It has been 2 weeks since the clash with the Metal Skull gang. The mood in the air was sombre, as everyone on the team experienced the cruel reality of their current predicament. Most members had barely escaped with their lives against such dangerous foes, and they all knew that the road ahead was only going to be more arduous and laid with far more lethal adversaries.

Hence, all members excluding Keane were in deep thought throughout their journey; reflecting on how they could overcome their weaknesses and grow stronger. Shen realised that he was relying too much on Jean to cover him, and that he had only won against his opponent because of Jean's protection throughout.

No matter how many brilliant strategies he could think of, would they work if he was isolated away from Jean? Did he have the means to protect himself before he can protect others? Shen concluded that there was no substitute for hard work in the path to grow stronger, as he resolved to stop running away from his current weaknesses and confront them bravely instead.

Shen had approached Keane, requesting him to train him in the way of the sword which Keane readily agreed, taking Rachel under his wing as well. The 3 practised melee weapon combat throughout their journey to the Green King's abode, as well as mana armament. By the end of the 2 weeks, both Shen and Rachel could use black mana armament, albeit only over a small area.

In his own free time, Shen had even practised melee combat with his rifle, getting used to its weight, length and grip as he pushed himself to his limit, under the watchful eyes of Jean, who was observing from afar.

Jean had never seen Shen train so hard physically before, as she always knew him to be a person who favoured brains over brawn. Seeing him put in so much effort to grow stronger spurred her on to do likewise, as she realised that her key weakness lay in her lack of bite in offensive magic. Even though she had undergone some combat magic training under Keith, she knew that she still had a long way to go with her current prowess.

Thus, Jean approached Adeline for help on improving the potency of her Light magic, seeing that Adeline's magic power had improved by leaps and bounds under the tutelage of Ray, one of the strongest magicians in Nirvania. Jean wasn't alone, the twins had also requested to train with Adeline as the duo realised that they too were currently lacking in magic power despite perfecting their synergy and technique.

Adeline agreed readily as the four of them trained together using the techniques imparted by Ray to improve their spell power. Even though Adeline was supposed to be focused on her training with the others, she was constantly distracted by her thoughts over Kai and his sudden transformation against Cold Steel.

As much as Adeline wanted to be by Kai's side and ask him what exactly happened, her fear of the monster within him had kept her distant from him, limiting her interactions with him to a few words of courtesy and concerned gazes.

Kai had felt Adeline growing further from him, but he knew it wasn't because of lost love between them but rather fear. Fear of something which he couldn't remember. When he had woke up from his battle with Cold Steel, he could only recollect up to the point where he was slashed at the back of his neck, but somehow he couldn't find a wound, only discovering a new white scar.

The scar felt unnatural, as it reeked of magic different from healing magic used by healers like Jean. Whatever happened in his duel with Cold Steel, Kai resolved to never lose control again. He felt that the best way to achieve this was to grow much stronger than his present state, as he worked on improving his mastery and control over his Fusion Element, [White Lightning], seeking to use if comfortably without the aid of [Cavalier].

Kai also worked on his Enigma Ability [Erase], as he sought to improve his precision and control over his ability, testing it against small animals and birds, eventually moving onto insects as he tried to knock them out without killing them by snuffing out all of their mana.

Of course, Kai never neglected his physical training, as that lackadaisical master of his always chanted, "A strong body is required to execute strong magic. For mana capacity is linked to vitality and fitness."

Last of all was Jonathan, who had practically isolated himself throughout the journey, only joined by Rachel occasionally when she took breaks off her training with Keane. In his time alone, he meditated, improving his awareness of the flow of mana within him, feeling it flow like water as he kept still for an extended period of time.

Try as he might, he couldn't block out the memories of his loss to Cold Steel, how he was played by Cold Steel throughout their entire battle, forcing him to reveal his trump card before his opponent. Jonathan silently reflected on how to improve his [Scalpel Palm] Style, enhancing its strengths and overcoming its weaknesses.

As Jonathan was rummaging through his belongings, he noticed a dusty old book that didn't belong to him. It was a diary, more specifically, his father's diary. As Jonathan skimmed through its thin and faded pages, he read his father's thoughts on how to improve the [Scalpel Palm] Style further, making use of one's legs more actively in rapid, consecutive assaults as well as to perform swifter body twists to deliver strikes in quick succession.

Jonathan decided to train using his father's instructions, placing greater emphasis on his lower body while not neglecting his fundamentals. As a result, he slowly began to adapt and evolve his [Scalpel Palm] Style to the next, unique level.

Busy with their respective trainings, the 2 weeks since their encounter with the Metal Skull gang flew past swiftly and before they knew it, they had arrived at the Green King's abode. To reach their destination, they had to navigate through the thick forests of Northern Nirvania which were full of tall trees that formed a large canopy, blocking out most sunlight.

In fact, they had only recognised that they had arrived in their destination due to the unique shape of the trees groomed in the Green King's abode. Not to mention the height of those trees, as they rose into the sky far higher than the other emergents. If the height of the trees were intimidating, it could never strike as much uneasiness into their hearts in contrast to the aura exuded by the very same trees.

It was as though there was an invisible force field repelling them away from the abode. Without speaking a word, Keane drew a knife and flung it towards the trees in the abode. Before the flying knife could reach the tree, it was deflected by an invisible barrier, creating ripples along its surface.

Keane declared, "Alright guys, we've reached our destination for sure. No area in this forest would be as tightly protected as the Green King's abode. Come, we got to go to the 'backdoor' of his abode, which location is only privy to the King of Nirvania."

The team followed Keane as they circled around the perimeter of the abode, eventually reaching the so-called 'backdoor' of the abode. Keane explained, "Well, the 'backdoor' is basically a part of the barrier that is especially thin yet sensitive such that the moment it's touched, the Green King would be notified straightaway. Only the Kings of Nirvania are privy to this information to ensure that only those trusted by the country are entrusted with this valuable information. Let's begin."

Keane knocked gently on the barrier and waited. To their surprise, it was less than 5 seconds before a deep, intimidating voice bellowed, "Who goes there? How do you know of this contraption?"

Keane calmly replied, "Esteemed Green King. We are a team sent by King Stormfury himself to acquire your assistance on an essential national matter. This map I'm holding is given to me by his Highness personally, as evident in the Royal Seal here. I beseech you let us in so that we can fill you in on more details."

The deep voice droned, "Hhhm…that's the Royal Seal indeed. 9 personnel in total, with the weakest about high Master tier and the strongest in high Grandmaster tier…" Suddenly, the voice changed into that of meek, polite voice. "Ah well, you're all sent by my old pal Stormfury, so come on in!"

A hole appeared on the barrier, wide enough for 1 person to pass through at any one time as the team entered  in an orderly fashion. As they ventured deeper into the Green King's abode, they were enthralled by the beauty of the interior of the Green King's abode.

What came next was a real eye-opener for all of them. In the middle of the abode was a tree house. Not the conventional tree house which is simply a house built on the top of a tree but a literal tree house, where a door can be found on the lower bark of a humongous tree.

Keane took the lead and knocked on the door politely. A gentle voice rang, "Come in! It's been a long time since I had visitors, hohoho!" Keane pushed open the door gently with a slight creak and the rest followed him into the interior of the tree house.

They were overwhelmed by the sight before them, as the interior appeared to be a mishmash of a greenhouse and a laboratory, with a wide array of plants and scientific equipment sprawled all over the place, not to mention thick books.

In the middle of the room, an ancient yet tiny man sat on his elevated stool. His skin had the appearance of bark from trees while his hair was like the canopy of a bonsai tree. The old man cleared his throat and introduced himself amiably, "Welcome to my humble residence. I'm Warren Gaia, former Headmaster of Zion Academy and the Green King of the 10 Saints. Make yourselves comfortable before telling me the purpose of your visit."

Jonathan blinked his eyes rapidly before remarking rudely, "Hey Keane, you sure we're in the right place? There's no way this midget is the #4 member of the 10 Saints, he just…doesn't look the part!" The others had to silently agree, especially the girls. They had expected to see an imposing, wizened and tall individual like Headmaster Zilean, but the old man before them was simply too tiny and adorable.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Warren was visibly angered by Jonathan's insensitive comments and bellowed, his voice changing to that of the initial intimidating voice they had heard earlier, "Damn you, brat! Perhaps you need a demonstration of my abilities!" Vines started covering his body and before long, he had a tall, lean figure like a scarecrow with sharp claws as fingers.

Everyone present was bewildered by his sudden transformation, especially Jonathan who could feel the overbearing pressure exerted by Warren. Keane immediately apologised, "I'm sorry for the impudent remarks made by my subordinate, we humbly apologise." Adeline added, "We're terribly sorry, Green King! It's just that your original appearance is so cute that we had instantly forgotten our place…"

The scarecrow stopped moving and Warren instantly reverted back to his original form, muttering to himself, "Hohoho, to think that I'm still so popular with the ladies at my age…" much to the frustration of the teenage boys who screamed in unison, "You old lecher!"

Kai, recovering from his initial shock, asked, "These vines, they're not derived from magic right?" Warren sat on his stool as he crossed his arms proudly, "That's right! I have the Enigma Ability [Overgrowth], that allows me to create, propagate, harness and control plant life! Plants are a huge source of life on this planet, silently supporting life as the first component of the food chain. You cannot find any other living organism more noble and self-sacrificing than plants!"

The team was overwhelmed by his scientific bravado as Shen added, "I see that you're a researcher from your extensive equipment and notes, what exactly do you specialise in?" Warren scratched his chin as he looked at Shen intensely, before replying, "My, we got someone with a little interest in my work!

That's rare among hot-blooded teenagers your age, who are only preoccupied with their mediocre dreams of adventures and battles. I tell you, nothing can be more exciting than the discovery of new knowledge and phenomena, for that discovery can be translated into progress that benefits all mankind!"

Warren continued, "Well, you can call me an toxicologist. Even though I have extensive knowledge in all forms of life, especially plants, I have a noble calling in toxicology, where I study pathogens, understanding how they cause diseases and how to defeat them in the process.

War is not all about swords, spears and magic! The new era would usher more insidious forms of warfare, namely biological and chemical warfare! It's my job to defend against such threats, hohoho!"

Shen contemplated for awhile before asking, "I see. That's why you were tasked with researching on [Catastrophe], since it's a biological weapon right?" Keane made use of the opportunity to announce, "Lord Green King, in fact, the key reason we're here today is to see if you've successfully developed a cure for those stricken with the poison of [Catastrophe].

Recently, the Sylphs in the Sylph Kingdom had experienced a terror attack using a weapon similar to [Catastrophe], poisoning several Sylphs including their King. It is because Nirvania has been accused as the mastermind of the terror attack that war is close to breaking out between our 2 Kingdoms. Of course, we wish to avoid war if possible, hence, we're hoping that you would land us a helping hand in this matter. In fact, we've brought the Sylph Princess Adeline here."

Adeline dispelled her transformation magic, revealing her slightly pointed ears as Warren gasped in surprise. He grabbed Adeline's hands and held them tightly before bowing apologetically, "You must have had a hard time, my poor girl. Having your father afflicted with the debilitating disease that [Catastrophe] brings and yet you're so far away from him as you're here…"

Warren continued, choking slightly, "In truth, even though I have discovered several cures and vaccines for several illnesses and pathogens, the one condition I couldn't treat was by [Catastrophe]. Despite my extensive research on the pathogens brought forth by the accursed weapon, all I have discovered is its entry mechanism and how it causes illnesses.

The pathogens from [Catastrophe] are like viruses, when they're out in the open, they're inactive and impossible to detect by our immune system or any antibiotic since they're considered 'dead'. After they have successfully attached themselves to their target cells, which are cells found in vital mana-rich organs such as the liver and heart, they slowly hijack their hosts and drain all mana from within, before bursting out of the cell as more copies of the pathogen are produced from the dead host cell, free to infect more cells.

The key issue lies in the fact that I can't properly 'dissect' the pathogen for analysis unlike other pathogens since even though these pathogens are supposedly inactive and dead when outside the host cells, they're protected by a strong mana barrier that masks its structure and contents, preventing further analysis.

Mana-draining 'tools' are too bulky and lack precision, often leaving no trace of the pathogen behind. I'm so sorry, Miss, but without knowledge of its structure and contents, I can't devise a cure for [Catastrophe]."

Upon hearing the news, everybody looked down-trodden instantly, especially Adeline who was on the verge of breaking into tears. Suddenly, Kai stepped forward and said, "Let me try. My Enigma Ability, [Erase], may be of some help if all you need me to do is destroy that mana barrier while leaving the pathogens intact. After all, with my Enigma Ability, I can control the trace of mana erased, so let me have a go, sir!"

Warren scrutinised Kai for a moment before closing his eyes and nodding, "Perhaps your ability is our final hope. If we don't try, we'll never know, right? Go ahead, boy, do your best!" He placed a Petri dish in front of Kai, who immediately activated his Luminos on his left eye, muttering, "[Erase]!"

Warren looked at the contents through his microscope and shook his head, "It’s no good, you completely extinguished them, my boy." Kai said, "One more time! I refuse to give up when we're so close to finding a peaceful solution!" Kai kept using his ability over and over again, but each time, the outcome was the same.

Warren thought silently, "A human with a Luminos Ability…a half-Sylph probably. This is completely unheard of, not to mention his Enigma Ability that allows him to erase mana, the source of all life, magic and even some Enigma Abilities. If groomed properly, this boy has the potential to surpass even the 4 Coloured Kings. However, at his current state, he's still a pathetic little kid."

Kai grew visibly fatigued from each failed attempt and eventually collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion before struggling to his feet feebly, muttering, "One…more…time…" Everyone watched on in concern and admiration but none more so than Adeline.

Adeline felt extremely guilty for being so cold to Kai during the past 2 weeks just because of her ridiculous fear of the monster within him that blinded her from seeing Kai's true nature as a benevolent and caring person who would go all out for his friends.

Adeline quickly embraced him from behind, bawling, "Stop! You don't have to push yourself so far for my sake! I'm so sorry for treating you so coldly these 2 weeks! All because I feared the monster which I saw emerge from you 2 weeks ago…"

Kai turned around and patted her head gently, "Silly lass. I know you don't hate me despite keeping your distance from me. I can't exactly remember what had happened 2 weeks ago, but I know I must have lost control of my body then. To prevent this from ever happening again, I swear I'll become stronger so that I can use my own strength to defeat any foe that comes our way."

With his newfound strength from his strong emotions, Kai decided to attempt one last time, activating his Luminos before the Petri dish. For a short moment, only Adeline realised that the pattern on Kai's left pupil had transformed into a more intricate pattern than before, as though it had evolved to the next level.

When Kai was done, he slumped weakly onto his knees, before asking feebly, "Did it work this time?" Warren stared into his microscope for an extended period of time before suddenly jumping in joy, screaming excitedly, "You did it, boy! Now it's my turn!" Warren got to work immediately, his efficiency astounding as though his laboratory was prepared for this very day.

Adeline allowed Kai to lie on her lap as she stroked his forehead gently. Kai smiled in appreciation, as he closed his eyes peacefully, happy that he reconciled with Adeline while helping her father at the same time. Within 2 hours, Warren had prepared a sample cure for [Catastrophe], as he mixed it together with a sample of his own cells and a sample of the pathogens.

After a 15 minute wait, where Warren had accelerated the process through chemical intervention, Warren shouted ecstatically, "We did it! The cure works! All that's left is to mass produce the cure and we never have to fear [Catastrophe] ever again!" Everyone in the room cheered except Keane, who merely smiled, overjoyed that all their hardships had finally borne fruit.

Warren advised, "The mass production would take about 5 days though. In the meantime, you guys can chill and relax at my place, it's the safest out here in the entire forest thanks to the barrier I put up powered by [Catastrophe], its only useful contribu-." Before Warren could finish his sentence, a loud explosion could be heard followed by the sound of shattering.

Warren muttered, "Impossible…to break through a barrier generated from the mana of a World Class Weapon, even Sage tier spells would have difficulty breaking through a barrier like this." Everyone immediately rushed out of the house, including Kai, who had barely recovered from his ordeal earlier.

Warren threw a bottle of green solution towards Kai and said, "Drink this. It would help activate your cells and improve your mana and stamina recovery. It's very rare, but it's for your precious contribution earlier!" Kai hesitated for awhile before opening the bottle and drinking it. The taste was surprisingly pleasant and within seconds, Kai felt as though all his mana and stamina had returned to him.

Warren explained, "That was my own invention. However, you can't over-rely on it as drinking too much of that potion over-taxes your cells and may result in death." Kai nodded solemnly in gratitude as the Nirvanians finally arrived at the spot where the barrier had been breached. The sight before them was utter devastation, as trees caught fire and collapsed.

Warren muttered, "Such wanton destruction and disregard for life. These evildoers must be punished!" Amidst the flames, seven figures could be clearly seen. From left to right, it was firstly, a man with unkempt purple hair wearing a collared black cloak with simple pants armed with a 2 bladed scythe. This was none other than Jake.

Next, it was another man dressed in a shaggy white coat, with a bow-hat atop his head. This was the man who had been stalking the team throughout their mission from the time they had left from Nirvana. He was present as well in the abandoned town, having coordinated the ambush with the Metal Skull gang.

The third individual was a man who wore a turban and was dressed similar to an Arab. His arms, which were clearly visible as he wore a singlet, bore tattoos of snakes. The fourth figure was the most prominent of all, baring his upper body which was coloured red and full of bulging muscles. On his torso were several scars that were found all over, from his arms to his chest and even his face.

The fifth person was a lady who had tied her yellow hair neatly into a bun, as she stood proudly with her arms crossed. Her attire was similar to aristocrats, giving her an aura of nobility. The sixth, Erik, was dressed in rather tight fitting combat attire, and had a relatively toned body, though not as top heavy as the fourth.

Finally, the last person was dressed rather casually, but his dishevelled white hair and eye bags were all too familiar to Kai and Adeline. "Psycho…" Kai seethed as he gritted his teeth angrily, the day for his rematch finally here.

Warren angrily questioned, "Who are you people? How dare you desecrate this forest and my home!" The large man in the centre laughed, "You must be the Green King Warren Gaia. I commend your skill in putting up a barrier this strong, but it's all over now that I'm here. I'm the Chaos General of Wrath, Amon!

For your sins, punishment has to be meted but since I'm so kind, I shall give you guys a choice. Surrender [Catastrophe] peacefully and I'll take your lives painlessly. Choose to resist and I guarantee you hell that's worse than dying!"

Warren slowly transformed into his scarecrow form as his voice became raspier, "Words are not needed for boors like you." Keane drew [Twilight] from his scabbard as he commanded, "Team, this is it. Our mission is to secure the Green King and [Catastrophe]. We may outnumber them, but we don't know how strong they are, so be careful, everyone!"

Everyone adopted their respective battle stances except Amon, who screamed in delight, "Hell yeah! Let's get this party started, baby! I'll show you guys what it's like to incur my rage! Mwahahaha!"