The atmosphere in Cristianos's office was thick with unspoken tension. The Supreme General stood behind his massive desk, his hands resting on the polished surface as he regarded the knights with an unreadable expression.
"Greetings, knights," Cristianos began, his deep voice filling the room.
"I summoned you to ask for your assistance. Though you may still be recovering from your injuries, we need to finish this task before the end of the day without shedding the blood of marines. I chose you because of your strengths."
Schneizal's eyes lit up, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"And if we decline?" Youth asked bluntly, his crimson eye cold beneath the shadow of his eyepatch.
"Youth!" Vriede hissed, shooting him a sharp look.
Cristianos's gaze remained steady.
"You can decline. However, the fate of the people is at stake here."
"Come on, man," Schneizal urged, leaning forward eagerly.
"Let's help them one last time before we leave."
Youth's jaw tightened. "You all got badly hurt fighting monsters here. And now you want to do it again?"
Schneizal waved off the concern, standing tall despite the bandages still visible beneath his sleeves. "I'm stronger this time."
Youth's voice was sharp.
"Shut up."
Sequana sighed and interjected, her tone calm but firm.
"Let's listen to what he has to say first."
Cristianos nodded, his expression grave.
"Deep within the Infinity Forest lies a flower that blooms only once every sixty years. This flower is a key ingredient in our medicine. We are running out, and we need your assistance to retrieve it."
Youth frowned, suspicion clouding his gaze. His thoughts raced as he studied Cristianos's calm demeanor. What a crock of bullshit.
Cristianos continued, unfazed.
"You will be joining the five Marine Commandos."
Schneizal practically vibrated with excitement.
"Wow, really?" Then, a mischievous thought struck him.
"Can we bring someone else with us? A trainee?"
Cristianos raised a brow but shrugged.
"Sure."
Schneizal's grin widened.
"All right! Clarence is going to love this!"
The gang found Clarence near the barracks, sitting on a crate and inspecting his training sword. He jumped slightly as they approached, confusion etched across his face.
"Eh? Why me?" Clarence stammered when Schneizal asked him to join.
"I'm just a Grade 1."
"Don't worry, kid," Schneizal replied, clapping Clarence on the back with enough force to make him stumble.
"We've got your back. You'll be with the five Commandos and us."
Clarence's eyes widened in disbelief.
"The five Commandos?" His voice trembled, but excitement flickered in his gaze. "I… I'm in!"
The entrance to the Infinity Forest loomed before them, its dense trees forming a wall of shadows that seemed to breathe. The five Marine Commandos were already there, standing in a disciplined line. Lefteris, his massive scythe slung casually over his shoulder, grinned as the knights approached.
"Ha, so you small fries are the ones who took down undead Zorga, huh?" Lefteris sneered, his sharp teeth flashing.
Vriede's ears twitched, her amber eyes narrowing.
"Small fry?" she muttered darkly.
Clarence, on the other hand, was practically vibrating with excitement.
"Lefteris! I'm a huge fan!"
Lefteris blinked, his sneer softening slightly.
"Thanks, kid. Don't worry—we've got your back."
Clarence beamed. "Thank you!"
Thavas stepped forward then, his calm demeanor exuding authority.
"Greetings, knights. I am Thavas, the leader of this unit, and this is Galleass, my co-leader."
Galleass nodded, his sharp blue gaze sweeping over the group.
"Nice to meet you."
Youth said nothing for a long moment before finally speaking.
"Youth."
Thavas offered a warm smile, though Youth's expression remained stone-cold. With little more fanfare, the two groups began their march into the Infinity Forest.
The forest was alive with eerie sounds—the rustle of unseen creatures, the occasional snap of a twig that made Clarence jump. Shadows moved at the edges of their vision, and the deeper they ventured, the more the air seemed to grow heavy.
Suddenly, the ground vibrated beneath their feet. Vriede stopped, her ears twitching.
"Something's coming."
From the underbrush burst a swarm of giant insects—creatures with armored exoskeletons and razor-sharp mandibles.
Clarence froze, his sword trembling in his hands.
"I-I can't—"
One of the insects lunged at him, but before it could land a blow, Lefteris stepped in, his scythe slicing cleanly through the creature. The two halves fell to the ground with a sickening thud.
Clarence's eyes widened. "Your skill… It's incredible!"
Lefteris smirked, flicking insect ichor from his blade.
"Keep your eyes sharp, kid. There's more where that came from."
Hours later, the group reached a cave hidden beneath the gnarled roots of ancient trees. Its mouth yawned wide, exuding a damp chill that seeped into their bones.
"Alright, guys," Milos said, his voice echoing faintly off the stone walls.
"We're here."
Clarence hesitated at the entrance, his fear clear in the way his shoulders hunched. Vriede noticed and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Stay close to us. You'll be fine."
Before they could take another step, the ground trembled. From the shadows, a swarm of giant scorpions emerged—their stingers dripping with venom that hissed as it hit the ground.
"Battle formation!" Thavas shouted.
Weapons were drawn, and the cave filled with the clang of steel and the hum of magic. The two groups fought as one, cutting through the creatures in a coordinated dance of destruction. Despite their efforts, the swarm was relentless.
Schneizal, still recovering from his injuries, found himself struggling to keep up. Two scorpions closed in on him, their stingers poised to strike. He stumbled, cursing under his breath—
—only to be saved at the last second. Cypria dashed forward, her twin swords flashing as she carved through the creatures with ease.
"You're the ones who took down Zorga?" she said, laughing mockingly.
"Unbelievable."
Schneizal glared, gritting his teeth as he pushed himself back to his feet.
Nearby, Sequana hurled bursts of searing magic at the swarm, her hands glowing as the air crackled with energy. The tide of insects seemed endless, and exhaustion began to weigh on them all.
"Let's split up!" Thavas barked.
"Youth, Vriede, you come with me and Galleass. The rest of you, hold the line and finish these scorpions!"
Youth hesitated, suspicion flickering in his eyes, but nodded. Without another word, he followed Thavas deeper into the cave's darkness.
At the heart of the cave, bathed in faint light, stood the flower they sought. Its petals glowed softly, otherworldly in their beauty.
"There it is," Thavas murmured, stepping toward it.
Vriede's voice broke the silence.
"That flower looks ordinary… It's the same as the ones we saw in the gardens."
Youth stiffened. A chill ran down his spine as his instincts screamed danger. Before he could react, the whistle of a blade cutting through the air reached his ears. He spun, just in time to block Galleass's attack.
Vriede gasped.
"Youth?!"
Galleass clicked his tongue, annoyed.
"Tsk."
Thavas chuckled, his voice low and dangerous.
"Ah… I really thought it would be easy."
Youth's expression darkened, his voice cold as ice.
"I knew it was all lies. You brought us here to kill me, didn't you?"
Thavas smirked. "Well, aren't you a genius…"
Youth's crimson eye flared with power, the cave filling with a sudden pressure as the truth unraveled before him.