Corralling the energy into a single location was more difficult than he expected. The energy was unruly and uncontrollable. It sought an outlet by any means, even if it had to destroy everything in its path.

'How can I control it?' Kade thought, his mind far clearer than he could have expected under the circumstances.

Taking a deep breath, an idea dawned upon him. Slowly, he formed his remaining Altaris into hair-sized strands and pierced the foreign energy one after the other. As the Altaris containing the energy weakened, it began to grow unruly again, spreading throughout his body.

Thankfully, when the process was finished, he had managed to keep sixty percent of the energy stable while enduring the pain of the other forty percent running through his body.

Testing his control, he slowly moved the Altaris inside of the foreign energy and felt it follow. 'Good. Good...' Next, he moved it to the nearest channel and allowed it to seep in.

A new type of pain that he could only describe as liquid nitrogen flowing through the veins quickly overtook his mind. Followed by intense pressure that threatened to burst his Altaris channel.

This was foreign energy, unrefined and unsuited to traverse the channels intended for Altaris. And since he could only control it in a large mass, it stretched his channels nearly to their breaking point.

Thankfully, his channels held. As long as his body didn't break, he wouldn't allow his mind to.

Taking a deep breath, he slowly circulated the energy through his channels. He didn't want to reverse the natural flow in fear that it would cause too much damage, and his starting point was too far from his right hand where he needed to release it.

Two minutes and nearly a full cycle later, the energy was finally at the right spot. He tugged the threads in the energy to move them outside of his body. A milky haze began to emit from his hand but quickly retracted, causing a portion to dissipate.

'Damnit!' He thought as he quickly regained control. He had become excited and tried to release the energy too quickly, causing it to lose control.

Unfortunately, the energy had moved with the natural flow of his channel in his lapse of control, forcing him to endure a second cycle, furthering the damage to his channels.

Once again, the energy moved into position, but he wouldn't make the same mistake twice. Slowly and meticulously, he guided the foreign energy out of his hand. The milky haze returned and slowly grew. A thin blue shell encased it, preventing it from suffusing into the air.

It took more than thirty seconds to fully release the energy, and his hand glowed like never before. He held it against Obruo and waited. The seconds ticked away, each one adding a bit of distress.

Had he endured intense pain, damaged his body and Altaris channels, and put in all of that effort for nothing?!

However, hints of purple appeared before the electricity streamed out of Obruo and surrounded his hand like a school of minnows. It quickly ate away at his energy, causing the foreign energy to lose control and explode out before dissipating.

Thankfully, he reacted swiftly by swinging his arm, lessening the potential damage by a large margin.

Turning back to Obruo, he saw that the pup's body had finally relaxed and its jaw was no longer clamped onto the beast.

He quickly expelled the remaining energy rampaging through his body before sighing. He didn't have the capability of using such a method a second time. His body was in shambles and his mind was exhausted. The fact that he was somehow holding it together was nothing short of a miracle.

"Fearless Leader!" Cal yelled as he approached, followed by the rest of the group. "Are you good?"

Kade cut a sorry figure. Kneeling in the dirt with his shoulders slumped over, his eyes were languid, and his breathing haggard.

"I'll live... Probably." He responded weakly.

"What the hell happened?" Jay asked with furrowed brows "We saw you dodge that lightning, but then you just curled up on the ground while groaning."

They had wanted to help, but Kade had ordered them not to interfere with his fights, regardless of the outcome. They didn't understand why, but they respected him enough to obey.

Collecting himself, Kade responded "I was hit by a sliver of the electricity. It raged around inside my body and I had some trouble dispelling it."

Jay frowned "Ben, heal him."

"No!" Kade replied quickly "Healing me would do more harm than good right now."

He didn't want the kid's help on solo hunts, but he wasn't being stubborn right now. His body was in shambles, but that helped currently.

He had absorbed the energy from a beast core that was full of impurities and circulated that energy through his channels. Those impurities were left behind in his channels, and while normally there were methods to clear impurities from a cultivator's channels-- Like the cleansing pill Tetron had provided -- his circumstances were vastly different.

His channels had been severely damaged from overstretching. They had countless tears throughout, and if they healed with the impurities within those crevices, it could harm his future cultivation.

Luckily, without outside intervention, his body would prioritize healing his physical injuries before damage to his Altar or channels. This bought him some time to find a way of clearing the impurities.

"Uh... Shit. Okay. Just rest then. We will process the beast for you." Jay said while gesturing to the others, who quickly got to work.

"Thanks. The important parts are the antlers and beast core. You guys can have anything else." Kade replied.

The kids weren't great at processing beast's but with five people all working toward the same goal they were able to finish in remarkable time. After, Jay and Walter supported Kade while Trey carried Obruo away from the macabre scene.

Thirty minutes later, Jay called for a break to give Kade some time to rest.

"So, what's the plan?" Jay asked while helping Kade sit down by a tree.

Scrunching his face in pain, Kade rested his back against the tree. "I have to focus on cleansing my channels. So you've got two options." He said while raising his fingers "One, you can take a break for the day and focus on cultivation, practice, or forage. Two, you can look for weaker beasts that you are confident in defeating and use the battle to improve your teamwork."

Jay adopted a pensive expression before shaking his head "I'm not confident fighting a beast without having you around to support us. Not this deep into the wildness, at least."

"Okay." Kade nodded "The first option it is then. Set up camp first, then do what you want. You might be able to find herbs, minerals, or other natural treasures in the area." He advised, though, even he didn't know what to look for when it came to natural treasures.

Jay nodded before instructing the others.

After observing for a few minutes, Kade fished his book on Altaris. He remembered a chapter dedicated to impurities.

Finding the chapter, he read through. With every page he flipped, his expression became more severe. Most of the chapter detailed how impurities are accumulated and how to prevent build-up. It wasn't until he read the last few pages that he finally found the information he needed.

"In the case that you have already accumulated too many impurities, you still have a few options.

First, assuming you absorb a large amount of impurities in a short amount of time and they haven't solidified in your channels, you can flush them out of your body by creating a pipe with your Altaris. By creating a hollow pipe and rotating your Altaris, you will draw the free-floating impurities into the center. Finally, you expel them in the same manner as you absorbed them."

Kade's eyes lit up, this was exactly what he needed! However, there was a second method, and out of curiosity, he decided to read about it as well.

"The second method is for when the impurities have already solidified. This time, you will create a drill or a chisel and chip away at the solidified impurities. Once you have the impurities broken up, you can collect them with your Altaris and expel them.

Unfortunately, this method will not remove every speck of impurity. Therefore, you should never allow the impurities to build up to the point of solidification, lest your future cultivation is permanently damaged."

Kade wasn't surprised by the final paragraph. He already knew that allowing impurities to build up could lead to complications. However, this chapter only referenced methods of cleansing the channels without external help.

There were many methods to cleanse, repair, and in rare situations modify one's channels. The cleansing pill was one such example. Unfortunately, such methods were extremely expensive.

Thankfully, the impurities in his channels weren't solidified.

Closing the book, he returned it to his bag before adjusting his posture and entering meditation. Focusing on his Altar, he released the mental restriction that had kept his Altaris contained within over the last hour, allowing the energy to slowly flow into his channels. Once a sufficient amount was released, he closed his Altar off once again while taking control of the small portion now in his channels.

The Altaris began to twist and warp in an attempt to take a precise shape. Kade felt a heat rise in his head, resulting in a red face as he struggled with the precise control needed. Occasionally, his face distorted in pain after a mistake.

It was one thing to manipulate and mold Altaris when it was outside of the body. While it was completely different doing so within the body. The level of control needed was far higher due to the restricted space and lack of visual indicators. Not to mention the damage that could follow a mistake.

He was proud of his skill at manipulating his Altaris normally, but that pride was crushed the moment he tried to form the Altaris in his body. He could only relate it to something like building a model ship inside of a bottle.

any mistake-- and he made many -- would result in intense pain due to his already damaged channels. Perhaps the worst part of it all was the fact that he was on a timer. If he couldn't clear the impurities before his channels healed... Well, he preferred not to think of the consequences.

Even with all of these factors combined, he knew he could do it. Desperation was a great trainer and combined with the high pressure often resulted in miraculous achievements. Besides, he wasn't the type to accept defeat.

By hook or crook, he would succeed. Even if he had to damage his channels further to buy some time.

"Whoooo." He released an anxious breath to calm himself. 'You got this, and when it's over you'll be stronger than ever.' He consoled himself before diving back in.

-

"HAHAHA." William cackled while standing over an engorged beast, his foot resting on it in a dominating fashion. "You thought you could beat us? Ha, you were just Flirting with Disaster!" He bellowed while pushing the squishy flesh down.

"Haaa." Mike facepalmed before shaking his head "Will, please stop spouting cringy shit, I beg of you."

"HAHAHAHA"

Raising his head, Mike could only grimace as he saw Hank with his curly red locks mimicking William's pose with the addition of akimbo arms.

"You were a worthy enemy! The mightiest of foes! Yet, you couldn't stand before our might..." Hank paused as he gazed to the sky, his expression becoming fervent "But in the end, you are just one of the many that will fall before us."

Scorn filled Mike's eyes before he turned to his right. Two of the three members they had recruited were staring with odd expressions.

"Wait..." Mike frowned before cranking his he back toward the dynamic duo and realizing that it was now a trio.

A Chubby man stood beside his new friends with a goofy grin plastered on his face. "What else was to be expected?!" He roared breathily "We are the best there ever was!" His fist struck the air as he held it up like a champion boxer after a big win.

'Oh dear god... The stupidity is contagious.' Mike thought in horror as he involuntarily stepped back, his face displaying faux horror.

"Ahem, uh..." The only female on their team cleared her throat "We should probably get the beast core and leave the area..."

"Yes, yes. True." Hank responded as he climbed on the beast. In a sickening display, he gouged a chunk out of the beast and reached his arm in. Fumbling around for some time, he pulled out a shining crystal and held it up with a gratified smile.

His expression warped before he coughed intensely. Pinching his nostrils shut, he turned to the others "Okay, let's scoot."

-

Soft music filled the room. A young, beautiful woman dressed in a Burgandy dress surveyed the crowd while occasionally taking a sip of champagne, completely disinterested in the conversation taking place beside her.

"Ahem, so." Beside her, a handsome blond man wore a frustrated expression. "Can I take you to dinner sometime?" He had been trying to get her attention for half of the night already.

Looking over, the woman shook her head "No. This relationship is purely professional."

"I understand that fully. However, I think it's important that, as the leaders of our respective groups, we take steps to become further acquainted." The blond man responded, unflustered.

"I disagree." The woman replied before taking a sip of her champagne "My time is too valuable to waste, and after tonight I doubt we will be seeing each other much."

The man's expression dipped further "Are you saying that our cooperation is a waste-"

"Pardon my interruption." A confident voice interjected.

An older man with greying hair approached. His attire denoted his status as a Brigadier General in the Army.

"You're Miss Valentina, the Leader of Matron's Divinity, I presume?"

"That's right." Stella replied with furrowed brows. The man looked familiar for some reason. "You are?"

With a smile, he responded "Brigadier General King, but you can call me Joseph."

"To what do I owe this pleasure, Brigadier General King?" She asked.

"Straight to the point I see. Good." Joseph nodded "I understand that you're looking to cooperate with the United States military in regards to your work as a Champion. Correct?"

"That's right." She replied with a hint of anticipation. She had wanted to develop a cooperative relationship with the military from the beginning, but without connections, that proved difficult.

Joseph nodded "Your application has been reviewed and we are aware of your conditions. Now, allow me to present ours." he said while presenting a stack of papers.

"First, Matron's Divinity will be required to respond to any crisis that befalls the United States for the duration of our cooperation. Second, Matron's Divinity will be required to accept one A-tier mission every six months. Finally, the United States military reserves the first right to purchase the treasures obtained from Detrius that you intend to sell."

Stella frowned pensively. Her first priority was her group's freedom and such was stated in her application. The conditions presented in return weren't unacceptable, but they bordered her limits. In her eyes, they were quite restrictive, but at the same time, she realized that this was the best she would be offered.

Seeing her hesitation, Joseph spoke "This is a good deal. Far better than most get. Understand that the reason you're being offered such lenient terms is due to your performance. While Matron's divinity isn't the top team, it's still impressive."

His expression hardened "However, the game is still early. As more people enter the stage, the competition will become more fierce. At that point, it will be harder to stand out as have. As such, do you really want to risk this opportunity?"

Stella pondered on his words for a moment before sighing and grabbing the papers before glaring at him "Don't misunderstand. I'm confident that Matron's Divinity will never be outshined, but I know how this game is played."

They both knew that the only reason such a favorable contract was written was because of the difficulty the military was having with recruiting Champions. However, time would remedy that issue. By that time, even the strongest team wouldn't get such lax conditions.

"Noted. Read over the contract and return it before the end of the week." Joseph replied before smiling "Now that business has been concluded, would you mind if I asked a question?"

Stella nodded.

"What is Detrius like?" Joseph asked with curiosity. "Everyone I've asked so far has different stories, and I'd like to hear of Matron's Divinity's experiences."

Stella shrugged "There are a lot of bushes and bigger animals. There isn't much else to say really."

"Ugh, that's ridiculous Stel." Cassie chimed in as she stepped beside her. "I'm Cassie Deville." She said coquettishly while holding out her hand.

Joseph raised a brow before grasping her hand "It's a pleasure."

"Same." Cassie replied before shooting an indignant glare at Stella "Don't mind our leader. She isn't much for bragging. The truth is, Detrius is really pretty and dangerous."

Stella relaxed and listened for a moment. Regardless of her attitude, Stella was glad that Cassie stepped in. Tonight had been a little overwhelming and the last thing she wanted to do was entertain another person.

Besides, something was bugging her. 'Where have I seen him before?' She asked herself with furrowed brows. It wasn't a big deal, but it grated on her nerves. However, she couldn't spend all night engrossed in her thoughts over such an insignificant matter.

She was far too busy these days. Even events like this party, which she normally enjoyed, were more of a nuisance when compared to her aspirations.

It was ironic. Freedom was the goal she was striving towards, but to achieve it, she had to give up the little freedom she currently had.

'It'll be worth it.' She consoled herself before quietly slipping away.