Sage smiled faintly as memories of two days ago drifted through his mind.

The recollection surfaced unexpectedly, ink-stained fingers, lamplight flickering against parchment, and the system's indignant protests echoing in his thoughts.

He let out a soft chuckle, low and brief, before leaning back into his chair once more. The wooden legs creaked quietly beneath him as he relaxed, fingers loosely interlaced over his abdomen, staring up at the ceiling of the Adventurer Guild Hall with an unfocused gaze.

Everything was in place. Everything was perfect, or at least perfect in his eyes.

As long as Mina's elder sister proved to be reasonable. As long as she didn't take things too far. As long as she remained someone open to conversation and negotiation.

If that were the case, then this entire situation could unfold smoothly, almost elegantly.

Truthfully, Sage hadn't thought about things turning out this way.

In his original plan, the one he laid out upon arriving in this world, he intended to develop slowly. Carefully and patiently.

As long as nothing major disrupted his rhythm, he could simply sit behind his desk, enjoy his new life, and let the Guild grow gradually. No rushing. No provoking forces he wasn't ready to face. No drawing unnecessary attention.

A laid-back life. A comfortable life.

But life had taught Sage that it rarely allowed people to remain comfortable.

Sometimes it nudged you gently off course; other times, it slapped you across the face without warning, shattering the rhythm you thought you had under control.

He changed the moment he became a Warrior.

The instant raw strength flowed through his veins for the first time, a tangible power responding to his will, his perspective shifted completely.

Now, he viewed this world differently than when he first arrived. Back then, he saw everything through the eyes of an ordinary mortal: a cautious observer content to survive quietly on the fringes while avoiding those who truly ruled this land.

But after becoming a Warrior, something fundamental changed within him.

His vision sharpened. He realized he could no longer afford to sit back and let nature take its course; this world was not gentle or forgiving.

It did not reward passivity. If he left things to chance, he risked dying before understanding where he'd gone wrong. He needed to hold the steering wheel; he needed to chart his own course.

The Adventurer Guild was a novel concept here, something that had never existed before, and so far it had grown more smoothly than even Sage anticipated.

He didn't need to roam dangerous lands or risk his life fighting monsters himself.

Instead, he sat behind a desk while Warriors flocked to him eagerly registering as Adventurers and willingly paying their registration fees.

Commissioners approached him with missions they wanted posted while paying their own fees in return.

When missions were completed, Sage took a modest cut from the rewards, small enough not to provoke resentment but steady enough to accumulate into something formidable.

Gold poured steadily into the Guild's coffers, and by extension, into his grasp. The most astonishing part wasn't just the money itself, it was how effortlessly it all came to him.

He hardly had to lift a finger, yet wealth accumulated day after day. And this was merely the beginning.

The Adventurer Guild was gaining traction now; word was spreading. More people would come,more Warriors, more Commissioners, which meant even more gold.

If he expanded this system across the region, or better yet, across multiple regions, the scale of it became almost absurd. In a single day, hundreds of gold coins could flow in. Perhaps even thousands, all without him needing to draw a blade.

And that was precisely why it was dangerous. The Guild effortless profitability is its greatest vulnerability.

Sage understood power—not the brute kind but the kind that draws attention.

To the powerful elite, the Adventurer Guild still seemed small and insignificant. At best, it appeared as a curious little shop tucked away in Greyvale City. Sure, it had created some buzz, but not enough to truly alarm anyone of significance.

Yet Sage had no illusions about their awareness. The nobles were already aware of the Guild; he'd be more surprised if they hadn't noticed at all.

Men like them had a knack for planting eyes and ears everywhere, especially when something new disrupted their flow of money.

Right now, though, they viewed the Guild as nothing more than a novelty. But if it continued to grow, if an especially nosy noble caught wind of its true potential, things could turn ugly very quickly.

Nobles had noses like hunting hounds; they could scent money from miles away.

The moment they realized just how much gold this Adventurer Guild could generate, they would act swiftly. To them, it would look like when dropshipping first gained popularity back on Earth. once people recognized how lucrative it was, everyone jumped on board.

The same principle applied here: an undiscovered goldmine waiting to be tapped. Once its true value surfaced, these nobles would move quickly and decisively.

They wouldn't hesitate or show mercy. They wouldn't bother trying to build their own Guild; Sage didn't worry about that at all.

After generations of suffering inflicted upon Warriors by nobles, which sane Warrior would willingly join a noble-controlled Guild?

The nobles understood this too well.

Instead of creating their own guilds, they would come for him directly.

They'd try to buy him off or threaten him into becoming their puppet while he maintained his public role as Guildmaster. In private? The Guild would belong to them.

Sage wasn't intimidated by them, not while he remained inside the Guild Hall. Within these walls, he was untouchable.

The system itself ensured his protection. But he couldn't stay hidden forever; eventually, he'd have to step outside those doors.

And he knew enough about the system to realize that missions requiring him to venture out were inevitable.

That was his greatest weakness: strength. Or rather, the lack of it. Compared to true powerhouses, Sage felt pitifully weak. If he were to face someone stronger outside the Guild's protective walls, he would be completely at their mercy.

And in this world, mercy was a rare commodity.

This meant he needed leverage, someone who could deter the nobles. He needed an ally whose strength was undeniable; someone backed by manpower, reputation, and fear, someone who would make even the most arrogant nobles think twice before acting.

Someone like...

BOOM!

The Guild Hall shook violently as a crushing pressure descended upon the room without warning. The air felt heavy and suffocating, as if it had solidified. Conversations halted abruptly. Laughter froze in mid-air.

Adventurers throughout the hall went pale, their knees buckling under the weight of an overwhelming presence that washed over them.

Sage's eyes snapped open.

At the Mission Board, Gregor stiffened momentarily before shaking off the shock and blurring into action.

In an instant, he stood at Sage's desk, gripping the hilts of his swords so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Sweat trickled down his forehead; his face was pale, yet his gaze remained cold and resolute as he stared toward the entrance.

Every eye in the Guild turned in unison toward that direction.

The doors burst open with brutal force. A group of well-equipped female Warriors stormed inside.

Their armor bore scars from countless battles; their movements were disciplined and sharp; their expressions hardened by war. The killing intent radiating from them was so thick it made it hard to breathe.

And at their center stood Mina's elder sister. She strode into the Guild Hall like a walking calamity, dragging Mina behind her by the wrist.

Her mere presence warped the atmosphere around her, murderous intent oozed from her like heat from molten steel.

The mercenaries flooded into the hall, instinctively spreading out to cut off exits while Adventurers froze in place. Fear gripped everyone present.

But a few moments later, a few of the Bronze Rank Adventurers immediately put on battle poses as they instinctively leaned closer to the receptionist desk.

Then Mina's sister halted. Her cold and merciless gaze swept across the Guild Hall slowly, taking in stunned faces, assessing the Mission Board and finally landing on Sage.

Her voice sliced through the silence like a blade: "Release my sister," she commanded coldly. "Now."

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A/N: Guys we are only six Golden Tickets away from 500 Golden Tickets, let's reach that target before the month ends.

Thanks for the support.

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