Chapter 560125.1 - Finally Free


    As Astron walked down the corridor, ready to leave the guild behind, he received a message on hismunicator. It was short but to the point: "Team''s waiting to see you off."


    He paused, slightly surprised. He hadn''t expected the others to make a scene about his departure, but knowing them, it wasn''t too shocking either. With a sigh, he adjusted his cloak and made his way toward the main hall where they were waiting.


    As he rounded the corner, the team stood there, each of them showing various signs of fatigue from the recent battles, but all looking determined not to let him leave without saying goodbye.


    Kurt, with his usual stoic expression, was the first to speak. "You''re really leaving us, huh?"


    Astron nodded, his calm demeanor unchanged. "That was the n from the start."


    Dorian, leaning casually against the wall, crossed his arms and grinned. "Still feels weird. You''ve only been with us a short time, but it feels like you''ve been part of this team forever. You sure you can''t stay for a little longer?"


    Astron mumbled, shaking his head. "Afraid not. I''ve got other obligations to get back to."


    Elena stepped forward, her staff resting against her shoulder. "We wouldn''t have cleared those rank-6 gates without you. We''re going to miss having you around."


    L, standing next to Elena, nodded in agreement. "You pushed us harder than anyone else. We''re better Hunters because of it. Thanks, Astron."


    Elena stepped forward, her staff resting against her shoulder. "We wouldn''t have cleared those rank-6 gates without you. We''re going to miss having you around."


    L, standing next to Elena, nodded in agreement. "You pushed us harder than anyone else. We''re better Hunters because of it. Thanks, Astron."


    Gareth, usually the quiet one, chimed in as well. "We''ll manage, but it''s going to be different without you."


    Astron met their gazes. "You''re all strong enough. You don''t need me to keep moving forward. Just trust in what you''ve learned."


    Kurt gave a firm nod. "We will. But don''t think we''re letting you off that easy. The next time you''re back, we''ll be even stronger."


    Dorian''s grin widened. "And next time, we''re buying the first round of drinks. No excuses."


    Kurt stepped forward, his usually stoic expression tinged with a hint of humility. He looked directly at Astron, and for a moment, the weight of his thoughts was visible in his eyes.


    "You know," he began, his voice steady but sincere, "in this short time, I''ve realized just how much I wascking as a leader. I thought I had things under control, but you opened my eyes. I was too shortsighted, toofortable. I didn''t realize how much I was cking—how much I was missing in the Hunter world. I wasn''t pushing myself or the team hard enough."


    Astron regarded him with his usual calm, but there was a flicker of understanding in his gaze. "No one can ever be sure of their progress, Kurt. Notpletely. And that''s the key—you can''t let yourself getcent. The moment you think you''ve got everything figured out, you stop growing."


    Kurt nodded slowly, absorbing the words. "I get that now. It''s about knowing that there''s always more to learn, more to improve on."


    "Well, it seems I don''t need to say anything more."


    Kurt let out a small breath, his gaze firm but grateful. "Knowing that you know nothing—I''ll remember that. And next time, when you see us again, we''ll be a team you can be proud of."


    Astron gave him a nod, the faintest trace of a smile on his face. "You''re already on the right path. Keep going."


    You''re already on the right path. Keep going."


    The rest of the team, listening in, seemed to feel the weight of Kurt''s words. They had all grown in their own ways, but hearing Kurt—who had been their anchor—acknowledge his own shorings reinforced how much they had all been through together.


    As the conversation settled, the atmosphere became a little lighter. Dorian nudged Kurt with a grin. "So you''re saying we were all cking, huh? Guess we''ve got some work to do."


    Kurt chuckled, shaking his head. "We''ve all got work to do."


    Astron nced around at the team onest time.


    "Good luck," Astron said finally, turning toward the exit. "I''ll be watching your progress."


    With that, he walked away, leaving the team behind. But as they watched him go, they knew this wasn''t the end—just a new beginning for all of them.


    "But still…..being teammates with a guy like him, I guess I have one more thing to brag to my grandchildren in the future."


    Dorian, ever the one to lighten the mood, smirked and pped Kurt on the back. "Grandchildren? Why don''t you start with a girlfriend first, old man? You might not make it that long at this rate."


    Kurt shot him a mock re. "Oh, don''t start with that. I''ll live long enough to see all you ckers fall behind."


    Elena raised an eyebrow, trying and failing to suppress a smile. "Don''t go jinxing yourself with that kind of talk, Kurt. Who knows, with how reckless you''ve been, you might not even live long enough for the girlfriend part."


    The rest of the team chuckled, and even Gareth cracked a rare smile. Dorian, never one to miss an opportunity, leaned in with a yful grin. "Yeah, Kurt, maybe focus on surviving the next rank-6 gate before nning your legacy."


    "Or," L chimed in with a teasing tone, "you could always settle down with one of those reporters. They seemed pretty impressed with you back there."


    Kurt groaned, rubbing his face as the teasing continued. "You''re all impossible," he muttered, though there was a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "First a girlfriend, then grandchildren—let''s keep it in order."


    Dorian winked. "Baby steps, my friend. Though, if you keep charging headfirst into danger, you might want to hurry up with that whole ''settling down'' thing."


    Elena lightly tapped Dorian''s arm. "Stop saying ominous things, will you? We''ve had enough close calls for one day."


    The teamughed, the tension of the earlier battles melting away in the warmth of their camaraderie. Even after all the hardships and the weight of Astron''s departure, they found sce in each other. Their shared experiences, the jokes, and the teasing reminded them that, despite everything, they still had each other.


    As theughter faded, Kurt shook his head, smiling. "All right, all right, enough with the doom and gloom. We''ve got more battles ahead, but we''re ready. Let''s keep moving forward."


    "Yeah…"


    ******* N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Why are there many people who want to be hunters, even knowing the dangers that those hunters face?


    What is the primary reason for such a thing?


    The answer lies in mostly two things: wealth and strength.


    Firstly, the industry is heavily invested in, offering vast opportunities for financial gain. The life of a sessful hunter provides immense improvement in living conditions, ess to resources, and societal status. The sheer amount of money involved attracts many, as the rewards are seen as outweighing the risks.


    Secondly, strength is crucial in their world. Physical power andbat ability are essential for survival and influence.


    Yet, strength alone isn''t sufficient for an average person. Without the money and resources thate with being a sessful hunter, even the strongest individual would struggle to thrive in the dangerous environment in which hunters operate.


    –"You have sessfullypleted your mission as promised; congrattions."


    "Is that so?" I responded, sitting casually at my desk as Reina''s hologram flickered in front of me, her usual calm yetmanding presence transmitted through the glowing projection.


    –"That is right. You have exceeded the bar set for sess. With the amount of media attention, Vanguard Haven can now be used as a proxy a lot more efficiently."


    I nodded, letting the weight of her words sink in. This third mission had been the final piece of the deal I made with her. I''d kept my end of the bargain—three sessful missions, media coverage to bolster Vanguard Haven''s influence, and now, with my promise fulfilled, I was free to focus on what mattered to me.


    "Then that settles it," I said, my tone t but filled with satisfaction. "I''vepleted my part."


    Reina''s holographic figure studied me for a moment, her sharp gaze unwavering even through the distance. –"Yes, you have. You''ve earned the time you requested for yourself. The rest of the break is yours to do with as you please."


    I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. "I appreciate you holding up your end of the agreement."


    –"A promise is a promise," Reina replied, her voice carrying a sense of finality. –"Though I''m curious what you''ll do with the time now that you have it. Training? Preparing for the uing semester?"


    "Something like that," I answered.


    –"You really will not answer, huh?"


    She has been asking me about this for a while, though she met the same answer all the time. Though it is a bit risky to hide this from the organization, for now, I can''t trust them fully.


    It is important to keep my things to myself.


    Reina leaned back slightly, her sharp gaze softening for the first time during the conversation. –"Fine, keep your secrets for now," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice. –"But let''s talk about something more concrete—your payment."


    I tilted my head, waiting for her to continue. Payment wasn''t the primary reason I took on the missions, but it certainly didn''t hurt to know how much my time was worth.


    –"For your first two missions," she continued, her tone bing more businesslike, –"since they were undercover, the payment will be done via Arcanum Credits. You''ll be able to use those within the organization''s system. Think of them as internal currency—useful for acquiring specialized gear, information, or even training sessions with top-tier instructors."


    I nodded. Arcanum Credits were well-regarded within the organization, particrly for hunters like me who operated both inside and outside of the public eye. Having a reserve of those would be useful.


    –"As for your third mission," Reina added, –"you''ll be paid in both Arcanum Credits and Valer."


    I raised an eyebrow at that. Valer was the primary currency for most regions, used by both guilds and mercenaries. Getting paid in Valer meant I could use the funds freely outside the organization, wherever I pleased. "And why the difference?"


    –"Since your third mission involved Vanguard Haven, it''s important to set an example," she exined. –"The guild is heavily invested in maintaining public trust, and that means they reward sess handsomely. By associating yourself with them and performing well, it strengthens their reputation, and they want to show their appreciation."


    I nodded again, understanding the broader implications. Vanguard Haven was keen on keeping its hunters wellpensated, especially when those hunters drew positive media attention, as I had done.


    –"Additionally," Reina continued, a glint in her eyes, –"thanks to the positive feedback from Warden Toren, your pay will be higher than initially nned. He was impressed by your performance and the way you handled things under pressure."


    I remained expressionless, but inwardly, I noted the significance of Toren''s approval. It wasn''t easy to impress someone like him.


    –"For your two-day internship, you''ll be rewarded with 2 million Valer."


    I blinked, keeping my reaction measured. That was a significant sum, far more than I had anticipated. While the Arcanum Credits would help me navigate within the organization, the Valer gave me more freedom and options in the broader world.


    –"The payment will be transferred to your ount shortly," Reina concluded, her tone returning to its usualposed state. –"You''ve done well, Astron. Use the break wisely."


    "I will," I replied, leaning back in my chair again. The weight of the rewards, both mary and otherwise, hung in the air between us. But I knew Reina wasn''t just talking about money. She was reminding me that with freedom came responsibility—and that the next steps I took would matter.


    The hologram flickered once more before disappearing, leaving me alone in my room, now significantly wealthier and with a brief period of freedom ahead.


    "Two million Valer...They really want to show off…."


    Though I did not mind.


    "Now, let''s prepare."


    The hunt for an undercover dog…..


    It was the time.