Akira's lips curled into a sharp smirk. "Found you." Adjusting his posture midair, he shifted his body downward. Then—
He descended the wind roared past him, a violent scream against his ears as the city below rushed toward him at an alarming speed.
CRASH!
Slowly, Akira straightened, rolling his shoulders as he brushed the dust off his black hood. His dark eyes gleamed with something sharp—something deadly.
He turned to Sylara, his lips curling into a razor-sharp smirk. "I found it."
Sylara arched a brow, unimpressed yet intrigued. "Huh?"
Grido, standing a few feet away, stepped forward. "What do you mean, 'found it'? Where is it?"
Akira lifted a hand and pointed toward a tall, unremarkable building.
Anna frowned, stepping closer to Akira. "There's… nothing there."
A breath of amusement escaped him. "Yeah. That's what most people would think."
Her blue eyes narrowed in confusion. "Then what?"
Akira flicked his gaze toward the structure, his voice low and certain. "It's below."
Silence fell. Grido's expression hardened. "Underground?"
Akira nodded. "The dungeon entrance is in the underground parking of that building. That's why no one could find it."
Sylara exhaled, shaking her head. "So that's the trick. Damn."
Anna's brows furrowed. She turned to look at the decaying building again, as if trying to see what Akira saw. "But… how did you—?"
"Does it matter?" Akira cut her off, his tone smooth but firm. "I found it. That's enough."
Grido ran a hand through his hair, exhaling in mild disbelief. "And here we were, wasting time scouring the streets. No wonder the Terra Agents were confused and our members haven't found shit. The damn thing was buried the whole time."
Sylara's violet eyes gleamed with something dangerous. "Then there's only one thing left to do."
She turned to Grido, her voice sharp with command. "Gather the others. Now. We're finishing this mess."
Grido didn't hesitate. "On it. Anna, with me. Let's move."
As Grido and Anna rushed off to summon the rest of the team, Sylara turned her gaze back to Akira, her smirk widening. "Such an oddity."
Akira merely rolled his shoulders, stretching out the lingering tension from his descent.The two moved toward the building's underground parking entrance.
The underground parking lot was dark, the flickering ceiling lights barely illuminating the cracked concrete. The air was thick—dense with something unnatural. Before them, a massive green portal pulsed like a living thing, its surface rippling with raw, unrefined mana.
It was larger than most dungeon entrances Akira had seen, its glow casting eerie reflections on the cold floor.
Near the entrance of the underground parking, a gaping hole tore through the ceiling, its jagged edges still smoldering faintly with residual mana. Chunks of concrete and twisted rebar lay scattered across the floor, evidence of something massive—and violent—bursting through. The hole led straight up to the streets above, a grim reminder of how the dungeon's monsters had escaped into the city.
Sylara's eyes flicked toward the destruction, her lips pressing into a thin line. "That explains why they suddenly popped on the streets outbreak."
"Woah…" Sylara muttered, her sharp violet eyes scanning the portal's shifting energy. "Since the world is saturated with mana now, it's possible they didn't even notice how much had concentrated here. That must be why it caused an outbreak."
Akira remained silent, his dark gaze locked onto the swirling mass of energy.
Sylara glanced at him, her expression unreadable. "Well, it's to be expected. Most of the technology surrounding dungeon detection came from your father—Shiro Shoto."
At the mention of his father's name, a flicker of something sharp twisted in Akira's chest. His fingers curled into fists at his sides. "They didn't appreciate what he gave them," Akira murmured, his voice low, almost bitter. "Now his body is nothing but ash."
Sylara said nothing.
A quiet beat stretched between them, filled only by the low hum of the portal.
Then, Akira exhaled, rolling his shoulders as he forced the tension away. "Let's finish this raid. I'm really not in the mood today."
Just then—A sound. A faint shuffle of movement.
Both Akira and Sylara turned sharply, their bodies coiled like springs, ready to strike.
"Who's there?" Sylara demanded, her hand already resting on the hilt of her weapon.
A hesitant voice spoke up. "It's me, Guildmaster Sylara."
A figure stepped out from the shadows—a young man with short brown hair, wearing the standard armor of a lower-rank hunter. His expression was nervous, but his stance was steady.
Sylara's shoulders relaxed. "Oh, it's you, Olian."
Akira eyed him coldly. "Who is he?"
"A member of my guild," Sylara replied. "A D-rank Star. He came with Grido. Maybe you didn't notice him."
Akira barely acknowledged the response. His focus remained locked onto Olian, analyzing every detail. He hadn't sensed him earlier. Strange. His perception was far sharper now that he had leveled up, yet Olian had managed to go unnoticed.
Olian straightened under Akira's gaze, clearing his throat. "Miss Anna told me about this place while I was searching for the dungeon. I came right away."
"That's good," Sylara nodded. "We should wait for the others before entering. We need to do this properly."
Akira didn't respond.
Something was wrong.
A chill ran down his spine, his instincts flaring in warning. He wasn't sure what it was, but the air felt… off. His breathing slowed, his body tensing.
And then—A pulse of energy surged through him.
His vision blurred for a second, his senses sharpening. His pupils burned.
Then—White.
His pupils shifted, glowing an unnatural white hue.
Power coiled around him like a restless beast, raw and violent. It clawed at his skin, aching to be released. The dungeon. The air. Olian's presence. Something wasn't right.
Sylara's voice cut through the rising tension. "Akira?"
He didn't answer.
Akira's gaze snapped toward Olian, his white pupils locking onto the young man's short brown hair. "Who are you?" Akira's voice was calm, but beneath it lay an edge—a blade waiting to strike.
Sylara's eyes widened in shock. "Hey, what are you saying? I already told you who he is."
Olian turned to her, his expression confused—almost insulted. "Guildmaster, what is this guy even talking about?"
But Akira wasn't listening. His gaze never wavered. His instincts were screaming. Something was off.
"Seriously, Akira, stop this. What are you doing? Speak!" Sylara snapped, frustration seeping into her voice.
Akira didn't even blink. His focus remained razor-sharp on Olian. "Who are you?" he repeated, his voice low, unyielding.
A chill swept through the underground parking lot.
Olian stiffened. A flicker—too fast for most to see—crossed his face.
Akira took a step closer, his presence pressing down like an invisible force. "How did you get here without me noticing your presence?" His voice was like steel. "Why did Anna send you here first? A D-rank, alone. Why didn't she tell you to help her gather the others instead?"
Sylara's lips parted slightly. The realization of Akira's words began to sink in, but she remained silent.
Akira's eyes sharpened, glowing like the heart of a storm. "And—" his voice dropped, dangerous, "—what is that dark veil of aura you have deep inside you?"
Silence.
For a second, just a second, something dark flickered in Olian's eyes.
Then—Olian—the thing pretending to be Olian—tilted his head, his grin widening until it nearly split his face in half. "Ahahahaha!" His laughter bounced off the concrete walls, echoing in the dim parking lot.
Sylara froze, her breath caught in her throat. Her hand, instinctively resting on the weapon, trembled slightly.
"To think someone finally saw through one of my disguises," Olian sneered, his voice laced with amusement. His eyes glowed with something vile. "You truly live up to your reputation, fool."
Akira said nothing. His gaze remained impassive, but his stance shifted—looser, deadlier.
Sylara's breath came fast and sharp. Her violet eyes burned with fury. "Where is my member?!" she snarled, stepping forward. Her voice trembled with rage. "Where is the real Olian?!"
The creature inside Olian's skin merely smirked.And the air grew darker.