An alert popped up on my terminal: "Assigned Guild - The Scarlet Moon."
I frowned. I'd never heard of them. The big names—Iron Fang, Radiant Pact, Eclipse Syndicate—were everywhere, shaping the world's future. But The Scarlet Moon? A mystery.
Still, I wasn't in a position to be picky. It was a start.
I packed my things—a single bag, a few books, my terminal. My room had always been bare. Just the essentials.
By midday, I stood at the door, taking one last look at the empty space. It had never felt like home. Without hesitation, I left.
---
The Scarlet Moon was on the city's outskirts, wedged between ruins and hastily built structures. The building itself was simple—stone and reinforced steel. Above the entrance, a deep red crescent moon was painted on the wall. No grandeur like the bigger guilds, but it had a presence.
Inside, the air smelled of metal and old paper. A mission board stood at the center, surrounded by hunters speaking in hushed voices. The whole place hummed with quiet energy.
At the counter, an argument was unfolding.
"I brought ten Molten Cores, you brain-dead incel! Ten! That's fifty bucks each! That's five hundred!"
Molten Cores were the solid heart of Moltens, acting as their power source. Destroy the body, and a Molten could rebuild itself—unless you took the core. That's why they were valuable, used for weapons, energy, and experimental tech.
The guy yelling was short—maybe 5'6. Dark hair, dark eyes, sharper tongue. Every other word was an insult.
Behind him stood someone taller, around 6'0. Blonde, glasses, freckles. He looked used to this.
The taller one noticed me first, nodding. "New face?"
"Yeah."
"I'm Kasen," he said. "And that's Julian."
Julian didn't look at me. "I'm being scammed, that's what I am!"
Kasen sighed. "Julian thinks he's being underpaid."
"I am being underpaid!" Julian snapped. "This fucker is trying to rip me off!"
I glanced at the attendant—more tired than concerned. Then I saw the sign behind him.
Guild tax on Molten Cores—10% cut per sale.
I read it aloud.
Julian froze. Slowly, he turned to the sign. A long pause. Then, a sigh. "Fine. I'm wrong."
No apology. Just reluctant acceptance.
The attendant wordlessly processed the transaction. 450 credits instead of 500. Julian shoved the money into his pocket with a huff.
Kasen, composed as ever, gave a small nod. "We're in the same party," he told me. "Julian and I."
I raised an eyebrow. "Condolences."
Kasen smirked. Julian scowled. "You got a problem?"
"No."
"Good." Julian shoved his hands into his pockets. "Let's go, Kasen."
Kasen nodded at me. "Nice meeting you, Abaddon."
Then they were gone.
I watched them disappear into the crowd before heading to register for a room. The guild provided housing for those who lived too far away. After signing up, I checked the mission board and put my name down for random party recruitment.
Shockwave manipulation wasn't exactly popular, so finding a team on my own would've been tough.
A few hours later, my terminal pinged.
Random Party Recruit: Assignment Complete.
Two names appeared on the screen.
Julian Armani. Kasen Law.
I stared. Fate had a sense of humor.
With a sigh, I closed my terminal and got ready for my first hunt.