Dark Beings.
It was a term Raymond was far too familiar with. His expression remained serene beneath the hood, however his mind was anything but calm.
Among all the enemies that existed in the game, Dark Beings were some of the most troublesome to deal with. They were the chaotic beings that had fallen into madness because of corruption.
Worst of all…they grew stronger at an alarming rate. Raymond remembered countless quests involving them.
Destroying hundreds of villages, massacring adventurer parties. Heck, even some cities and towns had been destroyed by them.
Every major appearance of Dark Beings left bloodshed in its wake. That was why his surprise was so great. They weren't supposed to be active yet.
According to the game's timeline, Dark Beings only began emerging in significant numbers a few years later, shortly before the main story truly began.
'Hm, but that doesn't mean that there had been no appearance…maybe it's one of those. Also, since i haven't heard about this in the game. It may not be that important.' He thought, slowing down his nervous thoughts.
With a soft exhale, he calmed down. Just then, the hall silenced unnaturally. Raymond also felt it. A sharp, huge presence that made one feel insignificantly smaller.
It was a presence on a similar level as Alariv.
A Grandmaster.
Another Grandmaster level being was coming. Raymond turned his head immediately towards the door of the grand hall.
From there a man entered.
He walked with the dignity of a noble yet he had a feral aura around him that made one feel like staring at a wild beast.
He was huge…like literally a size that dwarfed even Alariv. His green hair was long reaching halfway till his back, while his black eyes scanned through the hall as if scanning everyone with a single glance.
He was Kevin Drale…
'Huh? Kevin?' Raymond was bewildered for a moment.
Behind Kevin, several adventurers entered the hall as well. Judging by their equipment and bearing, they were no ordinary adventurers.
As each one of them carried themselves with the confidence of someone who had survived countless battles.
The hall grew quiet.
An awkward tension lingered in the air as everyone watched the two Grandmasters standing opposite each other.
Neither side spoke or moved.
For a few moments, the huge hall became so still that even breathing felt loud. Then…before anyone could understand what had happened, Kevin suddenly vanished.
Raymond's eyes widened. His gaze darted around the hall in disbelief.
'How?'
The man was unusually enormous. His sheer size should have made him impossible to miss. Yet he had disappeared completely.
Not in a blur out a dash but vanish.
Even Raymond, whose eyes had been fixed on him the entire time, had failed to catch even the slightest movement.
Before the crowd could recover from their shock, a booming laugh exploded throughout the guild hall.
"Hahahaha! Alariv, my friend! How much time has passed!" The sudden laughter shattered the tense atmosphere like glass.
Everyone instinctively turned toward the source.
Kevin had somehow appeared directly beside Alariv and not just beside him. Around him.
The giant man had wrapped both arms around the Guildmaster Alariv and pulled him into a crushing embrace.
To the horror and disbelief of everyone watching, Alariv was literally lifted off the ground. His feet dangled helplessly in the air while Kevin laughed loudly, completely unaware of the damage he was causing.
The difference in size between them became painfully obvious.
Kevin's arms looked thick enough to crush stone, and they were currently squeezing Alariv like a favorite stuffed toy.
The Guildmaster's face started turning red. A strained wheeze escaped his mouth as he struggled to breathe.
Then, somehow managing to free one of his arm, he began repeatedly slapping Kevin's shoulder.
"Hey-hey, dumbskull!" Alariv wheezed.
"I can't breathe! S-stop…you're going to kill me!"
Several adventurers immediately looked away, trying their best not to laugh while others failed completely.
Raymond himself had to suppress a smile.
Seeing the ever respected Guildmaster being carried around like a child was not something he had expected to witness today.
Kevin blinked innocently.
"Huh?"
The giant man had finally seemed to realize that something was wrong. Looking down, he noticed Alariv's increasingly purple face.
"Oh."
Without a hint of embarrassment, Kevin immediately loosened his grip. Alariv dropped back onto the floor.
The Guildmaster stumbled backward, coughing violently while taking several deep breaths. For a few moments, he simply stood there trying to recover.
Meanwhile, Kevin scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"Haha…My bad."
The apology sounded sincere. Which somehow made the situation even more ridiculous. Alariv glared at him yet he could only maintain it for three seconds before it broke into a small smirk.
"You're never gonna change." He spoke, shaking his head.
Raymond watched their interaction from a distance, quietly observing the two Grandmasters. Despite their overwhelming strength and status, they looked less like legendary figures and more like old friends who hadn't met in years.
The ease with which they spoke to each other couldn't be faked. It all spoke of a friendship that had endured for a very long time.
A faint smile appeared on Raymond's face.
"This is unexpected... to think I would meet the Beast of Celendria this early."
His voice was barely above a whisper. Yet the surprise in his heart was genuine.
Kevin Draven.
The Beast of Celendria.
That title wasn't simply given because he was strong. This man was a monster even among monsters.
In the game, Kevin had been one of the strongest warriors of the Grand Duchy. His raw physical strength bordered on absurdity, and his combat record was enough to make seasoned veterans shudder.
Entire battlefields had been turned upside down by his presence alone. Many players considered him one of the most intimidating human characters in the story.
Which he was actually if you are the enemy. However if you are friend… then this beast was one of the best people you can have to protect yourself.