As the group of ten picked their way carefully through the forest, Yuki kept a close eye on Yuna. Her discomfort was palpable, radiating out from her. Though she said nothing, Yuki could tell just how much that insidious mana she spoke of affected her.

‘Though, that’s weird in itself,’ Yuki thought. ‘I’ve fought so many monsters, but never felt anything like that from them.’

The sun was beginning to set, the sky dyed scarlet as the moon peeked through. The pace of the group was slowing as well, almost in sync with the dipping of the sun. Eventually, Carol, who was setting the pace, stopped and clapped her hands, announcing that they would break into camp.

Yuki saw the relief blossom out on Yuna’s face at those words. She helped set up tents and the campfire where the soldiers all gathered around to warm themselves up as the night grew chilly. But other than a few whispers and the crackling of the fire, the soldiers were quiet, even when eating the rations they had brought.

Yuki and her group sat off to the side of the camp. She had selected a spot that would be near where Yuna had set up her own tent which she shared with one other person.  

Akira took out a few packaged rations that she had stored within her ring and handed them to Yuki and Erica to eat, setting a serving aside for herself. They ate in quiet as well, listening to the night forest with its crickets and night time birds.

As she ate, Yuki thought. She went over everything she knew about the situation they were in. Everything that Mathali had told her. Everything hypothetical that she had brainstormed with Erica and Akira. Everything that Yuna had brought up to her attention.

‘She said she could feel that mana throughout the forest, but it gets stronger the further in we travel, then that means we’re getting closer to the source.’

But if the mana was radiating out throughout the entire forest, then that source had to be large. And powerful. Something that shouldn’t be trifled with and be avoided.

‘I need to scout for it,’ she sighed. 

How Yuki could do that, she wasn’t sure. The easiest way would be to ask Yuna to come with her and use her ability to sense monsters to help locate the source of the mana. But Yuki felt reluctant to do that after seeing how Yuna was reacting. 

‘I’ll bring Akira,’ Yuki thought. ‘Erica is a good guard, so she should stay here to deal with any attacks. Akira and I are better at sneaking around.’

She couldn’t think of any alternatives other than go with the squad and hope that they stumble upon whatever it was that Yuna was feeling. Her confidence in that happening was high, given her luck, but that route meant that she had no preparation or information. Going in blind was something Yuki preferred not to do.

‘Akira,’ Yuki thought, touching the link between her and her partner. ‘We need to go out scouting later.’

[Looking for whatever it was Yuna was feeling?] Akira asked.

‘Yes. We should ask her a few questions so we know what direction to head towards, but we won’t be bringing her. She doesn’t look well.’

[That’s good. I was going to say not to tell her to come with us as well,] Akira replied. [I would prefer that she not be here at all, but she has a mission.]

‘Mmm. Erica will be on guard duty. She’ll keep an eye out for us while we’re gone.’

[Alright. When do you think we should go?]

‘When most people are asleep. It’ll depend on who is on watch. If you find an opportunity, tell me. I’ll tell you when I find one.’

[Got it.]

“Eri,” Yuki said out loud, her voice still low. Erica’s eyes met hers and she lifted her eyebrows. “We’re going to go out for a bit later. Can you keep watch?”

Erica frowned, before her eyes lit up as she understood what Yuki wanted. She nodded.

“No problem,” she said with a smile. “I’ll make sure nothing happens.”

“Thanks,” Yuki replied, smiling back. “Let’s talk to Yuna really quick once we finish up with this dinner. There’s a few things I want to know.”

Akira nodded and the three ate in silence. They finished quickly, wiping their hands with a few wipes that Akira had brought. Then they went about looking for where Yuna had gone. They found her inside her tent by herself, holding her head. The packaging of an already eaten meal pack laid beside her.

“Yuna?” Akira asked, stepping into the tent. “What’s wrong?”

Yuna looked up from her hands and her eyes gave Yuki pause. They looked troubled and pained, as if she was having an intense headache, but there was something else in them. An odd anger, targeted at something that Yuki didn’t know. But it faded away quickly, leaving behind just the pain and discomfort.

“My head just hurts, that’s all,” Yuna replied. She grimaced a bit as a wave hit her. “Whatever that mana is coming from, we’re getting closer to it.”

Yuki sat beside her, their eyes locking.

“Do you know what it is?” Yuki asked. Yuna shook her head. “I thought as much. But is there a particular direction you think it might be in? A particular direction where the feeling gets stronger much faster than usual?”

“Southeast,” Yuna replied without any hesitation. “It’s southeast for sure.”

Yuki nodded.

“That’s good to know,” she said, but Yuna cut her off before she could say more.

“I can do more than just tell you the direction though,” Yuna said. Yuki raised a brow. “I think I can find the general location. Are you going to see what it is?”

The intensity that she asked that question with took Yuki aback. It didn’t sound as if she was interested in whether or not Yuki was going to look for the source. She sounded as if she was personally involved. 

“Yes,” Yuki replied. “Why?”

“You need to get rid of whatever that thing is,” Yuna said, her voice low. “It’s unnatural. I don’t think it was meant to be in this world. I’ve been thinking over it, and the mana that I’m feeling right now is too menacing. Too evil. I don’t think I’ve ever felt something close to it.”

“It might be a rank S monster,” Yuki said. “They’re normally leagues above whatever you’ve fought before.”

“It’s not that,” Yuna replied, shaking her head. “Every monster I’ve fought, the mana felt the same. Insidious. The only difference between each monster was how much I felt. This is different. It just feels unnatural. Too unsettling.”

‘Unnatural,’ Yuki repeated in her mind. ‘That’s not good.’

Mathali’s information appeared in her mind at that word. How monsters could be artificially evolved. How the Lord Diablos had created multiple rank S monsters to be under his bidding.

“You think you can find where the source is?” Yuki asked.

“Yes. I just need to try.”

“Would it hurt you? You look like you’re in pain already, and this is just from the presence of the mana.”

“I’ll be fine. This is more important anyway,” she said. Her eyes were dead serious.

“Yuna, you don’t have to pressure yourself,” Akira said. “We can just go southeast and we’ll find whatever it is that you’re sensing.”

“I know, but knowing roughly where it is, is better than just roaming about,” Yuna replied. “I’m not pressuring myself. I want to do this. We need to do this.”

“Then if you really feel that way, do it,” Yuki nodded. “But if it’s too much for you, don’t push yourself. I don’t want something happening to you.”

“I’ll be fine,” she repeated. “Quiet for a bit. I need to focus.”

At Yuna’s request, they went quiet and watched. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths as she calmed herself. Her eyebrows knitted as intense focus settled on her face. She gritted her teeth as the color in her face began to drain away and her breaths became fast and strained. 

Yuki frowned and scooted closer to her. She reached out her hand, the hand hovering in the air as she hesitated for a moment. But when Yuna let out a groan of pain, Yuki pushed away her doubt and cupped Yuna’s cheek, intending to alleviate some of her pain. 

When her hand touched Yuna’s skin, it was as if a floodgate had burst between her and Yuna. Pain and fear and anger flowed out from Yuna in a torrent into Yuki. Yuki gasped, but her hand didn’t budge. A soft sigh escaped from Yuna as she pressed her face into Yuki’s palm, her eyes still closed.

Then the torrent halted and Yuna’s eyes fluttered open. Her eyes met Yuki’s, her pain and discomfort gone from them. 

“Yuki?” she said. Her eyes went to the side and saw Yuki’s hand on her cheek. A small blush rose up. “Um, what are you doing?”

Her blush looked so different from the pain that had been radiating out from her. Not quite thinking, Yuki cupped the back of her head and pulled Yuna into a hug, pressing her against her chest. Yuki held her tightly, the urge to shelter Yuna and keep that pain away filling Yuki. 

“Yuki?” Yuna said again, her voice confused, but she made no effort to pull away. “What are you doing?”

“If it hurt you so much to find the source, you shouldn’t have done it,” Yuki said, her voice low. 

“You felt it?” Yuna asked. Yuki nodded and stroked her hair gently. “Oh. It was necessary though.”

“Don’t do something like that again unless you really have to,” Yuki said. Yuna nodded. “Good. Did you find something?”

“I did,” Yuna replied. She pulled back a bit, Yuki letting her. “It’s southeast. About two miles give or take. I’m not sure what it is, but it’s big.”

“Thank you then. But don’t make it a habit doing that, okay?” 

“I know. I’ll be more careful next time.”

“Good.” Yuki let go and turned to Akira and Erica. They were watching Yuki and Yuna with interested expressions. “You guys know what to do. And Yuna.”

“Yes?” Yuna said. 

“Remember to call me Zero for now.” She nodded and Yuki left the tent, holding the flap for Akira and Erica to leave. 

“Let’s get ready,” Yuki said.