The Box: Fate
Chapter 57 — The Guild's True Registry
The journey back from the shattered valley was silent The sixteen players walked in a tight formation, their footsteps synchronized against the cobblestones of Liya At the front, Kataki and Vahn led the line, while the rest of the squad stayed close behind, their eyes alert
When they reached the iron gates of the grand Hunter' Guild, Axel Hatanaki pushed the heavy doors open The rowdy chatter of local hunters quickly died down as the Nameless Vanguards filed inside, taking over the center of the main hall
Kataki stepped directly up to the high mahogany counter, where the Guild Master was reviewing old parchment bounties One by one, the core members of the squad stepped up beside him, their names now echoing in the whispers of the gathered crowd:
* **Kataki** — his twin obsidian daggers hidden beneath his cloak
* **Vahn** — The tattered Star-Rank hunter, walking with a heavy, completely suppressed presence
* **Zanaki** — The host of the Dragon King, his eyes still carrying a faint blue spark
* **Axel Hatanaki** — The golden-armed vanguard, standing like an iron wall
* **Sharky Bee** — The phantom rogue, his fingers twitching near his green-tinted hilt
* **Murasaki** — The dark-mage, holding her violet-tipped catalyst staff
* **Akira** — The silent swordsman, his hand resting on his katana
* **Monk Fish** — The jade-shield brawler, counting his glowing prayer beads
* **Hanzoe** — The tracker and gatherer, adjusting his tactical supply belt
* **Hina** — The flame-winged mage, her red hair tied back tightly
* **Mikochi** — The sensory support ninja, scanning the room for hidden threats
* **Kuro** — The shadow-striker, blending seamlessly into the group's flank
* **Kyoshiki** — The barrier specialist, keeping his hands inside his sleeves
* **Joel** — The frontline lancer, his heavy silver spear resting on his shoulder
* **Anastasia* — The ice-enchanter, her breath leaving a faint frost in the air
"Back so soon?" the Guild Master asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked at the massive gathering of power in front of him. "And you brought a friend from the wasteland, I see" He nodded toward Vahn, though he still couldn't see the older man's hidden status menu
"We aren't here for a standard bounty, Guild Master," Axel Hatanaki said, leaning his heavy forearms against the counter "We came back to check the foreign records. You told us before that no high-tier hunter had entered the gates But the rumors in the lower districts haven't stopped. We want to know about the *actual* Apex traveler who was assigned to this sector"
The Guild Master' smile vanished He realized Axel wasn't talking about Vahn anymore He was talking about the actual, officially registered monster that the high council had sent from the capital
"You kids don't know when to drop a trail, do you?" the old man sighed He reached beneath the desk and pulled out a heavy, iron-bound ledger that was locked with a magic seal He pressed his thumb against it, channeling his inner spirit to unlock the pages
"The man you are asking about is not an ordinary hunter" the Guild Master said, turning the thick pages line by line "He is an officially recognized elite from the High Kingdom—one of the few who has stared into the abyss of the world and returned He was supposed to arrive three days ago to take command of the Liya defense force"
Sharky Bee leaned in, his green eyes narrowing "Then why hasn't he crossed the gates? A man that powerful doesn't just get delayed by bad weather"
The Guild Master pointed to a red ink stain on the edge of the ledger page "Because his tracking stone went completely dark twenty miles north of here, right near the border of the volcanic trenches He didn't turn back, and he didn't die in an ordinary monster raid His presence just... evaporated"
Kataki looked at the ledger, his silver eyes focusing on the written name of the missing powerhouse Deep down, he knew the truth In a world where normal people didn't understand the system, a high-tier native hunter disappearing didn't mean a regular demon attack. It meant the corruption of the code was spreading The missing hunter hadn't just been defeated—he had likely walked straight into a zone where reality itself was failing
"He' out there" Kataki whispered, his voice turning the air cold "And if we don't find what stopped him before the Seven Demon Lords move... we won't even live long enough to see Kresh wake up"