Chapter 177: Greed, Risk & Reason

The moment Aldric Goldfeather vanished down the staircase, escorted away with a veneer of politeness and hollow reassurances, the atmosphere on the second floor of the Adventurer Guild transformed in an instant.

The air grew dense.

It wasn’t loud or chaotic, rather, it was stifling, as if the very walls were closing in, bearing the burden of the decision that had just been made.

The distant clamor of the first floor, thousands of Adventurers shouting, laughing, and negotiating, drifted faintly upward, distorted and muted, like echoes from another reality.

Here, on the second floor, silence reigned, thick and choking.

Sage stood at the edge of the lounge, his back straight, hands clenched so tightly behind him that his knuckles had turned an ashen white. His expression was calm, almost unnervingly so but those who knew him best, Gregor, Mina and Valeria could sense the internal shift within him, the instant when resolve had crystallized.

With deliberate slowness, Sage turned to face Gregor.

His eyes bore into the green-haired Adventurer, who was still lingering where Aldric had stood, posture relaxed, shoulders loose, and a self-satisfied grin lingering on his lips, as if he had just sealed the deal of a lifetime, which, in a sense, he had. That grin was the spark that ignited Sage’s simmering frustration.

“You,” Sage said, his voice low and steady, devoid of any heat, yet heavy with restrained force, “explain to me what the hell you think you were doing.”

Gregor blinked slowly, then rolled his eyes, unfazed by the shift in Sage’s tone.

“Ah,” he replied lazily, stretching his neck as though he were shaking off the effects of a strenuous sparring match. “So now you want to talk?”

Sage stepped forward, his jaw tightening.

“This is not a joke,” he said, each word clipped and precise.

“You accepted a mission without Guild authorization. You undermined my authority in front of a major client. You compelled the Guild into a six-star operation involving a Sixth Order Lord Beast without consulting me or anyone with half a brain.”

He exhaled slowly, striving to reign in his emotions before continuing, his gaze sharp and unyielding.

“That creature is not a mere dungeon boss. It is not some inflated magical beast you can kite and stab until it collapses. A Sixth Order Lord Beast represents a regional catastrophe waiting to unfold. One misstep and you don’t merely lose Adventurers, you tarnish reputations, destabilize cities, and jeopardize the Guild itself.”

The room remained silent, the tension palpable.

Sage pressed on, his voice gaining weight rather than volume.

“If this mission fails,” he warned, “we don’t just bury bodies. We bury everything we have built. The Adventurer Guild becomes a punchline at best and a cautionary tale at worst. Do you grasp the gravity of that?”

Gregor studied him for a long moment, his expression inscrutable.

Then he snorted, a dismissive sound that cut through the tension.

“You’re thinking like a manager,” Gregor said bluntly. “Not a warrior.”

Sage’s brow twitched, irritation flaring within him.

Without a hint of hesitation, Gregor turned away not dismissively, but purposefully, redirecting his attention to Valeria, who stood near the far side of the lounge, arms crossed, her crimson armor gleaming like smoldering embers.

“This mission doesn’t revolve around you,” Gregor continued, his tone steady. “And deep down, you know that. You’re logistics. You’re contracts. You’re gold, paper, and signatures. Important, yes but not decisive.”

Sage stiffened, but before he could retort, Gregor raised a hand.

“And before you start ranting,” Gregor added, “take a seat. Both of you.”

He flicked his gaze toward Valeria.

She narrowed her eyes, contemplating whether to refuse outright, but then moved deliberately, taking a seat at the central table. Her mercenaries followed suit after a heartbeat’s hesitation, disciplined and quiet, forming a silent perimeter around her.

That alone spoke volumes.

Gregor took a measured breath, the easy grin fading into something sharper, more focused.

“This opportunity,” he said, “is a rare one.”

Sage folded his arms, tension coiling within him, but he remained silent.

“Ten million gold coins,” Gregor continued, his voice steady. “That isn’t merely money. That’s leverage. That’s preparation. That’s the difference between charging in blind and stepping in ready.”

He gestured vaguely with one hand, his eyes intent.

“Do you know why Aldric’s previous attempts met failure? They were fools. They believed that enough muscle thrown at a problem could eventually solve it.”

Gregor’s eyes hardened as he leaned forward.

“They operated without unified command. Mercenary groups clashed alongside one another, but never truly together. No shared strategies, no trust, no coordination. Each team acted on its own, retreating when things soured or getting wiped out trying to prove something.”

Vanthrice, standing slightly behind Valeria, nodded once, adding weight to Gregor’s points.

“And they lacked knowledge of the beast,” Vanthrice interjected quietly. “No intelligence, no pattern analysis, no grasp of its territory. They stormed into its domain and perished there.”

Gregor snapped his fingers in agreement, his enthusiasm palpable.

“Exactly. Just brute force. No plan.”

Sage frowned, skepticism etched on his features. “And what makes you think this will be any different?”

Gregor hesitated before answering.

He turned his full attention back to Valeria. “Because she exists,” he stated simply.

Valeria’s eyes flickered momentarily, intrigued.

“A 5-Star High-Level Knight that is almost near the strength of the Crimson Abyssal Lion,” Gregor elaborated, unwavering. “Someone who’s fought wars, not mere skirmishes. Someone who grasps command, discipline, and survival. Aldric didn’t have that asset before.”

Sage scoffed softly. “One person doesn’t change the equation.”

“No,” Gregor conceded. “But coordination does.”

He leaned in, resting his hands on the table, his demeanor serious.

“This Guild can orchestrate elite fighters, not mercenaries from a list but Adventurers bound by shared rules, rewards, and risks. We can gather intelligence in advance. We can choose the battlefield rather than stumbling into it blindly. We can dictate the timing and the nature of the conflict.”

His eyes shimmered with intensity.

“And most critically, we can retreat if things go awry.”

That last statement hung heavily in the air, laden with implications.

Sage’s expression shifted slightly, the weight of Gregor’s words seeping in.

Gregor straightened, resolute. “Money isn’t simply payment,” he continued. “It’s a force multiplier. Ten million gold means top-tier equipment, high-grade potions, emergency defensive artifacts, terrain maps. Strength is derived not just from cultivation, it arises from preparation.”

A heavy silence settled in.

Then Sage spoke again, more deliberately now. “Aldric sent formidable warriors before,” he pointed out. “Teams comparable to what you’re proposing. None returned.”

Gregor nodded thoughtfully. “Because they charged in blind.”

Vanthrice added, “The Crimson Abyssal Lion isn’t merely powerful, it’s territorial. It hunts alone but rules an entire ecosystem. If we comprehend its patrol routes, lair, and mana signature, we can dictate the terms of engagement.”

Valeria finally spoke, her tone cool and calculating. “What is its elemental affinity?”

Gregor met her gaze without flinching. “Predominantly fire, tainted by abyssal mana. Its roar disrupts mana flow. Its blood is volatile.”

“And its territory?” Valeria pressed further.

“Mountain forests bordering its domain,” Gregor replied. “High cliffs, dense mana zones, limited escape routes.”

Valeria drummed her fingers lightly against the table, considering their options.

“And sub-beasts?”

“Likely lesser predators influenced by its presence,” Vanthrice contributed. “Not commanded, but drawn to it.”

The room fell quiet once more, anticipation crackling in the air.

Valeria leaned back thoughtfully, her expression inscrutable. “If we embark on this path,” she said slowly, “we do it properly.”

Gregor smiled, a spark of excitement igniting in his eyes.

And Sage, watching all of this, finally grasped it, this mission had evolved from a question of whether they should undertake the impossible into a challenge of how to execute it successfully.

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