CHAPTER 172: EX 172. PRE TRIAL MEETING

The light in the unit’s common room cast a steady glow, their light pooling across the long table where Unit 1 had gathered. The air was thick with expectation, all of them waiting for Leon to speak.

Leon leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "We will be heading to the trial world," he began, his tone calm but edged with weight. "And I’m sure you all know, it won’t be the same as our first trial."

Most of them nodded. Only Nikko remained still, her gaze cool, and unreadable.

Leon’s eyes swept the room. "I’m sure you do. But protocol dictates I make it clear again." He straightened slightly, voice sharpening. "Unlike our first summoning, where we were thrown directly into a trial, from now on the summoning will drop us into the trial world itself, more specifically, the Mortal Zone."

At that, Adrian and Eden’s eyes flicked toward Nikko. Even now, they found it difficult to reconcile the fact that the Supreme Heir, bearer of a supreme talent and an S-rank power house, would be following them .

Leon caught their stares. A faint grin tugged at his lips. "And since Nikki will be following, most of the trouble will be settled."

Both Adrian and Eden stiffened, their ears catching that slip. Nikki? The thought rang sharp in their minds. Neither spoke, but their confusion simmered.

Unaware, Leon pressed on. "That doesn’t mean we let our guards down. Because although the chances are abysmal that we’ll face something even she can’t handle, it doesn’t erase that 0.0001% chance. And if the trial world has taught us anything, it’s that no matter how many years humanity has had access to it, we still don’t fully understand it."

The room seemed to shrink under those words. The easy confidence they had clung to; Nikko’s presence makes us untouchable, fractured into unease. As shoulders tightened and silence weighed heavy.

Leon didn’t let it linger. "Our major task once we enter the trial world," he said, his voice steady, "will be to locate a Tier VII altar and conquer it. Only then will we gain access to the trial."

The stillness that followed was absolute. Compared to the first trial, where one merely selected a difficulty, this was something else entirely. They had to find an altar of the chosen tier, defeat it, and then earn their right to face the trial itself. And Leon intended to lead them to the highest altar possible.

Fear stirred in their eyes.

Leon softened his tone.

"You don’t need to panic. As long as you don’t let your guard down, you’ll be fine. If anything happens, Nikki and I will be there to protect you. Don’t see this as a death sentence, see it as an opportunity."

The words settled into them like an anchor. The dread loosened its grip. Adrian exhaled slowly. Eden’s hands unclenched on the table.

Most especially Eden. The sting of his past failures pressed on his chest, the shame of only clearing a Tier II trial gnawing at him.

’This... this is my chance,’ he thought, determination burning where doubt once lived. ’My chance to make it right.’

Then Leon spoke again.

"The last thing you all need to know—" He paused, his voice tightening with something heavier. "Is that we will be taking Eleanor with us."

Eden’s eyes went wide, his pupils shrinking. The name crashed into him like a hammer, rattling the fragile resolve he had just built. His chest tightened, and his breath faltered.

’Eleanor?’

The room seemed to blur around him.

And for the first time that night, Eden felt the ground slipping from beneath his feet.

****

The common area felt heavier than usual, its quiet tension pressing down on the squad like an invisible weight. Leon couldn’t shake the bitterness Eleanor’s name stirred. Taking her with them was the Governor’s order, and Leon hated it.

’Hope the intel we can pull from her is worth it,’ he thought grimly, his jaw tightening.

Adrian’s voice cut into his thoughts, sharp and restless.

"But why is she following us?"

Leon’s eyes shifted to him. Adrian wasn’t wrong to ask; of all people, he and Eden had the right. They had bled the most from Eleanor’s betrayal. For a moment Leon didn’t answer, simply studying Adrian’s expression, then finally spoke.

"The Governor ordered us to take her. He believes something in the Mortal Zone might be able to extract the intel buried deep within the demon bonded to her."

The words hung like a blade in the air.

Adrian’s eyes widened, his breath caught between disbelief and rage. Eden froze, fists curling so tightly his knuckles whitened. Neither of them knew whether to be more shaken by the Governor’s direct involvement or the revelation that Eleanor wasn’t merely corrupted, she was bound.

A flicker of pity betrayed them both. They hated her, yes, but the truth of what had happened to her carved uneasily at their resolve.

Eden exhaled sharply, his hands loosening as he muttered, "As long as it’s the Governor’s order, we can’t reject it."

Leon studied him for a few seconds, seeing the quiet storm behind his eyes. His own voice was steady when he answered.

"Right. But you don’t have to worry. I’ll be the one watching her when we enter the Trial World."

The room fell silent for a beat. That was when Elizabeth finally spoke. She hadn’t said a word since the meeting began, but her voice came firm, cutting through the air with quiet resolve.

"Leo... you don’t have to overstress yourself like this. That’s what your squad is here for. All of us can watch over her."

Leon blinked at her, surprised. He hadn’t thought of it as stress, it was just responsibility, something he would carry without question. But when his gaze shifted from Elizabeth to Eden and Adrian, he found the same look in their eyes: resolute, unwavering, and loyal.

His chest warmed. As he looked at them, a small, rare smile tugging at his lips.

"Thank you... for the gesture."

Almost in unison, their voices answered back, firm and steady.

"Anytime, Captain."