The soft hum of chatter filled the quaint little café nestled in the heart of Nova Citatdel. Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting warm, golden light over wooden tables and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. It was the perfect spot for Ray's party to gather and unwind after their recent rift raid.
Zara leaned back in her chair, twirling a spoon idly in her coffee mug. Gregory was busy inspecting a thick ledger, occasionally jotting down notes, while Finn sat quietly, staring into his cup as if lost in thought. Ray entered, a satchel slung over his shoulder, a small satisfied grin on his face.
"Morning," Ray greeted, sliding into the empty seat. He placed the satchel on the table with a soft thud, the sound drawing everyone's attention. "Sold all the cores. Got a decent haul from it."
He opened the bag, revealing neat stack of Luminara.
"Before we dive into business," Ray started, "I wanted to know—what do you all dream of? What's your goal in all this?"
The question hung in the air for a moment before Zara broke the silence, her voice tinged with both pride and regret.
"I wanted to be a sprinter," Zara said, her amber eyes gazing out the window. "I trained for years to compete in the Olympics. Winning a gold medal was my dream. But after I awakened and these…" She gestured to her beast-like features—the tail and claws that set her apart. "…came in, everything changed. Normal Olympics? Out of the question. The Hunter Olympics? No chance, not with the way people treat someone like me."
Finn frowned slightly, sympathy in his quiet expression.
"They don't know what they're missing," Ray said firmly. "You'd outrun everyone, beast mutation or not."
Zara chuckled softly. "Thanks, but it's not the same. So, for now, I'm running through dungeons instead of tracks."
Gregory tapped his ledger with a pen. "My dream's simple: make as much money as possible. Doesn't matter how. Guild work, dungeon raids, selling cores—whatever it takes. There's always a market for someone with coin to spare, and I plan to have plenty."
"That tracks," Zara quipped, earning a laugh from the group.
Finn shifted slightly in his seat. "I… want to write a book," he said, surprising everyone.
"A book?" Ray asked, intrigued.
Finn nodded. "About hunters, monsters, the rifts. Not just to document everything but to show people what it's really like—what we go through, the risks, the victories. Most people don't get it, and I want them to understand."
"That's pretty cool," Zara admitted, a faint smile crossing her face.
Ray leaned back, considering his own answer. "I want to start a guild," he said finally.
The others looked at him with varying degrees of surprise.
"A guild?" Gregory repeated. "That's… ambitious."
Ray nodded. "I've always wanted to create something bigger than myself. A place where hunters can grow stronger together, where people like us—outcasts, misfits—can thrive. Strongforge isn't just a blacksmith shop to me; it's a symbol of legacy, and I want to extend that legacy by building a guild."
The group fell silent, each member absorbing Ray's words.
"It's not a bad idea," Zara said finally. "We'd need resources, though. Connections."
"Exactly," Ray said. He gestured to the satchel. "Which is why I suggest we reinvest. The cores we sold earned us a fair amount, and with the Luminara, we can enhance ourselves further. If we keep raiding and pooling resources, we'll grow faster and stronger."
Gregory leaned forward, a skeptical look crossing his face. "There's just one problem with this whole 'starting a guild' idea. To register a guild, we need to be at least B-rank or have some kind of special permission from the Hunter Association. We're nowhere near B-rank, Ray. You're F+, and the rest of us aren't much higher."
Ray smirked, leaning back in his chair with an air of confidence. "Don't worry about that. I've got a plan to get us that special permission. Let's just say I know someone who owes me a favor, and they might be able to help us bypass the usual requirements. Trust me, I wouldn't bring this up if I didn't think we had a real shot."
Gregory raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that? These kinds of favors don't come cheap."
Ray nodded. "It'll take some effort, but it's nothing we can't handle. For now, let's focus on getting stronger and proving ourselves."
Gregory grinned. "Now you're speaking my language."
"We'll need a name," Finn pointed out.
The group exchanged glances, the weight of naming their future guild hanging in the air. Finn broke the silence with a sly grin. "How about 'The Core Crushers'? You know, since we're always smashing cores in these dungeons."
Gregory snorted. "Sounds like a cheap energy drink. How about something classy, like 'The Gilded Titans'? Gilded, because we'll be rolling in cash soon enough."
Zara raised an eyebrow. "And because you're obsessed with money?"
"Exactly," Gregory shot back, unbothered.
Zara tapped her fingers against the table, her expression thoughtful. "What about 'The Beastbound'? Kind of fitting, given… well…" she trailed off, motioning to her cheetah-like features.
Ray chuckled. "Cool name, but I think we want something that represents all of us, not just you, Zara."
Finn smirked. "Fine, let's call ourselves 'Ray's Misfits.' Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
Ray groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We're not calling ourselves that."
Zara leaned back, laughing. "Come on, it's kind of accurate!"
Gregory raised his hand dramatically. "I've got it! 'Hammered Justice.'"
Everyone stared at him.
"What?" he said, looking around defensively. "It's got style."
"No, it sounds like a bad tavern brawl," Finn quipped, shaking his head.
After several more rounds of increasingly ridiculous suggestions, ranging from "Lightning Wolves" to "The Money Hunters" and even "The Dagger Club" (which Finn enthusiastically endorsed), Zara clapped her hands on the table.
Gregory leaned back, arms crossed. "How about 'The Gilded Blades'? Classy, powerful, and it subtly hints at wealth."
Ray arched an eyebrow. "Subtly?"
Zara tapped her fingers on the table thoughtfully. "What about 'The Beastbound'?"
Gregory rolled his eyes. "Not everything has to be about your claws, Zara."
Finn leaned in with mock seriousness. "Alright, I've got it: 'Lightning Daggers.' It's fast, it's sharp, and it clearly reflects the best member of this group."
"Pass," Ray said immediately, rubbing his temples.
Gregory grinned. "How about 'Hammered Heroes'? It's got strength and style!"
Zara laughed. "It sounds like a group of drunk blacksmiths."
After what felt like hours of tossing around increasingly ridiculous names like "Core Crushers," "Shadow Howl," and "The Chaotic Few," Zara finally clapped her hands on the table.
"Enough," she said firmly. "We need something that actually reflects who we are."
The group fell silent, thinking. Then, Ray leaned forward, his eyes lighting up. "How about 'Pandemonium'?"
The table went quiet as the word hung in the air.
"It's... chaotic," Zara said, a grin spreading across her face. "Unpredictable. It's perfect."
Finn nodded, his usual smirk replaced by genuine approval. "Yeah, it's bold. Makes a statement."
Gregory shrugged but couldn't hide his own smile. "Alright, fine. But if we end up being too broke for chaos, I'm circling back to 'Gilded Blades.'"
Ray smirked. "Deal."
He raised his mug, determination blazing in his eyes. "Pandemonium. That's who we are now."
Finn tapped his chin thoughtfully, glancing between the group. "With that sorted, we should probably figure out where everyone stands right now. If we're going to form a guild, we'll need to know our strengths and weaknesses."
Ray caught onto the suggestion immediately, pulling out a small notebook from his pocket. "Good point. We'll need to track everyone's stats, skills, and progress if we're going to operate as a proper team. Let's go over what we've got so far. It'll help us figure out how to improve going forward."
Zara shrugged. "Fair enough. Not that I need much improvement in speed," she said with a playful smirk.
Gregory chuckled. "We'll see about that once the numbers are out."
Ray smiled, pen poised over the page. "Alright, let's get started."
Zara
Vitality: 12
Strength: 16
Defense: 9
Mana: 8
Speed: 18
Gregory
Vitality: 14
Strength: 10
Defense: 12
Mana: 15
Speed: 8
Finn
Vitality: 10
Strength: 8
Defense: 8
Mana: 12
Speed: 14
Ray
Vitality: 13
Strength: 14
Defense: 11
Mana: 10
Speed: 12