Northern paid rapt attention as Gilbert began speaking.

"Seven months ago, we all came to Stelia. I'm guessing that was around the same time you entered the rift you just closed down."

Gilbert looked directly at Northern as he continued.

"This place where we're currently stationed is known as the Lotheliwan Kingdom. It had previously been lost to a horde of monsters. When we arrived, we needed somewhere to settle, but everywhere was swarming with those beasts.

"So I took the initiative and led the students here. Together, we were able to slay the monsters and reclaim this portion of the kingdom, including the castle."

He paused briefly.

"Much later, we began receiving refugees - natives of Lotheliwan and neighboring clans who had lost their homes to the monsters' onslaught.

"They filled us in on the state of affairs and how the rifts came to be..."

Gilbert's voice trailed off as he explained the rifts' emergence to Northern, the grave threat they posed, and the fact that they were growing in tier.

However, he omitted great details such as the existence of other student groups who had arrived earlier and formed strongholds elsewhere.

Many had perished, but the survivors were now loyal mercenaries to the only country that had withstood the disaster.

He even neglected to mention that one country had endured the disaster.

Not that he wanted or needed to divulge everything to Northern.

In fact, telling him this much already made Gilbert feel as though he was treating the young man like some special guest - a notion he despised.

It caused him to be more guarded, withholding other key information.

Finally, he told Northern about how their stronghold operated.

"We have ten parties. Each comprising two teams of four drifters. The ten parties are led by the strongest drifters, handpicked by me personally.

"Their mission is to hunt monsters, which serve as a food source, while the soul cores are used to trade with other strongholds for vital items and amenities needed for daily survival."

He looked squarely at Northern. "My plan is to close down all rifts and return home victorious."

"To make mama proud?" Northern interjected brutally, his expression one of disdain.

Arching a bushy brow, the burly man scrutinized Northern with a scowl. "I'm not sure what you mean?"

Northern folded his arms across his chest. "I don't understand why you're aiming to close all the rifts before finding a way back home. Who exactly do you intend to impress?" He glared at Gilbert, defiant.

"The priority right now should be getting us home. Don't you have families you want to see?" Anger tinged his voice.

"We have a chance to save these people. The rifts are conquerable," Gilbert insisted.

Northern let out an inhuman, perverse laugh before pinning the headmaster with an icy stare.

"Have you ever actually been inside one?"

Gilbert frowned. "No?"

Unfolding his arms, Northern scoffed, "And you call it easy?" He chuckled darkly. "If it was so simple, why were these people plagued by the rifts for thirty years...or was it twenty?"

A deafening silence fell over the room.

At that point, Annette allowed herself a small, proud smile for Northern, even though she had no right to feel that way.

His fearless demeanor as he addressed Gilbert as an equal was deeply impressive.

Gilbert hesitated before answering, "We were always going to venture into those rifts eventually. They're only Tier III - the one that posed real danger, you already closed down. So how bad could they be?"

Northern's eyes widened fractionally as the headmaster's words registered.

"How bad could it be?" he echoed Gilbert's nonchalant query, then chuckled darkly as memories of his harrowing rift experience flashed through his mind.

He inhaled and exhaled slowly before pinning Gilbert with a level stare.

"You have no idea, Headmaster. No idea at all of how bad it can really be!"

Gilbert gestured placatingly, his expression warmly persuasive.

"And that's precisely where you come in. You survived in that rift for six months. With the invaluable information you can provide, this endeavor will be far easier."

Northern shook his head slowly, brows furrowed, lips turned down in a morose frown.

After a heartbeat of tense silence, he spoke in a toneless rasp.

"As you said, you have no obligation to tell me anything except what pertains to getting our survival. And undoubtedly, you decide what qualifies as useful for that purpose."

He met Gilbert's gaze unflinchingly.

"Likewise, I have no obligation to provide you any information unless it directly relates to returning home."

Gilbert's frown deepened into a ferocious scowl.

"Nonsense!"

His powerful voice lanced through the room.

"What are you saying? That you'll withhold critical information?! With what you know, we could close all the rifts and go home!"

"We can return home without needing to close those rifts. And even after closing them, what's your plan for getting us home? I don't think you've even considered that. Your scheme is suicidal, and I can hardly blame you, Headmaster. You haven't witnessed the horrors inside those rifts. If you had, you wouldn't be entertaining such reckless ideas."

A cocky grin split Gilbert's face as he seemed to slowly unravel.

"If a talentless whelp like you could clear it, what's to stop the rest of us, those with actual talents and superior foundations from succeeding?"

Northern smiled sweetly.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't just call me talentless. You seem to think you can pull it off because I did. But I'm nothing but a cowardly, selfish stone who would do whatever it takes to survive, even lick a monster's ass. I see you as a hero of justice, always judging what's good and bad. You're just soft bread - you wouldn't last a month in that hellhole."

Gilbert frowned deeply. 'His temperament is astounding...I intentionally tried to provoke him, but he didn't flinch.'

"Besides, I have no plans to withhold information from you. I'll share what I know. Whatever you choose to do with it is not my concern."

Gilbert raised an inquisitive brow at Northern.

"But it would be extremely foolish of me to give away the only valuable asset I possess for free, wouldn't it?"

A sly grin tugged at the young man's lips.

*

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*

[A/N]