My expression turned serious, and I gave a firm nod.
I hadn't expected the Holts to come with that much firepower. It caught me off guard.
I turned to Edgar and asked, "I'm guessing they won't show their true identities, right?"
He shook his head slowly. "No. They'll pretend to be a group of assassins or mercenaries."
My brows drew together in concern. "But to think they could send someone at Arkas-level strength for a mission like this… How powerful are the Holts really?"
Edgar let out a short laugh, but there was no humor in it.
"They're strong, no doubt about it. But there's still a small gap between them and the royal family. The real problem is the outside support they're getting—from enemies who want to see the Rayleighs fall."
I nodded as the pieces started coming together in my mind.
Edgar stepped forward and said, "Give me your hand."
I held it out without hesitation.
He took my wrist gently and pressed his index finger just below the bone. A dark glow appeared at the tip of his finger, and I felt a sharp jolt of pain shoot through my arm.
"Ouch," I winced, pulling slightly back. "What was that?"
He looked at me calmly.
"Think of it like a miniature space ring. It's useless to anyone else, but for you, it'll work—since you can use Essence. Store your weapon inside it if needed."
Then he reached into his robe and pulled out a small, round black object, about three inches across. He placed it in my hand.
"This is a long-distance communicator. It only works one way and can send just three messages. Use it only if you're in real danger or if something extremely important comes up. It'll also act as a locator for us. But… we believe it might not always function properly."
I glanced down at my wrist. A small black dot had appeared there—like a birthmark. But when I reached out with my perception to examine it, I was shocked.
It wasn't just on the skin. The mark was etched into my bone itself. A black rune, faintly glowing, embedded deep within me.
"Hey… is this permanent?" I asked, staring at it.
Edgar shook his head.
"No. It'll only last for about five or six uses. So use it wisely."
I looked up again.
"Did you make this?"
He laughed.
"Me? I wish I was that skilled, brat. No, it was crafted by Dante. I heard you've met him?"
I gave a half-smile.
"Not exactly. I've only heard his voice."
He let out a chuckle and said.
"It's probably for the best that you haven't met him. That guy's completely insane."
I tilted my head slightly and smirked.
"Crazier than you?"
He mirrored my gesture, tilting his head too, then gave a half-smile.
"I think all of us are a little crazy in our own ways."
I gave a slow nod. That much was true, and I didn't bother arguing.
Then he clapped his hands together and spoke in a brisk tone.
"Alright, that's all I have for now. I know Arkas already explained the mission to you, but let me give you a quick recap—just in case."
He held up a finger and began counting off each point.
"First, find the Ferans. Their exact location is still unknown, but you'll be heading into a region where they were last seen.
Second, gather any information you can about the Holts—anything that could give the Empire a chance to strike back. Weaknesses, secret allies, hidden movements, whatever you can find.
Third, help the Ferans escape safely, if possible.
And of course…" he gave me a pointed look, "don't die. Keep yourself alive."
I nodded, my expression serious.
"Got it. But we still don't know why the Holts won't just kill us on sight. That part doesn't make sense."
Edgar chuckled again, this time with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Oh, you'll figure that out once you get captured. I won't ruin the surprise for you."
I frowned. That wasn't exactly comforting.
Then, as if something suddenly popped into his head, he snapped his fingers.
"Ah! Almost forgot—take this too."
He reached into his cloak and pulled out a sword similar to Steve's. He handed that to me carefully.
"Store this in your miniature storage ring. Might come in handy. Alright, kiddo. Best of luck. We'll see each other soon."
As soon as he finished speaking, the shadows around him began to shift and swirl. In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the darkness.
I let out a long breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
Talking to Edgar was always exhausting. He had this strange energy, half chaos, half wisdom—that left me feeling like I needed a nap and a journal just to process everything.
After keeping the sword in the miniature storage ring, I turned around and started jogging toward Sarah and the rest of the group. All I could do now was wait for Holt and the others to make their move.
But I didn't have to wait long.
Suddenly, I felt the space around me groan for a brief moment.
Because of my intense training in the Elemental Zones, I had become highly sensitive to changes in space.
Instinctively, I sharpened my senses to their limit and activated [Psynapse Boost].
Time seemed to slow down.
My breathing became steady, my mind clearer. I followed the flow of Essence.
Without hesitation, I activated [Essence Engine].
My heart pounded hard in my chest as Essence surged through my veins like fire.
I bent my legs slightly, and then I exploded forward.
In just two powerful leaps, I landed right beside Sarah.
Again, I felt the groan of space—louder this time. Something was coming. Something big.
I yelled with everything I had.
"GET DOWN!"
The others looked confused, unsure of what was happening. But Sarah reacted instantly. She dropped flat onto the snowy ground.
Seeing her, the rest of the team followed, hitting the ground just in time.
But the bears... they were still standing.
I didn't wait.
I dashed forward, faster than a blink, and threw my fists with full force.
Boom. Boom.
Two punches—just two—and the bears were gone. Reduced to nothing but a cloud of blood and mist.
Then I heard it.
A thunderclap so loud it stole my hearing in an instant.
BOOM.
I gritted my teeth and forced myself to stay upright, even as warm blood trickled from my ears. I could barely hear anything now, but my perception was still sharp.
That's when I saw it.
A shockwave, massive, unstoppable, racing toward us. Trees in its path were ripped out of the ground and crushed like twigs. Snow flew into the air and vanished into steam.
My eyes widened.
I had no time to think.
I drew Essence quickly and poured it into the snow around me.
Then I roared and pulled with all my strength.
The snow rose like a giant wave, wrapping around me and the rest of the unit. I shaped it into a thick dome, pushing more Essence into it, making it denser, stronger.
Then I waited.
BOOM.