The Hunter Monarch

The air in Zhao Hu's private lounge, located on the top floor of the Tiger's Fury guild barracks, was thick with the scent of expensive sandalwood incense and smug satisfaction. It was a room designed to project power, a chamber of dark, polished wood and brushed steel that offered a panoramic, floor-to-ceiling view of the glittering city. This was Zhao Hu's sanctuary, his war room.

He sat in a high-backed chair carved from the lacquered bone of some great beast, the wooden box containing the Transit Hex resting on the polished table before him. He ran a gauntleted finger over its strange, unsettling surface. The box was a promise. An answer. Before him stood the five senior members of his core party: Bao, the hulking Tank; Jin-ho, the cunning Archer; the ruthless assassin twins, Lin and Feng; and a burly brawler named Kai.

"The pieces are in place," Zhao Hu announced, his voice a low purr of contentment. With a flick of his wrist, a holographic display behind him sprang to life, showing a detailed, three-dimensional tactical map of the Hunter Plaza's Northern Sector. "The stage is the C-Rank Door. The time is dawn."

He magnified the image. "The summons will delay Su Wan, but we must assume the rest of her pathetic team will be there with the Zero. This is good. It makes them predictable," he said, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "Our initial approach remains the same. We surround them. We taunt them. We focus our words on the Zero. Chen will get defensive. Li Mei will get angry. They will close ranks around their weak link, forming a tight, protective cluster. We will use their loyalty to bunch them up exactly where we want them, with their backs to the portal."

He continued, his voice weaving the more complex strategy. "The trigger remains Su Wan's arrival. The moment we see her rushing across the plaza, the final act begins. Lin, Feng," he addressed the assassin twins, "your diversion is now even more critical. It's not for the guards; it's for them. A [Smoke-Burst Arrow] at their feet. [Sparksong] in their eyes. For one second, Chen, Li Mei, and Tao must be blinded, disoriented, their vision of Lin Yu completely obscured."

His gaze swept over his other men. "This must be a flawless, three-pronged strike. Bao, your job is unchanged. You intercept Su Wan. You are her wall. See her coming, 'stumble' into her path, block her sprint, even for a moment."

He then looked at Kai, the brawler. "Kai, your target is the Paladin, Chen. The moment the smoke bursts, you will shove a nearby bystander—some random rookie looking for a mission—directly into him. Create a momentary obstacle. We need his shield out of the play and his attention diverted."

Finally, he locked eyes with Jin-ho, his most trusted lieutenant. "That leaves a one-second window. The party is blind, Su Wan is blocked, Chen is dealing with a civilian. Lin Yu will be momentarily exposed. That is your opening, Jin-ho. You apply the Hex. Then you shove him through. It must be a single, fluid motion. Lunge, slap, push. Before their vision clears, before anyone knows what happened, he will be gone."

He leaned back, satisfied, a masterful conductor outlining his symphony. "They will be left in utter confusion. Su Wan will arrive to see her team disorganized, a civilian complaining about being assaulted, and the Zero… vanished. A tragic accident in the chaos. Flawless." He smiled. "I will not be involved in the final act. I will be the concerned party leader, ten feet away, watching the 'unfortunate' series of events unfold. Plausible deniability is everything."

He stood up and began to pace, too energized by his own brilliance to remain seated. "This is no longer just about petty revenge. This is about order. He is a flaw in the System," Zhao Hu said, his voice dropping to a near-whisper, as if speaking a profound truth. "A walking error that insults the very nature of our world with his continued existence. Tomorrow, we will perform a system correction. We will delete the error."

He paused, turning to face them, his expression one of absolute finality. "Go. Rest. Go over your parts until you can perform them in your sleep. I want this to be a flawless performance tomorrow."

His members gave a single, unified nod and filed out of the room, a silent pack of predators with a shared, bloody purpose. Zhao Hu was left alone, the holographic map of the plaza glowing softly, illuminating the cold, triumphant smile on his face. He had done more than just plot a murder. He had crafted a masterpiece of betrayal.

He turned from the table and walked to the massive window, looking down upon the river of lights that was the city at its heart. The countless people below were like ants, insignificant and unaware of the grand, terrible events that were about to be set in motion by his will alone. He imagined Su Wan's face, not filled with the warmth he coveted, but twisted in horror and grief. The thought was more satisfying than any victory in any Layer.

His gaze shifted, seeming to focus on a distant, insignificant part of the city—the dark, outer district where his target now stood, surrounded by friends but utterly, hopelessly doomed.

"I can't wait to see the hope drain from your eyes, Zero," he whispered to the glass, his breath fogging a small patch of the perfect view. "Just before your world comes to an end."