The group sat together at the guild’s cafeteria. After getting Sal’s bruises healed by the cleric, her bruises healed up enough that she still needs some ice on her cheeks for a full recovery.

“That bitch…” Sal had two ice bags place on both her cheeks and being held by a tightened gauzed so she doesn’t have to hold it. “The next time we ever go back there I’m gonna deck that girl so hard her glasses will break from the force of my fist!” She smashed her fist on her palm and cracked her knuckles, eyes burning with anger.

“Don’t worry about her,” Alex assured her with a calming pat. “What we have to do is go take a tour around this guild. I know we got slapped to do a mission but I want to see the rest of this guild!” It is, after all, their first time being in a guild. And from how this place is so large, it appears to be more than just a simple guild.

“And we still have to find a place to settle and unpack...” Lea added. They still had their massive bag, so finding any apartments to rent nearby is a priority

Alex cupped his chin. “That’s true. Guess we’re gonna go house-hunting then?”

“Sadly, we have to,” Lea said as she stood up from her seat. “But you don’t have to come with us, Alex. We’ll find a place for us to live in.” She wanted Alex to let him be on his own to see more about the guild. “That way once you’re done touring, and were done house-hunting, you can tell us the whole guild while we take you to our new place.” She smiled at him as Sal smiled back.

“Killin’ two birds with one stone, huh?” Sal stood up as the two looked at him. “You heard her, Sharky, start looking around! Let’s go, Lea!” She grabbed the overly large bag and pulled Lea’s hand to help her stand.

“Hey, easy!” Lea yelped out as she was dragged away by Sal. “Let’s meet back at the main entrance by sunset!” Lea managed to make a shout when they’ll meet back as her voice grew distant, but faintly she was telling Alex, “Take caaaaare...!” before the two left the cafeteria.

Alex is on his own; alone and by himself.

Now. What is the first thing to do, boy? Nevermind. He still had a demon with him strapped behind his back.

“Like I said to my friends, I’m gonna take a look around the guild, check the whole place.”

Sightseeing? Using the memories of your grandfather, I do not think this will be an interesting event for me.

“If that’s the case, you can be my tour guide, right?”

I do not have the knowledge of the places in this guild, only that I have vaguely seen them. And these memories are old, Things must have changed when I was asleep the past decade or so.

“Damn. Well, now that I have time, I can probably start imagining that dream world of mine to have things for you to kill time.”

Oh, right those stories and toys. What are you going to provide me first?

“Well for starters…”

As Alex started roaming around the guild, he has been supplying and imagining up things for his sword so she can be occupied. Comic books, Manga, Video games, a recreation of his TV, and movies he fondly remembered for her to watch them. While imagining he was checking the whole guild.

He found out that there are pathways, magical gates that lead to different parts and the branches of the guild, like the Mage’s Academy, the Capital Police Department, other sister buildings that the guild work alongside with.

“Lea would love to be in the Academy.” He thought to himself as he passed by the Academy’s pathway.

That would make her more useful than being another brawn like that other girl. This is an interesting story. Though I prefer that one other story that had color, Alex can actually hear the noises of pages being flicked in his head.

“That’s rude. Lea’s fine as she is.” That’s gotta be a problem if she reaches to start watching movies or play video games.

So you say. But you lack recovery and she has recently learned to do a simple healing spell. But I can tell I am offending you and your friend, I shall keep silent while I read this black and white picture book. Ooo...this boy is interesting. He just easily killed an entire army in just one flick of this picture book’s page.

“That guy’s a villain! I know what story you’re reading and he’s like, crazy overpowered.” He mentally argued with Peina, not knowing where he was going as Alex accidentally bumped into someone.

“Oof!” He grunted as he took a step back. “Sorry about that, I didn’t see where I was...going…” He trailed off and looked up to who bumped into.

Who he bumped into was a man with long silver hair, pale skin, and violet eyes that showed death. He had an incredibly intimidating presence and had a terrifying blade that had a half-moon crescent on its sheathe and a skull on its hilt. The whole blade was beautiful and glossy but as dark as the starless nights. He looked down on Alex as he blankly stared at him, not phased by the boy bumping him.

“Scary!” Was the first thing Alex immediately thought but his face was as blank as the man as he was afraid, yet he had a mixed feeling of calmness as, despite his hostile present, he had no intention to hurt him at all like his presence alone is something he can’t control. Or something he can’t help but emit.

“Are you all right?” Said a voice beside the man, it was another man in a formal suit, with tired-looking eyes, sporting short and kept trimmed garnet hair. He had a bit of stubble that almost connect with his sideburns. He was the opposite of the man beside him, approachable, calming, soothing, and easy to approach.

They are powerful, Boy. Not the ones in your story. These men in front of you are powerful, dangerous. It is a relief that these are men not dangerous to you. I remember this power, They are…Officials, if memory serves me right.

“You guys...you guys are Officials...” This man, this garnet-haired man. His calming presence and his kindness. Alex, unfortunately, remembered the details of the man Michel complains about on a regular basis when he’s living at his place. Alex pointed at the man. “You’re...Slater, right?”

Slater nodded at him when he said his name. “That’s my name, and it’s just me who’s an Official. Are you a new member?” Slater asked as he looked at the boy with a welcoming smile despite his tired look.

“Y-Yeah! Look!” He took off his glove as he showed off the guild’s emblem on the back of his hand. “Just got recruited today, got slapped by a really mean lady and my friend got smack by her with a gun.”

The man’s smile wavered for a moment and sighed a bit. He knows Ria, and he's aware of her behavior. But what kept him from firing her is that he admittedly does a good job if she felt like it. “Ria...don’t worry about her, she’s always in a bad mood. What’s your name?”

“I’m Alex, Alex Ares! It’s an honor to meet you, sir!” He quickly smiled to the two, showing his razor-sharp teeth as the silver-haired man made a simple grunt.

“I knew I’ve seen that sword before. I’ve seen it in the hands of an old man when I was young. Looks like it’s been passed down to you.” He spoke softly, his voice calm like the dead. “I am Malek, by the way. You definitely have that Ares smile, though the teeth are different compared to her.”

“An Ares…” He felt conflicted at that name. It’s a relief to hear a new Ares joining the guild. But that means that something made them change their decision. “You’re Julius and Amanda’s son, correct?” He remembered their retirement and reason for leaving. The adventuring life costed their Daughter, they didn’t want the same to happen to their son.

“Y-Yeah. I managed to get my parents to finally let me join the guild...eheh.” He scratched the back of his head and chuckled nervously. “I wanted to be like my sister and joined early like her.”

His sister, Lexa. The mention of her made Slater felt bitter about that failure. The failure that was kept secret and costed many good men and left an impact on the other Officials. Regardless, he smiled at Alex and patted his shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll be able to catch up to her.” His smile was warming him up and his charisma soothed him, but it was being canceled out by the presence of death and cold from Malek.

“He won’t.” Malek retorted. “He’s not a monster like her.” He? This is a first, he’s being acknowledged and noticed as a male for once, something that gave Alex a mixture of relief but also insulted that he said he can’t catch up to Lexa.

Alex crossed his arms. “I can still kick ass! I’ll reach S-rank as fast as I can to prove it!” What a childish response.

“That’s the spirit.” Slater smiled. “Do your best, Alex. And I’m sorry for this meeting to be abrupt, but Me and Malek must discuss something. Take care of yourself and give your all for the guild.” Slater smiled softly as the two walked off.

They continued their discussion as they walked away the moment they took a step away from Alex, letting him vaguely hear what they were discussing. “As I was saying Slater, the answer’s no.”

“But this is an important mission, the others are busy.”

“He is prepared to fight any of us the moment we arrive. We’ll just lose the progress of tracking him down if we fight him.

Important mission. Alex knows better to not butt in, but he thought about it, It’s a risky and dangerous and very stupid act, but he’ll show Malek that he can catch up to Lexa, he’s met the Head Official; the Guildmaster Slater. He wants to prove himself to him to persuade him to redo the expedition.

“Peina...You’ll help me, right?”

Within my power, I can.

“Help me fight for today.”

Understood. You’ve only fed me a troll so my assistance is very little.

“That’s good enough for me.”

Alex followed after them. “Sorry for overhearing, sir,” Alex spoke up as the two turned their heads to look at Alex. “But. I would like to take that mission instead!” He said with no hesitation.

Malek walked over him as his presence grew scarier as if he’s letting that feeling of death run free. The people that pass by them feel chills running their spine and grew pale despite not even looking at the three. Alex felt the brunt of that pressure, his heartbeat raced and his sweat runs cold, his breathing difficult and painful as if breathing through powdered glass. “It’s rude to eavesdrop.” He said, his voice going through to Alex like cold water.

Slater placed a hand on Malek’s shoulder. “Easy, Malek. You’re scaring everyone around you.” The people around them were terrified with a sense of dread without realizing where it’s coming from, they all ran to get that fear off of them, all but Alex who stood still despite how everything in him was telling him to run.

The presence died down almost immediately. “It was meant to scare him. Looking at him, he’s already afraid but chose to not run. You have the foolishness of an Ares...let him in on the mission, Slater.”

He can feel himself become warm but still chilly as he rubbed his elbows together. Alex’s ears perked up as he looked up at the man that emitted death. “Wait—”

“Denied. I’m not letting him do this mission.” Slater rejected almost immediately.

“Whatever happened to giving his all for the guild?” Malek remarked.

“This mission is an exception to that. We should respect his parents at least.”

“You think I’ll die in this mission?”

“Not think, you will die in this mission. Knowing you Ares, you are the type to not die easily, even for someone weak as you.”

“Then why are you letting me in on this mission?”

“Because despite what I said, you want to prove yourself, right? I’ll humor you and let you be as ballsy and reckless as you want. If you died, you die. If you failed, you’re out of the guild via my request to Slater himself.”

“Malek…” He’s catching up on him. He wants Alex out of the guild, He respects the Ares family too, at least to Julius and Amanda.

“That’s a lose-lose for me. But...even in a lose-lose situation, there’s still a chance I can win something out of it.”

“That’s the Ares logic for you. Finding the bright side of a failing outcome. Cover your ears for a moment, Alex.”

“S-Sure…” He did as he was told and covered up his ears and turn around just to be sure.

Do you want me to listen?

“I want to say yes but, I don’t want to disrespect him…”

Then I’ll listen anyway and not tell you what they are talking about, disrespecting mortals is one of the joys I can do in this form since they cannot hear me, I can freely insult them too.

“Please don’t ruin my opportunity to speed up my ranking in this guild.”

Fret not, I am willed to assist and provide benefits to my host. They are done talking by the way. Pretend that you have been hearing nothing and been patiently waiting this whole time.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and made him turn to face the two. It was Slater’s warm hand as he looked up at him, forcing a smile as he hesitantly complied with what Malek wanted him to do in this mission.

Alex lowered his hands as he looked at Slater. “So what did you guys talk about?” He asked them with a curious look on his face.

“Malek just persuaded me to let you in on this mission. Do you really want to do this? Other than proving yourself for the guild, what do you have to prove to do this mission?”

That’s a question he wanted to answer after or when he finally becomes higher ranked. Alex clenched his teeth as he tried to grind them nervously but they stayed put since his shark teeth prevent grinding.

“I want to show I can fill my sister’s and parents’ shoes. If they are the best of the best in this guild, it’s natural for me to be the best too. If not, then I don’t consider myself an Ares if I can’t become one.”

Slater took a moment to think of the boy’s motivation. He wanted to fill in what the guild lost, no doubt this is pressuring him to lead him into making such a foolish choice; he can sympathize with that, very much so. If only he also knew what his other motive was.

“Great answer, Alex. Then this is the mission I wanted Malek to do…” He stood up straight as he looked around, with Malek’s presence seeping out, it made most members that passed by be far away from hearing range to them. “Now this is your mission, your first mission.”

“I’m ready! What’s the mission?”

“You will face off the former Guildmaster of the Hunters Guild, Crane Valentine.”