In Zone 9...

Franklin, Vashno, and Eztein reached the vicinity of the Flaem Clan household.

"Is this the right place?

" Franklin inquired, his gaze fixed on the barrier enveloping the entire area.

"Yeah, that woman assured us that we'd find it here,

" Vashno affirmed.

"Are you certain we should trust that woman?

" Eztein questioned, casting a glance at the intense battles unfolding in the sky.

"If this doesn't pan out, I'll take you on, Vashno,

" Franklin retorted.

"Don't fret; I've already informed Souta about that woman, and he suggested that if we had the time, we should investigate,

" Vashno explained.

"We? I'm afraid to say you've forcibly entangled me and this old man in your plan. It should be just you. Franklin and I should be on the front lines, fighting alongside the others,

" Eztein responded.

"Enough talk. Let's get inside,

" Vashno directed, taking out a small token from his pocket adorned with the Flaem Clan insignia.

"If the Flaem Clan Master discovers us, we're as good as dead. That woman can take down someone at the Five Shackles Realm, which clearly puts her among the top-tier experts. She's above fifth shackles and it put her on the level of top SSS-rank,

" Eztein cautioned.

"Don't fret. She won't kill you. Souta can handle her, so she'd think twice before attempting to harm us,

" Vashno reassured.

"Damn it! Can't you sense our boss's presence? He's currently locked in a fierce battle, and if we add to his troubles, we'll meet our end too!

" Eztein raised his voice.

"You don't understand because you're new! Our boss is ruthless! When I first met him, he nearly tortured me to death!

"

"You're naive,

" Franklin chuckled.

"That's because you fail to see how extraordinary our leader is. Unlike you, when I first encountered our leader, I decided to follow him because I had a hunch that he'd lead me into an unparalleled battle.

"

Vashno sighed as he listened to the bickering between the two. He questioned his decision to bring these two along. Nevertheless, he glanced at the token in his hand and pressed forward, ignoring their arguments.

Franklin and Eztein fell silent and followed Vashno into the barrier. Thanks to the token, they were granted access past the barrier surrounding the Flaem Clan's premises.

Vashno surveyed his surroundings. As anticipated, the place appeared barren, with most of the clan's soldiers engaged in frontline warfare. If there was ever an opportune time to infiltrate a master clan's territory, it was now.

While they made their way forward, Vashno contemplated the woman from the store who had given him the token. He understood that she was no ordinary person. He surmised that she might be using them for her own agenda. He'd agreed to her task, as he hadn't detected any hostility from her. Vashno also speculated that she was working on something for the country but preferred to remain concealed.

"Perhaps some form of exile...

" Vashno mused silently.

Before long, they reached the vicinity of the Flaem Clan's central building, a grand and imposing palace.

"There are knights...

" Eztein whispered in a voice meant for their ears alone.

"As expected... They haven't completely abandoned their territory. They've left some experts here to guard it,

" Vashno muttered.

Franklin squinted his eyes and remarked,

"They look formidable, strong.

"

"So, are we going to do this? We can't get in without confronting them,

" Eztein inquired, directing his gaze at Vashno.

Vashno nodded and replied,

"How about you go inside and infiltrate the palace, Franklin? Eztein and I will divert the guards' attention.

"

Franklin countered,

"What if you infiltrate, and I engage them in combat?

"

Vashno sighed,

"Very well, you'll take on the guards.

" He then turned to Eztein and continued,

"Eztein, you'll be the one to enter the palace.

"

"Alright, so what's my role?

" Eztein acknowledged, seeking guidance.

"Simply locate the basement where the Flaem Clan's secrets are concealed. According to the woman, you'll know you're in the right place when you come across a tomb,

" Vashno explained, handing the token to Eztein.

"Use this to activate whatever you find in there.

"

Eztein nodded as he stowed the token securely in his pocket.

Vashno and Franklin exchanged glances, and Vashno nodded before the two of them surged forward. Their energies flared, alerting the guards to their presence.

The guards swiftly turned their heads, sensing the sudden energy fluctuations. They spotted two figures rapidly approaching. Reacting, they readied their weapons and shouted,

"Halt!

"

Vashno came to a stop and signaled for Franklin to cease his advance, intending to stall the guards and provide Eztein with the time he needed to complete his mission.

The guards scrutinized Vashno and Franklin before one of them inquired,

"Who are you? And how did you manage to breach the Flaem Clan's premises?

"

"We've been tasked by Clan Leader Hono to conduct an investigation here,

" Vashno replied.

"You're mistaken...

" a voice interjected.

A man emerged from the doorway, regarding the two intruders with a cold stare as he passed by the guards stationed at the gate. He was a middle-aged individual with purplish skin and pointed ears, standing a few meters away from Vashno and Franklin.

"I'm Arche, and you could say that I'm a friend of Clan Leader Hono. To be more precise, I hold the position of Chief Instructor among the Flame Knights of the Flaem Clan,

" the man introduced himself.

"Clan Leader Hono explicitly tasked me with safeguarding this place. She instructed me not to heed anyone's words other than hers. If she had any business here, she would have come herself instead of seeking help from outsiders.

"

Vashno wore a troubled expression at Arche's words.

"I was already prepared for this. They won't accept anything except what their comrades say,

" Franklin whispered to Vashno. He then addressed Arche and the two guards, declaring,

"Well, if it's come to this, let's fight.

"

Arche pointed his finger at the two intruders and ordered,

"Seize them! Anyone who trespasses into our territory will face the consequences!

"

The two guards immediately sprang into action upon receiving the command.

"Damn it!

" Vashno cursed as he and Franklin leaped away, with the guards hot on their heels.

While Vashno knew that the guards were formidable, the true concern was the man who called himself Arche. He could sense an overwhelming aura of dominance emanating from him.

'He's probably at the Four Shackles Realm, or someone close to it, likely stronger than me,' Vashno speculated internally as he skillfully evaded the attacks from the guards.

Meanwhile, Franklin was already engaged in a heated exchange with one of the guards. His body had grotesquely transformed into a mound of flesh to keep up with his opponent. Nevertheless, all he could do was hold on.

Franklin was clearly outmatched in terms of strength, speed, and energy. The guard he faced was an elite expert at the Three Shackles Realm, while Franklin remained at the Two Shackles Realm, creating a notable disparity between them.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

One shockwave after another swept out as Franklin continued his fierce duel. Blood sprayed from his body, yet he paid it no mind, instead channeling his Element Drive to muster more force in hopes of keeping up with his opponent.

Vashno monitored the battle from the corner of his eye, debating whether he should intervene or not. His own adversary was also at the Three Shackles Realm, but Vashno's experience in this realm placed him above in terms of strength, speed, and energy. Nonetheless, it would still take him several minutes to overcome this guard. Regardless, both of them were firmly rooted at the Three Shackles Realm.

'The objective is to stall... I shouldn't conclude this battle. I'll only exert myself when that man, Arche, joins the fray,' Vashno decided internally. His current mission was simply to bide time for Eztein to complete his task. Moreover, he couldn't afford to kill his opponent, as they were essentially allies in this ongoing war. All he desired was to uncover the secrets of the Five Master Clans, one of the few elements that could potentially shift the course of the conflict.

He had an inkling that the true extent of the secrets held by the Five Master Clans was deeper than what lay on the surface.

Boom!!

A resounding explosion erupted, prompting Vashno to turn his gaze. His eyes widened as he witnessed the origin of the explosion: Arche.

Arche had pinned down a figure in the center of a small crater, his aura overwhelming and exerting intense pressure. The figure beneath him was Eztein, who was gritting his teeth with blood trickling from his mouth.

'He sensed Eztein?! No, the plan has failed!' Vashno immediately activated his Element Drive and harnessed the power of his parasite. His body transformed into a colossal monstrosity.

Swoosh!

In a fraction of a second, Vashno unleashed a devastating strike upon his opponent. Caught off guard by the abrupt shift in Vashno's strength and appearance, the guard was sent hurtling through the air, ultimately colliding with a nearby structure.

'This should buy me a little more time to rescue Eztein.'

Without sparing a glance for the downed guard, Vashno dashed toward Arche, who still had a firm grip on Eztein.