Hero of Darkness

On the following day, Kahn again met Logan in the Mercenary Association, sitting comfortably in his office as Legolas Ragnarsson. The expression on his face was cheerful and anticipating while he faced the brown-furred wolfkin on the opposite side of the desk.

"Do you have it?" he asked in a soft tone. 

"Yes." 

Logan replied without showing any expression and took out a blue and gradient diary from his space ring.

"Soon, I will be demoted to my original position. They've already found a replacement." spoke the wolfkin in a helpless tone.

"See, I told you. 

Just 10 days and they already made arrangements. No matter who it is, they're most likely to be from the close circle of the High Elven Noble class.

You'd be going back to do all the work for the next person that sits in your current chair." taunted Legolas playfully. 

"Yeah… thankfully, you told me where to look and what to look for. So I barely managed to complete the list in time. 

I've investigated everything that was to know about it." replied the interim COE of the association. 

"Now… It's ours for the taking." he spoke with an elated expression as a surge of joy spread over his mind. 

The list Logan had created was the affiliated guilds and people his predecessor aka the fat High Noble elf had made during his time when he was in the position of authority. 

It also contained much information about high-end clients throughout Alfheim, their respective trades, and businesses that required the mercenary work that the fat elf dealt with and brought the client and the guilds together for.

Most of these deals in the list were unofficial and were done under the table. The predecessor had done a good job of hiding them by showing them as marginalized contracts or small payment deals. 

Most of the Clients probably never even knew that the 5% cut they paid for the legal charges for the association… Not a single dime of it went to the Mercenary Association but to the elf noble's own pockets. 

As for how did Kahn know this to be the case, how to hide these transactions in plain sight and where to look for them? 

Because that's exactly what Kahn would've done if he were in the elf's shoes. 

Logan was moved by his future prospectus and Kahn needed an inside man for the job. Thus, the wolfkin gathered all the secrets right through the official channels and saved Kahn a lot of trouble.

Now that the elf lost his position, he no longer had the authority or say in officiating any of the deals and contracts. He had become a useless party for both sides and now was expendable. 

The High Elf was a tiger without teeth and claws unable even to kill a boar. 

Soon, the clients would look for someone who'd do the job for them while saving some money in due process and the mercenary guilds would look for someone in authority whom they could make ties with and get the best and highest-paying jobs easily. 

Once the new elf came, they'd approach him since he'd be the boss. 

And that's why Kahn instructed Logan to find this information in the little time he had as the chief operating executive after they framed the elven official.

As for the contents such as list of the clients and the guilds who had arrangements with the old COE… Kahn had a simple plan. 

The system was still standing… however, Kahn planned to use this inside information and already established infrastructure to do what he was now an expert at. And that was… 

A hostile takeover. 

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Meanwhile at the same time in one of the territories surrounding count Horik's domain… was a small base of operation. Although this base was small compared to the estate of Misthios guild headquarters, the number of people and ammunition stationed was already twice the number. 

Bang! 

Inside a bright and windy office… A redhead woman with blue eyes donning a blue, white and gray attire banged her fist on the desk while fuming with anger.

This headquarter was actually a temporary residence of this 2nd stage saint and one of the outposts of a reputable force.

Given the appearance of this tall yet devilishly beautiful redhead, one could tell that she was a powerful Swordsmaiden. 

"Commander Rose Hightower… all 4 clients are complaining and some are even asking to return half the payment." reported a masked assassin in black clothes who had a dark yellow mask, hiding the entirety of his face. 

A strong breeze entered through the large window, fluttering the swordmaiden's long hair and revealed her dark and gloomy countenance.

"Tell me everything in detail. How did it happen?" she ordered in an annoyed voice.

The assassin then started recounting how yesterday, all the legendary rank creatures surrounding count Horik's domain were slaughtered. 

"Dammit! We worked so hard to redirect those Boss monsters from their dungeons to that region as per our agreement with all the clients.

We even lost 500 warriors and a warship in our attempts, all because the payout was good. I was stationed here by the Guildmaster to be the first force of response and maintain those monsters in that noble's territory!" she iterated and exclaimed in anger, her countenance turning hateful. 

"So who did it? Chasing away a Legendary rank Dungeon Boss is achievable but killing them and all 4 at that can be done only by a powerful force as good as ours." she asked.

But to her query, the assassin rose only one finger.

"One. It was done only by a single Saint. He killed all 4 of them by himself without any external help or even assistance of warships." stated the assassin in a gloomy voice and continued…

"He's from a new guild in Alfheim. That person is a peak 3rd stage saint and is one of their commanders." he revealed in a helpless voice.

But suddenly, the woman's expression turned aghast.

"Dammit! My luck is so bad. I'll have to report this to the Guildmaster quickly lest she blames me for all the failures." she said and activated an Elven transmission artifact shaped similar to a green hibiscus flower. 

But while doing so, an emblem was revealed on her chest. 

A vertical sword above a spear and a scepter carved on a round shield. 

From both sides, there were 6 wings of feathers coming out as if an angel was getting ready to soar in the sky. 

This was the official emblem of the guild this 2nd saint redhead belonged to. She was one of the commanders of… 

12 Valkyries.