there was a slight hint of disappointment in his voice. "I was expecting a bit more, but if that's my rank, then it is what it is. It won't take long for me to reach Class B."
"And you will," she encouraged him. "Just don't get too full of yourself, or you'll end up having problems with your father."
"Okay."
"Alright, dinner's ready."
"I'll be there in a minute."
After dinner, Zeki grabbed his laptop and accessed the Titan Guild website. The screen displayed detailed information about members and rankings.
"Let's see how many hunters are in the guild now…"
Number of hunters by class:
Class Z / Global: None
Class S: 7
Class A: 98
Class B: 197
Class D: 380
Class C: 360
Class G: 509
Class E: 700
So, this guild is pretty big, he thought. Class D isn't the worst place to start, but there's still a long way to go before reaching Class B, like I wanted.
He closed the laptop, determination settling in.
I won't worry about it. Soon enough, I'll be in Class B.
The Next Morning
Zeki woke up early. In the kitchen, his mother was preparing breakfast, and his father—who had arrived home early from work—was already sitting at the table.
"Good morning, Zeki! I made breakfast. Want something to eat?"
"I'm not sure," he said, taking a seat.
"So, son, how was your first day with the guild?" his father asked.
"It was good. I got a letter last night and saw a notification on my phone, so now I'm heading to the guild for a meeting with the directors."
"I see," his father said seriously. "Well, stay sharp and do your best. The directors won't be easy on you."
"I'll try. Thanks for the support."
When Zeki arrived at the guild, he was greeted by three directors: Harlan, Mark, and Elena, all known for their strictness.
"Zeki, welcome," Director Harlan said. "Let's review your performance and discuss your future in the guild."
"So, Zeki," Director Mark began, looking over a report, "according to this, you performed exceptionally well in the intelligence test—but not enough to reach Class B. Your current rank is Class D, Rank 2."
"Impressive," Director Elena added, clearly surprised. "You placed first in the intelligence test, which is remarkable for someone new like you."
"Thank you," Zeki replied calmly.
"For someone your age, your performance was very high," Mark admitted. "Usually, people your age don't demonstrate this level of ability."
"Your starting salary will be 4,200 reais," Harlan informed him.
"You made an excellent choice joining our guild, Zeki," Elena said, her tone encouraging but firm. "Keep working hard, and in time, you'll have opportunities to rise. We're looking forward to that. But first, we need to ask you a few questions. Is that alright?"
"Of course. Go ahead."
After the meeting, the directors gathered privately.
"Zeki has potential, especially with his strong intelligence test performance," Harlan said. "However, he didn't stand out in the physical tests. That's a concern."
"I agree," Mark added. "If he wants to move up, he'll need significant improvement in that area."
"The reality is, he's in Class D for a reason," Elena said critically. "The physical test was a weak point. He'll have to work much harder if he doesn't want to stay stuck there."
When Zeki returned home, he found his parents in the kitchen.
"How was the meeting, Zeki?" his mother asked, concerned.
"It was informative. They were surprised by my age and my performance in the intelligence test. My rank is Class D, Rank 2, and my starting salary is 2,300 reais."
"That's a good start," his father said seriously, though clearly interested. "Their surprise about your age shows your performance was above average. Now it's important to keep working hard."
"We're proud of you," his mother added. "Stay focused and keep dedicating yourself."
"Exactly. What matters is not getting comfortable and continuing to move forward."
Zeki nodded, absorbing their support and advice as he prepared himself for the next challenge—the long and difficult climb through the ranks of the Titan Guild.