Location: Hunt Association Guildhall, Halcyros Undercity
Time: [Cycle 9 : 02:00 – 04:45 Local Drift]
Ren was officially certified, respected, and broke as hell.
His new cloak screamed when it rained.
His summons demanded blood and sleep like cursed Pokémon.
And his bank crystal? Pathetic.
Trossa, of course, noticed.
She sauntered into the mission lounge one morning, half-dressed, sweat-glistened, and looking like she just came back from either a deathmatch or a three-day orgasm.
"Still poor, summoner?" she purred.
Ren didn't look up. "Poorer than your flirting attempts."
Trossa leaned forward across his table, cleavage dangling like temptation incarnate.
"I could fix that, you know. Private bounty. Room service. Branded collar with your name on it. You'd purr eventually."
Ren choked on air. "I—WHAT—NO—WORKPLACE VIOLATION—"
Trossa leaned forward, breasts just barely pressed against his arm as she whispered:
"Say the word, and I'll feed you three ways. Breakfast. Dinner. And me."
Ren almost fell out of his chair.
"Okay, how the hell are you both my boss and a walking sin?"
Trossa grinned, bit her peach, and licked the juice off her fingers just to make him twitch.
"I multitask."
Location: Guild Bounty WallFive Minutes Later
Ren wandered toward the board to check for any low-stakes jobs.
Maybe a relic delivery. Maybe a cursed chicken retrieval.
What he saw instead?
His own face.
Glowing.
Framed in red-gold sigils.
[WANTED – DIMENSIONAL INTERLOPER]
Alias: Unknown
Image Match: 93.4% Match (Subject: REN)
Status: Unlicensed summoner, suspected artifact bearer, anomaly-class presence
Reward: 850,000 Drift Shards + rank upgrade + Noble immunity clause
Live capture preferred. Dead… acceptable.
Authorized by:
Oth'Rel ExarchyCrimson Petal DynastyHouse Aurelix (disputed)
Ren: "…You've got to be shitting me."
Behind him, the air shifted.
Six hunters were already circling.
Not rookies. Not meat-for-hire.
Professionals.
One cracked his knuckles. "It's nothing personal, Ren. That bounty would clear my blood-debt and buy me a castle."
Another hissed, "We can share the kill. He ain't that tough."
Ren turned, slow, hands outstretched.
"Okay. Listen. I'm broke. Cursed. And still digesting sewer ghost magic. You really wanna do this right now?"
They drew weapons.
Ren smiled.
"Alright then... Let's earn that fucking bounty."
First kill:
Shadow Anchor Step → slit the jugular mid-dash → flipped over collapsing body → kicked their sword into the next attacker.
Second:
Summoned Mire Whisperer → filled the space with psychic echo-murk → two hunters stabbed themselves mid-hallucination.
Third & Fourth:
Ren double-cast Thread Pulse Capture from his wrist glyphs → slammed both into a wall → used Whisper Vein Strike to knock them unconscious mid-fall.
Fifth:
Rattlejaw Knight rose behind a cloaked caster mid-cast — and executed a clean Delay Slash. Spell unraveled. So did the caster.
When the smoke cleared…
Ren stood alone.
Bleeding. Panting. Covered in phantom ash and his own rage.
He didn't just win.
He made a fucking statement.
The few watching guild members didn't clap.
They backed away slowly.
One whispered, "That bounty needs to go up."
Trossa walked into the room last — wine glass in one hand, expression unreadable.
She looked around.
Then looked at him.
And moaned.
"Oh, sweet fuck, you just turned me on so hard."
Ren wiped blood from his mouth. "Not the time."
She approached. Pressed a hand against his chest — right over the summoner glyph.
"You need to let me brand you."
Ren: "I AM NOT A SEX-TOKEN, TROSSA."
Trossa: "I can make you one. Legally."
That night, a scroll appeared at his bedside.
No seal. No trace.
Just one line:
"If you want answers, get me intel. You know what I want."
Inside:
MISSION – Espionage / Intel Acquisition
Target: Solmerea – Vanyress Dominion
Objective: Gather internal status reports, troop movements, and Guardian activity. Focus on Commander Lira Auralith.
Drop Location: Ashneedle Balcony, Driftline 13
Time Limit: 5 Drift Cycles
Pay: [CLASSIFIED]
Authority: [REDACTED]
Confidentiality Rating: Black Vein – No witnesses.
Ren stared at it.
The woman who turned him in.
Now someone wanted everything about her.
Maybe to stop her.
Maybe to use her.
He rolled his shoulders.
Tossed the scroll into his pack.
And whispered to the darkness:
"Let's see what you're really up to, Lira."