The next day, the four set off to the guild.

Inside, the hall buzzed with noise. It was enormous, lined with long tables. Warriors and mages sat wearing a variety of clothes.

As soon as the four students walked in, the room grew quieter. People turned to look at them. Their youth and inexperience stood out. Some watched with curiosity, while others just snickered.

"Heh, kids came to play heroes," someone muttered from one of the tables.

Subaru kept his expression neutral, ignoring the words, but Yuna's eyes narrowed as she caught every word. Riko instinctively moved behind Yūma, half-hiding herself.

At the reception desk stood a young woman in a sharp, dark suit, her hair tied neatly in a bun. A golden guild badge gleamed on her chest.

"Good day," she said with a polite smile. "Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild."

"We'd like to register as a group, if possible," Yuna said confidently, stepping forward.

"Of course." The woman nodded and handed them a sheet of parchment along with a quill.

"Please write down the names and basic information of each member."

Moments later, the document was complete. The receptionist scanned the lines, then nodded.

"You're newcomers, so you'll begin at the Iron rank. Above that are Bronze, Silver, Gold, and the highest is Brilliant. Advancing requires proving your skills and completing proper quests."

She reached into a box under the counter and pulled out four small cards. Each had a metal frame and the engraved name of its owner.

"These are your guild cards," she said, handing them out one by one.

"You'll present them when taking quests. And now..." she hesitated briefly, "you'll need to choose a group leader. Who will it be?"

The chance came faster than Yūma expected. 

He didn't hesitate long. "I'll be the leader," he said firmly, looking straight at the receptionist. Then he shifted his gaze to the others.

Yuna narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me? Why you? You're not the only one who wants this position. I believe I deserve to lead." Her voice was cold, her stare piercing into Yūma.

"Relax, guys..." Subaru whispered, raising his hands in a calming gesture.

"Relax?!" Yuna's voice rose. "I'm not about to take orders from someone I've only known for a few days!"

The same goes for me. But it's not about how long I've known you. I just don't trust anyone.

"I know how to solve this. Let's vote. Democracy is the fairest way."

Yūma scoffed. "Democracy only works when the voters aren't tied to the candidate. And you three have been friends for years."

Tense silence fell. Riko lowered her eyes, unable to speak. Subaru looked like he'd rather escape than stay in this argument. Yuna and Yūma stared each other down.

The receptionist, sensing the rising tension, quickly stepped away from the counter. A few minutes later, she returned, but not alone.

Beside her walked a tall man with broad shoulders, dressed in a dark, elegant suit reinforced with steel at the shoulders. His steps were heavy and certain, his gaze as sharp as a blade.

"What's going on here?" he asked in a deep, commanding tone, scanning each of them in turn.

"And who might you be?" Yuna shot back, a bit too boldly.

The receptionist straightened instantly, as if she had been pulled by a rope.

"This is the master of our guild, Paul Legrand."

"So? What's happened?" Paul asked a receptionist.

The woman leaned closer and whispered something into his ear.

"Oh, I see. You can't decide who should be the leader," he said with a sigh, rubbing his forehead like someone who had seen this problem many times.

"Maybe some kind of bet will solve a problem. Whoever wins becomes a leader."

Thanks, Paul. You've helped me more than you realize. Exactly what I need right now.

"If that's going to help us to decide. I'm down," Yūma replied.

Yuna stepped forward. "Me too."

"What kind of bet, then?" Subaru asked.

"We usually settle this with a sparring match in our guild. You'll fight each other," Paul replied, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

Silence. Riko wasn't happy with that idea. She feared something might happen to Yuna. To her, it wasn't a fair fight. She wanted to speak, but Yuna cut her off.

"Let's do that!" she said confidently.

"Are you sure?" Subaru asked, glancing at her with concern.

"Yes, I'm sure," no hesitation in her tone.

In pure fighting, I'll lose. Her skill is much superior to mine. Even during our training in the forest, I had a hard time noticing her.

"Okay... Yūma? What about you?" Subaru asked, shifting his gaze.

"I'm fine with that. But let's spar in two days from today," Yūma answered calmly.

Yuna nodded in agreement.

"Well... It's decided. In two days," Paul concluded.

After the decision was made, and as the others began leaving the main hall, Yūma's attention drifted toward the nearby quest board. What caught his attention was a large poster with a warning sign written in big letters.

He stepped closer to see the information. It was about the thief. Unseen, never caught. Mostly steals from bakeries, cafés, and even careless adventurers.

"Have you seen someone similar?" the receptionist asked.

"No... I'm just curious. You know. I don't want anyone stealing from me."

"She became a city's myth. This warning has been hanging here for two years, and no one has managed to do something about it."

"That's terrible..." Yūma replied with a worried voice. In truth, it was just an act. He didn't care about the victims at all. It was the thief who really caught his attention.

"I have a question." He added, changing the subject.

"Where can I find a store with magical items? Something that gives light, for example."

"I know a place. My sister works there," the woman smiled slightly.

"When you leave the guild, turn right. Walk to the end of the road and you'll find it."

"Thank you very much," Yūma answered with a faint smile on his face.

Soon after finishing at the guild, the group stepped outside. As they discussed plans, Yūma quietly separated from them, while Subaru and Riko joined Yuna to prepare together.

He didn't really need two days - just one evening would have been sufficient. But he wanted some time alone. He'd spent too much time with others lately.

What could I do today? I guess I'll visit that magic store she mentioned.

He was lost in thought when sudden screams cut through the air. A woman's voice, sharp and desperate, echoed along the street, attracting his attention.

"Help... I'm here... help," she cried, her voice cracked.

Yūma immediately rushed toward the source of the cries. The sound led him into a narrow, dark alley, where he saw two men pressing a woman against a wall. Noticing the absence of city guards, Yūma realized he still hadn't seen any police officers or guards since arriving in this city.

The attackers wore long cloaks with hoods pulled over their heads, hiding their faces.

"Hey! Let her go," Yūma shouted.

"Who are you, boy?" one of the men spoke. It was a taller one.

"Hold her," he ordered his companion, then stepped forward to Yūma.

The man pulled out a knife and charged at Yūma. He ran for five meters. That's all he could do.

Yūma picked up a stone and threw it right at his right eye. A scream of agony tore that man's throat as he dropped the knife.

"What the..." the second man whispered in shock.

The second man hesitated, considering whether to help his companion. Before he could react, Yūma stepped decisively toward the first man and addressed him directly.

"Go away, or I'll kill you too." His tone was cold, but his eyes were terrifying. His eyes were as empty and unfeeling as a grave. Obviously, it was only a bluff. Yūma wasn't even sure if he was able to kill a person at this stage. But the threat worked.

He ran away. He abandoned both his companion and the woman alone. Yūma took the metal rod near the wall of the building and struck the first man's head. The blow knocked him out instantly.

Yūma turned to face the woman. The fear remained on her face. Though she knew the boy had saved her, the merciless look and the cold words from moments ago refused to leave her mind.

"Please... don't kill me," she said, her voice trembling.

"Kill? Don't worry." Yūma replied softly. His eyes softened.

"I'm not capable of killing people."

Yet.

"I'm here to help you. I heard your screams, and... I'm here." His voice was warm, so different from moments ago.

He reached out and helped her to her feet. She nodded quickly, thanked him, and prepared to run.

"Oh... Do you have a rope or a cloth you do not need?" he asked, this time with a slight smile on his face.

The woman hesitated, then handed him her cloak. Yūma took it and tied the unconscious man's hands together.

He searched the man carefully, checking his belt, pockets, and then inside the cloak. He found what he had been hoping for. From the start, he had been suspicious because of the black cloak and hidden face.

He found a symbol. The symbol of the Raven.

It was easy. I suppose it was a low-level pawn. Interesting. How many Safari users are inside their structure? I would bet they have even Stage 6 users.

Yūma stayed beside the unconscious man, waiting for his awakening before beginning his questioning.

The man woke up in agony, clutching his ruined right eye. He looked around, hoping to see his companion, but the only figure he found was Yūma - calm, standing a few steps away.

"Who are you... What do you want?" he asked furiously.

Yūma crouched slightly and leaned closer to the man.

"Why? Why did you do that to that poor woman? Did she do something wrong?"

"Not your business," the man answered firmly.

"Come on... You know what I'm capable of. I mean... look at your eye. Don't make it more painful than it already is."

The man froze. Seconds stretched in silence before he finally muttered, voice breaking.

"We were just doing our jobs. Okay? They ask us to bring one woman every week to keep the pay. The payment is great... So, what else could I have done?"

"Prostitution?" Yūma asked with curiosity.

"I... I guess. I never saw them afterwards," the man answered, lowering his head.

Yūma began to pace slowly, taking a step to the right, then a step to the left.

"Where are you dropping them? Where's the place?"

"The northeast side of the city, near the factory. But I don't think it's their actual location. We just... drop them, and the payment appears on the next day. Always the same spot."

"Factory..." Yūma whispered to himself.

"That's all I know. I'm not lying. Please... let me go. I told you everything," he said, tears welling in his left eye.

"Let you go..." Yūma repeated, his voice flat. "I never said anything about letting you go."

"What?" The man gasped in disbelief. "What will you do to me?"

"Nothing illegal. Just drop you near the adventure's guild," he said softly.

He doesn't know where the police station is, if it even exists. The only possible place that could have taken care of this fool was the guild, he thought.

Relief flickered in the man's eyes, only to vanish at Yūma's next words.

"But... If you tell them about me, about anything that happened today," a strange smile appeared on his face.

"I promise I will find you and kill you." The smile wasn't joyous. It wasn't even terrifying. It was absurd, almost laughable, the kind of smile that smirked at fear itself.

Before the man could react, a blow with a metal rod struck his face, returning him to unconsciousness.

Later that evening, a heavy knock echoed through the guild's front doors. The receptionist, confused, hurried over and opened them.

Outside was a man with his hands tightly bound by a cloak. Unconscious, a bloodshot right eye. Pinned to his chest was a folded note. The receptionist tore it and read the words, written in a sharp, hurried hand.

This man stole a woman's bag. I found him, returned the bag, and brought him to you. Do what you need to do.