The Extra's Rise

The next day, it was time for us to travel to the Kagu estate. Located halfway across the Eastern Continent, the journey would normally take days of high-speed travel, but the advanced warp gate network connecting major family territories made it possible in minutes.

"Ready?" Seraphina asked as we stood before Mount Hua Sect's primary transportation hub.

"As ready as I can be for walking into what might be a trap," I replied, doing a final check of my equipment. My instincts were telling me this situation was more dangerous than it appeared on the surface.

The warp gate activated with a familiar surge of spatial mana, space folding around us as we stepped through the threshold. The sensation lasted only seconds before we emerged onto a platform surrounded by meticulously maintained gardens that spoke to centuries of wealth and refinement.

The Kagu estate sprawled across a valley between two mountain ranges, with traditional architecture blended seamlessly with more modern defensive and communication systems. Everything about the place radiated power—not just magical, but political and economic influence that had shaped the Eastern Continent for generations.

"Second Hero and Your Highness," announced the gate attendant with formal courtesy. "The matriarch is waiting to receive you."

We were escorted through gardens that rivaled anything I'd seen at the imperial palace, past fountains and carefully cultivated groves that demonstrated the kind of attention to beauty that only truly secure power could afford. Servants and guards moved with professional efficiency, and I noticed how they all bowed deeply when they saw me—the kind of reverence reserved for figures of truly exceptional status.

The main residence was a masterpiece of architectural balance—large enough to house dozens of family members and their retainers, but designed with such elegance that it felt welcoming rather than imposing. We were led through corridors lined with portraits of Kagu ancestors, their painted eyes seeming to follow our progress with interest.

"She's waiting in the Garden Pavilion," our guide explained as we approached an open-air structure that overlooked the estate's most spectacular view.

And there she was.

Selene Kagu stood with her back to us, gazing out at the mountain vista with the kind of stillness that spoke to deep contemplation. Her white hair caught the morning light like spun silver, falling in elegant waves past her shoulders. When she turned to greet us, violet eyes assessed me with an intelligence that seemed to pierce straight through any pretense.

The moment she saw me, she immediately dropped into a formal bow that spoke to genuine respect for my position.

"Second Hero Arthur Nightingale," she said with reverent formality. "It is an tremendous honor to receive you at our family estate. Your presence here during our time of crisis is a blessing beyond measure."

I bowed respectfully in return, though something in her manner made me uneasy in ways I couldn't quite identify. "Lady Selene, thank you for receiving us during such a difficult time."

"The honor is entirely ours," she replied, maintaining the careful deference due to someone of my rank. "To think that the Second Hero himself would personally involve himself in our family's troubles... we are truly humbled."

She moved closer, and I could feel the subtle pressure of her low Radiant-rank aura—controlled, refined, but carrying undertones that seemed somehow different from what I remembered of her previous presence.

"Your achievements have been the talk of every noble house across all continents," she continued with what appeared to be sincere admiration. "When word reached us that you'd become the Second Hero, I remembered meeting you years ago on Southern Sea Sun Island during that terrible vampire incident. Even then, I could see you possessed extraordinary potential."

"That was a challenging time," I replied. "Your assistance during the crisis was invaluable."

"I was merely a witness to your heroism," she said with appropriate humility. "You were the one who turned the tide of that battle. It's no surprise you've risen to become one of the two greatest heroes in human history."

"Lady Selene," Seraphina interjected with polite formality, "we're grateful for your welcome, but we're here primarily about Ren. We understand the circumstances of his disappearance were unusual.

"Of course," Selene replied, her expression shifting to appropriate concern while maintaining her respectful tone. "Poor Ren. Please, let's go inside where we can discuss the situation properly with my brother. He's eager to meet the Second Hero and share everything we know."

We were led into a formal meeting room where Kem Kagu was already waiting. Ren's father shared the family's distinctive violet eyes, though his hair was darker than his sister's and his build was more clearly martial. The moment he saw me, he rose and bowed deeply, the worry lines around his eyes mixing with obvious awe.

"Second Hero," he said with profound respect. "Words cannot express my gratitude that someone of your stature would personally involve yourself in finding my son. The Kagu family is forever in your debt."

"Tell us everything you know," I said as we settled around a low table where tea and documents were already laid out. "Even details that might seem insignificant."

For the next hour, we reviewed everything the Kagu family had discovered about Ren's disappearance. The route he'd been taking, the timing of his last confirmed sighting, the complete absence of any signs of struggle or forced departure. It painted a picture that was both frustrating and ominous in its lack of concrete information.

"What about his mission parameters?" Seraphina asked with professional focus. "Was there anything unusual about the territory he was scouting?"

"Standard border patrol," Kem replied with obvious frustration. "Areas he'd covered dozens of times before, with no recent reports of unusual activity or potential threats."

"The search teams found his vehicle," Selene added, producing photographs that showed an undamaged transport with all systems still functional. "No signs of ambush, no evidence of pursuit. As if he simply decided to abandon it and walk away."

I studied the images carefully, noting details that supported their assessment. Whatever had happened to Ren, it hadn't involved conventional kidnapping or assault methods.

"We'd like to examine the site personally," I said. "Sometimes fresh perspectives can identify things that previous searches missed."

"Of course," Kem agreed immediately. "Whatever the Second Hero requires, we will provide. I'll give you detailed maps and coordinate with our search teams to ensure you have complete access."

"If I may be so bold," Selene interjected with careful deference, "might I accompany you to the site? I know those territories well, and perhaps having family present could be helpful if you discover anything significant."

The offer was logical and politely made, but it triggered every warning instinct I'd developed over years of navigating dangerous situations. Something about Selene felt wrong—not obviously so, but in subtle ways that made me want to keep her where I could observe her rather than allowing her to operate independently.

"That would be helpful," I replied with careful neutrality. "Your local knowledge could be valuable."

Two hours later, we were airborne in one of the Kagu family's high-speed aircraft, heading toward the region where Ren had vanished. Selene had changed into practical traveling clothes that didn't diminish her elegance, and she seemed genuinely concerned about finding her nephew.

But I couldn't shake the feeling that something about her was fundamentally wrong.

The search site was exactly as described—a stretch of relatively open terrain near the border between Kagu lands and neutral territories. Ren's vehicle sat where the search teams had found it, preserved as evidence but yielding no additional clues to conventional investigation.

"The search teams covered a five-kilometer radius," Kem explained as we stood beside the abandoned transport. "Ground teams, aerial reconnaissance, even magical detection specialists. Nothing."

I activated my enhanced senses, pushing my perception beyond normal human limits to scan for traces that others might have missed. The Grey had sharpened my understanding of how energy flowed through living systems, making me more sensitive to disturbances in natural patterns.

For several minutes, I found nothing that hadn't already been catalogued by the search teams. Then, at the very edge of my enhanced range, I detected something that made my blood run cold.

A trace of energy that felt familiar in the worst possible way.

"Arthur?" Seraphina asked, noting my sudden tension. "What is it?"

I moved toward the source of the disturbance, following a trail that was barely perceptible even with my enhanced capabilities. The energy signature grew stronger as I approached a seemingly unremarkable section of grassland about two hundred meters from the vehicle.

"Here," I said quietly, kneeling to examine the ground more closely.

This was a sickening energy I was all too familiar with.

The power of a Calamity.