UNLIMITED SPEED

Noah felt his mood experience another shaking. But this time around he could deal with it. A bit at least.

At the announcement, he lost his drive to take any mission, and only wanted to roam about a bit. But to what end? he thought.

He didn't immediately leave the guild hall, however, since after the man behind the counter stopped talking his mood suddenly went serious.

"Are you Aiden?" The expert suddenly asked. Pulling Noah out of his thoughts.

Noah furrowed his brows but nodded in response.

"It would seem I have a letter for you," the man revealed and immediately moved back to look for the said thing.

Stunned and curious, Noah's furrowed brows turned into a frown as his mind worked extra time to find who would have sent him a letter.

He had no individual person who could do that, leaving him confused.

He had to wait a few minutes before the man returned with a silver scroll. Noah instantly knew who it was, or who they were, and he couldn't help but get nervous.

Taking hold of the scroll, Noah glanced at it for a second before focusing on the man.

"How long has it been here?" He asked putting all the calculations together.

"About three weeks to probably five weeks. Lina had been the one to receive it. She described your features before she left for missions," he explained feeling a bit of nostalgia. It was clear that even he didn't feel glad or indifferent about her death.

"I see..." Noah muttered heaving a deep sigh.

"What is your name?" Noah asked the man. His question brought a bit of a shock to him.

"I'm Kell, sir," the man bowed. Although he looked older than Noah, his power fell short of the man before him.

He only held middle-stage power. Though at its peak.

"Well, thank you, Kell, for relaying this message," Noah nodded and proceeded to leave the guild hall.

He reached his room in a somber mood but when he opened the silver.

He read its contents and felt both excitement and worry.

The tour was beginning, and from what he saw on the magical paper there was a time limit, and it counted only a few hours before the emissaries of the council came to pick him up!

They would arrive before the royal family for two days after which they would immediately begin.

Apparently, it would be a grand event, but he needn't worry because each of the persons assigned to them would be present.

They were not needed to pack anything but were still allowed to. Noah for one would always be prepared.

Thankfully he had whole bundles of attires within his inventory. Elder Sarah had made sure he didn't wind up naked since their training usually ended in ripped clothes.

Noah immediately felt on edge. He would be appearing before the royal family in about a day. Normally, he should have expected it but due to his circumstances, he felt unprepared.

He had returned just in time for the tour. They were a bit early on the schedule. He wondered why.

Immediately Noah opened the magical scroll a series of shining words parted from its fabric to and on his hand and vanish inside it.

The letter had explained what that was meant for, and apparently, it was to keep track of his location for when the emissaries arrived.

He had three hours in total.

'What do I do now?' He fell on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

He could think of nothing he could do to prepare himself. He was already at his best. The highest he could do was maybe refill his core with potions.

Speaking of which, When Noah advanced to the higher stage, his core's color and shape stayed the same. Only that it got bigger, and the essence within it had increased in quality.

Noah had never thought of it, but he wondered how he would breach the gap between the second third, and fourth speed essence rank.

The higher he went the more power he was going to get since its purity was increasing and advancing.

He pushed the matter to the side since he couldn't even begin to try it because of his state.

"I just arrived and I'm already leaving," he chuckled at the irony.

Noah had a long bath before putting on a new robe and a new pair of boots. He combed his hair and tied it into a simple ponytail.

He knew other styles he could tie it in, but he felt a ponytail was enough. His looks did the rest.

Noah inspected his face and admired how whatever wounds he had received on it had vanished. His healing was truly something else.

Noah waited around for the time to go, but before that time arrived a knock sounded on his door.

A strange occurrence. Noah went forward to open the door, and to his surprise, his eyes fell on the stunning Ariana.

Noah's eyebrows threatened to crease, but he had more control over his expression than most.

She had a delighted smile on her face, even if it quickly began to fade.

"Have we gotten to the point where we greet each other as guild-mates," she tried to joke, but seeing as Noah simply remained silent she drew back her smile. Only by a bit, however.

"I heard you returned. And it would seem the rumors were true," Her eyes scanned him from his head down to his feet. He was incredible. So much so that she held on to her breathing to not give away her nervousness.

Her eyes suddenly flashed, however. She had noticed his power and felt stunned herself.

"How?" she found herself muttering, and Noah understood what she meant.

Ariana herself had improved since the last time he saw her. She now stood at the very peak of the middle stage. He suspected that only a few days or weeks were left and she would cross over into the higher stage.

He remained unmoved by her words and expression, but she quickly regained her composure.

"You disappeared for months on end, I wanted to talk. Please would you let me in?" She announced, and a tinge of anger rose inside Noah.

After all those months, even if it was due to his training, her cold reaction then left a negative impression.

"Whatever you want to say, say it out here," his icy blue eyes were chilling but his voice lacked any intensity. Emotionless. Even with his anger, Noah could still keep his cool.