"Why were we even brought here in the first place?"
"Yeah, it's strange. Looking at the people here… I'm certain I've seen some of them back when I studied at the academy."
"Oh? You too?"
"Then what is this… some kind of reunion?"
"What kind of idiot plans a reunion in the middle of the night and drags people here without permission?"
Dozens of figures stood scattered across the vast training hall, their voices overlapping in restless waves.
Dim torchlight clung to the stone walls, casting long, shifting shadows that made the room feel colder than it was.
Confusion lingered on every face, irritation simmering just beneath, and the sharp echo of their complaints bounced endlessly through the high ceiling.
They had all been brought here forcibly by a group of imperial guards, summoned under the authority of the Emperor himself, yet no explanation had been given.
As their murmurs grew louder, a voice suddenly cut through the noise.
"Excuse me… I demand an answer!"
