The captain of the guards froze as he spotted the woman in brown leather armor step into the room. Instantly, he recognized her as one of the Pale Reapers.

A hush fell over the chamber as every guard turned their attention to her, their whispers surfacing like ripples in still water. Some murmured about her striking beauty, while the muscular guard, Frank, noticed the captain's expression shift to one of dread. *Who is that woman?* he thought to himself, his curiosity piqued.

A guard approached her, his leather boots squeaking against the wooden floor. "Good morning, ma'am. How can I help you?" Anna's eyes swept across the guard station; some guards continued with their tasks, while others looked at her with a mix of curiosity and concern, waiting to hear what she would say.

"Where is your captain?" she asked, her voice steady and serious. *The captain? Why is she looking for the captain?* Frank's thoughts raced as he snapped his head back slightly, tensing at her directness.

"Listen, ma'am, you need to tell me your issue first so I can determine if it requires the captain's attention right now. He is very busy."

"Brok!" the captain shouted as he stepped forward, instinctively pulling the guard away from Anna. His loud voice drew the attention of every guard in the room. "What do you think you're doing?" the captain demanded, eyes narrowed.

"Sorry?" the guard replied, confusion evident in his expression. All the guards exchanged bewildered glances. Frank unfolded his arms and took a step closer, his eyes narrowing in realization.

"That's a Pale Reaper," he murmured. A wave of gasps and murmurs swept through the room. The captain knelt on one knee, his gaze unwavering as he focused on Anna. Frank's eyes widened at the sight. *Captain...* he muttered, disbelief washing over him. Suddenly, every guard in the room knelt on one knee, hands resting on the opposite knee in a show of respect.

Anna observed this and felt a familiar sensation wash over her, dominance. She was accustomed to this reverence by now. However, when her gaze met Frank's, he too quickly knelt down, swallowing hard as he thought, *Crap, she's a Pale Reaper? How did the captain notice? I've never seen them before, so I thought she was just a random hunter. I was the last one to kneel. Am I going to get in trouble for this?*

"We welcome you, Pale Reaper. We hope that you cleanse this town of its troubles and use us as you see fit."

*What? Use us?* Frank's mind swirled with disbelief. This wasn't just an honor; it felt like a complete surrender.

"All of you, stand," Anna commanded, her voice laced with authority. The guards obeyed promptly, rising to their feet as she stepped closer to the captain, his heart racing in response to her presence. "How did you know?" she asked, eyes narrowing.

"Oh," the captain replied, his voice tinged with caution and fear. "I came from the town of Everdean, ma'am. That is where I first saw you."

"Everdean, the fallen city. You were one of the survivors?" Anna's expression turned serious. The captain nodded, his gaze steady. "yes."

"Oh," Anna said, her tone devoid of pity, cutting through the tension in the room. "Since you are the captain, I expect you to inform me of everything you have uncovered during your investigation."

The captain's eyes widened in surprise, the weight of her expectation settling heavily on his shoulders. He cleared his throat, his voice steadying as he responded, "Of course, ma'am. Right away. Please follow me to my desk." He gestured for the guards to clear the way, his authority commanding immediate obedience.

As they moved toward his desk, the bustling guards parted like the sea, creating a path for the Pale Reaper. The captain took a deep breath, mentally preparing to recount the grim details of his findings. Once they reached the desk, he turned to face her, determination etched on his face.

"We have discovered several bodies at the crossroads base, some members of the Black Cloud Guild," he began, his voice laced with caution and respect. "It appears they may have had a feud with a shadow hunter prior to the attack her in Aria." He could see Anna's interest piqued as she leaned slightly forward, urging him to continue.

"There were two survivors," he continued. "One managed to flee the city; his name is Jacob. The other, a female crystal mage named Mani, left as well." He paused for a moment, gauging her reaction, and then added, "Neither of them witnessed the shadow hunter's face. It was concealed behind a white mask throughout the confrontation, even before the final battle in Aria."

As the captain spoke, Anna's expression sharpened, her eyes narrowing with focus. The captain ensured that each word was clear, his careful enunciation a testament to the gravity of the information he was relaying. He felt the tension in the air as he recounted the details, aware of the significance they held for the powerful figure before him.

After a brief silence, Anna's voice pierced through again, firm and insistent. "So, is that all you have discovered, or do you have any suspects."

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Frank moved quickly, placing the document on the table with a sense of urgency. As Anna's eyes shifted to meet his gaze, he instinctively looked away, caught off guard by the intensity of her stare. It felt as though his body rebelling against the urge to maintain eye contact, an instinct he didn't fully understand.

The captain then pushed the document slightly towards Anna, his fingers brushing against the surface as he offered her the information. "Here is the document on our suspect," he said, his voice measured. "His name is Tyler. Tyler Evans. He is 21."

Anna's eyes widened in disbelief, and she felt a hitch in her breath as she instinctively continued the captain's sentence. "He's been a hunter for just a month?"

The captain nodded, a slight gesture of affirmation with his hand. "Yes, for just one month."

Anna's heart raced, the rhythm of her breathing becoming shallow as she processed the information. "But no, that's impossible! How can someone reach B rank in just one month like that?" Her voice was tinged with disbelief, incredulity spilling into the air.

The captain's expression shifted, acknowledging her concern. "That's what we thought as well, but it appears to be accurate. The hunter assessment staff doesn't make mistakes four times in a row."

Frank noticed the shift in Anna. What began as a controlled, composed presence was now eroding into something raw and vulnerable. Her brow furrowed, and he could see the tension in her posture as the realization sank in. This revelation was shaking her resolve.

As she took a moment to gather her thoughts, the atmosphere in the room grew heavy with anticipation. Frank felt the unspoken tension between them all, an understanding that this situation reached far beyond what they had initially anticipated.

Anna's mind raced as she flipped through the documents, her heart pounding in her chest.* It's been one month since this person…*

The realization struck her, and she felt a chill run down her spine. As she opened another page, her eyes widened at the sight of his level map, it was absurd. It seemed as if he was advancing another rank each week, and the pace showed no signs of slowing. *What is this? This is literally impossible!*

Her frustration built within her. Leveling up became exponentially more difficult with each rank, yet here was Tyler, achieving such rapid progress.

She flipped to another page, the sensation of disbelief coursing through her. This guy, compared to her, was advancing at a staggering rate. They were the same age, and that thought terrified her. She had been training diligently since she was 15, managing to reach level 290, while he had only just become a hunter a month ago.

Lost in her swirling thoughts, Anna barely registered the captain continuing to speak, his voice cutting through her internal monologue. "We have two guards who were positioned outside the gate last night. They inadvertently let him in, unaware of his identity. However, they were able to see his face."

Anna put the document down sharply, her brow furrowing. "Oh, so how come you don't have a complete sketch of his face on the wanted posters?" Her voice was sharp, tinged with frustration.

The captain cleared his throat, his gaze falling to the floor. "Well, it's because they were drunk that night… so they can't fully remember him. They only know that he wore a C-rank necklace."

Anna felt a surge of exasperation rise within her.

"Seriously? You're saying these guards just forgot the shadow hunter's face because they were drunk?" Anna's disbelief was palpable, her tone sharp.

The captain hesitated, then replied, "Well, um, yes. But we believe the hunter is Tyler. As you can see, he recently achieved B rank. The date is right there, and it was after the massacre. This means he might have gone in and slaughtered the Black Cloud Guild while only being a C rank, which would be impossible, right?"

"Yes, obviously," Anna affirmed, frustration bubbling within her.

"Exactly," the captain continued, his expression thoughtful. "But I've started to think that maybe he was already above B rank when he came here. After all, he is a false ranker."

Anna's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by that?"

"I think he might have bribed the staff at the Hunter Assessment Center," the captain explained. "He could have manipulated the documents to make it appear as if he was a newcomer, planning it all along to obscure his true level. He probably thought we wouldn't suspect him since his rank would be low."

"If that was his plan, then he's stupid," Anna replied, her voice steady and laced with conviction. "He's still a suspect because of his absurd leveling speed. Plus, the fact that he shot up to B rank right after becoming a C rank makes him an even bigger target. If he had laid low and not advanced so quickly, things might have been different."

The captain nodded in agreement, his expression reflecting the weight of her words. "Then he wouldn't have been the top suspect, yes."

As the implications of their conversation settled in, Anna felt a mixture of urgency and determination. They had a lead, and now it was time to uncover the truth behind Tyler's rapid ascent.

These documents all indicate that he was primarily at the crossroads base, which makes it impossible for him to level up so quickly," Anna asserted, piecing the information together. "This suggests that the only people he could have bribed into facilitating his rise were stationed there. So, he executed his plan there, despite its glaring flaws. That must be why."

"Exactly, that must have been it," the captain confirmed, nodding in agreement.

Anna's mind raced as another thought struck her. "You said you have guards who saw his face. Where are they?"

The captain swallowed hard, his demeanor shifting slightly. "They are in the dungeon. We placed them there for you to interrogate."

Anna sighed, shaking her head. "I don't need to."

The captain's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?"

Frank interjected, his voice steady. "You need to interrogate them?"

Anna turned to Frank, her expression resolute. "But you said they were drunk that night, and they aren't affiliated with the shadow hunter. Clearly, they didn't know him; nobody in Aria does."

Frank chimed in, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "Yes, but who knows? They might be affiliated with him, right?" A few other guards murmured in disagreement, casting glances at one another.

Anna registered the unease in the room before focusing on the captain. "How long have you known these guards?"

The captain pressed his hands together, a gesture of contemplation. "I've known them for four years."

Anna's eyes narrowed, considering his answer carefully. "Do you think they'd be affiliated with him?"

The captain shook his head slightly, a hint of confidence returning to his tone. "To be honest, not at all. After knowing them for all these years, I'd say they can be a little stupid and clumsy, but they're not the type to get involved in anything like this."

As Anna processed his words, she felt the weight of their situation. If the guards were truly as innocent as the captain believed, then perhaps their focus should shift to figuring out Tyler's motives and connections rather than wasting time on unreliable leads.

"Okay then, I'll go see them myself," Anna said decisively.

The captain's eyes widened with concern. "Really?"

Anna sighed, trying to ease his worries. "Do not worry, I'm not going to torture them or anything. Just take me to them."

"Yes, of course. Right this way," the captain replied, standing up and leading her out of the room.

As they left, Frank remained behind, only to be approached by another guard who looked incredulous. "Man, are you crazy? Do you want everyone to hate you? Why would you suddenly say that about them? You don't even know them!"

Frank frowned, trying to defend his point. "I was just suggesting a possibility, alright?" He glanced behind him and noticed the other guards staring at him with a mix of anger and concern.

Looking at his closest workmate, he added, "It's not impossible for them to betray us."

One of his coworkers scoffed, shaking his head. "Really? Do you even know what kind of guys those are? They can't even fight for themselves! We're always complaining to the captain about why he stationed them outside of town. They wouldn't think of doing something like this."

Their conversation faded into the background as Anna followed the captain down the corridor toward the cells. She felt a sense of resolve building within her. With each step, she focused on the task ahead, determined to uncover the truth behind Tyler's rapid ascent and how it intertwined with the guards' recollection of the events that night.

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