In the world of powerful beings and hidden legends, the most feared and respected are the Eight Kings. These rulers, each commanding a different domain, hold immense influence over their lands and people. They are not just kings in title but masters of their respective powers, feared across the world.
The Eight Kings:
Borbon, the Dwarven King: Renowned for his craftsmanship and unmatched strength in battle, Borbon's kingdom in the mountains produces the finest weapons in the world. His warriors are nearly invincible, armed with gear made by his people.
Kill, Master of Assassins: Leading the shadowy group of skilled assassins in the desert, Kill is a figure of fear. His presence is barely felt, but his strikes are deadly. No one escapes his gaze once they've been marked.
Klein, the Great Magician: The greatest sorcerer to ever live, Klein leads the magic world. His mastery over spells is said to rival even the gods themselves. Though most of the time he remains in his tower, his influence spreads across continents.
Hanz, the Scholar: A genius in strategy and knowledge, Hanz is the King of Information. His power lies not in strength but in the knowledge he holds. He is often the voice of reason in the group.
Reign, the Ice Queen: Ruling the cold northern lands, Reign controls the frozen tundras and icy storms. She is cold and unforgiving.
Mamba, the King of Poison: With a twisted sense of humor, Mamba's specialty is toxins and deadly concoctions. His enemies rarely survive his touch, and he has mastered the art of killing without a single weapon.
Dash, the King of Elves: He rules the Elven kingdom deep within the forests, home to the World Tree. His people are masters of archery and nature magic, protecting their sacred land from any intruder.
Midnight, the Enigma: The most mysterious of the Eight Kings, Midnight's true power and identity are unknown. He rarely attends meetings and operates in the shadows, leaving others to wonder about his intentions.
---
Meeting of the Eight Kings – The Octagon
Seated at a large, octangular stone table, they exchanged glances. The air was tense, but not from hostility—rather from the sheer magnitude of power in the room.
"I heard a new S-rank adventurer appeared and claims he is Amadeus," Borbon, the Dwarven King, said, his voice heavy with curiosity.
"Yeah, but I doubt he is..." Kill, the Master of Assassins, muttered, his eyes narrowing.
"Whether he is Amadeus or not, I'm interested in him. After all, I'm the guild master and he is the new S-rank," Klein, the King of Magic, replied with a smirk.
Hanz the Scholar, tapped his fingers on the table, deep in thought. "For now, let's just keep an eye on him," he suggested calmly.
"Okay, enough of that. That's not the reason you called us, right?" Reign, the Ice Queen, said sharply, cutting to the point.
"Yeah, make this meeting fast before I poison you all... Keek ek!" Mamba, the King of Poison, laughed darkly, though it was clear he was joking. Or was he?
"Erhm... let's start. It's been an hour since we've been waiting for Midnight," Dash, the King of Elves, spoke, glancing at the empty chair meant for Midnight.
"Alright, let's begin. Midnight will not appear," Hanz said, taking charge.
---
Meanwhile, in Hiro's Inn
Hiro sat silently in the inn, gazing out of the window. His mind was distant, but focused. Despite the whispers of his Amadeus lineage spreading throughout the town, he remained indifferent.
Kaison, in his fox form, rested comfortably on the windowsill, watching Hiro. "Even if everyone's talking about you being an Amadeus, it's still just their presumption. What's your plan now, Hiro?"
Without looking away from the window, Hiro replied, his voice steady and calm. "Let's not concern ourselves with that right now, Kai. I need a mission—one that might give me a clue about the Amadeus treasure remnants."
Kaison smirked. "Haha you sly human. You're letting the rumors grow on purpose, aren't you? Keeping them unsure, just enough to make them wonder." He jumped down from the windowsill, landing gracefully. "Alright then, let's head to the guild. We need to get you a mission."
Before they go towards the guild, Hiro pulled up the hood of his cloak to avoid drawing attention. But it was too late. The moment he stepped through the gate, all eyes were on him.
"Hey, wasn't that the guy who came in yesterday? He looks different now," one adventurer whispered.
"Yeah, I heard he might be Amadeus," another replied, eyeing Hiro suspiciously.
"Is he taking a mission now?" someone else murmured.
Hiro ignored the whispers, his focus only on the task ahead. He approached Rianne, the guild receptionist.
"Will you take a mission now, Mr. Hiro?" she asked politely.
"Yes," Hiro responded simply.
"Alright, follow me," Rianne said as she led him to a back room. "The missions on the board are for F to A ranks. S-rank missions are confidential, so we keep them separate."
They walked through the guild, past rows of adventurers who shot curious glances his way. Upon entering a secluded room, Rianne led Hiro to a smaller mission board, reserved only for the highest-ranking adventurers.
"S-rank missions are usually given directly by requesters or by the guild itself. These aren't like the others. They can take years to complete." Rianne's tone was serious, but she didn't underestimate Hiro.
Hiro scanned the list of available S-rank missions, and one in particular caught his eye.
"This one. I want this mission," Hiro said, pointing to the scroll.
Rianne raised an eyebrow. "Oh, interesting choice for a newbie S-rank. That mission's location makes it tricky, but it could easily be classified as A-rank if it weren't for the location."
Hiro wasn't interested in the difficulty, though. What had piqued his interest was the location.
"Elven Forest?" Kaison asked, a bit surprised.
"Yes," Hiro said calmly. "We need to reach the rear of the Elven Forest and clear the dungeon there before the monsters break out. And besides I want to give a visit to them too."
Rianne glanced at him. "You know, S-rank adventurers are rare so they can't formed a party of S-rank to go on a mission, But they can form parties with A or B-rank adventurers. Are you sure you don't want a team?"
Hiro briefly thought of Rose, a B-rank adventurer who had trained him before Kaison took over. She was strong, reliable. But it wasn't time to involve her yet. He had to do this alone.
"No. I'll go myself," Hiro answered, his voice firm.
Rianne nodded, respecting his decision. "Alright. Just be careful."
With his hood still up, Hiro left the guild without a word.