“…I still don’t understand,” Alnea said after going through Assistant Panel thrice to ensure that he did not miss anything. “What exactly does privileges mean?”

  “…I am not sure, but I guess it should have something to do with how much information can we know, and what parts of the city we can access.”

  “That’s it? That’s all the reward we get?”

  “Is that reward not enough?”

  “But we are going to leave the Lost City soon. What use will these privileges have then?”

  “…Information is always the greatest reward you can get. Especially in a place like the Lost City, which may hide legacies from the Age of Gods…”

  “…I guess you could say that…”

  “…Besides, why do you think that these privileges are of no use?”

  “…Because we will not be here to use them.”

  “But no one is stopping you from using them before we leave.”

  “…What do you mean?”

  “Were you not interested in the True Rank versions of Blood Crystal Styles? Maybe you can get them with your new privileges.”

  “…That’s right! Why did I not think of it?”

  “Because you are a fool,” Yuri said with a chuckle, but restrained herself soon after, finishing her words with a warning. “You should not get too excited though. What I said is just a possibility. Maybe these privileges are not as convenient…”

  “It does not matter. Everything will become clear once we leave the Trial Space and return to the Blood Hall.”

  “…Sometimes, I wonder if you are just too lazy to think, or if your Clarity has surpassed mine…”

  “…I have just attained my Clarity…”

  “I know.”

  “…You are just making fun of me.”

  “Maybe.”

  “…Forget it. Let’s just go back, or the rest might begin thinking that we have had an accident.”

  “…We may indeed have spent a little longer than necessary in the Trial Space,” Yuri mumbled, sounding a little reluctant to leave. Though, she was not alone in that regard. Alnea was just as reluctant to let go of the rare time they had with each other. A time, when there were just the of them. And nothing else. But he could not be so selfish. Not when he still had his responsibilities to fulfil. Besides…

  “Don’t you want to see master?”

  “…If put it like that, I cannot refuse, can I?”

  “Then what are we waiting for?” Alnea said, with excitement and anticipation leaking into his voice, as he reached out to the Assistant Panel, and chose to leave the Trial Space. Moments later, the Assistant Panel shattered into tiny fragments, dissipating into the darkness, just as a pillar of red light manifested in front of him. And though there were no threats encouraging him to leave the Trial Space as soon as possible, he still could not help himself from rushing towards that pillar of light.

  In the next moment, Alnea found himself walking back into the twelfth floor of the Blood Hall, with all his teammates waiting for him. Including the boys. The only one missing was Ralph… And Yuri. The former, because he had already left their team. And the latter, because she was coming behind him, bumping into him because he stood in place for too long, with a stupid grin on his face. Fortunately, she did not come running, so they did not fall from her momentum. Still, they did stumble for a bit, earning him a glare from Yuri, and laughter from the rest of his teammates.

  “Are you going to kiss again?” Norren said, letting out a laugh, only to wince the very next moment from stretching out his wounds.

  “Idiot,” Karl mumbled, glancing at their battered teammate, who kept laughing and wincing at the same time. “I told you to go get some treatment first.”

  “…I am fine,” Norren said, waving his hands to dismiss Karl’s concern, before turning back towards their Captain, as he hastily untangled himself from Yuri, with both of their cheeks turning crimson red in an instant. “Besides, if I had listened to your words, then would I have not missed such an interesting scene?”

  “…Interesting?” Karl mumbled, glancing at his Captain’s embarrassment, and could not help himself from grinning, only to shake his head in the very next moment. “Your stupidity must have begun infecting me…”

  “…It is called growing up,” Norren said, laughing out once again, while patting Karl’s back. Maybe with a little too much force. Enough to make Karl wince along with him.

  “…No, it is definitely your stupidity,” Karl said through his gritted teeth, with Ralph joining in with Norren’s laughter. Even Aren, standing with Zain’s help, could not help smiling a little. Only Zain had a gloomy look on his face, with guilt and shame seething out of him, that became even more prominent as he looked at his Captain. And it looked like he had something to say. But he never could.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  “…We did it!” Alnea said, turning back towards his teammates, with a wide grin on his face. After moving away from the Trial Space’s gate, of course. Although he did not think that anyone else should be coming out of the Final World anytime soon, given that the floor was not as deserted as it had been a month ago, he decided to keep his distance from the doors, and walk towards his teammates.

  “We cleared the Final Trial!”

  “That’s right,” Norren said, laughing along with Alnea, before shouting at the top of his lungs. “We cleared the Final Trial!”

  And it was not just Norren. Soon after, Ralph and Aren also joined in with them, as did Cecilia and Vestia, not caring about the strange looks that the other Wanderers sent at them.

  “We cleared the Final Trial!”

  “The Star Seekers cleared the Final Trial!”

  Though it was only Ralph and Cecilia who shouted along with him and Norren. Aren and Vestia were just laughing, while Yuri just smiled at them from the side. But Zain… Only Zain…

  “What happened to your voice?” Alnea said, patting Zain on his shoulders. “Are you so excited that you even forgot how to smile?”

  “…I… I am sorry, Captain…”

  “Sorry?”

  “…I abandoned you…”

  “Abandoned me?” Alnea said, staring at Zain with wide eyes, before letting out a loud laugh. “I was the one who asked you to leave. How did that turn into you abandoning me?”

  “…I should have stayed back to help you…”

  “Then you would have only ended up becoming a live target for them to practice their aim.”

  “I… I should have done something…”

  “You did do something,” Vestia said, stepping in to help Alnea, before glancing at the rest of the boys. “All of you did. It is only because you ran out to explore the forest regardless of what state you were in, that we were able to complete our Trial. Otherwise, all our efforts over the past year would have been in vain.”

  “…I—

  “Stop thinking so much,” Norren said, walking over to Zain’s side to slap him on his back. “Where is the narcissistic Zain we know?”

  “…You do not understand. I—

  “No, you are the one who does not understand,” Aren said, restraining his smile, as he shook his head. “Do you think that you are the only one who had to face a helpless situation in the Trial?”

  “…But I ran away…”

  “…Because there was nothing you could do back then. Although I do not know what exactly happened, I can guess a few things from what I heard just now. And I can say for certain, that had you stayed back, you would have put our Captain in even more danger.”

  “…I…”

  “I can understand how you are feeling, Zain,” Aren said, letting out a sigh, as a reminiscent look flashed in his eyes. “That feeling of helplessness… realising that nothing you do can change the situation… I have been there… I still am… reliving that moment ever since. And that is why I know the crossroad you are facing. To lament at your weakness, at your helplessness in face of absolute strength, or to never let yourself be so helpless again.”

  “…I…”

  “What will you choose, Zain?”

  “…I want to be stronger… I want to never run away… To never abandon my teammates… My friends…”

  “Then you have your answer,” Aren said, finally smiling once again, as did the rest of the Star Seekers.

  “I…”

  “Alright, that’s enough serious talk,” Alnea said, glancing at his teammates with a grin. “You will have enough time to think about how to become stronger later. For now, just enjoy the moment.”

  “And tell the entire city that we have cleared our Final Trial?” Yuri said, rolling her eyes at Alnea, but her words made his eyes shine instead.

  “That is not a bad idea,” Alnea said, contemplating what consequences they would have to face. “We are about to leave the city—

  “You are leaving the Lost City?”

  “But we are just about to enter the inner city.”

  “That is why we must leave,” Yuri said. “Both for your sake, and ours.”

  “…That does not make any sense…”

  “What do you think about our Final Trial? Did that make any sense?”

  “…I think that was, and will be the most ridiculous Trial in the history of the Lost City.”

  “Then you should understand why Alnea cannot continue staying in the city. Though we somehow overcame all obstacles and cleared our Trial, those people will not—

  “Why are you talking about serious things again?” Alnea said, not letting Yuri finish her words, before turning towards Ralph. “And you, too. Why are you getting so gloomy? It is not as if we are leaving right away.”

  “…But you are still leaving…”

  “And so will you, when you find the next Star that you want to chase. I just found mine a little earlier than yours. But as long as you keep chasing after Stars, you—we will always be Star Seekers. And that is all that matters.”

  “…That is just a fancy way of saying that you are disbanding our team.”

  “…Did we not all know that this would happen sooner or later?” Aren said, glancing at Ralph. “Rather, the sole purpose this team was formed for, was to help each other in entering the inner city. Now that we have accomplished that goal, there is naturally no need for the team to exist.”

  “…You are saying that as if we are never going to meet again,” Norren said, glaring at Aren. “We are just disbanding our team, not cutting off our ties. We will all still be friends. Nothing would change that fact.”

  “Well said, Norren,” Vestia said, before glancing at the rest of the Star Seekers. “Still, Aren is not wrong either. We came together as a team because we had a goal that we wished to accomplish. Stars, that we could chase only after reaching the inner city. And now that those Stars are right before us, I am sure that many of us cannot wait to reach out and grab them in our hands. Am I right?”

  Vestia paused, allowing the boys to glance at each other in silence for a few moments, before continuing where she had left off.

  “Do not get me wrong. I am not blaming anyone for being selfish. On the contrary, I am happy for you finally becoming one step closer to achieving your goals. And I am sure that Alnea would also be happy for you. But you should also understand his position. His goals… Besides, like he said before, no matter where we are, and what we are doing, as long as we are chasing after our Stars, we will always be Star Seekers. Right?”

  “…That’s right,” Norren said, clenching his fist. “I will always be a Star Seeker!”

  “…Me too! I will also keep chasing after my Stars!”

  “That’s the way it should be.”

  “Star Seekers.”

  “Chasing after the Stars.”

  “Seeking the ones that belongs to us.”

  “The Lost City is just the beginning.”

  “There are many more Stars to come.”

  “Many more Stars to chase…”

  A loud grumbling sound rang out, breaking everyone’s cries of joy and passion, bringing their attention to their Captain and his rumbling stomach.

  “…But first, how about we get something to eat?”