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The room grew tense as everyone realized how serious the situation was. An early wave meant they would have even less time to get ready, making things more dangerous.

Seo-ha, always the one to lighten the mood, jumped in with a grin. "Well, you guys are lucky it didn\'t take long for you to get back," she said with a laugh. "Where did the global system summon you last month?"

Her sudden excitement broke some of the tension in the room, drawing curious glances from the others as they waited for a response.

Tae-hyun answered, "The Tower."

Seo-ha\'s eyes lit up with excitement. "Ohhh, Tower? How was it? Is it fun?!... It\'s sad that the global system didn\'t select me, That would\'ve been really fun! What happened there?!"

Lee Min-joon, the Phantom King, who now had a black crow perched on his shoulder, spoke up. "The global system announced that new zones will be appearing after the wave."

"After the Wave the Global System will released the Videos of what hapened in the Tower" Tae-hyun mutteted,

This news caught the attention of everyone in the room, except Alexa, who was more focused on inspecting her nails. Choi Ji-eun noticed and asked, "Any news on finding a way to break your curse?"

Alexa sighed deeply, her frustration evident. "No hope," she replied, her voice flat and resigned.

Min Yoon-ji, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. "I heard about what happened last month. Alex forcefully used his skills."

Before Alexa could respond, Tae-hyun cut in sharply, "Let\'s focus on the main topic here, not on small things that can wait until after this meeting."

Alexa shot a glare at Tae-hyun, clearly irritated by his interruption, but he ignored her, showing no concern for her reaction.

As the meeting progressed, the rankers engaged in detailed discussions about strategy, resource allocation, and contingency plans. Each one contributed their insights and expertise, working to refine their approach to the impending wave. The atmosphere was intense but focused, each ranker aware of the gravity of the situation.

Finally, the assistant stepped forward and addressed the room. "The meeting is concluded. Thank you all for your valuable contributions."

A heavy tension settled in the room as the rankers exchanged glances filled with unspoken rivalries. Guildmaster Dae-won stood up and approached Tae-hyun with a smirk.

"See you at the PvP tournaments," Dae-won said, his voice dripping with challenge. "I\'ll be taking your place." He gave Tae-hyun a knowing look before turning away.

Tae-hyun remained silent, his expression impassive as he absorbed Dae-won\'s taunt.

Choi Ji-eun, clearly frustrated, pushed her chair back with a loud scrape and stood up. "I have other matters to attend to," she said curtly before walking out without another word.

Lee Min-joon, wearing his signature black silk blindfold, approached Min Yoon-ji. He placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered something into her ear. Min Yoon-ji responded by gripping his hand tightly, though she avoided meeting his gaze.

As Lee Min-joon removed the black silk blindfold everyone deliberately avoiding looking at him. Min Yoon-ji, though clearly unsettled by the interaction, showed no sign of fear. She stood up and left, her composure intact.

Lee Min-joon put the blindfold back on and offered a final nod. "Goodbye, everyone. Until next time." With that, he exited the room.

As the room began to empty, Seo-ha\'s grin widened. "Wow, that was intense! I thought someone was going to pick a fight. What a shame it didn\'t happen."

Ignoring Seo-ha, Tae-hyun turned to Alexa. "Alexa," he said, his tone serious.

Seo-ha muttered under her breath, "What am I, air?"

Tae-hyun approached Alexa, moving behind her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a slight, almost imperceptible massage. He leaned closer, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "The PvP tournament are coming up."

Alexa tensed slightly but didn\'t turn around. "I\'m aware," she replied coolly, her voice steady despite the closeness.

"If you don\'t find a cure for your curse by then, your rank may be at risk."

Alexa raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Is that a threat or a friendly reminder, Tae-hyun?"

Tae-hyun\'s gaze remained unyielding. "Consider it a warning. If only you had accepted my proposal, your twin and your curse would already be dealt with. Your ranking position wouldn\'t be in danger."

Alexa\'s expression tightened, but she kept her voice calm. "I\'ve made my decision. I don\'t need your proposal to handle my problems."

Tae-hyun\'s gaze was unyielding. "Just remember, the offer still stands. The consequences of refusing could be significant."

He turned and walked away, leaving them in the meeting room. Alexa took a deep breath, as if trying to calm herself and regain composure. She inhaled slowly, her chest rising and falling in a controlled rhythm.

Seo-ha, still leaning casually against her chair, watched the exchange with amusement. "Tae-hyun really has it in for you, huh?" she said nonchalantly, munching on a piece of popcorn.

Alexa shot her an annoyed look, her patience wearing thin then quickly glanced at the door where Tae-hyun had just left and immediately turn back to Seoha.

"Where the heck are you getting popcorn from?" she demanded, grabbing her popcorn.

Seo-ha\'s grin widened as she continued to munch. "Oh, I brought it with me. Didn\'t you see?"

Alexa\'s frustration was evident as she glared at Seo-ha. "Seriously? We\'re in a meeting, and you\'re snacking like it\'s a movie night?"

Seo-ha shrugged, unfazed. "Hey, I like to be prepared. It makes everything more entertaining."

As the room continued to clear out, Alexa shook her head in disbelief, her irritation momentarily shifting to bemusement as she watched Seo-ha enjoy her popcorn.

Alexa stood up abruptly, her frustration evident. "Ugh, I\'m getting out of here," she said, heading toward the exit of the meeting room. Seoha chuckled, but then noticed she had left her phone behind she grabbed it and hurried after Alexa. As she exited the room, she saw Alexa standing still in the hallway.

"You left your phone!" Seo-ha called out, running to catch up. She found Alexa staring ahead, seemingly frozen in place. Following her gaze, Seo-ha saw a pale woman standing in front of them.

Alexa\'s jaw tightened, and she clenched her fists. Seo-ha caught up to her but deliberately avoided looking at the woman.

Seo-ha cleared her throat, trying to lighten the mood. "You\'re late! The meeting is already finished, haha."

The pale woman with red eyes and deep black hair ignored Seo-ha\'s comment and walked closer until she was directly in front of Alexa. "Fancy meeting you again, Ms. Ford," she said, her voice smooth and cold.