The morning of the raid arrived with Jakarta’s typical humidity and the weight of expectation.
Rama woke at 4 AM, unable to sleep. Beside him, Sekar was already awake, staring at the ceiling.
"Nervous?" she asked.
"No. Excited." He sat up. "Today, everything changes. The guild sees proof. Hendra admits he was wrong. We gain the volunteers we need."
"You’re very certain this goes well."
"I’ve cleared Corrupted Tower five tis before. I know every floor. Every trap. Every boss chanic. The only variable is the team—and I’ve seen them fight. They’re good. With my coordination, they’ll be perfect."
Sekar turned to face him. "Hendra’s going to be watching for any excuse to discredit you. Sri warned last night—he’s planning to docunt everything. Any ’suspicious’ knowledge. Any ’impossible’ predictions. He’ll use it as evidence of fraud."
"Let him docunt. The more evidence he gathers, the more it proves I’m legitimate." Rama pulled up his System interface. "Level 50 Champion. Enhanced perception. Perfect battlefield awareness. It’s all real. All provable. By the end of today, he’ll have so much evidence he can’t deny it."
"And if sothing goes wrong? If soone gets hurt despite your perfect knowledge?"
"Then I adapt. But no one will get hurt. I promise you—zero casualties. Perfect clear. Record ti." He t her eyes. "Trust ."
"I do. I just wish the guild did too."
"They will. By tonight."
At 6 AM, Rama received a ssage from Yanto.
Yanto:Big day. The whole Network is watching. Don’t fuck it up.
Rama:Thanks for the vote of confidence.
Yanto:You know what I an. You succeed today, we get a flood of new recruits. You fail, we lose credibility right when we need it most.
Rama:I won’t fail. I’ve never been more prepared for anything in my life.
Yanto:Previous life included?
Rama stared at the ssage. Yanto was too perceptive. Had been in the previous tiline too.
Rama:Especially previous life included. See you tonight. I’ll have good news.
He pocketed his phone and found Sekar in the kitchen, making coffee with shaking hands.
"Hey," he said gently. "You’re more nervous than I am."
"Because I know what’s at stake. If this goes badly, it’s not just about you proving yourself. It’s about my judgnt as Guild Master. My credibility. My ability to lead." She poured coffee, spilling a little. "Half the guild thinks I’m compromised. That I’m letting personal feelings cloud my professional judgnt. That I’m risking the guild to protect my husband’s ego."
"And the other half?"
"Waiting to see. Reserving judgnt. Sri, Johan, Dewi—they want to believe. But they need proof." She handed him a cup. "No pressure."
"All the pressure. But I can handle it." He took her hands, steadying them. "Listen to . In twelve hours, this will all be over. The guild will believe. Hendra will apologize. We’ll have volunteers for champion trials. Everything we need to prepare for the void war. Just twelve more hours."
"Twelve hours," she repeated. "Then everything changes."
"Then everything gets better."
At 6:30 AM, Rama arrived at the Eternal Bond Guild equipnt hall.
The energy was different from yesterday’s eting. Tense. Expectant. The guild had split into visible factions—believers, skeptics, and the undecided majority waiting for proof.
Dewi was there early, checking her gear with nervous energy.
"Rama," she said when she saw him. "I wanted to say—whatever happens today, thank you for trying. For standing up to Hendra. For being willing to prove yourself even though you shouldn’t have to."
"I do have to. The void threat is real. If proving myself to your guild gets us the soldiers we need, it’s worth it."
"Still. It takes courage." She hesitated. "Can I ask—are you really Level 50? Really a Champion? Or is it—"
"It’s real. All of it. You’ll see today."
"I hope so. Because I want to believe. I want to think there’s a way to fight those void entities. That we’re not all just... dood."
"We’re not dood. We’re prepared. There’s a difference." He checked his gear. "You’re volunteering for champion trials, right?"
"If they’re real. If today proves the System exists, then yes. Whatever the risks."
"Good. We’ll need people like you. Believers willing to take risks for the greater good."
More hunters arrived. The hall filled with quiet conversation, equipnt checks, last-minute preparations.
At 6:45 AM, Hendra entered.
The hall went quiet.
He walked to the center, commanding attention without saying a word. This was his domain. His team. His raid.
And Rama was the outsider trying to prove he belonged.
"Final roster," Hendra announced, pulling up the list on the hall’s main screen. "Thirty hunters. Standard formation. We clear Corrupted Tower floor by floor. No rushing. No heroics. Controlled, professional execution."
His eyes found Rama.
"Special assignnt—Rama Kusuma. Designated role: Rear Support. You will provide buffs, callouts, and healing support as needed. You will not engage in direct combat unless specifically ordered. You will stay in position at the back of the formation. Understood?"
"Perfectly understood," Rama said calmly.
"Good. Because I’ll be docunting this raid personally. Every callout you make. Every prediction. Every ’lucky guess.’ If you’re legitimate, the docuntation proves it. If you’re fraudulent, it exposes you." Hendra’s expression was cold. "There’s no middle ground today. By the end of this raid, you’re either proven or finished."
"I’m looking forward to the proof," Rama said.
Murmurs around the hall. So hunters looked uncomfortable with Hendra’s hostility. Others nodded approval.
Sri stepped forward. "Guild Master’s husband or not, everyone deserves a fair chance. Let his performance speak for itself."
"His performance will speak," Hendra agreed. "That’s exactly what I’m counting on."
Johan joined them. "Both of you need to calm down. This is a raid, not a trial. We work together, we clear efficiently, we co ho safe. That’s the only goal that matters."
"Agreed," Rama said. "I’m here to help the team succeed. Nothing more."
"Then help," Hendra said. "Prove you can."
At 6:50 AM, the team assembled for final equipnt inspection.
Rama’s gear was noticeably inferior to everyone else’s. B-rank armor where most wore A-rank. A standard sword where others had enhanced weapons. Basic supplies where others had premium consumables.
"Is that really what you’re wearing?" Bima asked, approaching. "B-rank gear for an A-rank dungeon?"
"It’s sufficient for support role."
"But if you need to fight—"
"I won’t need to fight. That’s what having a good team ans." Rama checked his sword edge. "Don’t worry about my gear. Worry about your own performance."
Bima nodded slowly. "You’re either really confident or really stupid. I haven’t decided which."
"You’ll know by the end of the raid."
More hunters approached, so offering encouragent, others studying him skeptically.
An older hunter nad Santoso pulled Rama aside.
"Listen, kid. I’ve been in this guild fifteen years. Seen a lot of people try to prove themselves. Most fail. Those who succeed do it through honest work, not shortcuts or tricks." His expression was stern but not unkind. "Whatever you’re planning today—make sure it’s real. Make sure it’s honest. Because this guild has a long mory. We don’t forgive fraud."
"It’s real," Rama promised. "Everything you see today will be legitimate System Champion abilities. No tricks. No fraud. Just enhanced perception and battlefield coordination."
"Then good luck. We need more Champions if those void entities are really coming."
"They are. And after today, you’ll believe it."
At 6:55 AM, Sekar arrived.
She couldn’t participate in the raid—conflict of interest as Guild Master and Rama’s wife—but she could observe from the guild’s monitoring room.
She found Rama doing final stretches.
"Last chance to back out," she said quietly.
"Not backing out. Not now. Not ever."
"Hendra’s really going to docunt everything. Every word you say. He’s looking for any excuse—"
"Let him look. He’ll find proof of legitimacy, not fraud." Rama took her hands. "I love you. I’m doing this for us. For our future. For the world we’re going to save together."
"I love you too. Just... be careful. Be smart. And rember—you don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be good enough."
"I’m going to be perfect anyway." He smiled. "See you in a few hours. When I’m proven and Hendra’s eating crow."
She kissed him. "Good luck, my Champion."
"Thank you, my Guild Master."
At 7:00 AM sharp, Hendra called the team to formation.
"Final check. Everyone ready?"
Thirty affirmatives.
"Then let’s move. Corrupted Tower. Standard clear. Professional execution. Prove yourselves."
The last part was directed at Rama.
The team marched out of the equipnt hall toward the dungeon gate, thirty hunters in perfect formation.
DPS in front. Tanks flanking. Support in the middle.
And in the very back, alone in his B-rank gear with his standard sword—
Rama Kusuma. Level 50 Champion. The man who’d died fighting void entities and ca back to save everyone.
The man who was about to prove to an entire guild that System Champions were real.
And that humanity had a chance.
The entrance to Corrupted Tower lood ahead.
Twelve hours until everything changed.
Twelve hours until skeptics beca believers.
Twelve hours until the real preparation could begin.
Rama took a deep breath and stepped forward.
Last ti, this raid took seven hours and forty minutes. Two people died. The guild barely believed him even after success.
This ti would be different.
This ti would be perfect.
This ti, everyone would live.
And everyone would believe.
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