Birds chirped softly as they soared through the crisp morning air.
The trio had woken only a few minutes earlier and were now making their way back to the Sylva Guardians Guild Headquarters to finally begin their mission.
"I didn't think our first mission would be this complicated," Akeno said.
"Yeah," Boros replied as he adjusted his shirt.
"Investigating a dangerous organization and saving an entire town is a bit much for a first assignment."
Kinuko smiled faintly.
"Considering our ranks, I'm not surprised."
"I'm sure Jonas' party and Rayka's party were assigned missions just as difficult."
"Fair enough," Boros said.
"Let's get going."
He stepped out of the inn, with Akeno and Kinuko following close behind.
Fortunately, the inn wasn't far from the Guild Headquarters, so the walk wouldn't take long.
After a few minutes of silence, Kinuko spoke.
"I don't think we'll actually be doing much investigating."
Boros glanced at her.
"You think so?"
He casually kicked a small stone along the road as they walked.
Kinuko nodded.
"Yes."
"This kidnapping problem has been going on for months."
"Before we arrived, I assumed we'd be helping the Sylva Guardians begin their investigation."
She shook her head.
"But they're still a Guild."
"They've had months to gather information."
Boros nodded in agreement.
"You're right."
"And judging by the way Benjamin spoke yesterday..."
"...he doesn't seem like the type to sit around doing nothing."
"So," Akeno said, "what do you think our job actually is?"
Kinuko thought for a moment before answering.
"If my theory is correct..."
"...the Sylva Guardians have already located the S-Rank Killers' base of operations."
She folded her arms.
"They called for the White Tigers because they knew they couldn't handle the assault alone."
"They didn't want to underestimate their enemy."
She looked toward the Guild Headquarters, now visible in the distance.
"So I think today's meeting won't be about investigating."
"It'll be about confirming everything they've already learned..."
"...then pointing us toward the enemy."
A small smile appeared on her face.
"And after that..."
"...we fight."
She shrugged.
"Of course, that's only my speculation."
Boros chuckled.
"Sounds reasonable enough."
By then, they had reached the entrance to the Sylva Guardians Guild Headquarters.
Boros stopped before the gates.
"...Well."
"It's time to get this mission started."
The gates stood wide open, allowing the trio to walk straight in.
Almost immediately, they noticed something was different.
"There are a lot more people here than yesterday," Boros observed as they made their way toward the main building.
"You're right," Kinuko replied, glancing around the bustling compound.
Adventurers moved from place to place, some carrying documents, others engaged in hurried conversations.
Akeno clasped her hands behind her head as she walked.
"Maybe something's happening today."
They entered the main building and found it just as busy. Adventurers filled the halls, yet surprisingly, no one stopped them.
Without any trouble, they made their way to Benjamin's office.
Knock. Knock.
"Come in," a voice called from the other side.
Boros pushed the door open, and the trio stepped inside.
The room was far more crowded than it had been the previous day.
Around twenty people stood inside, their conversations coming to an abrupt halt as every pair of eyes turned toward the newcomers.
Benjamin rose from his chair.
"This is the group the White Tigers sent to assist us."
He smiled apologetically as he approached Boros.
"Forgive my rudeness."
"It just occurred to me that I never asked for your name."
He extended his arm.
Boros stepped forward and, instead of taking his hand, gripped Benjamin's forearm in the greeting reserved for high-rank Adventurers.
"Don't worry about it."
"I didn't exactly come here to exchange pleasantries."
After a firm shake, the two let go.
Boros looked around the room.
"So..."
"Would you mind explaining this plan of yours?"
"Of course."
Benjamin sat back down before gesturing toward Jake.
Jake stepped forward.
"The people gathered here are the committee assembled to investigate the S-Rank Killers."
He glanced around the room.
"I would've liked to introduce everyone individually..."
"...but that would take a while."
"I'm sure you'll get to know each other soon enough."
"Get on with it, Jake," one of the men in the group said.
Jake sighed.
"Right."
The man who had interrupted stepped forward first.
"Rodney Field."
He offered Boros a handshake.
Boros accepted it with a nod before Rodney stepped back into the crowd.
Jake cleared his throat and continued.
"As we explained yesterday, our investigation made very little progress when we believed the S-Rank Killers and the kidnappers were two separate organizations."
"But thanks to Guildmaster Benjamin's discovery..."
"...we were finally able to approach the case from the right angle."
He spread a large map across the table, prompting everyone to gather around it.
"This is a map of Tunisik and the surrounding forest."
He pointed at several marks scattered across it.
"The five X's marked here indicate the locations where most of the kidnappings took place."
Kinuko leaned over the table before pointing to another X much farther away.
"And this one?"
Jake nodded.
"...That's the location we believe serves as the S-Rank Killers' base of operations."
A wave of quiet murmurs spread throughout the room.
According to everything they'd uncovered...
...this was supposed to be the base of the very organization responsible for murdering countless high-rank Adventurers.
The evidence pointed to it.
But believing it was another matter entirely.
The Sylva Guardians were the lowest-ranked Guild in the world.
What could they possibly do against an enemy like that?
And even with three powerful Adventurers from the White Tigers...
...would it really be enough?
Not everyone shared the same doubts.
Some of those present had lost friends.
Others had lost family.
People who had been taken by the kidnappers and never returned.
They had already made up their minds.
This mission...
...was kill or be killed.
Jake straightened.
"So, here's the plan."
He pointed at the five X's marked across the map.
"Tonight, we'll place decoy civilians at each of these locations."
"The moment the S-Rank Killers make contact..."
"...the operation begins."
He looked around the room.
"There hasn't been a kidnapping in nearly two weeks."
"My guess is they've exhausted their current supply of victims."
"So when they finally decide to strike again..."
"...they'll send a considerable portion of their forces to attack all five locations simultaneously."
His finger moved to the lone X deep within the forest.
"While our five teams keep their kidnapping squads occupied..."
"...four elite strike teams will approach the enemy base from four different directions."
"They'll surround it before launching the assault."
Boros folded his arms.
"You said there haven't been any kidnappings for two weeks."
Jake nodded.
"So how can you be sure they'll attack tonight?"
"And more importantly..."
"...how do you know they'll attack at all?"
Benjamin answered this time.
"Because those bastards are predictable."
He tapped one of the marked locations.
"They attack one of these five areas twice every week."
"On the same days."
"At the same hour."
"They got so comfortable they stopped changing their routine."
He folded his arms.
"My theory is that they simply didn't need any more victims for a while."
"But their members never left our forests."
He narrowed his eyes.
"So the moment they needed more..."
"...I knew they'd return."
His fist slowly tightened.
"I'm certain of it."
"There will be an all-out attack tonight."
Jake picked up where he left off.
"And because Guildmaster Benjamin reached that conclusion..."
"...we've already begun preparing."
"Every available Adventurer in the Guild was called back this morning."
'So that's why it was so packed.' Akeno thought.
"Their current assignment is to evacuate civilians to the western district of Tunisik..."
"...and replace them with our decoys."
Kinuko quietly observed the map.
'Just as I thought...'
'They'd already completed the investigation.'
'They only needed reinforcements to ensure the operation succeeded.'
Jake gestured toward the people gathered around the room.
"The people here are the captains of some of our strongest parties."
"Their teams, along with additional Adventurers, will—"
Bang!
The office door flew open.
Before anyone else could react, Boros felt it.
Nexus.
He calmly turned toward the entrance.
A man stood in the doorway, one foot still resting against the door he'd just kicked open.
"Huh?"
He glanced around the room with a grin.
"Don't tell me you started planning without me."
Benjamin leaned back in his chair.
"...Spike."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"You're late."