The silence of the Safe Point on the twenty-third floor was one of a serenity rarely experienced since we had begun our long journey through the depths of the tower. The arcane ceiling of the great biome maintained its nighttime illumination, a dark-blue vault dotted with tiny spheres of light that imitated distant stars, while the campfire at the center of the camp slowly died down, turning into reddish embers that crackled from time to time. Outside the perimeter marked by the gray marble columns, the twilight breeze gently swayed the leaves of the silver-trunked trees, but inside the dome, the air remained perfectly calm, warm, and welcoming.
The girls finished arranging the supplies and organizing the equipment in their backpacks for the following day. Although morale was high and they all maintained their usual impeccable posture, the accumulated fatigue reflected in each of their expressions did not escape my notice. We had been following an uninterrupted routine of climbing for more than a week, facing high-intensity battles, drastic temperature changes, ambushes, and adverse terrain. Even with the tactical breaks between marches, the need to maintain a strict alternating watch schedule every night was taking its toll on their bodies.
Liriel and her assistant sat on the edge of the sleeping bags arranged inside the large tent, letting out small sighs of relief as they removed their travel boots. Elara and Rai'kanna, who usually took the first hours of night watch beside me, organized their weapons near the entrance, while Scarlet and Lyannis adjusted the details of the camp with Vespera.
I approached the entrance of the tent, observing the group with attention and serenity.
"Everyone into your sleeping bags," I declared in a calm, firm, and reassuring tone, drawing everyone's attention in the tent. "There will be no watch shifts for any of you tonight. I want all of you resting from beginning to end until dawn."
The declaration caught the group by surprise. Scarlet, who was about to take her long sword to check the outer perimeter, stopped the movement and looked at me with an expression of professional questioning.
"Takumi, we always keep at least two members awake during the night, even in resting zones," Scarlet pointed out with her usual discipline. "Leaving you alone on watch all night after days of continuous marching is not the proper procedure for the vanguard."
"Scarlet is right," Lyannis agreed, approaching the entrance of the tent. "Physical fatigue can be masked by the adrenaline of combat, but fragmented sleep reduces muscular response time. If we divide the early morning hours, all of us will get reasonable rest without overburdening you."
"Your concern is exemplary and demonstrates the commitment we have always had," I replied, offering them a confident and serene smile to calm their spirits. "But look around. The structure of this Safe Point was designed by the tower's own core to provide an absolute sanctuary. The runic inscriptions on the marble columns create a rejection barrier that prevents the approach of any entity with hostile mana. There is no risk of a surprise invasion in this sector."
"Besides," I continued, taking a step forward and lightly touching the hilt of my runic sword, "I will not be unprotected. I will keep the energy of my blade activated in a passive state of resonance. Any subtle change in the mana frequency of this perimeter will instantly trigger my perceptive pulse. You have trusted my guidance throughout the entire ascent; now, trust my decision and allow your bodies to recover fully."
Liriel looked at her assistant, who gave a slight nod in agreement with the reading of the runic barrier, and turned her gaze back to me with immense gratitude.
"Your care for our well-being goes far beyond the battlefield, Takumi," Liriel said in her soft and harmonious voice. "If the barrier guarantees the immunity of the perimeter and you will maintain active perception, we will accept your order. Our bodies truly need this deep recovery."
"Take the opportunity to sleep without worries," Elara concluded, loosening the strap of her bow and settling into her sleeping bag with a satisfied sigh. "Tomorrow morning will demand our maximum level on the twenty-fourth floor."
One by one, my companions settled inside the tent. Within a few minutes, the sound of rhythmic and deep breathing filled the cloth shelter. The fatigue they had carried with such discipline gave way to restorative, peaceful, and absolutely complete sleep.
I sat on a flat stone right at the entrance of the Safe Point, with my back resting against the marble column and my runic sword resting across my knees. The sacred metal emitted an almost imperceptible silver pulse, a cold and constant vibration that connected directly to my senses, expanding my range of perception across the entire plateau.
As the early morning hours advanced in an almost sacred silence beneath the tower's starry sky, I allowed a calm, clear, and mature reflection to occupy my thoughts. Leading a squad in a high-risk environment requires a constant balance between tactical rigor and genuine empathy. Demanding maximum performance from exceptional warriors like my companions is simple; the true challenge of a commander lies in recognizing when their determination is concealing the limit of their physical exhaustion. Letting them sleep deeply, knowing that they were completely protected under my watch and beneath the mantle of the sanctuary's runes, was not a breach of protocol, but rather the highest level of mutual trust. Trust is not built only in moments of combined attacks against a colossal enemy, but in the silent certainty that each one's life and rest are being guarded with absolute fidelity.
The night wind continued to move the branches of the silver trees outside the barrier, but there was not a single disturbance inside the perimeter. The girls' sleep remained uninterrupted, calm, and deep throughout the entire night, renewing every muscle fiber, every mana channel, and every thought of our group.
When the first rays of the golden illumination from the arcane ceiling began to dissipate the nighttime gloom, signaling the arrival of morning on the twenty-third floor, our squad awakens with a disposition and mental clarity that we had not experienced in days. The uninterrupted rest period had fulfilled its purpose with absolute perfection, preparing our Alliance for the next great challenge of the ascent.