The waiting spot

Samira giggled, waving him off.

"What? Hahaha "

One of her guards quickly leaned in, whispering,

"My lady, perhaps you shouldn't"

"Oh, it's fine," she said, flashing a mischievous grin.

"Let's just say… ridiculously."

"That's insane," Iwaizumi muttered, still trying to wrap his head around it.

Samira shrugged, her tone light but purposeful.

"Well, the truth is, it would've cost triple to build a guild from scratch with all the permits and licensing."

She glanced around the group, letting her words settle.

"But let me be clear I respect what you've built. This isn't charity. This is about mutual understanding… and a smart investment for both sides."

Samira folded her arms, her voice calm but firm.

"My father always said no one wants their success acknowledged out of pity, but out of genuine respect and recognition of their talent."

There was a brief pause before she added more seriously:

"Besides, I wasn't exactly surprised by the recommission fee. The administration hasn't done a great job hiding their real agenda they clearly want to reduce the number of active guilds. Make it harder for new players to rise."

She folded her arms, her gaze sharpening.

"So when an old name like this becomes available, you take the opportunity."

Jiro clapped a hand on Kenta's back with a laugh.

"Well, sounds like fate to me. Your nephew and his son won't believe it the Secretary Birds are back!"

Kenta smirked, trying (and failing) to hide the flicker of pride behind his gruff exterior.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Samira nodded, slipping back into focus.

"Right. We still need Gabriel. Without him, it's going to be hard to build momentum especially if we want traction on HeroTube and credibility among the top guilds."

All eyes drifted back to the hexagon, glowing at the center of the arena.

The commentator stood beside the undefeated fighter

Still composed. Still untouchable.

The man of the moment known as Crashnova.

At the HexagonGabriel stood tall, wiping a towel across the back of his neck, now fully healed and relaxed.

"I wasn't informed of this," he said, voice calm but firm.

"My agent didn't say anything about an open challenge."

"Relax, Gabriel!" the commentator said, grinning like a game show host as he gestured casually to the glowing lights of the crowd infront him. "It's just a bit of fan engagement. After that last match? No one's seriously going to challenge you and even if they do, we both know you'd wipe the floor with them."

He chuckled and leaned in.

"Besides, your agent already signed off on the bonus. You're getting paid extra."

Gabriel let out a slow sigh, then smirked without looking up.

"He really does know me too well." He rolled his shoulders, eyes scanning the crowd.

"Alright. Let's get it over with."

***

Section 3C – Crowd Reaction

A rumble of disbelief spread through the stands.

"Whaaat?" someone shouted, half‑standing as two figures now with security and with the intention of heading for the hexagon. "No way… are those kids?"

All around him, spectators craned their necks. One entrant looked barely into his teens, dressed in a crisp suit and moving with calm purpose. The other no older than twelve bounced on his toes, punching the air as if sheer excitement might knock him off his feet.

Murmurs turned to outright chatter.

"Gabriel won't actually fight a couple of kids, right?"

"Hey look closer. The camera's zoomed in."

The big screen magnified the smaller boy's face, and a ripple of recognition rolled through the crowd.

A man in the next row grabbed his friend's sleeve, eyes fixed on the figure below.

"Wait… no way that's Claus. The youngest in the Chimera Guild?"

His friend turned slowly, face paling as the realization hit.

"You mean the one they call… The Demon of the Dungeons?"

Another spectator nearby blinked in disbelief.

"You're joking. That hyper kid?"

The first guy shook his head, dead serious.

"No joke. That kid's no ordinary child. You should see what he's done to monsters on HeroTube. That's not a kid that's a demon, if you ask me."

"Come on, aren't you overreacting a bit?" the other said, chuckling nervously.

"I wish I was…"

They both glanced back at the arena.

The third guy narrowed his eyes.

"What about the other one? He a demon too?"The smirking awaiting a reply.

First guy nervously answered, clearly unsettled by the whole situation.

"Anyone from the Chimera guild is definitely no ordinary hunter. And if Claus is here, then trust me the other guy in suit is no pushover either."

now.

"The reason I say all this is because of how they operate as a guild. In fact, there are rumors whispers that the Chimera Guild is full of monsters wearing human skin. Their Guild Master, especially, recruits hunters with an insatiable thirst for blood and a gift for killing. They don't just raid gates and leave survivors… they terrorize everything inside.

Monsters who hunt monsters that's what people call them. And once you've seen them in action, you understand why."

Gasps and low whistles spread like wildfire as the two boys finally reached the security checkpoint leading into the Hexagon the heart of the arena.

The spotlight found them at last, locking them in.

Their faces now filled the giant screen, and what began as scoffs of disbelief quickly turned into murmurs of unsettling anticipation.

Because if a notorious prodigy like Claus had just stepped forward…

Then tonight's so-called harmless fan event was about to become something else entirely.

***

Waiting spot

Claus, unable to contain himself, bounced in place like a soda can about to burst.

"Ughhh! When are we goin', aye?! When're we headin' to the Hex?! I wanna go now like, right now, mate!"

Beside him, Nikolai stood calmly, hands tucked into his coat pockets like he was waiting for a train that refused to arrive.

"Patience," Nikolai replied, his tone flat. "We still need one more person. Then we go. And stop copying Guild Master's Australian accent you know he doesn't like it."

Claus shot him a mischievous grin.

"He only hates it when you do it. Hehe. You're just jealous 'cause you tried it once and got scolded."

He pointed at Nikolai and burst into a cackle.

Nikolai's eye twitched.

Claus knew exactly how to get under his skin.

Still grinning, Claus added wistfully:

"I love Australia. Maybe he'll take me there one day…"

Nikolai said nothing, but the way he exhaled made it clear he was resisting the urge to smack him.

The two waited, the energy between them crackling like a charged wire, while the Hex loomed in front of them.

Still no third person.

Claus let out a loud, dramatic groan and spun around, clearly fed up. His eyes swept over the crowd until they locked onto a nervous security guard standing just ahead, right beside the checkpoint leading to the Hex.

Suddenly, he stilled.

The air shifted. Something about his silence made the space feel heavier.

He took a slow, deliberate step toward the guard.

"That person better show up soon…" he murmured, his voice low almost playful.

"Or I'll just drag someone out here myself."

The guard stiffened.

Claus didn't blink. He tilted his head, eyes gleaming with mischief and malice, sizing the man up like a predator inspecting a new toy.

"You'd do just fine."

A cold ripple of tension shot through the area.

The surrounding security team men in full tactical gear and bulletproof vests couldn't believe what they were witnessing.

A child.

Threatening a grown man.

And meaning every word.

But the most terrifying part?

No one doubted he could.