"—I have work for you all. You will help me return this world, distorted by the 'King of Special Ability Users,' to its rightful state."
Beria Sans issued his command to the executives of the Cyclamen Cult gathered in the room.
As soon as he finished speaking, his form began to dissolve. Just as he had when he first appeared, Beria vanished into a red-black mist that drifted briefly through the air before dissipating entirely.
Once the mist was gone, Beria was nowhere to be seen.
Having confirmed Beria’s departure, the "Great Hero" Felix Roots Kreuzer turned and left the room without a single word.
"Rasetsu" Stieg Strom watched Felix’s retreating figure from the corner of his eye before speaking up.
"Now then, Lord 'The War Ogre,' shall we make our way to the Second Farm first?"
"Hah? The Second Farm?" "The War Ogre" Demon Ogre grimaced, his face contorting in pure irritation. "Why the hell should we stop at some deserted island? We should be marching straight into Tsutrail. I want to fight the Sword Princess, and I want to do it now."
Stieg met the complaint with a calm, logical gaze.
"She is currently in Daluane. Even if we attacked Tsutrail this instant, she wouldn’t be there to meet us. Besides, I wish to test the performance of the magic beasts we produced at the Second Farm. It would be far more efficient to use the time until they return to Tsutrail productively, wouldn’t you agree?"
"Then we can just make Daluane our destination."
"Please, do not lose sight of our objective. Our primary goal is to shatter Orun Doura’s spirit. If we want to break him completely, Tsutrail—where so many members of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky reside—is the only appropriate choice."
"You..." Demon’s face flushed a deep crimson as his body began to tremble. "For a newcomer, you sure give a lot of orders. Even my mild-tempered self is reaching the limit of my patience."
"Mild-tempered...?"
A red-haired young girl, slumped over the desk, let out a long yawn. It was "The Incinerator" Luary Welt. She chimed into the conversation without lifting her head.
"Is your brain finally rotting from lack of sleep, Demon?"
"What was that...? Hey, you brat. Watch your mouth. Unless you’re looking to die."
Demon glared at Luary with bloodshot eyes.
Luary didn't even flinch. She simply peered back at him, her eyes half-closed with sleepiness.
"...Hey, Philly, can I just turn this trash to ash already?"
Beside Luary, "The Guide" Philly Carpenter was studying a map she had spread out at some point. She let out a weary sigh.
"............Don't. If you're that tired, just sleep until it's time to leave."
"Wait, really?! Yay! I like this body because it's cute, but the fuel efficiency is terrible. I’m going to sleep right now!"
Luary expressed her joy with a childish innocence that matched her appearance. Completely ignoring Demon now, she skipped out of the room in high spirits.
"Hey, get back here—"
Demon moved to chase after the girl who had snubbed him, but Philly’s voice cut him off.
"The War Ogre, that’s enough. You agreed to follow Rasetsu's instructions for this operation, did you not? Since you've made your choice, see it through to the end."
As Philly spoke, the pressure in her gaze was heavy enough to give even Demon pause.
"............Tsk! Fine, I get it!" Demon spat, falling silent despite his lingering scowl.
"Ho ho ho. Young people certainly are energetic these days."
"The Thunder Emperor" Gunnar Stern, who had been quietly observing the exchange, stroked his beard with a faint, pleasant smile.
Beria, having left the meeting early, was back at the Explorer Guild Headquarters. He sat in the Grandmaster's office, reviewing a stack of reports.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Master Beria, do you have a moment?" a man's voice asked.
"Enter."
With Beria’s permission, the man stepped inside with a polite, "Excuse me."
Beria looked up. The man standing there was remarkably unremarkable—the kind of person one would likely forget only moments after speaking to them.
"Solda. What is it?"
"The Regular Meeting is about to begin, so I came to escort you."
The man Beria called Solda was the Guildmaster of the East.
"...Ah, is it that time already? Very well. I’m coming."
"You seem as busy as ever, sir. Then again, as the Grandmaster of the Explorer Guild—the organization at the very center of the world—I suppose that is only natural. Please remember that I am always here to assist you in any way I can."
"You are always a great help, Solda. If anything were to happen to me, you would likely be the one to take over as Grandmaster."
Beria possessed the Special Ability [Eternal Immutability].
He had sat in the Grandmaster's chair for centuries, ever since he first established the Explorer Guild. Internally, he knew such a succession was impossible, yet he played the part of the mentor regardless.
"Ahaha... That is far too heavy a burden for me, sir. But if it ever came to that, I would do my utmost to fulfill the role and carry on your legacy."
"...Hmph. That is reassuring to hear."
Engaged in small talk, Beria followed Solda out of the office.
"Speaking of which," Solda continued, "we received almost no reports regarding Amunzaas last year. If I recall correctly, the last time they murdered an Explorer was in the Great Labyrinth of the South back in May."
May of last year. That was when Orun’s disciples, Twilight Moonbow, were still rookies in the Tenth Squad, struggling to conquer the 30th Floor.
Amunzaas was a notorious criminal organization known for hunting Explorers, making them the archenemy of the Guild. Even for Solda, who was effectively the Guild's second-in-command, the movements of Amunzaas since last June had been a complete mystery.
It appeared as though the organization had ceased all activity following that incident in the Great Labyrinth of the South.
"They are a group of fanatics who claim that conquering the Great Labyrinths is a sin," Beria replied. "It’s true they’ve been quiet lately, but we must remember the calm before the storm. We cannot lower our guard until they are wiped out entirely."
"You’re right, sir. I’ll suggest we increase our vigilance regarding them during the meeting."
"Yes. I’m counting on you."
By the time they finished speaking, they had reached the conference room.
Inside, the Guildmaster of the South, Leon Conti, was already present, alongside the other regional Guildmasters and the organization's top executives.
Leading this assembly was Beria’s public face: the esteemed Grandmaster of the Explorer Guild.
"I appreciate you all gathering here despite your busy schedules," Beria announced, taking his place at the head of the table. "Now, let us begin the Regular Meeting."