The road stretched long.
Wind rushed past.
Engines roared.
A convoy of vehicles moved across the open highway—
Marked with the emblem of Eclipse Dominion.
Inside the lead car—
Chaos.
"WE'RE REALLY GOING TO SUNRISE CLIFF?!"
"No way—no way—this has to be a joke!"
"Guild Master, say something!!"
Kaizen sat by the window.
Head slightly tilted.
Watching the horizon pass by.
"…You're loud."
"OF COURSE WE'RE LOUD!"
"That place is for S-RANK GUILDS!"
"How did you even buy it?!"
Kaizen didn't look at them.
"…I paid."
"WITH WHAT?!"
A pause.
"…Something I didn't need."
Silence.
"…That doesn't answer anything!"
Kaizen finally glanced at them.
Eyes calm.
Unshaken.
"…You don't need to understand."
"…Just focus on getting stronger."
The tone—
Was different.
Not lazy.
Not dismissive.
It carried weight.
The car went quiet.
"…Yes, Guild Master."
Outside—
The city slowly faded behind them.
Buildings shrinking.
Noise disappearing.
Ahead—
Cliffs began to rise.
Massive.
Golden.
Bathed in sunlight.
Sunrise Cliff.
The sky seemed brighter here.
The air felt heavier.
Charged.
Even the wind carried mana.
The vehicles slowed.
Then—
Stopped.
Doors opened.
The guild members stepped out—
And froze.
"…No way…"
"…That's ours…?"
"…You're kidding…"
Before them—
A massive structure stood.
A guild headquarters—
On the scale of the top S-Rank guilds.
Towering walls.
Reinforced gates.
Training grounds stretching wide.
Observation towers overlooking the cliff edge.
And behind it—
The horizon.
An endless sky where the sun seemed closer than anywhere else.
Golden light poured over everything.
Kaizen stepped out last.
Hands in his coat.
Calm as ever.
"…Welcome."
No one responded.
They were still staring.
One of them whispered,
"…Guild Master…"
"…What is this place…?"
Kaizen walked forward slowly.
Boots echoing against the stone.
"…A better base."
"That's not 'better'—that's INSANE!"
"This is bigger than Stormfang Guild's headquarters!"
Kaizen stopped.
Turned slightly.
"…Then don't fall behind it."
Silence.
His words hit differently now.
Not a joke.
Not casual.
A statement.
"You wanted to grow, right?"
They nodded instinctively.
"…Then this is where you do it."
The wind picked up.
Cloaks fluttering.
Kaizen looked at the cliff's edge.
Eyes narrowing slightly.
"…This place is rich in mana."
"…Dungeons will form faster."
"…Stronger monsters."
"…More risk."
He turned back to them.
"…If you stay the same—"
A pause.
"…you'll die."
The air tightened.
But then—
"…So get stronger."
Simple.
Direct.
Unavoidable.
Something ignited in their eyes.
"…Yes, Guild Master."
For the first time—
They felt it.
Their leader wasn't just lazy.
He was…
Different.
Suddenly—
A loud rumble echoed across the cliffside.
Multiple vehicles approached.
Fast.
Aggressive.
Kaizen didn't turn.
"…Right on time."
The guild members tensed.
From the dust—
Figures emerged.
Dozens of them.
High-level hunters.
At the front—
A man stepped forward.
Tall.
Armored.
Presence overwhelming.
"…So it's true."
His eyes locked onto Kaizen.
"…A no-name guild takes Sunrise Cliff."
Another group appeared behind them.
Then another.
Three major guilds.
All S-Rank.
The pressure skyrocketed.
One of Kaizen's members whispered,
"…We're surrounded…"
The armored man smirked.
"Let me introduce myself."
"Guild Master of Iron Blood."
Another stepped forward.
A woman with a cold gaze.
"Azure Valkyrie Guild."
A third laughed casually.
"Stormfang Guild."
All eyes—
On Kaizen.
"…You've caused quite the disturbance."
"…Hand over the territory."
"…Or we take it."
Silence.
The wind howled.
Kaizen finally turned.
Slowly.
His eyes met theirs.
No fear.
No tension.
Just mild annoyance.
"…You're blocking the sunlight."
The three guild masters frowned.
"…What?"
Kaizen sighed.
"…I just got here."
"…And you're already making noise."
A faint glimmer of gold flickered in his eyes.
Gone instantly.
"…If you want to talk—"
He looked at all of them.
"…talk properly."
The air trembled.
Just slightly.
None of them understood why—
But instinct kicked in.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Behind Kaizen—
The sun rose higher.
Light spilling over him.
For a brief second—
His shadow didn't match his body.
It was larger.
Far larger.