Levi quickly called for another suspension car to stand by, his fingers moving almost subconsciously across the control panel. In his heart, he was already preparing for the worst. Their commander's fondness for the little leopard was obvious to anyone with eyes. If even this failed, then there would be no other choice—Soren would personally go down into the deeper mining layers. The consequences of that… Levi didn't even dare think about them.
At that moment, Soren suddenly reached out.
His hand pressed down firmly on the controller beneath the master's palm.
The grinding machine stopped with a sharp mechanical whine.
The little leopard, who had been shrinking back slightly at the harsh sound of the grinder, immediately raised her head. Her ears stood straight up, and her eyes widened, round and bright. Her entire body leaned forward, claws unconsciously hooking into Soren's sleeve.
Soren's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze fixed on a single point beneath the grinder. He lifted the little leopard by her front paws and brought her closer to the machine. She didn't resist at all, instead stretching her neck eagerly.
And then she saw it.
Embedded within the dull, lifeless granite was a small piece of transparent stone. It was like a spring of clear water frozen in place, quietly emerging from the depths of the rock. Light passed through it effortlessly, refracting into faint, rippling patterns. It looked as if it might flow out if someone so much as touched it.
The little leopard froze.
Her pupils contracted, then expanded, reflecting the clear brilliance of the stone. A low, pleased sound vibrated in her throat, soft and continuous.
Weiss and Levi both felt a sharp chill crawl up their spines as they followed Soren's gaze.
They saw it too.
The transparent stone was only about the size of a thumb, yet its presence was overwhelming. It didn't emit the familiar warmth of ordinary energy stones. Instead, it radiated a calm, profound coolness—like standing beside a deep underground lake. Neither of them had ever seen anything like it.
All known energy stones used by beastmen were colorful, opaque, and visibly dense with power.
This one… was different.
Soren gestured slightly.
The master swallowed and nodded, his hands trembling faintly as he resumed control. This time, his movements were extraordinarily careful. The grinder slowed to its lowest setting, gently shaving away the surrounding granite. Stone dust fell in a fine mist as the transparent crystal was gradually revealed, its surface flawless and unmarred.
Bit by bit, the clutter around it disappeared.
Finally, the master carefully lifted it free—completely intact.
The moment it separated from the granite, the little leopard let out a soft cry, her tail flicking sharply. She strained forward, clearly wanting to grab it.
Soren accepted the stone from the master.
The transparent energy stone rested in his palm, light as if it barely had any weight at all. It was cool to the touch, but not unpleasantly cold. Instead, it felt clean—pure. Looking closely, there were no visible impurities inside like those found in ordinary stones.
Despite its small size, its quality was unmistakable.
Levi stared at it, then abruptly opened his quantum computer. A translucent projection unfolded in midair, lines of data and theoretical diagrams rapidly assembling. His voice trembled with barely contained excitement.
"Sir," he said, pointing at the projected report, "according to theoretical models… this matches the description of the most advanced form of energy stone ever proposed."
His eyes shone as he continued, words tumbling out faster. "A pure-state energy core. Perfect internal stability. No color interference. It's been considered almost impossible to naturally form—let alone survive intact in a waste stone exposed to wind and rain for years."
He looked at the stone again, disbelief written across his face.
They had thrown this rock aside for years.
And inside it… was something like this.
Levi's gaze shifted to the little leopard, who was now staring fixedly at the stone in Soren's hand, her entire body vibrating with excitement.
This beast… wasn't ordinary at all.
Soren, however, remained calm. He didn't care about rankings, theories, or how rare the stone was. Those things were irrelevant to him.
What mattered was only one thing.
It was suitable for her.
He glanced at Weiss.
Weiss immediately understood and brought the scanner over, activating it at the closest range. The device hummed softly as it collected data from both the stone and the little leopard.
Numbers and graphs rapidly stabilized.
Then—confirmation.
The micro-information displayed on the screen aligned perfectly with the standard data of a normal beastman energy response. No overload. No rejection. No instability.
For the first time since they arrived, everything matched.
"Sir, this should be it," Weiss said again, his tone steadier now that the data had finally settled.
Levi, however, didn't share the same peace of mind for long. The excitement on his face slowly faded, replaced by a trace of unease. He hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Sir… this stone might not work."
Soren's gaze shifted to him instantly. It wasn't sharp, but the quiet pressure behind it made Levi's back stiffen.
Under that silent scrutiny, Levi swallowed and pointed at the floating theoretical report, forcing himself to explain.
"This transparent energy stone is the hardest type to perceive and activate," Levi said helplessly. "According to all known data, no carver has ever successfully stimulated its power. It doesn't respond to conventional engraving techniques at all."
He paused, then added in a lower voice, "An energy stone that can't be carved into a beast-form structure is useless for stabilizing a beastman's Hysteria. In theory, only a carver who can activate more than fifty percent of a high-grade solid color energy stone would even have a chance of activating this one."
Levi laughed bitterly. "But that's just theory. As far as we know, even the best master-level carvers today can only activate around twenty percent. Fifty percent… it's still something out of reach."
In other words, this stone was perfect—and practically impossible to use.
The atmosphere fell quiet for a brief moment.
The little leopard didn't understand the complicated theory behind energy stone activation, but she understood the tone. She looked up at Levi, then at Soren, and seemed to grasp that something was "wrong." After a brief pause, she lifted her paw and gently patted Soren's arm, her movements clumsy but earnest.
It was a comforting gesture.
It was as if she were saying—it's okay, there's still hope.
Soren didn't seem troubled at all.
He looked down at the little leopard, his expression calm and unbothered. He reached out, rubbed the top of her head, and lightly brushed behind her ears. The little beast relaxed instantly, her tail giving a small sway.
Without hesitation or regret, Soren slipped the transparent energy stone into his pocket.
"That's fine," he said flatly.
A normal master carver might be helpless before such a stone—but Soren had never relied on "normal."
He bent slightly and picked up the little leopard, carrying her into the suspension car as if the issue had already been resolved in his mind.
Levi stood there, watching silently.
From his angle, he could see Soren's tall, straight back disappearing into the aircraft, along with the tip of the little leopard's tail peeking out from his arm. The furry tail swayed lazily, light and carefree, completely at odds with the significance of the energy stone hidden in Soren's pocket.
Levi felt a strange unease in his chest.
This beast was matched with an energy stone that shouldn't exist in reality—and placed in the hands of the most dangerous man in the empire. Something about this combination felt… unsettling.
For the first time in a long while, Levi had the absurd urge to abandon his position as general manager just to stay close and watch what would happen next.
After returning to the aircraft, Soren settled the little leopard in his arms and gave instructions to Spade without delay.
"Set the next destination," he said calmly. "Phantom Atoll AG-67. The hospital."
Spade straightened immediately. "Yes, Sir."
The aircraft engines hummed to life as the route was adjusted.
Soren first carried the little leopard back to his room to let her eat. The soft purring that rumbled from her tiny chest as she nibbled on her meal was enough to make him pause for a moment, a quiet smile tugging at his lips. He let her eat in peace, watching her from across the table. Once she had finished and seemed satisfied, he gently picked her up again, cradling her in one arm, and made his way to the armor assembly room of the aircraft.
The automatic door slid open with a soft hiss, and the dozen or so mech-armor technicians inside immediately halted their work. Every hand froze in mid-motion, and all eyes turned toward the commanding figure entering the room. "Sir!" they called out in unison.
It didn't take long for the technicians' attention to shift. Their eyes flicked to the small leopard nestled securely against Soren's chest, her bright eyes darting curiously from one piece of armor to another.
Though the staff weren't normally interested in gossip, Soren's affection for the little beast was something that could not go unnoticed. Word had clearly spread quietly among the aircraft crew: their commander had taken in a little leopard, and it was already clear that she had a special place in his life.
Soren gave a small nod toward the technicians. The clanking of tools resumed, the soft whirring of machinery filling the room again, but every so often, a pair of eyes would sneak toward the small figure in Soren's arms.
The little leopard, seemingly oblivious to the attention, nestled closer against him, her soft fur brushing against his black uniform.
He approached a smart machine at the far end of the room—one of the automated systems designed for testing, analyzing, and simulating the mech armor components.
The screen flickered to life as he gently set the little leopard down, her paws touching the cold, smooth surface of the machine. She froze for a moment, tilting her head in curiosity, before slowly stepping forward, her whiskers twitching as she explored the unfamiliar environment.
Soren crouched slightly to be at her level, brushing back her round ears with a careful tug. "Do you like it?" he asked softly.
The little beast's eyes lit up, sparkling as she gave a small nod, her tail flicking excitedly behind her.
Soren chuckled quietly, patting the top of her head. "Good. Then go ahead and have a look."