Becoming a Monster

Chapter 451: Chapter 451: A New Variable

The second-floor meeting rooms of the Guild were much quieter than the hall below.

Thick wooden doors blocked out most of the noise from the tavern.

A round table stood in the center, with simple chairs arranged around it. The room itself wasn’t big compared to the more luxurious rooms that cost more to use, but it was large enough to house their entire faction. It left the rest of their group standing, while the leaders sat around the table.

A single lantern hung overhead, casting steady light over the parchment Paul laid down.

"So we are supposed to hunt down trolls? Bailey leaned forward over the information.

"I asked around, and I heard trolls that travel in packs are supposed to be considered B rank at least. Is this really sa-"

A firm knock sounded against the door, interrupting Bailley.

The room quickly went quiet.

Raven glanced toward one of her members, who was closest to open the door.

Standing outside was a woman; none of them needed to be introduced.

Her silver hair was neatly tied back, a few loose strands framing a sharp, composed face. Thin glasses rested over steady gray eyes that missed little. She wore a fitted gray uniform beneath a dark cloak embroidered with subtle white patterns along the sleeves.

A silver star-shaped brooch fastened the cloak at her shoulder. In one hand, she carried a leather-bound tome already half open, as if she had been reading while walking.

"Vice Guild Master!" They all stood up to greet the woman.

She stepped inside without hesitation.

Elowen Arclight, Vice Guild Master, advisor to the Guild Master, and the head of what many casually referred to as the Mage Guild.

Though that title was misleading.

The Mage Guild was not a separate organization. It was a division within the Adventurer’s Guild itself. Where most towns separated spellcasters into independent towers or academies, this city had done something different. It integrated them.

Warriors, scouts, archers, healers, and mages trained under one structure.

Elowen oversaw magical education, research, and battle strategy; any contract involving complex magical threats passed through her branch. Anyone who decided to join the branch was granted benefits.

Only those from her branch could get specific training from mages in the mage guild. Most importantly, completing missions gained contribution points that could be traded in for knowledge, items, or even one-on-one coaching.

These points were provided at a higher rate when completing missions specifically set by members of the guild.

Her gaze moved across the table, briefly acknowledging each of the seven before stating why she was there.

"The guildmaster heard about the mission you chose. This one is rather... peculiar, and because you all are still relatively new here, he sent me to fill in any blanks about the mission, creature, and location that you would have."

Ishii gestured toward the table, preparing himself to rise from his seat so she could sit at the table, but someone unexpected had moved first.

"Miss Elowen, please sit."

Levi was already on his feet, the chair sliding back smoothly. His smile was polished and harmless at a glance.

Raven’s eyes narrowed. She no longer loathed Levi as much as she did before, but she still couldn’t get past his shifty personality. He was no different than a fox playing house in her eyes.

Elowen stepped forward without hesitation, completely ignoring the charm in Levi’s expression. She set her tome down and took the offered seat.

"Levi, don’t forget you are to address me as Vice Guild Master." She continued calmly, adjusting her glasses. "You are part of my branch, which means I expect less performance and more substance from you."

Levi’s smile thinned slightly.

Elowen valued Levi highly, making her more strict when it came to whatever he was doing. It all started when they found out about his unique skill.

His ability wasn’t necessarily a form of illusion, as others would believe. The clone was a physical carbon copy of the original, and the items and mana that accompanied it were also real.

In combat standards, the ability was in a top tier of its own. But to Elowen, the ability would become the driving force that would expedite magic and alchemy entirely.

The ability would allow them to test unstable spells, prototype enchantments, experimental potions, and dangerous alchemical mixtures. And because Levi didn’t divide his consciousness to the other copy, no harm would be transferred over to Levi after the experiments, making it so that there was no risk to his life.

Her gaze remained on Levi until even he couldn’t keep contact with her judging stare.

"If you waste that potential on theatrics, I will personally see to your training schedule."

"...Understood, Vice Guild Master."

"Now." She looked down at the parchment she carried with her, an exact copy of the mission details.

"Trolls."

Her voice shifted into a lecture.

"An individual troll is classified as C-rank: large, strong, and high regeneration. Slow to think. Vulnerable to sustained fire and blunt trauma to the head."

She turned the page.

"A tribe is classified as B-rank."

Bailey leaned in slightly at the topic.

"Not because each troll grows stronger when in a tribe, but because tribes are rarely without structure. Most contain a chieftain."

Her finger rested on a rough sketch.

"A troll chieftain is larger, faster, and significantly more intelligent. Their regeneration improves, their strength increases, and they can exert their command on the other trolls."

"If this is a standard tribe, you will face a C-rank threat in numbers... and one B-rank threat leading them."

"But," she added evenly, "the reports suggest that this tribe doesn’t contain a chieftain. Although there hasn’t been visual confirmation, the trolls’ actions indicate that they are without a stable leader."

"There have been multiple sightings of trolls attacking caravans outside of the forest, and trolls actively hunting humans outside the forest exterior by themselves."

"Why isn’t that normal again?" Alicia, who had no clue about fantasy lore, couldn’t keep the question to herself.

Elowen didn’t find the lack of knowledge insufferable in any way, as she explained further. "Because trolls that are in tribes prefer numbers. They rely on overwhelming force. When they scatter like this, it usually means one of two things."

She set down the parchment.

"Either their leadership has collapsed...or something drove them out."

The room went still afterwards.

Jasmine no longer thought of her brother; her attention was fixed on the disturbing news. "Driven out by what?"

Elowen’s gaze shifted briefly toward the others before returning to the parchment.

"The Ashenveil Forest has always been a place where monsters’ presence has been frequent, but in the last week, the mana readings from that region have fluctuated sharply. Patrol mages reported abnormal surges."

Ishii subconsciously gripped his sword. "If that’s the case, there’s still a chance that we would have to fight a chieftain."

All eyes were glued on Elowen now.

"If the trolls do in fact still have a chieftain, then you will not be penalized for avoiding them.

Normally, I wouldn’t want newcomers like you to take on this kind of mission. Even if you are qualified to take them, I value your potential more. But Thalric believes that you all are capable enough for this mission."

Elowen believed she was finished, but then Raven, who was frowning ever since hearing the information about the mana surges, finally spoke up.

"I’m still not convinced. You say that there could be something that has driven out the trolls from the forest. If a tribe with a chieftain could be considered a B-rank, then wouldn’t that make whatever is inside the forest essentially A-rank? If that possibility exists, why isn’t an A-ranked party being sent instead?"

Elowen did not take offense at Raven’s question.

"You’re correct," she said calmly. "If something powerful enough to drive out a full troll tribe is inside Ashenveil... then yes. That possibility could place it within A-rank parameters."

The room tightened under the thought.

"But," she continued, folding her hands over the parchment, "rankings are not guesses."

Her voice shifted again. "You all should understand what those ranks truly mean. D-Rank monsters are civilian threats. C-Rank, combatant threats. B-Rank, village threats. A-Rank, City threats. S-Ranks, nation threats. And...SS-Rank..." Her voice lowered slightly. "Are world calamity threats."

Elowen looked back at Raven.

"Ashenveil does indeed hold an A-Rank, but you will not be fighting it. The drake resides at the forest’s center. It has not left its territory in over three years. You are there just to confirm the tribe’s state. Kill the trolls if they don’t have a chieftain; if evidence points higher, you withdraw."

"And understand this," she added quietly, "the drake is not what concerns the Guild Master."

Seeing that her work was finished. Elowen finally rose to leave, turning to give them one last piece of news.

"The mana fluctuations are inconsistent with draconic signatures. If something else is present at the forest’s heart, it is either newly arrived... or newly awakened."

"Also... just a few days ago, we took in a group of people entering the city, saying that they potentially met the monster responsible."

Elowen paused at the door. "The survivors also claimed the creature was with the drake at the forest’s center. They insist it saved them. You may question them yourselves... though it sounds unlikely."

Her lips thinned slightly. "Drakes are territorial apexes; they do not share. Creatures capable of standing beside a drake are rarely benevolent."