THE HUNTER ASSOCIATION HEADQUARTERS WAS BUZZING WITH ACTIVITY.
RYUJIN AND ARIANA ARRIVED TO SEE HUNDREDS OF HUNTERS GATHERED IN THE MASSIVE ASSEMBLY HALL.
GIANT HOLOGRAPHIC MAPS SHOWED MULTIPLE LOCATIONS GLOWING RED.
A GRIM ATMOSPHERE FILLED THE ROOM—
THIS WAS NO ORDINARY BREACH.
THE BRIEFING
THE ASSOCIATION'S DIRECTOR, A TALL MAN IN A BLACK SUIT, STEPPED UP TO THE PODIUM.
"LISTEN UP!
24 HOURS AGO, WE DETECTED MULTIPLE ABYSS SIGNATURES ACROSS THE CONTINENT.
UNLIKE PREVIOUS INCIDENTS, THESE ARE SYNCHRONIZED… AND STRONGER THAN EVER."
A HOLOGRAPHIC IMAGE OF A MASSIVE, PULSATING GATE APPEARED.
THE ENERGY READINGS MADE EVEN THE S-RANK HUNTERS SHIFT UNEASILY.
"WE BELIEVE THIS IS AN A-RANK ABYSS GATE—POTENTIALLY HIGHER.
IF IT FULLY OPENS… CITIES WILL FALL."
MURMURS ERUPTED THROUGH THE CROWD.
THE TEAMS
"TO COMBAT THIS THREAT, WE ARE DEPLOYING MULTIPLE TEAMS.
EACH TEAM WILL HAVE AT LEAST ONE S-RANK OR HIGH A-RANK HUNTER."
SEVERAL ELITE HUNTERS STEPPED FORWARD—
VALEN, A LEGENDARY SPEARMASTER KNOWN FOR TAKING DOWN DRAGONS.
LYRA, A HEALER WHO COULD RESURRECT THE DEAD… FOR A PRICE.
AND DRAKE, A BATTLE-MANIAC WHOSE AURA CRUSHED THE ROOM LIKE A STORM.
ARIANA WAS ALREADY AMONG THEM, REPRESENTING HER S-RANK GUILD.
RYUJIN'S TEAM
THE DIRECTOR LOOKED DIRECTLY AT RYUJIN.
"RYUJIN. YOU'LL BE ASSIGNED TO TEAM SEVEN—LED BY ARIANA.
YOU AND KAI WILL SUPPORT HER.
FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION."
KAI, WHO WAS STANDING BEHIND RYUJIN, GRINNED.
"WELL, GUESS WE'RE STUCK TOGETHER AGAIN, PARTNER."
RYUJIN JUST NODDED, HIS EYES LOCKED ON THE HOLOGRAPHIC GATE.
THE DEADLINE
WE MOVE IN 12 HOURS," THE DIRECTOR ANNOUNCED.
"REST, PREPARE, AND SAY YOUR GOODBYES.
BECAUSE ONCE YOU ENTER THAT GATE… THERE'S NO GUARANTEE YOU'RE COMING BACK."
THE HALL FELL SILENT.
RYUJIN LOOKED AT ARIANA, THEN AT HIS KATANA.
HIS HANDS TIGHTENED.
"I WON'T LOSE ANYONE AGAIN. NOT THIS TIME."