Vicente needed little after he showed his magical form to the 5th stage Phoenix. As the creature watched him with wide eyes, the aura of the Throne of Darkness seeped into the deepest areas of the tribe's territory.",

All the other Paragons, whether on guard or engrossed in their own affairs, turned their attention to the newcomers. The icy aura, charged with negativity and capable of making even the bravest hearts tremble, could not be ignored.

For a moment, the entire tribe felt a dark force among them, a force capable of challenging their strongest members.

Feathers ruffled and a strange sensation spread through the tribe, causing the strongest of them, a Beginner Archmage, to rise from his nest and dart toward the territory's entrance.

When Vicente withdrew his power a few moments later, he and his companions watched as the tribe's Archmage descended toward them.

"Elder, it's a pleasure to meet someone of your stature." Vicente smiled, nodding slightly. "My name is Vicente Fuller, and these are Ayden, Jakob, and Paul. We're here seeking allies."

"Oh? Allies?" The Beginner Archmage regarded Vicente and his companions, quickly scanning their auras and sensing their magical affinities.

"Elder, they wish to head north to confront the vampires. They seek your help," the High-level Paragon closest to the group explained, as other powerful members of the tribe approached, curiosity clear in their eyes.

Vicente stepped forward, addressing the Phoenixes with a grave expression. "Members of the Phoenix Tribe, the 5ht stage superior vampires are currently in seclusion in The Ivory Desert.

Once they finish absorbing the blood of their first victims since the disaster began, they will come after people like my companions and me. But it's not only us who are in danger...

To protect ourselves, we're heading north to hunt pentagrams while the 5th stage vampires remain in their lairs. If I can complete the missing pentagrams in my second magical form before they return to terrorize the continent, I'll be able to advance to the end of the 5th stage and take on even the strongest of them. By then, we'll have a method to fight them directly!"

Silence fell over the gathered Phoenixes as they absorbed Vicente's words. They understood the threat posed by superior vampires and could imagine the strength Vicente would possess with five pentagrams in his magical form.

"With such potential, why do you need us, Vicente Fuller?" a peak 5th stage elder asked as he stepped forward, his eyes narrowing with curiosity.

Anyone could sense that Vicente's powers were not inferior to those of the strongest Phoenixes in the tribe today!

Vicente met the elder's gaze, his voice steady. "I need allies to keep enemies away from me. I may be stronger than my companions, but I'm just one man. The vampires have dozens of Paragons and even a Beginner Archmage.

I couldn't face them all at once, even if I were an Archmage."

He shook his head, his expression resolute. "I need support to stand a chance."

The elder exchanged a glance with the Archmage of the tribe. They sensed the sincerity and urgency in Vicente's words.

"What is your plan?" the Archmage asked, his voice carrying a note of cautious interest.

Vicente explained his plan. "First, we'll pass through tribes like yours, looking for allies with different elemental affinities than ours. Then we'll hunt down the pentagrams of my people in the north of the continent. Meanwhile, I'll be seeking two natural essences that are compatible with me."

He paused, glancing at each Phoenix. "If we complete all these steps, it will be time to prepare to face the vampires. If not, we'll prepare to protect ourselves from them while we continue to complete these requirements."

Facing the vampires felt inevitable to Vicente. The only uncertainty was whether he would secure his pentagrams before or after the confrontations with the strongest vampires began.

As Vicente outlined his plan, Bonfi, the strongest Phoenix in the area, pondered his words. 'It's a simple plan, but there's no other way for them. The key is to get allies and pentagrams,' Bonfi mentally communicated to the others.

One elder nearby raised a concern. 'What about this business of finding natural pentagrams? Isn't that strange?'

'Yes, it is strange. But can we truly understand the mind of a young man of his caliber?' Bonfi replied. 'He already has two cyan pentagrams and a green one. If he gains two new cyan pentagrams, he'll likely advance his first pentagram to cyan-

grade and perhaps even develop indigo traits. That would grant him extreme power.'

Another experienced Phoenix added, 'If that happens, he won't be a problem for the continent. He'll probably become a Magus and leave these lands like others before him.'

Unbeknownst to them, Vicente heard everything through one of his powers.

'It might be beneficial to ally with him. In the north, there will be opportunities for you to advance to Intermediate level, Bonfi,' someone advised the strongest Phoenix.

Bonfi looked at Vicente and spoke aloud. "It might be interesting for us to come to an agreement. But what would be the conditions for us to travel together? I don't care about your hunt, Vicente Fuller. But I care about the hunt for these three and any humans you might add to the group later."

Vicente nodded, understanding the concerns. "You don't have to worry about that. We will only hunt creatures that are not friendly to the races in our group. We are also aware of traitors associated with the vampires. Our main targets will be these types of creatures."

He paused, his gaze unwavering. "As for the terms of the trip, we'll divide opportunities based on suitability, proximity to advancement, and the best use for the group.

Our primary focus is on defeating the vampires. If someone other than me can become stronger and defeat them, so be it. I'm willing to give cultivation opportunities to the one who can make the best use of them."