Morning settled quietly over the guild hall.
Soft light slipped in through the tall windows, stretching across the floor in pale gold lines. The usual noise of hunters talking and moving around was there but today, it felt distant, almost muted.
Kael stood near the counter, calm as ever, his posture relaxed but his eyes observant.
Then
Fast footsteps broke the rhythm.
Kaito came running toward him, slightly out of breath, his expression tight with concern.
"What happened?" Kael asked, his voice steady and low.
Kaito stopped in front of him, inhaling sharply.
"There's a problem… at the Hunter Corporation. The owner called every guild master to a meeting in Tokyo."
Kael's gaze lowered slightly, his expression sharpening just a little.
"What kind of problem?"
Kaito grabbed a register from the counter, then turned back to him quickly.
"I don't know exactly. But it's serious. They want all major members informed and you're coming too. That's the guild master's order."
Without waiting for a reply, Kaito turned and hurried outside.
Kael watched him go, his face blank for a second.
"…Why is he always rushing like that?" he muttered under his breath, then followed.
The car shot forward the moment they got in.
The city blurred past them, signals, buildings, people, all melting into motion.
"You should slow down," Kael said, glancing sideways. "You're seventeen. And you don't even have a license."
Kaito didn't even look at him.
"We'll be late if I don't."
The speed increased.
Kael leaned his head slightly against the window, watching the outside world rush by in streaks.
"…I just hope this isn't something messy," he said quietly.
The car came to a sharp stop in front of a massive building.
Kaito stepped out immediately.
"That's the Hunter Corporation headquarters."
Kael got out more slowly, his eyes moving across the scene.
There were already dozens of cars parked outside. Hunters from different guilds stood in small groups, talking in low voices. No one looked relaxed.
"…Looks crowded," Kael said.
Kaito nodded as he started walking.
"When something big happens, they call everyone."
Inside
The atmosphere changed.
It wasn't loud. It wasn't chaotic.
But it was heavy.
Kael felt it the moment he stepped in, the air itself felt dense, like it carried weight. Conversations were quieter. Movements more controlled.
Something was definitely wrong.
Kaito walked up to the reception.
"Where's the meeting?"
The receptionist bowed politely.
"Room 21-A, sir."
He nodded and immediately turned.
"Come on," he said.
Kael followed at a normal pace.
"…You still haven't told me what's going on," Kael said.
"Because I don't know," Kaito replied quickly. "That's why we're here."
Kaito pushed the door open.
"Good morning, sir."
He greeted a few people as he walked in and took his seat.
Kael stepped in right after him
and paused for half a second.
The room was filled.
Guild masters. High-rank hunters. People whose presence alone made the air feel tighter.
Even the silence felt controlled.
Kael sat down beside Kaito, leaning back slightly.
"…Alright," he said quietly. "Now I really want to know what this is about."
At the center of the room sat an older man, calm, composed, but impossible to ignore.
Kael leaned slightly toward Kaito.
"Who's that?"
Kaito lowered his voice.
"That's Haruki Kinoshita. Owner of the Hunter Corporation. S-rank hunter."
Haruki looked around the room, his expression serious but steady.
"I assume all of you understand why you've been called here," he began.
No one spoke.
"There is a problem. One that concerns not just hunters but the safety of the people as well."
The room grew quieter.
Sajutoro leaned forward slightly.
"What kind of problem?"
Haruki didn't rush his answer.
"According to our information… a monster civilization has appeared in Japan."
For a moment
No one reacted.
Then the weight of those words settled.
Yumiko's eyes sharpened.
"A civilization?"
Haruki nodded.
"Yes. Not a random outbreak. Not a dungeon leak. An organized group."
That changed everything.
"What's the plan?" Yumiko asked.
Haruki folded his hands on the table.
"We don't have complete data yet. But based on what we've gathered… they are at least A-rank. And their numbers are large enough to be considered a serious threat."
A man nearby gave a small, dismissive smile.
"That's it? Most of us here are S-rank. This shouldn't be a problem."
Haruki's gaze shifted to him, calm, but sharp.
"That kind of thinking is exactly what gets people killed."
The room went still again.
"We don't know how many there are. We don't know their structure. If we underestimate them, we lose control of the situation."
The man leaned back slightly but didn't argue further.
"Why not call national-level hunters?" he asked instead.
Haruki shook his head.
"We can't rely on them immediately. If the situation demands it, we will involve them. But first we handle this ourselves."
Sajutoro smiled, almost excited.
"My guild is ready."
Yumiko nodded.
"So is mine."
One by one, the others agreed.
Haruki stood.
"We will form five teams. Each led by a capable leader. Backup teams will remain ready at all times. If someone falls… they will be replaced immediately."
No one liked how that sounded.
But no one disagreed.
The meeting ended shortly after.
People began leaving the room in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
Kaito let out a slow breath.
"…This is bad."
Yumiko stepped out, completely composed as always.
Sajutoro walked past her.
"Make sure your team doesn't slow us down."
She gave a faint smile.
"I was about to say the same to you."
He laughed and walked off.
Kael looked at her.
"So… what's the plan?"
Yumiko crossed her arms, her expression firm.
"We build a team of five. The strongest we have."
She looked directly at him.
"You're included."
Kaito's head snapped toward her.
"Mom he's only D-rank!"
Yumiko's gaze turned sharp instantly.
"And?"
Kaito froze.
"He's stronger than his rank suggests," she continued. "And we don't have room for hesitation. Everyone who can fight will fight."
She turned and started walking.
Kael watched her for a moment, then rubbed his chin slowly.
"…A large-scale mission," he murmured. "Unknown enemies. Strong hunters…"
A faint spark appeared in his eyes.
"This might actually be interesting."
Kaito stared at him like he'd lost his mind.
"Interesting? You're going to die!"
Kael clapped his hands once, lightly.
"I'll manage."
He started walking after Yumiko.
Kaito stayed behind for a second, completely stunned.
"…I'm surrounded by idiots," he muttered, dropping into a chair.
Then, after a pause
"…I'm definitely the only sane one here."
Night settled quietly over the room.
A faint silver glow from the moon slipped through the window, spreading softly across the floor and furniture. The world outside was calm, almost too calm.
Kael sat on the couch, leaning slightly forward, his fingers loosely interlocked, his gaze serious and distant.
"A big mission… and powerful monsters," he murmured. "It sounds dangerous… but it's the only way for me to grow stronger."
He let out a slow breath.
At that moment, a translucent screen appeared before his eyes.
[ Status Window ]
Name: Kael Draven
Level: 33
Strength: 93
Agility: 85
Intelligence: 86
Kael studied it silently, his eyes scanning every detail.
"…That's a decent increase," he said quietly. "But it's still not enough. I'll have to be careful in this fight."
Just as the screen faded—
Soft footsteps approached.
Aurelia walked toward him, holding a small box of candies. She wore an oversized hoodie that slipped slightly off one shoulder, the fabric falling just above her thighs. Her movements were slow, almost deliberate, like she was playing a role she had fully embraced.
Without asking, she gently sat on his lap, her arms naturally wrapping around his shoulders as if she belonged there.
"What are you thinking… my Lord?" she asked softly, her voice sweet, almost teasing, yet filled with unmistakable devotion.
Kael glanced at her, his expression flat but not entirely cold.
"…What are you doing now, drama queen?"
Aurelia's lips curved into a small, satisfied smile.
"Today, I finished a drama series," she said, her tone light but affectionate. "The woman in it dressed like this… sat like this… and stayed close to the man she loved the most."
As she spoke, she leaned in just a little more, her presence warm, her arms tightening slightly around him, as if testing how much closeness he would allow.
Kael looked at her for a moment—
Then let out a quiet breath, a faint smile touching his lips.
"You really are the biggest actor in my army," he said.
Aurelia's eyes softened, clearly pleased, as if that was the exact reaction she wanted.
Before the moment could linger any longer—
A presence approached.
Xion stepped forward and dropped to one knee in front of Kael, his head slightly lowered.
"My Lord… is there any problem?" he asked, his voice calm, respectful, and unwavering.
Kael's expression returned to seriousness.
He looked down at him.
"You're always cautious," he said. "And that's good. Because something is coming… soon."
The room grew quieter.
"A problem we can't ignore."
Kael slowly shifted his gaze toward the window.
Outside, the moon hung high in the sky, cold and distant.
"We need to be ready."
Aurelia, still sitting close to him, followed his gaze silently.
And for the first time—
Even her playful expression faded slightly.