They arrived at the Kingdom of Radiance just past midday, the afternoon sun reflecting on the city’s golden rooftops. The lively chatter of merchants and residents wove through the streets, a soothing contrast to the smoky chaos of the raided village they had left behind. As they passed under the massive stone archway leading to the Guild Hall, Shunjiro couldn’t help but feel a twinge of relief. We made it back, he thought, glancing at the weary but determined faces of his companions, Itsuki, Yoshinori, Tetsuo, Aiko, and Ryuji. They ascended up the stairway leading up to Kaito’s office, footsteps echoing in the quiet corridor. Nerves and excitement coalesced in Shunjiro’s stomach. We have a lot to tell him, he reminded himself. Kaito’s office door stood ajar, and his sharp-eyed secretary waved them inside. Kaito, the guild leader, sat behind a large wooden desk heaped with scrolls and reports, his elbows braced atop piles of parchment. Upon seeing the group, he set aside a quill and gestured for them to enter. “Welcome back,” Kaito said, studying their faces intently. His usual sternness softened around the edges. “I’ve been waiting for your report.” They formed a loose semicircle before his desk. Shunjiro stepped forward, swallowing a lump in his throat. Though not an official “leader,” he’d slipped into that role by necessity. “The mission…” Shunjiro began, voice steady but subdued, “was a lot more complicated than we expected.” His fingers curled at his sides. “We took a D rank job to find a missing girl, Aya. But the situation escalated into what felt like a B rank scenario, maybe worse. The raiders had wiped out a village.” Kaito’s brow furrowed. “And Aya?” Itsuki exhaled, offering a small smile. “She’s safe. We rescued her.” Kaito nodded, relief flickering across his features. “I see. But your faces tell me there’s more.” Tetsuo, hands in his pockets, spoke next. “The raiders were strong. And their leader, Makoto, became… corrupted. Like, out-of-control, monstrous.” Kaito’s expression darkened, recalling the term from prior run-ins. “Corruption,” he echoed softly. “Go on.” Yoshinori stepped forward, tension in his stance. “We saw it firsthand. One moment Makoto was a desperate bandit; the next, he was…something else. His spiritual energy spiraled into a toxic aura. We barely survived.” Shunjiro nodded. “He had a meltdown. His eyes, his voice, everything changed. It was as if his anger and despair forced his spirit into…this beast-like form.” Kaito tapped a pencil against his desk. “That lines up with what we know,” he said, voice low. “When corruption strikes, it warps both body and mind. It’s effectively impossible to revert.” Ryuji cleared his throat. “Even though we were all officially F rank, we faced a threat well above that level. If not for everyone’s efforts, and some luck, things would’ve ended badly.” “We freed the villagers, though,” Itsuki said, voice bright with relief. “And we delivered Aya safely back to her father.” Yoshinori nodded, hands clasped behind his back. “Mission accomplished, but it might’ve been a near-death experience.” A moment’s silence filled the office as the group’s words sank in. Kaito folded his arms, glancing over them one by one: Shunjiro’s battered form, Itsuki’s warm eyes still reflecting exhaustion, Tetsuo’s healing bruises, and Aiko and Ryuji quietly bearing signs of their own battles. Yoshinori looked drained from overusing his lightning. Finally, Kaito sighed, pushing aside a scroll. “I’ve reviewed your performance, and the eyewitness accounts trickling in. You overcame a B-rank threat, despite your official standing. As your guild leader, I’m proud, but I’m also…concerned.” Shunjiro’s throat tightened. “Concerned?” he echoed. “Look, you displayed courage and skill well beyond F rank. However, it was reckless, no denying that. That said,” Kaito leaned forward, a slight grin cracking his stern mask, “if you keep forging ahead like this, you’ll surpass all expectations. So I’m promoting you, and that includes Aiko and Ryuji, who helped. All of you are now Rank C adventurers.” A collective gasp rippled through the group. Itsuki’s eyes sparkled with joy. Tetsuo pumped a fist in the air. “Yes!” Aiko flashed Ryuji a small grin, while Yoshinori allowed a flicker of relief to cross his normally composed features. Ryuji bowed his head gratefully. Shunjiro felt a mix of pride and humility swirl in his chest. “Thank you, sir.” Kaito held up a warning hand. “Don’t get cocky. C rank is a big jump. Tread carefully, corruption is no small danger, and the threats you’ll face at higher tiers can break unprepared adventurers.” The group nodded, their earlier excitement tempered by the memory of Makoto’s meltdown. We can’t let that happen to us, Shunjiro silently vowed. Kaito gestured at the door. “That’s all. Rest, regroup, reflect. You’ve earned it. We’ll talk about your next steps later.” Outside Kaito’s office, the hall felt alive with their collective excitement. C rank. They’d advanced drastically, an achievement that might turn heads in the entire kingdom. Itsuki practically bounced on her toes. “It’s real, right? We’re C rank?” Tetsuo clasped her shoulder. “Sure is. We’re moving up in the world.” Aiko folded her arms, a subtle smile gracing her features. “The question is, can we keep up the momentum?” Ryuji tilted his head. “Only one way to find out.” A soft chuckle escaped Shunjiro. He looked at them, gratitude filling him. They had grown so much, not just in skill but as a team. “After all that’s happened, I think we deserve a feast. What do you say?” Everyone agreed, brightening at the prospect of good food and a moment’s respite. They made their way to a bustling tavern near the eastern wall of Radiance. The aroma of roasted meats and spiced stews beckoned them inside, where a few off-duty adventurers recognized them, whispering in awe or respect. They settled around a hefty wooden table, mugs of foaming cider and platters of savory dishes laid before them. The tension from the battle slowly melted away under the warmth of camaraderie and the coziness of a well-earned meal. “Remember when Makoto unleashed that poison cloud?” Ryuji said between bites of steamed dumplings. “Thought we were goners.” Tetsuo snorted. “You’re telling me? My lungs still feel singed.” Aiko offered a quiet laugh, swirling her mug. “I still can’t believe we managed to hold him off until we saw that corruption fade, only for him to end up gone anyway.” Itsuki shook her head, brows knitting with concern. “I’m just glad the villagers are safe. But I keep thinking about… what if we’d failed? Corruption’s so terrifying.” Shunjiro raised his mug, trying for a confident smile. “We won’t let that happen to us. No matter how messed up things get, we won’t lose control. Together.” They toasted, the clink of mugs echoing around them. For a time, they ate and laughed, sharing stories of the day’s biggest scares and close calls. Even Yoshinori allowed himself a grin, though he occasionally lapsed into thoughtful silence, pondering the deeper mysteries of corruption and the hidden truths he sought. Shunjiro couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this content. Looking around the table, he realized how much he valued these moments. Despite their differences and the challenges they faced, they were becoming more than just guildmates, they were becoming a family. As the evening wore on, Shunjiro found himself reflecting on Kaito’s words. Keep your emotions in check. It wasn’t going to be easy, but he was determined to master it. He couldn’t afford to lose himself, not when so many people were counting on him. As they left the tavern and stepped into the cool night air, Shunjiro looked at his companions and felt a renewed sense of purpose. “This is just the beginning,” he said, his voice filled with determination. The others nodded in agreement, their faces lit by the glow of the city lights. Together, they would face whatever challenges lay ahead, and they would do it as a team. Long after the group had gone, Kaito still worked by candlelight. A stack of mission reports threatened to topple off the edge of his desk. He rubbed at his temples, trying to stave off a headache. Suddenly, the door swung open, Akira walked in, clad in her polished breastplate, though scuffed and bearing fresh dents. “Akira,” Kaito said, rising from his seat with immediate concern. “You look… ragged. Are you injured?” She shook her head, posture tense. “Not anymore. But I have news. Bad news.” A sense of foreboding settled. Kaito gestured for her to speak. Akira stood stiffly, eyes shadowed with guilt and anger. “I tried to bring Makoto in for questioning. The man who got corrupted but reverted. I was there at the ruined village, with my knights. Then someone appeared. A scythe user named Renjiro.” Kaito’s brow furrowed. “A scythe user?” “Yes,” she continued, voice tight. “He demanded Makoto, then struck down my knights, turning them to… corrupted husks. I was forced to kill my own people to stop them.” Her voice shook, a mix of fury and grief. “And while I fought, Renjiro vanished with Makoto’s body.” Silence pressed in. Kaito’s jaw clenched, knuckles whitening on the desk’s edge. “You lost all your knights…? Are you certain they couldn’t be saved?” Akira swallowed hard. “They were taken over in seconds. That scythe forced corruption into them. There was no time. If I hadn’t acted, I’d be corrupted too, or they’d have slaughtered me. I had no choice.” Pain flashed in her gaze. Anger and sorrow warred across Kaito’s features. He exhaled, raking a hand through his hair. “Damn it. We needed Makoto to figure out how corruption had receded. Now he’s gone. And your knights….” He paused, lips pressed tight. “I’m sorry you had to do that.” Akira’s voice dropped. “I’ve never seen an artifact or skill that could corrupt so quickly, nor let a man revert from corruption.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “This is bigger than we realized.” “Renjiro,” Kaito murmured, repeating the name. Darkness weighed on him like a physical burden. “We’ll have to investigate. But for now… I suppose the biggest threat is out there, beyond our reach.” The flickering lamp cast elongated shadows on the office walls, reflecting the gloom in Kaito’s heart. Akira’s fists trembled at her sides, rage and regret coursing through her. Both understood that these events heralded a new, ominous chapter, a threat that overshadowed even the kingdom’s famed defenses. Finally, Kaito sank into his chair, face grim. “I’ll file a high-priority report to the Gilded Blades. We can’t allow corruption to spread unchecked. The next time this Renjiro appears…” Akira nodded. “We must be ready.” Yet neither felt any genuine confidence in those words. The tension hovered, thick and suffocating. Outside, the wind rustled the city’s banners. Inside, Kaito closed his eyes briefly, wrestling with bitterness. He had praised Shunjiro’s group for saving lives, but this overshadowed even their success. “There’s no way to spin this,” Kaito murmured quietly, glancing at the burned edges of a mission report. “We lost good knights. Makoto remains at large. And Renjiro is out there with a scythe that can forcibly corrupt people?” “Yes,” Akira confirmed, voice a near whisper. “It’s no victory.” She turned to leave, footsteps heavy. “I’ll stand by for orders, sir.” Kaito didn’t stop her. As she disappeared into the corridor, he let his composure slip, burying his face in his hands. This is just the beginning of a greater darkness. And so, while The Strongest Guild smiled under the stars, celebrating their new rank and bright prospects, Kaito and Akira were left in the lonely hush of the Guild Hall, weighed down by the knowledge that a monstrous force loomed on the horizon, and that next time, it might bring corruption no one could contain.