The library lights had already dimmed slightly by the time Zael finished reviewing several texts on class evolution.
Most of the information was broad.
General pathways.
Basic rules.
Very little concrete detail.
Which meant the real answers would only come once someone actually reached Level 30.
Zael closed the final book and stood up.
Just as he stepped away from the table, his watch vibrated.
A message from Lily.
"Get to the central grounds. Now. Big announcement."
Zael frowned slightly.
An announcement important enough to gather everyone at once was rare.
He left the library and headed toward the center of camp.
---
The central grounds were already crowded when he arrived.
Hundreds of students had gathered around the large open field.
Some stood in groups.
Others sat on the surrounding steps.
A raised platform had been set up at the front.
Zael quickly spotted Lily and Zane near the middle of the crowd.
Zane waved immediately.
"Boss!"
Zael walked over.
Zane crossed his arms smugly.
"So."
"While you were reading books like a scholar…"
He puffed out his chest.
"I broke the gravity room record."
Lily rolled her eyes.
"You lasted ten minutes."
Zane raised a finger.
"Ten minutes and twenty-three seconds."
"That record stood for two years."
He grinned proudly.
"And they gave me 200 points for it."
Zael nodded slightly.
"Good."
Zane blinked.
"…That's it?"
"No dramatic praise?"
Lily ignored him completely.
"Apparently the camp leadership is about to make an announcement."
She glanced toward the platform.
"Something important."
Zane leaned closer to Zael and muttered loudly,
"She's just jealous because she slept through my historic achievement."
"I was tired," Lily replied flatly.
Before Zane could continue bragging—
The crowd suddenly quieted.
A figure stepped onto the raised platform.
A tall man in a dark academy coat.
His posture was calm.
Authoritative.
The symbol on his chest identified him immediately.
Vice Camp President.
One of the highest-ranking officials managing the training camp.
His voice carried easily across the field.
"Students."
The murmuring stopped completely.
"You've all noticed the increased activity in the wilderness."
Many students shifted uncomfortably.
Some nodded.
Others whispered quietly.
The Vice President continued.
"The appearance of stronger beasts… and even boss monsters… is not a coincidence."
Zael's eyes narrowed slightly.
The man clasped his hands behind his back.
"There is a reason."
A brief pause followed.
Then he said the words that made the entire crowd react.
"In one week's time…"
"A World-Class Dungeon will open."
The crowd exploded into murmurs.
"What?!"
"A world-class dungeon?!"
"Here?!"
Even Zane stopped talking.
His eyes lit up immediately.
Zael's eyes widened slightly.
Because at that exact moment—
Aurelia's words echoed in his mind.
The map isn't for the camp.
It's for somewhere we'll be going in a few days.
The pieces began connecting.
The Vice President continued speaking.
"Dungeons of this level affect the surrounding ecosystem."
"That is why the beasts in the wilderness are becoming stronger and more aggressive."
He scanned the crowd.
"This dungeon will be open to students participating in the training camp."
More murmurs spread.
Some students looked excited.
Others looked nervous.
The Vice President's expression hardened slightly.
"Do not misunderstand."
"This is not a game."
"A World-Class Dungeon is extremely dangerous."
"Injuries are expected."
His gaze sharpened.
"And deaths are possible."
The crowd grew quieter again.
The excitement dimmed slightly as the reality set in.
The Vice President continued.
"You have one week to prepare."
"Train."
"Gather equipment."
"Form teams."
"Because once the dungeon opens…"
He paused.
"…only those strong enough will survive inside it."
The announcement ended.
But the effect it left on the students was immediate.
The entire central grounds erupted with discussion.
Zane grinned like a child who had just been promised the greatest toy in existence.
"Boss."
"A world-class dungeon."
He cracked his knuckles excitedly.
"That's going to be insane."
Lily looked thoughtful.
"That explains the beasts."
But Zael said nothing.
Because inside his coat—
The folded map Aurelia had given him suddenly felt heavier than before.
He hadn't told Lily or Zane about it.
And he wouldn't.
Not yet.
Because he still didn't understand it himself.
But one thing was becoming clear.
Whatever that map pointed to—
It was almost certainly inside that dungeon.
And if Aurelia was right…
Something important was waiting there.
-----
The murmurs across the central grounds had barely begun to settle when the Vice Camp President raised his hand again.
The crowd slowly quieted.
"There is something else you should know."
His voice remained steady.
"For an operation involving a World-Class Dungeon, supervision is required."
Many students straightened immediately.
Supervision from who?
The Vice President continued.
"You will not be entering alone."
"You will be escorted and overseen by a First-Rank Senior Squad from the military."
That statement immediately drew attention.
A first-rank squad wasn't something students normally encountered.
Those were elite military units.
Battle-hardened professionals who regularly fought high-level threats.
The Vice President slowly lifted his hand and gestured toward the shadows at the edge of the field.
"Allow me to introduce them."
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then seven figures stepped forward.
They walked calmly out of the shadows and onto the platform.
Their movements were relaxed.
Unhurried.
But the moment they appeared—
The entire crowd felt it.
Power.
Not flashy.
Not explosive.
Just the overwhelming presence of individuals who had fought countless battles and survived them all.
The confidence they radiated was absolute.
The air itself seemed heavier.
Several students unconsciously stepped back.
Some even stopped breathing for a moment.
Zane whispered under his breath.
"…Okay."
"Those guys are terrifying."
Lily's eyes were sharp as she studied them.
"Military elites."
The seven soldiers stood in formation.
All of them carried different weapons.
Blades.
Rifles.
Heavy gauntlets.
Each one clearly specialized in different combat styles.
But the person standing at the front—
The squad leader—
Immediately commanded everyone's attention.
Tall.
Broad shouldered.
Dark hair tied behind his head.
A long military coat draped over armor that had clearly seen real combat.
His expression was calm.
Focused.
The kind of calm that only came from overwhelming experience.
Everyone watching the platform was stunned by the level of strength the squad radiated.
Everyone except one person.
Zael.
Because the moment his eyes landed on the squad leader—
Something inside him froze.
Then twisted.
Anger.
Confusion.
A storm of emotions he wasn't expecting.
Kael.
His brother.
The brother he hadn't seen in years.
Not when he awakened.
Not after the demon invasion incident.
Not even once.
Kael had always been busy.
Always on missions.
Always somewhere no one else knew about.
And now—
He was standing here.
Leading a military squad.
Zael's expression didn't change.
His face remained the same calm, apathetic mask it always was.
But inside—
His thoughts were anything but calm.
Why now?
Zael forced himself to think rationally.
He reminded himself again.
I'm not the real Zael.
I'm someone who transmigrated into his body.
That should have created distance.
It should have made the emotions feel foreign.
Detached.
But it didn't.
Because the anger didn't feel borrowed.
It felt personal.
Raw.
And the thought that followed surprised even him.
You left.
For years.
Without a word.
Without explanation.
Zael pushed the thoughts down.
He didn't allow them to surface on his face.
From the outside, he looked completely calm.
But inside—
Something was simmering.
Meanwhile—
Kael stepped forward on the platform.
In his capacity as squad leader, his voice carried across the entire field.
"My name is Kael Nightshade."
"I am the leader of Starfire Squad."
The seven soldiers behind him stood silently.
Their presence alone kept the crowd perfectly quiet.
Kael continued.
"Our squad has been assigned to oversee this operation."
"We will escort you to the dungeon and ensure that threats above your capability do not interfere."
He paused slightly.
"But do not misunderstand."
His eyes swept across the crowd.
"Even with us present…"
"It is not guaranteed that everyone will be safe."
The words settled heavily over the field.
"Your preparation is still your responsibility."
"If you enter the dungeon unprepared…"
He shrugged slightly.
"…you will die."
The blunt honesty made several students shift uncomfortably.
Kael continued calmly.
"There is another factor you should be aware of."
His voice grew slightly colder.
"Multiple training camps will be entering this dungeon."
Some students exchanged looks.
Kael finished the sentence.
"And not all of them are on good terms with this one."
The murmuring started again.
Rival camps.
Competition.
Conflict.
Kael didn't stop.
"If another camp targets you…"
His gaze remained steady.
"That is your problem to solve."
"Starfire Squad will not interfere in student conflicts."
Zane whispered quietly,
"Translation… we're on our own."
Lily nodded slightly.
Kael finished with a final warning.
"Prepare yourselves."
"You have one week."
After that—
He turned slightly, signaling the end of the announcement.
Starfire Squad began stepping down from the platform.
But just as Kael turned—
His gaze swept across the crowd one last time.
Then suddenly—
His eyes stopped.
Locked.
On someone standing among the students.
Zael.
For a moment—
Kael's calm military composure shattered.
Shock spread across his face.
Real, unfiltered shock.
Because the last person he had expected to see here…
Was his younger brother.
To be continued…