Earth,
Dendadarlands,
Isolated Realm.
Tai was standing in front of 20 huge pillars, and on each pillar sat one Immortalus Society Authority member.
The atmosphere was slightly tense.
[Tai]: Is the team eliminated?
[Haimono]: Regarding that, we do not have any certain information. However, the bracelets that were given to them… they are still active and sending signals. Not even a day has passed since we sent them off.
{ NOTE: ONE WEEK IN DRAGON EMPIRE IS EQUIVALENT TO ONE DAY ON EARTH }
[Tai]: Hmmm… in that case, I will keep my patience. What about the Leader, Krishna?
Hearing Krishna's name, Haimono made a bitter face.
[Haimono]: He isn't a great threat, at least in this case. He is cautious and cunning, but he has a weakness called laziness. He won't even suspect us joining hands with you.
[Tai]: That sounds great… however, I am not interested in your relationships. Just tell me about his techniques.
The other Authority members grew slightly tense, sensing Tai's faintly frustrated aura.
[Haimono]: To be honest, even we don't have a clear idea about it. He never needed to use his best technique. Though we do know about his second-best technique.
[Tai]: Second-best technique?
[Haimono]: Yes. It is a defensive mechanism that is invisible and protects him from any physical or even spiritual attack under certain special circumstances.
Kae was watching all this from the Monster Realm on a huge screen while sitting on his throne.
The screen showed everything through Tai's eyes.
Kae, who had been smiling until now, made a slightly curious expression.
[Kae, in his mind]: Oh… they must be talking about the Yeta Shield Defensive Mechanism.
[Kae]: Tai, ask them more about this mysterious defensive mechanism.
Tai listened to Kae's order and asked further.
[Tai]: Tell me more…
[Haimono]: Of course. This technique isn't used by all Leaders of the 200 Sorcery Societies. Only a few sorcerers can use it. They are Krishna, Arun, Tego, Treta, Kajal, Sunita, Gatu, Aaru, 10 other Leaders from their respective societies, and the creator of this technique — Legendary General Gomo Taka.
[Kae, in his mind]: Oh… looks like Sir Gomo is still alive. That's pleasant to hear.
[Kae]: Ask them about its working.
The order traveled from Kae's throne in the Monster Realm to Tai on Earth, inside the isolated realm.
[Tai]: How does it work?
[Haimono]: As far as we know, it works on alternating conversions between Dark Energy Reserves. The Dark Energy Reserves are converted into two different natures and made to cover the sorcerer's body. Any lethal attack is assumed to be of the same nature and is repelled. In physical attacks, it mostly depends on momentum. In magical attacks, it depends on range. No reality-altering attack below 500-universe level works on it. Conceptually, it can even deflect a punch with infinite momentum.
However, if it clashes with another high-speed Yeta Shield Defensive Mechanism, both will nullify each other, leaving the user vulnerable. Another weakness, as I mentioned, is reality alteration on an extremely high scale.
It requires a huge amount of Dark Energy Reserves to activate. Once activated, it does not stop automatically. Stopping it also requires a massive amount of Dark Energy Reserves.
The other Authority members nodded as Haimono laid out these facts.
Kae watched all this on the screen with slight curiosity.
[Kae]: Ask them about the amount of Dark Energy Reserves Krishna possesses.
Tai carefully followed Kae's telepathic order.
[Tai]: What is the amount of Dark Energy Reserves Leader Krishna possesses?
[Haimono]: Th… that perhaps is…
All Authority members looked uncertain.
[Haimono]: We tried to check his real Dark Energy Reserves when he was a newly admitted student. However, it failed. This was the third time we failed to measure someone's Dark Energy Reserves in the last 2000 years.
[Tai]: Who were the first two?
Tai asked out of curiosity.
[Haimono]: The second one was Arun. He was identified as a student sorcerer just one week before Krishna, in 1985.
Haimono sighed before continuing.
[Haimono]: The first one, however, was 2000 years ago. He left the society for unknown reasons. He was one of the students of Legendary General Gomo Taka. He had insane potential and could have been a greater threat than Krishna if he had become Leader at that time. His name… what was it again… Since he ran away, we gave him a coward's title in history from that very moment. Ah, yes. The coward was named Kae. Kae — the human who had the potential to become a Leader-class sorcerer at the age of 50, but instead left the society 2000 years ago. He must be dead by now. He was just one of the victims of our schemes. Poor soul.
Haimono mocked in fake sympathy.
Some Authority members giggled.
Others laughed.
Tai was conflicted.
Who are they even talking about? Is… Lord Kae that Ka—
[Kae]: Tai, return here.
[Tai]: But my—
Suddenly, the realm shattered.
Two figures entered the scene.
They were Krishna and Arun.
[Arun]: That monster is bad news,
Krishna.
[Krishna]: Yes, I can sense that too. He might be Master Class Elite level in terms of power.
Seeing those two, Tai didn't waste a second and teleported away.
There was no way Tai could win against two Leader-class sorcerers — especially Krishna and Arun.
Kae was still smiling while watching this entire scene unfold in front of him.
After Tai's trigger teleportation, the vision closed before Kae.
Kae sighed and leaned back into his throne, slipping into rest once again as Tai returned to the Monster Realm.
On Earth, the Immortalus Society Authority members felt a chill run down their spines seeing Krishna and Arun there.
Of course, Krishna and Arun could not have heard their conversation due to the isolated realm. But the killing intent they emitted was suffocating.
[Krishna]: Looks like we were late. Let's leave.
Krishna stepped away, and Arun followed.
The already cracked realm completely collapsed from the chain impact, and all Authority members were thrown back into their meeting mansion.
[Haimono]: That was a close call.
[Authority Member 1]: Yes… I thought we were done for sure.
Meanwhile, Krishna and Arun teleported to the Leader Office, and Krishna took his seat.
[Arun]: Was sparing them really fine?
[Krishna]: Maybe not. But we lack
evidence that they are truly teamed up with monsters. If we had confronted them now, they would have claimed they were being manipulated by some mysterious magic.
[Arun]: But there wasn't any energy signal disruption in their minds.
[Krishna]: That's a valid argument. However, if the foe is smart, he won't leave such traces.
[Arun]: How shall we proceed?
[Krishna]: This monster has surely made our work harder. Now the Authority members will keep a low profile, and we won't get a better chance. But that is good in a way. It will maintain peace for some time.
As for our approach… we will neglect this matter for now. Our highest priority is defense against those monsters.
[Arun]: I think they are planning some kind of war.
[Krishna]: Indeed. We must take this more seriously now.
[Arun]: By any chance, have they learned about your most powerful Range Shiftling?
[Krishna]: Not possible. I kept it a huge secret. However, if they have been spying on us for a long time… I can't be completely sure.
I wonder how Pratik's work is going…