Bait For The Beast

Grandmaster Li sat at the head of the table, his ancient eyes closed in contemplation. Across from him, Tao was a stark contrast, all sharp angles and polished black and gold armor, his gaze sweeping over the assembled leaders with an unnerving confidence.

Anya, the Guild's strategist, broke the quiet. The rustle of her papers was like a crack of thunder. 

"The reports from the outer territories are… escalating," she began, her voice tight. "Monster activity has spiked seventeen percent in the last forty-eight hours alone. We're not just seeing more of them. They're bigger. They're faster. And they're hitting settlements we've considered safe for decades."

Goran, the head of the Monster Slayer division, slammed a gnarled fist on the table. The wood groaned under the impact.