"The Hoarder." Genkei's image appeared on the display, and Druvak's eyes immediately lit up with renewed interest.

Before he could speak, Sage cut him off decisively. "No. You won't be able to handle him. You wouldn't have been able to deal with him before his Awakening, let alone now."

She was absolutely correct—The Hoarder represented the worst possible matchup for the Titan Orc, and indeed for most physical combatants.

"The Hoarder is now, and has always been, the linchpin of the Tiny Tots. He can absorb and control all forms of kinetic energy, converting it into personal strength and even using it to accelerate healing, both for himself and others. He is unstoppable and nearly unkillable, and as long as he remains active, the rest of the Tiny Tots will be significantly more dangerous. Killing him won't be feasible—simply containing him would be sufficient."

Sage spoke with absolute certainty, the room's analytical Systems confirming her assessment with multiple probability matrices displayed in the air around them.

"No problem. I'll handle that myself," Thalune said with his characteristic uninterested expression, though his casual tone belied the complexity of the task. "I'll need some assistance from Ailuryn."

"I will gladly lend my aid," Ailuryn Vesshara, #4 of Veridahn's Numbers, spoke with elegant grace. Her Kitsune heritage was evident in her fluid movements and the way her voice seemed to carry subtle harmonics.

"Just the two of you?" Sage asked, concern evident in her voice.

"If the objective is to capture him, then yes, I'll need the extra help. But if you just wanted him eliminated..." Thalune's lazy smirk carried dangerous implications that made the room's security Systems briefly heighten their alert status.

"Do not underestimate him," Sage warned firmly.

Thalune raised his hands in mock surrender before letting his head rest on the table again, the casual gesture causing the crystal surface to warm slightly under his skin.

Sage then gestured, and Manic's image appeared above the table. She released a very audible sigh that seemed to echo through the chamber's enhanced acoustics.

"I... Manic is... Just watch." Instead of explaining, Sage simply began playing combat footage.

The holographic display showed Manic in multiple scenarios, each one more bewildering than the last. In every situation, he created mental constructs to overcome whatever challenge he faced, but none of his creations followed conventional logic. A bat that could cut, while ignoring solid objects, armor that existed in multiple layers of space simultaneously. These constructs were just vehicles that ran on pure imagination—each one defied rational understanding.

"I don't know what to do with this individual. Manic remains a puzzle that even Sensei hasn't solved." Sage shrugged helplessly as everyone looked toward Lord Cefketa.

He nodded in confirmation and responded with obvious frustration, "You can't solve a puzzle that thinks it's a board game that's riding a skateboard... at the bottom of the sea. And that sea is somehow floating in the vacuum of space."

His metaphor caused several confused expressions around the table, but it perfectly captured Manic's incomprehensible nature.

"Yes, he's always been impossible to approach through conventional logic. Our best strategy will be a war of attrition—find a gap in his concentration and exploit it. That's our most viable option," Sage suggested, though her tone indicated she wasn't entirely confident in this approach.

"If that's the case, I'll attempt to handle him," Issa said, raising her hand with quiet determination. "I may need assistance from Sir Durogath."

She looked toward Thrainik Durogath, #3 of Veridahn's Numbers. The Dwarf's wide frame and ornate mechanical augmentations made him an intimidating presence even while seated.

"I can provide support," Durogath responded in his deep, resonant voice.

Sage nodded approvingly. She understood Issa's capabilities better than anyone present—while she doubted the young woman could defeat Manic outright, she was confident Issa could maintain defensive positions long enough in a prolonged engagement to give herself and Durogath a genuine chance at victory.

All the previous images faded away, and Sage released another deep sigh as three final figures appeared in the holographic display. The room's lighting automatically dimmed to focus attention on these remaining threats, and the atmospheric pressure seemed to increase as the implications became clear.

"Now we come to the final three." Sage's voice carried a gravity that made everyone straighten in their seats. "I'm going to tell you all this from the start: if war comes to fruition, you should treat these three exactly as you would Mythara. Do not engage, do not attempt to be heroic... run."

"You expect me to run from battle with a worthy foe? Never!" Druvak's shout caused the entire chamber to resonate.

"No, I expect you to die a miserable death if you fight any of these three. Which is why I'm going to do my best to ensure you specifically never encounter them. It would be a tremendous loss to our fighting force." Sage stared daggers at Druvak. He returned her glare with a deepening frown, his massive frame radiating barely contained aggression before huffing and leaning back into his chair with enough force to make the crystalline structure creak.

Sage rolled her eyes, the gesture causing nearby wall displays to flicker briefly, then turned her attention back to the three holographic models floating above the table.

"First, we'll discuss the most difficult to deal with." She gestured, and Amaterasu and The Conductor's images moved to the sides of the display, leaving Shango standing alone in the center. The room's lighting automatically focused on his figure, creating dramatic shadows that emphasized his imposing presence even in holographic form.

"Really? This is the one that concerns you most?" Thalune asked, his casual tone belied by the way he sat up straighter in his chair. The room's bio-sensors detected elevated attention levels throughout the chamber.

"Yes, Shango—" Before Sage could continue, Lord Cefketa's voice cut through the air with absolute authority.

"Outside of Mythara, Shango is now and always has been the deadliest of the Tiny Tots. He has less experience than The Conductor, but his natural instinct for battle was comparable to my own." His words caused the room's analytical Systems to automatically highlight and cross-reference combat data, filling the air around Shango's image with swirling information streams.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Yes, and his battle sense is only one aspect. What's truly dangerous is his ability." Sage's voice carried visible frustration as data streams began flowing around the hologram. "He can control the very concept of waves. It's a ridiculous and nonsensical Program."

The display began showcasing Shango's capabilities in stunning detail—controlling ocean waves with casual gestures, manipulating seismic waves from earthquakes, creating vibration waves that could literally shake atoms apart. Each demonstration was more terrifying than the last, the holographic recreations so detailed that several people unconsciously leaned back from the table.

"Because his ability is so fundamentally abstract, it's impossible to properly quantify potential development paths. The range of possibilities is so vast that just the concept of facing him is daunting." Sage's sigh seemed to echo through the chamber's enhanced acoustics, and the others fell into contemplative silence as they processed the implications.

The concept of wave manipulation was indeed too abstract to plan against—how do you counter someone who could potentially manipulate any wave phenomenon in existence?

Through the quiet, Zidane's voice broke the tension with casual confidence. "We can take him."

"Yeah, leave him to us. Sounds like fun." Roisin joined in, her voice carrying the same disturbing enthusiasm she'd shown earlier.

Sage raised an eyebrow, genuine surprise flickering across her features. She hadn't expected The Twins to volunteer for direct combat—such things usually bored them to tears. But she knew firsthand exactly how powerful they truly were. There wasn't anyone they couldn't eliminate if they set their minds to it. Truthfully, she wasn't entirely convinced that Lord Cefketa could defeat them if they genuinely decided to kill him.

"Then we'll have nothing to worry about," was all Sage said, though the relief in her voice was palpable.

She gestured again, and Shango's image moved aside as The Conductor came into sharp focus. The room's Systems immediately began displaying his combat capabilities, and the change in atmosphere was immediate and noticeable.

The holographic display showed The Conductor's mastery in action—his ability to manipulate ions, allowing him to perform electromagnetic feats that defied comprehension, even among the Dwarves present who considered themselves experts in such matters. Lightning danced between his fingers like domesticated pets, magnetic fields bent to his will with surgical precision, and electrical Systems throughout entire city blocks responded to his commands.

Even with such overwhelming displays of raw power, there remained an unmistakable sign of calculated intention behind every action. Nothing he did was without purpose—no energy was wasted, no strategy unexplored if it meant victory with minimal effort. His combat style was a masterclass in efficiency and tactical thinking.

"Ion manipulation can encompass virtually everything," Sage explained as the demonstrations continued around them. "Basic levels provide electrical control, intermediate levels grant electromagnetic manipulation. At the highest theoretical levels, there's literally nothing he wouldn't be able to influence or control. And he possessed masterful electromagnetic manipulation even before his Awakening as a Persequion."

The implications hung heavy in the air, enhanced by the room's atmospheric processors working overtime to maintain breathable conditions as tension mounted.

"Beyond his abilities, he is a natural leader—a born commander." Sage's assessment was punctuated by tactical analyses flowing across the wall displays.

"Yes, I noticed there was a certain pull I felt toward him, as if part of me was waiting for his orders. It was similar to Abrax's presence, only..." Issa tried to articulate what she had experienced, her words causing the room's psychological monitoring Systems to flag and analyze her emotional patterns.

"Only more focused," Abrax finished her thought, his deep voice carrying undertones that made the crystalline formations resonate subtly.

"Exactly. Abrax feels more like a disciplinary father figure. The Conductor feels like a General commanding absolute loyalty." Issa's clarification caused the room's analytical Systems to automatically compile psychological profiles and leadership assessment matrices.

Sage made mental notes, ensuring these observations were recorded. She and The Twins didn't share the same instinctive connection to authority that other Persequions seemed to experience, so documenting these behavioral changes was crucial for understanding their evolving species.

"I will deal with The Conductor," Abrax spoke with unwavering certainty, his declaration causing the room's audio Systems to automatically amplify his words for emphasis. "There can be only one King."

Sage looked at Abrax with obvious concern before turning her gaze to Lord Cefketa. When their eyes met across the crystalline table, he simply nodded almost imperceptibly.

"I was hoping you would handle Amaterasu, and that I would manage The Conductor." Sage's words carried the weight of strategic necessity. But Abrax avoided eye contact.

Sage scoffed. "You meet her for two seconds and you're already so entranced that you don't want to fight her?"

She didn't spare him any courtesy with her assessment, her cutting words enhanced by the chamber's acoustic Systems to ensure maximum impact.

"I... I don't understand it either, Sage." Abrax's admission came with visible frustration. "If you ask whether I can fight her, then yes, absolutely. But if you want me to act with intent to kill... I don't believe that will be possible."

The psychological monitoring Systems flagged his response as significant, noting patterns that didn't match typical attraction or infatuation. This was something deeper—a primal drive to ensure Amaterasu's survival that defied rational explanation.

Sage groaned, a sound that seemed to echo through every crystal formation in the chamber. "Fine. I will deal with Amaterasu myself. But you all still need to understand exactly what she represents."

She waved her hand with obvious irritation, and The Conductor's image vanished, leaving only Amaterasu floating in the center of the display. The holographic recreation showed Amaterasu's unnerving speed—movements so fluid they seemed to bend space around them. Her swordsmanship was displayed in perfect detail, each strike demonstrating technique honed to lethal perfection. Her thermal control abilities manifested as beautiful but deadly displays of temperature manipulation that could freeze or incinerate with equal ease.

The demonstration culminated in her floating serenely among the Celestial Snow, an image of ethereal beauty that somehow managed to be more intimidating than all the previous displays of raw power.

"Initially, I believed her abilities were purely thermal in nature—a clear beginning and end, nothing too extraordinary." Sage's commentary was accompanied by data streams flowing around the hologram, showing her extensive analysis. "However, upon further examination, her Program is not thermal in nature. That was merely its most basic manifestation."

She paused, allowing the room's processors to display complex thermodynamic equations and theoretical frameworks across every available surface. "What I've determined is that her abilities encompass the fundamental laws of thermodynamics themselves. She is a being who not only possesses a connection to Creation truly comparable to a Dragon, but has access to abilities that could make her individually equivalent to one."

Sage's words caused the room's environmental Systems to work harder as the implications sent chills through the assembled group. She looked directly at Abrax, whose own thermodynamic abilities made him theoretically the best counter to her powers.

Nocthera, the vampiric member of the Numbers, leaned forward in her chair, concern evident in her eyes. "Are you certain you can handle her alone?"

"That's the beauty of Vaylora, isn't it?" Sage's smile was sharp and dangerous. "We can use it to bend the rules of Creation. However, with some ingenuity, creativity, and extensive know-how... we, well, I ...can use it to break the laws of Creation entirely."

Everyone present stared at the determination blazing in Sage's eyes as she continued to study Amaterasu's holographic image. Lord Cefketa's smile was one of pure joy—he recognized that look, having seen it in himself countless times during his years as a Chaser.

"Can I defeat her now? No." Sage's admission was matter-of-fact, without a trace of false bravado. "Will I be able to when the time comes?"

Her laughter started soft but grew in intensity.

"HEHEHEHEHE... absolutely."

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