Chapter 22 – The Shadows Over Pine Village
The morning sun bathed the Celestial Aegis Guild in gold, its light spilling across the high stone walls and glittering banners. For a moment, the fortress-like structure seemed untouchable.
Then the clouds rolled in—thick, heavy, and fast. The light dimmed. The air itself tightened, as if the sky knew something the people did not.
Inside the great hall, a polished oak table stretched nearly the length of the chamber. Every chair was filled—guild leaders, captains, and representatives from across the nations. At the head sat the three great Guild Masters: Mark, Andreas, and Luke.
Among those present:
Ryuu, Master of the Octagon Guild
Freyra Valkyrie, Guild Master
Marcus, Master of the Spiral Guild
Yamamoto Kaito, Commander of the Legion of the Silver Fang
Emma, Captain of Nile Port
Morgan, Captain of Raisen Port
Adventurers Rea, Maghael, and Miyu
Lucus and Alex, Mark's right and left hands
Thomas and Anthony of Phoenix Guild
Elfie and Brokk of the Lion Guild
Elwin, Vaelstrom, and Ryken of the Spiral Guild
Mark's voice broke the heavy silence.
> "Thank you all for coming on such short notice. I wish I had better news. The contract between the Guilds and the Governor's Council has been broken. Their declaration came after the attack in Wisdom."
A chair scraped as Ryuu leaned forward.
> "What? Why would they break it?"
Luke's face was like stone.
> "It happened after the Grand Master left for a meeting in Velmire. He never returned. Wisdom came under attack, and the Governor's letter made it clear—the treaty is over. And as for the Grand Master… no trace. It's as if he's been erased."
The hall erupted.
How could this happen?
Is the Grand Master dead?
Why now?
Lucus's voice cut through the noise.
> "Now what are you all going to do?"
The question landed like a weight.
Ryken spoke next, his voice low and grim.
> "If the contract's broken, then we're already at war. They're preparing for something big, and we don't know where or when they'll strike—just like before the Revolt War."
Andreas leaned forward, his hands steepled.
> "It's worse than that. If they seize Wisdom and the treasure there, stopping them will be impossible."
Maghael frowned.
> "The Wisdom Treasure? Nobody even knows what it is."
Luke shook his head.
> "The Governor's Council has already rejected our request for talks. They claim the Grand Master never arrived in Velmire."
> "What?!" voices rose in unison.
A suffocating silence followed—until the doors slammed open.
An officer stumbled in, breath ragged.
> "We… we've received attack alerts from villages in every country! Beasts—summoned beasts—are striking all at once!"
Mark shot to his feet, his chair clattering to the floor.
> "What?!"
________________________________________
Meanwhile in Pine Village
Morning drifted into afternoon without incident. Farmers tended their crops, merchants called to passersby, and the breeze carried the scent of fresh bread.
In a lecture hall, Shinra sat among a handful of young recruits, listening to a guild officer explain mana flow and combat basics. Across the village, Samy stood behind the bakery counter, sleeves rolled, kneading dough with steady rhythm.
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Evening fell.
From the tree line, a shadow slipped into the marketplace. The earth rumbled—then split open.
A massive, three-headed serpent burst from below, its roar shaking the rooftops. For a moment, the villagers froze. Then a child screamed, and panic erupted.
From his office, Norman saw the chaos unfold. He was already moving when Samy stepped out of the bakery, eyes narrowing.
The sky churned with black clouds, lightning stabbing the ground as rain tore down in sheets. A bolt struck a nearby house, flames racing up the walls. The serpent's tail smashed through another home, sending timbers flying.
Norman's voice was sharp.
> "You! Get them to safety!"
He studied Samy for half a second, then gave a short nod.
> "Let's go."
Samy tossed his hat back inside and fell into step beside him.
Guild fighters were already in the streets, some holding the serpent at bay while others pulled people from burning homes. Their spells and blades struck the creature's scales but barely left a mark.
The squad leader broke from the front line, sprinting up a crumbling wall. With a leap, he hurled his spear—wind screaming around the shaft. It struck deep into the serpent's back and erupted in a burst of fire.
The monster bellowed, thrashing wildly. Its tail swept through the street, bowling over two firefighters. The leader barely regained his footing before a beam of energy lanced from the serpent's central head, blasting him into the ground, unconscious.
Norman charged, his frame swelling, muscle piling on until he stood like a giant. In one leap, he smashed a fist into the middle head, snapping it back. Another energy blast formed in its jaws—but Norman slid beneath it, driving an uppercut so fierce it launched the beast into the air.
> "Hey! Sword!"
Samy caught the thrown weapon mid-air. With one bound, he was on the serpent—steel flashing. In a single, clean arc, all three heads fell.
The body crashed down, shrinking until only a harmless two-meter snake writhed in the mud.
Samy landed lightly, handing back the sword hilt with a crooked grin.
> "Sorry. I'll get you a better one."
The guild member stared at the shattered blade, lip trembling.
Norman clapped Samy on the back.
> "Nice cut."
Then, catching sight of the broken weapon and its devastated owner, he turned away without another word, heading toward the bakery.
> "Hey! Boss! Don't ignore me! I know you can hear me!"
Samy's voice chased him down the rain-slick street, but Norman never looked back.