They stepped through the gates and entered the Guild grounds.
Adventurers moved throughout the compound, each occupied with their own tasks.
A wide stone path stretched straight ahead, leading to a single main building. Several smaller buildings were scattered around the grounds, serving different purposes.
Towering trees lined both sides of the path, with well-kept gardens adding a touch of color beneath their shade.
If there was one thing the trio noticed...
It was that, although the compound was spacious, it wasn't anywhere near the size of the White Tigers Guild Headquarters.
As they continued down the path, one of the adventurers stationed at the entrance approached them.
"Are you here to report an incident?" he asked.
Akeno shook her head.
"No."
"We're here to see your Guildmaster."
Boros nodded.
"We're the reinforcements sent by the White Tigers."
The adventurer studied the three of them for a moment.
'Only three...?'
'Then they must be high-rank Adventurers.'
He gave a respectful nod.
"Please, follow me."
He led them along the stone path toward the main building.
Once they reached it, he pulled open the large wooden doors and ushered them inside.
The interior wasn't particularly crowded, but several Adventurers could be seen moving about.
Some walked through the hallways carrying documents.
Others stood in small groups, quietly discussing missions.
Without stopping, the adventurer guided the trio down a long corridor until they reached a large door at the very end.
He gestured toward it.
"The Guildmaster's office."
Stepping forward, he knocked twice.
Knock. Knock.
No response came from inside.
Even so, the adventurer carefully opened the door.
"...We've confirmed these locations."
A man's voice echoed from within.
"Here... here... here... and here."
He pointed at several different spots marked across a large map spread over his desk.
Another man stood opposite him, listening intently.
Only then did the two men notice the visitors standing at the doorway.
The escorting adventurer straightened.
"Excuse me, sir."
The Guildmaster frowned.
"...Can't you see I'm busy?"
"Yes, sir."
The adventurer bowed apologetically.
"But they insisted they were here to see you, so I brought them straight here."
The Guildmaster stepped away from the map and sat casually on the edge of his desk.
He folded his arms and looked the trio over.
"So?"
"What exactly do you want with me?"
Boros met his gaze without hesitation.
"We're from the White Tigers."
"So that's how it is..."
The Guildmaster straightened up from where he sat.
"Are you the group Griffin sent to confirm that the White Tigers have agreed to participate in the joint operation?"
Boros shook his head.
"No."
"We're the reinforcements."
He folded his arms.
"We're here to help you deal with your pest problem."
The Guildmaster remained silent for a moment.
'So he didn't bother sending a delegation to confirm his participation...'
'He sent Adventurers immediately.'
'I suppose that answers my question.'
'Griffin's agreed.'
His eyes swept over the trio once more.
'Only three...?'
'Then they're probably high-rank Adventurers.'
"...What are your ranks?" he asked.
"High-Grade S-Rank," Kinuko answered.
"Same here," Akeno added.
Boros looked him straight in the eye.
"...Apex."
Silence.
The Guildmaster slowly turned toward the man standing beside him.
Their eyes met. Neither of them spoke. Yet they were thinking the exact same thing.
'An Apex-Rank...? I don't recognize him. He has to be a recent recruit.'
'...But that's impossible.'
'The Guild Concord hasn't held an Ascension Conference in months.'
The Guildmaster's gaze returned to Boros.
'Unless...'
A grin slowly crept across his face.
'Griffin...'
'You wouldn't pull something like this unless you were absolutely certain you could back it up.'
'The White Tigers are the only Guild in the world that's never participated in a joint Guild operation.'
'So why the sudden change?'
His grin widened.
'Is this part of your plan...?'
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
'I have a feeling...'
'Things are about to get very interesting.'
He stepped forward and extended his hand toward Boros.
"The name's Benjamin."
He smiled.
"Benjamin Stark."
Boros reached out to shake his hand.
Instead, Benjamin reached past his hand and firmly grabbed Boros' forearm.
He grinned.
"This is how high-ranks greet each other."
"You'd better get used to it."
Boros glanced down at the grip before returning the gesture.
His own hand wrapped around Benjamin's forearm.
For a brief moment...
Both men tightened their grips.
Neither said a word.
Then they released each other.
The man standing beside Benjamin stepped forward.
"I'm Jake Rooney."
Benjamin nodded toward him.
"My Vice Guildmaster."
Jake gave the trio a polite nod.
"I wish we were meeting under better circumstances."
"But you're here on official business."
"And your timing couldn't be better."
Benjamin turned toward the adventurer who had escorted them.
"You can leave us."
"Yes, sir."
The adventurer saluted before quietly leaving the office, shutting the door behind him.
Benjamin walked back to his desk.
"Let's begin."
The trio followed and took seats opposite him.
Benjamin settled into his chair.
"I assume Griffin has already briefed you on the basics of this mission."
"He didn't brief shi—"
The three of them caught themselves at the same time.
"...What was that?" Jake asked.
Kinuko smiled awkwardly.
"...Nothing."
"Please continue."
Benjamin blinked. "...Alright."
He leaned back in his chair.
"As you know, Tunisik has experienced a sharp rise in crime."
"We believe the S-Rank Killers are orchestrating it."
"They've been using attacks on Adventurers to occupy our forces..."
"...while another group kidnaps civilians elsewhere."
Jake folded his arms.
"The problem is..."
"We didn't notice the pattern at first."
"By the time we realized what was happening..."
"...a large number of civilians had already disappeared."
Benjamin nodded.
"It made the investigation incredibly difficult."
Jake continued.
"At first, we believed there were two separate organizations."
"One targeting high-rank Adventurers."
"And another kidnapping civilians."
"But eventually we discovered both operations were perfectly coordinated."
Kinuko leaned forward slightly.
"How did you figure out the S-Rank Killers were behind the kidnappings?"
Benjamin rested his elbows on the desk.
"The timing."
"It was too perfect."
"Every time we'd respond to an attack..."
"...people would disappear somewhere else."
"I was suspicious."
"But I still didn't have proof."
His expression darkened.
"That changed one day."
"We received reports of an attack deep within the forest."
"So I personally went to deal with it."
"While I was there..."
"I received another report."
He clenched a fist.
"Civilians were being kidnapped inside the town."
"I immediately turned back."
"But..."
"...someone intercepted me."
Benjamin's eyes narrowed.
"He called himself..."
"...a Killer."
Kinuko froze.
"...Killer?" she repeated.
Benjamin nodded.
"Yes."
'It can't be...'
The word echoed through Kinuko's mind.
'That man...'
'Was he connected to the S-Rank Killers...?'
She quickly shook the thought away.
'No.'
'I'm overthinking it.'
Boros noticed her expression immediately.
"You alright?"
He placed a hand on her shoulder.
Kinuko forced a smile.
"Yeah."
"Sorry."
"I just got lost in thought."
Benjamin studied her for a moment.
"If something came to mind that might help us..."
"We'd like to hear it."
She shook her head.
"No."
"It's nothing."
"My apologies for interrupting."
Benjamin smiled faintly.
"Don't worry about it."
He leaned back again.
"As I was saying..."
"I defeated the bastard."
"But by the time I made it back to town..."
"...the kidnappers had already escaped."
He lowered his gaze.
"He delayed me just long enough."
"That was the moment I knew..."
"...the attacks and kidnappings were connected."
Akeno frowned.
"That's messed up."
Benjamin nodded slowly.
"It is."
"When the S-Rank Killers first appeared..."
"I believed they were driven by some twisted sense of justice."
"I thought perhaps they'd encountered corruption within a Guild..."
"...and convinced themselves the only way to fix the world..."
"...was to destroy the Guild system by killing its strongest Adventurers."
He let out a bitter laugh.
"I was wrong."
His expression hardened.
"In the end..."
"They're no different from any other criminal organization."
He slammed his fist onto the desk.
Bang!
"They're after money."
Kinuko frowned.
"What makes you think that?"
Akeno nodded.
"Yeah."
"Have they been demanding huge ransoms for the people they've kidnapped?"
Benjamin slowly shook his head.
"...That's just it."
"They haven't demanded a single Nex."