The Neon Lotus was a high end guild lounge located in the upper spires of Johannesburg. It was a place where elite Hunters went to drink expensive synthetic alcohol and brag about their latest dungeon clears.

The Ironclad sat in a plush circular booth in the VIP section. The table was covered in empty glasses and half eaten plates of premium imported meat.

Finn and Flint were currently engaged in a highly competitive arm wrestling match their B Rank muscles straining against each other while Declan acted as the incredibly bored referee.

"You are cheating" Flint grunted his face turning red. "You are using mana reinforcement."

"I am just naturally stronger" Finn laughed slowly pushing his brother’s arm down toward the table. "Accept your defeat."

Elena sat across from them sipping a glass of blue glowing wine. She watched the twins with a fond smile. She loved this team. Growing up in the Rostova family she had been surrounded by cutthroat politicians and arrogant elites who only cared about power. Her father was a ruthless Astra Guild executive who viewed everyone as a tool.

But The Ironclad was different. Gideon had recruited her when she was just a nervous rookie fresh out of the academy. He had taught her how to survive. He had taught her how to trust.

Gideon was sitting next to her staring quietly at a small holographic projector resting on the table. The projection showed a young girl with bright green eyes and a missing front tooth smiling and waving at the camera.

"She is getting so big" Elena said softly leaning over to look at the hologram.

Gideon smiled his rough weathered face softening completely. "Lily turns ten next month. I missed her last birthday because we were stuck in that C Rank labyrinth for three weeks."

"Are you going to make it this year?" Elena asked.

"I am" Gideon nodded turning the projector off and sliding it into his pocket. "In fact I am going to do more than just make it. With the payout from the Ash Wyrm core today I finally have enough."

Declan looked up from the arm wrestling match his cynical eyes widening slightly. "Enough for what? Do not tell me you are finally buying that upgraded platinum shield."

"No" Gideon smiled taking a sip of his dark stout. "Enough to buy her citizenship in Avalon. The European Mega Sanctuary."

The entire table went silent. Even Finn and Flint stopped their match looking at their captain in shock.

Avalon was the safest place on Earth. It was ruled by Arthur Pendelton the most powerful hunter on the planet, The First Hunter. The city had never suffered a dungeon break. It had the best schools the best hospitals and the cleanest air. But citizenship cost an absolute fortune. It was a price only the top one percent of the world could afford.

"Captain" Elena whispered her eyes wide. "That is incredible. You actually did it."

"I have been saving every credit for ten years" Gideon said his voice thick with emotion. "Johannesburg is getting worse. The corporate wars between the Guilds are escalating. The slums are expanding. I do not want Lily growing up in a city where human life is treated like a commodity. I want her to be safe."

"So what does this mean?" Flint asked his usual joking tone gone. "Are you retiring?"

Gideon looked at his team his family. "After this month yes. I am hanging up the shield. I am going to take Lily to Avalon and open a quiet little bakery or something. No more monsters. No more dungeons."

Declan raised his glass a rare genuine smile on his face. "To the Captain. The only man stubborn enough to actually survive this job."

"To the Captain!" the twins and Elena echoed raising their glasses and clinking them together.

It was a perfect moment. A moment of triumph and hope.

Then the emergency communicators strapped to their wrists began to blare.

It was not the standard yellow ping for a guild meeting. It was a blaring flashing crimson alarm. The sound cut through the loud music of the lounge instantly silencing the entire room. Every Hunter in the bar checked their wrists.

Gideon tapped his communicator projecting the emergency dispatch hologram onto the table.

[PRIORITY ONE DISPATCH: GUILD COMMAND]

[TARGET: THE GHOST OF VALOR]

[LOCATION: SECTOR SEVEN - C RANK GOBLIN CAVE]

[DETAILS: SPATIAL ANOMALY DETECTED. UNKNOWN ENTITY HAS BREACHED THE DUNGEON. TWO C RANK TEAMS ALREADY SLAUGHTERED.]

Elena felt a cold chill run down her spine. "The Ghost of Valor. The news has been talking about him all week. They say he is a monster wearing Duncan Carmichael’s face."

"He has been wiping out veteran teams in minutes" Declan said his cynical demeanor returning instantly. "Why are they sending us? We just got off a raid."

"Because we are the closest A Rank team in the sector" Gideon said his voice shifting back into his deep commanding captain tone. The warm fatherly smile was gone replaced by the hardened veteran. "The Association is panicking. If this entity clears the dungeon and breaks out into Sector Seven thousands of civilians will die."

"A C Rank dungeon" Finn muttered spinning his dagger. "If he is wiping out A Rank teams why is he in a low level goblin cave?"

"It does not matter why" Gideon said standing up and grabbing his heavy coat. "Our job is to contain the threat until the Guild Masters arrive. We lock the dungeon down. We do not engage unless absolutely necessary."

Elena stood up grabbing her silver staff. Her hands were trembling slightly but she forced herself to take a deep breath. She was an A Rank Mage. She was a Rostova. She could do this.

"Let us move" Gideon ordered. "Ironclad roll out." 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

They left the half empty glasses on the table and rushed out of the lounge. They were the best team in the city. They had flawless synergy. They had a healer two assassins a master mage and an unbreakable tank.