The waves crashed into and rocked the boat while Oscar placed his Ein to steer and power the boat through the shaky ocean. Every so often, the waters splashed on his feet, and irritation cracked over his face in veins. Looking around, he saw his companions staying idly by.

He looked up in the air and let out a sigh. The events that led up to this moment replayed in his mind.

…….

Earlier that day, Elizabeth led them to a small shack by the pier, not looking fit for a Knight Exalt with its rundown and ordinary appearance. On the way, Oscar noticed the downcast eyes of the residents and the general depressing air that choked them.

Oscar glanced at Emily, who clung to Frederick's shoulder for support. Fighting against a Knight Exalt, even if it were lighthearted, would make the other suffer like his spars against Draven.

His attention turned back to Elizabeth, following the creaking of the shoddy wooden door. The inside of the hut was dark and dusty with the smell of mold. Oscar scrunched his face and pinched his nose. "This hut is your home, Ms. Raeven?"

"Hmm? Oh, no. This place is temporary for our meeting. I'm a bit too busy now, and prying eyes are everywhere." Elizabeth Raeven lit up some candles to brighten the room, but they only revealed more of the decrepit state of his hut. "This is an abandoned home, so no one would think to look for me in here."

"If you're so cautious, why did you make a big show at the pier?" Emily spouted out her words with anger.

"First, I wanted to bully you for a bit; it's hilarious." Elizabeth teased Emily, who clenched her teeth. Elizabeth sighed, and her smile faded. "However, to be more serious, I need fresh legs to help me investigate."

"Investigate what?" Oscar didn't like the sound of this. To be something that a Knight Exalt, more so someone from the Raeven family, to investigate must be beyond their capabilities to help out.

Elizabeth Raeven pulled out a map and spread it on the moldy table. On it were several circles and x-marks on several islands, random places in the ocean, and more. Her frown deepened at the map. "Have you noticed the strange atmosphere of Portland Island?"

"Reminds me of a funeral," Austin said. "Much like my mom's."

"Sorry to hear that, but you're right. It's because the Exalt Beasts have become strange. Many ships are docked right now, with very few going out. Normally, the beasts only attacked every so often, but the number of attacks has increased over time. Several ships have already sunk, and the wanderers hired to protect ships have decided to flee from this place." Elizabeth pointed at several x-marks. "It isn't a normal attack of one Exalt Beast, but a multitude of them attacking at once."

Oscar pondered at the many x-marks drawn on the map. "Why not send out the island guards to investigate?"

"That City Lord is too stubborn and wants to lock down instead of sending out people. Every death weighs on his shoulders." Elizabeth crossed her arms.

"So, are we to go out for you?" Emily frowned. "What about our lives?"

"Are you so weak that you would die?" Elizabeth stuck out her tongue. "The military is taking too long to put a force together, and they'll be here much later, and the City Lord is unwilling to risk more lives. So the only fast option is you guys."

Seeing their concerned faces, Elizabeth smiled. "Don't worry. The region you'll be going into is the Elite Exalt section of the waters where lower and middle Elite Exalt Beasts dwell. Also, you're stronger than those wanderers."

"What about you?" Oscar asked.

"I'll be heading deeper into where the Knight Exalt Beasts live. Something's been bothering me for a while." Elizabeth gave them the map. "There's a boat that has a stealth spell placed on it. Use it to get out of the island and go to the places I've marked with a circle."

Before they could respond, Elizabeth rushed out of the hut, leaving Oscar dumbfounded about how someone could be so pushy. But the seriousness of the situation turned his thoughts away from her, and he focused on the map. The circles spread all over a blue-outlined part of the ocean.

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Oscar tapped on the map and turned to the others. "What do you think?"

"She's as forceful as ever." Emily sighed. "However, this is a chance for us to contribute in other ways."

"I don't mind," Frederick said.

"As a soldier, I can't ignore this." Austin nodded.

Mary looked frustrated but nodded. "She should go through proper procedures before making us do anything, but I'll tag along."

"Then, it's decided. First, let's hit all these circles closest to the island. There should be mainly Lower Elite Exalt beasts in there." Oscar scrolled up the map and put it away.

"As the sole Middle Elite Exalt, I won't let them destroy us." Emily hit her fist into her palm.

"Get ready to set out," Oscar said.

…….

"Still, she uses her relationship with Emily to use us as foot soldiers. How can two Raevens be so different from one another?" He recalled Robert Raeven's stoicism, seriousness, and patience. The rough-looking figure in his mind made Oscar smile. "I should try to visit him later."

He continued to steer the boat until he noticed how far they had gone. Looking at the compass on the map by the side, Oscar knew they had arrived at the first circle. "Everyone, we're here. Remember, two people go out, and three stay on the boat to defend it."

Emily placed her foot on top of the boat's edge. She turned to Frederick with a smiling face. "Fred and I will go first and investigate. What are we looking for?"

"Any suspicious or the movement of the Exalt Beasts. Just come up in an hour." One of the amazing aspects of becoming an Elite Exalt was the Ein's power to form a protective layer with air and allow them to move freely in the water. Oscar watched Emily and Frederick form an Ein Shroud and leap into the waters.

Oscar sat down to meditate and recover his Ein because he had slowly wasted it away controlling the boat. However, the sound of something plopping into the water made him snap his eyes open. By his side, Austin somehow got a fishing pole and threw a line out into the azure waters.

"Austin, why are you fishing?" Oscar said while dumbfounded.

"Ah, someone's already taken a fishing pole." Mary pouted as she came out of the small cabin on the ship. Her eyes looked sadly at the fishing pole in Austin's hand, and she came toward him. "Can we rotate?"

Austin stared indifferently at Mary. "Sure."

"Nice!" Mary sat next to Austin, eyeing the line stretched out into the waters.

"The two of you like fishing?" Oscar asked.

"It's one of my favorite pastimes," Mary answered. She hummed while tapping her fingers on the boat's hull.

"I always enjoyed it. My home is by a lake." Austin said dryly.

Seeing the two were more focused on the fishing line, Oscar returned to his meditation.

Ten minutes passed—no sign of Emily and Frederick.

Twenty minutes passed—no sign of Emily and Frederick.

However, at the thirty-minute mark, the waters trembled. Oscar and the others got out their armaments. This disturbance was not from Emily and Frederick but from its native inhabitants.

"It's Exalt Beasts!" Oscar shouted. His Ein formed his deer anima.

Mary summoned her bear anima that roared with its large claws of thunder, wanting to swipe at whatever disturbed its master.

Austin took out a purple dagger and summoned his black dagger anima, which looked hazy due to the dark smoke spilling from its edges and tip. His Elemental Spark awakened to the darkness element, which Oscar thought fit Austin well.

The boat started rocking more violently. Oscar ran and jumped off the boat, diving into the waters to face the monsters before they could go up from under the boat. Beneath the waves, Oscar saw three monsters, but the strange thing was they were all from different species.

One was a large octopus with sharp fangs protruding from its suckers. A green armor carapace covered its entire body except for the six yellow eyes that shone atop its large head.

Another was a large fish that spewed out large bubbles from its toothless mouth. It had a large fat body with spikes protruding all over it.

The last was a long eel that crackled with electricity coiling around its body. Its slender body whipped around the waters with ease, letting out waves of surging lightning.

"I'll take the octopus." Oscar swam ahead with his deer anima. He continually took in the Reis from the crashing waters to kick off with astonishing speed in the waters.

Mary decided to go toward the eel while Austin went over the bubble fish. Their Eins surged to incredible levels.

This was an underwater battle in their domain.

Oscar understood the gravity of the situation but trusted the other two to handle themselves as he stared down the armored octopus. Under the view of his Prinstyct, the octopus's eidolon slowly parted, revealing many clear parts. Over the months of training, Oscar advanced enough to pierce through the eidolons.

A large green tail, full of sharp jagged teeth, whipped at Oscar. It snapped through the waters, undisturbed by water resistance. Oscar kicked off with his feet; the waters paled compared to the dark waters in the Abyss Prison.

The waters ruptured and foamed around where the tentacle snapped. Oscar narrowed his eyes at sight and stared at the armored octopus. The armor around it protected it well and looked sturdy.

The tentacles would stop his attempts to get closer. Despite his speed underwater, it only served to dodge and defend well with his Prinstyct. Oscar smiled in amusement at the foe before him.

"I could tear your tentacles apart as they come, but I need to think about the future. Rather than facing you in melee. Let's try this out."

Oscar surged his Ein, which collected into a ball in front of him. Silver metal began to transmute from the Ein and take up the shape. Once the silver ball was complete, Oscar reached his arm out and extended his hand straight; his long fingertip tapped the silver ball.

'Grade Two Silver Star'