《Grim Fate: The Strongest Guild》


 Chapter 1: Dungeons, Hunters and Guilds

    From the beginning of time, there has always been a need for balance. If there are conflicts, there are bound to be solutions. And with it arises new conflicts that are to be solved once again. It was the current flow of time, a never ending cycle, but it is the balance needed for the world to maintain its order.


    But within the peaceful days of humanity, a certain conflict arises that changes the whole world. And it was the discovery of the dungeons, a pit, a place where treasures and heavenly artifacts are bound to be plenty inside. However, it does not come without a challenge. With the appearance of the dungeons, came the existence of monsters. An unidentified existence, taking the form of whatever their respective dungeon''s ecosystem was.


    Fortunately for the humans, the monsters never leave their dens. Even so, it is in man''s nature to plunder, even if it costs a life, theirs or the others. And so, they delve into the dungeons to loot the said treasures, but alas, they are overwhelmed, as they are merely humans with no special skills regarding extermination of monsters. However, as balance dictates it, one of the humans has discovered something.


    In the brink of danger, this person awakened a certain power, dormant and lingering, he forcefully surpassed his limits and defeated each of the monsters one by one. Attribute system. A system that allows them to break past human limitations, gaining skills such as wizardry and much more. The only explanation that they could come up with was, of course, that it was a form of equilibrium imposed when the existence of monsters was affirmed.


    Thus, more humans have become aware of their lingering attributes and skills. Those humans are now what are called, the Hunters. They fearlessly delve into the discovered dungeons, raiding and plundering the treasures and artifacts that it possessed. But there are dungeons that were impossible to challenge, those that delve into it never came back. These dungeons are now what they call, Abyssal Fronts.


    Dungeons have been labelled into many categories since then. From the ascending order of lowest to highest rank: Thicket (Green), Rain (Blue), Star (Yellow), Blood (Red), Prism (White), and finally the Abyssal Front (Pitch Dark). With it, also comes the ranking of Hunters, based on their attributes in addition to the rank of dungeons that they could conquer. The rank titles of the hunters was also the same as the dungeons with the Human rank as an addition, which is the lowest of them. Though, never in history, that a hunter has reached the rank of Abyssal.


    Many years have passed, the system of treasure hunting and licensing of hunters has been put into law just so there would be order. The most important and notable implementations that the enforcing agencies have added, was the guild system where hunters could form their own group to do dungeon raids and exploration. This system has been imposed for about 10 years already, though the discoveries of the dungeons were already a century ago.


    As said back then, there were no hunters or even guilds that managed to reach or clear an Abyssal Front. However, this time in the present, one guild has successfully withstand the challenges of an Abyssal Front and plundered it. With a certain human leading them, this guild has reached the eyes and ears of the many, and will continue so in the future.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    "Mmmh¡­just a few more minutes¡­"


    Telmaris. The nation, boasting supreme fame and power due to the different high ranking guilds it houses. To add, more and more dungeons seem to be appearing near its borders and neighbouring lands, making it a haven for treasure hunters¡­but not for ordinary humans. Such as the one who is seemingly on the lookout for something.


    "Yeah, I knew it already but guess what, I really am a fool thinking that I could skip breakfast and not worry about getting hungry until lunch¡­"


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    The man looks around, hoping for some good Samaritan to ask him if he needs help or rather, offer him even some biscuits.


    He pulls his hood down as he decides to himself that he does not need anyone to help him.


    "No, you can do this Zep."


    He mumbles to himself.


    The man''s name is Zephyr. A young man who has a fair height and average build. His looks are as pale as it gets, with his dead white hair and choice of clothes which is a plain white top under a long dark robe with white lace patterns. His eyes are heavy due to the lack of sleep and skipping breakfast which he wants to hide from the townspeople, hence, the hood he is currently wearing. He also wears a number of trinkets, specifically two rings on each hand, a bracelet and a necklace.


    The town is currently lively today, as this day marks the schedule for the gathering of different famous guilds from each of their respective branches. This was announced right before the Elite Explorers have discovered numerous marks outside of the border area. Which basically means¡­that the monsters might possibly leave their respective dungeons in the future and invade towns. Some people are also free to observe them from the outside and astonish themselves with the high ranking guilds.


    Going back to the plain Zephyr, as fate would have it, he collided with someone who is currently in a hurry.


    "Ow ouchie¡­"


    It was a woman who wears an insignia of a famous guild, and moreover, her badge is colored Red, a high ranking one.


    "Ah, s-sorry! I didn''t mean to-"


    Zephyr looks at what she''s holding: a letter of invitation, sent to guilds for the gathering. There he realized that he and this woman might just be heading to the same place.


    "Ah, no it''s fine. I''m the one who''s not looking. Oh by the way, are you a local of this town?"


    The woman rubs her hair as she bows down to him as a form of apology.


    Zephyr puts his hands forward as if signifying the woman to stop bowing to him.


    "P-please, don''t bow to someone like me. And uh¡­to answer your question, well¡­I suppose I am?"


    The woman tilts her head as the man she just asked, replied with another sort of question, moreover, rather a rhetorical one. She chose to shrug it off. She clasps her hands and breathes deeply.


    "Please! Would you mind helping a lost girl find the way to a tavern called, Gringar!?"


    Flustered, Zephyr steps back a little as the woman gets closer to his face.


    "Alright!"


    He answered willfully, as to stop her further.


    "We''re going to the same place anyway¡­"


    Zephyr then scratches his cheeks lightly.


    "Yeah! Thank you, good citizen! And I see, going to observe hmm? The fate of the land depends on this meeting after all. Lead the way then, general!"


    The woman poses like a knight after those silly words of hers.


    "Err, alright."


    Zephyr sighs and proceeds to walk. As they do, his eyes secretly observe the woman. She is as tall as him, slim and has a perfect body for a guileful assassin, paired with equipment like belt pouches and light armor. Though, contrary to that, her brunette hair draws attention, as it looks shining when placed under the sun.


    The woman looks towards him.


    "My name''s Erika, I''m currently representing the Guild, Shadow Core, along with two of my teammates who left me and are already at the site."


    She speaks like it''s normal for them to leave her behind.


    Zephyr only looks at her without turning his head.


    "Shadow Core¡­ah, the Blood Ranked Guild from West Zennovia. You came a long way from home then. Though, for assassins like you¡­maybe five or six days of travel time was possible."


    Erika was surprised that a normal citizen like him knows a lot, and he guessed it right that they only took five days to arrive.


    "Whoa, you sure know your stuff huh. Well, not to boast or anything, but you''re right. Five days is all we need to reach this land, hehe."


    She then looks at the sky with excitement reflecting in her glimmering eyes.


    "I''m really looking forward to this day, you know!"


    Zephyr smiled a little.


    "Yeah, a lot of people do actually. It''s the first time that the major guilds from different lands are able to fit in their schedule for a meeting."


    "Right!? To finally have a day to meet legends, it''s an honor!"


    Erika breathes in and lets it out afterwards.


    "Though, there is one thing I''m looking forward to the most. And I bet the others are also thinking the same."


    They slowed down a bit as Erika kept on talking.


    "It''s to finally meet them, the Guild who is said to be composed of the strongest hunters in their own rights. The only Guild who has conquered an Abyssal Front and came back without any casualties."


    Zephyr swallows his saliva as he knows what she''s talking about. Erika then speaks in a more respective tone before speaking the Guild''s name.


    "The Abyss ranked Guild: [Grim Fate]!"

 Chapter 2: Gathering of the Strong

    Grim Fate. A name that sends shivers, even to the Higher ranked Guilds. Their members, as the rumors say, are composed of hunters who have long abandoned their humanity due to the insane attributes and skills they could muster, allowing them to trample dungeons in a hair''s breadth. They are also the first and only guild that finally cleared an Abyssal Front, and to add more, they managed to do it without any casualties on their end. They may have some connections here and there, but they''re mainly on the secretive side of things, that only a few chosen people know what they look like.


    Now that they have given confirmation that they would attend today''s gathering, all of the guilds have agreed to join in despite their busy schedules. After all, the leader of the Abyss ranked guild, Grim Fate, is personally going. No one knows his identity yet, but he is popularly known by many titles such as: {World''s Sage}, {Grim Reaper}, {Perfect Warrior} and so on¡­but the title that his guild members call him ¨C {Fate Threader}.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    "The Abyss ranked Guild: [Grim Fate]!"


    Erika reaches her hand out into the sky.


    "It was the first time for us, guilds from farther lands, to be able to witness them! That''s why I''m really looking forward to it! I can only imagine how ridiculously amazing they all would look like. Especially their leader!"


    "K-kukh¡­!"


    After having heard of Erika''s statement. Zephyr seems to have had a minor heart attack as he clutched his chest whilst breathing in labor. His face looks like someone who was traumatized.


    "Wha-!? Hey, are you okay? Are you perhaps feeling under the weather and I forced you to walk with me!? I''m sooooorry!!!"


    Erika shakes her head repeatedly with her hands clasped, asking him for forgiveness.


    Zephyr places his hands on his stomach as he looks at Erika with a forced smile, though anyone could see that he''s close to bawling. He then raises a thumb.


    "I-I''m okay!"


    "No you''re clearly not!"


    Erika violently shakes him as if it''s going to fix things up. A light bulb then appears on her head which seems like she had an idea. She then rummages through her pouch and takes out a small vial.


    "Here, I have a


    . This is home-brewed by our alchemist, so I can vouch for its effectiveness!"


    Erika makes him swallow the entire content of the vial.


    "B-Bueh!? Wait, what did you just make me drink again?"


    Zephyr lightly shoves her hands away which is holding the now empty vial.


    "Ah, a home-brewed potion made by our top alchemist:


    !"


    Zephyr wryly chuckled.


    "Heh¡­I wonder what kind of side effects it has. Uhh¡­Erika, didn''t you know that minor potions like that tend, or always, have an aftereffect like becoming sleepy or tired due to its main ingredient Gnome leaf."


    "E-eh!?"


    "...and the duration would last for about an hour or so."


    "What!? That''s news to me!"


    Erika seems like she''s in panic, thinking of a way to stop the potion''s setback.


    "Well, it was mainly used for minor illnesses, so the effects were understandable."


    Zephyr massages the back of his neck and lets out a sigh.


    "But don''t worry¡­I''m well, kind of resistant to those."


    "Whoa, are you for real!? Like, Joura, our alchemist, is quite the talented individual. She makes such potent potions which makes us conquer a lot of dungeons. If there''s an effect, she would surely elevate it¡­even if it''s a fallback sometimes¡­hehe."


    Erika looks away, ruffling her hair.


    "Uhh, okay, so maybe Joura thought a lot when concocting this potion and made it so that the aftereffects aren''t that tough. Right?"


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    Erika raises a brow, as if she, of all people, doesn''t see her allied alchemist to be that kind of person.


    "U-uhm, okie let''s leave it that way haha."


    She chuckled briefly.


    "Oh, we''re near, so-"


    Before Zephyr even finishes his sentence, a shout interrupted him which could be heard from a distance.


    "EEERIIIIKAAAA!!!!"


    "E-eek!!!"


    Erika was frightened with the voice, her body shakes and it could be seen that she''s sweating quite a bit.


    With a single pinch in the ear, she was raised from the ground.


    "Owiiiie!" exclaimed Erika while lightly tapping the hands of what looks like her superior.


    Zephyr on the other hand activates his <blending in with the crowd like a normal citizen> skill as he thought that it would be a pain if he gets involved further. Though whilst backing off, Erika turns to him and waves as she has been finally let go of. With a short breath, she bid him goodbye¡­though they''ll probably meet each other again very soon.


    "T-thank you again, good citizen!"


    Zephyr nervously smiled and slightly raised his hands while waving towards her.


    ''I need a quick bite¡­I think I''ll pass out sooner or later'' he thought to himself.


    Gringar. The largest tavern Telmaris could offer. Aside from having the best meals and beverages in town, it also boasts a long deep history with the legendary guilds it housed back in the days. The owner itself was a retired legend, a Hunter with the title {Unyielding Titan} that goes by the name¡­well, Gringar.


    "Hope the big man has some tasty bread and cheese for me¡­"


    Zephyr lowers his head and pulls his hood down. He then marches towards the tavern, pushing and interjecting himself to the crowd observing from the outside.


    "E-exc- wha-! Excuse me please¡­!"


    "Uhm, Fiona, helloooo? I would just like to say that, err¡­my bad, haha."


    Her superior, Fiona, looks back at her with a piercing gaze, making Erika look away while whistling.


    "We talked about this last night. You''re going on ahead of us this morning to survey the site, but then you''re nowhere to be found!"


    "I apologized, okay? I didn''t know that I''ll get distracted with the scenery, it''s much much different than in Zennovia. Good thing, a good fellow led me here and free of charge!"


    "You bothered a normal citizen despite being an officer of one of Zennovia''s Top Guilds¡­"


    Fiona facepalms whilst slowly shaking her head.


    "Mhm hehe, oh, come to think of it, I forgot to ask his name."


    The two finally made it inside the huge tavern, where one of their guild members is waiting for them to enter the main hall for the assembly. Behind them, followed by the hungry Zephyr who silently makes his way towards the hall.


    ¨CGringar''s Tavern, Main Hall¨C


    Despite the boisterous crowd outside the hall, the inside of the room is well-organized. The tables and chairs of each guild were embellished, on the other hand, meals are not served yet until everyone is finally present.


    Though of course, the main attraction of the place currently, is the presence of the Top Guilds from different regions. Everyone representing their group really does show their respective power through banners, blatant display of their collected artefacts, and some of them, just by existing alone is enough to display their authority.


    Hunter''s Guild; [Crow''s Nest] - Blood Rank


    "Fuhahahaha! To be able to share a room soon with the puissant [Grim Fate], I can''t wait!"


    "Indeed, though, King Crow-sama, it would be a pleasure to let them acknowledge us through the achievements we have garnered and the long history of our guild."


    "Of course, that''s the plan from the beginning right? Just prepare the artifact that we have collected back in the |Forest of Clouds|, and be sure to present it to that {Fate Threader}!"


    Merchant''s Guild; [Diamond Trading & Co.] - Star Rank


    "Not everyday you get to see such important people, so let''s all be organized and set up an example as the best, most sought after Merchant''s Guild in all of Telmaris."


    "Yes, Chief Meirin! We will be sure to keep our discipline in check. Oh, also, the thing you asked us to prepare ¨C"


    "That''s the important stuff, let it rest there before we present it to {Fate Threader}. Remember, my dear associates: we are here to establish networks from different powerful guilds, however-! [Grim Fate] is our top priority."


    Hunter''s Guild; [Shadow Core] - Blood Rank


    "I can''t believe you Erika¡­in the future, before you move out on your own, make sure you can really do what you will tell us. We''ve been here for half an hour already."


    "Hehe¡­sorry David, as I said, some of the capital''s scenery has captivated me, so I lost track of time."


    "Always keep your heads up, you two. We''re in the presence of high and important guilds. Be sure not to disappoint by looking weak, we must be at our best¡­most of all, once [Grim Fate] has shown themselves."


    Hunter''s Guild; [Winter''s End] - Prism Rank


    "....."


    "My word¡­everyone''s talking about [Grim Fate] it seems. They''re not even trying to hide the fact that they''re here just to witness them."


    "Haha, admit it though, all of us here are curious about them. I mean, they''re the first to clear an Abyssal Front, and without any casualties. Though, some of us might want to see some proof of clearance personally."


    There are nine guilds in total that were invited for the gathering. One of those guilds, however, declined for some unknown reason. As expected, the main topic inside the hall was the rumored strongest guild. Just soon after, the floor shakes as the tavern''s owner, retired legend and also the Guild Establishing Officer (a branch/department managing guilds) has walked into the room.


    He is a gigantic man who looks like someone that''s furious all the time. He has some proud battle scars on his face and body, which depicts his legend. He looked around the room as each of the guild''s representatives stood up to pay his deserved respect. His gaze then falls on one of the free tables, placed in the middle of the hall. Seeing that no one is there yet, he lets out a sigh.


    "Thank you everyone for accepting the invitation despite your busy schedules."


    Gringar then narrows his eyes down.


    "Since there are a few minutes left, let us wait for the others who have not arrived yet."


    A guild member from [Crow''s Nest] then asked the important question.


    "I would like to clarify something. [Grim Fate], would they really come?"


    Everyone looked at him afterwards.


    In response, Gringar crosses his hands and smirks.


    "Oh they will, I''m sure some of them are already in this town."


    Meanwhile, an alarming noise came in from the outside, as if a spell had been cast.


    "What''s happening?"


    A member from the merchant''s guild, [Diamond Trading & Co.], asked. Though as they''re about to look outside, a certain long dark haired woman with a chilling presence has entered the hall, holding the hand of a man with a bread slice on his mouth.


    "....."


    Gringar was stunned for a few seconds. He then snapped out of it and acknowledged the presence of the two.


    "You''ve finally arrived, [Grim Fate]."

 Chapter 3: Fate Threader

    A few minutes ago, inside Gringar''s Tavern, Zephyr decided to take a quick meal first. With that said, he nudges the sleeve of a meal server and whispers something in his ears.


    "Huh!?"


    The server reacted, displaying an expression of disbelief. Zephyr on the other hand looks like he''s expecting this to happen, though he''s seriously hoping that it won''t.


    "Who do you think you are ordering me to get you the special set of breads and cheeses Chief Gringar keeps for special guests. You look like a swindler to me."


    Zephyr pulled his hood down whilst avoiding eye contact from the people who''ve been looking in their direction, seemingly talking about him.


    "A-uhhh¡­I think there''s been a misunderstanding here. I mean, it''s really been reserved for-"


    "Your suggestion spell won''t reach me, give it up swindler."


    A cold and sinister aura then emanates from the entrance of the tavern which feels like it could devour a human in whole.


    "Oh shit¡­don''t tell me¨C"


    While the server is silently choking as if someone is strangling him, Zephyr slowly turns his gaze towards the direction of the person emanating such an aura.


    Step, step ¨C the light steps from this certain person sends strange chills down the spine of those who have caught glimpse of her gorgeous form. It was a dark haired woman, with an expression like a statue, with her choice of white and black dress, she looks like a ghost pafh. Her demeanor is as if she has no care whatsoever about her surroundings, a witch who''s only focus is to master her spells.


    Zephyr uses his skill: <Vibrant Display of Natural Smile as if telling that all''s well>.


    "....." The woman stopped leaking her ominous aura. It was very effective!


    ''Here comes the hard part¡­'' Zephyr thought to himself as the woman slowly made her way towards him whilst still wearing an inscrutable expression.


    "....." Zephyr tilts his head, what surprised everyone was that he''s directly looking into her eyes, by which no one could possibly do right now due to the immense intimidation she has brought with her as she entered the tavern.


    "Ana, I''m here, all is well. Yeah¡­?"


    The people watching were flabbergasted. They then whispered at each other''s ears-


    "White Sorceress, cold demeanor, long dark hair, chilling red eyes¡­and an aura that can swallow you whole¡­isn''t that-"


    "No mistaking it, that''s her¨C"


    "{The Witch of Frost and Dark}, Anastasia Komilova¡­the Prism-ranked Sorceress of [Grim Fate]!"


    "All is well¡­as long as Master Zep is with me."


    Ana shows a little smile and buries her face into Zephyr''s chest as she hugs him.


    "Wha¨C!? Did she just call him her Master!? Does that mean¨C!?"


    "....."


    "OH SHIT-!"


    As soon as the server realized it, he immediately rushed over to the kitchen and grabbed the special set of bread and cheese and handed it over to Zephyr.


    "H-here you go, honored guests!! I''m sorry for my impru-"


    The sinister aura returns as Ana interprets the server''s shouting to be an interruption between her and Zephyr''s bond. In response to this, Zephyr slightly panicked as he grabbed a slice of bread and packed it in his mouth, he then took hold of Anastasia''s hand and squeezed it gently.


    "L-let''s just go in¡­shall we? Haha¡­"


    Anastasia''s aura decreases once again as she is calmed down by Zephyr''s voice. She then took the initiative and led onwards as they both entered the hall with their hands still together and Zephyr still on the verge of munching the bread in his mouth.


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    "You''ve finally arrived, [Grim Fate]."


    Gringar raises a brow as he sees Zephyr who looks like he just got dragged along. Soon after he laughed at him as if he''s already been acquainted with him for quite some time, which is indeed true.


    "Ha-Hahahaha! Go and sit, looks like you two are the only ones available in your guild, I take it?"


    Zephyr finishes the bread quickly, though his stomach is still not satisfied.


    "Yeah¡­the others are currently away for days already. Good thing Ana came back in time to go with me."


    "I will always be on your side."


    Ana remarked quickly, even though Zephyr doesn''t ask for her opinion.


    As expected, the judging eyes of all the hunters inside the hall are glued to them.


    "Those two¡­are from [Grim Fate]?"


    The collective gaze sends nervousness throughout Zephyr''s system, however, he learned back then that at times like these, before the eyes of a predator, it will be wiser to match their intimidation but if not, just try to blend in with their expectations. His display of confidence somehow lifts the hesitation of others from the belief that he''s part of the strongest guild.


    With no hesitation and prior judgement, the leader of the guild [Diamond Trading & Co.] stands up and places her hands on her chest. She then elegantly bowed down and with a smile, greeted the two.


    "Greetings, members of the legendary [Grim Fate]. I am Meiren Diamond, the successor and leader of the widely known merchant''s guild, Diamond Trading and Company."


    Mature, elegant and professional-looking. That''s how one could perceive Meiren judging from the outside. She has short ash-colored hair, braided to the sides whilst wearing their own guild''s hat, as well as a customized eyeglass artifact. The way she represents herself is as if she''s been experienced already with handling principal clients in her whole life. This time is different however, as she looks back up after bowing, what she saw was something else entirely¨C


    "....!!!"


    Something unexplainable, out of this world. Even with the existence of bizarre dungeons, her eyes look like it has witnessed something that should not be seen.


    "Ah¡­ahh¡­Fate¡­Threader¡­"


    Everyone was alerted with what she just said. Her members immediately rushed over and checked her.


    "C-Chief? What''s the matter?"


    As soon as she blinked, Meiren snapped back into reality. It''s as if her mind was imprisoned for a few seconds.


    "A-as expected¡­even with just eye contact, I almost fell into the void. Forgive me for being not strong enough to handle your aura!"


    As soon as their Chief bowed down, her members followed suit.


    "....."


    "What the hell¨C" Zephyr''s not showing it, but he''s extremely uncomfortable with whatever is happening. But then he realized- ''Oops¡­don''t tell me, I forgot to turn that artifact off¡­''


    "This guy¡­" before Fiona adds more, Erika uses her shoulders as a platform of her light hands to raise herself up.


    "Wait, that''s¡­the good citizen that helped me navigate the place!"


    Ana steps forward and patted Meiren''s back. "Do not be sorry, it is understandable that no one holds a candle to Master Zep''s attributes."


    ''Wait, wait, wait, wait - Ana!! Don''t stoke the flames more!'' Zephyr couldn''t say those words however, as he''s too afraid to speak.


    "Wait a moment, are my ears playing against me, or did she just call that ordinary looking human, {Fate Threader}? Do you mean that {Fate Threader} that''s supposed to be the leader of [Grim Fate]!?"


    It was one of the representatives of a Blood ranked guild called [Sharp Steps], his voice shows disappointment after witnessing him in person.


    "Fuhahahaha!!"


    A laugh breaks out from the other side.


    "K-King Crow-sama¡­?"


    "Oh come on Darius, it''s laughable. To think that someone as plain looking as him could be mistaken as the legendary {Fate Threader}. And here I thought, the eyes of the daughter of the esteemed Reich Diamond are as sharp as his."


    "What did you just ¨C"


    Meiren taps his subordinate''s shoulder and halts him before he even speaks more. With hushed voice, she reminds him-


    "Discipline, remember?" With that, the man backs off and lowers his head.


    "Gentlemen¨C" Meiren then was about to speaks for herself until-


    BAM!


    Something awestruck just gets unleashed from the hall, emanating from none other than the lady in white and black dress, Anastasia.


    "Master Zep, I want to murder those people who laughed at you."


    Zephyr''s inner system shakes after she announces her intentions. The other guilds raise their guards as the power they felt is nothing to joke around, it''s as if it can subdue even the strongest monsters. Zephyr however, was unaffected, mainly due to the fact that he has been with Anastasia long enough to consider her aura as a normal part of his daily life. With that said, King Crow narrows his eyes down ¨Cas a prideful warrior, he cannot admit that he was affected by Anastasia''s subduing power, but then as he looked towards the plain looking human in front of him¡­it seems like he could withstand or even¨C


    "W-what!?"


    ¨Csmile at this point. (Zephyr smiled to contain Anastasia''s "sulking")


    "That human just smiled even though he''s that close to the caster¡­!"


    "Huh? Eh?"


    The Guild, [Crow''s Nest], with all of their representatives stood up, their leader, King Crow, opened his arms and laughed.


    "Fuhahahaha!! My bad, one bad thing about getting old is that my eyes are getting a bit hazy. [Crow''s Nest] is humbly welcoming the one and true {Fate Threader}!"


    "Pfffft!!"


    Zephyr choked with his eyes nearly closed, it''s as if he''s getting attacked from within. He thought to himself: ''Please, stop it. Stop with the Fate Threader name¡­I''m no such legend. Just call me Zep!'' However, this act of his just made them wary.


    King Crow thought to himself: ''He squinted! He''s studying us one by one, don''t disappoint now, my subordinates!''


    "Is there something wrong, {Fate Threader}?"


    After asking, King Crow briefly turns towards his subordinates as if signifying them to stand proud.


    Zephyr is calmly looking at them after putting himself back together. Though, he still doesn''t know what they''re trying to do.


    ''What the hell- Do I need to do something¡­?'' He looks at Anastasia and asks in a hushed tone- "Ana, what should I do?"


    Seeing him whispering something to Anastasia, the members of [Crow''s Nest] sweats, with the exception of the confident King Crow.


    In response to Zephyr''s question, Anastasia looks at him in the eye and bows her head.


    "Everything is yours to decide, Master Zep."


    ''No, I''m passing you the baton!! Please take it from here!!''


    Bang! The giant Gringar clasped his hand to get everyone''s attention.


    "I''m sorry to break it to everyone here, but greeting [Grim Fate] will have to wait until the discussion is over. For now - Zephyr, Anastasia, please be seated. Though, I would have to confirm¨C"


    "We''re it for now."


    Zephyr responded immediately. He then places his hand at the back of his head.


    "The others are currently away." Anastasia interjected- "Everything will be decided by our Master, what he will accept and reject this day, will be the agenda of our guild, [Grim Fate]."


    With this remark, it is definitely official. The man before the intimidating guilds, who looks like an ordinary human¡­is none other than the leader of the strongest guild in all of Navea, {Fate Threader} Zephyr Gersche.

 Chapter 4: Opening the Discussion

    They all dreamed of becoming the strongest in their own profession.


    "Zephyr! One day I''ll become the most powerful swordsman that no one could match my blade! And so that I''ll be worthy enough to stand by your side!"


    "Don''t worry, Zep, I shall study the art of trade whilst honing my skills. So that even one of us, with you as an exception, are not all brutes that only know force to garner wealth."


    "I''ll become the fastest rogue not even your eyes could follow, big brother Zep! Well, that''s just hoping tee-hee."


    "Those kids, really. Do not fret, Zephyr. I shall be this group''s shield for when our enemy comes charging, they''ll regret running through our walls head on."


    "Master Zep, I will never leave your side. As someone who has already mastered the art of witchcraft, I shall do everything to keep your enemies at bay for you. Even if I have to sacrifice myself."


    Each one of them has been true to their words back then. It''s as if time just flies by in a hair''s breadth. But then¡­what was his reply to the oaths of his self-proclaimed subordinates (childhood friends)? It was plain, and simple:


    "Err, just please don''t die¡­and please do it for yourself, you can forget about me."


    As expected, that one last request of him was not granted. Zephyr is the main reason for keeping them going, to be the strongest in their profession. Though with that said, Zephyr thought that he, the weakest of them all, should surrender the cloak of being the leader. After all, in his mind, he''s the only one with no talent and skills competent enough to match with his friends.


    Even so, his allies see him as someone with divine foresight. A person who could foresee the near future by peeking into fate itself. After all, Zephyr (unintentionally) made them stronger, made them who they are now, the one responsible for the clearance of an Abyssal Front.


    "I see. So that''s how it is, Zep¡­"


    "Yeah¡­I''m sorr-"


    "So we''re not worthy enough to stand by your side¡­"


    "....Excuse me?"


    "Please give us more chances to prove ourselves. I promise, the day will come that we''ll be able to clear an Abyssal Front without any guidance from you."


    "No wait, that''s not what I meant!"


    "We know, Master Zep. We only cleared that hellish labyrinth with your guidance. But¡­but please! I still want to be by your side, even I''m reduced to just being your sla¨C"


    "Fine, fine whatever you say! Just don''t do anything rash please¡­I don''t want you guys to endanger your lives just because of me."


    It was at that time he couldn''t quit being the leader of the strongest guild, composed of powerful and crazy members, whose sole purpose is to serve him or meet his expectations of them. By the time he realized it, there was a title, a name that is going by every part of the city. {Fate Threader}, the strongest hunter in all of Navea. With all of his achievements and praises this mysterious person garnered, he was given the opportunity to ascend to the rank, where only he could achieve. The only Abyss ranked hunter.


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    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    "Hrmmm¡­"


    The collective gazes still didn''t vanish. Zephyr could feel their eyes piercing him, though he''s not showing his nervousness. Instead, he still acts normally, as he''s more afraid of Anastasia getting uncomfortable more than the stares the other guilds are giving him. Erika, on the other hand, is blatantly waving to him as she finally realized how cool and important he is, though Zep can''t turn his head around at the moment.


    Gringar cleared his throat. To start the meeting, he presented them a scroll with the list of all participating guilds.


    "As per the policies of the GEO, we would like to make sure of the presence of the following: First off, [Shadow Core] from West Zennovia."


    "Here!"


    The three representatives from [Shadow Core] stood up in unison.


    "It''s nice to meet everyone, I am the main representative of our guild, Fiona dun Cormelia, a Star ranked swordmaster. Our leader wants to apologize for her sudden withdrawal of appearance due to an urgent matter, as well as the rest of our members."


    "I see. It''s fine, travelling from here to there is nothing to sneeze at as well. Thank you for being here, be seated."


    As they sat, Gringar continued-


    "Next is, [Sharp Steps] from East Zennovia."


    Their leader then stands up.


    "Blood ranked Assassin, Frendark, the founder of [Sharp Steps]. Though I''m an assassin, I also have the basic attributes qualified for a magician. My guild is elated to be a part of this grand gathering."


    Aside from his judgemental and sharp tongue, his form and manner of speech is quite formal.


    Gringar nodded at him, a Blood ranked assassin attributed with magic is quite the deadly combination, is what in his mind. Baring that information in this hall just means that Frendark himself is confident that no one could possibly be able to stand toe to toe with him in terms of his own profession.


    "Next, well a lot of us have already been acquainted with you but please do so again for formality." He looks at Meiren.


    In response, Meiren stands up, followed by her assistants.


    "Of course. No matter how many times I''ll say it, the meaning behind these words remains true: We of the [Diamond Trading & Co.] are extremely delighted to be a part of this substantial gathering. The city where we started was from Rinwell, however, we now have branches from all over Navea. I am Meiren Diamond, the successor of our proud and wonderful guild. Your expectations, our agenda."


    She elegantly does a curtsy with her short skirt, making some of the male hunters smirk. Anastasia then looked at Zep who is currently busy stuffing his face, oblivious of the introductions.


    The introductions went on, until it reached the final two. "Then, the Prism ranked guild, [Winter''s End]."


    "....."


    The members of the guild didn''t respond in kind. Only then, their leader raises his hand, signifying that they''re present.


    Gringar didn''t comment so far, even he, does not want to make anyone uncomfortable in this room. If they''re not up to speaking, then he''ll not bother.


    "Lastly¨C" he turns his gaze towards Zephyr, who just finished eating. "[Grim Fate], do you still need introductions, or anything you want to say regarding this discussion before we start?"


    "Hm? Oh, ahh¡­"


    All the eyes rest towards him. Zephyr had a quick thought: ''Oh I''m gonna hurl.'' but then, these guilds are all important figures that represent their own cities. For Telmaris which is the imperial capital, [Grim Fate] carries the burden of representing the largest and most sought-after city, despite having numerous powerful guilds residing in Telmaris. ''Should I say something funny to lift this eerie atmosphere? Why is Ana only staring at me, you can also speak for the guild you know. Ahhh¡­sorry for being a lame talker.''


    Zephyr cleared his throat and¨C


    "Uhh, so-"


    The whole room turns quiet, as if all noise just decided to be shut off just to let him speak freely. Everyone inside the hall lends him his ears, their eyes are serious as hell as if taking notes of all his actions.


    ''I want to go home.'' ¡û his lingering thoughts


    He then remembers something about one of his teammates talking about enlarging their numbers which has his approval, although they''re not openly hiring yet due to all of them being busy. But this time, Zephyr thinks that this is one hell of a chance to advertise.


    "I''ve been thinking about expansion."


    "....!?"


    Gringar and his fellow office members are taken aback with what he just said.


    "....."


    "As expected, you already know what''s going on, {Fate Threader}." Gringar remarked.


    "....?"


    ''What the hell?''

 Chapter 5: A Challenge

    Before Zephyr even makes a side comment on why Gringar thinks that he knows something, Anastasia lets out her own remark:


    "Such things are simple before our Master. Though he already knows, someone like me is negligent on what is the case."


    Zephyr looks at her in disbelief, though it was interpreted by Anastasia and the other guilds to be a sign of disappointment due to the fact that Anastasia has no clue about the agenda of GEO. With that said, she bowed deeply towards him.


    "I''m sorry Master Zep, I have disappointed you once again¡­you can punish me later when no one is watching."


    ''OI WHAT THE HELL!! What if they misunderstand what you just said- wait, everyone''s been misunderstanding everything from the start anyway!'' His face looks like he''s going to hurl.


    "As you can already see {Fate Threader}, and if some of the others here have noticed too, dungeons have been spawning a lot more compared to the past years. What''s more alarming is that¡­one of our investigation teams has been ambushed by a monster."


    "Wait up, that''s impossible. In all the years since the discovery of dungeons and monsters, there have been no reports and sightings of dungeon inhabitants leaving their homes. I mean, aren''t the dungeons their lifeline?"


    One curious member from [Sharp Steps] asked.


    ''That was a good question¡­I mean, it''s scary to imagine if one of those labyrinth monsters were to crawl out of their nests and begin attacking towns.'' Zephyr thought.


    "I know it''s hard to believe but it was the truth."


    A runner from the GEO''s investigation team named Darnik speaks for his group.


    "I am right there, since we''re only a team of ordinary humans, a number of us fell to that monster''s attack¡­I saw it, leaving its nest and looking around as if it entered a whole new world."


    ''Brother, that was scary as hell!!'' Zephyr again commented with his thoughts.


    "What? If monsters can now leave their habitats¡­doesn''t it mean that the outside villages and towns might get razed by them?"


    "Fortunately, it''s the first case reported. That means there''s nothing that follows. What we would like to confirm is if that monster is the only thing that could do that, or do they finally have the means to survive outside of their habitats."


    Gringar crosses his arms and makes a serious expression.


    "That''s where the idea of expansion comes in."


    "The one {Fate Threader} just said¡­"


    ''I said that yeah, but not in whatever context you guys are thinking of¡­''


    "We, from the main branch of GEO, are hereby imprinting our seal on this scroll. It hereby states, that the Guild Establishment Office is now allowing the formation of a Clan. A system for guilds to form a larger group of circle, by which a Clan Master shall be put in charge to manage the whole cluster. With this, not only in this Imperial Capital, but the network of information shall now be legally transmitted to other parts of Navea, no matter how far it is."


    Meiren bumps her fist in her palm.


    "A network information system with the use of Clan as its legal medium, huh? You''ve thought of this well."


    Gringar nodded in response.


    "The Clan system of course, will be composed of different guilds with whom they would all share the same information base. With regards to the unknown monster incident, the Clan system will help us distribute any useful information¡­and if our assumptions that the monsters can finally leave their respective dungeons¡­this will help humanity fight off against them."


    "So we''re all here to join in one big clan, and to be led by who?"


    King Crow asked.


    "No, you''re all gathered here to be informed of the recent monster tragedy and to be the witness of the seal imprinting of a new law. Of course, since now that the Clan system has been approved just now, we will acknowledge if one of you would actually¨C"


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    "We''ll gladly participate."


    "Hooh?" ¡û Gringar


    Everyone looked at the person who immediately agreed.


    "[Diamond Trading & Co.] will gladly follow the Clan system. Presuming that the legendary {Fate Threader} will be our guild''s Clan Master."


    It was none other than Meiren.


    Zephyr was startled with her announcement, as he looked at her, she showed him a respectful smile and lowered her head. Though it was to be taken as a compliment, Zephyr took it as if she''s pushing more work for him, who was someone that''s already thinking of retiring due to the fact that he can''t keep up with his insanely talented guild mates. His inner lazy side weeps. ''Lady, I''m already at my wit''s end managing our small crazy guild¡­how much more stress would it be if I were to manage all of you!''


    "Fuhahahaha!! Sounds interesting, though, we of the Crow''s Nest are all proud warriors, we have no qualms if it''s the legendary {Fate Threader} that leads the clan."


    It was back then that captivated King Crow''s eyes. The smile of a top predator, displaying its confidence from all the people affected, despite being faced with an unfathomable monster (Anastasia) and tamed it like he owns her.


    "Us too!"


    The three representatives from [Shadow Core] didn''t hesitate to join in as well.


    "Lord {Fate Threader}, we would like to be a part of your clan as well. [Shadow Core] will be a specialized unit at your disposal for various reconnaissance of far off areas."


    "Hello good citi- I mean, Lord {Fate Threader}! Do you remember me, the cute girl you¨C! Ow!"


    David bumps Erika''s head lightly and makes her lower her head towards Zephyr, which he does as well.


    ''What? What!?''


    Before he even realized it, three of the most well-known guilds have already pledged their allegiance with him, even though he does not announce anything about participating in a Clan yet, moreover, leading one. His chance to reject it just vanished when Anastasia speaks up.


    "All of your applications will be subject to Master Zep''s approval. But know that if he leads this Clan, all of us should make sure that we will meet his expectations of us."


    "That''s acknowledged!"


    "Affirmed!"


    "Fuhahaha! Good, good, we agree!"


    All of these clans just went with it, their decisions are made and firm. The rest of the guilds that haven''t put their allegiance are either arrogant, not convinced, or just plain jealous of the top guild.


    "Hah! Not even a shred of pride left for the lot of you, huh? Bowing down to a person that you haven''t even tested yet, that''s quite foolish."


    Gringar and the others turn towards the man who just announced his dismay about the current matter. Gringar however, is displaying a concerned expression, not for Zephyr, but for this man who just incurred the wrath of all three guilds, specially, [Grim Fate].


    This man is of noble bloodline, hailing from the noble-run kingdom Versp¨¡la. The vice-leader and representative of the Star ranked guild, [Silver Blade], Heinrich Von Silvermane. A proud and classic noble, with a profession of a magic swordsman. He''s confident enough to stand up against them because of his noble bloodline and the Silvermane''s status in society. Though despite this, guilds doesn''t really care-


    "Boy." Said King Crow with a menacing tone whilst walking towards him slowly.


    "W-what? Would you dare lay a hand on me!?"


    King Crow smirked, he then let out a brief chuckle.


    "Keh, I may be old, but I know a warrior when I see one. The man our guild has pledged allegiance to, was of the greatest and top fighters I have seen. I know just by observing him, but then, when I look at you¨C"


    King Crow glared at him from head to toe, making Heinrich shiver.


    "Disappointment, a useless and shameless display of pride, that''s all I can see."


    Meiren doesn''t show it, but she just laughed on the inside. As someone who needs to establish good networks with all these guilds, she has to be careful.


    "You¡­!"


    As time continues to march on, King Crow''s menacing aura just keeps on getting stronger, as Heinrich couldn''t keep up with it, he turns towards the plain looking Zephyr.


    "You! What can you do to prove yourself huh? I''m not believing anything unless I see your power myself!"


    ''You know, we are in agreement about me not being a Clan leader, err¡­though-'' the next words of Zephyr unconsciously came out of his mouth instead of just thinking it in his mind.


    "-you should watch your mouth."


    "...!!"


    "Hah! Tell him {Fate Threader}."


    Everyone seems to acknowledge his words as they all become more wary of him, with the exception of Anastasia and King Crow.


    "A-ah, I didn''t mean to-"


    Anastasia stands up from her position, unexpectedly, she''s still calm despite Heinrich''s provocations to Zephyr.


    "You, of noble blood, have no such experience with hardships. I would gladly take you up on a challenge, to see if you''re worthy enough to speak in front of Master Zep despite that spoiled attitude


    "Spoil-!! Tch! You think I''ll get intimidated by you and your challenge!"


    ''Whoa, this dude got guts, standing up to Anastasia like that.''


    "Indeed. A dungeon raid with me to be exact."


    This will be fun.

 Chapter 6: Clan Leader

    "What did you say!?"


    "A dungeon raid with¨C"


    "That''s not what I meant!"


    Heinrich points his finger towards Zephyr who is casually whistling in secret.


    "I''m the one who''s supposed to be issuing a challenge! And I am challenging that man!"


    ''Why are nobles always the stingiest person in a group? I mean, if you want attention, get all the attention you want, you''re doing me a great favor doing that anyway¡­''


    As Zephyr thought of that, the finger pointed at him turns black from the tip as it spreads like some sort of a plague into the hands of Heinrich.


    "I-IIIEEEH!!"


    "Uhm, hold it Ana."


    "Master Zep, this unworthy finger is pointing at you. I shall destroy it."


    "Well, if you do, we''ll leave a bad reputation with the nobles so - maybe let''s go back to the raid challenge ones."


    Anastasia closes her eyes slowly. As she does, the darkness within Heinrich''s finger begins to vanish.


    "Y-you bi-!" He stopped halfway after getting glared at by Gringar who''s not tolerating any more unnecessary provocations, even if he is a noble.


    "We''re all gathered here with an agenda to unite and fight off an unidentified threat. We don''t want this to turn into a dog fight."


    Gringar massages his chin and looks at Zephyr who is seemingly calm regarding the situation.


    "Though, if a challenge was posed, it is the decision of the challenged if he would accept it or not. In this case, I''ll be fair, Heinrich might have the right to be the challenger."


    ''Well, that''s expected. He is the one questioning the leadership and wants to know the capability of said leader. With that said-''


    Zephyr chuckled.


    ''-with me as the Clan''s leader already leads to a bad end. Maybe I''ll just pass the baton to him - yeah, good idea, me.''


    Zephyr clasps his hands and takes a breath before speaking up.


    "If that''s the case, would you mind leading the clan on my stead?"


    "....."


    The whole room went silent, everyone stared at each other and finally rested all of their gazes into the man who was offered leadership by {Fate Threader} himself.


    "H-hah, I never said I''m interested, but if you insist I¨C"


    "Then I''m out."


    King Crow immediately demonstrates his withdrawal.


    "It''s better to be ripped apart by monsters than to be ordered around by a puny and self-centred brat."


    "If that''s the decision of our leader, everyone would follow."


    Meiren who is seemingly sweating, and her guild fall quiet all of a sudden. As she inhaled a lot of air, she internally screamed-


    ''WAAAAAAAAH, {Fate Threadeeeeer}! Why would you make it so difficult for us! If we decline his leadership, then that would create a rift between our guild and the nobles! But - but! I don''t want to be under him, please just accept the position Lord {Fate Threadeeeeeer}!''


    Heinrich''s glance fell towards Meiren, as her internal scream somehow reached him. She tried her best to look away whilst pretending to clean some artifacts they have brought.


    A heavy sigh then can be heard from the direction where the prism ranked guild, [Winter''s End], is residing. Despite not having to say anything, it could be an interpretation of disappointment, pointed towards the arrogant noble.


    [Shadow Core] on the other hand supported King Crow''s words, with Fiona as their speaker.


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    "I would side with Lord King Crow on this. Though we respect you and your guild, our decision has already been made from the start."


    "....."


    ''T-THIS IS-!''


    Gringar''s eyes widened in surprise. It''s as if he just realized something, though it''s already late.


    ''With just those carefully picked words, he turned all of the people against Heinrich. The passing of the baton was a trap from the very beginning! He just wanted to show Heinrich how far their gap is between each other without even showing off his skills!!''


    Gringar swallows his saliva and squints.


    ''{Fate Threader}...now I know how difficult it is to go against you.''


    "..???"


    Zephyr raises a brow as if something is not right. He then looks at Anastasia who seems to have a satisfied expression despite having a poker face.


    ''What? Is it the time to be satisfied? When the whole plan of expanding is falling apart?''


    Gringar cleared his throat.


    "Sorry to break the ice, but if you don''t know it yet, {Fate Threader} is just testing you."


    ''I do?''


    "It has something to do with charisma and of course, attitude. To lead a vast number of strong people, you just don''t have to be strong. What you need is something more: the mind and spirit to bring all of your allies into one mindset, to make them all focus towards your goals and the necessary actions to achieve it."


    He stood up and nodded towards Zephyr.


    "And with that said, Zephyr Gersche, I hereby name you - the first Clan Leader, with [Grim Fate] as the principal guild."


    Meiren screamed in joy, internally. She lets out a sigh of relief, followed by all of her guild mates, with the knowledge that Zephyr was only testing Heinrich out and see if he could muster up something to make the people inside the hall convinced that he is worthy to become a clan leader.


    "Master Zephyr, I have second thoughts about having more people join us on our circle, but as long as I''m still with you, all is well."


    Anastasia looks at Zephyr with idolizing eyes. Meanwhile, the said person is crying internally as he already abandoned all hope of becoming a normal citizen.


    "....."


    Heinrich clenches his fist in rage. It was the first time that he was embarrassed in front of many, moreover, important people in different parts of Navea. He turns around with a sour face, the nerves in his head are showing. It was evident at that time that he is not going to let this one slide and is planning to take measures upon those who have defied him.


    Gringar''s eyes narrowed down as he observed Heinrich. With that said, he and his guild [Silver Blade] has left the hall without saying anything further. A member of the prism ranked guild [Winter''s End] then bids them farewell.


    "It was a delight to hear this news, we will be sure to reach out once we have made our decision."


    Their leader hasn''t said anything throughout the whole time. With that said, their guild has left the hall without causing anything.


    King Crow stands in front of Zephyr.


    "Fuhahaha! Well then, I think there would be processes for forming this sort of alliance. Since we''re staying in this city for a long while, I''ll be keeping in touch with you, {Fate Threader}. Oh! Before we forgot-"


    He gestures toward his subordinates as if asking them to bring him something.


    "Darius!! Bring me that artifact from the |Forest of Clouds|!"


    A one handed axe, made from unknown metal. It has a dark blade with a sharp edge. The unique thing it has was the eye on bottom of its handle, which has a hidden purpose.


    "...!?"


    Meiren was alerted after seeing that King Crow has taken the first move to (suck up) form a good network towards [Grim Fate]. She then displays her professional expression and lightly claps her hands twice, which makes her guild mates hand her a Jewel type of relic, seemingly like a processed Jade, shining bright like a star compressed into a stone.


    "Lord {Fate Threader}, I would also like to present to you our humble gift. Please accept this as part of our future and long lasting allegiance."


    King Crow and Meiren then look each other in the eye, as if their eyes are producing sparks, signifying their competition.


    Meanwhile, the members of [Shadow Core] look a bit down.


    "....."


    ''I¡­I haven''t bought anything as a present. I failed as a lead representative!'' Fiona thought to herself.


    Zephyr on the other hand still weeps (but he does not show it). While being presented with rare artifacts, he lets out a sigh, finally surrendering himself to the duties that he would face in the future.


    "...!?"


    "E-eh?"


    Meiren and King Crow have both witnessed his sigh. They both interpreted it as a sign of disappointment! While Zephyr has finally snapped back to himself, seeing the artifacts being presented to him-


    "Ah, those artifacts-"


    He raises his hand to collect them, however, the ring he was wearing has been revealed to them.


    "T-thats!!" ¡û King Crow


    ''N-no wonder {Fate Threader} doesn''t consider these gifts like it''s just normal..!!'' Meiren thought to herself.


    ''...? What now?''


    As if it captures the eyes of all that witnessed its form, the ring could be perceived as a relic of a once powerful hunter who had lost his way to the Abyssal front, which was now retrieved by Zephyr. It doesn''t have the most grandeur of designs, however, it possesses some kind of otherworldliness no ordinary human could describe. With this kind of perception towards the ring, Meiren and King Crow has lost their confidence to the artifacts that they have presented to Zephyr.


    ''Shit! I should have known that {Fate Threader} possessed more outrageous and powerful artifacts. I got carried away by how astonished I was back when I got a hold of this axe. Now it feels useless!''


    ''As expected or {Fate Threader}. Not only does he have godlike artifacts, but the fact that he has the means to wear such an artifact without any drawbacks and treat it as a part of his daily life, it''s mind blowing¡­''


    Gringar walks towards them with a satisfied smile.


    "That went as expected huh, Zephyr. Though I don''t want to impose¡­there''s actually an urgent matter that we would like you to tend to. It''s connected about the appearance of a monster outside of a dungeon-"


    ¨CMeanwhile, on the far off outskirts of Telmaris¨C


    "Run!! We should be able to see the exit soon!"


    "Damn it! I thought we''re already prepared to raid a Blood ranked dungeon!"


    As the group was nearing the exit, they were blocked by an unexpected silhouette.


    "No, that can''t be¡­a monster¡­was guarding the outside¡­!?"


    ROOOOAAAAAAR!!! A deafening shriek. It was the last thing they heard, before everything turned dark¡­

 Chapter 7: First Quest

    With the discussion concluded, all the guilds who have not pledged their allegiance towards Zephyr have finally left the hall. The three leaders along with Gringar share a table, while the members of the respective guilds stand behind their lead representative.


    "Dungeon surveillance?"


    Zephyr picks up a nut from the bowl in front of him as he processes things in his brain on why, of all requests, Gringar poses a surveillance to him.


    "That''s right. Don''t misunderstand, Zephyr. It''s not as simple as that¨C though that kind of warning is unnecessary for you I suppose. Alright, to be blunt, we want this request to have a success rate of 100 percent."


    Gringar takes out a map of Navea which has numerous markings of areas where Gringar would like to be surveyed.


    "The marked areas are where the locations of certain dungeons need to be mapped out. As for the reason, well, I haven''t disclosed this back then due to lack of evidence but, we have received reports from neighbouring towns that those areas seem to be producing unidentified noise. They believe it to be monsters who have left their habitats, so if that''s true, even in the slightest chance, we might finally get some clue about this phenomenon."


    "So it''s like hunting a mole in several holes."


    Fiona crosses her arms as she looks at the map. The marked areas are not that far from Telmaris, however, one of each is quite far from each other. To be precise, what Gringar wants to happen is for Zephyr to assign each team he has at his disposal to a dungeon perfect for their skills. Since he can now dispatch at least five expeditions, counting the guilds that pledged allegiance to his future clan, this work would probably be expected to be wrapped up in just a week.


    Zephyr thought to himself: ''Eh, if it''s just mapping dungeons rather than actually fighting, then it wouldn''t be so much of a hassle anyway. I might be able to have Gringar owe me one with this since he looks kinda desperate on this matter. Alright, I''ve decided, I''ll pass this one to Ana!'' His baton passing attitude strikes once again. He then takes a glance towards Anastasia who seems to be waiting for his orders.


    "Point me where you want me to, Master Zep."


    ''Yay! I knew I could count on her. But, just to be on the safe side, I don''t want her going to a dangerous dungeon alone (he''s determined on not going), so I''ll pick what I think is the safest.''


    He takes a peek at the map to decide where he''ll dispatch Anastasia.


    ''Oh, I know this area well. If I remember correctly, this dungeon here is called |Cave of Echoes|. That''s a Rain ranked one, quite a drop for Ana''s level, but Gringar''s letting me choose anyway. And this is the safest choice-''


    His finger lands on the marked areas of his choosing.


    "Hm?"


    "That''s¡­"


    "Master Zep, are you going to send me alone in there?"


    ''What? Why? What''s the problem with the |Cave of Echoes|? I remember leisurely eating bread there due to how safe it was back then.'' He then lets out a sigh (in his mind) ''Okay, I can''t just leave Anastasia alone in this¡­this dungeon''s safe anyway, so¨C'' With his mind made up, Zephyr nodded.


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    "Don''t worry, I''ll come with you Ana."


    Ana''s eyes widened, her lips formed a smile after hearing his response.


    "I''ll be in your care again, Master Zep."


    ''{Fate Threader} is personally going in this one, so that must mean¨C'' ¡û King Crow


    ''-this certain dungeon might just be the place we''re looking for. The one that houses that certain monster, alright.'' ¡û Gringar


    "If that''s the case, this area will be the main focus of surveillance. Those who want to go with them, please state your ¨C"


    "I shall go! Fuhahaha! There''s no way I''m letting this chance pass by!"


    King Crow didn''t hesitate and volunteered to come. A certain person then raises her hand.


    "Me! Me! I want to go too!"


    It was Erika who seemed to be looking forward to be included in the group. Fiona, however, does a light hand chop to her head signifying her disapproval of her volunteer. She then speaks in a hushed tone.


    "Erika! Mind your actions, you''re in front of many important people!"


    "Fiona, please it''s one of my dreams to finally witness {Fate Threader} personally in action¡­"


    "Then¡­I''ll go too."


    "Huh? Are you sure, Meiren?" ¡û Gringar


    Meiren puts her hand on her chest as if preparing for a speech.


    "Yes, I am here to become a person worthy enough to be included in the circle of outstanding individuals. Despite being a merchant, I have the attributes enough to fit myself as a hunter."


    "C-Chief! You''re so cool!!"


    All of her subordinates praised her in unison which makes her blush and becomes embarrassed all of a sudden.


    "Quit it! Discipline! Discipline!"


    While they''re all laughing at the current situation, the man in charge seems to be confused, as he realized that something''s off.


    "....."


    ''Am I just overthinking things, or are they talking like we''re all going to death''s door?''


    With his brow raised, Zephyr just shrugged his shoulders as he thought that it''s all going to be fine since he will be escorted by Ana, the girl whom he met before (Erika) and some strong looking ogre (King Crow). His gaze then turns towards Meiren who was startled with his glance. As a professional, she didn''t show any sign of withdrawal, instead, she proudly stands still while keeping a strong posture.


    "Don''t worry about me, Lord {Fate Threader}. I''ll make sure that I won''t hinder the group."


    ''No, it''s not like that. More else, I''m the one who''s supposed to be saying that in front of you all.'' He lets out an internal sigh.


    "I just thought how wonderfully brave and responsible you are by seriously taking your role as your guild''s leader. I admire it." ''She''s so unlike me, I hope I had some of her courage and confidence.'' He shows a thumbs up to her while thinking.


    "....."


    "Eh? Ah!"


    Imagine being pressured by yourself to join so that you''ll not fall behind despite not having the necessary talent and skills to keep up, but then you get an unexpected praise from the one who you are holding a deep respect for. With that kind of scenario, even though she''s holding herself for professionalism, she got flustered, her face bright red.


    "Eh, ah, erm-"


    "Chiiiiiiiiiief!!! Congratulations!"


    "SHUT UP YOU FOOLS!!" Meiren shouted back at them while shoo-ing her hands towards them.


    "Fuhahahaha! You display such confidence despite knowing your talent is not the perfect fit for the task. Brave indeed!"


    King Crow keeps on banging his hands together.


    While [Crow''s Nest] are all laughing, [Shadow Core] and Gringar quietly observing whilst smiling, Meiren is still in the process of shutting her subordinates up and composing herself.


    ''.....''


    ''Where did the professionalism go?''


    While they''re at it, Gringar finally asks Zephyr about the important question.


    "Thank you for accepting our request. By the way, in order to make it official, have you already thought of the name of your Clan? If not, let''s just announce it at the founding ceremony."


    ''Oh man, I only named our guild [Grim Fate] on a whim after having a bad day and realizing I have a dark future ahead of me.'' Zephyr scratches his head and thinks a bit more. ''Well if you''re leaving the decision to me, let''s see¡­I''ll just base it again on what I''m currently feeling, Hungry Human? Tired Loser?''


    As he couldn''t give an answer yet, they have decided to do the naming at their Founding Ceremony. The expedition, on the other hand, would be dispatched two days prior to their discussion.

 Chapter 8: Self-proclaimed Apprentice

    While walking out of the tavern, Zephyr can''t help but feel like he''s getting stabbed in every direction due to all the collective stares he''s been getting after the revelation that he is the legendary {Fate Threader}, the leader of the strongest guild, [Grim Fate].


    ''Man, I want to become an ant and just get squashed. Hello, easy painless death.''


    Behind him is none other than Anastasia who has been glaring at the rude people who are staring at Zephyr with judgemental eyes. Though, behind Anastasia as well, was Erika and her two colleagues from [Shadow Core] who seem to be following them. With that said, Zephyr turns around to confront them, but as he did, Fiona and David pulled Erika back.


    "Apologies Lord {Fate Threader}, Erika seems to be wanting to talk to you ever since back then, but she''s too stubborn. I hope you''re not that bothered with our presence here¡­"


    Fiona speaks for the group while Erika is waving at Anastasia and Zephyr.


    ''Uh, yes, I''m actually bothered with you guys following me.'' He wanted to say it, but he would sound rude so he chose not to. Instead, he fakes it and does a thumbs up.


    "It''s fine! Thank you for your honesty."


    "For the legendary {Fate Threader} to be so casual and friendly, that''s a surprise. Not that I do not prefer it, it''s just not what I expected."


    David commented, but then he got glared at by Fiona.


    "Oh, I meant no disrespect of course. I actually like you already, despite being overwhelmingly strong yet you still keep yourself to be so humble. If all of the strong guys are just like you then come hell or high water, the lives of ordinary citizens will be secured."


    ''Oh that''s what ya meant. I have a question though, who the hell is this overwhelmingly strong individual you are talking about? Can''t be me for sure.''


    Zephyr scratches his head while chuckling, showing his "humble" side once again. Due to that, Fiona''s trust and confidence with him raises quite a lot. He then responds-


    "Well, there''s nothing I should be proud of or something worth boasting about anyway."


    He speaks his honest way of seeing things, although it''s to be expected to be misunderstood after all the achievements he has garnered.


    "See, that''s what I''m talking about. You''re a nice person Zephyr-"


    As David casually and unconsciously blurted out his name like they''re close enough to do so, Fiona and Erika were startled, while Ana gave him a sharp glare.


    "I-I''m sorry, it''s just that, I''ve unconsciously talked like that because of how approachable you are¨C"


    "I don''t mind." Zephyr immediately responded.


    "In fact, I prefer it if you address me like that. I mean, that''s my name, not {Fate Threader} or anything."


    "....."


    "I''LL FOLLOW YOU EVEN THROUGH THE DEPTHS OF ABYSS Z-Z-ZEPHYR!!" (in a positive way)


    All of the representatives of [Shadow Core] remarked in unison as they all have fully accepted Zephyr and idolizes him, while the person in question just tilts his head in confusion.


    "Eh?"


    Not long after, Ana nudges his sleeve. Looking at her, her eyes look like they are longing for attention.


    "Z-Z-Ze-Ma-..."


    "You do you, Ana¡­" She still can''t address him without any high honorifics.


    After they had their dinner, Zephyr bids farewell to the representatives of [Shadow Core] for now. The two then proceed to walk towards their own guild hall, which is given to them in secret. A secret location that of course, no one knows where it is. In order to gain access, one must have the access ring, crafted by none other than the innovative, genius alchemist, trader, and engineer, Sophia Horenstein, one of the six members of [Grim Fate].


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    The Guild Master''s quarters is designed to give Zephyr the absolute peace he requested back then when Sophia is laying out the groundworks. With top of the line sofa, chairs and bed, there''s no more pleasure that Zephyr would have wanted more.


    "Yaaay! Finally done with the day. I missed you, my bed!"


    With a single jump, he immediately fell asleep to the comfort of his customized bed.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    Meanwhile, Gringar and King Crow are currently passing the night by drinking to their heart''s content, however, alcohol seems to have no effect on these two.


    "Fuhahahaha! I can''t wait to show {Fate Threader} my power. To think I''m fortunate enough to have this opportunity early on!"


    He grabs a barrel and chugs on it directly.


    "Still, be careful. I know how strong you are, and with the addition of [Grim Fate], the quest should be easy. But being too lax inside a dungeon would lead to regrettable consequences. Especially¡­with the dungeon he chose."


    "Hrm. |Cave of Echoes| huh. What can you tell me about it?"


    "Let''s just say that it was a dungeon that''s been sweeped multiple times already."


    "What the¨C? Then what''s the point!"


    "I''m not finished yet. It may have been looted already, but there was a looming mystery in this Cave. You do know that we, GEO, reforms sweeped dungeons into livable lands. But we chose not to do it with this one yet."


    "What''s your reason?"


    "Well¡­first off, we had a surveillance team catch a glimpse of {Fate Threader} visiting this certain dungeon on a random basis. We had a suspicion that he''s researching something about this dungeon."


    "Hooh? He''s already mapped this one out then. Why do you think he still chose to go with this place?"


    "That''s the mystery of it. We don''t know how deep and calculating his mind actually is, so we''re betting on him with this one. But then, my second reason comes to mind."


    "Was that reason connected as to why {Fate Threader} still chose |Cave of Echoes|?"


    "Most probably."


    Gringar emptied his tall glass of mead. As he lets out a refreshed sigh, he continued-


    "We''ve actually sent a group of hunters inside to investigate. Knowing that the dungeon was already looted, they asked for a higher reward. Of course, we did so, but we didn''t raise it that high."


    "So, what''s the result of their investigation?"


    Gringar squints.


    "Nothing to report. Up to this day¡­those six star ranked and two blood ranked hunters haven''t gone out of the dungeon yet¡­"


    "But that doesn''t add up to anything. The dungeon is supposed to be cleared and looted already, also, what''s supposed to be its connection to the recent phenomenon of a monster leaving its habitat?"


    "That''s what we''re about to find out."


    Gringar looks out of the tavern''s window.


    "Zephyr must know something for sure."


    Meanwhile, the said person is comfortably sleeping, oblivious of everything that''s been happening and whatever is going to happen. With that, the night has peacefully passed by and a new day dawns. Zephyr seems to be shackled in his bed, as his body still craves for more rest.


    "Aaah, morning comes once again. I can foresee my future, my day will be grim and I will have more responsibilities on my shoulders."


    He monologued as if he''s already decided that his future will always be concatenated with pain and grief.


    Even with that kind of attitude, he still pursues to stand up and carry the heavy weight of the guild''s name in his back for his guild mates as they are all his precious friends. Upon opening the door of his chambers, Anastasia has been waiting outside for him, already dressed and ready to spend the day with him once again.


    "Good morning, Master Zep. I''ll be in your care again today."


    Zephyr thought to himself that Anastasia was always sticking to him whenever possible. He''s somehow feeling guilty that he''s been robbing Ana of her precious time to be spent with some more girly stuff instead of escorting and fighting for him all day long.


    "Good morning Ana. You know, you can always do your own thing, like¡­putting in some time with your hobbies, something like that."


    Anastasia gently shakes her head with her eyes closed.


    "I chose this myself. Having Master Zep on my side already brings me so much joy¡­or are you seeing me as a hindrance, Master¡­?"


    Seeing her getting depressed with those words, Zephyr can''t help but to comfort her with a gentle pat in the head. He talks as he smiles-


    "No way, with Ana on my side, I feel like all possible danger will be gone away."


    Anastasia smiled, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were quite teary. It''s a gorgeous expression that she only shows in front of Zephyr.


    "Well, let''s go then. I''m thinking of having pancakes for breakfast."


    "I''ll gladly join you, Master Zep."


    As they walk out of their quarters, Zephyr pulls his hood down and looks at Ana as if reminiscing something.


    ''It has been a long time since we met, I still remember when she can''t give out even the slightest smile, but Ana¡­she has certainly changed hasn''t she. That''s a good thing.''


    While they''re walking, a certain someone stops in front of them. A girl who can be perceived as a dark sorceress like Ana, although she gives off a livelier aura.


    "Ah! Found you, Master!"


    "....." Anastasia was speechless.


    "Hm? Oh, it''s Ana''s self-proclaimed apprentice. Hello there."


    "Gah!" The self-proclaimed part hits her hard.


    "L-Lord Zephyr, please!"


    Anastasia then steps forward, standing in front of her self-proclaimed apprentice, staring at her with blank expression.


    "What are you doing here, Athy?"


    Athy, a star ranked sorceress that Zephyr and Ana met back then when they cleared a Star ranked dungeon due to having free time. (Ana did most of the work) Due to witnessing Anastasia''s supreme skills, she began to idolize her and followed her, proclaiming herself to be her apprentice despite all the rejections Ana made. Zephyr on the other hand thought that it would be a good thing for Ana to have at least someone she could spend her time with other than him.


    "Master, Lord Zephyr, please! Bring me along with the next quest you''ll be going to!"


    "...??"


    "How did you know?"

 Chapter 9: Cave of Echoes

    "How did you know?"


    "I heard about it last night! I was supposed to be in that meeting as a proxy of the guild but I was asked by an old woman to help her find her lost cat! I didn''t know that it somehow ended up inside a rain ranked dungeon!"


    ''What the-? Don''t tell me, you cleared it on solo!?''


    "Hold up, proxy of the guild? Which?"


    Athy chuckled as if she heard a joke.


    "Fufu, come on now Lord Zephyr, don''t act oblivious. Of course, from your guild [Grim F-!"


    Anastasia''s devouring aura gets unleashed once Athy was about to tell them that she''s proclaiming to be a proxy of their guild.


    "T-T-Time out! Time out! I was just joking, master!! Please don''t eat me!" Athy curled up in a corner while covering her head.


    "Err, Ana, come on, a child is prone to letting out a joke hehe. Be patient with her, okay?"


    Zephyr managed to calm Anastasia down as always, though his words pierced Athy.


    "G-gahk! L-Lord Zephyr¡­I have received some heavy damage¡­"


    "Hehe. Oh, by the way Athy, I don''t really mind if you tag along, but I think it would be an overkill if you do."


    ''I mean, Ana is already enough to deal with such a low ranked and safe dungeon, to add, we have that ogre-like King Crow and the rest of the [Shadow Core], also Meiren, though I don''t know how she will fare in terms of fighting¡­as if I''m one to talk though. Why are they so insistent on going anyway?''


    "Oh Lord Zephyr, for someone like you, I have no doubt that you see this as a mere pastime dungeon, but still, I would love to-"


    "Hmm, hold on."


    Zephyr thinks once again. It seems like his baton passing skill is activating.


    ''Isn''t this my chance to get off the hook¡­? With Anastasia and Athy representing the Guild, then it would be no problem if I don''t attend. I mean look at the weather, it''s the perfect time to lay on the grass and take it easy. Tomorrow will probably be the same. Alright, I have decided!''


    "Lord Zephyr?"


    "Master Zep¡­?" Both Ana and Athy tilt their head as Zephyr unconsciously smirks after thinking of his grand plan. He clasps his hands and smiles at the two.


    "I have thought of an idea."


    "You''re not going to leave me there alone with Athy right, Master Zep¡­?"


    "....."


    Zephyr sweats, it''s as if Anastasia just read his own thoughts. It''s time to adlib, one of Zephyr''s mastery.


    "Ana, do you trust me?" He asked her with honest and beautiful eyes.


    "Yes, Master Zep. My whole life is yours to begin with." Ana responded immediately.


    ''Please don''t, your life is your own.'' "Then you do know that my decisions are always for your sake, for your own growth."


    "Master Zep¡­"


    "Ana, I''ll leave Athy in your care."


    Anastasia''s blank and dead eye expression returns, signifying her dissatisfaction with Zephyr''s response. Seeing her face, Athy can''t help but feel attacked.


    "Uwaaah! Master, why would you blatantly display your disapproval of me..!"


    Zephyr takes out one of his rings and places it on Anastasia''s palm. He then holds her hand and squeezes it.


    "You know this right, the <Summoning Ring>. (Hope you won''t use it¡­) If you really do need me (to calm you down), do not hesitate to call. But don''t worry! I just have some important matters to attend to, but I''ll go when I''m done."


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    Anastasia holds the ring and keenly observes it. By the looks on her face, anyone could clearly see that she''s going to treasure it and won''t give it back anymore.


    "With this I can always have Master Zep on my side¡­"


    ''PFT!! Ana no, don''t use it like that. I mean, it also has limited use before it vanishes.''


    Zephyr looks at Athy.


    "Alright Athy, I hereby grant you a temporary membership of [Grim Fate]. Please watch over Ana, and she''ll definitely watch over you too."


    "....."


    Athy took a deep breath as she clenched her fist. After a few seconds-


    "YAAAAAAAAAY!!!"


    ''Athy, it''s a temporary membership. Temporary, and I''m using it to pass the responsibility to you. What do you mean by yay?''


    "Oh, also, have you cleared the star ranked dungeon you''re talking about back then? How about the relics in there?" Zephyr asked.


    "Ah, hehe. I''m ashamed to admit it, but I haven''t cleared it, though¨C I have a perfect reason. You see, the old lady thought it was just a star rank but it''s actually a blood ranked one! I got the cat out alive though!"


    "I see, err, good job."


    ''Man, I thought I was going to see some new artifacts but oh well.''


    After passing the time, as the night before the dungeon surveillance came, the party members have gathered inside one of the private rooms of GEO''s quarters. Anastasia and Athy were the last ones to arrive as King Crow, Meiren and the rest of the [Shadow Core] are already inside, waiting.


    "Oh, they''re finally here- wait, who is this new hunter? And where''s {Fate Threader}?"


    "Master Zep has deemed it unnecessary for his assistance on this one. Though he situated a substitute, this little girl does not compare to him. Ah, she''s a sorceress we picked up on the road."


    "Ghuak!!!"


    Athy just died in the corner due to emotional damage from her so-called master. Slowly reviving herself, Athy properly introduced herself and explained the situation.


    "I see. If I''m being honest, that was a letdown, here I''m hoping to finally see {Fate Threader} in action."


    King Crow scratches the back of his head. He then shrugged-


    "Well, can''t blame him if he saw this kind of dungeon run unworthy of his time, though I highly believe that he''s on the case already. I received word from Gringar that {Fate Threader} has been studying this dungeon for a while now."


    Anastasia nods in agreement.


    "Master Zep also told me that he has some important matters to attend to before joining us."


    "Oh!" Meiren interjected.


    "So he''s coming after all. Just going to be a bit late."


    "I wonder what''s up in this case. Why won''t Zephyr just directly tell us what we are facing?"


    David asked, however, the members of the party stared at him with their brows raised.


    "Wait, when did you get close with {Fate Threader} that you are already casually calling him by his name?" Meiren asked.


    "Huh? Wait, what? Is that the important thing right now?"


    "It''s because Master Zep doesn''t just solve problems. He also wants everyone to learn something, for us to handle it ourselves, as he won''t intervene unless his assistance is direly needed."


    Anastasia proudly presented her (delusional) perception of Zephyr.


    "That is why he entrusted me with this ring. Though I prefer it will not be used in this dungeon run, but this is an assurance."


    "I see. Zephyr''s foresight truly is something to behold, he always has a master plan in place. What a fearsome hunter¡­"


    Fiona blurted Zephyr''s name unconsciously, making her shut her own mouth while getting stared at by the whole party. Erika then pats her shoulder and does a thumbs up while giving off a radiant smile.


    "Don''t worry Fiona, we will surely be able to meet his expectations."


    Fiona smiled back at her, making the atmosphere inside the room brighter.


    Afterwards, they have discussed the necessary preparations for the run. Meanwhile, the so-called "fearsome hunter" is currently stuffing himself with some delicious cheese. (Zephyr trivia #1: Cheese or anything with cheese is his favorite snack.) As time passes by without any chaos, the day for the quest has finally arrived.


    "It will be okay, right?" Zephyr mumbles to himself.


    "They won''t call me scumbag when they come back, right? I mean¡­if I go, I''ll just be useless. So it''s better if I don''t¡­!" He stands up from where he is sitting and walks around their guild''s lobby, going back and forth, thinking of the things that might happen after their return.


    "Anyway, I think I should check on them before they head out, yeah? I should do that much."


    As he was about to leave, he thought that he should stock up his arsenal, just to be on the safe side.


    *Rummage* *Clank*


    He brought at least ten relics with him before leaving the place. In the initial meeting with them back then, the party should be entering the dungeon after the sun has fully risen. But in the recent discussion, where Zephyr is absent, they have decided to do it earlier.


    "So this is it, |Cave of Echoes| huh? It really looks like an ordinary cave on the outside."


    "But it has a deep mystery looming inside¡­I have a bad feeling about this." David and Fiona then double checked their gears along with Erika.


    "Hah, never would have thought that a hunter''s gear would fit you, Reich''s daughter." King Crow, with his huge axe, arrived at the scene, teasing Meiren as his first act.


    "With all due respect, Lord King Crow, I have been trained as well to defend myself. We merchants are also endangering ourselves on the road by displaying our proud goods. So having the necessary skill to fight is a must."


    "Fuhahahaha!" King Crow smirks.


    "But then, you haven''t experienced it right¡­a dungeon run."


    Meiren squints, though not in a rude way.


    "No¡­I had no prior experience."


    Anastasia and Athy have finally arrived in time, just a little later than King Crow. Without further ado, Fiona steps forward as she was assigned to be the party''s navigator.


    "Alright, everyone¡­let''s get this done and over. Into the |Cave of Echoes|."

 Chapter 10: The Abnormality

    The |Cave of Echoes| was a rain ranked dungeon that has been cleared not too long ago. It''s supposed to be a normal dungeon, having its ecosystem slowly disappear after it has been ransacked. But then, an abnormality occurred. Something that no hunters could possibly just put their heads on, but today, it''s time to reveal the secret of this certain dungeon.


    Dungeon: Cave of Echoes


    Rank: Unranked/Cleared


    GEO''s Special Classification due to the recent phenomena: Star Rank


    As the party entered the dungeon, each one of them felt uneasy. It''s as if their suspicion was right that something sinister is currently being housed in this cleared dungeon. Though with that said, they didn''t waiver.


    "Step aside little hunters."


    King Crow marches as the rest of them make way for him, he takes the lead as the party''s main front liner.


    "Hmm, wouldn''t this setting put you at a disadvantage, Sir King Crow? It''s too narrow for you to move and dodge attacks if it did come."


    David inquired.


    "Fuhahaha!! Worry not little hunter, dodging isn''t in my book! I shall charge towards it head on and let them have a taste of my axe!"


    King Crow confidently remarked. It''s not being boastful, it was a fact anyway. With his build and attribute, mainly focused on strength and endurance, he''ll be one hell of a front liner to deal with.


    "I''m already feeling at ease with you in front of us. Thank you, King Crow Sir." Fiona respectfully commented.


    King Crow nodded in response and with a smirk, they pushed through, with him on the lead.


    Back to Telmaris, Zephyr is on his way to the dungeon just to bid them good luck, however he''s already too late as the party already went inside. While sauntering, he was greeted by Gringar who was doing a morning patrol.


    "Zephyr, where are you going?"


    ''Crap, why is he up so early? Does he usually wake up at times like this? And when I finally decided to leave my precious bed early for a change¡­he''s probably thinking right now how irresponsible I am! I''ll just tell him what I said back then with Ana.''


    "Oh, uh, just going to attend to some important matters."


    Gringar observes him, he notices how armed to the teeth Zephyr currently was.


    "Going somewhere else? Is there anything the GEO can help you with?"


    ''No. Wait, why do you sound like I''m going somewhere important? Ah-'' He then remembers what he was currently wearing: a full set of high grade artifacts. With that said, he acted like he''s on a serious business just so Gringar could let him off.


    "No. I should probably do this alone. I''m just going somewhere out of the city."


    "Somewhere out of the city?" Gringar thinks for a little while- ''At first I think he''s going to follow the party because he''s concerned, but rather, since he''s seriously armed right now must mean¡­''


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    "You''re going on solo somewhere, huh¡­I don''t know what''s the connection between the place you''re going to and the |Cave of Echoes|, but I respect your decision for keeping it confidential for now. Know that you''re doing a great favor for the GEO, as one of the officers, I thank you for your efforts."


    ''Gringar my man, I appreciate the compliment, but I don''t know where it''s coming from. Since it sounds like he''s going to let me off the hook, let''s just be humble and accept it.''


    "Thank you, but it''s a team effort, not just me. Well since I''m on a deadline, I''ll have to go now."


    Gringar nodded in response.


    "Thank you again Zephyr, we''ll have a reward for you when you and your party returns."


    Zephyr turns around for a bit- "Well then, please make it a set of delicious cheeses!" He then sets off.


    As Gringar chuckles with his request, he looks at the sky with expecting eyes.


    "Telmaris sure is lucky to have someone like him keeping watch over the capital." Said person, however, is oblivious of everything.


    |Cave of Echoes|


    As the group continued to march onward, Anastasia''s eyes were glued to the ring that Zephyr gave her. Noticing this, Athy couldn''t help but tease her.


    "Oh Master, could it be that¡­you''re thinking that ring is a symbol of marriage given to you by Lord Zephyr!?"


    Anastasia''s eyes widened, her cheeks flushed and her face showed an elated expression that no one could expect to come out of her. Witnessing her reaction, Athy was taken aback as it''s not the reaction she was expecting.


    "W-wha-!? Master, you''re seriously thinking about it huh??!"


    Fiona chuckled.


    "It''s refreshing to see how we can still find something that can lift us up even if we''re trudging through danger."


    "Hehe, of course. Hunter''s life is too short to be always on the edge. We should be thinking of something fun even once in a while despite being inside a dungeon."


    King Crow halted his march, causing the rest of them to stop as well. Meiren then inquires-


    "Why did you stop, Lord King Crow?"


    King Crow then pointed something from the ground as if inviting them to see what it was. As the party peeked from behind him, what they saw made them wary and serious.


    "Is that¡­" ¡û Meiren


    "That''s unnerving¡­a corpse, and it''s quite fresh. For a cleared dungeon, is it really true that this particular one adopted new types of monsters?" ¡û Fiona


    Everyone gathered around the corpse to examine it. Some time back then, Meiren researched about the phenomenon and all the hearsay regarding this dungeon. It turns out that a witness saw a monster, who looks like it lives from a different dungeon, enter the cave.


    "This hunter was crushed to death, something a giant could do." ¡û Athy


    "A Cave Troll?" ¡û David


    "No, since this was already cleared, all the Cave Trolls must have fallen to the hunters that raided this dungeon. Besides, a Cave Troll cannot possibly beat a star ranked hunter like this one." ¡û Fiona


    "Chills. Like, no one in this Cave could probably do damage like that." ¡û Erika


    "There''s more in here."


    Anastasia saw more corpses along their path.


    "It seems like these people are those hunters that Gringar sent to survey this place. Geh, what a way to meet their end." King Crow commented as he stepped forward, but then an alarming noise made them put their guards up.


    "ROOOOOOAAAAAR!!!"


    "Hiik!!" Meiren covers her ears as the rest of [Shadow Core] surrounds her to make her feel more at ease. Meanwhile King Crow stands tall as their forward, Anastasia and Athy on the other hand prepare their weaving signs.


    "....."


    *Gulp*


    Even the small water drops could be heard echoing through the cave due to how quiet it turns out after the deafening roar. After a while, numerous big footsteps could be heard marching towards their position.


    "They''re coming!! Everyone, look out for each other!" ¡û Fiona


    Bright red eyes reflect on the dark path, as it increases in numbers, the monsters finally made their appearance.


    "...!?" King Crow narrows his eyes down.


    "What?" ¡û Erika


    "This¡­doesn''t make any sense." ¡û David


    "C-Cave Trolls? But, they''re using hunter''s gear and artifacts?!" ¡û Athy


    "Master Zep, this abnormality, why would you entrust this to me." Anastasia remarked as both of her hands turned dark, looking like an obsidian.


    "But, whatever this is, I believe Master has already planned for its finale."


    Meanwhile, as Zephyr was finally out of the city, an old lady gets his attention, waving at him as if she needs some help.


    ''Come on¡­I have no time for this¡­but it would be disrespectful for me to just leave an old lady that needs assistance. Let''s be a diligent person, shall we¡­'' Zephyr walks towards the old lady and asks-


    "Hello, madame, what can I help you with?"


    The old lady pointed in a random direction.


    "My cat! My cat is lost again!"


    "....."


    ''Hold on. Why does this sound familiar?''

 Chapter 11: Underlying Hurdle

    "HAH! Don''t be intimidated! They do have gears and relics, but the potential that comes with it lies within the user! It''s useless for low monsters like these ones!"


    King Crow charged towards the horde of Cave Trolls without a second thought.


    "That''s right, we''ll have to discuss why the hell they have those in the first place later. For now, defeat them!"


    As David finishes his sentence, he and Erika support the charging King Crow, while Fiona stays back to take care of the trolls that would go through.


    Anastasia and Athy begin to weave their spells on the back lines, however, it doesn''t take long for Anastasia to finish hers which made Athy become more amazed by her.


    "Whoa! Master, to finish weaving a mid tier spell in less than five seconds¨C!"


    Anastasia raises her hand as a huge obsidian-like sphere takes form on top of her palm.


    <Hail of Dark Frost>


    As soon as Ana puts her hand forward, the sphere breaks apart into multiple shards and strikes the Cave Trolls in the middle area, providing support for King Crow who''s currently trading blows as the frontliner.


    "Fuhahaha!! See, they can''t even use those gears and artifacts properly! OOORAAAH!!"


    As King Crow slammed his giant axe into the ground, a massive shockwave gets unleashed, pushing the Cave Trolls back which results in them getting caught with Ana''s offensive spell.


    "Wait- look!"


    Meiren pointed at the defeated Trolls as something strange was happening. After dying, the Cave Trolls seem to turn into ashes as if they are just some reanimation, though the gears they possessed were left off.


    "Whoa! Talk about more weirdness!" Erika commented as she fends off some of them. Despite being an assassin, she was in the middle of the herd, dancing around the trolls athletically whilst trying to dodge Ana''s spell as well. ''Sheesh, talk about no teamwork, hehe.'' As she thought of it, a cave troll managed to use a restricting artifact to stop her movement.


    "Woops!" The troll then swings its club towards her, however¨C


    <Flash Step>


    Erika disappeared for a while, and reappeared behind the cave troll. She dealt a finishing blow through the back of its neck with her dagger.


    "....."


    Anastasia went quiet all of a sudden as if she had even the slightest bit of an idea regarding the situation.


    "It''s as if¡­." Everyone then looked at her.


    "... we''re dealing with a necromancer."


    "A necromancer¡­? That makes sense, but-"


    Fiona parries a swing from a Cave Troll''s club with her sword and immediately does a counter attack by stabbing it multiple times in a flash.


    "-it doesn''t explain the gears, and some of them have artifacts."


    The numbers of the trolls dwindle, even though they''re geared, it was a one-sided massacre due to the fact that this party is quite overpowered. But then, as if fate dictates it, something spawned to balance things out. A minor earthquake startled the whole party, they all know that it''s unnatural and no cave troll is capable of doing it.


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    "Damn, so what is it this time?"


    Anastasia squints as if she felt something odd in the flow of energy within their surroundings. Athy then looks at her and inquires-


    "Master? What''s up? Do you feel that as well?" It seems like Athy is also perceptive enough to sense the abnormality in the energy flows, but then they were caught off guard¨C


    "...Spatial¡­wait, everyone!"


    As soon as Anastasia reached out her hand, a huge magic circle appeared below them, though, before it took effect, Anastasia managed to take Athy''s hand and threw her out of the area of effect. As soon as the circle activates, Anastasia has disappeared.


    "Ana!!"


    Fiona shouted as all of them witnessed Anastasia disappear. But they have no time to arrange their thoughts as a new enemy approaches them. Three towering monsters, twice the size of King Crow.


    "Lord King Crow, watch out!"


    "Hrm!?"


    As King Crow turns around as he also notices a towering shadow behind him, he immediately raises his axe in a defensive position to block whatever it throws.


    "Golem!?"


    The giant golem facing King Crow slammed him down with a powerful crushing punch that will end any hunters. But not King Crow¨C


    "HOOOOORAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!"


    He stands his ground as he meets what seems to be a deadly force. The golem''s crusher clashed with King Crow''s axe, forcing one of them to submit to the other.


    "Let''s assist him!"


    As Fiona was about to respond to King Crow, two of the golems blocked their way.


    "Tch, why the hell¡­why do they act like they could think now?"


    "Probably because they''re controlled." Athy gave a perfectly logical reason. She closed her eyes, and after a while, she opened it back which is now currently basking in mana, making her eyes emanate a bluish aura.


    "What the¡­? No tracks of mana, impossible. They''re not being controlled?"


    "Here they come!" Fiona shouted as the two giant golems raised their crushers and proceeded to hurl it down. In response, David raises his falchion and uses his skill-


    <Wall of Endurance!> A skill that allows him to temporarily shield all of his allies including himself from harmful forces. The effectiveness, however, depends on his endurance attribute which is fairly high due to being their only guild''s support knight.


    All of them jumped away from the center of impact, dodging both of the golem''s crushing blows. The shockwaves it produced doesn''t affect them as much due to David''s skill.


    "Nice, David!" ¡û Erika


    "Lord King Crow!!" Despite her shaking voice, Meiren still manages to worry about their main frontliner.


    "Leave this one to me!! No golem is stronger than the mighty King Crow! Fuhahahaha!!"


    The clash resulted in a draw as the golem and King Crow both backed off.


    Athy begins to weave a spell that she learned from Anastasia, however, her spell formation is not as fast as hers. Seeing this, Fiona and the rest of her guild members decided to buy her some time. After all, swords and daggers would not be able to damage one of them, but magic probably could. Meiren then takes a deep breath and takes out a small crystal ball from her pack.


    "I''ll support you guys!"


    They acknowledged her with a nod, and with that, the three of them dashed towards their opponents.


    As the fight is going on, the legendary {Fate Threader} is currently assisting an old lady.


    "I keep telling that stupid cat of mine to *cough* stay still in the house! I don''t want to cage her, but it seems like she''s leaving me no choice once you get her back."


    ''Why did you already assume that I''m going to bring her back? First off, I''m not sure but, isn''t this old lady the one Athy mentioned to us before? You''ve lost your cat again, what say you on your defense?'' was what Zephyr wants to say, but he needs to be more polite to keep face.


    "So, I guess she''s just out there in the fields, yes? I''ll check it out then¨C"


    "Oh, no. She''s a strange one¡­she''ll surely be inside that dungeon again!"


    "....."


    "Please, she''s my only family¡­I''ve already been abandoned, I don''t want to lose her too."


    Those words just touched Zephyr''s heart. He somehow finds it relatable, as someone who''s only family left was his childhood friends who is now the strongest in their own professions. And he, the talentless, is doing everything he can to not lose them.


    "Alright grandma¡­I''ll uhh, try to bring her back. No promises¡­as you can see, I''m just a normal human."


    "Thank you¡­you don''t understand how much I appreciate that kind gesture, even though you''re not sure of the outcome. The effort already talks by itself."


    "Haha, well, I''m talentless so, effort is the only thing going for me." (no it''s not)


    Zephyr then looks at the direction where the hut of the old lady is currently presiding. He then asked-


    "Grandma, aren''t your lodging too big for you and the cat only?"


    The old lady didn''t speak for a few seconds. She then leans her ear closer-


    "Huh? I can''t hear you well."


    ''You''re hearing me just fine a few seconds ago old lady. Meh, it''s fine. I just dodged an unnecessarily long conversation.''


    "Please point me the way."


    As the old lady leads Zephyr towards the location, a certain darkness looms around the house, seemingly observing him¡­

 Chapter 12: Moonlight Cave

    After a few while, Zephyr along with the old lady finally arrived in front of the dungeon''s entrance.


    "....? Wait, this is-"


    "Huh? You know this dungeon youngster?"


    "Well, no, not personally. I''m gonna ask just to be sure though, grandma, what rank do you think this dungeon is?"


    "It''s rain! Rain I tell ya."


    ''No. This is clearly a Blood ranked one. One thing I''m aware of, is that my eyes actually have some kind of special perception when appraising dungeons even from the outside. I can already tell with one look¡­but the most suspicious thing for me is¨C''


    Zephyr looks at the old woman with a worried expression.


    ''I could see it clearly back then¡­the hut that this old lady is currently residing, has a rank. A rain one¡­I mean, it can''t be a dungeon right? A hut-type dungeon, what kinda monster would adapt to it. It''s clear though, this old lady''s hiding something.''


    As the free-spirited Zephyr sighed, he shrugged his shoulders and thought to himself that ''Meh, not my problem though. I just need to get this done and be on my way¡­wait, do I even have the time anymore? Well, I have a perfect reason not to go now right?''


    "Right, right¡­so err, can you describe your cat to me, grandma?" Zephyr unenthusiastically asked.


    "She''s the most adorable thing you''ll ever see!" The old lady then answered in a vague way.


    ''Man¡­old lady, everything can be described that way depending on the person. We''re going nowhere and I''m out of time. If I see a cat that''s it. I mean, a cat inside a dungeon isn''t that hard to find, what I''m worried about is if it''s still alive by the time I found it.''


    "Sure. I''ll just go in, please just tell me its color and wait patiently okay, grandma?"


    "Oh thank you! Thank you, mister good hunter! She is a black cat with green eyes!"


    "Yeah, wish me good luck as well though¡­"


    Despite having to go inside a dungeon alone, and to add, a Blood ranked one, Zephyr was not afraid. First of all, his friends always force him to tag along with them on higher level dungeons, mostly Prism ranked ones with highly dangerous layouts and monsters. But the monsters are only second to his fears, the main reason of his fear was his insane guild mates who are always headfirst into charging in, massacring all dungeon inhabitants that they see. Now that he could run this dungeon alone means he''s free to do whatever he wants, that''s his current state of mind. Also, he has brought an artifact that he could rely on if something were to happen.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Without any further ado, he steps inside the dungeon as one of his artifacts was dropped into the ground, or rather, it dropped itself as if it was alive.


    "Good luck, good hunter." The old lady then mumbles to herself. "This time, no more escape, unlike the lady I took my eyes off yesterday."


    As the old lady chuckles, she turns around and walks back to her hut. But then, Zephyr''s artifact followed her.


    Dungeon: |Moonlight Cave|


    Rank: Blood Rank


    "Let''s see¡­to make this a lot easier, I might have to use this one." Zephyr rummages through his robe pockets and takes out what seems to be an antique compass.


    "Black Cat with green eyes." As soon as Zephyr said those words, the hand of the compass began to rotate and pointed towards a certain direction. The <Homebound Compass> is a mid tier artifact that was found in a Blood ranked dungeon and is now currently in the possession of [Grim Fate]. As seen previously, the compass can point the user in the direction of the nearest description of what the user said. Though the range is not wide, it''s very useful inside a maze type dungeon like this one.


    "Okay, let''s just hope it did not go too far¡­or at least, still alive, for the old lady''s sake." As Zephyr walks deeper inside, he feels some uninvited gazes lurking around the corner which is making him somehow nervous.


    ''Oh boy, this is the disadvantage of being alone. There''s no one to watch my back¡­just few more steps and if I haven''t seen any cat, I shall declare her dea-''


    "GRRRRRR¡­.."


    "What was that sound¡­"


    The wild noise of a monster becomes closer as if it was advancing towards Zephyr. After a while, from the shadows of the path in front of him, something has shown itself.


    "....?"


    Zephyr then looked at the compass. It has a green light at the center of it, which means that it finally found the target.


    "I don''t know the whole story but, it''s either she got eaten, or the cat that the old lady was looking for¨C"


    "GRRRROOOAR!!"


    "IS THIS BIG BLACK CAT-LIKE MONSTER IN FRONT OF ME!!"


    As soon as Zephyr screamed, the huge black cat lunged towards him, with its claws and fangs bared. As soon as the cat gets in contact with Zephyr''s skin, a mysterious force blows it away, sending it flying from across the dark path, hitting a wall afterwards.


    "B-bad cat! I mean, is that even considered a cat anymore!? What the hell old lady!"


    ''That was scary¡­good thing I brought the <Guardian''s Talisman>.''


    The high grade artifact, <Guardian''s Talisman>, is a treasure collected after clearing a Prism ranked dungeon called |Towering Rock Hedges|. It turns the physical force used by the enemy against them, but it only has limited uses per day and as always, the effectiveness will depend on the user. (Zephyr Trivia #2: He has an insanely high affinity with all of the relics, treasures or artifacts, however, he''s oblivious to it as he knows that artifacts are easy to use. They''re not.)


    "Did that kill it¡­? I don''t know if I should hope that it''s dead or not. I mean, it''s the old lady''s cat, I guess?"


    The light footsteps of the Cat can be felt by Zephyr. He backs off after knowing that it''s approaching him once again, though this time, it''s more cautious.


    "H-hello, I don''t know how the old lady tamed you, but I just want you to know that she''s kinda worried."


    ''Hold up, monsters aren''t supposed to leave their habitats right?'' He remembered just now. ''Ah, the hell, that must mean this isn''t the old lady''s¨C'' his gaze then falls towards the compass he is currently holding once again, and is reminded that it accurately describes the old lady''s description.


    "....."


    "Pspspspsps."

 Chapter 13: Root of the Problem

    "Pspspspsps."


    Zephyr with his big brain tried to tame it like an ordinary cat, but as expected-


    "SSSSS¡­.GROOOOAR!"


    ''Heck, your trademark screech doesn''t even match at all! Also, didn''t Athy say that she managed to get this cat back to the owner? What did she even mean by that!?''


    "Huh?"


    With the big cat sensing a much stronger presence than her, it begins to forcefully evolve itself to a higher existence.


    "SSSSHHHAAAA!"


    Its tail begins to mutate, splitting in two and turns into two serpents. The body slowly changes as well, it grows in size and could be perceived as a body of a ferocious fur animal. Lastly, the head begins to show a fiercer expression, fur grows around the side, which depicts a lion.


    "ROOOOOOAAAAAR!!"


    Dungeon Boss: Moonlight Chimera


    Rank: Blood Rank monster evolved into Prism


    ''What the hell? Aren''t these types of monsters only seen in Prism rank dungeons or even in Abyssal Fronts? What is one doing here?'' With the Chimera fully ready to take on Zephyr once again, it displays a proud and rapacious stance. Zephyr on the other hand, shakes his head as if saying: "nope".


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    BAM! CRASH!


    The intense fighting inside the |Cave of Echoes| continues as King Crow took on one of the giant golems in a slug fight. As if the name of the dungeon really portrays itself, the crushing sounds of clashing steel and rock echoed throughout the whole area. Though what''s more deafening was the war-cries of King Crow himself.


    "OOOORRRAAAAAAAHHH!!!!"


    King Crow manages to overpower the Golem''s crush with only his pure brute strength, resulting in one of the golem''s crushers to dismantle.


    "Fuhahahaha!! You can''t match the strength of the mighty King Crow!"


    <Assassination Art: Flowing cut!>


    Clank! Clank! Clank! Even with multiple deadly hits, a technique designed to easily kill a human cannot possibly affect monsters like the golems they''re currently facing.


    "Yikes, I feel like my dagger''s going dull if I keep on hitting this thing." Erika commented as she backed off after hitting the giant golem multiple times. Though as she''s backing off, one of the golem''s attempts to swing its giant crusher at her position.


    Meiren lifts the small crystal ball up and shouts-


    "<Vortex!>"


    As soon as she says the word, a gust of wind gently launches Erika up into the air and gains a temporary ability to walk mid-air.


    "Woah, that''s a nice artifact!" Erika then uses the chance to make the air her foothold and ultimately leave the golem''s area of attack.


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    "Let''s see if they can handle this one! <Hail of Frost>!"


    Athy raises her hand and rains a consecutive spear like icicles towards the golems. It was, of course, a blatant copy of Anastasia''s skill, however, it''s not as powerful as hers, moreover, she cannot fit the element of darkness in this spell.


    The golems were pushed back, seemingly taking damage from the spell. Some of the icicles destroy the weak spot on the golem''s knee and make them kneel.


    "Alright! That will decrease their mobility!" David remarked as he stabbed his sword in the ground.


    "<Rising Bets>!" With David''s skill, the whole party felt an adequate raise in their main attribute, however, it decreases their least prioritized attribute in return.


    "Good thinking David! Everyone, let''s finish them with one of your killing blows using your main attributes!"


    "Fuhahaha!! My mobility may have decreased, but it''s not as if this giant rock can dodge my blow!"


    As King Crow raises his axe once again to deal a massive blow, along with everyone preparing their attack, the golems start to break apart.


    "Wait, what''s happening with them?"


    After a while, all the broken pieces have gathered, seemingly forming one gigantic form, almost twice the size of what they were before. It almost touches the cave''s stalactites despite its sizable interior.


    "They can do that?!" David irritatingly asked.


    "No, ordinary golems could not possibly do something like it. There''s something wrong with this dungeon''s ecosystem¡­it made them adapt a new set of skills."


    Fiona surmised as Meiren agreed with a nod.


    "I was thinking the same, my <Manameter> (a watch artifact) is acting weird from the start. It might be because of this dungeon''s weird ecosystem."


    "So dungeons can evolve as well?" ¡û Erika


    "Save those for later!! We have a giant to kill! Don''t fail me now, my <Rhottengeir!> (King Crow''s Champion''s Axe)"


    "That''s right¡­everyone, King Crow and Athy will be the key to take this one down. Do what you must to support them!" Fiona takes command, which everyone acknowledges.


    "LET''S GO!"


    Dungeon Infiltrator: Rock Titan


    Rank: Blood Rank (80% Immunity to physical damage)


    ¨CMeanwhile in Telmaris¨C


    "Gringar, I see you''re taking it easy now. Are you expecting that the monster problem would be resolved today?"


    "Who says I''m taking it easy? Though, you could say that. After all, {Fate Threader}''s personally taking care of this one."


    "Oh! Now that''s good news. Good thing he''s easy to talk to. Many powerful hunters seem to get full of themselves, but not this guy apparently."


    "Yeah, that''s why I quite admire his character. Anyway branch head, you''re not just here to see me aren''t you?"


    The Head of GEO''s Telmaris branch, Rojin, takes out some documents he was hiding behind him and presents them to Gringar.


    "Have you heard of these hunters?"


    Gringar studies the documents one by one, though he''s clearly showing that he''s indeed familiar with the faces and names shown in the documents.


    "They''re the unauthorized hunters we have been chasing before, but now they just vanished in thin air. What of them?"


    "Yeah, they''re indeed unauthorized, but hey, their achievements don''t lie. The alchemical researches and artifact studies they have created are quite the delight to learn."


    "Did we even have a copy of their research?" Gringar asks as if he''s suspicious of the GEO''s motives about mentioning these hunters.


    "No, unfortunately. They have run off with it and stolen some of ours, that''s why their licences got revoked."


    "So why bring them up now?"


    "Haha, well, I just thought that their talents are such a waste now that they''re on the run. Most of all, that talented young sorceress and alchemist, Alice."


    "The [Young Genius], huh. I know how you feel, such a waste of talent, joining a rogue team like that because she has a relationship with their leader, Horan."


    Rojin crosses his arms as his expression gets serious all of a sudden which makes Gringar squint.


    "The surveillance team tracked one of those hunters. His face is, how to describe it¡­hmm, it looks twisted. He''s showing signs of getting morphed."


    "What the hell?"


    "What''s more is that¡­the man in question was Horan. We didn''t get to question him since he can''t speak normally and died within seconds after the team''s approach. Luckily, they have a relic that can help them track his course."


    "Where does it lead?"


    "You won''t believe this but, it leads to a secluded hut in the outskirts of the town. And now we''re arranging a team of hunters to survey that place."


    "A hut¡­in the outskirts of the city."


    Gringar then remembered something and chuckled.


    "Hm? What is it, Gringar?"


    "No, I just had this feeling. That someone''s already in the case."

 Chapter 14: The Unforeseen

    [The Unforeseen]. The runaway hunters that formed a group as they have touched some of the most notorious experiments and stole the GEO''s research regarding the monster''s ecosystem. Though with such powerful knowledge comes equal price. For someone to touch one forbidden wisdom, that person must keep their sanity in check. Although for geniuses such as Alice, she could be able to achieve results, no alchemists could attain. One could safely say that she''s very much qualified to be a member of one of the strongest guilds, even [Grim Fate].


    But she chose to stay with [The Unforeseen] despite being acquainted with them for just a few months. Her reason for staying is because she has a deep love for the person leading the guild, Horan the {Mysterious}. With both of their wisdom combined, it''s inevitable for them to achieve something unthinkable.


    ¨CSecluded Hut¨C (a year ago)


    "My, how many times did we fail now."


    A young and beautiful lady, dressed in a lab coat is currently testing on her new research regarding the composition of monsters. It could be seen as well that there was a cave troll chained on the wall, its mouth was also shut with a heavy lock. Monsters can''t be brought outside, but there was a certain artifact that could allow a small area to be livable by monsters, a dungeon. This kind of effect being non-beneficial for humans, instead, provides a negative effect that makes this artifact one of the prohibited treasures, needed to be surrendered to the GEO.


    "It doesn''t matter how many times. We''re going to achieve results. We''re the smartest duo that the world has to offer. We might not be mighty like the legendary {Fate Threader} of [Grim Fate], but I can confidently vouch that our minds are stronger than his."


    The other was a man of passion, donning a lab coat like the other person. Handsome and obviously, another genius. They are what the masses called: mad alchemists, those that dwell into studies, not suited for the majorities due to the dangerous risks it pose, however, they will do whatever it takes to acquire the certain knowledge they are seeking for, through the said study.


    In just a few seconds, the monster they have brought ultimately dies and just like every monster, it slowly turns into an orb of light and disappears, giving a slight bonus to the main subjugator.


    "I feel like we''re about to achieve something, a feat that only we could possibly attain. So let''s be patient and start over."


    As the two nod in agreement, they gather their belongings once again and prepare for another journey inside a dungeon. Grabbing four members from their team, they have entered the |Cave of Echoes| once again, though their goal was not to clear it, but to grab another test subject.


    "Oh, here''s one!"


    A member spotted a single Cave Troll.


    "Come on, assist Alice in trapping that one."


    As Horan gave the order, the members surrounded the troll and easily shackled it.


    "Alright, time for the transfer. I''ll make this quicker than usual."


    Alice places both of her hands forward as if trying to cast a spell. After a while, a magical circle appeared below the troll and transferred it back to the hut.


    "Alright, success as always."


    "Jeez, your magic never fails to impress me, Alice. You''re the only one in all of Navea that can wield a transference spell. Not even that {Fate Threader} can possibly do that I bet."


    A member commented about her unique ability which makes her smirk a little.


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    "Hah, if it''s something I could be proud of, it''s my brains. Soon, I''ll be able to master more of the secret elements." Alice proudly declared.


    "That''s one of the reasons I have fallen for you, Alice. Your confidence and determination to achieve results is truly admirable." Horan also remarked.


    As a response to the sudden passionate praise by Horan, she pinches his shoulders and quickly walks out of the cave, hiding her flushed cheeks. As soon as she''s out, Horan and the others slowly follow while the members keep staring at him. Weird thing is that no one ever commented about Horan''s remark. But after a while, someone opened his mouth and in hushed voice, he talked-


    "Boss, she''s too smart to be used only as a tool. Maybe you should really love her for rea¨C"


    When he''s about to finish his sentence, Horan gave him a terrifying glare which made him immediately shut his mouth.


    "When we''re done. I''ll be hailed as the most remarkable alchemist ever known, surpassing even the [Grim Fate]''s Sophia Horenstein. And only one shall bear that title¡­"


    Once they returned to the hut, Alice''s cat met them with its adorable gaze, seemingly asking for a snack.


    "Oh, that cat''s still here?" Horan asked.


    "Yeah, I figured it would be the case." Alice then turns her attention towards the ring she''s wearing. It is a ring-type artifact shaped like a fanged predator. This is one of the artifacts that they have stolen from GEO''s ownership.


    "Looks like this cat can actually adapt to any ecosystem as long as it''s a dungeon, what an interesting specie."


    "Well, as long as it won''t hinder our progress then¡­"


    "Don''t worry Horan, I''ll take full responsibility."


    After a few days, they have stumbled upon many failures. Day by day they would apprehend a new test subject and restart their process. A month has passed since then, a new discovery has been found by Alice.


    "I¡­I think I did it."


    "....." Horan looks at her, speechless. He then slowly walks towards her and looks at it in awe. The dead cave troll that was shackled, is not disappearing even after death. Their goal of having to maintain a monster''s physical body despite its death have been successful. With this, they can further study the anatomy of monsters without the worry of it disappearing even after death. But maintaining the corpse is difficult and impossible enough already, that is why Horan and Alice felt like they have achieved a peak highlight in their career.


    "This is it!! We have taken a huge step towards advancement! I knew you''d be able to do it!"


    After his remark, Alice tightly hugged Horan due to the sheer joy she''s feeling at the moment. After having such a satisfying celebration, they never delayed, instead, the two continued as soon as they were ready again for the next part of the test. But then¨C


    "The Cave Trolls are gone! The Cave has been cleared!"


    One of their members reported to them.


    "What? Well, we are hoping to delay the hunters from clearing the cave, but I guess we''ll have to stick with this one." Alice commented, however, Horan looks displeased.


    "Damn it, where are the others!? Why didn''t you stop them from entering!?"


    "H-Horan-" Alice interjected


    "-we''re not in a rush, also, the cave is not an important part of our research anymore anyway."


    Horan''s glare turns towards Alice, which she did not expect at all.


    "...Horan..?"


    After a while, Horan shakes his head as if to collect himself. "You''re right, you''re right¡­it''s just that, one subject is not enough. Since we''re already experts in the anatomy of this specific monster, they''re the perfect test subjects for us."


    "If that''s the case¡­we have to move somewhere else to find a nearby rain dungeon to get more subjects¡­"


    "No! Moving means delay! And we are unsure if the troll''s body would stay like that if we lift the dungeon effect in this area!"


    Alice sweats, she''s nervous since it''s the first time she sees Horan like this, not knowing that it''s his actual nature. He then turns towards their team mate and asked-


    "Are you sure it''s clear!? Have you gone inside?"


    "Y-yes boss, but before going inside, we saw someone going outside of the dungeon."


    "A solo hunter?"


    "I think so boss, also¡­I don''t know why but, he''s giving me the creeps despite assessing that he''s just a normal human."


    Little did they know that the certain hunter just spends time alone inside eating bread in peace since he thought that it was cleared.


    "Boss, we have a discovery by the way. We may not have to move."


    "What do you mean?"


    "There was a nearby cave, a dungeon. Though we suspect it has a higher rank than the |Cave of Echoes|."


    "Then, we''re going there!"


    After Horan''s declaration, Alice had some second thoughts about what they are doing or what they are trying to achieve. It''s as if there was a slap in her face that somehow wakes something up within her, but then when she takes a glance towards Horan, her loved ones-


    "Come, my dear Alice." He offered him his hands, changing his expression in just a matter of seconds into a gentle one.


    "y-yes, my dear Horan!" She was not able to resist her own emotions. With that said, that day will mark the first tragedy that befalls their group.

 Chapter 15: Alice in Despair Land

    "Back him up¨C no!"


    A loud screech fills up the whole area as a strong monster begins to eliminate their members one by one.


    "Holy¨Cthis is not an ordinary dungeon we can just walk by! Retreat! Retreat!"


    As Horan ordered the retreat, the monster that''s been wiping his whole group out jumped in front of them, blocking their way out.


    "I thought this was just a rain rank like the other cave!?" Horan angrily shouted at their member who pointed this dungeon out.


    "I''m - I didn''t know it''s gonna be this hard! I know you''re in a hurry to finish your research, that''s why I didn''t hesitate to offer you this dungeon, boss!!!"


    It is only a single monster. But the monster is capable of holding off the entire dungeon on its own. Always on the ready with its four quick feet, fiercely glaring at the hunters like it''s staring at rabbits to hunt, and with its predatory instincts, no man could hope to escape its hunting ground. A chimera, though incomplete, the danger it poses already matches multiple blood ranked hunters. Strong grip and fangs, nimble reflexes, hard iron body and poisonous tail - with all those features, the unprepared hunters are all but destined to fall.


    "A-At least, save yourself, my dear Horan!"


    Alice steps in front of him, acting as his shield. Her love for him is already high enough for her to sacrifice herself, despite the unfinished research she had. Though, Horan does not appreciate the thought, the thing is-


    "NO! Why would you sacrifice yourself if we still have so much unfinished business to tend to!?"


    "My dear! It''s not the time to worry¨C"


    "This is definitely the time!! What would I do without your brain!? There are so many things I still want to accomplish a lot more, but I need your mind! At least finish the monster study before you die!"


    They say that in the face of inevitable death, ones true character would take over, displaying what they truly are on the inside.


    "Dear¡­y-you make it sound like¡­you only see me as a tool to further your study. Y-you don''t mean that right¡­?"


    As soon as Alice asked the question, the chimera lunged towards Horan, marking him as its next target.


    "Watch out boss!!"


    BITE!


    The chimera bit off Horan''s right arm using its sharp fangs, chewing it in front of him. As a result, he screamed as loud as he could to let out the pain he is currently feeling.


    "GAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!"


    "BOSS!!"


    The remaining members started to gather around him, though surprisingly, Alice did not join them. Rather, she stays in place, unmoving, unsure what to do and feel anymore. She clasped her hands, hoping that what she''s currently thinking about Horan''s true motive isn''t what it''s supposed to be.


    GROWL!


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    As the chimera lets out a terrifying growl, its snake tail begins to produce a poisonous mist that envelopes everyone gathered around Horan. They all coughed, choking as if there was someone strangling their necks.


    "G-GHHHKKK!! NGGGG!!"


    "AAAAHHH, IT HURTS!!!"


    Alice holds out her hand towards them, feeling all kinds of negative emotions at once. Despair, anxiousness, doubt¡­fear. But her fear does not originate through the monster they''re facing, but the fear that she''s been used only as a tool right from the start, by the one whom she dedicated her life to. As tears begin to fall down her eyes, a single sound resonates throughout the cave- a calm voice of a cat.


    "Meow."


    It appeared beside Alice, looking at the chimera directly in the eye. As the chimera looked back, it froze, as if it saw a being that is superior to it. After a while the cat''s eyes glow which made the chimera growl uncontrollably.


    "....."


    As Alice was too speechless to comment about anything, the skin of the chimera would then slowly turn dark, shrinking like it''s going back to being an infant. But then it stopped when it reached the same height as the cat.


    "...!!?"


    As the others drew their final breath due to the poison, they were all shocked at what happened right before their eyes closed forever. The chimera that wiped them, turns into the cat that Alice has been caring for. As she turned towards where her cat was supposed to be, it was gone.


    "That¡­is that possible¡­"


    Alice mutters to herself as she somehow had an idea about what happened. The cat seems to be a monster capable of devouring and taking over another monster with the same type. She falls to her knees, weakened by all the emotions that flooded her in the past couple of seconds. Dead silence filled the whole area, as all of the members of [The Unforeseen] were wiped out with only Alice as the sole survivor.


    "Meow~"


    The cat, with its hushed steps, saunters towards its master and sits beside her.


    "You''re the only one who really cared for me¡­aren''t you¡­?" Alice talks to the cat as she weakly lifts herself up, her eyes as dead as a pale fish. She then trudges towards the corpse of her dear Horan who died displaying an unsightly expression.


    "Ah¡­my dear Horan¡­I know you mean nothing what I thought you had¡­I want to know what you really think of me¡­"


    With all her might, she grabs Horan''s corpse and dragged him out of the dungeon and back to the hut. Despite having drunk potions and herbs, she seems to be not recovering some of her weakness, which then leads her into thinking that it might be a repercussion of the cat''s power with her being its master. She got her answer after seeing her reflection on a river.


    "....."


    She became old, her hair turned white, her skin wrinkled and her body grew thinner. However, she did not feel remorse nor grief. Instead, she accepted it as if she has no more concern about the setbacks of what she did and what she will do. There is only one thing she wanted: to know what Horan thinks of her.


    Day and night, she experimented. It''s not the grand scale of literally trying to bring the dead back to life since it''s impossible, instead, it was an experiment to know the final thoughts of a deceased individual. It took her only a week to produce the final product due to the sheer intelligence and effort she''s put after the incident. The product was taken from their previous research, injecting monster cells into the potion, resulting in a change in structure, however, the human brain would still be intact and function.


    But as what was witnessed by the GEO''s survey team, it did not end well, as Horan was turned into a horrible piece of living corpse with anatomy of a cave troll as well as the other members. Although they all took shelter into the |Cave of Echoes| which is supposed to be cleared already. There was a hint of magical traces left by the transference spell by Alice, and so she made use of it to teleport them all inside it.


    As day goes by after Alice''s failure, she begins demonstrating a series of inhuman thinking. Her emotion as a human being faded, her love for Horan and her studies slowly disappeared and was replaced by the sole purpose of caring for her pet. In order to get sustenance despite being gravely old, the cat would need sacrifices, something to get energy from. Hunters are a perfect subject, since they have a surmountable amount of energy, the higher ranked, the better. As Alice was confident about the strength of her pet, she doesn''t care if she leads even one blood ranked hunter into its den. Moreover, she saw the potential of the |Cave of Echoes| to be a source of energy as well, which is why the trolls placed there along with the golems she conjured would be the ones to take care of the hunters who would not be careful enough to tip toe inside a cleared dungeon. But then this time ¨C all of it, shall fall. Into the hands ofthe unknowing man-


    "It''s not responding to the cat call¡­"

 Chapter 16: Combined Efforts

    |Cave of Echoes|


    "Ah man!"


    Erika shouted as his sword broke after an attempt to damage the golem''s foothold.


    "Don''t waste your time hitting it with physical attacks! Imbue your weapon with any kind of magic and begin your offence!"


    "Enhancement magic?" ¡ûErika


    "Have you been paying attention to our lectures about creatures?! Enhancement magic will strengthen your weapon but it will not apply magic damage! To damage this golem, we need your slashes to become magic-like!"


    Fiona lectured Erika while running around the body of the golem.


    "In other words, imbue! Not enhance!"


    David shouted towards them.


    ¡°R-right!¡±


    Erika responded as if she understood what they were trying to say to her, however, in a path like an assassin with mainly physical fighting attributes, it would prove quite difficult for her to apply that sort of understanding. Fortunately enough, there¡¯s someone who can provide that sort of support amongst their current team.


    ¡°Here, I¡¯ll give you some -!¡±


    Athy weaves her hand, which produces white smoke that covers Erika¡¯s entire blade.


    ¡°That¡¯s the best I can provide you with. It¡¯s my own particles of frost magic now imbued into your blade.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Athy-chan!¡±


    Erika once again charges into battle as the golem begins to crush everything that surrounds it, making all of them to back off for now, with the exception of King Crow who blocked the crush with his toughness.


    ¡°HAHAHA!! You hit hard, you lump of rock! Good, good! I¡¯ll give you a taste of mine as well!¡±


    Despite all of their efforts telling him that physical attacks are ineffective, King Crow still throws powerful swings towards the golem¡¯s body. It might have an impact, but it does not contribute much to defeating it.


    The golem then joins its hands together and slowly raises it up high. As soon as they saw it, their eyes widened-


    ¡°This is bad¡­this is seriously bad!¡± ¡ûDavid


    ¡°No way it would not affect us. Not only the cave has no room to contain that impact, we have no way to shield through it completely even if we dodge!¡± Meiren surmised.


    Meiren, Fiona, and David then looked at each other as if they had thought of the same thing.


    ¡°LORD KING CROW!¡± The three shouted in unison, resulting in King Crow to turn towards them whilst tightly gripping his axe.


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    Meiren then gave the instruction:


    ¡°King Crow, you¡¯re our only hope here! We believe in your physical strength and endurance, we¡¯ll give you all the supporting skills we got!¡±


    ¡°FUHAHAHA! Well I can¡¯t say no to that can I?! Lo and behold the strength of the Crimson King!! <Iron Fort>!¡± King Crow casted a skill on himself which doubles his gripping strength and endurance. He wore a terrifying yet gallant smile as his dominant eyes glared at the giant Rock Titan which was charging its crush.


    ¡°Athy-chan! Please imbue your magic into Lord King Crow¡¯s weapon and assist him in crushing the golem¡¯s hands!¡±


    Athy nodded in response - ¡°Got it! It¡¯s on us now huh!¡±


    Erika then comes running towards King Crow with her imbued blade in front. After seeing this, Fiona shouted towards her-


    ¡°Erika! What are you trying to-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll assist him! Fiona, you know I¡¯m good at adapting right? I think I have the grasp of this magic thing now.¡±


    ¡°Tss! <Rising Bets>!¡± David puts his hand forward and casts the skill towards them.


    Fiona clutches her hands and glances at Erika with a focused look. She then raises her sword and casts her support skill, exclusive for a swordmaster-


    ¡°<Honored Oath>!¡±


    Erika¡¯s blade shines brighter, the aura of the lingering ice magic expands. Fiona¡¯s skill amplifies the target¡¯s sword-type weapon depending on the result that the owner wants to achieve. In Erika¡¯s case, she wants to cut through the golem, which results in the amplification of the blade¡¯s imbued magic. Meiren then lifts her orb-


    ¡°<Vortex>!¡±


    Raising Erika high up in order to execute her finishing move.


    Though the giant has finally swings down its flattening double crush, everything has been finally set as King Crow bravely clashed into it with his own heavy swing-


    ¡°Fuhahaha!!!! Come and get some!!¡±


    BAAAAM!!! It was a destructive clash as their attack met, a huge surge of shockwave permeated the whole area. Erika then on the other hand did not apply strength, but instead, she focused on understanding her blade, in order to cut through the huge lump of rock in front of her. The shockwave barely did anything to her as she was too high up in the air. Her eyes seem to be reflecting a pointed edge, as sharp as the most refined swords forged by the highest blacksmiths. She was in her own zone.


    King Crow is steadily winning the clash as he pushes through the heavy crush of the Rock Titan, as well as showing some damages to its exterior due to magic imbued towards King Crow¡¯s axe.


    ¡°Fuhahaha!!! I have to thank these guys here for the support, else I¡¯ll be on a pinch - Nevertheless! I¡¯ll still win no matter what! Fuhahaha!!!¡±


    CRACK! BOOM!


    The land he¡¯s standing on slowly crumbles even more due to how heavy the blow he is currently tanking. After a while, the result finally shows.


    BREAK!


    The Rock Titan¡¯s hands have been pushed away, while also showing heavy cracks due to King Crow''s valiant offense and defense. And then¨C


    Erika¡¯s breathing changes. As if the atmosphere around her becomes her own. A spark in her eyes then emerges, as if she has finally grasped the killing blow she needed to take down what¡¯s in front of her.


    ¡°Die, and regret trying to hurt my allies¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    Without any use of skills, without any more enhancement¨C Erika lunges like a quick blood-thirsted assassin with her blade pointed forward. The Rock Titans body did not even have a chance, it was like¡­the softest thing that Erika¡¯s imbued blade has cut. With one stab through its center, the core of the Rock Titan has split open, causing it to crumble and ultimately lifelessly fall.


    ¡°Haaaah¡­¡±


    King Crow lifts his axe and rests it on his shoulders, not even letting out a sigh of relief nor showing a sign of exhaustion.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s what I call an assassination! Quick, silent - deadly!¡±


    Everyone then walks towards them with their eyes glued towards Erika, not speaking a thing. But then, she turns around with a radiant smile and her dagger broken.


    ¡°We did it guys!!!¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    As if her smile was contagious, everyone looked at each other and smiled as well. They then announced:


    ¡°No more presences. Dungeon cleared!¡±


    |Moonlight Cave|


    Meanwhile, the clueless Zephyr has been faced with an unusual foe that might even be more powerful than the Rock Titan. As his cat call did not do the trick, his sense of danger was finally raised to high alert, making him put all of his effort into surviving. Thus-


    ¡°RUUUUUN!!¡±


    He ran towards the exit.

 Chapter 17: The Two Witches

    Going back to the time where Anastasia was transported away from the dungeon, she found herself waking up inside a mysterious lodge where anyone could tell that it is being used for research and forbidden studies due to the fact that there are stolen papers from the GEO laying about on top of the shelves. To add to the mystery, she noticed that this certain lodging is a dungeon, although by the looks of it, someone, a human, is currently using it as a habitat.


    ¡°This is certainly unexpected. Why is the end point of the teleportation spell tied up in this place¡­¡±


    It seems like due to Anastasia¡¯s sensitivity in magic, she unconsciously tapped on the residues of Alice¡¯s teleportation spell which also goes to say how potent and adaptive Anastasia is when magic is the subject. After a quick rundown of the hut dungeon, Anastasia decides to go outside, however, she feels a familiar presence nearby. Someone she won¡¯t even mistake by anyone else. She then looks outside the window, and there she saw her beloved Master Zephyr talking to the old lady who seems to be the one managing the hut dungeon.


    ¡®Master Zep! Don¡¯t tell me¡­this is all part of your preparations.¡¯


    Her eyes showed anticipation and excitement as she decided on her own that the following events are all a weave of Zephyr¡¯s master plans, which is of course, non-existent. Her red eyes then widened as she saw her beloved Master take a quick glance at her direction which also made Anastasia think that he knows that she¡¯s there.


    ¡®Master Zep, are you telling me to not interfere for now? Very well, know that your loyal servant Anastasia is the only one who can understand what you¡¯re talking about even with just a glance.¡¯


    Unfortunately for her, she¡¯s wrong.


    As Zephyr and the old lady finally depart, Anastasia walks out of the hut and carefully scans her surroundings.


    ¡®Fritz Forest¡­I¡¯m not that far from the others. But, what should I do now? Master Zep, please give me more of your guidance.¡¯


    As she thought of those words, one of Zephyr¡¯s artifacts made its way towards Anastasia. It was a winged necklace that has a consciousness of its own, named Cantallone, plundered inside a blood ranked dungeon.


    ¡°Cantallone, why are you not on Master Zep¡¯s side? Wait, did he let you out to reconcile with me? I am also feeling the presence of the old lady coming back here.¡±


    Anastasia looks towards the direction where Zephyr and the old lady went, she then turns her gaze back to the necklace with eyes of realization.


    ¡°I see. Master Zep wants me to take care of this one issue. That means he probably let himself inside the trap of that old lady.¡±


    As she breathes calmly, Anastasia finally leaks out her overwhelming magical presence.


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    ¨CAlice¡¯s perspective¨C


    ¡®Haah, that¡¯s one less thing to worry about. Now that my pet¡¯s hunger is resolved for today, I should get back to my studies¨C.¡¯


    As if she was startled by something, Alice¡¯s eyes widens as she turns around to see if she is being followed.


    ¡°.....¡±


    She looks around, agitated for some reason.


    ¡°Is someone there..? Does anyone need something from an old lady like myself..?¡±


    Alice gulps and squints her eyes. She then turns around once again to return to her lodge whilst grasping her chest. It seems like she¡¯s still feeling some kind of panic for an unknown reason.


    ¡®W-what the hell am I feeling? Why does it feel like someone¡¯s been tailing me after I made the young hunter enter the dungeon?¡¯


    After a few steps, she felt yet another bad premonition. Though this time, it¡¯s in the form of a strong magical presence near her hut as if it¡¯s inviting itself to be known.


    ¡°No¡­this overwhelming presence¡­it can only belong to that guild!¡±


    Alice begins to run towards the location of the presence while equipping some unknown artifacts. She knows that one day, she will have to face retribution from the hunters, but it¡¯s still too early for it and the hunter she is about to face is someone she does not expect to be the one to find her.


    As she closes in, Alice slows down and pretends to be an innocent old hag whilst hiding her hands behind her back to conceal her ring artifact.


    ¡°Oh..? Hello there, beautiful young hunter. What makes you travel to a place like¨C¡±


    ¡°You can drop your act. Master Zep has already long found out about your identity.¡±


    ¡°..!!¡±


    Alice squints her eyes, though she does not expect for her act to work with a high ranking hunter, she is still surprised by how direct this one is. She¡¯s also curious about the one she is calling her master.


    ¡°I see¡­I don¡¯t know what kind of trail I left to be found out like this, but looks like it¡¯s finally my time to answer for my sins. And to a powerful mage no less¡­¡±


    Anastasia points at Alice with two fingers, which then turns dark and solid like an obsidian.


    ¡°His expectations, I will not disappoint. You will go down here and now, resist if you must.¡±


    In response, Alice grits her teeth and shows her hands, equipped with two rings and porcelain gloves. She also takes out a vial.


    ¡°Then I shall resist. I¡¯m not the weak woman I was back then!¡±


    What she said is a fact. In just a few months, her knowledge about magic and alchemy has increased incredibly due to her mad passion and unhinged experiments. Her past potential and sizable magic presence while she¡¯s in her prime is still there. Moreover¨C


    ¡°With this elixir mixed with unaging monster cells, I shall temporarily regain my youth!¡±


    Without further ado, Alice gulped down the whole content of the vial, however, Anastasia did not wait and attacked while she¡¯s in the process of drinking it.


    BAM!


    Two huge spears of dark ice strikes through Alice¡¯s position, due to its sheer force, a minor explosion occurred, making the surroundings inconspicuous as smoke of dust enveloped the area of effect.


    Anastasia waits for the result before proceeding with her next course of action. She then felt a new amount of magical presence.


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush? We¡¯ll take our time.¡±


    A voice of a young, professional lady can be heard emerging from the smoke. As Alice reveals herself, she was indeed back to her younger version, where she can fully make use of her mana deposits in order to match Anastasia. To top it off, the whole area is her own personal garden by which she can utilize traps and move freely about.


    ¡°We¡¯re now evenly matched!¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    Anastasia was speechless for a moment as she closed her eyes. After some time, she reopened her eyes, staring at Alice like she¡¯s belittling her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get the wrong idea about me, or us. You¡¯re nowhere near the level of [Grim Fate].¡±


    She then clasps her hands as it turns dark like obsidian up to the shoulder level.


    ¡°Nothing will change. My mission shall be carried out without fail. In the name of my Master.¡±

 Chapter 18: Witch of Frost and Dark

    ¡°Ahh¡­I too, had someone I pledged all of my loyalty to in the past. It all just ended after he finally showed me his true colors. No, even so, hehe¡­I still long for him. Let¡¯s both place our loyalty on the line with this battle!¡±


    Alice weaves a hand sign and casts a basic fireball spell, though its size and destructive capability is far from ordinary due to her potent magic amplification.


    Anastasia then countered it by erecting a thick wall of dark ice in front of her, ultimately blocking the fireball, though it explodes on impact resulting in the wall of ice to disseminate. As the smoke clears up, Anastasia sees Alice¡¯s hand pointing towards her, and with a grin she casts:


    ¡°<Reanimate Spell!>¡±


    Without a moment¡¯s notice, the fireball was re-casted in front of Anastasia giving her no window to dodge. And with that point blank range, she also has no chance to erect another wall to protect herself - that¡¯s what Alice has been thinking.


    ¡°Begone to dust!¡±


    ¡°...fuuuuhh¡­¡±


    ¡°...!?¡±


    A chilling soft sigh was let out from Anastasia¡¯s mouth which sent shivers through Alice¡¯s system. As Anastasia¡¯s dark hand touches the fireball, it immediately freezes, turning it into a sphere of solid dark crystal, unable to explode on impact.


    ¡°Your wits deserve commendation. But that¡¯s not enough for me.¡±


    Alice could be seen shocked by what has transpired. Without any delays, Anastasia then whirls the dark crystal sphere towards Alice.


    ¡°You can have your spell back.¡±


    With a flick of her fingers, the crystal shattered, revealing a minor amount of flames left from the fireball.


    In a panic, Alice hastily weaves her hand and forms a thick barrier surrounding her as she also notices that the shattered crystals also moved towards her location.


    ¡°Trying to pincer me!?¡± ¡°<Magical Barrier!>¡±


    As Alice roughly clasps her hands, the barrier becomes sturdier as it decently blocks the harmful projectiles coming for its weaver.


    ¡°Very good. Your spell weaving and formation are on par or even better than Athy¡¯s.¡±


    Coming from Anastasia herself, the compliment is quite an honorable one for mages, however, for a genius like Alice, being compared to an unknown mage and not even scaling herself to the powerful sorceress in front of her is an outrageous insult.


    ¡°Save me your empty praises, you have not seen all of what I can do!¡±


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    Separating her clasped hands, Alice weaves a foreign sign, something Navean natives are not aware of yet, meaning¨C


    ¡°A newly developed spell¡­¡± Anastasia commented as she watched in curiosity.


    Alice¡¯s eyes squint as she notices Ana being too arrogant and confident despite being presented by a spell unknown to her. It¡¯s as if she is indirectly telling her that there is no such mage that can outmatch her spells. Though, Alice acknowledged it. Since this is the top sorceress, the Prism ranked witch of the strongest guild.


    ¡°I will make you acknowledge my talent and prove the fruit of OUR research!¡±


    Anastasia slightly tilts her head and asks ¡°...? Our?¡±


    With this remark, Alice gasped. She did not notice her words to be able to still include the work of her loved one despite being betrayed by him. Her lips bled as she bit it with force.


    ¡°Yes¡­IT IS THE FRUIT OF OUR LABOR! Behold!¡±


    A huge part of the forest became quiet all of a sudden as its ecosystem became the source of the spell¡¯s energy. At the center of it was Alice, who is now currently holding, atop her palms, a gigantic hole which on the other side is something no one could possibly believe.


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes widened. Her curiosity has reached its peak. Despite being pale, awkward, and dead eyed, she is still a mage. A spell of unknown origin is bound to trigger her wisdom seeking self. As a result, instead of stopping it, she gets closer. All her attention focused on what awaits after the whole spell is formed.


    ¨CSeveral years ago¨C


    In a small village, Southwest of Frostfall, a child who is said to have been cursed with a strange syndrome akin to a witch¡¯s. Her whole body is too cold, even if someone pours a pot of boiling hot water on her, it will cool down first before hitting her skin. A child named Anastasia, the only daughter of a travelling witch, who has now taken shelter in the said village.


    ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s cold enough already, now they added a freak whose temperature is as cold as the weather here when she gets close to you.¡±


    ¡°P-please stay away from our kids. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re a bad girl, uhm¡­just stay away from them¡­and from all of us.¡±


    ¡°Uwaaah!! I got frostbitten!! Mama! It hurts! It hurts!¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    The little girl speaks no words. Her eyes look like it does not have any interest or even pay attention to its surroundings. It¡¯s as if¡­a doll. She¡¯s a doll with no emotions, only there to stand and watch the villagers be frightened of her existence alone. One day, however, a group of researchers became interested in this certain child.


    ¡°Hello little child, how are you? Ah, I forgot our introductions. We¡¯re a group of friendly researchers from the official Estate of Verspala. I have heard so much about you¨C¡±


    A certain woman then steps in, resembling the face and eyes of the child.


    ¡°What kind of news about my daughter has reached you then?¡±


    As the researcher looked up, his smile did not vanish from his face. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s trained to deal with the public often.


    ¡°Ah, greetings. I apologize for my sudden interaction with your daughter, Madame. Please be at ease, I only want to say my greetings and be acquainted with the people here.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s mother pulled her by her side and squinted towards the group of researchers.


    ¡°You did not answer my question.¡±


    And with that, Anastasia and her mother left them behind and went back to their small cabin.


    ¡°What now, Roderick?¡±


    The lead researcher, who was the one talking with Ana¡¯s mother, does a thinking pose and grins. He turned around to face his colleagues and walked away without saying anything. But after a while, he responded:


    ¡°Sooner or later, a dungeon will form at the center of this small village. We already dealt with the authorities who are expected to report it to the chief, so no one will know the dungeon¡¯s formation. We will take advantage of that to capture her.¡±


    As their group entered a tavern, another group arrived at the village. They are all weird looking adventurers, children accompanied by adults¡­is what it¡¯s supposed to look like, however¡­the children seem to be strong in their own rights despite being little kids.


    ¡°.....¡±


    ¡°I want some cheese and hot cocoa¡­¡±


    Zephyr and his little group in their childhood days.

 Chapter 19: Witch of Frost and Dark pt.2

    ¡°Ana, no matter what, do not engage in any conversation with those researchers and hunters. I don¡¯t want you to be a part of any dangerous groups¡­we¡¯ll stay here, where it¡¯s safe.¡±


    Anastasia nodded, though her eyes and expression still shows no emotions, all her actions are fully dependent on her mother. Whatever she says, she will follow. That¡¯s the way she grows up. The night passes without any incidents, the village stays the same as ever, quiet and full of people who are working to warm themselves in this harsh winter.


    Anastasia and her mother are no exception. They bring firewoods into the smith and gather herbs that were left alive by the climate and extract it to make potions for them to sell. Fortunately, Anastasia¡¯s mother is a knowledgeable alchemist.


    While Anastasia is helping out her mother in their humble stall beside the streets, a figure of a little girl wearing an eyeglass stood in front of their selection. The little girl seems to be studying the contents of the potion just by looking at it, and everyone can tell that she might just be able to come up with the ingredients when given enough time. A scholar so to say.


    ¡°What can I help you with, little lady?¡±


    She was disrupted by Anastasia¡¯s mother who is currently looking at her with interest. The little girl, on the other hand, did not respond, instead, she did not move a single muscle whilst thinking. It¡¯s as if she¡¯s too focused on studying what¡¯s in front of her. Noticing this, Ana¡¯s mother narrows her eyes down and lets her be, watching her with keen interest. But then¨C another interjection had occurred.


    ¡°Oh? Little kids these days have such a strong passion for knowledge. It¡¯s admirable, my researcher¡¯s heart is truly elated.¡±


    It was Roderick with his colleagues behind him, warmly smiling towards Anastasia and the little girl. He almost pats the head of the little girl, however, he felt something strange and thought to himself: ¡®Hm? My guts are telling me that I should not interrupt what she¡¯s doing. But what¡¯s up with her concentration, it¡¯s too damn keen for a child like her.¡¯


    Roderick looks forward, seeing Anastasia¡¯s mother staring at the girl, paying no heed to him and his colleagues, which makes him snicker in silence. By the time Anastasia laid her eyes on the little girl, she blinked. Her saliva just slowly dropped from her lips, but she wiped it off quickly.


    ¡°Amazing, it¡¯s only a simple potion, but the way it got brewed is unnatural. Miss, I would like to take up some classes with you.¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    Everyone present looked at the little girl, speechless. As Roderick¡¯s curiosity piques him, he glanced at the potion and carefully observed it. Nothing, he sees nothing special with it, in fact, he only identifies it as homebrewed cure ailment potion.


    ¡®This little girl might just be a bogus hunter aiming to please alchemists and mages with her sway of words, gaining their trust and wisdom to share. But for her to already be like this at such an early age, I pity you.¡¯


    Anastasia¡¯s mouth seems to be slightly open due to awe. Of all people, she¡¯s the one who knows how delicate and magical her mother brews the potions she makes. To be able to see through this, despite not knowing her mother¡¯s background, surprised her a bit.


    ¡°The potion was indeed just a normal one¡­however, I am stern with the process.¡±


    Ana¡¯s mother surprisingly responded in kind. Though, she still hasn¡¯t acknowledged the presence of the other party.


    In just a moment, a young male with the look and presence of a normal villager just butted in with a carefree smile on his face.


    ¡°Sophia, what are you doing, you''re bothering the adults, hehe¡­¡±


    He rubs the back of his head as he chuckles.


    Sophia then relaxed her hands on her waist as she asked Zephyr with a smile drawn on her lips.


    ¡°Zep, good timing. Look at the concoctions this alchemist is selling. You think we can match these?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Zephyr leans in closer, as if someone who is shopping without the slightest bit of interest about buying the thing he''s looking at. He then thinks. ¡®What is she expecting me to say? Isn''t this just a normal homebrewed potion? Anyhow, I see that she''s trying to please this sharp-looking lady. Maybe she''s interested in recruiting her to her network? If that''s the case, I should praise her work too¡­but what could I even say¡­¡¯


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    He lifts his head, still displaying a carefree smile.


    ¡°Uhh, that''s¡­yeah, an innovative way of brewing, ermm-¡±


    His eyes then fell towards the little Anastasia who is eyeing her like he''s a frozen statue. For any other person, being stared at by Anastasia like how she''s doing with Zephyr will freak them out, threatened by her sheer gaze. However, for someone like Zephyr, who has been with his abnormal party for a start of two years, he developed quite a resistance to it. He thought to himself: ¡®Whoa, those scary eyes¡­why do I feel like she''ll get along just fine with my friends.¡¯


    ¡°Hey Zep, don''t leave me hanging like that. I know you''re not that interested because you already know such things but at least give it more enthusiasm.¡± Sophia sulks afterwards.


    ¡°.....¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s mother and Sophia then noticed that the two, Ana and Zep have been staring at each other for a while now, which results in Sophia to pull Zephyr¡¯s cheeks. With a frown on her face, she crosses her arms and questions him: ¡°Zep, don''t tell me, you''re¨C¡± which then Zephyr immediately retracted as he thinks he knows what she''s going to say.


    ¡°No no no no, it''s not that, I mean¨C¡±


    As the two continue talking, Anastasia¡¯s mother looks at her daughter, pondering: ¡®That boy, he was staring directly at Ana¡¯s eyes yet he hadn''t faltered nor even felt anything at all. He immediately jumped his attention from the potion towards her as soon as he knew that my daughter is even more special than any potions I brew.¡¯ She holds her daughter by her shoulder and points her head towards their hut, signifying an order to go home. Without any words of refusal, Anastasia nods and turns her back towards them, she then walks away after taking a final peek towards Zephyr, which her mother noticed. ¡®Anastasia¡­¡¯


    ¡°Ekhem.¡±


    Roderick cleared his throat to finally make his presence known once again, but then he just left smiling with his group, not saying anything after patting Zep and Sophia¡¯s shoulders.


    Anastasia''s mother squints as she sees them leave just like that, though she did not give it much thought and went back to Zephyr.


    ¡®This little boy, his attention switched instantly to my daughter. Does he know anything about- no, that''s impossible, he''s just a little kid.¡¯ She then turns her gaze at Sophia to give her a response regarding her statement back then.


    ¡°I''m sorry young lady, I do not accept apprentices, I would never and I''m not qualified to.¡±


    ¡°That''s a shame. You have the necessary means to become a great teacher, I''m confused why you''re rejecting such authority. If I were to see an opportunity, I would grab it and never let go.¡± Sophia commented, showing an upset expression.


    ¡°Err, don''t be like that Sophia. We can''t just push people into things they don''t want to become.¡± Zephyr commented as he was massaging his cheek that was pinched by Sophia.


    ¡°....¡± ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Ana¡¯s mother remarked after a brief pause. She turns her gaze back at Zephyr and asks him an unusual question.


    ¡°What do your eyes tell you when you look at my daughter?¡±


    Sophia raises a brow after hearing her query. She then squints as she also turns her gaze towards Zephyr who is quiet at the moment. Inside the head of the future {Fate Threader} was: ¡®Wait, does she think I''m trying to chance up her daughter? She''s beautiful alright, but I can feel my bones freezing just by looking at her, it''s quite scary like my teammates!¡¯ Zephyr scratches the back of his head as he chuckles to give off some relaxing vibe.


    ¡°Haha, it''s just that¡­well, she gives me an atmosphere with a sense of familiarity close to my friends so¡­¡±


    ¡°Just like your friends you say. They must not be normal then¨C¡±


    She just blurted it out without any thoughts which resulted in her to immediately put a halt to her own words.


    ¡®Bingo! You nailed it Madame!¡¯


    Sophia then assumes a thinking pose.


    ¡®Zep¡­don''t tell me, he saw a hidden potential towards that mysterious girl with just a glance at her eyes. To compare her with our friends, that must mean¨C¡¯


    ¡°I see it now, Zep. Sorry for not comprehending your mind faster.¡± Sophia whispered.


    ¡°What? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Zep, I mean it, sorry¡­so you can drop the act now.¡±


    ¡°No no no, I don''t¨C¡±


    ¡°Weren''t you afraid? Did your bones freeze?¡±


    Ana¡¯s mom interjected, asking Zephyr yet another unusual question whilst eyeing him like she''s studying his whole personality.


    ¡®You tell me Ma¡¯am. Like I said, she has the same qualities of my abnormal friends, but I can''t really say that¡­¡¯ Zephyr chuckles a bit.


    ¡°I did feel something, but it''s a thing I''m used to. Hahah¡­¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    Ana¡¯s mom was speechless. From the beginning, she already accepted the fact that their generation, starting from her, will be left alone in the dark, being unwanted by many yet wanted by wicked people. She does not feel either any ill intent or devious aspects towards the little Zephyr. Instead, she feels like everything he says is his honest feeling. With this realization, her hope for Anastasia to finally be with someone that accepts her has come to light. Sophia, on the other hand, understands the situation and gives off a relieved smile as if she''s expecting a new member for their little group.


    ¡°What''s your name, little boy? And what are you?¡±


    ¡°My name''s Zephyr Gersche. I''m just a normal hunter who just wants to live a normal life and just wants to spend time without worries.¡±


    Sophia then chuckled.


    ¡°Alright, normal hunter, Zephyr.¡± She says it with a hint of sarcasm as she thought that Zep is just being humble. She then continues-


    ¡°I have a bad premonition relating to this town¨C and the other people who recently came in. I feel bad entrusting this to a kid, but I can already see how promising you are.¡±


    She picks up a satchel underneath the counter and offers it to Zephyr.


    ¡°If anything does happen¡­please, watch over my child for me.¡±

 Chapter 20: Reform

    ¨CStill in the past¨C


    Inside a tavern, whilst eating their fill, Zephyr is currently in deep thought. Along with him and Sophia, is one of the founding members of their currently little cluster. The one known as the {Impenetrable Spearhead} in the future and vanguard of [Grim Fate]: Hywel Wayneflet.


    Upon noticing Zephyr¡¯s behavior, Hywel nudges Sophia and asks her in a hushed voice: ¡°Hey Sophia, what''s Zephyr on about now? Did you two run into something interesting back then while I was doing what''s supposed to be our job alone? Care to share?¡±


    As a response, Sophia lets out a sigh and gently puts down her utensils. ¡°Come now, stop nagging. I successfully finished the negotiations, didn''t I?¡± Her glance then fell towards the thinking Zephyr. ¡°Reading Zep¡¯s abstract mind is one of the few tasks I am struggling with, you see. But since you asked, I might as well give my opinion about the matter.¡±


    Sophia then adjusts her glasses as if she''s about to begin the history of the great Zephyr.


    ¡°He has discovered a new potential ally. One that he thinks, on par or maybe more powerful than Star rank hunters.¡±


    ¡°Hooh?¡± Hywel chugs down a full mug of grape juice he''s been holding. ¡°I do not see the recruit anywhere though, did he¨C no, it''s Zep we''re talking about¡­what do you think is his plan?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know the full structure of his master plan, but I guess it has something to do with what we have heard on our way here.¡± ¡û Sophia


    ¡°The rumor of a spawning dungeon right in the middle of this town?¡± ¡û Hywel


    ¡°Yes. We don''t know exactly if it''s true or not, but if it is, what kind of dungeon would it be? Also, there has been an unprecedented occurrence. We haven''t seen anyone from the official hunter¡¯s law enforcements (present day GEO) to warn the villagers about it, instead, a group of unknown researchers just entered the vicinity. Knowing them, they must have known about the upcoming dungeon formation already, yet they fail to mention it with the chief.¡±


    ¡°A deliberate withholding of information, huh? So, have you figured out their plan?¡±


    ¡°Quite. Judging from their recent interactions inside the village, they seem to take interest in the potential ally I mentioned. That''s where Zep¡¯s plan should come in, I guess. I believe he can already foresaw how this will turn out, so I''ll stick with him until he asks for my assistance.¡±


    Meanwhile, the master planner Zephyr is currently looking out for a seat nearer to the fireplace. ¡®I already drank two cups of hot cocoa but my skin is still freezing¡­I need that fire!¡¯ No plan or anything inside his mind.


    As the night passes without any incidents, Zephyr took the opportunity to visit the tavern early and not miss out on their breakfast meal: a nice combination of steaming hot triple cheese toast and a cup of piping hot cream coffee. ¡®Alright, to reward the two, I should reserve some for them. I can at least do this to thank them for their hard work!¡¯


    Inside, however, was a huge crowd, also thinking of the same thing.


    ¡°What the¨C? Nooooo, my triple cheese toast!¡± As Zephyr laments, a stranger¡¯s hand just lands on top of his shoulder.


    ¡°Hey there little man, I see you¡¯re also aiming for that hearty breakfast. Too bad it looks like it will be out of order soon due to this crowd.¡± It was Roderick who happened to be around at that time as well.


    ¡°Ah¡­haha, yeah¡­looks like I have to give up.¡± Zephyr shrugs all the while gently brushing off the man¡¯s hand from his shoulder. ¡®Creepy guy. Might as well give up the breakfast than have a conversation with him.¡¯


    ¡°Oh, but lucky for you young man, I happen to have myself an extra set. I wouldn¡¯t mind giving it to you.¡± As soon as he said it, one of his members frowned as the meal was his to begin with.


    ¡°Oh boy, thanks!¡±


    Though Zephyr willfully accepted it. After all, Zephyr was still a child. A bargain as cheap as this is all it takes for him to bite. Roderick on the other hand is an experienced adult who knows how to deal with some individuals.


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    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. It will be much more for me to bear if a child can¡¯t get even simple things such as this.¡± Without any more hesitations, Roderick poses a question.


    ¡°So, I saw you yesterday accepting some sort of satchel from the lady shopkeeper. Big brother is curious about its content.¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡± Zephyr¡¯s inner conscience is telling him to be wary of the man in front of him, but his other conscience is guilt tripping him due to the fact that he has received a satisfying gift from this man without asking anything in return. ¡®Ahh what to do. I mean, the content of that satchel is just a handful of gold. Like, she¡¯s passing her responsibility to us to take care of her daughter. Well, might as well just tell the truth.¡¯


    ¡°Err, it¡¯s a handful of gold.¡±


    ¡°Gold¡­as in currency?¡± Roderick slightly raises his brow, seemingly not buying Zephyr¡¯s words. ¡®This little kid might just be harder to please than I thought. As if that witch would give charity to strangers even if they¡¯re kids. I¡¯ll buy his bluff for now.¡¯ Unknowingly, however, to Roderick, it was the truth.


    ¡°Oh, I see! She¡¯s such a good lady, helping promising younglings such as yourselves. So, did you hide it well? I wonder though, you kids don''t seem to be that much in need of currency, you look like well off after all, haha. Big brother is a researcher, a curious person you see. I''m wondering why she did that.¡±


    Roderick continues to pressure Zephyr into telling him the truth even though he already did.


    ¡°I wonder too, it''s not like we asked her to give it to us though, I swear we''re not that kind of people!¡± Zephyr shakes his head just to signify his point.


    Roderick, however, on the other hand:


    ¡®T-this kid¡­!¡¯ He thought that Zep was playing the fool with this act. ¡®I should have the upper hand in this conversation, and he''s a goddamn kid! How can he withhold the only information that is making him useful for me!? I see, he shouldn''t be underestimated. It feels like he knows the situation well.¡¯


    With a pat in the back, Roderick whispered something behind Zephyr¡¯s ears: ¡°Adult business should only be dealt with by adults, kids should stay off.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    He doesn''t show it, but Zephyr fails to comprehend what''s the meaning behind those words. He paused for a while, trying hard to give a response, but then a thought occurred to him. Something only he could come up with


    ¡®Is he perchance¡­thinking that I''m hitting up with the older lady!? Wait, he''s there first before us, that means¡­he''s hitting her up while Sophia and I interrupted them!?¡¯ Truly, a mind to behold.


    ¡®No no, I shouldn''t let him misunderstand me after having accepted a delectable gift! However, I shouldn''t be too defensive. As Sophia said, confidence put in words will make a man believe!¡¯ Zephyr looks him in the eye and responds back with a carefree smile, making Roderick a bit bothered as he translates it as a face with a plan.


    ¡°You misunderstand me, Mister. I''m not interested.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Roderick replied with one of his eyebrows raised.


    ¡°In fact, I will not be involved at all. If you pursue her enough, she will finally give you her answer.¡±


    ¡°.....¡± Roderick¡¯s smile fades into a frown and thinks to himself: ¡®He means that if we poke our nose further, she will finally retaliate. And he doesn''t even need to make a move of his own. A clear threat, huh. Too much arrogance for a child, unfortunately for you, no matter who or how young someone is, I will get rid of them in pursuit of knowledge.¡¯


    They then made their last eye contact inside the tavern. The following events will be revealed later on as the present story progresses.


    ¨CPresent Time¨C


    Alice smirked, an evil smile etched on her face.


    ¡°Let me tell you something that even [Grim Fate] possibly haven¡¯t thought of. A way to enslave the monsters!¡± The gigantic hole then begins to spawn a surmountable amount of various monsters, from goblins to trolls, and golems.


    ¡°How is something like this possible¡­?¡±


    As a response, Anastasia prepares her countermeasure, raising obsidian spikes from the ground to impale the dropping monsters.


    ¡°But weak monsters like that are no threat to me.¡± As she says so, the spikes begin to take care of the falling goblins and trolls, however the golems just destroy the obsidians.


    ¡°!?¡±


    This piques Anastasia¡¯s curiosity, her eyes show suspicion as she knows for sure that most golems should not have high resistance to magic, moreover, her own tier of spell.


    ¡°Surprised aren''t you? The monsters here operate on a different scale than the normal ones. After all-¡± Alice then completes her spell with a final chant: ¡°GnghuTaj!¡± (Reform!) A language derived from dungeon inhabitants.


    ¡°These monsters are creations derived from my own concept!¡±


    As the chant was conveyed, Anastasia¡¯s surroundings began to transmute. The nature-like environment she was in withered within seconds, transforming it into a wasteland. Dark and dry, it was an ecosystem unfit for the living. It was indeed a finalized dungeon, materialized by none other than Alice herself. Anastasia then breathes in as if trying to relax her system.


    ¡°To be able to achieve this feat¡­Alice, her genius really is something to behold. But then-¡±


    Anastasia looks around, trying to search for Alice as she disappears from sight. She then closed her eyes for focused mana detection whilst remembering something.


    ¡®This situation feels like¡­back when Master Zep guided me on the dungeon outbreak from our village.¡¯


    A quake suddenly jolted her concentration as the dungeon inhabitants made their way towards her. Anastasia then opens her eyes clutching the ring Zephyr gave her.


    ¡°If this is your final resort to defeat me¡­then I shall gladly answer you in kind.¡±

 Chapter 21: Hollow Cavern

    Chapter 21: Hollow Cavern


    Dry lands with no plants, not even hints of grass. It has a vast landscape, however, the horizon seems to be unending unless one can see through total darkness. It was indeed a dungeon unfit to house the living, even the monsters themselves. The very first dungeon created by a human.


    |The Hollow Cavern|


    Inside the dungeon, Alice has been diminishing her mana output to elude Anastasia¡¯s detection. After all, she doesn''t need to put much effort anymore as her final resort has been unleashed. Further, her current mana output is close to zero after displaying such prowess. With laboured breathing, she thought to herself: ¡®I did it¡­all the fruits of my labor and sacrifices are not for naught. No one could ever do what I did! Now, it''s time I put it to the test and kill the strongest witch known in Telmaris!¡¯


    ¡°If this is your final resort to defeat me¡­then I shall answer in kind.¡±


    Anastasia lets go of the ring, leaving it hanging in her neck. It seems like she does not wish to use the ring just yet.


    ¡°I cannot afford to call Master Zep from something I could have done by myself.¡±


    Her obsidian-like hands began to shine like a bright diamond. Her spell incantation was fast enough to complete a chant, though no one could hear her, not even Alice, as she only whispers her incantations. Majestic and gorgeous, yet frightening, those are the words that would perfectly fit when someone sees her current form. The light that originates from her hand shines brighter and gets more luminous as time passes by, ultimately swallowing almost the entirety of the dungeon. All of the monsters then were revealed by the said luminous light.


    ¡°What- what the hell is this kind of magic!?¡±


    Alice reacted whilst wondering what would be Anastasia¡¯s play.


    ¡°Unfortunately for you, the type of battlefield you chose is the best fit for a witch such as myself.¡±


    Anastasia then joined her hands together and raised them.


    ¡°Find chilling darkness in this blinding light¡­¡±


    <Eins Licht>


    The monsters charging towards her, which have been soaking with the light, are slowly turning into a solid, dark, ice statue. There are no exceptions, even the golems that Alice said are almost immune to magic.


    ¡°.....¡±


    ¡°That¡­! That was an instant petrifying spell with a huge area of effect! Impossible! It''s not even a magic within humanity''s grasp! What kind of a monster are you!?¡±


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    Anastasia breathes out a lot of air after the spell is done. She then opens her eyes once again, donning her usual expressionless and cold front.


    ¡°My, it seems like you''re not caught up in the light. I wonder where you''re hiding in this supposed flat expanse.¡±


    In the background, Alice grits her teeth, waiting for her monsters to somehow free themselves from being frostbitten, but alas, it just does not seem to be possible.


    ¡°No¡­there''s no way I''ll accept this. How are you able to cultivate such a spell!?¡±


    Alice cannot accept the fact that all the fruits of her labor are being squished flat in just a matter of seconds by someone who she thinks doesn''t put effort to anything, solely depending on natural born talent without research and hardwork.


    But that''s where she was completely wrong.


    ¡°I myself am a curse.¡±


    Anastasia proclaims, making Alice speechless.


    ¡°What I wield are not spells, nor magic. I wield the curses born within me.¡±


    ¡°What¡­are you talking about¡­?¡±


    What Anastasia has always been wielding is not just magic that came naturally from one¡¯s mana. <Cursed Magic>, as the name suggests, is a magic which has the properties of a curse that came from the wielder itself. Anastasia inherited her mother¡¯s Frost Magic, however, as an ardent practitioner of witchcraft and curses, her daughter was affiliated with a curse befitting a witch: Darkness.


    The spell she has casted was an example of a Cursed Magic that is able to go through resistance of normal magic, thus rendering the golem¡¯s aversion to magic useless. Though it was also a double-edged sword as she cannot choose who to spare which makes it also a dangerous spell for her allies.


    With a diminutive trace of mana, Anastasia was finally able to trace Alice¡¯s position. Her scarlet eyes turn towards a faraway wall, which she then throws a couple of dark ice spikes with, resulting in it to be destroyed.


    ¡®Ngh!! Even just for a bit, my mana leaked and already gave away my position!?¡¯


    Behind the wall was another vast landscape, although this time, it has water and rock formations.


    ¡°Anything you want to say before this ends?¡±


    In just a matter of time, Anastasia has made her way through the entrance. Though Alice is still not in plain sight, she is certain where she could be.


    ¡°I refuse to have it end like this¡­I know¡­I shall continue after this, I will perfect my monsters to the point that they won''t even be affected by any types of magic!¡±


    ¡°There is no such perfect monster. However, with that said¨C¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s obsidian hands then point towards Alice''s hidden position.


    ¡°-you won''t be getting any more chances.¡±


    Alice then laughs as if she still hasn''t given up hope.


    ¡°No, not yet!! I still have it, my trump card!¡±


    She finally gives up hiding and playing defense as she leaks out all of her remaining mana along with the mana of the petrified monsters, giving it into a ring that she possesses. A dark ring, shaped like the head of a cat.


    ¡°My first and most loyal pet. The strongest I have in my arsenal, not even a group of prism ranked hunters could hope to stand against! I''ll give you all my mana, defeat this witch in front of me!!!¡±


    Anastasia squints. The danger she felt as the plethora of mana converged inside the ring is nothing to be sneezed at anymore. It''s as if her intuition is telling her that she needs to stop this or else she will have a difficult challenge ahead. With that realization, Anastasia hurled several spikes of solid dark ice towards Alice.


    ¡°Too late witch!! Come to me, take your final form! <Moonlight Chimera!>¡±


    BAM!


    A huge explosion occurred as the spikes hit something after Alice''s proclamation of summoning her trump card.


    ¡°Lo and behold your end-!¡±


    ¡°.....¡±

 Chapter 22: Zephyrs Authority

    ¨CSeveral minutes ago¨C


    Zephyr was faced by a monster that could take down a group of high ranked hunters. Its fangs bared, its razor-sharp claws tearing through the ground with ease as if it was made of cotton, its piercing eyes focused solely on its prey.


    ¡®This creature is blocking the exit! Are high ranking monsters smarter than the rest!? How am I supposed to deal with a Prism ranked monster alone!? I want to go home¡­¡¯


    The Moonlight Enigmatic Seal is a ring artifact that holds a certain creature that is strong enough to rival multiple high ranking hunters. The summoner will be granted authority over the creature trapped inside, however, it comes with great cost. As shown by Alice, the ring¡¯s first toll is the life force of its wielder, robbing them of their vitality and vigor, ultimately making them age threefolds. The next toll is that the wielder will have a high chance of losing their morale and think like a monster. In Alice¡¯s case, she has no conscience anymore, that killing humans is just a minor chore for her. And lastly, both the creature and its summoner will perish as soon as one of them dies.


    A wild roar echoed throughout the Cave once again as the Chimera fiercely let out a vicious warcry to show Zephyr that it''s not scared of him. As its sharp glare landed on Zephyr, the Chimera noticed that the expression he got was something it did not expect: a face of pure nothing. It¡¯s as if Zephyr was staring through a boring telenovela. With that said, the Chimera felt somewhat intimidated, however it did not waiver its killing intent as it prepared for a lunge. On the other hand, Zephyr-


    ¡®Aaah¡­I should have just stayed home. Why is my decision making always failing me!¡¯


    But then he finally snapped back to reality and realized how much in a pinch he was. This made him remember those times where his guild members always drag him inside high level dungeons without his consent, mainly because they want him to witness their improvement.


    ¡®¡°Oh right, at times like these, I have that thing!¡±


    Zephyr takes out what seems to be a transparent orb which has a little diamond-shaped crystal inside.


    ¡°It''s been a long time since I''ve wielded this to fight¡­hope I still know the controls.¡±


    The crystal inside the orb violently spins as if reacting to Zephyr''s authority.


    ¡°Yeah! It still remembers me, thanks for deeming me worthy!¡±


    His veins light up in a bluish hue as if it''s getting ignited by an unknown energy. ¡®Man, I still remember the first time I used this, I got so scared after seeing myself light up like this. But now, it just seems normal for me.¡¯


    The Sovereign¡¯s Crystal Orb. It is one of the three most powerful sacred treasures (heavenly artifacts) discovered inside a dungeon. The Crystal Orb was plundered by none other than [Grim Fate] itself, inside the Abyssal Front, |Never-ending Labyrinth|, that they have cleared. As for what it can do¨C


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    ¡°Still, I can¡¯t believe how the manual of this artifact is so easy to understand despite being so overpowered. It¡¯s such a cheat, perfect for the weak me¡­¡±


    A thunderous roar was let out by the Chimera as its snake tail started to violently demolish every pillar and stone walls it collided with.


    ¡°Shoot! Is it trying to cause havoc to distract¨C¡±


    The chimera then ran around the field, tossing the falling rubbles towards Zephyr with its mouth, whilst waiting for an opportunity to lunge.


    ¡°Wha-! That''s your aim?!¡± He then turns towards the crystal ¨C ¡°Protect me please!¡±


    With those commands alone, a numerous volume of huge transparent hands comes out of his shadow and catches all the rubbles being thrown towards Zephyr and is continously doing so. He then gave another command¨C


    ¡°Restrain it.¡±


    An unoccupied hand then shines and breaks apart, transforming itself into an extending chain which then chases the rampant monster. After noticing the chain, the Chimera jumps back and draws in a surmountable amount of air. It then violently lets out the trapped air from its mouth, producing a destructive shockwave which successfully rebounds and destroys the chain.


    ¡°Hold up, that''s powerful enough to destroy it!? This monster¡¯s insane!¡±


    The Chimera did not waste any time and continued its assault. This time, its snake tail pumps out a deadly poisonous gas as the Chimera runs around the battlefield, spreading the noxious gas in the process.


    ¡°I can''t let it reach me. Disperse it away!¡±


    A strong vortex of wind begins to emanate from the orb, dispersing every hint of poisonous gas within the perimeter of the caster. As Zephyr narrows his eyes down after seeing that the gas has cleared out, he immediately orders a restraining command which then the orb responds in kind by turning the ground that the Chimera has landed into a quicksand.


    ¡°ROAAAR!¡±


    Another vicious roar has been let out by the Chimera which echoed throughout the entire cave and briefly stunning all living beings that heard it. However, Zephyr has been continuously being protected from harmful effects by one of his relics. The Chimera is smart, noticing that Zephyr was unharmed and unaffected by anything it does, it finally felt an emotion that it''s not particularly familiar of¨C


    Fear. The Chimera¡¯s eyes widened as it looked at its opponent. Zephyr was nonchalant from the very start of their battle and it doesn''t change even until now¡­well, on the outside, he is, but deep inside, Zephyr is panicking and already wants to go home and just laze around.


    Transparent chains then emerged from the quicksand, enveloping the huge Chimera along with its mouth, finally putting a stop to all of its movement and violent warcry. The more it struggles, the more the chains tighten its grip around its body.


    ¡°...uhhh¡­err¡­¡±


    Seeing the Chimera''s struggle, even Zephyr felt a bit of pity towards the monster in front of him.


    ¡°Uhm, you know, maybe dial it down a bit? Haha¡­¡± The diamond inside the orb stops spinning for a second, but then continues after a brief moment. In that span of time, the chains that are holding down the Chimera have slightly loosen its grip, as if obeying Zephyr''s command. However¨C


    ¡°MEOW!!¡±


    ¡°...???¡±


    An unexpected roar was let out by the vicious monster. It''s as if the Chimera is back to being just a little kitten. After a while, it shines brightly as if it''s being called back by its owner, ultimately disappearing from the cave as if it got teleported away.


    ¡°.....¡±


    ¡°Well, that works¡­¡±


    As the quicksand and chains disperses, a voice then comes out of the Sovereign Crystal Orb.


    ¡°Still too soft, {Fate Threader}.¡±


    ¡ª

 Chapter 23: Nearing Conclusion

    ¡°Still too soft, {Fate Threader}.¡±


    After hearing such a voice, Zephyr breathes in deeply, chuckling to himself afterwards.


    ¡°Haha, I''m hearing voices inside my head again. Is this the backlash of using the cheat orb, I wonder¡­¡± He massages the back of his head.


    ¡°Say what you want, but I know you are not that dumb. Look at me.¡±


    Zephyr slowly turns his glance towards the crystal orb that seems to be shining still even after the match has been concluded.


    ¡°H-hey¡­can you also read my mind?¡±


    This was not the first time that they have conversed. Whenever Zephyr uses the crystal orb, which is not that much, he would hear a certain voice of a mysterious woman calling out to him that seems to be originating from the orb itself. Hence, he''s being quite calm despite not knowing the true form of this voice.


    ¡°I wish I could. Fortunately for you, I can''t. Rather, you''re not letting me to.¡±


    ¡°What¡­? I mean, I''m quite relieved I''m not being mind read but, I''m confused about me not letting you part.¡±


    As soon as Zephyr focused his sight on the crystal orb, he saw his reflection. His pupils are diamond shaped, adapting the same hue of the diamond inside the crystal orb.


    ¡°Whoa, I look like this whenever I use this relic?¡±


    ¡°Fufu, to identify me as low as just a relic, you don''t fully know what I am capable of. Hmm, that or¡­you''re just pretending.¡±


    Zephyr tilts his head whilst raising his brow. One can tell that he''s extremely confused, however, for someone who has already built such a distinction, no one can tell from the outside if he''s just pretending.


    ¡®Does all sacred treasures possess personalities like this? Man, the Goddess of Equilibrium really does make things a bit loony.¡¯


    Zephyr clears his throat and forces a smile.


    ¡°Uhh, I should probably have asked this a long time ago but, do you mind introducing yourself? Haha¡­¡±


    ¡°I would like to, but I have to decline. That would disrupt the¨C¡± bzzzzt¡­


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    A strange sound emanates from the crystal orb as the voice almost reveals something.


    ¡°Huh? What just happened?¡± ¡û Zephyr


    ¡°See, I really can''t tell you anything. But know that you''re the only one that I can communicate with, well, as of now. Unless there is someone out there who is much more compatible with me than you do. But I doubt it.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­okay, so be it.¡± His mindset to just conclude the day tops his curiosity about the current events.


    ¡®Let me just take this as the Goddess playing a silly prank on me for being such a loser relying on cheats, haha¡­¡¯


    ¡°Alright, I guess it''s time for me to sleep again. Wake me up again when you actually need help¨C my dear Master, {Fate Threader}¡±


    The Sovereign Crystal Orb finally shuts down, its glow slowly disappearing right after.


    ¡®But I actually needed help at that time, what do you mean? Ah, forget it¡­I finally can get out! Wait¨C¡¯


    Zephyr then looks around to ensure that the dungeon is already cleared since the dungeon boss has been presumingly defeated.


    ¡°It''s cleared right? That means I can loot!¡±


    The greedy Zephyr has taken over. He tiptoed towards the deep end of the dungeon to take his deserved loot. Going back a few minutes ago¨C


    |Hollow Cavern|


    ¡°Lo and behold the supreme might of my own Prism ranked monster, <Moonlight Chimera!>¡±


    As if something got summoned, a streak of light strikes the ground in front of Alice, leaving a crater in its wake. Anastasia then quickly organized herself to prepare for what''s to be a difficult battle.


    ¡°.....¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    However, both Anastasia and Alice were speechless after witnessing what had been summoned. Expecting a vicious, man-eating Chimera, the creature in front of the two is a scared cat who is all curled up, as if trying to hide from something.


    ¡°W-what!? What happened to you!?¡±


    Alice panicked. She cannot fathom the fact that a monster of this class could fall from such a state.


    ¡°It can''t be¡­that man¨C¡±


    ¡°Was that the monster inside the cave?¡±


    Anastasia interjects with a question.


    ¡°If so, then I won''t be surprised that it was already thoroughly defeated. After all¨C¡±


    Anastasia proudly exclaimed ¡°-Master Zep was its enemy.¡±


    ¡°Mas¡­ter? You mean, that hunter I have led to the Cave is none other than¡­{Fate Threader} HIMSELF!?¡±


    It can be seen in the eyes of Alice that all her hope of coming out victorious has vanished after realizing the fact that [Grim Fate]¡¯s leader was already in this case. Her knees fell to the ground, her youth slowly vanishing, returning to her older form.


    ¡°So you concede.¡±


    Anastasia''s obsidian hands had turned normal in just a blink of an eye. But then, as Alice continues losing her power, the formed dungeon starts to crumble.


    Anastasia remains calm as usual as if she''s not in a dangerous spot, even though huge rubbles is falling left and right.


    ¡°I have no issues getting out of this alive. But, I don''t know if you could.¡± Her piercing gaze does not leave Alice. Seeing her not doing anything anymore whilst hugging the cat, Anastasia realizes that Alice already accepted her demise. Though deep in her heart, she has to do something¡­for her Master, Zephyr, would probably save a lost soul. Just like how Zephyr reformed her back then.


    ¡°Master Zep¡­what should I do¡­¡±


    ¡°Master!¡±


    ¡°Is that you {Witch of Frost and Dark}!?¡±


    King Crow and the others have arrived at the scene as the dungeon falls apart.


    The conclusion of their first quest will soon be revealed.

 Chapter 24: Final Hurdle

    Anastasia turns towards the group.


    ¡°The grunts Master Zep hired.¡±


    ¡°What did you just call us¨C wait, I mean, what the hell is this dungeon, it''s too small to be called one and now it''s falling apart!¡±


    King Crow looks up as he senses a falling rubble, he then blocks it with his axe and throws it away like it was just a pebble.


    As Anastasia turns around to face Alice, the group then finally notices her presence.


    ¡°Wait, why does that lady seem familiar?¡± ¡û Athy


    ¡°Wha-? A person and a cat! We have to save them!¡±


    As Fiona and the rest of the group attempt to save Alice, the ground finally crumbles, resulting in everyone present to immediately lose their foothold.


    ¡°Crap! This is one disadvantage of being heavy!¡±


    King Crow jumps away from his current position.


    ¡°Why is this dungeon collapsing anyway!? What did you do {Witch of Frost and Dark}!?¡±


    ¡°It''s a long story, I shall explain at a later date.¡±


    Anastasia slightly raises her hand and returns to its obsidian-like form as she prepares to weave another spell. However, her mind¡¯s a bit of a mess¨C


    ¡®Should I let her meet her demise¡­or should I save her¡­she attempted to feed Master Zep to her monster and could be a future cause of disaster if let be. So why am I even thinking of actually giving her a chance¡­¡¯


    As if time has slowed down, she looks at the ring which Zephyr has given her. She might be strong and can take on every form of danger, however, Anastasia''s one fatal flaw is her emotions which often leads to erroneous decision making. With her feelings getting conflicted, her subconscious calls out for help. And of course, it''s none other than¨C


    ¡°.....!?¡±


    The ring shone as if it''s a guiding light that lights up Anastasia¡¯s gloom. After a while, the light was shot out of the ring and in a matter of seconds, forms itself into a person¨C rather, the person was called out by the light.


    ¡®Eh? Where¡¯s this?¡¯


    From the light, the strongest hunter of Telmaris, Zephyr Gersche, has spawned out.


    ¡°{F-Fate Threader}!¡±


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    The group calls out in unison.


    ¡°Look! Lord {Fate Threader} is all geared up. Is he expecting to be called!? As expected!¡± ¡û Meiren


    ¡°Master Zep! I-I seem to have called you out unconsciously¡­¡± ¡û Anastasia


    ¡®What? Ana, out of all places¨C¡¯


    A huge rubble then somehow was blocked by a certain relic that Zephyr possessed.


    ¡®¨Cwhy in such a dangerous place!¡¯


    As the cat felt the presence of Zephyr inside the dungeon, its eyes widened up as if sensing an imminent threat. Looking up at its master, Alice, who¡¯s holding it, the cat grits its teeth, seemingly readying itself for combat. Jumping out of Alice''s embrace, the cat takes up its true form once again for the final time¨C


    ¡°ROOOOOOAAAAR!!!¡± ¨Cand lets out a deafening warcry, signifying its will to defend its master no matter the circumstance.


    Everyone inside the dungeon with the exception of King Crow, Anastasia and Zephyr covers their ears with their eyes closed after hearing such a vicious roar.


    ¡°G-Guuuhk!¡±


    ¡°That monster, it''s not something we can just best with numbers!¡± Fiona exclaimed.


    ¡°So that''s¡­the monster Master Zep has defeated once.¡± ¡û Anastasia


    ¡°He defeated it once already!?¡± ¡û King Crow


    With all the power it has and the remaining energy that Alice has to offer, the Moonlight Chimera has taken over the dungeon, adapting to its ecosystem. An armor of sturdy iron is beginning to form around the vulnerable parts of the Chimera while the dungeon has finally ceased to collapse, instead, a new formation of stone pillars begins to rise from the ground.


    ¡°What in the name of the Goddess¡­¡±


    David raises his weapon even though he''s overwhelmed with what''s currently happening which then follows suit by the rest of the party.


    ¡°It looks like that cat changes the form of the dungeon after adapting to it. This one is no ordinary monster.¡± Fiona tightens the grip from her sword as she assumes a battle stance.


    ¡°It''s a Blood ranked monster, but I can tell it''s already on its early stages on reaching the Prism rank¡­what''s more it has upgraded after adapting to this dungeon¡¯s ecosystem!¡± Meiren exclaimed after studying it with her eyeglass artifact.


    ¡®What!? Oh man we''re screwed! At least Ana is here to finish the job.¡¯


    Zephyr looks at Anastasia with a confident gaze, seemingly passing the baton to her once again. Unfortunately for Zephyr, his purpose was misunderstood¡­as always. Anastasia interpreted it the other way, however she wishes to assist him and so, she turns towards the group.


    ¡°We''ll assist¨C¡±


    As Fiona was about to lead the charge, Anastasia erects a wall of dark ice in front of them.


    ¡®.....¡¯


    Zephyr tilts his head, confused about what Anastasia was trying to do, that is until she speaks¨C


    ¡°Please exit the dungeon for now. We cannot guarantee your safety from here on out.¡± She then ambles towards Zephyr and stands on his side.


    ¡°Master Zep and I will conclude this mission.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, are you telling us that we''re deadweight!?¡± King Crow furiously inquired behind the wall of ice.


    Anastasia then immediately responded:


    ¡°No. I know my imperfection, and it''s that¡­only Master Zep can handle the destruction of my spells and curses when I fight. If not the monster, then I''ll be the cause of your misery¡­and I don''t want that.¡± As if a heavy load had been lifted off her chest, Anastasia firmly sighed.


    Meiren then taps King Crow¡¯s shoulders after Anastasia''s speech and looks at him with a serious expression, signifying her acceptance of Anastasia''s words. King Crow then scratched the back of his head and nodded.


    ¡°We¡¯re just one shout away if you two do need some aid¨C but I doubt it.¡±


    The party then exits the dungeon as per Anastasia''s order.


    ¡°Master Zep, I''m glad to be fighting alongside you again.¡± A small blush formed in her cheeks, meanwhile the said master seems to be having a breakdown but it doesn''t show.


    The ultimate Blood ranked monster nearing the rank of Prism; Moonlight Chimera on its strongest form against [Grim Fate]¡¯s Leader and Sorceress. Begins!

 Chapter 25: The Witch and her protector

    ¡®How did I end up facing this monster again? I thought I''m done already¡­and what the heck is with that form!? It looks much stronger now!¡¯


    Zephyr being mysteriously quiet despite the situation due to his internal monologue has been interpreted as him focusing on what''s to be done afterwards. Anastasia thinks that the next battle won''t bother him too much, so he''s already planning out the ending.


    ¡°Master Zep, before we begin. I want to ask for your knowledge. Should we¡­save that woman?¡± Anastasia¡¯s gaze turns towards Alice who seems to be not moving from her position from the very start. She''s surrounded with rubbles and what''s more, the Chimera seems to be guarding her with all of its might which makes her difficult to reach.


    ¡®Wait, that''s the old lady that asked me to fetch her cat. Don''t tell me¡­she''s being controlled by this monster the whole time!?¡¯ As expected of Zephyr''s genius. With that conclusion in mind, he turns to Anastasia with an answer.


    ¡°It''s already obvious right, Ana? We save everyone that needs saving¡±


    ¡®My conscience won''t let me sleep if I let someone perish in front of me, but¡­well that''s if the saving part is doable. Though I think my guild members can save almost everyone.¡¯


    ¡°I see¡­that''s right.¡± Anastasia displays a warm smile, something that she only did once when Zephyr saved her back in the day.


    ¡°That¡¯s so like you, Master Zep. Which is why¨C¡±


    Numerous floating, spear-shaped dark ice spawned around the two.


    ¡°¨CI have dedicated my all to you.¡±


    Meanwhile, the party of King Crow and the others have safely evacuated the dungeon.


    ¡°Keh, I should have stayed and showed them that I can handle myself. However¨C¡±


    ¡°Master is telling the truth. Her fatal flaw is that she can''t fight with a team that she has no familiarity with.¡± Athy informed them.


    ¡°Miss Anastasia¡¯s spells are too destructive both for her allies and enemies. Only the members of [Grim Fate] are the ones that can efficiently sync up with her.¡±


    ¡°What a shame though, I really would like to see how they fight. Though I already know the outcome.¡± David lets out a sigh afterwards.


    While the party shares what''s in their mind, Meiren can be seen pouring a substance in the ground as if preparing for something. Noticing this, Erika can''t help but to stick her nose.


    ¡°Meiren, what''s that for? Don''t tell me, it''s a surveillance medium!?¡± Erika then chuckled.


    ¡°You guessed right.¡± Meiren immediately responded.


    ¡°What-! I''m right, how rare!¡±


    ¡°Oh, didn''t know you had something like that in your arsenal.¡± David and others then gather around the certain substance in the ground.


    ¡°I only have one vial available since this is a very precious item. I thought this is the best chance to use it since we''re all curious here. The liquid here will reflect the happenings inside the dungeon in real time, so we will be able to watch even from the outside.¡±


    As the last drop hits the ground, the substance hardens and turns itself into a mirror which is currently showing the current situation inside the dungeon.


    |Hollow Cavern|


    <Hail of Dark Frost>


    The spears of dark ice begin to rapidly move towards the Chimera''s position, however, the monster becomes more agile than ever despite having put on armor, swiftly managing to evade all the attacks Anastasia hurls. To add, the erected stone pillars are being used by the Chimera as a platform to quickly change positions and maintain its high ground advantage towards the two.


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    ¡°It''s a smart monster. This one is definitely of Prism rank already. I can''t quite comprehend what it''s thinking."


    Anastasia commented as she raised her obsidian hands once again, pointing it towards the monster. But then, the Chimera retracts quicker as its tail spews out a fast moving acidic liquid towards them by which Anastasia blocked by erecting a wall of Obsidian.


    ¡®I don''t feel like I belong here.¡¯


    Zephyr hasn''t done anything yet as he thinks that Ana should be enough to shut the monster down though it''s proving to be quite difficult even for someone like her.


    ¡°Your speed is getting tiresome. Those agile feet of yours, I''ll take it.¡±


    With those cold words of hers, Anastasia weaves a mid tier cursed spell in just a matter of seconds.


    <Frigid Plague>


    As Anastasia touches the ground, it freezes and quickly spreads to the base of the pillar where the Chimera is currently standing, ultimately encasing it in dark ice. Though the Chimera swiftly jumped to another pillar, the spread of the freezing plague did not stop and targeted all the other pillars.


    ¡°Now, fall.¡±


    The dark ice ultimately shattered all the pillars that the Chimera raised, denying the monster one advantage it possessed. The Chimera on the other hand landed just beside Alice and began to run rampant across the open field, now using the walls of the cavern as its platform for its flash steps.


    ¡°This time you¡¯re finished¨C¡±


    Anastasia takes a quick glance at the unmoving Alice. She then erected a wall of dark ice in front of her to protect Alice from the next cursed spell she''s about to unleash.


    ¡°Master Zep, I¡¯ll be using it.¡±


    ¡®Master Zep is the first person who has reached out and was not afraid of the curse that I bear. This next curse might affect everyone here, but Master Zep is immune to my curse as if we are destined to be the perfect duo.¡¯ Zephyr trivia #3: He was granted immunity from Anastasia''s curses after he somehow ¡°saved¡± her in the past.


    Zephyr on the other hand just looks at her with a nervous smile that could be interpreted from the outside as being carefree. ¡®What spell?¡¯ he thought to himself. As soon as he saw a hint of blinding light from Anastasia¡¯s obsidian hands, he immediately realized the curse she''s going to use.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­Ana¡¯s trump card!¡±


    Anastasia nods in response.


    ¡®The monster may be smart, but it does not have anything to protect itself from the light due to its huge body.¡¯


    ¡°Find chilling darkness in this blinding light¨C¡±


    The Chimera suddenly changed its pace and in a brisk manner, lunged towards the chanting Anastasia whilst opening its mouth, closing their distance in a blink of an eye.


    Step- CLANG!!


    Seeing that Anastasia is vulnerable and was about to be chomped, Zephyr, who has been protective of his friends despite being ¡°regular¡±, doesn''t think twice and stands between Anastasia and the Chimera while making a determined expression. As if hitting an invisible wall of force, the Chimera bounced back after its lunge due to the physical protection relic Zephyr has. ¡®H-HIIIK! IT''S TOO SCARY IN CLOSE UP!¡¯


    ¡°.....¡±


    ¡°Master Zep¡­you''re always there for me. I am very thankful that I get to meet you.¡± As she wipes a bit of tears in her eyes, Anastasia finishes her curse.


    <Eins Licht!>


    The blinding light then envelopes the whole dungeon.


    ¡°Gaaah! What the¨C what''s that light!¡± David inquired as he covered his eyes.


    ¡°I don''t know! But I heard Lord Zephyr calls it Mistress Anastasia¡¯s trump card!¡± Meiren commented.


    ¡°So that means, it''s the end? Looks like she can take it on without {Fate Threader}¡¯s assistance.¡± ¡û King Crow


    As the light slowly dissipates, Anastasia, along with the party watching the battle, was shocked by something.


    ¡°Hey, hey¡­what''s the effect of that light supposed to be by the way¡­?¡± ¡û David


    ¡°I don''t know¡­I can''t say, after all¨C¡±


    ROOOOOAAAAR!!!


    Anastasia''s eyes widened after witnessing that the Chimera¡­has covered its entire body with sturdy iron it generated from the dungeon, escaping the effects of petrification. The armor then collapses, leaving the Chimera bare once again, but then¨C


    Anastasia lets out a brief sigh.


    ¡®I can''t do more of that curse¡­I have already done it twice today already. If I just push on and keep using curses¡­my body wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up.¡¯ Anastasia almost looks distraught, as if she''s being punished. After all, she thinks that she had disappointed Zephyr with this performance. She slowly looks at Zephyr with narrowed eyes, seemingly ready to cry.


    ¡°Master Zep¡­I''m sorry¡­after all that talk of my¨C¡±


    ¡°It''s fine Ana.¡±


    Zephyr gently patted Anastasia¡¯s head. Seeing Anastasia almost weep is something Zephyr doesn''t want to witness. He''s fine with her being doll-like and somewhat cold, but he definitely doesn''t want to see her cry. And moreover, because of him.


    ¡°Haha¡­I can''t even think how much work you''ve put in today. You deserve a reward once we return.¡±


    Anastasia tightly grips Zephyr¡¯s sleeves, hiding her face in the process.


    ¡®Man, she''s definitely crying now. Ana¡­I''m sorry to put you through this. Guess I better man up¡­do or die then.¡¯


    With a last gentle pat in the head, Zephyr steps forward and taunts the Chimera to come and get him.


    ¡°Come then, I''ll give you your desired rematch.¡±

 Chapter 26: Absolute Power

    ¡°Oh! He''s finally stepping up!¡± Erika excitedly exclaimed as her eyes widened in expectation.


    ¡°Let''s see¡­how powerful {Fate Threader} really is.¡±


    |Hollow Cavern|


    As Anastasia backs down from the fight, she is instructed by Zephyr to go beside Alice and watch over her.


    ¡®This is strange. I don''t feel scared at all, I mean I didn''t even think of just going home like how my usual self thinks. Right now¨C¡¯


    He takes out the <Sovereign''s Crystal Orb> once again, resulting in his pupils to change into the shape of a diamond. His expression is calm, yet his gazes are cold.


    ¡®¨CI won''t be able to sleep well knowing that this thing is still running wild after what it''s done.¡¯


    After a while, the Moonlight Chimera regenerates its armor and assumes a lunging stance. As both of their eyes narrow down, the two prepare for their first attack. The Chimera hops around Zephyr, only leaving blurs due to how fast it is despite the armor it is wearing.


    ¡®This monster is unbelievable, smart, agile, adaptive¡­what more could it have.¡¯


    ¡°Restrain him.¡± The words that came out of his mouth are incomprehensible in human understanding. It''s as if it''s a language foreign from this world, however, Zephyr knows that he''s been speaking normally when giving commands to the Crystal Orb.


    The spectators outside the dungeon are flabbergasted about Zephyr''s chanting.


    ¡°What kind of chant is that¡­!?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know¡­but look, something''s coming!¡±


    Numerous transparent hands then come out of Zephyr''s shadow, extending itself limitlessly to chase the rampant Chimera. Noticing that it will get caught, the monster clenches its mouth as if forming something inside.


    ¡®What the hell, don''t tell me¨C¡¯


    A violent, spiralling gust of wind was let out by the Chimera as it opened its mouth, bending and destroying every hand that was chasing it. The Chimera then turns to Zephyr and slams the ground, creating a pile of dust by which the monster blows towards Zephyr to limit his field of vision.


    ¡°Ah! Now I can''t see what''s happening there.¡±


    The spectators became upset.


    ¡®It wouldn''t know for sure but¡­despite the dust, I can still see the monster clearly. Might be because of this crystal ball.¡¯


    The monster then briskly dashes towards Zephyr whilst consecutively changing positions, making it unpredictable to tell where it will make its attack.


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    As Zephyr narrows his eyes, the movement of the Chimera seems to slow down from his perspective. He then puts his hand forward as if already predicting the position where he can land a hit on the monster.


    ¡°Blast!¡±


    A mass of spherical colorless energy was then released in front of Zephyr, hitting the Chimera in the process as it was hopping around.


    The Chimera groaned loudly as it was struck by Zephyr''s attack. The armor where the part of the Chimera was hit was broken instantly upon impact. As a result, the monster was blasted away as it rolled around in midair.


    ¡°Okay, one more should do it.¡±


    Once again, Zephyr generates the same attack and without hesitation, fires it towards the position of the monster. But then¨C


    ¡°ROAAAAR!!!¡±


    A thunderous roar was let out by the Chimera which shook the whole dungeon. After a while several pillars were raised once again as if the monster was generating it by itself. One of the pillars was erected right in front of the spherical energy which somehow slows the momentum of it. Noticing that Zephyr''s attack was not successfully blocked by the pillar, the Chimera wobbly raised itself and jumped towards the top of a pillar.


    ¡®Eh? This monster¡­it can now fully control the ecosystem of the dungeon it was guarding? What more could it even do!?¡¯


    Zephyr scratches the back of his head as he thinks that he still has many more surprises to see thereafter.


    Crack-


    ¡°...!?¡± An alert from the Crystal Orb made Zephyr notice an attack incoming from the ground. A spike was then erected from his position by which Zephyr evades by jumping backwards. It did not end there however, as it continues to assault Zephyr whenever he lands his foot on the ground.


    ¡®Gah! This is becoming more and more difficult! Only monster I know which has the power to control the dungeon is that <Minotaur> from the |Never-Ending Labyrinth|! I swear, I hate these types!¡¯


    ¡°{Fate Threader}¡± A voice from the Crystal Orb then reached out to him.


    ¡°Close in on that monster. Or make eye contact.¡±


    ¡®Huh, what do you intend to do?¡¯


    ¡°Heh. I''m gonna show that fool¨C¡± Zephyr''s eyes then suddenly glowed ¡°¨Cour absolute power.¡±


    ¡°Look, {Fate Threader} is gonna do something again!¡±


    The Chimera''s eyes widened. It sharpened all of its senses after realizing that Zephyr has already planned out a way to retract. Its eyes were glued to him, studying all of his movements so that the spikes would keep up to him, that is until his eyes glowed. Foreign words were let out by Zephyr which made him ethereal.


    ¡°....!?¡±


    The spikes that are trying to pierce him seem to not touch Zephyr at all after entering the ethereal realm.


    Knowing that he''s now extremely vulnerable to magic due to this, the Chimera then decides to unleash a noxious acid, however, as it was about to release the attack, it notices an intimidating presence behind it.


    ¡°Surprise.¡±


    As the Chimera turned around, the physical body of Zephyr was already too close to it. As an all or nothing response, the Chimera generates a whole thick armor within its body.


    ¡°Too late. I''m not even trying to damage you physically anyway.¡± Zephyr raises the Crystal Orb and makes the Chimera look into it.


    ¡°.....¡±


    After staring at it for just a very few seconds, the Chimera finds itself falling into a bottomless void. Inside of the said void, the monster¡¯s head is being filled with an unidentified voice, yet¡­the reaction of the monster looks like it recognized something. The voice from the Crystal Orb then started to sound somewhat contemptuous.


    ¡°Oh. That''s why you''re strong. Too bad, you''re up against someone out of your league¡­m.o.n.s.t.e.r.¡±


    The monster? gritted its teeth, but then after a few moments, all the emotions it had¡­disappeared instantly. Mainly due to the fact that¡ª


    ¨CBack to reality¨C


    The Chimera who is slowly disappearing into ashes, returns into being a sealed ring which is now currently resting atop the palm of Zephyr. With each second passing by, the glow from Zephyr''s eyes slowly vanishes as if he''s returning to his usual self.


    ¡°.....¡±


    ¡°It''s over.¡±

 Chapter 27: Closure

    -GEO Telmaris branch-


    ¡°The request I have given {Fate Threader} has successfully been completed. With just one day, he and his party uncovered some kind of monstrous research that could lead to future disaster and prevented it from happening. What¡¯s more, they have retrieved a forbidden relic that was stolen from us a year ago.¡±


    Gringar sounds very satisfied and proud about the achievement that Zephyr and others have achieved within just one day. After all, he had high expectations and they were met.


    The council listening to Gringar¡¯s report has been quiet so far due to the fact that they, themselves, could not believe that such a mission could be done with just a single run, and with just a few hunters. Truly, the rumored leadership of the one and only {Fate Threader} is not only a telltale.


    To summarize the whole ordeal with its result: The |Cave of Echoes| started to reform as it finally stopped being a habitat for the monsters. The GEO will take over after a few days and will turn it into a greenery. The |Moonlight Cave| was cleared solo by Zephyr after making the boss of the dungeon retreat, leaving the dungeon empty resulting in it to reform. Likewise, the GEO shall take over the said dungeon and will reward Zephyr separately for clearing it on solo, unlike with the |Cave of Echoes| which has already been cleared. The dungeon created by Alice however, disappeared right after the Chimera¡¯s defeat as it has nothing to hold it together anymore. Hence, the clean up crew of GEO only witnessed a wide deep hole in that certain area. Regarding the hut, after confiscating the artifact that is responsible for turning it into a miniature dungeon, it returned from just being a normal lodging. The papers, documents and research materials are all confiscated by the GEO and will be used at their discretion. Lastly, regarding the matter with Alice and the sealing ring¨C


    ¡°What do you mean she¡¯s not found!?¡±


    ¡°You heard me right. That¡¯s what the party¡¯s report said.¡± Gringar stares at the council with a resolute expression, making sure that they will all know that he¡¯s serious.


    ¡°But¡­that¡¯s too bad¡­We could have gotten more information from her.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Really huh¡­¡± Gringar frowns. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s sensing something amiss. He might be part of the GEO and a high ranking officer at that, but he¡¯s still wary of the purpose behind the confiscation of the research materials that [The Unforeseen] has left behind.


    ¡°According to the report, however, the little genius is already at death¡¯s door before escaping. Also, it turns out that she¡¯s turned old after using the <Enigmatic Sealing Ring>.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s the price of using it.¡± The elder massages his beard. After a while, he asks:


    ¡°Are we really fine giving such a dangerous artifact to {Fate Threader}?¡±


    Gringar smirked.


    ¡°Oh trust me on this. That decision is the best we¡¯ve made so far. He¡¯s the only one I know that can handle such a beast.¡± He then stares at the window with a high point view of Telmaris. ¡°Most of you probably didn¡¯t know of this yet but, we are fortunate to have [Grim Fate] on our side.


    ¨C ¨C ¨C


    A gentle knock on the master¡¯s room was heard.


    ¡°Excuse me, Master Zep.¡±


    The room where Zephyr is currently enjoying his luxurious rest has been breached by Anastasia who is seemingly kind of worried about something.


    ¡°Pardon my intrusion. It is after all past Master Zep¡¯s waking time, so I¡¯m worried if you¡¯re having a bad morning.¡±


    ¡®Ana, it¡¯s the contrary. This could have been my best morning if I could just have a little bit more time to relax.¡¯ The heavy burden of responsibility was then hammered to him as he saw Anastasia holding a bunch of documents for him to review.


    ¡®Ah. I can already foresee it. My future is grim, the weight of responsibilities will squash me like a bug.¡¯


    ¡°Master Zep..? Is there something wrong? I would like to help you if I can.¡±


    ¡°Ah. It¡¯s fine Ana¨C¡± Zephyr then notices that Anastasia was holding the documents tightly. ¡°Uh-huh, you know, yeah I could use the help. I¡¯m not that good at storytelling after all, haha.¡± He scratches the back of his head as he chuckles. This made Anastasia display a tiny smile on her face as she nodded towards Zephyr.


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    The two have moved to their guild office in order to sort out the documents they needed to file. Said documents are reports of their mission that is to be safekept in their guild for their future use if any related conflicts are to rise.


    ¡°Master Zep, about the woman we let loose.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, the old lady huh¡­¡±


    ¡°What should we write about it? Should we write the truth, or make it like what we submitted to the GEO?¡±


    ¡°We write the truth of course. No one can access our guild¡¯s files anyway.¡±


    And so they write what they did and how Alice¡¯s story reached its conclusion.


    After the defeat of the Moonlight Chimera, Zephyr and Anastasia quickly evacuate the dungeon with Alice being carried by Zephyr, as the dungeon begins to disappear.


    ¡°There they are! Magnificent battle, you two! That was so unreal!¡± David and the others surround the two and assist them in any way they could.


    ¡°As expected, you made it look too easy. It also feels like you''re still holding back, not using every power at your disposal.¡±


    King Crow observes all the relics that he could see hanging around Zephyr.


    ¡°Haha, I think I''ve used all my powers already.¡±


    ¡°Still withholding your secrets hm. It''s understandable, don''t worry.¡±


    ¡°But to think a Prism ranked monster was successfully tamed by a human¡­it''s insane.¡± Meiren shows concern as it was indeed alarming. If this matter wasn¡¯t dealt with, she thinks that it will cause the imbalance of order between humanity and the monsters where the humans that could command the monsters will be the one reigning over Navea.


    ¡°Looks like everyone is in your debt this time, {Fate Threader}. A future catastrophe was prevented because of your keen observance.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Master Zep already foresaw everything right from the start.¡±


    ¡®Guys, I literally planned on leaving it all to you back then while I lay on my bed all day. And it all started because of an old lady who lost her cat.¡¯


    Athy then nudges Zephyr while staring at the dejected Alice.


    ¡°Lord Zephyr, what do we do with her?¡±


    ¡°We''ll have to turn her over to the GEO. They''ll know what to do with her. Also, I think she''s already lost all thinking capabilities.¡± Fiona suggests.


    Zephyr knelt down in front of Alice as Anastasia followed suit.


    ¡°Hm? Ana?¡±


    ¡°Master Zep¡­is she going to be fine with the GEO?¡±


    ¡°Well, handling her to them would be the most logical choice¨C¡± Zephyr then thinks to himself: ¡®But I guess that means she''ll be punished harshly, the lady caused quite a lot of trouble for them after all. ¡®


    Zephyr then looks at the Enigmatic Sealing Ring he is currently holding. He tried and wore it back then, however, he felt like his mind was being attacked while wielding the ring. It did not affect him much, but he can tell that the price for it is the sanity of the owner. Additionally, as Zephyr took ownership of the ring, Alice returned to her younger self. Zephyr on the other hand was not affected by the price of wearing the ring.


    ¡®Hnng¡­one bad habit of mine is listening to my stupidly bad instincts. And my instincts say that giving her to the GEO is a bad idea. Wait, she''s a researcher right? And a young one at that judging by her looks. I heard Sophia is in need of an assistant.¡¯


    ¡°Hey there, what do you say about working for a better cause?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s mouth opened up a bit, although she''s not that surprised as she knows Zephyr would not let a chance to help someone turn a new leaf. Just like how he did not give up on her back then. (That is how she sees it.)


    Alice slowly looks up, her gaze falling into Zephyr''s eyes in the process.


    ¡°What¡­do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°You''re going to¡­recruit her, {Fate Threader}?¡±


    ¡®Well technically yes, so Sophia will finally have an assistant and won''t come to me whenever she wants advice about something I really don''t know. Alright, time to make a speech about potential or something to make it more sincere.¡¯


    ¡°She has potential, I think she only made those actions because she''s not fully aware of herself. I can tell after wearing this ring.¡±


    Zephyr then remembers something.


    ¡°Oh, also we will be members of a Clan right? I think it will be fun to have more members. Though I plan on having Sophia take care of her in the shadows.¡±


    Zephyr then looks back at Alice with calm eyes and wholehearted smile which is normal for him.


    ¡°I will not force you though, you''re free to go wherever you want.¡±


    A single drop of tear just hits the ground as Alice¡¯s eyes begin to tear up.


    ¡°I¡­I do not deserve such kindness.¡±


    After a while, a hand gently taps Alice¡¯s shoulder. It was Anastasia who was looking at her with a determined expression.


    ¡°Master Zep was the one who made me realize that my curse is not only for hurting people. He gave me a chance to use it for the better. And I feel that we two will have that in common, should you accept his offer.¡±


    ¡®Now I''m feeling guilty. Ana, is that how highly you think of me? I''m literally taking her in to be Sophia¡¯s lackey and take away that responsibility from me.¡¯


    Alice brushed off the tears from her eyes and nodded. She steadily stands up and holds both Zephyr¡¯s and Anastasia¡¯s hands.


    ¡°I will dedicate my whole life to repay you.¡±


    And thus, a new member (assistant) was added to the ranks of [Grim Fate]. The young genius, Alice.


    Meanwhile Athy:


    ¡°EXCUSE ME!? WHAT ABOUT ME! AM I STILL TEMPORARY!?¡±

 Chapter 28: Responsibility

    A week has already passed since the meeting of major guilds. In the span of days where the guilds stayed at Telmaris, various allegiances and agreements had transpired, marking a major change in the future of Navea. One such event is the announcement of a Clan to be led by none other than the leader of [Grim Fate], the legendary {Fate Threader} himself. The said hunter, however, seems to be having second thoughts at the moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna pass out¡­¡±


    Zephyr is currently resting his head on top of the guild master¡¯s desk. Beside him is of course, the ever loyal and devoted Anastasia.


    ¡°Master Zep, is there any matter troubling you? If I can be of any assistance¡­please do not hesitate to use me.¡±


    Zephyr gently shakes his head in response.


    ¡°It''s just me being myself Ana, don''t worry too much about it.¡±


    Zephyr then does a stretch to somehow let a bit of stress out from his body. He then sighs as he looks at the empty scroll in front of him and thinks.


    ¡®Am I really about to lead several people together. I mean, I can barely hold myself and my teammates running into danger. There are a lot more qualified people out there who are both smart and strong, unlike me.¡¯


    His gaze then falls towards Anastasia. He knows her long enough already to know what she''s thinking. Even though her face is as expressionless as ever, deep down, Zephyr knows she''s looking forward to something. And he has an idea of what she''s looking forward to. ¡®As much as I don''t want to disappoint Ana, my leading capability is mediocre at best. In the long run, we will be hitting ourselves against a tough wall because of me.¡¯ he thought.


    Zephyr massages his chin and asks Anastasia a straightforward question.


    ¡°Hey Ana, what do you think of me?¡±


    Anastasia was startled by the question Zephyr posed to her.


    ¡°Ah- I''m¡­this is so sudden. Umm, I think Master Zep is the most beautiful person in this world.¡±


    ¡°Stop, stop. Thanks for the compliment Ana, but well¡­I mean, what do you think of my leadership? Do you really think I''m fit to become a clan leader?¡±


    Anastasia gives an immediate response:


    ¡°That¡¯s such an obvious question Master Zep. Of course you are, in fact, Master Zep is overqualified.¡±


    Zephyr scratches the back of his head as he hears Anastasia''s thoughts of him. He does not seem to be that satisfied with the answer since he knows Anastasia might just be answering like that due to biassed reasons.


    ¡°Is that so¡­hmm, maybe I should ask some¨C¡±


    ¡°Master Zep is the only one who can keep all the members of [Grim Fate] in line.¡±


    ¡°Huh..?¡± ¡û Zephyr


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    ¡°No matter what Master Zep thinks about himself, or what others think about him¡­whether Master Zep has the capability to do something or not, I know that he will pursue to do it¡­because he cares. That''s what you are for me¡­Master Zep.¡±


    Zephyr looks towards Anastasia, noticing that she has been smiling from the start. Everything she said was found deep within her heart, that not a single word she just said was a fragmented lie. It''s as if out of all the members of [Grim Fate], Anastasia knows Zephyr best.


    ¡°.....¡±


    Zephyr chuckles after a while which makes Anastasia flustered.


    ¡®Does Anastasia know how much I''m struggling to keep our guild from being too dangerous? It seems so. Man, I can''t really back down now. Still, managing a bunch of guilds including our crazy guild huh¡­this will be a pain. I just need to hang in there before the smart ones return. Ahh, please go home already Sophia.¡¯


    Anastasia tilts her head after seeing Zephyr continuously shows different kinds of expression whilst thinking hard.


    ¡°Master Zep?¡±


    ¡°Ah, don''t mind me Ana.¡±


    He then stands up and thinks to himself: ¡®No matter. The other guilds who have pledged seem to be reliable anyway. And I have Anastasia with me to keep them in line!¡¯ He then pats Anastasia in the head.


    ¡®Ah, this reminds me of the days I couldn''t pat or even touch Ana back then.¡¯


    ¡°Alright. This seems like a big responsibility but¡­guess I have no choice for now.¡±


    Zephyr then proceeds to walk outside of the Guild Hall, wearing his guild leader¡¯s robe. Alongside him is his trusted ally and friend, Anastasia. The two will now take up the stage in front of the guilds who have pledged with them, and announce the establishment of their Clan.


    Meanwhile, in the ruins of a once historical edifice, there sat a group of white hooded hunters who seemed to be waiting for someone. They''re intimidating, aside from being silent the whole time, anyone can tell that they''re a group of talented hunters composed of different classes who are hired to hunt someone down. After a while, a woman who is trying to keep a low profile passes by, noticing the group of hunters, she clutches her chest and takes a few steps back as if she realizes who they are.


    ¡°W-what are you all doing here?¡±


    ¡°You know exactly why, Alice. The [¡ª Research Institute] has eyes and ears everywhere. Your attempt to slave the monsters and control them is one of the most precious studies we are trying to achieve. Now here you are, you have attained something no one could ever hope to achieve. Yet, all of it was confiscated by the GEO.¡±


    ¡°So now you''re here to recruit me again? I''m sorry to tell you but¨C¡±


    An assassin type hunter then immediately gets behind her, resting the sharp point of his dagger in her neck.


    ¡°And I''m sorry to tell you¨C that you have no other choice.¡±


    Alice clenches her fist as her eyes quickly scans everyone present with the exception of the hunter behind her.


    ¡®Can I take them alone..? Mages and fighters are no problem for me, however, the assassin types are the problem. Moreover, all of them seem to be star ranked hunters mixed with some blood ranked ones. This will be a bit trick¨C¡±


    Footsteps then can be heard approaching the area. As the sound of the mysterious footsteps became nearer, everyone''s attention focused on the man approaching the group.


    ¡°What''s this? A group of grown-up hunters ganging up on a frail lady with nothing on her. Whatever happened to chivalry these days.¡±


    The man looks and sounds confident. His eyes are like a blaze ignited by passion, his long ash tinted hair smoothly follows the breeze of the gentle wind, yet¡­for those who are trying to observe him, would have a queer feeling that there''s something unearthly about this person.


    ¡°A witness huh. I have a bad feeling about you, you sound and look odd. However¨C¡±


    Everyone from the group had drawn their weapons, while the assassin who had Alice in his grasp grabbed her by her collar and jumped back.


    ¡°-no matter who you are, we don''t let any witness alive¡­wait¡­¡±


    All of them had the same reaction, even Alice. Their eyes opened widely after noticing a certain object. Specifically, a ring that is hanging from the person¡¯s neck, tied up with a chain.


    ¡®That ring¡­there''s no mistaking it! A mineral that is said to be the symbol of power, crafted and divided into six separate rings, worn by six hunters. The said hunters¡­are none other than¨C¡¯


    ¡°His looks, his build, and the pressure he''s giving, there''s no mistaking it. He is [Grim Fate]¡¯s vanguard and tank¨C {Impenetrable Spearhead}, Hywel Wayneflet!¡±

 Chapter 29: Genesis

    ¡®Hywel? That same Hywel who is said to be the most invulnerable hunter that every man made weapons are useless against?¡¯ Alice observes him again from head to toe, yet her evaluation of him, basing on his build, did not change. ¡®For someone who¡¯s invulnerable and more importantly, the strongest guild¡¯s frontliner, his build leans more on the thinner side. The fact that he¡¯s not also wearing armor does not make any sense of him being a tank. Nevertheless¡­[Grim Fate]...is always full of surprises.¡¯


    The group of white hooded individuals takes a quick glance at each other. As they nodded in synchrony, they started their attack with pure coordination. Hywel, on the other hand, bumps his fist in his palm and lowly bows. With a smile, he remarked:


    ¡°Goddess Navea, I thank you for this training.¡±


    ¡°...!!!¡±


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    Telmaris has been quite lively in the past few days. Everyday, there have been a handful of events and fun occurrences happening in each and every corner of the capital. Today, however, aside from the Gathering of Guilds, a very special event will transpire that will leave a mark in the history of Navea.


    A huge crowd was gathered around the central area of Telmaris. The said area was meant to hold such a crowd due to how spacious it is, and more importantly, it is where the grand statue of the Goddess of Equilibrium, Navea, stands. It is believed that the statue is a symbol of the cycle of life where the fate of humanity is an inevitable sequence of conflict and resolution, hence, the equilibrium of life.


    There are seven guilds present in the crowd by which three of them are aligned as these guilds have pledged their conformity to join a clan where the legendary leader of [Grim Fate], {Fate Threader}, will be the Clan Leader.


    [Shadow Core]


    ¡°As expected. The place has become too crowded, we can¡¯t even fully move due to how little space we have even though we¡¯re the ones who should be rightfully here.¡± David murmurs as he tries to widen his space.


    ¡°I¡¯m very glad you¡¯ve got here in time, leader. It could have been more nerve wrecking if it¡¯s only the three of us attending in the place of [Shadow Core].¡± Fiona, with Erika by her side, seems to be happy as she talks with who seems to be their Guild Leader. The said Guild Leader is a Blood-ranked assassin type hunter. Hanging on her belt are various types of daggers, differing from metalworks and sharpness. She¡¯s as tall as Fiona and as bright and cheerful as Erika, though more logical minded. She also brought at least five more members with her to attend the establishment ceremony.


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t gone on the first day as planned. Anyway, I¡¯m so proud of you three. I can¡¯t believe we will be having an opportunity to land a connection with the strongest guild in Navea and most of all, become an ally with them.¡±


    David seems smug for some reason. He taps their leader¡¯s shoulder and tells her about Zephyr.


    ¡°You won¡¯t believe this Jaina but, {Fate Threader} is not who we thought he was¨C.¡±


    Erika then interjected: ¡°Yeah! He¡¯s so friendly and humble despite being so powerful! He even lets us call him by his name only, what a cool man!¡±


    ¡°We even saw firsthand his powers too. Though I should say he¡¯s obviously still holding back.¡± Fiona added.


    ¡°Wha¨C!? I want to befriend him too! You all are just making me envious aren¡¯t you? Hmp, I¡¯ll talk to him after this and make him appreciate my presence!¡± All of them clapped towards their guild leader.


    [Crow¡¯s Nest]


    ¡°Fuhahahaha! This is it my comrades! This marks the day we enter the strongest allegiance the world has ever created!¡± King Crow raises a tall wooden pitcher of strong mead as his guild members also do the same. He chugs it down afterwards like drinking a cup of water, followed by Darius, his right hand man.


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    ¡°My liege, to be honest, I kind of envy you. Seeing the {Witch of Frost and Dark} and {Fate Threader} in action personally, that¡¯s surely an amazing tale to tell.¡±


    King Crow punches a hole in a mead barrel and pours himself another round.


    ¡°Truly a spectacle. The frightening magic of the witch aside, {Fate Threader}¡¯s power is otherworldly. I haven¡¯t seen anyone fight with that kind of spell before.¡±


    ¡°Oho? So he¡¯s mainly a sorcerer?¡±


    ¡°No Darius, he¡¯s still a mystery. If you¡¯re there you could tell that he¡¯s still hiding a lot of things. One thing¡¯s for sure, whatever kind of power he¡¯s still hiding, it will surely be another hell of a surprise.¡±


    [Diamond Trading & Co.]


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re all healed up Chief Meiren? Is there anything sore in your body? I¡¯m great at massages!¡±


    Meiren lets out a brief chuckle as she faces her guild member.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn''t even fight to begin with. I just laid out some support while staying in the safety of the back line.¡±


    ¡°Hehe that¡¯s not true¡± A voice of a little girl then interjected. It was Athy who seems to be hanging out with them for the time being.


    ¡°Miss Meiren sure is a brave hunter, stepping up despite facing greater odds. Her boldness and courage keeps the spirit of the party alive!¡±


    ¡°UWOOOOOOH!!¡±


    The members of her guild were thrilled about what Athy just said. SHe might be teasing her a bit, but there¡¯s some truth in her words.


    ¡°A-Athy what are you talking¨C¡±


    ¡°I knew it, Chief Meiren! You are destined not only to be a wise and successful merchant, but also a fearless hunter!¡± Everyone claps in unison with Athy leading them. Meiren on the other hand covers her face as it turns reddish due to embarrassment.


    The other four guilds who have decided to attend and watch was [Sharp Steps] as well as [Ash Market], who have attended the gathering of guilds, and then there are those who have available time to observe: the guilds namely [Vivanne] and [Denzel Cluster]. Gringar, along with the whole GEO members residing within Telmaris are also watching in the backlines.


    After waiting for a while, the most important person of the ceremony has finally arrived. Donning his guild master¡¯s robe which was weaved and enchanted by none other than Sophia Horenstein herself.


    ¡°Oh, the person of the day is finally here. Put down the alcohol for now my comrades! Line up straight and firm!¡±


    As Zephyr slowly takes on the center stage, he takes a quick glance at Anastasia who seems to be doing well despite not being comfortable with crowds. Well, the same applies with Zephyr anyway.


    ¡®Not even a minute in this place, I feel like throwing up already. I mean, what¡¯s with this huge crowd, I was only expecting the three guilds who have pledged with us!¡¯


    ¡°Master Zep, please don¡¯t worry about me. I can still handle this, as long as I¡¯m with you.¡± Anastasia interprets his uneasiness as being worried about her.


    ¡°Err¡­okay.¡± Zephyr clears his throat and finally makes it to the center stage. In his experience with being surrounded by crowds (enemies), it is best to keep a composed expression despite dying inside in order to fool the said crowd. Which is, as expected, quite effective, due to the fact that his presence and identity is already widely known in Telmaris after the gathering of guilds.


    He takes a deep breath and clasps his hand. The nervousness he¡¯s feeling has dialed down due to a certain relic he possesses.


    ¡°Before I start, I would like to take this opportunity to give my gratitude to all the involved individuals who are monitoring and keeping the outside perimeters safe. I hope it will always stay that way.¡±


    ¡®Hah! How¡¯s that for starters!¡¯ Zephyr proudly exclaims internally.


    Gringar then thinks to himself.


    ¡®Oh? Looks like the message is for us. Rather, a striking message for the GEO¡­it seems like he also has some suspicions about the confiscation of [The Unforeseen]¡¯s research. He¡¯s making it known to them that he¡¯s keeping an eye.¡¯


    The present members of the GEO research department squinted after hearing his words. The man who said such words, however, has no idea what¡¯s happening in their minds.


    ¡°I¡¯m really not the type to do long speeches. Further, I''m not even sure I am capable of doing such things efficiently.¡±


    ¡°Oh his humble attitude strikes again.¡±


    David commented, followed by Fiona and Erika¡¯s nodding.


    ¡°Though with that said, I will give it my all to meet everyone''s expectations. After all, this is a statement for all of us here, that we can all be united as one despite being in a different region and culture.¡±


    Zephyr slightly raises his hand, the back of his palm facing the direction of the audience. There is one sole ring that is currently equipped in his middle index finger. It was the ring that signifies [Grim Fate], out of the six rings crafted, Zephyr¡¯s ring is definitely the most vibrant. Anastasia followed suit, also raising her hand to the level of her chest.


    ¡°In the name of our guild, in the name of my trusted members. I, Zephyr Gersche, leader of [Grim Fate], am hereby accepting the position of Clan Leader.


    The gemstone in the ring shines. Looking at it, it seems like it burns to the touch.


    ¡°May this insignia be the evidence of my conformity and establishment of this Clan: [Genesis].¡±

 Chapter 30: To Establish a Relationship

    ¡°Fuhahaha! [GENESIS]! A name worthy of the first and strongest clan!¡±


    King Crow, along with all of his guild members repeatedly stomps the ground like soldiers readying for a march.


    ¡°What a bold and reasonable claim. The start of all things and the story of creation, [GENESIS].¡±


    Jaina, the Guild Leader of [Shadow Core], smirks after realizing (misinterpreting) Zephyr¡¯s ambition about the Clan. She then claps her hands continuously, synchronizing it with the stomps of [Crow¡¯s Nest]. Her members then looked at each other, and with a nod, they all followed suit.


    With arms crossed, Meiren proudly smiled after Zephyr''s announcement of the Clan¡¯s official name.


    ¡°I still can''t believe this is happening. We¡¯re here, standing as equals and allies with all these wonderfully strong guilds. More importantly, to be a significant part of {Fate Threader}¡¯s grand plan. I am truly honored!¡±


    She also misinterprets Zephyr''s intention.


    ¡°Chief! We''ll follow you wherever you go!¡±


    ¡°Thank you everyone, we shall be the top Merchant''s Guild all throughout the lands, not only in Navea, but also in outside regions. Today will mark the start of it, let''s all cheer for our guild and our clan!¡±


    ¡°YEEEEEAH!¡±


    As the three guilds celebrate the official establishment of the Clan and Zephyr''s implanting of the Clan''s insignia, the rest of the guilds who have attended can be seen with different kinds of expressions. There are those who are thinking that they''re getting all too full with themselves, there are also those who are hoping for their failure and then there is a certain guild that wishes that they could be a part of such a gathering, despite being too far away in terms of ranking.


    [Denzel Cluster] - Human Rank


    The guild leader, Denzel, can be seen having a small smile forming in his face. However, anyone could tell that he is downcast, due to the fact that¨C


    ¡°I¡­I wish I was strong enough to proudly stand beside them¡­if only I could lead you guys better.¡±


    Denzel turns towards his few guild members, composed of low ranked hunters, though despite that, all of them do not look discouraged.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that leader! We¡¯re all gathered here, well and complete, because of you!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. All in time, leader¡­all in time. We will get there one day.¡±


    The little group is a happy bunch. All of them came from a little village outside of Telmaris that dreamt of becoming a legendary hunter. Denzel, specifically, is a young man that pursues this kind of career after hearing the epic of the legendary {Fate Threader}, as he leads [Grim Fate] into clearing an Abyss ranked dungeon and without casualties.


    ¡°Yeah, all in time, my friend.¡±


    Denzel taps his friend¡¯s shoulder and smiles. The whole crew then looks at the middle stage where Zephyr is doing his closing speech. Then, as fate would have it¨C


    ¡°...!?¡±


    Denzel and Zephyr''s eyes have met. While Denzel was heavily taken aback and his system froze due to nervousness, Zephyr just plainly smiled and turned around to finally leave the center stage.


    ¡°L-leader¡­I''m not imagining this right¡­?¡±


    ¡°I think I saw what just happened too¡­¡±


    ¡°Denzel my brother!! Did the two of you just¨C!¡±


    Denzel heavily breathes in as he pumps his chest.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°Alright, I''m motivated! Everyone, we''ll do our daily dungeon runs and this time, let''s raise our run by one!¡±


    ¡°YEAH!¡±


    The little guild then proceeds to cheer for the creation of [Genesis] in the sidelines while the other observing guilds have left the area.


    While Denzel and the others are cheering, Gringar notices the group which made him smirk.


    ¡°Looks like {Fate Threader} has inspired a little cluster.¡±


    The said inspirer, however, has nothing in his mind but to leave the area as his mind is already exhausted due to sheer nervousness which doesn''t show.


    ¡®Any more second I stand in that stage, I may hurl. Good thing I saw an ordinary human like me, kinda makes me comfortable to see someone my level haah.¡¯


    In just one glance he already concluded that they''re on the same level.


    The three leaders of each guild that composes the Clan then group up and meet with Zephyr.


    ¡°Lord {Fate Threader}, I am truly honored to finally meet you in person.¡±


    With a formal bow, she announced¨C


    ¡°My name is Jaina, a blood ranked hunter, and the guild leader of [Shadow Core]. I apologize for being late as I had to deal with an emergency. Also, I''m grateful for giving us the chance to be a part of your future grand plan.¡±


    ¡®Grand plan¡­?¡¯


    Zephyr chuckles, which is a way to shrug that last statement. He then offers his hand.


    ¡°No no, in fact, I''m the one grateful here that you all accepted to be allies with us.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Jaina crossed her arms.


    ¡°Truly, you''re as humble and down to earth as my members said. No wonder my people get attached to you easily.¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Meiren nods while showing a smug expression.


    ¡°Lord {Fate Threader} is someone who can still show a side of humbleness despite being the only Abyssal ranked hunter.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot about that. Well, due to the fact that he interacts like a normal person, anyone could overlook that he is indeed an Abyssal ranked hunter.¡±


    Jaina chuckles in a friendly way.


    Zephyr scratches the back of his head as he''s dying of embarrassment from the inside.


    ¡®I do not deserve that rank ok!? I know it already, stop rubbing it in my face!¡¯


    ¡°Fuhahaha! Now that the ceremony is done, what do you say we have a grand feast in our temporary guild hall?¡±


    King Crow then places his hand on top of Zephyr''s shoulders.


    ¡®I-is this what they call a forceful invitation?! How about Ana, is she¨C¡¯


    Zephyr turns towards Anastasia who is behind him. Surprisingly, she''s still quiet about what''s happening around Zephyr. Back then, when he was being disturbed, she would always step up and frighten the people who bothers him. This time however, Anastasia thinks that she has no right to deny her Master about who he wants to hang out with even if she doesn''t get invited in the process, moreover, the people around him are considered friends of their guild.


    ¡®Goodness, this is new. Ana¡¯s being quiet about me getting pulled into something. I guess she wants to go too?¡¯


    ¡°Hey Ana, do you want to go?¡±


    Ana looks up to him after spacing out for a while. She nods once as a sign of her acceptance.


    ¡°I will go wherever you go, Master Zep.¡±


    The three: King Crow, Jaina, and Meiren look at the two with their brows raised. As if they''re trying to understand what the real relationship between the two are.


    ¡°Hm? You two look good together I''m sure.¡± Jaina commented teasingly.


    Anastasia looks down with her cheeks flushed, curling her lips, after hearing Jaina¡¯s comment. Zephyr, on the other hand, shrugs the statement and chuckles. He then asks¨C


    ¡°Let''s go then. I''m already hungry myself.¡±


    The Clan all gathered inside the [Crow¡¯s Nest]¡¯s temporary guild hall. Meiren and Jaina each brought gifts and different varieties of beverage and food for all of them to enjoy. The event that Zephyr thought that would be a pain, turns out to be a fun and hearty gathering.


    ¡°Ahh¡­if only all of them were here. Ah wait¨Cthey would just cause more trouble¡­¡±


    The night passes by without any issues. The Clan, [Genesis], has already been encoded as the first established Clan in the books of the GEO. Though with all that said, the very root of the monster research case is not concluded yet.


    ¨CGringar¡¯s Tavern¨C


    ¡°Sir Gringar, you have a visitor.¡±


    Gringar can be seen writing down reports for the GEO. His desk is all piled up with scrolls and papers for him to fill out.


    ¡°Who might that be? Do they know that this time of day is a busy hour for me?¡±


    Footsteps then can be heard coming towards him.


    ¡°Yo, I''ll be intruding for a while.¡±


    ¡°Y-you..!? When did you get back? Have you checked in with Zephyr yet?¡±


    The person smiled with his eyes closed. Judging from the outside, he seems to be a man that is calm and full of positivity. Though as soon as someone engages in a conversation with him, it feels as if there''s an ember, a fire, that is burning inside of him. No one knows if it''s rage, passion, or accumulated emotions. But one thing is for sure: he''s a person who should not be tested.


    ¡°Gringar, I respect you, truly. There''s no person, with me as an exception, that boasts such a high tolerance for taking hits these days¨C¡±


    The man then bows to show his respect for him, be it sarcasm or honesty, it doesn''t matter for Gringar. He just wants to know what he wants for now. The man then continues:


    ¡°-so I want you to understand that if I say, you answer my questions first, it''s not a threat, but a request. Okay?¡±


    ¡°.....¡± Gringar doesn''t speak for a while. The other GEO staff then gulps and slowly makes his way out.


    ¡°What do you want then, Hywel?¡±


    ¡°An information. And as much as possible, don''t bother Zep about this one.¡±


    With the return of Hywel, a new journey and quest is about to unfold.


    ¨CEnd of Volume 1¨C

 Chapter 31: Return of the Spearhead

    |Ruins of Eldomarch|


    Going back one day before the establishment of the Clan that will be known as [GENESIS], within the quiet ruins of a once historical edifice, a battle has occurred. However¨C


    ¡®They¡­did not stand a chance.¡¯


    Alice''s eyes are shaking, mainly due to the unbelievable showdown, or rather, a one sided battle, that she just witnessed.


    ¡®He took a stab, a contact from powerful magic, and a direct hit from different kinds of weapons¡­but it didn''t faze him in the slightest. This man is definitely¡­¡¯


    ¡°Are you hanging in there, milady?¡±


    Hywel offers his hand towards Alice. His expression is the same as ever. But his eyes changed, when he was battling, it was as if his eyes were ablaze, but now that he''s relaxed, his eyes went back to normal.


    ¡°Y-yes, thank you¡­for saving me.¡±


    As soon as Alice took his hand, she felt a tight grip which made her wary. Hywel pulls her towards him, their faces too close to each other. This might be a romantic way to put it, however¨C


    ¡°W-wha¨C!?¡±


    Alice panicked after noticing that Hywel¡¯s eyes are ablaze, as if he''s getting ready for combat once again. His smile never left his face, but it was eerie, threatening.


    ¡°Milady, you are targeted for a reason. As your savior, I have the right to know if I saved the right person, correct?¡±


    Alice started sweating. The whole existence in front of her is different from the two members of [Grim Fate] she has encountered from before. Out of all the members of the guild, Hywel is the most unforgiving of them. His loyalty towards Zephyr is mixed with his obsession of not giving him any troubles, and those who troubled him or will give him one in the future, will have to answer to his merciless execution of discipline.


    ¡°You misunderstood! Please!¡± Alice begs for her safety.


    ¡°What did I misunderstood, Miss? Care to elaborate for me?¡±


    As she was about to tear up, Hywel loosened up his grip from Alice¡¯s hand and the blaze from his eyes vanished. He then chuckles as if nothing happened.


    ¡°Haha, sorry Miss. As much as possible, I don''t really want to be the reason for a girl to cry. Well, given that the girl in question is not guilty of anything.¡±


    His gaze never left Alice''s eyes.


    Alice closes her fist and takes a deep breath.


    ¡°Before you, I had already met two of your guild mates.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± ¡û Hywel


    ¡°One was the {Witch of Frost and Dark} and the other¡­was none other than your Guild Leader, the legendary {Fate Threader}.¡±


    Hywel opens his arms with a wide grin on his face.


    ¡°How truly lucky of you to encounter our dear Zep. Not many people have a chance to stumble across him and leave without a considerable change in life.¡±


    ¡°He did change¡­rather, he wants to reform me. I was thoroughly defeated, but Lord {Fate Threader} gave me a second chance.¡±


    Alice then tells Hywel about everything that transpired, from the |Cave of Echoes| to the |Hollow Cavern|, where Zephyr deals with the Moonlight Chimera.


    ¡°Outstanding! That¡¯s the Zep I know. He''s always ten, or rather, hundred steps ahead of everyone.¡±


    Hywel then turns towards the direction where the road leads towards Verspala.


    ¡°So Zep wants you to work under Sophia huh.¡±


    Hywel narrows his eyes down and starts to think things through.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡®Sophia mentioned before going to Verspala that she needs to be discreet about something. But then Zep decided to send this woman to her. What''s his plan here onwards?¡¯ His glance then turns towards Alice.


    ¡°What did you say your research was about?¡±


    ¡°.....¡± ¡°Research about the system of a monster. And formation of dungeons.¡±


    Hywel''s eyes widened in surprise after hearing about her research path. It was his first time hearing that someone was bold enough to test monsters and their habitats. To top it off, not even the genius Sophia had thought of something like that.


    ¡°You''re a weird one. Studying monsters poses a big risk, not to your physical being but to your sanity. It''s even illegal to do so.¡±


    ¡°You think so, but GEO has dirt on them about this certain topic. {Fate Threader} most likely have an idea about it.¡±


    Hywel pauses for a moment. After a few seconds, he squats in front of Alice.


    ¡°Haah, what to do with you.¡±


    Even though the smile in Hywel''s face did not leave the whole time, his thoughts are troubled as he''s having a hard time figuring out what''s supposed to be their guild leader''s supreme plan. Which of course, does not exist.


    After some time, Hywel finally lets her go since everything she told him connects. He then decided to return to Telmaris in order to confront someone who is connected to the GEO and the recent incident where Zephyr was involved.


    ¡°Information about what?¡±


    Hywel opens his eyes, his amber eyes show blazing light.


    ¡°I met a girl named Alice on my way back here.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    Gringar was surprised. It was to be expected as no one knows, with the exception of the party, what really happened to Alice after the quest.


    Hywel was then alerted by Gringar¡¯s reaction, causing him to immediately point his palm towards Gringar, his smile and gaze both leaving an extremely intimidating countenance.


    ¡°Oh, should I not have mentioned that?¡±


    Gringar frowned after realizing that Hywel seemed to be threatening him. The nerves from his bald head show after such displeasure.


    ¡°Hywel, you brat. You might be too strong for your own good, but don¡¯t you dare challenge me like this.¡±


    Gringar stands up, towering Hywel like the titan he is. His eyes turn red due to his unique skill, <Demonic Titan>.


    ¡°I might be retired already, but if there is a need to fight, I will show why I am called the {Unyielding Titan}!¡±


    Hywel, on the other hand, looks him directly in his piercing eyes as if he¡¯s not affected even a little bit. However, he knew that the vast difference between their experience is something to respect. And so, as a response, he backed off, slightly raising both of his hands as he chuckled as if all of it was just a joke to begin with.


    ¡°Ahah, you¡¯re no fun Gringar.¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    After just a few seconds, Gringar manages to calm himself down, letting out a massive amount of air from his lungs afterwards. He then seated himself once again and proceeded to write down his reports.


    ¡°.....¡± ¡°I already have a feeling that {Fate Threader} lets her go on purpose. Whatever she plans with her, is definitely something that no one would ever know.¡±


    As Gringar raises his head, he notices that the blaze in Hywel¡¯s eyes still hasn''t disappeared.


    ¡®This brat, is he really going to make an enemy out of all GEO!?¡¯


    ¡°Hm. Looks like I will not find the answer I¡¯m looking for here.¡±


    Hywel then finally closes his eyes.


    ¡°What do you even want to find out?¡± Gringar asks.


    ¡°Information about that woman, Alice¡¯s, past organization.¡±


    ¡°You mean, [The Unforeseen]?¡±


    ¡°Even before that. The [Atlas Research Institute].¡±


    ¨C ¨C ¨C


    [Atlas Research Institute] Hideout/Guild Quarters


    ¡°You mean to say that you already have her within your grasp, but you just got wiped out by an unarmed single hunter?¡±


    Someone who seems to be a higher ranking member can be seen castigating the group of white hooded hunters who had the task to bring Alice along with them. The group looked beaten down to the bone after having encountered Hywel.


    ¡°Unbelievable. Even if it¡¯s that Hywel, with that number of yours, moreover, the versatility of your group can take him down!¡±


    Another high ranking member then storms inside the disciplinary room. The man looks to be a powerful duelist type hunter, wielding three types of weapon: a bow, a dual aluminum dagger, and a spear. He wears a grey tunic over a light mail, perfect for a fast duel.


    ¡°Marthel, I heard that Hywel is finally back! Is it true!?¡±


    Marthel is one of the four pillars of the Research Institute, dubbed as the {Fourth Pillar} and works as their chief alchemist. He looks at the man who stormed inside the room and sighs after realizing who he is.


    ¡°And what is it to you, Ajax?¡±


    ¡°Hah..haha¡­HAHAHA! Are you stupid, Marthel?! Why would you ask me a question with such an obvious answer?!¡±


    ¡°Let me guess, pride.¡± ¡û Marthel


    Ajax then closed his fist and expressed a sinister smile.


    ¡°He is someone who is designated as an invulnerable hunter. And I, Ajax, as the one who competes to be the most brutal duelist! Taking him down will finally raise me to the top!¡±


    ¡°Hmp, and how do you intend to win against the strongest frontliner of today?¡±


    Ajax¡¯s weapons shine in unison.


    ¡°Hah..hahaha! I have the perfect skill to take down even the toughest hides.¡±


    A new conflict will rise soon!

 Chapter 32: Rising Conflict

    ¡°Wait, are you serious?¡±


    A day has already passed after the creation of [GENESIS]. Zephyr then finds himself negotiating for the establishment of the Clan¡¯s Grand Hall. The cause of his surprise is that the other negotiating party is unexpectedly not asking for much. Instead, they lowered the cost for the infrastructure and other utilities and equipment.


    ¡°Hmm. That will bother me¡­it would look like I¡¯m abusing my authority here.¡±


    ¡°There is no need to worry {Fate Threader} sir. As part of the [Builders], we owe a great debt to your guild, especially to Miss Sophia, for opening our eyes to new innovations.¡±


    ¡®Man, that¡¯s Sophia for you. Without our knowledge, she¡¯s been building connections here and there that will help us in the future.¡¯ Zephyr looks satisfied, which makes the [Builders] delighted.


    ¡°Alright. I won¡¯t deny your kindness then. Just ask away if you guys ever need help¡­or, you can ask Meiren instead. I think she¡¯s close to Sophia regarding innovations.¡±


    Meiren, who is beside Zephyr for the negotiations, became flustered after what he just said.


    ¡°L-Lord {Fate Threader} ¨C!¡±


    ¡°Uhh, Zephyr is fine you know.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t possibly call you just like that!¡± Meiren clears her throat in order to calm herself down. ¡°Lord Zephyr, about what you just said¡­I¡¯ll do my best to meet your expectations. Be it just like with Miss Sophia¡¯s level or not, I¡¯ll make sure it will be beyond satisfactory.¡±


    Meiren¡¯s confidence with her words makes Zephyr relieved and already satisfied. He smiled towards the [Builders] and left Meiren with them along with some of the [Diamond Trading & Co.]¡¯s members to finalize the layout of the grand hall which will be built near the office of the GEO¡¯s Telmaris branch.


    As Zephyr walks around, he notices King Crow and some of his men doing some wine and other beverage testing.


    ¡®Ah must be for the cellar I have heard that they suggested. It would also add some boost in their motivation if we have one. Sophia, on the other hand, did not include it in our Guild Hall. Well, no one drinks in [Grim Fate] anyway.¡¯


    After turning around, he saw Jaina along with the members of [Shadow Core], planning something out. Upon closer inspection, they are talking about which types of vegetation and flora they could grow in Telmaris that could benefit their Clan. Joura, their chief alchemist, is also on her way to oversee the process.


    Zephyr beams with a smile after seeing everyone working hard. Not because he¡¯s proud¡­


    ¡®Lucky! Looks like I¡¯ve picked the best people to play their parts! I don¡¯t even have to do anything! Hurray¨C!¡¯ As he was celebrating internally, a voice sent him back to reality.


    ¡°Master Zep, I¡¯m here to report something.¡± It was Anastasia who was carrying a basket full of delicious bread that Zephyr asked her to buy.


    ¡°Oh, Ana.¡± Zephyr then quickly gets a piece and looks Anastasia in the eye.


    ¡°Is it something important?¡± He asks as he nibbles on the bread he just picked.


    Anastasia nods in response.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware you already know about his return. I just felt his presence around a few minutes ago. Should I be the one to brief him about the events that transpired while he was gone?¡±


    ¡®Huh? Who¡¯s back?¡¯ Zephyr¡¯s eyes continuously shut and open as if he¡¯s trying to figure something out. Anastasia, on the other hand, misinterprets it as Zephyr stating that it¡¯s already obvious about what to do. And so, as a response, Anastasia closes her eyes as she bows her head.


    ¡°Then, I will stay out of Master Zep¡¯s way.¡±


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡®What is she talking about?!¡¯ While wondering, Zephyr¡¯s chain relic, <Cantallone>, informs him of Hywel¡¯s return.¡¯


    ¡®Oh, I see! Hywel has returned!¡¯


    As soon as he thinks of him, Hywel finally makes his appearance in front of them. With his natural smile that he only shows around his guild mates, he opens his arms whilst sauntering towards Zephyr.


    ¡°Ah, Zep! Oh how I missed you, it looks like I need to catch up with something. Oh, Ana, it¡¯s nice to see you too.¡±


    Anastasia bows towards Hywel respectfully, without expressing any sort of emotions. Zephyr on the other hand welcomed him like he¡¯s reuniting with a family member.


    ¡°Hywel! I know it¡¯s not that long but, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back!¡±


    Everyone who is currently present, focuses their attention towards the two. A numerous number of hunters, as we all know, have no idea what the legendary members of [Grim Fate] look like after all. Seeing the current era¡¯s mightiest frontliner in person is not what everyone expected. Naturally, when talking about someone who charges fearlessly into the frontlines, taking on the destructive assault of the enemy, the person is expected to be muscular, intimidating, armed and armored. Someone who has a decent to maximum layer of defense within his body.


    Hywel is not that kind of someone, however. His build as everyone can see is leaning more on being thin than being muscular, his choice of equipment does not really belong to defense as he only wears layered clothing without any armor inside, though has a unique sense of fashion as it was weaved by Sophia herself.


    As expected, different kinds of murmurs can be heard around them.


    ¡°Is that¡­{Impenetrable Spearhead}, Hywel Wayneflet?¡±


    ¡°Did you know, no man-made weapons can damage him. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the truth or just hearsay though¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it, the strongest frontliner¡­is someone who is four or five times thinner than the {Unyielding Titan}.¡±


    ¡°S-So cool! Look, there¡¯s now three of them! I can¡¯t wait til they¡¯re complete!¡± Erika commented while shaking Fiona who smacked her in the head afterwards.


    ¡°Sssh!! Be quiet! They¡¯re having an important conversation. We can¡¯t intervene in their reunion for now.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll introduce ourselves later.¡± Jaina added, keeping professionalism in their Guild.


    Hywel did not mind the murmurs though. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s used to being commented on like what¡¯s happening right now. He cares more if someone is underestimating Zephyr. Once it happens, his merciless side will take over and no one knows what will happen to his victim.


    ¡°Haha¡­should we move to the Guild Hall to discuss things over?¡± Zephyr asks, concerned with what¡¯s going on Hywel¡¯s mind.


    As a response, Hywel nods once and turns towards the three guilds. He bows his head towards them one by one and follows Zephyr with Anastasia behind her to their Guild Hall.


    ¡°.....¡±


    ¡°I like him already.¡± ¡û David


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± King Crow on the other hand seems to be thinking about something.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    ¡°She can¡¯t be found anymore. Looks like she went somewhere in Verspala.¡±


    ¡°What would she do there? No, that¡¯s not important, do we have people in that place?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir, we will have them search the kingdom around for her.¡±


    ¡°Hmp, kingdom. Navea has no kingdoms. Those nobles really love making their own rules. They just copied it from the outside regions.¡±


    ¡°You sound like you really dislike the place, Marthel Sir¡±


    Marthel crosses his arms, his face shows an unsightly expression as if he¡¯s disgusted just by thinking about that place.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it. For now, focus on finding that woman.¡±


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll dispatch a team of assassins to find her discreetly.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t send all of them. I need some for the other teams.¡± Marthel massages his chin.


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you didn¡¯t know yet it seems. We will have a new project on our hands. And the {Second Pillar}, Celaeno, will be the one overseeing it.¡±


    Somewhere in Fritz Forest, near the Secluded Hut. A group of black hooded individuals, led by a certain individual wearing a high ranking robe, belonging to Atlas, can be seen gathering around the area. Included in the team was the hot-headed Ajax.


    ¡°Looks like the Hut was already ransacked. GEO sure makes quick work of everything.¡± As Ajax remarked, the leader walks in front of the team and stops in front of the pit, created by Alice¡¯s dungeon.


    ¡°Marvelous. Soon, I¡¯ll be able to achieve the same thing, and do more, which is what you have failed.¡±


    Everyone then grinned. ¡°Time to start our little project. If [Grim Fate] intervenes, you know what to do Ajax. After all, you¡¯re our best hunter killer.¡±


    ¡°Hah..Hahaha! You got it, Master Celaeno. Be it a monster or even better, a hunter, no one is best suited to killing more than me!¡±


    ¡°Your confidence is what makes us feel confident as well. So if you could¨C¡±


    ¡°I have one request though.¡±


    ¡°....¡± ¡°Hm, let¡¯s hear it then.¡±


    Ajax cracks his fist as he smiles in a sinister way.


    ¡°If any of you spotted the man that attacked Marthel¡¯s men the other day, specifically, [Grim Fate]¡¯s Hywel, do tell me. He is my priority target.¡±


    ¡°.....¡± Celaeno just stares at him for a few seconds. He then turns towards a certain part of the forest where he can feel some presence.


    ¡°If it won¡¯t hinder the progress of our project, then so be it. In the meantime, it looks like we will have a little company on our hands.¡±


    ¡°Hoho? Just some lost dogs aren¡¯t they.¡±


    Ajax also turns towards the direction Celaeno is facing. After a while, the approaching individuals reached them. The said individuals are just a bunch of human ranked hunters who have no knowledge of who they are and what they are doing.


    ¡°


    Eh? Who are you guys? Are you all from Telmaris?¡±


    Denzel and his crew now face serious danger.

 Chapter 33: Steering Trouble

    ¨CA little while ago¨C


    ¡°Phew¡­man am I tired.¡±


    Denzel and his little group just came out of a dungeon, although they haven''t cleared it.


    ¡°This thicket ranked dungeon needs more work than I expected. At least we got ourselves some loot to trade.¡±


    As they exchange some words, Denzel can be seen looking down with his fist closed as if he''s deeply thinking about something. One of his members noticed it, and so he was consoled¨C


    ¡°Leader, don''t be so down, as I said, we''ll make it somehow, just give it time.¡±


    Denzel looks at his member and smiles. As far as he''s concerned, he thinks he''s the weak link of their group. Despite being a leader, he thinks that he does not do much to contribute to their lineup, or rather, what he''s doing is still not enough to be called a leader of a guild.


    ¡°I think I just¡­well, I need some more motivation, that''s all. Anyway, let''s head back.¡±


    Denzel then went back to his usual self in order to not demotivate his team.


    ¡°Let''s camp in Fritz Forest for tonight. Since the nearby dungeons there were recently cleared, I bet no stray hunters would be interested in passing through the place.¡±


    The guild then moves quickly since they already crave some rest. As Denzel leads his little group through the forest, he notices numerous silhouettes from behind the shrubs, though it''s already too late for him to warn his members.


    ¡°Everyone, stop for a mom¨C¡± ¡û Denzel


    ¡°Eh? Who are you guys? Are you all from Telmaris?¡±


    Denzel sweats. His instincts were telling him that the group in front of them is nothing but trouble. In addition, he knows that they stand absolutely no chance if they were hostile.


    Ajax chuckles as he spins his lance around, showing off his weapon handling expertise.


    ¡°Nope. But we''re definitely excited to go there. You see, we are part of a little group that idolizes many strong guilds that are currently residing in Telmaris especially¨C [Grim Fate].¡±


    Celaeno sighs. His hands make a shoo-ing movement, signifying that he doesn''t want to further get involved with such a small and insignificant cluster.


    ¡°Move along now. We have a project here that needs no spectators.¡±


    ¡°Hey now Master, aren''t we going to make a gift out of them to present to Telmaris?¡±


    Celaeno turns his gaze towards Ajax.


    ¡°Hm. You and your brute methods.¡±


    He then massages his chin as if he has thought of something.


    ¡°I was just going to let them return and report us to the local guild branch, but it seems your way, although barbaric, might be a better plan to make a commotion.¡±


    Denzel and his little group were alerted due to the fact that they''re announcing their intentions loudly in front of them like it''s just their normal way of thinking.


    ¡°W-what are you guys talking about¡­?¡±


    ¡°This is perfect, I would love to test out some new magic that I learned.¡±


    Celaeno reaches out to his staff, but as soon as he does, Denzel and his little group turn around and run for it.


    ¡°Haha! Look at them go!¡±


    With a wide grin on his face, Ajax assumes a dashing stance while holding his spear


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Ajax, they''re my test subjects. Lay off.¡±


    ¡°Keh. As you say, Master Celaeno.¡± Ajax backs off with disappointment written on his face.


    Celaeno then weaves a sign using his staff.


    <Jage¨Cdeine¨Celch>


    A spirit of a fearsome wolf then materializes in front of Celaeno.


    ¡°Whoa, summoning magic!?¡±


    Ajax was surprised. Summoning magic, or the spell to animate and materialize a wild animal or even a monster is, after all, quite the rare path a sorcerer could take. It''s rare not because no one wants to walk its path, rather, it''s rare because few humans have the attribute system perfect to master it. As anyone can see, Celaeno is one of those humans. Though to date, no hunter is successful in animating or summoning a monster.


    The spirit wolf then gives chase to the running hunters.


    ¡°Let''s see how fast my new spirit wolf takes down a group of low ranked hunters.¡±


    ¡®Hah. This sly old man. That''s why he''s so obsessed about claiming that woman¡¯s research. He wants to tame monsters and animate them as his own spiritual summons and make a dungeon in the process. Keh, talk about dreaming to become a master of a dungeon.¡¯


    ¡°L-leader! Something is chasing us! I-It¡¯s a monster!!¡±


    Denzel turns around to face it.


    ¡°No. I''ve heard of this, it''s summoning magic! No monster should be able to survive outside of the dungeon.¡±


    He then draws his longsword and pulls it back as he charges for a powerful attack.


    ¡°For a trash ranked hunter, you''re quite knowledgeable. Let me bestow you with some more spells you most likely have no cognizance of.¡±


    Even if he''s far from them, it seems like Celaeno knows their exact location and hears what they have to say. He points his staff in their direction and weaves a spell. He then chants¨C


    <Call of the Pact>


    Multiple lesser wolves then started to converge around Denzel, showing a visible spiritual link to the Spirit Wolf which transforms into a <Greater Spirit Wolf>.


    ¡°HAHAH! Don¡¯t you think that is overkill, Master Celaeno?¡±


    ¡°As I have said, Ajax. I want to test out my new creation. This is not going too far, this is simply an experiment.¡±


    ¡°Leader, we¡¯ll back you up!¡±


    Every single hunter in Denzel''s little group gathered around him, each covering their backs.


    ¡°Thank you everyone¡­let''s go, we¡¯ll get out of this if we work together!¡±


    ¡°YEAH!¡±


    ¨C ¨C ¨C


    Going a few hours back when Zephyr, Anastasia, and Hywel return to their own Guild Hall, the three have gathered inside the Guild Master''s room to discuss some matters.


    While Zephyr is seated, Anastasia stands beside Zephyr and Hywel stands in front of Zephyr''s desk.


    ¡®Why won''t they just sit? There are free chairs you know.¡¯


    ¡°I won''t beat around the bush then since you already know Zep, but I have met the alchemist lady that you let go on purpose. I just want to confirm if she''s really headed to Sophia.¡±


    Zephyr was surprised as there''s only such a small chance that one of their members would encounter Alice on her way to Verspala. He thinks that this was planned somehow by Hywel and is pretending to not know anything at the moment. And so he plays along-


    ¡°Yeah, I sent her to Sophia. Is something the matter?¡±


    He completely forgot about Sophia¡¯s request to be discreet about her location.


    Hywel pauses for a moment as he thinks.


    ¡®Am I missing something here¡­is that alchemist one of the key elements to expose the hidden purpose of turning Verspala into a kingdom?¡¯


    Giving up on thinking what could be Zephyr''s master plan is, Hywel just simply raised his hands playfully as he chuckles.


    ¡°You got me Zep, hehe. Whatever you think is best, I''ll gladly follow your script.¡±


    Zephyr tilts his head, confused about what Hywel meant. Said master plan is, after all, none existent or whatsoever.


    ¡°Anyway, what do you say about our Clan? Sorry for not really hearing out everyone''s opinion before deciding to create one.¡±


    Both Anastasia and Hywel gently shake their heads.


    ¡°Master Zep, everything is for you to decide. What you have chosen, the Guild shall follow.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right Zep, [Grim Fate] is Zephyr and Zephyr is [Grim Fate]. Your plans for the present and future will always be the Guild¡¯s agenda.¡±


    ¡®Man, all of you are so dedicated. Though again, I''m really sorry for being such an indecisive and incompetent leader.¡¯


    ¡°Err¡­if that''s what you guys say.¡±


    Zephyr shuffles some documents from their records and stumbles across Sophia¡¯s past documentation about the conquering of the Abyss ranked dungeon, |Never-ending Labyrinth|. He then thinks about Alice''s aim to slave the monsters. And so, what if it comes to fruition? Then they would be able to conquer dungeons without any fighting at all. Though, even with all that said, Zephyr is a pacifist, he will always choose an option where fighting could be prevented as long as it''s within their jurisdiction.


    ¡°Hywel, do you think Sophia would be interested in that kind of study? You know, the slaving of monsters and stuff.¡±


    With no prior hesitation, Hywel gently shakes his head without speaking any further.


    ¡°Yeah, right. It''s just as I expected.¡± ¡ûZephyr


    As far as the members of [Grim Fate] are concerned. They would all know that Sophia, despite being the genius and curious alchemist she is, would never dare touch something that would throw the world out of equilibrium. As the conversation between the three went on, the day passed by.


    As morning came, a sudden news then spread throughout Telmaris: members from a certain Hunter''s Guild hailing from Telmaris were found beaten up and critically injured in the Fritz Forest. A scroll was left in the scene which is clearly a taunt, which says:


    ¡°We will be visiting your borders again. Be sure to send out stronger fighters next time.¡±

 Chapter 34: Control

    ¨CInside GEO¡¯s main office in Telmaris¨C


    ¡°A blatant declaration of trouble. Almost as if they''re trying to lure someone in.¡±


    ¡°They''re fools. Making an enemy out of the Imperial Capital means getting in heat with the strongest guilds, especially, [Grim Fate].¡±


    Rojin clears his throat and makes a statement.


    ¡°My friends. [Grim Fate], may I remind you, is not affiliated with any nation. Not even Telmaris, despite having their Guild Hall built here in the capital. After all, {Fate Threader}¡¯s origin is still unknown to us.¡±


    Gringar¡¯s brows curl up.


    ¡°Why now though. With the establishment of the first and what''s expected to be the strongest Clan originated in here, many hostile hunters will find Telmaris a force they would not want to touch anymore. But with this move¡­it''s like they''re up for the challenge.¡±


    ¡°What, you mean there''s someone in that certain unregistered hunters that can match {Fate Threader}¡¯s foresight?¡±


    Rojin looks at Gringar to see his reaction after a member inquires about the above statement.


    Gringar sighs in response.


    ¡°No one knows. I''m not all-knowing like him, the world just moves in rather unexpected transitions.¡±


    Various chinwag then fills up the room as the discussion continues.


    ¡°Now that you''ve put it that way. If the Equilibrium wills it, a match worthy of {Fate Threader} is not too far fetched.¡±


    ¡°If it''s the {Fate Threader}¡¯s match, then wouldn''t it take the form of a monster? Since you know, {Fate Threader} is a human.¡±


    ¡°Kkh¡­a monster as strong as the strongest hunter¡­I don''t even want to think about it.¡±


    ¡°Well then.¡±


    Rojin then clasps his hands, seemingly ready to finally end their assembly.


    ¡°Since the topic at hand went into other various directions, I suggest we think carefully about how to go about our approach on this matter. With that said¨C¡± His gaze then rests upon Gringar.


    ¡°I''m counting on you to inquire for his aid once again.¡±


    Gringar heavily sighed. After all, his confrontation with Hywel happened before this meeting. And now with the GEO asking for yet another favor from Zephyr, it''s literally against what Hywel asked of him.


    ¡°I shall try, but I must inform you: Hywel has returned to his side.¡±


    Along the perimeter of the on-going construction of the Clan¡¯s Grand Hall, Meiren could be seen directing the [Builders] about the canvassing of materials.


    ¡°¨Cwell, that''s about it. Could you kindly pass it to your Project Head for his approval?¡±


    The purchaser of the [Builders] gives his nod. ¡°Miss Meiren, as our Guild¡¯s Chief Purchasing officer, I can see this as the best list to go around. I do not need to go to our Head anymore. You''re really living up to your name.¡±


    Meiren merely shakes her head despite the compliment.


    ¡°Mmm, I''ve still got a long way to go before I can say that I live up to the name of Diamond.¡±


    The purchaser then responded: ¡°Still, at your age¨C¡±


    ¡°Oh, how venerable.¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    A certain someone then unexpectedly disrupts their conversation.


    ¡°Someone that can still see shortcomings despite reaching superiority. You must be that kind of person.¡±


    As Meiren and the purchaser turned their gaze towards the individual, both of them were taken aback after realizing who he was.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re¨C¡± Meiren speaks softly.


    A respectful nod was then conferred towards the two.


    ¡°Pleased to meet you two. I am Hywel Wayneflet, [Grim Fate]¡¯s frontliner. I cannot help but leave a comment after realizing that the daughter of the esteemed Reich Diamond is such a gentle and humble lady.¡±


    The purchaser quickly offers a bow towards Hywel. On the other hand, Meiren does a little curtsy whilst maintaining her composure.


    ¡°Sir Hywel, you don''t know how much I was looking forward to finally be working alongside [Grim Fate]. Now that I¡¯m here, I promise to deliver what you all expect of me.¡±


    ¡°And without getting ahead of yourself hm. I wish there were more people like you in our clan. Hmm-¡±


    Hywel then takes a glance at the purchaser, hinting him to leave them for a while, which he did so.


    ¡°???¡± Meiren was confused just now as she tries to figure out what Hywel really wants. The brief silence then has been broken as Hywel clasps his hands, seemingly looking to strike a favor towards Meiren.


    ¡°Meiren Diamond. You are young, smart, and most of all, you know how to analyze situations not everyone can read. I''ve heard those things about you, but I can see that it''s true after seeing you in person.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you. I''m actually still hanging on the ropes. By the way, Sir Hywel¡­what can I do for you?¡±


    Meiren inquired, knowing that the flow of this conversation will lead that way.


    ¡°Ahah, I thought you would like it more when a neutral conversation keeps flowing. Well then, since you already asked.¡±


    Hywel steadily takes several steps forward, making Meiren step back for every step he takes. Confused, she places her hands on her chest as she looks Hywel in the eyes.


    ¡°Uh- Sir Hywel¨C! I''m sorry but, what''s the meaning of this¡­¡±


    As she finally hits a wall, Hywel ceases his saunter.


    ¡°You''re smart and have the personality to fit in as the perfect assistant. Why did Zep not choose you, hmm¡­¡± Hywel massages his chin.


    ¡°I-I don''t understand¡­¡± Meiren confusedly remarked.


    ¡°You''re there when it happened. I want to know about your thoughts regarding the wanted alchemist, Alice.¡± ¡û Hywel


    ¡°Eh?¡± ¡û Meiren


    Hywel looks at the onlookers who seems to be curious about their conversation. He then smiles towards them after giving a nod, showing that they have nothing to be curious about the conversation resulting on the onlookers to leave them be.


    ¡®Hywel Wayneflet. He has this certain charisma that makes anyone around him feel a certain gust of safety or assurance. But on the other hand¡­why do I feel like¡­he can also alter that effect and make it seem like he can easily crush someone, spiritually and physically.¡¯


    ¡°Are you thinking of me just now?¡±


    Hywel¡¯s voice disrupts Meiren¡¯s thoughts, stirring her consciousness awake.


    ¡°Do not fret. I am merely inquiring. I was just curious about the second smartest individual¡¯s notion about the recent quest.¡±


    ¡°Second smartest individual¡­eh, you mean me?¡± Meiren points a finger towards herself.


    Hywel then looks around sarcastically.


    ¡°I mean, at least I think? Or are there others who are present in the quest back then who are smarter than you? Of course, Zephyr is the smartest.¡±


    ¡®So straightforward¡­¡¯


    Since she does not want to disappoint Hywel¡¯s expectations of her, Meiren presents her thoughts, however¨C


    ¡°I believe this discussion needs to be in a more proper location.¡±


    Hywel then smiled. He turns around, with his hands behind his back, expecting Meiren to follow suit, which she did.


    On a certain distance, Zephyr notices the two who are currently heading somewhere. He then forms a conclusion in his mind:


    ¡®Wait. Don''t tell me¡­they''re already hitting it off!?¡¯


    Behind him was Anastasia who took a peek from above his shoulder, also noticing the two. She then forms her own conclusion as well:


    ¡®Those two. They have that kind of relationship already¡­meanwhile I¡­¡¯


    Anastasia sneaks a glance at Zephyr as both of them guessed wrong.


    ¨C ¨C ¨C


    ¡°Darn, they move too slow. Where are my opponents!?¡±


    Somewhere around Fritz Forest, a certain battle freak is seemingly running out of patience. He sits on a thick trunk, looking all bored yet fired up.


    ¡°Calm, Ajax. You must have been pretty hungry for a good fight, but remember: better prey always comes prepared. If you want a good fight, then wait patiently. Telmaris won''t sit this one out.¡±


    Celaeno, on the other hand, is rather calm. He seems to be drawing some basic spell circles on the ground that can be used as a trap.


    ¡°Hah! I''m a calm man, but we''ve been sitting here for two days!¡± Ajax sneered.


    ¡°My hands are shaking for a duel!¡±


    ¡®You duelist freaks.¡¯


    Celaeno thought to himself as he has experience dealing with individuals such as Ajax. Although compared to the others he knows, Ajax is the only one who they have ties with. With that said, Celaeno doesn''t want to be on his bad side. Despite being a high ranked hunter and a knowledgeable summoner, he knows for himself that he cannot beat Ajax on his own. After all, Ajax¨C


    ¡°Master Celaeno, I''ll go out for a bit!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Wait don¨C¡±


    Ajax storms out of the area as he jumps from one trunk to the other.


    ¡°Tch. If only I could control him. Ordering around a former Blood ranked hunter really is a pain. Well, no matter. After I have finished everything on my end¨C¡±


    Celaeno walks towards the ruins of the |Hollow Cavern| and lets out a grin as a mysterious pattern on the ground sparks.


    ¡°Everyone will be under my control.¡±

 Chapter 35: Demon against Demon

    Fritz Forest is considered to be the largest forest in Navea that almost covers the southern border of Telmaris. Due to the untamed wild animals in the area, it is advisable for normal humans to have at least a single hunter with them as a bodyguard. Although, the real threat does not lie with the creatures. Since the forest boasts an abundance of tall trees, it is the perfect spot for ambushes. As such, thieves and unruly hunters sometimes roam, preying on unfortunate merchants. This time, however, a far more formidable foe is on the hunt for some entertainment.


    Ajax halted his advance after he sniffed something around his perimeter.


    ¡°Haaah, I¡¯ve found one!¡±


    From the trunk of a towering tree, he jumped off and landed a perfect touchdown with his spear resting on his shoulder. As he raised his head, what greeted his eyes was a gigantic figure of man, wearing crimson armor all the while equipped with an enormous two handed battleaxe. The gigantic man sneered at him, although his brows were furrowed. The said titan is none other than the leader of [Crow¡¯s Nest], King Crow!


    ¡°HAHA! Oh, what¡¯s this? Why do I feel like you are expecting company? Are troublemakers really that common here?¡±


    Ajax plays around with his weapons, showing off his precision in wielding them.


    ¡°Fuhahaha!! Indeed, that¡¯s what the folks at Telmaris said about this forest.¡±


    King Crow then rests his giant axe on the ground which makes a loud clank.


    ¡°-but I never expect for some petty troublemaker to be a hunter of such caliber. Falling so low to such an extent, you must be pretty bored out of your mind, bullying weaker hunters.¡±


    ¡°Ah no no, you misunderstood. I don¡¯t really do weak hunters for sport. And to be clear, I don¡¯t have a hand on that incident.¡± Ajax said with a frisky grin.


    ¡°So what, you¡¯re telling me that you are innocent? Not with that face you ain¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Ahahah, I did not say I was innocent either. Me and my group are here for something, but to be honest, all I care about is to rise to the top. And for that to happen-¡±


    Ajax violently spins his spear which tears the ground surrounding him, showing his opponent that the rubbles and thick trees are not on his way despite wielding a long spear. As he stops, King Crow notices that the spear became double-bladed.


    ¡°-I will defeat (kill) all strong hunters that are in my way!¡±


    King Crow narrows his eyes down after observing his spear. Noticing his reaction, Ajax smirked.


    ¡°Surprised? That was my attribute (unique) skill, <Weapon¡¯s Master>. I¡¯ll let you see firsthand how I make it work.¡±


    ¡°Fuhahaha!! Good then, I shall break your beloved weapons in front of you. Then you shall be next.¡±


    With that remark, Ajax did not hesitate and advanced towards King Crow with his spear resting on his side. King Crow, however, did not move an inch, instead, he picked up his battleaxe with a wide grin and raised it.


    ¡°Come, you overconfident brat!¡±


    ¡ª Telmaris ¡ª


    ¡°Oh? You think Zep is not going to leverage Alice by using her research? How could you be so sure to say that?¡±


    Inside Meiren¡¯s temporary office, she and Hywel share the same table, seated in front of each other. Tea was also served which can be seen still piping hot on top of the table.


    ¡®H-How can he say something like that with his guild leader..? Is he testing me out?¡¯ Meiren takes a sip of tea from her cup before responding.


    ¡°Sir Hywel, even though I only worked with Lord {Fate Threader} for the first time, I can already tell that he would do no such thing like continuing illegal research with help from a wanted hunter.¡±


    Hywel then picks up his cup of tea and sips a large amount despite its hotness which did not affect him at all. He puts down his cup, empty, afterwards and pours himself another one.


    ¡°.....¡±


    He raises his second cup of tea and looks at Meiren in her eyes.


    ¡°You judge fairly, but still lacking. As a renowned Chief Merchant, shouldn¡¯t you, out of all people, have the best judgement and find everything suspicious.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Meiren was slightly startled with his remark.


    ¡°You know what I mean. You must have a prejudice in favor of Zep because he is the strongest hunter of today, and an influential one at that. Being on his good side will boost your¨C¡±


    ¡°Sir Hywel.¡± Meiren quickly interrupted him.


    ¡°You don''t strike me as the man who will slander his leader in front of others. So if you''re going to test my loyalty¡­I''m afraid this will not work, as I already know what you''re up to.¡±


    ¡°You misunderstand.¡±


    Hywel swiftly gulps down his second serving of hot tea.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Meiren reacted confusedly.


    ¡°I know the bounds of your loyalty already, you piqued my interest since despite being a merchant, you do not rely on cunningness. How could I tell? Well, I''ll let you in on some free information¨C¡±


    Hywel¡¯s eyes have firmly set ablaze, his eyes glows as if he''s ready for combat, making Meiren sweat in panic.


    ¡°You see, I can discern spiritual formation.¡±


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    One can see the confusion going through Meiren¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®Spiritual¡­formation? How does it connect to everything he said?¡¯


    ¡°Having discerned your spiritual form, I could already tell that you''re someone who does not use backhanded and tricky tactics. Thus, I don''t really question your loyalty. Instead, what I really want to know¨C¡±


    Hywel then grabs the teapot and pours another hot tea on his cup.


    ¡°-is if you are someone who can speak up your mind.¡±


    ¡°What¡­then¡­¡±


    ¡°You pass.¡±


    Hywel¡¯s eyes return to normal, closing them afterwards as he takes another quick sip of tea.


    ¡°Since Sophia''s not here, I need someone who has brains that are somehow close to hers. And of course, someone who can be trusted, speaking one''s mind as you were.¡±


    ¡°I see. It''s my honor to be compared to the genius, Miss Sophia.¡± Meiren humbly accepts the compliment for now.


    ¡°Ah, anyway, another thing I want to clarify: you said that I don''t strike you as someone who will slander my leader in front of anyone, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Meiren shortly replied.


    ¡°I don''t know what brought that up though. I mean, if Zep really does plan to leverage Alice and her research, there''s only one thing to do-¡±


    ¡°.....¡± Meiren''s eyes widened in shock. It''s as if she''s seeing someone who has dedicated himself into being the most loyal tool for a certain individual. His eyes burn passionately, and his aura emits dedication.


    ¡®I¡­underestimated his commitment towards Lord {Fate Threader}. This man, he''s¨C¡¯


    ¡°-follow him all throughout the plan and do everything it takes to make his plan come into fruition.¡± ¡û Hywel


    ¡®-an ultimate fanatic!¡¯ ¡û Meiren


    ¨CFritz Forest¨C


    A thundering noise can be heard from afar as King Crow slams the ground in front of him with his gigantic battleaxe.


    ¡°Whoa there!¡±


    Ajax was sent flying due to the impact it caused. While mid-air, he slashes through the scattered rubbles that was going to hit him. From the dust of smoke in King Crow¡¯s position, he heard a clanking noise of a chain.


    After a while, the gigantic axe appeared from the smoke making its way towards Ajax as it seems that King Crow attached a heavy chain on the axe¡¯s pommel and threw it towards him. With swift reflex, Ajax manages to elude King Crow¡¯s first assault.


    King Crow then pulled the chain back as he swung it around, trying to hit Ajax.


    ¡°Fuhahaha!! I''m not just someone who tanks hits you know!¡±


    ¡°It does look that way, old man. Hahah!¡±


    Ajax smoothly lands on the chain and uses it as a propeller to get him close towards his target. He then charges his spear with a tight grip and throws it to King Crow as he draws his dual blade afterwards.


    In order to repel the incoming spear, King Crow unleashes his defensive skill.


    <Iron Fort!>


    The spear bounces off as if it hits an extremely tough piece of metal. Ajax doesn''t let up, however.


    ¡°Still paying attention old man?¡±


    He performed an unrelenting combination of slashes using his aluminum swords which all successfully hit King Crow.


    ¡°Gah! You don''t hit that strong but you''re too fast that all the damage feels like it stacked up.¡±


    King Crow then stomps the ground which interrupts the rampaging duelist. As Ajax searches for a foothold to propel and back off, King Crow glared at his position.


    ¡°Where do you think you''re going?!¡±


    His eyes turn red and his voice becomes more fearsome. Roaring echoes then fills Ajax¡¯s mind, goading him to attack King Crow. It was a skill which allows the crimson giant to taunt a specific target without fail and fill them with unknown malice.


    ¡°<Malignant Provocation!>¡±


    As a result, Ajax calls forth his spear back to his hand as he sheathed his swords. With a sneer, he then charges towards King Crow without backing off from his current disadvantageous position.


    ¡°You asked for it, old man!¡±


    Without giving much thought, as his judgement was clouded, Ajax violently spins his spear as a way to continuously assault his opponent.


    ¡°Fuhahaha!! That''s it!¡±


    King Crow, on the other hand, swings his axe sidewards, confident in his strength to send Ajax flying even if he blocks his attack¡­by which it does.


    ¡°Guhk!¡±


    Only then that Ajax fully grasped himself once again. He was thrown quite far due to how hard King Crow swings his axe.


    ¡°Hah! Just like swatting a fly.¡±


    After a moment as the smoke that originates from Ajax¡¯s impact dissipates, King Crow notices that there are no broken trees despite sending him towards an area full of them. There he realized:


    ¡®This brat. He still managed to elude the trees while being sent flying.¡¯


    Ajax then trudges towards King Crow, holding his now half-broken spear.


    ¡°Good, good! If only all my preys would bite back like you are, I could have been far stronger now!¡±


    ¡°Learning through hardship, huh? You don''t strike me as someone that honorable.¡± King Crow remarked.


    ¡°Hah! Take it however you like, but so long as it makes me grow stronger, honorable or not, I will take it!¡±


    King Crow frowns.


    ¡°Heh. Seems like, there are things which we are somehow alike.¡±


    A guild leader being alone in a dangerous area is unnatural. The recent quest where he had to withdraw while [Grim Fate] takes care of the hard part leaves his warrior¡¯s spirit stained. To reconcile, he had to prove something again. Having been one of the few who heard about the trouble brewing around Fritz Forest, and with a dangerous organization being a driving force behind it, King Crow saw it as an opportunity to regain his spirit.


    ¡°That so? I guess it''s time I take matters seriously now. I have grasped a portion of your strength already after all.¡±


    Ajax points the tip of one of the halved spear towards King Crow.


    ¡°Everything could be a weapon when one has reached mastery like I did. And those weapons will always serve you even if they break apart.¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    King Crow tightens his grip on his axe as he readies himself for Ajax¡¯s next assault. He then sees him draw his bow without drawing a single arrow.


    ¡°Switching into ranged attacks huh? Very well, then I shall march forth and bring you to your knees.¡±


    ¡°Haaaah?¡±


    What happens next, leaves King Crow flabbergasted. With a mischievous grin, Ajax uses one of the halved spear as an arrow which strikes King Crow on his shoulders, piercing the armor he got despite his attribute skill.


    ¡°What in the¨C!?¡±


    As King Crow was distracted by his pierced shoulder, he already noticed too late that Ajax was already close to his position.


    ¡°Let''s see how many more you can endure! Hahahahah!!¡±


    In a point blank range, Ajax fires a devastating shot again using his spear as an arrow. King Crow, on the other hand, manages to let out his skill <Iron Fort> before getting hit. As a result, the spear pierced his armor but not his flesh.


    Ajax did not let up and drew two arrows. He then uses it as if those were daggers, holding them in his hands while twirling, striking King Crow from every direction. What was more surprising is that the arrows did not break despite getting used like that.


    ¡°Gggh!! You and your unpredictable usage of weapons!¡±


    King Crow forcefully pulls the chains which immediately lets him call back his axe. With a strong grip, he swings his axe to try and hit Ajax but alas, he''s too swift to evade his close range attack.


    ¡°Hahaha! You need to be faster than that old man!¡±


    Ajax uses King Crow¡¯s broad shoulders to jump back as he kicks him away. He then finally loads his bow using the two arrows in his hands and aims at King Crow which he released with precision.


    King Crow parried the two arrows with his axe but then he felt an abnormal amount of force.


    ¡®What¡¯s with those arrows just now!? It feels like it just got released by a great crossbow due to its powerful force!¡¯


    He then sharply stares at Ajax.


    ¡®So this is how it feels to fight a Weapon¡¯s Master.¡¯


    ¡°Heeh. I like that look. Just like me, you''re getting fired up when your target is biting back strongly.¡±


    Ajax draws one arrow which he loads on his bow. He then proudly exclaims:


    ¡°Unfortunately for you. I''m more of an expert in taking down hunters rather than monsters.¡±

 Chapter 36: Battle Fury

    ¡°Unfortunately for you. I''m more of an expert in taking down hunters rather than monsters.¡±


    While still on mid-air, Ajax pulls the string of his bow to its maximum stretch limit.


    ¡°Attribute Skill: <Deterioration!>¡±


    King Crow¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡®This brat has more than one attribute skill!?¡¯


    He then assumes a parrying stance with his battleaxe.


    Attribute (unique) skills vary from one person to another. It is the defining power of one hunter who has already reached the expert threshold of their profession. Thus, it is safe to say that Blood, Prism, and Abyss ranked hunters are the only ones who have awakened or discovered their attribute skill. It is also common knowledge that duelist type hunters are the only ones gifted with such attributes, since mages and the like are already bestowed with nature¡¯s blessing: Mana.


    Normally, a single hunter could only muster at least one attribute skill. However, those who have already attained beyond the expertise of their profession; Mastery, could awaken another attribute skill that is most perfect for them. As for Ajax¡¯s condition, one could say that he had already reached mastery of his profession which allows him to wield at least two attribute skills in his arsenal.


    Ajax released the arrow which then travelled at light speed, piercing King Crow¡¯s armor, scraping through his side.


    ¡°Grrr! How did that fragile arrow pierced me!?¡±


    ¡°Hahah!¡±


    Ajax jumps down and draws his two swords while falling towards King Crow.


    ¡°You''re already as soft as a cotton now! After all, you''ve been taking a lot of hits from me ever since we''ve fought!¡±


    <Deterioration> is one of Ajax¡¯s attribute skills that increases his weapon efficiency and damage overtime over a certain target. The key component for this attribute skill to take effect is for him to stack a lot of hits on the said target. Which is why if his prey still survives his relentless assaults, his attribute skill will activate and finish the job. Thus, he was dubbed:


    ¡°{Hunter of Hunters}, Ajax! Remember that name well in the afterlife!!¡±


    With a weave of his swords, King Crow was slashed on his chest with a cross cut pattern. His blood splattered on the ground as his chest armor fell off.


    Ajax who was now behind him turns around as he rests the edge of his bloodied sword on top of his shoulder whilst smirking.


    ¡°You get it now old man? Ya see, I am the worst opponent a frontliner like you could ever face. You can now give up hope of defeating me.¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    King Crow is still firmly standing whilst critically injured. Not receiving a response from him after a while, Ajax lets out a grunt.


    ¡°Haaaah, when will that Hywel come for me anyway. He''s the prey I wanted to best the most. Oh, what if I let you live and tell him¨C¡±


    King Crow can be seen slowly turning around which alerts Ajax and stops him from talking further. His eyes are all white as of the moment and his mouth dripping with blood. After a few seconds he grits his teeth and opens his mouth.


    ¡°Hnngg¡­for a long time, I have forgotten that I could still bleed. Thanks for reminding me that I''m not a demon, but a human.¡±


    ¡°Hah? What are you on to now?¡±


    Ajax assumes a dashing stance. King Crow then raises his battleaxe and points it towards his opponent.


    ¡°You, on the other hand. Yeah¡­you choose to use such power to hunt humans rather than monsters, and for what¨C entertainment. Hah¡­haha, you are the demon.¡±


    ¡°I don''t know what you''re getting at here, becoming philosophical and all. But okay, I would gladly accept that title. I will, after all, become the nightmare of the strong!¡±


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    As he is about to charge, Ajax notices that King Crow¡¯s aura starts to emanate a suspicious red energy.


    ¡°Which is why¡­this will be ironic.¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    ¡°Attribute skill: <Crimson Demon>¡±


    After announcing his attribute skill, King Crow was then permeated with a malicious crimson aura that if someone sees it, they will be filled with unknown malice towards the owner of the skill. As a result, Ajax felt the need to finish him above all else as his pupils turned red after getting affected by King Crow¡¯s aura. He has drawn his two swords and assumes a cross stance.


    Meanwhile, King Crow merely stands without doing anything. It¡¯s as if no one can predict what he¡¯s thinking right now, or rather, he himself is now a living being controlled by pure instincts alone and not his outright consciousness. As soon as Ajax bolted towards him, the Crimson Demon grips his axe tightly as he pulls it back for a powerful attack. Smoke can be seen coming out of his nose and mouth.


    ¡°Hraaaaaaaaaah!!!!¡±


    ¡°GRRRRROOOOOOOOOHHH!!¡±


    Both the Hunter Killer and Crimson Demon know one thing. This next clash will be their final exchange as both of them are keen on finishing one another at this point.


    ¡°You¡­underestimate me!!!¡±


    A certain spark was then formed on the tip of every weapon Ajax wields. It¡¯s as if his arsenal is answering his call to come out victorious in this battle, and so, as he throws his swords like a boomerang, it follows a path that will certainly hit King Crow. The arrows he wields flies out of his quiver and also does the same. And finally, calling back his now newly repaired spear in his hands, Ajax pounces around King Crow whilst spinning his spear.


    As an instinctive response, the Crimson Demon swings his axe, powerful enough to send all the flying weapons away, causing an impactful shockwave to be formed. Ajax, on the other hand, stabs the ground with his spear and uses it as a gripping pole. As the shockwave slowly weakens, Ajax bolts once again, appearing behind King Crow and does a piercing slash.


    CLANG! BAM!


    Feeling like he just hit a solid ore which burns when hit, he then realized that the aura he emanates does not only taunt the onlookers, but also acts as a spiked barrier. But this did not faze Ajax, instead he found the challenge more and more entertaining. After all, he is a battle maniac who grows day by day, battle after battle.


    ¡°AMAZING! You are definitely one of the toughest hunters I have hunted to this day!¡±


    The Crimson Demon turns around with his axe raised. Despite seeing this, Ajax¡¯s mind isn¡¯t letting him to back off, instead it¡¯s telling him to strike. After all, the effect of the crimson aura is still in effect. As the axe was about to land, all of Ajax¡¯s weapon struck King Crow¡¯s hand. Thanks to <Detoriation>, the impact was enough to pierce through the aura and knock the axe from the Crimson Demon¡¯s hands.


    ¡°You are indeed a man worthy to become one of the strongest in your profession. If it¡¯s another duelist, I bet my all that his ass will be handed. But as I said, unfortunately for you, I am your worst enemy!¡±


    As the tip of his spear glows, Ajax does a powerful piercing strike towards King Crow¡¯s chest. The crimson aura fought back, however, with King Crow slowly losing strength and Ajax¡¯s <Deterioration>, the blade went through and pierced him but not thoroughly.


    ¡°.....¡±


    ¡°Heh, it still hasn''t gone through still? Your hide is tougher than your armor, old man. Hm!?¡±


    King Crow grabs Ajax¡¯s weapon. He then pulls his arms back and unleashes a powerful punch towards him which sends Ajax flying, although he was quick enough to use both of his arms as a shield.


    ¡°Argh! That hurts!¡±


    Both of his arms are busted and could not operate as efficiently as before.


    ¡®How is he still conscious after all that!?¡¯


    A bird then lands on his shoulders and places its beak close to his ears and lets out a familiar voice of a man.


    ¡°Ajax. Fall back, now.¡±


    ¡°Master Celaeno!? Hold on, I¡¯m gonna wrap things¨C¡±


    ¡°ARE YOU GOING TO DISOBEY US? Forget about MY order, but this is against the will of the Institute! Hunters are converging at your position right now. Fall back, at once! I want you here in a minute!¡±


    The bird then flies away hurriedly.


    ¡°Tch!¡±


    Ajax calls forth his weapons and glances at the still standing King Crow. Despite all the damages he got, he refuses to lie down in defeat. Which Ajax respects, but somehow, irritates him.


    ¡°If you¡¯re knocked out then lie down in defeat! Tch, I can¡¯t really call this one a win if that¡¯s the case.¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­King Crow!?¡±


    A member of GEO Investigation Team shouted as soon as he saw the towering figure of the [Crow¡¯s Nest]¡¯s guild leader. He is currently being escorted by some members of a Rain ranked guild called [Vivianne]. Upon hearing that voice, Ajax vanished in thin air as he swiftly rushed out of the area.


    ¨C ¨C ¨C


    [Atlas Research Institute] Hideout/Guild Quarters


    Inside the mysterious hideout of the illegal organization, Marthel can be seen walking towards the quarter¡¯s conference room escorted by two white hooded individuals. While on their way, they have encountered another pillar who is wearing a high ranking azure robe. She has long cerulean hair, wearing what looks like a beach hat and the most noticeable thing about her is that she looks as young as Alice in her prime.


    ¡°Oh, Master Marthel. I expected you to be already in the room, waiting for us.¡±


    Marthel chuckles in response.


    ¡°Heh, looks like my work is getting the better of me. As someone who was always the first to attend, I am ashamed to admit that I may have given up the throne to somebody else.¡±


    The young lady then slightly bows to him and lets Marthel walk in front of them as a sign of respect, by which he accepts. As they walk, Marthel asks a question¨C


    ¡°I bet you¡¯ve been busy lately. It¡¯s been a long time since I saw you walk around the organization after all.¡±


    The young lady smiles.


    ¡°Yes. Managing a proxy guild is somewhat tiring, but at the same time, rewarding.¡±


    The woman is a spy working for the Research Institute. Donning the robe of a guild leader, acting as an innocent individual managing a little guild.


    ¡°Hm. Rewarding you say. Don¡¯t stray from the mission now, suppress those paltry emotions and carry out the will of the Institute. I know you won¡¯t disappoint¨C Vivianne.¡±

 Chapter 37: Old acquaintance and a premonition

    Inside the Secret Hideout of the Atlas Research Institute, guards have been placed in front of the organization¡¯s conference room as the key members (Pillars) of their illegal group will be having an important discussion regarding their plans. However, they seem to leave Celaeno out of this for various reasons, as he and all of his black hooded men are all outside the premise of their Hideout.


    Upon the arrival of the two pillars, Marthel and Vivianne, the guards gave them a formal bow as a sign of respect for their position.


    ¡°Sir Marthel, Lady Vivianne, welcome. Master, along with his close aides are already inside and are awaiting you two.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Marthel massages his chin and turns his glance towards Vivianne.


    ¡°Looks like a matter of real importance. I never thought that one day, he will be the first one to arrive.¡±


    Vivianne nodded in response.


    ¡°Yes. His research and scope aside, his expansion of the organization¡¯s branches must be keeping him busier than usual.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s not waste any more of his time.¡±


    As the guard opens the door, the two gently walk inside while still being escorted by their servants.


    Wearing a robe with mixed colors of the other three pillars (white, black, and azure) and a stone mask which is obviously a rare relic, the First Pillar, who is also the Founder of their organization, gives them his warm greeting.


    ¡°Ah¡­Vivianne, Marthel. Welcome! How long has it been since I saw the two of you?¡±


    The two then kneel on one knee and lower their heads. Marthel responds first:


    ¡°It has been two years since we last saw each other, Master.¡±


    ¡°Yes. After all, the Master has been busy for the sake of our organization.¡± ¡û Vivianne


    The first pillar does a gesture for them to raise their heads and stand which the two just did.


    ¡°Time sure does fly fast when you¡¯re occupied. Nevermind that, my time may have been spent outside of the main branch, but it was a time well spent.¡±


    Marthel then inquires after reading the lines.


    ¡°Main branch¡­does that mean other branches have already been established, Master?¡±


    Their master smiles behind the mask and raises both of his hands.


    ¡°Rejoice, my pillars. I am hereby announcing to the two of you that a second branch has already been established.¡±


    As the two were about to clap, six individuals then emerged from the shadows behind their Master, each wearing different types of robes.


    ¡°With the establishment of the second branch, I have also honed individuals worthy to be a part of the key members. While the main branch has the four pillars, the second branch will be supervised by the four scholars.¡±


    Marthel¡¯s eyes twitches for a second. He then begins to observe the people that their Master has brought in.


    ¡°Pardon my lack of insight Master, but¨C¡±


    ¡°Ahh, you mean the numbers.¡±


    The Master already foresaw what Marthel was about to ask. As for Marthel himself, he nods as a confirmation.


    ¡°Celaeno might be away for a long while. We need someone to replace him for the meantime, though let''s call this an indemnity. After all, we can''t rule out the fact that his adversary this time involves them¨C¡±


    ¡°[Grim Fate]...¡± ¡û Marthel


    ¡°Right. And so, we need to be prepared. His research however, is precious. To be able to see the final product of it would surely be most beneficial to the Institute.¡±


    Their Master then taps the shoulder of the black hooded individual next to him, who seems to be the replacement for Celaeno.


    ¡°Let me introduce you to the temporary Third Pillar, Zillek. His research is the closest to Celaeno¡¯s, which is why he would be the best choice as his surrogate.¡±


    Zillek lifts the hood up which reveals an adult man, with brown spiky hair whose eyes are akin to a wolf¡¯s. As he opens his mouth, it is also noticeable that he has two fangs which undeniably matches his eyes.


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    ¡°I''m honored to be a part of the high circle.¡±


    He then steps back just after his short speech.


    Marthel and Vivianne shrugs that fact and just gives a nod to the man. Their Master then clasps his hands and announces:


    ¡°Despite of it all, I am willing to give all resources necessary for Celaeno to oversee the final product of his research. Now then, my apprentices¨C¡±


    Their Master gestures to the glass of wines prepared on the table and picks up one of them. He raised it and took a glance at each member present in the hall.


    ¡°For the pursuit of knowledge and our never ending curiosity. For Atlas.¡±


    Everyone present then follows suit and repeats the same phrase. Their meeting ended with the introduction of each head and the scope of their research. Marthel and Vivianne were the first to leave the hall as they have matters to discuss between themselves.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re bidding farewell to Celaeno.¡±


    ¡°.....¡± Vivianne kept quiet for the meantime.


    Marthel then takes a quick glance at her and sighs.


    ¡°Change is constant. Keeping up with it is the difficult part, but adapting is what we humans are best at, right?¡±


    Vivianne responds¨C


    ¡°Master Marthel. What are the odds that we''re going to be replaced as well¡­?¡±


    Marthel ceases his saunter.


    ¡°Vivianne, what do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Ah, nothing much. I just overthink something. It''s a bad habit of mine.¡± Vivianne sighs.


    ¡°Do not mistake the Master¡¯s actions. I know he could strike you as cold-hearted, but he has all the reason to have second thoughts about Celaeno¡¯s outcome.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­about [Grim Fate]¡¯s involvement in this?¡±


    Marthel nods.


    ¡°You see, the Master had some¡­history with that certain guild. A few only know of this, but I''ll at least tell you¨C¡±


    He looks around to confirm that they''re not being eavesdropped.


    ¡°¨Che once was defeated by them. Specifically, that {Fate Threader}.¡±


    As all the participants left the hall, only the Master of [Atlas Research Institute] was left inside. He touches the stone mask and grips it tightly as if remembering something he wants to forget.


    ¡°Zephyr Gersche.¡±


    He then pulls up a clip of papers from a storage chest. Inscribed on the paper is none other than the report of the failed operation of his past journey to a certain village near Frostfall.


    ¡°The next time we meet. Not only that cursed witch, but I will possess every secret knowledge that you have!!!¡±


    The Master and the founder of the illegal research organization, Roderick, is thirsting for vengeance.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    ¡°Eh, King Crow engaged with a hunter in Fritz Forest? And he what? He lost!?¡±


    Zephyr was flabbergasted about the fact that a giant man like King Crow would lose to some hunter who''s just lurking in Fritz Forest that he always uses for his own excursions. The report came from a scroll Anastasia handed to him just recently.


    Zephyr lets out a heavy sigh and lightly scratches his cheek.


    ¡®Okay, as a responsible and caring Clan Leader, it''s only natural to visit and give him some fruits right? Time to head out I guess.¡¯


    As he was about to leave the Guild Master¡¯s Hall, Anastasia opens the door, bumping into Zephyr thereafter.


    ¡°Ah¡­M-Master Zep, I''m sorry for getting in your way¡­¡±


    Anastasia brushes her hair and steps aside while looking down, embarrassed.


    ¡®Hm? Feels like Anastasia is troubled by something. Maybe the incident bothers her too? After all, she and King Crow formed a party once. She must be worried as well. Let''s invite her.¡¯


    ¡°Ana, wanna go with me? I''m visiting King Crow.¡±


    Anastasia raises her head and turns to Zephyr.


    ¡°Is Master Zep finally going to make a move?¡±


    Zephyr tilts his head, his poker face gives out an aura of confusion, but not for Ana who already has a delusional image of Zephyr being the mastermind of everything etched into her core. Zephyr then massages his nape and thinks that Anastasia is indirectly telling him that he''s always in the Guild Hall doing absolutely nothing, getting bored out of his mind.


    ¡°I guess, yeah? I''m gonna move.¡±


    Anastasia nods, her eyes are set to follow him everywhere.


    ¡°Lead the way, Master Zep. I shall follow everything you say as always.¡±


    ¡®Ana, we¡¯re only checking things out with King Crow. Also, I wanna know how he got defeated¨C wait, there''s also that other guild who just got attacked right?¡¯


    Zephyr and Anastasia then leave their Guild Hall and make their way towards the place where King Crow and the others are being treated.


    While on their way, Zephyr had a premonition that more responsibility will be placed on his back which makes him lose motivation.


    ¡®Ugh¡­my lazy side weeps. Why am I feeling like I''ll be burdened with responsibilities I didn''t ask for as soon as I meet with King Crow.¡¯


    As he looked up at the sky, he saw a flock of birds roaming which hits him with a sudden realization of how free and easy living the birds are which made him wish that he was one of them.


    ¡®Ahh¡­birds are nice. I wanna be one, haha.¡¯


    He unconsciously lets out a simper as he looks to them. As Anastasia looked at him, Zephyr was already back to his usual self.


    ¡°What''s wrong, Ana?¡±


    Anastasia shakes her head lightly.


    ¡°Nothing, Master Zep.¡± She then thought: ¡®Master already saw the outcome, as expected.¡¯ Her delusions kept getting worse.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    Meanwhile, a secret hideout was established inside an uncleared dungeon.


    ¡°So it''s really possible for the dungeon to not collapse as long as the boss is still existing.¡±


    ¡°Amazed, Ajax? That''s only the basics when it comes to my research.¡±


    The dungeon boss, which is some sort of a humanoid reptile, can be seen restrained and cut off of its limbs while getting constantly healed every now and then to sustain the dungeon.


    ¡°Hah. And why do you think I stick around the Institute despite being a duelist. It''s because I can learn something like this once in a while.¡±


    Ajax then notices that Celaeno was alerted by something, as he saw Celaeno''s eye widened.


    ¡°Hey, you look like you''ve seen a pafh (Ghost).¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable¡­!¡± Celaeno frowns.


    ¡°What is?¡± Ajax inquires


    Celaeno stands up and walks around while assuming a thinking pose. This just makes Ajax more confused.


    ¡°Hey! Are you gonna tell me something or what?¡±


    Celaeno then turns his gaze towards Ajax with an unpleasant look, which changes in just a few seconds.


    ¡®This man, he''s getting quite full of himself speaking to me like that!¡¯


    He cleared his throat and finally explains:


    ¡°It would seem like a certain hunter from Telmaris can detect my observation spell through the birds.¡±


    Celaeno then clicks his tongue.


    ¡°Rejoice Ajax, once your arms are completely healed, I will let you make a ruckus once again.¡±


    ¡°Heh, looking forward to it!¡±

 Chapter 38: Planning ahead

    The outcome of the battle between King Crow and the {Hunter of Hunters} has been kept a secret to stabilize the morale in Telmaris. After all, not just any hunter was defeated, but it was a Guild Leader and more importantly, a Blood ranked one at that. Once the people of Telmaris learn that there''s a rogue hunter roaming around Fritz Forest that could take down a hunter like King Crow, it could cause an uproar.


    As King Crow¡¯s eyes slowly open up, what he sees is the wooden ceiling of his bedroom.


    ¡°.....¡±


    ¡°My liege, how are your wounds?¡±


    Darius, King Crow¡¯s trusted right hand man, is currently seated beside his Guild Master.


    ¡°Darius huh. Keh, I feel like shit. Not physically though.¡±


    He forcibly raises his big body and tries to get out of the bed but Darius stops him.


    ¡°My liege, you still need some rest. You''ve lost way too much blood that a normal human could have died from it.¡±


    Surprisingly, the big guy stayed still and rethinks some things for a while. He then left out a big sigh.


    ¡°I lost. My pride has been tainted twice already. I''ve no more spare energy to argue.¡±


    As he was about to lay his body down again, a knock from the door happens to get their attention.


    ¡°Hmm, a report maybe?¡±


    Darius gets the door open and is welcomed by a forced smile from none other than their Clan Master, Zephyr.


    ¡°Oh, {Fate Threader}. You have come to visit, I see.¡± One thing to notice is that Darius never bowed his head to him even once since they have met. He has pledged to only bow to one person after all, and that was his Guild leader.


    ¡°Yeah¡­I just want to see if King Crow is doing well already.¡±


    Zephyr then carefully slides his head in.


    ¡°Yep. He''s doing fine it seems. Anyway uh, please take this basket of fruits.¡±


    ¡°Oh- alright, thank you.¡±


    As Darius takes the basket, King Crow calls Zephyr.


    ¡°{Fate Threader}, I know you''re here to ask me questions. Come in¡­Darius, give us some space.¡±


    ¡®What¡­? Well, I do have a question, but it''s just to know if you''re fine and all.¡¯ Zephyr thought to himself as King Crow misunderstands his intention.


    ¡°Well then, we''ll leave you to it.¡±


    Darius takes a glance at Anastasia, who in turn, turns towards Zephyr.


    ¡°Master.¡±


    Zephyr then gestures to her, signifying that it''s fine and he can be safely left with him. With that said, Anastasia nods and leaves with Darius, closing the door afterwards.


    ¡°Hn¡­¡±


    Clueless on how to start off with the conversation, Zephyr lightly scratches his cheek. He then takes up a seat and sits beside King Crow.


    ¡°I¡¯ll answer your questions. Don''t hold back.¡±


    King Crow sits up with his arms crossed. He is ready to take blame and describe the hunter.


    ¡®Well look at that, he looks like he can get back up on his feet already. Me asking if he''s alright is now useless.¡¯


    Zephyr thought to himself while giving off a carefree smile.


    ¡®Oh well, I''ll just speak my mind out then.¡¯


    ¡°Err, I''m not really here to ask questions. I just want to see if you''re doing fine. But if you insist, then¡­first off, why did you go alone in the forest?¡±


    King Crow never expected his first question. He thought that he was going to profile the other hunter first. He welcomed the query, however.


    ¡°A warrior¡¯s pride, {Fate Threader}. It was the fueling ingredient for us battle-hardened hunters. I thought that I''ll be able to boost my own morale by going in alone and taking the perpetrators down, but how wrong I am.¡±


    ¡®Boost his own morale? Since when did it go down? Wait, don''t tell me¡­I''ve been working him hard without realizing it!? Then, what does it connect to being battle-hardened¨C ah, must be because manual labor like that doesn''t really fit his standards. Well¡­let''s ask him just to be sure.


    Zephyr clears his throat after misunderstanding King Crow¡¯s words.


    ¡°Are you feeling all better now? I won''t blame you if you want to pull back¡­¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    King Crow squints after hearing Zephyr¡¯s statement.


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    ¡®He is testing me.¡¯


    ¡°I have faced two consecutive losses, {Fate Threader}. I may be in low spirits now, but that doesn''t mean I''ll be like this forever. Do not underestimate the heart of a warrior.¡±


    ¡®Huh? Eh?¡¯


    Zephyr also did not expect this kind of reply from him. After all, everything he thinks about what King Crow is going through is not what King Crow really feels at the moment. For Zephyr, King Crow acts like this because he realized that his skills became rusty due to the fact that all he''s doing right now is manual labor which is, of course, issued by Zephyr. And with that said, it might be the reason he lost despite being a high ranking hunter.


    Meanwhile, King Crow thinks that Zephyr is trying to get him back to his feet as soon as possible to eliminate the possibility of morale degradation between the guilds. But then, looking at Zephyr¡¯s innocent face, he thought that the


    ¡°Here I thought you''ll inquire how I lost and who was the hunter in question first and foremost. Yet here you are worrying about such a trifling matter.¡±


    Trifling matter being his condition.


    Zephyr chuckles in confusion. He just then displays a warm smile to shrug off some of his uncertainty.


    ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡± He asks to assure himself for the next questions he should be asking.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Yet again, it was not a response King Crow was expecting from someone dubbed as the strongest hunter, furthermore, the only Abyssal ranked hunter in Navea. A top predator should always have its fangs bared and will do its utmost to stay in the top. What Zephyr is showing right now is the opposite. An expression that shows concern yet, still with a sense of superiority. That''s what King Crow is currently seeing right now from Zephyr¡¯s face. The person in question however is unaware of such a thing.


    ¡°Fuhahaha! No. Of course not. A leader who shows regard to his superior is nothing short of being bad. In lieu, that''s the sort of thing a unique and strong leader should have.¡±


    ¡®What? We just briefly exchanged words just now though? Well, whatever, as long as he''s doing fine, all is good.¡¯


    Zephyr repeatedly taps King Crow¡¯s and stands up.


    ¡°Seeing you doing good and back to your usual self, I think everything''s fine. Should you need assistance, we''re moments away.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I know.¡±


    As Zephyr was about to walk out of the room, King Crow picks up an apple from the basket Zephyr brought and bites into it while thinking of something:


    ¡®He did not even ask who the culprit is or what they might have been up to. Looks like he has some way to find it out himself¡­he doesn''t want to bother me for the details while I heal. Hah, what a thoughtful hunter this one is.¡¯


    ¡®I feel like I''m forgetting something important, but heck, it''s too awkward to turn around now.¡¯


    Zephyr shuts the door gently. He was then greeted by the two who were patiently waiting for them to finish.


    ¡°Master, welcome back.¡±


    ¡°Done already? That was fast.¡±


    Zephyr chuckles with his head hung low.


    ¡°Well, yeah. I just came in to check. Anyway, he''s all fine now. Please look after your lord okay?¡±


    ¡°Haha, that goes without saying {Fate Threader}. Please rest assured that [Crow¡¯s Nest] will not be dejected by just this¨C¡±


    ¡°That''s right.¡±


    A loud voice then interjected.


    ¡°M-My liege! You shouldn''t get up so soon¡­-¡±


    Noticing that King Crow is as energized as he once before the battle, Darius changes his attitude towards his Lord¡¯s action.


    ¡°I see. Welcome back, my liege. Should we get back in action?¡±


    ¡°Fuhahaha! We''re always in action, Darius. This time however, let us slow down and pace up with everyone.¡±


    ¡®My liege is¡­saying that we follow whatever {Fate Threader} plans for this matter. I see, he reflected on acting on his own. Looks like his talk with {Fate Threader} resulted in a more positive way than I thought.¡¯


    Darius nods in agreement.


    ¡°If that''s what my liege decided to do, then who am I to disagree.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s gaze falls towards Zephyr and is currently smiling, thinking that her Master solved an underlying problem with ease once again. The man in question, on the other hand, innocently smiles to go with the flow.


    Done with what they have gone to do, Zephyr and Anastasia leave the [Crow¡¯s Nest]¡¯s temporary Guild Hall and saunters towards Gringar¡¯s tavern to have their dinner. While on their way, the two encountered Hywel along with Meiren who just finished their discussion.


    ¡°Oh. Looks like you two are already acquainted, haha.¡±


    Zephyr feigns ignorance about what he saw earlier.


    ¡°Ah, Lord {Fate Threader}. How are you doing these days?¡±


    While Zephyr and Meiren engage in a conversation, Hywel¡¯s gaze turns towards Anastasia who is currently displaying a poker face. He then lightly taps Anastasia¡¯s shoulder and smiles with his eyes closed.


    ¡°Ana, I hope you''re doing fine. Are you keeping our dear Zep away from trouble?¡±


    Anastasia remains unmoving. Unlike everyone who interacts with him, Anastasia, along with all the members of [Grim Fate], considers Hywel as just a normal person like anybody else.


    ¡°Said troubles are keeping Master entertained. I don''t wish to take it away from him.¡±


    ¡°Oh-ho?¡±


    Hywel strikes a thinking position. He notices the changes in Anastasia¡¯s way of thinking, as well as her demeanour. It''s as if in just a short amount of time, she has developed more emotions to express.


    ¡°I see. You now choose to let Zep embrace the inconveniences as you follow suit. I might want to know the reason.¡±


    ¡°There''s always only one reason, Hywel. If it''s Master Zep¡¯s will, then I have no intention to oppose it.¡±


    ¡°Even if it''s something that doesn''t need his attention?¡±


    ¡°Master¡¯s attention shall be spent on his own accord. My mission is to support it.¡±


    Slowly opening his eyes, Hywel turns his gaze at Anastasia who in turn looks back at him. Two of them have locked eyes, without fear of each other.


    ¡°You have changed, Ana. Last I saw you, you''re someone who steps up whenever a disturbance is approaching Zep.¡±


    Anastasia then responded in kind.


    ¡°Then maybe I became more of what our Master Zep wants me to be now.¡±


    After a little chat, Zephyr and Meiren turn towards the two, who seem to be in deep argument. Meiren shows concern, while Zephyr thinks that this is normal. Before interrupting them, Zephyr lets out a sigh and displays a carefree expression.


    ¡°Come now, you two. Let''s uhh¡­show Meiren the same professionalism she always displays to us.¡±


    Anastasia and Hywel then immediately went back to their usual character. Both of them seem ready to follow Zephyr quietly from now on. Meiren was surprised how easy it was for Zephyr to tame the two.


    ¡°Oh, uhm¡­any plans for today, [Grim Fate]?¡±


    Zephyr looks at his present members and shrugs, seeing that they''re just going to follow him whatever his plans are. Zephyr then remembered something¨C


    ¡°Oh, I''m actually planning to do a casual visit to the other guild that was injured by the same suspect King Crow encountered.¡±


    Inside a small inn in Telmaris, Denzel and his little cluster are currently resting, still recovering from their previous encounter with Celaeno.


    ¡°Phew¡­ugh¡­¡±


    Denzel can be seen trying to workout despite having a lot of bandages in his body, in order to somehow get a chance to raise his attribute. But alas, it''s not coming to him.


    ¡°Denzel, please lay down and rest. You can''t push your body like that, it''s not worth it.¡±


    Denzel frowns. He wipes his slightly formed sweat in his forehead and turns to his members.


    ¡°I''m sorry for everything¡­if only I¨C¡±


    A knock on the door then startled him and his little crew. As Denzel was about to open it, he felt an intimidating presence from behind the door which made him wary.


    ¡°U-uh¡­who''s behind that door?¡±


    A voice of a woman with elegance then s


    peaks from behind the door.


    ¡°Hello, sorry if we''re interrupting your rest. Let us introduce ourselves¨C¡±


    ¡°-We are from the first Clan: GENESIS¡±

 Chapter 39: Making use of everything

    ¡°G-GENESIS!?¡±


    After hearing their name, Denzel immediately wipes off his sweat and takes a deep breath before opening the door.


    ¡°Hi!¡±


    Friendly, elegant and smart. Those are the first impressions Denzel had after seeing Meiren greet him.


    ¡°H-hello Miss-Miss uh¡­I''m Denzel! And this is my-my friends!¡±


    He nervously steps aside to point at his friends who immediately stand to attention.


    ¡°Hehe, again; sorry if we''re bothering your rest, we''re just actually here to¨C¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s not a big deal. Mhm, not at all!¡±


    Denzel is as stiff as a board, while mixing his words, which just shows his nervousness.


    ¡°I see, that''s great! Although you already look fine, please take some more rest and relax.¡±


    Meiren then clears her throat and proceeds once again after seeing Denzel nod continuously.


    ¡°So, I''m actually just here to introduce you to a certain someone who wants to speak with you. But please, take our humble gift first.¡±


    Meiren hands over two baskets, one filled with delicious breads and the other filled with sumptuous fruits.


    ¡°A-ah, you don''t really have to haha-¡±


    As Denzel hesitantly takes the baskets due to his shyness, the individual who wishes to speak with him steps up.


    ¨Ca few minutes ago¨C


    ¡°Eh? You will personally give that guild a visit?¡±


    Meiren was surprised about Zephyr¡¯s action, Hywel as well.


    ¡®Huh? What''s with that reaction?¡¯


    ¡°Well, yeah¡­is something the matter?¡±


    Meiren crosses her arms while thinking of something to say about the matter without coming out rude.


    ¡°Actually¡­umm¡­¡±


    Hywel then taps her shoulder and steps up.


    ¡°Zep, I know that you only not care about the well-being of everyone but also perceives this as an opportunity to plant seeds for the future¨C¡±


    ¡®Where is this coming from?¡¯


    ¡°¨Cbut you''re now a Clan Leader. No, more importantly, you''re an Abyss ranked hunter. The one and only in Navea.¡±


    Meiren can be seen slowly nodding beside Hywel. She then interjects as to continue what Hywel was trying to say.


    ¡°Lord {Fate Threader}, I don''t want to sound like an entitled noble¡­but visiting a human ranked guild with someone your status would be quite an issue. Do not misunderstand! I know you already thought of it, but regardless¡­as one of your current and future advisors, I would like you to mind your status a little more.¡±


    Anastasia assumes a thinking pose.


    ¡°That¡­makes sense.¡±


    ¡®Which!?¡¯ Zephyr is still trying to understand.


    ¡®I mean, status aside, we''re all still both humans or hunters right!?¡¯


    ¡°Zep, I know you''re thinking that we''re all humans and hunters, that we have no such difference. That''s just the sort of person you are.¡±


    Hywel places his hand on his chest as he lightly bows.


    ¡°However, now that you''ve come farther than before, I would like people to know that you''re not some hunter that can be bothered by just anything.¡±


    Zephyr sighs.


    ¡°I''m not bothered by anything though.¡±


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Hywel then smiles.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. As I said, that''s how you always are. This time, however, please hear me out. I know you''re already done with the other one (King Crow) and I bet you haven''t mentioned anything about his blunder to get him back on his feet as soon as possible¨C¡±


    Meiren then continues what Hywel is saying.


    ¡°¨CNow you''re going to the other guild involved to raise your questions there which you haven''t asked King Crow in order to boost their lost morale by providing us, top ranked guilds, the information we need. Did¡­did I miss out on anything, or am I right¡­?¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    ¡®Huh!? I haven''t thought of it that far!¡¯


    Back when Hywel and Meiren are discussing the recent events, Meiren hypothesized that Zephyr will visit both King Crow and the human ranked guild with two separate approaches in mind but with the same goal of getting them back on their feet. Two birds with one stone¨C unfortunately, the mind of the great {Fate Threader} is not what they think it is.


    ¡°Hm. Seems about right. You impress me, Miss Merchant.¡±


    Hywel takes Zephyr¡¯s silence as proof that they''re right. He then bumps his fist against his palm as he makes a proposal.


    ¡°With that said Zep, as a member of [Grim Fate], I can''t let you, our great leader, to be seen as someone who is the same level as a human.¡±


    ¡°Eh? What?¡±


    ¡°S-Sir Hywel, please don''t phrase it like that.¡±


    Meiren clears her throat.


    ¡°Lord {Fate Threader}. Allow us to be your representative.¡±


    ¨CPresent¨C


    The man who showed up in front of the small guild was none other than Hywel.


    ¡°Greetings, we are here to check if everyone is doing fine after the incident. Of course, we represent our most humble and caring Clan Leader, {Fate Threader}.¡±


    ¡°{F-Fate Threader} is concerned about us!?¡±


    Denzel shouted in surprise with a hint of delight.


    ¡°Of course, he would like to personally visit, but his overbearing responsibilities after becoming a Clan Leader are still in need of full-time management.¡±


    Hywel takes his time glancing at each of the members with a wholehearted smile as he talks.


    Meiren added:


    ¡°That''s right. And so we came bearing some get-well gifts for you. Although, we would also like your cooperation to identify the threat looming in the forest.¡±


    ¡®W-we get to cooperate with him¡­with the legendary {Fate Threader} himself!¡¯


    ¡°We will gladly cooperate! I will make full use of all I know to answer your question!¡±


    As Meiren and Hywel expected, all of them seem thrilled to provide what they know.


    After a while, the human ranked guild answered everything to their knowledge, however, they failed to identify the threat of Ajax. After all, it was Celaeno who they had a battle with. With that said, the guild managed to give Hywel and Meiren Celaeno¡¯s mastery regarding summons and the fact that he was called ¡°Master¡± by a certain someone. To add, they relayed a message that Celaeno and Ajax were muttering while in front of them.


    ¡°So they''re planning to cause a commotion. And what would that do I wonder.¡±


    Hywel then turns towards Meiren as they walk. It seems that they''re already finished in their talk with Denzel and his little group.


    ¡°Hm? Well, I''m still processing. However, those people know that [Grim Fate] is currently residing in Telmaris and they even mentioned you guys. Then it''s imperative for them to get your guild¡¯s attention into something¡­¡±


    ¡°Ho, that''s a logical deduction. And? Where do they want us to focus our attention on?¡±


    ¡°Now this is just my instincts but¡­I think Alice¡¯s research is somehow involved with this.¡±


    Meiren then sighs.


    ¡°Also, there''s this other hunter that defeated King Crow. We haven''t really learned anything about him yet.¡±


    ¡°Zep might already know how to deal with this, but it pains me that he''s not relying on me.¡±


    ¡°H-heeeh¡­¡± Meiren looks away, remembering how loyal Hywel is to Zephyr.


    ¡°I''m going back to our guild hall, thank you for today, Miss Meiren.¡±


    Hywel then bows his head with his hand on his chest. Meiren on the other hand just accepts his actions.


    ¡°It''s all fine, Sir Hywel. Oh another thing before we split up.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Meiren gets close and talks in a hushed voice.


    ¡°Since one of their goals is for you guys to focus your attention into something, they are quite confident that once [Grim Fate] takes action, they would know.¡±


    ¡°So you''re saying-¡±


    Meiren nods once.


    ¡°They might have some sort of plan to relay the information from within Telmaris.¡±


    ¡®A spy, or tracking magic. Interesting.¡¯


    The two then walk on different paths of the road as they bid their farewell to each other. Hywel then smirks.


    ¡®I have a gut feeling that Zep is already making use of every useful tool he has.¡¯


    Meanwhile¡­


    ¨CVersp¨¡la, Kingdom (City) of Nobles¨C


    A city situated in the North Western part of Telmaris where every house and even the streets screams elegance, richness, yet vivid. Versp¨¡la is currently in a state of competition where two opposing sides are deciding the fate of the town. A faction to turn the town into an independent state, converting Versp¨¡la into a glorious kingdom where there would be a king and a queen. This ideology came from another region, a certain continent quite larger than Navea.


    The other faction on the other hand, of course, wants the government to stay the same. The people of this faction are the current leading party of the city, but they know that it will not stay that way in the long term.


    Their conflicts aside, a certain lady finally arrived at the gates of the noble city.


    ¡°Finally¡­¡±


    She looks around, careful of her surroundings.


    ¡®I need to stay vigilant. The Institute has eyes and ears everywhere¡­what I need to do is to find her. But how¡­¡¯


    After thinking hard, Alice lets out a sigh and walks towards the guards, wearing clothes that fit a noble.


    ¡°Greetings milady, for our security may we know your family name and the faction you''re supporting?¡±


    Alice thinks to herself:


    ¡®Family name is a common question to ask, but now they''re including the faction?¡¯


    ¡°I''m a tourist. I go by the name Ellen Merrigold, and I don''t have any faction to support at the moment.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well you ought to choose one once you step into the kin¨C ehem, city.¡±


    Alice''s eyes narrow down after catching the guard slipping up. She was then permitted to enter the city after listing her name and purpose of visit.


    ¡°Now then¡­I won''t disappoint you, {Fate Threader}.¡±


    Their new member, Alice, then makes her way to discover Sophia¡¯s whereabouts in the city of nobles and find out what she needs help with.

 Chapter 40: Setting up the Battlefield

    ¡°Ah. A new day has dawned. The Goddess blessed me once again with new problems to deal with that I was supposed to not be involved with.¡±


    The usual Zephyr philosophical (not really) morning routine speech right after waking up. He seems unusually energized despite just opening his eyes. He fixes his bed, brushes his teeth and finally about to open the door to get out of his room.


    ¡°Now then, let''s see what kind of pain I shall deal with today.¡±


    Upon opening the door, as usual, the beautiful and doll-like Anastasia is patiently waiting for him, carrying what seems to be Hywel and Meiren¡¯s report regarding their conversation with Denzel and his guild.


    ¡®Ah, the first one.¡¯


    ¡°Master Zep, I shall be in your care again today.¡±


    After bowing her head, Anastasia hands over the document she''s holding.


    ¡°This is the report of Hywel and the other lady from last night. Please take your time reading it.¡±


    ¡°Mhm mhm¡­¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    Anastasia cannot help but notice something.


    ¡°Master, did you not sleep well?¡±


    She takes a step closer as she was worried about Zephyr.


    ¡°E-eh? Well, I just had a little trouble sleeping haha. But that''s nothing.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    Anastasia slowly looks down. She''s quite despondent due to the fact that she thinks she''s doing nothing to lessen her master¡¯s burden. As a result, Zephyr lost valuable sleep. However, that is not the case.


    ¡®Crap, I can''t tell her I had a nightmare and woke up in the middle of the night and can''t get a wink of sleep after. Only kids have those right!?¡¯


    Zephyr clears his throat and takes a step forward.


    ¡°Ana, I''m fine. Well, I''ll be better when I have my breakfast.¡±


    He then gestures to her to follow him to the pantry to prepare some breakfast as they finally have some stocks of fresh bread and various stuffings brought by Hywel and Meiren. Hywel is currently training his body elsewhere as his morning routine which is why he''s not currently in Guild Hall.


    ¡®Maybe I''ll just forget all about it, yeah.¡¯


    Zephyr began having nightmares lately. Well, everyone is prone to have one and it''s something someone would often forget once they wake up. However, Zephyr might have forgotten, but some details of his nightmares lingers in his thoughts.


    ¡®Why would I even dream of a castle. Like I''m in a kingdom or something¡­what''s more, it feels lonely inside since there are no people. And the outside is a mess.¡¯


    Zephyr shakes his head and drops his relic to the ground.


    ¡°Cantallone, can you call Hywel for me? We probably should have breakfast together.¡±


    The loyal relic then goes out of its way to search for him as Zephyr and Anastasia prepare.


    |Sunken Tower| - Star-ranked dungeon


    Inside the temporary base of the Black hooded group, Celaeno seems to be preparing for an assault. His staff polished, his scrolls and enchanted items all aligned.


    ¡°I''m ready to go again!! My hands are all healed! Point me to the battle!¡±


    Ajax roars for a fine duel.


    ¡°At ease, Ajax. Now I did say that you are needed to make another ruckus, but this time, you are under supervision. You only make a move on what I tell you, understand?¡±


    Celaeno turns his gaze towards him which Ajax did not appreciate, however he just went with the flow and nods.


    ¡°Good. We''re going back to the remnants of the hut and finish my research.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You''re finishing already?¡±


    ¡°I am. But that doesn''t mean I''m leaving. I still have a mission to uphold.¡±


    ¡°Mission? I''m not informed of that!¡±


    Ajax shouted.


    ¡°Of course you aren''t. Us pillars are given discretion regarding the missions imposed to us. Unless we deem it necessary, we will leave the details of it only to us.¡±


    Celaeno then proceeds to walk towards the dungeon boss which is currently restrained. He then finishes it with only one basic fire spell.


    ¡°We''re leaving this base before the GEO gets suspicious of this area. Move.¡±


    As Celaeno and the rest of his members walk towards the exit, Ajax¡¯s gaze turns into a playful glare.


    ¡°Sure. Anything you say.¡±


    As they leave the dungeon, Celaeno stops for a moment as his surveillance birds notice something.


    ¡°Hm. Looks like they''re finally preparing to deal with us. Things are going as expected, hahaha! Now then Telmaris, what would you do? Do you all even have an idea what our main purpose is?¡±


    Ajax squints upon hearing his words. Not a long while, a few more hooded individuals have come. Celaeno turns towards them.


    ¡°Hm, reinforcements huh. Then¡­the Master really thinks that this research is absolutely important. I can''t fail him now.¡±


    ¡°Hello there, {Second Pillar} Celaeno.¡±


    A voice unfamiliar to him has greeted Celaeno without any title which makes him quite irritated. However, he''s not rash. As he reviewed the individual in front of him, he can tell that he''s someone who holds the same authority as his.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°The Master mentioned a few years ago regarding the branches. Are you perhaps¨C¡±


    ¡°You''re really quick to catch on. As expected of the {Second Pillar}.¡±


    The man then removes his hood, revealing a man with long brown hair which is messily tied. He looks as if they''re of the same age, but due to the manly beard the other one has which Celaeno doesn''t, he looks younger.


    ¡°My name is Heimer Deucati. The Institute¡¯s {Fourth Scholar}¡±


    ¡°Scholar? I see, so that''s the title of the other branch. With that designation, that must mean you''re talented. But here, I am the mastermind. Do you get what I''m trying to say?¡±


    Celaeno firmly sets the hierarchy in the team.


    ¡°Yes, of course. I was instructed to assist you whatever the cost after all.¡±


    Heimer then steals a glance at Ajax who has been eyeing him and his crew right when they have arrived.


    ¡°I must say you already have such a frightening companion. I believe we will achieve our objective¨C¡±


    ¡°[Grim Fate]. Should I say more?¡±


    As soon as Celaeno mentioned the name, everyone turned quiet.


    ¡°Being confident is one thing, but overconfidence brings about unnecessary openings.¡±


    Celaeno then proceeds to lead his crew onward with Ajax following behind them with a sneer after his last remark.


    Going back to Telmaris a few hours after Zephyr reviewed the reports, he was confronted by his Clan members just outside the undergoing Clan Hall.


    ¡®A lot of guilds from the gathering have already gone home huh¡­¡¯


    As soon as he looked forward, he saw some familiar faces.


    ¡°Oh, you''re all here. King Crow too.¡±


    King Crow flexes his arm, showing that he''s all good to go.


    ¡°I''m all healed up and back on my feet! Fuhahaha, a true warrior always gets back up no matter what!¡±


    ¡°Nice, King Crow.¡±


    David commented, followed by the clap of his guild mates. Jaina then approaches Zephyr.


    ¡°{Fate Threader}, I believe it''s time we are briefed regarding the situation. One of our clan members was injured after all, so I guess we''re not going to stand idly by.¡±


    Hywel interjects. His expression is always the same, smiling like he never has any problems at all, with his eyes relaxed and closed.


    ¡°Please do not misunderstand. Zep is neither just standing by nor buying time. Before he moves, every factor should be thoroughly reviewed to achieve perfect results. I believe however that he had everything planned from the start, but please, act accordingly to what he expects of you.¡±


    Anastasia follows his speech with a nod.


    ¡®You guys are deciding what''s on my mind again. How about we exchange positions!?¡¯


    Even with that on his mind, Zephyr is also curious about the recent commotions. He lets out a sigh and scratches the back of his head.


    ¡°Hywel, Meiren. Did you two already tell them about your findings?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord {Fate Threader}. We believe that person in question is the mastermind of this suspicious operation.¡±


    ¡°Any idea about their goal?¡± ¡û Zephyr


    ¡®Eh? I thought he already knew¡­is this a test for me? I-I¡¯m not ready! Well¡­¡¯


    ¡°Apologies, Lord {Fate Threader}...I don''t know if it matches up your knowledge of things but, I think it involves the research of Alice. That''s all I can say for now.¡±


    ¡®Oh. Yeah that makes sense. Wait, then why are they even threatening us¨C ah! They must think that we''re holding that lady here and they intend to take her back!¡¯


    Zephyr unconsciously strikes a thinking pose.


    As everyone was looking at Zephyr, all of them had the same thought: ¡®He¡¯s summing it all up.¡¯ Everyone is finally disillusioned by him. With that said, all of them lined up like soldiers about to be given orders by their supervisor.


    ¡®Err, what should I even do¡­[Shadow Core] is my best choice for reconnaissance as they''re all composed of agile hunters. I''m also curious about what their leader could do. As for King Crow¡­nah man, I know a dude who''s acting tough on the outside when I see one, you''re staying along with your guild. Meiren''s out of the question, she¡¯s not a combatant after all. Sending Hywel would be overkill, same with Ana¡­well then¨C¡¯


    ¡°Uhh, Jaina.¡±


    All present members of [Shadow Core] then stand to attention, ready to receive their order.


    ¡°I''m confident that you and your members can sweep Fritz Forest in less than a day. Now I know there''s looming danger and we don''t know many of them are there, so if any of you run into something you know you can''t deal with, just retreat and report back.¡±


    ¡®This is one of the few tactics I have learned from Sophia when she wants to scout possible hazards from dangerous areas. Though, she''ll only send Cleave (Grim Fate''s assassin) as she alone is capable enough to do all the scouting. Ah¡­now I miss our little Cleave, where is she now.¡¯


    ¡°I see. Leave it to us, {Fate Threader}. We''ll bring you your desired results.¡±


    Jaina confidently proclaimed. Zephyr then turns to Hywel just in case.


    ¡®I did say overkill but, I already learned my lesson from our previous quest not to belittle what seems an important task.¡¯


    ¡°I''m going to give them eight hours to return and report back. If they haven''t done by then, Hywel, you are to move out.¡±


    Hywel nods in agreement. Jaina then thinks to herself:


    ¡®A mere eight hours. Considering that we have to do some regrouping, maintenance, and most probably, battles, eight hours are too short. In addition, Fritz Forest is vast. Wait¡­I see, he''s also considering the time Hywel could make it in there. In his case, Hywel could at least get there in four hours at best. That means¡­it''s a twelve hour countdown.¡¯


    ¡°Meiren, King Crow.¡±


    Zephyr then turns towards the two.


    ¡°Please stay at Gringar¡¯s for the day.¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    ¡°Wha-? Are you serious, {Fate Threader}?¡±


    King Crow asked, although in a calm manner as he''s identifying his purpose. He then felt Hywel¡¯s gaze upon him. It''s as if he''s telling him to just do what Zephyr wants and don''t get in his way.


    ¡°Oh, ah¡­there  is actually something important to do there.¡±


    ¡®There goes my habit of inventing random stuff at the heat of the moment again¡­¡¯


    Meiren did not show any rejection on her part. She takes a glance at King Crow who just lets out a sigh and seems ready to accept his part as well.


    ¡°Okay, since it''s you who issued the order {Fate Threader}, I think being idle is worth doing.¡±


    Darius then quietly chuckles.


    ¡°Also, I know that [Crow¡¯s Nest] isn''t fit for the job you''ve given to the fine lady¡¯s guild. So it''s understandable. When time comes for us to finally show what we''re capable of, call our name!¡±


    Zephyr nods immediately as he sees this as an opportunity to finally settle him down. Athy then points to herself.


    ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°Train with Ana.¡±


    ¡°Master Zep¡­¡±


    ¡°Yaaay!!¡±


    Athy cheered joyfully.


    And so, with everyone''s job assigned, each of them went on their way to do what''s to be done. As [Shadow Core] headed out, a new batch of travellers and hunters entered the city. Unbeknownst to everyone, among them were spies from Atlas. In addition¡­one of them was Vivianne who is about to return to her guild.


    ¨CFritz Forest¨C


    Thanks to his birds, Celaeno was able to witness their gathering.


    ¡°Given that he''s the one who seems to be issuing orders, it must be him. Who would have thought that the infamous {Fate Threader} of [Grim Fate] looks more human than your average hunter. Though with that said¨C¡±


    Celaeno grits his teeth.


    ¡°He sent one squad to deal with us and divide his forces within Telmaris. This will ruin the original plan. Damn you {Fate Threader}, you don''t see us as a threat worthy of your attention.¡±


    Celaeno then takes a deep breathe and turns towards Ajax.


    ¡°It''s time to draw your weapons once again, Ajax. Telmaris has sent fresh blood for you to trample with.¡±


    ¡°Hah-Hahaha! Finally, I was starting to get bored to death! Point me to them!¡±


    Ajax violently spins his spear. His eyes are screaming for another good battle.


    ¡°My hawk will lead you to them.¡±


    Celaeno then adjusts his glasses.


    ¡°This time, kill them. Send their heads to their gates and let them know how much of a threat we are.¡±


    Not only Fritz Forest, but Telmaris will be a battlefield. The day of confrontation¡­begins.

 Chapter 41: Hunter of Hunters

    Before they head out:


    Jaina can be seen rummaging through everyone''s inventories.


    ¡°Erika, Fiona, David, have Joura pack you a good bunch of healing potions and some dustshells.¡±


    ¡°Dustshells?¡±


    Erika inquired.


    ¡°Dustshells are projectiles which explode upon impact, producing a unique smoke dust.¡±


    Fiona answered.


    ¡°Then why would we need it?¡± ¡û Erika


    Fiona lightly handchops Erika after seeing her not knowing about their own unique creation, well, their alchemist¡¯s (Joura¡¯s) creation.


    ¡°Were you not there when Joura presented it to us? The smoke dilutes the ocular sense. The longer someone stays there, the more their sense of sight weakens.¡±


    David added-


    ¡°And we''re not talking about literal vision, but their senses.¡±


    Erika playfully brushes her hair.


    ¡°Hehe, okay okay I get it.¡±


    Fiona and David both narrow their eyes down as if not trusting Erika.


    [Shadow Core] are mostly made up of assassins and fighters who have fairly high agility attributes. Their sharpened senses without relying on their field of view is something to note about, especially¡­Erika. Which is why using an item that will blind both them and their opponent is an advantage for them.


    Fiona then turns to Jaina.


    ¡°Leader, any word for us?¡±


    After sorting her inventory, Jaina faces her guild members with a serious expression. After all, the expedition they will set out to leads to danger and a possible death.


    ¡°We have been tasked to sweep the Forest. That means we identify the danger, eliminate it if possible, if not, report it back immediately. I believe with our combined efforts, every hurdle that comes our way will be dealt with swiftly.¡±


    As everyone nods, Jaina continues-


    ¡°But remember, we are not the only ones fighting here. I am sure {Fate Threader} and the others are going to have a battle in a different way which is why he chose to send only us. You know what that means right!?¡±


    ¡°YEAH!¡±


    ¡°We are chosen because it is us, [Shadow Core]! Sweep missions are our agenda! Let''s do this and return with great news!¡±


    After her short speech, Jaina and all her present members swiftly march towards their destination. As they travel, Fiona nudges Jaina and asks another question¨C


    ¡°Leader, what''s your evaluation of things so far? I''m sorry but I still can''t comprehend what {Fate Threader}¡¯s plans are.¡±


    Jaina chuckles.


    ¡°And what makes you think I can get a read on him? I''m not so sure but, you know me right? I tend to judge based on instincts and I often get it correctly. But somehow, upon conversing with him, I feel like I''m speaking with someone who was already informed of everything.¡±


    ¡°Word has it that he has foresight after all¡­¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Jaina seems quite troubled.


    ¡°I wonder why he hasn''t been proactive if that''s the case. But then, I remember Meiren telling us about a mole inside Telmaris.¡±


    Fiona then concur-


    ¡°Then he''s just being cautious.¡±


    ¡°Surely. This mission is dangerous since I think the enemy already knew we were coming, however, his eyes do not just show trust but also concern.¡±


    As they converse throughout their march, a flock of birds high up the sky seems to be following them. The birds follow a normal routine on flight which is why they don''t stand out much and it''s hard to notice that they were summons.


    ¨CFritz Forest, Remnants of the Hollow Cavern¨C


    Celaeno can be seen focusing under the shade of a tree.


    ¡°Hm, they''re moving quickly. Those hunters are much faster than I anticipated.¡±


    ¡°Hooh? They''re that agile huh? It might be a good challenge!¡±


    Ajax pumps his fist as he''s always ready for a good fight. He then grabs his spear and proceeds to walk towards a random direction.


    ¡°You go there and you will find nothing.¡±


    Celaeno stops his tracks.


    ¡°Then point me to them!¡±


    Ajax immediately responds as he points the spear towards the sky, signifying Celaeno to use his birds to lead him to them.


    Celaeno was already planning to do so but after hearing it from Ajax as if he''s being pushed around, his irritation of him becomes worse that he almost bit his tongue after gritting his teeth. He controlled his emotions successfully however.


    ¡°Good riddance¡­¡±


    ¡®I would have ended him already, but I still need his fighting capabilities! Tsk, though it pains to say that I''m not sure if I''m capable of putting him down.¡¯


    In this generation of hunters, one can safely assume that Ajax was one of the pinnacles of strength in terms of raw fighting ability. It''s just unfortunate that he has more interest in fighting humans than monsters. Ajax is a monster of his own that he can actually take on a group of talented hunters and still come out victorious. His mastery of weapons and battle intelligence combined with his attribute skills are enough to earn him a spot to [Grim Fate]. But then again, Ajax enjoys the fun of hunting humans which violates the tenets of guilds which is why he was not recognized as an official hunter.


    The very reason he became a part of the Institute is that while he can use them to hide his presence from the GEO, the Institute¡¯s goal was also somewhat aligned with Ajax¡¯s personal goal of being the top hunter.


    ¡°Go. Follow this hawk and let those hunters know that the Institute¡­no, that- YOU, are never to be messed with.¡±


    Ajax displays a wide grin after hearing Celaeno''s speech.


    ¡°Here I thought you''re going to burst out in anger. Turns out you still know how much I am worth.¡±


    As the crow bursts forth, Ajax follows suit, keeping up with the crow in terms of speed.


    While holding his anger, Celaeno heard a chuckle from a distance. As he looks towards the direction from where it originates, he can see Heimer walking away with his members to guard the perimeter.


    ¡°I am surrounded by inferior monkeys!¡±


    The black hoods were startled after hearing Celaeno''s outburst and continued their work afterwards.


    Two hours have already passed since [Shadow Core] has been dispatched to scout the underlying issue within Fritz Forest. It can be seen that Jaina and her members stopped for a while to preserve energy whilst scouting the perimeter.


    ¡°So far, I notice no signs of the enemy. It''s just the usual ecosystem.¡±


    Fiona reported.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Jaina takes out a pocket watch and observes the time.


    ¡°We spent half a daytime hour travelling from Telmaris to here. And looks like we already spent an hour and a half surveying this forest. To sum it up, it''s been two daytime hours.¡±


    ¡°No sugarcoating it, this Forest really is as big as they say.¡±


    David commented. Jaina then stands up and calls all her members.


    ¡°Everyone. We''ll continue our survey in a minute, pack up and get ready¨C¡±


    As soon as she announces the continuance of their mission, Jaina as well as Erika, felt a disturbing presence.


    ¡°Jaina!¡±


    Erika shouted, startling every member of their guild.


    ¡°Yes, Erika. I can feel it too.¡±


    As soon as Jaina and Erika draw their daggers, the remaining members who have not felt such a presence also draw out their respective weapons.


    ¡°Someone''s coming. A highly talented and dangerous individual.¡±


    Fiona and David¡¯s eyes were narrowed down after hearing Jaina¡¯s words. When Jaina lauded such individuals, it means that the certain person or hunter is indeed highly remarkable.


    Like a sharp wind that passes through the dry grasses and bushes, the individual in question drops off in front of them in a stylish manner. Slowly spinning his spear around, he smirks whilst his eyes are being covered by his hair which makes him more terrifying in the eyes of [Shadow Core].


    ¡®Such bloodlust. Is this the hunter that almost killed King Crow?¡¯


    As the hawk turns around to return to its master, Jaina notices this.


    ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­we are being observed from the very beginning..? And they have sent one person to deal with us?¡¯


    ¡°Nice to meet all of you, hunters.¡±


    As Ajax speaks up, all of the members raise their weapons as a sign of wariness.


    ¡°Do remember the name, {Hunter of Hunters} Ajax. Hammer it into your head as I send you all down to your graves!¡±


    His spear generated a gale as it stopped spinning.


    Despite being alone against a Blood ranked guild, Ajax arrogantly displays his confidence as he announced his victory in advance.

 Chapter 42: How a menace was born

    ¡°Gahk!!¡±


    ¡°Weak! This kid has guts but that''s all he''s got! Bring me the next one!¡±


    ¨C ¨C


    ¡®That¡¯s all¡­I''ve got?¡¯


    ¨C ¨C


    ¡°Hey! Every brat you''ve brought has no potential! I can''t leave the Guild knowing that I will leave my legacy with incompetent people!¡±


    ¨C ¨C


    ¡®Am I¡­being called incompetent..?¡¯


    ¨C ¨C


    ¡°Ha! Finally, someone who has a talent for hunting! Come, show me some more!¡±


    ¨C ¨C


    ¡®I¡¯m not going to be chosen? Because I''m weak?¡¯


    ¨C ¨C


    ¡°What are you looking at that for brat? Scram! I don''t need someone¨C wait, that look in your eyes, heh. Interesting.¡±


    ¨C ¨C


    ¡®I - am - not done yet!!!¡¯


    ¨C ¨C


    A guild called [Burning Aegis] was once the talk of all the active guilds of the past when [Grim Fate] was not formally established yet. Aside from being ruthless, this guild boasts one of the many strongest fighter class hunters Telmaris could offer. One such hunter is what they called the {Relentless Berserker}, Harald Vidar, their leader.


    Harald was the pinnacle of strength in terms of fighting capabilities that time. However, he and his guild foolishly thought of challenging an unmapped Abyssal Front near the city of Ghallus: the noxious |Hydra¡¯s Retreat|. At first, everything was going so well that they thought that their guild would be the first to conquer an Abyssal Front. But then, with their confidence comes a lethal mistake. It''s their ignorance of the fact that the ecosystem of an Abyssal Front is considerably different from other ranked dungeons.


    [Burning Aegis] started to crumble after almost all of their members got struck with lethal toxin, produced by the dungeon¡¯s ecosystem. Not even halfway through, the guild has fallen back, defeated and almost dying. Harald was also one of the victims that was struck by such deadly poison.


    With this crucial mistake, the guild [Burning Aegis] has fallen in power. The poison doesn''t end their prey fast as it just becomes deadlier every passing day while also making the victim experience excruciating pain on a daily basis. And that is why, the borders of that certain Abyssal Front were closed off.


    Harald, although poisoned, did not give in and was still ambitious. He wants his legacy to continue. And thus, a plan to create a hunter as strong as him, or even better, stronger than him was put into motion. Harald, along with his surviving guild members gather orphaned children who could be seen with potential to continue his legacy. To be able to attain the title of the strongest fighter, one shall start training as early as possible after all.


    ¡°I''m running out of time..! The poison, I can feel it closing to my heart!¡±


    Out of all the children that were gathered, there were only a few who showed promise. One of them was a kid named Ajax. Surprisingly, he was not the cream of the crop amongst the children who have been picked. There was someone better than him, which piques the interest of Harald himself. Ajax, however, is not just a simple brawler. He fights with pride and puts his life on the line. Despite being a kid, he is not afraid to duke it out when someone is in his way or if his opponent is much stronger than him. Which is why he always picks a fight with Harald and ends up getting absolutely beaten up in the end.


    ¡°All you''ve got are guts and no strength at all!¡±


    Those were the words that were etched into Ajax¡¯s prideful soul that time.


    It''s not that he''s weak. Harald is just merciless when it comes to battle, even when he is facing individuals much younger than him. The kid that he chose came the closest into making him bleed. Ajax on the other hand, failed to do so. Day after day, he would challenge Harald, only to get beaten up. An ordinary human, moreover a kid, would have been broken already. However, Ajax keeps on standing up. Even as a little boy, he already had the spirit of a strong-willed warrior. Harald noticed this after a while.


    ¡°What are you looking at that for brat? Scram! I don''t need someone¨C wait, that look in your eyes, heh. Interesting.¡±


    A showdown has been called for. It was the battered Ajax against the perfectly conditioned kid who was chosen by Harald.


    ¡°Make this quick, kill one another! The winner shall be my heir! The one who will lead the new [Burning Aegis] in the future!¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°FIGHT!¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    To everyone''s surprise, the battle was concluded in just a matter of seconds. Not even a mug of mead was drunk by the few spectators yet. The other person who was chosen is currently laying down on the ground, bleeding from his stomach.


    ¡°That¡­was so fast. He took him by surprise!¡±


    ¡°I didn''t even see what happened! I''m busy pouring myself a mug of mead!¡±


    ¡°How can a beaten up kid move like that?¡±


    No one knows it yet, but the person in front of them is growing day by day. ¡°The stronger the opponent, the better.¡± It was his belief, and that belief made him stronger than ever before. The kid who has lost everyday, tasted his first win against someone who was said to be better than him.


    With this result, Harald grinned from ear to ear. The mug he was currently holding was crushed due to how excited he was.


    ¡°This kid right here, will be the strongest Hunter Telmaris will know¨C gahk!¡±


    He and his members coughed up a surmountable amount of blood.


    ¡®Right now!? The poison is¨C!¡¯


    Light footsteps then can be felt nearing him. It was Ajax who was gazing sharply at his next opponent.


    ¡°I challenge you, Harald. I will defeat you before you die.¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    Everyone was left speechless. But Harald responded with another grin. His eyes still show spark, he can still fully utilize his power even when poisoned.


    ¡°I¡¯m also thinking the same thing. It''s all useless if you don''t defeat me right!?¡±


    It''s as if Harald feels what Ajax is currently feeling. With that said, he picked up a nearby axe and raised it towards Ajax.


    ¡°Come at me you brat!¡±


    As he swung the axe downward, Ajax blocked it with a sword in his hands.


    ¡°HAHAHAH¨C¡± ¡û Harald


    ¡°Hey, you¡­¡±


    Harald¡¯s eyes widened after noticing Ajax¡¯s expression. His eyes don''t show any excitement or even a slight interest with their clash just now.


    ¡°What is the meaning of¨C¡±


    ¡°Your strength is not the same as before anymore. You''re weak now¡­I can end this already, but that''s just¡­pointless¡­¡±


    Ajax looks down while their weapons are still clashing.


    He might not want to admit it, but the poison is really striking him critically now. As he looked around, his members started falling one by one. Their eyes, nose, and mouth are all bleeding, gasping for help, they died slowly and painfully until Harald was the only one left standing.


    ¡°GRRRGGHH!!! HAAAAH!! No, you won''t disrespect me like that you brat¨C! Hukh!?¡±


    Even with his rage, his weapon is slowly being pulled back by Ajax.


    Finally, he falls down to his knees as the lethality of the poison is now tormenting him fully. His painful scream filled the room. Harald looks at Ajax with bleeding eyes and tells him¨C


    ¡°Fi-fin-finish me¡­!!!¡± He can''t move even a finger.


    But then, the kid was unresponsive. Ajax only stared at him in disappointment whilst doing nothing more.


    ¡°Hey Harald. I¡¯m so sorry for being weak. I was not able to kill you before the poison got to you.¡±


    ¡°What¨C what are you saying¡­!?¡±


    ¡°The monster who owns that poison is the one who defeated you and not me. Killing you now is pointless!¡±


    ¡°AJAAAX!¡± Harald coughs up more blood.


    ¡°There''s one thing I can do.¡±


    Ajax picks up different kinds of weapons he could find inside the hall. He then looks down at the agonizing Harald.


    ¡°I¡¯ll look for even stronger hunters. Those that are stronger than you. If I defeat them, that means I have achieved a greater height than defeating you.¡±


    His eyes show no remorse, no guilt, no hatred¡­not even empathy towards Harald who somehow trained him to what he is now.


    ¡°What¨C what kind of monster did I pick up..!? AAAAHHH!!¡±


    Ajax then left the hall, leaving Harald on his slow and painful death. From that point onwards, [Burning Aegis] was then forgotten into nothingness. No legacy to continue, and no stories to actually immortalize. Ajax on the other hand trains like crazy. He takes on opponents stronger than him. He loses and gets back up, again and again. Until he became someone who has not experienced defeat ever again. A rumor about him was spread all over Navea. A certain hunter whose only interest is to challenge and kill other hunters. Despite having the power to trample dungeons, he chose to hunt humans. Thus, a bounty was put on his head and was given the sobriquet: {Hunter of Hunters}.


    While travelling, he had heard of the rumors. A rumor pertaining to a certain guild that rose to the top by being able to finally conquer an Abyssal Front which the [Burning Aegis] have failed to do. He then sets his ultimate goal: to defeat all of [Grim Fate], starting with their Vanguard who has taken the interest of many due to the other rumor that he has an impenetrable skin that even highly poisonous acid will have no effect on him.


    ¨C Present Time ¨C


    ¡°Well? You''re going to face us alone?¡±


    Jaina confidently steps forward while slowly rotating her golden dagger around her finger.


    ¡°Hah! What, got you feeling a bit frantic now? I suppose you don''t believe it but I can take you all on my own!¡±


    In a flash the spear that Ajax was spinning was split into two.


    ¡°Was that a sleight of hand!?¡±


    Erika shockingly remarked.


    ¡®It''s just as what King Crow said. He has some sort of abnormal control over his weapons. It might just be his attribute skill. That must mean he is an incredibly skilled fighter to develop a skill like that.¡¯


    Jaina turns towards her members and gives them a smile. She then orders them¨C


    ¡°The clock is ticking and we still don''t know their objective. Facing this man may take us a whole while.¡±


    ¡°Jaina you¨C¡±


    ¡°Leave him to me.¡± Jaina remarked.


    ¡°Hey hey, you just looked at me with disbelief back then when I said I would take you all by myself and now you''re saying you''ll take me on alone? Looks like you''re severely underestimating me, huh!?¡±


    A lightning fast arrow then flew towards Jaina¡¯s head which she dodged by a hair¡¯s breadth.


    ¡°Jaina!¡± Erika shouted.


    Fiona then steps up, followed by David who pointed his sword towards Ajax.


    ¡°I''m sorry but we cannot leave you alone, leader.¡± ¡û David


    Fiona looks back at Erika and the others.


    ¡°Everyone, go ahead and follow Erika¡¯s lead! The three of us will handle this!¡±


    Gritting his teeth in annoyance, Ajax takes a deep breath and enters a stance.


    ¡°Fine, you lot likes to make decisions for yourselves. Then I shall do as I please from now on!¡±


    The start of a fierce battle shall begin.