The grand hall of the guild buzzed with the usual background noise—stars coming and going.
Akira sat calmly, his sharp black eyes half-lidded as he tapped his fingers against his knee in thought.
His mind was elsewhere.
The encounter with that S-rank was short but revealing. - Akira clenched his jaw.
"The difference is massive."
"That S-Rank stood before me like an wall. If even an elite star like Lester isn't at the very top, then what of those beyond? The true monsters."
His grip tightened.
Just then, Cha-Jong's voice pulled him back to reality.
"Akira!"
Akira's gaze flickered up as Cha-Jong and Grido approached him.
Cha-Jong exhaled sharply, still catching his breath.
"We got something.A Mid C-Rank dungeon—it's under the guild's control. Sound good to you?"
Akira barely hesitated.
"Yes. Let's go."
Grido, who had been flipping through his notes, raised a hand.
"Before that… This dungeon mostly requires close-range combat. Cha-Jong, you and I can handle it, but we need one more. A C-Rank or above."
"Damn it" - Akira thought then frowned.
"No one else available?"
Grido shook his head, looking grim.
"The guild's in a rough spot. The Imzar Party is gone—wiped out. Imzar himself is in the hospital because of a certain someone as he looks at Akira mocking him , Akira acting indifferent.
"We don't have enough manpower to clear all the dungeons we've claimed."
"So if we take other member from other teams it would case a problem for others"
Cha-Jong crossed his arms.
"If we force it with just us three, we're taking unnecessary risks. So still we need someone solid."
Akira exhaled through his nose.
"Tch… That's troublesome. I need to raid higher-level dungeons. I don't have time to wait around."
His thoughts darkened
"After what I saw today, I know for a fact—I'm still far from strong enough. If I want revenge, I need to get stronger now."
The hall fell into a brief silence.
Then—
"Can I join?"
The voice was firm, steady, and familiar.
All three of them turned their heads—
Victor.
He stood tall, his star uniform crisp, his huge body strong. There was a certain sharpness in his eyes, but more than anything—he looked ready.
Grido's eyes widened in surprise before breaking into a grin.
"Victor! You're back?"
"Yeah," Victor smirked, rolling his shoulder. "Kicking at full power again."
Akira's gaze lingered on him for a moment, then narrowed slightly in amusement.
"Nice. With you, we can go right away."
Victor chuckled, turning to face Akira directly.
"How have you been, brat?"
Akira's lips curled into a taunting smirk.
"Better than you, I guess."
Victor barked out a laugh.
"Hah! That's true."
Then, Akira expression softened just slightly.
"Glad you're still standing, though."
"Let's go then"
The group made their way toward the dungeon entrance, the energy between them shifting.
For Akira, it was another step forward.
To level up.
A slow smirk played on his lips as they approached the looming dungeon portal.
The four of them stood before the swirling green portal, the air around it humming with faint magical energy. The location was a quiet park in Seoul, different from the one Akira usually visited.
Despite the serene surroundings, the presence of Terra Agents—two of them stationed near the portal—served as a reminder of the dangers beyond.
Grido stepped forward, speaking briefly with the agents, who nodded before giving their approval.
"Go on in," One of them said.
"And good luck with the raid."
Akira only with his usual black costume moved forward
Victor, clad in his heavy armor, stretched his shoulders. The guild's emblem gleamed on the left side of his chest plate, the symbol of their team's authority.
Cha-Jong checked his weapons, ensuring everything was in place.
Grido, with his bird on his shoulder, turned to the team.
"This dungeon is the same type as the one Imzar and his party entered,"
Grido began, voice serious.
"The one where they all died… and the one Akira cleared after."
Victor, who had been tightening his gauntlets, suddenly paused. His brow furrowed slightly, and he turned to look at Akira.
"Wait." His voice carried a note of disbelief.
"You cleared a C-rank dungeon alone?"
Akira didn't even glance at him, only responding with a faint smirk.
Victor exhaled through his nose, shaking his head.
"Tch… I leave for a bit, and you're already pulling stunts like this?"
Akira remained silent, but his thoughts churned.
"If it's the same type of dungeon, then maybe… another Troll King?"
A sharp glint flickered in his eyes.
"That could be interesting maybe he knows and can tell me more about The Merger thing."
"Alright, enough standing around," Cha-Jong said. "Let's move."
With that, they stepped forward—crossing into the portal.
A moment of weightlessness. Then—solid ground beneath their feet.
They stood in a vast cave, the walls slick with moisture, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and rotting meat.
A faint green luminescence pulsed through the rocky walls, casting eerie shadows throughout the cavern. Unlike some dungeons, this one had enough natural light to navigate without needing external sources.
Akira glanced around, his sharp eyes sweeping the area. He didn't bother creating a white mana light to illuminate the space. It was already clear enough.
Then—movement.
Grey trolls.
Their hulking forms emerged from the shadows, their grotesque, muscular bodies covered in thick, rock-like skin. Beady yellow eyes locked onto them, and low growls rumbled through the air.
Grido tensed.
"Alright, team. Get ready—"
Before he could finish—
A whisper.
"Finally."
Then—
BOOM!
Akira shot forward like a missile. His foot slammed against the ground, leaving a cracked imprint as he exploded toward the nearest trolls with inhuman speed.
Grido sighed, already rubbing his temples.
"Oh, here we go again… I knew it."
Victor let out a small chuckle.
"Guess it only takes one raid to figure out how this brat acts."
Cha-Jong adjusted his stance, drawing his weapon.
"Yeah. Let's just focus on the trolls and let him run wild."
Akira wasn't listening. He was already in the fight.
Two trolls loomed before him, their massive, grotesque arms raised, ready to crush him.
But Akira had seen this before.
"I don't even need to scan them. I've already beaten their kind once."
His hand clenched into a fist.
"Time to end this."
A smirk tugged at his lips.
The hunt had begun.