Guild Headquarters
A man with long blue hair enters the room. He wears a flawless white suit and dark sunglasses. He walks through the guild with arrogance and confidence.
— Don, on my way back I passed through Ares. Why are some portals closed?
Don, with a serious expression, replies:
— Caibom, you're already back from your mission?
Aether walks in right after, clearly irritated.
— Caibom, finally decided to work? You're not supposed to be in this room. Better than traveling around aimlessly.
Caibom removes his sunglasses with a provoking smile.
— What a toxic welcome, guys. You clearly need women in your lives. And you, Aether, weren't you supposed to be at the research center? What are you doing at the guild?
Aether, furious:
— Someone has to support Don, since the guild's successor is always missing!
Don, tired of the argument:
— You've been fighting since you were kids... Nothing ever changes.
Aether slumps into a chair, arms crossed:
— Not my fault he chose a childish brat as his successor.
Caibom also sits, relaxed:
— Says the guy who founded a new organization just because he wasn't promoted in the last one. You really want to talk about maturity?
Don raises his voice, now irritated:
— Enough, both of you. Let's focus on what matters.
Aether begins:
— The rebellion in Apex has subsided. It's stable now. Atreus is also doing fine — a little too quiet, honestly. In Ares, we've found a village of 78 goblins that evolved from lesser to superior class. Nearby, we have 300 advanced-class hunters.
Caibom smiles:
— We should attack with those 300 before a second evolution happens.
Aether counters:
— A second evolution is possible, but it would take millennia.
Caibom stretches, bored:
— You're stuck between Apex and Atreus. You have no idea how things are going in the upper floors.
Don:
— That's why the expedition matters. The distance between floors makes information exchange difficult. With the conquest of Atreus, we'll be able to get better data about Ares.
Caibom:
— Ares is still small. Angel has monster factions, and we had problems in Antares with groups from another land.
Aether, surprised:
— I didn't know that.
Caibom:
— That's why I travel. While the old man's around here, I can explore the upper floors in peace.
Don:
— So, what should we do?
Caibom:
— Apex is under control. So is Atreus. Let me lead the goblin purge.
Aether, outraged:
— Are you crazy? Those 300 would be at a disadvantage. Our goal is to fight without losing anyone!
Caibom:
— No deaths at all? They're hunters, not kids playing pretend. Death is inevitable.
Aether stands up, furious:
— Don't joke about that, Caibom!
Caibom, indifferent:
— Kid, I'm not sending my men on this mission. They just got back from a long journey. If it bothers you, take yours.
Don steps in:
— Enough! You don't need to use your own teams. Take 200 more advanced-class hunters from the guild and bring three Masters with you.
Caibom, mocking:
— All that to deal with rats? Hahaha...
Aether, calmer:
— Thank you, Don. Who's leading the mission?
Caibom stands up:
— This mission just got boring. I'm heading home.
Caibom leaves the guild without even looking back.
Aether, frustrated, punches the table:
— Ever since he became a Master, he's only gotten more arrogant.
Don:
— I know he has a difficult temper... but he's still the guild's future.
Aether:
— Let's make a bet.
Don:
— What kind of bet?
Aether:
— Let me lead this mission. If I fail and there are casualties, I'll abandon the research center. But if I succeed without losing a single life... you remove Caibom from the Hunter Guild succession.
Don, surprised:
— You're willing to put two out of the three power systems on the line?
Aether:
— I don't accept your choice.
Don, thoughtful:
— Actually, I have my eye on another possible successor. But that person would still be second in line.
Aether:
— I think I know who. But she's still too inexperienced.
Don:
— Then you'll have 500 advanced hunters and three Masters under your command. Eliminate the 78 goblins... without losing a single human.
Aether:
— Understood!
Battlefield – Atreus
Melina had just evolved her abilities. The group was surprised.
She looks toward the treetops ahead:
— Guys, I'll advance by jumping through the trees until I reach the edge of the skeleton army. There, I'll use the attraction stone and run back. You should go to the allied group and set up the arch formation. That way, we'll have a stronger defense.
Group:
— Understood!
Saicha steps closer:
— Be careful.
Melina leaps to the next treetop... but her jump is so high she crosses the distance of nine trees.
Maki, shocked:
— She jumped that far? How'd she do that?
The group continues leaping through the treetops toward the allied forces, three hours away to the right. Meanwhile, Melina heads in the opposite direction, alone.
System:
Your Devourer ability can now consume all common and uncommon abilities from your targets, and it has unlocked a slot for one rare ability. Devour mode has also been enhanced — just touch a corpse to absorb its abilities.
Melina, surprised:
— The system activated on its own... why?
System:
This is due to the unique ability Voice of the World and the rare ability Wisdom. Both belong to the system, which allows me to function as a living AI, as you'd call it in your world. There's also the Habilidist ability, which is also part of the system.
Melina, excited:
— That's amazing!
The tree canopies grow too far apart, and Melina decides to drop to the ground — right into the middle of hundreds of skeletons.
She crashes down on three enemies, shattering them on impact. Her dagger, now enveloped in an aura that transforms it into a long twin-bladed sword, cuts through the skeletons effortlessly.
Upon reaching the front line of the army, Melina activates the Attraction Stone and extends its range to the maximum. However, instead of retreating east, she charges toward the heart of the monster horde.
She never intended to lead them toward the group on the right — her plan is to lure them completely away from the battlefield. And so, Melina advances, slicing through dozens of skeletons with precision and calm.