Snow Wolves moved effortlessly through the tempest, massive white shapes blending perfectly into the frozen landscape.

Their bodies were built for endurance, their presence steady and unyielding as packs traversed the plains methodically, unbothered by the extreme cold.

"…Good," Bruce said quietly.

[All regions are stable,] Vaelith confirmed. [Axiom's integration is complete. Sadly, the dungeon was A-Rank. It is not enough to give Axiom the real boost it needs at least it's overall space has increased after it devoured the A-ranked dungeon.]

Bruce hovered there a moment longer, letting the storm wash over him as he exhaled slowly. Satisfaction settled in, not complacency, not relief, but preparedness.

"…It's time to go back," he said at last.

Velmora awaited.

Axiom obeyed as usual and Bruce felt space settle around him.

The faint pressure of the Labyrinth faded, replaced by familiar air, familiar mana, familiar gravity. When his vision cleared, he found himself back in Velmora, standing on scorched ground where the dungeon portal had once been anchored.

It was gone.

No distortion. No lingering spatial ripple. Just cracked earth and residual mana slowly dispersing into the environment.

That alone told him everything.

The mantis dungeon was truly finished.

Someone was waiting.

A few meters away stood Gunther.

The former Anomaly was upright and still, his massive greatsword strapped across his back as usual. In his hands was a neatly folded set of clothes, a meat white towel and a dark fabric resting against calloused fingers. He had clearly been waiting for some time.

When he saw Bruce, Gunther straightened slightly, then bowed his head, not deeply, not submissively, but with genuine respect.

"Thank you," he said firmly. "I owe you my life."

Bruce paused for half a second, then shrugged.

"I don't mind. It's nothing."

Gunther frowned faintly, as if dissatisfied with that answer.

"I know my strength is lacking right now," he continued, voice steady. "But if you ever need my help in the future, you can call on me. I'll help you to the best of my ability."

Bruce studied him quietly.

From those words alone, he understood the kind of man Gunther was. Someone who hated owing debts. Someone who would rather risk his life than walk away indebted. Bruce was the same. That was precisely why he didn't brush it off again or try to wave it away with false humility.

After a moment, he nodded once.

"…Okay."

Gunther visibly relaxed, as if a weight had lifted from his shoulders.

Then he stepped forward and extended the clothes in his hands. "Here. This is a little gratitude for saving my life. Please accept it, you need it."

Bruce glanced down at himself.

Bare chest. Ash-streaked skin. Torn dignity.

"…Okay," he said again.

He took the towel first, dragging it across his skin to wipe away the layers of ash and soot clinging to him, the dark residue smearing before flaking off entirely. Only once the heat-scorched grime was gone did he reach for the clothes.

The first piece was a thick jet-black top, heavy and durable, its fabric dense beneath his fingers. Subtle red patterns were woven along the seams, not decorative but deliberate, like reinforced channels for mana. The material felt expensive, enchanted, built to endure far more than normal wear. He slipped it on, the cloth settling smoothly against his body, fitting as if it had been tailored for him.

Then he took the trousers and pulled them on, the set completing itself naturally, practical and ready without sacrificing comfort.

Once dressed, Bruce willed Red to shift from its boxer form back into a dagger. The crimson blade shimmered briefly before dissolving into motes of light and disappearing entirely.

Gunther watched the transformation in silence.

The crimson weapon dissolved into light and vanished as if it had never existed.

He swallowed hard.

'…That weapon,' he thought, awe creeping in despite himself. 'Just how did he even get something like that…?'

A quiet sigh escaped him as he shook his head, already abandoning the attempt to understand. Some things were simply beyond his reach now.

After a brief pause, he spoke again, forcing his focus back to the present. "The situation is under control. The wolf dungeon on the other side of the Academy has been cleared."

Bruce didn't reply.

He simply resumed walking, passing Gunther without hesitation as he headed straight toward the Academy gates.

"And your sister," Gunther added quickly. "She's safe. I made sure she was looked after while you were inside the dungeon."

"I didn't ask for all that," Bruce said casually, not stopping.

Gunther followed a step behind him. "I have to repay you somehow. Compared to my life, watching over your sister is nothing."

Bruce let out a quiet sigh.

"…As long as Lily is safe, it's fine."

His pace didn't slow.

As they approached the Academy grounds, Bruce glanced around instinctively.

Sophie wasn't there.

That was strange.

With everything that had happened, he would have expected her to show up by now. He raised his wrist and activated his ThornTech bracelet, initiating a call.

No response.

A soft chime followed as the bracelet's AI informed him that the connection couldn't be established. That narrowed it down immediately, she was either inside a dungeon, a Labyrinth, or within a sealed domain.

"…Figures," Bruce muttered, dismissing the call.

Behind him, Gunther spoke up again. "Ah, there's something else. There was a little drake playing with your sister. Got all cozy with her."

Bruce didn't slow. "Don't worry. It's my pet."

The words left his mouth casually, as if that explanation alone made perfect sense.

"…It was black and gold," Gunther continued cautiously. "Small. Cute. Likes being petted."

Bruce glanced back briefly. "Yeah."

Gunther stared at him.

Then nodded once. "Right."

A beat passed.

Gunther blinked. "Wait. Really?"

"Yes."

Silence fell between them.

Gunther's expression shifted slowly as realization crept in. "So… that drake-like thing…"

He hesitated, then finished carefully.

"…Is it the same gigantic dragon you arrived with?"

"Yes."

Gunther stopped walking.

His face went completely blank.

"…So that thing is a dragon."

Bruce didn't deny it.

Gunther stood there for a moment, staring off into the distance as the weight of that information settled fully. Bruce wasn't just monstrously strong, strong enough to erase an entire dungeon, but he also had a dragon. A real one. A creature capable of leveling cities and matching S-Ranked entities head-on.

Gunther let out a long, defeated sigh.

"…Unbelievable."

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