Chapter 160: The Guildmaster’s Shadow

Inside a spacious conference room on the seventh floor of a commercial building in Zenith City, Adesewa stood beside a large display screen, examining several documents that Marcus had obtained earlier that afternoon.

The room was furnished with a long wooden table, comfortable leather chairs, and enormous windows overlooking the busy streets below.

Cassian sat near the far end of the table, while Safiya and Bastian examined a collection of financial records.

Jet occupied a chair beside Marcus, watching as the latter arranged several company profiles across the screen.

The investigation into Lucien Veyr had produced another development, although Adesewa wasn’t entirely certain whether it represented progress or another complication.

The transportation contractor connected to Veyr’s suspicious consultation payments had finally been identified, along with several individuals who had previously conducted business with the company.

Most appeared ordinary enough, but two names had attracted Marcus’s attention because of their professional affiliations.

"These are the people I wanted everyone to see," Marcus explained, enlarging two photographs. "The first is Roland Mercer, a logistics supervisor employed by one of Zenith City’s established Awakener Guilds. The second is Tobias Kessler, an independent security consultant who has handled contracts for several organizations, including the same Guild."

Jet studied the photographs. Both men appeared middle-aged, dressed in expensive business attire, and neither looked particularly unusual.

"What makes them suspicious?" Jet asked, leaning forward.

"Mercer authorized several transportation arrangements through the contractor we’re investigating," Marcus answered, opening another document. "Kessler’s company provided security personnel for two of those assignments. Both transactions occurred around the period when Odhran disappeared."

Cassian folded his arms. "And which Guild employs Mercer?"

Marcus hesitated briefly before displaying the relevant company registration.

"Darkstar Guild," Marcus answered.

Jet’s expression changed slightly.

Darkstar was one of Zenith City’s influential and powerful Awakkener Guilds, and its Guildmaster, Alessandro Vittorio Orsini, was someone Jet knew personally.

The elderly First Generation Awakener had treated him with remarkable generosity, offering advice and guidance without expecting anything in return.

However, Jet didn’t immediately connect Alessandro to the suspicious transactions.

A Guild as influential as Darkstar employed numerous people and maintained business relationships with countless independent contractors.

The involvement of an employee didn’t necessarily mean the organization itself had done anything wrong.

"Does Mercer work directly under Guildmaster Alessandro?" Jet asked.

"No," Marcus answered, shaking his head. "He’s attached to one of Darkstar’s logistics departments. His responsibilities involve coordinating equipment deliveries, managing contracted transportation, and overseeing certain warehouse operations."

Adesewa examined the documents carefully. "Have you established whether the suspicious transactions were authorized through Darkstar’s official accounts?"

"Not yet," Marcus admitted. "That’s where things become complicated. The payments originated from private commercial accounts, and the transportation orders weren’t recorded under Darkstar’s standard procurement system."

Safiya frowned. "Then Mercer might have been using his professional connections for private business."

"That’s one possibility," Marcus agreed. "Another is that someone deliberately avoided the Guild’s official financial channels."

Bastian leaned backward in his chair, causing the leather to creak beneath his enormous frame. "Either way, I doubt a logistics supervisor would have much difficulty arranging transportation without attracting attention."

Jet continued studying the records. He understood why Marcus considered the discovery important, but the connection remained too indirect to establish anything about Darkstar itself.

"Have we confirmed what those vehicles transported?" Jet asked.

"Unfortunately, no," Marcus replied. "The surviving invoices describe general commercial equipment. The descriptions are vague, and several delivery destinations were recorded through temporary storage facilities."

Adesewa placed both hands on the table. "Then we investigate Mercer and Kessler as individuals. I don’t want anyone approaching Darkstar with accusations based on incomplete financial records."

Cassian nodded in agreement. "A Guild of that size has hundreds of employees and contractors. Some of them could be involved in questionable activities without the leadership knowing anything about it."

"Exactly," Adesewa replied. "Until we establish otherwise, this remains an investigation into two individuals and their business dealings."

Marcus switched to another document containing a list of transportation routes.

Several deliveries had passed through Zenith’s eastern commercial district before reaching warehouses operated by independent companies.

One facility had already appeared in the records Mikhail helped examine, although there was still no proof that it had been used during Odhran’s captivity.

"The warehouse near the old freight terminal appears again," Marcus explained, highlighting its address. "Mercer arranged a delivery there through the contractor, while Kessler’s company provided temporary security for the property."

Safiya studied the dates. "That gives us a stronger connection between the transportation arrangements and the facilities we’ve been investigating."

"Yes," Marcus answered. "But we still don’t know what was stored there or who ultimately controlled the property."

Adesewa considered the information before turning toward Cassian. "I want discreet surveillance on that warehouse. Nothing aggressive. Find out who currently uses it, whether the security arrangements have changed, and if Mercer or Kessler still visit."

Cassian nodded. "I’ll arrange it."

"And Marcus," Adesewa continued, indicating the company profiles, "trace their private business relationships. If either man received payments for unauthorized services, I want to know where the money came from."

"Understood, Captain," Marcus replied, saving the relevant documents.

Jet glanced at the photograph of Roland Mercer once more. The discovery was unsettling, but he had no reason to believe Alessandro was involved.

If anything, his familiarity with the Guildmaster made him more inclined to distinguish the actions of individual employees from those of the organization.

---

Later that afternoon, Jet visited Darkstar Guild’s headquarters.

The enormous building stood within one of Zenith City’s most prosperous districts, its entrance guarded by uniformed security personnel and its spacious reception hall filled with Awakeners conducting various kinds of business.

Jet had visited enough times that several employees recognized him immediately, and one of the receptionists greeted him warmly before contacting the Guildmaster’s office.

Alessandro had invited him to visit whenever he wished, and Jet had been meaning to speak with him since returning from the wilderness.

His recent breakthrough to the Two-Star Realm and the changes brought about by Ilios had given him several questions concerning Mana control, although he had no intention of revealing the existence of his second Divine Rune.

A few minutes later, Jet was escorted upstairs.

Inside a spacious office overlooking Zenith City, Alessandro Vittorio Orsini sat behind an elegant wooden desk, examining several documents. Despite his age, the Guildmaster possessed an imposing presence, and his calm expression immediately brightened when he noticed Jet entering.

"Jet! Come in, come in," Alessandro greeted him with a broad smile, setting the documents aside. "I was beginning to think you’d forgotten about this old man."

Jet chuckled as he approached the desk. "I’ve been busy lately, Guildmaster. Besides, I wouldn’t dare forget someone who keeps offering me expensive tea."

Alessandro laughed heartily and gestured toward the sofa. "Then you arrived at the perfect time. I received another shipment this morning, and I’ve been looking for an excuse to open it."

Jet took a seat while Alessandro instructed an attendant to prepare refreshments.

Their conversation began with ordinary matters, including Jet’s recent training and his adjustment to the Two-Star Realm.

Alessandro listened attentively, occasionally asking questions about Jet’s Mana circulation and the difficulties he’d encountered while adapting to his increased strength.

"Your progress is impressive," Alessandro remarked, examining Jet thoughtfully. "But don’t become impatient simply because you’ve advanced quickly. A stable foundation is worth far more than a temporary increase in strength."

"I’ve been trying to improve my control rather than rushing another breakthrough," Jet answered, accepting the tea brought by the attendant. "There’s still a lot I need to understand about how my abilities interact with Mana."

"Good," Alessandro replied approvingly. "Most young Awakeners become obsessed with increasing their Star Realm and forget that mastery is equally important. I’ve seen talented individuals waste years correcting mistakes they could’ve avoided with proper training."

Jet nodded, remembering how difficult controlling Ilios had been immediately after its awakening.

The extraordinary destructive power of Divine Fire made precise Mana regulation increasingly important, particularly when fighting near allies or populated areas.

Alessandro noticed his thoughtful expression and smiled. "You seem to have encountered a troublesome problem. Something concerning your Divine Rune?"

"Something like that," Jet admitted, carefully choosing his words. "I’ve been experimenting with concentrating Mana into smaller areas instead of releasing it all at once."

Alessandro leaned forward with interest. "That’s a useful direction. Greater power isn’t always achieved by releasing more Mana. Sometimes the difference comes from how efficiently you apply what you already possess."

For the next several minutes, the Guildmaster explained several principles concerning Mana compression, physical reinforcement, and maintaining control during prolonged combat.

Jet listened carefully, occasionally asking questions and comparing Alessandro’s explanations with his recent experiences in the Beyond.

The conversation was comfortable and familiar, and Jet found himself appreciating the older man’s willingness to share his knowledge.

Eventually, Alessandro set down his teacup and regarded him with a more serious expression.

"I’ve also heard that Zenith has become rather troublesome lately," Alessandro remarked. "There have been reports of violent incidents involving Awakeners, and some of my people are concerned about the situation."

Jet nodded. "I’ve heard about those incidents too."

"Be careful," Alessandro advised, his expression firm. "Powerful Awakeners aren’t always the greatest danger. Sometimes it’s the people operating behind them who cause the most trouble."

"I’ll remember that, Guildmaster," Jet answered sincerely.

Alessandro smiled again and reached for his tea. "Good. I’d rather see you spending your time improving your abilities than getting dragged into someone else’s foolish schemes."

Jet couldn’t help laughing at the remark.

He remained for another half hour before finally excusing himself. Alessandro accompanied him toward the office entrance, reminding him to visit again whenever he needed advice.

As Jet departed Darkstar headquarters, he felt considerably more confident about his training. Alessandro’s guidance had given him several ideas worth experimenting with, and he was already considering how to apply them during his next visit to the Beyond.

The investigation into Roland Mercer remained somewhere in the back of his mind, but nothing he’d discovered suggested that his mentor had any connection to the assassination network.

---

Back at the conference room, Adesewa received an update from Marcus concerning the transportation records.

"We’ve confirmed that Mercer handled several private arrangements outside Darkstar’s official procurement system," Marcus explained over the phone. "But we still haven’t established who instructed him to make those arrangements."

Adesewa stood beside the window, watching the afternoon traffic below. "Continue investigating. And make certain nobody contacts the Guildmaster unnecessarily. We don’t have enough evidence to involve him."

"Understood, Captain," Marcus answered before ending the call.

Adesewa lowered her phone and returned to the documents spread across the table.

Darkstar was an influential organization, and its employees possessed access to resources that could easily be exploited by outsiders.

Whether Mercer had knowingly assisted the assassination network or merely provided services without understanding their purpose remained uncertain.

For now, the investigation had uncovered another connection, but not the person responsible for directing the operation.

Adesewa opened the warehouse records once more, studying the names associated with the suspicious deliveries.

Somewhere within those transactions was an explanation for how the enemy had moved its personnel and resources without attracting attention.

She intended to find it.