Brent City Business District Area C-Four, Lloyd Research Facilities lays one-fourth of the total hectares of the district. As the name implies, its sole purpose is research and to some extent, inventing tools and even new magic.

They are responsible for the development of the city’s magic engineering industry and to enhance the lives of the people with magic centered appliances. However, they also go deeper as to develop weapons not only for people but also for Exturbo.

A resounding sharp footstep reverberates in a white hall that laid no windows. Seigen Lloyd with dignified steps as he dons the white capelet with his school uniform under it while holding a box.

Currently, he is traversing the hallway of the underground layer of the Lloyd Research Facility, a place where handpicked personnel can only enter.

Then, he arrived at his destination, a huge steel door. Seigen nonchalantly walks towards the optical scan and fingerprint scan.

The large circular door made a mechanical sound as it spins slowly. The complex lock that was used here is design for multilayer protection. The door itself is twelve inches thick that even Seigen himself won’t be able to scratch it.

What then behold inside the heavily guarded room is…

“Oh, hey Seigen. Did you bought the game?” A man no younger than Seigen with the same blond hair but contrasting red eyes, said as he relaxes on a sofa while furiously pushing the button of a console game. He even used the large monitor that should be used for research as his screen.

“Yeah, and some foods too. I have to remind you that pizza delivery up unto this chamber is prohibited, Rodh. Anyway, how’s ARMA? Have you finished installing the new features you have mentioned a while ago?” Seigen asked nonchalantly as he laid down the box and took out some game discs and junk foods.

“Err…due to some Unidentified Biological Error, the progress of the redeveloping ARMA has been delayed for a time frame of…” Rodh, who started sweating, explained.

“The Error is your laziness. The time frame is until you finish the game. Just how much of a shut-in have you become? Though you skipped grades and have been moved to Tier Three Degree Four, you are just clacking on your computer all day. Though I’m impressed that you were able to make more inventions than most professionals.” Seigen said and ended his words with a sigh.

“You’re just earnest, too earnest. Anyway, what happened with the boy you were talking about? Sigrun Valker.” Rodh threw a question while keeping his eyes on his game.

“I am not bound to say anything. Anyway, Rodh, I want you to finish revamping ARMA. In three months, I’m going to take a Rank-up Test to enter Tier Three.” Seigen said as he sat down beside Rodh and took a controller.

“Oh, is that so?” Rodh replied without interest.

“Rodh, what are the Eight Tomb Ruins?” Seigen once again asked another question.

“Don’t rush and don't push me. Where did you hear about that? Wait, let me guess, you were snooping around again. What a lame hobby.” Rodh gave a sideglance to Seigen before focusing yet on the game.

“Rodh, the Ten Paladins are here. I heard from Sir Quarts what has traversed that day where Sir Seyren confronted Sigrun Valker. Surely there’s a meaning of why they are here.” Seigen knitted his brows.

“Hmph, they are desperate of course.” Rodh simply said with a scoff.

“What does that mean?” Seigen’s immediate query.

“Out of the Eight Tomb Ruins, for more than two hundred years, they still haven’t conquered even one. The Tomb Ruins of Dreasis in the City of Kruall is what they are trying to investigate and conquer, however, they just keep losing people, magus, per se.” Rodh explained with an annoyed tone.

“If that’s the case, then Sir Seyren is…” Seigen dropped his controller in surprise.

“Not just Seyren, all of them, even Meld. They are all looking for…their own Protégé.” Rodh turns to look at Seigen with a huge grin.

Seigen immediately shot up from his seat and started walking out.

“I have no time to dawdle if that’s the case. Rodh, finish ARMA in three weeks.” Seigen gave a stern command to Rodh.

“Ehh!?~ So forceful.” Rodh said as he puffs his lips out.

“Please! Hey, we are paying you!” Seigen blurted in anger with twitching cheeks.

“Ahaha! As you command! Well then, bye!” Rodh said as Seigen closes the steel door with the scans and buttons again.

The large circular steel door once again closes as Seigen marches away while clenching his fist. He once again traversed the quiet hallway devoided of anyone’s presence, well, not for long.

“Please, please, coming through, Pizza Delivery.” Said by someone who is wearing a shady cloak.

“What are you doing here, Ezili?!” Seigen shouted as he immediately identified the standing bunny ears, golden silken hair, and short stature as his friend.

“Hehe, Seigen, I’m here to deliver pizza, of course.” Ezili smirked while keeping her countenance default deadpan.

“Ezili, spare me of your whims. You are quite knowledgeable of the circumstances too, that’s why you are here.” Seigen stated as he held Ezili’s left arm to prevent her from escaping.

“The Paladins are searching for new protégé? It’s no puzzle for my father who specializes in hacking and information gathering. As for I, of course, I leeched off from my father without his knowledge. As for my reason being here…” Ezili momentarily drops her sight below.

Suddenly, Ezili brought out knives, pinned between her fingers and jumps backward. She threw all of the knives around Seigen that was deeply lodged on the ground. In his response, Seigen also leaps backward, however, Ezili then summoned dozens of chains made of darkness to surround them.

“Ezili, what’s the meaning of this?!” Seigen demanded an explanation.

“Seigen, have a match with me right now. I am aware that you don’t have ARMA but you are still plenty strong.” Ezili declared as she brought her camera out.

“Abruptly declaring a challenge in this place. Ezili, you are better than this.” Seigen uttered those words as if he is anguishing over Ezili’s action.

“Unfortunately, I am not. You may not know this but, I want to be strong too. I don’t want to be in the shadows like my father.” Ezili said with her tone filled with determination.

“That’s a stark contrast with both your hobby and specialized element. What would you gain from this anyway?” Seigen asked as he prepares himself.

“First, I want to gauge my own strength by fighting you. Second, I am going to take out all of my pent up frustration to a certain someone.” Ezili stated as she started attacking.

“A..certain someone?!” Seigen shouted as he dodges a kick from Ezili.

Ezili and Seigen’s match rages on.

Meanwhile, Reed, Alisa, and Emeralda are traversing the Sacred Mountain aiming for the summit where Sigrun is, continues to hide from the monstrosities of the wilderness.

They’ve been traversing for more than eighteen hours now without a sleep, however, Reed and Alisa, even though they show fatigue on their faces, are wide awake because of their vigilance of the surrounding.

CRUNCH

The three who are moving slowly in the blanket of the shadow behind the thickets heard something. Of course, they turned their attention to the direction where the sound came.

There, three wolves with silver manes are eating a bear five times their sizes. The blood spill from their mouth as they greedily devour the meat of their prey.

“Hmm? Ah, the wolves with wind magic. By the damage that the bear received, most likely, the game ends up at the three rotating in attack with a wind blade. Truly, they are subjective with strategies even if they are not communicating with each other through understandable words.” Reed spoke in his mind as he observes the scene of carnage with unwavering eyes.

“Ah, how grotesque. They are even starting somewhere around the ribs. Maybe that’s where the juicy parts are. Anyway, if I am a wolf myself, the best thing to consider is the thigh part.” Alisa’s residing thoughts as she also watches the wolves.

Emeralda watches the two, who has amused countenance, grimace horribly.

“Hey…what the hell!? You two adapts too quick! Who would have thought that the lassie over there was crying earlier and that lad is trembling with fear? Now, they just observe things like this is just a discovery channel! Well, to be honest, they’ve just obediently following my order like what I told them.” Emeralda inwardly said as she scratches the back of her head.

“Lady Emeralda, where should we go next?” Reed directed a stare at Emeralda with those thoughts ringing in his mind.

“To some extent, I can understand their gazes and they can understand mine. It’s like, we are not using our lips but our stares conveys the necessary words. Anyway, let’s go there.” Emeralda once again sighs quietly as she pointed at a direction using her chin.

“Understood!” Alisa nodded in affirmation.

They moved again in unison and making an as little sound as possible.

“Anyway, if I saw that bunny again, I wonder what would I do if I fought it one-on-one? Dodge here, observe its strategies. No, they don’t use strategy but rather, their instinct.” Reed brooded over about the rabbit they initially encountered.

“Hmm, since the magical beasts here are strong, doesn’t that mean that they are delicious when cooked? Like, because they are immensely submerged with magical energy, won’t they have a firmer and richer taste?” Alisa also brooded over some matters.

“These two must be thinking something really unnecessary…” Emeralda’s only thought at that moment.

“To reduce this dreadful forest for their learning growth, entertainment, and training grounds, how fearsome. Kids these days…or maybe they are just unique? Anyway, it’s impressive that they constantly hunger for knowledge. Not to mention, they also learned how to look out for one another in such a short period of time, truly, they would become a perfect pair.” Emeralda mulled over those facts as she evaluate Reed and Alisa.

Emeralda was suddenly struck awe by Reed and Alisa’s way of hoarding possible knowledge. It was stunning to the point that she found herself several times staring at the pair. She is aware that both of them are talented, hearing that they are both finalists of the state competition last year.

However, that competition didn’t prove any real basis regarding them. It was now that Emeralda saw that they are keeping not just talents, not just potentials, but a real predisposition to stand at the top. Young they may be, in a few years of guidance and training, they would be no doubt, a magus to be envied upon.

But there are also a lot of special people with talents that may be greater than them.

For Emeralda though, these have already outpaced everyone else due to just one special factor that none may even have anymore. A factor she herself knows.

The connection with the existence called Sigrun, something solely unique for them.

Why did they come this far in the first place just for a single person? Why do they try their best in this circumstances for someone they’ve barely know at all.

Their drive alone and their pursuit for the man called Sigrun is already a proof the these two, Reed Chelle and Alisa Hertuclaire, are being pulled by a thin thread of destiny that stored something big for them.

Every single one of those factors, Emeralda has considered it.

Reed and Alisa right now are nothing but walking unpolished diamonds in her eyes. Diamonds that, if further tempered, will become as bright as the stars.

“I have decided. I am going to make these two…my apprentices.” Emeralda said to herself as she clenches her fist filled with determination to make the best out of them.