Aisa angrily charged towards Kairos. Her small body flew into the air and landed on top of Kairos' face, then she nibbled furiously at his ear.
"Ow ow ow! Aisa, what's wrong?" He called out.
What replied him wasn't Aisa's cute voice in his mind, but a mental image of the poor land wyrm that had flipped on its belly in an underground cave it dug out right beneath them.
The lightning bolt that exploded from Kairos' rank increase had travelled through the ground and struck the great beast who was peacefully sleeping in a cave below.
Fortunately, because wyrmy had dug an enormous cavern, the lightning did not go through the air pocket above it but instead travelled spreading across the earth due to the path of lower resistance. The draconic beast was merely zapped by the area of soil it was sleeping on, but even a few sparks were enough to flip it onto its back, stunned. The power from lightning is strangely dangerous even from a draconic being.
Kairos' face turned pale as his blood chilled when he saw the image of wyrmy on its back and with smoke rising from its body. Triggered by a great feeling of remorse, he did not notice the glow in his eyes relit without his control and brighter than ever before.
It wasn't the dim glow it had when he scours through the skill manuals, but a shine no lesser than the moon in a dark night. Acting on instinct, he immediately slammed a palm on the ground, to attempt in resuscitating the poor beast.
Through his palm, a prismatic coloured energy went downwards in a perfectly straight line. It ignored any form of resistance in its path and shot directly into the body of the land wyrm that is still looking like a baked puffer fish.
Kairos did not know what he just did, but he knows that if he had killed this loyal, big, and always-teary mount by accident, he would not be able to forgive himself.
A gentle light enveloped Wyrmy, similar to what Kairos did to all the members of Snowdrifts in his battle-trance, back during the Orc skirmish. But this time, instead of sending his combat inspiration, he gave the Land Wyrm a single command: Live!
Kairos had been convinced, from Aisa's picture-message that the large beast is about to die, and he refuses to allow that. In his haste, he forgot that the land wyrm is an earth-elemental draconic beast. Not only is the earth element strong against lightning, as a being with draconic bloodlines it also has a natural resistance against all elements. A double-shield that would have kept Wyrmy alive even if it was directly struck by lightning. It is a wonder that a spark from Kairos' lightning could deal such damage to it in the first place.
The prismatic light on the Land Wyrm's body started to invade its hard scales, filling every part of its massive body, and commanding it to live.
It wasn't an encouragement for the Land Wyrm to become healthy again. It was an order that it must not die.
The draconic races already have impressive natural vitality, granting them long life and a superior regeneration ability. But with Kairos' infusion, its eyes opened immediately and changed from its dull yellow irises to a beautiful yellow of the colour of a ripe lemon, with deep red coloured streaks, like a blood ruby.
Its claws brightened with life, and a glance one could tell that it would easily shred even Beast ranked equipment with a kick. Wyrmy's looks turn more draconic than before, where it was previously soft and squishy, it is now soft and squishy and armoured.
Horns grew from the sides of its head, and tiny spikes at the end of its tail. All for the purpose, as Kairos had willed, to survive.
Anyone could now tell that the Land Wyrm's bloodline has changed, and the dragon race's life blood within it has increased more than several folds.
While all these are happening, Aisa is still hugging Kairos' face with her tiny paws. Though he did not notice, he looked ridiculous to his friends and family who is watching. Kneeling on one knee with a palm on the floor. He would be incredibly suave if he did this action in the middle of combat, but for those who saw, Kairos merely jumped up with a startle and posed using Aisa as his face-mask.
After the danger has passed and Wyrmy now twirling happily in its cave after feeling its increase in strength, Kairos now noticed the odd pose he is in. He quickly removed the small white dragon and re-seated himself with an embarrassed cough.
A few of his friends and his father were not in critical training gazed silently at him.
Kairos gave them an awkward wave to say 'it's nothing'.
Ignoring the snickering that started, and the random gestures that were copying his previous 'pose', he tried to focus on their next plan. But not before seeing Jim, in the corner of his eyes, with a big white piece of dough stuck on his face with his palm on the ground.
Kairos sent a trickle of lightning at Jim, leaving the boy facing down with smoke rising from him, then he continued his business.
The checkpoint is well-protected, any smuggling through is nearly impossible. With the increase in security, he expects that there is no other way through except by brute force.
To protect their borders, countries would need to prevent S rankers and above who could drift across vast distances from flying across, and also guard against the ones that try to smuggle themselves across from underground. It makes the plan of following behind the Land Wyrm using an underground tunnel, an unfeasible idea.
To even attempt an escape by using a tunnel, they would need to flee from those tracking them, but by now, Kairos has already noticed that they are somehow followed by Syriong, and the moment they rescind the illusionary barrier, they would be found.
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They did not know that even this moment, the Guardian of the realm is patiently waiting above them, recovering his energy and repairing his artificial arm.
Not only so, being trapped under the earth would only slow down their escape if they are discovered, and the checkpoint made certain that none could go by unnoticed.
There is another option, however. Nearer to Saint Empire at the eastern stretch of the border is an area so large that it would be impossible to prevent smugglers, and with the short detour, they could be back in their empire. But that location is the skirmish site. It is not only filled with powerful prowling beasts but also the army camps of both empires, making it easier to just break through the checkpoint.
Kairos shook off that thought and decided to execute his plans. He took out the token from Fritzgen. The membership token of the Treasures Pavilion which allows Kairos to place an order of supplies at any location within the Silent Lambs Empire.
Placing an order for supplies, he promptly went back to his training. After entering B rank, Kairos had not yet stabilised the energy within himself. Unlike most elements, the Lightning Ki tends to run rampant and also travels quickly. If not handled carefully, it could cause significant damage to his body before he could stabilise his internal energy.
A few days later, he had finally solidified his foundation at B rank and even made progress towards Mid grade. He is confident that with a few more months of training in this place it would certainly ensure his entry into the next stage, but at this time the Treasure Pavilion's token heated up with a flash of light, indicating his supplies are delivered.
"It's time to go," he thought, and he stood up.
As planned, their seven days' cultivation period is over, the others finished their cultivation and awaited him. The result from this training made everyone except Jones and Vouno to reach Entry B rank.
His father barely managed to enter C rank, while Jones is already closed to entering Peak B rank.
They had trained here for the full seven days, at seven times the speed. A 49 days-worth of cultivation with three types of potent cultivation pills to assist their training. During this, Jones easily broke through two entire ranks, a feat impossible for most people. However, for him who has the Divine Asura Constitution, he knows that he could actually double that speed and reach A rank by now if he wanted.
But, understanding the importance of strengthening one's foundation, ultimately he did not choose to do that.
They kept all the things they used to set up camp with, even the Crystal Valve. Unable to pluck out the Demon Cores in the middle without destroying the Stratagem, Kairos –with the help of the now B ranked Land Wyrm -- moved the entire field along with the training circle, into his Thunder God's ring. This divine artefact is the only time-space container large enough to contain an entire field.
Kairos observed the soldiers prowling around The Giant's Prairies, and waited. At the very least, even if they are tracked down by Syriong, they need to disperse the troops in their immediate area. With the supplies delivered, soon it would be the time for them to move.
The one they are waiting for soon appeared, a soldier on a mount rode across the plains with a large green flag in his hands. The most ancient method of communications: Signalling.
Those troops that saw the flag quickly rushed towards the West. The imperial troops had received a new order from the green flag, that their targets had been found due west and they are to surround and secure them immediately.
The troops are oblivious for now that this would only be the first of many more complex, yet similar, orders to come. Soon there would be even more "sightings" of their targets.
This was the backup plan Kairos thought up when Fritzgen gave him the membership token. He ordered supplies delivering to several hidden locations that could attract attention and therefore divert these unwanted patrols away from their location.
This chase had definitely taken a toll on the guys, and it isn't strange to be a dire need for supplies. Even if it would soon be revealed as their ruse, the Empire could not afford to risk letting them run. What if one of those locations truly were where Kairos' group were hiding?
However, none of the supplies is sent to Kairos' group. The ones who will receive those supply orders from Fritzgen are people masquerading as the 7 of them. Actors that Kairos had planted long ago.
The team's original number at the start of their rescue mission were 27 of them. To return with 28, including Jones, he had separated the members of Snowdrifts to carry out different tasks.
Kairos is confident that his strategy would keep everyone safe. After all, it is useless to him if they saved Jones but lose one of the Snowdrifts' member. Though everyone weighs differently in his heart, Kairos knows that no one's life is less valuable.
In the first part of the rescue plan, the four captains, Long, John, Silvers, and Sasha, created the opening for Kairos' group to smuggle themselves out of the city. After which, the four should already be on their way home from Aurolia, the Empire's capital city. Without escorting Jones, they would not be a primary target, and moreover, each of them has a powerful artefact from Fritzgen's treasury to keep themselves safe.
The second part of the rescue depends on a decoy team of 6 Snowdrifts members, led by a rogue of the thief guild. Their task is to lure a large amount of soldiers to the East mountain ranges to give the guys a head start, and they had succeeded splendidly in their mission. By now this group should have left their hiding place at Vox Shalua and also making their way to Saint Empire.
The last part of this rescue, and also Kairos' backup plan, is for the final 11 Snowdrifts' members to be completely split up. Each person is sent to hire a group of 7 actors who will disguise as Kairos' team, then lay hidden in 11 secret locations until their cue, the supplies, arrive. Or until 30 days later.
Those supplies from Fritzgen are sent with an instruction to be extra sneaky. Knowing that the sneakier they are, the more conspicuous it appears.
It would give those pursuing Kairos' group the falsified idea that their targets have run out of resources after such a long chase and had to risk resupplying.
Of course, for the actors, they would not be willing to take up such a dangerous proposition of luring soldiers over without a safety net. Even if they are paid a heap of spirit stones, if they die in the process, it would amount to nothing.
Therefore, Kairos had long prepared escape talismans for each group of hired actors to use when the army arrive.
Whenever a group of soldiers discover one of the eleven hiding spots on this wild goose chase, the talismans will quickly relocate the entire group to a random place a thousand kilometres away. Not only would it make them too much of a hassle to track down, once they remove their disguises that made them look like Kairos' group they could all return to wherever they came from with a heavier purse.
To pay for their services, and for the expensive teleport talismans, Kairos had unsparingly spent every cent of profit the Snowdrifts' shop had made so far. Almost bankrupting them in the process.
Of course, after hiring these diehards, the 11 Snowdrifts member are told to make their way across the checkpoint. Using soul jades to ensure that none will break the deal, they did not need to monitor those they hired. And since no one would be looking for them, they ought to have safely returned by now.
With most of the soldier gone to their next mission location, the guys did not tarry and begin to rescind their illusionary barrier.
Unfortunately, not even Kairos is unaware that their plans had not worked out perfectly. While the majority of his strategies met with no setbacks, something huge had happened with the four captains.