[The Great Hall – Yoru's Castle]
The air in the room suddenly felt heavy, as if the gravity itself had increased. Captain Carod turned his gaze toward Yoru, his visor flickering with a low, rhythmic pulse. "Yoru... you know what this pattern means, don't you?"
Yoru set her tea cup down with a sharp clack. Her playful demeanor had vanished, replaced by the cold, calculated look of a Z-Elite strategist. "Yes. I was hoping the reports were wrong, but the frequency is undeniable."
Techyon looked between the two of them, his brow furrowed. "What are you guys talking about? If there's a problem, tell me!"
Carod didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned to his sidekicks, his voice booming with authority. "Go to the command center on the ship. Sync with the Northern Galaxy orbital sensors. I want a full mana-density map of this sector within the hour. Go!"
"Sir, yes sir!" The sidekicks saluted and sprinted out of the castle, their boots echoing against the marble floors.
Once the doors closed, Yoru turned to Techyon, her green eyes reflecting the flickering firelight. "Listen carefully, Techyon. Whenever high-rank dungeons start opening in rapid succession like this, it acts as a 'pressure valve' for reality. It means a dungeon of a much higher magnitude is about to manifest."
Carod stepped forward, his heavy armor hissing. "The last time this happened was twenty-three years ago. Back then, it started just like this—S-Ranks popping up every few hours. Then, the sky literally tore open. A Z-Rank Dungeon appeared, and the boss was the Universal Snake."
Techyon's eyes widened. "The Universal Snake? How big was it?"
"Big enough to wrap its coils around the entire universe," Yoru replied, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I was very little back then, but the records are clear. It was a threat that could have crushed existence itself. As I recall, it was the Electro Arcon of that era who stepped in to defeat the beast."
Techyon paused, his mind racing. "The Arcon? But I thought they didn't interfere with adventurer business. I thought they stayed in their own realms."
"Usually, they do," Yoru explained, standing up and walking toward the window that looked out over the frozen peaks. "But that was a universal-level threat. The snake didn't just want a planet; it wanted everything. When the balance of the universe is at stake, the Arcons have no choice but to descend."
Carod let out a sigh of relief, his systems cooling down. "Thank god the dungeons are separate dimensions. If that thing had manifested in our physical space instead of a pocket realm, there wouldn't be a Netland left to fight for. But if another Z-Rank is coming... we need to be ready."
Techyon looked at his hands. He was the son of an Arcon. If history was repeating itself, the world wouldn't just need adventurers—it would need him.
Techyon leaned forward, his mind struggling to visualize a battle of that magnitude. "Wait... if that Electro Arcon defeated a boss that could wrap around the universe, it must have been the greatest battle in history. The sky must have burned for years!"
Captain Carod let out a sharp, dry laugh, crossing his heavy armored arms. "Great battle? Techyon, it was more like a trash battle. That Electro Arcon didn't struggle for a single second. She drew her blade and cut that Universal Snake into nano-sized pieces with no effort at all. To her, it was like a gardener trimming a stray vine. It was over before the world even realized it had begun."
Yoru nodded slowly, her green eyes looking distant as she remembered the old texts. "Yeah. The sheer gap in power was... unsettling."
Techyon sat back, stunned. "What? Wait... does that mean Arcons are just fundamentally stronger than adventurers? Even Z-Elites?"
"Obviously," Yoru replied, pouring a final drop of tea. "But the world isn't as simple as it used to be. Nowadays, some peak adventurers—like me and the Captain—are actually stronger than some low-to-mid class Arcons. We've bridged the gap through sheer discipline and technology."
Techyon looked at his mentor with a new sense of awe. "So... are you saying you're stronger than that Electro Arcon who shredded the snake?"
"Hell nah!" Carod shouted, his visor flashing a frantic red. "I'm confident, Techyon, but I'm not suicidal. There's a limit to how much 'tech' can fight against a literal god of the elements."
"No," Yoru added firmly, her expression dead serious. "She was a High-Class Arcon. In the hierarchy of the heavens, she stands at the summit. We are strong, Techyon, but we are still mortal. She... she is a fundamental law of nature."
The heavy atmosphere was interrupted by a soft knock. The maid from before stepped into the hall, bowing gracefully. "Lady Yoru, your emergency council meeting is about to start. The other guild leaders are waiting on the holographic line."
Yoru stood up, the black silk of her traditional gown rustling softly. She looked at Techyon and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I have to go. Duty calls when the dungeons start screaming. Techyon, stay here as long as you want. My castle is your home. Use the training rooms, eat well, and rest. You'll need your strength for what's coming."
"Okay," Techyon nodded, feeling the weight of her words.
"And I'm heading back to my headquarters," Carod announced, his boots thudding as he stood up. "I need to prepare the Northern Fleet. If a Z-Rank is really coming, we're going to need more than just one ship. See you around, kid. Don't get too soft eating these fancy snacks."
Techyon watched as his two powerful allies departed, leaving him alone in the massive hall. He looked at his hands, then out at the snowy peaks. He was the son of an Arcon—but which class did his father belong to? And was he ready to face a threat that could make a Z-Elite sweat?
The hall felt emptier with the Z-Elites gone, the silence of the Peak of Silence finally living up to its name. Techyon sat on the velvet couch, his mind buzzing. He swiped his hand through the air, manifesting his glowing status window, and initiated a secure mana-link call.
Alya's face flickered into view, her expression a mix of relief and playful pouting. "So, you finally remembered me, Techyon? We haven't talked to each other in three days!"
"It's just been three days, Alya," Techyon replied with a tired smile, leaning back against the cushions.
"Three days!" Alya exclaimed, her voice crackling through the mana-link. "Three days without you feels like three years to me! Do you have any idea how boring it is here without your chaos?"
Techyon chuckled, but his face quickly turned serious. "Leave that for a second. Is your father there? Neweland? I need to talk to him about something important."
The perspective of the call shifted as the device was handed over. The stern yet wise face of Neweland appeared on the screen. "I am here, Techyon. You look troubled. Has something happened in Netland?"
Techyon took a deep breath, the image of the Universal Snake and the nano-cutting Goddess vivid in his mind. "Neweland... do you know anything about the previous Electro Arcon? The one from twenty-three years ago?"
There was a long, heavy pause on the other end of the line. Neweland's eyes softened, carrying a weight of history that Techyon hadn't seen before.
"About your mother?" Neweland asked, his voice low and respectful. "Obviously, I know about her, Techyon. She was the storm that kept the darkness at bay."
Techyon felt as if the floor had dropped out from under him. The "Law of Nature" Yoru had described, the "High-Class Arcon" who treated universal threats like trash... was his own mother.