Slught, capital city of the middle belt.
Unlike most cities, Slught was not built for living, famous for its guilds, organizations and Scientific research center. Slught is the hub of industrial, scientific and magical development in Westeria. Though all this is true for the current Slught, the city in the past was ran by gangs, preceding its status as a capital, this all changed with the arrival of the Lions Hunt C guild. Though the guild's priority was hunting beasts, the guild head, Ravon Vaelthore said and I quote "The essence of beast hunting is to better the lives of civilians, leaving gangs to dictate the survival of these civilians is something I shall not condone." --- Rath Vinskin in the Virtues of beast hunting.
Nero and the rest of his hunters' party sat facing an old man. His hair was silver-gold, his eyes were mixed colors, even the trademark golden pupils was only apparent in one eye. He was not as dark skinned as the average gyn, he looked a little brown, he was also much smaller than the gyn. He was a half cast, a race born from the breeding of elves and gyn together. Overall, he looked like an older version of Leron taking the eyes and skin color out of consideration.
"I am Raphael Vaciem, this here is Uriel Vaciem, my brother." Raphael introduced. Then tossed a worn-out book on the center table.
"Heard you have been looking for this… now let's not wonder into places far above us." Raphael smiled.
"In this world, strength is what is used to determine strength." Rach, one of Nero's fellow hunters said.
Nero shook his head saying "No, status is what determines strength and money is what determines status."
"You have a good head on. From what our brains analyzed from your search; you were looking for information on the Dravari." Raphael smiled then flipped the pages of the book to a section which contained a drawing of a dragon like man with slits for eyes.
"How might what we were looking for interest you?" Nero squinted his eyes. "You guys look like outsiders, probably from the Eastern continent, nobles maybe. What would you be doing all the way from there , I don't believe you came to share info on the Dravari."
"Our younger brother got missing somewhere in the middle belt of this empire, it took us months, but we have finally been able to deduce his general location."
"You are beating bout the bush, don't you think.?"
"Hmm, they wouldn't pose a threat, right?" Raphael turned to Uriel, his voice laced with a tinge of cruel amusement.
"You should be able to solo them at peak state." Uriel nodded.
Raphael turned to look at then AA rank party, a bright light shone on him and three pairs of majestic dove like wings appeared behind him. Light burst from his back — not warm, but blinding. Six wings unfurled with a sound like tearing silk. A silver halo spun above his head. He rose to four meters tall, serene and terrifying all at once . His was different from Adrian's, they didn't move in a shifting runic pattern. Usually, Raphael was 5.5 feet( 1.58496 meters) however, now he was 4 meters(13.12336 feet).
"See the Dravari considered extinct by the Hidden society, though I am quite curious as to why you are searching for info, that's not why I am here. The angel race lost one of our princes, my brother around the same place you went on a mission before starting to look into the Dravari, it might be a coincidence, but pray it's not for you have already tasted the forbidden fruit."
"Well, if you want anyone to attack in that town look for Adrian Wilbert. He is one of the most formidable people there, even though as you say, I am weak, I am sure most of you soldiers aren't at my level yet… He possesses an army of my level." Nero intentionally exaggerated Adrian. If he could, he would spit in the face of Raphael, he believed in the same ideology shared by all the true hunters, the nobles wouldn't have come to be without the protection of hunters. He was particularly annoyed at how Raphael tried to exert control over him.
"Oh yeah, what is the hidden society?" Nero asked.
"For your own good, it's best you don't know." Raphael returned to his half-cast form.
"If you truly cared bout my wellbeing, you wouldn't have spoken about it in the beginning."
Raphael smiled as he and Uriel rose, ignoring the AA hunter's complaints.
Thud.
The closed the door.
"They left the book." Nero looked at the book on the table.
…
"Uthean it is then." Raphael turned serious as he looked at the rows of knights lined neatly behind the door.
"Let's go."
Twenty small aviators took flight outside Slught, their destination; Uthean.
"Do you believe what that hunter said?" Raphael asked.
"Some parts were noticeably exaggerated; it was a mixture of truth and lies. He clearly was annoyed with how you behaved."
"Hmmm, I'll take your word for it."
Meanwhile- two days earlier, Martindale forest
Clad in white robes, bearing the symbol of the Divine temple, a man observed the body of the lion monkey. Behind him four guards and two other scholars stood.
The entire body, was riddled with foreign symbols and drawings made by carving out the beast's skin, the most notable symbol was the one the chest: A strange looking eye crossed out with an x.
"The beast was nearing Magi fusion, almost gaining sentience, the locals call it the king of the forest. Some have even gone to the extent of worshipping it as a minor deity. It has been here for over a hundred years, maybe a hunter, no, hunters wouldn't leave such strange symbols rather collect hide and core." Scholar Olan mumbled.
"Maybe a cult." Jacob, one of the other scholar suggested.
"I am sure we all know how the last two hundred years, the efforts of the temple to wipe out all those devil worshippers." Suzan said.
"Then what about those who worshipped the beast?" Jacob asked, irritated by how Suzan turned down his suggestion.
"I said devil worshippers, I doubt this would be done by beast worshippers." Suzan stuck her tongue out.
"A full-blown evangelism should be performed here." Jacob said.
"An exorcism as well." Olan nodded in agreement.
"Must we visit the exorcists again?" Jacob frowned.
" Suzan, how well can you perform exorcism now?" Olan ignored Jacob's comment and turned to Suzan.
"I can exorcise grade three evils easily, but I don't think that is necessary; I can't feel any of their negative energy here." Suzan said.
"So, we need to invite a scholar with more knowledge on the occult."
Sometime later…
"This isn't an occult language; it is a language from a novel." The Cult scholar said.
"Huh?" Every looked at him puzzled.
"Well, when I am bored and have some free time, I read, I encountered this language in one of such novels. If I remember correctly, it should mean: The eyes that look shall perish, for the brightness of the sun even dulls, look away before blindness catches thee or maybe death." The cult scholar said.
"So, a powerful webnovel fan… leave this to the Combat department." Olan said.
"What?" Jacob blinked twice.
"I am not ready to deal with any psychos, after the combat department is done, we will just come in to document the occurrence." Olan yawned. "Thanks for the help though, Auo"
Adrian hovered over the scientist and the beast corpse, he was invisible to the naked eye. He watched them like prey, however, he didn't know of what awaited him once he reached Uthean.