Elemental Zodiack

Chapter 16: The Zodiack Council, assembly!

 Two days have passed since the announcement of Shiro, that he will be the one to take the spot as the Number 1 Zodiack. This was the cause of many controversies, but the people of the kingdom didn't dig in too deep in the matter revolving around the former number 1, as well as his betrayal.

 And so, the first Zodiack council in years could be assembled today, in almost complete formation.

"It is so like him to not be present today... Or any other day to say the least," says Masato Kazuya, the Zodiack of Water under the sign of Pisces, from his seat at the round table.

"I'm sorry about this inconvenience. There are very few people that are still in contact with him, and that being said, we couldn't reach him easily..." this time is Shiro that talks, in an apologetic manner.

"There is nothing to be sorry for, Mister Shiro. That guy was always like this..." says yet another one of the Zodiack on the current matter regarding the number 2 Zodiack.

 Looking around the room once more, Shiro raises from his seat, giving the start of the meeting, regarding the current situation about the Black Cross.

"I want to hear anyone opinions regarding the problems with the Black Cross, that continued to rise in the past years. We are aware of the fact that we can't risk a high scale war inside our borders since we would give the perfect opening for Authorania to attack us."

"Then how about a smaller group attacking them directly?"

"It's all depending on how small the group can be since the Black Cross had gained over the past years, hundreds of thousands of followers, their army rivalling an entire kingdom."

"It can be a small unit made out of the best fighters we have at hand... After all the quality is the one that matters, not the quantity."

"This might be the good approach, and yet, we have very few fighters excluding us, that can actually stand up to an army of hundreds of thousands..."

"Nope... We have someone..." says Shiro while slowly averting his gaze towards Yoso, that was quietly cleaning his sword.

Before he realized it, every Zodiack was staring at him intently.

"I see how it is! Edroch's kid just became a Zodiack, so he has a few responsibilities for the kingdom, ain't that true, mister number 1?" says Geoff while laughing in a disturbingly loud manner.

"It is true, Yoso just became a Zodiack... The number 3 Zodiack that is... So he is the second regarding influence from here, but he also has responsibilities for the army, as its trump card," explained Shiro

"I see, well this might be certainly the case... So it's all coming to that skill? What was it called?" asks Masato

"I am glad that you are aware of the skill that will be our way to victory, even though it wasn't used against you, Zodiack of Water... Its name is 'Blast Burn', a Master class fire spell that doesn't rely on accuracy and can exterminate any opponent it hits. Moreover, it has even a stronger version to itself, an evolved form that brings that skill up to Mythical class, called 'Blast Burn: Blue' with way more power than the precedented."

"I see now... Putting it into this light, victory against that army seems achievable, but there is still one more problem..."

"I think I understand where you are going with this, mister Keigo... It is true that while it's an extremely potent skill, it requires life-force equivalent to the number of targets... And to get the details of this problem even further, even though he is one of the strongest combatants, Yoso has one of the, if not the lowest level of Life-Force among the Zodiacks... Using this skill to such an extent would be impossible,"

"More so... Isn't finding their base an actual problem by itself?" adds Keigo

"We have this covered up already..." intervenes Kein that quickly follows up with:

"One member of my troop already found their base, that being one of the missions I prepared for her a while ago... We wouldn't have held this meeting if we didn't have any clue to where their operational base is..."

"I see... But that doesn't change the fact that we can't use the potency of 'Blast Burn' to help us win this large-scale fight. Not having enough life force isn't a problem we can solve overnight." continues Keigo

"That might be the case... That is if we didn't have one of the most talented support types in the kingdom as a Zodiack!" continues Shiro while raising his index finger up with a smile on his face.

 Everyone at the table was questioning who this so powerful 'support type' might be. Only Kein was looking at Shiro with a somewhat irritated expression.

"So I hope you can help us this time... Keiny!" says Shiro with a cheerful tone.

"Wait! Shimada Kein is a support type?!" everyone looked like they heard something impossible, and were looking back and forth to Kein and Shiro, however, Yoso didn't question it, mainly because...

"What is a support type?" asks Yoso

"Wait... You don't know?" asks Shiro

"Nope! And if we bring this topic up... I didn't quite understand what  'Master Class' and 'Mythical Class' spells are..." continues Yoso

"I- I see..."

"Damn, Edroch! You didn't teach your kid anything, didn't you?!" shouts Geoff, irritated.

"So, I get that you don't have a soldier ID-card neither... Don't you?" asks Shiro

"Nope!" replies Yoso

"Well, it would be hard to explain given the situation, so I'll have Kein explain it to you afterwards," says Shiro

"Why is it always me...?" thinks Kein

"So? Will you help us... Kein?" says Shiro after changing his goofy attitude to a serious tone, while facing Kein

"You want me to use that skill, don't you? I told you already... I am not a support."

"Your ID card and even your natural skills tell otherwise... As much as you'd like to deny it, that is your nature."

"I will help you for the sake of the cause... But I won't be a support type just because a broken card tells me that," says Kein

"I guess it's fine for the time being... Everyone, let me explain!" says Shiro, attracting the attention of the other Zodiacks towards himself, then continuing with:

"Kein Shimada, the wind user that you knew as a Fighter/Mage Type, is actually, on paper, a support type with incredible supporting skills, but I don't say this as for praising him, and I say it because one of these supporting skill, is exactly the answer to our problems regarding Yoso's low life force reserves..."

"Life Force Channeling..." mutters Kein

"You can explain it yourself, Keiny... This way, the others might understand easier..."

 Hearing this, Kein raises from his chair, and after looking around the table once, he starts explaining the true nature of the skill that can give us the victory in the next mission.

"Ahem... Life Force Channeling is a Master Class, wind support type skill that is also an original skill..."

"Original Skill? Like my Blue Lightning?" thinks Yoso

"Using this skill, I can transfer the Life Force from a being to another, and even from myself... Shiro was pointing the fact that if we can use this skill, we can transfer some of our Life Force to Yoso so he will have enough to wipe out just that army alone... He will still probably be exhausted after using that skill though,"

"I understand..."

"To think Shimada had access to this kind of skill..."

 Many voices resounded within the room, astonished by Kein's affirmation regarding his hidden skill.

"Mister Kein is truly awesome..." thinks Yoso while looking in Kein's direction with a large smile on his face.

"You heard him! Using this combination, we will attack the Black Cross' base in two days from now! Everyone gather the 5 strongest soldiers from your divisions at the meeting place at the designated time!" says Shiro, which Kein follows up with:

"The place where their base is... Is where the small village known as Zariel once was... In the furthest place in the East of Dinsfurd, close to the border's towards the neutral zone..." says Kein with a somewhat troubled expression on his face.

 Shiro, knowing the reason why Kein looked troubled by this place, couldn't help but look at him with a slightly worried expression...

 After all, this place was the village... Where Kein and his brother once were happily playing with each other...

"Oh, by the way, Mister Shiro! What is a division? I don't know which five people I should bring..." asks Yoso

"It is natural that you don't have someone to bring, since you are a new Zodiack member. In theory, you should've inherited the former firsts division, but after he disappeared, some of his henchmen followed him, while the others left for the regular army. So at the moment, you will have to recruit suitable people from the army to join your third division of Zodiack... But this can wait til' later, after our fight," explains Shiro 

"Ah, I get it... Thank you!"

"If you don't have any more questions regarding the mission, I hereby declare this Zodiack meeting... Over!"