The trio watched Zarrias and the dragons depart before Alistair turned to Nessyra. “Any pressing matters now that we’re back?”

  Nessyra shook her head. “Nothing urgent, but there are several matters I’d rather not discuss over the Coalition network. We’ve also received updates on the raids—they’re getting closer. That said, I’d estimate we still have a few days, maybe even weeks.”

  Riseth looked mildly irritated. "So, essentially, the same estimate as when we left," she muttered.

  Alistair chuckled, draping his arm over her shoulder. “At least we achieved what we set out to in time. I’ve been itching to get back to work on my Kinetic Dragon Heart augmentation. Our skills have hit a bit of a ceiling, and our next skill selection is progressing nicely. Might as well make some headway on body cultivation.”

  Riseth sighed as they headed toward the teleportation pad. “Alright, then. I’ll start with regeneration-focused augmented physiology. I’m thinking of targeting the bone marrow unless you have any objections?”

  Alistair tilted his head thoughtfully. Regeneration was certainly a priority on their list of needed augments, and he knew from experience just how frustratingly resilient regenerating opponents could be. A few of his titles already boosted regeneration, but without a strong base to amplify, those boosts had limited impact. Unlike him, Riseth was a skilled Bio-Healer with an in-depth understanding of anatomy and the nuances of body enhancement and modification even before the Initiation. Human and humanoid demon anatomies were strikingly similar, which made it easy for her to study up on and advise him on the most effective areas for each augmentation. Their manuals and Sotarr provided a rough framework, usually aligning with practical medical logic—a stomach, for instance, was ideal for processing treasures. If she suggested bone marrow for regeneration, he fully trusted her judgment.

  Nodding to himself, he replied, “Good call.”

  As they continued toward the TOC, Alistair noticed an increased number of police patrols throughout the corridors and city. Officers in power armor, each bearing the clan’s sigil, moved with purpose, and he furrowed his brows.

  “What’s with the heightened police presence?” he asked.

  Nessyra glanced over her shoulder, her expression almost bored. “Even with all the screening we conduct, and as effective as our magical questioning and contracts are in keeping syndicate affiliates and other spies out, we can’t completely prevent racial tensions.” She noted the concerned looks from both him and Riseth. “Some of the more unusual species—like the spider-legged demons—have faced discrimination here. They’ve filed complaints, and a few have lashed out. Thankfully, nothing major has happened yet, thanks to our interventions and the strict enforcement of clan rules.”

  Alistair had been aware of some of these issues but had left them in Simon’s capable hands. As head of the policing force, Simon made sure the clan’s general rules for peace and order were strictly upheld.

  “Anything else?” Riseth asked, frowning slightly.

  Nessyra tilted her head thoughtfully. “A few humans have been overly aggressive in their romantic pursuits, but we’ve kept it well under control. On the bright side, it’s led to new jobs—and more records linked to peacekeeping. Police work has quickly become a popular career path for clan members looking to hone their skills. Besides maintaining city order, they’re also responsible for defending against monster attacks and handling occasional exterminations.”

  "Considering how Earth is doing despite Sol's best efforts, we’re quite well off," Alistair remarked.

  Alistair had kept tabs on Earth, often reaching out to his friend Remo over the Coalition Network whenever he found the time. Thanks to his improved access, he could check in regularly and gather updates on the situation. According to Remo, while Sol had managed to minimize casualties and maintain some semblance of order beyond his own domain, Earth was still steeped in turmoil. Chaos and violence remained widespread—it was, after all, simply human nature.

  Sol faced an ongoing struggle to take control of Earth, encountering fierce resistance from both American factions and Chinese cultivation sects opposing his influence. Earth itself was enormous and largely untamed, with various territories occupied by rising beastkin species, each claiming their own territories.

  “Any plans to tackle the issues of discrimination?” Riseth asked.

  Nessyra nodded. “We’ve initiated several programs to address these concerns, with more in development. Most focus on fostering interaction between groups—cultural festivals, joint training programs, and, of course, the peacekeeping efforts you’re seeing now and punishment for non-compliance. The tensions are manageable, and those involved seem satisfied with how we’ve handled things.”

  Riseth gave a quick, approving glance at Alistair, who nodded in agreement with her questioning gaze. Reassured by her sister’s approach, Riseth let the matter rest.

  They soon arrived at the TOC, where Simon’s father, Thomas, along with the mermaid empress Denodia and the craftsdwarf Resni Stoneheart, were already waiting. As they stepped through the door, Denodia was the first to greet them, moving forward with open arms.

  “Alistair! Riseth! It’s so good to see you both,” she exclaimed, her face lighting up with a broad smile. “I’m relieved everything turned out well.” As she spoke, Alistair noticed a gleam of anticipation in her eyes, mirrored in Resni and Thomas, who watched them with eager expressions as they stepped closer to join the welcome.

  “It’s nice to see you too,” Riseth replied with a knowing smile. “But I have a feeling we’re not the main reason for all this excitement.”

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  The crafters laughed good-naturedly. “You brought dragon parts—can you blame us?” Thomas chuckled.

  “Denodia thinks you may have killed a dragon with a strength core concept,” Resni added, her excitement evident. “Do you realize how valuable that is? Soaking Dragonstalk in that specific dragon’s blood could create materials of incredible quality if aged properly. Many crafters would do anything for the resources you’ve brought us today!”

  Alistair chuckled, glancing around and noticing Jessica's absence.

  “Where’s Jessica? I’m sure dragon blood and bones would be incredible for alchemy,” he remarked.

  Resni waved him off. “Don’t worry—we’ll involve her and the other alchemists in the refinement stages. For now, our job is to make sure none of the material goes to waste. Some of it will be set aside for aging processes, and with the right magical techniques, we may even be able to cultivate or multiply the materials.”

  “How would you multiply dragon parts?” Alistair asked, intrigued by the revelation.

  Denodia gave a small smile before beginning her explanation. “There are extremely rare treasures and locations that can be imbued or transplanted with certain materials, allowing them to either grow or multiply in unique ways. For instance, with bones, the most famous method would involve bone gardens—a rare natural treasure, though not entirely out of reach, especially with our connections and finances. There are also specific magic wells and other natural formations that can transform when infused with dragon blood or other liquid treasures, creating more of the substance. The yield, however, depends heavily on the type of treasure used for infusion. Dragon blood, for example, would have a dreadfully slow production cycle but would be well worth the investment, particularly when paired with a beneficial concept like strength.”

  Alistair hummed thoughtfully. “Bone gardens, huh? I imagine if we offered a portion of the harvest, we might be able to convince a faction to part with such a treasure if outright purchase isn’t an option.”

  Nessyra scoffed lightly at the suggestion. “That would take one heck of a negotiator to get me to agree to that,” she replied. “Still, I’ll put out a request for such items with the Coalition and our other allies and keep it in mind when participating in the next auction. But let’s be realistic—we won’t be the only ones on the lookout for treasures like that.”

  “Any chance we could create similar formations or treasures using our concepts and enchantment work?” Nessyra asked, a note of hope in her voice.

  Alistair considered the question for a moment. While he wasn’t an expert on the subject, he couldn’t see why someone powerful enough couldn’t artificially create such formations. Mitania had achieved similar feats with growth treasures, though he suspected it would require a much higher grade to accomplish something of this nature.

  “Perhaps Simon could, at a higher grade?” Alistair suggested. “His core concept is stone, so he might be able to create formations and treasures related to stone, metals, crystals—maybe even more.”

  They handed over the materials to the eager trio, who, barely able to contain their excitement, quickly excused themselves. Practically giddy, they hurried out of the TOC, nearly breaking into a run as they disappeared down the corridor.

  Alistair chuckled, sealing the door behind him before taking a seat next to Riseth in the circular seating. He looked expectantly at Nessyra, who cleared her throat as a projection of an unknown jungle planet appeared above the projector.

  “As I mentioned earlier, I’ve received some valuable intel on our target,” Nessyra began. “The Aegis Coalition has identified a large, hidden base on this planet. Now, on its own, that wouldn’t necessarily make this a priority target. But what the spy uncovered inside is what makes it interesting.” She gestured to the projection as the view zoomed in, replacing the planetary image with detailed photographs and a mapped layout of a cave system. The cave had been repurposed into a large, modern base, and as the images reached the deepest parts, they revealed a portal.

  Riseth sat up straighter, a spark of eagerness in her voice. “A realm?”

  Nessyra gave them a greedy smile. “Yes. We were chosen for this mission because we’re one of the very few factions in possession of a realm catcher or equivalent treasure. Unfortunately, we know little about what’s inside this realm, but we do know it likely has either an incredible hunting ground, strong time compression, or both. When the Coalition offered this target, it was with the understanding that we either take the realm from the Syndicate that currently controls it or clear it of those defending and training within it before Coalition forces take over.”

  Alistair whistled. “Well, that’s definitely a more valuable target than a shipyard.”

  “Quite,” Nessyra replied. “However, we’re also tasked with freeing the agent posing as a sex slave—the one who provided us with this intel. Under no circumstances can we risk her life, so bombing is out of the question. We’ll have to handle this one up close and personal.”

  Riseth and Alistair’s expressions grew a bit more serious at her words. “Of course,” they replied in unison before Riseth added, “Does the Beshin clan and our other allies know about this, and are they okay with us taking the realm?”

  Nessyra made a face. “Yes, they’re aware. The Beshin were fairly reasonable, but a few of our other allies needed more convincing. Some even opted out, unsatisfied with the offered payment, choosing instead to join other assaults.”

  “What were the Oni’s demands?” Alistair asked, curiosity evident in his tone.

  “They want us to expedite our gate construction to link our world with theirs, along with access to our realms and dungeons,” Nessyra explained. “In return, they’d grant us access to their dungeons. They’re being quite reasonable about the terms for the limited dungeons, so there’s no issue on that front.”

  Satisfied with the outcome, Alistair relaxed a bit, leaning back into his seat and resting his head as his thoughts wandered to the other alliances they had forged.

  “Have any of our allies from the New Light Alliance been discovered?” he asked out of idle curiosity.

  “Of those who actively hid in the wider multiverse, only the Kabrudall Guild so far,” Nessyra answered. “And fortunately, it wasn’t the Syndicate that found them, so it may stay under wraps a little longer.”

  “The Kabrudall… they’re the Dwarves and the Daxguar—the Ravenkin, right?” Alistair asked, clarifying.

  Nessyra gave a brief smile of acknowledgment.

  “Based on what we know of them, it’s not too surprising they’ve industrialized their sector more heavily than we have,” Alistair remarked. “That was bound to attract attention.”

  “About that,” Nessyra interjected before Alistair could continue. “We’re constructing mining fleets, defensive installations, and escort ships. Our prospectors and explorers have identified valuable resources on nearby asteroids and planetoids—materials that could be incredibly useful to us. That said, we’ll soon be attracting the same kind of attention ourselves.”

  Alistair mulled over her words for a moment before giving a thoughtful nod. It was indeed time to begin extracting and securing those resources. There were plenty of eager individuals within the clan, ready to captain mining ships in search of wealth or to command combat vessels protecting the clan’s interests—an inevitable step forward for their growing clan operations.

  “But let’s get back on track,” Nessyra said, smoothly redirecting the conversation to their current priority. "We should talk about the two factions joining us for this expedition, and I created dossiers for both factions," Nessyra said before sending them the information through the Akashic Link.