As Malachi stood still, his system prompted the completion of the hidden quest.
> Quest Complete: Discover the Stone Ape
Reward: Random Tattoo Skill Draw
His heart raced as the reward screen appeared before him.
> Random Draw: Gain a Tattoo Skill of any level from Gray to Legendary.
Do you wish to draw now? [Yes] [No]
Malachi's grin widened. Finally, a chance to gain a Tattoo Skill of his own! But he quickly composed himself. With Kael still beside him, he decided against using the reward immediately. He couldn't risk revealing too much to someone he didn't fully trust yet.
He tapped [No], letting the draw option remain in his inventory for later.
Kael, standing quietly, watched Malachi with a curious expression. Though he said nothing, a subtle glint passed through his eyes before his usual calm demeanor returned.
Raza growled, breaking the silence. "Go. Both. Out my land. No welcome here!"
Kael shrugged lazily, his casual demeanor unshaken. "Fine by me. I've got what I need. The mission only required us to investigate the howls, and with the discovery of a new beastman race, I'm sure the guild will reward me handsomely."
Malachi hesitated, his gaze shifting between Kael and the path leading deeper into the forest. Finally, his resolve hardened, and he turned to Raza. "I'm going to the center of the forest. I need to see what's causing the disturbance. Maybe I can help you and your clan return to your home."
Raza tilted his head, his golden eyes narrowing as his lips twisted in confusion. "Why… human care? Not your home. Not your fight."
Malachi clenched his fists. "It's the right thing to do. If I can help fix this, I'll try."
Kael raised an eyebrow, chuckling dryly. "You're serious? Malachi, you've already done more than enough. Let's leave this to stronger adventurers. There's no sense in getting yourself killed."
Malachi shook his head firmly. "I can't just walk away. If there's a chance to fix things, I have to take it."
Kael sighed and shrugged. "Suit yourself." Without another word, he unsummoned the two-headed wolf, leapt onto his eagle's back, and prepared to leave.
Before taking off, Kael glanced briefly at Raza, a flicker of disdain crossing his face, though he quickly masked it. He looked at Malachi one last time. "Good luck. You'll need it."
With that, he flew off toward Oakwood, leaving Malachi alone with Raza.
Malachi turned to Raza, who was now rubbing his chin, his eyes full of doubt. "Well?" Malachi asked, his voice steady.
Raza's growl was low but lacked hostility. "Human strange. You risk life… for nothing? No… reward?"
Malachi shrugged. "Sometimes, you have to take risks to do what's right. Besides, if I can help your clan, it's worth it."
Raza stared at him for a long moment, then exhaled heavily. "Human fool… but brave. Fine. I take. But you… deal monster. Your fault if bad happen."
Malachi nodded firmly. "Deal."
-----
Back at the guild, the heavy atmosphere lingered in the private chamber as Guild Master Gareth finished his briefing about the Dragon Flying Month. His voice carried authority as he addressed the two teams.
"You two groups," Gareth began, his eyes shifting between the Chaos Crew and Cyrus's team, "are tasked with rallying your respective guilds for the settlement's defense. Chaos Crew, you'll ensure the Adventurers are united and ready. Cyrus, you and your assassins will do the same for your guild."
Cyrus nodded with a calm expression, while Magnus simply gave a curt acknowledgment.
Gareth adjusted his coat and stood straighter. "I'll leave you to your tasks. I have to hurry. The Guild Council is convening another meeting to strategize for the upcoming danger. The leaders of the Magic Academy and the Church of Light are already in the meeting room. Niza," he turned sharply to the hunchbacked old man, "you're coming with me this time."
Before Niza could slip away, Gareth grabbed him by the collar.
"Ah, Gareth, let me go! I still need to examine the perfect contours of Miss Delilah for—"
"For science, yes, I've heard enough," Gareth interrupted, dragging the squirming assassin leader along.
"Oi! This is important research!" Niza protested playfully, though he didn't resist much.
The two figures began to shimmer and distort, vanishing into thin air, their voices fading as they bickered.
As the room settled, Fynn broke the silence with a mischievous grin. "Why not just get rid of the duke's son? If we remove him, the dragons won't be drawn to the settlement, right? Problem solved."
He turned to Cyrus and his team, his tone playful but pointed. "And hey, you've got assassins right here. Seems like the perfect job for them."
The words barely left Fynn's mouth before a nearly invisible string-like attack lashed out at him. He narrowly dodged, his form shifting into a gust of wind to evade the strike.
"Woah, woah! Someone's a bit touchy," Fynn quipped, spinning lightly on his heels to face the masked man, Souie, who had been sitting silently beside Cyrus.
The tension in the room spiked as Fynn prepared to retaliate.
"Fynn."
"Souie."
Magnus and Cyrus spoke simultaneously, their voices firm and commanding.
Magnus's hand shot out to grip Reaper's arm mid-motion, stopping the cloaked assassin's blade from plunging into Souie's neck. Calmly, Magnus patted Reaper's arm, signaling them to stand down. Reaper hesitated for a moment before stepping back silently, their eyes still locked on Souie.
Cyrus, unfazed by the commotion, remained seated, casually patting the head of the petite girl beside him. She was visibly agitated, her piercing gaze fixed on Fynn, but Cyrus's calming gesture kept her in check.
Without a word, Cyrus glanced at Souie, who bowed slightly before retreating to his original position, his movements as quiet as a shadow.
Gunnar, who had been watching the scene, was left dumbfounded. "What just—how did—?" he stammered, realizing he hadn't even noticed the string-like attack until it was over.
Delilah, on the other hand, leaned back and let out a melodic chuckle, her tone laced with amusement. "Boys will be boys. Always so quick to play with their toys."
The tension lingered briefly before the room returned to an uneasy calm.
Cyrus, still calm and composed, addressed Fynn directly. "My apologies for Souie's reaction," he said smoothly. "But understand, attacking the son of the Duke of the South is tantamount to declaring war on the Crown Dominion. Nobles are heavily protected by the Crown's laws, and such an action would bring doom upon not just us but the entire Assassin's Guild."
Fynn shrugged off the apology with a cheeky grin. "Fair enough. My bad for suggesting it," he said nonchalantly, raising his hands in mock surrender.
Delilah, leaning back in her chair, let out a scoff, her disdain for Cyrus's words clear. "Nobles. Always needing someone else to fight their battles. They cling to their titles and laws, yet their greed brings danger to everyone else." Her tone dripped with unconcealed disgust.
Magnus, ever the pragmatic leader, returned to his seat, his expression thoughtful. "Cyrus is right," he admitted. "We can't touch the duke's son directly. But…" He let the word hang in the air, drawing everyone's attention.
"But what?" Gunnar asked, his brow furrowing.
Magnus tapped his fingers on the table, his voice measured. "We can attract Draco's attention with something enticing enough to make him leave voluntarily. Something that would make him willingly abandon the settlement."
Fynn, ever curious, leaned forward. "And how exactly do we do that?"
Before Magnus could answer, a young man burst into the room, rushing to his side. He whispered something into Magnus's ear, and as the information sank in, Magnus's eyes narrowed. The young man stepped back after being dismissed, leaving Magnus deep in thought.
After a tense pause, Magnus looked at the group and spoke firmly. "I know how we can lure Draco away."
All eyes were on him now, the room brimming with anticipation. Fynn voiced what everyone was thinking. "How?"
Magnus pointed toward the distant forest visible through the guild's window. "The Deep Oakwood Woods. Specifically, the center of the forest."
"The center?" Gunnar echoed, his confusion apparent.
Magnus nodded, his tone resolute. "I've just received news that a monster of Blue level or higher is rumored to be hiding there. A creature of that level would be irresistible to someone like Draco. The promise of obtaining a super-powerful skill from defeating such a beast could be enough to draw him away from the settlement."
Delilah's lips curled into a smirk. "You're suggesting we bait him with the ultimate prize—power."
"Yes," Magnus confirmed. "We can hire or bribe someone to plant the idea, convincing Draco to pursue the monster. Once he's gone, the settlement will be safe from his presence—and the dragons that might follow."
The room fell silent as the weight of the plan settled on everyone. It was risky, but the potential payoff was undeniable.