In the capital of the Soaring Dragon Kingdom, the echoes of the bells still thundered across the walls of the royal palace. The news of divine punishment had arrived like a roar no one could ignore, and in the grand throne hall, the air was heavy with unease.
King Charles III, seated on his obsidian-and-gold throne, frowned as his most trusted general, Valerius, delivered his report.
"Your Majesty," Valerius spoke with a steady voice, though his eyes revealed traces of unease. "According to the agreement made between all guilds, when we confirmed that the gate which appeared was of level (S), we decided to wait in the portal zone for the entire duration of the GRB."
The general clenched his fist, recalling the strategy.
"As you know, it had always been the custom. Nobody dared to enter those impossible gates, and by not participating, the rankings remained untouched until the next month. It was a safe move… or so we thought."
