Four | New CEO of IPT Guild (4)

LIMA Hotel

Lipa, Batangas

December 2045

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After the ominous event, Ace felt really drained that day. But he cannot remove from his mind what happened. So he went at the rooftop of the hotel to get some fresh air. Along him, he brought a bottle of whiskey and a shotglass

"Vince..." Ace muttered as he drank down a shot glass of whiskey.

"Oh, there was already someone here?" An old man in suit also entered the rooftop. He has also a bottle of drink with him, though it was a rather strong brand.

"Do you mind?" The old man asked.

"No, no. You can freely join me." Ace offered. 'It will help me distract better anyways' he thought.

"Do you want to join me enjoy this strong drink?" The old man offered Ace his bottle.

"Oh, thank you." Ace politely extended his arms toward the offered bottle and the old man poured him.

"Cheers to our sad phase!" The old man clinked his glass towarss Ace's glass.

"Are you here because of some problems also?" Ace can't help but be intrigued.

"Hmmm... A bit." The old man scratched his face. "I mean, just look at that."

The old man pointed at the distance. As Ace followed the direction if his hand, his jaw immediately dropped.

"What.... is that?!" Ace shouted after seeing the humungous appearance of a gate. It is towering in size. It is larger than the hotel he is in heck even taller than the mountain in Cuenca, Batangas.

"Oh? Is this your first time seeing a gate?" The old man poured and drink another shot.

"Grandpa, believe me or not but I have fifteen years of experience as a hunter. Never once did I saw that large of a gate! Not even the S-Rank Gate in Mindoro my guild cleared five years ago can be compared to this gate!"

"Oh? Then this is the first time you have seen an SS-Rank Gate." The old man said it so casually as if it is the most normal thing happening.

"S.... SS-Rank Dungeon?"

"Oh, wait. What does the World Hunter Global Association calls those above S-Rank Hunters again? Hmmm... Ah, right, right, National Hunters. Then this must be National-Rank Dungeon."

Ace shoulder continue to tremble as he began analyzing what is happening.

There is a gate that spawned near him and it was ten times bigger than the S-Rank Gate he entered years ago.

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What kind of monsters are inside? More importantly, what guild can clear it immediately?!

No, the filipinos are depending so much at IPT Guild! And Ace is the CEO of Hunters and Raiding Department. And the chairman is also a S-Rank Hunter.

"We also have imported a lot of A-Rank Hunters... Maybe we can do after all." Ace murmured

"Stop that, stop that. Why are always thinking so hard?" The old man interrupted Ace thoughts.

"What?" Ace annoyingly answered. "Don't talk to me sir, I'm thinking how to tackle this gate!"

"And that's what I'm saying. There is no use. Don't you know the famouse law in the world of gates and hunters? If you have a B-Rank Dungeon, bring dozens of B-Rank Hunters. If you have an A-Rank Dungeon, bring dozens of A-Rank Dungeon. If you have a S-Rank Dungeon, bring dozens of S-Rank hunter. So following the law, if you have a National-Rank dungeon, bring dozens of National-Rank Hunters."

" Are you nuts, old man? There are only five National-Rank hunters in the world and all of them are in the U.S."

"Is that so? Then this country is a ruined place-on the making now." The old man laughed as he offered another drinking to Ace. "The strongest guild of the Philippines is on the verge of collapse. And on the right timing, the strongest gate appeared. How unfortunate. There are things that you cannot control and one of it is this unfortunate coincidence."

"Even so..." Ace tried to answer back but he got and understand what he is saying. There is no use getting the work up about the dungeon rank at the moment.

Surely the Philippines governement will discuss anyways tomorrow how to resolve this problem.

With the conclusion sinking down to Ace, he sat back again and began chugging down his less stronger drink.

"Now you are in a hurry to empty your whiskey bottle. Why are you always in a hurry?" The old man asked. "Did you had a rough day?"

"More or less." Ace answered, giving the old man a wry smile.

"Then you have to deeply remember this day. December 12, 2045, 02:35 AM." The old man began writing at a empty business card paper the date and time he just mattered. "Ah, I'll add the details, 'SS-Rank Gate, LIMA, Lipa, Batangas'"

The old man inserted the business card at Ace's suit front pocket. Ace just let him be and he continued drinking.

"I already said the reason why I'm here. How about you?" The old man asked, curious at Ace

"I'm here, drinking, and wasting my time because I felt so shit today. Everything I've done is always done with the best of my abilities. Yet why there is no one left and is leaving me one by one."

"Why did I bring misfortune to others? I just want to clear gates and monsters to help other filipinos." Ace continued.

"When did I just exactly took the wrong path?!"

The old man began pouring down again the alcohol as Ace politely asked for it. "If you can change the past, would you do it?"

"What? My past?"

"Yes. You life now is a life full of regrets that comes haunting you bit by bit." The old man said.

'Regrets?' Ace thought. 'if I could just correct my regrets inside me, I would gladly do it so.'

'If could turn back time...' Ace pondered as he imagine the possibility.

"I can help you with that," the old man offered along with new refill of alcohol.

"Help?" Ace snorted. "Yeah that would be nice."

"Hahaha" the old man chuckled. "Let's clink our glasses under the glow of this full moon sky."

"For all of our regrets." Ace clinked the shotglasses.

The old man smiled and clinked shotglasses at Ace.

'If I could go back in the past, I will surely..."

It was the last thought Ace had thought before his head and body collapse down the cold floorings of rooftop.

The old man glanced at his pocket watch and began turning the dial. "We need to make it to the past and convert that pass to current present. Only then you can start correcting your regrets on the right time."

The old man murmured and a magical circle appeared the clock. The hands in the clock began moving backwards the passage if time.

When Ace woke up, he is no longer at the rooftop.