The Seven Demon's Tamer

"Just in case you want to know," Ming Fan continued, his eyes meeting Ryder's through the side mirror of the Lamborghini after they had all entered through the open doors, "whoever joins the Red Eastern guild automatically begins at the lowest rank, being Fan, no matter the strength of the person's familiar."

Leo shifted uncomfortably in the back seat, the leather making soft creaking sounds due to his movement. "Why are you telling us this? It sounds like you're trying to lower our expectations... or tell us about something."

Ming Fan's grip on the steering wheel tightened almost unnoticeably, a subtle sign of tension that only Leo noticed thanks to his keen silver gaze.

"Master Sung ordered me and all the necessary board members that if you ever change your mind about joining the Red Eastern guild as a recruit and official member instead of just a partner or ally, you must automatically begin at the Tian rank."

"I already made up my mind. I am joining the guild as an ally just to get extra hands in searching for my father and the culprit responsible for my mother's death," Ryder scoffed, his resolve as hard as rock.

"But I can offer your guild a very valuable and priceless member right here." He jerked his thumb toward Brok, who was sitting quietly in the back seat. "Isn't that right, Brok?"

"I'll hate to disappoint you, but we outrightly reject your considerate offer," Ming Fan responded firmly, not even removing his gaze from the road.

A drooling stream extended from Brok's nose as he felt the sharp pain in his heart from being so brutally rejected.

"Oh right," Brok muttered under his breath. "Thanks for that wonderful endorsement."

All Leo could do was chuckle at the exchange, shaking his head as he silently listened.

Ming Fan took a sharp turn that pressed them all against their seats.

"There's been... developments since the Ludlow incident," Ming Fan said carefully, his choice of words being reconsidered before he got to utter them.

"The appearance of a black marked familiar has attracted attention from the very top of our hierarchy."

"You're talking about the Sen, aren't you?" Brok, who had remained relatively silent until now and was still nursing his wounded pride from Ming Fan's dismissive rejection, finally spoke up.

Ming Fan's eyes' reflection in the rearview mirror showed the faintest hint of surprise at Brok's perceptiveness before he responded.

"Perceptive," Ming Fan acknowledged. "Yes, one of the Sen has found some... interest in you, Ryder."

"Oh great," Ryder stressed, running a hand through his hair anxiously. "I haven't even gotten to the base and I'm already capturing the interest of a high ranking member from the Red Eastern guild."

He leaned back in his seat, staring at the ceiling of the Lamborghini with a resigned sigh. "I guess the drama continues. When does it ever end?"

Mara, who had remained silent for most of the journey, finally spoke up with a question of her own as well. "If Ryder is automatically going to be placed in the Tian rank should he choose to join, why shouldn't we also be placed there too?"

Her voice carried a note of challenge that surprised even her, but she didn't make it too apparent. "I remember this request clearly, and if I am right, Ryder requested that we should be treated with equal treatment as him.

If he's to be placed in the Tian if he chooses to join the guild, then we should be as well."

"I thought Master Sung had given you the principle of equality," Ming Fan spoke, his professional composure breaking as a smug smile escaped his lips. "I guess you are a slow learner."

"It doesn't work like that," Ming Fan continued.

He adjusted his rearview mirror slightly, making sure he could see all of their faces as he explained. "We will be placing you at the bottom while Ryder at the top, and guess what? It is equal treatment in the truest sense."

"To be honest, you are the lowest here if we are to judge by appropriate standards. Even Leo, who is just an ordinary human without any familiar, is respected far more than you based purely on his reputation."

"Despite not being a summoner," Ming Fan continued, "Leo could still claim a decent spot—maybe at Luo rank—based purely on his capabilities in dealing with summoners regardless of their rank. He is the summoner slayer after all, and one of the main reasons I have my guard up right now."

"Master Sung accepted to bring you into the guild; that's quite a huge favor, don't you think?" He averted his gaze to the road and continued. "However, this would be my conclusion if he placed you all under my care, or the care of any of the board members.

If he personally chooses to administer you all himself, I bet this would go your way."

After what seemed like an eternity of endless driving, the car finally began to approach a building that appeared through the trees ahead. The structure was honestly quite small, much smaller than any of them had expected, which made them all wonder where exactly this was.

They had been half-expecting to be taken to maybe a station where they would eventually be transported to the Red Eastern guild headquarters, or at least some kind of impressive facility that would give them their first taste of the guild's power and resources.

The Red Eastern guild was clearly not a guild built on this side of the world—even someone oblivious to guild-related matters would be able to tell that it was an Eastern guild with their main base in Japan.

So what was all this supposed to mean? He deliberately took them far from the living area into the woods, instead of taking them to a station or at least to Master Sung.

Was he perhaps... trying to... abduct them?

Their eyes widened as they realized simultaneously.

---