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Flickering lights from the ceiling added to the eeriness of the setting, casting shadows that made the room feel more oppressive than it already was.

"Now I shall begin the meeting with a few questions," Seo began, his voice low but sharp enough to slice through the tense atmosphere. His eyes briefly scanned the room, observing each of the hunters seated before him. "How many of you have unlocked the true form of binding? Please signify by raising your hand."

At first, no one moved. The silence, now deeper, gnawed at the patience of everyone present. It wasn\'t just a question of power anymore—it was a matter of survival.

One by one, hands started to rise.

Axel, seated near the back of the room, instinctively leaned forward, observing the hunters who dared to lift their hands. **Josh Roark**, of course. It wasn\'t a surprise; the man was hailed as a genius, a prodigy. His hand rose confidently, the calm on his face betraying none of the uncertainty the others might have felt.

Next was **Thor**, his hand raised as casually as if he were answering a routine question in a classroom. **Trisha** followed, albeit hesitantly, her fingers trembling as though uncertain of her own capabilities.

Two more S-ranks raised their hands.

Surprisingly, neither **Williams** nor **Sarah** moved. Axel\'s gaze flicked to them both, eyebrows slightly raised. **What\'s holding them back?**

**Loki**, seated to Axel\'s left, shifted uncomfortably. Unlike the others, he was no S-rank, not even close—just a B-rank hunter. And yet, here he was, in a meeting filled with elites. He couldn\'t help but feel out of place. **Why was I invited?** He wondered for the hundredth time, casting a questioning glance at Seo. The more he thought about it, the more the pit of unease in his stomach grew.

"Permission to speak?" Trisha asked softly, raising her hand higher to ensure she caught Seo\'s attention. His subtle nod gave her the floor.

"The true form of binding," she began, glancing nervously around the table before continuing, "is a very difficult technique. Even with Thor\'s help coaching me through the process, I can only maintain it for a maximum of two minutes. After that... I\'m completely drained. I can\'t even attempt to activate it again for three days. Is it just me, or are there others here experiencing the same limitations?"

Her voice trailed off, and the room became eerily still again.

Andre Durrand, one of the S-ranks who had partnered with Trisha during the **Dawning Blood** investigation months ago, spoke up. His deep, raspy voice cut through the tension. "It\'s not just you. I\'ve been running experiments on this \'true binding,\' and I\'ve discovered something significant."

All eyes turned toward Andre, the quiet leader of his squad, known for his analytical mind. Axel could feel the shift in the room\'s energy. Whatever Andre had to say held weight, and everyone knew it.

"When we all turned ten, we awakened by binding ourselves to statues—each statue granting us certain abilities. What if," Andre paused, letting the weight of his words settle in, "those statues weren\'t just decorative representations? What if they were, or are, beings with extraordinary abilities themselves? The question then is—are these statues simply conduits for power, or are they something more?

The true binding goes beyond our initial awakening. To fully access that power, we must bond with the personalities behind the statues."

A murmur rippled through the room. Axel clenched his fists under the table. **Personalities?** How could anyone connect with cold, lifeless stone?

"So, by understanding the personalities behind the statues, we can hold onto their powers for longer… maybe even fully hone them?" Williams, one of the more skeptical hunters, finally broke his silence.

The room buzzed with murmurs of agreement, though none seemed convinced it was that simple. The problem loomed larger than ever—**how** could they learn about these statues\' personalities? They weren\'t alive. They weren\'t human.

Thor sat back, his hand resting thoughtfully on his chin. Loki, too, had his doubts. "If these personalities are essential, then how the hell are Josh and Thor able to control their bindings for so long? Surely, they didn\'t just… get lucky?" His voice was low, almost accusatory. He shot a sharp glance at Thor, whose calm expression never wavered.

Loki\'s gaze then shifted to Seo Jihnyuk, his frustration bubbling over. "And why was I even invited here? I\'m not an S-rank. Hell, I\'m barely scraping by as a B-rank. What use am I to any of you?"

Before Seo could respond, a voice cut through the tension like a razor\'s edge. "Because I suggested it."

**Vicky Shaw**, the stoic and calculated Board member, leaned forward, his eyes locking onto Loki\'s with an intensity that made him sit back in his chair. "You may not be the strongest in this room, but your skills, your cunning, your ability to think outside the box—all of that surpasses every one of us. This room is filled with power, yes, but we need a mind that can outwit whatever awaits us.

And that mind is yours."

Seo Jihnyuk nodded, his expression unreadable. "For the mission we\'re about to undertake, we need more than brute strength. We need strategy. We need someone who can see what others cannot. And that\'s where you come in, Loki."

Loki remained silent, his thoughts a whirl of uncertainty. **What was this mission?** What could be so dangerous that it required the very best hunters from Kyota, the world\'s top country for skilled fighters?

The mention of the mission seemed to bring the tension in the room to a breaking point. Loki wasn\'t the only one with questions.

"During the Metorion attack, we lost more than a dozen S-ranks. Kyota has never been this vulnerable," he continued, his voice rising slightly. "If we send our strongest hunters off-planet, we\'ll be leaving our home defenseless. All it would take is one major incident, and we could lose everything. Is that a risk you\'re willing to take?"

The room stilled, waiting for an answer. Axel could feel the weight of the question hanging in the air, pressing down on everyone\'s shoulders.

Rudeus, the board member who had taken Hendrick\'s place after his untimely death, cleared his throat, drawing everyone\'s attention. "That\'s why we\'ve secured alliances with the world\'s top countries. Kyota\'s safety will fall into their hands for the time being. The president has agreed to it."

Axel\'s mind raced. **Alliances?** Relying on other countries for protection didn\'t sit well with him. The world had become too unpredictable, too unstable. Placing their trust in outsiders was a gamble.

But what other choice did they have?

"We all understand the risks," Seo said quietly, his voice breaking the uneasy silence. "But if we succeed in this mission… if we recover what we\'re after… it could bring us one step closer to ending this war."

Axel\'s heart pounded in his chest. **What could possibly be worth risking everything?** His thoughts swirled with a thousand unanswered questions, but one thing was clear—whatever lay ahead was far more dangerous than anyone in this room could imagine.

***Author\'s note***

Who can guess what\'s going of happen in this arc. Is it going to be off world things, or will something go wrong at the last moment.