The Glorious Evolution

Half an Hour Earlier...

Ring! Ring!

As Levi was testing out a new batch of materials, he suddenly received a call from Bishop Va’ren... he dismissed it as usual, having no interest in ruining his research with his bullshit.

But then, a message arrived seconds later.

-I suggest you answer my next call, boy. It concerns someone very dear to you... or at least to one of your little friends.-

’Hm?’

Confused, Levi picked up the next call... he felt like it was beneath Bishop Va’ren to tell such a lie to get hold of him.

As expected, Bishop Va’ren got right into it and told him about Idriss Morningstar’s unpleasant situation.

At first, Levi didn’t believe him, but the Bishop knew about his enrollment at the Blood Arts Academy on Cruor... and this was enough to make Levi take the situation seriously.

He knew that Idriss’s enrollment in the academy should be a secret between the High Chancellor, his wife, son, and daughter... if Shia hadn’t told them about his enrollment during one of their discussions, he would have had no idea.

And yet, Bishop Va’ren knew about it somehow.

”I received intel that Na’thir has sent his dogs after him... they should already be on the planet hunting him down,” Bishop Va’ren shared indifferently. ”I believe he wants to use him as a hostage to lure you out.”

”And you just happen to learn about this and warn me?”

Levi frowned, not buying it for a moment.

The whole thing smelled rotten... especially with Va’ren involved.

Levi refused to believe that the bastard contacted him out of concern. He wanted something from this, and whatever it was, Levi doubted it would end well for him.

”Don’t be naive,” Bishop Va’ren uttered coldly. ”I called you to prepare you mentally and prevent you from falling for Na’thir’s attempts to use the hostage as bait.”

”If he gets caught, let him die... otherwise, you can forget about getting your vengeance.”

Before Levi responded, Bishop Va’ren hung up.

For a few seconds, Levi remained seated in his chair, staring at the dimensional call log... many thoughts coursed through his mind, and none were good.

He knew better than to trust that hideous rabbit’s concern... he never contacted him without wanting something.

But Idriss enrolled at the academy in secret... Va’ren shouldn’t even know where he went. If he possessed that information, there was a high chance Na’thir knew too... and Levi couldn’t dismiss the warning just because he despised the one delivering it.

Without hesitation, he called Idriss.

No answer.

Levi sent a message, waited briefly, then called again.

Still nothing.

This didn’t settle his wounded heart in the slightest... Levi swiftly left the lab and went to Shia, his expression as serious as it could get.

”What’s wrong?” she asked.

”Your father might be in danger. Try calling him.”

Levi spilled it out as it was, understanding that if the warning was correct, then they were strapped for time.

Shia’s smile disappeared.

She opened his contact without wasting time on questions, but her call ended with the same result. The next one failed too... and by the time she looked toward Levi again, everyone around the table stopped what they were doing, noticing the tense atmosphere.

Arthur and the others asked him what was going on, and Levi kept it limited to the warning... he couldn’t mention Va’ren or explain their dealings because of the NDA between them.

He could only tell them that her father might have attracted Na’thir’s attention.

It was enough to freeze everyone’s hearts solid... Levi already warned them that it wouldn’t end well for them or their families if they remained entangled with him.

Yet, they didn’t think his warning would turn real so quickly.

Shia called her mother.

Naima answered, though her daughter’s urgent questions quickly ended any chance of an ordinary conversation.

She tried reaching Idriss herself while Shia waited beside Levi, calling him again even after her mother told her she was doing the same.

Neither attempt connected.

According to Naima, the last message she received from her husband explained that he found a natural blood cave during his expedition.

Once the assignment ended, he returned there to train in seclusion.

He intended to attempt an evolution through natural comprehension... so he shut off his communications to avoid distractions and kept the details from her, unwilling to make her worry over what might amount to nothing.

Such a situation was common, as many Rifters did the same in seclusion, isolating themselves from everything to increase their odds of achieving natural comprehension.

But this timing couldn’t be any worse for him.

”He is all alone... with no information.”

Shia felt a chill course down her spine at the notion of her father getting hunted by these three monsters on his own on a foreign planet.

Meanwhile, Levi knew that it was much worse... it would be much more merciful to kill him, and knowing Na’thir, Levi was certain Idriss was going to experience hell under his elites to lure him out.

”Madam, please give me his latest location... I will send out a mercenary squad to extract him alive,” Levi requested sternly.

Naima forwarded it with a map of the surrounding region.

”I’ll contact the academy and ask them to send help too,” she replied, her voice tense. ”If either of you hears from him... tell me immediately.”

She ended the call without waiting for a reply, rushing to inform the High Chancellor.

”...please, please, please.”

Shia stayed beside him, her face pale, trying her father’s number again... Levi could hear her heart beating faster with every unanswered call.

He knew that helplessness far too well.

For a moment, his thoughts returned to that cursed night... to his parents’ bloody corpses and the desperate wish that there was still something he could do for them.

Even now, remembering them like that made it difficult to breathe.

Na’thir had already taken his parents from him.

And now, Shia’s father?

His buried hatred returned with enough force to make him want to abandon everything and hunt his dogs down.

He was utterly livid even when his expression remained stoic.

Every time he secured one place, Na’thir found another person to threaten... and somehow, Levi was always the one expected to hide, wait, and endure it until he became strong enough.

Meanwhile, everyone around him paid for the time he needed.

Shia tried calling again.

Levi listened to the unanswered connection, knowing that she would keep trying even though they already knew why her father wasn’t responding... she needed to hear his voice, even if it was only to tell her to stop disturbing his training.

He refused to let her find out that she would never hear it again... especially when her father was in danger because Na’thir wanted to reach him!

Levi told Naima that he would send a mercenary squad to extract Idriss... but it was a lie.

He knew that by the time a decent squad accepted the mission, Idriss would probably be in the hunters’ hands.

If he wasn’t already.

A mission like this wouldn’t be accepted within a few minutes just because Levi offered enough credits.

The mercenaries needed to examine the targets, judge their chances, prepare suitable equipment, and arrange their journey to another planet... charging after Na’thir’s elites without doing any of that would be asking to get themselves killed.

They wanted to earn money and live long enough to spend it.

Naturally, most preferred contracts that paid well without guaranteeing a bloody fight against powerful enemies.

That was why securing protection for Heliodor was easier.

Those squads agreed to defend a region alongside its existing forces, with time to establish their positions and prepare for possible attacks.

Their presence alone could discourage the enemy... which was exactly what happened.

This mission required them to seek out the enemy and take his hostage.

Anyone accepting needed to be ready for a battle... and Levi couldn’t afford to wait while they decided whether his payment justified the risk.

As for hiring someone powerful enough to crush Na’thir’s dogs without much trouble?

He didn’t even have that option available!

He knew Tier 7+ mercenaries were too few and too sought after, their services reserved for upper nobles... even those nobles often needed to join waiting lists.

Still, knowing that didn’t mean Levi allowed his hatred and emotions to cloud his judgement.

Charging after the Bishop’s dogs would accomplish nothing except making Va’ren’s warning come true.

If Idriss was still free, they needed to reach him before the hunters did.

If he was already caught, they had to intercept them before they delivered him to Na’thir.

He needed to increase his strength and come up with a plan... fast.

’It’s time to rip out his three fangs.’

Levi uttered coldly as he opened his Dimensional Wallet.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Cases piled onto the grass beside the table, forming a small mountain of high-grade Growth Totems and Vile Totems!

Shia turned toward Levi, a hint of despair in her eyes.

She already had her father’s location... even if no one agreed to help her, she couldn’t remain here while those bastards hunted him down.

But before she could ask, Levi pushed a case of Growth Totems toward her.

”We’re going to save your father.”

Shia’s lips parted, but he continued before she could respond.

”Jasmine and I will deal with those three... we’re leaving in fifteen minutes at most. If you want to join us, you need to reach Solarbound First Stage and unlock your awakened weapon.”

Her attention fell on the case.

Fifteen minutes... that was all she had.

To unlock her awakened weapon... or be left behind while they fought for her father’s life!