Episode 20
Scene 1 – Mr. Rael's Room | Morning
(The door bursts open. Vanya rushes in, breathless. Mr. Rael stands silently by the window, sunlight casting a sharp glint across his glasses.)
Vanya (urgent):
"Mr. Rael… I overheard Grake speaking to someone. The Guild Hunters have arrived—and he informed someone named Renji!"
(Mr. Rael turns slowly, his eyes narrowing. His composed expression tightens with concern.)
Mr. Rael (tense):
"Renji… that name again."
(He swiftly grabs his coat.)
Mr. Rael:
"Come. We must inform Kaen Voss—immediately."
(The two exit briskly, footsteps echoing as they head toward the Guildmaster's office.)
Scene 2 – Eastern Jungle | Danger Awakens
(The Guild Hunters move silently through the dense jungle. A thick mist clings to the air. Suddenly, Rika halts mid-step.)
Rika (focused):
"…There are traps here."
Mr. Ryden (cautioning):
"Stay close, everyone. This area is rigged."
(Without warning, six razor-sharp blades shoot from the trees behind them—blindingly fast. The team reacts instantly—dodging, blocking, deflecting. The blades slice through air and bark but hit no target.)
Mr. Ryden (commanding):
"Who's there?! Show yourself!"
(A female voice replies mockingly from behind.)
??? (teasing):
"You're in the wrong place, hunters."
(The group spins around. A young woman in a sleek black outfit stands atop a boulder, her eyes glinting with mischief.)
Ame (coldly):
"Who are you?"
Yumi (smirking):
"That's not your concern. I'm just here to slow you down… maybe even fight, if needed."
Ame (analyzing):
"You're not the one we're after."
Yumi (grinning):
"Sharp. Very sharp."
(Suddenly, another voice—deep, calm—echoes from the shadows.)
Renji (emerging):
"She's right… but I am the one you're looking for."
(They turn as Renji steps from a shadowed trail. The ground trembles. In an instant, thick smoke erupts from beneath the soil, clouding everything. When it clears—Renji and Yumi are gone.)
Scene 3 – Hidden Cavern | Escape & Strategy
(Renji and Yumi move quickly through a dim passage, eventually slowing as they reach a hidden cavern deep underground.)
Renji (relieved):
"That was close. Thanks, Yumi."
Yumi (alert):
"We can't stay here long. Someone in their group may be able to trace aura patterns. You'll need to set up a poison blade shield."
Renji (nodding):
"On it."
(He kneels, carving a precise pattern into the earth. Placing his palm over it, a toxic energy glows and manifests into a circular, spinning shield around the cavern's edge.)
Renji:
"There. Between the shield and my illusion, they won't track us now."
Yumi (blunt):
"You should've thought of this sooner. They never should've gotten that close."
(She turns away, then pauses.)
Yumi:
"Either way, we need to head toward City Lyscaria."
Scene 4 – Eastern Jungle | Trail Grows Cold
(Back in the jungle, the Guild Hunters push past the remaining traps. Rika clears a path while Ame concentrates, trying to sense any lingering aura.)
Ame (frustrated):
"I've lost their signal… they've cloaked themselves."
Mr. Ryden (grimly):
"They've vanished."
Kaito (analyzing):
"Judging by the faint trail… they're likely heading to City Lyscaria."
Takeshi (resolute):
"Then that's where we go."
(The team nods. They regroup and begin moving swiftly through the forest, their course now clear. The screen fades.)
[To be continued…]