Teasing Evangeline was fun. Seeing her expression change had become one of the things Damon had come to like. Originally, they would always butt heads in the academy. Evangeline had her own ideals, while Damon was a pessimist who shot them down at every opportunity. Now, after months trapped in a death zone, he missed those calm days at the academy—when they could just be students, not hardened survivors. Well, that was true for them. Even back in the academy, Damon was trying to survive, always thinking of survival, always scheming where his shadow's next meal would come from. He was always caught between hunger and starvation, all while evading anyone who might discover his dark secrets. Damon couldn't help but miss those days. Back then, being investigated by the Student Council President, Lilith Astranova, had been terrifying. But right now? He couldn't help but miss her… Was she worried about him? Was she going to nag him again for being a temperamental… and suicidal junior? He still had a promise to keep. They were going to take on the world together. He needed to live… just to keep her company in their insane scheme. 'She must be lonely without me…' That brought a thin smile to his face. Lilith was the image of perfection. She always got everything right. She almost seemed superhuman. But he knew she was just human. She got lonely too. She had fears just like him. She carried the burden of being the Priestess of the Unknown God. Just by existing, she was the nemesis of the Temple of Doom. 'If she fails… she'll die a horrible death.' He clenched his fists. He could not allow that to happen. He would not die here alone… 'If we're dying—let's die together, striking fear in the hearts of our enemies…' He wasn't about to give up. He refused to die quietly in the Path of Kings. This ancient ruin had once forged kings and heroes. He would not die here… even if it now lay in ruins. Forgiving wasn't his style. Neither was forgetting. He hadn't forgotten how he got here. And after thinking about it for weeks, he finally knew who the Dark Spirit Summoner was. He just had to eliminate his bias and look at things objectively. It wouldn't break his heart to kill him. Assuming Lilith hadn't already done it herself. He shook his head. No… she wouldn't. She would wait for him to return. He glanced at his academy-issued baraclete. It was still counting his points. As long as he wore it—she would know he was still alive. Damon smiled coldly. 'She's probably setting the building blocks of her plans… gathering potential members for whatever insane organization she's trying to create…' 'I'll grow stronger… I'll reach the Second Class Advancement before I leave…' If someone had heard him say that, they would've thought he was insane. Reaching the second class only weeks after achieving the first? It was madness. However… there was precedent. Seras Blade had speedrun her advancement and reached her high rank without having to live for centuries. There were also Class Advancement potions, rare artifacts, and lost magics that could raise one's class. Of course, many of those came with consequences. A safer route would be to enter a World Dungeon—where time flowed differently and laws were more lax—to raise one's rank. Or, if a god willed it, they could elevate someone's rank with no strings attached. Damon didn't care about shortcuts. He would do it with grit, pain, and the hardest method—battling monsters. He'd break through. And luckily for him, he had the Mastery Mechanic… and the System. He was already stronger than his party members—even though they were monsters themselves. They could grow stronger. And so could he. "What are you smiling like that for?" Evangeline's voice cut through his thoughts as she pulled a large pile of scrap metal they had scavenged from the floating wreckage. Damon chuckled with a hint of dark amusement. "They say the greatest tragedies, when viewed from a distance, are nothing but great comedies…" Evangeline raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?" Damon raised his head, staring up at the bleak ceiling above with a resolved smile. "I'm saying—in danger, there's opportunity. We can reach Second Class Advancement soon… Valerie already said so. This place isn't just despair—it's an opportunity, Eva." He smiled at her. "With every adversity we overcome, we are resurrected stronger than before. Why fear death… when we've already resurrected stronger?" Evangeline looked at him like he was crazy. What the hell was he talking about? They only had one lifeline. If they failed, they were dead for good. She also noticed something else. "…Why are you calling me Eva?" Damon shrugged, a flicker of insanity in his eyes. "It's your nickname. Evangeline is such a mouthful." Evangeline sighed with a tired expression. She didn't even care anymore. She turned her gaze back to the pile of scraps. Matia was pushing the larger heap from behind. "Do you need help back there?" Matia, who was silently struggling behind them over the uneven wreckage, shook her head wordlessly. Evangeline sighed again. "…We can get stronger, right? Let's do it. These badlands… they've taught me to hate weakness." "I hate weakness too." Damon continued walking, navigating the debris with his haul of useless-looking scraps. He never told them why they needed so many broken, powerless artifacts. Sure, they'd found some magical items—scrolls, trinkets—but they had long lost their power in the ancient ruins. Most were just wood and metal scraps. She shook her head and followed him, dragging her own pile of scraps. She wanted to ask him why he didn't just store the junk in his shadow like he usually did… But then—just as they neared the camp—Damon suddenly stopped. He stood frozen, staring into the distance, eyes wide. Evangeline glanced toward where their friends were supposed to be. Before she could say anything— The wind shifted. Her hair whipped into her face, obstructing her vision. Then came a boom. The shockwave of Damon's sudden dash blasted past her as he sprinted toward the camp with desperate urgency.