Chapter 204 - The Bounty

The evening sun dipped low, casting amber streaks across the dirt path as Jin led the group toward their school base. The cool dusk air soothed the ache of a grueling day training at Ryu's police station base, where Jin had secured Ryu as an ally for the crown quest. Relief pulsed through him—Ryu's loyalty was never truly in question, but proving it had lifted a quiet burden. Still, caution lingered; the system's shadow hung heavy, and each step toward the school felt like a wager in a world turned feral. The city's outskirts were hushed, broken only by the rustle of leaves in the breeze, the silence sharp with the threat of unseen dangers.