CHAPTER 1 — THE FIRST STEP INTO OLD TOKYO

The Guild Hall was alive with noise—boots clattering against marble, the smell of metal and magic thick in the air, and the constant hum of holographic mission boards flashing new quests.
Among the crowd, one woman stood out—not because of power, but because of her impatience.

“Come on! Come on! How long does it take to verify one name!?”

Her voice echoed across the lobby, drawing a few chuckles and sighs from nearby adventurers.
The woman pacing in front of the registration counter had striking white hair tied with a crimson ribbon, her mismatched eyes—one red, one blue—shining with restless energy.
Her armor gleamed white and silver, marked with DPS class insignias.

The receptionist, a calm young woman with chestnut hair and golden eyes, finally looked up from her screen.

“Shion Hanabira!” she called out.

Shion stopped mid-step.
“Yes, that’s me! I’m coming!” she answered quickly, nearly tripping over her own excitement as she reached the counter.

The receptionist smiled as she handed over a digital badge, the guild’s emblem softly glowing.
“Your name is beautiful, Miss Hanabira. I hope you never change it. Congratulations—starting today, you are an official Adventurer of the Crimson Dawn registry.
But…” she paused, tapping her pen lightly, “you’ll still need a Party before you can take on official missions.”

Shion tilted her head. “A Party, huh? I can manage that.”

“I hope your first quest isn’t too difficult,” the receptionist added gently.

“Too difficult?” Shion grinned, her mismatched eyes gleaming with fire. “That’s exactly what I’m hoping for!
I’ll take the hardest quest there is and prove to my brother that I can stand on my own.”

The receptionist’s smile faltered just slightly.
“That’s admirable, but please… be careful. Many adventurers have gone missing lately—especially those exploring the Old Tokyo Dungeon.
For the last three months, we’ve received nothing but disappearance reports.”

The words hung heavy in the air.
For a moment, Shion said nothing. Her excitement dimmed just enough for a shadow of unease to cross her face.

“I see…” she murmured softly, sitting down at a nearby bench. Her fingers traced the edge of her new badge.

Then, a voice broke through the quiet.

“Hey, you’re new, right? Name’s Shin. You looking for a Party?”

Shion looked up. The man before her had a friendly grin, black hair tied back under his hood, and light armor strapped across his chest.
Behind him stood two other adventurers—an elf woman with emerald hair and sharp golden eyes, and a smaller human girl clutching a staff.

“Join us,” Shin continued, extending his hand. “Our team’s called The Goose. We could use one more member.”

Shion blinked, surprised, then smiled brightly.
“Join your Party? Of course! That’s exactly what I was hoping for!” she said eagerly, gripping his hand with both of hers.

Shin laughed. “That’s the spirit! Let me introduce everyone—this is Wanda, our elf archer and secondary wizard.
And that’s Ayano, our buffer and healer. She’s got a rare blessing from the Soul Church’s magic division.”

Ayano gave a shy nod, her silver hair glinting under the lights.

“So now we’re four,” Shin said proudly. “Perfect for a full Dungeon entry. We’re heading into Old Tokyo tomorrow—the underground ruins beneath the old train lines.
According to reports, it’s mostly weak mobs. Easy work for a starting team.”

Shion nodded enthusiastically.
“Then let’s take it! I’ll prove that The Goose can handle anything!”

Laughter and chatter filled the Guild again as their names were logged for mission approval.
None of them noticed the faint flicker of red flashing across the holographic map above—the warning marker over Old Tokyo blinking like a heartbeat.

Meanwhile, several kilometers away in a fortified command center, alarms began to sound.

“Commander Natsu!” a TAD officer shouted. “Unauthorized movement detected—four Adventurers have entered the Old Tokyo sector without clearance!”

Commander Ishimura Natsu, a man with sharp gray eyes and a scar running across his jaw, slammed his fist against the desk.

“Damn it. Not now…” he hissed, his voice low but furious.
“Mobilize a surveillance unit. If they’ve gone into that Dungeon, we may already be too late.”

Another officer hesitated, glancing at a secondary report.
“Sir… there’s more. A witness spotted a masked individual near the Old Tokyo entrance. Eyes glowing red.”

Natsu froze. His expression hardened like steel.

“...The Revenant.”

He exhaled slowly, the hum of sirens echoing through the command room.
“Prepare the TAD units. I don’t care what it takes—track him down.”

The rain began to fall outside the base, tapping faintly against the glass.
And somewhere beneath the city—
in the darkness of Old Tokyo—
a faint crimson glow flickered like the pulse of something awakening.

The hunt had already begun.