"You feel a new power?" Zen asked, bringing up her character sheet.
[Annie Leonhart]
[Rank: Knight]
[Level: 30 (MAX)]
"Hmm... Can you wait for just a little bit longer? I'll make sure to when we get back home, alright?" Zen asked Annie, not knowing just how evolution worked.
"Of course, my lord!" Annie happily responded, which caused Baruka to scoff at her. "You should be lucky the Lord even spoke to you, woman!" Baruka hissed, his loyalty to his king coming out as an insult.
"Oh please, you should be glad to even be in the presence of the king!" Annie rebuttled, the two beginning to go back and forth. Minato just sighed at the two, shaking his head as Zen made his way to the Gate.
"Let's go, we've got much more work to do." Zen's Shadows returned to his Shadow and he finally walked through the Gate.
"I'm here, don't worry about it Lizz." Zen walked out of the portal, and it closed behind him. He rubbed Lizz's head and asked her a question.
"Do you understand what you'll face as a Hunter? Do you still want to follow me?" Zen asked her, only to get a nod. "I absolutely understand. I completely trust you, Mister." Lizz agreed.
[You can now use Shadow Contract!]
Zen silently looked at the notification. His eyes lingered on it as excitement began to arise within him. He knew that he was going to get yet another Shadow, but this time, it would help more than just him, it would help her as well.
"Hunter Zen Han!" Sann yelled out as the Gate closed behind Zen. Sann clenched his hands in utter joy, seeing Zen come out and Kim Steel not.
"Kim Steel... what happened to Kim Steel? Are these the remaining survivors?!" Baek asked, his position as guild master demanding an answer.
"Yes... It's only us." Lila replied with her head down, not daring to look up at her guild master.
"Only low Ranked Hunters have survived? What happened inside of that dungeon? Not a single A and only one B Rank?" Baek's face went blue, losing his new A Rank and several B Ranks.
"Here, let me take you back home, unless you want to do this tonight?" Zen asked, drawing Baek's eyes and attention to him. Zen began walking past Baek, and met eyes with the Witch of Slaughter.
"Hold it. Let's talk for a second." Baek put his hand onto Zen's shoulder, but the instant he did so, a cold shiver went down everyone's spines.
"I am Baek Yoonho, the guild master of the White-Tiger Guild." Baek ordered, perhaps even threatened Zen.
"And I'm Zen Han, if we're saying the obvious." Zen snapped back, which would've caused the Witch of Slaughter to laugh, if the scene wasn't so intense.
"The White-Tiger Guild just lost 9 of it's new members. Shouldn't I, as the guild master, be able to ask a few questions?" Baek growled, the air becoming denser as his energy was slowly let loose.
"So what? I saved the remaining three people. If you're the guild master, you should be thanking me." Zen challenged back, his Shadows quickly getting ready to brawl.
There was a moment of silence, even the Witch of Slaughter never spoke, the situation even unnerving her.
"You're right. Perhaps I was too forceful. I apologize." Baek pulled his arm back, allowing for Zen to leave with Lizz.
"I'm sorry guild master. His reaction must've been so aggressive because he's been stuck in a Gate for multiple days." Sann tried to apologize to his guild master, only to stop himself when his master's hand came up.
"That's not the problem. Why haven't you recruited him yet?" Baek asked, causing Lolikiano to grin. "In order to be so confident against me.. I should expect to lose against him. If he were to join the White-Tiger Guild- no, If I were to make him an ally of the White-Tiger Guild, the guild could do a lot of different things." Baek thought.
"I will do my best." Sann quickly replied, clenching his fist in slight excitement.
"That's not good enough. You have the full support of the guild. Bring that man over at any cost." The guild master's wants were clear, extremely clear.
"Yes sir."
"I would try it if I were you, after all, I will be trying to take him as well. I may not be in an official guild, but I can still take him in as my apprentice." Lolikiano giggled, quickly floating off on her broom.
"I have so much to do... Annie, can you make me a list of stuff to do? You guys can probably figure out most of the stuff, but I just need a list to help myself out." Zen commanded, knowing Annie would instantly get to working.
"And Baruka." Zen called out, almost feeling Baruka perk up. "You're one of my strongest Shadows, so I will be depending on you a lot, be ready." Zen told his Shadows, getting a response from the Shadow in an instant.
"Of course sir! I'd be ready to die for you!" Baruka quickly replied.
"I got a new dagger from Baruka, and it's pretty good." Zen observed the stats of his newly gained dagger.
[Baruka's Dagger]
[Class: S]
[A dagger wielded by the great Baruka. If given back to original user, it's stats will double.]
Attack +110
Agility +10
"It's probably a smarter idea to give it to Baruka rather than to keep it myself." Zen couldn't feel bad though, because his new skill, Sorcerer's Crafting, he would be able to craft just as good weapons soon enough.
"You did well today. If you're still okay with the contract, we'll do it later." Zen reassured Lizz. "Yes sir... and... thank you!" Zen waved Lizz off, letting her get back into her cozy apartment.
"Now... I've gotta do what exactly Annie?" Zen asked, but was a little surprised when a screen appeared in front of him.
[To-Do list!]
Upgrade Muscularity
Go to Abyss Auction
Check out some Instant Dungeons
Evolve Annie
Form bonds with Elementals
Check up on Seonil
Check up on Senga Han
Check up on Sengon Han
"Alrighty, I'll make sure to do these." Zen got back home, and as soon as he did, instead of entering his already made I.D, he made his way to his sister's room. He just wanted to check up on her, and he was glad she was just sleeping peacefully.
"I hope she's okay. I haven't been home a lot recently... and because I don't need to really sleep, I rarely do." Zen spoke to himself before letting out yet another sigh.
Zen went into his instant dungeon, and instantly let his new Shadows out. "All of you, there will be according areas for you to work, but for the time being, train." Zen ordered, causing his Shadows to get to work.
"Now, Annie. You wanted to ascend or something?" As soon as Zen asked, the prompt he saw earlier popped up again.
[Annie can now ascend to the next Rank. Will you allow for her to evolve?]
[Yes/No]
"I just... I feel power bubbling up within me, but I need your permission to use this new power, Shadow Monarch." Zen clicked on yes, giving her permission.
[What will the command phase be?]
"Ascend." Annie's energy suddenly spiked, but there was no sudden changes besides her energy flaring up.
[Annie Leonhart]
[Rank: Elite Knight]
[Level: 1]
"Good. Now, we've got a lot of work to do, and not a lot of time! Let's get to work!" Zen yelled out, inspiring his knights and soldiers to work harder, their spirits fueled by his passion.
