Zairon's grin stretched wider, knowing he had them hooked. "Let's go make our mark on the world. We're just getting started."
The women shared a look—half amused, half exhilarated—before following him out of the inn. The city buzzed with life, unaware that a storm was about to stir in its depths.
At the mission board, Zairon ignored the lower-tier tasks. His eyes locked onto the section reserved for the truly insane—the blood-red parchment marked S-Rank and above.
He tapped a freshly posted notice:
"Critical Mission: Investigate and Annihilate the Hidden Cult in the Upper Rings."
Difficulty: S-Rank+
Reward: 25 million gold + one Royal-Class Artifact per participant
Special Condition: Survivors of prior missions—none
Requirement: Minimum 5-member party with proven A-Rank or higher clearance
One of the girls muttered, "Now you're just looking for death."
Zairon's smile turned sharp. "Death? No. Glory? Always."
They exchanged a glance, then nodded. They knew this wasn't just about the reward. This was Zairon's way—blaze through the impossible, tear down secrets, and leave behind a legend.
"Time to shake this city," he said. "Let's uncover the rot beneath the gold."
And with that, the hunt began.