Chapter 661: Depart

The following morning, Clyde met Samuel in front of the Council building.

Samuel frowned when he saw Clyde gesture for him to follow him somewhere. Clyde did not say anything at first. He simply walked toward the side of the building, away from the main entrance and the people passing through the courtyard.

Once they reached a quieter corner, Clyde stopped and turned toward him.

"I’m going on a mission with my friend," Clyde said. "She’s the one who came here from our world. So for a while, I don’t think I’ll be able to stay with your team."

Samuel sighed.

He had expected something like this eventually. From the beginning, Clyde had never behaved like someone who intended to remain attached to a single group. He had his own goals and plans, and Samuel knew better than to ask him to abandon them just to stay with the team.

"Alright," Samuel said. "I didn’t expect us to separate this quickly, but it’s fine. I understand. You probably already have a bond with your friend after going through the Selection Stage together."

Samuel then extended his hand.

Clyde looked at it for a moment before taking it.

They shook hands firmly.

"I’ll tell the others about this," Samuel said.

"Yes, please. And I’m not leaving permanently. Maybe I’ll return to your team later."

Samuel nodded with a small, understanding smile.

"You’re always welcome."

Clyde watched him walk away until Samuel disappeared into the crowd.

There was a quiet sense of respect in Clyde’s eyes.

Samuel was a good man. He had lost almost everything during the Selection Stage, yet he had still chosen to protect others instead of allowing grief to consume him. Clyde believed that when the time came for another fight against the Higher Beings, someone like Samuel would be valuable.

After their meeting, Clyde entered the Council building and registered himself and Mina as a two-person team for the mission Maethion had given him the previous night.

The mission involved retrieving another Demon artifact.

This time, however, the artifact was located deep inside a forest within a Ruin.

Clyde completed the registration without drawing unnecessary attention. Once everything was confirmed, he left the building and headed toward Hammer’s forge.

Mina was already there.

Clyde had asked the dwarf several weeks earlier to prepare a complete set of equipment for her, and the work had finally been completed.

The sound of metal striking metal echoed from inside the forge as Clyde approached. Heat spilled through the open entrance, carrying the smell of burning coal, heated steel, and oil. Sparks occasionally flew from the workshop and disappeared before reaching the ground.

When Clyde entered, he immediately spotted Mina standing beside the workbench.

She was wearing her new armor.

The equipment had been made specifically for her fighting style. The armor protected her vital areas without restricting her movement, leaving enough flexibility for her to twist, dash, and strike with both daggers. Several reinforced sections covered her chest, shoulders, and thighs, while lighter protective pieces guarded her arms and legs. The dark material gave her a sharper appearance than before, making her look less like a survivor who had only recently entered Sivagadh and more like someone preparing to become a proper fighter.

Her twin daggers rested at her waist.

Mina was talking with Hammer when Clyde arrived. The dwarf stood beside her, inspecting one of the armor pieces while explaining something about its construction.

Mina noticed Clyde first.

She turned toward him, her expression immediately becoming more focused.

Hammer glanced over his shoulder and grinned.

"You’re finally here," the dwarf said. "I was wondering when you were going to come and see what I made."

Clyde’s eyes moved over Mina’s new equipment.

For a moment, he said nothing.

The armor suited her.

More importantly, it looked like something she could actually fight in her best form.

Clyde nodded slightly. "Looks good."

Mina looked down at herself before meeting his eyes again. "Mister Hammer did a good job."

The dwarf snorted proudly. "Of course I did. You asked me to make something for her, and I don’t make mediocre equipment."

Clyde gave him a faint smile. He had expected nothing less from him.

Clyde gave Hammer a small nod and said, "Thanks. I’ll pay you when I get back."

Hammer waved a hand dismissively. "Nah, don’t worry about it too much. Just bring me plenty of good materials from the Ruin. If you come back with something useful, then we’ll talk about payment."

Clyde nodded. "Okay."

Hammer grinned and returned to his work, already turning his attention back to the equipment scattered across his workbench.

Clyde and Mina left the forge soon afterward.

They walked through the fortress without stopping, heading directly toward the portal.

Mina was quiet as they moved, occasionally glancing at her new armor as if getting used to its weight and movement. The equipment made her feel more prepared.

Clyde noticed her checking the straps around her arms and asked, "How does it feel?"

"Good," Mina answered. "I can move normally."

"Okay. That’s great. That’s what you need."

They eventually reached the portal in the middle of the intersection.

It was already busy with other fighters preparing for their own missions. Several groups stood near the portal platforms, checking their equipment and supplies.

Clyde and Mina ignored the activity around them and approached one of the designated portal points.

Clyde took out the amulet he had been given for the mission.

The small object immediately responded to his presence. Faint magic energy began flowing through its surface, causing several ancient-looking symbols carved into the metal to glow.

Clyde raised the amulet. The portal in front of them distorted, a low hum filled the chamber as space twisted inward, forming a dark circular opening.

The portal edges shimmering with unstable energy while the center remained completely black. Beyond it lay the distant Ruin they had been assigned to enter.

Mina stared into the opening. Even after everything she had experienced during the Selection Stage, the sight of a portal leading into another ruined world still carried a strange weight.

Clyde stepped forward first and said, "Let’s go."

Mina nodded and followed him without hesitation.

The moment they crossed the threshold, the surrounding air changed.

The energy of Sivagadh Fortress disappeared behind them, replaced by cold unfamiliar air. Their surroundings blurred for a brief moment as the portal carried them across the boundary between worlds.

Then their feet touched solid ground.

Clyde looked ahead and saw the forest.

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