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Chapter 554 124.1 - Fame (2)

Kurt limped slightly, his shield showing signs of heavy use. Gareth\'s barriers had flickered out long ago, and he was leaning on his staff for support. Dorian had a fresh cut along his arm, the result of a close call with one of the creatures they had faced, and even Elena\'s usually sharp, pristine appearance was dulled, her robe singed and covered in soot from her magic.

Lila\'s golem had sustained visible damage but still hovered near her protectively, and Astron, while standing tall, showed signs of strain. His breath came in slow, deliberate exhales, and the fatigue in his muscles was palpable, though hidden beneath his usual calm exterior.

Just as they were about to step fully out of the gate, the sudden noise of voices and the flashing of cameras greeted them. A crowd of reporters—far more than they had seen before—stood at the entrance, their faces alight with curiosity and excitement. Several drones hovered in the air, recording the scene from every angle. Reporters from different agencies were jostling for position, eager to get the first words from the team.

The team exchanged weary glances, taken aback by the sheer number of reporters waiting for them.

"Didn\'t think we\'d have this kind of reception," Dorian muttered under his breath, glancing at the sea of cameras with a mix of surprise and annoyance.

Kurt wiped a streak of dirt from his forehead, his voice low. "I thought the first interview was intense… this is on a whole other level."

Before anyone could react further, the reporters surged forward, their voices overlapping as they bombarded the team with questions.

"How did you manage to clear two rank-6 gates in one day?" "What challenges did you face inside?" "Is it true that this is one of the most difficult gates under Vanguard Haven\'s jurisdiction?"

Astron\'s sharp gaze quickly scanned the crowd, his exhaustion tempered by his instinct to assess the situation. \'This was no coincidence,\' he thought. \'They were waiting for us.\'

Liana had mentioned the increased attention, but this—this was more than he had anticipated.

One reporter, her face familiar from their previous encounter, pushed forward. It was Shira Fenn, her expression alight with excitement as she addressed the team. "Vanguard Haven\'s rising stars! How are you feeling after completing yet another successful dungeon clear? What can you tell us about the difficulties you faced this time?"

Astron glanced at his team, noting their exhaustion. He could tell they weren\'t in the mood for an extended media session, but this wasn\'t something they could avoid. He stepped forward slightly, his presence drawing the attention of the reporters, just as Liana had expected.

"Today\'s clears were difficult," Astron said, his voice steady despite the weariness. "Rank-6 gates aren\'t easy, and the challenges we faced were real. But we prepared, we worked together, and we pushed through."

Astron\'s gaze didn\'t falter. "This team has been pushed to grow quickly, and they\'ve risen to every challenge. We\'re doing what needs to be done, but every victory comes with its cost. We\'re just focused on continuing to improve."

Dorian, standing behind Astron, couldn\'t help but smirk despite his weariness. "Yeah, you could say we\'re putting in the work. But let me tell you—rank-6 gates don\'t go easy on you."

As the reporters saw the team\'s haggard state, many of them seemed to pause for a brief moment, taking in the exhaustion and battle-worn expressions. But the pause didn\'t last long. The rush for answers, the drive to get a scoop on the latest rising stars, overpowered any sense of empathy.

Questions began to fly from all directions, overlapping in a chaotic barrage:

"What kind of training regime does Vanguard Haven put you through to prepare for rank-6 gates?" "How do you manage your personal life while handling such intense challenges?" "Do you ever get time off, or is it all work for Hunters like you?"

The team, overwhelmed and visibly tired, exchanged uncertain glances. The relentless attention was a stark contrast to the quiet moments they had shared during their time inside the dungeon. Dorian, Kurt, Elena, Gareth, and Lila all seemed to hesitate, unsure of how to respond to the sudden flood of questions.

Astron, sensing the rising tension among his teammates, stepped forward calmly. His expression remained composed despite the exhaustion. Without saying a word, he gave a small nod toward the team and gestured for them to continue, silently encouraging them to answer. His steady presence seemed to ground them, offering a quiet reassurance that they could handle this, too.

Dorian was the first to speak up, his smirk returning despite his obvious fatigue. "Our training? Let\'s just say it\'s not for the faint of heart. You\'d be surprised how much you can learn when you\'re pushed to your limits."

Elena, drawing strength from Astron\'s silent support, added, "It\'s intense, but necessary. If you want to succeed as a Hunter, you have to be willing to go beyond your comfort zone. Vanguard Haven\'s regime prepares us for that. Personal life… well, that takes a backseat when you\'re focused on survival."

Kurt nodded in agreement, wiping a layer of sweat and grime from his forehead. "It\'s about dedication. There\'s not much balance when you\'re trying to stay alive in a dungeon. But you make it work."

Lila, quieter than the others, smiled softly. "It\'s not easy, but we\'ve all grown stronger because of the challenges. You learn to manage your time and push through, especially when you have a team like ours backing you up."

The reporters, eager for more, pressed on with follow-up questions, each trying to dive deeper into the team\'s lifestyle and the methods behind their growing fame. Yet, despite the onslaught, the team held their ground, their earlier exhaustion slowly fading as they drew courage from Astron\'s unspoken leadership.

"You\'ve been working together for a while now—do you ever find it difficult to balance teamwork with your personal goals as Hunters?" one reporter asked, clearly aiming for a deeper, more personal answer.

Gareth, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke. "It\'s not always easy, but we\'ve learned to rely on each other. Each of us has personal goals, sure, but as a team, we\'re stronger. We push each other to be better."

Another reporter quickly followed up, her voice filled with curiosity. "And how about you, Astron? You\'ve become a key figure in this team. How do you balance your personal ambitions with the team\'s needs?"

Astron paused, meeting the reporter\'s gaze directly. "Every Hunter has their own path. But in a team, we support each other\'s growth. There\'s no balance—there\'s just doing what needs to be done. The rest comes naturally."

The reporters continued to scribble notes and shoot questions, but as the team stood there, supported by each other and guided by Astron\'s steady presence, it became clear that while the media attention was overwhelming, they were beginning to adapt to this new challenge, just like they had with the rank-6 gates.

As the questions continued to flood in from the reporters, Astron maintained his calm composure, answering with measured responses. But something in the atmosphere shifted, and his heightened senses picked up subtle movements in the crowd—movements that felt out of place, deliberate.

Midway through answering a question about the team\'s future plans, his eyes narrowed slightly. \'Something\'s wrong.\'

He turned his head slightly, surveying the crowd more carefully. Among the sea of reporters, a few individuals stood out—too rigid in their stance, their eyes not on the team but scanning the surroundings, as if they weren\'t here for the interview at all.

Astron held up his hand politely, pausing mid-answer. "Excuse me for a moment."

He stepped back slightly, turning toward Liana, who stood beside him, her expression calm but observant. Leaning in, he whispered, "There are some suspicious people among the crowd. They\'re not here for the interview. I\'m sensing potential sabotage."

Liana\'s eyes flicked briefly in his direction, but her face remained composed as she continued to look out at the crowd. "How many?" she asked in a low voice, keeping her tone casual to avoid drawing attention.

"Four that I can see," Astron replied quietly. "They\'re blending in with the reporters, but their movements are too calculated. They\'re positioned near the edges of the crowd. Their strength… moderate, but enough to cause trouble. I\'d estimate mid-rank-5 Hunters. Two men, tall, both wearing black coats. One with a scar above his left eyebrow. A woman, dark hair tied back, wearing sunglasses. And another man, shorter, closer to the front—his hand hasn\'t left his pocket since we arrived."

Liana gave a subtle nod, her expression unchanged as she processed the information. "Understood," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the noise of the crowd. "Stay on alert. I\'ll take care of it."

Without breaking stride, Liana stepped away from the group, her movements smooth and deliberate, so as not to draw attention. As she left the stage, her hand subtly moved toward the communication device on her wrist. She spoke into it softly, her voice barely carrying through the noise.

"This is Liana. We\'ve got a potential security breach in the crowd. Four targets, described by Astron. Prepare to engage discreetly."

The response on the other end was swift and professional. The guards from Vanguard Haven had anticipated the possibility of sabotage, and they were already stationed nearby, blending in with the crowd. Liana\'s quick actions ensured they would be ready.

Astron, meanwhile, returned to the team, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp. He subtly scanned the area again, keeping track of the movements of the suspicious individuals while answering more questions from the reporters.

As the guards began to move into position, the atmosphere around the stage remained deceptively calm. The team continued their interviews, unaware of the threat lurking in the background.