When Kaito and the others returned to the ancestral estate, night had already fallen. The guards at the gates recognized them and allowed them through without question. Covered in dust from head to toe, their clothes carrying the marks of battle, they parked the hunting jeep and made their way toward the main dining hall.
As they approached, the sound of laughter and conversation spilled out warmly into the night. Just outside the hall, the family had gathered as they often did, sharing the evening meal together. Elders and cousins were seated, the atmosphere lively and full of voices overlapping in cheerful chatter. Even Aika, Daichi, Hiroto, Kaede, and Suzune were there, laughing among the younger cousins.
The sight of Kaito and the others, dirty and carrying heavy sacks on their backs, caught everyone's attention. For once, even Kaito's usually stern eldest grandfather let out a soft laugh. While Aika and the other cousins, burst into laughter outright, clutching their stomachs as if unable to hold it back. The image of Kaito and his group returning in such a state was too much for them to resist.
Marcus grinned sheepishly at their reactions, scratching the back of his head. Kaito, unfazed, only smiled a little then handed the sacks over to the servants who had stepped forward. "Take these," he instructed calmly, "and prepare tonight's dinner with what we brought back." The servants nodded quickly and hurried off to the kitchens to carry out his request.
With that, Kaito, Marcus, and the others excused themselves and went to their rooms to wash off the dirt and sweat of the day. After a quick shower, they returned to the dining hall less than half an hour later, refreshed and ready.
By then, the food had already been set out, and the savory smell of roasted meat filled the air. Everyone sat down together, the younger generation laughing and chatting as they ate. The prey that Kaito and the others had caught was now the centerpiece of the table. Among it was the meat of the Rank 0 tiger monster, a valuable source of nourishment.
It was well known that the flesh of spirit beasts could aid cultivation, even in the smallest ways. Tonight's meal was no ordinary dinner it was one that could contribute to their martial practice. Most of the Rank 0 meat was given to the younger generation, the cousins who needed it the most, while the elders stuck to the regular dishes.
Kaito ate quietly but thoughtfully. Watching his elders only eating the regular food while they enjoyed the spiritual meal, he made a silent promise to himself. Once he gained more power and gathered enough resources, he would ensure that every member of his family could regularly eat spiritual food suited to their ranks. No one would be left behind.
When the meal ended, the family gathered in the Family main hall once again. The atmosphere was calmer now, though still warm with the closeness of kinship. The elders took their seats, while the younger generation filed in to join them.
This family meeting was not as long as the one from the night before. There was no need to revisit the state of the family in detail again. Instead, Kaito's second grandfather once again took the lead, assigning duties to different family members and clarifying if any changes were necessary.
One matter did stand out, however. The elders reminded everyone that the voting regarding whether the family should move out into the world and declare themselves openly as a bronze-ranked family would not be taken tonight. Instead, it would be put up as a formal vote during the upcoming ancestral ceremony, only two days away. For now, it was enough that the idea had been raised and everyone was aware of it.
After the meeting, many of the younger cousins excused themselves and drifted away, leaving only a smaller group behind. Of the younger generation, only Kaito, Marcus, Elias, Calvin, and Lucas remained in the hall. Among the elders present were Kaito's eldest grandfather, his second grandfather, his grandfather, his father, and several uncles.
At this point, Kaito's eldest grandfather turned his eyes toward Marcus. His voice was calm but carried a weight that silenced the room. "Do you remember what we told you? We specifically said not to enter the Grey Stone Mountains recently. The monsters in the Endless Mountains have been restless of late. Kaito, I can understand. He wasn't present when we made that decision. But you… you knew. You should have warned him."
Marcus lowered his head, his earlier confidence gone. Shame pressed on his shoulders, and he could not meet the old man's gaze. Finally, he forced himself to step forward. "I'm sorry, Grandfather. I… I forgot."
The hall was silent for a moment. Then Kaito's eldest grandfather let out a long sigh. A bitter smile flickered across his face before he shook his head helplessly. His disappointment was clear, but the reprimand carried more concern than anger.
Kaito, however, wasn't focused on the scolding. His mind had caught on to something else. The words about the monsters being restless tied directly into his own suspicions. He had already noticed signs of change in the spiritual energy of the world. If the monsters were reacting to it, then the day when they launched an all-out attack might not be far away. That thought pressed heavily on him. They had to grow stronger. Quickly.
He didn't waste more time. "About that," Kaito said, straightening his posture. "In addition to our hunt, we also discovered something else a hidden cave inside the Grey Stone Mountains. It led us directly to a Spirit Stone Mine."
The hall stirred at his words. Without delay, Kaito tapped his holotab and connected it to the hall's main holotab at the center. A projection appeared, displaying the information about Spirit Stones and Spirit Stone Mines.
The elders one by one, reading carefully. Shock spread across their faces. Spirit Stone Mines were not just valuable they were rare beyond measure. Marcus and the others, who had moments ago been scolded, also had been told by Kaito about what a spirit stone was, now puffed out their chests proudly, as though they themselves had unearthed the discovery.
Even Kaito's eldest grandfather, who had moments ago been stern, looked at his third brother with new eyes. How fortunate he was to have a grandson like Kaito. His gaze softened, filled with unspoken approval.
But that gentleness did not last. His eyes flicked back to the projection, narrowing as they landed on one particular passage that told about the mine spirits and how every mine would inevitably give birth to Mine Spirits as its guardians.
His face hardened once more, his tone dropping low and sharp. "And what of the Mine Spirits inside it?"
The question cut through the room.
Kaito's lips twitched in a bitter smile. In his eagerness to present the spirit stones, he had forgotten to conceal that part of the information. He could already sense the scolding that was about to come. Without hesitation, he reached out and pushed Marcus a step forward, as if presenting him in his place.
Marcus stumbled, caught off guard, and looked back at Kaito with wide eyes as he had a confused look on his face, clearly unsure why Kaito had suddenly pushed him forward. But before he could say anything, Kaito's grandfather spoke again, his voice firm.
"So then, why don't you tell us? Tell us about the Mine Spirits. How did you deal with them?"
Hearing the question, Marcus didn't hesitate. He wasn't the type to overthink things. Instead, he simply opened his mouth and began to speak, recounting everything in detail. He told them exactly what had happened, from the moment they had first encountered the Mind Spirits to the battle against the Mind Spirit Leader. He described each step without holding anything back, not trying to hide their struggles or exaggerate their successes.
Every detail was laid out honestly, just as it had happened.