"He's near you..." a voice whispered to Phina as she laid in a bed in Tekker's shop. "he's so close..."
"W-Who?" Phina sleepily said.
"YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE!!!" the screech woke Phina right up. She saw a figure looming over her. A large male figure.
"W-Who are you?!?" Phina jumped to her feet as she reached for her dagger and mask.
"So...you're Seraphina Ender?" the black haired, masked man spoke softly. "I'm a little disappointed."
The man's voice gave her goosebumps. He chuckled. "This is interesting though. I can sense that the Laws are swirling around you like a bunch of flies around a heap of garbage, yet you're only at the Advanced-rank?"
Phina felt a chill go down her spine. Her Life Energy was out of order right now, meaning that her World Energy was also out of order, yet he accurately measured her current rank! This man was dangerous, incredibly so! He was at least a Peak stage Apex-rank!
"Here's the deal, Seraphina." the man spoke in a calm tone. "I can help you get out of here, out of this arena, but in exchange, I want the secret to your high Synchronicity Rate."
"I-I don't know why it's so high, though!" Phina panicked. If such a man caught her in a lie, death would be the last of her worries!
"It's okay, it's okay, it's okay." the man calmed her down. "Just let me observe you trying to connect with the Laws, then I'll help you get out of here."
"O-Okay." Phina was still cautious, yet her identity was exposed. This strange man was more powerful than her and knew her only secret in this place.
"Perfect!" the man enthusiastically exclaimed. "My codename is Nightmare. I will come meet you later."
"What?"
GASP!!
Phina jumped awake as she looked around her room. She took deep breaths, "Haaah...haaah...haaah...haaah...what the fuck...what the fuck..."
She had thought that her secret was out, but it was just a nightmare. It was all just a bad dream.
"I need to get out of this place...soon." Phina sighed as she grabbed her mask and her new equipment.
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"Hold!" the guard blocked Phina's way into the mayor's office with a spear. "You are not allowed entry at this moment, the mayor is busy!"
"Tell Mayor Mayo that Shira is outside." Phina said as she looked at the guard.
"We've been told that Shira would be ill-equipped, you think you can fool us?!" the guard said furiously.
"Get Mayo out here before you do something you regret." Phina advised. That nightmare had made her on edge, she was in no mood to entertain an idiot.
"You think you can-"
"Shut up!!" a voice interrupted the soldier.
"WHO DA-" the guard turned around with fury in his eyes, yet it quickly turned into fear as he recognized the man in stunning blue armor. "Captain Fin! My apologies, sir!!"
Phina also recognized this man. It was the Intermediate-rank man that was behind Mayo when they arm wrestled. Fin quickly approached Phina. "I didn't think you'd be able to equip yourself so well with only 60 Beast Repellants."
"I have my ways, also, it was 52. Don't try to rip me off." Phina glared through her mask. She was already supposed to hunt a bunch of Lords and Elites to clear her debt, she didn't need any more.
"Now I'm sure." Fin smiled. "Please head in, Miss Shira."
"Great." Phina sighed in relief. She entered the office just to find Mayor Mayo along with around 23 other people, most of them being Intermediate-ranks with two Advanced-ranks.
"Ah, great! We were in a pinch about what to do here. Great timing, Miss Shira!" Mayo smiled. He then turned to the people around him. "Most of these gentlemen are from the Lion Hunting Team. I have invited them to help us with the Wave."
He then pointed at a young man in a mask, "This is Spear, he will be our vanguard. We can't always be on the defensive. He will lead the offensive team you will be a part of. You don't have to worry, he is well qualified to lead you. He is a Peak stage Advanced-rank."
Spear merely nodded as a greeting. Mayo then turned to the other Advanced-rank, "This is Richen, the leader of the Lion Hunting Team. He will be a part of the offensive team along with Spear, you and me."
"Pleasure to meet you." Richen offered a handshake. He was quite the handsome man. He wasn't overly muscular, nor was he a slim man. He was well built and wielded a shield and sword. His black hair was short and slicked back. His slightly dark face was cleanshaven.
"The pleasure is mine." Phina smiled under the mask as she grabbed his hand. 'What the hell? Why is he gripping so hard?'
'Is this dumbass trying to assert dominance against her?' Spear smirked under his mask.
"Alright, everyone. Now that Miss Shira is here, it seems that our Lord problems are over. She can easily hold back the Lords, so we can reach the Beginner-rank Elites, then wipe out the Lord." Mayo said with a smile.
'So he revealed them.' Phina sighed. "I refuse."
"W-Why?" Mayo was taken aback. It was quite easy for an Advanced-rank to hold back a bunch of Adult-rank beasts, even if they were Lords, even Royals would only be barely on the same level!!
"I want to fight the Beginner-rank." Phina declared. She'd easily make more money and would also fulfil her deal with Tekker.
"Mayo is the only one who can accurately lead us there safely, Spear is the only one powerful enough to lead the charge and I'm not staying behind." Richen declared coldly.
"I don't care. Find a way to hold the Adult-rank Lords back. I'm not staying behind." Phina said. "I agreed to participate in the fight against the Wave, not to coordinate with all of you."
"Miss Shira, that puts us in quite the difficult situation." Mayo huffed lightly.
"Mayo! Just kick her out." Richen turned to Phina. "Leave!"
"Make me." Phina always hated being looked down upon. Not only was someone weaker than her looking down on her, he was also ordering her around!!
Whoosh!!!
Richen's Battle Intent was released onto everyone in the room, making all the Intermediate-ranks fear for their lives. Mayo released his own Battle Intent, "Richen!! You are the commander of the Lion Hunting Team, not the Wave commander!!"
"Stop behaving like children." Spear released his own Battle Intent that overshadowed both Richen and Mayo's Battle Intents while stiffening the Intermediate-ranks' movements. "We'll just quickly take out the Lords together. With the help of Shira, we can quickly dispatch of them before heading towards the Beginner-ranks. They won't have a chance to run away."
'Do they not know about the Royal??' Phina thought in shock.
'A Royal?!' Spear thought as he looked at Phina with wide eyes. 'I worked hard to get to this rank! I'm not dying here!'
"Alright, listen up. I will take the charge, we'll kill the Adult-rank Lords then move on to strike the Beginner-rank Elites. If the situation is safe, we'll move on to the Beginner-rank Lord." Spear said. "I think that the Lion Hunting Team shouldn't be anywhere near us. They should work on holding back the Adult-rank Elites and Beasts. Their numbers should be a challenge, even to the Lion Hunting Team, so don't blow it by being overconfident."
"I appreciate the planning, Spear. Sadly, this Wave team is not made by parties willing to be commanded." Mayo sighed.
"...I agree." Richen sighed as well.
'That boy's Battle Intent...it's almost as strong as my own!!!' Phina looked at the youth with fear. Battle Intent was basically the culmination of all Intents available to the user. Phina's Battle Intent wasn't tested properly since her Battle Intent is the incomplete Bow before the Lord!
"I agree as well. As long as I get a Beginner-rank Lord's fang, three of them to be exact." Phina said.
"So that's why..." Mayo sighed. 'That bastard Tekker still hasn't given up?'
"Also, I want the right to own land in this Town." Phina declared.
"Miss Shira! You are going too far with this!" Mayo growled. "You are an Advanced-rank, which is a high rank, but we can still manage without you!!"
'This fool really think that they can handle five Lords and a Royal at the same time?' Phina scoffed. "I am more of an asset than you think."
"..." Spear grit his teeth. "Prove it."
Vroom.
A calm, yet oppressive, wave of Battle Intent washed over everyone. Even the three Advanced-ranks had difficulty moving, let alone the poor Intermediate-ranks.
'This Battle Intent is insane!! It doesn't even have Aura yet!!' Spear thought in delight. 'Hehehe...you WILL be mine!!'