Between guild, secrecy and rapprochement

Kyle, having finished his mission report a while ago, sat down at an empty table in the guild. Bored, he lay down on the cold wood, arms crossed under his head.

After a moment of silence, two familiar figures came to pull him from his torpor. Elaria and Iris, having also finished their part of the work, came to sit at his table.

"Already finished?" Kyle asked, sitting up.

"Obviously," Iris replied. "We're halfway done in the dungeon, so it's only natural that we're finishing quickly."

"Hm... logical," he said, yawning slightly.

Iris tilted her head, curious.

"But you... how did you manage to finish so quickly?"

Kyle replied calmly,

"I used Void Veil. This spell allows me to slow down my perception of time. So, for me, the world is moving in slow motion." »

He added with a small smile:

"Very useful for reading a book in a few seconds... or dodging a blow. I also use it in combat."

"Interesting," Iris murmured.

Elaria said nothing, but her gaze showed that she was listening attentively. Kyle noticed.

"You wanted to know too, huh?" he said with a smirk.

Elaria looked away, a little embarrassed, but smiled despite herself.

Then she asked:

"And now what are you going to do? Once you leave the group."

Iris continued:

"Are you going back to Asterion?"

"No, not yet..." Kyle replied. "To be honest, I don't really know. I think I'll let my instincts guide me."

The girls looked at him, unsure of how to answer.

But suddenly, a young man in elegant attire approached their table. His haughty bearing, his embroidered cape, and above all, his contemptuous gaze left no doubt: he was a nobleman.

He stared at them one by one, before settling on Iris, then on Kyle with disdain.

"I didn't think I'd see you here again," he spat, visibly annoyed.

Kyle raised an eyebrow but ignored it. Iris, confused, asked,

"Who's he?"

The nobleman clenched his fists, annoyed.

"How can commoners like you frequent the capital's guild?"

Around them, several adventurers watched the scene in silence. Many were of noble origin, and few wanted to get involved in a potential conflict between families.

Kyle asked Iris sarcastically,

"Is he a friend of yours?"

"No, never seen him," she replied coldly.

The young man stood up proudly.

"I am Luc de Lévant, son of Count Lévant!"

At these words, something clicked in Kyle's mind.

"Ah! Yeah... I remember now! You're the guy who made a brief appearance in Chapter 11!"

"What? Chapter?" Iris asked, confused.

"But yes... the one who wanted the same scepter as you in Darian's shop."

"Oh yeah... now that you mention it..."

Luc fumed.

"How did people like you sign up here?! This isn't your place!"

"Good question," Kyle replied. "I wonder that too."

Luc smiled, thinking he had him.

"At least you know your place, commoner."

Then, his gaze drifted to Elaria, an elf. The smile he now wore was heavy with innuendo.

"You're not saying anything? You disappoint me, beautiful elf."

Elaria ignored him, arms crossed, her expression closed.

Iris turned to Kyle, annoyed.

"Are you going to let him talk like that?"

"Of course," Kyle replied, unperturbed. "I've always loved those scenes where an arrogant nobleman is put in his place by a divine script intervention."

And as if he'd summoned fate itself...

The guild doors flew open.

Darian Enters

Darian, the elegant and charismatic owner of the shop, walked in, his appearance impeccable. All eyes turned to him.

Kyle smiled, satisfied.

"Finally, the author's intervention."

Darian immediately headed towards their table.

"Well, what a nice surprise. Kyle, Iris, Elaria."

But he had barely opened his mouth when Luc growled:

"You again?!"

Darian raised an eyebrow.

"Do we know each other?"

"I'm not in your shop anymore, you have no power here!"

"Ah... you. You're the unpleasant customer who caused a fuss over a scepter, right?"

Then, completely ignoring him, Darian sat down at the table.

"Where are the other members of your group? I wanted to talk to them too."

"They're finishing the report," Elaria replied. "But they won't be long."

Kyle teased him:

"I knew you'd be here eventually... but it was awfully fast."

Luc, humiliated by the group's indifference, felt his anger rising. He was about to use his magic when suddenly...

The grand staircase trembled under heavy footsteps. An imposing aura descended over the entire guild.

Edward, the guild master, appeared at the top of the stairs, imposing and piercing, and every adventurer immediately fell silent at the sight of him.

Luc, frozen, slowly turned around... and paled.

Edward descended the stairs, his imposing presence weighing on the guild like an anvil. Everyone had fallen silent as soon as he appeared. He swept his gaze around the room, then stopped on the small crowd around Kyle, Darian, and the others.

"What's going on here?" he asked, his voice calm but powerful.

Luc, eager for this opening, quickly played his favorite role: the victim.

"Guildmaster Edward!" he exclaimed in an outraged tone. "Those... commoners attacked me for no reason! And that merchant, Darian, because I told him I didn't like his shop, he started harassing me too!"

Edward stared at him for a moment, unflinching. His gaze spoke volumes: he didn't believe a word. But with controlled calm, he simply replied, "Hm. I'll take care of them. You can go."

Luc, visibly satisfied with this turn of events, puffed out his chest and turned on his heel, leaving the room as if he had won a battle.

Kyle sighed, watching him walk away.

"Too bad... I would have liked to see Edward put him in his place beautifully."

Edward joined him at the table, looking jaded, and sat down beside them.

"It's not that simple," he said with a sigh.

He then turned to Darian, a rare smile crossing his hard face.

"It's been a long time. This is even the first time I've seen you join the guild."

Iris, surprised, asked,

"Do you know each other?"

"We're practically brothers," Edward replied proudly.

"Old acquaintances," Darian corrected, arms crossed.

Elaria, intrigued, asked the question on everyone's mind:

"And this Luc, what's wrong with him?" »

But Edward stood up abruptly, his tone suddenly much colder.

"Now's not the time. We'll talk about this later."

And without another word, he went back upstairs.

A slight silence fell. Iris tried to break the tension:

"Darian... would you like something to drink?"

"No," he replied simply.

It was at that moment that the other three members of the group reappeared, visibly relieved to have finally completed their part of the report. They had just handed it to Julie, who seemed satisfied with the work they had done.

Elaria smiled as they approached.

"So? Are you finished?"

"Well, yeah," Tristan grumbled. "But still... Anne and Lys had finished long before. They must have been waiting for me."

"That's true," Anne added with a small smile.

Lys, noticing Darian's presence, approached and asked,

"What are you doing here?"

"Sit down," Darian replied calmly. "I have to talk to you."

Once everyone was seated, Anne spoke.

"How did you know they were already home?"

Tristan frowned, as if struck by lightning.

"Wait... The merchant who brought us back to the capital... He was..."

He trailed off. The evidence dawned on everyone.

"You're only realizing it now?" Kyle asked with a smirk. "We stumble upon a merchant who kindly offers to take us right here, and you think that's normal?"

Darian simply shrugged, as if it were all a happy coincidence.

"So, what do you want?" Elaria asked, a touch suspicious.

"I repeat my offer," he replied bluntly.

Lys, arms crossed, didn't budge.

"Why are you so interested in the dungeon's findings?"

"It's just for my business," he replied mysteriously.

Everyone understood he was hiding something... but no one could guess what.

"Honestly," Kyle declared, "I don't even know what to do with all this stuff. Might as well give it to him, right?"

"It's not that simple," Elaria replied.

"I'm all for it," Tristan said, exhausted. "I don't want to think about all this anymore."

"Same here," Anne added, followed by Iris.

Then everyone's eyes turned to Lys and Elaria. After a moment's hesitation, Lys relented:

"Okay. But anything religious or sacred is mine, it's non-negotiable."

"Sounds good to me," Darian replied.

The group nodded in unison. The deal seemed sealed.

But at that moment, a receptionist approached their table, panting.

"Guildmaster Edward is summoning you all... to his office. Even you, Master Darian."

Darian sighed, annoyed.

"I expected as much."

Reluctantly, he stood up and followed the group upstairs.

Guided by the receptionist, the group climbed the stairs in silence, then entered Guildmaster Edward's office. The room smelled of polished wood, old books, and the invisible pressure of responsibility.

Before Edward could even open his mouth, Darian broke the silence:

"If it's about your proposal again... my answer is still no."

Edward gave a small, weary smile.

"I'd guess. And I'm not here to convince you." »

The members of the group looked at each other, confused.

"Excuse me," Master Edward, Tristan interjected respectfully, "but... what exactly is going on?"

Edward nodded, as if expecting this.

"It's no secret. I offered Darian the position of leader of the Merchants' Guild. But as you heard, he refuses."

"I have my reasons," Darian added, crossing his arms.

Elaria, intrigued, asked,

"And you two... have you known each other for a long time?"

"We grew up together," Edward replied simply. "In the same orphanage."

Kyle, however, had already mentally disconnected. He was staring at an invisible point on the ceiling, thinking about everything except the orphanage. Can a dragon swim? Can you ride a griffin in the rain? Is this arc finally going to end soon? Anyway, somewhere else.

Darian returned to the charge, arms still crossed:

"But you're getting off topic. Why did you summon us here, exactly?"

Edward leaned in slightly, looking sincere.

"To apologize. For the treatment you received in this guild."

Darian raised an eyebrow.

"Is that all? You know as well as I do that you have no real power here. That's one of the reasons I'm refusing your offer. This system is rotten from the inside out."

"Why?" Iris asked, curious as usual.

"The nobility," Tristan interjected, as if the answer were obvious.

"Correct," Edward confirmed. "Count Levant... is part of one of the most influential groups at court." I can't afford to reprimand his son, even if he deserves it a hundred times over."

Kyle blinked slowly, still lost in thought. What does a dragon really look like? Do they have feathers in this universe?

"Anyway, if that's all, I'm going back to my shop," Darian said, standing up.

"Wait," Edward said. "What do you plan to do with the dungeon items?"

"That's not your problem," Darian replied without even turning around. He took one last look at the group.

"We settle our business at my shop."

And he left.

Edward then turned to the remaining adventurers.

"And you? Do you plan to return to Helion?"

Tristan glanced at the others, then nodded.

"Yes. We're done here."

"Very well," Edward said. "Before that, I have a mission for you."

The word "mission" instantly woke Kyle from his trance.

"A... mission?" he asked, his eyes shining with sudden interest.

"Nothing exciting," Edward smiled. "Just a letter to deliver to Richard."

Kyle sighed.

"A letter? Ugh... And who is this Richard?"

"The Guildmaster of Helion," Anne replied.

"You could make an effort to remember the names of the people around you," Iris added mockingly.

"What? We have to learn the names of all the NPCs now? And then what..."

He stopped short.

Iris returned to the attack, this time to Edward:

"If you don't mind... what exactly is your problem with the nobility?"

Edward hesitated, then answered honestly:

"I was adopted by a noble, but I was born a commoner. And for many here, that's enough to disregard my authority."

"That's why you hired us to explore the dungeon, not elite groups," Elaria concluded.

"Exactly. If I had entrusted this mission to a group affiliated with a prominent family, they would have kept certain things to themselves."

Anne, always forthright, interjected:

"And why do you want Darian to lead the Merchants' Guild?"

Edward smiled wistfully.

"Because he's the one I trust the most. And because if he's in a position of influence... he could really make a difference." »

He stopped there. He'd already said too much, and he didn't want to involve them further in his personal problems.

"I won't keep you any longer. You may go. But before you leave the capital, come see me to retrieve the letter."

They all nodded silently.

As they left the office one by one, a new page in their adventure was turning. Slowly but surely, something bigger was taking shape in the shadows.

Back at their usual table, in the warm and lively corner of the guild, the group settled into a somewhat heavy silence. The atmosphere was less relaxed than usual. Everyone was visibly mulling over recent events. Edward's words, the political tensions, the unspoken things between Darian and the guild... everything hung in the air.

All... except Kyle.

Slumped back in his chair, arms crossed, staring into space, he seemed completely detached.

"Are you okay, Kyle?" Iris asked, frowning. "You were practically speechless in the office. Not like you."

He sighed, looking like someone abruptly woken from a daydream.

"Even in my world, politics never interested me... let alone here. It's not my problem."

Tristan nodded, relieved that someone was saying what he thought too:

"He's not wrong. It's their business, not ours. We're adventurers. We're not here to play heroes or reformers."

Then he looked at the others.

"We just need to decide when we're going to return to Helion."

Elaria, more pragmatic, reiterated a key point:

"Before that, we have to give the items to Darian, as planned."

Lys nodded.

"Yes, but... what exactly are we giving him? Is he really going to want all these... insect shells?"

Anne laughed softly.

"Honestly, I'm wondering the same thing. What's he going to do with them? Shields?"

Elaria straightened slightly, looking more serious.

"We didn't just find that. There are also crystals, scales, insect fragments with very strong magical potential... And most of his items are charged with mana."

Iris added:

"Some components can serve as rare ingredients. And in the hands of a good craftsman, they can become very valuable magical items."

"Yes, well... and what do we do first?" Tristan asked again, a little annoyed at being ignored.

But no one answered him right away.

Lys suddenly raised her hand as if talking to herself:

"Oh, I almost forgot. I have to go to the church to hand over the artifacts and sacred texts we found."

Anne snapped her fingers, an idea coming to her:

"What if we split into small groups? It would be faster and more efficient."

Everyone nodded in approval.

"Kyle, you'll accompany Lys to the church," Iris said, with a small smile as she glanced at Lys.

"Huh? Why me?... Well, okay, why not. At least it'll pass the time," he mumbled, slipping his hands into his pockets.

"Perfect. I'll accompany Elaria to Darian's," Iris said.

"And Tristan and I will take care of preparing for the return trip," added Anne, determined.

"Do you remember to check the horses, the supplies, the exit permits?" asked Elaria.

"Of course," replied Tristan. "We're not amateurs."

With the roles assigned, the group stood up, each stretching or adjusting their belongings. Without another word, they separated in an almost natural coordination, like a well-rehearsed team, ready to complete their tasks before hitting the road again.

The golden afternoon light bathed the cobblestone streets of the capital. The distant rustle of the markets and the birdsong created an almost peaceful atmosphere, in contrast to the hectic past few days.

Kyle walked beside Lys, hands in his pockets, his eyes lazily scanning the stone roofs and flower-lined windows. Beside him, Lys seemed radiant. A rare lightness shone in her eyes. She occasionally glanced discreetly at Kyle, a small smile on her lips.

Kyle, on the other hand, was a little bored.

"Hey, Lys, what's interesting about the objects and texts we found in the dungeon?" he asked, more out of curiosity than real interest.

"Well... I haven't understood everything yet, but some of the texts talk about the Holy War."

He raised an eyebrow.

"The Holy War? What's that?"

"It's a very ancient conflict... said to have taken place several millennia ago," Lys explained. "It all started as a war between the Celestials and the Demonic, but gradually, every race in the world was drawn into it."

"All of them? How many races are there, exactly?" Kyle asked, his eyes half-closed, curious despite himself.

"Six," Lys replied without hesitation. "Humanoids, Draconics, Faerie, Celestials, Demonic... and Beastly."

"Hmm... So, to summarize correctly, a millennium ago, all these wonderful people were happily beating each other up," Kyle said, crossing his arms behind his head. "Honestly, that would make a great story arc."

"A what?" »

"Never mind," he smiled. "So... who won?"

"No one really knows," Lys replied thoughtfully. "The war ended as abruptly as it began. And ever since, the distrust between the peoples has remained."

"Classic... And we don't even know why it started, do we?"

"Yes, indeed, the reason is well explained in the sacred texts," she affirmed.

"Oh yeah? Go ahead, I'm listening."

"The Demonic Ones have challenged the authority of the Celestials. They are considered the first race created by the Supreme Being. Their role is to maintain the balance of the world..."

"Okay, stop," Kyle interrupted, raising his hand. "I get it. Another story about power and divine authority." Politics, the same old story everywhere..."

Lys blinked, a little confused. She didn't agree, but so as not to ruin this pleasant moment with him, she nodded.

"Maybe you're right," she murmured.

"And what's your world like?" she asked suddenly, curious.

Kyle paused for a few seconds, as if searching for words.

"My world... has only one race: human. But the problems? Far worse than anything I've seen here. Corruption, war, unfounded hatred... the list goes on."

"It's... terrible. What kind of problems?"

"Hm... let's just say I want the story to remain open to all audiences, so I'll stop there," he said, smiling vaguely. »

"I don't understand a word you're saying," Lys admitted, shaking her head in mock annoyance. "You're always coming out with... incomprehensible sentences."

"It's not just a little," he replied with a soft chuckle. "The important thing is that I understand myself."

And at that moment, they arrived in front of the church.

The building rose with grace and austerity, immense, with its stained-glass windows sparkling in the sunlight. Kyle stopped dead in his tracks.

"Is that thing a church or a cathedral?"

"It is a church," Lys replied. "For a building to be officially recognized as a cathedral, a bishop must consecrate it. We're not there yet."

She took a step forward before turning to him.

"Come in with me."

But Kyle took a step back.

"Oh, no. My family has been atheist for generations. If I go into that, I'll probably be betraying my ancestors," he joked with a wry smile.

Lys rolled her eyes, not convinced for a second, but she didn't press the issue.

"Very well, whatever you say. I won't be long."

She crossed the threshold of the church, leaving Kyle alone on the steps, hands in his pockets, staring up at the sky.

"A holy war, huh... All this for a story of power. Maybe this world isn't so different from mine," he thought.

Unable to remain inactive, Kyle began to circle the building. One, two, then ten times. He was seriously beginning to consider carving his name into the stones, having waited so long.

Finally, Lys came out, accompanied by a young woman with gentle eyes, probably a sister from the church. Kyle approached quietly.

"So? Did it go well?" he asked.

"Very well," Lys replied simply.

The young sister bowed respectfully to Kyle, greeted Lys with a smile, then walked away, disappearing behind the stone arches.

The two set off, side by side.

"So, what did you do in there?" Kyle asked bluntly.

"If you wanted to know, you should have come with me," Lys replied neutrally.

"Okay," Kyle admitted without flinching.

Lys stopped and stared at him.

"Why don't you insist?!"

"Okay," he replied again.

"You're insufferable," she growled.

But instead of laughing or responding as usual, Kyle approached slowly. He looked deep into Lys's eyes, leaned in slightly, and in a low, almost complicit tone, he whispered,

"Actually... I really want to know."

Lys blushed instantly, then roughly pushed him away.

"W-What's wrong with you?!"

"Nothing. I just... always wanted to try this," he said with disarming nonchalance.

"Try what?!"

"Not important."

An awkward silence hung between them before Kyle changed the subject:

"So... Can you tell me now what they're going to do with the objects?"

Lys, still flustered, took a deep breath before calming down.

"The artifacts and documents will be sent to the Holy Empire. They have the most qualified specialists to analyze them. It will be studied in depth there."

"Understood. Okay, if we're done, let's head to the Adventurers' Guild."

But as he turned away, Lys gently grabbed his arm.

"Um... Can we... walk around a little longer?" she asked, her voice more timid.

Kyle blinked. He understood at once.

"Romance mode kicking in..." he thought.

He wanted to refuse. He didn't really like these ambiguous situations. But he also didn't want to hurt her feelings.

"Okay."

And so the two set off hand in hand—well, almost—for an impromptu stroll through the royal capital.

They explored the bustling alleyways, admired the majestic buildings, bought some sweets from street stalls, and ate them along the way.

Kyle had never experienced anything like this before. So he let himself be led. Lys was leading the way, and he didn't mind that much.

But like all pleasant things, the stroll came to an end. They finally found themselves in front of the guild. Lys seemed slightly disappointed that the moment was already over.

Inside, everyone else was already there.

Elaria and Iris were sitting at a table.

Anne and Tristan, meanwhile, were chatting at the reception desk, no doubt finalizing the formalities for their return to Helion.

Kyle and Lys approached the table.

"We're back," they said together.

Iris stared at them and, with a small, mocking smile, said,

"It seems like there's... some rapprochement in the air."

Lys turned a deep red.

Kyle, however, shrugged, pretending he hadn't heard anything.

"And you, at Darian's?" he asked Elaria.

"Very good. Everything was already ready when we arrived. We just had to deliver the items."

She added with some interest:

"He was particularly fascinated by insect materials. Some are extremely rare."

Exceptional materials delivered to Darian:

Concentrated Toxic Gland - a deadly poison of great value.

Chitinous Adrenaline Core - responsible for explosive speed.

Acid Blood - corrosive, often used for smelting or potions.

Reinforced Stinger - can be forged into a weapon or crossbow bolt.

Lunar Silk - magical fiber, shining brightly in the moonlight.

Crystalline Pincer - hard as glass.

Prismatic Carapace - reflects light in a rainbow.

Resonant Chitinous Heart - a heart pulsating with mysterious energy.

Netherwing - used for invisibility poses.

Queen Paralytic Venom – neurotoxin from a giant queen.

Ancient Silk – woven for centuries, resistant to magic.

Eldritch Eye – allows one to see the invisible or illusions.

Obsidian Sting – penetrates enchantments.

Primordial Hive Heart – living core, capable of summoning a swarm.

Queen's Imperial Blood – living magic, promotes mutations and healing.

Hissing Shadow Wing – natural silent blade.

Collective Instinct Crystal – memory of an entire colony.

Ancient Larva Egg – unknown creature in gestation.

Celestial Silk Veil – divine cloth armor.

Kyle, impressed:

"All this... We got all this back? That's a bit excessive."

"Yes and no," Elaria replied. "We're the first to explore this dungeon in centuries, even soldiers; it's only natural that we were granted such a treasure."

"So those who come after will have fewer chances," concluded Iris.

"Exactly," confirmed Elaria.

"I understand better why Darian wanted to be our exclusive buyer," commented Lys.

"It might as well be useful. In our hands, these treasures are just curiosities," said Kyle.

"Affirmative," agreed Elaria.

"The most important thing is that we received a nice reward," added Iris.

"We'll wait until everyone is here to share it out," clarified Elaria.

Kyle shrugged.

"I'll leave the money to you. As long as I have enough to eat..."

"You say that like it's not important!" exclaimed Iris. "What if someone betrays you, huh? What will you do?"

At the word betrayal, Kyle remained thoughtful.

"Classic..." he thought. "Like in some Isekai."

He smiled softly.

"If that happened, it would be too cliché."

"Kyle, Iris is right," Lys insisted. "Even in a group, absolute trust doesn't exist."

"That's true," Elaria confirmed. "We have to be careful."

Kyle looked at them one by one, then gave a calm smile.

"If anyone ever betrays me, it's simple... I'll find those responsible and..."

He paused deliberately.

The three girls stared at him, intrigued.

"And?" they asked in unison.

Kyle answered them... with an enigmatic silence.

It was then that Anne and Tristan returned, cutting the scene short.

Anne and Tristan came to the table and announced that everything was settled: departure was scheduled for the following morning.

"Perfect," said Elaria. "We've been waiting for you to divide the reward."

As she took out the purses of gold, Kyle stood up abruptly.

"I'm going on a quest," he declared.

Lys stared at him, exasperated.

"So you didn't remember anything we just told you?"

"Yes," replied Kyle with an enigmatic smile. "But I know I can trust you."

He walked over to the quest board, hands in his pockets.

"If this keeps up... I'm going to end up stuck in a limp slice of life," he muttered.

His gaze fell on a C-rank quest: eliminate a group of demonic crows attacking livestock. Perfect for practicing flying in combat.

He went to the reception desk. Julie looked up and frowned at the sheet.

"Are you sure? From what I understand, your team is returning tomorrow, right? And this mission could last several days... These birds are vicious, difficult to reach."

"Not a problem," Kyle replied confidently. "And if they're so dangerous, why hasn't anyone taken care of them until now?"

Julie remained silent. Kyle shrugged and turned on his heel.

Before leaving the guild, he quickly called out to his team members:

"See you tomorrow."

But he was already gone before anyone could even reply.

Barely out of the capital, he rose into the sky, combining his lightning magic with his flight ability. He reached the indicated area in a few minutes: an isolated farmhouse, half in ruins. The place was deserted. The farmers had clearly fled, for lack of help.

"What kind of self-respecting adventurer would waste their time with birds?" Kyle thought wryly. "That's probably why no one responded to the request."

He walked a few meters. Animal corpses littered the ground. About twenty. Probably the remains of livestock. Kyle preferred to convince himself that was all that.

A demonic crow landed nearby. Kyle tried to approach discreetly, but the creature pounced on him. Thanks to the Void Veil, he dodged easily and brought it down with a flash.

Big mistake.

Suddenly, the horizon darkened.

"Is it nightfall already?" Kyle muttered, looking up.

No. A black cloud covered the sky. A hundred crows circled above him.

"The C-rank mission has just been upgraded to B... or even A."

They all dove at once. Kyle deployed a force field, but the barrier gave way under the onslaught. He used Flash, briefly blinding his assailants, then immediately counterattacked.

He quickly understood their strategy: to corner the target through numbers, agility, and the advantage the sky gave them.

"If it had been another adventurer, he would have had almost no chance. But unfortunately for you... it's me."

He rose into the air, an aura of white lightning enveloping his body. Then he released a powerful black blast, splitting the sky like divine judgment.

The carnage was immediate. Dozens of crows fell. The rest tried to flee. Kyle smiled.

It had become a veritable aerial shooting game.

He chased them one by one, until he could no longer detect any signs of life in the sky.

He didn't even notice that night had fallen.

Back at the guild, the place was almost empty. Julie saw him arrive, surprised.

"Already?"

"That was faster than expected," he replied simply, before heading towards his quarters, without another word.