Shira's fame.

After around a week of traveling, Phina and Pida made it to Heat Breach City.

"So, this is a city?" Phina muttered as she looked around her. Even with the horrible heat, the streets were still bustling. Anyone who couldn't feel heat would confuse this city for a city in the outside world!

"It's so huge..." Phina's jaw dropped as she slowly looked up the giant building in the middle of the city. She slowly read the name above the building's front door, and that's when realization hit her. "I thought we...why...I-I've never seen a Hunting Guild building before!"

'She is so obvious.' Pida chuckled to himself. The Hunting Guild was a large organization in the outside world. Phina obviously didn't expect to find it here. He smiled underneath his mask and motioned to Phina to follow him.

As soon as the duo entered, everyone there turned to them. Every person there was muscular, scarred and intimidating. Even though they were all Intermediate-rank or lower, Phina still felt an instinctive fear from them. Even a lion would feel fear when surrounded by a hundred wolves. 'It isn't as hot in here...in fact, it's a little cold.'

"Isn't that the new rookie?"

"Hey, that's Spear over there!"

"He's probably an old man from the past wanting to regain his former glory."

"It doesn't matter if he was old, Advanced-rankers are well-respected and considered powerhouses already."

"Who's the hottie with him?"

"He's probably reached the Peak stage already."

"Peak stage? He must've become an Expert! That's what it means to be a genius!"

Hushed whispers went around as Pida approached the counter.

"Good morning. I have a few questions I was hoping you could answer." Pida said.

"I can try and help you to the best of my abilities." the teenage boy in behind the counter smiled. It wasn't common to speak with an Advanced-ranker, let alone one at the High stage!

"I was wondering if there was any sightings of an Apex-ranker by the name of Feher. He's quite the old man with short blonde hair and pale skin." Pida described his grandfather. "I know him, so please provide any information you have."

"Trust me, sir. If we had any information on any Apex-rankers, it would already be public." the boy shook his head.

Pida sighed in disappointment. He then took a deep breath. "Well...do you have any available quests? I'm already a Gold-star Hunter. My name is Spear."

"A Gold-star?" the teen asked with a dropped jaw.

The Hunting Guild had a peculiar ranking system. Instead of ranking people by actual ranks of strength, they based their rankings on influence. Someone who was a nobody with the strength of a Beginner-ranker would be ranked as an Iron-star Hunter. Someone with noble birth would be ranked as Bronze-star by default due to their privileges. Someone with Intermediate-rank strength is respected and wanted within teams. As such, they had plenty of connections with people who wanted their strength. While the quality of their connections was low, the quantity more than made up for it, earning some of them a Bronze-star too. Gold-star was given to Advanced-rankers at the High or Peak stages. A Platinum-star Hunter was a nightmare for a ton of people. Such a person commanded a force of Hunters constantly supplied by the Hunting Guild. Most Platinum-star Hunters were Founder-rankers or influential Expert-rankers. Fardo, Jack's elder brother, had reached this rank through his own means.

At the pinnacle of the Hunting Guild were the Dark-star Hunters. These Law-rank Hunters were very few in numbers, yet they still demanded everyone's attention. Even the Exodia's Generals had to keep a close eye on those behemoths.

"You're a Gold-star?!" the teen glared at Pida with fury. "Your lie might have been unnoticed if you said you were Bronze-star, but you went too far!!"

Pida smirked under his mask and slowly released his Battle Intent. "I said I want a quest, boy."

The teen shivered as he saw everyone chuckling at him. Everyone here had at least heard of the Dull Dessert's Spear. The poor teenager was a new employee from the outside world. He was sent here according to the deal between the Exodia and the Hunting Guild.

He didn't know much about the Killers' Arena, but he did know that the standards in here were higher than the outside world due to the difficulty of forming connections in the Exodia's Arenas.

"Stop bullying the poor boy." Phina rolled her eyes at Pida as she smiled at the young teen. "We aren't trying to trick you. We just need a quest to make a little bit of money."

"O-Okay." the teen didn't bother to verify Phina's star ranking as he pulled out a bunch of Gold-star quests. "Here you go, ma'am."

"I was the one who asked for the quests!" Pida pouted. He never got any kind of glory back home, since he was nothing special in his family. That's why he loved the attention he'd get when he showed off his talent.

"Grow up and help me choose a quest." Phina scoffed as she flipped through the papers. "Oh, this one's good."

A hand came out of nowhere and stole the paper she was looking at. Phina turned to see a young Angel man with two Angel guards besides him. The young Angel had snow-white hair with bangs. They perfectly complimented his beautiful white wings. He wore a golden badge on his shirt.

"I'll be taking this quest." the man smirked, as if victory was in his grasp already.

Phina looked at him with a deadpan expression. She quietly measured their strengths. 'A single High stage Advanced-ranker and two Early or Middle stage Experts.'

"Give me back the paper while I'm asking nicely." Phina warned.

"Do you not know who I am? I am Tinso! Son of Rain and third prince of the Angels!" all the Angels in the building looked at the man with mixed feelings. They were proud of their race for nurturing a genius who could reach the Advanced-rank at the young age of 17, but his arrogance knew no bounds!

Phina took a step forward at the mention of his royalty, yet she paused after the two guards unleashed their Battle Intent. A man came out of the back after sensing the two large Battle Intents.

He burst through the door yelling, "Who the he-"

Vooom.

The room quickly turned silent as Phina used her Lord-rank Skill. The two guards and the man who just burst in felt a cold chill go down their spines which stayed even after Phina released her Skill a second later.

'Is it stronger than before?' Phina wondered as she noticed 15% of her World Energy reserves vanish. 'Maybe because I became an Expert-ranker? I heard that Law-rank Skills' effectiveness increases with every rank, maybe it's the same for Lord-rank Skills.'

"Excuse me, ma'am." the Human man approached her. He had long silver hair and a beautiful blue badge on his silver armor. "I am Yilfont, the manager of this Hunting Guild branch and a well known Platinum-star Hunter in the outside world. May I know your esteemed name?"

"I am Shira." Phina smiled. This man was an Apex-ranker! She happily thought, 'If I could befriend him, I could ask what differentiates between Apex-rankers and below!'

"May I know what your star ranking is?" Yilfont asked respectfully.

"I don't have one. I am not a part of the Hunting Guild." Phina explained.

"Is that so?" Yilfont glared at the teenager behind the counter. Employees weren't supposed to show low ranking Hunters Gold+ missions, let alone non-members! Yilfont sighed. "Alright, would you like to join?"

"I wouldn't mind." Phina smiled. "I wish not to disclose my rank though."

"Worry not Miss Shira, I have seen enough to give you this. Shame I don't have the authority to give you a higher star ranking." Yilfont smiled as he handed Phina a Golden badge. "Bind it with your World Energy."

"Mister Yilfont, would you care for a private chat?" Phina proposed.

"Of course. Please head on to the back with me. Your companion can pick out a quest in the meantime." Yilfont chuckled. He then turned to the Angel trio with a hateful glare. "This is the Hunting Guild, my dear prince. To us, you're no different than a peasant!"

Tinso said nothing as he grit his teeth in frustration.

"Please. Follow me." Yilfont smiled.

As Phina followed behind Yilfont, people ran out of the building to spread the news.

"A woman in the Hunting Guild suppressed Prince Tinso and his bodyguards using her Battle Intent alone!!"

"A new Gold-star Hunter has appeared in the Killers' Arena!"

"Branch manager Yilfont has personally promoted Shira into a Gold-star!"

"Branch manager Yilfont said she deserved higher!"

"A Founder-rank! A Founder-rank!!!"

"A new powerhouse has hit the scene!!!"