"President!"
The moment Lucas left the guild warehouse with his new Level 40 gear, Emily Frost could no longer hold her excitement. She hurriedly pulled out her private comm device and dialed the one number she rarely dared to use—Jade Walker's direct line.
The call connected after two rings.
"Emily? Why are you calling me at this hour?" Jade's voice held a mix of surprise and curiosity. "Has something happened to the guild?"
Emily almost stammered, suddenly realizing she might have been reckless. "Ah—no, no! President, forgive me if I disturbed you… I just—well, I couldn't wait."
It hit her that the timing was terrible. At this very moment, Jade Walker was supposed to be leading her elite squad through a Level 60 Hell-difficulty dungeon. This wasn't a casual run. It was a guild-level task that carried immense responsibility.
Every mid-sized guild was required to clear at least twenty Level 60 Hell dungeons each month. Failure for three consecutive months meant forced demotion of the guild. No exceptions.
And these Hell runs weren't just about prestige. They were the only source of one of the most valuable and irreplaceable resources in existence: the Holy Angel Feather.
Every time a Hell-difficulty boss fell, two or three of these feathers would drop. With the power of a single feather, guild artisans could craft ten Resurrection Badges.
These badges weren't just trinkets—they were lifelines. To job-changers who fought in dungeons daily, a Resurrection Badge meant the difference between permanent death and a second chance. Because of their importance, the state had issued strict laws: feathers could not be traded privately, nor hoarded. Every month, guilds were required to sell their entire stock of Holy Angel Feathers to the city lord's palace. In return, they received payment equivalent to the badge's full market value.
This was why guilds were granted rights, subsidies, and influence. But it was also why they carried social responsibilities. If you wanted the privileges of a guild, you had to shoulder the duty of producing resurrection resources for society.
Emily knew all this. Which made her interruption all the more reckless.
On the other end, Jade's voice softened. "Relax. You didn't disturb me. We just finished the run and were about to take a breather. Ahao's team managed to clear as well today. Slower than I'd like, but cleaner. Less chance of a wipeout."
Emily's eyes widened. "They cleared today? That means… our guild is one step closer to seventh rank!"
The Tower Demolition Guild, their guild, had spent months training that second elite team. If both teams could consistently clear Hell-difficulty dungeons, then advancing from level six to level seven was only a matter of time.
Jade chuckled through the comm, clearly pleased. "Yes. They're not perfect yet, but they're stable. That's what matters. But you didn't call just to hear me brag, did you?"
Emily nearly forgot her purpose. "Oh! Right, right! President, I have good news. Very good news."
Jade's interest sharpened. "Oh? Tell me."
"Just now, Lucas came to me requesting a set of Level 40 purple rare equipment."
At first Jade didn't react. Her tone was casual. "So what? He's the vice president. Let him take what he needs."
Emily almost burst. "President, listen carefully! Level 40. He's already reached Level 40!"
The line went quiet. Then Jade's voice shot back, sharper now. "What did you just say? Level 40?!"
"Yes! I saw it myself. He showed me his attribute panel. Lucas is officially Level 40!"
Jade nearly dropped her device. Her mind reeled. Less than four months had passed since Lucas awakened, and he was already Level 40.
"How… how is this possible?" Jade muttered, half in shock, half in awe. "No one levels that fast. Not even me at SS rank advanced this quickly."
Emily's voice trembled with excitement. "It's real, President. He wasn't bragging. He even mentioned preparing for the second advancement dungeon."
"The… second turn?" Jade whispered, still trying to process.
Emily hesitated. "Do you think we should warn him? Maybe persuade him to slow down? Advancing too quickly could be dangerous…"
But Jade shook her head firmly. "No. We won't interfere. Lucas knows what he's doing. He's not reckless. If he believes he's ready, then we trust his judgment."
Emily exhaled, relief washing over her. "Understood."
"Good. That's all for now," Jade said after a pause. "I'll be back soon. Until then, keep an eye on guild affairs."
The line went dead.
---
Jade lowered her communicator and sat silently for a moment, her expression unreadable.
Then, slowly, disbelief spread across her face. "Already… Level 40?"
She leaned back, memories flashing through her mind. The freshman competition, when Lucas had jumped from Level 20 to 25 in a month—she had thought that pace was insane. But this? From Level 30 to Level 40 in barely six weeks?
"Unreasonable," she muttered. "Completely unreasonable."
Her fingers drummed against her thigh. Every law of progression said that as levels rose, the grind became exponentially harder. Yet somehow Lucas was moving faster the higher he climbed.
Even with guild buffs, even with optimal grinding routes, this was absurd. Unless…
Her eyes narrowed. Could Emily's wild guess be true? Has he awakened some hidden aura of experience?
If so, that would explain everything. Otherwise, no amount of training, no amount of equipment, could justify such speed.
For the first time in years, Jade felt a flicker of unease. Not at Lucas himself—he was part of her guild, after all—but at the thought of someone growing strong enough to rival her so quickly.
Her thoughts drifted to the silly bet she had once made in jest, about racing levels. She glanced downward, then flushed. "No… surely not. Don't tell me my white rabbit's going to be snatched by pig hooves at this rate…"
She clenched her fists. "I'll have to push harder. I can't let him catch up."
Still, beneath the competitiveness was something else: awe. Pride. And maybe, just maybe, a thrill at watching a monster-level genius rise within her guild.
Lucas's leveling speed had already shattered expectations. The second advancement would test if he could maintain that momentum.
And Jade Walker, despite her nerves, couldn't wait to see the result.
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