Avril coughed out blood, feeling her heart about to burst through her chest. Her nose could only smell the foul volcanic scent, not helping her nausea. The Reis was truly a useful power but gave her constant agony. She forced down the blood in her throat. Oscar, Sevon, and Adam always suffered through this; she couldn't complain.

"Don't worry about your friends. I left them alive. Though, they won't be waking up anytime soon." Avril said to the wind user, who scowled with bitten lips. Sweat poured down the half-mask she wore. The previous battles were, as Sevon said. Catching them off-guard and finishing it early with quick successive blows was her best chance against multiple enemies. Avril clenched her staff. Her powers were still far below Oscar and the others, who fought head-on without fear.

'How's Desmond doing?' The rest of the battle depended on Desmond and the others. Blood dripped down her lips. Avril shook off her worries and held her target in her sight. She controlled many roots and twisting branches to deter the wind user. The rest was up to them.

…….

"Desmond!" Arc Ashwolf wielded his two axes, heated to bright orange.

"Arc!" Desmond shouted, his ruler burning bright red. Sparks flew between Desmond and Arc's weapons from their continuous clash. These sparks turned into raging flames in the air and ground. Desmond's bear anima swiped its claws at the side, impeding Arc's wolf anima.

Locking their blades against each other, Desmond and Arc reached a stalemate. Flames continuously sprouted between them. Arc had improved since the last time they fought near the geyser fields. Desmond understood Arc's power as a Grade Six Exolsia was on par with his. However, a fearless smile formed across his face.

"You're too lacking!" Desmond laughed. His foot sprouted flames and blasted away the ground, making Arc stumble momentarily. In all of his battles against the Boss, he learned the importance of territory in a battle. But he could never win against that monster he called Boss. Arc was nothing compared to him.

Diving in with the opening, Desmond formed several orbs of flame around the edges of his ruler. His broad arms lifted the great sword and swung down with all his might. Arc was stuck in the crater, a mouse caught in a trap. The month of training wasn't for nothing, the month of being beaten down like a sandbag.

Along the edges of the ruler, the orbs exploded with tremendous force. The ensuing explosion deepened the crater and broke into the layer of magma flowing underneath. It erupted like a mini-volcano. Lava spread in cracks and crevices, filling the crater and settling into a pool. The fiery rivers of the Burning Valley were a danger even to Exalts. Desmond knew this and still readied himself. He didn't believe his bitter rival would die like this.

Out of the pool of lava, a swirling barrier of flames leaped out. Two axes flew out of the fires, great flaming wheels targeting Desmond. Holding the ruler as a shield, Desmond endured the great force and heat of the two axes. Arc suddenly coughed out blood, pain contorting his face. The wolf anima scraped across the floor to Arc's feet.

"Your anima control has increased since the last time we fought. What happened in recent times?" Arc wiped the blood and crouched by his wolf anima's side, hunters driven to a corner.

"Our new boss is one hell of a trainer. In a short month, we've already learned how to fight well. Our previous ways were naught but savages fighting with their eyes closed." Desmond smiled gleefully. He never imagined Arc being driven to such a state and how his bear anima overpowered the wolf anima. His mind focused, quelling the joy of victory. The boss came here for a purpose.

Desmond stabbed his ruler into the ground. "Surrender and join us. The Boss will train you, and we can have a rematch."

"It's not over yet!" Arc stood up with burns over his arms.

"Oh? Take a look behind you and see for yourself." Desmond gestured to the side. Arc's face, after turning around, nearly made him laugh out loud. Across the battlefield, the boss's plans were well in motion.

The mysterious Arthur defeated two Lower Knight Exalts and held the third back. Desmond never asked about the boss's origins, but seeing the butler uniform on Arthur was enough to know the boss was from a powerful family. How scary. Desmond felt a chill. The boss and Arthur could have easily killed his group if he had resisted.

Thanking god for his choice and being on the same side as these monsters, Desmond watched his friends, the Middle and Lower Knight Exalts, forcing their enemies back. However, the surprise was how well his Elite and Apprentice Exalts were doing.

He didn't understand much about his boss's plans. Distract the enemy with ranged attacks and Arthur's encroaching roots, allowing the bulk of their forces to readjust and attack from the right side. The results were clear to see, as the boss explained. Most of the Ashwolf Clan was in a line formation and easily stumbled from the right-side assault.

The initial strike cut the numbers advantage to an even field. The Ashwolf Clan was losing badly. It was a shame the boss had ordered him and others to avoid killing as many as possible. They could have ended this battle much faster without worrying about it.

Turning his gaze back to the shocked Arc, Desmond grunted to get his attention. "So, will you surrender? You can live much better with the boss in charge."

"Nonsense. Our Grand Elder is still fighting. Once we defeat your boss, we can eliminate the rest of you." Arc seemed to hold onto his faith in the Grand Elder.

"What a shame. But no one can beat the boss." Desmond sighed at Arc's enthusiasm. He felt a pang of sympathy in his heart. Arc's arrogance was the same as he had before fighting the boss. Perhaps he would have a companion to rant about it with. Desmond charged ahead, retrieving his ruler from the dirt.

…….

"Meld stage…." Fenu murmured. "You're also of the metal element."

"Are you saying you're also metal?" Oscar patted Erden's sapphire-armored head. "If you have something to use, you should use it now. I don't believe an elder like yourself has nothing up your sleeve. Is it proper Ein control? Deep Prinstyct or Awaken? Or do you also have a Meld?"

"Show some respect for the Grand Elder!" The other Ashwolf member summoned a slingshot anima, spun the ropes around, and hurled a ball of darkness.

Oscar put up his shield to block. A strange sensation landed on his shield. It wasn't dense or hard but closer to a soft liquid. The droplets of darkness were about to land on Oscar. Erden dove in and soaked them all up; his sapphire armor hissed and rusted slightly.

"Imbued with a spell. Not bad. That's quite useful." Oscar swung his buckler to toss out all the darkness clinging onto it. He felt a strong presence from above and gazed upward. The old Fenu made his move.

Fenu took the time to leap, wielding a sword. Unsurprisingly, a wolf anima manifested beside him and melded into the sword. The sword transformed into a dark blade with white serrated fangs along its edges, resembling a double-edged saw.

'So what's your power?' Oscar focused on Fenu while Erden kept an eye on the other one. His Prinstyct worked through the dual vision, capturing both of their movements. Fenu's Meld was interesting. Every person's Meld gave them a certain ability, such as Orden's multiple strikes and Erden's body of metal and transformations. This would be the third Meld he encountered.

His Prinstyct only understood Fenu's movements and Ein. The reach of the Meld and its capabilities were impossible to read as they were still part of the anima. Seeing Fenu's fearless gaze and relying on his instincts, Oscar jumped far away. He heard the sounds of ravenous fangs and hungry mouths digging in and chewing away.

Fenu hadn't reached the ground, but it vanished, disappearing like something was eating away. Relaying his idea to Erden, Oscar dodged several more spheres of darkness. This time, however, the spheres rotated fast and exploded into swirling vortexes which swallowed the dust and left smooth craters in the ground. How dangerous.

Erden expanded his antlers and swung at Fenu. The Grand Elder smiled and swung his sword against Erden's antlers. Before they even touched, hot sparks and the sounds of scraping flew out. Oscar stared in interest. Erden's antlers were held in place by something invisible, unable to reach Fenu and his sword.

"Old Exalts are indeed difficult to deal with. However, that's why it's better to recruit you." Oscar said. He moved using to invisible motions of Reis, reaching the shocked Fenu. His limbs burned with the Pseudo-Guise. In a single punch, he sought to put Fenu to sleep. Odd. Oscar noticed Fenu's movements in the Prinstyct. Something was coming from the other hand.

"A wolf has two sets of fangs," Gold molded and wrapped around Fenu's left arm. Right before Oscar's eyes, a ferocious golden wolf's head expanded from Fenu's fist, opening its jaw wide. "Too hasty, youngster."

"A grade-three metal spell. I like it." Oscar wrapped his fist in the Golden Drill spell formed with Eirin. For a moment, the golden wolf's fangs held on, a show of Ein concentration and mastery of the old veteran. Cracks formed on the fangs until they broke apart. Oscar stopped his drill midway and released an Eirin Shattering Wave.

Fenu was flung away, his left arm in a mess from the clash. If Oscar hadn't held back, the arm would be gone. The old wolf stood without fear as if his arm wasn't hurt.

"How deep does your Ein Awaken go?" Oscar was surprised. "You must have developed it well over your long years. I can't believe how long you've kept it up and how much Ein you've recovered. However, you can't heal that arm without an elixir or healing spell. Too bad we're not that suited for healing spells as metal types."

"Grand Elder!" The man went over to Fenu's side. "I'm sorry. I let him get too close."

"It's not your fault, Ren. This man moved without our Prinstycts picking up a hint of movement. He's far too strong." Fenu spoke without issue. Oscar would have thought he did no damage if not for the bloodied arm.

"So, what's your decision? You should look at the rest of your clan." Oscar pointed at the battlefield where the Ashwolf Clan was on the back foot. He noticed some of his own was wounded, and his face darkened. "Make your decision now."

"Not yet. I still have more to show." Fenu stepped ahead with Ren. "If you survive the next minute, I'll follow you willingly."

"A minute?" Oscar weighed the options. If he didn't agree, then Fenu might not be as cooperative. How troubling. Why did this elder have to tack on a condition? Oscar cracked his neck and nodded. "Show me what you can do."