Seris rolled her eyes.
"Ugh. Lady Justice is a walking thirst trap. She's turning pro hunting into soft-core fantasy. It's disgusting."
"Not my fault she's got style," Babu grinned.
"Her gear barely covers her chest last week. I remember it vividly."
"Babu. Please," Seris groaned.
"Just... stop."
Redman sighed, half-amused.
"What happened to heroism these days, Babu? Where's the morality, the sense of duty—where's the link?"
Babu smirked.
"I'll send you the link after this raid. Hahaha."
"What?!" Seris gasped.
"You too, Redman? Don't tell me you're into that trash."
"It's for analysis," Redman replied with a straight face.
"Studying her battle patterns. Besides, streaming pays. We need the extra cash—the guild's still bleeding money after the last raid."
Seris groaned.
"Disgusting. Both of you."
She looked back at the flashing lights, her mood darkening again.
"Don't even get me started on Prime. Seven years ago, he made dungeon raids look like adventure hikes. Now we're stuck living up to his 'clean' standard no injuries, no casualties. Just smiles and perfect endings."
Her head throbbed at the thought.
"They never show the deaths."
A pause.
Then redman, with a dark chuckle, glanced toward the security line and the officers beyond it.
"And the guts," he added.
"Don't forget the guts."
He let the moment linger before speaking again.
"Losing two veterans isn't easy in this line of work. Experience is king." His voice tightened. "Damn orcs... chewed Handyman's hands like jerky. Snapped Freeze's legs like twigs. I swear, they're getting bolder."
He clenched a fist.
"That's why we had to burn through our budget to bring in replacements—top-tier ones."
"The speedster's not bad," Babu offered.
"Quick reflexes. Could be a good fit."
Seris scoffed.
"Please. He's not even that fast. Kid spends more time checking himself out in the mirror than stretching. I caught him flexing three times before we left HQ."
Redman chuckled.
"Cut him some slack. He's young. And marketable. Fans love a pretty boy who moves fast."
Then, turning to the rear of the group, he raised his voice loud enough for the crowd and the HeroTube drones hovering above.
"Hey! Rookies! You three don't just hide back there. Show the fans your faces!"
A pause.
Then, three figures stepped forward, willfully and embracing the surroundings.
Their gear was spotless. Too new.
The Newbloods.
Just signed.
Barely tested.
Fresh out of simulation training now about to face something real.
Redman grinned, teeth stark white beneath the red of his mask.
"Give the fans a good smile, will ya? Might be your last one," Redman said with a smirk.
Seris froze, taken aback. "Sir?" She asked, shocked.
Redman chuckled. "Relax they know I'm joking."
The twins moved in perfect sync Syan, the sister, and Ryo, her brother. They were mirror images of each other, carved for combat but clearly not strangers to the spotlight.
And the third rookie? He stepped forward like he owned the place.
Nathan Crest. The speedster.
Boots gleaming, posture cocky, he looked like he was walking a red carpet not stepping into a death zone. He ran a hand through his styled hair and flashed a grin toward the hovering drone.
"About time," he muttered to the twins beside him. "Let the people see who the real future is."
Syan's eyes lit up as she stared at him with admiration.
"Nathan, you look so hot in that suit. The fans are going to eat it up."
He smirked, striking a pose. "Custom-designed by the best tailor in the city. They're meant to remember us."
Ryo chimed in, practically bouncing with confidence and casual swagger.
"Can you believe it? Our school's never had a single Rising Star—now they've got three! They should build a statue of us or something!"
Nathan grinned. "Absolutely. I can already picture it Nathan Crest, best hero in the world." He raised his hands theatrically, sketching the air with imaginary grandeur. "Big statue. Perfect jawline. Wind blowing through the cape."
Syan giggled. "I should be next to yourself. Double statue!"
"Obviously." Nathan winked. "Three of us, pro hunters? We're going big."
"You always sound so cool when you talk like that," Syan added, practically glowing.
Ryo's tone turned venomous. "Too bad blank boy thought he could be a hunter."
Syan let out a cold laugh. "What an idiot."
Nathan's smirk twisted. "He really believed he had a shot. If your own core doesn't think you deserve a Pulse… you're just trash."
"But you, Nathan, you've got the best Pulse," Syan said dreamily, as if speaking to a celebrity. "Your speed is insane."
"Oh, my core knows what this world needs," Nathan said with a laugh. "And it's me."
Ryo asked, "You think this C-rank gate will be easy?"
"Of course," Nathan replied. "C-ranks are practically warmups for someone like me. Remember the simulations?"
Syan nodded. "Yeah, those were cakewalks. We crushed the high scores."
"Exactly," Nathan said. "So don't sweat it."
Ryo tilted her head. "But why did you want us to pick Doguen Guild? We had offers from bigger ones."
"That's exactly why," Nathan replied. "Doguen's smaller, harder to get into. Fewer members means more spotlight more room for me to shine."
Syan beamed. "You're right. We'll follow you wherever you go, Nathan."
Ryo asked, "So what's the plan? Learn from Redman then start our own guild?"
Nathan shook his head. "Too expensive. Too slow. First, we build our fanbase. Then we climb the hero rankings, one kill at a time. Eventually, we take over Doguen Guild."
"Wow…" Syan breathed. "You're so ambitious. That's why you're our leader not Redman."
At the back, a floating rig hovered into place Jaxx, the team's Cameraman. Multiple rotating lenses whirred like insects. He wore black and gray, utility-focused gear, his hands constantly adjusting dials and syncing feeds. He had the rare but niche ability to short-range teleport, blinking ten feet at a time useful in tight corners, or when an angle mattered more than survival.
He blinked forward once, then again landing beside Seris with effortless grace.
"You guys look tense," Jaxx said flatly through his helmet. "You really need to know how to sell us guys. Only Redman's remotely marketable on HeroTube."
Then, turning to Seris, Jaxx added, "You're way too hostile to the cameras and the fans."
Seris scoffed. "I don't need them to like me."
"Yeah, but you sure love getting paid. Jaxx added with a smirk.Always the first to ask, 'When's payday?' huh, Seris?"
"Shut up, Jaxx!" she snapped, blushing.
The rest of the squad burst out laughing.
Jaxx shrugged, voice dry as he turned to Babu.
"Big guys like you, Babu? Not really in style these days when it comes to raids. Too bad, buddy."
Babu laughed, then sighed.
"Don't worry. We'll be trending again someday. Hahaha."
Redman let out a short bark of laughter. "Smile, Jaxx. So, what do you think, boss? This Gate gonna be a problem?"
Jaxx rolled his eyes. "Told you—stop calling me 'boss.' You're the one in charge. I just make the team look good."
He turned toward the shimmering Gate ahead, expression unreadable.
"As for the Gate... we won't know till we step inside."
He cracked his knuckles, then reached over his shoulder to activate the dungeon cam mounted on his back.
"Let's begin."