It's time for the start of the next major story arc! The Silent Orochi Arc! I've mentioned this guild a couple of other times previously in the story and this will mark the Dark Guild's official debut! I really hope you guys enjoy it!

January 11, X791

In the Phoenix Dawn guild hall, Spiral was napping at one of the tables while there was barely anybody there.

"Spiral, do you have a minute?" Blaise asked as she walked up to Spiral.

Spiral lifted his head up and looked at Blaise, groggy as hell.

"If you're so bored, you can just come with me on a small errand." Blaise said. "It's nothing big. We're just going to pick up some groceries."

"Well, I've nothing better to do, so…" Spiral said, standing up clearly half asleep.

The two walked out of the guild hall and Blaise tried to start a conversation.

"So, I noticed you and Hikari are…" Blaise said, but stopped as she tried to find the right words. "… Doing well."

"Yeah, things ARE going well." Spiral said.

"Things haven't gone… to the bedroom yet, right?" Blaise asked.

"What? No. I mean, we sleep in the same bed together from time to time, but we haven't… 'done anything' yet."

"I'm just a little concerned things might be going fast for you two. I think becoming Guild Master might have brought out my maternal instincts. Though, I should at least be glad that you and Hikari have a relationship."

"What do you mean?"

Blaise sighed. "Jason and Kagura have been pretending to be a couple in front of his family so he wouldn't be bothered about relationships."

"So? Jason should be happy."

"From what I've heard, his great grandfather is practically forcing the two to be wed before the end of the summer AND carrying a child one month afterward. He doesn't want to force Kagura into anything, so he's willing to be forced into whatever relationship his family sets up for him."

"That sounds awful."

"I've talked with Kagura about her experience around his family and she says that it seems like his great grandfather is the one who's pressuring him."

"Now that you mention it, Jason's great grandfather DOES seem suspicious."

"Hm?"

"When we went on that S-Class quest to that secret library, Jason said he saw a vision of his great grandfather burning an entire bookcase on dragons and stealing all of the books."

"Whatever the case, there's definitely something off about him."

They continued walking and past a couple of gossiping housewives.

"Did you hear about that Dark Guild, Silent Orochi?"

"I heard they just broke a couple of dangerous criminals out of prison AND they're heading toward the mountains to the north of town."

"I hope they don't come here and cause trouble. My family and I JUST recovered from the Bladed Foxes' attack a few months ago."

Spiral stopped where he was and it wasn't until Blaise took a few more steps ahead of him that she turned around to look at him.

"Spiral, what is it?" Blaise asked.

Spiral was clenching his fists and teeth.

"Silent Orochi…" Spiral muttered. "They were the ones… who killed the people of Sophia…"

"Spiral?" Blaise asked in a soothing voice.

Spiral went around Blaise and ran toward the outside of the city.

"Spiral, where are you going?!" Blaise asked, calling for him.

Spiral didn't answer and continued running.

*I'll make them pay!* Spiral thought as he ran. *I'll make them pay for everything that they've done!*

Outside of Roseshade, Sakura, Flora and Jason were returning from another job.

"Man, that last job was easy!" Sakura said holding her hands behind her head. "I kind of wish Spiral came along."

"He would have if he wasn't feeling lazy." Flora said.

"Come on, Flora. Give Spiral more credit than that." Jason said. "Speak of the devil. It looks like he's eager for another job."

Spiral came running past the three of them which left them a little confused.

"… What's HIS problem?" Flora asked. "Not even bothering to say 'hi' to us!"

"Jason, Sakura!"

Jason, Sakura and Flora looked back toward Roseshade and saw Blaise approaching them, clearly running out of breath.

"Master Blaise, what's wrong?" Jason asked.

"Spiral overheard some locals talking about Silent Orochi." Blaise replied. "He's heading toward the mountains to the north to take them on."

"… And?" Sakura asked.

"Since the fall of the Oración Seis and Grimoire Heart, Silent Orochi has risen to become one of the strongest Dark Guilds in the Baram Alliance." Blaise stated. "I need you two to bring him back, by force if necessary. If he takes them all on alone, he's going to get himself killed."

"And yet you let him take on the Guild Master of the Bladed Foxes alone?" Flora questioned.

"That was just ONE person." Jason said. "He's thinking of taking on an entire Dark Guild by himself."

"Eden and Heart should be coming back from their missions soon." Blaise said. "If you're not back in an hour, then I'm sending them to you for backup."

Jason and Sakura nodded and chased after Spiral.

"… Just to be safe…" Blaise mumbled to herself as she walked back to town.

At the tip of the mountain range north of Roseshade stood nine figures with emblems of eight snake heads from the same point on their bodies or clothes. In front was a man with dark green short hair, wearing a black jacket over his shirtless body and brown raggedy pants. There was also a boa constrictor wrapping itself around his body, though it wasn't trying to strangle him at all. That man was the Guild Master of Silent Orochi Vance Victor (Age 39). He pulled out a map of the area and pointed to what looked like a forest clearing deep within the mountain range.

"This spot should be perfect." Vance said. "If any of the Light Guilds try to interfere, you know what to do."

A woman with black hair tied in pigtails wearing gothic makeup and attire walked up to Vance. That woman was one of the members of Silent Orochi, Morticia Crypt (Age 18).

"Master Vance, shouldn't one of us escort you?" Morticia asked.

"That will not be necessary, Morticia." Vance replied. "Just make sure nobody enters the mountain forest, even if it costs you your lives."

"I understand, Master." Morticia said as she lightly bowed toward Vance.

Vance walked off into the forest, leaving the other eight members of his guild behind.

Spiral had covered quite a distance in a short amount of time as he was nearing the mountains. Suddenly, a bunch of bones came out from underground and tried to catch Spiral, but he managed to sidestep out of the way and dodge the attack.

"Whoever's out there, show yourselves!" Spiral shouted.

From behind the trees, Morticia walked up to Spiral.

"Are you a member of Silent Orochi?" Spiral asked, looking pretty angry.

Morticia turned her back to Spiral and stretched out the neck of her shirt over her shoulder to reveal the black Silent Orochi guild mark tattooed on the back of her shoulder.

"Yes, my name is Morticia Crypt." Morticia said. "One of the eight heads of Silent Orochi." She let go of the neck of her shirt and covered up her skin again.

"… Good." Spiral said before charging toward Morticia. "Sonic Sonata!"

Spiral launched a swift punch which Morticia tilted her body to her right to dodge and then he swung a powerful strike at her with his backhanded sword. Since she was struck with the edge opposite of the blade, it didn't leave a cut, but the attack still hurt like hell. Spiral then sent a quick kick to her stomach which she blocked with her arms and then delivered a fast, powerful punch at Morticia's face and amplified the impact of the strike with his Sound Magic. The force caused the tree to fall over backwards and Morticia was sent flying through the forest.

"Never-Melt Blizzard!"

Spiral used his Never-Melt Magic to create a miniature snowstorm around him and Morticia. The flakes of snow were so cold they actually stung Morticia as she was hit by them. She stood up as Spiral walked over to her, moving his backhanded sword to his left hand and creating an ice sword in his right.

"Are you aware of what your guild has done?" Spiral asked with an intense glare coming from his face. "All the lives you took?! All the families you destroyed?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Morticia said.

"Don't lie to me!" Spiral shouted as he closed in on Morticia, preparing to deal a final blow with his swords. "Your guild is responsible for the destruction of my hometown, Sophia! You killed all of my friends! And for that I'll never forgive any single one of you!"

Morticia sunk her head down, but then smirked. "Bone Crucifix!"

Spiral stepped on a whitish brown magic circle and in a flash of light, he found himself crucified to two bones that formed a cross. Morticia got up and brushed the snow off her clothes.

"You're pretty strong, I'll admit that." Morticia said. "But if you hadn't fallen for my trap, you could have defeated me."

Morticia turned around and walked away. After walking a certain distance, she snapped her fingers and an explosion of white light engulfed Spiral.

"GYAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Spiral screamed in pain.

Morticia smiled lightly as she walked away. "Such a shame. He was actually cute."

A half hour later, Sakura, Flora and Jason were in the area searching for Spiral.

"Spiral! Where are you?" Sakura called out for forest. "Flora, can you scout ahead from the air?"

"Can do." Flora nodded and flew up higher into the air.

As Flora was flying, she spotted something on the ground. It was a badly damaged Spiral, his clothes torn and tattered from the blast.

"I found him!" Flora shouted.

Flora flew down toward Spiral's body and Sakura and Jason followed her to him.

"Spiral!" Sakura shouted as she ran over toward Spiral's body and checked his pulse. "… He's still breathing. I'll heal him."

Sakura began to use her Forest Magic to heal Spiral. After a few minutes of healing, Spiral was finally starting to regain consciousness.

"Spiral, you idiot!" Jason said. "Even you should've known that this would happen! What the hell were you thinking?"

"I had to make them pay!" Spiral answered. "That guild killed everyone in my hometown! When I heard they were nearby, I had to come here!"

"And what would have happened if you died?!" Jason questioned. "Master Blaise is worried sick about you! Now come back to the guild hall with us!"

"I can't." Spiral said. "I refuse to go back to the guild hall until everyone in Silent Orochi is either dead or behind bars. This isn't just about revenge. This is about preventing anyone else from going through the same pain I did all those years ago."

Jason simply looked at Spiral, unconvinced of his words.

"… I'm with Spiral." Sakura said.

"Sakura, you can't be serious." Jason said.

"Jason, sometimes there's something we just have to do, no matter what anybody else thinks." Sakura said.

"… I don't buy that." Jason said.

Sakura stood up, looked Jason straight in the face and…

"OOOOOOOWWWW!" Jason screamed as Sakura kicked him in the groin. "OKAY! OKAY!" Jason's voice was now high-pitched from the wincing pain. "But we should at least wait until Eden and Heart arrive so we have a better chance at success."

Sakura looked back at Spiral, who was still lying on the ground.

"Don't worry, Spiral." Sakura said with an assuring smile. "We'll take down Silent Orochi once and for all!"

A/N: Sorry this chapter took another day to finish. I had an appointment yesterday morning, took a nap when I got home and for a few hours I didn't have the proper ideas flowing through my head. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and the start of the next major story arc! Stay tuned for next time!