The Author's POV

Sunday, Galxicus guild 80th floor.

It was the day after the battle between me and Alex had taken place. I was currently in my father's office.

Sitting on a large grey sofa, I took a look at the office.

On the opposite side of me, my father, working on a large rosewood desk, was busy compiling a stack of paperwork.

As he compiled the paperwork on the table, his pen would drift in swift and fluent movements across the papers on his desk.

He looked incredibly efficient.

Staring at my father's desk, at eye level, a group of papers, a stack of waiter pads, a portable laptop, and multiple monitors neatly stood on top of the large desk.

On the floor, below the desk, lied a PC tower that hummed quietly. On small occasions, blue light would twinkle on top of the PC tower signaling that its power was on.

On the wall to the right, post-It notes appeared on top of a wooden board with several labels and photos marked on it.

Although the office wasn't the most organized, the number of papers on his desk just went to show how much work my father was investing every day to keep the guild afloat.

"Ren..."

As I was busy looking around, disrupting the silence, my father spoke

"Yes?"

Putting the pen in his hand down, my father's obsidian eyes stared at me.

"What do you think of our guild? Be honest"

Taken aback for a second, I leaned back on the sofa.

What did I think of the guild?

Honestly, it was bad.

From what I've seen yesterday and today, the guild wasn't united. It was split into different factions and there was an evident power struggle.

I didn't even know how they managed to keep what was happening within the guild a secret from outsiders.

I would bet Bronze or silver-graded guilds would love to capitalize on this piece of news. I mean, why wouldn't they? Although Galxicus was failing, if the guilds were looking to expand, absorbing Galxicus was the most optimal thing to do.

Especially since right now, Galxicus was only a 'guild' in name.

It was merely an empty title. It was like a shop that sold nothing. The only reason why it was still standing today was because of my parent's efforts. But that wasn't going to last long. Even they will crumble under all of that work...

As my thoughts reached thus far, I couldn't help but be reminded of the fact that my parents were still working on a Sunday. Not once did they rest.

...If things proceeded to continue like this, I wouldn't give the guild a year before it would be forced to dissolve.

Hesitating for a bit, I looked at my father's earnest expression and shared my thoughts.

"If I had to be honest...terrible"

"The guild members instead of being united are clearly split into factions and..."

As I recounted my honest thoughts, nodding his head, Ronald sighed.

"Judging from the way you are speaking, I can already guess you've already figured out how things are going within the guild."

Glancing at the piles of paper below him, a trace of sadness appeared in my father's eyes as he murmured

"...Sadly the guild is in a state of heavy decline"

Stacking the papers on his desk neatly, leaning on his chair, my father looked towards the ceiling

was to one day let you

would carry

the drawer of his desk, my father took out a silver key from his pocket and inserted it into the

-Clank!

drawer, my father

my father glanced at it for a second. A

thought it was an attacking art,

one last glance at the book,

"Here"

his eyes carried warmth within them. Whatever he was giving me, it was definitely precious

"...Thank you"

solemnly, I took the

never

[★★★ Drifting steps]

Unless user stops, speed will continuously increase until the user

"Tssss..."

needed. A movement art. Was this a

had an all-knowing look. As though knew from the very beginning

he wasn't a guild master for

could already detect what I was missing. With this movement

I was already near breaking through to F+ rank...I could

book, pointing

movement art is one of the guild's top arts, and I'm technically not supposed to be

the rules as I would normally need to acquire the permission of the board before being allowed to even

office. Towards the

the guild, I don't see the need for me

father, Ronald Dover resolutely looked at the people coming in

he turned around

set up a different branch for our

"A branch?"

aback, I tilted my head in

was failing, why set up a branch? That

you're going to lead

"What!?"

at my father with wide

first year in the Lock. How

operate a branch would mean that I wouldn't even have

streets below him, Ronald

in this world, you're either a

be someone who continuously follows other's will or be someone who dictates their own will. Although setting up a branch of a failing guild seems like a stupid idea, in reality,

a subtle hint within his words, a sudden thought occurred to me as I looked at my father

"...you don't mean"

you to set up a

A mercenary group.

for money. Be it killing certain monsters, villains, or corrupt individuals. They were

guilds, with some being just as influential

was asking me to set up

my chin, I

it's a

It was possible.

hard, it was

mercenary group

requirements to set up

one individual with a Hero

a recommendation from

had not yet graduated from the academy, with the recommendation

Creating my own organization...

idea did sound

an organization filled with people

more I thought about it, the more I started realizing that this was

go according to plans, rather than remaining passive, why not set up my own