Squad 4 and a new disciple

In an area of the current center of attention of the Ferix Kingdom, the Vitra forest, there is a group of four women sitting around a campfire and conversing with one another.

"Martial Sister Rin, me and Rackal couldn't find any traces of that failure, no matter how hard I searched, it seems that thing might have stolen more than we thought from our Doll Palace sect. Despicable!" An orange-haired young woman with blue tips and brown eyes walked to the other four with an expression depicting her dissatisfaction with a wrinkled forehead, and her lips winced as she snorted. That young woman was Estera Tlema Vilar, who carried a rapier on each side of her waist.

Right behind Estera was a wolf the size of a person while walking on all fours, with its crimson red fur covering most of its body with the rest of its being having a white color. This wolf had three tails wagging back and forth while on its forehead it boasted its bond mark, which consisted of two red circles overlapping and creating a mixed area that was pink instead.

"Don't worry, martial sister Estera, It can't have gone that far without using the escape talismans, and the moment it does, we'll know where it is. A failed experiment like that won't be able to do much before it gets captured, it's only a matter of time." Rin responded while adjusting her long black hair with a purple tip at her rear end level with her silver eyes focused on the flames as if reminiscing something. Besides her laying on the same wood log she was now sitting on, was a blue buster sword.

"But we don't have time! If we don't complete this mission, those bitches from squad 2 won't stop pestering us about how much better than us they are at everything! Even though they are still second to squad 7, they act all high and mighty in front of everyone! With their stupid cow tits and those fake ass laches! Don't even get me started on their dusty nail polish and shitty clothes!" A young woman with deep yellow eyes and short light blue hair with a dark blue tip complained to the others with her mouth winced and a wrinkled forehead with her left eyebrow higher than her right one. This was Pollakia Thrus Yojir with gauntlets on her hands and a big shield on her back.

"Huh, why do you care?! like you said, fuck those bitches! We are better, and the time to prove that will come, so you don't have to sulk about it. If you want to use your mouth so much, just come here and suck me off instead, at least then you're putting it to some good use." This young woman was, Melishia Barrot Ness, another member of their group who was laying on the wood log with her face turned up, her blood-red eyes looking at the sky while her medium blond hair was all laid out almost reaching the ground. On the left of her, was a spear that had the words 'Sleeping Dragon' inscribed on its blade.

"Ewww... How can you be so vulgar? Do you have no shame?" Pollakia retorted with her whole face cringed in disgust as her eyes of disapproval and disappointment laid on Melishia.

"Oh please, I've seen your 'toy' collection before, you'll need heaven-defying luck to find a guy that meets your requirement... At least a human one. Hahaha!" Melishia replied before laughing at Pollakia's face while pointing to her before making an 'It's too small' or 'Pathetic' gesture.

"You little!- " Before Pollakia could finish her response she was interrupted.

"Can you two stop?! It's been this for the whole last month! If you want to go fuck, just go fuck! I don't have to deal with this bullshit just because we are on the same team! Martial sister Rin, please do something about this." The last member of their group who was quiet spoke up. This woman called, Felicia Nate Orgot, expressed her gripes with the pair with her blue eyes narrowed and her long green hair with blue tips resting on a big metal box she was carrying on her back.

"Felicia's right, now is not the time to be bickering, you'll have all the time you want to do that after we complete our mission." Rin turned to them with a stern look and a rather calm tone as she seemed used to doing that.

Pollakia apologized and went silent while Melishia simply shrugged her shoulders with an expression that said, 'I did no wrong'.

Rin didn't longer onto it and instead turned her head back to Estera with a serious expression before she asked. "What exactly did you find at the end of the trail?"

"Well... I think it's best if Rackal himself explains it since he was the one doing the tracking." Estera stuttered for an instant before she lifted Rackal, her wolf, up to have him face Rin instead of her.

Such behavior caused Rin to raise her eyebrow but she didn't comment on it and instead decided to let them explain things first.

"To put it simply... We found a strong yang essence, and even lifeforce essence.... To keep track of an individual in specific's tracks in such an environment is basically impossible. We then scouted the area but there were ironically no signs of life in the area." Rackal who was now in the arms of Estera recounted as he wagged his tails.

"That's disgusting..." Pollakia was the first to voice her thoughts on the matter.

"Just how much was it that Rackal couldn't feel the scent anymore?!" Melishia's eyes were widened at this piece of information.

"Does it really matter? What's important is to find another way. We can't just give up on this, our reputation and position are on the line." Felicia facepalmed at her comrades' priorities.

"It's not like you're gonna do much, anyway. So just relax and let us handle it. You stick to your metal girl shenanigans." Melishia retorted with a toothy smug while including her head slightly to the left.

"And you think you're all that! You're basically a leech living off Martial sister Rin's hard work, I could take care of the likes of you with both arms behind my back." Felicia now with veins on her forehead responded with a sinister smile.

"Oh! Fine! You wanna go! I'll show just who's been leeching, you better be ready to repair that pretty face of yours." Melishia got up from the wood log and grabbed her spear before taking a stance and pointing it at Felicia.

"Tch! Well, it was about time someone taught you manners anyway." Felicia also got up and took a stance.

"Enough! I expected this from Melishia, but I taught you would at least understand that you can't let your differences interface with the mission, no matter what. If anyone were to catch wind of how dysfunctional squad 4 has been as of lately, not only I, all of you will face severe consequences followed by a demotion and the disbandment of this squad, is that what you want?!" Rin scolded both but looked directly at Felicia while doing so.

"Pay up." Pollakia said to Estera as she extended her hand towards her.

"Damnit! I lost again... Rackal, you said I could win this time!" Estera pulled a whitish crysta from her pocket and handed it to Pollakia, she then turned to look at Rackal with crazy eyes and a maddened expression.

"... Oh, would you look at that... It's my restroom time! I'll see you later." Rackal immediately began walking away not looking back.

"Pleasure doing business with you." Pollakia commented to Estera before she turned to Rackal and smiled maliciously. "Hey! Rackal, are you not taking your cut of the money?"

Hearing this Rackal's ears perked up, and he looked behind instinctually, only to find Estera looking at him with kill intent and a psychopathic smile.

"You damned wolf! I'm your bond partner and you dare to scheme against me!!... It's funny, I just remembered it's been a while since I washed you or took you to a beast master's office, after all, it'll be bad if you skip medication!" Estera ran after Rackal who had already fled the scene by the time she did so.

-At the same time-

{So, why do you want me to have this random woman we met by coincidence travel with us?} Landrian questioned through mental transmission.

{Becuase she's good disciple material! You can't find an individual with her level of talent just laying around. Plus, if she's my disciple, she would also be under you... Look at her, those curves could work some miracle with proper training.} Liz explained with a sneaky smile.

{She's not your disciple yet and you're already selling her off... This is how you want to be a master? And I'm supposed to trust you with this poor girl?... Honestly, I normally wouldn't care but she seems to be hiding something, and considering her physique, it's definitely trouble, so I would rather not.} Landrian refused without giving it much thought.

{If you let me do it, I promise I'll be a good master and make sure her cultivation hits the top. You just have to give me a chance, and if any problems come follow her, I'll get you compensation.} Liz insisted.

{You make it sound like you're adopting a pet... Anyway, as long as the compensation is good, I don't mind too much. Though, if it isn't, I'll roust you alive in a star.} Landrian said in a tone that made it hard to tell if he was serious or not.

{Sometimes I can't tell if you're serious, but knowing you, it's wiser to take everything you say seriously. Now... Can you pretend to be my disciple so that I can recruit Lisa? It will be easier if I already have a disciple, also, she saw you suck the area dry of Lun, so if she thinks you're my disciple she'll definitely say yes.} Liz moved on from one favor to the next one with no shame.

{Aren't you the mighty fairy? Why don't you impress her with your powers? After all, my attributes are so low that if you sneeze the wrong way, I'm gone, right?} Landrian rebuked with a smug.

{Really?! You're going to be that petty?! Ok! My power isn't enough, since you're only at the Lun refining realm, aside from my aura, I can't really bring out any more power than that. Are you happy now?} Liz blushed slightly with a pout while answering.

{Fine... But isn't your body still impossible to harm for anyone on this plane?? Do you really need to do this?} Landrian pointed out.

{My dear disciple, it's all about the artistic vision behind it. Having a strong body is not enough to properly finesse my disciple candidates.} Liz relied.

Landrian didn't know what to say and could only blink a few times before shaking his head and asking himself what else he had expected from her.

Lisa was on the side sitting while leaning on a tree observing the two who had been silently making expressions toward one another without saying anything.

(Unbelievable... How could a mortal just absorb such absurd amounts of Lun and then jump directly to the peak of the Lun refining realm... Actually, with that amount of Lun, it wouldn't have been surprising if he entered the foundation strengthening realm directly... No wonder such a person was traveling with a fairy if I haven't witnessed it myself, I would have thought this was caused by some sort of treasure, herb, beast, or an expert at least in the void spirit realm...) Lisa narrowed her eyes seeing this situation straight out of the fantasy books she once read, with a mysterious master and a disciple with heaven-defying talent.

(I definitely have to become this fairy's disciple!) She decided after thinking of the situation for a bit, and just as she was about to walk to her, Liz was the one who came accompanied by Landrian.

"Little Lisa, in this one day that we have been together, I have noticed that you are different from most and I see great potential in you, so I have decided to take you in as my second disciple." Liz announced with a smile while looking into the distance while using her aura to seem as 'mysterious' as possible.

"Disciple greets master!" Lisa couldn't believe her luck, for such a grandiose individual to see potential in her.

(With her as my master, not only will there be a brighter future, I'll also even be safe. Maybe things will change for the better for me from now on.) Lisa felt a bit optimistic for the first time in a long time.