The guild hall looked the same as when he'd left it—neon signs flickering, cheap ale dripping from overturned mugs, desperate hunters begging for scraps of contracts.
But Klaus Machiavelli was not the same.
White hair glowed faintly under the chandeliers, six shadowfire-edged wings folded behind him. Selene walked at his side, nine tails flowing like banners, her beauty freezing the room into silence. And behind them, shadows flickered in shapes barely human—his wolf, his crow, and three clones skulking like executioners.
The noise died. Every eye turned.
[SIMP SYSTEM: Passive Influence Active.]Crowd Charm +15%. Respect/Envy Increased.
Whispering Hall
"Klaus…?""Didn't he get blacklisted?""He's in debt up to his neck—how is he walking in with her?"
The whispers cracked louder than thunder.
Klaus ignored them, stepping onto the guild floor as though he owned it. His crimson eyes locked on the counter—on the very receptionist, Mira, whose healing skill he now carried in his veins. She froze, staring at him like he was both ghost and god.
Selene's tails brushed against him, her lips curving. "They look at you like prey. Prove them wrong."
[Lucifer]: "Oh, yes. The wolf returns to the den. Make them choke on their betrayal, Crown-Bearer."
The Debt Collector
A man in heavy guild armor strode forward, sneering. Klaus recognized him—the same collector who'd once threatened to break his legs for unpaid fees.
"Well, well," the man drawled. "Look who crawled back. Klaus Machiavelli, the coward who let his team die."
Klaus didn't flinch. He simply raised a pouch and spilled it open. Gold coins—impossibly bright, etched with Elven runes—clattered across the counter.
Gasps echoed.
[DIMENSIONAL TRADE] Elven Gold Converted to Earth Credits: +12,000.]Debt Remaining: -60,000 Credits.
The collector froze, eyes wide. "W-where did you get—?"
Klaus smiled faintly. "That's the first payment. I'll clear the rest when I feel like it."
He leaned in, whispering just loud enough for the crowd to hear. "And unlike you, I don't bleed for scraps in dungeons anymore. I trade between worlds."
The hall erupted in noise.
The Betrayers
Three familiar faces stood at a corner table. His old raid team. The ones who had sealed him in the dungeon and left him for dead. Their eyes widened as Klaus turned to face them.
"Strategist Machiavelli," one muttered bitterly. "Back to play savior?"
Klaus's wings unfurled, shadowfire licking the ceiling. His wolf padded forward, baring fangs. The crow's screech shattered glass. Selene's nine tails lit with moonflame, cloaking the betrayers in illusions of burning chains.
They collapsed to their knees, trembling.
[SHADOW PATH: Intimidation Aura Active.]Enemy Willpower -25%. Fear Status Applied.
Klaus walked past them without breaking stride. "I don't play savior. I buy thrones."
Mira's Voice
From behind the counter, Mira spoke softly, almost reverently. "Klaus… you—what have you become?"
He paused, turning just enough for her to see his eyes blaze like bloodfire. "What I was always meant to be. Not a strategist for cowards. Not a pawn for guild masters. A Crown-Bearer."
And then he walked straight into the guildmaster's office.
The Guildmaster
The office was lavish—gold trim, enchanted lamps, thick carpets. Guildmaster Roth, a bald, heavy-set man with jeweled rings, looked up in disbelief.
"Klaus? They said you were finished."
Klaus dropped another pouch of gold onto the desk. The weight cracked wood.
"I was," Klaus said simply. "But now? Now I am debt paid, stronger than ever, and building empires while you're still counting scraps."
Selene leaned on the desk, smiling faintly. "My Crown-Bearer doesn't beg for contracts. He writes them."
The guildmaster's face tightened. Greed flashed in his eyes, then fear. "You—what are you planning?"
Klaus leaned close, his crimson eyes cutting like blades. "To buy this city. And when I'm done, you'll come begging to work for me."
He turned and strode out, wings flaring.
Behind the Door
The guildmaster sat frozen for a moment, then slammed a fist against his desk. "Arrogant bastard."
He pressed a sigil on the wall. A hidden channel opened, his voice hissing into the dark.
"Send word to the Black Veil Assassins. Klaus Machiavelli dies before he leaves Belmora."
[SYSTEM ALERT: Hidden Quest Triggered.]Quest: Shadows Hunting Shadows.Objective: Survive the assassination attempt of the Black Veil Guild.Reward: Shadow Path Evolution.Penalty: -5 Years Lifespan if captured.