The room fell into heavy silence after the golden angel's departure. Sunlight streamed through the broken window, casting fractured light patterns across the floor where glass shards lay scattered. For several long moments, no one spoke. Each person processed what had just happened in their own way.

Millie leaned against Nova's side. She sniffled quietly, using the back of her hand to wipe away a lingering tear that rolled down her flushed cheek. The confrontation had shaken her more than any of them.

Anny stood near the window. Her eyes followed the children in the courtyard below who played on, blissfully unaware of how close they had come to disaster. Her face remained composed, but her clenched jaw and the tight line of her mouth revealed the tension running through her.

Larena broke the stillness first. She took a deep breath that filled her lungs completely. Then she walked with deliberate steps to a blackboard mounted on the wall. The chalk squeaked against the dark surface as she began erasing a complex table filled with white lines and numbers. Dust motes danced in the air with each swipe of her hand.

"These calculations are no longer possible..." she said. Her voice sounded hollow in the quiet room.

Nova turned away from the window. Glass crunched under his feet as he moved across the floor. "...Calculations about how much Soul Power we could produce in the future?"

"Yes." Larena continued erasing, not looking at him. The lines that represented their future course disappeared under her hand. "Our plan to make a meaningful change. The basis of our entire operation."

Nova watched the numbers vanish from the board. His expression shifted from concern to determination. "...It's hardly that important. Yes, it is a setback, but with the rate of growth we have had in just a month of time, it's not unreasonable to think we'll be able to fight the king soon. Much sooner than we would have if we relied on producing Soul Power with the children."

Larena stopped mid-swipe. Chalk dust coated her fingers as she turned to face him. The afternoon light caught the red highlights in her hair as she tilted her head. "Do you really think you'll get that much power in the dungeons?"

"Well, I can only hope. But as we grow in power, our ability to use new skills and unlock new tactics should put us above anyone else in the world."

Larena crossed her arms. The chalk left white smudges on her sleeve. "But you already know you'll only get a fraction of the souls you usually would from the beasts you kill. Despite the danger, it's not very rewarding."

"It's a place designed by the system to make people stronger. And the materials will be just as important, if not more so. If I find what I need to strengthen my five elements further, I'll get far stronger than I am today."

He glanced out the broken window, to the mountains far in the distance. One of them might stand up and walk straight over to them if it knew where he was. "Besides, unlike in the outlands, there's no chance of suddenly encountering ancient beasts that will kill us."

The terror of the Mountain King wasn't something he would soon forget. Only luck had allowed him to escape.

Larena watched his expression change, and sighed deeply. She knew what he was talking about. "I can only hope… Our money will eventually dwindle as well if we don't find new sources of income."

"There are many ways to make money, don't worry. I will handle it." Nova spoke with confidence, pushing away the haunting memories. The afternoon light caught in his white hair as he turned back to face her.

"But that's just the problem, Nova." Larena gestured toward him and Anny with a sweep of her hand. Chalk dust trailed from her fingers, leaving a faint white arc in the air. "Nothing works without you and Anny. I could never keep this place running alone."

"Then it's a good thing you don't have to."

Larena leaned against the blackboard. Her red hair caught the light as she tilted her head. "Do you know why the dungeon keeps working despite giving souls to anyone who manages to defeat a level?"

Nova considered the question. His brow furrowed in thought. "...Because the dungeon gains more than it loses?"

"Exactly."

Anny stepped forward from her position by the window. Her dark eyes held a challenging gleam. "You're still underestimating us, Larena?" A confident smile spread across her face. "Then why don't you come watch our spar tomorrow?"

"Spar?" Larena's eyebrows rose with interest.

"Yes," Nova replied. He glanced at Anny with appreciation. It was a good idea; a practical demonstration would convey their abilities better than any explanation. "Anny just gained some more power, so we wanted to train a bit before leaving."

Millie shifted under Nova's arm. Her small body tensed at the mention of their departure. Perhaps talking about these things in front of her was a mistake.

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"...I would like to watch that, yes." Larena brushed chalk dust from her hands. "But you're not fighting in the city, I assume?"

"Oh, no. We expect to change the landscape a fair bit." Nova ran a hand through his hair. "But I have a good spot in mind."

"...Can I watch?" Millie asked. Her voice still sounded stuffy from crying.

"Sure you can." Nova smiled at her. "As long as you stay next to Larena."

Millie smiled back. The expression brightened her tear-stained face, bringing back some of her usual spirit. "Then I'll learn how to beat you!"

"Heh, yes, you'll probably learn more than I expect. But for today, you should go back to the other children. I'm sure your teacher will wonder where you've gone if you don't."

Millie scoffed at Nova's mention of her teacher. Her nose wrinkled with indignation. "She doesn't even remember my name."

"She will. How many names have you learned so far?"

Millie tapped her chin, thinking. Her eyes rolled upward in concentration. "Uuhm… Six?"

"Well, your teacher will have to learn forty." Nova smiled patiently. "It will take her some time."

Millie considered this. Her foot scuffed against the wooden floor. "Mmh… I'll go back." Her expression suddenly brightened. "But you have to bring me back home tonight! Quinn is making a new dish!"

"Of course." Nova nodded. "Just come to the forge when classes have ended. Then we'll have some good food tonight!"

"Yeah!" Excitement transformed Millie's face. All traces of her earlier tears vanished in her anticipation of Quinn's cooking.

She spun around and darted toward the door. It swung wide as she rushed through it, leaving the three alone in the glass-strewn office.

Nova watched as her footsteps faded down the hallway. He sighed and turned back to the broken window. "I'll have to remake the barrier once the children go back inside. I didn't expect it to break this soon."

"It couldn't be helped," Anny replied. She stepped carefully around the glass shards toward him. "At least now we know what kind of power exists out there. Do you have any idea how that domain worked?"

Nova stared at the empty sky where the golden figure had disappeared. "Mmh, it didn't seem like magic. I might be able to replicate parts of it, but it would take a lot of power. It could be a skill made by the system itself."

"Yeah, I've never seen anything like it." Anny folded her arms, looking thoughtful.

Larena moved to her desk. Her uniform rustled as she sat down in her chair. The wood creaked beneath her weight.

A bell rang out in the courtyard. The clear tone echoed across the grounds, signaling the end of free time. Through the broken window, they watched as the children stopped their games. Small figures gathered their belongings and formed lines. They walked in orderly rows toward the dormitories, not a single one refusing to obey.

Nova watched them closely, feeling a hint of sadness build in his chest. 'Well, they've probably learned the hard way what happens if you don't obey the rules… But not anymore, children.'

The courtyard emptied quickly. Only fallen toys and trampled grass remained where dozens of children had played moments before.

"Well, that's my signal." Nova turned toward the door. Glass crunched beneath his feet. "I'll meet you in the workshop, Anny?"

"Sure." She nodded. "I'll see you there."

The next day dawned clear and bright. Sunlight poured across the open clearing where Nova had faced Morten just days before. Evidence of that battle remained etched into the landscape—scorched earth, deep furrows carved through soil, and a crater where Morten's head had been driven into the ground.

Nova and Anny stood facing each other in the center of the clearing. The morning breeze ruffled their hair as they sized each other up. Birds had gone silent in the surrounding trees, as if sensing the impending clash.

"Let's start it at 50% or so, right?" Nova called across the distance. His white hair gleamed in the sunlight, and his simple training clothes billowed slightly in the wind.

Anny tilted her head. A confident smile played across her lips. "I don't think you could handle 50% right now. I'll start at 20%."

"Hey, I know you're confident after the beast cultivation, but I don't think you should underestimate me either." Nova crossed his arms. "Didn't you say it gave you a hundred thousand in physical aspects?"

"Yeah. That's the baseline." Anny shifted her weight, looking both casual and dangerous. "But I didn't lose my other abilities."

Nova's eyebrows rose. "Oh. Maybe this will be interesting after all, then."

Atop a small hill overlooking the clearing, Larena, Quinn, and Millie sat safely behind a shimmering barrier Nova had erected. The transparent dome caught the sunlight, creating rainbow patterns across the grass around them. From this vantage point, they had a perfect view of the entire field.

Millie pressed her hands against the barrier, barely able to contain her excitement. "This is going to be amazing!" she exclaimed. Her eyes never left the two figures in the clearing below.

Quinn sat cross-legged behind her, looking somewhat uncomfortable with the situation. His large frame seemed out of place among the magical energies surrounding them. "Are they really going to fight? Won't they hurt each other?"

"They know what they're doing," Larena assured him. She sat with perfect posture, looking just like a captain should, despite the informal setting. "This barrier will protect us from any... side effects."

As if to emphasize her point, the air around Nova and Anny began to distort slightly. Essence gathered around their small forms, creating visible ripples like heat waves rising from sun-baked stone.

"Look!" Millie pointed excitedly. "They're starting!"

In the clearing below, Nova and Anny had begun circling each other. Their steps left faint impressions in the ground as they moved. Though they maintained their child forms for now, there was nothing childlike about their movements or the power building around them.

The morning air grew heavy with anticipation. Birds took flight from distant trees, sensing the gathering storm of power. Even the clouds overhead seemed to slow their drift, as if pausing to witness what was about to unfold.

Nova stopped circling. He planted his feet firmly, tilting his head back. "Ready when you are."

Anny mirrored his stance, looking confident as ever. "Don't hold back on my account."

The world seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the first move.

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