Sacrifice: Time of Mine

"Ah... they've locked themselves in." Torie Gando yawned.

"Hearoid, can't you destroy the barrier?" Dogun Mo asked.

Upon this question, Hearoid shook his head, "I can only counter the old man's casting because of our bestial instincts. However, once cast, I have to fight the elesps itself rather than just the casting."

"So what will we do? We have yet to lure the Lord Sorcerer out like what the Conqueress ordered." Torie Gando continued.

"Hahaha, Torie, you lossser, the Conqueresss just went into sseclusion sseveral weekss ago. She is asscending towards Rank Essesss. I know the Great Ruler is a geniuss and the sstrongest but even she would take at least two years."

Receiving Krisiana's harsh remark, Torie Gando rebuked.

"I'm just saying it, what's wrong with that!"

"Hanmer, what do you think we should do?" Hearoid looked at Hanmer, the First General with one eye.

"Hm...have any of you seen Sinmei?"

"..."

The Generals looked at each other.

Sinmei, the Third General, a literal giant bird was nowhere to be seen.

"Didn't she say something about 'On my way!' if I heard correctly?" Hearoid said.

"I didn't notice. When did she disappear?"

"She's the fastest among all of us. It's natural we wouldn't notice her."

"Even so, why would she go away without saying anything?"

"Actually, I saw her become nervous and went off in a panic."

"Nah, let's forget about her. Surely, she was just playing on her own."

"Maybe she saw some handsome bird earlier."

"HAHAHAHA!"

After forgetting about Sinmei, the rest of the Generals turned to the new arrivals who locked themselves in.

"Let's just lure them out. Maybe their friends with some of our food." Hanmer casually said.

"Hanmer is right! Let's get the Rank Es Humans here!"

"Right!!!"

Meanwhile, inside the barrier, the atmosphere was very heavy.

Sheran had already recovered while Rossiya was recovering.

"Lady Sheran, I know that this is sudden but we need you to reach Rank Es right now."

Gamon said after Sheran recovered.

"What do you mean? And how exactly?"

Gamon and Old Maytan already knew Sheran's true rank from the start. Sheran became aware of this after they were "captured" by the Crome Family.

"We will help you." Old Maytan followed.

After a bit of hesitation, even without knowing what will happen, Sheran agreed since she knows the capabilities of these two and trusts them. Although not fully, they have been together for some time, and reliance on these two somehow developed.

"Okay... just tell me what to do."

"You'll burst every energy you have. That will increase your energy absorption. Since you're already at the peak of Rank Ey anyway, just a little push to your Natal Energy and you will rank up."

Gamon explained which baffled Quaire and the others.

"That's not how it works! Although that will hasten your energy absorption thus increasing the transitioning in Natal Energy, it is not enough to push to Rank Es in one day. You need at least five years for this."

The matriarch of the Crome Family said.

"Yes, that's where our help will come in." Old Maytan replied.

"..."

The others were speechless.

'You could help a Rank Ey Elementalist to rank up?' they couldn't believe it but it was these two so it must be possible, they thought.

At this point, Rossiya saw something from the outside of the barrier.

"What are they doing?"

Everyone looked and saw the Apexial Beasts come down to take three people. These three people couldn't even be called people anymore.

It was as if they were skinned alive as many parts of their bodies were missing.

Rossiya gasped from seeing who these people are. Even though they were beyond recognizable, the remaining portions of their clothes were still intact.

"They are the heads of the Royal Family!"

The three people are the peak Rank Es Elementalists in Shimshemat Coastland. However, they were reduced to just lifeless rags in front of these beasts.

"Patriarch!" she shouted as she saw her patriarch.

Hanmer who held one person pointed and made a sign that they will kill them.

"Do you think they will be affected?"

"Look at that woman, she seemed affected. Maybe she knows one of them."

"Hmm, let's stab them all to see who she knows." with Hearoid's suggestion, Dugon Mo pointed one of his thick fingers and the nails on it became longer.

"Is it this one?" he stabbed one and Rossiya's face paled.

"Maybe not that one. She must have just realized the fate of the one she knows."

Getting closer to the Patriarch of the Merkers Family, Rossiya could be seen panicking inside the cage.

"Looked like we found him in the second try." Dogun Mo laughed.

"Let's scare her, maybe she'll destroy the barrier from the inside?"

These heads are Rank Es Elementalists. Although Dogun Mo's nail easily pierced them, it was far from enough to kill them.

Seeing that the Patriarch of the Merker Family was getting stabbed multiple times, Rossiya, inside the barrier desperately shouted.

"Let me out! I'm going to kill them! Let me out!"

Due to her relentless scream, Old Maytan couldn't concentrate on helping Sheran.

"If you really want to get out then get out!" 

A force suddenly pushed out of the barrier in her disbelief. She realized she fucked up.

"Ah, she got out."

Seeing the gazes of these fearsome Apexial Beasts, Rossiya turned limp.

"Woman, do you know the location of the Lord Sorcerer? If you know, we'll let you and this man escape."

Hanmer said. He didn't have expectations from this Rank Ey Elementalist. At the very least, she may be able to confirm that the ones inside the barrier know.

So out of their expectations, after a moment of hesitation, Rossiya said.

"I... I know..."

"Seriously?"

"Wow, what luck!"

The Generals were in disbelief but if this woman actually knows, they were too lucky.

"It's... that way." Rossiya pointed.

Although it may seem random, she saw the direction Arcansas brought Avion and Alisera away. Since Arcansas can fly and knows the location, why would she fly off in the wrong direction?

"Are you sure, woman?" Dogun Mo pierced the patriarch's body again.

"Y-yes! Arcansas successfully ascended to Rank Eses and brought someone named Avion and Alisera in that direction! I heard that they want to go to the Lord Sorcerer!"

"..."