In an office projection, a middle-aged man, who exuded a sophisticated and elegant aura, was signing some papers.
“I heard you called your brother and, according to him, you were acting a little ‘weird’,” the man commented with solemn calm.
Even though he was signing some papers without looking at the camera, the atmosphere that released a certain unique pressure.
Clémentine who had just taken the call froze when she heard her father’s comment.
“Oh, it seems to be true,” the man muttered, and raised his head to look directly at Clémentine.
Clémentine hesitated as she saw her father’s eyes turn slightly purple, but controlled her expression and gave a smile.
“I’m just a little nervous. I have an important mission and I was just nervous,” Clémentine replied as best she could and in response, her father raised an eyebrow.
She had spoken to her brother and perhaps because of her nervousness told him to be careful and was honest with the appreciation she felt for him, giving the parting sentiment.
She didn’t think she would let her father know.
“You said ‘nervous’ twice,” her father pointed out without changing his expression.
Clémentine blinked, not knowing how to react, as she noticed her father’s expression.
That look basically said ‘gotcha’, even though he had repeated the same word twice... To her, it was inconceivable.
“How important and dangerous is this mission?” her father asked with a serious tone.
The man’s eyes turned purple as psionic energy emanated from his body.
They were in two different places and separated by a screen, even so, the gaze through the projection led to Clémentine’s involuntary trembling.
When a powerful psionic like her father was watching her, Clémentine knew it would be impossible for her to lie and if she cut the call, it was likely that her father would arrive in a few minutes and look for her to check her condition.
Her father could be indifferent on some issues, however, he prioritized family, foremost.
“It’s a classified mission,” Clémentine answered sincerely.
That was an answer to the question.
A mission that was so important that it became classified and could not be talked about easily.
Her father stopped using his psionic energy to watch her and, with an equally serious look, asked. “Do you believe in victory?”
The question took Clementine by surprise, and her father continued.
“If you don’t believe in victory, withdraw. Saving or helping others is pointless if you end up dead,” her father stated coldly.
Choosing between his daughter’s life and another unknown person, her father would always choose the former... No matter how cold and uncaring he seemed to the rest.
“Yes. I believe in victory,” Clémentine replied in a confident tone.
The certainty in her voice came not only from her strength, that of her companions, or the hard training they went through but, from individuals like Aurora, Alice and Akira, and all the others who would take part in the mission.
Even Henrik’s group was included in the list.
Aurora was not someone who would risk them and give them a mission that would be deadly or impossible.
Dangerous situations could happen, it was true, but to respond to such situations were her companions.
“Unfortunately, I can say no more,” Clémentine added with a half-smile.
It was unfortunate since, if she talked about the mission, her skilled companions could reassure her father.
Still, she understood the meaning of ‘classified’.
“That little group of mercenaries ended up being more than I expected,” her father murmured in a curious tone, and looking at Clémentine, he added. “If you will go. Just make sure you escape if things get complicated. Don’t risk your life for unimportant people.”
Clémentine’s expression trembled for a moment.
Her father’s words were too direct, and that man did not hide his thoughts, even though it contradicted what she believed.
After a brief conversation, she cut the call off.
Wednesday 29 [10:45 p.m.].
Clémentine checked the time and then left her room, using a doorway to get to the living room, finding the other members of her group.
“Are you finished?” Shao Ya asked curiously.
“Yes. My father knows me well and noticed my attitude, even though I didn’t tell him anything,” Clémentine answered with complete honesty.
The mission would start in a few minutes, and while Aurora had not forbidden calls to her relatives, she had forbidden her to talk about the mission, as it was classified.
It was hard for Clémentine to imagine how someone on another continent could affect the mission. However, as these orders were part of the mission itself, she followed it to the letter.
After all, she was a member of the mercenary group and she had to behave according to the strict rules of the group.
When it became [11:00 p.m.], Clémentine moved with her group to the training basement where the other members of the expedition were located.
“Wear your masks,” Akira ordered as she let the various masks show on the table.
Masks that hid their faces completely, they were usually all white and looked like the style of masks they wore at the concert they took part in at the anniversary party, only with a small crystal on the inside as a difference.
Once everyone put on the masks, they took on original designs and gave them a unique style while changing the color of their hair, eyes, and voice.
Even the design of their armor and combat suits changed to a totally different one.
These masks had a communication system and in reserve a psionic telepathy system that allowed for faster and more private communication.
While their enemies would have difficulty identifying them, they knew who was who among their masked comrades.
“The masks are the security needed to prevent retaliation and also very useful if they need to keep a low profile,” said a young black-haired woman with a high-pitched and pleasant voice, wearing a smiling white mask and touching her mask she commented. “Of course, in my case and Alice’s, wearing masks is not necessary.”
The masks prevented retaliation and ensure security so that identities would not be discovered, but they centered these protections on the students so that they could continue at the academy with no one knowing what they did here.
The military had even prepared an official mission to hide their current actions.
However, it was different for Aurora and Alice... The latter had a particular ability that was easily recognizable, and strangely when the latter was present the former accompanied her and vice versa.
“Henrik and Akira are leaders of their respective adventurer’s guilds and they have an image to maintain. It’s for that reason they wear masks,” Aurora added calmly.
Both guild leaders with their respective masked members needed to be careful with their actions, as the images of their guilds could be affected.
While it was fine for Akira to assist in the ‘Ark’ mission, it was another matter if someone identified them as a member of this mission.
Clémentine was sure that even if it came out, it wouldn’t be that much of a problem, since they were about to stop someone who was about to perform a demonic ritual.
Still, she understood the reason for keeping their masks on.
Both Aurora and Alice could protect themselves from retaliation differently from the group of students.
“You all know what your assignments will be. I will not comment on that subject, but act with precaution and caution, always keeping your safety as your principal focus,” Aurora announced in a simple tone.
They had reviewed the plan all afternoon and had prepared for different situations that could occur.
They knew what their mission and aim were and knew their task.
“We will have to go after the church group. High Priestess Xaali will be in charge and they will offer us their support.” Aurora commented and, giving a signal for them to follow her, they all headed for the portal with their masks on.
A few hours ago, they had contacted the church group, and now they knew what that group’s job was.
When they went through the portal, they came to a subway chamber in which a huge portal was located.
Surrounding them were priests and some fully armed paladins.
“How’s it going?” Aurora asked Liam who was checking various screens.
“The trucks are already arriving, the guards have erected some warehouses, but no sighting of General Kavuri yet,” Liam reported, and with a half sigh, he noted. “However, we have detected some signs of life on the trucks before we had to withdraw the scouts.”
The information he could receive at this point was scarce, and since the mission was about stopping General Kavuri, they had to proceed with caution.
Missions weren’t just ‘charging’ to a location directly, meticulous scouting and reliable information would help cut down time and save people without running into worse situations.
“Perfect, let’s go. Whether General Kavuri arrives eventually, it doesn’t matter,” Aurora said, giving the signal for High Priestess Xaali to get ready.
That priestess gathered her group of priests, and the portal in the center activated steadily.
Clémentine swallowed nervously and tried to calm her pounding heart, then the next moment, calm came suddenly.
A wave of psionic energy sought to reassure those who were affected.
Layla, who was a psionic focused on mental attacks, used her abilities to calm the anxious thoughts of those affected, allowing the students to feel better.
Clémentine took a deep breath and, seeing that her classmates were calmer, she followed Aurora, who entered the portal.
The distortion and movement took a few seconds, as the next moment they descended into the middle of a forest covered by the darkness of night.
Surrounded by trees and with the moon in the sky as the only illumination, they all drank the concoction that allowed them to see through the night.
Branches rustled and Liam gave a signal to the darkness near them, then a small group of scouts emerged from the area.
“Thank you for your support. You can rest now,” Aurora said to those soldiers who had served as scouts.
Members of the army’s special forces, each of them were expert A-Ranks with strong stealth and concealment skills.
When High Priestess Xaali deployed a barrier to conceal them, Liam deployed screens from his drones.
Special small cameras and drones developed to hide and go unnoticed from the senses of an S-Rank were transmitting right now.
“The hostages are in the warehouses, their life signs are weak and the guards covering it have an average strength of B-Rank. Surrounding the mansion are other guards. Their strength is varied, with some A-Ranks present,” Liam reported, checking all the cameras and boosting the signal detectors with his skill.
With the presence of a mechanic like Liam, the drones could conduct a more thorough and accurate investigation, even though the distance was undoubtedly a burden.
However, with his brief investigation, he could confirm that they would perform the ritual as General Kavuri planned.
“I have confirmed General Kavuri,” Liam announced in a slightly excited tone.
Everyone looked on the screen at the middle-aged man wearing a military uniform who stood on the terrace watching the demonic magic circle in the backyard.
While one could detect life signs and magical or psionic energy to verify the enemies present, most reduced the energy they emanated when not in combat, making it impossible to identify and confirm their target once inside the mansion.
However, it was different if he appeared by himself.
“Let’s move. Clémentine, your group will be in charge of rescuing the hostages. Henrik’s group will take care of the enemy forces and Akira’s group will take care of pressuring General Kavuri and any guards that get close,” Ordered Aurora, giving the same orders they all knew, and looking at the church group, she asked. “The official mission will begin in ten minutes. We will also begin at the same time.”
Those who would make the first move would be High Priestess Xaali with her group of five members, however, elsewhere the army would also begin operation Assault acting at the same time.
Pressing from different places preventing any enemy forces from moving to support other areas.
The groups moved, and Clémentine led her team.
Using a scroll of darkness magic, it allowed her to conceal the sound of her footstep, the smell, and her presence.
Empowered by her equipment’s stealth, the group felt safe.
Thanks to the scouting of the drones and scouting equipment, they knew more or less the layout of the mansion and where they were to hide.
When they arrived at the designated location, their group stayed a thousand meters from their target, hidden in the trees.
Clémentine observed her companions.
It was impossible to think that a month ago they were just students at the academy.
Each of them wore serious and solemn expressions, not hiding nervousness and anxiety.
Clémentine herself was nervous and all she could do was to control herself, so as not to speak or be discovered.
[11:20 p.m.]
—Ten minutes to start, be ready.
Aurora’s voice echoed in the minds of everyone present as she used the telepathy network.
Clémentine adjusted her mask and kept her attention on the mansion, completely silent and practically sweating from nerves.
From her position, she could see the warehouse where some of her targets were.
The minutes passed, and the nervousness increased, as did the anxiety.
7 minutes...
6 minutes...
5 minutes...
Then, only five minutes before the operation began, they noticed how a portal was created and an individual came out, accompanied by a group.
—Why is he here?
Aurora’s surprised voice echoed through the telepathy system.
In an office projection, a middle-aged man, who exuded a sophisticated and elegant aura, was signing some papers.
“I heard you called your brother and, according to him, you were acting a little ‘weird’,” the man commented with solemn calm.
Even though he was signing some papers without looking at the camera, the atmosphere that released a certain unique pressure.
Clémentine who had just taken the call froze when she heard her father’s comment.
“Oh, it seems to be true,” the man muttered, and raised his head to look directly at Clémentine.
Clémentine hesitated as she saw her father’s eyes turn slightly purple, but controlled her expression and gave a smile.
“I’m just a little nervous. I have an important mission and I was just nervous,” Clémentine replied as best she could and in response, her father raised an eyebrow.
She had spoken to her brother and perhaps because of her nervousness told him to be careful and was honest with the appreciation she felt for him, giving the parting sentiment.
She didn’t think she would let her father know.
“You said ‘nervous’ twice,” her father pointed out without changing his expression.
Clémentine blinked, not knowing how to react, as she noticed her father’s expression.
That look basically said ‘gotcha’, even though he had repeated the same word twice... To her, it was inconceivable.
“How important and dangerous is this mission?” her father asked with a serious tone.
The man’s eyes turned purple as psionic energy emanated from his body.
They were in two different places and separated by a screen, even so, the gaze through the projection led to Clémentine’s involuntary trembling.
When a powerful psionic like her father was watching her, Clémentine knew it would be impossible for her to lie and if she cut the call, it was likely that her father would arrive in a few minutes and look for her to check her condition.
Her father could be indifferent on some issues, however, he prioritized family, foremost.
“It’s a classified mission,” Clémentine answered sincerely.
That was an answer to the question.
A mission that was so important that it became classified and could not be talked about easily.
Her father stopped using his psionic energy to watch her and, with an equally serious look, asked. “Do you believe in victory?”
The question took Clementine by surprise, and her father continued.
“If you don’t believe in victory, withdraw. Saving or helping others is pointless if you end up dead,” her father stated coldly.
Choosing between his daughter’s life and another unknown person, her father would always choose the former... No matter how cold and uncaring he seemed to the rest.
“Yes. I believe in victory,” Clémentine replied in a confident tone.
The certainty in her voice came not only from her strength, that of her companions, or the hard training they went through but, from individuals like Aurora, Alice and Akira, and all the others who would take part in the mission.
Even Henrik’s group was included in the list.
Aurora was not someone who would risk them and give them a mission that would be deadly or impossible.
Dangerous situations could happen, it was true, but to respond to such situations were her companions.
“Unfortunately, I can say no more,” Clémentine added with a half-smile.
It was unfortunate since, if she talked about the mission, her skilled companions could reassure her father.
Still, she understood the meaning of ‘classified’.
“That little group of mercenaries ended up being more than I expected,” her father murmured in a curious tone, and looking at Clémentine, he added. “If you will go. Just make sure you escape if things get complicated. Don’t risk your life for unimportant people.”
Clémentine’s expression trembled for a moment.
Her father’s words were too direct, and that man did not hide his thoughts, even though it contradicted what she believed.
After a brief conversation, she cut the call off.
Wednesday 29 [10:45 p.m.].
Clémentine checked the time and then left her room, using a doorway to get to the living room, finding the other members of her group.
“Are you finished?” Shao Ya asked curiously.
“Yes. My father knows me well and noticed my attitude, even though I didn’t tell him anything,” Clémentine answered with complete honesty.
The mission would start in a few minutes, and while Aurora had not forbidden calls to her relatives, she had forbidden her to talk about the mission, as it was classified.
It was hard for Clémentine to imagine how someone on another continent could affect the mission. However, as these orders were part of the mission itself, she followed it to the letter.
After all, she was a member of the mercenary group and she had to behave according to the strict rules of the group.
When it became [11:00 p.m.], Clémentine moved with her group to the training basement where the other members of the expedition were located.
“Wear your masks,” Akira ordered as she let the various masks show on the table.
Masks that hid their faces completely, they were usually all white and looked like the style of masks they wore at the concert they took part in at the anniversary party, only with a small crystal on the inside as a difference.
Once everyone put on the masks, they took on original designs and gave them a unique style while changing the color of their hair, eyes, and voice.
Even the design of their armor and combat suits changed to a totally different one.
These masks had a communication system and in reserve a psionic telepathy system that allowed for faster and more private communication.
While their enemies would have difficulty identifying them, they knew who was who among their masked comrades.
“The masks are the security needed to prevent retaliation and also very useful if they need to keep a low profile,” said a young black-haired woman with a high-pitched and pleasant voice, wearing a smiling white mask and touching her mask she commented. “Of course, in my case and Alice’s, wearing masks is not necessary.”
The masks prevented retaliation and ensure security so that identities would not be discovered, but they centered these protections on the students so that they could continue at the academy with no one knowing what they did here.
The military had even prepared an official mission to hide their current actions.
However, it was different for Aurora and Alice... The latter had a particular ability that was easily recognizable, and strangely when the latter was present the former accompanied her and vice versa.
“Henrik and Akira are leaders of their respective adventurer’s guilds and they have an image to maintain. It’s for that reason they wear masks,” Aurora added calmly.
Both guild leaders with their respective masked members needed to be careful with their actions, as the images of their guilds could be affected.
While it was fine for Akira to assist in the ‘Ark’ mission, it was another matter if someone identified them as a member of this mission.
Clémentine was sure that even if it came out, it wouldn’t be that much of a problem, since they were about to stop someone who was about to perform a demonic ritual.
Still, she understood the reason for keeping their masks on.
Both Aurora and Alice could protect themselves from retaliation differently from the group of students.
“You all know what your assignments will be. I will not comment on that subject, but act with precaution and caution, always keeping your safety as your principal focus,” Aurora announced in a simple tone.
They had reviewed the plan all afternoon and had prepared for different situations that could occur.
They knew what their mission and aim were and knew their task.
“We will have to go after the church group. High Priestess Xaali will be in charge and they will offer us their support.” Aurora commented and, giving a signal for them to follow her, they all headed for the portal with their masks on.
A few hours ago, they had contacted the church group, and now they knew what that group’s job was.
When they went through the portal, they came to a subway chamber in which a huge portal was located.
Surrounding them were priests and some fully armed paladins.
“How’s it going?” Aurora asked Liam who was checking various screens.
“The trucks are already arriving, the guards have erected some warehouses, but no sighting of General Kavuri yet,” Liam reported, and with a half sigh, he noted. “However, we have detected some signs of life on the trucks before we had to withdraw the scouts.”
The information he could receive at this point was scarce, and since the mission was about stopping General Kavuri, they had to proceed with caution.
Missions weren’t just ‘charging’ to a location directly, meticulous scouting and reliable information would help cut down time and save people without running into worse situations.
“Perfect, let’s go. Whether General Kavuri arrives eventually, it doesn’t matter,” Aurora said, giving the signal for High Priestess Xaali to get ready.
That priestess gathered her group of priests, and the portal in the center activated steadily.
Clémentine swallowed nervously and tried to calm her pounding heart, then the next moment, calm came suddenly.
A wave of psionic energy sought to reassure those who were affected.
Layla, who was a psionic focused on mental attacks, used her abilities to calm the anxious thoughts of those affected, allowing the students to feel better.
Clémentine took a deep breath and, seeing that her classmates were calmer, she followed Aurora, who entered the portal.
The distortion and movement took a few seconds, as the next moment they descended into the middle of a forest covered by the darkness of night.
Surrounded by trees and with the moon in the sky as the only illumination, they all drank the concoction that allowed them to see through the night.
Branches rustled and Liam gave a signal to the darkness near them, then a small group of scouts emerged from the area.
“Thank you for your support. You can rest now,” Aurora said to those soldiers who had served as scouts.
Members of the army’s special forces, each of them were expert A-Ranks with strong stealth and concealment skills.
When High Priestess Xaali deployed a barrier to conceal them, Liam deployed screens from his drones.
Special small cameras and drones developed to hide and go unnoticed from the senses of an S-Rank were transmitting right now.
“The hostages are in the warehouses, their life signs are weak and the guards covering it have an average strength of B-Rank. Surrounding the mansion are other guards. Their strength is varied, with some A-Ranks present,” Liam reported, checking all the cameras and boosting the signal detectors with his skill.
With the presence of a mechanic like Liam, the drones could conduct a more thorough and accurate investigation, even though the distance was undoubtedly a burden.
However, with his brief investigation, he could confirm that they would perform the ritual as General Kavuri planned.
“I have confirmed General Kavuri,” Liam announced in a slightly excited tone.
Everyone looked on the screen at the middle-aged man wearing a military uniform who stood on the terrace watching the demonic magic circle in the backyard.
While one could detect life signs and magical or psionic energy to verify the enemies present, most reduced the energy they emanated when not in combat, making it impossible to identify and confirm their target once inside the mansion.
However, it was different if he appeared by himself.
“Let’s move. Clémentine, your group will be in charge of rescuing the hostages. Henrik’s group will take care of the enemy forces and Akira’s group will take care of pressuring General Kavuri and any guards that get close,” Ordered Aurora, giving the same orders they all knew, and looking at the church group, she asked. “The official mission will begin in ten minutes. We will also begin at the same time.”
Those who would make the first move would be High Priestess Xaali with her group of five members, however, elsewhere the army would also begin operation Assault acting at the same time.
Pressing from different places preventing any enemy forces from moving to support other areas.
The groups moved, and Clémentine led her team.
Using a scroll of darkness magic, it allowed her to conceal the sound of her footstep, the smell, and her presence.
Empowered by her equipment’s stealth, the group felt safe.
Thanks to the scouting of the drones and scouting equipment, they knew more or less the layout of the mansion and where they were to hide.
When they arrived at the designated location, their group stayed a thousand meters from their target, hidden in the trees.
Clémentine observed her companions.
It was impossible to think that a month ago they were just students at the academy.
Each of them wore serious and solemn expressions, not hiding nervousness and anxiety.
Clémentine herself was nervous and all she could do was to control herself, so as not to speak or be discovered.
[11:20 p.m.]
—Ten minutes to start, be ready.
Aurora’s voice echoed in the minds of everyone present as she used the telepathy network.
Clémentine adjusted her mask and kept her attention on the mansion, completely silent and practically sweating from nerves.
From her position, she could see the warehouse where some of her targets were.
The minutes passed, and the nervousness increased, as did the anxiety.
7 minutes...
6 minutes...
5 minutes...
Then, only five minutes before the operation began, they noticed how a portal was created and an individual came out, accompanied by a group.
—Why is he here?
Aurora’s surprised voice echoed through the telepathy system.
