"Where is Rhys Wilder!? Why can't any of you find him!?"
"We actually have news that he has started recruiting people into his guild today, but we are finding it hard to find more information about it for so reason."
"I don't fucking care about his guild! Find him! Scour every Hole you can find!"
"His… guild does not really own any Holes yet, Mr. Edward. He only established it this month."
"Then why is it that no matter where I go, I see his fucking face!? And why is he already recruiting people when his guild doesn't even own any Holes yet!?"
It has been a few weeks since Rhys indirectly challenged the Cerberus guild during his interview after the incident with the Laughing Bronze, and even though Rhys has not personally shown himself or even put up a stream even once, every news and dia outlet in the world was showing him.
"Do you see this!?" Edward, the guild master of the Cerberus guild, was once again running amok inside his office as he threw a tablet to his assistant, "Look at that!"
"I've… seen this," Edward's assistant looked at the tablet, only for him to quickly turn it off as his eyes reflected the horrendous statistics of the popularity of their guild — no. Their guild was more popular than ever, but their approval rating was currently moving into the negatives.
When they recruited Sylas into their guild, their approval rating also plumted, but this was quickly fixed when Rhys's sister joined the guild and the two reconciled in public. But now, once again, everyone was against them.
"Honestly, Mr. Edward. You should stop caring so much about this social dia thing," Edward's assistant could really only sigh as he placed the tablet on Edward's desk, "We are an Explorer guild, our job is to explore the Underworld and hunt so materials, then get rich in the process. Weren't you the one who told that?"
"Fuck that!" Edward slamd his fist on his desk, completely destroying it, "This is the reason why we can't surpass Cillian's guild!"
"Well… one could argue the Ages of Man guild has better achievents than us," Edward's assistant sighed as he looked at the poor desk, "And they have 5 of the only 18 Noble Explorers in the country, we only have 2 — Vice Guildmaster Adam, and—"
"That brat," Edward brushed up his blue hair and finally sat down on his chair, causing him to almost hit the wall behind him as the wheels rolled and he had no desk to grab onto, "How is he performing? Does he have the potential to beco as strong as Adam?"
"He is not at the sa level as most of our veterans yet," Edward's assistant shook his head, "But the vice guildmaster said he could have the potential to surpass him if he is trained and supplied enough Enhancers."
"As it should be, I spent a good deal to bring him to us," Edward grumbled as he looked at his assistant, "Bring him to …
…and Rhys Wilder's sister as well."
***
"What… is going on here, why are there so many people?"
Sowhere on the edge of the Safe Zone encompassing Old York, there was a crowd of people falling in line outside a seemingly abandoned building. The building wasn't tall at all and probably only had 3 floors, but it was, at the very least, around 200 sqm and spacious inside.
And although the building did look seemingly abandoned, its windows which served mostly as its walls were as clear as they could be.
And with a big crowd gathering there, those who were just previously passing by the building could not help but be curious as to what was happening. After all, most of the buildings and infrastructures that were placed near the Danger Zone were mostly hotels, motels, restaurants, and stores that sell things one would not… necessarily be allowed to sell in the proper areas of the cities.
In short, the people who stay on the edges of the Danger Zone were suspicious and dubious individuals. Most of the buildings there were actually just temporary and just clumsily made of wood and all sorts of materials, so were even straight-out oversized trailers so that they could easily abandon or escape when a surprise mandatory inspection happened.
The abandoned building already stood out since no one has been renting or leasing it for years. And suffice it to say, now that there was suddenly a crowd gathered in front of the building, it garnered the attention of the area's residents and guests.
…Even more so since almost half of the people were wearing hoodies or caps.
"Oi, can you tell what's going on here?" One of the locals pulled one of the n falling in front of the building, only for him to slightly back away as the man's hoodie drooped down, revealing his extrely dark hair, black.
"What the fuck is a Lowborn doing all the way out here? You—!!!"
And before the local could even finish his words, he noticed that most of the people in line were now looking at him — and hiding beneath all of their caps and hoodies were hairs of black. There were also Commoners there, but they too, were glaring at the man.
"F… freaks!" The local quickly backed away and returned to wherever he was monts ago, telling everyone about what he saw.
The people falling in line in front of the building did not seem to mind, however, as they just minded their own business and continued to chat with each other.
"When do you think they are letting us in? It's getting hot."
"Right… we've been waiting here for hours. Are we sure this is even the right place?"
"I… I spent half of my savings to get here. Please, don't let this be a scam."
"Are you alright, do you want so water?"
"I don't need a Commoner's help! You think I'm thirsty just because I'm a Lowborn!?"
"...Where did that even co from?"
The crowd were starting to get agitated for having waited so long. It did not help that the climate near the Danger Zones was not really the most comfortable, as the air is humid and hot. But still, even with so of the crowd complaining, none of them left their spot in fear that soone else would get ahead of them.
Fortunately, they did not have to wait long as they saw soone from the inside finally open the glass door — Lina.
"Everyone!" Lina used her wind control to amplify her voice, quickly causing everyone to just turn toward her direction, even those who were in the back who couldn't see her. For those who can, however, they could not help but widen their eyes as they were srized by Lina, whose face almost looked like a doll; her complexion, even more amplified by the dark-gray short dress she was wearing.
"Maintain this line as you go inside, and please, don't push each other!"
Nothing really happened as all of the people in line just neatly entered the building. After all, if there was sothing Lowborns excelled at, it was keeping their heads down and just following orders — this was nothing.
And soon, all of them were asked to gather in rows and columns in front of a stage that was obviously just built. Most of them wondered what was happening, but soon, all of their whispers dwindled away as they finally saw the person they had co there for.
And unlike most of his appearances on TV, the atmosphere around the entire building just completely changed as soon as they saw him; their hearts thumping along with each of his steps. There and then, they knew that sothing was truly different about him.
He was wearing a dark gray suit, with a red band tied on his right sleeve that was just flailing with the wind as he walked up the stage — and although none of them could clearly see his face still since it was hidden by his hair, it did not really matter, they knew what he looked like.
"Rhys…"
"Mr. Wilder, Mr. Wilder!"
And as Rhys finally stepped onto the stage, he quickly raised his hand before the crowd could start cheering and calling his na.
"Please…" Rhys then let out a small whisper, which resounded throughout the speakers scattered across the building, "...I am not running for office."
"Pft."
"I didn't know our boy's got jokes!"
Rhys let out a small chuckle as he scanned the crowd in front of him. And suffice it to say, almost half of them were won — all of them, with Hearts floating above their heads. And to Rhys's surprise, or perhaps not, a good number of them already had so of their Hearts filled.
"I know all of you have co a very long way, and I am not going to waste any more of your ti," Rhys turned to look at the side of the stage, gesturing to Ayesha, who had also replaced her camo pants with a dark gray one,
"All of you are actually already welco to the guild."
"...What!?"
Most of the Lowborns could not help but look at each other in shock and surprise as they heard Rhys's words.
"Does that an… we're in the guild?"
"Yes," Rhys nodded his head as he slightly raised his palm, "There is just one condition you need to do."
"Wh—!!!"
And before anyone could ask what the condition was, they saw Ayesha just stab Rhys's hand, with the knife going through his palm and back.
"Stab your own hand."
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