The airship touched down on the castle's grand platform, the palace a structure designed with flawless architecture. Its front faced the kingdom square, allowing the citizens to cheer and witness, while the rear opened into a lavish royal garden.
As the hatch opened, five figures emerged cloaked in elegance and victory.
They gonna flex their victory on this peasants man
The crowd erupted, screaming and cheering
"Long live the Emeralds!"
"Our Emeralds have returned!"
"Victors of the fifth S-Rank dungeon!"
The cheers of the people shaked the ground and the very foundation of the king's palace their voices so piercing through the air
See i told yall they literally are the flexing on us not like i would be jealous or something not possible at all
"I welcome our Emeralds back!" the king yelled thrilled and the people's voice returned even louder
"Today is a historic day! Our champions have conquered their fifth S-Rank dungeon, a feat never achieved in our kingdom's history."
The crowd cheered more
"As the future generations watch this they too will venture on adventures of their own but for today I want the emeralds to educate us, the future, the coming hunters!"
Sebastian also the leader of the party was first he was calm his arms showed muscles his blonde hair fought the sun above
Not gonna lie i am excited!!
"Greetings, people of Yanoz" his voice was loud and firm as he spoke into a rune which amplifies sound
"I am Sebastian the leader of the Emeralds and the fighter of the party"
"And today on the accomplishment we have achieved.. I say to you! Stand firm of your belief! go on adventures! Defeat monsters! Protect your loved ones and always be true to yourself!"
The crowd roared in approval.
Raaaaarrrrrrr!!! Way to go buddyyy.. Ok that might have been pathetic for a roar
Sapphire stepped forward slowly trying her best to calm her nerves. Her white pink outfit blinded some people and her pink hair
"Hello everyone!!!" she shouted risking the eardrums of everyone
"Sorry.." she laughed nervously
"I am sapphire" she spoke stammered "sapphire the healer of the party"
"And for all the people who got this class.. You are not useless!!!! You are what saves the party!!!"
Well i would be dammed she suddenly started to give a motivational speech
"If someone tells you this class is useless they are wrong!! Without us there would be no hunter, no victories, and no one would be safe! So be proud of yourself!"
The healers below were screaming to the point where their lungs would burst out
Elijah followed, his tone more composed and confused his black hair battling against his face while his cape was on a main character montage
"I am elijah the mage"
.....
"And probably the most important asset a party can have"
.....
"I mean mages are the ones who can cast barriers"
.....
Goddam someone just take the mic away from him… this is just sad
"And we can use elements, skills and everyone demands a mage so our worth is already known so"
"Thats all"
Elijah walked back exhausted and slightly embarrassed
"Wow nailed it elijah" sebastian laughed quietly
"Give me a break i saved all of your lives so i am exhausted"
"Sure whatever you say buddy" sirius mocked him looking away as if he didn't exist
"Don't you dare! sirius"
Klaus, adjusting his gloves his steampunk outfit stood out like always helmet made of copper armour of tiltium and mixed with technology and leather
"I'm Klaus the alchemist! Also the brains because clearly they needed some" few people laughed below
"Alchemy, potions to even making runes and weapons and being a doctor all comes in this as healers can only heal physical damages but diseases? That's where i am needed and without my brains they probably would have got lost, died of diseases, had no potions, no runes"
"Basically a disaster. So be the brains as everyone has brawns"
Average nerd speech but he made it look like he was the most important
Sirius, standing tall like a fortress built like a literal tank, his armour shined, his huge brown beard and brown hair made him look like a viking
"I'm Sirius the tank"
Ya buddy we can tell we have eyes to see that you literally 6,10 feet
"I stand like a wall defend everyone from the enemies"
"Distract them so the party can hunt him"
"This job is tough but nonetheless I love it"
The cheers reached a fever pitch. The people adored them.
The King clapped slowly. "Well said, all of you. I'm sure you're exhausted. Come rest within the palace."
The Emeralds walked through the towering gates into the castle halls.
The cheers slowly fading away
But the King's expression changed the moment they were out of public view.
He scowled. "Why have you brought this filth with you?" His voice echoed coldly within the marble halls. "Get him out of my sight, he ruins my exquisite marble floors!"
Behind the party, walking silently in chains, was Sukiro.
The crowd outside hadn't noticed him. Elijah had cast an invisibility spell to avoid suspicion, but once they were inside the palace, the illusion faded due to the magic in the palace breaking any defensive spell.
Elijah muttered under his breath, "this bit- control yourself elijah he still is a king a poor excuse of a king"
Sebastian stepped forward, calm but assertive. "Your Majesty, we need to talk. It concerns him."
"We will talk when that despicable wretched thing"
"Stops ruining my palace with his stench!"
This guy really is a bitch huh
Sebastian replied "my sire. Could he at least take a bath first"
King grunted "What a problem you bring into my halls. Fine. Go take a bath, you filth."
As Sukiro turned to look at the King, something in his gaze made the ruler involuntarily step back.
As if he would eat him whole
"Tch... Take him to the slave baths. Maid!"
the maid ran to his side "Yes, sire at once!"
Sukiro was escorted down from the marble walls to the stone floor into servant wings to a simple yet effective clean bathing hot spring. The maid began cleaning the dirt and grime from his skin, speaking as she worked.
"You must be pretty strong yourself, right?"
"...Why?"
"You were with the Emeralds, the heroes of our kingdom"
"Heroes?" sukiro replied not even knowing what she meant
the maid chimed"Yes! Every one of them is an S-Rank."
"What's an S-Rank?"
"...You don't know what S-Rank means? Either you are funny or dumb but alright I like you." she chuckled
Sukiro, eyes softened slightly"I like you too."
the maid blushed pulling away for just a moment
Sukiro has some play already he might become a playboy heheh wait was that a spoiler?
"Anyways... we have five ranks E, D, C, B, A, and S. E is the weakest. S is the strongest. Most people don't even have a rank at all just like me hahah…
"Their hearts can't absorb the mana around them."
"...I see."
Meanwhile, in the royal council chamber, a gathering of nobles, hunters, and merchants had assembled. The King seated at the throne
"Emeralds"
"Tell us what you encountered in the S-Rank dungeon."
Sebastian stood up "The dungeon was packed with high-tier monsters. High Orcs, dragons, phantoms, and superior goblins all in one place."
Murmurs broke out in the room.
"That variety in one dungeon? That's not natural it was probably a mixed gate?." a merchant tried to speak like he fit in which of course he didn't he tried acting like a teenage girl seeking for attention
Another merchant thought to himself "the more the monsters the more money"
"Exactly. The semi-boss was a fire dragon." sebastain replied
a curious noble asked "And the boss room?"
"It was hidden behind a false wall. Unusual for a dungeon like this." sirius said his tone serious
"And here's the strange part… "
"There was no boss."
...l
the room went silent waiting to hear his next words
"Instead, we found him the chained boy we brought lying unconscious in a pond within the boss chamber."
The chamber exploded with voices.
"A boy in the boss room?!"
"That's unheard of!"
"We have to kill him!"
the people went mad ideas, fear, money consuming their thoughts
Well we all thought this would happen didn't we
The King, eyes narrowing, whispered to the royal guard beside him "send donna"
Back in the bath chamber…
The maid was finishing up, rinsing Sukiro's hair.
Suddenly SHNK!
A glint of steel zipped through the air.
A wire shot through the maid's head clean and instant.
Her lifeless head splashed into the water.
Sukiro stood frozen shocked and the wire turned toward him.
In that split second, he jumped up.
The wire came for his throat but was stopp
The assassin's wire was caught mid-air
sebastian stood beside sukiro
Blood dripped from a tiny cut on Sukiro's neck where the wire had grazed him.Sebastian, holding the wire tightly, looked around with deadly calm.
"...Come out, Donna."
Wow, that was unexpected damm..