After seeing the fear, hate, and regret in the expression of the werewolves and having his fun, Zatiel turns back to Ezequiel and Sophia to discuss their movements during this excavation and plans in case of emergencies.
To Zatiel, Feiner and his men were an insignificant enemy, not because of their strength, as there was no small amount of cases in which those weaker manage to make considerable damage to entities that could be considered epic beings, but because of their overconfident nature born of their ignorance and complacency with their power, and also the fact they let their wild nature dominate them and not even intended to control it. Enemies like those were meant to be just a small stepping stone in his path, so he just pushed them to the back of his mind and concentrated on the task at hand.
Although the name Falling Start was new to him, any individual that has reached the power to leave the planet and explore the void with their bodies, was familiar with the mineral Grigori was addressing.
The void is not full of nothingness as its name may suggest, in it, there are great currents of elemental chaos that washes over all the celestial bodies and life forms that inhabit it. The mineral that they were about to excavate had some of that energy and could be used to create a great number of items, among them there were portals meant to connect different planes, fundamental devices in world invasions.
Everybody started to make small teams and discuss their next step. Zatiel took Ezequiel and Sophia to a corner and used their core to communicate.
"During the excavation, I will go to the deepest part of the cave but you two will restrain your movements to the area where those at Rank 1 will operate. Although working together you may equal an Eye Lord for a moment, most of them will be in teams of two, leaving you two with no choice but to escape with severe injuries if a fight happens."
Ezequiel and Sophia were not happy about this arrangement, but they knew that Zatiel's words were right, and although he didn't say it, the duo understood that if they followed him they would only become burdens, so they eventually nodded but there was great disappointment in their faces.
Zatiel saw their expression and warmth appear on his face as he understood the reason for their frustration was not the fact they would get less wealth during the excavation, as for the two of them their entire property was for Zatiel to manage how he sees fit. The reason for their feeling was because they felt they were becoming useless to him, the distance in their power was only growing and they didn't see how they could fix it.
Zatiel spoke with a smile on his face. "There is no reason to feel dejected, when your Elemental Chaos Heart is completed there will be a great change in your body accompanied by a drastic increase in your physical aptitudes, especially your vitality, allowing you to use a Rank 2 Runic Set. Normally this will take years but in the cave, there is the energy that will help us speed the process tremendously."
The faces of the duo filled with excitement as they heard about the particular energy that was filling those minerals and the effect it has on Neo-Demons.
The Chaotic Core will transform the original heart into an Elemental Chaos Heart so it can withstand the elemental chaos that fills the void. Zatiel main purpose for having a Magic Tower was to channel a small part of that energy from the void, of course, if he were to use it before his heart finishes his transformation he will perish as the energy is a deadly poison to anyone weaker than Soul Forging and wasn't born in the void, but by diluting it enough, the chaotic core could use it to increase the speed at which it works, and those minerals had the exact concentration of energy he needs. So the three of them would not have to worry about the pollution affecting their bodies, as it will help them instead of harming them.
As the Neo-Demons were discussing, someone came walking in their direction, it was Kira who had removed his hood and was showing her face. She had beautiful green eyes and dark hair, a face so delicate and juvenile that makes her an absolute beauty. Although most Rank 2 didn't look old, in reality, a lot of them were over one hundred years old, but her thriving life force means she was indeed very young, denoting her great talent and resources.
As Kira walked to Zatiel`s group, she became the focus of attention as everyone was busy making their group, and instead of going with those at Rank 2, she headed to the mighty Runemaster. Those at Rank 1 whisper among them, but no one dares to speak out loud as both Kira and Zatiel were people they could not offend, but those at Rank 2 didn't feel the necessity to hide their expression, and the scorn was evident in Feiner and Nimir. As for Siru and his friend, besides some surprise they didn't show anything else since they didn't have a bad relationship with either the runemaster or the Magus, there was no reason to offend them.
As Kira was about to reach Zatiel, she saw him turning around to look at her and what she saw made her freeze for a second. In his face instead of the hidden desire that most men will have in her presence, was emotionless eyes that make her feel like he could see her deepest thoughts and she could not hide anything.
She staggers for a moment but being a Rank 2 Magus, she was able to recuperate immediately and continue walking. Kira had thought she understood Zatiel personality, a monstrous genius full of fighting spirit but also arrogant and with little control of his emotions, but now she realized that her assessment was flawed, making her think again on how to proceed.
Kira stopped in front of Zatiel and gave him a beautiful smile as she spoke. "Hello, I think we have not introduced ourselves, my name is Kira Zeitnar, a Rank 2 Magus and a curse master."
Zatiel has a good impression of the woman, as she provided help during his fight with Feiner by stopping Nimir from interfering, and since she was showing him respect, he adopted a polite expression.
"I am Zatiel Daybreak, Rank 2 Runemaster. I'm sure lady Kira didn't come just to say hello, so how can I help you?"
Kira's expression relaxed seeing Zatiel change of attitude and after making some alteration to her original plan she spoke. "During our mining works, we are bound to have encounters with those Eye Lords, and the danger is not small, so I was hoping we could form a team. As for the spoils, either those from mining or fights, since you have shown a battle power equal to someone at Rank 2, we will split them into equal parts."
When they heard her words, the expression of everyone was of surprise, most of them thought the intention of the Cursemaster of forming a team with Zatiel, but the fact she intended to divide the resources equally was shocking. Kira was at the Master level and even though curses could not generate great offensive might during a fight, they were very difficult to stop and anyone would want to have her in their team.
The proposition of the woman was very tempting, as her curses will work perfectly in weakening the enemy and diminishing the time the fight will take, preventing Zatiel from falling into a state of severe exhaustion like the one he had after the first activation of Overload.
Zatiel evaluated the pros and cons, and after a moment he spoke through the use of his consciousness so others could not hear. " If you are willing to follow my lead, we can work together. I can't tell you the reason I want you to follow my commands, but I assure you it is not something so banal as ego."
Zatiel's reason for requesting the lead was that in situations like a battle among beings of their power a mere second can make a difference. With his experience, as long Kira follows his order immediately and doesn't work on her own during a fight they will be able to display great power. Of course, he could not explain this as technically he wasn't even 30 years old, so how could he say he had experienced millennia of slaughter.
Kira frowned at the condition, and if he had said those words out loud she would have no other choice but to reject him, as it could affect the reputation of her family if word of her accepting to follow the lead of someone at Rank 1 was known, no matter what kind of genius he was. She was thinking of rejecting the condition, as she thought it was impossible someone so young and that must have spent most of his life working in his lab could be more experienced than her, but seeing his confidence, and thinking that he may give her a surprise just like when he almost kills Feiner, she accepted.
When Kira and Zatiel shook their hands and sealed the agreement a voice was heard in the distance.
"How pathetic you have to be to make a team with a piece of trash."
The one speaking was Feiner that gave a stare full of disdain to Zatiel and Kira. The werewolf knows by the action of Zatiel, that he will not stop until he kills him, so he fell no need to hide his hatred for him, as for Kira, he knew she stopped Nimir when he was going to help him, and if it wasn't for the action of Grigori, he would have died due to her interference.
Kira's eyes became cold as she looked at the old man, but the next moment she gave him a mocking smile as she sneered. "Great words from someone who let one of his men die, and who will eventually accompany him along the rest of his dogs, because he infuriated the one he calls `trash`."
Feiner became furious as he heard those words and saw the cowardly attitude in his men and the mocking expression of Siru and his friend. The energy in his body was exploited as he transformed, but in the end, he didn't dare to act and fly with Nimir to the cave.
The rest follow them, activating their battle spells and magical equipment to be ready in case of anything.
The members of Dynasty also acted, like those from the Empire they formed teams but there was one person that was alone, it was the white-robed and back haired young man with grey eyes. Despite being an Eye Lord, the energy in his body made it seem like he had not advanced long ago, yet he was the most powerful of all and the one in the lead.
As they encounter themselves in the air, the hostility they were showing in their first encounter vanished, but this wasn't because they were peaceful, but because they understood fighting without a sense of the power of their opponent was foolish, everyone was like a beast that was assessing his prey, but the one who would be the hunter, in the end, is a mystery.