Luke had walked out the door, leaving behind a silence that felt thick and weighted. Those who remained in the room were now forced to deal with a new reality—or at least, the possibility of one. Doubt hung in the air like mist. No one was entirely sure whether Luke had been telling the full truth.

Some faces showed open distrust. Others, a quieter unease. The room felt strange. Unsettled. As if a new piece had just been dropped onto the board, and no one knew if it was a bluff or checkmate.

"Now that he's gone, let me ask you all something—honestly," Gilbert said, breaking the silence with a voice thick with skepticism. "What are the chances any of that was real?"

"What do you mean?" Allison replied, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Gilbert crossed his arms, squaring his shoulders. "What's stopping us from thinking that in that new zone, he just holed up somewhere and waited for things to cool down? He could've just hidden and come back once it was safe."

"But what about that fang he showed us?" Miriam asked, leaning forward slightly. "Did any of you use Identify on that thing? The description was... terrifying."

Evangeline let out a long sigh, like someone who had grown tired of that particular line of reasoning.

"It doesn't matter whether he killed the Beast Lord or not. What matters is that he found the third fortress. If he hadn't, why would he come back here, knowing almost everyone wants him dead?"

She walked over to one of the chairs surrounding the table and sat down with practiced grace, crossing her legs effortlessly. Her eyes, once playful, were now sharp and serious.

"I've spoken with Snow White these past few days," she added, using Luke's nickname with casual irreverence. "After the chaos he caused in the Safe Zone… yeah, I believe it's possible he took down the Beast Lord. How exactly he did it? No idea."

She looked up, challenging everyone in the room.

"Anyone here think they could take down a serpent the size of a building? Because I sure don't."

Everyone's attention shifted to the large, improvised map spread out across the table. It charted the known regions with rough borders, marked danger zones, and hand-drawn trails. At one edge, a newly marked area stood out—notations scribbled around it. The location of the new zone Luke had explored: the Capital of the Midnight Kingdom.

"So... what do you think the item he got actually is?" Mason asked, thoughtful. "You all remember the theory. The reason we chose to face the Orc Lord instead of avoiding him."

"I thought the goal was to level everyone up as much as possible," Quinn said, frowning.

Allison, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke.

"No. That was a secondary goal. The truth is... it doesn't really matter whether everyone levels up or not."

Her voice was steady, but there was a shadow of weight behind it—something closer to regret. Saying it took courage. Many in that room had lost friends during the battle against the Orc Lord. Hearing that collective experience hadn't been the main priority was painful. But the truth needed to be spoken—especially with the paths that now lay ahead.

"Let me ask you something," Allison continued. "Could ten level-ten people defeat a level one-hundred monster?"

"…No," someone admitted, reluctantly.

"But one level-one-hundred person can face another of equal strength. You are the best the Haven has to offer," she said, meeting each of their eyes in turn. "If even a few of us can reach the top, we'll go farther than an entire group limited by the average. It's better to concentrate experience points into a few than to dilute that power among many."

With a calm, deliberate motion, she drew her katana and laid it across the table. The violet blade shimmered faintly under the hall's light, its glowing red veins pulsing like living embers. Everyone in the room knew how powerful that weapon was, but Allison still chose to make it clear.

[Katana of the Violet Blade (Legendary) Description: A katana forged from the heart of a High Orc blessed with the title of Lord. In a brutal battle of fire and ice, the dragon clashed with the orc, and the dragon's sovereignty emerged victorious. This blade was born from the blaze of a tyrant's death.

Enchantments: [Advanced Fire Resistance (Rare)]: While wielding this blade, the user gains significant resistance to fire-based attacks. [Berserker Blade (Epic)]: The katana can enter a berserker state, mimicking the Lord Orc's rage. In this mode, its power and heat intensify, becoming incandescent for a short period. [???]

Requirements: Any class level 40+.]

"Our theory," Allison continued, "is that the Lords are optional. They're not directly tied to the mechanisms. They remain in their respective territories, yes—but they serve as an extra challenge. And if you overcome them, you're rewarded. We saw that firsthand. A huge amount of experience, and more importantly, a powerful weapon. A real boost to help complete the tutorial."

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She paused for a moment, her gaze drifting to the map, as if she could see past its borders.

"There are three Lords scattered across this tutorial. The main challenge never required us to fight them. The goal has always been to activate the mechanisms and reach the castle. But defeating a Lord means getting a weapon that can tilt the odds in your favor. It could be the difference between survival... and death."

The room was quiet. Even the skeptics were listening. The logic was hard to ignore.

"With this katana, earned after defeating the Lord Orc, we gained a massive advantage. It doesn't make us invincible, but it's a tangible step forward. And it's with this blade that I plan to take the second fortress."

"So that guy killed something even stronger than the Lord Orc… alone?" Dustin scoffed, letting out a disbelieving laugh. "Got all the experience to himself, and on top of that, one of the strongest weapons in this place? Sorry, but I just can't buy it."

He shook his head slowly, as if even entertaining the idea was ridiculous.

Gilbert, standing nearby, nodded seriously. "If that were true, it would make him one of the strongest people in the entire tutorial. Can you believe that? Because I sure as hell can't."

Evangeline crossed her arms, the hint of a mocking smile curling on her lips.

"Whether you believe it or not… it doesn't make any difference," she said with venom-laced calm. "If it's true, that means you morons are being hostile to someone who has the same goal as you. Someone who could actually help you face Bartholomew and finish this tutorial."

She paused briefly, letting her eyes sweep over the tense expressions around the table before continuing, her tone sharp:

"I don't think you understand how partnerships actually work. Just because you leveled up a bit and teamed up to take down a Midnight Warden doesn't make you special. I'm fairly certain Luke could've wiped the floor with every one of you and walked out whistling a tune. But instead, he had the humility to come here and offer his hand."

The silence that followed was sharper than any immediate reply.

But then Quinn broke it, clicking her tongue in frustration before snapping:

"You may have been gone for years, Evangeline, but most of us only made it this far thanks to Angelica."

Her tone was bitter, thick with resentment.

"And he killed her. Doesn't matter why. Doesn't matter the reason. The result is the same."

The argument stretched for a few more minutes, emotions swinging between weariness and frustration. Allison remained silent, studying their faces. She knew the wounds were still too fresh, and for many in that room, Luke's presence was still a raw provocation. Not long ago, some of them were openly planning to kill him if they ever saw him again. This ice wouldn't melt quickly.

"How bad is that new area, really?" Dustin asked, cutting through the tension. "I've heard the rumors—how you guys avoid spreading details so you don't scare people. But we're alone now. Just us. I spent almost the whole time in the Haven with Byron because we didn't want to leave it exposed during a potential invasion. So I'm out of the loop."

Allison glanced briefly at Evangeline.

"I haven't been back to the Safe Zone since I entered the dungeons. From there, we went straight into the forests. The only updates I got were from Jerry—letters Evangeline sent through him."

Everyone's attention shifted toward Evangeline as she stood and walked to the table where the map lay spread. With slow, deliberate movements, she ran her finger across the marked areas until it stopped at the rough sketch of the new zone's entrance.

"It's just like you've heard," she began. "The moment Luke opened the gate and crossed into that place, Bartholomew was notified. He immediately ordered a military camp to be set up around the area."

She looked over her shoulder, checking that everyone was paying attention.

"The Midnight Wardens don't even go near the barrier. That entire area has basically become a neutral zone inside the Wild Zone. Since then, Bastion has been running expeditions into it… Things I chose not to mention while you were away."

Her voice was different now—serious, stripped of sarcasm or smugness. It was all business.

"The team guarding the gate is afraid something might escape. So they've been trying to seal it off. They're bringing in debris, building wall layers, setting up defenses… but no one really knows what's actually inside."

Everyone had gathered around her now. The room was silent, focused.

"What has Bastion discovered during those expeditions into the capital?" Miriam asked.

"Nothing," Evangeline said, her voice sharper than expected.

Even Mason furrowed his brow, confused.

"What do you mean, nothing?"

"None of the teams Bartholomew sent in survived a single night in that place," she replied, locking eyes with them.

A heavy silence fell across the room.

"Wait... what do you mean a single night? Explain that," someone asked.

Evangeline let out a long, tired sigh before answering.

"It's simple. Every time a group tried to cross the forest to reach the capital… they vanished. Not a single one came back. What they did find later were remains. Severed limbs. Heads. Dried blood. Bodies hanging from trees like offerings. Not one of them made it through even a single night and lived to tell about it."

A chill passed through the room. Her words painted images too vivid to ignore, too visceral to be recited without impact.

"And the group that encountered the Beast Lord?" Mason asked.

Evangeline pointed again at the map.

"That scout team was unlucky enough to run into the creature as soon as they crossed the barrier. It was in the forest. But… there are things far more dangerous within the capital itself. A monster the size of the Beast Lord wouldn't bother dismembering people and stringing up their corpses like decorations. That was something else."

She turned then, gazing toward the door Luke had exited through.

"The only one who made it into the capital… and survived more than a single night… was him. Not just one night. He stayed there for months. Luke is the only person who truly knows what's inside that place. And he survived it."

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