novelraw Chapter 162: First Impression
Chapter 162: First Impression
Inside the building the reception desk waited near the entrance.
And behind it sat the same man as last time.
The male receptionist looked up as Arthur approached.
Recognition flashed across his face.
Then his eyes narrowed slightly.
Arthur almost laughed.
He still remembers.
Arthur placed his badge on the counter.
The man picked it up and examined it for a moment.
His gaze lingered longer than necessary before he returned it.
"You again."
Arthur smiled casually.
"Morning."
The receptionist said nothing more.
But the look he gave Arthur could almost stab through steel.
Arthur took his badge back and walked past him.
He didn’t bother hiding his amusement knowing the receptionist was still mad about his free visits to the Goddess’s private training hall.
He continued through the quiet hall until the door to the private hall appeared.
As he pushed it open.
The moment he stepped inside he saw them.
Commander Lyra stood near the center of the hall.
And around her were five other explorers.
Arthur’s eyes moved quickly across the group.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Then he sighed quietly.
"Ah."
They were all already here.
Arthur scratched the back of his neck.
So I’m the last one.
Of course the commander noticed him immediately.
But so did everyone else.
Six pairs of eyes turned toward the door.
Lyra crossed her arms slowly.
"Well."
Arthur walked forward and gave a respectful nod.
"Good morning, Commander."
Her lips curved slightly.
"You’re a bit late for your introduction."
Arthur lifted his hands slightly.
"Still early though."
A few of the squad members frowned at his casual tone.
Lyra simply shook her head.
"Just barely."
Then she turned toward the group.
"Since you’ve all gathered, we might as well begin."
Arthur stood quietly as she stepped forward.
"This is Arthur."
Her voice was calm and steady.
"Sixth Division. Bronze squad."
She paused slightly.
"F rank."
A couple of the squad members exchanged looks.
Lyra continued.
"No class."
This time the reaction was clearer.
One of the female explorers raised an eyebrow, while the male explorer folded his arms in disinterest.
But Lyra didn’t stop there.
"However."
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"He has already made several achievements."
Arthur kept his expression neutral while she spoke.
"Recently he encountered a ritual guardian."
That statement alone drew more attention.
"And he killed it."
Silence followed.
Arthur felt the weight of their stares now.
They were curious, but also doubtful.
Arthur didn’t mind as he had expected this.
From the outside it sounded ridiculous.
An F rank with no class killing a ritual guardian.
Arthur simply stood there calmly.
They’ll see eventually.
Strength had a way of revealing itself.
Whether people believed the stories or not didn’t really matter.
Lyra finished her explanation.
"He is now the sixth member of this squad."
She gestured toward him briefly.
"Treat him well."
Arthur’s eyes moved across the group again.
They still looked unconvinced as they measured him silently.
Arthur met their gazes without flinching.
Before his attention caught a face he already knew.
Ryn stood among them with a relaxed expression.
The captain smiled the moment their eyes met.
Arthur almost laughed.. his assumption was right.
Ryn was part of the squad too.
The pieces clicked together quickly in Arthur’s mind.
The information he gave the commander after their mission.
His earlier comment about wanting to work together.
"If the commander wills."
Arthur understood now.
Ryn had probably recommended him.
Arthur gave a small gesture in return and Ryn nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
It felt good seeing at least one familiar face among the group.
Arthur didn’t know the others yet.
But Ryn had already proven himself reliable in battle.
That alone made the situation easier.
Lyra clapped her hands once, drawing everyone’s attention again.
"Enough standing around."
She looked toward the rest of the squad.
"Introduce yourselves."
Her tone carried quiet authority.
"So our newest member can know his allies."
Arthur straightened slightly at Lyra’s words. His eyes moved across the group again, studying them more carefully now.
Five people.
Different builds. Different attitudes.
He could already tell some of them didn’t fully accept him yet. Their looks said enough.
Arthur didn’t take it personally.
Fair enough, he thought. If I were them, I’d doubt it too.
The first person to step forward made the wooden floor creak slightly.
Arthur looked up.
The man was big. Not just tall but wide across the shoulders. His arms looked like they had spent years holding shields and weapons. A heavy tower shield rested against the wall behind him, almost as tall as Arthur himself.
The man crossed his thick arms and looked Arthur over once.
His expression didn’t change.
When he spoke, his tone carried a blunt edge.
"Torren."
He didn’t even try to sound friendly.
"D rank tanker. From the First Division. Silver squad."
His voice was deep and steady, like someone used to shouting commands in battle.
"I handle frontline combat and defense."
He paused for half a second, clearly done.
Then he stepped back like the matter wasn’t important anymore.
Arthur nodded calmly.
"Nice to meet you."
Torren didn’t respond, but Arthur didn’t neccessarily expect one.
Still, he made a mental note.
Front line wall. Probably a stubborn one too.
Before the commander could say anything, the next person spoke.
A woman stepped forward.
She was tall but lean, her posture straight like a drawn arrow. Long dark hair fell down her back and a sleek bow rested across her shoulder.
Her eyes were sharp.
The kind that seemed to measure distance without trying.
"Selene."
Her voice was calm and quiet.
"D rank marksman. From the Second Division. Silver squad."
She barely looked at Arthur as she spoke.
"I handle long range support."
That was it.
No extra words or smiles.
She stepped back almost immediately.
Arthur rubbed the back of his neck.. then nodded to her introduction.
Selene gave a small nod in return, though it looked more like simple acknowledgment than friendliness.