The young hunter girl nearly skipped the entire way through the Samurai Guild headquarters. Arthur and Raven followed behind her while the atmosphere inside the building grew increasingly chaotic the deeper they went.

Hunters openly whispered now, some stopped walking entirely, others subtly pointed toward Arthur before quickly pretending they were not staring.

The massive holographic screen in the center lobby still replayed footage from Gotham.

The endless monster tide with brief flashes of Arthur moving through the battlefield.

Hunters around the lobby were still discussing it openly.

"That shadow army was insane..."

"No way that guy’s human."

"A lot of A and S rank hunters died in Gotham to those S rank beasts, if it wasn’t for the Justice league powerhouses and him, they wouldn’t have been able to survive."

"I’m telling you, he looked more dangerous than the monsters themselves."

Raven walked beside Arthur with her hands in her coat pockets.

"You’re becoming a bit too famous."

Arthur sighed.

"I can’t control that."

The girl leading them turned around while walking backward, countless times, trying to make sure this is real.

The elevator ride upward only became more ridiculous.

The higher floors of the guild were absurdly luxurious compared to the busy lower levels.

Massive decorative banners, ancient armor displays.

Paintings of famous Japanese hunters posed dramatically like historical warlords, even though it hasn’t been that long since gates appeared, the common people truly respects these hunters.

And every few meters, katanas.

So many katanas. Raven stared at another wall covered entirely in swords.

"...I feel like I already know exactly what kind of person this guildmaster is."

Arthur nodded.

"He is committed to the aesthetic."

The girl proudly spread her arms.

"Guildmaster Renshiro says presentation is important."

Raven muttered quietly, "I think he says that while staring at himself in mirrors."

Arthur laughed softly.

The elevator doors finally opened onto the highest level.

A pair of enormous wooden doors stood at the end of a long hallway lined with armored samurai statues.

There was even incense burning nearby.

Arthur stopped walking for a second.

"...Is this a guild office or a feudal palace?"

The girl looked genuinely confused.

"Aren’t they the same thing?"

Raven buried her face in one hand.

The doors slowly opened.

And somehow, the inside was worse.

Or better, depending on perspective.

The office was absurdly overdesigned.

A massive dark wood desk sat elevated on polished stone flooring like a throne, behind it hung a gigantic red-and-black painting of a lone samurai standing atop a mountain of monsters beneath a crimson moon.

Decorative weapons lined every wall.

A full suit of traditional samurai armor standing near a waterfall installation somehow built INSIDE the office, and sitting behind the desk was Renshiro, a tall, broad-shouldered, long dark hair tied neatly behind his back.

Sharp jawline, expensive black suit mixed with traditional Japanese patterns.

And most importantly, an actual katana hanging at his waist indoors, clearly made by Arthur’s Shadow, Hephaestus.

Raven slowly looked toward Arthur and Arthur looked toward Raven.

The amusement on both their faces was immediate.

Neither needed telepathy to understand what the other was thinking.

He literally turned himself into the Samurai Guild, Renshiro stood calmly from behind the desk.

Unlike the girl downstairs, his presence was genuinely imposing.

The magical energy radiating from him was immense.

Even Raven noticed it immediately.

This man was powerful, Very powerful.

Renshiro smiled with complete confidence.

"Arthur Blackwynd."

His gaze shifted smoothly.

"And Raven of the Titans."

Arthur approached calmly.

"You know us."

Renshiro extended a hand.

"My name is Renshiro. Guildmaster of the Samurai Guild... and the strongest hunter in Japan."

Arthur shook his hand firmly.

Renshiro’s smile widened slightly.

"And yes... I know exactly who you are. I’m sure every powerful hunter around the world knows about you now. The gigantic gate of Gotham made certain of that."

He gestured toward a nearby screen still replaying footage of the battle.

"You wield extraordinary power. Everyone is aware of you. Some of us with proper connections already know who you are personally as well."

His eyes narrowed slightly with interest.

"You are affiliated with the Justice League."

Arthur smiled faintly.

"I see."

He sat down across from him.

"You do know quite a lot."

Raven quietly sat beside Arthur while crossing one leg over the other.

Renshiro remained standing for a moment before finally taking his seat as well.

Arthur studied him silently.

Then spoke.

"I assume you also know the source of your power."

Renshiro blinked once.

"The source of my power?"

He leaned back confidently.

"Naturally!"

Arthur remained silent.

Renshiro spread his hands casually.

"Like every hunter around the world, we awakened due to the Gates. Humanity adapted. Some of us evolved further than others."

Arthur sighed softly.

Inside his mind, Raven’s voice echoed immediately.

"So he doesn’t know."

Arthur answered telepathically without changing expression.

"So much for being smug. I thought he realized what he was."

Raven mentally groaned.

"He already annoys me."

"I know."

Arthur leaned forward slightly.

"That is a very simple way to look at it."

Renshiro raised an eyebrow.

Arthur’s violet eyes glowed faintly.

"But reality is far more complicated than that."

The guildmaster remained silent now.

Arthur continued calmly.

"Yes, hunters emerged because of the Gates. In a sense, humanity adapting is true, but you are different."

Renshiro’s eyes narrowed.

Arthur pointed directly at him.

"You are one of the few humans personally selected by higher beings. Given power far beyond ordinary hunters for a singular purpose."

Suddenly Renshiro laughed loudly.

"I know that already!"

Arthur blinked once, Raven visibly looked tired already.

Renshiro pointed proudly toward himself.

"The gods clearly chose me because I am exceptional!"

He stood up dramatically now, almost as if delivering a speech to an audience.

"I rose above every hunter in this country through sheer superiority!"

Raven stared blankly.

Renshiro continued proudly pacing around the office.

"S-rank dungeons bore me now. I no longer participate in ordinary raids because frankly..."

He smirked.

"...they are beneath me, no monster can withstand my power."

Arthur slowly leaned back in his chair.

Raven spoke telepathically again.

"I’m really going to slap him."

"Control yourself."

"He... ugh."

Renshiro continued.

"Monsters tremble when I appear. Entire guilds seek my aid or the help of my Hunters which I personally picked. Governments respect me, and the hunters worship me."

He placed one hand dramatically over the hilt of his katana.

"I alone stand at the summit of modern humanity!"

Raven mouthed silently,

"Oh my god."

Then Renshiro pointed directly at Arthur.

"And honestly..."

His grin widened.

"I dare say I may even be stronger than Superman himself."

Arthur raised an eyebrow.

"And perhaps..."

Renshiro pointed harder.

"...even you, Shadow Man Blacknid."

Arthur stared at him.

"...Blacknid?"

Raven immediately spoke inside Arthur’s mind again.

"I swear on Azarath I am going to hit this man!"

Arthur rubbed his forehead.

"Calm down, Raven."

"I refuse."

Renshiro mistook their silence for intimidation and smirked proudly.

"You came here seeking my aid, yes?"

Arthur slowly looked back up at him.

"No."

"You came all this way," he said with an amused grin, "to praise me with information I already understand."

Raven’s eye twitched.

Arthur noticed immediately.

Barely.

Because she was hiding it surprisingly well.

For now.

Renshiro continued talking, entirely unaware of how close he was getting to being smacked across his own office.

"The gods chose me. Naturally." He gestured toward himself dramatically. "I have always known there was something greater about me compared to ordinary hunters. You merely confirmed what I already suspected."

Arthur slowly exhaled through his nose.

Then he rubbed the bridge of it.

"Listen..."

His tone remained calm.

"You clearly misunderstood everything I just said."

Renshiro smirked.

"Oh?"

Arthur leaned forward slightly, "Let me show you instead."

The atmosphere shifted immediately.

Even Raven felt it.

Arthur’s glowing eyes fixed directly onto Renshiro.

"Look into my eyes."

Renshiro blinked.

"...What?"

Raven answered before Arthur could.

"Just do it!"

The guildmaster looked between them suspiciously.

"That sounds unbelievably suspicious."

Arthur stared blankly at him.

Renshiro pointed accusingly.

"I do not simply stare deeply into the eyes of mysterious shadow men and demon girls because they ask politely, I know you are part of the justice league and it’s not that I don’t trust you."

Raven slowly turned toward Arthur.

"Did he just call me a demon girl?"

Arthur muttered quietly,

"Technically not inaccurate, but.."

Raven elbowed him.

Renshiro crossed his arms proudly.

"Not that I distrust members of the Justice League, of course. But this has the exact feeling of a setup."

Arthur sighed.

"Dear God.."

Raven whispered toward Arthur,

"I cannot believe this man is supposed to house a fragment of cosmic divinity." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Arthur nodded slightly.

"I was expecting a bit of wisdom too."

Renshiro finally scoffed and leaned forward.

"Okay, I will do what you say shadow man."

His golden-brown eyes locked onto Arthur’s glowing violet gaze.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then suddenly, Arthur’s expression changed.

A subtle shift, like he noticed something unexpected and right before he could speak, Renshiro’s eyes ignited.

Bright gold almost burning.

The energy erupting from them was violent.

Renshiro himself jerked backward violently in shock.

"What the?!"

The entire office exploded with radiant light.

Raven’s eyes widened.

"What is he..."

Arthur moved instantly.

Darkness erupted outward from him like an abyss a massive sphere of condensed shadows wrapped around Arthur and Raven a split second before the explosion detonated fully.

BOOOOOOM.

The entire floor shook violently.

The shockwave ripped through the office.

Walls shattered outward, glass vaporized instantly.

The enormous samurai statues cracked apart, the decorative weapons lining the walls were launched through the air like bullets.

The waterfall installation literally exploded.

Outside the office, alarms immediately began blaring throughout the Samurai Guild headquarters.

Inside the sphere of darkness, Raven stared around in disbelief while muffled explosions thundered outside.

"...Did he just explode?"

Arthur stood calmly beside her inside the protective shadow dome.

"No."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"He’s alive."

Another tremor shook the building.

Arthur’s expression darkened.

"But we were just attacked."

Raven frowned.

"Attacked by what exactly?"

Arthur looked toward the light raging outside the shadows.

"The Rulers."

Raven blinked.

Arthur continued calmly.

"A defense mechanism, you cannot pry into the minds of the Fragments of Brilliant Light so easily. The moment I attempted to forcefully access his mind..."

Another pulse of golden energy slammed against the shadow sphere.

"...their power reacted automatically."

Raven stared at the light outside.

"So the Rulers themselves intervened?"

"Instinctively, yes, well one of them only."

Arthur’s voice lowered slightly.

Then with a wave of his hand, the shadow sphere dissolved.

The sight outside was absolute devastation, the luxurious office no longer existed.

Half the walls had collapsed outward and fire burned across shattered wooden floors.

Smoke drifted everywhere, the massive painting behind the desk was gone entirely.

And standing in the center of the destruction,

Was Renshiro, alive and confused, and smoking slightly.

/-\

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