The heavy oak door of the Willson Guild Hall clicked shut, sealing Victor Arkwright's manic, high-stakes energy on the outside.

For a full ten seconds, the common hall was utterly silent. The only sound was the faint crackle of the low fire in the hearth and the distant, muffled sound of a merchant shouting in the street.

My father, Darius, stood frozen, his calloused hand resting on the sealed contract as if it were a bomb.

My mother's hands were pressed to her mouth, her eyes wide and overflowing with silent tears.

The senior guild members stared, their expressions blank, their minds clearly unable to process the 95-million-Ren miracle that had just detonated in their laps.

Then, the dam of disbelief broke.

"Ninety-five million... Did I hear him right?" one of the older hunters, a man named Borin, whispered, his voice trembling.

"He... he's paying it all?" another gasped. "Today?"

"An alliance with an Arcadia guild? The Dawn Guild... that's... that's C-Rank, isn't it? They're leagues above us!"

The room exploded into a frantic, hopeful cacophony. Men who had been drowning in despair minutes ago were now on their feet, grabbing each other's shoulders, their faces flushed with adrenaline and disbelief.

"Darius! This is it! This is the miracle we prayed for!"

"We're saved! The guild is saved!"

My father swayed, his knuckles white where he gripped the chair. He looked... overwhelmed, lost. He had been fighting a losing war for so long, the sudden declaration of peace was too much to absorb.

He looked at Lilly, who was now openly weeping with relief, then at his excited members, and finally, his gaze settled on his eldest son.

Marcus, as always, was the anchor in the storm.

He had remained silent during Victor's entire performance, his cultivator's perception cutting through the charisma, his gaze fixed on the man's every micro-expression.

Now, he stepped forward, his C+ aura a subtle, calming presence in the chaotic room. The excited chatter died down as the guild members turned to him.

In the past few days, they had all come to respect Marcus's newfound maturity and sharp insight.

Marcus picked up the sealed contract from the table.

His eyes scanned the document, not with the frantic hope of the others, but with a cold, analytical precision.

I watched him, my heart thumping a quiet, steady rhythm. This was the real test. Victor's charisma was one thing; a reincarnated cultivator's scrutiny was another.

The hall held its breath.

"It's legitimate," Marcus said finally, his voice cutting cleanly through the silence. He tapped a section of the contract.

"Standard investment and acquisition clauses. Aegis Holdings assumes 100% of outstanding guild debt, effective upon signing."

He flipped the page. "The equity transfer is 40%, as he said. It makes them the largest single shareholder, but not a majority stakeholder. We—the Willson family—retain 45%."

Then his finger landed on the most important line, the one of victor legal team and I had debated over for hours.

"And here,"

Marcus read aloud, his voice clear and firm,

"Article 4, Section 2: Non-Interference Clause. 'Operational control, including daily management, contract acquisition, and internal promotions, remains fully and exclusively under the authority of the acting Guild Master, Darius Willson. Aegis Holdings shall act only in an advisory capacity at quarterly board meetings.'"

He looked up, meeting my father's stunned gaze.

"Father... this isn't a buyout. It's not a hostile takeover. It's exactly what he said it was."

Marcus placed the contract back on the table, his expression unreadable but his message clear.

"He's betting on us. He's paying 95 million Ren for 40% of a guild that, by all logic, should be worthless in six months. This 'Aegis Holdings'… they're either insane, or they see a value here that we've forgotten we have. This isn't a choice, Father. It's an insult to our pride, perhaps, but it's also a lifeline we can't refuse."

The logic was undeniable. 40% of a living guild, one partnered with an emerging power from Arcadia, was infinitely better than 100% of a bankrupt memory.

Darius stared at the contract, then at his eldest son, then at his wife. The crushing weight that had bowed his shoulders for months finally seemed to lift.

He slumped into his chair, running a hand over his face, and for the first time, the breath he let out wasn't a sigh of stress, but of profound, bone-deep relief.

"We… we sign," he rasped, his voice thick. "In the morning. We sign."

The common hall erupted in a genuine, thunderous roar of celebration, the sound so loud it seemed to shake the very foundations of the old building.

I leaned back in my corner, a small, private smile touching my lips as I finished my cold tea. 'Phase one complete.'

The next morning, the pact was sealed. Victor Arkwright, looking every bit the professional CEO, returned with a mana-notary.

Signatures were pressed, seals were stamped, and by 10 AM, the holographic display on Victor's slate confirmed the transfer: 95 million Ren had been paid directly to the Merchant's Bank and the guild's various creditors.

The Willson Guild was, in an instant, debt-free.

The mood was electric. Hunters who had been moping in corners were now polishing their armor, sharpening their blades, their pride and purpose restored.

Darius, rejuvenated, stood before his guild, his voice booming with a strength I hadn't heard since my return.

"Listen up!" he roared, and the hall fell silent. "We have been given a second chance! A new investor, Aegis Holdings, and new partners from the capital, the Dawn Guild, have placed their faith in us! We are no longer drowning. But we are not here to rest on their laurels. We are in debt to their faith, and we will prove it was well-placed!"

He slammed his fist on the newly cleared mission board. "From today, the Willson Guild takes back what it lost! We start now!"

As if on cue, a priority alert flashed on the mission board—a new, high-stakes contract posted by the Selorn City Council.

[CONTRACT: D-Rank Expedition]

[OBJECTIVE: Clear the 'Grizzly Pass' Trade Route.]

[THREAT: Ogre Pack (Est. 10-15 individuals, C-Rank Chieftain suspected).]

[PAYMENT: 4,000,000 Ren + Exclusive Route Toll Rights for 3 Months.]

[COMPETING BIDS: Iron Vipers Guild]

A hush fell. Grizzly Pass. It was a critical, blocked trade route that, if opened, would flood Selorn with goods from the eastern plains. The toll rights alone were worth a fortune.

"The Vipers," Marcus said instantly, stepping beside Darius. "They'll bid low, maybe even at a loss, assuming we can't compete. They want the toll rights; it's a long-term play to solidify their regional dominance."

"They can't bid at a loss forever," Darius growled. "But we need this win. We need to show our new partners we're not dead weight. It needs to be a clean, fast success."

He looked around at his senior hunters. They shuffled nervously. Ogres were one thing, but a pack with a C-Rank Chieftain was a serious threat. Their morale, newly recovered, was still fragile. They were afraid of failing their first big test.

Seeing the hesitation, I finished the last of my morning tea and stood up from my corner, my chair scraping lightly on the floor.

Every eye in the room turned to me.

I walked forward, my steps measured, stopping in front of my father and brother.

"Father. Marcus," I said, my voice calm and clear, cutting through the silence. "Let me lead the raid team."

The hall went utterly silent. Darius stared at me, his mouth slightly open. Marcus's eyes widened, his reincarnated calm momentarily fractured by surprise.

"Michael?" my father stammered. "This isn't... this isn't an Academy VR test. This is a D-Rank dungeon with a C-Rank threat. It's real. People die."

"I know," I replied evenly, my gaze unwavering. "And I'm Rank 1 of the Academy that trains for this. I cleared the Labyrinth. I won the tournament.

" I let my gaze sweep over the stunned senior hunters. "I have experience with command under pressure."

I looked back at my father. "The guild needs a decisive, flawless victory. Not just a win, but a statement. Let me give you one."

Darius looked at Marcus, lost. Marcus, in turn, was studying me, his gaze analytical, searching. He was weighing the impulsive words of a "boy" against the cold, unnerving confidence he'd sensed from me since my return.

He saw my E+ rank, but he also remembered the lie about the "fall" – the lie that hid a much deeper well of power.

"…Let him," Marcus said finally, his voice quiet but firm, shocking everyone, including my father.

"Marcus, you can't be serious—" Darius began.

"He's not wrong, Father," Marcus said, his eyes still locked on mine.

"He's the Academy's top-ranked fighter. He holds the prestige. If he leads, and succeeds… it sends a message to the Vipers, to the city, and to our new investors that the Willson Guild's future is not just stable, but strong."

He gave me a sharp, challenging look. "If he fails, of course, we're ruined."

No pressure, then.

Darius looked torn, his fatherly instincts warring with the desperate need of his guild.

I placed my hand on his arm. "Trust me, Dad. I won't fail."

My voice held no bravado. Just simple, cold certainty.

Darius looked into my eyes for a long, agonizing moment. He saw the son who'd left as a quiet boy, and the stranger who had returned. He grit his teeth.

"...Fine," he conceded, the word tearing from his throat. "The contract is yours to lead, Michael. Pick your team. But Marcus…"

"I'm going with him," Marcus stated, already anticipating the order. "I'll be his second."

"Good." Darius nodded, his face grim. "Don't let me regret this, Michael."

I simply nodded. "I won't."

The raid on Grizzly Pass was set. The first true test of my strength for my family had begun.

(To be continued )

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.