"Mr. Hector!!!"
The sudden shout slammed into the silence like a hammer. Everyone in the room flinched, their heads snapping toward the source.
Armand Claymoor, who until now had sat in disciplined stillness, rose abruptly to his feet. His usually stoic expression cracked with raw urgency, and his booming voice filled the hall.
"Join my guild!"
For a moment, the hall froze.
"…Huh?"
"…What?"
"…Eh?"
Even Ren blinked, his mouth opening just slightly.
The first to break the tension was Elias. He chuckled in disbelief. "Ha."
No one laughed with him.
Armand ignored them all. His eyes blazed as if the very idea of Ren refusing would shatter his pride. He slammed his gauntleted fist against his chest, voice ringing with conviction.
"Your ability is the most suited for the Knight of Justice Guild!"
"We are the keepers of justice, the judges of sin, the protectors of the people"
"Do you not see, Hector? Your gift is what I have sought for years."
"Our enemies are rogue Hunters who abuse their strength and the monsters that devour innocent lives."
"With you, we can become the true guardians this nation deserves!"
He stepped forward, his posture upright and unyielding.
"The Knight of Justice works hand in hand with the Bureau to maintain peace within the city. Together, we safeguard Qintara's future. And with you at my side, we will soar higher than ever."
Armand's next words came like a carefully laid trap.0
"If you join now, you will be given a salary of ten million dollars. Housing. A car. Food. The privilege to choose any S Rank skill book available, free of cost. Furthermore, when high rank skill books arrive, you will be the third to learn them after me and the vice guild master."
His voice thundered across the chamber. "No…forget that! I will make you my Vice Guild Master today!"
The room erupted.
Even Evan's composure wavered, his brows furrowing as if to say,
"Are you insane?"
Armand's hand shot forward, open, trembling with sincerity.
"Please join us, Hector."
The man's sternness melted into a smile that carried both pride and desperation.
Ren stared at the hand.
And then—
"Not so fast, old man!"
Veyra's voice sliced through the air like a whip. She stood, her long dark hair flowing over her shoulders, her glare sharp enough to cut steel.
"If you join my Darkness Guild, I will pay you twelve million dollars. You'll receive everything the Knight of Justice offers salary, housing, privileges."
She crossed her arms, her grin confident, defiant.
"But more importantly, I'll add one more thing. Your required S-Rank Gate clearances will be reduced to one per quarter. Just one."
Gasps echoed around the room.
Armand's face reddened instantly. He slammed his palm against the table.
"What nonsense is this?! How will your guild shoulder the burden? The country needs every S-Rank Hunter contributing! If he clears only one Gate every quarter, what happens when a Gate Break occurs? Who will take responsibility?"
Veyra didn't flinch. Her tone was sharp, mocking. "You can take responsibility, old man. Isn't that your job as the self proclaimed 'knight of justice'?"
"You—!" Armand's jaw tightened, but before he could spit another word, another voice entered the fray.
"Enough of your bickering." Elias leaned back in his chair, smirking.
"Ren, let's be practical. If you join the Wing of Freedom, I'll prioritize your research. You're curious about your abilities, aren't you? How far can they go? What are their limits?"
"My guild will provide you with every resource you need. Laboratories, artifacts, specialists. Anything. Don't you want to understand the truth behind your power?"
Elias's grin widened, eyes glinting with calculation.
"You're a doctor, aren't you? You like dissecting things, learning what makes them tick. Let us help you dissect yourself."
Ren's lips twitched. That wasn't exactly the sales pitch he wanted to hear.
Before he could reply, Evan Roman, towering and immovable in his suit, stepped forward. His deep voice rumbled through the chamber.
"Hector," he said, his tone almost solemn.
"The Hunter Bureau needs you. Our purpose is simple: to preserve order, to protect the kingdom from chaos. The grace of the emperor shines upon every citizen. Should you not, as one of the strong, carry the responsibility to protect the weak?"
He looked Ren dead in the eyes.
"The Bureau will give you honor, duty, and the recognition of every man, woman, and child who sleeps peacefully at night because of your power."
Ren tilted his head slightly, face blank. Inwardly, his thoughts were far less polite.
Is this guy stupid? I'm not even from here. Why would I care about their emperor or their citizens?
Before he could voice anything close to that, a calm, unshakable voice spoke from the far end of the table.
"Twenty million dollars."
The room fell silent.
Every head turned.
Lu Changcheng had spoken.
The Daoist didn't raise his voice. He didn't need to. The weight of his words was heavier than Armand's shouting, Veyra's mockery, or Evan's solemnity.
"Twenty million dollars," Lu repeated, his gaze fixed on Ren. "And the freedom to choose whether or not to accept missions."
A stunned silence followed.
"…Huh?" Ren blinked.
Lu leaned forward slightly, his hands folded on the table.
"If you wish to open a clinic as a hobby, I will send injured Hunters your way. If your class requires healing others to grow stronger, you will become our primary medic. If you prefer to do nothing, then do nothing. The payment remains the same."
The faintest hint of a smile touched his lips.
"My only condition is that you help us clear one S-Rank Gate per year. Just one. And I will make certain it is a strongly negative one, where your ability functions most efficiently. It will not trouble you."
The words echoed like a verdict.
The rest of the room reeled.
Elias's smirk faltered. Veyra's composure cracked. Even Armand, ever the bastion of justice, could only stand speechless.
They could not match that offer. They could not even dream of it. What Lu had placed on the table wasn't a mere recruitment pitch—it was absolute dominance.
Armand clenched his fists, furious but helpless. Veyra grit her teeth, cursing under her breath. Elias slumped, lips twitching in frustration.
Even Evan, who was supposed to represent the Bureau's unshakable authority, lowered his head slightly.
Because they all knew the truth.
What Lu Changcheng had given was not a proposal.
It was an offer that could not be refused.