Only a few years ago, everyone present would line up before her in the Elite Residence and listen to her orders like children. Back then, she was the strongest among them.
Now... some of them had left her behind by light-years.
"There’s no need to look at it like that. Each of us can still change the course of this war in our own way," Snow replied to Ellen.
"We’re all fighting this war together. So when it’s finally over... I’d love for us to gather at the temple again, like the old days."
"I want that too."
"Me as well."
"Let’s win this war and make it real!"
One after another, the former students agreed, eager to chase that distant hope.
Frey Starlight remained silent among them, watching.
It would be wonderful if Snow’s wish came true .. if they could all meet again after the war. But he knew such rosy dreams were far-fetched, especially in wartime.
As he looked at them one by one, Frey couldn’t help but wonder... how many of these faces would still be here when the war ended? Who would die, and who would live?
He had no answer—only the wish that they all survive, even as he recognized how naïve that wish was.
And so Frey was declared the winner, with Snow taking second, in the impromptu "temple test" the students had staged.
The night passed quickly. They used it to talk .. about the temple days, about how each of them had fared so far. Soon, dawn returned them to reality: the war was still waiting.
Since the puppet master .. Simon Manus .. was the primary threat, he had to be found.
The Empire’s side formed small, scattered scouting teams led by Ellen White and Frost Moonlight.
"Your goal is to recon the area and locate the Hollow, Simon Manus. Do not engage unnecessarily. Return as soon as you discover anything," ordered Gal Varion Sunlight, nominal commander of their front.
Meanwhile, Snow and Frey volunteered to search on their own.
"We’ll probe enemy territory ourselves .. maybe we’ll pick up a lead on his location," Frey said, not exactly asking permission. Even if Gal had refused, he would have done as he pleased.
Each scouting unit numbered only in the dozens .. except for Snow and Frey, who chose to operate separately. Their individual strength was more than enough, whatever they faced.
Thus the search parties set out to find Simon Manus.
Standing side by side one last time before they split up, Ellen and Frost approached Frey and Snow.
"You two will be part of this mission as well," Frost said, and both Frey and Snow nodded.
"We’ll speed things up. I can spread my aura across an enormous range," Frey added while checking his gear.
"You’re both incredible... I only wish we could support you better," Ellen said, speaking her true feelings.
"Before we head out, I wanted to thank you, Frey Starlight."
"Hm? For what exactly?" Frey asked.
"For killing Gavardiol. He slaughtered my entire family. I spent most of my life training for the day I could avenge them... but you did it first. You ended him."
Ellen White sounded genuinely relieved .. but Frey also heard an emptiness between her words.
"No need to thank me. I only did what I had to do."
Like Ellen, he’d had an old score to settle with Gavardiol .. ever since Gavardiol killed Danzo. So he killed him.
"To be honest, I was happy when I heard you’d done it... and at the same time I felt hollow because I couldn’t do it with my own hands. I know it’s pathetic, but for a moment I felt like I’d lost my reason to fight."
Her voice .. usually a weapon in itself .. was very quiet now.
"But I think I’ve found another reason to fight for our homeland. So... I hope you’ll rely on us ’older ones’ a little more."
Ellen finished with a warm smile, and both Frey and Snow returned it.
"Of course."
Wishing each other luck, they finally split up, each heading in a different direction to cover as much ground as possible. Snow and Frey set out together at first, but soon parted ways as they pushed deeper into the barren lands of the Ultras.
"Looks like it’s time we split up," Snow said.
Frey nodded. "Yeah."
"I know this isn’t the best time to say it, but if you find the enemy before I do... don’t rush it. If you can, wait for me. If we fight together ..you and I .. no one can stop us." Snow’s voice was firm.
Frey didn’t argue. "Don’t worry, my friend. I’m not fighting this war alone anymore."
"Glad to hear it."
Snow nodded, satisfied, then broke off in a different direction.
"Good luck!"
"You too."
They parted, and soon each was on his own.
Normally, wandering enemy territory alone would be reckless. But Frey Starlight and Snow Leonhart were now strong enough to do exactly that ..and even if things soured, either could at least escape.
"Back to being on my own," Frey muttered as he scanned the wastes.
The Ultras’ land was strange and unchanging: dead deserts, barren plains, and ..now and then ..forests of bleak trees emptied of life.
"This is the fate of any land where demons set foot..."
The more demons arrive ..and the stronger they are ..the worse it gets. Lately, even the air itself felt heavier.
"I need to end the Ultras quickly... and push my power as high as it will go."
He flipped open the system interface. His eyes fell to his strongest asset:
Shadow Adaptation: 4/7.
Stage Four had unlocked, but he still didn’t know what it actually did.
"My body has definitely changed since I purged Whisker’s shadow and opened this stage..."
He teased at his aura; the difference was obvious.
"I’m definitely stronger than I was against Platier... but the ability itself still hasn’t revealed its face."
Each stage of Shadow Adaptation had granted a frightening new power; Stage Four wouldn’t be an exception. It would surely become a major edge ..but likely only under real combat pressure.
"I probably won’t discover it until a fight forces it out of me..."
A foe who could push him past his limits. There weren’t many of those left; even Pontiff Sulyvahn hadn’t truly threatened him at his current level.
So Frey kept hunting for the Ultras’ elites. His present target: Simon Manus.
The search dragged on. All he found were lower-blood Ultras settlements ..places full of the weak and the warped. Frey cut them down quickly and moved on. They did nothing for his Blood Path; they were too feeble even to feed it.
Hours passed. Then days. Nothing. Frey’s patience thinned.
"Where is that bastard hiding?"
He was nearing higher-blood cities and would likely collide with other Ultras forces soon. Even so, there was still no sign of Simon Manus.
Just when it seemed nothing would change, his comm crystal...the one he’d been given before setting out ..flared.
He gripped it and activated it. A phantom projection formed: Seris Moonlight.
"Seris... what is it?" She’d been coordinating communications, so her call wasn’t a surprise.
"Sorry for the sudden interruption, but it’s urgent."
"It’s fine. I haven’t found anything anyway. Tell me.. what happened?"
Seris kept it tight. "Since you all set out, tracking went smoothly ..we’ve been following your positions via the crystals. But just now, something changed. We lost Ellen White’s team’s signal ..suddenly.
I contacted Frost Moonlight and sent him since he was nearest... but his signal vanished the moment he reached Ellen’s last location."
Frey’s face hardened. "Signal loss... meaning?"
"Worst case... something happened to them."
"What about Snow?" Frey halted.
"Snow is still advancing on the far side of the sector ..he’s the farthest from them. I’m going to notify him as well." Seris exhaled. "Frey... this is serious. We’re preparing to move the Empire’s full force toward their position ..but you’re closest."
"So you want me to go first, right?"
"...Yes."
"All right, then." Frey didn’t hesitate. "Guide me in. I’ll handle it."
"Thank you, Frey. I’m counting on you."
Despite her composure, Seris was clearly worried ..especially for Frost Moonlight, her house’s current lord, who had matured so much of late. Losing him would be a brutal blow.
Seris fed Frey the coordinates, and he surged forward at full speed.
"I’m the strongest the Empire has. Don’t worry ..I’ll take care of it."
He braced himself to collide with whoever or whatever ..had taken his comrades.