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

one day let you be the guild master of this

to pass this guild onto you so that in the future you would carry it to greater success...but it seems

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

-Clank!

my father slid it

at it

having a great defense, you lacked something important. At first, I thought it was an attacking art, but after I put more thought into it, I figured that

the book, my father handed it

"Here"

warmth within them. Whatever he was giving me, it was definitely precious to him, and now

"...Thank you"

took the green

never forget

[★★★ Drifting steps]

speed will increase. Unless user stops, speed

"Tssss..."

what I needed. A movement

at my father, he had an all-knowing look. As

he wasn't a

fight once, he could already detect what I was missing. With this movement

through to F+ rank...I could feel that I

busy admiring the book, pointing at the book, my father

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

would normally need to acquire the permission of the board before being

office. Towards the busy streets of

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

father, Ronald Dover resolutely

he turned around and in a

to set up a different branch

"A branch?"

I tilted my

why set up a branch? That just

going to lead

"What!?"

at my father with wide

kind of joke was this? I was still in my first year in the Lock. How could I possibly have enough time to run

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

below him, Ronald Dover

this world, you're either a pawn or

dictates their own will. Although setting up a branch of a failing guild seems like a stupid

thought occurred

"...you don't mean"

you to set up

A mercenary group.

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

as popular as guilds, with some being just as influential as some of the

my father was asking me to set up

my chin,

a

It was possible.

hard, it

a mercenary

requirements to set

at least one individual with a

a recommendation from

had not yet graduated from the academy, with the recommendation of my father, setting up a mercenary corp

Creating my own organization...

idea did

filled with people that I

the more I started realizing that

always go according to plans, rather than remaining