Chapter 80:
When morning came, the news of the Rank-S Dungeon being cleared was hitting the morning news and the Rank-S Hunters from America steal the spotlight from Ray. Not that he cares really because it's unnecessary attention to him.
He was currently with everyone and checking his gain.
(Turn to PoV)
"Ray…" Tanya and everyone else looks at him with a scowl.
"What?" I sit quietly and feign ignorance while fiddling with Kamish Runestone that contains a skill.
"That giant tentacle thing was obviously your summons!" Tanya points at the Demon God Pillars that were caught by cameras.
"Ok ok. I was bored waiting for morning. So, I went out for a walk…"
"*Sigh* Whatever." Tanya gave up arguing about it and dropped the matter before bringing up another. "So, are you really sure you want to become a Hunter?"
I nodded before calling Dvalin to my side and gave her Kamish Runestone.
"Channel some energy into it and you should be able to gain a new ability." I guide Dvalin step by step to use the item.
"Then, go and register yourself. I will handle the paperwork later. You might as well establish a guild while you are at it. Bring along everyone to register. I will prepare for a private examination."
"Oh, I appreciate it, Tanya. Thanks." I gave Tanya a peck on her cheek which made her blush and tried to hide it but ended up looking more adorable.
"Mhm. It helps me a lot too, to manage the businesses if I have an influential Hunter to vouch for it. Considering how the government is trying to impose nonsensical laws just to take away our businesses, you better be quick." Tanya sighed in relief as if a heavy burden was removed from her shoulder.
"Master! Master! I get a new ability from the rock!" Dvalin absorbed Kamish's Runestone and eager to show it to Ray as she took a deep breath to make a roar but Ray quickly shut her mouth and stopped her before she created chaos.
"Don't use it near everyone!" I lectured because she was about to use Dragon's Fear, a panic and despair inducing shout belonging to dragons like Kamish.
"Anyway, I will bring everyone with me then." I told Tanya before finding Lisa, Charlotte and Artoria as Dvalin and Venti are already with me, one next to me and another in the bracelet.
———
I have to thank Tanya for preparing a private examination because the Hunter's rank is determined by the amount of mana a person holds and it's obvious how the results will turn out to be.
With the exception of Charlotte and Lisa, everyone else including me get Rank-S results while Charlotte is Rank-C and Lisa is Rank-A.
Thankfully the staff at the Hunter Association are subordinates of Einzbern as majority of the government staff in Germany. The news was kept hidden from the public but the official records were published internally within the Hunter Associations. The Sudden emergence of 4 Rank-S Hunters will cause an uproar. At least it didn't happen yet and Ray was able to finish registering the Guild before someone in another branch of Hunter Association caught wind of it and revealed the information to the public. Ray had fled the scene when the reporters swarmed the Hunter Association.
The Guild name isn't anything fancy but simply, Einzbern. Since the guild will be the Einzbern family's real foothold on the public.
As soon as I told Tanya about the guild. Instantly the members rose from just a few of us to almost a thousand with the vassals and other members of the Einzbern family joining the guild. Majorities were Rank-C to Rank-D with almost 80% of them. Then the rest were Rank-B to Rank-A only seven Rank-A of the almost a thousand members. No Rank-S at all.
Tanya is the vice leader while I am the leader although the managing was done by her.
Tanya proposed to let the Elite Homunculus Soldiers to join the guild but I would rather not explain how there were hundreds of near identical people with strength of Rank-A suddenly appearing. Maybe later on when magecraft and Magus are more accepted.
———
(Timeskip. 5 months later.)
Many people across the world excitedly watching the news coverage about another Rank-S dungeon that appeared after almost six months since the first one, in Europe.
"The Einzbern guild successfully completed another Rank-S dungeon in a row! It's the Frost Colossus dungeon that appeared in Sweden." The news broadcaster announced with hype.
The broadcast that showed in all major TV and screens show Ray leading his guild members out of the gate. The lower rank members hauled loads of monster corpses, drops and other goods out of the gate.
"Sir! Is it true that you are currently a National Ranked Hunter!"
"Sir! Is the rumor about you being a Magus true, according to the Clock Tower guild from Britain, true?"
"Sir!"
"Sir!"
Numerous reporters swarm up to Ray and his guild members but the Hunter Association's staffs quickly push back the wave of reporters while Ray and his guild members quickly depart from the scene.
*Slam*
Looking at the TV, the hidden members within the Pentagon angrily punch the table.
"Unmistakably, he is the man from Australia. Not only that, we also dug into his past and found his affliction to the supernatural side."
"So what?" Another person rebuked harshly. "None of that information is useful as his position in the eyes of the world is cemented since the revelation from the Clock Tower guild. The existence of Magician is akin to god and surpassed even National Ranked Hunter. He is literally untouchable."
"However, he also cannot remain idle. The Einzbern family had come close to exceeding American supremacy. Their firm grip on high ranked gates allowed them access to a lot of resources and many nations contributed by offering their gates to be cleared too."
"The problem is our policy. We charge too much to help other nations to clear high ranked gates and the Einzbern offer at a lower price. Of course they will flock to the Einzbern."
These slimy politicians and hidden organization members discussed how Ray and the Einzbern family had grown too strong and were able to monopolize the resources from the dungeons.
Almost 60 of the high ranked gates opened up in Europe was cleared by the Einzbern and for the foreign nations, Einzbern charge 50% of the stuff they acquired from the dungeon and another 20% in form of liquid fund without any fee unlike others that will charge exorbitant fees plus the stuff from the dungeons itself.
Due to their activities, Einzbern Guild has become a multinational Guild that has branches and members that span the European continent.
"Regardless, something must be made. The higher ups didn't care if we had to get our hands dirty."
"How? We can't even plant any spies or agents within their guild. Their internal security is too tight and anyone we send will be uprooted in a matter of days."
"How about Norma Selner? Was she able to find anything useful about the leader of the Einzbern?"
The representative of the Federal Bureau of Hunters shook his head. "No, nothing can be found. In fact, she could simply see nothing. He had something that blocked her divination ability." The agent replied. "But the fact is clear that he is similar to the other 'king', possessing Telekinetic power."
"If nothing can really be done toward him, we can only tolerate and cooperate." The leader of the meeting sighed and made his decision.
"But! We-"
"Silence, Norman! I had enough of this. We can do nothing to shake his foundation. That fact has been made clear and for the sake of your greed, you still want to force this matter?" The leader rebuked and frowned. " Don't think I do not know that you are merely pushing this agenda for your own profits!"
Norman lowered his head and swallowed his words while silently grinding his teeths. Other members whisper and gossip in front of his eyes without care until the meeting was formally dismissed.
Upon returning from the meeting, Norman quickly took out a special artifact and poured in his mana.
"How is it?" The voice from the communication crystal spoked.
"Not good, the situation isn't in our favor. They dropped the attempt to sabotage Einzbern Guild and adopt a more friendly approach to form a cooperation." Norman replied.
"Guessed so."
"Pardon?" Norman was speechless that the voice accepted the fact easily.
"Not surprising as the Einzbern Guild has a deep background, originating from the Ancient Magus family of the Supernatural side. The organization was also helpless with them controlling a big portion of the black market and having a lot of groups pledge allegiance to them."
"Their positions were firm and unshakable to say the least." The voice sighed helplessly as his organization was helpless when the Einzbern family usurped their position in the underground three months ago.
"It doesn't matter for now. Lay low and wait for the next order."
"Yes sir." Norman replied respectfully before ending the communication.
———
"Welcome back, Ray." Tanya greeted when Ray enter the office.
"Yeah. I'm back…" Ray yawned and lazily sat on the black leather couch.
Tanya sorted the paperworks and set them aside before looking at the tired Ray. There are concerns in her eyes of his habit of pushing himself without noticing himself. Like going to a dungeon one after another without rest. He did say he didn't physically require rest but still…
"What?" Ray asked when sensed Tanya staring at him oddly.
Tanya shakes her head and walks over to Ray before sitting next to him. She went closer, seeking hugs from Ray who hugged her like a teddy bear due to her smaller stature that made it convenient. They stay like this for a moment before someone forces themselves out of Ray's mindscape to be summoned.
"I want too!"
"Me too!"
Charlotte and Artoria appeared and threw themselves on Ray.
"Offf… hey, be more gentle." Ray complained about Artoria's less gentle strength.
"I want reward for working hard in dungeon." Artoria said bluntly before snuggling up to Ray and pushing Tanya slightly which made Ray unable to refuse because he did promise.
Artoria was the MVP this time because her dragon breath version of Mana Burst is the main contributor to clearing the dungeon in just three days where others normally take more than a week.
"So, how is the raid this time?" Tanya broke the silence and asked.
"The usual." Ray replied. "We kill until we find the boss and kill it." Ray tried to remember but this was what he could as what he did was as he stated. Kill and kill until he finds the boss and kills it. Nothing remarkable happened.
Tanya hummed until Ray asked about her.
"Same for me. Paperwork and paperwork. Occasionally dealing with other guilds, some representative of other nations seeking out help to clear some dungeons and Guilds that wanted to buy resources from us." Tanya recounted with her fingers.
"Isn't it hard to deal with all those things alone? Should I find you some helpers?" Concerns flash in Ray's eyes but Tanya quickly rejects it.
"It's fine. I'm not strong enough to accompany you in dungeons. But, this kind of job is my specialty after all. So, let me keep doing it for you instead." Tanya smiled happily that Ray showed him concerns but she was afraid she would lose her only usefulness if Ray took away her current job.
Rather than insecurity, Tanya is more afraid that she becomes stagnant without any productivity if she has nothing to do all day. She is someone that values productivity and efficiency above all in her mind. Having nothing to do at all is more of a nightmare than hellish workload on the frontline as a soldier.
"Okay." Ray agreed easily and tended to others that were also seeking his attention. He hugs both Charlotte and Artoria while caressing their hair with his hands.
He smiled as his heart felt in peace, able to be with the people he cared for without any worries about the world. After all, he is the current strongest person on Earth minus those hidden beings like the Dead Apostles Ancestors, ORT or etc.
(Sound like a flag was popped up.)
—————
(Author rant: I generally avoid reading other novels but recently I did and kinda regret it. After reading a few fics and novels, I compared them with mine and I couldn't help but notice how many flaws my fics have and how lackluster the plot is. It's alarming but I do feel the loss of my drive to write… another burnout to be specific.
Don't worry though, I won't stop yet. Just sharing how I feel lately.)