"I have to meet with the leader of the Galeheart Mercenary Guild. Please, tell me what requirements must be met for me to pass."

I get no response.

Eventually, I resort to waving my hands up and down as no words I say seem to make it through to the 4 Royal Guards standing outside the final inner wall.

Without the grey mist activated, these black armored suits seem much less intimidating to me. I witnessed a few of them activate in the fight arena earlier, so I'm almost positive that these are the exact same armor suits worn by the prior Sector 2 Leader.

I let out a long sigh after standing in front of them for another few minutes, then reach into my item storage and pull out the silver card with the mercenary guild address on it to show it to the closest guard's vision.

"I need to get here. I was invited. There are a few people I need to meet."

Finally, I get a response, but it's not the one I was hoping for.

The closest guard takes out his tablet again and turns it toward me, displaying the flashing red message that popped up before, but he didn't care to show me.

[User ID C#129880: Unregistered]

[Royal Coin District Access: Denied]

[Reason: No formal Invite]

An electronic static voice comes out of the man's helmet. It sounds just like the Sector 2 leader's did. The awkward pauses in between every phrase are replicated as well.

"Please... Scan an ID with your full name and picture... You may be on the green light list..."

My eyes scan the tablet for a moment before I respond.

"I don't have an ID on me to share."

He puts away the rectangular piece of technology again and takes a step back before looking forward off into the distance, not acknowledging my presence at all.

To this guard, and the entire city, I am just an anonymous visitor... If the inner city is really invite-only, this explains why they're treating me like this. However, if I were to give them my real identity, that would open up a whole new box of issues I'm not interested in entertaining just yet.

I'm supposed to be captured and dead to the world, along with my teammates handed in to the association. Showing my face inside a secure city filled with guards isn't the right thing to do, even if my name would get me inside the inner walls, letting any rumor of my existence out might not end well.

I nod and slowly back away from the guards, thinking over my predicament.

There may be a way to get into the city without showing ID. I could build a reputation up in the fight arena or maybe start selling and buying very rare items in the auction house. Both of these will surely bring attention to me, but may have their downsides too.

The biggest one being time.

I don't know if my teammates really consentually followed the leader into this place and are just waiting for me to arrive, or if they're stuck behind these walls in trouble.

Putting my index finger and thumb to my chin, I turn around and start to walk back to the moving walkway.

This is going to be tougher than I imagined... I need to think...

As I take a step on, a familiar voice sounds from nearby from the side of one of the unguarded buildings. I turn to see who it is as their words trail closer to me, following me onto the moving platform.

"What business do you have with the Galeheart Mercenary Guild? Whose side are you really on?"

To my surprise, I see the fighter from the Arena that I've been most curious about ever since I left that place. It's Monk.

Gracefully and silently, he comes closer to me with eyes full of curiosity, but with movements not showing any malice at all. The orange attire he wears contrasts the dark grey tones of this portion of the city. He has a small backpack on now that he didn't wear while fighting.

The man sticks out like a sore thumb, but somehow I didn't notice him until now. He must have been following me for quite a while.

My first instinct is to do a full scan of his body and skills, but it instantly comes up the same with a level nearing 700, no skills or buffs, and oddly, still not a hint of mana in his entire being.

I respond.

"There are some people I need to meet behind those walls. I don't work with the guild if that's what you're asking about."

He crosses his arms and nods, staring off into the distance where we're headed, in the direction of the auction house.

There's a pause for about 15 seconds where neither of us say a word, but I speak up.

"So I assume you heard my proposal before I left the monastery. You'd be interested in sharing techniques?"

His eyes look around up in the air and around the tall buildings, then he brings an index finger to his lips.

I let out a sigh and look around in a much slower and less careful manner on the verge of boredom. Just like everyone else in this city, he's acting sketchy too like someone is watching or listening.

Monk responds.

"Come to my home, then we'll talk."

"Sure."

I shrug and agree. I planned on trying to enter before, now that I have an invite it'd be rude not to come over.

We stand in silence for the rest of the walkway's ride, passing tons of skyscrapers, the auction house, and even the exit back into the golden district before wrapping all the way back around to the black pyramid-like temple made of mana-negating stone.

Once both of us step off the moving platform to make our way to the dark hallway, I spot two men in robes disappear into the darkness again after they make eye contact with Monk and bow.

My perception skills are back on full blast as we get closer to the structure.

I'm less than 3 steps behind Monk as he leads the way.

Before I know it, I take a step onto the black stone material and enter the doorway. The moment I do, all of my skills cease to function.

It feels just like the cuffs I had on that blocked all my skills. I don't feel tired or weak, I just cant sense or manipulate any mana in the air. Any and all mana from the city around us disappears from my mind's eye.

Even the wristband around my arm powers down and returns back to its natural transparent state.

I see Monk's wristband do the same, but he doesn't slow down his movements at all. The young man continues walking down the long dark hallway and I question if It's a good idea to follow.