The walk back from the Sunken Labyrinth was silent, the exhaustion of the fight overshadowed by the sheer weight of Aaliyah's death and my successful acquisition of the Summoner's Bell. I kept the heirloom securely hidden within a specially woven pocket inside my tattered jacket, its faint resonance now a private reassurance of my growing power.
Juts walked beside me, his eyes distant. He hadn't seen the final, deliberate act, but he had witnessed the immediate aftermath: Aaliyah, dead, and the Summoner's Bell missing before I claimed she had lost her life in a "toxic burst." The lie was simple, but the gap in his memory—the missing moments of the killing—left a cold, burgeoning suspicion in his mind. He was confused, frightened, and now, slightly detached. Perfect. His confusion was my shield.
We returned to the Hunter's Guild building. The same guards who had scoffed at us now stared with thinly veiled awe. We were splattered with black muck and dark green residue, unmistakable signs of having survived the Labyrinth.
We were led immediately into the Guild Master's office. He was expecting us, sitting stiffly behind his desk. The moment he saw us, his eyes darted to my gauntlet, then to Juts, and finally, to our empty hands. A flicker of disappointed relief crossed his face—he hadn't expected us to succeed, but he had expected to see our corpses, or at least the evidence of a failed attempt.
"You're back," he stated, his voice flat. "Where is the Miasma Shroud Essence?"
I dropped a handful of gruesome items onto his desk: two razor-sharp Gorgon Bone Claws and the pieces of several shattered hunter artifacts—the true evidence of the carnage inside.
"The test was flawed, Guild Master," I stated, my voice calm, professional, and devoid of emotion. "You sent us into a meat grinder, not a trial. The primary guardian was a Plated Gorgon—a mid-level Rare-rank brute that cost your previous platoons their lives. We dispatched it. The Miasma Shroud was simply the secondary target."
I then produced the Miasma Shroud Card, a translucent sheet of toxic green. "Here is the Miasma Shroud Card and the full Essence." I placed the card on his desk but kept the Essence within my gauntlet, letting the dark green energy subtly pulse beneath the obsidian surface. "The Shroud's essence is contained within my gauntlet. It was a high-risk immediate absorption. Its volatile nature makes transport unstable, as you know."
The Guild Master's eyes widened, recognizing the distinct energy signature within my artifact. He knew I was telling the truth about the essence, and he also knew that absorbing a Rare-rank essence on the spot was a feat that belied my age and common artifact. He saw the cold, efficient hunter I presented myself to be.
"And Aaliyah?" he asked, his voice now laced with genuine curiosity and a hint of dread.
My face adopted a look of grim resignation, a masterful piece of theater. "Hunter Aaliyah was trapped deep inside the Labyrinth. She had sustained heavy injuries. We found her, and she assisted in the final hunt. She helped us pinpoint the Shroud's location using her heirloom, the Summoner's Bell."
I paused for effect, letting my gaze drop to the floor. "The Miasma Shroud did not go quietly. As it disintegrated, it released a massive, final burst of Toxic Fog, a concentrated vapor designed to kill. Juts and I managed to escape the blast, but Aaliyah was too weak from her earlier injuries. She died immediately, sacrificing herself to ensure the Shroud's core essence didn't escape. Her body remains in the deeper cavern. I brought back the Guild artifacts she was carrying."
I placed a few battered items—a broken compass and a ruined sword hilt—on the desk, which I had taken from her pouch. I deliberately omitted the Summoner's Bell and the smuggling route map.
"A tragic loss to the Guild," I murmured, my voice conveying the appropriate blend of respect and cold pragmatism. "But her sacrifice secured the objective."
The Guild Master stared at the objects, his mind racing. Aaliyah's death was a minor loss, but my success was a major problem. He had sent us to die, but we had returned with a Rare Essence and a fabricated story of a heroic sacrifice that conveniently explained why a veteran hunter died and two 'children' survived. The story was plausible and impossible to disprove without sending a team into the lethal section of the Labyrinth.
More importantly, I hadn't mentioned the smuggling route. I hadn't revealed his secret.
He realized he couldn't kill us. If he did, he would have to explain how two 'novice' boys killed two Rare-rank monsters, why he sent them on a suicide mission, and why a respected hunter died and her heirloom vanished. If he tried to arrest us, I would immediately reveal the truth about the secret smuggling route and the fact that the Miasma Shroud was simply guarding his illicit trade.
I had achieved leverage.
He slowly leaned back, the last traces of arrogance melting away, replaced by calculating caution.
"Very well, Dax and Juts," the Guild Master said, sighing deeply. "You have proven your skill, far beyond your years. The Miasma Shroud essence is secured, and the Labyrinth is momentarily safe. The Guild will officially accept you."
He reached for two blank, official scrolls and dipped his quill in ink. "You are officially Hunter-Rank Initiates. Your names will be entered into the ledger. You have earned your Hunter's License."
He swiftly wrote on the scrolls, his expression stern. He slid the first license toward me. It read: Dax Jackal. Below it, he slid the second: Juts Jackal.
"Welcome to the Vigan Hunter's Guild," he said, the welcome sounding more like a threat. "Your training begins immediately. Do not step out of line, or I will personally ensure your brief careers end quickly."
I took the license, the parchment feeling surprisingly warm in my hand. "We understand the terms, Guild Master," I said, a cold, victory-tinged smile on my face. "We are here to rise."
The gates to Vigan City were officially open. The foundation for my empire was now set.