After the last confrontation, we didn't advance immediately. For the first time since the beginning of the war, I decided to stop not because of exhaustion… but out of necessity.
"They changed the pattern once," I said, looking at the ground where the battle had taken place. "They'll change it again."
Scarlett approached, crossing her arms.
"And we need to understand it before that happens."
"Exactly."
Rai'kanna spun her weapon in the air before resting it on her shoulder.
"Then let's stop just reacting and start extracting something from them."
Lyannis let out a light laugh.
"Now this is interesting. It was getting boring just cutting and advancing."
Liriel shot her an irritated look.
"If you call this boring, then you're not paying enough attention."
"Or you're taking it too seriously," Lyannis replied, not losing her smile.
"Enough," Vespera said in a calm but firm tone. "Takumi has already decided. Let's focus."
Elara, who had been analyzing the ground since we stopped, raised her head.
"They didn't retreat out of fear."
I looked at her.
"What did you see?"
"The tracks." She pointed to the ground. "Organized retreat. No panic, no disorder. They knew when to stop."
Scarlett nodded.
"So it wasn't defeat."
"It was adjustment," I completed.
Rai'kanna smiled faintly.
"Then let's force them to give us more."
I took a deep breath.
"No. Let's do better than that."
Everyone looked at me.
"We're going to capture one."
Silence fell for a moment.
Lyannis was the first to react.
"Now that's interesting."
Liriel frowned.
"That could go wrong fast."
"It could," I replied. "But it's the best way to understand what we're dealing with."
Vespera tilted her head slightly.
"And if it doesn't talk?"
"Then we'll observe in another way."
Elara crossed her arms.
"They're not ordinary creatures."
"I know," I replied. "But they're not immune to pressure either."
Scarlett stepped forward.
"Then we need to do this fast and clean."
"Yes."
Rai'kanna smiled slightly.
"Then let's hunt for real."
The decision was made.
We advanced again, but this time with a different objective. Not to eliminate. To capture.
The formation changed. More controlled, more precise. Every movement had intention.
The environment felt too quiet.
And that only confirmed what we already knew.
They were nearby.
"Contact soon," Elara said in a low voice.
"I feel it," Scarlett replied.
Rai'kanna was already ready.
"Then let's receive them."
It didn't take long.
The first movement came from the right. A fast advance, trying to catch us off guard.
But we were already expecting it.
"Now," I said.
Rai'kanna intercepted the direct attack, holding the impact without advancing. Scarlett appeared right after, cutting down the second enemy before it could complete its move.
Lyannis emerged from the flank, taking down another with a clean strike.
"Don't kill all of them!" I shouted.
"I know!" she replied, dodging the next blow with ease.
Vespera advanced with precision, controlling the pace of the fight. Liriel positioned herself further back, analyzing and calling out movements.
"Two on the left!" she said.
Elara reacted instantly, intercepting before the attack could form.
The fight continued for a few seconds.
Controlled.
Directed.
"That one!" I shouted when I saw one of the demons trying to retreat.
Scarlett moved first, cutting off its path. Rai'kanna followed, blocking the other exit.
Lyannis appeared behind it, smiling.
"No way out."
The demon growled, trying to push forward, but Vespera was already there, applying pressure without killing.
"Now," I said.
Elara approached, activating a containment ability that restrained the creature's movements for a few moments.
It was enough.
I knocked it to the ground with a precise strike, immobilizing it.
"Hold it."
Rai'kanna applied force.
Scarlett kept her blade close.
The rest of the enemies retreated immediately.
This time, without insisting.
"They left it," Liriel said.
"Because it's not worth the risk," Vespera replied.
I looked at the immobilized demon.
It didn't seem afraid.
Nor desperate.
Just… observing.
"Interesting," Lyannis said, crouching beside it.
"What exactly?" I asked.
"Look at its eyes."
I observed.
There was no loss of control.
No pure instinct.
There was… awareness.
Scarlett noticed it too.
"That's not normal."
"No," I replied.
I knelt in front of it.
"You understand what's happening, don't you?"
No response.
But its gaze didn't change.
Rai'kanna applied a bit more pressure.
"If it doesn't talk, we force it."
"Easy," I said.
Elara stepped closer.
"They may not respond the way we expect."
"Then we observe."
Vespera crossed her arms.
"Every detail matters."
We stayed in silence for a few seconds.
Then I noticed something.
Its body…
Wasn't completely still.
Small movements.
Almost imperceptible.
"Back off," I said suddenly.
Scarlett stepped back immediately.
Rai'kanna eased the pressure slightly.
And then…
The demon's body began to break apart.
Not into blood.
But into something darker.
Denser.
"It's…," Liriel began.
"Dissolving," I completed.
Lyannis stepped back.
"What kind of creature does that?"
Elara observed closely.
"That's not natural."
The body disappeared completely within a few seconds.
Leaving no trace.
No direct information.
Only… emptiness.
Silence returned.
Rai'kanna broke it first.
"So even that wasn't simple."
"No," I replied.
Scarlett crossed her arms.
"But we learned something."
"Yes."
I looked at the empty ground.
"They're not just soldiers."
Liriel completed.
"They're controlled."
Vespera nodded.
"And disposable."
Lyannis smiled faintly.
"So we're dealing with something far more interesting than I thought."
Elara looked north.
"That only reinforces it."
I took a deep breath.
"The general."
Scarlett stepped closer.
"He's behind all of this."
"Yes."
Rai'kanna clenched her fist.
"Then we cut straight to the root."
I looked ahead.
The sensation returned.
Not as strong as before.
But present.
Distant.
Watching.
"Now I'm sure," I said.
All six looked at me.
"He already knows… that we're trying to understand."
The wind passed lightly across the field.
And in that moment…
It became clear.
We weren't the only ones analyzing.
He was too.
And the next move…
Was already being prepared.