As the sun began to set, Arthur called a halt.
"Barely Acceptable," he announced. "But acceptable won't be enough where you will be going."
"Where exactly are we going, Swordmaster?" one of the warriors asked.
Arthur pointed to the mountain's western slope. "There's a nest of elite monsters over there. Your first real mission is to clear it."
Several faces paled.
"Elite-rank?" One of the warriors asked. "Straight away?"
"Yes, Elite rank. You will obviously kill and gain experience on the way there, but that's your first mission," Arthur answered. "With good teamwork and proper strategy, you should have no problem killing the monsters."
He looked at each of them in turn.
"Pack your supplies. You will be leaving in an hour."
As the warriors dispersed, discussing equipnt and tactics in hushed voices, Theodore approached Arthur.
"Swordmaster, may I speak frankly?"
"Always."
"We're not ready for elite monsters. Not all of us."
Arthur nodded. "I know."
"Then why—"
"Because the world doesn't wait until you're ready, Theodore. Sotis you rise to et the challenge, or you fall."
Theodore considered this. "And if so of us fall?"
Arthur's voice softened slightly. "Then they weren't ant for what cos next."
The reality of their situation hung between them. This wasn't just training. It was selection.
Arthur was forging them.
Those who survived would beco sothing greater.
"I understand," Theodore said finally. "We'll be ready in an hour. Before setting out."
Jasmine then approached Arthur.
"You said that Lupin will accompany to the training, you can't back out now."
Arthur nodded.
The self-proclaid princess thought she would be safe with Lupin by her side. She clearly didn't know what Arthur had prepared for her and the team.
"Naturally, I won't go back on my word, you will keep Lupin with you." Arthur nodded.
...
Arthur excused himself and headed to the room Charles had provided for his residence. The simple chamber was sparsely furnished—a bed, a table, a chair.
He locked the door before activating his Space talent.
Reality folded around him. One instant, he stood in the village room, the next he materialized on the mountainside, wind whipping at his cloak.
In the distance, the village twinkled with evening fires. Above, stars blazed in patterns unfamiliar to Earth.
Arthur wasted no ti.
He extended his hand, summoning the first demon he'd ever bound.
A dark portal ripped open before him, edges crackling with malevolent energy.
From its depths erged his lesser demon.
The creature was a nightmare given form—skin deep, mottled black resembling cracked obsidian, with glowing crimson veins pulsing beneath. It stood twice Arthur's height, its muscular body radiating primal power.
Two horns curved backward from its skull, and claws sharp enough to rend steel flexed at its sides.
Yet it imdiately knelt, head bowed in perfect submission.
'Yes, master,' its thoughts relayed directly into Arthur's mind, voice like gravel sliding over tal.
"I have a mission for you," Arthur said aloud, the wind carrying his words away.
The demon remained kneeling, attentive.
Unlike Aetherion's childish enthusiasm or Neko's perpetual attitude, the lesser demon radiated only cold obedience.
'It shall be as you command, master.' The demon rose, its massive form silhouetted against the night sky before lting into the shadows, its presence fading as it moved toward the western slope.
Arthur stood alone on the mountainside, contemplating his next moves.
"All pieces are advancing according to plan."
With a thought, he folded space again, returning to the village chamber as if he'd never left.
The candle he'd lit hadn't even burned down a quarter inch.
Arthur stared at the steadily burning fla, decision crystallizing in his mind.
"It's ti to speed up things in the real world. I can no longer be passive with Donald and the military," he muttered, before reaching for his logout option.
The familiar blue light enveloped him as Arthur shifted from Armageddon back to the real world.
Without wasting ti, Arthur headed out of his room, moving purposefully down the corridor toward Raynold's office.
Raynold glanced up as Arthur entered, a knowing look crossing his face. They'd established a routine over the ti he'd been there.
"Call Donald, right?" he asked, already reaching for his secure line.
Arthur nodded before settling into the chair across from Raynold's desk. Unlike previous visits, however, his posture wasn't relaxed.
Arthur was taking a gamble, but he had to.
Minutes later, the familiar sound of polished shoes echoed in the hallway. Donald appeared in the doorway.
"Arthur," he acknowledged with a brisk nod. "Raynold."
"Let's go," Donald said, gesturing toward the exit.
As they walked outside the building, Donald couldn't help but notice the change in Arthur's resting expression. Usually, the young man maintained careful neutrality, giving nothing away.
Today, sothing hard had settled in his eyes—determination, perhaps. Or defiance.
'Sothing is wrong...' Donald thought as they entered the sleek black sedan waiting outside.
Donald waited until they had entered the car before speaking.
"The video call is almost ready. I've spoken to the doctors and arranged it," he said, scrolling through his tablet. "It should be later today or tomorrow."
Instead of the expected gratitude or at least acknowledgnt, Arthur shook his head.
"I don't want to call my sister."
Donald looked up from his tablet. "Huh?"
"I want to see her," Arthur said, his voice calm but firm. "I want to see my sister with my own eyes. See how she is doing, what she is doing."
Donald's expression hardened. "You know that's not possible. The treatnt facility is—"
"Is where?" Arthur cut in. "You've never actually told where she is. Just that she's receiving 'specialized care.'"
The temperature in the car seed to drop several degrees.
"Arthur, we've discussed this. Your sister's condition requires specific environntal controls, specialized equipnt—"
"All of which I can observe from behind glass if necessary," Arthur replied. "I'm not asking to touch her or interfere with treatnt. I want to see her."
"The stress of seeing her current state could affect your future performance."
"I think it's the opposite," Arthur replied, his voice softening just enough. "Not seeing her is currently affecting ."
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