Fortis Continent, Validus Empire, Grandis City.
The Fortis Continent is one of the Six Continents in the world of Hunter x Hunter. While these continents resemble Earth's in terms of appearance, their locations differ within the Human Territorial Waters of Lake Mobius. (There are 250 countries in this world, but so far, only two continents have been named in the manga: the Yorbian and Azian continents.)
In the heart of Grandis City stood a majestic building—the headquarters of the Explorer Guild. It looked more like a small forest than the nearby landmark structures, with an imposing, mysterious aura that made it stand out.
The Explorer Guild was founded 15 years ago by a mysterious figure whose identity remains unknown, even to powerful organizations like the V6 and the Hunter Association—except for a select few.
The guild's rapid rise allowed it to rival the Hunter Association, becoming a dominant force across the Six Continents, and could be found almost everywhere.
Its headquarters, located on the Fortis Continent, with the support of several S-Class Nen users behind it, making it an organization that neither the V6 nor the Hunter Association would carelessly offend.
As its name suggests, the Explorer Guild's main goal was to explore the world and its many extraordinary locations. By joining the guild, members could buy, sell, and trade the materials they discovered, especially from the Dark Continent.
...
At this moment, outside the Explorer Guild, stood a well-built man with blue eyes and medium-length white hair that hung loosely down to his upper back. He wore a yellow cloak over a white robe with black trim, and white pants tucked into grey boots.
This man, named Kastro, makes his first appearance during an interview before his match with Hisoka in the Heavens Arena arc.
He gazed at the surroundings in awe, his eyes fixed on the grand, forest-like building bearing the Explorer Guild's symbol—two crossed pickaxes.
"Is this the Explorer Guild headquarters? It's really majestic and grand compared to its branches across the Six Continents. I hope they'll know what this item is," he murmured to himself with anticipation as he tightened his grip on the gem-like item and walked toward the entrance.
*RING*
"Welcome, sir," said the middle-aged man guarding the entrance.
"Hmm..." Kastro glanced at the guard and looked in his surroundings for a moment before heading to the reception desk.
Inside, the Explorer Guild resembled the setup of a typical anime guild, like Fairy Tail. There were a few rows dedicated to people buying, selling, and trading materials, while the rest of the space felt more like a cozy tavern where explorers could eat, drink, and unwind after a day's journey.
Kastro curiously looked inside the Explorer Guild at the unique individuals present. The most fascinating thing about the people inside was the small badge most of them wore on the side of their chest, as well as the aura surrounding their bodies.
The badge itself was a symbol of two pickaxes crossing each other, similar to the one outside the Explorer Guild. The badge represented that the wearer was a member of the Explorer Guild.
The Explorer Guild has several ranks for its members, with badges ranging from F-Class to S-Class, corresponding to their strength.
F-Class to D-Class badges are bronze in color, C-Class badges are silver, B-Class badges are gold, A-Class badges are diamond, and S-Class badges are black.
The Guild's D-Class badge and below didn't offer any special privileges, mostly just allowing the member to buy, sell, and trade materials through the Guild. Non-members of the guild are prohibited from buying, selling, or trading within the guild, except for submitting commissions and purchasing information.
Higher ranks in the Explorer Guild offer various benefits, including an annual income ranging from 500,000 to 1 million jenny (Jenny is the currency used in Hunter x Hunter world.) depending on their class or rank, and grant access to special techniques and prohibited information.
However, these ranks also come with responsibilities, such as participating in specific dangerous exploration missions or helping to defend areas that have caused trouble or posed threats to the guild.
To join the Explorer Guild, one had to be a Nen user and have mastery of the Four Major Principles of Nen: Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu.
To be promoted through the ranks, members had to complete a certain number of tasks from the task board. These tasks were commissions from people across the Six Continents, varying in difficulty from easy to hard.
Overall, most individuals with a certain level of strength join the Explorer Guild to further develop their abilities, gain experience, earn money, and broaden their knowledge.
...
At this time, Kastro walked toward the information desk next to the tavern section of the Explorer Guild and waited for his turn.
Luckily, the line wasn't long, and he wouldn't have to wait too long. While he waited, Kastro decided to listen in on the nearby conversations to see if anything interesting had happened lately.
"Hey, have you heard about the Ancient Ruins that suddenly appeared on Void Mountain outside Grandis City recently?" a man sitting at a table suddenly asked his friend beside him.
"What? No, I haven't. Did something happen?" The friend looked back, shocked, and quickly questioned.
"Yes! Lately, a lot of people have started disappearing around Void Mountain. It's gotten so bad that the town near the mountain has commissioned the Explorer Guild."
"Really!? Doesn't that mean we can join the exploration team? The Explorer Guild always pays handsomely."
"Pfft, dream on. The minimum requirement is C-Class or higher. I even heard an S-Class Nen user is going to join!"
"Hah~ What a pity."
"Indeed. Anyway, I was planning to relax since I've completed several tasks these past few days."
Listening to the duo sitting at a table drinking together, Kastro grew interested in the Ancient Ruins on Void Mountain mentioned in their conversation.
It wasn't because of the disappearances. The reason he was intrigued was that the gem he was holding had started glowing intermittently since he arrived in Grandis City.
"I should join the exploration team and see if there's a reason why this gem is glowing." With that thought in mind, Kastro approached the information desk when it was his turn.
"Good day, sir! Is there something I can help you with? Since you're not wearing a badge, it seems you're not an Explorer. Our guild only accepts commissions and provides information to non-members," the staff member said with a cheerful smile.
"Yes, I'm not a member of the guild, so I only want to purchase information about this gem," Kastro said, scratching his head at the staff member's straightforwardness. He then showed the gem in his hand, which was glowing faintly.
"I see. Please wait a moment, sir. I'll appraise the gem and determine the cost of the information based on its value," the staff member said, taking the gem and heading to the back room.
"I hope it won't cost too much. It's just a gem my grandfather gave me when I was young," Kastro thought as he waited at the side of the desk.