"Do you not find my offer acceptable?" Talia asked once she saw the same expressions Vaelira had. "A three-way alliance between Runewoven, Nova Circuit, and Valhalla's Sinners."
Then, Talia's gaze shifted sideways toward Tessa as she added, "Should Nova Circuit find it acceptable, of course."
Without so much as blinking, Tessa replied instantly. "We accept."
There was no hesitation. No request for further discussion. Because she didn't need one. Tessa had already made up her mind long before she stepped into this hall. She knew firsthand how anomalous Kaiden's group was.
Valhalla's Sinners weren't just lucky. They weren't just skilled. They were something else entirely: they were beyond normal comprehension, beyond their current understanding of the mana apocalypse. And most of all, they were rising. Fast. She'd seen it during the desert dungeon clear. That moment had planted the seed, but everything she'd observed since had only confirmed it:
