Han, Jenna, Tess, and Shay stepped toward the new arrivals, the sounds of boots crunching against the earth mixing with the distant hum of magic still lingering in the air from the chamber's activation. And immediately, the pair of women among them caught Han's attention.
One was Chloe, a soft-featured woman with long black hair and bright blue eyes. She had a calm, demure presence, dressed in a simple bodice and blouse that clung gently to her figure.
[Image Here]
The other was Gilly, a brown-haired woman in a clean, modest dress. Her posture was upright, proper, and graceful—yet her mature curves and composed air gave her a quiet allure that hit Han like a punch to the gut.
[Image Here]
Other two beauties... Han mused, his gaze shamelessly lingering. Chloe's the soft kind that makes you want to corrupt her. And Gilly… she's got that hot, composed, older woman vibe…
This time, there was no inner scolding. No denial.
Han accepted it.
He was a rotten pervert.
And he was done pretending otherwise to himself.
As the group of newcomers whispered in confusion, exchanging panicked glances and wild questions, a clear voice cut through the noise.
"Now, now, focus up, everyone!"
Tiny, glowing, and floating above their heads, Iselle flapped her wings impatiently, hands on her hips. Her sharp tone immediately silenced the frightened chatter.
"Are there any carpenters, blacksmiths, or cooks amongst you? If there are, come to the side!" she asked, scanning the crowd with authority.
"Why is Iselle asking if there are any carpenters?" Jenna asked in a hushed tone, leaning toward Han.
"Did you all notice how the lobby changed just now?" Han said, turning to Jenna, Shay, and Tess. The three nodded, expressions serious.
"There are new facilities now. It's not just about fighting anymore—we need people who can actually use them," he explained. "Support roles are becoming just as important."
There was a moment of silence… then a hesitant voice rose from the group.
"Ehm…" Gilly stepped forward, fidgeting with her sleeves. "I'm not exactly a carpenter—my husband was… but I learned a bit from seeing him work. So maybe I can be useful?"
Her voice trembled slightly. She didn't understand what was going on, where they were, or why. But when she heard Han's calm explanation about facilities and work, something in her stirred. If these people were dangerous… if this was some twisted experiment… then proving she had value might keep her alive.
Iselle's expression softened just a bit. "Good. You can go to the side," she said, waving Gilly past with a nod of approval.
Gilly cast one last fearful glance behind her, then quickly walked past the little fairy.
"So there's nobody else?" Iselle called out.
A man raised his hand timidly. "I-I'm a cook!" he stammered, clearly rattled. The look on his face said it all—he had just seen Gilly get picked and didn't want to be left behind.
"Okay, go to the side as we—"
"Not him."
Han's voice cut cleanly through the air.
The man froze mid-step. "W-What?"
Iselle turned to Han, confused. "Why not?"
"Because he's lying," Han said, his gaze unwavering. He was staring at the man's status window—there was no trace of any cooking skill. Gilly didn't have a carpenter skill either, but she hadn't claimed to be one—she just said she'd learned a bit. That was honest. This guy wasn't.
"W-What?" the man stammered, eyes widening. "H-How did you—" He stopped himself too late. The damage was done.
"You!" Iselle shouted, wings buzzing with rage. "How dare you lie to me?! Do you want to die?!"
"Hiiik!" the man shrieked and darted behind Chloe like a terrified child, as if she could protect him.
[Forming a Party!]
[Drag and drop the Heroes!]
[Party 2: Jid (☆), Hansen (☆), John (☆), Dika (☆), Sigler (☆)]
Han stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension. "Those who don't have any other utility will use their bodies to fight."
"Jid, Hansen, John, Dika, Sigler!" Iselle called out sharply, hovering above the crowd. "Hurry up and get in there!"
The five selected heroes hesitated, panic flickering in their eyes—only for Iselle to wave her tiny hand and forcefully shove them through the portal with a flash of blue light.
Seeing them disappear, Gilly exhaled in relief. She'd done well. Speaking up might've saved her life.
"Master is thinning out the fresh heroes by sending them into the Tower," Han muttered, mostly to himself. "Probably to the first floor. He wants to test their worth."
But not a second later, a notification appeared in midair:
[John (☆) has returned to the Goddess' embrace. His fighting spirit will be remembered for eternity.]
"One guy already died," Han said flatly.
"Tch, so useless…" Tess muttered.
"Yeah…" Shay added without much sympathy.
'Am I… the only one who feels bad for them?' Jenna thought, lips tightening.
[Hansen (☆) has returned to the Goddess' embrace. His fighting spirit will be remembered for eternity.]
"Another one—" Han started, but three other messages popped up almost instantly.
[Jid (☆) has returned to the Goddess' embrace. His fighting spirit will be remembered for eternity.]
[Sigler (☆) has returned to the Goddess' embrace. His fighting spirit will be remembered for eternity.]
[Dika (☆) has returned to the Goddess' embrace. His fighting spirit will be remembered for eternity.]
"What?" Han's eyes widened in shock. "They all… died?"
The first floor wasn't easy, sure—Anyng's Tower was way more dangerous than standard—but it was manageable. They should've at least taken down a few goblins. What the hell happened?
"What's wrong, Han?" Shay asked, noticing his stunned expression.
"They all died…" he murmured.
"Eh? All of them? On the first floor?" Tess scoffed. "What a bunch of weaklings."
"What? T-They all died?" one of the other heroes whispered, and panic rippled through the others like wildfire.
Iselle didn't give them time to process.
"Decard, Dolf, Chloe, Raphtalia! Get ready!"
The color drained from the new heroes' faces—except one.
A small girl with soft brown hair, droopy ears, and a fluffy raccoon tail stepped forward silently. Her eyes were hollow. No fear, no tears. Just… emptiness. She was dressed in a tattered tunic, far too thin for the cold atmosphere of the lobby, and she stood with the bearing of someone who had long forgotten what it meant to be happy.
[Image Here]
Han's gaze locked on her. 'A kid? What is a kid doing here? I've never heard of children being summoned. And… is she a demihuman? A raccoon demihuman at that? I've never even seen one.'
Then something clicked.
"Wait… is she the 2-star hero, Raphtalia?" he thought aloud. "I'd been looking for her earlier, but couldn't find any trace. Could the others have hidden her?"
Without another thought, Han stepped forward.
"I'll come as well," he said.
Iselle's wings stopped mid-flutter. "H-Han… are you s-sure?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Because the floor they're being sent to is the… 2nd Floor."
A heavy silence fell. The second floor. The one that nearly wiped them all out. Goblins, prairie wolves, and—worse of all—that failed werewolf. Even Tess stopped her mocking. She had barely survived that thing. Shay too had nearly died. And now... newcomers were being thrown into that nightmare?
Han's eyes narrowed. 'Is the Master... crazy?' But even as the thought came, a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Yes, Iselle. I'm sure," he said.
He'd grown stronger. Much stronger. And it was time to test just how much.
To be continued...
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Raphtalia will gain more screentime the next chapter, don't worry.