Another journey across the desert ins began. This time, As opted to ride his Dune Phantom, while Morganna piloted the floating throne, with Edrik and Kurogasa seated alongside her on its tform.


    The floating throne was undeniably morefortable—it allowed him to rxpletely, even nap, as it carried him to his destination. Though the hover bike could also operate on autopilot, its seating wasn''t exactly suited for catching any sleep.


    As the bike glided effortlessly over the sands, As took the opportunity to review his progress so far. Two victories under his belt, and he needed just one more sessful defense to advance to Division 2.


    If he seeded, his challenge invitation slots would reset, and three new challengers from Division 2 would rece the current lineup. It was a step up—a new level of difficulty—but also an exciting opportunity.


    Staying in Division 1 for a while might seem easier, considering the level of opponents. But no—not really. Even his first challenger, Soren, had been incredibly strong. He sighed deeply.


    Should he consider joining an alliance? It was tempting, given the early support a Lord could gain from such a move. However, joining an alliance would also mean granting others a degree of control over him—something As was unwilling to ept.


    Being a solo Lord, as he had chosen, came with significant risks. While he did have Summoned Lords from other worlds at his side, they were far from their peak forms. With their powers downgraded in this realm, their abilities were a shadow of what they once had been.


    It left him with much to consider.


    He still had one Attack Token left, which he nned to use wisely, considering he would face four more defenses after this.


    He needed to make the most of the opportunity, aiming for thergest rewards possible while ensuring he didn''t be overly greedy—something that could put him at risk.


    He finally secured the World Shards upon arriving at the Awakener Association Center!


    Atst, he would be able to build the Gateway Altar and wouldn''t need to return here again—though he did enjoy visiting this bustling city.


    As also secured additional materials and supplies for his ind, spending 760 gold coins in the process.


    Having plenty of money was a relief, allowing him to shop more freely. However, he made sure to save a significant amount, knowing he''d need it to recruit more troops soon.


    For a Seeker Division 1 Lord, would 40 troops be enough? Or should he aim for more?


    In the end, As decided to recruit 10 more troops from the applicants he''d evaluated weeks ago.


    Once everything was settled, he and his subordinates left the Awakener Association Center, ready for the next phase of preparation.


    He nced at Morganna, who was walking beside him.


    "Want to head straight home?"


    Morganna looked at him briefly but didn''t reply.


    "What about trying some more sweet treats from the city?"


    Still, no answer.


    He sighed, running a hand through his hair, when suddenly—


    "Hey! Watch where you''re swinging that tail!"@@novelbin@@


    As turned at the sound of someone shouting angrily in their direction.


    Kurogasa quickly bowed to the irritated man. "I apologize for the trouble."


    "Dammit!" the man growled, ring in disgust at his sleeve. "Now I have to change clothes again!"


    As stepped forward, pulled out a few banknotes, and pressed them into the man''s hand. "Buy yourself some new clothes with this."


    He turned and resumed walking without waiting for a response.


    "Hey! Are you mocking me? Do you think I can''t afford my own clothes?!" the man shouted after him.


    As didn''t even look back.


    After walking for a while, a sudden re of sirens erupted from every direction.


    What''s going on?!


    As stopped in his tracks, watching as people began running in panic. His gaze swept across the streets until his eyesnded on the massive digital boards mounted on nearby buildings. Every single one disyed the same urgent broadcast.


    "Emergency alert! Emergency alert! The dungeon expedition conducted two months ago has failed. The awakeners sent to clear the Level 250 dungeon have been defeated."


    "Dungeon break," As muttered.


    A Dungeon Break urs when a dungeon fails to be cleared before its expiration period ends. When this happens, the dungeon copses, and the monsters inside are unleashed, attacking the surrounding environment with brutal ferocity.


    What makes this worse is that monsters emerging from a dungeon are far more aggressive than the ones typically found roaming in the outside. Unlike external monsters that tend to stay within specific areas, these dungeon monsters actively seek out targets, making them a far greater threat to any nearby poption.


    "They couldn''t handle a Level 250 dungeon?" Edrik asked, frowning as he turned to As.


    As shrugged slightly.


    Edrik continued. "You mentioned the highest-ranked Lord here is a Rank 6 Marshall, right? Their power should be somewhere between Level 300 and 400. A Level 250 dungeon shouldn''t have been an issue."


    "Do the Lords where you''re from even care about what happens in the Lower Lands, Edrik?"


    Edrik sighed, the corners of his mouth twitching. "Well, now it makes sense."


    As let out a tired sigh. "Awakeners in the Lower Lands don''t usually reach high levels. For them, a Level 250 dungeon is nothing short of a disaster."


    "Even worse…" As continued, "if they failed to clear the dungeon, it means they''ve died there. Losing arge number of high-level awakeners at once would be a massive blow to this city."


    "Dungeons have valuable resources to harvest. Those Lords should have seen it as a win-win solution to help clear dungeons in the Lower Lands," Edrik said.


    "Even better than what we can harvest from unupied floating inds, Edrik?"


    Edrik smiled and gave a small bow to As. "In specific cases, some materials can only be found in certain types of dungeons."


    "Ah, got it," As replied with a nod.


    People were running everywhere. Cars honked furiously as traffic began piling up, and some drivers abandoned their vehicles entirely, choosing to flee on foot.


    "Where''s the dungeon located?" Edrik asked, scanning the chaos. "It can''t be inside the city, right?"


    As nced at the digital boards again, which now showed live footage from outside the city. The view revealed massive preparations underway to repel an iing monster wave. Soldiers were lining up, and automated defenses wereing online.


    "No, it''s from outside."


    After a moment of thought, As added, "Let''s head to the nearest café and watch how Dune Bastion—the city''s heavy turret defense system—handles the monster waves. We can also see how the Saharian Army fares against them."


    They made their way to the nearest café, which was still open despite the chaos outside. Only a few patrons remained, but the staff appeared surprisingly calm.


    As ordered drinks and a meal, noting the rxed demeanor of the café workers even as the city outside descended into panic.


    The café had arge screen, perfect for keeping track of the unfolding events.


    "How bad is a Level 250 dungeon, Edrik?"


    Edrik leaned back slightly. "It depends, but if they mentioned the expedition was two months ago, this isn''t a typical dungeon. It''s likely a raid dungeon—something that requires far more people and time to clear."


    "Which means we''re looking at waves of Level 250 monsters," Kurogasa added.


    As started a conversation with the waiter, a man in his 30s who brought their food to the table.


    "Does this sort of thing happen often around here?" As asked.


    The waiter smiled. "No, this is the first time we''ve had a dungeon break of this level. But I think the Dune Bastion should handle the monsters just fine, right?"


    "You seem pretty calm, especially with how panicked everyone else is outside," As noted, raising an eyebrow.


    The waiter chuckled. "Well, I''m an awakener too. But in the end, I chose to open this café instead."


    "Ah, good to know," As replied with a small nod.


    The waiter gave a polite bow before returning to the counter.


    Their attention turned back to the screen, where the monsters began emerging in the distance, a seemingly endless wave rushing across the desert ins. Their numbers were staggering, stretching from one edge of the horizon to the other.


    "Oh, are you kidding me?! That''s way too many!" As eximed, leaning forward in disbelief.


    "Now," Edrik muttered, "this doesn''t just look like a Raid Dungeon anymore."