Mira led her small army along with Maria and Vulcan out of the forest. She just told Vulcan to take care of any magical beasts that are stupid enough to come close to them. Mira just kept feeding the egg her energy and blue lightning as they walked leisurely through the forest. The women were getting a little nervous about going to Lunar Fox City. This was their first time visiting a city much less in a large group like this with a lot of other powerful people. They had changed into their normal clothes for this as they didn’t want to enter a city wearing beast pelts.

Alicia walked up to Mira and Maria to start talking to them.

“Why do you want us to stay at Maria’s place? The bandits had plenty of money. I’m sure we could’ve found our own place to stay. It also seems like there may need to be some convincing.” Alicia tried to start a conversation. Maria was also wondering the same thing.

“So you can prepare for the trial. There are a few stages there that you won’t be able to pass without at least a bit of knowledge or luck. I also plan on training Maria and her father in the same thing as well. I can’t have my subordinates fail, now can I? Also, finding an unarmed combat teacher in our current location is probably impossible, much less one as good as me. I plan on offering her father a chance for some of his family members to go as well. If you all had to stay in different rooms and different places, then we would lose precious training time. One more thing, I want you to give me a list of everyone’s names and what they are good at. Maybe some aren’t as good with a sword and need another weapon or maybe others are better at fighting in a group or better at leadership roles. Things like that. If they have a better talent for something, then that should be taken advantage of.” Mira already seemed to have part of their future planned out.

They continued their journey out of the forest until they reached the border of the forest. Vulcan took care of any brainless monsters. Maria and Alicia chatted as some of the other girls started to talk with Maria as well. It took them a few days to reach the outskirts at their pace. They could’ve made it out faster, but there was no need to rush. Mira then told Maria to do something.

“Maria, use your talisman to contact your father. It’s not smart for all 500 of us to enter at the same time. It might cause suspicion with the other families in the city.” Mira said as Maria nodded and took out her talisman to contact her Dad. She inserted her energy in it and it lit up.

***

In the Zaria Household, Lunar Fox City.

Cole was in his study doing some work when he felt his talisman light up and alert him. He started to panic for a minute as he thought something might be wrong.

“Erika!! The talisman I gave Maria lit up!! I have to go see what’s going on!!” Cole yelled at his wife who was somewhere in the large building. Erika heard this and came running to Cole.

“What!? Is she okay?! What happened?! I’m coming with you!! Hurry!” Erika started to shout at her husband as he just nodded and they ran out of the house together and hurried out of the gate as they told the guards it was an emergency. It didn’t take them long to find the signal from Maria’s talisman. They soon found Maria with her now long golden hair that seemed to shine along with a girl that looked around 14 wearing a mask next to her. This girl gave off a cold aura that seemed to be exponentially stronger since the last time they met. Then they noticed the 500 women behind them that were all in Stage 1 Qi Condensation. They thought that Mira and Maria must be in danger and took out their weapons.

“What is going on here?! What do you want with my daughter?! You guys better not try anything funny?!” Cole yelled as he looked at the women angrily and Erika seemed to have the same intention.

The women just looked at each other.

*Pfft!”

They then started laughing. Cole was a bit puzzled as he didn’t think he told a joke. Alicia was the first one to walk up and speak.

“Eh? You think we are forcing Miss Mira and Maria to do anything? Clearly, you don’t know Miss Mira very well then. We’d be dead if we tried to force her to do anything. If anything she is the one forcing us to come here. Hehe.” Alicia said as she was still giggling as all 500 women nodded. Maria then ran up to her father. Cole thought she was coming in for a hug, but instead, Maria gripped his shoulders tightly.

“Dad, what the heck are you talking about?! Oh! That’s right! These women came with us. We are bringing them to explore the city a bit as well as to prepare for their next journey. Well, Mira will be doing the preparation! Anyway, we should let them stay with us for a while! They can all just stay in the courtyard. They all brought their own stuff so it’ll be fine. It’s fine, right? RIGHT!?” Maria started shaking Cole as both he and Erika were extremely confused. What the hell was going on right now?

“What the heck is going on, Maria? Why do we need to let these women stay with us? Why are there so many following you anyways?” Erika started to question.

“Mira saved them from bandits and trained them. Mira promised me a reward if I could convince you guys to let them stay with us. OH! Mira also said she will give you something beneficial as well.” Maria started to explain hurriedly. Mira stepped up and started talking.

“We ran into a lucky encounter that can strengthen future generations. I will escort anyone under 40 in the Qi Condensation or Foundation Realm to that location. I guarantee that they will come out of it exponentially stronger than before. I can’t really describe the location as it is near impossible to find unless you know what to look for. If you and Erika are under 40 then both of you can come as well. You may even advance to Core Formation or higher into that realm.” Mira laid down her offer.

Cole and Erika were both shocked by this. Everything was happening so fast and there was so much important information that they didn’t know what to do.

“Why don’t you come back first and we can discuss this? I don’t think this is a decision I can make here.” Cole tried to persuade.

“No. If you can’t make the decision now then you don’t even deserve to know the location. It’s really very simple. Do you want you and your family to grow stronger or not. I don’t care either way. I guess I can throw in one more thing though. Hehe. I will train you, Erika, and whoever is going with, in unarmed combat as well if you decide yes.” Mira laid down another offer for Cole. Cole was now forced to think about this. Maria then whispered into his ear.

“I’m sorry, Dad. I accidentally dragged you into this as well by lying to Mira saying you taught me unarmed combat. I think you should just accept the offer. It will be very beneficial, plus I doubt the women will get in the way. They are very polite and really only listen to Mira. Mira also told me not to tell you the location of the place, but it’s not like I’d be of much help with that if I could.” Maria whispered and Cole thought about it some more and finally nodded his head.

“Alright, I guess it’s fine. As long as they aren’t a bother to everyone else. Also, it might be a bit suspicious for all 500 of you to walk in at the same time.” Cole agreed after some thinking. They didn’t have extra rooms for all 500 people, but if they didn’t mind sleeping in the courtyard then it was fine. He also wasn’t expecting to pay for food for all as well, so it wasn’t that big of a deal.

“You hear that, girls! Split up into groups of 10! You will enter in varying intervals. Me, Maria, Cole, or Erika will come and get you to lead you to the Zaria household. The rest of you wait here until it is your turn!” Mira turned around and commanded them.

“”Yes, Miss Mira!!”” They all yelled and immediately got into 50 groups of 10.

Cole and Erika were both surprised by several things there. They called Mira, ‘Miss Mira’, they all listened to her like she was a commander and the speed at which they separated into groups. It was near instant like they were a unified group that has been trained to do this. Cole now understood when Maria said that they only listen to Mira. She’s the leader of this group. Cole gulped at this as he didn’t expect Mira to have her own army in the making.

“The first group will enter right behind us. The guards will ask for a small entrance fee, but you should have more than enough from the bandits to cover everyone’s fees.” Mira commanded again.

“Yes!” A group shouted loudly and all of the women started to arrange for everyone to have money to pay the fee.

After everything settled down, Maria went to hug her Mom and Dad as she was finally able to see them. Maria teared up a bit as well as Cole and Erika. Their daughter had finally returned safe and sound.

Mira walked up to Maria after she had her moment with her parents. She wanted to do as she said she would and act more friendly towards Maria.

“G-G-G-Good J-J-Job, Maria.” Mira tried to force out the words of praise as she wanted to throw up right after she said that. She hasn’t praised someone in a long time.

Everyone seemed to hear her and went silent. Maria just looked at her, slackjawed. Mira just sighed and took out her scythe.

“You do remember when I said that I will be friendlier towards you if you can convince your family, right? Or maybe you’d rather have me express my ‘love’ in other ways as I experiment with some moves with my scythe on you?” Mira said while swinging her scythe around.

Maria stiffened and hurriedly tried to talk to her.

“No, no, no, no, I was just a bit surprised! I didn’t think you’d actually go through with it. It feels weird having you be like that as well. I’d honestly rather have blunt, cold, and heartless Mira back. I will take you up on your offer to explore the city with me though!” Maria tried to reassure Mira. She also got a weird feeling whenever Mira tried to praise. She knew that Mira didn’t mean it at all and was just trying to say it because she promised she would be that way.

Mira just nodded her head.

“I will still try to keep my word even if you think it’s weird, but for the most part I will just try to be my normal self as acting or saying things I don’t mean has gotten hard for me.” Mira said as she will still keep her word, regardless.

“Anyways, let’s get going. I’d like to have everyone gathered at the Zaria Family by the end of the day.” Mira got everyone back on track as they walked towards Lunar Fox City. Cole and Erika also noticed a small red fox following Maria around. Maria told them that his name is Vulcan and that he is her Beast Companion. The first group of women also followed some distance behind them.

Mira and the other 3 reached the city and immediately went towards the Zaria Family. Mira settled back in the room she was staying at before and left to get the group that was behind them. That group paid for their entry and found Mira. Mira then brought them to the Zaria Family as discreetly as possible. She brought them to the large courtyard and had Maria or Erika start setting up places for them to stay. They will all just stay in the courtyard but had to find areas that were more out of the way.

Groups of 10 kept entering the city at different intervals as Mira kept bringing them back to the Zaria House discreetly.

Time passed quickly as the night rolled in and all 500 women were in the courtyard, with their sleeping spots arranged. Mira then talked to them.

“Get some rest! We will discuss things further tomorrow.” Mira still ended up commanding them even though she was supposed to be nicer. The women had also forgotten and just laid down in their spots to sleep as Mira walked back to her room to continue giving energy to her beast egg.