Faust ran up a narrow mountain path with steps so light they didn't even disturb the dirt on the ground, slicing his way through crowds of monsters doing their best to stall his ascent.

Unfortunately none of them were able to do so. He charged onward without pause, the spear in his hands a whirling silver serpent biting off the heads of anything foolish enough to wander close. He never displayed strength above Rank 3, using technique and a discerning eye to strike at weaknesses instead of utilizing overwhelming force.

If his real strength was exposed there'd be stronger monsters waiting in ambush instead of low-tier fodder. Or the hidden enemy was trying to lure Faust into revealing himself by using quantity over quality and putting his subordinates at risk.

So many creatures of different types coordinating meant a contracted Beast King was pulling the strings. Faust expanded his senses as he moved, sending out tendrils of mana to create a wide net capable of sensing the aura signatures of living creatures within its detection radius. Anything with mana in its body would have an aura signature, stronger beings would have a more prominent and unique signature.

Amidst the cloud of flying beasts at the summit was a fierce aura that dwarfed the companions closest to it, almost engulfing them with its might. It hovered just outside Hans's range of detection, as though the Beast King knew ahead of time the limits of the agent's Gift.

Faust scowled, tightening his grip on the spear. The exact limitations of one's Gift was a very personal affair, being able to grasp such sensitive information meant the enemy had formidable methods at their disposal.

Annoying. Really annoying!

Faust cleared out a small area then carved various runes on his spear. He even brought out a couple augments prepared ahead of time, attaching them to the spear shaft to supplement its power. When the entire weapon glowed with purple light, Faust launched it with the peak of Rank 3 strength toward the lurking Beast King.

Circuits activated, augments lit up, and the spear howled as it tore through the air with reckless abandon. Several flying beasts in its path died without ever knowing how, unable to even slow the projectile.

The Beast King was an enormous Red Stone Vulture with an ugly wrinkled head and drab gray plumage. It seemed completely unremarkable if one missed the sparkle of intelligence in its crimson eyes, or couldn't see the menacing aura clinging to its pudgy body.

The poor Beast King never saw the spear that passed through its head, shattering the thick skull and dragging a streak of brain matter behind as it kept flying into the distance. Startled by the sudden fall of their Beast King, the remaining creatures scattered into the night while screeching and screaming at the top of their lungs.

Faust's four subordinates, watching from the safety of their bunker, felt their teeth ache seeing their Boss effortlessly dispatch the pseudo-tide threatening all their lives.

Well, he was Boss after all... But couldn't he have spared them some face?! Their cheeks were burning!

Faust marched into the bunker, waiting only a moment for Kurt to unblock the door before breezing into the war room. His waiting subordinates all stood at attention, not daring to even twitch their fingers with nervousness. He took a seat, drumming his fingers against a table in a calm staccato beat.

"We have an unseen enemy," Faust said slowly. "One with some means of surveillance. They knew about you being stationed here, and the limits of Hans's aura detection range, but they prepared enemies thinking I'm peak Rank 3. Whoever it is doesn't know about my true strength so it's unlikely there's a leak."

The four subordinates all heaved a sigh of relief, tension in the air evaporating in moments. "You're off the hook Hans," Hilda said with a smirk, ducking when the man chucked an empty coffee mug at her face.

"We're altering the original operation plan. I'll bring you down to the estate, as though I panicked at having you found out. In the upcoming attack we defend to the last before 'dying' together." Faust accepted a cup of hot tea from Kurt, taking a long sip. "Afterwards, we infiltrate the attacking sector and drag out the bastard targeting us. Only then can we come back and clean up traces here. Go prepare, you have five minutes."

Sofie frowned, canting her head to the side. "Boss, what about the girl? Aren't we bringing her out?"

The other three subordinates froze in their steps, turning curious eyes hungry for gossip toward their Boss. Faust just sipped his tea, failing to show any satisfying reaction.

Of course he wouldn't bring Li Mei out until the enemy was taken care of and Oriole matters were wrapped up, revealing her existence ahead of time would only put her in more danger! At least in that jungle-like forest she could stay hidden, was familiar with the forest terrain and local dangers, and had a safe place to sleep protected by his best defensive arrays. She'd be fine until everything on his end was taken care of.

Faust glanced up, leveling an apathetic glare on Sofie's suddenly pale face. "Four minutes."

...

Li Mei hit the ground with a solid thump, tangled in the blankets she stole from under Bao's sleeping form. Staring at the ceiling in a daze for a few minutes, she luxuriated in the feeling of oversleeping before memories of the previous night's rude awakening made her sit straight up.

She crawled onto her bed where Faust left two data chips, and brought out the three from storage that she stole from Vigen's house. "So I use mana to read these? Weird."

Manipulating mana was something she learned while building her Core, but she fell asleep before she really had a chance to practice. It took Li Mei a good hour to figure out how to pull a thread of mana from the Core, then another hour spent trying to guide it up her arm and into the chip at her fingertips.

Handling mana was like herding cats! And it certainly had nothing to do with natural talent or lack thereof, she was much too clever to believe that sort of nonsense.

Bao woke at some point and watched with amusement sparkling in his four golden eyes. As creatures born with Cores, fera could refine and manipulate mana before they learned to even walk. He made derisive faces at her awkward attempts but was unable to communicate to her what, exactly, she was doing wrong.

Oh, if only he was Rank 3 and could learn Telepathy, then teasing Li Mei would be so much more efficient!

The instant Li Mei finally managed to touch the green jade chip with a clumsy mana thread, several holoscreens popped up.

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[Green Jade Data Chip]

Encryption: None

Content: Hecatoncheires body tempering technique.

Estimated Value: 5000c

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[Successful Contact With Green Jade Data Chip]

Copied content to Archive. Added Hecatoncheires to Techniques.

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[Hecatoncheires]

Suitable for Rank 0 - 3 practitioners.

A technique for using mana to strengthen one's body, increasing base stats and general sturdiness. Perfect for beginners still building their foundation, Hecatoncheires specializes in creating lean muscles that erupt with explosive power in combat.

Also has the effect of hardening the skin, making it easier to resist blows.

Technique Rarity: B+

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'Wait, so... It copied the instructions into my Archive, meaning it's still on the chip? I can sell the chip while keeping the technique, now that's convenient.' Li Mei grinned, putting the Green Jade chip back into storage, then grabbed the closest Black Jade chip and repeated the process of poking it with a mana thread.

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[Black Jade Data Chip]

Encryption: Locked to Aura Signature (Li Mei)

Content: Complete Training Room Mental Simulation (Combat Staff Techniques, Sky Serpent Style)

Estimated Value: 73000c

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[Successful Contact With Black Jade Data Chip]

Copied content to Archive. Added Training Room to Interface.

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[Training Room]

Allows your consciousness to be drawn into a training room, where you can learn special techniques in a dream-like state. You perceive time differently in the training room, with time passing more quickly in the room than it does in reality. The higher your Rank, the greater the difference in time perception.

At Rank 0, 5 minutes in reality will seem like 30 in the training room.

Your body will be helpless while your mind is in the training room. Be careful when you access it!

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"Proper staff techniques, and a training room...!" Li Mei's eyes sparkled with excitement. That alone was worth putting up with Faust!

The other data chips could wait. Without hesitation, Li Mei activated the Training Room.