The next morning, the sun rose over magacity I, bathing the bustling metropolis in a warm golden light. The usual symphony of daily life played out: hover vehicles whizzed through the air, people hurried along bustling sidewalks, and the scent of fresh ramen wafted from cozy restaurants. But beneath the surface of normalcy, a current of excitement crackled.
A swarm of sleek, guild-marked hover vehicles, normally reserved for high-level operations, cut a path through the morning traffic. Curious citizens craned their necks, pointing and whispering.
“Do you think they’re heading for the same place?” a woman with a bright pink bob asked a gruff-looking man with a salt-and-pepper beard.
“Most likely,” the man grunted, adjusting his hat. “Rumor has it, it’s all for that new summoner, the one who summoned a drake.”
A group of students buzzed with excitement nearby. “For real?” a boy with spiky orange hair exclaimed.
“All the top guilds are going head-to-head for some random guy? It’s gonna be a battle!” Across the street, a man with sweat going down on his forehead gripped the steering wheel of a beat-up hover van. Beside him, a young woman with a serious glint in her eyes clutched a worn holographic notepad.
“This is it, Maya,” the man rasped, he sounded desperate.
“Our last chance. If those rumors are true, we need to get there before anyone else.”
Their names were Kenji and Maya, veteran reporters for the struggling “Mega City Times.” A string of bad luck and missed deadlines had them on the edge of unemployment. This, the biggest story mangacity I had seen in years involving a mysterious young summoner and a legendary drake, was their shot at securing their jobs and perhaps climbing to the top.
“We can’t afford to be late, Kenji,” Maya said, her voice sounding firm.
“If the top guilds are all vying for him, it means he’s the real deal. This story could launch us to the top!”
Kenji slammed his fist on the steering wheel, feeling excited as his face hardened. “You’re right, Maya! We can’t miss this. Let’s go get that exclusive interview!”
With a sudden burst of acceleration, their battered van made its way through the traffic, driven by a desperate hope of clinging to their dream jobs and a chance to capture the hottest story megacity I had ever seen.
–
In the sleek, chrome hover vehicle of the Blue Seals guild, the air felt thick, so thick one could almost choke on it. Aria, her posture rigid and her expression serious, took a look through the holographic map projected on the windshield.
“Eryx,” she spoke up, her voice clipped, “I’m picking up a vehicle ID signature belonging to the Berserker guild’s vehicle. They’re approaching our position.”
Eryx, his crimson hair a wild mane against the dark leather seat, sighed. “Ugh, figures. We may have gotten a head start, but they sure don’t waste any time.”
“Perhaps,” Aria began, a touch of hesitation in her voice, “you should have considered the strategy I suggested yesterday.”
Eryx scoffed. “Park outside his apartment and wait for dawn? Aria, come on. That would make the Blue Seals look desperate, hovering around some kid’s house like hungry vultures. Besides, who knew you had it in you to propose such a cowardly tactic?”
Aria suddenly became serious, her stern expression hardening further. “Cowardice has nothing to do with it. It’s about efficiency and minimizing unnecessary competition.”
Eryx chuckled, a look of amusement softening his serious expression. “Alright, alright, Aria. You and your fancy efficiency,” he said, leaning back in his seat.
“But admit it, wouldn’t it have been a hilarious sight? Imagine the look on the kid’s face if he woke up to a Blue Seals hovercraft parked In front of his apparent complex.”
Aria shot him an intense glance, but a small smile seemed to melt away her annoyance. “Perhaps,” she admitted. “But laughter won’t secure the contract. Besides, who knows what kind of welcome we’d receive from his drake. I’ve heard it talks, powerful and intelligent creatures like that won’t take kindly to disrespectful approaches towards their master. Trying to show our honesty by arriving early like that was an attempt to also win its favor. But with the way things are now it could attack us for all we know.”
A mischievous grin spread across Eryx’s face.
“Now that’s a sight I wouldn’t mind seeing. Imagine the headlines – ‘New Summoner Unleashes Inferno on Top Guild!””
Aria sighed, shaking her head. “Don’t even joke about something like that, Eryx. We’re talking about a giant class drake here. We need to approach this situation with respect and
professionalism.”
“Fine, fine,” Eryx waved his hand dismissively, a look of excitement still in his eyes.
“So what’s the master plan then? How do we ensure this kid chooses the Blue Seals over the others?”
Aria tapped a finger against her chin, her brow furrowed in concentration.
“The key, is to let him set the terms. A show of strength and prowess might impress some, but
a genuine offer of partnership, of respect, will likely hold more weight.”
Eryx snorted. “Respect? From a powerful guild like ours, offering respect to some random kid? Come on, Aria, be realistic.”
Aria met his gaze unflinchingly. “He’s not just ‘some random kid,’ Eryx. He’s a talented summoner, and according to the reports, a clever one. He wouldn’t have summoned a drake without considering the potential consequences. We need to approach him as an equal, someone whose skills could be a valuable asset to the Blue Seals.”
“You know the more I’m hearing about this the more pissed off I’m slowly getting, but you haven’t really been wrong before so I’ll just let it go for now.”
“Also, I see your point, Aria. But let’s be honest, every other guild will be thinking the same thing. With the way things are going, this whole recruitment feels less like a negotiation and more like an auction.”
“If you know that then why are you against it?” Aria asked with an irritated look on her face.