Chapter 12: The Exploration Team and the Training Test

The Legacy Guild had been in existence for centuries. Over time, it had evolved, hiding its true activities behind a powerful multinational corporation bearing the same name. His mission, however, had never changed. It was to prevent the plagues of chaos from invading Earth and to ensure that no tragedy like that of Eldrath would ever happen again.

Beyond this objective, the guild also acted as guarantor of the heirs, watching over their every move. Its role was to enforce the fundamental laws established by the elders.

But this duty, however noble, led over the centuries to numerous conflicts with certain reluctant heirs. A silent struggle, rarely mentioned in chronicles, but which marked history in many forms.

The guild's structure was set up to handle both research, the threat of chaos plagues, and rival organizations like Avalon.

Today, the guild consists of five divisions.

The administrative division, also called the Council, oversees the entire guild and makes the most important decisions. Any project, action, admission or other step must obtain his approval. It is made up of the team leaders, the guild master and his deputy.

The assault team represents the guild's strike force. She is primarily responsible for watching over Earth, with the Council sending her to deal with problems caused by heirs who break established principles. Reporting directly to the Council, this unit brings together some of the most powerful and talented members of the entire guild.

The research and development section's mission is to study plagues in order to unravel their mysteries, to understand how their body works and identify their exploitable weaknesses. She is also responsible for developing new weapons and technologies made available to other teams.

Thanks to the legacy of ancient knowledge and scientific advances, this section has allowed the guild to develop rapidly and strengthen its effectiveness in the face of threats.

The Exploration Team, as its name suggests, is tasked with exploring the ancient world of Eldrath. They are nicknamed the Adventurers. Their main goal is to map every place, every corner, and every vestige of Eldrath.

At the same time, they collect valuable information on the plagues, which they then pass on to the research team. Their mission also includes the recovery of lost relics and rare materials, essential for the creation of weapons that can only be found in this forgotten world.

And finally, the management team takes care of archiving and documentation. It gathers all the information collected by the research and exploration teams in order to record it in the guild's official works.

Its role is undoubtedly the most important of all, because it is responsible for preserving and transmitting memory. Events, knowledge, stories, wisdom and information inherited from the past are preserved to guide and protect future generations.

The tasks and objectives of these divisions were different, but all worked towards the same goal, to protect their world.

Two weeks had passed since Ryouma joined the Legacy Guild and was assigned to the Exploration Team. At first, he was still panicked about going to Eldrath, traumatized by his experience in that world. However, he gradually managed to overcome his fear and move forward, slowly finding his bearings.

He was currently undergoing training under the supervision of Sia Ashraf, a young woman from Egypt and vice-captain of the exploration team.

His curriculum consisted of explanatory classes on Eldrath. He studied the different regions and their geographical features, as well as the accumulated knowledge of plagues. All this information was available in the guild's ancient archives, a veritable treasure trove of knowledge accumulated over the centuries.

There were also survival exercises and practical situations to learn how to deal with dangers and unforeseen events during missions.

Not forgetting field expeditions, designed to familiarize recruits with the environment. These took place only in regions listed and classified as moderately dangerous, to ensure their safety while providing practical learning.

The program took place over a two-week period and, because of the time difference between the two worlds, Expeditions never lasted more than three hours on Eldrath, which corresponded to less than a day on Earth.

“Okay, let’s begin! What do you think is the most important rule to follow on Eldrath?” Sia asked. 

"Always keep your amulet with you."

"And...?" Sia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"And above all, never lose her, otherwise we risk getting stuck on Eldrath and ending up devoured by the plagues," Ryouma replied seriously. 

“What should you do when you spot a plague?” Sia asked.

"Do everything possible to avoid combat. You must avoid attracting his attention and flee the area as quickly as possible. You only engage in combat when absolutely necessary or if the mission requires it." Ryouma replied in a calm voice, as if he were still in a classroom.

"What is Area 31?"

"Area 31 is nicknamed the Ice Graveyard," Ryouma replied.

“It’s a region where snow falls constantly and where the base temperature of -18°C can drop even further depending on the time of day. From sunrise to sunset, it drops from -18 to -31°C, then from -31 to -126°C during the night until morning. In these extreme conditions, it is difficult for some species to survive for long, and those that are not adapted to this climate can die quickly if they do not have the right equipment."

“What can you tell me about Area 26?”

“Area 26 is nothing but a vast ocean,” Ryouma replied.

"But what interests us is 26 kilometers offshore, to the west, at a depth of more than 10,000 meters, under a pressure of 1,000 bars. Deep in this ocean, between powerful underwater currents, lies a cavity where air can survive. This is where the domain of the Hybel, one of the ten great clans of Eldrath.

"That's very good, Kirishima. You're answering questions correctly and you have a great ability to retain information," Sia praised.

"I'm just a good student who learns his lessons," Ryouma replied modestly.

“Now that the interrogation is over, let’s get to practicing. Are you ready?” she asked, holding up her amulet in one hand and extending the other toward him.

"Yeah!" Ryouma replied enthusiastically.

Ryouma grabbed his hand, holding his own amulet tightly.

A bright light filled the space, transporting the two young people to another world, to Eldrath.

“Ah… but I recognize this forest!” he exclaimed, looking around him.

"And yeah... From your description of the location during your teleportation accident on Eldrath, I understood that the first place you were talking about was area 25, the Reverie Forest." replied Sia.

This place was familiar to him. The vibrant colors of the forest seemed limitless, the air was fresh, and the scent of greenery and flowers filled the air, both mystical and captivating. Thin streaks of light ran along the tree trunks, and when the wind picked up, it swirled the leaves, scattering particles of light into the air. To further enhance the spectacle, the warm glow of the setting sun added new hues to the picture, making every corner of the forest absolutely magical.

It was impossible for him to forget such a landscape, especially because it was the very first place he had discovered upon opening his eyes after arriving in this world.

Ryouma had taken his Ebonveil form, similar to a fallen angel, while Sia wore her Elfae appearance, very close to that of a dark elf.

At first, Ryouma thought this body was just a game avatar and that all damage taken would reset when he returned to his Earthly form. But that wasn't the case.

He quickly noticed that the injuries he received did not disappear. Although his old wounds had healed, his body still retained the scars and traces of his battles. And that was not all, everything that was physically connected to him seemed to bear the marks of the past.

His clothes were in tatters, burnt in places, stained with mud and dried blood. His chest plate was deeply cut and in poor condition, a testament to his previous ordeal.

Ryouma's gaze fell on Sia who was performing stretching exercises, running over her entire body. He couldn't help but sneak glances at the dark elf's ample chest, and despite his insensitivity to feminine charms for years, he gradually understood that he was visibly not attracted to heiresses.

He looked at his outfit, a fantastical combination of white, black, and gray. His coat was divided into four sections down to the waist, and his trousers were held up by straps at the thighs. She didn't show much skin, but her clothes appeared both protective and designed to allow for freedom of movement.

"So Kirishima, are you ready!" Sia said, stretching, warming up her arms.

"We're going to do an obstacle course in this forest. The trees will serve as obstacles to test your agility and flight skills. After that, 4.6 meters from zone 26, the race will continue in the open sea to test your speed. Do you understand?"

"Yes! I'm ready!" Ryouma replied, looking up from his chest level to his eyes.

He spread his black wings, ready to take flight, while Sia revealed her own. This time, they weren't butterfly wings. There were four of them, thinner and wider, transparent and fluorescent, reminiscent of those of a dragonfly.

"I didn't know you could change wings!" Ryouma exclaimed, amazed.

“I adapt the shape of my wings depending on the terrain and the capabilities I need. Butterfly wings give me great air resistance and allow me to lift more than my own weight.

"Ah, so that's why you used them in Angel's Fall to come rescue me."

Sia nodded with a smile.

"Indeed, and now that the terrain is strewn with obstacles and I have to rely on speed, I'm going to use my dragonfly wings."

During training, Sia had taught Ryouma that the most important thing for an heir was to know their species and abilities perfectly. It was essential to understand the abilities and attributes conferred by his heritage, both in his human form and in his original form.

An heir had to know the limits of his abilities, develop his skills to compensate for his weaknesses and make the best use of his physical attributes in order to make them evolve.

"Three of us!"

Ryouma nodded, waiting for the signal.

"1…!"

He clenched his fists and frowned, concentrating.

"...2!"

Sia's wings began to flap rapidly, whirring like an engine ready for takeoff.

"3!!"

The starting signal given, they both took off simultaneously, immediately hitting the gas.

Sia had taken the lead from the start, and Ryouma was close behind her. However, it was difficult for him to catch up with her because of the thickness of the forest. Dusk was already falling, darkening the area, but they could spot obstacles—tree trunks—thanks to the luminous lines that served as guides.

The deeper they went into the forest, the larger and more numerous the obstacles became. The spaces between the trees were getting smaller, and Ryouma struggled to keep up.

Since the first day of his training, he had improved considerably. He had studied his attributes and multiplied the test flights. Little by little, he managed to use his wings better and control the airflows to gain an advantage in speed.

However, in such narrow terrain, Ryouma was forced to slow down to avoid obstacles in his path. He also had to be careful that his large wings did not get caught in the trees, which broke his rhythm and disrupted his flight.

For her part, Sia seemed to have no difficulty. Her speed did not weaken in the face of obstacles. She nimbly slipped through and between trees, tilting her body right and left to pass through the narrowest spaces, sometimes even vertically. Its thin, light wings could fold and unfold quickly as needed, allowing it to never slow down.

In these unfavorable field conditions, Ryouma tried to rely on speed while using one of his other remarkable skills, his visual acuity. Thanks to its dynamic vision and the expansion of its peripheral field, it searched for the best flight route, the one with the fewest trees and the widest spaces.

In his violet irises, the path he was supposed to follow was outlined. Without further ado, Ryouma turned 90 degrees to his right. Sia watched him go sideways, but didn't change course. She knew he had something up his sleeve and let him go, taking a little lead in the race.

Ryouma had taken a big detour, which further widened the distance between him and Sia and increased his delay. However, he cared neither about Sia's considerable lead nor about his own delay. As long as he found a clear enough path to charge at full speed, he could get back into the race in no time.

So he finally reached the starting point of his real race. The path he was going to follow was not a perfectly straight line, but it was better than the previous route and offered enough space to cross without having to slow down at every obstacle.

Now that he was in good condition, Ryouma resumed the race at full speed and made a spectacular comeback. Turning his head slightly to his left, he could make out Sia's figure approaching.

The flight path seemed to be getting wider and wider, allowing Ryouma to accelerate even further and catch up. Soon he was almost level with Sia, separated from her only by a few trees. Everyone focused on their own path, knowing they were quickly approaching the exit from the forest.

The two runners emerged from the forest at the same time, the wind lifting the leaves and scattering the luminous particles that were still dancing in the air.

But the race didn't end there. They were now flying over the sea.

The light of the setting sun tinted the surface of the water a golden color. Sia faced Ryouma, flying upside down, her back to the sea, staring at him in mid-flight.

"You need to work on your agility and coordination. This time you got out of it by finding another way, and I must admit that's a great move," she said.

“I also noticed that your wings are too stiff. You need to practice making them more flexible so you can open and close them at will, in the blink of an eye.”

"Okay, I'll take note," Ryouma replied.

"All right, now try to catch up with me if you can," she said playfully.

Sia righted herself, her dragonfly wings flapping so fast they seemed to disappear. She instantly accelerated, leaving Ryouma far behind.

“Speed is officially my domain of predilection, it is unthinkable that I lose.”

A single flap of his wings generated enough power to propel Ryouma at breakneck speed, and he had already covered half the distance between him and Sia.

After my calculations, another equally powerful wingbeat will allow me to catch up with her, and one last one to overtake her and leave her behind me, hehehe…

Ryouma laughed inwardly. Sia had just revealed her competitive spirit. It would only take two equal wing impulses to overtake her, but at that moment, an idea crossed his mind: "Why not do three at the same time?"

This thought came to him suddenly, and he wished he had analyzed the effects and repercussions of this movement before executing it. But he didn't have time. Sia was getting too far ahead, so he decided to give it a shot.

To begin with, he gave a first impulse which propelled him at full speed. He followed up with a second beat of his wings, launching himself even more strongly against the increasing air resistance ahead of him. Finally, he executed a third and final impulse. The air tore apart, creating a shockwave accompanied by a deafening noise that resonated throughout the surroundings.

Sia felt something speed past her, and the next second she heard a loud, thud, like an explosion.

She wasn't dreaming. She had definitely felt Ryouma's speed, but what surprised her most was the noise she had just heard right after he had passed. Ryouma had passed her before the shockwave could even be heard.

In other words, Ryouma had broken the speed of sound, and the noise she had perceived was none other than the effect produced by an object breaking the sound barrier, what is called a supersonic boom.

Sia blinked, still in shock. She had just seen Ryouma disappear in front of her like a flash, and the sonic boom was still ringing in her ears.

Ryouma, for his part, felt adrenaline rush through every muscle in his Ebonveil body. The wind whipped against his face, his wings cutting through the air with precision.

Ryouma flew near the water's surface at supersonic speed, splitting the sea in two and leaving behind a trail of black feathers. The two columns of water rose high as he passed before falling back in a blurred, swirling flow.

It abruptly changed course to stop dead, while the sea continued to split further away under the pressure of the air.

"I went a little too far," he said, turning around.

He could no longer see the shore, much less Sia. He found himself in the middle of the ocean. Deciding to retrace his steps, he tried to get back to shore, which took him some time.

Sia's wings beat rapidly as she hovered above the water. She placed a hand on her forehead to shield herself from the setting sun and scanned the horizon.

Little by little, Ryouma's silhouette appeared against the golden canvas of the sea sun, returning at full speed.

"Sorry, I overdid it a bit. Two pulses would have been enough," he said.

"No! You were amazing. You were going faster than a fighter jet, it was incredible," Sia exclaimed.

"It was nothing," Ryouma replied with a smile.

Both returned to the shore and landed on the cliff at the edge of the forest, overlooking the sea.

They barely had time to set foot on the ground when the forest trembled. Some trees cracked and a large amount of luminous particles escaped, floating in the air like smoke, sign of imminent danger. A horrible, guttural noise was heard, announcing the presence of a terrifying threat.

“Watch out, Kirishima!” Sia shouted, warning Ryouma.

Both of them quickly moved aside, sidestepping to avoid the charge coming straight at them.

A creature burst out of the woods, razing everything in its path. Its mouth was wide open, revealing a long, slimy worm with a small opening and four hooks at the end. The monster had no face, no eyes, no nose, no ears. Its body, large and round, was covered with fish-like scales, reflecting the sunlight like metal.

“It’s a scourge, so be on your guard!”

Sia's warnings didn't reach Ryouma. He was completely focused on the creature, assailed by flashes of his past. This plague was the same one he had faced at the lake when he first woke up in this world. He remembered it perfectly, because it was his first real encounter with such terrifying danger, a moment that had left a deep mark on him.

The creature's attention then turned to Sia, as if drawn by her cries. This seemed impossible, as she appeared to lack any hearing system at first glance.

This pest does not appear to possess any classic sensory organs such as sight or hearing. It must therefore find its way in another way, probably through vibrations in the air...

“RAHHHH!”

Ryouma shouted, flapping his wings vigorously, putting his theory into practice. And it worked. The plague flew towards him, forgetting about Sia.

Clutching his amulet, he prepared to receive the assault. The amulet lit up, and a double-pointed black spear emerged, forming a bident.

Holding the bident in his hand again gave him a strange feeling, like meeting an old companion. It was with this weapon that he had first overcome the dangers of this world, and today again, it would help him defeat this scourge.

Ryouma waited for the creature to approach, then narrowly dodged to the side and attempted a piercing attack with both prongs of his bident.

A metallic clang echoed as the tip of the bident was pushed back. The creature slowed like a bull before charging again.

Ryouma took off quickly, rising into the sky out of the monster's reach, then swooped down on the creature. The bident grated on its scales and sank in, letting a purple liquid flow from the wound.

He jumped off the scourge's back, clicking his tongue. Even with a full-force attack, the wound wasn't deep enough to immobilize the monster.

“Damn! His scales are harder than steel, my bident barely sank into his skin.”

The creature's blood stopped flowing, and the wound closed, revealing new scales, seeming even more solid than before.

"You should be careful, some plagues have the ability to regenerate indefinitely," Sia warns.

Ryouma was already surprised by how quickly the monster regenerated. All his effort had to be redone. If this scourge could regenerate itself infinitely, this posed a major problem.

"There are two ways to defeat him. Either you destroy him in one hit, or you find his weak point and kill him," Sia told him, observing the situation with her arms crossed.

She felt that this unforeseen situation would be beneficial for him and that he could learn from it.

The options were limited. It was impossible for Ryouma to wipe out this scourge in a single blow. The only way to kill him was to attack his weak point, which must have been inside his body. The chimera he had fought in the treasure room had risen despite all the damage it had suffered. He remembered defeating her by piercing her from the inside. He then thought that it must be the heart that must be destroyed to kill a plague, as with any living being.

However, to reach its heart, one had to penetrate its metallic armor, and that was no easy feat. But it was worth the try.

Now that he had an idea of how to defeat him, he was ready to put his plan into action.

"Hey! You big pile of shit! Over here!" he shouted.

The scourge did not hear the provocation. The sound was not perceptible to it. On the other hand, he felt the vibrations in the air and headed straight towards their source, while Ryouma waited for him with firm feet.

He placed his bident diagonally in front of him and received the monster's charge. The force of the impact pushed him back several meters, but he pressed firmly to the ground, his feet digging into the earth and digging it out with the force of the shock. After the initial shock, by maintaining his bident as a barrier, he managed to stop the creature in its tracks.

The scourge's large mouth was hampered by the bident's shaft and could not reach its prey, but it did not stop there. It pushed forward to force its way through.

However, Ryouma didn't give up. He countered him, pushing back with all his power, engaging in a true contest of strength.

“It’s not over… RAHHHH!! ” Ryouma cried.

With a ferocious roar, he managed to reverse the tide and push the scourge back. He took a half step back and grabbed his bident by the end. With a mighty blow, he struck the creature. A diagonal line appeared on the body of the flail, leaving a slight dent, but one that would not last long.

Ryouma spun his weapon and struck the same spot again. A cross-shaped mark appeared, the steel scales shattered into a thousand pieces, and blood gushed out like a fountain.

I can't defeat this monster easily. There's no choice but to attack again and again without giving it time to regenerate...

The scourge seemed irritated and some of its scales stood up like spikes.

Ryouma moved to the side and delivered a double consecutive cross strike, further injuring the monster. He then pointed his bident at the center of the cross and pushed it in to deepen the wound. Taking the shaft in both hands, he pulled on it, widening the wound, which was bleeding profusely.

The large gash was wide and deep enough that the inside of the scourge's body could be seen. Nevertheless, the wound was already beginning to heal. Ryouma continued to swing his bident, widening the chink in the monster's armor. The crashing sounds of metal against metal grew louder as he landed more blows, blood spurting in all directions.

"I'm almost... still a little bit."

Indeed, he continued to dig a little deeper with each blow, slowly approaching the heart. He would soon be able to deliver the final blow.

However, the scourge curled into a ball and rolled towards Ryouma, its sharp spikes threatening. It jumped and swung down with a powerful slash, driving the monster's coated body into the ground.

The worm that served as the creature's tongue spat out a yellow substance from its orifice that fell like a curtain over Ryouma. He jumped back, narrowly escaping contact. A small amount splashed onto his chest, protected by the breastplate, but it began to melt quickly. At this rate, the substance would soon reach his body.

He quickly tore off the breastplate and the clothes underneath, shedding everything to leave himself shirtless.

“Haah… I had a close call on that one.”

Almost all of the hypercorrosive substance fell back to the ground, melting even the earth and leaving a large depression.

"It's okay, Kirishima! Stop right there!" Sia said, walking towards him.

She burst into the fight, stepping between Ryouma and the scourge.

"What the hell are you doing!? Get out of here, it's too dangerous!" Ryouma shouted as he saw her step in front of him.

"You've done enough for this test. I'll take over!" she declared, looking over her shoulder at him.

She turned her attention back to the scourge, which had fully regenerated, undoing all of Ryouma's hard work.

As the monster's tongue-like worm swelled, ready to spit out its hyper-corrosive substance again, Sia grabbed her amulet.

"[Arsenal: the spirit deck]!" she shouted.

The green stone embedded in the amulet began to glow, and light cards of different colors appeared, dancing all around Sia.

“Careful, Sia! » alerted Ryouma.

She drew a card from the deck as the worm hurled its cascade of acid at her.

"I summon you, Dryad!" she called.

The earth suddenly rose up and a wall of bark burst forth, protecting Sia from the corrosive fluid like a natural barrier.

The scourge continued to spit out its jet of hyper-corrosive acid, as powerful as a fire hose. The wooden wall stood for a while before beginning to melt, like snow in the sun. However, the acid failed to penetrate its defenses, as the wall was composed of several thick layers, one above the other, which reformed faster than the acid dissolved them.

Ryouma's eyes blinked a few times as he saw a woman made of almost transparent light, floating above Sia. The colors of nature seemed to dance over her.

Her hair was a mixture of vines and tree leaves, and her naked body was partially covered and mummified by intertwined brambles. Her legs gradually disappeared, melting into the air like a ghost down to her feet.

The creature, seeing its acid blast ineffective, simply charged forward, slamming into the wall. Yet it still held.

From the ground then sprang brambles which wrapped themselves around the monster to immobilize it. The thorns of the brambles suddenly grew longer, piercing the whole body of the scourge from side to side, going through it like a thousand needles. Blood flowed from multiple orifices as the brambles lifted the creature.

Beneath her, a small shoot sprouted and grew rapidly, giving rise to an enormous carnivorous plant with teeth as sharp as those of monsters. The plant engulfed the creature, swallowing most of its body and leaving behind only a few scattered pieces.

The plant chewed, making horrible metallic clicking noises that made Ryouma shiver just by hearing them. After chewing thoroughly, she swallowed the whole thing, the passage being made almost elegantly through the stem to the ground.

"It's over..." Ryouma breathed.

"No, not yet. The highlight of the show remains!" Sia declared.

The carnivorous plant then began to mutate. Where it had opened, it became a magnificent flower, blooming like a caterpillar and transforming into a dazzling butterfly.

One life for one life.

It was as if the horrible plague had given birth to a large and sublime exotic flower.

Unable to look away, Ryouma stood there open-mouthed, impressed not only by the spectacle of the monster's devouring, but also by the final scene which ended with a mixture of horror and admiration.

"Well done, Dryad!" Sia said to the spirit.

The spirit then turned over the card, which joined the deck in Sia's hands.

"What just happened? What was that ghost?" Ryouma asked, confused.

“It’s a spirit, and this is my special type relic, the Spirit Deck!” Sia replied, showing the deck of cards.

She drew several cards from the top of the deck and displayed them for Ryouma to see. Each card represented a woman of varying appearances, and at the top of each was written her name: The Dryad, The Ondine, The Efrit…

"Do you know about tarot cards, Kirishima?" asked Sia.

"Yes, you're talking about the cards used for fortune telling."

“Exactly. In the same way that the tarot is represented by figures like the Emperor, the Tower or Temperance, My deck is made up of several arcana, each representing an elemental spirit."

Tarot originated in Europe in the 15th century, primarily in Italy and France, as an aristocratic card game called trionfi. It was only several centuries later, in the 18th century, that it was diverted from its playful function to be used in occultism and divination. It was then claimed that these maps were the legacy of Egyptian esoteric knowledge, preserved in a mysterious Book of Thoth.

In truth, this connection with Egypt was only a myth invented by the occultists of the time to reinforce the mysterious aura of the tarot.

The Game of Spirits was in reality the authentic and original form of the tarot, a special ancient relic whose meaning had been altered and function blurred by the ages.

Sia's cards lit up one by one before disappearing into the amulet, as if sucked into an emerald glow. In their place appeared a glass cube, floating in the air. She grabbed it with a firm gesture and used it to remove a few fragments of the scourge's mutilated body, remnants still pulsing with its energy.

These samples were sent directly to the research team, which was responsible for analyzing them in order to obtain new information on the plagues.

"Surprise question, Kirishima. What can you tell me about this plague?" she asked, her tone neutral but her gaze piercing.

The question caught Ryouma off guard. He froze for a moment, his lips parted, then immediately recovered.

"I'd say it's... a chimera-type plague."

A brief smile crossed Sia's face.

“Good answer. But remember, you have to be careful when dealing with these scourges. They can look like simple monsters… but their abilities often surpass imagination. Never underestimate them.

The cube sealed itself and, with a flash of light, was absorbed back into the amulet.

The amulet was not a simple jewel, but a real artifact with spatio-temporal properties. In addition to allowing the heirs to travel between the two worlds, it also served as a dimensional pocket capable of storing an infinite number of objects.

Ryouma, however, couldn't help but see it with his gamer's eyes. To him, it was simply the "inventory" function of a video game.

With a gesture, Sia brought out several objects. This time, it was a cylindrical tube about fifteen centimeters long, followed by an outfit in sober colors, gray, black, and white.

"Here! Put this on."

It was only then that Ryouma realized he was still shirtless, his clothes shredded by the fight.

"Thanks!" he said, a little embarrassed, grabbing the outfit before disappearing behind a tree to change.

The new outfit fit him like a glove, as if it had been tailor-made for him.

When he returned to Sia, he immediately noticed that her outfit looked similar to his, but with a design of her own.

"Do you like it? It's the Exploration Team uniform. Everyone can customize it to their liking," Sia asked with a smile.

She crossed her arms and continued in a more serious tone.

"These suits are made of a special material. They offer additional protection against damage, but also against bad weather, whether it's extreme heat or freezing cold. Lightweight and durable, they guarantee great freedom of movement, without ever hindering gestures."

Ryouma looked down at himself and tugged at the sleeve a little, appreciating the suppleness of the fabric. A smile escaped him despite himself.

After his explanation, Sia handed him the cylindrical tube. The TermRod was a high-tech device, a cylinder about fifteen centimeters long capable of opening vertically to project a holographic window, similar to video game interfaces. It was used as a terminal, concentrating a multitude of data, but also as a communication device and distress beacon in case of emergency.

Taking the TermRod in hand, Ryouma opened it and saw a holographic window appear floating in front of him. Icons, menus, and options flashed on the screen, scrolling through various functions and options. 

There we really have the impression of being in a fantasy liteRPG world… he thought.

Among them, two immediately caught his attention: the catalogue of plagues and the map.

The Scourge Catalog listed all the information the guild had accumulated over the years on these creatures. Type, strengths, abilities, weaknesses, everything was recorded, classified and detailed in order to help the heirs face them.

Ryouma touched the catalog icon. Immediately, the main menu for the function opened before him, projecting a clean and clear interface. Files were grouped according to different classes of plagues, each accompanied by an estimate of their danger level. As a bonus, each card included specific instructions to follow in the event of an encounter.

Chaos Scourges Sheet

The Scourges of Chaos are entities from Eldrath, carrying anomalies and incomprehensible phenomena. Each type has its own characteristics, threat level, and survival instructions in the event of an encounter. All plague categories share one thing in common, and that is the patterns that are drawn on their bodies.

1. Stranger Scourge

Entities completely unknown, with forms and powers that defy all logic. No pattern is repeated, no intention is identifiable. The few survivors speak of incoherent and traumatic experiences, difficult to transcribe.

Danger Level: 4 Stars — Critical

Absolutely avoid all contact. The instruction is simple: run away. Even prolonged observation is considered dangerous.

2. Scourge Calamities

Titanic entities, often responsible for massive paranormal phenomena: earthquakes, temporal distortions, dimensional storms. Their mere presence is enough to trigger a supernatural catastrophe.

Danger Level: 5 Stars — Catastrophic

Never engage alone. Neutralizing them requires a large-scale military operation. Report any appearances to headquarters immediately.

3. Chimera Scourges

Creatures resulting from grotesque combinations of different monsters. Their appearance varies from case to case, but they are always aggressive and unpredictable.

Danger Level: 3 stars — Moderate to High (depending on size and morphology)

Combat possible by trained groups. Always remain vigilant against hybrid capabilities.

4. Foot Soldier Scourges

Extensions of a Calamity Scourge, materialized in smaller, less powerful forms, but directly linked to the parent entity. Their role is to harass, exhaust and distract the fighters.

Danger Level: 1 star — Low to Moderate

Eliminable individually, but each Footman destroyed strengthens the bond with the Mother Calamity. Never ignore them, while keeping priority over the real threat.

It was exactly the same thing he had heard in the Eldrath lessons Sia had given him during training. Searching his memory, he could already roughly classify the different plagues he had encountered so far.

The lake monster, the one Sia had defeated, undoubtedly belonged to the Chimera category, with its body formed from a grotesque assemblage of several living species. The flying creature that had attacked him in the forest, as well as the six-eyed black cat, also fell into this same class.

The gigantic rock monster seen in Area 24, capable of causing earthquakes, undoubtedly belonged to the Calamity category.

The creature with the crescent moon-shaped tail was a Infantryman, as was the Scarlet Mist, an insidious scourge capable of attacking without warning.

As for the rest, Ryouma wasn't sure yet. By process of elimination, he concluded that the Sentinel Creature, The two-faced flesh ball and the one producing a toxic miasma belonged to either the Calamity or the Foot Soldiers category.

Looking through the plague files, Ryouma noticed that each class was well documented, with detailed information about the creatures' characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. Some were familiar to him, and he had already managed to classify them correctly in his head.

However, when he looked at the Stranger category, he found only three files, each containing very little information. His eyes widened as he fell upon one of them. A blurry, snapped image appeared before him. The spectral, vaguely human figure seemed blurred like the images on an old television set.

Ryouma immediately recognized this scourge. It was the one he had been powerless to do anything about, literally untouchable, making any fight impossible. Il then understood why the Strangers were considered so dangerous and mysterious, and why they had to be avoided at all costs.

"Normally, you would have received your uniform and terminal at the end of your training, but I made an exception. Besides, you've handled things very well so far," Sia said.

"So I made a mistake, is that it?"

Sia nodded happily, as if she was happy that Ryouma was making mistakes so she could correct him, like a teacher with her student.

"Listen to me carefully, Kirishima," she said, holding up three fingers.

"To fight the plagues, we, the heirs, have three weapons."

She folded two fingers, leaving only her index finger exposed.

"The first weapon is our physical abilities. On this point, you are doing very well. You were able to make the most of your skills, creating a synergy between your speed, agility and preception."

Ryouma already remembered their discussion about the heirs' superhuman abilities. In his human form, he could only deploy a tenth of his abilities, whereas on Eldrath, he had access to 100% of his potential.

After arriving on Eldrath, Joy, an Inheritor, sees his physical abilities fully manifest as soon as he assumes his original form for the very first time. This transformation acts as a stimulant, awakening the sleeping genes within him. Back on Earth, in his human form, the heir nevertheless retains strength and physical abilities that place him well above the average human.

The first crossing to Eldrath was therefore considered a sacred ritual among the heirs, an obligatory passage, almost like a rite of initiation into adulthood. It was the moment when their true nature was awakened, when the veil fell, finally revealing what they truly were at the deepest level of their being.

Sia raised her middle and index fingers, showing two fingers.

"Then there are our attributes. Each species of Eldrath has physical and psychic attributes that grant them unique magical powers. Each of these attributes corresponds to a type of magic. Your wings, for example, allow you to control the air, which creates a power related to wind. You use them to move through the air, but you haven't mastered them well enough yet. Your physical abilities alone are not enough to defeat the plagues. You need to work on your attributes to use them offensively and effectively in combat."

In Ryouma's perception, species attributes were similar to skills. Each skill was specific to its class, such as knight, mage, or assassin. Attributes were divided into two categories: physical and psychic. Some species possessed only one type of attribute, while others excelled in both.

"Did you understand correctly?" Sia asked.

Ryouma nodded. He understood now that he would only become stronger by fully mastering his attributes. His recent fight had been a clear lesson. His physical abilities, however perfect, and his mastery of the bident were not enough. To defeat scourges like the ones he had faced, he needed more than brute force. He needed the power to destroy them in one fell swoop.

Ryouma remembered his fight against the black cat chimera. He had only managed to defeat it because the creature had underestimated him, which had sealed his defeat. On the other hand, he realized that he was much weaker today than during that first confrontation.

The only difference from this previous fight was the situation. The first time, he found himself in a desperate situation. Fear had triggered an intense mixture of emotions and feelings that had crystallized into one: the wrath. This anger had increased all his abilities tenfold, giving him a real boost that had allowed him to triumph over the scourge.

The situation and conditions were different, and that was why Ryouma felt so helpless. His goal was clear: he had to improve himself to survive in a world where danger was omnipresent and life hung by a thread. To achieve this, he had to fully understand what he was capable of.

He still had a long way to go, but already he was immersed in his thoughts, analyzing every possibility and using his knowledge to exploit his attributes to the fullest.

"Good. Can you lend me your spear?" Sia asked.

"Sure... and it's a bident, actually."

Sia grabbed the weapon and examined it, spinning it around, as if it were a simple magic staff.

"Yeah... it's a good weapon," she said, but her tone betrayed a hint of disappointment.

"Is there something wrong with the weapon?" Ryouma asked, intrigued by the girl's expression.

"No, not really. The weapon is made of a good material, at a rough guess I'd say Kirail, a very strong metal, a little heavy, but with a certain flexibility."

Sia handed the bident back to Ryouma, who still didn't understand where the girl's disappointment came from.

"I'm talking about physical abilities and attributes. The third weapon to fight against plagues is relics, magical weapons that grant their user a large number of powers depending on the type of weapon. For example, 'the spirit deck' is a special type of relic."

"So... if I understand correctly, mine..." he said hesitantly.

"That's right, you understand. Your bident isn't a relic. It's a weapon... with no power."

I'm officially the unluckiest guy in the entire world, Ryouma thought through gritted teeth.

Now Ryouma understood Sia, and he too seemed disappointed by the news. Yet, it was thanks to this weapon that he had been able to defeat his first plague, so he wasn't complaining.

Sia stretched with a small groan and sat down on the edge of the cliff, while Ryouma put the bident back into his amulet.

Night had fallen, and the sky of Eldrath was covered with twinkling stars. The waves below died against the rocks with a soothing sound.

Instead of returning to Earth, Sia gently patted the space next to her, beckoning Ryouma closer.

Shrugging, he put his worries aside and settled down on the edge of the cliff, near the girl who was happily swinging her legs in the air.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” she said suddenly.

Ryouma looked out to sea. The full moon reflected on the sea, while thousands of tiny lights danced around him like a shower of stars. It was the stardust released by the trees, shining brightly in the moonlight.

As he glanced behind him, he was blown away by the beauty of the mystical forest. The tree trunks lit up the dark night like streetlights, and the particles of light floated around, like fireflies. The view looked like an entire forest of fir trees decorated with Christmas garlands.

The forest's full splendor was revealed only at sunset. In the darkness of night, it shone and shone brightly, like a nocturnal city on Earth.

Sia's question seemed clearer to her now.

"Yeah, it's amazing. I still can't believe a world like this exists."

"I agree, it feels like a dream."

Sia always wore a joyful expression when she spoke of Eldrath, more than anything else. This didn't escape Ryouma's notice, and he hesitated for a moment before deciding to ask him a question. Yet, he asked anyway.

“Can I ask you a question, Sia?”

“Sure, anything you want to know about relics or your attributes. I’m here for that!” she said, proud to still have things to teach her young apprentice adventurer.

"Um... actually, it's a personal question."

"Oh! That kind of question... No problem. What do you want to know about me?"

"Ahem… I wanted to ask you why you chose to join the guild, and more specifically the exploration team. I'm asking this question to better understand the motivations that drive me to embark on this adventure," Ryouma asked.

"Ah, okay. I see... you're signing up for reasons related to your loved ones, but in truth, there's nothing that really motivates you for this job, is that it? You will seek your true motivations by asking others what they think."

"You could say that... and you, then?"

"Actually, most of the guild members are in it because their parents were in it before them. My parents were heirs and archaeologists. Their job took them all over the world, and I was always with them. It was like a family trip. We were going from country to country, exploring the most fascinating places on the planet." Sia smiled nostalgically as she thought back to those moments from the past.

“Since I was little, I have loved discovering new countries, learning their history and immersing myself in new cultures. It allowed me to learn many languages and make many friends around the world. The downside was that we never stayed in one place for long. I had to say goodbye to my friends all the time."

His childhood years were like one big family adventure around the world. It was not a stable life for a child, but she kept in her heart the happiness of those moments spent with her parents.

“I accompanied them everywhere they went… except one place. Another world they kept telling me about. The stories they told me on each of their trips fueled my desire to go there myself every day. I sometimes threw tantrums to get them to take me, but they kept saying it was too dangerous for a little girl."

Laughing at her childhood memories, Sia let out a sigh before continuing, her voice taking on a sadder tone.

“My mother and father were members of the exploration team. Their love of history and mythical places had found its peak in Eldrath, the Land of their ancestors.”

She paused for a moment, a bitter smile on her lips, and took a deep breath.

“Unfortunately… they died during an expedition that went wrong.”

Sia kept her smile, even when talking about her parents' deaths. Her eyes shone with an incredible glow of life. She didn't want anyone to feel sorry for her. She was strong and kept her head up, no matter what.

"So you joined the guild to honor their memory and continue their mission in their place."

“Yes, that… and also because I share the same passion as them. That's why I joined the exploration team, to be able to see with my own eyes this world they kept telling me about."

Ryouma frowns slightly.

"Doesn't all this scare you? The plagues... the dangers..."

“Of course I’m scared!” Sia exclaimed, her eyes bright.

“Facing these monsters terrifies me, like everyone else. But this fear is not great enough to curb my passion. Even if the unknown holds dangers... even if I were to die here... I will continue to come and discover all the wonders of this world. I will have no regrets."

She pounded her fist against her chest, her eyes blazing with determination.

Sia's burning passion lit a flame in Ryouma's heart. He felt how determined she was, how much she loved this world despite all the dangers that populated it and that even the fear of death could not make her back down. He had to admit that, putting aside the fact that this world was infested with horrible monsters, it was definitely a good place to live.

Just watching the forest light up behind them, deep down he wanted to see more, to discover even more of these magical places and wonders that seemed to come out of a dream.

"Well, it's time to go home. Tomorrow will be your last day of training, and to cap it off, I'm taking you to the most incredible place I've ever seen," Sia said, jumping up.

"Oh really! What does it look like?" Ryouma asked curiously.

Sia wagged her finger in refusal.

"You'll find out tomorrow," she smiled mysteriously.

Ryouma raised an eyebrow and didn't bother asking more so as not to spoil the surprise.

Ryouma and Sia took hands, and a soft light enveloped them, sending them back to Earth.