Rion stood back in the white room and moved his hand to the side before going through his domain and withdrawing the strange gem he lifted from that thief in the previous loop. His spatial affinity had either kept the exact item in his domain or more than likely duplicated it.

“Duplication. Now thats a strong ability. Kyrie, have you caught up as of yet?” Kyrion muttered to himself.

“Yeah. Ander and I will go with Lin this time. We won’t let something like that happen again. You’re mighty calm.” Kyrie sighed.

“Is that how it seems? I will be with Lin for the most part. We’ll be splitting when I get back to the underworld. From there you and Ander will watch from a safe distance and only interfere when I call for you or someone attacks.” Rion watched as Karl built a body for Kyrie.

As the body was grown, Kyrie began to move. Rion handed the man a vial.

“Use this on yourself to boost your body greatly. But only during an emergency “

“Right. Power. I’m not going to use that.” Kyrie passed the vial back.

“Fine, fine.” Kyrion dropped it on the dungeon floor and watched as Karl broke it down for analysis. “Edwin is a weak expert, but that doesn’t meen the fight will be easy. Don’t give him a chance to fight back, aim to stagger and use the ground as a weapon. Unless Ander decides to go full tiger.”

“Rodger.”

Kyrion watched as Kyrie headed off and Lin arrived moments later.

“Whats the plan? Volain seems to be clean.”

“That's a rather astute observation,” Kyrion said with little emotion as he manually forced himself into an apathetic headspace.

“What does that mean?” Lin asked.

“We need to stick together, if it isn’t Volain, then things are getting fishy.”

“Why did you think it was him anyways?” Lin asked.

“I felt something that I didn’t understand from them. But that doesn’t matter as my hunch was wrong.”

Rion was being tailed by three people during this loop. The easiest to catch was Volain who wasn’t much for stealth but was doing his best to stay hidden. The second seemed to be a familiar presence that he couldn’t catch in the act easily but his senses told him that they were reasonably close. The third watcher was the masked girl that was with Lin and Sigfried. Rion had not learned her name.

“Lin, who is that lady that keeps stalking you?” Rion pulled out a duplicate of a small black pellet that he borrowed from said lady relatively recently.

“Little Fox. Why are you asking?”

“...Thats not much of a name. ” Rion said as he threw the pellet to the ground and the whole area was filled with smoke.

Two figures, one male, the other female, shot out of the smoke and went for a run. The female figure heavily resembled Lin. While the male loosely resembled Rion.

Suddenly a young man hiding behind a rock jumped down to give chase. Breaking cover and revealing himself to be Volain.

Soon after a shadow broke cover his face and hair reminded Rion of Everest. An assassin doesn’t need to hide their face in public as that draws attention, A good assassin doesn’t stand out.

Little Fox stayed behind as the smoke faded and watched Lin and stood there with an unperturbed look. But she was quite confused at the glare she was getting from her mistress. Almost as though she was looking straight above her head.

“Your a spirit. Aren’t you?” Rion asked from behind the masked stalker.

“How in the depths did you figure that out?”

“Because you didn’t chase the fakes marking your connection to Lin. But you could have an item for that. You don’t, by the way, I checked all your gadgets and gizmos a while back. There is also the fact that even though you stay out of the way, you're always within a one-mile radius. And when I tagged you with a tracker it ended up on Lin.” Kyrion lied through his teeth.

“You did what?” Little fox drew a dagger and jumped toward Rion.

Rion shattered it with his hand. “We are being tailed by a predator and a trained assassin. I don’t want you to kill either as that would get messy. In fact, I want you to inform the headmaster and have him consent to it. I have a bad idea and I don’t want Lin hearing about it, Mamon.” Kyrion handed over a folded note with a signature.

I consent to assassination if they can catch me lacking. It's my own fault, Singed Kyrion.

Mamon scowled as she looked at it. “You're mad, and how did you figure that out.”

“You’re only just figuring that out? The signs of mental instability were obvious.” Kyrion fell from the roof, flipping in the air a few times, and landed in front of an irritated Lin.

“Why did you leave me behind to talk to her?” She asked, arms crossed.

“Becasue I figured out her relation to you. You must have alot of mana to keep her out at all times.”

“You are hardly one to talk. Mr.Walking Leyline.”

Kyrion hadn’t heard that one before and scowled. “I’m going to be a dangerous expert when I reach that tier. I know it and most who want me dead know it. Given the current state of affairs I’ll be running straight to expert after this tournament. If I survive that is.” Rion stated.

“You’re going to burn up your potential?”

“Not at all, the foundation has been laid, watered, and nurtured. All that's left is time. Now lets go before they figure out I tricked them.”

Rion was alone, cornered, and unsurprised when the assassin ambushed him when he entered the secluded area of the forest. In fact, he had been planning on it. The wires tied up his body and greatly lowered his fire resistance while promising heavy damage should he try to light the area up.

Rion made sure not to move as a cold blade was slowly placed against his spine.

“Don’t move.” A distorted and muffled voice stated.

“Right right. You caught me. Is this the part where you kill me for slaying your master? Or are you one of the other countless people I’ve gone out of my way to irritate.”

“If you really need to ask who then you clearly won’t be missed.”

“I’ll be missed by a lot of people. In fact, if you kill me then I’m 90% sure even you’ll regret it. You tone deaf tailor.” Rion didn’t move as the blade left a light cut across his back. The wound healed almost as fast as the blade passed. As though Rion was regenerating out of spite.

“What do you know?”

“In your profession? Very little. About your little crush on B…”

The dagger slipped into a lung and was withdrawn. “When did you learn how to shift your appearance so much?”

Kyrion’s lung may have healed but he still had to let out a chain of coughs as he drew the blood from the wound using his water and wind affinity. “Not cool man. Also, I need to know who hired you and why?"

"How do I know you're who I think you are?"

Kyrion sighed and a cage of roots shot out of the ground and entangled a passing rabbit. "You know that I willingly don't eat due to a run in with a cannibalistic group that tried to cook me…Huh. Just realized that has happened twice now."

"If you're you. Why didn't you just escape?"

"I needed to let your tails see you capture me while I planted some trackers on their flesh."

"I was followed? When?"

"There's the illusion girl, that won't stay dead. Along with that snake Edwin."

"I dont know those people." Everest half lied.

"I’m sure you wouldn't." Kyrion rolled his eyes.

"Someone from Etravonia hired me to get rid of the threat to his person."

Kyrion squinted. "Midas… But he wouldn't have known to send you after me. I haven't directly encountered him since I last broke his ribs."

"So you've attacked a prince."

"He isn't a prince. Well…if he is then he isn't related to Max in any direct way. His body seems to have been altered in some way."

"How did you come to that conclusion?"

"The king of Etravonia doesn't have any sons. Those that are born have previously lasted up to seven years at a maximum. My friend Max seemingly being an exception and even then something is wrong.." Kyrion scowled.

"So you doubt that there are two rare successes?"

"I believe that I'm missing a lot of information. I also know that Max's power isn't spirit mastery. Spirit cores have a similar effect but don't work the same on him as they would on me." Kyrion stated this observation cleanly.

"Enough courtly nonsense. What did you need me to do?"

"I need you to figure out why Midas sent you after me, the real me not Rion. I'll slip something on your coller. And then you can follow your boss around for a bit.ler."

“What do you hope to accomplish?”

“The same day has been on repeat for at least six days so far. Most people don’t seem to remember much. Ander being an anomaly remembering all six while Lin seems to only remember four. Although I’m pretty sure she’s lying about the first one. She doens’t remember the previous loop, which is good. Considering that she died during that loop and seemed to forget everything that happened that day. My goal is to end the cycle and figure out what the team from the Beast Blood Empire has to do with anything.”

Everest scowled. “What do they have to do with this?”

“Edwin is here and he seems to be up to something. Lisa is also here which means she survived which makes perfect sense. But Milo… I thought he was better than that.”

“What was it that Damian used to say? Can’t judge a blade by it’s scabbard.”

“That man only has one thing on his mind.” Kyrion added.

The duo laughed before separating. As Everest got far enough away a feminine sigh left his mouth as his form shifted and he became a familiar fox.

“The things I do for master.” Jala then began to trail Everest through her access to the space between worlds.

Volain stared at what appeared to be a human-sized bird person with blueish-white feathers covering its body and a bill over its mouth. Over its torso was a blue military uniform paired with a blue beret.

“You aren’t Rion.” Volain said bluntly.

“And you aren’t blind.” The strange bird pulled out a cigar and stuck it in his beak to look intimidating.

Volain was not intimidated but he was confused. “Whats going on?”

“What have you figured out Birdman?” Volain crossed his arms.

“Your smarter than you look Orca.” Issac stated.

Volain moved forward to punch Issac only to miss as the bird gracefully danced past him and countered with a push that caused the warrior to topple onto the reinforced wooden planks.

“Who do you work for?” Volain asked as he got back to his feet.

“Me, Myself, and Issac.” The bird stated as he didn’t move to continue fighting.

“Fine then. Answer my first question or leave.”

Issac sighed. “I sense shenanigans a foot. The days repeating until the source is erased permanently. This would be the third time you experienced this day I presume?”

“Yes. But how do you know?”

“Mana linking. Its something most healers use to connect themselves to you for ranged healing spells, treatments, or monitoring. Like a benificial curse, most of the time.”

“When would I have been cursed?” Volain got defensive.

“More of a boon really. Someone connected to you is also connected to the person messing with time. Part of that ability is shared to all linked to the power.”

“How many loops have there been?”

“At least four or five, unless the binding took longer due to the connection not being strong enough.”

“Thats concerning. So are you linked to them as well?” Volain asked.

“Something like that?”

“And you expect me to believe that you aren’t responsable.” Volain prepared to charge.

Issac sighed and tossed Volain a blue orb. “How is this for hush money.”

“This is a spirit core. High purity and water based but I can’t figure out who it belongs too.”

“It's a child of Undine, they will become what you need. I can spare this one if you swear to keep our secrets, and assist me in stopping these vile villains.” Issac stated.

“A bribe. Wait. If I use this won’t it get reversed when time fixes itself.”

“Thats not how spirits work pal.”

“And you are an expert on spirits?”

‘

“Certainly more than you. I can see that your at the precipice of breaking into the late stage of practitioner. This could make you quite a bit stronger.”

“Wouldn’t that make me a stronger threat to your team’s victory.”

“I’m not too worried, I doubt anyone I know is dumb enough to fight you head on.” Issac twirled a feather before turning. “I could take it back.”

“Fine then. I swear to help you put an end to the people who ruined my meal.” Volain felt a stabbing sensation in his chest.

“Great. Now lets go. I suspect they will be gathering shortly.”

Midas, crown prince of Etravonia, and the second strongest student at his academy, was panicked. In front of him stood a red-haired figure with dark green, almost emerald eyes and an odd smile on their face.

“You stole my time. So now I will steal your life.” The figure began shambling towards Midas.

Midas sent a spear of golden mana into his stalker.

The figure smacked the spear aside with brute strength and closed the distance raising its hand to crush the prince.

“Move!” A black-haired young man covered in black armor blocked the attack.

“Right!” Midas had met this person before in a previous version of this day, and they tried to save him here as well, but he just hadn’t been fast enough. Midas turned and fled as he lobed golden arrows up at his foe.

A bestial screech echoed through the world as his ears popped and his body failed him.

A blue birdlike humanoid stood next to Volain and smiled. “Why do you smell familiar lost duckling?” The creature asked as a bead of water began to pool at his white fingers.

“What are you doing here?” Midas asked as he began to back up.

Everest stepped out of the shadows behind Midas. “You said that you were in danger. Red hair and green eyes. Right?”

“I came here looking to figure out who interrupted my meal.” Volain stated.

Midas got to his feet before a whip of water wrapped itself around his neck and lifted him off the ground.

“Wha…” Midas kicked at the air and found that he couldn’t use his magic as the whip tightened and water entered his body through his pores, mouth, and ears.

Everest drew his blade and charged at the bird creature before passing through an invisible doorway and reappearing thirty feet away. Much to his confusion.

“Issac, are you done?” Asked a feminine voice that hadn’t revealed itself.

“Yes.” Issac dropped the young spirit master unceremoniously. The water pooling on the ground.

“You twice cursed idiot. Oh now this is hillarious. That demon in you is confused as you agreed to it while under heavy mental influnce. In it’s confusion it latched onto something it shouldn’t have. Attempting to alter the agreement requires consent from all parties involved.”

“What are you talking about?” Midas stepped away as a dagger appeared in his offhand.

Milo appeared in front of Midas. “More of that figures friends. We need to run, they killed Edwin and I can’t hold them all back alone.”

“Edwin was mine to deal with.” Everest scowled.

Midas panicked and ran away from the group and into the hands of his red-haired hunter.

The last thing Midas saw before that accursed power activated was a hand passing through his chest cavity.