After that short incident, the room once again fell into silence.
For so reason neither Ambrose spoke nor did Lukas take the initiative to open his mouth. He simply closed his eyes and sat cross‑legged, ditating. Sowhere from deep within the void, a single thin strand of crimson star energy descended, gently circling around his figure.
This sight unwillingly attracted the eyes of Ambrose. Her sword, cutting through the air at weird angles, stopped for a brief mont, and she muttered, "Such trash star‑energy absorption technique. Why is this man still using primitive‑era absorption thods...?"
Ambrose’s questioning was genuine. The Night Dipper technique used by Lukas was truly a one‑of‑a‑kind trash training thod, but alas, for many it was still better than nothing.
After this, Ambrose paid no more attention and instead shifted her focus back to swinging her sword again, this ti with even more determination.
However, the more determined she beca, the more haphazard her swings grew. Her form had gotten so bad it looked as if she were randomly throwing the sword around or might even pretending to practice, but given how sincere the look in her eyes was, that latter possibility was far less likely.
Just like this, ti continued to pass, and without even realizing it, a few hours had gone by since Lukas had started ditating. All the tiredness that he felt from the earlier ntal gymnastics was washed away.
Clang!
It was then Lukas’s eyes suddenly sprang open, a look of solemnity flashing in them.
He didn’t know why, but for so reason a sudden heaviness filled his heart.
Unconsciously, his gaze drifted to the mysterious woman he was sharing the room with. Ambrose’s expression was also the sa; she too had felt the change in the atmosphere.
She could feel Lukas looking in her direction, but she ignored his gaze and instead looked out the window into the distance.
"I guess no matter where you go, so things never change..."
Lukas didn’t know what she was thinking. He was about to get up and investigate when a loud voice ca from outside.
"All awakeners, no matter the rank, please move out and fulfil your duty, fighting the star monsters to the last breath!
"Move out and defend your ho!
"Defend the Roaring Dragon Settlent, protect your family back in real world!"
"Anyone caught not following orders will be publicly executed!"
Lukas didn’t know why, but when he heard those words his anger automatically flared.
Following those words, a loud commotion ca from outside. It didn’t matter what the awakeners were doing—eating, sleeping, making love— all of them rushed out of their rooms, grabbing their best weapons and hurrying outside.
By now it was clear to everyone, The star‑beast horde had finally co knocking at their door.
It was now a situation of do or die.
Lukas was no different, although he didn’t like how the situation was developing. Grabbing his storage bag, he headed out, arriving outside to join the flock of awakeners rushing toward gate number seven.
Awakeners with the Roaring Dragon guild symbol engraved on their chests moved from street to street, rallying the rest.
Of course, there were even a few who resisted the orders.
"Why should I fight the star monsters! I paid hundreds of star crystals to live my life in peace, not throw it away!"
Instead of getting angry or frowning, Lukas saw an excited glint flash through the eyes of the Roaring Dragon mbers.
An awakener at at least Body‑Refining rank six heard the young awakener’s protest and smiled.
Next mont, a head flew through the air.
Lukas’s eyes followed the head as it flew, until it hit the ground.
All the awakeners watching felt a chill run down their spines.
"Anyone else who doesn’t feel like fighting...?"
A suffocating silence descended on the surroundings and no one dared to co forward.
If you scanned the entirety of Roaring Dragon, seeing such similar scenes play out was very common.
However, if you looked carefully, there was a pattern to it: only the awakeners who didn’t join any major guild were getting killed as punishnt.
Lukas wasn’t so heaven‑defying genius, but as he slowly drifted toward the exit, he noticed this pattern and his heart chilled.
He could roughly guess what was going on.
Roaring Dragon guild and other major powers wanted to use the independent awakeners as cannon fodder to absorb the impact.
Still, understanding wasn’t going to change anything, only make the situation even more grim than it already was.
While running as fast as his legs could carry him, Lukas skillfully jumped to avoid tripping over the few headless bodies lying on the streets.
Soon he was near the walls, loud cries echoing.
"All awakeners with healing talent, gather here!
"All the summoners will move with !
"Where are the elental guys?!"
Soldiers dressed in Roaring Dragon outfits segregated the awakeners into groups, forming squads of five with one healer and the rest damage‑dealers.
Lukas was also assigned to one such squad and sent out.
His eyes scanned the surroundings as Iron Tree Forest ca into view in the distance.
The ancient trees which might have stood tall through all sorts of natural disasters could only bow their heads facing the wrath of star beasts making their way toward the Roaring Dragon settlent. The flat plain which had once separated the Iron Tree Forest and the Roaring Dragon settlent, once ho to a bustling market, was completely changed, large craters with crimson bloodstains splashed lay everywhere.
Scanning the surroundings and spotting multiple severed heads of both awakeners and star beasts caused his eyes to light up slightly.
It appears this so‑called disaster wasn’t as terrible as it seed and might even be an opportunity for a few people... like him.
While he was feeling slightly thrilled, the assigned leader of the squad, a middle‑aged man with grey hair and a vertical scar running across his face, started speaking.
"Stay alert, younglings. We just need to survive the upcoming wave, then we will have ti to prepare ourselves for the next battle."
Those words caused Lukas’s eyes to shift back to the group.
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