’’It doesn’t look like you’re in any danger,’’ Rea continued, touching the stripes sealed by stone. ’’I’d even say that the stone healed and rged with your skin.’’
She paused for a mont, tilting her head. ’’Very peculiar indeed.’’
Just before she could utter another word, the doors behind her opened.
Several soldiers walked through, their expressions sharp and serious.
A single, broad and muscular man walked behind them.
Theo’s eyes narrowed slightly as he recognized the familiar figure.
’That’s Iris’s father,’ he thought. ’Leoric Blackwood.’
’’Continue on without ,’’ the man ordered calmly.
The soldiers turned imdiately, saluted once, and exited without hesitation.
Finally, the man turned to Iris, his expression softening slightly.
’’Iris.’’
Iris stiffened slightly.
’’Father,’’ she replied, lowering her head just a little.
Leoric’s gaze shifted to Rea, nodding once before scanning the other faces in the room.
He stopped on Theo for a mont, his eyes narrowing slightly.
’’Theo... it was, right?’’
Theo nodded imdiately.
’’Yes,’’ he said. ’’Hello... Mr. Blackwood.’’
Leoric nodded once, his expression serious.
’’I heard so strange things about you,’’ he continued. ’’Fighting off not only a silver core madman but also a D-rank Blue Mane Wolf?’’
Theo’s expression also turned serious as he thought back about it.
’’That’s correct,’’ he answered without hesitation.
Leoric remained silent for a few seconds, clearly sizing Theo up.
Just then, a faint whistle echoed from the other side of the room.
’’Who knew father-in-law ets future son-in-law could get this heated,’’ Owen said quietly, glancing at the ordeal with much interest.
Leoric’s gaze imdiately shifted towards him.
"...Care to repeat that?" he said calmly.
Owen froze for a split second.
Then he coughed once, scratching the back of his head.
"Yeah—no, that definitely sounded better in my head," he muttered.
Theo closed his eyes for a brief mont, exhaling quietly.
Iris’s face had turned completely red.
"Owen," she said through clenched teeth.
Leoric didn’t pay any more attention to Owen, his gaze already back on Theo.
’’...You handled yourself well,’’ he said.
’’It wasn’t just ,’’ Theo replied. ’’If it wasn’t for the others, I’m not sure I’d be having this conversation with you.’’
Leoric remained silent for a few seconds, then he continued.
’’I’m going to need each of you to write a report later,’’ he said. ’’Or if there’s anything urgent, you can ntion it to now.’’
Hearing that, Theo’s eyes lit up for a second.
’’Yes,’’ he said, raising his hand. ’’I have sothing that I need to report.’’
Leoric’s eyes narrowed slightly, nodding once in his direction.
’’That guy was experinting on humans and creatures,’’ Theo started, fully serious. ’’The D-rank wolf had a strange device in its back, pumping so black liquid into it at all tis.’’
He paused briefly.
’’He said that it ca from... the Calamity Covenant during our fight.’’
Silence filled the room imdiately.
Rea’s head snapped towards him, while even Iris looked up.
Leoric, however, barely reacted.
’’I see,’’ he said. ’’So it is as we suspected.’’
For a few seconds, he was silent.
Then his gaze swept across the group.
’’You’ve all done well,’’ he said. ’’I’ll make sure the Hunter Association knows and that you’ll be compensated accordingly.’’
Owen’s eyes lit up.
’’Now that’s what I like to hear.’’
Leoric simply ignored him, continuing on.
’’Focus on your recovery,’’ he added. ’’Your reports will be taken later.’’
With that, he turned around and left the room.
The door closed behind him with a soft click, the heavy atmosphere slowly disappearing.
’’Alright,’’ Owen said, leaning back slightly. ’’Next ti, remind to not piss him off.’’
Rea, on the other hand, kept staring at Theo.
’’Is what you said true?’’ she asked, narrowing her eyes.
Theo nodded slowly. ’’He ntioned it towards the end of the fight.’’
Rea clicked her tongue quietly as she shook her head.
After a mont, she turned to them again with a small smile.
’’You kids rest up and go ho,’’ she said. ’’I need to go sowhere.’’
With that, she hurried out of the room, leaving the four of them behind.
They all remained silent for a few seconds, still processing what had just happened.
Finally, Owen stood up and looked at Theo.
’’Wish your goodbyes,’’ he said. ’’I wanna go ho so I can finally sleep.’’
He stretched his arms out while letting out a big yawn.
Theo nodded slowly, also barely able to wait until he could get so sleep.
He stood up and turned to Iris.
’’I’ll send you a ssage when I wake up,’’ he said quietly. ’’I still owe you a al after all.’’
Iris blushed slightly, nodding once.
’’That’s fine,’’ she whispered quietly.
Theo turned around, a simple wave in Emma’s direction as he followed after Owen.
As they stepped outside, a jeep was already waiting for them, ready to bring them all the way back ho.
By the ti Theo reached his apartnt, he said goodbye to the still yawning Owen and quickly headed in.
The mont he stepped inside, his mother quickly greeted him, relieved he was finally back.
’’Are you alright?’’ his mother asked, hugging him.
’’Nothing serious,’’ Theo nodded, smiling lightly. ’’Just tired mainly.’’
His mother nodded, quickly gesturing to his room.
’’I made your bed,’’ she said. ’’Go get so rest.’’
Theo couldn’t hold back his smile as he continued up the stairs to his room.
After closing the door behind him, he dropped onto his bed, letting out a soft groan.
’A lot happened in this dungeon,’ he thought, rolling on his back. ’And I still need to grow much and much stronger.’
At least it was a good thing that the rewards from their discovery would be bountiful.
’I’ll buy cultivation resources with them imdiately,’ he thought, nodding slowly. ’That way I can reach the silver core stage as soon as possible.’
He smiled for a mont, just thinking about the reward and wondering how much he’d actually get for sothing like this.
With that, his eyes slowly closed as his thoughts faded into darkness.
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