Vel and Shin entered through the back door of the Guild. Near the infirmary hall, Maya stood speaking in hushed tones with one of the nurses, her expression drawn with worry.
The moment she spotted them, her eyes widened. Without a word, she hurried toward them, with a concern on her face.
"Vel-sama, Shin-sama! A party of C-rank adventurers… they were attacked in the western forest." she hesitated for a while and said "Only one have made it back—but her condition is serious."
Shin's expression tightened. "Which chamber are they kept in?"
"In chamber number four," Maya replied quickly.
Without another word, Vel and Shin strode down the infirmary hall, their footsteps echoed softly against the stone floor.
They entered the room in silence.
Tessa lay upon a narrow cot, her body was covered in bandages. Her face was pale, her breathing faint and shallow. Beside her, a healer knelt in quiet concentration, hands aglow with a gentle blue light as she worked to ease her pain.
Shin stepped in closer, his voice steady but edged with urgency. "How is her condition?"
The healer looked up briefly, eyes tired. "She's suffered internal bleeding, several deep wounds, and multiple fractured ribs. She lives—for now—but only by a thread."
Maya pulled out a quest slip from her clipboard, her voice low. "Their quest was to investigate rumors of a strange new monster in the western forest," she said. "It was listed as a novice-level request… that's why we approved it without hesitation."
Vel's brow tightened, a flicker of anger behind his eyes. "A full C-rank team wiped out in the western forest? That doesn't make any sense."
Shin glanced toward Tessa, then spoke calmly. "Vel-sama, let us assess the situation first, and then take any action."
Turning to Maya, he nodded. "Let us know the moment she wakes up."
"Yes, sir." Maya replied.
Vel added, "And get Garret. I need him in my office."
with a quick bow, maya turned and hurried out.
"…Let's continue this in the office," Vel muttered, already striding out of the room.
Few moments later
Vel dropped into his chair while Shin remained standing, arms crossed, silent and tense.
There was a knock at the door of office." You may enter" Shin said.
The door opened and in walked Garret—Adventurer Trainer and a veteran warrior. He greeted Vel with a casual grin. "Yo, Guild Master."
Shin's eye twitched slightly, but he said nothing.
Vel leaned back in his chair. "We've got a situation. C-Rank party just got wiped out in the western forest."
Garret's expression turned serious. "The western forest?" He crossed his arms. "That area's mostly for beginners. Basic monsters, nothing stronger then goblins, slimes and wolves. A C-rank team shouldn't have had any issues there."
Shin nodded. "Exactly. Which makes this incident all the more suspicious and concerning."
"Could be a stronger monster migrated from deeper parts of the forest," Garret muttered.
Vel gestured toward the table. "We need a proper investigation. Form an A-rank team and send them out."
Garret raised a brow. "A-rank? Isn't that a bit much?"
Vel didn't reply. He simply looked at him.
Garret sighed and shrugged. "Alright, alright. I'll put a team together."
Shin adjusted his glasses. "Given the current situation, most of our A-rank teams are already out on missions. We'll need help from other clans. Have the Black Star Clan lend their support."
Garret gave a low grunt. "Yeah, alright. I'll go talk to them."
Vel leaned back in his chair. "Also, Shin—tell Maya to remove all quests related to the Western Forest. No one goes near it until we figure out what's going on."
Shin gave a brief nod. Garret turned on his heel, and the two left the room together, the door closing quietly behind them.
Scene Shift –Black star clan, Training hall.
The clang of steel echoed through the Black Star training hall, a steady rhythm that reverberated off the stone walls. The hall, wide and spacious, was enclosed on all sides, creating a sense of isolation for anyone within.
A tall man stood alone shirtless and calm. His great sword moved with an elegance, each swing slicing the air with precision.
A servant entered the hall. "Grey-sama. Garret-sama is waiting in the office. He says it's an urgent matter."
Grey didn't stop. His sword whirled once more before he paused, resting it against his shoulder. "Send him here."
The servant bowed. "As you wish Grey-sama."
Moments later, Garret stepped into the hall, his long sword slung across his back. He couldn't help but smirk when he saw Grey standing on the elevated training platform. "Still swinging like a madman, I see," Garret teased, watching the fluid and precise movements of Grey's swings.
Grey rolled his shoulders. "Before anything else… how about a match?"
Garret drew his long sword with practiced precision, the smooth motion reflecting years of experience. Both he and Grey took fighting stances that were strikingly similar.
The clash between them was immediate.
In a split second. Grey advanced with brutal overhead swing, while Garret countered with quick footwork and angled parry.
Next second In a blur, Grey vanished from his position, the ground cracking beneath where he once stood. A split second later, he reappeared behind Garret, his massive blade already mid-swing—aimed at Garret's right side of the torso.
Garret's eyes widened. He blocked just in time, using both of his arms to use his great sword to block the impact. swords clashed, the sheer impact sending a shockwave through the training field.
No magic. Just pure technique and strength.
Though he managed to block the strike, the force behind Grey's swing was heavy. Garret was launched backward, landing hard on the ground as the floor gets cracked.
For the next few minutes, they continued their friendly challenge.
Despite the weight of their swords, their movements were swift, almost graceful.
Garret grinned through the fight. "You've gotten faster."
"You've gotten older," Grey replied flatly.
A heavy strike forced them apart—both panting, blades lowered.
Garret let out a breath and grinned. "Still, if you'd used magic… this match would've ended long ago."
Grey gave a small nod of acknowledgment. "But then it wouldn't have been fun."
Their blades returned to their sheaths in perfect sync.
Garret exhaled and crossed his arms. "Now that warm-up is done… Let's talk business."
Both sat on a stone bench along the wall of the training hall.
Garret wiped the sweat with a towel. "It's about the western forest. The C-rank team, they went out to investigate the rumored monster in that forest, and they has been completely wiped out. Only one survivor made it back. She's in critical condition."
Garret continued, "Vel, wants an A-rank team sent in to investigate. many of our guilds A-rank team is out so, we'll need your clan's help."
Grey leaned back slightly. "The western forest is beginner territory. That shouldn't have happened."
"Exactly." Garret's voice lowered. "Nothing out there is strong enough to do this. But…"
There was a long pause.
Then Grey finally spoke. "If Vel's asking… then I trust his instincts."
Grey stood up, reaching for his sword. "I'll send in the silver star team, they should be more then enough to investigate this."
Garret rose too, stretching his shoulders. "Appreciate it."