Hunt Race

Arc II: Return to the Guild

Morning sunlight filtered through the towering trees as the expedition continued its journey out of the forest. The suffocating tension that had followed them for days was finally beginning to lift. Weapons remained close at hand, but the hunters no longer wore the same guarded expressions. Every step away from the heart of the forest seemed to lighten the weight on their shoulders.

A broad-shouldered hunter stretched until his joints cracked.

"When I get back, don't let anyone wake me for two days."

Another hunter burst into laughter.

"You? Sleep for two days? You'll accept another commission before breakfast tomorrow."

The broad-shouldered hunter scoffed and shook his head.

"Next time someone says an expedition will only take three days, I'm staying home."

"You say that every single time," another hunter replied.

"And every single time I mean it."

"Until the reward is posted."

The group burst into laughter.

The broad-shouldered hunter placed a hand over his chest and shrugged dramatically.

"What can I say?" he said with a wide grin. "This young man gotta get paid."

The laughter only grew louder, echoing through the quiet forest.

Walking a few steps behind them, Kael couldn't help but smile. It was the first time he had seen these seasoned hunters acting like ordinary people instead of warriors constantly on guard. During the expedition, every conversation had revolved around survival. Now, they joked, complained, and laughed as though the dangers of the forest were already a distant memory.

As the hours passed, the forest slowly began to lose its wildness. The towering trees grew farther apart, allowing golden rays of sunlight to spill across the road. The damp scent of moss gradually gave way to fresh grass carried by a gentle breeze. Birds could be heard again, and for the first time in days, the silence no longer felt threatening.

Everyone seemed relieved.

Everyone except Darius.

Though his expression remained calm, his thoughts wandered elsewhere.

From time to time, his eyes drifted toward Kael before returning to the road ahead.

The encounter with Varkhan.

The strange beast.

The mysterious order that had stopped it in its tracks.

None of it made sense.

One of the hunters eventually noticed how quiet he had become.

"Chief Warden."

Darius glanced over.

The hunter folded his arms with a knowing smile.

"Don't tell me you're already thinking about the stack of reports waiting for you."

A few of the others chuckled.

Darius looked at him for a moment before a sly grin tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Depends."

The hunter raised an eyebrow.

"On?"

"Would you like to help with a few?"

The laughter died instantly.

"...I'll pretend I never asked."

The group erupted into laughter once more, the sound echoing along the forest road. Even Darius couldn't suppress the faint smile that lingered on his face before turning his attention back to the path ahead.

As the expedition descended the hill, the fortress grew larger with every step. What had seemed impressive from afar now towered over the landscape, its weathered stone walls rising high into the sky. The closer they came, the more people filled the road—merchants guiding loaded wagons, hunters returning from commissions, and recruits hoping for a chance to prove themselves.

By the time they reached the entrance, Kael found himself staring upward.

The gates were enormous.

Their thick wooden doors were reinforced with dark steel, scarred by countless years of use. On either side stood massive stone pillars carved with the image of a broken black claw, while armored guards watched every person that entered without a word.

The steady flow of hunters moved through the gates with practiced ease, yet Kael remained rooted where he stood.

For years, this place had existed only in stories.

Now it stood before him.

A strange weight settled over him.

The fortress carried an overwhelming presence, one forged through generations of hunters who had walked through these very gates—some returning as heroes, others never returning at all. Their triumphs, their failures, and their sacrifices seemed to linger within those ancient walls, silently reminding everyone who entered what it truly meant to call oneself a hunter.

The realization that once he stepped through those gates, there would be no turning back.

His old life ended here.

Whatever awaited him beyond those walls...

Would decide the kind of hunter he would become.

"Keep moving," Darius said as he walked past him.

Kael blinked, breaking free from his thoughts. Drawing a slow breath, he tightened his grip on the strap of his pack and took his first step toward the towering gates.

Without another word, he followed the expedition into the fortress that would shape the rest of his life.

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