Chapter 34 - Advice

The Thunder Guardians Guild Master's name was Hector, and he was a figure who radiated confidence and power. He stood tall and muscular. He has short, cropped black hair. His piercing eyes were green seem to crackle with energy, hinting at the immense power he wielded

The Guild Master's wire is is a suit of heavy armor forged from the finest metals and adorned with intricate engravings depicting scenes of thunderstorms and battles. It is paired with a cloak of deep blue.

The Bloody Sword Guild Master was called Louise. She was a figure of elegance and deadly grace. She exuded an air of sophistication and danger, with a presence that commands attention wherever she goes.

She had long, flowing hair the color of blood, which she often wore loose. Her eyes were sharp and calculating, the color of ember, hinting at the fierce determination that lies beneath her calm exterior. She wore a fitting suit of dark leather armor adorned with crimson accents and the emblem of the Bloody Sword Guild—a stylized sword dripping with blood.

Zack talked with them for a short while and soon went to his apartment. Now, he just had to wait.

"Although I don't think this plan is bad, I have no idea how much I can earn from it," Zack thought. They sell information to each other, so they might try to be smart and offer me a lot less than it should be and force me to sell anyway. Well, it's not like I need money… I am just happy hunting monsters."

It would be a pity if they tried that. It would mean that Zack wouldn't have a single trustworthy guild in that city… he could always move to another city to sell the crystal and materials. Still, it would be better if they were closer to the territory.

With those thoughts in mind, Zack went to bed that day, and while he woke up early out of habit, he stayed in his bed just relaxing for a while before cleaning himself and then ordering some food to have for breakfast.

A little bit before lunchtime, Zack received a call from Anna, who offered sixty million credits for the territory… Still, he told her that he would respond in the evening.

"I guess this should be a good price, but I am not sure yet what I can use it for," Zack thought. "Perhaps some weapons or relics will do the trick. Everything that improves my hunting speed will be welcome."

While he was thinking about that, Zack realized that the guild masters should have contacted the the hunter's academy of the city to gather some Intel information about him. At that point in time, even Amanda should have been questioned as well by the higher-ups in the academy… he wondered if he should contact her to ask for some advice, but that could cause problems for her.

As Zack waited in the afternoon, his mind wandered to a question that had crossed his thoughts more than once: just how much wealth did the guilds possess? Running a guild was undoubtedly profitable, but it also came with its own set of challenges and responsibilities. Yet, in a society where monster hunting was vital to survival, the guilds held significant sway and resources.

Zack contemplated the various sources of income for the guilds. They earned credits from missions and contracts, selling monster parts and artifacts, and providing services such as training and equipment. Additionally, they might have investments, business ventures, and even monopolies on certain resources.

Considering the scale of operations and the constant demand for their services, the guilds likely accumulated substantial wealth over time. They would have funds to maintain their bases, pay their members, and invest in research and development.

"Well, they are essentially business, so it makes sense," Zack thought.

During the afternoon, Hector and Louise also made their calls, and it didn't look like either of those three tried to contact one another. Maybe they knew that Zack would realize that. Regardless, one offered forty million credits, and the other thirty.

"It is surprising that Anna's guild had the most money saved up…" Zack thought. "Anyway, I guess I will sell it to her with a discount as long as she gives me a map of the province."

When night came, Zack went to the Valkiries guild, and much to his surprise, he actually found instructor Amanda there. Now that he thought about it, he wondered if she had ties with them and somehow knew that he would go there to sell the crystal.

"Zack! It seems that you have been busy and accomplished a lot of things by yourself in the last few days," Amanda said, visibly excited. 

"Err… why are you here, instructor?" Zack asked. "I was planning to keep my distance since I will get on the nerve of a lot of guilds, but I guess that wasn't obvious."

"I just came to check the rumors, but I am thankful for the consideration," Amanda said. "I will be busy from now on with the new year approaching, so I just wanted to tell you not to be so biased when it comes to other guilds. Things can be different in other cities."

"Can be? You don't sound so sure," Zack said.