The breeze carried an unfamiliar weight as Kenny stopped in his tracks, his sharp senses tingling. He turned toward the horizon, his expression shifting to one of curiosity mixed with mild annoyance.
"I sense a surge of ether heading this way," Kenny muttered, his tone flat yet purposeful. "Might be an Etrean boat. We were supposed to get back to Etris anyway."
The squad exchanged glances before following Kenny to the coastline. Sure enough, a sleek Etrean vessel came into view, its sails emblazoned with the royal crest. As the boat anchored, a figure leaped from its deck, propelled forward with blinding lightning speed.
"Leo!" the figure called, landing with precision in front of the squad. The man radiated an electric presence, literal sparks of lightning flickering around his body.
Leo stiffened as the man approached. "Raijin…"
Raijin's eyes flicked from Leo to Kenny. Recognizing him immediately, he straightened and gave a formal bow. "Royal Commander Kenny. It's an honor to meet you."
Kenny rolled his eyes, waving Raijin off. "Cut it out. I hate all this formal junk. Let's just get back to Etris."
Before Raijin could respond, another figure emerged from the boat, their expression thunderous.
"Kenny!" the newcomer barked, storming over. "What were you thinking? Destroying the last boat we sent to Erisia?! You're reckless as ever!"
Leo leaned toward Kounéli, muttering, "Who's this?"
"That's Zeke Ureshi," Kenny said with a huff, clearly unimpressed. "Another royal Commander, though you'd think he was my babysitter."
Zeke adjusted his robes, his glare unrelenting. "I'm here to clean up your mess, as always. You'd better have something useful to report."
Kenny's scowl deepened, but he complied, gesturing for the squad to board the ship. Once everyone was on deck, the vessel began its voyage back to Etris. Kenny and Zeke disappeared below deck, leaving the squad to mingle with Raijin above.
In the dimly lit cabin below, Kenny recounted their findings in Erisia to Zeke. He laid out the details of the trafficking operation: the test subjects, the artifacts, and the mysterious connection to Erisia. When he placed the cracked core of the stone golem on the table, Ureshi's expression shifted from frustration to intrigue.
"This core…" Zeke muttered, examining it closely. "It's imbued with an energy I haven't seen in years. You're saying this was part of the bandit leader's transformation?"
"Yeah," Kenny replied, leaning back in his chair. "The guy turned into a walking mountain. Took some effort, but I handled it."
Zeke nodded thoughtfully. "We'll need to convene a council meeting when we return to Etris. If this trafficking operation is tied to artifacts like this, the implications could be dangerous."
Meanwhile, on the top deck, Raijin sat cross-legged near the mast, his relaxed demeanor contrasting with the tension below. Velvet, Kounéli, and Leo gathered nearby, drawn by his calm yet commanding presence.
Raijin turned to them with a faint smile. "You three seem capable. You should know—there's a festival happening in a week. It's a big deal."
"What kind of festival?" Velvet asked, their curiosity piqued.
"It's more than a festival," Raijin replied. "It's a tournament. A one-on-one fighting competition where the maestros will be watching. The best fighters will get the chance to impress them, and if you're lucky, you might get chosen as a pupil. It only happens once every ten years."
Leo's jaw dropped. "Wait, what?! Why wasn't I told about this?"
Raijin shrugged. "Guess you missed the memo. Better start training."
Leo clenched his fists, determination flashing in his eyes. "If it's a chance to prove myself, then I'll be ready."
Kounéli smirked. "Guess I'd better step up my game too"
Velvet nodded thoughtfully. "If this is what it takes to get stronger, I'm in."
Raijin observed their resolve, his grin widening. "Good. You'll need it. This is your chance to stand out. And who knows? You might even catch the attention of Maestro Evengarde Rest."
Velvet tilted their head. "Who's that? Is he really that important?"
Raijin's tone grew reverent. "Evengarde Rest is the hero of Etrea. The man who stopped the Great War fifty years ago. He's not just important—he's the strongest mortal alive."