Chapter 236 – Moving Forward

“So. What do you think?” 

Yuki looked up from the array of screens in front of her and considered the question that Akira had just asked. Mathali had left a few minutes ago. The thumb drive that he had left her contained everything that he didn’t say. It was mainly filled with notes from his investigation as he went around asking questions and observing. It detailed a few things like the schedules of various L-taf members, stories from locals, as well as Mathali’s own treks into the Keynal Strip.

Later in the files, it moved on to Mathali’s visit to the Gaeto, or the Demon Lands as he called it. Like he had said during his summary, he mainly asked around to see if there were any rumors of a demon that could evolve and control monsters. His notes were filled with speculations and bits of information, but his conclusion was circled with a digital red marker. Not a demon.

“I’m not sure,” Yuki replied. She sighed and closed the files. “There’s somehow a lot but not enough information for me to draw anything from.”

She went to the interface that Akira had plugged the drive into and removed it with a tug. 

“I have suspicions though. How about you, Akira?”

“Hmm. I can only speculate,” Akira said. “I’m in the same boat as you right now.”

“I see. Erica?” Yuki put her glass of water that she had been drinking in the sink and turned to Erica. “Do you have anything? Conclusions, guesses, ideas?”

“Kinda,” she nodded. “But it really depends on a lot of things that we don’t know. A demon isn’t involved in this right? At least, that’s what I seemed to get from Mathali’s stuff.”

“Yeah. That’s what he believes, and I don’t have any reason to doubt that conclusion. Honestly, it would have been a bit easier if it was a demon that was involved in this.”

“Easier?” Akira asked.

“Well, easier in the drawing conclusions sense. Because at least I can send some people to look into it and we have at least a starting point,” Yuki explained. She sat down on a stool and rested her elbows on the kitchen bar. “Now, we have barely anything. We know that someone or some people are experimenting with ways to accelerate the growth of monsters. But that’s about it.”

“So then what do you think we should do?”

“I’m not sure,” Yuki shrugged. “At this point, I think we should go with caution and assume the worst.”

“The worst being?” Akira pulled out a stool.

“These people have perfected a way to force monsters to evolve and can create rank S monsters and that they are currently doing that.”

“Then we need to think of the possible outcomes for that, right?”

Yuki nodded. She had already started going down different routes in her mind. None of them pleased her.

“One route that I’ve come up with so far is that this group will sell this technology or magic to another group,” she said. “I’m sure there are a lot of customers out there for something like this. It’s almost like instant power. You can have the strength of a rank S monster by your side.”

“True,” Akira said, tapping her chin. “But I don’t think there will be many customers that could afford this. There’s also the problem with controlling that rank S monster.”

“Yup. Erica, you said that you came up with something?” Erica’s head went up at the mention of her name and she nodded. “What was it?”

“Well, it’s a bit more straightforward than what you thought up,” she shrugged. “If I could force monsters to evolve, I would use that for myself. I know that Mat said that these people didn’t seem to have a way to control the monsters, but since that’ll probably be researched as well, we can just skip forward and say that it’ll be found right?”

“I think we can do that,” Yuki nodded. “Worst case scenarios and all that. Anything logical at this point would be great.”

“Got it. Well, like I said, if it was me, I would use it for myself and for power and stuff like that. I’m sure a lot of people would do that as well. Mathali brought up that diablos that started the Kienva War and that got me thinking. He sounded worried that a second Kienva War might occur and I think he might be right.”

“You think that someone is going to try and form a monster army to attack?” Yuki said. Erica nodded. “Mathali did say during our first meeting on this topic that he was afraid a war of sorts might happen.”

“Yuki, Erica’s idea could be combined with yours,” Akira said slowly. Yuki looked at her, waiting for her to elaborate. “Well, someone could sell this technique to some other party, and then that party goes around trying to amass an army.”

“That’s true as well. I don’t like any of this,” Yuki sighed. She rubbed her temples with the tips of her fingers and thought quietly for a few moments. “You know what. Let’s skip this and go to the more dangerous part of this whole situation.”

“The rank S monsters?” Akira said.

“Yup. Because either way, we’ll probably see one or two of them. Then we might need to deal with them depending on how the response to them is like.”

“We’re going to fight rank S monsters?” Erica asked, her voice rising. 

“We might,” Yuki corrected. Erica grinned in reply. “So because we might, I’ve been thinking about all the rank S monsters that’ve appeared and what Erica said about them. I have two takeaways.

“One.” Yuki raised a finger. “Rank S monsters have all taken an enormous amount of strength and power to bring down. Some ways were magical and other ways were more physical. But in all cases, it took a large force of people to defeat.

“Two.” Yuki put up two fingers now. “Rank S monsters all have something unique that made them difficult to deal with. For example, Fenrir had his fur which made him almost invulnerable to outside attacks. Namir the Giant’s strength was the magic that it wielded that made it nearly impossible to attack physically. There was also that sphinx, was it?”

“Fyger,” Akira supplied. “The one with the mind magic that could make people go crazy just from standing around it. If someone didn’t have protection, then they couldn’t go near it.”

“Yes, that thing. The fourth one was like Fenrir but with scales instead of fur. It was that acid lizard,” Yuki said. “But what I’m trying to say is that all four of these had characteristics that weren’t normal for their kind. Fenrir wolves are only supposed to be strong physically. Giants do have magic, but it was mainly illusions rather than attacking magic. I’m sure you get what I mean by now.”

“Yeah,” Erica nodded. 

“So rank S monsters, in short, are very difficult to deal with. Their main problem is the unique powers they have which people then have to find ways to circumvent in order to defeat these monsters. If we fight any rank S monster, we’re going to be those people that have to create a way to defeat those monsters.”

“But we can’t prepare for something like that without seeing the monster first,” Akira replied. “All we can do is train ourselves in the time we have right now so that we could stand a chance.”

“Yes, and no,” Yuki said. Akira frowned and Yuki explained. “We can’t craft a way to defeat the rank S monsters now because, of course, we don’t have the rank S monsters right now. But what we can do is create ways for us to quickly analyze these monsters and overall magic and techniques that will be beneficial no matter the situation.”

“Easier said than done,” Erica remarked. “Not that I don’t think you can.”

“Thanks. But yeah, it’ll be hard.”

“So is that going to be our plan for now until we get more information?” Akira asked. “Train and create techniques that could help in the subjugation of a rank S monster?”

“Yup. I want both of you two to try and come up with something, anything. Any small thing could help us in ways that we might even see until the situation arises. I, myself, will be trying to do that too. I have an idea though.”

“Oh, what’s that?” 

Yuki smiled.

“You know that little hideout we have in the woods? The cabin?” she said. Akira nodded and Yuki’s smile grew mischievous. “I’m thinking about going back. I haven’t taken a crack at those spells in a while.”

“You’ve tried at least ten times already,” Akira replied.

“That’s right. Only ten times so far.” 

Akira laughed at that reply and shook her head.

“Alright then. Anything else?” she said.

“The arena that the Academy tournament took place in, I recorded the magic that was involved in that, right?” Yuki said. “I think it’s in a file somewhere that Uriel knows where it’s gone. I’m going to be taking a more serious peek at those as well.”

“Okay. What are you going to do with those two things then?” Akira asked. Yuki only winked. “It better not be dangerous.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll fill you in once I’m sure I can do it. There’s something else I want to test out as well.” One of Akira’s eyebrows rose at that. “I have that armor that I didn’t get a chance to use yet. Now would be a great chance for me to get some practice in it.”

“Combat practice?” Erica said. “I’ve been wanting to get some in as well. Can I join?”

“Yeah, of course,” Yuki nodded. “Just don’t forget the other thing I want you to do. Akira, how about you?”

“I’ll join you two another day. I need to think for a bit,” she replied. 

“Mmm. Oh. We should call Yuna as well,” Yuki said, snapping her fingers. “She’ll probably be joining us if we have to fight a rank S monster one day.”

Erica cringed at those words and Yuki gave her a curious look. 

“What’s wrong?” Yuki asked.

“I think we forgot to tell you, but you can’t really call Yuna right now,” Erica said with an uncomfortable little smile. “She messaged us when you were out.”

“What do you mean can’t call her right now?” Yuki frowned.

“She was sent on a mission by the L-taf,” Erica explained. “She can’t bring any electronics with her except for what the L-taf gave her.”

Akira let out a small gasp. Yuki swiveled her head towards her and Akira’s eyes were wide.

“Erica, do you remember where Yuna said she was being sent?” Akira asked quickly. Erica nodded before letting out a small “oh”. 

“Where?” Yuki said, her mind trying to piece together what little information she had right now.

“Yuna said that she was being sent to the border.” Now it was Yuki’s turn to react, a small groan escaping her as she realised where this was going. “She was to be part of a squad that will be watching over the Keynal Strip.”

Yuki pressed her head into her hands and sighed softly as she mulled over this. Yuna was now at the heart of the situation with no information about the situation she was in. And there was one large glaring possibility that filled Yuki with dread. What if a rank S monster appeared there. Yuki’s mind raced as she tried to get a plan together.

“We can’t contact her at all, right?” she asked. Akira confirmed it and Yuk sighed again. “Well. Shit.”

She thought quietly for a few minutes, running scenarios in her mind but tossing them out as soon as they came. There was only one thing she could do right now short of going to the border herself and finding Yuna.

“We have to leave her there for now,” Yuki said quietly. Akira and Erica didn’t respond. “Hopefully, nothing happens yet and she’ll be fine. How long will she be gone?”

“She said the rotation will be one month long,” Akira replied.

“Okay. Okay. She should be fine for a month,” Yuki nodded. She hoped. “A rank S monster shouldn’t appear. She’s smart. She’ll know to try and contact us if something suspicious happens.”

She quieted again and her words trailed off. The familiar constriction of worry began to rise in her again. 

‘One month. I need to be prepared by then. Maybe earlier,’ she thought. ‘One month. I have to be able to help her get out of there if something happens.’

That something was a gigantic monster that took an army to defeat. But Yuki didn’t want to dwell too much on that. It wasn’t healthy for her.

‘One month. I hope she’ll be fine.’