"You are all dismissed," Charles declared, his authoritative voice cutting through the air.
One by one, the members of the expedition team filed out of the room, leaving only Charles and his vice president behind. The weight of the recent revelations hung in the air, and Charles allowed himself a moment of solitude to reflect.As the door clicked shut, Anne's lingering gaze caught Charles's attention. Her words, delivered with an undercurrent of subtle reproach, echoed in his mind."You should remember who we have to thank for all of this," she had said, her tone a mix of acknowledgment and reminder before she exited the room, leaving the space to its silence.Charles remained seated, his fingers tented as he steepled them beneath his chin. The dim light cast a play of shadows across his features as he contemplated the complex interplay of events.The corners of his lips curled slightly, a wistful smile touching his expression. "Of course"Adam… I'll need you to tell me more about these Demons you saw," Charles's voice held a note of concern, his brows furrowing as he regarded the leader of the first group.An air of gravity hung in the room, the weight of Adam's somber demeanor casting a shadow over the otherwise bustling camp. Charles's instincts bristled; if their seasoned leader was displaying such unease, it likely signaled a challenge of significant magnitude.With a sigh, Adam began to recount the tale, his words painting a vivid picture of their harrowing encounter. The narrative unfolded like a gripping saga, each sentence drawing Charles further into the gravity of the situation."Our group and Chloe's took divergent paths from the Camp," Adam began, his voice carrying a sense of urgency. "As we reached the end of our expedition, Chloe shared her intended route with me. A gut feeling, an intuition perhaps, compelled me to reconsider our plans. Instead of pressing forward, we opted
Of course, here's the restructured passage with the requested changes:The tension in the room seemed to thicken as Chloe's brazen response hung in the air like an unspoken challenge. Charles's control over his irritation slipped, his molars grinding together as he fought to contain his frustration.“You mean higher ranked than Hobgoblins? We killed fifty of them, so there are more than enough cores to go around. Unless it’s something better, I don’t see the use of wasting my last remaining skill slot on one,” Chloe's voice dripped with arrogance, each word a calculated affront.Charles's fingers clenched involuntarily beneath the surface of his desk, a silent testament to the restraint he exerted. The sight of her defiance gnawed at him, sparking a surge of internal conflict.‘This little bitch…’ Charles's inner monologue was sharp, his thoughts laced with a venomous disdain that he struggled to temper.Adam's brow furrowed, his expressi
A palpable sense of exhaustion hung in the air as Charles addressed the weary team, his voice carrying a note of understanding. “It’s fine. You should all get some rest. Later tomorrow, we’ll be having a meeting involving all the team members.” The words held a promise of unity, a reminder that the challenges they faced were collective and required collaborative solutions.Charles shifted his focus, consciously choosing to shelve his concerns for the moment. The urgency of the situation demanded clarity and focus, and he was determined to direct his energies toward the task at hand.“We’ll be discussing many issues, so it might take a while, and I’ll make sure the sudden appearance of those Hobs is investigated as well. You may all leave.” The instructions were clear, a directive that underlined the gravity of their circumstances.“Alright. That sounds neat. Thanks, Charles.” Adam's gratitude was evident in his smile, a casual wave of acknowledgment accomp
Chloe seethed with anger, her emotions a tempestuous whirlwind threatening to consume her composure. "That fool Charles… who does he think he is?" Her words dripped with a venomous disdain, each syllable a testament to her frustration and wounded pride. The corridors of the Camp's hallway bore witness to her determined stride, her footsteps echoing with a resolute resolve.The path she tread was a familiar one, leading to none other than Annette's team residence. Her pride had been stung, her lofty facade shattered by the allure of the Ogre skill that beckoned from within those walls.‘Shit! I can’t believe I have to do this. Even Adam couldn’t say anything. That idiot!’ Chloe's thoughts seethed with indignation, the very idea of the course she was undertaking a bitter pill to swallow.Descending the staircase with purpose, each step seemed to echo her inner turmoil. She reached the designated floor, her footsteps measured as she traversed the corridor tha
Presented with a perplexing situation, Damian found himself in the company of someone he knew all too well. The ache in his heart as he gazed upon her face spoke volumes about the past. Chloe, a former high school bully, had been among those who tormented him a mere month ago. The tables had turned drastically.Meeting her at this moment was a true conundrum. The desire for revenge sizzled within me, a burning urge that I couldn't ignore.[A Few Moments Earlier]I quietly pondered when Anne and her group would return. Having left the room a while back, Anne sought rest in another chamber, while the rest of them took a short nap in his designated space.Despite their demanding journey, they managed to rest for a few hours—a commendable feat."Damian, you should rest some more," Anne expressed her concern when she realized he was awake.Though, deep down, I knew they needed the rest more than he did. "You all need more rest than I do," I mused ."I'm fine, not feeling sleepy," I reassu
‘I’ve faced countless Demons, I’m stronger than I was before. I shouldn’t be scared of Chloe anymore. I’ve changed!’Reciting this mantra to convince myself, I could feel her approach the door. In a few seconds, she would be here. In just a few seconds, I would once again see the person who had tortured me for so long.‘Shit! This can’t be… I’m so nervous!’Apparently, I had assumed that I had changed. Meanwhile, deep in my core, I was still the same feeble Jeremy. I only convinced myself to be in control of everything, since my opponents so far were evil monsters and naïve individuals. However, against the shadows of the past… was I still so helpless?>CREAK< The door opened.I buried my face into the book I was reading, pretending to be unaware of the girl that entered the room. A whole second felt like an eternity to me. I struggled to hide my nervousness, but it appeared my acting skills were failing me.‘Keep it together, Damian.’“Oi, who are you?!” She suddenly asked.Clearly,
“Where have you been all this while, you creep?” Chloe kept looking at me condescendingly. I placed my book by my side, and while it pained me to do so, I withheld my desire to kill her.HOWEVER, I absolutely refused to act inferior to the bitch.“This is quite the surprise… Chloe, it’s a shocker to meet you here.” I smiled.My response fazed her a little. Clearly, she wasn’t expecting such a smooth response. While it was possible for me to act the way she remembered me, I had no intention to stoop so low.Why?Because there was no merit in doing so!Unlike in the case of Anne and her group, Chloe proved to be of no worth to me, at least at the moment. My innocent, kind, act had earned me the trust of my current supporters. They thought of me as harmless, and so didn’t give in to suspicion or burrow deeply into my words.As a result, my position among them was cemented. But, with this brat, there was no benefit whatsoever. Not only was she weak, but her attitude would make it difficu
“Tch. You…” Chloe was nearly speechless after our brief exchange. Apparently, her trump card, Daniel’s existence, did her no good.‘As expected. She hasn’t changed, still leeching off the authority of others…’ I thought to myself.I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t a little frightened of Adam, or his existence within the Camp. I certainly hadn’t expected to meet the two worst people I knew in my life in the same place.‘Does this mean… even more of my classmates are here?’ My mind rang.If that were the case, then that would be bad. I don’t think I would be able to control myself with so many targets for revenge in my line of sight.Merely seeing this bitch was enough to send thoughts into my head. I didn’t want more distracting flies buzzing around me.“Why are you here?” I asked, glaring at her.The sooner she left, the better. If possible, I would prefer she left before Anne’s group returned.‘I don’t want them to see another side of me.’“That’s none of your business!” Chlo