"It's done.
I have permanently severed all ties with Edinburgh's central administration. I am finally free!"
Steve muttered to himself as he surveyed the scene of fallen Rankers, their bloodied forms and severed limbs strewn across the ground. His own body was drenched in the blood of his enemies, presenting him as a monstrous figure, a humanoid beast bent on unleashing death and destruction.
Swoosh.
Steve retracted the Demonic Transformation that he had unleashed through his demon beast, returning to his regular human form. He was injured and mentally fatigued.
Although his infernal form had rendered him nearly unstoppable, it had taken a toll on him, leaving him gasping for breath. Exhaustion hung on him like a heavy shroud, threatening to make him lose his balance.
Fortunately, someone appeared to support him.
"Hahaha. Welcome to the White Raven Guild, Captain!" The person who steadied Steve and prevented him from collapsing greeted him. Steve didn't need to see the person's face to recognize him.
"Hehe. Jakey, it's been a while, hasn't it?" Steve's voice, exhausted yet relieved, reached Jake's ears. He allowed Jake to guide him toward the group of Rankers that had gathered not too far away.
"Welcome, Steve."
"Damn. Look at those beastly eyes! He is indeed the Boar Berserker."
"With him here, the original White Raven team has three Berserkers in its roster once again. Hehe. I want to spar with him as a fellow Berserker. Let me see the might of the Boar Berserker first hand."
"Stop it, Dino. Let the guy breathe."
"Steve… Captain… let me heal you."
"Stevey, fight me! Let's see who's a bettaw Wanker bekween us!"
Ramy Richards, Renita, Ron, Dino, Bel, and Ana were there, welcoming Steve with smiles on their faces as well as various remarks. This was the reunion they had all longed for.
Steve, by officially joining the White Raven Guild, completed the team that had been formed more than a decade ago at Lionhearts Academy. Except for a certain deceased Mage, all those who were part of the original White Raven team had made it.
***
Following Eren's instructions, Steve had maintained a certain distance from his former team members. He had achieved remarkable success working for Edinburgh's central administration, further elevating his reputation as the Boar Berserker among the people of Edinburgh.
Even Layos, the enemy kingdom, recognized him as a significant threat that needed to be eliminated at the first opportunity.
However, Steve's title as the Boar Berserker came with its share of responsibilities. He diligently fulfilled them, earning the trust of the central administration, which rewarded him with resources and opportunities to advance in his Ranking Journey.
Throughout this time, Steve remained loyal to his roots, and Eren maintained a steadfast connection with him, supporting his ascent as a Master Ranker even more effectively than the kingdom of Edinburgh ever could during these turbulent times.
This mission, which involved the elimination of Rankers from Edinburgh's central administration, marked Steve's liberation from serving as a mere pawn of the kingdom. He was finally free to reunite with his former teammates and officially join Eren's guild.
As a result, Steve felt an overwhelming sense of relief upon being reunited with his friends. He felt as if he was finally able to remove the mask he had been forced to wear.
***
Grandmaster Amory allowed Steve and the others to catch their breath and took charge of dealing with the aftermath of the battle. The enemy Rankers who had fallen in this battle would soon be remembered with a memorial pillar, where their body parts and remaining energy signatures would be displayed, preserving their memory in Grim Pillar Town's history.
Eren had dedicated a special section for Demonmir's subordinates. No matter the future of Anfang, he wanted to display Demonmir's failures as prominently as possible for the future generations.
The original White Raven team members chatted among themselves, paying little attention to the ongoing cleanup of the recent battlefield. Since most of these White Raven Rankers hadn't seen Steve in over a decade, they had a lot to catch up on.
Steve's initial sense of liberation from Edinburgh's control didn't last long.
As he conversed with his teammates, he began to grasp the gravity of what had occurred on this night, and he grew concerned about his actions, which could be seen as a betrayal by the Kingdom of Edinburgh.
"I… I just hope Eren knows what he's doing."
Steve confided in his friends beneath a large tree. Ana, the healer, had provided him with first aid, greatly relieving his severe injuries and fatigue.
"This kind of action is likely to come back to bite us on the ass if….if…" Steve added, voicing his worries about the potential repercussions of their recent actions.
"... If he doesn't deal with the whole of Edinburgh, am I right?"
Another voice unexpectedly finished Steve's thought. Steve and his friends turned toward the source of the voice and spotted an attractive and intelligent woman who seemed to appear like a phantom, approaching them with a subtle smile.
She exuded an air of authority, with shoulder-length whitish-gray hair styled in a slightly tousled center-parted manner and sparkling eyes that shone beautifully under the moonlight.
"Hehe, I finally got to meet you. Welcome to the White Raven Guild, Steve," Agatha warmly greeted Steve. "As for dealing with the kingdom, let's leave it to Eren for now," she suggested before turning her attention to Amory.
"Uncle Amory, please leave the cleanup here to the others. Come with me so we can welcome our guests," she said to Amory in a clear and confident tone.
Steve and the other White Raven Rankers abruptly tensed up as they detected the approach of powerful beings converging on their location from all directions. Steve was aware that Langdon's backup team had already been neutralized.
Thus, the substantial number of formidable entities converging on ground zero must be the guests Agatha had mentioned.
Steve's voice trembled as he spoke, "Who... who are they? These auras, they're... S-Rank monsters!"
The Boar Berserker's apprehension grew with each passing moment, strengthening his conviction that Eren had been planning something really big, considering the unfolding events.
