Meanwhile, on the other side of the kingdom, Rhino staggered out of the teleportation circle. His right hand dripped with blood, and he pressed his other palm against the wound to stop the flow. Each breath came rough, but his spirit refused to break.
"Tch… damn it…" he hissed, leaning against a tree. His vision blurred, but he forced his mind to focus. Closing his eyes, he projected his voice outward through telepathy.
"Hey… hey! Anyone around this place?!"
For a moment, only silence answered. Then a faint female voice sparked into his head.
"Wait—huh? Is that you… special Darkside Knight?"
Rhino exhaled shakily. "Oh, thank the stars… finally, someone. Listen, come quick. Hunting Forest, this town's outskirts… hurry! I'm bleeding out here." His voice broke mid-sentence, pain stabbing through his arm.
"Understood! I'm on my way, sir!" the female replied instantly, her voice sharp with urgency.
Rhino let out a weak laugh, sliding down until his back rested on the bark of the tree. His hammer fell to the dirt beside him as fatigue washed through his body. "Damn… this isn't how I go out… not yet."
---
At the same time, far across the border between Sunflower and Eminence, Lucy, Rebekah, and Sasaki dashed through the trees. Their steps barely touched the soil as they cut across the forest in search of Alfie. Behind them, Lyon, Bash, Jackson, and Marcel finally caught up, breathing heavily.
"This is bad…" Lucy muttered, her sharp eyes darting between the shadows. "Alfie isn't here. Something is off." She skidded to a stop.
Everyone froze with her.
"I figured that a long time ago," Lyon said flatly, crossing his arms. His tone wasn't arrogant—it was grim. "You knew too, but you didn't want to face it."
Lucy turned, her face pale with worry and fire.
"Listen up, all of you," Lyon continued, his voice low and dangerous. "There's someone here. Whoever it is… they're not an ordinary Shinra. Watch your blind spots. One mistake and you'll be swallowed whole."
The group nodded in unison. Everyone… except Lucy. Her jaw clenched as her eyes burned with frustration and anger.
"Step back, Rebekah…" Lucy said coldly. Her hand lowered toward the soil. "I have no choice now."
Rebekah blinked. "Master…?"
"Wait, wait, wait—don't tell me you've had something up your sleeve this whole damn time?" Bash cut in, his face twisted with disbelief. "Why the hell wait until now?"
Lucy ignored him, pressing her palm flat against the ground. Renshi flared around her, pulsing in waves.
Bash groaned. "Fine, whatever. Just don't blow us up…"
The earth trembled as Lucy concentrated her Renshi into the soil. Her Renshi spread outward in massive bursts, lacing itself through the natural Renshi that lingered in the ground.
The technique—"OPEN SEARCH."
The forest seemed to breathe with her power. Invisible threads stretched like veins across the land, connecting her spirit with every root, every rock, every inch of Renshi buried in the soil.
Her eyes narrowed as sweat rolled down her cheek. Come on, Alfie… where are you? Show me your aura…
But nothing. The connection burned through her Renshi like fire through dry wood, draining her faster than she expected.
His signature was faint—too faint. Almost nonexistent.
"No… no, this can't be." Lucy's chest heaved as the color drained from her face. "I refuse to watch my student die. Never… never will I allow that!"
Desperate, she shifted her focus, widening the search beyond Alfie. She scanned for any unfamiliar Renshi nearby. And then—
Her eyes widened. Above.
"HEY! WATCH OUT!"
Her scream cracked the air as she slammed her other palm into the dirt, conjuring a massive barrier. In an instant, roots surged up from the soil, weaving into a dome around them.
A thunderous crash followed as a giant plant-snake lunged from the canopy, its wooden fangs glowing with sharp Renshi energy. The strike shook the forest like thunder, but the barrier held.
BAM!
The serpent recoiled, hissing as splinters of bark rained down,it disappears into the ground.
The group stared, stunned.
"That's… insane." Lyon's eyes widened. "I didn't sense a shred of Renshi from that thing. Not even a flicker. How in the hell did she—" He stopped mid-thought, his gaze flicking to Lucy. "And she built that barrier in less than five seconds. Just who… is this woman?"
He smirked faintly to himself. Impressive.
"Woman!" Lyon shouted, his tone sharp. "That was incredible—we owe you our lives. But tell me—what barrier did you cast just now?!"
Lucy stood, her palm not pressed into the earth. Her hair clung to her face from sweat.
"There's no time for questions," she snapped. "We're in trouble, all of us. Sasaki, Lyon, Bash—you three, come with me. Rebekah, stay behind with the boys."
"What?! No!" Rebekah yelled, stepping forward. "I'm coming too! Alfie's still out there—I won't just stand around while you—"
"This is no ordinary enemy," Lucy cut her off sharply, her tone final. "Alfie's alive, and I'll bring him back. But if you come with me, I'm risking both my students. Stay. With. Them."
Her eyes blazed, the fury of a master protecting her own.
Rebekah clenched her fists, trembling.
Without hesitation, Lucy's form shimmered—Switch Mode. In a blink, she vanished from inside the barrier.
"Tch—don't think you're leaving me behind!" Sasaki growled, stepping forward as black smoke coiled around him. In a flash, he teleported after her.
Lyon and Bash exchanged a quick look, then disappeared as well, Switch Mode pulling them across the forest.
Inside the barrier, silence hung heavy.
"…Don't look so down," Jackson finally said, putting a hand on Rebekah's shoulder. "You saw that wooden snake. That wasn't just some trick. Whoever summoned that thing… they're monsters. You staying here? That's not weakness. It's survival."
Marcel yawned, stretching his arms. "He's right, y'know. Whatever happens, we'll protect you."
Rebekah spun on him, her face flushed with rage. "Shut up, moron! I don't need your protection!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Marcel waved lazily. "I only said it to make you talk. Honestly, I worry about myself more than anyone else. Don't get the wrong idea."
Rebekah's teeth ground together in anger.
"That's enough!" Jackson barked, stepping between them. "We can't afford this. Stay alert. The enemy could strike again at any moment."
Both turned away, sulking in silence. Marcel dropped to the ground with a sigh, arms behind his head.
Rebekah crossed her arms, glaring at the forest.
---
Meanwhile, deep in the unknown land, Alfie stumbled through the endless rainforest. Rain poured in heavy sheets, soaking him to the bone.
Each step was heavier than the last. His chest heaved, his body burned, but he pressed on.
At last, he reached a dead end. His breath caught. Before him loomed a wall—not of stone, not of trees, but of pure darkness.
The black veil stretched endlessly upward, blotting out even the stormy sky. It pulsed faintly, like a living thing.
Alfie's eyes widened. His fists trembled.
"…What… is this place?"