The Crimson fangs were very well known, so famous that even someone as detached from guild politics as Yuki knew their name.
Whenever you switch on a Tv you'd hear of the successful exploits of the crimson fangs. A small guild that climbed their way Up the harsh rankings of guilds due to their very proactive nature of closing dungeons and defending the cities from invading monsters.
And now, here was the Vice Guild master of the crimson fangs, Jacob Garder, notoriously known as 'The Beautiful Blazing Sword', Reaching out to shake Yuki's hands.
Yuki was mesmerized by his beauty, his chiseled jawline, blazing red fluffy hair, piercing ember eyes, soft lips. But Owen didn't like this, how could he stand by when some boy idol was trying to steal his woman. He growled at Jacob's outstretched hands which caused Jacob to retract it.
"ha-ha, fiery little beast" Jacob said as he smiled at Owen. "Well, to continue with introductions, I'll tell you who the people behind me are, as the lowest ranked person here I guess it's my duty, ha-ha"
"That one is Rogers Trump, S-Rank Hunter and Vice Guild master of the 4th Ranked Guild; The Dark Reapers." Jacob pointed at a slender man that was leaning against Yuki's door. He wore a long black coat and had long black hair. His face carried the aura of a crime boss and something about him sent shivers down Yuki's spine.
"Hah!" she gasped. Clutching her mouth.
"What is it, Yuki?" Owen asked telepathically.
"That's Vonn's guild." She replied as she steadied herself.
Rogers stepped forward, bumping Jacob out of the way. "Woman, I am not a man of many words" he said staring down at Yuki with eyes that seemed to undress her.
"I know all about you. Your "husband" works directly under me. So, it'll be good for you to obediently just join the dark reapers" he said. Ignoring Owen's Threateningly growls as he walked past them and out the apartment complex.
"He is not my husband" Yuki snapped as the words ripped themselves out of her throat before she realized she had raised her voice. "Not anymore"
But it didn't change anything, Rogers just kept walking out. "Whatever. I'll have him bring the recruitment contract for you to sign soon. You've endured him for the past two years, so you know what's going to happen if you defy the dark reapers, right?'
"Huh? What? Hey, wait--!" Yuki tried stopping him because she understood quite well what that threat meant. It was because of Vonn joining the dark reapers guild, after he ranked up from C to B that he got the power to torment and suppress Yuki's growth for two years.
But Rogers vanished in the blink of an eye, either stealth or short-range teleportation.
"Sheesh, what was that about?" Jacob said, looking at Yuki concernedly.
"Forget that little assassin" A Huge man said from the group. He was dark skinned with white markings along his left arm. He wore a simple white shirt with its sleeves rolled up and Camouflage pants.
"And this huge mountain of a man is Seth Freeman. S-Rank hunter and vice guild leader of the Confederation. 3rd on the Guild Rankings and A militaristic Guild that rules one of the five main human cities; Dome city." Jacob added.
"Hah! You pretty flame boy, if you say it like that she'd misunderstand" the brolly man said as he laughed.
"He walked up to Owen, not phased by the Growling baby dragon. "We, at the confederation, devote ourselves to defending humanity. Dome city is at the west edge of the continent, so it's the closest city to the demonic continent. Unlike other Guilds that take care of dungeon threats. We mostly defend against demonic beasts that come from the demonic continent. People say the demons have become extinct or are hiding in that dark continent but we know better, thus we are preparing ourselves for the next war with demons!"
Owen watched the giant of a man speak, and for once the baby dragon stopped growling.
The Confederation's vice guild leader wasn't bluffing, every word carried the weight of someone who had stood on the actual front lines. And annoyingly, he wasn't wrong.
Even before Owen died and reincarnated as a dragon, back when he was just a powerless civilian scraping by, the thought of the demonic continent had always lingered at the back of his mind.
People tried to downplay it. The Government claimed the demons were extinct. News anchors called it superstition. But every child growing up in the human cities felt the tension of those unspoken stories of what laid beyond the western borders. Even now, as a dragon hatchling barely larger than a housecat, Owen felt a tug deep in his instincts. To be wary of Seth Freeman's warnings of the demons.
CLAP!
"that's enough, you big brute! Don't scare our esteemed dragon tamer with that nonsense talk of demons" a woman from the group said.
She had Lucius blonde hair that curled and fells on her boobs. She wore a crop top and baggy cargo pants. She looked no older than 25.
"And This beautiful Woman you see here is none Other than Diane Pikewell. Vice-Guild master of Gate Zero. The 2nd Ranked Guild on the rankings. 70 percent of every weapon you see on a hunter is probably made from them." Jacob said as he grabbed her hand to kiss it but she pushed him aside.
"I'll be frank" she said. Pointing at Yuki. "We don't need fighters that much; we are a guild of the best Artisans ever. But you? Ho~ho, can you imagine the kind of weapons we'd make from your dragon's scales once it evolves into adult hood???"
At this point, Diane was salivating as she stared at Owen, Owen shrieked in fear at the craziness of this young woman.
"You, weapon maniac" Seth said as he grabbed her and began walking out the apartment. "I hope to hear from you soon, young dragon tamer"
"don't forget about me! I don't even need you to join the guild, just make us a priority for your Dragon's scales" Diane yelled as she was dragged out the building.
Jacob smiled as the pair left, then he glanced at the remining two men and decided to leave them to introduce themselves. "Well, I hope you'd choose me" he said as he winked at Yuki. Causing Owen to growl at him again.
He quickly ran of the building, waving to Yuki and Owen. "hahaha, bye"
Now it was just remaining two more men, they both glanced at each other then the older one with a grey beard-mustache combo like butlers, decided to come forward. He pulled out a card and handed it to Yuki.
"I am Alfred, Humble servant of the Madam"
"The madam?" Yuki puzzled as she stared at the card. It had the simple inscriptions 'OW'
"The other Dragon Tamer in the city, Madam Odessa Wayne." Alfred responded. "she leads a small group of tamers And she'll be delighted to have you for dinner some time. Do reach out"
He walked out of the building, not giving Yuki any time to respond. Owen wasn't as stunned. He knew about Odessa. As a hunter enthusiast before he died, he was aware of other dragon tamers. Though not all the 'dragons' were as majestic as he, but he had mentally registered in his mind that they would be confronted by them eventually.