Around the area of the branch office of the Berserker Guild in Megacity I, Sector III, the night was a beautiful sight, with stars twinkling brightly in the clear sky. The city’s towering structures were bathed in the soft glow of moonlight, casting long shadows that seemed to come alive in the gentle breeze.
A group of seven individuals emerged from a D-rank dungeon a few kilometers away from the building, their faces illuminated by the soft blue glow of the rift they had just exited. The team consisted of six new recruits and one seasoned member of the guild. Among the recruits was Chase, Alister’s former friend, whose impressive S-rank talent, Absolute Zero, had made him a standout during the raid.
Two of the new recruits, both women, approached Chase with wide smiles.
“That was amazing, Chase.” one of them, a tall woman with black hair hair named Lisa, said. “Your control over ice is incredible.”
“Yeah,” the other woman, with dark blue hair and bright blue eyes named Mia, agreed, nodding enthusiastically. “And your coordination with the rest of us was spot on. We wouldn’t have made it through without you.”
Chase, despite his intimidating build, smiled modestly and nodded. “Thanks, but it was a team effort. We all did great.”
Meanwhile, the other three new recruits, standing a bit apart, muttered among themselves. One of them, a lanky young man with a slight sneer named Derek, whispered, “He’s such a show-off. Just because he’s got an S-rank talent…”
“Yeah,” another recruit, a stocky guy with short brown hair named Karl, agreed, shaking his head. “Acts like he’s already the best.”
The third recruit, a quiet young man with dark eyes and a serious expression named Ethan, simply shrugged, “Let’s just focus on getting better ourselves.”
The supervisor, a seasoned guild member with a grizzled appearance and a no-nonsense attitude named Gregor, clapped his hands to get their attention. “Alright, everyone, gather up! We’re heading back to the guild now. Move it!”
The recruits quickly obeyed, falling into line as they made their way to the waiting vehicle. The supervisor kept a close eye on them, ensuring no one lagged behind. “Let’s go, people. We’ve got a debriefing to attend, and I don’t want to keep the branch master waiting.”
As they approached the large hover vehicle, its sleek black frame reflecting the starlight, Chase couldn’t help but feel accomplished. Despite the whispers of jealousy from some of his peers, he knew he had proven his worth tonight.
Once inside the vehicle, it hummed to life, lifting smoothly off the ground. The soft whirr of the engines filled the cabin as it began its journey back to the guild. The recruits settled into the plush seats.
Lisa and Mia, still buzzing with excitement, couldn’t help but chat about the success of their raid.
“That went so well!” Lisa exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. “If we keep this up, we’ll be raiding higher-ranking dungeons in no time.”
Mia nodded vigorously. “Definitely. We worked together really well, and Chase’s Absolute Zero was a game changer.”
As they chatted, Derek pulled out his smartphone, an older model that looked worn from use. Darven glanced over and raised an eyebrow.
“You’re still using that old thing?” Ethan asked, incredulous.
Derek shrugged, his expression indifferent. “It was a gift from my mom. I’m keeping it until it breaks or until I can afford a better one.”
Ethan smirked. “Suit yourself.”
As the vehicle glided smoothly through the city, the gentle motion and the low sound of the engines made for a relaxing ride.
Derek continued to scroll through his phone, the glow of the screen reflecting on his face. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he yelled out, “Whoa!”
The supervisor, Gregor, snapped his head around, his eyes narrowing. “What the hell was that about?”
Lisa and Mia both jumped, clutching their chests. “Geez, Derek, you nearly gave us a heart attack!” Lisa scolded.
The other guys muttered their disapproval as well. “Yeah, not cool, man,” Ethan added. Derek, looking sheepish, held up his phone.
“Sorry, sorry. It’s just… check this out! This video is blowing up the internet right now.” He showed the screen to the others, which displayed a video of a summoner summoning a massive drake. The scene was chaotic, with union officials scrambling to contain the beast. “Who is that?” Mia wondered aloud, her eyes fixed on the screen.
“The guy must be the strongest summoner in history,” Ethan speculated, leaning closer to get a better look.
Chase sat silently, his arms folded, trying to ignore the conversation. But as Derek kept watching the video, Ethan, asked, “What rank is that summoner supposed to be?”
Derek glanced at the video’s title. “According to this, he’s an SSS rank summoner.” Chase’s head snapped up at the mention of the rank. His eyes narrowed as he leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. “Give me that,” he demanded, grabbing the phone from Derek’s hand.
“Hey, don’t break it!” Derek yelled.
Chase stared at the screen, his eyes widening in shock as he recognized the summoner. His grip loosened, and the phone slipped from his grasp, clattering to the floor, its screen cracked
slightly.
“Dammit, Chase! You broke it!” Derek yelled, scrambling to pick up his phone.
But Chase was too stunned to respond. His mind raced, replaying the video in his head. The realization of who he had just seen left him momentarily speechless.
The rest of the recruits looked at him, puzzled by his reaction.
Lisa and Mia exchanged glances before turning to Chase, their curiosity piqued by his
reaction.
“What’s up, Chase?” Mia asked gently.
Chase muttered, his eyes still wide with shock. “But it can’t be…”
“What can’t be?” Ethan leaned forward, his brow furrowed.
Chase snapped back to reality, shaking his head. “I-It’s nothing.”
Derek, the one whose phone had been dropped, glared at him. “I don’t care what’s on your mind, Chase. You’re gonna have to compensate me for the damage to my phone.”
Lisa, rolled her eyes. “Derek, you’re being dramatic. It’s just a few cracks. Big deal.”
“Damage is damage,” Derek yelled in response, crossing his arms. “He should compensate me.”
Chase suddenly gritted his teeth, his fists clenching. “It doesn’t matter. Even if things turned out like this, I’ll still stand by my decision. In fact, when we meet up again, I’ll show him I’m
better.”
The others looked at him, clearly confused. They still didn’t understand what Chase was
talking about.
Mia, concerned, leaned closer. “Chase, do you know the guy in the video?”
Chase took a deep breath, his gaze hardening with seriousness. “Yes, in an old time,”
“He is my rival. Alister.”
…
In the Berserker Guild’s branch office, located in a towering skyscraper, the atmosphere was anything but calm. On the top floor, in a room lit only by the distant city lights filtering through large windows, Guild Master Anya sat behind a desk, her purple hair flowing down her back and her piercing red eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.
Anya held a tablet in her hand, watching a video intently. The footage displayed Alister, commanding a massive drake effortlessly. A smile spread on her lips as the video ended.
“I knew he would surprise me.” she said.
Beside her stood the branch master, a tall man with short, spiky hair and a stern expression, and the vice branch master, a woman with a sleek bob cut and sharp eyes. Both watched Anya closely, sensing the intensity of her focus.
The branch master broke the silence. “Guild Master, what do you plan to do?”
Anya slowly lowered the tablet, her gaze never leaving the screen until it was out of sight. Her
eyes glowed slightly brighter as she leaned back in her chair, a confident smile spreading
across her face.
“It’s obvious.”
“It’s time for another talent snatching.”