"Raul, Loki wants to have a proper talk with you about keeping Tsuna's situation under wraps. Just so you know—she's not joking this time. If you screw this up, Loki might actually kill you."
Finn said it almost kindly, though his words made Raul's face twist in dread. Then Finn turned to address everyone gathered for the expedition.
"Also, even if Loki doesn't kill you, I'm sure plenty of others will want to."
Y-Yeah, I can see that happening... Raul glanced around. Every single member sitting on the grass had eyes gleaming like hungry wolves stalking prey on the plains. If he so much as slipped up, he was certain they'd tear him apart on the spot.
"That's enough about Raul for now," Finn continued. "Loki's going to have him leak some information later—intentionally. If anything spreads from his mouth, it'll look the most natural."
"Captain, you mean... have Raul leak fake info to cover up the real stuff about the newbie?"
They weren't idiots. The moment Finn mentioned "leaking intel," everyone understood it was to protect Tsuna. But... could Raul really pull it off? More than a few skeptical looks passed between them.
"Come on, Captain," someone said. "This guy freezes up the second he sees a pretty face. He goes to the Pleasure Quarter just to drink and talk—and even then, he spends the whole night being teased without doing anything! Are we seriously trusting him with an information leak?"
Oh, for the love of—thank you all so much! Raul's entire face went bright red. Great. Now the whole Familia knew his personal life. They'd actually said it out loud. But even through the humiliation, a flicker of doubt crept into his mind. The women in the Pleasure Quarter were seriously hard to resist... maybe they had a point.
"Pfft—Raul can totally do it," Tiona giggled, unable to hold it in. Her grin was wickedly amused, exactly the same as when Loki had told her the plan earlier. She leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Because if he doesn't, Loki said she's gonna cut off half of his 'male parts.'"
For one full heartbeat, silence blanketed the room. Then everyone exploded.
"Pfft—HAHAHAHAHA!"
"Holy crap! Lady Loki's really going all in this time! She's threatening to do that to a guy who's still a virgin?!"
"Hah! No wonder the Captain sounded so confident! That's one hell of a motivator! Guess Raul's definitely gonna succeed now—his future happiness depends on it!"
The laughter echoed throughout the space, men and women alike clutching their stomachs. Meanwhile, Raul's face went pale as ash.
I'm… I'm doomed. Not in the 'I'll die' kind of way—but in the there goes my manhood kind of way. He could already see his future flashing before his eyes: Loki ordering him to leak Tsuna's info... and him trying desperately not to screw it up. His whole body went numb at the thought.
"That's enough teasing," Finn said finally, bringing the mood back under control. "Once this expedition is over, Loki will discuss the rest with him. For now, we need to talk about the 'abnormal phenomenon' you've all noticed."
The moment he said it, the room grew quiet again. Everyone straightened.
"I'm sure you've all noticed the monster corpses along the way," Finn began. "The Dungeon's currently experiencing an abnormal state. It started roughly a week ago—first appearing on the first and second floors as a sudden mass spawning of monsters, similar to a Monster Party event."
He folded his hands behind his back.
"This isn't something that happens daily—it's intermittent. The long intervals between waves made the Guild dismiss it as a normal fluctuation. The Dungeon's always been unpredictable, so they didn't see the need to investigate."
"If not for last year's 'excuse,' we might've been able to brush it off again. But we already used that once. That's why Riveria, Gareth, and I agreed that this time's 'mandatory expedition' couldn't be avoided. On the other hand, if we manage to uncover the root cause of this abnormality, the Guild's negligence will become undeniable."
"And once we have proof," Finn's voice hardened, "we'll hold them accountable—and demand full compensation for the damages we've suffered. That's one reason. The other is... personal."
His blue eyes glinted with conviction.
"I've realized the Pallum's rise can't be achieved by chasing results alone. If I want to build hope for our race, it has to come from something greater—something that can inspire others. I need to create a beacon, a belief strong enough to unite us... just like Fianna did a thousand years ago."
The honesty in his tone left everyone silent.
Finn had once sought to prove himself—to become a symbol of Pallum pride by conquering the Dungeon through sheer results. But that path, he now understood, was flawed. Becoming a hero for personal glory wasn't enough. He didn't need to become the representative of the Pallum—he needed to build that representation, to create a rallying point for his people.
Just like the legendary Fianna of old.
"So," he concluded, scanning the crowd, "the expedition will be temporarily suspended. Our new priority is identifying the cause of this Dungeon abnormality. Thoughts?"
He wasn't a dictator; he never made unilateral decisions for the Familia.
"I agree," Alicia spoke up first.
"Sure, part of it's for your own reasons, Captain—but I still think pausing the expedition is the right call. Continuing in this abnormal state would be reckless. We've already seen how unstable even the upper and middle floors have become. If we push further, things could get worse."
She paused, then added firmly, "Whether it's to hold the Guild accountable, secure compensation, support your goal, or protect our safety, the smart move is to stop for now. Find the root cause, solve it, and then the Guild won't have any excuse not to pay up."
The mention of "compensation" drew several approving nods. Everyone could get behind that.
Whether for the payout, for safety, or for Finn's ideals—everyone was in agreement.
"Agreed!" the group chorused.