Before the Mist Gate, the five members of Dragon Soul hesitated.
They could not be sure what lay beyond the gate. Why had Shadow entered without hesitation? Was he not worried about the danger within?
"Captain, let's go in!" Black Shark said. "That guy Shadow isn't scared, so what do we have to be afraid of?"
"I think it'll be very dangerous inside, Captain," Flying Eagle said calmly. "The mist came out of this gate. There may be even more mist and Nightmare Beasts inside. Most importantly, there's no guarantee we'll be able to get back out after entering."
"Flying Eagle is right. We can't act rashly," Dragon Soul said.
Deep down, he wanted to enter himself. If he had been alone, he would not have hesitated. He would have gone in immediately, just like Shadow.
But he was not alone. He had four teammates with him. If he led them inside and something happened, he could not bear that responsibility.
Moreover, the five of them did not represent only themselves. They also represented the investment of the officials. Massive amounts of Ascension Coins had been invested in them. Since they had chosen to accept that investment, their lives no longer belonged solely to them. They also belonged to the officials.
"...Captain, I don't agree with going in either. But it's still your decision," Silver Fox said.
"Withdraw," Dragon Soul said. "Join up with the armored forces and deal with the giant bird Nightmare Beast together. We can't risk the squad being wiped out."
"Yes."
All four obeyed Dragon Soul's order.
They had already guessed that Dragon Soul would make this decision, because he had always been cautious when it came to team decisions.
Just like on Holy Grail Island, when Dragon Soul, as captain, had decided not to compete