REINCARNATION OF THE STRONGEST WAR HERO

The tavern was frozen. Absolute silence.

Everyone stared at the man who had just stumbled in, his words still echoing in the air.

"An A-class dungeon break!"

And then... Soon it started. The chaos...

Chairs scraped. Cups clattered. Hunters muttered in disbelief. A-class dungeon breaks didn't happen as far as they could remember. At least not in the last two or three centuries.

"What the hell?!"

"An A-class?! Are they sure?"

"Shit! We all are going to die."

"Move! Move! The guild will need everyone!"

Hunters rushed for the door. Some tripped over chairs, and others ran without paying for their food or drinks. A few froze where they stood, too shaken to even move.

Noah Starwind slowly rose to his feet. His presence was calm, but his voice cut through the chaos like a blade. "Those who want to join, head to the guild immediately. Don't waste a second."

His tone was not a request. It was an order. And most hunters listened without hesitation.

Emily also stood. She pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders and adjusted the pouch at her waist. Before moving, she turned slightly. Her eyes rested on Logan. The look was brief, but clear. As if asking silently—will you come too?

Logan didn't hesitate. He pushed his chair back and stood. His movements were calm, but his decision was already made.

The Starwind couple might or might not keep his secret. They might or might not arrange protection for his family. Those were questions for another time.

Right now, there was only one problem. And a huge one at that. A dungeon break.

But not a lower-level dungeon. It was an A-class.

He knew how serious it was. Such a break could destroy not only Solvane but also the two or three towns nearby. Maybe even more. The ground itself might turn into a graveyard if this was not handled quickly.

His expression hardened. "This is not something I can ignore."

Noah moved toward the door. Emily followed right after. Logan fell in step a few paces behind. Together, they left the tavern with half the room staring at their backs.

______

Outside, the streets of Solvane were already alive with noise. The guild bells were ringing loudly and urgently, their sound echoing across rooftops. People knew that rhythm. It was the signal for an emergency. Dungeon break.

Civilians ran in every direction. Mothers pulled children close. Merchants slammed down shutters. Many hunters were shouting, trying to direct people toward the safer zones.

The hunters who had rushed out earlier were already running down the main road toward the guild. Their boots struck stone in unison, a tide of steel and leather charging toward the heart of the city.

Noah's long strides carried him forward like a man born for this kind of chaos. Emily walked quickly by his side, calm but focused. Logan matched their pace without saying a word.

The air felt heavier with every step. Somewhere far off, a roar echoed.... a monster's cry, raw and filled with bloodlust.

Logan's fingers curled lightly into a fist. He could already sense it. The mana in the air was trembling. The rift had opened wide. Monsters were spilling through.

______

In the main hall inside the Hunter's Guild....

Dozens of hunters had already gathered here. The massive double doors stood open, and people were flooding inside. The noise was thunderous. Orders being shouted. Boots pounding. Weapons clashing as they were unsheathed.

The main hall was overflowing.

Ali Arkman, the guild master stood in the center, his tall frame and commanding voice holding the attention of every hunter. His presence was like a pillar. A calm in the storm.

Around him, almost every A-rank captain in the Hunter's Guild had gathered with their party.

Leo, the muscular earth-affinity wielder, who helped Logan and the third prince during a dungeon break in the market was at the front with his men, face serious for once.

Damian, who had a slight grudge against Logan, stood with his cloak billowing slightly from the residual magic around him.

Leonard, who desperately wanted to teach Logan a lesson, had his party lined in disciplined formation, all of them armed to the teeth.

Gideon was there too, his fiery aura burning even while at rest. His team stood close, faces grim but ready. Some were expecting their missing member to arrive soon.

Logan.

Three more captains had arrived as well. One male with a heavy axe strapped to his back, his armor dented from countless raids. Two women stood with their own parties—one with a spear glowing faintly with runes, the other with a staff held firmly in both hands.

Only one A-rank party was missing. They were still on a raid outside the city. No one knew when they would return.

There were a total of eight A-class hunters with their own parties. There were a few more A-class hunters, but currently, they were working in different sectors. Like in the court of mages, then some were busy training others, like Ardyn and Kael. Other hunter parties in the guild were without any A-class hunters.

Ali's eyes swept across the room. His voice boomed. "Listen carefully. The dungeon is on the east side. Reports confirm that a wyvern is seen to be rampaging along its path. It's the dungeon boss. The number of high orcs, minotaurs, and giants is uncountable. So no doubt it's an A-class."

A roll of murmurs erupted across the hall. Fear. Worry. But also determination.

Ali's tone grew sharper. "Captains, you will hold the main routes. Your parties will lead squads of mixed hunters. Priority one—defend the civilians and make sure they get to safety. Priority two—hold the other monsters and keep them busy till I or someone else takes down the wyvern boss. Do not scatter. Do not fight alone. Understood?"

"Understood!" voices thundered back.

Hunters kept pouring in. They filled the empty spaces, pressing close, their eyes fixed on Ali as he laid down orders.

The air was thick with tension. Every second mattered. Every instruction could decide who lived and who died.

And then...

The noise in the hall shifted slightly.

Many heads turned toward the entrance as it creaked open. Ali's gaze shot toward the entrance as well.

Noah and Emily Starwind stepped through the doors. Their presence was enough to stir whispers immediately. They didn't need an introduction. Every hunter in Solvane knew their names.

And walking just behind them, was a masked boy, his cloak billowing behind him.

Logan...