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Raze clicked her tongue at the man\'s voice and turned toward him, but his attention was on Levi.

"Levias Drake," the man said, his voice booming across the clearing. "I am Franz, the branch manager of the Mercenary Guild. First of all, congratulations on clearing the Sanctum."

His words eased the tense atmosphere slightly—despite his appearance, Franz had a sharp wit. And from the look of it, he also seemed stronger than most that had gathered around him.

Levi nodded, and Franz continued.

"As for why so many are gathered here..." Franz\'s gaze shifted to where the Sanctum portal had once stood.

"You see, the Sanctum you entered was quite special."

That was all Levi needed to understand what was happening.

Having experienced it firsthand, he knew better than anyone just how unique the Sanctum had been. He had gained so much from the sanctum, a crest, a trait ability, an innate ability, two artifacts of immense potential, and, most importantly, a piece of an inheritance. And he had also evolved his dormant core into an essence core.

It was clear that such rewards could only come from a special Sanctum. And Levi didn\'t need to be a genius to know that the gathered crowd likely learned about it somehow and hoped to benefit from it, but unfortunately for them, Levi had claimed everything.

"I\'m sure you understand what\'s happening now," Franz said, his eyes scanning the crowd.

Levi followed his gaze. Thousands of people surrounded them, and Levi realized that if he made any sudden moves, they would swarm him.

Franz then looked at Levi—there was no need for words. Levi understood what his gaze meant perfectly. Franz was offering him a way out. The unspoken message was clear - come with us, and we\'ll help each other.

"As a member of the Federation, you\'re under our protection. Come with us, and we\'ll ensure your safety."

Franz\'s declaration caused the crowd to step back.

\'Huh? Levi was also taken aback. How did Franz know he had joined the Mercenary Federation?

What Levi didn\'t realize was that Franz had seen his records a month ago when he had joined the Mercenary Federation - it was kind of official work that was required to check up on the background of their members, but who knew it would come in handy like this!

Despite Levi being covered in dirt and blood, Franz had recognized him instantly.

Franz rejoiced internally—the one who had claimed the Sanctum\'s rewards was a member of the Mercenary Federation. That was enough for him, at least for now. He quickly made plans to escort Levi safely.

And right now, that seemed to be the safest route for Levi. While he did know Rose - he couldn\'t trust the government - he had first-hand experience of their hospitality, working in the factories for two long years after all.

As for the others….well, they weren\'t here to recruit him, he either chose the Governament or the Mercenary federation. If he ejected both their help - then those people would do anything to kill him and get everything in his possession.

And among the two, Levi had already decided whom to get help from.

After thinking through a bit, Levi gave a hesitant nod at Franz and he continued.

Murmurs spread through the crowd as Franz essentially declared that the Federation would be protecting Levi. Even Rose, a government representative, hesitated.

Amidst the murmurs, a quiet voice broke through.

"William, have you ever heard of a family named Drake?"

Kai, who had been silently observing, spoke so softly that only William could hear him. William didn\'t understand the sudden question, but he decided to answer after thinking it over.

"I don\'t think so, young master. At least, I\'ve never heard of such a family," he whispered back.

"That\'s all I needed to know."

A brief smile flickered across Kai\'s face before vanishing. With a calculated expression, he stepped forward, his movements deliberate.

Kai\'s voice cut through the crowd\'s murmurs, sharp and clear.

"One moment, Sir Franz."

He stepped into view, his face composed but his eyes gleaming with purpose.

"We, here - the Malakani\'s were the first to discover the Sanctum," he declared, pointing at Levi. "But this man entered cowardly, sneaking in behind our backs and disturbing our expedition - I don\'t know if he is really a member of the Mercenary Federation, but I demand compensation for what we have lost."

Levi blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the accusation. He wasn\'t sure what had happened when he first entered the Sanctum—after all, it was his dark twin who had been in control at the time. But seeing Kai\'s smug expression, it quickly became clear that this was a ploy to claim some of the Sanctum\'s rewards for himself.

Franz\'s eyes flickered with confusion as murmurs spread through the crowd. Kai wasn\'t finished. "I have my servant, William, as a witness." He gestured toward William, who remained silent behind him.

Franz hesitated, glancing between Kai and Levi. The name "Makalani" seemed to strike a chord. His expression tightened—not because the Makalani family was a threat to the Mercenary Federation as a whole, but because he wasn\'t the leader of the Federation. He was merely a branch manager, and his actions here could impact their reputation.

The real question weighing on his mind was simple: was it worth it? Was defending an F-rank Follower like Levi worth making an enemy of the Makalani family?

But Kai wasn\'t done with his theatrics. He smiled thinly and turned to Franz.

"I don\'t want to trouble the Mercenary Federation over one man\'s actions," he said, feigning politeness. "How about we resolve this another way?" His eyes gleamed with greed as they darted to Levi. "Let\'s settle this with a duel."

The crowd fell silent. Levi stood there, processing the sudden shift. A duel? Over what? What has he ever done to be forced to a duel?

Kai\'s bold move drew even more attention, and Levi realized that this was an attempt to force his hand, a manipulation to seize the rewards he had obtained from the Sanctum.

Levi understood the situation, but strangely, he only felt one emotion - rage.

\'How dare he!?\'

He couldn\'t accept how boldly Kai was coveting what was rightfully his - he didn\'t like it.

---***---

Thank You allcat_gaming for the Magic Castle.