Judas Belt Trial — What?! (and the Guild Debt)

Chapter Fourteen: Judas Belt Trial — What?! (and the Guild Debt)In fairy tales, heroes slay dragons with holy swords. In retail, you solve problems with noise complaints and chemical deterrents. Same energy, different insurance premiums.Yara sniffed the air, her ears pinned back against her skull.“Nothing,” she hissed. “The monster’s riding the wind currents. It’s smart.”Tak’s eyes widened, his grip tightening on his kalis. “By Rory’s beard—Shadow Longstride? Here? In the outer rim?”“Translation?” I whispered, crouching low behind a fern.“Crystal-tier,” Tak said, sweat beading on his forehead. “They hunt in pairs. They eat magic. We can’t outrun them.”From the dark, a towering shape stepped forward. It looked like a horse that had been drowned in tar and resurrected by nightmares. Its hide was slick and black, its mane glowing a sickly, radioactive gray. A low rumble rolled through the trees, vibrating in my chest cavity.Then, another roar answered from behind us.We were surrounded.The forest went still. Even the crickets, usually the forest's most annoying hype-men, shut up. The Longstride circled, saliva hissing where it hit the dying embers of our campfire.Tak’s gaze flicked from me to Mina, then to the path behind us.“We can’t win,” he murmured. “Not this fight. Not with a civilian.”He inhaled, steadying himself. The goofy ‘Golden Retriever’ energy was gone, replaced by the steel of a Vanguard.“Yara, Mina, Pepito—when I give the signal, you run East. Past the ridge. Don’t look back. Daks and I will buy you time.”“No!” Yara snapped, baring her fangs. “I can fight—”“That’s an order!” Tak roared. “We can’t let them eat us and the merchant! We hold the line!”He raised his kalis, ready to charge—heroic, futile, and very final.“Wait!” I shouted, my voice cracking. “Buy time? You mean die! That’s a terrible business plan!”Through the panic, the voice of Ninang Josie—my godmother and the terrifying matriarch of the wet market—drifted into my brain, calm as ever:In desperate times, hijo, all you need is a little noise and a lot of spice.“Noise and spice,” I muttered, heart pounding against my ribs like a trapped bird. “Okay, Ninang. Let’s go.”“BEP!” I hissed. “Weaknesses—mabilis!”[ANALYSIS: Shadow Longstride.][Processing… Done.][Weak Points: Auditory and Olfactory systems. They navigate via echolocation and mana-scent.][Vulnerability: Extreme sensitivity to high-decibel sound and Capsaicin-based irritants.]My panic snapped into focus. A grin—manic and terrified—stretched across my face.“Tak! Hold your position!” I yelled. “I don’t have a weapon—I have a distraction. A big one. Forget the sacrifice play.”Tak stared at me. “Pepito, what are you—”“Trust me! Mina—I need ice between us and them. Make it slick! Yara—one arrow, loud as you can make it. Padre… pray.”I swallowed and whispered to the phone in my hand.“BEP—retrieve Protocol: New Year’s Eve.”Light rippled as I reached into the Tampipi space. My hand closed around something heavy, coiled, and wrapped in red paper.A Sinturón ni Hudas. The "Judas Belt."A string of illegal firecrackers thick enough to wake the dead and scare away evil spirits (and stray dogs) for three blocks.I lit both ends with my windproof lighter. The fuses hissed—a spark of angry promise.“FIRE IN THE HOLE!”I hurled them—one string toward each beast’s hooves.Fsssssss—BOOM—CRACK—POW—BANG! BRRRRRT-BAM-BAM-BAM!The night detonated.It sounded like a machine gun duel inside a tin can. Flashes of gunpowder light strobed through the clearing, turning the monsters into jerky, terrifying silhouettes. Smoke—thick, sulfurous, and choking—flooded the air.The Shadow Longstrides shrieked. It wasn't a roar; it was a sound of pure agony. Their sensitive ears, tuned for hearing heartbeats, were suddenly assaulted by the sonic equivalent of a heavy metal concert inside a blender. They reeled, thrashing, slamming into trees.“Now! Pepper spray—Sabre 3-in-1, dual wield!” I yelled.Two canisters shimmered into existence in my hands. I charged into the smoke.“Put—nang—nyo! Not tonight! Feel the power of Pasig self-defense technology!”I emptied a can into the first Longstride’s snout and eyes. An orange cloud of concentrated misery enveloped its face.The monster thrashed, blinded, clawing at the dirt, sneezing violent bursts of shadow-flame. The second one staggered, nostrils burning, head whipping side to side.“Status!” I shouted, coughing in the sulfur smoke.[BEP: Targets incapacitated.][Sensory overload confirmed.][Window for execution: 90 seconds.][User, you are currently 400% more aggressive than usual. I approve.]Tak didn’t hesitate. The shock wore off instantly.“Run? No, pare,” he growled, raising his sword. “We finish this! Daks! Yara—rear target! Mina—ice, now!”Frost flashed across the clearing, freezing the ground beneath the blinded monsters. They slipped, crashing down like felled towers. Yara’s arrows cut through the smoke, finding the gaps in the armor. Tak’s kalis fell like a star.Schlick.The Loot & The LogistcsSilence returned to the forest.It was broken only by the crackling of embers, our ragged breathing, and the faint smell of gunpowder and chili.The Shadow Longstrides lay still—massive, terrible, and defeated.Tak leaned on his blade, chest heaving. He stared at me like I’d grown another head.“What in the blazes was that?” he breathed. “You fought Crystal-tier monsters with… exploding paper? And spicy air?”“The spice is a trade secret,” I said, wiping sweat (and probably gunpowder residue) from my eyes. “And the paper… well, we use it to scare away bad luck back home. Turns out, it scares away monsters too.”We worked quickly. The adrenaline was fading, replaced by the grim realization of what we had just killed.Iron-hard hides. Glowing tusks. Pulsing shadow-cores.Daks hefted a slab of meat the size of a car door. “Premium grade. This meat regenerates mana. It’s worth a fortune in the Capital. But…” He looked at the massive carcasses. “It’s too heavy. We can’t carry even a quarter of this back to the boat. We’ll have to leave the rest for the scavengers.”Tak sighed, looking pained. “What a waste. That’s at least twenty gold coins rotting in the dirt.”I smirked. I adjusted my glasses.“Leave it?” I asked. “Tak, my friend, you underestimate the power of inventory management.”I raised my phone.“BEP—open spatial inventory. Batch collect.”[INITIATING COLLECTION.]A blue grid scanned over the carcasses. Light shimmered.Zwoop.The entire haul—tons of meat, bone, and hide—vanished instantly. The clearing was empty, save for the bloodstains.Tak went very, very still.Mina dropped her staff.“That wasn’t magic,” Tak said slowly. “That was… illegal. That has to be illegal.”“It’s logistics,” I said, shrugging. “Just your friendly neighborhood Pasig trickster.”I lay back on my blanket, the adrenaline finally crashing. The stars above looked strangely kind.[BEP: Good work, Pepito. You did not faint.][Total revenue potential: Massive.]“Tell Ninang Josie,” I mumbled, drifting into sleep, “the noise-and-spice trick worked.”The legend of the Fire Merchant was growing—and this time, I felt like I actually belonged in the party.The inventory secret was out. The cat wasn’t just out of the bag—it was doing laps around the campfire.The ReturnThe next two days felt like a dream we’d earned.The tension that once clung to our shoulders had shattered—replaced by laughter, teasing, and a running debate over what to call our little adventure group.The consensus? "Tondo Survival Tech." (Yara voted for "The Spicy Boys," but was vetoed).We found the silvery herbs we’d been searching for—now easy to spot without the fear of death gnawing at our necks.I grinned at my phone screen.“BEP, what’s the mass?”[BEP: Calculating...][2× Shadow Longstride (disassembled).][Total reagent mass: 1,380 kg.][Total volume: 8.5 cubic meters.]Tak burst out laughing. A wild, joyous, we-are-so-rich kind of laugh.“Alright! We’re buying the good ale tonight! And maybe new boots!”By the afternoon of the third day, our little boat glided into Sarimanok Harbor.The sun was warm, the water gentle—and the mood, triumphant. Tak and Daks rowed with the swagger of men who’d wrestled monsters and lived to brag about it.Then I saw her.A small figure waiting on the pier. And a blue streak swooping around her head.“Kuya Pepito!”Squawk!Marikit came running, Kapitan perched on her shoulder. She was beaming, bouncing, and bright as home itself. She skidded to a stop and grabbed my hand, her grin practically glowing.“Welcome back!” she squealed, clutching my hand tight. “We sold seventeen lighters and a solar fan! And Kapitan only bit one customer!”“Yo,” Tak said, smirking as he tied off the boat. “Is that your daughter?”“She’s my Assistant Manager,” I replied, deadpan.Tak crouched to her level. “Nice to meet you, little miss. Looks like we’ll be dropping by your boss’s shop a lot. He’s crazy, but he cooks good food.”Marikit puffed her chest proudly.“We… look forward to your continued patronage, esteemed sir adventurer!”Tak wheezed. “She’s so hired.”“I’ll head to the shop later,” I told her. “I have to help them carry the… invisible cargo to the Guild.”“I’ll hold the fort!” she said, skipping off toward the marketplace.We watched her go. Safe. Happy.“Alright,” I said, turning to the team. “Let’s go give Tina the good news.”The Debt CollectorWe headed straight for the Whispering Seagulls Guild—still the same sagging, dusty building with a charm that smelled like beer and bad decisions.Tak pushed the door open, a grin plastered on his face.“Hey Tina! We’re back! Mission complete! And you are not going to believe the loot haul—”The cheer died instantly.The silence in the room was heavy enough to crush bone.Tina was on her knees.“Please, Master Madrigal!” she sobbed, her voice cracking. “Just give me more time! Please! A week! A month!”The old man standing over her didn’t move. His robes gleamed like molten silver, and his expression was carved from stone.The warmth of home vanished—replaced by something colder. Something dangerous.Tina’s plea was a raw, frayed whisper, catching in the dust motes dancing through the stale air. She was on the grimy floorboards, her fox ears—usually so perky and scheming—drooped like a soggy dishcloth left out in the rain.“I just need a little more time,” she managed. “I... I should have it by next month.”“Next month?”The man towering over her spoke with the kind of authority that could silence a tavern brawl. He was draped in silk, and his posture screamed predator. His face was hard, sharp, and utterly unforgiving—like expired hopia left to fossilize in a display case.The scent of cold coin and old parchment clung to him—merciless, sterile, unyielding.My phone buzzed in my pocket. I palmed it, keeping my voice low.[BEP: Scanning...][Subject: Egay Madrigal.][Occupation: Moneylender (Predatory).][Designation: Head of Merchant/Lending Operations of Sarimanok.][Threat Level: Financial (Extreme).][Analysis: He is enjoying this.]“Next month,” Egay repeated, voice like crushed ice. “I’ve already waited a year, Miss Tina, for your guild to pay back the fifteen Ginto you owe me. I’m not leaving until I get what I’m owed.”“The guild’s... in a bit of a tight spot—” Tina began.“That does not concern me.” He flicked a dismissive hand. “Where is your Guild Master? Fetch him. I am done dealing with subordinates.”Tina froze. All color drained from her face.“He... passed,” she whispered. “And the Vice-Guild Master is... missing.”Egay blinked, the first flicker of genuine surprise cracking through his stone mask. “What? The Guild Master passed away and the Vice—?”“—Stuffed his pockets with every coin in the vault and disappeared,” Tina said hollowly, eyes locked on the floor.Silence. The kind that stings your ears.Egay’s expression shifted from annoyed to vulture-like.“So you don’t have any coin. Not even a single Tanso?”“Not even a Tanso,” she said weakly.“Fine.” He straightened, tone cold and clinical. “The contract allows repayment in material goods. Surely you’ve got monster parts. Artifacts.”Tina flinched. “Actually... we’re out of those too. We sold the furniture last week.”For a moment, I thought she might just collapse right there—like gravity itself was giving up on her.I couldn’t stop myself.“She’s telling the truth,” I said, stepping forward.The air in the hall went still. Egay’s head turned toward me, eyes narrowing into knives.“And who, precisely,” he said, his tone dripping with contempt, “might you be?”[BEP: Analysis][Query: Is this a “Bombay 5-6” situation or a legitimate debt collection?]I sighed through my nose. “A client,” I said, stepping forward—Alimpatak flanking me like a silent, heavily-armed wall of confusion.“Everyone in town knows,” Tak cut in with a shrug, hand resting on his pommel. “The Whispering Seagulls is bankrupt. We’re the last party they had.”[BEP: Analysis complete.][Legitimate loan. Origin: Lukas Moran, Late Guild Master.][Transfer rights: Egay Madrigal.]So it was real. Not some back-alley scam. A legal execution.“Name’s Pepito,” I said, forcing a calm smile. “Merchant. Like yourself.”That made him pause. Merchant to merchant—same language, different ethics. His eyes flickered with interest, then settled into that smug curve only lenders have when they smell negotiation.“The deadline was a year ago,” Egay said, producing a rolled parchment from his robes. “No payments. No interest covered. And now, no collateral but this creaky building.”[BEP: Scanning parchment...][Loan Type: High-interest (30%), compounded quarterly.][Clause: Asset forfeiture upon default.][Current Debt: 15 Ginto.][Status: Total default.]“Fetch the deed, Miss Tina,” Egay said.“Please,” Tina begged, clutching his hem. “Just a little more time. I’ve made too many memories here.”“Memories?” Egay scoffed, shaking her off. “You can’t pay with nostalgia, girl.”Tina pushed herself up, wiping her face on her sleeve. Her ears quivered.“Even a fox girl like me found a home here,” she said, her voice trembling. “It was the first place I felt I belonged. I won’t let it go.”It wasn’t a speech meant to move mountains. It was raw. Quiet. Honest.I remembered Lola Ynez. Her sampaguita-scented hugs. The way she’d call the Espiritu house “bahay natin, kahit sira na” (our house, even if it's broken).That kind of love doesn’t fade. It roots.But Egay didn’t care.“Touching story,” he said coldly. “Now hand me the deed.”Tina’s shoulders sagged. The light in her eyes dimmed. “Alright,” she whispered, turning to fetch the papers that would sign her home away.Gone. Just like that.I couldn’t let it happen.“Wait,” I said.Everyone turned to me.Egay’s expression was somewhere between annoyance and amusement. “Do you have something useful to add, young man?”I slipped my phone into my palm. BEP hummed softly.Yeah. Maybe I did.“BEP,” I whispered to my phone. “Total market value of the Longstride loot. Right now.”[BEP: Calculating... 1,380 kg of Crystal-Rank Shadow Longstride reagents.][Base value: ~50 Ginto.][Current market (Sarimanook scarcity): ~70 Ginto.][User, you are holding a literal gold mine.]I took a deep breath. "Tina—don't hand over those papers just yet."I stepped into the center of the room, pulled out my phone, and tapped the Tampipi app.“BEP. Retrieve Item Lot: Shadow Longstride. Fifty percent sample.”A shimmer of blue light. A low whoosh.THUD.A pile of Shadow Longstride hide so black it drank the light appeared on the floor. Then a stack of razor-sharp hooves. Then, with a wet, heavy sound, a massive slab of crimson, shadow-infused meat.The scent of premium meat, blood, and raw mana filled the guild hall like a declaration of war.Tak, Daks, and Yara froze. They’d seen me cook it—but seeing the pile here, in the light, was different.Egay Madrigal choked on his own spit. His nostrils flared like a hound catching the scent of gold.“Is that… Shadow Longstride meat?! That’s a Crystal-Rank kill! Premium grade!”His stone-cold poise shattered, replaced by pure, twitching greed.“I’ll buy it!” he barked, stepping over Tina. “I’ll buy it all right now! Name your price, Mr. Pepito!”I held up a hand.“Appreciate the offer, Mr. Madrigal… but I’d like to sell it to the Whispering Seagulls Guild first.”I turned to Tina.Her ears perked straight up. Her eyes glistened, wide as Ginto coins.“So? Will you take it?” I asked.“But… Mr. Pepito… the guild has no funds. I can’t pay you.”“I know,” I said. “Which is why you don’t need to pay me now. I’ll sell you the entire haul. On credit. Payable whenever the Guild is back on its feet.”I winked. “I trust you.”[BEP: Strategic move. User is creating a debtor relationship with the Guild, securing a long-term, high-value business partner. Cunning. I approve.]That broke her. Tears slipped free, shoulders lifting like she’d finally remembered how to breathe.“NO!” Egay roared. “Miss Tina—don't listen to him! I’ll buy it! Thirty Ginto coins! Right now! Cash!”He slammed a heavy pouch on the counter.[BEP: 30 Ginto is a 40% lowball.]Tina wiped her face and inhaled slowly. She looked at me. I gave her a tiny nod—steady, calm, sure.She turned to Egay, tail flicking once. The sadness was gone. The fox was back.“Thirty-five Ginto,” she said.Egay flinched. “That’s robbery!”“For a full haul of Crystal-Rank reagents? It’s a bargain,” Tina said, channeling her inner scheming vixen. “And that’s just for half.”Egay growled, but greed always wins. “Fine. Thirty-five!”“You are deducting the fifteen Ginto I owe you from that, of course?” she added sweetly.“I— Yes. Of course.”“Then you’ll be paying me the remaining twenty Ginto. In full.”She held out her hand.Egay, purple with fury, dropped two more coin pouches with shaking hands. Tina took them like a queen claiming her crown.Tak grinned. “Hey, uh… we also happen to have some Shadow Longstride parts. Wanna buy those, too?”Tina smirked. “Up front payment, Tak.”His cut came to 38 Ginto. Egay bought everything. His porters staggered under the haul, and then—just like that—he was gone.Silence. Then Tina let out a shaky laugh, wiping her eyes.“Did… did that just happen?”I smiled. “Not yet. One more thing.”I pulled my phone out again. “BEP, display the original loan contract.”A parchment flared to life above my palm via hologram.“Clause Eight,” I read aloud. “If a debt balance is offset by verified exchange exceeding owed sum, the contract shall dissolve in the presence of witnesses.”Tak, Yara, and Daks all leaned in, eyes wide. Tina’s lips parted.I glanced at her. “You just overpaid, Miss Tina. Consider your guild free.”[BEP: Confirmed. Debt cleared. Contract nullified. Witnesses logged.]The holographic parchment shimmered, then burst into a thousand specks of light — scattering like fireflies before fading.Tina pressed a hand over her chest. Her tail curled, trembling.“The guild… it’s ours again?”I nodded. “No one’s taking it from you now.”She laughed through her tears, breath catching on a name.“Lakanbini Susan… you told me to wait for a tide. I think this is it.”The Whispering Seagulls had their dawn.And I? Well, I had a Guild Master who owed me a very, very big favor.Author's Note:The Judas Belt: Sinturón ni Hudas. A staple of Filipino New Year. It is loud, dangerous, and absolutely effective against shadow monsters with sensitive hearing.The Deal: Pepito didn't just pay the debt; he empowered Tina to pay it herself. This establishes him not as a savior, but as a partner.Next Chapter: The aftermath. Counting the gold. And... is that a Guild renovation project I smell?- Author