Looks like I can't outsmart them. Fine. I'll play the game their way.
Lyon narrowed his eyes with determination.
"Give me your hand, Exca."
Sasaki glanced at him.
"What for?"
"You can't use Switch Mode. Your Renshi is greater than mine, so moving around like that would release too much energy and attract unwanted attention. Let me handle it."
Sasaki shrugged and held out his hand.
Lyon took it, then raised his free hand. Glowing symbols began forming in the air as he traced four distinct signs: East, West, North, and South.
For the East sign, he pointed his two middle fingers downward.
For the West sign, he raised the remaining three fingers while keeping the first two pointed down.
He performed the two signs simultaneously before moving on.
For North, he extended one finger forward and folded the others.
Finally, he clenched his hand into a tight fist, completing the South sign.
"This is the Art of Mojito."
An ancient art that existed even before the Wizards.
When Renshi, the world's primal energy, was first discovered, the earliest humans sought ways to incorporate it into their daily lives. Over time, they began developing techniques to harness its power in battle.
But as generations passed, something extraordinary happened.
The children of the second generation were born with Renshi already inside them. Unlike their predecessors, they no longer needed to discover or acquire the energy themselves.
Their potential was far greater, and many became obsessed with developing new abilities.
Among them was a young man whose imagination knew no limits.
He created an ability known as the Art of Multiple Creation and recorded its secrets in a single scroll.
His power was terrifyingly simple.
Whatever he imagined could become reality.
On the battlefield, he could wipe out entire armies weaker than himself simply by imagining their defeat. He didn't need weapons or physical strength to overpower his enemies. His imagination alone was enough.
But such power came at a price.
The world feared him. People protested against his existence, and many began to see him as a threat to humanity itself.
Despite his homeland pleading for his life, the higher authorities reached a final decision.
He had to be executed.
The day of his execution arrived. With a blade hanging above his neck, the young man stood at the edge of death.
But just before the blade could fall, he imagined his scroll appearing before him.
And it did.
He opened it, placed his palm against its surface, and performed the four signs: East, West, North, and South.
Then he introduced three additional signs.
The Sun.
The Moon.
And the Star.
These three signs would change the world forever.
The Sun sign was drawn in the air using spiritual energy, with the man forming its symbol through that energy.
The Moon sign was created in the same way, as he traced the shape of the moon through spiritual energy.
For the Star sign, he released several dots of spiritual energy from his palm and connected them, forming a star in the air.
With these additional signs, the young man achieved something no one had ever imagined possible.
He transformed himself, merging with Mother Nature itself.
As his body began to disappear, his final words echoed through history.
"I was never a threat. I'm one of the keys to humanity's breakthrough. Today, I become what you will want, but won't easily have access to... Mojito."
His body dissolved into dust, and his existence became one with the world.
From that moment onward, Mojito was no longer remembered as an ordinary human. He became a godlike figure, a legendary spirit revered by humanity.
He had become spiritual energy itself.
Decades later, the elders of the Shinra began studying the scroll he had left behind. They spent years trying to understand his techniques and reproduce his achievements.
Eventually, they uncovered the secret behind the four basic signs.
East, West, North, and South were spiritual connectors. Anyone who possessed Spiritual energy and mastered these signs could begin developing abilities unique to their own imagination.
However, mastering the signs alone wasn't enough to achieve Mojito's legendary transformation.
A user also needed to awaken their spiritual energy, which was different from the Renshi circulating within their body.
After deciphering the scroll, the elders copied its teachings and spread them throughout the world.
Their first goal was to reproduce Mojito's original ability: turning imagination into reality.
But no one came close to matching his power.
Eventually, they discovered its limitation.
The Art of Mojito allowed users to manifest their imagination, but the results depended on the strength of their spiritual energy. The greater their spiritual energy, the more they could bring into reality.
As generations passed, however, interest in the ancient art began to decline.
Most practitioners couldn't even master its first phase, known as Limited Imagination, which allowed them to manifest only simple thoughts.
Only about one percent of users managed to access the advanced Sun, Moon, and Star signs.
And even among those rare individuals, the strongest could master only two of the three connections.
Lyon had little belief in the art.
He had already mastered the first connection.
Now, he imagined himself and Sasaki becoming completely invisible, their presence concealed from anyone who might be watching.
A moment later, his imagination took effect.
"We can use Switch Mode now," Lyon said. "The Art of Mojito is shielding us. No one will be able to see us."
Sasaki looked down at his hands before glancing around.
"So we're invisible?"
"Exactly."
Still holding on to each other, the two began using Switch Mode, teleporting from one location to another while remaining concealed by Lyon's technique.
They crossed the landscape in rapid succession until they finally reached the border between the Kingdom of Eminence and the Kingdom of Sunflower.
Guard Shinras and Mages stood watch on both sides of the border, keeping a close eye on anyone attempting to pass through.
Lyon and Sasaki remained hidden in the forest, on the neutral ground between the two kingdoms.
Lyon leaped onto a tree branch and settled down comfortably.
"Well, well. In a few hours... perhaps even a few minutes... we'll claim our grand prize."
Sasaki landed beside him, frowning slightly.
"Are you sure this is the best place to wait? That woman might be smarter than we think. She could find another route."
"Relax, Exca. We've got your nose to help us track them down. If they're anywhere nearby, we'll find them. There's no way we're letting them slip away."
Lyon paused, then sighed.
I sound more like a villain with every word.
I really hope she decides to turn back.
"You okay, partner?" Sasaki asked, noticing his expression.
Lyon leaned against the tree trunk.
"I'm fine. Just exhausted. Using the Art of Mojito took more out of me than I expected."
"Then get some rest. I'll keep watch."
Lyon nodded and stretched out along the branch.
Sasaki jumped back down to the forest floor and began keeping watch.
Meanwhile, Lyon closed his eyes, hoping to recover some of his strength before their targets arrived.
---
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Eminence...
Lucy, Alfie, and Rebekah sat around a table in a local restaurant, enjoying their dinner.
Alfie was having the time of his life.
"Yummy... This is so delicious."
He devoured another piece of roasted chicken before shoving a handful of chips into his mouth.
Rebekah stared at him in disbelief.
"Slow down, Alfie. People are staring at you."
"I can't help it..." Alfie replied enthusiastically, barely pausing to chew. "This food is amazing. I haven't eaten anything this tasty since I left Mama."
"Both of you, keep it down," Lucy snapped. "We're leaving before midnight. I don't want any more delays, understood?"
"Yes, Master," they answered together.
Alfie reluctantly returned to his meal, while Rebekah continued eating quietly.
As he ate, Alfie glanced at Lucy's plate.
Unlike him, who was busy devouring roasted chicken and chips, Lucy was eating mostly vegetables.
Curiosity got the better of him.
"Master, can I ask you something?"
Lucy looked up.
"What is it?"
"Why do you always eat vegetables? Don't you like meat?"
Lucy smirked.
"You kids really don't understand how important a balanced diet is. Your bodies need more greens than meat."
Alfie nearly choked.
"Huh? That's a lie."
Rebekah turned toward him, startled by his sudden outburst.
Alfie pointed at Lucy, looking genuinely offended.
"My mama told me the exact opposite."
Lucy stared at him for a moment before narrowing her eyes.
"Are you calling your master a liar, Alfie?"
Alfie's expression stiffened.
"...No. I'm telling you what I know."
"Good. Now finish your food and keep your mouth shut."
Alfie lowered his head and quietly returned to his chicken.
Beside him, Rebekah pressed her lips together, struggling to hold back her laughter.