CHAPTER 46: FROM BAD TO WORSE

...

[OFFICIAL GUILD MISSION SLIP]

Guild: GRIMMAW, Northcrest City Branch

Mission ID: NC-DB-1475-D

Classification: Dungeon Aftermath Operation

Mission Rank: D

Team Size: 4 Members

Mission Objective:

Contain and eliminate all residual threats left behind after the dungeon collapse at Ashenridge Plaza, Northcrest City. While the rift itself has been closed, reports indicate lingering abnormalities, including potential mana-beast stragglers and corrupted terrain.

Mission Details:

Secure the perimeter and clear remaining monsters.

Recover any stray dungeon fragments for Guild Research.

Ensure the area is safe for reconstruction crews.

Report immediately if secondary cracks or anomalies are discovered.

Reward upon Completion: 30,000 Royals (per Squad Member).

Issued By: Northcrest City Council in cooperation with GRIMMAW Guildmaster.

...

Lucius folded the parchment with deliberate calm, though his eyes lingered a second longer on the words Dungeon Aftermath.

"My lord, is there a problem with the mission?" Villey asked, voice polite as ever.

Lucius shook his head. "Not at all. I actually like this mission."

On the surface, his tone was nice.

Inside, a different voice sneered.

’So much for ’easy assignments to ease you in.’ Vanessa must have a twisted sense of humor. Dungeon aftermaths are where fools get chewed up by stragglers too stubborn to die in the collapse.’

Still, part of him stirred at the thought.

This was going to be his first time seeing monsters up close.

Villey’s face softened, relieved. "Then I shall introduce you to your squad."

Lucius inclined his head. Behind him, he caught Miss Brown, the receptionist, sneaking another look.

She dropped her gaze the instant his eyes brushed hers, cheeks heating as she shuffled her papers furiously.

Lucius bit back a sigh.

...

Villey led him upstairs, heels clicking against polished wood. The second floor of GRIMMAW was another world entirely.

Noise crashed over him like a wave: merchants shouting over prices, awakeners boasting of kills, the crackle of mana as a mage tested a staff for resonance.

Stalls lined the walls, stacked with glittering beast cores, jagged fangs, battered armor pieces, and trinkets that pulsed faintly with otherworldly energy.

"This floor generates thirty percent of our branch’s annual revenue," Villey said, her words crisp, almost rehearsed. "Most dungeon spoils are sold here, either directly to the Guild or—"

Lucius tuned her out.

His gaze swept the crowd instead. Every time he moved, heads turned.

Some eyes lingered on the crest sewn into his coat, others on the sharp line of his jaw or his polished boots.

A pair of girls whispered to each other and burst into giggles, one even biting her lip when his gaze flicked her way.

’So this is what being the hot commodity feels like. Maybe I should open a fan club. Charge admission. Lucius: The Exhibit.’

He smirked faintly to himself, letting the attention roll off.

Attention was a tool, nothing more.

They wove deeper into the market until Villey stopped before a stall selling basic potions.

That’s when Lucius heard them.

"No, I paid first, so it’s mine!"

"Idiot, your Royals are short — stop trying to cheat me!"

"Both of you shut up! The potion belongs to the most skilled, which is clearly me!"

Lucius blinked. His new squad, apparently, was locked in mortal combat... over a single, low-grade healing potion.

The eldest, broad-shouldered with a cropped blond head and self-important air, barked orders even mid-argument.

The middle brother, lanky and sharp-featured, swung his spear dangerously close to passersby every time he gestured.

The youngest, auburn-haired and red-cheeked, whined like a child denied dessert.

They were the very definition of pathetic.

"Ahem," Villey said, voice pitched just right to cut through their squabble. "Cyrus Hudson. Grimm Hudson. Felix Hudson. Meet your fourth squad member. Lord Lucius von Hohenberg."

The potion was instantly forgotten.

"Ohhh! So this is the noble!"

"He looks fragile."

"No, no, look at that coat — definitely custom. Do you think it’s silk?"

The three swarmed him like puppies spotting meat.

Hands grabbed at his shoulders, one shook his hand furiously, another tried to peek under his sleeve as if expecting hidden muscles.

Lucius’s brow twitched.

’Sad fucks.’

He turned just in time to see Villey waving prettily as she retreated, her job done. "Good luck, my lord. Do try to get along."

Lucius stared after her, pure betrayal burning in his chest.

...

Their march to Ashenridge Plaza was chaos incarnate.

Cyrus insisted on lecturing him about "proper squad hierarchy" every third step.

"As squad leader, you’ll defer to my judgment in combat. Unless, of course, my judgment is impaired, in which case Grimm will—"

"Wrong," Grimm cut in, slapping his spear against his shoulder. "If your judgment’s impaired, you hand it to me, not Felix. He can’t even aim a fireball straight."

"I can aim!" Felix protested, sparks flying from his fingertips. One stray ember singed the edge of Lucius’s coat.

Lucius pinched the bridge of his nose.

’I should’ve stayed home. Babysitting these three is cruel and unusual punishment.’

Cyrus glanced back at him. "So, Lucius, what’s your element?"

Lucius shoved his hands into his pockets. "You already know."

The brothers exchanged a look.

Lucius stared at the road ahead, stone-faced.

’Extras through and through. Doomed men. And I’m supposed to keep them alive? Vanessa, you owe me.’

By the time the ruined district came into view, dusk had begun to fall.

Ashenridge Plaza had once been a lively market.

Now it lay shattered.

Stone tiles were broken and uneven, carts splintered into jagged wrecks, buildings sagged with collapsed beams.

Black scorch marks sprawled across cobblestones like claw marks from some monstrous beast.

The air prickled with residual mana, Lucius could taste it on his tongue.

And the smell — gods, the smell.

It was a combination of rot, iron and smoke.

"By the Swords..." Grimm murmured, his usual swagger evaporating as he tightened his grip on his spear.

Lucius’s eyes swept the devastation, jaw tightening.

Bloodstains streaked across broken walls. Oozing black patches of corrupted earth twitched faintly, like living mold.

Felix whimpered, voice cracking. "N-no one said it would look like this..."

Cyrus tried for composure, puffing his chest. "It’s just leftover energy. Nothing we can’t handle."

And finally, he muttered the truth aloud.

"Fuck," Lucius cursed as they closed into the ruin itself, "It’s that bad."

[Author’s Note]

[Phew, I’ll write and post the remaining Chapters when I wake up. Later guys]