Gerhman rose slowly amid the debris of Korgar’s throne. His black vest was saturated with blood. Without a backward glance at the High Orc’s corpse, he left the throne room with heavy steps. He crossed the corridors of the tenth floor calmly, his leather boots crunching on the stone scattered with bones.

The remaining monsters still surged out in groups from the dark recesses, drawn by the noise of the previous fight and the metallic smell of carnage that emanated from him. Each blow shattered bones with a sharp crack or pierced flesh with a wet tearing sound. Blood splashed the cold stone walls, drawing macabre frescoes in his wake, but he kept moving forward.

He cleared the entire floor alone. When the last monster fell, its throat crushed by his gloved hand, a complete silence invaded the place. Gerhman shook the blood from his hands with obvious disgust and headed toward the exit. His clothes were stained, his white shirt now unrecognizable under the red, and his boots left red traces on the floor with every step. He finally passed through the large door that led outside the tower.

Outside, the sun shone high in the Seoul sky, a blinding light that contrasted violently with the oozing darkness of the tower. Adventurers and support teams waited near the entrance, discussing their next incursions. They saw him come out and remained open-mouthed, conversations dying instantly. The sight was unreal. An D-rank man, alone, covered in the blood of his enemies, had just cleared the tenth floor of a D-rank tower, close to C-rank. The news spread quickly among the witnesses, murmurs of disbelief already filling the air.

"What a pain," murmured Gerhman, looking displeased.

Not caring about them, Gerhman ignored the stares fixed on his bloodied silhouette. A car from the Aegis guild was already waiting, parked under Hae-neul’s orders. Quickly, the driver went to meet him and headed toward the guild. The taxi driver remained stunned by Gerhman’s appearance throughout the journey.

Upon arriving at the Aegis Prime guild headquarters, Gerhman crossed the main corridor without paying attention to the stares of the employees and guards who instinctively moved aside as he passed. He went directly to Electhra’s office. He entered without knocking.

Electhra, who was seated behind her desk, surrounded by holographic screens displaying the guild’s statistics, looked up and smiled upon seeing him, a gleam of relief and adoration crossing her violet eyes. Her violet hair was tied in a strict bun, with no strand escaping. She wore an elegant jacket that highlighted her voluptuous figure, an office outfit that took nothing away from her aura as Sovereign of Frost.

"Here you are at last, master, already back," she said in a delighted voice. "By the way, how was it?" asked Electhra.

Not paying too much attention to her question, Gerhman settled into the chair facing her, ignoring the bloodstain he left on the expensive leather. His muscles were still a little sore, but the fatigue had almost disappeared thanks to the vital energy he had devoured.

"The news travels fast, so you should already know about it," replied Gerhman.

He leaned back in the chair, crossing his legs elegantly. Electhra closed her holograms with a fluid wave of her hand.

"I know, as you said, I just learned that you cleared the first lower floor of the Infamous Tower," replied Electhra. "But I would like to hear it from you yourself."

She crossed her arms under her chest, looking at him with total attention, waiting for the account from the one she had served for a long time.

"The experience taught me a lot," he replied simply in a calm voice, his gray eyes scrutinizing his servant’s face. "I was able to test my limits and better understand how my strength works now."

Electhra nodded with approval. She set down her silver pen and clasped her hands on the table, leaning slightly toward him.

"Good. The first floors of a tower may seem simple, but they always hold surprises. And you managed to reach the guardian, knowing that you had lost your former power. It’s truly impressive."

Gerhman remained silent for a moment. He was thinking back to the fight against Korgar, and especially the words the orc had spoken before dying. Suddenly, he leaned slightly forward in turn, his facial expression becoming more serious.

"Tell me," said Gerhman.

"Yes, master," replied Electhra, ready to answer his slightest demand.

"I would like to know more about the Cult of the Void," asked Gerhman.

Electhra frowned. Her expression immediately became more serious, a shadow of mistrust crossing her ethereal features. She knew that the name of the Cult had not appeared by chance in her master’s mouth. These people were fanatics, parasites she monitored closely. She should know how her master had learned of the Cult of the Void.

At that precise moment, the office door opened with a violent crash, the precious wooden panels hitting the walls with a force that made the windows tremble. Two women entered without being invited, radiating a mana pressure that made the air crackle.

The first woman stepped forward. Her figure was provocatively voluptuous, clad in a Chinese-style dress adorned with golden floral patterns. Her long, straight blond hair cascaded down her back, and her piercing violet eyes, hidden behind thin silver glasses, swept the room with an arrogance that rivaled Electhra’s. She exuded that characteristic aura of high-level Rankers who believe they are entitled to everything. Behind her, Hae-neul, the guild’s vice-master, followed with a strained expression, clearly overwhelmed by the guest’s impetuosity.

"Electhra!" the woman exclaimed in a loud, confident voice, completely ignoring Gerhman’s presence in the chair. "I was told an anomaly occurred in one of your towers and that the culprit was hiding here." I’ve come to see for myself what it’s all about.

Gerhman did not even turn around. He simply stared at Electhra, a cold and contemptuous look forming on his face.