Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

When they first surfaced, even the association struggled to repel them. The Adventurer's Association, with thousands of years of experience and countless rankers at its disposal, was shaken to its core.

And it wasn't just their methods—though those were extreme and ruthless enough to unnerve even veteran agents. No... What truly made them dangerous were the warriors they fielded.

Their fighters and agents... they weren't ordinary warriors. The skills they demonstrated weren't just refined—they were unnatural. Techniques unlike anything found in the conventional world.

It was as though they were wielding abilities not of this world.

Although an unknown at that time, it was later revealed that the powers of the warriors of Cerberus came from the modification their bodies had gone through. They experimented on their own people twisting them into something more—or less—than human.

Itherion spoke with a grim frustration "No matter how many operations we ran against them, they never seemed to falter. Cells we thought destroyed would resurface months later, fully operational and more dangerous than before. It was like fighting an enemy that couldn't die"

"Their roots were so deeply embedded that they touched nearly every corner of society—nobility, merchant houses, even temples. They spread their influence quietly and efficiently, infecting everything they came into contact with."

Verdia exhaled slowly, she knew what kind of a headache inducing existence Cerberus was. She asked "Is this why Bell and the other top rankers are missing from the Tower of Babel?"

"Your Holiness has seen right. Bell and the others have indeed gone out. We recently acquired a clue from one of our informants about the location of Cerberus's hideout. If things proceed as planned we might be able to find out where their real headquarters is this time"

"As such, given the severity and danger level of the mission, I can only assign rankera above rank 50. Since the others are busy with other missions, it was up to Bell and the others"

Itherion answered. His expression quickly turned happy and his eyes showed the appreciation he held whenever he talked about Bell and the other Top rankers.

Understanding his emotions very well, Verdia gave a small nod "Bell, Chloe, Glenn Jaegar, Sylphie, Dorne…" She mused "The tower's finest. If they're all deployed on this mission, then the stakes must be higher than I imagined."

"Yes, this time we plan to shut one of Cerberus's outlets down for good. As such, we cannot worry about reserving our strength".

Verdia sighed, her gaze softening as she thought of Bell and the others.

"They are the future of humanity. Each and every one of them possesses something extraordinary—whether it be their temperament, aptitude, or sheer nature. There is no other like them among all of humanity."

Her voice carried a wistful tone, and she leaned back slightly in her chair "If circumstances were different... I would have taken them into my Pantheon. They would have made fine additions, ones that could shine like stars among heroes. But..."

She trailed off with a trace of regret, "…due to the special nature of their bodies and the way my Pantheon's inheritance flows, I cannot take them. It would clash too violently with their nature."

"Your Holiness underestimates them" Itherion chuckled softly at her words, shaking his head. "Blessings or no, Bell and the others will forge their own path. I've trained them myself, after all. Their talent is unparalleled, and their will is resolute. Even without divine gifts, they'll grow beyond anyone's expectations."

His eyes gleamed with quiet pride as he added, "They'll find their own way to reach heights no one has ever imagined before. And that is a path that belongs to humanity alone."

At his words, Verdia gave a small warm smile showing that she too agreed with him and believed in their potential.

At the talks of Bell and the others, the atmosphere became quite vibrant. However, just like all things in this world, this lively atmosphere didn't last long and dimmed when the conversation shifted to another topic.

"By the way, has her Holiness heard? There are rumours going on that one of the three primordial demon lords, the demon Lord of lust is holding a Tea Party?".

Verdia nodded her gaze growing distant. "Yes, I heard that too. That woman is holding another tea party tea era. Considering how disastrous the last one was, I didn't want to deal with another one if possible".

Itherion added with a bitter smile "We're still dealing with the aftereffects from her last Tea Party. Half of the central continent was affected by her 'gathering.' It's been a nightmare trying to clean up the mess."

The whims of a demon lord might just be time pass for long living beings like them but to humans, it was nothing short of catastrophe, one like a natural disaster but on a global scale.

Unfortunately, their Adventurer's Association was too short-handed to intervene right now. With Bell and the others deployed, and so many of their forces scattered across missions… they don't have the manpower to keep watch on the event, let alone stop it if something goes wrong.

"That 'Woman' she really knows how to stir things up" Verdia bit her lips, for the first time since the beginning one could see her composure breaking.

.

.

In the War-Torn Fields of the Crimson Expanse. The ground trembled beneath the thundering of synchronized boots. A row of soldiers stood at rigid attention, their breaths misting in the cold, smoke-scented air.

Shields rested against their thighs, swords and axes glimmering dully in the dim, amber-tinged twilight. Above them, the sky was a bruised canvas of ash and smoke, streaked with blood-red light.

The occasional flare of distant explosions painted the clouds with eerie bursts of fire and shrapnel. The smell of iron and dirt hung heavy in the air, intermingled with the acrid scent of burnt wood and charred leather.

Clearly, this was in the middle of a warfront where even the sun was hidden by the rising dirt clouds.

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