The morning in the park was a gentle, quiet affair. Han Maru sat on the bench with Onjo, watching the world go by while Si-eun continued his losing battle of strength against Jung. The simple, normalcy of it was a balm on Maru’s raw nerves. For the first time since waking from the memory of his death, the tightness in his chest began to ease, soothed by the presence of his friends.

After a while, Si-eun checked the time on his Hunter Brace. "Hey, it's about time Joo-in finished school," he announced. His fingers danced over the holographic interface, scrolling through his contacts until he found Joo-in's ID. He opened a channel, including Bo-gum in the call.

<<"Hey, Joo-in. Bo-gum hyung. Let's gather at the park. For team bonding time. Maru's already here. We're still jobless, so team bonding is a better way to wait than just doing nothing.">>

A moment later, Joo-in's eager voice came through. <<"Okay, Si-eun hyung! I'll be there!">>

A grunt followed, then Bo-gum's deeper tone. <<"That's good. It's kind of boring waiting in my house, only watching TV.">>

Si-eun grinned, closing the communication. "See? Even the boss-man is bored. This was a great idea."

It wasn't long before the two missing members arrived. Kim Bo-gum walked with his usual purposeful stride, dressed in his full, official suit—a constant, professional presence even during downtime. Right behind him, Woo Joo-in looked every bit the student, his bookbag slung over one shoulder and his school uniform still on.

Their attire was a common sight now. For most Awakeners, especially low-rank Hunters and miners, the Elemental Tula Silk suit was a permanent second skin. It was a testament to its incredible protection; this sleek, formal-looking attire was stronger and more resilient than any primitive leather or chainmail armor from the old world. The silk, harvested from a F to C-Rank monster, had become the foundational armor for an entire society of fighters and workers.

"Hyungs! Noona!" Joo-in called out, a bright smile on his face as he jogged the last few steps to join them.

The team fell into easy chatter on the park grass. Even with his limitations, Maru found himself joining in, his stuttered words met with patient listening.

After a while, Bo-gum turned to their youngest member. "So, how is school, Joo-in-ah? Any big tests coming up?"

Joo-in, who had been using a stray twig to trace shapes in the dirt, let out a long sigh. "Just English, hyung-nim. It's my worst subject. The vocabulary is one thing, but the grammar..." He trailed off, then his expression brightened as he looked down at his Hunter Brace. "Well, it was my worst subject. This thing is a lifesaver."

He tapped the device on his wrist. "I mean, we use it for everything now, right? For inventory, for comms... but the instant translation function is incredible. It makes the English homework so much easier to understand. It's like chea...ting?....ah...ahaha....um...oops?"

The cheerful ramble died in his throat as he realized what he'd just confessed. Han Maru, Kim Bo-gum, and Bae Onjo all stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him. Three pairs of eyes locked onto the flustered boy.

Bo-gum's voice was dangerously calm. "...You don't cheat using the translator... right, Joo-in?"

"Um..." Joo-in squirmed under the collective gaze.

Onjo's gentle voice held a note of profound disappointment. "Joo-in-ah..... if you do that, it's really cheating..."

Maru, looking genuinely concerned, added, "P-pleas-se... tell ussss y-you don't use the tr-translation for th-that, r-right?"

Joo-in squeaked under the pressure. "...Maybe once...."

The collective stare intensified.

"...Actually twice..." he admitted, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

Suddenly, Si-eun burst out laughing. "See? It's not his fault! The tech is just too good! If I'd had that back in high school, I would have used it for everything too!"

Immediately, the three sets of disapproving eyes swiveled from Joo-in to lock onto Si-eun.

The laughter died in Si-eun's throat. He shifted uncomfortably under the weight of their silent judgment. "...That stare hurts, you know," he muttered, deflating. "Mentally."

Joo-in let out a quiet sigh of relief, grateful for the momentary diversion.

The lighthearted mood was interrupted by a synchronized vibration from their Hunter Braces. Another gate update from the Association.

They read the alert, and a collective shift occurred—from a group of friends relaxing to a team preparing for work.

Bo-gum was the first to speak, his voice all business. "Looks like we have our job now."

Si-eun scanned the details. "It's a C-Rank gate. Normal type. And based on the reading... there's a strong mana metal signature, which means there's a cave too."

Joo-in's eyes lit up with understanding. "A C-Rank with cave possibility? Does that mean there's going to be an Elemental Tula? I read in the Brace's Hunter Encyclopedia that they're mostly in caves or forests, but only in C-Rank gates and higher."

Maru nodded, his mind already shifting to the task ahead. "Y-yes. Our m-monster, a-after we enter the g-gate and r-reach the cave... i-it's going to be a Tula."

Si-eun grinned, rubbing his hands together. "Well... that's a bonus payment if we can kill one and keep the silk sack safe."

With a shared sense of purpose, they all stood up. Bo-gum took charge. "Let's go to the public restroom. You three need to switch into uniform."

"Okay~ Jung, let's go," Si-eun said, patting the Metalizard's side. "Time for you to wear your tie." Jung let out a low, crooning rumble of what sounded like joy.

Joo-in blinked, looking down at his clothes. "But I'm wearing my unifo—... ah, right." The realization dawned on him. "I'm still wearing my school uniform."

The team moved to the public restrooms. Bo-gum and Maru waited outside with Si-eun and Jung. With a few taps on his Brace, Si-eun summoned his suit jacket, his own tie, and a separate, normal tie for Jung. He shrugged the jacket on with a stretch.

"All I need is the tie and suit jacket, and done," he declared, quickly knotting his own. "Now, time for your tie, big guy." He stood on his toes to carefully tie the clean fabric around Jung's thick, scaly neck.

A moment later, the restroom doors opened. Joo-in and Onjo emerged, now fully dressed in their official Elemental Tula Silk suits. The transformation was instant—they were no longer a student and a shy young woman, but Hunters of the Mining Division.

Joo-in adjusted his collar, looking mildly uncomfortable. "I'm still not used to wearing formal suits for a job like this," he mumbled, the stiff fabric a stark contrast to his usual school uniform.

The team was now complete, armored, and ready.