The rented office space smelled like fresh paint.

  Suzume sat at the head of an actual conference table—not her apartment's folding table, not a maid cafe booth, but real furniture in a real office.

  [... This is so weird.]

  The lawyers and assistants they'd hired with donation money filled the other chairs, tablets and documents spread between them.

  "The headquarters requirement is non-negotiable," the lead lawyer said. She was an older woman named Sato who'd worked Player Association contracts for a decade before going independent. "The space must meet all safety codes for guild operations. That means reinforced walls, emergency exits rated for dungeon breaks, and a minimum of 200 square meters."

  "How much would that cost?" Suzume asked.

  "To rent? Minimum 800,000 yen per month. To buy..." Sato shrugged. "You're looking at 50 million, assuming you find something in the suburbs."

  Suzume's stomach dropped. They had 13 million in donations. Generous, but not enough to buy anything.

  "There's a place in Shibuya," Yumi said from her spot by the window. She'd been scrolling her phone while they talked, supposedly taking notes. "Former Player gym that went under. It's already up to code, 250 square meters, and they're desperate to rent."

  "How desperate?"

  "600,000 yen a month desperate."

  Still expensive, but manageable. Suzume made a note to check it out.

  "Next issue," Sato continued. "The Association exam. It covers—"

  The assistant at the end of the table turned up the TV volume.

  "Sorry, but you need to see this."

  Takeshi Yagami's face filled the screen. He sat across from a news anchor, hands folded, expression thoughtful. The banner read: "Deputy Director Discusses Dungeon Rescue Guild Concerns."

  "—certainly admirable that young people want to help," Yagami was saying. "The enthusiasm is commendable. But enthusiasm without proper training, without oversight, can be dangerous."

  The anchor nodded.

  "And I understand that perspective." Yagami smiled sadly, continuing. "But we have to ask ourselves: are these rescues genuine? Or are we seeing carefully orchestrated publicity stunts? It's convenient that cameras always seem to be rolling when Ms. Aoi appears."

  "You're suggesting the rescues are staged?"

  "I'm suggesting we should ask questions. Why does she refuse Association oversight? What is she hiding? These are dangerous times. We can't afford to let amateur operations endanger lives for social media fame."

  Kasumi stood so fast her chair fell backward.

  "That piece of—"

  "He's scared." Hikari's voice cut through Kasumi's rage. "Look at his hands. See how they're clenched? The muscle in his jaw? He's not confident. He's desperate."

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  She turned to Suzume.

  "This is actually good news. If he's attacking you publicly, it means internal Association support is wavering. He needs public opinion on his side."

  "So what do we do?" Suzume asked.

  "We prove him wrong. Publicly. Decisively." Hikari pulled out her tablet. "Which brings me to why I'm here."

  She slid the tablet across the table. A dungeon report filled the screen.

  "D-Rank dungeon in Meguro. Destabilized three days ago to C-Rank. Four Players trapped inside, all from a small guild called Moonlight Fangs. Levels 8 through 11."

  Honoka gasped.

  "Three days? Could they really be alive?"

  "Based on their classes and the dungeon layout, there's a 67% probability at least two survived." Hikari pulled up another screen. "The Association labeled it 'too risky' for extraction. They're waiting for natural stabilization."

  "Which could take weeks," Kasumi said.

  "Or months." Hikari looked at Suzume. "The Moonlight Fangs guild has twelve members total. They're nobody to the Association. No sponsors, no connections, no media presence. Just people trying to make a living."

  Suzume studied the dungeon report. Standard kobold nest that had spawned orcs after destabilization. Dangerous for D-Rank Players, but manageable, even for Suzume on her own.

  "When?"

  "Tonight. Eight hours from now." Hikari stood. "If you'll have me, I'd like this to be my trial run with the guild."

  The office went quiet. Even the lawyers stopped typing.

  "Kasumi, Honoka, can you give us a minute?" Suzume asked.

  They filed out, Kasumi shooting Hikari a suspicious look as she passed. Yumi stayed, but moved to the window, giving them space while obviously eavesdropping.

  Suzume faced Hikari across the table.

  "You're Level 42."

  "Yes."

  "You could solo that entire dungeon. Every monster in there combined couldn't scratch you."

  "Correct."

  "So let me be clear about what I'm evaluating, if we do call this your trial run." Suzume leaned forward. "I don't care if you can kill things. At your level, that's a given. What I care about is whether you can lead. I... I'm not much of a people person," Suzume admitted. "As much knowledge as I have and can provide, motivating and inspiring are two things I just can't do. So, what I want out of you is to see whether you can keep a team calm under pressure. Whether you can make decisions that prioritize lives over efficiency."

  Hikari's expression didn't change, but something shifted in her eyes.

  "I want to know," Suzume continued, "that when everyone else freezes, myself included maybe, you won't."

  Hikari straightened her blazer. Perfect posture, perfect control. But her voice came out softer.

  "I will not let that happen."

  Suzume studied her for a long moment. This woman who'd watched people die on her screens. Who'd chosen her career over six lives and then thrown that same career away trying to make amends.

  "Alright. Tonight, you run tactical for the rescue. Kasumi handles combat, Honoka manages healing, I coordinate extraction."

  "Understood."

  "And Hikari?" Suzume stood. "We don't leave anyone behind that we can rescue. Ever. That's non-negotiable."

  "I wouldn't expect anything else."

  Yumi cleared her throat from the window.

  "Not to interrupt this moment, but you should know the press already knows about the Meguro dungeon. Someone leaked it an hour ago."

  Suzume groaned.

  "Let me guess—they'll be waiting when we arrive?"

  "With cameras and questions about whether this is one of those 'staged publicity stunts' Yagami mentioned."

  "Perfect." Kasumi had stuck her head back through the door. "So we'll have an audience while we save people the Association abandoned. Again."

  "The more witnesses, the harder it is to spin," Hikari said. She was already pulling up tactical maps on her tablet. "I'll need everyone's skill lists and equipment specs. We have seven hours to plan."

  Honoka peeked around Kasumi.

  "Um, should I bring extra healing potions?"

  "Bring everything," Suzume said. "We leave at 7 PM. Full gear, full supplies." She grabbed her jacket. "Yumi, can you—"

  "Already texting my photographer girlfriend. We'll want our own footage to counter whatever narrative the Association tries to spin."

  [... Was her girlfriend a photographer? Or, is this a new one? Eh, whatever.]

  "Kasumi?"

  "I'll sharpen my spear and practice my 'I told you so' face for when we succeed."

  "Honoka?"

  "I'll... I'll do my best!"

  Suzume turned to Hikari.

  "And you?"

  Hikari closed her tablet, and for the first time since they'd met, she smiled. Not the controlled, professional smile from the cafe. Something genuine.

  "I'll make sure everyone keeps their eyes on the prize."

  Suzume nodded.

  "Then let's go save some people."