Lyra looked toward the closed entrance of the training hall.

"We've been shut in here training for hours. But the world outside hasn't stopped moving."

A tense silence followed.

Then…

WOOOOOOOOOOO…

A loud alarm suddenly exploded across the entire stronghold.

The sound violently echoed through the hall.

Everyone froze instantly.

Another siren followed.

Then another.

The atmosphere changed immediately.

The playful mood from moments ago disappeared completely.

Arthur's eyes narrowed.

Ryn straightened up.

Torren grabbed his shield without thinking.

Even Mel lifted her head sharply.

Then came hurried footsteps from outside.

Fast.

Urgent.

Several people rushed toward the private training hall.

And from the look on Commander Lyra's face…

Whatever was happening outside…

It was bad.

Meanwhile, outside the training hall… the stronghold had already fallen into chaos.

Explorers rushed through the streets with tense faces and hurried steps. The same people who had spent their whole lives fighting monsters now carried fear in their eyes.

Because this felt different.

The air itself had changed.

Mana hung heavily around the stronghold like an invisible pressure pressing against everyone's chest. Even breathing started to feel harder for some people.

And above them…

The sky was slowly darkening.

Not naturally.

The clouds twisted strangely while the light faded bit by bit, covering the stronghold in an uneasy gloom.

People had heard rumors before this.

Stories from distant strongholds that suddenly went silent.

Stories of darkened skies.

Heavy mana.

Dungeon inversions.

Now it was finally happening to them.

Low rank explorers struggled the most. Some could barely stand properly under the thick mana pressure while others sweated heavily just walking.

Even stronger explorers frowned uneasily.

Because they could feel it too.

Something bad was coming.

Very bad.

The guild hall had become a complete mess.

Footsteps echoed everywhere as explorers moved in and out nonstop.

Some shouted at merchants.

Others pushed through crowds trying to buy mana potions before supplies vanished.

"You're raising the prices now?!"

"You think this is a joke?!"

"If we die, your coins won't matter!"

"Move!"

Tables nearly overturned while exhausted staff tried to calm people down.

A merchant desperately hugged a crate of potions while angry explorers crowded around him.

Meanwhile several squads argued loudly near the mission board.

"Why hasn't the guild spoken yet?!"

"They know something already!"

"We should leave before the gates close!"

"And go where exactly?!"

Fear spread faster than reason.

And civilians only made it worse.

Families stayed inside their homes shaking while others cried openly in the streets. Children clung tightly to their parents while people stared fearfully at the darkening sky.

The stronghold was their protection.

Their wall against the outside world.

So if even the stronghold looked afraid…

Then what hope did normal people have?

Luckily, the guild finally moved.

The response came fast.

Several notable captains appeared throughout the stronghold almost immediately, each taking command of different sections before panic could fully spiral out of control.

"Everyone calm down!"

"Squads move according to formation!"

"Civilians head toward the shelter zones immediately!"

The authority in their voices helped steady people.

At least a little.

Explorers quickly began organizing into groups while squads escorted civilians toward the underground safety zones built beneath the stronghold.

Others rushed toward the walls.

Defensive preparations had already begun.

Large mana cores were being gathered near several pillars stationed around the stronghold. Thick inscriptions carved into the ground slowly started glowing as workers activated the defensive systems.

A mana shield.

One far more advanced than a stronghold like this should normally possess.

Still incomplete.

Still risky.

But better than nothing.

The guild even began paying extra for donated mana cores.

And explorers handed them over surprisingly fast.

At times like this, survival mattered more than profit.

Soon, tension filled every corner of the stronghold.

Weapons were drawn.

Armor tightened.

Eyes fixed beyond the walls.

Waiting.

Listening.

Preparing for whatever nightmare was approaching.

But while the visible preparations continued, meetings had already begun behind closed doors.

And that was why several explorers hurried toward the private training hall.

The moment they entered, they immediately found Commander Lyra and her squad.

Their rushed footsteps cut through the silence of the room.

The squad instinctively straightened.

Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly while Mel remained close beside him.

The explorers stopped before Lyra, breathing heavily.

But the commander stayed calm.

Completely calm.

"Report."

One of the men quickly nodded.

"The dungeon inversion has reached the stronghold."

The room instantly became quieter.

"The sky started darkening fully ten minutes ago and the mana density keeps rising. We're also hearing movement outside the walls."

"How many?" Lyra asked.

The man hesitated.

"That's the problem… we can't tell yet."

His expression tightened.

"But it sounds massive."

Another explorer stepped forward.

"The guild has summoned all commanders for an emergency meeting."

Lyra nodded slowly.

Not surprised.

"I expected that."

She looked back at her squad afterward.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Her eyes moved across each of them carefully.

Arthur.

Ryn.

Selene.

Torren.

Nox.

Althea.

Then finally Mel.

Just a few days ago, they had still looked rough around the edges.

Now?

Now she could finally see it.

Growth.

Real growth.

A small smile touched her face.

"You guys might actually be prepared for the battle ahead."

The squad went silent hearing that.

Even Torren straightened unconsciously.

Nox grinned slightly despite the tension.

Arthur simply watched quietly.

Lyra continued.

"Prepare yourselves. You may enter the battlefield earlier than I planned."

The words carried weight.

Heavy weight.

Because everyone there understood what she meant.

This would no longer be training.

Real danger was coming.

But strangely enough…

None of them backed away.

Lyra noticed that immediately.

And honestly?

That made her even more satisfied.

"But wait for my orders first," she added firmly.

The squad nodded.

Then without wasting another second, Lyra turned and walked toward the exit alongside the explorers who came for her.

The doors of the training hall slowly opened.

And from outside…

The distant sound of alarms, hurried footsteps, and rising panic poured into the room.