However, the Chairman's thoughts had only just settled when Goto Ryuji, who had always been 'in cahoots' with him, suddenly spoke up:
"In that case, I formally commission and request that Miss Castorice participate in the conquest of this Gate."
The moment these words were spoken, the way the others looked at him instantly changed.
Castorice's gaze toward him also held a touch of surprise.
She had received the invitation from Japan the moment the Gate opened and had come to this meeting room.
Although the others had arrived earlier than she had, the Gate certainly hadn't been put up for auction yet.
While everyone largely saw this Gate as prey for the Draw Sword Guild—after all, they lacked Goto Ryuji's strength and had been informed beforehand by the Chairman to give way to him—Castorice didn't know this.
What she did know was that Goto Ryuji's current attitude, acting as though the Gate already belonged to the Draw Sword Guild, was definitely not good social etiquette.
Yet Goto Ryuji, the person at the center of it all, showed little reaction to the others' shock. After all... he was actually feeling somewhat defeated.
Watching an enemy who could easily destroy him get utterly annihilated by someone else had cracked the pride that made him think of himself as Asia's second strongest, on par with Asia's top hunter, Liu Zhigang. It had also crushed most of his fighting spirit.
After seeing how high the world's ceiling truly was, he had let go of his arrogance and stopped seeing himself as Japan's 'ultimate weapon.'
Moreover, he knew Castorice's strength and character.
She wasn't someone who cared much for fame or profit.
If even Castorice said this Gate was dangerous and had proactively offered to go herself, it meant this Gate genuinely required her intervention to be resolved.
He knew the Chairman was probably furious with his attitude right now, but he believed that compared to some national authority-level title and privilege, Castorice's goodwill toward Japan was far more important.
Yes, a national authority-level hunter could go to other countries to participate in auctions, openly competing for other nations' Gate resources on the international stage.
But without the corresponding strength to match, was such a privilege really meaningful?
The Chairman, unaware of Goto Ryuji's current mood and thoughts, was indeed close to exploding with anger.
But having cooperated with Goto for so long, he also knew Goto wasn't someone who disregarded the bigger picture. If Goto was acting this way, he must have his own considerations.
With that in mind, he forcibly suppressed the fury of being publicly defied and put on a stiff smile. "If that's the case, then very well."
In his terrible mood, he had no desire to continue the meeting. Besides, the original purposes—to give Castorice a delaying excuse and to probe her character—were now unnecessary for one, and for the other, the Chairman felt this wasn't the best time.
He himself was emotionally unsteady; how could he be sure of properly probing the other party's character instead of making a judgment clouded by his own feelings?
Under these circumstances, the meeting could only be hastily concluded.
Finally, the Chairman saw everyone out of the room, keeping only Goto behind. Two hours later, she was notified that she would enter the Gate in three days and was promised 30% of the Gate's proceeds.
Castorice didn't know what they discussed afterward, but she could clearly sense that over the next three days, the staff around her became increasingly deferential.
Tawata Kanae, being a warrior-type hunter, invested more energy into training, leaving only Shimizu Akari by her side.
Time quickly arrived three days later.
Because the Gate was in the sky, the only way for everyone to enter was by helicopter.
Although Castorice could ride her Death Dragon and fly in alone, the other hunters lacked the ability to fly.
This Gate was unprecedentedly huge in the eyes of everyone. Even when they entered the Gate, that sense of immense scale did not disappear.
Before them stretched a long, narrow corridor adorned with lavish, old European castle-style décor.
Despite the excellent furnishings, there were no chandeliers; the light in the corridor was provided entirely by torches mounted on the walls.
If that were all, it wouldn't be so strange. What truly made everyone feel something was off was that everything in this corridor was completely out of proportion.
It was far too large. The torches hanging on the walls alone were the size of a grown adult, and the ceiling soared to a height of forty or fifty meters, as if built specifically for giants.
Having been intimidated by the scenery before even encountering an enemy, the members of the Draw Sword Guild took a deep breath to ease their tension.
Only after seeing the purple figure ahead did they regain some sense of security.
It's fine. This time, Lady Castorice is leading the team. She's a genuine National-Level Hunter, perhaps even the strongest among them.
After thinking this, they finally relaxed completely.
Yet, no sooner had their hearts settled than before they could say anything to lighten the mood, they felt the ground tremble violently.
S-rank hunters possessed immense power. Even in a lightless cavern, they could see the enemy's location and movements, let alone in this lit environment with only a single straight path.
But precisely because they could see, they felt a wave of suffocation.
"What... is that?"
A trembling voice escaped someone's lips. What met their eyes were colossal beings, each over twenty meters tall, many even exceeding thirty meters. Every one of them possessed strength equivalent to an A-rank Gate boss—in other words, power on par with an S-rank hunter.
"What kind of place is this?!"
Could a Gate like this really exist in reality? Why were there such absurd monsters? And in such numbers?!
Even Goto now showed a look of shock. Although he had overwhelming strength compared to S-rank hunters, this also meant he could perceive more than the average S-rank.
Behind these giants stood an even more enormous giant, one that undoubtedly far surpassed the others in strength and was likely even stronger than himself.
Thank goodness he hadn't been overconfident this time.
Thank goodness he had invited Castorice to enter with them.
As a healer-type hunter, Shimizu Akari had dedicated protection, but she was well aware of her fragility compared to other hunters.
Facing this country-destroying scenario capable of wiping out Japan, it was impossible not to be afraid.
"Castorice-chan..."
She couldn't help but look toward Castorice, hoping for some reassurance.
"Don't worry."
Castorice glanced at her and nodded.
Seeing that the purple-haired girl's expression hadn't changed from beginning to end, still maintaining a proper and serene smile, Shimizu Akari's fear diminished somewhat.
Steeling herself, she said, "Castorice-chan, just focus on fighting! If you get injured, I'll assist you right away!"
As she spoke, she silently cast numerous buffs on Castorice to enhance her stamina and magic power.
Although, for Castorice, these non-percentage-based buffs didn't make much of a noticeable difference, she still accepted the goodwill.
"I will take responsibility for controlling the situation. Everyone just needs to fight as they normally would."
As Castorice spoke, she summoned her Death Dragon from mid-air.
Accompanied by a howling storm and an ear-splitting roar, Pollux instantly charged into the seemingly impenetrable wall of flesh, bowling over every giant in sight.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.