Zara exhaled deeply as she prepared for her meeting with Lucien. Her penguin nuzzled against her leg, sensing her tension.
The day in the city had been a whirlwind of emotions for everyone: the joy of seeing their family, the anxiety for what was to come.
Kriz, Brok, Micah, Lila, Valeria, Mei, and Aria, who had their summoner's robes and amplifier belt, received the armor and necessary mana for their own System's Armors and returned to Elio.
Now, Zara had the crucial task of transmitting information about level 7.
In Lucien's office, Zara sat in front of the desk.
Lucien's frog perched on his head as always, fixed its large eyes on Zara.
"Well, Zara," Lucien began, his voice grave. "Tell me everything about level 7."
Zara nodded and began to explain the challenge in detail. She spoke about the lithium monsters, their attack patterns, the strategies Elio had developed to defeat them, and her own experience with them. Her penguin occasionally chirped, as if adding its own commentary to the explanation.
"The most important thing," Zara emphasized, "is the insulator. Without it, contact with the tunnel or these monsters paralyzes you and can be fatal."
Lucien listened attentively, occasionally asking questions and taking detailed notes.
His quick understanding didn't surprise Zara; after all, he already had knowledge of level 6 thanks to Elio.
"Life in the tunnel also presents its own challenges," Zara continued. "We need to use more mana than we initially anticipated. The pressure, constant darkness, the need to maintain the structure, hygiene, the hole... everything consumes more mana than we expected."
Lucien nodded, his face serious as he processed the information. His frog seemed to mirror his expression, its eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "I understand. It's crucial that we have all this information to continue advancing, especially if something were to happen to Elio or Selene."
As Zara continued her explanation, the office door opened softly. A young woman entered, her eyes widening with surprise at seeing Zara.
"I'm sorry uncle, I'll come back later."
"Ah, Diana," Lucien said, gesturing for her to approach. "Don't worry, she's someone you can trust, we were just finishing the report. How was your training today?"
Diana approached, casting curious glances at Zara. "It was... intense. But I think I'm making progress."
One second passed. Then another.
"Two full seconds!" someone shouted, their voice barely audible over the roar of the Locus jumping towards the wall.
Lucien and Zara joined the defense, their attacks coordinated with those of the other soldiers. The wall was a chaos of energy and movement, but there was an order to that chaos, a synchronization that spoke of the habit of eliminating monsters daily.
The women, who now outnumbered the men, led many of the attacks. Their combos, polished to perfection, created explosions of energy that disintegrated the Locus en masse. Their summons worked in perfect harmony with them, amplifying their attacks and providing additional support.
When the last monster fell, a tense silence took over the wall.
Zara turned to Lucien, her face somber. "It can't go on like this," she said, her voice low but firm. "We need more support in the tunnel. If we don't speed things up, it'll be too late."
Lucien nodded. "You're right. I'll start pre-selecting more candidates immediately. How many do you think you'll need?"
"As many as possible," Zara replied. "The tunnel is our best hope."
♢♢♢♢
The next morning, Zara found herself at the jumping point, having rested, her body vibrating with anticipation and nervousness. The enormous provisions weighed on her back.
As she prepared for the jump, she couldn't help but think of her companions who had already returned to the tunnel. How had they fared with level 6? Were they all okay?
"You're ready," Lucien said, appearing at her side. It wasn't a question. His frog hopped alongside him, its eyes fixed on the sea of monsters below.
Zara nodded. "Always."
"Remember everything you've learned," Lucien continued. "Trust your training and your instincts. And Zara..."
She looked at him, waiting.
"Take care of Elio," Lucien said. "We're all counting on you."
With a final nod to Lucien, Zara took a step forward and launched herself towards the sea of monsters.