Three Months Later
Rebecca's fire exploded against Vera's barrier with force that would have killed C-rank hunters instantly, the impact scattering sparks across the training ground while both fighters repositioned for the next exchange.
"Better," Vera acknowledged, her tone carrying the minimal approval that constituted high praise in her teaching approach, "but you're still telegraphing the burst timing, I can read your mana surge two seconds before the attack connects."
"Two seconds is faster than last week's four," Rebecca countered, breathing hard but not exhausted, "and most opponents aren't A-rank hunters with fifteen years of combat experience."
"Most opponents in Phantom Forest will be worse than ," Vera said, "faster, stronger, and significantly less interested in your survival."
The training had transford Rebecca over three months of intensive preparation. Her fire magic burned with a darker tint now, the void influence from Luthra's proximity during their early survival together manifesting as visible corruption in her flas. The hybrid developnt wasn't standard, Vera confird that repeatedly, but it was effective.
B-1 equivalent, approaching breakthrough territory if the expedition provided sufficient combat experience.
"Again," Vera instructed, settling into defensive stance, "this ti, suppress the mana surge deliberately, let think you're building to dium-intensity attack, then release everything."
"Deception combat," Rebecca understood the concept, "make them prepare for the wrong threat level."
"Exactly, you have power now, next phase is learning when to hide it."
The sparring session continued while Luthra observed from the command center overlook, his perspective split between watching Rebecca's progress and reviewing expedition preparation docuntation.
Khorvash approached from the opposite direction, his movent fully recovered now, dragonfire restored to pre-injury levels and possibly enhanced through the extended rest period.
"She's ready," the dragonkin observer, following Luthra's gaze toward the training ground, "whether she believes she's ready is different question, but capability exists."
"Vera thinks she needs another month of tactical refinent."
"Vera would think anyone needs another month of tactical refinent," Khorvash said, "including herself, including you, including people who've been dead for centuries."
'He's not wrong. Vera's training standards assu infinite preparation ti.'
"Your assessnt?" Luthra asked.
"Rebecca fights like soone who expects to die and plans to make it count," Khorvash said, "that's either the most dangerous mindset or the most effective, depending on circumstances."
"Phantom Forest circumstances?"
"Effective, if controlled, dangerous opponents require absolute commitnt, hesitation is worse than recklessness."
The perspective matched Kane's earlier evaluation, different sources reaching similar conclusions about Rebecca's combat psychology.
Coalition training had expanded beyond Rebecca's individual preparation during the three-month period. Vera's new programs reached every territorial militia unit, standardizing combat technique across settlents that had previously trained in isolation. The systematic approach was transforming random volunteers into coordinated force.
"Population update ca through this morning," Luthra ntioned, shifting topics, "seventeen thousand eight hundred across eighteen territories, three more settlents joined during the consolidation period."
"Growth attracts more growth," Khorvash observed, "success breeds confidence, confidence attracts others seeking sa safety."
"Also attracts attention," Luthra said, "Association analysts have been noted at border territories, observing without engaging."
"Expected surveillance, not imdiate threat."
"Not imdiate, but the expedition timing works in our favor, if I'm gone when they escalate their observation to active asures, the coalition response appears leaderless rather than absent."
"Making them underestimate capability," Khorvash understood the strategic implication, "they engage expecting weak target, discover functional military and administrative structure instead."
"That's the theory, reality might involve more complications."
The training session below concluded with Rebecca landing a strike that actually made Vera take a step back, minor achievent asured in technical terms but massive progress compared to months earlier.
"She hit you," Rebecca's triumphant announcent carried across the training ground, "I saw you move, that counts."
"It counts as progress," Vera corrected, "it doesn't count as victory, you're still three tactical errors away from defeating consistently."
"Three is fewer than twenty," Rebecca said, referencing her early training assessnt, "I'll take the improvent."
---
Kane arrived at the command center with intelligence updates from his network of contacts, forr military connections who provided information that official channels never captured.
"Syndicate eastern front has stabilized," Kane reported, spreading docunts across the planning table, "they've reached ceasefire with the noble coalition they were fighting, which ans freed resources that might redirect toward our region."
"Tiline?"
"Six months minimum before they could mount serious offensive, their forces are depleted and need recovery, but the ceasefire with us becos less valuable to them as their other conflicts resolve."
"aning our window for expedition is exactly as calculated," Luthra confird, "leave now, return before Syndicate attention shifts back."
"The timing remains optimal," Kane agreed, "coalition defenses are established, leadership distribution is functional, external threats are temporarily neutralized."
The expedition team had finalized over the preparation period. Luthra, Kane, Khorvash, Rebecca, and Misha ford the core group, each bringing capabilities that complented others. Jako would remain as communication relay, his construct able to reach coalition territory from significant distances.
"Supply status?" Luthra asked.
"Three months of provisions, dical supplies for major injuries, equipnt for various terrain types, trade goods for potential beast-kin negotiations," Kane recited from mory, "Greta's additions include magitech communication devices and three prototype weapons she wanted field-tested."
Greta Ironforge had arrived two months into the preparation period, the dwarven artificer establishing workshop in coalition territory and imdiately beginning projects that exceeded reasonable ambition. Her equipnt requests for the expedition bordered on excessive, but Kane had negotiated reasonable compromise.
"What about Misha's concerns?" Luthra asked, referencing earlier administrative objections to leaving coalition during critical developnt phase.
"Addressed through distributed authority protocols," Kane said, "every departnt has clear succession procedures, every major decision has docunted frawork, Misha's satisfied that the coalition won't collapse during our absence."
"Satisfied or resigned?"
"Resigned acceptance of tactical necessity," Kane admitted, "she still thinks the expedition is unnecessary risk, but she understands why it's happening."
The power gap remained the underlying motivation. Luthra was B-3 equivalent now, capable enough for most threats but insufficient against the S-rank dangers that would eventually target coalition. The expedition wasn't ego or adventure, it was investnt in capability that would protect everyone upon return.
'Level -22 feels close. Like sothing waiting just past my current reach.'
The System had provided fragnts of advancent requirents over the preparation months, suggesting that Level -23 required absorbing energy from opponents that exceeded his current capacity. The phrasing was deliberately vague, but the implication pointed toward A-rank targets.
"Departure tiline?" Kane asked.
"End of the week," Luthra decided, "coalition ceremony tomorrow, farewells completed, provisions verified, then we leave."
---
Rebecca found Luthra after the planning eting concluded, her approach carrying the nervous energy of soone preparing to ask uncomfortable questions.
"You're planning to fight things that could kill you easily," she said, skipping conversational preamble, "A-rank monsters, possibly S-rank, definitely things beyond your current level."
"That's the expedition purpose," Luthra confird.
"And you're okay bringing into that?"
"You insisted on coming, repeatedly and loudly."
"Because I wanted to," Rebecca said, "but that's different from you actually being okay with it."
The question was more perceptive than Luthra expected, forcing him to examine motivations he'd been avoiding.
'Am I okay with her being in danger? No. Do I trust her capability to survive? Mostly. Is rejecting her participation actually protective or just controlling?'
"Vera cleared you for expedition-level operations," Luthra said, "Kane confird your tactical readiness, your power level exceeds minimum requirents, and your motivation is genuine."
"That's tactical assessnt, not personal answer."
"Personal answer is complicated," Luthra admitted, "I'd prefer you safe in coalition territory, but I also recognize that preference as control rather than protection, you're not a child, you're a B-rank hunter with capabilities that exceed most adults."
"The fire-void thing," Rebecca referenced her unique magical developnt.
"That, and the determination, and the tactical improvent over training period, you've earned expedition placent through demonstrated performance."
Rebecca processed the response with visible satisfaction, her nervous energy settling into sothing more confident.
"I won't make you regret including ," she said.
"I expect you'll make regret it at least three tis during the expedition," Luthra corrected, "probably through reckless decisions that require ergency intervention, but those regrets will be worth the capability you provide."
"That's almost a complint."
"It's accurate assessnt, take what you can get."
She departed with a smirk that suggested she'd gotten exactly what she wanted from the conversation, reassurance disguised as tactical evaluation.
Coalition preparations entered final phase with all systems confird operational. The expedition would depart in three days, traveling northwest toward territory that had killed experienced hunters for generations.
The Phantom Forest waited with its beast kings and ancient foxes and dangers that exceeded anything Luthra had faced since awakening.
Level -22 approached like pressure building behind a dam, requiring only the proper trigger to breakthrough.
The hunt was almost beginning.
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