The First Mission of Shadow Corps.
It sounded grand when said aloud, but Kaze could already feel the migraine brewing behind his temples.
Keeping the newly-formed secret guild low-profile while completing delicate missions was a balancing act. He preferred efficiency, quiet operations—*no flashy chaos, no unnecessary attention.*
Of course, reality had other plans.
Their first target was a minor job: retrieving stolen documents from a noble's corrupt advisor. Simple infiltration. No killing, no noise. Exactly the kind of task that should have gone unnoticed.
At least, that was the idea.
***
Kaze crouched along the shadowed corridor, Anisa at his side, both cloaked in thin veils of mana suppression. They moved like mist, silent and unseen, slipping past guards with calculated ease.
"Almost there," Anisa whispered.
"Keep an eye out," Kaze murmured back.
It went smoothly. Suspiciously smoothly.
They retrieved the documents from the advisor's private vault. Kaze flipped through them once, noting a few names that would make powerful enemies when exposed.
They were almost home free—until it happened.
***
A *voice* rang out across the hallway.
"Guildmaster Kaze?"
Kaze froze mid-step.
An official in royal colors marched straight toward him, a scroll and recording crystal in hand.
"I was sent to conduct an official interview! A royal broadcast about your achievements and rising influence!" The man beamed, clearly thrilled.
Anisa smothered a laugh behind her hand.
Kaze, very professionally, pretended to suddenly double over in "pain."
"*Ugh,*" he groaned. "*Sudden food poisoning!*"
The royal official blinked. "You haven't eaten anything yet, Guildmaster."
"*Delayed reaction!*" Kaze gasped dramatically.
Anisa coughed loudly into her hand. "Very... serious delayed reaction," she added, absolutely deadpan.
The official frowned. "We can summon a healer immediately—"
"*No need!*" Kaze straightened hastily, wiping nonexistent sweat from his brow. "*Probably just... stress. From being... famous.*"
The official smiled brightly. "How admirable! Working through hardship! Truly an example for all citizens. We'll make sure to highlight that!"
Kaze internally screamed.
*So much for keeping low-profile.*
***
They managed to escape the interview after a quick, painful session where Kaze answered questions like a trapped animal while Anisa had to physically stop herself from laughing.
By the time they returned to Shadow Corps' temporary hideout, Kaze's eye was twitching.
"I hate fame," he grumbled, slumping over a table.
Anisa merely patted his back. "You'll survive."
The documents they retrieved were handed over to Caelith for analysis. Everything seemed back to normal—until Caelith stormed into the room not long after, face grim.
"This wasn't just about the documents," Caelith said. "There was another party tracking our movements tonight. Someone knew our meeting points. They planted mercenaries along the escape routes."
Kaze sat up straight.
"This wasn't random?" he asked sharply.
"No," Caelith confirmed. "Someone's feeding information. About you."
A heavy silence fell.
Kaze trusted his shadows—but the implication clawed at his mind. *What if one of them…?*
No. He refused to doubt them without proof.
But another chilling possibility surfaced—*someone could have overheard.*
His thoughts spiraled quickly, and for a moment, the cool, composed Kaze Arclight was replaced with a near-panicked version.
"My peace! My low-profile life!" he moaned, flopping over dramatically again.
Anisa kicked his chair lightly. "Focus."
Kaze exhaled heavily, dragging a hand down his face. "*Right. Right.*"
He composed himself, standing, his gaze sharp again.
"I'll deal with it. Stay alert, and don't make a move unless I say so. We'll be getting out of there soon."
He immediately sent word to the guild's internal security team to begin a full investigation into potential leaks. No one was above suspicion now. They had to be ready for anything — even betrayal from within.
Trust would be tested.
Lines would be drawn.
And Kaze, despite the small knot of worry tightening in his chest, smiled faintly.
*So be it.*
***
Shadow Corps had only just taken its first step.
But unseen hands already moved against them in the dark.
The first mission wasn't a triumph — it was a warning.
The game of shadows had begun.
And this time, there would be no mercy.
---
The next day dawned gray and heavy, as if the skies themselves sensed the tension inside the Veilborne Guild.
Kaze sat alone in his office, the door locked, papers scattered across the massive wooden desk. He flipped through the files of every single guild member—background checks, achievements, behavior logs—anything that might hint at betrayal.
His sharp gaze missed nothing.
Yet frustration gnawed at him.
He had been so focused on building the Veilborne into a force the world would recognize… he had neglected to consider the most obvious threat: infiltration.
His fingers tapped rhythmically against the wood.
He needed a better solution.
A more decisive one.
His eyes narrowed as an idea sparked.
*Lie of Legends.*
A powerful, absolute ability—one that allowed Kaze to entangle truth and fiction into irresistible traps. If wielded carefully, it would expose even the most careful traitor.
Kaze stood and moved swiftly.
This had to end now.
***
He gathered every guild member—over a hundred adventurers—into the training grounds.
The space was vast, built like a miniature coliseum to accommodate even large events. Today, however, the atmosphere was suffocating.
Kaze stood at the center, arms crossed, face cold and unreadable.
Anisa stood silently behind him, observing everyone, her presence sharp like a drawn dagger.
Even the five Shadows hidden among the crowd felt the oppressive weight.
The unseen Ghosts—Veilborne's secret spies—watched from the invisible edges of reality.
A storm was brewing, and they all knew it.
Kaze spoke, his voice calm but deadly serious.
> "There is a traitor among us."
The words crashed into the guild like a tidal wave.
Tension rippled across the gathered adventurers.
> "Someone among you has leaked sensitive information to outside forces. Someone endangered not just me—but all of you."
His gaze swept over the crowd like a blade. No one dared meet his eyes.
> "I built Veilborne to be a shield, a sanctuary. Betrayal… will not be forgiven."
Silence.
No one dared to move. Even breathing seemed dangerous.
Kaze continued, his tone cutting through the stillness.
> "However… in recognition of my failure to see this coming, I will offer one mercy."
> "If you step forward now and confess, your crimes will be lessened. You will be stripped of your adventurer's badge and exiled—but you will live."
The silence stretched longer.
Not a whisper.
Not a shuffle.
Just the pounding of a hundred hearts.
Kaze inwardly smiled coldly.
*Good. Now the real hunt begins.*
He activated *Lie of Legends.*
The skill flared invisibly around him, weaving unseen threads of fate and deception. Kaze spoke again, this time planting a masterful lie.
> "The royal investigators already know the identity of the mole. Confession now is your only chance at mercy."
The words slipped into the air like poison.
A trap perfectly laid.
Seconds ticked by.
Then, two A-rank adventurers—both respected, both seemingly loyal—staggered forward, faces pale as death. They fell to their knees, trembling.
The crowd gasped.
Kaze's lips curled in quiet disdain.
> "Two, huh?" he murmured, voice low and dangerous.
He had hoped it was only one. But he was ready either way.
Without wasting time, he stripped their badges, denounced them publicly, and arranged their immediate transfer to the Royal Guard's custody.
To the rest of the guild, it seemed over.
Justice was served.
But Kaze knew better.
He couldn't risk even the slightest chance these traitors would deliver information to their true master.
Behind closed doors, he summoned Caelith.
In a quiet, cold voice, Kaze issued the order:
> "When they're being transported... make sure they don't arrive at the royal jail alive."
Caelith, ever loyal, nodded once without question.
> "Make it clean. Natural causes. No mistakes."
That evening, before the prisoners even reached the gates of the royal jail, two lifeless bodies were discovered inside the transport carriage.
An unfortunate incident, it seemed.
The royal guards, suspicious, questioned Kaze about the sudden deaths. Kaze, with the confidence of a saint, activated *Lie of Legends* again.
> "I have no idea what could have caused it."
The investigators, sensing no deceit, had no choice but to accept his statement.
(Thankfully, Anisa was buried deep in paperwork that evening and didn't witness Kaze casually lying to the authorities.)
No one else in Veilborne knew the full truth.
Only Kaze and Caelith carried that secret.
*This is what happens when you endanger my life,* Kaze thought coldly.
*And it will happen again to anyone who dares betray me.*
***
The dark cloud lifted slightly in the days that followed.
Without the mole's interference, guild operations returned to normal—more efficient, more unified.
Kaze took time to recognize those loyal to him.
He called forward the twin siblings they had once saved from slavery—Chris and Ana.
Now both newly-ranked A-rank adventurers, standing proud in their guild cloaks.
He handed them their first real mission.
> "There's a request to subjugate a Class-B beast outside of Fallenwood," Kaze said, handing them the quest scroll. "Take it. Prove yourselves. But be careful."
The twins beamed with pride, giving a sharp salute before setting off on their journey.
For a brief moment, watching them, Kaze allowed himself to feel a spark of hope.
Maybe... just maybe, some things were still worth protecting.
He turned back to his office, his mind already sharpening for the next threat, the next game of shadows.
Veilborne had survived its first internal crisis.
But this was only the beginning.
Bigger storms loomed on the horizon.
And Kaze was ready to face them — blade drawn, lies sharpened, shadows at his command.