The tension that had lingered in the Boss Room was fading, replaced by the quiet relief that came with survival.
Alejandro adjusted his coat as he and his group prepared to leave.
Moretti, still catching his breath, gave him a measured look before offering a hand. "Not bad, Spaniard. Next time, maybe we'll fight side by side."
Alejandro smirked and shook it. "Or against each other."
Moretti chuckled. "I wouldn't mind seeing how you handle yourself in a real fight."
Leonardo, standing nearby, crossed his arms. "We'll be keeping an eye on you."
"Looking forward to it," Alejandro said simply.
With that, Iron Fang returned to collecting their spoils, and Alejandro turned to his own team.
"Let's go."
Retracing their steps through the silent corridors of the dungeon, the four of them remained mostly quiet.
They had entered expecting a simple E-rank dungeon—they had left after witnessing an unexpected C-rank boss and the deaths of two hunters.
It was a harsh reminder of how unpredictable dungeons could be.
The glow of the exit portal came into view, shimmering with an eerie blue light.
One by one, they stepped through—
And reemerged outside, back into the afternoon sun. The cool air felt almost shocking after the stale mana of the dungeon.
But before they could even process the change a Hunter Association representative was already approaching.
The man was in his mid-40s, with short graying hair and a neatly pressed suit. His expression was professional, but his eyes held a sharp curiosity.
"You are one of the last the last group to exit," he said, scanning the four of them. "I assume you encountered the boss?"
Alejandro nodded. "We arrived just as Moretti's group was finishing the fight."
"I see. And what did you observe?"
They went over everything.
The lack of monsters on their way to the Boss Room, the two deceased hunters they found inside, the Hobgoblin Warlord and how it was clearly above what an E-rank dungeon should have contained and the fact that Iron Fang had been struggling, proving that it was at least C-rank in difficulty.
The representative's expression tightened as they spoke. He took notes on a tablet, nodding occasionally but saying little. Finally, Alejandro reached into his coat and pulled out the two identification cards from the fallen hunters.
"They didn't make it," he said simply, handing them over.
The man took them carefully, his jaw clenching. "We'll notify their families."
A heavy silence followed.
There was nothing else to say.
After a moment, the representative exhaled, regaining his formal demeanor. "Thank you for your cooperation. The Hunter Association will be reviewing this incident. Expect further contact soon."
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving the four of them standing near the dungeon's entrance.
Emilia sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Well, that was depressing."
Sofia crossed her arms. "That dungeon should never have been classified as E-rank."
Marco nodded. "Someone screwed up, and two people paid for it."
Alejandro didn't say anything.
Because in his mind, one thought kept repeating. That dungeon was my creation, my responsabilty.
The tension from the debriefing still lingered in the air as the group stepped away from the Hunter Association representative.
The dungeon stood behind them, its blue portal still shimmering, but its secrets were already out in the open.
No one said it, but they all knew—this incident would cause waves.
Sofia stretched her arms with a sigh. "Well, that was something."
"No kidding," Marco muttered, adjusting his gear. "This should've been a routine clear, not a damn C-rank fight."
Emilia chuckled, though there was still a hint of exhaustion in her voice. "At least we survived. That's what matters."
They reached a crossroad in the street where they would part ways.
Sofia gave a simple nod. "See you all around. I need a shower."
Marco smirked. "And food. I'm starving."
Alejandro gave them a two-fingered salute. "Get some rest."
Sofia and Marco waved before heading off, leaving just Emilia with him.
She glanced at him with a playful smirk. "You're not that bad, Alejandro. I'm glad we teamed up."
Alejandro grinned. "Only 'not that bad'? I'll take it."
She laughed before taking out her phone.
"Call me sometime, alright? We should team up again."
"Sounds like a plan."
She gave him a mock salute before turning on her heel. "Don't disappear, Spaniard."
With that, she was gone, blending into the streets of Rome.
Back at the Hotel
Alejandro arrived at his hotel, the exhaustion finally catching up to him.
He tossed his gear onto the nearby chair before collapsing onto the bed with a long exhale.
Today had been eventful.
An E-rank dungeon had turned out to be a C-rank threat.
He had met hunters he'd never see.
And, most importantly he had seen the true consequences of his Dungeon Creation ability.
He stared at the ceiling, his thoughts racing.
"What should I do with this power?"
Because after today, one thing was clear, this world was already dangerous and if he wasn't careful, he could make it worse.