When the apocalypse descended, the monsters wiped out 70% of the world's population. Then, humans awakened their talents and fought back to survive in this unforgiving world. Massive iron walls now surrounded the places they referred to as megacities. In these megacities, the remaining humans thrived as they slowly built up their strength and began reclaiming their world from the monsters. Guilds were tasked with the duty of retaking the lands beyond the walls and expanding human territory.
There are a total of 10 megacities around the world, dubbed I to X. As one would expect, Megacity X is the largest, serving as the central hub of 'The Union,' a massive organization that manages nearly everything concerning the megacities. Comprised of the surviving world leaders, The Union assigns missions to the guilds. Within The Union, a single man holds all the power: the Union President, Galisk, a man rumored to have been partly responsible for the world being in such a state.
In the massive, sleek white and blue Union building marked by a giant blue "U," a woman walked through its halls. Most of her body was clad in white and golden armor, indicating her role as a swordswoman. Her red hair flowed down her back, and her eyes were concealed by a white blindfold with a golden cross, despite it she could still see perfectly. She was Unami, Galisk's personal assistant.
Unami approached the enormous doors of Galisk's office, her footsteps echoing softly on the polished floor. She knocked gently and announced, "Sir, I have a report."
"Come in," a voice echoed from beyond the doors.
Given permission, the doors creaked open, revealing a vast office bathed in soft, ambient light. The room was filled with a collection of holographic windows displaying various data streams and reports. At the far end, a massive window took up the entire wall, forming the shape of the building's distinctive "U."
The Union President, Galisk stood there, his gaze fixed on the world outside. His hair was a mix of white and brown, it gave him an aura of wisdom and authority. He wore a tailored brown, white, and gold suit, each detail carefully crafted, with golden crosses embedded into the fabric, symbolizing his high status within The Union.
Unami halted before his massive desk, choosing to remain silent, not wanting to disturb his thoughts. She waited patiently.
After a moment, Galisk turned away from the window, his yellow eyes focusing on her. His expression, though stern, softened slightly as he acknowledged her presence. "Begin your report."
Unami inclined her head slightly and began her report. "Sir, we have received new intelligence regarding the recent activities within the outer territories. The Guilds have made significant progress in reclaiming some of the lands beyond the megacity III's walls. However, there have been increased sightings of higher-tier monsters near the newly established outposts. This could indicate a shift in the monster's strategies or possibly a new emergence pattern that we have not yet accounted for."
Galisk listened intently, his eyes narrowing slightly as he thought about what she said. "What about the progress in the inner cities? Any developments there?"
"Yes, sir," Unami continued. "The inner cities have shown remarkable resilience and adaptation. The civilian population is growing steadily, and there are promising reports of new talents emerging among the younger generations. However, there are also concerns about potential unrest in some areas due to resource distribution issues."
Galisk's gaze turned thoughtful, his fingers tapping lightly on the arm of his chair. "Ensure that the resources are redistributed more equitably," he instructed. "We cannot afford to let internal conflict weaken our efforts. And regarding the higher-tier monsters, increase surveillance and deploy more specialized units to monitor and address the threat. We must be proactive in our defense."
Unami nodded, making mental notes of his directives. "Understood, sir. I will relay your orders immediately."
"In addition to the other matters, sir," she continued, "there have been increasing instances where dungeons, initially measured and believed to be a certain rank, have escalated in difficulty during raids. The ranks of these dungeons are doubling or more, catching teams off guard and leading to a significant rise in casualties over the past week."
Galisk's eyebrows drew together in a frown. He leaned forward in his chair, his fingers tapping on the desk before him. "What do the experts believe is the cause of these sudden rank increases?"
Unami shifted slightly, the light from the holographic displays reflecting off her golden armor. She took a moment before responding, choosing her words carefully. "The experts are not certain yet, sir," she replied. "They are investigating multiple theories, including the possibility of hidden variables within the dungeons or external influences that might be causing these fluctuations. However, none of the theories have been conclusively proven at this time."
Galisk's eyes narrowed as he listened to her words. "If that is the case,"
"then we must take immediate precautions. Henceforth, if a dungeon is measured to be of a certain rank, only awakened individuals with capabilities two or three ranks higher should be authorized to raid it. We cannot afford to lose more lives to these unpredictable escalations."
Unami nodded in agreement. "Understood, sir. I will ensure that this new protocol is communicated to all relevant parties and that additional safety measures are implemented immediately."
Galisk nodded, his mind already shifting to the next set of decisions he needed to make. He glanced back at the holographic windows displaying the data streams and reports. "And keep me informed of any further developments or discoveries regarding these dungeons. We must get to the bottom of this anomaly."
"Of course, sir," Unami replied, her tone resolute. "I will keep you updated with any new information as soon as it becomes available."
Galisk then asked, his voice sounded like he expected something, "And… any hope in finding it?"
Unami, maintaining her composed demeanor, shook her head slightly. "No, sir. We have yet to locate any places that suggest anything significant being buried or locked away."
They were talking about treasure, or at least something someone once treasured deeply.
Galisk leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming a slow, thoughtful rhythm on the armrest. "Very well," he said with a sigh. He lifted his hand in a dismissive wave. "You may leave."
Unami nodded and took a step back, her armored boots making a soft clinking sound on the polished floor. "I will excuse myself then," she said, turning on her heel. Her red hair swayed slightly as she moved toward the door, the light catching the golden cross on her blindfold.
As the doors closed behind her, Galisk stood up, the quiet hum of the holographic displays filling the room. He walked slowly to the window, his footsteps echoing in the vast office. He placed his hand on the cool glass, feeling the smooth surface under his fingertips as he looked out and witnessed as night slowly came.
The moon was climbing higher, and stars twinkled faintly in the sky. Galisk's eyes traced their patterns, searching for answers in their silent light. He tilted his head back slightly, the faint lines of worry on his face softening in the gentle glow of the night.
"A treasure you would fight the world for," he murmured, his voice barely audible. He rested his forehead against the glass, closing his eyes as if trying to recall a memory. "What exactly were you talking about?"
…