The Guild Hall of the Kingdom of Radiance was alive with energy, a swirl of voices echoing off towering stone pillars and ornate chandeliers. Newly recognized adventurers from the recent exams crowded the cavernous hall, sharing stories, forging alliances, and scanning the many recruiting booths set up around the perimeter. Each booth bore the insignia of a prospective guild, its colors fluttering proudly in the lamp-lit air. The heady promise of new beginnings and untold possibilities pervaded every corner of the space. Shunjiro and Itsuki navigated through the clusters of animated conversation. Shunjiro’s mind buzzed with ideas for the guild he hoped to form; he was never one to drift aimlessly. After all, forging his own path was precisely why he had chosen to become an adventurer rather than joining an existing organization. His heart still pounded with excitement from the ceremony, and now he had a new vision for the future: a guild that would not only help him climb the ranks but also give him the freedom to search for his missing brother, Takeshi. He glanced at Itsuki, who walked beside him. Despite the bustle around them, her warm smile never left her face. “So,” Shunjiro said, drawing her attention, “I really want to do this. Forming a guild, I mean. Will you-?” Itsuki held up a hand to cut him off gently. “Shunjiro, I’ve already decided,” she said with quiet conviction. “I’m following you. Wherever you go, I’m right there. I’ll do anything I can to help you find your brother… just like I know you’ll help me.” Her unwavering confidence tugged at his heart. He couldn’t help but smile, nodding in gratitude. “It’s decided, then,” he said softly. “You and me, founding a brand-new guild. We’ll need a name, but I guess that can come later.” They weaved around a group of adventurers haggling with a vendor over potions, eventually spotting their friend Aira across the hall. She stood next to her older sister, Rei, who wore the emblem of an established guild. Aira caught their eye and approached with a bittersweet smile. “Hey, you two,” Aira said. “I heard you’re starting your own guild, Shunjiro?” Shunjiro nodded. “Yeah, that’s the plan. We’d love to have you, Aira. I know your water-healing magic would be a game-changer for our group.” He offered a hopeful grin. Aira’s face warmed with appreciation. “I’m honestly honored you’d ask me. But… I talked it over with Rei. I’ve decided to join her guild, the Titans guild. It feels right for now, especially since we’ve been separated for so long. I want to catch up, and she could really use my help.” “I understand,” Shunjiro said, the disappointment flickering in his eyes but tempered by sincerity. “Family is important.” Itsuki nodded in agreement. “We’ll miss having you on the team, but I’m glad you’re with your sister.” A soft sadness tinged her voice, no doubt reflecting her own longing to reconnect with Suzu. Aira reached out, giving Itsuki’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Don’t worry, we’ll cross paths again. No matter what guilds we’re in, I know we’ll still be friends, and maybe we’ll team up on big quests someday.” With that, Aira bid them goodbye, returning to Rei’s side to finalize her guild paperwork. Itsuki and Shunjiro exchanged faint smiles before moving on, scanning the hall for more potential allies. They soon spotted Yoshinori near a tall notice board, flipping through posted quest sheets with two other adventurers, Aiko and Ryuji. Aiko’s face was bright with excitement as she enthusiastically described her dream guild, while Ryuji nodded in spirited agreement. Yoshinori, on the other hand, was calmly reading each quest, eyes glinting with that pensive, analytical look that had saved them countless times during the exams. Once Aiko paused for breath, Shunjiro cleared his throat. “Hey, mind if I borrow Yoshinori for a sec?” Yoshinori turned, one eyebrow raised. “Shunjiro. What’s up?” “I, uh,” Shunjiro began, a little unsure how to phrase the invitation. He took a deep breath. “I’m forming my own guild, me and Itsuki, anyway. I wanted to see if you’d join us.” He tried to keep the eagerness from sounding too desperate. “I know you’re not big on large organizations, but that’s kind of the point: we’ll be small, nimble. And we know how well we work together.” Itsuki stepped forward, offering a friendly smile. “You’re strong, Yoshinori, and you’re really smart. With you in the guild, we’ll have an awesome balance.” Yoshinori’s expression was thoughtful, as if weighing the idea. He gave a slow nod, lips curving into a small grin. “Well, I’m not particularly keen on big guild politics. I prefer to do my own thing.” He paused, scanning Shunjiro’s face. “But I’ll join… for now,” he added, lifting a finger. “We might have to part ways at some point if our goals diverge. I can’t make a permanent promise, especially considering my… personal research.” Shunjiro glanced at Itsuki, who nodded once, then turned back to Yoshinori. “That’s fine with me. But honestly, I have a feeling you’ll want to stick around once we’ve all hung out more.” A rare laugh escaped Yoshinori’s throat. “Don’t get cocky, Shunjiro.” Shunjiro grinned, relief flooding him. “Deal.” Aiko clapped her hands. “Good luck, guys! Ryuji and I are making our own guild, but hopefully we’ll tackle some quests together.” “Definitely,” Ryuji added with a grin. “We’ll keep an eye out for you in the field.” With that, Shunjiro, Itsuki, and Yoshinori moved away from the notice board, forging the beginnings of their new guild. There was still someone else Shunjiro hoped to recruit before finishing. En route to find Sora, they ran into Tetsuo, who all but blindsided Shunjiro with a hearty slap on the back. “Buddy!” Tetsuo roared. “Heard the news, figured you’d be forging your own path.” Shunjiro coughed, laughing. “You got it. I was just about to hunt you down, actually. You in?” Tetsuo’s grin was immediate. “I don’t even need to hear the pitch. I’m on board.” He punched Shunjiro’s shoulder lightly. “You know me, I get bored in big guilds. And you and I? We make a killer combo.” Itsuki chuckled, stepping aside so Tetsuo and Shunjiro could share a brief fist bump. Yoshinori looked on calmly, arms folded, the corner of his mouth twitching with amusement at Tetsuo’s exuberance. “Welcome aboard,” Shunjiro said. “We’re going to do big things.” The group finally tracked down Sora, who leaned against a tall wooden post near a cluster of new adventurers, Lars, Yuki, and Ryota among them. Sora’s posture exuded confidence, arms crossed, a half-smirk curling his lips. When he spotted Shunjiro, he nodded in acknowledgment. “Yo, shrimp,” Sora drawled, the corners of his eyes gleaming with mischief. “You need something?” Shunjiro rolled his eyes, though he couldn’t stifle a grin. “Cut it out, Sora. You tall jerk.” Sora barked a short laugh. Undeterred, Shunjiro cleared his throat. “Anyway, I’m starting a guild with these guys, Itsuki, Yoshinori, Tetsuo. We’d love to have your skill set. You in, or are you too proud to join up with the ‘shrimp’?” Sora snorted, exchanging a glance with Lars, who stood close by. “Much as I’d enjoy bossing you around, I’m teaming up with Lars. Gonna see how far we can push ourselves, and I’d rather not carry you on my back.” “Carry me?” Shunjiro repeated, half-offended, half-amused. “I recall us going toe-to-toe plenty of times.” Sora shrugged, the smirk never leaving his face. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t get me wrong, I respect you, but I’ve got my own plans. Maybe we’ll cross blades one day.” He winked slyly. “Try not to get in over your head before then, shrimp.” Shunjiro let out a resigned sigh, but couldn’t help smiling at the banter. “Fine, stay with Lars. We’ll see who out-ranks who first.” Sora responded with a mock salute. “Counting on you to at least give me a challenge.” As the newly-formed guild turned to leave, Shunjiro happened to glance across the hall. Jayiden, a quiet and often standoffish adventurer from the exams, stood in hushed conversation with a tall, wiry man leaning against a column. The man’s face was partially obscured by a hood, and though Shunjiro couldn’t hear their words, something about the posture and aura of that stranger made the hair on his arms stand on end. The figure exuded a dark confidence, as if harboring secrets. Shunjiro slowed his steps. “Hey,” he whispered to Itsuki and Yoshinori, nodding discreetly toward Jayiden and his companion. “Who’s that guy with Jayiden? I don’t like the vibe I’m getting.” Itsuki followed his gaze, eyebrows knitting. “I’ve never seen him around the guild hall before… Something about him looks off.” Yoshinori squinted, the slightest frown on his lips. “Agreed. He has an air of… unpredictability. Whatever they’re discussing, it doesn’t look casual.” Before any of them could move closer, the hooded man patted Jayiden’s shoulder, then slipped into the crowd and disappeared through a side exit. Jayiden glanced around hastily, eyes flicking across the hall. For a split second, his gaze locked with Shunjiro’s. Jayiden’s expression flickered with tension, maybe guilt, maybe anger, then he turned on his heel and strode out another door. “That was… strange,” Shunjiro murmured, chewing his lip thoughtfully. “We should keep an eye on him.” “I’m worried Jayiden might get roped into something dangerous,” Itsuki added softly. “We’ve all fought side by side. I don’t want to see any of us get hurt.” Yoshinori nodded, stepping back. “Let’s keep that in mind. We might not see him for a while, but if something’s brewing, we need to be ready.” Their attention was then drawn to a nearby commotion. A tall, broad-shouldered adventurer with sleek, dark hair that fell just past his shoulders was addressing a small gathering. Satoshi carried himself with a commanding air, his voice carrying easily above the din without shouting. He wore a finely-crafted cloak trimmed with shimmering thread, hinting at wealth or nobility. Standing next to him was Yuuna, a strikingly beautiful young woman with flowing hair that seemed to catch the light each time she moved. Together, they looked almost regal, every movement calm, assured. A circle of curious onlookers hovered, not quite sure how to approach these two but clearly drawn by their sheer presence. “Thank you, Emi,” Satoshi was saying, inclining his head graciously toward a pink-haired adventurer. “Your skills with illusions could serve our cause well.” Yuuna’s eyes sparkled with a mesmerizing quality as she smiled. “We’re planning an ambitious quest in the upcoming months, once everyone’s ranked up a bit,” she explained gently. “If you join us, you’ll see far more than routine fetch tasks or low-level hunts.” Emi looked flustered yet captivated. “That… sounds incredible. I’ll definitely think about it.” Shunjiro watched the exchange from a short distance, noting the mixture of polite confidence and near-magnetic charisma emanating from Satoshi and Yuuna. He had to admit, they stood out, like they’d stepped from a higher plane of adventuring, already accustomed to success. Even Tetsuo whistled softly under his breath. “Not short on confidence, are they?” Tetsuo muttered. “They’ll have half the hall joining their guild if they keep that up.” Itsuki arched a brow. “They look well-prepared. Maybe they’re from noble families.” Whatever the case, Shunjiro couldn’t help feeling the spark of curiosity. As Satoshi turned away from Emi, his gaze swept the hall, pausing momentarily on Shunjiro’s group. Their eyes met, Satoshi offered a brief but courteous smile, as if acknowledging a potential rival or ally. Then he returned his attention to Yuuna, who was already ushering another interested recruit closer. Shunjiro took a deep breath, turning back to his own friends. He had Tetsuo, Itsuki, and Yoshinori in tow. That was more than he’d dared hope for at the start of the day, three people he trusted with his life. They might not be the largest or flashiest guild, but they had heart and a shared determination to rank up and ultimately push the boundaries of what an adventurer could do.