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

you be the

this guild onto you so that in the future you would

a silver key from his pocket and inserted it into the

-Clank!

the drawer, my

out a thick green book, my father glanced at it for a second. A hint of nostalgia appeared in his

I saw you fight yesterday, I observed that despite having a great defense, you lacked something important. At first, I thought it

one last glance at the book, my father handed

"Here"

looked stoic and indifferent, his eyes carried warmth within them. Whatever he was giving me, it was definitely precious to him, and now he

"...Thank you"

I took the green

never forget his

[★★★ Drifting steps]

every step taken, user speed will increase. Unless user stops, speed will continuously

"Tssss..."

what I needed. A movement art.

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

wasn't a

having only watched me fight once, he could already detect what I was missing. With this movement art, my strength

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

the book, pointing at the book,

arts, and I'm technically not supposed to

would normally need to acquire the permission of the

office. Towards the busy streets of Ashton

looking at the state of the guild, I don't see the need for me to be

Dover resolutely looked at the people

a short pause, he turned around and in a solemn

up a different branch for our

"A branch?"

aback, I tilted my

the guild was failing, why set up a branch? That just didn't

going

"What!?"

looked at my father with

in the Lock.

branch would mean that I wouldn't even have time

streets below him, Ronald Dover

you're either a

a branch of a failing guild seems

a sudden thought occurred

"...you don't mean"

you to set up a

A mercenary group.

composed of talented unaffiliated individuals who do tasks for money. Be it killing certain monsters, villains,

some being just as influential

asking me

hand on my chin, I thought

a

It was possible.

it

mercenary group

requirements to set

individual with

from a graded

yet graduated from the academy, with the recommendation of my father, setting up a mercenary corp

Creating my own organization...

idea did sound

with people

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

things did not always go according to plans, rather than remaining passive, why not set up