In the heart of New York City, a skyscraper clawed at the sky, its apex marked by a stark, angular logo of a wolf mid-howl—the emblem of the Scavenger Guild. It was a fortress of glass and steel in a world that had learned to armor its hope in concrete and mana.
Hope emerged from a black sedan, the city's cacophony washing over him. As he moved toward the soaring entrance, the murmurs began—a familiar current of awe and anxiety that flowed around figures like him.
"Look, it's Hope. One of the S-Ranks."
"I heard he solo-cleared a B-Rank Gate last week. Just walked in and walked out."
"There are rumors… that he's planning to leave the country. What happens to us if our shields leave?"
He absorbed the words without reaction, his expression an impassive mask. They saw a legend, a deterrent, a symbol. They did not see the weight. He pushed through the revolving doors, leaving the chorus of the crowd for the hushed, pressurized silence of the lobby.
Awaiting him was Laura, Thomas Andre's personal secretary. She was a picture of calm efficiency, her demeanor a quiet counterpoint to the guild's inherent chaos.
"Good morning, Mr. Hope. Thomas is waiting for you in his office. Alex is already with him."
"Got it," Hope replied, his voice a low rumble.
They stepped into a private elevator, its ascent smooth and silent. The cityscape fell away outside the glass wall, becoming a diorama of the world humanity had stubbornly rebuilt.
"How's your brother?" Laura asked, her tone shifting from professional to something gentler, genuinely maternal.
"He's doing well. Graduates elementary in a few months," Hope said, his gaze fixed on the shrinking streets below. His next words came out quieter, almost lost in the elevator's hum. "I just hope he doesn't end up like me."
Laura turned her head slightly. "Why is that?"
Hope finally looked at her, his orange eyes weary. "Kids should just be kids. I don't want him near any of this. The Gates, the raids, the constant calculus of life and death. I want him to live a normal life. To be free to dream about… anything else."
Laura offered a soft, understanding nod just as the elevator chimed. The doors slid open onto a plush, silent hallway, culminating in a pair of imposing double doors of carved dark wood.
Hope moved forward and pushed them open.
The office within was vast, a testament to power. One entire wall was a window framing a breathtaking, sovereign view of New York. In the center of this domain stood Thomas Andre, a mountain of a man at seven feet tall, his formidable musculature barely contained by a garish Hawaiian shirt. His blond hair was cropped short, his presence an effortless blend of casual and catastrophic.
Seated casually in a chair before the desk was Alex Mercer. Lean, elegant, and dangerous, he was idly popping grapes into his mouth. His hair and eyes were a vivid, unnatural red, a stark contrast to his impeccable black tuxedo. As the Vice Guild Leader and one of the world's few S-Rank Battle Healers, Alex possessed the rare power to amplify his own combat abilities while dramatically boosting those of his entire team—a force multiplier in human form.
"Ah, you're finally here," Thomas boomed, his voice laced with theatrical irritation. "We've been waiting."
"I dropped Kai at school," Hope replied smoothly, taking a seat opposite Alex, who offered a slight, amused nod in greeting. "It won't happen again."
"Forget about it," Thomas waved a massive hand, the irritation evaporating. "Now, down to business. We've secured two A-Rank Gates. One is a solid mid-tier. The other…" he paused, his eyes glinting, "…is measured as a peak A-Rank. You and Alex will handle the peak. I'll clear the other."
He said it with the calm of a man discussing weekend plans, not potential annihilation.
"Oh my," Alex purred, a smirk playing on his lips. "A peak A-Rank. How positively thrilling."
"Alex will have lead command," Thomas continued. "He'll take Raid Team One. I trust the two of you overseeing things won't be an issue?"
Both men gave a silent, affirmative nod. In the world of S-Ranks, such acknowledgments were bonds as solid as contracts.
"Good. Alex, you can head out and start prepping the team. Hope, stay behind. A private word."
With a graceful, unhurried movement, Alex rose. He shot a wink at Laura by the door, and the two of them exited, leaving Hope alone with the guild master.
The atmosphere in the room seemed to thicken. Thomas leaned forward, his earlier casualness receding like a tide.
"After this raid," he began, his voice dropping to a gravelly seriousness, "you're going to Japan. The Hunter Association Chairman there requested you specifically. They've got multiple A-Rank Gate outbreaks threatening a major population center. They need an S-Rank specialist, and they asked for you specifically."
Hope's eyes narrowed slightly. "What do we get in return?"
Thomas's lips curved into a knowing smirk. "They've already sent the downpayment. An artifact. Supposedly doubles the bearer's mana output during high-stress cycles."
Hope exhaled a slow, deep sigh. The air felt colder. An artifact of that caliber wasn't a gift; it was a statement of desperation. It was the kind of treasure a nation hoarded for its own last stand, not given away lightly. It meant the situation in Japan was far more dire than a simple "outbreak."
"They're that scared," Hope stated, more than asked.
"They're that pragmatic," Thomas corrected. "The artifact will be delivered before your A-Rank raid here. Gives you a chance to get accustomed to it."
Hope ran a hand over the back of his neck, the tattooed skin warm under his palm. "Fine. While I'm away… look after Kai. He already calls you 'Uncle Thomas,' you know."
A genuine, rumbling laugh escaped the giant man. "Don't you worry about that, kid. I'll keep an eye on him like he's my own. You just focus on coming back in one piece." His expression sobered. "Now go. Get your head in the game for the gate here first. One apocalypse at a time."
Hope stood and left the office, the heavy door closing with a soft, final click behind him. Instead of heading to the strategy rooms, he turned toward the guild's private training gym—where Raid Team One would be gathering. The familiar weight of impending battle settled onto his shoulders, a mantle he had worn since the day he first Awakened. The whispers of the crowd, Thomas's orders, the looming specter of Japan—it all fell away, compartmentalized. For now, there was only the next Gate, the next fight, the next step in the unforgiving game.