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[Is this… my big chance!?]

Kisaragi, a Healer currently in Ealdred Crow’s Team 11, felt her heart flutter as she overheard the rumors circulating through the Clan. The rumor was that Stephanie — known as the Ice Conductor among her peers, a figure who usually kept others at a distance — was beginning to show signs of anxiety over the upcoming assessment.

Kisaragi had even seen it herself, catching a glimpse of Stephanie’s frustration in the dining hall. A month away from the dungeoneering front lines, even for the Ice Conductor, had to be taking its toll.

“We’ve got this, Kisaragi. The wind’s blowing in our favor. Just gotta stay confident!”

“Yeah, you too. If it goes well, we might be in the same party as you guys again — that’d be great.”

Recently, the lower-ranking teams of Ealdred Crow had developed a strange sense of camaraderie, driven by a shared determination to rise through the ranks. They could feel an unprecedented tailwind at their backs, pushing them forward.

Stephanie’s visible anxiety only added fuel to the fire. The other high-ranking teams, sensing her unease, were also on edge. It was the perfect opportunity to turn things around.

Ealdred Crow was on the verge of a massive upheaval, the atmosphere akin to the tense calm before a battle. The support staff assigned to each team encouraged their Explorers with fervent words, while the lower teams burned with ambition, eager to turn the hierarchy on its head.

The following day, the official announcement was made: a large-scale assessment would be conducted across Ealdred Crow. Normally, assessments were prepared and conducted discreetly, but with the ten main teams having been absent due to the Royal Capital’s Stampede, this time, the reassessments would be conducted all at once.

There were two main reasons for this new approach. First, the assessment was not just internal; they would spread the word beyond Ealdred Crow. This time, they intended to incorporate the evaluations of not only Ealdred Crow’s clerks, but also the Dungeon Maniacs and spectators.

The second reason was to give the lower teams a clear shot at advancement. Without the visible prospect of a chance, people would not move. To show them that hard work could lead to advancement, the lower teams were set to compete against the top teams, who had just returned from the Royal Capital. After spending over a month training intensively in God’s Dungeon, the teams’ Explorers had significantly leveled up. The odds of them outperforming the top units, who had been away in the Royal Capital, were high.

“And now, we’ll begin the teams’ assessment. Each of you will form a party with your assigned team and proceed to conquer the designated layer.”

The assessment, which many believed would result in a major reshuffling of the teams, began early in the morning with much fanfare. The Dungeon Maniacs were particularly interested, and the audience was given free voting tickets. These tickets allowed spectators to support specific individuals, turning the assessment into something of a popularity contest.

Voters would also be granted limited access to some of the Clan House’s facilities, such as the dining hall and shops. Although it was labeled as a military assessment, this event was essentially a publicity stunt for Ealdred Crow as a corporate-style Clan.

With the added spectacle, the audience’s interest in the assessment grew, and the lower teams, who were usually overlooked, found themselves more motivated than ever. Conversely, the top teams, sensing the farcical nature of the event, wore expressions of disdain.

Amidst this, Kisaragi, set to undergo the assessment for a chance at promotion to the main party, clenched her fists with determination. She then teleported to the eightieth layer with her assigned party.

Kisaragi’s level now matched Stephanie’s, and her skills had earned her a shot at the main party assessment. While she had mastered the standard skill shots, Kisaragi preferred quickshot skills. She had noticed that Tsutomu used a quickshot skill with a spin to increase its speed, and since then, she had added her own twist to it.

Her usual strategy involved handling most situations with standard skill shots, but when the pressure mounted and she had less time to support her team, she relied on quickshot skills to pick up the slack. This approach had become Kisaragi’s trademark style, one that other Healers had begun to emulate.

Moreover, Kisaragi had already cleared the eightieth layer they would be diving into, having defeated the Winter General over ten times to obtain Largest Ice Magic Stones. As a result, she had greatly honed her understanding of its behavior and refined her aggro management. In contrast, Stephanie had only won against the Winter General once and hadn’t challenged it since.

Fortune had favored Kisaragi with her assigned party members as well. Four of them were from the lower teams with whom she had previously fought, making their coordination in the upcoming battle against the Winter General smoother than expected.

“All right!”

The party she led as the Healer encountered a few close calls but managed to control the aggro and perform revives effectively, achieving a stable victory. After a month of repeated battles against the Winter General, their performance this time surpassed that of Ealdred Crow’s previous successful attempt at the eightieth layer.

“Awesome, Kisaragi! We’ve got this in the bag!”

“Yeah, that was solid.”

“I agree! I think this was our best run yet!”

As the male Attacker and Tank showered her with praise, Kisaragi felt confident in how she had handled the situation. Seeing Stephanie’s earlier anxiety had eased some of Kisaragi’s nerves, allowing her to perform better than usual.

As Kisaragi and her team celebrated, a woman with pink hair styled in spiral curls approached, her footsteps deliberate and her numerous skill wisps swirling around her. Noticing the figure in the blue dress, Kisaragi found her gaze drawn to her, as if by magnetic pull.

“…Miss Stephanie.”

“Hello, Miss… Kisaragi, was it? Congratulations on clearing the eightieth layer.”

“Th-thank you.”

Stephanie’s face remained calm, her expression as composed as ever, which puzzled Kisaragi. Just the day before, Stephanie had seemed so flustered, and she had surely watched their battle with the Winter General through the Pedestal. Yet here she was, looking utterly unbothered. Kisaragi’s party members shared her unease, casting skeptical glances at Stephanie’s cool demeanor.

“The next round will begin after a two-hour break. Please make sure to rest and be at peak performance.”

“O-of course. We’ll do our best.”

“Very good. I’ll see you in two hours,” Stephanie spoke like a doll, with eyes devoid of emotion, then turned and left.

Kisaragi’s party members exchanged glances, muttering under their breath as they watched her walk away,

“That Ice Conductor’s got the act down, huh? Always so damn composed.”

“She probably thinks she’s too good for us. Didn’t even look like she wanted to talk to us lower-rank grunts.”

“…Just like the rumors say — a cold-hearted Healer. She’s gonna make it tough to work with her.”

“Maybe she’s not all she’s cracked up to be…”

The group had never worked with Stephanie, yet they all shared their assumptions as she disappeared into the crowd. Kisaragi, too, found herself looking down on Stephanie, echoing the sentiments of her party members.

[So that’s the pride of a Team 1 member? She’s so haughty that I can’t see her coordinating with her peers… And after all that panic yesterday, she’s still trying to act high and mighty? What a joke.]

She had witnessed Stephanie’s irritation the previous day, and that haughty attitude had always rubbed her the wrong way.

In most parties, the dynamic had shifted. With more male Attackers and Tanks and more female Healers, it had become essential for female Healers to be mindful of their male teammates’ needs. Though Kisaragi didn’t go out of her way, she made sure to keep the peace, understanding that a little consideration could make a party run smoother.

But Stephanie hardly seemed to care about any of that. In fact, Kisaragi had noticed her discussing dungeoneering strategy on equal footing with the men, sometimes even taking the lead. This boldness had earned Stephanie considerable support from the Clan’s women, who admired her assertiveness.

Yet Kisaragi couldn’t stand it. She knew she wasn’t above currying favor with the Attackers and Tanks. It made them more protective, and more eager to show off their skills. But Stephanie’s straightforwardness, especially in front of veterans like Sova or the gifted Pollux, irked her to no end.

[With an attitude like that, good luck getting any support from your party. Too bad, Stephanie.]

The others wouldn’t blatantly sabotage Stephanie’s assessment, but the bad impressions lingered. Kisaragi subtly fanned the flames of discontent, feeding into her party’s frustrations.

As she reflected on Stephanie’s flustered state from the previous day and how easily her party members could be manipulated with a bit of ego-stroking, Kisaragi allowed herself a little chuckle.

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