Inside the speeding vehicle cutting through the night streets, the atmosphere was tense. Elyysia sat in the front seat, monitoring the situation report through a tablet directly linked to the central command. Sola was beside Linggis, who lounged in the back seat with a lazy expression.
Linggis stared at the window, his weary face reflected in the glass. The night wind howled outside, but his thoughts were far more turbulent. After so long searching for peace, he was now dragged back into a situation that wasn't even fully clear yet.
He took a deep breath before finally speaking. "How much longer until we arrive?"
"About thirty minutes," Elyysia replied without looking up. "Why? Planning to take a nap?"
"No." Linggis straightened up, his sharp gaze locking onto Elyysia and Sola. "I want you to stop the car here."
Sola frowned. "What do you mean? We can't stop now. That dungeon—"
"The dungeon can explode or vanish into hell for all I care. I'm done with all of this." Linggis pointed out the window. "Stop the car. Now."
"Don't be stupid, Linggis!" Elyysia turned, her face filled with anger. "This isn't just about us. If that dungeon spirals out of control, the devastation will be massive. Thousands of lives are at stake!"
Linggis scoffed. "Not my problem anymore. I'm not a Hunter, not some world security officer. You have an elite team more than capable of handling this."
"You think we chose you because we had no other options?" Sola retorted sharply. "We chose you because you're the only one crazy enough to think of a solution in an impossible situation."
Linggis rolled his eyes. "Flattering, but I'm not interested."
Before Elyysia could respond, Linggis moved swiftly, grabbing the cane he carried and striking the emergency button on the car's dashboard.
Screeech!
The vehicle came to an abrupt halt, tires screeching against the asphalt. Elyysia and Sola lurched forward from the sudden stop. Without hesitation, Linggis opened the car door.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?!" Elyysia shouted, her face red with anger.
"Home," Linggis answered casually. "Find someone else who enjoys being a hero."
But just as he took a few steps away from the car, a deafening explosion echoed in the distance. The dark sky was suddenly painted red as light surged upward. The air trembled violently, making Linggis instinctively stop.
Sola stepped out of the car, horror etched on his face. "Oh, damn... That was just the prediction, but this—"
Elyysia approached, her face pale. "That wasn't a normal explosion. The anomalous energy is leaking before the dungeon even opens."
Linggis watched the sky ripple with intense vibrations, his sharp eyes narrowing. He let out a long sigh and spun the cane in his hand. "Looks like the universe really hates letting me retire in peace