After Sero got the clear from his association doctor, Gregor and Enzo soon arrived at the infirmary, followed by Max and Cassandra. Nala stopped by to check up on Sero before heading back to his penthouse to keep watch over Luna and Casey. Finally, Amaya came from the Ascendant Liaison office, but avoided any eye contact with Sero.

"Are we all ready to go?" Gregor rumbled to the group, who all nodded in agreement. "Good. Let us meet with the other guild representatives."

With that, they all exited the infirmary and headed toward the conference room where the meeting was about to begin. As they walked, Kit whispered to Sero, "The five representatives are all S-ranks as well. You'll be sitting right beside me, so don't worry about saying anything wrong or making a fool of yourself."

"I'll also be sitting next to you," Cassandra smiled blankly at him, walking on the other side.

"O-oh, thanks-"

"Do you not remember me telling you my bookworm is off-limits?" Kit hissed at the Glass Queen.

"Oh, I remember," Cassandra replied with a ditzy smile. "But I'm just making sure he's not feeling nervous or out of place. It's not everyday you get to sit in a meeting with the top five guilds of the Pentagram."

Kit looked like she wanted to say something, but held her tongue as the group approached a set of grand doors. The Paradox glanced over at Sero, giving him a reassuring smile before they all entered the conference room.

The large space was akin to a circular auditorium, with rows of chairs set up in front, facing a raised dais at the center. The dais was adorned with a large, ornate table and chairs for the representatives of the five guilds. As Sero and the others entered, they immediately attracted the attention of the gathered guildmasters.

Gregor led the group to the center, where the five representatives stood up to greet them.

"So, I assume this man we haven't seen before is the Scholar?" A sharp-looking man with thin framed glasses and neatly combed brunette hair asked. He had fair skin, high cheekbones, and a curious spark within his dark golden eyes as he gazed at Sero.

"Yeah. I mean, yes, I am," Sero replied, feeling slightly self-conscious as he looked at the sharp-looking man. "Um, I'm Sero Kassel, the Scholar. Nice to meet you guys."

"Kaizo Renn," the sharp-looking man smiled warmly. He was dressed in a finely tailored suit that perfectly fit his slim frame. "Archivist class, Vicemaster of the Paradiso guild."

"J'takk Malto," a caramel-skinned woman with pale-gray eyes next to Kaizo spoke next. Her black hair was pulled back into a ponytail, with a black and white bandana wrapped around her forehead. She wore a black bomber jacket decorated with various graffiti over a simple black crop top that revealed her toned abs. Her skinny jeans were tucked into her combat boots, and she gave the appearance of a strong, agile fighter. "Master Gambler, head of the Fortune's Favored guild," J'takk said nonchalantly with a nod.

"I'm Ione Morrigan," the other woman went next, giving Sero a soft grin. She had snow-white skin, deep-blue doe eyes, and shoulder-length dark hair. She wore a flowing black dress that hugged her curvy figure, showing off her cleavage and legs. Shortest of out the five representatives, Sero sensed an overwhelming amount of mana from her. "Omen class, Vicemaster of the Calypso guild. Hi, Kit." Ione waved to the Paradox.

"Hi, Ione," Kit returned with an equally warm smile.

"Meredith Vale," the biggest man out of the five rumbled. He was huge, nearly the same size as Gregor, with dark skin and long blonde hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. His features were broad and rugged, and his dark brown eyes had a glint of steel within them. He wore a black tank top and athletic shorts that showed off his rippling muscles. Sero wanted to ask about his name, but bit his tongue as Meredith narrowed his eyes. "Threadweaver class, guildmaster of the Chrome Dome."

Sero fought his hardest not to laugh, which suddenly became easy as the last man at the other side of the table stood up.

"Dante Moreno," the man with shockingly vivid green eyes spoke, his voice even but threatening. His jet-black hair was slicked back, and he wore a white button-up shirt that was rolled at the sleeves and tucked into his black jeans. A scar ran diagonally across his tan face, adding to his menacing demeanor. "Sin Reaper, Requiem's guildmaster."

Sero was still processing the introductions when Kaizo spoke up again. "So, Sero, I've heard a lot about you and your abilities. I must say, I'm impressed. The tournament was incredibly intense, and you handled yourself quite admirably."

"Thanks," Sero said, feeling a bit more at ease. He glanced around at the others, wondering what they thought of him. "I appreciate it. It was really tough, and I'm just glad I could pull through in the end."

"That's great and all, but can we get started with what we came here to do?" Dante snapped. "I don't have all day."

Sero felt a sense of deja vu as he felt the same irritation he had when he first met Enzo, Liam, and even Max.

Everyone sat down, and Sero took a seat across from Dante. "All right, let us begin then," Gregor rumbled. "We've all been briefed on your intel regarding the nature of monster outbreaks and Catastrophes."

"And how do we know that that's true?" Dante interjected, casting a dubious glance at Sero. "How can we trust someone whom we didn't even know about until recently?"

"As leader of the Janitors mercenary branch, I support Sero's claims," Gregor calmly replied. "I have also witnessed and executed a monster who was a candidate to be a Catastrophe."

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"I second," Enzo raised his hand in agreement. Cassandra smiled as she joined in; Max reluctantly raised his as well.

"I'm also vouching for him," Kit spoke up, shooting a glance at Ione.

Amaya raised her hand as well, but said nothing.

"Four of the seven Janitors alongside three of the top ten S-rank elites," Kaizo murmured. "I was on the fence, but I think the claims are real, Dante."

"The guildmaster of Calypso also granted me full authority to side with Sero Kassel," Ione chimed in, glancing at Sero with a small smile. "I trust that carries some weight."

"Even if he's backed up by the big shots, I'm still skeptical," Meredith rumbled, sitting back and folding his arms. "I can't trust him without any further proof."

"I don't really care, but Meredith makes a good point, yeah?" J'takk kicked her boots up on the table. "Seeing a lot of risk rather than reward, but that's not my problem."

"I'll give you the benefit of the doubt," Dante said to Sero, his eyes narrowing. "We've all seen the reports and footage." He pulled out two folders, one noticeably less filled than the other. "But here's the thing: we don't have any record of you any further than a month ago. It's like you suddenly just appeared out of the blue. Not only that, but you've become an S-rank during that short amount of time, so forgive me if I'm not exactly too trusting of you."

Sero felt a chill run down his spine. He knew Dante was right; he should have expected this. "I understand your skepticism," he said, trying to maintain his composure. "But I assure you, everything I've told you is true. If you give me the chance to explain, I will gladly do so."

"Fine," Dante's eyes glowed neon green. "Then do so."

Sero's body buzzed as he copied 'Unbroken Oath', which forced the target to speak the truth, or they would suffer mental attacks if they lied. However, since it was a skill that affected Sero's mental state, his Rationality quickly nullified the effects of Dante's magic. He had to fight the urge to smile, though Sero had no intentions of lying.

He began to explain everything relevant to the discussion, starting with his resurrection by Aphiel to learning about his class, and wrapping up with the tournament and encountering Malice.

As he spoke, he couldn't help but feel a sense of weight lifting from his chest. Even though Dante's skepticism hadn't completely dissipated, Sero could tell that he was being taken more seriously. The others in the room seemed engaged as well, nodding along as he spoke.

After he finished, Dante sat back in his chair, a perplexed and contemplative look on his face. "That's quite a story," he said, addressing Sero. "But I still can't help but feel like something's missing. There are too many gaps in your history, and it's all happening too fast. Why is it that you, of all people, get to be the one to copy any skill or passive in the world? Since we realize classes to be largely based on personality, then Kaizo here would've been a Scholar instead of an Archivist. You said you floated from one major to another, but never graduated. How does that make sense?"

"I-I'm not sure..." Sero stammered. "I don't know why it happened to me, but... I think it's because of what I've been through. Everything I've experienced has led me to this moment." He recalled what Aphiel had said to him about some higher being specifically choosing him to become a Scholar. "I didn't make the rules."

The Sin Reaper stared at Sero long and hard, his expression unreadable. Then, with a sigh, he stood up, walking over to him.

Sero became reminded of the time he was first introduced to the other members of the Janitors as the energy in the air crackled. Overwhelming pressure exuded from Dante, but it was matched by Kit's and Enzo's. Gregor's eye twitched, but he refrained from joining in as Dante stood in front of Sero.

"Do you know why I'm so wary of you?"

Sero shook his head, feeling a little intimidated by the intense gaze of the Sin Reaper. By no means was he as strong as the three S-rank elites in the room, but he was definitely stronger than Sero.

Next to him, Kit watched Dante warily, Enzo doing the same off to the side. Cassandra had scooted over to give Dante room, the usual unfocused look in her eyes replaced by rapt intrigue.

"I'm not the only one who shares this feeling, but ever since you began to gain attention, there are those who worry about you," the Sin Reaper began quietly. "Not for your well-being or safety, but of the threat you pose."

Sero flinched at the harsh words. "I-I don't mean to cause any trouble," he stammered.

"And how do I know that? How do the rest of those who don't know you, know that? How would non-Ascendants know that you wouldn't wreak havoc on the world with the powers you possess? You can copy and replicate any skill or passive in the world, and you don't realize how frightening that could be to some people?"

Dante's words stung Sero, but he knew they were fair. He couldn't really blame the other for not trusting him. It would be impossible for Sero to understand what it was like for them, not having grown up in their world. The Sin Reaper's eyes narrowed, as if he was trying to search Sero's soul for any signs of malevolence. "So, tell me, Sero. Do you have any intention of using your powers for evil?" Dante casted Unbroken Oath again.

"No. I want to live a lazy and comfortable life." Sero swallowed, meeting Dante's gaze. "I've been through so much already, and I just want to be happy. I don't want to hurt anyone."

Even though his Rationality had negated the effects of Unbroken Oath, Sero truly meant what he said. Dante remained glaring at Sero for a moment longer before his eyes dimmed.

"Guess you're telling the truth," he muttered, not realizing that Sero had never been under the spell. "I'll take your word for now." Dante turned to walk back to his seat, but then paused and looked back.

"I'm giving you my tentative trust for the moment, but if you slip up even once, I will invoke the authority of the Pentagram to hunt you down. You may have the Janitors and some of the S-rank elites on your side, but it can't compare to the combined might of both the Pentagram and the Ascendants Association."

"W-what?" Sero stammered, shocked by the threat.

"Did you think the Ascendants Association was on your side?" Dante asked, his voice devoid of emotion. "They may not be very supportive of you, but by no means are they completely on your side. While it's true that some divisions are more or less in favor of you, the majority views you with a cautious eye. They've seen what you can do, and they're not about to just sit back and watch you run amok. They'll use you if they have to, but they're not going to hesitate to bring you down if they think you've become a threat."

Sero shot a glance at Amaya, who dropped her gaze. He knew that what Dante said was true. Amaya was part of the Ascendants Association, and he'd seen her in action. She was strong, but she wasn't invincible. She had her limits, and he couldn't expect her to protect him forever.

"Just keep that in mind," Dante finished before walking back to take his seat. Kit and Enzo's pressures settled down, but everyone could tell they felt angered at Dante's provocation. Gregor leaned forward, his hands clasped on the desk.

"I take it that you are willing to go to war with us if, for some god-forsaken reason, that should ever happen?" the Conqueror quietly asked, a slight edge in his tone. Everyone, including Dante, stiffened.

Dante met Gregor's steely gaze without flinching. "I'm not one to back down from a fight, even if I don't want it," he replied coolly. "But I'd rather avoid one if I could. Let's just hope it doesn't come to that."