Chapter 193: The Captain Wants to Take Action [Bonus - ]

The silence that followed Captain Armstrong’s words spread throughout the entire hangar.

The six sub-captains watched him with different expressions. Some looked surprised, while others had begun considering the implications of his decision.

The captain of the Ace of Spades rarely left the guild headquarters to participate directly in an operation.

His role was to coordinate hunters, distribute resources, and make decisions that affected the entire organization.

If he had decided to intervene personally, it meant the situation was far more serious than they had imagined.

Wayne was the first to speak.

"Are you saying you’ll accompany the squads on the next operation?"

"Exactly," Armstrong replied.

Amber frowned.

"Captain, with all due respect, if the threat is as great as it seems, we can’t afford to lose you on the battlefield."

"And I can’t ask you to face something unknown while I stay here, watching your reports on a screen."

Armstrong looked around at everyone present.

"You’ve risked your lives in the recent operations. Some of you returned injured, while others barely had time to rest before attending this meeting. And yet, none of you abandoned your missions."

He paused briefly.

"If the enemy is changing the rules of the game, we’ll have to do the same. Besides, I’m the only Diamond-rank hunter in the country. The situation warrants it."

Don Rouch nodded slowly.

"I understand your decision. But first, we need to find out where the next connection will appear."

James approached the hologram.

"I agree. We can’t deploy all our squads without a clear destination. We need to identify the most unstable energy concentrations and determine which ones pose an immediate threat."

Pix floated over to the map.

"The connections aren’t growing at the same rate. Some remain stable, while others are experiencing increasingly intense fluctuations."

Tim crossed his arms.

"Then we should focus on the latter."

"That’s what I recommend," James replied.

"If we can intervene before a connection stabilizes, we might be able to prevent something from crossing through it."

Liam stared at the violet dots.

"And what if there’s already something on the other side?"

Pix fell silent for a moment.

"Then we’ll have to be prepared to receive it."

Her answer did little to reassure anyone.

Armstrong raised a hand.

"For now, no one is going out there blindly. James and Pix will analyze the data and prepare a list of potential targets. Once we have a reliable location, we’ll organize the next operation."

The six sub-captains nodded.

"I want all your squads ready to mobilize as soon as we receive the signal," the captain continued.

"But I also want you to rest. You’re no use to me if you arrive on the battlefield without the strength to fight."

Chuck raised his hand from Liam’s group.

"Does that mean we officially have permission to sleep?"

Lena elbowed him.

"Shut up! The captain is speaking!"

Armstrong looked in their direction.

For a second, his expression remained serious.

Then a small smile appeared on his face.

"Yes. As long as you don’t use rest as an excuse to miss the next meeting."

Chuck lowered his hand.

"Understood, sir."

Liam shook his head in amusement.

At least some things hadn’t changed.

◇◆◇

The meeting ended shortly afterward.

The hunters began dispersing throughout the hangar while the support staff collected equipment and updated medical records.

Liam gathered the members of his squad.

"You heard the captain. We’re going to rest and check our equipment. I want everyone ready for the next operation, but nobody’s going to play the hero while they still have untreated injuries."

Jordan raised his bag of cookies.

"Does that include resting while we eat?"

"In your case, you should rest while eating, walk while eating, and probably sleep while eating, too."

"That sounds like an excellent plan!"

Ray burst out laughing.

Zayn yawned behind them.

"I’d rather just get some actual sleep."

"For once, we agree," Nora replied.

Chloe smiled as she checked the condition of her bag.

Emily and Carol were sitting on one of the benches in the hangar. Both seemed calmer after hearing they wouldn’t have to return to combat immediately.

Liam approached them.

"James said you should avoid unnecessary exertion for the next few hours."

Carol looked up.

"Does that mean I can hit Chuck if he makes another joke about my physical condition?"

"Hey!" Chuck protested from a few meters away.

Liam sighed.

"It means you should rest."

"What a disappointment, Boss."

As the others began preparing to return to their rooms, Lydia approached Liam.

"Do you think we’ll have to head out soon?"

"It’s possible."

Lydia lowered her gaze slightly.

"Then I want to be ready."

Liam studied her carefully.

Since her evolution, he’d noticed significant changes in her abilities. She could now activate and deactivate her powers with much greater precision, and her ability to absorb energy allowed her to recover her strength without relying exclusively on consuming matter.

Even so, James had insisted that they needed to keep monitoring her condition throughout her pregnancy.

"Lydia, remember what James said. Your abilities are working better, but we still need to see how everything develops."

"I know."

"And if you notice anything strange, tell me immediately."

She smiled.

"I promise."

Liam took her hand.

He didn’t want to prevent her from participating in operations. He knew perfectly well that Lydia was a capable hunter and wouldn’t accept being left behind just because he was worried about her.

But he couldn’t help feeling uneasy, either.

’Please, let this evolution be enough to keep her safe.’

Lydia gently squeezed his hand, unaware of the thoughts running through his mind.

"We’ll be fine, Liam."

He looked at her and nodded.

"Yeah. We’ll be fine."

◇◆◇

A few hours later, the hangar had regained some of its tranquility.

The squads checked their weapons, replenished their supplies, and received their final medical treatments. Some hunters took advantage of the rest areas to sleep, while others inspected their equipment before heading home.

In the center of the hangar, Armstrong stood alongside the six sub-captains.

James had prepared a summary of the known threats and the procedures they could use to contain another dimensional connection.

The captain looked at everyone present.

"Listen carefully. We don’t know what’s trying to cross these connections or how many creatures might be on the other side. All we know is that some of them can adapt to our attacks, absorb energy from their surroundings, and recover from injuries that should have incapacitated them."

His gaze briefly settled on Liam and Timothy.

"You’ve already proven that you can defeat them when you work together. But we can’t assume the next threat will have the same capabilities."

Jane nodded.

"Then we’ll need to maintain coordination between the squads."

"Exactly."

Armstrong continued.

"It doesn’t matter whether the threat appears inside a dungeon or in the middle of a city. We won’t allow those creatures to cross freely into our world."

He clenched his fists.

"Whatever is trying to pass through these connections, it won’t find the Ace of Spades sitting idly by."

The hunters fell silent.

Then Armstrong stepped forward.

"This time, you’ll have my help."

The determination in his voice made several people straighten their backs.

Liam watched the captain.

He’d seen powerful hunters face monsters that seemed impossible to defeat. He’d seen his own comrades risk everything to protect one another.

But now, for the first time since becoming a sub-captain, he felt that the entire guild was about to enter a battle unlike any other.

And he didn’t know if they were ready.

◇◆◇

James returned to the hologram to check the latest energy readings.

"Wait a moment..."

His expression changed.

Pix immediately approached him.

"What is it?"

James enlarged the map.

One of the violet dots, which had remained faint and stable until then, began to glow with increasing intensity.

The nearby lines started fluctuating.

"That wasn’t happening a few minutes ago," James muttered.

Armstrong turned toward him.

"What does it mean?"

James quickly examined the data.

"I don’t know yet. But the energy concentration is increasing at an abnormal rate."

Pix stared at the dot.

For the first time during the entire meeting, her expression showed unmistakable concern.

"Liam..."

He approached the hologram.

"What is it?"

Pix pointed at the illuminated area.

"We have a new connection."

The violet dot emitted one final flash.

And for an instant, a thin line appeared on the map, stretching toward a location where no dungeon had ever been registered.

No one spoke.

Everyone understood that their time to prepare might be running out.