"Don’t be too harsh, Mister Mysteries. They’re just kids."
Kang spoke evenly, forcing a smile onto his face that hadn’t likely made an appearance in over a decade, the expression sitting awkwardly against features clearly unaccustomed to it, as though the muscles required for it had grown stiff from disuse.
From merely glancing at this man, Ethan and the rest could sense depths in him running deeper than anything they’d encountered before, something vast and unsettled beneath the surface. He wasn’t simply terrifying in the conventional sense.
He carried something closer to absolute authority, a presence that pressed down on the room without him needing to raise his voice or make any deliberate effort at all, the kind of weight that made even Hela, tier 8 in her own right, shift her stance slightly without seeming to notice she’d done it.
"I’ve been investigating for several months now, but whenever I enter the city, activities immediately halt, or the group relocates temporarily elsewhere. They seem to have developed some method of detecting either my tier or my personal aura the moment I arrive."
He explained it plainly, though frustration lingered just beneath the surface of his controlled tone.
This mission had proven the most frustrating of his entire career. If not for the steady stream of suicide reports continuing to surface, he might have genuinely questioned whether he’d been chasing nothing more than an elaborate wild goose chase this entire time, months spent circling a target that always seemed to know exactly when to disappear.
"You’re not being sent there to fight these people directly. I simply want you to track them, document their movements in detail, investigate their patterns, and if possible, uncover the identity of the third individual involved."
"The Punishment Hall will provide every resource necessary to make this possible."
He added the assurance carefully, his tone steady, clearly intent on softening whatever hesitation still lingered across the group.
Hearing this, the four of them exchanged uncertain glances, still visibly skeptical despite the reassurance. But then.
"If you succeed, both myself and Mister Kang will actively help each of you ascend at least one full realm."
Mister Mysteries interrupted suddenly, one hand raised straight into the air as though sealing the promise with the gesture alone.
The stronger a summoner became, the harder it grew to locate the specific materials required for their next evolution ritual, or to meet whatever demanding ascension requirements waited beyond their current tier. That difficulty alone explained why so many talented summoners found themselves stuck at tier 7 for years, sometimes permanently.
Because progressing beyond that point typically demanded serious organizational backing, resources no individual summoner could realistically gather alone, no matter how much raw talent or determination they brought to the effort.
"I see."
Ethan let out a slow breath, working through the implications.
He couldn’t speak for the others, but he personally needed this kind of help badly. The requirements attached to his own ritual felt nearly impossible to satisfy through normal means.
The crown of a king.
A sword forged in the presence of a holy knight.
A flame lit by celestial dragon fire.
Just these three items alone left Ethan with no realistic path forward. The only king he knew of ruled the Kingdom of Bark directly, and there was absolutely no scenario where that man would hand his crown over to some unknown nobody without cause, let alone a brothel-born orphan with no family name worth mentioning.
He’d already done extensive research on his own. Holy knights, as it turned out, were exceedingly rare, appearing almost exclusively within the Senos Monarchy. As for celestial dragon fire specifically, he couldn’t even begin to imagine how one might reasonably acquire something like that.
"I don’t mind, as long as we’re properly protected."
Fin shrugged his shoulders, settling comfortably back into his seat with an ease that suggested he’d already made peace with the decision.
Mister Mysteries stood as the single most reliable person Fin knew when it came to actually following through on promises. Honestly, he’d grown tired of carrying the title of tier 7 without an actual tier 7 summon backing that rank up in any meaningful way, watching others his age settle their bonds while his own progression stalled month after month.
Maybe this mission would finally change that.
After Fin voiced his agreement, the rest of the group nodded in unison, one after another. Refusing outright never felt like a realistic option to begin with. Looking back now, the pattern became obvious. Lady Arian sending them here supposedly to relax, the old man conveniently appearing again and again just to needle them throughout their stay.
All of it had been leading toward this exact moment.
"We’ll set off first thing tomorrow morning. I look forward to working alongside all of you."
Seeing their collective agreement settle into place, Kang offered a slight bow before turning to leave the gathering entirely.
If anyone from the noble factions, or the general public, happened to spot him here, it would create a serious complication for the entire mission. That specific concern was precisely why he’d contracted White Tower for this task rather than pulling resources from within the military itself, where far too many eyes tended to notice things they shouldn’t, and where loyalty didn’t always run as deep as it appeared on paper.
"Write down what you want before setting off. I’ll do my best to secure it all so we can move forward once you’re finished."
After Kang departed, Mister Mysteries turned back toward Ethan and the rest of the group, handing over a single sheet of paper to be passed around among them.
These particular kids represented some of White Tower’s most promising talents. Helping them along felt like the natural, obvious thing to do given the circumstances.
However, once the paper eventually made its way back into his hands, and he scanned carefully through everything written across it, a serious frown settled deep into his features.
What exactly were these kids planning to summon that required materials like these?
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