Brightshores City – Cromwell Estate
When Edric Cromwell received news of what befall his son, Loric, he erupted with fury. His rage was so intense that he smashed his desk to splinters before dragging the family physician to face him. After the incident, Edric had ensured Loric was treated by a healer for the cut on his cheek. However, the physician had dismissed any lingering effects, claiming that Loric was merely in temporary shock.
Now, armed with this knowledge, Edric directed all his fury at the physician, executing him on the spot. Even the warrior who had escorted Loric that day did not escape Edric's wrath. The Cromwell household was thrown into chaos—none had ever seen Edric, usually known for his cold, calculating demeanor, lose control so violently.
Determined to exact vengeance, Edric mobilized the full power of the Cromwell family. He readied his personal guards and used his wealth to hire three mercenary groups with one mission: hunt down Ark and Mizan. The day of the incident, Edric conducted a full investigation into the man his son had encountered at the restaurant. Although the staff there were cooperative, they could only provide Mizan's identity; Ark remained a mystery. However, Edric managed to obtain sketches of both the enigmatic man and Mizan.
Inside the Cromwell estate's training grounds, Edric stood at the forefront of a gathered force—his personal guards and mercenaries, totaling at least forty men. His sharp eyes scanned the assembly, pausing when they landed on a particular group.
Unlike the other two well-disciplined mercenary groups, this team of six stood out like a sore thumb. The other mercenaries wore matching uniforms, their armor bearing the same emblem. This ragtag group, however, seemed utterly mismatched.
Two young men stood among them, one no older than his mid-teens. Two women were present as well—one appeared to be the youngest in the group, while the other carried herself with a mature, measured grace. Finally, there were two middle-aged men. One was broad and muscular, clad in heavy armor, with a great double-bladed axe slung across his back.
The other middle-aged man, however, looked entirely out of place. His ragged attire and worn sandals resembled those of a beggar more than a mercenary. His long white hair, tied into a loose ponytail, hung down his back. To Edric's disgust, the man picked his nose shamelessly with one hand while using his other foot to scratch his lower leg.
Their eyes met. The disheveled mercenary, far from showing deference, smirked. "What's the matter? Don't like what you see?" he asked loudly, flicking whatever he'd dislodged from his nose. Then, with an exaggerated "Hawk! Ptooey!" he spat on the ground at his feet.
"What!?" Edric Cromwell's eyes widened in shock at the middle-aged man's audacious behavior. Already furious over recent events, this shameless display pushed him over the edge. Veins bulged on his forehead as he barked at his aide. "Who is this insolent fool?"
Before the aide could respond, one of the young men from the group of six stepped forward and shouted, "Vermin, stop it!" His tone was firm but laced with exasperation, as if he'd been in this situation many times before. The rest of the group sighed or facepalmed, clearly accustomed to Virmen's antics.
The young man who had spoken was strikingly handsome. With sharp features and piercing blue eyes, his well-defined jaw was framed by shoulder-length blue hair tied neatly at the nape of his neck. He wore white leather armor trimmed with silver, giving him an air of elegance despite his rugged profession.
The man stepped forward, offering a measured bow to Edric. "I apologize for Vermin's behavior," he said in a smooth, commanding voice. "My name is Kael Durnan, leader of the Ashen Fangs."
Upon hearing the name, the gathered mercenaries began whispering among themselves.
"The Ashen Fangs?!"
"They are The Ashen Fangs?"
"Why would they be here?!"
Edric's aide leaned in and whispered, "The Ashen Fangs are a reputable bounty hunter group. They've earned renown throughout the empire for their efficiency and fearlessness—especially after the Dawnmere Massacre."
Edric's frown deepened, but a flicker of recognition crossed his face. The Dawnmere Massacre had become infamous: just over a year ago, the northern reaches of the empire were shaken by devastating news. A prosperous town of over a hundred thousand souls had been utterly annihilated when a Demi-Ruler–level monster descended upon them without warning. The creature unleashed unspeakable horrors, leaving most of the townsfolk defenseless and falling to its onslaught. Even the combined might of two Earth Level warriors and a dozen Origin Level Vitalists and Mages proved no match to it and perished that night.
When word of the catastrophe reached one of the great northern families, the Winterlocks, they began mobilizing their forces to hunt down the beast. Yet, to everyone's astonishment, it was an obscure, previously unknown small group—the Ashen Fangs—who managed to vanquish the monster before the Winterlocks could even organize their assault. From that moment on, the name Ashen Fangs spread like wildfire throughout the empire.
"Very well," Edric said, his tone slightly less harsh. "Your reputation precedes you."
He turned back to address the entire crowd, holding up two portraits: one of a mysterious man and the other of a boy. "These are your targets," he announced. "Our information indicates they were last seen leaving the city on foot, heading north. Whoever captures the man will receive an additional reward of a hundred thousand gold coins."
A murmur rippled through the crowd, followed by gasps of astonishment. A hundred thousand gold coins was no trivial sum. It could buy a comfortable house in the city and finance a small business. The promise of such a reward immediately heightened the mercenaries' focus.
After dividing into groups to plan their search routes, the mercenaries dispersed. As Edric turned to leave, he spoke to his aide in a low voice. "You said the boy used to live with his uncle in the city?"
The aide nodded. "Yes, that's the information we uncovered."
Edric's eyes darkened with malice.