He tilts his head slightly. "A ruin dive with a chance of something interesting."

Bue nods. "High risk, high reward. It's been untouched for years—mostly because those who go never return. We've lost five teams there."

Bragg grunts behind them, scratching his chin. "We've been offered that one twice. Turned it down both times. Too many unknown variables—unstable mana field, collapsed tunnels, weird resonance interference."

Kyra's tail flicks once, eyes narrowing. "It's a cursed ground. You can feel it when you get close."

Alix hums softly, then shifts his gaze to the second mission.

[Diamond Mission – Beast Tide Suppression: Silent Grove]

Unusual activity detected in the Silent Grove. Multiple beasts slain under unknown circumstances. Reports suggest an imminent beast tide forming. Objective: Investigate if the beast king of Silent Grove is preparing for a best tide.

A faint glint of amusement passes through his eyes. "Silent Grove," he murmurs, tone unreadable. "I've heard about that."

Bue folds her arms, watching him closely. "That mission came in just this morning. The guild received emergency requests from the city lord. If a beast tide forms and reaches this city, it could wipe out this city."

Verrin exhales slowly. "That's a very hard mission. We'd be fighting for days if we take this mission."

Mave lets out a low chuckle. "Days? Try weeks. The Grove is massive."

Bragg crosses his arms, glancing at Alix. "If we take that one, it won't be a quick job—we'll be fighting for days. But, the reward will be rich, after all, it comes from the city lord himself. You sure that's where you want to start, friend?"

Alix meets his gaze briefly, then looks back at the board. "Fighting for days isn't exactly new to me."

His hand rises, brushing lightly over the glowing text of Silent Grove. The glyphs flare once in recognition, locking the mission to his adventurer's seal.

Bue tilts her head, a faint smile curving her lips. "Oh, you picked that one." She taps the crystal plate lightly, and the mission sigil flickers in acknowledgment. "It's not really a hard mission—as long as the Beast King doesn't see you."

Bragg lets out a deep chuckle, his chest rumbling. "That's one way to put it." He glances at Alix, the humor in his tone edged with caution. "Though you'll be fighting a lot of beasts inside the Silent Grove. It's crawling with tier fives. But don't worry—" he gestures with a clawed thumb toward Kyra "—we've got her. Best tracker in the region. If anyone can get us through that forest without waking the wrong thing, it's her."

Kyra's tail flicks once, the faintest smirk tugging at her lips. "Flattery doesn't make the trees any quieter, Bragg. But I'll keep you alive."

Bragg grins. "Good enough for me." He straightens, voice rising with command. "Alright, Iron group—ready up! We leave in twenty!"

Toren and Mave exchange a nod, immediately heading for the armory wing. Verrin adjusts the runed clasps on his robe and murmurs a faint incantation, his staff lighting briefly as he checks the mana reserves.

Bue slides the mission plate into a containment seal and hands it to Alix. "This authorizes you to leave the city under guild sanction. Once you complete it, return here and report directly to me. Good luck out there, Alix."

---

The Iron group moves with practiced rhythm through the city streets. Merchants and smiths pause to watch as they pass, the clank of metal boots and the faint hum of runic armor drawing attention.

Before long, they reach a massive stone hangar carved into the mountain's edge—its gates wide open, the air inside filled with the scent of oil, leather, and wild air.

Several flying beasts rest in the enclosure, each bound by reinforced chains and harnessed for long-distance travel.

The largest of them—a scaled, winged beast with four eyes and metallic feathers—raises its head at their approach. Its wings stretch slightly, sending a wave of wind through the hangar.

Bragg pats the creature's thick neck as he walks up. "There she is. Our old girl—Thundervane. She's been with us since our first platinum job."

Verrin smiles faintly as he inspects the flight sigils along its harness. "And still in perfect condition."

Kyra hops lightly onto the side platform, checking the packs and food storage. "Everything's stocked and sealed. Enough rations for two weeks, maybe more if you all stop eating like orcs."

Bragg grins and looks over his shoulder at Alix. "You ever flown before?"

Alix steps closer, eyes sweeping over the beast's size and construction. "A few times."

Bragg chuckles, tightening a strap on his harness. "Then hold on tight, friend. The Grove's a long way off—and the skies above it aren't exactly calm."

Alix simply nods, stepping onto the platform as the others climb aboard. The beast lets out a low rumble that vibrates through the floor, its wings spreading wide.

With a thunderous beat of wings, Thundervane launches into the sky, leaving a trail of dust and light swirling behind. The city of Shade falls away beneath them, the mountains shrinking to jagged silhouettes as they head toward the distant, ominous expanse of Silent Grove.

The flight takes hours. Wind screams past their ears as Thundervane cuts through the sky, the great beast's wings beating steady and powerful. Below them, the mountains give way to endless green—an ocean of forest stretching to the horizon, cloaked in fog and shadow.

By the time they near the Silent Grove, the sun is dipping low, painting the clouds in deep amber and crimson hues. The temperature drops noticeably, the air carrying a thick, almost tangible pressure—like the forest itself is watching.

Bragg raises a hand from the front harness. "Bring her down here!"

Kyra tugs on the control reins, and Thundervane lets out a low, reluctant growl before beginning her descent. The closer they get, the denser the mist becomes, swirling up like ghostly fingers from the canopy.

When they finally touch down on a narrow clearing at the forest's edge, the earth shakes slightly under Thundervane's weight. The flying beast folds her wings and exhales a gust of hot air, tail flicking with unease.

Mave hops off first, boots crunching against the mossy soil. "Tch. Even the air feels wrong here."

Verrin's eyes flick around as he murmurs a detection spell, his staff glowing faintly. "The mana concentration's thick—unnaturally so."

Bragg pats Thundervane's flank, soothing her before motioning to the group. "Alright, dismount. We'll go on foot from here. Too dangerous to fly over this place—half the beasts down there are fast enough to clip her wings before we can react."

Alix steps down last, landing lightly beside them. His gaze sweeps the treeline, calm and focused. He can still sense faint traces of the auras he once erased—the echoes of where beasts had died by his hand.

The others don't notice. To them, this place feels alive with danger.

To Alix, it feels empty.

Bragg adjusts the straps on his armor and gestures ahead toward the dark stretch of trees. "Now, before we go too deep, listen up. The reason this forest's called Silent Grove isn't because it's peaceful—far from it."

Toren grunts softly. "Yeah, ironic name if you ask me."

Bragg chuckles under his breath, eyes narrowing slightly as he continues, "It's called that because the beasts here prefer silence. They don't roar, don't howl, don't give away their position. Most of 'em—wind or shadow types. Quick bastards. You won't hear them until their claws are already at your throat."

Mave smirks, drawing his claymore and resting it on his shoulder. "Sounds fun."

Kyra rolls her eyes. "You won't be laughing when one drops from the canopy and takes your head off."

Bragg ignores the banter, his tone steady and commanding. "Stay close, follow Kyra's lead. She'll sense movement before the rest of us. Don't light torches unless necessary—the beasts are drawn to fire, and the shadows play tricks here. We keep formation: frontliners in front, Verrin mid, Alix and Kyra take the sides."

Alix nods faintly, his expression calm and unreadable. He knows this place well enough—after all, he's the very reason this mission exists in the first place.

But he says nothing.

"Understood," Alix replies simply.

Kyra glances at him as they start moving, her voice low. "You don't talk much, do you?"

Alix's gaze stays forward, his tone level. "I only talk when it's worth the breath."

That earns him a faint smirk from her before she disappears into the underbrush, her form blending into the shifting mist.

Bragg lets out a quiet grunt of approval. "I like his style."

The group pushes deeper into the forest. The sound of the wind fades, replaced by a stillness so complete it presses against the ears. Every footstep feels loud. Every breath hangs heavy.

Verrin mutters softly, "Now I see why they call it Silent Grove."

Bragg's voice comes from ahead, low and grim. "Yeah. The silence here ain't natural—it's the sound of something waiting."