-Afternoon. Nefiru's POV-

This morning, we feasted on exquisite birds and recovered until sunrise, then continued our journey for another six quarters before arriving at a valley around two hundred meters wide. We advanced west for half a mile on the rocky landscape riddled with grass bathed in the afternoon Sun and stopped in front of a stone wall fifteen meters tall with large vines coming from above. Behind the natural curtains were two metallic disks eight meters wide and half thick stacked in front of the other resting two meters inside channels going left and right indicating how they open.

"Aaand here we are." Dark 9 announced. "Maybe the Dragon will stop whining now..." He grumbled approaching the rusty metal cookie.

"He hasn't been so far from the nest before..." A wolf mocked from behind.

""Wruff! Hunf! Woof!..."" The beasts ridicule within the group.

"Ah, shut it! You guys are old and take things slower. I, on the other hand, have no time to waste." I rebuked in growls and turned to the front.

"Yes, yes... But rushing things can be bad too..." The black beast countered and lifted the right paw towards the metal edge. "HGNHHH!" He strained until the big disk started moving to the left.

*Krrruuummm--BAM!* The first wheel rolled a few meters before slamming onto its fitting place in the stone, and then the wolf changed position. *Krrruuummm--BAM!* The second metallic disk lodged on the right.

Dark 9 stepped aside and revealed a metalized tunnel of 7 meters in diameter with two meters of the bottom flattened.

"What an unusual, uhh, door." I reviewed approaching the entrance.

"Hum... It is convenient when not anyone can open it or probe far inside through it, and it's noisy..." Erina explained rubbing her body on my left.

I separated from the clingy wolf and stared down the tunnel emanating a damped smell. *Swoohhooohh...* A sound comes from the depths along trickling noise of water droplets.

"Hmm... I still don't notice the vein." I said and looked behind.

"Oh, it's barely noticeable for us too, but it isn't at peak activity yet." Wind 8 clarified on the left.

"You'll need to be closer to the source like Mana waves released upon death." The golden wolf said approaching my left again.

"What about at the coast?" I asked feeling her breath on my snout.

"Not much either. Although Mana in Higher densities will travel farther, it mostly disperses underground..." She explained.

"I see... Gravity is probably responsible for that too." I nodded acknowledging and inspected the construction again.

It looks pretty solid, and smooth... Just how long did it take to build this...? I wondered and looked at the she-wolf.

"Hey, is it straight for a long distance?" I asked with expectations.

"Hum... More or less... Why?" Erian replied and inquired with her ears perked.

"Because I don't want to walk, duh!" I spoke and turned back to the resting group. "I'll need 15 metal sheets for our paws and thick enough to endure our weight," I instructed.

"That's a lot of metal..." An earth user commented.

"He likes metal too much for a non-Earth user..." A wind user retorted.

"He's covered in metal!" Another beast pointed out.

"Hou? What...what are you planning now?" Dark 8 asked interestedly.

"Sliding," I answered and grinned while the wolves look at me confused.

Half an hour later, the High-rankers finished the steel shoes and applied a coat of ice under the metal before doing some practice on three legs. I left the elders to assimilate the new experience and gathered the group of wolves to coordinate and instruct what to do while we are in the vein chamber.

"You guys ready?" I asked the awkward beasts.

"We've wasted enough time..." Dark 9 grumbled.

"Alright, let's do this!" I motivated and headed for the tunnel.

Once inside the metalized passage, I pushed with my left hind leg and balanced with the tail while shining light ahead.

"Wooohoo~" I rejoiced as the wolves behind me concentrated on trying not to fall.

*Srrrrsshhh!! WhooOOOSHH!!!* We sped up down the dark tunnel as the wind noisily moved around us.

Several miles and reparations later, the inclined metalized tunnel ended and ditched the gear since sliding wasn't viable in a horizontal rocky cave.

"HUFF! HUFF! Haaah~ That was fun, right?" I asked the beasts panting behind me.

"Hyek... My paws are numb and burnt..." Erina whined and started licking her paws.

"Yes... I could tell from the trail of sparks why... We'll need wheels..." I deduced.

"...I don't feel so good. Need a moment... Huuuf..." Dark 8 said before leaning on the tunnel.

"You shouldn't have eaten that contaminated bird head..." I admonished.

"I'll keep--Urk! That in mind." She replied making retching sounds.

"I worry about my ability to procreate." Dark 9 spoke with concern.

"Oi! Enough of that!" I reproved.

"The ride was fun, but not so much from behind a beast who recently mated..." Wind 8 protested.

"It's mating season!" The black wolf pointed out.

"Then mate. But wash afterward like others!" The green wolf countered.

"Imagine me, who isn't used to your strong smell?" I reproached.

"B-but our scent is important...!" He reasoned.

"Not THAT smell." I rebuked.

*Plomf!* The black wolf slumped and curled under our criticism.

"And no licking!" I stopped him.

"Guh!" The beast sounded lowering his ears.

"Is-is my smell, bad?" The earthen wolf asked pushing me with her head.

"Nah, you are fine," I assured.

After the casual banter, we continued west through an ancient Stone Cave fifteen-meter wide by almost ten high, decorated with glittering crystals and many stalactites dripping water onto stalagmites which formed columns on some locations. With only the Lightning effects on my body illuminating the dark cave, we probed to keep our eyes sensitive while feeling the mana density increase, and then, a conglomeration of sparkling Crystals caught my attention.

*Krash! Krash! Stomp! Kling! Crack!* I approached the right wall and closely inspected with a dim light.

"Wh-what is this...!!?" I uttered with my jaw loosened.

"Hum? Crystals...?" Erina questioned my interest and got closer from the left.

"Crystals, you say..." I muttered and magnified the image. "I had a collection in my human lifetime, so I can tell that most are just quartz and common stones, but these-..." I revealed my inspection.

*Kling! Srrkkk! Tak!* I separated a few Ore chunks ranging up to three inches in length.

"This should be Emerald, Saphire, Ruby... And this--" I explained and moved a large piece on top of a rock before tapping with my claw.

*Ting! Ting! CLANK!--Shuu~ Tak! Tak! Tak!* I smacked the crystal and it flung away.

"Diamond... And such size--OUTRAGEOUS!" I exclaimed noticing more around.

"Why is he getting so worked up over some rocks?" The black she-wolf questioned.

"Sounds important to give them names. But then again... he has names for everything." Erina commented on my side.

"...They were considered precious gems in my former world, and still have some value here..." I pointed with a claw explained and compared.

"Wait... Can we use those to trade with humans food or other humans they don't want!!?" Dark 8 inquired arriving from the right.

"...I suppose... They do burn all the corpses..." I confirmed then shrugged.

"What a waste!" He lamented.

"Unbelievable. And they die of hunger..." The wind user retorted.

"...Besides a moral Taboo, it isn't healthy to eat your kin." I rebuked and shook my head.

"Yes, yes... You said that before. But couldn't they just feed the bodies to other beasts and eat those instead?" He proposed.

"Oh... Hmm... I guess you're right." I affirmed and turned to the stones. "But how come all these gems are here when they form naturally under different conditions?" I questioned and looked around with brighter light. "Unless they didn't form naturally... These are...!?!" I realized and discovered different Ores and metal bits scattered.

"Yes... This cave existed long before our tribe settled here, so maybe magic users trained here thousands of years ago and it was sealed until father discovered it." The golden wolf conjectured.

"Ah! That's why the tunnel is coated in metal." I conjectured.

"Precisely. And the mana vein has been moving west slowly over the years, so it should've been here long, long ago." Wind 8 confirmed and added a theory.

"Oh... Interesting..." I sounded and looked to the right.

He's right, it looks smaller the way we came in. I wonder if this was a small mana vein in the past and grew... I speculated when Dark 8 nudged my rear with her paw.

"We mustn't delay..." She reminded.

"Ah! Right, let's go..." I switched gears and headed into the ancient cave.

About another hour later, a familiar round door became distinguishable at the end of the pitch-black cavern already widened to thirty meters and the Mana gushing out pushed on my Magic and Spirit like the current of a stream.

Amazing... The Mana density is tremendously higher compared to the surface, and the Lightning elementals aren't lacking either...why is that? Hm!!? I reviewed and felt a jolt made me halt twenty meters away from the gate. This magnetic disturbance is... the Rift...!!? I assumed and adjusted my vision to see through the stone wall left of the gate.

In the middle of an ovoidal stone chamber almost forty meters wide and close to a hundred long floats a brilliant orb around the size of golf ball emanating radiation in all directions like a 3D nautical rose.

"It's... beautiful..." I appraised the phenomena in awe.

"You can see through...!?" Dark 9 asked looking down at me from the right.

"Yes..." I replied entranced.

"W-what a convenient magic art..." He praised shaking his head.

"He keeps getting nice abilities..." The wind user protested.

"Doesn't it make you want to chew on him?" Dark 8 playfully said snapping her jaws on my rear.

"...No no, that's only you." The darkness wolf dismissed.

"Dark 8, go chase your tail..." Erina admonished and walked to my left.

"Wugh!" The smallest wolf uttered embarrassingly.

After being exposed to the irregular ambience, the new sensations reverberated within me and connected with deeply buried emotions that surfaced like deja'vu.

Guh! What is this... sorrow? A sadness that hurts, yet I can't recall why... Ugh! This is unfair... or is it for the best? I analyzed when the golden wolf lifted my head with her snout.

"What's wrong?" The golden wolf kindly asked.

"The Rift... it feels nostalgic. I think, maybe, I lived near one in the past, and experienced great loss, but... there's no actual memories..." I described.

"...What a complicated creature. I wouldn't want to walk your path." Dark 9 remarked.

"Hum... Don't let it torment you. It's all in the distant past, right?" Erina comforted.

"Yeah... Most likely it happened during the massacre when Dragons owned several Mana veins." I said and swallowed the grief.

"Mhn... That's around the time our tribe was founded..." Wind 8 interjected.

"Hm-hmm... Yet, only my human memories feel recent... But enough gloomy mood!" I declared and shook my head before focusing ahead.

"But I like your gloomy mood..." Dark 8 teased.

"Shush, you!" I chided and turned serious. "Say... Isn't dangerous to get closer to the Rift?" I inquired.

"Humm... Your Spirit should withstand any sort of mental suppression, but lower ranks are a different story. Though normal creatures who aren't spiritually susceptible enough won't be affected by the Mana torrent..." Erina clarified.

"Well, it's not a Collar that targets the specific Spirit waves created by thoughts." I pointed out.

"That may be so, but it can disrupt concentration depending on rank. In your case, however, it may strip the Mana from your Magic outside the body." Wind 8 warned.

"Ugghhh... That's counterproductive then." I affirmed grimacing. "What about harmful emissions on the flesh?" I inquired staring at the rift.

"Wuok! It-it affects your ability to procreate..." Dark 9 said worriedly.

"This mutt... We have healers!" I derided.

""WROOFF!!"" The other wolves scoffed.

"And Darkness users can absorb the harmful rays in there." The wind user added.

"Wuok... But not everything at my rank." The darkness beast denied.

I can't see everything either, but it seems like atoms are breaking down in that spacetime instability and releasing all kinds of radiation on this side... Probably not safe for Shaila... I conjectured and looked at the wolves.

"Hmm... You know... That wall separating the main chamber should shield you guys enough out here. Or, we could coat it with a metal that makes it even safer..." I announced thinking of Lead.

"Really now..." Dark 9 said narrowing his eyes while looking at the wall.

"Although WE don't need to be this close..." The green beast affirmed.

"And you...?" Erina asked me.

"Dragons can thrive in harsh environments... Safe exposure will make me resistant..." I proudly announced.

"...What outrageous creatures." Dark 9 harshly expressed.

"Totally... Makes you want to chew on him~" Dark 8 said playfully.

"Hum. Hum... It's not for show that the species survived extermination attempts." Erina nodded and commended.

"Hah... But bloodlines have deteriorated since our prime a thousand years ago." I sighed and said disappointedly.

"Mhn... To restore that former glory, Dragons would need to gather the respective bloodlines and re-establish the Clans in a land of abundance like ours." Wind 8 counseled.

"And mate like crazy!" The philanderous wolf interjected.

"Ohhh... That sounds about right... for a time of peace." I approved.

So, Dragons with bloodlines must be protected huh? A shame I'm not-- I concluded when an eerie sensation made me shiver.

"Gyuff... Mother detected us already..." Dark 9's mouth twitched and announced.

"Ah, that's what the creepy feeling was!" I asserted peering into the vein chamber.

"...Calling her that is too much. She's still grieving..." He berated.

"Uh... She's walking here with small steps, the head and ears lowered while glaring our way... I'd say She looks like a mad dog that wants to bite someone... Yep, creepy." I described the purple lump approaching.

"Dragon... Leave this place." The high-Rank ordered.

"But I--" I opposed.

"NOW!" He barked making me flinch and turned to the other darkness wolf. "Dark 8, escort him outside since you aren't participating." The black beast ordered.

"What...!!? But I can help!" She protested.

"Sister, you're only Mid-Rank 8..." He gently reasoned.

"Grrrrr..." She growled frustrated and lowered her head.

Right, we get suppressed by an energy 10 times denser at a certain distance, but higher densities can invade the body, destabilize magic, and interrupt internal magic arts depending on proximity to the Soul, Spirit, and multitasking ability. So... Only Dark 9 and Erina who are almost Rank 10 can barely fight... I deduced looking at each beast before resting my gaze on the darkness user.

"I'm staying... But I'll leave if things don't go well." I said with resolution.

"NO! We can't guarantee your safety after that door opens!" The beast said in a panic.

"...I think he knows that." Erina affirmed and narrowed her eyes. "The question is, why...?" She probed.

"Unpredictable elements must be bound by rules to protect my assets," I answered with conviction.

"Hum... You have another plan that we don't know, don't you?" The earthen beast pressed.

"Call it insurance. Remember, the priority isn't to win, though it'd be nice if you could..." I reiterated.

"Wugh! If-if only we had more time to convince her... But with you around, things will be more complicated." Dark 9 grimaced saying.

"...I understand." The golden she-wolf acknowledged and walked to the door.

"I guess, I'll drag the lizard out when the time comes." Dark 8 announced and replaced Erina on my left.

"Yes, we'll try to keep Mother busy and wind 8 can help moving you out faster." The rank 9 beast approved and moved to Erina's right.

"Mhnn... No. I can be of help." Wind 8 who was quiet until now, spoke.

*Stomp!!* The two beasts in front stopped and glanced back.

"Sh-she can't mitigate wind attacks like darkness, but I'll need her to stop for a moment..." He announced walking to my right.

"...Very well." The black beast approved and turned to the front. "I don't even know what to say now...the dragon ruined everything..." He grumbled while swinging his tail from side to side.

The eerie feeling intensified until my entire body felt like being submerged in icy water when the matriarch arrived at the gate. However, the wolves on the sides knowing my predicament sandwiched me and did their best to help me endure the greatest intimidation in this life.

*Krrruuummm--BAM!* The gate opened.

Ah, it can be opened from the inside too. I confirmed and sniffed an aged scent that complimented the rank of the old creature.

*Doo~oon!* The beast reaching almost six meters tall stepped in the gate and glanced at all those present before resting her gaze on me.

Ugghh! I trembled feeling danger alarms going off in my head. This... is what Sister talked about... Scary... I fully realized the imminent danger and kept quiet.

""Greetings, Matriarch!"" The wolves lowered their heads saluting.

"Houwa~ Hm!? Tasty Dragon..." The imposing beast spoke sniffing my way before approaching.

*Swoosh! Srashhhh!* Dark 9 rushed ahead and blocked the path.

"Mother, we have something important to talk about." He announced with the same eye-level.

"I'm hungry." She snarled and pushed him aside.

*Whoosh! Srashhhh!* Dark 9 once again rushed to block her path.

"GRR! Are you denying me food?" Dark 10 growled and spoke with a serious tone indicating her impatience.

"Mo-mother, he's the Dragon that's been helping us. He's a consultant." He revealed in a half-submitting posture.

The darkness beast ignored him and continued moving closer to me when the golden wolf blocked the path this time.

"You too...?" She questioned the obstruction.

"P-please do not extinguish our future..." The earthen wolf requested.

"I am your future." The ancient beast said adamantly.

"Mother, I'm begging you! We need him!" Dark 9 pleaded.

"Matriarch, this Dragon isn't a simple beast. His knowledge is genuine." Wind 8 reasoned.

"He trusted you coming down here and you're just gonna eat him? We could just bring you food--" Dark 8 proposed an alternative.

"ENOUGH!" Dark 10 barked sending a wave of intimidation.

""EEP!"" The others cowered in a servile manner.

*Enough...enough...enough...* The deep voice echoes in the cave until it became quiet.

"I'm eating that, and there's nothing you can do about it." The prominent wolf proclaimed.

""STOOOP!"" Erina and Dark 9 desperate shouts overlapped.

"Psh! As if She'd ever listen to any of you with that hierarchy of yours." I announced and the cavern became quiet again. "How many die each year because they aren't strong enough? Now, I wonder why no Tribe members are allowed in here despite being plenty Mana and space?" I questioned looking around the room before resting my gaze on the tribe leader.

The pre-Divine flinched and stopped, then gritted her teeth.

"YOU...! Know your place!" The eldest beast barked at me.

"Oh, shiiiit!" I cursed when my insides started getting warm.

I controlled the average kinetic energy of water molecules to counteract the microwaves bathing me, but the temperature kept rising as if mocking my attempts to resist.

"GWUAAAAAARGHHH!" I screamed in agony and lost the strength to stand.

*Thump! Kraash! Krssh! Kshhhh!* I slumped and writhed on the ground while emanating vapor.

""DRAGON!!" I hear the wolves call out worriedly.

*Krrr! Shuk! Shuk! Shuk! Whoosh! BAM! Srassshhh!* I hear a noise of stone moving and wolves dashing.

My pain subsided and in that instant of clarity, I used Lightning to block the pain and lowered the temperature with Water to comfortable levels before realizing what had transpired. The golden wolf had summoned three stone spikes reaching up to seven meters tall to impale the belly of the matriarch, but it was splendidly dodged and is now baring her fangs on the right.

"HUFF! HUFF! PUFF!" I panted getting up and inspected my body.

That bitch! I almost froze my head trying to counter those microwaves! Ugh! Around 10% of tissue is cooked or frozen, but I feel like my body has endured more beatings now, or that would've killed me. Although my flesh can adapt to resist extremes better, THAT is far too unpleasant to experience again... I determined.

"GRRRRR!" Erina growls menacingly in front of me.

Erina... Oh, right! She can detect the matriarch and attack through the ground... I realized the earthen advantage.

"GRRR! Y O U D A R E...?" The angered matriarch spoke in a grave tone that made us shiver.

"I DARE!" Erina snarled with her hackles raised showing hostility. "We've never asked anything or questioned you, and you want to kill a male that I've acknowledged after so many years!? Over my corpse!" She questioned enraged.

"I see... You fancy the lizard-- Oh? It's still alive?! But insubordination is punishable by death!" She declared noticing my well-being.

"Mo-mother!!? C-can you please reconsider? Killing any of us will only benefit the foxes." Dark 9 stammered standing in front of Wind 8.

"The lizard dies first, then the betrayer. I have spoken!" She announced and glared at me behind the golden wolf.

"WAIT! Wait! I can prove that my knowledge can help you reach Divine. Don't you want revenge? I can make it possible. You have nothing to lose by letting me be around and all to gain." I blurted in a hurry trying to convince her.

"...You gullible children may believe his lies, but he'll corrupt you no more..." The beast pondered for a moment and foreshadowed.

*Kssshh!* Vapor rose again from my scales as more flesh dried out.

"Arrrrghhh! Again with my eyes. What the fuck is wrong with you? I will return you this pain, I promise." I damned in anguish.

"NOO!" The golden she-wolf roared with a rigid stance.

*Crack! Crack! Swiss--BAAM! BAM! Swoop! Thump! Kreshhh!* Two large stalactites fell forcing the darkness beast to dodge on my left.

"Futile! He will die slowly and then--" The matriarch mocked and noticed my confidence despite the magic wrecking havoc inside me. "You... How are you still standing?" She stopped tormenting me and asked while the golden wolf confronts her unmoving.

It's difficult to completely interrupt magic arts in foreign domains, but Lightning resumes activity autonomously as long as there are resources which essentially double my multitasking ability in this situation.

"All my pain is nullified," I replied staring back in the dark.

"..." The troubled beast ponders in silence.

"Sorry?" I said with a smug expression.

"Dragon, it seems negotiating is impossible, and you are in a bad shape already, so how about we stop playing?" Dark 8 determined and requested.

"...Little one, what are you on about?" The eldest wolf inquired suspicious.

"You're right. Any more and I'll die." I acknowledged and nodded.

"Matriarch, as much as I'd like to see the Dragon suffer, if he dies, we all die." She disclosed.

""WHAT!!?"" The beasts barked alarmed.

"Good! I expect no less from a beast who doesn't fear death." Erina approved wagging her puffed tail.

"Dragon, what did you do??!" Wind 8 demanded.

"You Fox! What did you scheme?!" Dark 9 urged while his mother awaits a response with her ears perked.

"Hehe~ I ordered the group of High-Ranks to collapse a big portion of the tunnel and replace a large volume of breathable air up there with toxic gasses, then leave... Not even Earth 9 or Wind 8 can help us get out of here in time..." I elaborated the first plan.

""YOU WHAT...!?"" Dark 9 and the green wolf said in consternation.

Actually, we should survive for quite a while down here and there's a way out if we cooperate... I affirmed and kept quiet.

"They wouldn't dare...!" The matriarch doubted and probed. "No... No no no NOO!!" She panicked and glared at me with frantic eyes. "You vile creature! How do we get out?" She demanded pressuring me.

"Oh, its simple. You need to send them two codes using darkness magic in a certain frequency which Dark 8 and I have, but neither of us knows the other..." I casually answered.

Yep, I taught them Morse code and Dark 8 was perfect for that role... I affirmed recalling our secrets meetings.

"GRRR! You hateful beast! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!" The eldest she-wolf snarled in a sinister way.

"You won't get the chance!" Erina declared showing her fighting spirit.

"Are you crazy?! What if something happens...?" Dark 9 disapproved.

"You could've just sent a representative..." Wind 8 proposed an alternative.

"But that's not all~" Dark 8 announced in a jovial mood.

""There's more!!?"" The magical beasts blurted at the same time.

She's enjoying this... But... it feels good being in control. Haha! I mused and answered.

"Yep. There's a group stationed at the coast, right above us, and should they detect a Mana wave from a High rank's death, the codes will be invalidated." I explained pointing up with my snout.

"GRAAHH! You despicable lizaaaaaard!" He matriarch roared frustrated gnawing her fangs.

"Mhnn... But it's good if no beast dies..." The wind wolf reviewed.

"That's it! Go live with the foxes. GO!" Dark 9 reproached half-joking.

"Sorry. But it was necessary. Everyone here is important to me...even you." I said staring at the matriarch.

"D-don't listen to him! He's working for the foxes...trying to divide us!" The cornered beast accused.

"The one helping the foxes is YOU!" Erina barked. "YOU are the one who restricts our Mana, YOU hide in here while we risk our lives out there, and YOU want to eliminate our only hope." She argued.

"SILENCE!" Dark 10 barked with intimidation again and calmed down. "You know it's dangerous for you to be down here, and it would interrupt my meditation, so allowing this...Dragon to plot against me will doom our Tribe. But I can forgive this insubordination if everything goes back to the way it was, and take this...creature out of my Tribe! I'll increase your share of Mana crystals, and spend more time patrolling the north. What do you say?" She negotiated in a good mood.

"You've been saying the same THING for 50 years. Our patience runs out..." The earthen wolf said disappointedly.

"Mother, the Foxes are relentless...they don't wait for you." Dark 9 asserted.

"Matriarch. The Tribe members have been anxious for a while, and they haven't defected because we are trapped between territories, but the Dragon gave them hope..." Wind 8 reported.

"GRR! I'm doing the best I can! I just need more time to become a Divine, then everything will be fixed. You don't need a low-ranking beast that put all our lives in peril!" She calmly reasoned.

"But it's not enough to rank up, isn't it? And revenge is even less realistic, right? For a Low-Talent such as yourself that is." I divulged.

""....HOUN...!!?"" The four elder wolves uttered surprised and silence followed as they stared at the ancient beast.