Journey to Become the Zenith

The Path Toward the Unknown

A creak answered as Victor swung the door wide. The Guild Master looked up, slow and steady. Dust hung in the light from the window. Boots scuffed across worn wood. A breath broke the silence before words did.

A soft groan came from the wooden door as it opened. The air inside carried a whisper of paper, dried ink, a hint of worn leather. On the broad desk, heaps of documents rose beside Isabella, who stayed bent over her work.

A loose tie held her purple hair at the back, swaying just below her shoulders. Some pieces escaped near her cheeks, gentle against her skin. Light from the window moved slowly across the room, touching each strand with a quiet violet shimmer.

Half a second passed before Victor moved again.

Beautiful.

Of course he’d seen it earlier. Sharp elegance hung around Isabella like a quiet warning - something that kept others at a distance. Her height added to it, yes, yet more so the stillness in her posture. Words often died before beginning when those dark, steady eyes turned toward someone. Intentions surfaced without permission under their gaze.

Yet now, her gaze seemed gentler.

A frown line maybe showed how worn out she felt.

Might have been how her cuff sat, just a bit uneven, while she moved through the task.

Leaning there, Victor propped himself by the doorway. Then stood still.

”Working hard, Guild Master?”

Her eyes stayed down at first.

Still writing, her hand guided the pen over the rough surface of the parchment.

Then -

”You.”

Her eyes rose, slow at first. Then they settled on him.

Without warning, her gaze tightened. She squinted fast.

”You’re the reason my workload doubled this week.”

Victor chuckled.

”I like to keep people busy.”

Down went the pen, Isabella letting it rest with care.

”And I like adventurers who don’t turn the entire underworld upside down.”

Victor grinned.

”Come on. You make it sound like I caused trouble.”

”You did.”

”Minor trouble.”

”Major trouble.”

Victor placed a hand over his chest dramatically.

”I’m wounded.”

Isabella sighed.

Then she leaned back in her chair.

”So.”

”What do you want?”

Victor stepped forward.

”I need information.”

Isabella raised an eyebrow.

”That’s rare.”

Victor rested his hands on the desk.

”A dungeon.”

Now that caught her attention.

She opened a drawer and pulled out a folded map.

”You’re serious?”

Victor nodded.

”Completely.”

Isabella studied him for a moment before sliding the map across the desk.

”The closest unconquered dungeon...”

She tapped the parchment.

”...is somewhere inside Mystery Woodland, east of the city.”

Victor unfolded the map.

His golden eyes scanned the marked location carefully.

Isabella continued explaining.

”The reason nobody has conquered that dungeon isn’t because people haven’t tried.”

She leaned forward slightly.

”They simply can’t find it.”

Victor tilted his head.

”Oh?”

”Mystery Woodland is... strange.”

She folded her arms.

”The forest is infested with monsters.”

”Treants.”

”Spirit-like creatures.”

”Other things people can’t properly identify.”

Victor smiled faintly.

”Sounds fun.”

Isabella ignored that.

”The bigger problem is the forest itself.”

”What do you mean?”

Isabella’s eyes darkened slightly.

”People who wander too far inside...”

”...can’t get out.”

Victor raised an eyebrow.

”Lost?”

”More than that.”

She leaned back again.

”The forest seems to confuse direction.”

”Paths shift.”

”Landmarks change.”

”Some adventurers swear they walked straight for hours and somehow ended up where they started.”

Victor’s smile widened.

”Now that really does sound fun.”

Isabella sighed.

”There are plenty of theories.”

”Ancient magic.”

”A territorial demonic beast.”

”Natural mana distortion.”

”But no one has proven anything.”

She pointed again at the map.

”The dungeon is believed to be somewhere in there.”

”But since the monsters never leave the forest...”

”...most adventurers stopped trying.”

Victor folded the map calmly.

”I see.”

Isabella studied his face.

”You’re really going.”

Victor nodded.

”Of course.”

She watched him carefully.

”You enjoy challenges too much.”

Victor winked.

”Life would be boring otherwise.”

Isabella shook her head.

Then she suddenly stood.

When she moved around the desk, Victor realized something.

She was closer than usual.

Close enough that he could smell the faint scent of lavender from her hair.

Isabella stopped in front of him.

”You’re leaving alone?”

Victor shrugged.

”For now.”

Isabella looked annoyed.

”You’re reckless.”

Victor smiled lazily.

”You’re worried.”

”I am not.”

Victor leaned slightly closer.

”You are.”

Isabella’s face stiffened.

”...Don’t flirt with me.”

Victor chuckled.

”I wasn’t flirting.”

”You were.”

”Maybe a little.”

Isabella rolled her eyes.

”You’re insufferable.”

Victor tapped the map.

”Thanks for the information.”

As he turned to leave—

Isabella spoke again.

”Victor.”

He stopped.

”Be careful.”

Victor glanced back over his shoulder.

For once, her voice carried genuine concern.

He smiled softly.

”I always am.”

Then he left the room.

-------------

An hour later, Victor walked through the city gates of Fantom City.

The road stretched ahead toward the distant wilderness.

Victor had already purchased supplies—food, rope, spare weapons.

The journey would take several hours.

But that was fine.

He enjoyed walking.

After some time, the road thinned and the sounds of the city faded behind him.

Trees began appearing along the roadside.

Victor continued forward calmly.

Then—

He stopped.

The wind rustled the leaves overhead.

Victor didn’t even turn around.

Instead he spoke casually.

”Alright.”

His voice carried easily through the quiet forest.

”I know you’ve been following me since I left town.”

He glanced lazily toward the trees.

”How about showing yourselves?”

He shrugged.

”There’s no one around to interrupt us.”

For a moment—

Nothing happened.

Then shadows moved.

Figures dropped down from the branches above.

One.

Two.

Five.

Ten.

Thirteen men now surrounded Victor.

Eleven stood openly.

Two remained hidden deeper in the shadows.

Victor smirked.

Their attempt at stealth was... laughable.

If their level of concealment wasn’t at least comparable to Gian’s, spotting them was effortless.

And with Diana’s heightened senses inside his mind—

It was impossible to miss them.

One of the men stepped forward.

”You’re as good as he said you would be.”

Victor tilted his head.

Their clothing resembled loose robes.

But Victor could clearly hear the faint metallic sounds hidden beneath the fabric.

Weapons.

Many of them.

”So.”

Victor placed his hands in his pockets casually.

”What do you want?”

The men exchanged confused glances.

He didn’t look nervous.

He didn’t look cautious.

If anything—

He looked bored.

The leader finally spoke.

”Isn’t it obvious?”

”We’re here to kill you.”

Victor nodded slowly.

”If you want someone to blame...”

The man sneered.

”...blame your own stupidity for provoking people you shouldn’t have.”

Victor blinked once.

”Oh.”

Then he shrugged.

”I see.”

He stretched his shoulders lazily.

”So you’re here to kill me.”

He sighed.

”I thought it was something important.”

The assassins frowned.

Victor glanced toward the west.

The sun was already beginning to lower.

”Well then.”

He rolled his neck.

”Come on.”

The men stiffened.

Victor smiled calmly.

”I don’t have all day.”

He pointed down the road.

”I still need to reach Mystery Woodland before sunset.”

Then he gestured impatiently.

”So...”

”Can we start already?”

The thirteen men stared at him.

Stunned.