Death Guns In Another World

Chapter 2054: Back to the Velriaʼs Guild

The monsterʼs desperate summons filled the ruined street with screeching horrors. Alex was everywhere at once, vaulting off walls, firing elemental bullets mid-flip, then slashing with his blade infused with both flame and frost. The air cracked with explosions, steam, and searing heat. Serah, holding the line, fought like a whirlwind of radiant steel, her blades flashing arcs of light as she cut down the hybrids that pressed against her.

Then Alex struck the decisive blow — his sword plunged into the abominationʼs spine, unleashing a torrent of mana. Fire roared, ice froze, and the beastʼs howl was cut short as it disintegrated into ash and steam. Silence followed, broken only by Serahʼs heavy breathing and Alex lowering his sword, smoke rising from the blade.

But from the ruins, a single assassin crawled forward. His mask shattered, blood dripping from his lips, yet his eyes burned with fanatic resolve. He raised a trembling hand, revealing a black crest etched with cursed runes.

”Ouroboros… will never stop,” he rasped.

”The guild… the city… all of you… are already marked.”

The crest ignited, consuming him in black fire. In seconds, he was ash, leaving only a serpent-shaped mark seared into the cobblestone.

Alex and Serah exchanged a long, grim look. They had won the night — but the battle had only scratched the surface of what was coming.

The guild hall in Velria was alive with noise when Alex and Serah pushed open the massive oak doors. The sunlight from outside spilled into the chamber, but it couldnʼt match the heated voices within. Adventurers filled the tables, mercenaries leaned against walls, and clerks scribbled frantic reports. Word had already spread—Velriaʼs southern quarter had been saved, the abomination destroyed, but the serpent mark left on the cobblestones haunted every witness.

When Alex entered, silence rippled outward like a wave. The noise of mugs slamming and dice rolling halted. Dozens of eyes turned on him—some full of admiration, some of envy, and others… fear.

Serah walked beside him, her armor scuffed and streaked with monster blood, her expression composed but her hand still resting on the hilt of her blade. She felt the weight of every gaze as keenly as Alex did, but he, as always, carried himself with that same calm arrogance. His black adventurerʼs card hung at his side like a medal of war.

The vice guild leader, Edrick, a grizzled man with short silver hair and a scar across his nose, stepped forward. His heavy boots thudded against the stone floor, and his presence carried the authority of someone who had seen too many battlefields.

”You return.” His eyes swept over the two of them, lingering on Serahʼs weary face before narrowing at Alex. ”And you bring back both victory and bad omens.”

Alex tilted his head, lips quirking faintly. ”The monster is dead. The people are safe. Isnʼt that enough?”

”Safe?” Edrickʼs voice rumbled like a storm. He gestured sharply, and an assistant unfurled a parchment map on a nearby table. ”The serpent mark you left behind—seared into the stone—has already been confirmed as an Ouroboros sigil. That cursed organization doesnʼt mark random battles. When they burn their symbol into the earth, it means theyʼve claimed the city as their hunting ground.”

A wave of murmurs surged through the hall. Some adventurers paled. Others slammed fists against tables, muttering about war, betrayal, impossible odds. A few younger ones glanced at Alex with barely hidden awe—he had slain something none of them could even imagine fighting.

Serahʼs jaw tightened. ”So youʼre saying Ouroboros already has agents inside Velria?”

Edrick nodded grimly. ”Most likely. Sleeper cells. Informants. Corrupted adventurers. This city has been growing in wealth and power for years. It was only a matter of time before Ouroboros set their eyes here.” His gaze cut to Alex. ”Which makes your presence both a blessing… and a danger.”

Alex raised a brow. ”Danger?”

”Youʼre a Black rank adventurer,” Edrick said, folding his arms. ”Youʼve shown overwhelming strength. You attract attention. The guildʼs enemies will mark you as a threat, and Ouroboros will no doubt want you erased. That serpent sigil wasnʼt just left for us—it was left for you.”

The hall buzzed with whispers again.

Alex chuckled softly, running a hand through his hair. ”Good. Then I wonʼt have to waste time searching for them. Theyʼll come to me.”

That confidence—borderline arrogance—stirred the room. Some scoffed at his bravado, others whispered that he might truly be strong enough to pull it off. Serah glanced at him sideways, a faint smile tugging at her lips despite herself.

Edrick, however, was not amused. ”Listen well, boy. This isnʼt some dungeon beast you can cut down with fire and ice. Ouroboros doesnʼt fight fair. They strike from the shadows, turn allies into traitors, rot cities from within. If you underestimate them, youʼll drag this entire guild into the abyss.”

Alex met his sharp gaze without flinching. ”Then weʼll have to make sure Velria doesnʼt fall into that abyss.”

Edrick studied him for a long moment, then finally grunted. ”Youʼve got guts. Iʼll give you that.” He turned to the room, raising his voice. ”But this victory is not without cost! Four brave adventurers fell in that battle. We honor them tonight, and tomorrow—we prepare. Velria will not bow to Ouroboros!”

The guild hall roared in response, mugs lifted, fists slammed, shouts echoing to the rafters. Some voices carried grief, others defiance, but all were united in the heat of the moment.

Alex stood among them, but his thoughts were colder, sharper. He saw the way the younger adventurersʼ eyes burned when they looked at him, the way even seasoned mercenaries leaned in his direction. Seeds of loyalty, ambition, fear—all things he could cultivate when the time was right.

As the noise died down and the guild began pouring drinks, Serah touched his arm lightly. ”Alex,” she said softly, only for him to hear. ”Do you ever… worry that youʼre carrying too much alone?”

He glanced at her, then at the roaring crowd. His lips curved faintly. ”No. The weight just reminds me how strong I have to become.”