This Beast-Tamer is a Little Strange

Kain had little time to prepare, but he made the most of it. With the mission set to depart in two days, he moved quickly to settle things in Dark Moon City.

He informed his professors at Dark Moon College of his extended absence, leaving out the fact that it is related to the Order and instead claiming that the leave of absence is for a mission given by the college.

His family, sadly accustomed to his sporadic departures, didn't ask too many questions. Especially after seeing his ability to turn ordinary people into beast-tamers, they had an almost unreasonable level of confidence in Kain—believing that he'd survive even the most sure-death situations.

As for his businesses, Collin had proven himself more than capable of managing things in Kain's absence so Kain wasn't too worried.

Kain had some regret that he couldn't see the mission he gave Darius and others to the end before leaving, but, after notifying them that he had a mission of his own, they said that they would strive to give him a big surprise by the time he came back.

Most of Kain's time, however, was spent on finalizing his own preparations. His contracts were still in the process of recovering from his previous mission. Bea had only just fully recuperated, while Aegis, who regained consciousness not long ago, was still reconstructing his body. Right now, Aegis only stood as tall as Kain's chest, a significant downgrade from his usual towering size. While Kain was frustrated that Aegis wasn't back to full strength, he had to admit—the smaller version was somewhat cute.

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The two days passed in what felt like the blink of an eye.

The meeting point for the mission was a secluded teleportation array deep within the Order's headquarters.

As the other members of the mission began to arrive, Kain took the opportunity to observe them.

Benji, Claudia, Clara, and Nadia—his previous teammates—were nowhere to be found in the mission roster. It was no surprise. Benji's contract had been severely injured, and Nadia had lost one entirely. Even though Kain's team had survived, the scars of their last encounter still lingered, and Kain himself was still regaining his full strength.

The five Pathfinders who were his new teammates were strangers to him, their faces unfamiliar but their auras sharp and focused. Any one of them felt as experienced and strong as Nadia who'd been his previous teamleader.

Kain was willing to bet that even the weakest among the was on the brink of advancing to 7-stars.

They carried themselves with the confidence of seasoned veterans, their equipment meticulously maintained and their expressions were constantly unreadable

The Starchasers, similarly, were a stoic group. The Starchasers were impressive, their gear seemed tailored for exploration and survival in a variety of harsh environments. Rather than the more lightweight but more defensively strong armour that most departments typically wear.

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Serena, as the only person Kain was familiar with, was a welcome sight. She caught Kain's gaze and gave him a small nod of acknowledgement which he returned, and they seemed to share some comfort in each other's presence.

Idrias Tailwind, their mission captain, was the last to arrive. He wasted no time in getting straight to the point.

"All right, listen up," Idrias said, his voice sharp and commanding. "This mission is simple in theory but dangerous in execution. We're heading deep into uncharted territory. Our destination is beyond the empire's borders, so we won't have access to reinforcements or logistical support once we leave. You all need to be ready for anything."

Everyone else in the room appeared calm at this statement, but Kain couldn't help feeling a bit uneasy. He didn't expect things to be easy, but hearing it put so bluntly made the reality of the mission sink in. They were completely cut off from the Order if things didn't go according to plan.

Kain caught Serena's gaze from across the group. Her expression remained neutral, but he had spent enough time around her to recognize the slight tension in her posture.

'Glad to see I'm not the only one that doesn't look like this will be an everyday walk in the park for them…'

"We'll be teleporting to the southernmost city in the empire's Southern Province," Idrias continued. "From there, we'll travel on foot. It'll be at least a week before we reach our destination, possibly longer depending on terrain and if there are hostile locals."

With that, the group moved into position around the teleportation array. Kain felt the familiar surge of energy as the array activated, the world around him blurring and shifting until he found himself standing in a completely different landscape.

The heat hit him first. It was oppressive, a dry, scorching wave that seemed to suck the moisture from the air.

The city they arrived in was nothing like the climate Kain was accustomed to. Even though he was from the Southern Province, his hometown was much closer to the empire's center and had more moderate weather, although it could still get extremely hot in the summers it was nothing compared to now. Here, in the farthest southern reaches of the empire, the terrain and weather were practically another world to him.

The air was thick with dry heat, and the sun blazed mercilessly overhead. The sky was an unbroken expanse of blue, and the land stretched out in an arid, golden expanse, dotted with sparse vegetation. The buildings around them were constructed from stone and clay, designed to withstand the relentless sun. People moved about in light, loose-fitting clothes, some wearing protective headscarves to shield themselves from the heat.

Kain adjusted his coat, already feeling the sweat gathering at the nape of his neck. "Great," he muttered under his breath. "Didn't miss this part of the south."

Serena, standing beside him, seemed completely unaffected by the temperature. If anything, she looked almost at ease.

Idrias didn't waste time. After a brief interaction with the local Order branch, their supplies were secured in their space rings or in small bags if they were unable to fit, and the team gathered at the outskirts of the city. From this point on, they were on their own.