The Veilborne Guildhall buzzed with life.
Laughter and the clash of mugs filled the massive hall as the newly-accepted adventurers celebrated. Caelith spun a dagger between his fingers, easily winning a round of "dagger tricks" against a group of wide-eyed rookies. Bran, boasting, crushed another arm-wrestling match with a heavy thud, while Lyra — determined to practice her new offensive magic — accidentally set one of the drapes on fire.
Chaos erupted.
Kaze watched from his usual seat at the guild's head table, an amused smirk tugging at his lips.
Luna, ever unbothered, sipped her tea with dainty elegance amid the shouting.
Anisa leaned against a pillar nearby, arms crossed and a sly grin hidden behind her composed front.
> "Supposed to be an elite guild, huh?" Anisa muttered, eyeing the flaming curtain.
> "Elite at being lively," Kaze quipped, swirling the wine in his glass.
It was noisy, messy — and yet, it was *alive*.
It was his guild.
---
Later that night, the laughter died down, and the true business began.
In the war room, Kaze gathered his core team — Luna, Anisa, Caelith, Lyra, and Bran. The table before them was strewn with maps, sealed letters, and a few odd relics retrieved from the corrupted dungeon.
Kaze's voice dropped low, serious.
> "Listen carefully. That dungeon we cleared wasn't normal. Someone's stirring the dungeons — awakening something darker."
A heavy silence fell. Even Luna set down her cup.
Kaze continued,
> "We cannot afford to grow complacent. From this point forward, our guild will train harder. Grow faster. Prepare for whatever comes."
The Veilborne Guild would not be caught unprepared. Not under his watch.
Kaze tapped the table with a fingertip, his eyes gleaming.
> "Caelith," he said, "I want you to do more than just lead missions."
The rogue straightened, sensing the gravity behind the words.
> "I need you to build a special team — a Shadow Corps. Specialists in stealth, infiltration, and silent elimination. Operatives who work unseen, report only to me. No banners, no recognition — only results."
Caelith's grin widened.
> "You want me to build an army of ghosts? Done."
Anisa rolled her eyes.
> "So basically... you're setting up a secret team of agents?"
Kaze chuckled, unbothered.
> "If someone's planning to kill me, I'd rather hear about it before I get stabbed while taking a bath."
Laughter rippled through the group — but the seriousness in Kaze's voice remained.
Veilborne wasn't going to be just a guild. It would be a *fortress hidden in plain sight*.
> "Also," Kaze added slyly, "Caelith, start scouting. Look for adventurers—or anyone you trust—who specialize in stealth, espionage, and intelligence gathering. I want that special corps formed immediately."
Caelith gave a mock salute,
> "You got it, boss. Time to find some real ghosts."
---
Before the night ended, a lone figure appeared at the guild's doors.
A young woman — slim, cloaked, her long raven hair glinting silver under the moonlight. Her eyes were a piercing gray, unreadable.
She introduced herself with only one word:
> "Mizuki."
No surname. No past.
On paper, her application was impressive: a Shadow Summoner, capable of conjuring autonomous creatures from darkness itself. But Kaze didn't trust paper.
He decided to test her personally.
Smiling lazily, he activated one of his most dangerous tricks — **Hidden Skill: Liar of Legends**.
*(Skill: "Words spun by the liar become truth in the mind of the deceived.")*
Kaze leaned in and spoke, his tone casual yet commanding.
> "Before we proceed... you must survive my full aura. I am an SS-ranked Saint of Destruction."
It was, of course, a complete lie.
But in Mizuki's mind — it became *real*.
A crushing pressure smashed into her. Her knees buckled, her breath caught in her throat. To everyone else in the room, it was nothing — but to Mizuki, it was as if the weight of a mountain had fallen upon her.
For a heartbeat, it seemed she would collapse.
Then — with a defiant cry — she clenched her fists and summoned her power.
Two beasts erupted from her shadow — twin creatures made of pure darkness:
- One shaped like a massive wolf, its body wreathed in black fire.
- The other a serpent, coiling and shifting, its scales shimmering with spectral energy.
They roared in unison, forming a barrier around Mizuki, shielding her from the imagined onslaught.
Kaze blinked, genuinely amazed.
Not only had she *believed* in his fake aura — she had *overcome it*.
Slowly, Mizuki straightened, gasping for breath but standing firm.
> "You pass," Kaze said, his voice tinged with genuine admiration.
Beyond the trial, her actual skills and combat potential were exceptional. Without hesitation, Kaze named her the final member of the elite Shadows.
---
A Quiet Moment: Caelith and Mizuki
As Mizuki caught her breath, Caelith approached, tossing a dagger lazily between his hands.
> "Not bad," he said, grinning. "Not everyone walks out of a Kaze trial standing upright."
Mizuki gave him a quiet glance, the edge of a smile playing at her lips.
> "It was... heavier than I expected," she admitted.
Caelith leaned in, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
> "Listen. We're building something new. A group that moves unseen, leaves no traces, answers only to him. You seem like you'd fit right in."
Mizuki blinked once, then nodded slowly.
Without another word, Caelith flipped his dagger into the air — and she caught it, perfectly balanced on two fingers.
They shared a silent understanding.
The **Shadow Corps** was beginning to take shape.
---
With the five Shadows now assembled — Caelith, Lyra, Bran, Luna, and Mizuki — Kaze's next phase began.
He pushed for more intense training regimens, specialized missions, and secretive projects.
He wanted Veilborne to become a fortress of unseen power — a guild that others admired but never fully understood.
And best of all — Kaze planned to stay comfortably in the background, pulling strings, sipping tea, and letting everyone else do the fighting.
"Why risk my pretty face if I can win without lifting a finger?" he joked, tossing a grape into his mouth.
---
Inside a secure meeting room within the Veilborne Guild headquarters, Kaze leaned back in his chair, tapping a finger thoughtfully against the polished table. Before him sat Caelith, Mizuki, Bran, Lyra, Luna, and Anisa — the core elite of his growing empire.
Today wasn't a day for public announcements.
Today was for shadows.
Kaze's voice, low and deliberate, cut through the room's quiet energy.
"As of today," he said, his words precise,
"we are officially establishing a covert division — the **Shadow Corps**."
The group straightened. Even those who knew Kaze well could feel the gravity of the moment.
"This Corps is secret," he continued, his gaze sharp. "Its existence is not to be shared with other guild members. You will act when no one else can. You will be our unseen blade."
Caelith rose smoothly from his seat, nodding toward Kaze with a faint smile.
"I've been appointed as the leader of the Shadow Corps," he said, then motioned to Mizuki beside him. "Mizuki will serve as my second-in-command."
Kaze gave an approving nod.
"And the operatives?"
At Caelith's signal, the side door opened. Ten figures entered with quiet precision, each one emanating sharp, lethal presence.
"They are the **Ghosts**," Caelith announced. "Ten A-rank elites, trained in stealth, assassination, and information gathering. They live for the shadows."
Kaze scanned each member carefully. The Ghosts stood perfectly still, awaiting their silent orders.
"Perfect," Kaze murmured. "You'll operate under Caelith and Mizuki's direct command — no one else. Remember: discretion is your greatest weapon."
He turned back to the table.
"Your first priority is intelligence gathering. Monitor nearby territories, detect irregular dungeon activity, and intercept any threats... before they find us."
Caelith placed his hand over his heart in salute.
"It will be done."
Satisfied, Kaze concluded the private meeting, his mind already racing toward the guild's broader future.
---
Later, as Kaze Arashi walked the halls of Veilborne, his thoughts drifted — not to his enemies, but to his absurd, *accidental titles*.
*Saint of Silver Lies.*
*Banisher of Falsehood.*
*Saint of Despair.*
*Saint of Destruction.*
Each name more dramatic than the last.
He groaned internally.
*And to think... I'm only officially recognized as an SS-Rank Adventurer! How did it spiral this far?!*
*It's the people! It's always the people!*
Because of his skill **Lie of Legends**, even minor embellishments took on lives of their own if people believed them strongly enough. Only Anisa suspected anything strange, but even she couldn't fully unravel the truth hidden by his skill.
*Note to self: no more flashy titles. Ever. No more lying about stuff tied to status!*
He sighed again, rubbing his face in frustration.
*Being a lowkey guildmaster was supposed to be relaxing...*
---
Determined to tighten the guild's defenses, Kaze summoned Bran into his office.
"I have a new assignment for you," Kaze said seriously. "I want a formal knight division built within the guild — trained for fortress-level security."
Bran blinked, processing.
"Guildmaster... that's no small task. You want full fortification?"
Kaze nodded. "Exactly. Internal defenses, external patrols, secured quarters for members — everything. Think of it like protecting a royal castle."
Bran's mouth quirked into a grin.
"If you're asking for that much... you must have some big plans hidden away."
Kaze gave a noncommittal shrug, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Just get it done."
Bran saluted and left, already drafting training schedules and selecting the toughest adventurers to reforge into knights.
---
Meanwhile, behind closed doors, Caelith also introduced the **Ghosts** properly to Mizuki and Kaze.
Each one had been handpicked — A-rank adventurers specializing in silent kills, tracking, and sabotage.
The **Shadow Corps** was now fully formed:
- **Caelith** as commander
- **Mizuki** as second-in-command
- **Ten Ghosts** operating like shadows behind the scenes.
A force hidden from the guild's regular members, answering only to Kaze Arashi.
---
With the gears now turning faster than ever, Kaze stood at his office window once more, watching the busy courtyard below.
Veilborne Guild — his guild — was evolving into something much greater.
A fortress.
A haven.
A weapon.
And somewhere beyond the horizon, storms were beginning to gather.
But for now...
the shadows were ready.
---
Far beyond the laughing halls of Veilborne, deep in the forgotten ruins of the world — something shifted.
An ancient seal trembled — cracked — just a little more.
Dark mist coiled upward from beneath the earth, rising unseen into the night sky.
And from the shadows... something opened its eyes.