[You are the first to clear the twenty-fourth floor]
[Please enter your name]
"We did it? We did it, right?" Glen asked as he dropped his sword and chuckled in disbelief.
"We did it!" Rufus screamed.
Everyone was cheering happily and they were all hugging each other with a bit of tears in their eyes. Asmond was surprised that they could clear all the way up to the twenty-fourth floor on their own. It was all thanks to the [Slaughter] and [Inner Power] skills they got.
Silas, Roxanne, and Arum approached Asmond who was standing in front of the portal to the twenty-fifth floor.
"What now, boss? Are we going to fight the Demon Lord or are we going to go back for now?" Silas asked and stared at the giant portal in front of him.
"If we struggle to clear this floor, I don't think we can kill him. I'm thinking that we should clear another tower first and gain level. We need to get stronger," Asmond answered with determination.
"That's for the best, definitely," Roxanne said as she stretched her arms. "Finally we can go back home," Roxanne continued and exhaled deeply.
"To think we don't lose anyone this time is great news. We should celebrate and enjoy our time before we go and clear another tower," Arum said as she looked back and watched everyone still cheering and hugging each other.
Asmond nodded his head in agreement.
"Let's go back home. We are done here for now," Asmond said.
Everyone left the tower with huge smiles on their faces. It was really a great achievement for them that they could clear the floors without Mykel and anyone from the Guild Association.
As always, the reporters were waiting for them outside the Abaddon Tower. At first, nobody batted an eye for them, but slowly people started to appreciate their hard work even though there were always people who compared them to Mykel's team.
"Congratulations on clearing the tower, Asmond! By the look of it, it appears everyone is back home safely, and how was it this time?" The reporter asked.
"Thank you, it's all thanks to all of your support that we managed to go this far, but we haven't defeated the Demon Lord, so we haven't really achieved our goal. And yes, everyone is back safely, and we are as happy as you are," Asmond answered.
"Mister Asmond! Do you have any comments related to Mister Mykel and his team that went on vacation when the Fraternity Association is trying to save the world?" Another reporter came in and asked Asmond.
"If you're asking my opinion about it, then I can say that they deserve it no matter what people say about them. They have been clearing the towers, preventing the second breakout, and killing Demon Lords on their own," Asmond answered.
"But it has been a month since then, don't you think it's a bit too much for them to be absent for that long?" The reporter asked again. "Seeing how there are only Awakeners from the Fraternity Association and not a single Awakener from the Guild Association, did something happen between two associations?"
Asmond looked at the badge on the reporter's shirt and realized that he came from the media that supported the Fraternity Association. They had been always making the Guild Association look bad to the public with their nonsense articles.
Asmond already knew how bad and dangerous the media was, so he started to be careful with his words. At that moment, he really didn't want to say anything since it would stir public opinion about the Guild Association and the Fraternity Association.
"You're asking questions as if the Fraternity Association can't do it on their own. Aren't you supposed to make the Fraternity Association look good?" A familiar voice could be heard from the crowd.
Everyone turned around while Asmond tilted his head to look at who said that. It was Mykel and he was accompanied by Beldathiel, Zherlthsh, Glasya, and Vixelleth. They immediately made a path for them to walk through, and of course, so they could admire the beauties behind Mykel.
"Looks like I came at the right time," Mykel said with a smile as he stood in front of Asmond. "Congrats on clearing the tower on your own. I knew you could do it when I heard the news from Vix," Mykel continued.
"Mykel? You're back?" Asmond looked at Mykel with a huge smile on his face.
"Yeah, I came just for you, but everyone else is still on vacation," Mykel answered as he looked at Glen and the others staring at him and the women behind him. "Do you have time? Or do you have another plan?" Mykel asked.
"I see, but no, I don't really have a plan at the moment. Although, they want to celebrate our achievement from clearing the twenty-fourth floor," Asmond said as he looked at Glen and the others behind him.
"Is that so? But I won't be long, there's something I want to tell you. It's important," Mykel said with a serious expression.
"I see, then let's have a talk," Asmond nodded his head with understanding.
Asmond followed Mykel with Beldathiel and the others followed them from behind. Asmond's team went straight back to headquarters and waited for Asmond to come back.
Mykel had rented the whole restaurant so they could have a private talk. Asmond who didn't know anything thought that it must be something really important that Mykel rented the whole place just for them. Although he rented the whole place to discuss important matters, Beldathiel and her sisters were enjoying the food at a different table far from them.
"I don't want to waste your time here for too long. So I will go and straight to the point, Asmond," Mykel said as he drank his wine. "In less than two months, the breakout will happen," Mykel looked Asmond in the eye.
"What? But didn't we just clear all the twentieth floors?" Asmond asked with a confused look.
"Remember when the second breakout happened? Edith has the ability to see a vision of the future, and that was why we could tell when the breakout was going to happen. Now, she had that vision again, but compared to the previous breakout, this one would be easier based on the description that Edith said to me," Mykel answered as he swirled the wine.
"Then doesn't that mean all Districts will be in danger now?" Asmond asked with a worried expression.
"No, since we have cleared all the twentieth floor. The ones who will deal with the demons would the worlds that we saved, except for one tower," Mykel answered.
Asmond looked outside the window and looked at the sky.
"The Lucifer Tower, right? Since that Gehenna place seemed to be the nest of the demons, and there were no worlds when we entered the eleventh floor," Asmond replied.
"That's right, so all we have to do is to protect District 13 from the demons. Knowing the tower is now surrounded by a lake, it should be easier for us to deal with the demons," Mykel nodded his head in agreement.
"What will happen to the worlds that we saved? Are they in danger?" Asmond asked.
"Some of them, yes, but everything will be fine because most of the Demon Lords have vanished, trapped inside Jeanne's sword. Even if they conquered the worlds again, there will be no Demon Lords that will reside in those worlds," Mykel answered.
"That's a relief. Did you think about all this? Like how you have anticipated and solved every upcoming problem?" Asmond asked.
"That's what makes me a good leader," Mykel answered with a smirk. "I'm just joking," Mykel emptied his glass. "Anyway, that's all I have to say," Mykle said as he stood up and grabbed his pack of cigarettes from his pocket.
"Wait, Mykel. Are you going to be there when the breakout happens?" Asmond asked.
"Of course, but not Jeanne and the others," Mykel answered as he lit his cigarette. "They're actually not really on a vacation. They're training for the past month, and they will keep training until the breakout ends. So, the whole towers are yours now,"
"Oh, also you should consider bringing the Awakeners from the Guild Association into the towers with you. There are some strong Awakeners, and they can take care of the demons themselves. You know, to avoid things like what that reporter said back there," Mykel said.
"Okay. I will do that," Asmond nodded his head.
Mykel left and went to the table where Beldathiel and her sisters were at. Asmond watched them being so carefree and then left after he was done with his drink.
