Chapter 162: Returning back

Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Returning back

Leaving the warm atmosphere of the dining hall, Squad 07 and Princess Lyra made their way back through the grand archway of the Keystone Citadel Adventurer’s Guild. Passing through the bustling main hall, they approached the primary commission counter to formally turn in the Rift Core & Mineral Extraction contract.

The head guild administrator carefully reviewed the official rift basin logs, verifying the eradication of local threats and the exact weight of their total extraction yield. With a series of crisp system chimes, the guild clerk finalized the contract payout. A heavy velvet pouch containing a hefty 2,000 Gold Coins was pushed across the mahogany counter, alongside the formal trade release authorizing their 30% material share—granting them exclusive ownership of 45kg of high-purity Arcane Mithril and unrefined Rift Ore.

Rowan swept the heavy gold pouch and the pristine mineral allocation cleanly into his system inventory. Turning to his broad-shouldered blacksmith, Rowan patted Barney warmly on the shoulder.

"We’ll be relying on the Ironforge household to upgrade our gear with these minerals, my friend," Rowan said, tipping the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat with a relaxed grin.

Barney let out a chest-rumbling laugh, his eyes lighting up with the unmistakable fire of a master craftsman. He flexed his thick hands, already anticipating the feel of the Hammer of the Sunken Bastion in his grip.

"You won’t hear any complaints from me, leader!" Barney barked, a wide, confident grin spreading across his soot-dusted face. "Forty-five kilograms of high-purity Arcane Mithril and raw rift ore is an artificer’s dream. Give me a proper hearth, and I’ll temper Caelen a fresh set of razor-thin daggers, reinforce my vanguard shield, and fit the rest of the squad with masterwork gear that can handle whatever awaits us on the 11th floor."

"Just make sure you don’t end up breaking the forge anvil this time," Mirei teased softly, a rare, faint smile touching her lips.

Princess Lyra rested her hand on her sword hilt, looking over the team with genuine pride. "With high-density materials and an Ironforge smith refining our equipment, Squad 07 will be completely unyielding when we push past the next gate."

With their pockets heavy with coin, elite crafting resources secured, and the citadel’s perimeter firmly stabilized, the squad stepped out into the crisp evening air, ready to rest before their next conquest.

***

Dawn broke over Keystone Citadel, casting soft golden rays through the tall stained-glass windows of Squad 07’s suite at the Keystone Lodge. The quiet morning was suddenly broken by a sharp, rhythmic series of heavy knocks reverberating against the solid oak door.

Barney opened the door to reveal a contingent of Imperial Guards clad in polished silver-and-gold runic plate armor, their expressions stern beneath their visors. The guard commander stepped forward into the doorway, bowing deeply upon spotting Princess Lyra standing alongside Rowan and the squad.

"Your Highness, Cadet Rowan," the commander announced, his voice carrying clear military urgency. "We have been dispatched directly from the capital under high-priority imperial orders. The Imperial High Command and the senior faculty at the Imperial Academy require an immediate debriefing regarding yesterday’s coordinated Order of Humanity attack on the 10th floor."

The commander paused, his gaze shifting respectfully toward Princess Lyra with visible concern. "Furthermore, High Command and the crown are deeply anxious regarding Your Highness’s security within the Tower. The cult’s escalation on Floor 10 proves they are deploying higher-tier bio-weapons and actively seeking to breach city infrastructure. The risks of remaining on the front lines while investigations are underway are deemed far too severe. You are all requested to exit the Tower immediately and report back to the academy for formal evaluation and debriefing."

Seraphina adjusted her glasses, her sharp mind quickly analyzing the directive. "It makes tactical sense. The cult deployed mutated zealots and blood-borne synthetic rot specifically targeting Rowan’s vitality mana and the citadel’s leylines. The Imperial Academy’s review council will want a full report on the synthetic poison’s composition before we push any further."

Princess Lyra stood tall, her silver hair catching the morning sun as she rested her hand on her sword hilt. While she had previously declined standard guard escorts on lower floors, she recognized the political and strategic necessity of compliance when synthetic bio-weapons threatened royal security. "Very well, Commander. Squad 07 and I will return to the capital through the central relay gate to deliver our full report."

Rowan tipped the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat, resting the Hoe of the World-Tiller lightly against his shoulder. With their heavy mineral haul stored, their contract turned in, and Keystone Citadel stabilized, stepping back to the Imperial Academy fit neatly into their exchange schedule.

"Pack up, team," Rowan said smoothly to Squad 07, a calm smile on his face. "Let’s go head back out and answer the capital’s questions."

***

Caelen sighed, resting his arm heavily against the leather-wrapped hilt of Edge of the First Warden. "It’s a shame our tower expedition this time was cut short. As a combat Awakener, having less time in the tower just means less time leveling up by hunting beasts."

Mirei glanced at her twin brother, gently adjusting her Wind-Blessed Quiver over her shoulder. "He’s not wrong. We barely had a chance to test out our Level 20 skill trees against the upper-tier monsters outside the citadel walls."

"While hunting high-floor beasts is the traditional path to leveling up, pushing deeper into the Tower while a cult actively targets city leylines would have been reckless," Seraphina pointed out calmly, pushing her spectacles up as she adjusted her alchemy satchel. "Besides, we secured forty-five kilograms of high-purity rift minerals, saved the central district, and dismantled a major sabotage attempt."

Princess Lyra gave a firm, reassuring nod, her silver hair shimmering under the morning sun as she rested her hand on her sword hilt. "Your combat contributions did not go unnoticed, Caelen. Protecting Keystone Citadel and securing the perimeter will carry immense weight when we present our report to the Imperial High Command."

Rowan stepped up beside his squad, tipping the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat. Reaching into his system storage, he pulled out a handful of radiant, ruby-marbled Amethyst-Gold Peaches, handing one to each of his teammates.

"Don’t worry too much about the EXP gap, Caelen," Rowan said with a relaxed smirk, tapping the smooth wooden shaft of the Hoe of the World-Tiller against his shoulder. "Unlike standard monster grinding, digesting high-purity domain produce continuously nourishes your core pathways even outside the Tower. Eat these on the way back—they’ll digest into raw vitality mana and refine your physical stats while we’re away."

Caelen took the glowing fruit, his eyes lighting up as the rich, invigorating aroma washed over him. He let out a hearty laugh, his previous frustration instantly dissolving. "Right... I keep forgetting our squad leader grows walking cheat codes."

With their heavy mineral haul secured and their report ready, the team fell into formation behind the silver-armored Imperial Guards toward the central relay gate. As the shimmering blue light of the Tower exit portal enveloped Squad 07 and Princess Lyra, the grand stone archways of Keystone Citadel faded away, replacing the perilous depths of the 10th floor with the imposing, familiar skyline of the Imperial Academy.𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ