127. A Challenge (I)

Zachary was greeted the next morning by Blue’s cheerful chirps. The little blue bird had grown slightly bigger after reaching the Eight Paths Novice Rank. But it still liked to perch on top of his head whenever it could.

"Blue, it’s too early," He complained, shooing the bird away from his head.

He stood up, stretched, and took stock of his surroundings. The sky was overcast. It looked like it might rain. Heather and her gang were getting ready for whatever the day would bring. He heard sounds of activity from elsewhere as the other survivor groups also awoke to a new day.

Zachary walked to the edge of the jungle and peered over the cliff toward the west. The ocean was deep blue and calm. Waves periodically crashed against the black rocks of the shoreline. The navy ship was still there. From a distance, it looked like a giant gray shark ready to devour everything it encountered.

There were signs of activity onboard. Sailors in white uniforms, marine guards in green; some were tending to the ship while others lined up on the deck in neat rows. As time passed, more and more squads of marines appeared. If any of the prisoners on shore had any ideas of storming the ship and taking it over, it was pointless to think those thoughts any longer.

"Looks like it's starting. They brought a lot of people," Jean-Pierre said as he appeared beside Zachary.

Heather joined them, "The republic isn't here to play around. They don't want us prisoners running wild anymore."

The trio looked on as the rows of sailors and marines parted for a single person. It was the captain, clad in a sharp white uniform that stood out brightly even beneath a cloudy sky. A ray of Eternum shot out from between that person's brow and took the form of an armored eagle. The captain climbed onto the back of the giant bird and took to the air.

"Get ready!" Heather said as she summoned her mantis.

Zachary already had Blue out but he also summoned Onkie.

All around him, Eternum surged wildly as the gathered survivors brought out their fighting strength.

The armored eagle crossed the waves with a few flaps of its huge wings. Once above dry land, it flew up and down the coast, letting the captain examine the situation and count how many prisoners survived.

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A powerful soul force pressed down on him from above. It was like a mountain crashing down on his soul. There was a sharp probing as if an unseen pair of eyes were trying to peer through foliage and even the tree trunks, trying to peer into his soul.

“Intruder!” Wander suddenly shouted within Zachary’s soul sea.

The turtle activated its powers, rapidly creating a wide shield like a net that covered the soul sea entirely.

“What’s happening? Are we under attack?” Wander asked.

“Wander, it's alright,” Zachary chuckled, amused but appreciative of Wander’s attentiveness, “It was probably a summon with a powerful sensory ability. But it's not enough to enter someone’s soul. It’s not uncommon for higher ranking summoners to have such an Ensouled.”

“I see... I see... Can I come out?”

“Not yet, you’re my ace. I don’t want to reveal you unless I have to.”

“Okay,” Wander said and returned to his daydreams.

Wander usually acted willfully, coming out of or going back into his soul as he pleased. However, Zachary managed to convince him of the importance of hiding. As the ace, Wander was the most important summon. It was a secret that had to be kept until the last moment. Wander agreed and had been very well-behaved for the past few days.

Above their heads, the captain finished surveying the jungle. They then flew to a central area and hovered a short distance from the cliff and the trees. The captain stood up on the back of the armored eagle and stared coldly at the jungle, allowing Zachary to finally get a good look at that familar face. It was the same Captain Willis who had sent them to this wilderness a year ago.

“Prisoners of Outpost Emerald!” Her voice was even colder than her gaze, “It has been one year since you set foot in the New World. You have braved the wild sea and the unforgiving jungle. Now, it is time for your final trial.”

As she spoke, the various survivor groups edged closer to hear her clearly.

“All of you should have already died for your crimes. You are the lowest of the low, undeserving of redemption. But the Republic saw fit to give you a second chance. Those of you that have showed up today, at least, you haven’t wasted your worthless lives.”

A gust of wind swept over the trees, bringing a wave of chilly air as well as a faint drizzle. The captain’s hair remained perfectly in place, just as stoic as her weathered face that showed signs of age.

“As promised, I have four pardon slips signed by President Howe. But don’t get too excited just yet. You have to earn it; you have to prove that you deserve to be redeemed. I counted sixty or so survivors. That’s a lot more than I expected. But more is good, it means you can still be useful to the Republic.”

She paused and smiled scornfully, studying the various faces that had appeared through the trees.

“The Republic is considering building a permanent settlement here. But it is impossible to do so with the giant flocks of bloodthirsty seagulls roaming the sky. Therefore, your task is to kill as many as you can. Don’t worry, you can stay right here. We’ll bring them to you. Those who kill the most will get a chance to compete for the pardon spots. What do you all think about that?”