Esgares Conflict

With both the Hunter Association and Esgares following their own path toward still unknown goals, their differences in methods and other things eventually brought the two to a fated conflict. The two leaders themselves, Chairman Legrand and self proclaimed King Achraf, didn't initially seem too keen on openly going to war with each other, but happenstance and scheming members on both sides eventually forced their hands more and more.

## Chapter 7: Commission × and × Commiserate

The first group of rookies was taken to a briefing room, where their former examiner Gustav helped them set up their first mission. After some debating and blind choices, three groups were made.

Ace, Derrick and Warren, opting for a rescue mission, were sent to an Esgarian prison as backup to Sol. Despite Warren's preparations and the group's eagerness to save Toshiro and Misty, their infiltration was cut short as soon as some guards were alerted. With Derrick and Sol being taken captive as well, the other two could only ask for reinforcements and wait.

Eri, Terra and Titus were sent to make sure the valuable intel of an allied base could be safely erased before Esgarian troops could storm the place. Through conflict, both with enemy troops and stubborn scientists, they managed to pull off a clean escape for the most part.

Kal, Iscalio and Laurel went to intercept and steal the cargo of an Esgarian convoy, planning to ambush the vehicles at a strategic spot. An enemy guard being in the wrong place at the right time managed to give them a run for their money, although the group eventually achieved their goal.

Meanwhile, the group of rookies chosen for the so-called secret mission had just set off on an Association blimp. Several newbies - Arthur, Gaol, Jedediah, Kathrine, Mirea, Smokey and Soahc - with Chosun the mafioso and McArthur the Hunter as their supervisors. With his sole goal being to keep an eye out for traitors it wasn't long before the young McArthur wrangled the truth out of them, cutting their meet-and-greet short. The group managed to put up a good fight, resulting in a delay due to crash landing into the sea and a dead McArthur, their secret still safe for now.

## Chapter 8: Puppets × at × Play

With all but one mission being successfully completed, the Association decided to pool whatever immediately available resources it had and send some reinforcements. The entire group of rookies plus the new faces of Eleez and Felix met right outside Floating Fortress Balaam to prepare a second infiltration. As the facility was thrown into chaos, they managed to eventually rescue both their initial targets and their colleagues. Two of them lost their lives in the conflict and a couple needed some help from Elliot, an undercover Hunter, to get out, but the mission was an overall success in the end.

At the same time, the group of turncoat rookies had slowly reached their destination, a warehouse in the outskirts of a coastal city in the Mimbo Republic. There, among a crowd of underworld members, they suffered through their new boss' welcoming ceremony. Surviving the shootout along with a couple others, they were then properly greeted and welcomed by Angelo Moretti as members of his mafia family.