Rangers Endgame

Months passed since Yakeru, Fuyumi, and Kenji were suspended from the guild, and the Ripper was locked behind bars. The guild confiscated the Ripper's amulet and hired relic researchers and artificers to study the amulet. They discovered that it was a relic that could corrupt the user's radiance, bolstering their strength in the process. However, it was at the expense of the user's mind.

This relic went missing mere days before the Ripper made his first appearance. The guild sent five rangers to search for this relic that supposedly bestowed power to its user. Days went by and they never returned. Eventually, a few travelers stumbled across four corpses in the same area where the relic was supposed to be located. The fifth ranger was never found.

Yakeru and Kenji roamed the busy capital streets. Merchants shouted to the passerbys in an attempt to sell them their products and hoofs clopped on the stone pavement as they pulled carriages along.

"So this place is where again?" Yakeru questioned.

Kenji looked down at the sheet in his hands.

"It'll be held at the square."

Ever since the Ripper was captured, people from all over have been losing faith in the guild as a whole. Even the guild has realized that some threats might be too big to overcome. If only the guild had seen this before. Perhaps they could've avoided so many casualties if they had. This was why the council needed to make an urgent announcement to the capital.

Yakeru and Kenji arrived at the square which was abnormally packed with normal civilians and nobles alike than usual. A lengthy stage was placed at the end of the square with several guards forming a perimeter around it to keep away the boisterous crowd.

They'd get eaten alive if they tried to weave between the sea of people to get a better view so they stood where they were instead.

After a while of waiting, several figures emerged from backstage through the towering curtains. Their elegant attire, befitting of noble status, implied that they were royalty. They were cloaked in robes of the finest fabrics and adorned with jewels that caught the light. Their dignified demeanor commanded respect and admiration as they strode across the stage.

"Isn't that the council?" Yakeru overheard a woman ask someone beside her.

"What's the council doing here?"

Yakeru strained his eyes as a familiar figure appeared on stage. "Hey, isn't that...?"

"Adrian?" Kenji finished his sentence. "Looks like it."

Once the group of people made their entrance, a couple of artifacts lying along the stage activated, displaying a large holographic live feed of the stage.

The once-rowdy crowd immediately quieted down in their presence. The older man stepped up to the podium and spoke into the sound-amplifying artifact.

"Greetings, citizens of the capital. My name is Adrian Anders, the Guild Master of the Rangers Guild."

He had everyone's undivided attention at this point. It wasn't every day that you'd see the Guild Master hosting an event such as this with the council accompanying him.

"First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone here for attending this event...the most recent happenings have led many rangers, your loved ones, to lose their lives. Let us take a moment of silence for those we've lost."

Everyone bowed their heads, their faces turning gloomy as silence enveloped the square, only disturbed by the occasional weeping from the ones still grieving. Rangers from all over have attempted to put an end to the Ripper's killing spree. It was one thing losing a loved one to a mindless beast driven by instinct, but losing them to a human with free will made bearing the burden that much harder. After a few minutes had passed, Adrian continued.

"For years, rangers have been putting their lives on the line so that the rest of us can sleep soundly at night. We hadn't considered the possibility of one of our own becoming the very thing we fight against. This has led many to question the adequacy of our management and has tragically undermined the trust that the public has put in the guild."

"You don't say!" someone from the crowd sarcastically blurted out.

"I thought rangers were supposed to hunt monsters, not each other!"

"Where were the strong rangers at when we needed them, huh?!" a woman shouted.

Yakeru and Kenji looked around as more people began firing insults and complaints about the guild's failure.

"Because of our carelessness, many lives were needlessly lost. And for that, on behalf of the guild, we would like to express our deepest apologies." Adrian bowed deeply.

"That ain't enough!"

"Yeah! A 'sorry' ain't gonna bring my kid back!" a tearful middle-aged man shouted.

"How did you let this happen?!"

"Enough!"

The boisterous crowd quieted down after a fed-up council member stepped forward. Adrian stood up straight and nodded his head at the councilman in appreciation. There's only so much hate a man could take so it must have been relieving to have someone to take the wheel, a council member no less. Adrian stepped back as the man took his place at the podium.

"I am Councilman Rei Yamato. And as Mr. Anders has said, we are sorry for your losses. We are all deeply affected by these events that have transpired. As such, the council has taken action to prevent such events from repeating themselves."

Many people gritted their teeth, the crowd still radiating anger but even they knew better not to lash out at a councilman.

"While it is obvious we cannot change the past, we can still control the future. For years, the guild has managed its rangers and operated as a separate entity. However, in these recent dark times, it was shown to be insufficient. Therefore, from this point onward, I would like to announce that the guild will now be under the supervision of the council.

He looked over and, from backstage, six individuals trickled out from behind the curtain. Each person sported a pristine white uniform lined luxuriously with gold and a short black mantle, each outfit varying slightly to accommodate their different builds. The audience watched in awe and curiosity as they made their way across the stage, kneeling before each council member. After commanding them to rise, the six of them were each presented with a platinum pin.

"These fine men and women were specifically chosen from their respective clans. They have proven time and again that they are among the most intelligent and powerful individuals among the rangers and have agreed to work under the direct command of the council to help ensure the safety of our home."

The six mysterious figures spun in unison to face the crowd, their hands tucked behind their back at attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce to you, the Sentinels!"

The crowd erupted into applause, pleased to hear this news. Some of the strongest rangers were already off on missions in the outer rim. As a result, many rangers lost their lives to the Ripper. A wave of reassurance washed over the crowd as the Sentinels aimed a salute to the audience. Yakeru glanced over at Kenji who looked to be satisfied with this then looked back at the stage.

'Sentinels, huh?'

After the announcement had ended, the two made their way to the guild. Pushing open the doors, they were met with the all too familiar sound of clanking beer mugs. They walked up to the receptionist as she greeted them.

"Welcome back you two!"

"Thanks, it's good to be back," Yakeru replied.

She looked Yakeru up and down, admiring his new light armor. Although not the highest of quality, it was more heat resistant than his previous armor.

"I like the new armor, Yakeru. It looks nice on you."

"Oh, thanks," he replied sheepishly as heat rose to his cheeks.

"I assume you're here for your rank IDs. Give me a moment to fetch them for you."

"Take your time."

As they waited, they overheard the conversations of the lobby. They expected to hear them boasting about how they hunted a behemoth or slayed a dragon. But to their surprise, it was about something entirely different.

"Hey, you hear about that rumor going around?"

"About the low-ranking rangers?"

"Oh yeah, they said some scrubs captured the Ripper. Can you believe it?"

A burly man rolled his eyes and sucked his teeth.

"Pssh. That ain't nuh'in but a lie. No way some low ranks fought that guy and won. I heard a clan full of A-ranks went huntin' for him in some ruins. They never came back."

"Some said there was something weird going on with his radiance too, right?"

"Yeah. I heard he smoked an S-rank I used to run missions with. Guess that explains why I don't see him anymore..."

Luckily, to protect Yakeru, Kenji, and Fuyumi, the guild refused to disclose the identities of the ones responsible for capturing the Ripper. After eavesdropping for some time, the receptionist eventually returned with their IDs.

"Feel free to browse the board if you'd like."

More rangers approached the receptionist to give reports so they stepped out of the way. It was then that they heard a familiar voice from behind them.

"About time you got here."

Startled, they turned to see who it was to find Fuyumi standing there, annoyed that they were late.

"Oh, it's you. Sorry, we went to the square to see what the announcement was." Kenji explained.

"Yeah, apparently they formed some sort of private force called Sentinels."

"I don't care."

They haven't seen each other for months but he's spent enough time with her to half expect that kind of response.

"Of course you don't." Yakeru sighed.

She walked passed him and headed straight to the mission board. Yakeru shook his head with a small smile.

'Some things never change I guess.'

She skimmed through the available missions pinned to the board. There weren't that many sheets this time around. Perhaps because rangers didn't have to worry about catching some murderer on the loose. Although they were still only left with a few options to choose from.

Most of them recommended parties of four or more. But Yakeru reckoned Fuyumi wasn't willing to let another straggler or two tag along. She wasn't too thrilled at the thought of the extra company the first time. That's when one sheet that caught her eye, however.

[Kobold Dungeon Raid]

D-rank

Location: Southern base of Scar Peak, Inner rim

She'd like something easier for Kenji since he struggled when it came to D or even E-tier monsters. And with scarred radiant channels, this might prove to be even more troublesome for the conjurer. But this was their only option at the end of the day.

She went to remove the sheet when her hand bumped into someone else's reaching for the same sheet. Both hands retracted as Fuyumi looked to her side.

"Sorry. Well this is awkward, isn't it?" someone asked rhetorically.

A young man stood next to her. He had on light armor that resembled Yakeru's old armor before their battle with the Ripper. At first glance, it didn't seem like he possessed a weapon—only a thin chain wrapped around his gauntlet with a dart attached to the end of it.

"I was just about to take that for my party since it's the only mission ranked D." The crimson, spiky-haired teen explained.

She narrowed her eyes and looked him up and down. Everything else that the board offered were missions ranked B or higher. Although he knew Fuyumi hated the idea of joining other rangers, the solution to this dilemma was quite simple. Kenji stepped forward.

"I'm Kenji, an E-rank conjurer. If it's not too much trouble, why don't you come with us?"

"No."

As he expected, Fuyumi interjected.

"We'll be taking this. You can find another one."

Her bluntness caused the young man to recoil slightly, not expecting such a hostile vibe from this girl. He scratched the back of his head before elaborating further.

"We would, but there aren't any other missions that my teammate can do."

Yakeru nudged his cold teammate, thinking it'd be a good idea to forge connections.

"Come on, it can't possibly be as bad as last time."

She gave an annoyed sigh, thinking long and hard as if this was a matter of life or death.

"Your rank," she demanded with a stern expression.

"I'm Kazeki and I'm a C-rank."

He extended a hand to her with a friendly smile but she only glared at him, leaving his hand unaccompanied until Yakeru shook it in her place.

"I'm Yakeru. I'm also a C-rank."

Kazeki inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that Yakeru saved him from the deathly awkwardness of leaving him hanging. Still, he waited for an introduction from her that never came before the conjurer spoke up.

"Oh, and that's Fuyumi. She's a B-rank," he introduced as she looked at Kenji with a hint of shock showing through her usual cold expression, surprised at the betrayal of her own party member. "She's also not the social type."

Kazeki lightly chuckled at his playful jab toward her.

"B-rank, huh? You must be really good," Kazeki assumed. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you all."

"Uhm, Kazeki?"

Their attention shifted to a rather petite young lady with dark blue hair styled into a bob cut and a wand holstered on her hip. She lightly tapped Kazeki's shoulder.

"Have you had the chance to find a mission?" She asked in a soft tone.

"I'm still working on it. I'm trying to negotiate."

She faced the two boys and offered them a warm smile.

"I suppose I should introduce myself then. I'm Aoi and I'm a D-rank conjurer. Pleased to meet you." She gave a polite bow.

The boys introduced themselves to the young lady while Fuyumi studied her. The way she carried herself coupled with her soft expression radiated a gentle aura. For now, her only worry was their third party member, and, as if on cue, a large ranger about twice their size trudged over to the group.

The imposing figure loomed over Yakeru and Kenji causing them to gulp. He carried a massive battle axe that rested on his shoulder, too big for any normal person to use, let alone lift. His armor seemed to contain his muscles rather than protect them.

"Oh, and this is our third and final team member," Kazeki confirmed.

The giant outstretched his massive hand toward Yakeru. He stared at his hand, the man's intimidating form making the thought of shaking a daunting task. After mustering all the courage he could, he rose his trembling hand.

"Oh, uhm, I'm Yakeru, C-ra-!"

As soon as he accepted the gesture, the giant crushed his hand. Pain surged through his entire arm and he could've sworn he felt something break.

'There goes another hospital bill!' Yakeru shrieked in his head, desperately trying to hold a calm face.

"Kateshi, A-rank! It is an honor to meet you!" The man exclaimed with a huge grin, oblivious to how hard he was squeezing.

His arm dangled after Kateshi let go, feeling a slight numbness. He moved on to shake Kenji's hand and the outcome was the same. Only this time he heard something crunch in his hand, Kenji resisting the urge to pass out.

"Okay, ya big ape, let go before ya break something." Kazeki teasingly ordered.

He released him after they finished their introductions. Despite his obliviousness to his own strength, it was evident he meant no harm. His loud body language and enthusiastic nature were proof of that.

Although this was a definite red flag for Fuyumi, his A-ranking swayed her decision. Someone of his caliber could prove quite beneficial as a whole, even if they were just hunting kobolds. This would also be the first time she'd fight alongside someone stronger than her so she might learn a thing or two. After long contemplation, she finally came to a conclusion.

"Fine then, you can come with us."

"Great!" Kazeki exclaimed, pleased.

Aoi's face brightened while Kateshi grinned.

"Just don't get in my way."

She wasn't directing this toward Kateshi, but rather Kazeki and Aoi as they were lower ranks.

"Sure thing." Kazeki agreed.

"Now then. Shall we make our departure?" Kateshi confirmed.

"Yep. If you guys are ready, we should get going now." Kazeki suggested.

They snagged the mission sheet from the board and began making their way out.