Africa Leveling

The morning sun spilled into their quarters, casting soft light across the weary but victorious team. Jajwok was the first to stir, letting out an exaggerated yawn. "Morning, my loyal subjects!" he announced, winking as he dramatically stretched.

Kipkemboi only rolled his eyes. "You better hope there aren't any more assassins lurking. They might hear you and decide they're not finished with you yet."

Before Jajwok could come up with a comeback, there was a knock on the door. It was one of the king's attendants, ushering them to the throne room. They followed, still shaking off the lingering tension from the previous night's battle.

As they entered, the king's face softened in relief upon seeing them. "I owe you all an apology," he said solemnly. "Last night's attack should never have happened. All security had been shifted to guard my chambers, leaving your quarters unprotected."

Jajwok shrugged. "Hey, no harm, no foul. I mean, except for the bruises and minor trauma."

The king chuckled, clearly amused by Jajwok's casual response. "As an apology, I offer each of you a gift." He clapped his hands, and a servant entered carrying a box lined with velvet. Inside were four intricately crafted rings, each gleaming with an otherworldly luster.

"These rings possess the power to transform into armor or clothing, depending on your needs. They are enchanted to adapt to your style, providing protection and elegance," the king explained.

Kit Mi Kai snorted as he slipped his ring onto his finger. "An apology ring, huh? Hope it's better protection than your guards."

Olamsuri giggled but quickly covered her mouth, trying to mask the laugh. She too slid her ring on, the stone gleaming with a faint pinkish glow that matched her energy. "Thank you, Your Majesty," she said, a mix of politeness and excitement.

Kipkemboi, however, was all business. "The rings are appreciated. But we don't need additional protection. We can handle ourselves."

The king's gaze lingered on Kipkemboi for a moment before nodding, respecting his confidence. "If that's your wish," he replied, "then consider this a gesture of goodwill. And if you require anything during your time here, just ask."

Kipkemboi wasted no time. "Actually, there is something. We'd like to train at the Adventurer's Guild while we await entry to the mage academy."

The king agreed readily, and with a wave of his hand, he summoned a servant to guide them. "May your training bring you strength."

The bustling city streets were a sensory overload, filled with vendors selling everything from magical trinkets to strange-smelling potions. Jajwok's eyes were wide as he admired the scenery, pointing out every little oddity.

"You'd think he's never been in a city before," Kit Mi Kai muttered, though even he seemed taken by the vibrant energy around them.

Eventually, they reached the Adventurer's Guild—a grand building with tall wooden beams and banners displaying various crests. Inside, adventurers of all kinds gathered, some boasting about their latest conquests while others pored over maps and quest scrolls.

At the counter stood a woman who looked both bored and mildly amused by their approach. Jajwok nudged Kipkemboi, whispering loudly, "She looks like she could slay us with a look."

The woman overheard and let out a soft chuckle. "Welcome, heroes. Here to sign up?"

Kipkemboi stepped forward. "We'd like to take on a quest."

She handed him a scroll. "There's a basic task for beginners: clearing out slimes in the nearby forest. But a word of caution—don't wander too deep. The Slime King resides there, and it's no foe for the faint of heart."

Jajwok grinned, grabbing the scroll. "Challenge accepted. We'll be back before dinner."

The forest was dense and humid, with mossy undergrowth and the faint sound of trickling water. It wasn't long before they encountered their first slimes—gelatinous, squishy creatures that bounced toward them.

Olamsuri flicked her fingers at one of the slimes, sending it splattering against a tree with ease. "Wow, these are so weak," she laughed. "Feels like they're made of jelly."

Kit Mi Kai smashed another slime with a rock, barely putting any effort into the movement. "They're almost pathetic," he muttered, though his lips curved into a slight smile. Even Jajwok, with his usual antics, had little trouble disintegrating slimes with bursts of lightning.

After clearing a fair number of slimes, Kipkemboi called for a break, checking the scroll to see how many they had to defeat. But as they rested, a sudden silence fell over the forest. The birds stopped chirping, and a thick, heavy fog rolled in.

"Uh… guys?" Jajwok said, his voice a whisper. "I don't think we're alone."

The ground began to tremble, and from the depths of the forest emerged the Slime King. Twice their height, the creature glowed an ominous shade of green, its body pulsating with acidic ooze.

"Whoa, that's a lot of slime," Olamsuri murmured, half in awe, half in horror.

The Slime King wasted no time, lashing out with a giant, gooey tendril. Kipkemboi dodged just in time, the acidic slime sizzling as it hit the ground where he'd been standing.

Kipkemboi pulled his katana, channeling his focus as he prepared to strike. "Olamsuri, teleport us behind it!" he shouted.

With a nod, Olamsuri grabbed both Kipkemboi and Kit Mi Kai, her rungu glowing as they vanished and reappeared at the Slime King's rear. Kipkemboi slashed his katana across its back, creating a long, burning cut, but the creature only shuddered, regenerating almost instantly.

"It's regenerating too fast!" Kit Mi Kai shouted, raising rocks from the ground and launching them at the slime's head. They pelted the creature, temporarily disorienting it, but the Slime King's body only absorbed the impacts, reforming each time.

Jajwok darted in, lightning crackling in his hands as he delivered a powerful shock. The Slime King shrieked, its form momentarily destabilized as it thrashed, but soon enough, it reassembled, its rage now focused on Jajwok.

"Looks like I got its attention!" Jajwok shouted, dashing backward as he continued sending bolts of electricity at it, each one making the Slime King recoil.

Kipkemboi called to Kit Mi Kai, who was busy slinging rocks. "We need to try something else! Kit, think you can immobilize it?"

Kit Mi Kai clenched his fists, focusing his energy into the ground. With a deep rumble, a ring of rocks shot up around the Slime King, forming a tight enclosure that held the creature in place. For a moment, it struggled, unable to break free.

Kipkemboi took his chance. Channeling his newfound skill he was hiding, he summoned a massive, hollow aura that took the form of a towering, armored warrior. Within its translucent chest, Kipkemboi hovered, guiding the construct with a sense of purpose.

"Let's end this," he growled, raising a spectral katana as his aura swung down. The sword struck the Slime King, its acid oozing out as it let out an agonized howl. Though it tried to reform, the continuous onslaught left it unable to keep up with the relentless assault.

The Slime King's body began to shudder, its form breaking apart into smaller, powerless fragments. With one final scream, it disintegrated, leaving nothing but a pool of harmless goo.

They all stood, breathing heavily, as Kipkemboi's aura slowly faded. A notification blinked in front of him, signaling the acquisition of the Slime King's skill: Aura Transfiguration.

As the squad made their way back to the Adventurer's Guild, the adrenaline of their victory over the Slime King still coursed through their veins. Jajwok, with his usual swagger, was recounting their feat with dramatic embellishments, which only earned eye-rolls from Kit Mi Kai and chuckles from Olamsuri.

The moment they stepped into the guild hall, conversations halted. Adventurers and guild staff alike turned to stare at the four, their attire now dusted with remnants of slime and auras of raw power radiating off them. Kipkemboi walked to the counter, the same receptionist now looking at him with raised eyebrows and a hint of awe.

"So, any other 'basic' tasks?" Kipkemboi asked, a subtle grin on his face.

The receptionist blinked, clearly processing the implication. "You… completed the quest? You all fought the slimes and…" her voice trailed off as she noticed Olamsuri idly twirling a small vial of slime, a trophy she'd kept from their battle.

Before she could reply, an older, seasoned guild member approached them. "To have bested the Slime King as newcomers—well, you'd better be ready for the guild's test if you're aiming for the big leagues."

The receptionist nodded, motioning to an orb placed on a pedestal nearby. "We require all adventurers to undergo a ranking test. Place your hands on this orb, and it will assess your strength."

Jajwok went first, grinning widely as he placed his hand on the orb. A glow erupted from within, quickly flaring to a brilliant diamond hue. Murmurs spread across the room, and adventurers began gathering closer.

Next was Olamsuri. She placed her hand delicately on the orb, the light within flaring even brighter to match Jajwok's diamond ranking. Kit Mi Kai followed, his hand causing the orb to pulse with an intense, steely gleam before landing on diamond as well.

Finally, Kipkemboi stepped up, the room utterly silent as he placed his hand on the orb. The orb glowed as before, the light rising swiftly to diamond and holding there, confirming his S+ class rank.

Whispers and gasps filled the room. "Four S+ class diamond-ranked adventurers!" someone murmured, awestruck.

The receptionist, trying to regain her composure, stamped their profiles with the coveted diamond mark. "Welcome to the guild, S+ adventurers. I suspect you'll be taking on the toughest quests we have available… and maybe rewriting our record book in the process."

The four exchanged glances, realizing they'd just made a powerful entrance into the adventuring world.