Inside the Adventurer's Guild, the mood was tense.
Serene leaned on the briefing table with arms crossed, while Luka recited the incident in precise detail.
The Guild officer—a seasoned elf named Mira—jotted notes rapidly. Her expression grew darker with every word.
"A corruption beacon?" she echoed. "That deep in the leyline basin?"
"Confirmed," Luka said. "Twisted obelisk. Red runes. Not natural. We detonated it. Explosion likely slowed whatever was forming, but it wasn't a true purge."
Mira cursed softly under her breath.
"We'll send a purification team," she said. "But if it's leyline-deep, this isn't just some rogue necromancer. This is calculated. Planted." She glanced up. "Did you catch sight of whoever set it up?"
"No," Serene said. "Too much ambient mana interference. But it was protected. The monsters weren't random. They were warped. Guarding it."
Mira tapped the end of her pen against the table. "We'll need to escalate this."
