After receiving a report from Sanae, Mentesh lost his composure, and the conversation quickly turned inappropriate and Mentesh, like any normal person, would have thought that Sanae was insane in the head.
"Are you sure that's what your eyes saw?"
Sanae confirmed to Mentesh that it was indeed what her eyes saw. Mentesh sighed, looked down, and then back up at Sanae.
"Listen, the rumors about some rare people wielding powers far exceeding what we all learned from simple cultivation, but that's just rumors; there's no way to prove they are true. And now, you're here making me think there's something I should take seriously in the report you will give me, but honestly, what you are saying sounds like absolute crap."
Mentesh's statement caused Sanae's eyes to widen and was shocking, and she realized that, while she had expected Mentesh would not believe her at all, Mentesh's words were a punch to the gut.
"Honestly, of all the people I never thought I would hear from about this crap, you're the last on my list. I'm very disappointed in you."
"Please sir, I know it feels like I'm talking like I'm insane but I swear it's the truth."
Nothing had been said by Mentesh; he simply stood from the table and looked directly into Sanae's eyes and when he glanced at her, looking at her made her feel as though she was going to die if she was to say anything more.
"As you should know, we now have a much greater problem to contend with. Since your expedition was a failure and has caused the emperor to become doubtful about the continued growth of the empire, I am asking you if you could please, when you come to my office, come with a good reason. Now leave, I have some work to do."
Sanae agreed, bowed before Mentesh and exited the office by closing the door.
Once Sanae had exited the office, Mentesh let out a large sigh and walked over to the window behind his desk, looking down toward the training of the new recruits in his section of the division.
Upon leaving the room, Sanae questioned all she had witnessed. Although they were real and very much true events, Sanae knew she could never get anyone to believe her if she tried; therefore, they were pointless.
As she journeyed through the hallways of the facility, her thoughts drifted to the masked woman that had saved them.
All the other soldiers stood ready for action. They could not trust this woman, despite her previous act of heroism. The other soldiers glared at Sanae, waiting for the order to attack her. However, Sanae was unable to issue any commands; therefore, she was not measured nor did she have any idea what to do.
The air was laced with toxins that could kill them all. The masked woman stood motionless whilst breathing this air; thus, she was almost as if she were soaking it up. The other thing that confused everyone was the appearance of the young girl.
She appeared to be a teenager; however, there were also features on her face that resembled an older woman. Sanae felt a bead of sweat run down her neck. She then found the courage to speak.
"Who are you?"
When the woman heard her speak, she was taken by surprise and froze momentarily.
"I cannot believe how inconsiderate I've been. I'm really not like this but, what kind of a hero am I when I have not introduced myself to you."
After remaining still for a couple of moments; Sanae placed both her hands on her sword, waiting to defend herself or whatever may come at her. While doing this the woman observes and begs with her hands raised.
"Don't be like that; I promise you are safe with me."
Sanae was having a hard time thinking about something while At the same time, all of the other soldiers were confused by it but they were on their guard as well.
"Should I tell you or should I not tell you my name? It's a hassle to tell you my name and I'm not lazy."
Sanae felt tension for only a short time.
"Yes, it would be helpful; if…you did"
The female soldier did not respond immediately at all; she was pondering over Sam's answers.
While the woman was thinking, the other soldiers watched, confused but more alert as well.
"Hmm, maybe you are right. My name would help, but help you with what exactly."
Sanae went quiet. She actually had the answer to her question, and, with her name, maybe they could hold a regular-type of conversation, and Sanae could get some questions answered about the woman who was a mystery to her.
Sanae swallowed hard.
"Um well it would help to... do something."
"You don't have an answer to your own question."
Sanae remained quiet, took a slow deep breath, and thought to herself.
An uncomfortable quiet was created because of the absence of noise in the area. This lasted for some time...then something began to wiggle in the sand.
As it approached, and while everyone including Sanae and her other soldiers were looking in that direction, a second sandworm rose out of the desert floor and tried to attack them.
Sanae drew her blade ready for battle, but rather than attempting to kill Sanae and her soldiers, it was going to attack the unknown woman with the intent to eat her entirely and sample her flesh!
"Watch out!!!"
While the others were yanking their heads back in reaction to the sandworm's apparent attack, the unknown woman remained motionless and simply lifted a finger. As the sandworm approached, the unknown woman touched the tip of its head with her finger, and in a matter of fractions of a second, the sandworm was decomposed and nothing remained.
The expression on the faces of everyone present was of utter astonishment. All of them had expressions of fear, shock, and confusion evident on them.
"Anyway, getting back to what we were discussing?"
Sanae stopped moving for a moment to look at one of the paintings of the previous leaders. The painting of her father, Shinsaku Yaktine. She stared at the image of her father and remembered how he had always been busy working but had made time to connect with her, as father-daughter.
Suddenly the memoirs of those times they spent together flooded back to her.
"Father, I will do everything I can to make the next expedition successful. All I need is for you to lend a helping hand."