Chapter 148: Lost Connection

"Alright, I will tell you, but please.. keep this a secret as best as you can, in exchange for keeping you identity a secret on my part too," Estelle puffed her cheeks, feeling cheated. If Liviera knew, then why did she keep asking?

Wasn't this a set up from the start?! Just to make her confess on her own.

Liviera smirked, giving the OK sign for Estelle's offer.

Estelle let out a sigh, calming herself down before composing an answer.

"Basically, I can use every magic known to man, including all four elements and the Unique Magic ranges. I can also use one specific type of magic that I'm not able to disclose, but.. I'm sure that all of you will understand my wish," Estelle spoke up.

To be honest, this fact being revealed was not too much of a big deal for her. It was not a bad quality to have. Besides, the three in front of her were all capable people that should know the meaning of respect and propriety.

This particular information about her will spark a lot of controversy and popularity surrounding Estelle and her identity. At that point, more troublesome matters might sprout up.

"..If I made you uncomfortable, then my apologies. I just wanted to probe around a little bit, you see," Liviera chuckled, trying to make the lingering atmosphere a bit merrier after Estelle's words made things slightly awkward.

"Mhm, I totally understand," Estelle gave a bright smile, keeping this amiable relationship intact.

"Anyway, please start your radar up, we will provide cover. Nothing will harm you during the time you concentrate," Liviera clapped twice, turning everybody's attention back to the imminent mission.

"Ah, I actually don't need to focus that much, but protection will be gladly appreciated," Estelle began channeling her pure mana and starting up the radar set up, dispelling Liviera's worries.

She had roughly estimated the forest's total area, so she inwardly calculated the zone she needed to cast the radar on with its sufficient ingredients. Preparing them all at the same time, she took a deep breath as she felt warmth spread throughout her entire body and surge through the forest, sweeping each inch of the area and lacing it with Estelle's overflowing mana.

She should be perfectly okay even after the radar has been set up.

Her golden mana caused the others to feel changes within themselves, being affected and stimulated by Estelle's discharge.

"This density.. it's really crazy," Liviera commented, laughing in astonishment as she set up protective magic over the girl. Setting up a large scale radar like this, their enemies was bound to find out about their positions sooner or later.

To counter that, they will clean up whoever tried to move using Estelle's radar. It was truly the best plan.

"..Right? I have watched her wield magic in front of me before, but it wasn't as potent as this. To think that this can come out of a mere human.." Frey added.

"Teacher, Livi, you two have a communication shell, right? Let's set up a temporary channel. I will stay here and protect Estelle, while you two go out there and move according to my instructions," Aleksei proposed to hurry things up.

Even though Estelle closed her eyes, she was still able to hear the full conversation the group had, but she did not speak in order to fully focus on her matters. She gave a silent nod as an indicator that she was set on the plan Aleksei suggested. It would be easier and much more efficient.

Liviera and Frey also thought about similar methods. Upon being presented with this division, they readily agreed. This wasn't the first time they had worked together, albeit their relationship being a bit rocky and them constantly pitting against each other.

"..Alright. I have a map of this forest, with codes marked on top of specific landmarks. I memorized everything on that, so you can give me directions using those codes," Liviera handed a scroll to Aleksei, who opened it and carefully looked at the specifications and nodded.

This time, Estelle opened her eyes for a slight moment in order to peek at the map. She had a perfect memorization skill, so the map was deeply ingrained inside her brain in mere seconds. She then closed her eyes once more and went back to covering the entire forest in her presence.

Immediately, just by spreading her mana, she already felt several disturbing presences that contained a similar vibe to them. Estelle discerned them as their enemies and marked their position inside her head using the codes Liviera provided.

"I memorized it, I will relay the codes to Aleksei later," Estelle said, receiving the nod from the other three.

The three then began chaining up their shells while Estelle went back to setting up her radar.

"Test, can you hear?" Aleksei successfully built a connection between their shells, a simple and temporary spell.

"It's working," Liviera confirmed.

"Mine is also working," Frey attested.

After checking with each other, the plan could finally be launched.

Liviera and Frey set off to the forest depths, whereas Aleksei stayed beside Estelle and paid attention to her every movements.

After tracking down the two women's location, Estelle began assigning the nearest target checkpoints and carving the most efficient pathway.

"B2, a bit to the west. Three people in the area," Estelle notified the group after her radar stabilized a bit. She sat down on the ground, relaxing as she felt her body be connected with the entirety of the forest.

Aleksei communicated Estelle's orders to the Livi and Frey, who executed the enemies hanging around Estelle's mentioned areas.

After feeling the death of those three disturbing energies, Estelle went to spot another group of enemy nearby. "C1, a bit north. Two people,"

Aleksei then contacted the two women, and they went to do their jobs.

"B3, center. One person,"

"F4, west. Four people,"

"E2, east.."

"G6..."

One by one, the spots Estelle discovered were cleaned up by Livi and Frey. Due to Estelle's sensitive radar, she was able to feel fluctuations of these two's magic in action. She truly felt that they were suitable to work with each other, just as Aleksei said. They complemented each other well.

Now, they were down to the last block on the map that had people crowding around it.

"Last. G1, center, seven people," Estelle conveyed.

This specific G corner had more people. This was the highest density they encountered.

The two women on the other side received the order and moved to execute said words.

And yet, this time, it was a bit different.

Understandably, since there were more enemies to face, they would have to struggle further. But knowing their abilities, they should've gotten back to them.

Because Liviera and Frey entered the block, the live count increased from seven to nine.

There was one concerning thing.

Even after minutes, the count still stayed at nine. Meaning, both sides haven't taken down the other yet.

Just then, the count decreased to seven.

"...Aleksei, check with Frey and Livi. I don't feel their fluctuations," After several rounds, Estelle had gotten familiar with the two's signature moves and mana characteristics.

If the one beaten down was the enemies, then the two's mana should have fluctuated. However, that did not happen, and yet the count still went down to seven from nine.

This meant that there was a high chance that the ones who got beaten down were Liviera and Frey. If so, then it would be dangerous.

Seven people. The number she announced several minutes prior to their mana's disappearance.

What if all seven were still alive, and Liviera and Frey was both taken down without any casualties from the enemies? A Void Witch, and a high ranking Elysium Order's seat holder.

Those two figures, being beaten down in a secluded area like this?

Estelle remembered the group Liviera mentioned.

Noir.

If these enemies belonged to Noir, then how strong could the core developers of the organization be?

Estelle calmed herself down, bringing up the possibility that they might've retreated for a short moment before jumping in back into the fight because their enemies were seven people. That they might've taken down two people already, and the number seven contained the two of them and five enemies.

Estelle didn't spread out her radar to the extremities, so she was only able to feel presences. She couldn't see anything that was happening.

However, the feeling she received from this particular block were all the enemies' signature characteristic, not Frey and Livi's.

The uncomfortable feeling that she kept receiving whenever her radar swept through an enemy target.

Two individuals also weren't detected in the other blocks, confirming that all the remaining individuals should be enclosed within the G1 block.

This made worry sprout inside of Estelle.

She still had to be in focus, so she left the communication with Aleksei.

She slowly focused her radar abilities, cornering it to the G1 block.