Chapter 347: Mythal’s Strongest

The next morning, Kai returned to the Hunter Guild.

It had been several days since the worst of the reconstruction had finished, and most of Mythal was functioning normally again.

There were still construction crews working around the city, some buildings needing repairs, several defensive structures still being upgraded.

But the streets were busy, people had returned to work, stores were open, and Hunters were back to their normal routines.

The Hunter Guild was just as busy. Kai pushed open the front doors, and the moment he stepped inside, the noise began to die down, one conversation stopping, then another.

A Hunter near the reception desk looked over. "Is that Kai?"

Someone beside him turned. "It is."

Another Hunter looked up from his table. "The Rank One?"

"Who else?"

Kai stopped. He wasn’t surprised that people recognized him. But this felt different. Before, Hunters had looked at him because of his strength. Now they looked at him because of what he’d done.

A young Hunter approached. "Kai?"

"Yeah?"

He scratched the back of his head. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How did you stay calm during the Six Calamities?"

Several nearby Hunters immediately started listening. Kai thought about it. "I wasn’t calm."

The young Hunter blinked. "You weren’t?"

"No." He shrugged. "I was scared."

That answer seemed to surprise everyone.

"But you looked completely calm."

"I was focused."

"On what?"

He looked around the guild. "Getting through it."

The young Hunter nodded slowly. Another stepped forward. "Then how did you decide where to fight?"

"Depends on the situation."

"What about when the Red Storm started targeting you?"

Kai paused. "You heard about that?"

"Everyone heard about that."

"Then you already know," he smiled.

The Hunter laughed. "Still, how did you figure it out?"

"I watched what the storm was doing."

"You realized it was following you?"

"Eventually."

"And then you used yourself as bait."

"Something like that."

Several Hunters exchanged looks. One shook his head. "That’s insane."

Kai shrugged. "It worked."

Another young Hunter stepped forward. "Can I ask about your fighting style?"

"My fighting style?"

"Yeah." His eyes were full of excitement. "You move differently from every Hunter I’ve seen."

Another joined in. "That’s true."

"You don’t seem to follow normal combat patterns."

"You change your movement halfway through attacks."

"How do you do that?"

"I don’t really think about it," Kai smiled.

The Hunters stared. "That’s not helpful."

He laughed. "Then I guess I can’t help you."

Someone from the back shouted, "How are we supposed to become stronger if the strongest Hunter keeps saying things like that?"

The guild broke into laughter.

Kai shook his head. "I’m not the strongest because I have some secret." The room gradually quieted, and he looked at the younger Hunters. "I just keep adapting." He pointed toward the guild floor. "And I don’t fight alone."

The atmosphere changed. "That’s probably the most important thing."

A young Hunter frowned. "But you’re Kai."

"So?"

"You can fight things most of us can’t."

"That doesn’t mean I should fight everything alone." He looked around. "During the disasters, everyone had a role. The strongest Hunters fought. Mages supported them. Healers kept people alive. Engineers repaired the defenses. Scouts found threats. Even people who couldn’t fight helped." He paused. "That’s why Mythal survived."

The guild went quiet, his voice remaining calm. "So don’t try to become someone who can do everything. Find people you can trust. Fight together."

The young Hunter nodded. "I understand."

"Good," Kai smiled.

Then someone shouted from the equipment area. "Wait!"

Everyone turned. A Hunter stood there, staring at his weapon. "What happened?"

He held up a sword. "This was C-Rank yesterday."

Another Hunter walked over. "And?"

"It’s B-Rank."

Silence. "What?"

He looked at the sword again. "It’s B-Rank."

A crowd immediately formed around him. "Let me see." "How?" "Did you modify it?"

"No!" He looked completely confused. "It changed overnight."

Kai glanced toward the equipment. He already knew why. The first reward he’d chosen after the Third Disaster had finally begun taking effect. Hunter Equipment Advancement.

A Hunter pulled out his own weapon and stared at it. "Mine changed too."

Another checked his armor. "Mine!"

"Look at this!"

"Wait..." A Hunter suddenly froze. Everyone looked at him as he slowly raised his arm, armor glowing faintly. "This was already S-Rank."

Kai walked closer. "What’s different?"

He activated the armor, and a translucent barrier appeared around his body. Everyone stared. "It gained an ability."

He looked stunned. "I didn’t have this yesterday."

Someone shouted, "Do it again!"

The barrier appeared once more, and the guild erupted. "That’s incredible!" "My weapon gained an ability too!" "Mine went up a rank!" "Does it work on everything?"

A Hunter grabbed his sword and rushed toward the training area. "Let’s find out!"

Several others followed, and within minutes the guild’s training area was packed, Hunters testing weapons, armor, accessories, bows, staffs, shields, everything.

Some equipment had simply increased in rank. Others had gained new properties. A few S-Rank items had gained entirely new abilities.

The excitement spread through the guild. Kai stood to the side and watched, unable to help smiling.

This was better than receiving another weapon for himself. He’d chosen something that benefited hundreds of Hunters, maybe thousands eventually.

Raze walked into the training area and looked around. "What happened?"

A Hunter immediately pointed toward the equipment. "Try yours."

Raze raised an eyebrow, looked down at his weapon, and his eyes widened. "Oh."

Kai walked over. "What?"

Raze’s grin slowly grew. "Finally."

"What?"

He lifted his weapon. "I can finally hit harder."

Mira, who’d just arrived, sighed. "That was your solution to everything before."

"And now it’s even better," Raze grinned wider.

She shook her head. "You really are simple."

"Simple works."

Kai laughed. Raze looked at him. "You did this?"

"Part of the reward."

He looked back at his weapon, then at Kai. "Good choice."

"I agree," Mira smiled.

Lily arrived shortly afterward. "Elden wants everyone at the central defense station."

"Already?" Kai asked.

"Yes."

"Something wrong?"

"No." She smiled. "Something very right."

...

They left the guild and headed toward the central defense network, the massive Guardian Core installed beneath the city. Elden stood in front of the main control system, and the moment Kai arrived, he turned. "It’s working."

Kai looked at the monitors. "What changed?"

"Everything." His eyes were bright with excitement. "The Guardian Core is communicating with the entire defensive network." He pointed toward the display. "Barrier response is faster." Another screen changed. "Mana distribution is more efficient." Another. "Emergency power can now be redirected automatically."

Kai nodded. "And the damaged systems?"

"Already being integrated." Elden smiled. "This is the biggest improvement we’ve made since Version Three."

Lily crossed her arms. "And we’re not finished."

"There’s more?"

"Much more." She pointed toward several unfinished designs. "We can build Version Four around this."

"So Mythal’s defenses are getting stronger," Kai smiled.

"Much stronger."

Raze crossed his arms. "Good."

Mira looked at him. "You sound disappointed."

"No." He smiled. "I’m thinking about how strong the monsters will need to be next time."

Mira sighed. "Of course you are."

Kai looked around. Everyone was working. Elden was analyzing the Guardian Core. Lily was already planning the next defensive system.

Mira was organizing the Hunters. Raze was testing his new equipment. The city outside was rebuilding.

For the first time, Kai understood something. Mythal wasn’t waiting for him to save it anymore. It was becoming stronger on its own.

That realization made him smile.

Then he spoke. "I’m leaving for Nexus soon."

The room went quiet. Elden looked up. Lily stopped reading the data. Mira turned toward him. Raze’s smile faded for only a moment. "Nexus?"

"After Mythal is mostly settled."

"How long?" Mira asked.

"I don’t know."

Lily frowned slightly. "You’re going because of the Ruins of Aegis?"

"Among other things."

Elden studied him. "You found something."

"Maybe," Kai smiled faintly.

Elden looked like he wanted to ask more. But he didn’t. He simply nodded. "Then go."

Kai looked at him. Elden gestured toward the city. "We can handle this."

"He’s right," Mira nodded.

Raze stepped forward. "We’ve survived three disasters." He looked at Kai. "One Hunter leaving the city isn’t going to make us fall apart."

"I know," Kai smiled.

Raze grinned. "Good." He raised his newly upgraded weapon. "Then come back stronger."

"That’s the plan."

Outside the window, Mythal continued to rebuild.

For the first time, Kai wasn’t leaving because the city needed someone stronger. He was leaving because the city was finally strong enough to let him go.