"Xander, left chest!" Hana yelled, giving her callouts.
"Na-ri, right low back!"
"Xander, front left leg!"
"Na-ri, left chest!"
… After several more callouts, all the Fogclaws were dead, and the group of three were digging out their beast cores.
"Hana, your trait is really helpful," Na-ri said after she finished and sat down.
"Thanks," Hana said with a slight smile, somewhat embarrassed by the compliment and attention.
They had learned how helpful her trait was over the last couple of encounters.
Her trait was called Eagle Eyes, and it gave her multiple ocular abilities.
The first was the ability to see vast distances and through obstacles like fog and darkness. However, the mist brought after the sirens was something she could not see through with her trait.
The second was the ability to see trajectories even through rough wind conditions.
And the third, most impressive ability allowed her to see weak points and vulnerabilities in all living creatures.
The best thing about her trait was that it cost no Qi to use; once she turned it on, it would just stay on until she felt like turning it off, so it could last the entire fight, no matter how long it dragged on.
As they sat around catching their breath and refilling their Qi, Hana smiled and then asked, "So, I know we are all from the First Universe, but where exactly are you guys from? I'm from the 16th Quadrant, Planet Sorano—it's an F-rank planet."
Both Xander and Na-ri's eyes widened. Neither one of them fully trusted the group at this point, and they weren't sure if they wanted to answer or not. After a while of awkward silence, Na-ri finally answered, "I'm from the 33rd Quadrant, and I don't really have a planet to call home—I kind of travel all over."
Once Na-ri was finished, Hana nodded her head, "I'm sorry, but I really don't know anything about your Quadrant."
Na-ri gave a small laugh, "Well, there's not much to know."
Na-ri then looked over toward Xander, "What about you, Xander?"
Xander thought for a moment, "I'm not sure what Quadrant I'm from—I literally entered the Tower like a week ago, but I'm from a planet called Lumoria, and I think it's an F-rank planet as well."
"So, are any of you in an organization?" Hana asked.
Na-ri shook her head and answered in a definite tone, "Nope, I am definitely not."
Hana then looked over toward Xander, who also shook his head no. He had wanted to join or at least get affiliated with the Crimson Crescent before the Blink, but now he didn't know when or if he'd ever get a chance to join.
"Oh really, that sucks. I wanted to join one, but my parents wouldn't let me. They said I was too young," Hana said with a slight frown.
Xander was curious as to why Na-ri was so against being in an organization, so he asked, "Na-ri, it sounds like you don't like organizations too much. Why is that?"
Na-ri, who had met Xander's eyes at the beginning of the question, was looking away by the end, "I just… don't have the best experience with them…"
"Why is that, if you don't mind me asking," Xander questioned. He had planned on joining an organization, so he wanted to get her opinion on them since he considered her more knowledgeable than him about the Tower.
Na-ri, starting to look more and more uncomfortable, shifted awkwardly and finally said, "I'd rather not talk about it."
Xander nodded his head in understanding, knowing what it was like to not want to talk about certain subjects, especially with people he didn't fully trust.
Wanting to give Na-ri a good out, Xander stood up and said, "Alright, we've sat around long enough—let's go."
Na-ri and Hana nodded their heads, and the group of three went back on their way.
After walking for another couple of hours, the group finally came across a clearing.
"Shhh," Xander said, telling the others to stay quiet. He had sensed movement up ahead with his Mirage Sense.
The group eased their way up to the top of a small hill to overlook the flat, grass-filled clearing in front of them.
In front of them was a sight they would likely not forget for a while.
It was a bear eating a person.
[Common Brown Bear - F-rank - Low]
It appeared to be a young man who had already had his left leg cut off.
"Damn, that sucks," Xander whispered to the group.
After looking at the scene for a couple more seconds—longer than Xander wished for—he finally said, "Well, we should go around."
Na-ri nodded her head and gave the scene one last look.
"Wait," she whispered somewhat urgently.
"What is it?" Hana asked. From the moment she first saw the scene, she had been looking away.
"I just saw the boy move his arm—he's still alive," Na-ri said.
"What, really?" Xander asked in disbelief.
"Yes, I know I saw it—he's still alive," Na-ri confirmed.
"Damn, that really sucks, but we should still go around, so come on," Xander said, motioning for them to move on.
Na-ri stopped and looked Xander down with a death stare before saying, "No, we're obviously going to go save him."
"Save him? He's half dead and missing a leg—he's a lost cause," Xander said with a scoff.
"No man left behind," Na-ri said in a tone of finality as she reached out her hand, wanting Xander to mark her with his Mirage Qi to phase her into the Mirage Realm.
Xander just eyed her down for a good 10 seconds.
"You do see that the bear is an F-rank, right? And a low F-rank at that," Xander asked, wanting to confirm she didn't miss that.
Na-ri didn't say a word and just continued to hold her hand out.
After a couple more moments of silence, Xander finally relented and reached out and marked both Na-ri and Hana, phasing all three of them into the Mirage Realm.
***
***
***
[A\n: Starting now, I will be putting Xanders's status at the end of every chapter.]
***
[Name: Alexander Stone]
[Rank: G-rank - Entry] - [Saturation: 1%]
[Death Core] - [Attunements: Death 100% - Life 10% - Other 50%]
[First Trait: Reaper's Revival] - [Death Charge: Fully Charged]
[First trait Rank: Divine]
-
[Rank: G-rank - Entry] - [Saturation: 1%]
[Lightning Core] - [Attunements: Lightning 100% - Other 45%]
[Second Trait: Mirage Realm]
[Second trait Current Rank: G-rank]