Hero (4)
Before Sera arrived, at the mercenary guild office
Haven and Darkteria aside, the Lunaria Empire and all its kingdoms were united under one massive mercenary organization.
The Mercenary Guild, headquartered in the Lunaria Empire.
The guild badges they issued served as identification anywhere in any kingdom—and proof of skill to boot.
Starting from Bronze, then Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond...
Higher ranks meant tougher quests and bigger payouts.
And naturally, the Elterion Kingdom had its own branch.
The lobby on the first floor of the three-story stone building was plastered wall-to-wall with quest postings, while guild staff handled business behind the counter.
Normally, it'd be buzzing with mercenaries laughing and clinking tankards, but today the vibe was off.
A man standing at the counter was slamming his fist down, bellowing.
"What the hell is this?! I completed the quest, and now you're saying no pay? You serious?!"
The guy was built like a tank, all rippling muscle.
Brown hair, shirtless to show off that hulking upper body scarred head to toe.
But despite the brute frame and gravelly voice, his face looked surprisingly young.
The guild clerk behind the counter was sweating bullets, bowing despite the kid's baby face.
If he'd been some run-of-the-mill Bronze or Silver, they'd have brushed him off high-handedly.
The guild had the muscle to crush small-time mercs like that.
But Cross here? He'd rocketed to Gold in under a month. A prodigy with Platinum whispers already.
No clerk wanted to piss off a guy like that.
Gold rankers even got epithets in the biz, and his was Crusher.
Remembering "Crusher," the clerk stammered even more shakily—but it did zilch to calm Cross.
"Can't be helped? Then what's the point of the damn contract?!"
Cross's fist hammered the counter again.
A crack spiderwebbed across the solid oak.
"I pulled all-nighters wiping out those bandits, and now it's all for nothing?! Client's broke, so the guild won't cover it? That make any sense?!"
His voice rose, drawing eyes from every merc in the lobby.
Some tsked and shook their heads; others gawked like it was prime entertainment.
"Cr-Cross, sir... We're in a real bind here. The client's the Elterion Kingdom's heir. If he's saying he's got no funds..."
Cross's face twisted uglier at that.
"Bullshit! Then filter that crap out before posting!"
His roar shook the whole lobby.
"We take quests blind—no client info upfront. Guild's supposed to back us up! That's the system, right?!"
Cross had a point.
Protecting mercs from deadbeat clients was core to the guild's purpose.
But screwing over a host kingdom's heir? Tricky politics.
Cross eyed the clerk, tsked, and said,
"Fine. I'll collect myself."
"N-No, Cross sir!"
The clerk flailed his hands.
"What's no? It's my money."
"You'll get killed! Just this once, please hold off!"
Cross headed for the door, paused, glanced back—then squared up and smashed his fist into the wall.
BAM!
"Gahhh!!!"
"What the—?!"
Screams erupted in the lobby.
The entrance wall had crumbled clean through.
Dust and debris flew everywhere as Cross kicked chunks aside, storming out yelling,
"You hire me, you pay up! Try stiffing me?!"
He planted himself amid the rubble, massive frame looming through the haze.
"Even if it's the kingdom's damn heir!"
The clerk yelled from behind the wreckage, voice quaking.
"Cr-Cross sir! Please, no! The kingdom relations...!"
But Cross was already marching off.
Destination clear: wherever that deadbeat heir was holed up.
And that's when he ran into Sera and the holy knights.
Sera froze, mouth agape at the dust cloud figure.
Her holy power—the gift from serving Luminaris—was reacting wildly to him.
Like he'd found her hero.
"Th-that guy's..."
Her trembling voice shattered the silence.
This was nothing like the noble hero she'd dreamed of.
Cross brushed off dust, eyeing the three strangers: knights in unfamiliar armor and a woman beside them.
"Who the hell are you?"
"What're you doing this early in the morning?"
Gabriel stepped forward, hand on his sword hilt.
His gaze flicked to the ruined entrance, clocking it as the mercenary guild.
He pieced it together.
"Heading to collect from the prick who stiffed me. You gonna stop me?"
Threat laced Cross's tone.
"And if we do?"
"Smash you like that wall."
"Cocky bastard..."
As Gabriel drew his sword fully, Sera shouted,
"Wait, Sir Gabriel!"
"Lady Sera, why? If you're worried about drawing steel in the kingdom, don't. He's wrecked the guild building—that's justification enough to cut him down."
Cross snorted at that.
"Justification? Hilarious. Bring it."
But Sera broke the tension.
"No, I think he's the hero we're looking for!"
"...That thug?"
To Gabriel, heroes were exemplars: noble, dignified.
This guy? Miles off.
Shirtless for no reason, smashing guild walls...
Cross was just as baffled.
Hero? What hero?
Him, a hero? Laughable.
How many lives had he taken for coin?
Bad guys, sure—but lives all the same.
He'd kill saints if the price was right. Villain through and through.
"Sorry, wrong guy."
Cross waved them off, trying to pass.
"I'm no grand hero. Just a merc blinded by gold."
Sera dashed in front, blocking him.
"I'm Sera, priestess of the Church!"
"Church? The one in Lunaria Empire?"
"Yes! We serve Luminaris. We're seeking heroes on divine oracle. I'm one too."
She tapped her chest.
"And my holy power's telling me you're the hero we need! Join us!"
Cross shook his head firmly.
"Nah."
"Pardon?"
Sera's eyes widened.
Never dreamed she'd get shot down flat after name-dropping.
"Don't know why you need a hero, but I need cash. Heroes save the world for free, right? I'm a merc. No pay, no play."
Sera flustered; Gabriel tsked.
"Lady Sera, let's head to the castle and request the king's aid."
"But..."
"Hold up."
Cross's ear caught "castle."
Only one castle here: the Elterion royals' pad.
"You headed to the castle?"
"Yes."
"Mind if I tag along?"
"What? You just said you're no hero."
Gabriel scowled.
"Not a hero, but a merc. Heir stiffed my pay. Easier to collect with you lot."
"So that's why you trashed the guild and went DIY?"
Gabriel asked incredulously.
"Yup."
Cross shrugged like it was obvious.
Gabriel was convinced: hero or merc, this guy's nuts.
Who storms a royal for debt? After wrecking guild HQ?
Probably smashed it in rage over the unpaid fee.
"For that insane reason..."
Gabriel started to refuse, but Sera saw justice.
They owe him his pay.
"Sure! We'll help you get it!"
"Good. Can't talk sense with that arrogant prick, but you? Easy."
Cross side-eyed Gabriel.
"Hehe, we're both heroes!"
"Merc, not hero."
"Let's go!"
Sera shot Gabriel a look; he sighed.
"We'll escort you to the castle. And you, barbarian—put on a shirt?"
"My call."
Their glares clashed, but Gabriel turned first, marching off.
Even pissed, Sera's word was law.