"Did you just beat that A-rank boss unaided?" Michael asked Rean.

"Wait, Michael, chill," Porter tried to stop him.

"How? I mean—how?" Michael nodded in disbelief. ’It was only a week,’ he thought.

"It’s only been a week.

How are you now suddenly at that level?

Your movement—it’s just too efficient. Your mana reserves—calm, yet feeling so fierce.

How did you beat the boss?"

Rean gave no response.

"You know I’m talking to you, right?" Michael reinforced.

"I think everyone needs to calm down," Porter said, still trying to stop any further escalation.

Zeta could see fully well what was going on. She just knew better than to try to stop Michael—not especially when he was this heated.

’I have questions too, but this is not the way. Why can’t your smart ass see that too, Michael?’ Porter thought.

’I wish I was bold enough to just tell him... but I’m not.’

’It seems like Zeta knows something I don’t.’

Charles, on the other hand, just seemed to want to see whatever was going to unfold, unfold.

’He’s too willing, that’s for sure.’

"Dude, at least hide your interest in seeing those two fight," Porter said.

"You guys don’t get it!" Michael yelled. "Back before we entered the van, the captain whispered something into my ear."

"Yes, that’s true. I’ve kinda been eager to know what it was, ever since," Zeta added.

"Well, I’ll tell you. He said—and I quote—’Is that you getting cocky? You guys didn’t clear a tenth of the high grades. You know they don’t only spawn in one location, right?’ End quote."

"They don’t only spawn in one location," Michael mimicked Shom’s tone. "The captain is essentially saying he was somehow able to clear nine times the amount myself, Zeta, and the rivals over there handled."

"You’re getting cocky, huh? The insult."

"It was like—doggy, don’t drool too much. That wasn’t so hard. I’ve already done the main work. No treats for you."

"Ha... haha... ahahaha!" Michael burst into sarcastic laughter.

’That’s why Shom wanted to know if Michael was fine with the dungeon being A-rank,’ Zeta thought.

’He specifically wanted to know if Michael thought he could take on at least nine times the force. He was confident because he trusted my brother’s judgment.’

"Ok, we feel you. I get your anger and all—" Porter started.

"No, you don’t!" Michael snapped. "Everyone here but one person has leveled up at least once today.

Do you know who I’d expect from a team of rookies to take down the A-rank boss? I’d expect it to be the A-rank hunter who’s leveled up—the hunter who’s proven himself time and time—"

"Down. Just stay there."

Rean moved.

In an instant, Michael was slammed straight into the ground.

"Porter, pass me your lace."

Porter hesitated for a split second, then handed over his shoelace.

Rean used a spell—

The lace expanded unnaturally, thickening and lengthening before wrapping tightly around Michael’s arms and torso, restraining him completely.

"You might have questions," Rean said calmly, "but I owe no obligation to answer them."

"Oh—good. I made it in time to see you guys," Ridlus said, stopping to catch his breath.

"We need backup at the tower.

Those of you who still got fight in you—come with me.

We’re going to make history... or die trying."

"Did the captain just say—" Miles started.

"I don’t know. I know I’m strong, but I’m nowhere near ready to enter my first tower," he added.

"Yeah... we all know that," everyone said with a tease.

"Hey—what happened to Michael?" Ridlus asked.

"Long story," Zeta replied.

"I don’t think it’s fair to burden anyone. They’ve been through a lot. This was technically our official first raid without the captain," Rean said.

’He’s right...’ Ridlus thought. ’I do feel kinda bad relying on these youths after sending them on raids back to back.’

He was disappointed—but Rean was being fair.

Ridlus turned to leave. He needed reinforcements either way.

"Hey, where are you going, captain? You didn’t let me finish."

Ridlus stopped.

"Take me alone."

"Just you?" Ridlus exclaimed.

"Just me," Rean responded calmly.

With a reassuring smile, he walked past him.

"Besides, that way I’ll get to have my own evaluations and stuff. You know—judge if I’m ready for this whole division team-building thing," Rean added with a smile.

Then he ran ahead—

Only to turn back and see Ridlus still frozen in shock.

"Oh, come on. Let’s get a move on already."

Ridlus stared.

"How did you... know?"

They both in the car,

" hey driver take us to the tower that recently appeared in the city."

"You sure", the driver asked.

"What do you think. You’re looking at the hunters who are going to save this nation."

The driver immediately got pumped and fired at full cylinders saying, "well I guess Ive got to get you there in time"." Wow nation saviors", he exclaimed.

"We’ve arrived".

The tower stood like a scar against the horizon.

Cold. Silent. Wrong.

Rean stopped at its base, eyes tracing upward along the structure. It wasn’t ancient, not in the way ruins were—but it felt old. Like something that had been waiting far longer than it should have. The entrance gaped open, dark and heavy, a mouth that had already swallowed too much.

"...Only the first floor’s been cleared," he muttered.

He could feel it.

Above.

Layer upon layer—packed, dense, alive with movement.

Too much movement.

Rean stepped inside.

The first floor was quiet.

The aftermath of a clean cull stretched across the chamber—monster carcasses scattered, the smell of blood and burnt mana lingering faintly in the air. Weapons lay abandoned where they’d fallen, a few broken, a few still intact. Signs of a fight, but not chaos.

This had been controlled.

Handled.

He moved to the next floor.

The moment he crossed the threshold—

Sound hit him.

Clashing steel.

Roars.

Screams.

The second floor was alive.

Hunters were still fighting—scattered groups holding shaky lines against waves of monsters pushing in from every direction. The space was larger, more open, but it worked against them. They were being stretched thin, forced to react instead of control.

Rean didn’t interfere.

Not yet.

His eyes moved.

Measured.

A hunter took a hit—sent skidding across the ground, armor cracked, breath knocked out of him as something lunged to finish the job.

Another group barely held formation, their attacks frantic, uncoordinated.

They weren’t winning.

Rean kept walking.

Up.

The third floor was worse.

The air felt heavier, thicker with mana and fear. The sounds weren’t just fighting anymore—

They were breaking.

A body lay near the entrance.

Still.

Weapon clenched in a hand that hadn’t let go.

Further in, another.

And another.

Dead hunters.

Not scattered randomly—but left where they fell, in positions that told the story clearly enough. Defensive stances. Last stands. Retreats that didn’t make it far enough.

Rean’s gaze lingered for half a second.

He could feel his mana drop. This was the effect of the tower.

Then moved on.

A shout echoed from deeper inside.

"Fall back! FALL BACK—!"

It cut off sharply.

Rean didn’t look toward it.

He already knew what that meant.

He kept moving.

Fourth floor.

The structure shifted here—narrower paths, tighter corridors. Bad terrain.

Worse sounds.

Footsteps pounded past him.

Hunters.

Running.

Not regrouping.

Not repositioning.

Running.

One of them glanced at Rean as they passed, eyes wide, unfocused, armor dented and streaked with blood.

"Don’t go up!" he shouted, voice cracking. "It’s—there’s too many—!"

He didn’t wait for a response.

He kept running.

Others followed.

Rean stood still for a moment as they disappeared down the stairs behind him.

Then he looked up.

Above.

The noise didn’t stop.

It layered.

Fighting. Screaming. Retreating. Dying.

All at once.

Rean exhaled.

Slow.

Controlled.

His grip tightened slightly at his side, fingers curling once before relaxing again.

"...Yeah," he said quietly.

His eyes sharpened.

The hesitation—if there had been any—was gone now.

Everything aligned.

Targets.

Flow.

Priority.

He stepped forward.

No rush.

No panic.

Just intent.

"Time to get to work."

And this time—

He didn’t keep walking past the fight.