The group slowly started making their way up the hill, with cold sweat running down their foreheads, with Mares being the only exception. This was not to mean he wasn't tense, as his body was visibly more tense than the others. With his senses being greater than those of the group he sensed more pressure as well.
'Even after absorbing the last Earthly Brute's core, I am not sure if I can take this thing down…'
He thought to himself, unsure of what might come out of the inevitable battle.
'You can't just throw yourself at the beast and hope that your regeneration will make you win. Especially this time, you have to take care of others as well… honestly Mars, I would have preferred if you could avoid this battle, though this is not an option now.'
After all, none of the two could simply ignore the students that were almost under their grasp, and that would be sooner or later killed. The somewhat weird friendship that Mares formed with the delinquent group and Lhian also helped.
'The best-case scenario, I can get some more cores. Well, even if I can't, is not like we lack the tricks to try to harm or put this thing down for good.'
Mares thought, not allowing himself to think that there was no chance when he knew that if he went with everything, while not guaranteed it would be his win, his loss was also not determined.
'Things will be alright if it is you, Mars!'
Esen as well had full confidence in her beloved.
As the group continued, Calon finally asked what they were all trying to think about.
"So, any plans?"
They all looked at each other, and it was possible to see in the students' eyes that they hoped the others would have thought of something.
"Actually, there is something I need to make you all aware of. Maybe, in this situation, I should have said this earlier, but well..."
Not knowing how to elaborate further, Mares simply raised his right hand and showed a silver crystal forming on his palm.
"What the fuck."
Venissino let out.
"Isn't that..."
Lhian couldn't finish as she pointed to the crystal, shock all over her face.
"Indeed, I can copy techniques. Considering our situation, I thought it would be best to warn it beforehand."
None of them quite knew how to react as this was groundbreaking.
"You know, I understand why you didn't, but isn't this the type of thing you should have told us sooner?"
Luo asked scratching his head. Copying other techniques was something they all thought would only exist in fiction, and yet they were seeing it with their eyes. It was not like they didn't understand Mares' decision to keep the secret, they all did but were confused as to why revealed it now.
"What you think I was doing through most of the way here? I thought a lot about this."
He and Esen actually. Before getting into a conversation with Lhian and Clest, they talked a lot about revealing his powers or not.
"I can understand why."
Calon said, shaking his head. This was a bit too crazy for him.
The group seemed thoughtful for a bit before Lhian asked.
"When did you copy my technique?"
She didn't seem upset but rather curious and even a little flushed.
"When you were falling asleep."
He replied honestly.
"I see... I know you will make good use of it."
The silver-blue-haired said with a smile that made Mares feel weirdly refreshed.
"Either way, while the heads up is good, we can think about the implications later."
Clest said, clapping her hands to get everyone focused on her.
"Aren't you shocked about... this?"
Calon questioned how nonchalant she was, while he was still having trouble processing it.
"Yeah, but what changes in our current situation? The other idiots are still going to be eaten if we do nothing."
She replied with a shrug. Her answer did remind the group that they had higher priorities, and while they would still swallow this shocking information, they would do it later.
"What do we already know about… this whole thing?"
Luo asked, pointing around to their surroundings.
"Probably, around this time or earlier tomorrow, a fifth-ranked Void Beast would make use of the peak in Astral Energy on the surroundings, eat our colleagues, and use these… resources… it feels wrong saying this."
Winna replied, shaking her head at the end.
"Void Beasts of high rank are territorial. They would never allow another of the same rank as them to exist in their surroundings."
Lhian added, making them all breathe in relief that they wouldn't have to worry about another fifth-ranked beast.
"This place feels empty."
Mares commented, feeling something was off. He had the feeling that there would be more Void Beasts around, at least lower-ranked ones, but even now he couldn't feel or see tracks of a large group.
'Whatever beast it is, it probably only allowed a few to remain as guards and sent the rest away.'
Esen explains.
'Is it smart enough to order them like this?'
Mares asked with surprise, not expecting the beast to be conscious about matters of betrayal or organizing and commanding its "troops" besides basic orders, such as attack or run.
'A fifth-ranked can be quite smart, especially so if is old.'
This was something more on the list of issues they would have to worry about. At least Mares now knew the opponent wasn't a completely irrational beast, so he would not get surprised during the battle.
"We need to look around for any tracks or less obvious paths up. We can't just kick at the front door after all."
Venissino spoke, looking around, at the ground, rocks, or trees, for any sign of a large group moving.
"We can't? Well, there goes my master plan."
The irony in Calon's remark was obvious and resulted in his friend playfully slapping him on the back of his head.
They all got out of the Karraps, which stayed still as Mares ordered and started carefully looking around.
"Did you try sending a signal again?"
Mares randomly asked Lhian, to which she signed and shacked her head.
"I did, but it is useless." She was visibly frustrated. "It was supposed to be just a small training experience, and now almost everyone could be eaten alive."
The more she spoke the worst her expression got. She had managed to bottle down her anxiety and doubts until now, all of them had actually. As inexperienced as they are, the six knew that panicking and letting sink how bad things could be for them would only hinder them, so until now they managed to ignore it.
However, there was no more time to ignore it. They were on the hill their colleagues were in, going against an unknown number of at least third or fourth-ranked Void Beasts, and this is without counting the perpetrator of everything.
Though, none of that passed through Mares' mind as he made his following comment.
"Even if they are more nutritious alive it doesn't mean they have to be kept awaken, so if anything, they probably wouldn't suffer too much."
Everyone stopped their search and looked at him.
Luo's mouth was open midway, in what seemed a mix of his surprise at the comment and the wish to laugh at how absurd and out of place it was. Winna was unsure if this was Mares' attempt at joking or just his stray thoughts. Clest was amused. Venissino looked around, trying to make sure he wasn't the only one that felt that was weird. And Calon had already started laughing.
Lhian however simply blinked a few times, then a smile formed on her face, followed by a laugh.
"Did the pressure finally break her?"
Luo asked with visible confusion.
"No, no it didn't… I just…" The silver blue-haired said slowly stopping her laugh and taking her breath back. "There is undeniably a lot of pressure on our shoulders now."
Lhian's words were once again serious, no trace of the laughter she just had could be seen in her expression. Her eyes reflected her anxiety as well as her determination.
"I know none of you are particularly fond of our classmates, but I also you don't care about this now. Honestly? Except for him," She says, pointing to Mares. "We are underqualified and absolutely not strong enough for this. And even so, none of these matters, right?"
She asked, looking eye to eye at the whole delinquent group.
"If that's your attempt to motivate us, it's the worst thing I've ever heard. Having said that, you are right, it doesn't feel right to let that bunch be a snack."
Luo said crossing his arms, his face lacking any sort of reflection of anxiety. After Mares, he was probably the one in the group that had more confidence in himself to deal with the situation. And his confidence might not be unfound.
"This whole experience was not horrible, even with this eminent threat of death on our heads. If anything, Lhian, you are not as annoying and uptight as I thought you would be."
Winna said, in a jokingly and friendly manner, as she stretched her right. Lhian smiled and did the same, shaking hands with the wind user.
"I had a fucking blast."
Calon was straightforward.
"It was not as bad and not as quiet as I expected, and I managed to do some new stuff, so maybe except for the others having the risk of being eaten, I would say it was all worth it."
Venissino was also nonchalant.
"I had fun."
Clest simply said.
After they left out their thoughts, the group felt better. At the end of the day, they had mostly enjoyed the ride until their current point, and while obviously uncertain, and some even scared, their resolution would not waver at this point.
"Stop talking like you are going to die."
Mares said, catching the group's attention back to him.
"Well, is not that we think we will die, but… you know."
Calon said, gesturing with his hands.
"The risk is there."
Lhian complemented, with a weak smile.
But to their words, Mares shacked his head, denying them.
"You decided to call me boss. I will accept this title, so you hear me now. Doesn't matter what happens all of you and the others will get out of here. If I can use my body and powers for something, it will be to guarantee that."
Mares' words passed through all of them as they felt a shiver go down her spine, but not one of fear. They clenched their fists, and excitement shined bright in their eyes, as at that moment, they all truly genuinely recognized Mares as the boss, no longer only for his power.
'Hihi, I am so proud.'
Esen had a big smile on her face after Mares' speech.
"We will be counting on you."
After taking a deep breath, those were Lhian only words as she looked at the silver-eyed.
He nodded, ready.
"So, let's get going."
That got them unprepared.
"But we still don't know where to."
Venissino pointed out.
If they could see beside Mares' mask, they would see him smiling.
"They took care of it."
The long-haired said as he pointed to the Karraps, that were in the opposite direction of where the group was.
"I forgot they were even here anymore."
The group nodded in agreement at Clest's words.
"I sent them to look around, and one of them found something. Let's go."
With higher spirits than ever, the group followed him as the Karraps showed the way.
They followed quietly, trying to make as little noise and keep their presence as hidden as possible. They were not trained in being stealthy, but either because of sheer luck or some other reason, nothing seemed to notice them, or at least care enough about their presence to do something about it.
They had to walk to the other side of the base of the hill before stopping.
"Here we are."
They arrived in front of a cave at the moment Mares said that. Perhaps his words were unnecessary, as they could feel it.
The change in the air around them, the environment growing colder than natural the moment they arrived and the sheer sense of pressure and dread that they felt coming from deep within the cave were all confirmations that they found the spot.
What was inside it did not make things easier for the group.
On the ground a bunch of bones some shattered, some not, covered everywhere the eyes could see. There were various kinds of Void Beasts skeletons, some recognizable, mostly by their skulls or some more noticeable characteristics, while other bones were so destroyed that it would be impossible to relate them to anything.
And the smell was almost unbearable. The smell of rotting corpses impregnated the place but added to it was something just as disgusting. It was as strong of a smell as the smell of corpses, but it also felt almost acidic somehow. It made their eyes and noses burn, and if it wasn't for their Astral Energy, it would probably, at best annoy, and at worst burn, their skins.
It was a nightmarish sight, and one they did not hesitate to enter in.