The next morning, Noah stood in the Guild's private archives—deep beneath the marble floors of the main headquarters. A cold, dim room. Long, silent halls filled with scrolls that hummed faintly with enchantments.
Hestia stood beside him, arms crossed, her small frame tense. Eina stood across from them, holding a folder she clearly didn't want to hand over.
"I'm breaking protocol," she said quietly.
"Then thank you," Noah replied.
"This could get you blacklisted. Or worse."
Noah took the file gently. "Noted."
He opened it.
Inside were mission logs, deployment rosters, and internal notes from the expedition Noah had led. But one entry caught his attention immediately.
Assignment Coordinator: Jurin Vale.
A mid-tier Guild staffer. Quiet. Long-time employee. Not particularly remarkable—until you looked closer.
A history of organizing failed expeditions.
High mortality rate.
And frequent transfers between departments… always just before investigations opened.
Eina leaned forward. "Jurin filed your assignment. Personally. He bypassed standard approval chains."
"Why?" Hestia demanded. "Why would a Guild official target Noah?"
Eina hesitated. "…We think someone's paying him."
Noah closed the file, gaze sharpening. "I want to meet him."
"He's not here," Eina said. "Didn't show up this morning. His quarters were empty. No sign of travel papers."
"Then he's running," Hestia said grimly.
"Or being erased," Noah muttered.
---
Later that day, Noah returned to the church, mind buzzing.
Someone had tried to kill him.
Not a monster. Not a rival Familia.
A man behind a desk. Quiet, efficient, invisible.
And that meant… more would follow.
He stood at the window of the chapel, staring out at the towers of Orario, its people moving below like ants.
He wasn't just a rising adventurer anymore.
He was a target.
Behind him, Hestia placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're not alone in this."
He nodded once. "I know."
Then she handed him a sealed scroll. "This came earlier. From Loki Familia."
He raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. An invitation?"
"Not quite."
He opened it.
> To: Noah of Hestia Familia
From: Finn Deimne, Captain of Loki Familia
We'd like a conversation. A real one. No Guild eyes.
Your strength is changing Orario. That makes you important—and dangerous.
We'll be waiting. 9th Bell. North training field.
Noah folded the scroll and slid it into his coat.
"Well," he said, "guess I'm making friends."
Hestia huffed. "I don't trust her."
"Neither do I."
"But you're still going."
"Of course."
She crossed her arms. "Just don't let that sword princess smile at you too long."
He turned and winked. "Jealous?"
"I will throw a brick at you."
---
That night, Noah arrived at the designated field—open stone, torchlit, silent except for the wind.
Loki Familia was already there.
Finn stood at the center, arms behind his back.
Bete lounged nearby, looking unimpressed.
Tiona and Tione watched from the side with amusement.
And Ais stood to the back… her eyes already locked on him.
"Noah," Finn greeted. "Thanks for coming."
"I figured I should meet the people trying to decide whether I'm a threat."
Finn smiled faintly. "Smart."
Bete snorted. "I still say we test him with steel."
"Save the barking," Noah said flatly.
Bete growled and stood, fists clenched. "Say that again, flame-boy."
But Noah had already turned to Finn.
"You asked for this. Let's get to it."
Finn nodded. "We're not here to threaten you. But we need to understand what's happening. You've gained more strength in two months than most adventurers gain in two years. The Guild doesn't know what to do with you."
"Then maybe they should stop trying to box me in," Noah said.
"We're not enemies, Noah. But if something happens that disrupts the balance—if monsters start spilling out of the lower floors—we need to know if you're the cause."
Noah's expression didn't change.
"…I'm not the cause," he said. "But I might be the only one who can deal with what's coming."
Finn studied him closely.
And then—he nodded.
"I believe you."
Tione raised an eyebrow. "Just like that?"
Finn smiled. "You don't gamble at war with loaded dice."
---
As the meeting broke up, Ais approached Noah.
She didn't speak.
She just looked at him.
He raised an eyebrow. "You waiting for something?"
She stared a moment longer, then said, softly, "…You're different now."
"I'm leveling up."
"No," she said. "You feel… heavy. Like a blade that's been tempered too fast."
He tilted his head. "You worried about me?"
"…No."
He smiled. "Then don't blink. You might miss something."
She blinked once—just once—and then walked past him, her eyes unreadable.
Noah watched her go, then turned and walked back into the night.
---
That same night, deep beneath Orario, in a forgotten level of the Dungeon…
A creature opened its eyes.
No flesh.
No mind.
Only hatred.
A voice echoed in the dark.
"He is coming."
And the Dungeon… shivered.