The next morning brought a palpable shift in the atmosphere around Vanguard Haven. The team gathered in the guild's briefing room, their usual energy more focused, more tense. The holographic display in the center of the room glowed faintly, showing two gates marked on the map. Unlike the previous days, the number of gates scheduled was fewer—just two—but that was by design.
Astron stood at the front with Liana, listening as she laid out the day's plan.
"You've done well with the rank-5 gates," Liana began her tone professional but carrying a note of caution. "But as you know, those are all behind us now. Vanguard Haven has filled its quota, and we no longer have access to any rank-5 gates under our jurisdiction."
That was to be expected as the guild, being a B-rank one, only had 8 rank-5 gates under its authority, and all of them were now cleared with yesterday's schedule.
