The Guild building, once a bastion of order and tranquility, now resembled a fortress under siege. Heavily armored guards patrolled its perimeter, their vigilant gaze fixed upon the gateway that had become the epicenter of chaos.
The events that had transpired were etched into the minds of all who bore witness. Hours after the elite team vanished into the portal-like entrance, unearthly sounds began to emanate from within. These were not the typical echoes of battle—no, they were something far more ominous. The air reverberated with the cacophony of bestial roars and anguished cries, each sound chillingly distinct and utterly inhuman.
As if in response to this unholy symphony, the very foundations of the Hive trembled violently. It was as though unseen hands were detonating explosives within its depths, sending shockwaves rippling through the structure. This aberrant disturbance defied all logic, for within the confines of the Hive, such seismic upheaval should have been impossible. Yet here it was, shaking the Guild building to its core, a harbinger of the unfathomable horrors lurking beyond the portal.
Amidst the chaos, the Guild's doors were thrust open with authoritative force, heralding the arrival of a new figure onto the scene. A woman of middle age, her form endowed with graceful curves yet exuding an aura of unyielding authority with every step she took. Her hair, a striking shade of lilac, cascaded in silky waves that caught the light, casting a shimmering halo around her. Though clearly a knight of considerable stature, her attire defied convention. Instead of the typical full suit of armor, she wore only a single breastplate, its surface a deep, marble-like black that absorbed and refracted the ambient light with an almost mystical allure.
"Commander! Thank the Goddess!" exclaimed one of the guards, his voice tinged with palpable relief as he hurriedly made his way toward the female figure who commanded attention amidst the chaos.
"What's the situation?" she questioned, her gaze unwavering from the Hive gate before her. An uneasy sense seemed to pierce through her cold stature just from gazing at the blurry doorway to chaos, leaving her wondering what was truly lurking beyond the temporal safety of the magically sealed Hive.
"No response from the inside, multiple confirmed casualties by the lack of magical energy from multiple confirmed high-class elites, but one confirmed alive elite energy still heavily pulsating," the guard reported mechanically, as if he were an AI operative responding to a user's query. "Next course of action, Commander Nightshade?" He questioned, preparing for the heavy combat he anticipated would soon occur.
A blast echoed from within the gate-like portal, cutting their conversation mid-way. The shockwaves were incredible, eerie, and rather fascinating to Nightshade. Her experience in battling Etherials surpassed that of every guard within the building, even those who exceeded her in age. Yet, in all those years, she had never felt such a blast from any clash involving them. She didn't know if there were any survivors causing them or if it was a new, rare, and unfathomable creature that had just risen. But what she did know was that whatever was happening needed to stop, or else the entire building might collapse before their very eyes.
Having a guild collapse meant that every single entrance to any hive within them held a high chance of opening, a chaotic scene that no one would want to see...especially not Nightshade.
"Next course of action is to stay here and guard this entrance. I'm going in," she declared in an authoritative tone, her cold stare fixed on the portal-like entrance.
"Commander Nightshade, are you sure about this?" The guard hesitantly questioned, well aware of the woman's short-tempered attitude that could cost him dearly if he misspoke.
His hesitation was valid, as he received a slightly angered expression from her for a brief moment when she finally broke her stare down with the portal. Unexpectedly, she calmed herself before having a brief moment of thought and proceeding to stare at the portal again. She was hesitant as well.
"Actually, inform the High Council of Knights about this. Preferably Lance... Just let him know about this if I'm not back in an hour," she stated firmly before beginning her stride toward the equally lilac gate, parting the path between the knights as she advanced.
Her hesitation, though well hidden, was still palpable. The shockwaves were phenomenal. If whatever lurked behind the blurry gate was truly something beyond her knowledge, then she harbored little faith in her combat abilities. Etherials were unfathomable creatures. As long as a single one of them displayed high-level capabilities, the survival chances for even well-trained experts plummeted.
The same was true for Nightshade. However, at the current moment, she couldn't simply stand by and watch as the chaos within threatened to tear the building apart. With no elite-ranked hunters or guards present in the vicinity, waiting any longer risked allowing the chaos to spiral out of control. The best she could do was to intervene, if necessary, using her combat abilities to stall it.
As such, she clenched her fists and stepped boldly into the portal, her senses sharpened and cautious from the moment her foot touched the ground. However, her caution soon proved futile as a massive blast shook the ground beneath her, causing her to stumble and trip towards a wall. There, she leaned for support against the tremors, her resolve unshaken despite the unexpected turbulence as she struggled to get a glance of the cause of the vicious rumbles.
Her eyes remained wide as her vision cleared to a fair degree. it was a man, drenched in blood from head to toe, locked in combat with a high-level golem. It was a creature dreaded for its lethality, yet surprisingly, the man seemed to have the upper hand.
His movements were fast, brutal, and oddly unrefined. When the golem would launch a blow to his right, the man would retaliate with an equally ferocious strike. His actions seemed inexperienced and almost suicidal, yet they proved to be more effective than any attack Nightshade could have launched. Each collision sent tremors reverberating through the once pristine halls as the golem's fists shattered into pieces.
Seizing the moment, the man leaped back before surging forward with a well-honed fist aimed squarely at the golem's chest. The impact shattered the creature into chunks of rubble that flew into the air, narrowly missing Nightshade's frozen form.
"Is that all?" Takumi muttered in a bored tone, his patience wearing thin after battling monsters for over eight hours. "These creatures are becoming less and less entertaining to fight, Kurayami. I'm getting tired of this endless cycle."
Despite his apparent boredom, Takumi couldn't deny the sense of satisfaction coursing through him. The eight hours spent battling monsters hadn't been in vain; he had honed his skills and discovered new abilities. Fighting a fire-breathing hound, he realized he was resistant to its scorching flames, and he could even manipulate the fire to his advantage. It wasn't just fire—anything with energy emanating from it seemed to fall under his control. The limits to his powers were what fascinated him the most...he didn't know them, he didn't know just how much more he could do!
"Well, look who finally decided to stop the carnage," Kurayami's voice echoed within the halls, catching Nightshade off guard. She watched in silence as Kurayami suddenly dissolved behind Takumi, clinging onto Takumi as if he'd been carrying her the whole time.
"I did it because it's getting repetitive, and we've already exceeded our expectations," Takumi said, motioning toward the ground, which now sparkled with countless gold ingots. "And could you please get off me? You're heavier than you seem."
The remark unsettled Kurayami. Conversations about weight were something she preferred to avoid, and she certainly didn't want to argue about it. Instead of responding directly, she smiled in a way that concealed her anger. Then, with a subtle alteration of her weight, she nearly crushed Takumi with gravitational force, forcing him onto his knees to combat the sudden pull.
Having seen enough, Nightshade took a deep breath before rising to her feet once more. Her cold gaze remained fixed on the two mysterious figures, whose origins she had yet to confirm. She was greatly relieved to see that they were humans and not the Etherial beasts. However, deep within her, she couldn't determine which was worse: the beasts or the man who conquered them.
Either way, the two figures before her formed a duo she couldn't afford to overlook. Anyone capable of defeating a golem was deserving of joining the elite ranks of hunters—a group sorely in need of reinforcements. If she could recruit them, dealing with sudden gate breaches would become a manageable task...but first, she needed to know if she could even trust them.
"Pardon my intrusion." She finally called out after clearing her throat, easily catching their attention.
The atmosphere shifted instantly as Kurayami vanished into thin air, taking with her the glimmering ingots and all the treasures they had accumulated from their endeavors. Takumi caught his breath for a moment, then rose, stretching his sore limbs and casting a disinterested glance towards the female.
"I'm not much of a 'sharing is caring' type of guy, so don't expect much from me, lady," Takumi mumbled defensively, making it clear that he had no intention of sharing his bounty. "And I'm certain we've never met before, so what do you want?"
"Commander Liliana Nightshade. I'm here because of a sudden large-scale threat signal that was coming from this hive," Nightshade introduced herself, her tone holding her usual authoritative hint.
For a moment, Takumi examined the lady in confusion. Was the mentioning of her rank supposed to help him in any way? Takumi barely even knew about any ranking of the hunters, let alone knights and whatnot. He could understand if he was in any trouble for causing a scene during his grind, but at the moment, he couldn't care less about the damage his abilities may have caused.
"Oh, that's my bad. They were a handful of pests, but I took care of them," Takumi responded, sidestepping Nightshade's attempt to bring up her title in the conversation. "Anyway, if you don't mind, I'll be taking my leave now. I have some matters to attend to."
"It's customary to introduce yourself to someone you've just met, especially when they hold higher authority," Nightshade growled lowly, her short temper creeping into the conversation. "And considering the damage you've caused, I suggest you prepare for a lengthy discussion with the council of knights before making any further plans."
Almost as if anticipating her next move, the atmosphere shifted abruptly, enveloping Nightshade in an eerie sensation. In the blink of an eye, Takumi vanished from her sight. Then, just as quickly, he reappeared beside her, his hand gripping her shoulder firmly while his glowing red eyes fixated on the exit of the Hive.
"It's customary to watch your tone when talking to someone you've just met, especially when they hold greater power." Takumi whispered before breaking into a wide grin as his body gradually dissolved into thin air. "Remember that, Commander,"
As he vanished completely, Nightshade felt a sudden emptiness wash over her, as if all energy had been sucked out of the room. It was the first time she felt as if she had peered into the depths of hell itself, surrounded by the chilling embrace of death and the specters of lost souls. It left her pondering the true nature of Takumi. Was he even human? Where had he disappeared to? Had she fallen under some bewitching spell or was it merely a hallucination?
These questions lingered in her mind, unanswered and unsettling. Yet, one thing remained certain: this encounter was not the end. Whether it took days, months, or even years, Nightshade knew she would cross paths with Takumi again.