Meanwhile, on the other side of the kingdom…
Rhino stumbled out of a teleportation circle, barely managing to stay upright before his knees nearly gave way.
Blood streamed from the stump of his right arm. He immediately pressed his remaining hand against the wound, desperately trying to slow the bleeding.
His breathing was ragged, and every movement sent another wave of pain through his body.
"Tch… Damn it."
He staggered toward a nearby tree and leaned against its trunk. His vision was already beginning to blur.
I can't stay here for long. If I don't get help soon, I'll bleed to death.
Taking a shaky breath, Rhino closed his eyes and gathered what little Renshi he had left. He extended his awareness through telepathy, hoping to reach any Shinra in the vicinity.
"Hey… Is anyone around? Can anyone hear me?"
Silence.
Rhino clenched his teeth and tried again, pushing his weakened mind to reach farther.
"Anyone… Please answer."
Several seconds passed before a faint female voice finally reached him.
"Wait… Is that you, Special Darkside Knight?"
Rhino's shoulders relaxed slightly.
Thank the stars… Finally, someone.
He struggled to straighten himself against the tree.
"Listen carefully. I'm near the outskirts of Hunting Forest. Get here as quickly as you can. I'm seriously injured."
His voice faltered as another wave of pain shot through his body.
"Understood, sir. I'm on my way."
The connection ended.
Rhino let out a weak laugh, though there was little humor in it. His remaining hand slipped away from the wound, and he quickly pressed it back into place.
"Damn…"
His Twin Hammers lay on the ground beside him. One had been shattered beyond repair.
He stared at the broken weapon, recalling how effortlessly Pascal's sword had sliced through it.
That bastard was holding back the entire time.
Rhino slowly lowered himself until his back rested against the tree. His strength was fading, but he forced himself to keep his eyes open.
"I'm not dying here," he muttered. "Not yet."
His head fell back against the bark as he waited for help to arrive.
---
Meanwhile, near the border between the Kingdoms of Sunflower and Eminence…
Lucy, Rebekah, and Sasaki raced through the forest, weaving between trees as they searched for Alfie.
Behind them, Lyon, Bash, Jackson, and Marcel finally caught up.
"This is bad," Lucy muttered, scanning the surrounding forest. "Alfie's aura isn't here. Something's wrong."
She abruptly stopped, forcing the others to halt with her.
Lyon folded his arms, his expression grim.
"I figured that out a while ago."
Lucy turned toward him.
"You knew, huh?"
"Of course I did. You probably knew something was wrong too, but kept hoping we'd find him." Lyon glanced toward the deeper parts of the forest. "There's no point pretending everything is fine anymore."
His expression hardened as he addressed the group.
"Listen, everyone. Someone else is here, and I don't think we're dealing with an ordinary Shinra. I haven't been able to sense their Renshi properly, which means we can't rely on our usual methods to detect an attack."
He looked around at the surrounding trees.
"Watch your surroundings. Don't wander off, and don't assume an area is safe just because you can't sense anything. One mistake could get us all killed."
Everyone immediately became alert, carefully watching the trees and the ground around them.
Everyone except Lucy.
She remained motionless, her jaw clenched as frustration and worry battled within her.
After a moment, she turned toward Rebekah.
"Step back."
Rebekah blinked.
"Master?"
Lucy lowered her hand toward the ground.
"I have no choice. I'll have to use it."
Bash stared at her in disbelief.
"Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me you've had another technique this entire time? Then why the hell didn't you use it earlier?"
Lucy ignored him and pressed her palm against the soil.
A powerful wave of Renshi spread from her body, making the surrounding grass and leaves tremble.
Bash sighed.
"Fine. Do whatever you're going to do. Just try not to destroy the entire forest while you're at it."
Lucy remained focused, her palm firmly against the earth.
"Open Search."
Her Renshi sank into the soil, spreading outward through the natural Renshi beneath the forest. Roots, stones, and layers of earth became part of an expanding network, allowing her to search a much wider area than she could through aura sensing alone.
She closed her eyes and concentrated.
Come on, Alfie. Give me something. Anything.
The search continued spreading, reaching farther into the forest. But the strain quickly began to take its toll.
Sweat rolled down Lucy's face as her breathing grew heavier. The technique was consuming her Renshi at an alarming rate.
Then she felt something.
A faint trace.
Lucy's eyes widened.
Alfie?
She focused on the signal, trying to identify it. But it was so weak that it almost disappeared beneath the surrounding Renshi.
"No…"
Her fingers dug into the soil.
Come on.
She poured more Renshi into the search, desperately trying to strengthen the connection. Yet the harder she pushed, the faster her reserves drained.
"Master, you're pushing yourself too hard," Rebekah said anxiously.
Lucy barely heard her.
She gritted her teeth and widened the search, looking for anything unusual that might explain why Alfie's aura was so difficult to detect.
And then she sensed something else.
Something moving above them.
Lucy's eyes snapped open.
"EVERYONE, LOOK OUT."
She slammed her free hand against the ground.
The earth erupted.
Thick roots burst from beneath their feet, twisting together at incredible speed as they formed a massive dome around the group.
Before anyone could react, the canopy above them exploded.
A gigantic serpent made of wood plunged through the branches, its enormous body twisting between the trees. Its jaws opened wide, revealing rows of wooden fangs coated in sharp Renshi.
It crashed directly into the newly formed barrier.
BAAAM.
The impact shook the ground beneath their feet. The roots groaned under the tremendous pressure as cracks spread across the outer layers of the dome.
Everyone staggered.
The wooden serpent pulled back, its fangs scraping against the roots. Splinters scattered through the air as it recoiled.
Then, without warning, it plunged into the earth and disappeared beneath the soil.
Lyon stared at the damaged barrier, his eyes wide.
"What the hell was that?"
He turned toward the spot where the serpent had vanished.
"I didn't sense a single trace of Renshi from that thing. Not even when it attacked."
His gaze slowly shifted toward Lucy.
And she managed to build a barrier around all of us before it could land a strike.
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
Interesting.
He stepped forward and called out to her.
"Hey, woman. That was incredible. If you hadn't reacted in time, we'd have been crushed. But what kind of barrier was that?"
Lucy slowly rose to her feet. Her hair clung to her sweaty face.
"There's no time for questions. That attack proves we're dealing with an enemy who can strike without revealing their presence."
She turned toward Sasaki, Lyon, and Bash.
"You three, come with me. Rebekah, stay here with this Jackson and Marcel kids."
Rebekah immediately stepped forward.
"What? No. I'm coming with you."
Lucy turned toward her.
"Rebekah…"
"Alfie's still out there," Rebekah interrupted, her voice trembling with frustration. "You expect me to sit here while you go looking for him? He's my friend too. I can't just stand around doing nothing."
Lucy's expression softened for a brief moment, but her voice remained firm.
"I know how you feel. But this isn't an ordinary enemy. We don't know where the next attack will come from, and we don't know how powerful our opponent is."
She placed a hand on Rebekah's shoulder.
"Alfie is alive. I felt a faint trace of his Renshi during my search. I don't know exactly where he is, but I'll find him and bring him back."
Rebekah looked up at her.
"Then let me help."
"No."
Lucy's answer was immediate.
"If you come with me, I'll have to worry about protecting both of my students instead of focusing on the enemy. I won't take that risk."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Stay with them. That's an order."
Rebekah clenched her fists, clearly unhappy with the decision, but Lucy had already made up her mind.
Without another word, Lucy activated Switch Mode.
Her body blurred and vanished from inside the barrier.
"Tch. Don't think you're leaving me behind," Sasaki muttered.
Black smoke coiled around him, and a moment later, he disappeared, following Lucy's trail.
Lyon glanced at Bash.
"Looks like we're going hunting."
Bash sighed.
"Just my luck. I was hoping for a quiet day."
Despite his complaint, he activated Switch Mode. Lyon followed shortly after.
Within seconds, all four were gone.
The barrier remained standing, leaving Rebekah, Jackson, and Marcel alone beneath its protective dome.
Jackson finally stepped toward Rebekah and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, don't look so miserable."
Rebekah turned away.
"Leave me alone."
"I get it. You're worried about Alfie. We all are." Jackson glanced at the damaged roots surrounding them. "But you saw what just happened. That thing attacked us without warning, and even my papa couldn't sense it."
He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.
"Staying here doesn't mean you're useless. If your master thinks this is the safest place for you, then trust her. We can help by staying alive instead of charging into something we don't understand."
Marcel stretched his arms and yawned.
"He's right, you know. Besides, we'll protect you if it comes down to the worst."
Rebekah spun around, glaring at him.
"Shut up, you fool. I don't need your protection."
Marcel raised both hands.
"Fine, fine. Don't bite my head off. I was only trying to help."
He turned away with an exaggerated sigh.
"Honestly, I've got enough problems worrying about myself. Don't get the wrong idea."
Rebekah's fists tightened.
"You're unbelievable."
"Enough," Jackson snapped, stepping between them before the argument could get any worse. "We're still in danger. If that thing can attack without warning, we can't afford to waste our attention arguing."
He looked toward the damaged section of the barrier.
"Keep your eyes open. If anything approaches, we need to notice it before it gets close."
Marcel grumbled but listened. He lowered himself onto the ground, resting his hands behind his head while keeping one eye on their surroundings.
Rebekah crossed her arms and stared into the forest beyond the barrier.
Her anger gradually faded, replaced by worry.
Alfie… Please be okay.
---
Meanwhile, deep within an unknown land…
Alfie stumbled through the endless rainforest as heavy rain poured from the sky.
Water streamed down his face and soaked through his clothes. Mud clung to his boots, making every step more difficult than the last.
His entire body ached, and his breathing had become increasingly uneven.
Nevertheless, he pushed through another stretch of thick vegetation, forcing his exhausted legs to carry him forward. The constant roar of rain against the leaves drowned out almost everything else.
Then, at last, the trees began to thin.
Alfie stepped out of the vegetation and stopped dead in his tracks.
There was nowhere else to go.
Standing before him was a colossal wall of darkness, stretching so far in either direction that he couldn't see its ends. It towered above the rainforest, swallowing the stormy sky and blocking out everything beyond it.
It wasn't made of stone, wood, or any material he recognized.
It was simply darkness, dense and seemingly endless.
A faint pulse moved across its surface, almost like the heartbeat of a living creature.
Alfie stared at it, unable to hide his shock.
He cautiously stepped forward, then stopped himself before getting too close.
What is this thing?
He tried to sense what lay beyond the wall, but the strange darkness offered him no clear answer.
His fists tightened as he studied the enormous barrier.
…What is this place?