Rangers Endgame

Chapter 135: Bearlock

A week had passed since the council meeting. According to the guild, Dai’s former clan members were already on a mission to eliminate stray A-tier monsters that had wandered into the Mid Rim.

Dai sat beside a wooden crate with the shaft of his war hammer resting in his hands. The courtyard’s whispering winds played with his pristine uniform as he absently opened his channels, letting radiance seep into the metal. Tendrils of gold wrapped around it before seeking out the chunks of alloy in front of him and began assembling the fragments. As they reoriented themselves, snapped together, and pulled apart again numerous times to satiate his boredom, he felt movement to his right.

The light clatter of high-grade armor drew his attention to two royal guards escorting a group of five rangers, all bearing the Bearlock insignia on their metallic shoulder plates; the silhouette of a looming bear, quills flared intimidatingly. They all gazed around in quiet awe at the courtyard’s greenery, but the leader was quick to acknowledge Dai with a softened face of familiarity.

His burgundy mantle fluttered in the warm breeze, the Sentinel catching glimpses of the scored silver gauntlets underneath, and the serpentine sword at his hip proudly displayed scars accumulated over countless skirmishes. Despite his true age, his deceitfully youthful features remained untouched by time, and the grey streak in his pale blonde hair gave the impression of a stylistic choice.

The royal guards stopped in mechanical unison, spun to face each other, and parted to let the rangers through.

The leader of them glanced over the metal chunks still orbiting the tip of the shaft and let out an amused breath. “I see my teachings haven’t left you after all this time, Dai.”

“Shin,” Dai greeted curtly before his gaze fanned over the others who stood rigidly in the presence of a Sentinel. “I don’t recall these faces.”

“A clan can change in the span of eight months.” Shin stepped aside, gesturing softly to the others. “These fine men will be accompanying us.”

The first ranger to break free of his trance was a sturdy man with a deep scar that parted his short red hair on the side. Even before he spoke, the heavy shield burdening his back told him everything Dai needed to know about him.

“My name is Kenzo. I’m an A-rank tank that has been working under the Bearlock insignia for two months now. It’s an honor,” he introduced himself, mimicking the attention stance of the two guards.

The older ranger behind him cleared his throat to pull the spotlight to himself next. “I’m Hideki. And I’m a conjurer that specializes in weapon creation. I’ve been with Bearlock for six months and some change.” He bowed so deeply that his forehead almost touched his toes. “I look forward to working with you.”

To his side, a slightly younger man, perhaps in his late thirties, with dark, slicked-back hair, twirled an unusually thin wand between his fingers to quietly draw Dai's attention. But he couldn't care less about party tricks. The man stepped forward and holstered his conduit with a flourish.

“My name's Kouami,” he announced with a friendly grin, jutting a thumb to himself. “I’m an S-rank conjurer who has a knack for danger sense and has been keeping Bearlock out of harm’s way for three months. You can count on me to keep you safe.”

Hideki scolded him with an intense gaze and smacked him upside the head, making him yelp. “Show some respect.”

Kenzo rolled his eyes at the immediate irony. “You really sensed danger with that one.”

Dai gave Shin an unimpressed look, already growing tired of their antics, but his former mentor only responded with an apologetic shrug. Dai sighed and turned his attention to the last ranger, who had been using the group’s bickering to hide himself quietly. Their squabble died down, and the Sentinel’s intense gaze parted them to expose the young man.

He flinched under the combined pressure of everyone’s stares and clutched his wooden staff tighter.

Kenzo tapped his foot on the cobblestone impatiently. “Any day now.”

The young man took a nervous step forward, his eyes remaining on his leather boots. “Sir, uh, Sentinel Dai,” he stammered, his voice so low it was barely audible. “I’m Conjurer. Uh, Asuka, I'm Asuka. And I'm a conjurer,” he corrected himself, his gaze sliding off Dai’s whenever he gathered the courage to make eye contact. “I’m an A-rank who specializes in disorientation.” He whipped his head downward in an awkward bow, more so as an excuse to keep his head down rather than a show of respect. “May I say, sir, it was a sight to behold when you took down the Savior, practically single-handedly. It truly is an honor to meet you in person,” he gushed.

Kouami patted Asuka’s back and gave him a soft nod. Something passed between them, and some of the tension in Asuka’s shoulders released as he stood up.

Shin turned back to Dai, glancing at the crate beside him curiously. “I’d heard that there was no need to bring our own supplies.” He gestured to the crate. “Would this be the reason?”

Dai answered by simply undoing the locks and swinging the top open. The rangers peered inside, interest written on their seasoned faces. Asuka leaned around Kouami to just barely see what was inside.

The artifacts Dai had requested from artificer Aki were lined up presentably for everyone to see. Their elegant surfaces glinted in the dappled light, accentuating their impressive designs. Shin was the first to reach in and examine a health elixir pod with care, admiring the sturdy device.

“I figured Sentinels would have access to quality equipment, but I wasn’t expecting this.” He pressed a gold button on top, and the elixirs responded with a mechanical whirl before smoothly depositing a vial in his palm at the base of the device. “The masterful craftsmanship reflects greatly on the artificer.”

“I’ll be sure not to tell her that,” Dai said as Kouami went to pick up a portable rejuvenator. “She doesn’t need any more fuel for her smugness.”

As more of them inspected their portable rejuvenators, Dai went on to explain what they were and how they worked. Next were the holographic maps, which were self-explanatory, and lastly were the long-range communication artifacts. Once everyone was well-equipped, Dai finally dismissed the guards, and they marched away after a snappy salute.

“I take it you were all briefed on the mission details?” Dai wanted to confirm.

They all looked at Shin, but when he stayed silently unaware, Dai continued. “Very well. To put it simply, we will be investigating a radiance anomaly in the Outer Rim.”

The rangers turned to each other with cocked eyebrows.

“Is that it?” Kenzo asked suspiciously.

“I figured there’d be more to it myself. Given that we were summoned to aid a Sentinel,” Kouami said, cupping his chin in speculation.

Shin simply crossed his arms and patiently awaited the catch. The man always had good instincts.

“It won't be as simple as you may think,” Dai confirmed, cutting off any further questions. “Because to get to this anomaly, we'll need to go through Rangers' Graveyard.”

The air grew heavier at the mere mention of the name, as their faces paled noticeably. Asuka took an unconscious step back, nearly stumbling on his rear. Shin was the only one with the grit to harden his features, but his face also turned a shade whiter.

Dai remained composed, but understood most rangers wouldn't dare venture into an unknown region with a notoriously high fatality rate.

“As you all are aware, this could very well be your last adventure.” Dai didn’t bother sugarcoating it. “So if any of you wish to back out, do it now.”

They all turned to each other, the hesitation in their expressions evident. Shin's eyes remained fixed on Dai, as if studying him. They were the eyes of someone who already knew the answer to the question circling in their head.

Shin let out a hopeless sigh. “And if we all refuse, you’ll go alone, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Are you crazy?” Hideki blurted, but when Dai’s heavy gaze landed on him daringly, the conjurer recoiled. “Forgive me, Sentinel Dai, but that’s needlessly reckless.”

“My title is not to be taken lightly. It’s built to withstand the odds, not bend under pressure. Every Sentinel should know this.”

Their faces told him they wanted to argue, but they held their tongues.

Kouami cupped his chin, contemplation whirling through his head. “We were summoned by the council itself. If we pull this off, the payout will be significant.”

Asuka spun, shooting him a baffled look. “Yeah, but…Kouami, this is your life you’re playing with,” he reminded pleadingly.

“Although rangers rarely come back, there are still some who have. And we’ll have possibly the strongest Sentinel accompanying us,” Kenzo reasoned. “After what we’ve seen during the Sotiri Raid, I’d say we’re in relatively safe hands.”

Dai expected Asuka to protest further, but his body language relaxed somewhat. In fact, the Sentinel held onto the sliver of hope that they'd walk away, but they all stood there, the color returning to their faces. Perhaps his showcase during the raid proved to attract unwanted attention.

He gave the rangers another moment, a chance for their minds to second-guess their decision, but they didn't budge.

Shin stepped forward, his resolve hardening his features further. “Are we going to head out right away?” he asked, hooking up his last artifact to his belt.

Dai ignited his shaft, and tendrils of amber slithered along the ground to retrieve the dissected head of his war hammer. The rangers stepped back, startled, while Asuka gushed at the sight as the pieces reassembled themselves and snapped into place.

“No,” he responded simply, lifting the massive conduit overhead and sheathing it on his back. “I had Sentinel Sokuba do some digging in the guild’s records of retired rangers. We’re going to gain some insight into what to expect on this expedition.”

Shin and his team nodded in understanding and patted their secured equipment to signal they were ready. Dai waved them to follow, and they all made their way out of the courtyard, then the palace.