It was truly unavoidable.
Fire Finch had witnessed Aya Tone’s methods for clearing dungeons firsthand.
Wielding powerful magical explosions, he would sweep through dungeons, leaving behind nothing but magic crystals from the defeated monsters.
Any remains, such as bones, had long since been reduced to ash by his magic, returning to the earth from which they came.
Furthermore, with his magic sweeping the entire area clean, even the dungeon’s core was obliterated, leaving no time or opportunity to gather any materials.
Otherwise, Li Jia, a space mage, would not have been assigned to her.
‘How exhausting…’
[Aya Tone: What more could you possibly want for 150,000?]
“Those are minor concerns.”
Bai Xiao quickly composed herself, continuing, “In any case, you don’t have any pressing matters there. Quickly, lend me your little darling for a few days.”
“Something significant may be about to unfold.”
Lost materials were simply lost; they could always be replaced.
Far more than this minor loss, Bai Xiao was concerned with the possibility of reducing the number of dungeons in the northern cities within a short timeframe.
‘And… that…’
Fire Finch, her playful demeanor vanishing, asked, “Is this about the tide preceding the appearance of an S-rank dungeon?”
The Tide.
It was the harbinger of every newly formed S-rank dungeon.
The activation of an S-rank dungeon resembled the merging of two distinct worlds.
Their collision would unleash immense energy fluctuations.
These surging waves of energy were precisely what was referred to as the Tide.
Under the relentless surge of the Tide, the very fabric of space on Blue Star would become profoundly unstable.
This instability was the cause of the sudden proliferation of dungeons.
If not managed properly, this could escalate into a dungeon riot, with monsters breaching their confines and invading the real world.
The resulting casualties… would be utterly unimaginable!
“Precisely…”
Bai Xiao sighed in resignation, “Moreover, it has already been deduced that the next S-rank dungeon is slated to appear in the Imperial Capital.”
Of all places, why must it be the Imperial Capital?
‘Damn it!’
The Imperial Capital was already an ancient city boasting three S-rank dungeons.
If another were truly to emerge, the high command would no longer be contemplating acceptance.
Instead, their focus would shift to how to mobilize sufficient personnel for its subjugation!
The existence of S-rank dungeons was inherently unstable, posing a constant risk of monster invasion.
The prevailing peace had been entirely due to the presence of S-rank powerhouses garrisoned within.
The elite monsters within possessed strength comparable to that of an A-rank dungeon boss.
With the Imperial Capital’s current defensive capabilities, holding three S-rank dungeons was already pushing them to their absolute limit.
Therefore, this newly manifested S-rank dungeon absolutely had to be cleared!
However, due to the Tide, personnel allocation in the northern region was already stretched thin, leaving no available forces.
They could only redeploy from the other three phases.
And the optimal candidate, of course, was none other than the silver-haired witch, who had a proven track record.
One person, solo clear!
Her combat record spoke for itself!
“Erm…”
Upon hearing Bai Xiao’s request to ‘borrow’ Aya Tone, Fire Finch did not immediately assent, a flicker of hesitation crossing her features.
“Don’t worry, it’s only for a few days; I won’t devour your little darling.”
Misinterpreting Fire Finch’s hesitation as unwillingness, Bai Xiao quickly offered reassurance.
“That’s not the issue, Aunt Bai. As you well know, Tone is not under my jurisdiction. Even if I were to ask, there’s no telling if he would agree to go.”
The mere thought of Aya Tone’s family background brought a throbbing headache to Fire Finch.
That doting ‘daughter-controller’—asking him to leave Xiao Jiu for a few days on a business trip would be more agonizing than killing him.
‘Unless…’
‘Unless Xiao Jiu could be brought along as well.’
“Aunt Bai, I’ll inquire first and then provide you with an answer.”
“Very well. Inform me once you have news.”
Bai Xiao did not press the matter further.
S-rank powerhouses were, by their very nature, individuals on par with guild leaders such as herself, to say nothing of that capricious witch.
Someone who would abandon a ranking match on a whim was truly unpredictable…
“Little Finch, please try to persuade that child for me. I must attend to other matters now.” With that, she abruptly ended the call.
Many pressing matters still awaited her, the esteemed President of the White Tiger Guild.
Little time remained for her to rest.
Fire Finch gazed at the tablet as its screen dimmed, her right hand coming to rest thoughtfully against the bridge of her nose.
She was deep in thought.
An S-rank dungeon manifesting once more in the Imperial Capital… if personnel truly had to be mobilized from the Vermilion Bird Guild…
Considering the current personnel distribution, it seemed that no one other than Aya Tone possessed the capability to undertake such a daunting clearing mission.
Yet.
How, then, could Aya Tone possibly be ‘tricked’ into going?
This was indeed a formidable challenge!
Slam!
Just then.
The grand door to the Guild Master’s office was abruptly flung open, shattering Fire Finch’s contemplation.
Looking up, Fire Finch saw Li Jia, appearing to flaunt something, approach the table with a bag clutched in her hand.
A slight twitch played at the corner of Fire Finch’s lips.
‘This woman does not seem entirely normal.’
‘That gait, that smug expression…’
‘Something is amiss!’
“Are you in heat?”
“Get lost!”
Li Jia, clearly annoyed, tossed a lunchbox onto the table.
“I went out for lunch earlier and packed something for you.”
“You’re being this kind?” Fire Finch eyed the lunchbox on the table with deep suspicion.
‘A sudden alarm flared within her.’
‘Something is amiss! Profoundly amiss!’
Only yesterday, she had managed to trick Li Jia.
This ‘dead girl’ did not strike her as the magnanimous type.
‘Could Li Jia have poisoned it, offering her food after all this?’
Fire Finch narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the lunchbox before her.
“Oh, well~ Aya Tone treated me to a meal today, and then I just happened to think of you.”
Li Jia suddenly clapped a hand over her mouth. “Ah! I completely forgot you get to eat with Aya Tone every single day! Oh… how incredibly envious I am…”
‘That look, that tone of voice.’
‘They were utterly brimming with mockery.’
“Damn it…” ‘This ‘dead girl’ had clearly seen right through her.’
Fire Finch’s hand, concealed beneath the table, involuntarily clenched into a tight fist.
For some inexplicable reason, listening to this ‘dead girl’s’ words filled her with an intense irritation.
‘But… never mind, never mind…’
At the very least, she no longer had to worry about Li Jia poisoning the food.
Besides, her mouth was starting to water.
“My dear sister, what delightful treats have you brought back for your elder sister?” Fire Finch, not one to be magnanimous herself, employed a subtle trick with her choice of address.
She was rather curious what delectable items her ‘stinky sister’ would have packed for her.
“Hmph hmph… You wouldn’t know, would you?”
Li Jia, with an air of mystery, opened the bag. “Grilled skewers and porridge, you see.”
In the end, she hadn’t wanted to go too far.
She had even thoughtfully packed a portion of porridge, ostensibly for ‘cleansing the stomach.’
‘Is that all?’
Fire Finch, her expression peculiar, gestured towards the ‘delicacies’ before her, asking with a hint of uncertainty, “Are you saying Aya Tone invited you to eat *these* things?”
‘A straight man… utterly hopeless…’
She pressed a hand to her forehead.
Nevertheless, what needed to be eaten would be eaten.
She retrieved a skewer of already cold grilled meat and expertly began to brush it off.
“Indeed. So, how is it? Is it delicious?” Li Jia was practically quivering with anticipation, eager to witness Fire Finch’s expression once the truth was revealed.
“It’s alright, though a bit cold. It would have been perfect if it were fresh off the grill.” Fire Finch remarked with a touch of regret.
Grilled meat, left to sit for too long, inevitably hardened, its texture and taste deteriorating significantly.
Still, having food to eat, she didn’t fuss over the details.
“Right? Do you know what kind of meat this is?”
‘Here it comes! Here it comes!’
Li Jia’s wicked grin slowly spread across her face, poised to explode with just one answer from Fire Finch…
‘Hahahaha!’
“Grilled mouse, of course, I know.” Fire Finch, without a second thought, promptly delivered her answer.
“Eh?”
Her wicked grin, as if a spell interrupted, faltered.
Li Jia’s eyes widened, staring in utter shock at Fire Finch, who was still eating with evident relish.
‘She… how did she know?!’
‘And she’s eating it so happily? How is that even possible!’
Honest Id rather eat a insect than a rat.