Chapter 13: The Belly of the Beast
Aria took the lead as we approached the main gate, and the change in her was startling. The soot-stained refugee vanished, replaced by a scion of House Veil. She carried herself with a sharp, regal authority, her silver signet ring catching the afternoon sun like a beacon.
The guards didn't just let us through; they snapped to attention. With a heavy, rhythmic groan of gears, the massive ironwood gates swung open, revealing the belly of the beast.
Oak Haven was a masterpiece of impossible architecture. Towering spires of white marble were woven directly into the massive branches of an ancient World-Tree, connected by bridges of shimmering glass. I saw faeries darting through the hanging gardens and dwarves hauling carts of enchanted ore that pulsed with a rhythmic, subterranean heartbeat. My inner otaku desperately wanted to cheer, but I kept my face a mask of calm. I had a reputation to build.
We merged into the "transport lane," a chaotic tapestry of merchant wagons, flying mantas, and massive reptilian beasts. Eventually, we pulled into the Guild District, an area that smelled of ozone, expensive leather, and old magic.
"Of course my isekai adventure has parking garages," I muttered, looking at the massive, vaulted stone bays designed for carriages and high-end beasts of burden.
"What is so funny, Nero?" Aria asked, one elegant eyebrow arched.
"Nothing. Just... the world is bigger than I thought," I said, as Fenris guided the *Veil Sanctuary* smoothly into a vacant bay.
As we stopped, a young stable hand scrambled over. He looked at Fenris's crackling electrical mane, then up at Bee's golden-yellow plating, and visibly swallowed hard. "Sir! I... I've never seen a Spirit-Wolf of this grade. Does he require a mana-tether or a specific diet of cores?"
"No need, kid," I said with a confident grin.
I hopped down and walked to Fenris, patting his silver-plated snout. I could feel the loyal thrum of his core through my palm. "Rest up, Fenris. You earned it."
I triggered the mental command: **[DISMISS]**.
The flash of blue light wasn't just a spark; it was a roar of localized mana that made the stable hand stumble backward. Fenris collapsed into a swirling vortex of sapphire energy, instantly condensing into a single, shimmering orb. I caught it effortlessly out of the air and tucked it into my pocket.
Up on the roof, Bee unlatched his heavy bipedal legs and hopped down. He hit the cobblestones with a heavy, metallic thud that rang through the stone chamber. His green optics flared to life as he fell in behind me, a six-foot-tall wall of golden-yellow Soul-Steel.
I turned to Aria and offered my hand with a mock-formal bow. "After you, my lady. Let's see if these legendary hunters are ready for us."
Aria smiled—a real, sharp-edged smile—and took my hand. Together, with Bee acting as our silent, indomitable shadow, we turned toward the massive, carved oak doors of the Intercontinental Adventurers Guild Headquarters.