Garden Of The Abyss

They sat around the table, exchanging and going through each file as they surveyed the adventurers with the most potential for the guild.

"I've been meaning to ask…how do we go about this anyway? I mean, recruiting these people," he asked, "do we just inform them they're accepted and—wallah?"

"What do you mean?" Akshay looked at him.

"I just think there should be an intermediate process, you know? Like an interview," he said, keeping his hand to his chin.

Sirius laughed at the clear confusion held by the other two, "I think what he means is that we should have some direct contact with some of the more promising applicants before making any hasty decisions. Right?"

"Exactly," he nodded, "what about like…a trial quest?"

"…"Trial quest"…?" Iris tilted her head.

"Yeah, we can choose a quest and bring the members we think are most promising along with us. From there, we can see firsthand their capabilities, and how well they work together," he suggested with a smile.

After a few moments of his idea sinking in, it seemed to be unanimously decided amongst the four.

"Yeah, that's probably not a bad idea," Akshay agreed.

"Should we split them into groups?" Iris suggested.

"Whacha' mean?" He asked.

Iris continued, "Well, the three of us…we're sort of like the executives of the guild, right? I think it'd work best if we each took on our own share of the recruits to get a more clear outlook."

They contemplated this idea for a moment. As he shot a glance to Akshay after the mix-haired, tan-skinned man was left out of the equation he received a small smile as if saying "I get it".

"Ah, sorry, but I can't do it," Sirius suddenly spoke up with wry laughter.

"Huh? Why?" He looked at the man.

Sirius answered as all eyes were on him, stretching his arms behind his head, "Well, you see…I've got a pretty important mission to handle of my own. It's not really something I can ditch, unfortunately."

"A mission? What is it?" Iris asked.

As he was asked this, Sirius sat there with a silent smile for a moment before putting a finger to his lips, "Can't say."

"I see…that makes sense," Akshay said, seeming to understand what he meant while the others were clueless.

"What makes sense?" He asked.

"He's a Stygian adventurer, and one of the most famous, at that. I'd be lying if I said I didn't initially approach you to join your guild because I noticed Sirius Federov himself was with you," Akshay explained, "as an adventurer of that rank, he's open to "Black Quests"…"

The look Sirius gave to the coat-wearing recruiter was one of slight, quiet surprise at his knowledge.

"You really know your stuff, don't you? For a silver-rank, that's impressive," Sirius complemented, but it almost felt malicious.

Akshay replied with a sly smile as he brushed his fingers through his fluffy, black-and-white locks, "You get to know how things work after being here awhile."

Interjecting, he pointed his question towards the two, "What's a "Black Quest" supposed to be?"

Iris seemed interested in this as well as she looked curiously at the two adventurers who seemed to possess such knowledge.

"He can explain it to you better than I can," Akshay said with a peculiar smile, "I'm just a measly silver-rank, after all."

Sirius seemed peeved, but his smiling expression didn't show it, "Like I said: I'm contracted not to talk about it. You get it, right?"

"…Right," he replied, glancing at Iris, who looked just as perplexed, "Sure you don't want to come along for this then, Akshay?"

Akshay shook his head, "...I'm not exactly fit for that sort of thing. I can come along, if you want, but I wouldn't advise for me to lead a group by myself."

"I get it," he chuckled, "well, I'm sure you've got some more recruiting to handle, anyway. Guess that means it's just us, Iris."

"Mhm," she nodded.

"Alright, then," he proclaimed with a smile, "time for Gladiolus to introduce itself with a bang!"

–And with the dawn of the next day, after much preparation with the adventurer files, he and Iris invited the ones who caught their eye to the guild.

Sitting there, silently, he was faced with a host of people, not knowing what words to find as he sat there for a minute next to Iris.

Looking at the waiting adventurers, he tapped his foot repeatedly.

…If you would've shown me this bunch years ago, I would've assumed these were cosplayers. I mean, seriously–some of these outfits are ridiculous! He thought.

Most of that thought came from the applicant who barely was able to squeeze through the doors to the guild, wearing a hulking set of spike-clad, emerald armor that dazzled in the seeping sunlight.

Seriously, what is that armor for? Blinding for your opponents?! He thought.

"Ren…" She tugged on his sleeve with a whisper.

"Right…" He muttered, coughing into his hand, "first, I'd like to thank you all for coming here on such short notice, I assume you all have such busy sche–"

"Blah, blah, blah, get on with it already, would you?"

–The interruption came from a man with black hair and frosted tips, leaning against the back wall as all eyes were moved to his abrasive self. By the outfit he wore, he seemed to do well for himself–wearing lavish, but light leather armor with white robes, accented with gold stripes and buttons.

"Excuse me?" He looked at the man.

The man scoffed, "We've all been through this a dozen times by now. Don't think we have to sit here and bend ourselves over because you've got a big shot name like Sirius Federov backing your guild."

"Huh?" He let out in confusion.

The frosted-haired man seemed to take the attention he garnered as a sign to continue, "That's right, it's clear what you're doing. You paid Sirius Federov to join your guild to look more impressive. I mean, why would someone like him join this small time shit, anyway?"

While most of the adventurers in the room began to chat between themselves in the midst of these accusations, some remained to themselves, seeming uncaring to these words–but the leader of Gladiolus, was not immune to their scathing nature.

"...Ren, leave it, you're just giving him what he wants," Iris whispered to him.

"Yeah, I know. I don't really care what he says, to be honest, but this is a good opportunity," he told her, standing up, "if everyone sees me beat him without breaking a sweat–there won't be any doubt."

"Did I hit a nerve or something, newbie?" The scar-eyed man asked.

"If you believe all of that, then why did you come here?" He asked, meeting the man eye-to-eye, "who are you, anyway?"

"Samfrey," the frosted-haired, conniving man answered with his flared collars on display, "and why? I had to see it for myself: the audacity of whichever person decided to run a guild like this."

He stood there for a moment, listening in to the various chit-chats among the potential members while keeping his eyes on Samfrey, finding only one solution to solving this dispute.

"You think Gladiolus isn't the real-deal, huh?"

"That's right," Samfrey answered, waving his hand, "it's horseshit built to lure desperate adventurers in under Sirius Federov's name."

"If that's the case…" He said with a smile, "how about you test me then? See if I'm "horseshit", or not."

The issued challenge made Samfrey freeze in his words as he stared at the snowy-haired guild leader for a minute, standing in silence as he seemed taken aback by the confident challenge.

"I…" Samfrey muttered.

Listening to the doubtful whispers of the other present adventurers, Samfrey began to sweat as he was forced to give his answer:

"Fine then! I'll prove to everyone here that you're a phony!"

"Good," he answered, "let's take this to the arena then."