HUNTERS ALLIANCE - CHAPTER 12 CRACKS BENEATH THE CELEBRATION

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Chapter 12: Cracks Beneath the Celebration

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The capital of Rashenghart glittered beneath the evening sky.

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Golden lights illuminated the streets while music drifted through the air.

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Inside one of the grandest halls in the kingdom, nobles, high-ranking officials, wealthy merchants, and influential military figures gathered for a lavish celebration.

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Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

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Servants moved through the crowd carrying silver trays filled with expensive food and drinks.

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Laughter echoed across the room.

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Tonight was not a night for worry.

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It was a night for celebration.

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A massive banner hung above the ballroom.

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"Three Hundred Years Under the Barrier."

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One official raised a glass.

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"To the Barrier!"

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The crowd cheered.

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"To the Barrier!"

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Glasses clinked together.

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A musician began playing near the stage while nobles danced.

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Near one of the balconies, several older officials stood together discussing politics.

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One of them, a man with gray hair and a sharp beard, frowned slightly.

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"I still find it strange."

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Another official looked at him.

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"What is?"

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"We have no official ruler."

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The small group fell silent.

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A woman dressed in blue nodded.

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"He has a point."

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The bearded official took a sip from his glass.

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"Every kingdom has a king."

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"Or a queen."

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"Or an emperor."

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"But not us."

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Another man chuckled.

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"Technically we do."

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The others turned toward him.

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He shrugged.

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"The royal bloodline still exists."

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"Then where are they?" the woman asked.

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No one answered immediately.

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The man rubbed his chin.

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"The royal family withdrew from politics generations ago."

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"Which makes no sense."

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"Perhaps they preferred peace."

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"Or perhaps they were pushed out."

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The conversation grew quieter.

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One official glanced around before speaking.

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"Careful."

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"We shouldn't discuss such matters publicly."

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The others nodded.

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The topic changed.

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Yet curiosity remained in their eyes.

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Because everyone knew the same thing.

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Rashenghart had a royal bloodline.

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Yet nobody ruled.

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The kingdom instead operated through councils, bureaus, military departments, and governing committees.

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It worked.

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Mostly.

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But lately...

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More people were beginning to question it.

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Meanwhile, at the center of the ballroom, another group laughed loudly.

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One merchant raised his drink.

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"The Barrier has protected us for centuries!"

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Cheers followed.

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Another noble grinned.

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"At this point I doubt it'll ever fall."

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Several people agreed.

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None of them noticed the worried expressions exchanged by a few military officers standing nearby.

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Not everyone shared their confidence.

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---

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Far from the celebration.

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Deep inside the Alliance Bureau headquarters.

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The atmosphere couldn't have been more different.

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Unlike the Hunters Alliance, the Alliance Bureau focused on administration, records, intelligence gathering, logistics, and national security reports.

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Their job was information.

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And tonight...

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Information had become very dangerous.

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Rows of clerks worked late into the night.

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Stacks of reports covered countless desks.

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In one secure chamber, several analysts gathered around a table.

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A young woman hurried inside carrying a folder.

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"Director!"

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An older man looked up.

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"What is it?"

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She placed the folder on the table.

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"You need to see this."

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The director opened it.

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His eyes narrowed.

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Then widened.

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"What?"

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Several analysts moved closer.

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The room became silent.

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Page after page contained monster activity reports.

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Migration routes.

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Sightings.

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Attack patterns.

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Mana fluctuations.

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Everything appeared normal.

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Until the final pages.

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One analyst frowned.

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"That's impossible."

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Another swallowed.

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"No..."

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The director slowly stood.

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"Check the numbers again."

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"We already did."

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"Then check them again."

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The young analyst nodded nervously.

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Minutes passed.

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No one spoke.

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Eventually she looked up.

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Her face had become pale.

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"The calculations are correct."

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Silence.

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The director's hand tightened around the report.

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"The barrier's outer mana density..."

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His voice lowered.

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"...is decreasing."

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Several people immediately stood.

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"What?"

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"By how much?"

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The director looked at the chart.

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"Not enough to alarm the public."

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"Yet."

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A heavy silence followed.

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"But enough to concern us."

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One analyst shook his head.

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"Could it be natural?"

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"No."

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The director's answer came instantly.

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"The decline pattern is too consistent."

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Another analyst looked nervous.

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"Should we inform the council?"

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The director stared at the report.

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"They already have dozens of warnings."

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"And they keep delaying action."

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The room fell quiet again.

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Everyone understood what that meant.

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If the barrier truly weakened...

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The consequences would be catastrophic.

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And nobody outside this room knew.

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---

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Hundreds of kilometers away.

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Commander Aaron stood atop a watchtower overlooking the northern frontier.

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Cold wind battered his coat.

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Below him, soldiers moved through a small fortified settlement.

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The atmosphere was tense.

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Exhausted hunters returned from patrols.

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Supply wagons sat nearly empty.

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Medical tents overflowed.

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Aaron's jaw clenched.

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A soldier approached carefully.

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"Commander."

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Aaron didn't look away from the horizon.

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"What?"

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"The latest supply request was denied."

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His fists tightened.

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"Denied?"

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"The Hunters Alliance says they're still processing allocations."

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Aaron laughed.

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A cold laugh.

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The kind that contained no humor.

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"Processing."

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The soldier remained silent.

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Aaron turned.

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His sharp eyes were filled with frustration.

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"Do they think monsters wait for paperwork?"

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"No, sir."

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"Do they think injured hunters can eat paperwork?"

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"No, sir."

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Aaron paced across the tower.

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Each step heavier than the last.

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"We requested supplies three weeks ago."

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"Yes, sir."

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"We requested reinforcements two weeks ago."

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"Yes, sir."

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"And now?"

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The soldier lowered his head.

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"No response."

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Aaron slammed his fist against the wooden railing.

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The loud crack startled nearby guards.

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"Damn it!"

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Several birds flew from nearby trees.

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Aaron stared toward the distant wilderness.

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The endless forest stretched across the horizon.

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Dark.

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Silent.

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Dangerous.

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Something felt wrong.

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His instincts screamed it.

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The monster attacks were increasing.

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Patrols reported strange movements.

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Scouting teams vanished more frequently.

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Yet the Hunters Alliance continued moving slowly.

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Too slowly.

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Aaron exhaled heavily.

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"If they won't send help..."

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His voice hardened.

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"We'll survive with what we have."

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The soldier nodded.

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But neither man looked convinced.

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---

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Back at the academy.

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Instructor Reese sat alone in her office.

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The room was dark except for a single lamp.

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Several reports rested on her desk.

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Normally she remained calm.

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Calculated.

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Composed.

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Tonight was different.

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Her fingers tapped the desk repeatedly.

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Tap.

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Tap.

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Tap.

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A rare sign of irritation.

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Earlier that day she had overheard students gossiping.

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At first she ignored it.

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Students created rumors constantly.

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Most weren't worth attention.

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But this rumor refused to disappear.

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Every hallway.

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Every classroom.

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Every training ground.

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The same story.

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Government officials had personally visited Roshan Ryn.

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At first she dismissed it.

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Then more students mentioned it.

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Then more.

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And more.

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Eventually she summoned her assistant.

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The young man stood nervously before her desk.

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"You wanted to see me?"

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeg95tIq8v

"Verify something."

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsGb0p4oV1

"Yes, ma'am."

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LSnyuXXIW

"The rumors regarding Roshan."

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU3MzpyCpQO

The assistant hesitated.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQAkvqqjfv

Then his expression changed.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOugsWqWqfC

And immediately Reese knew.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7vVJVZvFP

"They're true."

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLDPY0A2W2

The assistant nodded.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6HFpp3sC9

"Unfortunately."

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJh2nt1bzT4

Silence.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWjwm3dTCn

A dangerous silence.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOo1lCpx3o6

"Who authorized it?"

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKf1ioJOyR

"We don't know."

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhQZt6WiWD

"And nobody informed me?"

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgs8hI6c16d

"No, ma'am."

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Uy9xN8pyp

The assistant wisely remained still.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbh2pL7k1oU

Reese dismissed him shortly afterward.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDafOFXxT6M

Now she sat alone.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22VMlPvJ3i

Thinking.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTxwsuPRV7

Analyzing.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8YpQyLGBC

Calculating.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5l9e9F8BV4

Someone had interfered.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKC2ymQthx

Someone powerful.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQh51NBiXV

Powerful enough to bypass academy channels.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOkixAPDCn

Powerful enough to send government officials directly to a trainee.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokNE3m0vGl

Her eyes narrowed.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6IhmiQQlN

A few names surfaced in her mind.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3phCONYV0f

Council members.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXOCCqmuv8

Alliance directors.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmD1xVxvxd

Military commanders.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuzyJH6mIv

Political figures.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBly5UHfXl

One by one she dismissed them.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPwtny8vi0

No.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlUDjXOAn1

It didn't fit.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrSTxqMg0S

Then another possibility appeared.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXc3DnFmnPd

And for the first time...

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUHyEn4Vea

Reese felt uneasy.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZi15ka4hEk

Her chair creaked as she leaned back.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzC5QUVL5LN

"No..."

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnc2y3Wndfr

She whispered.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzx3JyeGtnJ

"Surely not."

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTzp8ONYqU

If she was right...

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6ee5ifX2B

Then Roshan had attracted attention from someone far more important than she initially thought.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURZdtobaIb

Someone she couldn't easily manipulate.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyZi1aUh3s

Someone capable of disrupting years of planning.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOW0cSzvwYb

Her expression darkened.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Sm79EuGKb

Outside the office window, the academy grounds remained peaceful.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXBOFjgXMP

Students laughed.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡosnVAUCuPQ

Others prepared for tomorrow's physical assessment.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWnTmu1hAr

Nobody noticed the storm building beneath the surface.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgewLU01shJ

Meanwhile, far beyond the kingdom's borders...

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvpWHqtvIe7

Far beyond the barrier...

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL09ilnbQtU

Something enormous opened its eyes.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzojeMFGAPo

Deep underground.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrpqSXH9VO

Hidden beneath layers of stone.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNGgeXqr3l

Ancient blue light illuminated a cavern larger than entire cities.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxbVVdn7rJ

The creature slowly stirred.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5EddUBAxA

Mana surged through the surrounding walls.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKiZEAarTu

Cracks spread across ancient crystal formations.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7P17YYZZ6B

A low rumble echoed through the darkness.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhshC7T4v8i

Then...

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MEQGpHgUy

A single massive claw emerged from the shadows.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVAXcfxKNe

And somewhere within the Alliance Bureau, a warning crystal suddenly shattered.

56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZ7ywuS1OH

To Be Continued...56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJsRCJHOpi

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