novelraw Chapter 152: The Commander Who Stepped In II
Chapter 152: The Commander Who Stepped In II
Arthur noticed the change instantly.
The explorers sitting around him also fell quiet.
Arthur followed the direction of everyone’s gaze.
A large man had just entered the hall.
He moved slowly but confidently, his heavy boots echoing across the stone floor.
The explorers standing in his path stepped aside without being asked.
It wasn’t fear exactly.
But there was clearly respect... and caution.
Two other men followed closely behind him.
Both carried themselves like experienced fighters.
Arthur recognized the man immediately.
Commander Rask.
The commander of the Fourth Division.
Arthur watched him carefully.
Rask was a bulky man with broad shoulders and a thick neck that made his armor look almost too tight. His face carried a permanent expression of irritation, as if everything around him annoyed him.
And right now...
He was walking directly toward Arthur.
Arthur leaned back slightly in his chair.
So it begins.
He had expected something like this the moment the rumors started spreading.
When someone showed potential, commanders began paying attention.
Arthur stood up as Rask reached their table.
"Greetings, Commander Rask."
He gave a respectful bow.
Rask waved his hand dismissively as if the gesture bored him.
"Enough with that."
His sharp eyes scanned Arthur from head to toe.
For a moment he said nothing.
Then he spoke bluntly.
"Looks like we underestimated you."
The hall had become completely silent.
Every explorer nearby listened carefully.
Rask crossed his arms.
"Fourth Division is willing to overlook your previous failure."
Arthur almost laughed at the choice of words.
"Overlook my failure?"
Rask continued.
"Transfer to my division."
His voice was direct and confident.
"You’ll receive better resources, stronger missions, and an immediate promotion in rank."
Murmurs spread through the hall.
Some explorers exchanged looks.
Others stared at Arthur.
Arthur had expected this the moment he saw Rask walking toward him.
Still, hearing it out loud felt... amusing.
How shameless.
His lips curled slightly before he could stop it.
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
Rask noticed.
The commander’s expression twisted immediately.
Disgust flashed across his eyes.
"Something funny?"
Arthur shrugged lightly.
Then he answered simply.
"I’m not interested."
The silence in the hall shattered into murmurs.
"He refused?"
"Did he just say no?"
"Did that bronze guy really reject a commander?"
Some explorers stared at Arthur in disbelief.
Others hid faint smiles.
Everyone knew the Fourth Division had a reputation for arrogance.
But very few people dared reject them openly.
Rask’s face darkened.
The two captains behind him reacted even faster.
One of them stepped forward angrily.
"Watch your mouth."
His voice carried a threatening edge.
"Do you even understand who you’re speaking to?"
The other captain glared at Arthur.
"The commander is giving you an opportunity. You should be grateful."
Arthur didn’t move.
His expression remained calm.
The first captain continued.
"Who do you think you are refusing the commander’s offer?"
The pressure in the room began rising.
Even the explorers sitting nearby leaned back slightly.
Arthur simply looked at them.
Then he spoke casually.
"I already belong to a division."
The captain scoffed.
"Then leave it."
Arthur smiled faintly.
"I don’t feel like it."
The second captain’s hand twitched near the handle of his weapon.
"Careful, boy."
But before things could escalate further...
A voice spoke from behind the crowd.
Calm. Smooth.
And impossible to ignore.
"Commander Rask."
The explorers immediately parted.
A path opened through the crowd as the owner of the voice walked forward.
Arthur didn’t even need to turn to recognize it.
Commander Lyra stepped into view.
Her presence changed the atmosphere instantly.
She walked with steady confidence, her long coat swaying lightly behind her. Her figure carried a natural elegance that made people glance twice before they even realized it.
Tall.
Graceful.
And dangerously attractive.
Her long dark hair fell over her shoulders while sharp eyes studied the scene in front of her.
Arthur noticed several explorers nearby suddenly standing straighter.
Some even cleared their throats awkwardly.
Lyra stopped a few steps away from Rask.
Then she spoke again.
Her voice was calm but firm.
"Are you attempting to recruit personnel already assigned to my division?"
The entire hall held its breath.
Commander Lyra stepped forward without hesitation.
She stopped directly in front of Arthur, placing herself between him and Commander Rask. Her posture was straight and calm, yet the air around her carried a quiet authority that made the room feel smaller.
She looked straight into Rask’s eyes.
No hesitation.
No hint of backing down.
"Commander Rask," she said again.
Her voice was smooth, but there was steel in it.
"Are you attempting to recruit personnel already assigned to my division?"
The hall went silent.
Not the usual kind of silence that comes from people lowering their voices. This one felt heavier. Conversations stopped completely. Even the explorers sitting farther away leaned forward to watch.
Moments like this didn’t happen often.
Two commanders confronting each other openly inside the mission hall... and all because of a single explorer.
Someone whispered near the back.
"Is this really happening?"
Another voice replied quietly.
"It’s over that bronze guy."
More eyes drifted toward Arthur.
People were starting to wonder the same thing.
What exactly did this guy do in that dungeon?
Commander Rask didn’t move.
He looked down slightly at Lyra, his lips curling into a smug smile.
"We’re simply correcting a previous mistake."
The tone in his voice carried just enough arrogance to make the meaning clear.
He believed the Fourth Division should have taken Arthur from the start.
Lyra didn’t blink.
"You rejected him."
Her voice remained calm.
Rask shrugged.
"We’ve reconsidered."
"That’s not how this works."
The reply came instantly.
The room grew colder.
Rask’s smile faded.
"And who decided that?"
Lyra’s expression didn’t change.
"The moment you turned him away, he became available to anyone else."
She paused briefly before finishing.
"I accepted him."
Rask scoffed.
"That doesn’t mean he has to stay."
Lyra tilted her head slightly.
"You’re trying to recruit someone already under my command."
Her eyes sharpened.
"Inside the mission hall."
Rask opened his mouth to respond, but Lyra spoke again before he could.
"That’s not reconsideration."
Her tone dropped slightly.
"That’s poaching."