"Eventually," the Scorpion leader said, "those outposts will run out. Once we reach open ground, we’ll find a suitable place to throw away the flower, change direction, and leave the dragon chasing a false trail."

Then his voice turned colder.

"But timing will be everything. We must throw it toward an incoming force from the mine’s garrison. Let the dragon and the garrison clash with each other while we slip away unnoticed. By the time they’re done tearing each other apart, we’ll be free to collect the rewards."

A grim smile appeared beneath the other leaders’ masks.

Soon, laughter spread through the room.

The plan was quickly accepted.

Moments later, orders were passed to the surviving Dark Hunters. Their forces altered course once more, heading directly toward the mine while leading the enraged dragon deeper into the region.

***

At the same time, another meeting was taking place not far from the dragon’s battlefield. It was held inside the Rune Heart of an outpost, but unlike the gathering of Enhancers, this one consisted entirely of academy students.

Around twenty team leaders sat inside the chamber, their expressions grim. Many carried fresh wounds, while dried trails of blood stained their faces and armour. Most of them had survived the battle against the dragon by the narrowest of margins, and the dragon itself had not been the only danger they had encountered.

The adult Enhancers who kept fighting the dragon had proven just as terrifying.

Whenever the opportunity arose, those people attacked students without hesitation. No one understood their motives, but rumours had already spread through the surviving teams. More and more students had fled the moment they appeared.

The reason they had gathered here was simple. When they attempted to escape the region, they discovered an obstacle no one had anticipated.

"Does anyone know why the monsters have surrounded the mine?"

The speaker was the red-haired student who had once stood proudly at the shuttle gathering point. If Silas had been present, he would have recognised him immediately. However, none of his earlier confidence remained. His face looked exhausted, and a layer of depression lingered behind his eyes.

After escaping the dragon’s assault, the surviving teams had tried to leave this nightmare behind. Instead, they found themselves confronted by an enormous gathering of monsters stretching across the horizon and forming a complete ring around the mining region.

There was no path through it. Unable to leave, the students had gathered to discuss their options.

Fortunately, several highly ranked students had survived, including the fourth, sixth, seventh, and ninth ranks. Their presence alone offered the others a measure of reassurance.

"Why don’t we simply stay between the two threats?" suggested the seventh-ranked student, a heavily built youngster whose deep voice carried through the room. "We can secure a few outposts and wait for both disasters to pass before the test ends."

"Or perhaps the academy will send teachers to rescue us," said a student ranked forty-third, sounding hopeful for the first time since arriving.

"That’s wishful thinking."

The red-haired student shook his head.

"The monsters aren’t standing still. They’re advancing deeper into the region, only moving slowly because they’re wary of the dragon. Once the dragon leaves, or is killed, we’ll be facing a monster tide unlike anything we’ve seen."

His words silenced the room.

Everyone remembered the endless sea of monsters surrounding the mine. The mere thought of facing that horde without the dragon acting as a deterrent was enough to make their hearts sink.

"I don’t know about the rest of you," the seventh-ranked student insisted, refusing to abandon his idea, "but Leopard and Rachel are spreading their forces out and taking control of outposts. They must know something we don’t."

"You still don’t understand."

The red-haired student sighed.

"Their factions are securing those outposts, but neither Leopard nor Rachel is leading those operations personally. According to the rumours, both of them headed deeper into the region."

"Deeper?"

"Toward the mine?"

"Isn’t that the same direction the dragon is moving?"

Murmurs spread through the place.

Everyone knew who Leopard and Rachel were. If the two had independently chosen the same destination, then they were almost certainly acting on information others lacked.

"Perhaps they’re heading for the mine garrisons," the sixth-ranked student finally said. "I’ve heard that every mine maintains a sizable defensive force to protect it. They might be seeking shelter there."

The Rune Heart gradually fell silent. The explanation sounded reasonable enough that most doubts disappeared immediately. The students exchanged glances, each weighing the possibility.

After several moments, the red-haired student rose from his seat.

"Then it’s decided."

He began walking toward the exit.

"We’ll gather every survivor we can find, reorganise the teams, and replace those we’ve lost. Once the dragon, the Dark Hunters, and this monster tide are dealt with, we’ll spread out and reclaim the outposts."

Reaching the entrance of the Rune Heart, he paused for a moment before letting out a weary sigh.

"Hopefully, it happens before the mission ends. Otherwise, those two will claim all the credits for their teams and monopolise the top ten rankings by themselves."

His words carried a bitterness that everyone present could understand. Yet despite their frustration, none of them dared consider anything other than retreating to safety. The mission had taken a disastrous turn, and surviving it had become far more important than competing for ranks.

***

Deep within the mining territory, a chain of massive garrison outposts formed a circular defensive wall known as the Iron Wall, the Mine Heart, the final line of defence protecting the mine.

At its centre stood a small castle atop a towering cliff, one of the ancient defensive strongholds of the Elfine Kingdom and the command centre of all military forces stationed in the region.

Inside a spacious conference hall, ten imposing Enhancers sat around a long table, five on each side. At the head of the table sat a man who appeared to be in his fifties.

All eleven wore the same military uniform. Silence filled the room as they watched a large screen displaying the dragon’s advance, showing it battling Enhancers and reducing one outpost after another to ruins.

These men were the highest-ranking military officers in the mine. Ten of them were B-Enhancers, while the man leading them was an A-Enhancer.

"And what is the dragon’s latest confirmed location?" the A-Enhancer asked.