The aftermath of the dungeon battle still lingered in the air. Though the threat had been silenced, the memory of Nih'Zaruk—the twisted mirror priest—left a haunting impression on everyone who witnessed his illusions. Kaze, standing at the edge of the guild balcony that overlooked the lower district, sighed as he watched the setting sun dip behind the city walls.
He didn't want to be the one to step up. But he had. He led. He lied. And he survived.
Despite everything, Kaze knew one truth he couldn't twist: to survive in this world, especially one as dangerous as this, he had to keep his head high and stay positive. Even if his smile was a lie, even if his confidence was just armor, he had to keep wearing it. Or he'd be swallowed whole.
Just then, the doors to the hall opened. Princess Anisa entered, her regal steps light yet deliberate. Her aura was unreadable, like a chessmaster moving without revealing her strategy. The last time they had spoken, she had unraveled parts of him no one else dared to look at.
"Kaze," she said, her voice calm but firm. "I heard what you did in the dungeon."
Kaze gave her a lazy wave. "You know me. Just being a responsible citizen and borderline pathological liar."
She didn't smile. "You're attracting too much attention. The king is concerned. The nobles even more so. You're walking a dangerous line."
"I'm used to that," he replied. "Tightropes are my specialty."
Anisa stepped closer, folding her arms. "You joke now, but the nobility won't see you as a clown. They'll see you as a piece on the board. A threat—or a tool."
Kaze's eyes narrowed slightly. "And what about you? Which do you see me as?"
The princess hesitated. "...I haven't decided yet."
Before he could reply, a sudden summons arrived—an invitation from the royal court. Kaze blinked, surprised.
"What now?" he muttered.
---
Inside the throne room, the king himself sat upon a towering golden seat, flanked by nobles and guards. The Guildmaster stood beside the royal dais, arms crossed. Murmurs filled the room as Kaze entered.
"We are gathered," the king spoke, "to offer recognition and reward to the one who led our adventurers to victory."
Kaze raised an eyebrow. "Recognition is nice. But I prefer things I can spend or eat."
The king ignored the sarcasm. "I offer you something greater—become my advisor. My personal shadow. You will live in the palace, hold noble authority, and be untouchable by law."
The crowd murmured in awe. But Kaze's smile faded.
"I… appreciate the offer, Your Majesty," he began, "but I'll have to refuse."
Gasps echoed in the chamber.
"Refusing the king is treason!" one noble shouted.
But the Guildmaster stepped forward. "Hold your tongue. He has earned the right to speak."
Then, turning to Kaze, the Guildmaster smirked. "If not the palace… then I offer you a place among us. The Adventurer's Guild will recognize you as our first SS-rank adventurer. A living legend."
Even Kaze froze. SS-rank? That wasn't just rare. That was unheard of. Especially in this kingdom.
The king stood, addressing the room. "This is not a light decision. Other nations possess such individuals. But this is the first in our kingdom. He would be a shield, a symbol, a weapon of peace."
Tempting. Incredibly tempting. But Kaze had already made his decision.
"Thank you… both," Kaze said after a long pause. "But I want to build my own path. If there's a reward, I'd like a manor. I plan to form my own guild."
The court buzzed with confusion and shock. The nobles exchanged glances. But the king only smiled in his thoughts. *He'll stay in the kingdom after all. A clever move, Kaze.*
"So be it," the king announced. "Your manor will be ready by tomorrow. Begin your preparations."
The Guildmaster gave a nod of approval. "New guilds rise all the time. The challenge is in who follows you."
But neither the king nor the Guildmaster knew how absurdly lucky Kaze truly was.
Just as the crowd began to settle, Princess Anisa stepped forward.
"I will join his guild," she said calmly.
The court erupted into chaos.
Kaze blinked. "Wait—what?"
"Out of interest. Curiosity, if you must label it," Anisa added.
The king raised an eyebrow, but he did not argue. "So be it. Kaze, you have one day to choose a name. Your manor will be delivered, and your papers approved."
Kaze rubbed the back of his head, dazed. "Talk about moving fast…"
As the court session ended and the crowd slowly dispersed, Kaze stood by the tall windows of the throne room, staring out at the city that had unknowingly just become his base of operations.
A new guild. A manor. A princess. And now the eyes of an entire kingdom.
He smirked. "Well, Saint of Despair… what mess have you gotten yourself into now?"
The grand hall slowly emptied after the bombshell announcements. Murmurs echoed like a distant thunderstorm as nobles and adventurers filtered out, gossiping in hushed excitement.
Kaze remained where he stood, staring at the space where the king had sat moments earlier. The royal court had erupted into applause when the Princess volunteered to join his yet-to-be-formed guild, and when the King approved without hesitation, Kaze's heart nearly exploded in panic.
**"That's not how this was supposed to go,"** he muttered under his breath. **"I was supposed to live quietly… maybe farm some herbs… start a soup shop…"**
"Soup?" whispered Princess Anisa, who had silently appeared beside him like a divine jump scare.
Kaze jumped. "I mean *guild*! A serious, top-tier, world-changing guild!" He straightened, clutching his chest like a man defending the last bit of his dignity.
The princess smiled serenely, but there was a glint in her eyes—an unsettling mix of amusement and curiosity. "I'm looking forward to it, Guildmaster. I hope you're not planning to run away from this."
"Me? Run?" he laughed. "I run toward *opportunity*! Like… a majestic, fleeing gazelle."
Anisa tilted her head, her clairvoyance tugging at the threads of truth. "Hmm."
Before he could embarrass himself further, the Guildmaster clapped him hard on the back.
"Tomorrow, your manor will be ready," the old adventurer grinned, voice booming. "And once you're settled, I expect to see your name on the adventurer registry. SS-rank doesn't assign itself, kid."
Kaze paled. "Right… looking forward to that…"
"You should," the Guildmaster said. "Because if you screw up, you're not just a saint. You're *my* headache."
---
As they exited the palace, the sky darkened unnaturally.
*KRA-KOOM!*
Thunder crackled. A ripple tore across the sky just beyond the horizon. A **new gate** had opened—massive, swirling with violet light. Its presence loomed like a second moon, dripping ominous energy.
From the heart of the capital, bells began to toll.
"Another gate?" Kaze blinked. "But didn't we just finish one?!"
The Guildmaster's face turned grim. "This one's different. It's not ranked… not yet. And it's *in our territory.*"
Princess Anisa's expression grew serious. "Something's coming through already."
Kaze sighed and rubbed his temples. "I haven't even seen the manor yet…"
Yet despite his complaints, he turned toward the rising chaos, cape fluttering dramatically in the wind like destiny was giving him a standing ovation.
A thunderous silence fell as the gate pulsed one last time—then out of it stumbled a lone figure.
A female mage, her robes torn and bloodied, collapsed just outside the swirling light. Her staff cracked, her hat missing, and her body scorched from battle. The crowd of adventurers who had remained gasped, readying their weapons just in case.
But Kaze instinctively stepped forward.
She looked up with half-lidded eyes, skin pale and trembling.
"So… it's you…" she whispered.
And then, she fell into his arms.
The gate behind her shimmered… and closed.
Just like that, silence returned.
Everyone stared at Kaze—himself frozen in confusion, holding a mysterious woman he'd never met before.
"I don't even know her," he said aloud, awkwardly. "Do I have a fan club I'm unaware of?"
"CALL ALL THE HEALERS!" someone shouted.
Kaze nodded and laid her down gently. "Make sure she lives," he ordered. "Because I have a lot to ask her."
Hours later, inside one of the kingdom's emergency infirmaries, the mysterious mage stirred. Healers backed away cautiously as her dark aura flared briefly—an instinctive response—but calmed the moment her eyes fluttered open.
She scanned the room, then sat up despite her injuries.
"I want to speak to the man who caught me," she said, her voice firm but tired.
Kaze arrived shortly after, along with Princess Anisa, the Guildmaster, and a few curious adventurers.
"She asked to speak to me alone," he explained.
"But I'm staying," Princess Anisa said sweetly. "For safety. Totally not because I'm nosy."
Kaze gave her a look, but then turned to the others. "You guys can leave this to me."
Reluctantly, they filed out—except the princess, who sat on a nearby stool, chin in her hand.
The mysterious mage locked eyes with Kaze.
"My name is Luna," she said. "The Dark Mage."
Kaze sat down, arms crossed. "What happened? And why did you say 'so it's you' before fainting?"
Luna glanced at Anisa, then decided to answer anyway.
"I'm from the western continent… an adventurer from Valheim, ranked S. Our guild—ten of us—raided a newly discovered dungeon. At first, it was normal. Then… it appeared."
Her voice trembled.
"A presence so strong we couldn't even move. Seven of us died in minutes. The last two… betrayed me. They pushed me back toward the entity… and ran. I was used as bait. Left behind to die."
She held up her cracked badge. "I survived only by using all my mana on a forbidden skill: Void Portal. I didn't know where I was going. But just before I cast it… I felt something—a surge of mana that called to me. Something ancient. Something powerful."
Her eyes bore into Kaze's.
"And when I landed here and saw you… I knew. Somehow, without a doubt, you were the one I was meant to find."
Kaze blinked. "You came to the right place…" he said with a serious tone.
Internally: "WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT WITH A STRAIGHT FACE YOU IDIOT!"
He cleared his throat. "I am Kaze Arashi. The Saint of Despair, and this kingdom's newest SS-Rank Adventurer."
Princess Anisa burst out laughing. "Pfft—hah! Sorry. You said it so seriously."
Kaze scowled. "I am serious."
Luna, however, looked at him with awe.
"A saint… and an SS-rank. I see. Then it really is fate."
Kaze stood, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm planning to build a guild. I'm not sure how or who'll join yet. But… would you consider it?"
Luna smiled softly. "Yes. I've already lost one guild. This time, I'll choose the right one. I'll join yours."
Kaze's heart sank and chest puffed at the same time. "Awesome… wait. Really? Just like that?"
Princess Anisa crossed her arms. "You've got two pretty ladies in your guild on your first day. You're really pushing your luck, Saint."
Kaze looked up at the ceiling. "How did my peaceful life turn into a dating sim with swords…"
As the moon rose and the kingdom settled from the chaos, Kaze stood on a balcony overlooking the capital, now lit with lanterns and magic lights.
His mind raced—plans, doubts, and the growing weight of responsibility.
A new guild…
An SS-rank title…
A dark mage with mysterious ties…
And the princess herself keeping watch…
Tomorrow, his manor would be ready. Recruitment would begin.
And unknowingly, a new legend was about to be born.