10.5

Dante somewhat confused: "That this little green one is not allowed to use her muscles... Why?" he asked himself.

At the wolverine's intrigued expression, Rey threw out a comment in response:

"Clan members keep various abilities restricted if they are in close proximity to each other. She, in terms of brute strength, is the strongest of the entire group, so much so that using her fingertips she was able to dismember one of the trees in the Ever-Changing Forest by the root."

Along with the comment, the little white-eyed boy could not help but remember how his barrier was destroyed into a thousand pieces by just one blow generated by the little elf after propelling her index finger with her thumb. Dante, as if he had been offended and taken as a stupid shouted in anger:

"You're lying!!! Are you kidding me!!!!".

Wulfgang with the warm voice of a sad face, added:

"Don't worry about defeats. Sometimes victories come empty and become a real loss."

Looking into Dante's eyes to reaffirm the credibility of his words, he continued:

"You must try even harder. Nothing stops you from giving your best until you get to win" he spoke, as if speaking from experience.

Enraged, Dante lit his eyes like reddened coal embers, stamped his foot on the ground and added:

"'Try even harder', you say?... I refused to believe that any of my brothers would try as hard as me! Nor that she would be stronger than you!!!!!"

Wulfgang also turned on his withering gaze, one that made his most similar son's feet tremble:

"Fool, when will you stop deceiving yourself and giving me reasons to rage at me? Do you still think that anger and rage will make you right? Perhaps you believe such a lie because Mijan has not yet taught you what true power is?"

Dante's mouth dropped open. His father's words wounded him deeply. The little wolf cub's ego was a very big bubble, but at the same time a very delicate one. That Mijan would not seriously fight against him meant that he had let him win the test. But was his father right? It was easy for Wulfgang to say and talk the talk, but he had not been in training or beaten his master after days and days of failed attempts.

The Great Wise Wizard was forced to step in and break the familiar atmosphere:

"As your quartermaster, try to remain calm, but we are indeed running out of time... Hold on. We'll have to teleport so we can get there before it's too late."

A circle of incantation at the feet of those present took place. Both Dante and Wulfgang were calmed by the event, as they were forced to put aside their differences and focus on what was happening in the present. The eight individuals, plus the three small Paradise guardians, were enveloped in a white light coming from a circle of spells, which appeared on the ground. As soon as they were out of sight of the green plains, they saw from the top what was the highest mountain in the place. Wulfgang asked a little more concerned about the situation:

"Where have you brought us? What is the matter of urgency that we needed to know?"

Ehimus repeated angrily:

"Yes, you old fool!... Where have you brought us?"

"I hope Mijan and Katherine are aware" Heroclades threw out a disinterested comment.

The Great Wise Wizard, as one who had everything under control, said:

"Don't worry about the two of them. Silvia went to contact them and brought them here, though I need your attention before answering the question of why I brought them here.

Confirming the words of the black-skinned, white-bearded old man, out of the bushes came the couple dressing their naked bodies in the clothes they didn't have. Mijan and Katherine walked reluctantly as they fixed their clothes and looked in the direction of the old man as if they were waiting for a reason to justify all the inconveniences they had caused.

Once everyone was paying attention, the Great Wise Wizard spoke:

"We are under attack. From outside, countless damned plus the bounty hunters who were teleported with you made their way through the lower circles of hell. Following the trail Rey left behind, they arrived at the gates of this place and, intending to avoid being trapped in Purgatory, they are using the giants to go over the trees... I brought you here because, as your quartermaster, it is my duty to protect you. This mountain is the middle and safest point in the whole place. Silvia will be protecting the house. We must resist until it gets dark..."