"If you had possessed enough value, the old bastard would have sacrificed you to save his skin. Remember the fate of brother Jyunta before you choose your side."

The sentence was etched in her skull, showcasing staunch resistance when she tried to erase it using her Bone devour. The font was tiny, looking cursive, the depth and curves made in each letter were as if Hubert had taken his time to carve it on her skull.

'His comprehension of Bone Devour is terrifying; it is as if the Skill was made for him.' Havita controlled her expression of shock, letting out a wry smile, emitting her aura. Her aura was like an energy fluctuation that expelled all the blood and grime on her body, reverting her to her pristine state.

The Nurturing effect of the Wisdom Parasite was universal, affected only by the Sync Rate. Though, Warriors with similarly developed bodies possessed differing battle strength, thanks to various factors ranging from battle insight, preparation, intuition, foresight, techniques used, mental state, etc. Though, at the end of the day, their base prowess was the same.

But, when it came to the domain of Skills, it was a different matter altogether. Skills were Nurtured under the effect of the body's capabilities, advantages, traits, muscle memory, experiences, mental state, emotions, memories, etc.

Once Nurtured, the effect of the Skill varied based on the individual's comprehension. The greater the comprehension, the greater the effect of the Skill; it gave rise to a chance to effect beyond the capabilities of the given Tier.

Skills at Tier 1 and 2 generally didn't improve upon comprehension. It was due to their effects having physical limits, depending on the Nurtured state of their bodies. The Skills of Developers and beyond showed visible improvement depending on the individual's comprehension of the Skill.

The fact that Hubert Bone could overwhelm Havita Bone, despite their bodies being at a similarly Nurtured state was thanks to his comprehension of Bone Devour dwarfing her.

"I was just checking his strength." Havita Bone said, massaging her brows, trying to ignore the sentence etched in her skull.

"So, how is he? Does he have enough strength to avoid being an embarrassment?" Jyovic Bone relaxed his state, walking back to the truck numbered '0'.

"He is…" Havita Bone paused for a second, recalling some memories she hadn't willed to recollect, thanks to the statement etched in her skull, changing her sentence, "Passably strong; he won't be an embarrassment."

"That is fine," Jyovic Bone nodded, "Hubert has better talent than Henrietta."

In the meantime, Hubert Bone had neared the truck, his ears strained to their conversation. He heard Havita's opinion of him, slightly affecting his pace, decreasing his speed by a margin.

'So, she isn't completely irredeemable. She hasn't become the old bastard's puppet yet.' Hubert Bone exerted some strength in legs, willing to make a small leap to the top of the truck when he heard Jyovic Bone's reply.

His body turned still, his face scrunching up, seething with rage. He immediately exercised his self-control, seeking to mask his broiling emotions. He slightly released his aura, dusting off the traces of blood on his pant as he jumped, making an arc in the air, and landing on the top of the truck.

His foot touched the deck—semicircle surface at the top—of the truck, producing naught but a dull thump, thanks to him exercising control, restraining his strength. Also standing on the deck was Ankrakhen Light, watching the proceedings in silence.

Hubert Bone brushed past Ankrakhen Light, pausing for an instant to give a perfunctory bow, as a show of respect. He then heard Ankrakhen Light speak, the voice transmitted to his ears through psychic energy.

"Sir Bone is plagued by worries; I can now glean the reason why."

'Another fox,' Hubert wanted to retort with a vicious statement; he immediately curbed the thought. The other party was a senior among the Light Family, one of the two Royal Families in Marble City. Only two figures stood above him, and they were Rhachis Ancestor Light and Rhachis Ancestor Strongest.

Offending him for no reason was tantamount to foolishness. Hubert Bone continued his way, opening the door to descend the flight of stairs, vibrating his vocal cord to produce a muffled sound. The sounds were absorbed by the lingering psychic arm, transmitted to the source in an instant.

"Indeed; none of the younger generation can catch up to father's achievements."

Closing the door shut, Hubert Bone descended the stairs, the light of his actions echoed in his mind, thinking of the rest of the Bone Family members participating in the mission.

'I too have a family, Henrietta. I can't take a hard-on approach, lest it affects the development of my children. But, I will definitely get justice for you. Also, rest assured; I will support Jyorta and Heima like they are my own children.'

"The survivability of the Bone Family members is the highest among all the Aristocratic Families, thanks to Bone Devour. Our development is also many times theirs, further inciting their jealousy. If it is not handled well, situations similar to Henrietta will crop up numerous times in the future." He let out a self-deprecating sigh, walking over the path mottled with numerous holes.

Henrietta had a special position in the Bone Family, not only due to her pedigree but also due to her relationship with Bone Devour. She was the first individual to officially wield the completed product, the Unranked Skill Bone Devour. It was her name, her performance, and the data she generated that were stored in official records, maintained by the two Royal Families.

Basically, the fame, significance, and popularity of Bone Devour were connected to her. Her rise would have spurred numerous strong Warriors from the common populace willing to marry into the Bone Family, further strengthening them.

Now, after she, the first holder had been killed, it created a detrimental effect, slowing down Bone Family's expansion. Even though people still expressed their willingness to marry into the Bone Family, a red mark had been imprinted in the official records.

The first wielder of Bone Devour was killed as a Shifter, thanks to losing control on the battlefield, the stain permanent in their history. It devalued Bone Devour, also leading to the Warriors from their family placed at a lesser value among the Aristocratic circles.

"The umbrella shields from the storm while the grass below engages in conspiracy and internal conflicts." Arriving at the control room, Hubert Bone sat in his designated seat, glancing at the outside through a large monitor affixed overhead. Unless the situation necessitated, he wasn't required to take charge of the situation.

…

9:15 PM, Jyorta accompanied Anruk Light, having arrived at a sprawling workplace. All across the journey, he received numerous stares from curious onlookers, wondering the reason for his existence in this place, one where the elites of Marble City had been gathered.

His expression brimmed with curiosity, unleashing the inner engineer in him, adding a slight hop to his feet. He wanted to distract his focus for the time being and recharge his mental strength. This would allow him to work with greater efficiency later; after all, he had to prepare a lot in order to save Heima.

Anruk Light led him through numerous narrow paths, pacing beyond the institutional structures, barring him from satisfying his curiosity.

"In the future, after you become a Wave Controller, there will be an opportunity for you to join the Grapple Force. Though, in order to be qualified, you should be an elite among Tier 3." Having gleaned his thoughts through his facial expression, Anruk Light let out a smile, taking the role of a gentle senior, one that sought to guide the younger generation.

He walked towards a large door, pushing it open, allowing a dense aroma of delicacies to waft out, the flavours broiling with all sorts of intensities. "Try not to talk with others unless they approach you first. Even then, should they ask you about the reason for your visit, exercise your right to remain silent. Anything the Madam had said to you stays with you, got it?"

"Yes, sir." Jyorta nodded, trying his best to stay in line. Also, he had fair confidence in his ability to keep secrets. He then watched the plethora of people seated around various round tables—each capable of seating 20 people—discussing many important topics.

"There is a drawback with Deific Inference…" Jyorta strained his ears, wanting to hear their conversation to glean more information, most of which were inaccessible to the current him. The sentence he had focused on was cut short, deafening all the sounds.

Feeling surprised, Jyorta noticed a pair of psychic arms shielding his ears, preventing him from hearing the ongoing discussions. He then felt the pair of psychic arms vibrate, transmitting a voice into his ears, "The contents of their conversation is confidential. I hope you understand."

Jyorta nodded, showcasing his disappointment. He then noticed a woman walk towards them, dressed in a set of loose-fitting garments, allowing her long hair to cascade like a waterfall. Her face etched an expression of curiosity, glancing at Jyorta walking behind Anruk Light.

She inched closer to him, stopping at a distance of two metres, sporting a smile. "Hello there!"

"Hello, miss." Jyorta waved his hand, flashing his signature smile. Despite being unable to hear her voice, he could make out the contents through her lip movement and facial expression. Moreover, it was a simple greeting used by everyone; so, it wasn't difficult to figure out.

The lady noticed the presence of the two psychic arms covering his ears, trailing her senses to their source, glancing at Anruk Light with raised eyebrows.

"Madam brought him here. He is Heima's younger brother." Anruk Light replied, silently using two of his psychic arms to block a flash of light from making an appearance. He stared at the lady, narrowing his eyes, inquiring about her actions.

The lady smiled, emitting a flash of light, forming them into a row of sentences, allowing Jyorta to gaze at them. Before he could even register the first word, a barrier of psychic energy shielded his eyesight, making the contents behind look shrouded in a fog.

Suddenly, the lady straightened her back, her expression turning solemn. Her right hand sped up, rising towards her temples, performing a standard military salute. Seeing her action, Anruk Light's body shuddered in fright, turning around to glance behind him.

Except for a couple of Espers watching the drama, there wasn't the presence of the Madam he had feared. Realising the scheme he fell for, conforming to a childish level, he felt embarrassed.

Anruk Light retracted his gaze, glancing at the lady dashing away with Jyorta in tow. Sensing his gaze, she turned around and winked his way, letting out a cheerful laugh.

"I'll be doomed." Anruk Light felt his head spin, making his vision go dark. He hurriedly chased after the lady, intent to prevent any harm from occurring to Jyorta.