"If you want to run before I beat you into a pulp, I'll give you one chance," Sigura called out, breaking the tense silence as the two figures came into view of everyone present.

The Half Elven man smiled, raising both hands placatingly. "Wait, wait! We're not here to fight or anything, we're just... here to give you a warm welcome to the neighbourhood."

'Warm welcome to the neighbourhood'. The phrase sent a chill rolling along my exposed form. The influence of my [Telekinesis] seeped further through the metal plates around me, the steel quivering lightly in place as if begging to be released.

"The last people who said somethin' like that," Sigura drawled, stepping forward as she cracked her knuckles. "Tried to kill my friend and trash the place."

The man gave a nervous laugh, one hand moving to rub the back of his neck. The motion was accompanied by his whole body shifting, making him look fluid and animated. It was an almost cartoonishly disarming action.

"I'm sorry to hear that, but we're not with them. You mean Pig Tooth, right?" he said, cracking a smile. "They're the ones who attacked you, aren't they? We're just here to chat, not to start anything. Swear on the Six!"

I could feel the eyes of the Roden locked onto me. Assessing me. The Half Elven man was staring directly at Sigura. The others weren't able to see behind their visors, but my [Sensory Zone] helped to work around an issue like that. I knew exactly where their focuses were.

The faces of those around me didn't help to settle my nerves. Toya's expression bled with visible distrust. He stood in front of the children and other Chimeras present, arms loosely spread apart to shield them if need be, much like Uris had earlier.

Streiphen's face was coloured with curiosity and worry. He didn't know who these people were, but the fact that he hadn't said anything yet was telling. Fareel's eyes were narrowed, locked on the pair, his expression otherwise inscrutable.

"We should probably introduce ourselves," the Half Elven man said, eyes still on Sigura as her expression only became more hostile.

"I'm Incognito," he told us, his hand pressed against his chest, fingers splayed outwards. The second hand gestured down towards his companion. "And this is my buddy Pack Rat. We're here on official business."

"[Official business?]" I asked, speaking up as I rose to my feet. "[Are you adventurers?]"

The man shivered when I spoke, his eyes behind the visor turning towards me. For a few seconds, he seemed to be at a loss for words. My skin rolled against his sight, shaking furiously. His partner picked up the slack.

"Hrm... We are not adventurers. We work for the Don, an influential man in this city. We are not here to harm your group. We merely wish to extend an invitation."

"An invitation?" Sigura asked, eyes narrowing as she looked down at the furred man. "The fuck're you talking about?"

"Mhm..." the elderly Ratfolk responded with a nod. "We seek to hire you as Casters. Ones to work for the Don, on a provisional basis."

"[On a provisional basis?]" I echoed slowly.

I still kept my magical grip on the metal, but... they seemed to be true to their word. I couldn't sense an ounce of hostility from the Half Elven man. He seemed relaxed. My treacherous emotions seemed to respond to that relaxation, and I too felt less angry, looking at him. They clearly weren't here to fight.

"Yeah, that's right," the man responded with a charming smile. "The Don only hires people that he thinks are worth hiring. He's very selective about who he lets on board, so he sent us to put forward the invitation and see whether you were worth hiring."

"Worth hiring?" Sigura snapped. "The fuck is that supposed to mean? What'd be in it for us?"

I saw the children behind Toya hunch up, moving further back away from the enemies. The Slime-like Chimera looked towards Sigura with a mix of shock and worry.

"The Don hires those he believes to be capable," the Roden- no, Pack Rat, elaborated. "We wish to test your magical abilities and potential. From there, we will know if you are worthy of standing among the Don's company. With us, you would receive work, training and resources."

Sigura smiled. A broad smile that stretched ear to ear, one that let her fangs come out to play. The room brightened, her orange-red sunset [Mantle] flaring to life. It pushed the light of the emerald bulbs away, smothering everything in its glow.

The Half Nekari Chimera's fingers were interlocked, stretching out in front of her as she stretched, making a sickening cracking sound.

"Now you're speaking my language, shorty. If you wanted us to beat the shit out of you, that's all you had to say," Sigura replied.

She glanced over her shoulder, letting everyone see the wild look in her bright, golden eyes. "You'll back me up, Yur. The rest of you, stand back. This'll be your first lesson, so watch how I fight."

"[Are you sure you want to do this...?]" I asked, not to anybody in particular. I knew how Sigura could get in a fight, and if these people truly weren't here to harm us, then... "[If you fight us, you'll be in serious danger.]"

If Sigura decided to use her magic... No... would she use the level of heat that had melted steel back in the facility with the children in such close proximity? I hoped she wouldn't.

I stepped forward, a host of flying blades hanging around me as my mech stood side by side with Sigura, facing the others. I saw the Roden smile, reaching up to stroke at his chin hair, his eyes locked on me.

Even if the others couldn't see it, I saw both of them use [Insight], the Aera generated around their eyes obscured by the visors.

The Ratfolk's Aera was a blue-grey hue, one with many white pinpricks around the edges. As for the Half Elf, his Aera was a metallic blue, one with several other colours blending together at the edges. A pinkish, playful red. A pale, pensive grey. A deep, joyful green. More united colours than I'd seen on any other person's Aera. Had the colours of the visors been [Tailor] made to match their Aera?

"Focus on your Aera, Yur," Sigura told me, looking back towards them as orange light deepened and thickened around her eyes. "I don't know how that zone of yours works, or how you 'see' through it, but focus on pushing your Aera through it. Don't worry about transforming it, just... focus it on the sense, like how you focus it on the body with [Mantle]. You'll figure out a way to use [Insight], Yur. If I can do it, you can too."

Sigura's words served as a reminder. My [Mantle] flared to life, a metallic green coat over my fleshy form, one with a slight grey tint to it. The edges of the light seeped out through the tiny space between my mech and my helmet, rising like wavy steam, a slight emerald distortion in the air.

The Roden reached into the sleeve of his robe, pulling out a long, silvery knife. The blade had a curved edge, and three circular holes along the spine.

"I hope you will forgive me for using a weapon," the Ratfolk smiled. "I am not confident enough in my hand-to-hand skills to face flying blades without a weapon of my own."

"What about you?" Sigura called out, her glowing eyes locked on the Half Elf. "You think you can take me without a weapon?"

"I'm better at hand-to-hand then this old geezer is," Incognito told Sigura with a playful smile and a light shrug. "Dunno if it'll be enough to hold you off, but I hope you won't cut me up too badly if I make any mistakes."

I wanted to gauge how Sigura felt. I needed to figure out how she felt about this 'test'. If she was fighting with the intent to kill, I wanted to be able to back her up. If she planned on fighting with the intent to harm, and harm alone, I'd leave her to her own devices. That, and I didn't know how hard I should be fighting, either.

"You have a very impressive aura, young miss," the Roden said. For a moment, I thought he'd been speaking to Sigura, even though his eyes hadn't left me. "Unrefined as it is, you have more than enough Aera to become a skilled Caster, given the proper training."

I was already a skilled Caster. Maybe I wasn't as strong as people like those 'Heroes' from Addersbrook, but I knew my way around spellcasting.

"Your aura speaks more of your feelings than you do," Pack Rat murmured, glancing down. "It shivered with indignation. If I have offended you, then allow me to extend my sincerest apologies."

What...? He could read what I'd felt through my aura? Had Sigura said [Insight] was capable of something like that? Was it a Skill?

"I hope you have a good [Healer] wherever you come from, because I'm really shitty at pulling my punches."

With those final words, Sigura crouched before springing forward, moving at top speed in an instant, shooting towards the man like a bullet fired from a gun.

The pair instinctively activated their [Mantles]. The aura appeared near instantly around both of them, the colours and patterns matching that of the Aera around their eyes.

Sigura's arm snapped forward, fingers curled up into a fist. I knew that no matter what body I was in, I wouldn't have wanted to be on the receiving end of Sigura's punches. That had been before her body had been warped and strengthened.

Incognito seemed to share that belief, if his eyes widening in shock were any indication.

He swung his left arm up as fast as he could, releasing a flash of light from his palm. The shockwave fired away from him, a metallic blue light forming a short lived ring around his hand, just above the Roden's head. Some of the older man's hair was ruffled by the blast as Incognito was sent hurtling to the right, barely dodging Sigura's punch. His polished shoes skidded against the tiles.

"She's... really fast, Pack. I didn't think she'd be this-"

As soon as Sigura's foot landed on solid ground, she whirled to the side, moving in hot pursuit. Incognito grit his teeth, trying to raise his arm once again to dodge. It didn't rise fast enough.

The fist smashed into his cheek, connecting with so much force that I saw several of the children pull their eyes away. Streiphen and a few others winced from the impact. I did too, even if I could only express it through the rippling of flesh.

I'd expected the man to lose a few teeth after that, or collapse to the ground in agony, but instead...

His skin rippled too, in a way that was very different to my own.

It moved abnormally, the flesh shifting around the blow as though made of clay. His cheek seemed to bend inwards from the strike as he turned his head, moving with the impact. He spun, flying backwards from the punch as he made no effort to brace himself. He was sent skidding along the floor, crashing heavily into a stone wall. He looked back up at Sigura's shocked face, wincing as his cheek seemed to pop back out, his jaw slotting into place.

"What the fuck was that?" Sigura roared. I would've been annoyed too, if I'd been cheated out of a clean hit like that.

Incognito took a deep breath, giving Sigura a cheesy smile. He shrugged his shoulders, arms splayed out to the side. It was a theatrical movement, one designed solely for comedic effect. I couldn't help but think it looked... calculated. Forced, almost.

I was reminded of the expression of the man we'd saved back in Addersbrook, during the Dullahan attack. Instead of his face looking stiff and unnatural in comparison to how he must've been feeling, it was his body language.

"Ta-da!" Incognito sang, his voice higher pitched than before. "Magic!"

Sigura growled, lunging for the man again with a renewed sense of aggression, flailing outwards with claws extended, taking wild swings with her claws and palms as the man dodged, using fast footwork and the shockwaves from before to keep Sigura from landing a hit.

No matter how hard Sigura pressed, or how much hits she struck him with, his form continued to change and warp, skin moving in tandem with the blow, helping him to-

"I understand you may be worried for your companion," came the voice of Pack Rat, interrupting my thoughts. "But you too are being tested."

That was... true. I still didn't know what exactly this job would entail, or why I should bother fighting him. It was true that resources sounded appealing, but we had no guarantee that they could deliver, or even what this 'work' entailed. Sigura had jumped headlong into the fight, but I couldn't find the motivation to attack him. He clearly wasn't hostile, either. I'd been zoned out, and he hadn't tried to capitalise on it at all.

"[I don't see any reason to fight you,]" I told him. "[It wouldn't feel right using magic against an older man, either.]"

I tried not to make it sound condescending, but I was being serious. It was an element to my decision making, an element that the Roden laughed at, his snout turning skyward as he let out a hearty howl of laughter.

"Glad to see someone's having fun, you-" Incognito called out, barely dodging one of Sigura's furious punches as she left an indent in the stone wall behind him.

"I appreciate your concern," the Ratfolk said to me, a smile stretched across his face. "But you need not worry about my safety. 'The oldest folks are always the most Experienced,' don't they say? Or perhaps you've never heard such a phrase, hmm?"

"No matter," he said, raising his gray knife. He swung it around, pointing in the direction of Sigura and Incognito. "I do not wish to raise my blade against a non combatant, either. If you will not fight me, then I will jump to the aid of my ally and fight against your friend. Things will not go as favourably for her if she is facing two opponents at once."

As much as I didn't want to fight him, that helped to change my mind. If he wanted me to prove myself, then fine. I wouldn't aim to kill, but I wasn't about to let him hurt Sigura, either.

"[Don't blame me if you get hurt,]" I told him, seeing as how he was asking for it. "[I'm... not good at pulling my punches either.]"

Pack Rat snickered at that, swinging his blade back towards me.

"Restraint is something all good Casters learn, in time."

I took an internal, mental breath, steeling myself for the fight to come.

If that Incognito guy was willing to use magic against Sigura, chances are 'Pack Rat' would be using it against me, too. I didn't know what to make of Incognito's name, but the name Pack Rat let me gleam some hints. He'd pulled a knife from his sleeve, but there hadn't been a sheathe on it. Had he really been storing it in his clothes without a guard?

Experimentally, I shot a sharp metal plate forward, moving it at high speed. The Roden's arm shot upwards, smacking the plate out of the air with his blade of-

It wasn't silver. The weapon he'd been holding had changed colour. The steel was a greyish-blue colour now, stained with flecks of thin white lines along the edge of the blade. The pattern had changed to match his Aera. Was that his magic?

"Is that the extent of your abilities?" the Roden asked, waving the knife at his side. "If [Telekinesis] is all you are capable of, then perhaps we were wrong to come here."

It was an opening shot! I hadn't intended to just... fire everything all at once. He clearly didn't understand subtlety and learning about the enemy if he was going to berate me for a move like that.

If he wanted more, I'd give him more.

Five lances of steel, and two thick plates he wouldn't be able to bat aside with a knife. I held them all above me, hovering menacingly. I'd give him one last chance, in the name of fairness. If he saw how many plates I could shoot at once and decided to back down-

Pack Rat raised his spare arm, curling the fingers inwards in a 'come on' gesture. Taunting me.

The metal all shot forward at once, moving at maximum speed.

His blade arm snapped upwards, a shockwave of force rippling out from the blade as three of the lances were knocked out of the air. As cocky as the Roden had been, he could only move so fast. He skipped to the side, dodging one of the lances. The first of the thick metal plates curved in the air, turning to fly towards him.

His smile increased as he leapt upwards, landing on the plate. His [Mantle] intensified around his legs as his feet touched down on it, and the weight of his body suddenly felt immense. I had other avenues of attack, so I let the plate fall heavily to the floor with him on top of it. If it gave me an opportunity, he could have that plate.

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He swung his head to the side, barely dodging the last of the lances as it scraped along his cheek. The drops of blood staining the tip of the lance gave me a deep feeling of satisfaction. Adrenaline roared through my body, and I knew I could win.

As fast as he'd been, the final plate was on his left. He wouldn't be able to cleanly dodge it after the attack from the lance, something I made sure of by shaking the plate beneath his feet, hopefully enough to break his sense of balance, enough to-

The plate vanished.

I'd been moving it at high speed, and then it was... gone. My telekinetic connection to the plate broke. Wherever it was now, it was completely outside of my field of vision. The Roden was breathing heavier now, something I could barely take any solace in as I tried to figure out how-

"You are far more skilled than we anticipated," Pack Rat admitted, smiling jovially, looking more like a man who'd won the lottery than one who'd been on the verge of great harm.

"It is rare for a Caster without advanced techniques to be capable of controlling objects like that without a set pattern simultaneously. You kept track of my body perfectly. A [Sensory Zone], if I were to put forward a guess. Your ability to plan ahead and force me into a position where I needed to reveal my magic to avoid a clean blow is something to be commended."

"[What did you do?]" I asked, frustration seeping into my voice. He leapt off the plate beneath him as I began to shake it again, bringing it up into the air as I gathered more and more metal. The edges of the metal turned red hot as I let my energy pour into them. If he slipped up next time, I was going to make every hit count.

"Perhaps I made a poor judgement in regards to your temperament. You are a calculated person, but your ability to control your emotions is lackluster, at best. I can tell you have no desire to avoid deeply harming me anymore," he spoke, completely ignoring me.

"Use [Insight], and figure it out. You will find no wise enemy that explains their abilities to you, unless they are assured of victory, or must explain it as part of a Condition."

If he wasn't explaining his abilities, did that mean he wasn't assured of victory? Or was he saying that to mess with me? At this point, I couldn't tell. I couldn't read him at-

"Stop changing your damn face!" Sigura roared, kicking against the man's head. He winced as the blow connected, a strike that was likely audible in the streets above.

"Shorry Shweetheart," he said, grinning even as his cheek morphed and popped back into place. "It comes naturally."

I watched him swing a punch of his own, striking Sigura in the shoulder. As scrawny as he looked, the grunt of pain she let out told me he was stronger than he seemed. Was that because of the thickness of his [Mantle], or through the use of a Skill? I couldn't rule out that his magic allowed him to-

The Roden dashed forward, flicking the knife around in his hand until the blunt side was facing outwards. He jumped up towards my body, an action that elicited an instinctive attack. Every piece of heated iron around me converged on a single point, the burning corners flying directly for him. His eyes grew wide behind the visor, and I felt a sense of smug satisfaction that he realised the danger he was in, that-

His legs swung downwards, 'kicking' off the air. I saw twin rings of greyish-blue light form around his feet as he jumped in mid air, flying over the converging metal. I heard a grating roar of frustration as steel scraped against steel. Each plate and lance simultaneously struck the space he'd been standing in.

I reacted quickly, pulling the metal back to block his direct line of sight to me. He landed on a metal lance, swerving with an unnatural grace in his attempts to slink between the floating plates and lances.

I brought more and more metal to the fore, enough that he was trapped within a maze of metal. I sent heat through the labyrinth, the space around him becoming a makeshift heater. The sudden change caused him to wince with pain as the steel burned his bare feet. He leapt backwards through a small hole in the cage I'd been forming, kicking off the uppermost piece of metal as he landed on the ground, keeping his distance from me.

"Such quick reactions," he said, tapping the edge of his knife against a nail. "That metal moves as if it were your own body."

It practically was, in a sense, given how useless my true body was.

"You are not an opponent I could easily defeat with Luster Arts alone. Your defence is certainly more developed than your offense. Perhaps that says something about you too, hmm?"

He was hard to lock down. He couldn't warp his body like Sigura's opponent seemed capable of doing, but his dexterity was unnatural. Either he was using Skills, or he was just that experienced.

I focused, pulling the metal closer to my body. I needed a new approach. I could keep peppering him with metal, but that would make this a battle of attrition. If he began to use his magic, then he could turn the tides. I still didn't know what his abilities did, but he'd already seen all of mine. Had I been too quick to reveal my [Heated Steel]?

It didn't matter. What was done was done. I needed to focus on what I could do right now. I didn't feel that same sense of urgency that I had against the Orcs. Chances were, I wouldn't be able to enchant some new tool on the spot. I didn't feel that same level of 'risk', even if his taunts irritated me. If I couldn't make anything external, I'd need to change something internal.

'I don't know how that zone of yours works, or how you 'see' through it, but focus your Aera on it. Don't worry about transforming it, just... focus it on the sense, just like how you focus it on the body with [Mantle].'

That was what Sigura had told me. My Aera... I reached out to my Soul, ensuring my metal was covering me. I needed to be capable of defending myself as fast as possible if the Ratfolk went for another surprise attack. Once I was sufficiently defended, I focused.

When I used [Mantle], I focused on the flow of charged Aera. Power was generated from my Soul, flowing outwards from the core of my being like a river, drifting over and through my body. When I intensified that flow, thickened and reinforced it, that generated [Mantle].

Sigura could focus her Aera on her eyes to achieve [Insight], but I didn't have that option. I didn't have any real sensory organs other than my skin, so where should I focus my Aera to get the same effect?

My [Sensory Zone] served as my eyes. My [Telekinetic Field] served as my hands.

The zone was a bubble, an invisible sphere surrounding me. If the zone was my 'eyes', then I needed to fill the whole thing with Aera. As much as I had, I couldn't flood the whole area with it. I didn't have the capacity or the skill for it.

But [Insight] didn't need to be the same as [Mantle], did it? With [Mantle], I needed to push it through and around my entire being. But with a sensory effect, I wasn't relying on strength. Could I turn that flood down to a trickle? It didn't need to be dense, just broad. Instead of a lake... a mist? I pushed outwards, pouring everything I had into the action. The metal around me vibrated in unison as I pushed, and pushed, and-

My eyes opened, and the world around me was changed.

The dark hallway seemed brighter, now. The storefronts seemed less important, even as I noticed a paper-thin mist of metallic green drift through a shattered entryway. In comparison to the empty space completely filled with a mist I could push from my sight if I wished, the people around me had changed.

The crowd of children had grown so bright that I needed to do a double take. For a second, it looked as though they'd all used [Mantle]. I could see an aura around each one, a silhouette of light that moved with a sluggish pace. The edges of those auras all differed from one another. Some were like mist, others like flowing water, and others still like flickering flames. The colours and textures of each person differed from the last. Reds. Yellows. Oranges. Blues. Purples.

Streiphen, Toya and Fareel seemed 'bigger'. The auras were larger, extending further from their bodies than those of the children. Even with only a casual glance, I could tell they were deeper, too. More dense. Developed.

Streiphen's aura was calm, a light green colour gently flowing over his body. I felt... curiosity emanating from it, too. I tried to pinpoint the source of the feeling, but I couldn't. It was an instinctive belief, one that came from looking at the colour and texture of his Aera alone. There was no rhyme or reason to it. It was simply an irrational feeling.

I dragged my sight away from the group, and saw a trio of infernos.

Sigura, Incognito and Pack Rat were all far brighter than those next to me, their [Mantles] making them stand out against the darkness.

Sigura's Aera was boiling with aggression. There was a hint of rage, barely noticeable in comparison to the sheer focus permeating that sunset glow. Compared to the glow coming from the others, the edges expanded and contracted as though the Aera was breathing. More uncontrolled and primal than theirs.

Unlike his expression, Incognito's metallic blue Aera was calm and relaxed. The edges of his aura contained differing colours, more obvious now to me than ever. When I focused on those edges, I got new impressions, distinct from that I felt from the center. A feeling akin to a stern, disapproving look. A flirtatious wink. A child-like laugh filled with mirth. Disparite feelings and ideas.

When I looked at Pack Rat's greyish-blue glow, I saw approval. Pride, curiosity, enjoyment. His aura was thickest around his hand. Around the blade. Like with a [Mantle], the Aera seemed to seep through and around the metal, staining it with a new colour. It reminded me of what I'd done to the helmet by accident, back while fighting the Orcs. The light from him would've been blinding to the eyes, but with a zone, I could see everything, including-

"[What's that up your sleeve?]" I asked, hearing a smug confidence in my voice that I hadn't consciously realised I was feeling.

The Roden laughed, slipping the blade up his sleeve. I watched closely, seeing what he was doing far more clearly now.

His Aera had intensified within his sleeve, creating a new effect, transforming into a distortion in space, a murky darkness of grey-blue that consumed the knife in its entirety. He kept pressing forward, pushing his entire forearm into the distortion. When he pulled it back, he was holding something else. A pair of kama with long black handles, both connected by a dark length of chain.

"Magic," he responded simply, holding one of the blades in each hand.

Portals? A pocket dimension? Wherever that space within his sleeve led to, my [Telekinesis] couldn't reach through it. If that's where his portals appeared, then I couldn't risk attacking his arms. If I did, he could warp my metal away using his sleeves. In that case-

Metal lances and plates rose into the air around me as I stood tall. I could do this. I didn't truly care about their little 'test'. I hadn't really known what I was fighting for before, but now I did. In this fight, I'd grown. I'd learned something new, and the clear 'sight' the Aera around me made the motion of my abilities so much easier to understand.

I wasn't fighting to prove myself to them. I was fighting to grow. I was fighting to prove myself to me.

Perhaps it was selfish, to think only of myself and not how me performing well or poorly would affect the group, but...

The lances shot forward, a group of them flying towards the Roden's legs. Simultaneously, a set of plates flew down from overhead. The lances were cylindrical, harder for him to stand on and weigh down to lower my attack options. Keeping the heavy plates above him limited his options to jump, too.

Off behind the Roden, I heard Sigura cry out in shock or alarm. I briefly shot my awareness over to her, saw she was uninjured, and went back to my work.

Pack Rat was nimble. With feet lighter than air, he bounced along the cracked floor, jumping away from my lances, a row of jagged steel that dogged him like a pack of angry Pirahnas. When one got too close, he swung a kama down towards it. The edge of the blade was coloured that same blueish-grey, a colour that flew outwards from the weapon as it created a shockwave, knocking the metal away.

He had a habit of strafing left and right. The positioning of my weapons made it harder for him to approach, and he wasn't going to dodge backwards, or else he might get in the way of Sigura's own 'test'. That gave him a set area to dodge within, one that I could use to hem him in.

Calling more metal lances from around me, I pushed my [Telekinetic Field] and [Battlefield Awareness] to the limits, feeling my skin tense up as I strained to hold my focus. I hadn't ever controlled this many individual pieces of metal before, but I didn't want to stop. I'd already proven that I could learn and surpass my limits in this fight, and I wanted to do so again. I could go even further.

As I subconsciously controlled the lances while preventing him from jumping upwards, I began to set up a ring of steel, a miniature tornado of whirling metal that he wouldn't be able to escape from.

My abilities were powerful, but I could recognise his sheer skill as a Caster. Observing him now, I could see how different the flow of Aera was in comparison to Siguras, or my own. Whereas the portals in Pack Rat's sleeves were being fueled by a steady flow of Aera moving down from his shoulders, every blast of [Release] from Sigura as she attempted to pummel Incognito came as an uncontrolled blast, like floodgates being opened and closed, over and over again. Powerful, but inefficient.

Her usage of [Release] made me realise just how different it was compared to Pack Rat. Through my zone, I saw the movements of Aera clearly, flowing from a white sphere in the center of his chest and through his arm as he swung the kama. Light exploded outwards as a shockwave clashed against my lances, sending them spinning back through the air. They caught the emerald gleam around us, only for me to slow that spin to a stop. I reasserted control of the lances, putting them back into circulation. Bringing them back into order.

Being able to see the movement of Aera made things feel so much more... here. I wasn't in danger with a fight like this, but my awareness of the situation felt so much clearer. The threat didn't feel nebulous like it had against the Orcs. Against them, I had a broad, unfocused goal. Back then, all I'd wanted was to get them out of my home.

Here, I knew exactly what I wanted, and how to accomplish it. I tracked the movement of Aera every time Pack Rat swung. How it flowed through his arm in motion and out of the blade to create the shockwave. I wanted to recreate it.

Much like [Insight], I didn't have a direct comparison. I had no limbs with which to 'shoot' the energy through in an arc. But that didn't mean I had nothing. I imagined the [Telekinetic Zone] as a collection of arms, ones that grabbed hold of the metal. I imagined the motion, and could see the Aera as I did it. With a lance I held back, I imagined an invisible limb 'gripping' the length of the steel.

When I threw it, I attempted what Sigura and Pack Rat had done. Aera exploded behind it, releasing that telltale ring around the source of the shockwave. I watched as...

As it flew completely off course, embedding itself deep in the ceiling.

As optimistic as I'd been about the 'telekinetic arm', it was still... strange. I felt a disconnect between how Sigura and Pack Rat used [Release], and how that flow of Aera related to a 'limb' with no real substance or muscle. It was an incredibly awkward process to try and replicate, even more than [Insight] had been. If I kept up the pressure, I could practice. If I could pen Pack Rat in, I'd have plenty of time to-

"I have seen enough," the Ratfolk said, the sound shattering my concentration completely. I hadn't completely enclosed him in a cage of metal, yet his smile and the impression I got from his Aera told me he was satisfied.

He bundled the kama up in one hand, still leaving me momentarily stunned as he put his weapons away, slipping them into the magic space concealed within his sleeve.

"I am satisfied by your skill," the Roden said, even as plates of metal and spinning lances hovered around him. "You have exceptional potential... Yur, was it?"

"[Yuri...]" I responded sheepishly.

If I hadn't been certain this body was capable of producing adrenaline until now, this had confirmed it. I could feel blood pulsing through my body, causing my skin to 'breathe' in and outwards, like a beating heart.

With a pang of regret, I began to put my own weapons away, too, calling rods and nails of steel back to my side, alongside the thick ridged sheets I'd stripped from the escalator. "[My name is Yuri Scalesmith.]"

The Ratfolk nodded, taking a glance over towards Sigura and...

"Have you completed your assessment, Incognito?"

Incognito...? That wasn't...

The person Sigura was fighting wasn't the same person that had walked down into the shopping center.

Sigura threw one more punch, aimed towards her opponent's face. The figure swung a delicate, feminine hand upwards, blocking the strike with a single palm. That palm had turned a deep cherry red, the same colour as their Soul was, now. Their Aera had... completely changed from before, if you could even call it a 'change'. They didn't even seem like the same person anymore.

"[Fortress]," the long, red haired woman breathed, her chest heaving with effort.

The impact struck the palm, yet the woman hadn't seemed to move at all. The amount of Aera concentrated within her palm was staggering. It had become so dense that the hand beneath it seemed like a mere silhouette to my [Insight]. The Aera around the rest of her body had become thinner to compensate for the sheer amount in her palm, barely extending off her skin.

She took a step back, a deep breath flowing into her lungs. Even if she looked nothing like Incognito, and moved nothing like Incognito, and didn't even have the same Aera as Incognito... she wore the same clothes as him. Even if the clothes had been designed for a skinny male, she seemed to fit snugly into the suit despite her curvier, slimmer body. Had the clothes... stretched to change proportions...?

"Whew..." the woman said, looking directly up at Sigura as she stopped. The look of relief on her face was palpable.

The Half Nekari Chimera's arm was trembling, and she was breathing hard. I could see bruises along her arms and legs, as well as deep creases along her shirt and shorts.

"Your attacks are incredibly powerful, darling," the woman whom Pack Rat had referred to as Incognito said. "But you lack experience. Your attacks are fast, yet they're terribly telegraphed."

As I watched, she began to change. Her chest began to shrink. Her hair receded, changing colour from that deep red to a darker blue. Her waist expanded, puffing outwards. Her muscles, hands and face began to warp, with even the bone structure beneath altering to fit.

When the 'transformation' finished, I was looking at the Incognito I'd seen come down into the shopping center.

"You're seriously strong!" Incognito exclaimed, slouching forward as he placed his hands on his knees to steady himself. "That magic of yours is really dangerous, too."

Sigura had used her magic??? Gods... Had I been so out of it that I hadn't noticed the heat? Or had she-

"And yours really got on my nerves," Sigura said, crossing her arms. Her face was tinged red from exertion. "I missed so many damn hits because you kept changing shape. How the Abyss were you doing that?"

"It's just magic," he replied, gesturing with one arm towards me. "You've got your heat stuff, and... she's got her [Telekinesis]."

Pack Rat glanced back at me, winking behind his visor, a gesture I alone could see. He walked back towards his partner, standing alongside him.

"Full disclaimer? We're more like... stealth operatives, not close combat specialists," Incognito explained. "The only reason neither of you turned us into mince meat is a difference in Experience. We're better at using our magic, we can improvise, and..."

"Our grasp on the Luster Arts are greater," the smiling Roden finished.

"Yeah, that too," Incognito agreed with a nod.

"What did you think of your opponent, Incognito?" Pack Rat asked, looking up at the... Half Elven man. "I was more than pleased with my own."

"Her?" Incognito asked, raising a quizzical eyebrow in Sigura's direction. His expression was one marred by disgust, as if to say 'You expect me to give my approval to her?' He looked her up and down before his expression broke, turning into a jovial smile.

"Joking! Joking, really. She's better than a lot of our other provisionals, and she knows less about the ropes of being a Caster. Her potential is pretty crazy."

"Hrm... I am glad you felt the same way," Pack Rat agreed.

"Hey, you, Shapeshifter," Sigura said, narrowing her eyes as she pointed at Incognito. "You've been following me, haven't you? It took me a while to figure it out, but you're the one who started stalking me when I was in the city."

The man blinked with surprise, his grin becoming sheepish.

"What...? You've got some seriously strong senses if you could actually pick up on that. People twice as experienced as you haven't been able to spot me. What gave it away?"

Sigura shrugged in response.

"Instinct. I got the same feeling I did walking around while you were observing me in the fight. Intense focus. Like you were trying to pick apart everything I did for an edge."

"You are certainly losing your touch," Pack Rat said, grinning widely.

"Shut up, you old fart. She would've sensed you too," Incognito grumbled back, giving the Roden a light smack on the shoulder.

"Jokes aside, you two are strong," Incognito told us, his expression looking somewhat more serious.

"The Don isn't the one in charge of this territory right now, but he's got his reasons. We'll be working to uproot Pig Tooth in a while to reclaim our spot, but the boss insists on being patient. If you want to join up with us, we'll give you training and resources, because both of you could bring a lot to the table."

"We will return tomorrow morning," Pack Rat told us, looking from me to Sigura. "Ideally, we would give more time for such decisions, but the state of affairs is turbulent, at best. As the city's patience wanes, our ability to perform meetings like this will grow more... problematic. If you wish to take us up on our offer, then you must make a decision soon. If your group has no name, decide on it. Choose names for yourselves, too. I am sure both of you know of Epithets, yes?"

Sigura nodded, and so did I.

"Good," the Roden said. "The night draws near, and we have other matters to attend to. Discuss this with your group, and we will return for your answer."

"Sure, whatever," Sigura responded, grinning widely as she stretched her arms. "We'll talk it over."

"Until tomorrow," Pack Rat nodded, turning around to walk away. Incognito gave us a wave, walking away with him.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

"Stop that, you fool. We have no time to waste with games," I heard Pack Rat grumble, his voice echoing down the corridor.

"Sheesh, where's that sense of humor gone tod-" Incognito's voice drifted away into nothing as he ascended the stairs leaving our base behind.

As the last of the adrenaline seeped out of my system, I was left in a stunned silence, trying to come to terms with everything that had happened in the past few minutes.

I liked to think of myself as a focused person, but... I wasn't sure how much of that I would remember. The shopping center was just as silent as I was. Looks of worry, apprehension and excitement dotted the faces of the people around me. I turned to Sigura, hoping that she had any insight into what we should do now. I still felt disoriented, and I wasn't sure what the most logical path to take from here would-

"That was fun, wasn't it?" Sigura smiled, glancing towards me.

I felt my body warm with joy. Ah. She hadn't been paying attention either.

"[Yeah...]" I heard myself respond. "[It... it was.]"