This run through the dungeon had been nothing short of a windfall.
Not only had Grace Monta acquired a wealth of rare materials, but Luceris had also secured one of the most elusive core items—one step closer to completing the first Dimensional Divine Outfit.
If luck continued and they could delve deeper into the Crystal Holy Land a few more times, she might finally gather every piece needed.
At that point...
Elysia. In her full Herrscher form.
Just imagining it made Luceris feel a giddy surge of pride—and perhaps a bit too much self-admiration.
But who could blame her?
After all, was there anyone in this world who didn't love Elysia?
When they were eventually ejected from the dungeon by the system, they didn't stop.
They immediately dove back in, running it again from beginning to end.
Another fruitful haul.
But the last missing material—the elusive "Soul of the Sea of Flowers"—was still nowhere to be found. It clearly required a deeper trigger… maybe a hidden quest buried within the dungeon.
It wasn't until nightfall that their long day finally came to a close.
They wandered into a cozy izakaya tucked away in a busy city street, the neon lights outside casting warm glows across the rain-slick pavement.
This was their reward for a hard day's grind.
"Cheers!!" they cried, glasses clinking, laughter echoing.
In this warm and drunken bubble, they weren't just party members—they were friends. Close ones.
And truth be told, they weren't far apart in age either.
Grace, the oldest among them, was only twenty-six—peak wife material by her own joking admission. Yet she'd always been a solo academic, buried in research, and astonishingly still single.
Leanne Vale was twenty-five—bubbly, energetic, and full of sisterly charm.
Selene, the youngest, was just twenty. A level-90 frost mage and a certified prodigy.
Luceris sipped at her juice with a sigh. "If my sister didn't have to take on a part-time job today, I would've brought her to see the dungeon. I think she'd love it."
Grace, who had taken quite a liking to beer, was already flushed and tipsy, her cheeks red and her speech slurred. She leaned in like a sleepy drunk, buried her nose in Luceris's hair, and sniffed with satisfaction.
"Mmnh… Momo, you smell so nice…" she murmured dreamily. "But if your sister came, wouldn't that make five people? I couldn't go with you... Don't you wanna clear the dungeon with your big sister? That makes me so saaad~"
Luceris blinked and tilted her head. "Why not go together? Wouldn't it be better if five of us went in at once?"
Grace burst out laughing. "You're drunk, Momo. Everyone knows standard dungeons only allow four players. Five? Impossible. That's just not how it works…"
Her words floated past, lost in the haze—until Leanne, who held her alcohol better, suddenly frowned.
"Wait… Momo, are you saying the Crystal Holy Land allowed five of you in at once?"
Luceris blinked innocently. "Yeah. Why not?"
Selene, mid-trim of her immaculate nails, froze.
Her head slowly rose.
"…Momo," she said, her voice cautious. "Your… dungeon. How many people can it accommodate at the same time? Five? Ten?"
Luceris answered without hesitation. "Forty."
Silence.
Stunned silence.
Even Grace stopped pouring her drink, wine spilling past her glass and soaking into her skirt and stockings, dripping slowly down her legs into her high heels.
All three of them turned their heads in unison to stare at Luceris like she'd just grown wings and declared herself a dragon.
"WHAT?!"
Luceris blinked, confused. "What's with those faces? You're scaring me…"
She hadn't meant to keep it a secret.
In her mind, it was common sense. Everyone should've seen the information panel at the entrance of the dungeon—it clearly stated the maximum capacity.
She assumed the others knew.
She thought they were keeping the party size small on purpose—maybe to share more EXP with her, or for training reasons.
Grace threw her bottle aside and grabbed Luceris's shoulders.
"Why didn't you tell us earlier?!"
"A dungeon that can hold FORTY PEOPLE?!"
"Luceris, do you know how OUTRAGEOUS that is?!"
Luceris's head wobbled under Grace's intense shaking. "Waaa… y-you never asked…"
Even Grace sobered up under the weight of what she'd just learned.
The Forgotten Crystal Holy Land—
A hidden dungeon with an absurd drop rate for rare materials.
Capable of supporting FORTY adventurers at once.
This wasn't just an opportunity. This was a geopolitical earthquake.
Back at HQ, Old Man Fang had estimated a minimum of five to ten years would be needed to gather enough resources to build the next generation of magical-tech weaponry.
But now?
With forty players farming materials concurrently?
That timeline could be reduced to a single year—or less.
Which meant...
The ancient power of Tranquenhold could finally be weaponized. The world would no longer look down on them—it would be the other way around.
They couldn't remain calm.
Not anymore.
Grace steadied herself, looking dead serious now.
She stared straight into Luceris's eyes and said with conviction:
"Oh my dear Momo… you're the real hero."