Time passed as the Chosen focused on training. It has become a routine by now, and they even decided to hold regular meetings after training to better coordinate and share information with one another.
Caelum and Erta were satisfied with their progress, but were still always in a constant state of tension.
They started this plan in hopes of giving themselves a bit of relief knowing that there will be others who will work to protect Earth with them. Only now did they realise how naïve such a thought was.
As they personally oversaw the training, they became more and more aware that even if this group were to become much stronger than the standard S-rankers, they were too few to be able to protect the entire world.
And even if they somehow had a much larger group to train, he was uncertain whether they would grow strong enough to actually be able to fight the truly terrifying enemies that would eventually come.
Caelum was feeling rather impatient when a black limousine parked near their training area and a familiar man stepped out looking at them.
"Everyone, take a break!"
Flying toward the car, Caelum looked to Erta who nodded in understanding. She remained with the rest and continued to guide them.
Caelum landed and the man opened the door for him. Upon entering the car, he saw the smiling Crown Princess Margaret.
"Good morning, Lord Grace. I hope I'm not bothering you. I heard of your endeavour here and thought that now was as good a time as any to see it for myself. Might I ask what motivated you to do this?"
"Like I said back then, Your Highness, we are at war. It might have been quiet recently, but the coming of war is inevitable. Now, to what do I owe the honour of this visit?"
"It's been four weeks since last we met, yet you're still as unfriendly as ever. Oh well, I shall get to the point."
Suddenly, the lax atmosphere around the Princess became heavy as she grew serious. Caelum could almost hear her blood boiling in tension.
He realised that an opportunity had come, though in what form and with what consequences, he did not know. He prepared himself as Princess Margaret began speaking.
"Lord Caelum Grace, this is a matter of urgency. Do you remember the dungeon that appeared in Nostram a few weeks ago?"
"The one in Central Park, yes. I heard that three of Evonia's S-rankers brought their guilds and formed a raid party."
"Correct. And there lies the problem. It has been over three weeks since they entered the dungeon, and considering that the dungeon still remains, we can assume that they failed in clearing it. Yet not one of them has ever escaped. We sent in another team of twenty Chosen to scout the dungeon and look for survivors, but even they have not returned."
"How long ago did you sent this second team?"
"The initial raid team was supposed to alert us within a week of their entry. If they failed to do so and none of their members exited the dungeon, we were to send the second team immediately. It's been two weeks."
"So you want me to go in and find them?"
"No. I want you to go in and clear the dungeon. Rescuing survivors is a second priority."
"That's quite ruthless of you."
"It's the sacrifice we have to make. As someone in a position to command the world's Chosen, I have to remain true to my responsibility. If that dungeon is not cleared, then a break might occur. And that is a disaster we do not want.
Compared to the hundreds of thousands or even millions of lives that could be lost if monsters flood out of the dungeon, the lives of what few survivors there are within the dungeon cannot hope to compare."
"I wasn't criticising you. Your decision is correct. And even if you told me to prioritise rescuing the survivors, I wouldn't have accepted. So, what now? I don't think the GA would like it if I took this into my hands when they explicitly said they'll handle it."
"The ones who claimed that were the five major guilds alone. But it is evident that they couldn't fulfil it. After all, two of the three guilds that raided the dungeon were among them.
They had been pressuring the rest of the council to remain silent about this issue, but no one could care any less about their petty pride. It has been decided that the Global Alliance would enlist your and Lady Ki'ana's help."
As she spoke, Princess Margaret brought out a tablet and tapped on it a few times. She showed Caelum images of the dungeon as well as estimates of its danger level based on the amount of mana they detected from it.
The dungeon itself was a castle made of stone surrounded by a dark and dreary atmosphere. The mana from the dungeon had created an area of perpetual night for a hundred meters around the castle.
Even at daytime, the dungeon's territory was conspicuously shrouded in thick darkness lit only by the pale red moonlight.
The vicinity of the park had already been evacuated of all people and was being treated as a potential danger zone on the level of Eventides.
It did not help that this was the second unique dungeon to appear in the world. No one knows anything about such things especially when none of the Chosen involved in the Avalon dungeon could provide information about it that was not already known through the mana screen.
This was truly an uncharted territory and an unknown danger to the world.
"We have prepared a list of elite Chosen that directly report to the GA. They will accompany you in raiding the dungeon. So, are you willing to accept?"
"Is there even a need to ask? Although I do have a condition."
"Please, tell me. As long as it is within my power, I'll try my best to meet it."
"I don't want any escorts."
"Are you sure about that? Two large teams of about twenty people each have already been lost. Are you confident in clearing it alone?"
"It is precisely because two large teams failed that we must not send in any more. Earth is already lacking in Chosen, especially the strong ones. I will not allow you to feed that dungeon any more. Look over there."
Caelum turned his head to look at the training Chosen by the river. They had just finished a sparring session, the whole group excluding Ceres against Caelum. Practically all of them were exhausted and were resting while meditating when Margaret arrived.
"Do you recognise any of them?"
They were quite a distance away, but Margaret used her mana to enhance her vision. She looked at each of the Chosen that have gathered.
She recognised the masters of the three guilds in Aegon City. They were the among few S-rankers of Aegon Kingdom who have settled near the Eventide.
She of course recognised Reynor who was an S-ranker classified as an assassin due to his terrifying stealth and speed.
There was also Liam Smithson from the Titans Guild who was expected to be promoted to S-rank soon.
Most of the people who had gathered here were either B-rank or A-rank with the few S-rank that not many people would get to see together. And yet all of them seemed battered and bruised, utterly exhausted even as they sat on the ground to rest.
"After the Battle of Sylven, I was around their level. After Avalon, I'd risen a level above that."
Caelum spoke with contemplative gaze. He was recalling those times as though they were years ago when it had not even been that long at all. The speed of his growth was shocking to be true, but he still found it lacking.
"And what about now?"
Margaret asked wondering whether he had grown again since his latest battle. She had received reports about how he attacked robots disguised as humans throughout the city. There was even a report about an explosion in Sylven on that same day. The crater was still there, yet to be filled.
Caelum looked at her with a wry smile. There was an unusual emotion showing through his face this time unlike the usual distant expression he reserved for her. It was anxiety, something that Margaret never thought she would see in him. But she could not know just how deeply Caelum felt it.
"I don't know anymore. I feel much stronger..., but at the same time, I'm no where near the level of power I want to be able to protect this damned world with my eyes closed."
Caelum sighed as he turned to look toward the river again. The weight he bore seemed to grow with each moment that passed. It was to the point that even Margaret felt suffocated just by catching a small glimpse of it.
Her 'responsibility' seemed little in comparison, and she fell silent at this realisation.
"Monday, next week. We'll have to settle some things here before we leave. Make sure no one blocks us from entering the dungeon."
Their meeting soon ended and the limousine sped off toward the Royal Palace.
Caelum resumed his training session, and at the end, he made an announcement. Since the guilds involved in the training were holding a regular meeting, he joined them and reported on what he heard of the unique dungeon in Nostram Central Park.
It was decided that the regular training will continue despite the absence of Caelum and Erta who would be raiding the dungeon.
The sense of responsibility was motivating these people to grow stronger, especially after learning of the situation in Nostram.
Caelum saw the fruits of his labour in them and was satisfied. Or at least he tried to be. He could not shake the feeling that all he was doing was futile.