-Dazai strode into the guild hall, his steps casual yet deliberate. Deadmourne followed close behind, rubbing her cheek as if nursing a minor pain. She had remained in her human form, but the discomfort in her expression betrayed the lingering effects of their earlier fight. Meanwhile, Dazai's smirk remained hidden beneath his scarf, his eyes sharp with amusement-
-He approached the receptionist's desk without hesitation, dropping a heavy bag onto the counter with a dull thud. The scent of mana-infused remains still lingered on it-
Dazai: "The Noir Renegade has arrived. I've completed the quest as you recommended."
-The receptionist, a diligent young woman, quickly opened the bag to check its contents. Her eyes flickered in recognition—twelve slime cores, neatly collected. She nodded, reaching for the registry-
Receptionist: "Great, I'll get your reward money and—"
-A slow chuckle escaped Dazai's lips.
Just then, a commotion erupted outside. Gasping voices, hurried footsteps. The entire guild turned their attention toward the entrance. Curious, they stepped outside, and their collective breath hitched at what they saw-
-A massive dragon tooth lay embedded in the ground like a monument—larger than a greatsword, pulsing faintly with mana.Dazai stepped beside it, casually leaning against the enormous fang as if it were nothing more than a trophy. His smirk deepened beneath his scarf, and he clapped his hands together, the sound deliberate and slow-
Dazai: "Well, slime cores aren't the only thing I collected. I happened to encounter the Abyssal Tyrant while heading back. You know, the dragon that's been lying dormant in the forest?"
-Gasps spread through the crowd like wildfire-
Dazai: "Yes, yes… it was massive. Its mana alone was enough to choke the air. And yet…"
He leaned closer to the receptionist, his voice dropping into a whisper laced with amusement.
Dazai: "I made it taste fear."
-Silence.He let the words sink in before straightening, running a gloved hand along the jagged surface of the tooth-
Dazai: "I carved into it, deep enough to make it bleed. And as proof of my little dance with death, it lost this tooth. Of course, the great beast fled north after realizing who it was dealing with. If you doubt me…"
-He tilted his head toward the other guild staff members, who had begun to examine the relic. Their expressions shifted from skepticism to shock. The tooth radiated mana–undeniable proof of its origins. Even more unsettling was the residual energy of Dazai himself, woven into the aura clinging to the tooth like an unshakable curse-
-The receptionist gulped, her composure faltering-
Dazai: "Now, let's talk promotions."
-He turned back to her, his expression one of quiet amusement, though his eyes gleamed with something far sharper-
Dazai: "Guild guidelines state that an E-rank adventurer can rise through the ranks by completing numerous quests. However, taking an S-class task alongside an E-class mission and succeeding?"
-He chuckled, shaking his head as if amused by the absurdity of the rules-
Dazai: "By my count, that's worth quite a jump. Let's round it off, shall we? The slime quest earns me 600 silver coins. The S-class task? Let's say 2000 gold pieces. And my new rank?"
-He leaned in slightly, his voice as smooth as silk-
Dazai: "A-rank should be reasonable, wouldn't you agree?"
-A bead of sweat rolled down the receptionist's temple. She knew she had no room to argue. The proof was undeniable, and the aura emanating from the tooth left no room for deception. She swallowed hard, nodding stiffly-
Receptionist: "T-The guild master could arrange at least 1000 gold pieces and promote you to A-rank, sir."
-Her voice trembled slightly, but she forced herself to maintain professionalism-
-Dazai's smirk widened beneath his scarf. He straightened, giving a small, mocking bow-
Dazai: "A pleasure doing business."
-He turned, walking away with Deadmourne in tow.But just as he reached the door, the receptionist, still shaken, muttered under her breath-
Receptionist: "W-What are you…?"
[Dazai stopped]
-For a moment, there was only silence-
-Then, a low chuckle. It built slowly into a quiet laugh, rich with amusement and something else—something more dangerous.He turned his head slightly, just enough for his piercing gaze to meet hers-
Dazai: "The Noir Renegade."
-He flashed a grin, his next words rolling off his tongue like an unshakable truth-
Dazai: "I don't break the rules of the guild. They break for me. And I always win."