Mass release In honour to the support {22/10}
The air in the room felt heavy, weighed down by the silence that stretched after Seo Jihnyuk's opening statement. He sat at the head of the long, dark oak table, his fingers slowly drumming against a stack of neatly arranged papers. The rhythmic tapping seemed to echo louder than it should, bouncing off the cold metal walls of the underground bunker. Continue reading on M V L
Flickering lights from the ceiling added to the eeriness of the setting, casting shadows that made the room feel more oppressive than it already was.
"Now I shall begin the meeting with a few questions," Seo began, his voice low but sharp enough to slice through the tense atmosphere. His eyes briefly scanned the room, observing each of the hunters seated before him. "How many of you have unlocked the true form of binding? Please signify by raising your hand."
At first, no one moved. The silence, now deeper, gnawed at the patience of everyone present. It wasn't just a question of power anymore—it was a matter of survival.
One by one, hands started to rise.
Axel, seated near the back of the room, instinctively leaned forward, observing the hunters who dared to lift their hands. **Josh Roark**, of course. It wasn't a surprise; the man was hailed as a genius, a prodigy. His hand rose confidently, the calm on his face betraying none of the uncertainty the others might have felt.
Next was **Thor**, his hand raised as casually as if he were answering a routine question in a classroom. **Trisha** followed, albeit hesitantly, her fingers trembling as though uncertain of her own capabilities.
Two more S-ranks raised their hands.
Surprisingly, neither **Williams** nor **Sarah** moved. Axel's gaze flicked to them both, eyebrows slightly raised. **What's holding them back?**
**Loki**, seated to Axel's left, shifted uncomfortably. Unlike the others, he was no S-rank, not even close—just a B-rank hunter. And yet, here he was, in a meeting filled with elites. He couldn't help but feel out of place. **Why was I invited?** He wondered for the hundredth time, casting a questioning glance at Seo. The more he thought about it, the more the pit of unease in his stomach grew.
"Permission to speak?" Trisha asked softly, raising her hand higher to ensure she caught Seo's attention. His subtle nod gave her the floor.
And that mind is yours."
Seo Jihnyuk nodded, his expression unreadable. "For the mission we're about to undertake, we need more than brute strength. We need strategy. We need someone who can see what others cannot. And that's where you come in, Loki."
Loki remained silent, his thoughts a whirl of uncertainty. **What was this mission?** What could be so dangerous that it required the very best hunters from Kyota, the world's top country for skilled fighters?
The mention of the mission seemed to bring the tension in the room to a breaking point. Loki wasn't the only one with questions.
"During the Metorion attack, we lost more than a dozen S-ranks. Kyota has never been this vulnerable," he continued, his voice rising slightly. "If we send our strongest hunters off-planet, we'll be leaving our home defenseless. All it would take is one major incident, and we could lose everything. Is that a risk you're willing to take?"
The room stilled, waiting for an answer. Axel could feel the weight of the question hanging in the air, pressing down on everyone's shoulders.
Rudeus, the board member who had taken Hendrick's place after his untimely death, cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "That's why we've secured alliances with the world's top countries. Kyota's safety will fall into their hands for the time being. The president has agreed to it."
Axel's mind raced. **Alliances?** Relying on other countries for protection didn't sit well with him. The world had become too unpredictable, too unstable. Placing their trust in outsiders was a gamble.
But what other choice did they have?
"We all understand the risks," Seo said quietly, his voice breaking the uneasy silence. "But if we succeed in this mission... if we recover what we're after... it could bring us one step closer to ending this war."
Axel's heart pounded in his chest. **What could possibly be worth risking everything?** His thoughts swirled with a thousand unanswered questions, but one thing was clear—whatever lay ahead was far more dangerous than anyone in this room could imagine.
***Author's note***
Who can guess what's going of happen in this arc. Is it going to be off world things, or will something go wrong at the last moment.