"What's your progress Captain?" asked an old voice over the monitor that stood in the government's communications center.

"W-we're still trying to track him down General. However we've managed to recruit other talented individuals in the meantime," replied Agent Ria, beads of sweat dripping down her forehead as she realized that she was slowly running out of time.

"So are you saying you're close to completing the second floor?" asked the General flatly.

"N-no General,"

"It seems we made a mistake in placing you at such a position, agent Ria. There are others there who might be able to fill in your..." the General's sentence was cut midway by the sound of a match being lit.

"...position more competently if you delay his recruitment any longer. Anyway, this barrier still prevents us from sending you any supplies or reinforcements. The higher-ups have our researchers working on a way through, but the way I see it..." the General's sentence was cut midway once again, probably because he was exhaling the smoke.

"... it's still going to take some time. How's the general state of affairs in your area? Several sectors have already been flung into chaos, truly incompetent leadership," mumbled the General as he took a puff of smoke.

"It isn't looking pretty General. There is hardly enough food left for us to feed ourselves, much less to give to the public. There has been a huge dip in security for obvious reasons, and I've heard rumors about a human market in the making." replied Agent Ria, pain and exhaustion audible in her voice.

"Well that's to be expected, I'm not asking you about issues we've been facing for years, I'm asking how the power struggle is going," replied the General with no sense of remorse for the current social state of the area.

'This bastard,' thought Agent Ria angrily.

"For now it seems like all the major groups are laying low and watching each other quietly. Though there is a group that's been making a lot of movement lately. I believe they call themselves the information guild."

"However they are practically just information brokers, there's no need for us to be threatened by their movements," added Agent Ria.

"So you have one there as well huh?" asked the General, puffing out smoke.

"Y-yes, why?"

"Listen, we never know when this barrier might come down, but when it does we need to be prepared. We've already lost several branches and stations and we can't afford to lose any more.." said the General his voice becoming a whisper.

"What I'm about to tell you is top secret." whispered the General, it sounded as if he were walking very fast.

"Whenever you kill some of those creatures a gemstone drops. We currently aren't certain about which creatures drop them, but our researchers are certain of one thing,"

"They're a power source."

"So far the only method of application we've discovered is by turning them into an elixir. I'll have one of my subordinates send you the production method." whispered the General.

"General, won't you get in trouble for this?" asked Agent Ria, worry audible in her voice as she wondered whether she would be charged with mutiny and treason for just hearing what the General was saying.

"Probably, but we need to use every weapon we can. Nobody want's to say this, but if things keep going the way it has, then the government will cease to exist within a few years. And anyway as it stands I'm irreplaceable so whatever punishment they give me can't be anything too bad," said the General, a tinge of pride audible in his voice.

"What do you mean, 'irreplaceable', General,"

"Did you believe that you were the only one who got a high-level power?'

"I have the ability call down airstrikes at will, well I think these science nerds called it a meteor strike, but whatever,"

"How is that different from using normal missiles?" asked Agent Ria.

'I mean sure it sounds cool on paper. But isn't it just the same as sending out a strike force?'

"My airstrikes can be called down from anywhere in the world. So long as I'm aware of its exact co-ordinate then I can call down the airstrike. And it passes through barriers as well, so I'm basically a living weapon," laughed the General, clearly proud of himself

'No way, with a power like that....'

"Then can't you-"

"Calm down Captain. The cast time on this thing is three hours, and the cooldown is one, and even after all that there's a resource called Arcania, which get's depleted each time I use it. So I can't use it as much as I'd like,"

"I-I see,"

"Anyway, my subordinate has sent you the file. Although the elixirs created are of lower quality than those found in the item shop, it's still a valuable resource,"

"We have soldiers close to being war gods because of them... and pretty soon guns and firearms will become a thing of the past," mumbled the General, his mind drifting elsewhere.

"I'll talk to you soon, probably after my punishment. By that time I want the boy in your attack force and the second floor cleared," said the General before cutting the link.

"Anne can you print out the production method?" asked Ria to the woman who was sitting at the desk in front of all the machines.

"Yes Captain,"

"I want all of you to keep this a secret. If we monopolize these elixirs then taking full control of this area will be easy,"

"Yes Captain," said everyone in the room in unison as Ria grabbed the paper containing the production method and stormed out.

'Master will be very pleased to hear about this,' thought one of her men with a smile on his face.