Hide’s cold blue eyes tilted upward to track the glass panels slicing into the overcast sky. Mounted across the front of the structure was a massive, glowing metallic emblem that read: Green Horn Exterminator Agency.

He scowled, adjusting the collar of his jacket.

This was it. The corporate stronghold where Kai’s father owned a massive block of shares and held a terrifying amount of administrative leverage. Looking at the pristine architecture reeking of monopoly wealth, Hide couldn’t help but feel a familiar spark of irritation.

Before he could take another step, the heavy glass entrance doors slid open with a synchronized mechanical hiss.

A figure stepped out and Hide raised an eyebrow. It was none other than Kai. But instead of his training gear, his friend was clad in a stiff formal suit. He looked entirely out of his element, shifting uncomfortably against the rigid fabric.

They certainly weren’t going to train in a place like this.

The moment Kai spotted Hide standing near the perimeter, a wave of visible relief washed over his face. He hurried down the wide steps, closing the distance between them.

"Hide," Kai said, a smile breaking through his tense expression. He reached out, firmly clasping Hide’s hand in a tight, grateful grip. "Thanks for coming. Seriously."

"Don’t sweat it," Hide replied, his lips curving into a rare, faint smile.

Standing this close, Hide took a moment to analyze his friend’s face. It was perfectly smooth. The ghastly, puckered purple scar that had previously torn violently from his eyebrow down to his mouth was entirely gone. The flesh was flawlessly restored, carrying absolutely no trace of the corrosive, magical curse that had been eating into his cells.

Relaxing slightly, Hide cut straight to the point. "So, why the hell did you call me out to a place like this?"

Kai’s smile faltered instantly. He cast a quick, anxious glance around the open plaza.

"Follow me," He muttered under his breath, lowering his voice. "Not through the front doors."

Instead of leading him through the grand main entrance, Kai turned sharply, navigating a narrow, heavily shaded walkway that wrapped around the side of the monolithic skyscraper. The towering walls blocked out the dim afternoon light, casting them into deep shadow.

As they walked, the silence between them grew heavy. Kai opened his mouth to speak several times, but the words caught in his throat, resulting in a tense, frustrated stammer.

Finally, he stopped entirely, leaning his back against the reinforced structural pillars. He took a long, deep breath, forcing his trembling shoulders to relax before turning to face Hide directly.

"It’s my dad," Kai admitted, his voice rough. "He’s the one who demanded I call you here today."

Hide kept his expression neutral, waiting for him to continue.

"Listen to me, Hide," Kai said, his eyes drilling into his friend’s with absolute seriousness. "Whatever offer they make when we walk inside... you need to refuse it. Immediately. No matter how many credits or incentives they dangle in front of your face."

"Oh?" Hide tilted his head. "And why is that?"

"Because my dad is trying to snipe you," Kai hissed, a bitter edge entering his tone. "He found out that you were the one who procured the antidote that healed the curse out of my face. An S-Rank consumable in the hands of a rookie? He’s not an idiot, Hide. He knows you have connections or a hidden talent that defies standard metrics, and he wants to poach you into the Green Horn Agency."

Hide was speechless. Can all these poaching bastards see the official NEA badge he carried around?

Kai took a step closer, his hands balling into fists. "But this agency... it’s a trap for someone like you. Don’t let the shiny glass exterior fool you. Green Horn isn’t prominent. Our active numbers are tanking, our revenue is dwindling, and in the current cutthroat market, this place has zero hope of ever making it big."

Kai grabbed Hide’s shoulder, his expression tight with fierce protection. "Your growth is terrifying, Hide. Your true potential shouldn’t be choked and stopped in a crappy, dead-end agency like this. You deserve to be at the absolute peak. You should be aiming for the top three domestic agencies—hell, judging by how fast you’re evolving, you shouldn’t even stay on this continent. You need to leave the country and aim for a massive, world-class international agency."

Hide remained perfectly still throughout the entire frantic speech.

Then, a low chuckle escaped his throat. Within seconds, it erupted into a laugh that echoed off the shadowed concrete walls.

"Shh! Hide, shut up!" Kai panicked, his eyes widening in terror as he flinched, desperately looking around for audio sensors. "I’m being serious here! This isn’t a joke!"

Hide gradually let his laughter die down, his gaze locking onto Kai with a terrifyingly calm, absolute certainty.

"Relax, Kai," Hide said softly, a dark, predatory glint flashing across his pupils. "You don’t need to worry. Because the truth is... I actually wanted to meet your dad, too."

Kai blinked a couple of times. He opened his mouth, desperately trying to form a coherent argument or demand an explanation, but Hide didn’t give him the microsecond required to do so.

Moving in a smooth blur of motion, Hide stepped cleanly behind Kai, gripped his shoulders, and forcefully spun him back around.

"Enough talking," Hide muttered dryly, giving his friend a firm push forward. "Lead the way, formal boy."

Stunned into compliance, Kai could only swallow his protests and guide them toward a rear entrance hidden behind the building’s loading bays. The moment the reinforced steel doors slid open, they were met by two massive, imposing bodyguards. The men were built like mechs, clad in advanced, matte-black armor.

Without uttering a single word, the guards stepped into formation, flanking Hide and Kai. They led them through three separate high-tech security checkpoints before separating them into two entirely different private elevators.

The elevator doors sealed shut with a heavy vacuum lock. Hide stood alone inside the metallic capsule as it accelerated upward at a stomach-churning velocity. The digital display didn’t list floor numbers.

Finally, the elevator decelerated smoothly, a crisp chime signaling his arrival.

When the doors parted, Hide stepped out—and his eyes instantly narrowed.

There were no sterile white cubicles, no bustling receptionists, and no glowing holographic charts. The entire floor was a massive, hyper-luxurious private lounge and bar.

The floorboards were cut from rare, dark-grained ancient timber. Overhead, custom neon arrays cast a bruised, atmospheric glow across the room, illuminating a sprawling display of playable entertainment modules, high-end pool tables, and decorative treasures sourced from dungeons.

Hide’s mind immediately flashed to Commander Maddox’s office. Compared to the opulence of this room, the NEA Commander’s workplace looked like unmitigated dregs.

Sitting at the far end of the sprawling lounge, positioned behind a massive executive desk crafted entirely from polished black glass, was a man.

He looked to be in his late thirties, his face deeply wrinkled with distinct lines of chronic stress and trouble. Yet, despite the exhaustion etched into his features, his posture was rigidly straight, exuding a suffocating sense of discipline and absolute calmness. He wore a heavy, tailored brown formal coat.

This was Kai’s father.

But Hide’s focus didn’t stay on him for long. His enhanced perception redlined, his gaze snapping toward a pristine, towering shelf packed with a myriad of expensive bottles situated on one whole wall of the room.

Leaning casually against the shelf was another man. He was dressed in an elegant, dark suit, slowly swirling a crystal glass filled with a thick, blood-red wine.

This man was the Vice Leader, or more importantly, the powerhouse recognized across Area 17 as the 2nd Commander of the Green Horn Extermination Agency.

Author note - Hello there dear readers... so I know the updates have been low this week, had to deal with some stuff. We will be back to normal from today.