While we were busy yapping and trying to process our low-tier ranks, the heavy doors of the Guild swung open, and the entire atmosphere changed. A party of four walked in, and you could just tell they were the "Main Characters" of this world.
Leading the pack was a girl who looked like she stepped straight out of a high-end tach-wear catalog. She had deep purple hair, wore sleek glasses, and her mage robes had a modern, fitted aesthet*c that made everyone else's gear look like bargain-bin rags. She wore a single, glowing ring that hummed with mana. Beside her was a literal titan—a guy easily over 6 feet tall, shirtless, flaunting an aesthet*c physique that looked like it was sculpted by a Renaissance master. He was rocking a perfect walf-cut hairstyle and carrying a massive loot bag like it weighed nothing.
The third member was a guy who radiated pure "Good Vibes" energy, wearing a constant, infectious smile. Walking next to him was a stunning girl with golden-yellow hair, laughing at something he said. While the purple-haired mage stayed quiet and stoic, the tall badybuilder walked up to the receptionist with a casual grin.
"Hey, long time no see. How've you been?" he asked. The receptionist actually blushed, her professional mask slipping for a second. "I'm doing well, Nakamu! I hope none of you were injured?"
Nakamu tossed a heavy bag onto the counter. "Mission accomplished. A-Rank mission cleared. The essentials are in here, and the rest of the bulk is in my inventory." He swiped his hand, opening a floating holographic screen to show the loot. The receptionist nodded, "If you're looking to offload the extras, the Guild will buy them now." With a quick tap, the surplus gear transferred to the Guild's storage, and a heavy sack of coins was handed over.
As they turned to take their next task, they passed by us. The smiling guy noticed us standing there looking like lost NPCs and waved. "Good morning, guys!" he said brightly. We instinctively blurted out "Good morning" back, stunned by the sheer politeness of someone so obviously out of our league. They grabbed an A-Rank scroll and headed back out as fast as they came.
Once they were gone, we practically pounced on the counter. "Who the hell were they?" I asked.
The receptionist say. "That's one of the top parties in the city. The smiling one is Rei, an S-Rank Hunter. The girl with the purple hair is Miku, an A-Rank Mage. The big guy is Nakamu, also A-Rank. And the blonde girl is Junie, another S-Rank. Don't worry, they're actually very kind people."
I thought about Rei's smile. "Yeah, I could feel that. No ego, just vibes."
We decided it was time to move. Ayush and I were headed in the same direction, but Vikas had to split off for his task. As we walked out, we were struck again by the Kingdom. Every building was a masterpiece of fantasy architecture, massive and soaring, far more beautiful than any anima or monga we had ever seen.
Vikas, walking alone toward the residential district, was caught in his own head. This place is gorgeous, but it's terrifying, he thought. If there's no way back, I guess the only options are to stay alive or grind until I'm a top-level Hunter. No choice but to lock in.
Suddenly, a blur of white hair crashed into him. BAM.
A girl who had been running frantically, her body and face mostly covered by a cloak, hit him and tumbled to the ground. As her hood fell back, Vikas froze. She wasn't just beautiful; she was a "10-out-of-10-modal" type of gorgeous with snow-white hair and a face that screamed royalty.
Vikas quickly helped her up, his usual trolling personality disappearing instantly. "Oh shoot, are you okay? I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking!"
The girl looked up, her eyes wide and panicked, but she managed a soft, breathless reply. "No, it was my fault. I'm in a huge hurry... I am so sorry." She gave a quick, elegant apology and bolted toward the Guild before Vikas could even ask for her name. He stood there for a second, feeling that rare, awkward "shy" energy.
But as Vikas continued to his task, the white-haired girl burst into the Guild and ran straight to the counter. She whispered something to the receptionist, and in an instant, the receptionist's face went pale. The color drained from her cheeks as she looked around in pure, unfiltered terror.