The morning air over the Amethyst Guild compound shimmered faintly with mana, the kind of quiet power that came from people who'd survived hell more than once. The building wasn't grand—Ashura never cared for luxury—but everything was reinforced with layered enchantments, a fortress of quiet danger and precision.
Inside the main hall, sunlight filtered through violet-tinted glass panes, washing over banners carrying the sigil of the Amethyst Guild—a streak of purple lightning crossing a black wolf's head.
Ashura stood before his people, hands in his pockets, a faint grin tugging at his lips. His presence filled the room easily. Every step, every glance—controlled. Calm. Dominant.
Around him stood the pillars of his guild:
Kai Tsukihara, his second in command. Short black hair, golden eyes that always seemed to burn with calm fire. He'd evolved his flame into Blackfire, a deadly fusion of infernal and celestial energy that consumed everything it touched.
Rin Hoshino, the berserker girl whose evolution had transformed her rage into something pure and divine. Her weapon—a halberd infused with crimson mana—trembled faintly as if eager for war.
Takeru Inoue, the oldest member, a man in his early thirties with a sharp jawline and the aura of a veteran. Ashura once said he was the only man in the guild he could spar with seriously. His contract was with the Earth God, his body nearly indestructible when activated.
Mira Asahina, the girl with godlike potential no one noticed until Ashura recruited her. Quiet, gentle, her divinity whispered through the threads of fate itself—she had a contract with the God of Destiny.
These four were his core. Around them, nearly thirty other members stood at attention—hunters, mages, warriors, all bound to divine systems that reflected their chosen gods.
Ashura's gaze swept across them, and he smirked.
"Alright," he said, voice low but cutting through the air like lightning. "You've been training, I can see that. Good. But training without purpose is the same as dying slower."
Rin straightened, her halberd glowing faintly. "Then give us purpose, Guildmaster."
Ashura turned to the large holographic map projected from the central orb. The world unfolded before them—countries divided by mountain chains, oceans stained by crimson storms, and territories where the void corruption had begun to resurface.
He tapped the northwestern region—a wasteland bordered by black fog. "This is the Eidolon Rift. Reports say there are remains of a collapsed god's domain there. I want a reconnaissance team to confirm it. Kai, you'll lead that one."
Kai nodded once. "Understood."
He shifted his attention to Rin. "You'll head east with three of your squad. The Ember Clans are stirring again. If they think they can threaten our trade routes, remind them who they're dealing with. Leave a few breathing, though. Information has value."
Rin smirked. "I'll play nice… for the first five minutes."
Ashura ignored the dark chuckles that followed. His gaze softened slightly when he turned to Mira. "You're staying here. Keep your eyes on the flow of fate. If something shifts—if any thread around this continent trembles—you let me know immediately."
Mira bowed deeply, her voice soft. "Yes, Master Ashura."
Then he looked at Takeru. "You and I will discuss reinforcement protocols. We're going to be moving soon—beyond this continent. I don't plan to stay tied down here forever."
That made the entire room go quiet.
Ashura walked toward the center of the hall, resting one hand on the table, lightning faintly flickering from his fingertips. "I've realized something," he said. "We've been too small-minded. This continent? It's just a corner of something much larger. I've seen things beyond the veil—places where gods walk, where systems collapse, where power isn't measured by level but by existence itself."
Rin frowned. "You're saying we'll expand?"
Ashura's grin widened, slow and confident. "Not expand. Conquer. But before that… we'll travel. We'll learn. We'll break the limits every other guild believes in."
Kai's lips curved into a thin smile. "You're serious."
"When am I not?"
The room broke into laughter, though every one of them knew that his words were more than just ambition—they were prophecy.
Ashura straightened, turning his back toward the glowing map. "Prepare the divisions. Missions go out today. I'll handle the coordination personally."
As his subordinates dispersed to their tasks, the air itself seemed to thrum in response to his intent.
Kai lingered behind. "You're planning to leave soon, aren't you?"
Ashura nodded slightly. "Yeah. The world's getting noisy. And somewhere out there are others like me—people with god's blood in their veins. I'll need to see for myself which ones are worth keeping alive."
Kai smirked faintly. "And if they're not?"
Ashura's eyes gleamed with that unmistakable, terrifying amusement. "Then they'll vanish like thunder after the storm."
Lightning cracked outside the guild hall, mirroring the grin stretching across his face.
He didn't just lead the Amethyst Guild—he was its storm, its shadow, and its god.