The Meeting of Elites

After the receptionist who worked the night shift went away and up into the Tower to wake up the needed people, the group didn't wait long for them to be invited as well.

As such, Laura came down the stairs and spoke out while rubbing her forehead and walking towards them.

"Alright, although the higher-ups weren't that happy with me waking them up dead in the middle of the night, the meeting has been arranged. You can go ahead, they are waiting for you in the conference room. It is on the fifth floor by the way."

The receptionist then walked past the group and towards the exit of the building.

Anna lifted her eyebrow in response.

"You aren't coming with us?"

"No, this I'm pretty sure what I'm not privy to what you're going to discuss there. Plus, I was told to invite your party members as well. Wouldn't want them to wait for the news about your survival to reach them later, would we?"

With that, Laura walked out of sight and disappeared into the darkness outside.

Marilyn and Leo then took the lead of the group as they walked towards the stairs and up into the tower, being familiar with the way due to often being called there due to their exploits and discoveries.

Although at night the light of the moon shone through the windows as they ascended, the candles, which were present in various alcoves on the walls, weren't lit this late into the night, causing the group to ascend in the quiet and darkness, with only Rob trying to lighten up the mood.

"Whew, that's the first time I'm walking this high up myself! It's either the top explorers that report directly to the Tower Master or the eggheads who practically live here get to be this high up. Still, don't know if we're lucky or not to be called up here."

Anna spoke up. "Why so?"

"Well." He chuckled. "Lucky because it means you've made an important discovery, and are likely to be rewarded."

"Unlucky, because it also means that this discovery might also pose an existential threat to the town, and that's no fun to deal with. Trust me on this."

The rest of the brief ascent was spent in silence, with only the squeaking of the stairs being audible. As they went past sections of the staircase, doors leading into the various rooms on the floors they went past being closed, they quickly got to the fifth floor, a double door standing before them, light shining from under it.

Marilyn came forward to it before turning around and speaking to the group.

"Behind this door are the most important people in this town, so please show respect whatever you do. Although they are rather amicable I would like to get past this with no incidents, understand? Looking at you, Rob."

"Yeah, I got it. Don't piss off the boss of my boss and I will be fine. Sounds easy enough."

The rest of the remnants of the exploration party simply nodded in response to Marilyn's suggestion.

The woman in question then turned to the doors, took a deep breath, and pushed them open.

Surprisingly enough, they let out nary a sound when being opened despite their size. What came into view was a room of moderate size, with multiple windows reinforced with stone looking out into the town. In the middle of the room stood a "П"-shaped table, with three chairs present near the upper table and five chairs each near the opposing tables.

 Only two of the three chairs opposite the group were occupied.

One was occupied by an elderly man who was mostly bald, possessing a nicely-trimmed beard, wearing a shirt covered in a jacket, and also wearing casual slacks. Overall he exuded a friendly atmosphere with wrinkles near his eyes suggesting that he often smiled.

In front of him, on the table, a wooden plaque was engraved. It read:

"Joseph Larring, Lead Researcher of Mana"

In the second of two chairs, the central one, a woman with green eyes and raven-black hair cascading down her shoulders sat. The mature woman was wearing a white coat, under which a black blouse was visible. If one added a pair of glasses then she would look like a model scientist. However, the aura around her sharply contrasted with that of Joseph's.

She exuded a feeling of apathy, only logic and pragmacy having value in her mind. In front of her was yet another plaque, which read:

"Matilda Stein, Tower Master and Lead Researcher on monster biology"

The empty seat on her side had a plaque in front of it as well, giving a clue to who was supposed to be there.

"Lucian Badura, Chief Hunter, and Explorer"

However, from the dust present on it, it seemed that no one used it in a while.

While some among the group were gawking, the old Researcher Joseph spoke out while gesturing with his hands.

"Welcome. Although it was a bit unpleasant to be woken up so abruptly, we came to know that you have valuable knowledge to share. Please, take your seats." He waved his hands toward the seats near the opposing tables, which had no name plaques in front of them.

Following this, the various group members took their seats, with Marilyn and Leopold taking seats closest to the leaders of the town, the seats being opposite to each other. Other members took the remaining seats, with Anna sitting next to Marilyn, with Beatrice sitting down next to her.

On the other side, the members of Leo's party sat, with Rob being closest to the rogue.

Seeing that everyone settled down, the old man continued, all while the woman who was the Tower Master remained silent, her eyes seemingly studying each member of the group.

She ended up staring with a sparkle of curiosity at Marilyn and Leo, before also noticing Beatrice, feeling something different about them. Meanwhile, the researcher who looked like a kind grandpa continued, clearing his throat.

"It is nearly a week ago that our mana-sensors felt and reported a mana wave which usually only happens when a monster boss is formed. Usually, it would take a single hunting party to exterminate such a beast, but this time this wave was much stronger, causing us to send out our most capable exploration party to investigate the exact circumstances."

While saying this his gaze focused on Anna in particular, upon noticing her bandaged eye it was filled with pity.

"But we all know how that went. Our dear Ranger over there returned half-dead, the famous 'Berserker' Stacy lost an arm, and my grandson, Ian Larring, had to sacrifice his ability to wield magic, still not waking from his slumber."

Joseph's voice trembled at the mention of his grandson, worry being audible. After taking a deep breath, he continued.

"So, after obtaining limited information, we sent out three parties for exploration and, if possible, extermination of the Monster Nest that you've come back from. The 'Reckless Axes' led by now-deceased Onheim Nilding, who was one of the best close-combat warriors. The 'Shieldbearers' led by Marilyn Weld, renowned for her teamwork, and the 'Cloaks' led by Leopold Burns, whose skill in stealth is unparalleled."

Rob then humphed, speaking out "Well see how that turned out...", earning himself a glare from Marilyn.

Joseph fortunately didn't take offence, continuing with his speech.

"...Yes, how our friend there speaks, the result ended up in a disaster. 'Reckless Axes' - were wiped out, 'Shieldbearers' sustained losses, resulting in a split among the group, and 'Cloaks' lost a member as well. Such a disaster is unheard of if you don't count the news of the towns up north being wiped out recently."

A solemn silence reigned in the room, everyone more or less knowing what he was talking about. The trading partners of Cypress Town which were two week's journey away - Maple Town and Rockridge Town, had been wiped out by the beast horde coming from the north.

Such news was alarming, as their defenses were only slightly inferior to Cypress Town, meaning this horde was an existential threat to the Town as well, the news causing many to flee to the East and West, leaving the town half-empty.

Those who stayed behind either clung to hope, were incapable of fleeing, or were preparing to fight for their homes and families, the parties in the room being the third.

Feeling the depressing atmosphere in the room, Marilyn gestured to one of her teammates, the latter passing her a backpack. She rummaged in it, taking out a crystal that was shining in green. Holding it out in her palm, she spoke out.

"...Although this expedition was, indeed, a disaster, I believe that this source of despair is also our source of hope."

Although none of those who were in the exploration group were surprised at the sight of it, the Researcher looked at it with wonder, and Tower Master's eyebrows lifted in surprise. The woman's imposing voice rang out.

"Where and how did you get this?"

Everyone stared in surprise at Matilda who hadn't said a word until now, leaving Marilyn tongue-tied for a second.

"It... Dropped when we killed a particularly powerful monster down in that... Dungeon."

"Dungeon? As in the code name of the Monster Nest?"

"Ah, to be honest, it was a nickname given to that Monster Nest by one of our explorers who was fascinated with Pre-Awakening stories. Some of the... Features of that particular monster nest somehow reminded him of tha- Woah!"

In the midst of her explanation, Marilyn exclaimed in surprise as she watched the green crystal float out of her palm, and through the air as if lifted by something invisible. It then landed in Matilda's grasp.

"Continue. What 'features' are you speaking of?"

"-ah. Well, when I asked Jeremiah, may his soul find peace, he said that some old stories told of places where you deliberately fought monsters and they dropped, in his words 'loot'."

As the Tower Master listened, the crystal was floating in her grasp, before she held it in her fingers, looking closely at it.

"And I suppose that this is the 'loot' you were speaking of?"

"Yes! And these crystals hold immense value, as after using them, some of us gained extraordinary powers and became stronger!"

Matilda's eyes left the crystal and shifted between Beatrice, Leopold, and Marilyn.

"I suppose it's you and those two?"

"Yes, but how did you kno-"

"Just a feeling. Demonstrate this 'power' you speak of."

Marilyn, trying to stem her curiosity, obeyed, and spoke out. "Alright, you may want to protect your eyes as my power is related to bright light."

As she said her part, Marilyn concentrated and gathered the mana beneath her skin, trying to do the same exercise as when she had just awoken in the dungeon.

Light gathered on her skin, it brightening briefly before dimming back to how it was before.

Matilda watched in rapt fascination as if seeing something others didn't, speaking out when the light dimmed.

"While it is indeed a curious thing, I don't see how it may be useful in any way. I believe you can do better."

Marilyn, trying not to get irritated at the Tower Master's way of speech, sighed and said. "Alright. But you may want to protect your eyes for real. It is going to be really bright."

After saying so, Marilyn willed a chunk of her power into her hand without any form of finesse. In doing so, the light rapidly began to gather, and Marilyn closed her eyes, knowing what came next.

A flash of light that would be comparable to a Pre-Awakening flashbang illuminated the room briefly before disappearing just as fast. Surprisingly, although some people in the room were slowly opening their eyes in caution, some cursing about not closing them fast enough, Tower Master Matilda looked as if she never closed them in the first place.

"Fascinating..."

No one heard the words that Matilda muttered under her breath but her. While to others it looked like a mere flash of light, she saw more, the essence of what happened.

When Marilyn mentioned the nature of her power, Matilda created a thin film of mana around her eyes, thus avoiding the fate of being temporarily blinded. And during the entire process, she watched the mana move from Marilyn and erupt from her hand. This kind of mana felt way different from what the Tower Master was used to wielding, filling her with curiosity, and making her wonder about the uses she could glean from it.

Following Marilyn's display of power, Matilda turned towards the other two who gained power.

"Demonstrate what you have gained. You first, girl."

Beatrice, nervous at being called out by such a figure, stammered.

"O-okay, but I would n-need direct contact to best show it."

"Go ahead."

Beatrice slowly stood up and walked towards the imposing woman, before putting her hand on the woman's shoulder.

Her hands then began to glow in a green light, mana being sent through them.

The Tower Master jerked, abruptly grasping the girl's hands and pulling it away from herself, scaring Beatrice greatly.

"T-tower Master?! H-have I done something wrong?"

Matilda stared at the girl who was practically trembling at this point, before letting go of her hand.

"No. Just make sure not to use your power on already healthy people. It stimulates unwanted thoughts in those perfectly fine, so if you want to preserve your purity, use it with caution, especially so on men."

Beatrice stared dumbfoundedly, before grasping what Matilda meant, causing her face to burn red, making her look like a tomato. Silently, she walked back to her seat, where she heard Marilyn and Anna chuckling, causing her to pout.

Meanwhile, Rob broke into a laugh. "Hah! Don't worry girl, I'll prove that I'm injured before asking for healing!" Seeing that his laughter wasn't about to die down anytime soon, a female warrior from his party slapped the back of his head.

"Shit Emily, what was that for?"

"Just shut up."

The perpetrator of the whole embarrassment seemed unperturbed, instead studying the feeling of the mana itself that she got from Beatrice using it on her, the thoughts that were stimulated long being buried by her insane willpower. This caused her to notice that the mana being emitted from the crystal in front of her and the healer's mana were almost completely similar.

"Interesting."

Matilda once again grasped the crystal in her hand, feeling the mana within it. Soon after that, she gently tugged on it.

While all that others could see was a gentle glow erupting from her grasp, in actuality a tiny yet visible thread of green light connected her skin and the crystal. Unlike how the others who absorbed nearly all the mana immediately, with glow surrounding their whole body, the Tower Master's process was much more delicate.

The glow eventually dimmed down, an intact, transparent shell being left in the woman's grasp, which she studied in front of her eyes before putting it back down on the table.

"I see how it is."

Joseph Larring who sat to her side watched the whole process in rapt fascination, never having seen anything like it. He asked, curiously.

"Mrs Stein, what have you found out?"

"There is still a need for further research, but so far I have found out two notable things. This type of mana has an inherent quality that the mana we usually wield doesn't. It is lively and vibrant, and I suspect that it stimulates growth."

Following that, Matilda put one of her hands on the desk, before green light flowed along her fingertips, and where the wooden table was touched, the wood seemed to distort, fresh and tiny branches growing out of it, small green leaves unfurling on them.

"As you can see, even a seemingly dead object could be 'revived', though I doubt you would do much for a dead person other than fixing their corpse. I also don't think you would be able to fix something from ashes, though I may be proved wrong - these are only initial conjecture."

"As for the second thing I have found out, these crystals contain extremely pure mana, but my body managed to absorb only a part of it, around a tenth. I don't know why exactly. Beatrice, how many green crystals have you absorbed."

Although the young woman was startled at being called out abruptly, she still answered.

"Green crystals? I absorbed only one, the one Marilyn gave me."

Matilda nodded in response.

"I see. It may be some kind of inherent quality, but it seems that your body accepted much more mana than my own."

Just as Beatrice smiled at the praise(?), Matilda quickly shut her down.

"But the finesse with which you wield your mana is horrible. You merely let it flow and disperse as it pleases, you lack any kind of control over mana. If you wish to be a better healer, you best start working on it, as even with the meager amount that I wield, I am able to do much more than you."

The healer girl began to sulk, lowering her head at the reprimand.

"Yes... Tower Master."

Finally, Matilda turned her head to Leopold.

"Now you. You know what to do."

The rogue who was sitting cross-armed nodded at the command, before starting to use his own power. Shadows seemed to converge around him, and it seemed as if the chair he was sitting in was not illuminated at all, he himself now being a dark silhouette.

The Tower Master nodded at the display.

"Good, but anyone or anything that possesses a good sense of mana will find you out through fluctuations of mana. Either work on your skill or avoid those who can detect you."

Leopold nodded, dispersing the cloak of shadows.

After the demonstrations were finally done, the Tower Master Matilda spoke out in a louder voice to everyone.

"As all of you have seen, the power that these three had gained from the 'dungeon' as you had begun to call it, and such powers have great potential, and might be increased with more crystals obtained."

She looked over everyone, who stared at her with eager eyes.

"Such power can be obtained by anybody, and not only does it grant one the power to manipulate various kinds of mana, but it also strengthens the body by a small degree. This means that our people can grow stronger so long as we obtain those crystals. Although that place, that dungeon is fraught with danger, the gains outweigh the losses."

She sighed.

"If we do not get stronger, we will likely get trampled by the beast horde and die either way. We must obtain more... Mana crystals. We must obtain more strength."

She then stood up and walked towards a window, overlooking the brightening sky, sun rising on the horizon.

"After a day of rest, you are to return and establish a forward camp near the dungeon, as we will be sending more exploration teams that way."

Matilda then turned around and looked at Anna.

"Dismissed. And Anna, it seems that your friends are eagerly waiting for you on the other side of the door."

As everyone was getting up and ready to leave, the one-eyed ranger gulped nervously, before walking towards the door as well. As the double doors opened once more, they revealed a one-armed woman and a stoic-looking man who she instantly recognized as Stacy and Johann.

They stared at her quietly, Stacy in particular not looking even a millimeter away from her face.

Abruptly, tears started to flow down the warrior woman's cheeks, as she threw herself at the flabbergasted Anna.

"I missed you! Don't you dare leave us ever again!"

Anna, being dumbfounded at the total breaking of everything she knew about the woman, slowly returned the hug she found herself in, a smile spreading across her face. Johann, in turn, also broke his stoic demeanor and Anna saw him smile for the first time since she met him.

"Welcome back. You made us worry."

Anna also felt tears come up on the corners of her eyes.

"Yes... I'm back."