Talent Awakening: Draconic Overlord Of The Apocalypse

Before anyone could ask further, the low hum of a hover car engine slowly approached, drawing their attention. As they turned their heads toward the car responsible for the sound, their gazes landed on a white hover car with the insignia of the White Comets on the side.

"Wait... Is it who I think it is?" one of the girls, Mia, mumbled with a look of anticipation on her face, her left hand lifted over her mouth, a clear sign of her awe.

The murmurs among the group grew louder, each of them held a touch of curiosity as they gave their speculation.

"Who could it be?" Karl muttered, his arms crossed, eyes focused on the sleek hover car like it might answer his question.

"I bet it's someone important," Lisa said, with a touch of excitement and nervousness.

"Or someone who'll just slow us down," Derek as he grumbled, earning a look from Karl.

Before anyone else could speak, the car door opened with a smooth hiss, and a man stepped out.

His black hair caught the faint moonlight, giving him an almost ethereal presence, while his piercing yellow eyes swept over the group like a predator sizing up its surroundings.

It was Alister.

He wore a simple sit of all black gearans a massive black scarf that coud easily be a hood, after all from the Info he'd gotten from Anya, the dungeon was supposed to be a desert.

A woman followed him, her silver hair going down her shoulders like a shimmering waterfall, her crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dark, she seemed to don a simple black and white armor... But the most percular trait about her was her black horns with their reddish tips and her black tail.

And it was none other then Cinder, his sharpest Fang.

The pair gave off a powerful aura, making the air around them feel heavier.

Chase froze. His usual composure shattered as he stared, his jaw dropped. "Is… is that him?" he stammered, barely above a whisper.

"Mr Alister," Xaiver said, his calm demeanor as he took a few steps forward, closing the distance between him and the newcomer.

"I'm team leader Xaiver, welcome to the team."

Alister's yellow eyes locked onto Xaiver, and a small smirk tugged at his lips. "So, you're the team leader leading this raid?" he asked.

"Indeed." Xaiver said as he nodded with a smile, as if excited to have Alister on his team.

"And who's the statue?" Cinder asked, her crimson eyes flicking to Chase, who visibly stiffened under her gaze.

Xaiver turned back to the group, gesturing for them to approach. "Everyone, this is Alister and Cinder. They'll be joining us for this raid as temporary members."

"Temporary?" Derek repeated, his skepticism clear. "Great. Just what we need—."

"Long time no see, Chase," Alister said, his voice was calm yet with a teasing edge.

Alister's smirked as he took a few steps toward Chase, the air growing thick with tension. His yellow eyes seemed to pierce through Chase, as if he gazed into his very soul.

Chase's jaw tightened, his teeth grinding audibly as he balled his fists at his sides.

The composure he was known for seemed to falter under the weight of Alister's gaze. After a tense pause, he finally forced out a reluctant, "Hey, Alister…"

The girls exchanged glances, their murmurs filling the space as they huddled slightly closer together.

"Wait," Mia whispered, her eyes wide with realization. "Didn't Chase tell us a while back that Alister was his rival or something?"

Lisa nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, I remember that! He made it sound like they had some epic rivalry or whatever."

Cinder, standing slightly behind Alister, raised an elegant eyebrow at the chatter. Her crimson eyes gleamed with disdain as she tilted her head. "Rival?" She repeated, then let out a scoff, crossing her arms.

"Don't rivals first have to be equals? That one..." she redirected her gaze toward Chase, "...quivers under my gaze. He's no match for my lord."

Her tone caused a feeling of unease to spread among the group. Chase, though visibly shaken, refused to look away, his fists clenching even tighter as he held his ground.

"Cinder..." Alister called out to her in a low tone, as if like a silent warning. He didn't hate Chase, although it was true he abandoned him due to the assumption he would end up a failure of a Summoner, a part of him still respected him, after all he had responsibilties like he did... So in a way... His actions were justified.

Cinder clicked her tongue and shrugged, but the satisfied smirk lingering on her lips made it clear she'd said exactly what she wanted to.

Xaiver, sensing the tension growing thicker by the second, clapped his hands together.

"Alright," he said firmly, stepping between them. "We've got a dungeon to clear, and I'd like us to stay focused on that. Let's not waste energy on anything unnecessary."

Alister glanced at Xaiver, then back at Chase, before finally letting out a small chuckle. "Relax, team leader. I'm just catching up with an old… friend."

Chase remained silent, his glare fixed on Alister as he fought to regain his composure. Whatever history lay between the two men, it was clear that this raid was about to get much more complicated.

Xaiver clapped his hands again. "Alright, let's get moving. We've got a raid to complete, and the dungeon won't wait for us to finish our introductions."

With that, he strode forward, his calm and confident demeanor commanding the group's attention as he approached the shimmering portal.

As he stopped before it, a translucent window appeared in the air, visible to everyone nearby:

________

[Dungeon: Dragon Desert Library]

Type: Field Dungeon

Rank: S

________

"S-Rank, huh?" Alister said with a touch of curiosity and mild amusement. He took a step closer, his yellow eyes scanning the portal before turning to Xaiver.

"Tell me, team leader, isn't your group a bit… small for attempting something of this caliber?"

Xaiver turned to him, unfazed by the remark. His trademark calm smile appeared as he adjusted his gloves.

"You don't need to worry about that, Mr. Alister," he said with confidence. "My team may not look like much, but they're quite capable. We've faced tougher odds and come out on top before."

Alister raised an eyebrow, the smirk on his lips returning. "Confident, are we?"

"Not confident," Xaiver replied, stepping aside to let the rest of the team gather near the portal. "Prepared."

The team began to assemble, each member taking their place near Xaiver. Chase remained tense but focused, while Mia and Lisa exchanged an excited glance, clearly eager to prove themselves.

Derek crossed his arms, grumbling something under his breath, while Karl stood at the back, a sly grin on his face, already making quiet remarks to Ethan about their new temporary members.

Alister's gaze lingered on the group, his sharp eyes assessing them one by one. His smirk widened ever so slightly, a look of interest flashing in his yellow eyes. "Well, I suppose I'll see for myself just how capable your team really is."

Beside him, Cinder chuckled softly, her crimson eyes gleaming with amusement. "Let's hope they can keep up with you, my lord. I'd hate to see anyone left behind."

Xaiver ignored the jab, his focus now on the task at hand. He gestured toward the portal. "Everyone ready?"

The team gave a collective nod, their expressions a touch of determination and anticipation. Xaiver turned back to Alister and Cinder. "Then let's not waste any more time."

With that, he stepped into the portal, his figure disappearing into its shimmering depths. One by one, the others followed, each member vanishing into the magical doorway. Alister lingered for a moment, watching them go before glancing at Cinder.

"Interesting bunch, wouldn't you say?" he thought aloud.

"They're lively, I'll give them that," Cinder replied, flicking a strand of silver hair over her shoulder. "Let's see if they can live up to their leader's confidence."

Alister's smirk deepened. "Let's."

Together, the pair stepped into the portal, vanishing into the unknown.

As Alister and Cinder finally stepped through the portal, they emerged into a vast expanse of golden desert.

The heat hit them immediately, the air shimmering with waves of it. Towering dunes stretched endlessly in all directions, and far in the distance, a colossal sand structure loomed—a castle, or at least something resembling one.

Its design was peculiar, with chunky, uneven edges and spires that seemed more like jagged stalagmites than architectural marvels.

The members of Xaiver's team mumbled among themselves, some in awe of the strange and vast environment.

"Is that… a castle?" Mia asked, shielding her eyes from the sun as she squinted at the distant structure.

"Looks more like someone dropped a bucket of sand and called it a day," Karl quipped, earning a snort from Lisa.

"It's so hot!" one of the girls groaned, fanning herself. "I didn't think it would feel this real."

Xaiver took a moment to assess their surroundings, his expression calm as ever. "Stay focused. S-ranked dungeons don't waste time letting you get comfortable."

Just then, a low rumble echoed through the ground beneath their feet.

Chase frowned, looking down. "An earthquake?" he muttered, glancing around as the sand began to shift and tremble.

The team tensed, their murmurs growing louder, their hands instinctively moving to their weapons.

Alister's sharp eyes scanned the ground.

"No…" he muttered, his voice low. "This isn't an earthquake."

Cinder, standing beside him, narrowed her crimson eyes. "Then what is it, my lord?"

Suddenly, Alister's voice rose above the growing commotion. "Everyone, MOVE! Get away from where you're standing, NOW!"