The sun had long set on the academy spires, casting the training grounds in deep blue shadow. The air was cool and still, but for Nero and Khione, the day's work was not done. The pressure of the coming mission, of Elysia's looming threat, was a clock ticking in both their minds. Rest was not an option. Understanding—true, seamless understanding—was the only weapon they could forge in time.
Without needing to discuss it, they found themselves walking back to the logistical hub. They spent more of their dwindling credits, this time renting a joint pass to a pocket world neither had visited before. The designation was simple: "Verdant Gorge – Beta Level." A mid-tier world with varied terrain and adaptive fauna. Perfect for testing not just individual skill, but teamwork.
