I realized something was wrong even before entering the guild.
Normally, that place was never silent. There was always some adventurer arguing over payment, another complaining about poorly healed injuries, someone boasting about a mission that almost went wrong. But that day, the sound felt muffled, as if the city itself were holding its breath.
I pushed the door open carefully and felt every gaze turn toward me.
Vespera came in right behind me, lightly tripping over her own foot and pretending it was part of the movement. Elara followed, already showing exhaustion even before any combat. Liriel closed the door, looking around with a vague expression, as if trying to remember why that place bothered her so much.
Something had changed.
The notice boards were far too full. Missions hastily crossed out. Torn papers. Notes written by different hands, in rushed handwriting. The atmosphere was one of urgency, not normal work.
"Why are there so many people here so early?" Vespera murmured.
I didn't answer. I had already noticed.
At the back of the hall, near the main table, several group leaders were gathered. Some I recognized. Others seemed to have come from outside Vailor. They all had one thing in common: closed-off, tired, suspicious expressions.
The Guild Master was standing, leaning on the table with his arms crossed. He didn't look angry. He looked worried, which was far worse.
When he saw us, he gave a short nod.
"Takumi. Good that you came."
I stepped closer with the group. As we walked, I noticed the whispers fading. It wasn't curiosity. It was expectation.
"Something is happening," I said. It wasn't a question.
The Guild Master let out a heavy sigh. "Yes. And it's not something small."
He struck the table with his hand, drawing everyone's attention.
"Everyone, pay attention."
The hall fell completely silent.
"In the last few days, we've had consistent reports of groups disappearing. Not just delays. Complete disappearances."
A murmur rippled through the room.
"Different regions?" someone asked.
"No," the Master replied. "Always the same pattern."
He spread a map across the table and pointed to an area to the north.
"Surroundings of this dungeon."
My stomach sank slightly.
It wasn't a surprise, but hearing it out loud made everything more real.
"Experienced teams?" another adventurer asked.
"Yes. Rank B, A… and even an almost complete rank S group."
Vespera swallowed hard. "That's not normal."
"None of this is normal," the Master replied.
Elara crossed her arms. "Any survivors?"
"A few. Those who returned were too injured to explore again. And all of them said the same thing."
He paused briefly.
"The monsters are organized."
That echoed in my mind.
Organized.
Not aggressive by instinct. Not erratic. Not reacting solely to human presence.
"Defensive formations," he continued. "Patrol routes. Strategic retreats. This is not wild behavior."
"So someone is commanding them," I said.
Several eyes turned toward me.
The Guild Master nodded slowly. "That's the most logical conclusion."
The flame inside me stirred faintly, as if in agreement.
Liriel stepped forward. "This dungeon… it appeared recently, right?"
"Yes," he replied. "But it didn't expand like others. It deepened."
"Like a barracks," I murmured, recalling what we had already seen.
Elara looked at me. "You're thinking the same thing I am?"
"I'm thinking something worse."
Vespera scratched her head nervously. "So what does the guild plan to do? Send more people there to die?"
A heavy silence fell.
The Guild Master didn't avert his gaze. "We're not going to act blindly. That's why I called this meeting."
He turned to the hall. "Any group that approaches the region must report immediately. No deep incursions will be authorized until we have more information."
"And if that gives the enemy time to grow stronger?" someone shot back.
"And if we advance now, we give him exactly what he wants," the Master replied.
I closed my eyes for a moment.
The dream returned to my mind. The endless ice. The white eyes. The sensation of being watched.
"Takumi."
I opened my eyes.
The Guild Master was staring directly at me. "You were near the region, weren't you?"
I nodded. "Yes. We didn't go deep. But what we saw wasn't normal."
"Explain."
I took a deep breath. "The monsters didn't attack without reason. They retreated when they realized they wouldn't win. They protected specific areas. And… it seemed like they knew exactly where we weren't supposed to go."
The hall grew even more tense.
"This confirms our worst fears," the Master said. "There is active leadership."
Liriel clenched her hands, visibly nervous. "If it's who I'm thinking of…"
"Don't say it," someone interrupted. "Don't speak that name."
I felt the flame pulse more strongly.
"Demon General," I said.
No one reacted immediately. But no one denied it.
The Guild Master closed his eyes for a moment. "We still don't have official confirmation. But the signs point in that direction."
Vespera tried to laugh, but failed. "Great. We can barely pay rent and now we're on the path of a General."
Elara sighed. "That explains why my mana has been draining faster. The magical pressure in the region must be affecting everything."
"And it explains why my spells aren't working properly," Liriel murmured, clearly irritated with herself.
I observed every face around me.
Fear. Determination. Fatigue.
But also something else.
Preparation.
"For now," the Master continued, "no direct offensive. But that will change. When we have enough allies."
"Allies?" I asked.
"Yes," he replied. "Other guilds have already been notified. Including those outside Vailor."
My heart sped up slightly.
"Reinforcements are coming."
When we left the guild, the sky seemed heavier than before.
Vespera broke the silence. "So… it's official. We're heading straight toward something big."
"They always start like this," Elara said. "With small signs no one wants to ignore."
Liriel walked in silence, staring at the ground. "If it really is a General… nothing we've faced so far even comes close."
I clenched my fist.
"Then we'll grow," I said. "Before he decides to leave that dungeon."
The flame inside me responded, hot and restless.
I knew.
It was no longer a question of whether we would face it.
It was only when.