"Zachary, head on with your friend," she said, her tone calm—almost too calm.
There was no hesitation in her voice, only something heavy beneath it.
"There's something that's been bothering… us," she added, her gaze lingering for just a second longer.
Zachary didn't respond right away, his mind trying to catch up with the sudden shift.
Before he could say anything, she had already turned away, leaving the words hanging in the air.
She walked off without another glance, her steps steady and composed. Zachary's eyes followed her for a moment, confusion flickering faintly across his face. "…Huh?" he muttered under his breath, more to himself than anyone else.
There was something off about the way she said it, something he couldn't quite place. But before he could think further, Cole spoke up.
"Your family is really strong," Cole said with a small, almost awkward chuckle. He scratched the back of his head, still looking in the direction she left.
Zachary turned toward him, eyebrows slightly furrowed. "…What do you mean?" he asked, genuinely confused. To him, it didn't feel like anything special.
Cole looked at him like the answer was obvious, like Zachary had somehow missed something everyone else could see.
"Your sister is literally in the top 40 worldwide," he said, raising a finger to emphasize the point.
Then he raised another finger, continuing without pause. "And your mom was the first person from the military squad to ever enter a dungeon." His tone wasn't mocking—it was amazed.
Zachary went quiet after hearing that, his expression slowly shifting. It wasn't pride or disbelief—it was realization settling in.
"…Oh," he said softly, almost blankly, as if the weight of those facts hadn't fully landed yet.
For a moment, neither of them spoke, the air between them turning still. Then Zachary's eyes sharpened slightly.
"…Speaking of dungeons," Zachary said, his voice suddenly more focused. Cole immediately looked at him, sensing the change in tone.
Zachary didn't hesitate this time. "Let's hunt them," he said plainly, as if it were the most natural conclusion in the world.
The words hung there, direct and unwavering.
"…What?" Cole blinked, clearly caught off guard by the sudden shift. His head tilted slightly, trying to process what Zachary just said.
"You just… jumped to that conclusion?" he asked, half confused, half amused. It wasn't that he disagreed—it just felt abrupt.
Zachary, however, didn't answer immediately.
The truth was, Zachary knew exactly what he wanted to do.
The problem was explaining it in a way that made sense. His thoughts were clear to him, but putting them into words felt unnecessary.
Instead, he simply looked at Cole. "You with me or not?" he asked, straightforward as ever.
Cole stared at him for a moment, weighing the question.
Then he let out a small sigh, shoulders dropping slightly. "…Yeah," he said, nodding once in agreement. There was no long debate or argument. Just a simple decision.
And just like that, it was settled.
They made their way back to Zachary's apartment, the quiet of the place wrapping around them.
The room wasn't anything special—just a small, lived-in space. Zachary stood near the TV, already thinking ahead.
Cole leaned slightly against the wall, waiting. The plan was already forming.
"Okay," Zachary started, breaking the silence. "The news broadcasts dungeon appearances live, right?" he asked, glancing toward Cole.
Cole nodded almost immediately, understanding where this was going. "…Yeah," he replied. It was simple, but effective.
"So we use that," Zachary continued, crossing his arms slightly. "We track dungeons through the news." His voice was steady, like he had already accepted this as their method.
Cole frowned slightly, thinking it through. Then something came to mind.
"But don't you have school?" Cole asked, a hint of concern in his tone.