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<01/28/1972 – 20:10 | Lennith City, Junon Region, Sprawn Valley>

The populous of Lennith City began to dwindle with the day, though there was plenty of light remaining in the hours that passed. While Claudia and Jane split up from Danny, Taylor, and Alyssa, they had been catching up on things that were only a concern between the student and the teacher, but Jane was not able to expect how this was going to go down, for Claudia had every right to refuse assistance.

"So what do you think then, Claudia?" Jane kept track of her surroundings, taking in the fresh air at the same time. Allowing the cool breeze and rush of purified wind to graze her lungs burned at first, but at least now it became a medicinal source of relief from the terrifying dark zone she came back from.

"I told you to call me Claudi!" She briefly wisped her dark dyed crimson hair to the side, getting some of the lines out of her face upon being blown by the wind. As she kept her firm gaze on Jane, Claudia needed to know more before agreeing to her student's terms. "I still don't approve of your plan. I think it is absolute ludicrous, but on the contrary, so is the alternative." Claudia could sense the doubt of either choice in her own tone. Confessing to the soldiers or the commissioner in this town would only lead to her imprisonment. Even if the council case could be made and they go easy on her, who would take care of the dark zone? All logic aside, Jane is right. That champion sitting in Eldora Tower should have done something by now... If Lennith falls under the dark veil, Alyssa and her family will be ruined too. If Leray magic were to become less effective, or fail entirely, the both of them would slowly die a painful death from paralysis. "So before I can even begin to fathom helping you again, I need to know a few more things first. I need to know that you are not lying to me about anything."

Jane stepped her right foot closer for balance, and stood firm to respond to Claudia truthfully. "There isn't anything so far that I haven't told you at this point. I come from Fronas town, and I graduated from Dakota with basic training. I wanted to see Brightworth about removing this symbol, yet another mistake I made with—"

"I meant with new information," she interrupted. "I've already put together the obvious differences between the truth and lies you've told us. I want to make sure that you aren't holding anything else back. And I want you to update me personally on any changes or developments that occur, having to do with your symbol or the dark zone."

"I can promise this," Jane studied. "I don't have any reason to keep you in the dark." Jane turned around, facing her group of friends that she reunited with today. "As far as we both know, Alyssa, Danny, and Taylor are in on the whole truth as well. The only people oblivious to all of this is anyone other than the five of us."

Claudia submitted her own proposal, enhancing any particular detail that Jane might not have expressed clearly. "So then... I have nothing more to worry about if your plan backfires and you all wind up in prison?"

"That won't happen," Jane promised. "I swear I'm going to fix this. After I've taken care of the dark zone, I'll find some way to come clean about the whole symbol thing, explaining everything truthfully. On the side, I'll make sure that you aren't pinned for any crimes or blame on what I've done. I wouldn't want to destroy my teacher's career."

"It's something you shouldn't worry about, but thanks." Claudia didn't sense any problems with Jane in the slightest. She was looking her in the eyes while talking, proving she had to be telling the truth, less she be a great actor in disguise. Jane also looked terribly tired and exhausted, though it was a look constantly on her since her return from Alpha Zero. She still must be suffering from a ton of real time damage. Because of that, training will have to wait a little longer. Come to think of it, training Jane will be impossible if she ends up having side effects. "How are the meds working out?"

Jane sighed with the stressful frustration of impatience. "Starlov Boosters work so slowly! We'll have to schedule my training for the day after tomorrow, during the next six hour break I am allowed."

"They won't let you battle?"

Jane nodded, "No, but if I train with Leray magic after getting just a little better, it won't hurt me to carefully expend some MP. It also shouldn't take too long to learn new abilities. Just as long as I'm not receiving damage, it will be fine, but I'll have to watch myself too."

"Ah, that's right," Claudia reminded. "Your crest passively makes you learn abilities quicker, which is something I still don't understand."

"We can figure out who the man was with that spell bomb after we get through the rough stuff, but I must warn you that I still have no good leads."

Claudia scratched her hair twice, already in thought about which order of Leray magical spells can be taught at a higher level. "I've already got a general idea about a list of potential new abilities that you might find to your liking. But if you're going to make it in the League of Elites championship, you'll need an extended list, one you may not even learn within the time of a month."

"I think I'll be fine on the road." Jane glanced again at her friends. "But Danny and Taylor may not be, and I can't afford to lose money on the side of this thing. So they will need some training as well. Just give them more basic stuff, anything that will help their odds on the road. Is 787 as bad as I think?"

"Well..." Claudia couldn't answer that easily. "Route 96 and 787 are two totally different environments. Ninety-six is a place more natural and sort of abandoned by the order of maintenance. It's shorter too, and the people who go there can sometimes be shady. On 787, there is never really a problem. Battles there are intense, but the Siriean domes prevent damage to the main structure, or people from being blown off into the ocean. The route itself however is longer, eleven miles long to be exact."

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"Oh!" Jane had not considered how dangerous it could be to battle on the top of a bridge hanging over the ocean, but if the domes actually prevent problems, it would make it a popular target for Leray wielders indeed. Given the distance factor involved as well, it might be worth investing in bikes, or in camping equipment. "Any abilities in particular?" Jane was already thinking about all of the cool new magic tricks and spells she would be able to acquire at her disposal.

But Claudia had to turn down the spoiler. "I know you too well Jane. You can't handle the suspense of knowing what you might be learning, so we'll leave that a surprise for now." What about Jane's other abilities? Were they not cutting it all the sudden? "How fares your shielding ability by the way? Did it work well in the dark zone?"

Jane gave the straight up answer that came from many. Somehow, knowledge on the behavior of Leray magic was accurately known with contrast to dark magic, though not everything was as clear. "My shield thing works great. I would have died against the first monster without it, but even so, Leray magic is weak in Alpha Zero, and it takes so much more energy to do stuff there."

"As I would have expected," Claudia replied.

"But there were things I didn't understand. If the Leray veil of protection enables some of the passive rules, then how was I allowed to survive things like bullet impacts? How was I able to utilize my supply sphere, yet be denied the ability to make an artificial Siriean dome?"

"The rules are kind of the same in a dark zone. Just because the dark zone lacks a veil does not mean that magic itself does not exist. In a dark magical zone, you are still more protected from death than outside Sprawn Valley's continental field. Furthermore, the dark zone can prevent or enable rules such as supply sphere functionality, reward systems, Siriean domes; all of that is predetermined by the specific creator of that specific dark zone in the first place. That sphere you are holding would be permanently destroyed, along with all items inside should it be carried out of Sprawn Valley or a valid magical veil, dark magic or otherwise. Additionally, a single bullet would be fatal outside of Sprawn Valley, dark zone or not. See the difference yet?"

"I guess..." Jane didn't think the answer would be so simple. There were just things she still didn't know, easy knowledge too. "I had no idea that the dark zone can poorly imitate a Leray zone."

"Yes, only in Sprawn Valley. Outside of this little world, nobody has to worry about Leray magic or dark magic. And yet those people fear it so."

"With all that's been happening lately, I'm not surprised anymore."

Claudia let her chain of thoughts circle back to the day Jane got her symbol from the unusual spell bomb. Though she was never there for the event in person, Jane told her about the details that night. At the same time, those details would have to be important in the upcoming investigation, though dangerous for her involvement in the case. The very fact that such a spell bomb even existed in the form of a prototype was absolutely troubling and disturbing.

Jane was right about another detail too. The unknown spell bomb, the attack at Tilsit by the Scarlet Cult, the expansion of Alpha Zero, people being marked with illegal symbols, and a few former members of the Eldorian Council turning to crime! From one pair of eyes, it didn't seem so bad, but from a world's view of perspective, one would be forced to agree that Sprawn Valley is just not the best place to be in right now, no matter how much they love Leray magic. Word of a secondary investigation with the Tilsit attack had Claudia fretting to no end, but those words shall go unspoken for now.

"Eldora must be a great city. You said it was academically rich?"

Claudia almost didn't hear Jane's question with herself distracted by the world, but it was something she would have been expected to know automatically. "Of course. Eldora is the richest city because of its highest level of education. I wouldn't worry much about the other places though. The council is at least trying to bring more money into the less fortunate places by building popular structures. I even hear rumors of an arena being built near Blue Port Town."

Jane had nearly forgotten about that. The arena was still under construction, so much that there was not a visible building in that direction last time she was at home to check it out. Before either of them could make any more small talk about it, a voice calling her reminded Jane how important it was to stay focused on the main idea.

"What are you guys talking about?" Danny approached them with Taylor and Alyssa behind them, reuniting with Jane.

Jane turned to face them, realizing that there was nothing in particular that Claudia wanted to keep from them. It was kind of a mystery as to why she was pulled to the side in the first place. "Just going over the plan for Route 787. It's the east exit of Lennith City, but all three of us need training before we can cross it, and I need two more nights of healing before my training can begin."

"I see," Taylor imagined. "So we just have to wait and train for a really long time?"

Claudia transferred her earlier thoughts and memories on Jane's previous sparing sessions with Taylor, believing Jane to have left out that detail. "I don't think so. With Jane's symbol, it will take her only a matter of days to learn powerful new skills."

Why did Jane say the three of us? "What about me?" Alyssa made herself noticed by everyone just by the intensity of the question alone. It didn't appear based on multiple expressions that she was expected to want to come along with Jane to Eldora.

"You want to come with us?" Jane sounded just as confused, believing Alyssa to have hated her just a moment ago. Was she suddenly forgiven?

"Alyssa, I need you here."

"But Claudi?!"

"Mmn-mmn!" Claudia nodded in denial at Alyssa's request to go with Jane. "Jane is still not one of my students officially, especially since she has graduated. Jane? When I train with you, understand that it will not be for any official classes. The training will be personal should anyone ask." Claudia firmly set her voice in a declarative tone, taking full control of the situation on her end. "And Alyssa? You still have yet to graduate from my class, therefore leaving Lennith to follow Jane will look too suspicious. Besides, you're still going to be questioned by the commissioner himself in light of the investigation. I need you here to make sure that heat does not tear down our academy. Following Jane will be a clear act of suspicion on your part."

"But what about Danny and Taylor?"

"Them?" Claudia pointed. "They're not even legal citizens of Sprawn Valley. It's not like you have to be in order to live here, but those two have no obligation to this area whatsoever, nor do they have any legal binding connection with Jane. They will arouse no suspicion."

There's a thought Jane forgot to consider. She wouldn't mind having Alyssa on the team as well, but Claudia was right about the investigation, being as she was still remaining on top of it all. Danny and Taylor won't even show up in a registered database of Sprawn Valley citizens or personnel, and bringing anyone along would eventually put them at risk. Alyssa probably doesn't even understand just how dangerous it is to be associated with Jane these days. With this symbol under her hand, would all of her friends be labeled as enemies? Would Danny and Taylor face punishment in Sprawn Valley for helping her?

"That's bullshit!" Alyssa argued.

"I'll be sure to bring back an ornament or two from Eldora," Jane allowed. "Now speaking of the training, Danny and Taylor will have their hands full outside of learning, mostly with raising some money. After I get just well enough to train, I'll stop by the back of the school. I don't want to stay here too long, so I'll be leaving within two weeks if I'm not already healed up by then."

Claudia expanded on the plan of action for training her former student. "Training will be at my house actually. We can't risk your symbol showing up by accident in front of a crowd. I'll be sure to leave you a note of the address, and prepare a long list of specific abilities that will be important to know, but there are only a handful of which I can train you with. Some of them I've never been able to invoke before, and you'll have to teach yourself those abilities on your spare time."

"Can I train too?" Alyssa still longed to be part of whatever Jane was part of.

Though regarding this trivial matter, Claudia accepted Alyssa's terms with little hesitation. Alyssa needs to train all of the time, but Claudia could also come up with excellent ideas for Alyssa's difficulty. "I'll allow it. I want word of this to stay only between us, no matter who asks what questions. Am I clear?"

Jane and her friends all responded to Claudia at the same time with the same enthusiasm. "Crystal."