After completing their mission, Steve headed back to where the Wyvern was stationed. Once he arrived, Unknown offered to create a portal to speed up their journey. "Hey Steve, want me to open a portal or what?" he asked.
"Yeah, fine. Let's just get there quickly," Steve replied, his voice tinged with a hint of irritation. Despite his mood, Steve mounted the Wyvern and guided it toward the swirling rift created by Unknown.
Woosh!! As they emerged from the portal, a violent gust of wind slammed into Steve's face. From high above, the magnificent silhouette of The Great Hunter building pierced through the clouds.
Steve commanded the Wyvern to dive, aiming for the landing deck.
The heavy thud of the Wyvern's feet echoed across the deck as it touched down.
Steve leaped off, shaking the dust from his jacket. He let out a long sigh of relief, his body finally relaxing after the grueling ordeal. "Hahh... finally, we're back!" he muttered while stretching his limbs.
As Steve began untying the Wyvern's reins, the sound of rapid footsteps approached. Gaki burst through the automatic elevator doors, eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Whoa, BroSteve! You're back so fast! Was it fun out there? What kind of monsters did you see?!!"
Steve answered casually, "Yeah, it was pretty exhausting, actually. Not many monsters, though."
He reached out, patted Gaki's head, and walked past. Gaki stood there, blinking in confusion. "Ehhh~?"
Steve entered the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. Ting!
He walked slowly through the corridor, passing rows of portraits featuring legendary Hunters. His footsteps echoed in the silence.
His gaze swept over the frames until he stopped abruptly in front of a photo of Shiro. Steve stared at the image for a long time, looking deeply curious about Shiro's actual role within the guild.
Annoyed by the delay, Unknown snapped at him, "Hey, weirdo! Why are you just standing there? Move!"
"Yeah, yeah," Steve muttered, resuming his walk until he reached a familiar large wooden door.
Without knocking, he pushed it open.
Kregk was sitting behind his desk, observing a holographic map of Zone Zero.
Seeing Steve enter with a grime-covered jacket, Kregk deactivated the hologram and leaned back.
"That was quick. I thought it would take another day or two just to escape that black fog. You really are reliable, Steve," Kregk said calmly.
Steve tossed his guild card onto the desk and slumped into the chair opposite Kregk. "Zone Zero is definitely creepy... but I found a dome filled with ancient materials. They look useful and expensive," Steve said, his expression serious.
Kregk smiled broadly at the news of a potential guild asset, but one question remained. "Did you find anything there... similar to your power?"
Steve deflected immediately. "It was probably just because they're both dark powers. Nothing looked similar to mine."
"Alright then. Steve, here is your room key. Go take it."
Steve took the key, his hands trembling slightly from the weight of the lie. Even though he had convinced Kregk, the guilt lingered. "Thanks, Boss. I really need to rest." He stood up and hurried out of the room.
In the hallway, Steve rushed toward his room, following the number on his key. He was desperate to hear No Name's explanation about what happened in Zone Zero.
Once inside, he locked the door tightly to ensure their conversation remained private.
"Alright, talk! Explain who that 'Scyte' person was!" Steve demanded.
With a reluctant tone, Unknown began the tale. "It all started 8,000 years ago, back when I was young..."
"Hah?! That long ago?!" Steve gasped.
"Be patient and listen! Back then, I..."
Suddenly, Steve's vision blurred. The colors of his room seemed to melt, replaced by blinding neon lights.
Unknown's voice drifted away, replaced by the roar of unfamiliar engines.
Tiiiitttt! Brummmm!
Flying cars and advanced transports hummed between towering skyscrapers. Steve was no longer looking at concrete and carpet, but a forest of steel and technology far beyond his era. Slowly, the voice of a younger, calmer Unknown became clear.
"Hmm, Sector 1 is cleared. Building these massive towers just for a mission... maybe I should go for a walk."
The bored, younger Unknown stepped off the edge of his skyscraper. As he fell, the wind roared around him, but just before hitting the ground, he surged upward, flying with a stable and calm aura of Pure Darkness. He drifted between the skyscrapers, his black coat fluttering.
He eventually landed softly on the roof of a dilapidated orphanage on the outskirts of the city.
There, he spotted a young boy who looked completely broken and disheveled. Intrigued, Unknown followed the boy to a small bridge at the city's edge.
"What is that kid doing? He Can't read the signs?" In the silence, Unknown noticed a policeman with ill intent approaching the boy.
He watched from the shadows, sensing an extraordinary potential within the child.
The man began to beat the boy, even attempting to drown him.
Remarkably, the boy didn't give up; he clawed his way back up, wielding a scythe shaped piece of wood as a weapon. But the physical gap was too great. The boy was soon gasping for air, a hand clamped tightly around his throat.
At that moment, Unknown flicked his finger with such force that the man was sent flying, shattering the bridge in the process. As the dust settled, the policeman was gone—likely vaporized.
Unknown stepped forward, his shoes clicking sharply against the debris. He stopped in front of the boy, Scyte, who was shivering and soaked in filth.
He still clutched the wooden scythe as if it were his only lifeline.
Scyte looked up, his eyes red from exhaustion. "W-who are you?" he rasped.
Unknown looked down impassively and extended a hand.
"You have great potential, kid. Want to come with me?"
Without waiting for an answer, Unknown turned around. Scyte, having no other choice, stood up with his remaining strength and followed the mysterious man toward a portal leading back to the heart of the city.
"Who are you, really... Mister?" Scyte whispered.
"Heh, I don't even know myself. Just call me No Name."
Upon reaching the top floor, Unknown introduced Scyte to one of his trusted subordinates, Tora, a person who always wore a blindfold. Without delay, No Name handed them both a vital mission: to find information regarding one of the world's founding elements The Red Stone.