As evening descended, a new notice was affixed to the central billboard in Vidona, drawing a curious crowd. Isha, merely passing by, found herself drawn into the throng.
She rose onto her tiptoes, her gaze carefully navigating through the sea of people. Her eyes landed on the information displayed, and she began to read it aloud in a soft murmur.
“A new wave of beast tides may erupt in the coming days. All residents are urged to prepare for evacuation to the beast tide shelters, ensuring you have essentials such as food and clothing readily available…”
“A beast tide?”
Celia couldn’t help but whisper the words, a faint echo of surprise in her tone.
For them, a beast tide was an entirely novel phenomenon, something they had never witnessed. The sight of countless beasts stampeding was utterly unknown to them.
Thus, upon learning of its impending eruption, their initial apprehension quickly gave way to a profound sense of curiosity.
They had, after all, heard tales: Vidona’s beast tides, though frequent, were typically minor in scale, rarely inflicting any significant damage upon the city.
Once the content of the notice became clear, the majority of the onlookers began to disperse.
“Another beast tide already? They’re actually telling us to take refuge in the shelters this time. I suppose the scale must be larger than usual.”
“How much larger could it be? In recent years, we’ve only ever seen up to Tier 3 demonic beasts. With the brave heroes and our knights, what’s there to be afraid of?”
“Beast tides… only outsiders would find them curious, wouldn’t they?”
In the eyes of Vidona’s seasoned residents, beast tides were as commonplace as the changing seasons. They held unwavering faith that their brave heroes and the city’s knights could fully guarantee their safety.
Nevertheless, Celia found herself feeling a touch uneasy.
“Let’s head back. We need to inform Lena and tell her to prepare for the shelters.”
Their relationship had deepened significantly after a heart-to-heart conversation two months prior. Occasionally, Celia would even find herself subconsciously regarding Lena as a mother figure.
Still, she was acutely aware that Lena was not her biological mother. Lena’s maternal affection rightfully belonged to her own child, not to be claimed by Celia.
Lena possessed no magical abilities; she was merely an ordinary person. Even if she were to remain hidden within her own home, Celia found it difficult to feel at ease should the beast tide descend.
What if, by some cruel twist of fate, a formidable demonic beast from the tide managed to breach Vidona’s defenses, stormed into the city, and, by sheer coincidence, charged directly towards Lena’s villa?
Despite recognizing the absurdity of such a thought, Celia simply could not bear the idea of Lena enduring even the slightest risk.
Upon their return home, Lena had already prepared dinner. Before Celia could even take her seat, she addressed her.
“Lena, the beast tide is expected to erupt in the coming days. You must quickly gather food and other essentials. You might need to spend several days in the shelters.”
Should the beast tide truly descend, it was always advisable for city residents to seek refuge in the underground shelters to avoid unforeseen dangers.
Lena, having already received news of the beast tide via her communicator, showed no surprise.
“I understand. But what about you all?” she inquired.
“Us?”
Isha interjected, puffing out her chest and patting her somewhat modest bosom. “We are brave heroes! Naturally, we must contribute our strength to confront the beast tide!”
“Beast tides are incredibly dangerous; you mustn’t underestimate them. And from what I know, you aren’t true brave heroes yet, are you? Do you have confidence you’ll pass the hero assessment in three days?”
Over the past two months, every member of Celia’s team had ascended to Tier 3. Under her meticulous guidance, confronting most Tier 4 demonic beasts was no longer an insurmountable challenge.
It was undeniably a testament to the Demon King’s lineage; in a mere four months, Celia had achieved feats that many brave heroes failed to accomplish in an entire lifetime.
Yet, Lena found herself particularly astonished by the rapid growth of Aurora and Isha. They, too, had managed to keep pace, never truly falling far behind Celia.
Aurora’s command over magical incantations was exquisitely precise, often manifesting the same spell in entirely distinct forms when wielded by her. While Isha might have been a shade less refined than her teammates, the ring blades she wielded were anything but simple.
Lena harbored a persistent feeling that the ring blades themselves seemed to possess a certain sentience, perhaps making them a weapon capable of rivaling even the Holy Sword Megaphas.
“Hmph, Lena, are you looking down on us?”
Isha pouted, her slightly chubby, ‘baby fat’ cheeks so utterly adorable they made one yearn to reach out and pinch them.
Lena, suppressing the sudden impulse, gently explained, “Of course not. I’m merely concerned for your safety.”
“You’re not a brave hero, so you don’t truly understand just how powerful we’ve become. Let me assure you, as long as no unforeseen circumstances arise in three days, we are guaranteed to pass the hero assessment!”
Isha brimmed with pride, immensely pleased with her own and her team’s advancements. So much so that whenever she walked through the Brave Heroes’ Hall, she felt their team was undeniably the most observed.
And the truth of the matter was, indeed, exactly that. In a mere four months, transitioning from provisional brave heroes to defeating Tier 4 demonic beasts, any brave hero who had ever set foot in the hall would have heard tales of this legendary team.
Moreover, the team’s instructor had become the most frequent topic of conversation during their after-meal discussions.
Some speculated she was a Sage-level brave hero from a distant city, deliberately journeying here to mentor Celia. Others conjectured she was a councilor from the Brave Heroes’ Council, retired and intent on imparting all her formidable skills to Celia.
Regardless of the myriad theories, Celia’s instructor had unequivocally become an object of reverence in the hearts of all brave heroes.
“Once we pass, we absolutely must host a grand celebration banquet, bringing together you, Senior Silverbloom, and Guild Master Sharlene!”
With a joyful laugh, Isha spread her arms wide and spun in a circle. Her pink skirt billowed out like a blossoming flower, a vibrant display of youthful charm.
“Since you are all so confident, then I can finally set my mind at ease.”
Lena gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her smile radiating warmth.
Unfortunately, Isha’s heartfelt wish was destined to remain unfulfilled.
For Lena herself was Senior Silverbloom. It was simply impossible for both Lena and Dorothy to attend the same celebratory banquet at once.
After dinner, they all took refreshing showers and rested, before retreating to their respective rooms for the night. Lena, however, waited patiently until their breathing evened out in deep slumber.
She then shed her nightgown, replacing it with a practical black robe designed for unrestrained movement.
Her crimson eyes seamlessly shifted to a brilliant gold, and the surge of magical energy within her body quietly ascended to Tier 7.
Contrary to what Celia and her companions believed, Lena harbored no illusion that this beast tide would be a minor one, capped at Tier 3 demonic beasts. She vividly recalled encountering Tier 4 demonic beasts on the very outskirts during her last mission aiding Bruul’s team.
This, coupled with the unsettling, cryptic words uttered by the man before his suicide, left a persistent, subtle unease gnawing at her heart.
It felt as though an ominous cloud had settled over Vidona, hinting at something truly dreadful unfolding in a place known to no one.
After careful deliberation, she resolved to infiltrate the Silent Forest tonight and uncover the truth.
If the beast tide had already begun to converge, it would be an opportune moment for her to intervene and neutralize the threat.
Once fully clad in her black robe, she unlatched the window.
The crisp autumn night wind immediately surged into the room, causing her black robe to billow and rustle. She stepped onto the windowsill, then gracefully leaped out of the window.
The instant she departed the bedroom, Tier 7 magic coalesced behind her, manifesting as a pair of dark, feathered wings. They bore her swiftly and silently towards the Silent Forest.