A Visit to the White Tiger Guild

With the inherent passive ability of a magical girl to diminish her presence, Aya Tone successfully navigated through the crowds.

She observed the decor of the White Tiger Guild headquarters with keen curiosity.

The structure was quite similar to the Vermillion Bird Guild headquarters.

Yet their styles diverged significantly; from the moment she stepped inside, Aya Tone could sense a faint, yet distinct, chilling aura.

Before she could even attempt to trace its source, the aura inexplicably vanished.

It left an impression of being secretly scrutinized from the shadows.

‘How peculiar…’

Aya Tone did not dwell on it, acknowledging that they were, after all, two guilds operating under different models.

A slight divergence was only to be expected.

The ground floor here was primarily dedicated to reception, catering not only to adventurers but also to a wider public.

Amidst the global wave of ability awakenings, and with the older generations gradually stepping aside, the culture of awakened abilities had long since permeated everyone’s hearts.

Just as the Vermillion Bird Guild’s branch was established within a university, the White Tiger Guild also sought the influx of new blood.

Consequently, they had relaxed their requirements for external visitors.

This openness served to attract more individuals to join the guild.

As such!

From time to time, children who had yet to awaken their abilities would come to tour the premises, guided by adults.

As she made her way through, Aya Tone noticed numerous children clutching merchandise, queuing up to experience temporary abilities.

Indeed, it was possible to get a preliminary taste of these awakened abilities.

Years ago,

through the relentless efforts of researchers, a shallow corner of the mysteries surrounding awakened abilities had been unveiled.

Leveraging this sliver of knowledge, disposable items known as [Virtual Abilities] were artificially created.

These allowed those who had not yet awakened their own abilities to experience their presence firsthand.

Even adults who had already awakened abilities could use these items to sample different types of ability experiences.

Aya Tone had tried them herself.

‘How best to describe it…’

It was truly wondrous!

Upon activation, it felt as though a second skin enveloped one’s body, moving in perfect sync with every action.

This allowed the user to manifest an ability.

Rather than granting temporary ownership of an ability,

it was more akin to projecting the phantom of someone else’s ability onto you, inducing a sensory illusion in your body.

It made you believe you were the one unleashing the power.

‘A very subtle design indeed.’

‘Yet, ultimately, it was nothing more than that.’

At this stage, the abilities humanity could mimic and produce were primarily low-tier, non-aggressive, life-oriented ones.

For instance, conjuring sparks, generating a stream of water for watering plants, or blowing bubbles.

While as a weapon, perhaps…

‘Uh… it barely even qualified as a weapon.’

However, for children to play with, these were excellent items.

They could be mass-produced and recycled after use.

Aya Tone mused that if he had such toys as a child, he wouldn’t have been caught stealing pomegranates from his neighbor’s yard.

—and subsequently gifted with a truly ‘complete’ childhood experience.

‘But let’s not dwell on that; reminiscing too much only brought tears.’

The second floor was typically where personnel handled missions.

From the open atrium between the first and second floors, it was easy to observe the activity above.

The second floor bustled with people coming and going.

Everyone seemed to be in a frantic rush, as if pursued by some unseen force.

Their faces were etched with palpable anxiety.

In stark contrast, the Vermillion Bird Guild seemed far more leisurely.

Aya Tone sighed.

If only her own guild members put in half the effort of those at the White Tiger Guild, she wouldn’t constantly have to deal with unattended A-rank dungeons.

‘Seriously, a single dungeon only paid 150,000 — it was a huge loss!’

Instead of ascending to the second floor, Aya Tone wandered for a bit before approaching a receptionist.

“Missy~ (*ෆ´˘`ෆ*)♡”

It had to be said, every receptionist was an undeniably beautiful woman.

Each possessing her own distinct “charms.”

A feast for the eyes, indeed.

Hearing someone call from behind, the receptionist turned around.

She saw a small girl wearing a hat and immediately assumed the child had been separated from her parents.

Kneeling down, she gently inquired, “What’s wrong, dear?”

Though the face beneath the hood was obscured, the voice suggested the child was quite young.

This sight instantly stirred her maternal instincts.

“I’m looking for Guild Leader Bai Xiao.”

The White Tiger Guild was considerably larger than the Vermillion Bird Guild, at least in terms of its sprawling grounds, or so Aya Tone believed.

If left to search on her own, Aya Tone might spend an entire afternoon.

And still not necessarily find her.

It was far quicker to simply ask someone.

‘Mm… it’s not that I’m too lazy to use magic to find her,’ she thought.

“Oh, little one, I’m afraid that won’t be possible. Guild Leader Auntie is very busy lately and might not have time to see you all. How about you come back after things settle down?”

The receptionist replied softly.

She wasn’t surprised by Aya Tone’s request to see Bai Xiao.

As the Guild Leader of the White Tiger Guild, Bai Xiao was far more dedicated than Fire Finch, the “young” Guild Leader.

She was not only decisive and efficient in her work but also frequently interacted with visiting parents and children, leaving an excellent impression on the public.

However, with the recent emergence of the Tides, dungeons had been appearing with alarming frequency.

She had to constantly rush to handle these dungeons, all while meticulously monitoring the direction of the Tidal energy.

This was crucial, as it dictated the appearance of S-rank dungeons, demanding her unwavering attention.

Bai Xiao simply lacked the time or mental energy to engage in public interactions.

“No, that’s not it…”

Aya Tone immediately realized the receptionist had misunderstood her intent.

With a sigh of resignation, she clarified, “I’m an adventurer from the Vermillion Bird Guild in Yan’an City.”

As she spoke, she once again, for what felt like the umpteenth time, pulled out the S-rank identification card—a card most people might never use even once in their lifetime—from her pocket and handed it to the receptionist.

“Here you go~”

“This is—!”

The receptionist’s discerning eye was far superior to that of the guards outside; a mere glance was enough to confirm the authenticity of the identification card.

She discreetly returned the card to Aya Tone.

Then she continued, “My sincerest apologies, Miss Aya Tone, but the Guild Leader is currently out handling the surge of dungeons and may not return for some time.”

Though the receptionist’s voice remained gentle, it now carried an unmistakable trace of respect, a stark contrast to her initial tone.

As a receptionist, she was naturally aware of the reasons behind the recent surge in dungeons.

Just the day before, an S-rank powerhouse, transferred from another region, had arrived under her reception to have a detailed discussion with the Guild Leader.

‘And now, the silver-haired witch before her…’

“Guild Leader Bai Xiao isn’t here?” Aya Tone frowned.

‘Why did other guilds’ leaders have to personally enter the fray to clear dungeons?’

‘In comparison, Fire Finch…’

‘She just idled around all day, with nothing to do.’

‘Either she was holed up in her guild leader’s office binge-watching dramas.’

‘Never once had Aya Tone seen her take action.’

‘Sure enough, everyone else’s is better; my own…’

‘Ugh, it’s just…’

‘The more I look, the more displeased I become.’

To be fair, such an assessment was rather unfair to Fire Finch.

As the Guild Leader of one of the Four Cardinal Guilds, Fire Finch was generally not permitted to leave Yan’an City unless there were truly pressing matters to attend to.

Within Yan’an City…

The S-rank dungeon had been cleared by Aya Tone, and when A-rank dungeons went uncleared, Aya Tone would step in.

Even for the lower-tier dungeons, Aya Tone would often swoop in and compete with weaker adventurers.

Under such circumstances, why would her intervention as Guild Leader ever be necessary?

Furthermore, the guild’s affairs were meticulously managed by its veteran employees.

Given these conditions, Fire Finch was so bored daily that she either binge-watched dramas or simply wandered aimlessly; there truly was nothing for a “useless” Guild Leader like her to do.

…