Chapter 186: Fallen City

Chapter 186: Chapter 186: Fallen City

The heavy tactical discussion on the terrace softened into a quiet, contented lull as the back doors opened, and Martha and Arthur stepped out carrying a massive, polished silver platter resting on a bed of finely shaved elemental ice.

"Alright, that’s enough talk of stress patterns and boss mechanics for one night," Martha said with a warm, maternal smile, setting the gleaming tray down at the center of the wooden table. "You kids have been working non-stop since arriving here. Have something sweet."

Arranged artfully across the bed of ice were chilled, translucent slices of Sunny Vale’s signature harvest: the Amethyst-Gold Peach and the Sun-Crystalline Eden Apple.

The peach slices shimmered with a deep, royal purple hue laced with veins of liquid gold, releasing a fragrance so sweet and velvety that it instantly filled the night air. Beside them, the apple slices gleamed like raw amber crystals under the terrace lights, practically bursting with crisp, uncorrupted moisture.

"Oh, wow..." Mirei gasped, her eyes lighting up as she reached for a frosted slice of apple. The moment she took a bite, an audible crunch echoed across the terrace, followed by a rush of ice-cold, radiant sweetness that made the archer close her eyes in sheer bliss. "This isn’t just fruit—it feels like drinking frozen starlight!"

Barney scooped up three massive slices of the Amethyst-Gold Peach, popping one whole into his mouth. The heavy blacksmith let out a deep rumble of satisfaction as the cooling juice washed down his throat, instantly soothing the minor soul-burn lingering from his furnace work. "Mrs. Vance, if you keep feeding us like this, I’m moving my forge directly onto your back porch!"

Arthur chuckled warmly, sitting beside Rowan and clapping his son gently on the shoulder. "Eat all you want, son. Fifty acres means we’ll have more than enough to feed the entire team twice over."

Smiling at the sight of his family and squad relaxing together, Rowan took a chilled slice of peach, feeling its pure vitality hum in quiet harmony with his [Breath of Eden - Lv. 5].

Gathering their plates, the family of three and the four squad members moved inside to the main estate lounge to unwind, turning on the wide, runic television display mounted above the hearth.

The standard evening news broadcast was playing in the background, showing commentary on Sol-Aethel’s surging trade market and real estate values. But just as Caelen leaned back against the sofa with his greatsword resting nearby, the screen suddenly cut to black.

A stark, flashing red banner stamped with the seal of the Imperial Defense Ministry tore across the broadcast, accompanied by a sharp, piercing emergency siren.

"We interrupt this broadcast for an urgent global crisis update," the news anchor announced, her voice tight with suppressed panic as graphic tactical feeds flickered onto the screen behind her. "Reports have just been confirmed from the eastern border province of Oakhaven."

The footage shifted to a harrowing aerial view. What was once a thriving, bustling regional city of two hundred thousand people had been transformed into a blackened, silent graveyard of rotting timber and dissolved stone. A thick, sickly purple-black mist hung over the landscape, dissolving buildings and turning the fertile surrounding soil into bubbling, corrosive sludge.

"At 16:00 hours, a high-ranking dark grandmaster belonging to the extremist fanatic cult—the Order of Humanity—emerged from hiding," the anchor reported urgently. "Utilizing forbidden, high-tier necrotic poison skills, the dark mage released a catastrophic biochemical shockwave that decimated Oakhaven within minutes, completely corrupting the region’s land and ley lines beyond recognition."

Seraphina’s eyes narrowed into sharp, dangerous slits as she stared at the toxic sludge on the display. Her hands gripped her armrests, her alchemical instincts instantly recognizing the horror on screen. "That isn’t standard poison... that’s a soul-rotting necrotic catalyst. It infects the organic matter of the earth and feeds on the dying life force to spread exponentially."

"Imperial Vanguard Squads and sovereign enforcers engaged the perpetrator in a high-density containment battle," the broadcast continued, showing brief, chaotic snippets of explosive spells and golden aura strikes tearing through the purple mist. "While the dark mage sustained critical, life-threatening injuries during the clash, he managed to break through the perimeter encirclement."

The footage zoomed in on a towering, ancient stone archway radiating a pulse of ominous, dimensional energy at the edge of the ruined province.

"The suspect has officially fled into the primary gateway of the Tower to escape international execution. Authorities warn all ascending guilds that the dark mage is heavily wounded, highly unstable, and presently hiding within the lower floors..."

The lounge fell into a heavy, suffocating silence.

Barney’s playful demeanor vanished, replaced by the grim, hardened expression of a smith who recognized an absolute threat. Beside him, Caelen’s hand gripped the hilt of his greatsword so tightly his knuckles turned white, while Mirei reached instinctively for her bowstring.

"The Order of Humanity..." Arthur muttered, his face dark with anger as he looked at the corrupted earth on the screen. "Fanatics who believe human advancement only comes through destruction and artificial mutation. They hate everything natural."

"They rot the land, murder innocent civilians, and hide in the Tower like rats," Caelen growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Rowan slowly set his plate down on the glass table. His golden-amber eyes locked onto the glowing image of the Tower gateway on the screen, an icy, calculating glint settling deep within his gaze.

The Order of Humanity had just unleashed a wave of unholy land corruption onto home soil—the literal antithesis of everything Eden International stood for. And the wounded monster responsible had just crawled directly into the very proving ground Squad 07 was preparing to conquer.

"He thinks the Tower is a sanctuary," Rowan said softly, his voice echoing through the quiet room with absolute, terrifying calm as he lightly adjusted the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat. "He thinks escaping into the floors will buy him time to heal his wounds and spread his poison."

Rowan looked around at Barney, Mirei, Caelen, and Seraphina, the air in the room’s temperature dropping slightly as his domain aura flared.

"Change of plans, squad," Rowan commanded quietly. "We aren’t just ascending for speed records anymore. We’re going hunting."