Unknown

Pacing around he kicked the stone lingering on the ground to ease boredom. Raijin had anticipated something like this, where his General would come late at the specified time and later on blame him as the one who's late. As ordered, he had come to the area exactly at six where the sun was only beginning to rise and prepared himself for the trouble of what was supposed to surprise him about what the 3rd General would utter again.

His hand rested on the back of his head while observing the trees, their trunk glinted in gold as the sun slowly shone on them. He stared at the horizon and the blowing of the air was beginning to get warm. It reminded him that maybe it was currently the middle or end of spring. A season of new beginnings but had only brought him the agony of losing someone.

The badge that was given to him yesterday was pinned on the right-most part of his chest. And strangers on the land had been gazing at him suspiciously, wondering why a higher noble had chosen a commoner. Though he would be lying if it didn't bother him in the least, for carrying his General's honor and dignity might've a long way to run.

Being doubtful of his abilities was never new to Raijin. But the young man had always done his part through loose ends, even if it was considered pointless and irrational. His adherence to the path he had chosen was unbreakable. Though, until when? Would his resolve not be shaken by the truth that might unfold someday?

Raijin stumbled to his feet. The peaceful atmosphere of the woods had erupted into a heavy pressure as if his whole would be eaten by the earth. There was a sudden swish of air and he didn't sense it coming. He was about to hold on to the tree trunk to endure the tension yet the cold feeling of a blade that was closing to his neck glistened against the sun.

He felt its violent aura that seemed to have its own life. A sword that's familiar to him, the same weapon that had saved him twice. Its half glinted in crimson and the other silver.

Raijin stayed frozen. One move and its sharp edge would slice through him.

"You're late again Ikakusi Robert" The 3rd General whispered, withdrawing the sword away from him.

Raijin had almost lost his breath because of what happened. She was too quick to act that he didn't notice where she came from. His sweat grew cold and he took a struggle to regain his composure of facing her and muttering his greetings. Whilst he thought that maybe that's the kind of way higher nobles greet someone.

"General" he spoke, caressing his neck. Surprisingly there was no wound or even a small scratch.

"Get on your feet. I'll teach you the zero zone" Seratsuki said.

As a response, he creased his eyebrows. "Zero zone?"

The 3rd General's eyes that were checking her blade gave him an expressionless gaze that screams of disappointment.

"General! Don't give me that face, I really don't know" Raijin exclaimed. He dusted his clothes off, facing her and waiting for an answer.

Before replying to him, Seratsuki let out a deep breath and sheathed her sword. "How come? I saw you use it at the invasion. But that's just the awakening of your zero zone"

Awakening. He tried to recollect the battles he had fought between the Nemiendlich. But the only technique that he had learned was Alvaryniues. And without the chushin, he wouldn't be able to cast it.

Raijin submerged into his memories just to look for clues about the zero zone and the image of his lightning bearing a purple hue flashed in his mind. That's right, the normal charges he had used was a bluish one, yet that one was far superior to what he is used to. Though he had no idea how he activated it. Perhaps if the regalia was with him he could find an answer.

"General, I don't have it—the key in creating the one you're saying" feeling the guilt, he averted his gaze from her. During all these nights and days, he asked nothing but forgiveness from the Ikazuchi clan for losing the chushin.

"I don't know what you're saying. But the caster is the only key to their own zero zone" the woman said, sensing the change in the young man's expressions.

"It's our clan's regalia and it's the source of my power. So, I don't think I can do the same lightning as I do before"

There was a short moment of silence before Seratsuki spoke again. "Is that so? Then that would be easier. I'll teach you to reach the point where you won't be needing it anymore"

The 3rd General's eyes focused on his whole, sensing the flow of his energy and aura. She immersed herself in deep thought as she felt them from the young man. His aura is surprisingly strong, but there was something unusual to its nature.

If one had trained enough, one could sense both energy and aura. Yet auras are unseen, they could only be felt, unlike energy. And so, they're the basis to measure someone's power. The stronger the aura the more energy one has. Energy is used as a battery to nurture and mold power. And if a being had been blessed by these, they stood stronger than any. Though as said, great powers come with a great price.

Seratsuki's thoughts began to wander. She felt Raijin's immeasurable energy but she didn't know where it came from. Only nobles who are gifted in abundant energy (especially those higher nobles) and those who are given rich education would be able to have it.

Raijin notices his General's absent-mindedness. He slowly approached her, waving his hand in front and making the woman glance at him. "Is there something wrong with my clothes, General?" he asked, confused as to why the lady had taken her time staring at them.

But in truth, Seratsuki was trying to observe—for her to create a suitable training process in nurturing his abilities to their finest. "Rueben" she uttered.

"Uhm, it's Rai-'' he paused, drawing a deep breath. "Yes ma'am?" He knew that whatever he does the names would become worse each day. And he's guessing that for a short moment he might even be called "Rebecca"

"Your uniform, it's not yet finished. I'll give it to you soon" said Seratsuki, which is an utter lie. She had actually forgotten that her soldier is required to wear fitting attire as a member of the division.

"It's alright General," he said, showing a smile at her. The badge was enough for him, as long as he has proof that he belongs in the Noguchi division.

Seratsuki's hand slipped behind her back as Raijin watched her. She took a black cloth holding it in between her palms, a blindfold. She gave it to him and without any warnings—that made Raijin startled, the 3rd General made a distance between them.

"There's a single rule. I would be fighting you without my sword" she placed her right hand above its hilt while it rested on her waist. "But if you made me use it, you'll win the fight"

Seratsuki's blade was as if another part of her. Her enemies fear the sword, because the moment their eyes would catch its image in the battle then one thing is for sure—death would come to follow. The crimson blade is her symbol and she's known to be the best swordswoman throughout the land.

"Eh?" Raijin didn't have the time to catch up to her words. And it made him confused that she had suddenly ushered a fight between them. At least giving an introduction can be of help to the young man. "How about this General?" said he, raising the black cloth in his hand.

"Use that, once you've won this"

"Then what's the point of giving it to me? You should've given it once I've defeated you" he muttered with a frown, knowing that it would probably take him a couple of years before he could land a hit on the General.

"It's bothering me"

"General! Can you please make your excuses at least reasonable!? Geez" shaking his head in disbelief, he placed the folded cloth in one piece and placed it in the back pocket of his pants.

"In a count of three-" Seratsuki was cut off when a sudden flash of lightning came charging in her way.

But there was no effort in dodging the attack, all she did was swiftly move from the side to avoid it. And Raijin grabbed this chance to appear behind her back, though he was agitated since the energy that accumulated in his fists is not that strong compared to when he wielded the chushin.

Raijin didn't know if it was only in his thoughts, but Seratsuki had disappeared before him.

"Ack! -" he cried. He felt a sudden spang on his side, the single kick was too powerful that it made him fly towards the trunk of the tree. He thought that the decoy attack he used was enough to alter the General's attention, yet her reaction speed was quite a nuisance. She appeared again before him, still bearing a blank expression.

It's only been a few seconds before they had started the fight and he had already struggled to catch his breath. Even so Raijin still stood and remained facing the 3rd General, preparing himself for another charge.

"Who taught you how to control your energy?" Seratsuki asked.

"General Yozou" he replied proudly.

Raijin got off on his feet and pursued sending flashes of lightning. But the woman had only made small movements in avoiding it.

"I see. That's why it's quite stable. Not bad" The 3rd General remarked.

Fists engulfed in lightning continued to chase her as she still made no effort in predicting the pattern of Raijin's attacks. Her movements had almost overpowered the speed of his lightning making his charges useless against her that every second that passes is like a blink towards her action.

"Reynold" Seratsuki called.

He stopped attacking her, letting himself breathe heavily and wiping the sweat that ran down his face. His stamina is taking a toll with the sudden force in letting out an amount of energy to supply his attacks.

"There's a better way of controlling energy" she started. "And sometime, I'll teach you how to manipulate your aura."

He was baffled, which was something un new to him when speaking to the 3rd General. "We can control aura?"

Raijin knew from Algard's 'useful' teachings that auras were only emitted by energy and their stream on one's body is constant depending on how strong the energy is. An aura's flow cannot be manipulated for they move in a distinct pattern that the caster would have a tough time figuring its movement. Unlike energy that they could control and use as fuel to their power in charging attacks and spells. In simple terms, have you tried controlling smoke from a blazing flame? If not, you have now grasped the point. But bear in mind that in every circumstance even for the tiniest bit of pages, Lord Giansh had once spoken that—'even wisdom acknowledges some exceptions. And this might be one of those.'

Seratsuki remained her gaze on him. "Most people can't," she responded shortly. "And sooner, you'll know how. In the meantime let's refine your energy control"

The young man nodded at her words.

"Control your breathing"

Raijin closed his eyes even if he might've been starting to grow perplexed by what she was saying.

"When you control the flow of energy inside you, match it with your breathing. In that way, the enemy won't be able to predict your attacks. But they could still sense you coming because it didn't affect your aura's flow and I'll teach you sooner about that. They'll only sense your aura, not the amount of energy to be released. Once the enemy has determined the amount of energy you would use, they can easily determine how strong the attack is and even know where it may come from. So, you need to learn how to manipulate it and confuse them. Richard, always remember what I'm telling you" Seratsuki didn't move to where she was and she had no intention of taking advantage of the young man's unguarded position. "Always put those in mind, since I wouldn't take the risk of making someone carry the weight of my blade again..." she whispered, but those words had not passed through Raijin.

Raijin remained standing on his feet. He followed the General's advice, letting himself perceive the movement of his energy. The strange feeling of a warm flow over his body had filled him as his breathing had relaxed. And clutters of blue sparks had begun to accumulate around him.

It was his first time executing the method and he had found it more challenging than what Algard Yozou has taught him. In every gush and pulse of energy in his whole, he struggled to match it with his exhales and inhales. The moment his attention had been intervened, the energy came back to its natural flow.

"General, I need more clues on how to do it," he said, trying to regain his focus.

"Soldiers of the Noguchi division are the only ones who can master it," she said.

He sprang onto his feet, giving her an annoyed expression. "General, you said that I'm the only member of the division! Don't tell me we actually have members?"

Seratsuki's gaze drifted from afar. "Yes, we have...before"

"Where are they now?"

---

Soldiers of General Hermes Nephus scattered around the campsite. Fire, lamps, boxes of food stocks, and a wide range of tents that could accumulate a scale of soldiers had lingered on the rocky surface that was not far from the river bank. Almost every member of his division had been taking hold of papers, scribbling through them. And by how they had patrolled through the area, their appearance does not resemble a soldier and most likely a group of people researching different specimens for experiments. Their military uniforms were as if designed to appear as a gray lab coat coating their inner white collared shirts, not far from what their General wears. Though Hermes' garb inside was black and his gray coat has badges, a belt, and is enclosed to a tie.

They're in charge of investigation and research through the land. Right now, they're on duty to analyze the cause of invasion by the order of the council and to the 7th General who had yearned to seek the truth.

Equipment used in their investigation linger on the ground as the soldiers continued to observe everything in the place where it has piqued Hermes' interest—the borderline between Anshiantum (land of the Anshiantae) and Nemiendr (land of the Nemiendlich).

They have taken extra precautions, for the enemy's base is not from afar. The wide and long river was the only one that separates the two lands. And its water was filled in a dark miasma as if after hundreds of years that passed it was still begging someone to cleanse it.

"Sir! "Hermes turned his head towards the voice. A man wearing their division's badge and uniform came rushing in front of him. "We need you to see something," the man said.

The 7th General handed files of papers to the person beside him as he rushed to where his men had led him. And he had suddenly stopped in their tracks when the 8th General Nova Corvinus greeted him. He would always ask the woman to tag along with him through research and investigations. Just because, Hermes got his own reasons.

Nova approached him, she showed him a circular item that displays a beeping red dot. Clicking his tongue from what he had seen, Hermes took the object following the direction of what was indicated on the small screen. As his soldiers had come running after him to assist.

They had entered the bank of the river. Run after run, their breathing is hard moving closer to where it was. And as they stray far from their camp, they are slowly met by dead trees and mist in the area. Crows played through the air and the scent of dead animals lingered in their senses. It is prohibited by the rules to live on the borderline of Anshiantum, for it was never known what they could meet there.

"There it is," Nova said. The eerie silence made them uneasy.

Finally arriving at their destination, they saw an enormous fissure before them. It floated in mid-air as if the atmosphere had been a fragile glass that was broken. Its center leaked in purplish energy, continuing to emit itself from the lines as the glass-like air reflected their reflection creating a broken mirroring of themselves from the fissures.

"This is..." Hermes said. He moved closer to the rift but his men had to stop him.

"General, it's dangerous"

Ignoring their words, he immediately rushed near to it. His mind was full of thoughts that didn't stop to think deeper each second. His hands tried to reach for the fissures and just about he could lay a hand to it, the purplish energy had reacted. It pulsed pushing more pressure to its surroundings. It created more cracks that seemed to open from the other side.

And this time, they weren't mistaken. Across the fissures, they could see a peaking image of the forest that leads to Nemiendr. Its energy was unfamiliar and unknown to them, which made the group record every insight they had seen.

"Contact the Second General," Hermes said.

His soldiers instantly carried his orders. Their busy buzzing and quick gathering of data were pursued as Hermes paced back and forth immersed in deep thought. While Nova had given her assistance and command to the group as well.

The Nephus division remained focused on their works, not minding intervals from around. Their diligence and knowledge in operating different equipment and mechanisms are truly praiseworthy. Was their breakfast made out of numbers and formulas also?

"Hermes," Nova called. She noticed how the man had sunk into the thought of everything that he had not almost seen her standing in front of him.

Hermes had always been like this, whenever a discovery happens to stumble before his eyes—he's at loss to reality.

Giving her a short glance, his brows were still creased in both curiosity and confusion and Hermes didn't give Nova a response. Instead, he had only patted her shoulder walking immediately to his soldiers and asking them about the status of his command.

"Sir," one of the soldiers called, signaling the 7th General that the preparations they had made were done.

"General Hiraoka," Hermes said through the line. They're talking in the use of an improved communication chant from the device they had made. Usually, communication chants are generated with the use of energy. Though this communication device uses special generators made by the Nephus division. And with it, Hermes had taken precautions if someone would be able to trace the signal and eavesdrop on the report he was about to unveil.

"General Nephus?" Akaru replied on the other line.

"Come here at the border—the Phaedrus exists"