I Told You, Just a C-Rank
Heading north from the Grove Shopping Mall by about two kilometers brought them to Santa Monica Boulevard.
After the small war, a new pleasure district had sprung up in the northern commercial area of the ruined boulevard. In LA, they called it Avalon Street, likening it to a lonely island amid the urban sprawl.
The establishments on Avalon Street catered primarily to hunters. Civilians weren't barred outright, but the true essence of Avalon was reserved solely for hunters. No matter how much money a civilian had, they could never glimpse its real face—that was the district's unique business model.
Thanks to that, Avalon Street had become a hotspot that hunters flocked to year-round after wrapping up hunts to unwind.
"The last three months of the year are hectic with guilds settling their annual accounts. Even big guild hunters rarely make it here before the Christmas season. In the meantime, it's the freelancers who fill the place."
Thomas had never partaken in the hunter-style afterparties, so he'd never experienced Avalon's services firsthand, but he'd picked up plenty through eavesdropping. Even without going through it himself, he had a precise grasp of how the place operated.
"Better than some O.C. branch whose location we can't even pin down. Soon as the mall's cleared, let's head there."
With Go Eul-ji back from supporting the shopping mall, the group pushed north toward Avalon Street.
As the epicenter where the most bees had swarmed, the path was treacherous. But with Go Eul-ji's wide-area attacks and defenses, plus Thomas's magic boosted temporarily to a higher rank via drugs, they carved through relatively smoothly.
In the process, Kang Moo-hyuk was deeply impressed by Thomas's magic.
It's different from other mages.
He couldn't quite put it into words, but even the same flame magic showed extraordinary application.
A single Fire Arrow splitting mid-flight into dozens that auto-tracked targets was especially striking. It felt as natural as if the skill had always existed that way.
The drawbacks were the inability to chain spells continuously and the limited number of casts compared to a proper mage of the same temporary rank.
This should improve with treatment. Mana addiction adjustable by drug dosage, huh? How best to leverage that?
Kang Moo-hyuk, briefed by Jang Deok-gu on Thomas's unexpected trait, spent the journey brainstorming future tactics.
"Huh? Looks like this is as far as we go."
Thud. Thud. Thud-thud. Screeech.
"What's this, No Song-rin? Car trouble?"
"Out of gas, the bastards. Stingy pricks couldn't even fill the tank in an oil-rich country."
"Our fault for not checking properly before heading out. Still, we've come this far—good enough. Looks like we've arrived."
Kang Moo-hyuk pointed out the car window.
No signs needed; the vibrant neon lights flickering undimmed along the street proclaimed this Avalon.
Ulvert doubted his ears at Billy's report.
"Who reached out?"
"To report precisely: the uncle of our member Michael, awakening buddy of Ben, friend of Joseph, party member of Kane, drinking pal of Mickey, boyfriend of Victoria, colleague of Smith, neighbor of Pep..."
"Stop. How far are you going with this?"
"Just a bit more. Where was I? Right, Pep. Neighbor of Pep, Drexler's..."
"Enough! So, is it Kang Moo-hyuk or not?"
"It's Iron Will Guild Leader Kang Moo-hyuk. Some unfamiliar faces mixed in, but the group matches those who entered the country with him."
Ulvert furrowed his brow.
The man he'd desperately wanted to meet, the one who'd always slipped his tails, now reaching out cold.
Timing's too perfect—smells fishy.
With LA turned into a warzone, Ulvert, as Oort Cloud's LA branch chief, had to respond to the crisis.
His instincts, honed over years in the rough North American freelancer scene, screamed to evac the city, but abandoning the city and members wasn't an option.
That was why he stayed in downtown LA, urging the evacuation.
"The guy who never showed his face when I wanted to meet now wants a sit-down. Feels off."
"Message skills have long routes, making normal talk tough, he says. Wants to discuss in person. Your orders?"
"What else? Meet him. Suspicious is suspicious; business is business."
"Just sent the meet request. Where?"
"Where's he at?"
"Avalon Street."
"He's a civilian, right? Civilians can't make it here easily. We go to him. Don't we have a spot nearby?"
"Blue Jam Club."
"Send the address. Tell him we're heading there now."
"Guild Master, request full guild HQ evacuation."
Ithaca Guild Vice Guild Master Powel, after briefing the situation, firmly pushed for guild withdrawal procedures.
Guild Master Dolores Scott, listening silently, fixed him with a stare instead of replying.
Powel, uncomfortable under her gaze while awaiting orders, spoke first.
"Is there something unsatisfactory...?"
"No. How could I be satisfied? Our members fucked up by poking the beehive and wrecking the city. And I can't even come clean about it since it was the vice guild master's screw-up. Real dilemma. Can't just chop heads after replacing you only a few years ago."
Her soft tone befitted the rare female guild master in North America, but it soaked Powel's back in sweat. Dolores had sent his predecessor packing.
If she wanted, she'd rip my head off without blinking.
Dolores was a renowned beauty, but her reality was the infamous "human butcher" leading Ithaca Guild.
Especially chilling since most victims were hunters.
Powel stayed as calm as possible.
"I admit my mistake. But the hive entrance linked to our brewery. As you know, that's our route for distributing booze and drugs. 'Butter' could've leaked, so we had to verify."
"So, my fault for ordering you to handle it personally?"
"That's not what I meant!"
"Hey, watch the tone."
"S-sorry."
Killing intent flickered in Dolores's previously impassive eyes for the first time. Powel flinched and bowed his head.
Dolores swiveled her chair. From the 51st-floor guild master office, the city sprawled below. Explosions dotted the view beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Gas stations, power poles bursting in spectacular flames.
In contrast, the guild area was serene. Ithaca hunters swiftly dispatched any hornets approaching the building.
Moments ago, one spotting her inside the glass had been sniped from the rooftop.
True to her "Nothingburger" nickname, Dolores was a goddess of destruction, leisurely amid the battlefield. She gazed at the crumbling city like a painting in a gallery.
"Best to evac now... but other guilds' moves are holding me back."
"Any issues?"
"Gunpowder and Call My Name. Both suddenly digging in for defense? I know those two guild masters—they're not the saintly type."
"Defense? Those sharp ones famous for reading the room?"
"They know about the carnivorous hornets. What's their angle?"
Dolores had planned to pull out of LA from the start, regardless of Powel's proposal—using it to rein in her vice guild master.
But the two major LA guilds acting out of character made her hesitate.
She'd sniffed something off.
"Normally, we lead the retreat, others follow sheepishly, we ride the wave and dodge blame. That's the playbook. But them showboating? Can't sit easy. Tricky."
"Shall I check their vibe?"
"In this mess?"
"Bribed a few blood-related hunters in those guilds. No direct intel, but can gauge the mood."
"Good. Do it. Keep eyes on all factions. No more fuck-ups. I won't tolerate more."
"Yes. I'll do my best."
"Don't need effort. Just results."
"Understood. Results incoming."
"O.C. LA Branch Chief James Ulvert."
"Iron Will Guild Leader Kang Moo-hyuk."
"Have a seat, everyone."
Kang Moo-hyuk and Ulvert shook hands, then took seats offered by Billy.
Blue Jam Club was an underground spot for techno and deep house. Fridays drew massive lines, but with LA in chaos, it stood eerily empty.
"No beating around the bush. We're busy. Why'd you want to meet?"
"As you know, Gunpowder and Call My Name are leading the defense. Mid-tiers joining in—it'll take time, but west and central can hold."
"Unless I'm mistaken, that sounds like you're behind those two guilds' moves."
"Correct. My proposal. Without it, all would've abandoned LA. If O.C. plans to pull out, hold off."
"To countermand orders, show me the same card you played them."
"Of course. Here's the pitch."
Kang Moo-hyuk repeated verbatim what he'd conveyed via Gunpowder to LA's top guilds.
Ulvert drummed his index finger on the table, pondering. Billy whispered advice; he nodded.
"Freeing the west from eastern checks sounds great. But not tempting for O.C.... We're national, not regional."
"Active nationwide, yet treated like drifters everywhere."
"Ouch, hitting sore spots."
"Since it hurts, let me soothe it. How about O.C. Chairman? Interested?"
"!!"
"You've got the skills and respect. Just need results."
"You know that's crossing lines? Dangerous territory."
"Not pushing for chairman now. Secure west oversight first."
Ulvert eyed Kang Moo-hyuk suspiciously.
Does he know about the upcoming west oversight vote at HQ? Rumors are out, but a fresh arrival knowing details this well... Been watching us?
Anyone would've thought Kang Moo-hyuk had keen interest in O.C.
A foreign guild leader versed in North American affairs only fueled his confusion.
Good thing Thomas knows this stuff. Filled gaps in intel and local vibe. His advice clicks too.
Kang Moo-hyuk exchanged a quick glance with Thomas, signaling. Thomas spoke up.
"If you're wary, target Ithaca Guild, not Kang Moo-hyuk."
"What's that out of left field?"
"I'm Ithaca."
"What?!"
Thomas's revelation triggered overreactions from Billy and the O.C. escorts. Hands flew to weapon hilts—no draws, thankfully. Ulvert alone stayed unmoved.
Thomas continued.
"C-rank hunter in Ithaca. Check my ID; no lies."
"Unexpected you'd run with Kang Moo-hyuk. Fellow East Asians bonding?"
"Korean, precisely."
"Nationality's irrelevant these days. Surprised an Ithacan shows up, but not unheard of. You know they're all cracked skulls. What's your angle? Choose words wisely."
"I told you. Just a C-rank. I'm the one who briefed Kang Moo-hyuk on O.C. internals. Know most outposts too. How's a grunt like me privy? Why seek it?"
Billy paled at Thomas's question.
"Chief! These guys were prepping to stab us in the back!"