691 FAFO 7

The humanoid continued its relentless efforts for over two minutes, pushing against the shield's limits in a desperate bid to exhaust its durability before mana could replenish it.

Eventually, it stopped, sitting down in resignation, mirroring Arons earlier decision.

Rina, having defeated her opponent in just a minute, felt a mix of pride and caution. She had managed to showcase her prowess, a result of her dedicated focus on mastering magic, something she had selected as her official duty as the emperor's spouse.

How many minutes have passed since we left the palace? Rina asked, her gaze fixed on the defeated humanoid.

Despite her apparent victory, Rina remained wary. She knew this was only a fraction of what their enemies might be capable of.

The information from the three tree folks on their side had made her acutely aware of the potential threats, so she stayed on high alert, awaiting confirmation from Aron that the situation was fully under control.

{Nine minutes} Nova responded promptly.

This should wrap up within twenty minutes before they resort to any desperate measures that might cause lasting damage to the planet and its inhabitants, Rina said, settling back into her waiting stance and bracing for any potential escalations.

Simultaneously, Nova projected the situation on Aron's side. Seeing his current predicament, she appeared neither surprised nor particularly concerned, maintaining her focus on the unfolding events.

.

The humanoid on Aron's side, who had been observing Aron's situation with detached interest, decided it was time to act.

Lets see if you can withstand the same treatment youve given us, the humanoid declared, conjuring a shield that was roughly a meter wider compared to Aron's still-active shield.

With a decisive motion, the humanoid ignited a fire inside the shield. The intent was clear: to continuously inflict damage on Aron's shield, draining the minimal mana he had managed to gather within it.

This would force Aron's shield to deactivate, leaving him vulnerable and unable to resist being taken over.

The fire continued to assault Aron's shield for the next minute, with the intense heat and pressure testing its limits. Despite the relentless onslaught, the shield held firm, causing visible irritation on the humanoid's face.

It was growing increasingly frustrated, as the time for the two tree folks to execute their next plan was rapidly approaching. The delay was unacceptable, and despite deploying their strongest representatives to handle the imperial couple, they had yet to achieve their objective.

I have access to the entire planets mana while youre limited to just whats in your shield, the humanoid said, his voice dripping with disdain. I can keep this up all day.

His irritation was evident, however, as he not only wanted but needed to expedite the process and return back to their specific tree folk.

The core root humanoids were crucial for the tree folks' next plan, but the delay caused by dealing with Aron and Rina was becoming a significant issue.

Since only one core root humanoid could be created at a time, they couldnt afford to go back and create thousands from outer roots; doing so would risk Aron regaining access to the planets mana, undermining their efforts. As for the one sent to Rina, he was still stuck in a shield.

The main consciousness could take over the shield rune and continue the assault, but that would divert their focus from the impending plan, which was critical to execute at this very moment.

Im ready. What about you? Oak inquired, having completed his preparations.

Just a second, and Im done, Mangrove replied, wrapping up his own preparations as he spoke.

Once they confirmed their readiness, they turned their attention to their humanoids. The sight that greeted them was far from satisfactory.

It just alters a few aspects of the plan, but nothing that will derail it entirely, Oak said, his frustration evident but under control. He resisted the urge to take drastic action at ths moment that could damage the planet and provoke the traitors into action.

Well handle them after the plan is executed, Mangrove agreed, his tone resolute. Lets begin, before anything else interferes.

With that, they set to work, focusing on their preparations.

.

**Proimaxa B**

From outside the planet, where the exploration fleets mothership was currently docked, now manned only by minimal security personnel and a few remaining scientists and researchers. The bulk of the military forces had been deployed to the surface to carry out the emperors orders.

The escort fleet ships, tasked with defending the planets four cardinal directions against potential external threats, were still en route back to the planet. They had received the emperors orders just ten minutes earlier and would require a few more minutes to return and resume their given imperial orders.

Bianchi, the fleet admiral, was diligently overseeing the fleet's operations, issuing directives and managing updates for various groups.

However, he was momentarily stunned as a colossal magic circle thousands of kilometers in radius materialized above the planet. The magic circle began forming a massive shield making it obvious that it intended to surround the planet, clearly designed to isolate it and prevent any interference from his fleet.

Although magic circles activate almost instantly after creation and mana provision, their completion speed varies based on the scale of their intended effect. In essence, the larger and more complex the magic circle, the longer it takes to finalize the process.

However, the shield's creation didnt continue peacefully, as it was soon met with resistance. It appeared that someone or a group of individuals had moved to disrupt the process, actively attempting to dismantle the magic cycle before it could be completed. To these individuals, the shield's completion threatened to complicate their given responsibilities significantly.

As expected, they didnt remain passive and took action, Oak said, a hint of disappointment in his tone. However, the disappointment was short-lived as he continued, Then dont blame me for what Im about to do. His voice carried a tone of conviction, indicating that he was fully prepared to proceed with his next steps despite the interference.