The Fiends' headquarters loomed beneath the skeletal remains of an abandoned refinery, its rusted pipes and cracked concrete camouflaging the labyrinth beneath. Looking like ruins on the outside, the interior, however, was of pristine quality. Modern, even futuristic. Lights were powered by monster cores, one of the reason why the dungeon clearing business was booming in this day and age.
Greem's boots echoed through the well lit tunnels as his team trudged behind him, the weight of lurker cores clinking in his pouch.
"Forty cores," Lira joked, flicking a stray arrowhead into the shadows, "Enough to buy Borin a new personality"
Borin grunted, hefting his axe, "Says the woman who names her arrows."
"At least my arrows hit things", she shot back.
"Enough," Greem said, though his tone lacked bite.
The familiar stench of damp stone and burning mana crystals filled his nostrils as they approached the inner sanctum. Guild members lurked in the shadows, their eyes glinting like predators. This was the Fiends, the one and only dark guild on Nayr Island.
Guilds were seperated in two categories: Light guilds (or in other words mercenaries bidding on gates that could not be cleared through the hunting association and clearing them for business purposes) and dark guilds, who acted as poachers, entering gates illegally and selling their game in black markets.
Although this was purely illegal, authorities lacked the manpower to clear gates, much less hunt poachers from dark guilds.
Nayr Island was isolated from the rest of the world. With a population of nearly one million inhabitants, the number of active hunters was barely two thousand. The number of hunters was insufficient to clear all the gates that spawned in the wilderness. As such, businesses and cities sometimes used the black market to commission gate clearing, a very profitable market.
With the rise of popularity of the black markets, the [Fiends] gained followers and resources. With more than 300 hunters, it was the second largest guild in Nayr Island, only behind the government-funded [White Lion Guild]
Greem moved forward, using his id card to elevate his team and him to the lowest floor. Checked by a couple of bodyguards, C-rank bodyguards, he was allowed in the waiting room.
'What a bastard...making me wait as if I were nothing', Greem cursed inwardly
Ten minutes later, they were allowed in. Even the talkative Lira was quiet. She was aware of the consequences of acting out in the headquarters.
The room was quite dark. Creatures were chained to the walls, tamed wolves mainly, reminding everyone of the strength of the man who tamed them. After all, each of these creatures possessed power equal or above C-rank.
At the far end, atop a throne of jagged obsidian, sat Guild Master Kael Ironguard. Several men and women were discussing metrics, numbers about the teams' efficiency and progress, newcomers. The [Fiends] was a guild, but it was unlike the traditional light guilds on the market, where hierarchy and clan traditions were still in place. The [Fiends] operated like a corporate, optimizing every single step of the way.
Kael's gaunt face split into a smile that didn't touch his hollow eyes, "Greem, what a pleasant surprise. I assume the lurkers failed to give you trouble"
Greem tossed the pouch of cores at the foot of the throne. The contents spilled out, glowing faintly. "Eight nests. As ordered. They are complete"
Kael leaned forward, his black robes pooling like oil. Unlike Greem, Kael was a mage. And he was not D-rank either. Kael was a monstrous existence, one of the only two A-rank hunters in the island. Under his leadership, he had gathered hundreds of hunters and made [Fiends] a controversed yet vital force to Nayr Island.
"Good job. If that is all, you are dismissed"
The team shifted uneasily. Vessa's fingers twitched toward her dagger—a habit whenever Kael spoke. Greem ignored it.
"We're capable of more than clearing D-rank gates. Give us a real mission. The gates we clear were already partially explored by either Fiends mages, or a light path guild. We never get to fight bosses. Every party member in the team is a D-rank hunter. We deserve better"
Kael's laughter echoed, sharp as a blade, "You speak like you have decades of experience. Surely, I have to admit your growth is above average, but regular teams would kill for the missions I give you. Most of our hunters are stuck in E-rank gates. This is how the market operates. Unnecessary risks are not part of the long-term goals set in the board meetings"
Greem's jaw tightened. "Are you not afraid I will turn to the light path guilds?"
"You are free to do so. I never forced you or your siblings to become a hunter, or a member of the [Fiends]. The question is: why would you go to inferior guilds? The [White Lion Guild] is declining from its outdated traditions. The [Knights Guild], though fitting with your warrior class, would not allow you to clear gates at all due to your age. As for the other guilds, they do not offer a tenth of the support the Fiends give you. This is your reality, Greem"
"Tsk", Greem cursed
Kael's subordinate, Rodrigue, a B-rank warrior, spoke and pointed at a red dot on the hologrammic map: "Guildmaster. It is true that Greem's team is part of our best assets. Assigning them to gate clearing is profitable, but there are more rewarding requests..."
Kael squinted, and smiled: "Interesting...Fine. I will let you on a more challenging mission. Talk to Viktor. He is seeking teams for his expedition. Our scouts found an undiscovered C-rank gate. If you are lucky, you might even find some skill book in there"