Sylara's voice thundered through the room, sharp and unyielding.
"Damn it, Imzar!" she snapped, her fury barely restrained. "You will take full responsibility for this once we've dealt with the consequences of your recklessness. That dungeon is under our jurisdiction, and as Guildmaster, I will not let this slide."
Imzar's head hung low, his body trembling under the weight of her words. Sweat dripped from his brow as he struggled to meet her gaze."Y-Yes, Guildmaster… I understand," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Sylara first thought, "Yeah, the case is serious. We need to act right now. Maybe we can find one of our members alive, at least, and avoid the shame of making such a mistake." Sylara turned her steely gaze to Grido, her sharp mind already calculating their next move.
"Grido, assemble a party of the best STARS currently available in our guild. I will lead them myself."
Grido stiffened, his hand instinctively moving to the hilt of his weapon as he nodded.
"Understood, Guildmaster. But…" He hesitated, his voice laced with concern. "Are you certain about joining the raid personally? A Demonic Human is—"
Sylara silenced him with a glare, her eyes blazing with determination.
"I don't need you to question me, Grido. I need you to act. We don't have the luxury of waiting for outside assistance. Call T.E.R.R.A agents to monitor the situation for the worst-case scenario. Then gather the team, and we'll prepare to depart as soon as possible. If there's truly a Demonic Human inside that dungeon, the situation demands immediate action. Since Imzar only escaped because of his teammate's skill, it means the dungeon must be cleared before anyone else can get out."
Grido bowed, though worry lingered in his eyes.
"Yes, Guildmaster. I understand."
As he left the room, Sylara turned her focus back to Imzar, her tone colder now, like ice cutting through steel.
"Imzar, you're not done. Tell me everything. I want every detail you can give about that person. Weaknesses? Patterns? Anything that could give us an edge."
Imzar shook his head, his voice trembling as he struggled to find the words.
"N-No. He didn't give us time to analyze anything. His attacks were… merciless. One moment, we were advancing; the next, my team was scattered, broken. I… I barely made it out alive. I'm so sorry, Guildmaster. I never expected this… I thought it was just another routine mission."
Sylara let out a sharp hiss of breath, her fists clenching at her sides as she reined in her anger.
"Tch. Save your apologies for later. Right now, we focus on survival and clearing the dungeon. But make no mistake, Imzar—this isn't just about cleaning up your mess. If now anyone dies because of your negligence, their blood will be on your hands. Pray we all make it out alive."
The weight of her words hung heavy in the air, and Imzar's face paled. He nodded weakly, his guilt etched into every line of his expression.
As the tension in the guild hall simmered, the world outside carried on, oblivious to the danger brewing beneath the surface. The late afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the park, where laughter and the rustle of leaves created a serene contrast to the chaos Sylara and her team were preparing to face.
Akira walked hand in hand with Yuna, her small hand nestled comfortably in his. The park was alive with the sounds of children playing.
"Onii-chan!" Yuna tugged on his hand, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Look at that slide! It's so high! Can we go there first?"
Akira raised an eyebrow and smiled mischievously. "That one? Are you sure you're brave enough for it?"
Yuna stood straight, hands on her hips, her determination shining through."I'm really brave! I'm not scared of anything!"
"Okay, brave one," Akira said, chuckling softly. "Let's see you do it."
Yuna ran off, her little legs moving quickly as she mounted the ladder to the tall slide. Akira followed behind at a slower pace, his arms crossed as he watched her climb.
"Don't look down, Yuna!" he called out, teasing. "You might get scared!"
"I'm not afraid!" she yelled back, her voice carrying above the murmur of the park.She reached the top and sat down, gripping the sides of the slide tightly."Okay, Onii-chan, I'm coming down! Catch me!"
Akira planted himself at the base, casual but watchful. "Alright then, let's see what you've got."
Yuna launched herself off and squealed as she flew down the slide. Akira caught her with ease, swinging her around once before setting her gently on the ground.
"See? I told you I wasn't afraid!" she exclaimed, her face flushed with pride.
Akira crouched down to her level and tapped her nose lightly.
"Yeah, yeah. You're the bravest kid."
Yuna giggled and clutched his hand once more.
"Okay, now let's go to the swings! I want to fly higher than the clouds!"
At the swings, Yuna hopped on eagerly, her feet barely touching the ground.
"Push me, Onii-chan! Higher! Higher!"
Akira stood behind her, holding the chains. "Okay, but don't cry if you go too high."
"I won't cry!" Yuna said, laughing happily. "I'm really brave, remember?"
Akira laughed and began to push her gently, the swing creaking as it soared higher.
"Hold on tight. I won't carry you back if you fall."
"I won't fall!" Yuna said, her laughter ringing through the air. "This is so fun! You're the best, Onii-chan!"
Akira's eyes softened as he watched her, her carefree laughter a soothing balm to his thoughts. For a moment, the world around him blurred, and a memory surfaced.
He was a boy again, running across a stretch of green field, his mother's voice calling after him.
"Akira, slow down! You're going to trip!" A deep, reassuring laugh from his father followed.
"Let him go. Boys need to run wild." Minutes later, strong hands placed him on a swing.
"Okay, champ," his father said with a warm smile. "Let's see how high we can go. Don't look down, Akira! Always look at the horizon!"
The memory lingered, bittersweet, before fading back into the present. Akira's smile faltered for a moment, the weight of his past pressing against his chest.
"Onii-chan?" Yuna's timid voice cut through his thoughts.
The swing had slowed, and she looked up at him with concern.
"Are you okay?"
Akira blinked and shook the memory away. He gave her a small smile, though a hint of sadness lingered in his eyes.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking too much."
Yuna hopped off the swing, a little unsteady, and took his hand. Her concern quickly turned to excitement.
"Let's go to the jungle gym next! I bet I can climb faster than you!"
Akira smiled. "Oh, you want to challenge me now? Alright, let's see what you can do."
At the jungle gym, Yuna scrambled up the ropes and bars, giggling as Akira pretended to struggle behind her.
"Wow, you're fast," he said, feigning exhaustion as he climbed.
"Of course!" Yuna said proudly. "I'm the best climber in the whole park!"
Akira reached the top and sat down next to her, looking out at the park.
"Not bad. You might beat me someday."
Yuna giggled. "Someday? I already did!"
Akira laughed and ruffled her hair. "Alright, I'll give you this round."
One Hour Later
The sun had dipped below the horizon, painting the park in shades of orange and pink. Akira and Yuna sat on a nearby bench, sharing an ice cream cone. Yuna had insisted that she couldn't finish hers on her own, and Akira had reluctantly obliged.
"You have to take little bites, Onii-chan," she said, wagging her finger at him. "Or you'll eat all the good parts!"
"Alright, boss," Akira said, laughing.
As they returned back at Cha-Jong's House Akira carried Yuna inside, her small body nestled softly in his arms. The gentle rise and fall of her breathing was a comforting rhythm against his chest.
Glancing down at her, a faint smirk tugged at his lips as he murmured,
"Guess someone around here still knows what peace feels like."