"All female?" Ss mused internally, a look of surprise spreading across his face as he approached the group of women.


    Before him stood four female staff members, all adorned in the standard navy-blue uniforms that marked them as academy personnel. As Ss drew nearer, he took his time to observe each of them, noting their distinctive features and the subtle variations in their uniforms.


    They were all strikingly beautiful, each radiating a charm that could captivate any onlooker. Their bodies were sculpted and alluring, exuding a confidence that made them even more attractive. However, as Ss scrutinized them further, a curious detail caught his attention.


    "Grade 1s," he noted to himself, ncing at the skill slots affixed around their waists. Each one glowed with a single, faint light—a telling sign of their abilities.


    Ss had never been on a raid where every participant was a Grade 1. Even if they were set to breach a Grade 2 mutant realm, he expected at least one member of the team to possess Grade 2 capabilities. Yet, this entire group wasposed of Grade 1s.


    Theoretically, four Grade 1 mutant ability users could manage to clear a Grade 2 realm without relying on a higher-grade individual—if they were careful and coordinated. However, in practice, teams usually included a higher-grade user for added safety. But this group was clearly an exception.


    "You must be the boy Kara told us about—the one who''s carrying our supplies and carving up mutant body parts?" one of the women called out, her voice slicing through his thoughts as she spotted Ss approaching.


    "Yeah," Ss replied, scratching the back of his head nervously and halting his steps just before reaching them.


    "I''m Ava, the one leading this raid," she introduced herself, extending her hand in a gesture of wee.


    "Ss," he replied, firmly shaking her hand.


    "Nice to meet you, Ss," she said with a warm smile that lit up her face.


    "These are myrades: Anita, Shirley, and Rose. Don''t be too surprised that there aren''t any high-grade ability users among us. We''re all new recruits, and since most guilds have turned us down due to our grades, the academy decided to offer us this job. However, before they fully hire us, we have to clear twelve Grade 2 realms on our own, without any support from high grades." Ava exined, her expression shifting slightly as she noticed the astonished look on his face.


    "I see," Ss murmured, considering her words. "But you do realize it''s quite dangerous for a bunch of lower grades to attempt to clear a realm that''s above their level, especially without any mutant armor or weapons?" he pointed out, concern edging his voice.


    "Yeah, we know the risks," Ava admitted, her smile unwavering and filled with determination. "That''s why we''remitted to giving it our best shot." She gestured toward arge ck bag lying on the ground. "Those are the supplies you''ll be carrying for us. I apologize for the weight; we had to pack quite a bit."


    Ava halted mid-sentence as Ss strode over to the hefty bag, effortlessly lifting it with one hand and slinging it over his shoulder. He turned back to Ava and the others, confidence in his posture. "Shall we? The portal has been powered up, and the countdown has already begun."


    "Ah, yes!" Ava eximed, her enthusiasm infectious as she stepped toward the portal, the rest of the group following closely behind her. "Alright, it''s showtime," she dered with excitement before stepping into the swirling portal, disappearing in an instant. The other women followed suit, leaving Ss standing alone for a brief moment.


    "I hope I get an opportunity to farm some attribute points in there," he thought, his heart racing with anticipation as he took a step forward, vanishing into the portal.


    A few momentster, he emerged in the realm, and a vivid red notification screen shed before him.


    Explore more adventures at empire


    [DING]


    [You have entered a Grade 2 realm]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    [Optional Quest Activated]


    [Quest Information: Carry the team to earn exclusive rewards]


    [Rewards (Hidden)]


    Ss read over the screen hovering in front of him, his brow furrowing in thought.


    "This is the same type of quest I received in that Grade 5 realm. ''Carry the team''—which means I''ll need to really step up my game," he mused, ncing toward the women ahead. "But I don''t think I can go all out in front of them. So I guess I''ll just sit this one out… after all, it''s an optional quest." Ss dismissed the notification and turned his focus to the realm around him.


    Thendscape appeared as a broad, deste street, littered with debris and remnants of machinery scattered haphazardly across the ground. Various pathways branched off in different directions, and from where they stood, they could hear distant growls and roars of mutants echoing ominously in the background.


    "Well, at least it''s not another cave. I''m really getting tired of realms that look like caves," Shirleymented as she surveyed the environment, her expression revealing a hint of relief.


    "Let''s keep moving, everyone! We don''t have all day!" Avamanded, her voice resonating with authority, and the group began to advance forward.


    They navigated through the wide street, carefully sidestepping fallen machinery and jagged rocks, their senses heightened as they remained vignt. Ss trailed behind them, therge bag swaying slightly with his movements, his keen eyes scanning the area. Suddenly, he sensed a looming presence—a mutant nearby—but the rest of the group continued walking, oblivious to the danger.


    The team soon halted a few meters ahead as a loud buzzing sound pierced the air, growing increasingly louder, reminiscent of a swarm of angry bees approaching them.


    "Everyone, get ready! We''ve gotpany!" Ava shouted, her tone shifting to one of urgency as she warmed up her hands, preparing for a fight. The other women quickly fell intobat stances, their expressions serious and focused.


    "They''re all prepared for battle?" Ss thought, a frown creasing his forehead. "So there''s no healer among them? Are thesedies really going on a raid without a healer?"


    The buzzing crescendoed until a swarm of enormous bees emerged, each insect the size of a truck tire, their wings glistening dangerously in the light, and their legs sharp enough to slice through flesh.


    The women stared at the approaching swarm, and when the bees were only a few meters away, they thrust their hands forward, unleashing a torrent of ice that erupted from their palms. The ice struck the bees mid-flight, freezing them instantly, and as they fell to the ground, they shattered into countless icy shards. After vanquishing the swarm with a single, coordinated attack, the team bent over, resting their hands on their knees, panting heavily from the exertion.


    "They did well defeating those bees," Ss thought, observing them closely. "But that attack seemed topletely drain their stamina, and the fight has just begun." He frowned, reconsidering his initial decision.


    "I might need to rethink skipping that optional quest."


    ''''"


    A/N: Gifts and Golden Tickets are my only motivation..and so far there''s nothing. ?????


    Anyway, thanks for reading!