The Guild counter one by one, hunters step forward.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Severed chicken heads roll across long wooden tables—beaks cracked, eyes dull, feathers matted dark.
Medic Bay — Inside the Hall
Sain sits on a bench, jaw tight.
The guild medic works carefully, stitching the torn flesh along his left arm.
Thread pulls through skin.
Sain exhales slowly.
Guild Medic:"Hold still."
Reva stands nearby, arms folded.
Vyan, Maru, Fugu, and Tara approach.
Maru (uneasy):"That looked bad yesterday…"
Vyan studies the wound."You should've let it miss."
Sain smirks faintly."I'll try that next time."
Tara shivers.
Tara:"I thought those things were just jokes at first…"
Fugu nods.
Fugu:"They weren't just strong. They were vicious."
Reva's voice lowers.
Reva:"They targeted fear."
Silence settles again.
The stitching finishes.
Guild Medic:"No heavy strain for a few days."
Sain:"Define heavy."
The medic doesn't answer.
Main Floor — Address by the Guild Master
At the center stands the Guild Master.
Guild Master steps forward, expression lined with fatigue.
Behind him—rows of surviving hunters.
Gaps are visible where people should be.
Guild Master:"First… thank you."
His gaze sweeps the hall.
"You lived."
A pause.
"Many did not."
The weight of it presses down.
Guild Master:"This is the second outbreak in months. First the dog monsters… now this."
Murmurs ripple.
"I do not know what comes next."
That lands heavier than anything.
"But even as our numbers shrink—"
He straightens.
"—we do not lose morale. We protect people. That is who we are."
Scattered nods.
Some determined.
Some tired.
Guild Master:"Rewards will be distributed accordingly for all contributions."
A hunter raises a hand.
Hunter:"What about the meat?"
A few nervous chuckles.
Guild Master sighs.
"The carcasses have been transferred to cold storage. They will be tested for consumption safety."
Another hunter calls out.
"So… edible?"
"Preliminary results suggest high protein content. No detectable toxin."
He pauses.
"But personally… I do not think I will be eating meat for some time."
A few awkward laughs.
"I am simply grateful other livestock—goats, cattle—did not undergo similar mutation."
Someone asks:
"What about pigs? Or animals consumed overseas?"
The Guild Master shakes his head.
"There is no confirmation of other species being affected. Only chickens."
He dismisses the hall.
"Rest. Recover. Stay alert."
After Dismissal — Zodiac Corner
They gather off to the side.
Bete nudges one of the severed heads with his boot.
Bete:"So… if it's safe, are they selling it again?"
Grim shrugs.
Grim:"Eventually."
Fugu crosses his arms.
"I'll wait. Let other people test it first."
Reva nods slightly."Same."
Tara tilts her head.
"Do you think… maybe they turned into monsters because of how humans treat them?"
The thought hangs in the air.
Maru frowns."Cruelty revenge?"
Anya scoffs lightly."Or someone engineered them."
Kaal speaks quietly.
"Artificial sounds more realistic."
Vyan rolls his shoulders.
"Or it's just another outbreak. Like usual."
No one sounds convinced.