《Celestial Bloodline》


 Chapter 1: Late Again

    <h4>Chapter 1: Late Again</h4>

    Inside an open area, filled with nothing but grass. A golden-haired muscr middle-aged man was ring at a ck-haired kid with angry eyes because the kid broke his son''s teeth with a punch.

    The ck-haired kid''s name was Kyle. He turned 15 a few weeks ago and awakened his talent today.

    Talent was something that determined everyone''s potential, the moment one awakened their talent they were able to walk on a new path. A path filled with magical and extraordinary abilities.

    Kyle red back at the golden-haired man before coldly looking at the 15-year-old golden-haired boy standing behind the man.

    ''Why should I apologize? It''s Sen''s fault.''

    Kyle''s father Baron Ohan who was standing beside him looked at him with worry. The golden-haired man standing in front of them was called John.

    John wasn''t someone they could afford to fight. He was above their league.

    The only thing Baron Ohan had was the useless title of ''Baron'' he acquired after helping some Nobles.

    ''I can''t let anything happen to Kyle.''

    With a worried expression, Baron Ohan lowered his head and apologized because he was too weak to protest.

    Kyle''s eyes widened when he saw his father''s actions but then realization dawned at him. He looked at John with a nk face.

    ''Ah...they are strong. We can''t do anything.''

    He failed to consider the fact that the world they were living in was ruled by the strong. In this world where power was supreme, he was just an ordinary person.

    With a nk expression, Kyle grabbed Baron Ohan''s shoulder.

    "I was the one who hit him. I will apologize for my mistake."

    Kyle lowered his head and apologized to the golden-haired kid who was standing behind John. His fists were clenched and his eyes were extremely cold.

    Sen looked at Kyle with disdain before leaving with his father. While walking, he gave Kyle another nce and mumbled under his breath.

    "Tsk, weak Ants."

    Baron Ohan looked at Kyle with a worried expression.

    "Kyle..."

    Kyle shook his head with an expressionless face. In the end, his reckless actions would have ced his family in danger.

    "I am fine father."

    He was fine but the brilliant light present within his ck eyes dimmed.

    ''An Ant.''

    The word ''Ant'' resounded inside Kyle''s head again and again because he knew even if he worked hard and tried his best, he would never be able to lessen the gap between Sen and himself.

    ''What''s the point of getting angry and thinking so much when I can''t even touch him in this life.''

    ONE YEAR LATER;

    Nyan city;

    Within a decent-lookingrge house. A ck-haired middle-aged man was sitting in a dining hall with his two older sons.

    It was Baron Ohan. He was having breakfast with his family after a long busy week.

    There were four chairs around the dining table which was filled with light yet delicious breakfast. Unfortunately, even after Baron Ohan was almost done eating thest chair stayed empty.

    A few momentster, a young boy entered the hall with a sleepy expression.

    Just like Baron Ohan, the boy had ck eyes and dark ck hair but for some reason the corners of the youth''s ck hair were silver.

    The boy was Kyle, Baron Ohan''s youngest son.

    After nodding at his father, Kyle approached the dining table and started eating without any care.

    Baron Ohan gazed at Kyle''s hair with a sigh. For some reasonst month the corner of Kyle''s ck hair turned silver.

    At first, the Baron was worried due to the strange change but even after asking around for a while he didn''t find any problem with Kyle''s health.

    ''It''s fine as long as he is healthy.''

    Baron Ohan looked at Kyle with a smile.

    "Late again."

    "Sorry Father, I overslept."

    Noticing Kyle''szy attitude, Baron Ohan''s eldest son Ray frowned.

    With a sigh, Ray shook his head because Kyle beingte for breakfast was very normal. He also often skipped breakfast due to hiszy nature.

    While Kyle was eating a piece of bread, his second brother Neon looked at him with a mischievous smile.

    "Kyle tomorrow the Royal Academy is holding a test to find young talents. You should participate!"

    ''Royal Academy'' is a name known by almost everyone on the East Continent due to its prestige and old history.

    It was also known as the Number 1 Academy of Kingdom Ete because the Principal of the Academy was the strongest person in the Kingdom.

    The Academy held a test every year to find new talents to nurture. Everyone between the age of 16-17 was eligible to participate, as long as the person was not a criminal.

    Kyle turned 16 this year that''s why Neon wanted him to participate.

    Kyle almost choked on the bread he was eating and looked at Neon with a gaze saying,

    ''Are you talking to me?''

    He put the bread back on the table and blinked his eyes.

    Even Ray who awakened (A)-Rank talent didn''t pass the Royal Academy test. Just how would he, a meager (B)-Rank talent stand a chance?

    In this magical called ''Blue'' where different races ruled together, talent was something that determined everyone''s potential, because the higher talent one had the more powerful one could be in the future.

    Humans, elves, dwarfs, and all the other races present on the can awaken a talent after the age of 15. The lowest being (F)-Rank and the highest being (SSS)-Rank.

    Each rank was further divided into 3 different sub ranks (F-), (F), and (F+).

    Kyle only awakened a (B)-Rank talent which is why he didn''t want to be a warrior or mage.

    Heck! He wanted to stay thousands of meters away from everything that had any rtion with fighting!

    Ray looked at Kyle nk expression. A smirk appeared on his face and he hurriedly joined the conversation. He wanted hiszy brother to suffer a little.

    "It''s a good suggestion. Kyle, you should participate. Even if you fail, well you will fail anyway but you can get valuable experience through it."

    Baron Ohan looked perplexed but seeing Ray''s narrow eyes, he immediately nodded his head in agreement.

    He was a wealthy merchant, being (B)-Rank himself, he knew the world they were living in was cruel to the weak.

    Both of his firstborn sons have experienced setbacks but Kyle being the youngest was alwayszy and carefree. He wished for Kyle to grow up and experience the outside world.

    Baron Ohan knew the Royal Academy test was hard but he wasn''t worried because, unlike other Academies, there had never been a death casualty in the Royal Academy entrance test.

    Their entrance test was harder than any other Academy but they made sure to keep all the participants alive.

    Kyle gazed at his father and then at his brothers. He wanted to cry because they were wearing serious expressions.

    He showed a gloomy expression to his father, indicating he was not happy but he waspletely ignored.

    Kyle shifted his angry eyes toward Neon, the reason for his suffering!

    A few years ago, Neon also awakened (B)-Rank talent just like him but he applied for the local Academy instead of the Royal Academy.

    ''Why do I have to participate in the cruel test of the Royal Academy?''

    Kyle grumbled inwardly. He liked the peaceful andzy life he was living with his family.

    From a very young age, he was never apetitive person and after his mother''s death, he became even less outgoing.

    Afterward, Kyle awakened a (B)-Rank talent which was greater than his expectations but among the kids his age his talent was the lowest.

    That''s why they started looking down at him and he became the target of their mockery.

    ''Well, I won''t even call them friends. They were just passersby in my life.''

    In the end, Kyle stopped interacting with everyone and started leading an ordinary life with his family.

    He practiced basic sword moves due to his elder brother''s continuous nagging but that''s all. He never tried hard because it was too bothersome.

    What''s the point of working hard, when he already knew his limits?

    He Just wanted to live his whole life goofing around. After a few years, he would start a small business around the city and live afortable life.

    Kyle sighed. His dreams of normal life were shattered because of his dam brother who is currently stuffing himself in front of him.

    ''I wish you choke on the food you are eating.''

    Neon who was eating suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine. He gazed at the only culprit Kyle!

    "I believe you are cursing me inwardly?"

    Kyle blinked his eyes innocently and showed a confused expression. He looked back.

    "Who?"

    Neon wanted to throw a punch at Kyle but took a deep breath to calm down and started eating again.

    ''I will see him suffer tomorrow anyway.''

    On the other hand, Kyle gazed at Neon again with narrowed eyes. He was cursing again. It seems he has no choice in this matter.

    ''It''s not like I will pass the test. So, trying it for the sake of experience isn''t a big deal.''

    ''The only problem is that I won''t be able to guarantee that my body parts will stay intact until the end of the entrance test.''

 Chapter 2: Royal Academy Entrance Test I

    <h4>Chapter 2: Royal Academy Entrance Test I</h4>

    Next day early morning. Inside a hall filled with old antiques and paintings.

    "Hurry up we are going to bete."

    Neon''s loud voice resonated within the hall. He was wearing a dark blue jacket with matching pants and because of his ck hair, he looked fairly handsome.

    Last night, he was given the task of apanying Kyle to the testing Arena because both Baron Ohan and Ray were busy with some work-rted stuff.

    While Neon was waiting with an impatient expression, a reluctant voice replied from upstairs.

    "Coming."

    After a minute, Neon heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs. He looked up, only to be angry because Kyle was walking leisurely while wearing a nonchnt expression.

    "Why do you look like you are on a walk? Hurry the hell up!"

    Neon shouted with anger and within a second Kyle was standing next to him because, unlike Ray, Neon had a bad temper and liked to beat him up whenever he was beingzy.

    Neon was a (D)-Rank warrior, that''s why Kyle who didn''t even advance a single sub-rank after awakening his talent never stood a chance against him. In the end, he would always get purple eyes from all the beating.

    ''Tsk, he is always bullying a weak (F-)-Rank like me.''

    Kyle thought inwardly and gazed at Neon with hidden resentment.

    ''I will take revenge one day in the future!''

    Neon looked at Kyle. He was wearing a long-sleeved purple shirt with ck pants. Afterward, both of them left the house.

    As usual, the entire city was abuzz with activity. The narrow roads were surrounded by buildings made of square-shaped bricks. Many shopkeepers were selling their goods to the customers who entered their shops.

    While walking, Kyle subconsciously gazed at the empty house present in the distance.

    ''I wonder what''s he doing after leaving the Kingdom?''

    There was a cold glint present within Kyle''s eyes when he gazed at the house but it disappeared within a second.

    He looked around and just like him arge crowd was heading in the direction of the only Teleportation Array present in the city.

    ''Well, today the most influential Academy in the kingdom is holding an entrance test. Even if they are unable to participate they can watch others perform inside the testing Arena.''

    Kyle thought inwardly with a bitter expression.

    ''Unlike them, I am going there to break my body parts.''

    An hourter, Kyle and Neon arrived at the western part of the city where the Teleportation Array was present. It was drawn on a tform like a circle, engraved with various kinds of runes.

    The Teleportation Array was used for long-distance traveling from one ce to another in an instant.

    Arge crowd was gathered in two long lines in front of the Array. That''s why it took a while before it was Kyle and Neon''s turn.

    Soon, a muscr ck-haired old man who was wearing formal attire approached the duo.

    "Where would you like to go."

    Neon looked at the familiar old man. He had seen the man a few times before whenever he left the city.

    "The Capital City."

    After stating his destination, he took out a pouch of mana stones from the storage ring present on one of his fingers and gave it to the old man.

    After gold coins ''mana stones'' is the second currency used in every Kingdom. They are formed by pure mana that is trapped within stones naturally.

    Mana stones can be used in the enhancement of weapons, making artifacts, andstly, they can be used to activate Teleportation Arrays.

    On the other hand, ''Storage rings'' were magical essories used to storerge amounts of non-living things within a separate space without actually increasing the original weight of the ring.

    The old man took the pouch and after counting the mana stones with his heightened senses, he gestured for the duo to stand on the tform.

    "Alright, go and stand with that batch of people."

    Neon nodded and with Kyle, he hurriedly stepped on the Teleportation Array that was already filled with people.

    The old man approached a stand that was only a few meters away from the Array, he ced a few mana stones on top of the stand.

    Within a second, the Array started shining and Kyle felt like someone was shaking his internal organs before he disappeared along with everyone else present beside him. The next moment they arrived at another ce filled with people.

    As Kyle rarely left the house, it was his first time using a Teleportation Array. At the moment, he felt like throwing up all the breakfast but Neon seemed to be fine because he was already used to the sensation.

    Neon looked at Kyle''s face which seemed to be losing colors.

    "Just remember, it''s your first time using a Teleportation device but your condition looks better than mine. At least you are not throwing up."

    Kyle nced at Neon with hatred.

    ''In the first ce, you are the one who suggesteding here. Now you are mocking me?''

    He wanted to throw some punches at Neon''s face, but he knew he stood no chance against him.

    ''Instead of getting beaten up, it is better for me to stay quiet.''

    Noticing Kyle''s angry eyes, Neon''s smile widened. He tightly grabbed Kyle''s shoulder.

    "You are thinking something bad again?"

    "N..o definitely not."

    With a scoff, Neon started walking along the busy streets. He nced at Kyle and increased his speed.

    "Whatever, I wanted to give you some time to rest, but now I don''t want to. Anyway, we are gettingte. So let''s go."

    Kyle cursed inwardly but followed behind him. After a while, both of them arrived at an open area where the registration for the entry test was held.

    Various tables and chairs were arranged in a straight line, sitting on top of them were many young males and females wearing Royal Academy blue uniforms, indicating their identity as students.

    Due to arge number of young peopleing to try their luck at the entrance test, the Royal Academy assigned the students with different tasks to lower the burden on teachers.

    After standing in a line for almost twenty minutes, It was finally Kyle''s turn.

    He looked at the ck-haired youth sitting behind the table with curious eyes. The man was wearing a blue long-sleeve uniform. The uniform was simple but three straight white lines were present on his chest.

    "Hello sir, I am here for registration."

    The young man gazed at Kyle but within a single nce, he lost interest.

    "What''s your name and exact age."

    "My name is Kyle and I am 16 years old."

    The young man took out a crystal and asked Kyle to ce his hand on the crystal.

    With a serious expression, Kyle ced his hand on the crystal that confirmed his age.

    With a nod, the young man threw a token with the number 1055 at Kyle.

    "You are in the second batch, here''s your token."

    After grabbing the token Kyle left. He and Neon arrived at the big Arena set up behind the registration area.

    The moment they entered the huge Arena, Kyle was startled to see the Audience seats filled to the brim with thousands of people.

    Everyone was talking about what test the Royal Academy would conduct this time because every year Royal Academy changed the pattern of their entrance test.

    Neon found an empty seat in the crowd and gestured for Kyle to go toward the big stage, where thousands of participants were seen standing.

    Kyle stepped on the stage and looked at the thousands of participants with a rather nervous look. It was his first time seeing so many people.

    ''If likest year the Royal Academy held a 1vs1 battle to select the top participants. Just how many times do I need to get beaten up?''

    Kyle shivered with fear and hurriedly shook his head.

    ''If it''s 1vs1 battles I will instantly admit defeat. There''s no point preserving my dignity if I broke my arms and legs!''

    After a while, an old man called George from the Royal Academy opened the event with a boring speech. The old man was wearing a white shirt with ck pants. He had ck hair and deep grey eyes.

    He was the Vice Principal of the famous Royal Academy.

    The speech was so boring that Kyle almost forgot about his previous remarks and barely stopped himself from yawning.

    While Kyle struggled to stay awake, all the other participants as well as the audience were excited. It was not every day that they got to meet someone who held the title of (SS)-Rank warrior! Not to mention Vice Principal George was the 4th strongest human in the East Continent.

    In the East continent, only 6 humans had reached the (SS)-Rank. That''s why Vice Principal George was very famous.

    ".... I am fortunate to be able to witness the talent of our future generation. This year marked the 57th Entrance test of the Royal Academy and I sincerely expect that the participants will not disappoint me"

    The speech began with Vice Principal George sharing his worries about the future of the human Kingdoms because, for the past thirty years, not even a single human sessfully reached Rank-(SS).

    Then he started talking about the ''Dark Forest''. A ce filled with dangerous monsters. All the races living on the Blue have to fight these monsters living inside the ''Dark Forest'' which monopolizes almost thirty-five percent of thend on the ''Blue''.

    Monsters were stronger than other races which made them superior in terms of power. Just like humans monsters were divided into different ranks. Usually, other races need to be a rank higher than the monster before they can finally defeat them.

    As the Rank of the monster increased, they attained the ability tomand lower-rank monster hordes.

    Hundreds of years ago, the first (SSS)-Rank ''Monster Lord'' emerged from the Dark Forest. Commanding millions of monsters, the ''Monster Lord'' was a walking catastrophe bringing only destruction to the civilization of ''Blue''.

    Many Ancient Kingdoms facedplete annihtion in front of the ''Monster Lord'' and his army.

    In the end to stop the massacre of thousands, even millions, all the different races put aside their prejudice and joined hands. They send their elite armies with (SS)-Rank warriors to defeat the ''Monster Lord''.

    After years of fighting and sacrificing thousands of lives the ''Monster Lord'' was finally defeated, bringing once again peace to the ''Blue'' civilization.

    But the danger of monsters still exists inside the Dark Forest. The civilized races unable to explore the deeper parts of the Dark Forest could do nothing but slowly cut down the monster''s numbers. In the end, they established various Academies to nurture young talents to fight against the monsters present in the Dark Forest.

 Chapter 3: Royal Academy Entrance test II

    <h4>Chapter 3: Royal Academy Entrance test II</h4>

    Vice Principal George emphasized that people with power should protect the weaker ones. It was the type of speech that would be greatly appreciated by everyone, but Kyle would rather sleep instead of listening to this boring speech.

    "As you all know, the entrance test is different every year. This year passing the first round is rather simple."

    Vice Principal George then took out something from his pocket.

    "You see this? Each of you will be given this small g, and in a few minutes, all the participants will be teleported inside a special artificial dungeon created by the Royal Academy. You will have to run and reach the end of the dungeon without losing the g."

    "In the end, the top 1000 participants will pass the first round. There will be some monsters inside the dungeon, blocking your path. It''s up to you to hunt them or avoid them but remember your true goal should be reaching the finish line first."

    "Simple right?"

    Announced George with a smile.

    Kyle looked at the wide smile on the Vice Principal''s face and cursed inwardly.

    ''When was thest time I ran so much, my stamina is almost non-existent. Just how am I going to reach the end of the dungeon?''

    George exined that the participants could rob each other inside the dungeon. They can also work together to take out monsters. Basically, everything was fine as long as they reached the end of the dungeon without losing the g.

    Hearing George''s words a lot of participants voiced their concern.

    With a loud p, George assured them that if they got seriously injured inside the dungeon, they would be teleported out but the participants teleporting out would directly fail the test.

    Once George''s exnation ended. Heavy tension emerged between the participants. Everyone stared at the others with a gaze filled with vignce. It will be very likely that they will fight each other inside the dungeon.

    However, not everyone was worried. Some participants with high agility found the first round rather easy.

    George gazed at the kids and started floating on top of the Arena stage.

    "Pick up the small gs present on the ground and be ready. In a while, everyone will be teleported inside the dungeon."

    All the participants looked at him with awe and respect. Everyone wanted to one day achieve the same height as George.

    Kyle looked at the Arena ground and saw thousands of gs present on the ground.

    ''I didn''t notice them before.''

    He bent down and picked up one of the gs.

    Suddenly, without any warning, all the participants were sucked in by the force of the Teleportation Array present on the floor.

    WHOOSH!

    Kyle opened his eyes to see a rather different scenery from before. The environment inside the dungeon looked just like a forest but before he could enjoy the beautiful scenery, his stomach rumbled and he started throwing up everything he had eaten up until now.

    In just a single day he used the Teleportation Array two times. He was able to hold it the first time, but now he felt like all of his organs would also being out from his mouth very soon.

    Looking at Kyle some other participants wanted to throw up as well, but they restrained themselves.

    After calming down, Kyle saw the straight narrow road present in front of him. It was surrounded by trees of various sizes.

    He sighed and gazed at other participants passing by him. With a pale face, he approached a nearby shady tree to rest for a while because he was feeling very weak.

    Minutes passed, and almost all the participants left the starting line. Some of the participants noticed Kyle sitting under a tree but they thought he was robbed and had given up onpeting, that''s why everyone ignored him.

    Kyle finally stood up after 10 minutes of rest, feeling a little better. He looked at the empty road filled with only falling leaves of trees with a dark expression.

    ''They are so cruel, not even a single person extended their hand to help me.''

    Kyle thought inwardly with a bitter expression. Seeing only leaves and dust around himself, he knew he wasst. It was impossible to reach the finishing line on time. It seems his luck was rather bad today.

    Without wasting any more time, Kyle started running along the straight road. Even though he wasst, he was determined to at least reach the finish line.

    ''What face would I show my father if I can''t evenplete a simple race? Neon would mock me throughout my whole life!

    Suddenly the scenario where Neon was mocking him passed through Kyle''s eyes and his speed increased. The scenery inside the dungeon was beautiful withrge trees and big mountains in the distance.

    On his way, he did not encounter a single monster. It seems the monsters were already killed by the participants ahead of him. He felt disappointed because he had never seen a monster before. He wanted to at least see one during the first round because he knew this round was probably hisst.

    Half an hourter,

    Kyle was out of breath, he panted heavily and struggled to calm his fast-beating heart.

    "Fuck the determination! At this rate, I am not going to even reach the first half of the dungeon."

    He cursed loudly and punched a nearby tree.

    With a painful expression, Kyle hurriedly rubbed his hand.

    "Ahh, what the heck! Is this thing made up of steel?"

    Multiple leaves fell on his head, as he looked angrily at therge tree. If he just had a sword with him, he would cut this insolent tree into multiple pieces!

    The only problem was he didn''t have it because his sword was inside Neon''s storage ring. Due to the First round starting so suddenly, he was unable to retrieve it.

    "Huuu..."

    Kyle took a deep breath to calm himself down and patted the tree truck slowly.

    "You are rather lucky today."

    Then he looked at the long road ahead of him with a dazed expression. This time rather than determination his eyes only contain uncertainty.

    "It''s impossible."

    Kyle looked at the lush forest and without even thinking twice, he entered the forest.

    "let''s just head inside the forest to see a monster."

    He wasn''t worried that the monsters would be dangerous because the Vice Principal said they would be Teleported outside the dungeon the moment they got badly injured.

    After walking for a while, Kyle frowned because he didn''t even see a single monster. Not just monsters, he hadn''t even seen a single living insect!

    He was roaming around aimlessly when the ground beneath his feet trembled and a hole appeared on the ground.

    Kyle panicked. He wanted to move away but it was toote.

    "Ahhh..."

    Meanwhile, in the middle of the dungeon, a fiercepetition was going on among the other participants. Everyone was running with incredible speed, trying to overtake the others in front. Some of the wealthy participants even used skills to increase their speed.

    ["Fast movement"]

    ["Soft steps"]

    ["Haste"]

    [rge stride"]

    As skills were hard toe by and very expensive, only a few were able to acquire them.

    Sometimeter, when they neared the finishing line. A lot of participants who were behind became anxious. They started attacking others.

    After the first attack, there was a second one, and just like that the participants started throwing endless tides of attacks at each other.

    One of the participants got injured due to a sudden attack. He red at the one running beside him.

    "You filthy bastard, how dare you attack me."

    The other participant looked back with confusion.

    "It was not me."

    He tried to exin but the first participant didn''t listen and directly attacked.

    "Taste my ''Crushing sword strike'' you bastard."

    Simr scenes were unfolding everywhere. A lot of participants started to get injured and were teleported outside by the dungeon.

    Far ahead of the chaotic scene, six to seven youths were running toward the finishing line. Among them, the four at the front were the most noticeable due to their gorgeous appearance.

    The one running at the front suddenly stopped, he had dark blue hair and deep ck eyes.

    The youth looked above. A towering bear was standing not so far from him.

    After he stopped, one more participant soon reached the ce where he was standing.

    The 2nd participant had golden hair and ck eyes. He looked at the huge towering monster standing in front of him.

    "What the... "

    The blue-haired boy looked at the golden-haired boy with a serious expression.

    "It''s an (E-)-Rank monster."

    While they were looking at the bear, two young girls reached the ce where they were standing.

    One of the girls had orange hair and ck eyes. She was beautiful but her gaze was cold enough to freeze anyone who looked her way.

    "Just how are we going to defeat it?"

    All of them awakened their talent just a year ago, hardly reaching (F)-Rank. That''s why fighting with an (E-)-Rank monster alone was impossible.

    The other girl standing beside the orange-haired girl stepped forward with a frown. She had long blue hair and sea-blue eyes. She was even more beautiful than the orange-haired girl.

    "It seems we have tobine our strength to defeat it, by the way, I am Mia and this is my friend Lara."

    The blue-haired boy gazed at the girls with a nod and introduced himself.

    "I am Alec."

    The golden-haired boy looked at Alec.

    "Carcel."

    He took out a golden spear from his storage. Alec took out a sword. On the other hand, Lara took out a bow, while Mia was a mage.

    On the blue, everyone could pick a profession after they awakened their talent.

    The professions were mainly divided into two main categories. Warriors and Mages.

    The warriors could choose to fight physically or they can select a weapon of their choice. They can only use the mana present within their bodies through weapons or the skills they learned. The weapon can be anything sword, spear, bow, mace, etc.

    Meanwhile, mages were different from the warriors they could learn spells to manipte the mana present within their bodies. That''s why, unlike warriors who could only use the skills they had learned, mages were able to cast spells and use the natural elements without a skill.

    No matter whether warriors or mages whenever they broke through the mana present within the atmosphere would seep inside their bodies and make them stronger.

 Chapter 4: What a lucky fellow!

    <h4>Chapter 4: What a lucky fellow!</h4>

    When Carcel saw no one following him, he turned around to face the other three.

    "What are you all waiting for? let''s get it over with before more participants arrive."

    He was the first one to attack the Bear. The power behind his spear was incredible. However, it only scratched the Bear. The Bear bes furious at Carcel''s actions.

    GRRRRR!

    It roared and made a swinging motion with his front paw. Instantly after a wind sh shot out toward Carcel.

    ["Protection of unbreakable Shield"]

    A protective shield appeared around Carcel protecting him from the monster attack. The protective shield and the monster sh shed with each other.

    Just after a few seconds, the protective shield was cracked open. Carcel used his spear to cancel out the attack that managed to get through the protective shield.

    He jumped back after canceling the attack, increasing the distance between himself and the Bear.

    "Thanks."

    Carcel gazed at Mia with a grateful expression.

    Mia nodded, being a Mage she focused more on magic-type skills and spells rather than closebat.

    Alec also unsheathed his sword. His body released (F+)-Rank Aura. That''s why everyone''s attention was drawn to him.

    Arge amount of dense mana surrounded his sword as he charged forward and aimed at the Bear''s neck.

    SLASH!

    Alec''s attacknded on the Bear from behind and a small gash appeared on it''s neck.

    The bear''s eyes turned red with anger as it moved forward and swung its left paw angrily.

    Lara nced at Alec. Her cold eyes showed a hit of surprise.

    "He is a sub-rank higher than me."

    She nocked two arrows inside her bow. Just like Mia, she was also a long-range fighter.

    Lara released the arrows from her bow, intending to pierce the bear''s skull.

    The arrows were so fast, that not manymon (F)-Rank warriors would be able to follow their direction with eyes but the Bear being an (E-)-Monster easily dodged the approaching arrows.

    With angry red eyes, the Bear opened its mouth and released a big shockwave in every direction.

    Alec who was the nearest to it narrowly blocked the attack but the impact of the attack pushed him several steps back.

    ["Support skill: Empower the allies"]

    Mia gazed at the bear and instantly cast a supporting skill increasing the attack power of the others.

    ["Freezing barrier"]

    Afterward, she cast yet another skill, making the Bear immobile for a few seconds.

    Alec gazed at Mia with a raised brow. These few seconds were enough for the others to empower the Bear.

    Carcel thrust his spear toward the Bear''s chest, he felt his attack power increase due to Mia''s supporting skill.

    Alec also charged forward and attacked the bear.

    Lara not wanting to be outdone nocked a sharp arrow inside her bow. She released the arrow aimed at the Bear''s neck.

    Under the multiple attacks, the Bear didn''t even get the chance to defend himself. It cried in pain and was severely injured.

    Taking advantage of the situation everyone once again attacked the bear ruthlessly and it died after a minute.

    "Huff.. Huff"

    Mia panted heavily because she used up all her mana in herst skill.

    Lara gazed at Mia with concern.

    "Are you Alright?"

    "I am fine."

    Alec looked behind him with narrowed eyes. He sighed and gestured for the others to move.

    "We should start moving, I can see other participants approaching from afar."

    Lara nced at Alec. Her eyes were cold but she somewhat liked him because, unlike those leechers who always stared at her body with drool his gaze was pure.

    With a smirk, she started running.

    "Let''s see who reaches the finishing line first."

    Carcel and Mia gazed at each other and instantly followed behind Lara.

    Thest person to join the run was Alec but he easily went past everyone. Gaining the lead once again.

    Outside the Dungeon,

    Multiple projections were present in the sky, showing various recordings of participants present inside the dungeon.

    The biggest projection showed how Alec, Mia, Lara, and Carcel defeated the Rank-(E-) monster.

    The Audience went wild seeing their performance and cheered for them loudly.

    All the teachers present, and even the Vice principal were impressed by their performance.

    One of the teachers looked at the projection showing Carcel.

    "Second Prince Carcel is doing better than our expectations."

    The other teachers agreed with his remarks before pointing out some other students.

    "Right, Duke Evan''s daughter Lara and Count Albert''s daughter Mia are also doing great."

    "Who is the ck-haired boy? He didn''t seem to be from any big house."

    "A dark horse! This year we are seeing a lot of talented individuals."

    There were also other students who caught the teacher''s sight, and one of them was Kyle who looked lost inside the forest.

    One of the teachers looked at Kyle''s condition with pity.

    "What an unlucky participant."

    Some other teachers also nced at Kyle.

    "Who is he anyway."

    Vice Principal George looked at the projection showing Kyle''s location with a smile and mumbled slightly.

    "Are you sure he is unlucky?"

    After hearing his words, the teachers seriously looked at the projection showing Kyle then finally they noticed something!

    "Huh... What''s happening.."

    The teachers expressed their shock after seeing how Kyle was narrowly avoiding all the monsters.

    He would always change direction whenever there was a monster up ahead. It was like he could sense the monster''s presence!

    Then all the teachers simultaneously thought, What a lucky fellow!

    But before they couldment on Kyle''s strange situation they saw him falling inside a pit, afterward the projection showing Kyle strangely turned dark.

    "Did he run out of luck?"

    One of the teachers mumbled.

    Vice Principal George chuckled but when saw Kyle''s location, he showed a surprised expression and disappeared without any word.

 Chapter 5: Finding a Skill Core

    <h4>Chapter 5: Finding a Skill Core</h4>

    Inside the dungeon,

    Kyle who just fell inside a crack, hurriedly rubbed his back with a painful expression.

    Heined with irritation,

    "Agh.. Just how unlucky can I get?"

    Afterining a few more times, Kyle calmed himself down and looked around. He found out he was inside some kind of cave made of rocks and there were five small tunnels present in front of him.

    "Where the hell is this ce."

    He looked up and saw the opening he fell from with a dumbfounded expression.

    "Going back up is impossible, this cave is way too deep inside the ground."

    Thinking about how he didn''t run into any monsters on his way to this strange ce, a big frown appeared on Kyle''s face.

    ''Maybe all the monsters have already been killed by the participants.''

    Kyle stood up and patted his clothes while looking at the five tunnels made out of a bunch of uneven rocks stacked next to and on top of one another.

    "Are these even stable?"

    Nevertheless, he still decided to enter one of the tunnels.

    "I just wish I could leave this gloomy ce alive."

    He walked closer to the tunnels and stopped to ponder for a bit.

    "Which one should I choose? Don''t tell me there is some hidden danger behind them. But they all look the same, maybe they will lead me to the same ce?"

    Kyle randomly decided and entered thest tunnel. The tunnel was dark that''s why he was unable to see anything.

    After around five minutes of walking, he finally saw some sunlight in the distance.

    "Did I find the exit?"

    He eximed with a relieved expression.

    As he finally left the tunnel, Kyle narrowed his eyes seeing the scenery in front of him, which was strangely beautiful.

    Water droplets were dripping down from the ceiling making arge pond in the center of the cave. Around the pond were various flowers of different kinds. It looked like a perfect spot for rxing.

    When Kyle looked to his left, he could see another four exits that looked just like the one he hade out from.

    "So it was true that all the tunnels lead to the same ce."

    He sighed at himself. It seems he was being too wary.

    Little did he know that the other four tunnels were filled with all kinds of monsters and hidden traps. There was only one safe tunnel and that was the one he entered!

    How lucky!

    Kyle slowly walked toward the pond and saw a beautiful ball floating on top of the pond.

    "What''s that? ... a skill core!"

    He eximed with shock. If he wasn''t wrong, the core floating in front of him was a monster core. And to top it off, it was a skill core.

    Kyle remembered his elder brother telling him about cores. The normal monster core usually disappears aftering in contact with the atmosphere, while the monster core containing skills doesn''t. Not until the skill inside the core is learned by someone else.

    Obtaining a core after killing a Ranked monster was rather easy, but even after killing hundreds of monsters you still would only have a ten percent chance of finding a core containing skill.

    Kyle didn''t immediately rush toward the core, he looked around to see if there was any danger. But even after looking around for a few minutes, he found nothing suspicious.

    Without waiting anymore, he immediately entered the pond and grabbed the floating core.

    Kyle looked at the core with a smirk,

    "Hehehe You are mine now."

    After grabbing the core he inspected it and indeed it was a core with a skill.

    "What Rank skill would I obtain after absorbing it? It''s big enough to fit in my fist."

    He took a deep breath and absorbed the core without knowing that the guardian of the core was just taking a nap inside the pond.

    After absorbing the core Kyle felt intense knowledge about the skill entering his head.

    "Ice domain, What an amazing name for a skill, but why there was no Rank?"

    Kyle was not really bothered about the Rank as long as the skill was useful.

    ''But to use the skill my mana should be at least (C)-Rank and considering I am only at (-F)-Rank, I don''t think I will be able to use this skill any time soon.''

    While thinking inwardly he slowly made his way out of the pond.

    He looked around the cave to find an exit and finally saw a small hidden opening behind the pond.

    "Let''s hope this takes me out of here."

    With a good mood, Kyle entered the small opening.

    After struggling the whole day he finally was able to gain something good. He also felt he should thank his Second Brother for forcing him to enter the test.

    After Kyle left, Vice Principal George appeared inside the cave.

    He looked around with a frown and said to himself,

    "I never imagined a random boy would take the skill the Principal left behind before leaving."

    SWISH! SWISH!

    Suddenly there was a movement inside the pond, and a big serpent came out from the pond. He was the one Guarding the skill core.

    The serpent looked at the area where the core should have been present, then looked at the only person present inside the room.

    HiSSSsss!

    The serpent hissed and immediately attacked Vice Principal George, thinking he was the one who took the core.

    "Tsk! What intense luck thatd have, even without defeating the Guardian he took the reward?"

    Vice Principal George moved his right hand to send the serpent flying.

    "Now that he has learned the Ice Dragon''s skill, I can''t let him fail the test, or else the Principal will find faults with me."

    After gazing at the pond once more Vice Principal George disappeared again.

 Chapter 6: Cheating?

    <h4>Chapter 6: Cheating?</h4>

    While all the participants were trying everything to reach the finish line, Kyle was walking inside a long yet narrow opening. He didn''t know where this small opening would lead him, he just walked trying to reach the end.

    The thing Kyle didn''t know was that Vice Principal George was just standing behind him, making some hand seals in the air. The Vice principal looked at Kyle back and sighed, If he had a chance he would have stopped thisd from getting the skill.

    But now that Kyle had already learned the skill, there was nothing he could do. Afterpleting the hand seals, the Vice Principal crushed some mana stones making the mana density in the air stronger than before.

    Kyle who was unaware of Vice Principal George''s presence, felt a familiar sucking force from behind. He wanted to turn around to see what was happening but his vision turned dark again.

    "Huh??"

    After a while when his vision returned, Kyle saw he was standing on the dungeon road.

    "Why am I.... Ughh"

    Barely able toplete his sentence, he started throwing up again in the middle of the road.

    Suddenly, a participant running toward the finishing portal passed from Kyle''s left side.

    The participant was none other than Alec! who just got the lead after leaving Carcel, Mia, and Lara behind.

    Alec looked back dumbfounded. He saw Kyle throwing up with a shocked expression. Alec didn''t remember anyone going past him. How did this person appear here? And how did he pass the road without defeating the Warp Bear?

    Not Just Alec even Kyle was dumbfounded seeing a participant running past him. Kyle turned around to see where Alec was running and his shock increased. The dungeon finishing portal was just a few meters ahead.

    Kyle pinched himself and said with disbelief,

    "Am I dreaming?"

    While he was busy believing what he was seeing, another participant passed from his right side.

    Carcel who was just behind Alec also turned his head back to look at Kyle.

    ''I don''t remember seeing him.'' Thought Carcel but he didn''t stop running toward the exit.

    Just a few secondster Mia and Lara both appeared and also passed by Kyle''s left side, showing simr surprised expressions as Alec and Carcel.

    Kyle looked at the participants running toward the finishing portal and finally snapped out of his shock. Even though he wanted to rest because he was feeling nauseous after throwing up, he still started running toward the finishing portal with all his might.

    Kyle looked at the portal with a burning gaze.

    ''I can do it.''

    But he was running so slowly that soon a few more participants passed from his left side, leaving him behind.

    After three to four minutes, Kyle was still running when he heard the ground Rumbled. He turned his head back to see the reason.

    "Sh*t!"

    Kyle cursed loudly seeing thousands of participants approaching him from behind. This time he didn''t hold back and started running with everything he got. Because he knew If he didn''t reach the portal he would be definitely crushed under the feet of those thousands of participants.

    The first person to enter the finishing portal was Alec, followed by Carcel, Mia, and then Lara. Afterward, some more participants entered the portal.

    Even though Kyle was running with his life on the line, he still got 36th ce in the first round.

    When Kyle enter the finishing portal, he again felt a familiar sucking force as he appeared at the same ce he was standing before the start of the first round.

    After the first 1000 participants appeared, the remaining participants were directly sent outside the Arena Stage. The Crowd cheered loudly for the top participants, feeling excited to see the young talents.

    Vice principal George appeared again floating in front of the 1000 participants. He checked everyone''s g with his spiritual sense and nodded.

    "First let me Congratte everyone who passed the first round."

    While speaking Vice Principal George nced at a pale-looking participant with a sharp gaze, who looked like he was on hisst leg.

    ''I sent you almost near the finishing portal, yet you still didn''t get 1st ce. How disappointing.''

    Kyle who was barely holding himself to not to throw up again, felt a chill run down his spine. His danger-sensing abilities were top notch and right now he felt like a dangerous person had set his eyes on him. He looked around to see who was targeting him but finding no one he gave up.

    The Vice Principal left after saying that the participants had 60 minutes to rest before the Second round began.

    All the participants who didn''te alone went toward their friends and family members. Kyle with his pale face also went toward the crowd and located his Second Brother.

    Neon looked at Kyle with a beaming smile and said,

    "Hahaha Kyle you did great, I did see you at the start, roaming inside the forest but then you disappeared. How did you suddenly reach the finishing portal?"

    Seeing the happy expression on his brother''s face, Kyle felt proud and started boasting to his heart''s content.

    "Do you think I went inside the forest without any reason, I already knew these types ofpetitions have some hidden path that leads to victory."

    It was not like his brother would know what happened inside the dungeon.

    Neon offered some food to Kyle, but he rejected it. He had a bad experience in the first round due to the sudden teleportation. If in the second round, they also used teleportation it was better for him to stay empty stomach.

 Chapter 7: The Second Round

    <h4>Chapter 7: The Second Round</h4>

    60 minutes passed in the blink of an eye, and all the participants passing the first round gathered on top of the Arena stage.

    Vice Principal George stood up from his chair and again started floating in front of the participants before telling them the rules of the Second round,

    "Let me tell you about the second round, which is also quite simple."

    When the participants heard the word ''simple'' they knew it was not going to be simple at all.

    "You all just need to stand still and meditate under some pressure. It doesn''t matter if you want to use a skill. After 3 hours those who are still standing will pass the second round."

    Vice Principal George slowly waved his right hand to ce a big hourss in the air.

    After the hourss appeared all the participants felt a heavy weight descending on their shoulders. A few participants fell immediately unable to withstand the pressure. It was just the starting and almost twenty participants were disqualified.

    Alec who was standing in the middle of the stage, took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and started meditating. The pressure was not enough to make him fall. Carcel, Lara, and Mia also looked fine. However, there were some participants who were already having difficulty standing.

    Seeing the intense atmosphere on the Arena Stage, the crowd started cing bets as to who would fall next.

    While all this was happening, a certain someone was not feeling any pressure!

    Kyle looked around and saw others, who were already sweating buckets of water.

    ''Is it only me, or the pressure is almost non-existent.''

    He nced at a participant falling in front of him before mumbling under his breath,

    "I never knew I was this talented."

    As time passed the pressure on the participants increased, but Kyle felt like everyone was overacting. When the pressure is only equal to a few sses of water why are they falling?

    He looked toward Vice Principal George only to find the Vice principal staring dagger at him. But when Kyle''s eyes met with the Vice Principal, the vice principal turned to look at another participant.

    "Huh?? Did I misunderstand?"

    Kyle eximed with a confused expression, but in reality, his brain was working like crazy.

    He had a doubt when in the first round he suddenly appeared in front of the finishing portal. And Right now his breezing through the second round proved his suspicious.

    It seemed the Vice principal was helping him. But the question was Why?

    Was it because of the skill he obtained? Even though Kyle had an idea of what was going on, he pretended he knew nothing. If the Vice Principal wanted the skill core back from him, then it was impossible because he already learned it.

    Kyle used his brain for a while but then stopped thinking about all this. He would rather prefer not to think aboutplicated things. And also it was better to stay away from someone powerful like the Vice Principal.

    Just like that two hours passed, and almost half of the participants were already disqualified. Right now even Alec was sweating, but he stood straight with his eyes closed.

    Carcel and Lara were also having some difficulty, while Mia used one of her skills ["Protection of unbreakable Shield"] to remove some pressure for a while.

    On the other hand, Kyle looked tired and bored. He was not sweating like others, but his legs were numb because it was his first time standing for so long.

    ''Ugh, I am tired, just how much time is left?''

    Kyle started stretching his hands and legs like he just took a nap, making almost half the participants who looked at him cough up blood. All of them were struggling to even stand up properly and here he was stretching his body while yawning.

    Even the crowd noticed Kyle because unlike others he was passing the test like a breeze. Kyle Second Brother Neon also looked at him seriously thinking,

    ''I knew it, Kyle had potential.''

    Vice Principal George was still floating in the air, he looked at Kyle and frowned.

    ''You Rascal! If not for you learning the Ice Dragon''s skill, I would have already disqualified the likes of you.''

    The Vice Principal was the one putting pressure on the students, he made sure to put minimum pressure on Kyle. But right now seeing Kyle''s attitude, he had the urge to put almost double the pressure on Kyle but looking at his fragile physique he decided against it.

    When the Vice principal looked at the other participants he felt guilty because he was basically helping Kyle in cheating.

    ''Let''s calm down, I am doing this for the Principal sake. Yes, I am doing this for the Principal.''

    Vice Principal George consoled himself inwardly to lower his guilt.

    Finally, as thest hour of thepetition came to an end, the pressure on the Participants vanished indicating the end of the Second round. Many participants fell with ragged breathing and sweat dripping from their drenched clothes. Even Alec, Carcel, and Lara sat down on the stage to calm their nerves.

    Among the hundreds of participants, there were two participants who were still standing.

    The first one was Mia, she was standing because in between she used some spell to lower the pressure. And the other one was obviously Kyle, but when he saw everyone was barely able to stand he also pretended to be tired and sat down.

    The Vice Principal looked at the winning participants with satisfaction before announcing in a loud voice,

    "Congrattions to the 401 participants who passed the second round with ''efforts''."

    He was emphasizing the word ''effort'' while giving Kyle a quick look.

    The crowd erupted into thunderous apuse to congratte the Participants.

    Vice Principal George also pped for the participants with a smile before telling them about the final round,

    "As it is alreadyte, the third and final round will be held tomorrow morning. All participants should rest for the day."

    The winning participants left the Arena with pride, and their rtives and friends congratted them. But those who failed to make it to the next round were depressed and left the Arena with bitter faces.

    Neon left the crowd and hurriedly rushed toward Kyle. He hugged him tightly before eximing with a prideful smile,

    "Kyle, You were absolutely amazing out there. I knew you could do it."

    Kyle also grinned and hugged Neon back. He felt happy making his brother proud even though he cheated. Still, no one will ever find out about this.

 Chapter 8: The Final Round

    <h4>Chapter 8: The Final Round</h4>

    Next day early morning,

    As the Participants made their way toward the stage, the audience cheered wildly. But because it was the final round the tension in the air was increasing with every second.

    After they were on the stage, they were greeted by Vice Principal George. The Vice Principal started by first congratting the finalist and then saying the rules for the final round.

    "After discussing the whole day yesterday, we have decided to make the final round the same as the year before. A one-on-one battle will take ce among all the participants."

    The participants looked at each other, every year the Royal Academy would select 200 students, but this time the number of participants was 401 which means 201 participants will be disqualified in this round. But the question was, how were they going to fight a one-on-one battle when the number of participants was 401?

    Vice Principal George nced at everyone with a smile and after noticing their worries he said in a calm tone,

    "I know what you all are thinking but worry not. To make the number of participants even, we have decided that one lucky student will be exempted from the final round, directly entering the Royal Academy."

    All the participants and even the crowd went wild hearing the Vice principal words. It was the first time in history that the strict Royal Academy was choosing someone based on luck.

    The weak participants, who had less chance of winning in one-on-one battles started praying to be the lucky ones. But a certain someone had a hunch that he would be the lucky one, considering he passed thest two rounds with cheating.

    Kyle looked at his brother, who was also praying for Kyle to be the lucky one. Then he looked at the Vice principal with aplicated expression. Entering the prestigious Royal Academy was good and he would gain a lot of resources through them, but now Kyle was having second thoughts.

    Was the skill he learned this important that they were willing to let a weakling enter the Academy?

    He knew in this dangerous and big world he was just a side character with meager power and normal looks, that''s why he just wanted to have a normal life.

    He was not cut to be a hero nor does he want to be one. It''s not that he didn''t have ambitions like others, he also wanted to be someone powerful in the future. But considering his talent was only (B)-Rank he knew not to dream of the impossible and ept reality.

    "All the students will be given number tes ording to their tokens. And I will call someone from the crowd to pick a random te to decide on the lucky student. The rest of the students will fight one-on-one battles ording to their number tes. The participants having number te 1 will battle the participants with number te 400, number 2 will battle number 399, and so on."

    After announcing the rules Vice Principal George took out a big box before cing it in front of everyone. He randomly picked someone from the audience.

    All the participants were given number tes ording to their tokens, they all looked at the randomly picked person with expectations, she was an elderly woman who looked to be in herte fifties.

    The elderly woman was happy to be picked, she went toward the Vice Principal and looked at the big box in front of her. With the Vice principal''s signal, she put her hand inside the box and picked a random number te from the box before giving it to the Vice Principal.

    Vice Principal George looked at the number te and announced the result with a loud voice,

    "Token Number 1055, te number 303 please step forward."

    Kyle released a big sigh and stepped forward, he wasn''t surprised at all because he already expected this to happen.

    The Audience cheered as Kyle stepped forward but when they saw who it was everyone went silent. They all have seen Kyle''s strange situation in the first round and he also passed the second round without any difficulty. And now he was also the one getting the lucky spot! How can someone be this lucky?

    All the participants looked at Kyle with suspicion. They all had one thought in their minds. Is he cheating? but considering the Royal Academy never epts deception and is always fair in their entrance test, no one voiced their suspicions.

    Kyle''s brother Neon stood up from his seat and cheered at the top of his lungs. He still can''t believe Kyle thezy ass of their family got into one of the biggest Academy in the kingdom. He wanted to rush to the stage and tell the whole world about his brother''s luck, but they were still in the middle of the final round that''s why he controlled himself.

    Meanwhile, the Vice principal had a dazed expression on his face as he saw Kyle stepping forward from all the participants.

    ''The heck! How did thisd get selected.''

    The Vice principal didn''t know what to do anymore. He already talked to the Principalst night with the help of amunication crystal, and the Principal told him not to help Kyle.

    Even though the Ice Dragon''s inherited skill was important to the Principal, nheless he didn''t want to have a useless student in his Academy.

    ''Even though hecks potential, with this much luck even I am envious of him.'' Thought the Vice principal inwardly before he snapped out of his dazed state.

    The Vice principal asked Kyle to sit with the teachers instead of going back to the Audience seats. He just wished Kyle could learn something from the iing battles.

    The final round finally started, with twenty different participants fighting at the same time. Alec, Carcel, Mia, and Lara were not up against each other, it seemed the Academy made sure not to put the talented individual against each other. They didn''t want to miss out on any talent.

 Chapter 9: End of the Entrance Exam

    <h4>Chapter 9: End of the Entrance Exam</h4>

    The participants started fighting with all their might. The fight was exciting and fabulous for the crowd as they ced bets on who will win.

    Everything was going fine until a certain someone lost control and became too excited.

    "You idiot! Dodge to the left." [Kyle]

    "Useless look at your back! If you have so many skills at least use them properly." [Kyle]

    "Mark my word! You have zero chance of winning with how slowly you are attacking." [Kyle]

    "Defend yourself! Do you even have a brain?" [Kyle]

    All the teachers sitting beside Kyle hid their faces with embarrassment. It was the first time in their life they felt so embarrassed.

    They wanted nothing more than to just toss Kyle toward the audience, but considering Vice Principal George asked Kyle to sit there, they could do nothing but silently curse Kyle.

    The participants fighting near Kyle also heard the terrible remarks he was making. One of the participants after losing even went to beat Kyle up with his sword. But Kyle was luxuriously sitting in the middle of ten to twenty teachers that''s why the participants had no choice but to grit their teeth with anger.

    Neon also saw the situation, he covered his face with a ck cloth. There was no way he was going to tell anyone that he was the brother of that prick. Dam, he doesn''t even know who Kyle is.

    Kyle not knowing he had made more than a hundred enemies continued with his remarks until the end of the final round.

    He felt refreshed, he never knew watching other fights could be this exciting. He picked up the ss filled with juice and started drinking without knowing it belonged to the teacher sitting on his left side.

    "Ahhh! That''s how we should live our lives. The performance would have been amazing if not for some idiots ruining my mood."

    Eximed Kyle with a smile before handing the empty ss to the teacher sitting on his left.

    The teacher sitting on his left side looked at Kyle with hatred.

    ''What the hell! Why does it feel like he is the teacher and we are his servants.''

    The 200 winning participants stood in the middle of the stage basking in the crowd''s cheers. They were all happy to pass the final round and get the chance to enter the Royal Academy.

    Vice Principal George started floating and congratted the 200 winning Participants. He gave them an hour to say goodbye to their families and friends because after passing the exam all the participants had to leave for the Royal Academy immediately.

    Kyle also stood up from his chair and looked at the ce where his brother was sitting only to find no one.

    ''Huh, where did second brother go?''

    Suddenly he heard a familiar voice calling out his name from behind.

    "Kyle?"

    Kyle turned around only to see his Second brother''s face covered with a ck cloth.

    He looked at Neon with a frown and Questioned,

    "Second Brother, Why are you hiding your face? Did you identally meet an old enemy?"

    Seeing Kyle''s confused expression Neon had the urge to beat him up but he controlled himself while cursing Kyle inwardly,

    ''Rascal! If not for you, do I need to hide my face!''

    Nevertheless, he felt happy for Kyle.

    At first, when Neon heard that the Final round was a one-on-one battle he was sure Kyle had no chance of winning. But afterward, Kyle got lucky and entered the Academy without even partaking in the final round.

    Neon smiled warmly and hugged Kyle tightly. Kyle was also happy to enter the Royal Academy even though he only had (B)-Rank talent.

    Kyle wanted to meet his father and elder brother and boast about his achievements, but considering he had to leave with the Vice principal he wrote a letter for his father and elder brother and gave it to Neon.

    Neon gave the storage ring he was wearing to Kyle. The storage ring contained a sword, some clothes, and money. At first, Neon only suggested Kyle participate in thepetition because he wanted Kyle to experience some real fights. He never imagined Kyle to pass the Entrance exam.

    After saying goodbye to their families all the winning participants gathered in front of the Vice Principal. The Vice Principal waved his hand and a towering Ship descended from heaven. Afterward, he gestured for everyone to enter the ship.

    The crowd and the participants looked at the big ship with awe. This was the biggest ship they had seen in their lifetime. The winners proudly entered the ship while waving at the crowd.

    After everyone entered, the ship started floating and reached the sky, fading from the crowd''s sight.

    Everyone was excited and had great expectations for the new experience that awaited them in the Royal Academy.

    The path toward the academy was smooth sailing. And because everyone was tired due to fighting in the final round, they all went to the different rooms present inside the ship to rest. Except for Kyle, who stood in the front and was watching the clouds with excitement.

    "Holly! Just how far are we from the ground? What is this ship made of?"

    He curiously asked questions to himself while inspecting almost every inch of the ship.

 Chapter 10: Royal Academy / Stats

    <h4>Chapter 10: Royal Academy / Stats</h4>

    After traveling for the whole day, the ship finally arrived in front of the Academy.

    All the participants were already awake. They looked at the seven big towers standing proudly between three mountains with awe.

    Alec, Carcel, Lara, and Mia were standing in a group because in between the entrance test, they became close. Not just them a lot of participants were standing in groups.

    The ship floated above the Academy for a while beforending on a big tform in the middle of the seven towers.

    After gaining a signal from the Vice principal everyone left the ship and looked at their surroundings with a gaze filled with wonder and respect.

    They were finally inside the prestigious Royal Academy. For them, it was a dreame true!

    The Vice principal gestured for everyone to follow him inside a building. The moment they entered the building, they saw a big hall that had a big stage in the center.

    A beautiful shiny crystal was floating in the middle of the stage.

    The hall was empty with no one sitting in the Audience seats. The Vice Principal went toward the floating crystal and eximed proudly,

    "All of you would have been thinking what this thing is? This beautiful crystal floating in front of you was invented by an Elf. And because he was one of the Principal friends, he gifted one to us. This crystal is a special privilege only avable to Royal Academy students. After touching this crystal you will make a small connection with the''s original core, and everyone will be able to see the different skills they have and the stats of their body!"

    When everyone heard the Vice Principal they were all shocked, leaving the skills aside if they can see the stats of their bodies they will be able to easily find out their weak points.

    After a few minutes of heated discussion, the Vice principal exined the Crystal in more detail. He told everyone that the Crystal would count everyone''s skills and measure everyone''s strength, mana capacity, Rank, and other special body traits before showing everything in Ranks.

    And because the Crystal was connected to the''s origin core, no one except the person touching the Crystal would be able to see their stats. The only thing the Vice Principal would be able to know after seeing the color of the Crystal would be their talent.

    The new students were all excited as the teacher standing behind the Vice principal started calling their names one by one.

    "Lara Everfrost"

    Finally, a familiar name was heard. A lot of students recognize this name as Duke Everfrost''s name was very famous. Everyone looked at the orange-haired girl, walking toward the stage in a prideful manner. The moment her name was called everyone went silent.

    Lara put her hand on the Crystal and thought about stats.

    ______________________________

    Stats:

    Name: Lara

    Rank: F

    Strength: F

    Mana: F

    Agility: +F

    Talent: SS Rank

    Luck: +E

    Special skill: Night Vision

    ______________________________

    The Vice principal looked at the Crystal which showed a dark Orange color and nodded with a smile.

    "(SS)-Rank talent, Not bad."

    All the students looked at Lara with respect, almost 80% of students passing the entrance exam were (S)-Rank or (A)-Rank, so seeing someone with (SS)-Rank talent they could not help but be envious.

    Kyle also heard the students whispering among themselves, and even though he was standing very far, he stood on tiptoes to look at Lara.

    ''She is beautiful.''

    Kyle thought Lara was beautiful with orange hair and sharp ck eyes. But Kyle only thought of her being beautiful and nothing else.

    After Lara, many more students were called so they could make a connection with the''s origin core. A few minutester Carcel''s name was called.

    "Carcel Von Ainsworth"

    The moment his name was called an even biggermotion broke out. Everyone looked at the handsome golden-haired boy, who gracefully walked toward the stage. Some nobles among the new students knew about Carcel being the Second prince of Kingdom Ete.

    Carcel wasn''t bothered by all the attention he was getting, because he was already used to it. He quietly stepped onto the stage and put his hand on the Crystal.

    ______________________________

    Stats:

    Name: Carcel

    Rank: F

    Strength: +F

    Mana: -F

    Agility: +F

    Talent: -SSS Rank

    Luck: -D

    ______________________________

    Seeing the Crystal showing red color the Vice Principal eximed in a low voice,

    "(-SSS)-Rank talent.."

    But because everyone''s attention was focused on Carcel, they heard the vice principal words clearly and gasped with shock. (-SSS)-Talent was something that appeared only once every three hundred years! Even the Crown Prince was tested with only (SS)-Rank talent.

    Nevertheless having (-SSS)-Rank talent and reaching (-SSS)-Rank were two different things. In normal cases it would take more than a hundred years just to reach (SS)-Rank, and in some cases you will die in this dangerous world even before you reach your talent Rank.

    After Carcel coincidentally Mia''s name was called.

    Even though her status as the only daughter of Count Albert was high, but not many knew about Count Albert.

    Mia was beautiful, even more beautiful than Lara. With dark blue hair and sea-blue eyes, she looked like a fairy descending from heaven. Almost all the male students looked at her with flushed faces.

    ______________________________

    Stats:

    Name: Mia

    Rank: F

    Strength: F

    Mana: -E

    Agility: F

    Talent: +SS Rank

    Luck: D

    Special skill: Mana sensitivity

    ______________________________

    Hearing Mia''s talent anothermotion broke out, seeing (-SSS)-Rank talent was already big news, but there were two students with (SS)-Rank talent! Even the teachers were expressing their shock but underneath their shock was happiness. This year they really overdid it and had found many great talents.

    Afterward, a few more students were called to the stage, and then finally Alec''s name was called.

    "Alec"

    The Vice principal looked at Alec with a sizing gaze, he already noticed Alec in the entrance exam. The Vice Principal was sure Alec would have at least (SS)-Rank talent.

    Not just the Vice principal, but a lot ofdies also looked at Alec because he was handsome with Dark Blue hair and ck eyes.

    Alec stepped onto the stage and put his hand on the Crystal but instead of thinking about stats he thought of ''status''.

 Chapter 11: Bloodline?

    <h4>Chapter 11: Bloodline?</h4>

    ______________________________

    Status

    Name: Alec

    Rank: +F

    Strength: +F

    Mana: F

    Agility: +F

    Talent: +SSS Rank

    Luck: +D

    Special skill: Double power

    System Shop��

    System Missions��

    ______________________________

    Alec calmly looked at his status from the corner of his eyes, and then he looked at the Vice Principal''s shocked face.

    Who eximed with disbelief,

    "...(+SSS)-Talent? How?"

    When was thest time someone with an (+SSS)-Rank talent was seen? It''s been more than 500 years!

    Not just the Vice Principal all the teachers present behind him looked at Alec with shock. The Vice Principal immediately gave the task of recording the new student''s talent to another teacher and went tomunicate with the Principal.

    The appearance of someone with (+SSS)-Rank talent after so long was huge news!

    The students also expressed their disbelief while looking at Alec with envy.

    "Did the Vice principal just say (+SSS)-Rank talent?"

    "How is this possible, even the second prince has only (-SSS)-Rank talent!"

    Looking at Alec''s talent a lot of students felt down. Carcel who was standing with Lara and Mia clenched his fists.

    He thought he was the strongest among the young generation but now seeing Alec''s talent he felt like his talent was not good enough. But he decided topensate for hisck of talent with hard work.

    Lara also looked at Alec with a serious expression,

    ''First Carcel now Alec both of them have (SSS)-Rank talent and here I was happy with only (SS)-Rank talent, It seems I need to work hard.''

    Even Mia felt that her talent paled inparison to Carcel and Alec.

    On the other hand, Kyle shook his head with a bitter smile.

    He already thought that Carcel''s talent was high enough now even Alec has (SSS)-Rank talent. He didn''t dare topare himself with these two monsters, so rather than getting jealous he decided to not think about them at all.

    This time themotionsted more than just a few minutes, that''s why the teachers decided to calm the students. So they can continue without wasting any more time.

    More and more students were called on the stage, but no one after Alec had talent greater than (+S)-Rank. After a few more students Kyle''s name was called.

    "Kyle Ohan"

    ''Ohan'' surname was not famous, that''s why when everyone heard Kyle''s name they didn''t think much about him. But when they saw his face half of the students became angry.

    He was the one cursing and remarking on their performance during the third round.

    Alec and Carcel also looked at Kyle but rather than anger they were curious, they remember seeing him during the first and second rounds.

    In fact, they were expecting Kyle to have at least (SS)-Rank talent considering how easily he passed the first and second rounds. Even some teachers were looking forward to seeing Kyle''s talent.

    Meanwhile, Kyle gazed toward the stage with his ck eyes. The sliver corners of his ck hair flutter as he steps onto the stage. He was handsome butpared to someone like Alec and Carcel his looks would only be considered average.

    While walking Kyle felt some hostile stare on his back but he didn''t think much about it.

    After stepping onto the stage, Kyle put his right hand on the Crystal.

    ______________________________

    Stats:

    Name: Kyle

    Bloodline: Celestial (Locked)

    Rank: -F

    Strength: G

    Mana: F

    Agility: G

    Talent: B Rank (suppressed)

    Luck: A

    Skills:

    #*Fireball (F)-Rank:

    User can use mana to create a small fireball. The more mana used the bigger the size of the fireball.

    #*Ice Dragon inherited skill; Ice Domain (S)-Rank:

    User can call upon a Domain in a specific area, locking and freezing the area.

    Inside the Domain;

    All stats will increase by a sub-rank,

    Water-type and ice-type attacks would be ineffective against the user,

    Enemies will have all their stats reduced by a sub-rank.

    To use this skill at least (-C)-Rank mana is required.

    ______________________________

    Kyle nced at all of his stats from the corner of his eyes, he was stunned. Two of his stats were (G)-Rank! Which could be said to be the lowest rank.

    But the thing that stunned him the most was the (S)-Rank skill. (S)-Rank skills were Just as rare as finding (SS)-Rank talent. Now he understood why the Vice principal was hell-bent on getting him into the Academy.

    One of the teachers looked at the Crystal showing a light yellow color and was dumbfounded.

    "...(B)-Rank??"

    The teacher looked at Kyle with a sharp gaze.

    ''How is this possible didn''t he pass the first and second rounds of the test very easily.''

    Alec and Carcel were also stunned knowing the person they thought would be equal to them only had (B)-Rank talent!

    Other students also got angry, they eximed while gritting their teeth,

    "What? Only (B)-Rank talent! Wasn''t he the one giving us crap during the third round?"

    "I thought he would be at least (SS)-Rank!"

    "What (SS)-Rank talent he didn''t even have (A)-Rank talent!"

    Some of the students wanted to beat Kyle up considering how he cursed at them during the third round. But seeing the teachers were still present they controlled themselves.

    While all this was happening, Kyle looked at his stats in a daze because he just noticed something else.

    ''What Bloodline? When did humans start having bloodlines. I thought only monsters have bloodlines! And why is my Rank suppressed?''

    Kyle had thousands of questions going inside his head. His heart was beating fast because if his rank is shown suppressed does that mean he can increase his rank?

    He was shocked to his core and after a few minutes of shock, he was excited! Excited because if he can somehow increase his talent maybe he will be able to rival people like Carcel or Alec.

    The teacher standing in front of Kyle looked at him with disdain, Kyle who was staring at the Crystal was snapped out of his stupor after hearing the teacher''s cold voice.

    "You can leave now."

    Kyle wanted to ask about the Bloodline showing in his stats, but he refrained from it because he doesn''t trust anyone enough to tell them something like this.

    Amidst all this, the one thing Kyle failed to notice was his luck stat, which was (A)-Rank!

    The highest among all the Students. Not just students ifpared maybe his luck state would be the highest in the whole kingdom.

 Chapter 12: First Class / Library

    <h4>Chapter 12: First ss / Library</h4>

    After everyone''s talent was recorded, the teachers gave the students their identification tokens.

    They also exined some rules, like killing, fighting, thievery, or other malicious deeds were prohibited inside the Academy. If there''s something that can''t be solved without fighting, then you are allowed to challenge each other inside the Academy Arena.

    The rules were so strict that even the noble titles were useless. Besides the Academy will punish those who dare to break the rules.

    The good thing was that students were allowed to skip sses as many liked to practice in seclusion, but everyone was required toplete missions assigned by the Academy every month.

    These missions give points, which can be exchanged for money, art books, skills, or other things inside the Academy.

    A young teacher gave the students a tour around the Academy.

    The Royal Academy was veryrge and because today was the first day, students only needed to register themselves inside the main building to know their assigned dorms.

    They can also check their sses scheduled in the main building.

    After sightseeing around the Academy for some time, all the students left to register themselves in the main building.

    The main building was very crowded with students of different years.

    Kyle passed through the huge crowd and saw a big board not so far from him which showed him the ss schedule. Also, there was a big receptionist desk beside the board. Sitting inside the reception was a young man, who was giving dorm keys to the new first-year students.

    After getting the keys from the receptionist, all the students went to their assigned dorms to rest. Almost everyone was tired due to thest three days being too hectic.

    Kyle also took a key from the receptionist and went to his dorm. The dorm room was small with a single bed in the middle, a cupboard, and a small desk in a corner.

    He sat on the bed for a while but was too excited to sleep. That''s why instead of resting he left the dorm and went toward the Academy Library.

    The library had 4 floors, in which the first floor contained basic information about the world. The second to fourth floors contain different Rank arts and skills, which can be learned through hard work. But to enter any floor except the first floor points were needed.

    However, Kyle was not here for skills or arts. He wanted to know about the ''Celestial bloodline'' showing in his stats. That''s why the first floor which contained information about the world was enough for him.

    In the end, even if he wanted to enter other floors, he was unable to because right now hecks points, which can only be obtained bypleting missions.

    Kyle entered the library, not a single soul was present on the first floor. asionally some students would enter the library, but they all would go to the upper floors instead of staying on the first floor.

    After ignoring the suspicious stare he was getting from the librarian Kyle began looking for books rted to Bloodlines.

    Even After looking around for quite some time, he didn''t find any book that contained information about humans having bloodlines. But he didn''t give up and started collecting books rted to the monster''s bloodlines.

    After Collecting more than twenty books, Kyle sat on the cold floor behind a bookshelf so the librarian wouldn''t be able to see him. He was so engrossed in reading that he didn''t even notice the long night slipping away.

    Next day early morning,

    Currently, it was 8:00 AM, and the ssroom of the new first-year students was already filled to the brim. Because no one wanted to bete for their first ss.

    The ssroom was sparkling and spotless with many benches and chairs present on one side for the students. Among the sitting students, the most eye-catching was a group of 4 students sitting in thest row.

    From time to time many girls and boys would try to peek at the 4 individuals and blush.

    These four were none other than Alec, Carcel, Lara, and Mia. Today when Alec and Carcel were entering the ssroom, Lara spotted them and suggested sitting together, and to her surprise they agreed. And because Mia didn''t know anyone except Lara in the ss, she also sat with them.

    After a while, the instructor entered the ssroom and stood behind the podium. She scanned the whole ss before speaking calmly,

    "Today is your first day, so there won''t be anything special. But I hope no one cks off during my ss."

    The instructor''s eyes briefly passed on Alec, Lara, and a few others, because she heard about them from the Vice Principal. She put her hand on the podium while looking at the students.

    "Now, let''s start with attendance and self-introductions. I am Aliza Park, your instructor for this year"

    All the Students looked at the instructor, they all knew who she was.

    ''Aliza Park'' is one of the famous Rankers from thest generation. Currently, she is the youngest (S+)-Rank in the whole kingdom while only being 36 years old.

    Aliza was beautiful with long ck hair and a beautiful figure but she was known for being cold and ruthless.

    She removed her hands from the podium and picked up the Attendance sheet present on top of the podium.

    "As it is your first day, I won''t take too much of your time. I know you all would be exhausted due to not having enough sleep thest three days. So I will make this first lesson short."

    "Alright, Let''s first take attendance"

    Looking through the attendance sheet Aliza quickly started calling out names.

    "Lily"

    After hearing her name being called the student enthusiastically raised her hand and said in a loud voice,

    "Present"

    Aliza looked at the student and nodded before she continued.

 Chapter 13: Absent?

    <h4>Chapter 13: Absent?</h4>

    "Alec"

    "Present"

    "Mia"

    "Present"

    .....

    "Kyle"

    Aliza looked at the students and raised her voice after not hearing a response,

    "Kyle Ohan."

    "Is Kyle not present?"

    All the students looked at each other, they all knew about Kyle because he left a bad impression on them during thest round of the entrance test. But no one expected him to be absent during the first ss.

    Aliza looked at the ss and frowned but she didn''tment on it, as students were allowed to be absent from the ss.

    ''Kyle Ohan! I will remember this name to see who is bold enough to be absent during the first ss.''

    Writing Absent in front of Kyle''s name she continued with the attendance.

    "That''s it for today, get to know your ssmates and tour around the training areas to familiarize yourself."

    After closing the attendance sheet Aliza left the ssroom.

    The moment Aliza''s figure wasn''t visible anymore, all the students started talking excitedly. Especially the boys.

    "Wow, that''s the youngest (+S)-Ranker of the Kingdom?"

    "She''s so beautiful! I think I have fallen in love"

    "Pfff, have you seen your face? Someone like her would never even nce at a loser like you!"

    On the other hand amidst the gossip, Alec stood up and left the ss. He wanted to see the training areas of the Academy.

    Actually, he was anxious because, for the past month, the System has not given him any missions. He wanted to be strong but considering the system was not giving him any mission, his progress has slowed downpared to before.

    A week ago the system finally gave him a mission but because it was very strange, he was not able toplete it.

    ______________________

    ''Mission; xX''

    Help the celestial to reduce the bloodline suppression effect.

    Reward:

    2�� Sub-ranks increase.

    2�� S-Rank skills.

    Time remaining: ����

    _________________________

    He didn''t know who was the Celestial. Where should he find him? How can he help them in bloodline awakening?

    Usually, he has toplete missions within a given time limit and if he can''t the mission will fail, but this time the system didn''t give him any time limit.

    Alec wasn''t even able tomunicate with the system, the system was a strange entity he found during the worst time of his life.

    He was an orphan and the orphanage he lived in was attacked by the monsters. All the kids living in the orphanage died due to the monster''s rampage.

    At that time, seeing the dead bodies of his brothers and sisters Alec felt like everything was his fault. If he was just strong enough he would have been able to protect those precious to him.

    After losing his senses in anger he entered the Dark forest without thinking much about the consequences. Even though he was weak, he didn''t care because he wanted to take revenge for his brothers and sisters.

    He would have already died in the forest if he hadn''t made a connection with the system identally.

    After the connection was established, the system showed him the destruction of the world he was living in. It was a scene Alec would never forget his whole life.

    Dark clouds roamed around the world, dead bodies were piled around everywhere, and the only sound one could hear was screams and painful cries filled with agony.

    No matter whether kids, old or young everyone was dying. The world was on the verge of copse.

    After seeing such a devasting scene, Alec promised himself to be strong. So he can stop the destruction of the world, and protect those precious to him. And also because the system was helping him, that''s why he easily started to climb the Ranks.

    Right now he was weak, and couldn''t do anything. But the future he had seen through the system woulde soon and to change that devasting future he needed to work hard.

    When Carcel, Mia, and Lara saw Alec leaving they also followed behind him.

    They don''t have talent like Alec but they didn''t want to ck off and me everything on talent, because talent is not everything, if one doesn''t work hard even if they have the talent they won''t be able to achieve great heights.

    When they left the ss, a lot of students followed behind them because no one wanted to be left behind.

    After a while, Alec entered the training area. Arge open ground around the size of two football fields appeared before his vision.

    On one side of the training ground, there were hundreds of dummies, that were perfect for those who focus on closebat.

    The training dummies were made of (B)-Rank material, an extremely tough metal that could even withstand the impact of an (A)-Rank attack. And students could train against them freely without worrying about breaking them.

    On the other side, a lot of bullseye targets were present for those who specialize in long-rangebat.

    The middle part of the training ground was empty, meaning that it did not have anything. Basically, it was an area that everyone could use to practice whatever skill and art they wanted to practice.

    After seeing the training ground Alec directly went for the dummies and started practicing. Just a few minutester Carcel also entered the training ground and seeing Alec working so hard, he clenched his spear and also went for the dummies.

    On the other hand, Lara and Mia made their way toward the long-range area. After a few seconds, many more students entered the training grounds and started practicing their specific skills.

 Chapter 14: Red Snow Flower

    <h4>Chapter 14: Red Snow Flower</h4>

    Vice Principal George stood at the edge of the training ground, overlooking the students.

    Turning around he looked at the beautiful woman standing next to him and said,

    "What do you think about the new students?"

    Standing on his left side, Aliza looked around and pointed toward a few students.

    "There are a lot of promising students, but the ones who catch my eyes are Alec, Carcel, Lara, Mia, and Nine"

    The Vice Principal nodded but seemingly noticing something he frowned. Seeing the Vice principal frowning, Aliza questioned

    "What happened?"

    The Vice Principal scanned the whole training ground before saying,

    "That student is not present."

    Aliza looked at the training ground and thought about Kyle as she had already heard about him from the Vice Principal.

    "The one who took the (S)-Rank skill during the entrance exam?"

    The Vice Principal didn''t speak and just nodded his head in reply.

    "He was absent today, but no need to worry. The next time he is present, I will make sure he knows what it means to skip my ss."

    Aliza smiled before cing the name ''Kyle'' inside her cklist. But the one thing she didn''t know was that she wouldn''t be able to see Kyle''s face any time soon.

    The Vice principal looked at Aliza and sighed before leaving,

    ''I wish that instead of Kyle, Alec was the one who got the (S)-Rank skill. What a waste.''

    Meanwhile,

    Kyle who was not aware that Aliza ced him on her cklist, continued to read books about Bloodlines. He already saw the burning sun outside, but because it was already toote he decided to skip ss for today.

    After reading books the whole night, Kyle found a lot of knowledge about the monster''s bloodlines. Monsters can awaken their bloodline when they are under extreme pressure or when they be adults, but the time to reach adulthood is different for all types of monsters.

    All the information he found was rted to monsters that''s why Kyle was not sure if it would be useful for him. Nevertheless, he still decided to continue to search for more information until he found something useful.

    A weekter,

    The first floor of the library was still the same but the one thing which looked out of ce was a specific corner behind a bookshelf. It seemed a certain someone had made that corner his home.

    Clothes, some food, shoes, and various other necessities were ced beside a young man who was continuously flipping pages of two different books.

    As Kyle was busy reading, the old librarian stood on his left side staring at him with a dark face.

    It''s been a week since Kyle entered the library but he showed no sign of leaving, except for going to relieve himself or if he is hungry. He even ignored the librarian''s presence.

    ''This kid, doesn''t he have any ss? What the hell is he reading? I haven''t slept for a week due to him always sitting inside the library.''

    The Librarian lightly pped Kyle on the head before grabbing him by the cor with one hand.

    "Ugh, What... " Kyle was startled suddenly being picked up by the librarian.

    He tried to free himself from the old man''s grip, but the difference in strength was too great. Even after struggling with all his might Kyle was not able to free himself and that''s why he stopped resisting and epted his fate.

    The old man looked at Kyle strangely, who suddenly stopped struggling. Usually, someone entering the Academy would be at least (F)-Rank but seeing Kyle so powerless, he wonders if thisd is even in (-F)-Rank.

    The Librarian tossed Kyle outside the library before speaking with a smile which was not polite at all,

    "Free reading time finish kiddo. Now if you want to enter the library again bring some points with you."

    "Ugh" Kyle looked at the librarian dumbfounded, wasn''t the first floor free to use? Why did he suddenly throw him out?

    Kyle stood up and dusted his clothes. He wanted to protest but seeing the Librarian smile he knew it was better to leave quietly.

    He started walking toward his dorm.

    "It seems I can''t enter the library anymore, but it''s okay I already found something useful."

    Yesterday, while skipping through different books he saw a picture of a flower called ''Red Snow flower'' that can help monsters in the bloodline awakening. But the problem was it could only be found in extremely hot ces and also he was not sure if it would work because the flower was only useful to monsters.

    Nevertheless, Kyle decided to leave for the mountain present behind the Academy. While finding information about the ''Red snow flower'' he also read that among the three mountains surrounding the Academy, the one behind is the hottest. And if you can climb high enough there''s a chance of finding the ''red snow flower''.

    But because he can''t leave the Academy without permission, Kyle decided to take on a mission.

    After Kyle entered the dorm he took a hot bath. Due to staying inside the library for a week, he had not taken a bath.

    Coming out from the shower Kyle nced at the bed which was still untouched.

    "Sigh, I was too excited and neglected my rest. I will sleep the whole day aftering back."

    Kyle promised himself before leaving for the mission hall.

 Chapter 15: Mission Hall

    <h4>Chapter 15: Mission Hall</h4>

    A whileter, Kyle entered the mission hall. The hall was bustling with students of different years, trying to find a suitable mission.

    He looked at the big mission board present at the edge of the hall and after finding a suitable mission for himself, he went over to the side of the hall designated for new students.

    The hall was divided into three parts, the right side was for the new first-year students, the one in the middle was for the second-year students and the one on the left was for third-year students.

    There were a lot of missions avable to new students, including some chores from the seniors like washing their clothes or cleaning their dorm for points.

    After looking at all the missions avable, Kyle decided to go with the easiest one which he felt he could handle, and also because the location of the mission coincided with the ce he wanted to go.

    Kyle approached the Young man sitting behind the reception before handing him the mission page.

    "Hello, I would like to take this mission."

    The young man nced at Kyle strangely, because not many would pick up a mission like ''herb collecting''. Nevertheless, he took the mission page Kyle tore off the board before going through some papers.

    He registered Kyle''s name for the mission before speaking,

    "This mission was posted a week ago, you have two weeks toplete the mission and return with the item."

    All the missions present inside the mission hall had a time limit on them, which is why the students were required to finish the mission within the given time.

    "Okay"

    After nodding Kyle left the mission hall, directly heading toward the exit of the Academy.

    Soon he walked out of the Academy, Kyle turned around and stared at the majestic gates.

    He still finds it unbelievable that he got into one of the biggest academies of the Kingdom. Just a week ago he was thinking of living his whole life depending on his family because he knew he was weak. Never in his wildest dream he would have imagined that after entering the Academy he would find such a big secret about himself.

    Kyle clenched his fists now that he have a chance he won''t stay as a pathetic loser anymore. He didn''t hope to be the strongest, he would be happy even if his bloodline gave him (S)-Rank talent.

    The one thing he hated the most was being looked down upon by others. After his mother''s death, he wasn''t aplete loner, he had few friends. It was only after the talent test that everyone left him, just because he had a weaker talent.

    He thought about his father and brothers, they were always by his side supporting and encouraging him. Even after he awakened a (B)-Rank talent, they never stopped caring about him. Kyle was not sure if the ''Red snow flower'' would work. But still, now that he has hope, he promised himself to be someone his family would be proud of.

    Kyle shook his head and stopped thinking, it was not the right time to think about all this. And without wasting any more time he left, heading straight toward the back mountain.

    It took him 4 hours just to reach the base of the mountain, and as described in the book arge forest that spammed over several kilometers appeared before his view. As Kyle reached the entrance of the forest, he chose to enter without even thinking twice.

    Some might think Kyle was being too impatient and disregarded the danger present inside the mountain, but this was not true at all.

    The mountains surrounding the Academy indeed had monsters but due to the student''s continued hunting for the past so many years, it was very rare to see a monster inside the mountains. But if you climb high enough to reach the top of the mountain there is a 10% chance of seeing some high-rank monsters.

    Still, the monsters present at the top of the mountain were living there for a long time and rarely attacked others. Not until they were disturbed. And because Kyle had no n to disturb them he deemed it a very safe journey.

    Due to it being his first time traveling on feet for so long Kyle was exhausted but he decided to grit his teeth for his future. The expression on his face showed he wouldn''t stop until he found the ''Red snow flower''.

    One hourter,

    Kyle who was determined to reach the top of the mountain without taking a break, could be seen sitting beside a small pond filled with water. His determination onlysted an hour before he decided to take a break.

    ''Humans are born to take breaks, if they didn''t then who will? Anyway, it''s not like the Red snow flower would run away if I took a break.''

    Kyle thought inwardly before taking out some cooking ingredients from his storage ring and lighting up a fire.

 Chapter 16: Upcoming Competition

    <h4>Chapter 16: Uing Competition</h4>

    After cooking food for himself, Kyle started eating to relieve some of his fatigue. He was not someone with the best cooking skills, that''s why the food tasted average. But because he had to eat it himself he didn''t really care about the taste. It was enough as long as it filled his stomach.

    While Kyle was eating, some students wearing the third-year uniform passed from the ce he was sitting. Their clothes were tattered and they all looked injured, like they just experienced a life and death battle.

    One of the students who seemed to be the leader of the group said with anger,

    "Who the hell said the Phoenix was injured."

    Another student walking behind him tried to exin,

    "Boss, the information provided was wrong, it''s not our fault."

    The Leader of the group stomped his left foot on the ground with anger.

    "I almost lost my life out there, I am going to punish all those rted to this matter."

    The group of Students heading toward the exit of the mountain notice Kyle''s presence. But sensing his weak aura which seemed even lower than somemon (-F)-Rank, they all looked at him with disdain and ignored him.

    It wasmon knowledge that those weaker than (E)-Rank would never have something useful on them. And because Kyle was not even wearing the Academy uniform, they all thought he was somemoner roaming around inside the mountain in the hope of finding some rare herbs.

    Kyle looked at the group of Students and sensing the ridiculed present inside their gazes he felt angry, but he didn''t show it on his face.

    It was not the first time someone looked down upon him and Kyle knew he was weak. If right now, he attacked the group, forgot about winning he would probably lose his meager life. That''s why he ignored the group and returned his focus on eating.

    After eating, Kyle stood up and stretched his body. He was feeling a new rush of energy within himself, and with that he started his journey again.

    Meanwhile,

    First-year ssroom,

    "That''s it for today."

    Afterpleting the lecture Aliza stood behind the podium.

    Almost all the students present were focused because Aliza''s lecture had helped them a lot in their training. Sensing how serious everyone was Aliza nodded with satisfaction and said,

    "Before you go, let me remind you again participating in the uing Competition is necessary because your ranking will be decided based on the results."

    Every year the Academy will hold apetition among the students of different years to decide their ranking. Also in this way, the Academy promotespetition among the students, so they can continue to work hard and try to be stronger to achieve higher rankings in the next exams.

    Suddenly remembering something Aliza frowned.

    "That student, ''Kyle Ohan''. He is not present today either. I don''t know what he is doing but if any of you know where he is, just remind him that he also needs to participate in thepetition or else he will fail the midterms."

    Afterward, she left the ssroom.

    She still finds it hard to believe that a new student was continuously skipping sses doing god knows what. It was fine if he skipped ss but he was not evening to the training grounds for training which made Aliza even more furious.

    After Aliza left the ss, some students talked about Kyle but because no one was close to him they all left to do their work.

    Nine who was sitting at the front, remembered seeing Kyle entering the dorm next to him. That''s why as a neighbor he decided to inform him about the uing Competition.

    .....

    On the other hand, as Kyle climbed higher, he felt the surrounding temperature increase with every passing second. His clothes were already drenched in sweat.

    Climbing for almost half a day, he finally managed to find the herb needed for the mission. It was a beautiful purple grass used to make mana recovery potions.

    He immediately started collecting the grass and ced it inside the storage ring. Still even after climbing so far the ''Red snow flower'' was nowhere in sight, but he was not discouraged.

    "It''s hard.... "

    The burning sun was nowhere to be seen and the surrounding was dark. Kyle sighed and stared at the beautiful moon present above the sky.

    He clenched his fist and squinted his eyes to look at the peak which was visible in the middle of the night due to the moonlight.

    The mountain terrain was harsher than he expected because setting the high temperature aside it was getting harder the higher he climbed.

    A whole day has already passed since he started climbing the mountain, and during that time he also stopped a couple of times to rest.

    He decided to do onest struggle and climbed his way toward the peak a little more. He was sure he would find the ''Red Snow flower'' if he climbed a little higher.

    And with renewed vigor, Kyle started to climb again. His vision was reduced because of the dark surrounding that''s why he used some mana stones to illuminate his path.

    Smelling the sharp yet hot smelling from the top of the mountain he felt like his body was melting. For Kyleing this far was already a miracle considering he was only at (-F)-Rank.

 Chapter 17: Cave

    <h4>Chapter 17: Cave</h4>

    As the nights progressed instead of the usual cold winds the atmosphere was hot, further adding to the difficulty of the climb. Not to mention that Kyle''s whole body was aching like crazy.

    After making so much effort and finding nothing Kyle was a little disappointed. As he was going to give up and return, he saw a small white flower present at the opposite end.

    Seeing the flower Kyle paused for a moment and rubbed his eyes. He shouted with excitement before running toward the glowing flower which was visible even in the dark.

    "It''s the Red snow flower!"

    The Red snow flower was emitting cold energy in the middle of such a hot ce. Kyle excitedly approached the flower and immediately picked it up, he wanted to search for more but when he turned around, he saw he was standing in front of a cave.

    The cave was carefully hidden under rocks, that''s why he hadn''t noticed it before. Kyle looked at the cave, which waspletely dark but at the far end of the cave a couple of white glowing flowers could be seen. He knew he was already almost at the top of the mountain which meant the cave in front of him might very well be home to some high-rank monsters.

    He had no ns to enter the cave, but then he saw the small white flower in his hands.

    "ording to the book I read in the library one flower is enough to awaken a bloodline but in some cases, more than one is needed."

    He wanted to go inside but thinking about the possibility of a monster suddenly pouncing at him he was hesitant.

    It''s not because he was scared, it''s because he knew he was not some kind of genius who would emerge victorious even after fighting someone higher rank than himself. Nor was he some kind of protagonist inside a story who will fight a life and death battle only to win in the end. That''s why risking his life was out of the question.

    ''Instead of going inside and taking the risk, I should eat this flower first. If it works then good. If not then I can go inside quietly to grab the other flowers.''

    Kyle threw the flower inside his mouth before sitting cross-legged.

    ording to the information he read, after he ate the flower he would feel extreme pain inside his body.

    Kyle waited for something to happen inside his body as described in the book. But no matter how much he waited he didn''t feel pain nor any change within his body.

    After waiting for almost half an hour, he took a deep breath and nervously looked at his stats from the corner of his eyes.

    ______________________________

    Stats:

    Name: Kyle

    Bloodline: Celestial (Locked)

    Rank: -F

    Strength: G

    Mana: F

    Agility: G

    Talent: B Rank (suppressed)

    Luck: A

    Skills:

    *Fireball (F)-Rank:

    User can use mana to create a small fireball. The more mana used the bigger the size of the fireball.

    *Ice Dragon inherited skill; Ice Domain (S)-Rank:

    User can call upon a Domain in a specific area, locking and freezing the area.

    Inside the Domain;

    All stats will increase by a sub-rank,

    Water-type and ice-type attacks would be ineffective against the user,

    Enemies will have all their stats reduced by a sub-rank.

    To use this skill at least (-C)-Rank mana is required.

    ______________________________

    But as he feared nothing changed, all his stats were the same as before. His clothes drenched in sweat were making him ufortable but he stood up and squinted his eyes to look inside the cave.

    "What am I doing? I can''t see anyone inside maybe it''s just an empty cave."

    Honestly, he wished it to be just an empty cave, if there was a monster inside instead of eating the flowers why did he just leave them for disy?

    After looking around for some more time, Kyle decided to enter the cave. He took out some mana stones to brighten his path and slowly approached the glowing flower present at the other end of the cave.

    From the outside, it looked like some ordinary cave but when Kyle entered he saw it was very deep and was designed with a lot of multi-colored stones.

    Other than the glowing red snow flower present at the opposite end there were a lot of precious herbs scattered around at the ground. Kyle was tempted to pick them up but he decided against it, after seeing some blood stains present on some broken rocks.

    The condition of the cave indicated that a battle took ce here not long ago.

    His heart was beating so fast that he was able to hear it clearly, but rather than getting scared, he was somewhat excited. While approaching the flowers Kyle made sure to make a minimum noise.

    But as Kyle approached the flowers, he heard an almost inaudible voiceing from his left side, he was sure that voice didn''t belong to his fast-beating heart.

    After gathering all his courage he barely turned his head to see where the voice wasing from.

    "A.. Phoe..nix....?"

 Chapter 18: Phoenix

    <h4>Chapter 18: Phoenix</h4>

    "A.. Phoe..nix....?"

    Kyle mumbled under his breath looking at the red Phoenix lying not so far from him. The phoenix''s eyes were closed, and its breath was uneven.

    Kyle was frozen, he didn''t even dare to breathe. While he was standing still the Phoenix suddenly opened his pitch-ck eyes and looked at Kyle before closing them again.

    Kyle looked at the Phoenix dumbfounded.

    ''Is it not going to attack me?''

    He remembered hearing about phoenixes before but now seeing such a big phoenix he was sure that it was at least (-S)-Rank. But suddenly he noticed that one of the Phoenix wings was not present.

    "It''s.. injured.."

    With sweaty palms and rough breathing, Kyle neared the distance between himself and the Phoenix. The more he closed the distance the hotter he felt because the Phoenix body was emitting heat.

    After closing a considerable amount of distance, he took a deep breath to calm his nerves and threw a few mana stones toward the phoenix, which brightened the hidden corner of the cave.

    "It''s really injured."

    He saw the phoenix lying inside a pool of blood. And looking at its condition, it seemed it was going to die soon.

    Suddenly Kyle recalled the group of students he had seen earlier, they were talking about fighting with a phoenix. And it seemed they were the ones who gravely injured the phoenix.

    At that time Kyle didn''t focus on their conversation but now looking at the scene himself, he was not sure if it was fortunate for him to discover the injured Phoenix.

    Seeing a phoenix was rare, if he sold the phoenix''s body it would yield a hefty amount in return. Maybe if he dug out the core, there was a chance he would be able to find a skill. And how the phoenix didn''t attack even after seeing Kyle trespassing his territory, it seemed to be at the death door. Kyle was sure right now even an unawakened person would be easily able to kill it.

    But for some reason, Kyle felt it was a pity to kill such a beautiful creature. He knew phoenixes were also considered a kind of monster, but when the Phoenix opened his eyes and looked at him, Kyle felt the sadness present inside those glowing eyes. Those eyes belong to someone who already epted their fate.

    He felt conflicted if he should kill the phoenix or not. It would definitely be worth a lot if he killed it, but after thinking for a while Kyle decided against it.

    He didn''t want to feel guilty for something so insignificant. Kyle didn''t have a lot of money but he didn''t want to earn money this way, he sighed and returned his focus to the flowers. He was here for the flowers, not to kill.

    After seeing the cave owner injured, Kyle was not hesitant anymore and directly made his way toward the Red snow flowers.

    His feet brushed past the precious herb scattered around on the ground, but he didn''t care and after reaching Red snow flowers, he bent down and grabbed the flowers.

    [''Human! Why didn''t you kill me?'']

    FLINCH!

    Kyle flinched suddenly hearing a monotonic voice inside his head, he turned around only to see a pair of glowing eyes staring directly at him.

    The phoenix was staring at him, but there was not even an ounce of fear in Kyle''s eyes. He was a bit taken back suddenly hearing a voice inside his head but more than being scared he got curious and looked at the Phoenix with wide eyes.

    "Are you the one talking to me?"

    Seeing Kyle''s nonchnt attitude the Phoenix was surprised. He knew he was injured but still, he was someone superior, and under his gaze, a normal human should naturally feel fear.

    [''Hmm, you are a rather strange human.'']

    Kyle looked at the Phoenix with disbelief,

    "You are really talking inside my head, how is it possible..!"

    Today was the first time he saw a phoenix and it was talking to him. He wasn''t sure if anyone would believe him if he told them he talked to a phoenix!

    The phoenix looked at Kyle but then he suddenly closed his eyes, it seemed it was getting difficult for him.

    [''It''s possible, there are some creatures who gain Intelligence after attaining Enlightenment.'']

    [''And it was easy making a connection with you, considering you are so weak even after having a bloodline superior to me.'']

    Before Kyle was looking at the Phoenix with astonishment but then it turned into respect when he heard the word enlightenment. Because even humans would spend their whole lives seeking enlightenment. He got another shock when he heard the phoenix talking about bloodline.

    "Bloodline! Do you know about my bloodline? How?"

    Now Kyle was getting anxious because even after spending a week inside the library he didn''t get any useful information regarding the ''Celestial Bloodline''.

    [''I already sensed it when you were fidgeting outside my cave and seeing how you went for the Red Snow flower instead of picking any other herb it seems you are already aware of it.'']

    [''And I don''t know about your bloodline but because it''s affecting me it''s probably superior to mine. And I think those Red snow flowers won''t work on you.'']

    "Why.."

    Kyle looked at the bunch of flowers clustered together inside his hand. He was sure after so much hard work he would gain something in return, but thinking about how it won''t work he was dispirited.

    "Why won''t it work?"

    Kyle eximed in a loud voice before he clenched his fist.

 Chapter 19: An Egg

    <h4>Chapter 19: An Egg</h4>

    Hearing Kyle''s impatient voice the phoenix tried to move his head a little.

    [''It''s because your bloodline is too powerful, and creatures like me usually awaken their bloodline after reaching adulthood, I am not sure about humans but I think you will awaken your bloodline when your body is fully mature.'']

    After hearing the Phoenix''s words Kyle calmed down a little because there was still a way for him to awaken the bloodline. He was not sure when his body would fully mature but there was something he wanted to ask for a while now.

    "Why are you telling me all this?"

    [''It''s because I don''t have much time left. I don''t trust humans because they are greedy. But I think you are different, that''s why I want to ask for a favor.'']

    The phoenix suddenly lifted his only injured wing and showed an egg to Kyle.

    "This.."

    [''It''s my child. I thought it would die with me today, but if there''s any hope I don''t want to let it go.'']

    Kyle was shocked once again, seeing a Phoenix was already a rare sight but now he was seeing a phoenix egg.

    But suddenly he became serious,

    "What if I didn''t care for it? What if I sold it to someone? Why are you trusting me, there are so many kind humans out there."

    [''Human, If I am wrong in trusting you I can only me myself for it.'']

    The Phoenix slowly pushed the egg toward Kyle with his injured wing.

    [''Put a drop of your blood on it, to make a connection with it.'']

    Kyle was hesitant but after considering it for a while he looked at the Phoenix before releasing a big sigh.

    He did hear about some humans making mutual connections with monsters, where both parties rely on each other and help each other. But he never thought there would be a day he would get a chance like this. And on top of that, he was sure after the egg hatched it would have the potential to reach (S)-Rank.

    Kyle walked towards the egg and pricked his finger to put a drop of blood on it. The moment his blood touched the egg, it shook slightly and a small red fire mark emerged on the back of his hand.

    After looking at the fire mark he picked up the egg, it was small not even fitting his fist. Through the mark, he was able to sense a small connection with the egg.

    He tried to ce it inside the storage ring but he was not able to, because living things can''t be ced inside storage rings. After trying for a while he took out a small bag and put the egg inside before tying the bag to his waist.

    The Phoenix sensing that Kyle picked up the egg showed a relieved expression.

    [''Thank you.'']

    [''This is a little something I want to give you as a gift.'']

    A small drop of blood appeared in front of the Phoenix before floating toward Kyle.

    "What''s this?"

    Kyle looked at the drop of blood floating in front of him. It was not exactly blood because it was glowing. He didn''t know why the phoenix called it a gift but if it''s a gift it''s probably useful.

    [''My blood essence, it won''t help you much but it will reduce the suppressing effect of your bloodline.'']

    After saying some final words the Phoenix closed his eyes. Red mes emerged out of thin air before burning his whole body.

    Kyle was startled suddenly seeing mes engulfing the Phoenix, he wanted to help but before he could the floating drop of blood entered his forehead. The moment it happened Kyle felt stinging pain inside his head. Thest thing he remembered was seeing the burning red mes before he lost consciousness.

    .....

    "Ugh..." Kyle tried to move his body only to feel pain in almost all parts of his body.

    He looked around and found himself lying in the same ce he was standingst night. Kyle questioned himself with uncertainty,

    "Was it a dream?"

    How can so much happen in a single night? But after seeing the egg tied on the waist, he knew it was not a dream. The Phoenix was nowhere to be seen not even a trace of his body.

    And strangely for some reason, Kyle was not feeling hot anymore. After standing up he walked out of the cave only to see the sun burning brightly in the sky.

    "It''s already morning.. Ugh why is my body hurting so much"

    He started stretching his body to lower the pain. While stretching he felt his muscles were stronger than before. Suddenly remembering thest words the Phoenix said Kyle mumbled with disbelief,

    "No way."

    Thinking about the possibility his heart started beating excitedly and he nervously looked at the stats from the corner of his eyes.

    ______________________________

    Stats:

    Name: Kyle

    Bloodline: Celestial (Locked)

    Rank: F+

    Strength: F

    Mana: F+

    Agility: F

    Talent: SS Rank (suppressed)

    Luck: A

    Skills:

    #*Fireball (F)-Rank:

    User can use mana to create a small fireball. The more mana used the bigger the size of the fireball.

    #*Ice Dragon inherited skill; Ice Domain (S)-Rank:

    User can call upon a Domain in a specific area, locking and freezing the area.

    Inside the Domain;

    All stats will increase by a sub-rank,

    Water-type and ice-type attacks would be ineffective against the user,

    Enemies will have all their stats reduced by a sub-rank.

    To use this skill at least (-C)-Rank mana is required.

    #*Fire Phoenix inherited skill; Fire resistance (B)-Rank (Passive):

    Provides resistance against weak fire-type attacks, and because of the inherited effect, the user will be less affected by the surrounding temperature.

    ______________________________

    Kyle thought he was dreaming before he shouted with excitement,

    "My rank jumped! Not just one but two sub Ranks."

    He looked at his talent and was once again struck with shock.

    "(SS)-Rank! No way.. and it''s still suppressed."

    He was already happy with (SS)-Rank talent, but seeing how it was still showing suppressed, he was not sure what his Rank would be after he awakened the bloodline. Also, he saw the skill he got from the Phoenix which maximized his happiness.

    Kyle jumped with excitement, he wanted to shout and tell everyone but he calmed his raging heart. He still had a long way to go before he truly became someone strong.

 Chapter 20: Back at the Academy

    <h4>Chapter 20: Back at the Academy</h4>

    Kyle was currently humming happily as he roasted a leg of a Rabbit. He brought various ingredients with him when he left the Academy to ensure he was always prepared.

    After some time, a sweet fragrance drifted into the air. The color of the meat had already turned into Reddish brown.

    Kyle bit a piece of the meat and tasted it. He looked at the sky still humming.

    "What a great taste."

    After finishing the meat he patted his stomach before heading toward the pond not so far from him. He marked this location before climbing the mountain because it was a good spot for rest.

    Kyle removed his clothes before diving into the pond.

    "What a great life."

    .....

    Next day,

    Kyle could be seening out of the mountain. This trip was a fruitful journey all around, and worth all his efforts. He smiled to himself as he headed toward the Academy gates.

    "I am finally back."

    Kyle looked at the majestic gate in front of him with awe. As he entered the Academy, he felt like it had been years since he left but in reality, he just left yesterday.

    He first went toward the mission hall to submit his mission. When he got there, the person who handed him the mission looked at him with disdain, because bringing back some herbs from the back mountain was the easiest task and yet it took Kyle 2 whole days just to collect some herbs.

    Kyle who would usually get angry when others look down at him, literally ignored the receptionist because he was in a good mood.

    He submitted the mission and collected the reward before heading towards the dorm to rest. After experiencing so much just in a few days he was tired. Right now he wanted nothing more than to just lie down on his bed and sleep for the whole day.

    But before he could enter the dorm and rest, someone called his name from behind.

    "Kyle? Right"

    Kyle turned around with a frown to see who was stopping him from meeting his bed,

    "Yes, it''s me."

    Nine stretched out his right hand with a smile.

    "It''s nice meeting you, I am Nine."

    Kyle looked at the handsome brown-haired boy standing opposite to him. He was sure he had seen him somewhere before but because he didn''t remember he brushed the matter aside.

    Kyle politely shook Nine hand with a smile.

    "As you already know, my name is Kyle. It''s nice meeting you too."

    Nine assessed Kyle and Kyle was also doing the same.

    ''He is at (+F)-Rank?'' Nine was shocked sensing the aura around Kyle. He was sure except for the four monsters in the ss, no one else had reached (+F)-Rank.

    Kyle sensing Nine shocked gaze hurriedly tried to hide his aura. And for a few seconds, there was an awkward silence.

    "So why did you call for me?"

    With a smile, Kyle broke the silence. Since he wanted to hurry up and rest, he might as well get it over with as soon as possible.

    "Ah sorry, I wanted to tell you about thepetition held to decide the students ranking in ss. Miss Aliza said to inform you because you were absent during thest whole week. I dide yesterday to inform you but you were not present."

    Nine hurriedly exined everything before offering to go together.

    "It''s almost time for thepetition and we are gettingte. If you don''t mind how abouting with me."

    He didn''t expect Kyle to be someone strong. Even Nine himself was only (F)-Rank. He thought it would be good to make friends with someone strong.

    Kyle sighed with frustration, he wanted to skip but he knew he couldn''t because ording to the rules participating in every kind ofpetition waspulsory for all the students.

    With no choice, Kyle nodded his head and started walking with Nine.

    "Where are you from."

    While walking Nine started conversing with Kyle.

    "I''m from Nyan City."

    Nine thought for a while before replying,

    "Oh, I have never heard about this ce."

    Kyle looked at him with a smile,

    "It''s not a famous ce, so it''s normal if you don''t know about it."

    Both of them continued talking as they walked closer to the ssroom.

    While walking Kyle looked at the huge Academy and was once again fascinated by how big it was. The Academy was well equipped with almost everything because it was the ce where the future powerful individual of humanity would be nurtured.

    Different training grounds, high-end food, and knowledge about almost everything, swimming pools, highly secured research rooms, almost all you wanted were present inside the Academy.

    The students were allowed to go almost everywhere except for the forbidden area. The ce where only high-ranking individuals can enter. The reason why it was considered a forbidden area was that it was the ce where the Academy treasury was and where high-grade skills and Arts were stored.

 Chapter 21: Ranking Assessment

    <h4>Chapter 21: Ranking Assessment</h4>

    As both Kyle and Nine entered the ssroom and sat in the front row, not many noticed them.

    Kyle looked at the ssroom curiously because today was officially his first day. While looking around he also noticed Alec, Carcel, Lara, and Mia, sitting at the other end of the ssroom.

    The four of them sitting together was a sight to behold because all of them were beautiful and powerful.

    A lot of students were trying to strike up a conversation with them but they ignored all of them and were busy talking among themselves.

    Kyle looked at them for a while before talking to Nine again about the recent sses he missed.

    As he was busy talking, someone entered the ssroom. Wearing a beautiful outfit Professor Aliza came into the room, gathering the attention of everyone.

    "Alright, everyone please keep quiet."

    She walked and stood behind the podium, with tidy ck hair and a sharp look Professor Aliza had a smile on her face as she slowly picked up the Attendance sheet.

    Looking at the calm, gentle, and beautiful Professor Kyle thought that she was the nicest person on earth. But unlike every other male student who was blushing while staring at Aliza, he didn''t look at her for longer than a few seconds.

    It''s not that he found her ugly it''s just he thought it would be inappropriate to stare at the professor for too long.

    Looking through the attendance sheet Aliza quickly started calling out names,

    "Lily"

    "Present"

    "Alec"

    "Present"

    "Mia"

    "Present"

    .....

    Suddenly pausing at a certain name Aliza said in a loud voice,

    "Kyle Ohan?"

    Hearing his name being called Kyle raised his hand and said,

    "Present"

    Aliza looked at Kyle with cold eyes, her previous smile was nowhere to be seen.

    "Oh? So you finally decided to show your face."

    She said sarcastically while looking at Kyle with a deadly stare.

    Kyle felt a chill run down his spine, he swore she looked like an Angel just a second ago but now he felt he was seeing a demon disguised as an Angle.

    ".. I apologize, because it was my first time traveling so far I got motion sickness aftering to the Academy, that''s why I was unable to attend the ss."

    Kyle lied with a serious face. But cold sweat could be seen dripping down from the side of his face.

    Aliza frowned, she knew he was lying because yesterday she checked his location. Only to find, he camped inside the library for a week to read some useless books on monsters. Afterward, he took a useless mission like ''herb collecting'' and left the Academy.

    After ring at Kyle for a while, she continued with the attendance. But inwardly she marked Kyle for a punishment he will soon experience.

    Kyle''s eyelid twitched indicating a bad premonition. But he was thick-skinned as he ignored the staresing from the whole ss.

    Aliza closed the Attendance sheet before looking at the students.

    "That''s it, Now everyone can leave and go to the Training ground because the Ranking assessment will be held there."

    All the students stood up and left the ssroom.

    Meanwhile, Aliza looked at Kyle back with a serious expression and mumbled under her breath,

    "(+F)-Rank? Didn''t the vice principal say just a week ago that he is only (-F)-Rank? How did he increase his rank when all he did was to read some books?"

    After thinking for a while she thought maybe the vice principal made a mistake. But how can the vice principal who is an (SS)-Rank individual make a mistake? Thinking about all this she decided to keep an eye on Kyle during thepetition.

    ....

    In the training ground of the Academy, standing in a single line all the first-year students nervously stared at the professor before them.

    Professor Liam wearing a navy blue outfit, stood tall in front of the students. The few wrinkles present on his forehead indicated that he was in histe thirties.

    As the professor spoke in a loud voice, all the students felt the thick wave of mana present in the air. Though it wasn''t overbearing, it still caused every student present to feel some pressure.

    "Alright, everyone please pay close attention to what I''m saying because I will not repeat myself. For the Ranking assessment, all of you will be teleported inside a dungeon. The dungeon is called ''Goblin Cave''. It''s an (F)-Rank dungeon, created by the Principal to nurture young talents like you all."

    Pausing for a while and staring at the students standing before him, the professor continued,

    "For your Ranking assessment, all you have to do is kill as many monsters as possible within the given time limit. For every monster you kill, you will be given an additional point on it. The higher the points you gain the higher your rank will be. There are some hidden tasks inside the dungeon which can give you additional points but it depends on your luck to find them. After the given time is finished you all will be automatically teleported out."

    Pausing once again to make sure the students digested all the information, the professor continued,

    "There will be some professors hidden inside the dungeon. This is because if there''s any unforeseen ident inside the dungeon, they can quicklye to your aid. This is a safety precaution that the Academy has done to make sure none of you die."

    "However..."

    "If the professors are forced to help you, you will be disqualified, giving you directly the Last rank in the ss. And I believe no one would like that, that''s why I hope everyone will put effort into getting a high ranking."

    The students shivered at the thought of getting thest rank in the ss. Because no one wanted to be thest.

 Chapter 22: Goblin Cave

    <h4>Chapter 22: Goblin Cave</h4>

    Seeing the student''s serious expression the professor nodded with satisfaction,

    "Alright, you all will stay inside the dungeon for 2 days before teleporting out. However because you will be sent to the same dungeon at the same time, you are allowed to cooperate."

    Pausing slightly, the professor''s voice turned serious,

    "And if you can cooperate, that also means you can also steal each other kills. After all, the person who gains the most points will gain the highest ranking. That''s why not only from the monsters but you also have to watch out for the person next to you."

    Afterpleting his statement the professor smirked while looking at the students who were now wary of each other. Because after hearing the professor almost everyone vigntly stepped away from the person near them.

    There were also some students who showed worried expressions after knowing they had to stay in the dungeon for two days because no one was prepared for this. Everyone thought they would have a one-on-one battle for the Ranking assessment.

    "Enough now! Be prepared. I am teleporting you all inside the dungeon."

    Finished with what he wanted to say, Professor Liam lifted his right hand and the ground beneath the students shook slightly before teleporting them all inside the dungeon.

    .....

    Kyle felt the world around him twist and change, but because he had gone through this sensation a few times before he easily adjusted to it. Also unlikest time he didn''t throw up.

    Looking around he found himself inside a dark and damp cave that spanned almost hundreds of kilometers in diameter. Many other students were appearing one after another at the ce he was standing.

    But the moment they appeared they all scattered around in search of monsters because everyone was eager to earn as many points as possible.

    As cold air brushed against his skin, Kyle also sprinted forward excitedly. He knew because of those four monsters he won''t be able to get the top ranks but still, he inwardly decided to get a high ranking in ss.

    Just after a few minutes of running, like tsunami green creatures of short stature with long hooked noses, bat-like ears, and hideous smiles appeared from every corner of the cave.

    -SWOOSH! -SWOOSH!

    "What''s that?"

    "Goblins?"

    "Kekekeke!"

    "Kekekee!"

    The Goblins loudughter resounded in the cave, sending shivers running down everyone''s spine.

    Surprised by the unexpected situation, the students at the front stopped running and huddled up together before attacking the goblins.

    With their backs against each other, all the students raised their specific weapons and attacked the nearest goblin.

    -nk! -nk! -nk!

    "Attack!"

    "Kill the Goblins!"

    A lot of groups were formed, because of therge number of goblins. But amidst all the group a single group was killing the most goblins, in the front of the group Alec stood with his sword unsheathed. He killed whenever a goblin appeared in his sight using an elegant sword style.

    -SLASH! -SlASH!

    ["Sword strike: Swirling vortex"]

    As he used one of his powerful sword styles, a big vortex appeared at the tip of his sword, killing more than five Goblins in a single attack.

    Seeing Alec going all out Carcel also didn''t hold back and used one of his powerful attacks,

    ["Spear strike: Rain of thousand spears"]

    Like a bolt of lightning, he thrust his spear forward, and more than thousands of mirages appeared behind his spear killing almost every goblin near him.

    Lara and Mia both were standing behind them. Sending arrows and casting powerful attacks on the goblins.

    When the students saw their teamwork and the number of goblins they were killing they were awestruck with shock. But this increased their determination to do better.

    Goblins were considered the mostmon of monsters, but with their excellent sense of smell, hearing, and tendency to hunt in groups they were still dangerous creatures.

    On the other hand, Kyle met up with Nine while running, both of them formed a group and were fighting at the opposite end of the cave. But when Kyle saw Alec and Carcel fighting style, there was only one this on his mind,

    ''I need a sword Art.'' He indeed had a sword but he never learned proper fighting Art, that''s why Kyle decided to get a perfect sword Art for himself after the Ranking assessment.

    Nevertheless, because his rank was already (+F) the (F)-Rank goblins were nothing in front of him. He randomly shed his sword without any pattern on the defenseless goblins while sending huge fireballs in between.

    His mana was already (+F) so he was now able to form more than 10 fireballs before exhausting his mana. If somehow any goblins still passed his defense line he would punch and kick them without mercy, sending them flying.

    Nine who was fighting alongside Kyle was having a little difficulty but when he saw Kyle''s wild fighting style he was once again shocked, because even though Kyle was throwing fireballs here and there without a specific target but for some reason his attack would alwaysnd on a goblin.

    He wasn''t sure if Kyle was pretending to be inexperienced or if it was dumb luck.

 Chapter 23: Goblin Cave II

    <h4>Chapter 23: Goblin Cave II</h4>

    After an hour,

    The sea of goblins that was before the students was no longer visible. Currently, everyone was sitting on the hard ground, panting heavily. Because after fighting for so long they were exhausted.

    Meanwhile, Alec who was sitting beside Carcel looked at the new notification he got from the system,

    ______________________

    ''Mission; xX''

    Help the celestial to reduce the bloodline suppression effect.

    -Failed!

    Penalty:

    -None!

    Reward:

    -None!

    ______________________

    -New mission��

    ______________________

    ''Mission; xX''

    Explore the ''Goblin Cave'' While Finding and killing the Goblin Leader.

    Rewards:

    1�� Sub-rank increase.

    1�� D-Rank skill.

    Failing penalty:

    -None!

    Time remaining: 2 days.

    _______________________

    Alec sighed looking at the notification, telling him about the failure of the mission. The reward was tempting but there was no way he would be able to find someone without knowing who it was.

    ''Humans don''t have bloodlines. Was the system telling me to find a monster who has Celestial Bloodline? No way. The name Celestial sounds quite powerful and considering the system wants to stop the world from destruction, it won''t help a powerful monster.''

    Sometimes Alec just wished the system would give detailed information about the missions. But he didn''t dare toin after gaining so much from the system.

    On the other hand, he was happy about finally gaining a new mission after so long. Finding and killing the Goblin Leader won''t be hard for him as he is already inside the ''Goblin cave''.

    Lara seeing Alec being too engrossed in his thoughts Said,

    "What happened?"

    Alec stood up and patted his clothes.

    "Nothing. I am done resting, how about we go further inside the cave."

    Mia nodded agreeing to Alec''s suggestion.

    Lara also agreed with a big sigh before following Alec and Carcel.

    The four of them started walking, heading deeper into the cave. And seeing them leaving, all the students despite being tired stood up and quietly followed behind them.

    Meanwhile, with the most pleasant smile one could muster, Kyle was walking behind the students. After killing so many goblins he was feeling refreshed. Looking at the students at the front Kyle said to Nine who was walking beside him,

    "Honestly the Goblins were too ugly, but it was fun."

    Nine who was slowly walking alongside Kyle replied in a daze.

    "....Right"

    During the goblin''s attack, both Kyle and Nine were fighting further away from the students, that''s why others didn''t notice Kyle''s rampage. But Nine saw everything, he saw how Kyle fought with the Goblins!

    No, he won''t call it a fight!

    It was literally a bloody massacre where Kyle used his fists and kicks to punch the Goblins to their death. Seeing the Goblin''s swollen and pitiful faces Nine identally imagined himself being on the receiving end,

    ''I swear to myself I will never get on Kyle''s bad side.''

    After promising himself to not get on Kyle''s bad side he started cleaning the green goblin blood from his sword.

    As everyone moved deeper into the cave without looking back, they heard a loud sound of metal clicking with each other.

    -Click! -nk!

    Alec who was in the front moved forward to see the origin of the sound, only to find five different tunnels up ahead.

    Among the five tunnels, the one in the middle was guarded by an (E)-Rank Goblin warrior, holding an axe in one hand and a shield in another.

    Because there were five different paths to choose from, all the students started discussing which tunnel to enter. But mostly students decided to enter the one guarded by the Goblin warrior, because if it is guarded by an (E)-Rank Goblin then it''s probably the right path.

    After discussing with the others, Alec''s team also decided to enter the middle tunnel. All four of them moved forward, engaging in a battle with the (E)-Rank Goblin warrior.

    On the other hand, Kyle narrowed his eyes to see the situation. But when he saw that almost everyone was heading toward the middle path guarded by the Goblin warrior, he frowned. He gestured for Nine to just enter the left tunnel which was not guided by any Guardian.

    Nine also wanted to enter the middle tunnel but because Kyle said to enter the other one he asked with confusion,

    "Why are we heading this way, when everyone is going to fight the Goblin warrior."

    Kyle looked at Nine with a carefree smile,

    "It''s because the tunnels are too narrow from the inside. If we enter the same tunnel as others we won''t be able to kill many goblins. First, it will be too crowded. And second, the people in front will get the most points due to them killing the most goblins."

    Hearing Kyle''s exnation, Nine nodded his head with understanding.

    Both of them walked further inside the tunnel, and just like Kyle expected the road started to be narrow. A couple of (-F)-Rank goblins soon appeared before them, obstructing their path.

    And because Kyle and Nine both were already holding their swords before entering the tunnel. They immediately attacked the goblins without any mercy.

    -Click! -nk! -Click!

    -Thud! -Thud!

    Soon after, many green heads fell on the ground indicating the end of the battle. For the next few hours, they either walked or hunted down goblins that tried to ambush them as they moved forward.

 Chapter 24: Goblin Cave III

    <h4>Chapter 24: Goblin Cave III</h4>

    After hunting goblins for a few more hours, both Nine and Kyle were tired that''s why they decided to rest.

    Kyle took out a clean pair of clothes from the storage ring before throwing away the clothes he was wearing, because they were damp with green goblin blood.

    After changing his clothes, he took out a big piece of cloth from the storage ring and started setting it up in a corner. The piece was big enough to hold at most 2-3 people.

    As Kyle was done setting up the sleeping ce, he looked at it and nodded with satisfaction. Afterward, he took out some packaged food from his storage ring to eat.

    All this was possible because, before the Ranking assessment, Kyle went to the back mountain to search for the Red snow flower. That''s why he already had some food and other things stored inside the storage ring, which was enough for him tost a week inside the Goblin Cave without any worry.

    On the other hand, Nine who was sitting not so far from Kyle looked at him dumbfounded whileining inwardly,

    ''What the hell, why does it look like he is here for a pic? And when did he have the time to prepare all this?''

    Finding food and water was one of the biggest difficulties of this test. However, here Kyle was eating packed food without any care.

    When Kyle saw Nine staring at him with a strange expression, he was embarrassed because he forgot to share. After realizing this, Kyle called Nine to eat and sleep together. As Nine ate the food offered by Kyle he almost felt sorry for the other students that must have been starving right now.

    Unlike Kyle and Nine who slept peacefully, the other students who entered the middle tunnel were not having an easy time at all.

    They have been trying to find a water source immediately after they enter the tunnel. But considering they were inside a cave it was almost impossible for them to find any water source.

    "I can''t go on, I need a clean ce to sleep."

    "We have no food and water, and the only thing we are seeing is these creepy-looking goblins."

    "I am tired of fighting all day."

    A few students indeed had something to eat on them, but because the number of students was too high, they didn''t dare to bring it out from their storage rings.

    In the end, they all give up on finding food and started walking in the middle of the dark tunnel in search of a suitable ce to sleep.

    But the further they advanced the more the Goblins appeared, making it almost impossible for them to rest.

    Among the students, the one who was having the most difficulty was Carcel. Because he was a Prince, for the first time in his life he had to cope with such a dirty environment. But still, he didn''t show his difort to not be a burden to his teammates. Also, he knew sooner orter he would have to cope with simr situations.

    .....

    Meanwhile, outside the dungeon at the training ground,

    There were multiple big projections lit up in the sky, showing the performance of many students inside the dungeon.

    Including Professor Liam and Professor Aliza, more than seven Professors were gathered at the center of the training ground, looking at how the students were performing inside the dungeon.

    Among the students, the most noticeable ones were obviously Alec, and Carcel because they were showing great potential to survive in a harsh environment and perfect teamwork.

    There were also other students who caught the professor''s attention, like Nine or Kyle. Because both of them were enjoying the Goblin Cave, instead of struggling.

    Some professors looked at them and joked, about how lucky they were to coincidentally store water and food before the Ranking assessment.

    On the other hand, Professor Aliza who had been keeping an eye on Kyle from the start of the Ranking assessment frowned because even though Kyle was showing good enough performance. Still,pared to someone like Alec, he wouldn''t even be considered average.

    ''Kyle is not skilled with a sword nor does he have any decent magic attacks, except for fireball. In the real battle, one needs skills and experience, which I can see heckspletely.''

    She shook her head with disappointment.

    Aliza knew Kyle''s talent was only (B)-Rank, still she thought if he could advance to (+F)-Rank in just a week, maybe he was trying topensate for hisck of talent through hard work. But after seeing his useless way of using a sword and attacking without any specific n or pattern, she was sure he wouldn''t be able to achieve anything in the future.

    As she thought about all this, she sighed.

    It seems after seeing talents like Alec and Carcel she was starting topare everyone with them, forgetting not everyone was born with such over-the-top talent. In the end, it''s only been a week since Kyle joined the Academy and he can work on what hecks in the future.

    Afterward, she stopped looking at the projection showing Kyle and turned to look at other student''s performance.

 Chapter 25: Dark Vision

    <h4>Chapter 25: Dark Vision</h4>

    On the second day, Kyle and Nine after having a good night''s sleep, started hunting goblins again. But the number of monsters started to decrease the further they moved in the tunnel.

    After a few more hours of walking, they finally saw some light in the distance.

    "Is it the exit?"

    Kyle eximed before increasing his speed and heading straight toward the light.

    Seeing Kyle speeding up, Nine who was beside him also increased his speed until they finally reached the source of light.

    Nine looked at the sight before him with narrowed eyes and Said,

    "What is this ce?"

    In front of them was arge open area filled with stones of different sizes. On their left were four more tunnels the same as theye from. At the far end of the open space, there was a huge cave where the light wasing from.

    A Goblin warrior emitting the aura of (-E)-Rank was standing guard in front of the cave. That Goblin warrior looked just like the one they saw before entering the tunnel, only smaller in stature.

    Holding an axe in one hand and a big shield in the other, the Goblin was continuously moving left and right, making it impossible for anyone to enter inside without getting spotted.

    After taking a good look at the Goblin warrior Nine mumbled under his breath,

    "I wonder if we can kill it..."

    He was only (F)-Rank. On the other hand, the Goblin was emitting an aura of (-E)-Rank. Even though the only difference between them was two sub-ranks, but the monsters were more powerful than humans. To defeat a monster of the same rank one needs to be a sub-rank higher than the monster.

    As Nine was still thinking about how to kill the Goblin warrior. Kyle said seriously,

    "Let''s not waste time, we can defeat it if we attack together."

    Nine nodded and both of them slowly started closing the distance between the Goblin warrior from opposite directions.

    The First one to attack was Nine, he swung his sword at the Goblin warrior from behind trying to catch it off guard. But the goblin warrior sensed the attack and blocked it using the axe. But before the goblin warrior could deflect Nine attack, Kyle threw a huge fireball on its head making it cry in pain.

    -GAAAHH!

    The fireball did injure the Goblin warrior but the injuries were minor, not affecting the Goblin warrior. Taking advantage of the momentum, when the Goblin warrior was distracted due to Kyle''s attack, Nine shifted his body a little and attacked the Goblin with his strongest sword attack.

    ["Impending Rain"]

    As Nine shed his sword vertically, a huge gash appeared on the Goblin''s shoulder, and before the Goblin could cry in pain, Kyle thrust his sword at the Goblin aiming straight for the heart.

    Kyle directly pierced the Goblin''s heart and its huge body lifelessly copsed on the hard stones making a loud sound.

    -Thud!

    Both Kyle and Nine looked at each other smiling while panting heavily.

    Afterward, they checked the Goblin body in the hope of finding any skill core but they didn''t even find a core. Kyle sighed and shook his head with disappointment before gesturing for Nine to enter inside.

    "Let''s check inside."

    Both of them slowly made their way inside the huge cave.

    They were hoping to find something special, but the only thing that awaited their arrival was a small Goblin. The goblin was holding a pixel while talking to himself in a strangenguage.

    Kyle narrowed his eyes and looked at the goblin whose size was even smaller than his leg.

    He moved toward the small Goblin who was busy talking to himself.

    "The heck, was the Goblin warrior protecting his child?"

    Nine also sighed and followed behind Kyle. The Goblin warrior was emitting the aura of (-F)-Rank, the lowest they have fought up until now.

    And before the small goblin knew that some trespassers had entered his territory, his head was cleanly cut off by Kyle.

    Kyle looked at the lifeless body of the Goblin and even though he expected nothing from it, he still cut the body with his sword to look for a core.

    As he was looking inside the body of the goblin with disinterest, a small shining orb appeared at the ce where the Goblin''s heart was. And the orb didn''t disappear even aftering in contact with the atmosphere.

    Nine looked at the shining orb with disbelief,

    "No way..."

    Finding a skill core was very hard, only after killing a thousand monsters can one have a chance of finding a single skill core.

    Even Kyle showed a surprised expression, he didn''t expect this small goblin he killed with the flick of his finger, to have a core. And on top of that, it was a core containing a skill!

    Both of them looked at the shining small core which was the size of a finger. Now the question was who would learn the skill.

    Kyle looked at the core and then at the Goblin, his thoughts were,

    ''It''s a Goblin core, what skill can a small goblin which was not even (F)-Rank have?''

    He was sure that the skill would be something useless, that''s why he didn''t want to learn it. Kyle threw the core toward Nine.

    Nine caught the core and looked at Kyle with shock, a skill core was very precious and Kyle was just giving it to him.

    "Use it. I don''t think it will be any special, considering it belongs to this little fe."

    Nine hearing Kyle''s words, didn''t hesitate anymore and absorbed the core. The moment he did so arge amount of knowledge about the skill entered inside his head.

    Kyle looked at Nine and Questioned,

    "What skill was it?"

    Nine smiled,

    "Dark vision."

    He changed his ck eyes into green showing Kyle the skill. Dark vision wasn''t a high-rank skill, but it was quite useful during night battles.

    Kyle cursed and kicked the dead body of the Goblin.

    "Dam it."

    Who would have thought this small (-F)-Rank Goblin had dark vision? If he knew the skill would be useful he would have used it himself.

    Seeing Kyle''s regretful gaze, Nine averted his eyes and said,

    "Let''s look for more Goblins to kill because in another few hours, we are going to be teleported out from the dungeon."

    Kyle sighed. Afterward, both of them started walking toward the opening they entered from, because even after looking around for a while they didn''t find another path inside the huge cave.

 Chapter 26: Mission Fail

    <h4>Chapter 26: Mission Fail</h4>

    On the other hand, Alec and his team were taking care of the third goblin wave, that appeared in the morning. They were all tired but still pushed forward in the hope of finding an exit.

    Suddenly, Alec received a notification from the system that made his already irritated expression dark.

    ______________________

    ''Mission; xX''

    Explore the ''Goblin Cave'' While Finding and killing the Goblin Leader.

    -Failed!

    Rewards:

    -None!

    Failing penalty:

    -None!

    _______________________

    Alec looked around in a daze to see when and who killed the Goblin leader. However, all the students were fighting normal (-F)-Rank goblins.

    He was sure all the students followed behind them and also he didn''t miss any higher Rank Goblins up until now. So, how was it possible for anyone else to kill the Goblin leader?

    After a month he finally got a nice mission, but it failed just like that. He wanted nothing more than to beat that person who killed the Goblin leader.

    While thinking, Alec ceased fighting. Taking opportunity of his distraction an (-F)-Rank Goblin suddenly attacked him from behind. Lara who was standing not so far from him hurriedly shot an arrow and killed the Goblin before it injured Alec.

    She looked at Alec with a frown.

    "What are you doing, focus on your back."

    Hearing Lara''s loud voice, Alec snapped out of his thoughts and sighed before focusing on the battle in front.

    Now the mission was already gone, there was nothing he could do. Instead of regretting, it''s better to focus on the battle in front.

    As everyone continued to fight and struggle, they finally saw some bright light at the opposite end of the tunnel.

    Seeing the light, some sighed in relief while some showed happy expressions.

    More than half of the students were nobles, for the first time in their lives they experienced how to live without food and a good night''s sleep.

    They all were exhausted and wanted to leave this damp and dark tunnel as soon as possible.

    Still, they didn''t know what dangery outside the tunnel. That''s why they approached the light with caution.

    Alec and his team moved toward the light first, because they were in front. Not many students stopped them because if there was any danger outside, it was better for someone else to experience it first. Those students just slowly followed behind them.

    After a while, Alec and his team saw where the light originated from.

    In front of them was arge open area filled with stones of different sizes. At the far end of the open space, there was a huge cave where the light wasing from. It was the same open area where Kyle and Nine appeared before them.

    An (-E)-Rank Goblin warrior corpse was lying outside the huge cave. Seeing the corpse, Alec was sure someone else had reached this ce before them.

    After seeing no danger everyone approached the huge cave, but before they could enter two individuals came out from the cave.

    Those two individuals were none other than Nine and Kyle, they just killed the small Goblin and were on their way toward another tunnel.

    Nine had a pleasant smile on his face, on the other hand, Kyle was wearing a dark expression.

    They both also saw all the studentsing out from one of the tunnels. Alec looked at Kyle and Nine, he remembered them. Their performance in the Entrance exam was very good. Afterward, he looked at the huge cave. He was sure they were the ones killing the Goblin leader.

    Alec looked at Kyle and questioned,

    "Did you kill the Goblin leader?"

    Kyle was just going to ignore the huge crowd but hearing Alec''s question he stopped and nced toward him.

    "What leader are you ....?"

    He stopped midway.

    ''Didn''t we just kill a Goblin?''

    Now it all made sense why the small Goblin had a skill core. There was no other path after the cave, which means they were at the end of the ''Goblin Cave''.

    Kyle didn''t want to believe that Little Goblin was the leader.

    Also, how did Alec know that there was a Goblin leader inside the Cave? Including Alec, it was everyone''s first time entering the Goblin Cave.

    He looked at Alec with suspicion. Nevertheless, he replied;

    "You mean that small Goblin? If yes, then we killed it."

    Alec sighed and looked toward the huge cave, he knew if Kyle hade out from the cave there was nothing left inside.

    Still, some students entered the cave to see if there was something valuable inside, but the cave was empty and there was no other path.

    Kyle saw some students looking at him and Nine with surprised expressions because, in contrast to others who were barely standing after fighting the whole night, they were in very good condition.

    Not wanting to answer any more questions, Kyle gestured to Nine and both of them started walking toward the secondst tunnel.

    He wanted to know how Alec knew about the Goblin Leader without even seeing it, but he knew he wouldn''t get the answer to his question.

    The tunnel from where Nine and Kylee from and the one where the otherse from would not have any Goblin left. That''s why Kyle chose the second one.

    Soon, both of them enter the tunnel leaving the others behind.

    Kyle wasn''t bothered by others who were staring at him, there were only a few hours left before the Ranking test was concluded. He wanted to kill as many Goblin as possible.

    After they entered the tunnel, Alec looked at the tunnel where they entered before talking to Carcel.

    "How about we also continue, only 1-2 hours are left before the Ranking Assessment ends."

    Carcel nodded with a serious expression. He had already spent a whole night fighting, so he had no problem fighting for a few more hours.

    On the other hand, both Mia and Lara were tired. They looked at Alec with the expression,

    ''Are you kidding me?''

    But they also agreed after hesitating for a while.

    Four of them also entered the same tunnel as Kyle and Nine. Some students wanted to follow behind but they were too tired, that''s why everyone else decided to rest for half an hour before entering another tunnel.

 Chapter 27: End of Ranking Assessment

    <h4>Chapter 27: End of Ranking Assessment</h4>

    The moment Kyle and Nine entered the tunnel two (-F)-Rank Goblins attacked them, but they easily killed them before walking forward.

    Soon, Alec and others also caught up to them and they started moving together.

    Alec nced at Kyle and Nine, both of them were showing good teamwork. Kyle wascking in some aspects, but Nine''s on-time help waspensating for it. Alec observed them for a while and nodded inside. They were not good as someone like Carcel and Lara but they were powerful in their way.

    He suddenly thought of something and opened the system appraisal function, using it on Kyle. Alec''s left eye glinted with white light for a second, it was so fast that no one noticed it. He looked at Kyle for a few seconds before seeing the information he got from the system.

    ______________________

    ''Name: Kyle Ohan''

    ''Race: Human''

    ''Rank: (+F)''

    ''Special: ??''

    ''???''

    -Error!

    Trying to find the cause! Loading....

    -Error!

    No more information provided. To know further information host needs to be a whole Rank higher than the target.

    _________________________

    Alec frowned, looking at the error notifications he was getting from the system. Usually, whenever he used appraisal on someone the system would give him detailed information regarding the target. But now, it was only showing name and Rank. The system wasn''t even showing Kyle''s talent! Which was definitely (B)-Rank, but now seeing the system''s strange behavior he wonders if Kyle truly has only (B)-Rank talent.

    On the other hand, Kyle was fighting two (-F)-Rank Goblins at the same time. Suddenly, an arrow past his left side and hit the head of one of the Goblin.

    Kyle frowned and looked at where the arrow came from. He saw Lara aiming her bow at another Goblin. Even though she stole his kill, he didn''t want to be impolite to her.

    He smiled and said,

    "Thanks for helping."

    But instead of replying Larapletely ignored him. During the Entrance exam, seeing Kyle''s extraordinary performance she thought of him as someone equal. But after knowing he only had (B)-Rank talent, she didn''t want to associate with him. The gap between them was too big. What''s the point of bing friends, when their worlds are too far apart?

    When Kyle saw how Lara ignored him, his smile froze. He didn''t bother anymore and turned around to continue fighting with the goblins. He wore a neutral expression, but if someone who saw Kyle fighting before saw him now, that person would notice that Kyle was faster and more brutal than before. It was like he was taking out his anger on the Goblins. The one thing Kyle hated the most was others looking down upon him.

    Still, he didn''t care. If Lara wants to ignore him he would do the same. In the end, it was not the first time, he was already used to it. All those who have bright futures ahead of them because of their talent were arrogant.

    Half an hourter,

    Nine and Kyle were fighting on the left side. Meanwhile, Alec and his team were on the right. No one noticed when the distance between the groups started to increase. Some more students also caught up to them and were fighting between the two groups.

    As Kyle sh his sword and killed another Goblin he felt a sudden familiar sucking force. Before he could understand what happened, he disappeared and appeared inside the training ground.

    Kyle looked around and saw other students also appearing one by one.

    ''It seems the time for the Ranking Assessment has ended.''

    Just like others he also looked toward Professor Liam who appeared in front of the students.

    Professor Liam looked at the disheveled and tired students and nodded before speaking loudly,

    "All of you showed great performance, even though spending two days inside the dungeon was a huge surprise. There were also a few students who caught my attention because they showed great potential."

    He nced at Alec and Carcel, indicating he was talking about them.

    "I know for everyone this experience was new, spending two days inside a cold and dark ce, without water, food, and a nice ce to sleep. All of you must be thinking it was too hard, considering it was the first test from the Academy. Then let me tell you something, at the start I definitely said there would be some hidden task, which nobody was able toplete. Well, you were not even able to find them,pleting them would be too far off a thing."

    Professor Liam showed a disappointed expression and looked at the students who were whispering to each other to know if anyone found any hidden task. He then continue,

    "Inside the dungeon, in the starting, there were five tunnels. Among them, the middle tunnel guarded by the Goblin warrior was the hardest. The two at the end had less difficulty making it a little easier to pass. On the other hand, if anyone entered thest two they would have been able to see some trees containing fruits and a water source at the start. Well, it''s a pity no one entered inside those tunnels."

    He said thest line sarcastically, making the whispering students quiet.

    If they knew that thest two tunnels contained water and food, who would be idiot enough to enter the middle one? Some students voiced their suspicions that if no one went there, where was the proof that those two tunnels contained water? But when the professor said he could send them inside again so they could check it, everyone shut their mouth.

    No one wanted to see those creepy-looking creatures again. They all just wanted to take a nice bath to rid of the stinky smelling from their clothes which were damp with green Goblin blood.

    Professor Liam said a few more things like the students were allowed to rest for today and the results will be posted tomorrow inside the Main hall.

    He also told them that the top ten students would be rewarded. They will be allowed to choose a skill or Art of their liking from the second floor of the library without paying. Hearing about the possible reward, made the students happy. After the Professor finished with what he wanted to say, all the students sighed and tiredly left for their dorms to rest.

    Kyle and Nine both left together because their dorm was next to each other. Also now that the Ranking Assessment was concluded, Kyle wanted to sleep.

    He did sleep inside the dungeon but due to Goblin''s constant attacks, he was not able to sleep peacefully. He also didn''t rest aftering from the back mountain. Now that Kyle had nothing to do a sudden wave of tiredness washed over him.

 Chapter 28: Result

    <h4>Chapter 28: Result</h4>

    Next day early morning,

    Kyle was still sleeping when suddenly someone knocked on the door. Not wanting to open the door Kyle put his head inside the nket and tried to ignore the constant knocking.

    Suddenly the knocking stopped and what reced them was Nine loud voice, waking Kyle from his sleep.

    Kyle groaned and looked at the bright lighting from the window. He wanted to sleep more but still wrapping the nket around himself he crawled out from the bed and staggered toward the door.

    He was still drowsy when he opened the door, but his sleep went away when Nine suddenly kicked the door and barged inside the room.

    "You are still sleeping? Did you forget we have to check our results today? Hurry up and change your clothes so we can go together."

    Nine nced at Kyle from head to toe.

    Kyle looked at Nine dumfounded, he was still processing what was happening when Nine snatched the nket from him and threw it toward the bed before pushing him toward the bathroom.

    "Hurry up."

    Kyle nodded with a rather sleepy expression while walking toward the bathroom to freshen up.

    Seeing Kyle enter the bathroom, Nine sighed. He wanted to check the result alone but he was too nervous.

    After joining the Academy Nine made some friends but they were always busy. On the other hand, Kyle was someone strong, and strangely enough, Nine feltfortable around him. That''s why both of them be friends rather easily.

    After knowing Kyle for a while Nine wasn''t sure about other things, but there were a few things he noticed during the Ranking Assessment. First Kyle was a littlezy because, during the Ranking Assessment, they rested more than three times! Which would have been enough to gather a lot of points.

    Also, Kyle would always be excited and determined at every smallest possible advantage, but his excitement would neverst long and he would lose determination very easily. In the start, Nine was flustered seeing the burning me inside Kyle''s eyes but soon those mes extinguished like they never existed.

    While thinking Nine looked around the small room, which was mostly empty. Due to only a bed and a table present inside the room, he easily noticed a small egg present on top of the table beside the bed. The egg was ced on some neatly folded sheets. Nine walked toward the egg and looked at it curiously.

    There was nothing special about the egg, but its dense red color was attractive. Nine wanted to touch the egg but before he could, he heard Kyleing out after changing his clothes.

    Nine turned around and saw Kyle wearing a neat long-sleeved ckish-silver casual top with ck pants.

    Kyle nced at Nine before leaving the dorm.

    "What are you doing, let''s go."

    Seeing him leaving Nine also rushed out from the dorm leaving behind the egg which trembled slightly when Kyle left the dorm.

    After leaving the dorm building, they both slowly started walking toward the Main Hall. Nine was talking non-stop as he was excited and nervous at the same time.

    Kyle was listening to Nine grumbling while nodding and replying from time to time. Kyle didn''t like making friends after the talent test, when all his friends left him because of his low talent, but now talking to Nine he felt it was not so bad to have some friends.

    Suddenly a familiar voice called out Kyle''s name from behind. Kyle turned around to see who it was, only to find Alec and Carcel walking toward them.

    Alec waved his hand toward Kyle and Nine indicating them to stop.

    Kyle wore a confused expression as to why Alec was calling out his name. He did talk to him when they were inside the ''Goblin Cave'' but afterward, they didn''t interact much with each other.

    After reaching the duo Alec questioned,

    "Are you both going toward the Main Hall to check the result?"

    "Yes." Said Nine. Meanwhile, Kyle nodded his head indicating they were indeed heading toward the main hall.

    Alec smiled before offering to go together.

    Nine agreed immediately, he was more than happy to apany Alec and Carcel. Both of them were famous in ss, one due to his rare talent which was (+SSS)-Rank while the other because he was the Second Prince of the Kingdom.

    On the other hand, Kyle looked at Alec from head to toe before looking at Carcel who nodded his head as a greeting.

    Kyle had a question in his mind, he was not close with any of them, so why were they asking to go together? And seeing Nine surprised expression, Kyle was sure he was also not close with them.

    Nevertheless, he didn''t think much about it and also agreed.

    All of them started walking toward the Main Hall together, Nine was already talking non-stop when Alec joined in and both of them started talking about the results with enthusiasm. Meanwhile, Kyle and Carcel only listened to them.

    Soon they arrived in front of a Big Hall where students were continuously going in anding out. The moment they entered they were greeted by a huge crowd.

    All the first-year students seem to be looking at the big board present at the center of the Hall. Some second and third-year students were also present to see the first years who ranked in the top ten.

    Seeing Alec and Carcel entering the Hall a lot of students looked at them with envy and respect. The crowd started whispering with each other while making way for them.

    Alec and Carcel didn''t mind the huge crowd and approached the big board where a slim old man was standing, wearing instructor clothes. Lara and Mia with some other students were standing behind the old instructor, who seemed to be looking at the four new arrivals curiously.

    Nine and Kyle also followed behind Alec and Carcel, but because the students were focused on Alec and Carcel not many noticed them.

    After reaching the board Alec was the first one to notice his name, before he also noticed Carcel, Kyle, and Nine names.

    ___________

    RANKING;

    Rank 1_ Alec (Points 878)

    Rank 2_ Carcel (Points 845)

    Rank 3_ Mia (Points 750)

    Rank 4_ Lara (Points 745)

    Rank 5_ Jake (Points 680)

    Rank 6_ Lily (Points 677)

    Rank 7_ Kyle (Points 670)

    Rank 8_ Nine (Points 654)

    .....

    ___________

    Kyle also looked at his ranking and was satisfied with the result, but still seeing the huge difference of more than 200 points between himself and Alec pained his heart.

    They were all still looking at their results when the old man standing in front of the Board looked at Alec before saying,

    "I believe the four of you are also in the top ten?"

    Hearing the deep yet calm voice Alec replied with a, "Yes"

    The old man nodded before speaking again,

    "The four of you are thest ones to appear. First Show me your identification tokens, then all of you can follow me to get your reward."

    After checking the new arrivals tokens and confirming their identity the old man gestured for the top ten students to follow behind him.

 Chapter 29: Reward

    <h4>Chapter 29: Reward</h4>

    Alec and Carcel while walking met up with Lara and Mia and they started talking and walking together.

    Girl''s dorms were in another building, that''s why the four of them didn''t meet up in the morning.

    Kyle who was walking beside them, increased his speed after seeing Lara. He wanted to leave the group to avoid being ufortable, but because Alec''s character was quite nice he just increased the distance.

    Soon there were three different groups of students, following the old man. In the front, Kyle and Nine were quietly following behind the old man. In the middle, Jake one of the top ten students was walking with three other students. And at the end, Alec and his group were talking while slowly following behind everyone.

    After a while, they arrived in front of the library.

    The Librarian who was sleeping without any care sensed the old man''s presence. He immediately rushed out and greeted the old man politely.

    "Elder Lu, What brings you here."

    The Librarian nced at the students standing behind Elder Lu. He showed a puzzled expression. Why was the elder here with some students?

    Seeing the Librarian''s confused expression Elder Lu merely shook his head. Elder Lu knew about thiszy man very well, he must have been sleeping and had forgotten about the rewards for the top ten students.

    "I am here to open the other half of the second floor of the library, so the students can choose a reward for themselves."

    Elder Lu ignored the Librarian and directly entered the library. He didn''t want to waste any more time.

    After hearing an answer from Elder Lu, the Librarian nodded and hurriedly followed behind.

    Soon, they arrived at the second floor filled with huge bookshelves containing Art books and Skill Cores. But before the students could look around Elder Lu gestured for them to follow him toward a corner.

    Elder Lu used a hand seal on the bookshelves present in the corner, almost all the students were confused. What was the elder doing, were not they already on the second floor? They wanted to question but suddenly a magic symbol appeared. The two bookshelves present at the far end parted like a door, making a huge gap in between.

    Everyone stared at the gap stunned, they were not looking at the gap but at the room present inside the gap. The room was filled with different Art books floating midair. Bright lights emitting from skill cores illuminated the whole room. The room in front of them was double the size of the second floor! And all the skills core and Art books in front of them seem to be top-notch!

    Elder Lu turned around and faced the students, he told everyone to go inside and select an Art or skill. Also, they were allowed to pick only one within two hours.

    All the students nodded seriously before entering the room. All this time the Librarian waszily standing behind everyone and even after seeing the room filled with skills and Arts he didn''t show any expression. It was understandable as he had seen this room more than 1000 times, and also because the things present here were of no use to him.

    The Librarianzily looked at the students who were entering the room with excitement, but suddenly his eyes passed on a student who didn''t seem to be in a rush. The Librarian''s eyes widen for a while disying shock.

    ''Is not he the student I threw out a week ago? I remember he was only at (-F)-Rank. How did he advance so quickly.'' Thought the Librarian inwardly before fixing his gaze on Kyle.

    The librarian waszy but his memory was quite good. He remembered clearly this guy was only at (-F)-Rank just a week ago. And not just at any (-F)-Rank, he was from the batch of the weakest (-F)-Rank the Librarian has seen up until now. How was it possible for him to advance so quickly? And from the Aura, he sensed from Kyle, the librarian was sure his Rank had already stabilized.

    It was okay to Advance 2 sub-ranks in a week but how did he stabilize his Rank, for a normal person after breaking through it could take months of practice just to stabilize their new power.

    The Librarian curiously looked at Kyle. He inwardly decided to keep an eye on this fellow.

    On the other hand, Kyle who just entered the hidden room felt like someone was looking at him from behind with ill intentions. He turned around to see who it was but found no one.

    Kyle frowned but still, he decided to focus on the hundreds of skills and Art in front of him. He was excited just like everyone but he just didn''t show it on his face.

    He looked at the others, they all went toward the Skill cores. It was bound to happen as everyone already had an Art they were practicing.

    Arts were different from skills that can be learned immediately after absorbing the skill core. Arts were written down by elders and passed down from generation to generation. They were also very hard to practice, which is why everyone usually only preferred a single Art suitable for their weapon. Also, their mastery was divided into four different grades ording to the progress someone had made,

    1-Beginner,

    2-Master,

    3-Expert,

    4-perfection,

    Reaching the perfection stage in Art was very hard. And the higher the Star of the Art, the harder it is toprehend.

    Kyle took a deep breath and began searching for a suitable sword Art for himself. He was a little shocked to see so many 3-star and 4-star sword Arts.

    Arts were Ranked differently ording to their power. The Lowest was 1-Star while the highest Rank was 8-Star, but not many have seen an 8-Star Art because even the most powerful human has only learned a 6-Star Art.

    Kyle walked toward the nearest 4-Star floating Art book. The moment he touched the book, it opened up and showed him a detailed exnation of the Art.

    Kyle looked at the information and frowned, he left and looked at another 4-star Art book. His frown deepened the more he looked at the Art books.

    Outside the hidden room, the Librarian who was keeping an eye on Kyle looked at him with pity. Seeing Kyle going toward the Art section he was sure this fellow needed a suitable Art for himself. And Arts higher than 2-Star were very valuable, a normal person wouldn''t even be able toprehend what was written inside.

    The Librarian shook his head with disappointment because seeing Kyle frowning and walking away without even properly looking at the Art books, he was sure Kyle wasn''t even able to read the name!

    The Librarian wanted to give Kyle some tips, as to what Art would be suitable for him. But unfortunately, ording to the rules, Elders were not allowed to step inside the hidden room. He could only sigh and watch Kyle from outside.

    Meanwhile, Kyle was frowning looking at the Art books. It was not because he found them hard, but because they were too easy! The moment he opened the 4-Star Art book and looked at the exnation, heprehended the first stage of the Art!

    Kyle wasn''t sure if it was okay to just learn them, because he was only allowed to choose one. That''s why he was frowning and trying his best not to read too much detail.

    He had never seen an Art book before because he was toozy. That was also the reason he didn''t know if they were hard or easy.

    He just wanted a suitable Art for himself! What''s the point of understanding so many Arts, Even if heprehends them, without any real practice they are useless.

 Chapter 30: 3-Star Art

    <h4>Chapter 30: 3-Star Art</h4>

    Looking around for a while, Kyle saw a lot of 3-star and 4-star Arts,

    -Thousands strikes of death,

    -Nine waves of destruction,

    -Seven moves of nirvana,

    He also saw some 2-star Arts, but none of them suited his taste. As Kyle walked around in circles looking at the description of all kinds of sword Arts, suddenly his eyes paused on a lone purple book floating in a corner.

    The book was filled with dust and the light radiating from the book was dim, indicating it was old and not touched by many.

    Kyle slowly approached the book and touched it. The book opened up but barely had any introduction, some of the words written on the old pages were not even properly visible.

    ________________

    ''Name: Void Shattering Strikes''

    ''Art Rank: 3-Star''

    ''Description:''

    Four different Sword moves that can even shatter the Void if practiced diligently.

    It can take hundreds of years just to practice a single move to perfection.

    -Note: ''The Rank of the Art can be increased after reaching perfection in all four moves''.

    ________________

    Reading through the exnation Kyle''s eyes paused on a single sentence that was half visible, ''The Rank of the Art can be increased.''

    Kyle had never heard about an Art whose Rank can be increased, he hurriedly read the introduction again.

    There were four different moves and after reaching perfection in all the moves the Rank of the Art will increase. But his eyes narrowed when he read ''It can take hundreds of years just to practice a single move to perfection.''

    ''The heck.'' He almost cursed out loud, The moves were easy so why would it take hundreds of years?

    The power described behind the moves was massive but why would he spend hundreds of years just to practice a single Art?

    ''Let''s find another Art.'' Thought Kyle decisively before closing the book like it was garbage.

    But the moment he closed the book instead of floating it fell on the floor making a loud sound.

    -Thud!

    He looked at the book dumbfounded and then he looked at his surroundings to see if anyone was watching. Kyle''s eyes widened when he saw all the other students were already gathered toward the exit, and right now they were all staring at him. Even Elder Lu who was standing outside looked at Kyle with narrowed eyes.

    Kyle cursed inwardly, it seemed the two-hour time was already over. He looked at the dusty purple book, which seemed to beughing at him. He barely controlled the urge to kick the book.

    As Kyle was looking at the book withplicated emotions, Elder Lu said to him from outside;

    "Hurry up, the time is almost over. You have only half a minute afterward I will close the gap. And I believe you don''t want to spend your remaining life inside a hidden room."

    Hearing the Elder''s words Kyle nodded hurriedly before reluctantly picking up the book. It seem they were fated.

    He walked toward the exit with a sad face, he made a mistake he should have kept an eye on the time.

    After everyone walked out of the hidden room, Elder Lu closed the gap before looking at the students. Even though he was standing outside he kept an eye on some students to see what they chose.

    "Now that everyone has gotten the reward, you can leave."

    After saying his part Elder Lu started walking toward the exit, but before leaving he nced at the Librarian who seemed to be holding hisughter.

    ''What''s so funny.'' Thought Elder Lu inwardly before following the Librarian''s gaze which was fixed on Kyle.

    ''Hmm, that kid it seems he picked a useless Art even after spending so much time.'' Elder Lu shook his head, now he understood the Librarian wasughing at the kid.

    After Elder Lu left the students also started leaving because no one wanted to miss the morning lecture given by Miss Aliza.

    The Librarian was about to walk toward Kyle but Mia stopped him because she wanted to ask some questions about the skill she selected. Meanwhile, Alec and the others stood behind her patiently so they could go to the ss together.

    Nine approached Kyle who seemed to have lost everything as he was wearing a dejected expression. He slowly tapped on Kyle''s shoulder,

    "What happened? And what Art did you choose."

    Kyle looked at Nine who was smiling widely, it seemed he found something nice. Now Kyle felt even more dispirited, he removed Nine hand from his shoulder before throwing the Purple book inside the storage ring.

    "I am fine. It''s just a simple sword Art, what about you?"

    "Hahaha, something good. A C-Rank skill, I can''t believe the Academy giving away so many high-rank skills just like that."

    Nine started boasting while both of them walked toward the library exit. Kyle wanted to punch the smile out of his face but controlled himself as Nine was the first friend he made after so long.

    It was time for Aliza''s lecture that''s why both of them walked toward the ssroom. Kyle had already missed the first few lectures and now he didn''t want to be Absent anymore. He also remembered the re Aliza gave him when she first saw him. She was quite scary, it''s better for him to not get on her bad radar.

    Soon they entered the ssroom, which was already filled as Aliza''s lectures were quite useful to the students. Some students looked at Kyle and Nine with envy because they just received a reward. Few of them even approached Nine to ask what they got as a reward but after hearing Nine boasting they all smile awkwardly before leaving without looking back.

    Kyle went toward the first row seats and sat down, Nine also followed behind him. After a few minutes, Alec and his team also entered the ssroom. The moment they entered a lot of students approached them with smiles, but now even Alec knew to ignore the crowd. The four of them walked past the huge crowd, but before they went toward their seats Alec saw Kyle sitting in the first row.

    He stopped Carcel and walked toward the first row,

    "Let''s sit in the first row."

    Carcel didn''t care where he sat as he just wanted to attend the lecture that''s why he followed behind without any question. Lara and Mia also follow suit.

    But when Lara saw Alec was sitting on Kyle''s left side she frowned, she pulled Mia toward the second row behind Alec and Carcel.

    "Hi, What Art did you choose." Alec tried to start a conversation with Kyle who was almost on the verge of closing his eyes to sleep.

    "Are you talking to me? I chose a sword Art as Ick one." Kyle looked at Alec surprised but still answered.

    "Oh, Okh." Alec nodded he wanted to ask more but before he could Aliza entered the ss.

    She stood behind the podium, picking up the Attendance sheet Aliza briefly nced at the top ten students.

    Her eyes passed on Kyle for a while, he was present today. After watching Kyle''s performance she knew he needed to attend the lectures the most because hecked basic knowledge about the sword and his mana control was also bad. She also decided if Kyle skipped ss today she would have dragged him to attend the lecture.

    Aliza took the Attendance, all the students were present. Afterward, she started the lecture which was about ''mana control''.

 Chapter 31: ’Tap’

    <h4>Chapter 31: ''Tap''</h4>

    The lecturested an hour before Aliza left the ssroom.

    As usual, after the lecture, the students entered the training ground.

    Alec stood in front of a dummy with the sword unsheathed, his palms were sweating and his clothes drenched. He wiped the sweat with a towel and nced at his friends they were all practicing diligently. Not far from Carcel, Nine was also practicing a new skill on a dummy.

    He put the towel away and looked at the person standing next to him.

    Kyle looked engrossed in reading the sword Art he got from the library. He would frown from time to time but had not done anything else for the past thirty minutes.

    After taking a deep breath Alec started practicing again.

    Professor Liam the weapon training instructor also nced at Kyle and frowned, he had been watching over the kids and helping them if they had any problems.

    He walked toward Kyle.

    "Kid what are you doing, looking at the Art manual you are holding it''s 3-star. If you don''t understand it, how about asking me for help? I am standing here to help anyway."

    "!..."

    Kyle looked at the tall professor standing in front of him.

    "It''s fine. Thank you, sir."

    He nodded politely before putting the book inside the storage ring, it seemed he was too engrossed in reading and forgot about the surroundings.

    Professor Liam''s frown deepened, ''Whatever I just wanted to help, let''s see how you understand such a hard manual by yourself.''

    Not caring anymore the Professor walked toward another student. He had seen this type of students a lot who think they can learn anything without anyone''s help. In the end, they alle running for help.

    On the other hand, Kyle walked toward one of the dummies. Taking out the sword from the storage ring he took a deep breath.

    He has been reading the Art book and after just reading it for half an hour heprehends all four moves!

    It seems his understanding andprehension abilities increased incredibly after the suppression effect of the bloodline lessened.

    After understanding all the moves first, he cursed inwardly because now he knew why it would take hundreds of years just to master a single move.

    The four moves themselves were very easy to execute. To execute the first move you can''t use brute force. Using light as a medium a fast single tap can cut the enemy in half. They were light and destructive at the same time.

    The day when the strength in your arm bes one with the sword, only then will you be able to master the first move.

    Kyle looked at the dummy, holding the sword he took an overwhelming stance.

    Alec who was practicing near him stopped and looked at Kyle with anticipation.

    When they were fighting the Goblins, Alec noticed Kyle only used brute force without any proper technique to kill the Goblins.

    Professor Liam who was waiting for Kyle to ask for help also looked at him. The sudden change in the atmosphere attracted a few other students standing behind the professor, they also looked toward Kyle.

    Meanwhile, Kyle who had not even executed the move felt the burning stareing from Alec. He also felt someone staring from behind.

    He started sweating.

    ''Dam.''

    Taking a deep breath again Kyle decided to empty his mind.

    After grabbing the sword more firmly, he slowly shed it horizontally and the move everyone was waiting so eagerly to see was executed.

    Alec looked at the tip of the sword and frowned because he didn''t feel any force from the attack.

    ''Is he going to attack the chest? But It is too slow and can be blocked easily.''

    Alec and Professor Liam both thought the same thing but the sword suddenly became too fast and changed trajectory mid-way aiming for the neck of the dummy.

    '' ? ''

    Professor Liam showed a surprised expression.

    Meanwhile, the sword hit the dummy''s neck with a,

    ''Tap''

    "Huh? " Alec eximed dumbfounded because the dummy didn''t even move an inch.

    The hit was so light that he felt like he would be able to take thousands of those hits without getting a scratch.

    "Pffff." Theughter of the students standing behind the professor attracted the attention of the other students.

    "What happened?"

    Someone questioned.

    "Hahaha Dam! It''s so funny. He took such an overbearing stance only to tap the dummy gently?"

    "Hahaha Right, I thought after standing for so long he was going to perform something awesome."

    Hearing the countlessughs Kyle was so embarrassed that the tip of his ears turned red.

    ''Fuck who the heck wrote this Art. Pray I never found you or else I am definitely gonna beat you up.''

    After cursing the creator of the Art inwardly he tried to ignore those fools who wereughing non-stop.

    ''What do they know, the Art is very powerful I just need some more practice.''

    Kyle was still consoling himself inwardly when he heard a small chokeughter from the left side.

    He turned around and saw It was Alec!

    Alec was covering his mouth with one hand and holding a sword in another, it seemed like he tried to hold theughter but failed miserably.

    Seeing the shaking body of Alec a vein bulged on Kyle''s forehead and he lost it.

    "Are youughing at me? It seems you want to take a hit from my sword."

    Kyle eximed with frustration before pointing the tip of the sword toward Alec.

    "Haha No I..."

    Alec knew that things were going bad, but he still wasn''t able to stopughing.

    He found it funny how Kyle was trying his best to show a serious expression just like a kid who lost a bet.

    Alec''sughter attracted more attention, now all the students present inside the training ground looked toward Alec and Kyle.

    "Huh."

    Kyle Hmph sarcastically and looked at Alec dumbfounded.

    ''What so funny, even the students standing behind the Professor didn''tugh this much.''

    "Dam you asked for it!."

    With an angry face, Kyle attacked Alec.

    Alec wanted to stopughing and apologize but seeing a swording straight at his face he stoppedughing before easily deflecting Kyle''s attack with a single sh.

    After deflecting the attack Alec decided to patch things up. He knew he went too far this time.

    "I am sorry, I didn''t mean to. It''s just your expression was funny."

    His apology made Kyle more angry because even when apologizing Alec was smiling.

    Now Kyle wanted nothing but to wipe that annoying smile out of Alec''s face.

    "Damit! You are stillughing. Stopughing and then apologize."

    Kyle attacked again and again, but what made him more frustrated was that no matter how he attacked, Alec would deflect it with ease without facing pressure.

    Only Professor Liam who was watching the fight seriously from the start noticed the small change in Kyle''s movement.

    ''His movements are bing refined the more he uses his sword, is it my imagination?''

 Chapter 32: First Strike

    <h4>Chapter 32: First Strike</h4>

    The more Professor Liam watched the fight, the more he became sure that he wasn''t imagining things.

    Kyle was indeed improving while attacking!

    On the other hand, Kyle also noticed how he was improving at a very fast pace because now he was executing all the basic sword moves perfectly.

    What made him astonished was that he only practiced them a few times before with his elder brother. At that time he wasn''t even able toplete the basic training due tock of interest.

    Kyle nced at Alec who was blocking the attack directly, only to find him gazing back with a surprised expression.

    Seeing the sweat dripping from his forehead Kyle was sure right now Alec was feeling pressure. For Alec, the pressure wasn''t much because he was still able to block Kyle''s every attack with ease.

    But for Kyle, it was a big achievement because he just started learning.

    Kyle attacked again but now more seriously, while observing every small movement.

    Their swords shed again, making a loud sound.

    -CLANK!

    Alec blocked the attack easily, only to see Kyle attacking once again.

    Just like before Alec was going to block the attack but found that Kyle''s sword blurred and became too fast.

    Alec''s eyes widened after seeing the sword changing trajectory midway.

    It was the same move that made everyoneugh!

    And for the first time, he felt an overwhelming threating from Kyle''s sword.

    Alec hurriedly moved back to block the sword aiming at his neck.

    -CLANK!

    This time the sound was too loud and Alec was pushed back a few steps.

    He looked at Kyle with shock, not just him even Professor Liam had shock hidden behind his serious face.

    They both knew if Alec had not seen the move before there was no way he would be able to block it.

    The studentsughing before would have never believed that the strength behind that small ''tap'' was so immense if they hadn''t seen it with their own eyes.

    Panting heavily, Kyle looked at Alec with a smirk. He used all his stamina and was exhausted.

    "ha ha.. let''s stop. I admit defeat you canugh at me."

    Kyle put the sword inside the storage ring with a satisfied expression before lying on the ground while thinking inwardly,

    ''First strike: Eliminate''

    Professor Liam smiled upon hearing Kyle''s words. He looked at all the other students watching Kyle and Alec fight.

    "What are you all doing? If you don''t want to train then leave the training grounds now."

    The professor''s angry shout made everyone snap out of their thoughts and focus on their training.

    Alec shook his head and took out a bottle of water before throwing it toward Kyle.

    "You did great. Let''s fight again next time."

    An invitation to fight the number 1 first-year student why won''t Kyle agree?

    "Sure."

    Kyle agreed with a small smile.

    ...

    Meanwhile, Professor Aliza after leaving the ssroom went toward Vice Principal George''s office to report on the Ranking Assessment.

    She knocked on the door slightly before hearing a calm and serine voice from the office.

    "Come in."

    Aliza opened the door and walked inside. There was nothing fancy inside the office. A few paintings hung on the walls and a small desk filled with papers. Vice Principal George was sitting on a chair behind the desk wearing sses.

    "I am here to report about the new student''s performance."

    Vice Principal George looked at Aliza before removing the sses he was wearing.

    "How did they perform? Any students exceeding expectations."

    Aliza ced some documents in front of the vice principal before speaking.

    "As expected Alec took the first ce, Carcel second, and so on. Only the student named ''Kyle Ohan'' performed exceptionally exceeding the criteria you set. He also reached (+F)-Rank suddenly."

    Vice Principal George was nodding at everything Aliza said.

    "Oh as expected of that student Kyl-

    He stopped midway and looked at Aliza with wide eyes before asking with a hint of doubt.

    "Who did you say reached (+F)-Rank."

    Aliza smiled, she knew it was hard to believe considering how the Vice principal described Kyle as azy and untalented kid who only had luck. Nevertheless, she repeated her words.

    Vice Principal George frowned and thought deeply,

    ''How?''

    It was fine for Kyle to reach (+F)-Rank. But reaching it only in a week was not right at all!

    After telling about a few more students Aliza left the office as she had to deal with some other matters.

    Vice Principal George also hurriedly sorted out some papers before leaving the office with a serious expression.

    Soon he reached the training grounds designed for the first year students.

    Standing at the upper part of the training ground he nced at the students.

    Everyone was practicing diligently.

    Scanning through the crowd of students his eyes spotted Carcel and Lara before stopping at Alec who was sweating heavily but still swinging the sword at the dummy non-stop.

    Alec made the principal serious face soften a little, but soon that softness was nowhere to be found.

    A student lying luxury on the floor while yfully swirling a water bottle with his hands.

    That student wasn''t sweating nor was holding any weapon.

    The Vice principal bearly stopped himself to go and kick Kyle.

    He took a deep breath to calm down as he wouldn''t look good beating up a student.

    After calming down, the Vice Principal left with a disappointed expression.

    ''What was I excepting.''

    On the other hand, Kyle who was lying on the floor while thinking about how his mind became more clear recently, felt like someone was badmouthing him behind his back.

    He stood up and looked around to see who dared, but found no one. Everyone was busy training.

    "Maybe I am thinking too much."

    After stretching his body a little Kyle take out the sword from the storage ring.

    Standing properly in front of the dummy he swung his sword horizontally. Just like before the sword changed trajectory mid-way before hitting the neck of the dummy.

    Following the sound of the hit the dummy trembled from its ce a little, showing the incredible force behind the attack.

 Chapter 33: Is it going to hatch?

    <h4>Chapter 33: Is it going to hatch?</h4>

    The students of Royal Academy be busy with their daily lives, waking up early, taking sses, and training afterward.

    This routine was simr for everyone, Kyle also followed it but unlike other hard-working students who practice day and night Kyle wasn''t so optimistic, as he would only practice for a few hours before going to rest.

    He wanted to be strong after finding out about the bloodline, but there wasn''t anything important he needed to take care of urgently. Also, the people he knew right now were capable of taking care of themselves. That''s why even though Kyle wanted to be strong he wasn''t in a hurry like Alec who had seen the end of the world.

    On the other hand, Alec who was keeping an eye on Kyle became more and more shocked when they sparred, because in just a single month Kyle''s achievements were equivalent to someone who had practiced for years.

    When they spar Kyle would always lose but as time passed his movements were bing refined and stronger. What astonished Alec more was that Kyle didn''t even practice those movements, it was like Kyle was observing everyone the whole time he stayed in the training grounds and used those moves when he fought with Alec.

    Except for Alec, Kyle also sparred with Carcel. The first time Carcel fought with Kyle, not just him but everyone present inside the training ground was shocked because even though Kyle lost in the end, he was able to fight Carcel head-on for more than five minutes.

    It was incredible indeed considering Kyle''s talent was only (B)-Rank while Carcel was someone with (-SSS)-Rank talent.

    There was also something that frustrated Alec a lot. He and Carcel with the others would practice the whole night even Nine sometimes practiced the whole night but Kyle would leave the moment the clock hit 6:00 PM. Kyle waszy, not just a little he was toozy.

    The talent Kyle showed just in a month was enough to make others envious.

    Professor Liam the training instructor was also amazed at Kyle''s performance. He was tempted to take Kyle as a disciple but when Professor Aliza told him that Kyle''s talent was only (B)-Rank, Professor Liam had no choice but to sigh.

    What''s the point of such incredible potential when he can''t go beyond (B)-Rank? He found it a pity that someone like Kyle had such a low talent. If only he was someone with (S)-Rank or higher talent, he would easily be able to rival someone like Alec.

    In this month Kyle also got a little closer with Alec and Carcel due to them sparring with each other a lot.

    At first, Kyle found Alec''s friendly behavior suspicious because even when Kyle ignored him he would try to approach him, but as time passed and he saw Alec still being too friendly Kyle thought maybe he misunderstood his good intentions.

    And also because thinking about the same thing for a long time wasn''t what Kyle would do. He found it bothersome and time consuming, instead of thinking and exhausting his brain he would better sleep.

    Kyle and Alec''s interaction wasn''t to the point of calling them best friends but it was enough to make them causal friends with each other.

    Lara was still ufortable around Kyle because she ignored him first. It was also too much for her to just go and sit with Kyle and pretend nothing happened. That''s why she would always drag Mia toward the back seats. Due to them, Alec had no choice but to go and sit with them.

    When the first-month mark hit, Alec was the first one to break through to (-E)-Rank. He was already near a breakthrough before entering the Royal Academy but due to someone stealing his mission during the Ranking Assessment, he had no choice but to wait for a natural breakthrough.

    The moment Alec broke through to (-E)-Rank, there was an uproar inside the Royal Academy. Breaking through to (-E)-Rank at such a young age was a huge achievement.

    Vice Principal George also personally visited Alec and praised him in front of the whole ss.

    Vice Principal George wanted the kids to bepetitive and the biggest reason was that he wanted to tell some lucky brat to practice hard or else he would kick him out of the Academy.

    Kyle who was sitting with Nine didn''t know what he did wrong to get such a cold stare from the Vice Principal. He was working hard and everyone was praising him so why was the Vice principal ring at him?

    The thing he didn''t know was that whenever he was beingzy or resting the Vice Principal would see him and be angry. The Vice principal barely controlled himself to just throw Kyle out of the Academy. No one knew if it was a coincidence or Kyle''s bad luck.

    The next morning as usual Kyle woke up and started to prepare for ss, but before he could open the dorm door he noticed something was missing. He frantically turned around and looked at the only table present inside the room, a bundle of clothes clustered around was also present on top of the table,

    but there was nothing else!

    ''Where''s the egg?''

    Kyle panicked. He hurriedly approached the table and picked up all the clothes, but there was nothing. He also looked below the table but found nothing.

    "..Where is it."

    Kyle started sweating, he clearly remembered he saw the eggst night before he went to sleep. How can he be so careless, he promised the Phoenix to take care of it.

    "Dam it!"

    With sweaty palms Kyle went toward the bed, he wanted to throw the bed sheets away and check around the whole room, but before he could something hard hit his left foot.

    -Click!

    Kyle looked below toward his feet, he sighed with relief before picking up the red egg present on the floor.

    "Why are you here? You almost freaked me out."

    He looked at the egg with narrowed eyes because the red color was starting to change into a deep fire color.

    "Is it going to hatch?"

    He walked toward the table with a questioning look. He would have studied the egg more but he was gettingte for the ss. That''s why Kyle gently put the egg on top of the clustered clothes and was going to leave.

    "Tremble...Click"

    Kyle looked at the egg dumfounded, it was trembling and the moment he took a step back, it looked like the egg was trying to follow him.

    "What the heck!*"

    He cursed loudly. This little fe! What if after he left the room, it fell on the floor again? This time it would be probably broken.

    "If you are going to hatch, juste out already. It''s not like I can carry you around always. It''s dangerous."

    With a frustrated expression, Kyle picked up the egg and after putting it inside a small bag he tied it on his waist before finally leaving for the ssroom.

 Chapter 34: Monster Lord

    <h4>Chapter 34: Monster Lord</h4>

    Inside a luxurious castle room of ''Kingdom Ete'', a meeting was held between the big shots of every Kingdom of the East Continent.

    The room was spacious, filled with various antiques of history. In the middle of the room surrounded by various projections of different sizes ''King Cedric'' sat on a sofa while wearing a serious expression.

    Sitting on his left was Duke Valenza and on his right was Duke Evan.

    The silence was broken by a deep voiceing from one of the biggest projections floating inside the room.

    "It''s what we expected."

    The projection showed an old man wearing white clothes, sitting cross-legged on top of a tree. The old man sighed with aplicated expression.

    If Vice Principal George saw the old man he would have recognized him immediately. The old man was the Principal of the Royal Academy who left a few months ago without saying anything.

    After getting news of the monster''s unusual behavior near the borders, the Principal immediately left the Kingdom heading straight toward the Dark forest.

    And as everyone feared he found traces of a ''Monster Lord'' being born inside the Dark forest.

    The Principal sighed and spoke, his voice carried a hint of reluctance.

    "Thest time a ''Monster Lord'' appeared and attacked the humans a whole continent was destroyed. In the end, all the other Continentsbined forces to defeat the Monster Lord."

    After the Principal confirmed his words a heated discussion broke out inside the room. All the people present inside the projections were kings of different Kingdoms, they all voiced their worries.

    If a Monster Lord really appeared, then the East continent which was the nearest to the ''Dark Forest'' would be its first target.

    And ording to history the destruction caused by a ''Monster Lord'' wasn''t something they could stop with their meager power.

    A total of five Kingdoms were present inside the ''East Continent''. And all of them were surrounded by ''Dark forest''.

    Among those five Kingdoms, Kingdom Ete was one of the biggest and also the richest due to its high economy.

    Right now the strongest person inside the East Continent was the Principal of the Royal Academy. He was an individual who broke through to (SSS)-Rank a few years ago.

    Everyone present inside the room knew that except for the Central Continent which belonged to humans, they couldn''t count on any other Continent because in recent years the rtionship between humans and other races had worsened.

    King Cedric also wore a dark expression after hearing the Principal words but despite that, he spoke with calmness.

    "How much time do we have?"

    His words were like a thunderstorm as everyone became quiet, waiting for the Principal to answer.

    The Principal who was sitting on a tree truck stood up and looked toward the sky with a serious expression.

    "Maximum 8 years, but if it decided to attack early maybe even less than 6 years."

    Everyone was quiet, it was a situation where they had to use everything they had or else the only thing approaching them was destruction.

    King Foraan from ''Kingdom Whitnd'' broke the silence and spoke about another pressing matter that was left undiscussed due to the sudden dangerous news.

    "Sigh! The gate of ''Tower of Opportunity'' are going to be opened soon, we need to start selecting the younger talents so they can be strong enough to fight the iing doom."

    "Now they are our hope."

    After King Foraan spoke, from one of the projections a person wearing dark clothes looked at King Cedric and King Foraan before speaking in a serious tone.

    "You are right Foraan, I heard two people with (+SSS)-Rank talent have appeared recently. One is studying inside the Royal Academy while the other is being nurtured under Kingdom Whitnd."

    "Prince Carcel the second son of King Cedric also awakened (-SSS)-Rank talent. If my daughter wasn''t studying in the Royal Academy I would have never found out about this."

    Hearing that two people with (+SSS)-Rank talent have appeared inside the neighboring kingdom everyone present gasped with shock. They didn''t even know about this news!

    King Cedric frowned hearing the dark clothes man''s words, he was going to tell everyone about it but due to the recent events, hepletely forgot about everything else.

    "It''s not like I was trying to hide it, I also just found out recently through Vice Principal George that amoner named ''Alec'' awakened (+SSS)-Rank talent. And about Carcel, sigh! What can I do about him he didn''t even tell his mother that he had a talent surpassing his brother."

    King Foraan nodded his head and also cleared his name with a serious expression.

    "The person from my Kingdom who awaken (+SSS)-Rank talent is ''Jian'' one of my distant family rtives. It was a surprise for me as well to find out about him."

    The discussion topic inside the room changed. Everyone first expressed their shock before expressing happiness. If before the news about ''Monster Lord'' they knew that the neighboring Kingdom had someone with (+SSS)-Rank talent, they would have done everything to kill that person or tried to scout him to their sides.

    But now the situation was bad. Everyone knew that if they didn''t unite, forgot about stealing talents, they wouldn''t even be alive to see the next morning sun.

    The discussionsted for a few more hours before the projections started disappearing, leaving behind only a single projection containing the Principal.

    The principal looked at King Cedric and spoke with irritation.

    "Why did you invite that dark mage, I wanted to hide the news about Alec and Carcel for a while."

    "Now everyone knows Sigh."

    King Cedric smiled seeing the old man grumbling like a child.

    "It''s okay, now is not the time to hide. Let''s start preparing for the Tower of Opportunity It''s going to open soon."

    The Principal sighed again before reluctantly nodding his head. The matter of the Tower of Opportunity was of utmost importance, considering the impending doom standing in front of their doors.

    The towers were created by the Ancestors of ''Blue'' for the younger generation. Every Continent has a simr tower that opens once every 20 years. The number of entries inside the tower were limited that''s why each Kingdom could only send 100 individual each.

    ....

    Meanwhile, as usual Kyle entered the ssroom with azy expression, he walked toward the front seats and sat down.

    The seat beside him was empty, it''s seem today he was earlier than Nine. Not just Nine even Alec''s group wasn''t present yet, because there were still fifty minutes left before the ss started.

    Kyle yawned and put his head on the table, he was going to sleep for a while because waiting for the lecture to start was quite boring, but his sleep was disturbed by a panicked voice.

    "Kyle?"

    Kyle frowned and looked at Nine who was panting heavily, looking like he just run a marathon. He stood up and hurriedly walked toward Nine.

    "Calm down, What happened?"

    After calming his breath Nine looked at Kyle with a serious expression.

    "I have bad news for you."

    Kyle''s frown deepened, from the morning he was having a nagging feeling that something bad was going to happen and now hearing Nine words he also panicked a little.

    Nine looked at Kyle, hesitating if he should tell him but he knew he had to tell everything because if not Kyle would find out from someone else.

 Chapter 35: They are fine... Right?

    <h4>Chapter 35: They are fine... Right?</h4>

    "Due to some reason, the monsters near the border suddenly attacked some small cities and a lot of people died. They also destroyed some buildings.. also Nyan City was among the cities that got attacked."

    "I remember you are from.."

    Kyle''s mind went nk for a while, he shuddered at the thought of anything happening to his family. Nine was speaking but right now Kyle wasn''t in the condition to hear what he was saying.

    Seeing Kyle making a dark expression like he could kill anyone, Nine was literally scared. Still, he was worried and was going to say something but before he could Kyle panicked and immediately left the ssroom.

    Kyle didn''t have anymunication device which he could use to contact his family. The only thing he wanted to do was to leave the Academy immediately to see his family.

    Nine looked at Kyle''s fading image, it was almost time for Professor Aliza to enter the ssroom. He cursed but still followed behind Kyle.

    At first Nine wanted to get close to Kyle because he thought of him as someone strong, but now after spending a whole month together, he was seriously worried about Kyle.

    After running out of the ssroom Kyle didn''t know what to do, as leaving the Academy without permission wasn''t allowed. With sweaty palms and a nk expression, he was thinking about what to do when Nine grabbed his shoulder to calm him down.

    "Everything will be fine, Let''s take a mission and go together."

    Kyle nced at Nine and after hearing his words he started to calm down. He clenched his fists and nodded, now was not the time to be impulsive.

    Both of them hurriedly walked toward the Mission Hall and without even ncing at the surroundings, Kyle walked toward the mission board and picked up a random mission on herb collecting.

    Nine also followed suit, both of them handed the mission page they selected to the Young man sitting behind the reception.

    The young man took the pages and nced at Kyle with narrowed eyes, finding him somewhat familiar.

    ''It''s the trash I sawst month.''

    The disdain in the young man''s eyes was visible, he also nced at Nine who was wearing an awkward smile. Without giving them a second nce he registered their names before speaking sarcastically.

    "These missions of ''Herb collecting'' were posted just yesterday, You have two weeks toplete them and return with the items."

    Kyle wasn''t bothered nor did he care about the way the young man was speaking, after getting the confirmation of the mission he hurriedly walked out of the hall with Nine.

    Soon both of them left the Academy, heading straight toward the only teleportation array present outside the Academy.

    The streets in front of the Academy were filled with different shops, some were selling low-rank skill cores while some were Arts. A few shops were also selling clothes and some other daily necessities.

    Looking through the storage ring Kyle took out some mana stones his Second brother left inside, he was quite busy in the Academy and there was never a time he needed to use mana stones. But After looking through the amount it was only enough for a single person to travel.

    On the other hand, after seeing Kyle taking out some mana stones and wearing a worried expression, Nine sighed.

    "I can pay for myself."

    Kyle was relieved and didn''t ask about anything else. After waiting for their turn they used the teleportation array to directly head toward the Capital City.

    Usually, teleportation arrays weren''t able to teleport people to such long distances but due to the influence of the Royal Academy, it wasn''t hard to acquire some advanced materials for the teleportation arrays.

    After arriving at the Capital City Kyle was feeling edgy due to the after effects of the Teleportation array, due to that it took them an hour to find the teleportation array heading straight toward Nyan City.

    But because there was a huge crowd of people heading toward Nyan City it took a few more hours before it was their turn.

    The more time passed the more anxious Kyle was feeling. His worries worsened when they arrived at Nyan City because the only things awaiting their arrival were broken buildings.

    When he left, the small city was bustling with all kinds of people busy in their daily lives.

    But now the sky was filled with grey clouds and the atmosphere around the city was gloomy. Hundreds of people were running here and there trying to find help or trying to save someone else.

    There was no alive monster in sight as different guards holding blood-red weapons were roaming around the city.

    But it seems the reinforcement from the Capital City arrived a littlete as quite a lot of dead bodies were lying around.

    Kyle gazed at his surroundings, living inside a world filled with cruel people he had seen dead bodies before, but it was the first time in his life he felt so angry. Clenching his fist with anger he walked toward the way his house was.

    His feet felt heavy and his heart trembled with the mere thought of seeing his house in a simr condition.

    On the other hand, Nine quietly followed behind without saying much. After seeing the condition of the city, he just hoped for everything to be fine.

    After walking quietly for around thirty minutes, they arrived in front of one of thergest buildings present in the city.

    The condition around the house was better than every other ce they saw on their way.

    Kyle saw a familiar tired face standing in front of the gates, talking with some servants. After seeing the middle-aged man Kyle finally sighed in relief before hurriedly running toward the man.

    "Father?"

    Baron Ohan turned around hearing a familiar voice calling him from behind.

    His clothes were wrinkled and filled with blood. Seeing Kyle running toward him the Baron''s tired face showed happiness for a moment.

    Kyle didn''t care about the heavy stench of blooding from the old man, with a relieved expression he hugged his father tightly.

    After a few minutes, Kyle finally let go of his father and questioned in a worried tone.

    "Where are Elder brother and Second brother?"

    Baron Ohan didn''t say anything and wore a sad expression, seeing his father''s slightly wet eyes Kyle''s voice trembled.

    "They are fine... Right.?"

 Chapter 36: A Way

    <h4>Chapter 36: A Way</h4>

    "They are fine... Right.?"

    Getting no response from the old man, Kyle''s grip loosened as he took a step back with a nk expression.

    ''Why isn''t father saying anything.''

    He looked at the servants standing not so far from them with a throbbing headache.

    "Where are my brothers?"

    The same question, but this time Kyle''s voice was calmer and face expressionless.

    Among the servants, an old man wearing the butler outfit walked toward Kyle with hurried footsteps.

    He gazed at Kyle but then lowered his head not daring to meet those scary eyes. As the butler of the house the old man had been watching over Kyle from a young age, that''s why he knew how the young master was alwayszy and carefree.

    Now seeing Kyle exuding such a powerful aura, he wondered how just in a month the young master changed so much.

    Two days ago when the monsters attacked, the situation was very dire. Some of the rtives suggested connecting Kyle who was at the Royal Academy to ask for help, but Kyle''s father Baron Ohan rejected the idea.

    As he knew Kyle''s talent was only (B)-Rank even if they told him about the situation he won''t be able to do anything to help. Also because Baron Ohan knew if they told Kyle he would rush over without caring about anything else.

    The butler sighed, he knew now that Kyle was here they couldn''t hide anything from him.

    "Young master Please follow me."

    Without saying anything else Kyle quietly followed behind the old man who always nagged him during his childhood.

    Soon they passed from the once beautiful garden filled with broken branches of trees.

    Inhaling the lingering stench of blood from the surrounding, Kyle nced at the blood filled grass and the few monsters lying around lifelessly.

    He didn''t say anything. Even if he wanted to words didn''te out from his throat.

    After passing through therge empty corridor they arrived in front of thergest room inside the building.

    The butler turned around and faced Kyle with a serious expression,

    "Young Master, it''s great to see that you are doing fine."

    "Due to the sudden outbreak of monsters both Master Neon and Master Ray fought together with some other powerful individuals present inside the city. They were also able to safely evacuate half of the citizens."

    The butler looked at Kyle who had now his gaze fixed on the room doors.

    Kyle wanted to hurry inside to see the situation but waited patiently for the old man to finish speaking.

    "Everything was fine, the reinforcement also arrived after a few hours but... suddenly for some reason the leader of the monsters used a lethal poison skill on the group of people fighting at the front."

    "It was an (A)-Rank python, including Master Neon and Masters Ray two other people got injured by the sudden attack."

    "At first it was nothing serious but just after three hours all of them suddenly went intoa. Right now some healers from the Capital City are trying their best to save them."

    After finishing his words the butler turned around and opened the door.

    With slow footsteps, Kyle staggered inside the room. ncing at the four beds present inside, he finally saw the two familiar faces he had been wanting to see.

    Their breathing was heavy and theirplexiones were pale, strange ck color veins were spreading all around their bodies.

    ''What can I do to help.''

    Kyle stood motionless in front of the door and watched the healers who were trying their best to stabilize the patients, but it seemed nothing was working.

    ''I can''t do anything.''

    For the first time Kyle felt useless. He nced at his palms.

    ''If I was stronger maybe this wouldn''t have happened.''

    ''It''s my fault.''

    Even though he was more mature than his peers, he was only 16 years old. His brothers were fighting death in front of him and the only thing he could do was to watch them in pain.

    With trembling hands and a nk expression, he looked at the cold hand grabbing his shoulder.

    "Father."

    Baron Ohan stood beside Kyle with wet eyes, he tapped his shoulder tightly.

    "They will be fine."

    Kyle who was on the verge of crying controlled the tears trying to leave his eyes. He nced at his father and clenched his fists tightly.

    ''What am I doing? They are fighting with everything they have. How can I lose hope.''

    After getting some courage from the old man Kyle''s heart felt calmer. He gazed at the four people lying on different beds and a beautiful green light shed through Kyle''s eyes before itpletely disappeared.

    Meanwhile, the butler who was standing behind the father-son duo looked at the new face Kyle brought with him.

    He walked toward Nine and after knowing Nine was Kyle''s ssmate and friend the butler apologized and ordered some servants to lead Nine toward a clean room.

    But Nine rejected the offer and decided toplete the mission they took before leaving the Academy. After telling the butler to convey his message to Kyle he left to look for the mission herbs.

    .....

    After standing for an hour, Baron Ohan and Kyle both went to the study to wait for the healers to bring some news.

    Time was trickling very slowly as Kyle paced around inside the study. He wasn''t able to sit still nor was he able to eat or drink anything.

    Finally, after one more day of waiting, a healer who seemed to be the head of the group walked out of the room.

    But the news he brought wasn''t something Kyle or anyone wanted to hear.

    After trying their best and using one of the best healing potions, the healers were able to stabilize the patient''s condition but it was only temporary.

    Even if they used one of the highest grade healing potions it won''t work because the python poison was fast reacting. The moment it entered their bodies it spread inside the veins and damaged the heart.

    ording to the healers if they used high-level potions regrly on the patients to stabilize their condition, the patients can live up to eight months maximum.

    The news was like a bolt of lightning as Baron Ohan lumped on the study chair and Kyle mmed his fist on the wall.

    But Kyle wasn''t going to ept it, there''s no way he can just let his brothers die.

    With a sweaty forehead, he looked at the healer with a crazed expression.

    "Are you sure there''s no way left? I believe there''s something we can do to save them."

    "Dam it! Anything is fine as long as there''s hope. I am willing to pay any price."

    The healer looked at Kyle who seemed to have lost his cool. After thinking for a while and remembering something impossible the healer hesitated,

    "There''s a way."

    Kyle nced at the healer with ragged breathing. It doesn''t matter what it was as long as he could save them, he was willing to do anything.

    "What is it."

 Chapter 37: A Colorless Flower

    <h4>Chapter 37: A Colorless Flower</h4>

    "Elixer of life."

    Everyone bes quiet and a pin-drop silence enveloped the room. Including the healer everyone presents inside the room knew about the ''Elixer of life'', it was something very precious.

    It wasn''t a potion or anything one could easily make. Elixer of life was a special 9-leaf herb only found at the depth of the Dark forest. A beautiful colorless flower would sprout on top of the herb after spending five hundred years growing.

    It was said that as long as one was not dead, the ''Elixer of life'' could cure any disease, even those standing on the death door.

    But the problem was its rarity, because of its preciousness for a normal person getting or finding the ''Elixir of life'' was almost impossible. And even if by chance it appeared in the market, there''s no way the rich nobles would let go of such a precious herb.

    It has been more than three hundred years since thest time the ''Elixir of Life'' appeared inside Kingdom Ete.

    Kyle nced at Baron Ohan who seemed to have lost all hope. Baron Ohan was a merchant, over the years of working he had umted a lot of wealth. He could buy all the high-grade potions for his sons but even he knew that Elixir of Life was something he could not afford.

    With a face filled with despair, he was shaking while a few tears welled up inside his eyes.

    On the other hand, Kyle wasn''t someone who was going to just ept everything and do nothing. He walked toward his father with a serious expression.

    "No matter what I will find the Elixir even If I have to enter the Dark forest."

    Baron Ohan gazed at Kyle with wet eyes, his two elder sons were already standing at death door, how can he bear it if something happened to his youngest?

    "K..yl.e"

    He called out to Kyle with a choked voice before shaking his head. He knew there was nothing they could do. Thinking how the only thing he could do was to watch them die made him feel useless and ashamed of himself.

    On the other hand, Kyle didn''t care what his father was thinking.

    ''I can''t let them die! No matter what, I will do anything.''

    Gazing at the crying old man once more, Kyle walked toward the butler and the healer. He ordered them to follow him outside.

    Baron Ohan wanted to stop Kyle but he was not even able to utter a single word, the only thing he could do was watch Kyle''s fading image leaving the room.

    Aftering out from the study room with a calmposure, Kyle ordered the butler to bring all the records of the money they currently have.

    The old butler looked at Kyle''s strong frame withplicated emotions and sighed before nodding his head in reply.

    It took Kyle half a day to gather all the money they currently have. ording to the total amount he divided it into different portions, first the funds for basic house needs, second he ordered some trusted servants to buy enough high-rank potions that could be used for the next eight months.

    Afterward, Kyle talked to the healers and convinced them to stay at the manor and take care of the patients for eight months. He promised them enough rewards and also no matter what he would return with the Elixir.

    And without caring about the consequences Kyle started preparing to enter the Dark forest because he knew even if the Elixir appeared inside the Kingdom there was no way he would be able to get his hands on it.

    ''I promised to bring the Elixir even if I have to search the whole Dark forest.''

    He didn''t care about the danger nor himself, as long as he could save his brothers he would do everything.

    Among the hundreds of thoughts going around inside Kyle''s head, not once did it ur to him that he would fail. It was an unfamiliar emotion he felt for the first time like he could do anything as long as he tried.

    While Kyle was packing and handling all the matters rted to the Ohan household, Nine returned with the mission items the next day. He also brought a piece of news that changed Kyle''s ns of entering the Dark Forest.

    The ''Tower of Opportunity'' was going to open in a month, the only ce after the Dark forest where finding the Elixir of life'' was guaranteed.

    .....

    Meanwhile, In the Royal Academy everything was going as usual. Professor Aliza entered the ssroom and frowned.

    ''They are absent again?''

    Today was the third day both Kyle and Nine were absent. She got information through the mission hall that they took on a mission, but seeing they hadn''t returned even after three days had passed Aliza was quite furious.

    Usually after entering the Academy the new students don''t take on missions and only focus on improving themselves, but it''s the second time Kyle took a mission. She would have understood if the mission was about hunting monsters but the mission Kyle and Nine took was about collecting some herbs! And to top it off those herbs were not even rare, because they could be easily found all around inside the mountains surrounding the Academy.

    ''Just how long can it take to collect some herbs? What the hell are they doing!''

    Aliza was quite angry because Kyle have been showing a lot of improvement recently. She was happy to see someone with low talent improve with such a fast speed, but now that he disappeared without a word she was once again changing her perspective of Kyle.

    ''And he also took Nine with him. What the? If you want to roam around just go alone.''

    ording to her Kyle has been a bad influence on Nine as Nine was always hard-working but recently he has been following Kyle around a lot and neglecting his training.

    Alec was also a little worried about not seeing Kyle for consecutive three days. He went to Kyle''s dorm to check but found no one.

    A few days ago he used the system appraisal skill on Kyle again but the results he got were the same as before. He was curious as to what Kyle had been doing recently.

    After asking around the ss, he finally got some news from a ssmate that he saw both Kyle and Nine taking a mission and leaving the Academy.

    He would have inquired more as to why Kyle suddenly left the Academy, but the system which was too quiet recently unexpectedly gave out a big mission to Alec. A mission he couldn''t fail no matter what! That''s why he forgot to find out more about Kyle.

    ______________________

    ''Mission; xX''

    Enter the ''Tower of Opportunity'' and get the Artifact ''Sword of Power'' before anyone else.

    Reward:

    2�� Sub-ranks increase.

    1��(S)-Rank skill.

    Penalty:

    -1��Rank.

    The sword will go into the wrong hands.

    ???

    Time remaining: 7 months.

    _________________________

 Chapter 38: Announcement I

    <h4>Chapter 38: Announcement I</h4>

    Next day early morning, after taking care of all the house rted matters Kyle decided to leave for the Academy with Nine. Because if he wanted to enter the Tower of Opportunity the best way for him was to enter through the Academy.

    And because Baron Ohan''s condition was not good enough to take care of everything in Kyle''s absence due to the sudden shock, Kyle gave the authority to make decisions and take care of all the other house rted matters to the butler who has been serving the house for thest 25 years.

    He wasn''t worried about the butler doing anything bad behind his back as the butler was among the loyal subordinates the Baron relied on a lot.

    After dividing the money there wasn''t much left, that''s why Kyle only took enough to make it back to the Academy.

    Recently while practicing the sword art at the Academy, he found out that he needed a better weapon for himself to execute the Art more perfectly. That''s why except for money the second thing he took from the house was the only (D)-Rank sword avable inside the manor weaponry because the sword Kyle was currently using wasn''t ranked.

    Simr to humans, weapons were also divided into two different categories;

    Ranked and Unranked.

    The Unranked weapons were not as powerful as the Ranked weapons because they were made of normal materials. On the other hand, Ranked weapons were more sturdy and durable due to the huge amount of time and resources spent on their construction.

    That''s why the higher the rank of the weapon the more powerful it was.

    Before leaving Kyle once again assured his father that he would return with the Elixir of life. The only thing Baron Ohan needed to do was to wait for him and not lose hope.

    Baron Ohan was reluctant at first but when he heard that instead of the ''Dark Forest'' Kyle would be entering the ''Tower of Opportunity'' to find the Elixir he agreed, because the Tower wasn''t as dangerous as the Dark Forest where dying was normal.

    Afterward, Kyle went to check on his brothers onest time, their condition wasn''t much better than before.

    Rather than better, their condition seemed to have be worse as the ck lines spreading on their bodies became more vivid.

    The other two patients who got injured with his brothers during the monster attack were also being taken care of by the healers.

    Kyle didn''t know where they were from because they were just some adventurers who decided to provide assistance during the monster attack.

    Even after asking around for a while Kyle wasn''t able to locate their families, that''s why he asked the healers to take care of them as well until someone from their families came looking for them.

    Kyle sat beside his brothers for a while with a warm expression and started talking about his experience inside the Academy.

    He knew they wouldn''t be able to hear him because they were in aa, but he just wanted to tell them that their small brother who always got beaten up by them due to hiszy nature had grown up.

    Afterward, together with Nine, Kyle left the manor.

    Standing in front of the house Kyle once again turned around and looked at huge gates, countless memories of the past shed through his mind making him feel somewhat nostalgic.

    It''s only been more than a month since he left for the Academy, who would have imagined that things would turn out like this?

    Kyle gazed at the manor garden which was in the middle of construction once more before leaving with Nine.

    While traveling they saw that just in a few days almost all the surrounding buildings werepletely constructed. Also, the atmosphere around the city was not so gloomy anymore.

    Everyone was busy in their lives again, forgetting the tragic incident that happened just a few days ago. But those who lost their loved ones will always remember the pain they felt.

    Nine who was always beside Kyle during their travel noticed some minor changes in Kyle''s appearance.

    First, the corners of Kyle''s ck hair which were slightly silver before were now more noticeable and brighter, and there was also a tint of emerald color in the center of Kyle''s ck eyes.

    At first, Nine didn''t notice these changes

    because they were too small, but when he was conversing with Kyle or standing near him he couldn''t help but notice them.

    But knowing how it was impossible to change someone''s natural eye color Nine shook his head and stopped overthinking.

    .....

    It took Nine and Kyle not more than six hours to reach the Academy because both of them didn''t stop anywhere to rest.

    Also, they wanted to hurry up and reach the Academy to learn more about the uing opening of the Tower of Opportunity.

    And just like they expected the moment they arrived at the Academy everyone inside the Academy was talking about the Tower.

    First, they went to the mission hall to summit the mission items, only to get a disdainful look from the young man sitting behind the reception.

    Seeing the disdainful gaze of the young man who didn''t even bother to reply to them, Kyle was unfazed as he was used to it.

    But Nine felt like crying because it was the first time someone was looking down at him. He was born with a lot of talent and always worked hard that''s why he was not used to such treatment.

    Afterward, both of them started following the first-year student who told them that Vice Principal George was going to announce something, and because of that all the first and second-year students were required to gather at the center of the Academy.

    It took them ten minutes to reach the center of the Academy.

    The center of the Academy was arge empty ground surrounded by buildings, a small tform was set up at the edge of the ground.

    In front of the tform, all the first and second-year students were gathered making a small crowd of almost four hundred people.

    Everyone was talking about the sudden announcement and also eagerly waiting for the Vice Principal''s arrival, because almost all the people present guessed the reason behind the sudden announcement.

    It was because some of the students studying inside the Academy were Royals. Their families would have definitely told them about the Tower even before they entered the Academy.

 Chapter 39: Announcement II

    <h4>Chapter 39: Announcement II</h4>

    As both Kyle and Nine were a littlete that''s why they stood at the end of the crowd.

    While waiting for the Vice Principal Kyle saw Alec and his team standing further away from them, almost in front of the tform.

    Kyle shook his head with a bitter smile thinking how easily he spotted them among the crowd, the four of them were looking dazzling due to their other-worldly appearance.

    Maybe the four of them were favored by the heavens because they also had enough talent to make anyone jealous.

    At first, when Kyle entered the Academy he thought he was too far away to ever be able to reach them, but he wasn''t bothered as he knew what he could and couldn''t do.

    But now looking at them his perspective waspletely different, because now approaching them didn''t look hard.

    And maybe unknowingly he was even thinking that someday he could surpass them! A far contrast to his previous thoughts where he only wanted to reach them.

    As Kyle was thinking all this, he himself didn''t notice how his thoughts which were previously too easy going were changing!

    And the reason behind all this, was it really due to his brother''s incident?

    Or is it because of something else? But unfortunately, no one in this world was capable enough to notice or tell him about all this.

    Disrupting Kyle from his thoughts was the Vice Principal''s loud voice.

    "Hello everyone, I believe you all are working hard and learning new things every day inside the Academy."

    "First I would like to apologize for calling everyone so suddenly without any prior notice, as I know you all would have been busy training or preparing for the first-term exams which are almost around the corner. But you see there''s an important announcement I have to make today....."

    Kyle gazed at the tform where the Vice principal was standing.

    Standing on his left was Professor Liam and standing behind him were four different Professors.

    Kyle nced around to see if Professor Aliza was present, but even ncing around for a while Professor Aliza was nowhere to be found.

    On the other hand, after talking about some random topics Vice Principal George finally started talking about the topic everyone was waiting eagerly to hear.

    He announced that the ''Tower of Opportunity'' which opened every 20 years was going to open next month.

    And just likest time 100 spots have been given out to each Kingdom present inside the East Continent.

    Like every other Kingdom, ''Kingdom Ete'' will also choose 100 talented individuals from the younger generation.

    Among the 100 spots 14 are given to the Royal Academy because it is the No.1 Academy present inside the Kingdom.

    And for a while, the Vice Principal started boasting about the prestigiousness of the Royal Academy and how the students were lucky enough to get a chance to enter the Academy.

    Only when Professor Liam gave him a light tap on the shoulder did he stop, but the Vice Principal''s annoyed face showed that he wanted to talk more about the Royal Academy.

    The Principal continued by saying that 46 more spots are given out to the other Academies present inside the Kingdom ording to their Ranking.

    And to make it fair the remaining 40 spots would be given out to the general public, everyone living inside the Kingdom can fight for those spots through apetition that will be held in one of the cities present on the west side of the Kingdom.

    Afterward, the Vice Principal said that all the first and second year students of the Royal Academy would be allowed to fight for the 14 spots avable to the Academy.

    The third year students weren''t able to fight for those spots because ording to the rules of the Tower, those who are older than 18 can''t enter inside.

    All the first year students panicked after hearing that they had to fight the second year students to get a spot, it had only been a month since the first year students entered the Academy so they thought it wasn''t fair to fight the Second year students who were already so strong.

    But Vice Principal George''s next words made everyone sigh with relief.

    "To make it fair for the students, two differentpetitions will be held inside the Academy after a week. One among the first year students and the other among the Second year students. 7 spots would be given out to each year, now it''s up to you all to win a spot for yourself."

    After telling some other things about the Tower, Vice Principal George gazed around seeing the familiar faces of the students.

    First, his gazended on Alec who was standing at the front with Carcel, Lara and Mia, then on some other students who were showing quite a lot of talent before finallynding on a face he had not seen for a while.

    But contrary to the Vice Principal''s expectations the said student was very attentive and wasn''tzing around.

    Kyle who was standing at the far end of the crowd was directly looking at the Vice Principal while carefully taking in all the information rted to the Tower.

    Suddenly his gaze met with the Vice Principal who seemed a little taken aback seeing Kyle''s unwavering gaze.

    The Vice Principal was the first to withdraw his gaze.

    ''This rascal, what''s with his gaze did I just feel pressured when I locked eyes with him? No way, it must have been my imagination.''

    Vice Principal George shook his head clearing his mind before ordering everyone to go back and rest for the day because it was almost the end of the day.

    All the students scattered around some leaving for their dorms while others for training.

    Kyle and Nine also left for their dorms because thest few days have been very hectic for them, especially for Kyle who has experienced a lot recently.

    After reaching the dorms Kyle bid farewell to Nine before entering the dorm room.

    The moment he entered inside, he walked toward the bed and slumped on it with a tired expression.

    His eyes started getting heavy because for the past few days, he hadn''t slept even for a single moment.

    Thus he decided to sleep for today because from tomorrow he was going to start preparing for the biggest challenge of his life.

    But before he could close his eyes something tied on his waist trembled slightly.

    "Ah, I almost forgot about you."

    Kyle untied the Phoenix egg tied on his waist, due to so many things happening recently he almost forgot about it.

    After taking out the egg he looked at it for a while before tucking it with the nket.

    Afterward, Kyle also buried himself inside the nket and hugged the pillow tightly before closing his eyes to sleep.

 Chapter 40: Bia

    <h4>Chapter 40: Bia</h4>

    Kyle''s usual peaceful morning was disturbed by the sudden sharp pain inflicted on his left cheek.

    With an annoyed expression, he tried to bury his face under the nket but unfortunately, the endless pecking didn''t stop at his face, It started pulling his hair.

    Kyle was still sleepy to see the reason for all this, that''s why instead of checking what it was he just wrapped himself inside the nket to avoid the pain disrupting his sleep.

    -''Wake up. I am hungry.''

    ''?..''

    Hearing a child-like voice inside his head, Kyle was jolted awake.

    "What? Who."

    With eyes wide open he looked at the dorm door to see who was talking to him, but there was no one.

    "Was it my imagination?"

    He briefly nced at his room, but as usual, the room was empty.

    As it was still too early in the morning that''s why after shaking his head, Kyle was going to bury himself inside the nket again.

    -''Are you ignoring me? I am hungry!''

    "? Who."

    This time the childish voice resounded too clearly inside Kyle''s head to be ignored.

    He hurriedly started looking here and there to see if anyone was present inside his room when suddenly something fluffy touched his hand.

    "Huh."

    He looked down and saw a small bright red color bird staring at him eagerly with her big blue eyes.

    "What are you?"

    Kyle picked up the small bird which was barely the size of a fist with two fingers and looked at it curiously.

    The bird started wriggling inside his hand trying to free himself.

    -''What are you doing? Let me go! Don''t you know how to gently pick up someone?''

    -''Also why are you still sleeping? I am hungry give me something to eat.''

    Hearing the familiar child-like voice inside his head Kyle was dumbfounded.

    "You.."

    -Crick! Crick!

    With an expression full of disbelief he was going to confirm something when he heard the sound of something breaking under his nket.

    Kyle hurriedly removed the nket and confirmed his suspicions after seeing the red broken pieces of something, which was once an egg.

    -''Hey, are you gonna let me go or not?''

    His shock was interrupted by the endless chattering that resounded inside his head,ing from the small bird.

    Or should he say the small Phoenix?

    He wasn''t sure... Why is it so small? Kyle couldn''t help but think was it adopted?

    "Why are you so small, did the Phoenix give me someone else child?"

    The small bird seemed to be offended as its skin started burning with golden mes but she made sure it wouldn''t harm Kyle too much.

    Due to the sudden heat burning Kyle''s finger''s flesh, he let go of the bird with a wince.

    -''I am not short! I am a legendary being.''

    -''And here you are being ungrateful by making fun of my appearance.''

    -''Also, I just came out from that egg that''s why I am hungry, so give me some food.''

    Kyle looked at the proud expression of the small fluffy ball with aplicated expression.

    ''I thought I would have a phoenix as a pet but what is this thing, it''s not a phoenix at all!''

    But amidst all the grumbling Kyle wasn''t able to deny the fact that she was quite strong despite her small and cute appearance, because the moment she used the burning skill on Kyle, he was able to feel her Rank which was (E)-Rank!

    Even higher than Kyle!

    ''As expected from a Phoenix. No, I should call it a bird.''

    Kyle sighed before taking out something edible from his storage ring and cing it in front of the bird.

    The bird started eating the food and after finishing she had a satisfied expression on her face before she flew and sat on top of Kyle''s head.

    Kyle looked up and smiled because for some reason he found it cute.

    He could feel a small thread connecting them, and because of that Kyle was also able to feel a portion of her emotions.

    He wonder if she could do the same.

    -''Stop staring and give me a name.''

    The bird looked at Kyle with her big blue eyes filled with expectations.

    Kyle nodded seriously and started pondering about a suitable name for the little fellow.

    "A name hmm."

    "How about birdy? or reddy? I think it''s simr to your appearance."

    The bird looked at Kyle with wide eyes filled with disbelief, making Kyle doubt his naming skills.

    "Was it that bad?"

    -''Just bad? No, It''s terrible! Your naming sense is very bad.''

    Even though Kyle was getting scolded, he still found it cute how she was trying to speak like an adult with her child-like voice.

    He also noticed that she had knowledge about her surroundings and was able to converse with him very easily.

    ''It seems it''s true that monsters with intelligence can share some part of their knowledge with their offspring.''

    "Then how about Bia It''s the name of the goddess of strength."

    Kyle lightly tapped the head of the bird who seemed to be enjoying herself.

    -''Okay considering the previous options Bia is 1000 times better! I will go with it for the time being.''

    -''I am a little sleepy, so I will sleep for a while don''t wake me up for a while.''

    "Alright."

    Kyle picked up Bia from his head and carefully ced her on the pillow.

    It seems Bia was getting tired too easily because she just left the egg.

    Afterward, Kyle started preparing for the morning ss he had been missing for a few days.

    On the other hand, Nine also woke up early morning and after getting ready he knocked on Kyle''s door.

    But then he realized how waking up Kyle had be a habit because Nine had been doing it for the past month.

    Nine sighed and was going to knock again but Kyle opened the door and greeted him with a small smile.

    Afterward, both of them started walking toward the ssroom.

    ....

    As usual, the first-year ssroom was filled with students but today a heated discussion was going on inside the ss.

    Everyone was chattering about the Tower and what kind ofpetition would be held to fill the 7 spots given to the first-year students.

    Alec and Carcel both were sitting in the first row where Kyle usually sat with Nine, while Lara and Mia were sitting behind them.

    They were also discussing about the Tower and thepetition which will be held in a week.

    The ssroom door opened and two familiar faces entered the room, attracting the attention of everyone as they were thest to enter.

    Alec looked at Kyle who entered the ssroom with Nine, he waved toward them and gestured for them to sit beside him and Carcel.

    Kyle replied with a greeting and sat on one of the two unupied seats beside Alec, but Kyle was feeling somewhat confused.

    ''Did he leave these seats for me and Nine? I wonder why. We are not that close.''

    And just like Mia and Lara the four of them started conversing with each other, but like always among the four Carcel and Kyle were quiet only nodding their heads or speaking when necessary.

 Chapter 41: Mutation

    <h4>Chapter 41: Mutation</h4>

    After a while Professor Aliza entered the ssroom, ceasing the countless chattering of the students.

    As usual, her expression was cold and her long ck hair was tied in a ponytail.

    Gazing at all the familiar faces present inside, she stood on the stage while holding the attendance sheet.

    Her eyes briefly paused at Kyle and a small frown appeared on her beautiful face.

    ''He returned.''

    But she didn''t say anything to Kyle or anyone else and started calling out names from the attendance sheet.

    Yesterday after getting too angry at Kyle who has been absent for four consecutive days, Aliza left the Academy to find out what he was doing.

    But after reaching Nyan city and seeing the condition of Kyle''s family she was worried.

    ''He didn''t tell anyone, he could have asked for help from the Academy?.''

    What made Aliza annoyed was that one of her students was going through a hard time but he wouldn''t even share it with the Academy.

    Also just how is he going to find the ''Elixir of life'' which even she hadn''t seen in her life?

    But despite experiencing such a setback in life Kyle was wearing a calm expression.

    Aliza couldn''t help but praise his bearing.

    She sighed, because she couldn''t help him if he didn''t ask.

    The only thing Aliza could do was to ask the Vice Principal to look for the Elixir of life, but she knew even for the Vice Principal finding the Elixir in 8 months was an impossible task.

    After taking attendance, Aliza started her lecture whichsted for almost two hours.

    Afterward, she gave some information about the history of the Tower of Opportunity.

    A lot of students raise their hands to ask questions regarding the Tower because for them the Tower was a huge opportunity to be strong.

    Aliza patiently answered everyone''s queries before saying goodbye and leaving the ssroom.

    .....

    Meanwhile, Kyle and Nine who were expecting to get some punishment because they were absent for the past 4 days, were dumbfounded when Professor Aliza left without a single word.

    Nevertheless, it was good for them as both of them looked at each other with surprise.

    Alec who was sitting beside Kyle stood up.

    "Let''s leave for training."

    Kyle nodded, and all of them left the ssroom heading straight toward the training ground.

    Seeing them leaving the other students also started following behind them.

    Soon, they entered the training ground which was the same as before.

    As usual Alec, Nine and Carcel took out their weapons and went toward the dummies.

    And Lara and Mia went toward the long distance targets.

    On the other hand, standing in front of a dummy Kyle took out his sword and closed his eyes for a while.

    All the basic sword moves shed through his head.

    For the past whole month, Kyle had been observing a lot of students practicing different sword Arts and he noticed that there was something simr in every sword Art.

    And those were the basic moves of the sword!

    That''s why Kyle wanted to master all the basic moves, in this way he would be able to easily seize any openings present inside his opponent''s moves.

    After taking a deep breath Kyle started hitting the dummy with all his strength, executing all the basic moves.

    He also practiced the first move of ''Void Shattering Strikes''

    ''Eliminate''

    While practicing he didn''t even notice how the morning sun went down and a moon appeared between the dark clouds.

    Alec who was practicing beside Kyle couldn''t help but look at Kyle because his sword was faster and sharper than before.

    Also, the move Kyle used before while fighting Alec was now very different, as Kyle''s sword after changing trajectory would not just hit the neck but also all the other parts of the dummy.

    Alec wonder just what Kyle did in the past week for him to advance so much.

    Slowly but surely all the students started leaving the training grounds, to rest for the day.

    Even Alec and Carcel were tired, they stopped and grouped up with Lara and Mia who seemed to be also stopping for today.

    But Kyle didn''t stop, he was so absorbed in practicing that he didn''t even notice that the whole training ground was now empty.

    Alec looked at Kyle and sighed because Kyle was always the first person to leave the training ground but today he seemed a little disturbed for some reason.

    But among the people present, no one except Nine knew the reason behind Kyle''s behavior.

    And because Kyle''s gaze was too fixed on attacking the dummy he wasn''t able to hear the others calling out his name.

    Suddenly a familiar child-like voice resounded inside his head.

    -''Hey, did you just leave me alone inside that cramped room? And to top it off you didn''t even leave any food for me.''

    "?."

    Kyle finally stopped, and under everyone''s gaze a small red fur ball flew inside the training ground before sitting on top of Kyle''s head.

    -''Why didn''t you hear when I was calling your name?''

    Kyle put his sword inside the storage ring and gently patted Bia''s head with an apologetic face.

    "Sorry, I didn''t notice the time. But how did you find me? Also, it''s dangerous you should have stayed inside the room."

    -''It''s not hard for me to find you because we are connected. Also, how can you expect me to stay inside that gloomy room, if you are so worried next time be sure to take me with you.''

    Kyle sighed and turned around, only to see everyone staring at him with strange expressions.

    "What happened?"

    Nine was the first one to ask about the bird sitting on top of Kyle''s head.

    Kyle smiled and pointed at Bia.

    "It came out from an egg I found during the first mission I took from the Academy."

    "Oh"

    After Nine unexpectedly it was Mia who approached Kyle and tried to touch Bia because she was just too cute with big blue eyes and red fur enveloping her whole body.

    And to Kyle''s surprise, Bia flew toward Mia before sitting on her shoulder.

    Lara the one who was always grumpy toward Kyle also approached Bia and started patting her head.

    ''Bia seemed to be enjoying herself.''

    Kyle looked at Bia with a smirk before ncing at Carcel and Alec, but Alec''s expression showed utter shock.

    Shock?

    Kyle walked toward Alec.

    "What happened."

    "Huh, it''s nothing."

    Getting no response from Alec, Kyle shrugged his shoulders.

    Alec walked toward Bia because he also wanted to touch her but before he could Bia started flying, making everyoneugh at Alec.

    With an embarrassed expression, Alec smiled bitterly because the thing he just saw was something no one would be able to know in their whole life, maybe not even Kyle.

    ______________________

    System Analysis:

    ''Name: Bia''

    ''Age: One day''

    ''Rank: (E)''

    ''Special: mutated due to absorbing ??? essence''

    ''Mutation effects: grade Legendary? Divine''

    ''Talent: (SSS+)-Rank''

    ''???''

    -Error!

    Trying to find the cause! Loading....

    -Error!

    No more information provided.

    _________________________

    ''Kyle just where the hell did you find her?''

 Chapter 42 Training

    <h4>Chapter 42 Training</h4>

    The next morning, Kyle got up early and went to ss with Nine. After a few hours of usual lectures, he went back to the dorm for a bath before heading straight to the training ground.

    His current schedule was insane since now apart from training or attending lectures, he didn''t have time for any other thing.

    Professor Liam the training instructor of first-year students was also impressed seeing Kyle working so hard and showing incredible improvements.

    Even though Kyle never asked, Professor Liam would give him pointers here and there about the mistakes he was making because the more Professor Liam observed Kyle the more he felt that it was indeed a pity that his talent was only (B)-Rank.

    And since the time of thepetition was getting near, including Alec and his team all the first years students were working harder than usual, but Kyle would always practice tillte at night.

    The whole training ground would be empty and only after when he was exhausted and had no strength left inside his body would he staggered toward his dorm.

    Due to Kyle''s influence, Nine also started training like crazy, but no matter how much he tried he would still leave the training ground earlier than Kyle.

    At first Nine and the others waited for Kyle to finish, but the next day Kyle stopped them because he didn''t want to waste their time of rest.

    And aftermunicating with Bia, Kyle found that he could also talk with her through telepathy because they were bonded to each other.

    At first, talking through telepathy with Bia was hard but after trying it a few times Kyle got the gist of it.

    Also during this time due to Bia, Lara started conversing with Kyle normally. She would still ignore him from time to time but it was a lot betterpared to before.

    All this while Professor Aliza kept an eye on Kyle. She wasn''t able to help him directly but she secretly asked Vice Principal George to look for the Elixir of life.

    One week passed in this manner, Kyle was able to make good progress in his training. His stats also improved a lotpared to before.

    ______________________________

    Stats:

    Name: Kyle

    Bloodline: Celestial (Locked)

    Rank: +F

    Strength: -E

    Mana: +F

    Agility: +F

    Talent: SS Rank (suppressed)

    Luck: A

    Skills:

    #*Fireball (F)-Rank:

    .....

    ______________________________

    Kyle''s agility stat increased by a sub-rank and his strength stat increased by 2 sub-ranks!

    Who would believe that just a little more than a month ago both these stats were at (G)-Rank.

    All this was possible because for the past whole week, Kyle''s schedule was to attend sses, training, eating and again training.

    He only used 1-2 hours daily for rest. But what made Kyle surprised was that his body was able to cope with such intense training!

    Now Kyle was almost on the verge of a breakthrough and ording to him in half a month he would probably breakthrough to (-E)-Rank.

    ....

    While everyone was training and working hard, finally the day of thepetition arrived.

    Thepetition for the first-year students was held inside the Academy Hall.

    That''s why early morning, all the first-year students were seen heading toward the hall.

    Kyle and Nine were also walking behind some of the first-year students when someone called their name from behind.

    It was Alec. As usual, he was walking with Carcel, Lara and Mia. The moment they appeared all the nearby eyes were on them due to their gorgeous appearance.

    At first, Kyle was a little ufortable getting all the attention due to interacting with Alec and others but after some time he started ignoring the few eyes staring at him.

    After greeting each other they started chatting and walking together.

    Bia who was sitting on top of Kyle''s head started flying after seeing Mia and Lara before sitting on top of Mia''s shoulder.

    Kyle looked at Bia with narrowed eyes. It seems for some reason Bia liked Mia.

    ''Did you just betray the person who fed you this morning with love and care just to get some caresses from a beauty?''

    Bia snickered hearing ain filled voice inside her head before turning her big blue eyes toward Mia and ignoring Kylepletely.

    Soon, they arrived at the Academy Hall.

    Twenty different small stages were set up in the middle of the hall surrounded by hundreds of audience seats.

    But only a few audience seats were upied by first and some third-year students because the second-year students were busy with their ownpetition and 80% of the third-year students were out doing missions.

    Slowly but surely all the first-year students appeared inside the hall, settling down on the empty audience seats.

    The person in charge of overseeing thepetition was Elder Lu with Professor Liam and two other professors acting as referees.

    Professor Liam walked and stood in the middle of the hall, making all the students cease their conversations.

    "Hello, everyone. I hope you all have been working hard for thepetition because the results will decide who will upy the 7 avable spots of the ''Tower of Opportunity'' from the first-year students."

    Professor Liam''s clear and loud voice resounded inside the hall.

    "Thispetition willst for five days and because of that no ss or training will be held in the next five days. All the rounds of thepetition will be one vs one battles. There are a total of 200 students participating that''s why we will try to conclude the first round today."

    Afterward, Professor Liam told everyone that 20 battles would be held at a time because there were 20 stages present inside the hall and called 40 different students on the stage.

    The called students got up from their seats and walked toward the stages, awaiting Professor Liam''s instructions.

    "This is not a life and death battle so remember to give up once you feel like you can''t deal with your opponent''s attack."

    "If your opponent is not in the condition to fight back, you are not allowed to continue attacking. After one of the participants admits defeat, the other participant is not allowed to attack."

    After shouting out the rules Professor Liam gave the signal to start the fight and the first round of thepetition officially began.

    Alec, Lara and Nine were also in the first batch of students fighting on the stage.

    But Alec''s fight onlysted for a few seconds before he won and returned to his seat. Nine and Lara also easily won their battles before returning to their seats.

    After the first batch, two more batches of students were called on the stage.

    In the fourth batch, Carcel and Mia''s name was called. Both of them also easily defeated their opponents.

    Kyle''s name was called with thest batch of students, after entering the Academy he hadn''t fought with anyone else except Alec, Nine and Carcel.

    That''s why Kyle was looking forward to the uing fight.

    But contrary to his expectations his opponent was someone very weak and he defeated him very easily, just in half a minute!

    Also, it seemed that the Professors made sure not to match the top ten students against each other because Kyle, Nine and the others were not called out against each other.

    After the first round, 100 students made it to the second round. At the end of the first round, Professor Liam told everyone to rest for the day and be ready for the second round which will be held tomorrow morning.

 Chapter 43 Selection Process

    <h4>Chapter 43 Selection Process</h4>

    Next day early morning just like yesterday all the first-year students made their way toward the Hall.

    Everyone was looking forward to the second round.

    After everyone arrived and settled down Professor Liam walked and stood in the middle of the hall.

    He nced at the 100 students who won the first round and without further wait, he started calling different students on the stage.

    The remaining 100 students who lost yesterday were now sitting in the audience seats, cheering or watching the qualified participants with envy.

    Just like the first round Kyle, Alec and the others defeated their opponents easily, entering the third round without facing much difficulty.

    Out of the 100 students, 50 students made it to the third round.

    And just like Kyle assumed the Professors made sure to not call the top 10 students against each other. That''s why all the top 10 students advanced to the third round.

    The third round was also not much eventful because Kyle, Alec and the others easily made it to the semi-finals.

    But because the number of students wasn''t even, Elder Lu took out a big box and asked the winning 25 students to choose a number te present inside the big box.

    The one choosing the zero number te will directly qualify for the finals.

    After getting the instructions the 25 students stood making a line and started picking up the number tes present inside the box.

    Kyle and Nine were standing together almost at the end of the line.

    Nine took out a number te and cursed because his number wasn''t zero before looking at Kyle.

    "What number did you get?"

    Kyle''s smile made Nine have a bad premonition. He bend down to see Kyle''s number te only to curse loudly.

    "Lucky bastard. You got number zero."

    Alec and Carcel also looked at Kyle''s number te with surprised expressions.

    Alec walked toward Nine and after making a sorrowful expression he started patting his shoulder.

    "I can feel your pain."

    "What the..?"

    Nine pped Alec''s hand away before looking at Kyle with pleading eyes.

    "How about changing the number te with me."

    But Elder Lu who was standing opposite everyone nced at the duo before staring deeply at Kyle''s number te.

    "The participant holding number te zero please head back to your seat."

    Hearing the deep loud voice, Nine stepped back while looking at Elder Lu with a smile.

    "I was joking."

    Kyle and the others startedughing. Even Bia looked at Nine pitifully.

    Afterughing at Nine for a full minute, Kyle walked back to his seat with Bia sitting on top of his head.

    Alec and the other students went to different stages after knowing their opponents and the long awaited battles of the semi-finals started.

    Alec''s first battle was against Nike, someone ranked 16 in the ss ranking. He was having a little difficulty at first because he didn''t use any of his skills but afterward, he defeated his opponent within a minute.

    Carcel''s battle was against Bill, someone raked 19 in the ss ranking. Just like Alec he also defeated his opponent in less than a minute.

    Lara and Mia''s match was against Jessica and Luna, ranked 12 and 15 in the ss ranking. At first, they looked evenly matched but after a minute Lara and Mia started having the upper hand and both of them won as well.

    On the other hand, Nine was seen crying and running around the stage making all the students sitting in the audience seatsugh at him. He was happy that his opponent was not someone ranked among the top 6 but still, his opponent wasn''t someone weak.

    In the end after struggling on the stage for more than twenty minutes, he won by taking opportunity of a small gap present in his opponent''s defense.

    At the end of day four, 13 students made it to the finals.

    The rules for the final round were a little different. In this round, all the remaining participants were required to fight 12 different battles without taking a break.

    ording to the number of battles won by the participants, they would select the top 7 students who won the most battles.

    For the final round instead of 20, seven different stages were set up in the center of the hall.

    As usual Kyle and the others arrived together. Alec and his team''s winning chances were very high because all of them were in the top five.

    Kyle was also determined to win because he had to enter the Tower no matter what.

    Before the final round, Nine practically begged Carcel and Alec to admit defeat against him or else there was no way he would win the final round.

    He didn''t ask Kyle because he knew that right now Kyle needed the spot more than anyone else.

    At first, both Alec and Carcel were hesitant but even if they lost 1 out of 12 fights they would still qualify for one of the spots avable, that''s why they agreed.

    All the winning participants stood against one another and they started fighting after getting the signal from the Professors.

    In the first stage Alec stood fighting Lily, ranked 6th in the ss ranking. After he defeated Lily he walked toward the second stage where Carcel was waiting for him.

    Carcel and Alec''s fight was remarkable with both of them fighting with everything they got, but in the end Alec won and proceeded to fight on the third stage.

    In the third stage, he fought with Mia and won. In the fourth stage Nine was waiting for him, but instead of fighting Alec admitted defeat and proceeded to the next stage.

    Nine was over the top after Alec admit defeat. Afterward, he walked onto the stage where Carcel was present and Carcel also admit defeat.

    The referee looking over their battle looked at Nine with narrowed eyes, but in the end there were no rules saying that the participants weren''t allowed to help each other.

    ''These brats! They are taking advantage of the loopholes present inside the rules.''

    The referee sighed before announcing Nine as the winner and asking him to proceed to the next stage, but the next match wasn''t so lovely for Nine because he was almost beaten to death by Lily who for some reason attacked the moment Nine stepped on the stage.

    The referee looked at Nine with eyes filled with mockery.

    ''Brat you were destined for a beating. Trying to cheat in front of me, no chance.''

    Nine looked at the referee who was giving thumbs up to Lily with a painful expression. He was going to admit defeat because he knew he couldn''t defeat Lily, but it seemed the referee asked Lily to rough him up a little for cheating.

    He wanted to cry but tears didn''te out because his next opponent was Lara.

    After epting his fate, with tattered clothes Nine dragged himself onto the next stage. He simply made himself ready for another beating.

 Chapter 44 One VS One battles I

    <h4>Chapter 44 One VS One battles I</h4>

    Meanwhile, Kyle''s first opponent was Jake, ranked 5th in the ss ranking.

    After getting the go signal from Professor Liam who was the referee of stage 6 and 5, Kyle gazed at Jake from the corner of his eyes.

    ''Ance user?''

    He didn''t feel intimated by Jake who seemed to be the same rank as him.

    -''You can defeat him because I can see he is weaker than you.''

    Bia''s voice resounded inside Kyle''s head, she was sitting in the audience seats.

    Kyle looked surprised, with a serious expression he attacked Jake first while conversing with Bia.

    ''Do you have a skill that tells if the opponent is strong or weak?''

    He was expecting to hear a positive response because if Bia had such a skill, it could help Kyle to avoid a lot of trouble.

    But Kyle''s expectations were met with cold water.

    -''No, I just guessed.''

    Kyle had the urge to curse but because he couldn''t lose focus during the fight he controlled himself.

    The fight with Jake wasn''t as difficult as Kyle expected because even though their rank was same, Kyle''s stats were probably superior than Jake''s.

    But amidst all this Kyle noticed a lot of shorings. Among them, the most frustrating one was when Jake used agility based skills.

    After defeating Jake, Kyle fought against another two opponents and won before standing in front of Alec.

    Alec was looking forward to his fight with Kyle because he had seen Kyle working very hard for the past week.

    Also, the system still hasn''t shown him full information regarding Kyle, so he wanted to see just how much Kyle had improved from theirst fight.

    With a serious expression, Alec gave Kyle a chance to attack first, but Kyle looked at him with a humble expression while raising his hand toward the referee.

    "I admit defeat."

    Alec barely stopped himself from tripping after hearing Kyle''s words.

    "What?"

    Not wanting to answer Alec''s question Kyle turned around and left the stage, leaving behind the dumbfounded Alec.

    Bia snickered at Kyle from afar only to get a re in return.

    Actually Kyle was going to try fighting Alec and see if he could defeat him, but Alec''s proficiency in sword and rank was higher than him.

    He knew he would only exhaust himself if he fought against Alec that''s why he decided that admitting defeat was a better choice.

    Afterward, Kyle climbed the next stage only to see the pitiful face of his friend.

    "Are you sure you are Nine?"

    This question made Nine look at Kyle with hatred. Without even ncing at Kyle Nine jumped off the stage.

    "I admit defeat. You devil, I know you will tear my remaining clothes if I fought with you."

    Nine left whileining, leaving behind the referee and Kyle who wereughing at him.

    Kyle''s next opponent was Mia.

    After getting the go signal from the referee Kyle attacked first because he knew if he wanted to defeat a mage he had to close the distance between them.

    Mia was also not standing idle she hurriedly constructed a shield to block Kyle''s attack before increasing the distance between them.

    Afterward, she used the skill "Freezing barrier" to decrease Kyle''s speed, but contrary to her expectations after she blocked his attack Kyle retreated.

    Not giving him a chance to attack again, Mia assembled 10 fireballs and threw them toward Kyle.

    Kyle blocked some of it and evaded the remaining easily. Even if he doesn''t have any agility type skills, his agility stat was high enough for him to easily evade the uing attack.

    Giving Mia a shock, Kyle copied Mia''s skill and assembled 10 fireballs, throwing them directly toward Mia.

    Mia''s agility stat was high, but it wasn''t high enough to evade all the fireballsing directly toward her. That''s why she constructed a few small shields to protect herself.

    Kyle used almost all of his mana in this attack, so after gaining the advantage he hurriedly closed the distance before pointing the tip of his sword at Mia''s neck.

    "?."

    The referee overseeing the match dered Kyle as the winner.

    Mia looked at Kyle, after Alex and Carcel he was the third person who defeated her.

    She still had a lot of mana left but the unexpected attack caught her off guard, making her lose focus for a while.

    She sighed and nodded at Kyle with a smile before leaving the stage.

    The moment Kyle defeated Mia, a lot of eyes were on him.

    First Professor Liam who had been observing Kyle.

    He saw Kyle improve but he never thought he would be capable enough to defeat Mia.

    Some of the students sitting in the audience seats also expressed their surprise when they saw Kyle winning.

    Among everyone the most shocked person was Lara. She had been looking down at Kyle from the start because of his low talent.

    Now he defeated Mia, someone she wasn''t able to defeat. Her eyes passed at Kyle for a brief moment.

    ''Was I wrong?''

    Lara didn''t like it when someone with a low talent approached her, rather than calling it dislike she would call it habit.

    At first, she didn''t look down on anyone no matter who it was but when she was nine years old, one of her friends who belonged to a poor family got jealous and tried to harm Lara.

    One day she told Lara that a very beautiful flower had bloomed inside the forest near her house.

    They were all together when they entered the forest but suddenly Lara found herself alone.

    While She was finding her friends thinking they were ying tricks on her, an unranked monster appeared out of nowhere.

    The monster was hideous and scary but no matter how much Lara shouted for help, no one was there to hear her plea. If not for a wandering warrior maybe she would have died that day.

    After returning home Lara found the petty reason behind all this. It was because she was born into a well-off family and had everything they didn''t and that''s why her friends tried to harm her.

    The more she thought about that incident the more angry she felt.

    ''Was it worth it to harm others just because you are jealous of them?''

    After that day she started to make fewer friends or rather she only interacted with those who were equal to her, because she never wanted to experience something like that again.

    A lot of time passed, and Lara didn''t even notice when she started looking down at others.

    The moment Lara found out that Kyle''s talent was only (B)-Rank, she knew they were world apart. Even though she wanted to act normal with him because Carcel and Alec both started interacting with Kyle she wasn''t able to.

    But to her surprise instead of getting angry, Kylepletely ignored her existence like he didn''t care or was he just used to it?

    After a while Lara wanted to apologize to Kyle but due to her ego, the words never left her mouth.

    Now seeing Kyle defeating Mia there was only one thought in her mind,

    ''He is stronger than me.''

 Chapter 45 One VS One battles II

    <h4>Chapter 45 One VS One battles II</h4>

    Kyle''s next battle was with Lara, as usual, her gaze was cold when she stepped on the stage and looked at Kyle.

    After getting the go signal from the referee, both of them attacked together.

    As Kyle''s mana was depleted due to casting 10 fireballs while fighting Mia, he was unable to use mana for a while.

    That''s why the moment the fight started Kyle wanted to decrease the distance between them, but Lara released two arrows directly aiming at Kyle''s head.

    Kyle had no choice but to retreat if he wanted to dodge the arrows because they were too fast and it seemed Lara coated them with mana.

    The moment the arrows struck the ground a small crack formed in the middle of the stage.

    Kyle looked at the crack while sweat trickled down his forehead.

    ''What''s with her, did she just try to kill me?''

    He gazed at Lara only to find her staring back at him with eyes saying,

    ''You can''t defeat me.''

    Kyle let out a dryugh before looking at the referee who seemed to be enjoying the show.

    ''Dam it.''

    After clenching the sword firmly he attacked once again this time his gaze was fixed on the arrows Lara released.

    Dodging the arrows was hard but it was not impossible, but the problem was just like Lara Kyle''s attack wasn''tnding at her.

    He had no choice but to run around in circles on the stage to avoid the arrows.

    ''Why is she so fast?''

    After a few minutes, Kyle was finally able tond a hit on Lara but to his surprise, she blocked the sword with her bow before pushing Kyle back.

    Lara looked at her hand holding the bow, it was trembling. Even though she blocked the sword the force behind Kyle''s attack wasn''t something to be scoffed off.

    Their fight continued, no one was willing to admit defeat. The audience was now looking at the stage where Kyle and Lara were fighting.

    Their fight truly turned fantastic when an arrow grazed Kyle''s neck, if he hadn''t evaded it on time maybe he would have gotten seriously injured.

    Both Kyle and Lara looked at each other while breathing heavily, their fight was the longest fight of the finals.

    Alec who was already done with his battles looked at Kyle with a grumpy face.

    ''Why didn''t you fight with me.''

    He was the only one Kyle didn''t fight.

    On the other hand, Kyle and Lara''s fight reached its climax when Kyle used his sword Art. He wasn''t going to use it against Lara but in the end, he had no choice but to use it.

    After deflecting Lara''s attack he jumped forward closing the distance between them in an instant and attacked. Lara was going to deflect the attack with her bow but the sword changed direction midway before sending her bow flying.

    Due to the sudden force, Lara was unable to stand still. She fell on her butt and when she looked up Kyle''s sword was just inches away from her neck.

    After the referee gave the signal that Kyle won, Kyle removed his sword before asking Lara politely.

    "Are you okay?"

    He was not expecting any answers but to his surprise, Lara replied while staring directly at him.

    "I am fine, but next time I won''t lose."

    Kyle smiled and got ahead of himself by offering Lara his hand so she could stand up, but the only thing he got in return was her gaze saying,

    ''Are you crazy?''

    Taking his hand back awkwardly, Kyle gazed at the next person climbing the stage.

    "Who is my next opponent."

    Meanwhile, Lara stood up on her own and left the stage.

    The moment Kyle saw his next opponent he had the urge to admit defeat because just now the fight with Lara made him exhausted.

    His next opponent was Carcel who seemed to be looking at Kyle with a surprised expression, not just Carcel the others were also expressing different emotions seeing Kyle win so many battles against the students who were ranked higher than him.

    After Carcel stood opposite Kyle the referee gave them the signal to start the fight.

    The moment the fight started it was evident that Carcel had the upper hand. Kyle was exhausted but after the first few shes, he started to decrease his movements to save his stamina.

    As Kyle had fought with Carcel before he knew his fighting style that''s why after the first few shes he adjusted to his style.

    Soon, it looked like both of them were equally matched. Shocking Carcel and the ones watching.

    It was not even two weeks when Carcelst fought with Kyle, so how was it possible for him to improve this much in such a short time?

    Carcel would be lying if he said that he wasn''t having difficulty fending Kyle''s attacks.

    The most frustrating one was Kyle Art. It seemed Kyle''s mastery of his Art had improved, because now Carcel was having difficulty whenever Kyle used the move ''Eliminate''.

    Seeing an intense fight going on Professor Liam also left the stage he was in charge of, he looked at Kyle.

    ''To think he improved this much on his own.''

    Not just Professor Liam, Nine who was just done with his fights looked at Kyle with shock.

    ''Thank god, I admit defeat.''

    While he was looking at Kyle he felt someone standing near him cursing.

    Nine turned around to see who it was and his shock increased, it was Alec! The person who always had a smile on his face. Why was he cursing?

    Alec who just got angry because he was the only one Kyle didn''t fight, saw Nine shocked face looking at him directly.

    He hurriedly changed his annoyed face to a smile.

    "I was talking to myself."

    Nine smiled not wanting to offend Alec, he nodded his head hurriedly before looking away.

    ''I just changed my tattered clothes, I am not in the mood to get beaten up again.''

    Meanwhile, on the stage after a while of fighting equally. Kyle started having difficulty. From the start he knew defeating Carcel would be hard but he didn''t expect it to be this hard.

    Sure he was able to equally match Carcel for six minutes but afterward Carcel started to take the upper hand again.

    Soon, the fight came to an end. In the end, Kyle lost. He still needed to work a lot before he caught up to Alec and Carcel.

 Chapter 46 End of the Selection Process

    <h4>Chapter 46 End of the Selection Process</h4>

    After thepetition, 7 students from the first year were selected ording to the number of battles they won.

    Alec took the 1st position with 12 consecutive wins and one loss where he admitted defeat against Nine.

    Carcel got the second position with 11 wins, and to everyone''s surprise, Kyle was tied with Carcel with 11 winning streaks.

    He only lost when he fought against Alec and Carcel.

    Mia was 3rd and Lara got the 4th position. Standing in the fifth position was Lily. She lost to Kyle but she defeated Jake who was a rank higher than her in the ss ranking.

    Nine got thest spot making it among the top 7 participants. He was so happy that he embraced Alec and Carcel to thank them wholeheartedly.

    The moment the result was announced Professor Aliza who was nowhere to be seen during thepetition walked inside the hall.

    She looked at the winning participants, her gaze paused at Kyle for a while before she nodded because she expected such results.

    Afterward, she asked the 7 students to follow behind her. Outside the hall, 7 more students from the second year were waiting for Aliza.

    She introduced all the students to each other before taking all of them to a special ssroom.

    The ssroom seemed to be specially prepared for the 14 winning participants as the only things present inside were 14 benches and chairs lined together in two rows.

    Professor Aliza stood in front of the students sitting on the chairs and started briefing them about their new schedule.

    There was still a week left before they left for the tower, that''s why their sses and training schedule for the next whole week was changed.

    Early morning instead of leaving for usual sses they would go to different Professors who would give them survival training for hours.

    After the training at dawn, Professor Aliza would give them different lectures and tell them all the information rted to the tower she knew.

    As Aliza was not from the lucky generation who entered the Tower that''s why her knowledge regarding the Tower wascking, but shepensated for it by reading various books and old theories written about the Tower.

    ording to her ''Tower of Opportunity'' had a total of 9 floors and the size of each floor wasparable to a Kingdom.

    The first 3 floors were the same every time but information regarding the other floors wascking because the structure of those floors was different every time the new climbers entered the Tower.

    All the people entering the Tower have to stay inside for 6 months. No matter what, they couldn''te outside before the six months passed.

    There was another way to exit the Tower and that was to climb all 9 floors and choose an exit scroll as a reward on the 9th floor.

    But something like that had not happened in the past hundred years, because no one was idiot enough to climb the Tower of Opportunity just to choose an exit scroll in the end?

    Also, six months was a lot of time and during this time those entering the Tower could get various opportunities bypleting different trials or they could hone their skills through life and death battles.

    The Tower was like a treasure trove for the younger generation because those older than 18 were not able to enter no matter what they did.

    Various powerful individuals tried to enter the Tower forcefully but failed miserably, even those high rankers were not able to enter due to the arrays of restrictions set around the Tower.

    The Tower which had so many opportunities to exploit also wasn''t devoid of danger because a single negligence or mistake can cause death.

    That''s why every time the Tower opened only the best around the whole continent were selected to enter the Tower.

    ....

    One week passed in a blink of an eye and today early morning, all 14 winning participants were standing in front of the Academy gate with Professor Aliza waiting for the Vice Principal.

    Kyle was also standing with Nine at the far end of the small crowd.

    While they were talking a student wearing sses approached them, he was from the second-year batch.

    Even though for the past week they have been studying and training together, Kyle hasn''t talked to anyone else except Nine, Alec, and his team

    Kyle nced at the student who greeted him with a smile.

    "Hi, I am ne."

    Kyle only nodded his head in response but Nine pushed him back and grabbed ne''s hand with a smile.

    "Hi senior, I am Nine and he is Kyle. Also, he is a little shy around others so don''t mind him."

    ''Shy who? me?''

    A question mark appeared inside Kyle''s head as he stared deeply at Nine''s back.

    "I mean he''s not much talkative."

    After kicking Kyle out of the conservation, Nine and ne both started talking like old buddies.

    ''Bia go hit this guy. He''s irritating me.''

    Kyle ordered Bia who was sleeping peacefully, but the only thing he got in return was his hair being pulled by Bia.

    "Ah."

    -''Shut up don''t disturb me.''

    ''What, do something useful at least for once. Will you.''

    Kyle sighed because he knew he wouldn''t get anything by fighting with Bia, the only thing he feared was his hair being burned and him bing bald if she got too angry.

    After obtaining the skill ''Fire resistance'' normal mes stopped working on Kyle but for some reason Bia''s golden mes were capable of injuring him.

    As everyone was talking to each other, Vice Principal George finally appeared but he brought an unexpected person with him.

    After nodding toward Professor Aliza Vice Principal George stood in front of the students, on his left stood an old man wearing mage robes who for some reason felt familiar to all the students but no one was able to exactly pinpoint who he was.

    When everyone was whispering about the identity of the new person a small voice was heard.

    "The librarian?"

    The old man standing beside the Vice Principal gazed at Kyle stunned. He only had one question inside his head.

    ''I changed my hair and eye color so how the hell did you know about my identity?''

    Vice Principal George''s gaze also paused at Kyle but strangely his question was different from the Librarian''s.

    ''He got selected?''

    Vice Principal George didn''t care about how Kyle knew about the identity of the Librarian because from his point of view, the Librarian''s concealing techniques were always useless.

    But how the heck did azy person who didn''t even have a proper sword Art a while ago fight and win against so many students and get selected?

    It was true that Professor Aliza had been reporting to the Vice Principal that Kyle had been working hard recently but he didn''t believe a single word.

    Because whenever he went to oversee the students, Kyle was alwayszing around.

    But now the Vice Principal was having second thoughts.

    Maybe Kyle was working hard and he was the only one who failed to notice it.

    Vice Principal George''s point of view of Kyle was finally changing.

    Meanwhile, Professor Aliza who was standing behind the two old men followed their gaze and sighed before asking them to continue because they were gettingte.

 Chapter 47 Leaving for the Tower I

    <h4>Chapter 47 Leaving for the Tower I</h4>

    Kyle was startled when two deep pairs of eyes suddenlynded on his body, and because of the Vice Principal other students also turned around looking straight at Kyle.

    ''What the? I just said it was the Librarian why are they looking at me so strangely.''

    It was definitely the Librarian. He just changed his eye and hair color!

    How can Kyle forget about the annoying Librarian who mercilessly kicked him out of the Library?

    Alec and Nine also gazed at Kyle, their eyes were strangely filled with pity.

    Kyle wanted to curse but fortunately, Vice Principal George finally stopped staring at him after getting a signal from Professor Aliza.

    Kyle sighed with relief while thanking Professor Aliza in his heart.

    Meanwhile, Vice Principal George cleared his throat and first congratted the 14 hard-working students who were going to enter the Tower before giving all of them a high-grade storage ring as a reward.

    Different from weapons, storage rings were crafted using space magic. Also ording to the space avable inside the storage rings, they were divided into different grades;

    Low grade.

    Medium grade.

    High grade.

    Supreme grade.

    The higher the grade of the storage ring the more expensive and valuable it was because higher-grade storage rings can hold more objectspared to low-grade ones.

    Vice Principal George waved his right hand and 14 simr blue-colored rings appeared, each floating directly toward the students.

    Kyle also got a storage ring, he peaked inside the ring using his senses.

    The space inside the storage ring wasparable to the biggest room he had seen in his life. There was also something present inside the ring.

    When Kyle''s senses went a little closer toward the things stored inside the ring, he found out it was stored food and water which couldst for months.

    There was also a small pile of mana stones in a corner.

    Kyle already had a storage ring but it was a low-grade storage ring given by his brother before he entered the Academy.

    That''s why he was thinking of getting at least a medium-grade storage ring for himself but the problem was hecked the money to buy it.

    Kyle looked at the Vice Principal, he was grateful for the storage ring.

    Among the students, the storage ring was practically useless for rich kids like Carcel and Lara because they already had high-grade storage rings.

    Still, having two at the same time was also not a bad thing at all.

    After giving storage rings to the students, the Vice Principal''s usual long and boring speech started.

    He talked about how he was busy for the past two weeks preparing everything for the students and he also emphasized how the students have gotten such an amazing once in a lifetime opportunity all thanks to the Academy.

    Everyone would have probably fallen asleep if the Librarian standing next to the Vice Principal didn''t beg him to stop.

    Well, he didn''t beg but his voice was almost pleading.

    Vice Principal George frowned but he stopped speaking after seeing the lifeless eyes of the students.

    And finally, after introducing the Librarian as Elder Han, Vice Principal George waved his hand and a big ship appeared in front of everyone.

    The students were not surprised because they were familiar with the big ship. It was the same ship the Vice Principal used when they passed the Academy Entrance test.

    After getting a signal from the Vice Principal all the students and the Librarian entered the ship.

    It seemed Professor Aliza wasn''t going with them because she didn''t enter the ship.

    Under her gaze the towering ship started floating and reached the sky, disappearing from her sight.

    Inside the ship,

    All The students stood at the front, gazing at the clouds with excitement.

    This time Kyle wasn''t standing alone, he stood with Nine and Carcel. Even if he wanted to stand alone he didn''t dare because the Librarian was continuously staring at his back.

    On the other hand, Vice Principal George seemed to be really tired because the moment the ship departed he went to an empty room to sleep.

    The small journey whichsted for a few hours was different for everyone, some were excited about a new adventure while some were tense about the danger they had to face after entering the Tower.

    Meanwhile, Kyle was sweating buckets. He wanted to enjoy himself like everyone else but the deep stare from the Librarian didn''t let him.

    In the end, Kyle had no choice but to stay with Nine and Carcel the whole time.

    He didn''t let them go for even a second, fearing the Librarian might do something if he was alone.

    Nine was a little surprised seeing Kyle so clingy, but even after probing for a while he was unable to find the cause.

    On the other hand, Bia who was sitting on top of Kyle''s headughed crazily seeing the situation. She wasughing nonstop making Kyle even more annoyed.

    After taking a deep breath, Kyle picked up Bia gently with his fingers and threw her toward the Librarian with an evil smile.

    But even after Kyle did that Bia''sughter was heard around the whole ship.

    ...

    After a few hours of floating the ship finally arrived at its destination.

    Everyone gazed below and was awed seeing the luxurious Castle present below on thend.

    Vice Principal George also walked out of the room, he waved his right hand and the ship slowly descended in front of the big Castle.

    All the students left the ship, following behind Elder Han and Vice Principal George.

    They gazed at the majestic gates of the Castle. The moment their eyesnded on the gates an invisible force descended on their shoulders but the force disappeared the moment Vice Principal George waved his hand.

    The Castle gates opened and a huge beautiful garden was awaiting their arrival.

    A few guards standing inside the garden wee Vice Principal George before asking everyone to follow behind them.

    While following the guards, the students saw the beauty of one of the biggest gardens they have seen in their lives.

    The security around the Castle was also suffocating because the pressure radiating from the bodies of the guards was equivalent to (A)-Rank.

    Among the students, only one person was unfazed seeing such luxury. It was Carcel.

    He gazed at the garden and the Castle before sighing. He was finally back home after he left for the Academy.

 Chapter 48 Leaving for the Tower II

    <h4>Chapter 48 Leaving for the Tower II</h4>

    ?

    Soon, after passing the garden and arge empty corridor filled with hundreds of antiques and paintings everyone arrived in front of arge huge empty ground.

    The empty ground seemed to be used for training because a lot of different weapons were stacked in a corner. On the left side, a lot of young individuals wearing different Academy uniforms were seen conversing with some Old Professors.

    On the right side, some young people wearing regr clothes were standing properly behind an old-looking individual. They were probably the ones who got selected through publicpetition.

    The moment Vice Principal George entered the ground all eyes were on him and the students standing behind him.

    Some of the old individuals walked toward Vice Principal George and Elder Han and greeted them politely.

    While everyone was busy greeting each other, the guards announced the arrival of King Cedric.

    Wearing a beautiful golden robe the King with four guards walked out from one of the doors present in front of the empty ground.

    All the Old people hurriedly gathered the younger ones before greeting the king politely.

    Kyle gazed at the King. The pressure radiating from the guards standing behind the king was immense.

    ''What''s the King Rank?''

    He questioned Bia who was sitting on Mia''s shoulder. Kyle could feel that the guard''s rank was probably higher than (A)-Rank but he didn''t feel an ounce of energying out of the King''s body.

    -''I can feel he just broke through recently to (SS+)-Rank. Also, I don''t know why but it seems there''s a barrier around the King''s body that''s why no one can see his rank.''

    Bia''s reply made Kyle surprised because ording to the rumors he heard the current king of Kingdom Ete only had (S+)-Rank talent.

    ''It seems the rumors were wrong.''

    After talking with the Older individuals for a while, the King warmly gazed at the 100 kids who were going to enter the Tower from Kingdom Ete.

    The King''s gaze paused on Carcel for a while, making him flinch.

    After giving some encouraging words to the young ones the King didn''t hold them any longer. He asked the guards to start the teleportation arrays present on the empty ground.

    Also, it seemed to protect the location of the ''Tower of Opportunity'' from other Continents, Each Kingdom only had a single teleportation array leading straight toward the Tower, and the teleportation array of Kingdom Ete was manufactured inside the Royal Castle.

    After getting a signal from the King everyone gathered in the middle of the ground.

    Soon, a brilliant light enveloped their bodies and they all disappeared.

    ....

    Kyle opened his eyes and saw a vast emptynd devoid of any type of greenery.

    Thend was dry, except for some pebbles lying around there was nothing else.

    While Kyle gazed around, the first thing that entered his eyes was the huge long Tower touching the vast blue sky.

    He looked at the Tower which was far away with a serious expression.

    ''I am here. Now I just need to enter the Tower and find the Elixir.''

    After checking everyone, Vice Principal George took the lead and walked toward the only bridge present at the edge of the vastnd.

    Everyone quietly followed behind the Vice Principal and passed the small bridge without any difficulty.

    But the moment they left the bridge, their surrounding changed drastically.

    The feeling was the same as using a teleportation array.

    In front of them were hundreds of small houses surrounding the huge Tower, making a small city around it.

    Individuals from different races were seen walking around the streets which were filled with different merchants selling weapons and other things.

    There was still no greenery in sight but the atmosphere was just like any normal market.

    Kyle and Nine both looked around, it was their first time seeing people from different races.

    On the other hand, after entering the small city Vice Principal George said goodbye to all the other Professors and students before asking the 14 students he brought with him to follow behind him.

    After 15 minutes of walking in the crowd, they arrived in front of a small hotel.

    Vice Principal George gave everyone a key to a room and asked them to rest for the day before leaving with Elder Han.

    He was going to talk with the envoys of other Kingdoms who brought their students to enter the Tower.

    After Vice Principal George left, some of the students instead of resting went to look around the market.

    Kyle also wanted to go but it waste and he was tired. Also, there was still another day before the Tower opened so he decided to rest for today and look around tomorrow.

    ....

    Next day early morning, Kyle woke up when Bia asked for food. After giving her something to eat, he stretched his body and took a bath.

    Wearingfortable clothes, he walked outside of his room because he wanted to eat outside.

    As Kyle walked down the stairs of the hotel, he saw Nine eating together with Alec and the others.

    Kyle also joined them for breakfast and after eating he said that he was going to look around for a while.

    Not just Nine but also Alec and his team, all of them went to look around yesterday. They were tired because they only returned to the hotelte at night.

    That''s why Nine said farewell to Kyle before leaving to sleep for a while.

    But when Alec heard Kyle was going outside, he immediately offered to go together.

    It was because he only had one thought in his mind,

    ''Whenever Kyle goes outside he always finds something amazing. This time no matter what I am gonna follow him!''

    But s! Fate had something else written for Alec because before he could leave with Kyle, Mia told him that Vice Principal George was looking for him and Carcel.

    With regretful eyes, Alec saw Kyle leave the hotel with Bia.

    Kyle didn''t even nce back at Alec who was being dragged by Mia to meet the Vice Principal.

    After walking out of the hotel, Kyle started looking around the bustling market filled with different small stalls.

    He saw a lot of things, there was also someone selling high rank storage rings at a low price but Kyle didn''t have money, well he had some mana stones inside the storage ring the Vice Principal gave him but he wanted to buy something useful using them.

 Chapter 49 Old scroll I

    <h4>Chapter 49 Old scroll I</h4>

    Vice Principal George and Elder Han both were sitting and having tea inside a small room.

    There was nothing extraordinary inside the room, only a single bed in the middle and two chairs in one corner with a table.

    While they were talking and sipping on tea a knock was heard on the door.

    Elder Han gazed at the door and asked the people standing outside to enter.

    "Come in."

    It was Carcel and Alec, both of them walked inside the room and greeted the Vice Principal and the Librarian.

    But amidst the polite greeting, Alec was wearing an annoyed expression.

    Vice Principal George put down his teacup before looking at Alec and Carcel seriously.

    "There''s something I would like to give both of you."

    Elder Han who was sitting opposite to the Vice Principal looked at him with irritation because the Vice Principal only called the top two students.

    What about Kyle? The student he rmended.

    ording to Elder Han Kyle should also be included if they were thinking of giving safety measures to some promising students.

    So what if his talent was low? Among all the students Kyle was the only one capable enough to see through the Librarian''s concealing technique.

    It''s true that the concealing technique he used was a little weak but still seeing through the technique itself was quite an incredible feat.

    So why was Kyle not included?

    Vice Principal George waved his hand and two small ck stones filled with golden inscriptions appeared on the table, he was going to speak with Alec and Carcel when Elder Han stopped him midway.

    "Are you sure to only give the stones to these two kids, I think you should also consider the one I rmended."

    Vice Principal looked at the Librarian and frowned, he knew who the Librarian was referring to but there was no point in giving the stone to Kyle.

    These stones were precious, found by the Principal of the Royal Academy when he entered the Tower in his teens. Also, it was a one time use item that can only be used inside the Tower.

    By crushing these stones one can teleport to a small distance inside the Tower. It can said to be a life saving treasure for the individuals entering the Tower.

    The Principal gave these stones to Vice Principal George before leaving and asked him to give one to the student having the highest talent, but now Prince Carcel was also a part of the Academy that''s why Vice Principal George had no choice but to give one to Carcel as well.

    Because if the King found out that the Academy had such a treasure and still didn''t give it to the Prince, he would surely fight with the Principal.

    Also, the Vice Principal only had two stones. That''s why he was thinking to give one stone to Carcel and one to Alec.

    Vice Principal George sighed before asking Elder Han to leave the room. Elder Han didn''t pester anymore and quietly left the room because he knew this old man would never listen to anyone.

    Aftering out from the room the Librarian smiled because he had a nagging feeling the Vice Principal was going to regret it soon.

    ''Also, I don''t believe Kyle only had (B)-Rank talent. Not until I confirm it myself.''

    During the journey, Elder Han kept an eye on Kyle but whenever he was going to talk or approach him, Kyle would run away. That''s why he was not able to confirm his talent.

    After a long sigh, Elder Han left. This time he was going to find Kyle and check his talent and potential himself.

    If his guess was right, and Kyle was a hidden gem then he would take him as his disciple. It was not bad at all.

    Meanwhile, Inside the room Vice Principal George gave a summary about the stones to Alec and Carcel before giving both of them a stone and asking them to keep it a secret.

    Alec and Carcel both were a little surprised but still, they thanked the Vice Principal and left the room.

    .....

    On the other hand, Kyle who was roaming around the bustling market saw a small crowd at a corner.

    He was curious and went to check, inside the crowd stood an old looking dwarf with brown hair and eyes.

    The old dwarf was wearing a smug smile while continuously asking the crowd to look at the weapons piled on his left side.

    Kyle heard the crowd whispering that the Dwarf was selling high-rank weapons at a very low price but no one believed his ims.

    The reason was simple, why would someone sell high-grade weapons like vegetables?

    The crowd soon started to leave not believing a single word of the dwarf who seemed to be lowering the price of weapons even more.

    After the crowd left only Kyle and a few young people were left around the dwarf.

    They started looking at the weapons, Kyle was definitely not crazy. He also thought that the weapons were fake hearing the low price.

    But then Bia who was sitting on top of Kyle''s head told him that all the weapons were original! Not a single weapon was fake!

    That''s the only reason Kyle stopped and started looking at the weapons. The other young individuals all bought a weapon from the dwarf and left, leaving behind only Kyle and the dwarf.

    Kyle already had a (D)-Rank sword that''s why even though the weapons were all good, he wasn''t going to buy one because right now they were practically useless to him.

    After looking for a while Kyle was going to leave but the old dwarf who was watching him lowered the price even more.

    The dwarf showed a beautiful bow to Kyle and asked him to buy it because he was going to leave this ce and maybe they would never meet again.

    But seeing the dwarf sleazy smile Kyle knew something was wrong that''s why he politely declined the offer and tried to leave but the dwarf stopped him again.

    "Young one. I can''t lower the price anymore. Also, it seems you don''t want to buy a weapon how about buying something else? I sell other things as well."

    With a sly smile, the dwarf took out some more objects from his storage ring before looking at Kyle.

    "I am almost near my monthly quota so buy one thing at least, hehe."

    Now Kyle was even more suspicious,

    What monthly quota?

    But the problem was after seeing Kyle wearing a high-grade ring, the dwarf was not going to let him go. Not until he bought something.

 Chapter 50 Old scroll II

    <h4>Chapter 50 Old scroll II</h4>

    With no other choice, Kyle reluctantly gazed at the small pile of old artifacts and scrolls.

    Among the pile, a scroll that seemed to be rtively old caught his eyes due to the light glow it was emitting.

    Kyle pointed at the scroll while looking at the dwarf.

    "What''s this?"

    The dwarf gazed at the scroll with a confused expression before his eyes showed a bright light, like a con artist who just found a way to sell a defective product.

    "Hoho Kid you have a good eye. It''s iplete but it''s a map of the Tower."

    Kyle was stunned, he gazed at the dwarf with nk eyes and turned around to leave.

    Map of the Tower?

    Don''t you know even con artists lie about something which is actually possible?

    How are you selling something not even the Kings have.

    If you had said the same thing to someone else he would have probably beaten you to death!

    The dwarf who was smiling smugly saw Kyle leaving, he hurriedly picked up the map and appeared in front of Kyle.

    "Kid I am telling the truth. If you leave today you will regret this decision your whole life!"

    Kyle looked at the serious eyes of the dwarf who seemed to be oozing innocence.

    Ridiculous!

    He wanted nothing but to run away, however no matter how much Kyle tried the dwarf didn''t let him go.

    In the end, Kyle had no choice but to buy the scroll from the dwarf.

    The moment Kyle brought the scroll and turned around, finally getting rid of the clingy dwarf he heard Bia eximing with surprise.

    -''Wow magic.''

    ''What?''

    Kyle turned around to see what was she referring to and his worldview changed. There was nothing behind him, no dwarf, no weapon, no artifact...

    Just like magic the dwarf seemed to have disappeared within seconds.

    ''Don''t tell me I just interacted with a ghost?''

    Not wanting to stay at that suspicious ce anymore Kyle hurriedly left, heading straight toward the hotel he was staying at.

    .....

    Meanwhile, in another empty ce hidden behind some small houses. Three young individuals wearing Royal clothes were angrily talking to some guards.

    Those three belonged to Kingdom Whitnd, among them the one wearing the most luxurious clothes was a prince.

    He angrily shouted at one of the trembling guards.

    "Did you find the scroll?"

    "I am fucking gonna kill that bastard who stole all my belongings while I was sleeping."

    The guard didn''t dare to look at the angry prince.

    "Your Highness Kelvin, we are trying our best."

    The prince angrily clenched his fists and kicked the empty ground.

    "This is your best? The Tower will open tomorrow what''s the point of finding the scroll afterward?"

    "If Father finds out I lost the scroll which he acquired after so much trouble, he is going to punish me. Dam it!"

    Among the two individuals standing behind the Prince, one sighed with a distant gaze before trying to pacify the prince''s anger.

    In the end, there was nothing they could do.

    The thief was too cunning he stole everything not even leaving behind their essories, while everyone was sleeping.

    Who could have thought that something like this could happen at the ce where various powerful individuals from all the Kingdoms were gathered?

    But unbeknownst to them this type of thing happened to almost half of the people who were here to enter the Tower.

    And the one behind all this had already gone far away afterpleting his monthly quota.

    ....

    On the hand, after leaving the market Kyle arrived in front of the hotel. He sighed while looking at the scroll he was holding.

    He opened the scroll to see what was inside.

    There were three portions inside the scroll each with a different name and structure.

    But all three portions showed a forest and mountains, inside the forest and on the mountains there were also some red and golden cross marks.

    Kyle sighed again not understanding a single thing, he closed the scroll.

    He was going to enter the hotel and go to his assigned room to rest when arge hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder.

    Kyle turned around to see who it was. He almost freaked out seeing the Librarian standing behind him with a smile.

    "Finally found you!"

    Kyleughed dryly and politely greeted the Elder who seemed to be tightly holding his shoulder.

    "Elder, is there anything you want from me?"

    An innocent question, with four eyes looking directly at Elder Han.

    Elder Han who was looking at Kyle, saw Bia and was intrigued by her color.

    His hand left Kyle''s shoulder and tried to catch Bia but with a horrid expression she flew away.

    -''I am leaving. He is too scary to deal with.''

    Kyle cursed Bia in his head, whenever he needed her help she always run away without looking back.

    Elder Han looked at Bia''s fading image with confusion for a while before focusing on Kyle again.

    "It''s nothing, you must be tired after walking around so go and rest."

    With a wide smile, Elder Han asked Kyle who was sweating buckets to go and rest.

    Kle didn''t even look back and hurriedly entered the hotel leaving the elder alone.

    Seeing, Kyle fading back Elder Han had a smirk on his face.

    ''I knew it, his talent is not (B)-Rank. Comparable to those two young monsters his talent iscking but (SS)-Rank talent is also considered top-notch.''

    The moment Elder Han touched Kyle''s shoulder, he used a hidden artifact to check his talent and just like he thought Kyle''s talent was high.

    ''But why did that idiot George say he had only (B)-Rank talent? Did the orb inside the Hall make a mistake?''

    Also, the bird sitting on top of Kyle''s head was not ordinary. Elder Han had seen the bird before, it was like any ordinary bird but now when he was closer he saw a small glow emitting from her body.

    That bird was (E)-Rank!

    It was the first time the Elder saw a bird with such high rank.

    ''Is it a bounded beast? This kid sure knows how to make me more interested in him.''

    ...

    Meanwhile, the moment Kyle entered the hotel he was greeted by Nine, Alec and all the other students who were eating together.

    He also joined them, but suddenly Alec saw the scroll he was holding.

    "What''s this."

    Kyleughed while showing everyone the scroll.

    "It''s the map of the Tower."

    Not even a single person believed his words and everyone startedughing. Nine also joked.

    "Wow, such a precious item. Dam! Where the hell did you find it."

    Kyle looked at Nine seriously,

    "What, you want it. It''s going to cost a fortune."

    While, everyone was joking and talking only one person had his hand shaking continuously. It was Alec.

    With an expression filled with regret, he promised himself to never use the appraisal skill on Kyle or anything rted to him.

    Carcel who was sitting near Alec saw his expression and stopped eating.

    "What happened?"

    Alec gazed at Carcel with a nk smile.

    "Nothing. I am just pondering on my life."

    "What?"

    Not getting any answers from Alec, Carcel looked away.

    In the end, Carcel could never understand the pain Alec was feeling after using the appraisal skill on the scroll.

    ______________________

    System analysis;

    ''Old Scroll''

    ''Design by an Ancient Cartographer''

    ''Rank: Low''

    ''Special: Had some information regarding the first three floors of Tower of Opportunity.''

    _________________________

    ''I knew it whenever Kyle goes outside he always brings back something amazing. Sigh! It would have been nice if I went together with him.''

 Chapter 51 Master

    <h4>Chapter 51 Master</h4>

    Next day early morning, while everyone was gathered in front of the hotel waiting for Vice Principal George, Kyle was sitting in front of Elder Han inside an empty room.

    He nced at the Elder, wondering why was he called here.

    Elder Han poured a cup of tea and pushed it toward Kyle. He looked at Kyle''s anxious expression and knew the chances of sess were very high.

    That''s why without wasting time, he started telling him about himself. Firstly the Elder was a high-ranked Mage;

    Mages were those who studied and used mana in various forms instead of practicing a specific Art or weapon.

    Secondly, the Librarian was also well-versed in Potion making and Arrays.

    The more Elder Han spoke about his profession the more puzzled Kyle became.

    Why was the Elder suddenly telling him about himself?

    But he soon got the answer, when Elder Han stopped talking about other things and went straight to the point.

    "How about taking me as your master? I think it will benefit you greatly."

    "I have been thinking of taking a disciple for quite some while and you seem to be one of the best candidate."

    Kyle stared at the Elder stunned. He have heard about some Professors and Elders inside the Academy taking in apprentices if they were interested in the said person.

    But why him?

    He was sure not just the Elder, almost everyone around him knew his talent was too ordinary! Nor was he a genius who possessed extraordinary talent in any aspect.

    So why?

    Kyle looked at the Elder with aplicated expression, he wasn''t sure what to say anymore.

    He knew that epting the offer could give him a lot of benefits but he wasn''t sure why the elder suddenly wanted to take him as his disciple.

    The more Kyle thought the more confused he became. From the past few days, he could sense that Elder Han had been keeping an eye on him secretly.

    But now the sudden offer made him a little suspicious.

    Did he find out that his talent was greater than (B)-Rank or worse did the Elder find out about his bloodline? But it''s not possible as he himself found out about the bloodline recently.

    While hundreds of questions were going around inside Kyle''s head, making him anxious. Elder Han looked at him and frowned.

    He just gave him a once in a lifetime opportunity and thisd was wasting time thinking!

    If there was anyone else, he would have already knelt and epted him as his master.

    After all, having a powerful master would make their journey of bing strong a little smooth sailing.

    The Elder became a little furious not hearing any response from Kyle even after he waited for a few minutes. As his patient was wearing thin he ced the teacup on the table and a loud sound echoed inside the room.

    Hearing the sound Kyle finally snapped out from his thoughts and nced at the Elder.

    He almost freaked out seeing the Librarian staring directly at him with a dark face.

    What''s this?

    Was he being forced?

    Kyle would never ept this! No way!

    He was going to protest when Elder Han''s loud and cold voice reverted inside the empty room sending shivers down Kyle''s spine.

    "So, What''s your answer?"

    Kyle looked at the Elder, his expression deadly serious.

    The Elder looked at his serious expression a little taken aback, was this kid going to refuse him? Thinking about this, the Elder became a little nervous but he didn''t show it on his face.

    Meanwhile, Kyle picked up the half-filled cup of tea the Elder ced on the table and stood up straight.

    "Kyle greets the Master."

    His words almost made the Librarian choke, what the hell?

    If you were just going to ept in the end what''s with the seriousness!

    Nevertheless, Elder Han took the cup of tea from Kyle''s hands and took a small sip before smiling with satisfaction.

    He seeded. Now he just needs to sit back while his disciple conquers the world.

    Well, conquering the world would be an exaggeration because the Elder wasn''t sure how far Kyle would go but he had a feeling if he missed today''s chance he would regret it in the future.

    Elder Han''s gut feeling had never been wrong before so whenever he had a feeling he would always seize the chance.

    Also thest time he felt this feeling was when he entered the Royal Academy after Principal Ratric tricked him into signing a long-term working contract.

    He was traveling here and there gaining a lot of knowledge about undiscovered herbs when he first met the Academy Principal. The Principal was also roaming around wearing in clothes likemoners that''s why he didn''t recognize the Principal.

    After meeting the Principal identally, Elder Han had a nagging feeling that this person was dangerous but even though he was a caution person, Elder Han still got tricked by Principal Ratric.

    Now he can do nothing but stay inside the Academy and watch over some old dusty books while also sharing his knowledge with the Academy Professors who were walking on the path of Array making or potion making.

    Elder Han signed thinking about the regretful past, if he could go back in time he would probably beat himself up.

    ''If only I didn''t sumb to the scent of that five hundred year old wine... Sigh.''

    He who always roamed around the world not caring about a single thing, now has to serve someone else just because of a single wine bottle.

    Sending all the old sour memories to the back of his head, Elder Han looked at Kyle and casually took out a bunch of high-grade potions from his storage ring with a in bracelet that seemed to be an artifact.

    "Here''s a small gift from your master."

    Kyle looked at the variety of potions lying on the table. All of them were high grade.

    The light golden color ones were mana recovery potions, green ones were healing potions and the ones with blue color were used for energy recovery.

    Seeing the Elder taking out so many expensive potions at once, Kyle understood one thing his new master was very rich!

    The in bracelet among the small pile potions seemed ordinary but seeing the faint light it was emitting, Kyle knew it was an artifact.

    Kyle ced all the potions inside the storage ring and wore the bracelet in front of Elder Han.

    He was pleasantly surprised after wearing the bracelet because he felt like he could control the mana more efficiently and easily than before.

    "Thank you, master."

    Elder Han waved his hand like it was nothing and asked Kyle to go downstairs where all the students were gathered.

    Without saying anything else Kyle left the room, he was a little suspicious at first but after thinking about the pros and cons of having a master he didn''t think it was a bad choice to ept the Elder as his master.

    Anyway, he would eventually find out in the future if the Elder was scheming something.

    Also, the first gift he received from his master was not bad at all. It would be quite useful to him after he entered the Tower.

    Kyle was thinking of buying some healing potions yesterday but the amount of wealth he possessed was too low to even buy a low-grade healing potion.

    ''I need to think of a way to make money.''

    Now that he had seriously started training and working hard he needed a lot of resources and to acquire those resources he needed money.

    ''I will think of a way after finding the Elixir.''

 Chapter 52 First Floor I

    <h4>Chapter 52 First Floor I</h4>

    After leaving the room, Kyle walked out of the hotel and stood with the students.

    The moment he walked out, Bia who was with Mia flew toward him with curious eyes.

    -''What were you doing.''

    Her childlike voice sounded inside Kyle''s head. When she woke up in the morning Kyle was nowhere to be found, she could sense he was nearby that''s why she followed behind the students who were leaving the hotel.

    ''Nothing special, just found a rich master when I went to drink water.''

    Bia looked at him with narrowed eyes, why does it feel like he just walked and found something on the way?

    Nevertheless, she didn''t ask more after knowing the name of the ''master'' Kyle was talking about.

    The busy street in front of the hotel was less livelypared to yesterday because almost all the individuals staying inside the hotels were seen walking toward the Tower with their instructors or guardians.

    Compared to Kyle who was calm, all the other students of Royal Academy were chatting non-stop with each other. Some were excited while some were nervous.

    As usual, Alec and his team stood at a side talking to each other. Kyle wanted to go toward them but he was already feeling exhausted after dealing with Elder Han.

    He sighed and turned around to look at Nine who was standing beside him with an irritated expression. His calm expression was nowhere to be seen.

    "Can you stop mumbling?"

    Nine have been mumbling non-stop while looking at the surroundings.

    "Bro, I am too nervous. See I am getting goosebumps looking at the Tower."

    Kyle looked away not wanting to talk anymore. Did you call them goosebumps? You are clearly the most excited one in the crowd!

    Soon, Vice Principal George appeared in front of the students. Elder Han was also standing beside him but for some reason, he was wearing a pleasant smile on his face.

    Checking the students onest time, Vice Principal George started walking at the front while everyone followed behind him.

    After walking for almost fifteen minutes they left the city area and stepped inside therge empty ground around the Tower, the other individuals from Kingdom Ete also arrived shortly.

    Vice Principal George talked with the guardians and Professors leading the other groups before asking them to assemble all the 100 young people entering the tower in rows.

    Kyle gazed at the ground under his feet, it was scorched ck with zero nt life.

    The Tower was also emitting a faint purple hue, making the atmosphere around the Tower gloomy but instead of giving off an eerie and dark feeling the purple hue was soothing to look at.

    He also looked at the other races and humans standing inrge groups.

    Except for their Kingdom, four more groups of people were standing around the Tower. They were from other Kingdoms present inside the East Continent.

    The East Continent contain five Kingdoms that''s why a total of 500 people were going to enter the Tower.

    Among the Five Kingdoms,

    Kingdom Ete, Kingdom Whitnd and Kingdom Loringnad were human kingdoms.

    Kingdom Tersia belonged to elves andstly, Kindom Hoekan belonged to demihumans who were half human and half animal.

    Nine who was standing beside Kyle also looked at the ominous ground with narrowed eyes.

    "Why does the Tower look so creepy, even the ground is pitch ck devoid of any life."

    Kyle saw him mumbling again and shook his head, the ground was probably ck because the Tower needed a huge amount of energy to operate and it seemed to be absorbing some from the surrounding.

    After a while all the five kingdoms assembled their students in rows, Kyle could guess that standing in the front row were Royals because they were wearing luxury clothes.

    The ones wearing simple clothes were standing at the back.

    All the older individuals stood in front of the younger ones. Suddenly, two old men from each group started flying toward the Tower.

    From Kingdom Ete, Vive Principal George and Elder Han both also flew toward the old men gathering in the middle.

    They discussed something before Vice Principal George flew back and looked at the 100 individuals belonging to Kingdom Ete.

    He spoke with a gaze filled with seriousness, telling everyone to be caution and careful.

    For the next six months, no one would be able to help or protect them inside the Tower. Everything will depend on their own capabilities.

    Vice Principal George knew that inside the Tower causalities were inevitable but still the minimum the better.

    While speaking his gaze suddenlynded on the bird sitting on top of Kyle''s head and he frowned.

    "Kyle, you can''t bring pets inside. Leave the bird behind."

    All the people standing in front and the back started staring at Kyle like he was an idiot.

    Kyle was at a loss for words. He wasn''t sure why but he felt like if now he said the bird sitting on top of his head was a Phoenix everyone would startughing.

    There was no way anyone would believe that a bird looking like a ball of fur was a Phoenix.

    Even he himself was suspicious of the ''bird''. Thinking maybe identally the egg was changed.

    On the other hand, Bia be furious she wanted to go and fight with the Vice Principal but sensing his rank, she just humped and turn around.

    Kyle sighed and spoke politely.

    "Sir, it''s bonded to me."

    Vice Principal George looked at Bia with narrowed eyes seemingly trying to probe if Kyle was telling the truth but soon his narrowed eyes rxed and a surprise expression appeared on his face.

    ''Now that I am looking at it closely it''s emitting a faint hue. It''s really a bounded beast. I wonder where he found such a strange beast?''

    He nodded at Kyle with understanding before looking at Elder Han and the other four array masters flying not so far from the group.

    All the five array masters took out a strange purple stone and started flying in different directions.

    They put the stone inside the circr openings present around the Tower and started drawing some weird designs in the air.

    Soon, faint ck clouds formed around the Tower. It didn''t go toward the Elders who were standing in front of kids nor did it touch any other individual.

    The faint clouds approached the Five hundred kids standing in rows and a familiar feeling of dizziness enveloped their senses before they turned into hundreds of white particles and disappeared.

    .....

    Kyle opened his eyes and looked at the unfamiliar surroundings.

    Clean air filled with dense mana entered his nose and mouth making him feel refreshed.

    He was inside a lush green forest, a far contrast to the city surrounding the Tower.

    Bia also appeared beside him shortly with a curious expression. She started flying, looking at her surroundings.

    Kyle looked around only to see longrge towering trees standing proudly everywhere. Even the grass around him was tall, touching the knees of his legs.

    He could also hear the faint sounds of a waterfall not so far from his location.

    ''Atst, I am here.''

    It was the first floor of the Tower, also thergest floor.

    Even after looking around for a while the only thing Kyle could see were hundreds of trees.

    He tried to climb one to better understand his surroundings but the nail-sized spikes around the tree truck were too sharp.

    Kyle took out his sword from the storage ring in case of emergency and started following the voice of the waterfall.

    Meanwhile, simr to Kyle others also appeared inside the first floor at different locations. Some appeared in the mountains, some inside the forest while some unlucky ones encountered monsters the moment they appeared.

 Chapter 53 The Pink Color Flower

    <h4>Chapter 53 The Pink Color Flower</h4>

    Inside dense arrangements of trees, Kyle was seen running and Bia was flying a few centimeters above his head.

    It has been more than fifteen minutes since they appeared inside the Tower but Kyle didn''t encounter any living being other than asionally seeing some insects and birds.

    When Kyle was almost near the sound of water, he stopped abruptly hearing some growling sounds before hiding behind a tree.

    Bia also stopped and sat on top of a nearby tree branch

    A few meters ahead of them was a small hill. Clean water was continuously gushing out from the top, hitting the stones present on the floor.

    Some small weird one petal ck flowers and green vines were growing on top of the stones present at the bottom of the waterfall.

    Kyle narrowed his eyes seeing the abnormal flowers. Looking at the waterfall closely his eyesnded on a lone grey color wolf standing at the edge of the waterfall.

    The wolf was around 2 meters tall, the three eyes present at the center of its head were staring directly at something.

    Following the wolf''s gaze Kyle saw a bunch of pink color flowers, present at the center of the waterfall.

    He wasn''t sure what those flowers were but seeing light particles hovering above them and coupled with the fact that the wolf was staring at them, he was sure it was something precious.

    After looking at the surroundings and confirming that the wolf was alone, with slow steps Kyle narrowed the distance between the wolf.

    Kyle sensed the wolf''s rank, it was (F)-Rank grey wolf, usually wolves are seen in packs but for some reason this one was alone.

    Soon, he reached behind the wolf and after gripping his sword tightly he swung it on the defenseless wolf.

    His sword cleanly cut off one of the wolf''s hind limbs.

    A horrible shriek escaped from the wolf''s mouth as terror enveloped his senses. It hurriedly turns around to counterattack.

    But Kyle was ready. The moment the grey wolf turned around, he directly attacked.

    -GAAA!

    A huge gash appeared on the wolf''s neck before its huge body hit the ground with a loud thud.

    Kyle looked at the lifeless body of the wolf, it was his first kill after entering the Tower.

    The fight was rtively easy, first because Kyle''s rank was higher. Second, because he used a sneak attack.

    He could have confronted the wolf head on but Kyle didn''t want to attract attention, who knows how many monsters were lurking around nearby?

    Kyle was staring at the body of the wolf when some light particles escaped through the wolf''s body, some particles disappeared while some entered his chest.

    He felt a warm sensation coursing through his body before he directly broke through to (-E)-Rank.

    Kyle sighed.

    "So, it''s true that the Tower works differently from the outside world."

    Kyle already knew that they didn''t have to dissect the body of the monster after killing it inside the Tower. The Tower will automatically give a specific reward ording to the contribution but he was still in awe seeing it with his own eyes.

    Before entering the Tower he was already near a breakthrough but normally it would have taken one more week before he reached (-E)-Rank.

    "The Tower is indeed filled with mystery".

    After taking another nce at the lifeless body, he approached the pink flowers.

    They were growing on top of a stone, and because the stone was at the center of the Waterfall the wolf wasn''t able to approach them.

    Kyle looked at the crystal clear water there were some small multicolor fish inside.

    He entered the water and all the surrounding small fishes opened their mouth, showing rows of sharp teeth they tried to bite his flesh but Kyle swiftly used his sword and killed those who approached him.

    "Wow they are small, but look at those razor-sharp teeth."

    Some light also left the bodies of the dead fishes but it was so low that it disappeared before it reached Kyle.

    Fortunately, the water wasn''t deep bearly reaching his knees.

    All the water from the waterfall seems to be flowing directly toward the other end of the forest.

    After approaching the center of the waterfall Kyle climbed the stone where the pink flowers were present.

    He asked Bia what those flowers were but she also didn''t know, so Kyle just grabbed the flowers and tossed them inside his storage ring.

    Anyway, when he left the Tower he will ask his ''rich'' master about them.

    Afterward, Kyle walked out of the water. He didn''t take the ck one-petal flowers as they didn''t look precious at all.

    He gazed at the top of the hill from where the water was gushing out.

    "Hmm, let''s climb up to see the surroundings."

    Kyle ced his sword back inside the storage ring and started climbing the small hill from a corner where the most stones were stacked upon each other.

    He avoided the water because the strange fishes were able to swim upward inside the waterfall.

    The fishes were also a type of monster but Kyle didn''t have any knowledge so he just took three of them to cook at night and left the others as they were.

    He could store the bodies inside his storage ring but the corpse would start rooting after a few days, also collecting dead bodies inside the Tower where he had to stay for six months wasn''t worth it.

    It took him around fifty minutes to reach the top of the hill.

    Kyle''s breath was heavy due to climbing the hill without taking any break, the surrounding temperature was a little cold but for some reason it didn''t affect him even a tiny bit.

    After dusting his clothes, Kyle looked at the scenery with narrowed eyes.

    The hill was only slightly higher than the surrounding trees but it was enough to let him see everything in his vicinity.

    Kyle looked around but the only thing he could see was a vast array of densely packed trees, in the distance he was also able to see somerge mountains but they were too far.

    It would take him more than a week just to reach the nearest mountain.

    Bia also flew toward him and spoke inside Kyle''s head.

    -''I already told you there''s nothing around us just trees and mountains.''

    "Yes I can see, but why does it feel familiar?.."

    Kyle couldn''t help but feel that he had seen the same picture somewhere else.

    "1,2,3...17..."

    There were a total of 18 mountains he was able to see. After counting the mountains again Kyle suddenly gasped.

    "Wait, the Map?"

    He hurriedly looked inside the storage ring and took out the old scroll he bought from the dwarf.

    Kyle opened the scroll there were three sections inside the scroll, and each section had a different name written on top.

    He looked at the section where "Lowest Floor" was written and counted the mountains with wide eyes.

    "1...2.3...18!!"

    There were also 18 mountains and just like his surroundings among the 18 mountains, the mountain at the center was the tallest.

    "Was the dwarf really a ghost?..."

    Kyle couldn''t help but mutter with a dazed look, he also saw a vastke inside the first section and seeing it, he was able to pinpoint his location roughly.

    "If the scroll is real that means the ck and golden cross are the locations of danger or probably treasures."

    There were more than a hundred cross marks on the first section. Compared to the first section the second section only had 50 something cross marks and thest section only had 20.

    But it was enough, thinking about how there were so many treasures waiting for him to pick them up, Kyle became a little excited.

    He didn''t care even if the dwarf was a ghost because right now Kyle genuinely wished for his happiness.

 Chapter 54 Tricking the Wolf Pack

    <h4>Chapter 54 Tricking the Wolf Pack</h4>

    Meanwhile, just a few kilometers far from Kyle''s location.

    Two humans stood looking at the corpse of a huge earth lizard.

    But they were different from humans because they had long ck tails on their butts and they also had a pair of small ears on their head.

    They were demi-humans, half cat and half human.

    One of the demi-humans with peach color hair looked at the person standing beside him at spoke with delight.

    "Bro Doin, I think I will rank up if we kill one more monster hehe."

    The ck-haired demi-humans nodded and started walking toward the way where the waterfall was present.

    "Good Likin, let''s continue forward."

    Both of them didn''t know each other but they were from the same race and Academy.

    Also, they met the moment they appeared inside the Tower that''s why they decided to team up.

    After walking for an hour they appeared in front of the same waterfall.

    Likin looked at dried ck one-petal flowers and gasped with shock.

    "Are not they the flowers of dusk?"

    Doin also looked at the dried-up flowers with a serious expression. They only grow around a special flower called ''Capiyole''.

    The flower Capiyole was a high-grade herb. It can''t cure any disease or injury but increased the life span of a person, and seeing the amount of dried dusk flower Dion was sure it was a mature Capiyole flower which can increase more than 15- years of lifespan.

    In ''Kindom Hoekan'' the kingdom of demi-humans this herb is very sought after due to its miraculous effects.

    Dion also saw a wolf corpse on the opposite side of the waterfall.

    "Yes, but it seems someone else took the real treasure."

    Likin sigh with disappointment, finding such a precious item on the first floor was unheard of but it seemed someone really found it.

    After thinking for a while Likin suddenly had an idea.

    "How about we follow, the one who killed the wolf seemed to be alone seeing the sword mark and seeing the unfrozen blood, he couldn''t have gone far?"

    Dion nodded, if the person was a demi-human they will take the herb and let the other party live but if it was from another race they will just kill him and take the herb.

    ...

    On the other hand, Kyle didn''t know that someone was following behind him.

    After leaving the waterfall he encounter some more wolf-type monsters but they were all (F)-Rank or lower so it didn''t take him a long time to defeat them.

    Kyle looked at the map in his hand and frowned.

    He was following the map ording to the direction of the tallest mountain.

    The nearest golden cross mark shouldn''t be too far from where he was but even after running around for hours, he didn''t see anything.

    Kyle was getting disappointed thinking maybe the map was wrong but soon he heard amotion not so far from him.

    He slowed his pace of walking and slowly walked toward the voices.

    Peeking from some bushes Kyle saw what was happening on the other side.

    Arge tree where 9 golden color fruits were hanging vertically, the tree was surrounded by a pack of grey wolves.

    All the wolves were growling at the other small monsters surrounding them.

    Kyle looked at the tree and his eyes shed with a glint as he question Bia inside his head.

    ''Do you know about the fruit hanging on the tree branches?''

    -''I am not sure but I think they are mana fruit seeing the amount of mana they are emitting.''

    -''It can increase mana, it''s useful for both of us. Let''s get them.''

    Bia said with an exciting tone. It was the first time she saw something that was useful to her.

    ''Oh.''

    ''Why not, let''s get them.''

    Kyle said with a grin, in his eyes the fruits were already his. He didn''t care about the wolf pack standing beneath the tree as they were all (F)-Rank, only three of the wolf were (-E)-Rank.

    There were a total of 19 grey wolves he could defeat 5 easily but the other wolves and the small monsters surrounding them were not something he could handle easily.

    Also, it seems the wolves were waiting for the fruits to mature so they can get maximum benefit.

    Kyle has to give it his all to im all the fruits.

    Thinking for a while Kyle had an idea before he looked at Bia with a mischievous smile.

    .....

    After a while, Bia could be seen flying around with a fruit in her beak. She was cursing Kyle repeatedly in her head.

    On the other hand, Kyle who nned all this saw all the monsters standing around the tree leaving one by one. All following behind Bia, the moment she broke a fruit from the tree. They were all growling while showing their razor-sharp teeth.

    He giggled a little before walking toward the tree leisurely and picked up all the remaining 8 fruits.

    After cing all the fruits inside his storage ring, Kyle spoke inside his mind.

    ''Bia don''t you dare lose the fruit, it''s more precious than you. Come toward me after shaking off all the monsters who are behind you.''

    Because they were bounded to each other, they were able tomunicate even when Bia was a few kilometer''s distance from Kyle.

    Bia heard Kyle''s voice inside her head and cursed.

    -''You bastard, how dare you use this majestic me to do this ugly work.''

    Not hearing her continue curing, Kyle started running in the opposite direction. Bia could find him through their connection, so he wasn''t worried about her. Also, she was powerful enough to not die.

    After running for almost 1 hour Kyle heard Bia again, he could also feel she was near him.

    And just like Kyle thought, Bia appeared the next second her cursing got worse after she saw Kyle.

    "Wait, I will give you half of it so don''t be angry okay."

    It took him more than an hour to calm Bia, in the end among the 9 acquired fruits bia took 5 and Kyle only had 4 left.

    Yes, 9 fruits! Bia was more greedy than Kyle she didn''t let go of the fruit even when more than 20 monsters were chasing her.

    Kyle alsopromised as she did all the work. He took out the map once again this time he was sure the map was real.

    The first golden cross mark was indeed a treasure. He looked at the other cross marks near him and all of them were ck.

    Thinking about it for a while, Kyle decided to continue to head toward the tallest mountain. He will take all the treasures that appear around him.

    .....

    On the other hand, all the wolves and other monsters following Bia returned after she tricked them and disappeared with the fruit.

    But their pupil dted the moment they saw the tree, there wasn''t even a single fruit.

    They knew they were tricked!

    The head wolf who seemed to be the leader of the pack went berserk. He have been waiting for the fruits to mature and drop and they disappeared just like that.

 Chapter 55 Thunder Spiders I

    <h4>Chapter 55 Thunder Spiders I</h4>

    Meanwhile, Dion and Likin both demi-humans steadily advanced in the same direction as Kyle.

    They were able to follow his track perfectly due to the few corpses of monsters scattered around the forest. They also encounter some wolf-type monsters in their way but all the monsters were weak, not posing any threat to them.

    As they slowly closed the distance, Dion frown hearing some angry howls from the direction they were heading.

    It was okay if there were one or two howling sounds but hearing so many sounds at once can make any normal person anxious.

    Likin looked at the far distance with squinted eyes and before he could pinpoint what was going on a small tremor shook the ground beneath his feet, making Dion who was standing beside him eximed with surprise.

    "What''s the sou...?"

    His question was cut in midway when more than 10 grey three-eyed wolves abruptly appeared behind some bushes and entered his field of view.

    The few meters tall wolves were howling non-stop with anger. Their eyes were bloodshot, seemingly looking for someone.

    Seeing the wolf pack heading straight toward them, Dion''s pupils contracted.

    "Shit!"

    He cursed and started running in the opposite direction but it was toote, one of the wolves looked in their direction with dark eyes.

    The wolf howled loudly telling hisrades about their presence.

    Dion didn''t even consider his chance of winning. He just wanted to run with all his might.

    ''No way in hell, I will be able to defeat so many monsters.''

    Even if both he and Likinbined their strength and went all out, it would be a miracle for them to survive.

    Likin was frozen seeing the wolves emerging out of nowhere, running straight toward his location. His mind went into a daze for a second before he looked to his left while trying to mutter something.

    "Bro..."

    His eye widen seeing Dion retreating figure looking back at him like he was an idiot.

    "Run."

    Hearing the loud shout, Likin gritted his teeth and also started running behind Dion.

    They were cat-type demi-humans that''s why their agility state was higher than any ordinary ranker.

    On the other hand, the angry wolf leader who had just recently lost his treasured fruits, howled looking at his target running away.

    No way in hell he will let it go. With a loud growl, the wolf leader gave amand to his followers;

    ''We can find that dam birdter, catch those cats so I can vent my anger.''

    After hearing the leader''smand all the nearby wolves started running with full speed, following behind the pitiful duo of demi-humans who were running with their life on the line.

    And just like that the wolves chased the duo for god knows how many hours.

    While running Likin was almost on the verge of tears but he controlled the urge after seeing he wasn''t alone.

    ''Dam! if I die I will not die alone.''

    .....

    At the same time, more than 10 kilometers away from the wolf''s location. Kyle was running toward the nearest ck cross mark.

    He would see the map again and again to check if he was on the right track. He wasn''t able to exactly pinpoint the location of the ck cross mark due to the dense forest even though he was following the tallest mountain.

    After running for another 10 minutes, Kyle''s feet stopped seeing a huge pitch-ck tree in the distance.

    The tree waspletely ck with slightly curvey leaves, it was giving off an ominous feeling. There was also a huge circr gap at the center of the tree trunk.

    The trees and grass surrounding the ck tree seemed to have been withered, leaving an empty small ground around the ck tree.

    Hearing some weird screeching sound, Kyle squinted his eyes trying to see the inside of the huge gap but because the gap waspletely dark, he wasn''t able to see anything.

    He ced the map inside the storage ring with a smile. Now Kyle waspletely sure the map waspletely correct.

    Afterward, Kyle looked at Bia who was flying a few meters on top of his head. He mutter something under his breath before speaking inside her head.

    ''Bia go check what''s inside the tree.''

    Bia red at Kyle but still flew toward the gap, present inside the tree to check the interior but she wasn''t able to see clearly.

    Suddenly she saw small sparks inside the hole, making her raise her brows. The space inside the hole was illuminated for a second because of those sparks.

    -''I can see three Six-legged thunder Spiders.''

    Bia called them thunder spiders and exined to Kyle that they have an affinity with thunder, giving those spiders free authority to manipte the said natural element with ease as long as they have enough mana inside their body.

    Kyle simply replied with an ''Oh'' because it was the first time he heard about these types of monsters.

    After entering the Tower he only encounter wolf-type monsters so now hearing about a different type of monster he thought maybe the previous area belonged to the wolves.

    Honestly, he didn''t care what monsters they were as long as they gave him some benefits. Looking at Bia seriously Kyle questioned again.

    ''Is there anything else inside, like some precious treasures? Also, what''s their rank?''

    Bia close the distance between the hole a little and after taking a proper look, she returned toward Kyle with a confused expression.

    -''No I didn''t see anything else, the hole is empty. There''s only 1 (-F)-Rank spider and 2 (-E)-Rank spider, all of them are strangely scratching the inner side of the tree truck.''

    -''But there''s something strange because ording to my memory thunder spiders only stay in the mountains. What are they doing here?.''

    Kyle listen to Bia''s exnation if there are only three of them then he can handle them easily because he just broke through to (-E)-Rank and his stats increased.

    ______________________________

    Stats:

    Name: Kyle

    Bloodline: Celestial (Locked)

    Rank: -E

    Strength: E

    Mana: -E

    Agility: +F

    Talent: SS Rank (suppressed)

    Luck: A

    Skills:

    ...

    ______________________________

    Kyle gazed at his stats from the corner of his eyes, he was itching to have an exciting fight.

    Also, It would be his first fight with an affinity-type monster!

    He wasn''t sure how it would go but Kyle was confident in himself. In the end, if he really suffered a setback he will lower his ego and beg Bia to help him.

    Pondering for a while and thinking about all the future scenarios, Kyle picked up a palm-sized stone from nearby. Coating the stone with mana he directly threw it inside the tree hole with force.

    The stone struck the inner side of the tree with uracy.

    -SCREEECH!

    A loud screeching sound reverted inside the tree before three ck thunder spiders crawled out from the gap, frantically searching for the attacker.

    Kyle looked at their appearance and be a little surprised.

    The spiders had 2 bead-like red eyes at the center of their round head, behind the head they had ovule-shaped bodies with six long pointy legs.

    There were also sparks of flickering lightning jumping around on their lower legs making Kyle look at them curiously.

    ''They are deserving the name ''thunder spiders.''

 Chapter 56 Thunder Spiders II

    <h4>Chapter 56 Thunder Spiders II</h4>

    The three thunder spiders who just crawled out looked around frantically, while they were looking around one of them spotted a lone figure standing opposite to them.

    The silver corner of Kyle''s ck hair fluttered. Also, coupled with his serious expressionless face he looked very intimidating.

    He tightly grabbed his sword and started running toward the nearest Spider which was (+F)-Rank.

    -WHOOSH!

    The spider screeched loudly looking at Kyle''s approaching figure and all three pairs of eyes fell on Kyle.

    -SCREEECH!

    Honestly, Kyle was a little nervous but still he wanted to try how much he have improved after practicing day and night.

    The other two spiders hurriedly started crawling toward him, one of the (-E)-Rank spiders suddenly opened his mouth and shot an arrow made entirely of thunder toward Kyle.

    Kyle widen his eyes slightly seeing the arrow, he jumped side way, barely dodging the arrow.

    The arrow struck the ground, forming a small hole in the ground. Kyle''s hair stood up seeing the destruction of a signal attack.

    "What the hell..."

    Before he could curse properly the three spiders appeared in front of him, there was only one thought inside his mind.

    The spiders were too fast!

    Kyle hurriedly stepped side way avoiding the pointy leg of one of the spiders. He threw out two fireballs at one of the spiders before attacking the lowest-rank spider with his sword.

    -WHOSSH!

    To his surprise, the spider made an x shape shield with it front legs for defense but Kyle''s sword directly cut through both of the front legs of the spider, making it scream with horror.

    -SCREEECH!

    The other two spiders seeing theirrade injured looked at Kyle with anger.

    The ant-size thing dares to be unruly in front of them!

    Seeing that their attacks were notnding on Kyle both of the (-E)-Rank spiders open their mouth and started spewing out thunder arrows one after another.

    Kyle was frantically trying to dodge but the agility of the spiders was too high that''s why they would close the distance in mere seconds.

    After seeing the injured spider retreat toward the tree, Kyle''s eyes shone with a glint.

    ''I can''t let it go back inside.''

    He dodged another thunder arrow before throwing out two fireballs at the (-E)-Rank spiders, both of the spiders retreated avoiding the fire.

    Taking advantage of this chance Kyle hurriedly went toward the injured spider and swung his sword vertically, the spider screeched loudly when a huge gash appeared on its back. Its body twitched slightly before mming toward the ground with a low thud.

    The other two spiders went berserk after seeing theirrade die, without caring about the consequences they made their way toward Kyle.

    From the dead spider''s body small amount of white particles entered Kyle''s body making him feel refreshed.

    He looked at the iing spiders, conjuring ten fireballs Kyle threw them toward the spiders.

    Even though the spider''s agility was high, they were not able to avoid all the fireballs from such a close distance. Among the ten fireballs, two directly collided with the legs of one of the (-E)-Rank spiders making it scream with pain.

    One more fireball injured one of the eyes of the other (-E)-Rank spider.

    The spiders were too close to Kyle, taking advantage of their distraction he used his signature move ''Eliminate'' and directly prated his sword inside the skull of one of the spiders before attacking the other with a fireball.

    Panting slightly Kyle walked toward thest alive spider, the spider was frantically moving his burned legs while looking at Kyle with Bloodshot eyes.

    A trace of horror also shed through its eyes when it looked at the sword Kyle was holding.

    On the other hand, after approaching the spider Kyle directly prated the sword at the center of the spider''s stomach. Killing it immediately.

    "Hu ...Hu.."

    With heavy breathing, Kyle looked at Bia with a smile.

    ''How was my performance.''

    Bia gazed at the bodies of the dead spider and nodded solemnly.

    -''Considering it was your first time fighting a monster with affinity you didn''t do that bad. So 10/5 points.''

    "Hahahaha.."

    Kyleughed at the numbers Bia gave him. He shook his head and looked at the white particles emitting from thest two dead bodies but for some reason, they didn''t enter Kyle''s body.

    Surprisingly all the particles gathered on top of thest spider''s body and formed a small finger-sized white core, making both Kyle and Bia shocked.

    Bia humped, seemingly jealous of Kyle''s high luck. She have been with Kyle for a while now and the only thing she can''t deny was that he was too blessed.

    Just like a heaven favoured child!

    On the other hand, with an excited expression Kyle hurriedly went toward the core floating on top of thest spider''s dead body.

    He grabbed the core and close his eyes to see the information of the skill.

    Now that he was (-E)-Rank, he was able to see the skill information without absorbing it.

    The people lower than (-E)-Rank were unable to see the information of the skill, not until they absorb it.

    After a few seconds, Information regarding the skill appeared inside Kyle''s head.

    ________________

    #*Thunder arrow (+F)-Rank:

    User can use mana to conjure thunder arrows from nature. The more mana used the more destructive the power of the arrows.

    ________________

    Seeing the information Kyle learned the skill immediately. The skill was useful for attacking.

    Even though the skill level was only (+F)-Rank Kyle was happy because finding a skill core was like looking for a needle inside a haystack.

    It was too difficult! Even after killing hundreds of monsters you still won''t be able to find even an (-F)-Rank skill.

    After adding the newly acquired skill, Kyle now had a total of four skills.

    He looked at the dead bodies of the spiders, actually even after fighting with them he still wasn''t exhausted.

    He was sure he could deal with another two or three thunder spiders easily.

    As long as the monster drop a skill or two he was willing to deal with it happily!

    Kyle''s thoughts were interrupted by a loud screeching sound. He abruptly turn around and his jaw dropped.

    "I was seriously joking."

    He trembled looking at the sight in front of him and immediately swallowed back all his thoughts.

    A huge 15 meter tall ck Scorpio with nine legs and ten red beady eyes was standing at the edge of the ck tree hole, staring directly at Kyle.

    It was (-D)-Rank!

    Suddenly out of nowhere, huge invisible pressure descended on Kyle''s body. Making him sweat buckets of water.

    Kyle hurriedly said inside his mind.

    ''Bia do something or I will die!''

    ''Bia?''

    ''?''

    Not hearing any response from Bia, Kyle slightly turn around with a deadpan expression to look at the branch where Bia was sitting.

    "Shit!"

    He cursed as Bia was nowhere to be seen, he wasn''t even able to spot her shadow.

    "OMG, I am dead."

    With a horrid expression, Kyle turn around and started running with all his might. He didn''t even dare to look back.

    But it was toote for regret because the moment Kyle started running, the Scorpio screeched loudly before following behind him with incredible speed.

 Chapter 57 Encountering the Demi-humans

    <h4>Chapter 57 Encountering the Demi-humans</h4>

    Amidst a huge forest, a lonely figure was seen running frantically. No matter what appeared in front of the figure, it didn''t stop.

    The figure was breathing roughly, with its clothes drenched in sweat and dust.

    If someone looked closely he would see a huge 15-meter ck Scorpio just a few steps behind the figure.

    Of course, the figure was Kyle!

    He jumped, dodged and crawled just to increase the distance between himself and the Scorpio.

    His condition was not any better than beggars.

    Unfortunately, no matter how much Kyle tried, he wasn''t able to shake off the Scorpio who was hell bend on following him.

    He didn''t expect to encounter a high-rank monster on his first day inside the Tower.

    Also, seeing the Scorpio rank, Kyle was sure it was one of the first floor ''Boss Monster''.

    ording to the information the Academy provided to the students before they enter the Tower, ''Boss Monsters'' were high-rank monsters inside the first few floors.

    One of the ways to climb the higher floors of the Tower was to find and defeat these ''Boss monsters''.

    But Kyle knew his capabilities, he just barely touched (-E)-Rank today. There was no way he would be overconfident and fight the Scorpio head-on after knowing it was a whole rank above him.

    ording to Kyle''s estimations right now there was no one capable enough to defeat the Scorpio inside the first floor.

    While running, Kyle was cursing non-stop. Suddenly his left foot staggered and he stumbled a little. The Scorpio behind Kyle didn''t hesitate even a second and shot his pointy tail at him with a loud screech.

    Kyle looked at the tail with contracted eyes before rolling on the ground to avoid the iing attack.

    -Boom!

    A whole tree was destroyed, looking at the flying pieces of the hard tree truck. Kyle couldn''t help but shudder as he started running again toward the opposite side.

    With raged breathing he hurriedly took out an energy potion from his storage ring and gulp it down in one go while inwardly thanking the person who gave him this life-saving treasure.

    Within a second, some of Kyle''s energy recovered and his speed increased slightly.

    Immediately afterward he conjure three thunder arrows and threw them backward without stopping.

    Seeing himself staggering again Kyle knew he wouldn''tst long if he didn''t do anything.

    "Bia, you little shit. Where the hell are you? If you didn''t help me now I am gonna cook you tonight for dinner."

    Not far from Kyle''s location, sitting on a tree branch Bia looked at the situation with squinted eyes.

    -''Stop cursing me, I can''t defeat this thing.''

    -''Also, It''s not my fault. I already told you there was something strange when I saw the mountain thunder spiders inside the tree. I think those spiders were the Scorpio food.''

    -''You stole its food that''s why the ck Scorpio is angry.''

    Kyle gritted his teeth and again threw three thunder arrows backward.

    It was fortunate that the Scorpio didn''t possess any agility-type skill or he would have already perished but even after that, the Scorpio''s natural agility was not weak at all.

    -''Just stay alive for a few more minutes, It''s my first time that''s why it''s taking time to gather a lot of mana. I will use one of my skills to attract its attention, make sure to run in the opposite direction.''

    Bia loud voice rang inside Kyle''s head. He nodded quickly understanding what she was doing.

    Honestly, Kyle already wrote a mental note to beat Bia up after he got rid of the Scorpio.

    ''She''s too unreliable.''

    The Scorpio screeched loudly before jumping and attacking Kyle again with his pointy tail.

    Kyle was already prepared he dodged to the left. Another tree was sted into pieces because of the Scorpio.

    On the other hand, Bia started flying and arrived on top of the Scorpio head. She took a deep breath and pped her wings.

    A huge amount of mana which was gathered under her wings took form and two huge golden fireballs appeared mid-air.

    With another p, she threw both of the fireballs at the Scorpio.

    The fireballs directly collided with the upperyer of the Scorpio skin but Bia attack only slightly scratched the Scorpio, making her dumbfounded.

    -''What the! Its skin is too hard.''

    The Scorpio looked at Bia and hissed loudly but after seeing her flying, the Scorpio turn around without even waiting for a second and started following behind Kyle again.

    Bia looked at the Scorpio retreating figure and frowned.

    -''Kyle my attack is not working, it''s also not following behind me. It seems the Scorpio had intelligence.''

    Kyle started sweating, he knew Bia was not that powerful. Even if she was a Phoenix in the end she just hatched a month ago.

    He took out another energy potion and after drinking it Kyle created seven more fireballs and threw them backward but the Scorpio dodged half of them and the one hitting its skin didn''t injure it at all.

    While Kyle was frantically thinking about what to do suddenly he heard some howlsing from his left.

    Kyle''s eyes shone, he hurriedly changed direction and started running toward the sounds.

    ....

    Meanwhile, Dion and Likin both were running toward the north. It have been an hour since the wolf pack started following the duo.

    For some reason, the wolf pack didn''t show any signs of retreat even after Dion killed two of the wolves.

    Also after using so many mana attacks, Dion mana was almost exhausted. He looked at the wolf pack behind and cursed before asking Likin to attack behind.

    Likin had two ice skills, he created two long sharp ice arrows and threw them backward. One of the wolves howled in pain when the sharp ice touched its skin.

    When both of them saw the wolf pack slowing down, they finally sighed with relief.

    But unfortunately, before they could be happy and start increasing the distance between the wolf, a small tremor shook the ground.

    Both Likin and Dion were breathing heavily, their clothes tattered and their condition was even worse than Kyle. Sensing the tremor, they look at the front with squinted eyes.

    Suddenly a boy appeared inside their vision. The boy gazed at them with a serious expression.

    Their eyes met and the boy mouthed a single word to them.

    ''Run.''

    The duo looked at the figure of the boy with confusion, the boy didn''t stop and run past them going directly toward the wolves.

    But their confusion soon disappeared when they saw the horror in front of them.

    Dion almost fainted, seeing the huge Scorpioing out from the trees. With trembling hands, he grabbed Likin and hurriedly gathered the tiny bit of mana left inside his body before rolling toward the left side.

    The moment Dion rolled off, the Scorpio appeared in his position and screamed loudly.

    The Scorpio gazed left and right before running toward the howling sounds.

    Dion hands were tightly grabbing Likin, only when a few seconds passed did he slowly open his eyes and peeked toward the Scorpio.

    His forehead was filled with sweat, and his eyes were filled with disbelief.

    Just now he saw his dead grandmother waving at him from heaven. Fortunately, he acted immediately or else something terrible could have happened.

    Likin also sucked in cold breath looking at the running figure of the boy.

    ''How the heck is he alive after angering such a huge monster.''

 Chapter 58 Plundering Treasures

    <h4>Chapter 58 Plundering Treasures</h4>

    Meanwhile, after running past the two strange cat man. Kyle appeared in front of a familiar wolf pack.

    He kicked his back foot and without caring about the spikes, he jumped toward one of the nearby trees.

    "Ugh."

    It was painful as blood trickled down from his palms but still, Kyle grabbed one of the tree branches and propelled himself toward another tree.

    The wolf howled at Kyle but before they could attack, the huge Scorpio appeared and attacked one of the wolves.

    All the wolf''s looked at the Scorpio with horror, they hurriedly started retreating but because there were too many wolves in the Scorpio way, it started attacking the wolves.

    While the Scorpio attacked the wolf, Kyle didn''t stop running.

    He could hear sounds of battle behind him but Kyle knew not to waste his escape chance.

    Only after running for more than an hour and making sure no one was behind him did Kyle stop.

    He looked at the sky and sighed. Dark clouds were gathering, indicating the end of the day.

    Such a tiring day, after thinking about all the things he experience today Kyle chuckled.

    Never in his dream, he would have thought to experience a life and death battle. Also, seeing himself improve so much he was feeling a little strange.

    After lighting a small fire with mana Kyle sat beside a tree to rest, Bia also flew toward him with a guilty expression.

    Kyle gazed at her a little angry but then he sighed again.

    ording to Bia, she indeed know a lot of skills because of the memories the Phoenix left behind but she can''t use them immediately.

    It will take her some time to master those skills. Anyway, In the end she was just a few months old. Just like a newborn child, she has to learn a lot of things.

    Taking out two mana fruits he stole from the wolves, Kyle threw one toward Bia and started eating the other.

    The moment Kyle bit the golden mana fruit huge amount of mana gushed inside his body like a dam and within seconds all his depleted mana recovered.

    He also felt a warm feeling coursing through his body, with a surprised expression Kyle hurriedly looked at his stats.

    ______________________________

    Stats:

    Name: Kyle

    Bloodline: Celestial (Locked)

    Rank: -E

    Strength: E

    Mana: E

    Agility: +F

    Talent: SS Rank (suppressed)

    Luck: A

    Skills:

    .....

    ______________________________

    His mana stat increased! Just by taking a single bite. With a delighted expression, Kyle hurriedly ate the whole fruit but his expression soon changed because after the first few bites the fruit stopped showing results.

    ''It seems these fruits can''t improve my mana stat anymore.''

    After eating the whole fruit, Kyle looked at the dark sky. The surrounding temperature decreased a little making the wind cold. Some shiny stars were illuminating the dark sky.

    ''I don''t know where to find the ''Elixir of life''. The Tower is huge, making it difficult to search for the Elixir but it''s not impossible. I should avoid all the ck cross marks and check as much as golden cross marks.''

    Thinking about what he had to do Kyle stood up and patted his slightly tattered clothes.

    There was no way he was going to sleep in such a dirty condition. Also, sleeping without preparation inside a forest filled with monsters wasn''t safe at all.

    So after changing clothes, he and Bia both started looking for a safe ce to rest for tonight.

    Soon they discovered arge tree that expanded several meters in width, ignoring the spikes Kyle climbed the tree and after reaching the top, he scratched away some spikes with his sword. Making a smallfortable spot for himself.

    Today was a very tiring day that''s why the moment Kyle closed his eyes he fell asleep. Bia also sat on top of his chest like a ball but she just closed her eyes and didn''t sleep because their location was dangerous.

    ...

    Next day, early morning. Both Kyle and Bia woke up and started looking for treasures ording to the map.

    A week passed just like that, they avoided all the ck cross marks like a gue so as to not encounter a high-rank monster like the ck Scorpio.

    On the way, they also saw a few low-rank monsters but all of them were weak that''s why dealing with them was very easy.

    For some reason, thezy Bia also started practicing her skills making Kyle surprised.

    While looking for the location of the golden cross marks, Kyle found a few more things but all of them were herbs of different origins.

    He also found some more fruits but the color of each fruit was different. Fortunately, Bia knew about them so he just ced the fruits inside his storage ring for future use.

    Even after plundering more than 8 golden cross marks he still didn''t find the Elixir of life that''s why Kyle was a little frustrated.

    But after thinking that it was only the first floor he calmed down.

    He also didn''t encounter any other person except for the two strange cat man he saw a week ago.

    And just like that a bird and a man plunder almost all the treasure around them, but they were still not happy.

    If someone else saw the amount of treasure Kyle collected their jaw would probably drop. Finding one or two treasures on the first floor was fine but finding so many was unheard of.

    .....

    On the other hand, after appearing inside the Tower Alec fought alone. Unlike Kyle, he didn''t appear inside the forest. He appeared at the edge of a mountain.

    There were trees at the end of the mountain but the trees didn''t contain any spikes making it easy for Alec to rest at night.

    He killed a lot of monsters and increased his stat a little but unfortunately, he didn''t stumble upon any treasure or skill core.

    After fighting for a week, he finally encounter a fellow human but he didn''t know who it was. So, after helping each other for a while they parted ways.

    Lara and Mia both were also doing great, they were long-range fighters that''s why they didn''t have to go near the monster. They did face some difficulty but after a while, both of them adjusted to their new environment.

    On the other hand, Carcel appeared almost at the back side of one of the mountains. He fought some monsters and also obtained a skill core! With incredible luck, he also found a treasure making his journey around the first floor quite fruitful.

 Chapter 59 An Ancient looking Cave I

    <h4>Chapter 59 An Ancient looking Cave I</h4>

    Inside an unknown ce shrouded with darkness.

    No matter where one looked there was nothing.

    Amidst the darkness, a huge bright white color circr orb, sized more than thousands of meters was floating mid-air.

    The orb was the only source of illumination inside the pitch-ck darkness.

    A huge amount of golden energy was continuously rotating around the orb, trying to maintain its shape and luster.

    Afterpleting a rotation the energy which should have been returned to the core of the orb didn''t return, instead the energy gathered like a small wave and went in a certain direction.

    In that direction a ck haired man who seemed to be in his mid thirties sat cross legged, the man''s body was sucking the golden energy greedily.

    The more the man absorbed the golden energy the more the seemingly white orb lost its radiance.

    A small nail-sized, drop shape red crystal was also floating in front of the man chest. Even though the golden energy was going toward the man it didn''t dare to touch the crystal.

    The red crystal would tremble after every few minutes like it has a mind of its own.

    The man sitting cross legged was wearing an elegant robe filled with ancient purple color patterns, a strong aura was surging around his body.

    But the man whose eyes were closed looked seriously injured as his face was incredibly pale.

    Suddenly a small frown appeared on the man cold face and he opened his eyes in surprise.

    His golden color pupil shone beside the white orb radiance, seemingly trying to prate something present thousands of miles away.

    But then again his face turned cold and expressionless.

    "I am unable to see through that huge thing. It seems this small has quite a profound history."

    A cold chilling horse voice, capable of freezing anyone came out of the man''s mouth as he mumbled and closed his eyes again.

    "It doesn''t matter, If that ''thing'' died inside everything will return to me anyway."

    "It''s just a pity that I have to waste some more time to find another suitable bodypatible with the refinement."

    ....

    On the other hand, Kyle was sleeping peacefully on top of a tree.

    Suddenly a cold shiver passed through his spine and he stood up abruptly with sweaty palms.

    Bia, who was sleeping on top of his chest cursed when she lost her bnce due to his sudden movement.

    -''At least give me a signal before standing up so suddenly. I almost fell and broke my precious beak.''

    Kyle looked at Bia and smiled with embarrassment.

    "Sorry, I just felt something bad was going to happen."

    Bia looked at Kyle sweaty forehead and didn''t say anything else thinking maybe he had a bad dream.

    Kyle sighed and shook his head. He gazed at the mountain in front of him and jumped off the tree.

    After traveling for more than two weeks, they finally appeared in front of the tallest mountain.

    Kyle took out the map from his storage ring checking for the golden cross marks. There were 11 golden marks on the mountain in front of him.

    He ponder for a while because even the nearest golden mark was almost in the middle of the mountain. Also, the mountain contained ck cross marks more than the golden marks.

    After thinking for a while he put the old scroll back inside his storage ring and decided to climb the mountain because the golden marks inside the forest were too far and it will take too much time to reach them.

    With slow steps, Kyle approached the mountain and started climbing.

    While climbing, he was on high alert because the monsters he encountered near the mountain were all (-E)-Rank or higher.

    Kyle also saw a horde of (E)-Rank bees monsters on the way but fortunately, all the bees were busy munching on some monster''s corpse that''s why they ignored his presence.

    Bia was also following behind him but instead of sitting on his head, she was flying because Kyle asked her to keep an eye on the surrounding and notify him if there was any danger around them.

    Suddenly she noticed somemotion on the north side of the mountain.

    -''Kyle there''s something happening on the north side, I can see some people gathering around a strange ancient looking cave.''

    After hearing Bia, Kyle stopped in his track and looked toward Bia.

    "How far are they?"

    -''Not much just five kilometers north.''

    Kyle nodded and took out the map, there wasn''t any cross mark toward the ce Bia was referring to.

    "There''s nothing on the map, no ck mark no golden mark so why are they gathering there."

    Thinking for a while, he decided to go toward the north.

    If there was any danger he would retreat if not then there was nothing wrong in checking out what was going on.

    After running for half an hour, Kyle appeared at the ce Bia mentioned.

    He looked at the situation from a few meter distance.

    There was a strange cave in front of him, the cave looked man made as it waspletely circr.

    The ground around the cave was strangely caved in a few centimeters, and the stones stacked in front of the cave were also different from ordinary stones because they were emitting white color hue.

    The faint hue was continuously gathering around the entrance of the cave making a thin shield that stopped others from approaching the cave.

    Kyle gazed at the surrounding of the cave and saw 6 people standing in front of the cave in two groups.

    4 of the 6 individuals had pointed ears indicating their identity as elves and the remaining 2 were humans.

    Two of the elves were trying to break the shield around the cave.

    Seeing a familiar face among the small crowd Kyle''s eyes lit up.

    It was ne! One of the Second year senior who talked with Nine and Kyle before they left the Academy.

    Kyle started moving toward the two humans, he didn''t even notice his steps were too silent.

    After arriving beside them, Kyle spoke in a low voice.

    "Senior ne?"

    "Kyaaaa."

    ne jumped backward, his heart almost leaped out from his chest. The other human standing beside ne staggered due to the sudden movement and fell on his butt.

    ne was going to attack Kyle with his weapon but before he could Kyle shouted.

    "It''s me, Kyle."

    With fast beating heart ne looked at Kyle who just creeped beside him out of nowhere. He hurriedly retracted his weapon and settled his sses.

    "You almost freaked me out."

    The smallmotion also attracted the attention of the elves who were trying to break the shield.

    On the other hand, Kyle looked at the duo and be speechless.

    ''What the! I just called your name.''

 Chapter 60 An Ancient looking Cave II

    <h4>Chapter 60 An Ancient looking Cave II</h4>

    After meeting ne, Kyle asked him about the cave but ne also didn''t know anything.

    ne was just hunting a monster when he saw some elves and this strange ce.

    The other ck-haired human with ne was called ''Henson''. He was amoner who belonged to one of the Academy present inside ''Kingdom Loringnad''.

    Henson was already present when ne appeared and because both of them were humans they decided to team up.

    While Kyle and ne were talking a sudden cracking voice sounded, making them look at the cave.

    The shield around the cave started crumbling and before long itpletely disappeared.

    The elf who broke the shield shouted with joy and looked at hispanions who were praising him.

    All the elves gathered together and without even ncing toward Kyle and the other two humans, they entered the cave.

    After the elves disappeared inside the cave, Kyle and the others looked at each other and entered the cave as well.

    Bia who was flying above everyone the whole time went toward Kyle, slowly sitting on his head.

    Hanson was a little surprised seeing Bia, but he didn''t say anything.

    All three of them walked for almost fifteen minutes, the inside of the cave was dimly lit with a white hueing from the bunch of uneven rocks scattered around the cave. While walking they didn''t encounter anything.

    But after 10 more minutes, they appeared inside a huge empty open area.

    Nine different tunnels simr to the cave they entered were present in a row at the end of the open area.

    The elves were already gone because except for Kyle, ne and Hanson no one was present inside the open area.

    Also, no one knew what was behind the tunnels that''s why Kyle looked at the duo standing beside him and gave his opinion.

    "Shall we go together?"

    ne and Hanson looked at the tunnels but after a second, Hanson said that they should go alone because it would be a pain if they found something precious and had to divide it equally.

    Kyle raise his brow but then he looked at ne seemingly waiting for his answer.

    "I also think we should choose a tunnel and go alone."

    Kyle didn''t say anything and just started walking toward one of the tunnels at the edge.

    Hanson choose and went toward the middle tunnel while ne entered the tunnel present at the right corner.

    The moment Kyle entered the tunnel he felt like he just passed through a warm water curtain.

    For some reason, he felt refreshed after the invisible curtain touched his skin.

    Kyle immediately turn around to touch the curtain again but to his surprise, there was a small white wall behind him.

    He had an idea as to what was going on but still, Kyle punch the wall with 20% of his strength.

    -BAM!

    For a while, some ripples formed inside the wall but it didn''t break just like Kyle thought.

    With a sigh, he turn around and started walking toward the other end of the tunnel. After walking for two minutes Kyle appeared inside another open area.

    But this time there were no tunnels, only arge pool at the center of the area.

    Kyle looked at the calm pool with squinted eyes because in the middle of the pool, a shiny book was floating mid-air.

    After spotting the book, he started walking toward it but when he saw what was inside the pool Kyle jumped backward with a horrid expression.

    With slow steps, Kyle walked back toward the pool. The water inside the pool was crystal clear, making it easy for anyone to spot what was inside.

    A huge snake like white lizard was curled up inside the water like a rope. It huge body was even taller than the Scorpio.

    The Lizard was breathing slowly while its eyes were closed.

    Kyle gazed at the Lizard with heavy heartbeat.

    It was (D)-Rank! He staggered looking at the sleeping Lizard.

    With a sweaty forehead, Kyle almost crawled back from where he came from but s the tunnel was closed off.

    Standing beside a wall, Kyle gazed at the pool with caution and whispered toward Bia who seemed to be sleeping on top of his head.

    ''Bia what should we do.''

    Hearing her name being called, Bia slowly opened her round eyes and looked at the surrounding.

    Bia didn''t sleep yesterday night because she was keeping an eye on the surrounding when Kyle was sleeping. That''s why she fell asleep the moment she sat on top of Kyle head.

    With a sleepy expression, Bia looked at her surrounding.

    -''What happened.''

    Kyle heard Bia''s sleepy voice and be speechless.

    We are almost standing in front of death and you are sleeping!

    He wanted to shout this same line but controlled himself so as to not wake up the huge lizard identally.

    ''Nothing special, we are just doomed and maybe going to die soon.''

    -''What?''

    Bia started flying with a confused expression, she waved her small wings making wind sounds.

    Kyle almost fainted.

    ''Don''t make noise!''

    Hearing Kyle worried voice, Bia looked around but she found no one in the surrounding.

    -''Huh what''s that shiny thing.''

    Before Kyle could tell her about the situation Bia started flying toward the book. She looked at the book curiously but after finding out it was useless to her she just picked it up with her feet.

    Amidst all this, she failed to notice the big white Lizard sleeping just a few centimeters below the water.

    Oh the other hand, Kyle looked at Bia. He was so shocked that he wasn''t able to utter a single word.

    His body was drenched with sweat as he looked at Bia with a wide mouth.

    On the other hand, the moment Bia picked up the book a small tunnel opened up at the opposite side of the pool.

    Bia flew back toward Kyle and threw the book toward him before sitting on top of his head again with an annoyed expression.

    -''Don''t wake me up again for such a small task. I haven''t slept properly for thest two days.''

    With a dumbfounded expression, Kyle looked at the book inside his hands and then at the tunnel.

    He wasn''t sure what to say anymore.

    He slowly staggered toward the opposite side of the pool with a nk expression and entered the tunnel.

    While contemting about the way he was living up till now.

 Chapter 61 Instant Teleportation

    <h4>Chapter 61 Instant Teleportation</h4>

    ?

    Meanwhile, ne who entered the tunnel present on the right corner also saw a white thin curtain blocking his way back.

    The tunnel was dark, making it difficult for him to see anything. That''s why he walked in a straight line for more than ten minutes.

    With a serious expression, he gripped his weapon tightly, ready for anything that would be present at the end of the tunnel.

    After walking for five more minutes he finally saw some light and hurriedly crossed the tunnel only toe out from another tunnel present beside the tunnel he entered from.

    ne looked at the familiar open area where he parted with Kyle and Hanson and be speechless.

    He wanted to enter another tunnel but unfortunately all the tunnels were closed, making him stick out his tongue with an annoyed expression.

    "It seems we can only enter once."

    After sighing ne looked at the tunnels one more time and left the cave with a gloomy expression.

    It seem, he wasn''t fated to gain anything from this cave.

    At the same time, Hanson who entered the middle tunnel appeared inside a small area and his pupil contracted seeing the situation in front of him.

    A huge 12-meter brown centipede with 22 legs was fighting with the elves who left before them.

    All the elves seemed to have entered the same tunnel but their condition wasn''t good at all because the centipede was (-D)-Rank!

    There were also three shiny fingers sized orbs floating mid-air on top of the centipede''s head.

    Hanson looked at the orbs and sighed.

    "It''s true, we have to fight for every opportunity with our life on the line."

    The ground in front of him was caved in and the tunnel was shaking because of the impact of the fight.

    While Hanson was standing in front of the tunnel, the centipede suddenly opened its mouth and two tongue-like tentacles came out from his mouth.

    It spat out two ck color venomous balls toward one of the elves, the elf saw the iing attack with a horrid expression but it was toote because he was standing in front of the centipede.

    One of the ck ballsnded directly on his abdomen and he was sted a few centimeters away from the centipede.

    A huge hole formed on the elf''s abdomen and his whole body turn dark before he died on the spot, seeing the elf''s dead body Hanson expression harden.

    The remaining 3 elves also looked at the dead body of theirpanion.

    There was sadness in their eyes but it disappeared the next second because they knew they will also experience the same fate if they didn''t do anything about the huge monster in front of them.

    They also saw Hanson standing in front of the tunnel but they didn''t expect anything from him because he was from another race. They only wished Hanson didn''t interfere in their battle.

    Meanwhile, seeing the situation worsening with every second, Hanson had no choice but to help the elves.

    He just reached (-E)-Rank yesterday, after seeing the centipede he wanted to go back but the tunnel was closed off.

    With a serious expression, Hanson created ten sharp earth shreds and threw them toward the centipede. The earth shreds didn''t affect much the hard shell of the centipede but it was enough to distract its attention for a few seconds.

    The elves seized those few seconds and hurdle a lot of attacks on the centipede.

    In the end, one more elf got seriously injured but they were able to defeat the centipede.

    After the centipede died a small tunnel opened up opposite to them.

    The centipede lump body emitted some white particles that entered the elves and Hanson body. The elves looked at Hanson, now the problem was the three orbs floating on top of the centipede body.

    One of the elves who looked like the leader of the group sighed and took two of the orbs, he just lost one of hispanion that''s why he didn''t wish to fight more.

    After taking the orbs he walked toward the dead body of his friend and took his storage ring before asking the other two elves to follow behind him.

    The other two elves nced at their friend''s dead body with helpless expressions. There was nothing they could do.

    All of the elves gathered and entered the opened tunnel, leaving Hanson and one of the shiny orb alone.

    Hanson looked at the leaving elves and walked toward the remaining shiny orb but when he saw it was a skill core he absorbed it immediately.

    He gazed at the dead body of the centipede one more time before entering the opened tunnel without saying anything.

    .....

    On the other hand, Kyle who just entered the tunnel with a daze expression finally snapped out of his stupor with a sigh.

    He looked at the book in his hands, It was an ancient-looking book with strange patterns.

    When Kyle looked at the book''s cover and read the introduction, his expression changed.

    He wasn''t able to understand much of thenguage written on the book cover but there were some words he was familiar with.

    The title of the book was ''Instant Teleportation''.

    It was an ancient skill which was preserved in a shape of a book!

    There wasn''t much information regarding the skill but from the title, Kyle got a basic idea about the skill.

    With an excited expression, he hurriedly opened the book but the moment Kyle opened the book, it turn into white particles and entered his body.

    Information regarding the skill, soon appeared inside his head.

    Kyle was a little surprised because he hadn''t heard about any method where skills can be preserved inside a book but still, he was happy to gain another skill.

    ________________

    #*Instant Teleportation (A)-Rank:

    Teleport within a few meter radius at the speed of lightning. The more mana used the more distance the user can cover. With enough mana, user can even teleport thousand of miles within mere seconds.

    ________________

    Seeing the description of the skill, Kyle was on cloud nine. He was incredibly happy. This skill was a life-saving skill!

    As long as he had enough mana he can teleport anytime anywhere.

    He stillck agility-type skills, but this skill was 100 times better than any other agility-type skill.

    With the amount of mana Kyle had right now he can only teleport once for 2-3 meter distance before exhausting his mana but it was enough for the time being.

 Chapter 62 Leaving the First Floor

    <h4>Chapter 62 Leaving the First Floor</h4>

    After walking for more than five minutes, Kyle finally saw the end of the dark tunnel.

    With hurried steps he walked out of the tunnel, only to see a huge big white color stairway in the middle of a small empty area.

    There was nothing dangerous around the stairway. Even the rocks around the stairway were not sharp due to some reason.

    Hanson and ne were also nowhere to be seen. Kyle just hoped, they stay safe and didn''t encounter something simr to him.

    He gazed at the white stairway with aplicated expression, he knew what it was but he didn''t expect to see one inside this strange cave.

    The first few floors of the Tower were always simr in structure whenever the Kingdoms send their young talents inside. That''s why a lot of things inside those floors were mentioned in the books rted to the Tower.

    This small stairway in front of Kyle would probably directly teleport him to the second floor of the Tower but for some reason instead of being happy, Kyle look reluctant.

    It''s because he still hasn''t plundered all the golden cross marks waiting for him inside the first floor!

    How can he just leave behind his treasures?

    If someone else heard his ims he would have probably beaten him up.

    Just when the hell did the treasures be yours?

    Kyle sighed and looked behind him, trying to see the unseen treasures. If the tunnels were not closed off he would have definitely gone back.

    With a gaze filled with unwillingness, he walked toward the white stairway and started climbing, still looking behind from time to time.

    After he climbed the stairs, he stepped on a small circr array. The array shone brightly and Kyle disappeared.

    When Kyle left, about ten to fifteen minutester 3 elves also appeared in front of the same white stairway. They looked at the stairway and started climbing without even waiting for a second.

    They also disappeared and after them, Hanson also arrived in front of the stairway. He was the only one who be excited and happy when he saw the stairway.

    With a wide smile, Hanson also climbed the stairway and disappeared from the first floor.

    ...

    On the other hand, Alec found a tree with three golden fruit. After he ate those fruits he directly broke through to (E+)-Rank.

    He was very happy because after so many days he finally found a treasure inside the Tower.

    Still, god knows what would be his reaction when he find out that Kyle found almost 10 times more fruits than him!

    Alec traveled around inside the forest for a week before seeing 2 demi-humans and 3 humans fighting together to defeat a (D)-Rank monster.

    After seeing that the humans and demi-humans were tied with the (D)-Rank monster, Alec also joined the fight.

    Together with those 5 individuals, he defeated the (D)-Rank monster but Alec was the one who gave the most damage to the monster.

    After the monster died white particles emitted from its body and gathered around on top of its body.

    The particles didn''t enter anyone''s body instead after all the particles gathered, they formed a small white stairway simr to the one Kyle used to teleport toward the second floor.

    All the people present looked at each other with excited expressions.

    Without waiting, they climbed the stairway and disappeared.

    After a few minutes, the stairway burst into white particles and disappeared into the air.

    ....

    Meanwhile, after fighting around for more than two weeks. Mia found an underground tunnel in the middle of a lush forest.

    With caution she entered the tunnel, going straight more than 20 feet underground.

    The tunnel was empty with only a singlerge stone filled with different patterns present at the center.

    Mia walked toward the stone and after seeing the strange pattern closely she got an idea of the strange pattern on the stone.

    It was an array!

    Mia wasn''t proficient with arrays but she read some books about them in the past.

    Even though the array was one of the lowest rank array, it took her 2 whole days just to break it.

    The moment the array broke, the pattern-filled stone crumbled into white particles. Forming a huge stairway and a small ancient looking book in front of Mia.

    She grabbed the book, it was about arrays. After cing the book inside her storage ring, Mia climbed the stairway and disappeared.

    At the same time, Lara encounter a simr situation as Alec. She fought with some other people to defeat a ''Boss monster''.

    While she was fighting, coincidentally Nine also appeared.

    He was on the verge of breaking through to (-E)-Rank and after fighting together with the others to defeat the boss monster, he broke through to (-E)-Rank.

    A simr white stairway appeared in front of them when they defeated the ''Boss monster''. Directly teleporting everyone to the second floor.

    On the other hand, Carcel found a peach colored tree with a hidden huge hole in the center. The tree branches were long almost hiding the hole, but while running away from a bunch of strange sharp teeth squirrel monsters, Carcel saw the hole.

    After he entered the tree hole, he appeared in front of a small cleanke. In the middle of theke, a beautiful tree was present.

    There were two fruit hanging on the branches of the tree. Seeing no one around theke, Carcel immediately walked toward the tree and after he ate the fruits he broke through to (E)-Rank.

    Also, behind the fruit tree he saw a white stairway.

    Carcel happiness doubled when he saw the stairway. He immediately climbed up the stairway and disappeared, leaving the first floor.

    After Carcel left one of the squirrel who was following him identally entered the tree hole.

    The squirrel looked at theke and then at the empty tree with squinted eyes.

    The stairway behind the tree also didn''t escape his tiny eyes.

    It squeak a little seeing himself alone but then it walked toward the stairway and slowly started climbing it with a confused expression.

    When the squirrel appeared on top of the stairs, it felt its hair stand up straight due to the sudden effect of the teleportation.

    This time the squirrel didn''t squeak cutely. It opened its mouth widely showing rows of razor sharp teeth and bit the floor of the stairway before disappearing, leaving behind a small hole in the white sturdy stairway.

    ...

    Simr incidents were happening all around the first floor of the Tower, some people found treasures and hidden stairways to climb toward the second floor. Some gathered around and fought with ''Boss monsters'' to climb toward the second floor.

    While some unfortunate ones weren''t able to climb to the second floor or died on the first floor.

 Chapter 63 Appearing Inside Clouds

    <h4>Chapter 63 Appearing Inside Clouds?</h4>

    After Kyle disappeared from the first floor, he appeared in a strange ce.

    He stood up straight and looked around with squinted eyes, the ground beneath his feet was rocky but he didn''t see anything because he was surrounded by clouds.

    With an irritated expression, Kyle cursed.

    "Just where the hell is this ce."

    No matter where he looked, the only thing appearing inside his vision were white clouds.

    It seem he was teleported to a very high ce.

    As Kyle was cursing Bia also woke up and looked around at her surrounding.

    -''Did Kyle kill me while I was sleeping?''

    Hearing Bia words inside his head, Kyle almost tripped but he ignored her because she was helping him a lot recently.

    After Bia sobered up. She looked around seriously.

    -''Oh it''s not heaven, they are clouds.''

    Kyle refrain from speaking, it was better for him to stay quiet and look for a way to leave this ce.

    While he was trying to feel thend beneath his feet, Bia tried to fly so she can see the surrounding but to her horror, the mana inside her body started trembling when she pped her wings.

    She almost lost her bnce and fell, but Kyle immediately grabbed her.

    "What are you doing."

    -''It seems I can''t fly in this ce.''

    Kyle replied with an ''Oh'' and ced Bia on top of his head.

    He started walking but because the ground beneath his feet was uneven he had no choice but to walk slowly.

    After 5 hours, Kyle eyes were nk as he looked at the surrounding clouds with a speechless expression.

    His hands holding the map of the Tower were trembling. Kyle was sure, he was the only person who had a map, giving him a big advantage over others.

    At that moment, he only had one question inside his head.

    Just why the hell did he appear at such a deste ce?

    The treasures were waiting for him to pick them up and here, he was struck at an unknown ce!

    After sighing one more time, Kyle started walking again.

    It''s not like, just standing around would solve his problem.

    Finally, after walking for another 3 hours, he found a ce where something was visible.

    Kyle hurriedly left the clouds with a relieved expression and walked toward that ce.

    With squinted eyes, he saw his surrounding.

    He was on top of a mountain and it seemed to be one of the tallest mountain!

    The sky was turning dark with various stars twinkling above his head.

    After seeing the environment clearly, Kyle hurriedly looked at the map for onest confirmation and sighed with relief.

    Just like the second section of the map, there were 7 more mountains in his surrounding but they were too far away. At the bottom of the mountains, there were some ins and a huge forest.

    It was hard for him to pinpoint his exact location, but after he looked at therge ins present at the bottom of the mountains and match their location with the map, he was able to roughly guess his location.

    Among the 8 mountains, he was standing on top of the second tallest mountain.

    After looking at the mountain, he was standing Kyle facial expression be serious.

    "There is only one golden cross mark on this mountain?"

    He sighed and ced the old scroll inside his storage ring and started descending the mountain.

    After a few more hours, he stopped in front of a huge rock to rest for the night.

    Under the stary night, Kyle used his skill fireball and lit up a small fire before taking out some monster meat he stored inside his storage ring yesterday.

    After killing the monsters, he didn''t store their corpses but instead stored some of the monster''s meat inside his storage ring for future use. Kyle already had a lot of food stored inside the storage ring the Academy provided them before they entered the Tower, that''s why he only stored the monster meat once in a while.

    It had been more than three weeks, he entered the Tower. He still hasn''t found the Elixir.

    As time passed Kyle was bing a little anxious, but he was sure he would be able to find the Elixir soon.

    ''Also, I wonder how Nine, Alec and the others are doing.''

    He wasn''t able to encounter any familiar face on the first floor except for ne, the second-year senior. That''s why Kyle was a little worried about them, but he knew all of them were strong enough to take care of themselves.

    Maybe, when he met them again they will be stronger and more powerful than before.

    On the other hand, Bia was finally able to fly after they left those strange clouds. She started flying to see if there was any monster in their surrounding.

    While Kyle was cooking the food, he heard a small voice from behind the small rocks scattered around him.

    With a serious expression, Kyle hurriedly grabbed his sword and stood up. Looking straight at the ce where the voice came from.

    Soon, he heard a small squeaking sounding from behind the rocks. Under Kyle gaze a fist size squirrel walked out from behind the rocks.

    The squirrel seemed injured because it right hand fur was slightly red like blood. It looked at Kyle with big round eyes filled with tears.

    Kyle looked at the squirrel and sighed.

    "It''s just a small animal."

    He ced his sword back and sat down without caring about the squirrel who was looking at him with big eyes.

    For some reason, due to seeing Bia eyes every day. Kyle started liking things with big eyes. That''s why even though he knew that the squirrel could be a monster he didn''t kill it immediately.

    Well, in the end the squirrel was so small. He would just kill it if it tried to attack.

    Bia also came back after flying around for a while. She sat down on a rock present beside Kyle and looked at the squirrel curiously.

    She could feel a faint energy emitting from the squirrel''s body but it was so low that Bia just ignored the squirrel presence.

    After Kyle was done with cooking, he gave

    some meat to Bia and also ced some in front of the squirrel before eating and going to sleep for a few hours.

 Chapter 64 Herb Field I

    <h4>Chapter 64 Herb Field I</h4>

    Amidst the dark stary night, Kyle was sleeping while leaning against the huge rock.

    Bia was also sitting on top of a rock while looking at their surrounding with vignce.

    Suddenly, the small squirrel who was sitting opposite them squeaked. Bia looked at the squirrel with raised brows as it slowly started walking toward Kyle.

    She was ready to kill the squirrel if it did something strange but to her surprise, it just walked toward Kyle and curled up beside him.

    Soon, under her gaze the squirrel fell asleep. Bia sighed and looked away.

    Next day early morning, Kyle was sleeping peacefully. Bia also seemed to have closed her eyes after staying awake the whole night.

    While the duo had their eyes closed, the small squirrel lying beside Kyle opened its eyes.

    It looked at Kyle with drool dripping down from his small mouth and slowly started creeping toward his hand.

    The squirrel opened his mouth widely, showing rows razor-sharp teeth. It was about to bite Kyle whole hand in one go before Kyle woke up abruptly.

    Seeing Kyle awake the squirrel retracted his teeth and hurriedly closed his eyes.

    Meanwhile Kyle rubbed his eyes and looked in front of him, Bia was sitting on top of a stone with closed eyes.

    He could sense she wasn''t sleeping.

    "What was that? I suddenly felt chills for some reason."

    Kyle stood up and looked at his surrounding, except for Bia and the small squirrel he sawst night there was no one else.

    "Strange? I definitely felt like something was wrong. Was it my imagination?"

    After shaking his head, he picked up Bia and ced her on top of his head.

    "It''s better if we leave this ce."

    While he was ready to walk away, Kyle heard a small squeak from behind. He turn around and looked at the squirrel who was looking at him with big eyes, tear welled up inside the squirrel''s eyes when it saw Kyle leaving.

    Like an abandoned child looking at its mother.

    Seeing the squirrel, Kyle be speechless.

    He sighed and walked toward the squirrel and picked it up.

    "Why are you so heavy."

    Kyle eximed with surprise he was going to ce the squirrel on his shoulder but unlike Bia, the fist-size squirrel was too heavy.

    He ced the squirrel back down and asked it to follow behind because it was too heavy to carry.

    The squirrel nodded with a relieved expression seemingly understanding Kyle words.

    Kyle be a little surprised seeing it understanding his words but then he looked at the map onest time and started walking toward the only golden cross mark present on the mountain.

    The squirrel also started following behind Kyle quietly, from time to time it would try to open its mouth but due to some reason, Kyle was on high alert.

    That''s why the squirrel could do nothing but show an irritated expression while quietly waiting for a chance when it would be able to eat up Kyle.

    After walking around the mountain for a few hours, Kyle finally arrived in front of a small opening present between some rocks.

    In these few hours he encounter 7 (-E)-Rank, 3 (E)-Rank and 1 (+E)-Rank monsters but with the help of baits like Bia and ''Squeak'' he was able to easily deal with those monsters.

    ''Squeak'' was the name Kyle gave to the squirrel because it could only speak one word and that was ''squeak''.

    On the other hand, Bia was once again speechless at Kyle naming sense.

    She looked at ''Squeak'' pitifully, remembering the first time she came out from the egg and Kyle tried to give her some strange names like ''birdy'' and ''reddy''.

    Bia hurriedly shook her small head with an ugly expression not even daring to remember those names.

    Squeak looked at Bia, not understanding the meaning behind her emotional gaze. It just cutely squeaked toward its prey, Kyle.

    While Bia and Squeak were looking at each other emotionally for some reason, Kyle entered the small opening.

    It was dark from the inside, filled with various brown color stones but fortunately the stones were not pointy.

    Kyle walked for a while before the opening started turning narrow, making it difficult for him to advance.

    After a few more minutes, Kyle had to crawl just to find the end of the opening.

    While he was crawling, suddenly squeak jumped on his back. Kyle almost spit out blood due to Squeak heavy weight.

    "Squeak, don''t jump on my back so suddenly."

    It was the first time Squeak did something wrong that''s why Kyle just politely told Squeak to not do it again.

    On the other hand, seeing Kyle painful expression Bia startedughing.

    Squeak looked at Bia and Kyle both of them were not focusing on it.

    With a creepy smile Squeak started advancing toward Kyle left ear.

    Kyle could feel squeak crawling on his back but because he was busy quarreling with Bia inside his mind, he stopped focusing on its movements.

    After Squeak reached Kyle ear, it opened its mouth with delight.

    A row of razor-sharp teeth were going to bite Kyle earpletely before he suddenly spoke up, making squeak jump back in fright.

    "I can see ligh...Ugh"

    "Squeak, I told you not to jump on me so suddenly."

    With a serious expression this time Kyle shouted toward squeak, making it tremble.

    Kyle looked at Squeak and sighed before hurriedly crawling toward the light he saw a while ago.

    After he came out from the small opening, a huge open field filled with multicolor herbs and grass entered Kyle sight.

    Also, seeing himself so dirty filled with dust he felt a little strange because he didn''t like being dirty.

    Bia and Squeak also came out behind him. Squeak practically started drooling smelling the rich fragments of the herbs.

    It was just about to jump inside the herb valley when Kyle grabbed it from its neck.

    "Squeak"

    Kyle sighed seeing the two round pleading eyes staring directly at him.

    "Can''t you see the green snail-like monsters rolling around the grass? It''s dangerous."

    He ced Squeak beside him before asking Bia to check how many monsters were present inside the open area.

    Bia nodded and after flying around the whole grass-filled area, she return with a solemn expression.

    -''22 (-E)-Rank green snail monsters and 11 (E)-Rank green centipedes. The snail monsters are scattered around on the grass while the green centipedes are standing guard in front of some strange-looking caves at the end of the grass field.''

    After Bia finished her exnation, Kyle thought for a while. It was easy for him to defeat 5 (E)-Rank monsters at a time, but he would be in a difficult position if all those monsters attacked together.

    That''s why he asked both Bia and Squeak to be baits as usual and try to attract the monster''s toward him one by one.

    Of course, both Bia and Squeak didn''t agree immediately. In the end, Kyle coax them with some rewards.

 Chapter 65 Herb Field II

    <h4>Chapter 65 Herb Field II</h4>

    After hearing Kyle, Bia and Squeak both slowly entered the valley and started attracting monsters one by one.

    With their help, Kyle first easily took care of all the snail-like monsters before advancing toward the green centipedes.

    After 3 hours of continuous fighting, Kyle was finally able to take care of all the monsters lurking around the valley.

    Also, when he was fighting thest ones of the centipedes Kyle broke through to (+E)-Rank. That''s why he be excited.

    Before entering the opening he encounter an (+E)-Rank monster, after deafening that monster he broke through to (E)-Rank.

    Kyle never imagined he would be able to advance 2 sub-ranks in a single day!

    ______________________________

    Stats:

    Name: Kyle

    Bloodline: Celestial (Locked)

    Rank: +E

    Strength: +E

    Mana: -D

    Agility: E

    Talent: SS Rank (suppressed)

    Luck: A

    Skills:

    #*Fireball (F)-Rank:

    .....

    ______________________________

    When he saw his stats Kyle was satisfied. His mana stat was the highest due to the fact that he ate different types of fruits on the first floor.

    After taking care of the monsters Kyle looked at the grass filled valley and without waiting for even a second, he started plucking all the different herbs.

    There were a lot of different herbs growing within the grass but because Kyle didn''t knew their use, he just plucked everything and threw them inside his storage ring.

    He was sure he will make a small fortune after he sold those herbs outside the Tower.

    When Kyle was done collecting the herbs, he walked toward the two caves at the end of the valley where Squeak and Bia were waiting for him.

    He already killed the centipedes around the caves, that''s why there were no other monsters in front of those two caves.

    As he promised Kyle took out a fruit from his storage ring and gave it to Squeak but to his surprise Squeak didn''t eat the fruit.

    When Kyle saw Squeak drooling while looking at the monster''s corpse around them, he knew what Squeak wanted.

    "You can eat the corpse, they are not useful to me anyway."

    After hearing Kyle words, Squeak looked at him with twinkling eyes. It didn''t stand on ceremony and under Kyle and Bia amused gaze, it hurriedly jumped toward the nearest (E)-Rank centipede corpse.

    On the other hand, Kyle and Bia were both wondering how it was going to eat such a big corpse with such a tiny mouth.

    When Squeak arrived in front of the corpse it opened its mouth so wide that Bia who was sitting on top of Kyle head was so shocked that she almost fainted.

    Under their shocked gaze, Squeak ate the whole centipede head in one go.

    -Crunch! -Crunch!

    The more Kyle looked at its razor-sharp teeth the more frightened he became.

    Within one minute, Squeak gulped down the whole corpse of the 6-meter centipede.

    After Squeak ate the whole corpse, its body which was only emitting faint energy before suddenly perked up and Squeak broke through to (-D)-Rank under Kyle gaze who was so frightened that he started sweating.

    ''Shit.''

    Kyle cursed inwardly with a horrid expression as he slowly started walking backward toward the two caves.

    Bia wanted to fly away even before Kyle but because Squeak was just a few meter ahead of them, she didn''t dare to make a single sound.

    When she saw Squeak gulp down the huge head of the centipede, she knew the way Squeak looked at her and Kyle was very simr to the way it look at the corpse!

    Those twinkling eyes were looking at them like they were food!

    When Bia thought about this, she shuddered subconsciously.

    Squeak can just eat her in one bite even before she did something in self-defense.

    On the other hand, after eating the centipede corpse Squeak jumped toward another corpse without any care.

    Within ten minutes, Squeak ate 6 (E)-Rank centipedes and waspletely full.

    It turn around to where Kyle and Bia were standing but when Squeak saw no one standing at the ce where it left its most delicious prey, its eyes contracted into a slit.

    -Squeakeeeeed!

    A horrible soul-chilling shout left its mouth before it frantically started looking around for Kyle and Bia with bloodshot eyes.

    ....

    On the other hand, after entering one of the cave behind him. Kyle started running at full speed.

    The cave was dimly lit up with light entering from some holes present on the walls. The cave was not narrow as well, making it easy for Kyle to run.

    10 minutester he and Bia both heard Squeak shout, which send shiver down their spines.

    This incident gave Kyle a lot of fright.

    He inwardly promised himself to never picked up small animals!

    Who could guarantee that the cute little animal won''t eat him up when he was sleeping?

    After running for 20 minutes, Kyle arrived in front of another open area but except for some uneven rocks, there was nothing inside.

    When he nced around he saw a ck stone tablet in the middle of the area, a single small piece of bead shape white earring was floating on top of the tablet.

    Kyle hurriedly walked toward the earring and picked it up. The moment he picked up the earring another tunnel opened up behind the tablet.

    He gazed at the tunnel before looking at the earring. The earring was emitting a white glow but when it touched Kyle skin the glow disappeared and the earring turned into a normal essory.

    Bia also looked at the earring with squinted eyes. She was able to feel energy fluctuations around the earring when it was floating but when Kyle touched the earring the energy disappeared.

    -''I think it''s an artifact.''

    Kyle nodded at Bia words. He also guessed that the earring was an artifact but the only way to check its usefulness was to wear it.

    "Bia, how about you wear this earring and check what it is used for?"

    With wide eyes Bia flew away within a second, she didn''t expect Kyle to treat her like a test subject!

    Seeing her resentful eyes, Kyle be speechless. He sighed, he had no choice but to test the earring on himself.

    Kyle open the metal hook of the earring and slowly brought the back half of the earring toward his left ear and with closed eyes, he pierced it inside his earlobe.

    With stinging pain, a drop of blood trickle down from his earlobe before Kyle close the hook of the earring.

    The moment Kyle wore the earring his presencepletely disappeared.

    If before he was able to hide his rank from those who were the same rank or lower rank than him, now no one would be able to guess his rank as long as Kyle wore the white bead-like earring.

 Chapter 66 Acquiring an Artifact

    <h4>Chapter 66 Acquiring an Artifact?</h4>

    Bia looked at Kyle with surprise, just a second ago she was able to feel him standing in front of her but now except for their bond she wasn''t able to feel anything else.

    She flew back and sat on top of his head with a sigh.

    -''What did I expect, with your incredible luck I don''t think you will ever find something useless.''

    Kyle hear Bia regretful voice and smiled. The artifact was indeed useful. Now, he could roam around freely and no one would be able to sense his presence.

    With a delighted expression, Kyle entered the tunnel that opened behind the stone tablet.

    After walking around the tunnel for ten minutes, he finally saw light at the end and hurriedly walked out. Only to see huge trees standing proudly in front of him.

    Kyle looked around with squinted eyes and finally took a deep breath.

    For some reason, he seemed to have appeared at the bottom of the mountain.

    Anyway, him appearing at the bottom of the mountain was good because there were no other golden cross marks on top of the mountain.

    So, appearing inside the forest made him a little happy. Now he doesn''t have to climb down the mountain.

    After changing his dirty clothes into clean ones he took out the map once again, there were only 50 something golden cross marks around the second section.

    Among those marks, the one in the middle of the whole second floor was the biggest golden cross mark.

    Kyle looked at the biggest golden cross mark and immediately decided to go and grab the treasure present there, no matter what.

    There were three more golden cross marks on his way toward the biggest golden cross mark that''s why he decided to just stop at those ces for a while to pick up the things present there.

    After thinking about what he needs to do, Kyle ced the map back and started running toward the biggest golden cross mark.

    He gazed at the surrounding trees. Fortunately, there were no spikes. The leaves on the tree were alsorge.

    And because of the white artifact earring, monsters were not able to detect his presence. Bia also started flying above him. She kept an eye on their surrounding.

    On his way, Kyle encounter some (-E)-Rank and (+E)-Rank monsters but he killed them easily with his newfound strength.

    Also, he was a little shocked because he didn''t encounter any monster lower than (-E)-Rank!

    All the monsters were (-E)-Rank or higher and that was after excluding the ''Boss Monsters'' of the second floor.

    While running, Kyle also saw a bear type ''Boss Monster'' and his jaw dropped because the monster was (-C)-Rank!

    If not for the artifact hiding his presence, he would have definitely be a piece of meat for the Boss monster.

    It seems only those who had reached (-E)-Rank or higher would be able to survive on the second floor and it was on the base that they don''t encounter any boss Monster.

    Kyle wondered, if the second floor was so dangerous what would happen when he reached the higher floors?

    After running for an hour at full speed, suddenly he heard a smallmotion behind some trees.

    With slow steps, Kyle climbed the nearest tree and looked at themotion.

    Amidst the trees four demi-humans, one woman and three mans wearing luxurious clothes were standing proudly whileughing.

    The woman had two ears on top of her head and a single long fury tail behind her back, indicating her identity as a half-fox.

    The other three men all had small tails with horns on their heads.

    All four of them were holding different weapons, and their weapons were filled with blood.

    Kneeling in front of them were two injured elves and one human who seemed to be on the verge of death.

    Looking at the situation in front of him, Kyle eyes turn cold. He knew the rtionship between all the races wasn''t good but he didn''t expect them to kill each other.

    He didn''t know who the human was nor did he have any rtionship with those elves but Kyle didn''t want to see someone dying in front of him.

    Kyle gazed at the four demi-humans. Two of the demi-human man were (E)-Rank while the woman was (-E)-Rank.

    The one who looked like the leader of the demi-humans group seemed to have just broken through to (+E)-Rank.

    It seemed after meeting each other they teamed up and started hunting monsters together that''s why they were able to survive on the second floor.

    If Kyle wanted to, he could take care of them easily with the help of Bia but after thinking for a while he thought of an idea where he didn''t have to interfere directly.

    Kyle looked at Bia, who was sitting beside him on the tree branch.

    Seeing his serious gaze, Bia shuddered for some reason. She knew nothing good wille out whenever Kyle looked at her with such a burning gaze.

    ......

    After a minute, Bia was thrown toward the four demi-humans with three fist-sized golden fruits dangling around her neck.

    Kyle made a circr ne with the help of tree vines and attached three golden fruits he acquired from the first floor to the circr vine.

    Bia looked at where Kyle was sitting and cursed.

    -''Fuck! This majestic me will take revenge for this humiliation! Just you wait.''

    While she was cursing Kyle inside her head and pping her wings frantically, the four demi-humans were rmed by her sudden appearance.

    They looked at Bia with seriousness but when they saw it was just a bird they sighed with relief.

    Meanwhile with beat red fur, Bia looked at the four demi-humans standing not so far from her. She was so embarrassed that she wanted to bury herself underground.

    The four demi-humans also looked at Bia, their eyes filled with curiosity but when they saw the fruits dangling around her neck they be speechless.

    Seeing the golden light around the fruits, all four of them looked at each other with shock.

    The fruits in front of them were precious!

    All of them have eaten this type of fruit on the first floor, the effect of those fruits was incredible but it was a pity that they were only able to find one or two.

    Still, they were caution and didn''t approach Bia immediately.

    One of the demi-humans who was the leader of the group hurriedly gestured the demi-human standing behind him.

    He asked him to look around their location and make sure no other person was present around them.

    The one standing behind nodded and immediately looked around but after a while he returned and shook his head, indicating there was no one else.

    After knowing no one was around them, the leader of the demi-humans immediately ordered the other three to catch the bird in front of them.

    All of them gathered around Bia with greed-filled eyes.

    On the other hand, Bia also be serious when she saw them walking toward her.

    The moment one of the demi-humans was going to pounce on her, she hurriedly pped her wings and started flying toward the north side.

    All the demi-humans looked at each other before following behind Bia.

 Chapter 67 Taking care of the Four Demi-humans

    <h4>Chapter 67 Taking care of the Four Demi-humans</h4>

    Under the shade ofrge green trees, a small red color bird was flying with all her might. Around her neck was a strange-looking vine and 3 dangling golden fruits.

    While the bird flew and cursed someone inwardly, four demi-humans were following behind her. They were throwing all kinds of attacks and skills on that pitiful bird but fortunately, the bird was dodging all of the attacks.

    Of course, the bird was Bia!

    Right now her expression was very ugly as she flew toward one of the nearest ck cross mark with her life on the line.

    After flying and cursing for 20 minutes, she arrived in front of a big brown bear that was 16 meters tall with its whole body oozing some kind of muddy liquid.

    Bia looked at the Bear, she was scared. It was (-C)-Rank!

    Her heart trembled seeing the huge bear before she hurriedly threw one of the fruit on the bear''s head, the bear who was just quietly going to take a nap be angry. It instantly turn around and tried to locate the attacker.

    On the other hand, the four demi-humans who were following Bia also appeared at the same ce. They were going to attack Bia again when she threw two fruits on top of them and disappeared.

    The four demi-humans be dumbfounded looking at the fruits. One of the demi-human hurriedly went to pick up the fruits, when a huge shadow enveloped all of them.

    The demi-human who just bend down to pick up the fruit, saw the shadow. He slowly looked up and pissed his pants.

    A huge brown bear, with blood-red eyes was looking directly at him. Strangely, on top of the bear''s head a familiar golden fruit was stuck inside the muddy liquid oozing out from its body.

    The demi-human who just picked up the fruits fainted on the spot when he looked into the bear''s bloodshot eyes.

    The other three standing behind him were also scared shitless and wanted to run away but their fate was already decided.

    The bear first stepped on the fainted demi-human. A cracking sound was heard and the demi-human body turn into meat paste.

    In the next second, the bear immediately swing hisrge heavy arm and injured the remaining demi-humans. Due to the impact, one more demi-human died on the spot.

    The two alive demi-humans were also not in a good condition at all. Even if the bear left them alone, with their injuries they would die within a few minutes.

    While standing at the end of their life, they didn''t forget to curse the red bird. There was regret and unwillingness in their eyes. In the end, they weren''t able to do anything and died under the bear''s feet.

    All of this happened within a few seconds, from the demi-humans arriving in front of the bear and the bear killing them. This was the power of a (-C)-Rank monster.

    After the bear killed everyone rted to the fruit, it humped and left without even ncing at the dead bodies.

    It didn''t eat the demi-humans bodies as low-quality food will damage its appetite.

    When the bear walked away. Bia came out from behind some branches. She looked at the dead bodies with disgust, all of the demi-humans were turned into meat paste.

    Without doing anything else, Bia hurriedly picked up all their storage rings and went back toward Kyle.

    .......

    Meanwhile, after the demi-humans left while following behind Bia. Kyle jumped out from the trees and appeared in front of the injured human and elves.

    He asked them if they were alright. The elves were fine but the human was too injured to even stand up.

    Kyle sighed and took out a healing potion and gave it to the human. The human took the healing potion and thanked Kyle.

    After everyone rxed the elves and the human introduced themselves.

    The human was called ''Laigin''. He was from Kingdom Whitnd. On the other hand, ''Fian'' and ''Kin'' both elves were from Kingdom Tersia.

    After the introduction, no one said anything. Kyle wasn''t the talkative type that''s why he just stood in front of them quietly and an awkward silence filled the atmosphere.

    The elves and Laigin also didn''t knew what to say and seeing Kyle serious face they just kept quiet and started tending to their wounds.

    All three of them were injured and knew with their condition there was no way they could survive.

    Both of the elves were grateful toward Kyle but it was not like they could repay him with anything because just a while ago their storage rings were snatched by the demi-humans who attacked them.

    After around 20 minutes, Bia returned with a gloomy face. She looked at Kyle with resentment filled gaze and threw all the storage rings she collected from the demi-humans on top of Kyle head.

    Kyle smiled looking at her and hurriedly picked up all the storage rings.

    The elves and Laigin also saw their storage rings inside the pile of the storage rings Bia brought back but they didn''t say anything.

    Right now, they were injured and Kyle seemed to be quite powerful because they weren''t able to sense his rank.

    On the other hand, Kyle looked at the 7 storage rings. He walked toward the three injured people and asked them to take the ones belonging to them.

    The three of them looked at each other with surprise. The rings were expensive, also there were some precious items inside that''s why they didn''t expect Kyle to just return them the rings.

    Nevertheless, they hurriedly took their own rings before thanking Kyle once again.

    Kyle didn''t bother with them anymore and after taking four rings belonging to the demi-humans he left.

    Laigin and the elves were dumbfounded seeing Kyle fading image but after he left, they also left in different directions.

    ...

    While walking, Kyle broke all the restrictions set on the rings.

    Seeing the content inside the rings he frowned.

    The demi-humans were too poor!

    There was nothing inside the rings except food, some strange clothes and a few herbs.

    Kyle sighed and after collecting the useful things from the storage rings he dumped everything out and emptied the rings before cing them on his fingers.

    In the end, all four rings were high-grade rings. He could probably use them in the future.

    Also, adding these four storage rings. Now he has a total of 6 storage rings.

    On the other hand, Bia was still cursing Kyle. To pacify her anger, he took out some fruits and gave all of them to her.

    After eating one or two simr fruits, those fruits would stop working on Kyle. That''s why it was better to use them as a bargaining chip whenever Bia was angry.

 Chapter 68 The Black Pool

    <h4>Chapter 68 The ck Pool</h4>

    After leaving the injured human and elves behind, Kyle started running again toward the biggest golden cross mark.

    He would stop from time to time to kill some low-rank monsters but overall his journey was quite smooth sailing.

    The first reason was the white earring artifact he acquired and the second reason was Bia who was patrolling around the sky.

    While walking the day turned into night, and just like that one week passed.

    In this week, Kyle killed a lot of low-rank monsters. He also faced two newly ranked (-D)-Rank monsters and with the help of Bia, he killed both of them. But even after killing so many monsters, he wasn''t even near a breakthrough.

    On the other hand, Bia finally broke to (+E)-Rank after eating tons of precious fruits.

    Kyle was a little scared, seeing her consuming so many resources just to break through to (+E)-Rank. But he soon epted the fact that to make Bia rank up in the future, he had to empty his tiny pocket.

    While running he saw some more boss monsters but they were all (-C)-Rank or above, that''s why Kyle didn''t even dare to step around their territory.

    And now after a week, Kyle was finally standing in front of a ck 20-meter pool. There were huge trees around the pool, making it difficult for others to see the pool or locate its location.

    This ck pool was one of the golden cross marks that appeared on his way to the biggest golden mark but it seemed someone else had already swept this ce clean, as there was nothing inside or outside the pool.

    "Tsk, who stole my treasure? Don''t you ever let me see you or else..."

    With a grumpy face, Kyle left that ce. It was the first time he wasn''t able to get his hands on something and someone else took it.

    After leaving the ck pool, he started running toward the next stop.

    This time Kyle didn''t stop, he was afraid that someone else would take the treasures before him.

    .....

    On the other hand, after looking around for a while ''Squeak'' finally came out from the same tunnel as Kyle.

    It was so angry that it ate all the corpses of the monsters Kyle killed.

    Also, right now Squeak looks different from before. It wasn''t the same fist size small cute squirrel anymore.

    With a 7-8 meter tall body, it looked around with angry eyes.

    It was because it lost its prey two times!

    The first one was Carcel who disappeared inside the tree hole and the second one was Kyle who disappeared when Squeak was busy eating.

    How could Squeak ept this, for the sake of eating that small prey, it even left itspanions.

    Now what should it do, what face would it show to itspanions?

    With a resolute expression, Squeak decided to find those small-looking creatures. No matter what, it was definitely going to taste them.

    Also, after eating all the corpses Squeak broke through to (D)-Rank. Now It was very confident in finding them, as one of its tracking skills has be powerful with the rank increased.

    That''s why Squeak was able to sense a faint smell belonging to one of its prey who ran away before it was able to eat it.

    Sooner orter he will find both of them and eat them up.

    When Squeak thought about eating Kyle and Carcel, it jumped with excitement. The ground beneath its feet caved in a whole meter.

    If someone now looked at its eyes he would definitely faint from shock as its eyes were twinkling like a baby, not matching its huge scary appearance.

    After jumping around for a while, Squeak looked in two different directions and hurriedly climbed up a nearby tree.

    Squeak was going toward the person who was nearest to him.

    .....

    Meanwhile, Alec encountered a (-D)-Rank monster the moment he appeared on the second floor.

    He was a little flustered, seeing a high-rank monster the moment he appeared on the second floor. Still, his rank was (+E)-Rank, and after some struggle he killed the monster.

    After defeating the monster, he wanted to run away but unfortunately, the ce he appeared was a in with no trees or any hiding ce. That''s why, Alec was targeted by a lot of monsters.

    In the end, it''s be too difficult for him to hold on. Also, when Alec saw a huge 20-meter tall worming out from underground. He had no choice but to run toward the nearest forest he could see with his vision.

    It was because the worm was (C)-Rank!

    Alec was confident he could defeat a lot of low-rank monsters with his (+E)-Rank strength. He could even fight (-D)-Rank monsters but there was no way he would be able to fight a monster who was 2 whole ranks above him.

    That''s why without even waiting for a second he started running at full speed. Even after that he almost died under the worm''s countless attacks many times.

    Alec would have definitely perished if he hadn''t used all the skills present in his arsenal.

    After running for more than three hours with his life on the line, Alec was finally able to reach a forest nearby and get rid of the worm monster.

    When he entered the forest, he first encountered two unfamiliar humans who were roaming around together but Alec didn''t stop seeing them and directly left.

    He needed to reach the middle of the second floor!

    The system finally gave him the location of something precious when he appeared on the second floor. Alec was a little happy seeing the system notification.

    ______________________

    ''Mission; xX''

    Reach the center of the ''Tower of Opportunity'' Second floor and find the ''Red fruit of the Ancient tree''.

    Reward:

    1�� fruit of Ancient tree.

    Penalty:

    -None

    No time limit.

    _________________________

    It wasn''t exactly a mission but still, if the system had spoken, that meant the fruit wasn''t something ordinary!

    With an excited expression, Alec started running toward the ck dot disyed inside the system window.

    The ck dot was the location of the Ancient tree.

    Alec''sst mission where he had to find a ''sword'' was pending because ording to the system hints, the sword was somewhere around the top floors.

    That''s why he wasn''t worried about it yet.

    While running around, Alec saw two more demi-humans and one elf fighting with some monsters.

    It seemed the second floor of the tower was shorter than the first floor because he was able to see those people on his way.

    But still, he didn''t see anyone familiar.

    Alec wondered how the others were doing. He knew everyone was strong on their own but the Tower was bing too dangerous. He just hoped they stay safe and climb the Tower sessfully.

 Chapter 69 Shiny Black Stones

    <h4>Chapter 69 Shiny ck Stones</h4>

    Under the starry sky, three humans holding different weapons were fighting a giant (D)-Rank monkey who had three tails and two horns.

    All the humans looked very exhausted and a lot of injuries could be seen on their bodies but even in front of such a disadvantaged situation, their faces disyed a resolute expression and there was only one thought inside their minds;

    ''No matter what, we will take down this monkey!''

    The reason for this was a weak-looking blue branch, present on top of a tree behind the horned monkey.

    As the sound of metal hitting flesh rang out inside the still forest, the fight was finally nearing it''s climax when one of the humans delivered a huge blow to the horned monkey.

    Amidst the hectic atmosphere, a figure wearing brown clothes was sitting on top of a nearby tree.

    There was a beautiful white glow around the figure''s left ear. The figure didn''t care about the humans or the horned monkey. It just looked around with squinted eyes, seemingly trying to find something.

    The figure was Kyle!

    After leaving the ck pool he directly started running toward his next stop. Finally, after two days, he appeared at the location where the second golden mark should be present.

    He was definitely not in the mood to help those humans. He wouldn''t have even stopped at this ce, if not for the golden cross mark that was showing at the location where those humans were fighting with the monster.

    Bia who was flying, looking around from above, suddenly spoke inside Kyle head.

    -''I can see a blue branch that is emitting mana, It''s on top of a tree present behind the ugly monkey.''

    After hearing Bia''s words, Kyle nodded. He gazed at the fight in front of him with understanding and replied.

    ''Just picked up the branch and don''t disturb the ones fighting. We should leave after taking the treasure there''s no need to disturb others.''

    Hearing Kyle, Bia was speechless. She looked at the three humans who were fighting, for some reason they looked pitiful.

    She sighed, the world was too unfair. Well, maybe she would have done the same but Kyle was being too much.

    At least tell those humans, you are taking the thing they are fighting for with their life on the line.

    Or at least show some guilt you prick?

    After throwing another pitiful nce at the humans, Bia hurriedly flew toward the blue branch and picked it up.

    Right now her expression was serious and there was a floating thought inside her mind that cleared all her guilt.

    -''It''s fine as long as it''s not me who is being used.''

    After picking up the branch she flew back and gave the branch to Kyle.

    Kyle took the branch from Bia and ced it inside his storage ring.

    After throwing another quick nce at the fight that was almost ending, he nodded and disappeared from the tree branch.

    Two minutes after Kyle left, the three humans killed the horned monkey. The moment the monkey died some white particles left its body and entered their bodies, making them look at each other with proud expression.

    They did it!

    One of the humans, who seemed to be the leader of the group, hurriedly took out a healing potion from his storage ring and gulped it down before walking toward the tree present behind the monkey body with an excited expression.

    He was the one who found this ce and also the one who suffered the most injuries in this fight.

    Now that they have won the fight, the only thing left was to divide the loot!

    With the other two humans following behind him, the leader walked toward the tree but when he saw that there was nothing present on the tree, his soul almost left his body.

    He was frozen on his spot with his heart trembling, not believing what he was seeing.

    Then suddenly one of the humans standing behind him also looked at the tree and questioned with shock.

    "Where''s the blue tree branch?"

    Those few words were enough to make him cough up blood and faint on the spot.

    He wasn''t even able to curse.

    The other two humans looked at each other, they also had the urge to faint but because their environment was dangerous they restrained their urge and dragged their leader away who seemed to have fainted due to the shock.

    There were tears in their eyes.

    Of course, they knew the blue branch didn''t disappear into thin air. Someone else probably took it, when they were fighting with the horned monkey.

    They wanted revenge but from whom should they take revenge? They didn''t even see the person who took the blue branch!

    The more they thought about it, the more tears stream down their cheeks.

    .....

    Meanwhile, after taking the blue branch Kyle was already more than a kilometer away from those humans.

    After running around for two whole days he was dead tired but the next golden cross mark wasn''t that far from his location. That''s why Kyle didn''t wanted to rest, not until he reached that ce.

    With raged breathing, he jumped from one tree to another. Not stopping even for a second.

    Finally after two long hours. He appeared in front of some old-looking trees. The ground in the middle of those trees was pitch ck with a small hole leading underground.

    Seeing no monster around the ck hole, Kyle finally decided to sleep for a while before he entered that hole.

    He didn''t knew what was inside that''s why it was better to be prepared.

    After looking around and finding arge tree nearby Kyle directly went to sleep. As usual, Bia sat on top of his stomach. She didn''t sleep and kept an eye on the surrounding.

    Next day early morning, Kyle woke up due to some rusting sounds. He looked down from the tree with squinted eyes and almost fainted.

    Three round ck colored, stone-shaped creatures were standing on the ck ground. They opened their eyes and looked around before slowly closing them again and sitting down on the ground.

    Kyle cursed, he didn''t see themst night. It was too dark.

    Now under the bright daylight, he was able to see everything clearly.

    There wasn''t any hole in the ground. There were only three ck stone-like monsters. The three monsters were sitting around a pile of ck shiny stones.

    Heck! He wasn''t even able to feel their presence. If not for the sudden movement, Kyle would have actually gone down to pick up those ck shiny stones, stacked in the middle of those monsters.

    Bia also looked at the monsters solemnly before speaking inside Kyle''s head.

    -''I can feel the presence of those three strange monsters, they are all (-C)-Rank. Also, I can''t feel anything from those shiny stones but if you want we can try to think of a way to pick up those stones.''

    After speaking Bia looked at Kyle only to get dumbfounded.

    Kyle was already a few meters away from her!

    He shouted inside her head with seriousness.

    ''Bia you are bing too greedy. Of course, treasures are important but we can''t risk our life!''

    Looking at his fading image with nk eyes, Bia cursed before following behind Kyle.

    -''Were not you the one who imed to pick up all the treasures! When the hell did I be greedy?''

 Chapter 70 Squeak Ending

    <h4>Chapter 70 Squeak Ending</h4>

    On the other hand, Carcel found himself inside a forest when he appeared on the second floor.

    He walked around with caution and killed a lot of low-rank monsters. While running around, he also saw some (-C)-Rank and (+D)-Rank monsters!

    After seeing those monsters from a distance, he became even more vignt. There was no way he would be able to defeat them.

    A few weekster, Carcel saw a 5-6 metersrge pond in the middle of some trees. A strange blue fog was surrounding the pond.

    With the help of the water inside the pond, he broke through to (+E)-Rank.

    After Kyle, he was definitely the one who benefited the most inside the Tower.

    With a satisfied expression, Carcel was going to leave the pond when he heard some sounds from the tree behind him.

    He gripped his weapon tightly and jumped back while looking directly toward the ce where the sound came from.

    Under his serious gaze, suddenly a huge squirrel popped out its head from behind a tree branch. The squirrel looked at Carcel with a creepy smile.

    Carcel looked at the somewhat familiar squirrel with a sweaty forehead.

    It was (+D)-Rank!

    ''And why do I find it so familiar?''

    Then it finally hit him. He looked at the squirrel who was grinning while looking at him from top to bottom.

    "Shit, Why the fuck are you here?"

    How could Carcel forget those tiny monsters who chased him around the first floor?

    He thought he would never see those creepy monsters again in this life but here one of them was looking at him with a smile.

    After meeting those squirrels Carcel almost developed a trauma toward small things.

    He looked at the squirrel while slowly moving backward, his hands and back were already drenched with sweat.

    Right now Carcel had a lot of questions inside his head, like how the heck this monster appeared here and how the heck a small monster which was originally so weak be so strong?

    But s there was no one who could answer his questions.

    While Carcel was slowly moving backward. The squirrel looked at him with a delighted expression and was ready to pounce at him anytime

    It finally found one of its prey!

    "Squeakeed"

    With a shout, the huge squirrel opened its mouth and directly jumped toward Carcel.

    Carcel jumped to the left, avoiding the squirrel''srge razor-sharp teeth. He cursed again when he saw the squirrel looking at him with bloodshot eyes.

    The squirrel looked at Carcel with anger.

    This time it would not let its prey run away!

    With this in mind, the squirrel jumped at Carcel again.

    On the other hand, Carcel was sweating buckets of water. He wanted to run away but the squirrel was (+D)-Rank! He just broke through to (+E)-Rank there was no way he would be able to defeat the squirrel.

    When Carcel saw the squirrel jumping at him again, he cursed and started running in the opposite direction but because his speed was too low, he suffered a lot of injuries.

    While he was running away from the squirrel, a lot of monsters were attracted to themotion and also started following behind Carcel.

    Soon, there were more than 10 monsters behind Carcel.

    Carcel who was always aloof, for the first time in his life, was on the verge of tears.

    In the end, Carcel used the ck Stone Vice Principal George gave him before he entered the Tower.

    The moment he used the stone, he was teleported to a different ce from before.

    Seeing the lush green forest around him and no monster behind him, Carcel sighed with relief but then he cursed again.

    "Why the heck was the squirrel so persistent!"

    ...

    On the other hand, After Carcel disappeared. The squirrel looked around with bloodshot eyes.

    All the monsters present beside him also looked around with confused expressions. The person who was just a few centimeters ahead of them suddenly disappeared into thin air.

    The squirrel who just lost its prey again went berserk.

    It started attacking the monsters around him.

    Soon, a bloody fight broke out.

    A lot of chilling shrinks and shouts could be heard from a distance.

    All the humans, elves, and demi-humans who were around the area immediately ran away when they heard the sounds.

    The fight also attracted the attention of a lot of high-rank monsters around that area, all those monsters heard themotion and also joined the fight.

    Soon, the small fight turned too big.

    Dozens of monsters were gathered in a single ce, they attacked each other with crazy blood-red eyes.

    The shockwave around the high-rank monsters was enough to kill all those below (+E)-Rank.

    The atmosphere became bloody with low-rank monster''s corpses piling up everywhere.

    Those monsters who were below (E)-Rank were instantly killed.

    The squirrel who started the fight was jumping around the battlefield with a creepy smile. It broke through to (-C)-Rank when it ate another (C)-Rank monster corpse.

    The more the squirrel ate the more its rank increased. Within thirty minutes it again broke through and entered (C)-Rank.

    Its rank was rising at an unimaginable speed.

    If right now Kyle and Bia were here, they would have definitely fainted from shock.

    The squirrel who was originally fist-sized, was now more than 15 meters tall. Its body was also emitting a faint white hue.

    While the monsters be crazy and attack each other. A huge majestic pir of light descended from the clear blue sky.

    The moment the pir descended, everything went quiet. No one dared to make a sound.

    Even the birds stop chirping. The rustling of the wind also ceased.

    Suddenly an old soothing voice sounded from above the pir.

    "Tsk, What''s with themotion and what is a monster who should have been on the first floor doing here."

    After the voice sounded, the majestic light pir broke into white particles and all the monsters fell asleep.

    It was a shocking scene but no one was able to see it because the area where the light pir descendant disappeared from everyone''s vision.

    The squirrel who caused all thismotion also disappeared from the second floor.

    No one knew what happened to the Squirrel whose name was ''Squeak''.

    After the matter was settled. The old voice sounded again.

    "Sigh, this time the kids are causing too muchmotion."

 Chapter 71 The Old tree I

    <h4>Chapter 71 The Old tree I</h4>

    After leaving the ck stone-like monsters, Kyle didn''t stop and directly start running toward the biggest golden cross mark.

    From time to time, Bia who was flying above him would give him a strange look but Kyle didn''t care and kept running.

    He knew why she was giving him such a look.

    It was because he didn''t take those ck stones. Actually, Kyle had an idea as to what those stones were used for, he just didn''t expect to see so many in a single ce.

    Before entering the Tower, the Academy give everyone a lot of information regarding the Tower and during one of his sses, Professor Aliza mentioned about those stones.

    They were special teleportation stones that can only be used inside the Tower.

    After seeing a whole pile of ck stones in a single ce, Kyle was tempted to take some as they would be quite useful in any dangerous situation, but he didn''t wanted to endanger himself or Bia just because of some stones.

    Fooling a single (-C)-Rank monster was fine but even he didn''t dare to do something when there were three (-C)-Rank monster present at a single ce.

    He also thought about using his newly acquired skill ''Instant Teleportation'' to pick up one or two stones but right now his teleportation range was too low.

    Also, he can only use that skill once or twice before exhausting all of his mana.

    That''s why he knew the moment he tried to grab even a single stone, all the (-C)-Rank monsters would have started chasing after him.

    Kyle sighed when he thought about those stones.

    ''What a pity.''

    While he was running, the ground beneath his feet shook slightly.

    He looked at Bia but she shook her head, indicating that there was nothing in their surrounding.

    With a confused expression, Kyle hurriedly climbed up a nearby tree to see what was going on.

    Bia also flew upward toward the clear sky.

    Both of them looked around with squinted eyes, but even after looking around for a few minutes they didn''t see anything.

    On the other hand, the intensity of the tremor was increasing with every second.

    With a serious expression, Kyle gestured Bia and both of them started moving in the opposite direction from the sounds.

    It was better for them to stay away from any potential danger.

    While Kyle was running, after thirty or so minutes the tremor suddenly disappeared.

    He gazed toward the ce where the sounds wereing from but didn''t see anything. Suddenly, the earring around his left ear glowed with white light and the scene in front of Kyle changed.

    The blue sky which was clearly empty suddenly showed a huge pir of light descending from above.

    Kyle eyes widened when he looked at the pir. In front of his surprised gaze, the pir broke into white particles and disappeared into thin air.

    "What the...?"

    He muttered under his breath in a daze before Bia''s confused voice sounded inside his head.

    -''What happened?''

    Kyle gripped the earring inside his ear. Just now he felt that there was a connection between this earring and the light pir he saw.

    He looked at Bia confused expression, it seemed she didn''t see anything.

    After shaking his head Kyle sighed.

    "It''s nothing. Let''s go."

    He really didn''t knew what was going on. For a second he just felt like a very powerful existence was looking at everyone from above.

    It was just for a moment but Kyle felt the existence was directly gazing at him. The feeling was very dangerous yet majestic.

    Bia looked at the ce where Kyle stared but after seeing nothing, she just quietly followed behind Kyle.

    .....

    One weekter, Kyle was seen hiding behind some bushes.

    While hiding, he peeked at the huge old tree standing not so far from him with a serious expression.

    In front of that huge tree, Kyle was like a tiny sprout.

    The tree was old and rusty. There wasn''t a single leaf on its branches but among the empty brown branches, a single branch present on the upper right corner was green in color.

    Three circr red color fruits were hanging vertically on top of that green branch. A huge amount of mana was continuously gushing out from the seemingly old tree trunk, directly entering the red fruits.

    While peeking at the tree, Kyle frowned because the tree branches were dancing ying with some pebbles. Also, there was a huge creepy face at the center of the tree trunk.

    After following the biggest golden cross mark present on the map, Kyle appeared at this ce but he didn''t expect to see a creepy-looking alive tree.

    Seeing the red fruits hanging on top of the tree''s green branch, Kyle was hundred percent sure that this tree was the one mentioned on the map as the biggest golden cross mark.

    Bia who was sitting on the tree behind him spoke with a serious tone.

    -''So what''s the ne.''

    Kyle looked at the tree once more and his frown deepened.

    ''The tree is alive and seeing its huge appearance do you think we can defeat it or snatch the fruits from it?''

    Bia hurriedly shook her small head.

    -''There is no way we can. As I can fly I could have tried picking up the fruits but because there are too many branches and also they are alive, that''s why I can''t do anything.''

    While Bia and Kyle were talking to each other, therge tree suddenly spoke in an irritated manner.

    When the tree spoke, its two empty eyes curved up like a moon and the hole present at the center of the tree trunk moved up and down.

    "Kid, how long are you going to stare at me?"

    Kyle heard the loud cranky voice and jumped back with fright. Bia also widened her eyes hearing the tree voice.

    The tree branches that were ying with some pebbles stopped moving when the tree hollow eyes directly gazed at Kyle.

    After looking at Kyle, the tree wooden face suddenly made a sighing expression and again a cranky voice came out from its mouth.

    "Hmm, why are you so weak? Thest two people who came before you were even weaker than you."

    "Last time the ones who came were also very weak, had the world stopped producing genius after master left?"

    "Also, how the hell did weak ants like you survived on this floor?"

    The tree cranky voice resounded around the whole area, it spoke and threw many questions toward Kyle who was looking at the tree with shock.

    Within a minute, Kyle came back to his senses and stood up while looking at the tree with caution.

    After taking a deep breath, Kyle approached the tree with slow steps.

    "Who are you and why are you able to speak?"

    The tree seemingly lost interest when it heard Kyle''s question. It had seen a lot of individuals. They all asked the same questions but it didn''t like answering their questions.

    "Hoho, It doesn''t matter who I am. Kid now that you have found me, you can''t leave. Not until youplete my trial."

    The moment the tree spoke about the trial, a transparent thin shield formed out of thin air.

    The shield immediately encircled Kyle.

    Seeing the shield, Kyle''s heart trembled. He hurriedly gathered mana around his fist and punched the shield but the recoiled force threw his punch backward.

    Bia saw the situation and immediately flew toward Kyle but to her surprise the moment she touched the shield her body phased through it without any resistance.

    She looked at Kyle and hurriedly sat on top of his head before speaking worriedly.

    -''What should we do?''

    Kyle looked at the tree with a serious expression. Just now the tree said something about a trial. That''s mean it wasn''t going to kill them.

 Chapter 72 The Old tree II

    <h4>Chapter 72 The Old tree II</h4>

    After enclosing Kyle inside a shield, the tree was going to speak when it saw a small red bird hurriedly flying toward Kyle.

    The old tree looked at Bia with narrowed eyes. It was shocked!

    ''This kid seemed to have acquired something interesting.''

    While the tree thought inwardly, Kyle looked at it seriously.

    "What do you want."

    Hearing Kyle''s calm voice even in such an unfavorable situation, the tree smiled.

    "Hoho, you are more impatient than me. Alright, let''s not waste time. I will ask you a riddle, if you answer correctly I will give you one of my fruits but if you answer incorrectly I will take your life."

    "Also, if you are thinking about leaving then forgot about it because when someone finds me that person only had two options."

    "First, you answer me correctly and advanced to the next floor with a reward. Second, you answer me incorrectly and die on this floor."

    After hearing the tree words, Kyle started sweating. His heart was already beating wildly inside his chest.

    With a deep breath, Kyle looked at the tree and nodded. Its not like he had any other choice.

    The tree smile widened and without waiting anymore it ask Kyle a riddle.

    "If you have me, you will want to share me. If you share me, you will no longer have me. What am I?"

    Hearing the riddle Kyle almost tripped. After seeing the tree''s overbearing power, he was actually waiting to hear a very hard riddle but the riddle was quite easy!

    Was the tree joking?

    He looked at the tree smug face, somewhat suspicious.

    "A secret."

    Hearing Kyle answer the tree smile vanished. Without saying anything it moved its branch and the shield around Kyle disappeared.

    After the shield disappeared, Kyle finally sighed with relief.

    On the other hand, the tree broke one of its fruit with a reluctant expression and gave it to Kyle.

    ''Why do these ant-size individuals always know the answer to my riddles? Is it not hard enough?''

    Seeing the fruits in front of him, Kyle hurriedly grabbed it with a small smile.

    The tree looked at Kyle and spoke grumpily.

    "Now, I will send you to the next floor."

    Hearing the tree''s words, Kyle hurriedly put the red fruit inside his storage ring and looked at the tree with seriousness.

    "Wait."

    "What."

    Kyle picked up Bia from his head. His expression dead serious when he pointed his finger toward her.

    "She wants to try as well."

    The old tree almost cursed but then it saw the loopholes inside its own rules.

    ''This kid sure know how to take advantage of others.''

    With a serious expression the tree spoke again while looking directly at Kyle with narrowed eyes.

    "But the bird can''t speak."

    Kyle nodded.

    "You are right, but she can speak inside my mind, so I will answer on her behalf. Let''s start the next trial."

    Seeing Kyle''s serious expression, the tree was bbergasted. It didn''t knew what to say anymore.

    ''Well, it isn''t against the rules.''

    "Alright. I will ask another riddle but remember if you answer wrongly I will take your life."

    Hearing the tree words, Kyle hurriedly corrected the old tree.

    "Not mine. She is answering so if she answered wrongly, you will take her life."

    Bia who was inside Kyle''s hands had a nk expression on her face.

    -''Fuck!''

    -''Why do I feel like I am being used.''

    -''I don''t want to take part in the trial at all!''

    She pped her wings frantically, trying to free herself from Kyle''s grip.

    Kyle looked at Bia and then looked at the tree.

    "She wants you to hurry up and say the riddle."

    The first riddle was very easy, that''s why Kyle was confident in himself.

    The tree looked at Kyle with an expression saying;

    ''Are you sure?''

    With a loud hmm, the tree asked another riddle.

    "What has a head and a tail, but no body?"

    Hearing the tree question, Bia started sweating.

    -''I don''t know the answer! What should I do, I am going to die. Someone save me from this demon.''

    Her loud voice echoed inside Kyle''s head who seemingly looked at Bia with understanding and nodded.

    "She is saying the answer is a coin."

    The tree looked at Kyle with wide eyes.

    The answer was correct again!

    The tree broke another fruit from its branch and hurriedly handed it to Kyle. Now it had only one fruit left on its branch.

    "Now, I will send you to the next floor."

    Again, a resolute voice sounded and the tree bearly stopped himself from smacking Kyle to death.

    "Wait."

    The tree looked at Kyle with a deadpan expression.

    "What is it now."

    "Actually, I have a question."

    "What?"

    "Well, when I am on the next floor can you appear there?"

    Kyle''s question was very simple while he stare at the only remaining fruit present on the tree branch.

    The tree looked at Kyle with confusion.

    "Of course, I can''t appear on the next floor. It''s not my territory."

    Kyle nodded.

    The tree finally heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly moved its branches. A huge array appeared beneath Kyle''s feet.

    Kyle looked at the array underneath his feet. He knew within a few seconds he would be teleported to the next floor.

    Suddenly, a sharp glint shed through his eyes.

    On the other hand, the tree looked at Kyle with an expression filled with emotions.

    "Goodbye, kid."

    The moment those words left the tree''s mouth, Kyle immediately mumbled under his breath ''Instant Teleportation''.

    He disappeared from his ce and appeared beside thest fruit. Within a second he broke the fruit before mumbling ''Instant Teleportation'' again.

    Kyle immediately appeared at the ce he was originally standing, his lips curved upward while looking at the tree before he disappeared toward the next floor, under the effect of the array.

    The tree looked at Kyle fading image dumbfounded.

    Only after a few minutes passed, did the tree snap out from its daze.

    "You rascal! Don''t you ever let me see you again or else I will eat you up."

    For the first time in its life, the tree was conned. While the tree was fuming with anger, it heard a small rustle behind some bushes.

    The tree looked at the bushes and a young individual with dark blue hair and ck eyes came out.

    It was Alec!

    After following the dot in the system window, he finally appeared at his destination.

    The tree looked at the new arrival and its annoyed expression immediately disappeared.

    It could sense the power of origin inside this young man!

    Before the tree could speak, Alec looked at the tree with a serious expression. He was a little taken aback seeing a face on the tree trunk.

    Also, just like the system described it was an old tree but he didn''t see any fruit on top of the tree.

    Alec was hesitant but still directly spoke to the tree.

    "I am here for the fruits."

    The tree sighed while looking at Alec.

    "Just a moment ago a rasc... Ahem I meant someone took thest fruit I had. Now, it will take twenty years before another fruit sprout on my branch."

    Alec widened his eyes.

    If there were no fruits then why didn''t the system notify him about the mission failure?

    Then suddenly the tree spoke again with a smile.

    "How about waiting for twenty years? You can ept my trial at that time and take one of my fruits."

    Hearing the tree''s words, Alec immediately understood why there was no time limit on the mission and why it didn''t fail even when the tree didn''t have any fruits.

    It''s because in the future, there will definitely be fruits on the tree and then Alec can take them.

    But does he have to stay on this floor for twenty years?

    Alec hurriedly shook his head. No way he was staying on this floor for twenty years!

    "It''s okay, I think I should leave."

    Alec hurriedly turned around. He wanted to run away when suddenly a tree branch stopped his path.

    Alec almost freaked out but then looked at the tree nervously.

    "Kid, I can''t give you a fruit but because you found me. I will send you to the next floor."

    Hearing the tree words, Alec sighed with relief. The tree wasn''t kidnapping him for the next twenty years.

    Under Alec gaze the tree made another array and send him to the next floor.

    After Alec left the tree looked at the sky with a serious expression.

    "Did something happen, why is the unknown power getting involved with mortals?"

 Chapter 73 Third Floor

    <h4>Chapter 73 Third Floor</h4>

    With a splitting headache, Kyle appeared on the third floor.

    He was dizzy due to the sudden teleportation. Also, he used 85 percent of his mana just to use the skill ''Instant Teleportation'' twice.

    That''s why it was better for him to use this skill only when it was necessary.

    While he was busy clearing his head, his feet suddenly caved inside the soil.

    Kyle shuddered feeling a slightly wet feeling around his feet and legs.

    He hurriedly looked down.

    The ground under his feet was filled with wet soil!

    He was still inside a forest but instead of grass, the ground was muddy.

    Also, therge towering trees around him didn''t have green leaves. All the leaves were orange or yellow, giving off a strange unsettling feeling.

    Kyle didn''t have many clothes to begin with. Now seeing the environment, he was sure thest remaining sets of clothes present inside his storage ring would also soon vanish into thin air.

    While he was still panicking looking at the surroundings, a huge golden fireball suddenly shot out from the air directly aiming at his head.

    Kyle''s hair stood up as he jumped toward the left side to avoid the attack, his already half-dirty clothes becamepletely unsightly with mud.

    With a dark expression, he hurriedly looked at the sky where the attack came from.

    It was Bia!

    She was furious!

    Kyle gazed at Bia, for some reason he felt like he knew why she was so angry.

    With a sly smile, he hurriedly tried to pacify her anger. Only to see two more golden fireballsing directly at him.

    "Shit."

    Kyle barely dodged the fireballs with a sweaty forehead.

    When the fireballsnded on the wet ground, it instantly vaporized.

    Seeing Bia''s dead serious expression, Kyle didn''t know whether tough or cry.

    In five minutes, his whole body was filled with mud. Making him look like a swamp monster.

    Kyle was easily able to dodge her attacks but his clothes were not so lucky as him.

    Also, he almost bes bald due to Bia''s restless attacks.

    In the end, to save his hair Kyle sincerely apologized. Bia also took two of the three red fruits he acquired after so much difficulty.

    Kyle''s heart ached when he saw her eat the two fruits in front of him.

    The fruits didn''t even show any effect on Bia!

    He sighed, it was too unfair.

    After observing the old tree''s behavior for a while, Kyle knew the tree was a little childish.

    He was sure the next riddle given by the old tree would be easy and he would be able to answer it.

    That''s why he said that Bia would also participate in the trial. He wasn''t really putting her in any danger.

    Well, if he really did answer wrongly and had no choice but to sacrifice Bia. He was nning on using all his skills, so she could run away.

    Anyway, it was definitely not because Kyle wanted all the fruits that he decided to bet on Bia''s life.

    Also, the tree was rooted in a single ce. It''s not like it would suddenly uproot itself just to follow them.

    ''It probably won''t right?''

    Kyle hurriedly shook his head, he didn''t even dare to imagine a huge tree following behind him with its roots popping out.

    After seeing himself so dirty, Kyle was ufortable. He wanted to change his clothes but it was useless as they would get dirty again because of the environment.

    He looked at thest red fruit left inside his storage ring. It was better for him to eat this fruit or else he would really start regretting everything.

    Kyle hurriedly found a quiet ce before eating the fruit.

    The moment he ate the fruit, a warm feeling spread over his whole body but after a while, his expression changed.

    The warm feeling turned too warm and soon his body started burning.

    A sharp pain shot out from his abdomen before spreading inside his whole body.

    Feeling the intense pain, Kyle cursed. Bia ate two red fruits but felt nothing, while he ate only one and the pain was so unbearable.

    What type of fruit was it for him to feel so much pain?

    After spending a whole hour in pain, Kyle''s body finally returned to its normal temperature.

    Kyle looked at his hands dumbfounded.

    "I broke through to (-D)-Rank?"

    He hurriedly gazed at his stats from the corner of his eyes.

    ______________________________

    Stats:

    Name: Kyle

    Bloodline: Celestial (Locked)

    Rank: -D

    Strength: D

    Mana: D

    Agility: +E

    Talent: SS Rank (suppressed)

    Luck: A

    Skills:

    .....

    ______________________________

    If not for the fruit, it would have taken him one or two more months before he broke through again.

    He could feel, his physique was also greatly enhanced!

    With an excited expression, he was ready to hunt some monsters to check out his new strength.

    Bia who was sitting opposite to him, clicked her tongue. She ate two of the fruits but wasn''t even near a breakthrough. On the other hand, he directly broke through to (-D)-Rank.

    After cleaning his hands, Kyle hurriedly took out the map and looked at thest section.

    The third floor was thest floor drawn on the map, which means his advantage over the others will also disappear after he advanced to the next floor.

    Also, there were only ten or so golden marks on this floor. He wasn''t sure why the golden marks were so low on this floor.

    "Maybe, not everything is recorded inside the old scroll."

    Kyle climbed up a nearby tree, he looked around with squinted eyes. Just like the map, there were only four mountains on this floor.

    Also, all the mountains were too far away from him.

    "I think the floors are getting smaller."

    After getting a general idea of his location, he decided to go toward the biggest mountain because there were two golden marks on that mountain.

    Still, Kyle didn''t walk. He jumped from one tree to another to avoid bing any more dirty.

    While he was moving, he saw a group of monsters. Their body was covered with pointy scales and they looked likerge lizards.

    One of the monsters who seemed to be the leader of the group was (-D)-Rank while all the remaining monsters were (+E)-Rank or lower.

    When Kyle saw the monsters were unable to climb trees. He directly attacked as he wanted to check his new strength.

    Even though the monsters were weak, they were too many that''s why it took Kyle more than two hours to defeat all of them.

    After defeating the monsters, Kyle roamed around that area for a day but he didn''t encounter more monsters.

    He didn''t even see any humans or people from any other race.

 Chapter 74 (-C)-Rank Worms

    <h4>Chapter 74 (-C)-Rank Worms</h4>

    One weekter,

    Kyle was wearing a gloomy expression because no matter how much he tried to protect his clothes, they would be dirty whenever he fought with the monsters.

    He was feeling a headache because if things continue like this soon he wouldn''t have anything to wear.

    After a few more days, Kyle finally spotted some humans who were busy fighting with some snake-like monsters.

    While moving toward the biggest mountain, he also saw two elves but because Kyle didn''t knew who they were, that''s why he left without even giving them a second nce.

    After moving for one more day, he finally arrived in front of the biggest mountain.

    With a relieved expression, Kyle immediately jumped down from the tree and started climbing the mountain.

    He also hurriedly changed his damp clothes into clean ones.

    Finally feelingfortable.

    For the past two weeks, he was like a ghost who jumped around from one tree to another.

    While he was moving toward the biggest mountain, a human identally saw him sitting on a tree branch. The human freaked out and run away while shouting a single word;

    ''Ghost.''

    Seeing the human running away, Biaughed so hard that she was on the verge of tears.

    Thinking about that human who called him a ghost, Kyle clicked his tongue with irritation.

    ''My clothes were just slightly dirty, how dare he called me a ghost.''

    With a serious expression, he looked at himself.

    His clothes were clean and tidy.

    At least while he was on the mountain they won''t get dirty.

    After nodding his head with satisfaction, Kyle started walking upward toward the top of the mountain.

    He already saw the old scroll and knew both of the golden cross marks were almost at the top of the mountain.

    Kyle only walked for around ten minutes when he heard some loud shouts.

    He looked up and saw two figures running toward him frantically.

    They were approaching Kyle at a very fast speed.

    Both of the figures were wearing dirty clothes filled with mud. Even their faces were not visible due to the huge amount of mud sticking to their bodies.

    Seeing the dirty figures, Kyle wanted to move away giving them plenty of space to pass through but before he could his eyes contracted into a slit when he saw three huge 16-meterrge segmented worms following behind those figures.

    All the worms were (-C)-Rank!

    "Fuck!"

    Kyle turned around and started running toward the way he came from.

    He just changed his clothes a few minutes ago. No way in hell would he let them get dirty again!

    While he was running away from the dirty figures and the huge worms, suddenly he heard a familiar excited voice calling his name from behind.

    "Kyle!"

    Kyle slowed down and turned his head backward to confirm his doubt.

    "Nine?"

    "Hahaha, yes it''s me!"

    Another loud excitedughter came from above, but for some reason Kyle shuddered when he saw Nine waving his muddy hand toward him.

    Without even waiting for a second, Kyle sped up.

    He didn''t care who it was, his clothes were more important!

    Bia who was flying above him and seeing everything, startedughing crazily.

    Sheughed so much that Kyle almost had the urge to stop and smack her toward the worms but because he was running, hepletely ignored her.

    On the other hand, seeing Kyle speeding up. Nine also sped up directly going toward his direction.

    After reaching the end of the mountain, Kyle jumped and climbed up the nearest tree.

    He finally sighed with relief after he was a few meters away from the mountain.

    ''Phew, My clothes are safe.''

    After Kyle, Nine and the other figure running beside him also jumped down the mountain and hurriedly climbed some of the trees nearby.

    The segmented worms following behind them stopped when they reached the edge of the mountain.

    After shouting loudly, the worms actually started retreating.

    Nine saw the worms retreating and sighed with relief before looking at Kyle with a smirk.

    "Kyle, how have you been? I didn''t expect to see you here."

    Kyle who was sitting on a nearby tree smiled back. He also didn''t expect to see Nine with so many monsters.

    "I am fine."

    While he replied, he scanned Nine body and was surprised to find out that Nine was already (E)-Rank.

    Nine also scanned Kyle''s body but he wasn''t able to tell his rank.

    He looked at Kyle with slightly wide eyes before introducing the other person beside him.

    The other figure with Nine was called ''Tainin'' and he was from ''Kingdom Loringnad''.

    Nine met him yesterday when he appeared on the third floor and because both of them were humans, they decided to team up.

    Tainin looked at Kyle and nodded. Just like Kyle, he wasn''t much of a talkative person.

    After the worms went away the three of them left the trees, directly jumping on the mountain edge.

    While Kyle was patting his clothes, Nine slowly approached him from behind with a mischievous smile.

    Before Kyle could react, Nine pped his dirty hand on his back.

    "Hahaha, we are meeting after so long why are you behaving so distant."

    Kyle bearly stopped himself from cursing and looked at Nine with a dark expression.

    In the end, he wasn''t able to save his clothes!

    Seeing Kyle''s dark expression, Nine smile widened.

    It seems he was right!

    Nine hurriedly wrapped his dirty arm around Kyle''s neck with a smile.

    "I didn''t expect you to care about clothes so much."

    Kyle looked at Nine smug expression and almost cough up blood.

    ''You knew and yet still ced your dirty arm around my neck!''

    While Nine wasughing. Kyle smacked him, directly throwing him off the mountain edge.

    On the side, Tainin looked at the duo and startedughing as well.

    After Nine walked out from the mud. He looked at Kyle with resentment. Now he waspletely enveloped with wet soil.

    He wanted revenge but then Kyle spoke up with seriousness.

    "Why were the worms following behind both of you."

    Nine and Tainin both looked at each other before telling Kyle everything.

    After both of them teamed up, they looked around the forest but found nothing that''s why they decided to climb the mountain nearest to them.

    When they approached the middle half of the mountain, they saw a cave which was filled with mana stones.

    After seeing the mana stones they be excited and were going to pick up some of the mana stones but then suddenly some worm-type monsters came out from underground and started chasing after them.

    The worms were so persistent that even after they left the cave, the worms didn''t stop chasing after them.

 Chapter 75 A Bait

    <h4>Chapter 75 A Bait</h4>

    After hearing Nine exnation, Kyle nodded with understanding. It''s seemed they have actually found a treasure trove.

    Also, when Kyle heard about the location of the cave, he was sure it was the same as one of two the golden cross marks present on this mountain.

    Kyle started pondering, mana stones were precious as they were used for the activation of teleportation arrays and many other things.

    Mana stones were a type of blue color stones that hold abundant of mana within them and were only produced naturally.

    That''s why all the Kingdoms used them as a second currency after gold coins.

    Also, selling one mana stone was enough for a poor family of 5-6 to livefortably for a month because;

    1 mana stone=100 gold coins,

    1 gold coin= 100 silver coins,

    1 silver coin= 100 bronze coins.

    It would be a pity if Kyle left those precious stones for someone else.

    Right now, the only thing heck was money but if Nine was telling the truth then this problem can be solved for a while.

    After thinking for a while, Kyle asked Nine and Tainin if they would like to go toward the mana stone cave again.

    Kyle wasn''t expecting them to agree because just now he saw how they were chased by so many (-C)-Rank worms.

    He just asked for the sake of politeness as they were the ones who found the mana cave before him.

    But to his surprise even after experiencing such a tragic incident both Nine and Tainin immediately agreed.

    It seems they also didn''t wanted to let go of the mana stones.

    Around thirty minutester;

    Three individuals wearing dirty mud-filled clothes and a small red bird were hiding behind some boulders present at the entrance of a cave.

    They didn''t dare to advance because in front of the boulders was a huge open area where more than five (-C)-Rank worms were munching on some mana stones.

    Also, at the end of the open area, a lot of mana stones were piled in small mountains.

    As Kyle peeked from behind the boulder and looked at the mana stones present behind the worms, a glint shed through his eyes.

    There were so many mana stones!

    He will be rich even if he got half of them. Kyle wasn''t even able to count how many they were.

    The entrance of the cave wasn''t hidden nor was there any trap that''s why the moment they entered the cave, Kyle was able to see the worms and all the mana stones.

    It was like the mana stones were calling everyone to pick them up.

    While Kyle was peeking at the mana stones, Nine who was sitting beside him whispered.

    "So what''s the n?"

    Kyle took a deep breath and retracted his head. He already knew what they needs to do.

    "I think we need a bait."

    Hearing Kyle''s words both Nine and Tianin looked at each other and hurriedly shook their heads.

    There was no way they were going to act as a bait.

    Just an hour ago they saw their death sh through their eyes when the worms were chasing after them.

    It was fortunate that the worms were not fast or else Nine and Tainin didn''t even dare to imagine what would have happened to them.

    When Kyle saw their reluctant expression, he also immediately shook his head.

    He also refused to be a bait.

    While everyone was thinking about what to do, Bia who was sitting on top of a nearby boulder yawned.

    All three of them simultaneously looked toward Bia and a smile formed on their faces.

    Bia who just wanted to sleep because she was too tired suddenly felt a shiver run down her spine when she saw everyone smiling while looking at her.

    -''Shit.''

    In the end, after cursing Kyle for a while Bia agreed to be a bait with a reluctant expression.

    Kyle, Nine and Tainin hurriedly moved away from behind the boulder and hid behind another boulder present at a corner.

    On the other hand, after taking a deep breath Bia pped her wings and flew toward the worms.

    Her eyes showed reluctance. She didn''t wanted to do this but because Kyle promised to give her the next treasure he found that''s why she agreed.

    With her small figure, she appeared on top of the worms who were busy munching on mana stones without caring about anything else.

    After taking a deep breath, Bia pped her wings and two golden fireballs the size of a fist shot out from under her wings.

    The fireballs directly collided with the heads of two worms but it didn''t affect them in the slightest because all the worms were (-C)-Rank.

    The worms screeched loudly and hurriedly looked toward Bia who was sweating buckets.

    With their longrge bodies, the worms tried to bite her but Bia started flying around barely dodging their attacks.

    Due to themotion, the other worms who were lying around also saw Bia and started attacking her.

    Soon, all the worms present inside the cave were hell-bent on killing Bia because she intruded inside their territory.

    Bia also sighed with relief, the worms were not able to approach her because she was flying. Now she only needed to lure them outside so Kyle and the others could take the mana stones.

    While Bia was getting rxed, suddenly the whole cave shook.

    She looked down and almost freaked out.

    Arge ck color worm that was double the size of the previous worms suddenly shot out from the underground.

    Its body was huge almost reaching the top of the cave. The worm hissed loudly and opened its huge mouth to directly eat up the small insect that dare to disturb its sleep.

    Bia''s eyes contracted seeing the long razor-sharp teeth.

    It was (+C)-Rank!

    On the other hand, Kyle''s eyes also widened when he saw another Boss Monster.

    He didn''t expect this oue.

    Seeing Bia''s daze expression, Kyle hastily screamed inside her mind.

    ''Bia fly back immediately!!!''

    Kyle was ready to attack the worm when he saw its razor-sharp teeth almost tearing Bia into pieces.

    But then under Kyle worried gaze, suddenly huge golden mes burst out from Bia''s body and the (+C)-Rank worm withdrew its mouth back with a screech.

    It wasn''t injured, it was just surprised seeing the sudden outburst of mes.

    Taking advantage of the worm distraction, Bia hurriedly retreated toward the exit of the cave.

    Her face was ashen as she seemingly cursed someone inside her head.

    -''Kyle, you fucker this time I am really gonna kill you.''

 Chapter 76 Acquiring Tons of Mana Stones

    <h4>Chapter 76 Acquiring Tons of Mana Stones</h4>

    After Bia flew toward the exit of the cave. The huge worm screeched loudly and the whole cave started shaking before it immediately started following behind her.

    All the other (-C)-Rank also started following behind the (+C)-Rank worm who was the leader of their group.

    After reaching the end of the cave, Bia directly flew outside with all the worms chasing after her.

    On the other hand, Kyle stood in his ce with his eyes wide. His mind was flooded with the hundred of curse Bia was throwing toward him.

    He finally sighed with relief, seeing everything going ording to the n. The (+C)-Rank worm appearance was a huge scare but Bia seemed to have handled everything.

    Nine and Tainin were also surprised when they saw Bia using golden mes. When they saw her they thought she was just a normal bird but now seeing her using golden mes they were sure she was bounded to Kyle.

    After all the worms left. Kyle, Nine and Tainin stopped hiding and immediately rushed toward the piles of mana stones.

    They don''t have much time!

    ording to the previous discovery, the worms won''t leave the mountain.

    They will probably stop chasing after Bia when she entered the forest and will return within twenty or so minutes.

    With happy expressions, Nine and Tainin hurriedly touched some mana stones and filled their storage rings but even after that there were a lot of mana stones left.

    They only had one storage ring that''s why after filling the ring they looked at Kyle who was standing beside them seemingly waiting for them to finish.

    With a serious expression, Kyle hurriedly put both of his hands on some mana stones.

    Nine almost had the urge to curse when he saw so many storage rings present on Kyle''s fingers.

    Most importantly among the six storage rings Kyle was wearing 5 were high grade!

    "Where the heck did you get so many storage rings."

    Hearing Nine bitter voice, Kyle shrugged his shoulders and hurriedly started filling his storage rings.

    After a few minutes, all the mana stones present inside the cave were nowhere to be seen and among the six storage rings Kyle''s hand 4 were filled to the brim with the mana stones.

    Nine clicked his tongue with jealousy seeing Kyle''s satisfied expression.

    "Let''s leave before the worms came back."

    Kyle and Tainin nodded and all three of them hurriedly left the cave.

    Meanwhile, when Bia reached the edge of the mountain the worm stopped chasing after her, they shouted loudly at Bia''s flying figure before reluctantly retreating toward the cave.

    When the worms appeared back inside the cave, they almost went crazy.

    The cave was deste and not a single mana stone could be seen.

    The leader worm that was (+C)-Rank screeched loudly with bloodshot eyes and the whole cave shook violently.

    .....

    Kyle and the others who were already too far from the cave, felt the ground beneath their feet tremble because of the loud screeching soundsing directly from the cave.

    Only when they were almost at the opposite side of the mountain did they stop and sighed with relief.

    They looked at each other and startedughing.

    It was indeed hrious how they tricked the monsters.

    After everyone calm down, Nine asked Kyle about his ns as to what he was going to do next.

    He also asked Kyle to travel together for a while because the floor was quite dangerous, filled with high-rank monsters.

    Anyway, when they left who knows when they will meet again?

    Kyle was hesitant because he liked it when he roam around alone but then he looked at Nine pleading face and agreed with a sigh.

    Tainin also didn''t have any problem with everyone traveling together for a while. He just nodded with a smile.

    While everyone was talking, Bia also appeared.

    She was angry but she didn''t wanted to talk to Kyle that''s why she just hmped angrily and sat on top of his head.

    Kyleughed bitterly feeling Bia''s angry mood but he didn''t say anything because he could feel her trying to sleep.

    She had been helping him a lot and Kyle knew she deserved some rest.

    On the other hand, Kyle was also facing another dilemma. He was not sure if he should tell Nine and Tainin about the old scroll.

    He knew Nine personally and trusted him that''s why he was willing to tell him but Kyle wasn''t sure about Tainin.

    After thinking for a while, he decided to not tell them about the map. It was better that way.

    Next morning, after everyone was done resting and eating. Kyle suggested going toward the top of the mountain.

    He wanted to go toward the next golden cross mark present on the mountain but he didn''t wanted to tell them about the map that''s why Kyle just said that they should ''thoroughly'' search the mountain before leaving.

    Nine and Tainin were confused but then they agreed. It''s not like they had other ns.

    After climbing toward the top of the mountain for two whole days. They saw a huge stone tablet standing vertically between a pile of rocks.

    Different from the rocks, the table was filled with strange patterns.

    Kyle and Nine didn''t understand anything written on the tablet but the moment Tainin saw the tablet he spoke with a serious expression.

    "It''s an array."

    Tainin had learned about arrays from his grandfather. He didn''t knew about them much but the array on the stone tablet was a low-rank array. That''s why he was able to see through it easily.

    Kyle and Nine looked at Tainin who was busy studying the array and hurriedly moved back.

    It was better for the professional to take care of the problem.

    While Kyle and Nine were waiting at the side, suddenly Tainin''s confused expression changed into understanding and he hurriedly waved his hand on the stone tablet.

    The stone tablet lit up and all the pattern present on it gathered together before the floor beneath Tainin''s feet disappeared.

    He wasn''t even able to scream when his body fell inside the hole.

    Kyle and Nine hurriedly approached the ce where Tainin was standing and saw a huge dark tunnel leading underground.

    They looked at each other seemingly waiting for the other to go first.

    "Kyle I think you should...."

    Before Nine couldplete his sentence Kyle moved backward and kicked him inside the dark tunnel.

    Under Kyle''s gaze, Nine disappeared inside the dark tunnel.

    After a few seconds, Kyle heard some shoutsing from the dark tunnel.

    "Kyle, you bastard!!

    Hearing the voice Kyle nodded his head.

    "It''s safe."

    Without waiting any further, Kyle took a deep breath and jumped down as well.

 Chapter 77 The tunnel leading underground

    <h4>Chapter 77 The tunnel leading underground</h4>

    After Kyle jumped down, hended straight on his feet. The ground beneath his feet was ck and the surrounding was dimly lit due to some scattered stones emitting a white hue.

    The tunnel leading underground looked endless from outside but it seemed it wasn''t that deep.

    Bia also flew inside behind Kyle, after ncing around the ce she hurriedly settled herself on top of Kyle''s head.

    On the other hand, Kyle looked around and saw Nine rubbing his back while looking at him with resentment.

    "Where''s Tainin?"

    Hearing Kyle''s question, Nine be serious and pointed his finger on the left side.

    Just a few meters away from them, Tainin was lying on the ground.

    Seeing Tainin''s steady breathing, Kyle sighed with relief. It seemed he fainted due to the sudden descent.

    Nine approached Tainin and hurriedly shook his body, trying to wake him up.

    "Tainin?.."

    "Agh ...."

    With a muffled sound, Tainin opened his eyes and looked around before hurriedly standing up straight and dusting his clothes.

    After everyone gathered, they gazed at the path ahead of them. There was a big deste tunnel leading forward and nothing else.

    Everyone slowly started walking forward with caution. The tunnel ground was ck and it was made of a bunch of uneven rocks.

    Seeing himself in the front, Kyle frowned and looked back at the two men following behind him.

    "Why am I leading?"

    It was obvious, if there was any danger Kyle have to face it first but to his question Nine replied proudly with a serious expression.

    "It''s because you are the strongest."

    Tainin also chimed in and nodded his head seriously. Kyle narrowed his eyes looking at both of them before clicking his tongue.

    To Kyle''s surprise after hearing their conversation, Bia slowly pped her wings and went backward, sitting on top of Nine''s shoulder.

    Kyle cursed, it was because they were treating him like a meat shield.

    When was thest time he was used like this?

    Still, he walked forward leading everyone deeper inside the tunnel. The whole tunnel was the same, nothing changed on their way nor did they face any danger.

    After five or so minutes, they saw some light at the end of the tunnel.

    Kyle was the first who left the tunnel and appeared inside an open clearing.

    Behind him, Nine and Tainin also left the tunnel and looked around the open area.

    Unlike the faintly dim tunnel, the area in front of them was brightly lit up with hundreds of bright golden color stones scattered everywhere.

    On their left side, under the bright golden glow, water was gushing out from the top of the ceiling but it didn''t stop inside the area instead the water made its way downward through some cracks and holes present on the ground.

    There were 5-6 golden-colored flowers blooming around the water, giving off an ethereal yet calm feeling.

    In front of them were six more tunnels but unlike the tunnel they traveled from, these tunnels were engraved with different numbers.

    The first tunnel had number 1 engraved on top of it while thest tunnel had number 6 engraved on top of it.

    Without waiting for the others, Kyle hurriedly walked toward the golden flowers and directly uprooted all of them, making everyone dumbfounded.

    He looked at Nine and Tainin and gave them two each before tossing the others inside one of his storage rings.

    Nine sighed looking at the lifeless flowers present inside his hand. He didn''t knew what they were used for but seeing the faint golden glow around the flowers, he was sure they were valuable.

    After cing the flowers gentlly inside his storage ring which barely had any space, Nine looked at Kyle and Tainin.

    "So which tunnel should we enter?"

    Hearing Nine question, Kyle pondered before pointing his finger toward the number 1 tunnel.

    Tainin choose the tunnel with number two because number two was his favorite.

    Meanwhile, Nine hurriedly shook his head.

    "No, I think we should choose the middle one. What if the first one is hell difficulty."

    Then suddenly Tainin''s eyes showed a hint of seriousness.

    "Now that everyone''s choice is different, how about we all go inside the one we choose."

    Kyle blinked his eyes twice before directly heading toward the first number tunnel.

    He wasn''t sure about other things but one thing for sure, Kyle was confident in his choice.

    Well even if he told them it''s not like they would believe him.

    Bia who was sitting on top of Nine''s shoulder, hurriedly flew toward Kyle.

    Even though he was a detestable being, she was sure following Kyle was the safest.

    At the same time, Tainin walked and entered the second tunnel.

    Nine looked at the fading backs and be dumbfounded. He slowly mumbled under his breath.

    "Why are they so confidant and going alone, what''s if it''s dangerous?"

    He sighed and reluctantly entered the middle tunnel, now there was no meat shield in front of him. He has to face all the danger himself.

    ...

    After Kyle entered the tunnel, blinding golden light invaded his vision and the image in front of him be blurry.

    A few secondster, the vision in front of his eyes changed and he found himself inside a white empty room.

    There was nothing inside the room, it waspletely white with smoke-like clouds hovering around him.

    He gazed around and saw a white book hovering in the air at the end of the room.

    Kyle stepped forward toward the book but then suddenly the white smoke around him trembled and turned into hundreds of monsters.

    Some monsters were flying, some were standing on limbs while some were crawling.

    The monster were all white, with no true body form but they all fixed their hollow eyes at Kyle who was trying to approach the book.

    There wasn''t any mana or pressure around their bodies, making it hard to identify their rank.

    Kyle left eye twitched when he saw all types of white fog monsters staring at him with creepy hollow eyes just because he took a step toward the book.

    ''What will happen if I took another step forward?''

    Bia who was sitting on top of his head didn''t knew whether tough or cry. She spoke with a choked voice.

    -''Of course. They will pounce on us.''

    Bia choose to follow Kyle because he was the safest choice.

    And after seeing the white book she was sure he entered the tunnel with the most benefit but was it fortune or misfortune?

    In this type of situations, Bia really wished Kyle didn''t have this much luck or else one day she will die due to his too excessive luck.

 Chapter 78 Ancient book of Arrays

    <h4>Chapter 78 Ancient book of Arrays</h4>

    After the white clouds monsters assembled around Kyle.

    He knew it was going to be a tough fight because there was no path leading outside.

    The only thing he could see behind himself was white light.

    On the other hand, with teary eyes, Bia had the urge to p her past self.

    -''Why the fuck did I choose to follow Kyle.''

    Still, in the end, she swallowed back the tears threatening to emerge from her eyes and started flying.

    Kyle also unsheathed his sword. He knew the moment he took another step forward, all the monsters in his surroundings would immediately pounce at him.

    After getting ready, he stepped forward with a serious expression, and just like he thought all the monsters lunged forward directly at him.

    He shed his sword at one of the nearby white monsters that was simr to a bear.

    -SLASH!

    To his surprise, the bear-type fog monster disappeared after his sword shed its body into two.

    Kyle narrowed his eyes looking at the few white particles disappearing into the air.

    He didn''t feel any resistance from the monster, it was like his sword passed through butter. It was too easy to kill!

    Kyle''s expression gradually rxed a little. There were hundreds of monsters but if he tried, he could kill them all because their bodies weren''t as hard as an actual monster nor did they have any skill.

    They were just pouncing at him with their huge bodies.

    With another swing of his sword, Kyle shed two more white monsters.

    Meanwhile, Bia gazed at the flying monsters around her with seriousness.

    She didn''t care and just started throwing fireballs at them.

    Under her gaze, a single fireball killed two white fog monsters.

    Kyle didn''t use any skill and just shed his sword left and right continuously to kill the monsters around him.

    Seeing the weak monsters dying one by one under his sword, he was baffled.

    Killing them wasn''t difficult at all. It''s just they were too many.

    Suddenly a thought shed through Kyle''s mind, for some time he had been thinking of practicing the second move of his sword Art but because the second move required a lot of practice targets that''s why Kyle left it for the future.

    But now seeing so many targets in front of him his sword rhythm suddenly changed.

    Huge Mana surged out from his body directly entering the sword. A whitish-grey hue enveloped his swordpletely before Kyle hurriedly took a step back.

    As he grabbed his sword more tightly between his fingers a small ck color vortex formed on the tip of his sword.

    Kyle wasn''t expecting anything grand as it was the first time he was using the second move of ''Void Shattering Strikes''.

    The vortex on the tip of the sword was barely visible but when Kyle saw it, his eyes lit up and he swung his sword vertically on the monster pouching toward him. All this transpired within a few seconds.

    With a cracking sound, a huge amount of mana poured out from his sword.

    -BOOM!

    As his sword struck the ground and the white fog monsters in front of him. Kyle was stunned when he saw the aftereffects of his attack.

    Arge few-meter gap formed between the wave of monstersing at him, eliminating almost 100 monsters in one go.

    With a serious expression, Kyle mumbled under his breath.

    "That''s the effect of the Second strike: Eradicate."

    Compared to the first strike ''eliminate'' which was only used to kill a single enemy the second strike was arge-range attack. It was used for killing multiple enemies at the same time.

    "Still, it consumed too much of my mana."

    Kyle sighed while he shed some more white monsters.

    The single strike caused him almost 50 percent of his total mana which means he can only use it twice right now.

    Bia who was fighting above his head was also surprised to see the effect of Kyle''s sword strike.

    More than four hourster, both of them were finally able to kill all of the white fog monsters.

    Kyle was lying on the white ground while breathing heavily. Bia was also sitting beside him, she used all of her mana during the battle.

    Even though Kyle have no power left within his body, he made himself stand up after lying around for ten minutes.

    With a smile, he looked at the white book hovering at the end of the room.

    He approached the book with slow steps, right now there wasn''t a single white fog monster around him.

    After arriving in front of the book. Kyle creased his fingers on top of the silver words written on the book cover.

    "Ancient Arrays."

    He sighed. It wasn''t very useful because Kyle knew nothing about arrays.

    Then suddenly the face of his ''master'' shed through Kyle''s eyes.

    "I will ask the old man, he should probably know something about it."

    He tossed the book inside his storage ring.

    The moment he ced the book inside his storage ring, the white room shook and the image in front of Kyle became distorted again before he and Bia both appeared in the same area from where they parted with the others.

    Kyle looked back and the tunnel with the number 1 engraved on it was nowhere to be found.

    He looked at the other five tunnels and tried to enter the one with the number 6 but the tunnel entrance was blocked by some invisible screen that''s why he wasn''t able to enter.

    Kyle sighed and simply sat down at a side, waiting for the Nine and Tainin toe out from the tunnels.

    He didn''t have to wait a lot as after twenty minutes, Tainin came out from the tunnel where number two was engraved.

    Compared to Kyle whose clothes were intact Tainin''s clothes were tattered.

    Kyle could even see some holes in various ces.

    After dusting his clothes, Kyle approached Tainin and asked him how did it go.

    In answer, Tainin sighed and said that after entering the tunnel he appeared inside an empty white room filled with fog-type monsters and all of them pounced at him the moment he stepped forward.

    After Tainin was done defeating the monsters he appeared outside.

    While Kyle and Tainin were talking Nine also emerged from the middle tunnel. His condition was even worse than Tainin''s.

    His whole upper shirt was torn, making him half-naked.

    Seeing Nine condition, Bia immediately took back all of her past words where she was thinking of following him instead of Kyle.

    On the other hand, Nine had tears in his eyes when he looked at Kyle and Tainin.

    He also encountered an empty white room filled with fog monsters.

    Nine was fine killing the fog monsters but then suddenly a big huge white monster appeared out of thin air. It was too strong and started beating Nine up like a ball.

    After Nine was done telling his sad story, he looked at Kyle and Tainin and asked them if they found something.

    Tainin immediately shook his head, indicating he didn''t find anything.

    Meanwhile, a big smirk appeared on Kyle''s face as he looked at Nine tattered condition.

    Nine saw his smirk and cursed before looking at Kyle with pleading eyes.

    "What did you find?"

    With a humble smile, Kyle showed both of them the white book for a second before throwing the book back inside his storage ring in front of their regretful eyes.

    Nine wanted to cry. He ced his hand around Kyle''s neck and showed him a genuine smile.

    "Next time, I am definitely going to follow you bro."

    Afterward, all of them immediately walked out of the tunnel.

    There wasn''t anything left inside the tunnel so there was no point in staying there.

    Also, even after trying a few times, they weren''t able to enter the other tunnels.

    When they left the tunnel, the sun was already setting down the horizon, indicating the end of the day.

    They spent the night on the mountain and the next day early morning Kyle decided to say farewell to Nine and Tainin.

    He wanted to go toward the other golden cross marks.

    Nine sighed but agreed.

    After Kyle, Tainin also said he wanted to go in a different direction to search for more opportunities.

    And all three of them went in different directions after entering the forest.

 Chapter 79 Leaving the third floor

    <h4>Chapter 79 Leaving the third floor</h4>

    After leaving Nine and Tainin, Kyle took out the old scroll from his storage ring.

    He gazed at it, there were only 8 or so golden cross marks left after he was done with the ones present on the biggest mountain.

    With a sigh, Kyle tossed the scroll back inside his storage ring.

    "Why are they so dam far?"

    Every single golden cross mark engraved on the scroll was present at a long distance. It would take him one or two weeks just to reach the nearest one.

    There was no way he would be able to collect all of them with his speed.

    Also, it had been almost two months since he appeared inside the Tower and yet he held zero clue regarding the ''Elixir of life'', his main purpose.

    With each passing second, Kyle was getting a little anxious and slowly but surely some doubts were appearing inside his mind.

    What if he wasn''t able to find the Elixir?

    Kyle hurriedly shook his head, getting rid of all the negative thoughts.

    There wasn''t any choice for what if''s.

    ''I will find the Elixir no matter what.''

    Kyle gazed around and looked at the tall green trees. He was sitting on top of a tree as the ground was filled with wet soil.

    When he saw the condition of his clothes he almost had the urge to throw them away but he stopped himself.

    "I only have 3-4 sets of clothes left."

    After looking around for a while, he directly sped up toward the north as the nearest golden cross mark was present there.

    On his way, he saw a lot more individuals fighting with monsterspared to the first week he arrived on the third floor.

    Still, the number of people Kyle saw was too small.

    It was like only 55 percent of the original 500 people who entered the Tower were able to arrive at the third floor.

    Also, among the ones present on the third floor many will not be able to advance toward the next floor.

    It was because the Tower was bing dangerous with every floor they climbed.

    Not everyone was powerful enough to advance further toward the top floors.

    While traveling, Kyle killed a lot of monsters. Mostly the monsters he encounter were earth lizards who lived inside wet soil.

    It was hard to fight them as they would just enter inside the ground and hid their presencepletely.

    That''s why those strange lizards mostly escaped before Kyle could kill them.

    He was quite frustrated due to them.

    A weekter, Kyle saw a familiar face among the people he saw while climbing from one tree to another.

    It was Lily.

    One of Kyle''s ssmates.

    Just like Kyle, her attire was dirty with dust and mud.

    Kyle only recognized her due to her striking silver hair and silver eyes.

    Together with two elves, Lily was fighting with arge (+D)-Rank turtle who waspletely brown.

    It was huge with six small feet underneath its sturdy shell.

    The turtle also had an affinity with earth element as it was easily able to manipte the said element around its body, forming a huge shield whenever Lily or the elves tried to attack it.

    Kyle raised his brow sensing Lily''s rank, she wasn''t any weaker than Nine. Almost on the verge of breaking through to (+E)-Rank. It seemed she found a lot of good stuff on the first and second floors.

    After watching the fight for a while, Kyle frowned because the situation was worsening because one of the elves got injured.

    He sighed and jumped down from the tree. Even though he didn''t knew about her much but still Lily was his ssmate so it was better to help her.

    It''s not like it would take much time.

    When Kyle jumped down, Lily and the elves were surprised to see him appearing out of nowhere but soon the surprise turn into caution as no one knew who he was.

    Also, he was looking like a lump of y due to all the mud present on his clothes.

    Kyle didn''t bother with them and after helping them defeat the turtle, he left without saying anything.

    After Kyle left, Lily and the elves looked at each other before Lily sighed and spoke seriously.

    "I think I know who he was. I just didn''t expect him to be so strong."

    .....

    On the other hand, Kyle ventured around the forest, finding the golden cross marks. Time was ticking very fast and within the blink of an eye, one month passed.

    In this month, he found a lot of good things. Mainly fruits and herbs.

    He also faced death two times because some boss monsters were always present whenever the treasure was too precious.

    Well, mostly Bia was the one who did all the dirty work or stealing. She was quite useful whenever Kyle needed to pick up something under someone else nose.

    He was quite satisfied with his gains on this floor but still, he didn''t find the ''Elixir of life''.

    Kyle sighed, right now he was standing inside a dark room.

    In front of him was a majestic white stairway that will probably send him to the next floor.

    A finger size white orb was also floating in front of the stairway.

    Just a few hours ago, Kyle found the location of one of the golden cross marks which was present at the edge of a mountain.

    With the help of Bia, he defeated a (D)-Rank monster and some (+E)-Rank monsters roaming around at the edge of the mountain.

    After the (D)-Rank monster died, he entered a small passageway leading underground where he fought some more (+E)-Rank monsters.

    While he advanced further inside the dark passageway, he also saw a (+C)-Rank horned fox monster but with the help of a good bait like Bia, Kyle was able to avoid dying under that (+C)-Rank monster.

    After tricking the (+C)-Rank monster, he arrived in this dark room where a familiar stairway was standing proudly in front of him.

    Kyle stepped forward and grabbed the core floating in front of him.

    It was a skill core.

    He checked the skill information but it wasn''t much useful.

    The skill was a long-range fire attack called ''Fire Rain''.

    ________________

    #*Fire rain (B)-Rank:

    User can use mana to create a sea of fire descending directly on the enemies from the sky. The more mana used, therger the range of the attack.

    ________________

    Just like Kyle other skills it also consumed a lot of mana. Still, he learned the skill as it will be useful in the future.

    After learning the skill, he looked at the white stairway.

    Now it was time to leave this floor, he wanted to stay more as there were still some golden cross marks he didn''t plunder but they were too far away.

    It will probably take one more month, if he decided to sweep all of them.

    -''But you don''t have time.''

    Bia''s child like voice resounded inside Kyle''s head, who nodded his head slightly in answer.

    He can only stay inside the Tower for six months and almost 3 months had already passed, that''s why he can''t stay on this floor anymore.

    With a sigh, Kyle stepped on the white stairway.

    After he reached the top, white light enveloped his body and he disappeared from the third floor.

 Chapter 80 A Maze I

    <h4>Chapter 80 A Maze I</h4>

    On the fourth floor of the ''Tower of Opportunity''.

    Amidst a huge maze, spreading thousands of kilometers in radius. Two individuals wearing tattered clothes were seen advancing with all their might.

    After facing hundreds of monsters with every twist and turn, the two of them looked dead tired.

    Inside the maze, they could see a big sun and a vast sky on top of their heads.

    The towering walls of the maze were made of a bunch of silver stones stacked on top of each other. Their tall height touched the vast blue sky.

    Hundreds of tree vines were also descending from above, seemingly trying to wrap the silver stones together.

    Even though the walls of the maze looked very weak and feeble but the silver stones didn''t even move slightly when the two individuals used their most powerful attacks on them.

    One of the two individuals who was at the front cursed loudly. His golden hair fluttered as he killed another monster.

    Even though his clothes were tattered, they were luxurious like royals.

    The person standing behind him also didn''t look weak or poor as he radiated an elegant and powerful aura.

    Suddenly the individual standing behind the golden hair youth spoke with a tired face.

    "It''s the 79th monster we encounter, Prince Kelvin."

    Prince Kelvin looked back at hispanion with a frown.

    "Jian, I think you should lead. I can''t carry on, I am tired."

    Jian who had light red hair showed a teary expression, indicating he was too tired to even move.

    "Sigh, okay let''s rest for a while."

    With the permission of Prince Kelvin both of them sat beside the silver stone wall.

    Prince Kelvin was the second son of King Foraan who is the current ruler of ''Kingdom Whitnd'' and Jian was his childhood friend.

    Both of them grew up together, the only difference was that Prince Kelvin awakened (+S)-Rank talent while Jian awakened the legendary (+SSS)-Rank.

    Still, even after that their friendship never changed.

    They knew each other from a very young age, there was no way they would be distant just because one of them awakened a low talent.

    Also, after entering the Tower they were easily able to locate each other because King Foraan made some special arrangements for them before they left the Kingdom.

    The King called an old array master who drew a V-shaped special symbol on their wrist.

    With the help of that V-shaped symbol, Jian and Kelvin were able to locate each other inside the Tower.

    Jian who was sitting beside Kelvin nced at his tired face.

    ''I feel like crying, I never knew we were so unfortunate.''

    His thoughts wandered around, from the moment they left the Kingdom to the moment they arrived on the fourth floor, they faced so many problems that even Jian the person who was always serious wanted to cry.

    First, after arriving at the city around the Tower they lost the precious ''Scroll'' King Foraan gave them when they left for the Tower.

    Not just the scroll, they lost all their weapons and essories.

    Of course, the dam thief was never found even when Price Kelvin deployed all his forces.

    It was like they were gued with bad luck because after the scroll, they lost all the mana stones and money they bought with them.

    Making it impossible for them to buy new weapons for themselves.

    Still, with the help of some elders who came with them, the problem of money and weapons was solved.

    Both Jian and Kelvin finally sighed with relief, thinking now everything will be fine.

    After entering the Tower, just like they decided Jian hurriedly found Prince Kelvin, but the moment he found him they were chased around by two Boss monsters.

    In the end, the only thing they did on the first floor was to run for their life.

    After the first floor, the experience on the second floor was also very bad. Leaving a very bad taste inside Jian''s mouth.

    The third floor was better as after meeting each other on that floor they found some incredible fruits but now it seemed they used all of their luck on the third floor.

    Because the moment they appeared on the fourth floor, they have been fighting nonstop.

    They didn''t find a single clue regarding the maze surrounding them.

    With every turn they took new monsters would emerge, heck they even almost died a few hours ago when a (-C)-Rank monster suddenly pounced on them.

    It was all thanks to the past experiences of running around on the first and second floor did they survive or else Jian was sure he would have probably perished together with his dear friend.

    After resting for a while, Kelvin stood up and sighed.

    "Let''s continue we have to find a way out of this maze."

    Jian nodded and also stood up while trying to wipe his non-existent tears.

    .....

    Meanwhile, after disappearing from the third floor. Kyle appeared in front of a huge open majestic gate.

    He looked back and saw nothing except white walls and clouds.

    "There''s no other way, we have to enter inside the gate."

    Bia who was beside him also looked at the gate with curiosity.

    The gate was made of silver stones with long tree vines dangling around it.

    With a deep breath, Kyle stepped inside the gate, only to see long towering silver stone walls surrounding him from all sides.

    He walked toward the nearest wall and tried to punch it with full power.

    -BOOM!

    A loud sound reverted inside the empty path, but the stone wall didn''t even budge from its ce.

    On the other hand, Bia who was hovering above Kyle finally spoke seeing the long walls and strange paths.

    -''It''s a maze.''

    "A maze?"

    Kyle blinked his eyes.

    "Hmm, It seems it''s true that the Tower floors are altered every time after the third floor because a maze has never appeared inside the Tower before."

    After looking around, Bia went toward Kyle.

    -''The walls are too tall, I don''t think I will be able to reach their edges.''

    Kyle sighed. It seems for the fourth floor he has to find the exit of this maze or else he won''t be able to advance further.

 Chapter 81 A Maze II

    <h4>Chapter 81 A Maze II</h4>

    Amidst the towering walls of the maze, there were two paths in front of Kyle.

    One was leading to the left side and one to the right.

    Now that he was on the fourth floor, the old scroll he bought from the strange dwarf was useless that''s why he have to find the exit of this vast maze by himself.

    With a serious expression, Kyle started pondering as to which side he should go.

    After a while, he decided to go toward the left path but before he could step forward two individuals wearing tattered clothes suddenly emerged out from that side.

    With a caution expression, Kyle stepped back and gripped his sword hilt tightly. He looked at the two individuals who just appeared in front of him.

    Both of them were almost the same height as him, the one who was leading had golden hair while the other had light red.

    The golden hair individual was holding a spear while the red hair seemed to be a mage as there was a small red color wand tied to his waist.

    The thing that caught Kyle''s attention was the expensive grey armor underneath their tattered clothes.

    Armors were not rare but they were too expensive.

    ''I think they are from a rich family.''

    While Kyle was busy analyzing the two individuals, one of the individuals who had red hair suddenly fell to his knees.

    Tears stream down his cheeks as he looked at the gate, Kyle entered from.

    His voice was choked as he tried to grab the golden hair individual legs.

    "N.ot agai..n."

    Theypletely ignored Kyle who was dumbfounded when he saw the red-haired guy weeping with distress.

    Bia who was sitting on top of Kyle also looked at the red hair individual and gave her opinion.

    -''I think he lost it.''

    -''You know that thing called brain?''

    Under Kyle''s gaze, the golden hair individual immediately stepped back, stopping the red hair individual from grabbing his legs.

    The golden hair individual finally gazed at Kyle and be embarrassed because of the red hair individual.

    "Get up, Jian. Someone else is present here beside us."

    The red hair individual who was called Jian also looked at Kyle and tried to smile but his smile was not beautiful at all. He was smiling but tears were still streaming down his cheeks continuously.

    Kyle was momentarily speechless. He didn''t knew what to say anymore the situation was too awkward.

    The red hair individual who was called Jian was sitting between the path Kyle wanted to enter that''s why Kyle had no choice but to speak.

    "Are you alright?"

    Jian looked at Kyle while wiping away his tears.

    "Am I ...alright? Do I look.. fine to you?"

    After Kyle, Jian looked at the golden hair individual.

    "Kelvin do something. I am too tired no I am dead tired. It''s been three weeks since we appeared inside this floor and the only thing we did was to find the starting point two times."

    The golden hair individual who was called Kelvin sighed and shook his head. It was not like he couldn''t understand Jian. It''s just he can''t do anything about their situation.

    They have been struck on this floor for three dam weeks!

    No one would be able to remainposed after experiencing so much.

    After a while, Jian finally calm down but he was too embarrassed to look at Kyle who just saw him weeping that''s why Kelvin approached Kyle and introduced himself and Jian.

    Kelvin didn''t tell Kyle anything else except for their names and from which Kingdom they belonged as he didn''t knew what type of person Kyle was.

    Also, it was not right to trust someone immediately.

    In reply, Kyle also introduced himself as ''Kyle Ohan'' from Kingdom Ete.

    Once again there was silence because after Kyle introduced himself with a simple line he didn''t speak anything else but then Jian stood up with a serious expression.

    "Let''s go together, no matter what I will find the exit of this maze and then I will kill the person who designed this dam maze!"

    Jian determined voice echoed inside the vast maze, making Kelvin look at him with pride but Kyle only replied with an ''Oh''.

    Kyle would have already left if not for Jian who was weeping between the path he wanted to enter.

    He sighed, he wanted to go alone but after seeing the condition of Kelvin and Jian, Kyle changed his thoughts of going alone.

    The maze seemed too dangerous.

    Bia also urged him to go together with Kelvin and Jian as it was safest to have some meat shield with them.

    After Kyle nodded, the three of them decided to find the exit together.

    There were only two paths in front of them.

    Both Kelvin and Jian looked at each other and left the decision to choose the path on Kyle because three weeks ago they choose the left path but in the end ended uping back through the right path.

    The second time they choose the right path but it seemed the starting point loved them so much that they ended up here again from the left path.

    Kyle was surprised at how easily they left such a big decision on him.

    With a serious expression, he entered the left path together with the others.

    Under the bright sun that was burning on top of their heads, Bia fell asleep while Kyle and the others kept walking straight on the left path.

    Kyle was still vignt around Kelvin and Jian but after seeing them for a while he was sure they weren''t bad people.

    While walking Jian started talking. Telling Kyle about his experience inside the fourth floor.

    Of course, he left a lot of embarrassing details as to how both he and Kelvin were targeted by a lot of ''Boss Monsters''.

    "This floor is too dam shitty. I think it will take us months just to find the exit."

    Kyle nodded and gripped his sword more tightly because ording to Jian they will encounter monsters the moment they choose the next path.

    There was also a 10 percent chance to encounter a boss monster.

    The fourth floor was really too dangerous.

 Chapter 82 Amazing Sight

    <h4>Chapter 82 Amazing Sight</h4>

    As Kyle, Jian and Kelvin walked together everyone was quiet.

    There was silence because after Jian stopped talking no one started another conversation.

    They took each step with caution and among them the most serious one was Kyle.

    After listening to Jian, he was sure they would encounter monsters soon.

    They walked straight for a while before seeing three more paths in front of them.

    Kelvin looked at Kyle who pondered for a while and pointed toward the right path.

    Jian took a deep breath and slowly walked behind Kelvin as they approached the right path with slow steps.

    Kyle was also ready to fight anything that pounced on them.

    As everyone made a turn to the right with serious expressions, their eyes narrowed because there was nothing.

    The small straight path between the silver stone walls was empty.

    Not just monsters it was devoid of even a single sound.

    Kyle released his held breath and started walking straight again with the others.

    Just like that every twenty to thirty minutester they would see different paths and Kyle would choose as to which path they should enter.

    Kyle''s rhyme was very easy as first he would choose to go left and then right.

    After 6 hours,

    Jian''s expression was nk as he looked at yet another straight empty path in front of him. Even Kelvin looked shocked.

    They both have a lot of questions in their minds.

    Were they even inside the same maze?

    Where are the hundreds of monsters both Jian and Kelvin encounter during their time?

    And Why the fuck is it so quiet?

    Jian looked at Kyle who was wearing a serious expression.

    He was intelligent and after linking everything together he knew it was all because of this man that they didn''t encounter a single monster.

    ''I think he is the son of the goddess of fortune!''

    With a serious expression, Jian immediately decided to befriend Kyle.

    On the other hand, after one more hour Kyle was speechless.

    ''Didn''t they say there are a lot of monsters? Why didn''t we encounter any?''

    After the bright day turned into night. They all decided to stop and rest.

    Next day early morning, they finally encounter some monsters but all of the monsters were (+E)-Rank.

    Together they took care of the monsters within a few minutes and continue advancing.

    Kyle''s rhyme of choosing left and right also continued.

    Soon three more days passed. In these three days, they encounter monsters two more times but because the monsters were quite weak they easily took care of them.

    Also, Jian tried everything to be close with Kyle but because Kyle was not talkative he wasn''t able to make much progress.

    As they made another turn toward the right path a huge circr area appeared in front of their eyes.

    Everyone''s jaw dropped as they saw thousands of finger-sized bright orbs and small golden boxes floating magically above the vast circr area.

    Under those precious orbs and golden boxes, arge familiar white stairway was standing, beside the stairway there was arge stone tablet where ''Choose one and leave'' was engraved.

    Jian rubbed his eyes not believing what he was seeing before mumbling in a daze.

    "I take back the words when I said It will take months to find the exit of this maze."

    He looked at Kyle who was also shocked when he saw those thousands of orbs.

    They were all skill core!

    Also, those golden boxes probably held amazing treasures within them!

    After everyone was done taking in the incredible sight in front of them, they approached the center of the area.

    No one was an idiot, after seeing the stone tablet they knew they can only choose a single treasure from the thousands of treasures floating above them.

    Jian was the first to speak.

    "What will happen if we take more than one?"

    Anyone will start drooling at the sight of so many treasures.

    Both Kelvin and Kyle looked at each other. It''s not like they knew anything.

    With a mischievous smile, Kelvin looked at Jian.

    "How about you try."

    Jian eyes widened. How dare they use him as a testing subject?

    "Fuck off!"

    Kyle was also not idle, after thinking for a while he woke up Bia who was sleeping on top of his head.

    ''Bia? Bia.''

    -''What?''

    Bia''s voice was sleeping when she opened her round eyes and looked at the surrounding only to be dumbfounded.

    -''Wow where are we? Also, there are so many strange boxes and monster cores.''

    ''Yes, I can see. Go pick up a golden box for me.''

    -''Why not.''

    After speaking with Kyle for a while, Bia pped her wings and flew toward the nearest golden box, and under everyone''s eyes, she picked it up.

    Jian eyes widened when he saw what was Bia doing.

    "Kyle bro you are a genius."

    On the other hand, Bia picked up the box and threw it toward Kyle.

    Kyle catch the box and immediately opened it.

    Jian and Kelvin also hurriedly walked toward him to see what was inside the box.

    A single ck dagger was lying inside the box. On the hilt of that dagger, a small ck golden color snake was engraved.

    Kyle looked at the dagger and blinked his eyes. He could sense the dagger aura, It was (A)-Rank!

    "OMG."

    Jian eximed with excitement before Kyle asked Bia to pick up another box.

    But what happened next poured cold water upon their dreams.

    Bia figure phased through the treasures. She wasn''t able to touch anything else. It seemed one person can only choose one treasure no matter what.

    Kyle sighed, his n of sweeping this ce cleanpletely shattered but because of Bia, he can choose two treasures unlike Jian and Kelvin who can only choose one each.

    Jian looked at Kyle with a serious expression.

    "Kyle bro what treasure are you going to choose."

    "Huh."

    After looking around, Kyle pointed at a core but before he could speak Jian shouted toward that core.

    "I choose you!"

    To everyone surprise after Jian shouted, the core started moving and stopped in front of Jian who looked at it with twinkling eyes.

    On the other hand, Kyle was speechless and Bia startedughing.

    -''He used you.''

    While Kyle was looking at Jian, Kelvin approached him and tapped on his shoulder.

    "Um, I wanted to ask what next are you going to choose?"

    Kyle left eye twitched when he heard Kelvin''s question.

    He sighed and randomly pointed at one of the nearest golden boxes and the same scene urred.

    Kelvin took the box immediately in front of Kyle. He opened the box and there was a small bracelet inside the box.

    After Kelvin wore the bracelet he was on cloud nine because it was an artifact that had a lot of storage space!

    The space inside the bracelet was almost doublepared to a supreme-grade storage ring.

    Also, he could see a beautiful preserved dark brown flower floating in the middle of the storage space.

    He looked at Kyle with a grateful smile.

    Jian also absorbed the skill core and startedughing loudly.

    "Hahaha, It''s an (S)-Rank skill! I can''t believe I finally acquired an (S)-Rank skill."

    Kyle looked away from the two men who were staring at him with eyes filled with gratitude and decided to choose a skill core for himself as well.

 Chapter 83 Swift steps

    <h4>Chapter 83 Swift steps</h4>

    As Kyle pointed at one of the white orbs floating above them, the orb started moving and arrived in front of him.

    Both Kelvin and Jian were looking at the orb with twinkling eyes. In their minds, they immediately marked this skill core as something awesome.

    Under everyone''s gaze, Kyle grabbed the core and saw its information before his face lit up.

    The skill was very useful!

    Also, it was an agility-type skill!

    With a delighted expression, Kyle hurriedly absorbed the skill core. And all the knowledge regarding the skill entered his mind.

    ________________

    #*Swift steps (S)-Rank:

    The skill can be activated with the usage of mana, after activation it will increase the user''s agility stat as long as the user has enough mana inside his body. In the future, the user can be so fast that the enemies won''t even be able to see the user''s silhouette before they are killed.

    The skill ''Swift steps'' is a growth-type skill, it will grow more powerful when the user advances to the next rank.

    ________________

    The more Kyle thought about the skill, the happier he became.

    The skill was simply too amazing because it was a growth-type skill, with a minimum mana requirement!

    Right now if Kyle used ''swift steps'' his agility stat would be doubled. He can also maintain the skill as long as he has enough mana inside his body.

    While Kyle was grinning, Jian sighed and looked at Kelvin.

    "I knew it, he got something amazing."

    Both of them wanted to know what skill Kyle acquired but the topic was quite sensitive because people usually don''t share their skill details with others, that''s why they didn''t ask anything.

    After Kyle was done, it was time to leave the fourth floor.

    Jian and Kelvin bid farewell to Kyle, now they were not sure if they would meet him again.

    That''s why before leaving Jian gave Kyle a small square-shaped family insignia and asked him that if Kyle ever went to ''Kingdom Whitnd'' he was always wee to visit them.

    Kyle looked at the brown insignia. A white flower with three petals was engraved in the middle of the square-shaped insignia.

    A family Insignia was only given to those who were trustworthy because it can be used for identification purposes or when you want to get entry inside the said family territory.

    Kyle put the insignia inside his ring and nodded. He wasn''t sure if he would visit them but if he ever got the chance to visit Kingdom Whitnd, this insignia could be useful in many ways.

    After he took the insignia, both Kelvin and Jian approached the white stairway and left the floor under his gaze.

    Kyle looked at the floating golden boxes and orbs onest time and sighed.

    ''What a pity.''

    Afterward, he also climbed the white stairway and disappeared from the fourth floor.

    ....

    Meanwhile, Alec, Mia, Lara, and Carcel all advanced to the fourth floor when Kyle was finding treasures on the third floor.

    Kyle was probably thest one to appear on the fourth floor but he was the first one who left the said floor.

    After Kyle, Kelvin, and Jian, Carcel was the second person who found the exit of the maze.

    It took him a whole month but when he saw the reward, Carcel was delighted.

    From the thousands of rewards floating above the open area, he chose a golden box and left the fourth floor quietly.

    After Carcel, a lot more people arrived at the same ce.

    Some of them wanted to try taking more than one treasure but after the first choice, their bodies phased through the other treasures that''s why they had no choice but to leave the floor disappointed.

    Among the 55 percent of people who were present on the third floor, only 40 percent were able to advance to the fourth floor.

    Of those 40 percent, almost 2 percent of people died on the fourth floor because the maze was too dangerous.

    In the end, only 25 percent of people were able to advance to the fifth floor.

    ....

    On the other hand, after arriving at the fifth floor. Kyle opened his eyes and looked around.

    His eyes slightly narrowed when he saw his surroundings because he appeared inside a desert.

    No matter where Kyle gazed, he could only see a sand desert filled with small swirling tornadoes.

    Bia also started flying and looked around the desert but no matter where she looked she didn''t find any path.

    After looking around for a while, Kyle sighed and took a step forward but his foot didn''t find a solid footing and sank inside the hot sand.

    Due to the sand, walking normally was hard and tedious. Also, the temperature around the desert was too hot.

    The hot temperature didn''t affect Kyle that much due to his passive skill ''Fire resistance'' but he had to put double the strength with each step just to walk normally.

    He walked around the seemingly huge desert for a whole day but still found nothing.

    After a long day, the burning sun disappeared from the horizon and a beautiful night filled with stars appeared on top of Kyle''s head.

    When the night arrived, the temperature around the desert decreased a lot. Kyle stopped walking and decided to rest for a while.

    He didn''t know anything about this floor nor was he sure how to find the exit to this floor.

    Also, even after walking around for a whole day, he didn''t see any living being.

    The only thing around Kyle was a desert filled with small tornadoes.

    Bia also flew back and sat on top of Kyle''s head, she was tired after flying around for a whole day.

    With another sigh, Kyle took out a sleeping bag from his storage ring.

    The bag was square-shaped and fully brown. He bought it from the Academy before he left for the Tower

    Kyle didn''t use the sleeping bag on the lower floors as he could sleep on the trees but now he was sure he wouldn''t be able to sleep with the small sand tornadoes flying around him.

    After both Kyle and Bia entered the bag, they fell asleep.

    Next day early morning, Kyle woke up and again started walking.

    A weekter,

    A vein was bulging on Kyle''s forehead. His feet were trembling due to walking non-stop. Also, he was dead tired.

    "Just where the fuck is this ce?"

    Kyle shouted with frustration, even after walking for two whole days he didn''t see anything or anyone.

    Even Bia who was sitting on top of his head, looked tired and annoyed.

    -''Just how the hell are we going to find the exit of this dam floor?''

 Chapter 84 The fifth floor trial

    <h4>Chapter 84 The fifth floor trial</h4>

    While Kyle was roaming around the desert, trying his best to find someone or something. The others who appeared on the fifth floor were standing on a sand mountain.

    For some reason, everyone was gathered together.

    The people standing on the mountain were a mixture of humans, elves and demi-humans.

    Among the small crowd, Alec, Mia, Lara and Carcel could also be seen standing together in a group.

    Even Nine, Kelvin and Jian were present on the mountain.

    All of them were looking at a floating figure of a man present in front of them. The floating man was the one who bought everyone here.

    The floating man was wearing white clothes. He had long white hair and white pupils.

    He also had two small horns on top of his head and a long tail, indicating his identity as a demi-human.

    Everyone standing on the mountain was curiously staring at the floating man who was calcting something with his fingers.

    After a while the man finally stopped calcting and gazed at the people present beneath on the mountain.

    He slowly mumbled under his breath with a hoarse voice.

    "I think I brought everyone who cleared the fourth floor."

    The man''s voice was low but because the atmosphere was quiet, everyone was able to hear him.

    After thinking for a while, the floating man took a deep breath and started speaking loudly.

    "I Casian wee all those who cleared the fourth floor. Right now you are standing on my territory and to advance toward the next floor you have to clear a trial."

    "I won''t say much as I don''t like beating around the bush. To clear this floor, you only need to protect a sand castle for 2 weeks. Also, a team of 5 individuals will be assigned to protect a single castle. In these two weeks different waves of monsters with attack everyone''s castle."

    "After two weeks, all those who are sessful in protecting their castle from the monster''s waves will advance toward the next floor with rewards while those who failed to protect their castle would die. Even if they survive I will just throw them on the first floor."

    "That''s it. Now you can choose your team members, remember one team can only have 5 members. Hurry up, so I can start the trial."

    After Casian stopped speaking, everyone looked at each other. There was fear, anxiety and excitement in their eyes.

    Soon, small teams of 5 started forming within the crowds.

    Alec, Carcel, Lara, Mia and Nine formed a team as they were familiar with each other.

    Kelvin and Jian also teamed up with three other humans.

    The elves and demi-humans also formed their own teams.

    After everyone was done forming groups of 5, Casian who was floating in the sky waved his hand and a lot of small sand Castle appeared out of thin air.

    All the castles were too far from each other.

    Everyone looked at each other and after Casian gestured them to go toward the castles, they all hurriedly choose a castle to protect and left.

    Looking at the fading image of the small humans, elves and demi-humans, Casian expressionless face finally showed a creepy smile.

    "Finally after 20 years, a new batch of people arrived on this floor. It''s going to be fun hehe."

    He looked toward the clouds with a delighted expression.

    "I think I should hide behind the clouds and enjoy the show."

    After pondering for a while, Casian approached the clouds. He formed a chair out of thin air and ced it between the clouds.

    The chair was made of sand. It wasrge and luxurious like a throne.

    With a smirk, Casian sat on the chair and looked at the feeble and weak bugs he found in the past whole week.

    On the other hand, all the teams choose a castle and immediately entered inside.

    Now the only thing they needed to do was to protect the castle and survive for the next two weeks.

    Alec and his team also choose a castle. After they entered, Nine finally spoke with a worried tone.

    "I didn''t see Kyle among the ones who were able to reach the fifth floor."

    He was worried. Kyle was definitely stronger than him thest time Nine saw him, so why was he not here?

    Lara who just heard Nine words frowned.

    "He defeated me during the selection process but failed to climb until the fifth floor?"

    Alec and Carcel also heard Nine and express their worries.

    They all knew the fourth-floor maze was too hard, it took everyone a whole month just to find the exit of that dam maze.

    Maybe Kyle wasn''t able to find the exit of the maze?

    Also, it''s not like they can do anything for Kyle. They can only hope for Kyle to stay safe on the lower floors.

    Nine sighed and also wished for Kyle to stay safe. He was sure he would be fine as Kyle was stronger than him.

    Afterward, everyone stopped thinking about Kyle. They gathered together and started forming a good n against the uing monster''s waves.

    In another Castle, Kelvin was looking at Jian who was frowning nonstop.

    Kelvin sighed.

    "Just speak if you want to say something."

    Jian looked at Kelvin and spoke with confusion.

    "Where''s Kyle? Did he not leave the floor after us."

    Hearing Jian Kelvin shrugged his shoulders.

    "I don''t know. Maybe he choose to stay there for a while. Also, don''t worry about him, with the amount of luck he disyed in front of us do you think something will happen to him?"

    Kelvin''s words made Jianugh.

    "Hahaha, Of course, he will be fine."

    ...

    Meanwhile, at a ce that was too far away from the sand castles.

    A ce where only arge desert and some sand tornadoes could be seen.

    A person who was almost half sunk inside the sand was trying his best to find a way out of the desert.

    When he moved, the sand would also move with his every step like water waves.

    On top of that person''s head, a bird whose wings were filled with sand was sitting tiredly.

    Of course, they were Kyle and Bia!

    He looked at the vast desert and almost had the urge to beat up the person who made this ce.

    With squinted eyes, he tried his best to see far and wide but in the end saw nothing.

    Kyle had enough food and water inside his storage ring tost for a few months, so he wasn''t worried about it.

    Still, the desert harsh environment was very hard to bear.

    "I wonder how the others are doing?"

 Chapter 85 First monster wave

    <h4>Chapter 85 First monster wave</h4>

    With the sun slowly leaving the horizon, a chilly breeze started to wander around therge sand desert.

    The atmosphere around the mountain was tense because all the individuals who arrived on the fifth floor were standing guard in front of their assigned Castles.

    Their gaze was vignt as they tried to see any suspicious movements around them.

    The castles created by Casian were all simr in shape and size.

    They had thick sand walls, a long walled structure on the upper part with a walkway behind it for standing. And a single square-shaped huge room inside.

    The castles weren''t too big or too small. The space inside them was enough to hold more than thirty people.

    Among the various castles, Alec and his team were standing around the castle which was present at the middle of all the castles.

    From the walkway present on the upper part of the castle, Lara looked around with squinted eyes.

    She was an archer that''s why her range of perception was higherpared to the others.

    Mia was also standing beside her.

    On the other hand, Nine, Carcel and Alec were standing outside the castle, a few meters away from the gate.

    Just like everyone else, they were also looking around continuously but even after the sun left the horizon and night arrived there was no sign of a monster wave.

    On the other hand, a little further away from the castles. The sand suddenly started to sink at a fast speed.

    With a loud whistling sound, tworge monsters crawled out from the sand.

    Their snake-like bodies were filled with pointy scales and they had six lower limbs. The moment the two monsters crawled out from the sand they looked at the castles with their brown-green eyes.

    After those two monsters, like a wave hundreds of monsters started crawling out from the sand.

    They all looked at the castles with bloodshot eyes before charging madly toward the castles in groups.

    Lara who was standing on the upper part of the castle was the first to notice those sand-colored monsters. A frown appeared on her beautiful face when she saw the number of monsters.

    They were too many!

    After seeing the monsters, she immediately shot out a fire arrow to alert everyone standing outside the castle.

    Mia who was standing beside her also be serious when she saw so many monsters charging toward the castles.

    After the monsters closed in the distance everyone standing inside or outside the castles was able to sense their rank.

    All the monsters were (E)-Rank!

    After seeing the huge monster wave, Alec wasn''t sure if his team would be able to handle the wave because even though their ranks were higher than the monsters, the monsters were just too many.

    They could defeat a hundred or so monsters but after that, their energy and mana will be exhausted.

    Not to mention the teams who weren''t strong enough to fight back.

    Seeing the monster wave, some be serious, some anxious while some started praying so they can survive.

    If the first wave was so hard what will happen in the next wave?

    Will they even be able to survive?

    With gritted teeth, Alec gave his team the signal to attack.

    No matter what they have to protect the sand castles or else instead of failing the trial, they will all die.

    Jian and Kelvin''s castle was a little further away from Alec and his team.

    They also saw the monster wave and their facial expression showed utter disbelief.

    There were just too many monsters!

    With serious expressions, Kelvin immediately ordered Jian and his team members to attack the monsters charging toward their castle.

    Meanwhile, Casian who was sitting on a luxurious chair present among the cloudsughed loudly when he saw the bug''s expression.

    He found it amusing how they were charging toward the first monster wave with their everything.

    "The outer world is bing weaker with every generation."

    "I remember a hundred years ago when I was newly assigned as the 19th floor keeper those people who appeared inside the Tower were so powerful that they just directly beat me up and cleared the floor."

    Casian smile darken when he remember the first time his master opened the Tower and the younger generation entered the Tower.

    He was so embarrassed that he didn''t appear around the Tower 9 floors for almost a hundred years.

    Just like Casian there were guardians on each floor.

    The outside world only knew that there were 9 floors inside the Tower but in reality, the Tower has a lot of floors and each floor had its own guardian.

    It just after the first, second and third permanent floors, the guardians of the other floors have to fight for a ce so they can get a chance to appear inside the said 9 floors.

    After the winning guardians arrived at the lower floor, they can set up some trials for the people who were climbing the Tower.

    There were a few restrictions but the guardians were allowed to do almost everything.

    That''s why after the 3rd floor, the other floors always had changed scenery whenever the new generation entered the Tower.

    Casian was the guardian of the 19th floor. He wasn''t really allowed toe down from the upper floors more than thrice continuously but for the past three generations, he has been bribing everyone anding down at the lower floors.

    It''s because he enjoyed crushing the younger generation of the people who beat him up a long time ago.

    "What a pity they cannot see it. I am still the same powerful and mighty but their descendants are just like bugs."

    After a long time, Casian was finally able to enjoy himself and take revenge for the embarrassment he suffered a long time ago.

    With a wave of his hand, a table formed out of thin air and a lot of delicious fruits appeared on top of the table.

    Casian started eating while happily looking at the bugs who were busy defending the castles from the monsters.

    He was thinking of killing a few with each wave.

    "Hehehe"

    A creepyughter came out of his mouth as he thought of various ns to kill almost 90% of the people present on this floor.

    "Well, if I killed all of them master will be angry."

    Casian shuddered when he thought about his master, he wanted to kill everyone on this floor but because of his master, he decided to send 5-10 individuals to the next floor.

    "Let''s see, who are the ones I am leaving alive."

 Chapter 86 A Silver Castle

    <h4>Chapter 86 A Silver Castle</h4>

    Meanwhile, after traveling inside the desert for a whole week. Kyle finally saw something.

    It was a Castle!

    After seeing the Castle which was silver in color, Kyle started running toward it.

    He was finally able to leave this dam desert!

    After spending a whole week inside the desert, Kyle''s condition wasn''t good at all.

    He didn''t encounter any monster or living being, but due to the hot wind and sandynd, his clothes were torn from various ces.

    Now seeing a huge luxurious castle, he was obviously happy.

    Even Bia who was sitting on top of his head started flying. She wanted to enter the castle first!

    As Bia was flying toward the castle at full speed, she suddenly saw arge transparent light blue barrier around the castle and her eyes contracted.

    After barely stopping herself from colliding with the barrier she cursed.

    Kyle also hurriedly appeared in front of the barrier. He punch the barrier with full power but after showing some tiny ripples the barrier returned to normal.

    "There''s no way I can break it."

    Bia also looked at the barrier and wanted to cry.

    -''I want to go inside, I can''t bear to stay inside this desert anymore!''

    With a gloomy expression, she flew back toward Kyle''s head and was going to sit on top of his head before Kyle disappeared.

    Not able to bnce herself, Bia fell on the sandy ground.

    -''Fucking shit, how dare you.''

    She looked up and hurriedly tried to find Kyle. Her mood was already bad due to the barrier and now she was sure to beat him up or else her anger won''t subdue.

    With a dark expression, Bia looked around. Only to see Kyle standing inside the barrier and looking back at her with an innocent expression.

    -''How the hell did you go inside?''

    Bia shouted with disbelief.

    "Ah I used ''Instant teleportation'' I wasn''t sure if it would work but it worked."

    After hearing Kyle, Bia simply turned her head away from the barrier. She was really going to cry this time.

    -''Why does this bastard have so many cheat skills!''

    Sensing Bia''s grumpy mood, Kyle smiled.

    "Wait for me, I will be back after looking inside the castle."

    Bia didn''t reply but Kyle turn around and hurriedly started walking toward the castle gate.

    There wasn''t any guard around the castle. It seemed the owner of this castle had full confidence in the barrier he set up.

    s, he just forget to consider people like Kyle.

    After Kyle approached the huge gate, he could see the statues of the monsters present on the castle walls more clearly.

    The monsters looked like humans but their skin was filled with scales. Also, they had two horns on their heads and a long tail on their back.

    After looking around for a while, Kyle finally spotted a small window on the left side.

    He hurriedly walked toward the window and after melting the window with some fireballs, Kyle jumped inside the castle.

    The moment Kyle jumped inside, he almost freaked out because he appeared inside a dark room filled with skeletons.

    With heavy heartbeat, Kyle looked at the skeletons. Few of them were human skeletons!

    "What the hell..?"

    He looked around the room but except for some chains and skeletons, there was nothing.

    Still, after taking a deep breath to calm himself down. Kyle approached the only door present at the end of the room.

    He pushed the door and it opened up immediately.

    Kyle stepped out from the room and his eyes narrowed at the sight in front of him.

    There was a huge hall in front of him. The hall was filled with red carpets and in the middle of the hall, a big luxurious throne was present.

    There were hundreds of diamonds and rubies embedded on the throne.

    After seeing the throne, Kyle started sweating. Now he was sure he entered inside a ce where he shouldn''t have entered.

    "Hu, Calm down. I think there is no one inside the castle right now."

    With a deep breath, Kyle approached the hall, there was another room at the other end of the hall.

    After looking around inside the hall and finding nothing, Kyle entered the other room present at the end of the hall.

    The moment Kyle entered the room his jaw dropped.

    In front of him was a mountain of gold coins. The coin''s shape was different from the coins used inside Kingdom Ete but heck in the end all of the coins were made of gold!

    Besides the gold coins mountain, Kyle could also see a small mountain of weapons.

    After looking at the weapons closely, he saw some old bloodstains on them.

    It seemed the weapons belonged to the people who died inside this castle!

    On the left side of the weapons, Kyle saw a lot of storage rings scattered around on a table with some artifacts.

    "Well, I am taking a risk but let''s sweep this ce clean before the ownere back."

    With a nervous expression, Kyle picked up the storage rings from the table and after five minutes the room which was filled with gold and treasures was empty.

    After taking everything from the room, Kyle immediately sped outside with a pouch filled with storage rings.

    He found a total of 12 storage rings on the table. Among them, 10 were high grade while 2 supreme grade!

    Kyle couldn''t put the storage rings inside his own storage ring as it was not possible. That''s why he took out a small cloth pouch and put the rings inside the pouch.

    While Kyle was leaving the hall, he suddenly stopped and turned back before looking at the throne with twinkling eyes.

    With an incredibly fast speed, Kyle arrived in front of the throne and ced it inside one of the storage rings.

    "I can sell it after I leave the Tower."

    With a satisfied expression, Kyle was going to leave the castle when he saw a ck orb embedded in the wall opposite him.

    The orb was hidden behind the throne but after Kyle took the throne, he saw it immediately due to the ominous feeling it was emitting.

    "What''s that?"

    He approached the ck ball and with a swift movement, Kyle took it out from the wall.

    The moment Kyle grabbed the strange ck ball, the barrier around the castle shattered and a white stairway appeared in the middle of the hall.

    "?"

    While Kyle was staring at the familiar white stairway with a dumbfounded expression, Bia who was outside the barrier saw the barrier crumbling and immediately flew inside.

    She entered from the same window Kyle used and was also shocked after seeing so many skeletons. With a serious expression, she hurriedly found Kyle who was standing in the middle of the hall.

    -''What the hell did you do this time.''

    Kyle snapped out of his daze and threw the ck ball away as it was giving off a strange chill.

    "Let''s leave, I feel like something bad is going to happen."

 Chapter 87 Can we survive?

    <h4>Chapter 87 Can we survive?</h4>

    Meanwhile on the battlefield.

    After a long night, the first monster wave finally ended.

    Everyone was panting heavily while they looked at the burning sun above their heads.

    The first monster wave was neverending as everyone fought without any rest.

    Now there wasn''t a single person who wasn''t drained of energy. All of them were tired with their bodies aching with pain.

    Also,st night 1 demi-human and 2 humans died due to the onught of monsters.

    Alec gazed at his team before mumbling under his breath.

    "Can we even survive the second wave?"

    Meanwhile, Casian who was sitting among the cloudsughed loudly. He gazed at the people who died and a satisfied expression appeared on his face.

    It had been ten minutes since the first wave ended.

    "They have rested enough, let''s start the second wave."

    With a creepy smile, he waved his hand and at a distance the sand started to sink again.

    After a few seconds, familiar monsters with bloodshot eyes started crawling out from the ground. They immediately started making their way toward the Castles.

    Lara who was standing on the upper part of the castle was panting heavily while looking around. Her fingers were bleeding due to stretching the bowstring continuously.

    Suddenly she saw more monsters charging toward the castles and her eyes contracted.

    Without waiting for even a second, she shouted.

    "Another monster wave ising!"

    Her voice was loud because she coated it with mana. Everyone heard her words and gasped with shock.

    Another wave wasing?

    Didn''t the first wave just ended a few minutes ago?

    No one was in the condition to fight but still they stood up while holding their weapons tightly.

    They looked at the far distance where the ground was slightly trembling due to therge amount of monsters charging toward them.

    While everyone was waiting for the monsters with heavy hearts, their eyes finally spotted arge army of monsters charging toward the castles at full speed.

    "The fuck?"

    Nine cursed while looking at the monster wave with contracted eyes.

    "How the heck are we going to win against such a big monster army?"

    He shouted with disbelief. Alec looked at Nine and gripped his sword tightly.

    "We can only try our best."

    His voice was barely audible but Nine nodded his head seriously.

    Soon, the monsters appeared in front of the castles but instead of attacking suddenly they all froze in their track.

    Under everyone''s shocked gaze, the monsters started disintegrating.

    Not just the monsters, but the sand castles also started falling apart turning to normal sand particles.

    "What''s happening?"

    Jian looked at the hundreds of white particles around him with wide eyes and questioned but no one knew the answer to his question.

    Within a few seconds, all the sand castles and the monsters turned into particles and vanished into thin air, leaving behind the dumbfounded individuals who were supposed to protect the castles.

    As everyone gazed at each other with confusion and anxiety suddenly a thunderous roar sounded among the clouds.

    "Which bastard did it!"

    The angry voice was loud and unpleasant. Everyone looked at the sky and tried to find out the owner of the voice.

    Under their gaze, Casian the guardian who gave them the trial came out from the clouds. He was still floating but right now Casian was bleeding from his nose and mouth.

    A vein was also bulging on his forehead as he looked at a faraway ce with a dark expression.

    Before anyone could say something, Casian stumbled and fell from the sky. He shouted again with anger.

    "Bastard!"

    With trembling hands, he immediately tore the air in front of him and a huge hole appeared in front of everyone.

    With dark eyes, Casian gazed at the other side of the hole. A magnificent hall filled with red carpets appeared in his gaze.

    The hall was empty devoid of anything else except for a single White stairway standing proudly in the middle.

    Casian entered the hole within a second. He gazed at the white stairway and saw a young man standing on top of the stairway.

    Casian eyes contracted as he disappeared from his ce and tried to grab the young man standing on top of the white stairway but s he was a littlete because the young man''s image faded the moment Casian tried to grab on to him.

    "How dare you!"

    Casian angry voice sounded within the whole floor as he gazed at his empty hand.

    After a few seconds, he calm down and frantically started looking around the hall, seemingly finding something important.

    While Casian was looking around the hall, the others who were standing on the other side of the hole looked at the hall and the white stairway with wide eyes.

    Alec looked at Casian and at the hall, he knew staying on this floor any longer would be dangerous. With a caution expression, he hurriedly stepped inside the hole.

    The moment Alec entered the hall, his left foot collided with something hard. He looked down and saw a ck ball that had a small crack on it surface.

    Alec picked up the ball, only to see Casian standing in front of him while staring directly at him. No to be more specific Casian was staring at the ck ball Alec was holding.

    "Give it to me."

    With amanding voice, Casian shouted toward Alec who was holding onto the ck ball.

    A huge pressure descended on Alec, making him wince in pain as Casian stared at him with dark eyes but Alec didn''t give the ck ball to Casian. Instead, Alec grabbed the ball more tightly.

    Casian showed a painful expression the moment he grabbed the ck ball more tightly.

    Seeing his expression, Alec shouted with gritted teeth.

    "I will, If you let us all go."

    Casian didn''t say anything. He just stared at the ball with dark eyes. The pressure around Alec immediately disappeared before Casian spoke with a hoarse and unpleasant voice.

    "Okay, but you have to give it back to me."

    Alec nodded and slowly stepped toward the stairway while looking at Casian.

    "Everyone leave."

    Hearing his shout, all the hesitant individuals standing on the other side of the hole immediately rushed inside the hall.

    They all nced at Casian and without waiting for even a second they stepped on the white stairway.

    Carcel and Nine stood behind Alec and when they saw almost everyone was gone, both of them immediately climbed the stairway and shouted toward Alec.

    "Alec,e on! You are the only one left now."

    Alec''s gaze was still fixed on Casian as he slowly moved back toward the stairway and started climbing.

    After he reached the top, he threw the ck ball toward Casian and disappeared.

    On the other hand, Casian immediately grabbed the ck ball. His mind was racing before he finally sighed with relief when the ball was in his hand.

    The ck ball was his life!

    If something happened to it Casian would undoubtedly die!

    He hurriedly ced the ck ball back in the wall and all his injuries healed immediately.

    Not just Casian, all the guardians of the Tower had their life tied with a specific thing.

    It was done by their master as he wanted to restrict them to some degree so they don''t cause trouble.

    Suddenly Casian thought about the young man who found his abode.

    "Why the hell did I not notice his presence when he stepped inside my territory?"

    Thousands of questions appeared inside his head as he gazed at the empty castle with anger before he suddenly remember the man''s appearance.

    The man had ck hair and ck eyes. Also, strangely the corner of the man''s hair were silver.

    Suddenly Casian eyes widen.

    "The earring!"

    Now he knew why he wasn''t able to detect the young man''s presence. It was all because of the white earring the young man was wearing!

    The earring was a special artifact crafted solely for the purpose of hiding the user''s presence.

    No one below (+SS)-Rank can sense the presence of the person wearing the white earring.

    It had been hundreds of years, that''s why Casian forgot about a lot of artifacts scattered around the lower floors.

    After seeing the empty castle devoid of any precious things, Casian was angry.

    He wanted to torture the individual who dare to steal his belongings under his nose but he knew now he can''t do anything because the said individual had left the floor.

    ording to the rules, Casian can''t leave this floor for the next 20 years.

    "Don''t you ever let me see you again or else I will tear you apart!"

    "You bug!"

    He shouted with anger and frustration. It was the first time after a long time he suffered such a huge blow.

    While Casian was cursing, the ck orb started trembling.

    Under his horrid gaze, multiple cracks appeared on the ck ball and Casian shouted with pain.

    "Ahhhhhh...."

    While his body twisted with pain, a serene voice sounded from behind.

    "Sigh, why didn''t you stop when I asked you to? Now the old ancient tree who was keeping an eye on a specific individual saw what you did."

    A young woman wearing ancient clothes appeared behind Casian. Her face and body was hidden behind a white curtain.

    "ording to the rules, you have to spend a thousand years underground."

    Casian turned around and looked at the woman while bleeding from various parts of his body. He shuddered when the woman mentioned the word ''Underground''.

    That ce was the worst nightmare for all the Guardians!

    Casian wanted to apologize but voice didn''te out of his mouth and the woman mercilessly dragged him inside a ck portal.

 Chapter 88 Golden Stairway I

    <h4>Chapter 88 Golden Stairway I</h4>

    On the other hand, the moment Kyle threw the ck ball away he felt a shiver run down his spine.

    He gazed at the back ball and saw a small crack on its surface before he heard a thunderous roar.

    "Bastard!"

    After the voice resounded, the hall started trembling.

    Without waiting for even a second, Kyle grabbed Bia and immediately started climbing the white stairway.

    He knew he was dead if he didn''t leave this floor!

    When Kyle arrived at the top of the white stairway. He saw a huge tear appearing in the air in front of him, forming a wide hole.

    It was the first time he saw someone tearing the air so effortlessly!

    Kyle shuddered as he saw a horned man gazing at him from behind the hole with bloodshot eyes.

    The horned man immediately entered the hole and shouted toward Kyle.

    "How dare you!"

    Kyle''s heart almost leaped out from his chest as he saw a huge hand trying to grab him but fortunately, the white stairway did his job and Kyle disappeared.

    After leaving the fifth floor, Kyle appeared at a strange ce. He gasped for air because the horned man''s pressure was too scary.

    Bia who was inside his hand, looked at Kyle with horror.

    -''Just what the heck did you do? We almost died there!''

    Not giving Bia any answer, Kyle sat down on the floor. After a few seconds, he finally calm down and his heart rate returned to normal.

    "No, we survived!"

    Bia had the urge to beat him up but suddenly her eyes widened when she saw her surrounding.

    -''Kyle look at the front!''

    Hearing Bia''s voice that was filled with disbelief, Kyle gazed toward the front and he almost fainted from the shock.

    A huge golden stairway that was wide enough to fit a whole kingdom was standing in front of him. It was shining dimly, illuminating a small area around it.

    No, Kyle wasn''t shocked because of the golden stairway. He was shocked seeing the thousands of treasures floating above in the sky.

    There were so many treasures that he wasn''t even able to count!

    Swords, spears, old artifacts, scrolls, fruits and god knows how many precious herbs.

    While Kyle was looking at the floating treasures, he suddenly saw some white transparent boxes floating among the thousands of treasures.

    The moment Kyle looked at the white transparent boxes, his eyes were glued to them because inside the boxes was something he needed desperately.

    Inside those boxes were bundles of beautiful colorless flowers. The flowers also had 9 leaves underneath them.

    "Elixir ..of life!"

    Kyle shouted, his voice was almost trembling.

    He finally found it!

    After seeing the flowers, Kyle tried to step on the golden stairway but a transparent golden barrier appeared in front of him.

    He looked at the transparent shield and mumbled under his breath.

    "Instant Teleportation."

    But unlike thest time his skill didn''t work, he was still standing outside the barrier.

    He tried to use the skill again but it didn''t work again that''s why Kyle stopped trying and started looking around to find another opening.

    While Kyle was looking around, suddenly a deep yet calm voice resounded around the golden stairway.

    "Hmm, someone''s already here. I thought it would take at least a week before anyone passed Casian trial."

    After hearing the voice, Kyle''s gaze finally left the flowers. His face turn expressionless as he looked at the ce where the voice originated from.

    An old man wearing white robes was floating at the edge of the golden stairway. He was cleaning an old-looking armor.

    The old man had long white hair, even his pupils werepletely white as he gazed at Kyle warmly.

    After looking at Kyle for a while, the old man threw the blue armor away and started floating toward him.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed as he saw the old man floating toward him.

    He waited patiently for the old man. This ce was strange also he wasn''t able to sense the old man''s rank. That means the old man was a very strong individual.

    While Kyle was waiting patiently Bia finally spoke.

    -''Why is he so slow?''

    Kyle looked at Bia and then looked at the old man who was still floating toward him.

    "Well, maybe it''s because he is old?"

    While Bia and Kyle were conversing as to why the old man was so slow, suddenly someone appeared behind him.

    Kyle immediately turn around and saw a familiar face, It was Mia.

    Mia also looked at Kyle and be shocked.

    "So you were the one..?"

    She questioned with a low voice.

    After Casian suddenly started shouting and opened up a hole in the air a lot of individuals saw a person standing on the white stairway but they didn''t see who it was because the stairway was too far away.

    Mia never expected it to be Kyle!

    While she was questioning, some more people appeared behind her. Kyle also looked at the array of individuals appearing one by one.

    He saw a lot of familiar faces, Lara, Jian and Kelvin. After a few seconds Nine and Carcel also appeared.

    Thest one to appear was Alec.

    Kyle was standing opposite to everyone, that''s why the moment everyone appeared their gaze was on Kyle.

    The first one to speak was Nine.

    He immediately rushed toward Kyle who was surprised to see so many people appearing in front of him.

    Nine hugged Kyle and startedughing.

    "Hahaha, I was worried when I didn''t see you on thest floor but it seemed you were up to something big."

    Kyle looked at him and shrugged his shoulders.

    He also saw some individuals standing on the other side of the hole made by the horned man but because he was busy saving his own life that''s why he didn''t do anything.

    Jian also walked toward Kyle and looked at him with mischievous eyes.

    "So any n telling us how you did it?"

    All those who saw the individual standing on the white stairway had an idea of what happened.

    They were all curious as to how Kyle found the white stairway.

    While everyone was bombarding him with questions. Kyle pointed his finger backward. He really didn''t want to answer so many questions!

    They all looked at the way where he pointed his finger and their jaw dropped. Nine and Jian both gasped together in utter shock.

    "So ..many treasures?"

 Chapter 89 Golden Stairway II

    <h4>Chapter 89 Golden Stairway II</h4>

    While everyone was looking at the treasures in a daze, Kyle noticed two individuals who were gazing in a different direction.

    The first person was Alec while the other one was an elf who had long ck hair and ck eyes. Kyle wasn''t able to see his facial featurespletely as the lower half of the elf''s face was hidden behind a cloth mask.

    Kyle raised his brow seeing their serious face and hurriedly followed their gaze.

    He saw a one-hand sword emitting bright golden light. The sword was old yet it had a majestic aura around it.

    Also, different from the other treasures, the sword was floating almost at the top of the golden stairway.

    While Kyle was looking at the sword curiously, Nine eximed loudly.

    "Holy shit! These treasures are almost thousands of times greater than what we saw at the end of the fourth-floor maze."

    Before anyone could say anything more, some demi-humans, elves and humans standing inside the crowd hurriedly approached the golden stairway.

    They were practically drooling while looking at the thousands of treasures flying above the golden stairway.

    Under Kyle''s gaze, they made their way toward the stairway. But before they could step on the stairway a transparent barrier appeared in front of them, immediately stopping them in their track.

    Seeing the barrier, they looked at each other and without waiting for even a second they started attacking it.

    -BAM!

    -BAM!

    "Why can''t we break it?"

    "Fuck the barrier is too strong!"

    They cursed loudly because even after attacking the barrier continuously there wasn''t a single scratch on it.

    Suddenly a loud and old voice sounded from above the stairway, stopping everyone in their track.

    "Kids nowadays are very impatient."

    The old man who was floating toward Kyle, finally appeared in front of everyone.

    Kyle looked at the old man and blinked his eyes.

    The old man was short almost half the size of a normal man. Also, his ears were slightly pointy.

    Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at the white-robed old man who suddenly appeared in front of them.

    "Hmm, Why so many?"

    The old man questioned with confusion. It was the first time he saw so many people passing Casian test. Still, he threw the thought to the back of his mind and looked at everyone with a smile.

    After a long time, he was finally given a chance to appear on the lower floors. That''s why he wanted to see the new talents of the outside world.

    "Hello, kids. My name is Jordan and I am the guardian of this floor. I am very happy to see all of you."

    Right now not just Kyle, everyone was blinking while looking at the old man.

    He was too slow!

    The old man paused in his sentence and looked at everyone again.

    "It''s so nice to see so many young people standing in front of me after such a long time. How about you all tell me what''s happening in the outside world... "

    Before the old man could continue, an elf suddenly walked forward and cut him off.

    "What''s the trial?"

    The elf''s voice was calm as he stare at the old man with an expressionless face.

    After experiencing a trial on thest floor he was sure they have toplete a trial before they could get something from the thousands of treasures floating above the golden stairway.

    That''s why the elf didn''t wanted to waste any more time.

    Kyle looked at the burly elf who spoke up and almost had the urge to praise him because the old man''s voice was so slow that he almost wanted to fall asleep.

    Not just Kyle, Jian and Nine also looked at the elf with respectful eyes.

    It was because they were too scared to offend the old man! Who knows how strong the old man was?

    On the other hand, this elf was so confident that he directly cut off the old man.

    He was really fearless!

    The old man gazed at the elf who just spoke up before turning his gaze away from the crowd. He slowly started to fly back toward the armor he was cleaning before.

    "Sigh. The younger generation is always too impatient. Very well. I shall tell you about the trial."

    Everyone listened attentively as this was a very important topic.

    "The trial is very simple. I will remove the barrier around the golden stairway and you have to climb upward. The higher one climb toward the top, the more precious reward will they get."

    "Also, only those who are able to reach the top of the stairway would be able to advance toward the next floor."

    Everyone heard the old man and sighed with relief because unlike thest floor, the trial the old man gave was really simple.

    Among the crowd, a demi-human raised his hand and looked at the old man who was still floating toward the armor.

    "What will happen to those who didn''t reach the top and won''t be able to advance toward the next floor."

    The old man paused and a small chuckle escaped his lips.

    "Don''t worry I am not like that idiot Casian. This floor is not made to harm anyone. It''s basically a floor where anyone can get a treasure as long as they step on the first stair."

    "Also, to answer your question those who didn''t qualify to advance toward the next floor have to go down."

    Hearing the old man''s words, Kyle mumbled under his breath.

    "Go down?.."

    He had a slight idea as to what was the old man trying to convey.

    The old man finally appeared in front of the armor and started cleaning it again. He looked at everyone and spoke again.

    "I will send them down. More specifically I will send them to the first floor."

    Everyone went quiet and a pin-drop silence enveloped the atmosphere.

    They were clear about the rules, as long as they reached the top of the golden stairway they will advance toward the next floor with a reward but if not they will be thrown on the first floor again.

    Of course, climbing the stairway would definitely be hard or else why would they get a reward just because they stepped on the first stair?

 Chapter 90 Golden Stairway III

    <h4>Chapter 90 Golden Stairway III</h4>

    While everyone was thinking just how hard climbing a stairway could be, the old man waved his hand and with a small cracking sound the transparent barrier around the stairway disappeared.

    This time the old man''s voice was loud as he said in amanding tone.

    "Start climbing."

    Kyle looked at the stairway. Alec also appeared beside him. He smiled at looked at Kyle.

    "Kyle, how about betting on who will reach the top first?"

    "Huh?"

    Kyle looked at Alec but before he could reply Nine chimed in.

    "Of course, I will win, both of you just wait and see. Hahaha."

    Carcel also approached them from behind and said in a low voice.

    "If we continue to stand idly and didn''t start climbing, we will probably best."

    Nine, Alec and Kyle simultaneously gazed at Carcel who was pointing at the stairway.

    They looked at the stairway, except for them almost everyone had started climbing.

    Jian and Kelvin both were almost on the third stair. Lara and Mia were also seen on the second stair.

    The other demi-humans humans and elves were just one step behind them.

    Kyle looked at the stairway with squinted eyes before eximing with disbelief.

    "Bia?"

    He hurriedly checked on top of his head not believing what he was seeing.

    After Kyle spoke, Nine, Carcel and Alec also looked at where he was staring with wide eyes.

    They saw a small red bird climbing the stairway alongside Jian.

    After seeing the bird, they burst intoughter.

    Nine looked at Kyle with pity while wiping the invisible tear from his eyes.

    "Hahaha, It seemed Kyle your pet betrayed you for treasures!"

    Kyle looked at Bia and shouted inside his head before running toward the stairway.

    ''Bia what the fuck? Weren''t we supposed to climb together? Just when the hell did you start climbing the stairway!''

    Alec, Carcel and Nine also followed behind him and started climbing.

    After hearing Kyle''s voice Bia looked back and blinked her eyes with innocence.

    -''When did I agree to climb with you?''

    Kyle almost tripped but he remained calm because he didn''t wanted to curse in front of so many people.

    While everyone was climbing the stairway, the old man suddenly gazed at Alec and a surprised expression appeared on his face.

    He mumbled under his breath.

    "Why does he have the nature essence within his body? Did something happen outside?"

    His voice was too low that''s why no one heard his words.

    As everyone climbed the stairway and easily crossed the halfway mark, suddenly a demi-human stopped in his track.

    With sweat trickling down his forehead, he dropped to his knees.

    Kyle looked at the demi-human with confusion.

    "What happened?"

    He, Nine, Alec and Carcel were almost at the starting stairs that''s why they were able to see everyone''s situation clearly from below.

    The demi-human who stopped had a painful expression on his face. Also, it seemed he wasn''t able to climb any further.

    Soon, under their gaze a lot more individuals started sweating and dropped to their knees.

    It was like they were experiencing a lot of pressure but the others who were still climbing looked at them with confusion.

    Kelvin also stopped walking after the halfway mark. Jian looked at Kelvin who was sweating profoundly.

    "What happened?"

    Kelvin who was breathing heavily looked at Jian who was perfectly fine.

    "Ugh, I don''t know there''s some invisible pressure pressing down on my body. I think if I climb another stair my bones will be crushed."

    Jian wanted to help Kelvin in any way but he wasn''t able to do anything.

    In the end, Kelvin asked him to continue climbing because he didn''t wanted him to stop there just because of him.

    Also, ording to the old man. The higher they climb the more precious treasure they will get. How can he be selfish enough to stop Jian here?

    With a reluctant expression, Jian left Kelvin behind.

    Just like Kelvin almost sixty person individuals stopped climbing after they crossed the halfway mark. They could do nothing but stare at the others who were still climbing.

    After Nine passed the halfway mark he also stopped around the same stair as Kelvin.

    Kyle looked back at Nine who smiled bitterly.

    "I think I can''t continue anymore."

    "This..?"

    Alec who was beside Kyle suddenly spoke seriously.

    "I think the golden stairway is testing our talent!"

    "What?"

    Kyle looked at Alec seriously. If it was true doesn''t that means he just exposed himself?

    His talent was recorded as (B)-Rank inside the Academy and now he climbed higher than Nine whose talent was (+S)-Rank?

    Still, after a second Kyle m down. Now wasn''t the time to think about useless things because he needed to climb as higher as possible to get the ''Elixir of life''.

    Also, if Alec''s guess was really right, he knew he won''t be able to reach the top!

    With a serious expression, Kyle looked away from Alec and started climbing again.

    Alec looked at Kyle back. Now he was hundred percent sure Kyle''s talent wasn''t (B)-Rank.

    The system was behaving strangely whenever he tried to use his appraisal skill on Kyle. That''s why Alec was curious about his talent.

    After Alec spoke, the atmosphere around the golden stairway turned heavy.

    His voice was low but because no one was speaking that''s why everyone heard his words.

    Now they all knew what the stairway was testing.

    It was their talent!

    At the same time, after crossing the eighty percent mark, Lara also stopped in her track. She was panting heavily and was trying her best to maintain her bnce.

    Mia looked back at Lara, and after two more stairs, she also stopped advancing.

    Both of them knew they reached their limits.

    Soon, Carcel, Alec and Kyle passed beside them. After ncing at them they continue climbing.

    Alec and Carcel both went upward while Kyle stopped at the same stair as Lara.

    Carcel and Alec both looked back together. Carcel with surprise while Alec with a raised brow.

    Now Alec had an idea about Kyle''s talent.

    If he was standing at the same stair as Lara that means his talent was definitely (SS)-Rank!

    Lara also looked at Kyle with wide eyes.

    Wasn''t his talent lower than hers?

    How did he climb so far!

    She had so many questions going on inside her mind but didn''t say anything and just gazed at Kyle with a neutral expression.

    On the other hand, Kyle wanted to continue climbing but the pressure descending on his shoulder was too huge. He knew he would be crushed if he dared to take another step forward.

    Kyleughed bitterly and looked at the few individuals who were still climbing.

    There were a total of seven individuals who were still climbing. Carcel, Alec, Jian, Bia, two elves and one demi-humans. The elf wearing a mask was also among the two elves who were still climbing.

 Chapter 91 Bia Potential

    <h4>Chapter 91 Bia Potential</h4>

    After a minute, among the seven individuals who were still climbing, Carcel and the demi-human who was a few stairs above him stopped when they reached the 90 percent mark of the stairway.

    Just a few secondster, one of the two elves also stopped after reaching the 93 percent mark.

    Now the elf who was wearing a mask, Alec, Jian and Bia were the only ones who were still trying to reach the top.

    While they were climbing the people who weren''t able to advance further were looking at them enviously.

    After one minute, someone finally reached the top of the stairway.

    The person who reached the top first was none other than Bia!

    Kyle''s eyes were almost bulging when he saw how effortlessly Bia reached the top of the Golden Stairway.

    Not just him a lot of people were shocked. Lara and Mia who were standing beside him also had their eyes wide open as they looked at Bia who was standing proudly at the top of the golden stairway.

    ''Dam! This bird like phoenix potential is (+SSS)-Rank.''

    Kyle muttered inwardly while looking at Bia with a newfound gaze.

    At first, he thought she would probably reach (+S)-Rank in the future because even though Bia looked like a normal bird in the end she was a Phoenix. But now seeing her reaching the top so easily, Kyle was overjoyed.

    Who would not like to have a bonded beast with (+SSS)-Rank potential!

    ''Well, I won''t use her as a bait anymore. She is too precious, it would be a huge loss if something happened to her.''

    Kyle gazed around with a proud smile and saw a lot of people who were also staring at Bia. Some were shocked, some were surprised while some with twinkling eyes...

    Huh?

    Twinkling eyes?

    Kyle narrowed his eyes as he saw some humans, demi-humans and elves looking at Bia with greedy eyes.

    The look in their eyes was very simr to the look when everyone first saw the thousands of treasures floating above the golden stairway.

    ''What the fuck! I didn''t think about this matter.''

    After he saw those individuals who were looking at Bia, Kyle be a little anxious. His happiness also vanished.

    Now that Bia''s talent was revealed these people who had seen her would definitely find trouble with him in the future!

    Also, all the people staring at Bia were genius of different Kingdoms. After they left the Tower they will probably tell their elders or Leaders about this matter.

    In the east Continent, bonded beasts were not rare but finding one with a talent of (+SSS)-Rank was almost impossible.

    Even though all the Kingdoms had a peaceful rtionship with each other right now but they will never hesitate to attack each other for something as precious as an (+SSS)-Rank beast.

    Not to mention, someone weak like Kyle would probably be crushed just so they can get their hands on Bia!

    While Kyle was sweating profoundly while thinking about his bleak future. Jian also reached the top of the golden stairway.

    After Jian, Alec also reached the top. Meanwhile, the elf who was wearing a mask stopped at the 97 percent mark.

    The elf was trying his best to advance further but after he climbed another stair his knees gave in. Also, he started bleeding from his nose and mouth.

    In the end, Bia, Jian and Alec were the only ones who were able to reach the Top!

    The old man looked at everyone including the ones who were standing at the top with a smile before waving his hand.

    The moment the old man waved his hand, except for the three individuals who were standing at the top everyone else disappeared.

    Bia looked back at where Kyle was standing just a moment ago and panicked. She wasn''t able to sense his presence!

    With a worried expression, she pped her wings and started flying while shouting inside her mind.

    -''Kyle? Kyle?''

    ''I am fine.''

    Only when a calm voice resounded inside her head, did she finally calm down.

    Jian and Alec also panicked when they saw everyone disappearing but then the old man started speaking.

    "Don''t worry they are fine. They are just getting their rewards."

    The old man finally let go of the armor he was polishing and started floating toward the top of the Golden Stairway while looking at Alec and Jian seriously.

    "You three are the only ones who reached the top of the golden stairway and ording to the rules you can choose anything from the treasures floating around this floor."

    "Remember you can only choose one. So choose wisely."

    While speaking with a serious tone, the old man arrived in front of them within a second.

    Seeing the old man who was previously too slow suddenly appearing in front of them within a second, Bia narrowed her eyes and hurriedly informed Kyle

    -''Kyle this oldy is too suspicious be careful.''

    ''What?''

    -''Right now the old man is even faster than an (+S)-Rank a far contrast to before when he looked like he would die any second.''

    ''Oh?''

    While she was conversing with Kyle. The old man looked at Bia curiously and spoke seriously.

    "Little one. It''s the first time a bonded beast reached the top of the golden stairway without its partner. So, what are you going to choose as a reward."

    "Also, will you go toward the next floor or apany your friend who wasn''t able to pass the trial?"

    Bia looked at the old ma and blinked before hurriedly shaking her tiny head.

    Of course, she would not go to the next floor!

    She was not in a hurry to die. Also, for some reason, she knew she would benefit more if she stayed with Kyle instead of going toward the next floor alone.

    The old man looked at Bia and raised his brow. He could sense divine energy within her body but he didn''t voice his opinion and slightly moved his fingers.

    A small golden portal appeared behind the old man who looked at Alec, Jian and Bia.

    "Hurry up choose your reward and go. This portal will take you to the seventh floor."

    Alec looked at the old man and nodded. Without even waiting for a second he pointed toward the old sword floating among the thousands of treasures.

    The sword shook slightly and arrived in front of Alec who was grinning.

 Chapter 92 Again on the first floor

    <h4>Chapter 92 Again on the first floor</h4>

    The moment Alec grabbed the sword a notification appeared in front of his eyes.

    ____________________

    ''Mission; xX''

    Enter the ''Tower of Opportunity'' and get the Artifact ''Sword of Power'' before anyone else.

    -Completed.

    Reward:

    2�� Sub-ranks increase.

    1��(S)-Rank skill.

    _________________________

    Alec''s smile widened. He hurriedly looked at the sword de which was slightly old before using his appraisal skill on the sword.

    ______________________

    ''Name: Sword of Power.''

    ''Currently: Unbonded.''

    ''Rank: Unranked (Growth-Type Weapon)''

    Special: Once belonged to a powerful individual who saved the mortal world from evil creatures. It is unbreakable as it was forged from a divine metal called ''methrine''.

    -Error!

    Trying to find the cause! Loading....

    -Error!

    No more information provided.

    _________________________

    Alec took a deep breath when he looked at the words, ''Growth type weapon''.

    The sword was amazing!

    It was a weapon that can be bonded with the owner. Even if in the future it was lost, Alec can just find its location through the connection.

    Alos, the sword will simply grow together with Alec. Now he didn''t have to care about his weapon breaking or acquiring a new weapon anymore.

    While Alec was holding the sword, the old man looked at him with surprise.

    "Kid, are you sure you want to take this sword? The sword is old, even I don''t know its origin. Also, there are a lot of more powerful weapons present around you."

    Alec looked at the old man and hurriedly hugged the sword.

    "No, I like this one."

    After a long time, he finallypleted a mission. There was no way he was going to let go of the sword!

    The old man shrugged his shoulders and looked at Jian who choose an (+SS)-Rank wand. Jian was a mage so he didn''t care about the sword Alec was holding.

    After both of them had chosen their reward the old man gestured them to leave the floor.

    Alec and Jian looked at each other. They were the only ones advancing to the next floor.

    After nodding toward each other both of them step inside the golden portal present behind the old man and disappeared from the floor.

    On the other hand, the old man looked at Bia who was staring at a round fist-sized fire orb.

    "Little one, the orb you are staring at belonged to an (+SS)-Rank fire monster. Do you want to take it?"

    The old man''s voice was warm. From the start to the end he never once spoke angrily. Bia looked at the old man and after pondering for a while she nodded her head.

    The orb started floating and appeared in front of Bia.

    She decided to absorb the fire orb because It will be definitely beneficial to her as she was a fire phoenix.

    "Now, I will send you back where your friend is."

    The old man smiled and a small white portal appeared in front of Bia.

    Bia nodded her tiny head and entered the portal, leaving behind the old man who was alone again.

    "Sigh. Now It will take a long time before anyone else appeared on my floor."

    ...

    Meanwhile, After Kyle disappeared from the stairway he appeared inside a white room filled with treasures.

    Kyle was startled suddenly appearing inside a ce he had never seen before but then a familiar old voice resounded inside the room.

    "You can choose any one of the treasures present inside this room."

    After hearing the voice, Kyle heaved a sigh of relief and started looking around the room.

    The voice said he can only pick one, also he was sure likest time he won''t be able to take more than one even if he wanted to.

    While Kyle was looking around, he heard Bia worried voice inside his head.

    -''Kyle? Kyle?''

    He chuckled when he heard her panicked voice before telling her that he was fine.

    Kyle was worried about the time when Bia potential would be known in the outside world but he threw the thought at the back of his mind.

    Right now, no one knew who he was, after leaving the Tower he will just simply hide his identity!

    After a few minutes, Kyle finally saw what he was looking for and his eyes lit up.

    Among the hundreds of treasures piled around the white room, he saw a transparent box filled with colorless flowers.

    After looking at the flowers for a while and confirming it was really the ''Elixer of life'' Kyle immediately picked the transparent box.

    He didn''t even nce at the different (+S)-Rank artifacts and skill core present around him.

    Kyle looked at the box that was filled with nine-leaves flowers. He felt happy. Now his brothers can be saved!

    The main reason why he entered the Tower was finallyplete.

    He carefully ced the box inside the storage ring he was wearing before seeing a strange door at the end of the room.

    Kyle approached the door and after ncing back at the white room one more time, he entered the door and his vision turned dark.

    After a few seconds, he was finally able to see something.

    The new scenery around him was familiar. Arge forest filled with huge spiky trees.

    "Sigh, I am again on the first floor."

    Kyle sighed. He was a little disappointed because he wasn''t able to advance to the next floor. Then suddenly an evil smile appeared on his lips.

    "Hehe, The old man will probably regret sending me here because I am going to sweep this floor clean!"

    He immediately took out the old map from his storage ring and looked at it with twinkling eyes.

    There were still two months before the Tower closed again, so he wanted to make the most out of the remaining time.

    Kyle didn''t even notice how the four months passed in a blink of an eye. After the reaming two months passed, everyone would be probably thrown out of the Tower.

    Suddenly out of thin air, a small white portal appeared in front of Kyle and Bia flew out from the portal with a fire orb.

    "Bia."

    Kyle shouted with excitement while opening his arms wide to hug Bia.

    He actually wanted to shout, ''You are finally here. My dear (+SSS)-Rank birdy'' but controlled himself.

    Bia looked at Kyle and immediately flew toward him before stopping in front of him.

    -''I am going to absorb the fire core. I will probably break through to the next rank. So guard my surroundings.''

    After ordering Kyle who still had his arm wide open, she turned around and sat on top of a nearby tree to absorb the fire core.

    "What the! At least give me a huge. You know I missed you a lot."

    Bia looked at Kyle with narrowed eyes. Didn''t we just saw each other a while ago? Why are you suddenly missing me?

    -''Why are you behaving so strangely?''

    "Sigh."

    Another sigh escaped Kyle''s lips as he turn around to guard their surrounding.

    It was going to be very hard to make Bia his exclusive (+SSS)-Rank warrior considering their ''awful'' history!

 Chapter 93 Fire Skeletons

    <h4>Chapter 93 Fire Skeletons</h4>

    Meanwhile; On the seventh floor.

    After entering the golden portal, Alec saw himself inside a new environment.

    The moment he stepped out of the portal, he felt a burning sensation under his feet. With a small wince, Alec hurriedly coated his feet with mana and looked down.

    The ground was crimson and he could also see some fire sparksing out from the red soil.

    Suddenly another person arrived beside him. Alec hurriedly turned around and saw Jian.

    Jian jumped the moment he arrived beside him.

    "What the! Why is the ground so hot?"

    Both of them looked around with squinted eyes.

    There were no trees, no vegetation. The sky was dark, filled with lighting clouds.

    In the distance, they could see cone-shaped volcanoes,vakes, andrge red fire rocks.

    The Temperature was also high, making them sweat profoundly within a few seconds.

    Jian couldn''t help but shudder while looking at their surrounding.

    "What the hell are we supposed to do in this ce?"

    The moment he spoke, a figure wearing dark clothes flew out from behind the clouds. The figure was yawning seemingly uninterested in the two individuals who just arrived on its territory.

    Alec and Jian both immediately looked at the figure. It had brown skin with two ck horns protruding out from its head. Also, in the middle of the figure''s eyes, they could see red lines instead of pupils.

    After gazing at the duo, the figure spoke in a cold voice.

    "Hmm, even though it was my turn toe down but I didn''t expect anyone to arrive on this floor. Very well, now that you both have stepped on my territory I won''t make things difficult for you."

    "To pass my trial each of you need to find and kill one thousand fire skeletons."

    After speaking, the figure wearing ck clothes snapped its index figure and under Alec and Jian''s gaze a fire skeleton crawled out from the ground.

    The skeleton''s eyes were hollow and its body was ck. A ball of fire was also burning in the middle of the skeleton''s chest.

    The figure pointed at the fire skeleton while looking at Alec and Jian with an emotionless face.

    "As you can see this is a fire skeleton. The red fire orb burning in the middle of its chest indicate the power of the skeleton. There are three types of fire skeletons in this ce each with a different color fire core."

    "Red color orb is the weakest and it''s almost equal to a (-D)-Rank warrior. The second color is blue and it''s equal to a (+D)-Rank warrior. Lastly, the ones with purple color orbs are the strongest skeleton warrior. They are equal to a (C)-Rank warrior."

    "It doesn''t matter what skeleton warrior you kill, you just need to kill one thousand of them and you will pass the trial."

    The figure paused and looked at the duo who was swallowing all the information.

    "After you are done you can leave for the next floor."

    "Any questions?"

    Jian and Alec looked at each other. There was a bitter smile on their faces.

    What the fuck!

    The weakest skeleton was (-D)-Rank!

    Jian was only (+E)-Rank. On the other hand, after receiving the missionpletion reward from the system, Alec directly broke through to (D)-Rank.

    Still, it would take them months just to kill so many fire skeletons.

    Suddenly Jian raised his hand and spoke with hesitation.

    "What about the reward?"

    The floating figure raised its brow at Jian''s question before speaking indifferently.

    "While finding and killing the skeletons you will probably stumble upon incredible treasures buried around this floor. That is your reward."

    Jian expression turned ugly.

    So even after killing one thousand skeletons, there was no reward!

    Also, he knew from his experience that he almost had a zero percent chance of stumbling upon any treasure.

    For a moment, Jian thought about Kyle before shaking his head with a smile.

    "Kyle would have probably found something precious even if he casually stroll around this ce!"

    Jian mumbled under his breath. He was a little jealous.

    Meanwhile, the figure floating in front of them pped its hand.

    "No more questions?"

    Alec and Jian both nodded.

    The figure snapped its figure again and a zero mark appeared on both Alec''s and Jian''s wrists.

    "Alright, I put a counter on your body It will tell you the amount of fire skeletons you killed. After the counter reached 1000 a portal will be formed in front of both of you. The portal will take you to the next floor."

    After speaking its final words, the figure turned around and disappeared among the clouds with a sleepy face.

    After the horned figure disappeared from their view, both Alec and Jian got familiar with each other. They were the only ones present on this huge floor so it was better for them to roam around together.

    While they were talking suddenly the ground a few meters away from them trembled and a ck skeleton suddenly crawled out from the ground. Its core was blue.

    With a sigh, both Alec and Jian immediately got ready forbat.

    They have to kill one thousand skeletons with as minimum time as possible. So they can advance to the next floor.

    ...

    At the same time, On the first floor.

    A small shockwave shook arge tree. On top of the tree was sitting a small red bird. A beautiful golden fire mark appeared between the bird''s brow as sheugh madly.

    -''Kyle, I directly broke through to (+D)-Rank! Also, my fire skills be stronger than before!''

    Bia shouted excitedly while flying toward Kyle who was looking at her with squinted eyes.

    "Why are you still small?"

    Bia stopped and looked at Kyle with a deadpan expression.

    -''I told you I broke through and you are calling this majestic me small?''

    Kyle immediately changed his expression and looked at Bia while blinking his eyes innocently.

    "Um, Congrattions."

    Bia narrowed her eyes hearing his insincere congrattion. With a p, she threw a fireball toward a nearby tree.

    Kyle''s eyes widen looking at therge head-sized golden fireball before he immediately stepped side way and the fireball collided with a nearby tree.

    -BOOM!

    Under Kyle''s shocked gaze, the upper part of the tree sted into tiny pieces.

    Seeing Kyle shocked face, Bia had a proud expression on her face before she flew toward him and sat on top of his head.

    Kyle sighed looking at the half-burnt tree. She just blew a towering tree with a single fireball. That was the power of the future (+SSS)-Rank Phoenix!

    -''So, what''s the n now.''

    After hearing Bia''s words, Kyle smiled.

    "What else, we are gonna take everything from this floor!"

    -''I like this n!''

    Now that Kyle was (-D)-Rank and Bia was (+D)-Rank. Both of them were very confident in their abilities. Also, they could face everything as long as they didn''t encounter any monster above (-C)-Rank.

 Chapter 94 Blue Snakes

    <h4>Chapter 94 Blue Snakes</h4>

    Just like Kyle. Lara, Mia, Carcel, Kelvin, Nine and the others who were present on the sixth floor also appeared on the first floor after they choose a treasure from the white room.

    After arriving at the first floor, instead of being disappointed or sad about the fact that they were not able to advance to the seventh floor. They immediately started hunting monsters and looking around for treasures.

    After experiencing so much on the upper floors everyone was clearly stronger than before. That''s why the first-floor dangerous monsters were now like ants in their eyes.

    Still, there were a lot of powerful ''Boss Monsters'' present on the first floor but no one was idiot enough to approach those monsters.

    Only two months were left before everyone have to leave the Tower. That''s why they wanted to make the most out of the remaining time.

    Also, the old man never said they can''t advance to the next floor again. They can probably find a white stairway and go to the second floor again.

    ...

    On the north side of the first floor, everything was quiet around the hundreds of towering trees.

    Suddenly a figure shot out from a hole present at the center of a tree trunk.

    The figure had two fist-sized purple color eggs inside its hands. With a swift movement, the figure ced the egg inside a cloth bag and tied the bag to its waist while running at full speed.

    After a second, a red bird also shot out from the tree hole. The bird was panting heavily as it looked at the running figure.

    -''Kyle you fucker wait for me!''

    Bia shouted with frustration while cursing Kyle. After Bia, two long blue snakes crawled out from the tree hole.

    Both of the snakes looked at Bia and Kyle''s retreating figures with bloodshot eyes.

    Their body was covered with ice. Also, the snakes had two curved horns on top of their heads.

    Both of them were (+C)-Rank!

    With arge hissing sound, one of the snakes sted a surrounding tree into pieces before following behind Kyle and Bia at full speed.

    The other snake held its head high and arge ice ball appeared on top of its head. After forming the ice ball, the snake threw therge ice ball at Kyle with full force.

    Kyle cursed, looking at the ice ball that was almost half the size of a tree. With a sweaty forehead, he immediately used ''Instant Teleportation'' to teleport out from the ice ball rage.

    -BANG!

    With a loud bang, the ice ball crashed into the ground and a huge crater appeared on the ground. Almost all the nearby trees froze and turn into ice particles before flying around with the winds.

    Looking back at the destruction, Kyle sucked in a cold breath.

    "I didn''t expect they would be so strong!"

    After seeing the first attack power, Kyle had the urge to apologize and return the eggs but he knew those snakes will probably skin him alive the moment he stopped.

    With a serious expression, Kyle increased his speed. He also used the skill ''Swift steps''.

    Soon, another ice ball appeared on top of Kyle''s head. His eyes contracted as he immediately jumped toward the left side to avoid the iing attack.

    -BAM!

    Anotherrge crater appeared on the ground. Kyle''s body trembled as the floating ice seeped into his body.

    "Bia do something!"

    With a shout, he hurriedly looked toward the east and started running again.

    Bia who was flying above looked at the situation and cursed.

    -''Who the hell asked you to steal their eggs? They are both (+C)-Rank. Do you think my attack will work on them!''

    With gritted teeth, Bia threw some fireballs on the snakes to distract them but the fireballs turned into smoke the moment it touched their bodies.

    One of the snakes looked at Bia with red eyes. The snake horns shone with a brilliant white light and a circr ball formed between its horns before an ice beam should out, directly heading toward Bia.

    Bia''s face was ashen when she looked at the fast-approaching beam. She hurriedly pped her wings and threw some fireballs toward the ice beam but all the fireballs immediately turned into smoke.

    While cursing Kyle inwardly, she used half of her mana and formed a bright red shield in front of her.

    The beam crashed down on the shield and within a second a crack appeared on the shield, after another second one crack turned into hundreds of cracks.

    After one more second, the fire shield broke down into small particles but Bia was nowhere to be seen.

    While the beam attacked the shield she distance herself from the beam and Left the attack range.

    The snake looked at the empty sky and Bia flying figure that was too far away and stopped the beam.

    With a hissing sound, it again started to follow behind Kyle.

    On the other hand, Kyle was panting heavily as he looked back at the blue snake following him.

    Soon, anotherrge ice ball appeared on top of the snake''s head.

    "Shit!''

    With a curse, Kyle used ''Instant Teleportation'' again to avoid the attack.

    Kyle looked back, he wanted to attack the snake as it was alone but after a few seconds, the other snake also appeared behind the first snake.

    With wide eyes, Kyle sped up toward the east again.

    ''Bia! I told you to do something.''

    A tired voice sounded inside Kyle''s head.

    -''I am trying. The snake had a strange ability. It just suddenly shot out an ice beam from its head. That''s why I exhausted half of my mana.''

    After hearing Bia, Kyle looked back. His mana was also exhausted. If he didn''t get rid of the snakes soon then he was probably done for!

    While Kyle was running he suddenly heard a sound nearby. His eyes lit up and he immediately turn around and started running toward the sound.

    Within a second he arrived at the ce where the sound wasing from but when Kyle saw what was in front of him he almost fainted.

    Three 16 meter tall Apes were standing together.

    They were all (C)-Rank!

    Right now the Apes were munching on a monster corpse. Also, there were strange earth spikes all over the Ape''s bodies.

    Kyle looked at the Apes and the Apes also turned around after hearing amotion.

    With a teary expression, Kyle slowly spoke inside his head.

    ''Bia let''s meet in our next Life.''

    -''What?''

    The moment Kyle spoke those words inside his head, the ground beneath his feet caved in and he fell underground with a loud thud.

    The Apes looked at the ce where Kyle was standing a while ago, only to see arge ice ball arriving in front of their eyes.

    Their eyes contracted as they looked at the ice ball before hurriedly moving away from the ball range.

    The Apes were very agile. With a swift movement, they disappeared from their ce. The ice ball crashed down on the Ape''s food with a loud bang.

    A small tremor shook the ground and arge crater formed. Under the Ape''s stunned eyes, their food turned into ice particles and vanished into thin air.

    The two blue snakes also appeared on the spot where the Apes were standing.

    The Apes were still shocked to see their food bing invisible. When the snakes arrived, all three Apes turned around with dark eyes and looked at the snakes.

    Without even waiting for a second the Apes attacked the snakes who were looking around for Kyle.

    Meanwhile, a few meter underground. Kyle held his breath and looked above at the small opening from where he fell from.

    He didn''t even dare to move.

    Loud battle sounds shook the entire ce where he was sitting.

    While Kyle was holding his breath so as to not attract the snakes and Ape''s attention. A worried voice sounded inside his head.

    -''Kyle, are you alright?''

    ''Yep, it seemed so. I am still alive.''

 Chapter 95 A Trespasser

    <h4>Chapter 95 A Trespasser</h4>

    While sitting in a hole underground, Kyle could hear loud sounds of ongoing battle but after a few minutes suddenly everything turned quiet.

    With a serious expression, he questioned Bia through their connection.

    ''How''s the situation outside.''

    A few meters away from the battle, Bia was sitting on top of a tree branch. She looked at the snakes and Apes with narrowed eyes before narrating everything to Kyle.

    -''One of the three Apes died under the snake ice ball. On the other hand, one of the snakes got seriously injured. Right now the remaining two Apes are staring at the snakes. It seemed they are going to retreat soon because both parties have suffered heavy casualties.''

    A few minutester, the snakes and Apes finally left the area. The snakes were angry and wanted to find the person who stole their eggs but in the end, they reluctantly left due to the Apes.

    After knowing that the snakes and Apes had left the vicinity, Kyle finally released his held breath.

    He didn''t expect the snakes to be so powerful!

    Yesterday ording to the map he arrived in front of a golden cross mark. After taking the treasure, Kyle was going to leave but then he saw a small hole present on a nearby tree truck.

    After spotting the hole, he and Bia both entered the tree hole but there was nothing inside the hole except narrow tunnels and strange-looking blue vines.

    It took them a whole day just to find the end of the tunnels where arge ck room was present. The room was dark with only a single nest made of an enormous pile of leaves in the middle.

    Kyle approached the nest and saw a lot of blue eggs. There were a total of 5 eggs, the eggs were emitting a cold chilling aura.

    After seeing the fist-sized eggs Kyle''s eyes lit up. Monster''s eggs were sought after as anyone can make a bond with the monster before they are hatched.

    Kyle wanted to store the eggs in his storage ring but because they were living things he wasn''t able to.

    While he was picking up the eggs, suddenly Bia sensed two dangerous auras advancing toward them at full speed.

    In the end, Kyle just grabbed two eggs and immediately started running toward the way he entered.

    "Sigh."

    With a long sigh, Kyle slowly crawled out from the narrow pit that saved his life from the snakes.

    Aftering out, he hurriedly dusted his clothes. Seeing himself dirty and sweaty, Kyle started walking toward a nearby water source.

    In the past few days, he memorized all the directions where he could find water. Also, even though the first floor was one of thergest, its whole structure was almost the same.

    While walking Kyle looked at Bia who was flying beside him. His expression was dead serious.

    "Bia, let''s not enter strange tree holes anymore."

    Thest time he saw a hole present on a tree trunk arge Scorpio chased him around the whole floor and now the snakes! That''s why Kyle took a mental note to run away whenever he saw another hole present on a tree trunk.

    Or else who knows if he would even survive the next time he was chased around by another ''Boss Monsters''.

    -''It''s not like it was me who was curious and wanted to check what was inside the tree hole?''

    Bia''s sarcastic voice sounded inside Kyle''s head who just walked toward the nearest water source without speaking any further.

    After Kyle and Bia left.

    A floating white-haired old man looked at the broken trees and the dead Ape body.

    He was wearing a silver robe filled with ancient symbols. The old man''s blue eyes were emitting an extremely cold aura as he looked down at the ce where Kyle had been standing a moment ago.

    Even though his face was expressionless, his left eyelid couldn''t help but twitch uncontrobly.

    "This brat! I thought he would finally suffer some setbacks after angering the snake couple but he survived due to a pit?"

    After observing Kyle for the past week, the old man was seriously having a lot of doubts about the life he had lived until now.

    How the heck a person can survive from two (+C)-Rank monsters just because of a pit?

    Kyle was just roaming around and within a week he found three secret ces on the first floor.

    The old man knew Kyle was using an ''old scroll'' but finding the treasures and taking them in the presence of ''Boss Monsters'' were two different things.

    Also, even if Kyle took everything from this floor. The old man would just rece the empty spots with even greater treasures.

    It''s because the Tower was here to help the younger generation as much as possible but to get a reward they have to face danger. After all, nothing in this world is free.

    "Also, why does he have that ''ugly thing'' present within his body."

    The old man frowned slightly sensing a very dirty thing present within Kyle''s body but then his face turned expressionless again.

    He was the oldest guardian of the Tower but even with his hundred years of experience, it was the first time he saw something so sinister leaching on someone''s soul.

    He wanted to remove ''the thing'' from Kyle''s body but it was within his heart and only the person who ced it can remove it without harming Kyle.

    "I can''t remove that thing or else the kid will die."

    With a sigh, the old man opened a portal and entered. He was going to ask his ''master'' as to what to do with the kid.

    The thing present inside Kyle''s body should not have been present on this as it belonged to a realm where powerful beings resided.

    After entering the portal, the old man arrived at a rather in-looking room.

    The room waspletely white with a single chair and a table present in the middle. The old man could also see an empty bookshelf in a corner and piles of ancient books lying around on the ground.

    Within the white room, a man who seemed to be in his mid-thirties was standing in front of the bookshelf. He was continuously flipping the pages of an old-looking book.

    The man was wearing a golden robe. His hair waspletely pitch ck and his eyes were grey. There wasn''t a single emotion within the man''s deep grey eyes.

    Also, the man figure was illusionary, like a dimly lit candle that would extinguish if someone blew on it.

    The ck-haired man looked at the old man who just arrived through a portal.

    "I know why you are here Susan. I can also sense the ''thing'' present within the kid''s body."

    The old man whose name was Susan sighed and looked at the ck-haired man.

    "Master are you not going to do anything? Someone who should not be here had trespassed on this."

    "He is also using a kid''s body as a container."

    The ck-haired man closed the book he was reading.

    "Even if I want to I can''t as I am just a small remnant, my original self left behind."

    "The moment I left this room, I will disappear."

    The old man looked at the ck-haired man and sighed before his face turned cold.

    "Should I kill the kid?"

    The ck-haired man shook his head with a chuckle.

    "I know if we killed the kid ''the thing'' within his body would be destroyed and it would cause immense damage to the one who put ''the thing'' inside the kid."

    "But Susan it seemed you only noticed ''that thing'' within the kid''s body."

    Susan raised his brow at the ck-haired man''s words.

    The ck-haired man suddenly waved his hand and arge screen appeared in front of him.

    On the screen, both the ck-haired man and Susan could see a young kid and a red bird roaming around inside a forest.

    "Look closely at how nature is embracing his body like he is one with nature."

    With a frown, Susan looked at Kyle but still didn''t see anything but then suddenly his eyes widened as he saw the small blue crystal particles within Kyle''s body.

    "Blood?"

    With a smile, the ck-haired man closed the screen before picking up a book from the ground.

    "It''s seemed even the one who put that vile ''thing'' within the kid''s body is unaware of the fact that the blood flowing within the kid''s veins is special."

    With a pause, the ck-haired man''s voice became serious.

    "Susan, only once in a billion years a person is born who is blessed to be a Celestial. A being who is even above me. That''s why don''t even try to harm him."

    With a serious expression, Susan hurriedly nodded his head. After seeing the ck-haired man reading a book, Susan opened a portal and was going to leave when the ck-haired man suddenly spoke again.

    "Send the kid to the upper floor. He failed the sixth-floor test as he hadn''tpletely awakened his true potential."

    "Let''s see how much longer he can survive against the thing leaching on his soul."

    With a nod, Susan entered the portal. Leaving behind the ck-haired youth who be grossed in reading.

 Chapter 96 Avoiding dark ’holes’

    <h4>Chapter 96 Avoiding dark ''holes''</h4>

    After arriving in front of a small stream, Kyle hurriedly cleaned himself.

    The water of the stream was crystal clear with some small fish monsters swimming here and there. On both sides of the stream, the only thing Kyle could see wasrge trees and grass.

    "I don''t have more clothes."

    With an annoyed expression, Kyle looked at the clothes he was wearing.

    A loose brown shirt with pants. It was thest clean dress he had left.

    Kyle looked at his reflection present inside the stream water and frowned. The corner of his ck hair started turning silver when he turned 16 but now almost 25 percent of his hair was silver.

    Unlike before he was clearly able to see a big difference in his appearance because all this happened within a week. Even his ck eyes were strangely giving off a greener shade.

    "What''s happening?"

    Kyle questioned but after thinking for a few seconds, he stopped looking at himself.

    ''Is it because of my bloodline?''

    He knew he would be turning 17 next month and just likest year, these changes started to appear again.

    When the first time, Kyle''s hair started changing color his father was a little worried because instead of turning silver from the roots his hair started turning silver from the corners. Baron Ohan called some healers to check on him but the healers didn''t find any problem with Kyle.

    That''s why afterward Kyle just stopped thinking about this matter because the changes were not harming him. But now that he knew he possessed a bloodline something others didn''t have, he was sure the changes in his appearance were rted to his bloodline.

    With a serious face, Kyle walked toward the cloth bag in which he ced the 2 blue eggs.

    The eggs were still emitting cold chilling auras. Kyle ced the pouch containing the storage rings with the eggs and tied the bag to his waist.

    After resting for a while, both Kyle and Bia started heading toward the east to find more treasures.

    While Kyle was walking, Bia was flying above his head. Suddenly she spotted some humans and immediately informed Kyle.

    With a nod, Kyle changed his direction as he didn''t want to meet someone and waste time because he was very busy sweeping the ''first floor''.

    After an hour, Kyle was standing in front of a strange structure.

    In the center of threerge trees, arge stone tablet engraved with ancientnguage was standing vertically. There was arge dark tunnel under the stone tablet.

    Kyle looked at the stone tablet and frowned. The golden cross mark he was finding was a little further from this ce.

    Also, ording to the map the ce he was standing wasn''t marked with any golden or ck cross mark.

    Bia also looked at the stone tablet and the dark tunnel before questioning Kyle.

    -''Are we going inside?''

    With a serious expression, he hurriedly shook his head.

    "Bia I think we should avoid dark ''holes'' as much as possible."

    After speaking, Kylee immediately turned around and left the ce.

    Just an hour ago he was chased around by the snakes. There was no way he wanted to experience that feeling again!

    Bia looked at the tunnel and then at Kyle. She blinked her tiny eyes with a rather surprised expression.

    -''Okay.''

    While Kyle was leaving, the old man who was called ''Susan'' looked at his fading image. Even though his face was expressionless, one could see a vein bulging on his forehead.

    "This kid! You entered every tunnel and hole you saw but now that I want to send you to the seventh floor you are avoiding the holes?"

    For the time after a long time, Susan''s old face which was always devoid of emotions finally became dark.

    "Should I just pick him up and throw him inside the tunnel?"

    Susan hurriedly shook his head. He wasn''t allowed to harm the kid.

    With a patient expression, he started floating toward the next destination where Kyle was going.

    ....

    Meanwhile, on the seventh floor;

    Alec and Jian were sitting on top of arge stone. Their breathing was rough and various holes can be seen in their clothes.

    The stone they were sitting on was the only ce that wasn''t hot.

    The atmosphere around them was so hot that both of them felt like melting.

    While they were resting, suddenly two fire skeletons crawled out from a smallvake present opposite to them. One of the fire skeletons had a blue core in the middle of its chest while the other had a red core.

    After crawling out both of the fire skeletons looked at Alec and Jian with their hollow eyes before running toward them.

    Jian looked at the approaching skeletons, he wanted to cry.

    "It''s been a week since we arrived on this floor and the only thing we did was to search and kill these ugly skeletons! We didn''t even find a single treasure."

    "It''s so unfair, I don''t want to fight anymore."

    Hearing Jian''s voice, which was filled with frustration. Alec sighed and nced at his wrist.

    On his wrist number 289 was written in red bold letters. That means he needs to kill 711 more Fire skeletons to reach the number 1000.

    Jian kill number was even lower than Alec''s. His wrist showed the number 198.

    Killing fire skeletons wasn''t hard as both of them fighting together could deal with the skeletons.

    The hard thing was finding those ugly skeletons and coping with the hot environment!

    From time to time, the skeletons would crawl out from thevakes or pits but the number was ridiculously small.

    With a serious expression, Alec stood up to fight the two skeletons who were running toward them.

    "Let''s continue. I believe we can do it."

    After hearing Alec''s cheering words, Jian didn''t knew whether to cry orugh.

    He just wanted to go home!

    With a teary expression, Jian also stood up and threw some spells toward the approaching skeletons.

    "You bastards. Piece of shit! I can''t even cook or eat you. Why the hell are you all so ugly!"

    Alec looked back at Jian dumbfounded.

    Even the skeletons who were running toward the duo were momentarily speechless.

 Chapter 97 Strange Golden Portals

    <h4>Chapter 97 Strange Golden Portals</h4>

    On the other hand, after one more hour. Kyle finally appeared at the ce where the map showed a golden cross mark.

    In front of him was arge field of green grass. The grass was thick and long, its height was almost equal to the towering trees surrounding Kyle.

    Even Bia who was flying above the grass wasn''t able to see what was inside. With a caution expression, Kyle moved some patches of grass and entered inside.

    After walking inside the grass for a minute, Kyle found a small open area in the middle of the grass.

    The area was so small that only a single human coulde out from the grass and stand in that ce.

    Also, it waspletely hidden between the towering grass.

    Seeing a white book floating in the middle of the area, Kyle''s eyes lit up. He hurriedly grabbed the book but when he saw it was about arrays his excitement vanished.

    He threw the book inside his storage ring like garbage.

    "Why are we only finding books about arrays?"

    Including the book he just acquired. Kyle found a total of 4 books about Arrays. He didn''t knew anything about arrays that''s why he had no use for these books right now.

    Kyle sighed and hurriedly left the grass and started walking further toward the east.

    Meanwhile, above the grass field. Susan''s eyes almost popped out when he saw how effortlessly Kyle entered the grass field and left after taking the book.

    He shouted with frustration.

    "What the heck are the grass monsters doing?"

    He was so angry that he wanted to go down and kill all the useless green snail-like monsters who were present inside the grass field.

    Susan wanted to throw Kyle to the seventh floor and be done with his job, but for some crappy reason Kyle had been avoiding almost all the holes, pits and tunnels like gue!

    After taking a deep breath, Susan looked at Kyle. It was the first time in his life, he had to work so hard just to send someone out from his floor.

    "I don''t care anymore."

    Susan waved his hand and arge golden portal appeared beneath Kyle''s feet.

    On the other hand, Kyle who just came out from the grass field suddenly felt a suction force dragging him downward.

    He looked down and his eyes contracted, without even waiting for a second Kyle used ''Instant Teleportation'' to teleport a few meters away from the golden portal.

    Bia also looked at the portal and cried with surprise.

    -''What the hell was that?''

    Kyle looked at the portal which just appeared out of nowhere. He shook his head as he was also surprised and didn''t knew anything.

    After seeing Kyle using ''Instant Teleportation'' Susan almost coughed out blood.

    He looked at the sky seeminglyining to his master.

    ''Why the hell do you have to give me such a hard job!''

    "Huu."

    After taking another breath, he waved his hand again and another portal appeared behind Kyle who was staring at the previous portal with caution.

    -''Kyle look back!''

    Bia shouted as she saw another portal appearing behind Kyle out of nowhere.

    Kyle''s eyes widened as he sensed the familiar suction force. He wanted to use ''Instant Teleportation'' again but an invisible hand grabbed his shoulder and dumped him inside the portal.

    Bia shouted Kyle''s name and looked at the portal. She was frozen in her ce due to shock.

    -''What is happening!''

    Her question wasn''t answered. While she was looking at the portal another small portal appeared underneath her.

    With a horrid expression, Bia wanted to move away but an invisible hand pushed her inside the portal.

    -''Help! I don''t want to die young!''

    Bia pped her wings frantically and cried in her mind before she also disappeared within the portal.

    After both of them were gone. Susan''s floating figure looked at the portals with relief.

    "I am done. Now I can finally go and rest."

    With a wave of his hand, all the golden portals disappeared. Susan flew toward the vast sky with a tired expression.

    The Tower guardians weren''t omnipotent, they were trapped within the Tower. They can''t see the outside world nor can they leave the Tower. Not until something big happened in the outside world or someone powerful called out to them.

    Including the other four Towers present in the outside world, all five Towers have a total of 100 floors. A long time ago, 100 guardians were assigned to take care of all the Towers but 60 of them died after reaching the end of their lifespan.

    Every time the younger generation of each Continent entered the Towers, all the remaining guardians had to fight so they could go down to the lower floors.

    It''s not they wanted toe down because of some young kids, it''s just they were bored after living inside a trapped ce for so long.

    The first three floors of the Towers were simr as they were practice floors. The real test starts after the third floor when the floor''s structurepletely changes due to the guardian''s powers.

    All five Towers were connected but with the help of different space pockets, they were separated from each other.

    After so many years, all the remaining guardians were old. That''s why even though they were powerful some of them preferred to rest instead of taking care of their respective floors.

    ....

    Meanwhile, On the seventh floor;

    Alec and Jian both were just done killing the two fire skeletons who crawled out from thevake.

    They both walked back toward therge stone they had been sitting on a while ago.

    Alec hurriedly climbed the stone and looked at Jian who was walking over with a grumpy expression.

    Suddenly under Alec''s gaze, a golden portal appeared a few meters above Jian''s head.

    Alec''s eyes widened as he shouted toward Jian.

    "Look up!"

    "?"

    With a confused expression, Jian looked up. His eyes contracted when he saw a ck figureing out from the portal.

    "OMG!"

    Jian wanted to move away but it was toote. The figure directly crashed down on Jian who had a very ugly expression.

    -BAM!

 Chapter 98 Crash Landing

    <h4>Chapter 98 Crash Landing</h4>

    Jian fell on his chest and his nose directly touched the burning hot ground.

    He groaned in pain and cursed the person who did a crashnding directly on his head.

    "Ugh. Who the shit..?"

    Before Jian could finish, someone''s hand pressed down on the back of his head, and his whole face got buried in the hot sand.

    "Ah."

    With a painful sound, Jian wriggled and tried to move the hand pressing down on his head.

    On the other hand, the figure who crashed into Jian immediately jumped backward with caution.

    Jian stood up and was going to beat the shit out of the person who just tried to ruin his angelic face but then Alec shocked voice sounded behind Jian.

    "Kyle?"

    "Huh?"

    With a dumbfounded expression, Jian hurriedly cleared his messy red hair and looked at the figure. It was Kyle!

    "How are you here?"

    He shouted while looking at Kyle with wide eyes. Then suddenly Jian saw his hair. Unlike before the corner of Kyle''s hair was glowing more obviously like silver.

    "What happened to your hair?"

    Kyle was also confused but then he blinked his eyes while looking at the duo.

    "Will you believe me if I said a strange portal forcefully kidnapped me?"

    "Also, I think I am getting old that''s why my hair is turning white."

    Both Alec and Jian looked at Kyle and became speechless.

    While they were talking, another small portal appeared a few meters above Jian''s head who almost freaked out when he saw the portal.

    A small fist-size figure came out from the portal but the figure stabilized itself in the air before it crashed on someone else.

    Kyle looked at the small bird who just started flying aftering out from the portal and sighed with relief.

    "It''s good you are fine."

    Bia looked at Kyle with moist eyes. She pped her wings and hurriedly flew toward Kyle before sitting on top of his head.

    -''I thought I was dead when the portal suddenly sucked me inside.''

    While Bia was talking, Kyle looked down at the ground because he felt a slight burning sensation under his feet.

    The ground waspletely red, with light smokeing out from the soil.

    Kyle coated his feet with mana and looked around only to seerge volcanoes,vakes, and burnt-red ground before looking at Alec and Jian who were staring at him with wide eyes.

    The moment Kyle saw them, he knew he was on the seventh floor of the Tower but the question was, how was he here?

    Kyle''s thoughts were disturbed by a surprised voiceing directly from the sky.

    Kyle looked at the sky and saw a middle-aged horned man floating toward him.

    The man was wearing dark clothes. His eyes which had red lines instead of pupils were staring directly at Kyle with curiosity.

    "Hmm, another person arrived on my floor? Wasn''t the test over a long time ago, so why are you sote?"

    The curiosity in the man''s eyes vanished after a second as it questioned Kyle with an indifferent voice.

    Kyle shook his head while staring directly at the floating man.

    "I don''t know."

    The man gazed at Kyle with narrowed eyes and flicked his index finger. A strange engraving appeared on Kyle''s wrist.

    "Well, it doesn''t matter how you arrived here. I put the counter on your wrist. You can ask the other two for more information."

    After pointing at Alec and Jian, the floating man turned around and disappeared into the clouds.

    This time the man wasn''t sleepy because first, Kyle''s appearance was a surprise. Second, he didn''t feel Kyle''s presence when he arrived on his floor.

    ''What a strange kid. If I remember correctly, I think it''s because of the earring?''

    If not for themotion Jian and Alec caused the man wouldn''t even have known that Kyle appeared on his floor!

    After the middle-aged man disappeared, both Alec and Jian looked at Kyle who was a little confused about the 0 number engraved on his wrist.

    Both of them wanted to know how Kyle appeared on this floor but Kyle just sighed with confusion because he was also surprised suddenly seeing them standing in front of him.

    With a distant sigh, Jian put his hand on Kyle''s shoulder.

    "Bro, I don''t know how you appeared on this floor but I think it''s time for me to tell you about the hardship you are going to face."

    Kyle looked at Jian who was making a very sad expression. Bia was also curious after listening to Jian''s words.

    Within a few minutes, Jian narrated everything. How he and Alec suffered after appearing on this floor. He also told Kyle about the floor rules and the strange number on his wrist.

    "So basically, you need to find and Kill 1000 fire skeletons."

    Jian said and hurriedly gestured for Kyle to climb up arge stone present nearby because his feet were burning.

    The stone was the only ce that wasn''t hot.

    After hearing Jian''s exnation, Kyle''s expression was a little grim.

    He wasn''t worried about the temperature because unlike Alec and Jian he had a passive skill ''Fire resistance''. That''s why he was not like them who were sweating buckets.

    Bia was also not affected by the high temperature as she was a fire Phoenix.

    The main problem was finding the Fire skeletons!

    Kyle could easily kill them with the help of Bia but finding them on such a big floor was like finding needles.

    Even Jian and Alec only found 300+ something fire skeletons after roaming around this floor for a whole week!

    On the other hand, Alec shook his head with a sigh. Just now he tried to sense Kyle Rank and the result? He sensed nothing!

    "What did I expect?"

    With a bitter smile, he looked at the system appraisal result.

    ______________________

    ''Name: Kyle Ohan''

    ''Race: Human''

    ''Special: ??''

    ''???''

    Trying to find the cause! Loading....

    No more information provided. The target is wearing a high-grade presence concealing Artifact.

    _________________________

    While Alec was thinking, Jian looked at Kyle.

    "So, what''s the n?"

    After pondering for a while, Kyle spoke seriously.

    "You said some of the fire skeletons crawled out from thevakes. How about going to a nearby volcano? Maybe we can find a lot of fire skeletons there?"

    Alec and Jian both looked at Kyle strangely. They were sweating buckets because of the heat and he wanted to go toward the Volcano.

    Still, they didn''t voice their thoughts as the temperature wasn''t unbearable. Both of them were powerful enough to cope with this much.

 Chapter 99 Betrayed just like that?

    <h4>Chapter 99 Betrayed just like that?</h4>

    An hourter,

    Kyle, Jian, and Alec were standing at the edge of a volcano. They could seeva and hot gas eruption from the top of the Volcano.

    Alec and Jian''s clothes were damped with sweat, Kyle was also sweating butpared to them he was in a better condition.

    It took them an hour to reach a nearby Volcano. Alec wiped the sweat out of his forehead and looked at Kyle who was staring at the top of the mountain.

    "Why didn''t we encounter even a single Fire skeleton on our way?"

    Jian stared at Alec. He was also thinking the same question. Before Kyle appeared every few minutes a fire skeleton would crawl out from a nearbyvake or ground but it''s been an hour, forget about seeing a fire skeleton they haven''t even seen its shadow!

    "What''s that?"

    Jian and Alec both looked at the ce Kyle was pointing at and their eyes widened for a second. Under arge vertical red rock, they saw a patch of crimson flowers.

    The flowers had four petals and they were emitting fire aura.

    After seeing the flowers both Jian and Alec only had a single question in their heads.

    Why the hell they didn''t notice so many flowers?

    After thinking for a while, Jian shook his head as he didn''t know much about herbs but he was sure it was something good because the flowers were glowing.

    On the other hand, Alec used the system appraisal skill on the flowers.

    ______________________

    System Analysis:

    ''Name: Inferno flower''

    ''Age: 70 years''

    ''Rank: High grade''

    ''Usage: After consumption, they can heal burned skin within a second.''

    ______________________

    Alec looked at the Rank of the flowers and raised his brow as he knew herbs were divided into five ranks;

    Low.

    Medium.

    High.

    Superior.

    Divine.

    In the outside world, low and medium-grade herbs weremon but high-grade herbs were considered precious as they could sell for arge amount.

    A superior grade herb was even rarer than a high grade herb and they would sell 10 times the amount of a normal high grade herb. Meanwhile, divine-grade herbs could only be seen in old textbooks as they were almost extinct.

    Under Alec and Jian''s gaze, Kyle approached the fire flowers and like a veteran, he immediately uprooted all the flowers and walked back toward Alec and Jian who were staring at him.

    "There are a total of nine flowers."

    Kyle gave three flowers to both of them and threw the remaining flowers inside the storage ring he was wearing.

    If someone peeked inside the storage ring Kyle was wearing, he would probably faint from shock because there was a mountain of various herbs and fruits inside the storage ring.

    Alec and Jian looked at the flowers Kyle handed them, even though Kyle uprooted the flowers very crudely, there wasn''t a single harm present on the petals of the flowers.

    They sighed and ced the flowers inside their storage rings before following behind Kyle who was already climbing the Volcano.

    After another hour,

    Alec and Jian''s eyes were almost bulging as they looked at therge leafless tree in front of them, two beautiful yellow fruits were hanging on the tree''s dry branches.

    Even though the tree looked devoid of life, the fruits were ripe and glowing.

    The tree was hidden inside a pit present between some rocks.

    Jian looked at Alec and took in a deep breath.

    "4th."

    Alec nodded seriously. He was trying his best to suppress the shock present in his eyes.

    In just 2 hours they found four treasures!

    Was this even possible?

    He thought back at how for the past whole week they hadn''t even seen a single low-grade herb.

    Wasn''t Kyle just randomly walking beside them? So why the hell the difference was so huge?

    Also, where the hell are the fire skeletons? Did they all die?

    With a deep breath, Alec looked at Kyle who was walking toward them after taking the fruits from the leafless tree.

    With a normal expression, Kyle gave both of them one fruit and started eating the other.

    His action looked normal as he had done this hundreds of times.

    With a nk expression, Alec and Jian divided the fruit and also started eating it.

    Arge amount of energy rushed inside their body, making them refreshed.

    After leaving the leafless tree behind, all of them again started climbing the Volcano.

    On their way, they gathered some more herbs. They even find a (D)-Rank skill core present inside a tunnel Kyle found ''identally''.

    The skill inside the skill core was called ''Firery Wind''. It was an agility-type skill.

    After thinking for a while both Kyle and Alec decided to give the skill core to Jian because both of them already had a high-rank agility skill.

    After another hour, Jian and Alec were almost numb whenever Kyle saw or discovered something new.

    All this while Bia who was sitting on top of Kyle''s head wouldugh from time to time seeing Alec and Jian''s shocked expression.

    As the three of them neared the Volcano top with sweaty foreheads, suddenly some fire skeletons emerged from the Volcano top.

    Jian who always called the Skeletons ugly was so relieved seeing them that he almost had the urge to go and hug the Fire skeletons.

    It was a very strange feeling. Never in his life, he would have imagined he would be happy to see some ugly skeletons!

    Alec also sighed with relief when he saw some Fire skeletons charging toward him.

    After Kyle appeared on this floor, the few fire skeletons that sometimes crawled out from the ground almost vanished into thin air like they never existed.

    Kyle raised his brow when he saw both of them sighing with relief.

    Without waiting for even a second, all three of them charged at the skeletons with a burning gaze.

    Bia also started flying because she was tired after sitting for so long.

    While everyone was focused on the few iing skeletons, the ground shook, and like a tsunami, hundreds of fire skeletons crawled out from the Volcano top.

    Their empty skulls were filled withva as they stared at Alec, Jian, and Kyle with their hollow eyes.

    Jian stopped in his tracks. His face had a smile that wasn''t a smile at all.

    "Ha. haha.. I never said I missed them. Why are there so many!"

    Fighting ten or twenty fire skeletons at the same time was fine but fighting hundreds of them at the same time was not right at all.

    Even Alec and Kyle stopped in their track and looked at the hundreds of approaching skeletons with shock.

    "Hmm, how about running backward?"

    Alec spoke and turned his head to look at Jian and Kyle, only to see nothing.

    Kyle and Jian were already running down the Volcano.

    Alec''s eyes widened. He was betrayed just like that?

    "Wait for me!"

    Alec shouted and started running behind Jian and Kyle who were already a few meters ahead of him.

    The skeletons looked at their fading image, and with a loud rumble, all the skeletons also started following behind the trio.

    Meanwhile, at the sky, Bia blinked her tiny eyes as she saw hundreds of more skeletons emerging from the Volcano.

    -''Wow, they are never-ending.''

 Chapter 100 Hundreds of Skeletons

    <h4>Chapter 100 Hundreds of Skeletons</h4>

    Behind a huge red rock present between a hollow pit, three figures could be seen hiding.

    A few meters behind the three figures was an old leafless tree within a small empty area. All three of them were panting heavily, their clothes drenched with sweat.

    Suddenly one of the figures popped out his head from behind the rock and looked outside the hole.

    The figure had deep blue hair and beautiful ck eyes. It was Alec.

    As he looked at the situation outside, Alec couldn''t help but narrow his eyes.

    Hundreds of Fire skeletons were roaming around the Volcano, they seemed to be finding something or someone.

    Alec wasn''t able to count the exact number but seeing the roaming skeletons just a few meters away from the hollow pit, he was sure there were at least 500+ Fire skeletons.

    He could also see that with every second their number was increasing because for some reason more fire skeletons seemed to be gushing out from the Volcano top.

    With a deep breath, Alec retracted his head and looked at the other two figures crouching beside him before whispering in a low voice.

    "Kyle, Jian. I think we are surrounded."

    With a deep breath, Jian also popped out his head from behind therge rock and looked at the hundreds of fire skeletons.

    Eighty-five percent of the skeletons had red fire cores in the middle of their chest means they were all equivalent to (-D)-Rank. Jian could also see some blue-core skeletons that were equivalent to (+D)-Rank.

    "Thank god there wasn''t any purple core fire skeleton following behind us."

    He wiped his sweaty forehead. His deep red eyes showed a hint of relief.

    A purple core skeleton was equivalent to (C)-Rank!

    They easily avoided all the (-D)-Rank and (+D)-Rank monsters chasing after them as the skeletons were slower and weakerpared to actual monsters. Jian was not weak himself as he broke through to (-D)-Rank two days ago.

    On the other hand, sensing Alec''s powerful aura he was sure Alec was almost on the verge of breaking through to (+D)-Rank.

    Suddenly Jian looked at Kyle. He wasn''t able to sense Kyle''s rank but seeing him running with speed even higher than Alec''s, he was sure Kyle was also at least (-D)-Rank.

    If not for this hollow pit they discovered while climbing the Volcano, they would have probably perished under the ruthless pursuit of hundreds of fire skeletons.

    All three of them looked at each other, their mind racing as to what to do next.

    While they were crouching behind the rocks, pondering about their next actions. A creepy red core skeleton with hollow eyes appeared at the edge of the pit, the skeleton''s empty eyes shone with a dim flicker of light as it looked at the pit.

    With a loud whistling sound the skeleton immediately rushed inside the pit, shocking the three individuals who were crouching behind therge rock.

    "What the hell!"

    Jian freaked out as he looked at the fire skeleton who was running toward the crouching trio. With a hurried movement, he jumped backward.

    Within a second, Alec unleashed the sword hanging on his waist and his figure shed as he attacked the skeleton. With a fast sh, he severed the skeleton''s left shoulder.

    He wanted to break the core within the skeleton''s chest because it would directly kill the skeleton but he knew from his experience that the skeleton ribcage surrounding the core was harder than the other body part.

    The skeleton whose whole shoulder was severed by a single sh didn''t stop at all. Its emotionless gaze was still fixed on the trio.

    The skeleton opened its mouth wide and threw outva on Alec who sidestepped and easily dodged the iingva attack.

    Kyle who was standing a few centimeters away from Alec threw two ''Thunder arrows'' at the skeleton chest, aiming for its core.

    The skeleton ribcage cracked a little, taking advantage of the momentum Alec shed at the skeleton ribcage. He wanted to take out this skeleton without causing anymotion. With a small sound, the skeleton ribcage crackedpletely and fell to the ground.

    At the same time, Jian hurriedly formed and threw a fireball at the skeleton''s red core which was now bare and the rest of the skeleton''s body slumped on the ground.

    Both Alec and Kyle looked back at Jian with dark eyes. They did all the work and he stole the kill?

    With an innocent expression, Jian hurriedly looked away. Internally he wasughing because his kill count increased from 198 to 199.

    While Kyle and Alec were staring at Jian. A loud rumble shook the ground.

    All of them abruptly looked in front and their eyes almost popped out.

    More than 20 skeletons were looking at the trio who were standing in the middle of the hollow pit.

    Without even waiting for a second, the skeletons immediately charged inside the pit.

    "Shit!"

    Jian cursed. Now they were surrounded from all sides!

    Alec and Kyle were also sweating buckets of water.

    Due to themotion, all the nearby skeletons also charged toward the pit.

    Within a minute, the entrance of the pit was flooded with fire skeletons who were staring daggers at the trio.

    "Hu.."

    Kyle took a deep breath and looked at Alec who was standing beside him.

    "Do your best to stay alive!"

    Alec looked back at Kyle seriously before both of them charged at the iing skeletons with their swords.

    Jian was standing behind the duo because he was a mage. He grabbed the (+SS)-Rank wand he got from the sixth floor and started throwing different spells on the skeletons.

    The wand was blue, there was also a green gemstone embedded in the middle of the wand. The wand lowered the amount of mana he needed to use for a single spell.

    Unlike Kyle and Alec who had to solely rely on their skills to manipte mana present within their bodies into desired natural elements, Jian could form fireballs, earth spikes, or any other small elemental attack without skills.

    He just needs to memorize the desired spell and cast it correctly.

    With a direct stab, Alec took out another Fire skeleton but the iing skeletons were never ending.

    The entrance of the pit was crowded with fire skeletons who were looking at the trio with empty eyes.

    With a deep breath, Kyle looked at the pit entrance. He was sure because of themotion, all the skeletons would be soon arriving at the pit!

    While his gaze was fixated on the skeletons, suddenly he took a step back with a serious expression.

    Alec felt his back hair stand up as he sensed the aura around Kyle''s sword.

    He subconsciously knew Kyle was preparing for a big attack that''s why without wasting even a second Alec jumped at the front and stopped all the skeletons advancing toward Kyle.

    On the other hand, Kyle''s grip on his sword tightened and a whitish-grey hue enveloped his swordpletely.

    Under Kyle''s gaze, a small vortex formed on the tip of his sword butpared to the first time he used this move the vortex was bigger and more darker.

    All this happened within a few seconds.

 Chapter 101 Bia is Missing?

    <h4>Chapter 101 Bia is Missing?</h4>

    "Alec step back!"

    Kyle shouted. Without even waiting for a second Alec pushed the skeletons backward with his sword and jumped backward.

    With a cracking sound, arge amount of mana gushed out from Kyle''s sword as he shed the sword vertically at the pit entrance with all his might.

    -BOOM!

    A loud rumble shook the hole pit. Kyle''s body trembled because he was pushed a few steps backward due to his attack force.

    His breath was a little heavy as he looked at the huge crater formed in front of his eyes. All the skeletons who took his attack turned into powder.

    "Second strike: Eradicate."

    Kyle mumbled under his breath. It was the second time he used this move but the result was better than the first time.

    The red 0 present on his wrist jumped upward nonstop, stopping at a whopping 43.

    Even Jian and Alec who were standing a few feet away from Kyle were shocked.

    Such a destructive attack!

    But they could see from Kyle''s sweaty face that the attack pressure was quite taxing on his body.

    Under everyone''s gaze, within a few seconds, therge empty crater soon filled up once again with Fire skeletons.

    The skeletons didn''t show any hesitation even after seeing theirrade die in front of them. They charged at the trio with empty hollow eyes.

    Alec took a deep breath and spoke seriously.

    "Now it''s my turn!"

    Kyle raised his brow while pushing back some of the skeletons.

    Alec raised his hand and used the (S)-Rank skill he acquired from the system recently.

    "Cyclonic Gale."

    With a shout, arge tornado appeared in front of him. Kyle took a step backward, distancing himself from the skeletons.

    Under Jian and Kyle''s surprised gaze, the tornado rushed toward the skeletons.

    There were hundreds of wind des inside the tornado, the wind des crushed the iing Skeletons.

    -CRACK! -CRACK!

    Loud cracking sounds were heard as the tornado swept through the skeletons directly crushing 40+ skeletons.

    The pit entrance that was filled with skeletons was once again cleared. Kyle subconsciously looked at Alec from the corner of his eyes.

    He was sure Alec''s skill was a little stronger than his sword move. Kyle clicked his tongue as he saw Alec''s smug smile.

    Meanwhile, Jian''s left eyelid couldn''t help but twitch when he saw how both of hispanions were boasting their skills and Arts in front of a life and death situation!

    But he also didn''t want to be left behind. With a modest expression, Jian stepped forward and took a deep breath.

    "Now it''s my turn."

    He also got an (S)-Rank skill before leaving the fourth-floor maze.

    Both Alec and Kyle looked at Jian surprised before charging at the new skeleton monsters entering the pit. Their breath was a little heavy as they used a lot of mana within a few minutes.

    Jian took a deep breath before shouting with all his might. He wanted the others to know he also had an (S)-Rank skill!

    "zing mes."

    A small me left from Jian''s palm. After traveling for a second the small me started turning bigger.

    Kyle and Alec cursed as they looked at the me. They were already drenched with sweat because of the environment and here Jian was using a fire skill.

    They both jumped backward and looked at Jian with dark eyes.

    Jian started sweating. His skill wouldn''t affect him that''s why he forgot to consider the others.

    To distract their attention, he pointed at the mes hurriedly. Under their gaze, the me turned into a huge cloud. It enveloped all the skeletons present inside the pit before going further outside and killing a lot of skeletons in one go.

    Jian shouted with excitement, seeing the destructive effect of the skill. He wanted to test this skill for a while but it consumed 40 percent of his mana that''s why he didn''t use it before.

    The number present on Jian''s wrist jumped again and stopped at 275.

    The entrance of the pit was cleared once again but within a few minutes, more skeletons started appearing in front of the pit entrance.

    Jianughed bitterly. They were already a little tired, on the other hand, the skeletons were never-ending.

    Kyle and Alec again started fighting with their swords.

    Suddenly a thought shed through Kyle''s head.

    ''Wait, where''s Bia?''

    As he thought about the person who should have been present with him during this life and death battle, Kyle''s face darkened.

    He immediately shouted in his head.

    ''Bia! Where the hell are you?''

    Azy yet innocent voice replied to him after a few seconds.

    -''Hmm, sitting on a stone present outside the pit?''

    Kyle wanted to curse but he controlled himself. He didn''t want to ruin his image in front of Alec and Jian but secretly Kyle took a note mentally. He was going to punish this ungrateful bird after he was done with the skeletons!

    With a deep breath. Kyle spoke coldly inside his head.

    ''I think you want to stay hungry for a few months?''

    Bia who was sitting outside the pit shuddered when she heard Kyle''s cold voice. She knew he was dead serious!

    -''I am killing the skeletons from outside! How can you do this to me!''

    pping her wings frantically, Bia hurriedly flew toward the pit entrance and started throwing fireballs directly at the skeletons who were hell-bent on entering the pit.

    Kyle humped internally when he heard Bia panicked voice. Within a few seconds, he was able to see a small disturbance among the skeletons charging at him from the pit entrance. It seems his threat worked!

    He looked at Alec who used another powerful skill and killed 10 more skeletons. With a swift movement, Alec used his sword Art.

    "Swirling Vortex."

    His blue hair fluttered as his sword pierced through a (+D)-Rank skeleton core without any resistance. The ribcage around the corepletely shattered.

    Kyle sighed. His mastery over the sword was a lot better than before butpared to Alec''s elegant movements he was still a few steps behind.

 Chapter 102 Tough Fight

    <h4>Chapter 102 Tough Fight</h4>

    Three hourster,

    Kyle was panting heavily as he looked at the hundreds of skeletons charging at him with a dizzy expression. He was extremely tired and his hand holding the sword was numb. He felt if the skeletons continued to pour inside the pit, he would copse in a few minutes.

    He gazed to his left, Alec''s condition didn''t look great either. With rough breathing, he pushed another skeleton back.

    Jian who was behind Kyle and Alec was barely standing while grabbing his knees. There wasn''t even an ounce of mana left inside his body.

    The situation was getting dire, Kyle gritted his teeth when he looked at the skeletons.

    He shed at the skeleton''s chest and his hand trembled, almost losing the grip on the sword.

    The skeleton in front of him took advantage of this. It opened its mouth wide and threw out ava ball at Kyle.

    Kyle''s eyes were on the attack, he wanted to move away but his body wasn''t listening to him. He moved his arm for defense and theva ball directly crashed on his wrist.

    "Ughh.."

    The burning sensation was very painful as theva burned his upper skinpletely.

    Alec looked at Kyle who was injured. With gritted teeth, he pushed the skeleton in front of him away before shouting at Kyle.

    "Hu.. ha be careful."

    Kyle gazed at the skeletons in front of him. One of them was ready to throw anotherva attack.

    He moved back a little to avoid the attack range. He took out thest remaining potions from his storage ring and threw two mana recovery potions at Jian who just copsed on the ground.

    "Alec."

    Alec gazed at Kyle, his vision was getting a little blurry because a few minutes ago a lot of blue core (+D)-Rank skeletons entered the pit and he used the system double power skill.

    Kyle threw an energy potion toward him. With gritted teeth, Alec kicked the skeleton in front of him and caught the potion.

    "Tha..nks..."

    His voice was barely audible as he gulped down the liquid present inside a small vial. Some of his energy was immediately restored as the potion effect started to kick in.

    Both Alec and Jian were grateful toward Kyle because whenever any one of them was on the verge of copsing, Kyle would take out some mana recovery, energy recovery, and healing potions.

    "The..y are thest ones."

    Hearing Kyle''s words, Alecughed bitterly. Potions were expensive, he wondered where Kyle got so many. Even he had very few. He could buy more from the system shop but he used all his points on the system double power skill.

    Also, Alec could feel that now even the potion effects were dimming because his body was too tired.

    Kyle gulped down a healing potion and the burn on his arm started to heal slowly. Now he doesn''t have any potions left.

    He threw the ss vial at the skeleton head standing in front of him before engaging inbat again. He would thank the old man properly for the potions if he survived today.

    Jian also gulped down the mana recovery potions Kyle threw toward him. Slowly but surely his mana started to recover. He had some potions before but he and Kelvin used those potions on the lower floors.

    With heavy breathing, he stood up and used his wand to form some earth spikes before throwing them at the skeletons.

    It was good the pit entrance was narrow. That''s why only 10 or so skeletons could enter inside at a time, or else Jian knew they wouldn''t have survived for so long.

    Suddenly a tired voice sounded inside Kyle''s head.

    -''Hu ha.. Kyle, I can''t carry on. I drain all my man.a. If I continue another second.. I will faint.''

    Bia tried her best to distract the skeleton''s attention toward her but the skeletons didn''t even budge from the pit entrance. They were hell-bent on entering the pit.

    She gazed at the skeletons underneath her there were at least 500+ skeletons and like sea waves more and more skeletons wereing toward the pit entrance.

    -''Jus..t what the hell is hap.pening?''

    Bia''s voice trembled as she gazed at the Volcano top.

    Unlike Kyle, she could see the situation outside. Anotherrge batch of skeletons wasing out from the Volcano top, and because of themotion happening in front of the pit entrance, all the skeletons were heading straight toward the pit without hesitation.

    ''Go and rest.''

    A deep voice sounded inside her head. She looked at the pit entrance that was crowded with skeletons. She wanted to help more but she didn''t even have the energy to continue flying as her wings were aching.

    With a worried expression, Bia looked at the pit. She could vaguely feel Kyle''s condition. He was even more tired than her and maybe within a few minutes, he would probably faint from exhaustion.

    Suddenly her body staggered. With a serious expression, she flew toward arge boulder and her small body slumped on the boulder.

    She wasn''t affected by the heat but because of tiring her mana and body, she was panting profoundly.

    ...

    While all this was happening, a small crack formed in the red sky above the 7th floor. Within a second, the crack turned wider, and a ck hole formed within the sky.

    A horned figure wearing ck clothes stepped out from the ck hole.

    It was ''Nixen'', the guardian of the seventh floor. He was the one who assigned the trial to Alec and the others.

    Just like the first three floor guardians, he was allowed to leave his floor, if he saw something out of order. The reason for this was that he never harmed anyone. It is because, unlike others, he rarely felt emotions.

    Also, he was too obedient and only had one goal in his mind. Toplete the work his master assigned to him.

    After seeing Kyle''s sudden appearance, Nixen used his authority and left the floor to check out the reason. He would have returned within a few minutes but Susan, the guardian of the first floor, stopped him midway.

    Susan asked him to go and visit the Treasure floor because the old man ''Jordan'' was feeling lonely after saying goodbye to the new kids.

    With a reluctant expression, Nixen agreed to visit Jordan. It took him half a day just to get rid of that extremely slow old man who wouldn''t stop saying, how the new kids were interesting this time.

    With an annoyed expression, Nixen started floating toward his abode to rest but suddenly he felt something wrong.

    He abruptly turned around at looked at one of the Volcanoes with narrowed eyes.

    "What''s happening?"

 Chapter 103 (B)-Rank Skeleton

    <h4>Chapter 103 (B)-Rank Skeleton</h4>

    Nixen narrowed his eyes. The red lines present within his eyes shone brightly for a second.

    After seeing the situation, he raised his eyebrow with surprise.

    Just like he thought, something was wrong with one of the Volcanoes.

    It seemed one of the skeletons identally stumbled upon a patch of supreme-grade herbs and gained some sentient.

    All the skeletons only had the basic sense to not attack each other, they only attacked someone whenever Nixen gave them permission, because the skeletons were made from one of his skills.

    Now it seemed the skeleton who gained a little bit of sentient was trying to control the other skeletons.

    Something like this rarely happened as Nixen always controlled everything on this floor. It seemed all this happened during his absence.

    Nixen gazed at the three individuals who were struggling to even stand properly. This floor was used to hone endurance. That''s why when Alec and Jian appeared on this floor, they only encountered one or two skeletons at a time.

    "It''s good they are alive."

    With a sigh, he blinked his eyes and disappeared from his ce. Within a second, Nixen''s floating figure arrived on top of the Volcano.

    He gazed inside. Amidst the ck smoke, arge 30 meters tall skeleton was walking inside the pool ofva. The skeleton was continuously throwing all the other skeletons out from the Volcano.

    In the middle of his chest, Nixen could see a fist-sized ck core.

    "A (-B)-Rank skeleton."

    He shook his head. The skeleton''s ck core was corrupted because of consuming something it shouldn''t have. Nixen wanted to let it live if it was obedient, but it seemed he had no choice.

    Nixen waved his hand with an indifferent expression, and within a second the (-B)-Rank skeleton body turned into dust. The skeleton wasn''t even able to resist. This was the power of an (+SS)-Rank guardian.

    After taking care of the skeleton, Nixen looked at the three individuals present within the pit.

    He could see that they had killed quite a lot of skeletons just in a single day.

    Alec''s wrist showed the number ''887'', Jian''s wrist showed ''829'' and Kyle''s wrist showed the number ''760''.

    "It''s my fault for not keeping an eye on the situation. I should help them a little."

    He waved his hand again and a light green hue enveloped Kyle, Alec and Jian''s body.

    "Now they canplete the given trial and kill 1000 skeletons easily."

    After gazing once again at the trio, he left to rest.

    ...

    Meanwhile, inside the pit. Kyle was panting heavily. He stumbled and one of his knees gave in, with a clenched fist he punched the jaw of another skeleton who tried to throw ava ball at him.

    Suddenly, Kyle felt a green transparent light enveloping his body. He panicked but he didn''t even have an ounce of energy to stop the green hue from invading his body.

    Within a second, the green energy seeped inside his body and Kyle''s eyes widened. He felt refreshed, his tiredness also disappeared!

    His mana was alsopletely restored. With new energy, Kyle kicked another skeleton and the skeleton''s ribcage cracked.

    He gazed at Alec and Jian. Theirplexions were also returning to normal. It seemed they also experienced the same thing as him.

    Jian looked at himself and startedughing menacingly. Now that his mana returned, he wanted to destroy all the skeletons!

    "Kyle, Alec. Back off! I''m gonna release my pent-up frustration on these ugly skeletons!"

    "I have struggled enough, now it''s their turn!"

    Alec and Kyle looked at each other and sighed with relief. There was a faint smile on their lips as they pushed the skeletons backward with all their might before jumping backward.

    With a thunderousugh, Jian used his (S)-Rank skill.

    "zing mes."

    A small me left his palm, and within a second the small me turned into a huge cloud and enveloped all the skeletons in front of them. The me didn''t stop and went outside the pit and killed a lot of skeletons.

    The number on Jian''s wrist jumped crazily and stopped at ''881''

    After the pit entrance was cleared, more skeletons started appearing within a few seconds.

    "I am not done yet!"

    Jian shouted when he saw Kyle and Alec moving forward to stop the skeleton.

    With a swift movement, he used another (B)-Rank skill on the skeletons.

    20 more skeletons died under Jian''s attack. He was taking revenge for all the pain he suffered!

    Alec kicked another approaching skeleton. After the pit was filled once again, he also used an (S)-Rank skill ''Crushing Thunder'', and killed a lot of skeletons.

    Kyle and Jian were both surprised when they saw Alec using a different (S)-Rank skill from before.

    Alec''s kill number increased and stopped at ''947''. He used a few more low-rank skills and started destroying the skeletons crazily.

    Kyle was standing behind Alec. His eyes couldn''t help but twitch when he saw Alec and Jian going wild.

    They were using everything to crush the skeletons. For a moment, he even felt pity for the skeletons who were dying nonstop.

    Kyle shook his head and rushed forward to join them.

    A few minutester, while they were fighting suddenly a golden portal appeared beneath Alec''s feet. He seemed to have hit the 1000 mark.

    Alec''s eyes widened as he looked down at the portal. He wanted to move away but within a second he was sucked inside the portal.

    Kyle cursed when he saw Alec disappearing.

    "He could have helped a little before leaving!"

    While Kyle was cursing. After another minute, another portal appeared beneath Jian''s feet who wasughing menacingly while throwing all types of spells on the skeletons.

    Kyle looked at Jian''s fading image and his eyes contracted.

    "Shit!"

    Now he was alone. The skeletons were still pouring inside the pit nonstop. The pressure on him increased the moment Jian left.

    He didn''t have any (S)-Rank skill he could use to kill arge amount of skeletons in one go. He had one ''Ice domain'' but it was locked and can only be used when his mana stat reached (-C).

    With a deep breath, Kyle jumped backward and used the second move of ''Void shattering strikes''.

    -BOOM!

    With a thundering sound, a lot of skeletons died under his attack.

    Kyle looked at his wrist and the number jumped upward to ''861''. With a serious expression, he spoke inside his mind.

    ''Bia where are you!''

    After a second, a slow voice replied to Kyle

    -''Hmm resting? Remember you told me to rest.''

    A vein appeared on Kyle''s forehead when he heard a sleepy voice inside his head.

 Chapter 104 Something is Wrong!

    <h4>Chapter 104 Something is Wrong!</h4>

    ''Are you sleeping?''

    Kyle shouted inside his head with frustration. He was a little angry. Now the situation wasn''t good because he was fighting alone.

    He knew with his recovered stamina and mana, he would be able to defeat some more skeletons. Maybe in another ten or twenty minutes, he would be able toplete the 1000 mark.

    -''No! Of course not!''

    Bia replied with a loud voice. She was really tired because unlike Kyle and the others, she didn''t receive that strange green hue from Nixen.

    With a sigh, Kyle sidestepped to avoid anotherva attacking from one of the skeletons. He was going to strike back but suddenly, he felt something inside him tremble.

    "Agh...Cough!"

    With a cough, Kyle immediately jumped back, toward the leafless tree present behind him. A drop of blood seeped out from his sealed lips.

    Kyle used his sleeve and wiped his mouth but when he saw blood, his eyes widened.

    ''What happened?''

    With Kyle jumping backward toward the leafless tree, the skeletons easily crossed the pit and arrived at the small open area present at the end of the pit.

    Kyle looked at the skeleton, he wanted to rush at them and attack but his heart started beating faster. Within a second, beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

    Kyle clenched his heart as he looked at the skeletons. With each passing second his eyes were turning red.

    ''Something is wrong!''

    Kyle panicked, he could feel his strength leaving his body and his knees bing weak.

    ''Bia! Tell me which nearest area outside the pit is empty. If not then make sure there are least skeletons! Hurry up!''

    Bia who was flying outside the pit, heard Kyle''s urgent voice. Because of their connection, a strange feeling welled up inside her chest. Without even waiting for a second, she immediately nced around.

    The pit was horizontal, present in between somerge red rocks. Bia gazed downward toward the Volcano''s edge, there were at least 500+ skeletons. The pit entrance was also filled with skeletons

    -''Kyle! Outside, the pit upper left area. There''s only a group of 7 Skeletons!''

    Kyle heard Bia''s voice, he hurriedly kicked another skeleton and threw it on the other skeletons.

    With rough breathing, he jumped and grabbed a thick branch of the leafless tree. His vision was a little blurry when he gazed at the ceiling present on top of the leafless tree.

    "Instant Teleportation."

    Kyle mumbled under his breath. His voice was barely audible. The skeletons were still charging inside the pit nonstop. Their gaze was fixed on his body.

    Under their gaze, Kyle disappeared.

    He appeared outside the pit. Kyle gazed upward, he could see the Volcano top from where smoke wasing out nonstop.

    Bia who was flying outside the pit with a worried expression saw Kyle''s figure appearing out of nowhere.

    He was grabbing his knees and panting heavily.

    -''Be careful!''

    Bia shouted when she some skeletons charging at Kyle from behind.

    Kyle turned around and kicked the skeletons. Bia also hurriedly flew toward him and threw some fireballs at the skeletons.

    After kicking the skeletons, Kyle gritted his teeth and started running in the opposite direction.

    While Kyle was running, Bia threw fireballs at the skeletons to distract their attention. After resting for a while, she only recovered 20% of her mana but that was enough to give Kyle some time.

    At the same time, Kyle didn''t stop running. He clenched his chest and used the skill ''Swift steps'' to increase his speed.

    Kyle only had 10% mana left inside his body after he used ''Instant Teleportation''.

    After three minutes, the remaining mana inside his body depleted and Kyle stopped running. He stumbled as his knees gave in.

    With a deep breath, he looked around and saw arge red boulder a few steps away from him. Dragging his feet toward the boulder, Kyle hid behind the boulder.

    "Hu...huu.."

    Kyle started taking deep breaths to rx his agitated heart, but no matter what he did, his heartbeat didn''t slow down.

    "What the ..hell is happ.. Cough!"

    Kyle spoke with frustration but then again he stopped midway, and coughed up blood.

    He wasn''t in pain but for some reason, Kyle''s body turned cold. A chilled thought continuously resounded inside his head.

    ''Something is going to happen!''

    While Kyle was struggling to breathe, Bia took care of the few skeletons following behind her.

    With a serious expression, she hurriedly started looking around for Kyle.

    After a few minutes, she saw him sitting behind arge boulder. His face was incredibly pale and blood wasing out from his nose and mouth.

    Bia panicked. She pped her wings and hurriedly arrived in front of Kyle.

    Kyle''s expression was nk. She could see red veins inside his eyes.

    With a teary expression, Bia hurriedly buried her head inside his hair.

    -''Kyle! What''s happening?''

    -''Kyle!''

    Bia shouted. After getting no reply, she started flying around Kyle with worry.

    -''What should I do!''

    Suddenly under Bia''s gaze, Kyle clenched his hair and started shouting.

    "Ahhhhh....."

    He could feel it! Just now something started spinning inside his heart.

    The pain was unbearable! A loud tearing sound resounded within his body, like someone forcefully tore a piece of his soul.

    "Ahhh...."

    Kyle was shouting nonstop as blood starteding out from his head and eyes.

    Bia looked at Kyle''s condition and started crying. Due to their connection, she could feel just how much pain he was going through right now.

    While Kyle''s mind went ck due to extreme pain. His heart stopped beating.

    In the middle of his heart, a nail-sized, drop-shaped red crystal was spinning nonstop.

    The energy around the crystal, danced with joy because it had just tasted a very delicious thing.

    After tasting the host soul once, the crystal increased its speed and started to spin with more vigor.

    It wanted to eat another piece but suddenly it trembled. From Kyle''s veins, hundreds of tiny blue sparks hurriedly rushed at the crystal.

    The tiny sparks surrounded Kyle''s heart and immediately moved toward the red crystal.

    Before the tiny sparks could touch the red crystal, it stopped spinning and hurriedly went dormant.

    The blue sparks moved around the crystal. After a few seconds, the sparks moved back with confusion because they were unable to sense anything from the crystal.

 Chapter 105 (-SSS)-Rank talent

    <h4>Chapter 105 (-SSS)-Rank talent</h4>

    Meanwhile, When Kyle''s heart stopped beating. Bia felt the connection present between both of them dimmed.

    Her body trembled as she looked at Kyle with tears.

    At the same time, Kyle''s hand slumped on the hot ground and he stopped shouting. He was breathing but his heart stopped beating.

    After a few seconds, Kyle''s motionless body moved. He blinked his eyes and looked at Bia who was flying in front of him.

    Bia looked at Kyle who was gazing at her.

    -''Are you.. alright?''

    Her childlike voice trembled as she tried to stop her tears.

    Kyle didn''t reply. Even if he wanted to voice didn''te out from his lips. Now that some of his senses returned, he could feel something was happening within his body.

    While Kyle was looking at Bia, the blue sparks present within his body shone brightly before they moved toward his soul.

    They appeared inside a small white void. In the middle of the empty void, a transparent body was floating vertically.

    The body waspletely golden, and its facial features were simr to Kyle''s. The body wasn''tplete because its whole left shoulder waspletely gone.

    Its eyes were closed but an extremely painful expression could be seen on the body''s face.

    The blue sparks approached the golden body and surrounded the golden body.

    All the blue sparks slowly started merging with the body. Within a few seconds, half of the blue sparks disappeared but the painful expression present on the body''s face also disappeared.

    After absorbing the blue sparks, the body becameplete once again. Also, now it was shining more brilliantly than before.

    The remaining blue sparks lost their radiance. With a wave, they returned inside Kyle''s veins.

    If Kyle could see his stats now, he would be able to know that his bloodline was temporarily unlocked but because of his condition, he wasn''t able to see it.

    At the same time, Bia who was looking at Kyle, narrowed her eyes. The beautiful green shade present within his eyes disappeared. His hair also started changing color.

    The corner of his hair which shone brightly with silver color before became ash grey.

    The brightness present within them disappeared.

    Under Bia''s gaze, suddenly Kyle gasped and clenched his chest. After a second, his heart started beating normally.

    The pain also disappeared. He moved his hand and sighed with relief.

    With a deep breath, Kyle wiped the sweat from his forehead. His body temperature also became normal.

    Hundreds of questions roamed inside his head. Was this because of his bloodline? But no one could answer his questions, even he himself knew nothing.

    Kyle didn''t like it, how he had no control over his own body. If something like this happened again, he would probably die because of the unbearable pain.

    Seeing him moving, Bia slowly flew toward Kyle.

    Kyle looked at her. Bia''s eyes werepletely red. It seemed she cried.

    With a light smile, Kyle grabbed Bia and creased her fur. He knew even though they quarreled and cursed each other a lot, she was worried about him.

    "I.. am fine!"

    Kyle said. With every second, his paleplexion was turning normal.

    "It''s just I felt... I lost a big part of my strength."

    His voice was barely audible, because he was not sure what just happened but then Kyle shook his head.

    Kyle gazed into Bia''s eyes. He could see his reflection. A frown appeared on Kyle''s face as he saw his hair.

    The corner of his hair turned Ash grey.

    ''Tsk, I liked silver ones more.''

    After a minute, Kyle heard some sounds from behind the boulder he was hiding.

    "Hey, can you stop crying my sleeve is getting wet?"

    Bia looked at Kyle with dark eyes. She was so worried about him and he was worried about a dam sleeve?

    With a cold ''hump'' she hurriedly left Kyle''s hand and started flying.

    Kyle chuckled at her reaction. He stretched his legs and stood up with caution.

    "Who''s behind the boulder?"

    Bia looked at Kyle with a serious expression.

    -''Two red core (-D)-Rank skeletons are standing behind the boulder, also I can see more are approaching. It seemed they heard when you were shouting.''

    Kyle nodded and took out his sword from the storage ring. He was a little angry because of all the pain he had to suffer. Now he was going to take out all his frustration on these skeletons.

    Bia looked at Kyle who took out his sword and became a little worried.

    -''Hmm are you really fine now?''

    "I am fine. No, actually I feel more energized than before."

    Suddenly Kyle raised his bro, he hurriedly looked at his stats from the corner of his eyes.

    ______________________________

    Stats:

    Name: Kyle

    Bloodline: Celestial (Locked)

    Rank: D

    Strength: D

    Mana: +D

    Agility: D

    Talent: -SSS Rank (suppressed)

    Luck: A

    Skills:

    #*Fireball (F)-Rank:

    ....

    ______________________________

    Kyle''s eyes widened when he looked at his rank.

    "I broke through?"

    He said with shock. Just a few weeks ago Kyle broke through to (-D)-Rank. He knew, it would have taken him a few more months before he broke through again!

    Bia also became surprised. She hurriedly tried to sense Kyle''s rank but then clicked her tongue because after Kyle wore that strange earring, she wasn''t able to sense anything from him.

    On the other hand, Kyle''s shock increased as he looked at his talent.

    "What the hell!"

    He mumbled under his breath. It was (-SSS)-Rank!

    Kyle recalled that after the Phoenix helped him, his talent was (SS)-Rank but now it''s showing (-SSS)-Rank!

    Also, it''s still suppressed!

    But then Kyle suddenly thought about the pain he suffered a while ago. He shuddered, there was no way he wanted to experience that much pain again.

    ''Does it mean whenever my bloodline awakened a little, I have to suffer pain?''

    Kyle''s thoughts were disturbed when one of the red skeletons standing behind the boulder popped out his head to look behind the boulder.

    With an annoyed expression, Kyle crushed the skeleton skull with a single strike.

    -CRACK!

    Kyle jumped out from behind the boulder and looked at Bia.

    "How many more skeletons areing?"

    A simple question but Bia didn''t reply.

    "Bia?"

    Kyle shouted her name and attacked another skeleton present in front of him.

    -''Maybe 400 or something?"

    Kyle almost tripped when he heard Bia''s words. In the end, after killing another skeleton, Kyle turned around with a nk expression and started running in the opposite direction.

    ''I don''t care about releasing frustration! My life matters more!''

 Chapter 106 Red Crystal

    <h4>Chapter 106 Red Crystal</h4>

    At the same time, when Kyle was feeling extreme pain. In an empty dark ce,

    The ck-haired man who was sitting cross-legged behind the huge white color orb suddenly opened his eyes.

    His golden pupils shone brightly within the darkness as he gazed at the floating red crystal in front of him.

    Under the man''s gaze, the trembling crystal started spinning. The man raised his brow when he saw the crystal spinning.

    "Is it time?"

    A hoarse voice resounded everywhere as the man looked at the crystal with anticipation.

    To be more specific, it wasn''t a crystal. It was a god-grade artifact. The ck-haired man stole it from his enemies who conquered and enved his home.

    After acquiring the Artifact, and binding it with himself. The ck-haired man knew it was sinister because the artifact absorbed soul energy from a ''host'' and converted it into Divine energy.

    The Artifact would then provide the energy to the owner. Divine energy was very precious even in the upper realm because it could give godly powers to anyone.

    That''s why the person whose soul would be consumed by the Artifact would never be able to reincarnate!

    The Artifact was overpowered but there were some problems. It had many restrictions and took a lot of time to activate. One needs to ce it inside apatible young host and only after 10 or 15 yearster will it Activate.

    After running away from his home, the ck-haired man was injured. He was also chased around by his enemies, and during a life and death battle, he lost a big part of his strength.

    While he was running away, he identally crossed an invisible wall and saw a small yet beautiful. At first, the man was shocked because the was hidden from the outside, even after standing in front of the the man wasn''t able to sense its presence.

    Without thinking much the man entered the, but he was shocked once again because the small was filled with natural resources.

    The man was delighted when he saw the native. They were weak like ants.

    After thinking for a while he decided to heal himself by absorbing some energy from the''s core.

    He knew it would take many years for him to healpletely that''s why before going toward the core, he found a random ''host'' for the Artifact.

    He knew it was sinister, but he didn''t care. He needed power for revenge. That''s why he didn''t care even if he destroyed the whole.

    In the end, even if he was injured the natives were too weak to do anything with him.

    While the ck-haired man was thinking, a melodic ting rang out inside the darkness. The crystal shone brightly with golden light, and with a delightful hum, it started spinning with more vigor.

    The ck-haired eyes widened looking at the crystal.

    "Shouldn''t it return to me after absorbing the host soul?"

    He questioned with shock and disbelief. His emotionless eyes trembled with excitement when he saw the spinning crystal in front of him.

    It seemed, he identally found a very powerful host! Because even after consuming so much soul energy, the host didn''t die.

    Under his gaze, the crystal started brimming with energy. There was so much Divine energy that the man almost stood up in shock.

    Suddenly the man''s shocked eyes narrowed because the crystal abruptly halted its movement and went dormant within a second.

    "What''s happened? Didn''t..."

    Before the man couldplete his sentence, the red crystal started changing color and turned pitch ck.

    The man looked at the crystal with greedy eyes, there was so much divine energy inside the crystal, but he couldn''t consume it. Not until the other half of the crystal returned.

    With a smirk, the man closed his golden eyes. He wasn''t in a hurry, because the small was hidden, and it would take a lot of time for his enemies to find this.

    "It''s okay! I can wait for a few more years."

    He knew after one more devouring session, the other crystal would probably return.

    The man thought about the ''host''. It was a young boy he randomly picked up from a ce he didn''t even remember.

    Who would have known the young boy would give him such a big surprise!

    .....

    Meanwhile, inside the Tower.

    After an hour of running. Kyle finally left all the skeletons behind.

    He panted heavily as he looked at his surroundings. He was standing a little further away from the Volcano top.

    With a deep breath, Kyle looked back. Some skeletons were still chasing after him.

    "What do they even want from me!"

    Looking at the approaching skeletons, Kyle got a little angry.

    He was tired but his mana was recovered as he didn''t use any skill while running.

    Kyle looked at the skeletons. He sighed and activated one of his skills.

    "Fire rain."

    Kyle mumbled under his breath and a huge ck cloud formed on top of the iing skeletons.

    Within a second, small finger-sizedva drops started pouring out from the cloud.

    Kyle raised his brow as he saw the fireballs melting the skeletons.

    The mana inside his body was decreasing as the fire rain descended on the skeletons.

    After a minute, 60% of his mana was gone but a satisfied smile appeared on Kyle''s face when he looked at his wrist.

    "949. Just need 51 more kills!"

    More skeletons were approaching but it would take them a few minutes before they arrived in front of Kyle.

    Bia who was flying above Kyle suddenly narrowed her eyes.

    -''What''s that?''

    "What?"

    Kyle looked at where Bia was looking. A few meters behind him, under a rock a red color book was floating.

    He approached the book and looked at it before he picked it up. There were some ancient symbols on the book cover.

    "Thank god it''s not about arrays!"

    Kyle sighed with relief and opened the book.

    The moment he opened the book, the book turned into white particles and entered his body.

 Chapter 107 Overpowered skill

    <h4>Chapter 107 Overpowered skill</h4>

    "?"

    Kyle felt a tingling sensation before a red petal appeared on the back of his hand.

    He didn''t even see the petal and it disappeared within his body before arge amount of knowledge entered his mind.

    ______________

    #*ck Skeletons (S)-Rank

    User can use mana to create skeleton warriors. The more mana used the higher the rank skeleton warrior. With enough mana, the user can even call upon an undead army.

    To use this skill at least (-D)-Rank mana is required.

    ______________

    Kyle opened his eyes with shock.

    "Such an overpowered skill!"

    The more Kyle thought about the skill the more happy he became. ording to the description, with enough mana, he could call upon an undead army!

    While Kyle was grinning and thinking about the skill. Two red core skeletons were approaching him from behind.

    He heard their footsteps and turned around.

    "Let''s check out my new skill!"

    Bia looked at Kyle curiously. After seeing his delighted expression, she knew he got something amazing again.

    Under her gaze, Kyle took a deep breath and looked at the skeletons.

    He thought about it and the skill activated.

    "Haa.."

    Kyle''s eyes widened because all the mana present within his body disappeared in a second.

    A few meters ahead of him, a ck hand crawled out from the ground. It waspletely pitch ck. Soon a ck body came out from the ground and stood in front of Kyle.

    Kyle narrowed his eyes. He could feel a small connection with the ck body standing in front of him.

    "But why the hell is it iplete?"

    The ck skeleton in front of himcked one hand and one foot. The white core floating in the middle of the skeleton chest was tiny!

    Yes! It was so tiny that if someone took a breath in front of it, it would extinguish!

    Bia looked at the skeleton standing in front of Kyle and startedughing.

    -''Haha, What an overpowered skill!''

    Kyle ignored Bia.

    "What do you know, the skeleton''s power is hidden inside its broken body."

    He ordered the skeleton to move and attack the two iing skeletons.

    The tiny core skeleton moved and took a step forward...

    -CRACK...

    And its body broke and turned into ck dust.

    Kyle looked at the ck dust. His left eye was twitching nonstop.

    Bia gazed at the ck dust and looked at Kyle with a consoling expression.

    -''It''s okay. Sometimes it''s happened.''

    Kyle heard Bia and the tip of his ears turned slightly red. He was embarrassed. Just now he boasted in front of her, but the skeleton he created didn''t even take a step forward!

    With a serious expression, he attacked the iing skeletons.

    With a sh, he broke one of the skeleton''s ribcage and destroyed its core before kicking the other.

    While Kyle was fighting the skeletons, a horned figure was floating in the sky.

    The figure looked at Kyle.

    It was Nixen. While he was sleeping, he suddenly heard a loud shout. He immediately arrived at the Volcano, only to see Kyle shouting in pain.

    He observed Kyle for a while. Susan did tell him about Kyle''s circumstances but he didn''t think much about it.

    When Kyle''s heart stopped beating, Nixen thought he died but to his surprise, Kyle''s heartbeat returned after a few seconds.

    "He found my signature skill?"

    Nixen mumbled under his breath and shook his head. It was the first time someone found his skill that''s why he was surprised.

    "Should I leave now? Hmm, I am bored anyway let''s watch a little more."

    With an expressionless face, Nixen started following behind Kyle.

    At the same time, Kyle killed the two skeletons and the number present on his wrist increased once again.

    After killing the skeletons, he started walking in a random direction.

    After an hour,

    Kyle was standing at the edge of the Volcano. The number on his wrist showed ''997''.

    "Three more to go!"

    His gaze darted around but he didn''t see any skeleton nearby.

    -''There''s some skeletons a few meters ahead.''

    Bia''s voice resounded inside his head. Kyle nodded and started walking again.

    While walking his gazended on another patch of flowers. They were purple in color.

    Without much thought, Kyle plucked the flowers and threw them inside his storage ring.

    Seeing Kyle''s casual actions, Nixen who was floating above in the sky almost lost his bnce.

    "Be gentle. The flowers were supreme grade!"

    Nixen mumbled under his breath and looked at Kyle''s figure. He took a deep breath to calm down.

    Within an hour, this was the fourth natural treasure Kyle found randomly!

    Just in a single day, Nixen had felt so many emotions that sweat appeared on his expressionless face.

    He wasn''t worried about treasures because he could just put some more but Kyle was finding natural treasures that even he didn''t knew were present inside his floor!

    "I can''t watch anymore."

    With a jealous expression, Nixen immediately turned around and disappeared. It was a big mistake when he decided to follow Kyle!

    On the other hand, Kyle appeared in front of the skeletons.

    He used the skill ''Fire rain'' and Killed a group of skeletons in one go.

    The number present on his wrist reached ''1000'' and a golden portal appeared beneath Kyle''s feet.

    Bia flew toward Kyle before sitting on top of his head.

    Kyle looked at the portal and his figure disappeared from the Seventh floor.

    After a while, Kyle opened his eyes only to find himself inside pitch-ck darkness.

    The ce in front of him was dark, and his body was floating. No matter where he looked there was nothing. Even Bia who was sitting on top of his head was nowhere to be seen.

    ''Bia?''

    He called out Bia''s name inside his head because even though he could feel their connection, he wasn''t able to converse with her. Kyle called Bia''s name again but after receiving no reply, his expression turned serious.

    With a deep sigh, Kyle started floating aimlessly inside the darkness. He knew he entered the golden portal with Bia but he appeared in this strange ce.

 Chapter 108 IIIusion I

    <h4>Chapter 108 IIIusion I</h4>

    After floating around in the darkness for a minute, Kyle''s vision turned blurry and he lost consciousness.

    His body was still floating in the darkness when a crack appeared in front of his body. A young ck-haired woman stepped outside from the crack and stood in front of Kyle''s floating body.

    The woman was beautiful. She gazed at Kyle''s body with her crimson eyes.

    Her clothes werepletely white and a brown color flower was engraved on the back of her hand.

    Bia was sitting on top of her shoulder. When Bia saw Kyle, she approached his floating body and called out his name.

    -''Kyle?''

    The woman looked at Bia and spoke in a cold voice.

    "Don''t worry he is fine."

    "Even if he failed the trial, he won''t die."

    Bia sighed with relief after hearing the woman''s words.

    After gazing at Kyle''s body once, the woman waved her hand and the pitch-ck darkness disappeared.

    The woman and Bia both appeared inside a white room. The room was vast filled with multicolor floating books. A single chair and a table were ced in the middle of the room.

    The woman approached the table and sat down before picking up a floating red book to read.

    Bia who was flying looked at the three floating figures in a corner of the room.

    The figures were Kyle, Alec and Jian. All three of them were unconscious.

    With a sigh, Bia flew toward the table and started waiting for Kyle to wake up.

    ....

    "Kyle?"

    A familiar voice called out Kyle''s name in a worried voice.

    "Huh?"

    Kyle opened his eyes and saw the figure calling out his name.

    "Father?"

    A ck-haired middle-aged man was standing in front of Kyle. It was Baron Ohan.

    He gazed at Kyle with worry.

    "How about you y outside with friends until the healer checks your mom?"

    With a confused expression, Kyle looked at his father. The man standing in front of him was definitely his father but for some reason to Kyle, he looked younger.

    ''I feel like I am forgetting something important.''

    Kyle looked at himself, his hands were short just like a 5-6 year old child''s.

    While Kyle was thinking another voice resounded. A ck-haired, ten year-old kid looked at Baron Ohan. The kid pitch pitch-ck eyes were anxious and showed worry.

    "Father! Is mother fine?"

    Kyle looked at the boy. It was Neon.

    "Brother?"

    The boy looked at Kyle and blinked his eyes. Baron Ohan looked at the kids with worry. His wife''s condition was critical, the doctors were doing their best.

    "Neon, Don''t worry mom is fine. Take Kyle outside to y for a while."

    Neon looked at Baron Ohan and nodded his head before grabbing Kyle''s hand.

    "Let''s go outside."

    Kyle was confused as to what was happening but he followed behind Neon.

    Soon, they left the corridor and arrived in front of therge gate. After leaving the house both of them arrived in a park.

    There park was not that far from Baron Ohan''s household. It was arge open area filled with feet-sized grass.

    Small kids were ying around the park. Seeing Kyle and Neon some kids hurriedly surrounded them.

    Neon wasn''t in the mood to y. After leaving Kyle with the kids, he returned home.

    Kyle looked at Neon''s fading figure with narrowed eyes. Suddenly a 6 year old kid standing behind Kyle spoke.

    "Kyle, I heard your mother is dead. Is it true?"

    Kyle looked at the kid. He had golden hair and ck eyes. There was a yful smile on the kid''s face.

    "No, she is just sick."

    With a serious expression, Kyle replied but then he frowned. He felt like something was wrong.

    ''She is sick?''

    The golden-haired kid snorted and pushed Kyle back.

    "She is dead! Just ept it. Why are you lying."

    "You..."

    Kyle was going to reply when a ck-haired middle-aged man suddenly descended from the sky.

    The man was wearing golden robes. With an expressionless face, he looked at the kids.

    For some reason, Kyle felt like the man''s golden pupils were familiar.

    The man approached the kids and tried to grab one of the kid. All the kids surrounding Kyle panicked. They hurriedly started running away from the park.

    Kyle looked at the man and narrowed his eyes. He felt like he had seen him before but he didn''t remember.

    "Uncle, do you need something."

    The man frowned when all the kids ran away. Now only Kyle was standing in front of him.

    With a cold gaze, he grabbed Kyle by the cor and picked him up.

    "What are you doing?"

    Kyle spoke with frustration. He didn''t understand what was happening. With a serious expression, he clenched his small hand into a fist and punched the man''s hand.

    "Let me go!"

    The man raised his brow at Kyle''s bold actions. He chuckled and forced something inside Kyle''s mouth before throwing him away.

    "Cough.. Cough...What did you feed me?"

    The ck-haired man gazed at Kyle''s small figure and started walking away.

    "Tsk, be grateful that I chose an ant like you."

    The man spoke with disdain before he started floating and disappeared from Kyle''s view.

    Kyle was coughing nonstop. He heard the man''s words.

    ''An ant?''

    Suddenly blood starteding out from his mouth and nose. A sharp pain appeared inside his chest.

    "Ugh..."

    He clenched his chest and a tear came out from his eyes.

    "It''s painful."

    After crying for a few minutes, Kyle stood up and wiped his face. He was feeling strange pain but it wasn''t unbearable.

    "I should tell father!"

    He started walking back home with red eyes. After entering the house gate, Kyle walked inside a beautiful garden. The garden was filled with different flowers because his mother liked flowers.

    After walking inside therge house for a while, he appeared in front of his father''s room.

    Kyle stopped a little further away from the room door and blinked his eyes. His father and brothers were pacing outside the room.

    Suddenly the door room opened and a healer came out from inside. There was a relief expression on the healer''s face when he spoke with Baron Ohan.

    After speaking with the healer for a while Baron Ohan started smiling. Even Neon and Ray both sighed with relief. After saying goodbye to the healer, all three of them hurriedly entered the room.

    Kyle looked at the fading healer and started walking toward the room. He stopped at the door and looked inside.

    The room belonged to his father. There wasn''t anything expensive in the room but it was filled with paintings and some old antiques.

    Suddenly Kyle''s gazended on the bed. His father and brothers were standing around the bed with happy expressions.

    On the bed, a brown-haired pale woman was sitting. Even though she was pale she looked beautiful. Sheughed and looked at Baron Ohan with warm eyes.

    "I said I am fine! You always worry too much."

    "Look even the kids are anxious because of you."

    Baron Ohan grabbed the woman''s hand.

    "I am happy you are fine Nicole. Now we all can stay together forever."

    Both Neon and Ray hugged the woman and started expressing their worries.

    On the other hand, Kyle was frozen in his spot. He started crying while looking at the pale woman.

    "Mom?"

    Baron Ohan looked at the room door. Kyle was looking at the woman with teary eyes.

    "Kylee here, mom is fine now."

    The woman looked at Kyle warmly and waved her hand.

    The woman called again but Kyle didn''t move. He was just crying while looking at her.

    Baron Ohan walked toward Kyle. He bent down and wiped his tears.

    "Why are you crying like a baby? Mom is fine now. She will stay with us forever."

    Neon and Ray also approached Kyle and started patting his back.

    "Father he is an idiot. Always crying!"

    Neon pinched Kyle''s check and walked back toward the pale woman.

    Baron Ohan grabbed Kyle''s hand and started walking toward the bed but Kyle grabbed his hand tightly and didn''t move.

    "?"

    "What happened Kyle."

    He looked at Kyle with confusion. At the same time, the woman sitting on the bed smiled and looked at Kyle.

    "Don''t you want to hug mom."

    Kyle looked at his mom and took a step back.

    Baron Ohan frowned.

    "Are you gonna let your mom wait?"

    With a deep breath, Kyle wiped his tears with his sleeve and looked at his father seriously.

    "I remember she died today."

    He pointed at the woman with a trembling finger and spoke with a choked voice.

    "She is dead."

    Baron Ohan''s eyes darken, he grabbed Kyle''s shoulder tightly and shouted angrily.

    "Are you crazy? She is fine!"

    While shaking his head, Kyle repeated his words.

    "I don''t know what''s happening but mom is dead."

    Baron Ohan''s grip on Kyle''s shoulder loosened and he fell to his knees.

    Under Kyle''s gaze, like a mirror everything cracked and his vision turned dark again.

 Chapter 109 IIIusion II

    <h4>Chapter 109 IIIusion II</h4>

    Meanwhile, After Alec disappeared from the seventh floor. He appeared in front of a beautifulke.

    Theke was calm and there wasn''t anything else present around it.

    He gazed around but there was nothing. After walking around theke for a while, he became dizzy and lost consciousness.

    After a few minutes, he opened his eyes only to find himself inside a worn-out room.

    The room was small and old. A single old bed was present in the middle of the room.

    Alec looked around with confusion. He walked outside the room.

    While Alec was looking around a voice called out to him from behind.

    "Alec you arete again. Hurry up eat something. Everyone else has already eaten. You are the only one left."

    Alec turned around and saw an old woman standing a few meters behind him.

    She was waving at Alec with a warm smile.

    Some small kids were running around the woman.

    Alec looked at the old woman and a warm feeling welled up inside his chest. Some tears appeared in the corner of his eyes.

    After wiping his eyes Alec smiled and hurriedly approached the woman.

    The kids running around the old woman saw Alec and started running toward him.

    "Brother you are awake. Let''s y after eating!"

    A brown-haired young boy grabbed Alec''s hand and looked at him with puppy eyes.

    With a smile, Alec nodded his head and grabbed a piece of bread from the old woman''s hand.

    Alec was a little confused but he knew where he was. He was at the orphanage, where he spent his childhood.

    The old woman and the kids standing in front of him were his only family when he was young.

    The orphanage was small but the few kids living inside the orphanage were well-fed.

    Also, the old woman took care of everyone like a mother.

    Alec also considered the other kids his brothers and sisters.

    He was going to eat the bread but then a notification sounded in front of Alec.

    _________________________

    Warning! Unknown energy is detected around the host mind!

    An emergency mission is assigned to the host!

    ''Mission; xX''

    Break the Illusion of the eighth-floor guardian.

    Reward:

    Trial cleared.

    1��Sub-Rank increased.

    Penalty:

    Failed to advance to the next floor.

    -1��Sub-Rank.

    Time remaining: 7 days.

    _________________________

    Alec gazed at the system panel and closed his eyes. He was confused but he somewhat knew it was an illusion.

    Because the old woman standing in front of him was dead. Even the kids surrounding him were dead.

    The moment he saw the old woman, her blood-filled figure appeared inside his head.

    With a deep breath, Alec dismissed the System panel.

    He knew his new friends who were like a new family were waiting for him outside the Illusion.

    He knew he had to do a lot of things. He also needs to take revenge for their death by killing all the monsters but he wanted to spend some time with the old woman and the kids.

    With a smile, he devoured the bread and started ying with the kids.

    Everyone wasughing and ying but the more time Alec spent inside the Illusion the blurry his memory became.

    Even though he remembered everything after seeing the system panel, but after two days, his mind became a little foggy.

    After spending three more days inside the Illusion, he forgets the names of his friends. He even forgets their faces.

    "Didn''t the system say I have 7 days so why?"

    Alec questioned with teary eyes. He had to leave because if he stayed inside the Illusion another day. He will probably forget about the system.

    With a deep breath. He epted the fact that the people standing in front of him were dead and the happy image in front of him cracked like a mirror.

    ...

    Meanwhile, After entering the golden portal. Jian appeared on top of a vast mountain.

    The mountain was filled with grass and flowers.

    Jian looked around the mountain for a while and after finding nothing. He fell asleep because he was tired after destroying so many ugly skeletons.

    Even in his sleep, he was cursing the skeletons for their ugliness.

    After a few seconds, his thoughts became dizzy and he opened his eyes with annoyance, only to find himself standing inside a big room.

    The room was majestic with expensive paintings and carpets lying around everywhere. There were rubies and diamonds embedded in the walls.

    Arge luxurious bed was ced in the middle of the room. On top of the bed, a beautiful golden-haired woman was reading a book.

    Jian looked at himself and became shocked. He was grabbing some broken pieces of the vase in his tiny hands.

    "Wasn''t I...?"

    "?"

    With a perplexed expression. He tried to remember what he was going to say but no matter how hard he tried, he didn''t remember anything.

    Jian threw the vase pieces away and put his middle finger on his cheek.

    "I feel like I am forgetting something!"

    The woman sitting on top of the bed chuckled when she saw Jian''s movements.

    While Jian was thinking a cute voice sounded from behind the bed.

    "Jian are you going to find me or not."

    Jian looked at the ce where the voice came and raised his brow.

    "Prince Kelvin, I know you are hiding behind the bed!"

    "No I am not! Also, I didn''t break the vase!"

    Jian blinked his red eyes and approached the bed.

    "Don''t you know there are insects behind the bed? Are you really noting out!"

    "The insects are ugly just like the ugly skeletons...?"

    "Ugly skeletons?"

    Jian widened his eyes. How can he forget the ugly skeletons?

    But then suddenly he looked at the golden-haired woman sitting on top of the bed.

    It was Kelvin''s mom who died when they were young. Memories of the past appeared inside Jian''s head and he started crying.

    After Kelvin, she was the only person who was close to Jian because Jian''s parents died in an ident.

    The golden-haired woman looked at Jian worriedly.

    "What happened Jian? Why are crying,e here!"

    Kelvin also came out from the bed and approached Jian.

    "Are you crying because I lied about the vase?"

    "I am sorry. Don''t cry."

    Kelvin started crying as well.

    Jian looked at Kelvin and started crying more.

    "You looked ugly while crying. Even uglier than the ugly skeletons."

    The golden-haired woman sitting on top of the bed sighed and stood up. She approached the kids and wiped their tears.

    "Why are you both crying because of a vase? I can buy 100 new vases don''t you know I am the Queen."

    Kelvin chuckled when he heard her mom.

    "Yes! We are rich!"

    He kicked the broken pieces of the vase away and looked at Jian with a smile.

    "Let''s go y outside!"

    Jian shook his head and suddenly hugged the golden-haired woman.

    The woman was confused but she patted his back with assurance.

    "It''s okay."

    After calming down Jian stepped back and the image in front of him cracked.

 Chapter 110 IIIusion III

    <h4>Chapter 110 IIIusion III</h4>

    -CRACK!

    After everything cracked and disappeared, Kyle''s vision became blurry again. His eyes were slightly red due to crying.

    It''s been a long time since he saw his mother. He remembered that day he returned home, only to see his mother''s lifeless body lying on the bed.

    His father and brothers were sitting around the bed and crying.

    How can he forget that day? The day when his family became iplete.

    With a deep breath, Kyle shook his head and looked in front of him.

    It was dark but in the next second, he found himself standing in front of a fist-sized silver orb.

    Kyle looked back, he was inside arge hall. The hall was devoid of any antiques or paintings but its structure was decent-looking.

    Many young and old people were standing a few meters behind Kyle in groups.

    Inside therge crowd, he also spotted his father who waved his hand at Kyle with assurance.

    "What was I doing?"

    With a confused expression, he ruffled his ck hair. They werepletely ck.

    "Was I crying?"

    Kyle frowned when he saw his reflection inside the silver orb.

    "Kid, what are you doing? Put your hand on the orb."

    An old voice resounded and Kyle looked up. A brown-haired middle-aged man, wearing a ck robe was looking at him with a frown.

    "Ah, sorry.."

    Kyle hurriedly apologized and ced his hand on the orb. The orb shone brightly for a while.

    The middle-aged man standing behind the orb gazed at Kyle and sighed. He expected a better result but s.

    "(B)-Rank talent."

    The man spoke and asked Kyle to leave the tform, so he could test the talent of other kids.

    The silver orb was used in every small city to awaken talent after the young kids turned 15.

    Kyle heard the man and nodded.

    ''(B)-Rank? It''s not that bad.''

    With an expressionless face, he stepped down from the tform and started walking toward his father.

    Suddenly a golden-haired kid stopped Kyle midway.

    "Hey, Kyle."

    There was a mocking smile present on the face of the golden-haired youth. Kyle looked at the boy.

    It was Sen, his neighbor. When Kyle was young, he yed together with him sometimes. But after his mother''s death Kyle stopped ying with him and others his age.

    Sen''s father was a (+S)-Rank hunter that''s why they were respected around the city.

    ''What does he want?''

    Kyle didn''t like Sen at all because his personality wasn''t good.

    "I thought your talent would be better than your father''s as you are always wearing a cold expression but it''s trash. Just like your father, it''s better you became a merchant!"

    "Because with such a low talent, you won''t be able to achieve anything in your life."

    Kyle heard Sen''s words but didn''t say anything. A few days ago, Sen''s talent was tested and just like his father, he awakened (+S)-Rank talent.

    It was enough to give Sen a bright future but Kyle wasn''t jealous because even if he cared, it''s not like his talent will change.

    Someone''s talent was destined from birth as it shows a person''s potential or how much power people can achieve in their whole life.

    Kyle turned around and started walking toward his father. He wasn''t in the mood to hear the bbering of a spoiled kid.

    Getting no reaction from Kyle, Sen''s face turned red.

    "Are you ignoring me?"

    He shouted but Kyle didn''t stop.

    "Huh? Tsk, I heard your mother was a beauty and also a (-S)-Rank hunter."

    Hearing about his mother, Kyle stopped and frowned.

    ''What the hell does he want?''

    Sen raised his brow. Finally, he got some reaction from this emotionless guy.

    "It''s truly a waste she married your father who was only a (B)-Rank merchant and gave birth to you and your useless brothers."

    With a dark expression, Kyle turned around and looked at Sen.

    Sen''s smile widened when he saw Kyle''s reaction. For some reason, he didn''t like the aloof mask Kyle wore, it''s like he didn''t care about anything.

    Sen was rich and liked it when others sucked up to him because of his powerful father and wealth, but among all the kids his age Kyle was the only one who never showed any reaction to Sen.

    Today he finally saw a crack in the mask Kyle was wearing!

    "What did I say anything wrong? She would have been a little useful if she fuc.... "

    Sen''s words were cut off because Kyle punched his face.

    "Ahh..."

    With a shout, Sen grabbed his jaw with both hands. His front teeth were broken and blood started pouring out from his mouth. He looked at Kyle who was ring at him with a dark expression.

    "If you don''t know how to respect others you should learn to keep your mouth shut."

    A cold and chilling voice came out of Kyle''s mouth.

    The crowd gasped with shock when they saw Kyle punching Sen out of nowhere.

    Baron Ohan, Kyle''s father was also shocked because Kyle rarely harmed others.

    He hurriedly left the crowd and ran toward Kyle to stop him.

    At the same time, Sen gazed back at Kyle with anger.

    "How dare an ant like you hit me!"

    Sen shouted and pointed his middle finger at Kyle.

    ''An ant?''

    The word ''ant'' resounded inside Kyle''s head again and again. He hated this word.

    Kyle''s anger rose again and he clenched his right hand into a fist.

    He was going to punch Sen again but suddenly a loud shout resounded, and someone grabbed his hand.

    "How dare you hit my son?"

    Kyle looked at the person who grabbed his fist. It was a muscr middle-aged man. His hair was golden just like Sen.

    ''Uncle John?''

    While Kyle was looking at the man, a huge pressure descended on his shoulder before he fell to his knees with a painful expression.

    With a serious expression, Baron Ohan arrived in front of John and tried to stop his pressure.

    However, he failed miserably because he was only a (B)-Rank merchant while John was an experienced (+S)-Rank hunter. There was a big gap between their strength.

    The crowd looked at them and started whispering.

    Even the man conducting the talent test looked at Kyle and Sen with a frown. He sighed and stopped John''s pressure because he was stronger.

    "If you want to fight go outside because I need to finish my job."

    The man conducting the talent test spoke coldly and looked at John and Baron Ohan.

    With a nod, John grabbed Sen''s hand and started walking. He red at Kyle and Baron Ohan before gesturing for them to follow behind him.

    Under the watchful gaze of the curious crowd, they left the hall and arrived outside in an open area.

    John gave a healing potion to Sen before looking at Kyle with anger.

    Even though Sen was a little spoiled, he was his only son!

    Kyle red back at John.

    Meanwhile, Baron Ohan looked at Kyle worriedly. He knew if Kyle punched Sen, it was definitely thetter fault. But he wasn''t powerful enough to protect his family if John wanted to take out his anger on them.

    ''I can''t let anything happen to Kyle.''

    While Kyle was ring at John, Baron Ohan suddenly lowered his head and apologized.

    Kyle looked at his father with wide eyes. His anger dissipated within a second.

    ''Ah...They are stronger than us.''

    With a nk expression, Kyle grabbed his father''s shoulder and stopped him.

    "I was the one who hit him. I will apologize for my mistakes."

    Kyle looked at Sen with a cold face and apologized. He was angry that''s why he forgot to consider his limits.

    The world they were living in was ruled by the strong and Kyle was among the ordinary people. If he didn''t apologize, who knows what consequences his family had to face because of him?

    Sen scoffed at Kyle and looked at John.

    "Father, there''s no need to get angry because of some ants!"

    John looked at Sen and sighed. On the other hand, Sen gave Kyle another disdainful nce and mumbled under his breath.

    "Tsk, lowly Ant!"

    Seeing Kyle''s expressionless face. Sen''s face because sour.

    "What are you looking at? Don''t you want to punch me again? Here Puch me now. Let''s see if you have any balls."

    Sen started taunting Kyle with a mocking smile but no matter what he said, Kyle didn''t do anything.

    With a deep breath, Kyle took a step back. He gazed at Sen with cold eyes.

    ''I with punch you when we meet again in reality.''

    Sen''s smile froze and with a loud sound, everything started cracking like a mirror.

    Kyle looked at the broken pieces and sighed.

    "I almost fell into the trap. If not for the fact that my talent isn''t (B)-Rank anymore, I would have epted the illusion as reality."

    He gazed at the broken pieces.

    "I wonder what he''s doing after leaving the Kingdom?"

    Kyle shook his head with augh.

    "I remember, after John insulted my father I somewhat lost the will to work hard."

    Fate is a very powerful existence. In the past, Kyleughed it out after the incident but it left a bad taste in his mouth.

    When his brothers asked him to learn swordsmanship in the past, Kyle justzily said,

    ''The world is not ending nor the Kingdoms are waging wars so why do a (B)-Rank talent like me need to work hard?''

    Kyle did get beaten up a little after his remarks but hiszy nature never changed.

    "Sigh, I said I am not jealous but in the end inwardly I always wanted to be someone strong."

    He looked in front of him and saw a bright white portal.

    "So the illusion is finally ending?"

    With a serious expression, Kyle gazed at the broken images onest time and stepped inside the white portal.

 Chapter 111 What about the Reward?

    <h4>Chapter 111 What about the Reward?</h4>

    Meanwhile, inside the white room where hundreds of different colored books were floating.

    The red-haired woman who was sitting on the chair and reading a book, suddenly gazed at the three unconscious floating bodies.

    "They are waking up already?"

    Bia''s ears perked up when she heard the woman''s cold voice. She hurriedly gazed at Kyle and the others to see any reaction.

    The first person to wake up was Jian. He looked around with his red eyes.

    "What happened..?"

    The red-haired woman raised his brow when she saw Jian''s face.

    ''Only one illusion. It''s seemed he hadn''t suffered a lot in his life.''

    She was right, Jian''s parents died when he was one year old that''s why he didn''t have any memory of them. Sometimes he became emotional because he didn''t have any parents but he wasn''t much attached to that feeling.

    The only people Jian was attached to was thete Queen and Prince Kelvin. So, after he saw the illusion where the Queen was alive he didn''t experience any other Illusion.

    Jian''s life was also quite good in the Royal Pce that''s why he didn''t face too many bad experiences.

    However, unlike Kyle who found the white portal immediately after the Illusion finished, It took Jian a whole week just to find the exit portal.

    Jian ruffled his red hair and looked at Kyle and Alec. Just like him, both of them were floating.

    With a serious expression, he gazed around the white room with interest before his gazended on the red-haired woman.

    "Hmm... Hello."

    Jian waved his hand nervously at the woman because her eyes were too cold.

    He could feel she was powerful enough to crush him with a single finger.

    The woman nodded his head and pointed toward a corner. Jian looked to his left and saw a golden portal.

    "You passed the trial. You can advance to the next floor whenever you want."

    The woman spoke in a cold voice and again became engrossed in her book.

    Jian blinked his eyes and didn''t immediately rush inside the portal.

    ''What about the Reward?''

    He questioned inwardly. Each floor had a reward but this cold woman was just kicking him out after the trial? Jian wanted to protest but gulped down his words when he saw the woman''s cold face.

    With slow steps, he approached Bia who was sitting at the table, and silently stood beside her. He wanted to wait for the others to wake up because the others were more courageous than him.

    They will probably ask the red-haired woman for a reward!

    After an hour, Alec also woke up with a drowsy expression. His ck eyes were moist because he cried a lot inside the Illusion. With a serious expression, he looked around the white room.

    The woman gazed at Alec coldly and pointed at a corner while speaking some familiar words.

    "You passed the trial. You can advance to the next floor whenever you want."

    Alec blinked nervously when he gazed into the woman''s deep and cold eyes. For some reason they were scary.

    Jian who was standing beside Bia quietly looked at Alec with anticipation.

    ''He will surely ask for the reward!''

    He secretly waved his hand toward Alec who nodded his head with understanding.

    ''Yes!''

    Jian shouted inwardly with excitement. The next moment, Alec approached Jian and quietly stood on his left side.

    Jian who was looking at Alec with admiration almost lost his bnce.

    ''The hell!''

    With narrowed eyes, he threw a disdainful nce at Alec who ignored himpletely.

    ''Now my only hope is Kyle!''

    Jian looked at Kyle''s floating body. After another hour, Kyle opened his eyes with a deep sigh.

    Just like Jian and Alec, he immediately looked around the white room and spotted the red-haired woman who was engrossed in the book.

    Bia looked at Kyle and hurriedly flew toward him before sitting on top of his head. Seeing Bia, Kyle showed a relieved expression. He was worried about her when he was inside the Illusion.

    ''How long did I sleep for?''

    He questioned Bia inside his head and looked at Alec and Jian who were standing together beside the table present in the middle of the room.

    -''You slept for two whole days!''

    For some reason, Kyle felt like Jian and Alec both were looking at him strangely.

    With a confused expression, Kyle waved his hand at them.

    "Hey, what''s up?"

    The red-haired woman looked at Kyle and again pointed at the corner.

    "You passed the trial. You can advance to the next floor whenever you want."

    Kyle felt a cold sensation coursing through his body when he heard the woman''s voice. It was even colder than ice!

    He gazed at Alec and Jian. For some reason now he had an idea why they were looking at him with puppy eyes.

    After throwing an apologetic nod at Alec and Jian, within a second Kyle grabbed a brown color floating book from the white room and jumped inside the golden portal.

    Alec and Jian''s eyes almost popped out of their sockets when they saw Kyle''s actions. Both of them looked at Kyle''s fading image and cursed inwardly.

    ''Bastard!''

    The red-haired woman''s eyes also widened slightly before she stood up.

    At the same time, the duo standing beside the table started sweating. They were tricked! Now gods know what will the woman do to them!

    They never even dared to imagine that one day both of them would want to kill someone so badly!

    With a nervous expression, Jian gazed at Alec who was wearing a dumbfounded expression. There was shock, disbelief, and confusion within Alec''s ck eyes.

    After taking a deep breath, Jian stepped forward.

    "I remember I had something important to do on the next floor so I think it''s better if I leave..."

    His sentence was cut off by the red-haired woman.

    "Wait!"

    Jian shuddered and almost went to his knees to apologize.

    ''I swear I don''t have any connection with that thief!''

    He eximed inwardly but then the woman sighed and spoke up again.

    "Both of you can also take one book before leaving."

    Jian looked at the woman and without waiting for even a second he grabbed a book and entered the golden portal.

    Alec also snapped out of his daze and after grabbing a book he followed behind Jian.

    After they left, the red-haired woman chuckled slightly. The books floating around the room trembled with happiness because while smiling the red-haired woman looked beautiful enough to be mistaken as a fairy.

    The woman picked up another book and started reading again. This time no one knew when she wouldugh again.

 Chapter 112 The Last Floor

    <h4>Chapter 112 The Last Floor</h4>

    On the other hand, after stepping inside the portal Kyle appeared within a vast in. He looked far and wide but saw nothing except emptynd.

    With a frown, Kyle looked at the brown book he ''borrowed'' from the red-haired woman.

    "Demons."

    Kyle mumbled. It was the first time he heard this term. He flipped the book pages. It was filled with information regarding the strange race called ''demons''.

    After flipping a few pages, Kyle lost interest and threw the book inside his storage ring. The dark race called ''demons'' was never seen in ''Blue''. So, there wasn''t any reason to read the book.

    "It''s seemed all the books floating around the white room were normal history books regarding different races."

    With a sigh, Kyle was going to look around when two familiar individuals came out from the golden portal present behind him.

    Kyle looked back, only to see Jian and Alec ring at him with a dark expression. With a dryugh, he took a step back because just a few minutes ago he had ditched them!

    Bia who was sitting above Kyle''s head immediately started flying while looking at Kyle with pity.

    Alec and Jian looked at each other with understanding. They were going to beat this rascal who dared to leave them behind after stealing!

    With a nod, both of them rushed at Kyle with their fists but s Kyle wasn''t destined to get beaten up because before their fists could touch Kyle their bodies froze.

    With wide eyes, they looked at Kyle who was also confused because he was able to move his body.

    Suddenly a thunderous roar resounded within the emptynd.

    "Kids nowadays are always fighting! I was just a few minuteste and you two were ganging up on an innocent-looking child!"

    Kyle looked back. A short-stature ck-haired man was floating in the sky. Unlike the other floor guardians who wore robes, the man was wearing a brown jacket with matching pants.

    "A dwarf?"

    Kyle mumbled under his breath. He could see the man''s ears were slightly pointy.

    In an instant, the floating mannded beside Kyle and patted his back.

    "Kid, are you alright? I saw the other two kids were beating you."

    Kyle almost coughed out blood because the light pat given by the dwarf rocked his internal organs.

    On the other hand, Alec and Jian who were frozen like statues were on the verge of crying.

    They didn''t even touch Kyle''s hair but got punished! Was this even fair?

    Kyle hurriedly stepped back so the dwarf wouldn''t pat his back again.

    "They are my friends. We were just exchanging some moves because we didn''t see anyone in this deste ce."

    The dwarf looked at Kyle and frowned. He didn''t expect Kyle to be such a good person who got bullied but is still speaking for the others.

    ''If he didn''t want to punish them then I can''t do anything.''

    With a sigh, the dwarf flicked his middle figure and Alec and Jian were finally able to move their bodies.

    Bia came back toward Kyle with a disappointed expression. She wanted to see him get beaten up but she almost forgot about his godly luck!

    -''Tsk.''

    The dwarf looked at the trio and spoke with a harmonious tone while giving Alec and Jian a narrowed gaze.

    "Hello, kids. My name is ''Yonaik'' You can call me ''Yon''. Right now I am assigned to this floor."

    Yon calcted something with his hands and raised his brow.

    "It seems I am given thest floor this time?"

    He mumbled under his breath before looking at the trio.

    "Kids. There''s no trial on this floor because for you it''s thest floor."

    Kyle and the others listened to Yon attentively. All of them showed a surprised expression when they heard ''for you it''s thest floor''. They gazed at each other with interest.

    Does it mean there are more floors after the 9th floor?

    Yon chuckled when he saw the kid''s reaction.

    "Hoho! Quite intelligent aren''t you? But don''t use too many brain cells because there''s no point thinking about something you can never know."

    "Well, where was I? Yes, there is no trial on this floor but there''s just a tiny miny problem."

    Yon''s voice turned low as he gazed at the trio with an apologetic smile.

    Alec looked at Yon and immediately questioned.

    "What problem."

    With an embarrassed expression, Yon cleared his throat.

    "Actually I was busy because I suddenly felt like I am near a breakthrough that''s why I forgot to design this floor."

    The trio looked at Yon with a nk expression. So that''s why the floor was so deste.

    ''You call this a tiny problem?''

    "Hoho! Now don''t give me those strange looks. Even though the floor isn''t designed there are a lot of treasures inside this floor!"

    Yon spoke and pped his hand to gather their attention. Kyle, Alec, and Jian''s ears perked up when they heard the word ''treasures''. They immediately forgive Yon for not designing this floor.

    With a deep breath, Yon looked at the trio seriously who were waiting for him to continue, but Yon threw another bomb at them.

    "It''s just I forget where I put those treasures."

    Kyle looked at Yon with narrowed eyes. He wanted to shout ''How can you forget about such an important thing!'' but controlled himself because Yon was more powerful than him.

    Yon saw the kid''s expression and sighed.

    "Don''t worry kids! I permit you to look around for those treasures. There is still a month before the six-month time ends and the Tower throws you all out."

    He paused for a while and showed a reluctant expression.

    "If you found the ce where I stored the treasures. All three of you can choose any one thing from it!"

    With a frown, Kyle looked at Yon. He didn''t like the fact that he could only choose a single treasure after finding a treasure trove.

    "Why do we work so hard just for a single treasure? You need to increase the offer a little."

    Alec and Jian looked at Kyle and nodded. They were happy with one but it was better if they got more.

    Yon narrowed his eyes at Kyle''s words.

    ''Was not this kid the same who was getting beaten up a while ago? Where the hell did he suddenly get so much courage?''

    With a beep breath. Yon showed Kyle two fingers.

    "Okay! I will give you two treasures each! Take the offer or I will throw you all at the first floor."

    Kyle and the others immediately nodded their head.

    "Okay, kids. I am leaving now but I will keep an eye on you. We will meet again after you find the treasures."

    With a smile, Yon turned around and started floating.

    With a glint, Kyle gazed at Yon''s figure. With an innocent expression, he mumbled loudly so everyone could hear.

    "Including Bia, we are four individuals. That means he will give us a total of 8 treasures. It''s not a bad deal."

    Yon who was floating almost tripped in his flight when he heard Kyle. How the hell did he forget to consider such a big loophole?

    While floating, he turned around and gazed at Kyle. He also saw the little bird sitting on top of Kyle''s head.

    ''I thought you were an innocentmb who was being bullied but turned out you are a wolf in sheep''s clothing!''

    With a deep breath, Yon disappeared into the clouds. There was no way he would go back in his words. It''s just he felt like he was tricked.

    After Yon disappeared, Alec and Jian gazed at Kyle with dumbfounded expressions.

    Kyle looked at them and shrugged his shoulder.

    "Let''s move. We only have one month."

    Bia who was sitting on top of Kyle''s head gazed at Alec and Jian with pitiful expression.

    -''Sigh, these guys will surely suffer one or two heart attacks if they stay with Kyle any longer.''

 Chapter 113 Underground Tunnel

    <h4>Chapter 113 Underground Tunnel</h4>

    Outside the Tower,

    The small city present around the tower wasn''t as bustling as 5 months ago when the chosen participants arrived to enter the Tower.

    A lot of merchants and other individuals who were there solely for business had long left the city. They will probably return when the participantse out from the tower.

    However, one representative from each Kingdom was still staying inside the city to take care of any unforeseen events.

    From Royal Academy, Vice Principal George was staying inside the city but for some reason, he left and asked Elder Han to stay inside the city in his absence.

    With a worried expression, Elder Han was pacing outside the hotel where Royal Academy students spend their time before entering the Tower.

    He sighed and looked far at the Tower.

    "I wonder if he found the Elixir."

    Elder Han mumbled under his breath. After the students entered the Tower, he was a little curious about Kyle and inquired about everything rted to him from Professor Aliza because Kyle was his first and maybest disciple.

    During his investigation, Elder Han found out about Kyle''s family circumstances.

    He wanted to help Kyle''s family a little but after visiting Kyle''s house and seeing his brother''s condition, Elder Han knew except for the ''Elixir of Life'' nothing else could cure them.

    Elder Han did ask around for the Elixir but even after 5 months he wasn''t able to acquire any information regarding its appearance.

    In the end, as Kyle''s master, he felt it would be bad if he didn''t do anything so he offered high-grade healing potions to Baron Ohan. After all, something like high-grade potions wasn''t much for Elder Han because he could make potions himself with materials but to his surprise, Baron Ohan didn''t ept the potions because Kyle sold a lot of things and prepared enough resources before he left for the Tower.

    That''s why, Elder Han wasn''t able to do anything to help Kyle''s family.

    However, he kept an eye on Kyle''s brother''s condition. Just a week ago, he received a piece of news that their condition worsened.

    Now, they were in critical condition. If Kyle didn''t find the Elixir of Life inside the Tower and brought it out within one month, their life would be in extreme danger.

    Even though the healers said that Kyle''s brothers could hold on for 8 months. But suddenlyst month the poison present within their bodies reached their hearts. That''s why it was bing very difficult to stabilize their conditions.

    Elder Han shook his head. He was trying his best to find the Elixir but it was something that hadn''t appeared inside Kingdom Ete for the past fifty years.

    He just hoped that Kyle found the Elixir because he didn''t want his only disciple to suffer.

    .....

    Meanwhile, Inside the Tower''s 9th floor.

    Kyle was walking with Alec and Jian. They walked around the vast in for a whole day but found nothing except empty destend.

    After looking around the whole day, Bia was now sleeping on top of Kyle''s head.

    Just like that, another hour passed and with tired expressions, they decided to rest for a while before continuing to look around for a structure present within the in.

    While everyone was sitting, Kyle looked at himself and frowned. Hisst set of clothes was so dirty that he wanted to throw it away. Suddenly he looked at Alec.

    ''His body size is almost equal to mine. Should I ask for some spare clothes?''

    He thought inwardly but then raised his brow. He wasn''t able to sense Alec''s aura.

    ''He is probably one or two sub-ranks higher than me!''

    Kyle eximed inwardly. He didn''t expect Alec to advance so quickly. Even though Kyle himself was (D)-Rank, he gave all the credit to the ''old scroll'' he acquired from the strange dwarf.

    ''Does that mean Alec is (D+)-Rank or (C-)-Rank?''

    Kyle''s eyes widen slightly. Such a fast speed! Reaching (C-)-Rank at such a young age was definitely amazing but he was just specting and didn''t know Alec''s actual Rank.

    While Kyle was looking at Alec curiously, Alec gazed back at him.

    "What happened?"

    Kyle snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Alec.

    "Actually I don''t have more clean clothes. Do you have some extra?"

    Alec blinked his eyes while looking at Kyle before taking out two sets of clothes and giving it to Kyle.

    He bought a lot of clothes before entering the Tower. So, he still had some left.

    Seeing the clothes Kyle''s eyes lit up. He didn''t like being dirty! He grabbed the clothes from Alec and hurriedly untied the small bag from his waist.

    Alec and Jian who were sitting in front of him gazed at the round cloth bag. They were curious as to what was inside because Kyle had been taking care of this cloth bag for a while now.

    Kyle looked at the duo sitting in front of him and narrowed his eyes.

    ''Are they going to watch me undress?''

    "I want to change, can you both turn around for a while?"

    Both Alec and Jian gazed at Kyle and nodded before they turned around to look at another ce.

    Kyle hurriedly changed his clothes and finally feltfortable. He looked at the blue top and pants he was wearing.

    ''They fit me perfectly.''

    After the three of them ate something. Alec and Jian were curious about what was inside the cloth bag but Kyle didn''t open it.

    In the end, they looked away with disappointment.

    After an hour of resting, they started walking again. Bia also woke up and started flying again.

    -''There''s something present a few meters ahead.''

    With narrowed eyes, she looked at arge rock present within the in and immediately informed Kyle.

    With a nod, Kyle gestured for Alec and Jian to walk toward the rock.

    After five minutes, they were standing in front of the rock.

    It was circr and looked like a huge boulder but because the rock was the only thing present within the deste in, Kyle and the others hurriedly looked around therge rock in the hope of finding something.

    "There''s nothing!"

    Jian eximed with a sigh after looking around the rock. He gazed at Alec who also shook his head.

    On the other hand, Kyle was looking at the rock with a serious expression before he spoke with hesitation.

    "How about we move it?"

    Alec and Jian both looked at Kyle and nodded.

    All of them got ready to push the huge boulder but the moment they gave it a little push, the circr boulder rolled back, making them surprised.

    "There are stairs leading underground!"

    Jian eximed with excitement when he saw a tunnel after the boulder rolled back. Inside the dark tunnel, a narrow stone stairway was leading underground.

    "Finally! After seeing the destend, I thought we wouldn''t be able to find anything from this floor."

    Jian said before all three of them immediately entered the underground tunnel.

 Chapter 114 Yon’s Abode

    <h4>Chapter 114 Yon''s Abode</h4>

    While Alec, Kyle, and Jian entered the tunnel. The guardian of the 9th floor Yon was sitting on arge cloud bed hidden between the clouds.

    He saw them entering the tunnel and almost spit out the tea he was drinking.

    "They already found my abode?"

    He eximed with shock and disbelief. When Yon said that he forgot the ce where he put the treasures he was lying.

    He indeed didn''t design this floor because he felt like he was near a breakthrough but he was a (SS)-Rank warrior how could he have such a bad memory?

    Even though he was the weakest among the guardians of the Tower, he had a very good memory.

    When Kyle and the others arrived on the 9th floor, he was going to design the floor but then he had an idea and asked them to find the treasures.

    "I thought they wouldn''t be able to find my abode and after a month when they are leaving the Tower I will just give them one treasure each."

    "I didn''t expect them to find my abode in just a single day!"

    Yon eximed loudly. The 9th floor was shorter than the first three floors but it was hundreds of kilometers wide! Just how the hell did they find it within a single day?

    Yon questioned himself inwardly. His worldview was changing but then he smirked.

    "It doesn''t matter even if they found my abode. There are thousands of rooms and traps present inside. There''s no way they will be able to find the room where I ced the treasures."

    With augh, Yon waved his hand and arge transparent screen appeared in front of him.

    Inside the screen, three figures could be seen. The figures were Kyle, Alec, and Jian. After pushing the rock, they were going underground with caution.

    Yon gazed at the figures with interest-filled eyes. He wanted to see just how far they could travel inside his abode.

    ...

    At the same time, After Kyle and the others stepped inside the tunnel, therge rock that was previously rolled back moved and closed the tunnel entrance.

    Jian widened his eyes and he hurriedly tried to move the rock but it didn''t even budge from its ce.

    "Damn! We can''t go outside now!"

    Alec also tried to push the rock but after a while, he also gave up.

    "Now that we can''t go back let''s continue moving downward through the stairs."

    Alec said and both Jian and Kyle nodded. It''s not like they had any other choice.

    With caution, they moved and after walking on the narrow stairs for about 5 minutes they reached the end of the stairs.

    Jian was the first to leave the narrow tunnel. He became a little shocked when he came out of the tunnel.

    Alec and Kyle also showed shocked expressions. In front of them was a huge hall that spanned around a hundred meters.

    The ground of the hall was devoid of any dust and was sparkling with various multi-colored tiles. A lot of different statues were present around each side of the hall.

    Bia started flying around the hall while looking at the statues with curiosity.

    Among the trio, Kyle was the first to step inside the hall. He casually moved a few steps and gazed at the statues.

    There were a total of 15 statues belonging to different races. Three statues showed figures simr to demi-humans, three elves, three dwarfs and three statues showed human figures.

    When Kyle looked at thest three statues, he frowned because it was a race he hadn''t seen before.

    Their bodies were exactly shaped like humans. They had pointy ears just like the elves'' race, simr horns and tails like the demi-humans but their pointy nails wererge enough to be mistaken as a weapon.

    The three statues'' faces were twisted with a sinister smile. For some reason, when Kyle looked at the strange statues he felt ufortable because they were giving off a dark and eerie feeling.

    After gazing at the three strange statues for a while he moved a few steps and looked at the elves'' statues. One of the elves'' statues showed a woman figure. She was tall and beautiful. On top of her head was a beautiful crown.

    Kyle gazed at that woman''s face and felt like she was one of the most beautiful women he had seen in his life. While Kyle was looking around, Jian also stepped inside the hall but the moment his feet touched one of the tiles, his hair stood up and a chill down his spine.

    Within a second from the hall ceiling, an arrow shot out directly aiming for Jian''s head. He cried with surprise and tried to avoid the arrow but even though he reacted immediately the arrow grazed his left arm.

    "Ah..."

    Both Alec and Kyle looked at Jian with surprise. Their eyes widened when they saw his bleeding arm.

    "What happened?"

    With a worried shout, Alec was going to step inside the hall but Jian hurriedly stopped him.

    "Don''t move! There are traps underneath the tiles of the hall."

    Alec froze in his ce and looked at Jian''s feet. The red tile present underneath his feet was caved in a few centimeters. It seemed the moment Jian stepped on the tile, the trap was activated.

    After seeing the situation, Kyle who was walking around the hall casually froze in his ce. Cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

    ''Shit! I almost perished''

    Jian took out a piece of cloth from his storage ring and cleaned his wound.

    "Fortunately, I reacted immediately that''s why the wound isn''t deep."

    He didn''t have any healing potions and he knew Alec and Kyle also used up theirs when they were fighting with the skeletons. So, getting injured inside this ce was very dangerous.

    With a dryugh, Jian gazed at Kyle who was standing a few meters ahead of him.

    "Now what should we do?"

    Jian sighed and questioned.

    "Well, we can just hope we don''t step on the traps."

    Alec said and used the system appraisal function on the hall ground but it didn''t show any information.

    He was standing outside the hall and Jian was standing on the first tile. Kyle was the only one who stood a little further from the starting point.

    ''I think we need a meat shield.''

    With a simr thought, both Alec and Jian gazed at each other with understanding before looking at Kyle with sparkling eyes.

    At the same time, Kyle felt a shiver run down his spine when he saw their gaze.

    ''Why do I feel like I am in big trouble?''

    Bia who was flying around the hall looked at Kyle''s sweaty forehead andughed. She hurriedly sat on top of a nearby statue while looking at the trio who were staring at each other.

 Chapter 115 Moving statues

    <h4>Chapter 115 Moving statues</h4>

    With a sweaty forehead, Kyle gazed at the duo who was looking at him eagerly before looking at the end of the hall.

    There were at least one hundred multi-colored square-shaped tiles present on the ground and Kyle was standing above a white color tile. Each tile was big enough to hold a single person.

    After thest tiles, he could see somerge doors.

    "Kyle, you are standing ahead everyone that''s why you should move first I will jump at the tile you are standing!"

    Jian said with an innocent expression while looking at Kyle. He had already wrapped his injured arm with a cloth.

    Alec gave Jian a knowing nce and nodded in agreement. After Jian jumped at Kyle''s tile, he would jump at the ce where Jian was standing. It was better to make a single person suffer instead of all of them dying tragically.

    For some reason, Alec and Jian both were one hundred percent sure even if Kyle walked casually he would leave the hall unscathed.

    With wide eyes, Kyle looked at Jian and Alec. They were hell-bent on making him a meat shield!

    It was the first time, Kyle suffered such a huge blow. He was always the one using others how did the situation reverse?

    Kyle wanted to curse at the duo but then he took a deep breath and shouted.

    "If I die I will not die alone!"

    With a serious expression, Kyle turned around and looked at the tiles in front of him.

    He could see the tiles had, Red, blue, green, white, and ck colors.

    Kyle looked at the tiles and jumped at a blue color tile.

    His hands were sweaty as he hurriedly nced at the ceiling to see if any trap was activated but even after five seconds nothing happened.

    "Sigh."

    Kyle wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed with relief. He looked back and saw Jian had already jumped at the tile he was standing on a while ago.

    Alec also stepped on the tile where Jian was standing a while ago.

    "I think you should choose white color next because nothing happened when you were standing on the white tile before."

    Jian said and urged Kyle to move again.

    A vein bulges on Kyle''s forehead. He wanted to throw a punch at Jian''s face and break some of his teeth but controlled himself.

    ''I with surely take revenge!''

    With narrowed eyes, Kyle gave Jian a deathly nce and turned around because if he looked at his face any longer he would probably do something unimaginable.

    Kyle gazed at the tiles. Jian asked him to select the white tile. He wanted to pick the ck one but after pondering about what Jian said he decided to step on the white one.

    Under Jian and Alec''s gaze, he stepped on the white tile.

    Tremble...

    Kyle''s feet shook and his eyes almost popped out from his sockets. The huge dwarf statue present on the left row actually moved!

    The statue was so fast that Kyle wasn''t able to react on time. Under his horrid gaze, the statue stepped forward and the huge hammer within his hand dropped on the tiles.

    The hammer touched the ground with a loud bang and the tiles cracked. A loud tremor shook the whole hall.

    Kyle looked at the huge hammer and his heart skipped a beat. His legs went soft.

    The hammer just dropped a few meters away from him. If he was standing a few meters on the left he would have probably be meat paste!

    Even Alec and Jian were rooted in their ce. They didn''t even dare to imagine what would have happened if they were the ones who were in the front!

    Bia''s eyes also widened. She immediately started flying not even daring to go near the statues.

    Meanwhile, outside the tunnel, Kyle and the others entered.

    Yon the guardian of the 9th floor wasughing nonstop while looking at Kyle''s expression.

    When he saw how Kyle was causally roaming around the hall he almost went down to check on the traps, thinking maybe something was wrong with the hall.

    He only calmed down when Jian stepped inside the hall and a trap was activated!

    "If only he stepped on the ck tile..."

    Yon eximed and shook his head. If Kyle had stepped on the ck or red tile the hammer probably wouldn''t have dropped so far away from him.

    On the other hand, after seeing the dropped hammer. Kyle gazed at the other statues and didn''t dare to move recklessly.

    He turned around to look at Jian.

    "How about we change positions?"

    Jian blinked his eyes and hurriedly took a step back. He knew among the trio he was probably the least fortunate one because of his experience on the first few floors. If he was in Kyle''s ce he would have already met his grandma in heavens.

    "I think it''s better if you continue to take the lead."

    He said with a motherly smile and hurriedly turned to look at another ce.

    Kyle looked at Jian and wanted to cry.

    "I am not moving!"

    With a loud shout, Kyle actually didn''t move and stood at his ce. Even if he had to stay on this tile for a month, it was hundreds of times better than bing meat paste!

    Alec sighed and jumped at the tile where Jian was standing. He grabbed Jian''s shoulder to not fall out from the tile.

    The tile was only able to amodate a single person so it was very difficult for two people to squeeze on a single tile.

    He was going to step on Kyle''s tile but then suddenly Kyle turned around to look at the duo.

    Both Jian and Alec flinched when they saw a mysterious smile present on Kyle''s face.

    "Actually I forget something important so I think I will be taking my leave first. We will meet again if both of you survive."

    Kyle spoke with an apologetic face. The face was very simr to the time when he stole the red-haired woman''s book and left Alec and Jian behind to suffer instead of him.

    Jian and Alec looked at each other in confusion. They didn''t understand the meaning of Kyle''s words. All three of them were trapped inside the hall because the exit was closed.

    "What do you mean..."

    Jian wasn''t able toplete his sentence because, under his shocked eyes, Kyle''s figure disappeared.

    "The hell!"

    He cursed loudly and looked at the ce where Kyle was standing a while ago. It was empty and Kyle was nowhere to be seen.

 Chapter 116 A random kick

    <h4>Chapter 116 A random kick</h4>

    With a shocked expression, Alec who was standing beside Jian pointed his finger at a distance.

    Jian looked at the ce where Alec was pointing. It was almost in the middle of the hall. Under their shocked gaze, Kyle''s figure appeared on a faraway ck tile.

    The moment Kyle appeared on the ck tile, with a loud sound another statue moved and tried to grab Kyle.

    Kyle looked at the approaching statue''s hand. This time he was prepared. Without waiting for even a second, he mumbled under his breath.

    "Instant teleportation."

    The statue''s hand arrived above the tile but before it could grab Kyle. His body once again disappeared and appeared almost at the edge of the hall.

    Kyle''s body appeared on another white tile but this time he didn''t trigger any trap. He looked ahead. Now, there was only a single tile in front of him.

    He was panting heavily because just now he used 75 percent of his mana but there was a smirk present on his face.

    Kyle turned around and waved at the dumbfounded duo who was nkly staring at him and jumped out from the tiles.

    "If both of you survive we will surely meet again in the future!"

    He shouted and started walking toward the doors present at the end of the hall.

    Bia who was flying around gazed at Alec and Jian. Their worldview seemed to have been shattered.

    -''I did say they would probably have one or two heart attacks if they stayed with Kyle.''

    Even she was surprised when suddenly Kyle disappeared but the next moment she remembered he had a very useful skill called ''Instant Teleportation''.

    -''Just how the hell did I forget about the skill.''

    With a sigh, she immediately flew toward Kyle who was already standing in front of the doors.

    After a few seconds, Alec and Jian finally snapped out of their daze and looked at each other. There was a bitter smile present on their face.

    With a dryugh, Jian questions Alec.

    "Now that our meat shield has escaped who is going to be the next meat shield."

    Alec looked at Jian and stepped on the tile where Kyle was standing a few seconds ago.

    "How about we take turns?"

    Jian chuckled and shook his head. It seemed it would take a long time before they reached the end of the hall.

    At the same time, Yon the 9th-floor guardian who wasughing at the trio while sitting on afortable cloud bed almost lost his bnce and fell to the ground due to shock.

    "How the hell....?"

    He questioned and looked at Kyle''s fading image with wide eyes.

    "Huh... I need to calm down. It''s not a big deal he just used a skill."

    Yon took a deep breath and dismissed the fact that Kyle easily crossed the hall. It was just a coincidence that he had a teleportation skill.

    This skill was useful in the hall but it wouldn''t be much useful inside the next rooms! Right?

    On the other hand, after leaving the tiles. Kyle stood in front of the doors. There were a total of six doors. All of them were simr in shape and structure.

    After thinking for a while he lightly pushed the left door. With a creaking sound, the door opened and Kyle looked at what was inside.

    It was an emptyrge room with arge stone table present at the end. He stepped inside the room with Bia flying beside him. When Kyle took a few more steps towards the stone table, the door present behind him closed.

    Kyle looked back and tried to open the door but no matter what he did it didn''t even budge from its ce.

    With a sigh, he approached the Stone table and saw some herbs and square-shaped rocks present on top of the stone table.

    He didn''t think much about the herbs and rocks and immediately grabbed everything and threw it inside his storage ring. He didn''t even leave the rocks!

    After sweeping the stone table, Kyle looked at the wall behind the stone table. Unlike the other brown walls, it was silver. There were also some weird symbols engraved on the wall.

    He walked toward the wall and his feet collided with something.

    Kyle looked down and saw some broken pieces of vase.

    "What''s that?"

    He bent down and picked up the pieces but then suddenly his eyes narrowed because some wet droplets dropped on his back.

    He hurriedly gazed at the ceiling and saw water dropletsing out from a small hole present on the ceiling.

    "What the hell?"

    Kyle frowned and stepped to the left to avoid damping his clothes but then suddenly Bia''s surprised cry rang out inside his head.

    -''Kyle!''

    "What happened...?"

    Kyle turned around and his eyes widened. Not just the ceiling, water wasing out from each hole present within the room.

    He looked down and panicked. The room was slowly filling up with water. That means if he didn''t find a way to leave this room quickly then he would be in trouble!

    With a deep breath, Kyle calmed down and seriously looked around the room.

    Bia also started looking around the room but even after a few minutes, they didn''t find anything.

    In the end, Kyle stood in front of the silver wall. It was the only thing that was out of ce. He first gently knocked the wall but after getting no response he punched it but nothing happened.

    The water filling the room was already touching his legs.

    With a frustrated expression, Kyle kicked the stone table present in front of the silver wall, and to his surprise, instead of flying away the upper part of the table slid down like a lid and revealed a tunnel.

    Kyle gazed at Bia and both of them immediately entered the tunnel with relived expressions.

    Meanwhile, Alec and Jian both took turns to step on the tiles.

    They triggered some traps but they survived because the traps were not life threatening.

    Jian did trigger a trap where he almost perished but Alec used the system''s double power skill and saved him on time.

    After suffering some minor injuries and spending two hours inside the hall both of them arrived in front of the doors with heavy breathing.

    They looked at each other and immediately chose the door where Kyle entered.

    After they entered the empty room, their gazended on the stone table present in the middle of the room.

    The upper part of the table was slid off, revealing a dark tunnel.

    While they approached the stone table, the door behind them closed but unlike Kyle who panicked after seeing watering out from the holes present within the room, they immediately entered the tunnel. It seemed Kyle identally cleared the path for them!

    Meanwhile, Yon almost coughed out blood when he saw Kyle entering the tunnel. He grabbed his head and looked at the screen with a nk expression.

    "Didn''t he just kick randomly?"

 Chapter 117 Lava lake I

    <h4>Chapter 117 Lavake I</h4>

    After Kyle entered the tunnel, he arrived in another room but it waspletely different from thest room.

    In front of him was a giant ck door. All the walls of the room were alsopletely ck. If not for the hundreds of candles hanging on the walls, Kyle wouldn''t have been able to see anything.

    He stepped forward and gazed at the ck door. There were a lot of strange shapes carved within the door.

    Kyle touched the empty shapes and after a minute he raised his brow with surprise.

    "It''s good I picked up those broken vase pieces."

    He took out the vase pieces he picked up from thest room and ced them inside the empty shapes present on the door.

    With a click, the vase pieces merged with the door and the ck door turned silver.

    "Isn''t it going to open?"

    Kyle questioned with a frown because the door just changed color and didn''t open.

    After a few seconds, suddenly the door lit up and arge board came out from the door.

    With wide eyes, Kyle hurriedly jumped back and the whiteboardnded in front of the door.

    Kyle gazed at the board with caution. Bia also stopped flying andnded on Kyle''s head to look at the board.

    It was square shaped just like a small square tform. Just like the door, there were many carved shapes present on the board. Also, a lot of differently shaped colorful pieces were scattered on top of the board.

    Bia narrowed her eyes. There were at least one hundred pieces.

    "I think we need to ce the pieces in the right ce."

    Kyle said with a sigh. He didn''t expect to see another puzzle after he ced the vase pieces inside the door.

    -''It''s going to take a lot of time just to sort out all the pieces.''

    Bia gazed at the pieces and started flying beforending on top of the whiteboard.

    She started flipping the pieces with her feet curiously.

    Kyle also sat down in front of the board. With a serious expression, he picked up a puzzle piece and after finding the right carved shape present on the board, he ced the piece on the board.

    With a click, the piece merged with the board indicating that Kyle ced it in the right spot.

    It was hard to find the correct ce for the puzzle pieces but after looking at the shapes of the puzzle pieces, Kyle soon got the hang of it.

    After a few minutes, he became engrossed in solving the puzzle presented on the board because he felt like it was interesting.

    Now, he was looking forward to the picture the puzzle would show him after he ced all the pieces in the correct ce.

    Soon, Bia who was ying around with the puzzle pieces also started helping Kyle because she was getting bored.

    While both of them were engrossed in the puzzle, two hours passed within the blink of an eye and Jian and Alec arrived at the same room.

    They looked around and immediately spotted Kyle''s figure sitting in front of arge board. Alec was going to call out Kyle''s name but Kyle stood up and eximed with a smile.

    "It''s finallyplete!"

    Kyle''s hands were aching but he was smiling while looking at the board. After all the pieces were ced on the right spot the board showed a beautiful picture of a flower vase.

    In the next moment, under everyone''s gaze, the board started floating. The picture of the vase present on the board shone brightly and the board merged with the silver door.

    With a click, therge silver door in front of Kyle opened, revealing another path.

    "Good job!"

    Jian eximed with a smirk and ced his hand on Kyle''s shoulder who was staring at the opened door.

    Kyle blinked his eyes and looked at the duo who just arrived.

    ".."

    ''Why do I feel like they got the benefits from my hard work?''

    Kyle eximed inwardly and shook his head.

    "It''s good both of you are alive."

    He said with a light chuckle because just a few hours ago he left them behind.

    While Alec, Jian, and Kyle were standing in front of the door. Bia flew inside the door but within a second she returned with a serious expression.

    -''Hey Kyle, I think we should return from where we came from.''

    She said inside her head before hurriedly sitting on top of Kyle''s head.

    "Huh?"

    Kyle looked at Bia''s strange behavior and started walking toward the opened door. Alec and Jian also followed behind Kyle.

    They entered the door and their eyes widened. Jian''s jaw almost dropped.

    "What the hell?"

    He eximed loudly.

    In front of them was argevake. Various steam bubbles were pooping out from theke. A narrow bridge was present on top of theke but hundreds of fire snakes were jumping around the bridge.

    Kyle took a deep breath and hurriedly calcted the size of thevake but after a minute his expression turned sour.

    ''I can''t use ''Instant Teleportation''. It''s too far away!''

    Thevake was double the size of the hall Kyle crossed previously. He was thinking of leaving the duo behind again but it was impossible now.

    Also, the fire snakes present inside theke were giving off terrifying auras. They were all (D)-Rank!

    With a sigh, Alec looked at Jian and Kyle.

    "It seems if we want to reach the end of theke we have to work together."

    Jian nodded but then he looked at Kyle.

    "Only if ''someone'' doesn''t disappear in the middle."

    Kyle looked back at Jian. He knew very well who was this ''someone''.

    "Don''t worry even if the ''someone'' you are talking about wants to, he can''t."

    Kyle said and shrugged his shoulders. He was indeed thinking of leaving them behind but unfortunately, because of therge distance, he wasn''t able to use the skill.

    Alec looked at Kyle and Jian and started moving toward the bridge present on thevake.

    "Let''s not waste time then."

 Chapter 118 Lava lake II

    <h4>Chapter 118 Lavake II</h4>

    After the trio stepped onto the bridge, the door behind them closed with a loud bang.

    They looked at each other and started walking on the narrow bridge in a straight line. All of them held their weapons tightly and looked at the surrounding snakes seriously.

    Alec was in the front while Jian was walking between Kyle and Alec.

    Alec looked back at Kyle and Jian.

    "Why am I leading?"

    Kyle gazed back at Alec with a deep expression.

    "It''s because you are the strongest."

    Alec wanted to refute but closed his mouth because he was indeed the strongest but then he gazed at Kyle with suspicion.

    ''Am I really the strongest?''

    He questioned inwardly as he didn''t know Kyle''s rank because of the white earring Kyle was wearing.

    Bia was sitting on Kyle''s shoulder to not be the food of the long fire-snakes who were jumping inside thevake.

    They crossed the first few steps without much difficulty but after they crossed the starting point of the bridge one of the fire snakes jumped out from theke and attacked Alec who was standing in the front.

    With a loud hiss, the snake opened its mouth and argeva ball came crashing into Alec.

    Alec could have dodged the attack but Jian and Kyle were standing behind him that''s why he clenched his sword and blocked theva ball.

    He was pushed back a little due to the impact of the attack but theva ball didn''t injure anyone.

    After attacking the snake went back inside thevake. Alec sighed and started walking again.

    Kyle was walking behind the duo, he seriously gazed at the long fire snakes jumping inside thevake.

    While he was looking around, from his left a fire snake came out but this time instead of ava ball. The snake opened its huge mouth to bite off Kyle''s head.

    "Shit!"

    Kyle cursed and hurriedly formed five fireballs before throwing them at the snake''s iing head.

    With a hiss, the snake backed off but instead of going back inside theke, the snake attacked Kyle again because the fireballs didn''t affect it at all.

    At the same time, another snake came out from Kyle''s right side and attacked.

    Kyle''s eyes widened. He immediately used the ''thunder arrow'' skill to form two thunder arrows and attack the two snakes.

    This time after getting hit the snakes retreated but then two more snakes came out from thevake.

    Kyle hurriedly threw some more thunder arrows at the snakes. With a hiss, one of the snakes opened its mouth and tried to bite off Kyle''s arm.

    Kyle gazed at the iing snake and shed his sword vertically on the snake''s head.

    Arge gash appeared on the snake head who shouted painfully and immediately entered thevake.

    The other three snakes looked at the retreating injured snakes and their eyes turned red with anger.

    ''The situation is getting bad.''

    With a serious expression, Kyle looked back to see how Alec and Jian were doing.

    His eyes narrowed and he cursed because both of them were safely moving ahead of him.

    He looked back at the snakes and grumbled inwardly.

    ''Why are they only attacking me!''

    Kyle took a deep breath and gazed at the snakes who were ready to attack him any time.

    "Fire-type skills won''t work on them and I don''t have any other offensive skill except from ''Thunder arrows''."

    He sighed, his skill pool was good but he didn''t have many low-ranked skills.

    With a loud hiss, all three snakes attacked him at the same time.

    Kyle clenched his sword while looking at the snakes. He knew he couldn''t take them lightly because all three of them were (D)-Rank.

    He activated the skill ''Swift steps'' to increase his speed and shed at one of the snakes before dodging the others.

    On the other hand, Jian heard the sounds of battle and looked back at Kyle''s situation. He immediately threw earth spikes at the snakes attacking Kyle.

    The earth spikes crashed at the snake''s bodies, making them shout in pain.

    Kyle looked at the retreating snakes and hurriedly approached Alec and Jian.

    "Thanks."

    Jian nodded and all of them started walking on the bridge again.

    While they were walking, five more snakes came out from theke and attacked Alec who was at the front.

    Jian and Kyle both were ready to attack but before they could, Alec used one of his (S)-Rank skills ''Crushing thunder''.

    Fiverge thunderbolts appeared on top of the snake''s head. The snake''s eyes widened with horror when they saw the thunderbolts but it was toote because within a second the thunderbolts hit their heads.

    After getting hit by the thunderbolts all the snakes cried out miserably and arge amount of blood gushed out from their heads.

    Within a second, their bodies dropped back inside thevake. Alec sighed and again started walking.

    After fighting with the snakes for fifteen minutes, they finally reached the end of the bridge but then suddenly arge snake came out from thevake.

    The trio was frozen when they saw the snake.

    It was different from the other (D)-Rank snakes because its body was covered with ck scales and its eyes werepletely pitch ck.

    The snake gazed at the trio with its pitch-ck eyes and a huge pressure descended on them.

    "(C+)-Rank."

    Alec mumbled and gazed at the snake with gritted teeth. Kyle and Jian''s expression also turned dark when they saw the ck snake.

    Kyle looked at the snake, he really had the urge to use ''Instant Teleportation'' and leave the bridge but he didn''t do it because if he abandoned the duo again, Alec and Jian would probably beat the hell out of him the next time they saw him.

    Even though the snake was powerful, Kyle was sure if he worked together with Alec and Jian they could defeat it.

    At the same time, the snake gazed at the trio like it was looking at lower beings. After giving them a disdainful look it went back inside thevake.

    Alec, Jian, and Kyle looked at the retreating snakes and sighed with relief.

    "Huu.. I almost thought we were going to be the snake''s food."

    Jian said and hurriedly left the bridge, he didn''t want to see the snake again. Alec and Kyle also left the bridge.

    Bia who was quiet all the time finally released her breath when Kyle left the bridge. She pped her wings and started flying before gazing at the trio.

    Their condition wasn''t good at all because various burned marks could be seen on their bodies. Also, their clothes were tattered.

    -''They looked just like beggars.''

    She eximed inwardly while looking at the trio pitifully.

 Chapter 119 Forest inside a Room

    <h4>Chapter 119 Forest inside a Room</h4>

    Kyle sensed Bia''s gaze and narrowed his eyes.

    ''You want a beating?''

    Bia blinked her eyes. There was pity within them but after hearing Kyle, she turned around and started flying toward therge doors present in front of everyone.

    With a sigh, Kyle looked at himself. The condition of his clothes was indeed pitiful.

    ''I just borrowed the clothes from Alec. Now what?''

    He shook his head and looked at the different doors in front of him. Alec and Jian also gazed at the doors.

    There were a total of 5 doors present in front of them. All the doors were simr wooden doors.

    "They all look simr, which one should we choose?"

    Jian said and approached the doors.

    "How about the middle one?"

    He looked back at Kyle and Alec for their opinions.

    Alec shrugged his shoulders.

    "I will just go inside the one both of you picked."

    Kyle looked at the door and after pondering for a few seconds, he pointed at the door present on the right.

    "How about the first one?"

    Jian looked at the door Kyle pointed at and without even waiting for a second he agreed because, if it was chosen by Kyle then it was probably the right one.

    All of them approached the door together and Alec was the one who pushed the door.

    With a creak, the door opened. The trio looked inside but it was dark that''s why they were unable to see anything.

    Jian looked at Alec and Kyle who were seriously trying to look inside the door.

    "The strongest should enter first."

    Jian eximed with a righteous expression and took a step back, so the duo standing beside him could enter first.

    Kyle narrowed his eyes when he heard Jian. He looked at Alec and will a knowing gaze both of them turned around and grabbed Jian.

    "Hey what are you two doing..?"

    Jian panicked but Alec and Kyle grabbed his arms tightly and dragged him inside the room.

    Bia looked at the trio and started flying behind them.

    After they entered the room, a strange dark color hue enveloped their bodies and the vision in front of them changed.

    "What the...?"

    Alec eximed with wide eyes.

    Unlike before, they were standing inside a bright forest. The ground was hard and filled with green grass. There were hundreds of towering trees around them. Some of the trees even had different colored fruits hanging on their branches.

    The trio hurriedly looked back at the door they entered from but it was nowhere to be seen.

    It was just like teleportation because after entering the door, they appeared in a very different ce. It was just they didn''t feel any sensation inside their bodies.

    Suddenly Jian pointed above toward the sky with a serious expression.

    "I think we are still inside a room."

    Kyle and Alec looked up and saw arge ck ceiling. There was no sun, no sky. Only some white color stars twinkling around the ck ceiling.

    Bia gazed at the trio standing below her and hurriedly pped her wings to look around the surroundings. After a minute, she returned toward Kyle.

    -''We are indeed inside a forest that is present within a room.''

    She eximed with a serious expression.

    Kyle nodded and told everything to Jian and Alec. It seemed they had to find an exit.

    While Alec and Jain were talking, Kyle looked at a nearby tree. There were two purple-colored fruits hanging on the tree''s middle branch. They were emitting a faint purple hue.

    ''Bia did you see any other living being inside the forest?''

    He questioned Bia while looking at the fruits. They were not normal at all!

    -''No. I think we are the only ones present in this ce.''

    Kyle''s eyes lit up when he heard Bia. At first, he was hesitant to approach the trees because he thought just like thevake there could be some monsters present within the forest. Now that he knew there was no danger, he was sure they had entered a very good ce.

    ''Bia go and try to pick one of the purple fruit hanging on the tree branch.''

    Bia heard Kyle. She was hesitant but after a sigh, she approached the fruit and under Kyle''s eager gaze she grabbed the fruit with her feet.

    With a crack, the fruit was broken from the tree branch and Bia flew back toward Kyle with a happy expression.

    -''It''s mine.''

    She said and didn''t give the fruit to Kyle.

    ''Okay.''

    Kyle let Bia eat the fruit because now he was one hundred percent sure that they had hit the jackpot!

    With a smirk, he looked at all the trees present within the forest and rubbed his hands.

    "Guys let''s split up for a while."

    Alec and Jian both looked at Kyle with raised brows. Under their gaze, Kyle jumped and climbed a nearby tree. He grabbed the other purple fruit hanging on the tree and took a bite.

    Arge amount of mana and energy rushed inside his body and Kyle''s ears turned red. The energy was too much but after Kyle ate the fruit the small burned marks present on his body disappeared within a second.

    Alec and Jian''s eyes widened. Without even waiting for a second, they gazed at the trees present around them with twinkling eyes.

    There were hundreds of trees present around them and half of the trees had strange fruits hanging on their branches.

    "Hahaha, I am going to the left. Let''s meet up here after a few hours."

    Jianughed and rushed at a tree present on his left side. There was a single brown-colored fruit hanging on the tree branch. The fruit was glowing.

    He grabbed the fruit and started eating while moving toward another tree with a satisfied expression.

    Alec didn''t wait either and started moving toward the right side. Just after a minute, he saw arge tree with two pink color fruits hanging on its branches.

    Kyle looked at the fading image of Alec and Jian and with a smile, he also started looking around for more fruits.

    At the same time, after eating the purple fruit Biaughed loudly and gazed at the trees with her round eyes.

    -''Kyle, I am going to look around as well.''

    She said and started flying to look around for more fruits to eat.

    ''Okay. Just be careful.''

    Kyle looked at Bia''s figure and after she left, he jumped at another tree.

    After a minute, he found a rtively small tree. Two yellow-colored fruits were hanging on the tree branches.

    Kyle gazed at the fruits and after plucking them he ced them inside one of his storage rings.

 Chapter 120 Yon’s Precious Garden

    <h4>Chapter 120 Yon''s Precious Garden</h4>

    On the other hand, Yon the guardian of the 9th floor was sitting on the clouds with a nk expression. His left hand was trembling non-stop as he looked at the screen in front of him.

    A white-haired old man wearing silver robes was sitting beside him. The white-haired old man looked at Yon and sighed before tapping on his shoulder.

    "It''s okay Yon. You will get used to it pretty soon."

    Yon gazed at the white-haired old man. It was Susan, the Tower''s first-floor guardian. Susan was here to punish Yon because he didn''t design the floor.

    Susan looked at the screen present in front of Yon. Inside the screen, he could see Alec, Jian, and Kyle relentlessly plucking all the fruits present on the different trees.

    "My garden...."

    A low voice escaped Yon''s trembling lips. He wanted to rush and stop the trio from doing more damage but because of Susan''s presence, he could do nothing but watch as his precious garden was destroyed.

    ''It took me more than 100 years to grow all those trees! They are just taking everything without any care?''

    Yon cried inwardly and took a deep breath. He never thought that the trio would find his garden. The garden was a different space he created with a lot of hard work!

    He looked at the screen and groaned when he saw Jian breaking a whole branch of a tree identally.

    ''At least don''t harm the trees!''

    Yon screened inwardly when he saw his precious trees being broken down one after another.

    Susan sighed. Originally he was here to punish Yon but now he could do nothing but pity thetter because he knew Yon put a lot of effort into growing those trees.

    After thinking for a while, Susan looked at Yon seriously. Yon has already told him about the mission he gave the trio.

    "I think you should send them to the treasure room or else they will probably find the rooms where you ced your different collections of antiques and...."

    Susan wasn''t able toplete his sentence when Yon stood up.

    "No, I can''t let them find my precious collections!"

    With a resolute expression, Yon looked at Susan.

    "I will give them their rewards and kick them out from this floor."

    Susan replied with an ''Oh'' and left the floor with a chuckle.

    After Susan left, Yon also disappeared from the clouds because the more time he wasted, the more his precious collections would be in danger!

    ....

    Meanwhile, Kyle plucked a lot of fruits without any restraint. He wasn''t able to eat all those fruits but he just threw everything inside his storage ring.

    ''I can sell them!''

    While moving, he arrived in front of a small pink tree. It was different from the other trees because instead of leaves the tree only had pink color branches.

    Kyle jumped down from the tree he was sitting in and looked at the pink tree. The tree size was hardly reaching Kyle''s shoulder.

    With a serious expression, Kyle grabbed the tree trunk and plucked the whole tree before throwing it inside his storage ring.

    With a satisfied expression, he left the ce and started moving toward another direction.

    If Yon had seen Kyle''s action, he would have probably coughed up blood because Kyle was doing the most damage!

    After three more hours, Kyle was standing in front of a ck wall. He seemed to have reached the end of the forest. With a sigh, he started walking back to where he came from.

    After a few more hours, Kyle arrived at the ce where he parted with Alec and Jian.

    To his surprise, Jian and Alec were already waiting for him at the ce. Only Bia was absent.

    Kyle looked at Alec and Jian.

    "You broke through?"

    He questioned and gazed at Jian who was wearing a smug expression.

    "Yes! I am a (D)-Rank mage now!"

    Jianughed and released his aura to show Kyle his strength.

    Kyle nodded and gazed at Alec.

    "What about you?"

    Alec shook his head but there was a smile present on his face.

    "Not yet but I think I will break through to (C-)-Rank within a month."

    Kyle looked at Alec. He already guessed Alec was somewhere near (D+)-Rank but hearing it directly from his mouth was still a little surprising.

    Jian looked at Alec with awe. He thought his speed was already fast enough but Alec was even faster than him! With a sigh, Jian shook his head and gazed at Kyle.

    "Hey, what''s your Rank? It''s not fair that only you know ours."

    He grumbled. No matter how Jian tried he wasn''t able to sense Kyle''s rank. It was like something was blocking his perception.

    Alec''s ears also perked up because he was also curious about Kyle''s rank.

    "Oh?"

    Kyle raised his brow. It seemed they weren''t able to sense his rank.

    ''Is it because of the earring?''

    He looked at the duo and released his (D)-Rank aura.

    "(D)-Rank?"

    Juan eximed with surprise.

    Kyle shrugged his shoulders. If there was someone else he would have never told thetter his rank but after spending a whole month with the duo standing in front of him he somewhat trusted the both of them.

    "Now that we are done here, let''s go toward the right side because I saw a huge door present at the end!"

    Alec said and gestured for Jian and Kyle to follow behind him.

    While they were walking, Kyle looked around with a frown.

    ''Bia where are you? We are leaving.''

    After a second, Bia''s reluctant voice resounded inside Kyle''s head.

    -''Huh? So soon. I am not full yet!''

    ''Come back now or else I am leaving you behind!''

    -''How can you leave this precious me behind! Wait a minute I aming.''

    After ten minutes, Bia''s flying figure arrived on top of Kyle. Shended on Kyle''s head with a grumpy expression because she wanted to eat some more fruits.

    After walking for an hour, Kyle, Alec, and Jian arrived in front of arge ck door.

    Alec gazed at the duo standing beside him and hurriedly pushed the door. Before when he discovered the door he didn''t approach it rashly.

    The moment he pushed the door, with a loud bang the door opened, the trio gazed inside the door and their eyes widened with shock.

 Chapter 121 The Treasure Room I

    <h4>Chapter 121 The Treasure Room I</h4>

    Jian''s mouth was opened wide as he gasped and looked at Kyle and Alec who were also staring inside the opened door with wide eyes.

    Bia also looked at the white room with shock but after giving a long nce she seemingly lost interest.

    In front of them was a white room filled with mountains of gold, silver, artifacts, and all kinds of weapons. Hundreds of different colored skill cores and books were floating inside the room.

    "Are you done staring?"

    A thunderous voice resounded and the trio finally snapped out of their daze and looked up.

    In the middle of all kinds of treasures, a ck-haired dwarf was floating. It was Yon, the 9th-floor guardian. He was wearing a silver jacket with ck pants.

    Yon sneered when he saw the trio''s dazed expression. He was in a hurry to set up the treasure room that''s why he didn''t bring a lot of treasures but the trio was dazed only after seeing this much.

    Kyle looked at Yon and felt a little disappointed. After seeing so many treasures, he was actually thinking of taking everything but It seemed they had reached the treasure room!

    Yon was wearing a serious expression as hended on the ground. His yful demeanor was nowhere to be seen.

    "Kids if you going to stand at the door the whole day I will close the door."

    He said and looked at the trio who was staring at the treasures with twinkling eyes.

    Without even waiting for a second, Kyle and the others hurriedly stepped inside the room and approached Yon.

    Their gaze was darting around but after arriving in front of Yon they stopped looking around and waited patiently.

    "Now that the three of you have found the treasure room. I will give you two hours to choose two treasures each from this room."

    "Remember you can only take two each and after the two hours is over I will send you out from this floor because there isn''t anything else you can do on this floor."

    Yon spoke and gazed at the trio. All three of them were listening to him with serious expressions.

    Suddenly Kyle raised his hand with nervousness.

    Yon looked at Kyle with a frown.

    "What?"

    "Ah.. Well, I remember we talked about 4 people. So that means Bia can also pick two treasures right?"

    Kyle pointed at Bia who was sitting on top of his head.

    "Also, if you send us out from this floor where will we go next?"

    Kyle said seriously while gazing directly at Yon. He wanted to take as many treasures as possible.

    Yon raised his brow. This kid was really fearless but then he chuckled and the serious atmosphere vanished within a second.

    "Right your bonded beast can also take two treasures and about where you will go after leaving this floor that''s a secret you will naturally find out after two hours."

    Kyle''s eyes lit up with surprise. Originally after seeing Yon''s serious expression, he thought the other party wouldn''t agree but it seemed the guardians of the Tower were really generous!

    He was a little worried about where they would go next after leaving this floor but he immediately threw the matter at the back of his head and looked at all the treasure present around him.

    Alec and Jian who were standing beside Kyle looked at him with envy.

    "Damn! He got double the amount we are getting!"

    Jian mumbled bitterly and sighed.

    Yon saw Jian''s bitter expression and shook his head. He somewhat knew what the other party was feeling.

    "Alright, kids! Don''t waste any more time. After you are done selecting treasurese back to this ce."

    He said loudly and pped his hands. Within a second, a white chair formed behind him. Yon gazed at the trio before silently sitting on top of the chair with closed eyes.

    He wasn''t worried that they would take more than two treasures because even if the trio wanted to, they couldn''t.

    Kyle looked at Alec and Jian with excitement.

    "I am going to the left side!"

    He said and hurriedly left the duo behind. Alec and Jian looked at each other and also scattered to look for some good treasures.

    Kyle walked around the room and after a minute, he arrived in front of one of the gold mountains.

    There were different shaped gold coins with some strange golden color artifacts within the mountain but because Kyle wasn''t sure about their usage he didn''t grab anything randomly.

    ''Hey Bia why are you so quiet?''

    After giving another nce to the gold mountain, Kyle started walking toward the weapons mountain while speaking with Bia inwardly.

    Bia who was sitting on top of Kyle''s head, gazed at the gold mountain and all the artifacts with a bitter smile.

    -''Everything present here is useless to me. I can''t use gold or weapons. Nor can I absorb the skill core floating inside the room. I think the 6th floor where we climbed the golden stairway contained more precious treasures than this floor!''

    ''Oh?''

    Kyle stopped for a while. It was true Bia wasn''t able to absorb skill core because she inherited all her skills from the Phoenix. She can only absorb normal preserved fire-rted cores but on this floor, all the cores flying around the room were skill cores.

    This room also didn''t have any precious herbs, fruits, and other natural treasures.

    Kyle sighed. The room looked magnificent at first nce but it wascking a lotpared to the 6th floor.

    ''It seems I have no choice but to take your two picks as well. Now I have to select 4 treasures.''

    Kyle said reluctantly. It felt like he was doing a great favor to Bia.

    Bia narrowed her eyes and pulled Kyle''s hair with her beak.

    "Agh..What are you doing?"

    -''Hmph.''

    With a cold hump, Bia closed her eyes because she didn''t want to look at the hundreds of treasures present around her. Also, Kyle was being too annoying.

    At the same time, Kyle arrived in front of a weapon mountain. He gazed at the sword he was holding.

    ''I took it from home but I am already (D)-Rank. After I reached (C)-Rank this sword won''t be very useful.''

    After Kyle advanced to the (C)-Rank, his strength would naturally increase and he would need a more powerful weapon. At that time a (D)-Rank sword wouldn''t be very useful in battle.

 Chapter 122 The Treasure Room II

    <h4>Chapter 122 The Treasure Room II</h4>

    Kyle looked at the weapons mountain. There were all kinds of weapons. Some of the weapons were so strange that Kyle wasn''t even able to identify them but he could also see a lot of familiar weapons. Like spears, shields, battle axes, daggers, maces, bows, swords.

    Kyle gazed at a strange-looking long blue chain within the weapons. It wasrge and made of steel.

    He looked at the chain with interest and wanted to try holding it. Kyle grabbed the chain but to his surprise, it was so heavy that he wasn''t even able to move it from its ce.

    With an annoyed expression, Kyle left the chain and looked at the side where a lot of swords were ced.

    There were all kinds of swords. Kanata, Longsword, Rapier, Sabre.

    "I can feel the lowest Sword is at least (C-)-Rank."

    Kyle said with surprise and hurriedly started grabbing one sword after another to find a suitable one for himself.

    While looking around, his gaze suddenlynded on an ordinary-looking sword hilt. It was vastly different from the other sword hilts that were filled with beautiful gemstones.

    "Hmm."

    Kyle grabbed the hilt and pushed the sword out from the other swords.

    A bright yet sharp silver de appeared in front of Kyle. The sword had a long straight double-edged de.

    Kyle waved the sword. It was light just like a feather.

    ''It''s good and from the Aura, it''s at least (S)-Rank.''

    He eximed and decided to take the sword but then he frowned.

    "What about the scabbard?"

    Kyle hurriedly looked for the sword scabbard but even after looking around for 10 whole minutes, he didn''t find it.

    In the end, he gazed at a nearby golden sword which was enclosed inside a beautiful silver scabbard.

    He gazed around and after seeing no one, Kyle grabbed the golden sword and removed its scabbard.

    "I think it will fit perfectly."

    After cing his ordinary-looking sword inside the beautiful silver scabbard, Kyle nodded with satisfaction and hurriedly left the ce.

    After Kyle left, the golden sword whose scabbard was stolen trembled slightly with anger. Even Yon who was sitting on a white chair almost stood up to smack Kyle. A vein popped out on his forehead but after taking a deep breath he calmed his brows.

    ''It''s okay it was just a (SS)-Rank scabbard. I will find another one for the golden sword.''

    On the other hand, after leaving the weapons mountain behind. Kyle arrived in front of the artifacts.

    He started looking around and after a few minutes, he found a white color bracelet. It was beautiful and gave off a terrifying aura.

    "Sigh, the only problem is that I don''t know what it is used for."

    He threw the bracelet away and gazed at the floating skill cores.

    "It''s better if I pick some offensive skills."

    He left the mountain of artifacts behind and started grabbing the floating skill cores. He didn''t absorb them and only sensed the description of skills present within the skill cores.

    Kyle was surprised to find out that the highest Rank skill present inside the room was only (A)-Rank.

    "The lower floors had so many high-ranked skills but this floor actually didn''t even have a single (S)-Rank skill?"

    He mumbled and gazed at the ce where Yon was sitting with narrowed eyes. ording to him, the other party was being too much because he hid all the high-ranked skill cores!

    While Kyle was looking at the description of the skills. The white bracelet he tossed away without any care slowly started crawling like a snake. It observed Kyle for a while and after a minute crawled inside his pants.

    Kyle who was busy looking at the skill cores suddenly felt a chill and immediately looked back but after seeing no one he blinked his eyes with confusion.

    ''Was it my imagination?''

    He shook his head and again started looking around for suitable skills. After one hour, he picked three skill cores with careful consideration.

    ________________

    #*Ice Armor (B)-Rank:

    With the usage of mana, this skill allows the user to enclose himself in an invisible veil of ice, granting the user resistance to both physical and magical attacks. The user can also absorb the Ice Armor into his body, using the magical ice to repair minor wounds.

    ________________

    ________________

    #*Ice Spear (B)-Rank:

    With the usage of mana, this skill allows the user to formrge Ice spears. The ice spears will shatter into fragments after hitting the enemy. The scattered ice fragments will injure all enemies within a few meters of range. With enough mana, user can form hundreds of ice spears within a few seconds.

    ________________

    ________________

    #*Fear (A)-Rank:

    The user can instill fear in the enemies'' lowered rank than himself, making them unable to think straight during battle.

    Mana isn''t required for this skill.

    ________________

    Kyle grabbed the three skill cores and didn''t absorb them immediately. With a satisfied expression, he started walking back toward Yon.

    After Kyle arrived in front of Yon. Within a few minutes, Alec and Jian also returned.

    Kyle gazed at the duo. Alec had picked up one strange-looking artifact and an armor. On the other hand, Jian picked up two skill cores.

    Kyle raised his brow when he saw the box-like artifact in Alec''s hand.

    ''Did he find out the Artifact usage?''

    Kyle thought inwardly. Normally speaking, except for the people who were skilled in crafting Artifacts others can''t identify the Artifact''s usage.

    They have to observe the artifact to find its usage or they have to find a skilled person to know the Artifact''s functions.

    The people ranked higher than (S+)-Rank can directly know the Artifact functions through their keen perception but how did Alec who was only (D+)-Rank identify the Artifact usage?

    Kyle gazed at Alec with suspicion. He remembered even on the 7th floor where they fought with the fire skeletons Alec was easily able to identify the different herbs they found.

    ''Is he knowledgeable about herbs and Artifacts? But considering his age he shouldn''t have known about so many things. Right?''

    ''Interesting. It''s seem Alec has a secret.''

    Alec sensed a gaze on his body and looked at Kyle and Jian but Kyle had already stopped looking at Alec.

    A confused expression appeared on Alec''s face but then suddenly Yon who was sitting on the white chair with closed eyes opened his eyes and looked at the trio.

 Chapter 123 The white bracelet

    <h4>Chapter 123 The white bracelet</h4>

    Yon stood up from the white chair and gazed at the trio with serious eyes.

    He knew what treasures they took because he kept an eye on the trio but when his gazended on Kyle''s body, he frowned because there was something else present on Kyle''s body.

    "Kid, didn''t I tell you not to take more than what you are allowed?"

    Yon spoke while staring at Kyle. There was anger present in his voice. He already gave him 4 treasures and now Kyle was being too greedy!

    Kyle''s body tensed up when he saw Yon''s gaze. He looked at the skill cores and sword he was holding.

    ''What is he talking about? I didn''t take more than what was allowed.''

    He frowned but then Kyle''s eyes suddenlynded on the sliver scabbard he removed from the golden sword.

    ''Is it because of the scabbard?''

    Bia also woke up hearing Yon''s loud voice. Alec and Jian also looked at Kyle who was wearing a confused expression.

    Kyle hesitated but then removed the silver scabbard from the ordinary-looking sword he picked. The other party was already giving him so much so even if he wasn''t allowed to take the scabbard it didn''t matter. He would find a better one in the future.

    "Hmm, I will return the scabbard."

    Yon narrowed his eye. He wasn''t able to sense the thing clearly but he was sure it wasn''t something that belonged to Kyle.

    "I am not talking about the scabbard!"

    He spoke and waved his hand. Kyle felt something move within his clothes and under his confused gaze a white bracelet flew out from his cor.

    Kyle was stunned. It was the white bracelet he saw when he was looking around the Artifacts mountain. He hurriedly rubbed his neck and immediately shouted.

    "I didn''t take it!"

    Yon looked at Kyle''s expression and raised his brow but then suddenly the white bracelet inside Yon''s hand trembled and directly jumped at Kyle.

    Kyle was frightened when he saw the white bracelet jumping at him. He immediately moved back to avoid the bracelet.

    Even Alec and Jian were stunned. The bracelet jumped so suddenly that Yon wasn''t able to catch it but because Kyle stepped back the bracelet fell to the ground.

    After the white bracelet hit the ground, it released a terrifying aura because it was erged. Except Yon everyone else started sweating. Even Bia was affected, she gazed at the bracelet and immediately cried out inside Kyle''s head.

    -''Don''t let it touch you! I can feel it isn''t something good!''

    Just now the aura released by the artifact wasn''t something clean. It was filled with bloodlust! Even though the bloodlust was hidden within the white bracelet aura Bia was able to sense it.

    Kyle''s expression darkened and he hurriedly moved back to avoid the bracelet but then the bracelet''s body moved like a snake. After ncing around, it immediately started crawling toward Kyle.

    Yon was stunned for a moment but after sensing the Artifact aura he hurriedly grabbed it and the pressure around the trio finally disappeared.

    The artifact wriggled in Yon''s grip but he didn''t let it go and gazed at Kyle with a serious expression.

    "You really know how to cause trouble don''t you?"

    With a frown Yon gazed at the artifact, seemingly trying to see what was it used for. After a few seconds, Yon''s frown deepened.

    ''How the hell I didn''t notice it before? Was it dormant?''

    All the Artifacts and weapons present within the Tower were collected a long time ago that''s why it was natural he didn''t know about all of them.

    Not to mention, the bracelet was in a dormant state but for some reason it awakened when Kyle touched it.

    Yon sighed while looking at the bracelet. No matter how much he probed he wasn''t able to sense the Artifact rank. He knew it had chosen Kyle as its master and wanted to go toward him but he didn''t give the bracelet to Kyle.

    It''s not because he was greedy or wanted the bracelet for himself. It''s because after looking through the artifact with his perception, Yon somewhat knew it wasn''t something good.

    The artifacts were clearly divided into two categories. One was those who were used without paying any price but the other type usually took something in return before its ability could be used.

    ''This thing is good only when one is too desperate. Also after sensing the bloodlust present inside the bracelet I am sure it had eaten itsst master.''

    Yon waved his hand and a golden portal appeared behind the trio who was staring at the artifact present inside his hand with a dazed expression.

    "Now that you are done. Yon can leave."

    Yon spoke with a serious expression and gestured for the dazed trio to enter the portal.

    Kyle was the first one to snap out. He hurriedly nodded and after throwing the ordinary-looking sword and the skill cores inside his storage ring, he jumped inside the golden portal.

    He felt a little ufortable because of the bracelet. Also, he was scared that Yon would take the scabbard from him if he stayed any longer.

    Jian and Alec were stunned. Kyle left them behind again!

    With a bitter smile, the duo also entered the portal and left the treasure room.

    After the trio left, Yon waved his hand and another portal appeared in front of him. He stepped inside the portal and arrived in another white room.

    It was filled with all kinds of treasures but unlike thest room, the treasures present within this room were easily countable. The few treasures were carefully enclosed inside floating ss boxes, indicating they were more precious than the ones Yon showed to the trio.

    Yon walked toward a ss box and removed the purple dragger present within the ss box.

    The dagger emitted a cold and sharp aura. However, Yon tossed the dagger away and ced the wriggling bracelet inside the ss box before closing the box.

    The bracelet wriggled uncontrobly inside the ss box but no matter what it tried it wasn''t able to go out.

    Yon stared at the bracelet. Under his gaze, after trying gently it became violent and started banging itself on the ss box.

    Yon sneered when he saw the bracelet giving off an even more terrifying aura.

    "No matter what you try the ss box won''t break because the material I used to forge the ss was specially made to restrain unruly high-ranked artifacts and weapons."

    He threw another nce at the bracelet and left the white room while thinking about Kyle who awakened the artifact.

    Now the artifact was hell-bent on finding Kyle.

    "Is there something special within the kid''s body? Why does the artifact want to devour him so desperately?"

    Yon shook his head and stopped thinking about theplicated things. Just now he suddenly felt like breaking through again.

    "This time I am sure I will break through!"

    With a resolute expression, Yon left to enter closed-door training.

    On the other hand, the white bracelet banged the ss box loudly again and again but after a few hours, the artifact strangely quieted down.

    Its body slowly started to twist and a white fog came out from its body. Soon the whole ss box was filled with fog after the fog disappeared the artifact was nowhere to be seen.

 Chapter 124 Divine Rank

    <h4>Chapter 124 Divine Rank</h4>

    After Kyle entered the portal, he arrived inside another room. It waspletely white with a single chair and a table present in the middle.

    Kyle looked in front of him and saw an empty bookshelf. Many strange-looking books were scattered around on the ground.

    -''Kyle there''s someone else present inside the room.''

    "Huh?"

    Kyle eximed softly after hearing Bia''s voice and hurriedly turned around.

    An illusionary figure of a man who seemed to be in his mid-thirties was standing behind him. The illusionary figure was continuously flipping the pages of a ck-colored book. His hair waspletely ck and his eyes were grey.

    The man noticed Kyle''s gaze and looked back at him with a raised brow.

    While Kyle was staring at the man, Alec and Jian also appeared inside the white room.

    They also looked at the room before their gazended on the illusionary ck-haired man.

    The man closed the book he was reading and looked at the new arrivals.

    "You are already done?"

    The man spoke and a deep voice resounded inside the room. The trio looked at the man''s illusionary body with curiosity and shock.

    "Is it a ghost?"

    Jian mumbled under his breath nervously and looked at Kyle and Alec.

    The man seemed to have heard Jian''s remarks as he gazed at him with a profound gaze.

    "Not bad. The kids this time indeed have a lot of potential."

    The man''s gaze swept around the trio''s bodies beforending on Bia.

    When the man gazed at the trio and Bia, they suddenly felt the man found out all their secrets but before they could do something the feeling disappeared like it was never present.

    The man waved his hand and some more chairs appeared around the table present in the center of the room.

    "Kids I believe you are tired after fighting and running around the Tower floors."

    "Now there''s only a week''s worth of time left before the Tower closed again. How about having some tea with me?"

    Some round tea cups appeared on the table and the man approached a chair before gesturing for the trio to sit beside him.

    Kyle and the others looked at each other. They were hesitant but they felt like the illusionary man in front of them wasn''t someone they could offend. That''s why they quietly approached the table before sitting on the empty chairs.

    With a serious expression, they looked at the ck-haired man sitting in front of them. Even Bia was looking at the man with vignt eyes.

    There were a lot of questions inside their minds but no one said anything.

    The ck-haired man picked up a tea cup and sipped the tea present inside before looking at Alec. No, more specifically he was gazing at something present around Alec''s body.

    "So how''s my old friend doing?"

    Alec looked back at the man with confusion. Seeing his confused expression, the ck-haired man gazed at Alec with his deep eyes.

    "Did it just give you the ##t# without telling about anything else?"

    "Is something going to happen? Why is it interfering?"

    The man spoke. After his true body left, he wasn''t able to gaze at the future. On the contrary, the ''friend'' he was talking about was a lot more powerful than him. That''s why if his friend was meddling with the mortals something was definitely wrong.

    Alec looked back at the man with shock. He was so shocked that he stood up. His hands were slightly trembling as he gazed at the man.

    "How did you...?"

    A small voice escaped his mouth before he gazed at Kyle and Jian who were wearing confused expressions.

    ''I am not allowed to tell anyone about the system! Also, who is the friend he is talking about?''

    He screamed inwardly while looking at the man with a sweaty forehead. The man seemed to have guessed what Alec was thinking as he shook his head.

    "Don''t worry. They can''t hear us."

    Alec heard the man''s words and immediately gazed at Kyle and Jian. They were indeed wearing confused expressions! He sighed with relief before sitting down.

    Alec was hesitant but he also wanted to know about the strange system that''s why he looked at the man seriously.

    "I don''t know anything. ##t# just appeared out of nowhere and showed me some visions."

    "Also, who are you? How did you know about it."

    The man didn''t say anything for a while and became engrossed in his thoughts. The man was powerful enough to detect if Alec was lying or not and just now he didn''t detect any lie when Alec spoke.

    ''It''s seemed he really doesn''t know anything.''

    Not getting any reply from the ck-haired man. Alec became a little agitated. After thinking for a while, he used the system appraisal skill on the ck-haired man.

    ______________________

    ''Name: James''

    ''Race: Human''

    ''Rank: (Divine)''

    ''Age: 2699''

    ''A small part of a soul the original body left behind.''

    ''???''

    -Error!

    Trying to find the cause! Loading...

    No more information provided.

    _________________________

    Alec''s eyes narrowed. The information was vague but the man sitting in front of him was 2699 years old!

    How was this possible? Even the people who reached the (SSS)-Rank could only live for 300 to 400 years!

    Also, wasn''t the highest known rank (SSS+)-Rank? Why the hell is the man rank showing Divine?

    In an instant, hundreds of questions appeared inside his head but he didn''t say anything.

    Suddenly the man gazed at Alec with cold eyes. He was distracted for a while and Alec probed his body without his permission. A bone-chilling voice came out from his mouth.

    "Kid it''s better if some things stay hidden."

    After the man spoke, the appraisal screen present in front of Alec shattered into pieces.

    Alec gasped as a sharp pain appeared inside his head for a second but it didn''t affect him that much.

    Kyle and Jian looked at Alec''s pained expression and panicked.

    Was the ck-haired man attacking Alec?

    "What are you doing?"

    Kyle shouted and stood up. Jian also stood up and looked at the man seriously.

    Even if they were weak it doesn''t mean the ck-haired man can do whatever he wants!

    The ck-haired man gazed at Kyle and sighed.

    "Don''t worry I didn''t do anything."

    While looking at Kyle, the man wanted to speak more but suddenly he lost interest after sensing the thing present within Kyle''s body.

    He knew the other party would die within a few years.

    "What a pity. You could have reached a ce that even I can''t imagine."

    The man shook his head and stood up. He picked up a book from the ground before floating toward a corner.

    "You three can rest here or read the books present inside the room until the Tower sends you out."

    After leaving the dumbfounded trio around the table, the ck-haired manpletely ignored them and became engrossed in a book. He wanted to know why his ''friend'' was interfering with the mortals that''s why he called the kids here but he didn''t gain any information.

    On the other hand, Kyle gazed at the man with narrowed eyes.

    ''What does he mean by it''s a pity''?''

    He questioned inwardly before looking at Alec. He clearly saw the ck-haired man was talking to Alec but for some reason, he wasn''t able to understand anything.

    At the same time, Bia who was sitting on top of Kyle''s head quietly thought inwardly.

    -''What is a System?''

    -''Why was the man using such a strangenguage?''

    She wanted to tell Kyle but refrained from speaking because she had a nagging feeling that if she talked with Kyle the ck-haired man would hear her voice.

    Even though no one else except Kyle could hear Bia''s voice she didn''t want to take any risk and just quietly closed her eyes.

    -''I will tell him after we leave the Tower.''

    Meanwhile, Jian, Alec, and Kyle looked at each other. After sitting on the chairs for an hour they also picked up some books from the ground.

    Kyle looked at the book he picked up but when he opened the book he wasn''t able to understand a single word.

    "Is it ancientnguage?"

    He mumbled with a frown and looked at Alec and Jian. Their expressions showed they were also not able to understand anything.

    ''Just how are we going to spend a whole week in this strange room? Also, for some reason, the ck-haired man is kinda creepy.''

    Kyle thought inwardly and wanted to throw away the book he picked up but after gazing at the ck-haired man who was floating just a few meters away he ced the book on the ground carefully.

    He nodded and looked at Alec and Jian. They were trying their best to understand the context written inside the book.

    After gazing at the duo, Kyle yawned and walked back to the table and chairs.

    He was tired and wanted to rest. Anyway, it''s not like in this room he was able to do anything else.

 Chapter 125 The second floor situation I

    <h4>Chapter 125 The second floor situation I</h4>

    After resting for a few hours, Kyle took out the skill cores he picked from the 9th floor and absorbed them.

    The knowledge of the skills entered his mind within a few seconds. After learning the skills, he gazed at Alec and Jian.

    Jian had given up on trying to read the books present inside the room while Alec was still trying.

    With a sigh, Kyle closed his eyes once again to sleep.

    ...

    On the other hand, on the second floor.

    A golden-haired youth was standing on top of arge cliff while holding a spear. He looked down from the cliff with his deep ck eyes. The youth was Carcel.

    A beautiful blue-haired girl was standing beside him. Her long hair was cascading down on her thin waist as she looked below the cliff with a serious expression. It was Mia.

    After leaving the first floor again, both of them met up on the second floor a few weeks ago and started moving together.

    Some more humans were standing behind the duo. They were all holding their weapons. Among them, ine the second-year senior from Royal Academy was also present.

    ine approached Mia and Carcel and looked below the cliff with a sigh.

    "Are you sure we can defeat it?"

    Carcel looked at ine and nodded.

    "I think we can if we all work together."

    Mia also gazed at ine and nodded. Below the cliff a lot ofrge green trees were present. Among the various green trees, one tree was emitting a chilling aura. More than 10 blue-colored fruits were hanging around the cold tree branches.

    After finding the tree they wanted to obtain the fruits but a (C+)-Rank ice lizard was sitting in front of the tree. The lizard was 7-8 metersrge and its body waspletely covered with ice scales.

    Carcel broke through to (D)-Rank a week ago while Mia was (D-)-Rank, both of them were the strongest among the team.

    Only a week was left before the Tower sent them all out so their team was crazily looking for treasures to make the most out of the remaining time.

    Carcel looked back at all the team members and asked them to get ready because they were going to attack the ice lizard after a few minutes.

    Unbeknownst to Carcel another team was looking at the same tree from the opposite side. There were only three people on that team.

    Two elves and one human. They have been moving together for a while now and discovered the fruit tree at the same time as Carcel''s team.

    The human yellow eyes sparkled as he gazed at the tree from behind some bushes but when he saw the ice lizard his expression turned ugly.

    He sighed while ruffling his brown hair. One of the green-haired elves sitting beside the brown-haired human looked at him with a frown.

    "Nine, I don''t think we can defeat it. The two of us are only (E+)-Rank, while you just broke through to (D-)-Rank yesterday. There''s no way we can defeat a (C+)-Rank ice lizard!"

    Nine looked back at the green-haired elf with a serious expression.

    "Rowan, are we just going to leave so many precious fruits behind? Even if we only got half of the fruits, they will be enough for all of us to break through to the next rank!"

    He whispered slowly while looking at the green-haired elf. Nine had been quite lucky after returning from the 6th floor and found a few treasures. That''s why after arriving at the second floor again with the help of a white stairway, he broke through to (D-)-Rank easily.

    Well, mostly he was chased around by a lot of monsters but for him, the process didn''t matter only the result mattered!

    With a sigh, Rowan looked at the other ck-haired elf sitting behind him. The other elf was a girl. They met up with Nine a week ago and knew he was quite reckless.

    Usually, people from different races don''t interact with each other much but because Nine helped them, they were willing to form a team with him.

    The ck-haired girl gazed at Nine softly.

    "So what do you think we should do? It''s not like we can fight the ice lizard head-on."

    Nine gazed at the girl and blinked his eyes. After looking at her, he hesitated for a moment because she was the weakest. He didn''t want anything to happen to anyone.

    "Elli..."

    He was going to say something when he heard loud sounds of movements behind the bushes.

    Nine immediately turned around and his eyes narrowed.

    "What''s happening?"

    Under his gaze, more than 5 humans suddenly rushed down from a nearby cliff. They directly attacked the ice lizard.

    His eyes widened when he saw the golden-haired youth leading the group of humans.

    "Carcel?"

    Nine whispered under his breath and his eyes lit up. Elli looked at Nine and questioned.

    "Do you know them?"

    "Of course I do! The one leading the group is my ssmate."

    Nine spoke and stood up.

    "Rowan, Elli let''s go help them so we can get a share from the fruits."

    Elli looked at Nine.

    "Are you sure if we helped them they will give us a share?"

    Nine gazed at Elli and started walking toward where Carcel and his team were fighting with the ice lizard.

    "Don''t worry I know them personally. We need to help or else we won''t get anything."

    Elli and Rowan looked at each other. They were hesitant because they were elves and all the other people were humans but when Elli looked at Nine back she stood up and started following behind him.

    With a sigh, Rowan also followed behind Nine.

    At the same time, Carcel and Mia who were fighting with the ice lizard also noticed the movementing from their left.

    "Who is it?"

    Carcel shouted and looked at the three individuals who juste out from the bushes.

    Nineughed while running toward the ice lizard with his sword. He shouted in a teasing voice.

    "It''s me! I wanted to steal the fruits but after seeing your innocent face I decided to help."

    Carcel was stunned for a moment but when he looked at the brown-haired boy who wasughing nonstop he smiled.

    The other humans fighting with Carcel wanted to attack the sudden arrivals but Carcel hurriedly gestured for them to stop.

    "Don''t worry I know him."

    Nine rushed toward Carcel and attacked the lizard together with him.

    Some of Carcel''s team members were not happy because they had to share the reward with three more people but after seeing Nine (D-)-Rank strength they didn''t say anything.

    With Nine helped the burden on Carcel lessened. Also, because so many people fought together with the ice lizard within five minutes they killed the lizard.

    The most damage was given by Carcel, Nine, and Mia but after the lizard was dead they divided the fruits evenly.

    After they were done, Carcel looked at Nine.

    "So are you going to follow us or not?"

    Some people from his team were dissatisfied at his suggestion but because Carcel was the strongest they didn''t voice their opinions.

    Nine gazed at Carcel and his team but shook his head before pointing at Elli and Rowan.

    "I already havepanions."

    Carcel looked at the two elves who were quietly standing behind Nine.

    "Okay. Only one week is left before we leave the Tower just make sure not to die."

    He said and left the ce with Mia and his other team members.

    Nine chuckled and shouted at Carcel who was already a few meters away.

    "Don''t worry about me, I am very thick-skinned. I didn''t suffer even after stealing a skill core under the nose of 5 (C+)-Rank monsters how will I die now?"

    The humans following behind Carcel were shocked when they heard Nine words. They looked back at Nine. Unlike before, now their eyes showed admiration for him. Even Carcel was stunned for a while but then he shook his head with a sigh because he knew Nine very well.

    ''He is bragging!''

    Elli who was standing behind Nine giggled when she saw him boasting. She was with him when he stole the skill core from the monsters but the monsters were not (C+)-Rank. They were all (E+)-Rank!

    After Carcel left, Nine and his team also left in the opposite direction.

 Chapter 126 The second floor situation II

    <h4>Chapter 126 The second floor situation II</h4>

    Meanwhile at the same time, in another ce on the second floor.

    An orange-haired girl was fighting with a group of (E)-Rank turtle monsters alone. The monster''s skin waspletely green and the brown shells present on their bodies emitted a dark glow.

    The girl was an archer that''s why she was standing on top of arge tree. Her ck eyes shone with a glint when she used her enhanced vision to see the situation behind the trees in front of her.

    "More areing."

    She wispered and after releasing another arrow she winced because her figures stretching the bowstring were aching.

    "I have been fighting for a whole day. Why are these strange turtlesing toward me nonstop?"

    The orange-haired girl was Lara, from her aura one could sense she was only (E+)-Rank. While moving around the second floor, she saw two (E)-Rank turtle monsters.

    She killed the monsters easily with the help of her bow but after the two turtles died the tree she was standing in was surrounded from all sides.

    "It''s good they can''t climb the tree."

    One of the turtles standing beside the tree trunk banged its head on the tree trunk. With gritted teeth, Lara nocked another arrow and directly aimed at the turtle head that was banging the tree.

    With a whoosh the arrow directly pierced through the turtle''s head and the turtle died on the spot.

    "Sigh, I am tired. Also, I don''t have any more mana present inside my body."

    Soon, a few more turtles started banging their heads inside the tree and the tree shook violently.

    Lara who was standing above a tree branch almost lost her bnce but she hurriedly grabbed a tree branch and propelled herself toward another thick branch.

    A curse escaped from her beautiful lips. It was the first time she felt so frustrated. A week ago she saw some elves who asked her to team up with them but she just left without replying.

    "I should have agreed to team up. At least I could have avoided this situation."

    She whispered and looked at the turtles who were banging their heads inside the thick tree trunk.

    "If they continue to attack the tree truck, it will break within a few minutes."

    Her grip on her bow tightened as she gazed at the turtles.

    She hurriedly knocked another arrow and aimed at the turtles.

    "Frost Arrows."

    A low voice escaped from her lips before the arrow present inside her hand started emitting a chilling aura. Her sharp gaze was fixed on the turtles.

    After stretching the bowstring she released the arrow and within a second one arrow turned into ten arrows before directly prating the heads of a few turtles who were banging their heads on the tree trunk.

    "Ugh..."

    A painful voice came out from her lips as the tiny bit of mana present inside her body disappeared within a second.

    While she was coughing, suddenly two humans came out from a nearby bush.

    One of the humans had golden hair while the other had ck hair.

    They looked at the turtles and then at Lara before the golden-haired youth shouted at her.

    "Hey, are you okay?"

    Lara looked at the two humans who just arrived with narrowed eyes. She didn''t know who they were but she felt the golden-haired youth was somewhat familiar.

    After thinking for a second, she remembered she had seen him on the 6th floor when they were climbing the golden stairway.

    When the golden-haired youth shouted some of the monsters gazed at the two new arrivals and hurriedly started running toward the duo.

    The ck-haired boy standing beside the golden-haired youth frowned when he saw so many (E)-Rank turtlesing toward them.

    "Hey Kelvin, we only saw a few monsters from behind the tree but there are so many turtle monsters!"

    He shouted and immediately stepped back. Kelvin gazed at the ck-haired youth.

    "Henson it''s not like both of us are weak. Also, the monsters are only (E)-Rank. I think we can try to fight them."

    Henson was hesitant but nodded. Both he and Kelvin were (E+)-Rank so it was possible to kill some of the monsters.

    "Okay but if the situation gets too dangerous I am running away."

    Kelvin didn''t say anything and immediately rushed at the approaching monsters. He took out a spear from his storage ring and shed at a turtle.

    Henson also took out a weapon from his storage ring and attacked a nearby turtle.

    Lara watched the duo battle with the turtles from above the tree. She wanted to help but her mana was depleted. After resting for a minute, she also joined them.

    A sharp arrow was released from her bow that directly killed another turtle monster.

    Henson gazed at Lara who finally decided to help them.

    "I thought you were just going to watch us do all the killing."

    He shouted and killed another turtle monster.

    Kelvin gazed at Henson and didn''t say anything.

    After ten minutes, both of them were panting heavily while all the turtle monsters were finally dead.

    Lara was also not standing anymore. Her breath was heavy but after resting a few minutes she jumped off from the tree and walked toward Kelvin and Henson.

    She was hesitant but after thinking for a while she thanked the duo for their help.

    Henson looked at Lara. Even though she thanked them her voice was cold and her face was expressionless.

    "We didn''t save you. We saw something strange behind those trees that''s why we killed these monsters."

    He patted his clothes and with Kelvin started moving toward the ce from where the turtle monsters wereing.

    Lara looked at the leaving duo and didn''t follow behind them.

    Suddenly Henson stopped in his tracks and looked back at Lara who was standing at the same ce.

    "Hey, what are you waiting for? Follow us, I can see your condition isn''t good enough to fight. If you stayed alone you will probably die."

    Lara blinked her eyes and looked back at Henson. Even Kelvin was surprised but then he smiled. He had been with Henson for a while now and somewhat knew his personality.

    Henson was nonchnt on the outside but whenever they saw another human in danger he was always the first to help.

    Lara didn''t say anything and just followed behind the duo quietly. After walking for a while they arrived in front of a strange underground tunnel.

    "I think the turtle monsters were protecting this tunnel."

    Kelvin said and with caution he entered the tunnel.

    Lara and Henson also followed behind him. After walking in the tunnel for a while, they arrived inside a ck room. The room was illuminated by some shiny stones scattered around on the ground.

    In the middle of the room, two skill cores and a white color book were floating.

    The trio looked at each other, Lara didn''t say anything. Henson approached the skill cores and book.

    He grabbed the skill cores and threw the book toward Lara.

    "You killed half of the turtle monsters so I think you should take the book."

    Kelvin didn''t mind and took a skill core from Henson.

    Under their gaze, Lara opened the book and a white light shed before enveloping her whole body.

    "Huh?"

    She eximed softly. Within a second, all her injuries disappeared and arge amount of pure mana entered her body.

    Lara closed her eyes, and a crown-like golden lining appeared on her forehead.

    After a few more seconds, her rank started increasing and only stopped when she reached (D+)-Rank.

    Henson and Kelvin''s eyes widened. They looked at each other with a bitter smile.

    "I am kinda regretting giving the book to her."

    Henson said with a jealous expression. Kelvin also nodded. If they knew it was something amazing why the hell would they give it to someone else?

    After another minute, Lara opened her eyes. She looked at the duo who was staring at her with sour expressions.

    ''Are they going to attack me because the book was something precious?''

    She thought inwardly and took a step back. She didn''t want to fight with them because they just helped her a few minutes ago. She knew from experience humans were greedy. Even her childhood friends tried to kill her just because they were jealous of her.

    Henson and Kelvin seemed to have guessed what she was thinking.

    "Don''t worry we won''t do anything. Anyway even if we want to we won''t dare because now you are stronger than both of us."

    Henson chuckled and started walking toward the exit of the tunnel. Kelvin also started following behind him. Suddenly Henson stopped and looked back at Lara.

    "Well, only one week is left before the Tower sends us all out. So do you want to follow us? You are stronger now so we won''t force you."

    Lara thought for a while and nodded.

    ''I think I can trust them.''

    After the three of them left the tunnel together.

 Chapter 127 Leaving the Tower I

    <h4>Chapter 127 Leaving the Tower I</h4>

    Outside the huge Tower, the atmosphere around the small city was bustling. Many people from different races were roaming around or settling up small stalls for trading and business.

    Today was the day when the individuals who entered the Tower woulde out. The city present around the Tower was bustling with all kinds of activities but the atmosphere in front of the Tower was quiet and heavy.

    Many old yet strong individuals from each Kingdom who left six months ago were now anxiously waiting in front of the huge Tower.

    Like a circle 5 different groups of people were standing around the Tower. Their gaze was fixed on the Tower

    Among them, Vice Principal George was also seen standing with Elder Han. Both of them stood tall in front of the people from Kingdom Ete.

    Almost every one of them had a grim expression because they knew a lot of kids who entered the Tower would have died but they were waiting for the ones who would return alive with newfound strength.

    Those kids were the future of each Kingdom because even in the past those who had entered the Tower and found some opportunities had always achieved something in their lives.

    But for some reason, all five groups present around the Tower looked at the other groups with vignt.

    Their eyes were sharp and cautious as they looked at the powerful individuals from the other Kingdoms.

    From their stance, anyone could guess they were ready to fight if the others dared to make a move on their kids who came out from the Tower.

    It''s because every time anyone from the opposing Kingdoms got someone strong from the Tower, the others always did their best to take out that individual to make sure the Kingdom would not gain more power.

    While they were waiting with serious expressions, under their gaze suddenly from the middle of the Tower a bright light shed and a cracking sound was heard.

    "They areing out!"

    Someone from the crowd eximed. Vice Principal George looked at Elder Han who was looking at the white light with an impatient expression.

    He sighed. For some reason, Elder Han was quite agitated for the past few months.

    "Finally..."

    Elder Han mumbled under his breath and gazed above at the Tower. The bright light stretched wide and became circr.

    ....

    Meanwhile inside the Tower, on each floor suddenly the sky glowed with bright light.

    Everyone moving around the different floors looks up at the sky. Some were happy, some showed dejected expressions while some just sighed.

    "It''s time."

    A golden-haired youth who was standing above arge ck crab''s body whispered.

    The 4 to 5 humans standing behind him also gazed at the sky and nodded.

    They knew when their six months inside the Tower would be over the sky would form a bright portal. The portal will suck all the alive people to send them outside.

    Carcel jumped down from the crab''s body and looked at Mia''s panting figure.

    "It seems we are going back."

    Mia nodded and hurriedly picked up the skill core that was floating above the crab''s body.

    After she was done, she stood beside Carcel and the other humans standing beside them.

    After a few seconds, the bright light present above the sky stretched and took the shape of a portal. Mia suddenly felt a tingling feeling on her fingers, She looked down at her hands they were turning into white particles.

    She hurriedly gazed at the other individuals standing beside her. Under her sea-blue eyes, everyone turned into white particles.

    She opened her mouth to say something but with arge wind gust her body also turned into particles. All the particles were sucked inside the wide portal present above the sky.

    Simr portals appeared on each floor of the Tower and everyone turned into bright light particles and those particles were sucked inside the portals.

    In another ce around the second floor, a brown-haired youth looked above the sky and sighed dejectedly. Nine gazed back at the two elves standing beside him.

    "So it seems the time to say goodbye has arrived."

    The ck-haired elf standing in front of him gazed at him with her beautiful eyes.

    "It was nice traveling with you."

    She blushed a little and fiddled with her slender fingers. Rowan looked at Elli and Nine before showing a sour expression.

    ''Why do I feel like a third wheel?''

    He quietly distanced himself from the duo so as not to interrupt them. He and Elli only spent two weeks with Nine but it seemed Elli had taken a liking to Nine.

    Nine looked at Elli''s flushed expression and blinked his eyes. There was a tint of red present on his checks.

    ''I thought it was just casual interaction. Why do I feel bad now that we will be going our separate ways.''

    He thought inwardly and gazed at Rowan but didn''t feel anything.

    ''It seems I am only sad because of Elli.''

    "Make sure to take care of yourself. Hope we meet again."

    Nine offered a polite smile and looked at Elli.

    Elli looked back and suddenly she remembered something and took out a blue fist-sized crystal ball from her storage ring.

    "Here you canmunicate with me with this!"

    She hurriedly tossed the ball toward Nine. She wanted to say something more but her body started turning into white particles.

    Nine caught the blue crystal. He was confused at first but then remembered elves and dwarfs were more advanced than humans. That''s why something like amunication device was easily avable in their Kingdoms, unlike human kingdoms where only strong individuals hadmunication devices.

    Nine stared at her fading figure and hurriedly put the crystal inside his storage ring. There was a proud smile on his face before his body also started turning into white particles.

    ''It''s seemed I found myself a cute and beautiful wife. Damn! I never knew I was so charming!''

    At the same time, Rowan who saw the duo interaction cringed and suddenly felt a little lonely before his body also turned into particles and disappeared inside the portal present in the sky.

    Meanwhile, in another ce. An orange-haired girl released a sharp arrow from her bowstring directly killing thest (D-)-Rank monkey-type monster. After retracting her bow, Lara took a deep breath and gazed at Henson and Kelvin who were standing a few meters above her.

    After thest monster died, Hensonughed and hurriedly rushed to the patch of brown color flowers present on the clear wet ground below a huge tree.

    "I didn''t think we would have such great teamwork!"

    After grabbing the flowers, he divided them into three equal portions and gave the others their share.

    Kelvin gazed at him with a smile. Their teamwork was indeed good but Lara''s arrows were too powerful because she would easily kill any monster below (D)-Rank.

    Just within a week, they found three natural treasures and both Kelvin and Henson broke through to (D-)-Rank.

    Suddenly, the sky above them shed with a bright light. Henson looked above and groaned.

    "Tsk I just started having fun!"

    He looked at Lara and Kelvin with a sigh. After a few seconds, his body started turning into white particles.

    "Goodbye, guys. If fate willed it maybe we will meet again."

    He waved his hand at Lara and Kelvin who nodded. All three of them also turned into white disappeared and disappeared into the portal.

 Chapter 128 Leaving the Tower II

    <h4>Chapter 128 Leaving the Tower II</h4>

    On the other hand, inside the white room. Kyle was sleeping peacefully when Jian hurriedly kicked his left foot.

    With a startled expression, Kyle immediately jolted awake. He wanted to attack thinking that some monsters attacked him while he was sleeping but when he saw the red-haired boy standing in front of him he stopped.

    "Jian don''t touch me so suddenly! I almost punched you."

    He sighed. Because of living between monsters for the past six months, he became too sensitive to his surroundings.

    Jian looked at Kyle with a panicked expression.

    "Hey, I would have never disturbed your sleep but we need to leave."

    "Huh? Leave where?"

    "Both of you hurry up! The ck-haired man said if he didn''t leave within a minute we would be locked up inside this ce for twenty years!"

    Alec yelled at the duo who were wasting time in useless conversation.

    Kyle immediately looked at Alec, he was standing in front of a golden portal. He hurriedly looked back, the ck-haired man was looking at the trio with squinted eyes while asionally flipping the pages of the book he was holding.

    Within a second, Kyle grabbed Bia who was too quiet for the past whole week, and hurriedly approached the golden portal. After hearing Alec he immediately understood the situation.

    He gazed at Jian and Alec who were looking at him and nodded before jumping inside the golden portal.

    Alec blinked his eyes while looking at Kyle''s fading image.

    "This guy is always the fastest whenever he sees any danger."

    With a sigh, Alec also jumped inside the golden portal. Jian eyes widened for a while but he also jumped inside the portal.

    The ck-haired man looked at the trio''s fading image and waved his hand. The golden portal trembled and turned into gusts of wind.

    .....

    Meanwhile, outside the Tower. After the white light present in the middle of the Tower stretched and became circr, some bright rays of light shed out from the circr portal.

    Vice Principal George and 4 more powerful individuals from other Kingdoms started floating and seriously gazed at the white ray lights.

    "First floor."

    Someone whispered lightly but because everyone was quiet the voice traveled far and wide.

    The Tower always followed a pattern and first sent out the individuals who were present on the first floor. After the first floor, the individuals present on the second floor would be sent out. That means those who climbed up to the highest floor woulde out in thest.

    Under their intense gaze, the white rays of lightnded exactly at the same ce from where they entered the Tower. After the light faded they could see the faces of some young and tired kids.

    The older people from each Kingdom hurriedly shielded their kids from all the prying eyes.

    After a second, some more white rays of light shed and this time a lot of kids came out from the Tower.

    A lot of familiar faces could be seen among the kids who just arrived outside. Lara, Mia Carcel, Kelvin, and Nine. They all arrived at the same ce from where they entered the Tower.

    Nine gazed at Carcel who appeared a few meters ahead of him. He hurriedly approached him and grabbed his shoulder with a smirk.

    "Hey, I told you I will survive."

    Carcel looked at Nine smug faces and just nodded.

    Nine grumble after not getting any response from Carcel.

    He looked around and his expression turned grim.

    "Where''s Alec and Kyle?"

    Carcel looked around and didn''t see them. His expression also turned serious.

    "It''s seemed they haven''te out yet!"

    Lara and Mia who were standing beside them heard their words and hurriedly looked at the circr portal present in the middle of the Tower.

    Nine gazed at the circr portal that was shining brightly but then he smirked and looked at Carcel.

    "How about a bet? They have probably traveled to the highest floors!"

    Carcel pondered for a while but then he frowned.

    "Alec should have gone up but what about Kyle? Didn''t he fail the 6th-floor trial with us?"

    Nine sighed with a jealous expression and removed his hand from Carcel''s shoulder.

    "Bro, If I am one hundred percent sure Alec is fine then I am one thousand percent sure Kyle is even better than him."

    "Heck, I will even believe if someone said he identally entered the 9th floor!"

    Carcel raised his brow hearing so much confidence in Nine''s voice.

    Elder Han who was standing in front of the people of Kingdom Ete frowned. He was also worried about Kyle.

    The circr portal present in the middle of the Tower shed for the 6th time but no one came out.

    At the 9th sh, everyone''s heart tightened as they gazed at the empty white portal.

    "So everyone else is dead."

    Vice Principal George sighed emotionally while floating in front of the Tower. A total of 500 individuals entered the Tower but now only 200 or something came out. It means more than half of the kids who entered the Tower died.

    Just like the others, he turned around to leave but then the portal trembled again and three rays of light shed out from the portal.

    With wide eyes, Vice Principal George hurriedly turned around and immediately fixed his eyes on the three rays of light.

    One of the raysnded among the people of Kingdom Whitnd. The lightnded next to Kelvin who was wearing an anxious expression because he hadn''t seen Jianing out yet.

    After the lightnded, Kevin finally sighed with relief when he saw the red-haired boy appearing beside him.

    ''Thank god Jian is fine!''

    At the same time, under everyone''s curious gaze. The other two rays of lightnded among the people of Kingdom Ete.

    Vice Principal George''s eyes widened as he hurriedlynded in front of one of the kids who just arrived.

    He released his aura and a sturdy shield appeared around the people of Kingdom Ete.

    Alec appeared next to Lara. She looked at him and sighed with relief because she was worried about him a little.

    On the other hand, Kyle arrived at the same ce where he was standing. Almost at the end of the group. He rubbed his back.

    "The teleportation experience wasn''t good. My body is aching."

    He mumbled while standing up properly. Bia also bnced herself on top of Kyle''s head. All the kids and old individuals standing above him looked back at Kyle curiously.

    Nine also looked back at Kyle and smirked.

    "I told you!"

    He wispered toward Carcel who was processing the situation where Kyle came out with Alec.

    ''Did he really reach the 9th floor?''

    Elder Han looked at Kyle and his tense body rxed but after a few seconds, his expression changed into horror.

    While Kyle was moving his legs, he sensed some gazes on himself. He looked in front of him almost everyone was staring at him.

    "Ah..Hello."

    Kyle said awkwardly but then suddenly huge pressure descended on his shoulders. His legs gave in and he fell on his knees.

    Blood oozes out from the corner of his mouth. The pressure wasn''t something he could handle.

    With gritted teeth, Kyle looked at the ce from where the pressure wasing from. Four floating old individuals were staring at him with serious eyes. No! The four individuals weren''t staring at him but they were staring at Bia!

    -''Kyle...''

    Bia''s broken voice sounded inside his head. She was also feeling the pressure.

    ''Fuck! Because of that strange ck-haired man, I forget about this matter!''

    He cursed inwardly but then Vice Principal George immediately rushed in front of him and shielded him with his aura.

    The pressure around Kyle disappeared and he finally took a breath.

    Vice Principal George red at the four floating individuals with dark eyes.

    "What''s the meaning of this!"

    He shouted before looking back at the bird sitting on top of Kyle''s head with gritted teeth.

    Before Kyle, a lot of individuals came out from the Tower. They told their elders about the things that happened on the 6th floor. Of course, with his heightened sense, he was able to sense the whispers of those kids.

    ''How the hell is this small bird talent (SSS+)-Rank?''

    Naturally, just like him the powerful individuals from other Kingdoms also heard those whispers. That''s why the moment they saw the bird present on top of Kyle''s head they immediately tried to probe Kyle and the bird''s body.

 Chapter 129 Is he wearing an Artifact?

    <h4>Chapter 129 Is he wearing an Artifact?</h4>

    The atmosphere around the Tower became heavy and only loud breathing sounds could be heard.

    Vice Principal George gritted his teeth and red at the four old individuals floating in the sky.

    Their gaze was fixed on Kyle and Bia. One of the floating individuals suddenly frowned and looked at the others.

    "Except for rank I can''t sense anything else from the bird''s body but even the rank is surprising. It''s (D+)-Rank!"

    The person floating next to him wore a neutral expression. He was an elf with long white hair and beard. There was a subtle shock within his nonchnt eyes when he sensed that the bird was (D+)-Rank but it disappeared within a second.

    "I can''t as well. I can understand that the bird is special but why can''t I see through the kid''s body?"

    He whispered and gazed at the other two people floating beside him. Seeing their serious expressions, he was sure they were also not able to sense anything from the kid and bird''s bodies.

    The old demi-human floating next to the elf looked back at him.

    "Is he wearing an artifact?"

    The elf didn''t say anything and just quietly gazed at Kyle''s body.

    ''If he''s wearing an artifact then it''s a very powerful artifact because even we fourbined can''t see through the artifact.''

    On the other hand, after dispersing the floating individual''s pressure. Vice Principal George started floating and arrived in front of them with a dark expression.

    "What''s the meaning of this sudden attack? Do you all want to wage war with my Kingdom?"

    He shouted with anger and released his (SS)-Rank aura. The four individuals'' faces stiffened when they sensed his aura.

    One of them suddenly scoffed and released his powerful aura but his aura was weakerpared to the Vice Principal''s.

    He was smaller in height aspared to others and belonged to the dwarf''s Kingdom.

    "George we were just curious about that little thing. It''s not like you are not?"

    "Also, a huge disaster ising our way. No one is crazy enough to start a war at such a bad time."

    He spoke coldly and flew back with narrowed eyes. George was the strongest among them. He was powerful enough to fight two of them at a time but if all four of them attacked him together they could easily defeat him.

    The other three floating individuals besides the dwarf threw a side-long nce at Kyle and Bia and also hurriedly went back toward their people. Two of them even nced at the round bag hanging around Kyle''s waist. They could sense a cold aura around the bag.

    ''Two ice monster eggs? Interesting this kid seemed to have got a lot from the Tower.''

    Now was not the time to fight. After hearing from the kids that the red bird had (SSS+)-Rank talent they were curious and a little doubtful but when Kyle appeared their interest was piqued.

    That''s why they hurriedly probed Bia''s body and to their shock, the little bird was already (D+)-Rank! Instead of fighting and sowing discord with Vice Principal George, it was better to inform their superiors and wait for further orders.

    While all this was happening, Alec and Nine wanted to rush toward Kyle but Elder Han hurriedly stopped them. Carcel, Mia, and Lara also looked at Kyle''s pale figure with serious expressions.

    In the end, the figures floating above them were too powerful that''s why they could do nothing but watch with frustrated expressions.

    Elder Han gazed at Kyle with a sigh. He wasn''t weak but this kid knew how to attract trouble.

    "George will probably handle everything."

    From Kingdom Whitnd, Jian and Kelvin also panicked when they saw Kyle being attacked out of nowhere but their Elders didn''t let them move from their ce.

    At the same time, some old eyes wanted to probe Alec and Jian''s bodies but because of Kyle''s appearance, they were more focused on the red bird sitting on top of his head.

    Alec and Jian''s talent was tempting but it wasn''t useful to them. On the other hand, Bia''s bond with Kyle could be broken if they used extreme means! Who doesn''t want a legendary pet who would reach (SSS+)-Rank in the future?

    That''s why almost all the eyes were fixed on Bia. It was expensive to raise her but even if they didn''t feed her any precious resources she would naturally reach at least (S+)-Rank with the help of her talent.

    Vice Principal Georgended on the ground with a serious expression. He gazed at Kyle to say something but after seeing his cold expressionless face, he didn''t say anything and looked at the others.

    "Get ready! We are leaving Now!"

    He shouted with a serious expression. At first, he nned to leave after a day because the kids would be probably tired after staying inside the Tower for six months but the situation was too serious for them to stay here any longer.

    ''There are too many greedy eyes!''

    He thought inwardly and hurriedly ordered the older people to arrange the 49 kids who came out from the Tower alive.

    Everyone gathered and stood property and after Vice Principal George started walking they all followed behind him hurriedly.

    No one noticed but there was a light shield present around all the kids. Under the other Kingdoms'' watchful eyes, they all left the area.

    After them, the other Kingdoms also started leaving slowly. Some greedy ones wanted to follow behind Kyle but after thinking about Vice Principal George''s presence they tossed this thought out of their minds.

    Anyway, they will have more chances in the future when Kyle is alone.

    While they were leaving, a suspicious-looking yet familiar old dwarf was jogging around the area.

    He has brown hair and eyes. With a sly smile, he gazed at a young man who was wearing a high-grade storage ring.

    After the old dwarf walked away, the young man''s storage ring was nowhere to be seen but the young man didn''t even notice this abnormality.

    ''Damn! I almost thought I got caught stealing.''

    A few minutes ago, when suddenly everyone attacked Kyle, the dwarf was scared shitless and immediately hid his presence.

    ''Well, they were not attacking me what a relief. Last time the harvest was pretty good. I am one hundred percent sure after I am done I will have a bountiful this time as well.''

    An evil smile appeared on his face as he swept a lot of storage rings and precious items under the noses of those powerful individuals.

    Suddenly he saw a familiar duo. They were Jian and Kelvin.

    ''I took their everythingst time but they still had so much. Tsk tsk these rich people.''

    With a swift motion, the old dwarf took their storage rings and slipped away before anyone could notice him.

    Jian suddenly looked back with a frown. Kelvin who was standing beside him saw him looking back.

    "What happened?"

    "Huh, I just felt something was wrong. Strange."

    With a slight frown, he shook his head and forgot about that strange feeling.

    On the other hand, after taking the storage rings from Kelvin and Jian the dwarf walked a little further but suddenly something solid hit his foot.

    He looked down and saw a wriggling white bracelet.

    "What''s that?"

    He bent down and picked up the bracelet. The white bracelet wriggled in his hand and released a terrifying aura. It wanted to leave.

    "Wow... It''s something good. I can sell it!"

    With a nod, he immediately stuffed the wriggling bracelet inside a clothing bag and left the ce with a wide smile.

 Chapter 130 I feel too weak

    <h4>Chapter 130 I feel too weak</h4>

    Meanwhile, while walking Elder Han arrived next to Kyle who was walking behind the Vice Principal.

    Kyle''s face was cold and expressionless.

    "Are you alright?"

    Elder Han said while looking at the front. Kyle gazed at the man who was walking beside him and his tense body rxed a little.

    "I am fine. It''s just I feel too weak."

    He mumbled slowly and clenched his fists tightly just now when those old men attacked him and Bia he felt powerless. He wasn''t able to do anything.

    He picked up Bia from his head and gently caressed her fur. A painful expression was present on her pale face.

    ''Those old men could have killed us so easily.''

    Elder Han sighed softly. He took out a healing potion from his storage ring before handing it to Kyle.

    "Don''t feel down. In this world, the strong always prey on the weak. If you think you are too weak you just need to be strong enough to defend yourself."

    Kyle grabbed the green potion from Elder Han and gave it to Bia.

    "What if even after I gritted my teeth and tried my best but didn''t be strong enough to protect everyone precious to me?"

    He whispered slightly. In the past he only had (B)-Rank talent. At that time even if he worked hard and did everything he would have stayed at the bottom of this cruel world.

    Elder Han looked at Kyle but this time he didn''t say anything and just silently walked beside him. After walking for ten minutes they entered the city present around the Tower.

    Kyle''s gaze lingered around the normal humans and other races of people who were selling and buying things. Everyone was smiling and busy in their lives.

    They were also weak. If those powerful people attacked them they would die immediately without even knowing how they died.

    ''Unlike them, I have gotten a chance to be strong. Will I also be like those people who harmed the weak just to get whatever they want?''

    ''They killed and fight just for some precious recourse will I....''

    He thought inwardly but then suddenly Bia tugged his sleeve with a worried expression. Kyle looked at her worried round eyes and his expressionless face finally rxed.

    "I am weak but I won''t stay weak anymore. Also, I am sure I won''t be like them."

    He smiled and shook his head to remove all the negative feelings. Then he ced Bia on his head and started thinking about his family.

    "I hope Ray and Neon are fine."

    Elder Han heard his whisper and finally remembered that Kyle''s brother''s condition wasn''t good.

    "Ah...I almost forgot."

    Under Kyle''s gaze, he hurriedly moved toward Vice Principal George and started talking about something.

    Vice Principal George frowned and looked back at Kyle with a serious expression.

    After passing through the bustling city they arrived in front of a familiar bridge.

    Everyone followed behind Vice Principal George and stepped on the bridge. Just like before when they left the bridge the scenery around them changed drastically.

    There was a vast emptynd in front of them. A few meters away from the bridge arge ck circle was drawn. A lot of strange symbols were drawn inside the circle. The circle was the teleportation array from which they arrived here.

    Elder Han took out some crystals from his storage ring and tossed them inside the circle before he gestured for everyone to enter the circle.

    After Vice Principal George, all the kids immediately entered the circle but when Kyle approached the circle Elder Han stopped him.

    "Hey, kid we are leaving separately!"

    He said in a hushed voice and gestured for Kyle to wait for a while.

    Kyle frowned but didn''t say anything.

    Nine who was standing beside Carcel gazed at Kyle who was standing outside the circle with Elder Han.

    "Kyle hurry up enter!"

    He shouted but Vice Principal George stopped him.

    "It''s fine he is leaving with Han''s."

    Nine stopped and just waved at Kyle with a worried expression.

    ''Damn! Are they selling Kyle and Bia? No..No the Academy is rich they won''t do something like this.''

    Kyle waved back at Nine and therge circle shone brightly before everyone standing inside the circle disappeared.

    After everyone disappeared, Elder Han immediately made some hand seals and tossed some more crystals inside the circle.

    "Let''s go."

    He hurriedly entered the circle with Kyle and also disappeared from the innd.

    After Kyle left a brown-haired dwarf walked out from the bridge present a few meters away from the circle.

    The dwarf gazed at the emptynd.

    "Sigh, I waste. They all left before I could steal anything from them!"

    With a dejected expression, the dwarf disappeared within the winds like he was never present.

    .....

    After Kyle disappeared from the innd, he appeared in arge city. He gazed around and looked at Elder Han with a serious expression.

    "Where are we going? I need to go back to my home immediately!"

    He said with agitation. He didn''t know where this old man was bringing him but he immediately wanted to go home to see his family.

    ''Also, I am worried about Neon and Ray''s conditions.''

    Elder Han gazed at Kyle.

    "We are inside the Capital city. Also, don''t worry we are going to your home. After you left I heard from Professor Aliza about your family situation and kept an eye on your brother''s condition."

    "They are fine buttely their condition has be worse. Did you find the Elixir?"

    While speaking thest words, Elder Han''s voice became low and his expression became grim.

    Kyle became anxious when he heard that Neon and Ray''s condition wasn''t good but then he gazed at Elder Han with a frown.

    ''How did Professor Aliza know about my family situation?''

    After a second, Kyle shook his head now wasn''t the time to think about these things. He hurriedly stepped forward and spoke anxiously.

    "I found the Elixir! Let''s hurry back!"

    Elder Han sighed and gestured for Kyle to follow behind him.

    "Brat! I think you have forgotten I am your master because you haven''t called me master even once aftering out from the Tower."

    He spoke with narrow eyes while walking toward the ce where another Teleportation array was present.

    Kyle looked at Elder Han and blinked his eyes.

    "Master. The potions you gave me before I entered the Tower were quite useful."

    Elder Han nced at Kyle from the corner of his eyes. There was a satisfied expression on his face.

    "It''s good you used them. If you need more you can ask me. It''s not a big deal for me."

    Kyle hurriedly nodded his head. Potions were expensive he was more than willing to take some free from the old man.

 Chapter 131 Going back Home I

    <h4>Chapter 131 Going back Home I</h4>

    The capital city was bustling with all kinds of activities. Contrary to Nyan city, it was big and a lot of powerful individuals could be seen roaming around the busy streets.

    While walking beside Elder Han, Kyle gazed at therge buildings. They were orderly and were made of brown square-shaped stones. On the streets, a lot of shops were selling different things.

    He even saw a forging shop. A loud metallic sound was continuouslying out from that shop while a cloud of white smoke could be seen above it.

    After walking around the busy streets for an hour, they arrived in front of a crowded tform.

    Elder Han narrowed his ck eyes when he saw so many people lining up in front of the Teleportation array.

    He gestured for Kyle to wait for a while and hurriedly went to talk with the person in charge. After talking with him for a while, Elder Han returned with a smile.

    "Let''s go."

    Kyle nodded and followed behind him. The people standing in the line gave him furious stares because he was breaking the line but Kyle didn''t bother looking at them and just quietly followed behind the brown-haired old man.

    -''Oh, he bribed the person in charge of the Teleportation array.''

    Bia said and blinked her eyes. She was feeling a lot betterpared to a while ago. She looked around curiously. Some girls standing in the line even squeaked loudly when they saw her cute round eyes.

    -''I think those prettydies have fallen for my charms! hehe''

    She looked at thedies waving her way and pped her wings cutely.

    ''Bia, don''t attract attention.''

    Kyle frowned when he saw a lot of people looking his way but fortunately, he arrived in front of the Teleportation array.

    Elder Han climbed on the round tform and gestured for Kyle to stand beside him. They were the only two who used the Teleportation array. Under the envious gaze of so many people, they disappeared after the Teleportation array was activated.

    Kyle opened his eyes and the scenery around him changed. Unlike the unfamiliar capital city, the ce in front of him felt familiar.

    He took a deep breath and hurriedly started walking toward his home. Elder Han looked at Kyle back and sighed. He just quietly followed behind him.

    The area around the Teleportation array was crowded because Nyan city only had one Teleportation array.

    As Kyle left the crowd and looked at the ce where his house was he became a little anxious.

    ''I hope they are fine.''

    He increased his speed and started takingrge steps toward the east side. The houses around Nyan city were smallerpared to the capital city and there weren''t many shops either.

    After walking around the streets for a few hours, Kyle arrived in front of a familiarrge gate. He gazed at the gate and took a deep breath.

    There was only a single guard standing in front of the gate. The guard was new that''s why he didn''t recognize Kyle but when he saw Elder Han he opened the gate because Elder Han had visited the Baron''s house a few times before.

    Kyle gazed at the guard but his speed slowed down as he stepped inside his own house.

    While walking, he gazed at the once beautiful garden. The flowers were dried up and only some tall patches of green grass could be seen. He clenched his fists a little.

    ''Mother loved the garden. The servants who were assigned to take care of the garden died when the monsters attacked and I didn''t have enough money to assign more.''

    Before leaving Kyle wanted to rebuild the garden and hire some more servants but to stabilize Neon and Ray''s condition he needed a lot of money to buy expensive healing potions.

    A soft sigh escaped his lips as he thought about the things that happened when he came out from the Tower.

    ''After Ray and Neon became better we need to leave this ce. It''s too dangerous, those greedy people will definitely send someone to find my identity. I can''t put my family in danger.''

    Kyle nced at the garden one more time and entered the house. He had a lot of memories in this house but now because of his stupid mistake, they have to leave this ce.

    ''Sorry mom. I am not strong enough yet. I will build a bigger and more beautiful garden in our new house.''

    Elder Han nced at Kyle''s sad expression and just quietly followed behind him without saying anything.

    The moment Kyle entered the house, he saw a familiar ck-haired figure. It was the old butler who took care of him when he was young.

    The old butler had a te of food in his hand. He heard the sounds of footsteps and turned around with a frown but when he saw Kyle''s face his eyes became a little moist.

    "Young master!"

    He hurriedly approached and looked at him with wide eyes. He didn''t sense anything from Kyle.

    Also, instead of silver the corner of Kyle''s hair was Ash-grey for some reason but a wide smile appeared on the butler''s face when he saw Kyle.

    "It''s really Young master!"

    He shouted and immediately turned around to inform Baron Ohan about the good news.

    When Kyle left for the Tower. The old man was very worried because even though the Tower was safer than the ck Forest, a lot of people always died inside the Tower.

    Kyle looked at the fading back and sighed. Bia also gazed at the butler with her round eyes. She could feel Kyle cared about that old man.

    Kyle walked toward the room where Neon and Ray were present. After leaving the corridor, he arrived in front of thergest room present inside the building.

    Along the way, he saw that the house was almost empty. Devoid of any precious items. Even though they were not rich their house was beautiful but now he could only see empty walls and old furniture.

    ''I think father and butler Eon sold everything to buy healing potions.''

    He slowly pushed the door of the room and gazed inside. Two healers were running around the room with serious expressions.

    Soon, his gazended on the familiar beds. Among the four individuals lying around the beds, he saw Neon and Ray.

    He could see long thick ck lines around their whole bodies. Their breathing was rough and instead of pale, their skin had started turning purple.

 Chapter 132 Going back Home II

    <h4>Chapter 132 Going back Home II</h4>

    Kyle took a deep breath to calm his uneasy heart and walked inside the room.

    One of the healers who had brown hair and an old face saw Kyle and instantly recognized the young man who asked him to take care of his brothers until he returned.

    The old healer raised his brow. He was going to leave if Kyle didn''te back within a week because the six-month time was over.

    He watched Kyle as he staggered toward Neon and Ray with a serious expression. Elder Han walked inside the room behind Kyle and stood in a corner.

    The old healer sighed and gazed at the other two individuals who were lying on the beds beside Neon and Ray. He saw how Baron Ohan sold everything to buy healing potions.

    ''If they didn''t take care of these two strangers they could have saved a lot of money.''

    He didn''t understand why even after bing poor Baron Ohan asked him to take care of the two strangers.

    ''They are too soft. In this world where no one cares about others they used so much money just to save some people who just gave a helping hand when the monsters attacked the city.''

    He shook his head and gazed at Kyle who sat beside Neon and grabbed his hand gently. Suddenly an old and panicked voice sounded from the room door.

    "Kyle?"

    Kyle looked back at the ck-haired old man who entered the room and gazed at him with moist eyes.

    "Father."

    "Kyle my child it''s good you are fine."

    Baron Ohan hurriedly entered the room and hugged Kyle who was sitting on Neon''s bed.

    Bia immediately started flying and sat on the bed. She gazed at the old man who was hugging Kyle.

    Kyle smiled warmly and patted his father''s back.

    "I told you not to worry about me and take care of yourself."

    He whispered slowly. His father had lost a lot of weight and he could also see a lot of wrinkles on the old man''s face.

    After a minute, Baron Ohan finally let go of Kyle and gazed at his face with a smile.

    He touched Kyle''s head with love and didn''t ask about anything else. He was just happy about the fact Kyle returned home safely.

    Kyle looked at his father who was now gazing at Neon and Ray with moist eyes.

    "Don''t worry father. They will be fine."

    Baron Ohan gazed at Kyle who hurriedly approached the old healer.

    Kyle stood in front of the healer who had been watching him for a while.

    "Sir I found the Elixir of life. You can save my brother now. right?"

    He spoke with hesitation and hurriedly took out a transparent box from his storage ring.

    The old healer gazed at Kyle with a frown but when he looked at the transparent box Kyle took out from his storage ring, his eyes went wide.

    Inside the transparent box, he saw more than ten colorless flowers. The flowers were neatly ced inside the box. Under each flower, there were nine leaves.

    "This... This is really Elixir of life!"

    He stuttered a little and pointed at the flowers. The Elixir of Life was a high-grade herb and it was super rare. That''s why even finding one was very hard. Even though Kyle asked him to take care of his brothers he didn''t think much about it and was sure thetter would never be able to find the Elixir.

    Now seeing so many within Kyle''s hand his eyes trembled a little. For a second, some greedy thoughts passed through his mind but a cold chilling aura appeared behind him.

    The healer looked back and saw a brown-haired old man standing behind him. It was Elder Han. After seeing Kyle taking out so many high-grade herbs he was also shocked but when he saw the drooling expression of the healer he hurriedly arrived beside the healer.

    ''Sigh, the kid is too reckless. The old healer is at least (D-)-Rank. He should not have taken out so many high-grade herbs in one go.''

    Elder Han sighed and gazed at Kyle who was wearing an anxious expression.

    ''I can''t sense his rank but the situation could have be dangerous if the healer wanted to steal the herbs.''

    "Kyle give me the herbs. I will take care of the patients."

    The old healer gulped down nervously and hurriedly stepped back. He could feel it the brown-haired old man who came with Kyle was strong enough to kill him within a second.

    Kyle gazed at Elder Han and hurriedly gave him the transparent box.

    Elder Han grabbed the box and flicked Kyle''s forehead.

    "Ah.."

    Kyle looked back at him with a confused expression.

    "Kid, if you have something precious never trust others. No matter who they are. It''s the first lesson I am giving you as your master."

    Kyle looked at Elder Han and then at the old healer who was sweating profoundly.

    ''I was too anxious and didn''t notice the greedy look present on the healer''s face.''

    He nodded his head and looked at Elder Han who approached the four patients with the transparent box.

    Baron Ohan silently stood beside Kyle and both of them looked at Elder Han with expectant eyes.

    Baron Ohan knew Elder Han because he had visited his house a few times and wanted to help but he didn''t take anything from him because he was suspicious.

    "He is your master?"

    Baron Ohan gazed at Kyle and spoke slowly.

    Kyle nodded his head.

    "He helped me a lot."

    Baron Ohan didn''t say anything more. If Kyle trusted that person that''s mean he wasn''t bad. Also, he could feel the other party was very powerful.

    Under their gaze, Elder Han opened the transparent box and a rosy fragrance gushed out from the flowers.

    He took out four flowers and hurriedly closed the box to not damage the other flowers. He could see the transparent box sustained the flower''s effects.

    With a wave of his hand, he crushed the flowers and a small floating red me appeared beneath each flower.

    After heating the flower''s paste he used a wind spell to cool it down before sending it inside the mouths of the four individuals who were lying unconscious on the beds.

    Elder Han turned around and gave the transparent box back to Kyle who was looking at Neon and Ray.

    "Don''t worry. The Elixir had miraculous effects. The poison had damaged their bodies but they will be fine within a day."

    Elder Han patted Kyle''s shoulder who nodded absent-mindedly. Baron Ohan asked Kyle to rest because he returned after a long time but Kyle refused and sat beside Neon and Ray.

    Their bodies were healing at a visible speed but they still hadn''t woken up.

    In the end, Baron Ohan also sat beside Kyle to wait for Neon and Ray to wake up.

    Elder Han looked at the healers and took them outside the room. He gave them some mana stones and asked them to leave.

    The old healer looked at Kyle and Baron Ohan and sighed. He didn''t want to do anything bad but when he saw so many high-grade herbs, he became a little greedy.

    With a nod, he took the mana stones from Elder Han and quietly left.

    Elder Han gazed inside the room and left the family members alone. He followed behind Butler Eon who showed him an empty room so he could rest.

 Chapter 133 Everything is fine now I

    <h4>Chapter 133 Everything is fine now I</h4>

    Kyle and Baron Ohan sat on Neon and Ray''s beds for the whole afternoon.

    Within a few hours, Neon and Ray''splexions started to be better and the strange lining on their bodies started to fade.

    Their purple skin slowly but surely regained its original color.

    At dawn, Butler Eon entered the room and sighed. He urged Baron Ohan and Kyle to eat something and rest for a while but they were too stubborn.

    Even though Baron Ohan and Kyle both were strong enough to spend a few days without eating. Baron Ohan hadn''t eaten for a week due to stress and Kyle just returned after a long time, that''s why Butler Eon was a little worried.

    After convincing them for a while, they finally agreed with a reluctant expression.

    With a sigh, Kyle stood up from Ray''s bed and was going to follow behind Eon but suddenly a low yet hoarse voice resounded inside the room.

    "Kyl..e?"

    Kyle was rooted in his spot. He frantically turned around and gazed at the bed he had been sitting on a few seconds ago with wide eyes.

    A pale ck-haired young man was gazing at him with ck drowsy eyes. There was a frown on his face as he confusingly moved his hand.

    "What are...y..ou.. doing here?"

    Ray uttered with confusion and tried to sit but his body was too weak. Thest thing he recalled was Kyle left for the Royal Academy and after a month the city was attacked by monsters.

    He, Neon, and some more people stopped the monster''s onught because the reinforcement was a littlete but he got injured due to the monster''s leader''s sudden attack.

    While Ray was thinking and trying to move his body, Kyle rushed at him and hugged him tightly. Even Baron Ohan who was standing a few steps away rushed at the duo and and hugged Ray.

    "Ugh..."

    Ray almost choked due to the sudden force of Kyle''s grip. He barely moved his trembling hand and patted Kyle back.

    "Are yo..u trying to kill me..?"

    He uttered and Kyle''s grip finally loosened but he didn''t let go.

    ''When the hell did he be so strong?''

    Ray cursed inwardly but then sighed and just epted his fate of being hugged by his younger brother. Baron Ohan also sat behind Kyle and hugged them both.

    Tears streamed down his old face as he patted Ray back nervously.

    Butler Han stood beside the bed and looked at the trio with moist eyes.

    Ray saw his father crying and his confusion increased. His father looked a little older and thinner than he remembered. Kyle too looked a little different from his memories. Especially the corners of his hair that were always sparkling with silver color were now devoid of their brilliance.

    He sighed and patted his crying father back.

    ''I need to know what''s happening.''

    After a few seconds, Ray felt something wet touching his shoulder. His eyes widened in shock.

    "Hey..Kyle? Are you crying!"

    He said with disbelief. Kyle was crying. The person who never shed tears after their mother''s death was crying. Even when Neon beat him up he only cursed and frowned but never cried.

    "I am..not!"

    Kyle replied and his hug around Ray tightened. Ray winced feeling Kyle''s tight grip.

    ''Damn! I am a (D+)-Rank warrior. How the hell is his grip so strong? He just left for the Academy a month ago. What did they feed thiszy fe to make him so strong?''

    Ray thought inwardly but there was a smile on his pale face as he hugged Kyle and his father back.

    Kyle took a deep breath and slowly gazed at Ray''s face with a smile. He hurriedly wiped his moist eyes and felt the warmth of his body.

    ''Everything is fine now.''

    He thought inwardly and his heart became peaceful. Even though he acted all mature he just turned 17 this year. There was no way he would have taken it easily if anything bad happened to Ray and Neon.

    While they were hugging each other an irritated and small voice sounded from their left.

    "What''s happening..Why is everyone hugging Ray?"

    Baron Ohan turned around and saw Neon had also woken up. Unlike Ray, he was able to sit up straight and was looking at the trio curiously.

    Baron Ohan stood up and hugged Neon with teary eyes. Kyle gazed at Neon from the corner of his eyes.

    "Idiot."

    He wispered slowly and let go of Ray who almost died because of his emotional hug.

    "What did you say!"

    Neon gazed at Kyle''s approaching figure with angry eyes but Kyle just shrugged his shoulders and hugged him tightly.

    Just like Ray, he also suffered from their tight hugs for a few minutes.

    The two other unconscious people present inside the room also woke up but they silently watched from the sidelines without interfering.

    After a few minutes, when Kyle and Baron Ohan calmed down. Butler Eon hurriedly told Ray and Neon everything that transpired within thest six months.

    After knowing everything both of them were shocked beyond words.

    "The (A)-Rank Python poison that injured us was strong enough to kill us."

    Ray whispered slowly and looked at Kyle with moist eyes. He gestured for him toe sit beside him.

    Kyle nodded and just sat on his bed. Ray patted his head with a proud smile.

    "I know thest six months were difficult but you did an amazing job, myzy brother. Thank you and I am sorry for being such a useless big brother."

    He said with a guilty expression. He never wanted Kyle to experience so many things because of him. Kyle was the youngest and he endangered his life for him.

    Kyle removed Ray''s hand from his head with a frown.

    "I notzy!"

    "Yes Yes, you are not."

    Ray chuckled and again started ruffling his hair.

    Neon gazed at the duo.

    "I think it''s because I haven''t eaten any real food for the past six months that''s why I am hungry."

    He grumbled and looked at Butler Eon who was standing by the bedside.

    Ray and Kyle also looked at Butler Eon and raised their hands.

    "Now that you mentioned it I am also a little hungry."

    "Me too."

    Baron Ohan gazed at his son''s and stood up with a smile.

    "Eon let''s go I will help you out."

    Butler Eon chuckled and both of them left the room to prepare something good for the kids.

 Chapter 134 Everything is fine now II

    <h4>Chapter 134 Everything is fine now II</h4>

    Kyle ate the food inside Ray and Neon''s room because they weren''t able to move around freely yet.

    Butler Eon also prepared food for the two other individuals present inside the room.

    While they were eating, Bia who had been watching everything for a while started flying and arrived next to Kyle.

    After seeing the warm food she was also hungry. Neon and Ray both were surprised when they saw Bia but Kyle hurriedly introduced her to his family.

    When Kyle said she was a phoenix both Neon and Ray scoffed and gave him strange looks.

    Neon even ced his hand on his forehead to check if he was alright. Bia was clearly a bird.

    Kyle pped his hand away and gazed at Bia with suspicion.

    ''Tell me Bia were you adopted?''

    Bia narrowed her round eyes and with a cold hump, she hurriedly went toward Neon and sat on his shoulder.

    Neon and Ray saw Kyle''s sour expression. They looked at each other and startedughing.

    At night, Kyle left the room with Bia so they could rest. He climbed the stairway and arrived in front of a familiar room.

    "I am tired."

    With a smile, he pushed open the door.

    "It''s the same as when I left for the Academy."

    Kyle gazed inside, the room was clean and tidy. It seemed Butler Eon cleaned his room even though he was absent.

    There were some paintings present on the walls and a square-shaped wardrobe present in a corner. He gazed at therge familiar bed present in the middle of the room before walking toward the mirror that was present in front of the bed.

    Kyle looked at himself and touched the corner of his hair. His eyes which previously gave some hints of green color were nowpletely ck.

    "I wonder if the changes are good or not."

    After cing Bia on the bed he opened the wardrobe. Some of his old clothes were still present inside.

    "Ah..I can finally take a proper bath."

    With a satisfied expression, Kyle grabbed some clothes and hurriedly took a long bath.

    After a while, he came out of the bathroom while wearing a white shirt and nk pants.

    His old clothes were a little tight but he didn''t care and just slumped on the bed. Soon, his eyes started closing and he drifted into a deep sleep.

    Bia gazed at Kyle''s sleeping face and also closed her eyes.

    ...

    Next day early morning, due to the magical effect of the Elixir of Life, both Neon and Ray were able to walk and do normal activities easily.

    The two other individuals staying inside their room also got a lot better. They thanked Baron Ohan for his help and wanted to offer some money aspensation.

    Baron Ohan sighed the amount of money he used on them wasn''t something they could pay in a short time because they were just wandering warriors who gave a helping hand when the monsters attacked the city.

    He epted whatever they offered and asked both of them to stay until they recoveredpletely but to his surprise, the two of them rejected his offer and left because they were worried about their families.

    After they left, Baron Ohan and Butler Eon prepared breakfast. Elder Han also woke up early morning and arrived inside the dining hall.

    Kyle was absent during breakfast because he was sleeping like a log. Even when Neon and butler Eon knocked on his door and tried to wake him up he didn''t budge from his ce. In the end, they left him alone.

    Unlike Kyle, Bia woke up early and when Neon tried to wake up Kyle she just quietly followed behind him to eat.

    The breakfast was harmonious and a little awkward because of Elder Han''s presence.

    .....

    After sleeping for a whole day, Kyle finally opened his eyes with a groan. He grabbed his pillow and looked around the familiar room with a smile.

    He could see the dim moonlight flicking from the only window present inside his room.

    -''It''s seemed you slept peacefully after a long time.''

    Bia''s voice resounded inside his head. He turned around and gazed at Bia who was sitting beside his pillow. Her stomach was bulging like a fat kitten.

    "Just how much did you eat?''

    Kyle narrowed his eyes and poked Bia''s stomach with his finger.

    -''Hey what are doing? Watch your hands! It''s Neon and Elder Han''s fault. They fed me so many things. It''s not like I could reject them that''s why I just reluctantly ate everything.''

    Kyle smirked and hurriedly left the bed. After taking a bath once again he left the room and arrived inside the corridor.

    Butler Eon greeted him with a smile and told him that everyone was eating dinner.

    Kyle nodded at the old man.

    ''Damn! I slept for a whole day.''

    He hurriedly arrived at the dining Hall. The atmosphere was a little odd because of Elder Han who was sitting beside Baron Ohan.

    When Kyle entered, everyone turned around and gazed at him with a smile.

    Kyle nodded at them and hurriedly sat beside Ray. The table was filled with delicious food. They ate dinner together while talking about some random stuff.

    Elder Han gazed at the harmonious atmosphere and sighed.

    ''I think this kid is forgetting that we need to return to the Academy. George is probably gonna throw a tantrum when we return.''

    He shook his head and threw the matter on the back of his head. After dinner, Kyle asked Elder Han to follow behind him.

    Elder Han was surprised but still followed behind him. After walking for a while, they arrived in the garden.

    "What''s the matter, kid?"

    Elder Han frowned when he saw Kyle''s hesitated expression.

    "Actually Master I want to sell some unfamiliar herbs and monsters eggs but you said I shouldn''t trust others if I have something precious."

    "Also, I want your help to find a new ce for my family because I don''t want to put them in any type of danger. Those people who tried to harm me because of Bia will surely try to find me and my family."

    Elder Han raised his brow at Kyle''s words. He indeed saw the two ice eggs tied on Kyle''s waist when he came out from the Tower but they were just some low-ranked monster eggs.

    ''Also, just how many herbs did he find inside the Tower? 5 or 6?''

    Elder Han thought inwardly and patted Kyle''s shoulder while standing beside him.

    "Kid you can trust me. I am very rich and didn''t need your small treasures."

    He said and held out his palm so Kyle could show him the herbs.

 Chapter 135 Shock after shock I

    <h4>Chapter 135 Shock after shock I</h4>

    Kyle blinked his eyes and looked at Elder Han''s palm. With a nod, he ced the two fist-sized ice monster eggs on his palm and took a step back.

    Elder Han raised his brow and looked at the eggs with curiosity and waited for Kyle to take out the herbs.

    Under his gaze, Kyle fiddled with the storage ring he was wearing. If someone looked closely he would be able to identify the storage ring was a supreme-grade ring. He waved his hand and a small mountain of various kinds of herbs came out from the ring.

    Elder Han gazed at the mountain and his eyes went wide with shock and disbelief.

    "?..."

    With his mouth wide open, he pointed his trembling finger pointed at the herbs.

    On top of the mountain, he could even see a whole pink-colored tree! The tree was shimmering with pink particles.

    Elder Han gulped down and looked at Kyle.

    ''Did he pluck a whole herb garden within the Tower?''

    He won''t say he wasn''t tempted. Among the various herbs, he could even see some high-grade herbs!

    ''Even my whole wealthbined I won''t be able to afford this many rare herbs!''

    After taking a deep breath, Elder Han hurriedly ced the herb mountain inside his storage ring with a panicked expression. The herbs smell would probably attract the powerful individuals present inside the city but fortunately, no such individual was present within Nyan city.

    Kyle gazed at Elder Han''s shocked expression from the corner of his eyes.

    He took out all the herbs and strange nts he acquired from the Tower but he didn''t take out therge mountain of fruits present inside his storage ring.

    ''I will give the fruits to father and brothers. They are also useful to Bia.''

    If Elder Han knew about this he would have probably fainted from shock because one such mountain was already enough to give him a heart attack.

    After calming down Elder Han, looked at Kyle with a serious expression.

    "Don''t worry, I will take care of the herbs and sell them properly. I will also ask one of my friends to look for a house for your family in a safe ce."

    "Okay thank you, master."

    With a nod, Kyle entered the house and Elder Han hurriedly left toplete his work. His face was filled with excitement.

    ''So many rare herbs! I''ll pay him for the ones I like separately.''

    While he was floating something trembled within his storage ring.

    "Huh?"

    With an annoyed expression, he took out a fist-sized circr crystal from his storage ring. The circr crystal shone with white light before an old voice resounded.

    "Han, where are you? You said you wille back within a day. Also, bring the kid back to the Academy!"

    Elder Han heard the angry voice of the old maning from themunication crystal.

    "Don''t worry George we wille back soon."

    "How soon?"

    With an annoyed expression, he just tossed the crystal inside his storage ring.

    ''Sorry but I am too busy.''

    On the other hand, after separating with Elder Han. Kyle gathered his family in the living room.

    The living room was decent looking. A single round table was present in the middle surrounded by some chairs.

    After taking a deep breath, he told his family about everything.

    The things that happened after he left the Tower. How some powerful individuals attacked him for Bia.

    At first, everyone was shocked but after a while everyone''s expression became grim.

    "Kyle is it necessary for us to leave this house."

    Baron Ohan said with a serious expression but one could see he was reluctant to leave the house where he spent the precious moments of his life.

    "I am sorry father but for everyone''s safety we have to leave."

    Baron Ohan nodded. If it was for the sake of his family he was willing to leave this ce.

    Ray patted his father''s shoulder and gazed at Kyle.

    "I just want to know if is it safe for you and Bia to return to the Royal Academy. Won''t those people find you there?"

    "Isn''t it better for you to go with us?"

    There was worry present in his voice. Baron Ohan and Neon also looked at Kyle worriedly. If it was so dangerous it was better for Kyle to leave with them.

    "I am sure those people will find trouble with me but I think returning to the Academy is the best choice. First, if I am with all of you then it will be dangerous for everyone, and second, the Academy has powerful individuals that can protect me."

    Kyle said with a serious expression. It''s not that he didn''t think about running away and hiding but if he did that those people would probably try to find his family.

    Ray sighed and gazed at Kyle.

    "Okay. We will do as you say but you have to promise that you will stay connected with us."

    Kyle nodded with a serious expression. Even though he was sending his family away there was no way he would not visit them.

    After thinking for a while, Ray gazed at Baron Ohan.

    "It''s very expensive but I think we should buy amunication device for Kyle."

    Baron Ohan immediately agreed but then Neon poured a cold bucket of water upon everyone''s head.

    "I think you all are forgetting we are too poor right now."

    Ray and Baron Ohan gazed back at Neon. It was true because of Ray and Neon''s special condition all of their family wealth was gone.

    Butler Eon who was standing behind them sighed. He gazed at Baron Ohan.

    "Master how about we sell this house? We need money to buy a new house in a safe ce and also buy some other necessary things."

    He was old and had been living with the Baron family after his wife died in an ident. That''s why he was present whenever the family faced any issues.

    "This.."

    Baron Ohan hesitated for a second. If possible he didn''t want to sell this house but the situation was bad so he agreed.

    "Okay. Let''s sell this house."

 Chapter 136 Shock after shock II

    <h4>Chapter 136 Shock after shock II</h4>

    With a sigh, Kyle waved his hand to gather everyone''s attention. In the end, he spoke loudly.

    "Can anyone listen to me for a second?"

    He had been wanting to say something but because they were all too busy no one heard him out.

    With a serious expression, Baron Ohan gazed at Kyle who suddenly took out a few storage rings from his front pocket. Some of the rings were old while some rtively new.

    "I don''t think we need to sell this house. Also, master said he would look for a good house so there''s no need to worry about that matter as well."

    He said and gave the storage rings to Baron Ohan.

    With confusion, Baron Ohan looked at the rings. He picked up one of the storage rings and ced the others on the table.

    "It''s a high-grade ring!"

    He gasped with shock and his eyes were fixed on the ring.

    "What!"

    Neon and Ray who were sitting beside him eximed together and also picked up one storage ring each.

    "This one is also a high-grade ring."

    Neon eximed and gazed at Kyle with shock. Only those rich and powerful people had high-grade rings. It wasn''t something they could afford. No, even if they could afford it they won''t be able to buy it because it was only avable to those upper-ss people but Kyle just showed them so many in one go!

    "Tell me the truth Kyle did you steal these rings?"

    Neon whispered slowly but Kyle narrowed his eyes.

    "Of course not! I found them in the Tower."

    "That''s fine then."

    With a sigh, Neon tried to peek inside the storage ring but his eyes went wide with shock. It was filled with mana stones!

    "So many mana stones!"

    He shouted and gazed at Kyle who was wearing an innocent expression. Ray gulped down and hurriedly peeked inside the storage ring he picked up.

    "This ...one is also filled with mana stones!"

    He stuttered and looked at Kyle.

    ''Damn! Did he find a mine of mana stones within the Tower?''

    It was the first time he had seen so many mana stones. Forget about a normal house this many mana stones were enough for them to buy a small castle!

    Baron Ohan''s hand holding the ring trembled as he heard Neon and Ray.

    "I think it''s better if I don''t see what''s inside because my fragile heart won''t be able to take it."

    He instantly ced the storage ring he was holding on the table not daring to look inside.

    At the same time, Neon and Ray gazed at the other rings.

    "Are they also filled with mana stones?"

    Neon pointed at the rings with a dry voice. Kyle was giving them one shock after another.

    "Oh?"

    Kyle blinked his eyes and gazed at the other storage rings present on the table.

    "No, they are not filled with mana stones."

    Neon and Ray sighed with relief. With so many mana stones their life could very well be dangerous!

    Ray picked up a ss of water to calm down his fast-beating heart.

    With an innocent expression, Kyle pointed at one of the storage rings present on the table.

    "This one is a supreme-grade ring..."

    His sentence was cut short as Ray spit out the water he was drinking. Neon also dropped the ring he was holding. Butler Eon who was controlling his emotions all this while almost fell on his knees.

    "Say again?"

    Baron Ohan questioned his mind racing.

    "I said this ring is supreme-grade."

    Supreme grade! These words resonated inside everyone''s head. If high-grade storage rings were only avable to the strong then supreme-grade rings were something that even the strong couldn''t afford!

    Now Kyle was saying a supreme-grade ring was present in front of them! No one would be able to take it easily!

    Kyle nced at them and continued.

    "This supreme grade ring is filled with magical fruits that can help everyone advance in their Rank. There are also some healing herbs I am familiar with. The other rings are all empty. You can sell them or take one each."

    He finished his sentence but now there was pin drop silence within the living room.

    Butler Eon had already sat down because he was sure his old bones wouldn''t be able to take it if Kyle threw another bomb at them.

    Baron Ohan massaged his temple. He was trying his best to stay calm and collected. Ray and Neon just quietly stood up and closed all the windows present in the living room. It was too dangerous!

    No one would believe it but it seemed their oncezy brother had swept the Tower of Opportunity very clean! Just how the hell did he find so many things?

    After giving so many shocks to everyone Kyle stood up.

    "I am going to my room to see Bia. I haven''t seen her for a while. I will see all of you in the morning."

    Kyle said softly and left the living room. Even though he slept for a whole day for some reason he was sleepy again. After Kyle left, Baron Ohan gazed at the other with a serious expression.

    "So who''s going to protect these rings?"

    Neon and Ray took a deep breath but then Neon chuckled.

    "Father it''s seemed we aren''t poor anymore."

    Butler Eon also startedughing.

    "Let''s rest it''ste. We need to get ready tomorrow and pack our important stuff because Kyle said his master would find a new house for us."

    Baron Ohan said with a small smile. Everyone nodded and hurriedly disappeared from the room, leaving alone Baron Ohan and the many storage rings.

    Baron Ohan blinked his eyes and gazed at the rings present on the table.

    "You rascals! What if some thieves attacked me tonight? How can you throw such a big responsibility on me!"

    He shouted but no one heard his old voice. In the end, he picked up the storage rings carefully and hid them inside his clothes.

 Chapter 137 Returning to the Academy

    <h4>Chapter 137 Returning to the Academy</h4>

    Next day early morning,

    Kyle woke up and after wearing a neat blue shirt and ck pants he gazed at the three storage rings present on his fingers.

    Two of them were high-grade while the third one was supreme grade. One of the high-grade rings was filled with gold coins and some old weapons he ''took'' from the sand Castle and the other was filled with mana stones.

    ''I didn''t give the gold coins to anyone because their shape is different from the coins used in Kingdom Ete.''

    He wanted to sell the coins but decided against it for the time being. The supreme-grade ring present on his middle finger had some magical fruits and normal clothes.

    With a sigh, Kyle gazed at the mirror in front of his bed and blinked his eyes. He ruffled his hair with a frown.

    -''Hey, what happened to your hair again?''

    Bia''s voice resounded inside his head as she flew and sat down on his left shoulder while gazing at the mirror.

    "I don''t know myself."

    Kyle said and looked at himself. After he suffered the insane pain in the Tower the corner of his hair turned Ash-grey but now they arepletely ck just like when he was young.

    ''Well, as long as it''s not something bad it''s fine.''

    After taking another nce at himself he left the room. He roamed around his house remembering the memories of the past. Some were sad and some happy.

    While walking, he arrived in front of his father''s room. The room door was open that''s why Kyle peeked inside.

    With an open wardrobe, Baron Ohan was picking out some old things and cing them on the bed.

    ''Everyone is packing and getting ready to leave.''

    Kyle thought inwardly and after gazing at his father he just walked around the house before sitting inside the living room with Bia.

    He took out a fruit from his storage ring and started eating while waiting for everyone to gather.

    He just simply sat there and did nothing. Just like that, he once again fell asleep while sitting.

    After a few hours, an old voice woke him up from his slumber.

    Kyle''s eyes snapped open and he gazed at the brown-haired old man standing in front of him.

    "Master."

    It was Elder Han. He seemed to have returned.

    "Why are always sleeping whenever I see you?"

    Elder Han said with a frown but then he took out a storage ring and threw it toward Kyle.

    With a swift motion, Kyle grabbed the ring.

    "There are mana stones present inside the ring. I sold some of the herbs but it will take some time to sell all of them. Also, I contacted one of my friends. He had a decent house in the capital city. The house is near the King''s castle so it''s very safe."

    Kyle listened to Elder Han and nodded his head seriously but then he remembered Ray''s words.

    "Master, Actually my family is a little worried that''s why I need amunication device."

    "Oh? I have an extra you can take it."

    Elder Han took out two crystal balls and tossed them toward Kyle before sitting on the chair opposite him.

    While they were talking, Baron Ohan and all the others arrived in the living room.

    After eating something together, they all left the city following behind Elder Han.

    At night, they arrived in front of a double-story house. As Kyle pushed the metal gate and everyone entered the house they could see a small flower garden. The garden was well-kept because all the flowers were booming under the moonlight.

    After entering the house one could see arge empty hall. There were a total of five rooms present inside the house. Two on the ground floor and three on the second floor.

    Lastly, on the west side, a dining hall that was attached to the kitchen was present. The house was smallpared to their old house but it was good enough.

    Also, just like Elder Han said it was almost at the center of the bustling Capital city. The King''s castle was rtively close which is why one could see many Royal guards roaming on the busy streets.

    ''The location is very safe.''

    Kyle said with relief. He was very worried about his family''s safety but now he could rest easy.

    After everyone was done looking around at the house, Kyle wanted to pick an empty room to sleep but Elder Han arrived in front of him with narrowed eyes.

    "Huh?"

    Kyle gazed at Elder Han with confusion. He wanted to sleep why was the old man stopping him but suddenly a thought appeared inside his mind.

    ''Wait, why am I feeling so sleepy nowadays? I was rxed after Neon and Ray became healthy but something didn''t feel right. My hair color changed as well overnight. Strange.''

    While Kyle was thinking, Elder Han grabbed his cor and lifted him from the ground.

    "!"

    Kyle looked at him with shock but didn''t move at all.

    "Kid, I think you forget you are a student and need to go back to the Academy! George said he ising himself to beat both of us if we don''t return until tomorrow morning."

    Elder Han said with a sigh. Just a few minutes ago, Vice Principal George called him and told him to return immediately.

    ''I am one hundred percent sure he needs some free potions. Damn! he is ordering me like a ve. Why can''t he give me a break.''

    "Just say goodbye to your family we are leaving now."

    He ced Kyle back on the ground who seemed to be processing the situation.

    Kyle nodded his head and hurriedly left to meet his family onest time.

    Elder Han gazed at Kyle fading back and suddenly frowned.

    "Is it my imagination or the kid''s reaction time has be slow?"

    He mumbled. Just now when he picked up Kyle, thetter wasn''t able to react on time. No, Kyle didn''t even see his hand until he grabbed his cor.

    When Kyle came out from the Tower he was immediately able to react to the attackers who tried to probe his body but now he was slow. It''s like his mind wasn''t focused.

    Elder Han shook his head and just threw the matter to the back of his mind.

    ''I think it''s because he is feeling rxed after experiencing so much for the past few months.''

    At the same time, Kyle hurriedly gathered everyone and told them he was leaving for the Academy.

    Baron Ohan gave him a warm hug and asked him to stay safe.

    Neon gazed at Kyle and ruffled his hair.

    "Just be sure to take care of yourself,zy brother."

    "I wanted to have a 1vs1 with you but it''s seemed you won''t be getting beaten up by me very soon. Sigh, what a pity."

    Kyle gazed at him with narrowed eyes. With a smirk, he released a little of his (D)-Rank aura.

    "Are you sure I will be the one getting beaten up? I feel like I should stay for a day and take revenge for the beatings you gave me when I was weak."

    Neon sensed his aura and his eyes widened. Within less than a year Kyle advanced from (F-)-Rank to (D)-Rank! How was this even possible?

    If someone told him this thing a year ago he would have scoffed and justughed it out as a joke.

    ''Damn! I forget he got so many treasures from the Tower. There''s no way he would be weak.''

    Neon himself was (D)-Rank but he had alreadypleted his Academy years! With a serious expression, he rolled up his sleeves.

    "Let''s see who''s going to get beaten up."

    Kyle looked at him with an innocent expression.

    "Brother, now I am not alone."

    With a wide smile, he pointed at Bia who was sitting on a nearby table. Neon looked at Bia and blinked his eyes.

    "She is (D+)-Rank."

    The moment these words left Kyle''s mouth, Neon hurriedly straightened his sleeves.

    "Haha, I was just joking. Why would I fight with my dear little brother."

    Heughed and hugged Kyle. Everyone else present inside the living room also bursts intoughter.

    Ray tapped Kyle''s shoulder and hugged him as well. Butler Eon approached Kyle and gave him a light tap on the back.

    After saying goodbye, Kyle suddenly remembers something.

    "I almost forgot!"

    He took out a crystal ball from his storage ring and gave it to his father.

    "It''s amunication device. You can contact me with it."

    Baron Ohan nodded and carefully ced the crystal ball on the table.

    They all left the house together and arrived in the garden where Elder Han was waiting for Kyle.

    With a slight smile, Kyle waved his hand and left with Elder Han.

    They travelled through teleportation arrays and within a few hours arrived in front of the Academy gate.

    Kyle gazed at the familiar magnificent gate. It was already past midnight that''s why except for some guards no one else was present around the gate.

    The guards instantly recognized Elder Han and hurriedly opened the gate.

    After walking inside the Academy for a while, Elder Han said goodbye to Kyle and disappeared leaving him behind alone.

    With a serious expression, Kyle hurriedly arrived in front of the boy''s dorm. After entering the building, he gazed at the door present next to his room.

    ''Nine must be sleeping.''

    Kyle looked inside his storage ring and took out a key to open his dorm room door.

    He walked inside, the room was the same as he left. A small wardrobe in a corner and a single bed in the middle. He gazed at the only table and chair present inside his room.

    Bia flew inside the room and sat on the table.

    With slow steps, Kyle approached the bed. There was some dust present on the bed. After dusting the bedsheets, he slumped on the bed.

    ''I am sleepy again.''

    As he gazed at the ceiling of the room, his eyes started closing with heaviness.

    Bia who was sitting at the table suddenly remembered something important and gazed at Kyle with a curious expression.

    -''Kyle what is a system....''

    Her words were cut off because Kyle''s eyes were already closed and he was sleeping.

    -''Hey.''

    Bia flew on the bed and tried to wake him up but he didn''t even budge from his ce.

    -''He is already sleeping?''

    Bia gazed at Kyle''s sleeping figure and just sat on a nearby pillow. She wasn''t worried because she could feel he was fine.

    -''Well, I will just ask him about the system thingter.''

    While Kyle was sleeping, within his blood, some dim blue sparks slowly started to regain their color but the process was very slow. It''s like the sparks were recovering the energy they lost.

 Chapter 138 He is going to fail

    <h4>Chapter 138 He is going to fail</h4>

    As the morning light shone brightly upon everyone''s head, all the students present inside the Academy were seen leaving their rooms.

    Some diligent students were wearing the Academy''s special blue color uniforms but others were just roaming around in regr clothes because wearing a uniform wasn''t mandatory.

    The uniforms of each year were basically the same. A long-sleeved blue-colored shirt with ck pants but unlike the first year''s in shirts the second-year students had 2 straight white lines present on their chest while the third-year students had 3 lines.

    Just like any other diligent student, Alec woke up early and after wearing his uniform he left his room but instead of going to the ssroom he arrived in front of the library.

    If one looked closely he could see dark circles under his eyes. He stepped inside the library and saw the ck-haired old librarian who was different from the one he saw a few months ago.

    The old Librarian sitting in the reception present on the first floor of the library gazed at Alec and just nodded with a wry smile. The dark circles present beneath his eyes were even darker than Alec''s. He was just assigned to the library two months ago and had to maintain the whole library himself without any help that''s why he hadn''t slept properly for the past two months.

    At first, he was happy to get a good job inside the famous Royal Academy but his happiness vanished when he arrived at the Academy. The Academy was huge but the staff was ridiculously low! Sometimes he wonder how the hell the old Librarian took care of such a huge library alone.

    Alec nodded back at the old man. He didn''t go to the higher floors of the library because he wasn''t there to buy any skill core or Art book. After passing through the different lines of bookshelves he arrived in front of arge rectangr-shaped table. Around the table many chairs were present and for some reason, all the chairs were upied.

    Among the people sitting around the table, he saw a lot of familiar tired faces.

    "Alec is here."

    A tired voice sounded from behind arge pile of books. The person popped out of his head, he had brown hair and beautiful yellow eyes.

    Nine gazed at Alec and after pushing the various books present in front of him aside he made a crying expression.

    "I am so tired that I feel like dying! We suffered so much inside the Tower now we have to suffer through mid-terms! It was fine if they took a practical assessment but why are they taking a written exam?"

    Lara who was sitting a few chairs away from Nine lowered therge sses present on her beautiful ck color eyes and gazed at Nine with narrowed eyes. She was holding a thick book about mana theories in her hand.

    "Stop speaking I am trying to understand the mana simtion theory."

    "Alright Alright, I am quiet!"

    Nine grumbled but shut his mouth and moved his hand to pick up a book from the table but before he could someone else picked the book.

    He gazed at the golden-haired boy sitting next to him with a grumpy expression.

    "Carcel I was going to read that one!"

    Carcel looked back at Nine and shrugged his shoulders.

    "I picked it up first. You can find a simr one from the bookshelf."

    Nine narrowed his eyes but instead of looking for a simr book he just picked another book from the table.

    Alec sighed and sat down on an empty chair opposite Mia. He gazed at everyone and also picked up a book.

    Who would have thought the moment they returned from the Tower Professor Aliza would throw a big bomb at them?

    They missed all the sses because at first they were preparing for the Tower and then they stayed inside the Tower for six months, that''s whypared to other students who were present in the Academy their theoretical knowledge was almost nonexistent.

    ording to the Academy rules students were allowed to skip sses but if they failed the exams they were doomed.

    After the ranking assessment, they were all preparing for the Tower that''s why no one was able to catch up with their studies but now the mid-terms were only one week away. They have to learn everything within a week.

    Professor Aliza and Vice Principal George said that it was okay if the students who returned from the Tower failed the written test because their circumstances were rare but no one present inside the Library wanted a bad grade!

    Alec sighed. He massaged his temple and gazed at Nine.

    "By the way Nine did you hear anything about Kyle? He left with Elder Han and never returned."

    "Huh?"

    Nine looked back with a smirk.

    "I don''t know where he is but I am one hundred percent sure he is going to fail the mid-terms very miserably, Hehe."

    Carcel gazed at Nine and clicked his tongue.

    "I thought you were his friend?"

    He whispered but everyone was able to hear his words. Nine sighed with a sad look.

    "I am but what can I do when his fate is already sealed? He is destined to fail."

    Carcel threw the book he was reading at Nine with a shake of his head.

    "I am not sure if Kyle will fail but I can guarantee that you will fail because you haven''t even memorized the basic theories."

    Nine face darkened as he grabbed the book Carcel threw.

    ''Damn! I am getting a nagging feeling that even though Kyle is absent from the Academy he will somehow pass and I will fail.''

    He shook his head and waved his hand to dispel all the bad thoughts.

    ''No way it''s impossible!''

    Meanwhile, inside Kyle''s room, he was sleeping soundly without any care when Bia grabbed his hair with her feet and yanked it.

    Kyle''s body moved a little but he hurriedly tucked his head inside the nket.

    -''Hey wake up! Sleepyhead. I am feeling a little hungry.''

    She grumbled and tried to remove the nket from Kyle''s head but then a low voice replied.

    "Just five more minutes."

    Bia gazed at the nket and with a sigh she just left him alone.

    -''Just why are you sleeping so much? Are you alright?''

    Kyle removed the nket from his head and gazed at Bia.

    "I am fine. I was feeling rather sleepy for the past few days but now I feel like my mind has be clearer from before."

    "I am not sleepy anymore it''s just I was beingzy."

    He chuckled and removed the nket before taking out a fruit from his storage ring. He ced the fruit in front of Bia and hurriedly entered the bathroom to take a quick shower.

    While in the shower, Kyle gazed at his reflection in the water.

    "It''s a strange feeling. I felt like I lost a part of something important but it''s recovering no rather it felt like it''spletely gone and something else reced it."

 Chapter 139 Someone is cursing Nine?

    <h4>Chapter 139 Someone is cursing Nine?</h4>

    After the shower, Kyle came out wearing a brown shirt with nk pants.

    Bia was already done eating so they left the room together.

    Kyle gazed at Nine room and after thinking for a second he knocked on the door but no one replied.

    ''Maybe he is in ss.''

    With that though he left the building. The burning afternoon sun shone brightly above his head as he roamed around the Academy but he didn''t encounter any familiar face.

    While he was walking, some students saw him but when they saw Bia they all started whispering.

    They even followed behind him to take a good look at Bia.

    Soon, Kyle arrived in front of a familiar hall. The students following behind him were standing a few meters away from him. Their gaze was fixed on Bia as they whispered among themselves.

    Kyle nced at them with a frown. Among the 14 students from the Academy who entered the Tower 9 returned alive. Even if Nine and the others didn''t say anything, the news about how he was attacked in front of the Tower due to Bia wasn''t something that would have stayed hidden from others.

    Especially the rich noble kids. They would have received the news directly from their families.

    ''Rumors do travel fast it''s only a few days but it''s seemed everyone knows about Bia.''

    Kyle thought inwardly. He didn''t like being watched and now whenever someone saw him they would stop and stare at him.

    With a sigh, he entered therge hall to see the first-year ss schedule.

    The hall was mostly empty only three students wearing Blue uniforms were standing in front of therge board present at the end of the hall and an empty reception desk at a corner.

    Kyle approached the board. It was divided into three sections for each year''s students. He gazed at the first-year section but then a confused expression appeared on his face.

    The timetable was there but there was a huge notice about a one-week break beneath the timetable.

    ''Break?''

    The three students standing beside the board sensed Kyle''s presence. They looked at him but when they saw Bia their eyes widened for a second.

    Two of the students were second year. They just returned afterpleting a mission.

    While the third one was a first-year student. He looked at Kyle and then at Bia with a raised brow.

    "Kyle?"

    Kyle looked back at the ck-haired boy who called out his name. Even though he didn''t know him personally his memory wasn''t bad enough to forget one of his ssmates.

    "Jake."

    "Yeah, it''s me!"

    Jake said with a smile. He wasn''t sure if Kyle remembered him but it seemed he did.

    "It''s been a long time, how have you been? I heard you got yourself in trouble the moment you came out from the Tower."

    He moved back from the board and pointed his finger at Bia with a mischievous smile.

    Kyle looked back at him. Jake was his ssmate but except for Nine, Alec, and Carcel, he didn''t interact with others.

    "Hmm, I am fine."

    Jake blinked his eyes at Kyle''s answer. There wasn''t any expression present on Kyle face so he thought thetter didn''t want to talk to him.

    "Anyway why are you here though? Aren''t you gonna study for the exam."

    He said and turned around to leave. Kyle saw his leaving figure and hurriedly followed behind him.

    "What exam?"

    Jake stopped in his tracks and looked at Kyle who was standing beside him with a raised brow.

    "Don''t you know? Professor Aliza is going to take a theoretical exam next week. All the first-year students have to take the exam because it''s mandatory if you want to pass the mid-terms."

    "?"

    Kyle''s confusion vanished and a shocked expression appeared on his face.

    No one told him about all this!

    Jake saw Kyle''s expression and sighed.

    "I don''t think you or the others who entered the Tower need to worry about the theoretical exam because Professor Aliza said it''s okay if you fail. It''s because you all didn''t take any sses."

    "Oh, that''s a relief then."

    Kyle wiped the non-existent sweat present on his forehead. Jake almost gave him a heart attack! Now, he could rest easy.

    Even though failing a theoretical exam for the first time won''t expel them from the Academy but if they failed two times consecutively they would be thrown out from the Academy!

    After entering the Academy Kyle didn''t take any sses because he was busy finding out about his bloodline. Then he took some sses but after a few weeks, he heard about his family and again stopped taking any sses. Lastly, he entered the Tower for six months!

    Jake chuckled when he saw Kyle''s expression.

    "So are you going to fail?"

    He said in a teasing manner. Kyle blinked his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. It''s not like he was genius enough to learn everything within a week so it was better to ept his fate.

    "Haha, you seemed quite rxed, unlike the ones who have been camping inside the Library for the past few days."

    Kyle raised his brow. He didn''t even know and everyone else was working hard!

    ''Damn! Master should have informed me about all this.''

    He grumbled inwardly and looked at Jake.

    "How many people are present in the library?"

    "Hmm, I went to the library in the morning. I saw Alec and Carcel. Oh, the person who is always with you was also there."

    "You mean Nine."

    Kyle said and Jake hurriedly nodded his head but then suddenly his lips curved upward into arge smile.

    "Nine was saying something along the lines, Kyle''s fate is already sealed? He is destined to fail miserably. He also said there was even a 50 percent chance that you would get a zero mark in the uing exam."

    Kyle''s expression changed as he heard Jake''s words. A dark smile appeared on his face. Bia who was sitting on top of his head startedughing.

    ''Damn! Nine you rascal pray I don''t see you or else I am gonna beat you up.''

    Jake saw Kyle''s dark expression and with a sly smile, he disappeared from the hall.

    "Sorry Nine but it was fun. Haha, I want to see what Kyle is going to do with you."

    On the other hand, Kyle took a deep breath. His expression was dead serious.

    "Bia we are going to study! I won''t fail the exam!"

    He said seriously and hurriedly left the hall. Meanwhile, inside the library. Nine left eyes suddenly twitched uncontrobly.

    "Why do I feel like someone is cursing me behind my back? Is it my imagination?"

    He shook his head and threw the thought on the back of his head.

 Chapter 140 Here to enjoy the Show

    <h4>Chapter 140 Here to enjoy the Show</h4>

    Inside the Library,

    Nine stretched his legs under the rectangr table and picked up a nearby book with a sigh.

    From the corner of his eyes, he could see the burning sun outside.

    "It''s already noon?"

    The book he just picked up was thrown at the table again as he ced his head on the table.

    Carcel who was sitting beside him frowned when he saw his behavior.

    "Hey, don''t just pick up a book and throw it away without even ncing at it. I arranged them after reading some you are mixing every book."

    Nine gazed at Carcel and waved his hand.

    "Sorry, I was just tired."

    At a distance, Alec flipped a page of the book he was reading and mumbled under his breath while giving a side-long nce to Nine.

    "At this rate, you are really going to fail."

    He had been watching Nine but thetter was only tossing and turning a book instead of actually reading something.

    Alec mumbled wasn''t loud but because all the students present inside the Library were quietly reading, his voice resounded clearly inside everyone''s ears.

    Some chuckled while some gazed at Nine with pity. At the same time, Nine instantly removed his head from the table and red at Alec.

    "What did you say?"

    Alec shrugged his shoulders innocently and just flipped another page of the book he was reading.

    At the same time, a ck-haired student entered the Library. There was a smirk present on the student''s face.

    He instantly walked toward where Nine and the others were sitting. After arriving in front of the table the student sat a few chairs away from Nine.

    With a tired expression, Nine gazed at the new arrival.

    "Jake you are here again? Didn''t you say you already memorized the important stuff?"

    Jake looked back at Nine with a smirk.

    "I''m here to enjoy the sho."

    Nine had a bad feeling when he saw Jake''s evil smirk but then he started mumbling loudly.

    "What show? Are you here to see my suffering? You want to make fun of the fact that I am not able to learn anything."

    With a grin, Nine pointed at himself proudly.

    "Let me tell you something even if I fail I won''t be the person who gets thest spot. Hahaha."

    His nastyughter resounded inside the Library when Carcel smacked his head with a book.

    "Can you keep quiet even for a second?"

    "Ugh.."

    Nine massaged his head and gazed at Carcel with resentment. He wanted revenge!

    Carcel raised his brow when he saw Nine expression. With a smile, he tapped his storage ring.

    A dry chuckle escaped Nine lips as he saw him tapping his storage ring. He immediately threw the thought of revenge out of the window.

    ''Who am I joking to? Revenge? Me from Carcel? No way. I am not in the mood to get purple eyes.''

    He was a realistic person. He knew very well his chances of winning against Carcel were even lower than minus Zero.

    While all this was happening, Kyle arrived in front of the Library. He entered inside and saw the unfamiliar old Librarian sitting beside the reception with dark circles.

    ''It''s seemed master isn''t present here.''

    He thought inwardly and nodded at the old man before walking toward the ce where he could hear sounds of chatter.

    Around the many lines of bookshelves, he saw a lot of students reading books. Some of the students were even sitting on the floor.

    No one was able to sense him when he walked quietly because of the artifact but a few standing students spotted him and when they saw Bia sitting on his head they started whispering.

    Kyle ignored the whispers and hurriedly approached therge rectangr table. He instantly spotted some familiar faces.

    Alec, Carcel, and all the others. Especially Nine the culprit behind his sour mood. Jake was also sitting around the table.

    ''I took a detour to avoid the people following behind me but it seemed Jake arrived before me.''

    Kyle ignored Jake and approached Nine who was busy talking to Carcel.

    Alec and some other students saw him walking and a surprise expression appeared on their faces.

    Kyle stood behind Nine. He was angry and wanted to beat up thetter but decided to forgive him for the sake of friendship.

    -''Aren''t you going to punch him?''

    Bia''s childish voice chimed in as she gazed at Nine with an amused expression.

    Jake looked at Kyle''s figure and cleared his throat. He picked up a book from the table. His gaze filled with curiosity wasn''t on the book he picked up instead his gaze was on Nine.

    "If not you, I wonder who''s going to take thest ce in the theoretical exam."

    Nine gazed at Jake and his lips curved upward in a smirk.

    "Of course it''s Kyle!"

    He said loudly as a matter of fact but no one smiled instead everyone sitting around him was looking behind him. They shook their head with pity.

    Alec gazed behind Nine and sighed with a sad expression.

    "Buddy, we will probably meet again in your next life."

    "What?"

    With a confused expression, Nine turned around to look who was standing behind him but a powerful smack threw him out of his chair.

    Like a kite, his body was thrown a meter away from the chair. He crashed with a standing student and angrily looked at the person who smacked him.

    "Who dare....."

    Two words. Only two words came out of his mouth before he saw Kyle standing behind the ce he was sitting a moment ago. Nine gulped down the next words and sweat appeared on his forehead.

    Within a second, he closed his eyes, and like a dead person, his body slumped down on the library ground. He didn''t dare to move nor did he open his eyes became he knew if he did he was doomed!

    Kyle looked at Nine who was lying lifelessly on the ground and scoffed. He wanted to throw another kick at him but the old Librarian''s voice resounded inside everyone''s head.

    "Who is fighting inside the library? Don''t you know the rules? Fighting outside the Arena is forbidden."

    Kyle heard the approaching voice and instantly sat down on Nine chair. With a swift motion, he picked up a book and started reading with an engrossed expression.

    The old Librarian who was wearing a blue robe arrived in front of the students and gazed around with narrow eyes. He didn''t sense any mana fluctuations but he heard the loud banging sound and someone''s painful shout.

    After a second, his gazended on the person lying lifelessly on the ground.

    "What happened here."

    Everyone blinked their eyes and gazed at Kyle who was seriously flipping the pages of the book he just picked up.

    The Librarian followed the kid''s gaze and looked at Kyle.

    At the same time, the moment Nine heard the Librarian''s voice he instantly stood up with a newfound strength. He wanted to tell the world about the injustice he faced today!

    Kyle looked up at the Librarian and pointed at Nine.

    "Sir that person slipped and fell on the ground while he was finding a book from the bookshelf."

    The librarian raised his brow with confusion. He gazed at Nine who was blinking his eyes. Kyle looked at Nine with a smile that wasn''t a smile at all.

    "Right?"

    He questioned his voice deadly calm.

    A cold shiver appeared on Nine''s spine. He hurriedly nodded his head.

    "Ye...s he is right. I slipped identally."

    The Librarian frowned but left the kids alone. Nine dragged his body and after taking a u-turn he stood behind Alec, his powerful shield, and gazed at Kyle with a smile.

    "Buddy. Long time no see. How have you been."

    Kyle raised his brow with an ''Oh''.

    "I am fine. It''s just I want to stretch my muscles. How about you and me go to a nearby Arena to test our new skills?"

    Nine body trembled. He hurriedly shook his head and took a step back.

    "No, I am sorry bro I can''t. I just remembered I have an important meeting with someone I don''t know... I mean with someone I know."

    He bbered whatever appeared inside his mind and instantly fled from the library. He didn''t even look back.

    Kyle gazed at Nine fading figure and clicked his tongue. The others sitting around him all suppressed theirughter.

    Alec looked at Kyle and threw a book at him with a smirk.

    "Now that you are here start studying or Nine words can very well be reality."

    Kyle caught the book It was about basic mana theories. A sour expression appeared on his face as he heard Alec''s words.

    With a sigh, he opened the book. He looked at the first page, and read the content. It was very easy that''s why he memorized it after only reading it once. After half a minute, he flipped the page and arrived at the next one... It was very easy as well.

 Chapter 141 Let’s train

    <h4>Chapter 141 Let''s train</h4>

    Just like every other student present inside the library, Alec was engrossed in reading when he heard someone flipping the page of a book.

    He frowned and looked up at Kyle. It''s been two minutes since he threw a book at him and within two minutes Kyle had flipped the book pages five times.

    Not just him, even Carcel who was sitting beside Kyle looked at him with narrowed eyes.

    ''Is he even reading what''s written inside?''

    Kyle was even faster than Mia who was a mage. As a mage, she had to learn a lot of spells that''s why herprehension and memorizing speed was almost equal to Alec who had a system.

    Even Bia who was sitting on top of his head was surprised. Unlike the others she could feel it, Kyle was understanding everything. His mind was very clear and he didn''t have any other thoughts except reading.

    -''Hey, I am going to sleep wake me up when you are done.''

    Kyle heard Bia''s words but his focus was on the book.

    ''Okay.''

    Half an hourter, Kyle ced the book he was reading on the table with a serious expression.

    Alec and Carcel both gazed at Kyle with a single thought.

    ''Did he just flip the pages?''

    Kyle sensed their gazes and mumbled.

    "It was all about how the mana around the atmosphere is being absorbed inside our bodies whenever we ranked up. The mana changed our skeleton and body structure, making it stronger than before."

    He said and looked at Alec who was wearing a shocked expression. Of course, Alec had read that book so he knew what was it about.

    "You memorized it within half an hour?"

    Alec said with suspicion. Kyle''s words were urate but how the hell did he read the book within half an hour when even he took 3 hours topletely memorize it?

    "Hmm, yes it wasn''t hard."

    Kyle waved his hand and gazed at the different books present on the table.

    Alec and Carcel almost threw the books they were holding at Kyle''s head but controlled the urge.

    ''Damn it took me more than three hours and you are saying it was easy?''

    Alec cursed inwardly and decided topletely ignore Kyle who was wearing a nonchnt expression.

    Kyle looked at Carcel.

    "Can you tell me which book is important for the exam?"

    Carcel took a deep breath and pointed at the books present in front of him.

    "All the books present on this table are important."

    He said and moved his chair away from Kyle to avoid hearing the annoying flipping voice.

    With a nod, Kyle randomly picked up another book and started reading.

    Soon, continuous flipping sounds resounded inside the library as he flipped page after page without even noticing the resentment present on the faces of the people sitting around him.

    After an hour, Kyle ced the book on the table and picked up another book. Alec stood up with a fed-up expression.

    "Carcel I can''t take it anymore. I am gonna take some books back to my room and read them there.''

    "I can''t as well."

    Carcel also stood up. He was sitting beside Kyle so he was the one who suffered the most.

    They instantly turned around to leave when Kyle''s voice stopped them in their tracks.

    "Wait!"

    Carcel turned around to look at Kyle, thinking maybe thetter realized his mistake.

    "What?"

    He waited for Kyle''s sincere apology but Kyle poured a cold bucket of water upon him.

    "Umm, The book in your hand I wanted to read that one next."

    A vein bulged out on Carcel''s forehead with a smile he threw the book at Kyle who caught it instantly.

    With a fed-up expression, he left the library with Alec. They borrowed some books from the librarian to read in their rooms.

    Even after they left Kyle continued to flip pages. After the duo left a few more students sitting around Kyle stood up and left the area.

    Lara and Mia gazed at each other. They were also annoyed at the voice. Nine bbering was a hundred percent better than this torture!

    In the end, only Kyle was left around the huge table.

    After 4 hours, he ced the book he was holding on the table and massaged his temples.

    "Too much knowledge."

    He mumbled and looked around.

    "Tsk Tsk, They all left early. It seemed they didn''t want a good grade on the exam."

    Kyle stood up and stretched his arms.

    "I never knew I could memorize so many things in a single day."

    He said and gazed at the books present on the table. He hadn''t read all the books but he decided to read them tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.

    It''s not like he had never read books before. He had read a few knowledgeable books his brothers brought back from the Academies. His memorizing speed was always fast it''s just he never bothered to read through a lot of books.

    "Strange. If I read this book when I entered the Academy It would have taken me 3-4 hours to memorize it but now it only took half an hour. I just read through the content and it was stored in my mind."

    With a soft sigh, he left the library. The sun was still present in the sky but he could see a lot of red and dark clouds. After leaving the library he arrived in the first-year training area.

    The area was empty and no one could be seen practicing. He gazed at the training dummies and instantly arrived in front of them.

    While Kyle was standing, a green light shed through his ck eyes but it disappeared within a second. For some reason, he felt hungry.

    "What the I just eat in the morning? Why am I feeling hungry again."

    He took out a fruit from his storage ring and started eating.

    "There aren''t many fruits left."

    After eating the fruit, he picked up the sleepy red bird from his head and ced her on the ground before taking out the new sword he acquired from the Tower.

    Kyle stood in front of the dummy and unsheathed his sword from the silver scabbard he ''borrowed'' from the golden sword.

    "Let''s train. I have beenzily around recently."

 Chapter 142 Ancient Realm

    <h4>Chapter 142 Ancient Realm</h4>

    Inside a dimly lit room, seven old yet powerful figures could be seen sitting around a round table in the middle of the room.

    The room was in but the atmosphere inside the room was heavy.

    One of the figures gazed at the white-haired old man sitting at the head seat. The old man was the strongest person present in the room, not just in the room he was one of the strongest in the whole East Continent.

    The person''s name was Ratric Troy. He was the Principal of the Royal Academy.

    "Sir, what did the Central continent say?"

    The white-haired old man gazed at the person who spoke. It was George the Vice Principal of Royal Academy.

    "They are willing to help but it''s only because the situation is even more dangerous than we thought."

    George''s expression was grim. Even the five elders of the Royal Academy sitting around the round table wore dark expressions.

    With knitted brows, Elder Han who was sitting beside George looked at the Principal.

    "Did they confirm the presence of Monster Lord?"

    Ratric nodded. He was the one who first wandered around the Dark forest after they discovered the monster''s unusual behavior.

    "After I confirmed the presence of the Monster Lord. The kings immediately contacted the Central continent. At first, they were in denial because for the past few hundred years, the Dark Forest had been quiet and no monster above (S+)-Rank had appeared."

    "The Central continent sent an elite team to the dark forest for investigation. The leader of the elite team was a person who recently broke through to (SS-)-Rank."

    The Principal paused for a second.

    "The whole team died."

    Some audible gasps sounded inside the room and the elders started whispering. The Principal massaged his temples and continued.

    "Even though the team died, they captured a few-second video on an artifact and instantly transferred it to their King. The Central continent saw the content of the Video."

    "Not one, there are two Monster Lords!"

    The Principal clenched his fist and stood up with a serious expression. The Central continent was bigger than the east Continent but there were only three Kingdoms. Also, the continent was ruled by humans. Some other races lived among the humans but they were in the minority.

    "What two Monster Lords?"

    "How is this even possible!"

    "If they attacked the East Continent would be the first to suffer! No east Continent would be destroyed!"

    Everyone present inside the room panicked. Vice Principal George waved his hand and ordered everyone to stay quiet. He looked at the standing old man.

    "Sir, I believe the monster lords aren''t the only problem we are going to face."

    Everyone''s expression became ugly. That''s right if the Monster Lords attacked they would be able to deal with them after suffering some casualties but the Monster Lords never attacked alone.

    The hordes of monsters following the monster lord''smand were the ones who were the real threat!

    In the east Continent, among the five Kingdoms, only two persons had reached (SSS)-Rank. One was standing in front of them and the second was an elf from the elves'' Kingdom but even though they were powerful they were old.

    Even in the Central continent, only 3 people have reached (SSS)-Rank. Theirbined strength could defeat the Monster Lords but who will take care of the monster hordes?

    The Principal sat down again and picked up a ss of water.

    "You are right George. In the captured Video, hundreds of (SS) and (S)-Rank Monsters were seen which is why even the Central continent is in panic. If they don''t help the east Continent they will be the next target of the Monster Lords."

    "The West Continent was neutral at first but after seeing the video they are also sending help. ording to their estimation, the monster lords will attack within 7-8 years because after reaching the legendary ranks they are sleeping."

    Everyone showed a surprised expression when they heard the West Continent was also willing to help.

    On the Blue, there were a total of 4 continents. East, West, Central, and Sea.

    The East Continent was the home of many races but the Central continent was ruled by humans. On the other hand, the west Continent was ruled by Elves, demi-humans, and Dwarfs. There were a total of six small Kingdoms present inside the west Continent. It was shorter than the Central continent but it was the most advanced continent.

    Lastly the Sea continent. It wasn''t present onnd, just like its name suggested it was under the sea. No human or any other race had seen the Continent but ording to the rumours there was only a single Kingdom in the Sea continent called ''Gylexia''. It was ruled by the ''Rulers of Water'' mermaids.

    The mermaids were a race that never appeared onnd. They always stayed inside the water. That''s why everyone knew just like before the Sea continent would never give a helping hand.

    There was a frown on George''s face as he looked at the Principal.

    "The West Continent has a lot of strong people. If they helped maybe we can minimize the casualties."

    Principal Ratric nodded. The west continent was indeed strong. He suddenly took out a scroll from his storage ring.

    "I wanted to stay inside the dark forest to observe the situation but had to return because of this."

    He threw the scroll at Elder Han who caught it instantly.

    "What''s this?"

    With a frown, Elder Han opened the scroll but his expression darkened. With a loud bang, he stood up from his seat.

    "Had the Central continent lost its mind. How can they think about opening the ''Ancient lumbra Rm'' at such a time!"

    The other Elder''s reaction was very simr to Elder Han''s. Their eyes widened with shock.

    No one knew the origin of ''Ancient Lumbra Rm''. ording to some ancient books, the realm was made by an Ancient being whoter became immortal and left.

    The principal ced his hand on his forehead with a serious expression.

    "I tried to stop them but the Central continent is hell-bent on opening the Realm. Even the East Continent kings have agreed. It''s seemed they want to nurture some talented individuals."

    A vein bugle on Elder Han''s forehead.

    "They want to nurture or kill everyone? Thest time the Realm was opened the mana fluctuations destroyed a whole city! Almost 80 percent of the young kids who entered the realm died. Why the hell do they want to open it again? I know the Realm is filled with treasures and Ancient inheritance but it''s the most dangerous ce on this!"

    He shouted with frustration but the Principal only shook his head. The decision wasn''t up to them. If the rulers said that they were going to open the Realm there was no way they could stop them.

    George stood up and tapped Elder Han''s shoulder to calm him down.

    With a deep breath, Elder Han just gazed at the scroll. It was an official invitation. He was an array master and the Central continent needed a lot of array masters to open the Portal of the Ancient Lumbra Realm.

    "I am out. I am never going to open that thing! Never in this life."

    He said and just threw the scroll away but Principal Ratric waved his hand and the scroll flew back on the table.

    "Han, we can''t fight with the Central continent right now. The West Continent is supporting them in this decision. If we decline they will not help us in the fight with the Monster lords."

    "I am telling you they have definitely lost their minds!"

    Elder Han wanted to throw the scroll away again but George stopped him and looked at the Principal.

    "When are they going to open the Realm?"

    "Within 2 years."

    "Do we have to send our people? Did they say how are they going to pick the ones who will enter the Realm?"

    Principal Ratric nodded.

    "Each Kingdom will send two hundred individuals. The Academies will be given Privilege to send their students and the powerful individuals can rmend their disciples and anyone capable. The news about the Realm will be hidden from the public to avoid panic."

    "Unlike the Tower, the Ancient Realm didn''t have any age or number restriction because everyone who is lower than (A)-Rank can enter the Realm. The Central continent only ced a single rule, only those who have talent above (S-)-Rank will be allowed to enter the Realm."

    The temperature inside the room was cold because Elder Han and some more Elders were angry but everyone present inside the room was capable enough to withstand the pressure.

    Principal Ratric gazed at Elder Han.

    "Han, you have to leave for the Central Continent six monthster. It will take time to open the Realm Portal that''s why they asked for a lot of Array masters."

    With a reluctant expression, Elder Han nodded his head and ced the scroll inside his storage ring.

    Principal Ratric sighed and gazed at George.

    "George, the King had given me the task to select 200 capable individuals from Kingdom Ete. You will talk to the other Academies present inside the Kingdom about this matter."

    "At the end of this year, we will hold a tournament among all the Academies present inside the Kingdom to select capable individuals. After the tournament, we will select those individuals who are strong and have talent above (S-)-Rank."

    Vice Principal George nodded. Slowly everyone left the room, leaving behind the white-haired old man who was thinking how are they going to protect their home Kingdom.

 Chapter 143 What is a System?

    <h4>Chapter 143 What is a System?</h4>

    Inside the first-year training ground.

    Kyle was lying on the ground while panting heavily. His back waspletely drenched with sweat.

    With a deep breath, he stretched his arms. He didn''t even notice how time passed while he was training with his sword.

    He gazed at a nearby window and saw the beautiful moon present within the dark clouds outside.

    "It seems it will take some time before I can properly execute the third move of Void Shattering Strikes."

    He grabbed the corner of his ck hair. They were hiding his deep ck eyes.

    "I need to cut my hair."

    With another motion, he dragged his tired body toward Bia who was sleeping nearby.

    "Here I was thinking I was sleeping too muchtely. No matter how much I slept I can neverpare to this sleepy head."

    He stretched his hand to caress her head. An irritated voice resounded inside his head.

    -''Don''t touch me with sweaty hands!''

    "Okay."

    With a smile, Kyle retracted his hand but after a second he started speaking inside his head.

    ''By the way, while I was sleeping you were talking about something called system I didn''t hear it properly. What is a system?''

    Even though he was sleepy he heard Bia wasst words.

    Bia''s eyes opened with curiosity. She wanted to move close but seeing Kyle''s drenched shirt she moved back with narrowed eyes.

    -''I don''t know either. It''s regarding your friend, the one with blue hair. When we were in the white room present inside the Tower, he talked about something called ''System'' with the ck-haired man.''

    -''They used a strangenguage but for some reason, I was able to understand it. I wanted to tell you immediately but I was scared the strange man would hear me talking to you that''s why I kept quiet.''

    Kyle raised his brow. What was this system? Why did they have to use a differentnguage to talk about it?

    ''Blue-haired, you mean Alec? He talked to that strange man about something called a system. Did they say anything else?''

    Bia nodded her head and her curious eyes narrowed.

    -''Yes Alec. They didn''t talk much but Alec said he acquired this ''System'' a long time ago. It''s something that helped him a lot. On the other hand, the strange man asked Alec about his old friend. He said his old friend was the one who gave the system to Alec but Alec said he just got the system out of nowhere.''

    The more Kyle heard Bia''s exnation the more curious he became. He sat down and a frown appeared on his face.

    ''It''s seemed this thing called system is something strong. I remember Alec was able to identify the herbs and other things we found inside the Tower! Does that mean the System helped him?''

    ''The strange transparent man inside the Tower was a very powerful entity and Alec acquired a system from his friend. Just like that strange man his friend is probably someone very strong!''

    Kyle curiously was piqued but he didn''t have many answers. He could only guess what actually was this system.

    Was it an Artifact or an Ancient device?

    ''I want to ask Alec about this but if they used a specialnguage just to hide it from me and Jian then it''s a secret he can''t share.''

    Kyle shook his head. Everyone had their secrets. He also had one, his special bloodline!

    ''If he wants to hide this thing called system it''s better if I don''t mention it but damn this system is really powerful. I only know that the system can tell him about herbs and different Artifacts usage and I am jealous!''

    Kyle pinched his nose bridge with a sigh but suddenly his expression darkened. His heart started beating faster.

    "Wait! If he can see the herbs and Artifact usage does that mean...."

    Bia''s eyes widened. She hurriedly shook her head.

    -''No way! I don''t think he can see through living beings!''

    Kyle took a deep breath to calm down.

    ''I remember the first time he saw you he was shocked! I think he can.''

    Bia didn''t want to believe it at first but after thinking she instantly recalled how Alec gazed at her the first time he saw her.

    -''That''s mean...''

    Her voice trembled as she gazed at Kyle with a serious expression.

    ''I am not sure how much he knows but he knew about your talent the moment he saw you.''

    Kyle was shocked and a little angry. No one would like it if their hidden secret was known by others without their permission. He stopped talking to Bia.

    ''Does that mean he knows about my ''Bloodline''?''

    He thought inwardly but then shook his head. He didn''t tell anyone about his bloodline. Except for Bia who was connected to him, no one knew about this matter!

    ''I hope my thoughts are wrong and you aren''t able to see anything about me through that thing called ''System'' Alec.''

    While Kyle was thinking, someone entered the training room. He snapped out of his thoughts and instantly gazed at the new arrival.

    "Master?"

    A brown-haired old man was walking toward him with a frown.

    "Rascal! Do you even know how much time it took me to find you?"

    "I roamed around the whole Academy and you were nowhere to be seen!"

    Kyle stood up and gazed at Elder Han who was walking toward him.

    "Sorry master I was training."

    Elder Han''s mood was sour due to the news he just received from the Principal. He waved his hand and dismissed the matter.

    "Anyway, why are you training? Don''t you have a theoretical exam next week?"

    He said and took out a fist-sized square-shaped token from his storage ring. Kyle''s eyes were fixed on the token as he replied.

    "It''s because my muscles were feeling a little tense."

    Elder Han threw the token at Kyle who caught it instantly.

    "Put this token inside your ring. With this, I can vaguely see your location."

    Kyle frowned but ced the token inside one of the rings present on his fingers. He didn''t like it but the old man had been helping him quite a lot so it was fine if the token only tracked his location.

 Chapter 144 A bet

    <h4>Chapter 144 A bet</h4>

    Elder Han gazed at Kyle. He could see thetter had trained a lot because Kyle''s body was filled with sweat.

    "I am leaving the Kingdom after six months to attend to some important matters and I think I will onlye back after two years. As your master, I should teach you something but your weapon is a sword and I am not well versed in sword."

    He said and paced around in front of Kyle. He wasn''t a warrior that''s why he never used any weapon. He was a mage who learned about Arrays and potions his whole life. After thinking for a while, Elder Han stopped and seriously looked at him.

    "Do you want to learn about Arrays? Or how to make potions."

    "It''s very hard but if you pick one I think within six months you can learn the basics."

    At first, Kyle didn''t pay much attention but when he heard about ''Arrays'' his eyes lit up.

    He found four ancient books about Arrays in the Tower but because he knew nothing about Arrays, the books were just rooting inside his storage ring.

    He wanted to give the books to his master as they were practically useless to him but if he could learn about Arrays there was no need to give the books to anyone else.

    "Master I want to learn about Arrays!"

    Elder Han raised his brow. He thought Kyle would want to learn about potions because learning about Arrays was hard. On the other hand, potions were quite useful in battles and always high in demand.

    The only thing he didn''t know was that Kyle had already regarded him as his personal potion maker! Whenever Kyle want a potion he could ask the old man directly why would he need to go through the long process of making one himself.

    With a nod, Elder Han gazed at Kyle.

    "Okay, I can teach you about arrays but you have an exam next week. How about we start after your exam?"

    Kyle immediately shook his head. He could deal with the exam because his learning speed wasn''t bad but the old man was only here for six months. That''s why he didn''t want to waste even a single second.

    "No Master, I am free that''s why I think we should start now."

    Elder Han raised his brow.

    "Okay but don''t me me if you failed your theoretical exam."

    A vein bulged out on Kyle''s forehead as he remembered the things that happened in the morning.

    ''Just why the hell does everyone think I will fail the exam? Can''t they believe in me and say something good about me?''

    Elder Han chuckled when he saw Kyle''s expression. He asked Kyle to meet him in front of the library after changing his damp clothes.

    Kyle nodded and after picking up Bia he left the training ground.

    Elder Han gazed at his fading image and sighed.

    "It''s good ording to the Academy records his talent is only (B)-Rank. I didn''t want my first disciple to go and die inside an ancient Realm."

    "Even if he performed well in the uing Academies tournament. The Principal won''t select him because only those who have talent above (S-)-Rank will be selected to enter the Realm."

    He didn''t know if this was a blessing or not but it was better if Kyle didn''t enter that Realm becausest time more than 80 percent of individuals who entered the Realm died.

    Elder Han used an artifact to know Kyle''s talent. His actual talent was (SS)-Rank! Kyle could achieve a lot even if he didn''t endanger his life.

    On the other hand, Kyle left the training ground and hurriedly walked toward the boy''s dorm. He gazed at the dark clouds surrounding the moon.

    After walking for a while, he arrived his front of his room. A familiar brown-haired figure was standing in front of his room.

    Kyle gazed at Nine and thetter immediately approached him with a smile.

    Nine forehead was sweaty. He just hoped Kyle wouldn''t throw a punch at his face directly.

    "Brother. I am sorry. You know I was only joking when I said you would fail the exam!"

    "Oh? So you were joking?"

    Kyle raised his brow.

    "Yes yes. I was 100 percent joking. You will take thest spot but you will never fail!"

    "You.."

    Kyle wanted to throw a punch at him but sighed with a smile. He ced his arm on Nine neck with a smirk.

    "Wanna bet."

    Nine almost panicked seeing Kyle''s approaching arm but sighed with relief when thetter didn''t break his teeth.

    "Bet on what?"

    He said with a simr smirk. Kyle tightened his grip on Nine neck.

    "I won''t get thest spot in the theoretical exam."

    Nine gazed at Kyle with innocent eyes.

    Are you kidding me? If you, who was not even present in the Academy for the past few days didn''t take thest spot then no one will take it!

    He wanted to say these exact words but stopped himself because his teeth were more precious than the truth.

    "Bro, what do you want to bet on?"

    He said with a brilliant smile. Anyway, he was already the winner of this bet so there was no loss in making one.

    Kyle''s smile widened as he showed his five fingers.

    "Huh? Five what?"

    Nine gazed at his figure with confusion.

    "Fifty thousand mana stones."

    Nine almost freaked out and instantly stepped back. He looked at Kyl with wide eyes.

    Fifty thousand mana stones! Kyle was just giving him so many free mana stones?

    ''Well, we did acquire a lot of mana stones from the Tower. I have 80,000 something. It''s not a bad deal If I got 50,000 more hehehe.''

    Nine thought inwardly and an evil smile appeared on his face.

    "Okay, bro. The bet is on!"

    Kyle looked at him with an ''Oh''. After thinking for a while, he tapped on Nine''s shoulder.

    "I think you should tell the others about this bet as well. I will ept any amount of mana stones they want to bet on."

    Nine eyes widened. Kyle wanted to give away his mana stones to everyone else! Such a good person! With a deep breath, he nodded.

    "Don''t worry brother. I willplete this mission you assigned to me!"

    He said with a serious expression but inwardly he wasughing menacingly. Within a second, Nine left to share such amazing news.

    Kyle gazed at his fading back with a smirk. Bia who was sitting on top of his head shook her head with pity.

    -''You are too evil Kyle. How can you loot your friends!''

    "Well, he started it. I am just giving him the taste of his own medicine."

    An evil smile appeared on his face as he stepped inside his room.

    On the other hand, a shiver ran down Nine spine as he was walking toward Alec and Carcel''s rooms.

    He stopped in his tracks and gazed back at Kyle''s room.

    "I am having a bad feeling. Sigh, I can''t even use my ability to check if he going to take thest ce. it''s too random."

    "Anyway, I am one hundred percent sure he will take thest spot hehe!"

    With a snicker, Nine hurriedly started walking toward Alec''s room to ask him to enter the bet!

 Chapter 145 Learning about Arrays I

    <h4>Chapter 145 Learning about Arrays I</h4>

    Kyle came out from the shower wearing a purple shirt with ck pants. After picking up Bia he hurriedly left the dorm.

    He gazed at the night clouds outside. After walking for a while, he arrived in front of the library.

    He didn''t see any students on his way because it was dark and everyone would have retired to their rooms.

    Elder Han was standing in front of the library while talking to the new Librarian.

    Kyle gazed at the sweating old Librarian who obediently nodded toward Elder Han.

    He approached them but when Elder Han saw Kyle he dismissed the old Librarian.

    Kyle gazed at the fading librarian and looked at Elder Han with a serious expression.

    "Master? Why are we here."

    Elder Han took out a white crystal from his storage ring and handed it to Kyle. He gazed at him and entered the library

    "Follow me."

    Kyle saw the strange crystal and followed behind the Elder who walked deeper inside the first floor of the library.

    After passing through the rectangr table they passed through some bookshelves and arrived at the end of the first floor.

    Kyle frowned when he saw Elder Han because thtter was standing in front of a wall. Bia who was sitting on top of his head opened her eyes and looked at the wall curiously.

    On the other hand, Kyle gazed back at the bookshelves. The library was dimly lit with some fireballs floating around the ceiling.

    He could see the shadow of the old Librarian who was sitting behind the reception present at the library entrance.

    A few meters away on his left was a stairway leading to the next floor of the library.

    His gaze was abruptly shifted because Elder Han took out another familiar white crystal from his storage ring.

    Under Kyle''s curious gaze, the crystal started floating and settled between two books present on a nearby bookshelf.

    The wall in front of Elder Han trembled and moved backward.

    Elder Han stepped inside the opening. Kyle followed behind but his eyes widened slightly because behind the wall was arge room.

    There were many shiny stones embedded on the walls of the room. On one side he saw manyrge tables filled with old and new herbs. A few ss containers and many vials filled with different colored liquids were scattered on top of the tables. In the middle of one of the tables, arge ck bowl was present.

    Kyle and Bia both curiously gazed at the tables before they saw some strange pattern present on one of the walls. Two bookshelves filled with old-looking books were standing beside that wall.

    Elder Han pointed at the white crystal present in Kyle''s hand.

    "This is my secret room. With the help of the crystal, you cane here anytime."

    Kyle nodded but his gaze was fixed on the strange symbols present on the wall. The symbols werepletely golden and gave off a strange aura.

    Elder Han walked inside the room and with a wave of his hand an empty table and two chairs appeared inside the room. He gestured for Kyle to sit on a chair before walking toward one of the bookshelves.

    "I am working on some things that''s why I am going to stay inside this room for a while. You cane here any time you want to see me. I will also teach you about arrays here."

    While speaking Elder Han took out a book from a bookshelf. After looking at the book, he ced it in front of Kyle who was sitting on a chair.

    Kyle gazed at the book and opened it. It was filled with strange patterns but all the patterns were marked with the localnguage.

    Elder Han sat opposite Kyle and pointed at the book.

    "This is a beginner Array book specially designed for newbies. You can learn basic Array symbols through it. If you learn itpletely it will be easy for you to understand the more difficult books."

    Kyle nodded his head and looked at the first page. The patterns drawn inside were difficult but when he saw the information present above each pattern he was able to understand it.

    ''It''s not that hard.''

    He thought inwardly and flipped a page while listening to Elder Han''s exnation.

    "I believe the only array you have seen would be the Teleportation Array but Arrays are used in a lot of things than you can imagine."

    Kyle stopped looking at the book and gazed at Elder Han. He did see some Arrays inside the Tower but he knew nothing about them.

    Noticing Kyle''s serious gaze, Elder Han smiled and continued.

    "We can draw arrays on weapons to enhance their sharpness and durability. It can also be used to protect some old Artifacts from getting damaged for a certain time. One can even draw some unique arrays on their body parts to increase strength but this process is very painful that''s why not many people use this method."

    "Arrays are used in many ways but there are two main types of arrays used inrge-scale battles except the Teleportation Array that is used everywhere."

    "First Defensive Arrays and Second Offensive Arrays."

    Kyle nodded with understanding.

    "Defensive Arrays can stop attacks from the enemies and with the help of offensive Arrays one can attack others without using their strength but no matter which Array we use they all need natural resources for activation. Currently, the best energy source for Arrays is mana stones."

    "Arrays are powerful but they have their disadvantages because first, you need a good memory and focus to draw them properly because even a single minor mistake will make them defective. Secondly, they need a constant supply of energy."

    Elder Han took out a piece of paper and a pen. In front of Kyle, he drew a circle filled with some symbols on the paper and ced a mana stone on the paper.

    The moment the mana stone touched the Papar the carving on the page started shining and a round shield appeared on the paper.

    "It''s a beginner defensive array. The symbols used are a little difficult but a normal person can learn it within one week. It''s all depends on your focus and ability to draw."

    Kyle''s gaze was fixed on the paper. The round shield was very weak because it was small.

    ''If a smiliar yet big array is supplied with enough energy it can withstand a lot of attacks! Amazing.''

    After giving a summary about Arrays, Elder Han asked Kyle to first memorize the book he was given.

    With a nod, Kyle seriously started reading the book. Even Bia sat down on the table and looked at the book curiously.

    At first, Kyle just wanted to learn a little about Arrays because he wanted to understand the books he found inside the Tower but after hearing Elder Han''s exnation his interest was piqued. Now, he seriously wanted to learn about Arrays.

 Chapter 146 Learning about Arrays II

    <h4>Chapter 146 Learning about Arrays II</h4>

    After an hour, Elder Han received a message on hismunication device. He gazed at Kyle and Bia who were seriously focused on the book.

    He wanted to make a lot of potions before leaving for the Central Continent but Vice Principal George called him to do another task. He looked at the bookshelves and after picking up a few more books about beginner Arrays he ced them on the table and left the secret room.

    Kyle didn''t leave the room because he felt the warm glow emitting from the stones embedded in the walls making his mind clearer. He studied the first book for a few hours before closing it will a serious expression.

    "At first, memorizing the symbols was a little hard because they werepletely different from the normalnguage but after reading this book I think I can understand some of the symbols."

    Bia scoffed at Kyle bragging because even after focusing she didn''t understand a single thing.

    Kyle gazed at the other books present on the table but then his eyesnded on the piece of paper Elder Han used to draw a small array.

    The circr shield present on the paper had already disappeared a long time ago because the mana present inside the stone was exhausted. He picked up the paper and stared at it for a while. The symbols drawn on the paper were slightly erased after the shield disappeared.

    Kyle looked around and saw a bundle of white papers ced neatly above one of the bookshelves. He stood up and picked up some papers.

    After taking a deep breath, he sat down again and picked up the pen present on the table.

    ''It''s good Master left this pen behind.''

    Even though he was a student he didn''t have a pen. It was very shameful but Kyle threw the matter away.

    Bia looked at Kyle before staring at the pen and Papar in his hand.

    -''What are you going to do?''

    "I am going to draw an Array!"

    Kyle said and ced the white paper on the table. He grabbed the pen and started copying the exact symbols present on the piece of paper Elder Han used.

    Bia gazed at Kyle''s hand which was moving very fast.

    -''What? Are you kidding me? Didn''t the old man say it would take a week before you can pull it off.''

    She narrowed her eyes and stared at the paper. After a few minutes, Kyle was done.

    -''Hey Kyle. The symbols are slightly inurate. Are you sure this is going to work?''

    Bia said but her eyes were fixed on the paper.

    Kyle also looked at the paper. Even though he did his best andpletely copied everything some symbols were too thin, unlike the original ones.

    "Umm, I am trying anyway. What worse can happen? I will fail on my first try."

    He said and took out a mana stone from one of his storage rings. Bia nervously gazed at the mana stone before Kyle ced it on the paper.

    They waited for a few seconds but nothing happened. Bia blinked her eyes.

    -''It''s seemed you failed.''

    Kyle nodded but then the mana stone present on the table started trembling. Bia looked at Papar with wide eyes.

    -''Something happening!''

    She shouted but because Kyle was having a bad feeling he instantly distanced himself from the paper. Bia gazed at Kyle.

    -''What are you doi...''

    Her sentence was cut short because, in the next second, the mana stone present on the paper was sted into ck smoke.

    Kyle''s expression darkened when he saw his first array failed so miserably. He hurriedly approached the table and waved his hand to clear the ck smoke.

    After the smoke disappeared. A ck Bia appeared in front of him.

    Kyle chuckled when he saw Bia but thetter red at him angrily.

    -''You bastard!''

    Bia shouted and immediately attacked Kyle who dodged her attack.

    "Wait, it was an ident!"

    Kyle said but he wasughing because Bia''s small round figure filled with ck dust looked very funny! He avoided Bia once more and smirked.

    "How about I try drawing the Array again? This time it will be a sess for sure!"

    Bia attacked again. This time she aimed for Kyle''s hair. Kyle winced but after a while he grabbed Bia.

    "Okay let''s stop ying around."

    He cleaned Bia and walked back to the table. After thinking for a while, Kyle again tried to draw the array but this time Bia started flying and stayed further away from his array.

    He failed on the second try but was sessful in his third try. After drawing the array two more times, he picked up another book and started reading.

    Next day, early morning. Kyle left the secret room. The library was empty even the librarian was nowhere to be seen that''s why he just picked up some books from the bookshelves rted to the uing exam and entered the secret room again.

    Meanwhile, after Kyle entered the room. One hourter, Nine and the others arrived at the Library.

    Last night Nine told Alec and Carcel about the bet Kyle made but for some reason, they didn''t agree. He was frustrated and tired to persuade the duo because they were getting free mana stones from Kyle but they didn''t even budge.

    After arriving at the library, they went to their usual spot and started reading.

    Alec gazed at Nine.

    "Where''s Kyle?

    Nine picked up a book and shrugged his shoulders. In the morning, he knocked on Kyle''s door but no one answered.

    "Anyway, Kyle isn''t even here. He just studied for a single day. Why are you all so scared to make the bed!"

    Nine said with a frown. Was he wrong to make a bet with Kyle? He didn''t want to lose his precious mana stones!

    After seriously thinking for a while Nine shook his head. There was no way he would lose the bet!

    Alec and Carcel gazed at each other. They were tempted to agree to the bet when they didn''t see Kyle in the library but they instantly threw the thought out of their minds. With the speed Kyle was flipping the book pages, they would be crazy if they agreed to the bet!

 Chapter 147 Theoretical exam I

    <h4>Chapter 147 Theoretical exam I</h4>

    ?

    Within a blink of an eye, one week passed. In this week, Kyle mostly stayed inside the secret room.

    He would read the theory books important for the exam in the morning and then memorize the beginner array books in the afternoon. At night, he would go back to his room to rest.

    Within three days, he memorized the books Elder Han ced on the table. He even practiced the strange symbols present inside each book. At the end of the week, he was able to draw all the symbols present in the books wlessly.

    Kyle stayed inside the secret room for a week but Elder Han didn''te back.

    Today was the day of the theoretical exam. He stood up from the chair and stretched his body. He was wearing a long-sleeved brown hoodie with ck pants.

    Bia who was sitting at the table yawned. She was surprised to see Kyle working so hard. She nced at the room before she started flying.

    -''Hey Kyle aren''t you going to clean up the mess?''

    Kyle stopped and looked around. He blinked his eyes.

    The whole room was in a mess because it was filled with white papers scattered around everywhere.

    "I will."

    With a sigh, he hurriedly started cleaning the room.

    After picking up all the papars he stacked them on the table and left the secret room with Bia. The library was empty. The old librarian sitting behind the reception gazed at Kyle''s figure appearing out of nowhere.

    He nodded at Kyle with a smile. A week ago, Elder Han told him not to worry about this kid''s presence.

    He was curious about the secret room Kyle used but he didn''t dare to check it himself because Elder Han was a very scary individual.

    Kyle looked at the Librarian and after a nod, he left the library. The morning clouds were roaming around in the sky while the cool wind brushed past his skin. He walked for a while and arrived at the student hall.

    Unlike any other day, the hall was not empty. A lot of students wearing blue uniforms were standing around the notice board at the end of the hall.

    Kyle approached the board. Some first-year students standing in front of the board saw him and instantly moved away.

    Their gaze lingered on Bia who was sitting on top of Kyle''s head. A few girls and boys even tried to start a conversation with him but after seeing Kyle''s expressionless face they stepped back awkwardly.

    Kyle ignored all the students standing around him. He gazed at the board and looked at the first-year section. Arge name list was present above all the notices glued on the board.

    The first-year students were divided into two groups each group would take the exam in a different room. After finding his name on the second list and checking the room, Kyle left.

    While he was walking, a familiar voice called him from behind.

    "Kyle."

    He looked back and saw Alec waving his hand toward him. Unlike Kyle, he was wearing the Academy uniform.

    A frown appeared on Kyle''s face when he saw Alec but it disappeared within a second.

    After spending so much time with Alec, he didn''t dislike him and even consider him as one of his good friends but the fact that Alec was able to see everything about him made him a little vignt.

    Within a few seconds, Alec appeared beside Kyle. There were dark circles present under his eyes but he looked handsome as usual.

    "I thought you disappeared again because I didn''t see you for a whole week. You didn''t evene to the library to study."

    Alec gazed at Kyle with curious eyes but Kyle brushed the matter away.

    "I was busy with something. Anyway did you see Nine?"

    Alec smirked and grabbed Kyle''s shoulder. He did see Nine but thetter condition was not good at all.

    "I saw him in the morning. He was too anxious about the bet both of you made that''s why he didn''t sleepst night."

    Kyle shrugged his shoulders but he smiled inwardly.

    ''Haha, I will soon get those 50,000 mana stones.''

    Both of them walked together and after a few minutes, they arrived in front of a ssroom. Some students wearing the blue color uniform were hurriedly entering the room. Kyle looked at Alec.

    "I will take the exam in this room. What about you?"

    "I need to go to the next room."

    Alec patted Kyle back and gazed at him with a smirk.

    "Do your best and try not to take thest position."

    "You want a beating?"

    Kyle red at Alec but thetter walked away whileughing. With an annoyed expression, Kyle walked inside the ssroom.

    He gazed around at the row of seats and sat down on an empty seat in the middle row. While he was looking around he saw two familiar faces. Nine and Carcel.

    They seemed to have been assigned to the same room as Kyle. After ten minutes, a ck-haired middle-aged man entered the room.

    "Silence!"

    The man said with amanding voice and gazed at the sitting students. He was wearing a white shirt with a golden lining present on his chest and arms.

    The moment his loud voice appeared all the students shut their mouths and gazed at the Professor.

    "I am the instructor assigned to conduct your exam. My name is Aster."

    He said and stood in front of the students. His sharp gazended on the students who weren''t wearing the Academy uniform.

    The first one was Kyle. Two girls sitting in the back row were also wearing casual clothes and surprisingly thest person was Carcel. He was wearing a green shirt with ck pants. They all look out of ce due to their different clothing.

    Professor Aster''s narrowed gaze lingered on them for a while before he stepped back.

    "I believe you all are intelligent enough to know the basic rules of the exam but I know there are some idiots within this ss that''s why I should tell you the rules."

    Professor Aster''s expression turned cold and a light pressure appeared around the students.

    "First, cheating is forbidden. If I caught anyone cheating or speaking I would beat that person up. I don''t give a dam about your status or dignity!"

    "Second, if you are unable to answer the question present inside the exam it''s better to leave instead of wasting time and staring at others!"

    "Third, If I saw anyone who is suspiciously fiddling with their storage rings or their table I guarantee that person won''t be able to stand for the next whole week."

    He said and gazed at the students who gulped nervously. With a satisfied expression, he nodded his head.

    "Good. I will hand out the papers now take out your pens and be ready."

 Chapter 148 Theoretical exam II

    <h4>Chapter 148 Theoretical exam II</h4>

    With a wave, Professor Aster took out a bundle of papers from his storage ring. He waved his hand and all the papers started flying beforending in front of the nervous students.

    "You have three hours to write down the answers because after the time is up I will snatch the papers."

    Kyle took out a familiar pen from his storage ring. It was the same pen Elder Han left behind.

    ''I need to buy some pens. Well, I will buy some when I acquire the 50,000 mana stones from Nine.''

    He gazed at the papers present in front of him and picked them up to read through all the questions.

    After seeing all the questions, Kyle narrowed his eyes.

    Bia who was sitting on top of his head also gazed at the question papers.

    It was a strange scene when both of them were staring at the papers together.

    ''It''s too easy....''

    Kyle thought inwardly and blinked his eyes. All the questions were very easy. He was even willing to bet that he could answer all of them within thirty minutes.

    Professor Aster gazed at Kyle but then his eyesnded on Bia. There was curiously present within his deep eyes.

    He did hear rumors about a student who acquired a beast with (SSS+)-Rank talent but he was too busy that''s why it was the first time he saw Bia.

    "Hey, you!"

    He pointed his finger at Kyle who put the papers down and was ready to start writing.

    Kyle looked up at the professor with confusion. The other students also stopped and looked at them.

    Meanwhile, Professor Aster took out a table from his storage ring.

    "Ask your pet to sit here until you are done with the exam."

    Kyle frowned when he heard Professor Aster''s words. He was very protective of Bia after the incident that happened in front of the Tower. The professor wasn''t someone he was familiar with that''s why he was worried.

    ''Bia...''

    Before Kyle could say something Bia''s voice resounded inside his head.

    -''Don''t worry. I can fly until you are done.''

    She pped her wings and started flying. Under everyone''s curious gaze, she didn''t go toward the table and started flying above their heads.

    Professor Aster frowned but he didn''t say anything and just gazed at Bia. Kyle sighed and hurriedly started writing the answers on the question papers.

    His hand holding the pen was fast. While he writing non-stop an anxious brown-haired figure gazed at his back.

    It was Nine. He was holding a pen and beats of sweat could be seen on his forehead.

    ''Damn! Why is he writing so much? I only know the answer to three questions!''

    Nine hands holding the pen trembled. He knew the exam would be hard but it was even harder than his expectations.

    ''Why do I feel like I made a wrong bet this time? No, No Kyle is just writing nonsense he is not giving the correct answers!''

    He shook his head in denial. There was no way he would lose so many mana stones just like that!

    On the other hand, Kyle wrote down his name and identity number and after thirty-five minutes he was done.

    Right now, half of the students were fiddling with their pens while anxiously ncing here and there. It was evident that they were unable to answer the questions.

    Kyle stood up and gazed at Bia who was flying.

    ''I am done.''

    Bia nodded her head and looked at Kyle who approached the Professor.

    Professor Aster raised his brow. Kyle was the first to summit the papers.

    ''It seemed this kid only wrote what he knew.''

    He sighed and grabbed the papers from Kyle''s hand before asking him to leave the room. Bia instantly flew toward Kyle and sat on top of his head.

    While leaving, Kyle nced at the brown-haired figure sitting among the students.

    An evil smirk appeared on his face when he saw Nine anxious eyes staring daggers at him. He shrugged his shoulders and left.

    Nine almost cursed when he saw Kyle''s evil smile but he took a deep breath to calm down.

    ''He gave back the papers so early there''s no way he would get good marks!''

    He consoled his anxious heart inwardly but no matter what he did his anxiety only grew stronger with each passing second.

    At the same time, Professor Aster nced at papers Kyle handed to him and a surprised expression appeared on his face because the first page was filled with answers.

    He flipped to the next page and after reading through everything his surprise turned into shock.

    He coughed lightly and ced Kyle''s paper away.

    ''How can someone write all the answers so urately? Didn''t Professor Aliza say the exam is very hard but he answered everything!''

    Professor Aster thought inwardly with a sigh. He gazed at the students who were fiddling with their pens while ncing at the others.

    "Hey, you the ck-haired one. If you move once more I will kick you out!"

    The student instantly stopped looking around and looked down with a sweaty forehead.

    Meanwhile, after leaving the ssroom Kyle roamed around for a while before going to the first-year training ground.

    When he arrived, Professor Liam, the training instructor was sitting beside the dummies while cleaning a shield.

    Kyle gazed at the professor who didn''t notice his presence. He approached the dummies and after hearing his footsteps Liam finally looked up with a frown but when he saw Kyle a surprised expression appeared on his face.

    ''I didn''t sense him.''

    Liam stood up with the shield while patting his clothes.

    "I didn''t think someone woulde here. Are you done with your test?"

    Kyle nodded. He was too busy with the array books for the past week that''s why he wanted to train for a while.

    Liam gazed at the bird sitting on top of Kyle''s head but he didn''t think much about it.

    "I am getting bored because the students are too busy with the exam. Want to train with me?"

    Kyle raised his brow with a serious expression.

    "Okay, Sir."

    Liam chuckled at Kyle''s serious expression and a grin appeared on his face.

    "Let''s start with 1000 pushups and pull-ups."

 Chapter 149 Training maniac

    <h4>Chapter 149 Training maniac</h4>

    Kyle blinked his eyes when he saw Professor Liam grin.

    ''Bia did I hear it wrong? I think he said 100 pushups and pull-ups right?''

    -''Not 100, it''s exactly 1000 push-ups and 1000 pull-ups.''

    Kyle took a deep breath. His gaze was fixed on Liam. He indeed wants to train but even for him doing 1000 push-ups and pull-ups was a little ridiculous!

    With a swift motion, he turned around and started walking toward the exit of the training ground.

    "Professor I think I forgot to close the door of my dorm. I will see youter...."

    Kyle''s sentence was cut short because Liam instantly arrived behind him and grabbed his shoulder.

    "Kid, where do you think you are going? Let''s train together because I am getting bored training alone. You can close the door of your dorm after we are done."

    Liam said with narrowed eyes. He was bored for the past two weeks because the students were busy. Even the Elders didn''t ask him to do anything because they were doing something important.

    That''s why after he saw Kyle, his eyes instantly lit up. He finally found a student who was willing to train. There was no way he would let him run away so easily!

    Kyle looked back at Liam nervously. He opened his mouth to say something but in the end, he was dragged back to train until Liam was satisfied.

    All this time, Bia sat on top of one of the dummies present inside the training ground. She gazed at Kyle with pity but inwardly she was enjoying looking at Kyle''s miserable condition.

    -''I will take care of your family if you perished due to exhaustion.''

    She said with a sad and distant voice while looking at Kyle''s sweaty figure doing push-ups alongside Liam.

    ''Shut up!''

    Kyle shouted with frustration while cursing inwardly.

    ''Someone save me from this training maniac!''

    ...

    Meanwhile, Elder Han arrived in front of the library. He wanted to check on Kyle''s progress but because he was too busy he wasn''t able toe back.

    "I am free now but the kid is busy with the exam."

    With a sigh, he stepped inside the Library. The ck-haired Librarian hurriedly greeted him.

    With a nod, he ignored the old man and hurriedly entered the hidden room.

    After entering the room, Elder Han approached a corner and started brewing some mana potions inside a bowl present on one of the tables. He had plenty of herbs present inside his storage ring which is why within an hour he made two batches of mana potions.

    After taking the potions, Elder Han was going to leave when his gazended on the many papers stacked on the table in the middle of the room. In front of the papers, he saw the Array books he picked up for Kyle.

    He raised his brow and approached the table.

    "I remember I left these white papers beside the bookshelf."

    "Did the kid use them?"

    Elder Han looked at the books and picked up one of the papers.

    He gazed at it casually but his eyes widened slightly.

    "What?"

    With a baffled expression, he hurriedly looked at the other papers, and his shock increased.

    "This.. did Kyle draw these symbols?"

    He said with disbelief. Each paper was filled with Array symbols. Even though the symbols were from the beginner array books no ordinary person can learn to draw so many within a single week!

    The shocking part was that each symbol was 100 percent urate!

    There were even a few basic Array diagrams present inside the papers.

    He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

    "It took me one week just to understand one beginner book of Array but he seemed to have learned all the books I picked."

    A satisfied smile appeared on his tired face. He was a little jealous because Kyle had outdone him but he liked the fact that his one and only disciple seemed to be a natural genius in Arrays.

    Elder Han ced the papers back on the table.

    "Don''t tell me he used all his time studying the books I gave him and didn''t study for the exam at all."

    He chuckled because if it was true that''s mean Kyle would probably fail his theoretical exam.

    "It''s okay. The kids who entered the Tower are given the privilege to fail this time."

    Elder Han took out a token from his storage ring and closed his eyes before a surprised expression appeared on his face.

    "I can''t see his exact location but he seemed to be near the first-year training ground what''s he doing there?"

    After gazing at the papers once more, he left the library and started walking toward the training ground.

    On the way, he didn''t see any student as they were all busy with their exams.

    After a few minutes, he arrived in front of the training ground. He looked inside and immediately spotted Kyle and Professor Liam.

    Elder Han raised his brow. Kyle was panting heavily while hitting a dummy again and again with his sword. On the other hand, Liam seemed to be enjoying himself while shouting at Kyle to hit with more power.

    ''Is Liam training him?''

    Under his gaze, Kyle''s grip on his sword loosened as he struggled to stand in front of the dummy.

    After a minute, with a thud Kyle''s sword dropped to the ground and he looked at Liam with pleading eyes.

    "I can''t any... more.."

    While speaking Kyle''s eyes spotted the old brown-haired figure standing in the distance. His tired eyes showed relief like he had seen his guardian angel.

    "Master... Save me..."

    Liam followed Kyle''s gaze and looked back with a raised brow.

    "Elder Han?"

    He eximed with surprise because he knew all the Elders were busy with some important matters.

    Elder Han snapped out of his daze. He nodded at Liam.

    "I was just looking around you can continue."

    Liam chuckled at Elder Han''s response while Kyle''s eyes widened with shock. This old man saw his suffering but he is leaving just like that!

    "Master..."

    He felt betrayed by Elder Han. Bia''sughter resounded inside Kyle.

    -''Just ept your fate!''

    Elder Han watched as Kyle was dragged by Liam who asked him to lift some weight and run around the training ground.

    With a sigh, Elder Han gazed at Liam.

    "Don''t overdo it. Let him leave after one hour."

    Liam didn''t look back and just nodded his head.

    Elder Han gazed at Kyle once more and left the training ground. He wasn''t worried about him because Liam was a good training instructor who knew when to stop. The training looked tiring but it was beneficial for Kyle that''s why he didn''t interfere.

    ....

    Meanwhile, after the three hours was over. The Professors instantly took the exam papers from the remaining kids who were fiddling while ncing here and there.

    With some more students, Nine and Carcel came out of the ssroom.

    Nine wore a dejected expression as he walked together with Carcel. He thought he would have at least passed the exam but right now he knew inwardly that his chances of passing were very thin.

    He gazed at Carcel who didn''t look much bothered.

    "Carcel how did you do in the exam?"

    Carcel looked at Nine. A smirk appeared on his face when he saw his dull expression.

    "I think I will pass because I knew 70 percent of the answers."

    Nine blinked his eyes and instantly distanced himself from Carcel.

    ''This person is very dangerous! He is trying to show off!''

    "I am leaving."

    Nine waved his hand and hurriedly fled the building. He was already feeling anxious due to Kyle. There was no way he would listen to someone boast!

    Carcel chuckled while looking at his fading image.

    "I knew he would lose the bet."

    He saw how Kyle was done with the exam within half an hour. There was no way Kyle would get thest position.

    He shook his head and went to his dorm to rest because, for the past whole week everyone was busy with studies.

    The practical exam would be held two dayster so he wasn''t worried about it yet.

    .....

    On the other hand, after an hour. Professor Liam finally let Kyle go.

    Kyle panted heavily and didn''t even have the strength to stand up straight.

    ''Damn it!''

    His whole body was in pain. Bia flew toward him with a smile.

    -''You are alive?''

    Kyle red at her with a dark expression. He tried to grab her but she hurriedly dodged his hand.

    ''I swear I will turn you into bird soup if you don''t stop talking!''

    Bia''s smile vanished and her round eyes widened.

    -''You are joking, right?

    Kyle didn''t say anything and gazed at Bia with a smile that wasn''t a smile at all.

    ''I wonder what would the meat of a phoenix taste like?''

    Bia shut her mouth and looked away. Kyle chuckled and after lying on the ground for a while he finally got some stamina to move.

    He returned to his room with Bia and after taking a bath he slumped on the bed.

    "Bia I am going to sleep until tomorrow don''t wake me up!"

    He said and soon fell asleep.

 Chapter 150 Do you need any help?

    <h4>Chapter 150 Do you need any help?</h4>

    Next day, Kyle woke up in the afternoon. He took a bath and left the dorm with Bia.

    After the theoretical exam was over, all the students who were learning day and night were now sleeping or resting.

    The practical exam would be held the day after tomorrow that''s why Kyle went to the library. He was feeling a little bitter because Elder Han didn''t help him when Liam was torturing him with his extreme training.

    ''Well, I will forgive the old man temporarily because he is my free potion maker and I need to learn about Arrays.''

    Kyle shook his head and threw the matter of revenge in the back of his mind.

    He entered the library and the familiar librarian nodded at him. Kyle looked at the old man.

    The dark circles underneath the librarian''s eyes have be more thicker. His old face was pale. One could see from his facial expression he hadn''t slept for a long time.

    ''The Academy is working him too hard.''

    Kyle''s eyes darted at the old man.

    "Sir, do you need any help?"

    He said with a serious expression. The Academy was huge but the staff working inside the Academy was ridiculously low because if they hired someone strong casually it would increase the possibility of a mole from other Kingdoms to enter the Academy.

    The old man gazed at Kyle. It was the first time someone asked him this question. He had been working inside the library for two months but because he didn''t have any assistance he had to do everything himself.

    While staring at Kyle, a brilliant idea popped inside his head. He looked at him with a mysterious smile.

    "Now that you said it. I think I need a little help."

    Kyle blinked his eyes. Within a second, the old man jumped out from the reception and handed him a thick register.

    "I will close the upper floors because I can''t leave them open If I am not present. Even though the possibility of any studenting to the library is very low because they will be tired after the exam. Still, if someonees just tell them to leave because the library is close."

    "I wille back soon. You just need to sit inside the reception and wait for my return."

    The old man said hurriedly and before Kyle could reply he dashed toward the stairway leading to the library next floor. With a swift motion, he activated the array and closed the second-floor entrance.

    After he was done, he gazed at Kyle and instantly disappeared from the library.

    ''I can finally rest! Haha.''

    Kyle looked at the librarian fading back. Even Bia who was sitting on top of his head raised her brow.

    "So, I just need to sit here?"

    Kyle mumbled and gazed at the thick register. It was used to register the names of those who took or bought anything from the Library.

    With a sigh, he sat inside the reception and ced the register in front of himself.

    "Well, I just need to wait until hees back. I am free anyway so it''s fine."

    Bia started flying and sat on top of the reception desk. She gazed at Kyle.

    -''Why do I feel like he went away after dumping the work on you?''

    Kyle looked at Bia and then looked at the various bookshelves present around him.

    "It''s okay. We should wait for a while."

    He randomly grabbed a book from a nearby bookshelf and started reading while keeping an eye on the library entrance.

    Just like the old man said no one entered the library for the first few hours but when the afternoon sun started leaving the horizon two male students wearing blue uniforms entered the library.

    Kyle popped his head from behind the pile of books he read while waiting for the old man.

    ''Is he back?''

    He was getting bored and tired while doing nothing. The old man said he would return soon but it''s been more than 4 hours since he left. Even after such a long time he was nowhere to be seen.

    ''I just asked to help for the sake of politeness. Who could have thought this old man would take advantage of me!''

    Kyle looked at the library entrance. The two students who entered had three white lines present on their chest, indicating they were his senior.

    The student''s gaze alsonded on Kyle but when they saw his appearance they frowned.

    One of them instantly arrived in front of him with narrowed eyes. He had peach hair with ck eyes.

    "Who are you? Where''s the librarian?"

    He was a third-year student. He and his friend encounter a unique monster whilepleting their mission. The teachers were busy that''s why he wanted to find some knowledge regarding that monster inside the library.

    The other student also arrived in front of Kyle with curious eyes.

    Kyle stood up. Bia was sitting behind the books that''s why the new arrival didn''t notice her.

    "Hello, seniors. I am Kyle. The librarian went to do something important. He asked me to sit here until hees back."

    The duo looked at Kyle suspiciously because they were not able to sense anything from him.

    The peach-haired boy frowned but decided to believe Kyle because the Academy was heavily guarded. There was no way anyone could trespass without getting caught.

    "Alright. We just want to see some books about monsters and will leave after we are done."

    Kyle hurriedly stopped the duo.

    "I''m sorry seniors you can''t enter inside right now. The Librarian said to not let anyone in until hees back."

    The peach-haired youth narrowed his eyes. He looked at Kyle from top to bottom.

    "When will the librariane back?"

    "I don''t know he just said he will be back soon."

    "We will wait until hees back."

    "That..."

    Kyle wanted to refuse but the duo just dragged some chairs and sat beside the reception.

    They waited beside Kyle who sat in the reception with an annoyed expression.

    The other boy sitting beside the peach-haired boy looked at Kyle.

    "Your name is Kyle, right? My name is Richard and he is Jones."

    Kyle gazed at the duo and nodded. They waited together and soon the sun was nowhere to be seen as dark clouds appeared on the horizon.

    Kyle was cursing inwardly because the old man was still nowhere to be seen.

    On the other hand, Richard and Jones were regretting their decision to stay inside the library.

    At midnight, Kyle finally saw someone entering the library.

    ''Finally, he is back! I can leave now!''

    Kyle stood up and hurriedly approached the person who entered the library but he stopped when he saw the face of the person.

    "Master?"

    Elder Han looked at Kyle. He was just passing by and decided to sleep inside the secret room for a while because he was a little tired.

    "What are you doing here?"

    Kyle sighed but then his eyes lit up. He gazed at Elder Han with a serious expression and hurriedly told him everything.

    Elder Han frowned but then he shook his head.

    ''Taking care of such a huge library is indeed hard. I will ask George to hire some more people to take care of the library.''

    "Master I remember something important so I will take my leave."

    Elder Han was thinking when Kyle grabbed Bia who waszing behind the books and hurriedly fled the library whileughing inwardly.

    ''I am finally free! I took revenge on the old man as well! hehe.''

    "Huh?"

    Elder Han blinked his eyes he wanted to stop Kyle but thetter was too fast.

    ''Did he just run away?''

    He didn''t know how to react. He was here to rest not to work as a guard for the library!

    While Elder Han was thinking what to do his gazended on Richard and Jones who were dumbfounded when Kyle just ran away without any notice.

    "Kids."

    Richard and Jones looked at the old Librarian. They gulped nervously because for some reason they knew they messed up.

    They wanted to run away like Kyle because sitting inside the library the whole day was very tiring but before they could Elder Han grabbed them with an evil smile.

    "I have some work for both of you."

    Elder Han spoke gently but the duo only felt goosebumps all over.

    They were put behind the reception by Elder Han who just disappeared after asking them to keep an eye on the library.

    The duo wanted to cry because even after the night passed and the next day arrived no one came to their rescue. They could do nothing but stare at the bookshelves with regretful eyes.

    .....

    After leaving the library, Kyle went back to his dorm but to his surprise Nine, Alec and Carcel were standing in front of his door.

    While he was walking, Alec''s gazended on him. With hurried steps, the trio arrived in front of Kyle.

    Nine gazed at Kyle.

    "Bro, We were going to leave because even after I knocked on your door a few times no one answered."

    "You know nowadays it''s so rare to see your face!"

    He put his arm on Kyle''s neck with curious eyes.

    "What are you busy with anyway? Did you also secretly find a girlfriend!"

    Kyle gazed at Nine with a raised brow. The word ''also'' was very suspicious.

    "I am not sure about myself but it''s seemed you found one."

    Nine chuckled and wore a proud expression.

    "Of course. I am not lonely like you three! I am a charming young man all thedies would want to acquire but unfortunately, it''s toote because I am already taken! Hahaha"

    Kyle clicked his tongue but then a smirk appeared on his face.

    "I am waiting for the 50,000 mana stones you owned me."

    Nine smiles vanished as he stepped back with wide eyes.

    "I don''t owe you anything! The results are not out yet!"

    He protested but Kyle just shrugged his shoulders because there was no way he would get a bad grade. The paper was too easy!

    After grumbling for a while, Nine threw the matter at the back of his head and looked at Kyle with sparkling eyes.

    "Bro, The practical exam is the day after tomorrow that''s why we are going outside the Academy to have some fun! We already took a mission about killing some low-rank monsters because the first-year students can''t leave without permission. Let''s go together."

    Kyle thought for a while and nodded. He was bored so it wasn''t bad to do something fun sometimes.

    He gazed at the Alec and Carcel. He didn''t show it but he stepped back when Alec approached him. He wasn''t hostile toward thetter and still considered him a friend but after knowing about that strange thing called ''System'' and Alec''s ability to see through things, he was a little cautious around him.

    "Okay let''s go."

    After Kyle agreed, all of them left the Academy.

 Chapter 151 Market tour I

    <h4>Chapter 151 Market tour I</h4>

    A few meters away from the Academy gate. Inside a market area, even though it was past midnight and the beautiful moon was shining beautifully in the sky, the market streets were bustling with all kinds of activities. A lot of stalls, restaurants, and shops were lined up in a disorderly manner.

    A group of four boys wearing regr clothes were walking around the market streets while talking to each other.

    The group was attracting a lot of attention because the one leading was very handsome with blue hair and deep ck eyes. The other three walking beside him also had their charm but one of them was wearing a ck color hoodie, that''s why half of his head was hidden. Suddenly a small redhead popped out from the youth hoodie.

    -''Just why do I need to suffocate inside your hoodie!''

    Bia shouted with irritation as she looked around the bustling market. She wanted to enjoy as well but Kyle forced her to stay hidden.

    Kyle used his index finger to push the head back inside his hoodie that just popped out again.

    ''I told you to stay inside the dorm. I agreed toe out because we are only visiting the market present a few meters away from the Academy.''

    ''I know it is not dangerous around the Academy because the area around the Academy is guarded but still we should stay cautious after what happened outside the Tower.''

    Bia grumbled but in the end, she just stayed inside the hoodie while peeking out from time to time.

    Kyle nced around the market. He didn''t like crowded ces but under the illumination of so many lights, it looked beautiful. The sky was dark but the market was bright and filled with colors.

    Carcel was walking beside him while Alec and Nine were talking non-stop in front of him.

    They looked around for a while before stopping in front of a weapon stall. The weapons weren''t bad because the lowest Rank weapon was (E)-Rank while the highest (D)-Rank but the group only looked around for fun as they already had their weapons.

    Kyle gazed at the weapons and picked up a bow. It was brown, two blue gemstones were embedded in each corner of the bow.

    Carcel saw the bow inside Kyle''s hand.

    "Do you want to buy it?"

    "No, I just got curious because of the gemstones."

    The stall owner was a middle-aged woman. She looked at Kyle who was holding the bow with a business smile and tried to sell it but Kyle just ced the bow back.

    He liked it but it was useless because he always used a sword as his weapon.

    ''I will try using one in the future. Maybe.''

    The stall owner was happy when she saw the group of handsome boys arriving in front of her stall but soon she became annoyed because the boys were only looking around without buying anything.

    Kyle''s gaze was on the weapons but from the corner of his eyes, he saw Nine was fiddling with a finger-sized bead.

    Nine wore the usual carefree expression as he picked up a maze from the stall but one could see after he fiddled with the bead his expression turned cold for a second.

    Kyle didn''t think much about it but then he noticed Alec was secretly ncing at Nine. The gaze was very subtle but Kyle instantly noticed it because after putting the bow back he was standing behind the trio.

    ''Hmm?''

    Kyle frowned but then suddenly Nine stepped back with a proud smile.

    "Guys, I need to talk to my girlfriend. Themunication crystal is buzzing inside my storage ring hehe."

    He pointed at a nearby restaurant.

    "Let''s eat something good. Wait for me in the restaurant I will be back shortly!"

    Kyle clicked his tongue when Nine was shamelessly unting about his rtionship.

    "Alright."

    After getting the affirmation, Nine smirked and disappeared inside the crowd.

    Carcel and Kyle went to another stall but Alec''s meaningful gaze lingered on Nine fading back.

    ''Well, he will take care of it.''

    He joined the duo and after annoying another stall keeper they went to the restaurant Nine pointed.

    It was small yet filled to the brim. Many customers were sitting around the round tables while enjoying their food.

    When Kyle, Alec, and Carcel entered the restaurant an olddy approached with a polite smile.

    She guided them to a corner where the only empty table was present and handed them a paper menu.

    "What would you all like to eat? We serve monster meat as our best dish but there are other specialties as well. Take your time to decide."

    After giving a polite nod thedy left them alone.

    "I want to eat meat!"

    Alec said while looking at the menu. He wanted to pick all types of meats but when he saw the price tag his eyes widened.

    "Why is it so expensive!"

    A single te of monster meat was worth 100 gold coins! It''s because unlike normal meat monsters meat was delicious. It can also slightly recover consumer energy.

    Carcel and Kyle gazed at Alec''s expression with a chuckle.

    Then they looked at each other, no more specifically they looked at the storage rings present on each other hands. Carcel was wearing a gold-colored ring that had a lot of gold coins and mana stones. As a prince, he wasn''t poor at all but when he saw so many rings on Kyle''s fingers he raised his brow.

    Kyle had three rings on his fingers that were filled to the brim with many mana stones and weird-looking gold coins. Even though the coin''s shape was different from the normal shape, it was gold nevertheless!

    It seemed the only poor guy present here was Alec who was almost on the verge of crying after seeing the prize of the monster meat.

    Even though both Carcel and Kyle could pay for the food easily an evil smile appeared on their face.

    While Alec was busy looking at the menu. Kyle mouthed at Carcel.

    ''How about dine and dash?''

    Carcel chuckled and mouthed back with a grin.

    ''The idea is not bad.''

 Chapter 152 Market tour II

    <h4>Chapter 152 Market tour II</h4>

    Meanwhile, after Nine left the trio. He crossed the busy street and entered a dark Alley.

    His expression was solemn when he took out a bead from his sleeves. It was a special device that informed him if someone from his race was nearby.

    He grabbed the bead and looked at the dark Alley.

    "I know you would have been rmed the moment I took out the bead soe out already!"

    No one answered. The alley was quiet but Nine scoffed.

    "Are you denying my orders?"

    He said in an angry tone. His usual carefree and mischievous nature was nowhere to be seen.

    After he shouted a shadow emerged from the alley. The shadow approached Nine before it turned into a middle-aged man.

    The man had ck hair and light blue eyes. His skin was glistening with a faint blue hue and he was wearing a ck coat.

    Nine gazed at him and frowned.

    "What are you doing here? Last I remember you were assigned to take care of those dam creatures."

    The man was obviously displeased when Nine asked him toe out. He half-heartedly bowed and looked at Nine with emotionless eyes.

    "Young prince, the Queen assigned me toe here to find out everything about the ck-haired boy who was with you a while ago. His name is Kyle, I wanted to enter the Academy but even after trying for a while, I wasn''t able to. In the end, I decided to hide inside the city to wait for the youth toe out willingly."

    Nine frowns deepened as he coldly stared at the man.

    "Why do you want to know about Kyle?"

    The ck-haired man became irritated because he was just doing his job. He didn''t want to answer but because Nine''s status was higher he replied with an annoyed tone.

    "The rumors about him having an (SSS+)-Rank beast had already spread in each Continent but because it''s just rumored, the Queen asked me to confirm the authenticity of the rumors."

    "Also, I am not alone who is keeping an eye on that Kid. I can sense a lot of powerful auras following behind him the moment he came out from the academy but because the Principal is back at the Academy that''s why no one is attacking him mindlessly."

    Nine facial expressions darkened. He clenched his fists. Of course, he knew about Bia and what happened when Kyle came out from the Tower. He just didn''t expect that his mother would take an interest in Bia.

    She always stayed away from these types of matters even Alec and Jian (SSS+)-Rank talent didn''t pique her interest.

    After thinking for a while, Nine looked at the man with a deep expression.

    "You don''t need to follow behind him anymore. Tell my mother to stay away from this matter. Kyle is my friend. I don''t want my people to hurt him."

    The man frowned visibly. He wanted to protest but Nine stared at him with his golden eyes.

    "It''s the second time you tried to deny my orders! I think you have forgotten after the Queen and the future Queen my status is the highest!"

    Nine yelled loudly with a cold gaze. It had been a long time since he saw his mother but he knew even though he left his home, his position couldn''t be snatched.

    The man looked at Nine Golden Eyes and instantly fell to his knees. Those eyes were the symbol of the unique power that only a few can inherit. That''s why, ording to the rules he can''t deny Nine orders.

    Now he had no choice but to report everything back and wait for the Queen''s next orders.

    "I apologize for my rudeness. I will do as you wish."

    Nine gazed at the kneeling man. His expression was cold when he turned around to leave but suddenly he remembered something.

    He hurriedly stopped the man who was leaving.

    "Wait!"

    The man stopped in his tracks and looked back at Nine who walked toward him with a smile that he hadn''t seen before.

    "Well, do you have mana stones?"

    The man frowned but he nodded.

    Nine eyes lit up. He had a bad feeling that he would lose the bet he made with Kyle. He was reluctant to give his ''hard-earned'' mana stones to Kyle!

    "Give them to me."

    The man frowned deepened but he gazed at Nine.

    ''I think it''s okay to give away some.''

    "How much do you need?

    "I don''t need much... Just 50,000 is enough."

    The man blinked his eyes, thinking maybe he heard it wrongly.

    "How much?"

    "50,000"

    The man was dazed when he heard the amount again.

    ''Damnit! Mana stones are precious I only acquired some recently now he wants 50,000!''

    He cursed inwardly but Nine stared at him with a smile. He was waiting for him to cough out the mana stones.

    With a pained expression, the man gave Nine all the mana stones he had.

    Nine was displeased because he only received 34,000 mana stones.

    "Tsk you are useless just leave already."

    After taking all the mana stones from the man he turned around and hurriedly left.

    The man could only stare at his fading image with a painful expression.

    ''It''s not fair!''

    .....

    After leaving Alley Nine hurriedly went to the restaurant where the others were present. He walked inside the restaurant and after looking around he spotted the trio sitting in a corner.

    He hurriedly approached them and threw his arm at Kyle''s shoulder.

    "What are we eating!"

    Alec looked at Nine.

    "You are back at the exact time when the food arrived!"

    Nine chuckled and sat beside Kyle who looked at him with a meaningful smile.

    "Huh?"

    His gazended at Carcel who was also staring at him with a smile. After seeing their expression and how they were pointing at Alec who was eating, Nine smirked with a knowing ''Oh''.

    ''So they want to dine and dash. hehe. It''s fun.''

    After everyone was done eating, Kyle suddenly stood up and left with an excuse that he was feeling stuffed and wanted to take some fresh air.

    After Kyle, Carcel suddenly said he was also feeling stuffy and left Alec and Nine alone.

    Nine gazed at Carcel back and stood up.

    "I will be back."

    He left with a grin.

    Alec was left alone. He frowned because even after waiting for a while no one returned.

    The olddy approached him and handed him a long bill.

    ''Where are they?''

    Alec became anxious when he saw the bill. It was too expensive!

    He looked outside but after seeing no one he knew he was ditched! In the end, he paid the bill will a bitter expression.

    ''Damn it! You three just wait I will take revenge!''

 Chapter 153 Bad experience

    <h4>Chapter 153 Bad experience</h4>

    After paying the bill Alec walked outside the restaurant with a sigh. He fiddled with his storage ring.

    ''I have a lot of precious things but I don''t have money. Why am I so poor? It seems I need to sell some.''

    The trio which was previously nowhere to be seen jumped out from their hiding spots. They looked at each other and startedughing.

    Alec heard theirughter and turned around to his left. His expression was solemn because the three of them wereughing while standing behind a stall in front of the restaurant.

    "You all tricked me to pay the whole bill!"

    He shouted and approached the trio with narrowed eyes.

    The crowd around them stopped and looked at them after hearing Alec shout.

    Nine wiped his nonexistent tears while looking at Alec''s displeased face.

    "Bro we are all poor. You are the only one who is rich!"

    He made a pitiful expression and patted Alec''s shoulder who was fuming.

    Carcel chuckled but he instantly followed behind Nine footsteps and wore a sad expression.

    "Sigh, I forgot to bring money as well."

    Kyle blinked his eyes with a smile. He was going to say something dramatic as well but then he noticed the crowd gathering around them. It was only for a moment but his eyes traced a few robbed men among the crowd.

    His facial expression didn''t change but he was anxious inside.

    "Guys, let''s leave."

    The trio stopped joking and looked at Kyle. They instantly noticed the crowd slowly gathering around them.

    It was strange. They didn''t make a bigmotion but for some reason, the people were trying to surround them.

    Alec frowned. He nodded and they instantly tried to leave the area but for some reason, three middle-aged man wearing ck robes left the crowd and blocked their path.

    Alec''s expression turned dark. He stared coldly at them.

    "Move."

    His voice was cold but the individuals blocking his path didn''t even budge from their location instead four more individuals emerged from the crowd blocking their path from each direction.

    With gritted teeth, Alec stepped back. He couldn''t sense the aura of the people surrounding them.

    ''They are stronger than me.''

    Nine, Carcel, and Kyle looked at each other with grim expressions. They instantly took out their weapons and stood beside Alec.

    All four of them were ready to fight if anyone attacked them.

    One of the robbed men standing in front of them scoffed when he saw them taking out their weapons. He opened his mouth to say something but suddenly his hair stood up and he immediately jumped back.

    All the individuals surrounded Kyle and the others also panicked. A heavy pressure descended from the sky before an old voice resounded inside everyone''s ears.

    "You think if you cleverly set up an array around the kids I will not sense your despicable presence."

    One of the ck robbed men gulped nervously. He was the one who set up an Array around the restaurant to avoid getting caught but it seemed his trap failed and he messed up very badly.

    Alec gazed at the trembling individuals before looking at Kyle, Nine, and Carcel. Unlike everyone else, the four of them were perfectly fine.

    The trembling individuals started sweating as the pressure around them became too hard to bear. The old voice scoffed.

    "It''s bold of you all to attack someone in my territory. The worst part is you are trying to attack my students."

    "I will not do anything this time because I can sense some familiar auras. Tell your masters if they sent someone here again then don''t me me for being merciless."

    "Leave before I kill you all!"

    The robbed man gritted his teeth and his figure blurred as he disappeared in a random direction. The others also disappeared in various directions.

    The crowd immediately ran in many different directions. Soon, except for Alec and the trio no one else was present around the restaurant. Even the normal customers sitting inside the restaurant fled because of the sudden pressure.

    Alec was dazed when the old voice resounded again.

    "You rascals! I just returned a week ago and someone''s already causing trouble. Return to the Academy right now or you will have to run around the training ground naked!"

    Alec gulped down when he heard the word ''naked''. It seemed the voice belonged to one of the strong individuals present inside the Academy. He turned around to look at the others while speaking nervously.

    "Let''s go back..."

    His sentence was cut short because he was standing alone. Alec instantly looked at the fading trio that was already running toward the Academy without even ncing at him.

    Alec was stunned. He wondered why he was always thest one to run.

    "Damn it!"

    With a curse, he followed behind Kyle, Nine, and Carcel who were already far away.

    After running for half an hour, they left the market and arrived in front of the Academy gate. Normally even if they ran with all their might it would have taken them at least forty minutes but because they were scared of the word ''naked'' they arrived a lot earlier.

    Kyle was panting heavily as he nced at the only guard standing outside the Academy gate. The trio was standing beside him with heavy breathing.

    The guard looked at them with a confused expression. It looked like they just escaped from a life and death crisis. He remembered them because of Alec and Carcel''s gorgeous appearance. Also, they left a few hours ago to do a mission.

    "Kids, is everything alright?"

    Nine gazed at the guard with a deadly serious expression.

    "We are not fine at all please hurry open the gate!"

    "Huh?"

    The guard blinked his eyes he even looked at their backs to see if someone was chasing behind them but he didn''t see anyone. However, he opened the gate to let them in after seeing their desperate expressions.

    Only after stepping inside the Academy did Kyle and the others sigh with relief.

    They looked at each other. It was the first time they went out together to have fun and maybe it is going to be thest one as well because the experience wasn''t great at all.

 Chapter 154 Banned

    <h4>Chapter 154 Banned</h4>

    Principal Ratric was standing inside a dimly lit room when he clicked his tongue with annoyance. It wasn''t the first time anyone tried to attack the students from the Royal Academy but this time it was a lot more severe.

    "I don''t think those old Kings are going to stop even after my warning. They will send someone again."

    "It was manageable with only Alec but now that a (SSS+)-Rank beast appeared inside the Academy I don''t think they will stay quiet."

    He approached a nearby chair and sat down with a sigh. It was fine around the Academy but if the kids went any further without protection he wouldn''t be able to guarantee their safety.

    He massaged his temples and instantly called someone.

    A ck-haired old man entered the room after a knock. He wanted to bow politely but the Principal stood up with a serious expression.

    "Which idiot permitted them to leave the Academy? Didn''t I especially say to not let Alec and that kid Kyle go outside the Academy?"

    The man looked at the furious principal. He started sweating because aftering back the Principal was working nonstop and now he was frustrated for some reason.

    He could do nothing but quietly listen and curse the ones behind his misery.

    "Ban the four of them from entering the mission hall. If I saw anyone give them a mission and let them leave the Academy without my permission I would punish them myself."

    The ck-haired man nodded and instantly left the room. He went to the mission hall and after gathering all the people in charge he gave them a set of names.

    "If these people entered the hall and asked for a mission just kick them out or else we will be the ones to suffer."

    Everyone nodded with a serious expression and instantly memorized the names.

    ....

    Kyle and Nine separated with Alec and Carcel in front of the dorm building. They both walked together silently.

    They were busy processing everything that happened today. After reaching their rooms, Nine gazed at Kyle.

    "Good night."

    Kyle looked back.

    "I can see the rising sun. How can there be a good night now?"

    Nine chuckled and the mood instantly became light.

    "Then just rest. Remember we have a practical exam tomorrow."

    "I know..."

    Kyle opened the door and entered inside. He looked inside his hoodie.

    "Are you sleeping?"

    -''I woke up when those individuals gathered around you. I wanted toe out to help but I felt a lot of prying eyes fixed on your body that''s why I stayed quiet.''

    -''I think they were there because of me.''

    Kyle sighed and grabbed Bia who was inside his hoodie.

    "Don''t feel guilty everyone is fine. Also, it''s partially my fault I knew it was dangerous but I still left the Academy."

    "I wasn''t able to refuse because it was the first time I was going outside with friends."

    "Maybe I wanted to experience the feeling I guess."

    He ced Bia on the bed. He could feel it she was feeling sad.

    -''No it''s not your fault. It''s the second time you got attacked because of me. I should have stayed inside the room when you asked me to.''

    Kyle sat on the bed and removed his shoes.

    "Don''t think too much, just sleep. We will be stronger in the future. Strong enough to roam around wherever we want without fearing anyone else."

    "You can also be my exclusive (SSS+)-Rank Phoenix in the future let''s see who dares to attack."

    "The only problem is your size."

    Kyle chuckled and looked at Bia who was wearing a solemn expression. Bia wanted to argue that size wasn''t everything but she just stayed quiet.

    Her mood bes lighter after hearing Kyle''s positive words.

    Kyle stood up and entered the bathroom to take a bath. Bia stared at his fading figure with her round eyes.

    -''Alright.. we will be strong together.''

    She closed her eyes emotionally but thement about her size was very sour.

    -''Damn it! I want to increase my size as well. Normally it would have increased slowly whenever I advanced a sub rank but after consuming Kyle''s blood essence my body stopped growing.''

    -''Maybe after Kyle awakens his bloodline my size will turn normal.''

    Sheined inwardly and buried herself inside a pillow to sleep.

    After taking a bath Kyle also fell asleep. He didn''t do anything the whole day and justzilyy on top of his bed.

    He tried to read the Ancient Array books he found inside the Tower but they were too difficult. In the end, he gave up and decided to read them when he became a little proficient with Array Symbols.

    At night, Kyle heard a knock at his door. He opened the door and Nine was standing outside with a solemn expression.

    Kyle frowned.

    "What happened?

    "Bro, I just went to the mission hall to summit the failed mission we took before leaving. You know what happened!"

    "They mercilessly kicked me out!"

    Kyle raised his brow.

    "Why?"

    "I don''t know the reason but it seems we are banned from stepping inside the Mission hall!"

    Nine grumbled. It was okay if only Kyle and Alec suffered but he and Carcel were also prohibited from leaving the Academy! This wasn''t fair at all!

    Kyle chuckled when he saw Nine expression.

    "I think it''s for our safety because we faced a big threat when we went out."

    Nine mood didn''t be good at all.

    "Anyway want to eat together."

    Kyle shook his head. He and Bia had already eaten an hour ago. Nine wanted to enter his room to tell him the tragic story about how he was mercilessly kicked out and all the watching studentsughed at him but Kyle pushed him toward his room with augh.

    "Alright go and rest. We have the practical exam tomorrow!"

    "But I have been resting the whole day!"

    "Let''s meet tomorrow."

    Kyle said and shut his door. He went toward the bed and closed his eyes to sleep again.

 Chapter 155 Practical exam I

    <h4>Chapter 155 Practical exam I</h4>

    Next day early morning, the sky was filled with clouds and a beautiful rising sun could be seen among those clouds.

    In the training ground of the first-year students, Professor Aliza stood on a circr stage in front of the rows of students. She was wearing a navy blue jacket with ck pants. Her beautiful long hair was tied in a ponytail.

    On her left side, Professor Aster was standing wearing a white shirt with ck pants. They nced at the students but a frown appeared on Aliza''s face because a few familiar faces were missing.

    Some of the students discussed among themselves nervously while some were excited about the soon to be held practical exam.

    In the middle of the students, two gorgeous girls were standing wearing blue uniforms. One looked aloof and cold while the other looked innocent yet charming. A few young boys were even taking secret nces at the girls but they didn''t dare to approach because the girls were strong enough to beat them up.

    Mia looked at the students around them with squinted eyes and whispered to Lara.

    "Where are Alec and Carcel?"

    Lara gazed at her and shrugged her shoulders.

    "I don''t know."

    While the both of them were talking four individuals entered the training ground. They were on time but because everyone else was a little early their entrance brought silence inside the training ground.

    All the students stared at them while they made their way inside. Even Professor Aliza and Aster nced at the new arrivals with narrowed eyes.

    Alec, Carcel, and Kyle felt a little embarrassed being stared but Nine smirked. He was the reason why they werete. He wanted a special and memorable entry! He even forced Kyle and the others to wear the Academy uniform.

    Nine was leading with a satisfied expression as they all approached the students who were staring daggers at them. After walking among the quiet crowd they stood beside Lara and Mia who were staring at them with raised brows.

    -''Nice entry! Your friend knows how to be famous!''

    Bia eximed while sitting on top of Kyle''s head. A lot of eyes were staring at her but she was already used to it.

    Kyle nced at himself with a sigh. It was the first time he wore the Academy uniform. Unlike his normal loose clothes, the blue shirt was a little tight, making him a little ufortable.

    Alec gazed at Lara and Mia.

    "Hey, it''s been a while."

    Lara''s face was emotionless but when she nced at Alec a small smile appeared on her face. She gazed at Carcel, Kyle, and Nine with a nod. Kyle was pleasantly surprised but he just nodded in return.

    He wanted to look away but from the corner of his eyes, he noticed something that made him click his tongue inwardly.

    Mia was standing beside Carcel and they nodded at each other but Kyle could see the mighty prince''s ears were red.

    ''Tsk, it seemed after Nine the second one to find a partner is Carcel.''

    It seemed a pure crush because the couple himself didn''t notice. Kyle''s eyes lingered on them and he saw Mia''s sweet smile.

    -''Stop staring. It''s not a good habit.''

    Bia''s voice resounded inside Kyle''s head and he immediately turned his eyes away like he never saw anything.

    With a sigh, Professor Aliza pped her hands to gather everyone''s attention.

    "Good morning, Girls and boys. I hope everyone is fine and working hard."

    "I was one of the people who designed the theoretical exam and I have to say I am very disappointed in some of the students. The result is not out yet but the few papers I checked were so terrible that I badly wanted to fail those individuals!"

    Her sharp gaze swept through the crowd of students. A few of them even started sweating because their papers were almost empty.

    "Anyway, that''s the topic we will discusster inside the ssroom because the results will probablye out after a week."

    With a serious expression, Aliza pointed at the ground.

    "Now look at your feet, there are many white circles present on the ground. Start moving and stand on a nearby circle you see. These circles are connected to an Array so only one individual can stand on a single circle."

    The students instantly looked down. Indeed a lot of circles were present underneath their feet. Under Aliza''s gaze, they hurriedly moved and stood on the circles.

    Aliza nodded and started exining about the practical exam.

    "Alright. These circles will take everyone to a separate space where the practical exam will be held. It''s just like an artificial dungeon but a little different because you won''t appear inside a forest or open field. Instead, everyone will appear on top of a separate stage."

    "The stage will be surrounded by white fog and you can''t go outside the stage. After you are there a countdown will start and within a minute various monsters will appear from the fog. At the start, the monsters will be low-ranked but with time they will be stronger. They will attack and try to injure the person standing on the stage. Killing the monsters will give you points that will decide everyone''s ranking."

    She paused for a few seconds to let the students digest all the information.

    "The moment any student is heavily injured or loudly admitted defeat they will be ejected out from the dungeon. Those who came out can see their final scores through that projection."

    Her hand pointed at arge projection floating above the student''s head. The projection showed numbers from 1 to 200 but right now no name was written in front of the numbers.

    "Am I clear or does anyone want to ask a question?"

    There was silence for a moment before some students raised their hands and asked some stupid questions like are the monsters dangerous? Or If they defeat all the monsters inside the dungeon how will theye out?

    Aliza rolled her beautiful eyes and red at the students.

    "I see some of you have a lot of unnecessary worries but let me clear them. First, It''s not possible tost for a long time inside the dungeon because with every monster you kill a new and more powerful monster will attack you."

    "Second, I don''t think anyone has such high stamina tost for a few days inside the dungeon without getting tired. Lastly, If someone canst a few days inside and kill all the monsters attacking him or her then that student will automaticallye out."

    She said thest line with a scoff and then her gazended on Kyle who was listening attentively.

    "Kyle leave your bounded beast behind."

    Kyle stared at her with a frown but Aliza sighed.

    "If you don''t, it will be considered cheating because you won''t be fighting alone. The purpose of this exam is to test each individual''s strengths separately. Don''t worry you can leave it with...."

    Her sentence was cut short when two old men entered the training ground. One was Elder Han and the other had ck hair.

    They looked at the students and Elder Han waved at Aliza.

    "We are only here to activate the Array."

    Aliza nodded and again looked at Kyle who raised his hand.

    "Alright."

    Bia gazed at the beautifuldy. Her eyes sparkled she wanted to go toward Aliza but Kyle''s voice made her mood sour.

    ''Bia stay with master for a while.''

    -''Agh.. Okay!''

    With a reluctant expression, she started flying and went toward Elder Han who was busy cing some crystals around the training ground.

    A surprised expression appeared on his old face when he saw Bia suddenlying toward him. Professor Aliza also looked at Bia''s figure.

    After Bia settled down on Elder Han''s shoulder he looked at Kyle with a sigh. He somewhat had an idea of Kyle''s personality after seeing him so many times. Kyle was good-natured and somewhat quiet but he didn''t easily trust others.

    "I will take care of her."

    He said and resumed his work. A lot of students gazed at Bia. Even Professor Aster''s curious gaze lingered on her body. He scoffed inwardly with an annoyed expression.

    ''It''s too dangerous to act inside the Academy right now. Even though my identity is clean the Principal is here that''s why I can''t take a risk.''

    ''Anyway, I just need to report back. It''s not my job to do everything.''

    His gazended on Alec for a second before his thunderous voice resounded inside the training ground.

    "That''s it, I am sending you all inside the dungeon now. Be ready."

    With that, Professor Aster looked at the two elders who were setting up the crystals on the ground. They nodded and ced a few more crystals at the other edge of the training ground.

    Kyle gazed at his feet. A white circle was present around him. He felt a familiar sensation before his vision turned dark for a few seconds and he arrived on top of a stage.

    Just like Professor Aliza said ayer of thick fog surrounded the stage. He stepped forward and tried to walk inside the fog but a transparent nket appeared at the edges of the stage, blocking him from entering the fog.

 Chapter 156 I am resigning!

    <h4>Chapter 156 I am resigning!</h4>

    Elder Han looked at the fading students and after nodding at the Professors he and the man beside him left the training ground.

    They went to the second-year training ground. Simr to before two Professors were standing in front of the students exining about the Practical exam. With a nod, Elder Han proceeded to activate a familiar Array that was specially designed to send the students inside the dungeon for the practical exam.

    A lot of eyes were locked at Bia who was sitting on top of his shoulder. A simr scene happened at the third-year training ground but this time just like Professor Aster a greedy gaze was locked on Bia but because of Elder Han the gaze retracted after a few seconds.

    After activating thest Array Elder Han sighed and massaged his temples. He needed to prepare to leave for the Central Continent within six months that''s why he wanted to rest but for the past week the Academy was working him to the bone. He was assigned to prepare for the practical exam with Vice Principal George.

    He waved and sent the ck-haired man standing beside him away before walking toward George''s office.

    It took him a few minutes as he walked among the buildings and empty grounds before he arrived in front of a tall building where the Academy Treasury was present.

    The various rooms present within the building were specially used by the Vice Principal, the Principal, and the four Elders.

    Elder Han''s room was present within the library as he would usually spend his time in research about Arrays and Herbs while unveiling the benefits of more potent potions.

    He stepped inside the building. Unlike the Powerful individuals living inside the building was quite in. After walking for a while he arrived in front of the biggest room. He knocked and after getting a response from inside he entered the room.

    All this while Bia curiously looked at everything Elder Han did. She saw the hallway they passed from before stopping in front of a room.

    Her eyes narrowed when Han entered the room. The room was mostly empty but arge square table was present at the opposite end of the room with many chairs. Four old men were sitting on the chairs while gazing at the hundreds of projections flying in the air. They were throwingments here and there while staring at the projections without a deep interest.

    Her curious gaze subconsciouslynded on the old man sitting at the far end, he had white-haired and deep ck eyes. The man looked old but had a very muscr body and unlike the others, a powerfulmanding aura was present around his body.

    The moment Bia''s gazended on the old man he instantly turned around and stared at her with a raised brow. Bia was startled but she just looked at another person and pretended to not notice the man''s gaze.

    -''He is strong. Very strong!''

    She thought inwardly and looked at a familiar person. It was George who protected her and Kyle when they were attacked in front of the Tower.

    Elder Han started moving. He went to a nearby chair and sat down with an annoyed expression. Almost all the people present inside the room gazed at him, more specifically they gazed at Bia but their gaze retracted after a few seconds.

    Han gazed at George with a cold expression.

    "I am telling you if you asked me to do one more thing I am going to resign! Just how can you work me so much that I am mentally tired!"

    George nced at Han with a smirk and ignored his rumbling. He was also busy checking and opening the Artificial dungeon but whenever he saw someone else working more than him he was satisfied.

    The other two Elders present inside the room gazed at Elder with pity and sadness when they heard the word ''resign'' as they knew Elder Han couldn''t resign or leave the Academy because thetter had signed a contract to work for the Royal Academy for his whole life.

    It was an unfair contract but they didn''t dare to voice their opinions because the devil who cleverly made Elder Han signed the contract was sitting inside the room. It was Ratric!

    After grumbling for a while and getting no response Elder Han snorted and looked at the projections. Inside the projections, students from each year were fighting with some wolf monsters while standing on the stage.

    Among the hundreds of small projections, three square-shaped projections were floating above all the other projections. They were the ranking projections and a series of numbers with different names could be seen written on those three projections in an orderly manner. The moment any student killed some monsters and gained some points their names would appear on those projections but the names were changing with every second.

    Principal Ratric gazed at the projections he wanted to say something but then he looked at Bia and Elder Han.

    "Can it understand what we are talking about?"

    Han frowned. He picked up Bia and ced her on the table.

    "I don''t know about others but I think the bird what was the name again? Yes, Bia can understand Kyle."

    Bia ignored the old man who was talking about her to show that she didn''t understand but she kept her ears on the conversation.

    Her gaze was on the protections. There were so many projections bundled up together that she had to narrow her eyes to look for some familiar faces inside the projections but even after looking around for a while she didn''t see Kyle.

    Principal Ratric nodded and looked at Bia.

    "Little one, can you understand me?"

    He frowned because Bia didn''t move her head instead she was looking at the projections. He knew that the bonded beast could understand theirpanion but the young beast mostly didn''t understand humannguage and from the information he received Bia was only seven to eight months old.

    "I think she can''t understand."

    One of the elders said while ncing at the Principal.

    "Hmm, Maybe? Who knows..."

    Ratric didn''t agree with them because he wasn''t sure. He had seen some bonded monsters but they were all low-ranked because usually, these monsters disliked bonding with humans or any other race.

    Bia was someone who had a legendary potential to reach (SSS+)-Rank in the future, So maybe she was able to understand everything they were saying.

 Chapter 157 Testing Arrays

    <h4>Chapter 157 Testing Arrays</h4>

    George nced at the projections with a frown. He was holding a thin register where he wrote down some names.

    "I can see a lot of students are well versed inbat, especially the third and second year but some of the first-year student''s movements are stiff while fighting."

    Elder Han gazed at the Projections while drinking water.

    "It''s because they are not experienced yet. They all have the potential to be strong in the future. With time they will surely be better inbat."

    The names on the three higher square-shaped projections were changing repeatedly. Even though it''s only been ten minutes since the practical exam started, from each year the top students have already secured their ce.

    After the top ten students from each year took their spots, their projections crossed the other projections and stood in the front.

    From the first-year students, Alec was already in first ce with 200 points, Carcel second, Mia and Lara''s names were also present within the top ten, and Nine name was in the eleventh spot.

    Principal Ratric gaze was fixed on Alec. He saw his fighting style. As the various monsters emerged from the fog surrounding the stage Alec stood unfazed.

    "What an elegant yet ruthless way to use a sword. His sword looked a little old but for some reason, it seemed special."

    His gazended at some third and second-year students before he saw Carcel. Thetter was using his spear to repel and kill the iing monsters.

    Bia who had been watching the projections for a while frowned.

    ''Where is Kyle?''

    Just like Bia Elder Han also frowned while searching for the name of his one and only student. He wanted to brag a little but his student was nowhere to be seen.

    ''He is not weak so why is he not present on the first-year ranking? It''s been more than ten minutes don''t tell me he didn''t even kill a single monster!''

    There were a total of 200 numbers in each ranking projection. So the moment anyone killed a monster within the dungeon their name would appear on the list.

    His eyes narrowed as he looked at the other Projection. Principal Ratric noticed Han agitated.

    He chuckled because he knew Han took a kid as his disciple and the said student was none other than Kyle. The one who had bonded with a legendary beast and because of him a lot of unnecessary attention was drawn to the Academy.

    Ratric looked at Han with a grin. He cleared his throat and moved closer to thetter.

    "Who are you finding? Let me help you."

    Everyone else present inside the room also looked at Han and his facial expression darkened a little. After a few seconds, they all chuckled as they knew about Kyle because Elder Han was boasting about him everywhere he went!

    Han snorted coldly at theughing individuals and waved his hand to look through the many projections while cursing Kyle inwardly.

    ''Dam you, Kyle! Just what the hell are you doing?''

    As he shuffled through the projections for a minute the familiar face finally entered everyone''s eyes. The smile on their faces vanished as they stared at the projection with surprise. Ratric left eyelid twitched as he gazed at Kyle.

    ''How did he learn it?''

    Amidst the quiet atmosphere, Bia''s eyes sparkled. Elder Han''s eyes widened for a second but then he chuckled at himself.

    ''How can I forget about that! This rascal learned it so easily and after learning he is even able to make a bigger version of it?''

    On a white stage, Kyle was standing while surrounded by at least twenty (F)-Rank Wolves monsters.

    The monsters growled loudly with anger and frustration. They wanted to attack Kyle but a thin blue shield was present around him protecting him from their attacks.

    The shield would crack from time to time but Kyle would throw out some more mana stone and the cracks would disappear within a second.

    There was a curious smile on his face indicating he was enjoying the process.

    Elder Hanughed a little and gazed at the other in a taunting manner.

    "So anyone was saying something?"

    Ratric clicked his tongue. Now after seeing Elder Han''s proud expression, he was thinking of taking a disciple as well. It was too sour to see others brag about their students.

    ...

    Meanwhile, inside the dungeon while everyone was fighting with the monsters, Kyle was testing the Array he learnedst week.

    After he arrived inside the dungeon. Instead of getting ready to fight, he took out the low-grade mana brush he bought from the Academy store with Nine in the morning. It cost him 500 mana stones but it was worth it.

    He could have bought it with the Academy currency called points but after the first mission where he found Bia, he didn''t take another mission so he didn''t have any points.

    He gazed at the brush and injected some mana inside it. The tip of the brush shone brightly with ck color.

    With a chuckle, Kyle instantly drew a familiar beginner Array around himself. It was a little hard to draw the same symbols in a bigger version but he was done within half a minute because he practiced this array a few times before.

    After the first minute ended, two (F)-Rank wolves monsters came out from the fog, they instantly attacked Kyle but thetter took out many mana stones and scattered them inside the Array. The mana stones energy was drained but a thin shield appeared around him.

    For the next few minutes, Kyle tested the Array in many ways. Now twenty (F)-Rank monsters were banging at the shield but as long as he supplied enough mana stones the Array would recover instantly.

    "I am done testing the beginner defensive Array. Now let''s test the second one."

    If he wanted to he could easily kill the (F)-Rank monster around him as he was already (D)-Rank but he wanted to test what he learned because he knew he wouldn''t be able to leave the Academy to fight any time soon.

    He instantly bent down and after supplying mana inside the brush he drew some symbols inside the defensive Array. The previous symbols shone brightly and started moving. They merged with the new symbols creating a familiar yet different Array.

    Kyle took out more mana stones and threw them inside the array while gazing at the monsters.

    The shield around him trembled a little. The energy from the mana stones was sucked dry instantly and a thin beam formed out of nowhere. The beam instantly attacked the wolves and two wolves died on the spot but then the Array also lost its energy to attack.

    "It''s effective but I think defensive is better because the offensive Array used too many mana stones."

    With a sigh, Kyle ced the brush back inside his storage ring and took out his sword.

    "Let''s fight now!"

 Chapter 158 Jumped to the second spot

    <h4>Chapter 158 Jumped to the second spot</h4>

    With a click, Kyle''s silver de came out from the scabbard.

    The shield around him was cracking because he stopped supplying mana stones. He gazed at the wolves gathered around him and stepped out from the almost broken defensive Array.

    The many blood-red eyes of the wolves followed his movement and the moment he stepped out they pounced at him with their ws and teeth, trying to tear his flesh away.

    Kyle''s sword moved swiftly and he sidestepped to attack the nearest wolf with a normal sh. His hand moved nimbly and without any resistance, the (F)-Rank wolf head was severed from its body.

    His eyes swept through the remaining wolves before gazing at the fog around the stage with a raised brow. It had been a minute but no new monster emerged from the fog after the twentieth (F)-Rank wolf.

    The pattern of the dungeon was broken because when he arrived inside the dungeon every minute two (F)-Rank wolves, woulde out from the fog.

    Kyle retracted his eyes and easily stopped some more wolves pouching at him with their ferocious teeth. His feet moved with a rhythm as he moved among the wolves without using any kind of skill and cut another two wolves without much effort.

    It was too easy as the wolves were too weak in front of him. In the end, he only used his sword to kill the monster surrounding him.

    After one more minute when Kyle stopped, the dead bodies of the wolves piled around him. He stood with his sword drenched with a murky green liquid while looking at the mess he created. Under his gaze, two more monsters finally came out from the fog, and to his surprise, the previous dead bodies turned into dust that scattered and left the stage with a strong gust of wind.

    The new monsters were different from the previous wolves as their bodies were slightly taller and more robust. Two sharp long canines could be seen extended out from their mouth as they jumped forward to attack Kyle with the simr vigour as the previous wolves.

    "The rank increased now it''s (F+)-Rank."

    Kyle mumbled under his breath. His breath was even and not even a drop of sweat could be seen on his forehead, making the previous fight look like it was just an illusion.

    At the start, his sword pattern was very easy but it changed many times within a few seconds and the two new monsters were dead under his normal swings.

    He waited for a minute and another two (F+)-Rank monsters came out from the fog. In his mind, the dungeon pattern was finallyplete. With every minute two monsters woulde out from the fog but after the twentieth monster, their rank would increase. He wasn''t sure but after ten more minutes, he would know it anyway.

    His sword shed at the monsters and just like before it passed through their bodies as easily as a knife cutting through butter.

    As Kyle continued to fight, his name which was nowhere to be seen a few minutes ago appeared on the ranking projection at the 200th spot but under the serious gaze of the Principal and the other old men it soared within a minute and jumped unward carzily.

    Principal Ratric clicked his tongue when he saw Elder Han''s smug expression.

    Even George was wearing an astonished expression when he saw Kyle fight.

    ''Tsk, whenever I saw him he waszing around but now looking at his fighting style I can''t spot hesitation that one would see in an immature warrior. He is agile and knows how to handle a lot of enemies together.''

    ''It seemed he learned a lot inside the Tower or was he always working hard and I didn''t notice?''

    He thought inwardly with a sigh before looking at the Principal.

    "He is the one who absorbed the Ice Dragon''s skill in the Academy entrance test."

    Ratric replied with a nod.

    "The one with the (B)-Rank talent?"

    George nced at Elder Han from the corner of his eyes he could see thetter body be stiff when the Principal mentioned Kyle''s talent.

    "Yes, Kyle has the potential to reach (B)-Rank in the future. After he left the Tower I wasn''t able to sense his rank as he seemed to be wearing some kind of powerful Artifact to mask his rank but now seeing him fight I think hisbat power is just slightly lower than Alec."

    A chuckle escaped from Ratric lips. His sharp eyes observed Kyle and Alec''s movements even though both of them were killing the monsters very easily he could see some difference.

    He tapped at his sword.

    "I think just like Kyle, Alec''s sword rhythm is following a pattern but if someone who is experienced with a sword looked at their fight he would tell in a single nce Kyle is better."

    A surprised expression appeared on George''s face. Elder Han also gazed at the Principal with a raised brow. Everyone inside the room could see in the projections that even though theypared both Alec and Kyle, the one dominating the exam was Alec because he was faster and more precise.

    Bia also perked up her ears when everyone suddenly started talking about Kyle.

    Ratric gaze lingered on Bia but he looked away at the projections.

    "It''s simple Alec''s sword pattern is hard but predictable because he is using the same rhythm. On the contrary, Kyle looked like he was using a rhythm but a sharp gaze can see he would change his stylepletely within a few swings. It''s like his mind is working faster than his sword or maybe he has observed a lot of people fighting with the sword because even though his sword is wild it looks like it''s following a pattern."

    Everyone was quiet but then Ratric tapped the table.

    "But I think if right now Alec and Kyle fought a 1vs1 battle Alec would win because even though Kyle''s sword movement is better hecks experience. He is fast and agile but it''s like he just recently started learning the sword, unlike Alec who seemed a lot more experienced than Kyle."

    Everyone observed the projections. George massaged his temples and looked at the Principal.

    "Should we write his name for the...."

    His sentence was cut short because the Principal shook his head.

    "He will be among the top students from the first year. Let him enter the uing Academies tournament but don''t write his name for that ce. He is good enough to rival Alec but his talent isn''t enough for him to qualify. If it was me I would have ced his name in the list but the final decision is already dered by the Central Continent. They don''t want anyone lower than (S)-Rank."

    George nodded and didn''t ce Kyle''s name in the register.

    Meanwhile, Elder Han sighed after listening to their conversation. He knew Kyle''s actual talent but he wanted Kyle to be safe and stay out of this matter. Still, he would tell thetter about the situation. In the end, the final decision was on Kyle.

    ''He didn''t tell me about his talent I just checked it secretly so I have to tell him about this in a roundabout way. If he wants to enter the ''Lumbra Realm'' I won''t stop him because even though it is dangerous enough to cost him his life the things present inside can make him strong.''

    He gazed at Bia. Now a lot of eyes were on Kyle due to this little fe. He couldn''t protect Kyle every time. That''s why even though he was reluctant after careful consideration he was willing to permit him to enter the realm.

    ''It''s going to be hard to tell the Principal about his actual talent.''

    .....

    On the other hand, Kyle''s name was repeatedly jumping upward nonstop. Within ten minutes, his name arrived at the second spot only below Alec. Their points were simr but because Kyle started killingte he took the second spot.

    After the twenty (F+)-Rank monsters. Two flying (E-)-Rank monsters came out from the fog.

    Kyle narrowed his eyes and looked above.

    "Bats?"

    The flying 20-centimeter monsters had short snouts,rge ears, and grey fur covering their whole bodies. Just like the wolves, their eyes were blood-red as they stared at Kyle.

    Kyle was ready to attack but then the bats opened their mouth and a screech spread out. It was so loud that Kyle''s head buzzed and he winced in pain.

    "Ugh.."

    "Damn it!"

    The attack was unexpected but even though it was bearable Kyle didn''t want to hear that unpleasant sound again.

    He waved his hand and two thunder arrows struck the bats out of nowhere. The bats wanted to dodge but the arrows were too fast. With a painful screech, their lifeless bodies fell to the ground with a thud.

    "It''s better for my ears if I kill them the moment they arrive on the stage."

    With a sigh, Kyle retracted back inside the Array and scattered some mana stones inside to activate it again. He wanted to test if the defensive Array could stop the sound attack.

    After a minute, two more bats arrived on the stage. They screeched but it didn''t affect Kyle at all because the Array blocked the sound wavespletely. He waved his hand and two more thunder arrows struck down the bats and killed them instantly.

    It continued until two snake-like (E)-Rank monsters crawled out from the fog. Their bodies were covered with pointy scales and they were too agile.

    Kyle fought them but because they were too fast he had to activate his agility skill. After ten minutes, two new and stronger monsters emerged from the fog.

    With every ten minutes, the monster''s rank was increasing. When the (D-)-Rank monsters came out from the fog, Kyle finally started using his skills but because his mana was recovering slowly he mostly used the skills to repel the unexpected attacks.

    "Now it''s getting hard."

    Kyle wiped the sweat from his forehead. After fighting the 20 (E+)-Rank monsters he was tired. That''s why he wasn''t able to kill the monsters as easily as before.

    "So that''s why Professor Aliza said no one canst until the end of this dungeon."

    He chuckled slightly because to fight each new wave of powerful monsters he used his mana and stamina. Fighting without rest would undoubtedly strain his body.

    With a sigh, he used his skill ''Ice Spear'' to kill another lizard monster that pounced at him from behind. After he killed the twentieth (D-)-Rank monster, something unexpected happened.

    Instead of two (D)-Rank monster. A single green monster holding an axe came out from the fog. The monster was standing on two feet just like humans. Its posture was stooped and it had wolf-like pointy ears. The green monster had well-developed muscle and was long-armed.

    "An Orc and it''s (-C)-Rank!"

    Kyle eximed with a dazed expression. He was tired after fighting so many (D-)-Rank monsters.

    "It''s going to be a difficult battle and I don''t think I can continue after fighting thisrge thing."

    He gazed at the Orc with a dryugh.

    "I am not even sure if I can defeat it with my current condition."

    Orc was a monster that unlike other monsters held a tiny bit of intelligence. They lived in groups and wouldn''t be seen normally because they lived deep within the Dark forest.

 Chapter 159 Kyle or Alec?

    <h4>Chapter 159 Kyle or Alec?</h4>

    Inside the first-year training ground, a lot of students were panting while lying on the ground. Their breath was heavy and their clothes were untidy.

    Professor Aliza''s gaze swept through the students who were ejected from the dungeon. Some of them admitted defeat when they experienced too much pressure while some got injured.

    After one more minute, some more students appeared inside the training ground. Their condition even worse than the previous students.

    Professor Aster clicked his tongue when he saw the tired students.

    ''What a waste of resources.''

    He took out a lot of vials filled with green color liquid from his storage ring and waved his hand. The vials started floating and stopped in front of the injured students.

    The lying students grabbed the potions and hurriedly gulped down the contents. They sighed with relief when the healing potion started curing their injuries.

    After calming down the students gazed at the ranking projection floating above their heads with expectations.

    "OMG, I am ranked 45!"

    One of them eximed with excitement when he saw his ranked improvepared to thest time they fought in the ranking assessment.

    A few more students shouted with twinkling eyes when they saw themselves in a better rank than before.

    One of the students with olive hair pointed at the top names with shock.

    "Damn! Look at the top names their points are so high!"

    "1_Alec= 2700

    2_Kyle= 2700

    3_Lara=2525

    4_Carcel=2455

    5_Mia=2350

    6_Nine=2170

    7_Lily=1850

    8_Jake=1240

    ..."

    "Everyone below the tenth rank got points lower than 1000 and after the twentieth rank the points are even lower!"

    The bitter gaze of the other students lingered at the top names. All those who entered the Tower upied the top ranking.

    His friend sitting beside him scoffed. He patted the olive-haired boy''s shoulder to increase his morale.

    "It''s normal! The lowest rank of those who entered the Tower is at least (D-)-Rank! Not like you and me who barely reached (E-)-Rank after spending six months studying and training."

    The olive-haired boy looked at his friend with a sigh. He was just a little jealous.

    After one minute, a familiar ck-haired boy appeared inside the training ground. All the students turned around to look at him with respect and jealousy.

    Jake clicked his tongue and slumped down on the ground with heavy breathing. His clothes were damped with sweat and dry blood. He thought he would be able to kill more monsters but when a few (E+)-Rank monsters attacked him together he got injured.

    "Damn it!"

    He cursed and mmed his fist on the ground when he saw his rank.

    A familiar floating vial filled with green liquid appeared above his body.

    Jake gazed at Professor Aster from the corner of his eyes and grabbed the vial with a sigh.

    After him, Lily came out of the dungeon in a very bad situation. She wasn''t even able to stand and her body slumped down on the ground before she fainted.

    Professor Aliza gazed at her body and within a second she appeared beside her. She opened her mouth with her slender fingers and forced Lily to gulp down a high-grade healing potion.

    After sensing her stabilizing breath Professor Aliza step back with a sigh.

    Soon, a few more familiar faces appeared inside the training ground. Nine, Mia, and Carcel. Just like the others they also dropped on the ground.

    Their condition wasn''t good either but they weren''t injured instead they admitted defeat when they knew they wouldn''t be able to kill any more monsters.

    Nine pinched his nose bridge and patted Carcel''s shoulder with his tired hand.

    "Look at the top two majestic names they are making me want to beat them up."

    Carcel chuckled and pped his hand away.

    "You sure you won''t get beaten up yourself?"

    Nine red at him and snickered.

    "Your second spot is gone! What are you so happy about?"

    Carcel looked at Kyle''s name and then at Lara''s name.

    "The feeling of getting pushed down is very bitter. It''s seemed I have been cking recently I need to work harder."

    He hummed and narrowed his eyes slightly.

    "Bia isn''t present with Kyle. I wonder how he is advancing so fast. His speed is almost equivalent to Alec and his talent...."

    His voice trailed off when he remembered Kyle''s actual talent. In the eyes of the Professors and Vice Principal George Kyle only has (B)-Rank talent but he and the others who climbed the golden stairway with Kyle knew the truth.

    The individuals from other Kingdoms were too focused on Bia which is why no one cared about Kyle''s talent but the news would surely spread sooner orter.

    ''I don''t think Alec, Mia, Lara, and Nine would tell anyone else. No one else from the Academy was present on that floor so maybe it will take some time before the Academy finds out about his true talent.''

    He didn''t know whether Kyle hid his actual talent purposely or it was a mistake from the Academy.

    ''Anyway, Kyle would tell the Professors when he is ready. It''s better for me and the others to not interfere.''

    Nine gazed at Carcel with a frown. He rubbed his hand that just got pped by thetter.

    ''What was that? Why was he crying?''

    His expression turned grim. His golden eyes shone for a second but he closed them instantly because it was too painful whenever he saw these strange yet true visions.

    ''Damn! If it''s going to be so painful at least show me the whole scene not just a single image!''

    He massaged his temples with a painful expression. Carcel gazed at him from the corner of his eyes.

    "Are you alright?"

    "I am fine just got a headache."

    Professor Aliza looked at the students. Everyone was out except Alec, Lara, and Kyle.

    After one more minute, Laraes out while panting. She clenched her chest and dropped to her knees. Her left arm was bleeding heavily.

    Even after trying her best, she wasn''t able to defeat the Orc!

    Aliza saw her condition and instantly gave her a high-grade healing potion.

    "Only two students are left."

    She said while looking at the ranking projection. The student''s gaze was also on the projection.

    "They have the same points. Who do you think will get the first spot?"

    One of the students whispered and everyone started guessing who woulde out from the dungeon first.

    Kyle or Alec?

 Chapter 160 Ethereal Voidbreaker slash

    <h4>Chapter 160 Ethereal Voidbreaker sh</h4>

    ?

    Meanwhile, Kyle was standing on the stage with a dazed expression when the Orc gazed at him with red eyes.

    Kyle could see mes dancing in the Orc''s eyes. He took a deep breath.

    "I am tired and I only have 25% mana left. Let''s see if I can kill this huge thing or..."

    He chuckled and dashed at the Orc after activating ''Swift steps''. Now he only had two choices fight or flight and Kyle was not in the mood to back down.

    The Orc axe was gleaming in the light when he saw Kyleing at him at full speed.

    He snickered and lunged at Kyle with his muscr body. The Orc movements were faster than Kyle but because of its heavy body, thetter speed was just slightly lower than his.

    The Orc swung his massive axe, aiming to strike down the prey with a single attack.

    After closing the distance, Kyle propelled his body to the left to evade the massive axe. He opened his palm, conjuring a fireball in his hand in an instant. With a swift motion, he hurled it towards the Orc''s left eye.

    The Orc''s eyes narrowed when he saw the fireball. He reacted instantly and stepped back before stopping the attack with his axe.

    Kyle clicked his tongue because the fireball only left some burn marks on the Orc hand.

    With a roar, the Orc once again swung the axe at Kyle but thetter was nimble and quick, evading the Orc''s strikes with graceful agility.

    Kyle channeled his mana once more, this time summoning thunder arrows crackling with electric energy. With a flick of his wrist, he released the arrows, sending them soaring towards the Orc. The arrows struck true, electrifying the Orc and momentarily stunning him.

    Seizing the opportunity, Kyle closed in, his sword gleaming in the air. He unleashed a flurry of lightning-fast strikes, each blownding with precision and power.

    The Orc, though formidable, lost momentum for a moment because of the sudden arrows and struggled to defend against Kyle''s relentless assault. Sparks flew as the sh of steel echoed through the battlefield.

    Kyle panted heavily. His clothes were drenched with sweat and his shoes screeched back on the stage when he shed with the Orc.

    In a final, Kyle took a deep breath. His mana was already down. He knew if he didn''t finish the battle soon he wouldn''tst long.

    His eyes gleamed and with a decisive move, he gathered the remnants of his mana.

    A painful expression appeared on Kyle''s face when all his mana depleted instantly. He winced but red at the Orc.

    "If I am going down I will at least take you with me!"

    "Third strike: Ethereal Voidbreaker sh."

    He shouted at the top of his lungs and unleashed a devastating strike, imbuing his sword with every bit of mana present inside his body.

    With a swift and precise swing, the de sliced through the air, meeting the Orc''s axe head-on. The force of the impact sent shockwaves rippling through the stage.

    A rift of light and energy that obliterated anything in its path appeared on the stage. With a resounding boom, the Orc''s axe shattered under Kyle''s attack.

    The Orc''s body was flung backward and hundreds of wounds appeared on every part of his body. With a painful roar, he fell to his knees.

    Kyle stood tall for a few seconds, his hand trembled because of the aftereffects of the attack. His blurry gazended on the Orc''s blood-filled body.

    "It''s still al...ive.."

    His legs gave in but he stabbed his sword inside the stage to stand. He gritted his teeth and looked at the Orc.

    ''After so much struggle I need to kill it at least!''

    With his body battered and his strength waning, Kyle mustered every ounce of determination he had left and dragged his trembling body toward the Orc.

    The orc, sensing him, tries to strike back with one final desperate attack. Hisrge arms were broken but he flung them at Kyle.

    In a moment of sheer willpower, Kyle stumbled and dodged the orc''s arms.

    He clenched his sword and counterattacked with a swift and precise strike. Kyle''s sword pierces through the orc''s defenses, delivering a fatal blow to his chest. The orc lets out a final roar before copsing to the ground.

    Exhausted and on the brink of fainting, Kyle''s body dropped down on the stage with a victorious smile.

    The battle is won but at a great cost. His eyes closed instantly and his grip around his sword loosened.

    ''Good night.''

    He said inwardly and lost consciousness. A faint light appeared around his body and ejected him out from the dungeon.

    The moment Kyle appeared inside the training ground. His body dropped. A lot of eyes stared at him with respect and awe. His score was still tied with Alec!

    Some of the students even praised him inwardly when they remembered Kyle''s talent.

    In their eyes, his potential was only (B)-Rank but he was almost equal to someone who had (SSS+)-Rank potential!

    Professor Aliza instantly arrived in front of Kyle''s body. She bent down and gave him the healing potion but he didn''t wake up.

    Nine who was feeling a lot better crawled toward Kyle with a worried expression.

    "Is he alright?"

    Aliza grabbed Kyle''s wrist and checked his nerves with a frown.

    "He depleted all his mana. It will take some time for him to wake up."

    Nine made an annoyed expression.

    "It''s just a mid-term exam. Why the hell these two are trying so hard!"

    He gazed at Alec''s name. Even though Kyle and Alec''s points were equal thetter hadn''te out yet.

    ...

    Meanwhile, Principal Ratric''s gaze was glued to the projection from where Kyle disappeared.

    The whole room was quiet. The two top students were giving them too much shock.

    First Alec suddenly broke through to (-C)-Rank while fighting the Orc. Second, Kyle''sst sword move left everyone speechless.

    George took a deep breath.

    "What a strong sword strike. It''s only at the beginner stage but it''s already so devasting."

    He said and remembered how Kyle''s sword moved to deliver the secondst strike. It was strong enough to injure even a (C)-Rank monster not to mention the Orc who was only (-C)-Rank.

    Principal Ratric nodded.

    "I take back my evaluation. If Kyle fought with Alec now I think there''s a 50 percent chance he can defeat him if he used this move."

 Chapter 161 A Realm?

    <h4>Chapter 161 A Realm?</h4>

    After five minutes, when some of Kyle''s mana recovered his eyes snapped open with a jolt. He hissed because his left arm was pressed by someone.

    His body was aching but his eyes darted at his surroundings. A lot of whispers resounded in his ears.

    ''Thest thing I remember is that I killed the Orc.''

    He saw a familiar ceiling and could feel the rough touch of the ground on his back. With a groan, he finally pushed the heavy weight pressing on his arm.

    "Who is it?"

    He mumbled slowly but then the person lying beside him moved away and looked at his face.

    "You are awake."

    Kyle blinked his eyes and stared at those familiar golden eyes.

    ''Nine?''

    He was dazed. It was the first time he saw Nine eyes so close.

    ''A golden thread?''

    A thin golden thread was crawling inside Nine''s eyes. It moved nonstop around his pupils like a snake. It was so thin that If someone didn''t look closely no one would notice it.

    "Hey, You fine?"

    Suddenly Nine moved back with a frown and waved his hand in front of Kyle''s face.

    Kyle instantly closed his eyes. A sudden green light appeared inside his shut eyes. He didn''t know the reason but he felt angry at Nine for some reason.

    ''What is this feeling? It''s the feeling when those powerful individuals tried to probe my and Bia''s body. No, it''s a little different....''

    "I am fine."

    Kyle said and shook his head.

    ''I am thinking too much.''

    He wanted to stand but his body didn''t listen as he was too tired to move. In the end, he sighed and just sat down on the ground.

    "Now only one person is left."

    A pleasant voice came out from his left. Professor Aliza was standing a few meters away from him with a frown.

    Kyle looked at the Professor. He could see a lot of students lying or sitting around him as well. Some of them were even ncing at him from time to time.

    He gazed at the ranking projection floating above his head.

    "Oh, Alec is still inside...."

    His voice trailed off when a grumble resounded beside him.

    "I feel like both of you wanted to show off!"

    Nine said and clicked his tongue.

    Kyle chuckled. He wanted toe out after seeing the (C-)-Rank Orc but then he thought it would be a pity if he didn''t test his limits.

    With a sigh, Nine tapped Kyle''s shoulder and looked at the ranking projection.

    "1_Alec= 3000

    2_Kyle= 3000

    3_Lara=2700

    4_Carcel=2560

    5_Mia=2450

    6_Nine=2270

    7_Lily=1990

    8_Jake=1260

    ..."

    "Both of your points are the same so why isn''t he out yet?"

    "I don''t know."

    Kyle shrugged his shoulders and closed his eyes. They have to wait until Aleces out.

    ...

    On the other hand, Alec took a deep breath as he gazed at the dead body of the Orc. It had been five minutes but no new monster emerged from the fog.

    He looked at his hands. After he broke through to (C-)-Rank his mana recovered but he was mentally exhausted.

    He waited for another two minutes and finally, something stepped out from the fog.

    Alec gripped his sword ready to fight. He stepped back and looked at therge leg that just stepped outside from the fog.

    His eyes narrowed as he waited for the monster topletelye out from the fog.

    Within a second another leg stepped on the stage and the whole monster stood tall in front of Alec who almost freaked out.

    A tall ugly brown troll with one round eye in the middle of his face was standing in front of him. The troll was holding arge wooden bat. His arms were muscr and his stomach was bulging out slightly.

    Alec looked up at the towering monster with a dry smile.

    "(B-)-Rank directly after (C-)-Rank? Is not it a little unfair?"

    A determined look shed inside his eyes as he stepped back once more.

    "Don''t think I am scared. We will meet again."

    This was Alec''sst words as he instantly admitted defeat inwardly and he was ejected out from the dungeon.

    He appeared inside the training ground. Unlike the others who fell the moment they appeared, he was standing properly. His gaze lingered around when Professor Aliza''s voice resounded inside his ears.

    "Alright, Alec is out. The practical exam is over."

    She gave Alec a side-long nce with a raised brow.

    "I am very satisfied with everyone''s performance. It seems you all have put in a lot of effort but we will talk about itter because I know no one will have the energy to listen to me right now. So just go and rest. I will see you all in ss after two days."

    Alec nodded and looked at the ranking projection.

    "My and Kyle''s points are equal?"

    He mumbled with a sigh.

    ''Does that mean Kyle also killed the Orc? I don''t know his actual rank because of the Artifact he is wearing but if he did that means he is at least (D+)-Rank.''

    Suddenly someone grabbed his arm.

    "Bro, can you stop releasing your aura? I don''t know why but you and Kyle are bing simr day by day. At least stopped showing off that you broke through."

    Nine looked at him with an annoyed expression. He was sour all over.

    ''Damn! I am the one who wants to show off! Why are the both of them taking the spotlight.''

    Alec blinked his eyes and instantly hid his aura but it was toote because a lot of shocked eyes were staring at him.

    Kyle who was sitting behind Alec chuckled.

    "Let''s leave."

    He said and after stretching his body he stood up with a wince.

    "I need rest."

    Carcel, Lara, and Mia also stood up. Alec looked back with a sigh and they all started walking together.

    Under the envious gaze of a lot of students, they left the training ground and went toward their dorm.

    After walking for a while, Lara and Mia said goodbye to the boys and went to the girl''s dorm.

    Alec and Carcel also left when they arrived in front of the boy''s dorm building.

    Kyle was walking beside Nine when he started talking with Bia inside his head.

    ''Bia... Bia? Can you hear me?''

    No one replied for a while but after a few seconds, Bia''s voice resounded inside his head.

    -''I can.''

    He stopped in front of his dorm and after nodding at Nine he went inside.

    ''Where are you? Should I pick you up?''

    -''I don''t think you can even if you want to. Also, I saw you and the others fight inside the dungeon.''

    ''You did. How?''

    Kyle entered the bathroom to take a bath while talking with Bia.

    -''Tsk, it''splicated. After I went with your master he brought me to a building. We entered a room where George and 3 more powerful individuals were sitting. A lot of projections showing the students fighting with monsters were floating inside the room.''

    After removing his clothes, Kyle opened the tab and cold water poured down on his body.

    "Sss...too cold."

    ''Well, it''s natural the artificial dungeon was created by the Academy so they can probably see what''s happening inside.''

    Bia stayed quiet for a while. She was eating high-quality meat with the old individuals after the practical exam was over. They were all talking about a lot of things without knowing that she was listening to everything attentively.

    -''Kyle, I think you need to clear the matter about your talent. The old man with white hair seems to be the Academy Principal because even George treats him with respect. Also, they seemed to be selecting students to enter some magical Realm.''

    Kyle froze. He ruffled his hair with a frown.

    ''A magical realm?''

    It was not something that could be seen easily because these realms were left behind by some powerful individual. Also, information regarding this type of Realm was verycking.

    -''I don''t know much. They didn''t discuss about the realm but your name was removed from the list of who would enter the realm because of your low talent.''

    ''Hmm, the matter about my talent isplicated. It''s not like I can just go and say my talent increased overnight. That''s impossible. They will know about it naturally because I don''t think the news about my talent will stay hidden for long.''

    Kyle talked with Bia while taking a shower. He came out after drying his hair and climbed the bed. Bia was filling him with a lot of new things and he just replied from time to time.

    The more Kyle listened the more surprised he became.

    ''Damn! Why do I feel like you are spying on them? It''s not a good habit but it''s bringing a lot of information so how about you stick with Master for a while?''

    ''It''s not bad at all! If not for you being wanted by the whole Continent right now you could have be a top spy!''

    An evil grin appeared on Kyle''s face as heughed inwardly.

    Bia who was eating suddenly choked when she heard Kyle''s suddenughter inside her head.

    The individuals sitting around her looked at her with confused expressions. She wanted to curse but stopped herself and innocently focused on eating without caring about the stares stabbing at her back.

 Chapter 162 What a long day

    <h4>Chapter 162 What a long day</h4>

    While Bia was talking with Kyle suddenly Principal Ratric frowned and took out a vibratingmunication crystal from his storage ring.

    Everyone present inside the room went silent and a strange tension appeared in the air.

    Bia looked up at the Principal who distanced himself from the others before themunication device lit up showing a middle-aged man wearing a golden robe.

    -''The King!''

    She eximed inwardly with surprise while secretly peeking at themunication crystal.

    On the other hand, a confused expression appeared on Kyle''s face. He sat up with a frown. If the Principal was speaking with the king that meant they were probably talking about the secret Realm.

    ''You are sure the other person is the King?''

    -''I am 100 percent sure. I saw him only once when we went to the Royal Castle before we entered the Tower but his face isn''t something I can forget. He looked just like Carcel''s older version.''

    ''Can you hear what they are talking about through themunication crystal?''

    Bia''s gaze returned to the food and her ears perked up but she didn''t hear any voice. She nced at the Principal only to see a transparent shield around him.

    -''Tsk, I can''t hear anything. Their voice is blocked''

    ''Leave it then. Maybe it''s not something we should know.''

    ''Anyway, tell me more about that Academies tournament we were talking about a while ago. It''s never happened before because the Royal Academy doesn''t need to show its dominance. The first reason behind its prestige is the Principal who is currently the only (SSS)-Rank in the whole Kingdom. Secondly, no matter their original status all the students studying inside the Academy have always achieved something incredible in their life.''

    Bia talked with Kyle filling him whatever she heard about the tournament inside the room.

    After a few minutes, Principal Ratric removed the transparent shield around himself. He walked toward George and the Elders with a grim expression.

    George stood up and his expression was grim as well because if the King called so suddenly something was surely wrong.

    "What happened?"

    Ratric gazed at everyone inside the room with a serious expression.

    "I am leaving for a while. I will return after the Academies tournament so take care of the Academy in my absence."

    After getting a nod from all his trusted subordinates he chuckled to lighten the mood.

    "Tell the students that those who worked hard and participated in the tournament will have a chance to get a special training session from me. I will teach them some life-saving techniques."

    "Those old foggies from other Kingdoms are also doing it."

    "Contact me immediately if there''s any urgent situation. I am leaving."

    Ratric waved his hand. He turned around and started moving but after he stepped forward his body disappeared from the room.

    George looked at the fading image.

    ''Did something happen? Why did the King call him so suddenly.''

    He massaged his temples and waved at the Elders with a serious expression.

    "Go back for now."

    Elder Han sighed and stood up.

    "Let''s leave little one."

    He picked up Bia and with the other two Elders, he left the room.

    After walking for a while, he looked at Bia with a smile.

    "Should I send you back or would you like to stay with this old man for a while?"

    Bia blinked her eyes and tilted her head cutely.

    Elder Han chuckled seeing her reaction.

    "It seems you can''t understand what I am saying. Well, I should send you back because I have some work to do."

    He walked toward the boy''s dorm but then stopped outside the building with a frown.

    "I know he is inside the building but I don''t know his room location. It''s such a hassle to go and acquire information about it from the main hall. I remember I gave him amunication device..."

    His sentence was cut in half when a familiar voice resounded opposite to him.

    "Master?"

    Elder Han gazed at the person with a raised brow. Kyle was walking out of the building with a serious expression.

    ''How did he know I am here?''

    Kyle ignored the suspicious stare he was getting from the Elder and approached him hurriedly.

    While Elder Han was staring at Kyle Bia pped her wings and started flying. Shended on top of Kyle''s head. Her eyes sparkled when she thought about everything she did today.

    -''Just like you said It''s really fun to listen to others without their knowledge. I should do this often. hehe.''

    Kyle could hear Bia''s giggle inside his head. He suppressed his smile and stood in front of Elder Han.

    "Thank you master for taking care of Bia."

    Elder Han didn''t say anything he was processing the hidden smile present inside Kyle''s eyes. Suddenly a strange thought appeared inside his head which he didn''t dare to believe.

    ''Don''t tell me Bia understand everything we talked about inside the room? It''s not possible right?''

    His eyesnded on Bia who again tilted her head with her innocent eyes staring back at him.

    ''Maybe I am thinking too much?''

    With a smile, Elder Han looked at Kyle. After seeing thetter fighting abilities he was proud of his student.

    "It''s fine. Now go and rest for today. You must have been tired after the practical exam."

    "I am busy tomorrow but from the day after tomorrow make sure toe to the library after noon. I will teach you about Arrays as long as I am here. I saw the Symbols you drew on those pages, it wasn''t satisfactory and needs more improvements but I can see you worked hard...."

    He started pointing out Kyle''s mistakes, like how while drawing the symbols Kyle didn''t care about their thickness and how he cramped too many symbols in just a single beginner array.

    Kyle listened to every mistake Elder Han pointed out with a stoic face but inwardly he was suppressing hisughter because Bia was saying something very opposite.

    -''I am telling you in front of the other old individuals Elder Han praised you like you are a genius. He showed off that he is your master. Why is heining now?''

    -''While watching you draw Arrays inside the projection he wasughing nonstop. He even said you are born to learn about Arrays! He said your beginner Arrays were perfect without even a single error.''

    -''Tsk, Tsk, how can someone change their words so easily?''

    Kyle gazed at Elder Han who was busy scolding him with a serious expression.

    ''He looks so serious. Are you sure we are talking about the same person?''

    After a few minutes, Han finally left him alone. With a smile, Kyle went back to his room.

    He picked up Bia from his head and pocked at her bulging stomach with a grin.

    "You full?"

    -''Ugh, don''t do it. The food was too tasty so I ate everything they gave me.''

    "Hmm, let''s sleep then."

    Kyle put her on top of a pillow and wrapped a nket around her before lying down on the bed as well.

    He gazed at the ceiling of the room with his ck eyes for a while.

    "What a long day."

    After a few seconds, Bia could hear Kyle''s peaceful breathing.

    -''He can sleep so easily.''

 Chapter 163 The banned student went out

    <h4>Chapter 163 The banned student went out</h4>

    ?

    The next day inside the Royal Academy wasn''t much eventful because after the practical exam students were tired. Some of them spent their day inside their rooms on the beds sleeping while some went outside for fun.

    The second and third-year students mostly took some missions and left the Academy to enjoy some nearby restaurants or markets.

    The mid-term results would be announced a few dayster that''s why they were roaming around before they suffered the consequences of their bad results.

    In front of the mission hall, Nine wore a gloomy expression as he tried to step inside to get a mission only to get a re from the person in charge.

    ''Damn it! My life has gone downhill after a single mission with Kyle, Alec, and Carcel.''

    ''I promise from now on I am not going to invite them whenever I am going outside.''

    He grumbled inwardly and decided to leave because even after arguing with the person in charge he didn''t get anywhere.

    After walking for a while, he kicked a nearby pebble.

    "They are all sleeping like logs! Now I don''t know what to do."

    In the morning, he knocked on Kyle''s door only to see thetter sleeping without any care. As usual, he wanted to barge inside Kyle''s room and make him sober but it seemed Kyle was prepared because he mmed the door shut the moment Nine tried to enter his room.

    With an annoyed expression, Nine left Kyle alone and went to check on Alec and Carcel but it seemed today was the day he would be alone because they also shut their doors on his face.

    "Tsk... I want to leave the academy. I want to see a lot of fresh water. I want to.."

    His voice trailed off as he gazed at a group of students nearby.

    A purple-haired youth wearing a second-year uniform was walking toward the north with three more students.

    Nine narrowed his eyes slightly as he saw the familiar round sses on the purple-haired youth''s eyes.

    A smile appeared on his face and he hurriedly waved his hand at the purple-haired individual who was busy talking with his friends.

    "Senior ne!"

    ne almost freaked out when he heard a loud shout nearby. He settled his sses at looked at the person who called him.

    "Nine?"

    He smiled politely seeing a familiar junior. He knew Nine as they interacted with each other before they entered the Tower. It was a pity that, unlike the too powerful first-year students, only two students from the second year returned alive from the Tower but ne was happy to return safely.

    He waved back as he didn''t know why Nine was waving at him out of nowhere.

    One of ne''s ssmates who was standing beside him frowned.

    "Hey ne, the smile on his face is giving me a bad vibe."

    "Huh? The smile.. now that you mentioned it does look a little evil..."

    ne blinked his eyes. His friends gestured for him to leave but Nine sped up and instantly arrived in front of him with a grin.

    "Seniors, where are you going?"

    ne sighed and assured his friends that Nine wasn''t a bad guy. Afterward, he looked at Nine with a smile.

    "We are going outside to have some fun. What about you."

    Nine smirk widened.

    "Senior, I am free take me with you as well."

    "Huh? You want toe with us but we are going a little further from the Academy because we have toplete a mission as well by killing some mud monsters."

    "It''s okay senior. You can do whatever you want I am just going to roam around for a while then we can return together."

    Nine said with a smile. ne thought for a while. His friends were reluctant but after speaking with them and getting their permission he agreed.

    With ne and the other second-year students Nine walked toward the Academy gate. When they arrived in front of the gate, Nine purposely hid behind the group who showed the guard their mission page.

    After they left the Academy, the guard standing at the gate narrowed his eyes when he saw Nine fading figure.

    "Why does that kid look familiar?"

    The guard whispered but then he recalled the warning he received a few days ago. His eyes widened slightly.

    "He was one of the students who were banned from stepping outside the Academy!"

    He wanted to stop the kids but the group had already gone far.

    "I am not allowed to leave the gate. Sigh, I need to tell the Elder."

    He massaged his temples and hurriedly grabbed a student from nearby to send the message to the person who warned him a few days ago to not let the banned students go outside the academy.

    On the other hand, ne looked back at Nine.

    "We are going this...."

    He stopped midway and looked around his friends. Nine was nowhere to be seen.

    "Where did he go?"

    He and his group members looked around for a while but they didn''t see Nine at all. In the end, they left the area because they had to visit some ces beforepleting the mission.

    ....

    Next day early morning, ne and the trio return to the Academy with satisfied expressions. They talked about the ces they visited whileughing.

    Their mission wasplete but the moment they entered the Academy a ck-haired old man stopped their path with narrowed eyes.

    They all stopped and looked at the old man with confused expressions but their confusion was reced with horror when the old man said that they had to run one hundred rounds along the Academy walls.

    "Wh..y?"

    ne said with disbelief. One hundred rounds! It was too much because the Academy was huge! He wasn''t even sure if he and his friends would survive after they finished running!

    "Because you all helped a student who was banned from going outside. Start running or else I am going to increase the number..."

    ne looked at his friends who were cursing him inwardly. He wanted to cry.

    All the students who took a mission were informed about some banned students but he didn''t listen carefully to who those students were that''s why he agreed to Nine request.

    ''I should have known something was amiss the moment Nine smiled so evilly!''

    He cried inwardly and started running with his friends who were staring daggers at his back.

    The old man looked at their backs and sighed. After getting the news about Nine he instantly informed the Vice Principal but thetter only chuckled and said not to worry about Nine because he had a guardian following behind him outside the Academy.

    "Anyway, I need to punish these kids a little. The banned student''s names were written inside the hall how did they miss it."

 Chapter 164 He needs to suffer a little

    <h4>Chapter 164 He needs to suffer a little</h4>

    Kyle was standing inside the bathroom as he looked at his reflection in the water.

    His gaze darted at his head as he grabbed the corner of his hair with a nonchnt expression.

    "My hair is still ck."

    He wiped his hair and body with a towel and wore a long-sleeve pale blue shirt with grey pants.

    After the practical exam, he didn''t do anything and just stayed inside his room with Bia for the whole day. Today the first-year sses were finally starting again that''s why he woke up early. In the evening he had to go to the library to take lessons about Arrays.

    After wearing clothes, he left the bathroom and looked at the wrinkled nket on the bed.

    "Bia let''s leave. It''s time for ss."

    He removed the nket and poked at Bia who had be toozy recently because of him.

    "Tsk, I think I need to dip you in water."

    Bia shivered as she remembered what happened yesterday. The devil Kyle suddenly thought she was too dirty and made her take a bath.

    -''You! I told you I didn''t like cold water.''

    Bia cried out and instantly left the bed. She fluffed up and shook her red feathers before flying around Kyle.

    Kyle chuckled when he saw her bing more and more like a bird.

    Both of them left the room together and Kyle knocked on Nine door but no one replied.

    He blinked his eyes.

    "Where is he? Just yesterday he was pestering me toe out..."

    Kyle knocked again but after getting no response he left the building heading straight toward the ssroom. His question was soon answered when he neared the ss building.

    A ck-haired old man was standing in front of a group of students with a frown. He was giving them a lecture with an angry expression.

    Kyle raised his brow seeing two familiar faces among the group. First was ne and second was Nine.

    Nine was alright because he was wearing a neat shirt but ne and the trio standing beside him didn''t look good at all.

    Their clothes were wrinkled and drenched with sweat. Even their breathing was shallow as they tried to stand firmly in front of the old man.

    A small crowd of first-year students was standing a little further from the old man. They wereughing and whispering among themselves.

    Kyle neared the crowd of students and tapped someone''s shoulder with a curious look.

    "Huh?"

    The Olive-haired student suddenly turned around with annoyance but when he saw Kyle''s face his eyes instantly lit up.

    "ssmate Kyle!"

    His voice was too loud and the students standing beside him gazed at him with raised brows before spotting Kyle.

    "It''s Kyle! Look the famous bird beast is flying around him!"

    "Damn! Why is he here did he find out we were bad-mouthing him?"

    They whispered among themselves and some of them even stepped back fearing that maybe Kyle heard them when they were badmouthing him.

    Kyle wanted to face palm he just wanted to inquire what was happening from the olive-haired boy but now the whole crowd was staring at him.

    He cleared his throat and stepped back with a polite smile.

    "I just wanted to know what''s happening there?"

    He pointed at the old man and the group of students who were getting scolded.

    The olive-haired boy smiled when he heard Kyle. He was thinking of befriending thetter because he was one of the people who admired Kyle for his hard work and determination. Even though Kyle''s talent was low he was rivaling Alec who was above his league. That''s why the olive-haired boy inspired Kyle as his role model.

    Well, no one knew what would be his thoughts if he knew how much Kyle ''worked hard''.

    "ssmate, my name is Tray. Let me tell you what''s happening."

    Tray exined everything he knew. How Nine slipped out from the Academy even though he was banned by the Elders and how ne and his group helped Nine even after knowing the consequences.

    ne and his group were punished yesterday but Nine just arrived back today morning that''s why he was now getting scolded by the old man.

    Kyle blinked his eyes after hearing the exnation.

    -''You sure ne helped him. Why do I feel like he was tricked by Nine?''

    Bia''s voice resounded inside Kyle''s head.

    ''You are just feeling, knowing his personality I am one hundred percent sure he tricked ne.''

    Kyle suppressed hisughter and thanked Tray before walking toward the building. Tray and another ck-haired boy followed behind him.

    While he was walking he gazed and Nine and to his surprise thetter was looking at him with a begging expression.

    Nine cried out inwardly.

    ''Help me, bro!''

    It had been an hour he had been listening to the old man. Now even his ears had given up!

    Kyle smirked and turned around without even sparing him another nce. Bia who was flying above Kyle also looked at Nine expression. She gave him a pitiful nce andughed inwardly while following behind Kyle.

    Bia looked at Tray and the ck-haired boy following Kyle before finallynding on top of Kyle''s head while stretching her wings.

    -''Aren''t you going to help Nine?''

    ''No, he needs to suffer a little. Senior ne and his friends were punished because of him.''

    Kyle chuckled and after walking inside the building for a while he appeared in front of a familiar ssroom.

    He pushed the door and entered inside. More than half of the chairs were empty but the ones present inside became quiet for a few seconds when Kyle entered the room.

    "Kyle!"

    Kyle heard a familiar voice and looked at the rows of chairs.

    Carcel was waving at him from the second row. He was sitting alone because Alec hadn''t arrived yet.

    With a smile, Kyle sat beside him. After a few minutes, a lot of students entered the ssroom. Soon, Alec, Lara, and Mia also arrived.

    When the ss was filled with students a dejected brown-haired boy entered the ssroom with slumped shoulders.

    Nine wiped his nonexistent tears and red at Kyle and Carcel. They both saw him being scolded but they didn''t help him!

    With a grumpy expression, he sat in the front row with Alec instead of Kyle.

    Kyle gazed at Nine and just shrugged his shoulders with a smirk.

 Chapter 165 A tiring yet normal day

    <h4>Chapter 165 A tiring yet normal day</h4>

    After the ssroom was filled with students. Professor Aliza finally arrived in the room with some papers.

    Her expression was grim when she nced at some students with a disappointed look.

    Everyone present inside the room went silent when she arrived and gave them a cold nce.

    She stepped onto the stage and stood behind the podium before mming the papers on the podium.

    "Good morning everyone."

    Her narrow gaze swept on the students sitting on the chairs.

    "I know you all have rested enough yesterday. That''s why I would like to talk about the theoretical exam."

    She picked up the papers and fiddled with them.

    "I am done checking everyone''s papers but some of you maybe thought I would check them with closed eyes that''s why the only thing they wrote inside the papers was some made-up stories and strange symbols that even I can''t describe what they were."

    Her voice lowered as she sighed.

    "I know the exam was a little hard, but that''s not an excuse for not preparing adequately. We covered the material extensively in ss, and I provided proper guidance for studying. So why are the results so bad?"

    "Even the ones who were inside the Tower and didn''t get the chance to study properly had scored better than the rest of the ss...."

    Her gaze firstnded on Kyle and then on Alec and Mia but when she saw Nine she didn''t know whether tough or cry because his paper was something that she would never forget.

    "Well, I mean except for some special cases."

    She cleared her throat and left the papers on the podium.

    "Anyway, you will get your results after two days. They will be posted inside the student''s hall."

    "Let''s not waste more time and start the lesson."

    The students finally rxed when Professor Aliza stopped talking about the theoretical exam. Nine nced back at Kyle with a pained expression.

    He saw how Professor Aliza gazed at him when she said ''The ones who entered the Tower performed better''. He even remembers how unlike Kyle she gave him a terrible stare.

    ''I think my 50,000 mana stones are already gone.''

    He blinked. His eyes had lost the luster of life when he thought how he had to give Kyle 50,000 mana stones!

    The ss continued as Professor Aliza started the lecture about how mana affects the individual''s bodies and makes them stronger the moment they break through.

    After two hours the ss was over and Professor Aster entered the ssroom. He talked about different weapons and Artifacts.

    Two hourster the first-year students left the ssroom and entered another ssroom to take the history lecture. A curly-haired old man who seemed to be in his mid-fifties was already present inside the ssroom when the students arrived.

    The old man gave the students some books and talked about how humans and other races lived after their rtionship became better. He also talked about some old customs and why the Sea Continent doesn''t like interacting with other races.

    All the students listened attentively when the old professor suddenly started talking about the Sea Continent. Information regarding that continent wascking because the mermaids always stayed inside the water.

    "The mermaids possess a very strong affinity with water. That''s why they preferred to stay in their home Kingdom but they can change their appearance and be simr to humans or elves. That''s why even if theye out and roam inside the other Continents no one can recognize them."

    The ss started whispering when they heard that the mermaids could change their appearance.

    "So it''s true! That''s why it''s so hard to see a mermaid."

    "Tsk, they are always nonchnt about everything and never helped others. Also, the Sea continent people are cowards who hide inside water."

    "No, they are too weak and beautiful that''s why they don''te out from the water!"

    Some of the students chuckled at thisment but Nine frowned. He just clicked his tongue and looked at the Professor.

    Kyle heard the chatting. He also wanted to see a mermaid someday but from the corner of his eyes he saw how Nine and Alec''s expressions became sour when everyone badmouthed the mermaids.

    Kyle raised his brow but because the Professor silenced the ss he forgot about this small thought.

    "ss, let''s stop the lecture here we will continue tomorrow."

    After the professor left, the students started chatting among themselves.

    After a small break, they all went to the training ground where Professor Liam was eagerly waiting for them.

    "Finally the exams are over and I can start working again."

    Liam said with a smile and asked the students to start training while he pointed out their mistakes.

    Kyle shuddered a little when he thought about the recent training session he had with Liam. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and stood in front of a dummy.

    He took out his sword and started practicing as well.

    His whole day was packed with sses and training.

    After a while, Kyle sat on the ground while wiping his sweat with a towel. He gazed at Alec, Carcel, and Nine. The trio was training a few meters away from him with serious expressions.

    Lara and Mia were in the long-range training area and for some reason Tray and the ck-haired boy were following behind him but unlike before Kyle didn''t dislike interacting with others that much.

    Maybe he had changed a little after making some friends. Even though they all have their secrets it wasn''t something Kyle needed to worry about. He had a big secret himself.

    A genuine smile appeared on Kyle''s face as he closed his eyes for a while.

    ''A tiring yet normal day indeed.''

    After spending two hours in the training ground, he went back with Nine and cleaned himself before heading straight toward the library.

    The old librarian greeted him but Kyle''s eyes stopped at a new face.

    A tall and slender girl wearing ck clothes was working beside the librarian. Her face looked innocent and she was wearing thick sses on her eyes. She seemed to be in herte twenties.

    The girl looked back at Kyle and nodded but her eyes nced at Bia''s body for a second.

    ''Master finally found an assistant for the librarian.''

    Kyle thought inwardly and replied with a nod. He nced at the old librarian to confirm if it was fine to enter the secret room in front of her.

    "It''s fine."

    After getting a reply he approached the end of the first floor of the library before taking out a familiar crystal and opening the secret room.

    Kyle coughed the moment he entered the room. A lot of smoke was rising and he could smell something was burning.

    His eyes darted inside the room only to spot an old figure standing in a corner brewing something inside arge bowl.

    "Master?"

    Elder Han gazed at Kyle and waved his hand. The smoke instantly disappeared.

    "Just sit on the chair. I picked some new books about Arrays for you so read them carefully. You can ask me any question you want."

    Kyle sighed and just sat down and picked up one of the books present on the table. He would ask some questions here and there while reading.

    Elder Han would also lecture him from time to time. Kyle took in all the information and at night he was finally free to go back to his room.

    Aftering back he ate something with Bia and slumped down on his bed with a tired expression.

    Soon, he fell asleep.

 Chapter 166 Result I

    <h4>Chapter 166 Result I</h4>

    Two dayster,

    The student hall was filled to the brim as almost every student of the Royal Academy was present here today.

    The hall was devoid of any furniture but three big boards were ced in different corners inside the hall. So the students of each year could see their results.

    All three boards only had three white sheets stuck on them, each sheet showed a separate result.

    1. The theoretical exam result.

    2. The practical exam result.

    3. The final result.

    Two old Professors wearing blue robes were sitting in the middle of the hall to answer the students who had problems with their results. The Professors wore serious expressions as they talked to the students who were causing unnecessary trouble.

    Meanwhile, a few meters away from the student hall. Alec, Carcel, Lara, and Mia were walking together. They chatted and made their way toward the hall to see their results.

    The atmosphere was harmonious. For the past two days, their schedule was packed with sses and training.

    Alec rubbed his hands together with anticipation as he saw the familiar hall in the distance.

    "I know about my practical exam result but I am not sure about the theory exam. I just hope we all get good marks because Professor Aliza was quite angry due to some students."

    Carcel looked at Alec. After spending so much time with thetter he was veryfortable around him now.

    "I did good so I am not worried about myself but you...."

    His sentence was cut short because Alec red at him.

    "We will see in a while who did better!"

    Lara and Mia both looked at the duo and shook their heads.

    Suddenly Carcel remembered something and a smirk appeared on his face.

    "What about Kyle and Nine bet? Who do you think will win?"

    Mia raised her brow.

    "What bet?"

    Alec looked at her with a mysterious smile.

    "It''s a very tragic bet that Nine lost even before he made it."

    "What?"

    Alecughed and exined about the bet to Lara and Mia. The girls wore an amused expression when they listened to the details.

    "Giving 50,000 mana stones to someone else isn''t something small. Even I don''t have that many mana stones!"

    Lara eximed with a serious expression. She thought about Kyle and sighed. She was still ufortable around others and didn''t know how to start a conversation but now she was willing to talk to her ssmates.

    Recently she even tried to talk to Kyle but because she felt too ackward and embarrassed she wasn''t able to say much.

    ''No one is a bad person. They won''t harm me without any reason. It''s just my mind who perceives them bad and beneath me.''

    ''I need to change my mindset.''

    Her thoughts wereplicated. She knew her personality wasn''t good but now she was trying her best to change a little.

    After getting help from Hanson and Kelvin in the Tower she realized how wrong she was. Not everyone was bad.

    She felt a little guilty for all those people she looked down at. In the end, it was all because she wasn''t able to make genuine friends after the incident that happened in her childhood. That''s why her personality naturally bes cold and arrogant.

    Alec looked at Lara and tilted his head.

    "Hey, rx your brows. Why are you frowning so much because of Nine and Kyle''s bet."

    "Nine won''t ask you for mana stones!"

    He chuckled and looked ahead.

    Lara blinked her eyes when she saw Alec''s face and nodded before her expression finally rxed.

    She stepped back a little because Alec was too close.

    After a while, they stepped inside the hall. Many students were entering and leaving the hall. They looked at the three boards and after asking a nearby student they went toward the first-year result board.

    Alec frowned when he saw so many students standing in front of the board.

    "Excuse me. Please give me a small way. I want to see my result as well"

    He said and some of the students looked back with annoyance but when they saw Alec''s face they instantly made a small gap between the crowd.

    Some of the students even snickered and whispered among themselves looking at Alec and the others.

    Carcel and Alec stepped issues the crowd while Lara and Mia followed behind both of them.

    They soon saw the board but Alec rubbed his eyes with shock.

    "Am I hallucinating?"

    Carcel''s eyes also widened slightly. He patted Alec''s shoulder.

    "Does that mean I am hallucinating as well?"

    Lara and Mia were also shocked but unlike the duo, they didn''t show it on their faces.

    Mia looked at Carcel.

    "I believe it''s not a hallucination if we all are seeing the same thing."

    Lara shook her head. A rare smile appeared on her face. The students who saw her smile squeaked with shock.

    "It''s seemed Nine didn''t just lose the bet. He lost very terribly."

    Alec was too shocked to even hear Lara''s words. He pinched Carcel''s arm to confirm if he was seeing things.

    Carcel rolled his eyes and smacked his hand away.

    "Why the hell are you pinching my arm?"

    Alec took a deep breath and looked at him.

    "It''s because it''s painful if I pinch myself."

    He chuckled and pointed at the result.

    "It''s a little sour to see this result."

    Carcel massaged his temples.

    "I am feeling sour as well. My rank dropped."

    Alec red at him.

    "Hey, I lost my rank as well!"

    Lara chimed in as well.

    "I thought my rank would increase but it''s the same as before."

    Mia sighed at her friend''s childish behavior but she noticed something that made herugh. Her slender finger pointed at the theoretical exam result.

    "Look who isst!"

    Alec and the other two followed her finger and after seeing the name they burst intoughter. Even Lara startedughing.

    The students around them looked at them with confused expressions. Didn''t the four of them lose their ranks? Why are theyughing?

 Chapter 167 Result II

    <h4>Chapter 167 Result II</h4>

    On the other hand, Nine knocked on Kyle''s door with an anxious expression.

    He paced around for a while and Kyle finally came out wearing a brown hoodie. Bia was sitting inside his hoodie.

    "Why do you take so much time just to get ready? Hurry up!"

    He dragged Kyle toward the student hall.

    Kyle chuckled when he saw Nine anxious expressions. He cleared his throat.

    "I hope the mana stones are ready."

    Nine red at Kyle. Even though inwardly he knew he lost the bet he wouldn''t ept defeat until he saw Kyle''s result with his own eyes!

    "We still haven''t seen the result!"

    After walking for a while they spotted Alec and the others but because they were too far away Nine didn''t call out their names.

    A few minutester when they arrived in front of the student hall, Nine stopped Kyle.

    "Wait! I am not ready yet!"

    He wiped his sweaty forehead and looked at the hall with a serious expression. It looked like he was fighting an inner war.

    Kyle looked at Nine expression he wanted tough but controlled himself.

    "If we stand here any longer the day will turn into night!"

    "Let''s enter."

    Nine sighed and fiddled with the ring he was wearing.

    "Alright, Alright."

    With a dry smile, he entered the hall with Kyle. After passing through the crowd of students they saw a small gap between the crowd present on the north side.

    Nine squinted his eyes, he could see Alec, Carcel, Mia, and Lara standing in front of the board but for some reason, they wereughing.

    ''I am having a very bad feeling.''

    He grumbled inwardly and left Kyle behind before approaching theughing individuals.

    After passing through the narrow path, Nine tapped on Alec''s shoulder.

    "Bro, why are you allughi..."

    His sentence was cut short when his gazended on the board. His eyes contracted into a slit when he saw the first name.

    "..."

    Nine mouth was wide open as he pointed his trembling finger at the board.

    "Impossible!"

    He cried out loudly. Alec and Carcel looked at him with pity before both of them stepped forward and patted his shoulders with a sigh while eximing simultaneously.

    "It''s fate."

    Nine pped their hands away with a re. He was the one who had to give away his mana stones!

    "The hell with fate! I don''t believe this result! I want a refund... I mean I want to check Kyle''s papers with my own eyes before I believe this board!"

    "Oh?"

    Kyle''s voice resounded behind Nine and Nine finally shut his mouth but inwardly he was crying.

    Kyle pushed him back and looked at the result. Even he was surprised.

    -''Wow you got the first rank.''

    Bia''s surprised voice resounded inside his head as she peeked from his hoodie. Even though she didn''t understand much of the written words on the board she was sure the top name was ''Kyle''.

    ____________

    -Practical exam result;

    "1_ Alec= 3000 and Kyle= 3000

    2_Lara=2700

    3_Carcel=2560

    4_Mia=2450

    5_Nine=2270

    6_Lily=1990

    7_Jake=1260

    ..."

    ____________

    -Theoretical exam result;

    1_Kyle= 100/100

    2_Jake=100/96

    3_Luna=100/86

    4_Mia=100/84.5

    5_Jessica=100/83

    6_Carecl=100/82

    7_Alec=100/79

    8_Lara=100/77

    ....

    200_ Nine=100/9.5"

    ____________

    -Final result;

    "1_Kyle

    2_Alec

    3_Lara

    4_Carcel

    5_Mia

    6_Jake

    7_Luna

    ....

    17_Nine

    ..."

    ____________

    When Kyle''s gazended on Nine theoretical exam results. He burst out intoughter. He was happy to see himself at the first rank but seeing Nine at thest was more amusing.

    "I remember you said I will be thest no matter what!"

    He patted Nine who was dazed after seeing Kyle''s result.

    "Huh?"

    Nine looked at Kyle who was pointing at thest name in the theoretical exam. He followed his finger and almost fainted on the spot.

    "Impossible! I amst! No way! This result is fake!"

    His face was red with embarrassment and he wanted to bury himself underground.

    Just a week ago he was saying Kyle would take thest spot no matter what and now he was the one who was in thest spot? How can he ept this? It''s too unfair!

    ''Also, why is my score even lower than 10!''

    The students around them whispered and because of Nine''s loud voice, the two Professors sitting in the middle of the hall frowned.

    One of the Professors shouted at them.

    "What''s the problem? Which brat is shouting inside the hall? Come here I will tell you if it''s unfair or not!"

    Nine shuddered. He instantly took back all his words and smiled at the professors.

    "I was just joking."

    "Right, bro?"

    He ced his arm on Kyle''s neck with a forced smile.

    Alec and Carcel stopped theirughter. Even Mia ced her fingers on her lips.

    The Professor raised his brow with an amused expression but then he pointed at the exit.

    "Leave if you have seen your results don''t make a scene here."

    Nine nodded and with the others, he instantly left the hall.

    After they stepped outside, Kyle rubbed his hands and looked at Nine with a smirk.

    "So, what about the mana stones?"

    Nine wanted to curse. His heart ached when he thought about the mana stones he gathered with ''sweat and pain''.

    Alec, Carcel, Mia, and Lara stood beside the duo with amused expressions. They wondered where Kyle and Nine got so many mana stones to make such a big bet over a small exam.

    With a reluctant expression, Nine looked at his storage ring before looking at Kyle while shing a smile.

    "Bro we are friends how about we forget about the bet? It''s just some mana stones!"

    Kyle raised his brow. His smirk widened as he ced his arm on Nine neck.

    "You are right. It''s just some mana stones that means it''s not a big deal to give them to me."

    He gazed at Nine whoughed dryly.

    "Right, Right... It''s not a big deal."

    Alec and the trio watched whileughing how Kyle took the exact amount of mana stones from Nine without giving thetter even a one percent discount.

    They were surprised because Nine actually took out so many mana stones.

    The most shocked one was Alec. He remembers how Nine, Carcel, and Kyle forced him to pay the restaurant bill when they went out for fun.

    Now seeing Nine wealth he was feeling very poor.

    ''Damn! They are rich and still forced me to use the only gold coins I had! Pity bastards!''

 Chapter 168 Hidden danger

    <h4>Chapter 168 Hidden danger</h4>

    After Kyle took the mana stones from Nine. Everyone went to train for a while.

    Kyle wore a satisfied expression the whole time. He spent two hours inside the training ground with the others before leaving for the library.

    Elder Han was already waiting for him inside the secret room and unlike before he was free today.

    With a serious expression, Han sat opposite Kyle and taught him about the weak points of Arrays.

    All the Arrays had a weak point. It was something that would destroy the Array if not handled properly. Usually, the weak points would be present in the middle of the Arrays but some moreplicated Arrays had their weak point hidden underneathyers of symbols.

    He asked Kyle to draw an Array on a page.

    Kyle nodded and unlike before he only took a few seconds to draw the nine basic symbols on the page andpleted the defensive Array.

    Elder Han was surprised at his speed but he stopped himself from praising Kyle and took out some mana stones before cing them on the page.

    The Array lit up and a circr defensive shield formed inside the page.

    "Look closely."

    Kyle nodded and saw how Elder Han just touched a specific part of the shield and it burst into particles.

    "?"

    "This is a weak point that can destroy the Array. Your Array was fine but I found the weak point very easily because you just copied everything from the book."

    Kyle listened to everything with a serious expression. Elder Han nodded inwardly with a smile seeing Kyle''s serious face.

    "To hide the weak point of an Array you have to change the cement of the symbols and make it unique in your way. Don''t just copy everything."

    "Usually it''s very hard to find the weak point with the naked eye because each Array has a different weak point. You have to sense the mana around the Array."

    "It''splicated because unlike normal mana the mana around Arrays is very thick but when you start sensing you can see small symbols floating around the Array. To find a weak point you have to look for a tiny hole within those symbols. It''s very rare to see no weak point in an Array because it''s not possible."

    Kyle nodded. After Elder Han finished his exnation he gave him a book rted to weak points.

    "Just focus on the beginner Arrays for a while because finding a weak point inside an Array is very hard."

    Han gazed at him onest time and stood up to do his work.

    Kyle sighed and made another Array on a new page. He closed his eyes and sensed the mana around the Array but he didn''t find any floating symbols.

    ''Destroying Arrays is harder than drawing them.''

    He shook his head with a sigh but then Bia looked at the Array curiously.

    -''I think I can sense the mana around the Array you made but I am not sure about the weak points.''

    ''You can, how?''

    Bia blinked her eyes and came out from his hoodie before sitting on the table.

    -''I can naturally see it I am now sure about the reason.''

    -''Don''t close your eyes. Just like how you can sense the faint feeling of mana around your body. Try to sense it around the Array. If you focus on it instead of feeling you can see faint needles like threads made of mana. They are continuously floating around the Array. Maybe the threads are the Array symbols?''

    Kyle listened to Bia''s words and did what she asked. After trying a few times he was able to sense the threads but it was so faint that he had to concentrate on a single thread.

    He sensed that thread for a while and tried to follow it''s movement. He wanted to see the other threads as well but after a few minutes, his head started aching.

    On the other hand, Elder Han almost broke the ss vial present inside his hand. His eyes showed shock and disbelief.

    ''He sensed it already?''

    It took him more than three months just to sense a single symbol and Kyle sensed it within half an hour.

    He took a deep breath to calm his troubled heart.

    "Don''t concentrate on a single spot for a long time or else you will get a headache. Try to sense it naturally. Sensing mana can ce some pressure on your mind so take your time no need to hurry."

    Kyle nodded and after taking a small break he started observing the Array again. After a few hours, he left the secret room.

    He went back to his room and fell asleep. His everyday schedule was very simr. As he has to wake up early for sses. Then he would train with the others in the training ground for a few hours. Afterward, he would go to the library to get Array lessons from Elder Han.

    It was a normal routine just like any other student but Kyle liked this peaceful life.

    ...

    Inside a dimly lit room. Professor Aster was pacing around amunication crystal with a serious expression.

    A projection of a middle-aged man wearing dark clothes was seen on top of themunication crystal.

    With a deep breath, Aster stopped and gazed at the Crystal.

    "Are you sure you want to do it? If yes I am out of this n. My life in the Academy is pretty good I can''t risk getting caught."

    The other person snickered. He had deep red eyes and ck hair.

    "I want that beast no matter what! I know the other Kingdoms are keeping an eye on the Academy but I don''t care."

    "The Principal won''te back for a while and I have already sent a few spies inside the Academy. You just need to do a single thing and you are still hesitating?"

    "I am not giving you so many resources just to get a negative response every time I ask you to do something!"

    Professor Aster gritted his teeth when he saw thetter crazed expression.

    "Why? Just why do you want it so badly? It''s just a beast. It''s not like it will reach (SSS+)-Rank within a few months. There''s no point in getting your hands on it because you have to use many resources just to let it grow! Also, unlike the Royal Academy where no one is willing to make a move, they won''t hesitate to attack you if they knew about this."

    The man present in the projection chuckled. He didn''t care about Aster as he could kill thetter anytime but he needed Aster''s help that''s why he was willing to hear him out.

    "Who said I am like those idiots who want to just acquire a strong pet? I don''t want to make it grow. I want to use it for my new experiment. If I seed I will be able to increase my talent! I will write history! hahaha."

    "Now that we are doing it the hard way. Just bring me all the talented students from the Academy. After my experiment is done I will dig their hearts and make some incredible life-increasing potions!"

    "It would be a very beautiful sight when Principal Ratric returned and saw everything, hahaha."

    A crazedughter echoed inside the room and Aster''s eyes widened slightly.

    Talent is something that can never be changed. It was everyone''s potential and no matter what after reaching their potential no one could advance further but the man inside the projection imed to increase his talent.

    Aster took a deep breath. He was still against the idea of doing something risky inside the Academy but he agreed after the ck-haired man promised to give him some of the benefits.

 Chapter 169 The tournament

    <h4>Chapter 169 The tournament</h4>

    Kyle''s time in the Academy seemed to be passing very peacefully as the only thing he did for the next five months was to attend lectures, train, and learn about Arrays.

    Even though he was confined within the Academy he didn''t mind it because he knew he wasn''t strong enough yet.

    During these months he didn''t notice any changes in his body. Everything stayed normal. The disadvantage was that it was too normal and Kyle became worried because he showed no sign of a breakthrough even though he was working as hard as everyone else.

    Unlike him, the others were progressing at the same speed as before.

    Alec was already (C-)-Rank so everyone knew it would take some time for him to break through again but two monthster Carcel broke through to to (D+)-Rank while training.

    His breakthrough was a surprise for all the students and professors but the excitement died down and everyone became numb because Mia also broke through to (D)-Rank after a week.

    Even Nine the one who for some reason always slipped out from the Academy and would return after a few days broke through to (D)-Rank.

    Nine was very happy after he broke through. Heughed and boasted to almost everyone in the ssroom.

    He even challenged Kyle because he was still sour about the mana stones he lost. In the end, he lost within half a minute. It was a very miserable defeat because even though Kyle didn''t break through to the next rank, he was stronger than Nine in terms ofbat.

    Kyle was very frustrated because of his progress but in the end, he just sighed because he wasn''t able to do anything.

    At the end of the fifth month, after thinking for a week he made a big decision and decided to tell Elder Han about his bloodline so thetter could see if anything was wrong with his body but when he went to the secret room he didn''t find Elder Han anywhere.

    He waited for a few days but Elder Han didn''t return to the secret room.

    With a sigh, he was going to give up when another Elder from the Academy approached him and gave him a letter and a life-saving Artifact that Elder Han left behind before leaving the Kingdom for some reason.

    Kyle thanked the Elder and read the letter. He was shocked because inside the letter Elder Han told him that he knew about Kyle''s actual talent which was (SS)-Rank. The letter even gave him information regarding the ''Secret Realm''.

    Han said it was a very dangerous ce but if Kyle wanted to enter the Realm he would talk to the Principal about the matter regarding his talent and take care of everything.

    At the end of the letter, Elder Han apologized as he wasn''t able to tell everything directly to Kyle because he had to leave due to some matters rted to the secret Realm.

    Kyle was frozen on the spot. He massaged his temples, the old man was sly. He found out about Kyle''s talent through some artifact without his knowledge!

    With a sigh, Kyle looked at the life-saving Artifact Elder Han left behind with the letter.

    It looked like an ordinary white broach. Even when Kyle ced it on his shirt it wasn''t much attractive to the others.

    "I didn''t know the details about this Artifact because master didn''t exin anything about it in the letter."

    Kyle shook his head and went to the training ground because today Professor Aliza was going to announce something important.

    After a few minutes, he arrived at the training ground. It was filled and all the first-year students were standing in rows. In front of them, Professor Liam and Aliza were standing with serious expressions.

    -''We are a littlete.''

    Bia''s voice resounded inside Kyle''s head. She was flying above him because recently she gained a lot of weight and Kyle forbade her to sit on top of his head.

    Kyle gazed at Bia.

    ''She should increase her size instead of weight.''

    He chuckled inwardly and stood with the students. He gazed around and could see many familiar faces. Alec, Carcel, Tray, and the others. The only one missing was Nine.

    ''Did he go out again?''

    While Kyle was thinking, Professor Liam pped his hands and gathered the student''s attention.

    "Kids, please listen carefully as to what Professor Aliza is going to exin because it''s very important."

    He stepped back and Professor Aliza nodded at him before looking at the first-year students.

    "As you all know within two months, the final exam for each year will arrive but this year we are doing something different."

    His gaze swept through the students who were listening carefully.

    "After careful discussion with the King. The Principal had decided to hold a friendly tournament between all the Academies present in the Kingdom. So the students of each Academy can exchangebat experience with the students from the other Academies."

    She wasn''t finished, when the students erupted into a huge uproar.

    "A tournament?"

    "Something like this never happened before. Why did they want to hold a tournament so suddenly?"

    "I think the King wants to recruit some talented individuals through this method."

    "But the students of the Royal Academy are the more powerful. Why do they need to hold a tournament?"

    Their whispers were disturbed when Professor Aliza shouted.

    "Silence."

    Kyle looked at the Professor he already knew about this topic so unlike the others he wasn''t surprised at all.

    "It''s just a small friendly tournament between Academies. So I don''t think there''s any need to be anxious."

    "Even though it''s a friendly tournament there will be a lot of rewards for the students who will participate but not everyone can participate in the tournament."

    The whole training ground was silent as Professor Aliza narrowed her eyes slightly.

    "Only the top ten students from each year can participate in the tournament. After the mid-terms, the ranking of each ss was adjusted and I believe you all know who are the top ten students from your ss."

    "I know you all are feeling bitter and think it''s too wrong that except for the top ten students, others are not given a chance to prove themselves even after so much hard work. That''s why after careful consideration the Academy has made a new rule."

    "For the next two months, all the students can challenge the top ten students for a battle. If you can defeat any one of the top ten students you will get their spot for the tournament. Of course, this will continue for two months. In these two months you can challenge the top students whenever you want but to make the process fair each student is only allowed to challenge all the top students a single time."

    Professor Aliza nodded when she saw the series of expressions of the students.

    "I hope I get to see some surprises in these two months because one of the rewards for the students participating in the tournament is that Principal Ratric will give them a special training session himself."

    Some of the students gasped when they heard the Principal was going to give a special session to the students who entered the tournament. It was not every day they stumbled upon such a big chance. Principal Ratric was the strongest in Kingdom Ete and his lessons would surely bring benefits to the students.

    Even if they didn''t get any other reward, getting a training session from the Principal was already enough to ignite the mes within each student!

    All the students turned their heads and stared at the top students with serious expressions. They were ready to fight and snatch their spots! But when they saw Alec they instantly shook their heads because the target was too strong.

    Then their eyesnded on Carcel. He was too strong as well. Afterward Kyle, Mia, and Lara. They were also out of the list because no one was in the mood to get beaten up.

    Professor Aliza saw their serious expressions and sighed. She pped her hands.

    "That''s it. I don''t have much to say. Remember you can only challenge the top students in the training ground in front of Professor Liam who will judge your battles. Alright, now leave. I know you have a history ss an hourter."

    When she was done suddenly a voice resounded from behind her.

    "Sorry, I was a littlete!"

    Aliza turned around to look at the person who just entered the training ground. Her eyes narrowed.

    "You are not just a littlete Nine! The announcement is already over. I hope you have a good reason for being sote or else I have to give you a proper punishment."

    Her voice turned angry.

    Nine blinked his eyes innocently.

    "The Vice Principal called me. I am sorry for beingte."

    He said with a sigh. Aliza wanted to scold him but when he talked about the Vice Principal she stopped.

    "I will confirm your words. If you are lying don''t me for being merciless."

    She said and instantly left the training ground. With a smile, Nine approached the students. For some reason, he felt like a lot of students were staring at him with burning eyes.

    "Huh?"

    He approached Kyle and whispered slowly.

    "Why are they staring at me like they found their prey? Also, what did Professor Aliza announce?"

    Kyle looked at him from head to toe with a raised brow.

    ''Why do I feel like his skin is glistening?''

    He thought inwardly and exined everything to Nine who waste. Nine facial expression darkened when he heard about how the students were allowed to challenge any top student.

    He looked at the other students with a snort.

    "I am not an easy prey! Don''t pick me for a battle or else you will regret it!"

 Chapter 170 You are not in the top ten

    <h4>Chapter 170 You are not in the top ten</h4>

    Nine looked at the other students and shouted at the top of his lungs.

    "I am not an easy prey! Don''t pick me for a battle or else you will regret it!"

    Kyle blinked his eyes. He tapped at Nine shoulder with an awkward expression.

    "Why are shouting?"

    Nine turned around with a frown. He flipped his sleeves and looked at Kyle with a serious expression.

    "Can''t you see how everyone around us is staring at me? They probably want to challenge me to a battle because they think I am a weak prey! They want to snatch my ce!"

    The students who heard Nine words scoffed with mocking expressions and some of them evenughed a little.

    Kyle wanted to p Nine head because it seemed thetter had forgotten his final result but before he could, Alec stepped between them with augh. He looked at Kyle with eyes saying, ''Leave it to me''.

    Alec ced his arm on Nine neck and looked at him with a mysterious smile.

    "I don''t think they want to fight you."

    Nine was confused as he gazed back at Alec and Kyle.

    Carcel looked at the trio with a sigh but there was a smirk on his lips.

    With a chuckle, Alec said in a very loud voice so everyone around them could hear.

    "My apologies but if I remember correctly you are not in the top ten."

    Nine body froze he blinked his eyes twice, trying to digest everything he just heard. After Alec''s words seeped inside his head he hurriedly recalled his final result and his eyes widened.

    He was so busy looking at Kyle''s mid-term result that''s why he forgot about his final result!

    His face flushed and he could hear theughter of his ssmates. With an awkward smile, he pped Alec''s arm away.

    "Hmm, it''s not that I forget about it I was just joking."

    Nine was so embarrassed that he wanted to dig the ground and bury himself but he was too thick-skinned to admit that he forgot about his result.

    He cleared his throat and looked at Alec with knitted brows. He wanted to change the topic.

    "Then why are they all staring at me like I am their prey?"

    Carcel chimed in with a smirk.

    "Actually you are a prey. Not just for all of them but for me, Alec, and Kyle as well."

    Nine looked at the trio who had evil grins on their faces. He was having a very bad feeling about all this.

    While his mind was in overdrive, thinking about all the bad things he did in thest few months, Kyle tapped at Carcel''s shoulder.

    "Let me."

    Kyle looked at Nine while rubbing his palms.

    "Yesterday, a certain second-year senior who you have been avoiding for the past five months put a huge bounty on your head. The person who can beat you up will receive 200 mana stones."

    Nine expression instantly paled. Now he knew why the moment he entered the training ground all the students looked at him with hungry eyes.

    It seemed Senior ne was still angry after he used him to leave the Academy. Nine had been avoiding ne at all cost but it seemed thetter found a way to take revenge! He looked at Kyle with a pitiful expression.

    "Bro, you are lying, right? Senior ne won''t do it. He is a big-hearted person!"

    Kyle looked at him with a nod.

    "Yes, he is a big-hearted person that''s why he is giving 200 mana stones if we beat you up for him."

    Nine stepped back with a dryugh. He could see that Alec, Kyle, and Carcel were very serious. They were ready to beat him just up for 200 mana stones!

    Not just the trio, the whole ss was ready to try their punches on him!

    ''I know mana stones are precious and 200 mana stones are a lot but how can they beat their friend and ssmate just for the sake of some meager stones!''

    ''Also, aren''t 200 mana stones too little? If Senior ne wanted to put a bounty on me he should have at least used 2000 mana stones!''

    Nine grumbled inwardly but his gaze was fixed on Alec, Kyle, and Carcel who were ready to make a move.

    The trio stepped forward followed by some other students and Nine panicked but then he suddenly pointed at the training dummies while shouting with a serious expression.

    "Tsk, we are gettingte for the history ss."

    "Huh?"

    His move was very sudden that''s why a few students even stopped and looked back but Kyle chuckled as he saw Nine fleeting back. Even Alec and Carcel burst intoughter.

    Mia who was standing at a side and watching everything looked at them with a giggle. Even Lara had a thin smile on her face.

    On the other hand, it was the first time Nine ran so fast. Withrge strides, he was at the exit within a few seconds.

    "I am leaving for ss. See yahter."

    He shouted and disappeared from everyone''s view while cursing Alec, Carcel, and Kyle inwardly.

    ''Damn it! They ruined my young master image! I will take revenge! How can you three do this to me just for the sake of 200 mana stones!''

    After Nine left, Bia stopped flying andnded on Kyle''s shoulder with a sigh.

    -''What a pitiful soul!''

    Kyle gazed at Bia. Even though she liked sitting on top of his head after he stopped her she didn''t do it.

    ''He isn''t pitiful. He even gave the Elder in charge a headache because he is leaving the academy too frequently. It''s not safe outside.''

    Bia nibbed on her left wing while thinking something inwardly. Just like Kyle, she noticed Nine glistening skin but her sight was more sharper than Kyle that''s why she saw the slight blue glow around Nine skin. She had a hunch but it was too ridiculous.

    Also, her knowledge regarding that race was toocking because even the Phoenix her birth parent didn''t know much about it.

    -''I wonder why is he going out even though he knows it''s dangerous.''

    Alec finally calmed down and looked at the others.

    "Let''s leave for the ss as well."

    Kyle nodded and followed behind him. The other students were a little disappointed because it seemed Alec, Kyle, and Carcel were only joking when they said they would beat up Nine.

    They sighed, the offer of 200 mana stones was very tempting but they knew Nine was strong and his friends were even stronger than him that''s why they silently threw the matter at the back of their heads.

 Chapter 171 A friendly spar

    <h4>Chapter 171 A friendly spar</h4>

    After the history ss, the first-year students went for another lecture before returning to the training ground again.

    This time the training ground was a little different because Professor Liam removed some of the training dummies and ced two big Arena stages in the middle.

    When the students arrived, Professor Liam cleared his throat loudly. He was wearing a white shirt with golden patterns. His hair was properly slid back and he looked very neat and tidy.

    The first-year students looked at him and the two stages withplicated expressions.

    Under their gaze, Liam took out a chair from his storage ring and sat down with a paper and a pen.

    "Kids, The Arena stages are ready and I am your referee. Now you can challenge the top ten students!"

    There was excitement in his voice as he called the top ten students names.

    "1_Kyle

    2_Alec

    3_Lara

    4_Carcel

    5_Mia

    6_Jake

    7_Luna

    8_Lily

    9_Jessica

    10_Nike, step forward."

    The top students looked at each other and stepped out from the crowd.

    Liam pointed at them with a smile.

    "Students, these ten individuals are your target for the next two months! So who wants to challenge them today!"

    His loud voice resounded inside everyone''s ears.

    "Even though you can fight each of them only once I believe in you all! These two stages will stay in this ce for 2 months! So step forward and show your resolve! Crush the top students and snatch their spots!"

    He stopped his speech and looked at the top students who were staring at him with strange expressions. Even the other first-year students looked at him with unknown expressions. Some of them were even sweating.

    "Huh? Is there anyone who would like to challenge the top students today? We have to start your training sessions afterward so hurry up."

    "I know you can challenge them tomorrow or the day after tomorrow but isn''t it better to do it today? What if they be stronger tomorrow!"

    He asked again but not a single student stepped forward. They didn''t even budge from their ces.

    Alec looked at the Professor who seemed to be too excited, unlike the students.

    He turned his head backward and looked at his ssmates. Even after a few minutes, no one stepped forward. Everyone seemed to be thinking very deeply, contemting if they should challenge the top ten students or not.

    Alec sighed and moved closer to Kyle who was standing a little further away from him. He tapped his shoulder, making thetter look back at him with a hmm.

    "Hey, I don''t think anyone wants to fight with us now. How about a friendly 1vs1 between you and me? I have been wanting to fight you for a while but because we were too busy with sses and training I didn''t ask you."

    Kyle raised his brow. He thought for a while. Alec was stronger than him and he knew he couldn''t defeat him. Not now, when his rank was still stuck at (D)-Rank because of some unknown reasons but a friendly match wouldn''t do him any harm.

    "Alright."

    He nodded. A satisfied smile appeared on Alec''s face as he raised his hand and looked at the Professor.

    "Professor, can the top ten students spar with each other?"

    His question instantly gathered the attention of everyone. Even Carcel and Nine looked at him with surprise.

    Professor Liam raised his brow when he heard Alec. He thought for a while and nodded with a grin.

    "Alright, the top students can fight with each other but their ranking won''t change even if they lose to each other because they already possess a spot in the tournament."

    "Their match can be the opening battle. I hope after seeing their friendly fight all the other students would get some motivation and would be ready to step forward for a challenge!"

    He spoke loudly and pped his hands before looking at Alec.

    "The two who want to fight step on one of the stage."

    Alec looked at Kyle and both of them instantly climbed the stage.

    ''Bia go stay with Mia for a while. I want to test my strength.''

    Bia grumbled a little. She wanted to fight together but did what he asked and started flying toward Mia.

    -''Next time we will fight together.''

    ''Alright.''

    Mia was surprised when Bia suddenlynded on her shoulder but she started caressing her small head with a smile.

    Liam side nced at Bia and waved his hand. A transparent shield appeared around the stage where Kyle and Alec were standing.

    He dragged his chair and sat in front of the other students while pointing at Alec and Kyle.

    "Look closely. You can learn from them. Also, try to find their weakness. When it''s your turn to challenge them use those weaknesses against them!"

    He said with a serious expression, making Kyle and Alec almost trip on the stage.

    The students nodded and looked at the duo with serious expressions, ready to find their every weakness!

    "Alright! Start fighting when you are ready."

    On the stage,

    Kyle looked at Alec. Within a few seconds, both of them stood opposite each other and took out their swords.

    The atmosphere crackles with anticipation as Kyle and Alec face off, their eyes locked in a fierce gaze. The previous jokes and harmonious atmosphere was nowhere to be found, both of them knew their opponent wanted a serious fight.

    Kyle was the first who channel his mana summoning two thunder arrows and hurdling them toward Alec with lightning-fast speed.

    He also activated the skill ''Swift step'' and dashed forward with high speed.

    The students around them gasped because Kyle''s speed was very fast.

    Not one to back down, Alec instantly dodged the arrows and after seeing Kyleing at him at full speed, he tapped his foot lightly on the stage with a smirk.

    ''Earth quakes.''

    Kyle stopped as the ground beneath him rumbled ominously and he stumbled a little as he raised his head, only to see Alec''s iing sword.

 Chapter 172 I made a mistake

    <h4>Chapter 172 I made a mistake</h4>

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed sharply, he wanted to dodge but Alec''s sword was too fast.

    With a clenched grip, he took Alec''s strike head-on. As their swords touched, a huge shockwave spread out in the air.

    Kyle''s feet creaked backward on the stage as his hand went numb from the sheer amount of strength Alec used in his attack.

    ''Damn it! He isn''t holding back at all.''

    He grumbled inwardly and infused one of his legs with mana. A thin transparentyer of mist appeared on his leg as he threw his food forward, aiming for Alec''s stomach.

    Alec looked at the iing attack and the force on his sword loosened as he tilted his body to dodge.

    Kyle smirked and with a burst of speed he infused his fist with ayer of mana, taking Alec off guard, he punched forward.

    Even though Alec was faster he didn''t see thising. His eyes shed with surprise and he instantly moved his arm to block the punch.

    A stinging pain appeared on his wrist as he stumbled a few steps back with a wince. He looked at Kyle but his eyes widened slightly, seeing another punch directed at his face.

    "When the hell did you learn to fight with fists!"

    He shouted and was ready to block but the punch stopped midway and Kyle whispered.

    "Ice Spear."

    The air around them contacted and turned visibly cold within a second. The mana inside Kyle''s body moved and arge floating ice spear appeared above his head.

    Alec looked at the spear hovering above Kyle''s head with a serious expression. He knew the attack wasn''t weak at all.

    As the spear shot forward with lightning-fast speed, Alec raised his hand and an earth wall appeared in front of him.

    ''One won''t work.''

    He grumbled inwardly because unlike Kyle''s ice spear his defense skill was only (E)-Rank.

    He used his mana and hurriedly formed three more walls in front of himself but to his shock, the ice spear exploded after crashing into the first earth wall. It shattered into tiny fragments and those chilling fragments spread out on the whole stage.

    The mana shield around the stage trembled as ice spread out everywhere, Alec''s body temperature dropped and he felt the ice seeping inside his body.

    Cold breath came out from his mouth as he instantly removed the earth walls before dashing toward Kyle with incredible speed.

    Kyle clicked his tongue because his surprise attack failed. He nced at the ice that didn''t affect his body at all and dashed forward as well.

    He could see Alec''s figure but thetter speed was almost double than him.

    Their swords shed with lightning speed, creating a mesmerizing disy, the voice of their sh echoed throughout the whole training ground. The shield around the stage started trembling because the battle was intense, with both fighters giving it their all.

    All this while the audience was eerily quiet. They watched the duo with heavy breaths and gasped from time to time with awe.

    Under their intense gaze, the duo had exchanged multiple blows within a minute.

    Some of the students gulped nervously while unconsciously stepping away from the two Arena stages. Their tiny bit of motivation to fight the top students was already out of the window.

    Nine gazed at Kyle and Alec. He could see Alec had the upper hand because Kyle was having difficulty while trying his best to match Alec''s speed.

    He massaged his temples with a grumble and moved toward Carcel.

    "They are showing off!"

    Carcel didn''t look back at him. He was busy analyzing the fight. He didn''t see any opening in Kyle and Alec''s attacks but Kyle''s hand gripping the sword was visibly shaking due to the impact.

    "Yes, they are."

    He sighed with a dry smile. He was stronger than Kyle in terms of rank but he was sure he would lose if they fought seriously.

    "If you want to show off as well, how about we climb the stage after them?"

    A sly smile appeared on his lips as he finally looked at Nine for an answer.

    "Haha, I remember Professor Aliza was looking for me. I don''t think I can apany you any further bro."

    Nine chuckled and after tapping Carcel''s shoulder he disappeared within the crowd of students.

    Carcel raised his brow, looking at the fading back. Even though Nine chuckled with a nonchnt expression there was visible panic in his eyes.

    "Tsk he fled again. I wanted to beat him up a little and get those 200 mana stones. What a pity."

    On the other hand, Professor Liam''s eyebrow twitched uncontrobly. He looked at the stage where the intense fight was going on before looking at the students standing behind him.

    He could see it from their sweaty faces after witnessing Alec and Kyle battle not a single student looked willing to challenge the top students.

    Liam shoulders trembled slightly as his excitement vanished into thin air. He was happy that Kyle and Alec were so powerful even better than the third-year students but he was sour all over because he was here to ignite the me of motivation within the kids not to scare them away.

    He massaged his temples and looked at the stage with a sigh.

    ''I made a mistake.''

    Meanwhile, Kyle and Alec''s swords shed for about ten minutes and Kyle was the one who was being pushed to the edge. He was panting and his hands were trembling.

    Alec looked at Kyle, he was tired as well but he was better than Kyle who seemed to have strained his body while trying to match his speed and attacks.

    With ast leap, Alec narrowed the distance and attacked Kyle using his sword Art. His sword glowed with intense white light and even though Kyle blocked he stumbled backward due to the pressure and his sword dropped on the stage.

    Kyle chuckled and moved his hands up in surrender. He closed his eyes for a while feeling the metallic smell around himself before simply slumping at the stage with heavy breathing.

    His eyes were closed when Alec''s voice resounded inside his ear.

    "Are you okay?"

    "Hmm."

    Kyle winced because his muscles were too strained, he looked up and saw Alec''s helping hand.

    "You could have used that transport skill to avoid myst attack."

    Kyle grabbed his hand and stood up, his breathing was heavy but he took a deep breath to calm his nerves before looking at Alec.

    ''Transport skill? Oh... he meant Instant teleportation.''

    "No, it requires too much mana."

    Alec nodded but then patted his shoulder with an annoyed expression.

    "Tsk, even when we were fighting so seriously you still didn''t use all of your skills. You didn''t even use your sword Art!"

    Kyle looked back at him with a raised brow.

    "It''s not like you used all of your skills and you only used the sword Art at the end of the match."

    Alec chuckled.

    "Well, that''s true. Let''s fight more seriously in the future."

    They talked and looked at the shield around the stage. It disappeared when Professor Liam stood up from the chair and waved his hand.

 Chapter 173 Scared ducklings

    <h4>Chapter 173 Scared ducklings</h4>

    After Kyle and Alec stepped down from the stage, Liam looked at them with a solemn expression.

    The duo looked at each other and just shrugged their shoulders before sitting in an empty corner to rest.

    Liam cleared his throat and looked at the remaining students.

    "So, who is going to step forward next?"

    His question was left mid-air because the students scattered around the training ground to train without even ncing at him.

    Heck! They weren''t in the mood to break their bones or teeth.

    Liam looked at the fleeing students dumbfounded. He hissed while looking at himself.

    "I did so much preparation only to see them running away like scared ducklings?"

    He grumbled but then Lara raised her hand. Liam looked at her.

    "What?"

    "They want to have a friendly spar as well."

    She said with a serious expression while pointing at Lily, Mia, Luna, and Jessica.

    Liam gaze swept on the students who wanted to spar. All of them were the top students.

    "Do whatever you want!"

    He grumbled and just sat between the two Arena stages to oversee the fights.

    The girls made two teams and stepped on the two stages. The first team was Lily vs Mia, and the second team was Luna vs Jessica.

    Lara and some students observed their fight. The girl''s battle wasn''t as brutal and strong as Kyle and Alec but they weren''t weak as well. That''s why the remaining students were even more scared to challenge the top ten!

    While Kyle was sitting on the ground, he gazed at the Arena stages with a hum. Bia had already appeared beside him the moment he was done.

    "Mia is using some new skills and spells, I think Lily will lose. On the other hand, Luna is stronger than Jessica but she isn''t utilizing her mana properly..."

    Alec mumbled while wiping his sweaty arms with a towel. Then he looked at Kyle with furrowed brows.

    "By the way, when I grabbed your hand on the stage I felt like your temperature was too low and your skin felt cold. Is everything alright with you?"

    Even though Alec was speaking seriously there was worry in his voice.

    Kyle looked back at him with a frown. His body had turned a little cold recently but it wasn''t to the point of affecting him so he just left the topic.

    He touched his palm but it was the same as usual. He was feeling fine but he knew something was wrong with his body. He would turn eighteen after a few months so he wasn''t sure if his hair would turn silver again likest year.

    Also, while bathing he saw his reflection. It was only for a split second but his eyes turned green for some reason. All of this was just too strange.

    He wanted to ask someone about this but he didn''t know any Elder except Han personally.

    "I am fine... I guess."

    He sighed and stretched his arms before standing up and shaking his head.

    "Ugh, too much sweat. I will be back after taking a bath."

    "Alright."

    Alec looked at his fading image. He thought for a while and activated the system appraisal function. He hasn''t used it on Kyle after leaving the Tower because it didn''t work.

    _____________

    ''Name: Kyle Ohan''

    ''Race: Human''

    ''Special: ??''

    ''???''

    Trying to find the cause! Loading...

    No more information provided. The target is wearing a high-grade presence concealing Artifact.

    _____________

    ''It''s still not working?''

    Alec sighed and just closed the system interference. It worked on everyone else but it never worked on Kyle no matter what he did.

    Meanwhile, Bia flew around Kyle. She gazed at his face with a serious expression.

    -''Are you really okay? Want me to rub your head if you are feeling down because you lost to Alec.''

    Kyle chuckled and grabbed her body before caressing her wings with his fingers.

    ''I am fine. Alec is a strong opponent. Even though he has something called ''system'' helping him, he always works hard. His talent is awesome as well.''

    ''Of course, losing is sour but it''s fine if the opponent is not my enemy.''

    He ced her on top of his head. Bia grumbled slowly but sat down with a smile.

    -''You said I am gaining weight! Why are you cing me on your head now?''

    ''Just because...''

    Kyle walked for a while before arriving in front of his dorm. He stepped inside and took a bath.

    With wet hair, he sat down on the bed with amunication Crystal.

    After a few seconds, the Crystal lit up and an old voice resounded.

    "Kyle?"

    Kyle smiled as he ced the Crystal in front of him.

    "Yes, it''s me. Father, how have you been?"

    Soon, he could hear some more familiar voices from the Crystal.

    "Kyle it''s me Neon! Can you hear me? I used the fruits and broke through! This time youe back we are going to have a one-on-one!"

    "Hey, What are you saying? He just called after a long time and all know about is fighting!"

    "You brats! Let me talk to my son!"

    Kyle smiled and talked with his brothers for a while before he and his father were left alone.

    "Kyle, are you alright? I can hear your voice is a little hoarse. How''s the Academy? Also, how''s Bia?"

    Kyle heard the many questions his father asked him in a single breath.

    "I am perfectly fine. I just had a friendly battle with my friend that''s why my voice sounds a little tired. Bia is also fine, she is listening."

    "Good, Good. Just take care of yourself. Remember we are always here for you. Come back when it''s safe."

    Kyle''s expression softened. He felt a warm feeling spread inside his chest.

    "I will."

    He took a deep breath. He was frustrated recently because of his body and wanted to talk to someone. After hearing the Baron''s voice he felt like telling him everything.

    "Father."

    "Yes, I am all ears"

    "Dad."

    "Yes. I am here."

    "I have been feeling very cold recently."

    "Oh, I think it''s because the temperature is getting cold, wear warm clothes. Try to eat and drink warm things."

    Kyle smiled. He could hear there was worry in his father''s voice but he was already very strong. How was it possible for the surrounding temperature to affect his body?

    "I will."

    "Hmm."

    He talked to the Baron for a long time, sharing a few things that happened recently while hiding the ones that would worry the old man too much. He didn''t even notice the passing day and after the call ended it was alreadyte at night.

    He sighed.

    "I didn''t go back to the training ground. Well, I will go tomorrow."

    He looked at Bia who was already fast asleep and went to sleep as well.

 Chapter 174 He actually seemed sick

    <h4>Chapter 174 He actually seemed sick</h4>

    He looked at Bia who was already fast asleep and went to sleep as well.

    Next day early morning, as usual, Kyle went to the ssroom and after the lectures, he and Nine were walking side by side toward the training ground.

    After a few minutes, they arrived and started training.

    The training ground was filled with students. The top ten students were busy training while the remaining stood in front of Liam in rows.

    The students looked at Liam seriously as he was giving a motivational speech.

    The speech continued for an hour. Kyle almost cringed and blocked his ears because of the honorable and boring speech. He was not even able to focus on training.

    With a sigh, he looked at Nine who was sitting beside him.

    "How long do you think this will continue?"

    Nine made a serious expression and counted his fingers before bursting out inughter.

    "No more than one week!"

    Kyle smiled and looked at Liam when Nine pointed at the standing students.

    "Look a few students were brainwashed by the Professor and stepped forward! Who do you think they are going to challenge?"

    Kyle looked at the three students who were looking at the professor seriously. Their gaze burning with determination.

    "No idea but I think I should get ready. Maybe they would pick me?"

    He touched his sword and tapped Nine''s shoulder.

    "By the way when are you going to challenge one of the top ten? I don''t think you are weak. The tournament is after two months are you not going to participate even after knowing the reward."

    Nine gazed at the ce where Kyle touched with a strange expression. His eyes widened slightly and the thread around his light golden pupils contracted for a second but after a second his eyes turned normal. He smirked and patted the back of Kyle''s exposed hand.

    Kyle stopped gazing at the two Arena stages and turned his head sideways to look at him.

    "Hmm?"

    "There''s still two months. I will challenge someone and get a spot on thest week to avoid getting caught in a lot of battles."

    "Alright. That''s a good idea."

    Kyle nodded and pointed at one of the stages.

    "Someone imed the stage and challenged Carcel!"

    "Who?"

    Nine eyes sparkled as he watched a buff student who had purplish hair standing on the stage with a serious expression.

    "I know him, his name is Hinan. Just like the olive-haired boy who is following you recently he was following Carcelst week but stopped when thetter red at him with deadly eyes."

    "Anyway, why is he picking Carcel? He is strong but he can''t defeat him, even I can''t guarantee a victory against Carcel."

    Kyle blinked his eyes when he heard about the ''Olive haired boy''. He knew Nine was talking about Tray because the only person following behind him was Tray.

    "Hmm."

    Nine grabbed Kyle''s shoulder and shouted.

    "Look Carcel is on the stage. It''s starting!"

    They both waited for a serious battle but what they saw left them speechless. Only after half a minute, Hinan dropped to his knees with various injuries.

    Meanwhile, Professor Liam''s face palmed when he saw the oue of the battle.

    The remaining students who were ready to challenge the top students again scattered and left the area without even looking back at Liam.

    They almost got tricked because of his motivational speech!

    Liam looked at the students and massaged his temples with a dejected expression.

    ''Damn it! I worked so hard to motivate them! Ugh... It''s seemed there''s no need for a referee any more.''

    He looked back at the two Arena stages with a sigh and regained his old duty as a training instructor.

    "Students, the Arena stages are open for the next two months! Remember you can challenge the top students. It''s okay if today no one wants to but you have a lot of time!"

    He pped his hands to gather everyone''s attention.

    "Let''s start training now! Today we will do some physical training. So first everyone should run ten rounds around the training ground. Then we will do push-ups and pull-ups!"

    The students groaned when Liam shouted with a serious expression.

    "Hurry up!"

    Kyle looked at the running students and stood up. He gazed at Nine and started running as well.

    "Let''s join them."

    Bia who was sleeping on his head woke up due to the sudden movement. She yawned and started flying around.

    Nine gazed at Bia for a while. He stood up and followed behind Kyle with a tired expression while grumbling inwardly.

    ''I swear the only thing I hate is running!''

    His gaze lingered on Kyle''s back as Alec, Carcel, and the girls also joined the run.

    Alec dashed and tapped Nine''s shoulder with a smile.

    "Hey, your face seemed a little pale what happened? Did you see a ghost!"

    Nine dazed gaze was fixed on Kyle''s back as he whispered slowly.

    "So many injuries?..."

    His sentence trailed off as he felt a stinging pain inside his eyes. He rubbed them gently and shook his head before looking at Alec with a sigh.

    "Just a little tired."

    "Okay but if you are feeling sick rest for a while."

    Alec side nced at him and left him alone. After they were done Professor Liam asked them to do some push-ups but only after a few push-ups Nine raised his hand with difficulty and looked at Liam.

    "Sir, I am not feeling good. I want a tiny break."

    Liam gazed at him with a frown.

    "Within thest two months, it''s the 20th time you have been feeling sick during training! Do you think I don''t know what your tricks are?"

    Nine clicked his tongue and just resigned to his fate with a downcast expression.

    After they were done with the push-ups, Professor Liam made them run again until the students were breathless.

    The top students were rtively finepared to the others so Liam dismissed the remaining students before asking the top students to run again.

    While running, Kyle looked at Nine who was dragging his body toward the exit with the other students. He chuckled.

    ''For once, he actually seemed sick.''

 Chapter 175 Blessing or curse

    <h4>Chapter 175 Blessing or curse</h4>

    Nine left the training ground and dragged his body to the dorm.

    The moment he entered the room, he slumped on the bed and closed his eyes instantly.

    After a while, he stood up and looked at the small circr mirror hanging outside the wardrobe.

    He gazed at his moist eyes. Soon, small red veins appeared underneath his eyes and he winced with pain.

    "I don''t even know if it''s a blessing or curse."

    He rubbed his eyes with a painful expression as he sat down on the bed with a sigh.

    Even though his expression looked calm his mind was racing because a moment ago he saw something again.

    It wasn''t something anyone could know because the thing he saw hadn''t happened yet.

    "A powerful ability? Huh?"

    He scoffed at himself and buried his face in the pillow.

    ''I should not have been born with this ability. My elder sister already had it so why do I have it?''

    Nine knew his ability wasn''t high-rank like his sister but it was something gifted to him from birth.

    In every generation, one member of the royal family would awaken this ability but after his sister, he also started seeing visions. At first, he thought they were just nonsense and never focused on them because the visions only appeared when he touched someone''s skin directly. They were random and he would see only one vision in months.

    After he turned 16 and awakened his talent everyone was shocked because, through the talent awakening Crystal, it was proved that just like his sister he had the unique ability to see the future.

    Even though his mother the Queen tried her best, the news traveled fast around the whole Kingdom.

    The ability holders were revered as someone great from ancient times that''s why after the people protested, the Queen went into a dilemma.

    The future Queen was already decided as her beloved daughter would inherit the throne in the future. That''s why to appease the people his mother who never even nced at him after giving birth to him increased his status among his other siblings and he was given the right to do everything he wanted.

    "They didn''t even know a prince named Nine existed but when they heard that I also awakened the special ability, they wanted to get on my good side. Why? Just because those so-called ancestors left behind some strange rules. Huh? I hate these types of people! A bunch of hypocrites!"

    Nine gazed turned sharp. He hated everyone from the pce. They all neglected him when he needed them the most but came running when he was useful.

    That''s why after he was given freedom and high authority he left his home. At first, he wanted to wander around and didn''t have any specific n in mind but then while traveling he heard about the Royal Academy.

    His interest was piqued after hearing about Principal Ratric and just for fun he registered for the test. His presence inside the test was almost invisible because he wasn''t strong. His parents never had any expectations of him that''s why he didn''t work hard like his siblings who were always trying their best to be noticed.

    Even though he didn''t show anything remarkable in the entrance test, he passed the first two rounds with extreme difficulty.

    When the third round, 1Vs1 battles among the participants started after the first sh he was going to give up but then he almost coughed out blood on the stage when he heard someone shouting from behind.

    "Mark my word! You have zero chance of winning with how slowly you are attacking."

    Nine snapped, he dodged the opponent''s attack and looked back at the person who was giving remarks on his battle.

    His eyes narrowed slightly as he saw a familiar person sitting luxury among the Academy teachers will a satisfied expression.

    ''Isn''t he the one who got the lucky spot and didn''t need to fight in the final round?''

    He thought inwardly with a frown and dodged another attack from his opponent when another remark was thrown his way.

    "Defend yourself! Do you even have a brain?"

    Nine stopped himself from rolling his sleeves and going down to beat the shit out of the person who seemed to be enjoying himself.

    His anger increased when another remark resounded in his head. With a dark expression, instead of the culprit he punched and kicked his opponent to calm his nerves.

    He didn''t even notice when he won the match and entered the Academy with the other students.

    ''Damn it! I just wanted to see the Royal Academy entrance test! How the hell did I lose my mind just because of some terrible remarks?''

    He cursed inwardly and nced at the culprit with angry eyes. The person looked ordinary with deep ck eyes but for some reason the corners of his hair were silver.

    Nine took a deep breath to calm down and saved the person''s face in his mind for future revenge.

    Before the Academy tested everyone''s talents, his identity was exposed to the Vice Principal by some shitty people who were following him from the shadows without his knowledge. In the end, when he snapped they gave him a reason that they wanted to protect him.

    Nine controlled himself and soon he saw a familiar face stepping on the stage to test his talent. It was the strange boy who remarked on his performance during the 1Vs1 battles.

    When the teacher called out the boy''s name, he smirked evilly while mumbling the name slowly.

    "Kyle. I am sorry but it seems I will take out my frustration on you!"

    He was smirking when the teacher announced Kyle''s talent with a nonchnt expression.

    "(B)-Rank."

    Nine almost tripped when he heard Kyle''s talent.

    ''I thought he would be someone with a high talent when I saw him remarking everyone 1Vs1 battles like a master! Damn it! It''s unfair, how can you curse others with so much confidence when you don''t even have enough strength to protect yourself!''

 Chapter 176 Spiritual gaze

    <h4>Chapter 176 Spiritual gaze</h4>

    After Kyle was done testing his talent he left the stage, all this while Nine sharp gaze followed his back.

    ''Talent doesn''t matter I will still take out my frustration on you!''

    He made up his mind inwardly. They were given a tour of the Academy and afterward, Nine reluctantly went to his assigned dorm but he was surprised to see Kyle entering the room next to him.

    Kyle stopped for a moment and nced around with a nonchnt expression. Nine body stiffened but he didn''t know whether tough or cry when Kyle''s gaze swept past him like a sh. Thetter didn''t even seem to recognize him!

    After Kyle disappeared inside the room, Nine scoffed and entered his room while forming a n to take a small revenge on Kyle. Afterward, he would leave the Academy. Anyway, he was only here because he got curious.

    The next day, after checking the first-year schedule he went to sses but unlike the eager students, Kyle wasn''t seen in the sses for a whole week!

    He clicked his tongue and threw Kyle out of his mind but then Professor Aliza suddenly asked the ss if they knew anything about ''Kyle Ohan''. Her voice was a little angry when she asked them to remind Kyle about the uing ranking assessment.

    Nine smiled mischievously when he saw her frown, as a good neighbor he instantly wanted to do his duty and tell Kyle about the angry Professor. He wanted to see panic on Kyle''s nonchnt face!

    Heughed evilly and went back to his room. The next day, he saw Kyle standing in front of the dorm and his eyes sparkled with amusement.

    Nine cleared his throat and after patting his clothes he called out to Kyle who was going to enter his dorm.

    "Kyle? Right."

    Kyle turned around and instead of his usual nonchnt expression, he looked at Nine with a frown.

    "Yes, it''s me."

    Nine blinked he was here to see Kyle''s reaction but he got a little nervous when Kyle stared at him directly.

    He stretched out his right hand with a smile.

    "It''s nice meeting you, I am Nine."

    Kyle looked at him from head to toe. Nine''s eyebrow twitched and he almost had the urge to leave because it took Kyle a whole minute just to grab his hand.

    "As you already know, my name is Kyle. It''s nice meeting you too."

    Nine looked at Kyle with a forced smile he was going to say something when he felt a familiar jolt of pain in his eyes. He winced inwardly and an image of a man appeared inside his mind.

    His mind was nk for a second as he saw the man standing within a sea of blue mes. The man was flying and Nine could only see his back but even his back looked majestic. Just a single nce and Nine was sure the individual was powerful enough to crush anyone with a single move.

    A shocked expression appeared on his face as he stared at Kyle in a daze. His mind raced with only a single question.

    ''How?''

    How was it possible for Kyle to be so strong when he only had (B)-Rank talent? His pupils contracted the next second when he sensed Kyle''s rank. It was (F+)-Rank!

    The only people who reached (F+)-Rank were Alec, Carcel, Lara, and Mia but they all had incredible talents!

    On the other hand, Kyle sensed Nine shocked gaze and he instantly hid his aura but for the next few seconds, there was an awkward silence.

    "So why did you call for me?"

    Nine finally snapped out of his stupor when Kyle broke the silence.

    He smiled and looked at Kyle. This time his smile was wider as he hurriedly tossed the n of taking revenge on Kyle out of the window and instead decided to befriend him.

    With time they be close and Nine knew even though their friendship started because of a weird vision, Kyle was his first genuine friend!

    After spending some time with Kyle, he learned a lot of things about him. Unlike his outer nonchnt appearance, Kyle was a very observant and trustworthy person. He was also sharp but for some reason, he disliked interacting with others.

    Nine chuckled and sat down on the bed thinking about how his small revenge turned into friendship.

    "I still want revenge for those bad remarks but damn he is too strong! I can''t catch up no matter how much I try!"

    He grumbled and after a while a serious expression appeared on his face. After entering the academy he saw a few more visions rted to his ssmates but today when Kyle tapped his shoulder on the training ground, it almost made him panic because what he saw wasn''t something good.

    It was only a single image but Nine was sure it was going to happen very soon because in the vision Kyle''s appearance looked the same as now.

    The image showed an area filled with tall green grass and wild weeds, Kyle was lying alone between the grass with tattered clothes. His eyes were shut and a lot of bloodied injuries could be seen on his whole body.

    "I wasn''t going to participate in the tournament but after seeing the vision I think it''s rted to the tournament. I need to stop this from happening!"

    A determined expression appeared on his face. Even though Nine knew Kyle would be fine because he had already seen him standing in a sea of blue mes with a majestic presence he didn''t want to take any risk.

    The vision Nine saw had never been wrong before because his ability was rted to nature.

    "I need to make sure Kyle avoids this situation. If someone dared to kidnap or attack him in the presence of so many strong Professors and Vice Principal George that person would be really strong."

    "I am too weak. I need to start working hard if I want to help him!"

    Nine groaned and he decided to work even harder from now on.

    ....

    Meanwhile, in the training ground. Kyle panted heavily as hey down on the ground with a tired expression.

    "I can''t run anymore."

    Bia sighed and sat down beside him.

    -''I think today''s training is a little brutal.''

    Kyle winced as he moved his legs to rx his tired muscles.

    ''Just a little brutal?''

    He scoffed and looked at the other top students who were still trying their best to run. The only person who seemed to be in a better condition was Alec.

    Professor Liam looked at Kyle''s figure and finally gave the signal to stop.

    "Okay. It''s enough for today. I will see you all tomorrow with the other students."

    He chuckled with a satisfied expression and left the panting students alone. Alec looked at the fading back of the Professor before sitting down to calm his breath. Carcel, Lara, Mia, and the other top students had already slumped down with panting breaths.

    After a while, Kyle stretched his legs with a sigh.

    "I am noting here tomorrow! I am taking a day off!"

    He grumbled and Alec looked at him with a tired expression.

    "I am noting as well. He seemed to be taking revenge because we scared the other students too much when we fought each other."

    After a while, they finally had the strength to stand up. They all dragged their bodies toward the exit.

    While walking, Kyle thought for a while and looked at Alec.

    "Anyway, Do you know what happened to Nine?"

    Alec gazed at him with surprise. The first question that appeared in his mind was why was Kyle asking him this question. Shouldn''t he ask this to Nine?

    "I don''t know. We should go and see him tomorrow."

    Kyle nodded he just wanted to know if Alec was able to know something like this with the system.

    After Kyle left, Alec massaged his temples and looked at his fading back.

    ''Why do I feel like Kyle knows something? No.. it''s not possible.''

    He shook his head and threw the thought at the back of his head before thinking about Nine. Even though he told Kyle he didn''t know anything he had an idea as to what was wrong with Nine.

    ''I wonder what he saw? I just hope it''s not something bad.''

    Alec''s eyes gaze at the system interference. He thought about it and a familiar screen appeared in front of him.

    ______________________

    System Analysis;

    ''Name: Nine Ondo''

    ''Race: Mer''

    ''Rank: (D)''

    ''Talent: (S+)''

    ''Special: Healing (C)-Rank; The individual can heal others and himself with mana.

    ''Inherited skill; Spiritual gaze (low)-grade; The individual can see a split second in the future if he touches someone''s skin directly but the ability will cause pain because of its unique nature. The skill grade is too low that''s why it can''t be used frequently. It will activate itself randomly.

    Other skills...

    No more information provided.

    ______________________

    ''I have to say I was quite shocked after seeing this but it''s fine even though he isn''t a human he is one of my friends. Also, I am one hundred percent sure he saw something again that''s why he looked weak and sick.''

    Alec sighed and went back to his room to rest.

 Chapter 177 Intermediate mastery in Arrays

    <h4>Chapter 177 Intermediate mastery in Arrays</h4>

    Next day, Kyle didn''t see Nine in the ssroom. He frowned and became a little worried.

    After the sses, he skipped the training session together with Alec and Carcel. The three of them went to Nine''s dorm.

    Kyle gazed at the two individuals standing behind him and knocked on Nine''s door for the second time today. The first time was in the morning but because no one opened the door he left it alone.

    He waited for a minute and knocked on the door again but didn''t receive any response.

    "Don''t tell me he went out again?"

    He sighed and looked at the duo standing behind him.

    Alec shrugged his shoulders.

    "Maybe... It''s possible. Anyway, now that Nine isn''t present we are free for the day. What are you going to do?"

    Kyle looked back at Nine''s dorm with a serious expression.

    "I am going to the library for a while."

    "Huh?"

    Alec and Carcel both looked at each other. Kyle did go to the library frequently for some reason but for the past week he stopped, so they thought maybe he won''t go there again.

    "Alright. Then we are leaving, if you are free you can see us in the second-year students building. I heard they are trading some stuff with the juniors."

    Alec said and left the building with Carcel. Kyle looked at their backs for a while, he once again knocked on Nine door.

    "Huh... He was sick where did he go in such a condition?"

    He shook his head and went to the library with Bia. When he stepped inside, he saw the familiar old Librarian who gave him a nod.

    As he walked through the rows of bookshelves, he felt someone was staring at him from behind. Kyle frowned and looked back only to see the new woman who was assigned as an assistant to the librarian.

    She was wearing a light blue robe and he could see sses on her deep eyes but she wasn''t looking at Kyle thought she was busy sorting some books on a nearby bookshelf.

    ''Did I make a mistake?''

    He grumbled inwardly at how paranoid he was and was going to brush the matter when Bia''s voice resounded inside his mind.

    -''She was staring at your back.''

    ''Huh?''

    Kyle''s feet stopped for a moment and he blinked a few times.

    ''She was?...''

    He gazed at the woman again this time with a serious expression. He had beening to the library for a few months now and sometimes he would feel someone was staring at him.

    -''Yes, she turned away the moment you look back.''

    Bia yawned and pped her wings while sitting on Kyle''s head but her eyes were sharp as she gazed at the woman.

    Kyle gave a side long nce to the woman who seemed too busy with the books and after noting her strange behavior, he entered the secret room with Bia.

    Bia flew around the familiar room with a bored expression before sitting on the only table present in the middle of the room.

    On the other hand, Kyle sat down on a chair and picked up one of the books present on the table. The book was thick and filled withplicated symbols but he read through each symbol with ease.

    Under the guidance of Elder Han, Kyle has achieved a lot in Arrays within a short amount of time. Even Han was shocked at his improvements because Kyle was very fast at picking up things and his learning was basically out of the chart.

    There were seven stages of Array mastery.

    1_Begginer

    2_Novice

    3_Intermediate

    4_Advance

    5_Expert

    6_Master

    7_Grandmaster

    When Elder Han suddenly disappeared, Kyle had reached intermediate mastery in Arrays. He gazed at the pile of books present on the table.

    "I think I will be done with these books within two months. Maybe I will reach advanced mastery before the Academies tournament."

    A smile appeared at the corner of his lips. The books were quite hard even for him but after he started learning seriously he liked this profession.

    Kyle thought trailed off for a second as he thought of a silly scenario.

    In arge forest, he was surrounded by hundreds of monsters but he stood tall and just waved his hand sprinkling mana stones everywhere. Instantly a high-rank defensive Array appeared around him. In the end, the monsters weren''t even able to touch him as he easily killed them with another high-grade offensive Array.

    The battle was won and he didn''t even use an ounce of mana! How good it would be!

    Bia narrowed her gaze at Kyle''s face. He was wearing a strange evil smile for some reason.

    -''Kyle..?''

    "Huh?"

    -''You okay?''

    Kyle blinked and pinched his nose bridge with an embarrassed smile.

    "I am fine."

    ...

    Meanwhile, inside Vice Principal George''s office. He frowned as he looked at the brown-haired youth sitting in front of his work table.

    "So you are saying I need to increase the security around the Academy?"

    Nine wore a grave expression as he looked at George.

    "Yes, I think something bad is going to happen!"

    George scoffed. He knew Nine identity as a Prince but he didn''t expect to hear such bullshit. Just who would dare to attack the Academy in his presence? After Ratric he was one of the strongest in the Kingdom. Also, the nearby Kingdoms weren''t idiot enough to send their elites to barge into the Academy because no one wanted to make Ratric their enemy.

    He picked up some papers from nearby and started reading while pointing at the exit.

    "Okay. I heard you, you can leave now."

    Nine looked at the pointed finger and sighed while massaging his temples like an old man. He had been trying to talk with George for a while now but thetter didn''t seem to believe him.

    ''It''s not unexpected. He didn''t know about my Inherited ability.''

    "Alright but even if you can''t increase the security please keep an eye on the students to avoid any future danger!"

    He stood up with a serious expression and left the room.

    George looked at Nine fading image and his frown deepened.

    "This brat! Why is he suddenly stressing about the Academy security? Did someone from his Kingdom want to attack the Academy?"

    "Anyway, it''s better to be cautious. I will ask the Elders to guard the kids for a while."

    He sighed and started reading the papers.

    ...

    After the sudden news about the Academies tournament was released by the King himself, all the Academies present within Kingdom Ete started preparing for the tournament with full power because the King promised to reward the top 200 students himself.

    The public also heard about the news and was excited because something like this never happened before but their excitement died down when they found out the Academies tournament would be held in a secret ce, away from their eyes to avoid all types of mischief and hidden danger.

    A lot of nobles voiced their opinions in front of the King because even they were forbidden to know the tournament location.

    In the end, the King ordered to record the whole tournament inside the video crystals. After the tournament, the crystals would be sold to everyone who wished to see the student''s performance in the tournament.

    After one month passed, a total of 86 Academies registered for the tournament. Each Academy was informed to bring thirty elite students, ten students from each year.

    Inside a luxurious room filled with various types of beautiful antiques. The room was painted white and arge bookshelf filled with documents was present on the left.

    A huge brown curtain was floating behind a golden-haired man who sat on a chair embedded with gems. He ced his hand on the table present in front of himself with a frown.

    Two tall individuals wearing golden uniforms were kneeling in front of the sitting man as they told him the news they received a few moments ago.

    "Your majesty. We have checked the information it''s true."

    The golden-haired man who seemed to be in his mid-thirties sighed as he waved his hand to dismiss the guards.

    After the guards left he took out amunication Crystal for the ring present on his middle finger and envelope the Crystal with mana, seemingly trying to contact someone.

    A few moments passed when the Crystal finally lit up showing a projection of an old individual who was sitting on a grassy field.

    "Ratric?"

    The old individual gazed at the golden-haired man with a polite smile. The man was none other than the King of Kingdom Ete.

    "Your majesty, why did you call me so suddenly?"

    The King looked at the old man with narrowed eyes.

    "I just received a report about that student of yours what was the name again? Kyle was it?"

    A confused expression appeared on Ratric face as he waited for the King to finish his sentence.

    "You said he only had (B)-Rank talent but in the report I received his talent isn''t (B)-Rank?"

    "At first it was fine because he only had a beast that had a legendary talent. There was no way he should be able to nurture the beast with his strength that''s why no one was willing to take any risk but now with his actual talent being (SS)-Rank, the old foggies are bing too greedy."

    Ratric frowned as he heard the news.

    "I had no idea about this."

    He said with a sigh but the King looked too serious.

    "It''s okay. Ask George to protect that Kid for a while and send him to the ''Secret Realm'' with Alec and Carcel. I believe the three of them will give us a lot of surprises in th future."

 Chapter 178 I need to verify his talent

    <h4>Chapter 178 I need to verify his talent</h4>

    The time within the Royal Academy was passing peacefully. All the students of each year were busy challenging the top ten to snatch their spots.

    At first, the students were reluctant to fight because the top ten from each year were stronger but after hearing about the tempting reward the King would give to the top participants of the tournament they were motivated.

    As the day of the tournament neared, a few confident students challenged and fought against the top students. Even though not many were able to win, the Professors in charge were astonished to see some hidden individuals with great strength defeating the top ten.

    From the first year, Kyle, Alec, Lara, Carcel, Mia, Lily, and Jake stayed in their position but the ranks below them changed repeatedly. To Kyle''s surprise, Tray the boy who was following behind him entered the top ten after defeating Nike who was ranked 10 in the whole ss.

    From the second year, ne was able to enter the top ten easily, and from the third year students mostly the top ten were defeated by their ssmates except the top two students who were twins.

    In the first-year training ground;

    Nine was sitting beside Kyle as he looked at the figures present on the two Arena stages. In the first stage Alec and Carcel were having a friendly match while in the second stage, a brown-eyed youth was fighting with Lara.

    Nine stood up and gazed at the blue-haired girl sitting on his left. It was Mia, she was ying with Bia wings with a smile.

    "It''s my turn next!"

    He shouted with a serious expression while ncing at his opponent Lily.

    From the original two months, only two weeks were left and soon the selection process for the tournament would end. That''s why if he doesn''t get a spot in the top ten within two weeks, he won''t be able to enter the tournament.

    Kyle stood up as well and patted Nine shoulder.

    "Now that you have finally decided to fight. Be careful, she isn''t weak at all."

    Nine was able to sense the hidden meaning behind Kyle''s words.

    ''She is strong. Make sure to not break your bones.''

    He nodded with a solemn expression and entered the Arena stage under Professor Liam''s eyes. Lily was standing beside the students who were watching Alec and Carcel fight but when she saw Nine she climbed the stage and stood opposite to him.

    Nine''s expression stiffened as he remembered the not-so-beautiful past. During the Selection process when they were fighting for a spot to enter the Tower of Opportunity she kind of roughed him up into a tattered mess.

    He took a deep breath and took out his weapon. Lily smiled as her long hair floated behind her back.

    After the Professor waved his hand both of them attacked each other with incredible speed.

    Meanwhile, Kyle looked back and his eyes narrowed at Bia. He could see the gleeful expression on her face as Mia caressed her fur gently.

    ''I feel like someday you will abandon me for a beauty!''

    Kyle scoffed because she didn''t even reply and ignored himpletely.

    He sighed and sat down again watching Nine battle with a serious expression.

    On the stage, Nine blocked another magical attack from Lily and jumped backward before attacking her with water bullets.

    The fight continued and Kyle chuckled when he saw Nine getting beaten up here and there but in the end, thetter won after a long and exhausting fight on the stage.

    Nine waved his tired hand and shouted at the top of his lungs.

    "I am in the top ten now!"

    He smiled with satisfaction but his smile stiffened when someone from the crowd challenged him the next second.

    Nine cleared his throat and looked at the muscr boy who just stepped out from the rows of students.

    "How can you challenge one of the top ten so recklessly! Don''t you have any sense? Do you want to get beaten up so badly?"

    He said with a scoff but then his expression turned heavy as he looked at the youth.

    "Sigh! Unlike you, Lily is strong so don''t me me if you break a bone or two...."

    The students were silent in the training ground as Professor Liam stared at Nine who was busy threatening his opponent without any care.

    After hearing Nine long and threatening speech the muscr boy hesitated but then Professor Liam raised his hand.

    "Alright Nine will rest for half an hour afterward Duran will challenge him."

    Nine grumbled and red at the muscr boy while cracking his knuckles. He wanted to intimidate his challenger.

    "Tsk, after I recover my mana I will see you! Just you wait!"

    He gave the guy ast warning re and jumped down from the stage. His eyes moved around before fixing on Kyle with a sigh.

    ''It''s been a whole month already but nothing out of the ordinary happened inside the Academy. Does that mean the scene I saw would happen in the tournament?''

    He massaged his temples with a frown. Nine had stopped going out for a while now and he had been watching over Kyle''s surroundings.

    He even followed thetter to the library but was shocked to find out that Kyle was learning about Arrays!

    ''Ugh... How can you have time to learn about Arrays when our schedule is packed with sses and training sessions!''

    ''Anyway, even though I was kicked out from the study by Vice Principal George I am sure he would keep an eye on us for a while after my sudden warning.''

    He walked and sat beside Kyle who gave him a water bottle.

    "They are fighting again!"

    Nine clicked his tongue when he saw how Alec changed his opponent to Lara and Carcel was now fighting with Jake.

    "Show off!"

    Kyle chuckled but then he felt a little dizzy and his smile vanished reced by a sudden cold chill shooting up his spine. Nine saw Kyle''s unfocused eyes and stretched out his hand to touch his forehead.

    "Are you alright?"

    Kyle jolted and instantly backed away from his hand with a frown.

    "I am fine."

    "Hmm... Alright. If you say so."

    Nine retracted his hand and prepared himself for the next fight with that idiot muscr boy.

    On the other hand, Bia shuffled her wings and left Mia''s side.

    -''Are you alright?''

    She flew toward Kyle before sitting on hisp while straightening her messy wings.

    ''I am fine but my body temperature is dropping too much. In the past two weeks, it''s be worse. That''s why I didn''t let Nine touch me just now. My body is almost freezing he would''ve freaked out if he touched me.''

    Bia hummed and slow waves of heat emitted from her body. The heat gathered around Kyle who smiled.

    ''When did you learn this? Also, You do know that it won''t work on me because of my passive skill ''Fire Resistance''?''

    Bia didn''t reply and just sat down on his shoulder with a sleepy expression.

    ....

    The next week in the Royal Academy was very hectic, mostly for the Professors who were in charge of supervising the 1vs1 battles between the kids.

    In thest week, the atmosphere became a little tense and anxious because even the weakest students wanted to try their luck and they started challenging the top students. Even though the weak students were defeated, fighting so many battles was very taxing on the top students. That''s why when three days were left, the Professors announced the end of the two-month battles.

    The top 10 students from each year were selected and the Professors wrote down their names.

    Meanwhile, George was busy as well because the Principal asked him to bring some Defensive Artifacts with him to the tournament. The location and everything about the Academies tournament was decided by the King himself so he didn''t have any idea about it. He wasn''t sure what type of stage would be waiting for the kids or him. That''s why he picked one old Elder named ze and three capable Professors to apany him.

    The tense atmosphere around the Academy was gradually lifted when the Vice Principal appeared and gathered all the students in arge field. His eyes were serious as he started a long speech.

    During the speech, he tried his best to console the students who were unable to participate in the tournament.

    After the speech finished, one of the Professors handed him a name list.

    George nodded and looked at the top students'' names, his eyes narrowed a little when he saw Kyle''s name but then he just shook his head with a helpless sigh. The Principal has already informed him about Kyle''s actual talent two months ago.

    He was shocked at first because how was it possible for the Academy Artifact to make a mistake while checking Kyle''s talent? Not only that, the Artifact only showed Kyle''s talent wrongly while everyone else talent was urate!

    George scoffed and saw Kyle''s figure standing in the crowd.

    ''I need to verify his talent.''

    He noted inwardly and raised his hand to quiet the students who were speaking.

    "Alright. We will leave for the Academies tournament in three days through a teleportation device to avoid any problems. So all the students who are selected should rest for the next few days."

    After George waved his hand, the students left one by one. The ones who were selected left the field with bright faces while the ones who weren''t selected left with dejected faces.

 Chapter 179 What is she doing here?

    <h4>Chapter 179 What is she doing here?</h4>

    Kyle woke up early as today was the day the selected students would leave for the tournament.

    The past three days for him were ordinary and he mostly spent his time lying on his bed as he didn''t have to attend any lecture or training sessions. He also skipped learning about Arrays because a week ago he reached advanced mastery in Arrays.

    He was excited because now he was able to read some symbols present in the Ancient Array books he found in the Tower.

    As he was trying to read the books he had the urge to tell Elder Han about his achievement that''s why after contemting for a while he decided to contact the old man through themunication Crystal but to his dismay, thetter didn''t pick up his call.

    In the end, he sighed and threw the matter in the back of his head.

    Kyle inhaled deeply and propelled his body out of the bed. It took him a while to remove theyer of nkets present around his body. His bare feet touched the cold ground and his toe curled up.

    "It''s cold."

    He grumbled and entered the bathroom to take a bath. In the water, he could see his eyes were a little drowsy and in thest two days, hisplexion had turned paler.

    Kyle shook his head and touched the white earring present on his ear.

    "I didn''t advance to the next rank even after so much training and hard work and from my body, I can sense I am not even near!"

    He lightly clenched his fists with a frustrated expression and after wiping his body, he came out from the bathroom wearing the Academy blue uniform.

    Kyle looked at his clothes with a rather unsatisfied expression. He didn''t like the Academy uniform because it was a little tight but all the students participating in the tournament were required to wear it that''s why he had no other choice.

    Kyle looked at Bia who was still dozing on the pillow, he picked her up with two fingers. Bia slowly opened her eyes with reluctance but when she saw Kyle''s evil smile and mischievous eyes she blinked because something was amiss.

    Her premonition was right because Kyle''s next sentence sent chills down her spine.

    "You are looking too ugly let me clean you a little."

    -''What? You are joking right?"

    Kyle turned around and started walking toward the bathroom again. Bia''s eyes widened.

    -''Wait wait wait...''

    She struggled and tried to bite Kyle''s fingers but thetter was already used to her protest and didn''t let her fly.

    With an evil smirk, he entered the bathroom and for the next few minutes, painful cries of Bia could be heard as Kyle mercilessly washed her with cold water.

    When Kyle came out Bia''s feathers were wet and her eyes were cold as she cursed him inwardly nonstop.

    Kyle ignored her and after wiping her with a towel a satisfied expression appeared on his face.

    "You look pretty now."

    He said with a serious nod and Bia shut her mouth with a grumble.

    Kyle''s eyes trailed off to the ordinary-looking broach present on the table.

    It was the same broach Elder Han left behind for him. He wore it regrly because ording to the Elder, it was a life-saving Artifact even though it looked very ordinary.

    Kyle picked up the broach and wore it on his shirt before picking up Bia who was moody and left the room.

    He gazed at the three storage rings present on his fingers.

    ''Should I take them all or leave some behind?''

    It was fine for him to carry them in the Academy as no one cared but now when he would meet new people it was a different story.

    While thinking he knocked on Nine door. After a few seconds, the door opened.

    Kyle raised his brow because after opening the door Nine turned around and started ruffling his nkets and his wardrobe was a mess.

    "What happened?"

    He said with a serious expression and entered the room.

    "Nothing, I just lost something. It is like a bead, very small. I think I dropped it somewhere."

    Nine stopped and sighed. It was the Artifact that would inform him if the people from his race were nearby, no matter strong or weak. He acquired it after he found out about the Queen shadows following behind him.

    "Let''s leave. Maybe I lost it."

    He threw the nket away and left the building with Kyle. While they were walking many passerby students looked at them with envy because, unlike the other students who have to prepare for the final exam, the students entering the tournament were exempted from the exam.

    After walking for a while, both of them arrived at the open square field behind the Student''s hall. A few students were already gathered in the field.

    Kyle gazed at the students but when he saw the two simr-looking boys standing arrogantly at the front his gaze paused for a second. They both looked identical with light smoke eyes and grey hair.

    ''The third-year seniors?''

    He retracted his gaze when the others noticed his presence. He walked beside Nine and they stood between the students who were chatting. Some of the students nced at Kyle but didn''t approach him when they saw his nonchnt expression.

    Kyle watched quietly while Nine became busy talking to the seniors like they were his long-lost friends. After a few minutes, some more students arrived. Alec and the others also appeared. In the end, a total of thirty students were gathered in the field, ten students from each year.

    In front of the students, two Professors wearing blue robes roamed around the square field as they checked the round Teleportation Array present in the middle. One of them set the coordinates ording to the location they received from George in the morning.

    Everything was going smoothly and after a few more minutes Vice Principal George also arrived in the field with Elder ze.

    Professor Liam was following behind them with a wide grin because from all the Professors he was selected to follow the kids. Well, he wasn''t the only Professor who was selected but who cares as long as he could watch some nice battles between the kids.

    Kyle''s eyes were a little drowsy but he shook his head again to focus. When the Array was ready, George waved his hand to gesture to the students to enter the round boundary of the Array.

    Kyle started walking with the others but then he saw a familiar faceing out from behind a wall of the student hall.

    ''What is she doing here?''

    He frowned and narrowed his eyes when he saw the Librarian''s new assistant standing at the end of the square field.

 Chapter 180 Who did it!

    <h4>Chapter 180 Who did it!</h4>

    Professor Aster paced around his room with a sweaty forehead.

    He gazed at the Communication crystal present on the table opposite him. A figure of a woman wearing a long ck shirt with grey pants could be seen on the projection hovering above the Crystal.

    "I just need to stop him for a minute right?"

    He said while swallowing his saliva. Thick beads of sweat trickled down his forehead as he knew even a single mistake would cause him to lose his life.

    The long-haired woman inside the projection looked familiar. She was the new assistant assigned to the Librarian after careful consideration.

    She scoffed when she saw Aster''s pale face.

    "If you are going to act like this you will get caught for being suspicious even before I did something! Just do as I said I will face all the consequences."

    Aster took a deep breath and nodded. He could see the woman was already half crazy from the look in her eyes. He didn''t know why she was doing such a suicidal mission but he didn''t care as long as all this didn''t impact him.

    "Alright."

    He cut the connection of themunication crystal and left the room, heading straight toward the student''s hall.

    While walking, he arranged his poster and tidied his clothes. A serious and nonchnt expression appeared on his face as he looked around like nothing happened a while ago.

    After a few minutes, he appeared at the field present behind the Student hall.

    He gazed at the students standing on a side before he focused on Geroge who was standing opposite to the students with Elder ze and Professor Liam.

    When the Teleportation Array was ready, George waved his hand toward the students while walking.

    "Step in the Array."

    His voice was deep and the students instantly moved to stand inside the Array one by one but George stopped midway because someone called him from behind.

    "Sir."

    He turned around with a frown as he looked at the approaching figure. Elder ze and Professor Liam stopped as well as they gazed at the individual who appeared out of nowhere.

    Meanwhile, Kyle heard Professor Aster''s voice he stopped for a second but Nine pushed him toward the Teleportation Array.

    "Hurry up. Wait... Why is your back so cold."

    Kyle stepped back with a nonchnt expression and raised his hands to avoid the topic.

    "Alright, Alright... I am moving."

    He entered the Array with the other students. One of the blue-robed professors who was checking the Array before stopped and entered the Array with the students.

    They all waited for the Vice Principal to step inside the Teleportation Array.

    Nine rubbed his hands with a smile.

    "I am excited but inwardly I am freaking out! We are going to fight face-to-face all the other Academies!"

    Alec touched his shoulder with a solemn expression.

    "Don''t worry we will save you if you are near death."

    Nine pped his hand away with a dark gaze.

    "Hump! I can beat all those who will challenge me!"

    The grey-haired twins from the third year looked at the group of first-year juniors with amused expressions but ne the second-year student who was standing behind them looked at Nine with a narrowed gaze. He still hasn''t taken his revenge on Nine!

    Kyle chuckled slightly at Alec and Carcel because they were doing their best to ruin Nine image in front of the seniors.

    Even though he looked focused at Nine and the others his gaze was fixed at the Vice Principal because he was having a nagging feeling at the pit of his stomach.

    His nervous eyes looked at the ce where the strange woman was standing a few minutes ago but he didn''t see anyone.

    ''Where did she go?''

    His sentence was answered with a familiar sensation that enveloped his body. White particles gushed out from the Array surrounding the dumbfounded students.

    Kyle''s eyes widened and he gritted his teeth because he wanted to step out from the Array but it was toote. With the remaining willpower, he hugged Bia and thest thing he heard was the miserable shrieks from the students standing beside him.

    On the other hand, when Aster called out to the Vice Principal.

    "Aster? What happened?"

    George said with a frown. He was busy so he wondered why thetter stopped him so urgently.

    Aster wore a serious expression, as he took out a que from his storage ring.

    "Sir, I just received the news. More than five students have gone missing after leaving the Academy!"

    His voice was grave as he showed a D-shaped wooden que to the Vice Principal.

    George''s eyes narrowed when he saw the que, it was given to the Professors who were in charge of the mission hall in their free time. Aster continued after getting George''s attention.

    "At first, I thought they would return afterpleting their missions that''s why I didn''t bother with them but even after a whole month there is no news about them."

    Liam grabbed the que from his hand with a frown.

    "Who are they? The names of the missing students. Did you check their mission location, maybe they suffered while fighting or worse..."

    His words trailed off as he knew they couldn''t protect each student after they left the city around the Academy.

    George sighed and opened his mouth... but his eyes contracted the next second when he sensed the movement of mana behind him.

    He turned around frantically with a deadpan expression and his eyes instantly narrowed into a slit as he saw the Teleportation Array had been activated without his permission.

    "Who did it!"

    George shouted but he knew he didn''t have time that''s why instead of looking for the culprit he leaped into the sky. The ground rumbled beneath him.

    He stretched out his hand within a second.

    "Contract!"

    A vein appeared on his forehead as he tried to stop the Teleportation Array that was already activated.

    Even for an Array master, it was very hard to stop a Teleportation Array that was activated because it could cause damage to the ones who were present inside the Array.

    Under George''s anxious expression, the ground beneath the Array cracked and a huge hole appeared. The Array which was brimming with white particles split into many different parts.

    Loud and painful shouts of the students rang out in the field as some of them were injured but it was toote because the remaining half of the students with the blue-robed Professor disappeared within the Array.

    George''s eyes darkened as he saw the remaining injured students lying on the ground.

    "No way!"

    He shouted. How could this happened under his watch? His heart trembled with anger as the mana inside his body seeped out.

    Professor Liam cursed and hurriedly dashed forward to give healing potions to the injured students.

    George''s bloodshot eyes locked on the only person standing at the end of the field.

    "That woman! stop right there!"

    He vanished and grabbed the neck of the fleeting young woman.

    "You did...?"

    His question was cut off when the woman in his hand snickered with a mocking expression. She already nted an Artifact that could change the Teleportation Array coordinates in the groundst night, the only thing she needed to do was to activate it but for that to seed George had to stay away from the Array.

    She bit her tongue and killed herself while gazing at the angry Vice Principal with a satisfied expression.

 Chapter 181 The tragedy before the tournament I

    <h4>Chapter 181 The tragedy before the tournament I</h4>

    A miserable voice rang out inside the student''s hall and Nine was jolted awake.

    He hissed and clutched one of his knees, it was bleeding.

    His eyes were blurry and the only thing he could hear was a male voice crying beside him.

    After a minute, when his mind became clear enough to think properly his eyes darkened as he frantically looked around the familiar hall.

    Not far away from him were some students lying or sitting while tending to their injuries. A few professors were running here and there trying to calm the panicked students. On his left, a grey-haired boy was crying as he mumbled someone''s name again and again.

    A crowd of unharmed students was standing at the hall entrance with solemn expressions. They were whispering and looking at the injured students withplicated expressions.

    Nine eyes became moist as he remembered what transpired a while ago. With a groan, he moved his painful body and patted the shoulder of the boy crying beside him. It was one of the twins who stood inside the Array with him and the others.

    Others?

    As the mention of his friends, his mind raced. His knee was severely injured but he gritted his teeth and looked around the crowded hall with a panicked expression, trying to find even a single familiar face.

    His gaze lingered on the faces of the students sitting or lying around him, soon he saw a familiar face.

    "Lara..?"

    He took a deep breath, her eyes were shut and her clothes were covered with blood but after sensing her normal breathing he sighed with relief.

    After he saw Lara, he looked around but didn''t see any other familiar face. His heart trembled as he counted the injured students present in the hall.

    "7....17.."

    A total of 18 students were present in the hall. That means from the total 30 students 12 students including the blue-robed professor disappeared within the Array.

    Nine slumped down on the floor with a deadpan expression. He could see almost all the students present in the hall were injured. Does not it mean the ones who disappeared would have suffered injuries as well? The Array was broken forcefully, it was almost impossible for the others to escape intact.

    ''I knew something was going to happen yet I let down my guards...''

    He cursed himself inwardly and clenched his fists tightly.

    ''No..No they will be fine I am sure.''

    Nine took a deep breath to regte his ragged breathing. He looked at his knee, it seemed the Professor gave him a healing potion when he was unconscious because he could see the injuries recovering but the speed was too slow.

    With a thought, the mana within his body swirled before it transferred to his knee. The thin veil of mana spread out gently from his skin and enveloped his knee in a warm embrace.

    After a minute, the injury around his knee disappeared. He stood up and stopped a nearby Professor.

    "Sir, have you seen the Vice Principal?"

    He tried to be calm but his voice gave him away because it sounded too impatient.

    The Professor gazed at Nine with a frown but then he pointed out the hall.

    "They are trying to locate the Array coordinates...."

    The Professor''s sentence was cut short because Nine dashed out from the hall, he bumped into some students standing at the entrance but he pushed them away roughly and ran straight toward the ce where everything happened.

    The students looked at him with displeased expressions but then they sighed, thinking maybe he also lost his family member like the grey-haired boy who was crying his heart out in the hall.

    Nine ran for a while and after taking a turn he appeared at the square field. The Array circle was broken into many pieces and many pits can be seen in the field.

    His eyes darted around when he saw a familiar figure shouting with anger.

    "Damn it! Damn it! It''s been an hour how can you all not even locate a simple coordinate? Useless!"

    Geroge shouted at Elder ze and the Professors who were doing their best to locate the coordinates through the broken Array.

    Elder ze sighed and looked at George, he could see the frustration and anger present in thetter face.

    They have been doing their best to locate the coordinates but it seemed that the woman nned everything because the moment the Array was destroyed the coordinates were tangled up into a bundle of mess.

    The Elder looked at the sweating Professors who were trembling under George''s pressure.

    He pinched his nose and approached George with a frown.

    "I don''t think we can locate the coordinates. We need an Array master."

    He said with a solemn expression.

    "Have the Principal picked up your call?"

    George''s expression was nk as he shook his head.

    "Not yet."

    He clenched his fist. Now where should he find an Array master? Array masters were rare and not easily avable.

    The other Professors in the Academy had some knowledge regarding the Arrays but just like him they only had very basic knowledge, like how to operate and destroy some intermediate-grade Arrays.

    In the end, the people who learned about this profession were always low in numbers. The only Array master in the Academy was Elder Han who had left the Kingdom two months ago.

    George knew very well he couldn''t contact Han after he entered the Central Continent. The only person who could do it was the Principal but he wasn''t picking up his calls.

    "I swear if anything happened to the students. No matter who is it as long as the person is involved I will skin them alive."

    From a corner, Nine looked at the situation. His pupils trembled slightly when he heard the Vice Principal''s words.

    He staggered and anxiously took out amunication Crystal from his storage ring. Geroge had noticed his presence but he didn''t look at him.

    Within a second, the Crystal lit up and Nine talked with someone before walking toward the Vice Principal with a serious expression.

    "Sir?"

    Geroge finally turned around with a frown.

    "Don''t walk around this area go back."

    Nine fiddled and looked at the broken Array.

    "No... I just want to say something. I know someone proficient in Arrays. I hope you can permit the person to enter the Academy because we need to find the coordinates as soon as possible."

    "I have already talked to the person he will arrive within an hour!"

    Geroge frown deepened. Outsiders were not allowed to enter the Acadmey that''s why even when Nine identity was disclosed to him he didn''t let the people following behind Nine enter the Acadmey. In the end, they all stayed outside the Academy.

    ''I need as much as help possible until I can contact the Principal. The more time I waste the more dangerous it would be for the kids.''

    He gazed at Nine with a serious expression and nodded.

    "Alright, I will let the individual in."

 Chapter 182 The tragedy before the tournament II

    <h4>Chapter 182 The tragedy before the tournament II</h4>

    Kyle''s body was floating above ayer of cold surface. No matter where one looked they could only see burning blue mes but ironically the mes were not hot. Instead, they were cold enough to send chills down anyone''s spine.

    Beautiful brilliant blue mes gently swirled around his body. Everything in front of Kyle was blurry and hazy.

    The only thought that resounded inside his nk mind was that he should sleep.

    ''It''s so peaceful....''

    His body floated and the dangerous mes touched his skin gently. It was cold but Kyle felt the mes were a part of his body. A warm trickling sensation spread around his body and a thought crept up at the back of his mind.

    ''It''s time...''

    When it appeared Kyle frowned with difort. He didn''t want to sleep yet he felt like he was forgetting something important.

    His mind started to be clear as he fought the urge to let the blue mes envelop his body.

    After a few minutes of struggle, a small memory appeared in his mind. He was clutching a soft thing before everything turned blurry. Wasn''t he?

    He mumbled and his fingers moved curling up into a fist.

    "Bia?..."

    Kyle waited but no one replied. His brow knitted into a deep frown as a frost breath came out from his mouth.

    From his blurry gaze, he could see the mes around him. It felt like a dream.

    "I need to wake up.."

    Meanwhile, inside a dark damp underground ce. A red-haired middle-aged man walked between the two rows of prison cells. His eyes were brown and many scars could be seen on his face.

    The man wore a mask to hide half of his face. As he moved between the prison cells he looked at the young individuals tied up inside with a smirk.

    The ce was dark, and the only sounds one could hear were the asional clicks of the metal chains on the prisoners.

    After a while, the red-haired man''s eyesnded on a blue-haired woman lying unconscious in one of the prison cells. He smacked his lips and looked at the woman with a heated gaze.

    "Tsk, what a beauty. It is a pity I can''t touch anyone because they are all specimens who will turned into potions soon. Hahahaha."

    Heughed and looked back at the four men standing behind him.

    "Are all the kids transferred to this ce?"

    One of the four men stepped forward and nodded with an evil smile.

    "They all lost consciousness because almost all of them were injured. The Array was broken midway that''s why only half of them were teleported at the nned location."

    The man''s smile widened.

    "Don''t worry though, the one master wanted was among the ones who appeared."

    The red-haired man nodded with satisfaction. They have done their job perfectly all because of a crazy woman who killed herself toplete the mission.

    "Have you transferred the beast?"

    "Yes, we have. The beast was strong but all of us worked together to put a metal chain around its neck. We even took the kid''s storage rings and sent everything to master."

    The red-haired man''s eyes trailed off to one of the cells, and he grinned.

    "Look, it seems someone has woken up."

    He walked and looked at the golden-haired crawling individual who seemed to have woken up due to their voices.

    As the red-haired man advanced toward the cell, he stopped because the golden-haired youth shot him a deadly re. His ck eyes shone with anger as he shouted at them while clutching the long metal bars in front of him.

    "Who the hell are you all? Where is this ce?"

    The red-haired man snickered.

    "Does it matter? Just sleep... like the others. Oh, I almost forgot you are a Prince aren''t you?"

    Carcel''s eyes darkened when the red-haired man crouched down in front of him while looking at him with disdain.

    "So what? It doesn''t matter who you are because no one will save you. If you want a peaceful and painless life just stay quiet like an obedient puppy. Anyway, it''s not like you can do anything with those chains restraining you."

    One of the men standing behind the red-haired man looked at the Carcel before pointing at someone else lying in a nearby cell.

    "I think that ck-haired one is already half dead. His body is freezing like ice. I almost freaked out when I touched him."

    The red-haired man frowned, showing displeasure he stood up.

    "Don''t let him die yet. Master is busy with the beast now but he needs all these youngsters for future experiments. So give him a healing potion."

    He said with a heavy tone and gestured for one of the men to give the freezing individual a potion.

    Afterward, all of them moved between the prison cells to confirm that everyone inside the cells was alive.

    The red-haired man gave Carcel a side long nce with a chuckle and together with the four men following behind him he left the area.

    Carcel cursed and tried to pull the metal bars present in front of him but not even an ounce of mana came out from his body.

    "Damn it! These chains..."

    He wriggled his hands ufortably, both of his wrists were tied with metal chains. After observing the chains he could mentally deduce the chains were made of some special material that was stopping him from using the mana present within his body.

    He hissed when he sensed therge gash present on his shoulder. He was too focused on the red-haired man before and didn''t notice his injuries.

    Carcel took a deep breath and stood up with gritted teeth. He saw another person who was tied up inside his cell. It was one of the grey-haired twins.

    "Guys....Can anyone hear me?"

    He shouted while banging the metal bars with his bare fists.

    Soon, he heard some groaning sounds and saw a familiar face standing in the opposite prison cell.

    "Tray...."

    Tray panicked when he saw his situation but after Carcel calmed him down both of them tried their best to wake up the others.

    After a few minutes of struggle, everyone was awake except the ck-haired youth lying in thest cell.

 Chapter 183 The tragedy before the tournament III

    <h4>Chapter 183 The tragedy before the tournament III</h4>

    The air around the prison cells was eerily quiet, all the chained students woke up when Carcel and Tray made a ruckus.

    At first when they opened their eyes in an unfamiliar ce they were shocked and dread clenched their hearts but after spending a few hours inside the prison cells they looked a lot calmer now.

    A few injured students were lying on the cold ground. Carcel and Alec both stood while grabbing the metal bars. Their breath hitched when they saw the blue-robed Professor who was chained up in thest cell.

    The Professor shook his head with a grim expression. His name was Oliver, he was one of the oldest and most loyal professors working in the academy.

    When he was selected to go to the tournament with the Vice Principal he was happy beyond means because he was only (S)-Rank not like those young strong Professors but s who could have thought something like this would happen.

    Oliver pointed at the ck-haired youth lying opposite him. He winced slightly because the ck chains around his wrists were thicker than the kids.

    "Even though he is in my cell I can''t touch him because he is too far away and the chains are stopping me from any excess movement. I can sense he is breathing but no matter how much I call he isn''t waking up."

    Oliver eyed the few youths who were clinging to the metal bars with frustrated expressions. He sighed.

    "Kids don''t worry I know I am not useful right now but I will do my best to protect you all until the Academy sends reinforcement."

    Alec sucked in a cold breath. He gazed at Kyle with narrowed eyes.

    "Why isn''t he waking up..?"

    He said with a slightly agitated voice and looked at the prison cells. Each cell had two people tied up inside with chains.

    "Damn it!"

    Alec cursed and looked at the system notification. It had been five hours since he woke up in this ce and the system wasn''t useful at all. He used the system appraisal function on the chains but got nothing.

    The chains were made of a special material called ''Lethrial''. They were usually used on dangerous criminals to seal their mana and strength, making them the same as any other normal unawakened human.

    Alec took a deep breath and looked at everyone.

    "Do any of you have any hidden artifacts that can help us?"

    No one replied but then one of the girls wearing the third-year uniform looked at Alec with a frown.

    "I only had one Artifact and it was in my storage ring. Just like me, the others would have probably put their Artifacts in the rings as well. No one would carry them around because it''s a hassle. The only thing we can do is wait for the person who imprisoned us here. Maybe we can trick them and escape...."

    Her sentence was cut short when the boy standing inside the cell opposite to her spoke with an anxious voice.

    "Jenny, just how would we trick them? Our mana is sealed. I can''t even fight a lower (F-)-Rank monster with my current strength!"

    The girl named Jenny gritted her teeth. Her long pink hair was tied up in a ponytail and her olive-colored eyes were fuming with anger.

    "So what should we do Linzi? Should we wait for them to kill us all?"

    Her loud voice resounded everywhere and Linzi shut his mouth. He was a silent boy who liked peace. In his whole life, he was carefree but after hearing that the famous Principal would give personal training sessions to the ones who fought in the tournament, he worked hard for the first time in his life but now he regrets everything!

    ne who was sitting behind Jenny pinched his nose. His round sses were nowhere to be found maybe they dropped when the Teleportation Array was broken.

    "I don''t think we should fight with each other in this situation. The Academy with probably send reinforcement. We are all the top students how can they just leave us all to die here in this dark ce?"

    He spoke with a calm tone and stood up. ne looked at Professor Oliver and opened his mouth to say something but a small movement behind the Professor caught his attention.

    "Kyle is waking up?"

    He mumbled but almost all the chained students heard him. They all turned around and stared at the ck-haired youth who was finally moving after so long.

    Alec and Carcel looked at each other and sighed with relief. It was fine as long as they were all alive.

    Mia stood up and walked to the metal bars while dragging the chains tied to her wrists.

    "I hope he is fine. I didn''t see Bia...."

    She whispered and gazed outside. She wasn''t able to see Kyle but her gaze lingered around the long road present between the two rows of prisons.

    On the other hand, Kyle opened his eyes with a groan. Everything was foggy but when he moved his hand to rub his eyes he felt the weight around his wrists.

    "?"

    His expression hardened when the memories of the event that transpired before he disappeared within the Array appeared in his mind.

    Kyle''s half-opened eyes widened as he dragged his lower body to sit up straight and looked around.

    ''Bia...? Bia...?''

    He forgot to breathe for a second when he saw Professor Oliver chained opposite to him. His emotionless gaze traveled to the metal bars, gazing outside he saw many familiar faces. All of them were chained and from the look of it, he was thest person to wake up.

    Seeing Kyle''s eyes, Carcel shouted with a tinge of worry in his voice.

    "Are you alright? Can you hear me?"

    Kyle didn''t reply and closed his eyes for a second. He wanted to arrange his thoughts.

    When the Teleportation Array was activated, his mind was a little hazy.

    He wanted to activate the skill ''Instant teleportation'' but he knew his body would have shredded into many pieces the moment he used that skill inside the activated Teleportation Array.

    He had been learning about Arrays so he knew very well about the consequences of his actions. Also, even if he seeded and used the skill to escape what about Bia and the others?

    ''I can only use the Teleportation skill on myself. Bia would have disappeared within the Array!''

    Kyle took a deep breath and stood up, he gazed outside.

    "Where are we? Does anyone have any idea?"

    With a sigh, Alec shook his head.

    "No, but we are underground. It''s been five hours but no onee here to check on us."

 Chapter 184 Dead?

    <h4>Chapter 184 Dead?</h4>

    Kyle yanked the chains around his wrists with frustration.

    "I can''t use my mana.... Ugh..."

    He was already angry because even though he could sense Bia through their link she wasn''t replying.

    ''Just stay safe for a while.''

    He mumbled inwardly and looked at his empty fingers.

    "Damn, my hard earn gold coins and thousands of mana stones, those ancient books, and my (S)-Rank sword! Everything is gone!"

    He shouted with frustration, Professor Oliver gazed at Kyle and blinked his eyes. He smiled thinking maybe Kyle was joking to light up the mood but then Alec hissed as well.

    "My sword is also gone! It was even more precious than yours!"

    Alec humped and cursed inwardly. He was already poor but now he was dirt poor just like a beggar.

    Kyle shot him a re.

    "What precious? Your old sword was just a piece of long metal. One of the storage rings on my finger was supreme grade!"

    "I am gonna kill all those bastards who dare to steal from me!"

    Kyle was fuming. It was the first time he suffered such a big loss! He looked at his shirt, the ordinary-looking broach was still there.

    ''Why the hell did they leave it? Wasn''t it better to take it as well!''

    His eyes darted to the stairs at the end of the prison cells. He touched the white earring present on his ear.

    ''It''s seemed because of my cold body they didn''t focus on me that much.''

    Professor Oliver was stunned and he wasn''t alone who found Kyle''s words unbelievable. A supreme-grade ring wasn''t something anyone could easily have!

    Carcel looked at Kyle and Alec and shook his head with a sigh. The atmosphere that was previously too tense and eerie was now rxed because they bickered.

    Kyle took a deep breath. The chains tied around his wrists clicked as he approached the metal bars. He looked at Alec and Carcel with an unknown expression.

    "I am dying for a while. Make a ruckus big enough to alert all those people present at the end of those stairs."

    He whispered slowly with a serious expression. Alec blinked his eyes.

    "How?..."

    Kyle waved his hand andy down on the ground.

    "It doesn''t matter. Just do as I say. I am the only person who can fake death due to my special condition. If someone died they would probably discard the body because it would root."

    "Shout with everything because I don''t want to stay in this ce even for a second. Also, Bia...."

    Kyle''s voice turned into a whisper when he said Bia''s name.

    ''I can sense she is not far. I need to find her.''

    He closed his eyes, his body was already cold coupled with the earring it wasn''t hard for him to act dead.

    The others looked at Kyle''s body. They gazed at each other with serious expressions. It was a big gamble. If they got caught no one would be able to survive.

    Linzi''s nervous voice rang out as he gazed at Kyle.

    "Can''t we wait for the Academy reinforcement? It''s too dangerous."

    Kyle shot open his eyes and looked at Linzi with a cold gaze.

    "What if they didn''t appear on time and we all died? Can you take the responsibility?"

    Linzi shut his mouth and didn''t dare to make eye contact with Kyle.

    "Huuu..."

    With a long breath, Kyle gazed at the ceiling and shut his eyes once again.

    Alec was the first one who started shouting. He cursed and called the ones who tied them here heartless bastards. Soon, the whole area was in chaos with metal chains bagging here and there while the students cried out their lungs.

    Carcel yanked the metal bars with force and kicked the nearby wall.

    "You bastards, save him! He is dying! I will kill you all!"

    His voice was thunderous as he shouted again and again. Some of the students were even spotting nonsense because after cursing the kidnappers and their entire generations they were out of words.

    Among all of them, there was a person who was chanting thest lecture he heard in the ssroom.

    Jenny looked at ne with a speechless expression. She shook her head and started chanting a lecture as well.

    Meanwhile, outside the underground chamber.

    Two tall ck-haired men were standing in front of the stairway leading underground. They looked at each other while holding their ears. One of them cursed.

    "Can these kids fucking shut up for even a second?"

    "Man, they have gone crazy."

    The other replied and then looked at the stairs.

    "Should we check them?"

    The first man shook his head with a frown.

    "No, we aren''t allowed. Wait I will go and inform the Boss."

    He left and after walking for a while he knocked on a door.

    A red-haired individual opened the door and stared at him with a yawn.

    "What happened?"

    "Boss Larry the kids are shouting nonstop. They are saying someone died down there!"

    Larry frowned and gestured for the man to follow behind him while calling two more men.

    He approached the stairs with the four men following behind him.

    After descending, he grabbed his ears with annoyance because the voices were too loud.

    "What the fuck is wrong with you all? Want to die!"

    Larry shouted with anger and finally, the individuals in the prison cells turned quiet.

    Alec grabbed the metal bars and gazed at him with moist eyes.

    "Save my friend! Or else I will kill you even if I have to die together with you!"

    His voice sounded emotional. Jenny''s acting was even more superb than Alec''s as tears welled up in her eyes.

    "Save him, please... I can''t..."

    Her voice choked midway as she slumped down on the floor with ragged breathing.

    Alec was stunned. He gazed at Carcel and the others with a knowing expression.

    ''She over did it!''

    On the other hand, Kyle''s eyebrow almost twitched when he heard Jenny''s words. He calmed his troubled heart.

    ''I am dead....hu hu...''

    Everyone watched as the familiar masked man, Larry walked up to Kyle''s prison cell. He opened the metal bars with a key and stepped inside.

    "Who is this kid?"

    He spit on the ground and kicked Kyle''s body but when his foot touched Kyle''s stomach his eyes widened slightly.

    "So cold! Don''t tell me these kids were telling the truth and he is really dead?"

 Chapter 185 Second Chamber

    <h4>Chapter 185 Second Chamber</h4>

    Larry crouched down and looked at Kyle''s body with a frown, hidden behind the mask present on his face. His head snapped back, eyes ring at one of the four ck-haired men.

    "If I recalled correctly didn''t I fucking ask you to give him a potion?"

    His loud voice resounded in the prison cell. The ck-haired man trembled slightly before he anxiously stepped forward.

    "I swear I did give him a potion. It''s just it was a low-grade one."

    Larry clicked his tongue. Potion were expensive even though he had some high-grade ones but why would he waste them on someone he kidnapped?

    "Leave it. I will speak with the old man about this. I don''t think this guy is important except for the fact that he is the one who bonded with that fire beast."

    He gazed at Kyle again. This time more seriously, his mana seeped out from his body as he stared at Kyle with a forwn because no matter how much he probed he couldn''t sense even a speck of mana within Kyle''s body.

    ''Strange? Even if he is dead why is his body like an empty shell devoid of any energy or force? I can''t sense anything.''

    Larry moved his hand and ced two of his fingers beneath Kyle''s nose to sense any breathing.

    Alec''s gaze was fixed on Larry''s back as he held his breath while grabbing the metal bars tightly. He was continuously praying inwardly for Kyle not to get caught.

    The other students were not better either, with anxiousness written on their faces. They knew if Kyle got caught nothing good would happen.

    Under their intense stares, Larry checked Kyle''s breathing.

    "He isn''t breathing."

    He whispered before grabbing Kyle''s wrist to check more but the moment he grabbed Kyle''s wrist he let go of it instantly.

    "Damn, why is his body so cold?"

    At first, when he kicked Kyle''s stomach the coldness was not that severe as he didn''t touch him directly but now after touching Kyle''s skin directly, Larry didn''t dare to touch him again.

    ''This coldness isn''t simple. Just with a single touch, it''s burned the mana around my palm. What the hell is wrong with this kid?''

    Larry stood up and gazed at the others.

    "I need to report this. So you all stay here and keep an eye on his body until I return."

    The four ck-haired men nodded and watched as Larry''s back faded away in the distance.

    Alec wiped the sweat from his forehead when he saw everything going smoothly.

    ''Alright. Hope it''s work.''

    He gazed at Carcel and they all waited for Larry toe back.

    On the other hand, Kyle was quietly lying at the same ce but if someone looked closely he was breathing albeit very faintly. His face was serene devoid of any emotions but inwardly his thoughts were a mess.

    He was one hundred percent sure he would have started sweating when Larry suddenly released his aura to probe his body but thanks to the coldness clinging to his skin he avoided dying.

    ''He is stronger than I expected.''

    After Larry released his aura Kyle sensed his rank. Larry wasn''t weak at all. His aura was restrained but he was at least (A-)-Rank.

    ''He is strong but I have to risk it. The more time I wasted the more dangerous it would be for Bia. I need to leave this ce soon.''

    Kyle waited for a long time when he heard the rhythm of footsteps echoing outside the prison cell.

    He regted his hushed breathing and it became quiet once again.

    Larry stopped outside the prison cell, he nced at Kyle''s body

    "Just like I thought he was not that much important. Pick up his body and throw it inside the second chamber."

    The ck-haired men trembled when they heard about the second chamber. It was a dangerous ce where one of the sick head elders working for their big boss experimented on dead bodies.

    "Hurry up."

    Larry waved his hand and one of the back-haired men entered Kyle''s cell.

    He opened the ck chains present on Kyle''s wrists with a strange-looking square-shaped device before dragging his body like a rag.

    "His body is too cold."

    The man hissed because he felt like he was touching ice but the ice was ten times more colder than any normal ice.

    Larry left the ce with the four ck-haired individuals following behind him. The one at thest was dragging Kyle''s body.

    All the students watched as Kyle was dragged outside. In normal circumstances, they would have created a fuss about how their friend was killed by those heartless men but because of the serious matter, they forget to act.

    Jenny took a deep breath and looked outside.

    "Why do I feel like he won''te back to save us?"

    Alec pinched his nose bridge. He knew why Kyle was so desperate to leave this ce. It was because of Bia.

    "He will if he survived out there."

    ...

    Meanwhile, at the Academy. George paced around in the square field with a frustrated expression. He looked at the blue-haired old man who was tracking the broken Array coordinates.

    It''s already been five hours but there was no progress.

    Nine was standing a few meters away from him. The person working on the Array was one of the men who was following behind him after he left his kingdom. He gazed at the other two individuals standing beside him with a sigh.

    The first one was Goen, one of the grey-haired twins while the other one was Lara. She had woken up two hours ago and was just as shaken as Nine. Her cold gaze was locked on the blue-haired man who was fumbling with the Array here and there.

    "How much more time do you need?"

    She said while looking at the blue-haired man with knitted brows. She wanted to ask her father for help as he was strong but the Vice Principal stopped her.

    ''We have already wasted so much time!''

    The blue-haired old man nced at Lara with an emotionless face but then he ignored the kids and looked at George.

    "I have found the coordinates."

    George disappeared from where he was standing and appeared in front of him with a sh.

    "Location?"

    "It''s quite far from here. Almost near the east border. The one connected with the dark forest."

    George nodded and started floating, in an instant he disappeared from the Academy. Elder ze gazed at his figure and followed behind him with a grim expression.

    Nine and Lara looked at each other with frustration. They wanted to follow behind them but how can they match their speed? The only thing they could do was to wait.

    Sensing Geroge and ze''s departure another Elder came out from one of the Acadmey buildings and quietly floated above the Acadmey looking at their fading backs. Unlike the other Elders, he looked much more distant from the mortal world. His long ck hair swirled behind his back as he gazed around with his sharp emotionless eyes.

    "Sigh, I wonder who dared to attack us even after knowing the consequences of their actions."

 Chapter 186 Got tricked

    <h4>Chapter 186 Got tricked</h4>

    Kyle was breathing faintly as he half opened his eyes and engraved every ce he saw in his mind while being dragged around like a rag. He thanked his past self for not cutting his hair because the slightly long hair hid his eyes.

    He could hear small voices as he was dragged around a long narrow path.

    ''Ugh.. my butt and back. Can''t they pick me up properly? At least respect the dead!''

    With another turn, Larry left after gesturing to two of the ck-haired men to take Kyle''s body ahead.

    Now Kyle was alone with two ck-haired men. One was dragging him while the other was just walking beside the first one. Kyle thought about attacking but discarded the thought because he wasn''t sure just how strong his opponents were.

    His eyes darted around as he sensed Bia''s presence everywhere.

    ''She is somewhere above. I think this ce has a lot of floors.''

    Kyle contemted inwardly and stayed quiet.

    While being dragged he saw a lot of men patrolling here and there. In front of the underground prison where he was chained up with the others, arge Array was present so it was almost impossible for anyone to escape the prison.

    ''I can''t break that Array but I can tackle with it.''

    He waited for a while before the man dragging him finally stopped in front of arge door.

    The man looked at hispanion with dread.

    "I don''t want to go inside. He is too creepy."

    "Just go and deliver the dead body he won''t attack you."

    "Alright..."

    The man took a deep breath and after knocking once he opened the door and entered inside.

    Kyle wrinkled his nose the moment the door was opened.

    ''Blood...''

    The smell of blood and rotten flesh drifted through his nostrils and he felt his head spin.

    He was dragged inside the room and the smell became heavy. From the corner of his half-opened eyes, he saw what one would call hell.

    A mountain of mingled and broken bodies. A lot of skeletons in the corner. The room ground was painted red with blood.

    Dread crept up in his heart he knew this ce wasn''t safe at all. His finger grazed at the ground and he felt a wet sensation below his body.

    Amidst all this, he stayed calm. His heart was beating wildly inside his chest but he didn''t dare to move or do something reckless.

    The man dragging him stopped, Kyle didn''t know who he was talking to but the man''s body visibly trembled as he let go of Kyle''s cor and spoke with a broken and scared voice.

    "Sir...? I am sorry but I am here to deliver this bod. y...."

    His sentence was cut short as the person he was talking to shot him a re.

    "Leave it. I will check itter I am busy right now."

    The ck-haired man nodded frantically and after tossing Kyle''s body nearby he ran out of the room.

    Kyle''s breath hitched in his throat as he took in the sight of the man standing a few meters away from him.

    Messyrge cyan color hair and pitch ck eyes, the man''s body was filled with blood and he was holding someone''s broken flesh.

    He was wearing arge coat that swept the blood present on the ground. The man''s eyes were fixed on a table in front of him.

    Kyle''s eyes froze when he saw the thing present on the table. A dead body of a young man who seemed to be in his early twenties.

    He clenched his fist and held the urge to attack the cyan-haired man. Kyle wasn''t a good person he would never go out of his way to help others but he felt sick and angry after seeing this room.

    His gaze lingered on the cyan-haired man back a tad longer.

    ''I can''t. Not right now... I am not strong enough.''

    With a forced breath, he shut his eyes to calm down. After a few seconds, he focused on the door of the room. The security outside this room wasn''t tight, it seemed the man standing in front of him was feared by others.

    Kyle measured the distance between himself and the door with emotionless eyes. He gave another cold nce to the cyan-haired man and disappeared from the room.

    ''Instant Teleportation''

    After Kyle used Instant Teleportation, the cyan-haired man turned around with a jolt.

    "What was that? I felt arge movement of mana."

    He looked around with narrowed eyes and didn''t see anything.

    "Huh.. Did I imagine it?"

    Then suddenly he raised his brow while gazing at a specific ce. There were clear signs of a body being dragged inside and ced in a corner but there was no sign of the fresh dead body.

    Where did the body go?

    "Interesting... Did they get tricked? Heheh..."

    He chuckled and shook his head. A few moments ago someone sent him a dead body but now it was nowhere to be soon. Did it just disappear into thin air?

    "A fly is trying to run away. I want to see who it is but let''s y for a while. The person wouldn''t have gone far."

    He removed his bloodied coat and after wearing a cleaner one he left the room.

    On the other hand, after Kyle used Instant Teleportation he directly appeared outside the room. Without even waiting for a second, he ran toward the direction he was dragged from.

    On his way, he saw some guards but because of the earring, his presence was concealed which is why he easily avoided them.

    He walked between the shadows and after a few turns he appeared in front of a few rooms but he didn''t enter inside. Instead, he went toward the stairway leading underground.

    Two back-haired men were standing in front of the stairway. He took a deep breath and gazed at them from behind a wall with squinted eyes.

    ''I need that strange square-shaped device they used to open my chains.''

 Chapter 187 Let’s go together I

    <h4>Chapter 187 Let''s go together I</h4>

    Kyle frowned feeling the weight of the situation, carefully assessing the ck-haired man''s position from behind a nearby wall. They were standing slightly far from each other,pletely blocking the entrance of the underground stairway.

    ''I can''t sense their ranks they are probably stronger than me.''

    He clenched his fists and gazed around with narrowed eyes. After scanning for a few seconds, he noticed a stack of crates ced a few meters away from the underground stairway and formted a n.

    With a swift and precise movement, he approached the crates filled with strange-looking grass and pushed one of the crates to distract the guards.

    The ck-haired guards looked at each other with frowns and one of them approached the crates to investigate the noise.

    Seizing the opportunity, Kyle swiftly approached the remaining guard from behind, he summoned a thunder arrow and delivered a swift strike on the back of the guard''s neck that rendered him unconscious.

    Before the guard fainted he released his aura and Kyle sighed with relief because thetter wasn''t as strong as he expected. The guard was (D+)-Rank, only a sub-rank higher than Kyle.

    Kyle was a little anxious when he didn''t sense the guard''s auras but now he felt confident looking at the other ck-haired man who was looking through the stack of crates.

    Kyle looked at the unconscious man lying between his feet and bent down to remove the storage ring on one of his fingers before grabbing the grey steel spear present between one of the guard''s hands.

    He gazed at the spear that wasn''t even close to his precious (S)-Rank sword and gave a reluctant nod.

    ''This will do for now.''

    Kyle silently tip-toed toward the other guard who was looking around the crates.

    The guard wanted to turn around when he felt arge palm grabbing his neck from behind, he wanted to shout but before he could a jolt of lightning coursed through his entire neck, making his entire body tremble with pain and he lost consciousness within a few seconds.

    Kyle rubbed his hands and checked the ck-haired man''s body for a storage ring but to his disappointment, he didn''t find anything.

    With a sigh, he silently dragged both of the bodies and carefully hid them behind the stack of crates.

    He looked through the only storage ring he found and his disappointment increased.

    "They are so poor."

    Kyle shook his head silently, first the storage ring only had a few meter space and second it didn''t have anything precious. The only things present inside the ring were some clothes, a handful of mana stones, four low-grade healing potions, and the square-shaped device he was looking for.

    He clicked his tongue and made his way toward the Array present outside the stairway. The two guards didn''t have anything rted to this Array, he was sure if he passed through it without any preparation the one who made this Array would know instantly.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed as he focused on the mana movement around the stairway, the bright invisible mana particles moved and swirled around the Array gently. With the precise gestures of his fingers, Kyle tapped on the air touching various parts of the Array.

    After a minute, a hole appeared within the smooth Array and Kyle entered the hole hurriedly descending the stairway withrge strides.

    On the other hand, inside one of the prison cells. Alec was sitting on the cold ground with a serious expression, he lifted his head and gazed at the others who were silent for a while now.

    "It''s been 15 minutes, what do you all think Kyle is doing right now?"

    ne perked up his ears with a chuckle. He moved his body and looked at Alec.

    "He was dragged like a rag. Just pray those men don''t bury his body ten feet underground."

    Mia looked at Alec and showed him her hand.

    "Now it''s 16 minutes."

    Jenny who was sitting in the same cell as ne looked at them with annoyance.

    "Why are you all fucking counting each second like your life depends on it?"

    She massaged her temples.

    "Even if he somehow got the chance to flee from those men it would take him a while before he returned."

    The prison cells turned eerily silent again with everyone contemting what to do next but it''s not like they could do anything while being tied up like this.

    Professor Oliver stood up with a frown. He didn''t sense anything but his eyes were locked on the ck shadow descending the stairs. With a serious expression, he pointed at the stairs.

    "Someone''sing."

    The chains around the students'' wrists clicked as they stood up with vignt expressions, locking their gaze on the approaching shadow.

    Their eyes widened with shock and disbelief when the shadow owner appeared in their vision. They all looked at each other with a familiar question written on their faces, It''s only been sixteen minutes and he was back already?

    Alec suppressed the urge tough and called out Kyle''s name.

    "Kyle?"

    Kyle waved his hand at them with an emotionless face and hurriedly approached the cells. After witnessing that strange room he was not in the mood to smile.

    He took out the square-shaped device from the storage ring and first opened the chains around the Professor''s wrists.

    With a click the chains dropped down and Professor Oliver sighed with relief.

    "How''s the situation outside?"

    He spoke to Kyle who proceeded to enter another prison cell.

    "There are a lot of guards patrolling. A few rooms on this floor, and many stairways leading upward but I didn''t see any exit or window on my way here."

    Kyle spoke with a serious tone and removed the chains hurriedly. The students were practically beaming with joy as Kyle removed the chains around their wrists.

    Atst, he entered Alec''s cell and removed his chains.

    Alec rubbed his wrists with a hiss but he stopped and he noticed Kyle''s deadly pale face.

    "Hey, are you feeling alright?"

    He stepped forward and wanted to touch Kyle''s forehead but thetter flinched away.

    "I am fine. You all should find the exit and leave with the Professor. I am going to find Bia."

 Chapter 188 Let’s go together II

    <h4>Chapter 188 Let''s go together II</h4>

    Alec held the urge to smack Kyle''s head when he heard his words.

    "Are you kidding me? No way you are going alone, it''s too dangerous. Let''s go together.

    He said with a deadly serious expression, not wanting to back down even a little. Kyle sighed when he saw Alec''s stubborn expression.

    "Okay, then the others should..."

    His sentence was cut short when Carcel who always stayed quiet showed him an irritated expression.

    "I will go with you as well."

    Mia stepped toward the trio with a frown. She was the second closest person to Bia after Kyle.

    "Me too, I won''t be able to take it if something happened to Bia."

    Carcel gazed back at her with a serious expression. It was dangerous, he knew very well but if she wanted toe along who was he to stop her?

    Professor Oliver shook his head looking at them. They were all young and filled with hormones, even though the beast was important but for him getting the kids out of this ce safely was a top priority.

    "Kids, it''s better if we leave this ce first. After we are in a more safe location I will contact the Academy they will send someone to save Kyle''s bondedpanion."

    Kyle looked back at the Professor with a dissatisfied expression but he kept quiet for a few seconds. He could sense Bia''s presence, she was not that far. There was no way he was going to leave her behind because he was having a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. After all, no matter how much he called her name inwardly she didn''t reply.

    Through their link, Kyle was able to talk to Bia no matter where they were but now the sudden quietness was making him uneasy.

    "I am leaving."

    He said with a serious expression and started moving toward the stairway.

    Alec and Carcel both red at the Professor who was speechless.

    "We are going to follow him."

    They instantly followed behind Kyle with Mia tagging together with them. Jenny looked at ne who shrugged his shoulders.

    "I don''t know why but I think it''s a lot better if we followed them."

    He said and dashed behind Carcel fading back. Jenny looked at the Professor.

    "Sir, I am gonna follow ne. Please make sure to send reinforcement if you find the exit."

    She didn''t wait for an answer and left the bewildered Professor who massaged his temples with a sigh. He looked at the remaining students with aplicated expression.

    "Let''s follow them. It''s safer if we all stayed together."

    Professor Oliver staggered toward the stairway but he stopped when he reached the end because his hair stood up behind his back.

    "There''s an Array around here."

    He spoke in a hushed tone but Kyle who was waiting outside the Array so the others could leave safely raised his brow.

    Kyle pointed to the left.

    "Walked out from that ce it''s safe."

    Professor Oliver looked at Kyle''s finger, he was anxious because if the Array was activated their escape n would be busted but after seeing how Alec, Carcel, Mia, ne, and Jenny were standing outside the Array he followed Kyle''s finger and stepped out from the left side.

    The other students quietly followed behind the Professor.

    Kyle looked at the Professor who stood beside him and blinked his eyes.

    Oliver stared back at him with a serious expression. He wasn''t strong but he would do his best to protect the kids.

    "What? stop staring and lead the way before someone arrives at this ce."

    Kyle didn''t say anything and nodded. He started walking in the shadows with silent footsteps while everyone followed behind him.

    After a minute, he stopped because he saw two men patrolling around a few meters away from him.

    He tightly grabbed the spear in his hand, ready to attack when Oliver moved swiftly and slit their necks within a few seconds.

    "Let''s move."

    Kyle snapped out of his daze and nodded.

    "We need to go up."

    He pointed at a stairway and started climbing with the others silently following behind him.

    They passed through a few more narrow paths and climbed two more stairways. While moving, Kyle spotted some more people patrolling around but Oliver quietly took out everyone without making any noise.

    After taking out another enemy, Oliver looked back at Kyle with a frown.

    ''Is it my imagination or are we strolling around a dangerous ce like it''s our backyard?''

    There was no way this eerie ce only had these weak bugs, Oliver could take care of very easily. He narrowed his eyes and quietly walked beside Kyle who closed his eyes to sense something and pointed at their left.

    Alec chuckled slightly when he saw Oliver''splicated expression.

    Meanwhile, the cyan-haired man Kyle saw in the room filled with dead bodies walked around for a few minutes but a frustrated expression appeared on his face when he didn''t sense or find any other tracks except for some bloodstains leading toward the dead body which disappeared from his room.

    He clenched his brows with a furious expression and moved forward withrge strides.

    After walking around for a while, he arrived in front of the underground prison where the new subjects from the Royal Academy were tied up.

    His dark facial expression brightens a little.

    "I can''t find that fly but I can y with the new kids."

    He rubbed his hands with an evil grin but frowned when he didn''t see any guard around the stairway.

    "So irresponsible! I know the kids can''t run away because they are tied up with mana restraining metal but they should ce some guards in this ce."

    He spoke angrily and was going to call someone to send a few guards when his eyes narrowed into a slit as he noticed a huge hole within the Array present outside the stairway.

    "Shit."

    He cursed and entered the Array. The ring present on his finger shone when the faint mana touched his skin as he easily passed the Array. He hurriedly descended the stairway only to curse once again with a livid expression.

    "Damn it! Those kids funking ran away. What the hell is Larry doing?"

 Chapter 189 The tournament is canceled

    <h4>Chapter 189 The tournament is canceled</h4>

    Inside a grand hall fit for royalty, with opulent chandeliers casting a warm, golden glow. The hall was adorned with intricately carved chairs, plush velvet drapes, and gilded ents, creating an air of majesty and elegance, creating a truly regal atmosphere.

    The hall door swung open and a dignified golden-haired middle-aged man walked inside with a few old faces following behind him.

    The golden-haired man approached the middle chair designed with beautiful patterns and sat down with a serious expression.

    After him, an old man with a wrinkled forehead proceeded to open up a small device, and instantly afterward three big projections lit up midair.

    "Your Majesty, the tournament will start within thirty minutes."

    The old man said in a nonchnt voice before he and the other three old individuals sat down on the empty chairs avable in the hall.

    Cedric the current King of Kingdom Ete gazed at the middle projection, it showed a vast expense of light green bushes. Among the grassy field, a big stage coupled with many small stages was set up in a circr fashion. With rows of audience seats set up in one corner upon one another.

    The other two projections showed many individuals varying from young to old. The young were the students participating in the tournament while the old individuals were their protectors.

    Cedric frowned and his eyes narrowed when he didn''t see the familiar face of his acquaintance Geroge. No, not just George no one from the Royal Academy was present in the Projections. He tapped the chair''s armpit and looked at the old man sitting on his left.

    "Ratric, where''s your people?"

    His voice was heavy but the old man sitting beside him was confused as well.

    "I don''t know, after leaving the forest I directly arrived here."

    It was indeed strange, all the participating Academies were required to arrive at the tform five hours earlier to start the tournament as soon as possible.

    "Let me check."

    Retric fiddled with one of hismunication devices that was linked with the Academy but his frown deepened when he opened the device. It was broken.

    "Ah... I didn''t notice this."

    He sighed because he was too busy running around and forgot about the broken device. With a swift movement, he took out another device and after injecting the device with his mana signature he called George directly.

    Themunication crystal vibrated for a while before it stopped and an anxious voice resounded in the hall, attracting the attention of everyone.

    "Sir?"

    Retric expression hardened a little, it was very rare for George to panic.

    "Yes, it''s me. Where are you? The tournament is about to start."

    There was silence for a second before George''s voice resounded as he recounted everything that happened in the Academy.

    Ratric face was ashen as he heard everything with clenched fists, an angry vein bulging on his forehead. He gritted his teeth.

    "Who dare to show such audacity and kidnap my people?"

    His angry voice died down when the King stood up with a dark expression and patted his shoulder.

    "What about the students? How many were abducted?"

    The King''s voice was calm but everyone sitting inside the hall could feel the hidden rage in his voice.

    "12 students including Professor Oliver. Carcel, Alec, and Kyle included."

    There was an eerie silence within the hall as Retric stood up and clenched his fist with anger.

    "Tell me the location of the coordinates you find. I aming there. I will destroy them with my own hands."

    Geroge didn''t waste any time and hurriedly told him the location. Retric looked at the King who was livid and finally took a deep breath to calm his troubled heart.

    "Cedric I am leaving. Please take care of the matter regarding the tournament."

    The King simply nodded and Principal Ratric stormed out of the hall, directly floating toward the east border.

    After he left, the King ordered someone to link his projection with the ce where the tournament was going to be held.

    Soon, his floating image appeared in front of the hundreds of excited students and old individuals who were waiting for the tournament to start.

    The crowd cheered with enthusiasm but the King''s next words poured a bucket of cold water off their heads and their excitement disappeared reced with confusion and bewilderment.

    "For now, the tournament is canceled."

    The single line resounded in their heads like a bolt of lightning. Some of them wanted to know the reason behind this decision and some wanted to confirm if they were hearing things but the Projection was abruptly cut off, making them curse inwardly.

    After making the announcement, the King dismissed everyone present in the hall. When he was alone his nonchnt expression disappeared reced with worry.

    He sped his hands together and called out his two loyal shadow guards.

    The two shadows appeared out of nowhere kneeling in front of him with their faces hidden behind ck masks.

    "Do whatever you can to find the culprit behind all this. Also, make sure nothing happened to the young Prince."

    His voice was deep and heavy, the two kneeling figures nodded and disappeared from the hall.

    ....

    Meanwhile, in a dimly lit dark room, filled with eerie equipment and mysterious contraptions. The room was shrouded in darkness, with flickering lights casting eerie shadows on the walls.

    A man with deep red eyes and long ubed ck hair was pacing around a table where patches of red blood could be seen. Two ancient books filled with unreadable text were lying on the table.

    Heughed historically as he looked at the red vial present in his hand. His deep gaze locked on the steel cage ced at the edge of the table. An injured beast that looked like a red fluffy bird was lying unconscious in the cage with its neck trapped in a circr steel chain. It was Bia, her feathers were dyed in blood and arge gash could be seen on her back.

    "I can''t believe it! I just used the beast blood and within a few hours, I seeded in making such a potent potion that can extend anyone''s life force. Just gulping the content of this single vial and the person can live a few hundred years more even if he is lying on death bed!"

    "What would happen if I used its heart? Now I am one hundred percent sure I can make a potion that will increase my talent!"

    An incredible sensation surged inside his heaving chest as he snickered and jumped around with joy staring at the small vial.

 Chapter 190 She is breathing

    <h4>Chapter 190 She is breathing</h4>

    The ck-haired man''s smile disappeared when a sweet voice called out to him from behind.

    "Ziner? Aren''t you going to share it with me?"

    He wore a nonchnt expression and turned around to look at the projection floating behind him.

    "Tsk, I do all the hard work and you reap the benefits. Anyway, I will send you some when I am done with my experiments."

    His voice turned grave for a few seconds.

    "Lily, how many times did I tell you don''t call out my name? Call me father or dad."

    The projection showed a beautifuldy sittingzily on a small bed. From the projection one could see the scenery around thedy was extremely ordinary. A simple room containing a square-shaped wardrobe, a single bed, and a study table with a chair.

    Her long ck hair was tied up in a ponytail and her eyes were arched up with a glint.

    "Nope, Ziner is better because we both know very well if something happened to one of us the other will run away without looking back."

    "Also, who was the one who gave you all the information? Now don''t be greedy and share some benefits with me. I have some more information for you. That useless Aster won''t tell you anything if you don''t give him something in return."

    Ziner raised his brow looking at his daughter. Just like her, he didn''t care if she died or not but she was indeed useful whenever he needed free information regarding the Academy.

    "What news?"

    A giggle escaped Lily''s mouth as she neared themunication crystal with a grin.

    "They found out the coordinates of the Array. George and an Elder ran away the moment they knew the location."

    Ziner nodded and waved his hand nonchntly.

    "Even if they found the location, it doesn''t matter. After the kids were teleported I changed their location."

    Lily''s smile faltered as shey down on the bed.

    "Tsk! What a pity you won''t die. I am off, I have a ss. Make sure to send me some of the potions or else I will release your exact location to the whole Academy."

    Her eyes were sharp as a knife when she turned off themunication crystal and stood up from the bed.

    "Now that a lot of top students are out of the picture I can participate in the tournament."

    There was a reason why she didn''t challenge anyone else after Nine kicked her out from the top ten.

    "I can only hope Ziner sent me those potions before getting caught."

    She tidied up her appearance and left her room with a smile.

    On the other hand, Ziner clicked his tongue after the projection disappeared. Not even a minute was passed when hismunication device trembled again.

    With an irritated expression, he picked up the device but frowned when he saw the caller''s face.

    A man with messy cyan-colored hair and pitch-ck eyes looked at him with a panicked expression.

    Ziner saw the panicked man and wondered why thetter called him out of nowhere.

    "What happened? Aoky."

    Aoky wiped the sweat present on his forehead.

    "Boss those kids from the Royal Academy. They ran away!"

    His sentence was like a thunderbolt as Ziner''s eyes flew open wide. His pupils shrink slightly. Not believing his ears he questioned.

    "They what?"

    "I just came out from my room. They are all gone!"

    Ziner''s expression paled slightly.

    "Damn it! You all can''t even take care of some kids? Find them immediately! They can''t go far because we are in the middle of a forest. Hurry up deploy everyone single man! I will check all the passages leading outside."

    He shouted with a vein bulging on his forehead. If somehow his hidden location was released he was done for. George and Ratric would tear him apart. Not just him they would destroy everything.

    His name was famous because he was a dark mage who had done many experiments on all types of living things. Still, he was one of the (S+)-Rank individuals of the Kingdom that''s why the King overlooked his dark work but now that he dared to touch the beloved Royal Academy he knew the risk of his own decision.

    "I can''t expose myself. I need to find the kids."

    With an angry breath, Ziner disappeared from the room. Heading straight toward the passages from where the kids could leave.

    ....

    Meanwhile, after climbing another stairway Kyle stood in front of arge narrow path. His heartbeat quickened because he could sense Bia was nearby.

    He walked passing through a few rooms before stopping in front of a ck door.

    With closed eyes, Kyle ced his hand on the room.

    "She is in there."

    He spoke with a serious expression and looked at the others.

    Professor Oliver''s clothes were filled with blood because a few minutes ago they encountered a strong opponent who was (A)-Rank. It took him much more time to take out that man with cautious and minimum noise. Even though the Professor won, he suffered a few injuries and from his ragged breathing, Kyle was sure that Oliver was tired after fighting so many people.

    Alec stepped forward and touched the door. He was holding a long bluence. Not just him almost all the students were holding different weapons. After Oliver killed the enemies they robed their weapons and storage rings.

    Alec looked back at everyone with a serious expression.

    "Be ready, I believe someone strong is waiting for us behind this door."

    Kyle nodded and with another nce at the Professor, he pushed the door open.

    With a low creak, the door opened and Kyle''s eyes darted around the dimly lit room, looking around for Bia''s figure.

    Without waiting for the Professor he stepped inside hurriedly with everyone else following behind him.

    Kyle''s breath hitched when his eyesnded on the table present at the end of the room. He didn''t care about the strange tools and ss containers lying around the room and staggered toward the table with red eyes.

    "Bia?"

    His voice was bearly audible as he fixed his gaze on the metal cage. Mia followed behind him with moist eyes.

    The other student''s eyes were saddened when they saw Bia''s condition. A sigh escaped Oliver''s lips as he looked at Kyle''s back.

    Alec patted Kyle''s shoulder with a serious expression.

    "I can sense she is breathing."

    After hearing Alec''s words, Kyle finally released the breath he didn''t even know he was holding.

 Chapter 191 A trapping Array

    <h4>Chapter 191 A trapping Array</h4>

    Kyle gazed at the hand pressing on his shoulder. He patted Alec''s hand with a nk face.

    Alec''s fingers curled up as the cold sensation from Kyle''s touch seeped through his hand.

    ''What the?''

    He gazed at Kyle back with a frown. Kyle''s hand was freezing like ice.

    Meanwhile, arge breath escaped from Kyle''s mouth as he slowly opened his clenched fists. It was the first time he wanted to kill someone so badly.

    Not even Sen the person he disliked the most infuriated him so much. After spending so much time together with Bia, she was an important part of his life. They bickered, cursed each other, heck they even hurled various attacks on each other but they relied on each other the most whenever there was a dangerous situation.

    With a dazed expression, Kyle approached the cage. His fingertips touched the cold metal bars surrounding the unconscious Bia.

    ''Bia?''

    She didn''t reply. Kyle grabbed the cage roughly and used so much force that it door was broken. Unbeknownst to him his palm was bleeding due to the share amount of brute force he used to open the cage.

    The drops of blood trickled down before they were absorbed by the table directly heading toward a container attached underneath the table where Bia''s blood was stored.

    With a worried gaze, he gently caresses Bia''s wings but when his gazended on the metal chain present around her neck a surge of anger flooded his mind.

    Kyle hurriedly looked around for the square-shaped device he acquired from the guard standing outside the underground prison cells.

    With a swift movement, he ced the device on the chain. A nk sound resounded and the chain around Bia''s neck dropped before Kyle picked up her limp body.

    He fiddled with the storage ring present on his finger and took out all the low-grade healing potions, sprinkling all of them on the deeprge gash present on Bia''s back.

    A barely audible painful groan resounded inside his mind and Kyle finally sighed with relief.

    ''Bia?''

    Her round watery eyes opened slightly and she nced at Kyle.

    -''Hmm...''

    ''It''s okay just sleep. I will wake you up when we are in a safe location.''

    Kyle patted her head and looked at the person standing beside him.

    "Ah.. she is fine."

    Mia nodded and gently tugged at Bia''s head with relief.

    At this moment, Oliver sighed and spoke with a serious expression while looking around the room for a map or something rted to the ce where they were trapped.

    "Let''s not waste any more time we have to leave this ce."

    Kyle nodded and finally gazed around the dimly lit room. Various equipment and rows of ss containers with many monster''s body parts floating inside a strange liquid. His sharp gaze swept through everything before he saw a square-shaped tform hidden behind a U-shaped ss container.

    With Bia in his hands, Kyle approached the tform and his eyes narrowed slightly as he studied the symbols carved on the tform.

    The other students were busy looking around the room as they ruffled through each corner when ne whispered with excitement.

    "I found amunication Crystal!"

    Alec stopped and gazed at ne who was emptying a silver bucket normally used to store water. Not just him everyone gazed at ne with expectations until Jenny pped him from behind.

    "It''s broken. Idiot you are rummaging through a dustbin. Can''t you see the used-up papers and other broken devices inside?"

    ne looked at her dumbfounded. What for? The p was unexpected.

    Oliver massaged his temples with sweaty hands and looked at the kids who were curiously pacing around the room like they were on a pic.

    "Alright stop fooling around. I don''t think there''s anything important in this ce except for these strange containers. Let''s leave."

    Oliver gathered everyone ready to leave when he noticed Kyle standing in front of the tform.

    "What are you doing? We need to leave."

    With a frown, he approached Kyle and gazed at the tform.

    "It''s an Array.... maybe a trapping Array used to trap living beings."

    Oliver whispered slowly, he was not proficient in Arrays but from the small knowledge he had he could tell the Array was used to trap something but was broken when the trapped individual used too much force.

    Kyle gazed at Olive and nodded, it was indeed a trapping Array. He looked back at the students before gazing at the blue-haired girl standing beside Carcel.

    "Mia? Can you please take care of Bia for a while?"

    "Sure."

    With a nod, Mia stretched out her hands and Kyle ced Bia''s body on her hands.

    "She will be fine after some rest."

    Kyle''s eyes traced around the Array as he rubbed his cold palm.

    "Professor I think we can escape through this Array. It''s not a Teleportation Array but I can do some fiddling and add some advanced symbols to form a one-way Teleportation Array. Though we can''t teleport far and the Array will bepletely broken after one usage we can leave this ce."

    A shocked expression appeared on Oliver''s face as he looked at Kyle with a deep frown.

    "I know you know Arrays seeing how easily you passed through the Array present outside the underground prison but still, how is it possible for you to make a Teleportation Array? It''s too difficult even a single mishap can cause death causalities and it will take too much time just to design theplicated Symbols."

    Kyle looked at the Professor with a serious expression, not backing down even the slightest. He just wanted to leave this ce as soon as possible because something inside him was forcing him to close his eyes and just fall asleep. If not for Bia he would have sumbed to that feeling a long time ago.

    "I can do it. I have learned it from Elder Han. If I am sessful we can leave this ce."

    His voice came out a little hoarse as he gazed at the Professor who flinched when he heard Elder Han''s name.

    Alec gazed at the room door and hurriedly approached Kyle.

    "Alright, instead of running around aimlessly your idea is a lot better but how much time will it take? You do know we are in a dangerous ce right now."

    Kyle looked back at Alec with a nod.

    "I know it''s dangerous but I only need ten minutes if anyone has another idea I am willing to follow."

    For a moment, there was silence. After contemting for a few seconds, Oliver nodded in agreement because he didn''t have any other n as to how they should leave this ce. Also, the more time they wasted the dangerous it was.

 Chapter 192 How much more time?

    <h4>Chapter 192 How much more time?</h4>

    The dimly lit room door was closed as Oliver and the students stood in front of it with serious expressions. They were holding weapons, ready to kill any enemy who dared to enter inside.

    Alec looked at thence present in his hand with a dissatisfied expression.

    ''I miss my sword. I wonder where these jerks ced our storage rings?''

    Not just him, almost everyone was sad at the loss of their precious storage rings that''s why they looked around every corner of this room but didn''t find even a single clue.

    With a sigh, Alec shook his head. He gazed at the system expecting some help only to be disappointed.

    ''After we leave I will ask the Vice Principal to help me find my sword. I can''t let it go it''s too precious.''

    In a corner behind the U-shaped container, Mia and Reo one of the grey-haired twins were standing while observing Kyle who was making symbols on the tform.

    Bia''s eyes were half opened as she gazed at Kyle while sitting on Mia''s hands. She was lightheaded due to the injuries but now she was able to see the situation more clearly while asionally moving her feathers.

    Kyle''s figure moved on the tform as he used a broken ss shard to carve the symbols on the ground because he didn''t have any other thing avable.

    ''Ugh, it''s so time-consuming. I need to advance my Array skills so I can draw Array symbols just by using mana. It''s too ufortable to carve the ground with this piece of ss.''

    He grumbled inwardly as he saw the many symbols. Time trickled by as he moved around the tform, his vision turned hazy for a second but Kyle bit his tongue to stay conscious.

    Alec looked at the door and gazed back at Kyle.

    "Kyle, how much more time?"

    He said with a hesitant voice because he could hear faint footsteps outside the door. Professor Oliver tensed up as well and gestured for the kids to stand behind him.

    Kyle didn''t pause in his actions as he dragged the ss shard on the tform.

    "Just four more minutes."

    Meanwhile, a few meters away from the room Kyle and the others were currently present.

    Larry stomped his foot with anger as he red at the ten men standing behind him. His mask was nowhere to be seen and his condition was disheveled because he had just been beaten up by one of his superiors.

    "Damn it! Just where the fuck did they disappear?"

    "There are only 5 floors in this building? Where can they go if not around these floors?"

    He cursed and kicked a nearby man with anger. As he was taking out his anger another man dressed in formal clothes appeared behind the group of people.

    "Larry stopshing out. Ziner checked the exit passages and didn''t find them. He and the other (A)-Ranks are currently outside looking around the forest madly. We need to check each floor thoroughly."

    Larry nced at the cyan-colored-haired man who just appeared out of nowhere.

    "Aoky, you said the dead body disappeared from your room? Don''t tell it''s that dead body who did all this!"

    "If only you stopped ying with those creepy bodies and kept an eye on your surroundings nothing like this would have happened!"

    Aoky snorted and looked at him with a snicker.

    "Shut up. It''s not my fault. You and Bastian were the ones in charge of those kids from the Royal Academy. I just want to apud for the fact that you were tricked by a single kid."

    "We are both dead if we didn''t find those kids. Ziner is angry enough to explode any time."

    He massaged his temples and licked his dry lips.

    "I am going to pack my stuff and run away if we can''t find the kids on thest two floors. Who knows what would happen if those kids somehow found a secure ce outside and contacted the Academy."

    Larry paled when he heard the consequences of their actions. It was good as long as they didn''t get caught but now the only thing they could do was to flee for their life. He kicked a nearby wall with anger.

    A tremble shook the wall and the row of wooden boxes stacked a few meters away came crashing down with loud sounds.

    Larry clicked his tongue when he saw the boxes but his eyes narrowed into a slit when he saw the two dark unconscious figures lying behind the boxes.

    "The fuck."

    He dashed and threw away the boxes and looked at the figures. A vein bulged on his forehead. After he got beaten up by the superior he called almost every guard but a lot of low-rank guards did not answer his calls. So this was a reason, they were all dead.

    Larry''s bloodshot eyes gazed at the dead bodies as he looked around the narrow floor filled with rooms.

    "They are still here! Check every room on this floor! Hurry up!"

    The guards standing behind him dashed forward and started opening door after door.

    Aoky looked at the dead bodies with a serious expression.

    "What a waste of materials."

    Larry red at him.

    "Shut up! We are fucking standing at death door and you want to y with dead bodies?"

    Aoky shook his head with disdain.

    "Did you lose your brain after getting kicked? If they are really inside the building there''s no way they can run away."

    Larry calmed down and nodded while carefully folding his sleeves. There was no way the captives could run away from this floor because except for some experiment tools nothing precious was avable here.

    He walked around the floor when a muffled cry echoed in his ears. With wide eyes, he gazed at thergest door present in the middle.

    Two of the guards rushed to the room with their weapons but they were attacked with a dangerous wind attack.

    "They are hiding inside the boss room?"

    Larry looked at the person standing beside and both of them rushed toward the room.

 Chapter 193 To much knowledge is bad

    <h4>Chapter 193 To much knowledge is bad</h4>

    Oliver tensed when he saw the door of the room open. With a creak, a man d in ck gazed inside with a cautious expression, his eyes widened with visible shock and disbelief when he saw the group of people standing in the room.

    The man wanted to shout out to rm the others but Oliver jumped forward and grabbed the man''s mouth with his palm to shut him up.

    A barely audible muffled sound escaped from the man''s throat as he eyed Oliver with horror before his throat was slit with a sharp ss shard.

    Oliver clenched his jaw, he wanted to take out the enemy as quietly as possible but s when he was busy killing he didn''t notice the other man in ck standing outside the door.

    "They are here!"

    A loud shout echoed throughout the whole floor. Within a second, the other men d in ck stopped what they were doing and dashed toward the room.

    Oliver heard the approaching footsteps and cursed under his breath. He opened his palm wide and hurdled out a wind attack at the fleeting man.

    With a bang, the man in ck crashed into the wall opposite the room but it was toote, their location was exposed as many individuals reached the room in no time.

    The students standing behind Oliver went stiff, some tensed when they saw an ominous-looking man with striking cyan hair step in the room. The man''s very presence sent shivers down their spines, his aura dripping with the scent of fresh blood.

    After a second, another person with fiery red hair who looked familiar yet unfamiliar stepped into the room followed by many men in ck. His hair was disheveled and his eyes were bloodshot.

    Unlike the cyan-haired man who stood quietly, the red-haired man gritted his teeth with anger while throwing a dangerous re at Oliver and the kids standing opposite him.

    "Capture them!"

    Larry shouted and the group of men standing behind him stepped forward only to be scared shitless when Oliver released his aura and looked at them with emotionless eyes.

    "Damn it! I forget there''s a Professor among them."

    With another curse, a chain appeared in Larry''s hand as he leaped forward to knock the Professor.

    "I will take care of him grab the kids!"

    Oliver''s face hardened when he sensed Larry''s rank. He looked at the kids who were ready to fight a life-and-death battle and engaged himself with Larry.

    Larry''s expression didn''t change even when he sensed that Oliver was (S)-Rank. He scoffed and to Oliver''s dismay, he was able to parry his attacks very easily. The situation stunned the students because they could see Oliver was being pressured.

    The clink of chains filled the air as Larry swung them with deadly precision. They shed and with gritted teeth, Oliver pushed Larry backward toward a container to not influence the kids.

    On the other hand, Alec''s gaze turned solemn. He silently counted the approaching group of men inwardly.

    ''1..2...8.''

    The eight men didn''t even flinch when the kids red at them with dark eyes. They immediately pulled out chains to capture them like ves.

    Alec gazed at the system window and saw the appraisal result. A cold breath escaped his mouth. Two of the men were (C)-Rank, one (B)-Rank, and the remaining five (D)-Rank.

    "Carcel attack the one on the left! I will take care of the one in the middle!"

    He shouted andshed out with incredible agility. The men in ck were stunned at the kid''s audacity but they recovered within a second. Carcel and the students followed behind Alec and attacked their respective enemies.

    Alec grazed thence he was holding on the floor, sparks flew out as he blocked the strongest man in ck. Even before he decided to battle the man he knew he was too weakpared to his opponent but he didn''t expect he would stumble many steps backward in their first sh.

    Blood seeped out from the corner of his mouth as he backflipped and nted his feet on the floor.

    Carcel gazed at Alec but he couldn''t help because he was overpowered by a (C)-Rank individual Alec asked him to fight.

    ne and Jenny handled thest (C)-Rank together while the other students got engaged with the remaining (D)-Rank men.

    All this while, Aoky the cyan hair man stood at the door with amused eyes. He didn''t release his aura nor did he attack anyone. His dark eyes followed the drops of blood trickling down from each individual.

    He rubbed his hands with anticipation. He wanted to see many dead bodies.

    ''Tsk, Larry can handle these kids easily but I should inform the others so theye back.''

    He silently pushed out a small device from his pocket and pressed on it before looking at the battle again.

    Alec''s eyes darkened when he saw Aoky figure. He gritted his teeth and blocked another attack from his opponent only to be flung backward with an even greater force.

    He wiped the blood from his mouth and stood up again even though his body was in pain, his eyes traced the figure standing between the door because if that cyan-hair man attacked they were all done for.

    ''If he got involved we have zero percent chance of winning this fight. Damn it! Kyle just how much more time do you need? Now I am not sure if we will be able to leave this ce?''

    Alec didn''t know whether tough or cry at the fact that he knew the enemy ranks because too much knowledge was always bad for his heart.

    _______________

    System Analysis;

    ''Name: Aoky Dinazir''

    ''Race: demi-human''

    ''Rank: (A)''

    ''Talent: (S+)''

    ''Skills:.....

    _______________

    Alec blocked another attack when arge ice boulder was thrown at his opponent from behind.

    He turned around for a second and saw Mia''s figure standing further at the back. She was throwing magical attacks here and there while grasping Bia tightly.

    Alec''s eyes wandered around for a second. Carcel was injured. The other students were having a very hard time as well.

    Lastly from the faint reflections, he could tell Oliver''s situation wasn''t looking good as well. The Professor was ruthlessly pushed back as he countered Larry each attack.

 Chapter 194 The last five minutes

    <h4>Chapter 194 Thest five minutes</h4>

    Kyle could hear the sounds of battle behind him as he drew another symbol hurriedly on the tform. He clenched his jaw tightly and with another stroke, he was done with the Array.

    He gazed at the ce where Mia was standing a while ago and hurriedly took out all the mana stones present in the storage ring present on his finger.

    "Not enough..."

    Kyle cursed and his mind raced as he gazed back. Oliver''s bloodied figure was flung backward as he blocked the red-haired man''s attack.

    Kyle''s breath hitched when he saw a familiar figure standing nonchntly between the door.

    ''It''s that man...''

    He shook his head and looked back at the Array. Within a second, he made a decision.

    ''I need mana, I am not sure if it will work.''

    He bent down and ced both of his palms on the tform. He did read about this method in one of the Ancient books he acquired from the Tower but he onlyprehened a few lines so he wasn''t sure if it would work.

    With a deep breath, he threw away the anxiousness eating away at his heart and solely focused on the mana present in his body, circting it gently around his wrists before injecting the mana within the Array symbols.

    It was a very strange feeling because instead of the natural mana present in the surroundings, he was using his mana as a catalyst to fuel the Array.

    His hand trembled slightly as the mana within his body drained at a visibly fast speed.

    Within two seconds half of his mana was gone. Kyle''s eyes shone slightly as he saw the symbols reacting under his guidance.

    "It''s worked."

    Relief appeared on his pale face as he stood up and looked at the Array.

    "It will activate automatically within five minutes."

    Kyle''s eyesnded on the battle behind him. He stepped out from behind the ss container and sharply gazed around.

    The strange mana movement behind the container attracted Aoky attention as he squinted his eyes to look at the container but he was distracted due to Kyle''s presence.

    ''I didn''t sense this kid? Where did hee from so suddenly?''

    So many questions appeared in his mind as his curious eyes followed Kyle who looked around with a deadpan expression.

    What happened next made his scalp go numb and he almost stepped forward to grab Kyle''s neck.

    Kyle gazed at every single individual and grabbed arge ss shard in his hand tightly.

    "I am done. We have only five minutes."

    He shouted and immediately afterward all students knew what he meant. Alec almost cursed how were they going to free themselves in five minutes?

    The moment this thought shed through Alec''s mind, Kyle''s figure shed as he used ''Instant Teleportation'' to appear behind Alec''s opponent.

    It was too sudden the man d in ck wasn''t able to react properly even Alec was stunned.

    Kyle shed at the man''s neck from behind. The man''s hair stood up as he tilted his body out of reflex and avoided the sharp shard from prating his neck. Instead, the ss shard pierced through his shoulder and he cried out in pain.

    "Attack."

    Kyle shouted and Alec snapped out before stabbing his opponent with a deadly strike.

    The (B)-Rank individual was overwhelmed, he wanted to block Alec''s attack but Kyle threw a fireball at his face and Alec''s Lance prated his abdomen.

    With a loud shriek, the man dropped down. Alec could sense the man only fainted because he was breathing. He wanted to attack again when a painful cry echoed and both Kyle and Alec looked at ne.

    "Help Carcel."

    Alec shouted at Kyle and dashed forward to help ne.

    Kyle''s eyesnded on Carcel''s figure, instead of moving arge ice spear appeared above his head. Even though he seemed distracted he was focused on the cyan-hair man standing between the door. The man didn''t move even when Kyle and Alec took out one of their strongest members but the faint anger on his face wasn''t something he could hide.

    Kyle could feel the man''s eyes looking at him from head to toe with intense curiosity but he didn''t gaze back and threw the ice spear at the opponent Carcel was facing.

    With a sh the floating ice spear crashed into the unsuspecting enemy and many ice fragments scattered around, heading straight toward the other men in ck.

    The atmosphere around the room became chilly and Kyle''s gaze flickered for a second. He shook his head.

    ''I need to stay conscious.''

    Meanwhile, after Alec saw Kyle''s skill. He opened his palm and shouted.

    "Cyclonic Gale."

    A small tornado appeared in his palm and within a second it danced around Alec turningrge enough to engulf everything in front of him.

    Hundreds of wind des swirled within the tornado and it almost crushed the opponent fighting ne. Large gusts of winds flew around the room and the ice present on the ground scattered as the tornado finally dissipated after gravely wounding the (C)-Rank man.

    Aoky merely chuckled but the vein bulging on his forehead gave him away. He wanted to apud because true to its name the Royal Academy students were very strong. He clicked his tongue and finally stepped forward to stop everything when Kyle turned around and pointed the ss shard at him.

    With a raised brow, Aoky looked at Kyle with amusement.

    "You want to attack me? Okaye on I will give you a chance."

    His voice was filled with disdain and anger as he pointed his finger at Kyle who looked at him with a dark expression.

    Alec gazed at Aoky with gritted teeth.

    "Kyle, he is strong! Don''t battle with him!"

    He shouted but Kyle''s eyes were fixed on the cyan-hair man as he replied with a serious expression.

    "We don''t have time. So finish them up and step on the tform!"

    Aoky was confused but Alec and the others knew what he meant. They became aggressive in their attacks and slowly started moving backward toward the tform.

    The cyan-hair man''s gaze followed them when Kyle curled up his finger with a mocking smile.

    "Your opponent is me. Didn''t you say you will give me a chance or are you going to back off now?"

    Aoky scoffed.

    "Alrighte on!''

    However, what happened next almost made his blood boil in anger.

 Chapter 195 Unexpected move

    <h4>Chapter 195 Unexpected move</h4>

    Kyle''s gaze was fixed on the cyan-hair man but his mind was somewhere else.

    He counted the duration when the Array would activate in his mind and to everyone''s surprise the ss shard present in his hand dropped with a clink.

    Within a second, Kyle felt the remaining mana left in his body and Oliver''s location.

    ''Hmm, the mana is not enough but if I endure the pain then I can do it.''

    A cold chuckle escaped from the cyan-hair man as he looked at Kyle with a fed-up expression.

    Aoky gaze lingered on the kids who had killed a few more men d in ck. Now only two men were left but from the look of it, the remaining men would be soon out of the picture leaving behind only him and Larry.

    He fixed his eyes on Kyle ready to release his aura to subdue him if thetter didn''t move in the next few seconds.

    "What got cold feet? Why are you not attacking me now?"

    Kyle''s gaze subtly moved as he looked at a bloodied sword present on the ground, belonging to one of the enemies.

    His fingers curled up into a fist as he took a deep breath and looked at the cyan-hair man whoughed at his minor actions.

    Aoky raised his brow with disdain when Kyle''s figure moved only to grab the sword with one swift movement and dash at him at full speed.

    With a snort, he opened his fingers wisp of mana lingered on his nails as he prepared to stab them in Kyle''s neck to satisfy his anger.

    Under his gaze, Kyle''s lips curved upward and his eyes almost popped out because the moment Kyle arrived in front of him he disappeared.

    Aoky blinked. He had seen this move before but he was stunned for a second. How can a person just disappear into thin air?

    Meanwhile, Kyle''s figure appeared behind Larry. He didn''t want to use too much mana that''s why he waited until Oliver and Larry neared his position and activated the skill ''Instant Teleportation''.

    His grip on his sword tightened and Oliver''s eyes widened when he saw Kyle appearing out of nowhere.

    Oliver''s condition wasn''t good he was bleeding from his mouth and arge wound could be seen on his arm. Seeing Oliver''s distracted eyes Larry frowned and wanted to distance himself for a second when the cyan-hair man''s shout resounded in the room.

    "Watch out!"

    Larry''s eyes contracted when he sensed the mana movement behind himself. It was too chaotic! Chaotic enough to make his scalp go numb.

    Oliver saw Kyle attack he was shocked but he gritted his teeth and wed Larry''s neck to stop him from moving from his location.

    Aoky''s eyes turned bloodshot as he disappeared from his ce to snap Kyle''s neck! How presumptuous! He was tricked by a small fry he could kill with a single p!

    Kyle''s eyes turned cold he didn''t stop his movement because he knew after this move his mana would be drained.

    ''Ethereal Voidbreaker sh.''

    He mused and the mana around the room trembled. It danced around the metal sword in a tangled manner. The sword cracked due to the share amount of pressure but Kyle''s grasp on it was tight.

    He imbued every bit of mana present in his body to the sword without caring about the cracks and before the cyan-hair man could grab him, he unleashed a devastating strike but this time the sword aura was filled with coldness and tiny beads of ice appeared on its de.

    With a swift and precise swing, the de sliced through the air, Larry panicked he could sense the attack was devasting enough to cripple him but Oliver forced him to stay in his ce.

    Amidst the coldness, a rift of light and energy that obliterated anything in its path appeared in front of Kyle.

    With a resounding boom, the sword shattered. Larry spurted out a mouthful of blood as his figure was flung in the opposite direction while Kyle flew backward due to the pressure of his attack. Under Aoky''s horrid gaze, everything stopped for a second as he tried to digest the situation.

    A mere kid who was barely twenty used a move dangerous enough to threaten a (A)-Rank individual? It took him a second to believe this fact. If a few minutes ago someone said this to him he would just scoff and consider that person an idiot!

    Kyle didn''t care about the blood seeping out from his mouth. He gritted his teeth and propelled himself midair to fly toward the tform.

    The students were stunned as they all watched Kyle''s figure crashing into the container with a loud bang.

    The ss shattered and the mirky liquid present within the container gushed out sshing everywhere.

    A groan escaped from Kyle''s lips as he clenched his fists to stop himself from crumbling down because of the pain.

    The moment Kyle''s figure crashed with the ss container. Bia''s cry rang out in his mind as she saw him with her half-opened eyes.

    -''Kyle!''

    She pped her weak wings frantically to leave Mia''s embrace but Kyle''s firm voice replied.

    ''Stay with Mia!''

    Bia''s protest echoed in his mind but Kyle stayed quiet.

    Alec cursed when he saw Kyle''s bloodied figure and with a dark expression, he took care of thest man d in ck.

    Kyle shook his head when his eyelids suddenly turned heavy and a barely audible voice escaped through his mouth.

    "T..he... tform..."

    The students knew what he meant they all rushed backward while Alec and Carcel rushed toward Kyle to help him up.

    Aoky gazed at Kyle''s figure with red veins bulging out on his forehead. His nails dugged into his flesh as he dashed forward to kill Kyle. He no longer cared about anything else he just wanted to kill Kyle with his hands.

    Oliver blocked Aoky''s path with ragged breathing when he saw his craze expression.

    On the side, Larry''s condition wasn''t good. His clothes were tattered and hey on the ground with dim breathing. Arge pool of blood gushed out from therge gash present on his back. His eyes were hazy and mind nk for a while. It took him a few seconds to snap out of the daze as he moved his trembling body to take out a healing potion from his storage ring.

    Kyle gazed at Alec and Carcel''s approaching figures with hazy eyes. Right now, he just wanted to sleep. His body was screaming asking him to just close his eyes but he didn''t. With the remaining amount of strength left in his body, he straightened his palms on the ground to stand up but what happened next left not just him but almost everyone dumbfounded.

 Chapter 196 Ziner Anger

    <h4>Chapter 196 Ziner Anger</h4>

    Alec and Carcel froze in their ce as they saw a bright light engulfing Kyle''s figure.

    Kyle eyed the warm light surrounding his body with confusion but then his eyes widened in the next second when he saw the broken broach lying on top of his left thigh.

    All the pieces of the broach shone brightly turning into small particles and soon they engulfed Kyle''s whole body.

    Kyle cursed he didn''t know whether tough or cry in this situation! He felt his body lighten up and a familiar nauseating sensation crept up in his stomach.

    ''Master, I want to question if this broach is a life-saving treasure or did you plot my death secretly!''

    Kyle eyed the warm light and stopped the urge to curse the old man.

    "Step on the tform now!"

    He shouted as he knew barely ten seconds were left and the Array would activate itself. Alec and Carcel wanted to step forward to grab his body but Kyle disappeared from the room with bright light blinding everyone.

    Everything happened so fast that even Aoky and Oliver were dumbfounded but they didn''t stop fighting.

    Bia cried out again this time with more vigor but Mia grabbed her firmly. After a second, Kyle''s voice resounded in her mind barely calming her down.

    ''Stay with Mia until I pick you up!''

    After this single line, she didn''t hear Kyle''s voice again. Her round eyes turned moist with tears when she felt the connection between them bing dim with each passing second.

    At the same time, Alec and Carcel dashed to the tform with gritted teeth. They could only wish for Kyle to be safe in their mind.

    The students were standing on the tform when the mana around them surged upward violently.

    Aoky eyes almost bulged out from the sockets when he sensed the mana movement. His gaze swept past the broken containers as he kicked Oliver with his leg, sending him a few steps backward.

    "How?"

    He questioned when he saw the edge of the tform where the kids were standing firmly. How was it possible for a Teleportation Array to appear in this ce?

    Aoky wanted to pull his hair with anger. Just what the heck was happening? He couldn''t even secure some kids?

    At this movement, Alec shouted at the top of his lungs.

    "Professor jumped backward!"

    Oliver saw another attacking his way. Opposite him, the cyan-hair man attacked crazily without even caring about his safety.

    At the same time, Larry dragged his body and tried his best to stand up but from his pale face, Oliver was sure it would at least take thetter half a minute to handle the grave injury.

    Oliver didn''t bother blocking the cyan-hair man''s attack and jumped backward toward the tform. The zing attacknded on his chest and a pained expression appeared on his face.

    His left hand twitched as his body flew back with an unimaginable speed.

    Alec saw Oliver''s figure and shouted again.

    "Now!"

    Immediately afterward all the individuals standing on the tform drained every bit of mana present in their bodies hurling out all the skills present in their arsenal without restraint.

    Aoky saw the many attacks aimed at him, he shouted with so much frustration and anger that the ground beneath him cracked.

    "Ahhhhhhhh..."

    Oliver spit out a mouthful of blood and his body crashed at the edge of the tform. A hand tugged on his shoulder and dragged him inside the tform.

    Another blinding sh of light appeared in the room but this time the light was brighter. The ground beneath their feet cracked within a second.

    Aoky dashed to stop them but s it was toote. The light engulfed everyone present on the tform and they all disappeared within the void, leaving behind a trail of their warmth.

    The cyan-hair man gazed at the lingering white particles but his soul almost flew out from his body when the remaining mana around the tform trembled so violently that the nearby walls started shaking.

    A few faint symbols flew in the air, they swelled up with a frightening speed. Aoky eyes contracted he didn''t care about anything else and ran in the opposite direction with his tail tucked between his legs.

    "Damn it! Those bastards!"

    His protest died down in the next second when a huge force crashed into his body, sending him flying. The ground under the Array sted into many pieces. Dust and debris flew everywhere as one of the room walls crashed down, shaking the whole building.

    At the same time, with trembling hands, Larry finally managed to stand up straight but seeing the iing doom he almost spit out blood and fainted again.

    He didn''t even know when arge boulder crashed on top of his head and he lost consciousness while his body was barely grasping a thin thread to stay alive.

    While all this was happening, Ziner and the group of men looking around for the escaped individuals returned after receiving a single from Aoky.

    Ziner''s floating figurended in front of the building with a nonchnt expression. The other men quietly followed behind him.

    He didn''t even step inside when he felt a huge tremor shaking the very foundation of his secret base.

    Ziner''s eyes flew open with shock as he disappeared from his spot heading directly toward the source of destruction. The group of men following behind him looked at each other with confusion but followed behind him.

    After a few seconds, Ziner appeared in front of his room. His vibrant eyes lost their luster when he saw the condition of his room.

    Dust and smoke flew everywhere. Broken ss containers, the ground was caved in, and one of the walls sustaining the roof was nowhere to be seen. The only table was split into many pieces.

    Lastly, his eyesnded on the cage that was buried under arge rock. He staggered toward the cage and pushed the rock away. It was empty. The beast was gone!

    The group of men following behind him stood outside the room with grim expressions when a small groan resounded in the room.

    Ziner turned around to look at the ce where the voice came from and then he snapped.

    "You bastard! What the hell did you do with my room? Where is the legendary beast? You were not even able to take care of some kids!"

    Heshed out at Aoky who was coughing out blood. Aoky eyes contracted into a slit when he saw Ziner approaching fist.

    Aoky coughed another mouthful of blood as Ziner''s fist collided with his chest. He would have probably perished if not for the other men stopping Ziner on time.

 Chapter 197 What a beautiful day

    It took Ziner ten whopping minutes just to ept the reality with gritted teeth. All the students escaped unscathed! They even took the beast with them!

    His eyes darted around the room andnded on the broken pieces of the table. A vein bulged out in his forehead as he waved his hand and all the pieces started hovering.

    Among the pieces, Ziner eyed the small broken square-shaped container that was used to store the excess blood spilled on the table.

    He grabbed the container it was broken and only a few dribbles of blood were left inside.

    Ziner cursed under his breath and put it inside his storage ring. With a loud exhale, he turned around to look at everyone when he sensed a weak breath under the debris.

    With a frown, Ziner waved his hand and therge rocks around the room started floating. His eyes narrowed at the barely alive red-haired man lying under a boulder.

    "Larry..?"

    He didn''t care if the people working for him died but Larry was not weak that''s why he gestured for one of the men to give Larry a high-grade healing potion.

    Aoky eyed Larry''s bloodied figure with gritted teeth. He was leaning against a wall and weakly gulped down a healing potion he took out from his storage ring. Anger shed through his eyes when he recalled what happened a while ago.

    ''I swear I am going to dissect those kids with my own hands! Just once let me get my hands on them!''

    At a side, one of the men who followed behind Ziner stood in front of the caved-in broken tform with a sweaty forehead.

    He gazed at Ziner and shook his head with a serious expression.

    "There''s no way I can track the coordinates of this Array. Not just me even a person well versed in Arrays won''t be able to track the coordinates. The one who designed this Array made sure nothing was left, it was designed to self-destruct after the first usage."

    Ziner clenched his fist. No one informed him that one of the kidnapped students had knowledge regarding Arrays and from the look of it the student wasn''t a beginner in this field.

    He took a deep breath and waved his hand to gather everyone''s attention.

    "Now that the kidnapped individuals ran away we can''t stay in this ce any longer. Sooner orter the people from the Royal Academy wille for our heads. I am leaving for another Kingdom. Just pack every important stuff and things that can expose your identity and leave this ce."

    "Go far away and stay low for a while. I will find a new base and after a few months when the Royal Academy stopped their search and everything calmed down I will contact you all."

    Ziner gazed at the group of men standing opposite him with a solemn expression. Today he lost a lot of manpower. After a few more instructions he looked around his room but because everything was broken and destroyed he gritted his teeth with anger. He shot a deadly re at Aoky and disappeared from the room without saying anything further.

    After he left the other men gave a sidelong nce to the injured cyan-hair man and disappeared as well while dragging the unconscious Larry.

    Aoky cursed under his breath because he was the only one left. Now he had to clean the whole building. After resting for a few minutes some of his injuries healed because of the many healing potions he gulped down. He staggered inside the whole building to look for everything of value.

    When he cleaned the storage room his eyes darted to some storage rings lying in a corner. He didn''t think much and tossed all the rings in a cloth bag. However, this was a grave mistake he would regret soon.

    After he was done, he left the building heading to an unknown ce where no one would disturb him for a while.

    ...

    Meanwhile, inside a vige present at the edge of Kingdom Tersia. The vige nestled deep within a forest, where some old elves couple lived harmoniously.

    The area was adorned with shimmering treehouses, lush waterfalls, andrge green trees, creating a beautiful and serene environment.

    Two white-haired elves talked about their daily life as they walked around the street present between the various treehouses.

    After a while, they stopped walking and basked in the sunlight.

    One of them sighed with a peaceful expression.

    "What a beautiful day."

    The moment this sentence left his mouth, a lot of individuals dropped from the sky, directlynding in front of the two dumfounded elves.

    "Agh.. so heavy get down!"

    ne groaned in pain as he pushed the huge weight thatnded on his back.

    A few more students cried out in pain when their heads banged with a hard surface.

    The elves duo finally snapped out of their daze when they smelled blood. A few more old elves stepped out from the treehouses and gathered around the uninvited guests who appeared out of nowhere.

    "Who are you humans? How did you appear in this ce?"

    One of the elves wearing white robes questioned with a solemn expression as he could see that the uninvited guests didn''t belong to the elf race. He gestured for the other elves to stay calm.

    Alec rubbed his head with a painful expression. He cursed in his mind because Kyle didn''t tell them they would crashnd after they used the Array.

    He gazed at the other students and eyed Oliver''s injured figure.

    ''Professor Oliver is unconscious what should I do now?''

    Alec sighed and looked at the individuals standing around him. He blinked his eyes, it took him a while to register that the old individuals standing around him were all elves.

    He patted his clothes and stood up. Carcel arrived beside him and the remaining students stood behind the duo. Mia hid Bia''s presence as much as possible and stood between all the students.

    Alec cleared his throat and looked at the elf who questioned them previously.

    "Umm... hello Sir. I am Alec and these are my friends. We just identally stepped in a damaged Array and arrived at this ce. Could you please be kind enough to help us a little so we can return home?"

    The elves narrowed their eyes at Alec with suspicion. How can so many people step in a damaged Array all at once and on top of that you are saying you all stepped in the Array identally? How ridiculous!

    However, the white-robed elf nodded his head. He could sense the kid''s rank they were no threat to them. Instead of a threat, the kids looked like they were running for life.

 Chapter 198 Why is he so far from the Kingdom

    Chapter 198 Why is he so far from the Kingdom

    The white-robed elf helped Oliver and gave him a healing potion. They were vignt of the sudden arrivals but after Oliver regained consciousness he instantly apologized and politely sought help.

    He didn''t ask for much and just borrowed amunication device for a while to contact the Academy. Oliver was nd theynded in a ce filled with life instead of a dangerous forest or worse a desert. In their current condition, there was no way the kids would survive without proper rest.

    While Oliver was busy contacting the Academy. An old elf grandma took the kids into her wooden house.

    The girls were relieved when they took a warm bath and changed into better clothes provided by the kind grandma. Well, the clothes were basicallyrge white robes but the robes were a hundred times better than their blood-filled clothes.

    The boys went to a separate ce to bathe and change their clothes. After they were clean the old grandma gave them warm food.

    She was very kind but when she dragged ne and asked him to be her adopted son everyone was dumbfounded. Her reason, she missed her grandson who hadn''t visited her for a while.

    In the end, the old grandma''s husband intervened and stopped her in time, or else ne would have gotten another mother.

    All this while, Bia stayed quiet as Mia enveloped her in cloth secretly to hide her from the prying eyes but the thing she didn''t know was that Bia''s presence was discovered when she was trying her best to hide her.

    The old elves didn''t think much about the small bird Mia was hiding desperately because they were unaware of many things happening outside the vige. So how would they know anything that was happening in another Kingdom?

    After two hours of struggle, Oliver finally managed to contact the Academy and returned with a smile. He nced at the kids who were now looking fresh and well fed with a relieved sigh.

    They stayed in the vige until midnight when a loud sound resounded outside the vige.

    All the elves left their houses and red at the three floating old men who appeared out of nowhere and disturbed their night.

    Oliver cried out with joy when he saw the floating individuals. He dashed forward with a wide smile.

    "Sir!"

    Ratric, George, and Elder ze the three of them gazed at Oliver''s figure, and in an instant Ratric disappeared from his ce and grabbed Oliver''s shoulder.

    "How about the kids?"

    Oliver was stunned for a second but he hurriedly told the Principal everything. Narrating all the things that happened after they disappeared from the Academy.

    The elves present around them eyed them with frowns and one of them stepped forward to politely ask the intruder to leave their vige.

    Ratric was not angry instead he thanked them for taking care of the students. Oliver went inside and brought all the students outside.

    After eyeing the students, George and Ratric finally sighed with relief but then a frown appeared on Ratric face.

    "Where is Kyle?"

    He said with a serious expression but Oliver''s body slumped when he heard Kyle''s name.

    "He was the one who drew the Array but suddenly he just vanished. I don''t know the exact details."

    Ratric nodded but he silently looked at Geroge and ze and both of them disappeared to look around for Kyle.

    After they left, Ratric looked at the kids standing behind Oliver. He nodded at the elves and took out a floating boat from his storage ring. There was no Teleportation Array in this vige so it was better to float and find a nearby city with a Teleportation Array.

    "We are leaving. Climb up."

    Ratric shouted and a stairway appeared in front of Oliver and the kids. They jumped at the boat one by one. Some of the kids waved at the old grandma who almost kidnapped ne to make him her adopted son.

    The boat started floating and disappeared into the sky. Bia silently gazed at the forest around the vige. She could feel Kyle was alive but his presence was very dim almost like a thin thread. Also, unlike before she wasn''t able to sense his exact location. No matter how much she called out to Kyle in her mind he didn''t reply.

    Her breath hitched for a second, she wanted to fly and look around for Kyle but when she recalled hisst words she quietly stayed with Mia.

    -''Idiot, pick me up soon, or else I am going to beat you up!''

    After traveling for a few hours, the shipnded in the elf''s capital. The Principal hurriedly found a Teleportation Array to avoid the many eyes looking at them with curiosity and they traveled back to Kingdom Ete.

    .....

    Meanwhile, after the broach around Kyle''s chest shattered. A certain someone who was busy with some old foggies as they studied some ancient symbols suddenly jolted from his seat.

    "What happened Han''s?"

    An old man looked at Han with confusion but Han didn''t reply and hurriedly took out a familiar broach from his storage ring.

    "What happened to that Kid?"

    Han cursed because this broach was connected to the one he left for Kyle. If the broach was broken that means something bad happened to his disciple. He dashed forward to leave the ce but was stopped by some old individuals.

    "Han you can''t leave we are here toplete the task assigned by the King."

    Elder Han scoffed. He didn''t care about the so-called king''s order he was here to help because the Principal asked him to.

    "I don''t care! I am leaving, go tell whoever you want!"

    He shot a re at the people blocking his path and without saying anything more left.

    After leaving the area, he bought amunication device from a market because the one he had before was taken away after he arrived in the Central Continent.

    With an anxious expression, he called Ratric but thetter didn''t pick up his call. Then he called George but after getting no

    response he angrily threw themunication device away.

    "What the heck are they doing?"

    After cursing, he took out a small que from his storage ring. He looked at the que and used his mana to sense the other que that he gave to Kyle.

    After observing the other que''s location for a while, he cursed again.

    "Damn it! why is he so far from the Kingdom?"

 Chapter 199 A dream again

    Chapter 199 A dream again

    On the other hand, when Kyle disappeared from the room his mind was ringing, and due to the sudden pull he felt around his body he wasn''t able to stabilize himself on time as hended in an area filled with grass.

    He groaned and used his palm to sit but due to the uneven ground, his body slid downward.

    A painful expression appeared on his pale face and to stop his body he hurriedly tried to grab something anything but the grass around him was too weak to support his weight.

    After sliding down for a few seconds his body abruptly halted as he crashed into a tree.

    Kyle hissed and his toe curled up with pain. He took a fewrge breaths and opened his blurry eyes.

    He was surrounded by many trees and tall grass. At a distance, a medium-sized building was standing hidden between the rows of trees. Under his gaze the building shook slightly, sending small waves of vibrations everywhere.

    A far contrast to his sorry state, Kyle''s lips curled upward slightly.

    ''The Array sted...''

    He was a little worried about Alec and the others because he didn''t expect to just suddenly disappear on them.

    ''I can just hope they used the Array and left the room on time because if they didn''t.... well that''s a very bad thought.''

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed slightly. He wanted to destroy the room where Bia was caged that''s why he added some destructive symbols between the Array.

    After thinking for a few seconds, Kyle sighed. His condition was too bad. At this moment how dare he worry about others.

    Anyway, Oliver was strong and he took care of the red-haired man. So they might have escaped unscathed.

    Kyle''s mind wandered around for a minute. He wanted to stand up and look around for a safe ce but his body didn''t listen to him.

    Soon, his breathing turned even colder, andrge wisps of white smoke came out of his mouth.

    ''I don''t want to faint here...''

    He fought a mental battle because his location wasn''t safe but after struggling for a while he gave up because his whole body was aching. It was painful and cold.

    In hisst attempt, he moved his fingers to look inside the storage ring for a healing potion but then he recalled he used all of them on Bia. With a resigned sigh, Kyle closed his eyes.

    If Nine saw Kyle now, he would gasp with shock because this scenario was very familiar to the image he saw in his mind. Kyle''s bloodied figure d in tattered clothes, lying between lush grass. In the end, even though Nine saw the image he wasn''t fated to help Kyle.

    Amidst the headache, Kyle''s mind drifted for a while and he found himself in a familiar ce where blue mes lingered around his floating body.

    ''Hmm...This ce...A dream again?''

    Even though Kyle could barely see what was happening around him, he sensed something moving inside his body but instead of pain, he felt a tingling sensation.

    The blue mes felt extremely cold around his body, they touched him and danced around him. It was like they were pondering or waiting for the right time to enter his body.

    Kyle didn''t know how much time passed as he floated between the mes when suddenly like a dam something burst within his body. The moment this sensation appeared within him, the mes burned with more vigor, they immediately jumped with incredible speed and entered his body.

    His body didn''t resist and the mes travelled inside his whole body freely. Kyle''s mind stopped at that moment and he let his body freely float in that strange ce.

    While all this was happening within his mind, in the original world memorizing yet dim blue particles emerged out from his chest and enveloped his whole body. The particles travelled around his body like a gentle breeze and his injuries healed in a frightening speed. Just in a few seconds, all his wounds disappeared no matter how big or small.

    After curing his wounds, the particles trembled violently. It was a very strange phenomenon. The trees and grass around Kyle shook slightly. Their leaves rustle with joy because they were witnessing something incredible that was forgotten a long long time ago.

    The mana in the atmosphere surged at Kyle with incredible speed. With each passing second, the blue particles be thicker and thicker forming a round blue nket around his whole body.

    Soon, Kyle''s body waspletely hidden inside the nket. Subconsciously his body curled up and a frost-chilling air spread out everywhere.

    At the same time, when Aoky was done cleaning the building he came out of the building with a dark expression and cursed the ones who left him behind to do everything alone.

    He narrowed his eyes with a frown when he felt the surrounding temperature. It was cold very cold. He rubbed his arms and clicked his tongue.

    "Now what the heck with the weather? Why is it so cold under a scorching sun?"

    He grumbled inwardly and looked around but after finding nothing he left the ce hurriedly without looking back.

    The day soon turned into night and the temperature around the ce turned even colder. Kyle''s figure waspletely hidden between ayer of blue nket. His presence was hidden due to the earring and coupled with the dust and debris that flew around with the wind. Soon the nket turned dusty. Making it even harder to locate it between the grassy field and tall trees.

    A few low-rank monsters and birds around the ce sensed the coldness and their bodies shivered. They narrowed their eyes but didn''t approach the ce for fear of encountering a strong opponent.

    Next day, a familiar ck-haired man appeared in front of the building. It was George, He narrowed his eyes and looked at the building.

    After a minute, Elder ze appeared behind him with a serious expression.

    "I have looked around everywhere. The whole vige is surrounded by a forest. This is the only suspicious ce and the old elves have no idea about this building because it''s too far away from the vige."

    George nodded and his eyes shed with anger. He entered the building with ze and after seeing the condition of the building they were sure it was the same ce where the kids were trapped.

    "Not even a single alive person and I didn''t even see anything useful."

    George left the building and gazed at it onest time. He waved his hand to crush itpletely. The building trembled under his might and with a loud banging sound, it crumbled. Clouds of smoke appeared in front of Geroge and he waved his hand to clear his vision.

    ze stood behind him with a solemn expression.

    "Should I go even deeper to look around for that kid?"

    George didn''t turn around and just nodded.

    "Let''s just look around the whole forest. This forest is attached to the outermost area of the Dark Forest. I am not sure if he is alive but we should do our best to look for him."

    ze nodded but then he stared around the building.

    "Strange why is it so cold here?"

    Geroge eyes narrowed slightly as he looked around the trees and grass.

    "Cold? The air is it but I can''t sense the reason. This area is indeed colder."

    He whispered and shook his head.

    "Let''s separate, contact me if you find anything regarding Kyle."

    With a nod, ze disappeared in the opposite direction. Geroge gaze lingered around the ce for a few seconds but he sighed and disappeared as well.

    ....

    Meanwhile, Elder Han left the Central Continent and entered the East Continent after traveling for two days.

    It took him another day just to reach the border of Kingdom Tersia. While he was standing above the border hismunication device finally trembled.

    With a serious expression, he hurriedly received the call.

    "Hello?"

    His voice sounded serious and after a few seconds, a familiar voice replied.

    "Han? Where are you? I just got a call from King Cedric that you left your assigned job and disappeared."

    Ratric voice sounded tired. He was indeed tired after running around in the Dark Forest and he even had to worry about the Academy matters.

    "I would have never disappeared if you picked up my call on time! Anyway, leave this matter. Just tell me what happened to Kyle? I left him a life-saving Artifact and it''s cracked that''s means Kyle life is in danger. Also, from the tracking que I asked him to store in his storage ring, I can sense he is not in the Kingdom!"

    "I do recall the kids had to attend a tournament but I am one hundred percent sure the King would never hold the tournament in another Kingdom."

    Ratric stayed quiet for a few seconds but then a sigh resounded from themunication device.

    "I was too busy that''s why I didn''t check themunication Crystal. About Kyle, I am not sure where he is because something happened within the Academy in my absence. Now that you left the Central Continente back for a while. I need to discuss something with you."

    Ratric voice was grim which is why a frown appeared on Han''s face. He massaged his temples and held the que in his hands.

    "I wille back but not now. I just sensed through the que the person who had the other que is nearby so I am going to take a look."

    After a second, Ratric voice sounded again.

    "Alright, inform me if you find anything regarding Kyle. Also, contact Geroge and ze they are looking for Kyle as well."

    With a hum, Han closed themunication device. His eyes narrowed looking at a distance and he started floating, heading straight toward the ce where he sensed the presence of the other que.

 Chapter 200 I am taking this man

    <h4>Chapter 200 I am taking this man</h4>

    Inside an old tavern with rustic wooden furniture, dimly lit by warm candlelight. The air was filled with the aroma of hearty food and the sound of chatter.

    Among the crowd of many elves, a hooded man sat in a corner quietly sipping on his drink with a nonchnt face.

    He gazed at the elves with a tipsy expression and a few strands of cyan hair peeked out from his hoodie.

    ''Tsk, I want to experiment on an elf but I can''t stay here.''

    Aoky grumbled inwardly and while he was sitting without any care the chatter in the tavern died down and silence enveloped the ce.

    He frowned and turned to look around for the reason.

    ''What happened?''

    Aoky narrow eyes swept past the quiet elves and he noticed they were all looking at him. No, to be more precise they were looking above him.

    A knock on the table jolted him awake and he stupidly looked in front of himself.

    A brown-haired middle-aged man d in a long-sleeved ck robe stood in front of his table with a dark expression.

    Aoky tensed up and his drunk mind cleared up a little when he wasn''t able to sense the man''s aura.

    "Who are you?"

    His voice sounded nervous and inwardly he was nning to flee.

    Han scoffed at his behavior and gazed down at him.

    ''It took me a whole day just to enter this city, the security around the elf''s border was too tight. Now, after so much struggle the only thing I found was a drunk man?''

    He stepped forward and Aoky jumped out from his chair frightened but to his surprise instead of him the man grabbed the bag hanging on his chair.

    "This... This bag is mine! Who the hell are you?"

    Aoky stumbled and hurriedly tried to grab the bag but the brown-haired man shot him a re.

    After a few seconds, a storage ring flew out from the bag and Han looked at Aoky with a deadpan expression.

    "Why is it with you?"

    Aoky started sweating as he recalled how he had just casually grabbed the storage rings without checking their origin.

    ''Don''t tell me it''s belonged to those kids? Oh no, I am funked! Who the heck is this man? Is he from the Royal Academy?''

    His mind went into overdrive but slowly he started to step backward while grumbling whatever appeared in his mind.

    "Of course it''s mine! What the hell are you doing? Do you want to steal my stuff?"

    Han didn''t even listen to his excuses and kicked his stomach. Aoky felt like the air left his stomach all at once and he flew backward, crashing into the tavern wall.

    The elves around them gasped with shock and panic. It wasn''t rare to see a human in the elf''s Kingdom but they didn''t expect the human would fight in their territory.

    Han sighed and pinched his brows with a serious expression. He didn''t want to resort to violence but his opponent wasn''t weak that''s why it was better if he attacked first.

    "I am taking this man. Please continue eating your food."

    He grabbed the bag and dragged Aoky''s body outside. After tying Aoky hands and feet he hurriedly found a Teleportation Array nearby and left.

    Han traveled for another day with an anxious expression. On his way, he checked Aoky''s belongings and a huge frown appeared on his face because he saw chains and some strange experimental tools. He even threatened the cyan-hair man to spill everything but Aoky stayed silent.

    ''I swear I am going to torture him very badly just let me reach the Academy.''

    With a frustrated expression, he directlynded inside the Academy.

    The moment he arrived, two familiar old men flew out from a building and headed straight toward him.

    "Han?"

    Ratrded in front of him. Han nodded and tossed Aoky under his feet with a serious expression.

    "Now tell me what happened to the kids?"

    Ratric sighed and an old man appeared behind him.

    "Alright I will, who is this?"

    "I don''t know, he had Kyle''s storage rings."

    Anger shed through Ratric eyes as he looked back at the old man.

    "I think he is among those individuals who kidnapped the kids. Levi dragged him to the investigation chamber. I want all the information regarding the ones who dare to attack my people."

    With a nod, Elder Levi left with Aoky who cried out in panic. On the other hand, Han''s expression froze when he heard the word ''Kidnapped''.

    He looked at the principal with a face that wanted an exnation. Ratric sighed and started walking.

    "Follow me."

    Han nodded and followed behind him. While walking, the Principal told him everything. The more Han listened the more angry his expression became. In the end, he cursed.

    Ratric gazes back at him.

    "Don''t worry the little beast is safe. Geroge and ze are looking around for Kyle but even after searching the whole forest they weren''t able to find any clue."

    Han took a deep breath and calmed down.

    "If the life-saving Artifact I left for him was activated that means Kyle was heavily injured. The Artifact is good but it can''t teleport him very far from his actual location."

    Han pondered for a minute and turned around to look at the Principal.

    "I will go and look for him as well."

    Ratric nodded but then a frown appeared on his face.

    "You only have a week. Afterward, you need to go back to the Central Continent. They are already erged due to your sudden disappearance. It''s not that they don''t have Array masters, they just want to find faults so they have an excuse to withdraw when the monster lords attacked."

    An angry vein emerged on Han''s forehead.

    "Those bastards! Agh, I don''t want to go but I know the consequences of my actions. Don''t worry I will go back if I don''t find that Kid."

    Han flipped his sleeves ready to fly when Ratric stopped him.

    "Give me the storage rings. Alec requested me to find his sword. I will return the rings to the kids."

 Chapter 201 I will find you

    <h4>Chapter 201 I will find you</h4>

    Han froze for a moment when he heard about the storage rings, heughed dryly because on his way he inspected the storage rings.

    Everything was normal except for three certain storage rings with a familiar mana signature on them. They all belonged to Kyle!

    One of the rings was filled with thousands of mana stones, the second was filled with gold coins and some old weapons, heck he even saw a majestic gold throne embedded with diamonds. Thest one was empty but he was dumbfounded when he sensed the sword ced inside was (S)-Rank. He almost fainted when he carefully looked at the sword scabbard. It was (SS)-Rank!

    To his shock, one of the rings was supreme grade! It''s not that he hadn''t seen a supreme grade ring before but it was very rare.

    After seeing Kyle''s wealth, Han felt like he was too poor. His disciple was so rich and he wasn''t even aware of this fact?

    He did see the other storage rings and weapons butpared to Kyle''s wealth they were not even considered average!

    Han looked at Ratric with a solemn expression and offered him a bag.

    "Don''t be greedy, okay? Make sure to return the rings to their original owners. I know Kyle''s mana signature so I ced his storage rings separately in a small pouch. Just take care of them for him until he returns."

    Ratric blinked at his remarks with a frown but before he could question Han started floating and disappeared.

    After Han left, Ratric scoffed and flipped his sleeves.

    "Do I look so greedy that I would steal from the kids?"

    He walked around for a while with a nk expression but inwardly his curiosity was piqued.

    With a nonchnt expression, he stepped inside his room. The moment the door closed behind him he hurriedly opened the bag and peeked inside the storage rings.

    After a minute, Ratric stood in front of the rings with a nk expression. He gazed lingered at the pouch for a second.

    "Okay I except I am a little poor but I own the Academy."

    With a serious nod, Ratric ced the pouch in a secure ce before calling the other students who were kidnapped.

    Soon, Professor Oliver and a group of students entered his room. Alec sighed with relief when he got his sword back. The others were also happy when they got their precious belongings.

    Bia was sitting on Mia''s shoulder. She gazed at the Principal and ruffled Mia''s hair to attract her attention.

    Mia gazed at her round eyes and patted her head with a smile. Afterward, her eyesnded on the Principal.

    "Sir, is there any news about Kyle?"

    Ratric looked back at her with a serious expression.

    "Not yet, Geroge and the elders are looking for him. If he is alive they will find him but..."

    He didn''tplete his sentence and all the students standing in front of him became quiet.

    Mia nodded and looked at Bia with a gentle smile.

    "Don''t worry he will be fine. He is not weak."

    Bia narrowed her eyes at the Principal. There was no way Kyle was dead because even though it was very faint she could sense their connection.

    -''They are so ipetent. Can''t they even find a person?''

    She scoffed inwardly and closed her eyes. Ratric gazed at Bia and shook his head. He gathered the student''s attention.

    "Alright, you all can leave now. I have to do a lot of work. About the Academies tournament, it was canceled and will be held a monthter. Your Professors will inform you regarding further information."

    The students nodded and left the room. The next few days in the Academy were quite peaceful but a few students were worried about Kyle.

    Among them, Nine was the one who was the most flustered. He even wanted to leave the Acadmey and look around for Kyle himself but the individuals participating in the tournament were forbidden to leave the Acadmey.

    "Damn it! I fought for a spot to enter the tournament because of him and now I can''t leave this ce."

    Nine was frustrated and angry. He requested some old individuals from his Kingdom to look around for Kyle but they didn''t listen to hismand. Their reason, they weren''t allowed to leave his side. In the end, the only thing Nine could do was to wait patiently for Kyle to return safely.

    After a week, George and ze returned to the Academy but they were alone because even after searching the whole forest they weren''t able to find Kyle.

    Elder Han insisted on staying in the forest a little longer but he was called back. He gritted his teeth and left for the Central Continent again.

    In the Academy, Aoky was tortured by Elder Levi. After two weeks of torture, he spilled a lot of secrets. The Principal was livid when he found out the culprit behind the kidnapping incident was Ziner the Dark mage. He knew the Dark mage wasn''t a good person but never in his wildest dream did he imagine thetter would attack his people!

    With an angry expression, Ratric immediately contacted some of his old friends and issued a huge bounty on Ziner''s head.

    Ziner posters were distributed in the whole Kingdom but the Principal wasn''t able to locate him.

    In the end, Principal Ratric called Lily to his room as he knew about her Origin. Even though he never wanted to involve her because she entered the Academy with her strength. Also, she never harmed the Academy or did anything suspicious but Ratric was too frustrated.

    He just wanted to find Ziner at all costs so that in the future no one would dare to think about harming the Academy.

    Still, he felt a little guilty when Lily answered each and every one of his questions with an innocent expression. She wasn''t aware of Ziner wereboats.

    With a sigh, Ratric dismissed her. In the end, he wasn''t able to locate his enemy.

    "Ziner you can hide as long as you want but I will find you no matter what."

    Meanwhile, after the kidnapping incident, the students of each year were training and working very hard. Especially the ones involved in the incident.

 Chapter 202 No fun without Kyle

    <h4>Chapter 202 No fun without Kyle</h4>

    Time passed very fast as the Royal Academy engrossed itself in the preparations for the uing tournament.

    Even though it was all because of a tragic incident that the tournament was canceled King Cedric was too distressed because now he had to find a new and secure ce for the tournament coupled with the various responsibilities to ensure the Kingdom''s wellbeing he wasn''t even able to rest properly.

    That''s why he called Ratric, Geroge, and a few trusted subordinates and dumped all the matters regarding the tournament on their shoulders. The group of old men was stunned for a few seconds but before they could voice their opinions King Cedric disappeared from the room.

    Ratric shook his head and returned to the Academy. The preparations went on until the day of the tournament arrived.

    The top ten students from each year stood proudly in front of the Principal with their heads held high. This time to ensure everyone''s safety Ratric and George stayed vignt as they took care of everything regarding the Teleportation Array.

    Ratric gazed at the students and nodded his head with a smile. His eyes passed at the one of the girls standing with the first-year students and a sigh escaped from his lips. After George and Han didn''t find Kyle, he ordered two capable Professors to look around the elf''s forest for that kid but a whole month passed and they all returned with zero clue. That''s why he had no choice but to remove Kyle''s name from the tournament.

    Of course, Alec and a few students voiced against his decision as they firmly believed Kyle would return soon but even after a month, there was no news regarding Kyle which is why they had no choice but to agree to his decision.

    So to fill thest spot a new 1vs1 battle Arena was opened in the first-year training ground and the one who won Kyle''s spot was none other than Lily.

    Professor Aliza and Liam stood behind the students with some more Professors and the Principal himself checked the Teleportation Array that would teleport them to the ce where the tournament was held.

    The first person to step into the Array was Ratric. After him, Professor Oliver and Liam stepped inside. Atst, Aliza waved her hand to gather the student''s attention.

    "Alright Kids, I hope you all do your best. Now step in the Array."

    Unlike her usual cold demeanor, her voice was gentle when she wished them luck. As she knew a lot of students wouldn''t be returning to the academy any time soon.

    With onest loud beaming shout, the students stepped into the Array.

    Standing behind Alec, Nine wore a nonchnt expression. He just wanted to be done with all this as soon as possible. However, the thing he didn''t know was after the tournament those who won would be dragged around by the principal and some old foggies so the kids could train for the ''Ancient Lumbra Rm''.

    Among the few excited, calm, and nonchnt students. Bia was sitting on Mia''s shoulder. Her round eyes were no longer purely crimson, just in a month they got a deep shade of blue within them. Moreover, the edges of her feathers were turning light blue.

    She looked even more adorable than before with thebination of a few golden and blue feathers between her entirely red body.

    Her gaze was fixed at a distance because she still wasn''t able tomunicate and urately sense Kyle''s presence. However, their tiny thread-like connection remained intact.

    She would have loved to look around for him because just in a month she had grown a lot stronger due to the Principal and a few strong individuals from the Academy showering her with many rare things. Heck, even the students woulde and give her a lot of precious things.

    Biaughed at their actions and epted everything with glee because it was very profitable. Anyway, after gobbling up everything she never even spared them a nce.

    ording to her observation, now that Kyle was out of the picture those students and Professors were all hoping to make a bond with her because in their opinion Kyle was dead and now Bia was free to form a new bond with someone else.

    Bia clicked her tongue with annoyance. Who do they think they are? Anyway, she mostly stayed with Mia. Also, the Principal set some rules after seeing Bia''s reluctance to get close to anyone else. That''s why those idiots could do nothing but tempt her with rare things.

    -''Tsk, Tsk, even if they dare to do something more I will grill them all. Shhh, I don''t want to taint my precious eyes with such a bad image so I will ask Kyle to punch them once or twice for me.''

    Her thoughts wandered around as she carefully ran her beak along her feathers, smoothing them out and removing any dirt or debris.

    -''I know Kyle is fine and seeing the change happening in my body I think he going through the awakening phase. It''s taking so much time I wonder how strong is his bloodline. One thing for sure it''s far stronger than mine because it can influence me so much just because we are bonded.''

    She mused, at first she was worried sick about Kyle because after he disappeared their connection was weak like a thread but after two weeks she felt strangely calm and knew he was fine.

    Her thoughts were disturbed when one of the professors went to activate the Array.

    A few murmurs echoed in her ears. She gazed at the excited students with a sigh.

    -''It''s no fun without Kyle, even though he is very annoying... I kind of like his presence.''

    While saying thest sentence Bia''s mood turned sour. She would never ept this fact in front of Kyle!

    Moreover, the tournament didn''t forbid students to participate alongside their bonded beasts that''s why she was a little regretful because together with Kyle they would have easily grabbed the first spot.

    -''Tsk, all those amazing rewards would have been mine. What a pity. Now I can only fight alongside Mia. Let''s just wish I get something useful from this tournament.''

    Bia grumbled inwardly and closed her eyes when the Array emitted a bright light and everyone standing on the Array disappeared with a sh.

 Chapter 203 Confused

    <h4>Chapter 203 Confused</h4>

    While the students stepped on a path to start a new journey, the atmosphere around the elf''s vige where Alec and the group of students crashed after they safely left the enemy base was very different.

    In the vige, the calm old elves who always basked under the sunlight and walked on the uneven roads to spend their peaceful days were trembling due to the sudden harsh winter that appeared out of nowhere.

    They were all shocked because there had never been a time such a cold winter appeared in their vige.

    Heck, the intense sun was burning on their heads so why was it so cold?

    However, no one was able to answer these questions. In the end, two of the courageous old elves decided to go deep into the forest and investigate the reason behind the cold.

    They both went into the forest with arrogance, ready to face everything that appeared in their path to disclose the mystery behind the sudden low temperature.

    The other old elves stood behind and looked at their departing figures with solemn expressions.

    The grandma who tried to make ne his adopted son squinted her eyes at the departing figures.

    Just a few days ago she received a letter from her grandson, he wasing back within a few months to meet her because afterward, he would be busy as he had to enter the strange selection process happening all over the Kingdom.

    She looked at her husband with a serious expression.

    "Dynn, make sure the temperature returns to normal before my grandsones back or else you are sleeping on the floor."

    Dynn looked at his wife and blinked his eyes.

    ''How the hell will I change something that could very well be happening due to natural reasons?''

    He cried out inwardly and tried to grab his wife who had already started walking.

    "Dear..."

    Meanwhile, the two elves who entered the forest were soon dumbstruck. Their eyes went wide with shock when they traveled deeper into the forest. Everything was frozen. The iced trees, the grass, and even the insects shone brightly under the reflection of the sun.

    The two elves traveled a little more and their body started to turn numb. In the end, when they returned they were trembling with white wisps of smoke puffing out from their mouths.

    Dynn looked at their condition and knew a big headache was waiting for him. His wife would probably kick him out of the house if he didn''t take care of the temperature before his grandson arrived.

    He looked at the clear sky with unshed tears.

    ''Is the nature angry with me because I didn''t do enough good deeds? Or is it because I secretly stole those extra sweets even though my wife hid them from me?''

    Dynn shook his head and mentally prepared his back to sleep on the ufortable cold floor.

    As he walked around with a dejected expression, ready to go into the forest to check what was the reason behind all this. A strange thing happened, the cold wind suddenly retracted, traveling back toward the forest with incredible speed.

    Dynn eyes narrowed. Now he was sure this wasn''t due to something natural. Not just him a lot of old men appeared beside him with serious expressions.

    "Don''t tell me a natural treasure appeared within this forest?"

    One of them said with disbelief. Natural treasures were something that appeared when a thickyer of mana gathered in a single ce. They were very useful for those who wanted a breakthrough in their strength.

    Dynn words stuck in his throat. If there was a natural treasure born within the forest he could pick it up for his grandson.

    He sensed the cold air that traveled backward toward the forest and hurriedly followed behind it without any fear. A few more old men followed behind him. They traveled inside the forest for two whole days but found nothing except for an area that was frozenpletely.

    "I can''t sense any treasure."

    Dynn said with a solemn expression. He shook his head. Just what the hell was he thinking? It was very rare for natural treasures to appear.

    He sighed because he knew the situation was strange. After looking around for a few more hours they went back to the vige empty-handed.

    After they left, a small movement appeared within the ice but it disappeared within a second.

    At the same time, the ice above the ce where Kyle was present started melting albeit very slowly.

    In the void where Kyle''s body was floating, he opened his eyes with a nk face and sat down.

    The towering mes around him were nowhere to be seen now the ce where he was sitting was empty, devoid of anything. The sky above his head was white and lightly blue. The ground beneath his body was invisible he felt like he was sitting in the air.

    "Hmm, where am I?"

    After a few minutes, his mind finally started working as he took in his surroundings with a confused expression.

    Kyle looked below and his eyes widened slightly. There was nothing beneath him.

    He stood up and walked but no matter what he did he didn''t fall. His confusion was increasing with each passing second. Also, he could sense something changed inside his body.

    Meanwhile, in a faraway ce filled with nothing but wisps of strange energies.

    A majestic blue dragon with a sleek and powerful body, adorned with scales that glisten like sapphires opened its eyes.

    The dragon''s eyes sparkled with wisdom and mystery, reflecting the depths of the universe as he nced at the huge bright projection hanging above him.

    "Hmm, one more name appeared on the list and it''s a human again?"

    His voice rasped as he closed in to see the name clearly.

    "Kyle."

    The name was shining brightly among the thousands of other names but it was at the bottom.

    The dragon nodded as its ethereal wings opened to hide arge expense of space, ready to fly but in the next second, he stopped.

 Chapter 204 Intruder

    <h4>Chapter 204 Intruder</h4>

    The dragon''s eyes narrowed at the projection that shone brighter than the stars. With an irritated huff, he retracted hisrge wings.

    "I saw the name, so it''s not a big deal to stay until the end."

    A lot of new names appeared and disappeared each day in front of him, so he never got interested in them. However, the narrow slit within his dark eyes remained unmoved when he looked at the projection with unblinking eyes.

    The new name ''Kyle'' that appeared out of nowhere at the bottom of the projection gained a brown color. There were three colors in the projection, golden, red, and brown.

    The red color indicated the person had long surpassed the divine rank, the golden color indicated the person had stepped into divine rank, andstly brown color showed the person was a mortal who had a chance to reach the divine rank in the future.

    "Hmm? What a pity, their ancestors are trapped within the second realm due to him, and yet so many new names are appearing just to suffer alongside them."

    The dragon''s voice sounded amused. He had seen many powerful names appear on this projection but for someone to gain a ce among those names they had to be very extraordinary.

    "It was majestic indeed in the past but now it''s meaningless."

    He gazed at a faraway ce where a brutal war was going on. Many were dying and many were running away to save themselves. A sad sigh escaped his mouth. He was going to fly away when the name ''Kyle'' shone again.

    "Hmm, it''s moving?"

    He murmured under his breath and fixed his eyes on the name.

    His breath hitched when the name brightened and moved upward with an incredible speed.

    At the start, the name was at the bottom means he was the weakest.

    "This..."

    The dragon''s eyes widened slightly. It was very rare for the projection to improve a mortal ranking because they hadn''t even reached the divine rank.

    Under his intense stare, the name didn''t stop moving, with rapid speed it jumped above, leaving behind all the brown names.

    After arriving under the golden names, it stopped for a second.

    "Oh? It''s seemed this person would be the strongest among the individuals who will reach divine ranks in the futur..."

    His sentence was cut short because in the next second the name started moving again. His eyes contracted when the name shot above the golden names like they were nothing.

    "What''s happening?"

    The dragon''s surprise cry rang out within the empty void but the name didn''t stop jumping. It crossed the first half of the projection and left the golden names behind, stopping beneath the red names.

    "It finally stopped..."

    As if waiting for the cue, in the next second the name moved again. The dragon who had seen so many ethereal things within his long life trembled. No one knew if it was due to excitement or something else.

    He cried out with strange emotions but the name didn''t stop jumping. After a whole minute, the brown name stood proudly above all the other''s names.

    1_Kyle

    2_Azazeal

    "Who is this person?!"

    The Dragon zoned in and tried to probe. He even used his authority after such a long time just to see who and where was this person.

    "His name is above everyone else! Does that mean he would be the one to stop the war in the future?"

    "If it''s true I can''t let his identity get exposed!"

    He cried out and wanted to hide the name from the projection but in the next second, the brown name turned grey. After two more seconds, the name started to turn even lighter in shade. Soon, it became invisible but its spot remained unimed.

    1_

    2_Azazeal

    The dragon stopped and looked at the projection. His eyes went wide for the second time when he saw how his hope was crushed so easily.

    "Hahahah, so you are not sure if he would stay alive but in your opinion, he would be the strongest if he survived?"

    The dragonughed loudly, the void around him trembled as he mocked himself.

    "What did I even expect?"

    He shook his head with a bitter sigh. He nced at the faraway ce and closed his eyes.

    "This news will soon spread far and wide. Moreover, I have to leave so I will just peek at his condition."

    A small piece of consciousness shot out from the dragon''s head and entered the projection. He was the guardian of this projection that was created by a supreme existence a long long time ago, so he was able to see the information regarding the names shining brightly on the projection.

    He searched within the projection and the next moment a frown appeared on his face.

    "A hidden?"

    Nevertheless, his consciousness passed through the projection, heading straight toward the hidden.

    His consciousness turned into a tiny wisp of energy, it traveled even faster than the speed of light and stopped outside the hidden because it could sense a few divine presences inside the.

    The dragon raised his eyebrow with interest. However, he immediately ordered the wisp to enter the.

    With a sh, the wisp dived down at an incredible speed. It passed through the protectionyer of the, a row of clouds, and many mountains.

    After what seemed to be an eternity, the wisp lingered above a quiet forest. It passed through the many trees and arrived in an area filled with ice. With ast jump, the wisp entered the ice.

    While all this was happening, Kyle was walking aimlessly between the infinite space. He was troubled with confusion but suddenly the space around him trembled and he unconsciously looked up.

    Kyle''s eyes contracted and he almost lost his bnce, two big eyes were staring at him from above.

    He didn''t know how and why but his mind started ringing rm bells when he stared back at those majestic and dark eyes. Unconsciously a single word appeared at the back of his mind.

    ''Intruder.''

    Kyle grabbed his chest but then looked down at himself. He couldn''t feel his own heart. Now, he knew what was wrong with his body. He couldn''t feel anything.

    He trembled and pointed at those dark eyes filled with nothing but two white slits.

    "Who?..."

 Chapter 205 Did I made a mistake

    <h4>Chapter 205 Did I made a mistake</h4>

    Inside the Tower of Opportunity, a faint shadow sitting on a chair within a white room gazed at the protectionyer of the with a frown.

    "Did I make a mistake?"

    Jake''s cold eyes loamed around theyer for a while and his frown deepened.

    "I just sensed someone passed through theyer but it''s disappeared, just like an illusion..."

    He whispered and shook his head with an expressionless face.

    "It''s a mistake indeed."

    ....

    At the same time, Kyle pointed at the eyes with trembling fingers.

    "Who?..."

    The eyes stared at him and Kyle noticed how they went wide for a second. A few emotions passed through those huge eyes but he wasn''t able to understand those emotions.

    Kyle didn''t even notice he was holding his breath when a heavy voice resounded in his mind.

    [I mean no harm. I am just a passerby.]

    Kyle hissed and released his breath. He wanted to wipe some sweat from his forehead but then he noticed he wasn''t sweating.

    ''The fuck... I am confused and now these scary eyes.''

    He cursed inwardly because the moment he woke up in this strange ce he tried tomunicate with Bia but she didn''t reply. It''s like something was blocking their connection.

    Kyle gulped down nervously and stood up straight. Those eyes turned darker as they looked at his body from top to bottom.

    [Hmm, I can''t stay here longer, I only wanted to take a look but seeing you so lost I believe the knowledge regarding the otherworldly beings had disappeared or maybe erased from this.]

    Kyle listened attentively. He grasped the words ''I can''t stay here longer'' and after gathering all of his courage he looked straight at those eyes but he trembled slightly the moment he met those eyes.

    "Ahem, excuse me ey...I mean sir? Can you tell me where is the exit of this ce because I have been trapped here for a while now?"

    Kyle waited patiently and fiddled with his fingers. He knew the two eyes in front of him belonged to a strong being who could easily crush him with a breath so it was better for him to stay polite.

    The eyes stared at him with amusement and after a few seconds, a soft chuckle resounded in his mind.

    [You don''t know the exit of this ce? Are you sure, you don''t know about your own mind space?]

    "Huh? Mind space...."

    Kyle mumbled and blinked his eyes. It was the first time he heard about mind space, so how would he know about it?

    The dark eyes seemed to have sensed his confusion because, in the next second, a small white ball appeared in front of him.

    "What is this?"

    Kyle stared at the ball with unblinking eyes.

    [Your knowledge is severelycking, I would have answered your question but I don''t have time so you should digest this light and sort it out yourself.]

    The ball of light started floating and appeared in front of Kyle who stepped back with caution.

    ''Is it safe for me to trust someone I don''t even know?''

    The eyes above his head curved up when they saw how Kyle stepped back with a frown. A mischievous glint shed through those eyes and under Kyle''s shocked gaze, the ball of light rushed and entered his head.

    "Wait...."

    Kyle''s protest died down when many letters appeared in his mind, he closed his eyes. The feeling was very familiar, he had felt it before while absorbing skill cores.

    Another chuckle resounded above his head but Kyle was too busy digesting the new knowledge that appeared in his mind.

    [Remember you owe me, kid.]

    After saying these words, the eyes disappeared and a white ethereal light scattered above the ice where Kyle''s body was present.

    On the other hand, Kyle was shocked to the core only after reading the first part of the information that appeared in his mind.

    He looked around himself with twinkling eyes.

    "This space belongs to me? It''s present within my mind!"

    He looked around with excitement. Mind space, a space that was present in his mind, he could store anything here. Now he didn''t even need storage rings! This space was ten times greater than the space within a supreme-grade storage ring!

    Kyleughed as he read the second part of the information.

    "So I awakened my bloodline? I have this mind space because of it."

    With a deep breath, he studied the space around himself. After a while, he closed his eyes.

    "Hmm, I need to go outside. It will take some time to figure it out."

    With a sigh, Kyle opened his eyes and started looking through the other information the scary eyes left behind.

    "It''s a lot."

    He went through each and everything carefully but when he read about the power structure his eyes went wide with shock.

    Meanwhile, in the void, the dragon opened his eyes with delight. Heughed loudly but this time he was happy.

    "A person with Celestial Bloodline? No way I can''t believe this... Hahaha..."

    Heughed, never in his wildest dream he would have thought he would meet a person with so much potential. He eyed the projection floating above himself with a mysterious glint.

    "How is it possible? Those Celestials have long left the universe and stepped into a realm above everyone else so how is possible for someone to have their essence."

    His low question resounded in the void as he looked at the projection.

    "It''s so long since someone who was blessed by nature itself appeared but now I know why is the projection not sure if he would survive or not. His bloodline is above everyone but he has a mortal body."

    The dragon closed his eyes. While observing Kyle''s body he noticed there was something between his heart. An artifact filled with sinister energy.

    "Sigh, I can''t help him further. I can only hope he survives."

    He shook his head with pity and hurriedly fiddled with the projection to remove everything rted to Kyle. Now no one will know why the first spot on the projection was empty. Another chuckle escaped his mouth as he flipped his majestic wings and started flying.

 Chapter 206 Leaving the mind space

    <h4>Chapter 206 Leaving the mind space</h4>

    No one knew how much time passed as Kyle sat in the mind space with a nk expression. He went through the information regarding the power structure again and again. After reading the information for the nth time he sighed and pinched his brows.

    "Those dark eyes said Ick knowledge but after going through the ball of light I feel like I don''t know anything at all?"

    He shook his head with disbelief.

    "So, the books I read all my life were iplete? It seems that with time everyone forgets about the true path. Or maybe someone hid it deliberately?"

    He closed his eyes and gazed at the true power structure, a shuddering breath escaped his lips.

    ______________

    1_Mortal ranks;

    (F-)-Rank to (SSS+)-Rank;

    (The true beginning where mortals gain knowledge and hone their skills bing proficient in their chosen path. With each advancement they can gain more lifespan.)

    2_Ascendant;

    (An ethereal state, can only appear when a mortal reaches SSS+ Rank, this stage decides if a powerful mortal can truly gain enlightenment from the universe and step in the path of immortality.)

    3_Pseudo Divine rank,

    4_Divine rank;

    (The two stages where Ascendants gain enough strength to create a direct connection with the universe, they are showered with divine power and possess god-like strength.)

    5_Transcendent rank;

    (The stage where the beings are eternal and their bodies have achieved true immortality.)

    6_Supreme rank;

    (The stage where immortals surpassed the limitations of divine existence and gained extraordinary abilities. They can interfere with the universe''sws, their presencemands reverence and their very essence resonates with the forces that shape the universe.)

    7_Celestial;

    (The strongest rank, represents the ones who stand on the pinnacle of all existence. With mere thought, they can shape reality, bend time, and destroy the universe''sws. They are the epitome of strength, a force unmatched and unrivaled, destined to leave an indelible mark on the tapestry of existence.)

    ___________

    Kyle chuckled. All his life, he thought (SSS+)-Rank was the highest rank one could achieve in their whole life but who would have thought, many beings with unimaginable powers were present outside the confinement of this?

    He thought about the strange eyes and his eyes turned serious.

    "Just how much stronger is the owner of those eyes? Divine... or..."

    He sucked in a cold breath when he recalled thest words those eyes left behind.

    [Remember you own me, kid.]

    "Damn it, I am just a mere weak mortal who just identally or naturally gained a bloodline... Ahem okay, I admit my bloodline name is simr to those beings who are on the pinnacle of all existence but still how the heck am I going to repay those scary eyes?!"

    Kyle''s breath hitched, he had obtained too much knowledge in a short period and it was not good for his health.

    He stood up and paced around the empty space, trying his best to digest the fact that he had to repay the favor of a strong existence.

    After grumbling for a few minutes, he threw the matter at the back of his head.

    "There is no point fretting over this now. I can deal with it in the future."

    He rubbed his hands and looked around the space.

    "Let''s leave this ce. It''s too dangerous what if another powerful existence just happened to pass by again and saw me?"

    Kyle looked around and the space around him trembled slightly.

    He had gone through all the information regarding mind space. It''s a ce directly linked with his consciousness. A ce where he could store anything but if he somehow died or his consciousness was severely injured everything present within the space would disappear forever, never to be found again.

    Normally, only the individuals who reached Pseudo Divine rank could open a mind space in their consciousness but Kyle''s condition was a little special.

    He gained such a huge mind space the moment his body was ready for the bloodline awakening process.

    Kyle eyed the mind space onest time and thought in his mind to leave the space. In the next second, his body burst into many blue particles. The particles shone brightly for a second but then scattered around the space.

    At the same time, Kyle''s original body twitched and the blue nket enveloping his body trembled ever so slightly.

    The ice around him was nowhere to be seen, instead, puddles of clear water surrounded the green trees. The air swirled around and gusts of wind brushed passed the leaves.

    Kyle hissed and arge breath escaped from his lips. He moved his fingers and as if waiting for the cue many tiny cracks appeared in the nket.

    The cracks traveled around the whole nket and with another loud sound, the nket lost its color and turned into dust.

    Kyle''s eyes shot open and he groaned when bright light entered his eyes. He rubbed his eyes and took in his surroundings withrge breaths

    "Ugh..."

    His fingers curled up into a fist and he shook his head.

    "Huuu...."

    With anotherrge breath, he moved his hand and tried to grasp the tree behind him for support.

    Kyle stood up, his whole body was stiff due to being inactive for he didn''t know how much time.

    He walked a few steps and a cry rang out inside his mind.

    -''Kyle!''

    "Omg, why is she shouting so much? I almost lost my bnce."

    -''Kyle! Kyle! Can you hear me?''

    Kyle felt dizzy due to the loud shouts. He wanted to close his ears to take a proper breath but then he recalled the voice was ringing in his mind.

    ''I can hear you Bia! Don''t shout so loudly.''

    He said with a sigh and the shouts finally died down.

    -''Are you alright...?''

    Kyle hummed when he sensed Bia''s emotions. Their connection was back to normal and he could feel she was very worried.

    His lips curved upward slightly. It was very rare for Bia to show worry for him.

    ''I am perfectly fine.''

    After taking another step he froze. His gaze was fixed into one of the puddles of water. The clear water shone under the brightness of the sun.

    "Wow..."

 Chapter 207 A little higher than Alec

    <h4>Chapter 207 A little higher than Alec</h4>

    Kyle blinked when he saw himself in the water.

    "Is this face even mine?"

    He gasped slightly, bright silver hair cascaded down in silky strands, gleaming like moonlight on a calmke. The slightly long hairpletely hid his ears and half of his eyes.

    Moreover, under the bright hair, he could see a pair of green eyes, just like emerald gems they held a dept within them. The eyes sparkled with intensity when Kyle blinked.

    A face with a chiseled jawline, high cheekbones, and a well-proportioned nose. His skin looked pale, smooth, and radiant.

    Kyle was stunned for a few seconds, not even recognizing himself.

    "I am sure with this appearance no one would believe I am Kyle."

    He opened his palms, just like his face, they were smooth. The calluses as a result of repetitive sword training were nowhere to be seen.

    Kyle snapped out of his daze when Bia''s voice resounded in his mind again.

    ''Yes... I am sure I am fine. Only my appearance changed just a little bit... Maybe?''

    "I did see my appearance in the mind space when I stared at those huge eyes. If I recall correctly my appearance was the same as before. Hmm, I think it''s because I wasn''t aware that''s why my mind just gave me the appearance I was familiar with."

    Kyle nodded with satisfaction. He indeed liked silver hair better than ck. There was just a small problem. His family would probably refuse to recognize him if he returned home with this face.

    "Now that I think about it, I want to see their shocked face, especially Nine."

    He chuckled and shook his head. With such a smooth skin he looked so weak. Like a person who had never suffered hardship in his life.

    -''Why are you feeling so smug suddenly?''

    Bia''s suspicious voice rang out in his mind and Kyle sighed.

    ''Just because.''

    Kyle closed his eyes and sensed his body. He could feel a clear stream of energy coursing within his body and he was sure it was very different from mana.

    He opened his palm and cold blue mes appeared above his palm, they traveled around his palm gently and caressed his skin.

    "I don''t feel cold anymore."

    Kyle used arge chunk of his mana and the mes burst upward, they traveled ording to his will and envelope a nearby tree. The tree didn''t burn instead the moment the mes touched the tree it started freezing with an incredible speed.

    Kyle grinned, he could manipte these mes with his will because it wasn''t a skill he absorbed. The mes naturally appeared in his body when he awakened his bloodline, they were like a part of him.

    He thought inwardly and the mes disappeared, leaving behind a iced tree. He blinked his eyes and touched the tree. It was probably cold but Kyle didn''t feel the sensation.

    "It''s seemed the coldness won''t affect me anymore."

    The more Kyle revealed the secrets of his bloodline the more incredible he felt. He shook his head and looked around.

    "I am still at the same ce. I need to find a way to leave this forest."

    He started walking while talking to Bia in his mind.

    ''Bia how are others doing?''

    -''They are fighting. The tournament remember? It''s ended and now they are training under some old individuals.''

    Kyle stopped for a second but then again started walking.

    ''How long was I asleep?''

    His voice was serious and Bia replied within a second.

    -''Two months.''

    Kyle clicked his tongue, so that''s why he felt sore all over his body. He was practically lying in the same ce for two whole months!

    -''Should Ie find you?''

    Kyle thought for a while.

    ''No, don''t. Stay with Mia. I will pick you upter it''s dangerous if you roam around alone. Anyway, I believe my friends would have worked hard in my absence. So how strong are they now?''

    Kyle waited for the answer with a smile.

    -''Alec is the strongest among them. His score was the top among all the first-year participants who fought in the tournament. Right now he is (C)-Rank.''

    Kyle merely replied with an ''Oh''. That''s why Bia''s interest was piqued.

    -''What about your rank?''

    Kyle chuckled and looked at his stats from the corner of his eyes.

    ______________

    Stats:

    Name: Kyle

    Bloodline: Celestial

    Rank: B-

    Strength: B

    Mana: A

    Agility: B-

    Talent: SSS+ Rank

    Luck: A

    Skill;

    #*Bloodline ability; Blue mes (Unranked):

    Special mes acquired due to the awakening of an ancient bloodline. With the consumption of mana or any type of energy, the user can manipte the mes with his will.

    .....

    #*Fireball (F)-Rank:

    User can use mana to create a small fireball. The more mana used the bigger the size of the fireball.

    .....

    #*Ice Dragon inherited skill; Ice Domain (S)-Rank:

    User can call upon a Domain in a specific area, locking and freezing the area.

    Inside the Domain;

    All stats of the user will increase by a sub-rank, water type and ice type attacks would be ineffective against the user, enemies will have all their stats reduced by a sub-rank.

    To use this skill at least (C-)-Rank mana is required.

    .....

    #*Fire Phoenix inherited skill; Fire resistance (B)-Rank (Passive):

    Provide resistance against weak fire type attacks, and because of the inherited effect user will be less affected by the surrounding temperature.

    .....

    #*Thunder arrow (F+)-Rank:

    User can use mana to conjure thunder arrows from nature. The more mana used the destructive the power of the arrows.

    .....

    #*Fear (A)-Rank:

    The user can instill fear in the enemies'' lowered rank than himself, making them unable to think straight during battle.

    Mana isn''t required for this skill.

    .....

    #*Ice Spear (B)-Rank:

    With the usage of mana, this skill allows the user to formrge Ice spears. The ice spears will shatter into fragments after hitting the enemy. The scattered ice fragments will injure all enemies within a few meters of range. With enough mana, user can form hundreds of ice spears within a few seconds.

    .....

    #*Ice Armor (B)-Rank:

    With the usage of mana, this skill allows the user to enclose himself in an invisible veil of ice, granting the user resistance to both physical and magical attacks. The user can also absorb the Ice Armor into his body, using the magical ice to repair minor wounds.

    .....

    #*Fire rain (B)-Rank:

    User can use mana to create a sea of fire descending directly on the enemies from the sky. The more mana used, therger the range of the attack.

    .....

    #*ck Skeletons (S)-Rank

    User can use mana to create skeleton warriors. The more mana used the higher the rank of the skeleton warrior. With enough mana, the user can even call upon an undead army.

    To use this skill at least (D-)-Rank mana is required.

    .....

    #*Instant Teleportation (A)-Rank:

    User can Teleport within a few meter radius at the speed of lightning. The more mana used the more distance the user can cover. With enough mana, user can even teleport thousands of miles within mere seconds.

    __________

    ''My rank? Well, just a little higher than Alec?''

    Kyle mused with a smile and ignored Bia''s grumbling voice.

 Chapter 208 I am lost

    <h4>Chapter 208 I am lost</h4>

    Kyle sighed when he saw his talent. It was (SSS+)-Rank, the highest potential known by everyone but after knowing the true strength thaty outside the boundaries of this he shook his head with a bitter smile.

    "It''s the greatest rank a mortal can breakthrough into if he has enough talent. Moreover, it''s impossible to know the exact potential after (SSS+)-Rank. Only when a person steps into the ''Ascendant state'' and gains enlightenment from the universe will he be able to continue his journey toward a greater path."

    Kyle mused. He liked how he had a lot of knowledge and because of this knowledge, his thought process wasn''t the same as before.

    If before he wanted to just be strong enough to protect his loved ones now he wanted to see whaty behind the boundaries of this.

    "Will I be able to..?"

    His voice sounded uncertain but the tiny upward movement on his lips gave him away. Now that he knew about the astonishing truth that was hidden behind a curtain, he wanted to reach a powerful stage.

    He would try his best and see how long can he walk on this path leading toward immortality.

    Anyway, what the worse could happen? He would fail? Or maybe he would get tired? right? So what? In the end, he would be satisfied with his choices.

    Kyle smirked at his thoughts. Just a little more than a year ago he wanted toze around because his talent was low and he knew even if he worked hard his whole life he would never be able to cross (B)-Rank but now he wanted to reach the top.

    How can someone change so much in such a short period?

    He touched a nearby tree and sped up in a straight direction. His figure shed between the trees like a breeze. The sudden increased speed after sleeping for two whole months made him a little lightheaded but he felt refreshed when the fast wind brushed past his skin.

    Within a few seconds, he became familiar with the increased speed and used the skill ''Swift steps''. In an instant his speed tripled and Kyle felt a little dizzy but he didn''t stop and rushed passed the towering trees.

    His senses spread out in the surroundings and immediately he sensed the faint voices of birds chirping around the trees, the few insects crawling on the grass he passed through. After a minute, he heard some whispers a few meters away from himself.

    "Hmm, someone''s speaking."

    Kyle stopped and narrowed his eyes at a distance where he sensed the voices.

    ''Bia, where did you and the others get teleported out after the Array I drew was activated? I slept for so long that''s why I don''t know my exact location right now.''

    ''Moreover, I didn''t see the building where those individuals held us captive when I woke up. Instead, I sawrge chunks of broken bricks. Did the ones who injured you get caught by the Academy?''

    A cold glint shed through Kyle''s eyes when he recalled the helplessness he felt seeing Bia''s bloodied body. He released arge breath and slowly started moving toward the ce where he heard the voices.

    -''The Academy did catch some of them. However, I heard the main culprit who nned everything got away unscathed and the Principal is trying his best to find him.''

    Kyle hummed. He took a mental note to find out this person who dared toy his hands on Bia.

    -''We appeared in a vige. An elf''s vige filled with old elves.''

    ''An elf''s vige?''

    Kyle raised his brow with surprise. Does that mean he was too far away from Kingdom Ete? He looked at the only low-rank storage ring on his finger. This was the ring he picked up while fighting those men d in ck.

    ''Just how will I return to the Academy when I don''t even have a clean set of clothes?''

    Kyle cried out inwardly. Never in his life had he felt so poor!

    ''What about my storage rings? My mana stones? My gold coins? My (S)-Rank sword?''

    Bia''s amused voice resounded in his head. Sheughed at his panicked voice.

    -''Tsk, tsk, don''t cry. All the others got their storage rings back so I think your storage rings are with the Principal.''

    Kyle sighed with relief but in the next second, he froze. With a swift movement, he hid behind a tree.

    A few steps away from him an old couple was standing.

    Kyle peeked out from behind the tree, his eyes narrowed slightly when he saw their pointed ears. The old elves couple was wearing white robes.

    He noticed the old man was flustered as he tried to soothe the woman next to him.

    The old woman with white hair scoffed and pushed the green-haired old man away.

    "He said in hisst letter he ising so why isn''t he here yet?"

    With a perplexed expression, the green-haired man sighed.

    "Dear, listen to me our grandson is busy. He promised he woulde back in a few days. Let''s go back home."

    Kyle blinked when he saw them fighting. Well, he won''t say they were fighting. Instead, it looked like an old husband was coaxing his runaway wife to return home.

    He wrinkled his brows and tried to sense their strength.

    ''The woman is (C)-Rank but I can''t sense the old man''s rank, he is probably stronger than me.''

    After thinking for a minute, Kyle took a deep breath and wore an innocent expression. He wasn''t sure about his location so it was better if he asked for a little help.

    "Excuse me?"

    The moment Kyle spoke the green-haired man abruptly turned around and stared at him with squinted eyes.

    The old man stood in front of the old woman in a protective stance. He opened his mouth and a deep voice resounded everywhere.

    "Who are you? How did you appear here? Why didn''t I sense your presence."

    Kyle didn''t change his expression even after hearing the old man''s cold voice. His long hair hid half of his eyes as he fiddled with his fingers.

    "Actually I am lost. Sir, can you tell me where is this ce?"

 Chapter 209 Surprise I am back

    <h4>Chapter 209 Surprise I am back</h4>

    The old man stared at him with suspicion. His eyes roamed around Kyle''s body seemingly trying to sense his strength but because of the artifact present in Kyle''s ear, he wasn''t able to sense anything.

    The old man opened his mouth to speak but in the next second the woman standing behind him smacked his head.

    "Dynn, what the hell are you doing? Why are you scaring an innocent kid? Look at him, he went pale when you shouted so loudly!"

    Dynn was stunned as he stared at his wife with wide eyes.

    "ire..?"

    Not just him, even Kyle was stunned for a second when the old woman stepped toward him with a very gentle smile.

    Dynn''s silent protest was ignored as she looked at Kyle with twinkling eyes.

    "Kid, what''s your name?"

    Kyle blinked his eyes. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Dynn was ring at him but when he looked at the gentle and warm smile of the old woman a very familiar face appeared in his mind. A face he would never forget in this life.

    ''Ah, she smiles just like mom.''

    A smile appeared on Kyle''s face as he introduced himself.

    "My name is Kyle."

    ire stared at Kyle for a few seconds. She stepped forward and grabbed his hand.

    Dynn cried out behind her that it was dangerous to just believe a stranger but she ignored himpletely.

    "Kyle? It''s a beautiful name. Your hair is beautiful shining brightly like stars. My deceased son''s hair was simr to yours."

    Dynn shut his mouth when he heard his wife''s words. He sighed and patted her shoulder but ire pped his hand away.

    "So Kyle you are lost, right? Would you like toe with me? My house is nearby, I can see you are wearing dirty clothes. You can take a bath and I will cook you delicious food."

    ire looked at Kyle with expectations, she liked him at first nce. If not for his gems-like green eyes, with long silver hair he looked very simr to her son.

    It took Kyle a few seconds to process everything but in the end, he nodded.

    ''Well, I need a safe ce to stay until I can contact the Academy so it''s fine I guess.''

    ire''s smile brightened when she saw Kyle nod. She tugged his arm and started walking toward the vige with a bright smile.

    "Kyle, you can call me Grandma. I would like it if you did."

    On the other hand, Dynn sighed. He looked lost as he followed behind his wife all the while keeping an eye on Kyle.

    They walked in the forest and the only talking person was ire as she told some old stories to Kyle who smiled in return. With her talking so much, Kyle found out his current location. He was inside Kingdom Tersia.

    After ten minutes, they arrived in an open area surrounded by trees. Kyle looked around and eyed the rows of wooden houses. The ce was clean and the road was devoid of any shops or stalls. A few old elves were walking around the ce with peaceful expressions.

    ''I think it''s the same vige where Bia and the others got teleported.''

    He mused inwardly and ire took him in front of a house.

    "Kyle, this wooden house is mine and you can stay here as long as you want."

    A few old elves walking on the roads nced at Kyle with confused expressions. Kyle''s arrival was sudden and they weren''t able to sense his rank but they stopped when ire red at them.

    Dynn could do nothing but watch when his wife took Kyle inside the house with a bright smile.

    He shook his head with a bitter smile and followed behind them quietly. Even though Kyle''s appearance was suspicious as long as his wife was happy it was okay. Moreover, he would keep an eye on that kid.

    Meanwhile, after Kyle entered the house the first thing he did was to take a long bath. Dynn gave him a white robe to wear and when he came out arge table of warm food was waiting for him.

    Kyle looked at the food with a sigh, there was no meat. The only thing he could see was many types of vegetables.

    ''It''s food anyway.''

    He thanked the old grandma and ate a lot because he was hungry.

    After he was done, he and the old couple settled down on chairs present in one of the rooms.

    Dynn was still looking at him with a little suspicion but Kyle didn''t mind it anymore. He was really grateful for their help.

    Kyle looked at the old elves with a smile.

    "Grandma I want to contact my family. Do you have amunication device here?"

    ire eximed softly and turned to look at her husband.

    "Do we have anothermunication device?"

    Dynn blinked his eyes when he heard the question.

    "Dear, we only had two and you broke themst week when our grandson Regius didn''t pick up your calls."

    He massaged his temples, now they didn''t have anymunication devices. Another smacknded on his shoulder making him dumbfounded.

    "So what? Can''t you buy one more!"

    "Alright, I will buy one tomorrow."

    Dynn''s shoulders slumped down with a resigned sigh. At the same time, a loud excited voice rang outside their house.

    "Old madam surprise, I am back!"

    Dynn gasped slightly and stood up. Even ire was surprised when she heard the familiar voice.

    She scoffed when Dynn ran away to meet the owner of the excited voice.

    "So, he is finally back. I am going to beat him up! This little prick!"

    ire stood up and walked behind Dynn. Kyle watched the couple and silently followed behind them.

    Outside the wooden house, a young boy wearing a brown hoodie and ck pants was standing with a bright smile.

    "Grandma."

    He shouted and opened his arms for a hug when he saw ire and Dynn figures emerging from the wooden house.

 Chapter 210 Regius Gravis

    <h4>Chapter 210 Regius Gravis</h4>

    "Grandma."

    Regius''s enthusiastic voice rang out and he opened his arms toward ire with a bright smile. Just like Dynn, he had green hair and a pair of brownish eyes.

    Just like ire and Dynn a few old elves stepped out from their wooden houses to meet him when they heard his thunderous shouts.

    Almost all the elves living in the vige knew about Regius because he spent most of his childhood with them. Moreover, he was the only brightness in ire''s life after she lost her only son in an unfortunate incident

    However, he left the vige when turned 17 years old to enter an Academy and chase after his dreams of bing someone strong just like Dynn and his deceased father.

    Regius lips twitched when ire stood in front of him and gave him a deadly stare. He waited with open arms for a minute but no one hugged him back. In the end, he chuckled nervously and scratched his head.

    ''She is angry.''

    A few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead as he looked at Dynn for help but only shook his head with a grave expression.

    "He is done for."

    No one knew who said it but in the next second a loud smacknded on Regius''s shoulder and he winced faintly.

    Regius wanted to protest but seeing ire''s angry face he shut his mouth and looked at her with pitiful eyes.

    "I am sorry grandma."

    Dynn saw his wife back and silently grinned with satisfaction. Finally, he was not the only one who was getting beaten up.

    His thoughts were cut short because after hitting Regius his wife turned around and red at him with furious eyes.

    "What are youughing for?"

    "No, I am not!"

    "You are not allowed to step in the house!"

    With a cold hump, ire turned around and started walking. Regius silently followed behind her. He threw a mischievous grin at Dynn who stood outside with a wronged expression.

    Kyle saw them approaching and stepped away but Regius''s eyes narrowed at his figure.

    "Who is this?"

    He pointed at Kyle with a frown because it was not every day a young boy appeared in their vige. Not to mention such a handsome and weak-looking one.

    In the next second, he gasped with surprise because he noticed Kyle''s ears weren''t pointy. It was not rare to see humans in their Kingdoms but he didn''t expect to see one standing in front of his house.

    ire looked at Kyle and a smirk appeared on her face.

    "He is my son. You have any problem?"

    "What! I was just away for two years and you made a son!"

    Another smacknded on his head and he clicked his tongue. ire sighed and rubbed his head gently.

    "You said you woulde back once in a while to meet me but you didn''t even bother to pick up my calls. That''s why I am angry."

    Regius grabbed her hand with a smile.

    "I am sorry. It''s my mistake I won''t do it again."

    Afterward, they entered the house and ire introduced him to Kyle. At first, Ragius was skeptical about Kyle''s sudden arrival at their vige but when he didn''t sense anything from Kyle and saw his weak appearance he threw the matter in the back of his head.

    Anyway, he would beat Kyle up if thetter tried to do anything funny.

    The day turned into night and after dinner ire finally let Dynn enter the house.

    On the other hand, Kyle and Regius both left the couple alone and went to walk in the vige for a while.

    At night, the stars were twinkling in the sky. The vige roads were brightened with manymps hanging on the trees. The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful.

    Kyle looked around and didn''t see anyone. Maybe the old elves liked to sleep early. Regius silently walked beside him but after a few minutes, he wasn''t able to take it and blurted out.

    "Who are you silver hair? How did you get here? You look younger than me and so weak.. did your parents sell you to some evil thugs but because you wanted freedom you ran away."

    Regius frowned when he thought about very. It was banned everywhere but a few hidden organizations would do this type of business to please the nobles and earn easy money. Due to these trashy organizations'' existence, a few greedy couples would sell their young kids who were deemed unworthy and weak.

    Moreover, a few months ago Regius and his ssmates were assigned to catch a simr group of people who kidnapped beautiful elves girls and sold them in the other kingdoms. So he was personally able to witness the pain of those girls who were chained like animals.

    After witnessing such a devasting scene, he was unable to interact with the others normally. He even stopped talking to his grandparents and it took him a while to expect that the world wasn''t as beautiful as he thought. Only when he knew he was alright did he return home.

    Kyle eyed Regius from the corner of his eyes and mused inwardly. He could see Regius''s expression turned rigid when he talked around ''evil thugs''.

    ''Maybe he experienced something bad?''

    After spending a few hours with Regius, Kyle knew thetter imagination was very wild. He thought for a second and turned around to look at Regius.

    "No, my parents didn''t sell me. They just kicked me out because I was the weakest among my siblings."

    ''Wow, how can I lie so effortlessly? If Neon and Ray heard this line they are going to beat me up!''

    Regius sighed and tapped his shoulder.

    "It''s alright. Everyone has to suffer one way or another in their life."

    Kyle nodded with a solemn expression.

    ''I will indeed suffer if my father knew I badmouthed him behind his back. So that''s why I will take this secret to my grave.''

    Regius smiled and held out his hand.

    "Anyway, let me introduce myself properly. My name is Regius Gravis. I am 19 years old. Currently, I am studying in the ''Lune Academy'' as a senior student."

    Kyle looked at his hand and shook it slightly.

    "Kyle Ohan. I am 18 years old."

    Regius chuckled at his serious expression and when they returned home, ire was truly surprised to see them acting friendly toward each other.

    Kyle stayed with the old couple for two days and patiently waited for Dynn to get amunication device so he could contact the Academy but Dynn would make some excuses to avoid the topic

    Kyle was perplexed because he wanted to leave as soon as possible but then Regius patted his shoulder with a serious expression and told him a hidden secret.

    "ire liked you. She wants to adopt you as her son or grandson. So I don''t think they will buy amunication device in this life."

    "Anyway, who do you want to contact didn''t your family kick you out? It''s better if you stay here with ire. She is a good mother and will take care of you."

    Kyle looked at Regius''s expression and knew he was serious. He almost wanted to facepalm himself because his lie backfired.

    "I want to contact my friends and I want to go back because they would be worried about me."

    Regius raised his brow and nodded.

    "How about it, I am leaving for the Academy tomorrow you cane with me. I would have given you mymunication device but it''s not with me right now. I left it in the Academy."

    Kyle thought for a while and agreed. It was not a bad idea.

    Next day early morning, both of them got ready to leave but ire stopped them with tears.

    She patted Kyle''s hand and looked at Regius with angry eyes.

    "You want to leave than just go alone why are you taking my son with you? Look at him he looked so pale. The city life is very dangerous for him. It''s better he stayed with me. I will ask Dynn to get amunication device."

    Regiusughed and removed ire''s hands holding Kyle.

    "Grandma, I know you very well. You will never let him go. Also, don''t worry about him, I will protect this weak fry."

    Kyle shook his head when he heard their conversation. He tapped Regius''s shoulder with a serious expression.

    Regius turned around and looked at him with a frown.

    "What? Don''t worry she can''t force you to stay here. We will leave together."

    "No, it''s not that. I just want to say I am not weak I can protect myself."

    Kyle said with a serious expression but Regius burst intoughter.

    "Have you seen yourself in the mirror? You looked a little buffy but because of your pale skin, you look very weak. Even your hands look so delicate, I believe you never held a weapon in your hands?"

    Regius eyed his hands but then mumbled slowly.

    "Why can''t I sense your rank? Did you not go through the awakening process?"

    Kyle wanted to reply when Dynn entered the room.

    "Regius, time to leave. You have to travel on foot from here. After you reached the border of the vige a merchant cargo would be waiting for you there. They will send you to a nearby Teleportation Array."

    Regius nodded and pointed at ire.

    "Grab your wife, Kyle is leaving with me."

    Dynn eyes narrowed slightly but he nodded and stopped ire.

    Kyle sighed and with Regius, he left the room.

    The moment they stepped outside the room, ire''s angry cry resounded in their ears.

    "Dynn! You are done for!"

    Kyle looked at Regius and both of them sped up, instantly leaving the house to not get involved in the couple''s fight.

 Chapter 211 Shared Vision

    <h4>Chapter 211 Shared Vision</h4>

    Just like Dynn said, Kyle and Regius traveled on foot and entered the forest.

    Regius silently walked a few steps ahead of Kyle because he was familiar with the path. Moreover, he felt like he should protect the weaker party. He even slowed down his pace so Kyle wouldn''t feel tired on the way but to his surprise, Kyle was able to match his pace easily without breaking a sweat!

    He was a little troubled regarding Kyle''s strength but he ignored it when he saw thetter serious expression.

    After a few hours, they left the forest and arrived at the border area at the end of the vige. A merchant cargo was waiting for them on a narrow road opposite the forest.

    Kyle gazed back at the forest with a smile.

    ''I will visit ire if I ever pass through this vige again.''

    Meanwhile, Regius talked with the owner of the cargo for a while. The cargo was filled with low-grade herbs used to make healing potions.

    Kyle waited at the side, he frowned when he saw a bald maning out from the cargo. The man had arge scar on his neck and he looked at Kyle from head to toe with a smirk.

    The bald man approached him with a smug smile and rubbed his hand.

    "Hello, pretty boy....."

    His sentence was cut short because Regius held his shoulder from behind with a dark expression.

    "Don''t you dare! Or else I will break your head!"

    Regius released his (D-)-Rank aura and the bald man shivered.

    "Haha, I just wanted to get familiar with him. Don''t misunderstand."

    Kyle looked at the bald man with a cold expression. He opened his clenched fingers and clicked his tongue.

    The cargo owner who was standing beside the cargo was scared shitless because unlike Regius and the bald man he could see the horror flying behind their backs.

    Arge ice arrow was aimed at the bald man with its tip pointing directly at his shoulder.

    He shivered slightly and wiped the sweat from his forehead because the moment Regius grabbed the bald man the arrow disappeared into thin air.

    ''The silver-haired kid is truly scary.''

    After giving one more re to the bald man, Kyle, and Regius sat down with the goods.

    The bald man sat down beside the cargo owner with an annoyed expression and the cargo started moving with the help of a few horses, heading straight toward the nearest city with a Teleportation Array.

    Kyle hummed when he gazed at the greenery around the narrow road.

    ''My control on mana increased a lot. Now I can easily form the attacks at least a whole meter away from myself.''

    His thoughts wandered around. Maybe it was because of his bloodline? Moreover, he was easily able to blend the attack with the surroundings that''s why no one except the sweating cargo owner noticed his ice arrow.

    ''Bia what are you doing? What about the others are they still training with those old men?''

    A few secondster an amused voice resounded in his head.

    -''Why not see it yourself?''

    ''Huh?''

    A confused frown appeared on Kyle''s face but in the next second, he gasped. Regius who was sitting beside him was startled due to his sudden movement and asked him if he was alright.

    Kyle blinked and pinched his nose.

    "I am fine."

    Regius nodded and patted his shoulder.

    "Alright. I am sleeping, wake me up if something happens."

    After Regius closed his eyes, Kyle''s expression turned serious.

    ''Bia, what was that? The feeling was so strange, my mind suddenly buzzed.''

    -''It''s a skill I unlocked recently. Called ''Shared vision''. I can share my vision with you for a minute but you need to focus.''

    ''Okay, I will try.''

    Kyle took a deep breath and closed his eyes with expectations, this time he focused on the feeling. It was very strange, like a tiny window was opened in his consciousness but instead of feeling pain, he felt slightly tense.

    After trying for a few minutes, Kyle grasped the connection between him and Bia. With a sudden tingling sensation inside his head, an image appeared in his mind.

    Kyle was shocked, he knew his eyes were closed but it was like he had another pair of eyes because he could see what was happening in front of Bia.

    ''Wow... This skill is amazing.''

    -''I know right but I can only share my vision with you for a minute or two because I can''t maintain the connection for a long period.''

    The first thing that Kyle saw was a crawling brown-haired boy. The boy was mouthing some words with an ugly expression and Kyle was sure he was cursing his lungs out.

    ''Hahaha, why is Nine crawling in front of you?''

    Bia didn''t reply instead Kyle''s vision changed because, in the next second, she started flying, roaming above all the other students.

    Kyle eyed the ce around Bia and saw a lush forest, a lot of young individuals were running in the forest with ragged breathing. Some of them were crawling like Nine.

    When Bia traveled a little further he saw a few familiar faces, Alec, Carcel, Mia, and Lara.

    The person running above everyone else was none other than Alec.

    ''Why are they running in a forest?''

    Bia hummed and flew opposite the running kids. At a distance, a white-haired man was floating with an evil smile. He was holding some wriggling insects in his palm as he spoke something with a snicker.

    Kyle wasn''t able to hear what the man said but he shivered when he saw how the old man chased behind the running kids and scared them with those creepy insects.

    ''This is training? Or torture?''

    He questioned Bia with a skeptical voice. After a few seconds, Kyle sighed when he saw how the old man caught up to Nine crawling figure and tossed some of those creepy insects on him. Nine expression was ugly as he danced around while trying his best to remove the insects from his body.

    ''My condolences.''

    Kyle inwardly lit a candle for Nine and the running kids. He took a mental note to stay at least one thousand kilometers away from this type of training.

    ...

    *Author Note; I am gonna introduce the fl soon~ Does anyone wanna suggest a name?

 Chapter 212 The elves city

    <h4>Chapter 212 The elves city</h4>

    After two whole days, the cargo arrived in front of a medium-sized city gate.

    The cargo owner wanted to rest in between the two-day journey but Regius and Kyle were not in the mood to stop in the middle of a forest. He had no choice but to grit his teeth and force the horses to continue moving.

    Kyle and Regius jumped off the cargo when it stopped outside the city gate and without even ncing at the owner they started walking toward the city gate.

    A long line of travelers was standing outside the gate and all of them were elves. Some of the elves nced at the duo, especially at Kyle because of his shoulder-length bright hair and pale face.

    Kyle frowned when he felt so many stares boring at his back. He was wearing a blue hoodie with ck pants he requested from Regius because the white robes were too long.

    ''I take back my words. ck hair is better at least I didn''t attract so much attention.''

    With a sigh, he hid his hair in the hoodie. After waiting in line for a few minutes, it was finally their turn to enter the city.

    A city guard wearing in clothes inquired about their reason for entering the city but when Regius showed him his Academy token the guard instantly let them in because ''Lune Academy'' was very famous in the Tersia Kingdom.

    Kyle looked around the city, it was not much developed but a lot of elves were roaming around the busy streets, heading from one stall to another.

    The house structure around the city was different from Kingdom Ete because almost all the houses were t with only a single floor.

    Moreover, he could see a lot of greenery even in such a bustling city.

    He walked behind Regius and was a little surprised when he saw some humans walking around the streets.

    After a few minutes of walking, they stopped in front of an old-looking shop. Regius turned around and looked at Kyle.

    "Don''t go anywhere and wait here for a minute. You can''t enter this shop without permission but the shop owner is my friend. So, I will buy amunication Crystal for you because it will take us a whole week to reach the Academy from here."

    Kyle nodded and silently watched as Regius entered the shop. He waited outside for a few seconds but then his ears twitched slightly.

    A frown appeared on his face and he looked at a dark alley a few meters away from the shop. It was very faint but he was sure someone was shouting for help. Kyle gazed at the shop with a serious expression and slid down his hoodie,pletely hiding his eyes.

    ''I will return before hees out.''

    Kyle approached the alley with slow steps,pletely blending with the elves around him.

    He passed through a few stalls and stopped outside the alley. His frown deepened because the cry for help disappeared when he arrived in front of the alley.

    ''I am here already so I should check it out.''

    He entered the alley and looked around with a serious expression. After a few seconds, he heard sounds of murmur and stopped in his tracks.

    Opposite him, two young elves males and two females wearing simr purple shirts were helping an injured middle-aged woman.

    A few steps away from the group of elves wearing purple shirts, two unconscious men were tied up with a rope.

    Kyle blinked, he could only see the backs of those purple shirts elves. He stepped back silently.

    ''It seems I am not needed.''

    As he turned around and took a step towards the exit of the alley. A low tick sound resounded behind him and his ears perked up again. Amidst the faint murmurs of the bustling streets, the sound was very unique like a smooth ss piece hitting the floor.

    ''Hmmm?''

    He turned around because he sensed something rolling toward him. The group of purple shirt elves was standing at the same spot, now trying to wake up the unconscious tied men but Kyle''s eyes darted at the ground where a greenish-white porcin bracelet rolled across the hard surface.

    Under his gaze, the essory rolled smoothly and finally stopped with a zing-zang sound when it hit his shoe.

    Kyle bent down and picked it up. The bracelet''s surface shone brightly under the sunlight. Also, he could see an unfinished old Array carved on its surface.

    Kyle gazed at the group of elves again and saw one of the female elves was wearing a familiar essory on one of her wrists.

    He was only able to see her back and long honey-colored hair cascading down behind her smoothly.

    He wanted to leave the essory on the ground but Regius''s worried voice resounded in his mind and he hurriedly turned around and started walking with the bracelet in his hand.

    While moving he heard a faint murmur from behind.

    "Trash, how can these people attack an innocent woman?"

    The voice was angry but it didn''t sound cold. Instead, it was very pleasant.

    Kyle''s grasp on the bracelet tightened slightly he wanted to turn around to see the voice owner but Regius grabbed his shoulder.

    "Kyle? Where did you go? Didn''t I tell you to stay in front of the shop? It''s very dangerous for you to roam around like this."

    "Huh?"

    Kyle blinked and looked at Regius''s worried face.

    "Sorry, I just wanted to see a stall."

    Regius gazed at a nearby stall and sighed.

    "You could have waited for me. Anyway, I bought amunication Crystal. Here."

    He took out a crystal ball and handed it to Kyle.

    "Kyle, do you know the set of relevant coordinate numbers of your friend''smunication devices? After all, you can''t contact them without it."

    Kyle nodded. He wasn''t sure about others but he remembered Elder Han''smunication Crystal coordinate number. Also, he remembered the coordinates number of themunication Crystal he gave to his father.

    After Kyle ced the bracelet and themunication crystal in his storage ring, they went toward a nearby hotel to eat and rest for a while.

    Meanwhile, in the alley, the female elf finally noticed one of her bracelets was missing. She gasped with surprise and looked at her friends.

    "One of my bracelets is missing! Help me find it, my dad gave it to me as a gift!"

 Chapter 213 Fight for a spot in Kingdom Tersia

    <h4>Chapter 213 Fight for a spot in Kingdom Tersia</h4>

    Kyle was sitting cross-legged on a single-sized wooden bed. His shoulder-length silver hair was tied back in a ponytail, giving him an effortlessly cool and confident look. Also, now his eyes werepletely visible, shining brightly within the dimly lit hotel room.

    The room had a wooden interior with two single-sized beds, a table, and two chairs. On his left side, Regius''s bed was empty because thetter went outside to meet someone he knew.

    Kyle took a deep breath and fiddled with the Communication Crystal. He recalled a familiar coordinate number and infused his mana in the Crystal.

    After a few seconds, the Crystal lit up with a bright light. Kyle waited patiently and after half a minute an old voice resounded in the room.

    "Who is it? ....."

    The tension around Kyle''s shoulders loosened the moment he heard the old voice. It wasced with tiredness and unknown worry.

    He opened his mouth to reply but the voice sounded again. This time a little expectant and anxious.

    "Kyle? Is it you? My dear..?"

    Kyle''s lips moved upward slightly in a genuine smile and now if someone looked at him they would probably lose their hearts. With pale skin and exquisite facial features, he looked like a deity who had graced the mortals with his presence.

    "Yes, it''s me. Dad, how are doing?"

    "Kyle...?"

    Baron Ohan eximed with a choke.

    Kyle wasn''t sure but he knew the Baron was probably crying. His smile vanished and a frown appeared on his face.

    ''Did the Academy inform my family about my disappearance? No, it''s not possible because except Elder Han no one knows about their current location.''

    "Kyle, my son. How have you been? I received the news about your disappearance two months ago from your master. It pained my heart because I wasn''t able to do anything for you. Your brothers were hell-bent on going to find you but they were stopped by Elder Han because he said it''s not safe."

    Kyle sighed.

    ''So, it was master who told them.''

    "I am fine, father. Please, don''t worry about me. I just got separated from my ssmates but now I am in a safe ce. I am sorry because of me you are always worried."

    Kyle''s voice was sincere. He had worried the old man so many times. First, because of him, they had to leave their house. Now, he just suddenly disappeared on them.

    "No, No, don''t apologize. It''s not your fault. I am just happy you are safe. Wait, I will call Neon and Ray. After hearing the news about your disappearance they started training day and night because they wanted to be strong. So, Elder Han would tell them about the ce where you werest seen."

    After a few minutes, Ray and Neon''s anxious voice resounded from the Crystal and Kyle chuckled lightly. He talked with them for a while and when the worry and tension within their voice vanished he spoke with hesitation.

    "Umm, Dad. Would you believe me if I said my appearance changed for some reason? Like, now I looked a little too handsome. So, it''s possible you won''t recognize me when you see me next time."

    There was silence for a few seconds but then Baron Ohan burst intoughter. Not just him, Ray and Neon''sughing voices resounded from the crystal.

    Kyle was stunned.

    ''They didn''t believe me?''

    Kyle snapped out of his thoughts when Neon spoke with a chuckle.

    "Kyle, my little brother. When the hell did you be a narcissist? I thought you never cared about beauty so why now? Did you hit your head or something?"

    Kyle clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes.

    "I am not lying. It''s just happened naturally."

    Ray chimed in with augh.

    "Alright, Alright. We believe you. Just don''t get kidnapped due to your otherworldly beauty. We still want to see the beautiful appearance of our little brother."

    Kyle barely stopped the urge to facepalm. He grumbled in his mind.

    "Bro, you wanna make a bet?"

    Ray heard Kyle''s voice andughed again.

    "No, I don''t want to! You are always lucky with these types of things. I remember thest time I made a bet with you it wasn''t a good experience at all! I lost all my money!"

    Kyle raised his brow with a smile. It was very rare for him to make a bet with others because he only did it when he was hundred percent sure he would win.

    After a minute, Baron Ohan suddenly recalled something and stopped Kyle from breaking themunication crystal connection.

    "Wait a second, Kyle! Elder Han said his oldmunication device was lost so you won''t be able to contact him. That''s why when he came to inform us about your disappearance he asked us to inform him if youe back home. I will send him yourmunication Crystal coordinate number. So he will be able to contact you."

    Kyle raised his brow.

    "Alright. I am waiting."

    He cut the connection and started waiting. After around ten minutes, Kyle Crystal buzzed. He picked it up instantly and a loud angry voice resounded from themunication crystal.

    "Kyle you rascal! Where the hell are you? Do you have any idea how much panic you gave my old heart when you just disappeared into thin air?"

    Kyle almost wanted to grab his ears. The voice was so loud, that''s why he hurriedly distanced himself from the Crystal and waited patiently.

    After grumbling and scolding Kyle for ten minutes straight, Han finally calmed down.

    "Kyle, are you even listening to what I am saying? Where are you right now?"

    Kyle replied with a serious expression.

    "I am currently in an elf''s city called ''Baylon''. It''s located on the west side of Kingdom Tersia. I lost my storage rings. That''s why I am too poor to return to Kingdom Ete myself."

    Han was silent for a few seconds seemingly contemting something. No, no he was definitely not scheming regarding Kyle''s storage rings.

    "Kyle, remember I told you about a secret Realm? It''s going to open soon. Do you still want to enter that Realm? Think carefully because the Realm is very dangerous. In the past, a lot of people entered that Realm but only a few returned alive."

    Kyle blinked. He didn''t expect to hear such a topic so suddenly. He thought for a while. Han had previously told him about the realm, it was dangerous indeed but if he got scared so easily how would he be strong in the future? Wouldn''t his dream to achieve a stage beyond (SSS+)-Rank bes a joke if he started fearing every little hardship?

    "Master, I am strong enough to protect myself. I want to enter the secret realm because I know if I don''t face dangers I won''t be strong. However, how will I do it? I remember only those who won in the Academies tournament were eligible to enter the realm. I wasn''t even able to participate in the tournament. So, do I still have a chance to enter the realm?"

    Han stayed quiet for another few seconds but then he sighed.

    "Young kids nowadays are all the same. They always want to take risks but you are right if you don''t face hardships you won''t achieve true strength. Also, after the tournament, the top 200 kids from Kingdom Ete are already selected. So now you can''t enter the secret realm through Kingdom Ete."

    Kyle stayed quiet and attentively listened to the old man.

    "However, ... I think you can try to get a spot through Kingdom Tersia. I got the news they haven''t filled their 200 spots yet."

    A surprised expression appeared on Kyle''s face. Why would the elf''s Kingdom give him a chance to fight for a spot they have secured for their own Kingdom? Kyle''s voice turned serious.

    "How? If it''s possible and fair I want to try."

    Han mused with a chuckle.

    "Don''t worry it''s fair. I can''t give you a spot directly and you have to fight for it yourself. Moreover, even though the poption is low there are many humans and demi-humans living in Kingdom Tersia. So, the elves didn''t forbid them to fight for a spot."

    Kyle''s eyes sparkled, if they gave him a chance then he would surely grab it. After a few seconds, Han''s voice resounded again. This time his voice was very serious.

    "Kid, stay where you are and don''t leave. I will contact one of my friends, he will pick you up. There''s no need for you to return to the Academy for the time being."

    Kyle sighed, he wanted to meet Bia, Nine, Alec, and the others as soon as possible but it was fine. In the end, all of them would go to the secret Realm. He would meet them there.

    "Alright, I will wait here. Master, please take Bia to the ce where the secret Realm will open. She wanted toe find me but I stopped her and now I don''t think we would be able to meet soon."

    Hanughed when he grasped the meaning behind Kyle''s words.

    "Rascal, how are you so sure that you would be able to get a spot for the secret Realm? Do you even know how many young kids will fight for these spots in Kingdom Tersia?"

    After saying goodbye, Kyle closed themunication crystal and shrugged his shoulders. it was true he didn''t know how many individuals would fight for the spots but he was one hundred percent sure he would win!

    ''Tsk, now that I am (B-)-Rank and my mana stat is so high. I don''t think anyone my age can defeat me.''

    Kyle shuddered at his thoughts. Neon was right he was bing a narcissist!

    .....

    *Author Note; I am gonna introduce the fl soon~ Does anyone wanna suggest a name?

 Chapter 214 I lied

    <h4>Chapter 214 I lied</h4>

    After an hour, Regius returned to the room with an annoyed expression.

    Kyle watched how he grumbled and threw his body on the bed. The wooden bed creaked under his weight.

    Regius ced one of his palms under his face and looked at Kyle with a sigh.

    "Kyle, I think we need to leave now. Sorry, I know you are tired but I just met some of my friends downstairs. They told me all the ''Lune Academy'' students who want to register for the ''Important event'' held at the outskirts of the capital city need to report back to the Academy as soon as possible."

    "I am one of the strongest students among my ssmates so I need to go back."

    Regius watched how Kyle nodded and gazed at him with intense green eyes.

    A shiver ran down Regius''s spine, he didn''t know why but under Kyle''s gaze he sat down properly.

    Regius frowned at himself for the sudden movement but then Kyle hummed and started talking.

    "Thank you for everything Regius but I think you have to go alone. I can''t go with you."

    Regius frowned deepened but then he noticed themunication crystal in Kyle''s hands.

    "...Did you contact your friends?"

    "I did, someone will soone to pick me up."

    Regius stayed quiet for a while. He looked at Kyle. In the past few days, he started liking hispany. Moreover, Kyle was his first human friend.

    He was hesitant because leaving Kyle in a foreign ce filled with unknown people alone wasn''t a good decision but when he saw Kyle''s intense eyes he pinched his brows with a groan.

    What was he thinking? Kyle never said he needed protection! It''s just.. Kyle looked so pure and innocent. What if someone took advantage of his kind nature?

    Regius shook his head. He didn''t know why but he felt like he should protect Kyle. Maybe it was because he unconsciously took him as a little brother?

    "Alright, It''s not like I can force you toe with me. I will rent this hotel room for the next ten days, so you can stay here. If you can go back safely just inform me through themunication crystal it will put me at ease. Also.... don''t hesitate to contact me if something happens."

    Kyle smiled at his words. He knew himself very well. Easily interacting with others was a little harder for him.

    At first, he was even wary of Regius and all the old elves living in the vige but in such a short time he understood how wrong he was. They were truly good people. They helped him even though he lied about almost everything.

    "I will."

    Regius nodded at his words with a serious expression.

    "Remember if you are in danger never hesitate to call me!"

    Kyle felt a little guilty when he saw how genuine Regius was. He wasn''t sure if his decision was right or wrong but in the next second, he spoke with a thin smile.

    "Regius, I told you I am not weak. Thank you for everything."

    Regius blinked, he opened his mouth to speak but in the next second, a faint aura seeped out from Kyle''s body.

    Regius was stunned and shut his mouth immediately. His heartbeat quickened. The aura was faint but after sensing it he was sure if Kyle attacked him, he would lose under a single move!

    His jaw tightened and he looked at Kyle with wide eyes. Hundreds of questions appeared in his mind. First, did Kyle lied when he said his family kicked him out because he was weak?

    Of course, it was a lie! Kyle was so strong!

    A ting of anger appeared in his chest. So, all this time he was being an idiot? He looked at Kyle for answers but thetter only replied with an apologetic smile.

    He opened and closed his mouth but no words came out. Amidst the awkward atmosphere, Kyle''s voice resounded in his ears.

    "It''s okay. You can curse at me. I know I am a little paranoid. It''s very hard for me to trust others."

    At his words, Regius opened his mouth to curse but when he saw Kyle''s sincere face he shut his mouth again. Kyle could have hidden this fact until the end so why now? Why did he tell him now when they were going to separate anyway?

    As if sensing Regius''s trail of thought, Kyle spoke again this time with a chuckle.

    "We are friends, aren''t we? I don''t want to lose a genuine friend just because of a small lie."

    Regius scoffed but when he heard the word ''friends'' the tension around his shoulders lessened.

    "So your family didn''t kick you out? Also... is your true name Kyle?"

    Kyle mused and averted his eyes.

    "About my family, they love me a lot and Kyle is my real name. I didn''t lie about my name."

    Regius huffed and pulled his sleeves up.

    "Alright, I will forgive you. Just let me punch you once."

    Kyle hissed and closed his eyes. He ced themunication crystal in the storage ring and got ready for the iing pain.

    Regius startedughing when he saw how easily Kyle epted his punishment. The tense atmosphere around them disappeared and he jumped off the bed.

    With a smile, he patted Kyle''s shoulder.

    "Tsk, I want to but your pretty face is in the way!"

    Kyle opened his eyes and wiped the non-existent sweat from his forehead.

    Regiusughed again. He was truly angry at Kyle because of his lie but maybe he would also do the same if he suddenly found himself in an unknown ce.

    He paced back to the bed with a smile.

    "Anyway Kyle, what is your rank? I can sense you are stronger than me that''s why I can''t sense your exact rank."

    "Umm... (B-)-Rank."

    Regius shuddered and snapped his head back to look at Kyle with shock.

    "...(B-)-Rank?"

    He stuttered and Kyle replied with a nod. Regius sucked in a cold breath. So strong! Moreover, to top it off Kyle was only 18 years old!

    That means Kyle was a genius! He clicked his tongue because even in the ''Lune Academy'' the highest rank recorded at the age of 18 was (D+)-Rank!

    Regius didn''t ask any more questions, he was too shocked. He took a bath absentmindedly and came out wearing a purple shirt with a golden leaf embedded in the chest.

    Kyle raised his brow when he saw his shirt, it was very simr to those elves he saw in the alley.

    ''So they were from ''Lune Academy''.

    He mused inwardly and thought about the porcin bracelet.

    ''Should I give it to Regius?...''

    He snapped out of his thoughts when Regius waved at him.

    "Kyle, I am leaving. Well, it unnecessary considering your strength still take care."

    Kyle nodded and jumped off the bed. He walked and stopped at the door, his eyes watched Regius''s fading image.

    After Regius was gone, Kyle went back and sat down on the bed. He closed his eyes and decided to get familiar with the mind space.

 Chapter 215 Guardian

    <h4>Chapter 215 Guardian</h4>

    On the other hand, after Regius left the hotel. He went to another hotel nearby, and the moment he entered the hotel lobby, he heard someone''s grumpy voice.

    Regius chuckled at the four young elves d in purple shirts sitting at the corner.

    "What are you all doing? We need to go back. Let''s leave."

    The four elves, two boys and two girls snapped their heads simultaneously and looked at Regius.

    One of the boys stood up with a serious expression and approached Regius.

    "Senior! We looked everywhere but we weren''t able to find Yue''s lost bracelet. She received the pair of bracelets from her father and it was a keepsake her grandmother left behind and now one of the bracelets is gone!"

    Regius sighed and patted the shoulder of the grumpy junior.

    "Faith, I don''t think we can find it. Some passerby probably picked it up. We are alreadyte. So, let''s go to the Teleportation Array. Yue should apologize to her father and tell him the truth."

    Faith nodded and looked at the honey-haired girl sitting with the other two elves.

    "Yue..?"

    Yue turned around and looked at Regius with her beautiful yet sharp amber eyes. She possessed a natural elegance that was enhanced by her flowing locks of honey-colored hair.

    Her skin was pale like snowkes but the aura around her wasn''t delicate. Yue''s pointy ears twitched when she sensed the many eyes present in the hotel lobby staring at her secretly.

    She opened her mouth and a melodious voice came out.

    "Alright senior. It''s my fault the bracelet was lost. I wasn''t careful enough. Let''s leave."

    Regius was stunned for a second, he recalled Kyle''s face and clicked his tongue.

    He wasn''t a person to care about beautiful facial features but after getting exposed to Kyle and Yue he knew he would never be satisfied with a normal-lookingpanion.

    ''Why do I feel like my future turned bleak for some reason?''

    He sucked in a deep breath and with the other four elves he left the hotel lobby.

    They traveled through the busy streets heading straight toward the Teleportation Array.

    .....

    Meanwhile, Kyle waited patiently in the hotel room.

    He jumped off the bed and stared at the bed.

    With a deep breath, Kyle touched the bed and in an instant, it disappeared.

    "My mind space is huge so maybe I can even put a whole building inside?..."

    He thought and released arge breath. His eyes were twinkling with expectations. With a wave of his hand, the bed returned to its original position.

    "Hmm.."

    Kyle bent down and touched the floor but nothing happened. He clicked his tongue.

    ''I can''t ce it inside? Is it because there are living beings in this building?''

    Suddenly an idea appeared in his mind and he took off the low-rank storage ring present on his finger. He wasn''t sure if it worked but he wanted to ce the storage ring in his mind space.

    In the next second, the storage ring disappeared and Kyle chuckled.

    "I can put it inside."

    He sat down on the bed and sorted out all the functions he discovered about Mind space.

    "I have to touch the things to ce them inside but it depends... Just like how I can ce a bed and a storage ring in the mind space but I can''t ce a whole building..?"

    Kyle sighed and blue mes lingered around his fingertips. He looked at a distance. A tiny blue fireball appeared out of thin air.

    "Hmm..."

    Kyle''s fingers moved slightly and he watched the mes dance in the room.

    After testing the mes for half an hour, he went down to the hotel lobby to eat something.

    He spent his whole dayzing around but the next day, a middle-aged woman appeared in front of the hotel.

    Her mere presence was enough to make the whole hotel tremble because instead of politely asking about Kyle she started shouting his name.

    Kyle groaned and stood up from the bed. He was dumbfounded when he heard someone calling out to him so early in the morning.

    He hissed and immediately tied his hair. After smoothing the wrinkles in his hoodie, he hurriedly left the room, heading straight toward the origin of the voice.

    He was stunned when he saw a crowd of elves, standing around a middle-aged blue hair woman. The woman amplified her voice with mana so almost everyone was able to hear her loud voice.

    She was continuously shouting Kyle''s name with a nonchnt expression.

    Kyle cursed under his breath. Was this woman sent by his master? If yes, Kyle was going to have a serious talk with Han.

    He approached the woman and raised his hand.

    "I am Kyle! Please stop shouting."

    The woman raised his brow and looked at Kyle from top to bottom with an intrigued smile. The long sleeves of her amber shirt fluttered when she pointed at Kyle.

    "You are Kyle? Han student?"

    Kyle nodded.

    The woman looked at him with a frown.

    "Are you sure you are Kyle? Han said you have ck hair... So why do I see silver hair?"

    Kyle didn''t reply he merely took out themunication Crystal and hurriedly called Elder Han.

    A few minutester, Elder Han confirmed his identity and the woman finally introduced herself as his guardian for the next few months.

    "Hello, Kyle Ohan. My name is Serena and I am your guardian who will apany you for the time being. So, you can fight for a spot to enter the secret Realm."

    ....

    *Author Note:

    (Lynea, Ada, Violet, Yue, Serena, Tamsin, Maysa, Aira, Anisa, Lumi, Sara, Haylee, Jolee, Jolie, Lucy, Kylie, Faith, Niamh, Miasa, Miyuki, Jodia, K, ire, ine, ina, Luna, Lie, Izil, Seraphine, Sophie, Samara, Helena, Sabrina, Evangeline, Uriel, Misha, Diora.) wow, we have received a lot of names~ ?? Thank you so much I will make use of each name you all have thought of with so much effort~

    One for Fl and remaining you will see them in the near future as side characters/No* Harem lol.(?�R?��?�Q?).

 Chapter 216 Something is better than nothing

    <h4>Chapter 216 Something is better than nothing</h4>

    After introducing herself, Serena asked Kyle to follow behind her.

    Kyle sighed and pinched his brows. He looked at Serena back and quietly followed behind her. He wasn''t sure where they were going but then Serena started talking.

    She told him about the event that would be held on the outskirts of the elf''s capital city. She wasn''t sure about the exact details but one thing was for sure at least a few hundred no possibly thousands of elves would participate in the event so Kyle''s winning chances weren''t high.

    Moreover, ording to the rumors, the event would continue for at least two months. No one knew what the participants would face in these two months, or what type ofpetitions would be held among them.

    Kyle subconsciously increased his pace and started walking beside Serena. His facial expression was serious because he listened to each word carefully.

    In between Serena gazed at Kyle with a raised brow. She even increased her speed but Kyle didn''t even sweat and easily matched her pace.

    Serena clicked her tongue. As an (A)-Rank saber user she wasn''t weak but the fact that she wasn''t able to sense an 18-year boy rank annoyed her a little.

    Moreover, she knew about Kyle''s true identity. He was the one who bonded with the legendary beast.

    ''Han! You psycho! Why do you always have such a good eye? I also want a strong and pretty disciple!''

    Serena cursed Han inwardly but her face was devoid of any emotions.

    They walked in a busy street mostly filled with elves and after a while arrived in front of a Teleportation Array.

    Kyle''s brows knitted slightly when he saw the long line of elves standing in front of the Teleportation Array but Serena moved fast and grabbed a middle-aged elf wearing brownish robes.

    The middle-aged elf tensed under Serena. He gazed back and forth at Kyle and Serene.

    Kyle didn''t know what Serena did but in the next second, the middle-aged elf bowed down and gestured for them to use the Array first.

    Kyle raised his brow. Serena was a human but she was able to order the elves how? The question appeared in his mind but then he saw the mustard color round pin attached on Serena''s shoulder.

    There was a beautiful moon sign on the edge of the pin.

    ''It'' looks like a family symbol. Maybe she is acquainted with a famous noble family?''

    His eyes narrowed when he noticed a familiar normal-looking broach opposite to the mustard color pin.

    ''Ah.. the broach it''s exactly simr to the one master left behind for me?''

    Kyle''s mood soured when he recalled the broach. Instead of sending him to a safe ce, the broach just tossed him outside the enemy base! He grumbled in his mind, well in the end, the situation helped him when he was awakening his bloodline so he would forgive the old man.

    ''Anyway, why does Serena have the broach? Did master gave it to her...''

    Kyle''s thoughts stopped midway because Serena shouted and asked him to step into the Array.

    Kyle sighed and started walking. The long line of standing elves turned their heads at Kyle and red at his back with anger.

    They had been waiting for a long time but now an unknown person dared to break the line!

    However, before they could voice their opinions. Serena released her aura slightly and gazed at them with sharp eyes. The elves swallowed hard and shut their mouths immediately.

    After Kyle stepped into the Array, Serena followed behind. In an instant, the Array shone brightly and they disappeared under the crowd''s resentful eyes.

    Soon, they appeared in another bustling city but the city wasrger and more advanced than the previous city.

    They roamed between therge buildings and Serena booked two rooms in a nearby hotel.

    She took out a storage ring with some mana stones and threw it to Kyle.

    "Kid, I can see you are practically poor. So, go buy some clothes and other necessary things you need for the next two months. We will leave for the capital city tomorrow. The event would start at least one weekter and because I need to register you for it we need to go there as early as possible."

    Serena waved her hand and started walking, heading straight toward her room because she had to contact some people regarding Kyle.

    ''The kid isn''t from Kingdom Tersia. It''s better if I take extra precautions to stop any future troubles. Han! You own me this time.''

    She clicked her tongue. Sending Kyle to the event was very easy but if he won, well she wasn''t sure he would but if he did the people in charge of the event would try to find his true identity.

    Moreover, if somehow they found out Kyle wasn''t from their Kingdom and still entered the event, they would immediately kick him out without even thinking twice.

    ''Sigh, so much work to do. I will just ask someone for a favor.''

    Kyle looked at her fading image and then looked at the storage ring. There were at least a few hundred mana stones in there.

    ''I am not used to being poor.''

    He grabbed the ring and after eating something in the hotel, he went out to buy everything he needed.

    The sun wasn''t burning, instead, it was leaving the horizon. The sky was ting with dusk and yellow and the air around the city was slightly cold.

    First, Kyle entered a clothing shop and bought a few sets of clothes. Instead of storing everything in the storage ring he ced the clothes in his mind space.

    Afterward, he went out and bought some packed food and a lot of water bottles.

    "I think I should learn some water-rted skills. I can''t possibly eat ice.. Or maybe I can melt it?"

    Kyle chuckled and entered shop after shop. In the end, the evening turned into night and he arrived in front of a weapon shop.

    Kyle fiddled with the storage ring.

    "I don''t have many mana stones left. I don''t think I can buy a good weapon. Sigh, I miss my sword so badly."

    He entered the shop. With a ting, the door opened and his gazended at the walls adorned with many types of gleaming swords, sabers, shields, powerful bows, and some low-rank artifacts.

    The shopkeeper standing behind a sturdy counter, gazed at Kyle''s figure and offered him a sweet smile.

    The slim elf approached him and asked politely.

    "What type of weapon would you like to buy sir?"

    Kyle''s lips twitched. He cleared his throat and offered the shopkeeper his almost empty storage ring shamelessly.

    "Give me something ording to my budget. I would prefer it if it''s a sword... A high-rank sword."

    The elf took the storage ring from Kyle''s hand and his smile morphed into a scoff when he saw Kyle''s wealth.

    No one knew what happened in the shop but after only two minutes Kyle was standing outside with a dry smile.

    He was holding an emerald bow with golden linings. The bow was old but as Kyle asked it was the highest rank ording to his budget.

    "It''s seemed poor people can''t even buy a proper weapon."

    Kyle sighed as he eyed the bow. It was (E-)-rank and the shopkeeper gave him ten free arrows. He stretched the string with his fingers.

    "Not bad. The only problem is that it''s not a sword."

    He took a deep breath but then cursed in his mind.

    "I asked for a sword! Damn it! Why can''t I buy a low-rank sword with 46 mana stones? Why is this shop so expensive!"

    Kyle returned to the hotel with a grumpy expression. He ced the bow and arrows in his mind space, thinking something was better than nothing.

    For him, the next two days were practically boring because he could do nothing but sit patiently in his room. After all, Serena was busy.

    On the third day, Serena knocked on his door and Kyle sighed with relief when he found out they were leaving.

    They traveled through two Teleportation Arrays and within half a day arrived at the capital city.

    The city was adorned with sparkling lights and the tall houses were embedded inrge trees. Kyle curiously gazed around the many food stalls but he was shocked when he heard the price!

    ''Damn it! When did meat be so expensive?''

    He immediately retracted his gaze not even daring to look at the food stalls.

    ''Ah... I remember how me, Nine, and Carcel ditched Alecst time in a hotel and he had to pay for everything. Sigh, now I can understand his pain!''

    Kyle shook his head. He wasn''t regretful instead he wanted to do it once again. If fate offered he would drag Alec here in this expensive elves market and after he was done eating he would ditch him again!

    After walking for another two hours, they left the capital city. Kyle gazed at therge dom-shaped structure present outside the city gates. The ce was ten times more crowded than the capital city but all the elves were strictly following the rules by lining up properly.

    Among the elves, he even saw some humans and demi-humans.

    Moreover, many elf guards wearing green uniforms were patrolling around the dom with stern faces.

    Kyle sucked in a deep breath when he saw a familiar floating old figure above the doom. The old elf was far away but Kyle was able to see his face clearly from his spot due to his enhanced vision.

    The old elf was among the people who attacked Kyle when he emerged from the ''Tower of Opportunity''!

    A sharp glint shed through Kyle''s eyes but he shook his head and threw the thought at the back of his mind. He was still weak. Moreover, he would never attack first.

    No matter, humans, elves, or any other being. Everyone was greedy.

    ''I will remember this old elf if he ever dares toy his eyes on Bia again.....''

    Kyle''s thoughts stopped when the floating figure gazed at him from above. Kyle didn''t look away and stare back but the elf turned his head away to look at someone else.

    ''It seems he is one of the people who are assigned to make sure the event goes smoothly.''

    Kyle looked away and at the same time, Serena gestured for him to follow behind her closely.

    They didn''t stand with the line instead they entered the dom through another path.

    Two tall elves stopped them but Serena showed them a token and they opened the door.

    Kyle sighed and looked back at the silent murmurs. A few elves standing in the long line were staring at him.

    He noticed arge group of purple-shirt elves probably from ''Lune Academy'' standing at the other end but he retracted his gaze when Serena urged him to follow behind.

 Chapter 217 The start of the important event

    <h4>Chapter 217 The start of the important event</h4>

    Under the shadow of the huge dom structure, between the long straight line of many groups of elves, some humans and demi-humans, more than a hundred ''Lune Academy'' students wearing purple shirts stood with frustrated expressions.

    They were told to return to the Academy as soon as possible but they didn''t think after returning to the Academy they would be traveling day and night without any rest!

    The students red at the three Professors standing in front of them with resentment but the Professors didn''t even spare them a nce.

    Regius sighed and shook his head. The dark circles under his eyes showed he was tired. The reason, he hasn''t slept properly for the past two days.

    He sighed and absentmindedly followed behind the Professors. Different from all the other students, three male elves and two beautiful female elves quietly followed behind him.

    To everyone''s surprise, except for one the other four elves following behind him weren''t his ssmates. Instead, they were his juniors.

    The four juniors were assigned to him by one of the Academy elders the moment they entered the Academy. Because first, the four juniors entered the Academy two monthster than their peers, and second, the Elder asked him to keep an eye on them so they wouldn''t do anything reckless.

    At first, Regius only did his job but after a few months, he became close with the four of them and they became friends. No one knew who started it but their group became quite famous in the whole Academy.

    Later he found out, the four junior''s backgrounds weren''t normal at all and there was a reason why he was assigned to take care of them.

    All four of them had a unique identity. One was the youngest princess of ''House WintCrest'' the current strongest noble house of elf''s Kingdom only below the elves'' King while the other three were the sole heirs of three big elves families.

    Regius was shocked when he found out he was treated as a scapegoat by those noble families. They wanted to protect their children and because his grandfather ''Dynn'' was one of the strongest and oldest guardians of the elf''s Kingdom, they decided to pick Regius as the person who would take care of their kids.

    Regius knew their nning was quite good because in the elf''s Kingdom, no one would dare to attack him due to his grandfather. Even though the old man stayed away from all the matters regarding the Kingdom his temper was very bad. Dynn would probably snap and kill all those whoid their hands on his only grandson.

    So, the n to send the four kids under Regius was the best they would have thought in their lives.

    At first, Regius was vexed because he was used but when he saw the innocent eyes of his juniors he sighed and threw the matter at the back of his head.

    It was not the junior''s fault. It was their families who nned all this! Unbeknownst to him he was weak in front of pretty faces. Well, there is no way he would ept it so he med everything on the cunning rich families.

    Regius thoughts were disturbed by some nearby murmurs. The sound grew louder and louder and he snapped his head up to see a smallmotion happening opposite to him.

    He wasn''t able to see anything because of the crowd, that''s why he looked back at his only ssmate Izil who was following behind him with the four juniors.

    "Can you see what''s happening?"

    The four juniors also turned around and looked at Izil curiously.

    Izil craned his neck up to look at the crowd and his cyan eyes glowed eerily for a second before he made an ''Oh'' with his mouth.

    "Nothing just a middle-aged woman and a silver-haired boy. They didn''t stand in the line instead they entered through a special door."

    Regius narrowed his eyes when he heard ''silver hair boy'' but he shook his head. Silver hair was rare but why would Kylee here? It''s probably someone else.

    The juniors standing behind him all perked up their ears. They belonged to famous noble families but they weren''t given such a privilege. So who was this silver-haired boy?

    One of the juniors, an elf girl with frost-colored hair quietly listened to the murmurs around them and grinned. She wrapped her hand around the honey-haired girl''s shoulder standing beside her.

    "Yue, can you hear the murmurs? They are saying it''s a silver hair handsome boy. Remember you told me your preference..."

    Her sentence was cut short because Yue pinched her waist.

    "Shut up Lumi! Don''t speak nonsense. When did I tell you my preference?"

    Lumi stuck out her tongue with an ''Oh''. Clearly not satisfied.

    "Hmm, it''s okay if you don''t want to try. I don''t like silver-haired ones but I like handsome ones so I can..."

    "Lumi!"

    "Alright, Alright. I am not joking anymore. Hahaha."

    Lumiughed out loud gathering a lot of attention. The two boys behind them shook their heads. They were used to Lumi''s childish jokes. Moreover, she was the only one who could make Yue flustered.

    Regius sighed and waved his hand.

    "Stop fooling around. It''s our turn next."

    As he spoke, the Professors in front of them moved forward because they were finally in front of the dom.

    A tall middle-aged male wearing in clothes gave one of the Professors some papers and the Professor hurriedly filled the papers, writing down the Academy name and the information of ''Lune Academy'' kids who were participating in the event.

    After the Professor returned the filled papers, the middle-aged man seriously fiddled with the papers and nodded. He gestured for the ''Lune Academy'' to enter the dom.

    The students sighed with relief because they had been standing for the past few hours. They followed behind the Professor and entered the dom.

    All of them were stunned when they saw the structure inside the dom. In between the round rows of thousands of chairs descending upward toward the ceiling of the dom, arge circr tform filled with various difficult Array symbols was shining under the huge crowd of young and old individuals.

    The Lune Academy students staggered forward slowly, looking at the air that was filled with faint green particles flying around everywhere.

    A majestic beautiful figure of an elf woman was floating above the tform. Her emotionless gaze swept through the new arrivals for a few seconds.

    The students snapped out of their thoughts when their Professors gathered them together. One of the professors stood in front of them with a serious expression and started speaking. Giving hisst words to the students.

    "Kids, I know that the Academy had informed you regarding today''s event. This event is not simple. It''s specially designed to find rare talents from Kingdom Tersia. The participants who emerged victorious in this event would be directly nurtured under the King. They would be offered hundreds of rewards. Moreover, the strongest warriors of Kingdom Tersia would give the winners direct teachings!"

    "That''s why I want all the students of ''Lune Academy'' to achieve the best result possible. This event is held under the watchful eyes of many strong individuals from all over the Kingdom, they are here to stop any meaningless deaths. However, from the start, you were warned because they wouldn''t save you merely because you admitted defeat they would only rescue you when you are on the brink of death!"

    The Professor''s expression turned grave.

    "I don''t want to see all of you crying like headless chickens! I want to see all of you shine. You can see with your own eyes just how many people are participating in the event. They won''t give you a chance to win so make sure to prove them wrong! I ept all the students from ''Lune Academy'' to climb the top spots! Do all of you understand!"

    The student''s faces be serious. They shouted with renowned vigor.

    "Yes!"

    The crowd around them scoffed when they heard their loud deration.

    Some of them evenughed and murmured among themselves but the ''Lune Academy'' students ignored the crowd. After the professor was done, he and the other Professors gestured for the kids to enter the crowd and they sat down among the people sitting on chairs surrounding the circr tform.

    .....

    Amidst the heated crowd. At the edge of the tform, Kyle stood behind Serena who was talking to an old individual. She signed Kyle''s name on a piece of paper with a smile and handed it to the old man.

    "Sir, I thank you for this favor."

    The old man waved his hand andughed bitterly.

    "How can I refuse this favor when the elves Queen herself contacted me because of your request? I am not sure about the King opinion but we all know he would never question the Queen''s words."

    The old manughed and gazed at Kyle''s figure. His eyes turned sharp when he didn''t sense anything from Kyle''s body.

    ''Interesting, I will keep an eye on this kid. Let''s see what''s so special about him.''

 Chapter 218 Two months competition

    <h4>Chapter 218 Two monthspetition</h4>

    While the old man was musing in his mind, he met Kyle''s gaze.

    Kyle tilted his head. A cold glint shed through his eyes and the old man was stunned when he felt goosebumps standing behind his back.

    ''What the..?''

    Under his stunned gaze, Serena stepped back and looked at Kyle.

    "Kid, I havepleted all the legal procedures. Now you are free to do anything in the event. If possible, just win the event because it was the first time Han begged me for something."

    She chuckled at the end. Han was always nonchnt and never listened to her but now she would take her sweet time with him until he repaid this ''favor'' she had done for him.

    ''I will just torture him a little. Hmm, no he is turning old so I will do something else...''

    Kyle''s eyes sparkled a little. After the bloodline awakening his body was aching for a proper battle. At first, he thought he had to be careful in the event because he was not in his home ground. However, after listening to the old man''s words he knew Serena had truly settled everything for him. The Queen was involved which means under Serena''s eyes no one will touch him.

    He blinked his eyes and asked innocently.

    "Can I really do anything in the event?"

    Serena''s face was devoid of emotions but she was engrossed in her thoughts that''s why she didn''t focus on Kyle''s question and just nodded her head.

    "Do whatever you want."

    Kyle''s lips ticked upward slightly. His eyes glisten with a sharp hazel color and the only person who noticed this sharp glint was the old man standing beside Serena.

    The old man''s breath hitched. He looked back and forth at Serena and Kyle. One was busy thinking about something with a serious face while the other was rubbing his hand in anticipation.

    ''What had the world turned into? Why am I getting scared because of his eyes?''

    The old man hurriedly shook his head and left the strange duo alone, immediately forgetting the matter of how he wanted to keep an eye on Kyle.

    On the other hand, Serena suddenly snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Kyle.

    "Ah... Kid, I recalled I didn''t give you a weapon. What type of weapon do you use?"

    Kyle''s eyebrows twitched. So the mana stones she gave him weren''t for him to buy a weapon?

    Serena grinned when she saw Kyle''s sour face.

    "Don''t tell me you bought a low-rank weapon with the 200 mana stones I gave you?"

    Kyle proceeded to stay quiet. In this type of situation, it was better for him to stay as quiet as possible.

    Serenaughed out loud for the first time when Kyle evaded her eyes.

    ''Damn it! She didn''t tell me the mana stones were only for me to buy clothes and other necessary things.''

    Kyle grumbled inwardly but then Serena took out some weapons from her storage ring and showed it to Kyle.

    "Here, pick one. All these weapons are very powerful."

    Kyle nodded and scanned the many weapons eagerly searching for a sword. s, his efforts were futile because Serena had all kinds of weapons, shields, spears, sabers, bows, chains...the only thing her collectioncked was a ''sword''.

    Kyle looked at Serena''s face.

    "Do you have a Sword?"

    Serena blinked and thought for a while.

    "Ah, I had one in the past but it was too old so I threw it away. I am a saber user so I mostly have sabers. Don''t tell me you are a sword user?"

    Kyle nodded with a grim face. It seemed he was not destined to hold a sword for a while.

    "It''s okay. I will just take one of the sabers."

    He picked up a saber from the weapons and within a second the saber disappeared from his hand.

    Serena narrowed her eyes. There wasn''t any storage ring on Kyle''s hand so where did the saber go?

    Her thoughts were disturbed by the sudden loud sound resounded in the dom. She looked above at the floating figure and patted Kyle''s shoulder.

    "All the best."

    She left Kyle with the crowd and started walking, heading straight toward some individuals sitting at the end of the circr tform.

    Kyle nodded at her fading back and entered the crowd. The floating elf woman appeared above them. Her eyes were sharp as she gazed at the individual standing below her.

    She pped her hands and a thunderous sound appeared in the dom.

    "I don''t think I need to further tell everyone regarding the purpose of this event. We are here to find capable and talented individuals who would be trained under the King."

    "I hope you all do your best. There will be only onepetition in this event. Thepetition will continue for two months and I believe beforeing here you all would have filled your storage rings with all the necessary things you need."

    "Within a few minutes, all of you will be teleported to a ce filled with various types of monsters. Moreover, you will be getting nothing, no tokens, no safety artifacts, no protective shields. The only thing you need to do is kill the monsters."

    "The killed monster would then be calcted through an artifact and you will get points ording to the strength of the monsters you killed. The more points you get the higher your ranking would be among all the other participants."

    The floating woman stopped for a second.

    "Remember, we won''t save you if you are in a dangerous situation because there are too many individuals participating in this event. However, when you are near death the ce you are teleporting to will eject you automatically. We have the best healers team here to save your life but I can''t guarantee that your arms and legs will stay intact."

    There was silence for a few seconds. The individuals standing below the floating woman tensed a little but she didn''t stop.

    "Lastly, I would appreciate it if you didn''t fight with each other. It''s not forbidden but hurting each other won''t give you anything. No points, nothing. So, it''s better if everyone focuses on killing monsters. You can make teams but the points will be equally distributed to all the team members ording to their contributions."

    The floating woman turned quiet. She gazed at the tform and waved her hand.

    "Be ready. I am activating the Array."

    The green particles floating in the dom traveled in an instant and started gathering around the tform.

    Regius gazed at the particles and looked back at his team members. He patted Izil''s shoulder and then looked at the four juniors with grim expressions.

    "Lumi, Yue, Faith, Niamh. Remember you are forbidden to roam around alone. I don''t know how you managed to get permission from your overprotective families to enter the event but after teleporting from this ce find me as soon as possible. Used the tracking artifact the Professor gave us because I don''t want any incidents. Alright?"

    After seeing them nod, Regius turned around with a smile.

    On the other hand, Kyle looked at the Array beneath his feet with a smirk.

    ''I wonder if the people outside would be able to see the participants fight in thepetition space?''

    He mused but then his gazended at a familiar group of purple-shirt elves. Among so many individuals his eyes narrowed on a hand wearing a familiar procelien bracelet.

    ''That?''

    Kyle gazed above at the bracelet owner''s back and he blinked. Long honey-color hair tied up in a ponytail.

    ''Oh, it''s her. I should...''

    Kyle''s words were cut short because, in the next second, his vision turned bright. The particles danced around his body and he disappeared from the tform along with all the other participants standing on the tform.

 Chapter 219 So many points within ten minutes

    <h4>Chapter 219 So many points within ten minutes</h4>

    After the participants disappeared from the tform. The green particles scattered in the air, like fireflies.

    The floating elf woman gazed at the empty tform and finally descended to the ground.

    Her movement was graceful when she walked toward the few individuals sitting onfy chairs at the end of the tform.

    She gazed at them and quietly sat down on an empty chair.

    Serena was sitting behind her with a woman and the same old man who wanted to keep an eye on Kyle.

    On the other hand, the participant''s teachers, rtives, and the individuals who followed them to the event were sitting on the rows of chairs surrounding the tform.

    After a few seconds, the green particles trembled again. This time they gathered together in small groups and started forming thousands of projections. The projections gathered on the tform and showed the far-away scenery of a green forest with some mountain peaks, crystal clearkes, and thousands of tiny bodies of monsters roaming around in groups or alone.

    Soon, tiny dot-like figures of the participants appeared in the projections but because the number was toorge the audience wasn''t able to see the participant''s movements.

    However, amidst all this, no one was gazing at the bundled-up projections above the tform. Instead, they were looking at therge bright square screen floating near the ceiling. The screen was divided into three sections, the first section contained a row of numbers from 1-100, the second section 101-200, andstly the third section 201-300.

    Under their gaze, just after half a minute, many names appeared in front of the numbers. The names belonged to the participants who had started gaining points after killing monsters.

    The audience sighed and leaned back in their chairs. For two months, the participants would fight for a long time that''s why except for the people in charge of the event no one would stay in the dom.

    Slowly but surely they would leave but for the time being, they curiously watched the shifting of names on therge screen, some even started cing bets. Especially the Lune Academy professors because they were sure their students would achieve greatness in the event.

    The other elve''s Academies professors scoffed at their smug expressions and arge betting board was set up between the crowd within a few seconds. That''s why everyone started betting on different powerful participants.

    While all this was happening, the dom gate swung open and a group of old and young elves wearing expensive clothes walked inside with grim expressions. They were greeted by the same old elf who attacked Kyle when he left the Tower.

    The old elf named Anlee chuckled and gazed at the sudden arrivals.

    "It''s such an honor to see so many big shots together. Let this humble person escort you to a proper sitting ce."

    Anlee started walking and the group of elves quietly followed behind him. They stopped at the ce where Serena was sitting and sat down on the row of chairs behind Serena.

    The sudden arrivals were from the famous elve''s noble families. Usually, they would nevere to these types of events but because their children were participating they decided toe and watch the kid''s performance.

    Anlee''s smile didn''t leave his face as he left the noble in the back seats and heard the crowd''s stunned exmations. He simply staggered toward the expressionless woman sitting in front of Serena.

    "Aira, you have done a great job."

    Anlee took out a chair from his storage ring and sat down beside Aira who nodded at his words.

    Aira didn''t like doing this type of work but because she was one of the strongest female elves from Kingdom Tersia the King requested her to oversee the event.

    A low gasp was heard from behind and Anlee turned around to see the grim expressions on the group of people from the noble families.

    One of the middle-aged men from the noble families pointed at the screen with narrowed eyes.

    "Why can''t I see my son''s name on the screen? He is the strongest among his peers!"

    The person sitting beside him patted his shoulder.

    "I can''t see my son''s name as well. Let''s wait thepetition just started."

    Serena scoffed at their words and gazed at the screen. All the names were unfamiliar so she just absentmindedly saw the top ten participants'' points.

    ''Kyle''s name isn''t even in the top 300. I will leave after a few hours ande back to pick him up when he is done.''

    Serena closed her eyes to rest for a while because the individuals around her were busy talking rubbish but only after ten or so minutes she was jolted awake when the old woman sitting beside her shook her arm with panic.

    "Serena!"

    Serena opened her eyes with irritation and pped the woman''s hand away.

    "What is it?"

    She spoke with knitted brows but then she noticed something was amiss. A lot of eyes were staring at her. Even Anlee and Aira''s heads were turned back at her face.

    "What...?"

    Serena questioned and blinked her eyes with confusion but in the next second a stunned expression appeared on her face when she caught sight of therge floating screen.

    The name that was nowhere to be seen a few minutes ago was now shining brightly at the top with arge amount of points.

    1_Kyle Ohan 1090

    2_ Luna Gohai 380

    3_Sinon Ambing 270

    Serena''s breath hitched and she started sweating. Her mind went into overdrive and she subconsciously gazed at the only person who knew about the fact that she brought Kyle here.

    The old man sitting on her left side, the same person who wanted to keep an eye on Kyle.

    She red at him with a dark gaze but the old man shrugged his shoulders.

    "I just said you know Kyle. Nothing else."

    Serena wanted to curse all his generations. No.. No, she wanted to make him bald! How dare he!

    Her sharp gaze disappeared in the next second and an emotionless expression appeared on her face. This was not the right time to snap. Moreover, how did Kyle gain so many points within ten minutes? I just fucking closed my eyes for a few minutes and he is on the top!

    All of a sudden one of Kyle''s sentences appeared in her mind.

    ''Can I really do anything in the event?''

    At that time, she didn''t think much about this sentence but now she knew the meaning behind it!

    ''Damn it! Han you fucker! You said Kyle is just a slightly strong student who knows a little about Arrays and has a unique bond with a legendary beast! You are dead! How dare you scam me?''

    Serena was seething. She only agreed to Han''s request because he said Kyle wouldn''t cause much ruckus in the event because his strong bonded beast wasn''t with him.

    She looked at the many question-filled faces who were staring at her. The matter was already out of control. Now, these old foggies would try their best to find out who was Kyle.

    Serena almost cursed out loud because, in the next second, Kyle''s points increased again.

    1_Kyle Ohan 1880

    2_ Luna Gohai 420

    3_Sinon Ambing 330

    She cleared her throat with a nonchnt expression but inwardly she was panicking.

    ''OMG! If he took the top spot I am a goner! Not just me even the Queen had to answer if his identity got revealed. We added his name to the event through underhanded methods! I need to do something!''

    She stood up and Anlee raised his brow. His amused voice resounded in her ears.

    "So, Serena you know who is Kyle? I didn''t know such a hidden talent was present in our Kingdom. Anyway, what''s his background? Probably amoner because I had never heard his name before."

    Serena''s mind was a mess. Sheughed dryly.

    "He is just amoner I found while traveling. Ah... I remember my friend wanted to see me for some reason. So, I will take my leave. Please senior take care of Kyle until Ie back. Thank you."

    With herst words drifting in the air, Serena immediately stepped out from the chairs. Her pace was fast and within a minute she disappeared from everyone''s sight.

    Anlee''s suspicious gaze lingered at her back, he turned around to look at the old man who exposed that Serena knew about Kyle.

    "So, Mr.. whatever... what do you know regarding Kyle?"

    The old man chuckled but his back was drenched with sweat because Anlee and Aira both were staring at him with narrow eyes.

    "I don''t know much but this matter is a little strange because instead of registering Kyle for the event like everyone else Serena just requested to add Kyle''s name without any background information. Moreover, I got a message from the Queen so I agreed to Serena''s request."

    Anlee frowned but then he turned around to look at the Projection.

    "It doesn''t matter, we will know his background after the event."

    He gazed at the projections floating on the tform.

    "It''s a pity I can''t control the projections to see how Kyle got so many points."

    Anlee leaned back on the chair. The projections were contacted to the dom so they could only watch the tiny images. Also, he wasn''t aware of Kyle''s appearance so even if he focused on the projections there was a very low chance he would find Kyle.

    Just like him, the audience was stunned when they saw Kyle''s name on the top with so many points. They didn''t care who was Kyle and started betting on his name. With so many points above Kyle''s name, only an idiot would bet against him.

    Even the noble families were curious about Kyle''s identity but no matter how much they thought they weren''t able to recall any talented person named Kyle.

    A familiar name did appear in the back of their mind, ''Kyle Ohan'' from Kingdom Ete.

    The same Kyle who bonded with the legendary beast and was talked about a lot a few months ago but why would the Royal Academy send Kyle here in a foreign Kingdom? To endanger their bright student life? No way, the Royal Academy was so dense!

    Moreover, Kyle was from Kingdom Ete it was not possible for him to enter this special event held by Kingdom Tersia to find genius talents. That''s why they threw this thought out of their minds.

 Chapter 220 First Prey

    After the Array was activated and Kyle disappeared from the tform, his vision abruptly turned dark.

    A strong pull tugged his body in the darkness and in the next second a bright light shed in front of his eyes and he appeared in betweenrge trees.

    Kyle shook his head and blinked his eyes twice to clear his hazy mind.

    "A forest?"

    His eyes took in the surroundings but the wide tree trucks and thick grass made it impossible for him to look past a few meters.

    Kyle''s left ear twitched when he heard sounds of rustling behind one of the trees and his eyes lit up.

    ''My first prey!''

    He stepped forward toward the voice with an exciting glint shing through his eyes.

    The air behind him cracked with sparks and blue mes appeared behind him. Kyle didn''t even look back and the mes took the shape of a long sword ready to finish the enemy as soon as possible.

    The grass rustles under Kyle''s feet but he made sure to make as minimum voice as possible.

    Kyle grabbed a tree branch and peeked out to see what was behind. He clicked his tongue when he saw a lone blonde elf girl.

    ''Not a monster.''

    The blonde girl who just appeared in the middle of the forest heard a low rustle, she snapped her head to look at her left side but saw nothing.

    "Was it wind...?"

    She shook her head and took out two sharp daggers from her storage ring. With a sh, she started running between the trees.

    On the other hand, Kyle immediately left when he saw the blonde elf and the me sword behind him dissipate into the air. He spread out his senses to sweep his surroundings. He wasn''t running instead he moved with light steps.

    After half a minute, Kyle saw a dark shadow. His eyes moved and took in the figure of arge ck cat with two horns lying below the tree. The cat''s eyes were closed but her spiky tail swirled left and right to show she was awake.

    "A terosia."

    He had learned about this monster in a lecture. Terosias were extremely agile due to their light bodies. Moreover, they could spew out dangerous poisons from the spikes on their tails.

    "A (E-)-Rank Tersia? It''s not powerful."

    Kyle sighed and waved his hand, another me sword appeared behind him. In the next second, a cold aura spread out in the air and the sword moved with a lightning-fast speed, heading straight toward the cat''s head.

    The cat''s eyes shot open when her sixth sense kicked in and the ck fur on her body stood up. Her eyes narrowed into a slit when she saw the iing attack.

    A chilling shriek escaped her lips. Her body shuddered and moved instantly but it was toote. Moreover, the sword was too fast within half a second it crashed on her head.

    The cat cried out because instead of priecing her head the sword broke down into blue mes and in an instant her body started freezing.

    Kyle watched from the sidelines, it was the first time he used the mes on a living being and he would be lying if he said he wasn''t not stunned.

    Under his astonished gaze, the cat''s eyes showed horror and within a few seconds, her whole body turned into an ice statue.

    ''What the...?

    Kyle released his held breath but his eyes were twinkling. The mes were truly powerful. He knew the cat was only (E-)-Rank, so weakpared to him but the effect was shocking.

    He stepped forward to touch the ice but the moment his fingers grazed the statue, a crack appeared on the thick ice. One crack turned into many and in an instant, the ice broke down into many pieces.

    "Amazing!"

    Kyle eximed and his eyes turned around to look at the trees. He was feeling thrilled and his green eyes gleamed when he sensed the faint sounds of a waterfall at a distance.

    He activated the skill ''swift steps'' and dashed forward toward the waterfall. Moreover, coupled with his insane agility he was moving so fast that he himself felt a little overwhelmed.

    ''If there is water nearby I believe I will find more monsters.''

    Kyle''s lips tricked upward to make a barely noticeable smirk. Within a few minutes, he was standing in front of the waterfall.

    He gazed at the crystal-clear water cascading down rugged rocks, surrounded by lush greenery but his eyes zeroed in on the group of nk-horned cats, standing and sitting beside the waterfall.

    ''1..5...9..14?''

    He counted the cats while standing behind them without any care. In this type of situation Kyle felt great he found the white earring that concealed his presencepletely.

    There were a total of 14 terosia cats, 7 (E-)-Rank, 3 (D-)-Rank, 2 (D)-Rank, and 2 (D+)-Rank.

    Kyle hummed when he saw a hidden cave behind the group of cats. He caught sight of a faint shadow moving constantly in the cave.

    ''14 outside but I can''t sense the rank of the one inside.''

    One of the sitting cats licked her paw and suddenly looked back with azy expression. She saw Kyle''s figure and turned around but in the next second her eyes widened.

    She shouted out with a hiss and all the cats turned around to look at Kyle with serious eyes.

    "Oh? It seems I got exposed. Let''s fight then."

    Kyle chuckled at his own words and all the cats stood up from their positions with spiky tails wagging behind their backs, ready to throw poison at Kyle.

    However before they could attack, Kyle disappeared from his spot. The cats looked at his position with confusion when an amused voice resounded behind their backs.

    "Let''s test the skill I can finally use after a long time."

    The cats snapped their heads back with wide eyes, Kyle was standing above arge rock embedded in the water.

    "Ice Domain."

    He rasped out loud and in an instant icy aura spread out around him. The mana in his body turned cold and Kyle breathed out a wisp of smoke.

    The cold aura traveled with lightning speed and enveloped all the cats within a round ice domain.

    Kyle watched the panic in the cat''s eyes when long pointy icicles emerged from the ground with a loud rumble, the air cracked andrge smoky clouds formed above the domain.

    In an instant, round ice pellets dropped from the clouds, heading straight toward the panicked horned cats. The cat''s cries echoed loudly when the icicles and ice pallets grazed their bodies.

    Kyle cracked his knuckles and felt his strength surging upward. His eyes glowed with a faint green hue and within a second all his stats increased by a sub-rank.

    At the same time, he noticed the cat''s strength lowered by a fraction.

    Kyle''s eyes traveled to the cave and he sensed some movements. In the next second, he saw a shadowing out from the cave with a frantic leap.

    "Let''s finish this group as soon as possible."

    He traced his eyes on the panicked group of cats. Droplets of blood trickled down the many scars present on the cat''s bodies.

    The cats shivered due to the cold air freezing their wounds but in the next second, they heard a loud shrieking from the cave and immediately gathered together.

    They hissed at Kyle when they heard their leadermand from behind.

    Kyle raised his brow when he saw arge ck cat running out from the cave and his lips curved upward into an evil smile.

    He didn''t move from his ce and watched the leader of the cats entering the sealed area of Ice Domain with bloodshot eyes. She was taller and stronger than the other cats. Also, Kyle could sense she was (C-)-Rank.

    In an instant, all the cat''s eyes turned to Kyle and amidst the cold fog, ck mist appeared around the cat''s spiky tails and all of them jumped at Kyle with anger.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed, he knew the cats were weaker than him but their poisonous spikes weren''t something he could cope with easily.

    ''Damn, I miss my sword! I am not used to fighting with only skills.''

    "Ice Spears."

    Kyle waved his hand and the cat''s eyes almost popped out of their sockets when they saw five big Ice spears appearing behind him.

    Horror shed through their eyes, and the leader of the horned cats cried out when she sensed the danger. She wanted to stop her jump mid-air but all the spears shot out in their direction.

    Kyle watched how the spears easily crashed on their bodies. After hitting the cats the spears shattered into ice fragments and seeped into their bodies.

    Loud painful cries rang out in the surroundings, and within a minute, half of the cats died.

    Kyle eyed the remaining cats and thick blue mes appeared behind his back.

    He willed in his mind and the mes took the shape of arrows. The arrows traveled and crashed on the alive cat''s bodies.

    Dread shed through the cat''s eyes when they sensed their bodies turning into ice statues.

    Kyle hummed and tore his gaze from the ice statues. He looked at the trees and spoke with a chilling voice.

    "Have you watched enough?"

    A rustle sounded behind the trees and Kyle narrowed his eyes to see a panicked figure running away.

    Kyle scoffed and jumped down from the rock. The water around the rock was frozen into ice due to his skills so his feetnded on a hard surface.

    "Instant Teleportation."

    Kyle disappeared from his ce and appeared in front of the running figure. It was a ck-haired elf boy.

    The ck-haired elf''s eyes showed terror when he saw Kyle appearing in front of him. He freaked out and tried to run in another direction but stumbled due to a branch.

    Kyle watched how the elf crashed down on his butt and cried out again.

    The elf turned his head toward Kyle and a trembling voice escaped his mouth.

    "I ...am sorry...I was just passing by!"

    Kyle sighed and pinched his brows. He knew the moment the elf appeared behind the trees. It just even after seeing Kyle fighting with the horned cats, the elf didn''t run away instead he peeked from behind the tree to watch the show.

    The elf trembled when he saw Kyle''s knitted brows but in the next second Kyle turned around to leave.

    "Leave, a kind advice don''t peek at others without permission because the next time I won''t let you go so easily."

    The ck-haired elf nodded frantically, he watched Kyle fading back and after Kyle was gone he gingerly stood up and patted his clothes.

    "Such a strong human!"

 Chapter 221 Lonely me

    Chapter 221 Lonely me

    Kyle''s eyes darted around the forest as he ran among the trees. All his senses were spread out searching for as many monsters as possible.

    After the horned cats, he killed a few more monsters and discovered another fact about the blue mes he didn''t need to touch the ice statues to break them. A single fleeting thought was enough.

    Kyle sighed when he saw his mana reserve. Within three hours he lost 80 percent of his mana.

    ''It would be hard to learn the spellnguage because only those with high intelligence and the ones who picked the mage path from the start can easily chant the spells in their mind but maybe I should learn some basic spells to control some natural elements. In that way, I can save a lot of mana.''

    He mused in his mind. The blue mes consumed too much of his mana. If not for his (A)-Rank mana stat after fighting with the horned cats he would have used all his mana.

    Kyle''s ears perked up when he heard a faint rustle on his left side. He immediately changed his direction, heading straight toward the voice.

    Soon, his eyes caught sight of two tall figures fighting with a (D)-Rank fire eagle. The eagle cried out loudly and a burst of fiery mes sprakled around her wings. Kyle''s gaze stopped at the round nest on the tree behind her.

    ''Is she protecting her eggs?''

    Kyle stood beside a tree and watched how the eagle pped her wings and a sea of fire descended on the two figures.

    He clicked his tongue. Just within three hours the participants already started forming groups to fight the monsters.

    ''Sigh, lonely me.''

    The moment Kyle spoke about how lonely he was Bia scoff sounded in his mind.

    -''Thene back. Why the hell are you going through such a long process just to enter a secret realm? If you want to enter it so badly just use Instant Teleportation and you can easily slip inside under everyone''s nose. Also, don''t worry about me I have secured my spot with Mia.''

    Kyle controlled the urge to roll his eyes. If only entering the secret realm was so easy. Moreover, even though he could use instant teleportation who would guarantee the strong elites guarding the entrance wouldn''t notice him?

    Maybe he could escape the senses of an (A)-Rank or (S)-Rank individual with the help of Instant Teleportation but what about an (SS)-Rank individual?

    He pinched his brows when he saw the two figures empowering the fire eagle. This wasn''t the first time he saw someone else fighting with a monster but he always left them alone because he was the one who found the monsterte.

    However, in the next second Kyle''s eyes sparkled.

    ''Wait, I can steal the kill? Can''t I?''

    Bia''s dry and almost mockingugh sounded in his mind.

    -''Don''t tell me you just thought about the fact after roaming around for three long hours? I think you are forgetting this is apetition. Do you think the others would do the same as you? No, if they saw you fighting they would probablyy around for an ambush.''

    Kyle didn''t refuse Bia''s words and stayed quiet.

    ''I know about all this that''s why I don''t want to be the weaker party.''

    He shook his head to disperse the thoughts and looked at the fire-eagle. The eagle recovered and was now attacking the two figures with renowned vigor.

    ''I don''t need the eggs it would be a hassle to carry them around for two months. I will just kill the eagle and leave.''

    He waved his hand and mes appeared behind him. The mes took the shape of two arrows and under Kyle''s will they shot forward heading straight toward the fire eagle.

    A sharp whistling sound sounded in the air. The first to notice the me arrows were the two figures and after them, the eagle panicked when she saw the arrows.

    The two figures watched the arrows with wide eyes. The arrow''s speed was very fast and before they couldprehend what was happening the eagle''s painful cry rang in their ears.

    The duo watched the blue mes enveloping the eagle''s body and under their horrid gaze the eagle''s body started freezing and within a few seconds, she turned into ice.

    Their breath was stuck in their throats and they moved back solely due to natural reflex when the ice statue of the fire eagle dropped on the ground with a resounding boom.

    Tiny ice pieces scattered on the ground and one of the figures dropped to his knees with beads of sweat trickling down his forehead.

    "What... the heck?"

    He sounded scared, astonished, and panicked at the same time but no one answered his question because the other figure fled the moment he dropped to his knees.

    Meanwhile, Kyle was already gone after shooting the arrows.

    He ran around the forest, killing as many monsters as possible but he made sure to stay away from the other participants.

    He tested all of his skills and whenever he was low on mana he would stop and climb a tree to rest for a while.

    However, because of his casual skill testing a big uproar was going on the outside world and the atmosphere in the dome was quite heavy. A lot of eyes were fixed on the big screen floating below the dome ceiling.

    Anlee breathed out arge amount of air and looked at Aira with simple astonishment.

    "I want to see what is this kid doing. Is it not possible to find his figure in the many projections."

    Aira gazed at him from the corner of her eyes. The nobles and other individuals sitting behind them perked up their ears when they heard Anlee''s question. They were dying to know who was this kid ''Kyle'' and what the heck was he doing! Not just them even the audience who heard Anlee''s words looked at Aira with eagerness.

    Aira hummed casually.

    "Don''t look at me like that I can''t do anything. I could have tried only if I knew what he looked like."

    Anlee clicked his tongue and gazed at the screen.

    "After seeing the unimaginable amount of points he stacked just in half a day what do you think his spot would be after two months?"

    1_Kyle Ohan 12,890

    2_Larji Homes 1367

    3_Regius Gravis 1200

    Aira scoffed.

    "Have you gone blind? At this point, even an idiot can tell he would stay at the top no matter what."

    ....

    Meanwhile, when the night arrived and dark clouds gathered above Kyle''s head he finally stopped and started looking around for a safe ce.

    In the end, he wasn''t able to find a clean ce and just decided to settle down above a tree for the night.

    However, the moment he climbed the tree his eyes caught sight of a fist-sized harmless squirrel nibbing on a dry leaf.

    Kyle eyed the squirrel and held his breath. In the next second, he quietly left the tree and ran away in the opposite direction.

    The squirrel squeaked lightly when he heard a rustling sound behind him. He looked back with beady eyes but saw nothing except some falling leaves.

    A confused expression appeared on his face and he tilted his head to look around but after finding nothing his focus returned to the dry leaf.

    On the other hand, Kyle finally released his held breath when he was at least ten meters away from the squirrel.

    "Scary!"

    He shuddered and started looking around for another ce to sleep.

    After five minutes, he finally settled down on another tree. The sky was dark and soon a few twinkling stars appeared among the clouds.

    Kyle looked peaceful. He gazed at the sky but he wasn''t sleepy because after seeing the squirrel his past trauma came back.

    After leaning on the tree branch for a while, he sat down with a sigh.

    "I really hate squirrels. Especially their sharp teeth."

    He shook his head and took out a finger-sized skill core from his mind space. It was quite fascinating how the skill core wasn''t affected by the blue mes.

    The mes wouldpletely freeze the bodies of the monsters that''s why Kyle almost forgot to look for the skill cores. However, when he killed a (E-)-Rank monster a few hours ago he was surprised when he saw a tiny white ball among the ice pieces.

    He would havepletely ignored it due to its small size but because the core was sparkling brightly between the ice pieces he bent down to pick it up.

    Kyle closed his eyes and grabbed the core in his figures and the next second information about the skill core appeared in his mind.

    ____________

    #*Fright (F+)-Rank;

    User can influence the enemy''s brain for a few seconds, making them feel unpleasant and scared.

    Mana isn''t required for this skill.

    ____________

    Kyle sighed and didn''t absorb the skill core because he already had a (A)-Rank fear skill.

    "It''s useless."

 Chapter 222 Are you done staring?

    Chapter 222 Are you done staring?

    Kyle threw the skill core inside his mind space with a sigh.

    He leaned back on the tree trunk and closed his eyes to sense the mind space. It was vast but empty.

    Amidst the vast space, the finger-sized core was floating mid-air. The circr core was barely visible due to its small size but because Kyle could locate anything within the mind space it only took him a second to find the hovering skill core.

    Kyle''s focus zeroed on the porcin bracelet. It was floating beside the skill core.

    It was strange indeed because he could sense the sets of clothes, the food, the saber, the bow and arrows lying motionlessly in the mind space.

    ''I noticed it when I ced it in my mind it started floating. The bracelet didn''t contain any mana like the core so why is it floating?''

    Kyle opened his eyes and summoned the bracelet in his hand. It looked fragile. He wondered why it didn''t break down when it was dropped.

    "Hmmm."

    Kyle eyed the inner side of the bracelet and traced the iplete Array symbols with his fingertips.

    He stared at it for a while and tried to understand the symbols. On the left side, the engraved symbols were very basic. However, the symbols on the right side were very difficult and Kyle had never seen them before not even in the books he found in the Tower.

    His interest was piqued. He inwardly decided to study the bracelet more instead of giving it back.

    "The owner doesn''t know I have it. Nor do anyone else. So, I can just say it''s mine."

    After thinking for a few seconds, Kyle took out a sharp arrow from the mind space and stared at the bracelet.

    "It''s difficult due to their size but I will just try toplete the basic symbols maybe I will get an idea regarding the hard ones?"

    He infused some mana in the arrowhead and grasped it in his fingers. Withplete focus, Kyle started grazing the smooth surface of the bracelet.

    Time ticked by and after only two minutes, Kyle''s eyes sparkled.

    "Tracking symbols?"

    He wasn''t able to find anything about the hard symbols but the easier ones gave him some information.

    The bracelet was an artifact. No, it was a part of an artifact. There were four parts and each part had tracking symbols on them so if someone found one part they could locate the other parts easily.

    Kyle recalled and the back side of the purple-shirt elf appeared in his mind. She was indeed wearing two bracelets but why did the information tell him there were four parts?

    Kyle snapped out of his thoughts and his eyes narrowed when he heard the sounds of approaching footsteps from his left.

    "I am leaving anyway."

    He gazed at the bracelet and infused the tracking symbols with mana. The symbols shone for a second and Kyle could sense three faint locations. One was rtively near and the other two were far.

    He jumped down from the tree and started moving toward the location he sensed nearby.

    ...

    Meanwhile, at the edge of a mountain. It was dark due to the night clouds. The grass rustles under Regius''s feet and his breathing was heavy when he killed thest fire spider standing in front of him.

    His purple uniform was filled with red blood when he looked back at the five individuals standing behind him.

    Just like him, they were also tired and dirty after fighting with the monsters for a full day.

    "Let''s stop and rest here for today. We will continue tomorrow morning."

    The girls and boys all sighed with relief. It was only the first day of thepetition but the moment they found each other they started hunting monsters non-stop. Specially Regius he was the one who killed the most.

    Izil stretched his body and red at Regius.

    "I was going to kick you if you said we need to kill more."

    Regius shrugged his shoulders with a chuckle and sat down beside a rock.

    "Set up the tents and go to sleep. I will guard tonight."

    Niamh and Faith nodded and started setting up two tents. One for the girls and one for the boys.

    At the same time, Lumi and Izil decided to prepare food for everyone.

    After they were done eating Yue approached Regius with a frown.

    "Senior, you should rest because you were the one who fought the most. I will guard for tonight and If I see any danger I will wake you up."

    Regius looked at her face with a raised brow.

    "Are you not tired?"

    "I am fine. Also, I am not sleepy yet."

    In the end, he agreed with a sigh because he was indeed tired.

    "Alright. Remember to wake me up the moment you see anything nearby."

    Soon, everyone entered the tents for rest.

    Lumi peeked out from her tent and gazed at Yue''s figure with a pout.

    "I wanted to sleep with you. Come inside when you are tired I will wake up one of the boys and they will guard the surroundings."

    Yue gave her a nod and gazed at the mountain. The moon was clear, and the stars were scarce.

    She grabbed her ponytail, it was loose after such a hectic day. With a tug, she removed the pony and her long honey-color hair dropped down on her back.

    Her movement was fast yet graceful when she climbed up arge rock to see everything more clearly.

    A cold breeze brushed past her cheek when she arrived above the rock. The tents were surrounded byrge trees. Also, they didn''t light a fire near the tents because it would expose their location to the danger lurking around them.

    She took out a grey bow and some arrows from her storage ring. Even though she was a mage, she learned how to use a lot of weapons.

    After some time, while Yue was standing guard a faint rustle sounded from the nearby trees. It was so faint that it disappeared into the air.

    Amidst the peaceful night, a pair of bright eyes stepped out from the trees.

    The person wearing a hoodie gazed at the tents with a frown but then his gazended at the female figure standing on top of the rock.

    Kyle removed his hoodie and his hair shone brightly under the moonlight but he didn''t look at the face of the standing female. Instead, his eyes were fixed on the porcin bracelet on her hand.

    One of the bracelets was in his hand while the other was just a small distance away. His thoughts wandered around because he wasn''t sure what would happen when he collected all four parts of the artifacts. Maybe the artifact was very high-grade?

    While he was thinking of how to steal the other bracelet from its owner, a melodious yet livid voice sounded in his ears.

    "Are you done staring?"

    Kyle snapped up his eyes at gazed at her face for the first time. The girl was holding a bow and the arrow was aimed directly at Kyle.

 Chapter 223 You look ugly while crying

    Chapter 223 You look ugly while crying

    Yue was standing a top of a rock, her sharp gaze traveled around the tents to ensure no danger approached her sleeping friends.

    She didn''t even hear a rustle, nor did she feel anyone''s presence but when her gaze trailed to the left side her amber eyes widened with shock.

    Just a few meters away from the tents a dark figure was standingvishly without any care. Amidst the darkness, the figure''s silver hair shone brightly under the moonlight. In an instant, Yue''s eyes narrowed and her grip on the bow tightened. How the hell did she not notice him?

    With a deadpan expression, her slender fingers curled up and she immediately summoned a sharp arrow from her storage ring but the silver-hair figure was busy staring at... Ah.. he wasn''t staring at her face instead his gaze was directed at her arm or her bow.

    Yue gritted her teeth and lifted her bow, the arrow was ced on the bowstring but her opponent wasn''t even looking at her, seemingly busy in his thoughts.

    For some reason, this infuriated her even more. Just what the heck was he thinking that he didn''t even care about the arrow aimed at him?

    She opened her mouth and a sharp glint shed through her eyes.

    "Are you done staring?"

    Her voice was livid and after her outburst, the figure snapped his head up with an expressionless gaze. Yue was stunned.

    His hazel eyes shone brightly and a frown appeared between his sharp brows when he saw the arrow that was aimed at him.

    Yue bit down on her cheek flesh in her mouth. The man didn''t even directly stare at her but a single sight of those eyes was enough to send chills down her spine.

    Her gaze was fixed on him and finally, after looking at the bow for a whole second, he looked up, staring directly into her eyes.

    Yue froze for a second and her gaze wavered when an invisible pressure descended upon her body. Her grip on the bow trembled and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

    What was this pressure? So strong... but to her surprise the pressure disappeared after a few seconds.

    Yue mustered up the courage to stare at his eyes with a deadly expression but she froze yet again when his emotionless eyes crinkled into a smile.

    Her breath hitched and she was utterly confused. What kind of gaze was that?

    The nonchnt expression disappeared from his face. In his gaze there was no lust, no disgusting desire, it was purely filled with surprise and maybe... a little happiness?

    Her mind raced. How can a gaze that was emotionless and so scary a few seconds ago turn so different?

    On the other hand, at first, when the angry voice sounded in his ears, Kyle looked at the arrow aimed at him with a frown. He immediately sensed that his opponent was weaker than him. She was at most (D)-Rank.

    After assessing her strength he looked up to meet her gaze. Sharp amber eyes ring at him with a deadpan expression.

    She was beautiful. This was the first thought that appeared in his mind but it disappeared the moment it appeared. He gently moved his fingers and a tiny bit of his aura seeped out from his body, boring down at her small figure.

    She trembled visibly and looked down at her hands. Kyle didn''t think much.

    ''I will take the other bracelet and leave....''

    In the next second, his eyes widened because an old memory appeared in his mind. An older version of her. A big statue of a strong crowned female elf standing proudly amidst the other statues.

    His memory regarding the six months he spent inside the ''Tower of Opportunity'' was quite vivid because he roamed around to hunt monsters and treasures but he recalled staring at that elf statue a little longer.

    Kyle rarely stared at others no matter how beautiful they were but the statue was beautiful and majestic. No.. No, it wasn''t the statue that made him engrossed it was the memory that appeared in his mind when he stared at the statue.

    A crying face. Yes... A young five-year-old girl crying face. Kyle''s memories shed back to the time when he saw the girl for the first andst time.

    She was wearing a sleeveless dress, crying non-stop while standing in front of a grave. Her honey-color hair was tied up in a small pony. A group of old men and women wearing expensive clothes was standing around her with sad expressions.

    Kyle just looked at their grieving figures with a moist gaze because he was crying as well. His father was standing in front of his mother''s grave barely holding his tears and an old man was patting his father''s shoulder to console him.

    Even though Kyle wasn''t allowed toe with his father because he was too young to visit such a ce he insisted because he wanted to see his mother face onest time.

    Kyle watched his father back. Just to bury his mother in a peaceful and beautiful ce they traveled a lot. He didn''t know where they were but ording to his father, it was the most beautiful ce.

    Kyle wiped his eyes with his small hands and stood behind them quietly. At that moment, a small girl with puffy cheeks tapped his shoulder.

    He gazed back at her with confusion. Her amber eyes were tinged red. It was the same girl he saw a while ago.

    Kyle''s eyes trailed off to her ears, they were pointy. He blinked his eyes but then the girl patted his shoulder with a serious expression.

    "It''s okay don''t cry. I lost my brother. Mom said he would go to a better ce. Did you lose your brother as well?"

    Her voice was childish when she tried to console him even though she was barely holding her tears.

    Kyle grabbed her hand and spoke with a choked voice.

    "I lost my mom."

    The girl''s eyes widened slightly and she grabbed Kyle''s hand tightly.

    "I am sorry. Are you very sad?"

    Kyle''s eyes soften. She didn''t even know who he was but her face showed pure worry.

    "I am sad but thanks to you I know she will go to a better ce."

    She puffed up her cheeks and nodded solemnly but at that moment one of her family members picked her up from the ground.

    Kyle''s grip on her hand tightened but he let go when the person who grabbed the girl red at him.

    Amidst all this, her amber eyes gleamed brightly when she waved at Kyle.

    "Don''t be sad. Okay. You look ugly while crying."

    Kyle grumbled inwardly just who was the ugliest one?

 Chapter 224 An old memory

    Chapter 224 An old memory

    The sudden memory widened Kyle''s eyes. Just like how he stared at the majestic elf statue he was staring at the girl standing on top of the rock. She looked the same, just a little older. Also, her hair was longer now covering her whole back.

    He immediately removed his pressure and fixed his eyes on her. Did she remember..?

    Maybe? Kyle''s gaze was a little nervous but when he thought how their encounter was so brief so small he sighed in his mind.

    Also, after the bloodline awakening his facial features changed so now it was almost impossible for her to recall his face.

    Amidst all this, Kyle''s eyes crinkled into a smile. A genuine smile. Even his lips trickled upward into a smile.

    ''I thought I would never see her again.''

    Meanwhile, Yue was stunned when Kyle''s behavior took a 180-degree turn, and seeing her vignt expression Kyle controlled the urge to curse himself.

    He cleared his throat while maintaining the eye contact.

    "I mean no harm."

    Yue was taken aback but in the next second, she strenched the bowstring with force and spoke loudly.

    "Leave or else."

    Kyle was tongue-tight. Her expression was angry and he knew there was no way she would believe him if he said they had met before.

    ''I want to know her name at least.''

    He thought for a few seconds but then he noticed the hard bracelet in his hand.

    "Leave!"

    A thunderous voice sounded in Kyle''s ears and he hurriedly shed the bracelet in front of her eyes.

    "It''s yours right?"

    Yue was shocked when she saw the bracelet in Kyle''s hand. She gazed at the bracelet hanging on her wrist andpared both of them.

    "How do you have it?"

    She remembered clearly it was lost. So why does this strange person have it? Was he a thief? She immediately skids down the rock. The bow and arrow disappeared from her hands and she took out a dagger from her storage ring.

    Kyle eyed her movement. To him, She was quite slow but in the next second, she attacked him with a sharp gaze.

    He sighed.

    ''I was here because of the bracelet but now I am using the bracelet. It''s seemed I won''t be able to collect all the parts of the Artifact.''

    He moved his fingers and ten fireballs appeared in front of him, stopping the elf in her ce.

    However, she scoffed and waved her hand gracefully, and many floating earth spikes appeared behind her back.

    Kyle''s brow furrowed. It was true he wanted to know her name but why was she so aggressive? He clicked his tongue and threw the bracelet at her.

    "Here."

    Yue was dumbfounded but caught the bracelet immediately with relief. The pair of bracelets was a gift her father gave her. Moreover, her father said the bracelets weren''t normal and she had to take care of them but she was so clumsy and lost one of the bracelets.

    In the end, she wasn''t even able to apologize to her father about this matter.

    "Who...?"

    Her voice abruptly stopped when she gazed up to see no one standing in front of her.

    "Huh?"

    Yue blinked and looked around but no matter where she looked she didn''t find that silver hair figure. He was gone.

    "He just disappeared?"

    She whispered and gazed at the bracelet he left behind. It indeed belonged to her. She eyed the bracelet and her gaze narrowed when she sensed mana dancing around the bracelet.

    Yue wasn''t well versed will Array symbols but when she saw the tiny grazed marks on the inner side of the bracelet she was stunned.

    ''I remember father said the symbols are iplete that''s why he wanted to let an Array master see the bracelets. Don''t tell me that silver-hairpleted the symbols?''

    She closed her eyes but then opened them with a frown because she wasn''t able to get anything from the bracelet.

    "I will let father check it."

    Yue didn''t climb up the rock this time and just simply sat down beside the tents. Her thoughts wandered around.

    ''Was I too excessive?''

    She pursed her lips slightly. He didn''t even attack her but she just went ahead to attack so openly.

    A sigh escaped her lips and she shook her head to throw the thoughts at the back of her mind. She looked back at the tents with a tsk.

    "Why are they sleepy so soundly? I thought my voice was loud enough to wake them up!"

    She humped and shook his head.

    On the other hand, after throwing the bracelet at the female elf, Kyle moved back into the forest to hide himself.

    He gazed at her figure onest but then gazed at the mountain. His ears twitched when he heard faint noises at a distance.

    Kyle hummed in his mind and left the area. The encounter was indeed unexpected and if possible he wanted to know her name.

    ''Well, I will think about itter.''

    He went to the left side and started climbing the mountain, heading straight toward the noises.

    After a few minutes, he arrived in front of a cave. The faint noises turned into loud shouts and Kyle heard the sounds of weapons shing against something hard.

    He immediately entered the cave and soon saw two elves fighting against arge spiky shell. A dead body was lying behind them.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed when he saw something slimy crawling below the shell. He looked at the elves their condition didn''t look good either.

    ''A (C)-Rank monster?''

    He waved his hand and blue mes appeared behind him. The air around him turned cold because he wasn''t hiding at all. Instead, he burned his mana and in an instant, the mes moved violently.

    The mes took the shape of a spear and started floating. Kyle eyed the trembling elves who were almost on the verge of losing and disappeared from his spot.

    In the next second, Kyle appeared behind the monster and summoned the saber from the mind space. His gaze lingered at the elves and he immediately attacked the shell from behind. The slimy monsters screeched and turned around to attack Kyle, leaving the injured elves alone.

    The elves didn''t even look at Kyle and hurriedly left the cave. They even discarded their friend''s corpse.

    Kyle clicked his tongue when he saw their fading back. His eyes glowed brightly when he stabbed the saber in the shell with all his strength.

    A loud rumble shook the cave when the monster cried out in pain. Kyle looked at the monster and immediately hurled the floating me spear at the monster.

    Under his gaze, the mes seeped into the shell and it started freezing. The monster panicked due to the intense cold and tried to run but it was toote because within ten seconds its body turned into an ice statue.

    Kyle eyed the statue and grazed his fingers on the ice. With a loud crack, the ice broke down into many pieces.

 Chapter 225 A good method

    Chapter 225 A good method

    Kyle gazed at the ice pieces and started moving out of the cave. Aftering out, he blinked and looked back at the giant boulder lying vertically beside the entrance of the cave with a mischievous glint.

    He thought for a second and put his hand on the boulder. Kyle didn''t have to wait long because the moment he ced his hand on the boulder it disappeared and appeared in his mind space.

    ''Nice.''

    He grinned in his mind and started moving around the mountain killing as many monsters as possible.

    Meanwhile,

    The next day, Regius and his team woke up with bright faces. They indeed had a good night''s sleep.

    Regius gazed at Yue''s figure. She was sitting beside the tents.

    "You look haggard. Wanna rest for a while."

    Yue shook her head and stood up. She started patting her clothes with a hum.

    "I am fine but for some reason, I didn''t see any monsterst night."

    Regius nodded and looked back at the others.

    "Guys, let''s climb the mountain! We will surely find a lot of new prey."

    A loud cheer sounded and they all started climbing the mountain with newfound vigor.

    The day was bright and the morning wind smoothly caressed their skin.

    Regius was in the front and the other five followed behind him.

    After an hour, Regius looked back with a frown.

    "It''s been an hour but forget about a monster we haven''t even seen their shadows! Use your ability and check if you can see anything nearby."

    Izil nodded and his cyan eyes shone for a second. He gazed far into the distance and blinked his eyes.

    "Nothing so far."

    Regius frowned deepened. How strange, just yesterday they found and killed so many monsters but today it was like the monsters disappeared into thin air.

    He grumbled in his mind, at this rate they won''t be able to earn many points.

    "Let''s climb a little higher."

    With that being said, they started climbing again.

    Yue was walking with Lumi behind the boys. Her figure was d in the Academy uniform.

    A few secondster, Lumi suddenly grabbed her arm with a surprised expression.

    "Where did you find it?"

    "Huh?"

    Yue was confused and due to Lumi''s sudden question, everyone stopped in their tracks and looked back at the girls.

    Lumi sighed when she saw Yue''s confused expression and pointed at the bracelets.

    "I mean the bracelets. Didn''t you lose one of them? How do you have both now."

    Yue''s eyes widened slightly whenst night''s event appeared in her mind. Due to the silver-haired striking appearance, it was quite hard for her to forget his face.

    "That....."

    She was at a loss of words and a gloomy expression appeared on her face.

    ''What should I say now? A strange guy appearedst night and gave it to me?''

    Lumi eyed her gloomy expression with a frown.

    "Hey, what happened? Why are making such a cute face."

    Yue rolled her eyes and shook her hand away. She leaned in and quietly whispered in Lumi''s ear.

    "I will tell youter when we are alone."

    Lumi raised her brow and nodded with a mischievous smile. Afterward, she red at the others who were staring at them.

    "What? Let''s move. It''s a personal matter."

    Regius and the others eyed the pair of bracelets with surprise. They knew one of the bracelets was lost but after hearing Lumi they turned around and started climbing the mountain again.

    After another hour, Regius stopped when he saw something astonishing. His eyes reflected pure shock.

    Izil patted his back with knitted brows.

    "What happened why did you stop...."

    His sentence was cut short and he almost choked on his words.

    Niamh, Faith, Lumi, and Yue appeared beside the dumfounded duo and were shocked as well.

    In front of them was arge space enclosed in a shimmering ice shield. A cold aura traveled inside the shield with lightning speed but for some reason, the aura never left the boundary of the shield.

    Many panicked monsters were trapped in the shield running around to save their lives. Their bodies filled with blood.

    Under the group''s wide gaze, long pointy icicles emerged from the ground with a loud rumble, the air cracked andrge white clouds formed inside the shield.

    Soon, ice pellets dropped from the clouds and loud painful shrieks of monsters sounded in their ears.

    This was already enough to shock the group but in the next instant, tworge boulders descended from the sky, and with a loud bang they crushed the howling monsters under their weight. The ground trembled due to the aftereffect and clouds of dust emerged in tidal waves.

    Regius sucked in a cold breath and clenched his fists. He thought he was strong but looking at boulders he knew the person fighting opposite him was strong enough to subdue his whole group within mere seconds.

    "So many high-rank monsters just died within a few seconds?"

    He clenched his fists and stepped back.

    "Let''s leave. It''s better if we don''t close our path with this dangerous person who killed so many monsters like chickens."

    The elves standing behind him all nodded with solemn expressions. Izil had the urge to use his special sight skill to see the person fighting but he restrained himself. It was not a good idea to provoke someone stronger than him.

    The group''s bewildered gaze lingered on the ice shield but they immediately left the area.

    At the same time, Kyle jumped down from arge rock and hummed. His glowing eyes traveled to the ce where the group was standing a few seconds ago.

    "Regius...?"

    He mused inwardly and approached the two boulders he ''borrowed'' from the mountain.

    Kyle chuckled with a glint and patted the boulders. They were indeed useful while fighting. It was just he had to use instant teleportation to throw them at the right ce.

    He ced the boulders back in the mind space and waved his hand.

    In an instant, the ice domain cracked and turned into white particles. After a few seconds, the area was cleaned, except for the crushed dead bodies of the monsters everything else disappeared.

    Kyle''s nose wrinkled when he eyed the bodies.

    "Tsk, It''s a good method but too bloody."

    He sighed and waved his hand, blue mes appeared behind him. The mes easily enveloped the bodies and turned them into ice.

    Kyle thought and the ice broke down into pieces. He watched how the ice pieces scattered into tiny particles and the evidence of his gruesome fight just disappeared into thin air.

 Chapter 226 He would stay at the top

    Chapter 226 He would stay at the top

    Kyle hummed softly and checked his mana.

    "20 percent mana left. I think I cleaned the mountain. Let''s go down now."

    He tapped his foot on the ground and immediately started running downward.

    The mountain was rocky with manyrge boulders scattered around everywhere.

    On his way, he stopped when he saw Regius''s group walking ahead of him.

    Kyle gazed at their backs. His eyes traveled to the honey-haired girl walking behind Regius with another girl.

    "It''s seemed they know each other."

    He wanted to say hello to Regius but when he thought about how they were running away after witnessing the ice domain he stopped himself.

    Kyle shook his head and decided to move in a different direction. Aftering down from the mountain he encountered some more monsters but they were too weak.

    Kyle''s days in the forest were quite rxing. He would avoid all the other participants and kill as many monsters as possible.

    The only problem was that he wasn''t able to take a proper clean bath. The smallkes and other water sources he encountered on his way were clean but he wasn''t satisfied.

    After a month of running and killing monsters, Kyle finally stopped because he got bored of the usual routine.

    The only things around him wererge trees, in valleys, mountains, and a few water sources. Moreover, he unexpectedly broke through to (B)-Rank, and his strength increased again.

    The increase gave Kyle a headache. Not because he didn''t like his new strength but because the highest rank monster he found up till now was only (C)-Rank. Kyle already had so many strong skills and coupled with the blue mes a (C)-Rank monster wasn''t even able to scratch him.

    No matter how slowly he fought with the monsters they would die within a few seconds. So, he wasn''t able to enjoy a good fight.

    Kyle pinched his brows with an exaggerated sigh.

    ''I am getting too strong.''

    He shook his head solemnly but Bia''s sarcastic voice sounded in his head and it almost made him trip.

    -''No, you are bing a narcissist.''

    ''Tsk.''

    Kyle rolled his eyes inwardly and started moving. This time he just roamed around without doing anything.

    After a day, he started observing the other participants. Their fighting styles, their skills, their arts.

    It was indeed fruitful because, within a single day, he learned a lot of new things. He even secretly scared the participants with his blue mes and ''borrowed'' some of their weapons.

    Kyle grinned at the pile of swords he collected just in a single day.

    "I wanted one sword but now I have so many swords."

    He tapped the swords and threw them in his mind space. They were all low-rank with (C)-Rank being the highest.

    Kyle clicked his tongue. Now, with his strength increased he needed a strong weapon because he knew his sword Art would be more powerful.

    Meanwhile, outside thepetition space. The atmosphere around the dome was quiet and heavy.

    The audience and the many academies professors left after the first week that''s why now the dome was mostly empty.

    However, the noble families, Anlee, Aira, and a few more unexpected individuals had their eyes glued to therge screen, floating below the dome ceiling.

    Dynn eyes narrowed at the screen and his hand trembled slightly. He was sitting beside Anlee with a grim face. Even though he agreed when Regius his grandson told him about the event he was just too worried to leave him alone. That''s why after giving his wife some consoling words he arrived at the dome.

    However, he didn''t expect to see a very familiar name on the ranking screen.

    1_Kyle Ohan 360,450

    2_Sinon Ambing 35,670

    3_Larji Homes 31,040

    4_Regius Gravis 31,010

    ''Kyle... Kyle Ohan.''

    Dynn repeated this name in his mind. He wasn''t sure why but he was having a deja vu somewhere at the back of his mind.

    Was this person the same Kyle who appeared in his vige a month ago? Dynn solemn eyes traveled to Anlee and he said with a grim voice.

    "Do you know about this Kyle?"

    Anlee turned around to look at him with a deadpan expression. Not just Anlee, Aira, and the other individuals in the dome all turned their heads at Dynn.

    "What?"

    Dynn blurted out with a serious expression but Anlee sighed.

    "Can you see the dark circles under my eyes? They are all because no matter where I looked I wasn''t able to find anything regarding Kyle."

    Anlee turned around to look at the projections.

    "The person who knew about him, Serena just disappeared into thin air. So, I don''t think we will be able to know anything about him for the time being."

    Dynn nodded and looked at the screen to see Regius''s name again. For some reason, he felt sour when he looked at the huge points difference between the top name and the other participants.

    Why was the difference so high? It''s like Kyle was collecting pebbles while the others were collecting huge boulders.

    ''I want to kick the top name out of the ranking list. He is clearly cheating!''

    Dynn grumbled inwardly and tore his gaze from the floating screen because it was giving him mild depression.

    Not just Dynn but even the nobles sitting behind him were depressed due to Kyle''s points. They thought their children were the best out of the best but Kyle''s points told them their children were nothing in front of him.

    While they were contemting why Kyle''s points were so high, they noticed his points stopped moving altogether.

    Aira was the first who notice this and a frown appeared between her brows.

    "Don''t tell me this kid got injured? Tsk, he was doing great."

    Anlee shrugged his shoulders.

    "Don''t worry. If he was badly injured he would have already appeared in the dome. I think he just stopped hunting monsters."

    Then heughed loudly.

    "Anyway, with the amount of points he has right now even if he stopped and didn''t do anything he would stay at the top until the end of the event."

    Aira clicked her tongue. Not just her a lot of individuals showed sore expressions. However, there was nothing they could do.

 Chapter 227 Control your voice

    Chapter 227 Control your voice

    Time passed quickly and in a blink of an eye, thest week of thepetition arrived.

    The audience returned and the atmosphere inside the dome turned lively.

    In the past few weeks, many participants who got severely injured during thepetition arrived in the dome and were taken away by the healers.

    The audience''s shocked murmurs echoed in the dome as they took in the sight of the top participant''s points.

    Anlee massaged his temples and gazed at the floating screen. He gingerly looked back at the Royal envoy who arrived yesterday just to pick the top two hundred participants.

    The Royal envoy was a middle-aged elf. He wore a white shirt with golden patterns engraved on his shoulders and sleeves.

    Anlee clicked his tongue. He wanted to interrogate the top participant secretly to know his identity but it seemed impossible now due to the envoy''s presence.

    He grumbled but focused on therge screen.

    A loud p resounded beside him and Aira started floating mid-air. Her cold eyes traveled in the dome and from the corner of her eyes, she looked at the Royal envoy.

    He gave her a nod and Aira''s eyes turned emotionless when she fixed her eyes on the crowd.

    "The two months are almost ending and in another week the event will end. However, to make it a little harder for the kids we nned to show them the true horror of a monster horde."

    The moment Aira finished her words, the audience erupted into an uproar. The professors from different academies stood up from their chairs in shock.

    The sudden revtion made their face pale. A monster horde wasn''t something the young kids could handle! They wanted to voice their opinions but Aira''s eyes turned sharp. An invisible pressure descended on the crowd and they shut their mouths with ugly expressions.

    However, unlike the crowd, Dynn and the nobles didn''t stay quiet. Dynn erupted into an angry roar.

    "What the heck did you say just now?"

    Aira tilted her head to look back with a raised brow.

    "Control your voice Dynn. You are older I know but remember I am stronger."

    "You.."

    Dynn clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles turned white. A vein bulge on his forehead. He didn''t care about what they did but his only grandson would be among the participants fighting the monster horde. If something happened to Regius he knew his wife won''t be able to take it.

    ''I should have never agreed when Regius insisted on entering the event! Damn it!''

    Just like him, the noble families were enraged but then the Royal envoy stood up and started floating.

    He gazed at Dynn and the nobles.

    "It''s the King''s order."

    In an instant, the atmosphere turned eerily quiet and the Royal envoy nodded with a satisfied expression. Afterward, he gestured for Aira to continue.

    "So where was I? Right the participants will fight a monster horde for thest week. Don''t worry though no participants will die. As you all know the moment they got severely injured they would be teleported out to receive treatment from the best healers."

    "Also, the monster horde won''t be too strong. The highest monster in the monster horde would be (C+)-Rank because I know the participants are too weak to fight the stronger ones."

    Anlee arrived beside her. He was as confused as the audience but he took it rather easily because if they released a monster horde in thepetition the kids had to gather in a single ce to fight. That means the thousands of projections would merge and show the whole picture instead of showing some tiny figures.

    His eyes trailed to the crowd. Almost everyone was seething with anger but they had to gulp down their anger in front of the King''s Order.

    He scoffed and turned around to look at Aira. The ce where the participants were fighting with the monsters was an enclosed illusionary space created by an old artifact that''s why if Aira wanted to release a monster horde she needed a lot of resources.

    Anlee was confused. Why was the king wasting so many resources in this event? He knew about the secret realm but in his point of view, it was a pity to waste so much on some young kids.

    His curious gaze lingered on the Royal envoy. At the same time, Aira''s body moved and disappeared. A few more individuals standing inside the dome quietly walked away.

    The Royal envoy returned to his seat followed by Anlee. Dynn murderous gazended on their backs but they ignored himpletely.

    Dynn was stronger than almost everyone present in the dome except Aira. Moreover, after knowing it was the King''s order he could do nothing but grit his teeth with anger.

    Soon, the air around the projections turned troubled. Dense mana gathered inside the dome and seeped inside the Array symbols drawn on the round stage.

    The audience watched with bated breaths and due to the intense pressure the air turned heavy.

    The many small projections trembled and scattered into tiny green particles. The huge ranking screen floating below the ceiling shrunk and became smaller in size. However, the many names glowing on the screen glowed even brighter.

    After a few seconds, the scattered particles gathered again forming a single projection above the stage. The projection was big enough to envelope the whole stage where thousands of individuals could stand easily.

    The projection showed a vast expense of forestation and a few mountains, hundreds of moving figures of the participants and the monsters.

    Dynn eyes narrowed and he fixed his gaze on the Projection to locate Regius. Just like him the crowd and the nobles also fixed their gaze on the Projection. In the end, the kids were too young to experience something like this.

    At that moment, Aira returned. Her face was a little pale because she used too much energy. She clenched her fists to gather herself and looked at the crowd with a cold expression.

    "Within a few minutes, the monster horde will attack the forest shown in the Projection from the east side. The monsters won''t stop because within a week they will travel around the whole area until the end of the forest. So, even if the participants tried to hide they won''t be able to stay safe for a long time."

    "This monster horde is nothing in front of the real thing because it would be too small. However, after experiencing it I believe the participants would gain a lot. In the future, if they faced danger they would fight it with their all instead of just hiding inside theirfort zone."

    As if waiting for the cue, the moment she stopped talking the huge projection trembled. The crowd watched with rough breathing how hundreds of monsters appeared in the projection and started running in a straight line together. The monsters seemed to being out of thin air because their number was increasing with each passing second.

    With the monsters arrived pure destruction. They bit and stomped down therge trees. A few moving unlucky participants roaming around the area were caught off guard. They freaked out and tried to run but because so many monsters appeared together not many were able to retreat safely.

    In the next second, loud shrieks and painful cries sounded on the stage. The audience looked down at the stage and saw many injured participants shouting in pain.

    Aira clenched her jaw, she didn''t want to do this but it was the King''s order. Also, no one would die. She will make sure of it.

    The moment the injured participants arrived many healers poured into the dome and hurriedly took them away to treat their injuries.

    Aira''s voice sounded nk. She fixed her gaze at the healers.

    "Use high-grade healing potions to save all of them. Don''t care about the resources. Also, their permanent injuries would be cured by many precious herbs. The King knew it was a risky move that''s why he opened the Royal treasury and gave his permission to use all the treasures to heal the participants no matter their background."

 Chapter 228 I am dying

    Chapter 228 I am dying

    Regius eyes narrowed when he sawrge clouds of dust rising at a distance.

    He felt a small tremor on the tree he was sitting and a frown appeared on his face.

    "What''s happening? Izil can you see anything?"

    Izil cleaned the green blood on his spear and looked above at Regius. He climbed a nearby tree and eyed the clouds of dust.

    "I am low on mana that''s why can''t see so far."

    Regius thought for a second and gazed at his group members.

    "Should we go check out what''s happening?"

    Everyone agreed and they started moving toward therge clouds of dust. However, after walking for twenty minutes, they encountered a panicked human figure running away from the clouds of dust.

    The tremor in the ground increased. Also, Regius''s frown deepened when he saw two more elves running away from the dust clouds.

    He opened his mouth to say something but then Izil''s horrid voice sounded in his ears.

    "I ... think we need to run!"

    Izil turned around and started running backward. Regius looked at his back with a dumbfounded expression. Not just him, Yue, Lumi, and the other two elves following behind him were also stunned for a second.

    Regius grumbled under his breath and shouted.

    "Follow him!"

    He used an agility skill and caught up with Izil in no time.

    "What the heck? Why are we running?"

    Izil gazed back with a sweating forehead and groaned.

    "Monsters! I saw hundreds of high-rank monstersing our way!"

    "What?"

    Regius was stunned. He could sense the tremor in the ground was increasing with each passing second.

    "Damn it! Why did so many monsters appear together? Don''t tell me some idiots provoked them."

    Izil shook his head.

    "It''s not a normal group of monsters! There are too many! We can''t fight them!"

    Yue, Lumi, Niamh, and Faith heard their conversation and increased their speed.

    They ran with all their might but the tremor only increased and after half an hour they heard loud howls, screeches, and shrieksing from behind.

    Just like them hundreds of participants were running away from the tremor.

    Lumi''s breath was heavy when she jumped and crossed arge area in a second. She was weakest among the group that''s why she was in thest.

    "Guys... I am tired."

    She stopped for a few seconds and saw many participants running past her.

    Yue looked back at her figure with wide eyes.

    "Lumi, what are you doing? Run!"

    She stopped and took out an energy potion from her storage ring to give it to Lumi but her eyes contracted when she saw arge round flying bee appearing above Lumi.

    "Look up!"

    Lumi''s pupil shook slightly when she sensed a huge shadow enveloping her body. However, she didn''t freeze in her position instead she titled her body to attack the bee with as many fireballs as possible.

    The bee screeched and flew back due to the sudden heat and Lumi immediately rushed toward Yue. Her previous tiredness disappeared within a second.

    Yue sighed with relief and threw the energy potion at her.

    "Hurry up drink it."

    Lumi grabbed the potion and after drinking she looked back. Arge group of bees was flying behind them. To her horror, all the bees were at least (D-)-Rank!

    "OMG! We are doomed!"

    Her panicked voice transferred to Yue who looked back and saw one more type of monster appearing behind the bees.

    Yue wanted to stop and fight but when she saw two towering bears snapping the trees behind her she immediately tossed the idea out of her mind.

    Regius looked back at his group members. He stopped for a few seconds and climbed a nearby tree to see the situation.

    Hundreds of monsters were running toward them. The monsters were so many that Regius wasn''t able to count them.

    He cursed under his breath and jumped down to run again. There was no way they would be able to kill so many monsters.

    Many scenarios appeared in his mind. This type of thing didn''t happen until now so why so suddenly?

    He gritted his teeth and shouted at his friends.

    "There is a mountain on the west side! Run toward the mountain! We can avoid the ground monsters if we climb the mountain!"

    He turned around and sped up toward the mountain. Izil and the others followed behind him.

    A few participants running around them heard Regius''s loud exmation and changed their path, heading straight toward the mountain.

    Meanwhile, Kyle was sleeping peacefully above arge boulder.

    He was too bored to run around in the forest so he just decided to sleep around for thest week.

    After a few minutes, he opened his eyes with a yawn. His gaze was a little blurry when he jumped down from the boulder.

    He tied his messy hair in a pony and looked at the burned firewood and leftover food he had eatenst night.

    "I am not hungry so let''s skip breakfast."

    Kyle was present above a rocky mountain. A few days ago he was following behind an elves duo quietly because one of the elves seemed well-versed in Arrays.

    However, he was disappointed after following the duo for a few days because he wasn''t able to gain anything. That''s why he stopped following them.

    Kyle stretched his body and started jogging downward toward the end of the mountain.

    His eyes narrowed slightly when he saw dust clouds andrge movements between the trees below the mountain.

    Kyle''s pace slowed when he saw arge number of flying monstersing toward the mountain at a fast speed.

    "What the heck?"

    He rubbed his eyes thinking maybe he was imagining but no matter what the flock of flying monsters didn''t disappear. Instead, they wereing near with each passing second.

    "This..."

    Kyle took in arge breath. So many monsters! He just slept for a few hours and the green forest changed into a monster forest?

    He stopped in his tracks. Something was definitely wrong here. Maybe he missed something important while he was busy sleeping.

    His gaze lingered at the forest below the mountain and under his astonished gaze many participants jumped out from the forest and started climbing the mountain.

    The participants were sweating with their breathing ragged as they did their best to climb as high as possible.

    Kyle spotted two familiar figures among the small crowd and disappeared from his location.

    He appeared beside a boy who was almost on the verge of copsing.

    "Ahem!"

    Regius who just barely arrived at the mountain almost freaked out when a sudden voice sounded in his ears.

    "The fuck!"

    He turned around to look at the figure running beside him and almost tripped.

    "Kyle??"

    Kyle blinked his eyes innocently and waved his hand.

    "Hi, Regius. How have you been?"

    Regius didn''t know whether tough or cry. Seeing Kyle was indeed surprising but right now the situation wasn''t good enough for them to exchange greetings.

    "I am dying!"

    He shouted and increased his speed.

    Kyle gazed back at the running honey-hair elf who was staring at his figure with wide eyes but when Kyle''s eyesnded on her she looked away immediately.

    He turned around and increased his speed to catch Regius again.

    "By the way what''s happening?"

    Kyle''s question was quite innocent but the only thing Regius wanted was to punch him once!

    Regius blurted out in an irritated voice.

    "How would I know? I was standing peacefully but hundreds of monsters appeared out of nowhere! Almost half of the participants running around me got eliminated!"

    Kyle replied with an ''Oh'' and slowed down so he could properly look at the monsters following behind the participants.

    Regius looked back at his figure and shouted with frustration.

    "Why the hell are you slowing down? Run it''s dangerous!"

    Kyle waved his hand and started jogging downward.

    "It''s alright. I am just gonna check for a while."

    Regius almost choked on his breath and cursed out loud.

    "I told you to run why the hell are you going downward!"

 Chapter 229 Its a monster horde!

    Chapter 229 It''s a monster horde!

    Kyle ignored Regius''s shouts and his eyes narrowed at the flying monstersing toward the mountain. The monsters in the forest were climbing up as well. If it continues like this soon the whole mountain would be surrounded.

    ''I think we can''t escape we have to fight.''

    He could sense the monsters were weak. However, their huge number was something very rming.

    A lot of running participants gazed at his figure with different emotions shing through their eyes, astonishment, shock, disdain, and curiosity.

    While walking, Kyle abruptly turned his head to look at an elf girl staring at him with fluttering eyes. Her long frost hair was tied in a pony.

    She was running upward with ragged breathing but hervender eyes were fixed on Kyle.

    Kyle would usually ignore this type of situation but his gaze traveled to the honey-haired girl running beside her and he gave the girls a polite nod.

    The frost-haired girl blurted out loudly.

    "OMG! That silver-haired human is so handsome and pretty!"

    "Lumi!"

    Yue shouted with gritted teeth and dragged her idiot friend up. She was so embarrassed that she wanted to shove something inside Lumi''s mouth to shut her up.

    Many running participants turned around to look at the two girls with conflicted emotions. They were running for life and someone just won a beauty due to his own beauty? How envious!

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched and he instantly regretted his decision to nod at them.

    He retracted his eyes and started running again but he could hear some noises behind him.

    The two girls were probably bickering at each other. Amidst the many sounds and voices, he heard the name ''Yue'' and raised his brow.

    ''So, her name is Yue.''

    Kyle mused in his mind and to the participant''s surprise he disappeared from his spot.

    Regius looked back at the ce where Kyle disappeared and grumbled.

    "What the hell is he nning? I know he is strong... but it''s too dangerous."

    He stopped running and waved at his group members.

    "Guys stop running. I think something is wrong with the monsters. They are climbing up as well."

    Izil arrived beside him with ragged breathing. His cyan eyes glowed for a second and he looked at Regius with a pale expression.

    "You are right. I can see the monsters climbing the mountain from the front. Not to mention the hundreds of flying monsters, even if reached the top of the mountain I don''t think we can stay safe for long."

    Regius nodded with a grim expression.

    "I noticed the monsters following behind us were different from the ones we fought before. Their eyes were not focused and they just crushed everything in their path without caring about their life."

    Yue and Lumi arrived beside the duo and heard their conversation. A sh of shock passed through Yue''s eyes when she understood the current situation.

    "Senior.... I am not sure but ording to your description doesn''t this scenario look a little familiar to the ones we read in the history books? I am not sure if it''s possible in this ce but what if... it''s a monster horde?"

    Yue''s pupil trembled at her own theory and Regius turned around to look at her with stunned eyes.

    "Wait...Wait! All this is very simr to a monster horde but how is this possible when we are in a testing space?"

    Regius shut his mouth when everything clicked in. They were in a testing space! Does that mean the people in charge created this scenario to make the test difficult?

    He cursed under his breath and gazed at the monsters.

    "If it''s a monster horde. There is no point in running anymore because the monsters will never retreat. Instead, they will turn everything upside down. I don''t know if I should be happy that there is no ''Monster Lord'' controlling this horde?"

    Izil sucked in a cold breath. Was the Kingdom trying to kill them all? Or else why would they set up such a dangerous test?

    Faith and Niamh appeared beside them and Regius raised his voice to shout at the top of his lungs to gather all the running participant''s attention.

    "Everyone there is no point in running! It''s a monster horde! If you don''t want to be eliminated gather together and be ready to fight! Or else we are all doomed!"

    Among the two hundred or something running participants only those who had some braincells stopped to look at Regius with wide eyes.

    There was hesitation in their eyes but when they saw the hundreds of monsters they gritted their teeth and moved closer to Regius.

    Soon, arge group of participants was formed and Regius was standing in front of them.

    They watched as many monsters rushed at them with incredible speed. However, they steeled their resolve to fight!

    Meanwhile, Kyle indeed had the gist of what was happening behind him but when he arrived at the bottom of the mountain his attention was grabbed by a lone demi-human fighting with the monsters with gritted teeth.

    Kyle eyed the pair of hornsing out from his head but his eyes went wide when he saw a pair of folded ck wings behind his back.

    The ck-haired demi-human looked engrossed as he punched one monster after another. He was wearing something hard on his knuckles to make his punches more dangerous.

    At the same time, the demi-human ears twitched when he heard the faint rustling sound behind him. He kicked the monster he was fighting and turned around to kick the one behind him but when he saw Kyle''s figure he stopped with a frown.

    "What are you doing here human? Leave it''s dangerous."

    Contrary to his arrogant expression his voice came out rather calm. Kyle''s eyes were glued to the pair of wings behind his back.

    "Umm, can you fly?"

    "You!"

    The demi-human was speechless but then he eyed a cat monster leaping at Kyle from behind. He was already low on mana but he jumped and stretched out his hand to grab Kyle''s shoulder as he wanted to push him away from the attack rage but to his surprise, Kyle easily dodged his hand and moved away.

    The demi-human blinked his eyes and looked at Kyle with a daze but then he crashed into a tree with a bang.

    "Fuck!"

    A curse slipped out from his mouth and his eyes widened with horror when he saw the same monster who wanted to attack Kyle pounce at him with incredible speed.

    He clenched his fists and ced his arms in front of his face for defense but the attack he waited for never came. Instead, a loud painful cry sounded in front of him.

    He removed his arms and saw something that made his jaw drop. Instead of a monster, a glistening ice statue was standing in front of him.

    Cold aura seeped out from the ice statue and he could see the horror and pain within those frozen eyes.

    A curious voice sounded in his ears.

    "Are you alright?"

    In the next second, in front of his stunned eyes, the ice statue broke down into many tiny pieces.

 Chapter 230 A mana-saving method

    Chapter 230 A mana-saving method

    Sinon had never seen something like this in his whole life not even in his wildest dream. He indeed knew a lot of strong skills existed but how could someone just freeze an entire monster within mere seconds?

    His mind went nk at the sight of the ice pieces but even the ice pieces turned into dust and swirled away with the wind.

    He gazed at the figure who did it all. Silver hair and nonchnt green eyes.

    It took him a few seconds to gather himself and stand up. However, he again saw three monsters pouching at the silver-haired human from behind.

    Sinon opened his mouth to warn but what happened next made his scalp go numb.

    The silver-haired human didn''t even look back. A sea of blue mes appeared behind his back enveloping the monsterspletely.

    Sinon watched with daze how the monsters turned into glistening ice sculptures and after a second nothing remained behind not even their dead bodies.

    A glistening finger-sized round ball dropped on the ground and the silver-haired human eyes sparkled as he picked it up.

    "A skill core?"

    Kyle closed his eyes and went through the skill information but a frown appeared on his face after a second.

    "A (E)-skill to increase agility kinda useless."

    He threw the skill core into his mind space and looked at the demi-human. Kyle could sense at least thirty monsters around them.

    "Can you still fight?"

    Sinon recovered from his stunned state and nodded with a serious expression as he could also sense many movements around them but Kyle''s next words almost made him facepalm.

    "Can you fly?"

    Sinon groaned but gave a light nod. However, the only thing he got in return was a click of the tongue from Kyle.

    In the next second, many monsters pounced at the duo from all sides, the trees were crushed and the monster''s angry cries rang out in their ears.

    Kyle didn''t wait for the demi-human to act and immediately waved his hand. Blue mes flickered behind him and took the shape of twenty arrows.

    Sinon who just decided to attack a nearby monster froze in his spot when he saw many me arrows piercing the monster''s bodies with incredible speed.

    He stood beside Kyle with a nk expression, thinking if the human was going to fight alone in the end why the fuck he asked him, ''Can you still fight?''.

    He watched as all the monsters around him were cleared within mere seconds.

    "Huuuu..."

    Sinon took a deep breath and when Kyle turned around he offered sincerely.

    "Thank you. I am Sinon Ambing."

    Kyle nodded and secretly sensed his rank. Sinon was (D+)-Rank.

    "Kyle... Kyle Ohan."

    Sinon looked at the sky with a frown.

    "Kyle, I think we should climb the mountain."

    After a second, he wispered under his breath.

    "All this is quite simr to a monster horde..."

    Kyle''s eyes reflected shock when he heard the words ''monster horde''. He recalled Regius was gathering a small crowd of participants and turned around to run toward the mountain.

    "You can fly, right? Just fly... see yah on the mountain. A lot of participants are gathering there."

    Sinon heard Kyle drifting words and was dumbfounded. He could indeed fly but he was scared of heights that''s why he preferred to walk instead of flying.

    He sped up and caught up to Kyle but under his eyes, Kyle''s figure disappeared.

    "The fuck!"

    Sinon was once again shocked but he calmed his troubled heart and started running up the mountain.

    Kyle appeared in front of Regius and just like before Regius freaked out, enough to startle all the participants standing behind him.

    "Kyle!!! Can''t youe and go like a normal person!"

    Kyle nodded and gave him an apologetic smile. He gazed at the participants standing around him. They were all hurling one attack after another at the monsters who had climbed up.

    Regius pushed him away and ran off to kill a flying bee monster attacking a fighting participant from behind.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed, five ice arrows appeared behind him and he attacked the nearby monsters with the arrows.

    The participants were startled when suddenly the monsters they were fighting got attacked by ice arrows. However, they recovered within a few seconds and turned around to attack other monsters.

    A sword appeared in Kyle''s hand and he activated his skill ''Swift steps'' to increase his speed. His figure shed like a blur as he swung his sword with precision, shing and killing one monster after another.

    A lot of participants were stunned by Kyle''s fast movements but they were too upied to think about anything else.

    Kyle stopped behind an injured elf and killed the monster he was fighting. From the corner of his eyes, he caught sight of Yue fighting against two (D)-Rank monsters.

    He could see she was having difficulty then he noticed two more giant monsters heading straight toward her.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed and he disappeared from his spot. In the next second, his sword was embedded inside one of the monsters Yue was fighting. It was so easy for him to slice the monsters as they were too weak.

    Yue was stunned when she saw a familiar silver-haired figure. Under her gaze, Kyle waved his sword to remove the sticky monster''s blood.

    He mouthed and many thunder arrows struck down from the clear sky and a few pained cries sounded around Yue.

    She opened her mouth and said thank you but her mind was too upied.

    Kyle gazed at Yue and gave her a nod.

    "Be careful."

    He didn''t stay in front of her longer. He spotted Regius''s figure and immediately ran toward him while shing all the monsters that appeared in his path.

    Kyle appeared beside Regius with a grim face.

    "There are too many monsters. Soon, everyone will get tired and their mana will be exhausted I don''t think we can fight for long in this situation."

    Regius stabbed a monster to death with his dagger and replied without looking back at Kyle.

    "What else can we do? It''s a monster horde even if we climb up we will only be getting a few safe minutes and nothing else."

    He eyed Kyle from the corner of his eyes and clicked his tongue.

    "Your breathing is calm. Even after running around so much you don''t look tired."

    Kyle threw an ice arrow at a nearby monster.

    "Oh, I still have 65 percent mana left but I am using too many skills so I can only fight for a day at most."

    Regius''s mood went sour. He knew Kyle was strong but the difference was just too much.

    Kyle mumbled something under his breath and shouted at the participants standing below him.

    "Come up. I am going to throw some boulders down the mountain to crush the climbing monsters."

    Regius looked at him with a perplexed expression.

    "Boulders?..."

    Oh, how he wished he didn''t recall that gruesome scene he saw a month ago! Regius eyes went wide and his voice stuttered.

    ''I was so aggressive that night. Isn''t he angry? Why is he helping me?''

    "That.. was you? The ice shield..?"

    Kyle shrugged his shoulders and threw him a mischievous smile.

    "It''s a mana-saving method."

 Chapter 231 Hope he survive

    Chapter 231 Hope he survive

    Kyle watched and when all the fighting participants below him climbed up, Kyle disappeared again, earning a few curses from Regius.

    Kyle appeared mid-air and immediately activated his skill ''Fear''.

    The flying monsters and the ones climbing the mountain froze for a split second. Their hearts trembled and pupils contracted due to fright.

    Some of the weak-willed flying monsters even dropped to the ground with a loud cry.

    Kyle groaned and his figure started descending downward with lightning speed.

    ''This skill doesn''t require mana but it''s taxing on my mind.''

    A lot of participants gazed at Kyle. He was too up in the sky, that''s why if he crashed he would definitely lose a leg or arm but in the next second, Kyle''s hand moved abruptly and five huge boulders appeared below him.

    The boulders crashed on the mountain ground one after one with loud banging sounds, the participants froze in their spots. Even Regius''s mouth was opened wide. The ground trembled under their feet.

    Kyle blinked and disappeared again, in the next second he appeared beside Regius, giving thetter already muddled heart a jolt.

    "Kyle!!!! Please please I am begging you don''t just appear around me like a ghost!"

    Regius cried out loudly and Kyle gave him a reassuring nod with serious eyes.

    "Sorry, I forget."

    However, the evil smirk ying at the corner of his lips gave him away.

    A vein popped on Regius''s forehead.

    "You did it on purpose!"

    Kyle shut his mouth and immediately pointed at the boulders to distract his attention.

    Under the crowd''s bulging eyes, the boulder rolled down with lightning-fast speed, crushing all the monsters in their path. It was an incredible yet gruesome sight where hundreds of monsters died within mere seconds.

    Meanwhile, below among the many monsters climbing the mountain. Sinon just kicked another monster to clear his path when he sensed the ground tremble under his feet.

    He frowned and looked up but his eyes almost popped out of sockets when he saw the horror in front of himself.

    Manyrge boulders were rolling off, heading straight toward him.

    "Which fucker pushed the boulders!"

    He cursed so loud that his vocal cords went numb but the impending doom was heading toward him with each passing second.

    Sinon''s face went pale as he kicked another monster and started running backward toward the forest.

    Today was the day when he saw the horror of death shing in front of his eyes.

    In the end, he opened his wings for a flight. He indeed saved himself from being crushed under the boulders but because he was not used to flying and he was scared of heights he fell only after half a minute.

    "I swear I will punch the culprit to death who pushed the boulders!!!"

    His screams echoed as he crashed into a tree with a loud bang.

    At the same time, Kyle blinked his eyes while standing beside Regius who patted his shoulder with a confused expression.

    "Kyle, did you hear I think someone''s screaming?"

    Kyle gulped down nervously.

    "Nope! You are imagining things. No one''s shouting."

    He immediately threw off Regius''s hand and turned around to help the participants who were fighting with monsters.

    ''OMG! I forget Sinon didn''t fly when I asked him to, he was down there! Now I can only hope he survives.''

    Bia who was hearing live details of the event from Kyle hurriedly lit up a candle for Sinon in her heart.

    -''What a pity I wasn''t able to see his ck wings.''

    Kyle immediately blocked Bia''s voice and used his skill to increase his speed.

    He roam around with incredible speed and within a minute a lot of participants were able to take a breath.

    Kyle stopped and wiped the blood from his sword. His breath was a little heavy when he looked down to see more monsters climbing the mountain with lightning speed.

    He counted the flying monsters and looked back at Regius.

    "Go to the left side there is a cave."

    Regius gave him a nod. He was already tired there was no way he would be able to continue fighting.

    He gathered the participants and all of them started running toward the ce Kyle pointed.

    On the other hand, Kyle took in a deep breath. He eyed the many flying monsters with bated breath.

    ''I think I will almost lose all my remaining mana if I use my sword Art but there is no choice now.''

    Kyle grabbed the sword tightly and started injecting his mana into the sword. He murmured under his breath and once again disappeared from his spot.

    After half a second, he appeared mid-air, directly in front of the flock of flying monsters.

    Kyle propelled his body and shouted at the top of his lungs.

    "Third strike: Ethereal Voidbreaker sh."

    In an instant the air cracked, and dense mana appeared around his sword.

    With a swift and precise swing, the de sliced through the air, and the sword hummed with a thunderous sound.

    A rift of light and energy that obliterated anything in its path appeared at the tip of his sword.

    The force of the devasting strike sent shockwaves rippling through the already-cracked air.

    With a resounding boom, Kyle saw his sword cracked into many pieces.

    "What the..?"

    His eyes contracted because not just the monsters even he himself was impacted due to the huge force and his body flew backward with a jolt.

    It seemed even with his increased strength the third sword Art move was just too powerful for his body.

    Kyle''s eyes flew open and he took in the devastating scene in front of him.

    The sky cracked and with a loud rumble, his sword strike passed through the hundreds of flying monsters just as easily as cutting butter.

    The monsters pped around with horror but it was toote. One by one they all fell with broken bodies. Green, purple, and brown blood poured from the sky.

    Kyle didn''t want to crash into something that''s why he gathered the tiny bit of mana present in his body and used the ''Ice Armor'' skill.

    A thin invisible veil of ice appeared around his body. He almost thought he failed to activate the skill because the veil of ice was invisible. However, the feeling of being enclosed in ice was indeed soothing.

    Soon, he crashed into the ground with a bang. Kyle groaned and spit out blood but then he felt the ice veil seeping into his body and the minor injuries around his body disappeared within a few seconds.

    He propelled his body to sit down with a sigh. At that moment, a strained and tired voice sounded by his side.

    "Are you alright?"

    Kyle looked up to see Sinon''s bloodied figure standing a few meters away from him.

    "I am fine. However, your condition is more severe than mine."

    Sinon grumbled and barely pushed his body to climb up but his eyes reflected pure respect and shock when he gazed at Kyle because he saw how just a moment ago Kyle killed so many monsters.

    "It''s the fault of the fucker who pushed the boulders on me!"

    Kyle averted his gaze and merely replied with an ''Oh''. He looked below the mountain and saw a lot more monsters crawling and climbing up continuously.

    "Let''s go left, there is a cave. I can''t fight anymore."

    Sinon groaned.

    "Me neither."

    Kyle dragged his body toward the cave and Sinon followed beside him.

    After five minutes, they appeared in front of the cave.

    Regius was justing out from the cave to look around for Kyle with a tense expression. While running toward the cave he and the many participants saw how Kyle used a devasting attack and was flung backward.

    However, he stopped and sighed with relief when he saw Kyle walking toward the cave.

    He saw Kyle''s injured figure and immediately took out some healing potions from his storage ring and tossed them toward him.

    "Drink them."

    "Alright, thanks."

    The trio entered the cave and all the participants looked at Kyle with conflicted emotions. Some were envious of his strength, some thankful, some respectful while some just didn''t care.

    Lumi dragged Yue and stood in front of Kyle with a shing smile.

    "Are you alright? I saw you up there using a dashing move."

    Kyle''s eyes trailed off to Yue and he gave a nod.

    At the same time, Sinon and Regius clicked their tongues with sour expressions but then Kyle turned around to look at the duo.

    "Ligh up some fire I will close the cave entrance..."

    Regius nodded and immediately went deep into the cave to light a fire.

    Meanwhile, Sinon followed behind Kyle to help him a little but Kyle was sweating buckets of water when he saw Sinon following behind him.

    "Ahem.. You don''t have to follow me."

    Sinon cut him off with a serious expression.

    "We are both injured. I should help you."

    Kyleughed dryly but inwardly he knew he was done for because he was going to close off the cave entrance with a boulder.

    In the end, he threw everything at fate and stepped forward to do his job.

    Sinon watched Kyle and was ready to help when suddenly a huge boulder appeared in front of the cave entrance.

    Sinon blinked his eyes. It took him a few seconds to register that Kyle was the same fucker who pushed the boulders down!

    He was seething but when he saw Kyle''s injured figure he gulped down his anger with gritted teeth.

    Kyle could sense Sinon''s re but like a shameless person he ignored himpletely with a nod.

    ...

    Author Note;

    Hi, guys. Hope everyone is healthy and doing great. Just a tiny miny bad news. Orange is going MIA for some time.

    A short break from 10-Nov to 18-Nov. I will surelye back on 19-Nov will new chps.

    (I was too busy just saw yesterday we are in the top 30!!!) OMG!! Thank you so much!!

    ??? These hearts can''t describe my gratitude for everyone''s support. Thank you again for the Gts, Pts, and gifts!!

 Chapter 232 Capable individuals

    Chapter 232 Capable individuals

    Meanwhile,

    A heavy silence enveloped the dome. However, it was shattered soon when some muffled cries sounded on the stage in the middle of the dome.

    A few healers, stumbled forward with hurried footsteps to pour healing potions inside the mouths of the gravely injured participants who just appeared in the dome.

    Amidst the many painful cries, the audience, the people in charge of the event, and the Royal envoy had their eyes fixed on the floatingrge projection.

    They watched how hundreds of monsters poured into the forest. The ferocious monsters moved around wildly, tearing and stomping everything that appeared in their path.

    The scenery in the projection turned bloody with many participants hiding and running around to save their lives. Some of them tried to fight head-on but because the number of monsters chasing after them was toorge they were not able tost long.

    The monsters wed and tore their skins with their fangs and paws, eliminating the fighting participants within a few seconds.

    An exaggerated sigh escaped through Dynn''s mouth as he massaged his aching temples. A deep frown was glued to his forehead for the past hour.

    He looked at the Royal envoy with a deadly re.

    "So this is what the King wanted to see?"

    His face was calm but the voice sounded sarcastic and filled with anger.

    The Royal envoy sitting beside Aira merely gazed at him from the corner of his eyes and looked away with a scoff.

    "The healers are doing everything to save them. Also, if the participants are so weak-willed to die just because of a minor hardship why the hell did they participate in this event? I believe from the start it was crystal clear the event would be dangerous."

    The envoy''s voice was cold and almost everyone perked up their ears to listen. He paused and looked at the projection with a sharp gaze.

    "The King wants capable individuals who would protect the Kingdom in the future not some snotty kids who would run away at the mere sight of danger."

    Dynn clenched his fists tightly. The envoy''s words echoed in his mind. It was true the monsters roaming outside the boundaries of the Kingdom were way more darker and dangerous but he didn''t understand why the Kingdom was taking such a drastic measure so suddenly.

    ''Did something happen in my absence....?''

    He recalled that a few months ago he received some calls from the old foggies because they wanted to discuss something important but he ignored thempletely because he didn''t want to have anything with the Kingdom politics.

    However, now he regretted his decision. Something was fishy with how sudden this strange event was.

    ''After the event, I will go and meet with the King.''

    Dynn raked his gaze at the projection desperately trying to find his grandson Regius.

    After the monsters'' outbursts and wild panic, a lot of participants tried to climb the mountains.

    Dynn eyes narrowed at the further end of the projection. Amidst the huge chaos, a figure was sleeping peacefully a top of arge boulder.

    Even though the figure was rtively small within the projection a lot of strong individuals noticed the sleeping figure due to their heightened senses but they ignored the figure because the other participants who were fighting for their lives seemed more important.

    However, Dynn''s narrowed eyes shed with surprise when he zoomed in and took in the figure''s facial features.

    "Kyle...?"

    He whispered under his breath. The voice drifted off quite low but Anlee who was sitting with Aira perked up his ears. His eyes gleamed with curiosity.

    Anlee snapped back his head to look at Dynn with a raised brow. He followed Dynn''s gaze and stared at the projection. Soon, his eyes stopped at the tiny sleeping figure. It would have been impossible to pinpoint the figure urately if not for the fact that the figure was sleeping a top of arge boulder within a vast empty open area.

    "You know him?"

    Dynn shot him a re and refrained from speaking. He just wanted to see his grandson safe and sound.

    On the other hand, Aira and the Royal envoy followed Anlee''s gaze and also took in the sight of the sleeping figure but after a few seconds they looked away because except for sleeping the figure did nothing.

    A disappointed expression appeared on Anlee''s face.

    ''Did I hear wrong? Hmm, he definitely said Kyle.''

    They all watched how the participants desperately climbed the mountains to find a safe spot. More and more injured participants appeared in the dome.

    Suddenly a low relief murmur sounded from the nobles sitting behind Dynn and the other people in charge of the event.

    "Thank god my son is safe..."

    After him, another agitated person took a deep breath as he took in the sight of a group of participants wildly climbing a mountain.

    "Niamh is safe as well but how are the kids going to fight back...?"

    There were a total of seven mountains and only a few intelligent groups of participants decided to stop running when they saw the situation was getting dangerous with each passing second.

    Dynn spotted Regius among the small crowd and watched with bated breaths how thetter gathered the others to fight against the monsters.

    His eyes subconsciously moved to the silver-haired figure who had woken up a while ago and was now running downward.

    ''Why is he running downward can not he see the dangerous monsters?''

    Dynn face turned dark as he watched the figure. Not just him a lot of individuals noticed the figure. Especially Anlee who had been eyeing the sleeping figure the moment he heard Dynn speak out Kyle''s name.

    In the next second, the figure suddenly disappeared from their view.

    "Huh?!"

    Anlee''s surprise exmation rang out clearly and Aira raised her brow.

    "Did he just vanish?"

    She whispered slowly and the Royal envoy''s eyes narrowed. They watched how the figure appeared at the end of the mountain.

    Even the audience was mildly surprised. However, what happened next almost made them hold their breath with awe.

    The silver-haired figure was not courting death instead the boy fought and killed the monsters so easily like they were chickens.

    Anlee stood up with a surprised cry when he saw many boulders appearing out of thin air and descending like rain.

    "I never knew we could storerge boulders in the storage rings!"

    Aira tilted her head and looked at Anlee with a frown.

    "We can but no one is idiot enough to store such huge boulders in their storage rings. The small space in the rings is barely enough to store the important things. The only possibility I can think of is that he had a skill or maybe he had a Supreme-grade storage ring..?"

    "A Supreme-grade storage ring is indeed rare."

    Anlee said with an excited voice and his eyes traveled to the square-shaped ranking screen where bright names were flickering with an intense glow.

    "So he is Kyle! His skills are extraordinary."

 Chapter 233 So close to one million

    Chapter 233 So close to one million

    The Royal envoy watched Kyle with a deep stare, the crowd went into a frenzy when they saw Kyle''s sword Art.

    So powerful!

    Kyle''s skills amazed them to no end. The kid clearly looked young not even in his twenties so how was it possible for such a young person to be so powerful?

    The Professors from the various academies looked around themselves. They stared at the individuals belonging to the other academies, thinking maybe the silver-haired boy was someone who was nurtured secretly by them. However, the only thing they got in return was confusion and bewilderment.

    Anlee''s sparkling eyes wanted to see more fight but after using the sword Art Kyle rushed toward the cave just like the other participants.

    Moreover, the cave entrance was closed offpletely, making it impossible for him and any other person to look at what was happening inside.

    Anlee clicked his tongue and slumped down in the chair he had been sitting a while ago.

    "What a pity! Don''t tell me they are going to stay in the cave until the end of the event?"

    He grumbled but it seemed his prediction was on the spot because even though a few monsters wed and attacked the cave entrance because of the huge boulder closing the entrance almost all the monsters ran past the cave heading straight without looking back.

    Anlee expression turned sour. He looked at the ranking screen with an irritated expression.

    1_Kyle Ohan 960,450

    2_Sinon Ambing 180,670

    3_Regius Gravis 130,010

    4_Larji Homes 129,040

    "Just a little more and the points would have crossed one million."

    He sighed and shook his head. The crowd was already too surprised to take in anything further so when they heard Anlee''s words they subconsciously gazed at the floating ranking screen and many shocked gasps sounded in the dome.

    ...

    Meanwhile, Kyle looked around at the participants in the dimly lit cave. He sighed and staggered toward a corner to sit down.

    The loud howls and shrieks of many monsters were still resounding outside the cave. Thunderous footsteps echoed just opposite the boulder he ced at the cave entrance.

    Sinon sat down a few meters away from Kyle. His face was sour as he nced at the boulder. His deadly re would travel toward Kyle from time to time for exnation but Kyle was too thick-skinned and didn''t even flinch.

    Just like Sinon a lot of sitting participants'' gaze traveled toward Kyle and they wispered among themselves.

    Regius gathered his group mates and went toward Kyle with a smile and sat down beside him.

    "Kyle meet my friends."

    He introduced the five elves standing behind him to Kyle who nodded in return.

    "Damn! I knew you were strong when I sensed your rankst time but I never imagined you would seriously bulldoze everything in your path."

    Regius tapped his shoulder andughed out loud. Behind him, his group members nced at Kyle with curiosity.

    Izil cyan eyes shone brightly when he looked at Regius with a raised brow.

    "You know him? How?"

    An evil smirk appeared on Regius''s face.

    "Just found out before the event. He is my grandma''s adopted grandson. You all can ask him whenever you need help he is very kind."

    Kyle blinked twice and the meaning behind Regius''s words sank in his mind. A wry smile appeared on his face but then his gaze shifted to Yue who was sitting at the end of the group.

    "Strange."

    Regius turned around and looked at him with a frown.

    "What?"

    "I was just wondering you are clearly not the strongest in the group so why are your friendscking inbat experience."

    Regius raised his brow he followed Kyle''s gaze and looked at Yue and Niamh.

    "Ah.. they are both stronger than me. I am (D-)-Rank but they are (D)-Rank. However, it''s their first time fighting with monsters so they don''t know how to properly use their strength."

    Yue looked up at Kyle when she heard Regius. A lot of injuries on Kyle''s body had disappeared after he consumed the healing potions given by Regius but a few remained.

    A frown appeared on her beautiful face. She thought for a while, hesitation shed through in her eyes but in the next second a resolute expression appeared on her face.

    She tugged Lumi''s arm away from her arm and took out a high-grade healing potion from her storage ring.

    Lumi opened her mouth in protest when Yue suddenly pushed her away but her eyes narrowed when she saw the healing potion. Its color was bright and dense, indicating its purity. In the next second, Yue stood up and approached Kyle, making Lumi dumbfounded.

    Kyle removed his eyes from Regius and looked up when a shadow enveloped his body. Green eyes met the bright amber eyes, Kyle blinked, once, twice seemingly waiting for her to speak up.

    Regius looked back and forth at Yue and Kyle with a raised brow. Not just him, all the group members looked surprised at the sudden turn of events because it was very rare for Yue to approach someone other than them.

    They all waited and in the next second, Yue opened her palm toward Kyle with a small smile that could make anyone''s heart flutter.

    "Thank you for helping me while I was fighting with the monster. You are injured, this is a high-grade healing potion that will cure all your injuries."

    Kyle blinked again and looked at the ss vial in her hand. His injuries were already healed and he was sure within an hour or two the remaining injuries would just disappear because after the bloodline awakening his body''s healing abilities enhanced greatly.

    However when he saw her serious gaze his hand moved subconsciously to pick up the potion from her palm.

    "Thank you."

    A fleeing smile appeared on Kyle''s face when he saw how Yue''s tense brow rxed.

    ''It''s seemed she didn''t like owning others.''

    He mused inwardly and simply tossed the position in his mind space because it would be truly wasteful if he consumed the potion for such small injuries.

    With a nod, Yue went back toward Lumi who was staring at her with a betrayed expression.

    Her one and only friend left him just to give a handsome boy a healing potion how painful?

    ...

    The train waste however, Orange is back as promised! We are alreadyte on this month''s schedule so after a few important events in the Elf Kingdom we will pick up the pace.?? cuz I''m missing our adorable Bia.

    The most important event is about a certain someone''s who is going through hellish training currently - his real identity (race) gonna get revealed (to Kyle) even without his knowledge. hehe.

 Chapter 234 Dozed off

    Chapter 234 Dozed off

    Just like the Royal envoy, Anlee''s left eyebrow could not help but twitch at the sight of the cave entrance that was closed for the past three hours.

    However, he waited patiently. The cave entrance was blocked by a boulder but he was sure if the participants did note out the monsters would probably go in.

    Soon, within a blink of an eye, one day passed, and to Anlee bewildered and surprised the cave stayed unscathed. Completely safe and sound.

    Even the audience was dumbstruck. They had seen the devastating condition of the broken forest. How the monsters chewed and stomped everything in their path but for some unknown reason the ferocious monsters seemed to have overlooked the cave entrance. Some of the monsters indeed wed the boulder but after a few minutes, they ran off again, heading straight toward the other end of the mountain.

    The audience was stupefied. How was it possible? The cave entrance was closed but for the monsters to ignore it so tantly was quite astonishing.

    In the end, they threw the matter at the back of their minds and focused on the other mountains. Almost all the mountains were in simr conditions.

    The participants who climbed the mountains and fought back in groups suffered and got eliminated but a fewrge groups managed to pull it off. They survived amidst the huge monster wave. Moreover, a few participants were sessful in finding a hidden and secure ce to hide from the monsters.

    The situation was indeed devastating because the audience saw how within a day almost ny percent of the participants were eliminated.

    A frustrated sigh escaped Anlee''s mouth as he looked at the closed cave entrance. Two days passed and the monster wave was already gone. However, no participants came out of the cave.

    He stood up with a groan and left the dome to get some fresh air.

    "I can not watch anymore."

    The Royal envoy gazed at his fading back and looked at Aira.

    "It''s going to end soon. So, be prepared to teleport the winners to a different ce."

    Aira nodded and started to prepare for the end of the event.

    ...

    Meanwhile, the atmosphere inside the cave was quiet and a small fire was light up in the middle of the cave.

    The group of participants stayed silent as they sneaked nces at the silver-haired boy who was sitting in a corner. The boy''s eyes were closed and for some reason, no one dared to wake him up.

    Regius wanted to wake up Kyle because thetter had been sleeping for a whole day but when he recalled how Kyle fought for so long he decided against it.

    "I think he is tired."

    He nodded silently and looked at the cave entrance. The loud voices of monsters seemed to have gone very far away because now he wasn''t able to hear any sound outside the cave.

    However, he didn''t go out to check the surroundings. Just like everyone else he waited for Kyle to wake up.

    Yue''s gaze flickered between the sleeping figure and the small crowd.

    ''Why are they not waking him up? Is not he just sleeping?''

    She slowly moved closer to Regius and whispered.

    "Senior, I think you should wake him up. The monsters seemed to have gone far so let''s leave the cave."

    Regius sighed and gazed at Kyle.

    "I want to but I think he suffered too many injuries when he used that dangerous sword move. Also, he helped everyone so let''s wait until he opens his eyes then we can go outside."

    Yue nodded and went back toward Lumi.

    ''I gave him a high-grade healing potion but maybe it wasn''t enough.''

    She nced at Kyle. His face was calm, devoid of any emotions, eyes shutpletely with rxed brows. To her, he didn''t look like someone who was suffering due to heavy injuries instead he looked like he was dozing off.

    Yue blinked at her thoughts and shook her head with a sigh.

    ''What am I thinking! He is injured!''

    However, against all odds, her ridiculous guess was on the spot. Kyle indeed dozed off after sitting in the same ce for two hours.

    His minor injuries were healed a few hours ago. Right now he was just... sleeping.

    Kyle wasn''t aware of the participants who were getting frustrated with each passing second. After another five hours, they started giving him strange looks.

    How the hell can someone sleep so much? However, unlike the frustrated participants who were willing to wait a few more hours, Sinon stood up with a deadpan expression.

    After seeing how no one was willing to wake up the sleeping log he decided toplete this difficult task himself.

    "Damn it! Just how long are you going to sleep?"

    His razor-sharp voice resounded in the cave and he moved his hand to shake Kyle''s shoulder.

    However, before he could grab Kyle''s shoulder, thetter woke up with a jolt and stumbled backward at an astonishing speed.

    Sinon''s eyebrow twitched. He cursed in his mind and retracted his hand.

    Kyle shook his head and looked at Sinon with a frown.

    "What happened? Sorry, I dozed off because I was feeling a little sleepy. Did the monsters go away?"

    He stretched his arms and casually started walking toward the cave entrance.

    A vein bulged out on Sinon''s forehead when he heard Kyle''s words. Not just him, but almost all the participants sitting in the cave wore deadpan expressions as they stared at Kyle''s figure with resentment. So all this time he was just sleeping?

    Regius almost choked when he heard the conversation.

    ''So, Kyle was... sleeping. Nothing else?''

    He didn''t know whether tough or cry because he was the one who said Kyle was injured after the fight and needed rest!

    Lumi giggled at Kyle''s response and tugged shoulder at Yue with a smile.

    "Did you hear..."

    Her breath hitched in her throat when she saw Yue''s dark face. She hurriedly shut her mouth and didn''t dare to infuriate Yue further.

 Chapter 235 A talent test?

    Chapter 235 A talent test?

    After arriving in front of the boulder. Kyle perked up his ears and tried to listen to what was happening outside.

    He stayed silent to catch any type of sound but after hearing nothing he looked back at the participants.

    "Let''s leave I can''t hear anything."

    Sinon was the first who walked forward and stood beside him.

    "Alright, remove the boulder."

    Kyle nodded and ced his hand on the boulder in the next second the boulder disappeared.

    He walked out of the cave with a cautious expression. The air outside smelled like blood and rotting flesh.

    Kyle''s nose wrinkled at the repulsing odor but he didn''t stop walking and arrived in an open area, all the other participants followed behind him quietly.

    A few shocked gasps sounded behind him but Kyle didn''t turn around instead he narrowed his eyes sharply.

    Everything was an utter mess. The mountain was littered with hundreds of monsters corpses and rocks. A few low-rank monsters were munching on those dead bodies with blissful expressions.

    The shimmering lush forest below the mountain seemed to have lost its luster because the only thing Kyle could see was broken twigs and branches.

    Kyle pinched his brows. So, this is what a monster horde could do because even if the people survived thend wouldn''t. Moreover, he was sure, the monster horde they faced was nothing in front of the real thing.

    He sighed when he heard Regius''s voice. Kyle eyed the participants, excluding a few almost all of them were taking in the situation withposed expressions.

    However, he could see the worry under their calm faces. Kyle couldn''t help but wonder why the Elf Kingdom was taking such drastic measures. Was it because of the secret realm or something else?

    Izil moved and stood beside Regius with aplicated expression.

    "So, what next? We had five days before the event would be over. Should we fight the monsters?"

    Regius thought for a while. They were in an event so fighting with the monsters was indeed the best choice but after experiencing the monster horde he wasn''t sure anymore. He looked at Kyle to hear his answer.

    However, he instantly regretted his decision because Kyle just shrugged his shoulders with a nonchnt expression.

    He sighed and looked back at the small crowd.

    "The monster horde is gone and I don''t think something like this would appear again because to produce such a big horde they need many resources so let''s move separately to kill as many monsters as possible before the end of the event."

    The participants hesitated for a few seconds but in the end, all of them left.

    Sinon went toward the east and Regius and his group members decided to climb the mountain.

    In the end, Kyle was left alone. He sighed and gazed at the fading backs for a few seconds and just started to jog around the mountain with no clear destination.

    He stumbled upon some low-rank monsters in his way and killed them easily. Kyle waited patiently for the time to pass.

    At the same time, the atmosphere in the dome was very hectic.

    Aira made the necessary preparations to teleport the winners to a different location.

    The audience waiting to see the winners was disappointed when Aira told them the winners would directly teleport to a separate location.

    The next five days passed smoothly because after the monster horde left, not many participants got severely injured.

    On thest day, the nobles, Dynn, Anlee, and the Royal envoy disappeared from the dome. Only Aira and a few individuals in charge of the event were left behind to take care of everything.

    Aira''s cold eyes flickered between the ranking screen and the huge projection as she waited for thest few minutes of the event to pass.

    "It''s time..."

    She whispered and started floating mid-air.

    After cing some resources on the huge spacious tform below, she poured all her mana into the symbols drawn on the tform. A familiar shimmering green light enveloped every corner of the dome and under her gaze, the tiny figures running around in the projection started to fade one by one.

    Aira breathed out with relief when all the winning participant were teleported to their next destination sessfully.

    After checking the symbols, projection, and the area in the projection onest time she went to the healers who were doing their jobs in a closedrge hall. She staggered between the rows of injured participants who were recuperating to heal their injuries.

    A lot of participants seemed to have lost their body parts but as the King promised their injuries were treated with as many resources as possible.

    ...

    A few minutes before when Aira teleported all the participants out, Kyle was roaming around aimlessly as usual when he felt a suction force around his body.

    He hissed at the dizziness that crawled up to his mind but after a second, the dizziness vanished instead he felt his vision go dark.

    A familiar sensation enveloped his body and in the next second, he found himself standing among a crowd of young individuals.

    He blinked and looked around, the individuals standing around him looked haggard and tired. They were wearing dirty clothes as well. Also, he could spot a lot of familiar faces among the crowd. Regius, Yue, Sinon...

    ''So the event is over?''

    Kyle mused in his mind but his eyes narrowed when he took in his surroundings.

    He was standing on a smooth brown carpet, and a huge ss chandelier was hanging above the ceiling but the walls of the room were empty devoid of any precious things. He could see a row of old men and women elves in formal attires standing quietly in a corner further away from the participants.

    Kyle''s eyes paused at a familiar green-haired figure. It was Dynn, Regius''s grandfather. He was standing among the many old individuals with a frown.

    Kyle snapped his head and looked in front of himself when a gentle slightly alluring voice sounded in his ears.

    There was a small stage in front of him, a round crystal was floating in the middle of the stage.

    A middle-aged elf wearing a white shirt with golden patterns on his shoulders and sleeves was standing behind the crystal with a frosty expression. On his left, was a timed old elf woman wearing thick sses. She was continuously fiddling with some papers.

    Kyle''s eyes widened a fraction when he saw the crystal. It was very familiar.

    ''A talent test?''

    He sucked in a deep breath. There were a total of three hundred or something participants around him and after seeing the crystal he was sure the elves standing on the stage were going to do a talent test!

    Kyle immediately recalled the rules set up by the Central Continent for the individuals who were eligible to enter the Secret Realm. There were not many rules but the most important one was everyone''s talent. Only the individuals with talent (S+)-Rank or above were allowed to enter the secret realm.

 Chapter 236 Whats his talent?

    Chapter 236 What''s his talent?

    Kyle sensed a lot of eyes boring at his back but when he looked back he didn''t detect anyone. A frown appeared on his face but in the next second, he was distracted by the old elf women standing on the stage.

    The elf woman stepped forward with a gentle smile. She was wearing a long white robe with yellow flowers engraved on her shoulders.

    "Congrattions to all the winners. My name is Jolee Uinous. I know the event was hard and the hardest part was facing the monster horde that appeared without any prior notice but it was necessary because we wanted to find the best youths who would survive in every type of situation."

    She paused and gazed at the winners who were staring back at her with serious expressions.

    "Due to the monster horde only 367 participants were able to survive until the end of the event, and they all won the event! Yes, the King decided to give rewards to all those who managed to survive against all odds. However, the rewards would be distributed ording to everyone''s ranks and total points."

    Jolee smiled at the end when she saw the bright faces of the kids. She cleared her throat and pointed at the crystal floating in the middle of the stage.

    "Alright, that''s enough about the event. It''s over. Now, focus here. As you know all those participants who survived until the end will receive rewards but only those who passed the second round of the event would be selected as members of the elite team who would be directly trained by the Kingdom. The members of the elite team will also receive training from a lot of strong individuals because they will be the future of the elf Kingdom!"

    A lot of murmurs echoed in the hall when they heard Jolee''s words. However, she effectively pped her hands to shut them up.

    "Okay, let me tell you about the second round. It''s very simple. We will check everyone''s talent with this Crystal ball floating on the stage. The ones who have talent equal to or higher than (S+)-Rank will pass this round."

    Amidst the troubled crowd who was discussing the sudden second round, Kyle''s frown deepened with each passing second but then he noticed another female figure who just arrived behind Jolee.

    Kyle''s eyes lit up and his brow rxed when he saw Serena his savior. She was finally here!

    ''On time! I almost thought she abandoned me after sending me to the event.''

    Serena was wearing a brown dress and her blue hair was tied up in a pony. Her gaze was sharp and if someone looked closely they would immediately notice dark circles under her eyes.

    The moment she arrived in the hall, she noticed Kyle''s figure and looked at him with a deadpan expression. In the past two months, she suffered a lot due to Kyle. Not just Serena, even the Queen was frustrated because she was the one who permitted Kyle to enter the event.

    It was okay if Kyle quietly won the event but not even in her wildest dream did she imagine he would win the event with so many points!

    ''This rascal!''

    Serena cursed inwardly. Kyle''s actions were everything but ''quiet''!

    Now Kyle''s name was famous everywhere in the elf Kingdom so she had to give away his true identity. The King was quite furious at first when he found out Kyle was from the neighboring Kingdom but for some reason, he calmed down after talking with Han through amunication device.

    Serena sighed, she didn''t want to see any more surprises. The interrogations she suffered for the past two months were already enough to give her a headache.

    ''Let''s finish all this as soon as possible or else my headache is going to get worse!''

    She grumbled inwardly and patted Jolee''s shoulder to get her attention.

    "What?"

    Jolee turned around to look at her with a frown but then Serena bent down to whisper in her ears.

    "Do Kyle''s talent test first. The King wants to see him."

    Understanding shed through Jolee''s eyes. She nodded her head and gazed back at the participants.

    "Let''s start the talent test without wasting more time. I will start with the person who gains the highest points in the first round of the event."

    "Kyle Ohan please step on the stage."

    A pin-drop silence enveloped the hall as everyone followed Jolee''s gaze to look at the silver-haired boy standing in the middle of the crowd.

    Kyle''s body stiffened when he heard Jolee''s words. He blinked.

    ''Wasn''t Serena here to save me from the talent test? Why are they checking my talent before everyone else?''

    His eyes widened as he stared at Serena who was standing behind Jolee.

    However, Serena only stared back at him with a displeased expression. She opened her mouth and said harshly.

    "What are you waiting for? Step on the stage we don''t have an entire day."

    Kyle was speechless. So, his true talent was going to get revealed just like that? He looked around and saw no escape. His wandering eyes paused at Regius and Yue. They were standing at a distance.

    A sigh escaped his lips and under everyone''s stare, he stepped onto the stage.

    Kyle stood in front of Jolee and looked at Serena with a hesitant expression.

    "Can''t we do the talent test somewhere else?"

    Serena scoffed.

    "Just do it. I already know your true talent. Not just me a lot of people know about it. All thanks to Han who bragged about it to everyone. Moreover, no need to worry after the test you are leaving with me."

    Kyle''s eyes trailed to the crystal and nervousness shed through his eyes.

    Indeed Han knew about his talent... but he wasn''t aware of the fact that Kyle''s talent increased and reached the limit of the mortal talent.

    Kyle took in a deep breath and nodded.

    ''Here goes nothing. I hope master will handle everything.''

    Jolee heard his exaggerated breath and chuckled. Just how high was his talent to do this much drama? She shook her head and asked Kyle to ce his hand on the Crystal.

    With a nod, Kyle ced his hand on the crystal.

    The hall was quiet and almost all the eyes were on Kyle.

    Especially the Royal envoy he was practically boring holes at Kyle''s hand.

    Within a second, a dim light appeared around the floating crystal and the crystal started shining with an intense glow.

    Jolee smiled stiffened as she looked at the bright crystal.

    Serena patted her shoulder with a frown. She knew Kyle''s talent was (SS)-Rank but she wasn''t aware how to check talent through the crystal.

    "So what''s his talent?"

    Instead of Jolee, the Royal envoy''s cold voice rang out in the hall.

    "Kyle Ohan. (SSS+)-Rank talent. He passed the second round."

 Chapter 237 Your majesty?

    Chapter 237 Your majesty?

    Serena almost choked on her breath. She looked at the Royal envoy with a weird expression.

    "You mean (SS)-Rank? Right?"

    However, the Royal envoy''s answer was the same as before.

    "No, it''s (SSS+)-Rank talent."

    A huge uproar erupted below the stage. Not just the participants even the nobles sitting at a distance were shocked. Now the questions about Kyle''s identity increased. Just who the hell was this Kyle Ohan? How can they not know about him?

    It''s been a long time since someone from the Elf Kingdom awakened (SSS+)-Rank talent! This year the highest awakened talent was only (SS+)-Rank!

    Regius eximed with a sour expression.

    "Damn it! My talent is nothing in front of him! Now I know why he is so strong at a young age!"

    A bitter smile appeared on his face. He awakened his talent before entering the academy. It was (SS-)-Rank. The highest among his whole ss!

    Sinon also shook his head. He was born as a special demi-human with wings but his talent wasn''t high. Still, he knew having a high talent and achieving that talent were two vastly different things.

    Yue gazed at Kyle back but after a second she looked away with a sigh. Her fingers traced the porcin bracelet hanging on her left wrist.

    ''He is strong and will stay strong. I wonder why he didn''t fight back when I attacked him.''

    On the other hand, Serena''s eyelid was twitching due to bewilderment. She was shocked but more importantly, she knew another headache wasing her way with a fast speed.

    That''s why before the Royal envoy could say anything further she patted Kyle''s shoulder.

    "Let''s leave. The King is waiting."

    She wore a calm expression but inwardly she was cursing Han with all the swear words she could remember. Kyle gazed at the shocked Jolee and at the Royal envoy who seemed to be frowning and hurriedly sped up behind Serena.

    They immediately left the hall through a small door present behind the stage, leaving behind the speechless crowd.

    After Kyle and Serena were gone, the Royal envoy cleared his throat and gestured for Jolee to continue the second round.

    Afterward, he secretly went to the side and took out amunication Crystal to inform the King about Kyle''s talent test result.

    ....

    Inside a Luxurious room, a small discussion was going on.

    The room wasrge with manyfortable chairs ced around a huge table. However, only three of the chairs were upied.

    The head chair was upied by a middle-aged elf who was wearing a loose golden shirt above ck pants. His hair waspletely ck with a hint of white peeking out from a few corners. A pair of coral eyes looked at the beautiful elf woman sitting on his left side.

    "My Queen, now what? It seems the kid is hiding too many secrets. Even his master is unaware of his true talent. Do you think we can trust him?"

    The beautiful woman who was wearing a long peach color flowery dress sighed. A dazzling gold hairpin was shimmering between her longvender hair.

    "Don''t ask me. You already gave me a headache with all your questions. Now handle it yourself."

    She stood up with a serious expression and left the room.

    The King massaged his temples. His long pointy ears twitched when he heard some footsteps approaching the room from the opposite direction.

    "They are here."

    He tapped the table and gazed at the middle-aged elf sitting opposite him.

    "Aefel, you should leave."

    Aefel gave him a nod and stood up. He was wearing a in shirt and his amber eyes had a hint of coral in them. He was one of the King''s closest aid and Yue''s father Aefel WintCrest.

    After Aefel left, a knock resounded in the room.

    "Come in."

    The door opposite the men was opened and two figures walked inside.

    Serena showed a conflicted expression when she saw the King alone. She opened her mouth but the King raised his hand to shut her up.

    He stared at Kyle with a serious expression and spoke in a serious tone.

    "Serena, I want to talk with him alone. So, leave us for a while."

    Serena was hesitant. She gazed at Kyle with a frown but after a few seconds, she nodded and left the room. It''s not like she could do anything else. Instead of rebuking the King''s words, it was better to find the Queen and ask for help if something happened.

    After Serena left, there was silence in the room.

    Kyle gazed at the handsome middle-aged elf sitting opposite him. A while ago when he left the hall, he passed through a long corridor. The corridor was designed with unique and expensive antiques.

    Kyle quietly observed the room, it was also filled with many costly things. Especially therge burning circr stone floating behind the elf sitting in front of him.

    ''Is he the elven King?''

    Kyle ced his fist on his chest with a thin smile.

    "Your Majesty?"

    He wasn''t sure about how to greet Royals. The only Royal he was familiar with was Carcel but Carcel behaved just like everyone else. So, the only thing Kyle could do was to speak as politely as possible.

    The King finally spoke but when his voice arrived Kyle felt pressure around his shoulders. However, the pressure vanished the next second.

    "So you are Kyle. I have been hearing about you a lot for the past two months. Come sit no need to stand."

    Kyle was hesitant at first but then just resigned to his fate and sat down opposite the King.

    The King didn''t beat around the bush and directly went to the point.

    "I know you want to enter the Secret Realm through my Kingdom but why should I give you the precious spot that belongs to my people? Moreover, all this is only benefiting you, not me."

    Kyle stayed silent for a few seconds and then he grasped the meaning behind the King''s words.

    ''Ah...All this is only benefiting me. So he wants something in return.''

    Kyle''s brows knitted together. He was just a student what could he possibly offer the person who had a whole Kingdom under him? Alright, he epted he was a rich student who had a lot of treasures waiting for him in another Kingdom but still, what could he possibly give the person sitting opposite him?

 Chapter 238 Did he just increased his talent by walking and sleeping?

    Chapter 238 Did he just increased his talent by walking and sleeping?

    The elf King studied Kyle''s expression but to his surprise, except for the furrowed brows, there wasn''t any emotion on Kyle''s face.

    He raised his brow with surprise and cleared his throat to snap the kid out of his thoughts.

    Kyle looked up. His clear eyes shone under the light.

    "What does Your Majesty want from me? I don''t think I can offer anything valuable because my background is ordinary."

    The King merely leaned back into his chair with a thoughtful look.

    "Indeed you can''t offer anything valuable and I believe if I asked for your bonded pet you would reject me immediately. That''s why the only thing you can offer me is your future."

    Kyle blinked but after a second, a perplexed expression appeared on his face. The King asked for his future, more specifically he wanted the strength Kyle would attain in the future.

    Kyle wanted to confirm his doubt but the King didn''t give him the chance and continue.

    "You are already strong among the young generation and after knowing your talent I believe with enough resources your future is limitless. That''s why it would be a pity if I just chased you out. So, how about swearing alliance to me? If you are connected with my Kingdom you can easily enter the Secret Realm and I will have another future warrior protecting my Kingdom in dangerous times."

    "This deal is in your favor because even though you have potential I can never know if you will survive until the end to achieve that potential. On the other hand, you will be able to enter the Secret Realm through the Tersia Kingdom. Now the choice is on you."

    Kyle looked at him and sighed.

    "The deal is not bad but I am a citizen of Kingdom Ete. Also, my family is there. The Royal Academy...."

    Kyle''s sentence was cut off abruptly.

    "I never asked you to leave your home. I just asked you to swear alliance to Kingdom Tersia. That means you can stay connected with both Kingdoms. Anyway, even if I want to steal you I won''t dare because Cedric will straight up send assassinations to murder me hahaha. Not to mention you are one of Retric students. That bastard will directly st my Castle!"

    The King''sugh echoed in the room and Kyle''s eyebrow couldn''t help but twiched at his remarks.

    ''It''s seemed Principal Ratric is a terrifying individual.''

    Afterughing for a few seconds, the King''s eyes bore down at Kyle with a sharp gaze that epted no refusals.

    "So, what''s your decision?"

    Kyle didn''t know whether tough or cry in this situation. He just nodded because he was sure if he refused he would be forced to agree.

    A smile appeared on the King''s face and his expression rxed.

    "Good."

    The King talked some more and prepared an agreement that stated Kyle would help Kingdom Tersia whenever the Kingdom needed help.

    After Kyle read and signed the agreement, the King nodded and put the agreement away. He fiddled with his storage ring and after a few seconds a round broach appeared in his hand.

    He threw the borach at Kyle who grabbed it with a confused expression.

    "It''s a special insigma. Consider this as a wee gift because you joined my Kingdom. You can buy anything from the elven Capital city after showing this insignia to the shopkeepers. However, remember it will only work in the Capital city and you can only use it three times so be careful when you want to buy something."

    Kyle looked at the golden insignia. It was round and two wing-shaped leaves were carved in the middle with three straight lines at the bottom.

    He nodded at the King with bright twinkling eyes.

    "Thank you."

    The King waved his hand and an evil smirk appeared at the corner of his lips.

    "No need to thank me. I wasn''t able to decide what reward I should give the participant who gained the first rank in the event. After careful consideration, I decided to give this insignia to you. This can be a wee gift and a reward as well."

    Kyle''s smile stiffened and the twinkles in his eyes vanished in a second. He looked at the insignia with aplicated expression.

    ''So, this is all I got as a reward?''

    "Alright, Kid. You should leave, some guards are standing outside. One of them will take you to the main hall where the other participants who are selected for the Secret Realm are present."

    Kyle stood up with a nod. However, his face was sour because he was displeased with the reward!

    He grumbled in his mind and left the room. The King gazed at his fading back. After Kyle was gone he burst intoughter.

    "He is just like Ratric. Rigid in all kinds of situations but he gave me a strange look when he was displeased! Hahaha, at first I wanted to give him one more reward but this ungrateful prick. Tsk, now I don''t want to."

    ....

    Meanwhile, after Serena left Kyle with the King, she anxiously went to the Queen''s room.

    However, the Queen didn''t give her any assurance by saying,

    "Don''t worry. My husband is not a bad person. He would never harm a kid."

    Serena left the Queen alone and went out to contact Han. Themunication crystal rang two times before Han picked up her call.

    An old grumpy voice sounded from the crystal.

    "What happened now? I am busy."

    Serena almost had the urge to punch the owner of the voice but she calmed her seething heart.

    "You told me Kyle''s talent is (SS)-Rank didn''t you? Did you lie to me? I am regretting the moment when I believed your words!"

    Han stayed quiet and listened to her grumbling. After she was done he cleared his throat.

    "What did that brat do this time? Also, what about his talent? I am sure it''s (SS)-Rank because I checked it personally. I am still digesting the fact that not only did he win the event but he also gained the first spot with one million points... Sigh, I never knew my one and only disciple was such a big genius?"

    Han''s voice sounded proud as he emphasized the word ''disciple'' loudly.

    A vein popped on Serena''s forehead. She was already dying with anxiety and now this old bastard was showing off how brilliant his ''disciple'' was!

    "You!"

    Serena stopped and took a deep breath to calm down. Now was not the time to fight.

    "No, his talent is not (SS)-Rank."

    A loud exmation sounded from themunication Crystal.

    "What? Impossible! It''s (SS)-Rank. I used an artifact to check his talent. Don''t tell me it''s... (B)-Rank?"

    Han''s voice was dry as he waited for Serena to answer but her answer almost made him check if his ears were working correctly.

    "Kyle''s talent is (SSS+)-Rank. Just like Alec and Jian."

    A loud bang sounded from themunication crystal and after five seconds Han''s deadpan voice sounded.

    "Say again!?"

    Serena scoffed.

    "The fact will not change even if I repeat it hundreds of times. That''s why I was anxious. You talked with the King when he wanted to remove Kyle from the event and right now, Kyle is alone with the King. So, if something happened to the kid don''t me me."

    Han sucked in a deep breath. It took him a whole minute to digest the information.

    "That brat did he just increase his talent by walking and sleeping?"

    No one answered his question. After a few seconds, Han''s voice sounded again but this time it was a little strained because his disciple was giving too many shocks.

    "Don''t worry. The King won''t do anything with Kyle. He was the one who offered me a deal. You just need to stay with Kyle until he reaches the Secret Realm. Make sure the kid stays safe. Also... Thank you for everything Serena I will buy you something good after I am done in the Central Continent."

    Serena''s anger lessened when she heard hisst sentence.

    "Alright, I will stay with the kid. Don''t forget your words."

 Chapter 239 Unfairness

    Chapter 239 Unfairness

    Kyle looked around as he followed behind a ck-haired Royal guard. The long hallway was filled with stunning architecture and beautiful artwork. Many old pictures were hanging vertically on the walls.

    His eyes trailed to the guard walking in front of him. More specifically he was gazing at the silver armor around the guard''s body. It was shining with a bright glint and looked quite expensive.

    Kyle looked at himself and clicked his tongue. After the event, he wasn''t able to change into a clean set of clothes.

    Suddenly, Kyle caught sight of a painting hanging on his left. His steps halted for a second. The painting showed the image of a middle-aged elf sitting on a in chair. She was wearing a long grey dress and her long hair was flowing on her shoulders. Amidst her beauty, Kyle''s gazended on her wrists. She was wearing a pair of porcin bracelets, the same as the ones Yue had.

    ''I almost forgot about the bracelets. Hmm, Does Yue know the bracelets are parts of an artifact?''

    He pondered for a while but then threw the matter at the back of his head. After walking for a few minutes, the guard stopped in front of arge door.

    He opened the door and looked at Kyle.

    "Just go in, someone will exin to you what you have to do next."

    Kyle nodded at him and staggered inside with silent steps. He looked around with a raised brow because the ce looked more like a big room instead of a hall. Arge table filled with sweets and drinks was set up in the middle.

    Immediately his gazended at the group of participants and nobles standing around the table.

    Kyle chuckled when his eyes traveled to a few familiar faces who were getting scolded by their elders. Among them the most pitiful one was Regius. He has his head hung low as Dynn patted his head with an evil smile.

    Kyle watched their interaction quietly when the door behind him was swung open with a loud sound.

    Almost everyone looked at the door but their eyes shed with surprise when they saw Kyle standing in front of the door.

    It was quite strange because no one noticed his presence. The nobles were the ones who looked the most taken aback because they weren''t weak.

    Kyle frowned when he sensed many eyes boring at his body. He ignored them and looked back at the door.

    A few familiar faces were standing behind him. First, the Royal envoy and Jolee, and behind them, a few participants were standing. Yue was also among those participants.

    Jolee gazed at Kyle with a smile and silently went to the middle of the room to gather the crowd''s attention.

    "The second round ended with this batch of participants. It''s a pity only 116 participants passed the second round but I am d because the number is a lot higher than my expectations."

    Her voice was vibrant when she looked at the participants with a bright smile.

    "Alright, my work is done here. I will go check on the other kids. Enkin will tell you about everything else. So, take care, kids."

    She swept her gaze at the participants onest time and left the room.

    All the nobles gathered together and formed a group. On the other hand, the young kids formed a group and stared at the Royal envoy, Enkin.

    Kyle went toward Regius and patted his shoulder.

    "Had fun. I saw the old man wasshing at you."

    Regius groaned and pped his hand away.

    "Don''t get me started. He was the one who permitted me to enter the event and now he is the one who is grumbling like grandma."

    Kyle sensed Dynn''s gaze. The old man was standing with the nobles. Kyle gave him a nod without knowing the meaning behind his deep stare.

    At the same time, Enkin cleared his throat and started speaking with a serious expression.

    "I believe after fighting for two whole months the kids would be tired. That''s why everyone should rest for a week. The talk about the special training willmence after the week. In the meantime, all the kids can stay in afortable hotel I booked in the capital city because so many people can''t stay in the Royal Castle."

    His voice turned grave.

    "Remember, you can''t leave the Capital city. Those who have families should contact them because, after the rest week, you will not be able to see or contact your families for a long time."

    Enkin passed and took out many round pendants from his storage ring. The pendants started floating, heading straight toward the participants.

    "These pendants are for safety purposes. So, put it inside your storage rings. With the pendants, we can know your location."

    Kyle grabbed the green pendant floating in front of him. He wanted to ce it in his mind space but then stopped and just tied it with his clothes.

    The Royal envoy nodded when the kids carefully ced the pendants in their storage rings.

    "Now, I will distribute rewards to every one ording to their ranking. So,e to me one by one."

    Kyle''s mood became sour as he watched the excited participants heading toward the Royal envoy one by one. They all got simr golden boxes, Kyle wanted to peek inside Regius''s box but thetter immediately hid it inside his storage ring with a smirk.

    Kyle grumbled at the unfairness. He stared at the Royal envoy who was taking out one box after another. After a few seconds of consideration, Kyle went toward him, thinking maybe he would also get a box but the Royal envoy chased him away with a sharp re.

    The next few minutes were quite torturing for Kyle as he watched the happy participants.

    After Enkin was done he looked at Dynn and the nobles.

    "The adults should leave now. I will escort the kids to the hotel they are staying for the next week."

    One by one all the older people started leaving, Dynn went toward Kyle and Regius with a serious expression.

    "I will meet with the King to find the reason behind all this. You brats, until then take care of yourself and don''t do anything reckless. Also, Kyle, I don''t know your identity but if Regius acknowledged you as a friend even after knowing everything that means he believes in you. So, I will do the same and won''t question you."

    Kyle gave him a nod with a smile and Regius just replied with a grumpy ''yes''.

    After Dynn left, the Royal envoy gestured for the kids to follow behind him.

 Chapter 240 He is gaining strength

    Chapter 240 He is gaining strength

    Kyle and the other participants quietly followed behind the Royal envoy.

    They passed through the castle hallways and after a twenty-minute walk arrived outside.

    Kyle looked back at the majestic gate. It was huge, maybe bigger than the one he saw in Kingdom Ete.

    The area around the castle was mostly empty and some Royal guards were patrolling around the castle walls.

    Kyle looked around as he followed the Royal envoy. They passed through the empty area, heading straight toward the center of the elves'' Capital city.

    After a long walk, they arrived in front of a big building. Many female elves wearing beautiful clothes emerged from the building and greeted everyone with polite smiles.

    The Royal envoy talked with the female elves for a minute and vanished into the city without even ncing at the kids.

    Regius looked at the building with a smirk. It was the biggest in the whole capital city.

    "So this is where we are going to stay for a week? Not bad."

    Kyle nodded. Indeed the building looked luxurious.

    The female elves politely gestured for all the kids to follow behind them. After a small tour of the hotel, Kyle got the key to his room.

    He thanked the one who gave him the key and immediately went to his room because he wanted to bathe and rest. However, for some reason, his mind had a nagging feeling that something bad was going to happen. Kyle frowned as he walked through a long hallway heading straight toward his room.

    "Sigh, I am probably getting too paranoid."

    heading straight toward his room.

    "Sigh, I am probably getting too paranoid."

    He shook his head and chased the feeling away. Now was not the time to overthink. It''s time to rest in a warm bed.

    ...

    Meanwhile, outside the safe boundaries of the blue.

    The bright projection that reflected the fate of almost every race present in the universe trembled when arge whip trashed it violently. Sparks of lightning flew everywhere and a loud click resounded in the dark space.

    "Tsk, why can''t I destroy it? It''s a useless treasure without an owner!"

    A slender hand belonging to a woman flicked the whip around a few more times. Soon, her alluring figure was revealed when she licked her paw with an evil smirk. A ck three-petal flower was engraved in the middle of her forehead.

    "What a pity. I failed again."

    The pink ears standing at the top of her head twitched when she heard a muffled sound from below.

    Sheughed and looked at the majestic blue dragon whimpering under her feet with the red slits shining in her eyes. The dragon''s once sleek and powerful body was littered with crimson blood. His scales that glisten like sapphires were scattered around everywhere.

    "Just like the ''universe projection'' this blue dragon is also stubborn. Anyway, Hay how many times it had been?"

    She looked back at the man standing behind her. Unlike the women, the man didn''t have any animal features. Instead, his ears were pointy just like elves.

    His facial expression was twisted and the ck rob on his body waspletely hiding his presence within the darkness. However, just like the female a dark three-petal flower was engraved in the middle of his forehead.

    "Diora you know we can''t kill him because his life is connected to the universe projection. Still...."

    He yfully counted on his fingers and looked at the dragon with a smirk.

    "I remember, Including today you tried a total of 32 times to kill this pest."

    The dragon''s once bright eyes were dim and breathbored as he looked at the floating individuals with a sneer.

    "Just kill me and be done with it. So, my soul can rest in the projection for a while because there is no way I am going to tell you about the empty spot."

    Diora''s eyes snapped and she gritted her teeth loudly.

    "You are just a bug. Tell me why is master name on the second spot and why is the number one spot empty!"

    She raised her hand and whipped the dragon''s body until his whole body was riddled withrge gashes. A pool of blood appeared below the dragon''s body as he took the beating with emotionless eyes.

    When the dragon breathed hisst, he sighed.

    ''I think this time it will take me a lot of time to recover my body.''

    In the next second, his majestic body scattered into tiny particles. The shimmering particles gathered together and entered the floating projection.

    Diora gazed at the bright particles. She wanted to tear them apart but it was impossible for her. In the whole universe, only her master was strong enough to destroy scattered soul particles. A soul is something very fragile but after one''s soul left their body not many can destroy it.

    She looked at the bright projection with disgust.

    1_

    2_Azazeal

    "It''s impossible for someone to be stronger than master in such a short time. So why is this useless thing showing that someone stronger than him has appeared?"

    Hay rubbed her ears to soothe her anger.

    "Diora why are you fixated with this projection? It''s just a toy. Even master didn''t care about it. Let''s leave if you are done messing with the dragon. We have work to do."

    He shuddered suddenly.

    "The general is going to kill us if we are not on time!"

    Diora stared at the projection. She was older that''s why she knew what Hay was unaware of. This projection always portrayed truth. Now that the first name was empty that''s mean someone stronger than Azazeal had appeared. This wasn''t good!

    However, she was confused because if someone stronger indeed appeared where was he? Was he hiding?

    ''No ... No... If anyone had enough power to make the universe tremble why would he hide? Maybe ... Maybe... The person whose name appeared on the top is still weak? He is gaining strength? The projection put his name on the top because he is most likely to be the strongest in the future.''

    Diora''s facial expression darkened a little but sheughed out loud in the next second.

    "Now now... No matter the future I should report it back to the general. Maybe I will get some merits?"

    She chuckled and pped Hay''s mischievous fingers that were ying with her ears.

    "Let''s go back. Leave the work for now. I have something more important to do."

    Hay was reluctant but in the end, nodded because Diora was stronger. In the next second, both of them disappeared from the ce, leaving behind the pool of blood and the shimmering projection floating between the darkness.

 Chapter 241 Achieved everything with hard work

    Chapter 241 Achieved everything with hard work

    In the hotel;

    Kyle closed the door behind him and stretched his body with a sigh. His curious gaze swept around the hotel room.

    It was not small. A big bed with afy mattress was ced in the middle of the room with two tables ced on each side. A chair and a tea table were ced in front of the bed.

    The decor was clean andfortable with minimum furniture. Moreover, the room was illuminated by the sunlight sprinkling from a square-shaped window opposite the bed.

    "Not bad."

    Kyle grabbed the green pendant hanging on his waist and tossed it on one of the bedside tables without caring about the fact that the Royal envoy asked to keep the pendant safe.

    He hummed and immediately slipped his shirt off his body with a swift movement. Some bright almost invisible particles were clinging to his cold skin. His shoulders were board, chest sculpted with well-built muscles, giving off a powerful presence.

    After tossing the shirt on the chair, Kyle entered the bathroom to take a shower. The water temperature was normal but a cold mist appeared around him the moment he stepped below the running shower.

    Amidst all this, Kyle didn''t feel even an ounce of coldness. Maybe it was because of his bloodline or maybe it was because of the blue mes he wasn''t sure.

    He spent his sweet time in the bathroom and stepped out barefoot wearing a loose shirt and a pant.

    Kyle''s hair was wet but he didn''t care and jumped on the bed with a blissful expression. He was clean, the room was silent with a perfect atmosphere but there was just a tiny miny problem.

    ''I am not sleepy.''

    Kyle chuckled at himself. His eyes were clear without an ounce of sleep. He rolled on the bed absentmindedly.

    ''I slept too much in the past few weeks. There is nothing I can do now.... Should I go out and train? It''s a while...''

    Bia''s clear voice sounded in his head. She scoffed when she heard the word ''training'' from Kyle.

    She had known Kyle for quite some time now and had an idea of what type of person he was.

    He waszy at the start but he knew his priorities that''s why he changed a lot in a short amount of time. However, some of Kyle''s old habits were the same as before. He was a hard-working person but no matter what he never went down the extreme path. A far contrast to Alec and Carcel who would train day and night.

    She was sure if in the future Kyle was given a choice to train with a formidable individual or sit back and watch he would choose thetter without a second thought.

    Biaughed out dryly and clicked her tongue with annoyance.

    -''I almost forget the fact that even if he sat in the background and ate melon seeds he would still get something out of the situation. All thanks to his incredible memory and high luck.''

    Kyle raised his brow when he sensed Bia''s line of thoughts.

    ''What are you thinking? I am someone who has achieved everything with hard work and perseverance!''

    Bia rolled her eyes at his words.

    -''What hard work? What perseverance? Didn''t you just haul every treasure from the Tower of Opportunity? No.. No that''s not right. The treasures practically fell at your feet like they were there just for you to pick them up?''

    Kyle swiftly changed the topic within a split second.

    ''How are the others? Any improvement in their strength?''

    Bia snickered at him and decided to leave the topic for a while.

    -''They are doing great. As usual, Alec is training with full vigor, I think he will break through to (B-)-Rank within two to three months. Carcel improved a lot recently in his spear Art. Currently, he is (C)-Rank. About Nine, well he is just crying and trying to run away from the cruel training. Just a week ago he was beaten to a pulp due to his antics but you know he is too stubborn and right now I am watching him getting beaten up again by an old man.''

    Bia''s voice turned grave as she described Nine battered conditions to Kyle.

    ''Just where does he want to go? Why is he always courting death.''

    Kyle shook his head with a chuckle. Bia hummed when a thought shed through her mind but she wasn''t sure that''s why she didn''t point it out.

    -''I am not sure but a few weeks ago he was bbering that he wanted to save someone. He said one of his idiots'' rtives identally got kidnapped or something. Still, he was probably lying to escape the old man.''

    -''Anyway, I heard from Principal Ratric the student''s training is going to end in half a month and for the next month, they will go to the boundary of the ck forest to fight the monsters. ording to my investigation, the secret Realm would open a little earlier. Maybe within two to three months.''

    Kyle pinched his brows with a frown. A sudden thought appeared at the back of his mind.

    ''I know there are a lot of treasures inside the secret Realm but I wonder why the Central Continent is fussing over it so much. One thing is for sure, the realm is dangerous, too dangerous because master''s expression was grave when he told me about it. However, the Central Continent is going against everyone else just to open the Realm. There is probably a big reason behind it.''

    He didn''t even notice how the burning sun slowly descended from the horizon. Soon, his eyes fluttered shut and he fell asleep again.

    Bia almost had the urge toe and smack his head.

    -''I thought you weren''t sleepy? Just how can someone sleep so much? Tsk.''

    She grumbled for a few seconds but left him alone.

    At night, Kyle was jolted awake when a few knocks sounded in his ears. He sat up within a second and looked at the room door with a wary expression.

    "Who is it?"

 Chapter 242 A mermaid I

    Chapter 242 A mermaid I

    Kyle waited, there was silence for a few seconds but then a low-pitched timed voice sounded behind the door.

    "Sorry for the inconvenience but dinner is ready. Would you like to eat it in your room or the hotel lobby?"

    Kyle jumped down from the bed with a groan. From the voice, he was sure the person standing outside was one of the elves'' women who weed everyone into the hotel.

    "I will go down in a while."

    His voice was a little hoarse as he yawned in between. Another knock sounded on the door.

    "Alright, Sir."

    Kyle heard the fading footsteps and within a minute changed his wrinkled shirt into a ck hoodie. He grabbed his shoulder-length hair and tied it in a pony.

    "I think I should cut my hair. They are pretty cool but it''s getting a little annoying. Well, I am in the capital city I will just visit a nearby shop because if I did it myself it would be a disaster."

    He put on his shoes and left the room. As he walked between the rows of rooms he saw a few chatting youngsters. Maybe everyone was too excited to sleep because the hotel looked lively.

    A few individuals even greeted him with polite smiles. Kyle nodded at them. He didn''t find it strange because, after his talent test, he knew he would be famous.

    Moreover, all the winning participants were going to stay together for the next few months so it was better to avoid fights.

    After passing the hallway and the second floor, he went down to the lobby through the stairs.

    Kyle looked around, the lobby was big with opulent space filled with many chairs ced around round tables. A lot of individuals were enjoying their meals and the sound of conversations filled the air.

    A few elven men and women, dressed in beautiful gowns, gracefully move through the crowd, serving delicious dishes to everyone.

    A lot of people spotted Kyle who just stepped out from the stairs.

    Amidst the busy tables, a noisy voice pierced through the air.

    "Kyle?"

    Kyle eyed the owner of the voice. It was Regius. He was sitting with Niamh, Faith, and Yue. Sinon was sitting with them as well.

    Kyle made a split-second decision and grabbed an empty chair, heading straight toward their table.

    "It''s seemed no one resting?"

    He ced his chair beside Regius''s chair. A few eyes snapped at him surprised but Kyle didn''t care and sat down.

    Regius released an exaggerated sigh and pinched his brows.

    "I wanted to rest but when Iy down on the bed I just wasn''t able to sleep. I think it''s because I am excited about the special training. The others were already here when I came down."

    Kyle nodded. Regius and his team were already done eating that''s why when Kyle sat down with Regius a female elf immediately arrived behind him.

    She showed him a menu and after taking his order she left.

    Regius gazed at the fading elf. The atmosphere around the table turned quiet. He ced his head on the table with a gloomy expression.

    "It''s a pity Lumi and Izil didn''t pass the second round. They were the most talkative ones. Now, I feel like I am sitting with a bunch of mutes."

    However, to his dismay no one replied. His protest was treated as thin air but then Kyle''s eyesnded at Yue''s wrists. Her wrists were empty.

    "Where are your bracelets?"

    Kyle blurted out without even realizing and all eyes snapped to him.

    Among them the most surprised one was Yue. She knew Kyle through senior Regius and wasn''t familiar with him. So, this type of question was unexpected. Also, why was he so obsessed with the bracelets?

    She opened her mouth to speak but as if realizing his mistake Kyle stopped her.

    "It''s okay. You don''t have to tell me."

    Yue''s brows knitted into a frown, not because Kyle stopped her from speaking. She was astonished at herself. How can she just answer his question without even a second thought? If not for Kyle stopping her abruptly she would have probably answered his question in a beat. A strange feeling welled up inside her chest. This type of thing never happened before. Moreover, she never replied to strangers and Kyle was practically a stranger if not for the fact that they had met a few times coincidentally.

    The quiet atmosphere around the table was bing unbearable with each passing second that''s why Sinon pped his hand on the table with a loud exmation.

    "I almost forgot. What is everyone''s n for this week? We are all free. So, I believe you would have nned something."

    All the eyes looked at him with a nk expression. Especially Regius, he knew his future was nk with Yue, Niamh, and Faith because the trio always stayed quiet. Also, with the addition of Kyle who was even quieter than the trio he knew his life for the next few days would bepletely boring.

    Sinon''s smile faltered for a second when he saw their nk expressions. However, he smoothed his expression and looked at them with a sigh.

    "No n?"

    Everyone gave him a nod and Sinon started thinking. After a few seconds, his eyes brightened.

    "Then let''s go to the elven festival! It''s tomorrow and will continue for two days!"

    Regius almost had the urge to leave the table when he heard Sinon''s words. Not just Regius, Yue, Niamh, and Faith also had the same thoughts.

    The elven festival wasn''t umon. It was just a normal festival held every month in the east side of the capital city. So, they had seen it a lot of times.

    Only Kyle curiously was piqued but when he saw everyone''s reluctant expressions he noted immediately.

    ''I think this festival is not good.''

    Sinon grinned when he how everyone behaved like a salted fish. He opened his palm and gestured for them to gather.

    His voice was low as he whispered slightly.

    "The festival this time is special. This time a big auction is going to take ce behind the scenes. I heard a lot of unique things will appear in the auction."

    Regius deadpan.

    "It''s just an Auction. What''s so special about it? I am not going. Also, do you think I am rich enough topete with those old foggies who would appear in the Auction?"

    Sinon clicked his tongue and knocked the table with his knuckles.

    "Just hear me out. My elder brother is a merchant so I have some inside news."

    This time everyone perked their ears to listen carefully but if they didn''t find his news special, no one knew what would happen to Sinon.

    Sinon''s voice turned even fainter as he leaned toward them.

    "I heard a mermaid was caught in the demi-humans'' Kingdom. Those idiots sold it to a noble. Right now, the noble who bought the mermaid is in Kingdom Tersia. He is going to put the mermaid in the auction."

 Chapter 243 A mermaid II

    Chapter 243 A mermaid II

    When Sinon was done, everyone gasped with shock. Niamh was the first to react

    "What? A mermaid?"

    A few heads snapped at their table with curious eyes and Sinon hurriedly hushed Niamh to stay quiet.

    Yue looked at Sinon with a frown. Her amber eyes flickered withplicated emotions.

    "Are they crazy? Even though the mermaid race is rather distant from the other races it''s against the rules. How can they auction a living being? It''s simr to very and very is banned in the Kingdom!"

    Her voice was sharp yet one could see the concern in her eyes.

    Sinon gave her a nod with a sigh.

    "I know... I know. I just found out through my brother. He heard it from other merchants. They said this auction is not normal because only a select few individuals with special invitations can gain ess to the auction!"

    Kyle raised his brow. Just like everyone else he had never seen anyone from the mermaid race.

    ''It''s not like I have anything else to do for the next few days.''

    He tapped the table to gather everyone''s attention.

    "Why don''t we check out the festival? We are free for the time being, so it''s not a bad idea. Also, we can inquire if those rumors about the secret auction and the mermaid are true or not."

    Regius blinked a few times.

    "I don''t know why I can''t reject this suggestion. Is this the power of strength?"

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched at his remarks but he decided to stay quiet because he knew... he knew it was the harsh truth.

    After a few seconds, the others also agreed and all of them decided to meet tomorrow night in the hotel lobby.

    Amidst the discussion, the elf who took Kyle''s order was back with food. At that time, Regius and the others stood up and decided to go back to their rooms.

    Kyle looked at their fading figures for a second and then gazed at the various kinds of fragrant dishes ced in front of him with a blissful expression. Even though he cooked and ate the monster meat in the event, regardless his average cooking skills could never bepared to the delicious food in front of him.

    After eating, Kyle walked inside the hotel silently. The hotel was not too luxurious but it wasn''t too humble either. He wasn''t sleepy so in the end, he decided to do some light exercise in his room.

    Unlike Kyle who threw the matter about the auction at the back of his head, the other group members'' mind wasn''t as peaceful as him. Especially Yue, Niamh, and Faith. They were nobles and knew the rules and regtions of the Kingdom better that''s why after finding out about the auction they immediately informed their parents.

    Among the trio the most concerned was Yue, the moment she arrived back at her room she contacted her father to find out if the rumors about the mermaid were true.

    Her father was shocked. He was not aware of this matter! As a person who always had to report every important thing that happened in the Kingdom to the King, he was rendered speechless at how bluntly this type of thing was happening under his nose. Such audacity!

    Yue''s father, Aefel had seen the dark side of the Continent. So, he knew just like the other Kingdoms a lot of nobles from Kingdom Tersia also did these types of shady things behind the doors. They harmed innocent citizens, sold and bought ves even though it was prohibited.

    s, the nobles did it secretly that''s why the elven King could do nothing but turn a blind eye to all this because he knew if he tightened their leash without any evidence they would rebel.

    Still, the elven King was waiting for them to make a mistake. A single mistake and they would be wiped out. If the news about the auction was true, Aefel was sure the King would be delighted.

    A loud and heavy voice sounded from the round crystal in Yue''s hand.

    "Yue, don''t worry I will handle this matter."

    He paused for a second and his voice turned soft.

    "Dear, from the start I never wanted you to participate in the event but you insisted. Now just focus on the future you have chosen for yourself. I know you are old enough to decide for yourself but my old heart is worried because if anything happened to you your mother and I won''t be able to bear it."

    Yue expression softened at her father''s words but in the next second her expression turned serious.

    "Dad, I am sorry for worrying everyone but I don''t want to stay confined in the house anymore. I don''t want to be a porcin ss that needs protection. I want to be strong just like you."

    Aefel chuckled at his daughter''s words. He knew just like her brother she wanted to pursue strength but the problem was her family. They were too overprotective! That''s why Yue was never able to gain proper experience in real battles.

    He chuckled and started praising his daughter to lighten her mood.

    "I know... I know my daughter is very strong. Who else canpare to my daughter? She is a genius with (SSS-)-Rank talent! Hump, it''s just two sub-rank below the legendary (SSS+)-Rank but in the future, my daughter can easily beat them all!"

    Yue''s cheeks turned red with embarrassment. She became flustered and fiddled with themunication crystal.

    "Dad, I believe you are busy. Let''s talkter!"

    Without even waiting for a reply she hurriedly cut off the connection.

    An embarrassed yet genuine smile appeared on her face. She ced the crystal in the storage ring and climbed the bed to sleep.

    ...

    The next day was quite uneventful for the many individuals staying in the hotel. Some of them went out to roam around while some just simply stayed in their rooms to waste their time.

    Kyle who didn''t sleepst night because he wasn''t feeling sleepy spent his day in bed. He woke up in the evening and stretched his body for an hour before taking a shower.

    When he went down, Regius and Faith were waiting for him in the lobby.

    After some time, Niamh, Yue, and Sinon also arrived and they all left the hotel together.

 Chapter 244 Unique skills

    Chapter 244 Unique skills

    They walked around the streets surrounded by many big and small houses and a few shops but because Kyle''s pocket was empty he just quietly looked at the shops from afar.

    ''Why am I so poor?''

    He shook his head with a frustrated sigh but in the next second his eyes lit up.

    ''Ah right, I ''borrowed'' a lot of weapons from the participants in the event I can sell them!''

    Kyle''s mood brightened. He sensed in his mind space and gazed at the pile of weapons ced in a corner with a nod.

    Bia''szy voice sounded in his mind.

    -''You still going to say ''borrowed'' even when you are nning to sell them?''

    Kyle ignored her remark and followed behind the group. Due to the dark clouds gathered above in the sky, the long streets were beautifully illuminated by the warm glow of lights pouring out from the windows of nearby houses and the decorations hanging outside the shops.

    Just like him, Niamh and Faith were mostly quiet but they would speak from time to time whenever they saw something interesting. Regius and Yue were silently following behind the duo. The only person who looked excited was Sinon.

    Kyle''s gaze wandered around and he saw a lot of passersby ncing at his group.

    ''Yue is beautiful and Sinon is a rare demi-human who possesses wings so they are attracting a lot of attention.''

    He shook his head and ignored the fact that his handsome features and striking silver hair were one of the reasons why so many He shook his head and ignored the fact that his handsome features and striking silver hair were one of the reasons why so many passersby would turn around to look at the group.

    The moon was shining brightly above their heads when they finally arrived at the ce where the festival was held.

    Kyle''s eyes trailed around, different from the streets they walked before, the ce in front of him was adorned with a lot of colorful lights sparkling brightly under the dark clouds.

    The number of shops doubled. On both sides, countless food stalls and merchants were selling their goods with ambiguous smiles.

    Moreover, the atmosphere was bustling with noisyughter and a huge crowd. The ce was mostly filled with elves but Kyle saw a lot of humans and demi-humans roaming around the streetfortably. He even noticed a few dwarfs, a race that was rarely seen on the East Continent.

    After a minute, he pinched his brows.

    ''Too much noise. Now I know why Regius and the others were reluctant toe to the festival.''

    He silently walked between the rows of stalls with an expressionless face. Amidst the loud atmosphere, his silver hair sparkled under the lights.

    Kyle eyed a decent-looking weapon shop behind a clothing stall and gazed at his group members, they were standing in front of a food stall.

    He clicked his tongue because he could sense all of them were excited even though they didn''t want toe here.

    With a sigh, Kyle increased his speed and arrived beside Regius. He opened his mouth to speak when he noticed a few drunk individuals staggering out from a restaurant. They stumbled and crashed into a lot of people. One of them even flirted with a young elven girl standing with her parents.

    A frown appeared on Kyle''s face when he saw them approaching Yue. He didn''t think much about it but he noticed how they were ogling at Yue figure with lustful eyes.

    He moved back with a calm expression and stood behind Yue who was startled due to his sudden movement.

    She looked back at him and blinked her eyes.

    "What happened?"

    "Nothing."

    Kyle''s voice was nonchnt, but after his voice faded into the air a pained cry sounded behind his back. The cry startled a lot of people standing around them.

    However, the culprit merely raised his brow and looked back with a cold expression. Kyle''s fingers swirled and tiny wisps of blue mes lingered on his skin.

    One of the drunk individuals had his fingers frozen into ice the moment he moved his hand toward Yue. He screamed and squirmed in pain. His friends gazed at him with horrid eyes and looked at Kyle who was staring at them coldly.

    In the next second, they abandoned the screaming guy and started running to save their lives.

    Regius and the others stopped and looked at Kyle with confused eyes. Why did he suddenly attack a citizen? However, their confusion was answered when they looked at Yue who was frozen in her spot.

    Amidst the quiet crowd, Yue eyed Kyle with aplicated expression.

    She wasn''t weak and a few seconds ago she indeed sensed a creepy gaze lingering around her body but she never expected Kyle would go out of his way to stop the person who wanted to touch her. That''s why she was stunned for a second.

    Yue gazed at the silver-haired boy standing in front of her. Just like how they first met his eyes were pure, devoid of any lust and disgusting desire.

    She felt ufortable but the moment their eyes met her ears turned bright red. However, she didn''t dodge and from her expressionless face no one could guess what she was thinking.

    Her voice was firm when she called out his name.

    "Kyle?"

    Kyle shrugged his shoulders and retracted his gaze to look at the Regius and the others.

    "It''s nothing."

    A far contrast to his words, the drunken man who was crying behind him while clutching his frozen fingers almost choked. His pupils dted with shock when his frozen fingers started disintegrating. Even the crowd got scared and immediately distanced themselves from the crying man who fainted after his fingers turned into tiny particles.

    Kyle wore an innocent expression as he pointed at the decent-looking weapon shop he had seen a while ago.

    "I am going to sell some weapons. You all can eat and look around the festival."

    Regius and the others finally snapped out from their trace when they saw Kyle fading back. After Kyle disappeared, they looked at each other and sighed.

    Sinon pinched his nose with a groan.

    "I think Kyle overdid it but this type of people can never understand if no one put sense in them."

    Regius nodded. He turned around and started walking toward a nearby stall.

    "His skills are indeed unique. Let''s leave, Kyle will catch up to us after he is done."

 Chapter 245 The auction I

    <h4>Chapter 245 The auction I</h4>

    The loud whispers and noise faded behind him when Kyle opened the door and stepped inside the weapon shop.

    The shop was filled with various kinds of weapons but he ignored them all and approached the white-haired old man standing at the counter.

    The old man''s brows wrinkled when he saw Kyle. Just a few minutes ago, he sensed the crying man outside his shop but to his astonishment, he wasn''t able to sense the culprit''s presence. That''s why he gazed outside from a window.

    However, even after looking at the silver-haired boy who attacked the screaming guy the man wasn''t able to sense anything from him.

    His expression was cautious as he looked at Kyle.

    "What can I help you with sir?"

    Kyle didn''t mind the old man''s gaze. He gazed at his pointy ears and went straight to the point.

    "I want to sell some weapons. There are a lot and their quality is not good so I am willing to sell them as long as you can offer a good price."

    The old man nodded and gestured for Kyle to show him the weapons.

    In the next second, a pile of weapons appeared beside the counter. The old man was astonished once again because Kyle wasn''t wearing any storage ring. However, he was soon distracted when he saw the pile of weapons.

    After inspecting the weapons he nodded.

    "Mostly you have swords. Among the pile the highest rank weapon is (D+)-Rank. Including the saber, I will offer 7,000 mana stones for all of them."

    Kyle raised his eyebrow with surprise because except for the bow he bought before the event he took out all the weapons he gathered during the event.

    "Only 7,000? The saber is precious and there are so many weapons!"

    The old man gave him a business smile. He pointed at the pile of weapons.

    "I believe you stole them from others because I don''t think anyone would carry so many low-rank weapons with them. So, the amount I am offering is already huge because not many would buy these weapons."

    Kyle blinked and pinched his nose.

    ''This old man is cunning.''

    He grumbled but agreed because 7,000 mana stones were better than being poor.

    The old man''s smile widened. He hurriedly took out a low-rank storage ring and ced 7,000 mana stones inside before handing the ring to Kyle.

    "Please never hesitate to visit again."

    Kyle clicked his tongue and left the shop. He wandered around for a while and stopped in front of an old barbershop.

    After contemting for a second, he entered the shop. Unlike the weapon shop the barber shop was pretty empty. There were just a few chairs and some mirrors hanging on the walls.

    A middle-aged woman with curly hair greeted him with a smile.

    "What''s up, kid? Want to do your hair? You arrived at a good time. I just opened the shop so there is no customer."

    Kyle gave her a nod and subconsciously gazed at her ears. They were not pointy. She was a human.

    The woman was delighted and asked him to sit on a nearby chair. She gazed at the mirror and chuckled when Kyle''s hair glistened under the light.

    "You have such pretty hair kid. You sure you want to cut them?"

    Kyle grabbed his shoulder-length hair.

    "It''s fine. Just make them shorter."

    With a nod, the woman admired his shoulder-length silver hair onest time and picked up the scissors.

    With each snip, Kyle''s hair gradually became shorter. The sound of the scissors cutting through the strands filled the air. Kyle watched in the mirror as his hair transformed. As the final touches were made, Kyle couldn''t help but nod at his reflection, loving the fresh and polished appearance.

    The woman gazed at his reflection with a satisfied expression.

    "Kid, do you like your new look? Also, you have a pretty pair of eyes."

    Kyle patted his clothes and stood up. He gazed at his reflection. He looked good with long hair but shorter hair wasn''t bad either.

    "It''s good."

    "Just good?"

    Kyle blinked and looked back at the woman who was smiling at him with a smug expression.

    "Ahem... How much do I need to pay?"

    The woman sighed when her work wasn''t appreciated and shook her head.

    "No need. It''s rare to meet a customer with such soft and bright hair. So, it''s free."

    A smile appeared on Kyle''s face. For some unknown reason, she looked kind and gentle now. Of course, it was definitely not because she didn''t ask for money.

    He thanked her without noticing how his simple smile had a devasting effect on the woman.

    Kyle left the shop, leaving behind the woman who was frozen in her spot. Only when Kyle was gone, did the women snap out and look at his fading back.

    "Damn, how can someone smile so beautifully?"

    Meanwhile, the moment Kyle stepped out from the shop a middle-aged man entered the shop. Kyle stopped in his tracks and looked at the man. Just like the women the middle-aged man was a human. However, he was injured, blood was flowing out from his abdomen leaving behind a long trail.

    A frown appeared on Kyle''s face. He immediately sensed the man''s rank and his frown deepened.

    "He is (D)-Rank. The woman was (E+)-Rank. What if he is running away from some enemies? Can she handle it?"

    Kyle''s face darkened. It was very rare for him to have a good impression of someone. And the curly-haired woman was one of those rare people.

    Without even thinking twice, he entered the shop again with silent footsteps but he sighed with relief when he saw the situation.

    The injured man was sitting on the chair where Kyle was sitting a while ago. On the other hand, the woman was crying and pouring something on his wound.

    ''It''s seemed they know each other.''

    He was going to leave silently when he identally heard the woman''s hushed exmation.

    "How can they be so heartless? They are trying to silence all the low-rank workers who know about the secret auction. Look at yourself. You are bleeding so much! What would I do if something happened to you?"

 Chapter 246 The auction II

    <h4>Chapter 246 The auction II</h4>

    Kyle stopped in his tracks and looked at the crying woman. The man sitting on the chair winced in pain when she cleaned his wound. He rubbed her hair with a faint smile.

    "I am fine. Don''t cry. I am just a normal worker who went there to earn some easy money. I never thought it would cost my life. Let''s leave this ce it''s not safe anymore."

    The woman pped his hand away.

    "How are you fine? Look at the wound! It''s so deep. The medium-grade healing potion is not working. To cure itpletely we need a high-grade healing potion! Also, how are you going to travel in this condition?"

    Her voice turned fainter and tears glistened in her eyes. The man was going tofort her when Kyle cleared his throat to let his presence known.

    A wary expression appeared on the man''s face. He stood up amidst his bleeding wound and grabbed the woman''s wrist to hide her behind his back.

    "Who are you?"

    His voice was icy cold and the woman panicked when she saw his wound. She gazed at Kyle and her expression hardened.

    "Kid, why are you back?"

    Kyle looked at the wary couple for a second and took out a healing potion from his mind space. It was the same potion Yue gave him when he was sitting inside the cave.

    "I mean no harm. I just saw the blood trail and came back to check."

    He showed them the healing potion.

    "It''s a high-grade healing potion. I can give it to you...."

    The man looked at Kyle for a second and then he looked at the woman standing behind him. She whispered something in his ear and he finally understood why she was familiar with the kid.

    However, his expression was still vignt when he looked back at Kyle.

    "I believe you are strong because I can''t sense your rank. What do you want in exchange there is no way you want to give us such an expensive potion for free."

    Kyle gazed at them and went straight to the point.

    "I want to know about the auction. Nothing more."

    A shocked expression appeared on the man''s face when he heard the youth standing in front of him. The woman was also taken aback. She looked at Kyle''s figure and stepped away from the man.

    "Kid, it''s dangerous. Why do you want to know about the auction?"

    Her voice was grave because the young boy standing in front of her looked so innocent. It would be a pity if he suffered something tragic.

    Kyle''s impression of the woman became even better.

    "It doesn''t matter. Just tell me about it and I will give you the healing potion. It''s a win-win situation because after using the potion both of you can leave this ce."

    She was hesitant but then nodded. In the end, the kid was big enough to decide for himself. Also, they have to leave this ce as soon as possible. Who knows when their enemies will arrive at the shop?

    She looked at the injured man and gestured for him to trust the kid. The man frowned but he sat down and started narrating what he knew about the auction.

    "I only know the location of the auction and the fact.... that they are going to auction a lot of ves. Nothing else."

    Kyle stepped forward. He handed the healing potion to the man with a nod.

    "That''s enough."

    After a few minutes, Kyle stepped out of the shop. He took out themunication crystal Regius bought for him and injected his mana into the crystal.

    The crystal trembled slightly and after a few minutes, Regius''s voice sounded from the crystal.

    "Kyle? Where are you? We thought you were in the weapon shop but when we went to check you were gone."

    Kyle looked around and started walking back toward the weapon shop.

    "I am not far from that shop. Just tell me your location."

    Regius''s voice paused for a second.

    "Juste back to the same spot where we separated. Also, the others are done looking around and want to go back because now it''s getting boring."

    "Alright."

    Kyle cut the connection and started running through the crowd. His figure shed and within a few minutes, he arrived in front of the stall where he used his mes to freeze the fingers of the drunken man.

    The atmosphere around the ce had long returned to normal and the unconscious man''s body was nowhere to be seen. Maybe after Kyle left, the man''s body was taken away by his friends.

    Kyle waited patiently and after ten minutes he saw a few familiar figures walking toward him.

    He approached them with unhurried steps. The first one to notice him was Sinon. He eximed with surprise.

    "You cut your hair?"

    He widened his eyes and looked at Kyle with a sour expression.

    "I don''t want to admit it but I am a little jealous."

    Regius patted his shoulder with a chuckle.

    "Just a little?"

    Sinon pped his hand away and looked at him from head to toe.

    "I am handsome so it''s only a little for me. Not sure about you."

    Regius''s smile faltered but he was a big-hearted person so he ignored Sinon''s remark. However, his expression darkened when Niamh and Faith nodded at Sinon''s words.

    He folded his sleeves with a smile that didn''t reach his eyes.

    "Let''s see who is more handsome when I punch your face once or twice."

    Sinon, Niamh, and Faith''s faces turned grim. They were ready to run when Yue sighed at their behavior.

    "Stop fighting."

    She stepped forward to stop them when her gaze finallynded on Kyle. She froze for a second and gazed at his head.

    A low whisper emerged from her lips unconsciously.

    "Longer were better."

    Her voice was so dim that it drifted away with the wind and no one was able to hear it.

    Kyle looked at Regius who was ready to spill blood just because he wasn''t handsome enough.

    ''Ahem.... I didn''t mean that. It''s Sinon.''

    He shook his head to clear his mind and gathered their attention.

    "Guys, I found the auction location."

 Chapter 247 Easy entry

    <h4>Chapter 247 Easy entry</h4>

    All of them froze and listened to Kyle attentively.

    "It''s dangerous but everyone wanted to know about it. That''s why I didn''t go there alone. So, does anyone want toe with me?"

    Kyle paused and waited for them to digest the information. At first, he was reluctant to tell them but then he recalled the fact that everyone agreed toe here because of him. He was the one who suggested they should confirm the rumors about the auction.

    The first one to react was Yue.

    "We also heard some whispers about this topic in a restaurant. However, when Regius grabbed some of them to question no knew about the auction location. Let''s go together to confirm if it''s true. Afterward, I will inform my father. He is nearby and will immediately head over."

    Regius pondered for a second and nodded.

    "It''s dangerous but if Yue''s father ising I don''t think we need to worry about anything."

    Niamh and Faith also nodded. The only one left was Sinon but when everyone turned around to stare at him, he raised his hands with a sigh.

    "Who am I to reject when everyone is going? Of course, I will go as well."

    Kyle gave them a nod and looked toward the east.

    "Let''s go."

    He started walking and the others followed behind him. They stopped in a few ces on the way but after an hour, Kyle stopped in front of a restaurant.

    It was huge with ornate architecture andrge windows. A sign board was hanging above therge door that was opened to wee customers.

    Kyle noticed with a raised brow that the surrounding street was too crowded. At first nce, everyone looked busy in various activities but when he looked closer he saw a lot of individuals d in luxurious clothes.

    ''This street is filled with rich individuals or are they nobles?''

    His gaze traveled to the restaurant when Regius tapped his shoulder.

    "So where do we need to go next? I don''t see anything out of the ordinary here."

    Kyle looked at them and started walking but instead of going toward the restaurant, he entered a dark alley present beside the restaurant.

    Regius and the others silently followed behind him.

    After a minute, Kyle''s steps turned silent and he stopped under the shadow of a wall. He looked back at everyone and pointed in front of him.

    "The entrance is here. They are holding the auction underground."

    All of them looked at the ce Kyle pointed and their gazended at a pile of wooden boxes stacked in front of a small metal door. Two tall figures d in ck clothes were silently standing outside the door.

    Kyle and the others watched for a while. After every minute, some individuals wearing robes or luxurious attires would arrive in front of the metal door. They would show a blue card to one of the tall figures and the metal door would open for them to enter inside.

    Regius took in a sharp breath and narrowed his eyes at the two tall figures.

    "What next?"

    He looked at the others and his eyes widened.

    "Huh? Where is Kyle and Yue?"

    Sinon hushed him and pointed behind him.

    "Yue is informing her father and Kyle.... he said he is going to ''borrow'' some blue cards."

    A confused expression appeared on Regius''s face.

    "Borrow?..."

    However, in the next second, his question was answered when he saw how Kyle was ''borrowing'' the blue cards.

    Regius blinked his eyes with astonishment. Not just him even Sinon, Niamh, and Faith were speechless when they saw Kyle.

    He was kidnapping some of those individuals who were supposed to enter the metal door! Kyle didn''t kill them, instead, he tapped their necks to make them unconscious before those individuals reached the tall figures.

    The process was so smooth and fast that before Regius and the others could react, Kyle was already beside them with two unconscious bodies.

    He tossed the bodies at them with a serious expression.

    "Check for the cards."

    Regius opened his mouth to say something but Kyle was already gone to kidnap some more individuals.

    "Why does he look so proficient in this?"

    He murmured under his breath and looked at the others who were already checking the unconscious bodies.

    Sinon looked at him with an innocent expression.

    "Don''t worry. We are just ''borrowing'' the cards. Nothing else."

    Regius pinched his brows and tapped Sinon''s shoulder.

    "Why are you only searching for the cards? Now that we are doing it let''s just ''borrow'' everything."

    He chuckled at his own words and everyone''s eyes sparkled. They stripped everything valuable from the unconscious bodies.

    Kyle returned with another two figures and before he could speak, Regius waved his hand to stop him.

    "We need six cards, four done two more to go. Go grab two more figures."

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched but he nodded and went back.

    Soon, Regius was holding six blue cards with an evil grin. If one looked closely they would notice the many glistening storage rings in his fingers. The others were standing behind him with sour expressions.

    Kyle kidnapped the figures! Sinon, Faith, and Niamh found the cards! However, the one who got the most benefits was Regius! How unfair!

    At the same time, after sending her location to her father Yue returned to them with a frustrated expression.

    "Dad said we should go back. He will arrive here in a while and take care of everything."

    Kyle looked at them and thought maybe they wanted to return but Regius shed the cards in front of Yue with a grin.

    "Let''s just visit the auction. We have everything we need."

    Yue''s eyes sparkled and she hurriedly grabbed one of the cards with a nod. Even though it was dangerous she didn''t want to just go back without even looking at the auction.

    She gazed at the unconscious figures lying at the side and looked at the others who were ready to walk toward the metal door.

    "Is it okay to just leave them here?"

    Kyle gazed back at the figures.

    "It''s okay. They won''t wake up for a while."

    After dividing the cards all of them quietly walked out from the shadows and started walking toward the two tall figures. They passed through the many wooden boxes and arrived in front of the metal door.

    One of the tall figures gazed at Kyle with a silent stare and Kyle showed him the blue card.

    The man grabbed the card and after inspecting it for a few seconds he nodded and opened the door behind him.

    "You can enter."

    Kyle looked back at the others and stepped through the doors. After he disappeared, the tall man looked at the others and asked them to show him the cards one by one.

    In the end, all of them entered the metal door so easily that it was kind of unbelievable.

 Chapter 248 The Royal guards attacked

    <h4>Chapter 248 The Royal guards attacked</h4>

    The moment Kyle stepped in the metal door, he found himself standing at the top of a dimly lit stairway. The stairs stretch downward, disappearing into the shadows.

    He nced at the stairs but didn''t move and waited for the others. A few secondster Regius''s hushed voice sounded behind him.

    "It''s leading underground."

    Kyle nodded and when the others arrived behind him, he took a step forward. The light golden mes on both sides of the stairs flickered in a warm glow and within a minute, they reached the end of the stairway.

    However, the scenery abruptly changed and a bright hall appeared in front of them. The hall was filled with many chairs and tables upied by a lot of young and old individuals in different attires. The only thingmon in them was that they all looked rich.

    The atmosphere was filled withughter but Kyle''s expression hardened when he heard a few muffled sounds.

    His gaze darted around andnded at the corner where two chained elven females d in revealing clothes were sobbing silently but the people sitting in the hall didn''t even acknowledge their cries. Instead, they were looking at their bodies with disgusting eyes.

    Kyle looked away and his face turned expressionless. It was better not to act recklessly. Moreover, the moment he entered the hall he could feel a lot of eyes on his body.

    Just like him, Regius and others were also angered but when he started moving, they silently followed behind him.

    A lot of eyes followed their movements as they walked toward a nearby table but then a middle-aged man with emerald hair stopped them with a smile. The man was wearing a long coat with many thin silver strings hanging around his arms.

    The man''s eyes trailed around them with a glint before he looked at Kyle with a wide smirk.

    "Hello sir, my name is Mr. I am the person in charge of sending everyone to their specific seats. However...."

    His eyes turned sharp.

    "I have never seen you before. Would you be kind enough to show me your card?"

    Kyle didn''t even flinch under his gaze and waved his hand arrogantly. However, inwardly he was sweating buckets because he wasn''t able to sense Mr''s rank. Kyle was sure the man was at least (A)-Rank! Not only that he could feel a few more powerful presence around him.

    Regius and the others started praising Kyle''s guts when they saw how Kyle looked at the man with an arrogant expression and a blue card appeared between his fingers.

    Kyle concealed his sweaty palm and shed the card in front of Mr.

    "Will this suffice?"

    Mr eyed the card with a smile but his smile faltered when his eyes trailed to the golden carving at the edge. In the next second, he started sweating and bowed down in front of Kyle with an apologetic expression.

    "Sir, I apologize. I didn''t know you were a VIP guest."

    Kyle was startled at the sudden turn of events. He gazed at the card with aplicated expression.

    ''A VIP card?''

    Even though he was surprised, he immediately smoothed his expression and clicked his tongue loudly.

    "I am quite disappointed but because my friends are following me I won''t create a big issue. Just show us our seats."

    Mr nodded frantically and wiped his sweat. Now, he didn''t even dare to look at Kyle directly because only a few individuals had VIP cards. Also, the staff was ordered toplete their every request at all costs!

    "Please follow me. The auction will start within an hour."

    He turned around and started moving. They passed through the crowd and made their way toward the end of the hall.

    Kyle raised his brow when Mr neared a wall and didn''t stop at all. In the next second, his body disappeared into the wall.

    Kyle''s eyes widened as he followed behind him with the others. The moment they passed through the wall they felt a cold sensation on their bodies.

    Mr looked back at Kyle with a smile and started walking again. They passed through a long narrow path with a few doors before stopping in front of a door.

    Mr opened the door to reveal a room for Kyle and the others and all of them stepped inside.

    Kyle''s eyes darted around, it was a decent room filled with nothing but a few chairs and a long table. The wall opposite him had arge opening, showcasing the area outside the room.

    Also, two of the chairs inside the room were upied by a horned man and a middle-aged elven woman.

    Mr pointed at the chairs with a smile.

    "Sir, here you and your friends can sit together. The two other guests are also VIPs. Please wait, the auction will start in a while. Also, you can call me anytime by ringing the bell ced on the table."

    Kyle nodded at him and Mr disappeared from the room.

    Regius who was quiet for so long released arge breath. He eyed the two strangers sitting on the chairs and whispered slowly.

    "I feel like I just lived through ten years."

    Kyle chuckled and moved toward the chairs. He sat down on one of the chairs, Yue sat down on his left and the others sat down on his right.

    All of them gazed at the opening opposite them. It showed arge area filled with rows of chairs. Half of the chairs were upied and half empty. At the end, a huge stage surrounded by red curtains was present.

    Just like their room, a few more openings were present above the rows of chairs. It seems the rooms were specially created for the VIPs to separate them from themon bidders.

    The horned man gazed at the youngsters who just arrived in the room with a smile.

    "Kids, here to have fun?"

    His smile stiffened when no one replied. He was ignoredpletely like air. The horned man snorted at them and stopped speaking.

    Kyle and the others waited patiently for the long-awaited auction but their wait was futile because only after a minute a shrill cry sounded from the form the the rows of chairs.

    "We are surrounded! The Royal guards attacked the ce run away to save your lives!"

 Chapter 249 Won’t be able to see the auction

    <h4>Chapter 249 Won''t be able to see the auction</h4>

    The horned man sitting a few meters away from Kyle jolted when he heard the cry.

    "What!? How?"

    A dark expression appeared on his face. How was this possible for the Royal guards to appear here?

    "Who the heck disclose the location!?"

    He cried out loudly. Outside the VIP rooms, the many individuals sitting on the rows of chairs panicked. The moment the exmation was made all of them rushed toward the exit. The area around the stage soon turned messy with everyone pushing and pulling each other to get the lead.

    The horned man looked outside the opening. He didn''t care about anyone else and immediately ran off toward the door. He had to leave this ce because if he was caught his whole family would be impacted! The elven woman sitting beside him also left the room hurriedly.

    Kyle gazed at their fading backs and looked at the opening to see the situation. Loud panicked voices resounded everywhere and he could hear the sounds of battle at a distance. He looked at Yue who was sitting on his left.

    Yue sensed his gaze and sighed with a frustrated expression. She whispered slowly with a bitter smile.

    "It seems we won''t be able to see the auction. Dad is here."

    Regiusughed out loud.

    "Then what are we waiting for let''s make a mess! The people in charge of this auction would have prepared many precious things for the auction! Let''s ''borrow'' some of them! We can check around for the mermaid as well. It''s not like they can ce a living being in their storage rings."

    Sinon, Niamh, and Faith''s eyes sparkled and they grinned when they heard the word ''borrowed''. Even though they were rich stealing from others was more fun!

    Only Yue wasn''t able to understand what Regius was talking about. She looked at them with confusion.

    Kyle stood up and rubbed his hands with a smirk.

    "Let''s start from the stage."

    He grabbed the wall and jumped down from the opening present in the room, heading straight toward the huge stage.

    Regius chuckled and jumped down behind him.

    Sinon looked at the duo and cursed out loudly.

    "Fuck! I don''t want to jump even though it''s not that high I just don''t like heights..."

    His sentence was cut abruptly when Niamh pushed him toward the opening.

    Sinon''s horrid cry rang out amidst the chaotic crowd. He looked at the iing ground with contracted pupils and subconsciously opened his folded wings to fly.

    Sinon stopped an inch above the ground. His forehead was filled with sweat and his heart was thumping wildly. He propelled his body andnded safely before ring at Niamh with resentful eyes.

    Regius looked back. Heughed out loud and praised Niamh.

    "Excellent Niamh!"

    A vein bugled on Sinon''s forehead but he swallowed his anger.

    ''I will take revenge one day!''

    He put Niamh''s name inside his revenge list that had Kyle''s name on the top and started running behind Regius.

    Yue was thest to jump down from the opening. She followed behind the boys with an excited expression. She was disappointed when she wasn''t able to see the auction but this was even better!

    Kyle stepped on the stage and gazed around. The crowd was almost gone and only a few figures were running wildly.

    He looked at the red curtains hanging around the stage and yanked them away with one swift movement.

    A crisp sound resounded and a long narrow path appeared in front of them.

    Kyle squinted his eyes. At a distance, a few figures d in formal attires were rushing in the opposite direction. Also, they seemed to be dragging a lot of cage-like structures.

    "Someone''s there."

    Kyle sped up behind the figures with an incredible speed but suddenly his pupils dted and he tilted his body to dodge a deing straight toward his shoulder.

    Regius who was running behind him cried out loudly.

    "Kyle!"

    Kyle sucked in a cold breath and looked back, a bald man dressed in ck from head to toe looked at him with a deadpan expression.

    The man opened his mouth and barked out loudly.

    "Who are you? And why the hell are you running on the stage? Leave immediately!"

    Kyle clenched his fists. Why didn''t he check his surroundings more clearly? It was the first time he made this type of mistake!

    He looked back at Regius and the others.

    Yue took out a wand from her storage ring. She looked at the bald man with a wary expression.

    "Don''t worry Kyle we will fight with you!"

    Regius and the other boys immediately rushed toward Kyle and stood beside him. All of them were ready to fight the bald man but then Kyle raised his hand with an expressionless face.

    Bright blue mes danced around his fingers, the bald man looked at the mes. He scoffed and looked at the kids with a mocking expression.

    "What? You all wanna fight with me?"

    He raised his eyes with an arrogant expression and (A+)-Rank pressure seeped out from his body. The pressure descended on everyone''s bodies like a mountain.

    Regius, Yue, Sinon, Niamh, and Faith started sweating due to the pressure. It took their entire willpower to stand firmly on the ground.

    Kyle felt the pressure. It was indeed affecting him but it was not enough to make him sweat.

    The manughed when he saw their expressions.

    "Just leave. No. No.. All of you have pretty faces. It''s not a bad idea if I sell yo..."

    His sentence was cut short because the hair behind his back stood up. A cold tip grazed the back of his neck and dread shed through his eyes. He could feel it! His skin was freezing!

    He eyed the young kids standing in front of him and uttered in disbelief.

    "How?..."

    Kyle looked at him coldly. Arge spear made of blue mes was floating behind the man, just a single thought from Kyle, and the man would die in the next second.

    The pressure descending on them ceased and the others looked at Kyle with wide eyes.

    The bald man didn''t see it but they saw how a wisp of blue mes appeared behind the man out of thin air. And within a few seconds, the mes took the shape of arge spear! The process was so fast and precise that if the tip of the spear didn''t stop after touching the d man''s neck he would have perished without even knowing how he died!

    Under their astonished gaze, the bald man froze in his spot. He didn''t dare to move because he could sense how dangerous the tip touching his neck was.

 Chapter 250 Have you ever killed someone before?

    <h4>Chapter 250 Have you ever killed someone before?</h4>

    Kyle raised his eyes to look at the narrow path when a flustered cry sounded behind him. A few seconds ago, he was able to hear faint sounds of metal being dragged on the ground but it all stopped the moment he trapped the bald man.

    Kyle''s brows knitted into a frown when he sensed a few pairs of eyes looking at his body. He squinted his eyes and saw a few individuals d in long hoodies rushing at him from the path contact to the stage.

    Regius expression turned grave. His previous excitement died down and he turned around to look at the narrow path.

    "Kyle, can you sense their ranks?"

    Kyle thought for a while and looked at the bald man who was sweating buckets with a painful expression.

    "Not strong. Three (D-)-Ranks and one (D)-Rank. I think they are normal workers."

    His voice sounded strained. He could see the tip of the spear had prated the bald man''s skin. However, it wasn''t deep enough to kill him.

    Regius didn''t notice Kyle''s conflicted expression and gave him a nod.

    At that moment, the rushing individuals arrived on the stage, they stared at Kyle and the bald man but instead of attacking Kyle or saving the bald man they quietly stepped away with panicked expressions.

    The bald man''s throat turned dry and his eyes contracted as he red at the individuals d in hoodies.

    "What are you all doing? Attack him!"

    He gritted out amidst the coldness prating his neck.

    Kyle''s eyes turned cold and he moved his fingers. In an instant, the tip of the spear prated an inch further inside the bald man''s neck and the man shut his mouth tightly.

    However, the man sensed something was off with Kyle. If he wanted to kill him, he could do it in an instant because the man could sense how devastating the coldness prating his body was. His heart was pounding loudly due to dread but a strange thought appeared in his mind and he snapped his eyes to look at Kyle with a bewildered yet surprised expression.

    A few secondster, even Regius and the others be confused. They were waiting for Kyle to finish the man but Kyle did nothing except stare at the man.

    Hope shed through the bald man''s eyes as he stared at the silver-haired kid standing in front of him. He grinned inwardly.

    ''He is hesitating because he has never killed a human before!''

    He opened his mouth to speak but at that moment Kyle moved his hand roughly. The bald man''s eyes widened with shock when the tip of the spear grazed the side of his neck sharply.

    Half of his neck froze and sharp pain assaulted his mind but before he could scream in pain he found himself fainting with disbelief painted on his face.

    Kyle turned around and looked at the individuals d in hoodies. All of them were already panicked when they saw Kyle and after seeing the bald man''s condition they turned around to leave the stage but before they could leave Regius stopped them with a serious expression.

    "Leave the storage rings behind."

    Regius words were akin to sharp arrows. One of the hoodied men gritted his teeth and took off his storage ring. He stuttered out with a shaky voice.

    "We... only have one ring."

    Regius nodded and snatched the ring. Afterward, he waved his hand to shoo them away.

    The hoodied men trembled and all of them ran off the stage without looking back.

    Kyle nced at their fading back. He sighed and massaged his temples. Even though he had thought about killing others a lot of times. He was hesitant when he actually had to kill someone. Moreover, whenever he wanted to kill he did it indirectly or just made them lose consciousness. Even when he was kidnapped he didn''t kill anyone himself. He always med hisck of strength to avoid this topic.

    It was a ring w, in this world where the strong always stomped on the weak, his hesitation to kill others was indeed worrisome.

    Killing monsters was fine because they were beasts that threatened everyone''s safety. Kyle knew he could kill thousands of monsters without flinching but...

    He grumbled inwardly and shook his head to distract his thoughts.

    "Let''s advance."

    Kyle looked at the narrow path and started moving.

    Yue gazed at Kyle''s back and eyed the bald man''s body. Even though half of his neck was frozen, he was breathing.

    She hurriedly approached him and started walking beside him with steady steps. Her voice was faint but Kyle heard it clearly.

    "You should have killed him. He was not a good person."

    Kyle hummed with a serious expression. He nced at her.

    "Have you ever killed someone before?"

    Yue bit down on her lips and replied faintly.

    "No.. "

    Kyle saw her fiddling fingers and didn''t ask anything further.

    At the same time, Regius who was ying with the new storage ring gazed at Kyle and Yue''s backs. A grin appeared on his face and he quietly slid the storage ring on one of his empty fingers.

    With a big smile, he eyed the bald man''s body and looked at Sinon, Niamh, and Faith

    "Check his body."

    Sinon''s expression turned ugly. He felt like punching Regius''s face because he was being treated like a servant!

    "You are the one who is pocketing the rings! So why do we need to do the work!"

    Regius raised his brow and shrugged his shoulders.

    "Just because."

    His answer was infruiting and now even Niamh and Faith wanted to punch him but they curbed their urge and decided to check the bald man''s body quietly.

    A storage ring was fished out within a few seconds but before the trio could look at the ring properly Regius snatched it and slid it on his pinky finger.

    "Nice, just two more rings to cover myst two empty fingers."

    Regius nodded with a satisfied expression and ran off behind Kyle and Yue without caring about the deadly res Sinon, Niamh, and Faith were boring at his body.

 Chapter 251 I think Nine is...

    <h4>Chapter 251 I think Nine is...</h4>

    Meanwhile in a different ce surrounded by thick green trees. Bia was sitting above someone''s body with a bored expression.

    A far contrast to before half of her feathers were blue with ayer of green at the edges. The remaining red feathers were shining with a golden hue under the moonlight.

    Her small body moved up and down at a rapid pace when the person below her did one push-up after another.

    She lifted her reddish blue eyes to look at the crying figure a few meters away from her.

    -''Tsk, he is crying again. Why can''t he stay quiet even for a second?''

    She grumbled inwardly and wanted to roll her eyes. The figure was Nine. His brown were lidded with dirt and his body was filled with sweat. He was wearing a half-sleeved shirt with tight trousers.

    The area around her was dimly lit up with many round orbs flying above the youngsters who were doing push-ups with one hand.

    She looked down at Alec who was the most diligent one and an evil idea appeared in her mind.

    -''Should I increase my weight?''

    In the next second, the person below her trembled when the pressure on his body doubled. Alec gritted out with a bitter smile.

    "Bia... be merciful I am gonna copse at this rate."

    Bia chuckled and lowered her weight. After Kyle awakened his bloodline a lot of changes happened within her body. She gazed at the white-haired old who was currently cursing Nine with a fed-up expression.

    After an hour the old man finally let the youngsters go. He cleared his throat and gathered the kids in front of him.

    "Today is thest day of your training. Tomorrow afternoon George and a few individuals will take you all to the outeryer of the ck forest. For the next month, everyone will hunt monsters and increase their battle powers."

    Amidst everything he didn''t forget to re at a certain brown haired who made his life difficult.

    "Go rest for the night. Just camp around the trees this area is safe."

    He looked at a certain someone with a deadpan expression.

    "Also, if anyone tried to run away. This time I am going to break their legs!"

    Nine shivered and hid behind Carcel with a grim look.

    "I messed up again. This grumpy old man is too cruel!"

    Carcel chuckled and shook his head at Nine antics.

    The old man humped. He turned around and left the kids alone.

    All the youngsters sighed with relief and cheered inwardly. For some reason, no one wanted to see this old man ever again. He trained them so hard that their bones almost cracked!

    They staggered around with sluggish footsteps. Any ce was fine as long as they could sleep peacefully.

    Amidst the tired crowd, Bia noticed Nine was secretly moving away from everyone.

    She almostughed out loud.

    -''He just received a warning but he is still trying to run off!''

    She left Alec''s shoulder and started flying. A few eyes looked at her but they didn''t think much about it because this area was safe.

    Bia followed behind Nine who ran off in the trees, she was itching to make some loud noise so the old man could catch him but stopped because instead of running away Nine simply went toward a nearby waterfall.

    -''Huh? Don''t tell me he just wants to take a bath?''

    She sighed with disappointment and was ready to fly away.

    -''What a pity I wanted to see him in tears.''

    However, what happened next made her stunned for a second. Nine slumped down on the ground with a groan. He put his feet in the water and under the dim moonlight, his skin started glowing in a bright blue color.

    Bia stopped moving and stared at his bright skin with wide eyes.

    Nine looked up at the sky with a pained expression. He started grumbling in a faint voice.

    "Sigh, I almost died due to dehydration. That fucking old man! I told him so many times I don''t want to enter the Secret Realm so why the fuck is he not letting me go! I just want to secretly murder him in his sleep!"

    Bia perked up her ears and listened to him quietly. She already had her hunch about his race and now seeing his skin glow in such an unusual way she was 60 percent sure about her guess.

    Her thoughts were disturbed when Nine turned around to look toward the ce where she was sitting.

    "Who is there?"

    He shouted out and stood up immediately but when he saw Bia''s small figure on a nearby tree he sighed and sat down again.

    "Oh, it''s Bia. I thought it was the old man."

    Nine stretched his arms and looked at Bia who started flying and arrived beside him.

    He chuckled when she stared at his skin with curious eyes.

    "Are you surprised? Well, it''s normal I am different from others. Everyone from the sea had this trait. Our bodies start glowing if we are actively absorbing water but keep it a secret okay? Don''t tell Kyle when you meet him. I wonder what he is doing. It''s so long but there is no news about him."

    Bia nodded with seriousness, making Nineugh again. However, he was unaware of the fact that Bia was someone who could never keep a secret.

    While he was soaking his feet in the water with a pleasant expression she was already speaking with Kyle through their mind link.

    -''Kyle.... I think Nine is...''

    Her words were cut off when Kyle replied immediately.

    ''I know.''

    .....

    Some time ago in the ce where the auction was held. Kyle and Yue quietly walked in the narrow path for a minute and arrived in a room filled withrge square-shaped metal cages. The upper part of the cages was covered with thick ck nkets, hiding everything withinpletely.

    Yue looked at the cages with knitted brows. Her ears twitched when she sensed faint breathing sounds from the covered cages. Among the silent breathing, there was a faint sound of watering from one of the biggest cages.

    Kyle wanted to remove the nket from the cage from where he sensed the water sound to see what was inside when Regius''s voice sounded behind him.

    "Did you both find something?"

    He stopped beside Kyle and gazed at the cages.

    "This... I thought they were only going to auction the mermaid."

 Chapter 252 I know

    <h4>Chapter 252 I know</h4>

    The others also arrived behind Regius. Sinon eyes ranked around the room, it was filled with nothing but many cages. Also, there was another path at the end of the room.

    He moved to the nearest cage and under everyone''s gaze, he grabbed the nket and pulled on it.

    The nket slid down smoothly, revealing a round spiky shell within the cage. The shell was brown and it was continuously moving up and down.

    A small slender head peaked out from underneath the shell, looking at the group withrge beady eyes. Kyle narrowed his eyes. It was a wild chelonian, a rare beast.

    "I heard these types of beasts are very aggressive. Why is it so calm?"

    Sinon frowned, he bent down in front of the cage and waved his hand to attract the chelonian attention but it didn''t move at all.

    "I can''t sense any mana movement from it and the chains around its neck are strange."

    He looked around and counted the cages.

    "There are nine cages. Let''s check the others."

    Regius approached the cage on his left and pulled down another nket. He sucked in a breath because this time there was a young demi-human chained inside the cage. His whole body was covered with a single piece of white cloth and he was sitting motionlessly in a corner.

    "I knew we would see this type of thing but I am still bewildered. Those fucking bastards."

    Just like the chelonian, the demi-human raised his eyes to look at them but he didn''t move, nor did he speak. However, his eyes were filled with panic and dread.

    Sinon gazed at the chains around the demi-human feet and hands and anger welled up in his chest. He was a demi-human and seeing a member of his race being chained in front of him wasn''t pleasant at all. He staggered toward the cage and blurted out.

    "Let''s open the cages!"

    Regius grabbed his arm with a frown to calm him down.

    "The cages are made of special materials we need a lot of time to break them. Also, I checked the storage rings and didn''t find anything that could open the cages. Leave it, the Royal guards are here. They will free everyone."

    Sinon looked reluctant but agreed.

    While they were contemting what to do, Kyle''s eyes trailed off toward Yue. She was standing in front of the cage from where he sensed the water sounds.

    She gripped the nket and pulled it down, revealing a rather different cage.

    Regius''s eyes went wide, not just him everyone stopped and eyed the cage with astonishment.

    The upper part of the cage was made of transparent ss. It was filled with water and inside the water, a young girl with purplish hair was chained. Her upper body was covered with a silk dress and just like the demi-human, she was sitting in a corner with chained wrists. The rims of her bright eyes turned red when she shifted her gaze to look at the people who removed the nket.

    Kyle''s eyes didn''t stay at her face instead they trailed down at her legs. No, she didn''t have legs instead she had a long tail. Her long tail was shimmering with shades of turquoise and silver.

    A low murmur sounded on his left.

    "So beautiful..."

    Kyle tore his gaze off from the tail and looked at Yue who was staring at the girl with awe.

    He hummed. Her tail was indeed beautiful. He looked up to see the mermaid''s face.

    An anxious pair of deep blue eyes stared at Kyle pitifully. At first, the mermaid was frightened when the nket was removed but when she saw a bunch of kids staring at her with stunned eyes she was sure she could trick them and leave this disgusting ce.

    She squeezed out some tears to make herself even more pitiful and looked at the silver-haired boy with hope. However, her target didn''t even flinch when he saw her gaze. Instead, Kyle''s eyes narrowed at her skin.

    It was glowing in a bright shade of blue.

    ''Huh?... I think I have seen this type of glow before...''

    Kyle went through his memory because he was sure he had seen it somewhere before. A fainter shade maybe... It took him a while but a stunned expression appeared on his face when he recalled where he saw this glow.

    He mumbled out with a stunned expression.

    "At the Academy... on Nine''s body...."

    Kyle looked around her body again to make sure he wasn''t seeing things.

    ''It''s very simr just brighter in color.. but it''s kinda unbelievable that Nine is not a human...''

    He was still contemting inwardly when he saw how the mermaid''s glistening purple eyes turned even redder.

    Yue''s expression sank.

    "She is crying... "

    She palmed the ss and looked at everyone with a serious expression.

    "We should try to break her cage at least. If the Royal guards arrived I don''t think it would be easy for her to go back."

    Regius sighed.

    "We can break the ss but what about the chains?"

    At that moment, to everyone''s confusion, Kyle moved closer to the cage and spoke out loudly.

    "Do you know someone called Nine?"

    After blurting out the strange question, he grumbled inwardly.

    ''What am I saying... even if Nine is a merman it''s not like every mermaid out there would know him..''

    The mermaid''s moist eyes showed confusion at first but in the next second, they went wide with shock.

    Kyle blinked. He was watching her expression and seeing her wide eyes he stepped back with a dazed expression.

    ''Damn... So he is a merman? Oh Nine you hid it so deep... ''

    ''I am a little jealous. Alec has a powerful system. Carcel is a prince and now Nine is a merman. Moreover, the way this girl''s eyes went wide with shock I don''t think Nine is just a normal merman.''

    Heughed out dryly. It''s seemed everyone around him was special. Kyle''s thought trailed off. Maybe... Lara and Mia were also not ordinary. Well, one of them is a duke''s daughter so calling them ordinary didn''t seem right.

    He was still digesting the fact that Nine was a merman when Bia''s serious voice sounded in his mind.

    -''Kyle.... I think Nine is...''

    Kyle hummed and replied before she couldplete her sentence.

    ''I know.''

 Chapter 253 Serve him right

    <h4>Chapter 253 Serve him right</h4>

    Bia''s shocked voice rang out in his mind non-stop.

    -''What!? Do you even know what I am talking about? It''s a serious matter listen to me!''

    Kyle rolled his eyes with a faint smile.

    ''Your information is a tad bitte. I know he is a merman.''

    His ears perked up when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

    "Someone''sing."

    He gazed at the path from where theye from and snapped back. There was another path at the end of the room. He wasn''t sure where the path would lead them but it was better than being caught.

    Kyle jumped back.

    "I will try to break the ss step back."

    Regius and the others looked at Kyle back. They wanted to ask why Kyle asked the mermaid such a strange question but when they heard his words they hurriedly moved back.

    Amidst the quiet atmosphere, Yue spoke up in a low voice.

    "Who is Nine? It''s the first you stared at someone so long."

    Her eyes widened because she just blurted out her thoughts.

    ''What am I saying! Of course, he looked at her because she is a beautiful mermaid!''

    Kyle didn''t notice anything wrong with her question and replied immediately.

    "Nine is my friend."

    In an instant, blue mes appeared around the ss cage. Kyle wasn''t sure if they would work but he let the mes touch the ss.

    Instead of burning, ayer of ice appeared on the ss walls. The ice on the ss spread out and even the water started freezing.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed and he controlled the mes to stop the water from freezing. After the ss walls turned icy, the mes vanished.

    A crack appeared on the ss but instead of breaking the ice turned into small bright particles. The water inside the ss walls sshed out in an instant, making the mermaid gasped with shock.

    Not just her, the ones standing behind Kyle had their eyes glued on him. They sighed and watched the water that spread out in the room.

    A bright light shed around the mermaid''s tail when the cold wind caressed her skin. She blushed when her tail transformed into two pale slender legs. She wanted to cover her lower half but her wrists were tied with chains.

    Kyle frowned and retracted his gaze.

    "Yue."

    Yue snapped out of her daze and immediately took out some clothes from her storage ring. She approached the mermaid and covered her lower body.

    "Regius pick her up I will try to freeze her chains when we are out of this ce...."

    Kyle''s sentence was cut short when two tall elven men d in blue uniforms arrived in the room.

    One of the men fixed his eyes on Kyle and the others.

    "Who are these kids? Don''t tell me they are working for this evil organization?"

    His expression turned frosty and he ordered the other man standing beside him to capture them all.

    Kyle took a defensive poster and stood in front of the others. He was ready to fight but after a few seconds, five more men d in blue arrived in the room.

    He cleared his throat and let out a dry chuckle.

    "Guys I think we should run.."

    He looked back and choked on his words because Regius and the others were already standing at the other end of the room. The mermaid was in Regius''s arms as he blinked at Kyle innocently.

    "Bro, you are the strongest. Stopped them for a few seconds."

    Kyle''s eyes flew open when they ran off toward the other path without him. He wanted to curse but at that moment one of the men cried out loudly.

    "Stop them! They are running away!"

    Two men jumped at Kyle to grab him while the others ran behind Regius and the others.

    Kyle sucks in a breath. He knew he had to stop the men well he was abandoned by the others just for this reason.

    The air around him trembled and blue mes surged out everywhere. Within a second, the whole room was engulfed in mes.

    The individuals d in blue uniforms stopped in their positions. Dread crept up their spine when the cold mes surrounded their bodies.

    Kyle looked around and started moving backward with slow steps. However, he froze when a familiar voice called out to him from behind.

    "Kyle?"

    He snapped his head to look back. It was Yue she was standing at a distance. The others were standing beside her as well. Their heads were hung low. Only the mermaid was nowhere to be seen.

    "Why are you all back? Run..."

    He stopped mid-way when he saw a middle-aged man with amber eyes appearing behind Yue. The man was wearing a white shirt with a purple pattern engraved on his left shoulder. He sighed with a frustrated expression.

    "Didn''t I tell you to take them back why are you here?"

    Yue flinched and lowered her head with a guilty expression.

    "Sorry Dad..."

    Aefel wanted to scold his daughter more but he was distracted by the burning blue mes.

    He looked at Kyle who was standing in the middle of the room and spread out his fingers to touch the mes.

    "These mes are indeed unique.."

    However, before his fingers could touch the mes they vanished. A cold sensation touched his fingers as he looked around with a surprised expression.

    His eyes narrowed at Kyle with a glint.

    "I thought there were only five kids but including you now the number increased to six. I hope all of you enjoy your punishment for the next few days."

    He chuckled and pointed at a corner.

    "Alright, for now, go face the wall with your hands up in the air."

    Regius was the first who ran off to obediently stand in front of the wall. He knew how dangerous Yue''s father''s anger could be.

    The others also arrived beside him one by one. Kyle stood between Yue and Regius and decided to break the silence.

    "So even after abandoning me you all got caught?"

    Regius let out a dryugh.

    "Bro, will you believe me if I say all of this is a misunderstanding? How dare we abandon you?"

    At that moment a ck shadow appeared above Regius.

    Regius trembled as he turned his head to look at Yue''s father.

    "Sir... do you need anything?"

    Aefel nced at his fingers with a meaningful look and held out his palm.

    "These rings look suspicious? I believe you stole them from the individuals you fought in this ce. So, I will confiscate them."

    Regius wanted to cry but he held his tears and removed the rings from his fingers one by one with an aching heart and ced them on his palm.

    Aefel gave him a satisfied nod and asked him to face the wall again.

    Amidst the gloomy atmosphere, Sinon, Niamh, and Faith secretlyughed in their hearts. Their revenge on Regius wasplete! He treated them like his servants and wanted to pocket all the storage rings! Haha, serve him right!

 Chapter 254 Make sure to come back alive

    <h4>Chapter 254 Make sure toe back alive</h4>

    After Aefel was done checking all the cages, he gazed at the kids who were still facing the wall with their hands raised.

    He thought for a minute and a wide grin smile appeared on his face. He grabbed one of the guards and asked him to escort the kids back.

    Kyle''s eyes trailed around the empty room as he followed behind the guard d in a blue uniform with the others. While he was standing in punishment the cages were transferred to another ce.

    He quickened his pace to arrive beside Regius and patted his shoulder.

    "What about the mermaid?"

    Regius shrugged his shoulders with a conflicted expression.

    "After we got caught Yue''s father asked someone to take her away. He said he would take care of this matter."

    Regius hummed and gazed at Yue.

    "Yue, you should ask your father to release her. So, she can go back to where she came from. After all, We did so much to save her."

    Yue didn''t reply. She thought for a second and gave him a nod. The matter regarding the mermaid was quite sensitive that''s why she wasn''t sure if her words would have an impact on this topic but she would talk to her father to see what he could do.

    Kyle sighed. He wasn''t worried about the mermaid. He just wanted to send her back safely because she knew Nine.

    The remaining distance was covered in silence as the guard let them out from the underground auction.

    The street outside was crowded and messy. A few guards were dragging some individuals dressed in luxury attires who were crying their hearts out. The underground auction was surrounded and Kyle was sure Aefel captured all the people who were present inside.

    He gazed around, the once vibrant and loud festival was quiet with many onlookers peeking at the people who were being dragged out from the underground auction. All the shopkeepers and stall owners were closing their businesses with resentful looks because it was the first time the elven festival was stopped mid-way.

    Kyle and the others reached the hotel within an hour. They secretly smiled with relief because Aefel forgot to punish them further. However, they were utterly wrong.

    The man was crueler than their imagination. Including Yue his daughter, all six of them were forbidden to leave the hotel without permission.

    Regius sneered as they sat down in the hotel lobby to eat something.

    "So what we can just run off secretly."

    His happiness was cut short because a group of bulky guards arrived at the hotel to keep an eye on them.

    In the end, all of them were stuck in the hotel for the next few days.

    Sinon cried out loudly to voice out his grievance but he shut his mouth after he got a re from one of the guards.

    After eating some snacks, they all staggered to their rooms with dejected expressions. Anyway, it''s not like they had anything else to do. So, what''s the point of sitting in the lobby?

    Kyle gazed at their backs with a strange expression. s, it seemed he was the only one who didn''t find this arrangement strange. Aszy as he was, he decided to just spend his days in luxury.

    His next few mornings were peaceful. He ate delicious elven dishes, bathed and wore clean clothes, slept under a warm nket without any care. He was truly enjoying himself.

    Just like that the day when they had to leave the hotel arrived.

    Kyle dragged his body out of bed and took a long warm bath. He wore a long-sleeve brown hoodie coupled with leather boots and left his room.

    After a minute, he arrived at the lobby and met with the others.

    Just like them, all the participants who were told to stay in the hotel stood obediently in the lobby.

    A few minutester, Anlee and Dynn arrived at the hotel. The duo counted the kids and Anlee was the one who pped his hands to gather everyone''s attention.

    "Alright, I believe you all have rested enough. Now follow me."

    The old man led the kids outside. They traveled on foot for an hour before stopping in front of arge tform.

    A huge teleportation Array was set up in the middle of the tform.

    Kyle''s gaze drifted off to the other end of the tform. Aira the one who arranged the event with Anlee was standing in front of a group of kids.

    As if noticing Kyle''s gaze, she lifted her eyes to look at him for a brief moment before she retracted her gaze to look at Anlee.

    She talked with him while Dynn merged the two groups of kids and asked them to stand in the middle of the tform.

    Afterward, Dynn stood in front of the tform and gazed at Regius with a serious expression. His voice was heavy as he patted his shoulder.

    "Kid, the moment you joined the event you stepped on a path of no return. Now, I can''t do anything. So, try to work as hard as possible because I don''t want you to die out there."

    Regius was confused but Dynn only gave him a faint smile.

    "Your grandmother gonna miss you so make sure toe back alive."

    Dynn sighed and left the tform. He talked with the King and found out about everything but it was toote. Regius''s name was already included in the list of the individuals who would enter the Secret Realm from Kingdom Tersia. Even when Dynn pleaded with the King thetter didn''t budge. Now, the only thing he could do was wait Or find another way to persuade the King.

    After he left, Aira arrived in front of the kids. Her expression was cold as usual. She raised her voice to speak loudly.

    "After the event, a total of 116 participants won, and now including the new arrivals there are 200 individuals who would enter the special training conducted by the King."

    "I hope all of you work hard because it would be a pity if so many talents from Kingdom Tersia died in vain."

    Her voice was grim when she spoke thest sentence. Just like Regius, everyone listening to Aira was confused. Why was she talking about death when they were just going to train?

    However, their questions remained unanswered because the Array below their feet lit up with a bright light.

    Anlee nodded at Aira and stood in front of the kids. In the next second, he and everyone else standing on the tform vanished.

 Chapter 255 Work hard

    <h4>Chapter 255 Work hard</h4>

    Serena sighed as she watched the tform from afar. Her eyes were fixed on the silver-haired boy who vanished with the others when the blinding light enveloped the tform.

    With this, her job was over.

    "He gave me a headache but he is strong. Stronger than his peers."

    She pressed her lips together with a sharp look. If one looked closely they would notice the huge dark circles under her sharp eyes.

    After Kyle left the Royal Castle with the Royal envoy, she left him alone. He was old enough to take care of himself. Also, it''s not like the Royal envoy was taking the kids to fight a war. Kyle just had to stay in the hotel. However, leaving Kyle alone was a big mistake! Not even two days of peace and she received news that he and his friends went to visit a hidden underground auction! And to make matters worse the auction wasn''t normal at all. It was the hub of illegal activities!

    The moment she received the news, she went to check on Kyle but he was fit and fine. Moreover, the people who organized the auction were caught and dragged into the Royal prison.

    She thought she was already numb to Kyle''s surprises but yet again this incident made her bewildered. He was a walking ma that could attract dangerous things whenever he went out.

    s... That''s how her nightmare started. Kyle was already famous among the elven nobles due to his unparalleled talent and after this incident, those insolent people tried everything to dig out everything rted to him. And the one who was subjected to their inquiry gaze was none other than Serena. Amidst all this, she managed to keep the matter regarding Kyle''s true identity under the table.

    But her mood became sour when she went to see Kyle in the hotel.

    "I was suffering and this brat... he was enjoying his life how frustrating."

    Serena scoffed. After seeing Kylezing around with a blissful expression she had the urge to kick him once! But in the end, she curbed her urge and decided to ignore himpletely. He was simply too unsightly. Even now when she thought about the struggle she had to go through for this ungrateful brat. She wanted to go and punch Han once or twice just to vent her frustration.

    "Hah.... and you said Kyle is just an ordinary kid who wants to attend the event."

    She massaged her temples and informed Han about Kyle''s safe departure. Afterward, she instantly packed everything and left for a vacation. The past two months were just too much for her and now she just wanted to go to a faraway ce where no one would question her about Kyle!

    ....

    At the same time, Kyle didn''t even remember that someone called Serena was assigned to take care of him.

    He opened his eyes and swept his gaze around. After the sudden darkness, he found himself standing within arge circr clearing. A lush forest with tall, majestic trees surrounded the clearing all around.

    The sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a warm and gentle glow on the scene. Kyle frowned when like a buzz, hundreds of whispers entered his ears.

    The remaining 199 individuals standing around him curious lifted their eyes to inspect the area. He noticed something amidst the heated crowd and raised his brow.

    The neers who arrived with Aira were calm and collected. They excluded arrogance and looked at the excited individuals with disdain.

    Kyle''s eyes trailed to Niamh, Faith, and Yue. It was subtle but the trio gave off a very simr aura to those individuals.

    ''So...they are all nobles?''

    He hummed inwardly. And he was right. After the event 116 participants were selected, meaning the Kingdom still needed more people to fill the remaining ces from the original 200 spots. That''s why when the 116 winning participants were resting in the hotel the Royals arranged a battle arena, especially for the nobles. So, they can fight for the remaining spots.

    A loud voice echoed and Kyle lifted his eyes to look at the floating figures.

    His gaze firstnded at Anlee. Then he noticed the two elven men and two elven females floating behind the old man. Their bodies were d in grey uniforms with warm and harmless smiles stered on their faces but Kyle noticed the suppressed pressure around their bodies.

    ''They are strong.''

    He averted his gaze when one of the floating elven men stared back at him.

    Anlee cleared his throat with a grim expression.

    "I believe you all know why you are bought here. The only reason is training! However, there is one thing that we hid from all of you. Maybe... some of you already heard about it through your families but the ones who are unaware listen carefully. From today onwards your life will change because all of you are selected to enter a dangerous Rm that is going to open soon."

    A deadly silence enveloped the ce and many shocked eyes stared at Anlee with astonishment. A dangerous realm? They didn''t even have the slightest bit of knowledge about this!

    However, the shocked individuals noticed with surprise. Almost half of the people standing around them were unfazed when they heard about the Realm. Just like what Anlee said they seemed aware of this matter.

    Kyle narrowed his eyes. He thought the Kingdom wouldn''t tell them about the Secret Realm until the end but it seemed he was wrong.

    He nced around and sighed. Niamh was taking in the news with a rather calm expression but the others'' expressions told him that except for Niamh no one else was aware of the secret Realm.

    Anlee expression hardened for a second to show how serious this matter was and before the youths could voice out their questions, he continued.

    "I know it''s surprising but with dangeres incredible opportunities to be stronger. No one knows what threatsy behind the Realm gate because the records about it had long vanished over time. Maybe... the only thing that would be waiting for you all in there is death. However..."

    His expression turned sharp.

    "No one here is weak. All of you are genius talents of the elven Kingdom, selected after strict testing! Also, we will do our best to train you to cope with the life-threatening dangers. The only thing you need to do is work hard! So you can survive in that foreign ce! And once you return alive you won''t be the same ordinary person anymore. You will be one of strongest or maybe the strongest among all!"

    "Or is there anyone who thinks he is weak, pathetic, and won''t be able to return alive and wants to run away with their tails tucked between their legs?"

 Chapter 256 Bloody

    <h4>Chapter 256 Bloody</h4>

    Anlee''s eyes showed disdain when he swept his gaze around the clearing.

    The youths who wanted to speak up instantly shut their mouths when they heard his remarks and a pin-drop silence enveloped the area.

    A satisfied expression appeared on Anlee''s face and he nodded.

    "Good very good.... I expected nothing less from the youths from my Kingdom."

    A chilling smile appeared on his face, making everyone shudder.

    "Anyway, if anyone indeed tried to leave... I would have broken his legs."

    Loud gasps echoed in the air when they heard his exmation. And from his chilling smile, they were sure he meant whatever he said.

    "Alright! Stop gwanking at me! The four people standing behind me are your instructors for the next month. So, make sure to be respectful because if you don''t they are allowed to break your bones. Also, don''t even dare to fight with each other. You all are a big team from now on. So learn to help each other. Consider this my first andst warning because if I found out that someone stirred trouble in my absence I don''t think I will only break their legs."

    His eyes trailed to a certain silver-haired boy who was busy in his thoughts. Anlee hummed and pped his hands.

    "That''s it. I wish you all the best for the future."

    He turned around and left. Leaving behind the crowd of youths with the four instructors who were known for being merciless in their training methods.

    Kyle gazed at Anlee fading back and looked at the floating instructors.

    Soon, the crowd was divided into four big teams and each instructor took one team with him. Afterward, they vanished within the lush trees present around the wide clearing.

    Kyle waved at Yue and Niamh. The duo was ced in a different team. He quietly followed behind his instructor. She was a middle-aged woman with blondie locks.

    Regius couldn''t help but narrow his eyes when he saw a tiny smile at the corner of Kyle''s face.

    "What are you so happy about?"

    Kyle turned his head to look at him.

    "Just a little excited because I am going to experience what they call a ''hellish training''. Also...."

    His words trailed off into a whisper that''s why Regius didn''t hear it.

    "....I will meet my old friends soon."

    ...

    In another ce, the sun was burning high in the sky and frightening heat spread out everywhere. However, thick brown trees stopped the sunlight from descending on the group of individuals hunting monsters.

    Alec looked at his damp bloodied clothes with a rather unsatisfied expression.

    "159..."

    "Can you stop counting? I know you killed the most monsters! Damn it... stop showing off!"

    An irritated voice boomed from behind him with a loud thud, indicating the owner of the voice also killed a monster.

    Nine wiped the blood from his fingers and showed a satisfied expression as he inspected the dead body lying in front of him. It was a fox monster.

    "80! Let''s move. I think I killed all the monsters in this area."

    He ced his sword on his shoulder with a smirk and staggered forward without caring about the others who were looking at him with twitching eyes.

    All of them had the same question in their hearts.

    ''If you killed all the monsters then what the hell did we do?''

    Alec chuckled and caught up to him.

    "Don''t advance further. We are only allowed to roam around in the outer area of the dark forest. Let''s go to the east side to look for Carcel, Mia, and Lara."

    Nine clicked his tongue. He turned around to move in another direction when he identally grazed Alec''s hand.

    He froze in his ce. The golden thread in his eyes swirled in a sharp moment. Nine expression paled and his hand holding the sword trembled. With a click, the sword fell from his grasp.

    Alec stopped and looked back at Nine with a frown.

    "What happened..."

    His sentence was cut shot because in the next second red blood trickled down from Nine nose. Under Alec''s horrid eyes, he fell to his knees with a resounding thud.

    There was pin-drop silence as everyone standing around them looked at Nine with wide eyes. What happened? He was just fine a moment ago?

    "Nine!"

    Alec shouted and rushed to his side. He took out a healing potion from his storage ring and poured it inside Nine''s mouth.

    His expression sank because even after drinking the potion Nine didn''t return to his senses. Instead, his eyes turned hazy.

    Alec''s eyes widened when he saw blood within the bright golden eyes. Bright golden threads swirled inside Nine''s eyes with lightning-fast speed. If not for Alec''s heightened vision he would have never noticed such thin threads.

    He hurriedly closed Nine eyes with his palm.

    "Damn it Ninee to your sense!"

    He grabbed his shoulder and poured another potion into his mouth.

    "It''s not working!"

    Alec looked around at the individuals standing around him and shouted out.

    "Help me! Let''s take him back!"

    A few individuals rushed toward Alec. Even if they were unwilling to help they didn''t voice their opinions because Alec was the strongest among them.

    Meanwhile,

    Nine blinked his eyes when he saw himself standing between dust and debris.

    He looked around with an astonished expression.

    ''Where am I?''

    He tried to move his lips but no voice came out from his mouth.

    Nine sucked in a deep breath. He noticed he was standing above what seemed to be the remains of arge building.

    He moved toward the edge and his eyes flew wide at the scenery in front of him.

    Bloody... The sky was painted red with dark smoke rising everywhere. Dead bodies littered the ground with crimson.

    Nine expression turned deadly pale when he saw a beady-eyed man with fangs munching on a dead body of a young girl. The man lifted his charcoal eyes to look at him with an evil smile. Blood painted the lower half of his mouth disgustingly.

    Nine barely maintained his bnce and staggered backward when he found the scenery around him cracking bit by bit.

 Chapter 257 I didn’t mean to kill him

    <h4>Chapter 257 I didn''t mean to kill him</h4>

    The scenery around Nine was pitch ck with many shattered fragments of different scenarios dancing around in a zig-zag manner.

    A sharp pain pricked his eyes, enough to make him blind but no matter how much he tried to scream nothing came out from his mouth.

    His lips were sealed. He recalled he was originally standing with Alec in a forest but afterward, everything was a blur.

    What happened? And what was this ce? His head buzzed with pain. Amidst the hundreds of fragments showing hundreds of different scenarios, he caught sight of a particr fragment floating at a distance.

    A familiar figure with dark blue hair stood atop a broken building. His hands were painted red with blood and his usual bright blue eyes looked dull.

    Nine eyes shifted amidst the pain to stare at the figure with a dazed expression.

    ''He looks older... A lot older..''

    He mumbled in his dazed mind. The figure looked below only then did Nine gaze down to see a few more figures.

    It was blurry that''s why even after ranking his eyes through the fragment he didn''t recognize who they were. However, even if it was blurry he could see the condition of the figures didn''t look good. Half of them were kneeling limply on the ground and the remaining half were pointing their weapons at the floating figure.

    The blue-haired figure''s facial features looked ghastly pale as a bitter yet twisted smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

    ''I am sorry.. I am sorry... I didn''t mean it... I didn''t mean to kill him...''

    He moved his lips faintly to mumble in a barely audible voice but Nine expression turned dark when he caught the faint movement of his lips.

    Nine gasped. He opened his eyes and saw an unfamiliar ceiling.

    "What...the..?"

    Nine blurted out and the moment these words left his mouth a sharp pain shot up to his spine, making him scream in pain.

    A loud worried cry echoed beside his ears.

    "Young Prince!"

    Nine pupils dted when his eardrums buzzed loudly. He grabbed his ears with a painful expression.

    "Shut up shut up shut up!"

    The person seemed to have sensed his difort and a pin-drop silence enveloped the ce.

    After a long silence, Nine finally lifted his eyes to look around himself. He was lying on a middle-size bed.

    The room roof looked unfamiliar and except for the bed, it was devoid of any other furniture.

    He took in a deep breath when he saw a few familiar figures standing around his bed.

    "Young prince, do you feel any difort in your body?"

    Nine didn''t reply to the old man who worked for his mother and followed behind him to tail his movement. His mind was still muddled as he gazed at Ratric and Geroge standing on his left.

    They wore somber expressions and Ratric''s voice sounded rather grim.

    "What did you see? You were out for two weeks? Also..."

    He sighed with aplicated expression as he eyed Nine figure.

    However before Nine could understand the meaning behind his words, the old man who called him young prince immediately resorted angerily.

    "The Royal Academy doesn''t have the right to know about this topic. This is a matter rted to my Kingdom and I have contacted the Queen. She said to bring the prince back home immediately."

    Ratric gazed at him coldly and scoffed.

    "I was the one who saved his life timely. Moreover, the moment he stepped into the Royal Academy he became one of my people. You can''t take him back without my permission."

    Amidst their angry discussion, the room door mmed open and a few youths stepped inside with worried expressions.

    Ratric snapped his head to look at the door. He narrowed his eyes at the middle-aged man who was tasked to stop everyone from entering the room.

    The man cowered under his gaze and blurted out with a sweaty forehead.

    "I am sorry Sir. The kids didn''t listen to me. They forcefully barged inside even when I threatened them. They said they wouldn''t return until they saw their friend."

    Retric released a sigh as he gazed at the youths standing between the door with resolute expressions.

    He dismissed the man immediately and waved his hand at the youths.

    "Nine is awake just see him and leave because he needs rest."

    Alec and Carcel nodded. Bia was sitting on Mia''s shoulder, she narrowed her eyes to look at Nine. He looked dazed and she noticed a few grey strands on his head.

    -''Indeed everything has a price... he lost his lifespan.''

    She mumbled inwardly. Even though she knew Nine was a mermaid, she wasn''t aware that he could glimpse at the future through a unique ability. She only found out about this when she heard Retric and Geroge''s conversation secretly.

    With a sigh, Bia immediately informed Kyle who had been worried about Nine the moment he heard about his condition.

    Alec and Carcel approached the bed with worried expressions. The two girls followed behind the duo with steady steps. Lara''s usually cold face had softened a lot in the past few months. Now, her eyes reflected pure worry for the dazed youth sitting on the bed.

    Alec stood beside the bed after Retric and Geroge retreated to give the kids some space. He moved his hand to pat Nine shoulder.

    "Are you alright?"

    Nine turned around to look at Alec with a strange expression but then his expression sank when he finally remembered what he saw and heard a moment ago. A rare angry shout erupted from his throat.

    "You bastard!"

    With a burst of strength that appeared out of nowhere, Nine clenched his fist to punch Alec.

    Alec was caught off due to his sudden outburst. He blocked the punch out of reflex but still staggered backward because Nine used too much strength in his punch.

    "?"

    He looked at Nine with wide confused eyes. Not just him all eyes stare at Nine seething expression with shock. Why did he punch Alec out of nowhere!?

    However, before anyone could speak. Nine cried out loudly.

    "You killed him! You killed Kyle!"

    A pin-drop silence enveloped the room and Alec blinked with a dazed expression.

    "What?"

    He sucked in a deep breath. No way it was impossible.

    "Why would I kill him?"

    He resorted but this time instead of replying Nine fainted again. Ratric rushed forward and checked his body.

    "His condition is not good because his body is too strained."

    The old man who had been silently watching the kids'' interaction finally spoke up with a cold expression.

    "I am taking him back. There is no way he can enter the Secret Realm because his body is losing strength with each passing second. I believe you can sense it too Retric."

    He narrowed his eyes at Retric who frowned. Retric knew Nine unique ability was not high-grade or else why would the Sea Continent let go of such a precious person? However, it seemed Nine had used too much of it unconsciously.

    Retric thought for a few seconds and massaged his temples. The old man was right, there was no way Nine condition would recover within a month. Also, his body needed proper treatment.

    In the end, he nodded. It was better for Nine to go back.

    Alec stood in a corner of the room with aplicated expression. Carcel and the two girls were standing behind him. They watched as the old man took Nine away.

    When the old man left, Geroge and Ratric turned around to look at Alec.

    They weren''t sure what Nine meant by ''You killed Kyle'' because he didn''t divulge anything else. But no matter what Alec was a good seedling and they had observed him for the past few months.

    There was no way Alec would harm someone without a reason. Also, Kyle was someone who disappeared a few months ago. Han did inform them that the kid was alive but because Retric and Geroge left the Kingdom to train the kids they didn''t have time to check on Kyle.

    Retric waved his hand at the kids with a serious expression.

    "You all should leave. Go train with the others. Don''t worry your friend is safe he just went back home."

    Alec released arge breath and left the room with Carcel and the girls. However, the sentence ''You killed Kyle'' echoed in his mind again and again.

    ''Why did he say it? And why would I kill Kyle?''

    Bia narrowed his eyes to look at Alec with a wary expression. She hummed. Nothing was certain. Who knows what will happen in the future?

    After another two weeks, Alec stopped thinking about the matter regarding Kyle and ced it at the back of his head. He focused on his training because he knew himself, there was no way he would harm Kyle without a good reason.

 Chapter 258 Run ten more rounds

    <h4>Chapter 258 Run ten more rounds</h4>

    The sun was burning brightly above the heads of the individuals who were running around the boundary set up inside a forest to do their morning exercise.

    Kyle looked bored as he ran with a group of youths. He groaned.

    "I thought we were gonna undergo a ''hellish training''. What the hell is this? Not to mention hellish this training didn''t even make me tired!"

    Kyle''s words flowed with the wind entering the ears of the nearby youths who red at him with resentment!

    They cursed him under their breaths but didn''t dare to say anything out loud to make him angry because they still remember the beating they got from Kyle when they tried to intimidate him.

    In the end, they silently gulped their anger and decided to treat him like thin air.

    Regius rolled his eyes at Kyle as he followed behind the others.

    After the tenth round, all of them arrived in front of a huge boulder. A middle-aged female elf with blond hair was sitting atop the boulder. She looked at them with a smile.

    "Good! First, we will do breakfast then you all can start training with your weapons."

    After her voice drifted in the air, almost all the youths copsed with bated breaths. They wiped the sweat from their foreheads with tired expressions.

    The blondie-haired instructor''s eyes trailed at the youths before stopping at Kyle. She narrowed her eyes, Kyle looked clean with not even a drop of sweat on his body. A far contrast to the others who looked like they had just bath under the rain.

    She hummed sweetly.

    "Kyle?"

    Kyle looked up at the instructor who had been training them for the past few weeks. He had to admit that she was a good instructor. Also, it seems she prioritizes everyone''s life because in between training she would give them a lot of tips about how they should run away if the situation they faced was too dangerous. After all, life was the most important.

    Kyle noticed her faint smile and gave her a nod but her next words made him speechless.

    "You are indeed the strongest in this team. That''s why I have decided your training will be doubled from now on. Alright, now go ande back after running ten more rounds around the boundary."

    Regius looked at Kyle nk expression andughed out loud.

    He stood up and cheered for Kyle to run.

    "Come on! Bro, you can do it!"

    However, the instructor''s chilling voice made him shrink his neck with a shudder.

    "It''s seemed Regius also has a lot of energy left. How about 10 more rounds for you as well?"

    Regius immediately grabbed his ankles and slumped down with a groan.

    "I am sorry but I think I can''t stand up anymore due to exhaustion."

    A fewughs echoed around him. Even the instructor looked amused at his acting.

    Kyle sighed and left to run another ten rounds around the forest boundary. He was running when Bia informed him about Nine conditions. He sighed with relief.

    ''It''s good he is fine. I almost jolted out from this ce to see him when you told me about his severe condition.''

    Kyle listened carefully to Bia''s exnation and he grumbled inwardly when he found out Nine would not be going to the Secret Realm.

    ''Hmm, I wanted to see him and the others but it''s fine his health is more important.''

    He noticed for some reason Bia''s voice sounded hesitant. Kyle''s brow knitted together. Was she hiding something?

    ''Bia? What happened spill it out. I can sense the strangeness in your voice. Did you lie when you said Nine is out of danger?''

    Kyle stopped running and waited for her answer. After a minute, Bia sighed and told him the thing that she was hiding. A stunned expression appeared on Kyle''s face as he listened to Bia.

    ''So Nine has a special ability that gives him the power to see the future?''

    He blinked. Indeed it was a terrifying ability but what astonished him most was the fact that Nine said Alec would kill him.

    After a few seconds, Kyle chuckled out loud.

    ''I am close to (B+)-Rank. I remember Alec was (C+)-Rank. Moreover, the gap between our strengths is only going to widen further in the future. So, it''s almost impossible for him to harm me. Also, from the amount of time I spent with Alec I don''t think he would just simply stab his friend out of nowhere.''

    He mused inwardly and started running again. However, the thought roamed around his mind. He didn''t believe the things Nine saw were hundred percent correct. After all in this world, no one is omnipotent enough to know what exactly will happen in the future because the future is ever changing.

    With every action Kyle took his future will change ordingly. Just like how if he didn''t enter the Royal Academy he would have never discovered the secret within his body.

    Kyle hummed and after a long run, he went back. The instructor seemed displeased because even after ten more rounds there was barely any sweat on Kyle''s body.

    She clicked her tongue and gestured for Kyle to eat something before going to train his weapon art with the others.

    Kyle''s days in the elven forest were passing peacefully.

    The only problem was that the blondie-haired instructor seemed to have guessed his strength because, after the first week, she increased the pressure on him twofold.

    If the other kids needed to run ten rounds around the forest, Kyle had to run twenty rounds. If they practiced their arts for five hours Kyle had to practice it for ten hours.

    Amidst all the pressure, he stoppedzing around and worked hard. Also, his rtionships with Yue, Regius, Sinon, Niamh, and Faith strengthened because of the time they would spend around him.

    As the day when the kids had to leave for the Secret Realm drew near Kyle broke through to (B+)-Rank in the middle of his training.

    The blondie hair instructor''s mouth was opened wide when she found out Kyle''s true strength. Not just her almost everything was astonished. He was already so strong at such a young age what would happen in the future?

    For some reason, almost all the people who witnessed Kyle''s strength had a nagging feeling that he would be a terrifying existence in the future. That''s why without Kyle''s knowledge the other kids secretly regarded him as their leader. Even though the leader did not do anything for them his mere presence was enough to make them excited. After all, he was the strongest among them all.

    After another week, the 200 individuals gathered in front of Anlee who arrived to pick them up. They were finally leaving for the Secret Realm.

 Chapter 259 The dark shadow

    <h4>Chapter 259 The dark shadow</h4>

    The sky was clear with many twinkling stars shining like fireflies.

    A magnificent flying ship, adorned with sparkling gems of various colors descended into a deserted area. The ship''s exterior was crafted from polished wood and intricate carvings. A small stature man with arge beard floated out from the ship.

    He squinted his eyes and took in the sight of a massive crowd of thousands of people gathered in front of an old huge vertical metallic gate.

    The gate crackled with an eerie energy, pulsating in the darkness. The man noticed the thick chains that sealed the gate for the past hundreds of years were undone.

    His eyes stopped at the fifteen figures d in messy outfits floating around the gate.

    "Huh, the Central Continent did a lot this time because seeing so many Array masters in one ce is a big deal. Still, one thing for sure just like us no one looked willing."

    He scoffed and looked back. However, his face softened when he saw the bunch of kids standing on the ship with resolute expressions.

    "kids. I know it''s nerve-wracking because you are going to enter an unknown and dangerous ce but do your best. I don''t want the dwarf Kingdom to lose so many talented individuals."

    The young people shouted with all their might. With a satisfied expression, the floating dwarf took them all to stand with the huge crowd.

    As time passed more and more flying ships appeared above the deserted ce. The air was heavy, and whispers of anticipation echoed in the space.

    At a distance, far away from the excited and nervous crowd. A middle-aged man with long navy-colored hair was overlooking the situation with a nk expression. Adorned in an expensive suit, he had an aura of authority around his body.

    He was sitting on a floating chair with many guards standing firmly behind his back. A surprised expression appeared on his face when he sensed the movement of a familiar presence behind him.

    "What''s brought you here? I thought you wanted to conserve your energy?"

    No one replied for a second but then an ominous dark shadow appeared beside his chair. The man''s guards seemed used to the shadow''s appearance because no one stopped it from approaching the navy-haired man.

    Under the night sky, a hoarse voice sounded beside the man.

    "Indeed Your Majesty I want to conserve my energy but I was too excited to sit so here I am. I wonder if your majesty has prepared everything."

    The navy-haired man chuckled at the shadow but his calm andposed expression cracked when he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head.

    ''This bastard! I swear once I am free I am going to hack this unsightly shadow into pieces!''

    He cursed in his mind. He was a King. Also, the strongest in the Central Continent but a single mistake led him to his current miserable position.

    A far contrast to the other Continents where Kingdoms operated separately with different leaders, the Kingdoms in the Central Continent would fight for dominance every twenty years and the one who emerged victorious had the power to make the other Kingdoms obey hismands.

    It was a friendly fight and no one had any qualms about it because instead of the general public the fight wouldmence between the Kings of these Kingdoms. Moreover, it was very rare for the winning King to impose his rules on the other Kingdoms. The winner would just let them do whatever they want as usual. Only when he wants something precious or something desirable will he use his authority.

    The man with navy hair gritted his teeth and bore the pain inflicted on him by the shadow with a nk expression. His name was Istalian Visonzo, the current leader of the Central Continent. The one who singlehandedly defeated all the others and grasped the authority with his strength.

    Istalian smoothed his expression amidst the sharp pain as he waved at the shadow.

    "There is no need to worry about the preparation because everything is ready. The kids from my Soltecia Kingdom are equipped with all the knowledge you provided me. They are trained meticulously just to find the thing you want from the Secret Realm."

    The shadow hummed with a pleased voice. He chuckled when he saw how Istalian, the mighty King was trying to get free from his restraint.

    "Don''t force it even though I have weakened but there is no way you can get free from me child."

    Istalian froze and ceased his mana movement. He was sure he was close and soon he would get free from this bastard. He was just waiting for the right time.

    The shadow already knew what he was trying to do but he ignored it because currently he can do nothing. His mighty strength had reduced to a spec of dust. He wasn''t sure how long he slept after he lost to James one of the powerful ancestors of blue. But he was d Istalian identally broke the old relic and awakened the sealed pieces of his consciousness.

    He looked at the far distance. The gate to the otherworldly realm that was created by the powerful ancestors to train the young generation in the old era was still here but he remembered before he sumbed to darkness they closed the realm to imprison a part of the evil race associated with chaos and darkness.

    The dark shadow shuddered when he remembered the terrifying existence outside the boundary of this small. Relief flooded his chest when he looked up in the sky.

    ''Even though I hate those bastards they indeed did everything to protect their home. Tsk, just how many resources did they use to cover the whole with such a big protective shield?''

    Istalian saw the tremor in the shadow and sensed his fear. He raised his brow and secretly sneered.

    ''So he is also scared of someone probably the ones who destroyed his body and turned him into a lump of dark energy.''

    The shadow glided down his chair and started disinterested in the air.

    "It''s good everything is ready. Istalian you did a good job this time. I am not an ungrateful person. I will share that otherworldly treasure with you as well. After all, I can sense a stronger existence hiding inside this seemingly peaceful. In the future when I leave you will need a lot of power to protect your fragile people."

    Istalian listen to his fading words. Even after hearing from the shadows countless times, he was still astonished at the fact that he a person with (SSS+)-Rank power was nothing but an ant.

    He sucked in a deep breath as he looked at the ce where the shadow was present a few seconds ago.

    ''No matter who you are you have opened a new path for me. If a treasure that can give me a chance to be an immortal exist. Do you really think I will give it to you so easily?''

    He looked back at one of the guards.

    "What about the Sea Continent? Are they willing to send their people or do they want me to make their life miserable?"

    The guard lowered his head to show his respect.

    "Your majesty. The mermaid Queen epted your offer. For some reason, they are even sending their dear princess to help our people."

    Istalian narrowed his eyes.

    "What are they nning? I am aware of the unique ability they possess but to send the future Queen to such a dangerous ce. Don''t tell me the princess saw another vision about the future?"

    He hummed with a cold expression.

    "Leave them alone for now. They are aware of what I want and I don''t think those cowards who prefer to stay hidden underwater are strong enough to steal under my nose."

 Chapter 260 You were so small

    <h4>Chapter 260 You were so small</h4>

    Alec gazed at the dark sky with a sigh. He and the people from Kingdom Ete arrived in this ce when the sun was burning brightly but now the sky was filled with dark clouds.

    He tapped Carcel''s shoulder who was staring at the gate of the Secret Realm.

    "How long do you think we need to wait?"

    Carcel retracted his gaze and shrugged his shoulders.

    "I don''t know but this gate leading to the secret Realm is giving me an unsettling feeling."

    Alec narrowed his eyes and looked at the system panel from the corner of his eyes.

    ______________________

    System analysis;

    ''An old sealed Realm''

    ''Created by a few powerful individuals to train the younger generation''

    ''Current status: Filled with impurities.''

    -Error...

    No more information provided.

    ______________________

    He hummed and nced up as another massive floating ship appeared in the distance, but his attention was diverted when Ratric pped his hands in front of them.

    "Kids, listen up! The Realm gate is going to open in a while but you won''t be teleported inside automatically. Instead, you have to pass through the gate to enter the Realm."

    Ratric gazed hardened for a second.

    "Remember all of you are a team. If you happen to cross your fellow teammates in the Secret Realm don''t fight and try to help each other."

    The 200 youths looked at each other and nodded their heads with serious expressions. However, no one knew what was in their minds.

    While Ratric was speaking Elder Han''s figure shed behind him. The kids standing in front of him almost got heart attacks when they saw Elder Han''s haggard appearance.

    Retric frowned and looked at Han.

    "What are you doing here? Are not the Array masters responsible for the opening of the Secret Realm gate."

    Han clicked his tongue with a sour expression.

    "They worked me so much that now even my bones had cracked. Also, why are you worried about my work? I know what to do no need to lecture me. Just tell me did you bring the kid''s storage rings?"

    Ratric narrowed his eyes and looked inside his sleeves. He took out a pouch and handed it to Han.

    "Here I bought them but where is Kyle? I did tell you to contact him and ask him toe back to Kingdom Ete because we got an empty spot after Nine left. I would have given him that spot."

    A far contrast to his messy appearance, Han''s smile was brighter than any twinkling star when he heard Kyle''s name.

    "Don''t worry my disciple is a genius who got a spot without your help. He is going to enter the Secret Realm but not through Kingdom Ete. Hahaha."

    Heughed out loud and checked the pouch containing storage rings.

    "I am adding a life-saving Artifact in the pouch and will return the storage rings back to him when he arrives."

    Alec and Carcel''s ears perked up when they heard Ratric. They looked at each other with smiles. Mia saw the duo''s happy faces and smiled as well.

    "What a relief. He is fine and entering the secret Realm with us."

    At the same time, Lara who was standing at a distance gazed at Bia''s agitated figure. An hour ago, the little bird left Mia and sat down on her shoulder.

    "What happened? Why do I feel like you are getting anxious?"

    Lara patted her round head with a faint smile,pletely unaware of Bia''s inner tremor.

    -''Damn Damn Why can''t I control my mana!? I can feel Kyle is almost here is it because my bond with him is reacting due to his presence? Or is it because of his bloodline?''

    She opened her wings and under Lara''s surprise gaze started flying.

    "Biae down! It''s dangerous there are too many eyes here."

    Lara tried to grab her small figure but she avoided her hands and flew toward Elder Han. A frown appeared on Lara''s face, she looked around and saw a few more individuals who had bonded beasts with them.

    ''It''s fine I guess.''

    Alec gazed at Bia and tapped Lara''s shoulder.

    "What happened to her? Don''t tell me she is excited after hearing about Kyle."

    With a sigh, Lara shook her head because she had no idea. Bia mostly stayed with her or Mia but even after a few months, it was hard for them to understand what was going on inside her mind.

    Amidst the heated atmosphere, two more ships arrived in the sky. One big and one small.

    For some reason, when the big shipnded opposite the crowd a loud announcement was made to tell everyone that the people from the Sea Continent arrived.

    Almost all the heads snapped back to stare at the people who emerged from the ship. Especially the younger individuals. After all, they were all curious about the mermaid race.

    An old man d in silk clothes descended from the ship, and following behind him were 200 young individuals. Under the crowd''s eyes, the old man waved his hand and the ship vanished into his storage ring. He took the kids and quietly walked to an empty corner.

    The other ship which was smallerpared to the first shipnded at a distance. The door slid open and a group of elves with a few humans and demi-humans stepped out from the ship.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed as he looked in the distance when he sensed Bia''s presence.

    ''What happened? Wait I wille pick you up in a while.''

    He spoke in his mind as he followed behind Anlee and Aira with the others. From the corner of his eyes, he caught sight of the people who arrived on the bigger ship.

    ''So they are from the mermaid Kingdom?''

    His eyes sparkled when he saw a familiar figure standing in the middle.

    ''Oh, Nine is here? Good. I was feeling worried for him.''

    Kyle''s thoughts were disturbed when he heard a loud shrieking from the sky.

    He mindlessly gazed up but froze in his spot because a majestic sight that sent chills down his spine greeted his contracted eyes.

    Under the bright moon, casting a faint glow across the horizon, a huge majestic phoenix pped itsrge wings with a loud cry.

    Its huge breathtaking wings painted with red and blue shimmered under the night sky. Its feathers seem to catch fire because golden mes dance along its wings, creating a mesmerizing spectacle.

    Just like Kyle, the crowd was stunned and their breath hitched in their throats when they saw the soaring phoenix.

    Gasps of awe filled the air as the bird gracefully flew through the sky, leaving trails of golden mes behind.

    Kyle''s eyes almost bulged out from his sockets. It took him a few seconds to realize it was Bia!

    ''How? You were so small? And why now?''

 Chapter 261 So it’s yours

    <h4>Chapter 261 So it''s yours</h4>

    Two minutes ago,

    Elder Han smiled at Bia who was flying toward him. His smile stiffened when he saw golden mes around her body. Moreover, her size was getting bigger.

    ''I need sleep. Now I am even dreaming with opened eyes.''

    He sighed and massaged his temples. In the next second, a few cries echoed in his ears and he snapped his head to look at the kids who were shouting while pointing at Bia.

    ''She is actually getting bigger!''

    With a shocked expression, he moved and tried to grab Bia but the mes around her were too terrifying.

    Elder Han''s breath quickened and his mind stopped for a second as he watched Bia''s body getting bigger and bigger with each passing second.

    ''If I didn''t do anything now then my one and only disciple would definitely perish even before he entered the secret Realm.''

    He grabbed Ratric''s shoulder roughly and ced the pouch of storage rings in his hand.

    "Give it to the silver-haired boy who just arrived with the elves and bring him toward the secret Realm gate!"

    His loud exmation jolted Ratric who was staring at Bia with contracted eyes.

    Elder Han grabbed George and vanished the moment Ratric grabbed the pouch.

    Ratric was taken aback. He gazed at the pouch and cursed under his breath. Kyle just arrived and he already caused a bigmotion enough to attract almost everyone.

    He looked at Han''s fading figure and vanished in the opposite direction. Ratric wasn''t sure what Han was nning but it was better for Kyle to stand with them after all the ruckus he caused.

    Meanwhile, Kyle''s breath fastened when he sensed hundreds of eyes looking at therge Phoenix who was hell-bent on making his life difficult.

    "The fuck Bia!? Do you want to kill us both!"

    Kyle gritted out. He sensed a faint presence behind himself and jumped back but sighed with relief when he saw it was Ratric.

    "Sir?"

    Ratric expression was ugly as he watched the Phoenix. Due to Kyle''s different eye color and hair color he almost failed to recognize him. He threw the storage rings pouch at Kyle who grabbed it unconsciously.

    "Shut up brat! Ask her to fly toward the Realm gate or else I can''t guarantee both of your safety."

    He blurted out and under Anlee''s astonished and shocked eyes, he grabbed Kyle''s shoulder and disappeared from the crowd.

    Regius, Sinon, Yue, and the others standing behind Kyle were too slow to react before they understood what was happening Kyle was already gone.

    On the other hand, Kyle felt like his head was spinning and in the next second, he was standing in front of the Realm gate. His eyes narrowed when currents of dark energy seeped out from the gate.

    He sucked in a deep breath and without thinking too much immediately shouted inside his mind as he looked at the flying bird who seemed lost after he vanished from his spot.

    ''Bia fly toward the secret Realm gate! Now!''

    George arrived behind Kyle and whispered something inside Ratric ear. A grim expression appeared on the principal face but he stood firmly with the kid.

    At a distance, Elder Han cursed with aplicated face. He looked at the hundreds of Array symbols all the Array masters engraved on the ground.

    ''Shit! I am gonna face a lot of consequences after this.''

    For the first time in his life, he was grateful that he worked a lot during the past few months. After all, due to his hard work, he knew how to activate the Array around the secret Realm gate.

    The other Array masters tried to stop him but he was too fast and immediately activated the Array to open the gate.

    A loud rumble resounded in the sky, the earth trembled with multiple cracks forming everywhere. In an instant sparks of dark electric current buzzed out from the Realm gate with lightning-fast speed.

    A secondter, a circr opening dyed with bright and dark light appeared in the middle of the huge gate, indicating the Secret Realm was opened.

    The thousands of individuals standing around the Realm gate gasped with shock at the sudden turn of events. Due to the trembling ground a few youths who were too busy admiring the fire Phoenix lost their bnce and cried out in panic.

    An old man from Central Continent looked at the secret Realm gate with a raised brow. He smirked when he saw Ratric''s face and started floating.

    "I believe this beautiful beast is quite precious. Right?"

    A crisp voice sounded behind him.

    "It''s powerful but too young."

    Within a few seconds, a lot of individuals gathered around the phoenix and admired its beauty with various emotions. Half of them were unaware of the origin of the beast and half had a hunch due to the rumors they heard a few months ago.

    Kyle''s expression was deadpan as he stood in front of the secret Realm gate and heard Bia''s panicked cries.

    -''Help me! It was an ident. The mana inside my body lost control the moment you arrived here. Now if I revert to a smaller size they will catch me!''

    Ratric frowned as he watched the panicked bird.

    "There are too many people."

    He started floating to do everything he could but then a thunderous voice echoed in the horizon. The voice was lucid with unrestrained anger.

    "What the hell is going on here?"

    In an instant, everyone froze and looked at the floating navy-haired man who appeared with many powerful guards.

    Istalian smoothed his expression and looked at the people standing below him with narrowed eyes.

    "Can anyone answer me what the shit is happening? I remember I said to not cause anymotion in front of the Secret Realm gate."

    He shouted out and his gaze locked at the Phoenix. The old individuals floating around the phoenix didn''t dare to do anything reckless in his presence and retreated backward with emotionless expressions.

    Istalian pinched his nose with a frustrated expression.

    "Who is the owner of this beast? Or is it just a wild beast?"

    His gaze swept around at the deadly silent crowd. He noticed the kids were sweating buckets because the moment he shouted huge pressure descended on their bodies.

    He scoffed and lifted his pressure. The young individuals wiped their sweaty foreheads when the invisible pressure around their bodies vanished.

    While Istalian was looking around, a young cold voice sounded below the clear sky.

    "Biae to me."

    Istalian eyes narrowed at the silver-haired boy standing in front of the Realm gate. He didn''t stop the firebird that dived downward toward the youth with astonishing speed. Instead, he watched the silver-haired boy who stood in front of the gate with an expression that showed he would fight to death if something happened to his bonded beast.

    Istalian raised his brow with a chuckle.

    "So it''s yours."

 Chapter 262 Worthy of a powerful beast

    <h4>Chapter 262 Worthy of a powerful beast</h4>

    Kyle didn''t reply as he stared at the floating man with emotionless eyes.

    The intense mes around Bia''s body dimmed at the speed visible to one eye as she dived down and stopped above Kyle''s head.

    A gorgeous scene reflected inside the crowd''s stunned eyes. A cold handsome figure stood firmly in front of the huge trembling realm gate. His features were sharp and due to the bright mes around the phoenix''s body, he looked imposing and majestic.

    However, just like a mirage the image disappeared in the second. The remaining mes around Bia vanished. She cried out faintly and hurriedly controlled her mana to regain her former appearance.

    It was astonishing how such arge beast turned into a tiny bird and obedientlynded on Kyle''s head.

    Kyle''s green eyes shed with a brilliant light when Bia came closer to him. He sucked in a deep breath because he could feel it. His bond with Bia got stronger due to some reason. It was like a part of him recognized her as a truepanion.

    Bia stayed silent because she knew she messed up. Kyle would probably beat her up once they were alone. She quietly made herself invisible by hiding herself in his hoodie.

    Kyle looked up at the floating navy-haired man who helped him out of nowhere. Now, if he wanted he could use ''Instant Teleportation'' and easily enter the Rm gate without any difficulty but he knew the man wasn''t simple. That''s why he waited.

    Hushed curious murmurs echoed in the air with thousands of eyes staring at Kyle.

    Istalian smile widened because Kyle didn''t even flinch under his gaze.

    ''He is worthy of such a powerful beast.''

    The moment the Phoneix started flying, he sensed it immediately due to the mes around its body. They were too violent and destructive. Moreover, the young beast was already (C+)-Rank, a testament to its future potential. Istalian would be lying if he said he wasn''t tempted to just steal it away but after thinking for a few seconds he decided against it.

    Right now it was impossible for him to make a bond with any type of beast because the shadow ced a mark on his body. The mark was too dangerous and could meddle with his strength. It would probably affect his bonded beast as well. Also, he knew if he forcefully broke their bond it would do more bad than good.

    He scoffed at the old individuals who tried to harm the beast.

    ''If I can''t get it why should I give you all the permission toy your hand on it?''

    His expression was solemn as he looked around.

    "It seems the matter is resolved. The beast went to its owner. Hurry up and gather the kids. There is no time to waste because with each passing second many resources are being wasted to maintain the passage leading to the secret realm."

    The old individuals looked dumbfounded at his words. Especially the ones from the Central Continent. They knew Istalian personality. The man would never let go of anything precious so why was he helping an unknown kid? Still, they held back their opinions and immediately went to do their jobs.

    Istalian gazed at Kyle with curious eyes.

    ''Strange I can''t sense his rank.''

    He thought for a second and spoke inside Kyle''s mind.

    ''I don''t know if you will return alive or not but remember you own me one.''

    Kyle took a deep breath and gave him a nod. As long as the navy-haired man didn''t harm him he would remember his help.

    Istalian pped his hands and shouted once again.

    "Hurry up start with the group nearest to the realm gate and send the kids inside."

    Amidst all this, he didn''t forget to remember the face of the old man who opened the secret realm gate and wasted a lot of his resources.

    Elder Han shuddered when he sensed a dark gaze looming around his back. He snapped back to look around but found no culprit.

    Kyle gazed at the thousands of young individuals rushing toward the realm. He sighed inwardly.

    ''I wanted to meet my friends but it is not possible anymore.''

    He thanked the principal who was looking at him with conflicted emotions. Kyle''s eyes trailed to Elder Han who was staring daggers at him.

    He chuckled and waved his hand at the old man. After another breath, he gazed at the crackling gate in front of him.

    Dark ominous energy seeped out from the gate and for some reason, Kyle felt sick just staring at it. He shook his head and grabbed the quite little troublemaker sitting on his head.

    "Let''s go."

    In the next second, under many eyes, he jumped into the circr opening present in the middle of the realm gate.

    After he disappeared, one after another many batches of youngsters jumped into the realm gate.

    At a distance, where the people from the mermaid Kingdom were standing.

    Nine let out a bitter chuckle. After seeing Kyle, he recalled the recent fragments of memories he saw. He sighed.

    ''Kyle is getting stronger. Also, his hair...''

    His thoughts were disturbed when a pale hand grabbed his shoulder. Nine expression hardened.

    "What is it Seraphine?"

    The owner of the hand giggled with a bright smile. A red-haired girl with deep golden eyes stared at him with an amused smile.

    "Brother, why are you always so cold?"

    Nine didn''t reply and just scoffed in his mind. He was forced to enter the realm with them even when he rejected them. He didn''t know the reason why Seraphine the future Queen insisted that he should go with her.

    Just like Nine, she could foresee future events but her ability was stronger. However, she always misused it. That''s why Nine didn''t feelfortable around her.

    ''No matter what I won''t contact anyone after I entered the secret realm.''

    If one looked closely, one would notice his shaking fingers. The damage caused by hisst vision wasn''tpletely healed yet.

    The girl was persistent. She chuckled when Nine ignored her so bluntly.

    "Do you know that silver-haired boy? I saw you smile after he entered the realm safely."

    Nine didn''t even think twice and immediately lied with a serious face.

    "I don''t know."

    The girl hummed and even though she knew Nine was lying she questioned him for the time being. Anyway, she knew more than him.

    Her eyes sparkled when she thought about the silver-haired boy.

    ''It''s him. I wonder if he can really achieve what I saw or is it just an illusion. The future is indeed unpredictable.''

    Seraphine watched the youths entering the secret realm with curiosity.

    At the same time, an old man from the Kingdom Soltecia approached their group with a smile.

    He introduced himself as Gafear and brought a lot of young individuals with him. He was tasked by Istalian to make sure the kids from the mermaid Kingdom got familiar with the youths from Kingdom Soltecia. After all, all of them had to work together in the realm.

    Seraphine smiled beautifully in front of everyone because she had to keep her image as the future Queen of the mermaid Kingdom but her eyes reflected nothing but disdain.

    ''Weak... pathetic.. none of these people are in the future I saw. Tsk why can''t I find someone strong.''

    Gafear gazed at the realm gate. He sighed and nodded at the Guardians of the mermaid Kingdom.

    "It seems we don''t have time. Let''s move."

    Seraphine walked between the crowd elegantly. She gritted her teeth when she saw how Nine ignored her and left her behind.

    She wanted to catch up to him but stopped when she saw a golden-haired boy walking behind the second prince of Kingdom Soltecia. The boy''s body was packed with muscles and he looked taller than his peers.

    Seraphine didn''t think much and approached him with a smile. However, she was ignored again.

    ''Damn it! You shittymoners!''

    Instead of the golden-haired boy, the second prince of Kingdom Soltecia introduced himself to her with a bright smile.

    They chatted for a while and Seraphine found the identity of the golden-haired boy. Even after that, she didn''t remember where she saw him.

    ''Sen holten... Sen holten... Don''t let me see you again or else I am going to make sure you regret the moment you ignored me.''

    A loud pleasantugh at the distance attracted her attention.

    A red-haired boy with sharp eyes jumped forward as the people from his Kingdom made their way toward the realm gate.

    "Jian! Wait for me!"

    Kelvin wanted to facepalm as he watched his excited friend. They trained 24/7 for the past few months just to get a chance to enter the secret Realm because Kelvin''s father, King foraan was against their decision.

    Jian didn''t look back andughed out loud.

    "Damn, I didn''t even recognize the firebird that caused so much ruckus. I had a hunch I saw her somewhere! Who would have thought that she was Bia, Kyle''s tiny little bird?"

    He was too excited after seeing Kyle. Even though he didn''t recognize thetter when he saw his silver hair and green eyes but after hearing the murmurs around himself, he confirmed his doubt. Now he wanted nothing but to find his lucky charm who brightened his life in the Tower of Opportunity.

    "I aming Secret Realm!"

    With anotherugh, Jian jumped forward into the secret realm gate. However, his smile vanished when an old man with a furious expression grabbed his cor.

    "Where do you think you are going after breaking the line?"

    Jian''s smile stiffened.

    "Sir, please let me go! I need to find my lucky charm!"

    The old man massaged his temples and just tossed him into the secret Realm. After all, Jian was someone who gave him a lot of headaches for the past few months.

    Kelvin sighed and jumped after him with the other people from his Kingdom.

 Chapter 263 Already (B+)-Rank

    <h4>Chapter 263 Already (B+)-Rank</h4>

    Even though the thousands of youths were heading toward something dangerous, they seemed rxed.

    Mostly it was because of Bia''s otherworldly appearance and Kyle''s firm stance. Moreover, many of these youths had already faced many hardships in the Tower of Opportunity. So, they thought entering the Secret Realm was simr as well. However, unbeknownst to them this seemingly peaceful departure would be filled with nothing but agony.

    After all, it was a dangerous ancient realm that was sealed a long time ago.

    Alec staggered toward the secret realm gate with a nk expression. His mind was racing with many thoughts because he was too shocked after watching Bia''s true appearance.

    Moreover, who was that silver-haired boy... Was it Kyle? The same Kyle he knew?

    Alec could not believe his eyes when hey them on the handsome yet cold youth surrounded by golden mes.

    The shocking part that made him rub his eyes again and again was the system appraisal panel.

    He mumbles under his breath with a sigh.

    "He is already (B+)-Rank... even stronger than me."

    ______________________

    ''Name: Kyle Ohan''

    ''Race: Human''

    ''Rank: (B+)''

    ''Talent: ?? Error.....''

    ''Special: ??''

    ''???''

    -Error!

    Trying to find the cause! Loading....

    -Error!

    No more information provided. To know further information host needs to be a whole Rank higher than the target.

    _________________________

    He pinched his brows with frustration. They just got separated for a few months and Kyle was already so far.

    ''Did I ck too much? I should have trained more....''

    Alec ced his hand on Carcel''s shoulder with a distant expression.

    "Bro, I am feeling a little jealous. I want a bonded beast as well."

    Carcel gazed at him with aplicated expression. He would be lying to Alec if he said he wasn''t feeling jealous. He could sense Kyle was stronger than him and with Bia, Kyle was probably the strongest in their generation. However, instead of feeling down this revtion fueled Carcel''s determination to work even harder.

    He removed Alec''s hand from his shoulder and said with a numb expression.

    "Don''t worry. I can feel your pain."

    After these words left his mouth. He couldn''t help but think because he felt like had said this before. A rare smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

    Alec saw his smile with narrowed eyes and decided to ignore him. Instead, he turned around and expressed his grievance to Lara.

    "Did you watch how easily Bia left our side after seeing Kyle? She is too heartless! I fed her! You bathed her! Mia caressed her fur daily! But in the end, she just left..."

    Mia smiled and shook her head.

    "What are you doing Alec? Are you gonna enter or should I push you inside?"

    Alec clicked his tongue and jumped in the realm gate. Still, aggrieved on the fact that Bia left him so easily.

    After them, one by one many more people entered the secret Realm. The opening within the gate was not big that''s why it took some time for all the kids to enter inside.

    Istalian watched everything from above. His expression wasn''t readable. No one knew what he was thinking. He narrowed his eyes at the mermaid princess who was talking with his son.

    ''She is indeed useful but I don''t think she cane back alive because she is too weak. I am unable to understand the reason behind the mermaid Queen''s decision.''

    After five long hours, all the youths vanished within the realm gate.

    Their guardians stood in front of the gate with dread and anticipation. Dread because they knew how dangerous the secret realm was and anticipation because the ones who could return alive would be stronger than before.

    Soon, the morning sun started rising at a distance with full vigor, sprinkling bright light everywhere.

    As the first ray of light sparkled on the realm gate, it trembled with dark clouds rising into the sky. After a few seconds, the opening within the gate closed with a resounding bang.

    Amidst the serious atmosphere, Elder Han sucked in a deep breath and quietly slipped away from the crowd. He made his way toward the forest. However, a familiar tall mannded in front of him with a smile that didn''t reach his eyes.

    "Where do you think you are going? I believe you need to give me an exnation as to why the realm gate opened before the intended time."

    Elder Han''s expression stiffened and before he could run away arge hand grabbed his cor.

    Istalian called a guard and tossed him toward the guard.

    "It would be a pity if I cut the legs of a talented Array master. Just count the losses I suffer due to his impudence and make sure he pays for everything before he leaves mynd."

    The guard bowed in front of Istalian and started dragging the panicked Array master away.

    Elder Han looked far at the Principal with pleading eyes. But to his dismay, the principal looked away with an expression saying,

    ''I don''t know you.''

    Elder Han''s eyes widened with shock. He cursed under his breath. This was all because of his one and only talented disciple!

    ''You brat! I am going to suffer because of you just make sure toe back in one piece....''

    After an hour, the area around the realm gate was divided into many camps because each Kingdom decided to leave behind a strong individual to observe the realm gate.

    No one knew when the realm would open again because the knowledge was lost with time. They only knew that it would open by itself after some time and the alive kids would be teleported in groups.

    Istalian observed the area for a whole day. After the camps were made he ordered some of his guards to stay and watch the realm gate.

    After all, he had to note the identity of all those who returned alive. In the future, those individuals are going to be the strongest among their peers. So, it was better to recruit them into his Kingdom.

 Chapter 264 Beady eyes

    <h4>Chapter 264 Beady eyes</h4>

    Inside the secret realm, the sky was painted with red and ck clouds. Thend was broken and pitch ck with not even a hint of greenery in sight because the thousands of trees had long lost their luster.

    Almost everything present in thend gave off an ominous and dark feeling. The hundreds of mountain peaks were devoid of any color. The water within the rivers looked murky mixed with an unpleasant odor.

    The monsters within the realm had dark veins bulging out in their whole bodies.

    All of a sudden a rumble echoed in the air. The monsters raised their heads to stare at the sky.

    The clouds trembled and a bright crack appeared in the darkness. After a minute, a ray of light shed from the cracknding at a distant mountain.

    The monsters glued their eyes to the sky because, after the first light, many more lights shed from the crack.

    Soon, the seemingly dark sky turned bright with hundreds of lightsnding all around the secret realm.

    Above arge mountain, an illusionary white old man opened his eyes and peered at the vast sky.

    "Who opened the realm again?"

    His voice drifted away with the air and after a second he was already floating in the sky.

    His eyes reflected the many bright lights pouring out from the crack.

    "So weak so weak... How are they going to survive."

    His expression turned serious as he looked at a distance. Just like him, another old figure started floating in the sky.

    However, unlike the old man the other figure''s eyes shone brightly when he saw the crack in the sky. Heughed out loud with a twisted smile.

    "After so many years they stepped into this ce again."

    A pair of beady charcoal eyes looked at a distance where one of the lightsnded. He extended his pointy nails to w at the small figure that emerged out from one of light but his hand stopped mid-way when the illusionary old man grabbed his wrist.

    "What do you think you are doing Guil? As a Pseudo Divine being you are not allowed to kill mortals."

    The beady-eyed man''s facial expression twisted and he swung the hand gripping his wrist away.

    "Hahahaha.. who made this rule? This is the ce me and my people had been sealed for the past so many years. You can stop me but those weak pathetic beings had to die. If not me then my race will kill them just likest time."

    The illusionary old man figure flickered and a cold expression appeared on his face.

    "I don''t care about others but you are not allowed to touch anyone."

    Guil expression turned ugly. He was strong enough to crush everything around him but he was stopped by a tiny piece of soul. He gritted his teeth and left the illusionary old man alone.

    However, he didn''t forget to inform his people to start the hunt again. After all, even though his soul is bound to this ce and he can''t go outside he can at least kill all those who stepped in this realm.

    The illusionary old man looked at his fading back. He gazed at the sky filled with bright lights for a second and vanished. In the end, he was just a small piece of soul left behind by the original body. It was not his job to save each person who had a death wish.

    He would look around for some promising youths and send them back. As for the remaining people they can only me themselves for entering this ce even after knowing about the danger.

    ....

    Meanwhile, Kyle felt a familiar dizzy sensation after he stepped into the realm gate.

    He opened his eyes and found himself above a dark rocky mountain. The sky was ck and he could see a bright crack in the middle. Hundreds of bright lights shed through the crack andnded far away from each other.

    Kyle''s nose wrinkled when he sensed an unpleasant odor in the air.

    "What is this smell... The air is not clean."

    He waved his hand and narrowed his eyes to look around. Bia peeked out her head from his hands and narrowed her eyes as well.

    -''Why is this ce so dark? Also, the mana here is so thin...''

    Kyle''s ears twitched when he recalled what happened a minute ago.

    "I believe you need to give me an exnation about what happened outside the realm."

    Bia shuddered when Kyle''s grip around her body tightened.

    -''Will you believe me if I said I don''t know anything.. ''

    Kyle raised a brow and his eyes turned crescent.

    "I will believe you if you let me beat you up a little okay."

    Bia panicked and hurriedly opened her wings to fly but Kyle''s grip around her was too tight.

    -''Wait... How can you harm this majestic me? Did not you see how strong I am!''

    Kyle didn''t listen and grabbed her through her neck with an evil smile.

    "Majestic?"

    Bia blinked and immediately shook her tiny head. She didn''t dare to provoke him because even if they fought she knew there was no way she could win. After all, she was (C+)-Rank while Kyle was (B+)-Rank!

    -''Nope... Not at all. Who is majestic? I am not.''

    Kyle nodded with satisfaction. He patted her head and ced her on his shoulder.

    "Good."

    Bia nodded like an obedient child. However, her inner thoughts said otherwise.

    -''I am majestic. No one can change this fact. Also, just wait I am going to increase my strength, and then we are going to have a serious one vs one!''

    Amidst all this, she truly missed Kyle. Her small head snuggled inside his neck cozily with a pleasant expression.

    Kyle hummed and patted her head again. After all, he could sense her emotions.

    "Let''s go!"

    He stepped forward and started descending the mountain. However, only after a few steps, Kyle''s feet slipped and he fell into a dark hole.

 Chapter 265 Dark race

    Chapter 265 Dark race

    Bia pped her wings and started flying when Kyle''s body fell downward.

    She blinked and gazed down at the narrow hole that engulfed Kyle.

    -''Hey... Are you okay?''

    Kyle looked up at the opening and cursed under his breath. He almost wanted to strangle that flying bird who was staring at him with smiling eyes.

    He hissed when he sensed a stinging pain in his palm.

    "I am fine just a scratch."

    Kyle closed his eyes to look around in his mind space. It was just as huge as he remembered. Within a second, he fished out a small vial of healing potion from the pile of ss vials stacked in a corner.

    He poured the potion on his palm, Anlee and Aira had prepared a lot of things for all the kids to use in the secret realm before they left Kingdom Tersia. After all, no one knew how long the kids had to stay in this ce.

    Kyle watched the wound on his palm. It was healing but at a very slow speed. He clicked his tongue.

    "They only gave away low-grade healing potions. So stingy."

    "Anyway, what''s in the pouch Principal Ratric threw at me?"

    It was so hectic at that time that''s why he just simply tossed the pouch in his mind space. Kyle hurriedly took out the pouch and peeked inside.

    His eyes sparkled and heughed out loud.

    "Finally! I got my wealth back! Damn being poor is so bad!"

    He emptied the content of the rings in his mind space and hugged the (S)-Rank sword d in a silver scabbard with a satisfied smile.

    ''I missed you the most!''

    Kyle''s happiness doubled when he saw an unfamiliar low-rank storage ring within the pouch. It was filled with so many healing potions! And half of them were high-grade!

    ''Master you are the best!''

    He smiled at the ordinary-looking broach ced inside the pouch. It was simr to the life-saving artifact Elder Han gave him in the past.

    He hurriedly tied the broach on his shirt and after he tossed everything in his mind space, he wore all the empty storage rings on his fingers.

    "They are empty but they look pretty on my fingers."

    Bia who had been watching him for the past five minutes narrowed her eyes.

    -''Are you gonnae out from the hole or not?''

    Kyle raised his crescent eyes. He snapped his finger and three floating fireballs appeared around him.

    "Nope, noting out. There is a narrow tunnel here leading underground. Just follow me."

    Bia sighed and dived down into the hole. She gazed at the fireballs.

    -''Don''t waste your mana I can illuminate the path.''

    The moment her words fell, bright golden mes appeared around her whole body. The mes were brighter than Kyle''s fireballs

    Kyle shrugged and waved his hand. The fireballs around him vanished. They moved in a straight line going deeper and deeper underground. The tunnel ground was dry and dark. Moreover, it contained nothing except uneven dark-colored rocks.

    However, Bia''s expression was resolute because she knew Kyle had a long history of finding treasures just by walking.

    ...

    Meanwhile, the atmosphere outside the tunnel was heavy.

    An army of flying figures suddenly appeared in the dark sky.

    Their beady pitch-ck eyes stared at the bright lights shing from the crack present in the sky. The leader of the group let out a menacingughter. An evil smile tucked at the corner of his dark lips.

    "Indeed the ancestor didn''t lie those living outside are here again."

    A tremendous pressure emerged from his body. The pressure scared the ones standing behind him. However the pressure wasn''t directed at them, it was aimed at one of the lights failing from the crack.

    A pained cry rang out in the sky and the light vanished into darkness, leaving behind an injured floating figure.

    The young curly hair elven girl opened her eyes and clenched her injured chest with a painful expression. Her mind was foggy. What happened? She just entered the gate but in the next second, she felt like someone forcefully yanked her body out.

    She cried out when she saw how far she was from the ground. She struggled to move her floating body but an invisible chain restrained her movement.

    "Oh, it''s a woman?"

    A scratchy, unpleasant voice sounded in her ears. She snapped up and her eyes contracted with dread.

    A pair of dark beady eyes stared at her with an ominous glint. The man''s skin was tanned and a dark pair of bat-like wings extended from behind his back. Dark long veins bulged out across his whole neck and his long pointy nails didn''t look any weaker than a lethal weapon.

    The girl noticed his ugly smile and choked out.

    "What... are you?"

    The man''s eyes trailed down her body and stopped and her face.

    "Such a pleasant voice but I don''t like it."

    He smirked and tilted his head.

    "Still, I should introduce myself. Right? Well, I am Emion. The current leader of the dark race. Haaa... I remember the people outside used to call as.. what was it?"

    Emion looked back at his people with a frown because his memory was not good.

    The girl''s expression turned deadly pale when she saw a whole army floating behind him. All of them look hideous just like Emion.

    A head peeked out from the crowd.

    "I remember. They used to call us demons even though we are from the dark race."

    The man tried to look hurt but the evil smirk ying on his lips gave him away.

    Emionughed out loud, showcasing a row of ck razor-sharp teeth.

    "Yes, Demons! Good job. Here this thing is a gift for you."

    He grabbed the trembling girl''s neck and tossed her toward the ones standing behind him.

    A loud cheer rang out behind his back coupled with the girl''s pleading cries. Emion fixed his gaze at the crack a cruel smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

    "All of you spread out everywhere. After the crack in the sky closed the old treasurends would open up again. All those outsiders are here for the treasures. Kill the males and take the females back for enjoyment."

    As if recalling something important he clicked his tongue.

    "Make sure not to break the girlspletely. They are useful. The ancestor is worried about the race poption and the girls'' bodies are the perfect container to nt new seeds."

    With a loud exmation, the hundreds of figures standing behind him scattered in different directions. On the other hand, Emion''s gaze shifted and he vanished behind another bright light that fell from the crack.

 Chapter 266 A few more years

    Chapter 266 A few more years

    The old illusionary white man standing atop a mountain gazed at the bloody scene below.

    After he stopped Guil, the people from the dark race spread out everywhere to kill all the young kids who arrived in the realm.

    This scene was very familiar because it has happened before. The old man thought he had long detached himself from the mortal world. However, he couldn''t help but sigh at the cruel sight.

    "Instead of getting stronger, the people outside had gotten weaker with time."

    He looked up at the crack, his senses spread out heading toward a faraway ce.

    "James and Odiak hid the before they left... So, why do I feel like the''s core is getting weaker? Don''t tell me an outsider found this ce..."

    "I thought this would stay hidden for a long time because it was dear to them but it seemed I was wrong. A few more years maybe..."

    The old man shook his head. Just a few more peaceful years and then this hidden would lose its protective shield. Afterward, the future of the mortals residing on this was bleak.

    "The fact that this ce stayed hidden for so long is already a miracle."

    He stepped down from the mountain and disappeared into a dark cave.

    ...

    Meanwhile, the young individuals who arrived in the realm had long started roaming but their experience wasn''t good.

    After the first few peaceful minutes, hundreds of strange ugly creatures with bat-like wings appeared everywhere and started hunting them like wild beasts.

    Moreover, the monsters within the realm were not weak at all. They were more violet and bloodthirsty than the ones outside. Also, to make matters worse the weakest monster in the realm was (C+)-Rank!

    That''s why with each passing second, many youths died regretfully.

    At a distance, Nine opened his eyes and found himself standing in front of ake that was surrounded by manyrge boulders. He frowned as he looked around.

    "What the hell is wrong with this ce?"

    Theke water was smelly and dirty. Nine squinted his eyes and gazed into the water. He almost freaked out when he saw many huge brown worms sleeping in the water.

    ''The fuck!''

    He took in a sharp breath and hurriedly distanced himself from theke. No way in hell he could defeat those huge things. Moreover, they were so ugly.

    All of a sudden a faint cry echoed behind one of the boulders. With a cautious expression, Nine tiptoed and peeked from behind the boulder.

    A demi-human with shoulder-length hair was fighting with a familiar brown worm. The fight was bloody and the demi-human looked badly injured.

    In the next second, Nine quietly left the area. It''s not that he didn''t want to help. It was just his condition wasn''t good enough to help others. Also, the worm was (B+)-Rank!

    As he passed through a few boulders, something within his storage ring buzzed. Nine clicked his tongue and ignored it.

    It was the device given to him by the Queen. After everyone entered the secret realm he and the others from his Kingdom were ordered to find Seraphine immediately.

    "Instead of finding her, I should find a good quiet ce to recuperate. Or else I don''t think I will be able to survive in this ce."

    His fingers trembled and a painful expression appeared on his face. He stopped abruptly atop a boulder. His eyes dted at the sight in front of him.

    A few meters away from him, red blood dyed the pitch-ck ground. A wed hand held the heart of the lifeless body of a human lying on the ground.

    Nine stopped breathing for a second. He stared at the winged man who titled his head and crushed the thumping heart present within his hand.

    ''Those ck beady eyes...''

    Nine vision turned nk. He thought the beady-eyed man he saw in his vision was a demi-human but right now in front of him, a familiar beady-eyed man was tearing the body of a young man.

    The moment the winged man snapped his head to look at the boulder where he was standing, Nine jumped down and grabbed his mouth to hold his breath.

    He stayed quiet and after a few seconds, slowly peeked out from behind the boulder. The dead body was still there but the beady-eyed figure was nowhere to be seen. Nine took in arge breath but then a scratchy voice sounded above him.

    "What are you looking at?"

    With a loud shout, Nine didn''t even look up and jumped forward. He distanced himself from the boulder and stared back with sharp eyes. His sword appeared inside his hand.

    The beady-eyed man unfolded his wings and started flying. A burst of delightfulughter slipped out from his throat.

    "You wanna fight me? Are you sure?"

    With a mocking smile, he released his (A)-Rank aura.

    Nine expression hardened but in the next second, he looked up with a raised brow.

    "Who said I am going to fight you?"

    The man looked confused but then under his eyes, Nine used all his skills on theke behind him.

    A big worm emerged from theke with a loud screeching sound. After the first worm, many more worms jumped out from theke.

    The man was surprised. Nine took advantage of the few seconds he got and took out a white bead from his storage ring.

    He crushed the bead immediately and his vision blurred. In the next second, he was standing at a different ce.

    Nine sighed and slumped down on the ground.

    "Now I only have three more teleportation beads."

    He looked around and after seeing no one, he started running toward a nearby mountain.

    "I don''t think I can fight for a while. Also, the mana here is very thin. Let''s just find a ce to rest."

    After arriving below the mountain, he found a cave and hurriedly entered inside. He closed the cave entrance and moved deep into the cave to look for a good resting ce.

 Chapter 267 Treasure lands

    <h4>Chapter 267 Treasurends</h4>

    After five long hours, the bright lights raining from the crack stopped abruptly. The sky trembled and hundreds of dark clouds gathered around the brightness. Wisps of ck smoke puffed out from the crack and with a loud bang, it vanished within the smoky clouds.

    Under the now clear sky, many loud cries echoed all around the realm but those voices got muffled due to the heavy air.

    At that exact moment, the white illusionary old man appeared in the sky. His old thunderous voice sounded in the whole realm.

    "Wee new arrivals to the Lumbra Realm. The entry gate has closed that''s why the treasurends would open up now."

    A heavy silence enveloped the whole realm. Unlike the panicked new arrivals, the people from the dark race stopped in their actions. They stared at the sky with thrill and anticipation. After all, they were the ones who would grab all those treasures. These pathetic outsiders were just here to open thends again.

    The illusionary old man couldn''t help but frown. If it was up to him, he would never open the treasurends but everything was automatic. That''s why even if he tried he couldn''t stop the process. The realm was designed a long time ago just for the sake of nurturing young talents.

    He didn''t feel anger but frustration itched on his face as he spoke out loud and clear.

    "Be prepared because each treasurend will have its own rules and tests. You have to fight and win the treasures will your strength."

    After his voice drifted in the air. The people from the dark race cheered loudly. The realm has long lost its luster as they destroyed everything. However, even after digging and destroying every nook and cranny, they were unable to locate those hidden treasurends.

    The old man scoffed at their enthusiasm.

    ''So what if you all got stronger? In the end, you can never leave this ce.''

    On the other hand, the barren dark realm shook violently. Thend trembled and thick clouds of smoke emerged out from the ground.

    Within a few seconds, a brilliant sun appeared in the sky and bright light spilled from the dark sky.

    The dry dark trees regained their vigour and lush green grass beds spread out everywhere.

    Nine opened his eyes abruptly. He was already shocked due to the thunderous old voice that sounded in his ears but he lost his cool when half of the cave ceiling tumbled down in a lightning-fast speed. He jumped and after avoiding therge rocks pouring out from the ceiling, immediately rushed toward the exit.

    "The fuck! I just closed my eyes for a second and someone destroyed the whole mountain!"

    He cursed and if not for his quick reflexes he would have already perished under the pouring rocks.

    "Why the hell did I go so deep inside the cave!"

    Nine eyes reflected the cave entrance and he lunged forward after gathering every bit of his energy.

    He covered his face when bright light pierced through his eyes.

    "What the actual fuck..."

    Nine mouth was hung open The previous incident where he saw the beady-eyed man instantly disappeared from his mind.

    He took in the sight in front of him and mumbled under his breath.

    "Is this even the same ce?"

    The previous dark sky was now clear and bright. Thend was filled with greenery but what truly astonished him the most were the countless floating inds beneath the clear sky.

    He released arge breath and looked at the nearest floating ind. Simr to all the other floating inds, an old castle shimmered brightly atop the ind.

    He slowly moved closer to the ind but then a very important question appeared in his mind.

    "Wait...how am I going to fly up?"

    The moment this question appeared in his mind his expression turned solemn. He was practically standing underneath one of the treasurends but he couldn''t reach it.

    As if sensing his predicament, the ground around him started trembling again. Nine already muddled heart almost leaped out from his chest. He looked up at the huge treasurend with horrid eyes and started running in the opposite direction.

    "Please don''t tell me it''s going to fall!"

    Nine halted his steps when he didn''t sense anything behind him. He looked back and his eyes widened at therge stairway leading up toward the treasurend.

    "Oh, It''s seemed I don''t need to fly..."

    He staggered forward and slowly started climbing. At that moment, a faintugh sounded above the sky.

    The voice was unpleasant that''s why Nine looked up with narrow eyes.

    His eyes shook visibly when he saw hundreds of ck figures flying toward the treasurends.

    "This...so many people. Also, they all looked simr to the man I saw a while ago."

    Nine closed his eyes for a second and made his way up toward the castle present atop the treasurend.

    "Now is not the time to divulge in this matter. I can''t fight with them. They are too strong. I just hope my friends stay safe."

    He sighed as Kyle''s face appeared in his mind and for some reason, his bad mood brightened a little.

    "Well, I don''t think I need to worry about him because even if the sky fell he would still survive."

    ...

    A few minutes ago, Kyle stared nkly in front of him. The deep tunnel ended but he was met with nothing except a dead end.

    He coughed lightly and looked at Bia who was wearing a deadpan expression.

    "I think we should go back."

    His sentence was cut short when Bia shot him a re.

    Kyle shut his mouth and a frustrated expression appeared on his face. They had been moving underground for the past few hours and he was sure right now they were almost at the bottom of the mountain. However, the problem was that they were surrounded by thick ck walls.

    He narrowed his eyes at the wall in front of him with a thoughtful expression.

    "Should I break it?"

    Bia''s eyes widened.

    -''Are you crazy? We are both gonna get buried underground forever!''

    Kyle chuckled. Of course, he knew they would get buried if he did anything with the walls.

    "I was joking."

    Bia sighed with relief. She pped her wings and made her way back to the entrance of the tunnel.

    However, in the next second, a loud old voice resounded in their ears.

    Kyle blinked his eyes as he stared at the long narrow passage.

    "So, the realm was empty and the so-called treasurends were closed all along?"

    He couldn''t help butugh at himself.

    "Don''t tell me I wasted so many hours in vain?"

    Bia''s eyes turned nk as she poured salt over his wounds.

    -''You did.''

    Kyle took arge breath but the moment he stepped forward the whole tunnel shook violently. His eyes widened with shock.

    "We need to leave this ce!"

    Bia pped her wings and increased her speed, heading straight toward the exit. Kyle rushed behind her. However, it was toote.

    Kyle cursed under his breath. They were too far from the exit. His pupils contracted when he sensed a part of the ceiling crashing on Bia.

    He gritted his teeth and jumped forward to grab Bia''s body. A loud cry rang inside his head.

    -''What are you doing the mes!''

    Kyle ignored the struggling bird. He would be lying if he said he didn''t feel pain when he grabbed Bia''s body. However, the golden mes around her body didn''t affect him much because his body was naturally too cold. It happened after he awakened his bloodline. He only felt an ufortable stinging sensation in his palms and nothing else.

    Kyle hugged her small body and rolled down to avoid another huge boulder crashing down from above.

    His green eyes brightened for a second as he looked at therge tunnel. He knew it was impossible for them to go out in such a small amount of time. He grabbed the broach on his chest and hurriedly tossed it in his mind space.

    ''Damn it! I can''t use Instant Teleportation. Bia is with me!''

    He ranked his eyes to look around but after finding nothing, he ced his hand on the ground and decided to transfer the whole mountain in his mind space but it didn''t work. Who was he kidding?

    Bia''s struggling voice echoed in his head as she cried out again and again.

    -''Kyle let me go!''

    She pped her wings and tried to free herself from his grip but Kyle didn''t let her go.

    Kyle watched the trembling ceiling, he used the ''ice armor'' skill and jumped back. Within a second, a thin invisibleyer of ice appeared around his whole body.

    Kyle''s breath hitched when arge boulder crashed down on his back. It was painful but due to the invisible armor around his body, he didn''t bleed.

    ''Should I freeze everything?''

 Chapter 268 Shattered dreams

    <h4>Chapter 268 Shattered dreams</h4>

    Kyle''s eyes shone brightly in the dark. In an instant, bright blue mes appeared around him. The mes moved ording to his will and enclosed everything.

    The trembling ceiling froze for a few seconds but theyer of ice he created wasn''t enough to hold the weight for a long time.

    Kyle clenched his fists and once again the towering cold mes enveloped everything around him. He secured his head and got ready for the impact. However, at that moment his eyes caught sight of a small light seeping from a distant corner.

    Kyle''s eyes zoomed at the light as he made the mes wrap everything in his path. The icy boulders in front of him crumbled into bright particles and he shouted out.

    "Ice spear!"

    In an instant, tworge spears appeared in front of him. One after another they shot forward and crashed at the ce where the light was spilling from. The space in front of him cleared up for a few seconds and amidst the shaky ground, Kyle immediately propelled his body forward toward the source of light.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed at the light and a sudden burst of mes emerged from his body. In an instant, the wall froze and turned into bright particles and what appeared in front of him was a narrow hole.

    The bird in his hand was so anxious that she bit his palm.

    ''Bia stay calm for a second!''

    Kyle gazed inside the hole, it was going further underground, and at the end, he saw something bright. With arge breath, he jumped into the hole and his body dived downward at a fast speed.

    Kyle cried out when hundreds of sharp rocks grazed his body. He hurriedly used mana to strengthen the ''ice armor'' around his body. However, it wasn''t enough. The speed at which his body was going down made his head dizzy for a second.

    Still, he bore the pain and strongly protected the small body struggling in his grip.

    After a long torture, his half-closed eyes finally saw the source of light as he crashed into arge boulder. Kyle''s body jerked up in pain. He groaned and finally released Bia from his grip.

    Bia cried out as she looked at him with moist eyes.

    -''You fucker! I told you to let me go!''

    Her breath caught in her throat when she saw Kyle''s condition. His whole body was riddled with injuries and his clothes were wet with blood.

    Kyle sensed her worry and forced his eyes to stay focused. He gritted his teeth and moved his trembling hands to take out a mana potion from his mind space.

    It was painful but he forced his hand to pour the potion in his mouth. One wasn''t enough that''s why he gulped down two more.

    After two minutes ofbored breathing, his hazy eyes finally regained some rity as he looked at Bia who was sitting beside him.

    "I am... fine."

    Bia didn''t say anything and quietly observed his injuries. They were healing with the speed visible to one eye. It was the effect of the high-grade healing potions Kyle just chugged down.

    After checking that he was fine, she hissed and pecked his hand with an angry expression.

    -''You are crazy!''

    Kyle grabbed her body and he propelled himself up to look at his surroundings.

    He blinked at the sight in front of him. The ce in front of him wasn''t narrow at all. A rocky path and a white beautifulke surrounded by a batch of beautiful glistening flowers. Above the calmke, there was a floating piece ofnd, and atop thatnd stood an old castle.

    Kyle unconsciously looked up at the ceiling with astonishment.

    "We are still inside the mountain."

    He sucked in a deep breath and tried to stand up but hissed with pain.

    "Ugh... I forget my injuries are healing..."

    After thinking for a few seconds, Kyle''s eyes sparkled and he looked at Bia with an innocent smile.

    Bia sensed his gaze and almost had the urge to p him. Just a second ago they passed through a life-and-death situation and he was already thinking about something evil?

    Her hunch was proven in the next second when Kyle patted her head and ordered her to increase her size.

    "I am injured. Now only you can take me to the castle!"

    Bia grumbled but gave him a nod. In the next second, she opened her wings and started flying. Her size started increasing and after a few seconds, a familiar sight appeared in front of Kyle who stared at her huge beautiful body in a daze.

    "I didn''t look properlyst time due to the thousands of eyes watching us but your true form is truly awesome."

    He nodded with a satisfied expression and dragged his legs to stand up. Due to the high-grade healing potions, his injuries were almost healed. However, he was too excited to climb the back of a certain phoenix that''s why he made sure to wear a pained expression.

    "Alrighte down!"

    Bia gazed at him. She pped her wings and dived downward. However, instead of letting him climb herself, she casually grabbed his arms with her paws and picked him up.

    Kyle was stunned for a second. His feet left the ground and his dreams of climbing the Phoenix back were shattered just like that. The whole process was so smooth that Kyle had to double-check if he was imagining everything. He grumbled under his breath.

    "You could have let me ride you."

    Bia scoffed and flew toward the castle gate. The moment they appeared above theke, the air around the floating piece ofnd trembled.

    Kyle narrowed his eyes.

    "What''s happening?"

    In the next second, arge stairway emerged from the floatingnd and descended toward the ground.

    Kyle blinked and let out a faintugh.

    "It seems we don''t need to fly."

    Bia almost had the urge to throw him on the stairway but she thought about his injuries and restrained her urge.

    She slowly ced him in front of the shut castle gate. Afterward, she decreased her size and sat down at a nearby boulder.

    -''I can''t sense anything behind this gate. Is it safe to go inside?''

    Kyle hummed and instead of opening the gate he actually descended the stairway. He stood beside theke and cleaned his blood-filled body before changing into a clean set of clothes.

    He nodded at himself and again climbed the stairway. All this while, Bia stared at him with a speechless expression.

    -''I thought you were injured?''

    Kyle ignored her piercing eyes and slowly pushed the gate open.

    "I can''t sense anything as well. Let''s see what''s inside then."

 Chapter 269 Mechanical voice

    <h4>Chapter 269 Mechanical voice</h4>

    Alec held his bleeding stomach as hey down beside a boulder. His breathing was ragged and if one looked closely they would see a lot of wounds on his body.

    He felt dizzy due to the blood loss. He took out a healing potion from his storage ring and poured it on his wounds.

    After taking another breath to calm his wild heart, he stared at the winged man''s body lying a few meters away from him with anger and disgust. A bright sword was protruding out from the man''s chest.

    Alec shut his eyes when he recalled how he almost died a minute ago if not for the strange chain Principal Ratric gave him before they left the Kingdom.

    The moment he appeared in the realm, he felt something amiss with this ce. Also, the ground beneath his feet was dry and barren. So, how was it possible for this ce to have any treasures?

    Still, he started moving in a straight direction but only after a few hours, he encountered a cruel sight.

    Two strange-looking individuals with bat-like wings were toying with a girl. Alec''s eyes chilled at the sight. Anger welled up inside his chest and even though he clearly knew they were stronger he attacked them with everything he got, but in the end, he was too weak.

    One of the two dark individuals easily overpowered him and mocked his bravery. At the same time, the other dark individual dragged the girl away under his red-rimmed eyes.

    Alec wanted to save the girls at all costs. He used everything at his disposal but it didn''t work. In the end, the dark individual who had been fighting with him for the past few minutes got bored. He wanted to finish him as soon as possible. So, he could follow his friend who took the girl away.

    However, when the man''s pointy nails neared his chest a sudden force burst out from his chest. The man cried out in pain and immediately held his hand. Alec''s mana was almost dry but he gathered every bit of his strength and swung his sword desperately at the man.

    It was as if time stopped for a second, his old sword which had not been much useful in the past suddenly shone brightly and before he could register what was happening the sword was already embedded within the man''s chest.

    Alec was bewildered at the sudden bright light that appeared out of nowhere. When he acquired the sword from the Tower of Opportunity it was old and rusty but now it was shimmering in a bright color.

    He opened his eyes and stared at the dark sky. His usual bright eyes were now filled with coldness.

    "Dark race."

    It was fortunate that he had the system appraisal skill or else he would have never found out about this race.

    A chilling expression spread out on his face. He remembered thest time he felt so weak. It was the time when his friends were killed by the monsters. He was weak in the past and even now he was still weak.

    Amidst his troubled thoughts, he swore to kill that man who dragged the girl away, even if it took him a lot of time. He would kill him no matter what.

    Alec punched his fist on the ground with a cold expression and even though his wounds were still bleeding, he dragged his body to stand up.

    "I am sorry."

    A sharp breath escaped from his lips as he stared at the sky. The girl''s tragic cries still echoed in his mind. He knew it was not his fault but he felt guilty because he wasn''t able to save her.

    As he walked aimlessly above the dark ground, after a few minutes an old voice sounded inside his ears. He looked up at the sky when the ground started trembling.

    Under his nk gaze, hundreds of treasuresnds appeared above in the sky. They looked majestic.

    Alec looked at the nearest floatingnd and climbed the stairway that emerged from thend. He needed strength and for it, he was willing to take any tests.

    .....

    Meanwhile, after Kyle pushed the gate open he didn''t see anything. He narrowed his eyes at the darkness spilling out from the open gate.

    "I can''t see anything. Bia how about you go inside to check?"

    Bia''s round eyes widened as she stared at him with a deadpan expression.

    -''Just step inside. Why are you trying to make me a meat shield?''

    Kyle clicked his tongue and gingerly peeked inside with a cautious expression. After careful consideration, he conjured a fireball and threw it inside. The fireball traveled in the darkness for a second but vanished in the next second.

    Kyle frown. He grabbed a rock from nearby and threw it inside the gate. Again, the rock vanished within the darkness.

    "It seems I have no choice but to step inside."

    With a sigh, he activated his skill ''ice armor'' and walked in the gate.

    A tremendous force coiled around his body and pushed him downward. Kyle''s head buzzed and his vision changed abruptly.

    It was like he traveled from one ce to another. Kyle''s eyes widened at the sight in front of him. He was standing in arge bright room surrounded by nothing but white walls.

    Bia pped her wings and flew around the room with an anxious expression.

    -''What is this ce? Also, there is no exit!''

    Kyle''s eyes trailed at her figure for a second before he noticed the rock he had thrown a while ago. It was lying on the ground.

    While the duo was looking around the room, suddenly a mechanical voice sounded in the air.

    "Wee participants to the st'' treasurend."

    Kyle and Bia both abruptly turned around to find the source of the voice but even after their eyes traveled everywhere they didn''t see anyone.

    "Counting the number of participants...."

    "Total participants two; A (C+)-Rank divine beast and a (??)-Rank human."

    "Loading.... unable to detect the rank of the human due to an unknown artifact. Automatic rank would be assigned."

    "Conclusion; Total participants two; A (C+)-Rank divine beast and a (F-)-Rank human."

 Chapter 270 (F-)-Rank is too little

    Chapter 270 (F-)-Rank is too little

    The voice was monotone devoid of any emotions, Kyle looked around the room with a dumbfounded look. Who was talking? However, even after ranking his eyes everywhere, he didn''t see anything except white walls.

    He gazed at Bia. She wanted to attack a nearby wall with a fireball, but the moment she formed a fireball it dissipated in the air with a sizzling sound. Her round eyes narrowed at the wall.

    -''I think the voice doesn''t belong to a living person. Instead, it''s more like a recording or a mechanical voice.''

    Kyle''s expression was grim. At first, he was worried about the sudden voice but after listening to the voice his worries changed instantly.

    "Don''t you think the automatic evaluation is a little too much? Me, (F-)-Rank human? It should give me a higher rank..."

    Bia almost lost her bnce and stared at Kyle with a speechless expression.

    There was silence for a few seconds before the voice sounded again.

    "Participants please do your best to reach the end. The entrance test willmence in a minute..."

    "59... 58...56...."

    Kyle summoned his sword from the mind space. He wasn''t sure what he would face after the countdown reached zero. Still, he felt excited, a little thrilled as well. The voice said this was a treasurend. That means if he passed all the tests he would get the treasures!

    He stretched his body and did some push-ups as the countdown echoed in the enclosed white room.

    Soon, the countdown reached zero and under the duo''s eyes, a wooden door appeared in the white room.

    Kyle eyed the ordinary-looking door. He didn''t even think twice and pushed the door open. As he stepped in the door, an area surrounded by big, dense trees appeared in his vision.

    Bia''s flying figure appeared behind him after a second. The moment she left the door, it vanished.

    Kyle gazed at her and even before he could say something, she pped her wings and flew upward to see what was behind those trees. A vast expense of greenery reflected in her eyes.

    -''It''s too blurry I can''t see anything beyond the trees.''

    Kyle hummed and gave her a nod. In the next second, his ears twitched when he heard a faint rustle behind him. The rustling sound increased with each passing second but when he turned around he found nothing.

    At that moment, the mechanical voice sounded again.

    "Loading.. The entrance test will begin now. Please kill 1000 monsters each to clear this test."

    "The monsters'' rank is adjusted ording to the participants'' strength..... After passing the test you will be eligible to fight for the ''Vials of Divine essence''."

    Kyle''s eyes widened when he heard the name ''divine''. He thought about the divine rank and immediately searched his memory to find something simr but his knowledge was stillcking.

    Amidst all this he knew this ''divine essence'' was something extraordinary!

    ''I have to get it no matter what!''

    After the mechanical voice stopped, a group of two-headed trolls stepped out from the trees. They were ugly, withrge eyes and noses.

    Kyle grabbed his sword tightly. He was ready to fight but his enthusiasm plummeted when he sensed the trolls'' ranks. He blinked and watched the trolls who slowly staggered toward him.

    "They are only (F-)-Rank...."

    Suddenly, Bia''s cry sounded in his mind and Kyle snapped his head to look up. She was surrounded by a group of flying monsters and those monsters were stronger than the ones he was supposed to fight.

    Kyle''s face showed aplicated expression, he was stronger but his opponents were so weak. On the other hand, Bia was fighting a group of (C+)-Rank monsters!

    He casually waved his hand. A burst of blue mes enveloped the trolls but Kyle didn''t even nce at them and shouted at Bia.

    "Biae down. I don''t like these ugly trolls let me fight with the other monsters."

    Bia was more than willing to change opponents, she dived downward and appeared beside Kyle.

    -''Don''t worry I will take care of the trolls.''

    Bia pped her wings and bright golden mes appeared in her surroundings. However, her mes seemed weaker inparison to the cold blue mes that lingered around Kyle''s body in a protective manner.

    The air was filled with zing blue and golden mes, showcasing a mesmerizing sight. Moreover, Kyle was astonished at the fact that his me didn''t harm the golden mes. Nor did the bone-chilling coldness seeping out from his mes affect Bia''s body.

    He sighed and focused on the fight. One monster died after another. Amidst all this, their numbers never decreased. It was like the monsters were forming from thin air, just like an illusion.

    At first, the battle was one-sided because Kyle''s mana stat was too high even greater than Bia, a divine beast. Still, unlike the (F-)-Rank trolls, the (C+)-Rank flying monsters were powerful. He didn''t even notice how the mana within his body vanished.

    Kyle panted heavily as he killed the 600th monster. He clicked his tongue in irritation, after all, even though he could fight without mana his body couldn''t cope with it any longer.

    He looked at Bia with a tired expression.

    "Hey, I want to rest for a minute. Stopped them for a while."

    Bia hummed, unlike Kyle her condition was quite good. Mainly because she didn''t have to do much to kill the (F-)-Rank trolls. Also, the trolls were slow that''s why her kill count was lower than Kyle''s.

    -''Just for a minute.''

    After giving him a nod, she pped her wings and started flying to distract the flying monsters.

    Kyle gazed at the trolls who were still pouring out from the tree and climbed one of the trees to rest for a minute.

    The entrance test was truly tiring. It was good the mechanical voice wasn''t able to calcte his true strength or else he would have never passed this test.

    Kyle''s body started aching after he crossed the 800-kill mark. He was so tired that he wanted to sleep between the monsters'' but he persevered and did his best toplete the goal.

 Chapter 271 Bound to achieve greatness

    Chapter 271 Bound to achieve greatness

    At the same time, under the clear blue sky, a red-haired figure was dashing around to save his life. Jian eyes widened when he sensed another attack aimed at his back.

    He cursed under his breath.

    "This ugly fucker why is he not letting me go! I am weak! I am not as tasty as either! So why!''

    He lunged forward in a different direction, behind him arge ck stick trashed the ground mercilessly.

    A winged man shouted out with a frustrated expression.

    "Just die you ant! Stop running!"

    Jian scoffed out loud.

    "If you want to kill me so much just catch me! Why are you panting like a puppy?"

    The man''s beady eyes contracted with anger and heughed out loud.

    "You! I will hack you into pieces! Just you wait!"

    Jian chuckled. The ugly man was (B)-Rank but he wasn''t weak as well. He had worked a lot for the past few months! He was already (C)-Rank! He was sure no one in the whole East Continent couldpare to him except Alec!

    As if remembering something, he grumbled inwardly.

    ''Damn, I forget to count Kyle! I am one hundred percent sure he is stronger than me!''

    While he was thinking another attack was thrown at his back but he dogged it.

    After running for ten more minutes, he saw a floating piece ofnd. An evil smile appeared on his face. It seemed his luck had risen a lot after he entered the secret realm!

    It was because, the moment he entered the realm he encountered an illusionary old man! At first, he freaked out when he saw the old man but after sensing that the other party had to intention to harm him he calmed down.

    The old man didn''t even gaze at him. Still, he was quite curious that''s why he decided to observe the illusionary figure for a while.

    s, the old man got angry due to his presence and shooed him away. However, instead of leaving he quietly hid at a distance, but he was caught only after a minute.

    This time the illusionary figure didn''t chase him away, instead he gave him a lot of information about this ce.

    "Now I am the only person who knows everything about this realm! Hahaha. I got lucky even before I got to meet my lucky charm!"

    Jian''sughter echoed in the air. The winged man following behind him was so frustrated that he almost coughed out blood! The man''s beady eyes burned with hatred. No matter what he would kill this crazy human today!

    Jian giggled and jumped at the stairway leading toward the floatingnd. Now, he didn''t need to find the lucky charm. He was omnipotent! His non-existent luck has risen! He was bound to achieve greatness in this realm!

    "I just need to find the st'' treasurend! The old man said that treasurend contained the most precious thing present in this whole realm!"

    He dogged another attacking at him from behind and hurriedly dashed toward the shimmering castle gate present atop the floatingnd. After listening to the old man, he knew about the dark race and even though he didn''t watch their cruelty he hated them to the core.

    Anyway, he was a tad bit weak to kill the enemy behind him. So, it was better for him to run for the time being. He would take care of the dark race after he got some treasures and be a little stronger.

    Jian lunged forward to push the gate with a brilliant smile.

    "Hehe... I aming my treasures!"

    However before he could, the gate opened by itself and two dark-winged figures walked out from the gate.

    Jian''s smile stiffened. He cursed under his breath and immediately attacked the two men. The two winged men looked at the attack Jian threw at them, even though they were stronger they blocked the attack out of reflex.

    The red-haired boy''s eyes sparkled, he took advantage of the two seconds he got and jumped in the open gate.

    The winged man behind him was dumbfounded, erged he shouted at his fellow people.

    "You idiots! He ran away! Grab him!"

    The two winged men were startled but got angry when they saw how a mere (B)-Rank was ordering them! One of them scoffed and flew away.

    "Why should I? He is just a weak human. Go get him yourself."

    The other winged man gave him a weird look and left as well.

    The man who was following Jian was so angry that he wanted to strangle the red-haired boy with his own hands!

    "You shitty human! Just you wait! I aming after you!"

    He didn''t even think twice and jumped in the gate as well.

    ....

    Meanwhile, in a different ce, Seraphine''s golden eyes zed at one of thends floating a few meters away from her. Her long hair looked messy and her previous elegant clothes were filled with dust.

    She has truly suffered a lot after entering the realm. It was fortunate she had a lot of life-saving artifacts the Queen gave her before she left the Kingdom. Or else she would have sumbed to a very pathetic fate after a weird-looking winged man attacked her.

    With a deep breath, she turned around to look at the few individuals standing behind her.

    "So, Prince Lucus ording to the old map your father gave you which treasurend do we need to find."

    The handsome young boy standing opposite her gave her a smile. He was the second son of Istalian but he knew his father never cared about him. After all, even after knowing the dangers within the realm Istalian just coldly ordered him to enter the realm and look for the treasure.

    "I don''t know. The map is not detailed. It only outlined the possible locations but I believe we need to look for a floating piece ofnd that is underground. We need to find the st'' treasurend."

    Lucus''s expression dimmed. This ce was indeed too dangerous. Especially those ugly winged individuals. He looked at the golden-haired boy standing next to him with a serious expression.

    "Sen, did you get in contact with the others? I thought we all agreed to find each other. So, why is it that only the three of us found each other? Don''t tell me everyone else died."

    His expression was solemn as he stared at the muscr blonde boy.

    Sen lifted his eyes to look at the prince.

    ''Of course, the others died you idiot.''

    A mocking expression shed through his face but he hid it immediately.

    "I don''t know."

    Lucus gave him a nod and the trio started moving together.

 Chapter 272 How And Why We Are Here

    Chapter 272 How And Why We Are Here

    Kyle''s hairline was dyed with sweat as he panted heavily while sitting on a tree trunk. Countless dead bodies were lying on the ground, demonstrating a bloody sight.

    However, amidst all, Kyle''s clothes were clean, devoid of even a stain of blood. No, it''s not because he was too careful it''s because he changed his shirt again.

    Bia was sprawled on his stomach with a nk expression, her chest was heaving up and down in a fast movement. She really outdid herself. A sudden thought appeared in her mind.

    -''I am so powerful? As a (C+)-Rank ''divine'' phoneix, I killed 1000 (C+)-Rank monsters! Unbelievable!''

    Kyle narrowed his eyes and had an urge to grab her body and throw her down. He killed more than 700 (C+)-Rank monsters and now she was taking the credit!

    "Shameless..."

    His murmur was quiet but a certain bird was too close, she heard his words and gave him a snicker.

    As if finally noticing something, Kyle grabbed her by her neck with a serious expression.

    "Wait... You are a divine beast? The voice also said divine. That means it''s true."

    Bia didn''t have any energy to bicker with him regarding how he picked her up and just gave him a smug expression.

    lights����v��l ?��m -''It''s seemed you finally know how majestic I am.''

    Kyle smirked, of course, he was happy at the fact that she just increased her status from ordinary to divine. He wasn''t sure yet but he had a nagging feeling Bia could reach the divine rank in the future. Doesn''t that mean she can go past the limit of mortality and follow him when he bes a true immortal? Kyle blinked at his thoughts. When did he be so confident?

    ''I am not even (S)-Rank and here I am imagining being an immortal.''

    He shook his head with a sigh. The future was unpredictable and no one could guess what was waiting for him.

    Bia saw the rapid change in Kyle''s expression, she clicked her tongue and wriggled out from his grip with a hiss.

    -''We are done with the goal but the mechanical voice didn''t return. What now?''

    Kyle''s thoughts were disturbed due to her sudden question. He looked at the sky with a serious expression.

    "I don''t know. The voice only said we need to pass the entrance test to gain the right to fight for the Vails of divine essence."

    After resting for an hour, he carefully jumped off the tree. As usual, Bia sat down on his head and both of them decided to go deeper into the trees because the mechanical voice never returned.

    Kyle held his sword in his hand and started walking. They passed through many thick tall trees and to their surprise the ce they passed from was devoid of any living being. A deadly silence envelope their surrounding.

    After half an hour, Kyle activated the skill ''swift steps'' and increased his speed. He dashed between the trees while looking around to find something, anything.

    Bia pped her wings and started flying above his head but the image behind the tall trees remained blurry.

    The time tickled by fast but even after many hours, the duo didn''t find anything. In the end, Kyle climbed a tree to sleep.

    The sky was burning brightly above their heads, but Night never arrived. Still, he closed his eyes to sleep for a while.

    Bia gazed at his sleeping figure and quietlynded beside him to keep an eye on the surroundings. She wasn''t drowsy but for some reason after a few minutes, her eyelids fluttered shut.

    A loud strained shout jolted her awake, Bia snapped her eyes open and got a heart attack when she saw Kyle holding the jaw of a huge, towering monster.

    The monster''s head was round andrge with four short legs below his huge furry belly.

    Her eyes trembled when she looked at Kyle. His shirt was drenched in blood. How? Kyle was so strong but the strange monster injured him so much! Her question was answered soon when the monster''s body released a heavy, suffocating pressure.

    Bia choked on her breath. A (S)-Rank monster! Her body trembled due to the pressure and she finally registered that they were not in the same ce anymore.

    The trees around them were nowhere to be seen. Instead, they were present atop arge white stage. The monster''s deep blue eyes flickered with rage and it thrashed one of its paws forward to hack Kyle into pieces.

    -''What happened!?''

    Bia cried out in Kyle''s mind and pped her wings to fly. Her round eyes shed with a deep glow and in the next second, golden mes descended on the monster''s body with a maddening pace.

    Kyle gazed back with hazy eyes.

    "Oh...You are awake. Ugh"

    He used every ounce of strength and pushed the towering monster away. Just like the golden mes, blue icy mes surged out from his body, they enclosed the monster who cried out in anger. However, it was evident their mes were not working.

    Bia''s golden mes only left some minor injuries on the monster''s body and even though Kyle''s icy mes froze its body parts the monster would get rid of the ice.

    Kyle cursed loudly as he dodged another attack from the monster.

    ''Why the heck are my mes not working? I injured someone with (A)-Rank strength before so easily but it''s not working on this thing... Is it because the strength difference between us is too huge?''

    Bia''s panicked voice echoed in his head again and again, it made Kyle dizzy.

    He rolled back and started running around the stage to avoid the monster for a few seconds, but his speed was too low!

    Only after a second, the monster jumped at him with a loud growl. Kyle gritted his teeth, the white stage was painted red with his blood. He grabbed his sword and swung it vertically at the monster.

    "I don''t know how and why we are here! The moment I opened my eyes I found this monster drooling on my body. Just a few more seconds and I would have been a goner."

    Bia suddenly recalled how she wasn''t supposed to sleep and watch over Kyle. So how the hell did she fall asleep?

 Chapter 273 The Line Is Crossed

    Chapter 273 The Line Is Crossed

    A shrill cry rang out above the stage as Bia watched how more and more wounds piled up on Kyle''s body with each passing second.

    She pped her wings and many fire arrows formed out of thin air. The arrows crashed at the running monster''s back with a lightning-fast speed, the monster stopped momentarily. It didn''t expect the tiny thing would attack again.

    The pair of deep blue eyes stared at Bia before the monster stepped back to look at Kyle''s panting figure.

    It let out an irritated huff. At first, it only had to chase a single person who ran around in circles like a buzzing bee but now this tiny thing who can''t even scratch a tiny part of its skin dared to attack him from behind!

    A sharp glint shed through its eyes, the monster had enough of this chasing game! It wanted to finish the prey as soon as possible.

    A low growl rumbled from the monster''s throat, under Kyle''s gaze, the monster''s blue eyes lost their color and two thin red-grey slits appeared between its pupils.

    Kyle''s hair stood up behind his back. A faint bad premonition surged inside his heart, he knew something was off with the monster.

    His grip on his sword tightened and his eyes darted around at a fast speed.

    ''I am injured, my mes aren''t working on this thing... if it continues I don''t think I will be able to continue after my mana runs out.''

    Kyle knew there was no way out from here. While Bia was unconscious he had tried jumping off the stage but he was stopped by a strange wall. That means he and Bia had to kill this thing before they could leave.

    He knew the pressure of a (S)-Rank monster wasn''t something he could cope with easily. His eyes darted to the stage that was filled with his blood.

    lights����vel ''I can only hope it works...''

    As he thought, thend below his feet started trembling. Kyle''s eyes widened when he sensed a powerful force under his feet.

    The monster eyed him with a smug expression. Kyle cursed under his breath but instead of panicking he instantly used his skill to teleport at the other end of the stage.

    Bia gasped when the ce where Kyle was standing a second ago sted. In an instant, pieces of broken stones flew everywhere with arge cloud of smoke.

    A faint shock shed through the monster''s eyes. It ranked its gaze at the ce where Kyle was standing, only to see nothing.

    On the other hand, the pair of green eyes staring at its back turned cold. A sudden current shed through Kyle''s eyes, he saw how the monster just sted arge part of the stage like it was nothing.

    ''This fucker wanted to kill me! I thought this thing wanted to eat me but... now the line is crossed!''

    At first, Kyle wanted to save as much mana as possible because he was not sure what would happen after he killed the monster. This ce was too strange. What if another monster appeared out of thin air? What if the mechanical voice threw him into another life-threatening situation?

    Kyle''s face turned expressionless and arge amount of mana enveloped his sword, illuminating it with a whitish-grey hue.

    The monster''s eyes snapped back when it sensed the violet mana movement.

    ''Bia, don''t do anything now. After I am done help me distract this thing!''

    Kyle shouted in his mind. The monster leaped at him, however, instead of retreating Kyle swung his sword smoothly on the monster as he mumbled in his mind.

    ''Second strike: Eradicate''

    The monster froze for a second, the energy pulsating around Kyle''s sword wasn''t dangerous enough to threaten its life. Still, the energy was extremely-violet and could probably give it a few deep injuries.

    The monster wanted to dodge but Kyle used instant teleportation again. He appeared above the furry body in an instant, and the glowing vortex on Kyle''s sword exploded when it touched the monster''s body.

    The monster''s eyes contracted into thin slits, due to Kyle''s sudden move it wasn''t able to react in time. In the end, even though its speed was higher than Kyle''s, it could not match the speed of instant teleportation.

    With a loud cracking sound, the monster''s huge body was pushed backward, and a bloody gash appeared on its neck because Kyle chose the most vulnerable part of its body.

    A cold chuckle echoed in the deadly silent stage, the monster snapped its eyes up and saw Kyle looking at him with a cold smile.

    Anger flooded in its eyes and the monster who didn''t have much intelligence to begin with went berserk.

    Bia''s eyes widened at the sight, she cursed in her mind. Kyle was provoking the monster! Amidst all this, she followed his words and started raining one fire attack after another on the already muddled-headed monster. She had to distract that huge thing!

    Due to the onught of so many attacks, many injuries formed on the monster''s body. However, it was evident, that those injuries were not enough to kill it.

    Kyle suffered a few more injuries as he nimbly dashed around a certain part of the stage with a focused expression. Bia''s expression turned ugly. With each passing second, her mana thinned and she knew after another minute, her mana would run out.

    She gazed at Kyle who was still running around, he would just asionally attack the monster once or twice, and nothing else.

    -''What the hell are you doing? Running around aimlessly!''

    Kyle merely raised his brow, his focused eyes never lifted from the ground under his feet. He sucked in a deep breath.

    ''Stop attacking, I am going to finish this thing.''

    Bia looked confused as she watched Kyle who suddenly stopped a meter away from the monster silently.

    The monster let out a loud growl when Kyle pointed his finger below, two pairs of eyes snapped downward frantically. Bia''s eyes widened at the sight. On the other hand, the monster''s eyes shed with confusion.

    The ce where the monster was standing, strangely had many scattered glowing mana stones. Moreover, if one looked closely they would see the faint bright symbols drawn on the ground.

    "It''s the first time I used mana to draw an Array... "

    Kyle''s eyes sparkled at his own masterpiece. He couldn''t believe he actually did it. He thought gathering mana outside his body to form Array symbols would be very hard but after he tried, it wasn''t as hard as he expected it to be. It was rather easy.

    Now, if Elder Han or any other Array master heard his thoughts they would probably spit out blood. It took them so many years just to learn the basic theory of how to form mana symbols but Kyle did it on his first try just because he knew the theory.

 Chapter 274 Cut it up

    Chapter 274 Cut it up

    The monster growled at him angrily and pounced forward once again, but Kyle didn''t move from his spot. The monster''s bloody eyes turned even redder with the shere amount of frustration and anger he was feeling just by staring at Kyle''s face.

    It roared and decided to just finish everything in a single move! In an instant heavy pressure seeped out from its body. The monster wanted to st the whole stage except the ce where it was standing!

    On the other hand, Kyle merely raised his hand nonchntly and snapped his fingers. A deadly feeling enveloped the monster and its jumping body froze mid-way. The monster felt the dread that crept inside its heart. It cried out and struggled to move its body but nothing worked.

    Bia''s eyes turned crescent and she immediatelynded on Kyle''s shoulder with a huff.

    -''Could have informed me about the n.''

    Kyle chuckled.

    "I forget."

    -''What are you waiting for? Just finish it.''

    Kyle eyed therge furry thing. He used the type of Array symbols that could make his enemy immobile for a few minutes. Also, the time was thin that''s why he didn''t have time to draw any offensive symbols.

    "Um... We need to kill it."

    Bia almost tripped on his shoulder. She was truly speechless. Why the hell did he do such a grand show when they had to kill this thing themselves?

    Still, a strange twinkle shed through her eyes. It was evident the monster''s death wouldn''t be peaceful at all. Bia stretched her legs will a groan and started flying again.

    -''I am feeling hungry, let''s cut it up and cook fresh meat.''

    She crackled out an evilugh. Kyle''s eyes widened at her words. No, it was not because he found them cruel!

    "Why didn''t I think of this idea? I bought all the cooking material with me and you can light the fire!"

    The monster who had been struggling for the past few seconds freaked out when it saw the two pairs of sparkling eyes. This was truly the first time it felt scared! Those two tiny creatures'' eyes shone in a glint that made his legs tremble!

    A few pained muffled cries echoed in the space and after half an hour, Kyle and Bia were enjoying their first meal in the secret realm.

    It was truly delicious. The aura of cooked meat drifted in the air. Also, who could have guessed they would taste the meat of an (S)-Rank beast! Moreover, after such a bloody fight the meat taste became even more savouring!

    However, Bia felt that it could have been even more delicious if it was not cooked by Kyle. He trulycks cooking skills. Not to mention the fact that he brunt a few pieces in the process. Bia''s eyes ranked at Kyle''s face. He seemed unaware of this fact that''s why she carefully hid it inside her heart to not make him angry. After all, he was the person who was going to feed her in the future.

    -''I should not damage my future.''

    She nodded and silently ate her portion.

    After they were done eating, they waited but the mechanical voice never returned. Still, Kyle didn''t dare to sleep because the previous incident where he almost ended up in a furry stomach was not pleasant at all.

    Kyle heaved out a tired sigh. He wasn''t sure how much time passed as he lifted his eyes to be astonished again.

    "Huh!?"

    He blinked with a loud gasp and Bia who had been snuggling in his hair immediately jolted.

    -''What happened! I swear I was not sleeping!''

    She stopped mid-way because the scenery around them had changed again. The stage had vanished into thin air and now the duo was sitting on a smooth red carpet drawn out in arge hall.

    A row of tall pirs circrly surrounded the hall, those pirs extended upward to hold the dome-shaped ceiling. The hall looked old and bright but the duo could not spot even a single firetourch or bright burning stone around the hall.

    Bia eyed the hall with a deep expression.

    -''So, we are going to change locations so abruptly every time.''

    Kyle hummed and stood up. He patted his clothes. Of course, they were clean. He had changed into a new pair of hoodie and pants after the bloody fight.

    His gaze wandered around the hall and he finally noticed the tiny square-shaped door at the end of the hall. It was hidden under the shadows of the pirs and if not for Kyle''s heightened sight he would have never noticed the door.

    Kyle squinted his eyes.

    "That''s it? Do we just need to enter the door?"

    He was skeptical and hesitant, but still proceeded to walk toward the gate. However, he stopped even before he took the first step.

    Bia poked out her head from his hair.

    -''What happened?''

    "Bia start flying. I don''t think we should walk on this pretty red carpet."

    Bia only replied with an ''Oh'' and immediately pped her wings to fly. She secretly clicked her tongue. He could just teleport whenever he wanted. How convenient!

    Kyle watched her for a few seconds as she flew toward the gate at a normal pace. Then he gazed at the door and calcted the distance in his mind. He took a deep breath and instantly teleported from his location. In the next second, he appeared in the middle of the hall. However, he didn''t stop and immediately used the teleportation skill again.

    In the next second, he arrived in front of the door but Kyle''s body froze, he lifted his hand to trace his cheek and felt a wet sensation. His eyes widened when he saw blood on his fingers.

    "What happened!?"

    Kyle didn''t sense anything. He just felt a sharp prickling pain.

    -''Look behind you!''

    "Huh?"

    Kyle turned around and sucked a deep breath. Hundreds of sharp thin crimson arrows were embedded on the surface of the red smooth carpet at the exact ce where he stopped for half a second. Some of the arrows even burned the carpet surface. It seemed they were poisonous.

    He didn''t dare to imagine what would have happened if he actually walked on the carpet.

    Kyle ignored the crimson arrows and gazed at the door with a sigh.

    "It''s good that this type of trap can not harm someone like me."

 Chapter 275 Stone guardian

    Chapter 275 Stone guardian

    Kyle covered his face when a hot burned smell invaded his nose. He stepped in the door only to arrive in front of arge pool filled with bubbling hot magma.

    The ce was incredibly hot, but the duo didn''t even break a sweat, because first, Bia was a fire phoenix and she couldn''t care less about the high temperature. On the other hand, Kyle''s body was naturally too cold after the bloodline awakening, and with the addition of the skill ''fire resistance'' he could easily ignore any type of temperature around him.

    Amidst the sizzling magma, the walls around them seemed unscathed filled withrge mesmerizing murals of strange-looking creatures that seemed toe to life.

    The duo carefully looked around, Bia''s round eyes narrowed at the many tiny tforms floating above the magma. Those scattered tforms looked like a string of stairs leading up to an unknown ce.

    Kyle eyed the magma and poked Bia.

    "Go up and check where these stairs are going."

    Bia swatted his finger away with a re and opened her wings to fly. She passed through the gaps present between the floating tforms with agility. After flying for ten seconds, she felt a tingling sensation around her body, and under Kyle''s gaze, her body vanished.

    Kyle hastily spoke in his mind.

    ''Are you alright?''

    -''I am fine and I found the exit but... there are a lot of doors. You need toe up.''

    While he was conversing with Bia, the creatures in the mural created on the walls moved, albeit very slowly. Their eyes glowed in a dark light ready to pounce at Kyle.

    However, their supposed prey has something else nned because after Kyle confirmed the situation above. He hummed thoughtfully. He eyed the spot where Bia''s body vanished and knew that should be the boundary or exit of this room.

    Kyle picked a small movement in the murals from the corner of his eyes.

    ''Well, it''s interesting but I don''t have ns to have another bloody fight so soon.''

    In the next second, he used the teleportation skill to directly arrive at the floating tform that was nearest to the ce where Bia disappeared.

    The moment Kyle''s feet touched the tform it crumbled into dust but before he could fall, he used the teleportation skill again, directly arriving beside Bia.

    After he passed the boundary, his feet submerged in a wet sensation. Kyle looked below, he was standing inside a pool of cool water.

    His ears twitched when he heard a few loud growl soundsing from beneath the water. He smirked.

    If someone else managed to arrive at this ce, they would probably struggle a lot under the onught of those weird creatures and the bubbling magma but he just passed the ce within half a minute.

    Bia''s eyelids couldn''t help but twitch at the silver-haired boy. His lips were curved upward in a beautiful arc but for some reason, she wanted to wipe that smug smile from his face.

    -''Stop grinning. We are still in the middle of a dangerous ce.''

    Kyle raised his brow with an ''Oh'' because he could feel the sourness in Bia''s voice. He controlled the urge tough and gazed around himself.

    Just like Bia said, a row of in doors reflected in his vision.

    After thinking for a few seconds, Kyle entered the first door but found nothing. The room behind the door was empty devoid of anything. That''s why they stepped out of the room again.

    Bia sat down on Kyle''s head as he eyed the doors with a frown.

    "Let''s enter thest one this time."

    Bia agreed without a second thought. Well, it''s not like she couldpare with Kyle in terms of luck so it was better to follow his lead in this type of situation.

    After they entered thest door, they found another path that led them to another room filled with various traps. However, they passed it easily due to their teamwork. After a few more twists and turns in a strange corridor that was filled with various doors and rooms, they arrived in front of a white door.

    Kyle had a nk look on his face as he pushed the door open roughly. On his way, he counted every injury he suffered during his fights with the monsters. He even counted each deadly trap that wasid on his path. Now, he was damn sure if he didn''t get the treasures at the end, he would st this ce!

    As if sensing Kyle''s threatening thoughts, the mechanical voice that had been quiet for as long as he remembered, sounded again.

    "Congrattions participants for passing the tests of the st'' treasurend alive."

    "Please step in the room because the guardian has been waiting for your arrival."

    Kyle ignored the voice and staggered into the room but he stopped between the doorway. He squinted his eyes to look around.

    The room was the biggest he had seen up till now. It was illuminated brightly with many bright orbs floating around, and a huge stone statue holding a bow and spear was standing in the middle of the room.

    He craned his neck to look behind the statue and saw the treasures!

    Arge old wooden table was ced behind the statue. The round spots on the table were upied by a few ss vials. In each vial, a tiny droplet of golden liquid was floating.

    Kyle hurriedly counted the vials and smirked in his mind. He could see that a few of the spots on the table were empty meant someone else took the remaining vials before him. However, there were still nine vials left!

    He didn''t move from his ce as he ranked his eyes around the room. In an instant, he caught sight of a bright portal at the end of the room.

    While he was thinking, the mechanical voice sounded again.

    "All the participants should defeat the stone guardian and the winners can take one vial of divine essence each."

    Kyle chuckled with crescent eyes.

    "Are you joking? Why should I take one when I can take all?"

    Bia eyed the vials, for some reason the golden drop of liquid within them looked very tempting.

    -''If the voice is saying we can only take one doesn''t that mean there is a trap around the table? You can clearly see some of the spots on the table are empty. I don''t think no one tried to take all the vials before.''

    Kyle didn''t reply and just slumped down in the middle of the door with a tiny smile.

    -''What are you doing?''

    Bia left his head and arrived on hisp with a confused expression.

    "Just recovering my mana."

 Chapter 276 The golden droplet

    Chapter 276 The golden droplet

    Kyle closed his eyes to rest in the middle of the door. After he recovered all of his mana he grabbed Bia and stood up with a serious expression.

    "Fly and enter the bright portal at the end of the room."

    Bia grumbled but agreed. She pped her wings and started flying. However, the moment she passed the first half of the room, the stone statue''s eyes shed with a bright light.

    The statue started floating and an arrow appeared in its hand, it grabbed the bow and aimed the arrow at Bia with a sharp glint.

    All this happened within a few seconds, the statue''s movements were fluid and fast, and before Bia could react the arrow shot out with deadly precision. However, at the same time, blue mes erupted from below and enveloped the arrowpletely.

    A low cracking sound echoed in the silent room and under Bia''s shocked gaze, the arrow crumbled into tiny sparks.

    Kyle heaved out a sigh. That was a close call. He dashed toward the floating statue and shouted.

    "Bia enter the portal. You know I can leave any time I want!"

    Bia snapped her eyes and hurriedly dived toward the portal. The statue wanted to follow behind her but blue mes appeared in its path.

    Kyle gasped as he saw how the statue evaded the mes with a lightning-fast speed and arrived in front of him. Arge spear appeared in his vision and his instinct kicked in.

    Without even thinking twice he teleported beside the table. On the other hand, the spear in the statue''s hand prated deep into the ground with a loud bang.

    The statue left the spear and snapped its head back to look at Kyle with glowing eyes.

    Kyle cursed under his breath. However, even in such a situation, one could see his wriggling fingers nearing the table.

    "The fuck is this thing?..."

    His sentence was cut short because instead of taking out the spear the statue nocked another arrow in the bow and shot it toward Kyle.

    Kyle grimaced. In an instant, blue mes emerged from thin air and enclosed his body. After the arrow reached the mes it crumbled into dust.

    The statue staggered and rushed to the ce where Kyle was standing, only to see nothing. It froze momentarily because even the table had disappeared into thin air.

    On the other hand, Kyle rubbed his left hand as he appeared in another location. He suffered a jolt of sharp pain the moment he touched the table but instead of retreating, he forcefully tossed the whole table in his mind space. At least, the treasures were secure.

    He looked at Bia''s figure. She was flying inches away from the portal. He shouted with frustration.

    "Enter! Or else I am leaving you behind!"

    The statue turned around to attack Kyle again but just like wind Kyle vanished again.

    An evilughter echoed in the room as he appeared in front of the portal.

    "I told you I will take them all!"

    Kyle mocked the mechanical voice. He didn''t even look back and grabbed the stubborn bird who was still flying in front of the portal and jumped inside.

    At the same time, the statue exploded with a burst of strength and tried to catch his figure but it was toote.

    In the end, the statue''s eyes dimmed and it staggered toward the same ce where it was standing a minute ago.

    After Kyle vanished within the portal an amused voice echoed in the air. It was very simr to the mechanical voice but one could sense emotions within the voice.

    "Why do I feel like I have been cheated on?"

    A thin transparent pure white body of energy formed in the room. A pair ofrge white wings adorned its round back.

    "I think the statue has weakened or else how can a weak child bypass an (SS-)-Rank stone statue? Should I dismantle it?"

    The body moved its hand to swat the statue but stopped midway.

    "Wait this ce is empty. The treasures are already gone. So, I don''t think I need to increase the difficulty."

    With a nod, it decided to follow the silver-haired kid silently. After all, its duty here was done.

    In the next second, the bright light around the body vanished, illustrating arge white boar with white wings.

    Just like Bia, the winged boar was a legendary beast with (SSS)-Rank talent. However, the beast has reached the end of his potential a long time ago.

    In the end, instead of going with his master who stepped in the path of immortality, the boar decided to stay in this ce because he knew he would only be a hindrance to his master. After all, he could not increase his strength even after consuming a lot of divine essence.

    He had seen many individuals who arrived in this treasurend to fight for the divine essence but it was the first time he saw someone getting it so easily.

    The boar smiled. The kid was indeed fun. Instead of staying in this boring castle, it was better to follow the silver-haired boy.

    His size decreased and the boar turned into a small ball of fur before jumping into the portal behind Kyle. As for the st'' treasurend. There was no need for him to stay in this ce because the traps were intact and if someone stepped inside the castle they would activate by themselves.

    He felt a little bad for those who would pass so many tests in this treasurend only to get nothing in return but it''s not like he asked them to enter this ce.

    Meanwhile, after jumping inside the portal Kyle arrived outside the castle. He took a deep breath and released Bia from his grip.

    Bia looked at him silently as Kyle hummed and patted her head with a smile.

    "I want to see the usage of those golden drops of liquid. How about a drink?"

    Bia felt a bad premonition when Kyle patted her head with an impure smile. She gave him a deadpan expression.

    -''You want to test the treasure on me?''

    Kyle''s smile stiffened. He was really bad at coaxing others.

    "No.. let''s drink one each."

    Bia nodded.

    -''Good.''

    With a sigh, Kyle looked inside his mind space. The wooden table was ced in a corner. He summoned the table outside but didn''t touch it.

    "Thest time I touched it I felt a very painful jolt in my hand."

    He took a deep breath and slowly touched the table. However, he didn''t feel any pain. Kyle smirked and picked up two vials before tossing the whole table in his mind space.

    Kyle sat down outside the castle gate. He ced one vial in front of Bia and decided to consume the other.

    On the other hand, the fur ball that followed them outside had a mini heart attack when he saw how easily Kyle opened the vial and tossed the golden droplet in his mouth.

    The boar didn''t even think twice and barked out loudly.

    "Nooo! How can you consume the divine essence without reaching the end of your talent or any preparation? Your body will explode!"

    Still, he was a tad bitte because before he shouted, Kyle had already gulped down the droplet.

 Chapter 277 My body will explode

    Chapter 277 My body will explode

    Kyle''s eyes widened when he heard the floating fur ball that appeared out of nowhere. Also, due to the sudden appearance he choked and started coughing. Still, the golden droplet was already down his throat.

    He raised his head to look at the floating ball, it waspletely white and round. He sucked in a deep breath and dread crept inside his heart.

    ''My body will explode?''

    Kyle patted his chest to calm his muddled heart. On his left, Bia''s expression hardened when she heard the floating ball exmation but, before the duo couldprehend the situation, the ball vanished. In the next second, it appeared in front of Bia, and snatched the ss vial ced in front of her.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed, too fast. He was not even able to see its afterimage! Just from this, he knew the other party was too strong. He silently summoned his mes and asked Bia to fly away quietly. No matter what was this strange thing, if it dared to attack he would not let it go!

    Meanwhile, the winged boar grumbled under his breath. He was stunned speechless at the kid''s boldness. How can someone just gulp down the divine essence without any preparation? Moreover, this divine essence was of the highest quality! Especially extracted by his master for those who could not go beyond their mortal talents.

    The boar raised his eyes when he sensed a cold sensation around his body but a single wave of his paw was enough to stop the surging blue mes. In the next second, under Kyle and Bia''s stunned gaze, the me crumbled into dust and drifted away with the air.

    Kyle''s breath hitched in his throat when a heavy pressure descended on his body. It was not the first time he experienced a strong opponent pressure on his body but this pressure was different. He felt like a foreign energy was trying to squeeze his body ruthlessly.

    Kyle gazed at the floating ball with a frosty expression. Amidst all this, his eyes trailed to the vial within the fur ball paw. Unlike him, the golden droplet inside Bia''s vial was intact. He was not sure if what he heard a while ago was true or not but if it was true he was d Bia did not consume the golden liquid.

    The winged boar narrowed his eyes at the dust because he sensed a strong power within those blue mes but he could not pinpoint what it was. In the end, he threw the matter at the back of his head and cleared his throat with a serious expression.

    "Kid, you are young and even though for some unknown reasons I can not sense your rank I...."

    He stopped midway and blinked his eyes because the kid was nowhere to be seen. His astonished gaze darted around in a wild manner.

    "Where the hell did he go?"

    In an instant, his eyes zoomed at the sprinting figure descending the stairway. A speechless expression appeared on his face as he watched the flying bird and the running silver-haired boy.

    Kyle gazed around the floating treasurend for an exit. He knew he and Bia could not go back from the way they came from because the path was closed after the tunnel caved in. Moreover, they were deep within a mountain!

    ''Bia! Can you see any other exit?''

    -''I can not!''

    Bia increased her speed and her wings fluttered frantically as she looked around for another path. In the middle of her frantic search, she noticed something strange the floating fur ball didn''t move from its location, instead, it stayed in front of the castle gate motionlessly. The previous exmation where the floating ball said that Kyle''s body would explode rang inside her head. She gazed at Kyle''s running figure with a worried expression.

    -''Kyle are you feeling okay after consuming the golden liquid Or...''

    Her worriful words were cut short because after Kyle jumped down from the stairway he dropped to his knees with a sweaty forehead.

    -''Are you alright!?''

    Bia shouted with panic and dived toward Kyle at full speed.

    Kyle groaned and shook his head, he saw her shadow from the corner of his eyes but soon his vision turned blurry. He could not help but curse under his breath.

    ''Ah.. don''t tell me I am really going to explode. I swear I am never going to toss everything I found in my mouth!''

    Still, even though he was cursing he did not feel any pain. Instead, a soothing andfortable sensation spread out in his body. A strange tingling feeling swirled around his chest and drowsiness enveloped his senses.

    Bianded beside his body and cried out loudly before climbing his back with red-rimmed eyes.

    -''Kyle!''

    At this moment, the winged boar finally moved. He wore a solemn expression as he made his way toward the weeping bird.

    "Stop, now you can not save him."

    Bia looked back at the floating ball and her gaze turned cold. She channeled her mana and increased her size to protect Kyle.

    The boar raised a brow but he did not even flinch under Bia''s towering figure. A deep sigh escaped his lips as he eyed Kyle''s body.

    "I thought it would be fun to follow this young man for a while.... What a pity he looked like someone who had a lot of potential but now he would die because of a single carelessness."

    Bia''s body tensed at the floating ball remarks. She wanted to speak and ask a lot of questions but she could not. Not until she reached (S-)-Rank.

    This was the first time she felt so helpless. She closed her eyes to focus on the link between her and Kyle. A confused expression appeared on her face. Their link was intact. They could always feel each other emotions faintly and now the faint emotion Kyle was transferring toward her was utter bliss. The emotions were very simr to the ones he emitted during a long warm bath.

    -''Why the hell is he sofortable when he is in such a dangerous situation!''

    The brilliant feeling she was getting from Kyle proved that he was not in any type of pain. So, how was it impossible for him to explode? Bia''s skeptical eyes shifted to the floating fur ball.

    The winged boar was not looking at her that''s why he failed to notice her narrowed eyes. He was more focused on Kyle because he wanted to retrieve all the vials of divine essence after the kid died.

    He sighed and stopped beside Kyle with a patient look. After the kid''s body exploded, he would collect all the storage rings on his fingers and look for the vials.

    That''s how one fire phoenix and one winged boar fixed their gaze on the silver-haired figure.

 Chapter 278 Pretending to be on the death door

    <h4>Chapter 278 Pretending to be on the death door</h4>

    The time ticked by and with each passing second, the heaviness within the air thinned. Kyle''s chest heaved up and down in rhythm and a calm expression painted his facial features. After the first minute, the boar was astonished at the kid because only a powerful body could cope with the divine essence for so long. However, even after five long minutes, the kid''s body did not show any sign of explosion.

    He could not help but get closer to the kid to see if he was really going to explode.

    The boar''s expression turned solemn because even after he secretly sent his mana toward the kid he did not sense anything.

    ''Is he wearing a concealing artifact? Strange even if the artifact is a high-rank one I could have at least sensed his rank.''

    Bia watched the floating ball as it started circling Kyle with a solemn expression. Her eyes flickered withplicated emotions and if one looked closely they would notice the previous panic and worry had vanished from her eyes.

    She slowly nted her left paw on Kyle''s body while fixing her gaze on the floating ball. A familiar voice echoed in her head.

    ''Bia, don''t tell me that thing is still here! I am already pretending to be on death door why is it not leaving!?''

    -''Shut up! It''s still here and now the white ball is looking at you with a strange expression. Jeez...you almost gave me a heart attack when you suddenly fainted!''

    ''I don''t know why but suddenly I felt very sleepy and my eyes closed without my permission... Also, I don''t think my body is going to explode. Instead, my strength is rising and now it''s getting unbearable for me to stop a breakthrough! Hurry look for an exit so we can leave this ce!''

    -''... Don''t tell me you are nning to use instant teleportation and vanish without me?''

    Kyle paused for a few seconds and Bia almost had an urge to yank his hair.

    ''Of course not... I will break through ande back for you!''

    In the next second, Kyle could not help but grimace in his mind because the mana within his body went wild. His body was filled to the brim with energy.

    ''Damn, I am really going to explode if I stop my breakthrough any further!''

    He snapped his eyes open and without caring about the gasping floating ball, he propelled his body up and crossed his legs to sit properly.

    Kyle gulped down huge breaths and a thinyer of sweat appeared on his body. The previousfort was reced by a prickling sensation that appeared in almost every part of his body. Bia''s shocked eyes raked around him, she could feel it. The mana around Kyle was trembling violently in a ruthless manner.

    Kyle''s eyes widened when chilling blue particles mixed with a few golden sparks surged out from his body. In an instant, they gathered and enclosed his body to form a dense shield.

    He could not help but shiver when his body temperature started dropping.

    ''It''s so col..d''

    Kyle gritted his teeth when a burst of coldness seeped into his bones like a tidal wave. Now, he finally felt pain. A lot of pain. A barely audible cry escaped his lips but he shut his mouth and clenched his fists to bear the pain. He could feel it, his whole body was freezing. If it was someone else they would have already frozen to death.

    Bia sensed Kyle''s difort and flew around the dense shield with a worried expression but she was not able to see anything because Kyle waspletely enclosed in the blue shield.

    -''Hey, are you okay!''

    A faint grumble sounded in her mind as a reply. With a deep breath, she started waiting for him toe out from the shield.

    At this point, the floating ball was forgotten. The duo was too busy in their matters to care about anything else.

    The boar tried to peer into the strange shield through his senses but a strong frightening force froze his senses. His eyes were so wide that they almost popped out from the sockets.

    "How? I am clearly so much stronger... So why do I feel threatened."

    He mumbled under his breath. His eyes traveled to the phoenix sitting beside the shield with a serious expression.

    After contemting for a few seconds, he got closer to the phoenix and spoke in her mind.

    ''Hey, what''s with this human? How can he emit such a frightening energy!''

    Bia almost had a mini heart attack when an unknown voice echoed in her mind. She snapped her head back to look at the floating ball.

    -''Is it you!?''

    The boar scoffed and flickered his finger to increase his size. A bright light traveled across his body and in the next second, a pair of huge majestic wings entered Bia''s vision. She gasped. The floating ball was a winged boar! Moreover, it was twice her original size!

    ''Yes, it''s me, now tell me what''s happening with this boy.''

    Bia retreated backward with a deadpan expression.

    -''I don''t know.''

    The boar hummed and fixed his fascinated eyes on the shield. How long had it been since he saw something that made him shudder? He could not help but sigh. It''s been a long time indeed.

    ''Anyway, little phoenix my name is Haylee. I am the guardian of thest treasurend. Also, no need to be so cautious. I won''t harm you.''

    The tension around Bia did not lessen but she gave the boar a nod. After all, the boar seemed very powerful and it would be dangerous for her and Kyle if she made him angry.

    -''My name is Bia. Also, can you tell me about the divine essence? Why did you say Kyle''s body would explode... Now this is happening....''

    The boary down beside her with aplicated expression.

    ''I don''t know what happened to this human but I can tell you about the divine essence.''

 Chapter 279 A chance to enter the ethereal Ascendant state

    <h4>Chapter 279 A chance to enter the ethereal Ascendant state</h4>

    The boar started with a sigh and told Bia that the divine essence was not simple. It was extracted from his master body who reached the divine rank many years ago.

    The essence was a brilliant treasure gifted to the winged boar who could never go beyond his talent. However, even after the boar reached the end of his talent and consumed the essence he was not able to step in the path of immortality. He failed his master who bore so much pain to squeeze out the essence from his divine body.

    Sadness shed through the boar''s eyes as he thought about the past. He shook his head and continued.

    ''I was not able to benefit from the essence and it only increased my lifespan that''s why master ced the remaining essence in this realm for the younger generation. After all, the essence could give them a chance to enter the ethereal Ascendant state!''

    The boar''s eyes shone with respect for his master because even though every divine being could extract the essence it was a very painful process and there was a chance they would lose a part of their strength that''s why not many dared to extract the essence from their bodies.

    Bia heard the boar silently. There was a lot she did not understand but when she heard about the ''ethereal Ascendant state'' her eyes widened with shock because Kyle had told her about this before. She looked through her memory and recalled that the Ascendant state could only appear when a mortal reached (SSS)+Rank! It was the stage in which they would gain enlightenment from the universe and if they passed the stage they would shed mortality and step in a new path!

    In an instant, the atmosphere around her turned heavy and the boar voice turned solemn.

    ''The essence is a treasure but one had to reach the end of their mortal talent before consuming it because mortal bodies are too weak to home such a tremendous amount of energy. However, if they had reached the end of their potential there would be a blockage in their bodies. The divine essence would tear into that blockage and directly send them into the ethereal Ascendant state for a few minutes. Afterward, everything would be up to the consumer. They could either clear the milestone and receive enlightenment from the universe or if they failed just like me they could increase their lifespan.''

    He paused for a few seconds and gazed at Bia. She was very focused and subconsciously lowered her guard.

    ''There is a reason I said that his body would explode. If the ones who consumed the divine essence don''t have a blockage in their body their bodies would be filled to brim with too much energy. The essence would tear their veins and skin before making its way out.''

    Bia sucked in a deep breath and snapped her head toward the shield. The boar hummed.

    ''I am not sure what''s the matter with this kid. His body should have exploded after he consumed the essence but for some reason, it did not...''

    His next sentence was so low that Bia was not able to hear.

    ''Instead, I think there is something within his body that is trying to consume the essence...''

    The boar''s eyes narrowed. There was another use of the divine essence. The ones who had already cleared the Ascendant state could consume it to increase their strength or to construct a new body for themselves. However, it was clear the kid was not strong because if he was there was no way he would be able to step into this realm due to the restrictions.

    ''This kid''s body has something stronger than the divine essence. How strange. He is still a mortal but his body can hold such a strong power.''

    The boar and the phoenix waited for a long time as they watched the shield. The area around them was bright due to the shimmering floating castle. Moreover, due to the enclosed space, they could not tell how much time passed.

    Bia felt hungry but the one who was supposed to feed her was still inside a shield. She grumbled and after observing that the boar did not have any n to attack she decreased her size.

    Meanwhile, a wisp of white fog seeped out from Kyle''s mouth as he opened his eyes with a nk expression. His green eyes shone brightly and in the next second, the brightness gathered together to form a thin darkish emerald color circle around his irises. If before his eyes were pure green now with the darkish circle they looked deeper and unfathomable.

    Kyle massaged his aching temples, his bones creaked with the slightest movement.

    "The fuck..."

    A curse escaped from his lips. It was so painful and due to the pain, he did not even notice when he lost consciousness. Still, in the sitting position, he narrowed his eyes at the bright shield around his body.

    He gingerly reached out and touched the shield. In an instant, the whole shield shattered into tiny particles. The particles swirled around his body before they entered his body smoothly. He felt a tingling cold sensation around his body for a split second that would freeze a normal person to death.

    Kyle blinked and stood up but because of his aching body, he staggered and dropped to his knees again.

    A familiar voice echoed in his mind and he moved his eyes to look at Bia. However, all colors drained from his face when he saw a huge winged boar standing beside the tiny Bia.

    He stuttered out with a dryugh.

    "Don''t..tell me it''s the floating fur ball?"

    Bia gave him a nod and Kyle almost had the urge to go inside the shield again. However, he did not show anything on his face and turned to look at the boar.

    "So you are not going to attack us?"

    To his surprise instead of the boar, Bia replied with a tinge of respect as she flew toward him.

    -''Don''t worry Haylee said he would not attack. He only followed us because he was bored after staying in a single ce for a long time.''

 Chapter 280 I am (S-)-Rank right now!

    <h4>Chapter 280 I am (S-)-Rank right now!</h4>

    Kyle snapped his eyes and looked at Bia with a questioning gaze.

    ''Why do I feel like I missed something very very important? Also, why are you speaking like you know this boar very well!''

    Bia chuckled. Of course, she had to find a source of food because even after a long time Kyle did not emerge out from the shield. In the end, she decided to befriend therge boar and she seeded.

    The boar was very kind and considerate! He offered her a lot of delicious fruits! However, now was not the time to divulge in this matter. Bia eyed Kyle with a serious expression.

    -''Are you alright? ording to Haylee, you spend four whole days in the strange shield!''

    Kyle''s eyes widened.

    "What? I was unconscious for four days!"

    He could not help but suck in a deep breath and it finally dawned on him that he was in the middle of a breakthrough before he lost consciousness. Kyle''s heart thundered in his chest when he stopped focusing on his tired body and noticed his strength.

    He froze and pinched himself with utter disbelief.

    "Am I imagining?"

    Bia heard his murmur and snuggled closer to his neck with a worried expression. Kyle''s eyes turned crescent and a wide smile appeared on his face. If not for his limp body he would have probably started sprinting due to the amount of happiness he was feeling right now.

    "Bia! I broke through!"

    Bia hissed due to his sudden movement and tapped his neck.

    -''I know, don''t tell me you turned crazy after spending four days in the shield.''

    "No no! it''s not a normal breakthrough! I jumped a whole rank! I am (S-)-Rank right now! OMG, I can''t believe this!"

    Kyle could not help but gasp at his strength. He bes so strong in the blink of an eye! He recalled how jumping to a higher rank is so hard and he was damn sure he needed one more year to reach (S-)-Rank even if he consumed a lot of treasures! Heughed out loudly almost ready to stretch his stiff body and go for a long run.

    However, a clear deep voice shattered his happy movement. It was the white boar. He made his way toward Kyle with a curious expression.

    "Indeed I still can not sense anything from you. Can you release your aura for a second?"

    He looked at Kyle with zing eyes because he wanted to know what type of high-grade artifact the kid used to hide everything about himself.

    Kyle thought for a few seconds and after confirming with Bia that the boar would not harm him he gingerly held out his hand with bright eyes.

    "Okay but before give me back the vial you snatched from Bia. It''s very useful!"

    A speechless expression appeared on the boar''s face. He could not help but scoff. If not for Bia he would have already pped this brat away. Still, he took out the vial and ced it in Kyle''s palm.

    Kyle''s eyes gleamed when he eyed the vial. This treasure was very precious! He would use half of it and sell the other half to earn arge amount of wealth! hehe.

    He chuckled and released his aura. In an instant cold wind spread out from his body and a strong (S-)-Rank aura appeared around him.

    The boar sensed his aura and asked about the reason why he could not feel Kyle''s rank but he did not get any answer. So, he just gave Kyle a reluctant nod and told him everything about the divine essence.

    After an hour, Kyle''s expression was grim as he looked at the boar.

    "So, you are saying you are not useful because in this realm you can not help or harm anyone due to the rules but you want to follow me?"

    The boar nodded. He was not allowed to kill because if he did he would fall into a deep slumber. He could only pressure or injure others to make them summit.

    Kyle gazed at Bia. He wanted to p his past self who ran away after sensing the boar pressure. After another minute of discussion, he agreed.

    "Alright, you can follow us silently. You are not useful but if we are in danger just release your pressure on our enemies so they run away."

    Haylee agreed immediately. It was not a bad deal.

    Kyle stretched his body and patted his clothes before looking around with a frown.

    "Now we just need the find an exit."

    When he talked about the exit, the boar raised his paw with a guilty expression.

    "I hid the exit...."

    Kyle narrowed his eyes and ced Bia on his head. He staggered forward and patted the boar''s body with a smile. Strangely his eyes were fixed on the boar''srge wings.

    "Haylee led the way. Also... if only I could ride you...?"

    Bia almost tripped on his head and hid her head inside his hair.

    -''Kyle!''

    However, Kyle didn''t care about her and looked at the boar with an expectant expression. It seemed he could still fulfill his shattered dreams.

    Haylee raised his brow and eyed Kyle with a mischievous glint.

    "You just reached (S-)-Rank. So, I believe you can fly now. There is no need for you to ride me."

    Kyle''s shattered dreams of riding a huge beast drifted away with the wind. He sighed with a lost expression.

    ''It seems I am not fated to ride arge flying beast.''

    On the other hand, Haylee chuckled and with a wave of his paw a long narrow path opened in front of Kyle. He pointed at the path and before Kyle could question him further his huge body turned into a sh of light and vanished within the shadows to follow behind Kyle quietly.

    Kyle groaned and entered the opening to finally leave this mountain.

    ...

    Author Note;

    Hi, everyone. Orange is here to announce bad news. (?�i?�n?�i?)

    I am putting this work on hiatus for a few months due to some personal reasons. Orange is not sure when he will resume Celestial Bloodline that''s why I will not give a specific date.

    I would like to thank everyone who has supported my work thus far with ps, gt, and gifts! I love you all! Thank you! Special thanks to the top fans who donated so many coins to me hehe.

    Also, I removed the privilege. It would be invalid on 1 Jan because I would feel really really bad if someone identally opened the privilege chps.

    Even though I won''t be writing this book for a while; All my fans? are always wee to contact me on Discord;

    _Orange_#1429

    I will try my best to reply whenever I am there;) hehe, In the end; I want to wish everyone a happy new year in advance. I am sending many wishes and lots of luck to all! *blink

 Chapter 281 Trying to fly

    Chapter 281 Trying to fly

    A mud-filled hand popped out from a small opening hidden behind arge boulder. The air around the boulder was clean with a hint of flowery smell.

    A few loud coughs sounded and Kyle finally crawled out from the round tiny opening. He patted his chest and wiped the mud clinging to his hair and face.

    "Damn it! If I knew I have to crawl in the tunnel to find the exit no way in hell I would have entered this shitty opening!"

    He sniffed his arm and cursed again. His ears twitched when a barely audibleugh sounded behind him and he was damn sure it was Haylee!

    He snapped his head back with anger but found nothing. The boar''s hiding skills were indeed incredible. Even with Kyle''s newfound (S-)-Rank strength he wasn''t able to pinpoint the boar''s location.

    He took a deep breath and ignored the infuriatingugh. But, it seemed the world was hell-bent on angering him because in the next second anotherugh echoed in his ears. And this time the culprit was none other than his own bonded beast!

    Kyle''s expression hardened, he gazed at the clean and pristine red bird sitting on a nearby rock. Unlike him, Bia was enclosed in a thin white shield. He was not sure what happened between Bia and Haylee when he was inside the shield but the duo seemed to have gotten closer. It was evident because the boar was giving her special treatment!

    ''Aghh! Did he not say he wasn''t allowed to help or harm others? This is tant favoritism!''

    Kyle remembered each second of the torture he suffered after he entered the narrow tunnel. How he had to crawl in the mud for hours and how his precious set of clothes was gone just like that. He swore inwardly he was going to make Haylee regret his decision of not enclosing him in a white shield as well! n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    While he was thinking about how he should exact his revenge, he finally noticed the scenery around him. Kyle ignored Bia and hurriedly moved to look behind the boulder.

    He raised his brow slightly. All around the boulder, the ground was filled with flowers of every kind. Kyle shook his head to remove the remnant of mud from his hair and briskly moved between the flowers. The ground beneath his feet was soft and mushy. He looked up and an astonished expression appeared on his face. He was still on the same mountain he appeared after he entered the secret realm but now it was not dark and gloomy. Instead, the mountain was filled with life and greenery.

    "Woah, do not tell me we just got teleported to another realm?"

    Kyle''s voice was dim but because he was alone, his voice traveled almost in all directions. He froze for a second when he caught sight of the countless floating inds beneath the clear sky, each with a big castle on the top.

    "All these inds are very simr to the one I saw inside the mountain. Don''t tell me..."

    -''They are all treasurends.''

    Biapleted his sentence with a chuckle, she spread her wings and started flying above his head. Kyle''s eyes twinkled with mirth. He rubbed his hands ready to enter the nearby treasurend, but before he could take a step forward Haylee''s astonished voice sounded behind him.

    "Kid, you are inside a newly grown herb garden. Don''t tell me you are going to leave without taking any?"

    Kyle stopped and blinked his eyes. After a second, the meaning behind the boar''s words finally dawned on him. He looked below at the hundreds of vibrant flowers, swaying around his feet. His eyebrow could not help but twitch. Now he finally believed the fact that he was inside an ancient secret realm.

    "Are you sure these flowers are herbs? I don''t even know their usage."

    He bent down and plucked one of the flowers from the ground and observed it carefully. Indeed they did not look normal because on each petal he could sense abundant of dense mana. Kyle sucked in a deep breath and gazed at the rows of flowers.

    Without even waiting for another second, he dived down and started plucking everything. An evilughter echoed in the eerily silent mountain. Anyway, he would sell half and give the other half to his master who could very well know what these flowers are used for.

    After an hour, the winged boar started regretting his decision to tell the kid about the herbs because the kid didn''t even leave behind a single petal! The once vibrant part of the mountain was left barren when Kyle was done.

    After an hour, the winged boar started regretting his decision to tell the kid about the herbs because the kid didn''t even leave behind a single petal! The once vibrant part of the mountain was left barren when Kyle was done.

    Kyle sighed blissfully and peeked inside his mind space to look at the huge mountain of flowers.

    "Good."

    His ears twitched when he heard a faint distant cry. It felt like someone was crying for help. He frowned for a second but ignored it because first, it was too far away. Second, he was inside a dangerous secret realm where every individual was responsible for their own life.

    Kyle grabbed the hem of his shirt and tossed it away with one swift movement. He took out a clean piece of cloth and wiped his bare upper body before donning a brown hoodie, especially to hide his bright silver hair.

    "Tsk.. it''s fine for the time being. I will change after I took a bath somewhere."

    After he was clean, Bia dived down andnded on his head. She narrowed her eyes at the floating inds.

    -''Which one?''

    "Of course the nearest one."

    Kyle eyed the nearest ind but before Bia could tell him about the location of the stairway leading upward toward the ind, he took a deep breath and started gathering mana under his feet. A startled cry came out from Bia''s throat when Kyle suddenly lost his bnce and staggered backward.

    "Woah.. Woah... be steady..."

    -''What the hell are you doing!''

    Bia hurriedly bnced herself on his head and grabbed his hoodie with her sharp toenails. Kyle chuckled and once again gathered mana under his feet.

    "I am trying to fly. If you can''t let me climb your back then I can fly on my own. After all, I broke through to (S-)-Rank. The rank where one can fly naturally."

    This time he did not stagger and made his posture steady. Kyle''s smile widened when his feet left the ground, he felt a tingling sensation all over his body due to the weight of natural gravity pressing down on his shoulders.

    "Well, it''s not as hard as I expected."

    Hayleeughed dryly at his exmation. If he remembers clearly usually it takes a month or two for humans to get familiar with the sensation of floating after they broke through to (S-)-Rank. Now this kid just tried twice and seeded. Not to mention he was saying it was not difficult at all! How infuriating.

    ....

 Chapter 282 Golden Moths

    Chapter 282 Golden Moths

    Kyle stretched his legs in the air twice and waited for a few seconds to maintain his bnce. His eyes trailed off toward the nearest ind as he moved his body left and right. A few cold gusts of wind caressed his face gently and before he knew it, he got the gist of how to move his body mid-air.

    A joyful expression appeared on his face and without even thinking twice he changed his direction to go straight toward the castle shining atop of the nearest ind.

    Bia sighed with a hint of frustration. He learned how to fly just like that? She shook her head and tossed the matter at the back of her mind. Anyway, it''s not like she knew another human who learned to fly in front of her.

    Kyle arrived above the nearest floating ind, he circled the castle twice before gazing far, all around at the other floating inds with narrowed eyes. A few tiny dark flying figures appeared in his eyes. He focused his vision on one of the figures and frowned.

    "Demi-humans? So many? Hmm... their wings looked a little different from Sinon''s. Moreover, what''s with their bodies... they are so... ugly."

    The winged boar heard his exmation, he wanted to correct Kyle that the flying figures were from the Dark race but he was distracted by the old and serene voice inside his head. It was the illusionary old man. The moment Haylee left thest treasurend. His presence was known by Guil and the illusionary old man. The winged boar sighed and vanished to talk with the old man because it had been a while since he left his slumbering ce.

    "I hope you stay safe kid until Ie back. I can see a lot of potential in you."

    Kyle heard the drifting voice but his eyes did not move away from the floating figures. His expression chilled when he saw how one of the winged figures killed a running individual without mercy. A sudden old almost blurry image appeared in his mind.

    "I don''t think they are demi-humans. Why do I feel like I have seen them somewhere before."

    Bia changed her ce and sat down on his shoulder with a serious expression.

    -''Where?''

    Kyle''s thoughts trailed off to a distant memory before his eyes widened slightly.

    "That book I stole.. I mean I borrowed from the red-haired woman from the Tower of Opportunity."

    Bia looked at him with a strange expression saying, you still remember about it?

    Once again, Kyle felt grateful that Elder Han secured his storage rings or else all his hard-earned materials would have gone down the drain. He dived down and softlynded in front of the castle gate before rummaging through his mind space to look for the book.

    While searching, he made his way toward the castle gate and pushed it roughly. A loud creaking sound resounded in the air and after a second pitch ck darkness spilled out from the gate.

    "So, it''s going to be a simr experience every time?"

    Kyle mumbled with a sigh and stepped into the darkness, after his figure vanished, the castle gate was closed again with a loud bang.

    Amidst the silence, three golden arm-sized moths with crimson wings emerged from the shadows. The moths swirled around the castle gate and a few childish giggles spilled out from their throats. They looked cute and adorable if not for the rows of razor-sharp teeth inside their mouths and the dense (S+)-Rank aura around their bodies.

    "Did you see that human, he smells so tasty."

    "Shhhhh- keep your voice low he is still nearby."

    The moths murmured among themselves with hushed voices. It was rare for them to leave their home because they were strong enough to feed themselves. After all, with their incredible sense of smell, they could just kill and eat the monsters who identally walked around their home. Also, the treasurends were closed off for a long time, and due to the influence of the dark race, everything basically tasted the same.

    The trio was overjoyed after the treasurends opened again because the incredible smell in the air was enough to make their mouth watery. But, the moment they left their base to look around for herbs and treasures they smelled an otherworldly delicious and tempting aura from a certain direction. And to their surprise and shock, the aura wasing from a two-legged human. The red bird flying around the human also had a delicious smell butpared to the silver-haired human it was nothing. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Still, even after locating the alluring smell they didn''t dare approach the human because first they sensed a very strong opponent beside the human. And second, even though they could smell the human they were not able to pinpoint his strength. That''s why, the trio was dejected but before they could leave with regrets the strong presence around the human vanished into thin air.

    "I want to eat him."

    One of the moths voiced his desire to his brothers and the crimson wings behind him fluttered with anticipation.

    "Me too me too.. I want a part as well!"

    Thest moth smacked his brothers with a serious expression.

    "Tsk, the human is so tiny and slender. If we ate him now I don''t think we would be satisfied! Also, there''s a bad-smelling thing inside his body. Let''s fatten him up first then we will take him to our home and remove the bad-smelling thing from his body. Only then can we eat the human with bliss."

    The two moth''s eyes sparkled with awe when they heard their brother''s n. Indeed the oldest was the most intelligent. One of them tilted his head with an innocent smile that betrayed all of the cruel words spilling out from his mouth.

    "What about the bird? It''s not as good as the human but the smell around her is delicious as well."

    After hearing the question all three of them started thinking deeply before the oldest gave his opinion with a serious expression.

    "The bird is too tiny as well. I can sense it''s a beast just like us. So, let''s cage the bird and feed it until it turns into arge beast. We can save her for the future."

    Three heads moved up and down with satisfied expressions. Indeed after reaching (S+)-Rank the trio had be so much intelligent.

 Chapter 283 0179 Treasure land

    Chapter 283 ''0179'' Treasurend

    A while ago, when Kyle stepped into the darkness. He felt a sudden pull around his body and before he knew it he was standing outside the boundary of arge tform.

    Kyle shook his head to remove the remnant of haziness from his eyes. The moment he lifted his gaze a bloody sight reflected in his vision. The tform was turned upside down with scattered pieces of debris everywhere. He eyed the few dead bodies lying lifelessly on the ground before looking at the four alive individuals fighting with two tanned, dark-skinned men.

    As if noticing Kyle''s gaze, a pair of dark beady eyes looked back at him with an ominous glint. But, before the winged man could make Kyle''s presence known to his otherpanion, one of his opponents struck him with a bolt of lightning.

    Kyle''s expression hardened and Bia narrowed her eyes at the tform.

    -''What the hell is happening?''

    ''I think the winged men are trying to kill the others because I can sense they are stronger.''

    As he replied to Bia, Kyle finally found the book he was looking around for in his mind space. He summoned the book out and stepped on the tform when a familiar yet unfamiliar mechanical voice drifted to his ears.

    "Wee new participants to the ''0179'' treasurend."

    "Counting the number of new arrivals...."

    Kyle ignored the voice but the people fighting in the room stopped for a second. They immediately moved their eyes to look at him. The only human among the four individuals fighting with the winged men cried out loudly.

    "It''s a human! Not a winged creature!"

    On the other hand, the winged men''s expressions turned ugly because with the addition of Kyle, the fight was not in their favor anymore. The mechanical voice sounded again but this time it left everyone dumbfounded.

    "Total new arrivals two; A (C+)-Rank divine beast and a (??)-Rank human."

    "Loading... unable to detect the rank of the human... Automatic rank would be assigned."

    "Conclusion; Total new participants two; A (C+)-Rank divine beast and a (F-)-Rank human."

    "Please do your best to find the correct answer to the path in front of you."

    Kyle''s eyes didn''t move away from the fight. Due to his presence, the two winged men retreated to a distance and the three elves and one human finally had some time to tend to their injuries.

    In the midst of the heavy atmosphere, Kyle sensed two pairs of heated eyes directed toward him. He raised his brow, the winged men were staring at Bia with greedy eyes.

    ''Oh? It''s seemed they know about the word ''Divine''.''

    He casually opened the book and traced the first name written inside with his figures.

    ''Demons... No, these winged men are a little different.''

    All around him, the tform was silent as everyone stared at him with strange expressions. What the hell was he doing reading a book in the middle of a ce where a life and death battle was ongoing?

    The injured human could not take it when he saw how one of the winged men was secretly preparing to attack the new arrival. He looked at the hoodied boy and shouted with frustration.

    "What are you doing? Come here! These two creatures are dangerous. One is (A-)-Rank while the other is (B+)-Rank. They killed all the participants who entered this castle!"

    He was infuriated when Kyle ignored him and shut his mouth with a deadpan expression. He looked at the three elves and they slowly started moving backward toward the door present at the other end of the tform. Anyway, if the hoodied boy was so hell-bent on dying under those creatures they would let him die.

    Opposite them, after flipping a few more pages of the book Kyle stopped at a familiar description and rubbed his chin with a serious expression.

    "Dark race. One of the two important subsidiary branches of the demon race. Woah I can not believe there are more races except for the ones I know."

    He mumbled softly and tossed the book in his mind space before gazing at the two winged men.

    "So, the two of you are from the dark race? If yes, why are you killing others?..."

    Kyle stopped for a second when a sudden realization struck him.

    ''Wait, ording to the book just like demons the dark race feasted on all types of living flesh, and due to their cruel nature, they liked to destroy peace. More specifically they can do anything to gain strength... don''t tell me the people from the dark race are trapped in this realm.''

    Bia blinked at Kyle''s evaluation.

    -''If it''s true doesn''t that mean the ones who entered this secret realm are in danger.''

    The winged men looked surprised because after killing a few outsiders they were sure the outside world had forgotten about their presence. They looked at Kyle with amusement and one of them suddenly grinned widely. He was secretly gathering dense mana behind himself in the form of a destructive ck fireball and it was almost ready. At first, he was a little skeptical about the new arrival rank but the dark fireball was strong enough to kill even an individual with (S-)-Rank strength so he was confident to finish this little boy with one attack.

    He licked his lips and looked at Bia with creepy eyes. In his whole life he had only ever heard in words about ''divine beasts'' but to think he would see one such beast with a punny human. It was unbelievable.

    "Human how about you asked this question to your ancestors?"

    The moment these words left his mouth, he immediately tossed the ck fireball toward Kyle. A maniacughter echoed in the air when the winged man saw Kyle''s stunned expression.

    The human and the three injured elves froze in their spots, they looked at Kyle''s figure and sighed inwardly. Still, they took advantage of the few seconds they got and immediately lugged toward the door with everything they had. After all, with their condition, they would notst long if they fought with those winged creatures again.

    Even after a few seconds, the four of them did not hear anything behind them. They gritted their teeth and the first one to arrive in front of the door was the human.

    He sighed with tears brimming in his eyes and stretched out his hand to push the door when a familiar hoodied boy appeared in his vision. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He froze mere inches away from the door with his mouth hung open. The three elves behind him also halted their steps.

    A barely audible voice escaped the human trembling lips.

    "How ..?"

    As if waiting for the question, two loud painful cries echoed behind them. Just like the three elves, the human nervously looked back and his eyes widened with disbelief.

    The ck fireball was frozen mid-air with wisps of blue mes dancing all around its surface even before it reached the hoodied boy''s location. The two winged creatures were crying in pain because everything below their necks was frozen into ice.

    Not even sparring the shocked individuals a nce, Kyle looked back at the flying bird with a guilty expression.

    Bia cursed and dived toward him with an angry expression.

    -''Damn it! At least inform me if you are going to use instant teleportation!''

    ''Sorry, I forget..''

    Kyle rubbed her head and pushed the door open. The individuals standing beside him finally snapped out of their stupor and looked at him with wary expressions.

    The human even pointed his finger at him while stuttering something iprehensible.

    "You....You.."

    Kyle gazed at them once and stepped in the door without looking back.

    After he left, the human looked at the three elves standing beside him.

    "Those bright eyes.... I remember now! Is not he the one who caused amotion in front of the realm gate? That bird sitting on his head it''s the phoenix right!"

    The elves looked at each other withplicated expressions. They did not dare toment on it because just a while ago they tried to abandon the same person.

    In the end, they all decided to wait for a while before they entered the door to avoid the hoodied boy. Little did they know , the hoodied boy had an old cleaning habit. No matter allowed or not he always took each and every useful treasure from the ces he visited.

 Chapter 284 Its strange

    Chapter 284 It''s strange

    After the door closed behind them, Bia''s grip on Kyle''s hoodie tightened. She slowly gazed at the dimly lit hall in front of them.

    -''Hey, are you alright.''

    Kyle stopped in his steps. He did not show it before because he was in front of so many people but it seemed he could not hide it from her. After all, she could sense his emotions faintly. He would be lying if he said he was not shaken by his actions.

    "They died right? Those two winged men. I thought I controlled my strength..."

    -''Their hearts stopped due to extreme coldness even before you tried to control the mes. Well, they are cruel beings and they killed so many people so it''s not bad for your first kill.''

    Kyle''s brows knitted together. He thought he would feel guilty if he killed someone other than monsters. But, it seemed he was overthinking, he did not feel anything even when he took their lives so easily. The only emotion he felt was shock because it was the first time he was not able to control the blue mes within his body properly. It was a fleeting moment but he sensed it clearly.

    The moment the winged man hurled the ck fireball at him, he quickly surrounded the two men and the ck fireball with his mes. However, before he could control the mes around their bodies the mes went out of control and froze their hearts.

    "Is it because of those dark particles mixed with the mana they used? The blue mes are like a part of me. So it''s very hard to believe I was not able to act on time."

    Kyle grazed his thumb over his finger with a contemting expression. In the end, his only guess was that the ck particles within the mana of those two men were some kind of impurities and it seems his mes shed or maybe wanted to eliminate those impurities that''s why they spiraled out of control.

    He took a step forward to get a closer look at the hall ahead. It was mostly empty, except for the four unmoving human-size statues standing quietly in pairs on both sides.

    "It''s strange..."

    -''What?''

    Bia nestled closer to his hair, eagerly waiting for his answer. However, instead of speaking, Kyle drew his sword and briskly walked to stand between the statues.

    He could see another door at the other end of the hall but he just wanted to engage in a fight to clear his mind. As if noticing his movement, in an instant, the statues came to life but they were too weak. Maybe it was due to the treasurend evaluation of Kyle and Bia''s rank but not even a single statue was above (C+)-Rank. That''s why Kyle did not even take a minute to finish them off.

    He stood between the scattered fragments and nced at his stats from the corner of his eyes. Below his name the word ''Celestial'' was shining just as brightly as he remembered.

    ''It''s strange that I possess it when my parents are just ordinary humans. It''s also strange that I never feltpetitive when I was young even though usually if someone is getting mocked they would try to be better. It''s also strange that I somehow found motivation the moment I knew I had something special within my body without even questioning its origin... There are so many strange things but why is it that I never question them?''

    Kyle''s heart suddenly thumped loudly. His usually calm face crumbled into displeasure.

    ''Ugh.. I think I should talk with my father after leaving this ce. Maybe I inherited this bloodline from my ancestors. Still, I don''t think our ancestors are powerful or else father would have bragged about it a lot.''

    He felt like he was only a step away from knowing something very very important but hisck of knowledge made it impossible for him to go any further.

    -''Kyle, I think you should look back.''

    Bia''s voice jolted him awake, and he blinked. Darkness overshadowed his body and Kyle snapped his head back to look at the massive figure looming behind him. It was another statue, but from the look of it, the statue was reformed using the broken fragments scattered around the hall. And lo behold, it was (A)-Rank! Was the treasurend kidding with him? He just paused in the hall for a minute and now the danger increased tenfold!

    ''Bia fly.''

    Bia had been looking at the statue for a while now. She thought Kyle would fight again because the statue did not look powerful enough to harm him. That''s why it took her a while to fully grasp the meaning behind Kyle''s words.

    -''Huh?''

    But, before she could get an answer Kyle was already gone.

    -''Wahhhh You bastard!''

    Her body plummeted downward at a fast speed but fortunately, she quickly unfurled her wings to regain her bnce mid-air. Bia looked at Kyle who was standing at the end of the hall, opening the next door without any care of the world and her eyes zed with anger. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    -''This time I am going to pluck all your hair! Just you wait!''

    Kyle pushed the door open with a tiny smile and looked back innocently.

    ''But I gave you a heads up didn''t I?''

    Bia rolled her eyes with frustration. After cursing him for the nth time in her mind she pped her wings to follow behind him.

    Kyle whistled with a smile and stepped into the next door. He narrowed his crescent eyes when he appeared in another simr hall.

    At first, it waspletely fine. He casually swept his eyes on the countless huge white-scaled lizards standing in the middle of the hall. The aura around the biggest lizard was slightly higher than (C+)-Rank. While the remaining lizards were all (C-)-Rank. However, after a few seconds, the smile ying at the corner of his lips stiffened because unlike before he did not spot any exit.

    ''Hey Bia is it only me who is unable to see the exit?''

    Bia''s eyebrow twitched. She knew fighting the lizards wasn''t difficult but the lizards were just too many in numbers! And to make matters worse the hall was not even big enough to amodate a fight containing so many monsters. What if in the midst the ceiling dropped on their heads?

    -''I don''t know why, but my gut feeling is telling me that for some reason these treasurends know you are cheating with an artifact.''

    Kyle shot her a re.

    ''I wonder who is the one with (C+)-Rank evaluation because thest time I remember I was only given (F-)-Rank evaluation by the treasurend!''

    After taking a normal breath he very slowly took a step back. However, it seemed the lizards had eyes on their backs because in an instant many pairs of glowing blue eyes snapped back and locked onto his location.

    He wanted to curse but stopped mid-way to stare nkly at the ungrateful bird who was sitting on his head just a second ago.

    Bia pped her wings to fly up toward the ceiling before gazing at Kyle with deadly serious eyes that betrayed all the glee she was feeling inside. After all due to Kyle''s strength that was increasing almost with each passing second it was bing incredibly rare for her to get her little revenge.

    -''Be careful, some of the lizards are drooling.''

 Chapter 285 I am not here

    Chapter 285 I am not here

    Kyle red at Bia with resentful eyes, but he could not refute her words because some of the lizards were indeed drooling after they saw him.

    ''Why is it that all the monsters I encounter in this realm want to eat me? I am not delicious at all!''

    He clicked his tongue and before the lizards could pounce at him he kicked off his left foot to jump in another direction.

    As if waiting for the cue, the moment he jumped, two long scaly tails attacked the ce he was standing a second ago.

    The ground shook with loud banging sounds and just like Bia feared, the impact sted a big chuck of the targeted area into many pieces. Even the ceiling was trembling! She flew back a little to avoid a sneaky attack from one of the lizards.

    -''The hall is going to copse if this continues! Just kill them directly!''

    Bia choked on her breath when Kyle''s floating figure suddenly appeared beside her. She controlled her loud thundering heart before cursing the person who created the skill instant teleportation!

    -''You bastard! I am not talking to you anymore!''

    Kyle controlled the urge tough because this time he could sense it she was really angry. He secretly reprimanded himself for being so mean to his one and only personal future (SSS+)-Rank divine beast and hurriedly exined to salvage the situation.

    ''This time it was kind of urgent. I won''t do it so suddenly again.''

    Bia harrumphed coldly and turned her face away clearly showing her displeasure. And that''s how the human and bird be engrossed in their world. Completely ignoring the presence of the countless glowing eyes staring at them from below.

    The strangely peaceful atmosphere in the hall was shattered when one of the strongest lizards hissed furiously at Kyle and Bia. Its long scaly tail pped the ground loudly before a bright light gathered between its brows. Within a second, the light turned into a round glowing orb.

    "Oh shit!"

    Kyle cursed. The moment he saw the orb the hair at the back of his head stood up. In an instant, he grabbed Bia and tossed her in another direction before vanishing behind her.

    Bia let out a piercing scream when Kyle threw her aside. Due to the sudden force around her body, she lost her bnce and tumbled downward. With a startled cry, she pped her wings to stop her fall but as if the whole world was trying to make her miserable today before she could bnce herself mid-air a massive white-scaled lizard leaped out toward her with an open jaw.

    -''Ahhhh Don''t!''

    Bia''s pounding heart almost leaped out from her ribcage. In an instant, bright crimson mes spread out from her body to enclose her in a round shield.

    Kyle hissed due to the sudden heat when he appeared beside her after using instant teleportation. Still, he ignored the heat and grabbed her body before she could be someone''s else food in front of his eyes.

    "Calm dow.."

    He stopped mid-sentence because the white orb gathered between the lizard''s brows shot up like a beam. It directly passed through the previous ce he was floating with lightning-fast speed before crashing straight into the ceiling with a loud bang. The hall trembled with broken debris flying everywhere and a huge dust cloud gathered in front of Kyle who coughed and waved his hand to clear his vision.

    His eyebrow couldn''t help but twitch when a loud and clear cracking sound echoed in the hall. He looked up nkly. Arge crack painted the once smooth surface of the ceiling.

    "Damn it! These lizards are crazy! Don''t they know if they destroyed the hall they are going to perish with me?"

    Kyle grabbed Bia who appeared lifeless. The reason, just a moment ago she lost half of her soul. Her heart was still beating loudly inside the confinement of her chest.

    -''Should I just faint? After all, I don''t think I will stay sane until the end..''

    Her pitiful appearance did not deter Kyle even a bit. He shook her body casually and said with a serious expression.

    "What are you doing? We are in the middle of a battle. Go distract the lizards who are behind me."

    A vein bulged on Bia''s forehead. With a loud angry shriek, she pped her wings vigorously to release herself from his grip. In an instant, aggressive crimson mes surged around her whole body.

    "Wait.."

    Kyle swiftly backed away to a distance when Bia suddenly increased her size. Even the many lizards closing toward them silently from all directions halted in their ce. They simultaneously cried out in surprise due to the sudden appearance of a huge fire beast.

    -''You punny lizards!''

    Bia''s anger was not directed at the culprit. Instead, she cursed and attacked the lizards. She pped her wings repeatedly and arge fire tornado formed below her figure. Within a second, the fierce mes picked up their pace, making the tornado swirl around with more intensity.

    Soon, the hall was filled with harsh heat and strong winds. The lizards cried out in pain when aggressive crimson mes licked their bodies and to avoid the mes they scattered trying to find any possible cover.

    Thebination of the fire''s destructive force and the lizards'' instinct to flee created a dramatic and dangerous situation. Even though Bia''s huge frame and aggressive mes were not enough to kill the lizard after all she was only (C+)-Rank but the mes were sessful in spreading momentarily panic among them. So much so that the lizards even forget to use their strange skill.

    Amidst all this, now, if someone saw Kyle they would notice how he secretly hid his presence. He even went as far as to stand in a shadowed corner just to make himself invisible.

    ''I am not here.''

    He slowly very slowlynded on the ground when the lizards were distracted. He eyed the ceiling that was almost on the verge of copse after Bia''s eruption.

    ''Sigh, it''s impossible to save the hall now. Let''s just end this.''

    He rubbed his left foot on the ground and in an instant wisps of blue mes gathered around his legs. A far contrast to the fiery crimson mes burning almost in every corner of the hall, Kyle''s mes just calmly spread out to cover the whole ground.

    The already panicked lizards freaked out when coldness seeped into their bodies from below. The ones who were injured due to Bia weren''t able to cope with Kyle''s blue mes and immediately sumbed to their end.

    In the end, when the duo was finished, the once clean and pristine hall was in utter mess. The ground was filled with ice sculptures and broken debris lying around everywhere. Half of the ceiling had already copsed and the remaining half was just barely hanging.

 Chapter 286 Just a wandering person

    Chapter 286 Just a wandering person

    Bia moved her eyes to look all around the hall. It waspletely turned upside down.

    -''So... they are all dead? If not.. I don''t think I can continue.''

    She took a deep breath to calm her raging heartbeat and slowly decreased her size. Right now, she did not have even an ounce of mana within her body. Her eyelids dropped due to heaviness and her wings pped slowly barely lifting her weight.

    Kyle hummed in response and slowly walked to stand beneath her. As if hearing hismand, the ice sculptures all around him turned into bright particles and swirled around him before vanishing into thin air.

    He looked up at the stubborn phoenix who did note toward him even after they were done. With a sigh, he tapped his shoulder.

    "It''s fine now. Come here and rest for a while."

    Bia opened her eyes and looked at him with resentment but she was too tired to argue. In the end, she threw the matter of revenge at the back of her head and brisklynded on his shoulder.

    -''I am going to beat you up once when I am a little stronger.''

    Kyle chuckled a little and grabbed her body to caress her feathers.

    ''Hmm, from the aura around your body, I think this outburst was good for you. Maybe, within a week you will break through to the next rank.''

    Bia did not hear what he was saying and closed her eyes to sleep. Well, even if she did she was too tired to care. Kyle slowly patted her head a few more times. After confirming that she was asleep through her even breathing, he ced her inside his hoodie and his eyes darted around before finally locking in a certain direction.

    His previous calm eyes turned cold. In an instant, his sword appeared in his hand. With a swift movement, he unsheathed the sword and pointed it in front of himself.

    "So, how long are you nning to stay hidden?"

    He waited for a few seconds and almost thought maybe he was mistaken. However, the intense stare he had been feeling at the back of his head from the moment he stepped into this hall was not something he could overlook. So, he tilted his head to try once again.

    "Huh, do you want me to drag you out?"

    Kyle chuckled a little and grabbed her body to caress her feathers.

    ''Hmm, from the aura around your body, I think this outburst was good for you. Maybe, within a week you will break through to the next rank.''

    Kyle''s voice sounded sarcastic. He was betting on thisst try because even though he and Bia destroyed the hall and killed all the lizards the exit was nowhere to be seen. Doesn''t that mean they have to wait until the exit appears? So, instead of letting an unknown danger lurk around them, it was better to believe in his instinct.

    He waited for a few more seconds but still did not get a reply. Kyle scoffed and took a step forward but as if finally admitting defeat an eerieughter echoed in the hall.

    Kyle narrowed his eyes when the sound grew louder and louder with each passing second. He lifted his hands to block Bia''s ears.

    "Have some decency. Someone is sleeping stopughing so loudly."

    Theughter stopped abruptly maybe due to his absurd remarks. And under Kyle''s gaze, a tall dark-skinned man stepped out from behind an invisible curtain.

    A pair of familiar beady eyes peered at him with astonishment. The man unfurled his dark bat-like wings and Kyle noticed with a deep frown. The wings were bigger, bigger than the two winged men he killed a while ago. Moreover, the veins bulging around the man''s neck were deeper and more prominent.

    The man grazed his sharp pointy nails on his palm and looked at Kyle from head to toe. His eyes reflected pure interest for the boy standing in front of him.

    "Hey, human.."

    His voice sounded rather loud as he stared directly into Kyle''s eyes.

    "If you said you are one of those outsiders I won''t believe it because you are clearly stronger. Stronger than the weak ants I encountered. So... who are you?"

    Kyle did not move but he felt ufortable under those dark eyes. It was like the man was trying to see all his secrets. He opened his mouth to reply but closed it again when he sensed Bia moving in his hoodie. In an instant, a familiar voice sounded in his head.

    -''Kyle, he is strong. No matter what don''t fight him. We won''t survive.''

    He sensed the tension coiling around Bia and sighed.

    ''After we are done here, I want an answer as to how you always know if someone is strong or not.''

    Bia did not reply but if she was being truthful this was not a skill. It''s just, ever since she hatched, whenever she looked at someone she just had this feeling in her head about how strong they were. But her guesses weren''t always right, so she would brush it off every time Kyle brought it up.

    "Well, I am just a wandering person who identally stumbled upon this realm. What about you..."

    Kyle dragged his sentence and raked his eye on the man''s body. His actions betrayed all the nervousness he was feeling inside because he knew it, even before Bia''s tense voice resounded in his head. The man in front of him was not someone he could handle yet.

    "Who are you? Is not fair if I am the only one replying."

    The winged man let out anotherugh. Amused at the human who dared to speak with him with such a tone.

    "My my my how unfair.. Isn''t it? Let me introduce myself properly. Hmm?"

    He ced his hand on his chest with a wide smile ying at the corner of his lips.

    "Myself Emion. The current leader of the dark race."

    His smile widened when Kyle''s body tensed.

    "You know about dark race right? Or do I need to exin further human?"

    Kyle cursed inwardly. The word ''leader'' reverberated in his head again and again, making him painfully aware of the fact that the enemy was indeed a lot stronger than him.

    ''Bia I think we need to run. Hmm, should I use the life-saving artifact master gave me?''

    Bia freaked out and immediately grabbed him tightly with her toenails.

    -''The heck don''t you dare to leave me behind! or else I am going to haunt you even if I be a ghost!''

    The tension around Kyle''s shoulders lessened due to her unexpected cry.

    ''Don''t worry I won''t leave you behind after feeding you so many precious resources.''

    He raised his hand to pat her head and looked at the man. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Oh, dark race.. I indeed heard about it from someone but it''s so long that I don''t remember clearly. How about increasing my knowledge a little?"

    -''Kyle!! Why are you speaking as if he is your old friend? Oh no! Oh no! We are going to die!''

 Chapter 287 Correct answer

    Chapter 287 Correct answer

    Kyle ignored Bia''s cries and focused on the man in front of him. His grip on his sword tightened when thetter raised an amused brow at him.

    Emion took a step forward but Kyle stepped back due to his sudden movement. An invisible dark pressure surged in the hall, almost crushing the ground underneath.

    "Why are you stepping back? Do you not want to know more about the dark race?"

    A regretful sigh escaped Emion''s lips when the boy did not even flinch under his pressure. He would have already torn this human into hundreds of pieces but he stopped because first he was injured and second he was intrigued by Kyle''s presence. It was like the human did not exist at all.

    Even now, the boy was clearly standing in front of him but he was unable to sense anything from him. Moreover, that tiny bird sitting on thetter head was a phoenix. Something he had not seen in his whole life.

    "How interesting?"

    Emion mumbled under his breath. He wanted to speak more but Kyle''s next move surprised him. The boy suddenly sheathed his sword and looked at him with a smirk, that betrayed all the coldness present in his eyes.

    "Emion is it? Well, I know you want to attack me but..."

    Kyle''s eyes trailed off toward his abdomen. More specifically he gazed at the dry blood spots present on the man''s robe.

    "You are injured. Aren''t you? And believe me, even if I am weaker than you I would not go down without taking someone with me."

    He grabbed the stunned, astonished, and shocked phoenix from his hoodie and caressed her feathers slowly.

    "Tsk tsk, I am not even alone. So, I hope you think twice before attacking."

    Emion eyebrow twitched at the arrogant remarks. He snorted. The boy was audacious enough to threaten him in front of his face. If not for for the fact that he was severely injured after fighting countless simr-rank lizards he would have already killed this human with a single p.

    At first, when the boy stepped into the hall due to his unusual presence Emion hid himself to observe him for a while. However, he was shocked just after a minute. The boy was so much stronger! So why the hell did he only fight weaker enemies in the hall? Then he thought.

    ''Oho, he is wearing a special artifact to cheat in the treasurends.''

    Emion wanted that artifact. That''s why he decided to wait until the human revealed the artifact. But now he knew his n was not going to work at all. He grinned and unfurled his wings to fly.

    "Arrogant are not we?"

    After throwing a disdainful nce at the human, he pped his wings to form a burst of wind and directed it toward Kyle to assess his strength.

    Kyle felt a powerful push on his body. It was powerful enough to send him flying if he was just a little weaker. Still, he stubbornly nted his feet on the ground to stand straight. He even raised his brow at the man to show he was not affected at all.

    Emion clicked his tongue and as if waiting for their little talk to end, a little tremble shook everything around them before a bright light shed to upy every corner of the hall. Kyle winced due to the sudden light. He subconsciously moved his arm to cover his eyes but the light vanished like it was never there in the first ce.

    He blinked and his eyes traveled around. The hall that was battered after he and Bia fought with the lizards was now back to its clean and pristine condition. He snapped his eyes up to look at the man but the man did not even nce at him.

    Instead, Emion eyes were fixed on the three ordinary-looking doors that emerged out of thin air at the end of the hall. He leaped toward one of the doors with a wide grin stered on his face.

    "Finally I can go to the next stage."

    He was so fast that Kyle almost thought he teleported. However, Kyle knew the man did not teleport.

    ''Just how much stronger one needs to be to move so fast?''

    Emion stopped after he pushed the door open roughly, he tilted his head and looked back at Kyle with an evil smile.

    "How amazing right? Even after both of us destroyed this ce it went back to its original condition the moment all the participants were done."

    Kyle did not understand why the man was speaking to him so suddenly but he kept his wary eyes on him.

    Emion mumbled something under his breath so fleeting that Kyle was not able to grasp it. After shing another wide smile at Kyle he stepped in the door.

    "Human, try to stay alive because I want to be the one to end you. Remember... we will meet again, hahaha."

    After Emion vanished, Bia blinked at Kyle with bated breath. Was he the same person she knew?

    -''When did you be so good at pretending?''

    However, instead of replying Kyle suddenly clenched his chest and dropped to his knees. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Ugh, that bastard!"

    Bia''s body tensed. She distanced herself from him and looked at him from head to toe.

    -''Are you injured? What happened?''

    "Of course not.."

    Kyle stopped mid-sentence and coughed loudly. Droplets of blood seeped out from his mouth, painting his jaw red.

    "That man... he deliberately targeted my heart when he delivered the wind attack but it''s fine. I am not severely injured."

    He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and retrieved a healing potion from his mind space. After drinking the potion, Kyle gazed at the three doors with a sigh.

    "Let''s leave, this ce is giving me chills."

    Bia gazed at him with worry but she knew they could not stay in this hall any longer. Or else just like the previous hall they have to face even stronger opponents. She agreed with a nod and flew toward the doors.

    -''So which one?''

    "Hmm, Emion entered the first door let''s enter thest one to avoid any type of contact with him."

    Kyle stopped in front of the door for a second and nced back at the hall. Right now it was empty. Devoid of any monster. A sudden thought shed in his mind. Didn''t the mechanical voice say they have to find the correct answer to the path in front of them? Or did it say they have to find the correct exit?

    -''What happened?''

    "I just noticed something strange. This hall, it''s very simr to the previous one. It''s like we entered the same ce. We fought with monsters in the first one and did the same in the second one. The only difference was that the opponents were different."

    "Why do I feel like we won''t find the exit even if we entered this door? Bia do you remember what the mechanical voice said after we stepped onto the tform."

    Bia thought for a second.

    -''Well, not clearly but I think the voice said to find the correct answer to the path ahead.''

    Kyle hummed. He pushed the door and walked in with a contemting expression.

    "I have a guess but I need to confirm it."

 Chapter 288 A shield

    Chapter 288 A shield

    Kyle looked at the familiar hall in front of him and let out a dry chuckle. Countless human-sized fire eagles filled his vision.

    "So, my guess is correct."

    He mumbled slowly. Bia was sitting on his shoulder. She was tired after thest battle and right now she wanted nothing but to leave this ce. She yawned and nuzzled closer to his neck.

    -''Whatever, I am not going to fight again. Just take care of it on your own.''

    Kyle hummed. He waved his hand and the air cracked around him. In an instant, hundreds of thunder arrows rained down on the eagles, sessfully stopping them in their ce. The eagles who were hit cried out in pain and immediately flew back to avoid the arrows. It''s been a while since Kyle used the ''thunder arrow'' skill and he would be lying if he said he was not astonished.

    "It''s true even a simple (F+)-Rank skill can be so destructive if the user is strong."

    He nced at the eagles and increased his voice.

    "I don''t think we need to fight because I found the correct answer to the path in front of us."

    "We are in a loop. Aren''t we? This ce is filled with simr halls, that''s why after killing the monsters no matter what path we choose we will end up in the same ce."

    His loud and clear voice echoed everywhere as he took a step forward. Bia blinked at his words.

    -''A loop? I don''t think so it''s only the third hall..''

    Her words were cut short because, in the next second, a familiar mechanical voice echoed in the hall.

    "Congrattions participants for finding the correct answer to the path ahead. The door leading to the treasure room will be opened in a few seconds."

    ''"5... 4...3.."

    Bia almost tripped on his shoulder. She could not believe the answer was so simple yet so difficult at the same time.

    -''Seriously?''

    Kyle chuckled and thought about Emion.

    "It seems I don''t need to worry about revenge because it''s almost impossible for him to survive in this ce."

    After the countdown hit zero, a low tremble shook the hall and a familiar bright light shed in front of Kyle. He closed his eyes for a second and when he opened them again the fire eagles were nowhere to be seen. Instead, a huge door was standing proudly in the center. The door was vastly different from the others because it was filled with strange designs.

    Kyle briskly approached the door and pushed it open with a smile. A low creaking sound echoed in the air before a white room appeared in his vision. The room was filled with nothing but a round table in the center, and above it, a massive transparent blue shield was shimmering brightly.

    -''What''s that?''

    Bia unfurled her wings and left his shoulder to circle the table. It was old and rusty but the massive shield atop the table looked beautiful. She nced at the empty spot behind the shield with a raised brow.

    -''I think someone else found this room before us because there''s an empty spot behind the shield.''

    Kyle looked around and after confirming that the room had nothing except for the table, he stepped inside and gazed at the shield with curiosity.

    "Only one? This treasurend... is quite poor."

    Bia''s eyebrow twitched at his remarks.

    -''Just take it. So, we can leave.''

    Kyle sighed. He couldn''t believe he suffered so much just for a round shield and to make matters worse he sensed nothing special from it. With a dejected expression, he reached out his hand to grab the shield but his fingers went right through it.

    "Huh?"

    The shield''s clear surface rippled with a mesmerizing shimmer when Kyle moved his hand back.

    "Don''t tell me I can not touch this thing!?"

    Kyle''s expression sank. No way, in hell he was going to ept this! He was ready to smuggle the whole table but the shimmering shield in front of him suddenly crumbled into bright particles. Those particles gathered in front of his body before clinging to his skin tightly.

    "What the.."

    He abruptly yanked his hoodie when a sudden cold sensation touched his chest. It was different from the sensation he usually felt around his body.

    Bia circled above his head with a curious expression. Suddenly, Kyle grabbed the hem of his hoodie and slid it off his shoulders. He traced his fingers on his chest before they bumped into a solid surface that covered the area around his heart. He blinked and gazed at his chest, a fist-size blue shield shimmered brightly above his skin.

    "It turned smaller. I want to test out how it works but the ce... do I need to attack my heart?"

    Bia gazed at the small bright shield with interest.

    -''So, it''s going to cling to your body?''

    Kyle grabbed the shield and tried to pull it away from his skin. However, instead of leaving his body, the shield turned into bright particles that roamed around his body before clinging to his skin again.

    "I don''t think I can remove it."

    He jumped back and crooked a finger at Bia with a smile that seemed nothing but annoying in her eyes.

    "Attack me. Let''s test it out."

    -''Okay.''

    Bia looked at the shield around his heart. With a sigh, she pped her wings twice and two fireballs shot out toward Kyle''s chest with fast speed. Kyle did not dodge. Instead, he let the attack fall on his chest. Anyway, the fireballs were too weak to actually harm him.

    Under two pairs of eyes, the fireballs sessfully traveled and closed into his chest but before they could crash a familiar round shield zoomed out in front of Kyle. It devoured the attack within a second and vanished back into his chest.

    Kyle patted his chest and wore his hoodie with a satisfied expression.

    "Not bad!"

    He looked back and noticed something different. The door from where they entered the room was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a bright portal was present in its ce. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    -''Now, finally, I can rest!''

    Bia cheered loudly and urged Kyle to enter the portal because she wanted to sleep!

    After the duo entered the portal, another door appeared in the room. With a loud crashing sound, Emion''s body plummeted inside through a narrow opening. One of his wings was broken and his whole body was covered with thick dark colored blood.

    "Damn it! Who the hell made this shitty ce I almost died in those halls!"

    He groaned and after taking a fewrge breaths, he dragged his body so he could look around. However, the sight in front of him was anything but pleasant. The air in the room trembled when a loud angry shout emerged from Emion''s throat.

    He kicked the empty table and looked at the room with veins bulging all around his body.

    "I endured so much only to find an empty room!?"

 Chapter 289 What scared?

    Chapter 289 What scared?

    Kyle inhaled fresh air the moment he emerged from the portal. The sky was clear and bright. He looked back at the towering castle gate behind him with a sigh. It was shining brightly. Suddenly, a thought emerged in his mind.

    ''I took thest shield that means this treasurend is empty now.''

    With a smile, he gathered mana on his index finger and started scribbling on the gate. The words wererge and clear almost damaging the once beautiful castle gate.

    "Caution; Don''t enter the little phoenix took everything."

    Kyleughed out loud at his work. Now, at least the ones who saw this treasurend will know that it''s empty. Sitting on his head, Bia''s eyebrow couldn''t help but twitch at his actions, she could not believe he was lying so tantly.

    -''Are you done? Don''t wake me up for a while I am gonna sleep now.''

    With a low grumble, Bia made herselffortable on his head and closed her eyes but then a low barely audible whisper sounded behind the duo. Her eyes fluttered open with annoyance.

    -''What now?''

    Kyle looked back with narrowed eyes but the ce around him was empty.

    "Strange, I also heard something."

    He kicked off his left foot and started floating mid-air. A few familiar dark flying figures appeared in his vision but he ignored them and made his way toward a nearby mountain to find a quiet cave. However, only after a minute, a pair of crimson wings appeared in his path.

    Kyle abruptly halted in his tracks and due to his sudden movement Bia snapped open her drowsy eyes.

    -''What happened!? Can you let me sleep just for ten minutes!''

    Kyle frowned and gazed at the arm-sized flying insect in front of him. It was quite simr to a wild butterfly but the wings around the insect wererger and more thicker.

    "A moth?"

    With a sigh, he was ready to tell Bia that it was just an insect but the next thing that happened made him swallow back his words.

    In front of his eyes, the little, almost adorable moth opened his mouth wide before spitting out arge cluster of sparkling grass in front of him.

    Kyle winced when he saw rows of razor-sharp teeth inside the moth''s mouth. Those teeth were very simr to a certain cute squirrel he wanted to forget so badly.

    "The heck?"

    In an instant, he distances himself from the sparkling grass. From the dense mana around the grass, he was sure it was not ordinary. But no way in hell he would touch something that came out from someone''s else mouth!

    The moth''s eyes brightened as he looked at Kyle from head to toe like he was assessing the world''s biggest treasure. His tongue darted out from his mouth to lick his lips as he pushed the floating grass toward Kyle.

    "Eat it."

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched as he stared at the moth in front of him with strange eyes. Wisps of blue mes appeared around his body because he wanted to finish the moth and be done with it, but before he could attack a sharp wind gale struck him from behind.

    Bia lost her bnce when his body staggered forward in mid-air. She freaked out and immediately pped her wings to fly.

    -''Eeek there is one more behind you!''

    She looked down, ready to increase her size and grab him if he actually lost his bnce but Kyle was gone.

    -''Huh?'' n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Just like her, the two moths were also taken aback by Kyle''s sudden disappearance. But then, out of nowhere, Kyle''s disheveled figure appeared in the distance. He quickly regained his bnce mid-air with a painful groan.

    His hoodie was torn from behind, exposing a deep gash that painted his back in shades of crimson. A trail of blood seeped out from the wound before vanishing into his clothes. With knitted brows, Kyle moved his hand to touch the wet sensation cascading down his back and his face paled when he saw blood.

    "So, the shield is not going to protect me from behind?"

    He noticed with a dryugh, that he didn''t like pain. After drinking a healing potion with a nk expression, Kyle moved his head back to look at the person who attacked him before his eyes locked onto the two simr-looking golden moths. They looked momentarily confused after his disappearance.

    ''They are strong at least (S+)-Rank but I think I can handle it if there are only two.''

    Wisps of blue mes surged around his body and he vanished from his ce. Only to appear behind one of the months. He was ready to attack but before he could a loud cry rang out in the air.

    "Brother! He is behind you!"

    The moth in front of Kyle suddenly pped his wings and a burst of wind sent him flying backward.

    Bia''s loud voice echoed inside Kyle''s mind as he flipped mid-air to regain his bnce with a painful expression.

    -''There''s one more! On your left!''

    "Can''t they alle out at once? Don''t tell me there are more."

    Kyle frowned and distanced himself from the three golden months. Sweat trickled down his forehead because just now due to the sudden movement his injury worsened.

    ''Now, I don''t think I can manage.''

    He looked up at Bia with a serious expression.

    ''Leave in a different direction. I will find you after I am sessful in slipping away.''

    -''Will you be alright?''

    Kyle shrugged his shoulders at her question and vanished from his ce.

    -''Why did I even ask?''

    The moth scrambled to follow behind the duo. However, due to Kyle''s disappearance, their target was Bia but before they could follow her Kyle suddenly appeared in front of them.

    The moment he appeared, countless ice spears formed around him. The air cracked when the number increased with each passing second. Kyle tilted his head and his eyes turned cold.

    "What scared?"

    The moths looked at each other but it was evident from their fearless eyes that the attack was nothing to them. They shouted simultaneously.

    "Grab him!"

    Kyle clicked his tongue and threw the ice spears at them before vanishing again.

 Chapter 290 One down two more to go

    Chapter 290 One down two more to go

    Kyle''s breath was uneven as he appeared in the middle of a grassy field. He looked up in the sky, even after an hour the three moths were still following behind him.

    ''Damn it! How the hell are they finding my location? It''s the fourth time already! Don''t tell me they can sense me but how... I am positive my presence is hidden.''

    With knitted brows, he rubbed the white earring in his ear.

    ''Is it not working?''

    A curse spilled out from his mouth when he felt a sudden pinprick of pain on his back. Due to the moths chasing after him ruthlessly, he was not able to rest. Not even for a second, that''s why even after drinking two high-grade healing potions his injury did not heal. Instead, it worsened.

    Suddenly a loud cry sounded on his left. Kyle snapped his head toward the voice and his eyes dted at the sight. A familiar winged man was tearing the body of a grey-haired youth. He used instant teleportation to stop the man but he arrived a littlete. The youth was already dead. Scattered pieces of flesh painted his vision red and his breath grew even more irregr at the sight.

    The winged man was stupefied due to his sudden appearance but unlike Kyle who froze in his spot after seeing a human die so gruesomely in front of him for the first time, the man immediately recovered and attacked him with a ck whip.

    Kyle snapped out of his trance when a trembling voice reverberated in his ears. The voice was barely a whimper but he heard it loud and clear because it was filled with pain.

    He jumped back to avoid the whip that swiftlyshed out toward him. However, his pale face turned even paler when he saw the owner of the voice. It was a young girl.

    Her body was barely covered and filled with multiple injuries. Lying above the grassy ground she was breathing but her eyes were nk and they looked lifeless.

    Kyle''s heart shook in his chest. He took an unsteady step back and for some reason, his mind went nk. After meeting some individuals from the dark race, he knew they were targeting the people who entered the realm but he never imagined they would be this cruel.

    The winged man looked at him with narrowed eyes. He couldn''t believe the boy dodged his attack but he knew the boy was too aghast at the sight in front of him. So, instead of attacking the man started enjoying his expression that turned paler with each passing second. After all, it would be more fun if he broke his prey first before killing him, just like how he did with the previous ones.

    Still, only after a few seconds, he got bored because the boy in front of him was doing nothing, except standing in a single ce. Moreover, his eyes turned too cloudy.

    "It''s no fun if you are already like this."

    The man clicked his tongue and stepped forward to finish Kyle so he could find another target. However, his intentions were abruptly interrupted by a loud voice that echoed through the air.

    "Brother! I found the human! He is here!"

    After the voice fell, a golden moth arrived in front of the winged man. He gazed at Kyle''s body with twinkling eyes and then looked at the winged man with annoyance.

    "Leave! This human belongs to us."

    Behind him, the other two golden moths arrived as well. They looked at Kyle and after confirming that their food was fine, they simultaneously red at the winged man who didn''t budge from his position even after the first warning.

    The winged man red back with a raised brow.

    "What if I don''t? Huh, you insect how dare you order me around!"

    In an instant, a strong (A+)-Rank aura spilled out from his body and descended on the moths. However, the man was shocked when they didn''t even flinch under his pressure. He realized with a twisted expression.

    ''Damn! These bugs are stronger than me!''

    Slowly, he pped his wings to flee in another direction but before he could a sharp de pierced his heart from behind.

    The man nced down at the tip of the sword that was protruding from his chest. His eyes widened with horror as he tilted his head back to look at the owner of the sword. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    It was the same boy who was standing in front of him a while ago but his eyes were not cloudy anymore. Instead, they were seething with anger.

    Kyle kicked the man from behind and pulled his sword back roughly, dark blood sttered out to paint his hand crimson. Yet, he did not even stop to brush it off his sword and looked at the moths.

    "Haaa.. I am tired of running. So, instead of running, it''s better to kill right?"

    The moths were taken aback when they heard his sudden deration. They looked at each other before one of them whispered loudly.

    "Don''t kill just break his arms and legs then we will take him back."

    The other two nodded and all of them attacked the human at the same time. Countless wind des formed under their wings before those des traveled toward Kyle with lightning-fast speed.

    A cold glint shed inside Kyle''s eyes and he vanished from his spot. After running around for an hour his mana was almost exhausted so he knew he could not use the blue mes because they burned his mana faster. Due to his unstable emotions, Bia was also rmed. Her familiar worried voice rang out in his head again and again but instead of replying, he subconsciously cut off her voice from his head.

    Kyle''s figure appeared behind one of the moths but the trio was ready because they had already seen his teleportation skill before. That''s why the moment he disappeared, they snapped their heads back and the edge of their wings turned sharper to prate his body.

    However, before their attack couldnd on Kyle''s body, he vanished again. This time he appeared mere inches away from one of the moths. The moth''s eyes widened when Kyle tried to put his sword straight into his heart. The wings behind his back moved almost instantly and the sharp edges targeted Kyle''s chest to stop him.

    Amidst the heated atmosphere, the moth shuddered when he saw a fleeting cold smile on the human face. He was not able toprehend why the human wasughing when he was clearly in danger but he got the answer when his wings crashed into a solid surface instead of digging into Kyle''s chest.

    With a stunned expression, the moth opened his mouth to cry but his voice muffled when the sword entered his chest with little to no restraint.

    The other two moths were too shocked to move as they watched their brother''s body fall to the ground lifelessly. Kyle pulled out his sword and gazed at them with irregr breath. His whole back was painted with blood but he still dared to speak with a loud and clear voice.

    "One down two more to go."

 Chapter 291 Scent perception Skill.

    Chapter 291 Scent perception Skill.

    "One down two more to go."

    Kyle gazed at the two awestruck moths and straightened his body. His brows knitted together when he felt the sensation of warm blood trickling down his thighs. Yet, he stubbornly shook his hand to clear the murky golden blood from his sword.

    Amidst the intense pain shooting up to his spine, he took a step forward, his legs wobbled a little but he immediately bnced himself.

    This sudden movement sessfully jolted the moths out of their trance. They looked at him with raged breathing, contemting if they should continue or not because the one who died was the eldest among the trio. Of course, they wanted to exact revenge but what if the human killed them as well?

    Kyle clenched his empty hand tightly, almost digging his tail in his palm, to maintain his consciousness.

    ''I can only use instant teleportation one more time...''

    His body was screaming with pain and his mana was exhausted, the remaining couldn''t even help him if he wanted to escape. However, he had zero n on falling here. After all, a lot of people were waiting for him. Not to mention, the panicked emotions of Bia that had been stabbing at the back of his head from the moment he saw the bloody sight. He almost thought, maybe she was the one who was injured.

    ''Did I just block her voice? How...I need to..''

    Kyle''s thoughts halted abruptly when one of the moths suddenly cried out and pointed his sharp and trembling wing toward him.

    "You! Hum...an! How dare you kill our brother!"

    After voicing his grief he looked at hispanion to seek what he should do. However, hispanion was too in panic. After all, the duo always followed the eldestmand from the moment they gained sanity. Now the eldest was dead, so their emotions were in a mess.

    The second moth suddenly grabbed his brother from behind and threw a seething re at Kyle but if one looked closely under that anger was shock and fear. He hurriedly pped his wings and dragged his brother away, hisst words echoing in the air like a thunderous roar.

    "One day we will kill you!"

    Kyle''s eyes stayed nk as he watched their figures fade away in the distance. He let out a dryugh that looked nothing but forced.

    "Ah.. "

    After confirming that the moths were gone, he finally lost his bnce and dropped to his knees. A trail of blood of blood oozed out from his mouth.

    "That bug attack was powerful enough to send shock waves throughout my whole body..."

    He touched his chest, the shield saved his heart or else it would have been ripped into pieces the moment those sharp wings targeted his chest. Slowly, he tilted his head to look at the ce where the girl was lying, but she was a bit far away. That''s why he could only catch a glimpse of her feet. He opened his mouth but closed it again. Not sure what he should say. In the end, he could not utter anyforting words.

    "Are... you alright?"

    Kyle waited but did not get any answer. Not even a whimper. With a hardened expression, he tried to stand on his feet. A painful expression appeared on his face as he forced himself on his feet and stiffly made his way toward the girl. But, he sensed it even before he neared her body.

    She was not breathing anymore. Kyle closed his eyes to calm his troubled emotions and waved his hand to throw a nket to cover her body. He knew the world was ruled by the strong but hearing about something cruel and witnessing it firsthand was an entirely different experience. Moreover, the experience was not pleasant at all.

    He grabbed two healing potions from his storage ring and hastily spilled them on his back. A stinging sensation spread out on his skin but he endured it and poured everything on his injuries. After giving it a moment for the sensation to subside, he felt a surge of strength coursing through his veins. Finally, he regained the ability to walk properly. However, he knew his body needed rest. At least for a few hours or else he would not recoverpletely.

    With a loud sigh, Kyle looked up at the brilliant sun. It was still shining brightly above his head, a far contrast to the brutal sight he witnessed a while ago. His eyes turned cold when he saw some dark flying figures in the distance.

    "My impression of the dark race was already bad, to begin with, but now it reached rock bottom."

    Kyle''s face was emotionless as he mumbled under his breath, his words barely more than a whisper.

    "....I hope their path doesn''t cross with mine. Unlike the person who trapped them in this realm, I am not merciful enough to leave something so revolting alive."

    He looked at the nearest mountain and started walking to find a quiet ce. So, he could recover his mana. However, before he could leave the area, a glimmering light shed in his eyes. The light was spilling from the lifeless body of the moth he killed earlier.

    Kyle briskly made his way toward the source of light. Immediately, he grabbed his sword and bent down to examine the dead body with narrow eyes. Only to find a round core nestled inside the moth''s chest.

    "A skill core?"

    He wrapped his fingers around the core with little to no interest. It was bright grey and bigger than a fist. Moreover, the light around the core was bright enough to illuminate a dark room.

    Kyle stood up and closed his eyes to check the skill.

    ___________

    #*Scent perception (Pseudo divine)-Rank

    This skill allows the user to naturally detect all types of hidden scents, enabling them to track down elusive creatures or special objects without any hindrances.

    Mana isn''t required for this skill.

    ___________

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched when he read the words ''pseudo divine''. He couldn''t believe such a powerful skill belonged to a bug. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Now I know how the moths were tracking me so easily even though normally my presence is hidden due to the artifact."

    The skill core in his hand burst into bright particles before vanishing into his body. As he made his way toward the mountain, a wave of scents flooded his nostrils almost overwhelming his senses. At first, he sensed the air around, it was filled with the fresh aroma of grass, the delicate scent of flowers, and the intense smell of blood.

    However, only after a second, Kyle''s sense of smell expanded in all directions and he retched when hundreds of overpowering scents made his vision blurry.

    "What the.. How the hell did they use this skill?"

    He wiped his mouth with a frown and immediately deactivated the skill.

    "Ugh.. it''s apletely useless skill."

    Amidst hisints, he suddenly ran in the opposite direction before stopping in front of arge rock. Kyle pushed the rock away and looked at the ground, only to see a purple color nt.

    "I just smell something good from this ce."

 Chapter 292 Little Birdie?.

    Chapter 292 Little Birdie?.

    After digging around here and there in the name of practicing his new skill, Kyle finally arrived in front of arge crystal-clearke. At first, his destination was indeed the nearest mountain but he did not even realize when his path changed, because he was too engrossed in smelling the air around him.

    Still, even after practicing for so long, he could only activate the skill for fifteen seconds straight, or else it wouldpletely overwhelm his senses. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Kyle wiped the sweat trickling down his head and sighed. There were a lot of bad scents around him but detecting them made it possible for him to avoid all kinds of dangers. Moreover, if he hastily grasped the appealing scents, he could track a lot of good things. The reason he found theke nestled inside so many boulders was also due to the scent perception skill.

    "Okay, I take back my words. This skill is not half bad."

    Kyle grabbed the hem of his tattered hoodie and threw it away. He bent down to check the water temperature with the tip of his finger. It was extremely cold but for Kyle, it was normal because his body was resilient against cold.

    The injury behind his back was still notpletely healed, but it wasn''t painful enough to stop him from moving. After checking the surroundings and making sure there were no other people around, he cautiously jumped into theke.

    As the water cascaded down his handsome, muscr body, the droplets glistened in the sunlight, entuating his toned and lean physique. His skin contrasted beautifully with his silver-bright hair, which shone brilliantly under the sunlight.

    After cleaning himself, Kyle made his way out of theke, feeling refreshed. He ran his fingers through his damp hair, ridding it of any excess water, and then proceeded to put on a pair of ck-colored trousers and a cream-colored shirt.

    Finding a quiet spot among the boulders that surrounded theke, Kyle settled down and reached out to the person who had been worrying about him for the past few hours.

    ''Ahem.. Bia? Can you hear me?''

    In an instant, a loud, angry roar echoed in his mind and Bia bombarded his head with questions, one after another.

    -''How dare you cut off my voice!? Where the hell are you? Also, what happened a while ago? I sensed a lot of repulsive emotions from you...''

    Kyle let out a sigh and massaged his temples, but he allowed her to speak to her heart''s content. He knew that this time, he was the one in the wrong because he had blocked her voice when his emotions went out of control. So, he patiently listened to Bia. After hearing her out, he reassured her that he was fine.

    ''Where are you?''

    -''Well...''

    He frowned when Bia dragged her words.

    ''Did you encounter anything dangerous? I can sense you are quite far away from my location.''

    Kyle stood up, almost ready to leave, but then Bia replied with a hint of speechlessness in her voice.

    -''I am alright, don''t worry. It''s just after I left, I happened to see Jian. I have no idea how he managed it, but when I saw him, a big horde of monsters was following behind him.''

    -''Moreover, the horde of monsters was not the only thing chasing behind him. So, I decided to help him a little out of concern but that little help cost me a lot.''

    Bia grumbled at the end, feeling a strong desire to just strangle the red-haired boy fighting alongside her. Just how the hell can someone attract so many monsters at once? Not to mention the fact that the enemies were increasing with each passing second!

    She wanted to rest so badly but due to the swarm of monsters attacking her from all directions, she could not even take a proper breath.

    -''Damn it! Why do I need to suffer so much when I am not even paid for it? Ugh... the most infuriating part is that after I saved his life this brat is not even thankful! He is calling the majestic me little birdie? Can you believe it? Little Birdie?''

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched at her continuous rumbling. He jumped up to stand above a boulder. With narrowed eyes, he looked in the distance.

    ''Can you handle it? Or should Ie to find you?''

    -''Who do you think I am? These (C)-Rank bugs are no match for me! Just wait at your current location. I will make my way to you in a while.''

    Bia dered resolutely. However, inwardly she knew Kyle woulde find her in no time. After all, how can he let her suffer alone? Yet, a far contrast to her expectations, Kyle agreed almost instantly.

    ''Okay. Come find me when you are done.''

    Kyle did not hear it, but he had a nagging feeling at the back of his head that Bia was cursing him. However, he couldn''t understand why.

    After checking the surroundings onest time, hefortably sat down behind arge boulder. He wanted to organize his thoughts and also recover his manapletely before moving out again.

    Across from theke where Kyle was taking a break, a set of amber eyes cautiously peeked out from a narrow underground tunnel. It felt as if those eyes were trying to detect someone''s presence but all they could see was the vast expanse of a lush, green grassy field.

    Yue let out a weary sigh and clutched a bundle of grass to cover the entrance of the underground tunnel. Her breathing came out irregr and her heart was pounding in her chest. Moreover, her appearance mirrored her inner struggle, as the brown tunic she wore was torn from various ces.

    The reason, from the moment she arrived in this realm she had to run. Not from the monsters but from the strange bat-like creatures. She witnessed a lot of things, so cruel that it tore her heart. However, she was weak, so weak to even protect herself. So, how could she help others?

    She slowly gazed at the girl standing opposite her. Unlike her, the girl was a demi-human with a beautiful pair of fox ears on her head and arge fluffy tail.

    "We are safe for the time being. That winged man, I think he left."

 Chapter 293 Oh no

    Chapter 293 Oh no

    Yue ced the back of her hand on the girl''s forehead standing opposite her.

    "Sia? Are you alright?"

    The ears on top of Sia''s head twitched due to the sudden warm contact. She backed away and shook her head. Just like Yue, her breathing was uneven.

    "I am fine, but is he really gone? That man has been following behind us for so many hours, and I noticed it..."

    Sia sucked in a deep breath.

    "He is strong enough to capture both of us within seconds but instead, he chose to trail behind when we made our escape. He was enjoying it when we struggled to take a breath! So, why did he suddenly disappear?"

    Yue clenched her fists tightly. She noticed it as well, the man was indeed toying with them! She opened her mouth to utter someforting words, but then a familiarughter filled the air around them, sending chills down their spine.

    Sia''s eyes widened but amidst the fear in her eyes. She immediately grabbed the spear hanging behind her back before looking at Yue with gritted teeth.

    "Let''s attack this time, and when he''s distracted, we''ll split up and run in opposite directions. That way, at least one of us will survive."

    Yue bit down on her lips, hard enough to draw blood. As a member of the famous WintCrest family she was taught to fight with a lot of weapons but in the end, being a mage made it challenging for her to excel in closebat.

    However, she knew from her previous experience that her spells would not work on the enemy. That''s why she grabbed a silver saber from her storage ring. With a deep exhale, Yue turned to Sia.

    "I have an artifact. I can kill him with it but I need to get closer to the man to activate it."

    After her words fell, with a burst of determination, they leaped out from the underground tunnel, but the man outside wasn''t surprised as if he already knew the girls were hiding in the underground tunnel. The wings behind the man''s back fluttered and he eyed them with a grin.

    "Finally decided toe out huh?"

    The girls'' eyes locked onto their opponent, but their hearts trembled when they saw another simr man behind the one who had been following them.

    ''Oh no.''

    Yue gritted her teeth. Now, with the addition of another strong enemy, the chances of winning were almost non-existent. Still, her saber gleamed in the sunlight as she charged forward with Sia.

    Delightughter spilled out from the man''s throat as he saw their futile struggle. However, instead of stopping the attacks, he looked back at hispanion.

    "Tsk, it''s getting boring. Grab them and let''s go back." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Yue and Sia weren''t able toprehend the meaning behind his words, but they shuddered when they got the answer. A heavy, almost suffocating pressure descended on their shoulders. Simultaneously, their grip on the weapons faltered and they dropped to their knees.

    A trail of blood oozed out from Yue''s mouth as she looked at the iing hand with horrid eyes. She wanted to shout, but the suffocating pressure around her body sealed her mouth. She noticed from the corner of her eyes, Sia was also struggling to move.

    ''I thought I was strong after I broke through to (C-)-Rank! So why is it that I can not even save myself?''

    Yue''s body shook and she desperately tried to activate the artifact present in her sleeves but her fingers could not reach it.

    ''No... I still want to say sorry to dad because I fought with him before I left. I still want to see mom. Please move..''

    But, before she could reach the artifact. Sia''s loud cry reverberated in the air and she froze momentarily. Yue''s eyes dted when the man grabbed her neck and for the first time after her brother''s death, glistening tears formed in her eyes.

    ''No... please.''

    But then, suddenly another voice echoed in the air, tinged with drowsiness and a hint ofint.

    "What''s happening? I just want to rest for a whi...!"

    The voice stopped abruptly, and Yue noticed with bated breath. It was very familiar. She had heard that same voice many times before. Even the hint of annoyance within the tone was strikingly simr to that person.

    Her eyes snapped shut and the tears around hershes dropped to her cheeks before she called out, her voice barely a whisper.

    "Kyle..?"

    At that moment, everything around her fell into eerie silence. She hastily moved her fingers toward the artifact, only to be interrupted by a piercing, agonizing cry that echoed through the air. In an instant, she wanted to open her eyes, but a cold hand from behind swiftly closed them shut.

    "It''s fine."

    Kyle''s face was expressionless and his eyes extremely cold as he stared at the other winged man who was grabbing the demi-human girl. He shuddered at the thought that if only he was a few minuteste something devasting could have happened to Yue.

    The winged man trembled under his gaze and staggered backward with shock and fear. He couldn''t help but gazed at the glistening ice sculpture of hispanion. What happened? They were enjoying themselves, weren''t they? So how did his friend turn into an ice sculpture so suddenly?

    His eyes remained fixated on the sculpture, but it was as if his friend had never existed. Suddenly, the ice sculpture burst into a mesmerizing disy of glistening sparks, soaring away with the wind.

    The man''s panicked scream filled the air as he desperately pped his wings, attempting to flee. But his eyes widened with terror when chilling blue mes materialized all around him.

    Unlike hispanion, he was not able to cry out in pain because the cold mes seeped into his mouth, traveling straight toward his skull and heart.

    Opposite the newly formed ice sculpture, the demi-human girl''s mouth was hung open and her eyes wide with disbelief. It was a sight that she would never forget in her whole life.

 Chapter 294 Theres no nighttime in this place

    Chapter 294 There''s no nighttime in this ce

    After a minute, the hand around Yue''s eyes lowered and she finally opened her eyes to see the vast expense of grass in front of her. She noticed with a choke, the two men were gone. They were not here anymore. Her eyes frantically wandered off toward Sia and relief flooded in her chest.

    ''Ah..she is fine...?''

    Amidst her jumbled emotions, she instinctively reached out to grab the hand that closed her eyes a while ago.

    "..!"

    A far contrast to her searing temperature, the hand was cold, almost freezing but she did not want to let go.

    Kyle let out a small sigh. He bent down and hesitantly reached out to slowly ce his palm on her back. He wanted to say that the people who tried to harm her were dead, but in the end, he could only utter a few words.

    "It''s fine now."

    Yue''s grip on his hand tightened. She raised her head to retract the tears threatening to spill from her eyes before repeating his words in a barely audible voice.

    "It''s fine."

    After a minute, she gathered her emotions and lifted her head to finally look at the person silently sitting beside her.

    Just as she remembered, his clear eyes were glistening in a natural green color as they gazed at her. She blinked, dazed at the tremendous amount of worry present in those eyes. The hand behind her was still patting her back slowly in silentfort.

    After a minute, she gathered her emotions and lifted her head to finally look at the person silently sitting beside her.

    Just as she remembered, his clear eyes were glistening in a natural green color as they gazed at her. She blinked, dazed at the tremendous amount of worry present in those eyes. The hand behind her was still patting her back slowly in silentfort.

    "I am alright."

    The moment her words fell, Kyle''s moving hand behind her back stopped, and the coldforting sensation vanished. Yue almost wished for the sensation to linger a little longer, but it did not.

    Kyle''s eyes wandered around her before he opened his mouth to speak but closed it again awkwardly. After a few seconds, he reached out to his one and onlypanion.

    ''Hey, Bia? Can you tell me how I should draw back my hand without surprising the person who is grabbing it very tightly?''

    -''Why the hell are you suddenly spouting nonsense? I am in the middle of a life and death battle! If you can''t help me at least shut your mouth!''

    ''But.. this is important!''

    After a few loud swearing words, Bia finally admitted defeat and answered him nkly.

    -''If someone''s strong is grabbing you, just use instant teleportation to run away. What''s so hard about it?''

    Speechless, Kyle wanted to speak again, but then, as if noticing his behavior, Yue released his hand.

    "Sorry ...and thank you."

    The tip of her ears turned red when the weight of her actions dawned on her. She stood up and immediately left his side to check on Sia.

    Kyle stared at her back for a second before activating his newly acquired skill. After sensing a few distant scents, he looked at the girls with a serious expression.

    "I don''t know what it is, but something strong ising this way. Let''s leave."

    The girls instantly nodded and the trio left to hide behind the boulders where Kyle was resting a while ago.

    After they settled down, Sia gazed at Kyle with a wary yet grateful expression.

    "Thank you for saving my life. My name is Sia."

    She could not help but think deeply when she saw the glistening silver hair atop the boy''s head.

    ''Why do I feel like I have seen him somewhere?''

    Her thoughts were confirmed in the next second when Kyle gave her a nod.

    "It''s okay and.. my name is Kyle."

    Sia snapped her head toward Yue to confirm her suspicions, and the moment she got a nod from Yue, her eyes widened with disbelief. The tail behind her back perked up with curiosity and in the next second, she neared Kyle while slowly batting hershes.

    "The same Kyle who made amotion in front of the realm gate?"

    Kyle''s eyes trailed around her tail for a second before he answered with a small nod.

    Sia''s eyes sparkled with awe. She couldn''t believe she found the person who was rumored to be the strongest among those who entered the realm. Suddenly, she remembered the mesmerizing fire phoenix, Kyle''s bonded beast that shocked everyone including her, and her eyes roamed around him to get a glimpse of the legendary beast.

    Still, even after a few seconds, she was not able to locate the phoenix. Almost thinking that maybe, Kyle sent it somewhere, Sia opened her mouth to confirm. However, before she could utter a single word, Yue dragged her back because the distance between her and Kyle was getting narrow with each passing second.

    Sia turned her eyes toward Yue and blinked.

    "What happened Yue?"

    Yue immediately pointed at her clothes.

    "There''s ake behind us let''s clean ourselves. Look, the clothes we are wearing are almost ruined."

    "Ah.. you are right.."

    In the next second, the girls left him alone. Kyle watched them walk away, then quietly found a spot behind one of the boulders to get some much-needed sleep.

    The sun was still shining brightly above in the sky when he was jolted awake by a fleeting touch on his shoulder. The wariness in Kyle''s eyes instantly dissipated when he saw the culprit who woke him up. It was Yue. She was startled due to his sudden movement.

    Kyle let out a small yawn and noticed, from the corner of his eyes, that her skin had a healthy glow. Her honey-colored hair, once tousled from the fight, was now clean and flowing down her shoulders smoothly. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    ''Did she take a bath?''

    He looked around before he questioned her seriously.

    "What happened?"

    "I didn''t want to wake you up, but you''ve been sleeping for five hours. So..."

    She almost blurted out that she was worried because he did not open his eyes even when Sia was practically singing beside him. However, she changed her words in the middle.

    "Don''t you want to eat something?"

    Kyle blinked at her words, musing slowly.

    "What, I slept for five hours? Already?"

    He looked up at the sky with narrowed eyes, catching his trail of thoughts. Yue spoke almost instantly.

    "I noticed it too, because I have been running around for a while. I think there''s no nighttime in this ce."

 Chapter 295 Did you notice?

    Chapter 295 Did you notice?

    While gazing at the clear sky, Kyle was about to doze off again, but then Yue asked him once more if he wanted to eat.

    "Huh? I''m not hungry though..."

    Kyle started to say, but his words trailed off when a delicious aroma of meat filled the air. Slowly, he peeked behind the boulder and saw Sia sitting by a fire.

    ''Oh, so I just need to eat? right?''

    He turned back to Yue.

    "Now that you mention it, I think I am quite hungry. Let''s eat."

    Yue raised her brow with a tiny smile and the two of them joined Sia by the fire. As Kyle took a bite of the meat, he couldn''t help but sigh. It was delicious, unlike his cooking, which was rather ordinary.

    ''Bia could have enjoyed this, but thanks to someone she''ste. So, maybe next time.''

    After they were done, Kyle looked at the girls. He couldn''t help but think deeply. Surely, the girls were strong. He could sense it from their auras. Sia was (D+)-Rank while Yue was (C-)-Rank, but after roaming around in the realm, he knew their survival would be hard if he left them alone. Not to mention, the dark race.

    He sighed but before he could speak, Yue beat him to it.

    "We will go in different directions."

    Kyle''s brow knitted together. From her voice he could feel it, she did not want to trouble him, but how could he let them go alone after witnessing what happened a while ago?

    "It''s dangerous.."

    He was not able toplete his sentence due to Sia''s panicked interruption.

    "Wait wait... There''s no way I am going alone! What if something simr to what happened a while ago happened again? We should follow Kyle.. even if it''s just for a while. He is strong!"

    Ignoring Yue''s ring eyes, she slowly moved closer to Kyle with a pleading expression.

    "I promise I will just quietly follow behind!"

    Yue''s eyebrow twitched. Immediately, she pulled her back. She knew staying alone was dangerous, but relying on others was not the solution to their problem. Instead of being shameless, it was better to grow stronger.

    A nk expression appeared on Sia''s face as she gazed at the beautiful hands clenching her arm. This was the second time, Yue pulled her back from Kyle. She could not help but narrow her eyes at her actions.

    ''Am I thinking too much?''

    In an instant, their eyes met mid-air, and the girls became absorbed in a silent confrontation. Almost, forgetting about the person watching them from the sidelines.

    Kyle massaged his temples, not sure what he should do, but then like a ray of sunlight, a familiar voice echoed in his head.

    -''I am almost there. Where are you? I can not see you.'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He stood up abruptly and narrowed his eyes in the distance before musing with a smirk.

    "It seems she is fine. I can see her body parts are intact."

    A pair of heads snapped toward him when the girls heard the word ''She''. Moreover, Kyle''s words where he talked about someone''s body parts so causally were everything but good. Still, before the girls could question him, he jumped to stand above a nearby boulder. His movement was so fast, almost like a blur. As if noticing the stunned pairs of eyes behind him, Kyle looked back.

    "I am going to enter the nearest treasurend. Let''s go together, it''s better that way."

    He paused remembering Yue''s unwillingness. It made him realize that she didn''t want to be seen as someone who relied on others, even in the face of danger.

    "It''s not that I am going to help out every time, but moving together is not a big deal. Just follow me for a while. You can leave when you are strong enough to survive on your own."

    Thest sentence was specially spoken for Yue. Maybe, it was because of the encounter they had when they were kids or maybe it was because Kyle had spent a lot of time with her silently in Kingdom tersia, but he was sure he could not let anything happen to her in his presence.

    After his words fell, he jumped down from the boulder without even waiting for an answer. His gaze traveled up toward the nearest floating ind. Subconsciously, he wanted to float but stopped because now he was not alone.

    Sia cheered loudly and jumped behind Kyle. As a fox demi-human, she was more agilepared to people her rank. On the other hand, Yue gazed at his back and blinked her eyes in contemtion.

    "It''s okay if it''s only for a while. Also..."

    She fiddled with her storage ring.

    ''I am worried, except Faith.. no one else picked up when I sent the signal. I hope Regius and Niamh are alright.''

    She shook her head to get rid of the bad thoughts and joined Sia and Kyle silently.

    Only after half a minute, the trio started climbing the stairway leading up toward the brightly lit castle. In the midst of their walk, Sia could not help but narrow her eyes in the distance, before cing her hand on Yue''s shoulder with a surprised expression.

    "Did you notice?"

    "What?"

    "It''s strange. We walked in an open area and now we are climbing the stairway... So why is it that we did not encounter even a single monster? Not just monsters, we did not even encounter any individual from any other race!"

    Yue raised her head to peer at the ck dots flying above in the sky. At least for now, they were far away in the distance.

    "Maybe it''s because of the bat-like individuals. They are hunting almost everything."

    In front of them, Kyle stopped mere inches away from the castle gate. He looked up in the sky to find Bia, but his expression immediately sank when he saw that she was not alone.

    ''Damn, I told you to just toss him somewhere why are you bringing him with you?''

    -''He begged me. I wanted to ignore him and fly away but this leech grabbed my feet! Ugh! That''s why I had to take him with me!''

    Yue slowly walked beside Kyle and followed his gaze.

    "What are you looking at?"

    Her question was answered when a boisterousughter filled the air.

    "Hahaha, Kyle my bro! We finally meet again!"

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched at the red-haired youth hanging on Bia''s toes. Instantly, the phoenix''s huge figure overshadowed the trio. Yue''s eyes widened slightly at the huge firebeast and she instinctively stepped back.

    Behind them, Sia''s eyes were practically glued on Bia. She clenched her excited tail tightly and let out a surprise shout of awe.

    "OMG! It''s the phoenix! I can''t believe I am seeing one so closely!"

 Chapter 296 I also want to know

    Chapter 296 I also want to know

    Kyle gazed at Jian with a sigh, but amidst this, there was a barely visible smile at the corner of his lips. When was thest time he saw Jian? He couldn''t help but remember the time. Just like in the tower, Jian was still so cheerful.

    ''I can see it from his bright face that somehow even though he was chased around by almost everything, he managed to avoid the cruel sight I witnessed.''

    ''It''s better that way, I guess.''

    With anotherugh, Jian was ready to jump at him for a big hug, but his wish went unfulfilled because after carrying him for so long, Bia was too tired. So, the moment she spotted Kyle, she threw him away without any care. Also, as a considerate person who did not like blocking someone''s path, Kyle immediately stepped away to give Jian enough space for a good crash.

    "Wh-!"

    Jian cried out in shock, but before he could crash into the gate, he flipped mid-air andnded perfectly on his feet. With an exaggerated sigh of relief, he gave his chest a little rub.

    "Almost gave me a heart attack."

    Behind him, Bia instantly decreased her size and pounced at Kyle with lightning-fast speed.

    -''I am sleeping for a whole day! Don''t you dare to wake me up! Or else I am going to pluck all your hair!''

    Kyle could not help but chuckle at her actions. At first, she made herselffortable on his shoulder but it was not enough.

    -''Why are you not wearing a hoodie?''

    A gasp sounded beside them and Bia finally noticed the new faces standing with Kyle. Her eyes wandered around Yue''s pointy ears before finally stopping at Sia''s white tail.

    -''Wow? I was just gone for a while and you already found two beau-!''

    Her sentence was cut short because she lost her bnce when Jian punched Kyle from behind.

    "So, Kyle how have you been? Also, what did you do with your hair? I almost failed to recognize you if not for Bia!"

    Kyle hurriedly grabbed Bia before she could crash on the ground and assault his head with countlessints. He ced Bia on his shoulder and nced at Jian from head to toe with surprise. Jian was already (C+)-Rank. Moreover, from the dense and powerful aura around him, Kyle knew he needed just one little push and he would break through to (B-)-Rank.

    "I am fine. How about you?"

    He paused for a second.

    "Where is Kelvin? I remember both of you always stayed together."

    Jian froze and tears welled up in his eyes. He clutched his chest and looked in the distance.

    "I contacted him a while ago. He said he found a spring that raised his rank with just a single dip. I wanted to go find him but he.. he..."

    Jian wiped his tears with a hardened expression.

    "He did not tell me the location!"

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched when Jian suddenly grabbed his arm with a wronged expression.

    "As a good brother, I always shared everything with him! But now that he has found something good forget about sharing he is not even responding!"

    Awkwardly, Kyle tapped his back and hurriedly pointed at the gate behind him to avoid any further drama.

    "Now that you are here. Do you want to enter together?"

    Instantly, the tears in Jian''s eyes vanished as if they were never there to begin with. He straightens his body with a serious expression.

    "Of course! Let''s go let''s go! Don''t worry my mana is almost full because I took a quick nap while hanging on Bia''s feet."

    However, inwardly, he was grinning madly. Finally, he found his lucky charm! How could he let such a precious opportunity slip away? That''s why even though he had to beg, he clung to Bia almost as if his life depended on it. Suddenly, Jian looked back at the girls who had been watching their interaction for a while, and whispered slowly in Kyle''s ear.

    "What about thedies standing behind you? Are they with you?"

    "Yes, they are with me."

    Jian gave him a nod before hastily leaving his side to introduce himself to the girls. Kyle''s eyebrow twitched when Jian ced his hand in front of his chest and lowered his head slightly in a polite gesture.

    "Hello, my name is Jian."

    He even went as far as to sh a beautiful smile at the girls, making themugh out loud. The moment, Yue and Sia introduced themselves, Kyle grabbed his shoulder and dragged him away because if he left them alone at this rate they would never enter the treasurend!

    Jian grumbled under his breath.

    "At least let me befriend some beauties."

    Kyle rolled his eyes and pushed the castle gate open. In an instant, everyone around him turned serious. Their weapons appeared in their hands, ready to face all the dangers that were present in the treasurend.

    As a mage, Yue preferred to fight with a bow and Sia was a spear user to begin with that''s why she held her spear in her hand firmly. Jian''s face fell when he grabbed the in-looking wand hanging on his waist. It''s because whenever he fought with a wand, he always remembered the not-so-beautiful memory of the tragic incident that happened to him a long time ago.

    Like the observant person he was, Kyle noticed the wand in his hand almost immediately. He couldn''t help but question with a raised brow as he stepped in the gate.

    "Hmm, where''s the blue (SS+)-Rank wand you used in the tower? I remember it was quite powerful..."

    Kyle''s sentence faded behind him as he vanished into the gate. The girls entered after him, leaving behind the sulking red-haired youth who was ring at his wand.

    "I also want to know where''s my precious wand! Okay!"

    Jian wiped his invisible tears before jumping in the gate behind the trio while cursing the person who stole his and Kelvin''s storage rings in the past. Not once but twice.

    "I swear one day I will find the person who stole the ancient map and our precious strange rings!"

 Chapter 297 The key

    <h4>Chapter 297 The key </h4>

    ?When Kyle entered the gate, a familiar sensation of dizziness filled his head, but this time he did not even take a second to recover. His feet silentlynded on a solid surface before he lifted his gaze to look at the scenery in front of him.

    The space in front of him was rugged and weathered, filled with worn-out targets. His eyes trailed off toward the dented armor and weapons scattered around almost everywhere before finally stopping at the three heavily panting figures standing in the distance.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed at them as he mused under his breath.

    "Dwarfs?"

    It wasn''t his first time seeing dwarfs. He had seen some in Kingdom tersia, but he was still intrigued by them because, unlike normal humans, they were shorter in height.

    Instantly, Kyle noticed the strangeness in their behavior. The trio was standing far away from each other, one in each corner of therge room that looked very simr to an old training ground. Moreover, their hands were devoid of any weapons yet they were panting like they had just run a marathon.

    He wanted to observe them for a while quietly but unlike Yue and Sia, the moment Jian appeared behind him he started waving his hand at the dwarfs with enthusiasm as if they were his long-lost buddies.

    "Hi, guys. What''s going on here?"

    Kyle''s facepalm and the dwarfs instantly snapped their heads to look at the new arrivals with wary eyes. However, Jian was not done. His eyes roamed around the room before he backed away with knitted brows.

    "What the? This room is so dusty and old. Moreover, aren''t we already in the castle? So, why did the mechanical voice not announce our arrival? Hmm.."

    One of the dwarfs suddenly grinned at Jian.

    "Human, the voice will surely announce it you just need to cross the circr boundary drawn on the ground."

    Jian gazed down and after spotting the boundary he raised his thumb toward the dwarf with a smirk.

    "Oh right, thanks."

    Kyle instinctively reached out to grab his cor but even before he could grab him, Jian turned to look back at him with a cheeky smile.

    "What? Do you think I am idiot enough to step inside when I can clearly see their condition?"

    Kyle rolled his eyes. He so desperately wanted to say that yes, you are an idiot but held it in.

    Opposite them, the dwarf who asked Jian to step inside shrugged his shoulders with a scoff.

    "Do whatever you want. Anyway, in the end, you have to step inside."

    Kyle frowned and looked around the room. However, even after a minute, he was unable to locate any exit. At that moment, Jian suddenly tapped his shoulder and sucked in a deep breath.

    "I will enter the battlefield first save me if I am in danger."

    Under Kyle''s speechless eyes, he jumped forward andnded directly inside the boundary, but to everyone''s surprise, nothing happened. Regardless, the familiar mechanical voice finally reverberated in the air.

    "Wee new participants to the ''012'' treasurend."

    "Counting the number of new arrivals...."

    "Total new arrivals one; A (C+)-Rank human."

    "Please do your best toplete the training designed for you."

    The room was filled with eerie silence as Jian gazed back with a grin. He couldn''t believe he was safe and sound! This oue was a thousandfold better than the first time he entered a treasure ind and almost lost his dear life.

    "It''s safe guys."

    With a nod, Kyle, Yue, and Sia entered the boundary behind him, and the mechanical voice echoed in the air again.

    "Wee new participants to the ''012'' treasurend."

    "Counting the number of new arrivals...."

    "Total new arrivals four; One (D+)-Rank demi-human, one (C-)-

    Rank elve, one (C+)-Rank divine beast, and one (??)-Rank human."

    "Loading... unable to detect the rank of the human... Automatic rank would be assigned."

    "Conclusion; The human would be assigned (F-)-Rank."

    "Please do your best toplete the training designed for you."

    In an instant, everyone snapped their eyes toward Kyle in shock. He was the only human among the ones who just crossed the boundary. However, no one was willing to believe that he was only (F-)-Rank!?

    Jian was the first to question him regarding his rank.

    "Bro?? How can you be (F-)-Rank? It''s impossible-!"

    His sentence was cut short because thend beneath his feet suddenly shook violently. Kyle reached out to pull him but just like Jian the ground beneath him also started quivering.

    The dwarfs in the distance wiped their sweet with bitter smiles. They mumbled simultaneously under their breath.

    "It''s starting again."

    The moment their words fell, the ground beneath everyone''s feet was lifted upward before a round glowing transparent dome appeared around their bodies separately.

    Kyle and Jian both hastily punched the dome but it did not even budge, instead a sharp current pushed them back.

    A deep frown appeared between Kyle''s brows. The moment he attacked the dome, he knew he could break it within ten or so minutes if he used his full strength. However, the problem was the current flowing in the dome. It targeted his mana, and he knew if he attacked the dome even for a minute he would lose all his mana. He nced at the others calmly.

    "Don''t touch the dome."

    Due to the sudden noise, Bia was startled awake, but before she could open her eyes fully, Kyle tapped her head with a chuckle.

    "It''s okay you can sleep I can handle it."

    His ears twitched when a slow whistling voice reverberated around him. Instantly, he stepped backward to stand in the center of the dome. With a loud rumble, three moving targets appeared around them. The targets were old but on each target, a big ''1000'' was written. Kyle chuckled amidst the tense atmosphere.

    "Now I know what the mechanical voice meant when it asked everyone toplete the training."

    However, the treasurend was not done yet because, in the next second, a floating bronze key appeared in the center of the room. After the key appeared, the mechanical voice sounded once again.

    "Only the participant whopleted the training first would be shown the next path. The remaining had to try again. So, please do your best."

    One of the dwarfs smirked and started punching one of the targets around him.

    "I am going to take the key this time!"

    The other dwarfs chuckled at him as they attacked the moving targets around them. The trio have been in this room for a while now but they failed to take the first key. The one who took it was a strong demi-human.

    After them, Sia, Yue, and Jian also started attacking the targets. The room was filled with many noises as they hit their targets. The number on each target decreased with every sessful hit.

    Among them, Kyle was the only one standing silently without attacking the targets. Therefore, the moment Jian, Sia, and Yue noticed him they stopped and looked at each other.

    As if noticing their behavior, Kyle looked up and said with a deep expression.

    "Can not we just take the key withoutpleting the task?"

 Chapter 298 Enhancement pill

    <h4>Chapter 298 Enhancement pill </h4>

    ?The dwarfs scoffed at his words. If taking the key was so easy they would have already left this damn room.

    Sia and Yue looked equally confused but then Jian grabbed his stomach andughed out loud. He couldn''t believe he had forgotten the strange skill Kyle used in the tower. After wiping the corner of his eyes, he ced his wand back and rubbed his hands.

    "Bro, I don''t want the first key. Okay?"

    Kyle threw him a nce but before he could teleport he remembered something very very important. Silently, he grabbed Bia and ced her on the ground.

    ''Now it''s fine.''

    With a relieved sigh, he vanished from his ce under everyone''s stunned gaze. In the next second, Kyle appeared mid-air, just mere inches away from the key.

    The dwarfs froze in their spots. The human was cheating in front of their eyes but they could do nothing but watch as he grabbed the key.

    Instantly, the transparent dome around everyone vanished and a round fluctuating portal appeared at the end of the room out of thin air. Kyle nced back with a smirk.

    "So, who wants the first key?"

    Jian immediately raised his hands and shook his head. For some reason, he was sure if he was the one who entered the next room first, he would probably have to face a life-and-death situation until the others arrived.

    "Nope, not gonna take it."

    While they were discussing who should take the first key, the dwarfs were devasted. In the end, the trio silently agreed to wait until the silver-haired human left the room. After all, they knew if they did not they would be wasting their breath.

    Kyle thought for a second and vanished from his spot, he grabbed Bia and walked toward Yue.

    "Yue, you go first. Also, Bia is sleeping so take her with you."

    "It''s kind of noisy in this ce."

    There was hesitation in Yue''s eyes. However, the hesitation vanished when she gazed into Kyle''s eyes. With a sigh, she carefully grabbed Bia and took the key.

    "Okay."

    A far contrast to Kyle, Yue''s hands were warm. That''s why the moment she touched the little phoenix, Bia blinked her drowsy eyes at Kyle.

    -''Hey? It''s rare for you to send me with someone else. You know her?... Why do I feel like you are worried.''

    Kyle hummed and looked away.

    ''Just a friend. Stay with her for a while.''

    Bia''s eyes narrowed at Kyle''s curt answer. She knew he made some new friends in Kingdom tersia but she never thought one of them would be a beautiful elven girl. After all, it was very rare for him to make female friends.

    -''Alright... but, it''s just my opinion okay don''t take it to heart. If you want to choose a mate I would prefer it if you pick Mia because she is gentle and a talented cook-!''

    Kyle grabbed her by her neck with a nk expression. Just what the hell was this tiny thing thinking? He was ready to roll his sleeves and put some manner inside her head but stopped because there were many eyes watching him.

    He ced Bia back in Yue''s arms and immediately walked away.

    "Yue, you should leave. Or else..."

    ''I don''t think I can stop myself from strangling a certain bird.''

    The glowing portal immediately vanished the moment Yue stepped inside. In the next second, as if waiting for her to leave the mechanical voice sounded again.

    Kyle gazed at the dome that appeared around him and the moment he saw a simr bronze key in the air he vanished.

    The second person to leave behind Yue was Sia. After the girls were gone, Kyle looked at Jian.

    "You are next."

    Jian scratched his head with a bitter smile.

    "Okay, but you know... I am having this ominous feeling that even though we are entering the same portal somehow I am going to end up in a different room."

    Kyle tapped his back with a sigh.

    "Don''t worry. This treasurend is all about training so as long as you follow themand you will find the exit."

    "I hope so."

    After Jian left the room, Kyle and the speechless dwarfs were the only ones left the room. Once again the training started and Kyle easily got the key, but before he could leave, one of the dwarfs suddenly offered him a storage ring.

    "How about we trade?"

    Kyle raised his brow and took the storage ring. He nced inside the ring. It was mostly empty except for a bundle of herbs and a small mountain of beautiful shiny finger-sized round orbs ced in a corner.

    "What''s the thing inside?"

    The dwarf looked back at hispanions and after getting a nod from them, he smiled.

    "It''s the currency of my Kingdom. You can call them coins. One coin is made of at least one thousand mana stones."

    Kyle narrowed his eyes and fiddled with the many storage rings in his hand.

    "To be truthful I am not poor. Do you have something better?"

    The dwarf was stunned. He couldn''t believe the human was so greedy to ask more when he practically gave away half of his wealth. He cursed under his breath and looked back at hispanions. They were also wearing sour expressions.

    After thinking for a few seconds, the dwarf took out a wooden box from his clothes.

    Kyle grabbed the box and opened it. There was a ck round pill inside the box. He gazed at the dwarf with a curious expression.

    The dwarf sighed.

    "It''s an enhancement pill. After consuming it, your strength will increase by one rank within a minute. For example, if you''re currently (F-)-Rank, it will go up to (E-)-Rank. However, there''s a catch. The pill''s effects onlyst for an hour. After that, you''ll return to your original rank."

    Kyle closed the box. The pill seemed good, but he would be an idiot to think it had no side effects.

    "Sure, tell me about the side effects. I will help you all get the keys."

 Chapter 299 That was easy

    <h4>Chapter 299 That was easy </h4>

    ?Kyle''s eyebrow twitched when the dwarf told him the side effects of the pill with a bitter expression. Most of the side effects were not serious, except for one. He closed the box and gazed at the sweating dwarf.

    "So, after the one-hour time is over, my overall strength will be greatly weakened for an entire day?"

    The moment he got a nod from the dwarf, the storage ring and the wooden box vanished from his hands. After all, something was better than nothing.

    "Alright, I will help you."

    The dwarf watched him with a nk expression. Slowly, Kyle ced the bronze key in his hand and turned away. He so badly wanted to question about the storage ring that contained coins and herbs but who was he kidding? The human was clearly a lot stronger than him. That''s why he quietly swallowed his question and after waving at hispanions left through the portal.

    Kyle stood in the middle of the room and swept his gaze at the other two dwarfs.

    "So, who wants to go next?"

    After a few minutes, the dwarfs were gone and Kyle finally got a key for himself. He jumped inside the portal ready to see others but instead, he appeared inside an empty round chamber.

    "Huh?"

    He couldn''t help but chuckle as he thought about thest words Jian told him.

    "It seems I am the one who got separated."

    As if noticing his arrival, a sharp ck arrow shot out from the ceiling. However, Kyle noticed with a raised brow, it was extremely slow. He side-stepped and easily avoided the arrow.

    "Hmm, that was easy. Now what next-!"

    His sentence was cut short because, in the next second, more and more arrows rained down from the ceiling. With a low curse, Kyle ran in the opposite direction to avoid the arrows. They were slow but too many. Moreover, he noticed with a frustrated expression. The speed at which the arrows were fired was increasing with each second.

    In the blink of an eye, three hours passed but the arrows raining down at him were never-ending. After two more hours, the whole chamber was filled with arrows and Kyle had to jump around to avoid them.

    Beads of sweat trickled down from his forehead and in the middle of his run, he identally scratched his leg and cursed loudly.

    "Damn it, I am not running anymore!"

    With another leap, Kyle''s body started floating mid-air. However, instead of stopping the speed at which the arrows were falling increased.

    He flew inside the chamber with a dark expression. The ground beneath him was almost ck, not in color but due to the amount of arrows raining down from the ceiling.

    After another hour, Kyle''s whole body was drenched with sweat. His precious set of clothes was gone just like that. Also, he was tired of dodging. With another flip mid-air, Kyle raised his head with a sharp glint.

    "I think I should break the walls around me..."

    Instantly, ten ice spears emerged around his body but before he could act on his words, the arrows raining from the ceiling stopped abruptly and a round portal appeared in the middle of the chamber.

    Kyle raised a mocking eyebrow, and the spears around him vanished. However, deep down, he was already strategizing on how to break through the walls, if the castle dared to send him into another simr chamber.

    He wiped the sweat from his forehead and jumped inside the portal with a tired expression. His vision blurred for a second but in the next second, he arrived in a vast meadow field. Surprisingly, the air was fresh and quiet. Also, no matter where he looked he was alone. Immediately, Kyle slumped down on the carpet of grass with a sigh.

    "Is this a resting area?"

    But, how wrong he was. All around him, many glowing white eyes peeked out from the grass, and slowly they started crawling toward him. Kyle''s eyes snapped open when he sensed a trickling sensation on his foot.

    Startled, he immediately jumped and brushed his foot.

    "What the heck!?"

    Kyle''s eyes widened when he looked at the hundreds of fist-size ck insects surrounding him from all directions. Their eyes glowed in a strange white color as they made their way toward him.

    With another loud curse, he started floating mid-air.

    ''I can not believe I have to fight insects! Is this damn treasure ind kidding with me?''

    Not to mention the fact that he was inside a big open field. There were no ceilings or walls around him. It was just wide open space as far as the eye could see.

    Suddenly, Kyle sucked in a deep breath. Now that he was floating, he could see the situation around him more clearly. All around him, thousands of simr insects were crawling in the grass.

    "Haha, please tell me this is a joke?"

    Kyle''s hands turned sweaty as he looked up at the clear sky. He swallowed dryly because even though he was (S-)-Rank, taking care of so many insects was not something he could do in a short amount of time. It would definitely take him days, if not weeks, to handle them all.

    ''Don''t tell me this is a punishment because I tried to break the walls?''

    He couldn''t help but regret. Regardless, it was toote. With a dejected sigh, he roamed around mid-air and waved his hand to kill the insects with his mes from time to time.

    After roaming around for an hour, Kyle was dead tired. Specifically because before he arrived in this field he had to run around a lot. He couldn''t help but whisper in his mind for somefort.

    ''Hey, Bia? How are you doing?''

    After a second, a satisfied sigh sounded inside his head.

    -''It''s amazing. Why didn''t you tell me Yue is such a great cook? The food is tasty. Now, I don''t think I''ll ever be satisfied with your cooking again.''

    -''By the way, where are you and the dwarfs? Only Sia and Jian joined us after a few minutes. Also, the training here wasn''t too difficult. We just had to defeat a certain number of monsters, and then an exit appeared out of thin air. But because Jian and the girls were too tired that''s why we decided to eat and rest for a while.''

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched. Still, he took a deep breath topose himself and slowly nced at his luck stat.

    ''Don''t tell me Jian rubbed off his bad luck on me?''

    He was contemting deeply when Bia''s next words poured salt on his wounds.

    -''Wait wait.. don''t tell me you found the treasure room? Damn, I knew it!''

 Chapter 300 Ice mountain

    <h4>Chapter 300 Ice mountain </h4>

    ?In the middle of a vast meadow, a huge ice mountain was standing proudly. Atop that mountain, Kyle was lying with a peaceful expression. From his even breathing, it was evident he had been resting for a while.

    However, if one looked closely, they would notice that the mountain was actually made up of hundreds of frozen insects stacked on top of each other. The alive insects crawling in the grass were attempting to climb, but because of the uneven edges of the mountain, they were failing miserably.

    A frustrating cry echoed in the distance, and Kyle lifted his head to look, but it was too far away. That''s why he opted to close his eyes again.

    In the past two weeks, he has pretty much figured out everything about this ce. First, the field was vast and had no boundaries. Second, after every few hours, some new individuals would arrive in this ce just like him. And third, the mechanical voice never told anyone what they had to do in this ce.

    Kyle let out a sigh. He did consider helping the new arrivals, but he was just too exhausted. Besides, it wasn''t his responsibility to save everyone. After all, he was stuck in this ce too.

    Yet, he couldn''t help but think deeply when the loud cry sounded again.

    ''Why do I feel like I have heard this voice before?''

    ''No, it''s not Jian... So, who is it?''

    After thinking for a few seconds, Kyle threw the matter at the back of his head.

    ''Whoever it is, that person is not alone. So, I will check after a while.''

    Far away from Kyle''s location, two young elves were trying their best to calm the frustrated brown-haired youth.

    In the end, the girl in the team reached out to grab the youth from behind with a sigh.

    "Nine, calm down you are attracting more insects!"

    Nine froze in his actions, he gazed at the beautiful pair of hands and blinked. Amidst the hundreds of insects surrounding them from all directions, Nine leaned into the hug with a sheepish smile.

    "Okay, my dear Elli I will follow yourmand."

    The person standing beside them hissed with anger and immediately grabbed Elli''s hand to separate them from each other.

    Nine red at the green-haired elf before rubbing his fingers on Elli''s wrist with a sulking expression.

    "Elli, why did you bring him with you? You know I hate third wheels..."

    Elli giggled and slowly pped his hand away.

    "Rowan is my old friend. Don''t say anything bad about him."

    A vein bulged out in Rowan''s forehead. He couldn''t believe the duo was flirting in the midst of hundreds of insects. Suddenly, a crawling insect jumped at Nine and Rowan shed it with his weapon.

    "You two stop it, let''s find an exit, or else I don''t think we can survive in this ce."

    Nine looked at Rowan with a sigh and refocused on the insects. It''s been a while since he found the two elves. At first, after recovering he only wanted to find Elli and spend some time with her but she was not alone. That''s why he had to bring along the third wheel, Rowan.

    The trio killed and slowly moved around the vast field but even after an hour they found nothing. Suddenly, with uneven breath, Elli pointed his finger at the distance with a surprise gasp.

    "What''s that?"

    Nine and Rowan both narrowed their eyes toward the ce she was pointing and mumbled simultaneously.

    "A small mountain?"

    Nine cursed when another insect pounced at him from the left side. He kicked it away and started walking toward the mountain.

    "Whatever it is, let''s go and check."

    After ten minutes, the trio arrived below an ice mountain. Thend all around the mountain was frozen into ice. Moreover, the mountain top was hidden in ayer of white smoke.

    Still, the trio did not dare to get near because thousands of insects were crawling around the mountain. Nine shuddered and rubbed his arms when cold air brushed passed his skin.

    "What with this ce? The temperature in the field is normal. So, what''s an ice mountain doing here?"

    With narrow eyes, Rowan suddenly killed an insect and bent down to grab one of many frozen uneven-shaped rocks lying in the grass.

    "This!"

    His eyes widened instantly. Nine grabbed the rock from his hand and inspected it. A shocked expression appeared on his face.

    "OMG, it''s the insect!? How did it freeze to death?"

    Simultaneously, the trio snapped their heads to look at the mountain. It was clearly made of many simr rocks!

    An ominous feeling surged inside Rowan''s heart as he looked at the duo.

    "Guys let''s leave. I think this ce is dangerous."

    Nine and Elli both immediately agreed. Fighting with insects was thousands of times better than being frozen to death. Slowly, the trio turned around to leave.

    However, at that exact moment, a loud voice echoed in the air.

    "You think after stepping in my territory you can leave?"

    The trio froze in their spots and chills ran down their spines. With sweat trickling down his forehead, Nine grabbed his sword and mumbled to Elli and Rowan.

    "Run!"

    Yet, they did not even budge from their spots. No way, they were going to leave him behind. Due to the tense atmosphere, Nine failed to notice the fact that the voice was very familiar and quiet young as well.

    Nine grabbed his sword and was ready to fight a life-and-death battle but then the voice sounded again. Moreover, there was a hint of amusement in the voice.

    "Well, that''s it, now that you have stepped inside my territory. It would be bad if I let you go. How about having some tea with me?"

    Nine eyes widened when he finally sensed the familiarity in the voice behind him. He instantly turned back and gasped.

    "Wow... Kyle, is it you?"

    Kyle grabbed the corner of his hair with a thoughtful look.

    "Yes, if you could just ignore my hair and eye color. It''s me."

    Nineughed out and jumped at him for a hug. How could he fail to recognize him? After all, he had already seen those silver hair.

 Chapter 301 It’s your work

    <h4>Chapter 301 It''s your work </h4>

    ?With a soft sigh, Kyle tapped Nine back.

    "Enough, you are going to suffocate me."

    Nine sucked in a deep breath and slowly released him from the hug with a smile. He was happy to see Kyle again. After all, thest vision he saw was everything but good.

    He couldn''t help but peek at the ice mountain behind Kyle. Nine nced at his stunned friends and threw his arm on Kyle''s shoulder while pointing at the mountain.

    "Don''t tell me it''s your work?"

    However, a nonchnt shrug was all he got in return. Nine rubbed his chin with a raised brow.

    "Bro, I feel like you have be more annoying."

    Slowly, he dragged Kyle to look at the two elves.

    "By the way, this is Rowan and this is Elli. They are my friends."

    Rowan and Elli both nodded at Kyle but then suddenly Nine lowered his voice to whisper in his ear.

    "Remember I told you about a beautiful girl in the past? It was Elli, hehe. Your friend is not single anymore."

    A barely visible frown appeared between Nine''s brows when he sensed Kyle''s body temperature. It was too low. However, it vanished within a second.

    Suddenly, Rowan nced at Elli and stepped closer to Kyle with a shocked expression.

    "Wait, Nine called you Kyle, right? The same Kyle who caused a hugemotion in front of the realm gate?"

    Kyle was going to nod but then Nine raised his finger and shook it in front of Rowan.

    "Nope, this isn''t the same Kyle. The one you saw had a huge phoenix but this one doesn''t."

    Nine gasped and looked at him with wide eyes.

    "Wait.. where''s Bia, Kyle? Why don''t I see her? Don''t tell me she ran away because you forgot to feed her on time!"

    Kyle rolled his eyes and pped his arm away. He nced at the hundreds of insects around them and clicked his tongue.

    "Guys, let''s climb the mountain. It''s not clean... I mean it''s not safe here."

    The three of them exchanged nces and trailed after him, to climb the mountain made of uneven rocks. Or more specifically made of hundreds of frozen insects. However, unlike Kyle, they quickly began to rub their arms, their breath forming wisps of smoke in the frigid air. It was too cold!

    Nine groaned. Still, he couldn''t help but mumble with a curious expression.

    "Kyle, can you tell me how you froze the insects?"

    Kyle stopped in his tracks. Instantly, icy blue mes appeared around his body. Under three pairs of stunned eyes, the mes traveled downward with lightning-fast speed. All the insects wing on the mountain shrieked as the mes enclosed them in a nket. After the mes vanished, many simr uneven frozen rocks appeared in their ce.

    Nine breath faltered for a second as he gazed at Kyle.

    ''The same blue mes I saw.. does that mean everything I saw is going toe true? No, I am not going to believe the vision this time. Instead, I am going change it no matter what.''

    He clenched his fist. It was truly unbelievable that Kyle and Alec were going to fight to death in the future. They were friends. Moreover, from Alec''s devastated expression, he was sure that something was wrong with him.

    Soon, they reached the top of the mountain but the trio sitting with Kyle was regretting the moment they decided to follow him. Especially, Rowan and Elli, both of them were trembling.

    Nine inched closer to Elli and grabbed her hands shamelessly before throwing a resentful re at Kyle.

    "So, what''s the n because within a few hours, we are going to freeze to death!"

    Kyle blinked and snapped his fingers. Immediately, two hovering fireballs appeared in front of the trio.

    "Is it fine now?"

    Nine snapped.

    "Are you kidding me? The temperature around us is even lower than the depth of the ocean! You think two tiny fireballs can warm us?"

    Kyle rubbed his temples with a sigh.

    "I didn''t do it on purpose. I checked this field as much as I could, but there''s no way out. So, I think our only option is to fight the insects until we find an exit or until the mechanical voice guides us."

    Nine agreed instantly and stood up.

    "Okay, let''s fight. It''s hundreds of times better than waiting."

    Kyle hummed but before they could leave, a frustrated voice echoed in the air.

    "Where is he? I can not believe I have to check every chamber just to find him."

    Simultaneously, all of them snapped their heads up to look at the sky and Kyle immediately recognized the small glowing ball floating in the distance.

    "Haylee?"

    He never thought he would be so happy to see the winged boar. Kyle waved his hand energetically toward the glowing ball. The ball froze mid-air and the trio standing beside Kyle stepped back with shock when the ball turned into a huge winged boar.

    Haylee''s wings stretched out wide as hended right in front of Kyle. Yet, the happiness from Kyle''s face disappeared the moment his feet touched the mountain-top.

    A loud cracking sound was all Kyle heard before the ground beneath his feet crumbled. His eyes widened as the stacked rocks scattered in all directions. However, before anyone could tumble down from the mountain, a glowing shield appeared around their bodies, keeping them safe.

    Nine clutched his pounding chest, feeling a bit sweaty and nervous as he realized he was floating mid-air. Just like him, Elli and Rowan were equally frightened.

    He gazed at Kyle with bated breath and a bitter smile spread across his face because thetter was floating mid-air without the shield. With a relieved sigh, Kyle took back his stretched hand, he was going to grab two of them if they lost their bnce.

    Opposite them, Haylee clicked his tongue.

    "Such a weak mountain...."

    He stopped mid-sentence and gazed at the scattered rocks that were once a mountain.

    "Wait.. how did this mountain appear in this ce?"

    He gazed at Kyle and immediately knew how. With narrowed eyes, Hayleended on the grass. He pped his wings and the insects around them scattered in different directions.

    The round shields around Nine, Elli, and Rowan evaporated into thin air as they neared the ground. Nine sighed with relief and looked at Kyle.

    "I am never going to climb a mountain with you from now on."

 Chapter 302 Three options

    <h4>Chapter 302 Three options </h4>

    ?Kyle chuckled at Nine''s words as hended beside him. Immediately he gazed at Haylee because thetter was looking at him with serious eyes.

    He cleared his throat and took a step closer to Haylee.

    "So, what brought you here?"

    However, the boar was not in a good mood. He flipped his wings to make it clear that Kyle should stay ten meters away from him.

    "You rascal? Do you even know how much I have to suffer just to find you? At first, I thought if only I sensed Bia''s location I could easily get to you but when I found her, she was alone and you were nowhere to be seen."

    Haylee grumbled. He couldn''t believe his superior senses were defeated by a mere artifact the kid was wearing. That''s why, no matter how much he tried he was unable to sense Kyle. After a few seconds, he took a deep breath to calm down because he was not here to scold him, he was here to tell him about something very important.

    When Kyle noticed the boar''s serious expression a frown appeared between his brows.

    "What happened?"

    Haylee gaze sharpened as he nced at the trio standing behind him. Noticing his gaze, Kyle waved his hands.

    "It''s okay. They are my friends."

    With a nod, Haylee began from the moment he left Kyle''s side. He went to search for the old guardian, however, when he found him. The guardian''s illusionary figure was fighting with Guil. A Pseudo divine being from the dark race.

    Nine and the elves were confused when they heard the words ''Dark race'' and ''pseudo divine''. Seeing their confused expression Haylee stopped mid-way, he thought with a sigh that he had to tell them everything from the start. Yet, before he could exin further, Kyle beat him to it.

    The more the boar heard Kyle''s exnation the more stunned he became because the kid knew almost everything about the dark race. Moreover, his knowledge did not end there. He even knew about the various powerful ranks above (SSS+)-Rank.

    In the end, when Kyle was done exining. Nine, Elli and, Rowan''s expressions were nk. The trio was too shocked because the information shattered their views. They could not believe that in their whole life, they thought (SSS+)-Rank strength was the end of mortal powers. Yet, many otherworldly divine and supreme beings existed in the universe.

    Nine let out a trembling breath and gestured at Haylee to continue. However, the boar had a serious question he wanted to ask Kyle.

    "How did you find out about all this? This knowledge had been hidden a long time ago."

    Kyle hesitated as he gazed at Nine but in the end, he answered while omitting out the part of his bloodline and mind space.

    "A few months ago, two huge white slits eyes appeared in my dream. They gave me the information. I don''t know anything about the eyes but they looked powerful."

    Haylee closed his eyes in deep contemtion. Eyes with white slits. Yet, he was unable to find the owner of such eyes from his memories.

    He shook his head and silently threw the matter at the back of his head before resuming from where he paused.

    "Right, while fighting, Guil saw me. I wanted to hide but failed. As I am the guardian of thest treasurend, I can not leave that ce until the divine essence is gone. That''s why, now he knows that all the divine essence is gone."

    Haylee inhaled a sharp breath. He practically ignored Nine, Elli, and Rowan who were ogling at him with all the focus they could muster, and fixed his gaze on Kyle.

    "The old guardian had stopped Guil but he can not stop the dark race. The moment, Guil knew about me, he informed Emion the current leader of the dark race. Right now, Emion and arge number of people from the dark race are ruthlessly searching for the person who has the divine essence."

    Kyle''s expression chilled when he heard the familiar name. He mumbled under his breath.

    "Emion and all those people from the dark race... They are searching for me, right?"

    Haylee nodded with a hardened expression.

    "I know with your strength and the presence hiding artifact you are wearing you can escape easily but..."

    Kyle snapped his eyes up to stare directly into Haylee''s eyes. He knew that if the people from the dark race were after him. They would probably kill each and every person they encounter in their path and he despised the thought that a lot of people had to die because of him.

    "But what?"

    Haylee gazed at Kyle''s clenched fists and shook his head.

    "The guardian who is stopping Guil doesn''t know anything about you. He had already chosen the people he wanted to send out from the realm safely. Yet, everything changed when Guil found out about the divine essence. He had been stuck in the pseudo-divine rank for a long time and the divine essence could help him break through the bottleneck. Moreover, if he stepped into the divine rank the old guardian wouldn''t be able to stop him and he could leave this realm forcefully."

    Haylee paused for a second when he noticed how tense Kyle was. Still, Kyle shook his head and asked for him to continue.

    "Naturally if Guil left, the whole dark race is going to follow him. That''s why the dark race is doing everything to find the divine essence."

    Haylee suddenly gazed at Nine. For some reason, the kid turned too pale when he heard that the dark race could leave this realm. He frowned but ignored it, thinking maybe thetter was too shocked.

    "Kid, just like me the guardian is not allowed to interfere with the things happening in the realm. Also, I am unable to take back the essence from you because after a treasure is taken out from a castle it can not be ced back as it''s against the rule."

    "So, now you have three options. First, surrender and give the essence to the dark race. However, if you did the dark race would still kill everyone. Not to mention the fact that if Guil reached the divine rank, he would be released from this realm. Second, hide until the realm exit is opened. And third fight back."

 Chapter 303 The resonite gem

    <h4>Chapter 303 The resonite gem </h4>

    ?Kyle gazed up in the sky. It was clear. He let out a sharp breath and slowly opened his fists. From the boar''s words, it was evident, that he had to make a choice, and he knew what he wanted to do.

    Unlike him, Nine and the elves were doing their best to process the mind-boggling information that had the power to shake the world outside.

    The trio was still reeling in shock as Kyle rose to his feet. His expression waspletely devoid of emotion, a stark contrast to how he had appeared earlier when they were speaking casually.

    "I don''t know how precious the divine essence is, but I took it. So, I am going to take responsibility. I will choose the third option, I am going to fight. Plus, I''ve got some debts to settle with Emion."

    Haylee''s eyebrow twitched when he heard hisst sentence.

    "I left you alone for only more than two weeks, and you have already managed to make enemies with Emion? Not anyone else but Emion!?"

    Kyle gave a curt nod. It didn''t matter if they were enemies, he had already marked the dark race on his cklist. He knew he would have to confront them sooner orter. The current situation, where they were relentlessly hunting him, gave him a perfect excuse to fight back.

    A cold smirk appeared at the corner of his lips.

    "I believe I would rather be the hunter than the prey."

    Haylee let out a sigh. If possible, he wanted to suggest that Kyle should hide because he saw immense potential in the kid. Regardless, he knew that the decision was not his to make.

    Beside them, amidst his astonishment, Nine cracked his knuckles and approached Kyle with a wicked smirk just like his.

    "Hey, do you think you are the only one who likes hunting? Just like you, I have some unfinished business with the dark race that I want to settle."

    Kyle arched an eyebrow with a faint smile. He was actually considering the idea of leaving the trio behind. But it looked like that wasn''t going to be an option. Suddenly, he gave Nine a scrutinizing look.

    ''He is not weak. Almost (C+)-Rank.''

    Yet, the smile on his face stiffened as Nine leaned in to whisper in a hushed tone.

    "You don''t have to pay me, just give me some divine essence. I don''t know what it does exactly, but the whole dark race is after it. So, it''s gotta be something pretty darn good, right?"

    Behind Nine, the elves nced at each other and grabbed their weapons tightly. Elli yfully tapped Nine''s shoulder.

    "Don''t you dare to leave me behind? Or else I am rejecting the proposal you made a few months ago."

    Nine''s expression sank within a second. He grabbed her hand with utter disbelief.

    "No way, tell me you are joking dear?"

    Finally, Kyle could not take it anymore. The sight of his friend crying his eyes out was just too painful. He silently went to talk to Haylee.

    "No matter what, first we need to leave this ce. Do you have any idea how we can leave?"

    Haylee eyes wandered around before a strange expression appeared on his face.

    "This is the secondst chamber of this treasure ind. Not many can make it here withoutpleting the tests of the other chambers."

    Kyle blinked with confusion.

    "Huh? Really, but there is no way out of this ce."

    The bickering trio behind him, instantly gathered around the boar, eagerly waiting for the answer. After all, who wants to deal with insects all day and night?

    Haylee pped his wings and with a leap soared into the sky. His loud voice echoed in the air as he narrowed his eyes in the distance.

    "This is a time-limit chamber. So you need to survive until the time is over, the exit will open automatically."

    The moment his words fell a bright portal appeared out of thin air behind Kyle. Haylee gazed at the portal and turned into a white ball of light before floating around Kyle.

    "Now, it seems your test here isplete. You can leave but your friends..."

    He dragged his sentence and nced at the trio standing behind him. The trio was visibly upset, Rowan hastily reached out to Kyle with knitted brows.

    "How many days did you spend in this ce?"

    The trio looked at him eagerly but his answer was anything but good.

    "6..12.. a total of 14 days I believe?"

    Nine slumped down to the ground with a nk expression.

    "Hey this is a joke, right?"

    Kyle shrugged his shoulders and grabbed the light floating around him.

    "Haylee, stay with them. I know you can not help them but your presence alone is enough to repel the insects. Also, Bia and the others might show up soon too. Once everyone''s done, you can alle find me."

    Haylee gave him a nod and Nine face rxed immediately. He grabbed Kyle''s shoulder before thetter could jump in the portal.

    "Remember, if it''s dangerous don''t jump into a fight alone."

    With a nod, Kyle jumped into the portal. However, only after a few minutes did Haylee remember a very important fact that made him cry out inwardly.

    ''Wait wait!! You rascal how am I going to find you when I can not even sense your presence?''

    ''At least, you should have removed the artifact!''

    Nine and the two elves exchanged strange nces as the quiet boar suddenly began pacing with a serious expression. However, no matter how much they probed, they were not able to find out the reason behind his behavior.

    Meanwhile, after jumping into the portal Kyle arrived in a simr white room. He nced around, the room was filled with almost all types of weapons. Gleaming des, intricately crafted bows, and an assortment of other armaments, each one radiating a strong aura.

    As he took a step forward, the mechanical voice sounded in the air.

    "Congrattions participant forpleting all the training designed for you. Please take any one weapon as your reward."

    Kyle smirked and shook his head as he nced at the weapons. Usually, he would have taken everything one way or another but a few people he knew needed good weapons. Especially Jian and Nine. The duo had gotten stronger but the weapons they were using were too weak.

    His eyes caught sight of rows of (S)-Rank wands lined in a corner. One of the gleaming wands had an amber gem embedded in the middle.

    "Hmm.. I know she can use a lot of weapons but she doesn''t use spells often.. even though Regius said she is a mage."

    A bright light in a corner reflected in his eyes and he immediately left the wands. The light wasing from a strange round gem sitting between the weapons.

    Kyle bent down and picked the gem. The moment his hands touched the gem, ripples formed on its pure white surface. Instantly, a strange current shed around the gem and he tossed it away.

    "What was that...?"

    The gem rolled inside the room as he rubbed his fingers. He was going to ignore it, but suddenly it burst into white particles. The particles were not attractive but they gathered together to form a buzzing screen. The screen flickered with countless colors as they merged to show a scenery of a huge room filled with hundreds not thousands of weapons.

    Kyle''s eyes dted when he saw a familiar figure walking in the screen. It was none other than the illusionary ck-haired man he, Alec, and Jian saw after they left thest floor of the Tower of Opportunity. Yet, unlike the emotionless eyes Kyle remembered, the man''s eyes were twinkling with mirth.

    A joyfulughter rang out inside the room as the man in the screen flicked his finger to get rid of the smoke around him. The same white gem was floating beside him.

    "Odiak just how many weapons are you going to make? Huh... I feel like we are going to a war."

    In front of Kyle''s eyes, another figure appeared inside the screen. It was a middle-aged white-haired dwarf.

    The dwarf scoffed and tossed the hammer in his hand toward the ck-haired man.

    "James stop messing around. I am busy. Also, why are you recording this? Resonite gems are rare nowadays don''t waste it."

    The dwarf held out his hand to grab the gem but James vanished from his spot. Instantly, the dwarf cursed out loudly.

    "Damn it, just how the hell did you change the simple skill into instant teleportation? Even though I can practically travel with the speed of light but this skill is truly getting on my nerves!"

    The atmosphere between them was harmonious as the two men bickered with each other carelessly. Kyle watched their interaction quietly.

    Yet, like a mirage the smiles on their faces vanished when a bloody figure barged inside the room. The resonite gem floating around James dropped to the ground as he cried out with panic.

    "Elizabeth!? What happened to you?"

    The image in front of Kyle blurred as the particles trembled. Yet, he heard it clearly when a new voice reverberated from the gem.

    "James calm down, I am fine."

    "Don''t speak you are injured. I am going to hack the bastard who attacked you into millions of pieces."

    There was silence around Kyle for a second but then Elizabeth''s voice sounded again.

    "I am fine... I am fine. I escaped on time but the.."

    Her voice faltered for a second as she hissed with pain.

    Azure has been attacked. The attacker is none other than Azazeal''s third Shadow General. Within two days they had conquered half of the. We need to immediately activate the shield you and Odiak had been preparing around the because their next destination is our home."

    James'' voice was filled with resentment as he spat out one curse after another.

    "That bastard Azazeal!? He had not even shown his face, yet his minions are getting so ahead of themselves. Who does he think he is? I swear I am going to put a hole in his skull sooner orter!"

 Chapter 304 Too many questions

    <h4>Chapter 304 Too many questions </h4>

    ?James'' voice halted and a loud metallic sound reverberated from the screen. It was evident he picked up his weapon.

    Kyle breathed out as the voices grew further and further with each passing second. In the end, they vanished without a trace. There was silence in the room as the bright screen dimmed and lost its luster. Finally, it scattered around him and vanished.

    He massaged his temples with a grim expression.

    "Why does it feel like I stumbled upon something that was meant to be kept hidden?"

    Kyle grabbed his knee and unconsciously gazed at the countless weapons around him.

    "Now the question is, did they win or did they lose the battle?"

    "Who is this Azazeal... and the Shadow General they were talking about?"

    His head throbbed with a powerful headache, triggered by the countless unanswered questions in his mind.

    "Ugh... If they won, why is there no record about it? Not to mention the fact that even their names are forgotten. It''s like the information had been wiped outpletely."

    "Doesn''t that mean they save the but they died in the battle? Still, if they died under the third Shadow General what about the person named ''Azazeal''?"

    He couldn''t help but groan because the more he pondered it, the worse his headache became. In the end, Kyle tossed the matter at the back of his head.

    "If I want answers, it looks like I''ll have to coax Haylee or meet the realm guardian who is currently fighting with Guil."

    Kyle gazed at the many swords present in the room, but they were not as strong as the one he had. So, instead of taking a sword, he grabbed the lone blue spear ced in a corner. It was different from the other spears because its body was in, and one side of the spear had a pointed edge resembling that of an arrow.

    "I believe I can throw it at someone from a distance.."

    He stepped back from the weapons and stood in the middle of the room.

    "Alright, I am done choosing. Open the exit. So I can leave this ce."

    The moment a portal appeared in front of him, he jumped inside without looking back.

    "I believe I won''t be able to visit any treasure ind for a while. Tsk, what a pity..."

    The sky outside was as clear as he remembered when Kyle appeared in front of the castle gate. He gazed at the majestic gate and mumbled slowly.

    "They will probably take around 14 days toe out."

    With a chuckle, he spun the spear in his hand and gazed at the few ck dots in the distance.

    "I think I have a lot of work to do."

    His words faded in the air as he vanished from his spot, heading straight toward the nearest dot.

    After a few minutes, in the distance, the air around one of the winged men diving towards a floating ind trembled for a second. Suddenly, a strong force mmed into his body from behind, causing him to cry out in surprise and lose his bnce. As he staggered forward, he realized the attacker wasn''t finished yet. In the next second, a sharp pain stabbed his shoulder.

    Kyle knitted his brows.

    "Is it because the spear is a little heavier? My aim was not perfect."

    He pulled out the spear from the man''s shoulder without giving any heed to the pained cries spilling out from the man''s mouth.

    "It''s fine I guess it will get better with time."

    As he stabbed the man again, he activated the skill scent perception to check his surroundings. Instantly, countless scents flooded his senses. Yet, Kyle''s focus was solely on the ones who emanated a nauseating feeling.

    "Hmm, where''s Emion and his minions who are searching for the divine essence?"

    As the man''s body dropped from the sky, Kyle dived down toward the scent of blood in the distance. His figure stopped mid-air above a group of people.

    An individual from the dark race was chasing after two young elves. A male and a female. Kyle abruptlynded in front of the running elves. The duo cried out in surprise and changed their direction to avoid him but the said person did not even nce at them. Instead, Kyle raised his spear above his head, aiming at the man behind them.

    The man''s eyes widened as Kyle appeared in front of him. He pped his wings to fly backward, but Kyle smirked coldly. With a swift motion, he threw the spear and vanished from his spot. A loud cry echoed through the air, causing the running elves to pause and look back with held breaths. The man chasing after them was dead.

    Under their stunned eyes, Kyle retrieved his sword from the man''s chest and picked up the spear from the ground.

    He looked at the elves and after thinking for a second beckoned them toe closer.

    "Come here."

    The elves were visibly shaken, they nced at each other. However, after a few seconds of contemtion, they mustered the courage to approach Kyle. After all, thetter just saved their lives.

    They gazed at the silver-haired youth and unconsciously, a bitter feeling spread out inside their chest. The human in front of them clearly looked younger than them but he was so strong already.

    Kyle gave them a nod.

    "Names?"

    The male elf was the one who replied to him.

    "I am Xion, and this is my sister, Shui. Thank you for saving us."

    "No problem, do you both have friends who entered the realm together with you?"

    The duo looked at each other with confusion.

    "Ah, we do have a few."

    "I believe you can contact them? If yes, ask everyone you know to spread the word that it''s better to gather together. The more people the better. This ce is too dangerous. Especially.."

    Kyle pointed back at the winged man''s dead body.

    "These creatures. They are strong, but, I don''t think their number is big. So, ifrge teams are formed everyone will be able to fight back."

    After the elves nodded seriously, he started floating and pointed his finger in the distance.

    "Also, head toward east. I can sense thatpared to the other sides, the east side is safer."

    As Kyle vanished from their sight, the elves gazed at each other. They quickly grabbed theirmunication devices to contact everyone they knew.

 Chapter 305 Calm down

    <h4>Chapter 305 Calm down </h4>

    ?Within just a few days, Kyle''s words spread like wildfire, and a lot of individuals came together to form teams. It didn''t matter what race they belonged to because survival was everyone''s priority.

    At first, there were conflicts over sharing resources, but when faced with amon threat, they put aside their disputes and united to fight back.

    The initial panic and chaos caused by the Dark race started to subside. Moreover, the ones who had lost friends or suffered at the hands of the winged creatures were even brave enough to go after the lone individuals from the dark race.

    Despite everyone''s initial doubts, many decided to follow Kyle''s words and started heading towards the east, because whenever anyone heard that the words were spoken by a ''silver-haired'' youth. They could not help but remember the silver-haired youth who caused a bigmotion in front of the realm gate.

    In the end, they realized they had no other choice but to trust the silver-haired youth who spread the word. After all, the supposed person was rumored to be the strongest because he had a legendary fire phoenix by his side.

    Unaware of the big uproar he caused, Kyle was busy searching for Emion and the group of individuals from the dark race who were after the divine essence. However, even after a few days, he was not able to find them. In the end, he secretly followed behind one of the winged men and found their base.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed as he cautiously peeked through the branches of the huge tree he was sitting on.

    A wide structure surrounded by many towering walls reflected in his eyes. He did not see any fortress around the uneven buildings built inside the structure but the walls were strangely adorned with hundreds of dark symbols. A few winged men were flying in and out of the structure.

    "Hmm, I found this ce quite easily but should I enter or not?"

    The air around the base was thick with an eerie energy as if the very atmosphere was tainted by the wickedness that resides there. Kyle breathed out and jumped down from the tree to slowlynd on the ground.

    His eyes turned cold when he heard an agonizing cry in the distance. The voice unmistakably belonged to a female. Instantly, he looked up but narrowed his eyes because the person who was dragging the female was not a man but a woman. However, a familiar pair of dark wings and horns adorned her figure.

    ''''So, they don''tck women in their race."

    Kyle closed his eyes to calm his troubled thoughts. He couldn''t possibly reveal himself in front of so many enemies. With caution, he inched closer to the towering walls and traced one of the strange symbols.

    ''Is this an Array?''

    ''I don''t really want to test it out.''

    He shook his head and used instant teleportation to directly teleport to the other side of the walls. A curse slipped out from his mouth because he appeared just mere inches away from a sharp de protruding out from the ground.

    Kyle wiped his forehead and slowly grabbed the tip of the de and moved it away from his face. He looked around, many simr des were fixed in front of the walls, probably to kill those who dared to jump inside the structure.

    He gazed at the many buildings and slowly started moving. The space around him was quiet except for a few individuals of the dark race flying in the air. Maybe because almost everyone was out to harm the ones who entered the realm.

    The moment, Kyle stepped in another direction, a winged man walked out from one of the buildings. The man''s hands were bloodied as he wiped them with a cloth and tossed it away with a click of his tongue.

    "Tsk..tsk he died already? I thought I could send him to the execution chamber to get some reward but too weak."

    He spat out and spread his wings to fly but a cold hand grabbed his mouth from behind and dragged him toward a corner. Kyle eyed the struggling man in his grip. He was not strong, barely (B+)-Rank.

    "Don''t make noise or else I am going to slit your throat."

    The moment Kyle''s words fell, a painful sensation spread across the man''s neck. Shivers ran down the man''s spine and he immediately ceased his struggle, because he could feel the sharp edge of the weapon pressing against his neck.

    Slowly, Kyle lowered his hand from his mouth.

    "What is the ''execution chamber'' and where is it?"

    The man trembled as the de pressed further into his throat. He cried out.

    "It''s.. the ce where we kill.. the outsiders. It''s in the.. center of the base..."

    However, before he could finish his words Kyle swiftly shed his throat. Blood dripped down Kyle''s sword as he coldly nced at the lifeless body lying on the ground.

    "Execution chamber. Huh? What an ominous name."

    With a blink, he vanished from his spot, heading straight toward the center of the base. Another person from the dark race appeared in front of him. However, he quietly silenced the man and ran toward the center of the base.

    "Why am I having a bad feeling about this?"

    Meanwhile, in the center of the dark race base. Arge tform engraved with ck symbols was built. Dozens of people from the dark race were gathered in front of the tform as they watched with glee when the many captured outsiders were dragged to the tform. A few muffled cries rang out when one of the winged men mercilessly pushed them onto the tform.

    Opposite the tform, a chair was floating mid-air. Sitting atop the chair was none other than Emion. He chuckled when one of the captured youths red at him with bloody eyes.

    Emion raised his hand to hush the excited crowd. He stared back at the youth. The blue-haired boy was truly handsome. Still, what a pity he was a man.

    "I praise your confidence. You are the first person who attacked me out of nowhere. I would have probably suffered a lot of injuries if you were stronger."

    Heughed out when the anger in the youth''s eyes increased. On the tform, from behind the angry youth, a disheveled golden-haired boy whispers slowly.

    "Alec please calm down. Or else we are probably going to die today."

 Chapter 306 Get caught

    <h4>Chapter 306 Get caught </h4>

    ?Kyle''s eyebrow twitched when he arrived at the scene. He couldn''t help but muttered with disbelief.

    "How the hell did they get caught?"

    Among the individuals thrown mercilessly onto the tform, Alec and Carcel''s figures stood out like a sore thumb.

    Kyle wiped his forehead as he looked at the small crowd gathered in front of the tform. Emion, the one he had been searching for was also there!

    Suddenly, right before his eyes, Alec snapped at Emion with wild, crazy eyes. His voice was so hoarse that Kyle almost thought it belonged to someone else.

    "Wait wait, you idiot! Don''t make him angry! I have not figured out how to save you yet!"

    From Carcel''s ugly expression, Kyle was sure thetter was dragged here due to Alec.

    "Just what the hell did they do? Normally, the dark race would have killed them on the spot. But instead, they have set up a special execution tform for them..."

    Kyle groaned when a sharp headache stabbed his head. He watched as two winged men stepped onto the tform carrying sharp des. They were probably thinking of beheading the captured outsiders.

    At that moment, Emion rose from his chair and directed an evil smirk towards the tform. However, Kyle was sure that his malicious gaze was fixed on Alec.

    "I don''t think I have time for any n..."

    ''Hey, Bia?''

    The moment Kyle called out her name an irritated voice sounded inside his head.

    -''Don''t you dare speak to me! How dare you leave me behind when the situation was so dangerous? Huh, I believe you are strong enough to handle everything alone. So why are you calling me now?''

    She paused for a second.

    -''Also... it''s a secret, okay... but I heard Yue cursing you under her breath when she heard you left alone. Not just her, even Jian was sharpening his de, ready to knock some sense into your head.''

    Kyle blinked and rubbed his nose, but didn''t he ask Haylee to follow up once they were done? As if catching Kyle''s train of thought, Bia''s voice turned sarcastic.

    -''Go ahead, say that Haylee would bring us to you. He can''t even sense your presence. Did you forget you''re wearing an artifact?''

    ''But...''

    -''But what?''

    ''You can sense me, right?''

    Bia hummed softly as if she contemting his words.

    -''Ah.. right, I can. So, what do you wanna say?''

    Kyle let out a sigh. The fact that Haylee could not sense him due to the artifact slipped out of his mind. He gazed at the execution tform when Emion announced that the most powerful among the captured outsiders would be executed in the end. That''s why, instead of Alec, a purple-haired dwarf was forcefully dragged to the center of the tform.

    The dwarf cried out in panic as the de hovered above his neck. From Emion''s pleased smile, it was evident he wanted to torment Alec by forcing him to witness everyone''s death.

    ''Bia, do me a favor. Make sure to pluck every single strand of hair from Alec''s head if something happened to me, okay.''

    -''What!? Where are you? Don''t jump into any danger if you can not handle it!..''

    Her words were cut short because Kyle blocked her voice. He gazed at the tform and before the de could drop onto the dwarf neck, he vanished from his spot.

    On the tform, Alec clenched his jaw as he watched the de inch closer to the dwarf''s neck with dted eyes. But before the de could touch the dwarf, a loud pained cry echoed through the crowd.

    The de froze in mid-air as everyone turned their heads towards the source of the cry. The crowd quickly parted, revealing a man writhing in pain. A bright blue spear jutted from his chest as he took his final breath in front of the shocked onlookers.

    Emion roared and pped his wings to fly above the crowd.

    "Which bastard did it!?"

    He couldn''t believe someone dared to attack his people right before his eyes! However, no matter how hard he searched, the culprit seemed to have disappeared into thin air. In the end, he snapped at the crowd.

    "What are you all looking at? Go search the area around the tform! Hurry up, I want his head!"

    The moment his words fell, the crowd scattered in many directions. However, the panic in their eyes was undeniable, because if even their leader couldn''t track down the enemy, it meant the enemy was likely stronger than Emion!

    Alec snickered at Emion back loudly with cold eyes. Thetter was flying just mere inches away from him that''s why he heard it loud and clear. Anger welled up inside Emion''s heart as he snapped his head back to crush the insolent humanpletely, but he froze in his tracks when he saw a familiar figure tiptoeing toward the captured outsiders.

    Just like Emion, Kyle stopped in his spot, he so much wanted to strangle the blue-haired youth sitting mere inches away from him. However, he controlled the urge and stared back at Emion with a nk expression.

    "Oh, hi-!"

    Kyle''s sentence drifted in the air as he vanished from the tform, narrowly evading Emion''s sharp nails that tore through the space where he was standing a while ago.

    Emion let out a loud angry cry because after Kyle vanished he again could not locate him. He snapped his eyes toward Alec and the people sitting around him.

    "That bastard wanted to save you, right? So, if I kill some he would show up for sure."

    Alec and Carcel both nced at each other with bewilderment. They only caught a glimpse of the person who vanished in front of their eyes but from the bright silver hair, they were sure it was Kyle!

    Carcel groaned, the strange brown rope on everyone''s wrists made it impossible for them to freely move their bodies. Amidst all this, just like Kyle, he so badly wanted to punch Alec.

    ''If only he stayed quiet for a second... Ugh, we were so close to freedom!''

 Chapter 307 I wanted to save someone

    <h4>Chapter 307 I wanted to save someone </h4>

    ?Kyle appeared behind a wall and released a huge breath. He heard Emion''s loud words and vanished from his spot again.

    Due to Emion''s angry cry, a lot of people from the dark race returned and surrounded the tform with vignt eyes.

    Emion extended his nails to tear the dwarf who was nearest to him, but before he could touch the dwarf, cold blue mes surged around him. Surprised, he waved his hand to extinguish the mes with his pressure. But instead of stopping the mes shone with intensity and covered the tformpletely. However, strangely enough, the mes did not touch Alec or the other captive.

    The flying people from the dark race jumped to stop the mes with their attacks, but they were stunned because the mes engulfed every attack and turned it into glistening ice.

    Alec watched the surging mes with bated breath. He couldn''t help but question himself. Was the one using the mes really Kyle? Suddenly, he felt a cold tug on his wrists. The moment he looked back a pair of bright green eyes stared back at him in exasperation.

    A curse slipped out of his mouth when Kyle ripped the rope from his wrists forcefully. He wanted to speak but Kyle spoke first.

    "Help others and run. I am going to leave the moment my mana is down."

    Alec opened his mouth but Kyle''s figure vanished right before his eyes. He rubbed his wrists and swiftly untied the rope from Carcel''s wrists. The duo looked at each other and hurriedly went to untie the others. They did not have their weapons and their mana was low. So, fighting was out of the question.

    A frustrated cry slipped out of Emion''s throat as he pped his wings roughly to disperse the surging mes. The mes tried to prate his skin but they failed miserably when a heavy current enclosed him from head to toe.

    Unlike Emion, the other flying Individuals from the dark race were too flustered to touch the mes. Their vignt behavior made it easier for Alec and Carcel to untie everyone smoothly.

    Emion red at his people with bloodied eyes.

    "Stop staring you idiots and grab them! If they escaped today I am going to punish you all!"

    Regardless, he pped his wings angrily, and arge ck vortex formed behind him. His eyes traveled around the tform to find the silver-haired human.

    "You bastard! If I can not find you I will just crush everythingpletely!"

    True to his words, the vortex spun violently and extended in size repeatedly. Dark ominous current crackled around it, as it soared above the tform, ready to engulf everything.

    The flying people around Emion cried out in panic when they saw the vortex. They could not believe the weak ants forced their leader to use his strongest skill! Instantly, they escaped to save their lives.

    A crazyughter spilled out from Emion''s mouth as he clenched his fists.

    "DIE!"

    As soon as his words fell, the vortex moved, but suddenly a figure materialized in the air. Kyle ran his hand through his hair and cocked a finger at his face.

    "What scared?"

    Emion forehead throbbed as blood rushed to his head. He waved his hand and the moving vortex changed its direction toward Kyle.

    "You insolent! Just Die die!"

    Kyle frown. He wanted to vanish but Alec and the others were not that far from the tform. He knew if he disappeared now, Emion would throw the vortex at them.

    That''s why instead of teleporting away, he curled his fingers around his sword and gazed at Emion with bated breath. In the next second, a loud sound of metal hitting metal rang out in the tform as Emion stopped Kyle''s sword with his pointy nails.

    Emion raised his brow, shocked because the strength of Kyle''s attack was too weak.

    "You! You!"

    He stuttered due to the intense humiliation he felt in his chest. The human was clearly so much weaker! How the hell did he dare to attack him head-on?

    Kyle''s eyes widened when Emion easily snatched his sword and pushed him toward the vortex. He cursed under his breath and vanished from his spot. Countless ice spears formed around him as he appeared behind Emion.

    "Give me back my weapon!"

    Emion snapped back but he staggered backward when countless ice spears zoomed toward him with lightning-fast speed.

    He pped his wings to destroy the ice spears. However, at that moment, a barrage of thunder arrows poured down from the sky, straight on his head.

    "What!?"

    His grip on the sword faltered as he moved his hands to stop the arrows. The sword dropped to the ground with a loud click.

    Kyle vanished from his spot and picked it up immediately. With a sigh, he gazed at the vortex and chuckled coldly.

    "Let''s see if you can confront the vortex you created."

    He appeared in front of Emion and kicked his chest with all the strength he could muster. The man staggered due to the sudden attack and Kyle punched his face with a cold expression.

    A cry slipped out from Emion''s mouth and the sudden force sent him a few meters back. Kyle clicked his tongue.

    "Just a little more and he would have been engulfed by the vortex."

    Before Emion could snap at him, he vanished from his spot. Kyle hissed when he appeared in the air. He waved his hand. The punch he delivered to Emion''s face almost broke his bones.

    He gazed down at the running figures and followed behind them in mid-air. Beneath him, Alec and others jumped and dodged an attacking from behind.

    Kyle waved his hand and a familiar blue spear appeared in his hand.

    "Good thing I picked it up on time."

    He raised the spear above his head and threw it at one of the winged men flying behind Alec. The man cried out in pain as Kyle dived down toward Alec.

    He couldn''t help but ask when his flying figure appeared beside Alec.

    "Hey, tell me how did you offend Emion?"

    Alec gazed at him with bated breath.

    "I... wanted to save someone."

    Kyle nced at Carcel.

    "What about you?"

    Carcel rolled in another direction with a curse.

    "I wanted to save the one who wanted to save someone else!"

 Chapter 308 That was a nice attack

    <h4>Chapter 308 That was a nice attack </h4>

    ?Kyle raised an eyebrow with an ''Oh'' and didn''t ask any more questions. He quickly connected the dots in his mind and figured out what had happened.

    Most probably, Alec tried to help someone, but it turned out that the person he was up against was none other than Emion. That''s why he lost and ended up infuriating thetter, and while Alec was being dragged around by Emion, Carcel happened to see him and tried to help, but unfortunately got captured as well.

    Kyle raised his head to gaze at the sky when he heard Emion''s furious roar. The man was truly angry because even from such a distance, Kyle could see the thick dark veins bulging all around his head and neck.

    With a sigh, Kyle held out his fingers toward Alec.

    "I can only stop him for five more minutes."

    Alec shot him a nod because five minutes were more than enough. Instantly, he jumped and bent down to dodge an attack from one of the angry winged men following behind them. He raised his voice and waved his hand toward Carcel and the people running around him.

    "Everyone scatter!"

    Immediately, everyone scattered in different directions. Kyle retrieved the blue spear and held it above his head. His loud voice reverberated behind everyone as he vanished from his spot to engage with Emion.

    "Carcel grab!"

    Sweat rolled down from Carcel''s forehead as he nced at the in spear hurled toward him. His eyes narrowed, and with a big leap, he snatched the spear out of the air. Strangely, the cold surface of the spear warmed up his palm. Carcel halted in his tracks and twirled the spear in his hand.

    "Not bad at all."

    He gazed at the man flying behind him and lunged at him with a smirk. The spear in his hand moved with a rhythm as he thrust it forward.

    The wings behind the man fluttered frantically as he tried to evade the attack but under his shocked eyes, the ordinary-looking spear tore through the air with lightning-fast speed. Carcel twisted the spear''s body and stabbed the arrowhead directly in the man''s stomach. A pained cry slipped out from the man''s mouth as he lost his bnce and plummeted toward the ground.

    In the distance, Alec rolled down to grab a fistful of sand. He tossed it back at the person flying behind him. The man pped his wings and waved his hands to repel the sand but suddenly a heavy object fell on his head. Due to the sudden impact, he staggered mid-air with a cry. The man rubbed his head and snapped back with bloody eyes to re at the purple-haired dwarf who attacked him with a heavy rock.

    "How dare yo-!"

    His sentence was cut short because Alec grabbed a pointy rock and stabbed it in his chest. The man''s eyes dted in pain and he extended his nails, ready to tear the human apart. However before he could make a move, Alec snickered and delivered a powerful kick to his abdomen.

    The man''s body plummeted down and the moment he dropped to the ground another heavy rock was thrown on his head. Alec gazed at the dwarf with a nod.

    Instantly, the duo ran in the opposite direction because more and more people from the dark race were gathering in the air.

    At the same time, in the sky, Kyle vanished from one spot to another to avoid Emion''s ruthless attacks. A bright glint shed inside Kyle''s eyes and he vanished from his spot. Instantly, Emion snapped his head back and wed the air around him because he was sure the human would appear behind him.

    An evil smirk spread across Kyle''s face when he appeared above his head. He rummaged in his mind space for a heavy object but the only heavy thing he had in his mind space was a gigantic throne he stole.. Ahem, he borrowed from the tower of opportunity.

    Kyle hesitated for a second when he thought about the hundreds of glistening gems adorned around the throne. Still, he dropped the throne on Emion''s head with a regretful sigh.

    "I need to stock some heavy boulders..."

    Emion twisted his head up but it was toote. With only half a second to spare, he hastily constructed a shaky shield above his head as the heavy throne descended with lightning-fast speed. However, the shield cracked under the immense weight and shattered into countless pieces.

    A muffled cry slipped out from his mouth when the throne crashed onto his head with a deafening bang.

    Kyle''s lips trickled upward into a barely visible smile when Emion danced around in the air and rubbed his bloodied head.

    Regardless, he vanished behind his throne and grabbed it before it could plummet to the ground and shatter into many tiny pieces. Kyle sighed with relief and hurriedly tossed the throne in his mind space. However, the moment he raised his head, he was met with a speechless twitching pair of eyes.

    Carcel threw the dead body in his hand away and gazed at Kyle with a nk expression. Inwardly, he swore he would never get on thetter bad side.

    "That was a nice attack..."

    Kyle was not sure if it was apliment or insult but he epted it as apliment and thanked the golden-haired youth with a nod.

    "Why are you still here? Leave, my mana is down I am going to vanish after thirty seconds."

    Carcel raised the blue spear with a nod.

    "I am borrowing this until I find the one I lost."

    Before Kyle could answer, Carcel crushed the tiny round bead in his ear. His figure blurred and a bright light shed around him. In the next second, he disappeared into thin air.

    Kyle blinked.

    "Huh?"

    He scratched his head with a sigh. Just how on earth did he forget about Carcel''s status? There''s no way the King would allow his son to enter such a dangerous ce without some kind of life-saving artifact. He shook his head with a smile.

    "So he endured so much because of Alec?"

    Kyle nced at Emion and vanished from his spot. He appeared in the distance and his eyes roamed around to see the situation beneath him. Almost everyone had gone quite far.

    He nodded and grabbed his sword tightly.

    "Just one more attack.. then I will leave as well."

    With a determined expression, Kyle was ready to attack Emion onest time but suddenly the air around him trembled and a loud unpleasant roar tore through the air. He looked up and his eyes widened slightly.

    In the distance, Emion''s whole body was enveloped by dark clouds, suspended in mid-air. Countless ominous snakes slithered out from the murky clouds, crackling with electricity. The sky above his head turned pitch ck and a swirling vortex formed behind him. The violent currents and winds tore everything in their path, and the ck vortex greedily swallowed the scattered pieces into pitch-ck darkness.

    Kyle watched as the vortex devoured everything, showing no distinction between friend and foe. He hastily tossed his sword in his mind space when Emion snapped his bloody eyes toward him. With a nk expression, Kyle gave him a curt nod and vanished from his spot.

    "I believe I shall leave now."

    Emion roared angrily behind him. The vortex and the murky clouds surged forward toward the ce Kyle was standing a while ago. However, the intended target had already vanished into thin air.

    "Ahhh you bastard! I will kill you! I will cut you into thousands of pieces and feed your flesh to the monsters!"

    Inside a medium-sized building, Kyle grabbed his ears as he peeked through the window to nce up at the crazy man.

    "Damn... his voice is too unpleasant."

    He let out arge breath and vanished from his spot again. Now, staying in the dark race base was not safe. Still, he knew he could not leave Emion alone because if he did, thetter would just kill every outsider that appeared in his path.

    That''s why instead of leaving the base, Kyle activated his skill scent perception for a few seconds.

    "I should check around for a while. After all, I needpensation for the gems I sacrificed on his head."

    With a nod, he carefully passed through the numerous buildings scattered within the dark race base, heading straight toward the only ce where he sensed a pleasant scent. Kyle noticed with narrowed eyes, the interior of each building was basically the same. Square rooms and simple sets of furniture.

    "Ah, the dark race is quite poor."

    Kyle let out a sigh and shook his head with pity.

    While he was engrossed in his search. The air outside calmed down and Emion closed his eyes to suck in a sharp breath. His fists were trembling because all the captured outsiders escaped under his nose.

    He couldn''t help but engrave the silver-haired human face in his head.

    "I will find you! Just wait!"

    He gritted his teeth so hard that blood oozed out from his mouth. With another sharp breath, he pped his wings and left the area because he suffered a few internal injuries in the middle of his frenzy.

    However, he swore the moment he recovered he would go out for a mad hunt and kill every outsider he encountered mercilessly!

 Chapter 309 The dark race is truly poor

    <h4>Chapter 309 The dark race is truly poor </h4>

    ?Kyle stopped in front of a medium-sized building. He narrowed his eyes with skepticism at the ordinary-looking door. Still, he entered the building through a widow because he was sure he sensed something good in this ce. Just like the other buildings, the interior was rather simple.

    Slowly, he explored the building by going from room to room, checking behind furniture and opening doors. Strangely, no one from the dark race was present in the building. As he searched, his eyes scanned the walls for any signs of hidden passages or secretpartments. And that''s when he noticed a simple stone bookshelf. However, it was empty.

    Kyle blinked with a raised brow.

    "Huh? If they don''t have books why did they ce it here.."

    With a grin, he pushed the stone shelf away from the wall. It was heavy but the weight was nothing in front of the delicious smell of treasures. His grin widened when a narrow stairway emerged from behind the shelf, leading down into darkness.

    With a mix of excitement and caution, Kyle descended into the stairway, until he reached a wide underground room. However, the sight he saw was vastly different from the one he imagined.

    The room was mostly empty, except for a few old nts and herbs that were messily scattered on the ground. In the distance, he saw a table and gingerly walked past the scattered nts.

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched when he arrived in front of the table. A few bloodied weapons and some storage rings were all, that were strewn across the table surface. He sighed and massaged his temples because the weapons and rings belonged to Alec and the people who escaped a while ago.

    "What did I even expect? The dark race is truly poor."

    Regardless, he activated his skill scent perception to check if the room really had nothing of value. Instantly, his nose was sted with hundreds of unpleasant scents oozing out from the dead nts and the surrounding walls. Yet, amidst so many scents he sensed it clearly when a calm and soothing smell flickered around him.

    Kyle moved his head to nce at the few weapons ced above the table. He picked up the simple-looking sword and narrowed his eyes.

    "Hmm, Alec sword? I thought it was just an ordinary weapon but the smelling from it is saying otherwise."

    He tilted his head and swung the de around him. A humming sound echoed in the room as he ran his fingers along the smooth silver surface.

    "It''s good but it''s not mine. What a pity."

    He shook his head and tossed everything present on the table inside his mind space. However, he made a mental note to return the items if he encountered their owners. After all, due to the dark race presence the ancient realm was very dangerous.

    "Anyway, since I only know Alec and Carcel, I should just dump everything on them."

    Kyle roamed inside the room but in the end, found nothing of value. He dejectedly left the building and aimlessly wandered inside the base. He was so carefree that if anyone saw him they would think he was walking in front of his house. In the middle of his walk, he even killed a few members of the dark race as if they were the ones intruding on his territory.

    After a few hours, he let out a tired yawn. There was this weird feeling in the back of his mind, that he was forgetting something really, really important, but he just shrugged it off because he was too tired.

    Kyle looked around and decided to enter the nearest building. To his surprise, he discovered an empty bed in one of the rooms. Though the bed was firm, it was better than rocks and trees. He drew a protective Array in the room and retrieved a nket from his mind space to get some sleep.

    .....

    A loud sound reverberated in the middle of the vast field. Bia narrowed her eyes dangerously at the tiny innocent insects crawling below her huge body.

    -''You bastard! how dare you cut off my voice!''

    Her wings fluttered with crimson mes and countless fireballs appeared around her. With a single p, she tossed the fireballs down at the insects. The surrounding air grew scorching hot as the raging mes intensified, growingrger and more ferocious with each passing second.

    In the distance, Nine and Jian both simultaneously peeked out from behind Haylee''s huge body. They wiped their sweaty foreheads when they saw Bia''s towering figure.

    Nine let out a chuckle. Before when Kyle was around, he endured bone-chilling cold, and now with Bia''s presence, he had to endure intense heat.

    He tapped Jian''s shoulder with a hardened expression.

    "Why do you think she is so angry?"

    Jian narrowed his eyes in contemtion.

    "Maybe, she is missing Kyle?"

    Nine nodded in agreement. The duo had only met a few days ago, but to their surprise, they instantly clicked, as if they were long-lost friends.

    Haylee''s eyebrow twitched when he heard the two boys clinging to his body. He so badly wanted to throw them away but he paused for the sake of the rules.

    Unlike the two curious heads peeking out from behind Haylee, Rowan and the girls were training in the distance. Due to Haylee''s presence, the insects did not bother them that much that''s why they were able to easily pass their time in the castle.

    After using up all her mana, Bia let out a huff and silentlynded next to Haylee. The boar acknowledged her with a nod when he sensed the powerful aura around her body.

    "Good job. If you keep it up, you might just have another breakthrough."

    Bia closed her eyes. Just as Kyle had guessed, she recently reached (B-)-Rank. However, despite feeling drained, she couldn''t help but be angry at him. It had been a whole day without any news from Kyle. If she couldn''t sense that he was alright, she would have thought he had perished out there.

    "Bia, are you hungry?"

    A familiar sweet voice floated through the air, instantly diverting Bia''s attention from Kyle. She shrank in size and pounced on Yue with a blissful expression.

    -''Yes! It''s food time!''

 Chapter 310 Hot Spring

    <h4>Chapter 310 Hot Spring </h4>

    ?Kyle opened his eyes after a few hours and stretched his body, feeling refreshed. After gathering his nket, he walked out of the building. Not from the window but from the front door.

    For some reason, the atmosphere outside was eerily quiet. He couldn''t help but look up when he noticed shadows casting upon his figure.

    The moment he raised his head, he was greeted with the sight of countless people from the dark race gathered in the air. Emion sped his hands behind his back and gazed at the rows of flying figures in front of him.

    Then he started a speech mid-air as to how the outsiders had humiliated them tantly and how he wanted a certain ''silver-haired'' human head. He even promised generous rewards to those who could locate the escaped individuals.

    Kyle narrowed his eyes. He had to suppress a groan because the bounty on the silver-haired human was almost ten times greater than all others.

    "I believe I am certainly not the person he is looking for..."

    He silently kept an eye on the sky. After a long speech, Emion and the people around him all roared. Together, they flew out from the base. As soon as they crossed the boundary, they split up into multiple teams of two and went off in different directions.

    Kyle massaged his temples. It was true due to his recent actions Emion forgot about the divine essence but the situation right now was even more dangerous than before. He pinched his brows and decided to follow behind Emion because he was the strongest.

    But as he approached the base walls, he noticed a peculiar round dome tucked away in a secret corner, surrounded by rows of des.

    "What''s that..."

    Curious, Kyle went closer to the dome but to his surprise, four muscr winged men were guiding the dome. He raised his brow. Almost everyone went out to capture the escaped individuals so why did Emion leave someone to guard the dome? Doesn''t that mean there was something special in the dome? However, even when he used the skill of scent perception he sensed nothing from the dome.

    He narrowed his eyes and vanished from his spot. In the next second, a muffled cry slipped out from one of the guards'' mouths when Kyle grabbed his mouth from behind and twisted his neck.

    He tossed the body away and took care of the other three guards. After checking the ce onest time, he roamed around the dome and found a door.

    It was shut tightly with a big lock. Kyle chuckled and wisps of blue mes appeared around his fingers. He gingerly touched the lock and the mes danced around the metal eagerly. He flicked the lock and it turned into bright particles that drifted in the air.

    With a smile, Kyle kicked the door open. A loud sound rang out in the air, yet no one was around to check on the culprit. He briskly walked in the dome and his eyes widened with glee only after a few steps.

    Nestled among the countless scattered glowing mana stones, there was a round hot spring. The water of the spring was shimmering with a mesmerizing glow. Wisps of steam rose from the water, carrying with them a soothing aroma of flowers and earth.

    "Did the dark race dig it out? It''s a natural hot spring..."

    Kyle removed his shoe and dipped his toe into the warm inviting water. He grimaced because the water temperature was hot, very different from his own.

    He sensed the air around him and noticed the dense mana filling the atmosphere. Kyle sucked in a deep breath because he detected a faint revolting scent, mingling with the aroma of the hot spring.

    "Someone from the dark race used this spring... but the scent doesn''t belong to Emion. So, who used it? Someone with a stronger status than him?"

    Kyle gazed up at the dome ceiling as he recalled Haylee''sst words.

    "Ah... don''t tell me it''s Guil."

    He smirked coldly. Guil was probably busy fighting with the guardian. So, it would be a pity if he left such a good ce alone.

    "I should make the most of it while it''s still beneficial for my body. It''s a shame I don''t have anything to store the water. Anyway, I will just freeze everything before I go."

    Kyle discarded his clothes and jumped into the spring with a ssh, immersing himself in the refreshing water. The warm droplets caressed his skin, rejuvenating his senses.

    "If I stayed in this ce for a day. I believe I can step into the next rank..."

    A sense of tranquility washed over his body, melting away his stress and worries.

    While he was enjoying the hot spring, the people from the dark race roamed inside the secret realm. Searching for the outsiders and the silver-haired human. Yet, for some strange reasons, they were unable to find a lot of targets. Moreover, to make matters worse, the outsiders were gathered together into big teams which is why even when the dark race found them they were unable to harm anyone. Instead, they were beaten up badly.

    ...

    In front of the dark race base, Alec gazed at the sky and rubbed his nose. He was still lurking around because how could he leave without his precious sword?

    That''s why he waited until the dark race people were gone. After securing the surroundings, he jumped inside the towering walls silently.

    Slowly, his feetnded on his ground, just mere inches away from the sharp des ced in front of the walls. Alec rubbed his hands and gazed at the many buildings in front of him.

    "It''s going to take a while if I want to search every single building."

    Just like him, a few more individuals were also lurking around the base in the hope of finding their lost belongings. Alec almost freaked out when two more peoplended beside him.

    He grasped his chest and groaned at Carcel and the purple- haired dwarf.

    "At least inform me before jumping.

    Carcel nodded and pointed the blue spear in his hand on the left side.

    "I will go check in that direction."

    The dwarf pointed his hand in the right direction. In the end, Alec dragged his body to search the buildings in the front. After all, the more the better. However, even after a long day, they were unable to find their weapons and storage rings. In the end, they thought dejectedly. Maybe, Emion took everything with him.

 Chapter 311 What a beautiful Reunion

    <h4>Chapter 311 What a beautiful Reunion </h4>

    ?When Kyle opened his eyes, a powerful and cold aura spread out in the dome. His eyes gleamed with bright light. Cold air escaped his mouth, forming a trail of glistening ice throughout his body. The once-hot spring was now icy cold, perhaps due to his temperature affecting the water.

    He clenched his fist with a hum and waved his hand. At first, he thought the hot spring would help him break through to the next rank, but how wrong he was. Even after soaking in the water for a day, his rank did not increase. Instead, the spring increased his mana.

    Kyle gazed at his stats from the corner of his eyes and let out a chuckle.

    ______________

    Stats:

    Name: Kyle

    Bloodline: Celestial

    Rank: S-

    Strength: S

    Mana: S+

    Agility: S-

    Talent: SSS+ Rank

    Luck: A

    Skills;

    ....

    ______________

    "I thought increasing mana stat is harder than the others but look at it... It''s the highest. Almost on the verge of (SS-)-Rank."

    He left the spring and changed into a fresh set of blue-colored clothes.

    Kyle gazed back at the water, and suddenly, blue mes burst out inside the dome. They enclosed everything in a cold embrace and when the mes vanished, the water, mana stones, and everything else in his sight turned into ice. He left the dome and behind him, the ice transformed into bright particles and vanished into thin air.

    After gaining so much, he was in a pretty good mood. He stretched his body and activated his skill scent perception to track Emion. After all, he was eager to test his new strength on a good subject.

    But, the moment his skill expended, he sensed some familiar auras nearby. Kyle whipped his head toward the buildings.

    "Huh, why are they still here?"

    Instantly, his feet left the ground and he flew across the sky to see the surroundings better. And there they were, Alec and Carcel with a few unfamiliar faces. The look on their faces was kind of dejected as they slowly made their way toward the towering walls.

    Kyle blinked and vanished from his spot. His floating figure appeared in front of the group. However, the moment he appeared, all of them jumped back in fright.

    Alec clenched his chest. He thought they got caught and barely stopped himself from activating his most powerful skill to take down the enemy in one swift move. He red at Kyle with a stern expression.

    "At least make a noise... why the hell is your arrival so silent?"

    Kyle raised his brow with mirth. He folded his arms on his chest and nodded with a thoughtful expression.

    "I will think about it."

    Alec pointed his trembling finger toward him with a speechless expression, but no words came out of his mouth. In the end, he massaged his temples and simply ignored him.

    With a hum, he started walking towards the base walls, because even after searching around for a day, he was not able to find his sword or anything useful. That''s why he was a little bitter.

    Kyle blinked and gazed at him. Was he just ignored? He clicked his tongue and followed behind him mid-air.

    Carcel chuckled at them and shook his head. He gazed at Kyle from head to toe. It was unbelievable how someone could change so much in a short time.

    "Thanks for the help previously. Also, what happened to your hair and eyes?"

    Alec''s ears perked up. Not just him, the purple-haired dwarf and the other individuals around them also raised their eyes toward Kyle curiously. They all wanted to know the story of such a strong person. But the answer they got was far from the one they expected.

    Kyle grabbed his hair with his fingers. A serious expression graced his features. It was as if he was going to spill a big secret.

    "It''s just happened. I fell asleep for a while and when I woke up, my hair and eyes color was like this. Moreover, my strength also increased. So, I believe a lot of sleep is essential for-!"

    His sentence was cut off when Carcel raised his hand with a twitching brow.

    "Stop. I think it''s better if I don''t know."

    Unlike Carcel and Alec, the others were still curious about Kyle. However, since they didn''t know Kyle personally, they simply thanked him for his help.

    Suddenly, while following behind them, Kyle remembered the storage rings and the weapons he found in the underground room.

    "Oh right..."

    Due to his loud exmation a few heads snapped back to gaze at him. Some of them thought, maybe he was going to share the secret of his strength.

    Kyle rummaged inside his mind space and in the next second a few weapons dropped in front of him.

    "Your storage rings and weapons. I found them while looking around the base."

    Kyle raised his brow when everyone''s expression turned nk.

    "What happened?"

    No one answered because they were not sure about their feelings. Should they thank him for finding their lost weapons or should they beat him up? After all, no one would be happy to search a huge base only to find out that someone had already taken what they were looking for. Regardless, they did not dare to step forward because Kyle was the strongest.

    Contrary to the quiet atmosphere, Alec and Carcel gazed at each other. They rolled their sleeves with smiles that did not reach their eyes. Alec picked up his sword and traced it''s de.

    "Let me tell you what happened."

    The duo was ready to pounce at him but suddenly an angry cry rang out in the air.

    All the heads snapped up. Their eyes widened with astonishment when trails of crimson mes flickered above their heads. In the next second, a huge shadow was cast upon their figures, and arge majestic fire phoenix appeared in the sky.

    Bia gazed down at the tiny figures. Her bright eyes met Kyle''s mid-air.

    Strangely enough, he started sweating buckets of water, because he finally remembered the important thing he forgot a while ago.

    Kyle raised his hand slowly and waved with a dryugh.

    "Oh hi..."

    With arge p, Bia dived down toward him with lightning-fast speed. The mes around her body spread out in a mesmerizing manner in the sky.

    Alec and Carcel grabbed their weapons and immediately ran away from Kyle. For some reason, they could feel the dangerous aura around Bia. She was definitely angry!

    Kyle groaned and vanished from his spot before she could crash into him. He wiped his sweaty forehead and gazed at Bia''s figure.

    ''Wait, I can exin...''

    However, before he couldplete his sentence, Bia changed her direction to follow behind him in the air. The moment Kyle removed the restriction from their connection, she cursed out loudly with an evilughter.

    -''Haha, I finally found you! Let''s settle all scores today!''

    In the distance, Haylee gazed at the phoenix and human with a twitching brow. He couldn''t believe the two of them were fighting above the enemy base!

    ''What had the world turned into?''

    Beside him, Jian, Nine, Yue, Sia, Elli, and Rowan were floating inside white bubbles. He gently pushed the bubbles away and all of themnded on the ground safely.

    Nine and Jian gazed at the two figures chasing each other in the sky and they burst into loudughter.

    Jian wiped his eyes with his fingers.

    "What a beautiful reunion."

    Nine nodded with a chuckle.

    "Indeed. It''s so touching that I feel likeughing."

    He whipped his head back when he sensed a movement. His eyes widened slightly when he saw some familiar faces among the individuals standing behind him.

    "Carcel and Alec?"

    Carcel eyed him from head to toe and a relieved sigh escaped his lips. Thest time he saw Nine, thetter was so pale that it looked like he would die any second. But now he looked perfectly fine.

    With a smile, he raised his hand for a handshake but Nine smacked his hand away and hugged him with augh.

    "How have you been? It''s been a while!"

    Nine gaze wandered toward Alec. For a few seconds, he was a little awkward because thest time they met he said some unnecessary things to thetter. Still, he walked up to Alec with a smile and hugged him as well.

    "What about you?"

    Alec tapped his back and returned the hug with a bright smile. He was worried after Ninest outburst, but it seems Nine has sorted out his emotions.

    "I am fine but..."

    He dragged his words and pointed at the sky.

    "What happened to Bia?"

    Nine shook his head and threw his arm on his shoulder with a grim look.

    "It''s because she missed him a lot."

    Jian nodded. He walked toward the duo and ced his arm on Alec''s empty shoulder.

    Everyone watched with different expressions as Kyle vanished from one spot to another in the sky. Desperately trying to calm his bonded beast.

    In the distance, Haylee''s gaze wandered between the onlookers and Kyle. Perhaps he was the only one concerned about the fact that they were in the enemy base?

 Chapter 312 The sooner the better

    <h4>Chapter 312 The sooner the better </h4>

    ?Bia''s breathing turned ragged but she was not even able tond a single attack on Kyle. It was very infuriating.

    Kyle chuckled at her expression and shook his head. He raised his hand and tapped his shoulder with a smile.

    "Come here."

    Contrary to the onlookers'' expectations, after Kyle''s gesture, the furious phoenix decreased her size and climbed his shoulder obediently.

    Kyle grabbed the little phoenix and gazed at her from all directions with a grin.

    "(B-)-Rank? Not bad, you did a good job."

    Bia hurrumped and rolled her eyes. How she wished to beat him a little but the difference in their strength was just too much.

    -''I am notzy like you. Okay! Also, I haven''t forgiven you yet!''

    Kyle ced the grumpy little phoenix on his shoulder and looked down at the small crowd below him. The moment his eyes traveled down, for some reason everyone looked away in different directions.

    He raised his eyebrow. They were probably enjoying the view earlier, but now they were pretending as if they hadn''t seen a thing.

    With narrowed eyes, Kyle dived down andnded in front of the crowd. His gaze traveled from Nine to Jian.

    ''Oh, they had gotten stronger...''

    Finally, his eyes stopped on Yue. She was standing behind everyone else with Sia. He couldn''t help but blink with surprise. The aura around her was quite violent very different from the one he remembered. Also, how did she jump from (C-)-Rank to (C+)-Rank in such a short time?

    A barely visible frown appeared between his brows. Alec, Nine, Jian, and Carcel approached him to ask about what he was going to do next. However, his mind was upied in another ce.

    ''Bia, what happened to Yue?''

    Bia hummed softly. She made herselffortable on his shoulder and gazed at Yue with thoughtful eyes.

    -''I don''t know...''

    She paused for a few seconds and recalled the time when she was alone with Yue.

    -''I am not sure but I think her body is a little special.''

    ''Special?''

    -''Ugh.. how should I describe it? It''s like she can consume a lot of things without any consequences.''

    ''Things? You mean food?''

    -''No no.. not food. She can absorb the aura around the treasures without directly eating or wielding them, but I believe she can''t absorb arge amount at once. Her rank jumped from (C-)-Rank to (C+)-Rank after we stepped into the treasure room.''

    Kyle''s frown deepened.

    ''Did it harm her body?''

    -''I don''t think so. Or else I would have noticed.''

    Suddenly, Nine nced at Kyle''s face. He narrowed his eyes because Kyle was not focused at all. That''s why he stopped and lightly smacked his back.

    Kyle hissed and red at him.

    "What was that for?"

    Nine raised his brow.

    "Are you even listening?"

    Kyle''s expression hardened as he noticed, Alec, Jian, and Carcel''s eyes on him.

    "Of course, I am."

    Nine rolled his sleeves with a nod.

    "And what did you hear? Can not care to exin."

    Kyle was thick-skinned. Even though he did not hear what they were talking about. He replied confidently.

    "Of course, you are talking about how we should take care of the dark race?"

    Instantly, everyone looked at him with speechless eyes. They were clearly talking about what they were going to do next. Where the hell did the dark racee from? However, before they could plummet his confidence, Kyle wore a grim expression and gazed into the distance.

    "I can sense Emion, he is quite far. How about we take out all the weaker people from the dark race? If everyone worked in teams I believe we can do it."

    His suggestion immediately diverted everyone''s attention. It was indeed possible. However, the problem was, what if Emion caught them while they were hunting his people? Among the dark race, Emion was the most formidable. If they could somehow deal with him, then the rest would be manageable.

    As if noticing their worries, Kyle cracked his knuckles with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

    "I will make sure Emion stays busy. Even though he is stronger than me. I believe I can attract his attention for a long time."

    Kyle almost tripped when Nine smacked him again with augh. He so badly wanted to return the smack but controlled the urge.

    Alec tightened his hold on his sword and pointed it toward the sky.

    "Then, what are we waiting for? Let''s go!"

    All of them gathered together and split up into three big teams. Nine and Jian took charge of the first team, Alec led the second team, and Carcel became the head of the third team.

    Kyle nodded at Alec and the others with a serious expression before he held out his hand in front of Carcel. The young prince was confused as he gazed at his hand.

    "What?"

    "The spear?"

    "Oh?"

    Carcel grazed the tip of the ordinary-looking blue spear. It was actually better than his own. After a few seconds, instead of giving back the spear, he stared at Kyle with a polite smile.

    "How about we trade?"

    Kyle raised his brow and rubbed his hands, ready to rob the prince. However, his n failed when Nine smacked him again with a chuckle.

    "What''s there to trade between friends? Right, Kyle?"

    Nine light golden eyes sparkled with mirth as he stared at him deeply. Kyle groaned and pped his hand away. This time, he returned the smack with double strength and replied with a hint of reluctance.

    "Of course. You can take it for free after all we are ''friends''."

    The smile on Nine''s face stiffened. Kyle''s smack almost made him lose his bnce. He rubbed his aching back with a pained expression and ran off to Elli forfort. Bullying Kyle was really hard!

    Alec nced at Nine, who was rubbing his head on Elli''s shoulder. He let out a bittersweet smile and started walking. Behind him, Carcel and the others also began to move.

    Kyle jumped and flew across the sky. He followed behind the small crowd and after a minute they reached the base borders.

    While everyone was jumping off the walls. Suddenly, Yue waved at him. She was on Nine and Jian''s team.

    Albeit confused, Kyle dived down andnded in front of her.

    "What happened?"

    Her eyes fell on Kyle for a few seconds before she averted her gaze to look at Bia. Yue held out her hand and tapped Bia''s head with a sweet smile.

    "It''s just, while we were in the field Bia was pretty upset. I believe she was worried about you. So, you should not leave her alone."

    Kyle stared at the beautiful hand caressing Bia''s head. Subconsciously his eye trailed off toward her face. They were standing too close. So close that he could faintly hear the sound of her breathing and heartbeat. For some reason, her heart rate was higher than normal. Maybe, it was due to the violent aura around her body.

    "Are you sure Bia was worried? Don''t forget how she attacked me the moment she saw me-!"

    His sentence was cut off when Bia pecked on his shoulder with an angry hiss.

    -''I was worried, Okay! Do I need to spell it out for you?''

    With a cold hum, she looked away from Kyel and leaned into Yue''s hand for morefortable pats.

    Yue let out a softugh at her actions. She slowly lifted her eyes to nce at Kyle. Only to find out that he was staring directly at her. Her heart skipped a beat and she immediately stepped back to maintain the distance.

    "Also, Bia is a very picky eater please take care of her diet."

    Kyle whipped his head toward the little phoenix. The very same phoenix who could eat anything as long as it was edible.

    ''Picky eater? What the hell did you do?''

    Bia blinked at him innocently.

    -''Recently I developed a tiny habit. I can not eat if the food is not delicious enough. Also, I need three proper meals a day ahh!''

    Bia cried out in surprise when Kyle picked up her body and stared at Yue nkly.

    "I believe it''s better if you took this glutton with you!"

    Yue let out a huff and wrapped her hands on her chest with a raised brow.

    "Did you forget what I said? You should not leave her alone. She gets worried."

    Kyle sucked in a huge breath. How the hell was he going to feed this phoenix? He groaned and ced Bia back on his shoulder.

    "Okay, you should leave. Everyone is ..."

    He dragged his sentence and narrowed his eyes to gaze at the heads peeking from behind the walls.

    "...waiting."

    Yue replied with a nod and walked away. Her voice was barely a whisper but Kyle heard it clearly.

    "Goodbye, take care."

    He gazed at her back and unlike Yue''s faint voice Kyle''s voice was loud as he jumped off the ground to soar into the sky.

    "Take care as well."

    In the distance, the few curious heads peeking from behind the wall immediately snapped back when Kyle stared at them. Jian narrowed his eyes and whispered to Nine and Alec.

    "Bro, what were they talking about?"

    Alec rubbed his nose with a curious expression.

    "My question is when did Kyle start speaking to girls so normally? Usually, he is not even responsive toward Mia and Lara!"

    A mischievous smile spread across Nine''s face but before he could make ament, Kyle''s figure appeared in front of the trio and they jumped back in fright.

    Nine cried out.

    "At least make a noise!"

    Kyle ignored his cry and gazed at the sky.

    "I am leaving, you should go as well. The sooner we finish this, the better."

    With a nod, the trio scattered in different directions with their team members. Kyle flew across the sky. He immediately activated his skill scent perception.

    Hundreds of different scents flooded his nose but he only grasped on the familiar revolting scent. It wasing from the west side.

    "A little far but we can reach him within a few hours."

 Chapter 313 Do not enter

    <h4>Chapter 313 Do not enter</h4>

    ?Kyle''s head peeked out from behind a huge boulder as he gazed at the familiar figure floating mid-air in the distance.

    Emion let out an angryugh. He gazed at his surroundings and his harsh aura shook everything around him.

    "It''s been so many hours but why is it that I haven''t seen even a single outsider?"

    His eyes dted into narrow slits. He was so angry that blood rushed to his head.

    Kyle diverted his eyes with a frown. Just like Emion, he was equally confused because, on his way, he didn''t see a single soul except for some people from the dark race.

    Secretly he followed behind the frustrated man. They passed through a few treasure inds, mountains, and arge river. Yet, for some reason, the air was eerily quiet. It was as if the humans, elves, demi-human, mer, and dwarfs all vanished into thin air. Leaving behind no one except Emion and the few scattered people of dark race.

    Kyle let out a soft chuckle. At first, he nned to distract Emion by attacking him but now with such a strange situation, he was not sure anymore.

    ''I don''t think I need to distract someone who is already on the verge of madness.''

    Bia yawned gingerly on his head. She was veryfortable. It was strange how Kyle''s quiet and cold presence put her heart at ease. The fact that a fire phoenix prefers to stay with someone as cold as ice is astonishing, to say the least.

    After another hour, Emion roared into the air madly and crushed a nearby boulder into pieces.

    Kyle noticed with a raised brow. The sheer power of Emion''s attack was at least ten times stronger than his own. He couldn''t help but wonder what would have happened if he had been on the receiving end.

    A chill ran down his spine as he shook his head with a dark face.

    Still, he thought deeply. Just where the hell did the people who entered the realm go? After all, there''s no way the dark race can kill so many people within such a short amount of time. Moreover, he sensed distress etched on the faces of the dark-race individuals he encountered on his way. It was clear that they were equally baffled.

    ''Whatever, it''s better this way.''

    With a sigh, he slowly followed behind Emion. They traveled for another hour toward the west before the wings behind the man fluttered roughly as he gazed at one of the treasure inds.

    The look on Emion''s face was screaming desperately that if he did not find anyone outside. Maybe everyone entered the treasure inds.

    Kyle raised a mischievous brow and a strange glint shed through his eyes. Just because he couldn''t defeat Emion didn''t mean he couldn''t torture him enough to make him wish for death.

    He rubbed his hands and Bia almost jumped off his head with fright when she heard his evilughter.

    -''The heck? Why are you getting so scary...''

    Immediately, she lit a candle for Emion in her heart. The man was not going to live long. What a pity.

    Kyle ignored her remarks and watched the man with utmost focus. As long as they entered the same treasure ind, he was sure even if he did nothing, Emion was going to suffer a lot.

    Opposite him, Emion felt a chill run down his spine. The man red back but found no one. In the end, he pped his wings in mid-air to enter the treasure ind.

    Kyle tiptoed behind him with an innocent look. After Emion entered the castle, Kyle slowly moved his finger to write on the castle gate.

    "Caution; Do not enter!"

    Bia''s eyebrow twitched violently when she saw Kyle''s satisfied face.

    -''What the hell are you doing?''

    ''Just putting on a warning for those who might identally enter this castle.''

    Without waiting for Bia''s reply, Kyle jumped into the castle gate. The familiar darkness blurred his vision for a second before he finally opened his eyes in front of a big enclosed arena.

    He lifted his head to gaze at the massive structure with towering walls made of stone and marble. In the distance, four towering humanoid statues adorned the edges of the arena. Also, for some reason, the exterior was very old. Older than the other treasure inds.

    Kyle''s eyes fell on the figure standing in the middle of the arena. Emion managed to nt his feet firmly on the sandy floor as he battled against arge two-horned ck bull.

    Kyle let out a harsh breath when he focused and tried to pinpoint thetter rank. It was probably a lot higher than his expectations. After all, his attacks never had any effect on Emion.

    ''(SS)-Rank...?''

    -''No it''s a little higher.''

    He shot Bia a look and gazed at the thin boundary in front of him. His eyes trailed off to the bright transparent dome around the arena and the towering bull before they finally stopped at the hovering white orb outside the dome.

    Kyle raised his hand and for the first time unsped the white earring present in his ear. He stepped inside the boundary and the familiar mechanical voice echoed in the arena.

    "Wee new participants to the ''104'' treasurend."

    "Counting the number of new arrivals...."

    "Total new arrivals two; A (B-)-Rank divine beast and a (S-)-

    Rank human."

    "Please do your best to clear the challenges in front of you."

    Emion snapped his head back abruptly in the middle of his fight. His eyes widened with fury when he saw Kyle''s figure. He wanted to lung at him but the towering bull made it impossible for him to move.

    Kyle let out a chuckle and watched him from a distance. He folded his hands on his chest and his feet left the sandy ground.

    Bia hurriedly left his head because after staying with him for so long, she knew what he was going to do. Her tiny figure flew across the arena before shezily stopped above a faraway statue.

    In the next second, two more simr bulls appeared out of thin air in the arena. The two bulls'' roared at Kyle and rubbed their hind limbs on the ground before charging toward him at full speed.

    However, Kyle did not even flinch. He met Emion''s furious gaze mid-air and the corner of his lips trickled upward into a smile before he vanished from his spot.

    Under Emion''s dted eyes, Kyle''s figure appeared mere inches away from the white orb floating outside the dome.

    The winged man roared at him with bloody eyes.

    "You dare!"

    Kyle shrugged his shoulders with twinkling eyes. His wriggling fingers approached the bright orb as he watched the two bulls'' who were supposed to attack him and Bia. The bulls suddenly halted in their tracks when they lost their targets. At first, they gazed around in confusion but the moment they heard Emion''s thundering voice, the bulls snapped their ring eyes at the shouting man.

    Emion eyes widened with disbelief. He looked at the bulls. Now, they were charging toward him with the same speed they went behind Kyle.

    "You bastard!"

    He punched the bull he was fighting and jumped in another direction to avoid the two other bulls.

    Kyle watched his struggle from above with glee. Suddenly he vanished from his spot and appeared inside the dome. Emion eyed his figure and the man shuddered when Kyle raised his hand and summoned countless ice spears that rained down at him with lightning-fast speed.

    Bia let out a hiss instead of Emion and turned her tiny head away. The sight was just too painful.

    Kyle''s eyes zeroed in on the battered figure underneath him. He wanted to use his mes or ice domain but the skills would probably affect the bulls as well. That''s why he crossed his fingers and gazed at the sandy ground.

    Under Emion''s wide eyes, ten glowing fire skeletons crawled out from thend and jumped at him without any fear. The skeletons were weak barely (B)-Rank but because the man was already surrounded by three towering bulls, he suffered a few injuries.

    Kyle clicked his tongue when Emion managed to kill the strongest bull and badly injured the second one with the vortex. Still, when the man managed to subdue thest bull, Kyle spread out his palm and mumbled under his breath.

    "Fire rain."

    It was not his strongest skill but instantly a sea of fire descended inside the dome. Bia opened her eyes when she sensed the scorching heat. She pped her wings and joined Kyle. After all, fire was her natural element.

    -''Oh, it''s actually a little fun..''

    Emion let out a cry. He was already tired after battling with the bulls and the skeletons. He pped his wings and after struggling for a minute managed to extinguish the fire.

    When he was done, his body was burned in various ces and countless injuries adorned his figure. Yet, the boiling anger in his eyes did not dissipate as he lifted his bloody gaze to stare at Kyle. Ready to tear the human into hundreds of shreds.

    However, the sight he saw made him cough out blood.

    Bianded on Kyle''s shoulder when thetter grabbed the white orb floating above the arena. The transparent dome had long vanished the moment Emion killed thest bull.

    Kyle rolled the orb in his hand and a portal appeared behind his back. Before jumping into a portal he shed a smirk at Emion.

    "Dark race leader, try to stay alive because I want to be the one to end you. Remember... we will meet again, hahaha."

    Emion''s pupils dted with rage. He couldn''t believe that punny human was throwing the same words he said back at him!

    Amidst all this, both Kyle and Emion failed to notice the tiny white ball lurking around the arena. Haylee wore a nk expression as he nced at Emion''s tattered condition and slowly followed behind Kyle.

    ''Just what had the world turned into? Now a (S-)-Rank kid can easily beat up a (SS+)-Rank being...''

    ''I wish master was here to witness the countless uses of instant teleportation.''

 Chapter 314 Climb up

    314 Climb up

    A loud explosion rang out in the air as Kyle jumped out from a trembling portal.

    He bnced his body mid-air and wiped the blood flowing out from his nose and mouth.

    "Tsk, did he actually go crazy?"

    He nced at the beautiful and delicate flower floating above his palm. The flower petals shimmered constantly like opals, shifting colors with a soft, gentle light as if it were breathing. Kyle''s palm warmed up due to the soothing energy emanating from the flower. He groaned at the tingling sensation and tossed it inside his mind space.

    Behind him, the portal red up with a loud crack and Bia rolled out with ragged breathing. She pped her wings and hurriedly clung to his shoulder, gasping.

    -''Run! Run!''

    Kyle''s head was ringing but the moment he saw Bia he sped up in the opposite direction. He thought killing Emion would be easy if only he tortured thetter inside the treasure ind. But how wrong he was. The man was just too thick-skinned, even more so than him.

    Regardless, he let out a mockingugh when he halted in the distance and gazed at the cracking portal. After all, he managed to snatch the treasure right under Emion''s nose.

    Bia shuddered on his shoulder.

    -''Damn it! At least, make a proper n before infuriating someone stronger than you!''

    Kyle tapped his chest with heavy breathing. Under his gaze, Emion''s battered figure emerged from the portal. Bia freaked out at the blood-red eyes staring at her and her grip on his shoulder tightened.

    -''Shit! I feel like he is on the verge of a mental breakdown!''

    Emion pointed his trembling finger at Kyle. Crazedughter spilled out from his throat but the movement of his throat caused him pain. He couldn''t believe that he, the strongest of them all, couldn''t even catch a single pesky human. The humiliation he endured within just a single day was enough to make his ancestorse alive.

    No matter how much he tried just like a slippery bug, the human would run away in time to avoid a fatal attack!

    Emion sucked in a deep breath to calm his nerves. But when he saw the amusement twinkling in Kyle''s eyes, he lost it again.

    Bia cursed under her breath. She pped her wings and flew across the sky. Kyle shed another grin in Emion''s direction and followed behind Bia.

    Emion aura soared as he chased after them but his eyes dted when the human suddenly vanished from his spot. This was something he could not get used to no matter how desperately he tried. His wings fluttered behind his back as he spread out his senses to locate the human.

    The hair on his back stood up and he abruptly turned out to attack behind him. However, his attack disappeared into thin air.

    Kyle''s figure slowly materialized just mere inches away from his shoulder. After using instant teleportation so many times, he discovered that if he used the skill two to three times in a row he could create a faint illusion.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed at Emion''s neck. He raised his sword with a sharp glint, ready to finish it once and for all. But before his de could touch thetter neck, Emion wings shot up to cover his head.

    A loud cry spilled out from the man''s mouth when arge gash appeared on one of his wings. However, Kyle was also pushed back several meters due to the impact.

    Kyle clicked his tongue in distaste. Even after so much, the man''s defense was so strong. Still, he had been giving his all to gradually drain Emion''s mana.

    "It''s fine we have a lot of time."

    Bia''s eyes flickered as she circled above their heads.

    -''Hey.. Kyle?''

    Kyle jumped back to avoid Emion''s pointy nails and nced at her from the corner of his eyes.

    ''What?''

    -''I am hungry.''

    Kyle dodged another attack mid-air and stared at her nkly. Bia averted her eyes with a dryugh. She was ready for a good lecture as to how she should focus more on the life-and-death battle Kyle was facing instead of food. Yet, his answer left her dumbfounded.

    ''How about we finish this and find something good?''

    Bia''s eyes sparkled.

    -''Really?''

    Kyle rolled his eyes. Was he so cruel that she could not even believe his words? His grip on his sword tightened as he stared at Emion''s panting figure.

    ''Yes, I am getting tired anyway.''

    She gave him a quick nod before diving down. In an instant, a zing sea of crimson mes erupted around her. Her mana was already depleted. That''s why she just used thest bit to attract Emion attention for a few seconds.

    The man raised his eyes and stared at her approaching figure. He held out his palm but before he could attack Bia''s figure left the zing sea of fire. She pped her wings and turned in a different direction.

    -''I am done.''

    Kyle hummed in his mind as he watched the sea of crimson mes dancing around Emion. Instantly, he poured every ounce of his mana into his sword. The de buzzed in his hand and the air around him quivered violently.

    He held the sword with both of his hands because the mana was getting too aggressive.

    Emion roared loudly as he pushed away the crimson mes around him with a rough p of his wings. His bloody eyes met Kyle''s in mid-air and a wicked grin crept across his face. He knew that if the human did not rely on his teleportation skill and faced him head-on, the human wouldn''t even be able to leave a scratch on him.

    With a wide grin, he sneered. Finally, he could tear the human apart.

    Kyle raised a brow with a cold smile.

    "Getting impatient, huh.?"

    He mumbled under his breath and Emion''s eyes dted when he raised his sword.

    "Ethereal Voidbreaker sh."

    The air crackled with an ominous energy, and the once serene sky darkened as storm clouds gathered. Thunder rumbled through the clear sky, and then, in a breathtaking spectacle, a colossal mana sword materialized behind Kyle''s back.

    Emion eyes zeroed in on the faint sword behind Kyle. Shivers ran down his spine and for the first time, he was terrified. Terrified of the puny human.

    He cried out in panic and pped his wings desperately to fly in another direction. But, it was toote.

    A huge rift of light and energy that obliterated anything in its path enclosed his body from all directions as the sword descended on him. His cries muffled into thin air as the light engulfed everything.

    Kyle''s body was flung backward in mid-air. Bia cried out and dived down toward him as he mmed into a distant mountain with a resounding boom.

    She let out a shuddering breath at the huge hole stered in the middle of the mountain.

    Kyle crawled out from the hole with bloodied clothes. His hands trembled but he managed to gulp down two healing potions instantly. However, his expression darkened when he saw a tiny crack in the middle of his sword.

    He dragged his stiff body and lifted his head to look at the scenery in front of him.

    Immediately, Kyle sucked in a harsh breath. His eyes widened with astonishment.

    The once grassy and clear ground was scarredpletely into rubble. The air was still heavy with a strange eerie glow. Almost everything was destroyed.

    "Huh... it''s gotten more dangerous. I believe I should avoid using this move in a crowded ce."

    His eyes roamed around to find the familiar figure. The one who caused him a lot of trouble. After a few seconds, his gaze stopped at the few broken bones scattered between the rubble and he let out a groan.

    Kyle rubbed his temples. His whole body was aching. Still, he poked the shocked phoenix flying beside him.

    "It seems we are finally done."

    Bia did not even notice when she held her breath. She gazed at Kyle and released her breath.

    -''Are you alright?''

    Kyle hummed.

    "Not really. I don''t think I can fight for a while."

    He let out a chuckle.

    "Also, I am hungry."

    Bia rolled her eyes. The duo went silent for a while. They watched the burning sun for an hour before Kyle finally had some power to stand properly.

    Amidst all this, the first thing he did was to wipe the blood from his body and change out from his tattered clothes.

    Bia sighed when she saw his limping figure. Kyle frowned when she pped her wings and left his shoulder.

    His frown deepened when Bia increased her size. He looked around with caution.

    "What happened?"

    Bia did not said anything. Instead, her figurended in front of him. With a huge sigh, she lowered one of her wings.

    -''Climb up.''

    It took Kyle a whole minute to process the meaning behind her words and when he did a wide smile spread across his face. Maybe getting badly injured once in a while was not bad at all.

 Chapter 315 Roles reversed

    <h4>Chapter 315 Roles reversed</h4>

    ?As Kyle rode on the back of Bia, his gaze lingered upon the mesmerizing floating inds that surrounded them. With a careless wave of his hand, he felt the soft feathers beneath his touch.

    ''Why do I feel like our roles are reversed?''

    Kyle let out a chuckle. He truly liked the feeling of riding a beautiful and huge phoenix.

    Bia rolled her eyes. Yet, she did not dislike Kyle''s thrilled and excited emotions. With a huff, she increased her speed. The cold air brushed past Kyle''s face and he closed his eyes with a sigh. He was on the verge of sleeping on herfortable back but it was impossible when the said ride had be a glutton.

    With a groan, he tapped her neck and pointed his finger toward a mountain.

    "Go there. I can sense some strong monsters."

    Bia shot him a nod and lowered her body above the mountain. Kyle nced at her back onest time and jumped down on the carpet of grass with a sullen expression.

    Who knew when he would get another chance to ride her back?

    He shook his head and narrowed his eyes in the distance. Meanwhile, Bia decreased her size and circled above his head.

    The duo ventured up the mountain and thanks to Kyle''s scent perception skill, they stumbled upon a group of (B)-Rank winged drakes only after a few minutes.

    These monsters had sleek and muscr bodies, covered in scales of vibrant green and fiery red. Their sharp ws and long, serpentine tails added to their intimidating presence.

    Kyle did not have to do much to kill them. His fear skill alone was enough to send the monsters into a frenzy.

    After he was done, the duo found a quiet corner and lit up a fire. Kyle evenly sliced a few pieces of meat and impaled the meat onto the sharp de of his sword.

    His heart ached whenever he noticed the tiny crack in the middle of the shiny de. Still, he knew there was nothing he could do about it except look around for a new weapon.

    As the mes danced and the delicious aroma filled the air, the duo enjoyed a peaceful meal. The only problem was Bia''s ruthless remarks as to how the meat was not cooked properly.

    Kyle had to cut off her voice with a speechless expression.

    ''Why the hell are you eating so much if you don''t even like it!''

    He so badly wanted to say it out loud but stopped himself for the sake of the amazing ride she had given him.

    After their meal, Kyle closed his eyes and leaned into a nearby boulder. Bia quietly climbed his shoulder when she noticed his even breathing.

    She kept an eye on their surroundings for a few hours until Kyle rubbed his eyes open.

    Strangely enough, his body was feeling refreshed as if he never got injured in the first ce. He gazed at the bright sun that never set in the realm and stretched his body for a while.

    After Kyle was done, his eyes sparkled as he narrowed them at the floating inds around him.

    "Now that the strongest enemy is down. I believe it''s time for us to ''check'' this realm properly."

    Bia raised her brow. She understood very well the meaning behind his words. With a p of her wings, shended on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

    -''Do you not want to check on the others?''

    Kyle hummed and continued exploring the mountain.

    "They are strong. Also, we will kill if we encounter anyone from the dark race."

    He paused for a second with a deep expression.

    "Do you have any idea where is Haylee? I want to meet the guardian of this ce."

    Bia moved her body on his shoulder with a frown.

    -''I don''t know. He disappeared into thin air after I found you. Anyway, why do you want to see the guardian?''

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed into the distance when he sensed blood through his skill. He was sure the blood did not belong to a monster.

    "I saw something interesting and now I have a lot of questions."

    Bia wanted to know more but she was too sleepy that''s why she left it forter. Kyle left the mountain and started moving toward the scent of blood. Still, he stopped after every few minutes to pluck out every precious herb he sensed nearby.

    After an hour, he paused in front of arge structure filled with crawling insects. The structure was tucked beneath a towering and old tree trunk. Kyle gazed at the countless snail-like insects. They were sitting around an underground tunnel. Wisps of steam were drifting out from the tunnel mouth and Kyle was sure the smell of blood wasing from the tunnel.

    He slowly stepped into the structure and tiptoed toward the tunnel quietly. It was better to not alert the insects because even though they were weak, they were just too many in numbers.

    However, his n failed miserably when Bia cracked her eyes open with a yawn. She pped her wings on his shoulder and a few round heads snapped in his direction.

    Kyle halted in his tracks and stared at the nearest pair of eyes. He let out a groan and immediately stopped himself from just tossing the little bird away.

    Bia froze on his shoulder. Her eyes darted around to assess their situation.

    -''Why are we standing in the middle of hundreds of hungry monsters?''

    "Ah... I wonder why?"

    Kyle waved at the monster and kicked off his feet to fly when a few of them pounced at him. He clicked his tongue and gazed at the tunnel.

    "Bia go distract them."

    -''Just kill them.''

    He shot her a re and blue mes erupted around his body. The mes surged in all directions, sessfully clearly the path in front of them. A few of the bold monsters still dared to pounce at them but failed due to the bone-chilling coldness.

    Kyle hurriedly approached the tunnel and gazed inside. He kicked a nearby monster and dived inside the tunnel. Bia''s body rolled off his shoulder but he grabbed her before she could drop.

 Chapter 316 It’s been a long time indeed

    <h4>Chapter 316 It''s been a long time indeed</h4>

    ?Kyle''s eyes narrowed when he saw a stream of hot water cascading down in the distance. A wide underground space and a shimmering floating castle in the middle. Moreover, the air was filled with a heavy scent of blood.

    His feet touched the ground near the stream. He walked for a minute and came to a halt when he spotted a pale cyan-haired youth leaning against the stairway leading up to the gleaming castle. The individual''s clothes were soaked in blood. Regardless, Kyle''s eyes drifted off to the lifeless body lying in the distance. He noticed with a raised brow, the body belonged to someone from the dark race.

    With a sigh, Kyle stepped closer to him.

    "Are you alright?"

    The youth''s body jolted when he heard Kyle''s voice. He shot his wary eyes up and clenched his bleeding chest.

    "Who..?"

    Kyle sighed when the youth tried to reach for the double-edged sword ced a few inches away from him.

    "Don''t worry I won''t harm you..."

    He dragged his sentence and grabbed a healing potion from his mind space.

    "Here. Take it."

    The youth eyed the potion warily but after a few seconds of hesitation took it with trembling hands. After all, he had no other choice.

    Kyle''s eyes darted around. He sensed a few more scents around the cyan-haired youth. That''s why he was a little confused as to why the boy was alone in such a bad condition.

    He waited until the youth gulped down the potion and finally, some colors returned to thetter face. Afterward, Kyle moved away and started climbing the stairway.

    "Wait.."

    Kyle stopped and gazed back at the person standing at the edge of the stairway.

    "What?"

    "Thank you."

    With a quick nod, Kyle resumed his steps but the boy followed behind him slowly. Still, Kyle did not pause in his tracks even when thetter started a conversation.

    "Hmm, I am Lucus. What''s your name? I feel like I have seen you somewhere before."

    Kyle hummed and pushed the castle gate open.

    "My name is Kyle. Also, I don''t know you."

    Lucus hurriedly followed behind him and stopped by his side with wide eyes.

    "Wait.. are you the same Kyle I am thinking? I mean the one who had a majestic phoenix?"

    Bia''s ears perked up. She nced at Lucus with a nod.

    -''Finally, someone who had enough brain. Of course, I am majestic.''

    Kyle ignored her words and jumped into the castle gate. Lucus hurriedly followed behind him. The duo appeared in arge barrennd surrounded by hundreds of doors.

    Lucus''s face crumbled when he saw his old teammates standing in front of one of the doors. Kyle carelessly followed his gaze but froze the moment he eyed the two figures.

    Bia sensed his difort and narrowed her eyes.

    -''What happened?''

    Kyle''s brow knitted together and his eyes turned emotionless.

    ''Nothing.''

    He turned around to enter the nearest door but suddenly a female voice drifted into his ears.

    "Who is there?"

    Ignoring the voice Kyle gripped the handle of the door and pushed it. Yet, the door did not even budge.

    The female voice grew near and he let out a sigh.

    ''Whatever.''

    Kyle turned around and gazed at the two figures circling Lucus with concerned expressions.

    "Prince Lucus why did you enter the treasure ind when you are injured!"

    The red-haired female grasped Lucus''s hand with a concerned sigh. But, Kyle noticed with a raised brow how Lucus''s eyes turned extremely cold as he yanked his hand away.

    Noticing his presence, the girl turned around and stared at him with a pair of familiar golden eyes. Kyle blinked. The pair of eyes, it was very simr to Nine''s.

    And his suspicions turned out to be correct when the girl gasped at him with a loud exmation.

    "Kyle!?"

    Lucus and the other boy standing behind her were stunned at her reaction. Still, before they could question her, she closed the distance between her and Kyle with a bright smile.

    "You are Kyle, right? I.."

    She paused for a second and straightened her wrinkled clothes.

    "I am Seraphine... Nine''s sister. He told me about you!"

    Kyle gave her a quick nod. Her eyes were indeed simr to Nine''s. However, he could not pinpoint the reason why Nine told his sister about him.

    Suddenly, Seraphine held out her hand but Kyle immediately stepped back. His frown deepened.

    "What?"

    With an apologetic smile. Seraphine called for Lucus and the other boy standing behind her.

    She brightly introduced them to Kyle. Yet, his mood dampened with each passing second. Not because of her but because of one of her teammates.

    The muscr blonde-haired youth standing beside Lucus stepped forward with a polite smile. He gazed at Bia and unconsciously extended his hand toward Kyle.

    "Hey, I am Sen."

    Kyle gazed at his hand for a few seconds but did not grasp it. Instead, he stared at him with a cold expression.

    "Kyle... Kyle Ohan."

    Sen''s smile stiffened when he heard the surname ''Ohan''. Still, he immediately shook his head inwardly.

    ''Impossible.''

    He recalled thest time he heard this surname. It has been a few years. Moreover, the owner of the surname was a loser with only (B)-Rank talent. Someone he mocked in his younger days. So, how was it possible for the same person to stand opposite him? Inside a realm filled with extremely powerful creatures.

    Not to mention the fact that this Kyle Ohan owned a legendary fire phoenix. Also, he had silver hair. Not ck. He threw the thought at the back of his head and took back his hand with a polite smile because Kyle did not shake it.

    "You have a nice name."

    Sen did not look at his eyes because for some reason he was having an ominous feeling about it. He stepped back but contrary to his expectations Kyle hummed softly. Yet, the words that came out of his mouth were so cold that they sent chills down Sen''s spine.

    "Sen, it''s been a long time indeed."

 Chapter 317 Cure

    <h4>Chapter 317 Cure</h4>

    ?Sen lifted his wary eyes but Kyle walked away in another direction.

    ''Did I make a mistake?''

    He watched his back with sweat trickling down his forehead.

    ''I probably did...''

    With a shake of his head, Sen took a step back to stand behind Lucus. Kyle Ohan, the name was indeed familiar. Regardless, he was sure the person opposite him was just another rich young master.

    Sen scoffed in his mind when Lucus red at him. At first, after entering the realm he found the prince because they were supposed to stay together but the prince was just too useless. That''s why when Seraphine left Lucus behind with the excuse of his injuries. He thought they finally got rid of the unnecessary baggage but how wrong he was. Someone just had to go out of his way and save Lucus.

    In the distance, Kyle''s brow knitted together into a frown. He grabbed another door handle and pushed it but no matter how much he tried the door did not open.

    With a hum, he gazed back at the trio looking at him with different expressions. Seraphine looked very happy for some reason, Lucus grateful and Sen, he looked wary.

    ''It''s not like I care.''

    He walked back and stood in the middle of the barrennd. Kyle''s eyes wandered off to the trio.

    "Do you have any idea what we need to do? What about the mechanical voice?"

    Seraphine took the initiative to answer him with a beautiful smile.

    "We heard nothing after we entered this ce. Also, we tried to open a few doors but failed."

    Kyle gave her a nod. He gazed up toward the ceiling with a frown.

    "Maybe we need to wait..."

    Still, unlike the trio, he roamed around the chamber. Inspecting every corner properly. At first, Seraphine tried to follow behind him, but she soon got tired and quietly went to sit beside Lucus and Sen.

    Kyle''s feet did not stop as he checked one door after another. Bai closed her eyesfortably on his shoulder with a yawn. Still, her peace did notst for long because after quietly pushing the doors for a while, Kyle suddenly used his mes to freeze one of them.

    The trio sitting in the distance stood up in shock. They stared at the surging cold mes that spread out to enclose the wooden door in a tight embrace.

    Seraphine''s eyes sparkled with awe. A barely visible smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

    ''I knew it he is the strongest!''

    Without caring about her two teammates, she hurriedly went to stand behind Kyle obediently.

    Opposite her, the cold mes vanished into thin air, leaving behind a thinyer of ice. In the next second, the ice crumbled into tiny particles that drifted away with the wind.

    Lucus and Sen nced at each other and staggered forward to stand behind Seraphine. No way, they wanted to be left behind.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed when the ice vanished. He stepped forward. After the door crumbled, pitch-ck darkness spilled out from the hollow surface.

    Bia''s eyes flickered.

    -''I believe you are not going to jump inside, right?

    Kyle let out a chuckle and before Bia could stop him, he jumped into the darkness. After all, moving forward was far better than being trapped in a single ce.

    After he vanished into the darkness, Haylee''s loud cry rang out behind him.

    "Wait!"

    The boar''s eyes widened when his w grasped into thin air. He panicked and without caring about the scared and shocked trio around him, dived into the darkness behind Kyle.

    At the same time, Kyle''s vision blurred for a few seconds but before he could bnce himself mid-air his feet touched a smooth surface. He blinked when he felt a strange wet sensation around his body.

    A blinding light shed in front of his eyes and a familiar mechanical voice echoed in the air.

    "Wee new participants to the ''007'' treasurend."

    "Total new arrivals Two; A (B-)-Rank divine beast and a (??)-Rank human."

    "Loading... unable to detect the rank of the human... Automatic rank would be assigned."

    "Conclusion; Two new participants; A (B-)-Rank divine beast and a (F-)-Rank human."

    "Please do your best to find zZ... "

    "Loading... abnormal entry has been detected. To preserve the rules, the test would be changed to punish the participants ordingly."

    "Please do your best to find the cure... in the ''965'' treasurend."

    Kyle groaned when a sharp pain stabbed his head. For some reason, he staggered on his feet and stiffly dropped to his knees. Simr to him, Bia''s eyes were also cloudy. She pped her wings and shook her head to remove the haze but suddenly a suction force appeared behind them.

    A visible tear materialized in the air but before the tear could suck them inside, Haylee grabbed Kyle from his shoulder and dragged him upward toward the ce he fell from.

    Kyle''s eyes shot open when he was tossed above a hard surface. He flipped his body mid-air and tried to bnce himself but his eyes dted when he saw the size of his feet. With a startled cry, he crashed into the sand.

    Bia''s eyes widened when her mind cleared up. She pped her wings but someone grabbed her neck tightly.

    "Stop moving!"

    Haylee coughed out and slowly dropped her to the ground. A trail of blood seeped out from his mouth, staining the pure white fur on his jaw red.

    In the distance, Lucus, Seraphine, and Sen were still processing what was happening around them with wide eyes.

    Bia settled her body and her eyes darted around to look for Kyle. She froze when she saw Haylee''s grim expression.

    -''What happened!?''

    Haylee let out a pained sigh. His body trembled a little as he pointed toward Kyle.

    "I am not allowed to help others. Especially the ones who broke the rules. It''s punishment."

    Bia followed his finger and her eyes almost popped out of their sockets when she saw Kyle''s tiny figure crawling out from the sand.

    Kyle''s green eyes twinkled with a hint of annoyance when he patted his clothes. Only to notice that somehow they had gotten shorter on his body.

    "Huh?"

    He held out his palms and sucked in a shuddering breath. They were short, very simr to a five or six-year-old kid.

    "What the fuck!"

    A curse slipped out from his mouth as he wriggled inside the oversized clothes wrapped around his body.

    "What the hell happened!? Bia!!"

    He cried out with a perplexed expression. Bia immediately circled above his head with a familiar panicked expression.

    The duo froze in their spots when Haylee''s thunderous roar echoed in the chamber.

    "Shut up! You two stay still for a second!"

    Kyle red at him with red eyes.

    "How can I shut up in this situation?!"

    He click his mouth shut when Haylee''s sharp eyes pressed down at his small body. Bianded on his shoulder but Kyle lost his bnce and dropped on his butt because she was too heavy!

    Haylee closed his eyes and massaged his temples. He couldn''t help but wonder did the human also lost his intelligence with his size.

    After a few minutes of panic, Kyle calmed his nerves. Still, inwardly he was crying. At first, he was worried his family would fail to recognize him due to his hair color and eye color. Now with such a tiny body would they even believe he was Kyle?

    Haylee let out a scoff.

    "Don''t worry. It''s just an illusion. You need to find the cure and you will return to your original appearance."

    Finally, Kyle released a relieved breath. He almost thought he had to live as a child from now on! After closing his eyes for a minute, he stared at the boar with a deep expression.

    "What cure? Where is it? And how can I find it?"

    Haylee''s eyebrow twitched a little. He suffered a few injuries when he forcefully dragged Kyle out from the tear.

    "Kid, you should be grateful I grabbed you on time or else I don''t think you would have seen another ray of light in this life."

    Kyle gave him a quick nod.

    "Thank you for saving my life. Now, please tell me where is the cure you are talking about... Wait I remember the mechanical voice said something when you dragged me out...."

    "965 treasure ind?"

    Haylee narrowed his eyes. The thank you did not sound genuine.

    "Yes, that''s the ce."

    Kyle stood up and hisrge clothes dragged behind his body when he paced around with a serious expression.

    "How can I leave this ce as soon as possible?"

    Haylee''s gaze wandered around for a few seconds before he fixed his eyes on one of the doors.

    "Just leave through that door. You have already broken the rules of this ce. So, I don''t think you need toplete the trial."

    Kyle hurriedly walked to the door and pushed it open.

    "Bia let''s leave. Hayleee with us. You need to tell me the location of ''965'' treasurend."

    The trio standing behind Haylee finally snapped out of their trance and nced at each other.

    Seraphine was the first to approach Kyle''s short figure with a panicked expression.

    "Wait, if you are leaving this ce. I want to go together."

    Kyle''s mind was too upied with his own problem to stop her. He and Bia immediately jumped in the door and left the castle. Behind him, Haylee gazed at Seraphine, Lucus, and Sen.

    He waved his hand and a thin shield appeared around the trio''s body. With a flick of his finger, the trio vanished into the door before he followed as well.

 Chapter 318 Just tell me what you know

    <h4>Chapter 318 Just tell me what you know </h4>

    ?The moment Kyle''s body emerged from the dark portal, he tried to float mid-air. But his eyes widened in disbelief when the mana within his body refused to budge. In an instant, he lost his bnce and tumbled down the stairway.

    He let out a painful hiss and rubbed his back.

    "What the heck!?"

    After him, Bia flew out from the portal. Her eyes trailed downward,nding on the little body sprawling at the edge of the stairway.

    She hurriedly closed the distance and circled above Kyle with concerned eyes.

    -''Why are you lying on the ground?''

    Kyle closed his eyes and moved his hand to massage his temples but the oversized sleeves made it impossible for him to reach his head.

    He stared at her with nk eyes.

    "Just because I wanted to."

    Haylee''s big frame stepped out from the portal with three round glowing transparent shields floating around him. As if waiting for him to appear, Kyle hurriedly dragged his clothes and stood up.

    "Haylee! I can not use my mana, what the hell happened?"

    Haylee gazed at him and let out a tired sigh.

    "It''s because you are in a younger body right now. I don''t think you''ll be able to use it until the illusion wears off-!"

    He stopped mid-sentence abruptly when blue mes surged around Kyle''s body. The mes traveled upward and vanished into thin air. A surprised expression appeared on the boar''s face as he watched the tiny sparks floating in the air

    Kyle shot him a frown.

    "I can use the mes, but I can not use any other skill. Nor can I float?"

    Haylee closed his eyes and hummed softly.

    "I am not sure. Based on the punishment, you should have be younger and lost all your strength, like a little kid. But there seems to be something strange about the mes you are using. Somehow, the illusion doesn''t seem to affect them."

    Kyle gave him a serious nod and took a step forward, but he stumbled on his clothes. Taking a deep breath, he quickly rolled up his sleeves and hiked up his pants to make them fit better. He then gazed at Bia with narrowed eyes.

    "I have a question. Why am I the only one going through the punishment? I believe I was not alone who jumped in the door."

    Hayleended beside him with a chuckle.

    "It''s because she is your bonded beast. Moreover, it''s not her original form, so the illusion did not have any effect on her."

    The trio enclosed in the floating round shields could do nothing but watch as Kyle and Haylee talked as if their presence meant nothing.

    Still, before Haylee could enclose Kyle in a shield as well. Bia increased her size and dived down tond in front of Kyle.

    -''Climb up. It''s not safe if you can not use your skills.''

    Kyle wanted to jump but considering his size he slowly grabbed her feathers and climbed her body. But, his somber mood made it impossible for him to enjoy the ride.

    The phoenix soared above in the air, heading straight toward the opening from where they entered the ce. Bia''s body shot out from the tunnel gracefully. A fewrge insects gathered around the opening jumped at her, but they backed off when crimson mes spread out under her wings.

    Bia stopped immediately when she recalled how Kyle could not use his skills. She flew above in the clear sky with knitted brows.

    -''Are you alright?''

    Kyle tapped her neck with a hum.

    "I am fine."

    Just like before he did not feel particrly ufortable due to Bia''s mes. His body was still as cold as before, and his hair was silver instead of ck.

    ''It''s like the illusion can not affect my bloodline.''

    He gazed down when Haylee flew out from the tunnel with the trio floating around him. For some reason, the insects did not dare to approach the winged boar.

    Kyle clicked his tongue with annoyance.

    ''Hey, Bia ask Haylee to throw that golden-haired individual away.''

    Bia''s gaze wandered off to the person Kyle was talking about. A not so handsome muscle figure with light yellow color hair. At first, she thought she was imagining when she sensed Kyle''s difort but it seems she was right.

    -''I can not contact him until he is speaking inside my mind. Just tell Haylee directly. I think he is taking the trio with him because he thought they were your friends.''

    Kyle scoffed and focused his gaze in front of him.

    ''Friends? I don''t think I need to befriend every person I meet here. But I am indeed tempted to punch someone in the face.''

    He stopped and gazed at Haylee when the boar appeared beside him.

    "Where is the treasurend we are finding?"

    Haylee narrowed his eyes in the distance.

    "I don''t remember properly but I believe we need to travel toward east."

    Kyle gave him a nod but then suddenly he recalled the important questions he wanted to ask the boar. He thought for a few seconds as they traveled toward the east.

    "I want to ask some questions."

    Haylee hummed in approval, thinking maybe the human wanted to know more about the illusion but Kyle''s next words made him lose his bnce mid-air.

    "Who is James?"

    A shocked expression appeared on Haylee''s face as he bnced himself.

    "What!?"

    Kyle raised his brow at his reaction.

    "So, you do know him? What about Odiak and Elizabeth?"

    Haylee''s heartbeat quickened. He rolled the names on his tongue. It has been a long time since someone called out his master''s name in front of him.

    He let out a trembling breath when countless emotions clouded his eyes. But, unfortunately for him, Kyle was not done yet.

    "Are they alive or did they... lost under the third shadow general?"

    Haylee gazed at him with bated breath. Immediately a thinyer of mana enveloped him and Kyle, separating their voice from the trio hovering nearby.

    "How the hell did you know about all this!?"

    Kyle rolled hisrge sleeves with a frown. Bia had gone silent under him because she was also interested in their talk.

    "I saw an old memory. It was stored in a gem. Odiak called it a resonite gem."

    Haylee sucked in a deep breath and mumbled under his breath.

    "A resonite gem? In this ce."

    What were the odds of a resonite gem being left in this ce? And what were the chances of someone stumbling upon that exact gem in such a massive realm? He couldn''t help but stare at Kyle for a few seconds.

    "What about the gem?"

    "It''s vanished after I saw the stored memories."

    Haylee moved his head in a silent nod. Indeed, the resonite gem can only be used once. After reying the memories it would scatter in the air.

    Kyle waited for a minute before staring at the boar with knitted brows.

    "So?"

    Haylee let out a sigh.

    "I know a lot but not enough to answer all of your questions. Also, this knowledge is not recorded anywhere for a lot of reasons. It''s dangerous as well. Do you still want to know?"

    Kyle''s frown deepened. He really wanted to ask why it was dangerous when they were just talking about some past events.

    "Just tell me what you know because, for some reason, I am having a bad feeling about all this."

    A bright light shed around Haylee''s body. He turned into a ball of light and slowly settled himself on Kyle''s shoulder.

    He started with his master, James. A powerful and strong human and a genius among his peers. Someone who was strong enough to reach the pseudo-divine rank at a very young age.

    The story was ordinary. It started with a peaceful and a bunch of powerful youths, all trying to outdo each other and be stronger. Yet, everything changed when their elders told them about the danger lurking around the. All the people who reached pseudo-divine rank were forced to leave the to fight against an unknown enemy.

    James, Odiak, and Elizabeth were among the first batch of people who returned alive from the war. Haylee never left the because he was not strong enough. So, he never got the chance to know more about the things happening outside the boundaries of the blue.

    The only thing he knew from his master''s tense mood was that the was in great danger. After James reached the divine rank, he wanted to form his army to fight the enemies. He and the dwarf named Odiak be great friends. The duo worked together to construct a huge shield around the. They even designed this realm and many towers on the to train young people with a lot of potential to grow stronger. However, while everything was going smoothly the dark race who at that time lived with the residents of blue suddenly went out of control.

 Chapter 319 I am not

    <h4>Chapter 319 I am not</h4>

    ?Haylee let out a grim sigh, expressing his frustration. The dark race may have caused chaos by targeting innocent people and small viges, but as long as he remember they were never truly strong enough to engage in a full-blown war with the other races. However, for some reason, when Odiak and James were busy constructing the shield around the, two divine-rank individuals emerged from the same race.

    When James and a few strong individuals went to confront them, they were shocked because seemingly the dark race found a natural underground earthyer filled with extremely potent weeds brimming with mana in the middle of the dark forest.

    James was tempted to take the entireyer, but the two divine-rank individuals from the dark race posed a greater threat than he had imagined. In the end, although James emerged victorious, he lost a capable individual in the fight. And, to make matters worse the preciousyer was lost due to the battle fought in that ce.

    James and hispanions were vexed. It was a tedious task but they decided to finish all the people of the dark race residing on the blue once and for all. After all, the dark race did nothing but spread chaos. But before they could act on their n. One of the nearbys was attacked by the third Shadow General.

    At that time, Elizabeth, the one dearest to James was coincidentally on the same to look for some rare herbs. She barely escaped alive and returned when James and Odiak were busy with the secret realm.

    James lost hisposure when she went into a deepa in his arms. Odiak tried to stop him, but he immediately left the with all the divine-rank individuals to fight the third shadow general.

    Odiak could do nothing but watch as his friend left. With a regretful expression, he hid the in a thin nket, waiting for James''s return. Regardless, the peace on the blue was short-lived because with the powerful seats left empty, only after a year chaos erupted. The residents started scrambling to grab a higher position, trying to secure their own ce of influence on the.

    The race who reaped the most from all this was none other than the dark race. The same race that was on the verge of being wiped out in James''s presence.

    In a fit of anger, Odiak took charge and trapped all the remaining people from the dark race in the secret realm. While he was cleaning the mess, a messenger from James''s team finally returned to the. The man only had a single massage.

    "We need help."

    Odiak was perplexed, but he wasted no time and immediately announced to the whole that they needed strong people who were willing to fight for their home. Even though no one reached divine rank in James''s absence, the still had a lot of capable individuals. Yet, at that exact moment, the Mer people lost their Queen. They started pointing fingers at the demi-humans, due to the ongoing conflict between the two races.

    However, Odiak knew the reason behind the Queen''s death, because he received a strange request on the day she died. She went against nature and used her life force to see the things that were meant to stay hidden.

    In the end, the mermaid race decided not to join the battle and instead retreated deep into the sea.

    Odiak was frustrated, but he was alone that''s why he had very little influence on all the other races except his own. Not to mention the fact that he was pressed for time.

    So, instead of gathering more people, he had an idea. He found the''s core and in just one day, he was able to harness the mana from it and connect it to the protective shield around the. This created a powerful and constant flow of energy to the barrier around the, isting itpletely from the outside world. He thought, with no strong individuals present to protect the, this shield would be its defense until he and James returned.

    Haylee expression hardened when he recalled the time when Odiak asked him to stay in the secret realm and keep an eye on the dark race. A lot of people who decided to follow Odiak also left behind pieces of their consciousness to guide the younger generation.

    "After Odiak left, the secret realm waspletely closed off. I have no idea what happened in the outside world during that time. But when the realm was finally opened again after countless years, the people who entered were so weak that I had to double-check to make sure I wasn''t imagining things."

    He paused for a few seconds and gazed at Kyle. The human hadpletely gone still under him. With a shake of his head, he left Kyle''s shoulder.

    "I watched how all of them were killed by the dark race brutally. I wanted to break the rules of the realm and help but I was tied to thest treasure ind where the divine essence was kept. In the end, the guardian picked some promising individuals and forcefully threw them out from the realm."

    Kyle''s eyes were troubled. The information he received was overwhelming, but instead of getting answers, his questions increased.

    He massaged his temples with a frown.

    "It''s strange, the whole story. If the went through so many crises why is it that the knowledge in the outsider world socking?"

    Haylee shook his head.

    "No, information about Odiak and James was never hidden. Maybe, the duo names were forgotten with time. The only information that was erased was about the power structure above (SSS+)-Rank and the lurking danger around the due to the mermaid Queen''s request. No one knew why she made such a request to Odiak before her death."

    Kyle''s frown deepened as he gazed at the white ball floating around him.

    "Then why did you tell me about all this?"

    For some reason, he had a nagging feeling at the back of his head that it would have been better if he knew nothing about all this.

    Haylee sucked in a deep breath and stopped in front of his face.

    "It''s because before leaving, Odiak asked me to share the information with the first outsider who mentioned his name to me."

    Kyle shut his mouth for a minute and went over everything in his mind. A trail of sweat trickled down from his forehead when he asked his next question.

    "So... did James and Odiak win? Did they save the? Or..."

    Haylee closed his eyes.

    "They never came back. So, I don''t know."

    "Also, the connection between me and James is too thin due to the distance so I am not sure if he is alive."

    Kyle tapped Bia''s neck and let out a dry chuckle. It''s hard to believe that he discovered all of this, especially when he wasn''t even sure about himself.

    ''Will I put my life on the line if someone unknown and strong attacked the out of nowhere?''

    Of course, Kyle knew no matter what he would prioritize the safety of his loved ones first. As for the rest, they were always wee to handle things on their own.

    Suddenly, Alec''s face shed through his mind.

    "Why do I feel like Alec is more suited to know about all this than me?"

    "The whole thing about the first person to know about Odiak''s name. It''s like the resonite gem was not meant for me but somehow I found it...?"

    Haylee raised his eyes with a frown.

    "What are you thinking? You were fated to know about all this."

    His voice was so firm that Kyle let out a tired sigh.

    "Are you sure?"

    The boar changed back into his original form with a confused expression. He wanted to say he was, but suddenly a loud cry rang out in the distance.

    Haylee eyes immediately narrowed as he increased his speed. Thus he failed to hear the faint murmur echoing behind him.

    "I am not."

    Bia sensed Kyle''s emotions and increased her speed behind Haylee.

    -''Do not be depressed. I don''t think the is in danger or else why would it stay safe for so many years?''

    Kyle mused softly.

    "I hope I am being paranoid but what should I do when so many things are pointing out the fact that the is in danger."

    They traveled to the east before Haylee stopped above a grassy field. Countless individuals were fighting with the people of the dark race. The air was heavy with a thick smell of blood.

    Kyle narrowed his eyes when he saw many familiar faces. Lara, Mia, Alec, and Carcel, the four of them were fighting with a (S)-

    Rank winged man.

    His eyes paused on Yue and Nine as he cursed out.

    "What the heck is happening!?"

    "I only left them alone for not more than three days!"

 Chapter 320 Help your pitiful friends

    Chapter 320 Help your pitiful friends

    Alec and Lara together pushed back the pointy earth shreds thrown at them. Alec scoffed at the winged man opposite him as he wiped the blood trickling down his cheek.

    He raised his sword to attack again but a huge shadow materialized above him. With a back flip, he snapped his eyes up, only to see a familiar pair of bright red wings.

    "Bia?"

    Immediately, Alec let out a chuckle.

    "The battle is going to end earlier than my expectations."

    For some reason, after he and the others left Kyle, they heard the news that all the outsiders were gathered in the east.

    Why? It''s because an unknown, supposedly very strong individual asked someone to spread the word that the east side is safe.

    The same person also asked everyone to form teams, in that way, they would be able to fight the winged creatures easily. Alec would be lying if he said he was not surprised to see so many people gathered together without caring about their race.

    Still, the peace did notst long because just like the outsiders, a few people from the dark race also traveled to the east. It did not stop at that and just within a day countless dark-race people flocked toward the east.

    That''s why Alec and the gathered individuals had no other choice but to start a full-blown battle with them.

    Lara blinked at Alec''s smiling face and followed his gaze, only to see a familiar fire phoenix flying above them.

    Her eyes widened slightly but then a faint smile spread across her face.

    ''Bia has transformed into a true phoenix.''

    Just like the duo, many heads snapped up to see the beautiful phoenix flying across the sky.

    Crimson mes flickered gently behind the majestic beast as it made its way down.

    Someone from the dark race cried out loudly at one of his fellow men.

    "Why is the Leader not here yet!? We will be wiped out at this rate! Go send another signal through the artifact!"

    However, the one he had been speaking to was attacked by a few demi-humans and lost his life even before he could reply.

    Among the many people, Nine and Jian both gazed at each other when they saw Bia. A wide grin spread across Jian''s face as he waved at Bia with enthusiasm.

    "Kyle and Bia are here! Haha, the battle is gonna end now!"

    Nine gave him a quick nod and together the duo kicked the winged man they were fighting.

    "You bet. Also, if Kyle is here, does that mean the leader of the dark race has kicked the bucket?"

    Jian''s ears perked up.

    "A pity I was not able to witness it."

    Just like them, all those who knew Kyle personally were sure the battle they had been fighting for so many hours would end the moment Kyle stepped in.

    Yet, for some strange reason, instead ofnding on the ground, the phoenix circled above their heads, asionally throwing fireballs here and there. Also, the said person who would end the battle was nowhere to be seen.

    Alec''s brows knitted together.

    "Is Bia alone? Where is Kyle?"

    A few pairs of concerned eyes traveled toward him with the same question but he had no answer.

    At the same time, in the sky, Bia''s body tensed when Kyle grabbed her neck feathers. At first, she dived down toward Mia the moment she saw her fighting with an ugly man, but the tiny kid sitting on her back stopped her immediately.

    ''Don''t you dare to go down? They can handle it!''

    Kyle cried out in his mind. No way, he would go down. What if someone identally stepped on him and he lost his precious body parts?

    He shuddered at the thought.

    ''We will help them from above!''

    In the distance, hidden behind a faint manayer, Haylee let out a sigh. He gazed at the three people floating around him and with a wave of his paw, the shields around their bodies crumbled, startling Seraphine, Sen, and Lucus out of their stupor.

    The trio closed their eyes, bracing themselves for a big fall, but to their surprise, their bodies gentlynded on the grass bathed in blood.

    Seraphine blinked but her relief was short-lived because a winged female attacked her from behind.

    Due to the unexpected attack, she was not able to dodge on time and her body toppled backward.

    "Ahhh, help me!"

    She screamed for help, but the air was filled with the sound of shing weapons. That''s why her cry went unnoticed.

    Her eyes went wide with horror when the winged female wed toward her chest but before thetter pointy nails could touch her, Bia appeared between them and crimson mes surged around her wings.

    The winged female from the dark race constructed a water shield to stop the crimson mes but her shield evaporated into thin air due to intense heat. She held out her hand to construct another shield but then suddenly a sea of blue mes enclosed her body in a cold embrace.

    Her cries echoed through the air, sending chills down the spines of all who heard them. The sheer desperation in her voice was palpable. Many people stopped in their attacks when a glistening ice sculpture reflected in their eyes.

    Sweat trickled down the onlookers'' foreheads because, under their shocked gaze, the once-glistening ice sculpture crumbled into faint particles and vanished into thin air.

    Kyle''s eyes traveled to the girl who was supposed to be Nine''s sister. She wiped her hands and gazed at him with moist eyes.

    Seraphine opened her mouth with a sweet smile.

    "Thank you." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Even though her clothes and hair were unkept, she looked stunning with a smile.

    Kyle did not say anything and pointed his small finger behind her.

    Immediately she turned around and saw another person attacking her from behind but this time she was prepared. Moreover, Sen jumped in to help her.

    Bia pped her wings and soared into the air. Yet, for a second, her eyes reflected pity for Seraphine.

    -''If only she could hear you right now.''

    Kyle''s eyes traveled down on the battlefield with a frown.

    ''What are you talking about? I am only stating the facts. She is too weak. I doubt she is Nine''s sister.''

    Bia''s gaze wandered off to Seraphine and the pity in her eyes doubled. Still, she did not dare to voice her opinion to Kyle.

    -''Her eyes are not even hiding the fact that she is flirting with Kyle...''

    After the blue mes appeared, those who recognized them were certain that Kyle had used them. They believed he was riding on Bia''s back, but why the hell did he not jump down to help them!? Also, thest they saw him, he could fly on his own. So, why the hell is he riding on Bia?

    Jian could not take it anymore when he was flung backward due to a sudden attack. He raised his angry eyes and pointed his trembling finger at Bia.

    "Kyle my brother! If you are here just help your pitiful friends! Why the hell are you only helping pretty girls?"

    Opposite him, Sia''s fox ears perked up. She locked her gaze on the majestic phoenix and casually rolled up one of her sleeves, revealing a tiny scratch.

    "Ah... my arm is hurt!"

    She cried out with a pitiful voice. After all, she was one hundred percent confident in her beauty.

    The moment her voice drifted off, Kyle''s eyebrow twitched violently but he still refused to go down. Instead, he used his mes to enclose the dark race people from time to time.

    After trying for one more time, Sia clicked her tongue and jumped on her feet. Beside her, Yue''s eyes flickered with conflicted emotions as she gazed at her shameless friend.

    "Are you done?"

    Sia gathered her smooth hair on her shoulders and raised her spear with a smile.

    "Should I try one more time? Maybe he did not hear me?"

    Yue rolled her eyes and focused on her opponent.

    Just like Jian, there was another person who seemed dissatisfied with Kyle.

    Nine eyes narrowed at the phoenix as he distanced himself from his opponent. He waved his hand in the air.

    "Bia,e down. I want to see if he is alright."

    A concerned expression appeared on his face. Did Kyle possibly lose one of his legs or arms while fighting with the dark race leader?

    Bia gazed down at his figure with a sigh.

    -''Kyle, should I go down?''

    Kyle massaged his temples with a groan.

    ''Why the hell do they want to see me so badly?''

    He tapped her neck with a sigh.

    ''Let me down but make sure to stay with me.''

    With a hum, the phoenix dive down straight toward Nine. Her wings spread out to clear the space around them when her bodynded in front of Nine.

    A pair of bright eyes stared at Nine and with a tilt of her head, she lowered one of her wings so Kyle could step down.

    Kyle secured hisrge sleeves onest time and steeled his expression. He wanted to jump down but stopped because it would be very tragic if he got injured in front of Nine.

    Amidst the sounds of weapons and battle cries, a few eyes snapped toward Bia as Kyle gingerly left her back and gazed at Nine.

    At first, Nine blinked with disbelief. Slowly, he eyed him from head to toe with shock.

    "Wait? When did Kyle have a son?"

    Kyle closed his eyes and opened them again with a nk expression.

    "What son are you talking about? It''s me, I can not tell you the details now. That''s why, stop gawking at me and go fight with the others!"

    After staring at Kyle for a few seconds, Nine broke out into a fit ofughter.

    "Wait wait... Kyle.. how the hell did you manage to turn into a five-year-old kid just in a few days?"

    He grabbed his stomach andughed out loud amidst the heavy atmosphere around him. His loud exmation echoed in all directions.

    The eyes staring at Kyle were also shocked. Yet, unlike Nine, they were too upied toment.

    Frustration etched on Kyle''s face as he stomped toward Nine with a hard expression. He flicked his sleeves and smacked him but Nine did not even flinched under the weight of his tiny hand.

    Nine pped his mouth shut when Kyle stared at him with a deep expression. Still, instead of intimidating his eyes looked rather adorable.

 Chapter 321 Just stop speaking

    Chapter 321 Just stop speaking

    Nine suppressed his smile and grabbed Kyle''s hand with a serious expression.

    "Don''t worry, ki.. Ahem I mean brother, I will protect you!"

    His expression was so righteous that Kyle almost believed himself to be a kid who needed protection.

    A nk expression appeared on his face as he yanked his hand away from Nine.

    "No thank you!"

    Nine stared at him from head to toe with crescent eyes.

    "Are you sure?"

    With a hum, Kyle narrowed his eyes and blue mes appeared around his body. The air turned extremely cold as the mes enclosed him in a protective shield.

    Startled, Nine stepped back with a wry smile.

    ''Due to his appearance, I forget he is the strongest. Not to mention the mes..''

    Nine''s eyes trailed off to the surging mes. He stared at them for a second and blinked. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ''Am I imagining or the color of the mes had really gotten darker?''

    A familiar cry snapped him out of his thoughts, Nine looked back at the battered person crawling toward him.

    Jian raised his teary eyes to stare at Nine. He opened his mouth but when he saw Kyle he clicked his mouth shut.

    ''What am I doing? He is a kid how can I ask him to help!''

    Instantly, he jumped to his feet and approached Bia, his only hope.

    "Bia! I need helpe with me!"

    The phoenix stared at him for a second before gazing at Kyle.

    With a sigh, Kyle gave her a quick nod.

    -''Stay safe.''

    Bia spread her wings and followed behind Jian who jumped in the battle with joy.

    After Bia''s towering figure left, an injured winged man attacked Kyle and Nine with a loud cry.

    Nine kicked the man away smoothly before stepping toward Kyle.

    "Can you use any other skill except your mes?"

    At Kyle''s silence, Nine knew he couldn''t. With a frown, he stopped another attack aimed at them from behind.

    "Should I stay with you?"

    "No need. Go fight with the others."

    Kyle gazed at the battlefield around him and the mes around his body became violent.

    ''As long as I avoid directbat I believe I can help.''

    He sucked in a breath and left Nine side. A few eyes traveled in his direction but because of the chilling mes not many dared to approach him and the ones who did were reduced to glistening ice sculptures.

    Kyle''s eyes scanned the surroundings as he cautiously climbed the highest boulder around him to oversee the situation better.

    The hair on his back stood up when a winged man attacked him from behind. With a decisive move, he jumped forward before the attack couldnd on him.

    Kyle''s bodynded on the ground as he rolled off and stared at the person who attacked him. A trail of blood oozed out from his palm due to the sudden movement.

    He clicked his tongue.

    "I can use the mes but my body is too weak to sustain deep injuries. What a realistic punishment."

    The atmosphere was heavy with various metallic sounds ringing in the air. Kyle rubbed his palm with his thumb and gazed at the man charging toward him with a cold expression.

    The wings behind the man fluttered frantically as he extended his hand but before his nails could reach Kyle, blue mes materialized around him. The mes took the shape of spears and stabbed him from all directions.

    A painful cry rang out and within a few seconds, the man turned into another ice sculpture that vanished into thin air.

    Kyle grabbed his knees and dragged his body to stand up properly. He wanted to attack another dark race individual fighting with an elf beside him when a familiar voice echoed behind him.

    "Are you alright?"

    "Huh?"

    He lifted his gaze to stare back at the pair of amber eyes looking at him with worry. Kyle blinked in surprise. Unlike their previous encounter, Yue appeared disheveled. Her hair cascaded down her back and shoulders, untied. A frown creased his forehead when he sensed the aura around her.

    ''What happened now? Bia did say she can absorb the aura from treasures but is it really safe for her body?''

    He wanted to ask, but then he held back. First, it wasn''t his ce to pry, and second, they weren''t exactly close enough to share secrets like that.

    Amidst all this, he failed to notice the hesitation in Yue''s steps when she saw his knitted brows.

    ''Is he ufortable?''

    Different from Yue who stopped a few steps away from him, Sia immediately made her way toward Kyle with a bright and curious smile.

    "Kyle, how did you turn into a kid? Can you tell me I want to reduce my age as well-!"

    Her sentence was cut short because someone attacked her from the left. With a curse, she spun her spear and stabbed it toward her enemy.

    Yue hurriedly formed a few spells to help Sia. Countlessva snakes rose around her body and the moment she raised her fingers, the snakes shot out toward her enemy.

    Kyle gazed at her figure for a second but then started walking in the opposite direction. He used his mes to help the ones in need while carefully avoiding all direct contact with the others.

    Even though the battle was quite intense and bloody, he could see it. The battle was in their favor especially due to Alec, Carcel, Bia, and Jian.

    Kyle let out a chuckle. Jian would always run off at the first sign of danger, but surprisingly, he was the one taking down the most enemies.

    Suddenly, he raised his head when a loud battle cry reverberated in the distance.

    Kyle raised his brow when he saw a familiar figure flying in the sky. It''s been a while since he saw the winged demi-human. Sinon dived down with a lightning-fast speed and rolled on the ground to join the battle.

    Kyle mused softly.

    "It''s like he''s befortable with heights. Thest time I remember, he was scared to even use his wings."

    Soon, just like the dark race many outsiders arrived to join the battle. A few familiar faces also appeared, and Kyle was surprised when he saw Regius with two beautiful demi-human girls.

    Regius was practically glowing with smiles as he entered the battle and fought against the enemies.

    The battle raged on for an entire day, and with every passing minute, more and more outsiders joined the fight against the dark race. In the end, the remaining dark race people wanted to flee, but for some reason Alec gathered many people to surround them from all directions.

    He didn''t stop until he had taken down everyst person from the dark race. But even after the battle was over, Alec and the others knew that a few dark race people might still be alive.

    Afterward, everyone erupted in joy and raised their weapons high in the sky to celebrate their hard-earned victory.

    Countless faint murmurs echoed in the air as everyone gathered together to discuss what they should do next.

    Regardless of the buzzing atmosphere, Alec and Carcel both raised their weapons to attract everyone''s attention.

    The crowd went silent but a few people were still talking as everyone stared at the two men standing opposite them.

    Alec cleared his throat but before he could speak Bia huge figurended beside him. Almost everyone went quiet when they saw the majestic phoenix.

    Alec gazed at Bia and blinked. He followed her eyes, only to see Kyle''s tiny figure standing at the end of the crowd.

    Kyle raised his hand and waved at him. With a smile, Alec raised his voice and delivered a quick speech.

    First, he expressed how happy he was to see everyone fight together regardless of their race. He did not go into much detail and closed off his speech with a few more lines.

    "I believe the strong enemies had been killed. Now all of you can venture around and enter the treasure inds to fight for treasures. Still, to make sure no more deaths ur please stay together with your friends. However, the ones who think they are capable of protecting themselves are wee to roam around alone."

    After Alec was done, slowly the crowd scattered in different directions. There were a few people who made teams but many left alone.

    He sighed. Still, the danger lurking around them was gone. So, he believed at least no one would die under the dark race now.

    Alec and Carcel went toward Kyle. Just like the duo, all of Kyle''s friends approached him. After all, they could not just leave him to fend for himself in his current condition.

    Kyle let out a sigh and hurriedly told them he was fine. He just needed to find a cure that was present inside a treasure ind.

    Yet, his words backfired and Jian and Nine immediately urged to go together. Nine was very displeased when he saw Seraphine lurking around Kyle but he could do nothing but tolerate her presence.

    Kyle groaned when he saw so many people surrounding him from all directions. The voices grew louder and louder as they insisted on following him until he found the cure.

    In the end, he grabbed his ears with a fed-up expression.

    "Okay! Just stop speaking already!"

 Chapter 322 Odiak aura

    Chapter 322 Odiak aura

    There was silence as everyone stared at Kyle who was looking at them with a tired expression. It would be a lie, if Kyle said he did not like their enthusiasm for helping him but taking so many people with him was impossible.

    Moreover, if they all entered the treasure ind together with him, the difficulty would increase tenfold.

    Kyle ruffled his hair and the smile on his face was borderline evil but for some unknown reason, the girls around him were looking at him with twinkling eyes.

    Mia''s eyes trailed off to his injured palm and without even thinking twice she took out a healing potion from her storage ring.

    Kyle flinched when she sat down beside him so easily. Goosebumps red up on his neck the moment she tried to grab his hand. With a sudden movement, he moved away.

    "What?"

    Elli and Sia giggled at his reaction and just like Mia they also stepped closer to him. The two demi-human girls with Regius gazed at each other and also followed behind. Not because of Kyle but because of the majestic phoenix sitting behind him.

    Sia nced at him from head to toe, the kid version of Kyle was actually quite cute.

    "She is trying to pour the potion on your injury."

    Kyle opened his mouth with an ''Oh'' and obediently held out his palm, blissfully unaware of the people who were staring daggers at him.

    Nine let out a dark chuckle and hurriedly dragged Elli back.

    "Dear, It''s not good for men and women to sit so closely."

    Elli blinked at hisment.

    "But he is just a kid now?"

    Carcel gave the couple a strange look, wondering if he should do the same or not. However, his usual expression made it impossible for him to show his dissatisfaction on his face.

    After Mia was done, Kyle stood up and cleared his throat.

    "Guys, I think having too many people will make things more difficult. Also, I am not alone. Bia and Haylee both are going with me."

    "So, don''t worry I will be fine. "

    A few people were puzzled about who this Haylee was. That''s why he had to tell them about the winged boar who is supposedly the strongest in the realm. Still, he carefully omitted the fact that Haylee could not help him much.

    With so many people gathered together, they had to introduce themselves to know about each other.

    Kyle quietly watched as they became familiar with each other. His eyes stopped on Jian, who seemed noticeably tense amidst the lively atmosphere.

    ''What happened to him? He is usually the most cheerful one.''

    ''Wait... where is Kelvin?''

    However, he was soon distracted by Yue. It had been a while since she had approached him, and now she was standing with Regius, engaged in a lively conversation.

    ''Hmm.''

    He watched her for a minute, and couldn''t help but wonder, why hasn''t she approached him?

    ''At least the violent aura around her body is gone now.''

    He looked away and gazed at Bia. The phoenix had long left his side. Now, she was sitting on Mia''sp with a sleepy and content expression.

    Amidst everyone, only Sen looked ufortable. He gazed at the people around him, they were all strong. A lot stronger than him.

    ''Tsk, all rich people are gathered together. Just what the hell am I doing here?''

    He hurriedly went up to Lucus to discuss whether they should leave. Since they weren''t part of Kyle''s friend group. Also, he had this strange feeling that it might be better for him to stay away from Kyle. But before he could approach Lucus, someone grabbed his shoulder with a polite smile.

    Sinon unfurled his wings behind his back and smacked his back.

    "Hey buddy, what''s your name? How did you and Kyle be friends?"

    Sen''s expression stiffened. The strength of Sinon''s smack was enough to shake his inner organs. He hurriedly grabbed the hand dangerously edging closer to his back and a forced smile appeared on his face.

    "I do know him but not much."

    He wanted to run away when he spotted Lucus nearby but the demi-human was just too persistent. In the end, the duo entered into a conversation. That looked totally awkward from a distance.

    Above in the sky, Haylee watched the calm and lively atmosphere, and a smile spread across his face. How long has it been since he saw so many people chatting with each other so casually? It''s been a long time indeed.

    He couldn''t help but look at Kyle. The human had a good circle of friends, and it was clear from their expressions that they genuinely cared about him. They weren''t greedy or selfish like some people.

    ''This group of kids. I feel like they are going to achieve a lot in the future. Especially..''

    His crescent eyes stopped on Kyle. The silver-haired human but then he was distracted by the blue-haired human standing at a distance.

    Haylee ears perked up when he sensed a faint but familiar aura around him. His eyes widened instantly.

    ''Why the hell does he have Odiak aura in his body!?''

    He could barely hold himself back from leaping at the blue-haired human to get the answer to his question. With an agitated expression, Haylee paced around the sky, eagerly watching as the crowd started leaving one by one. After all, Kyle made it clear that he would go alone with Bia.

    The moment the blue-haired youth left Haylee immediately followed behind him, forgetting the fact that he had to tell Kyle about the location of the treasure ind.

    At the same time, Kyle said goodbye to those who were leaving. He raised his eye when Seraphine approached him with a smile.

    It was unbelievable but she was really Nine''s sister because the moment she saw Nine, she immediately grabbed his arm and insisted on going together with him.

    Contrary to Seraphine''s happy expression, Nine brows were knitted together as he peeled her fingers from his arm one by one.

    "Seraphine, you are not a kid and now with the dark race gone, I believe you can take care of yourself."

    Kyle watched nkly as tears welled up inside Seraphine''s eyes within a second. Also, her grip on Nine''s arm tightened.

    "Brother, how can you leave me alone? What if something happened to me?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    She then gazed at Kyle and the tears in her eyes dropped to her cheeks.

    "Kyle, he is leaving me! Can you take me with you? I swear I won''t be a burden!"

    Nine waspletely shocked. He opened his mouth but then closed it again. What the heck just happened!? His sister, who had never shed a tear before, was crying like a damsel in distress.

    Fortunately, before he could make matters worse with a curt reply, Lucus stepped in and gazed at Seraphine.

    "Why are saying? I believe we need to stay together. So,e with me and Sen."

    Anger shed through Seraphine''s eyes when she gazed at her old teammates.

    ''What the hell! Can they not understand that I want to go with Kyle!''

    However, to her dismay, Kyle immediately agreed with Lucus. Afterward, he hurriedly ran off in the opposite direction to avoid any further drama.

    Kyle called Bia and she transformed into her phoenix form beforending beside him.

    He grabbed her feathers to climb on her back when a familiar voice sounded behind him.

    Kyle nced back, but to his surprise, Yue stopped a few meters away from him. He released Bia feathers with a soft expression.

    "Wait for a while."

    With a mischievous sparkle in her eyes, the phoenix raised an eyebrow as Kyle approached Yue. It seems he did not notice how he would hear Yue no matter when she called him.

    -''Well, Yue is good at cooking. Also, she is warm, unlike a cold ice cube. So, I guess I''ll give her my approval.''

    Bia watched with utmost focus as Yue opened her mouth but the beautiful moment was shattered when Sia stepped between them.

    -''Damn! What a timing! I don''t like fox from now on. Wait.. maybe they taste good?''

    The tail behind the fox girl swirled left and right when she grabbed her knees to look at Kyle directly.

    "Kyle, is the illusion on your body dangerous? If it''s not I want to reduce my age as well!"

    Kyle let out a sigh. Why was this girl so obsessed with age? She clearly looked under her twenties. Suddenly, he gazed at her from head to toe.

    ''Maybe she is older but how much?''

    "How old are you?"

    Sia blinked at his question and let out a smile.

    "You should not ask girls about their age."

    Kyle gave her a quick nod and stepped away to look at Yue.

    "The illusion is dangerous. So, don''t try anything. Or else it can harm you."

    The ears on Sia''s head dropped in dejection. She gazed at Kyle but the expression on his face was too cold. That''s why she left him alone.

    "What''s he so angry about? I just asked a simple question!"

    Unbeknownst to her, Kyle was not angry. He just felt frustrated because while he was talking to her, Yue left. His frown deepened as he made his way towards Bia.

    "What did she want to say?"

    He shook his head and threw the matter at the back of his head.

    ''I will ask her if I see her again.''

    Kyle climbed on Bia''s back and the phoenix soared into the sky. Bia sensed his sour mood but did not say anything. Instead, sheughed inwardly.

    -''It''s rare for him to express so much just because of a single person.''

    Bia circled the sky as the duo waited for a certain boar to show up. However, even after an hour, Haylee was nowhere to be seen.

    Kyle''s frustration increased and a curse slipped out from his mouth.

    "Where the hell did he go?"

 Chapter 323 Ask him, ’Who is Odiak’

    <h4>Chapter 323 Ask him, ''Who is Odiak'' </h4>

    ?Meanwhile, far away from Kyle''s location. Haylee''s eyes followed the blue-haired human running below him. The human was not alone, three more humans were following him but they split up after an hour.

    After observing them for a while, Haylee found out that the blue-haired human name was Alec. The other three individuals with him were called Carcel, Lara, and Mia.

    When the trio left Alec and went their separate ways, Haylee wondered if he should reveal himself in front of him.

    After thinking for a minute, he changed back into a white fur ball. The ball sped up behind Alec before circling his body.

    Alec froze in his spot for a second before he distanced himself from the strange ball floating around him.

    "What is this thing-!"

    He stopped abruptly when the ball started speaking to him.

    "Is your name Alec?"

    Alec''s eyes widened with shock. It took him a few seconds to digest the fact that the ball was speaking! Also, to make matters even stranger the ball knew his name! Instantly, his first course of action was to use the system appraisal skill on the fur ball.

    ______________________

    System Analysis:

    ''Name: Haylee''

    ''Bonded beast''

    ''Age: 2679''

    ''Rank: SSS''

    ''Talent: (SSS)-Rank''

    ''???''

    -Error!

    Trying to find the cause! Loading...

    -Error!

    No more information provided.

    _________________________

    "Haylee?"

    Alec mumbled under his breath. The name was quite familiar. He thought for a few seconds and suddenly Kyle''sst words appeared in his mind.

    "Wait, are you the same Haylee who was supposed to help Kyle? What are you doing here!?"

    The ball froze mid-air seemingly processing Alec''s words. Then suddenly a bright light shed in front of Alec, forcing him to close his eyes for a second.

    Haylee immediately changed back into his original form. Hisrge wings fluttered behind his back as hended in front of Alec who stared at him with bated breath.

    The boar cleared his throat clearly reluctant to admit the fact that he forgot about Kyle after sensing Odiak''s aura in Alec''s body.

    Alec snapped out of his trance and let out a wry smile.

    "So, you are Haylee... Indeed Kyle doesn''t need help with you around."

    The boar nodded in agreement. However, he was not here to talk about himself. That''s why he immediately focused on the question he wanted to ask the human.

    "Alec, I sensed a faint aura inside your body. It belonged to someone I know. Can you tell me if you had an encounter with someone strong in the outside world? Maybe an old dwarf..?"

    Alec thought for a few seconds and shook his head. All the strong people he knew were humans.

    Haylee let out a sigh and eyed him from all directions. If only he could peer inside his body to check where the aura wasing from. However, it was impossible. He could only sense it, not see it.

    "Hmm, I guess it''s just a coincidence and you don''t know anything."

    With a shake of his head, the boar opened his wings, ready to fly away but suddenly Alec stopped him.

    "Wait!"

    Haylee gazed at the human and let out a sigh.

    "If you want to ask for help in finding treasures. Then I must apologize I am not allowed to."

    Alec was surprised and a little perplexed.

    ''Can he only help Kyle?''

    He threw the matter at the back of his head with a sour expression. It was better to not think about it. Or else he would feel unfair.

    "No, I am not asking for help. I just want to know about something..."

    Alec passed for a few seconds and gazed at the failed missions that had been filling the system interference after he entered the secret realm.

    ____________

    ''Mission; xX''

    Find the ''Divine essence'' stored in thest treasure ind.

    Treasure ind location: In the north, underneath a mountain.

    Reward:

    1�� divine essence

    Penalty:

    -None

    -Failed

    _____________

    _____________

    ''Mission; xX''

    Find the ''Resonite Gem'' stored in the ''012'' treasure ind.

    Treasure ind location: In the west.

    Reward:

    1�� (S)-Rank skill

    Knowledge

    Penalty:

    -sub rank,

    -Knowledge,

    -??

    -Failed

    ____________

    ____________

    ''Mission; xX''

    Find the ''Enchanted hot spring''.

    Location: In the west.

    Reward:

    ��1 (S)-Rank healing skill,

    +3 sub rank.

    Penalty:

    -None

    -Failed

    ____________

    Alec massaged his temples with a groan.

    He somewhat knew the locations of the missions, but witnessing the cruelty of the dark race made him angry. That''s why he couldn''tplete the missions on time. Or, to be more specific, someone else had already taken the treasures before him.

    And, for some reason, he had this nagging feeling in the back of his head that all this was done by a single person.

    At first, he thought maybe... maybe it was Kyle. However, he crossed Kyle''s name because when the mission about the hot spring failed he met Kyle almost instantly.

    Also, they were both in the dark race territory. Kyle couldn''t possibly stumble upon the hot spring immediately after he fought an intense battle with Emion. Or could he...?

    ''The divine essence and resonite gem are okay.. but what the heck did the person do with the hot spring? Don''t tell me he drank the water or just destroyed itpletely after using it?''

    ''I swear I am going to rough up the person who is ying with my emotions!''

    He did not even realize his conflicted emotions were showing up on his face. The boar gazed at him with narrowed eyes when he showed a dark expression.

    "What happened?"

    Alec shook his head and immediately changed his expression into a smile.

    "Nothing... I just want to know what is a resonite gem and divine essence."

    "Huh?"

    Haylee stared at him for a few seconds, dumbfounded. He blinked, thinking maybe he heard wrong but Alec was clearly asking about the divine essence and the resonite gem that even he knew nothing about!

    He only found out about the resonite gem due to Kyle!

    The boar opened his mouth but closed it again. First, he sucked in a deep breath to calm down and then stared at Alec with a deadly serious expression.

    "How do you know about them?"

    Alec opened his mouth to lie. After all, he could not possibly reveal the system''s presence, but before he could speak, a strange notification shed in front of his eyes.

    He stared at the screen in front of his eyes with shock.

    ____________

    Ask him, ''Who is Odiak''.

    _____________

    It was the first time the system sent such a notification to him! After all, the system only ever asked him toplete missions and gave him rewards!

    Alec gulped down his nervousness and repeated the words.

    "Who is Odiak?"

    Haylee''s jaw hung open as he stared at the human in front of him. In the end, he could only blurt out a single word.

    "How...?"

 Chapter 324 If I am really the one

    <h4>Chapter 324 If I am really the one </h4>

    ?It took Haylee a whole minute to digest Alec''s words. He gazed at the human from head to toe again and again. At first, Kyle''s presence itself was an anomaly for him, and now Alec as well.

    "How the hell do you know about Odiak?"

    Alec jolted when Haylee''s sharp eyes narrowed at him.

    "I .."

    He opened his mouth but was at a loss for how to exin himself. His eyes shed with conflicted emotions as he looked back and forth between the glowing screen and Haylee''s face.

    Inside his mind, Alec cursed at the system, but it remained eerily silent. However, fortunately, before he could have a mental breakdown under Haylee''s sharp eyes. The system screen shed again.

    Alec''s eyes widened when the system asked him to tell the boar about its presence.

    Opposite him, Haylee''s eyes shed with skepticism as he observed Alec''s strange behavior. For some reason, the human was just staring into the air.

    Alec sucked in a deep breath and spilled everything. He began by recounting the time when he first received the system and how it started assigning him missions.

    He didn''t go into many details, but while he was talking, Haylee fell silent. The boar listened attentively from start to finish.

    Once Alec finished, Haylee let out a big sigh. He moved his paw and massaged his head. From Alec''s exnation, he immediately understood the origin of Odiak aura within the human body.

    It was Soul, the first andst divine artifact constructed by Odiak.

    ''So, from the start Odiak consciousness chose Alec?''

    Haylee''s mind wandered as he processed the information. He knew that Odiak had left a part of his consciousness behind, but he never expected the dwarf to also leave behind the divine artifact. After all, divine artifacts, just as their name suggests, are incredibly precious and rare. Not many have the ability to create them.

    Suddenly, Haylee thought about the time he told Kyle about James and Odiak, and a dry smile appeared on his face.

    ''Seems like I made a mistake. It was Alec who was supposed to know that knowledge, not Kyle.''

    Haylee gazed at Alec and tapped the ce beside himself.

    "Let''s sit, we have a lot to talk about."

    Alec gingerly sat down beside Haylee as the boar repeated the same things he had told Kyle. However, unlike Kyle, Alec asked a lot of questions, and Haylee had to painfully admit that exining to Kyle was much easier than to Alec.

    In the end, the boar first told Alec about the ranks above (SSS+)-Rank. Unbeknownst to him, Alec''s expression grew paler as he heard Haylee''s exnation.

    Once Haylee finished, Alec asked some of the same questions as Kyle. First, he asked if the was safe now or if Odiak and James had perished out there.

    Unfortunately, Haylee could only shake his head in response. He knew nothing about what had happened in the outside world.

    However, Alec''s final question left Haylee speechless.

    "Can you tell me who took the divine essence? I believe if the system is asking me to get it, it''s important for my growth."

    The corner of Alec''s lips trickled upward into and barely visible evil smile. Finally, he could know about the culprit who imed the rewards of all his missions. But his smile stiffened when he heard a familiar name from the boar''s mouth.

    Alec wiped his imaginary tears and hurriedly tossed his grief at the back of his head. Forget about revenge, with his current strength he could not even fight an equal battle with Kyle!

    "I remember Kyle was flying before he turned into a kid.. What''s his rank? I know it''s higher than (S-)-Rank but how much?"

    Alec paused for a second.

    "Also, for some reason, the system''s appraisal skill didn''t work on Kyle."

    Haylee blinked, seemingly thinking about Kyle''s rank.

    "I sensed his rank while he was fighting with Emion, and it''s still (S-)-Rank. It''s strange with the amount of treasures he is consuming he should have broken through to the next rank but for some reason, his body needs double the amount of what is needed by an ordinary person."

    Alec nodded.

    "I can not believe Kyle consumed the divine essence and a whole enchanted hot spring and he is still in (S-)-Rank."

    Haylee let out a chuckle.

    "Consuming the divine essence is not an easy task. I believe there is something special within his body."

    Alec''s eyes narrowed in contemtion. He remembered when he discovered Kyle''s talent in the tower, but now he wasn''t so sure. If Kyle could consume the divine essence, did that mean his talent was even greater than Alec had imagined?

    ''Ah... what am I thinking? Does talent even matter now? I believe I have more important things to focus on.''

    He gazed at the clear sky. The weight on his shoulder increased. At first, he wanted to save the innocent people from the destruction he witnessed through the system but now what? With the new knowledge Haylee shared, he realized things were not as simple as they seemed.

    If Odiak and James were truly sessful in defeating the Shadow General then why haven''t they returned? And why would the system choose him if the is already safe?

    While Alec was lost in his thoughts, Haylee spread out his wings with a faint smile.

    "I''lle see youter. I should go check on Kyle. Maybe he''s cursing me right now?"

    Alec watched as Haylee soared into the sky and disappeared from his sight. With a sigh, Alec gazed at the sword hanging on his waist.

    He clutched it tightly with a sigh.

    "I wonder if I am really the one...? Everything is so confusing."

    He shook his head and jumped on his feet. With ast nce at the system status window, Alec ran off toward the nearest treasure ind. After all, he needs to get stronger. So, much so that he could fight against the danger lurking outside the.

    A faint smile appeared on his face when he thought about his friends.

    "I believe I won''t be alone."

    But after he climbed the stairway and stood opposite the castle gate, his smile stiffened.

    Alec''s eyes twitched as he scanned the castle gate, where a prominent and unmistakable warning was disyed.

    "Caution; Don''t enter the little phoenix took everything."

 Chapter 325 At least I loved my bed

    <h4>Chapter 325 At least I loved my bed </h4>

    ?Haylee''s gaze wandered off to the majestic phoenix flying across the sky, specifically eyeing the dark-faced human sitting on Bia''s back.

    With a hesitant sigh, he transformed into a white fur ball, floating around to catch the phoenix''s attention.

    Bia''s eyes lit up the moment she saw the light.

    -''Finally, he is here!''

    K heard her voice and gave the ball a dangerous look. The ball flinched but settled on his shoulder.

    Haylee let out an awkward chuckle.

    "Actually I...?"

    But before he could finish his exnation, Kyle ignored him with a nk expression.

    "Just tell me, where is the treasure ind that we are searching for."

    Haylee blinked and gazed at Bia.

    ''What happened to him?''

    Bia''s wings fluttered gracefully as sheughed inwardly.

    -''Ignore him, he''s been like that for a while now.''

    Haylee hummed softly, guiding the duo as they soared further toward the east.

    The wind rushed through Kyle''s hair and after what felt like an eternity, the phoenix finally came to a stop above a towering mountain. Bia dived down and lowered her body on the mountain''s surface.

    Instantly, Kyle left her back and surveyed the scene before him. He narrowed his eyes at the two simr-looking castles floating around the mountain before looking at Haylee.

    "Which one?"

    "Strange, I remember there was only one."

    Haylee muttered, furrowing his brow in confusion.

    "Wait, let me go check which one we need to enter."

    Kyle gave him a quick nod and the ball vanished into one of the castles. But to his surprise, the ball emerged after just a few seconds. Haylee blinked and after floating mid-air for a while, he entered the second castle.

    Bia transformed back into her small form andnded on Kyle''s head. Kyle staggered a little due to her weight but managed to maintain his bnce.

    With a mischievous glint in her eye, Bia ruffled his hair with her paws, creating a big mess before settlingfortably on top of his head.

    An angry vein bulged on Kyle''s forehead as he raised his hand to swat the bird away. However, his attention was quickly diverted by Haylee, who had been going in and out of the two castles.

    "What is he doing?"

    -''I wonder as well.''

    The duo watched Haylee and after two long minutes, the boar transformed back into his original form. He gazed at Kyle with aplicated expression.

    Kyle stepped forward but due to the weight on his head, he almost tripped on his feet.

    ''When did you be so heavy?''

    With a re, he hurriedly grabbed Bia and tossed her back before walking toward the boar.

    "What happened?"

    Hayley''s eyes shed with a serious expression.

    "I checked both the castles, and they both have the same number ''965''."

    Kyle raised his brow with an ''Oh''. He gazed at the castles.

    "What about the cure? Do they both have it."

    Haylee shook his head.

    "I wasn''t able to check any chamber, let alone the treasure chamber, so I don''t know if the cure is there."

    With a frown, Kyle waved his hand at Bia.

    "Let''s just enter. It''s not like we have any other option."

    Bia circled Kyle''s head as he approached the nearest castle. As if in response to his presence, a stairway emerged from the castle.

    Kyle ascended the stairway and pushed open the gate. As he stepped inside, a familiar darkness blurred his vision.

    He thought he would feel nothing, just like before but the moment the darkness engulfed his body, his head buzzed with a loud ringing sound, enough to make him grit his teeth.

    In response to the overwhelming sensation, Kyle instinctively grabbed his ears. As soon as his feet touched a solid surface, he couldn''t hold back any longer and threw out all the contents of his stomach. His expression turned pale, as he wiped his mouth.

    "Damn it..."

    After a few seconds, Kyle looked up at the empty and dark corridor stretching out before him.

    "Bia?"

    His voice echoed in all directions, as he cautiously stepped onto the carpeted floor, searching for the boundary of the treasure ind.

    A familiar panicked voice rang inside his head.

    -''Where the hell are you? Me and Haylee got thrown out the moment we entered the gate!''

    Kyle''s expression fell as he looked around himself. The corridor was eerily quiet, with only the sound of his footsteps reverberating through the silence.

    "Fuck, don''t tell me I have toplete the trial alone?"

    He cursed under his breath for a whole minute before taking a deep breath to calm himself down. He hurriedly silenced the voice ringing in his head.

    ''I am fine. Just stay quiet until I am out.''

    Kyle''s eyes wandered on the space around him as he walked in the corridor. Amidst the dark space, a bright spark shed beneath his feet.

    He snapped his eyes down and watched as the spark stretched out like a snake, disappearing into the distance.

    Kyle kept his eyes on the light as he followed behind it. However, the more he walked, the corridor seemed to extend endlessly, as if there was no end in sight.

    After two long hours, Kyle''s legs wobbled as he tried to maintain his bnce. Now, his little body was not enhanced with mana. So, the fact that he had managed to walk for so long was already a miracle for him.

    "I wonder how I survived all those years when I was a kid?"

    He gasped for breath and held his knees with a sweaty forehead as he recalled the time when he was five years old.

    "Wow, I was just a small unruly kid who, for some reason, hated work, study, and almost everything rted to exertion. Well, at least I loved my bed."

    His voice echoed in the corridor before his own voice whispered in his ear.

    "Damn it! Where is my favorite pillow!?"

    "What!?"

    Kyle''s eyes widened with astonishment as the spark beneath his feet gathered, conjuring an old yet unfamiliar image before him. He blinked, watching a silver-haired boy throwing a tantrum over a pillow in an ordinary room.

    "No way! I never did that!"

    Kyle gasped, shouting in disbelief. If the light was going to show him illusions, they should at least be realistic. He may have been unruly, but throwing tantrums was not his thing!

    Suddenly, the silver-haired figure in the image tilted his head, looking at Kyle with a confused expression.

    "But you said you like beds?"

    Kyle''s eyes widened as he opened his mouth, but then quickly closed it.

    ''What the hell? Why am I arguing with something that can potentially harm me?''

 Chapter 326 Have a try boy

    <h4>Chapter 326 Have a try boy</h4>

    ?Kyle''s hand became sweaty as he took a step back, fully intending to run away in the direction he came from.

    As if the figure in the image noticed Kyle''s movement, it blinked, and in the next second, the image vanished into thin air, reced by arge crystal-scaled chameleon.

    The chameleon''srge and slender body slithered around Kyle who staggered on his feet and dropped to his butt.

    Kyle''s eyes met the chameleon''srge, blue, beady eyes mid-air, and he let out a startled hup. He quickly closed his mouth, preparing to use the blue mes, his only weapon at the moment. Another option was to gather all his strength and leap over the lizard-like creature and empty his mind space onto its head. However, before he could make a move, the chameleon''s curled tail gently wrapped around his body.

    The blue eyes shed with confusion as they peered at Kyle from head to toe again and again.

    "Wait, what am I supposed to do? It''s been so long.. my memory is too blurry. Who are you, kid?"

    Kyle let out another hup and removed his hand to suck in a harsh breath. His eyes traveled at the scaly tail wrapped around his body.

    "First.. let me go!"

    He just blurted out whatever came to mind, but to his surprise, the lizard-like creature actually let him go.

    Kyle''s feet touched the carpeted floor, and a wave of relief washed over his body. It took him a moment toprehend the situation, but when he did, the previous panic vanished from his eyes, reced by a delighted glint.

    The lizard-like creature continued to gaze at him, seemingly perplexed, when Kyle let out a pained sigh. He looked away and spoke in a voice that the lizard could hear clearly.

    "I''m lost. I mean, my parents would be so worried about me and I am stuck in this never-ending corridor..."

    The chameleon''s crystal clear body shed with sparks as he lowered his head to listen to Kyle more clearly, his ears perking up with interest.

    He blinked and a distant memory appeared in his head that he was not supposed to do this. But how long had been since hest heard another person''s voice? One thousand years? Or two? He couldn''t remember.

    Kyle wiped his dry eyes with his big sleeves. He couldn''t help but wonder why was he so good at acting.

    After staring down the corridor for a few seconds, he turned his gaze towards the lizard and asked a hesitant question.

    "So, uh... what about you?"

    The chameleon''s blue eyes shed with a little confusion, but he was more than willing to talk with someone after so long.

    "I am a bonded beast but I don''t remember who my master is. You can call me Ris."

    Kyle raised his eyebrow with an ''Oh''. He really wanted to ask if his master was Odiak or James, but some things were best left unsaid.

    ''I should find the cure first. Once I am out, Haylee can take care of this lizard.''

    "Ris? Do you know the exit of this ce? Or maybe the location of a strange white room filled with..."

    The chameleon eyed the corridor and let out a sigh.

    "I don''t. I was sleeping, and you woke me up. How about we find it together?"

    Kyle jumped on his feet and gave him a quick nod. Ris body shed inside the corridor but only after a few seconds, he stopped and look back at Kyle.

    The kid was standing at the same spot.

    "Hey, follow me."

    Kyle blinked with an innocent expression.

    "After walking for two hours, I am tired."

    Ris went back toward him and circled his body with a pondering expression.

    "Do you want to climb on my shoulder?"

    Kyle''s lips trickle upward into a smile. Ris lowered his body and he grabbed his scales to climb up.

    Ris started moving in the corridor, and Kyle let out an evilugh in his head. All his previous frustration evaporated into thin air.

    ''This journey is gonna be the smoothest one ever.''

    Bia, who heard hisugh, shuddered.

    -''What the heck are you doing inside? Don''t tell me you finally went crazy after the shock?''

    Kyle hummed sweetly in reply, not even caring about the fact that due to his words, the duo outside panicked. Fortunately, Bia could sense his emotions faintly, or else she would have tried to st the castle gate with everything she had.

    Ris sensed his smile and frowned. He had this nagging feeling at the back of his head that he was supposed to punish or test the kid for some reason, but no matter how much he searched his mind, he couldn''t piece together what he was supposed to do.

    In the end, he tossed the matter at the back of his head as they traveled in the endless corridor.

    As they wandered around the corridor, Ris suddenly stopped. Kyle''s eyes traveled down to the lizard beneath him.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Ris blinked and slowly started climbing the nearby wall.

    "I think I know how we can leave the corridor."

    "Oh."

    Kyle didn''t dare to say more, afraid that the lizard might remember everything and discard him like a piece of clothing. He shook his head not even daring to think about the worst.

    After circling the wall for ten long minutes, Ris let out a victorious chuckle. he leaped down from the wall and touched a dark spot with his paw.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed when he noticed a faint movement in the air.

    ''An Array?''

    In the next second, a slight tremor shook the corridor, and then the air in front of them twisted, forming a bright portal.

    Ris looked at the portal, his eyes shing with some memories. He hummed, trying to piece everything together.

    While he was thinking, Kyle quickly jumped off his shoulder and entered the portal without even sparing him a nce.

    Ris blinked and gazed at Kyle''s fading back. Suddenly, his eyes widened because he finally remembered what he was supposed to do!

    "Wait!"

    With a sharp and loud cry, he jumped into the portal behind Kyle, but unfortunately, it was toote.

    The chameleon''s eyes narrowed into slits as he appeared in a white room. The room was empty, except for an old table in the center.

    The same silver-haired kid was standing beside the table, looking back with a smirk. In his hand, he held a little ss bottle that he tossed in the air.

    Kyle ced his other hand on his chest with crescent eyes.

    "Thank you."

    Ris'' eyes turned red with anger.

    "You bastard! How dare you take advantage of my weak memory!"

    He let out augh and narrowed his eyes dangerously at Kyle.

    "You think you can leave this ce?"

    Kyle blinked and unsped the bottle with his fingers. Instantly he gulped down the contents without even thinking twice.

    Ris leaped at him with stunned eyes, but he froze when a bright light shed around Kyle''s body.

    After the light vanished, Kyle felt refreshed. The illusion on him dissipated in an instant, and his body returned to its original shape and size.

    Kyle gazed at the stunned lizard and shed a smile. After all, he could see the exit portal from the corner of his eyes.

    "I should go now."

    Ris let out augh. Countless sparks flew out from his body to surround Kyle from all directions.

    "Have a try boy-!"

    His sentence was cut short because Kyle vanished into thin air. Ris mouth hung open and he snapped his head toward the portal when augh echoed in the air.

    Kyle waved his hand and blinked at him onest time before jumping into the portal without looking back.

 Chapter 327 The strongest generation

    <h4>Chapter 327 The strongest generation</h4>

    ?Bia''s eyelids fluttered shut as she made herselffortable opposite the castle stairway.

    Haylee''s gaze wandered around the phoenix, and he couldn''t help but let out a chuckle.

    "So, after all that worrying, now you''re going to sleep?"

    Bia opened one eye to peek at him.

    -''For some reason, after hearing his evilugh, I think he''s doing just fine.''

    Haylee blinked at her answer, but then he let out a heartyughter.

    "Even though I haven''t heard hisugh, I am having the same feeling."

    The duo basked under the warm sunlight on the mountain, enjoying the serene and calm atmosphere. However, after a few hours, the peaceful moment was abruptly shattered when the air in front of the castle twisted to form a bright portal.

    Haylee''s eyes widened slightly. He couldn''t believe it. Kyle had managed toplete the castle trail in just a few hours. How was that even possible?

    "Was the punishment trial so easy that even a five-year-old kid canplete it?"

    He mumbled under his breath, contemting that maybe it was not as hard as he thought.

    On his left, Bia burst intoughter. She spread out her wings to fly toward the portal.

    In an instant, the portal pulsed, and a familiar figure emerged, Kyle''s silver hair fluttered beautifully as he shed a faint smile.

    Haylee''s eyes met Kyle''s mid-air, and for a moment, he swore he saw a strange glint in those green eyes. But before he could process anything, Kyle kicked off his foot and vanished into thin air.

    Haylee blinked, and Bia froze in her spot as Kyle''s figure materialized behind the boar.

    The moment Kyle vanished, a loud cry rang out from the portal, and arge crystal-scaled chameleon stepped out.

    Bia''s eyes dted when she faintly sensed the lizard-like creature''s rank. She quickly pped her wings to distance herself from the portal.

    -''What the hell did you do now!?''

    Her panicked eyes wandered toward Kyle, who was hiding behind Haylee. Even the boar was stunned.

    Meanwhile, Ris''s eyes dangerously zeroed in on the silver-haired human. He let out an evilugh, an angry vein bulging out on his forehead.

    "Very well, human, you have sessfully entered my radar! How dare you take advantage of my jumbled memories? Do you think I will let you go?"

    Haylee opened his mouth, shocked.

    "Ris!?"

    "Huh?"

    The chameleon finally noticed the winged boar, and just like Haylee, his eyes widened slightly. Memories shed in his eyes as he blinked.

    Kyle nced at the duo and slowly tiptoed away from Haylee. Swiftly, he distanced himself from the boar and vanished into thin air before anyone could notice.

    ''Bia, we''re leaving. Let the old friends have their conversation.''

    The phoenix snapped out of her daze and quickly flew away in another direction.

    Unaware of the two individuals who had run off, Ris let out a surprised gasp.

    "Little Haylee? Wow, how long has it been? What are you doing here? Last I remember, you were bound to thest treasure ind."

    Haylee smiled, but one could see the irritation in his eyes.

    "I believe I am not little anymore."

    "Ah.. right."

    Ris''s body shed, emitting countless glowing sparks as he circled the boar with a hum. But then he remembered he was supposed to be following someone.

    "Wait, where is the human?"

    His eyes widened as he stared at Haylee.

    "Don''t tell me he ran off!?"

    Haylee''s lips twitched and he barely stopped them from curling up into a smile. He had a hunch about what happened. After all, he knew that Ris sometimes had issues with his brain. The boar cleared his throat andposed his expression.

    "What did he do?"

    Ris''s face darkened and his body shed around the floating castle as he sniffed the air.

    "That little prick sure knows how to put on a show. Not many have dared to break the rules in this ce. And since master closed off the realm, I haven''t had a chance to open my eyes. But I can''t believe the first thing I experience is deception!"

    He kept sniffing the air, hoping to catch a trace of Kyle''s presence. But after a few minutes, his face fell.

    "I thought it was due to the illusion that I couldn''t sense him. But why in the world am I still unable to sense him?"

    Haylee let out a weary sigh, but his crescent eyes revealed a different story altogether.

    "Leave it, you won''t be able to sense him, I can''t either. He is wearing an artifact."

    Ris blinked and gazed at the boar with a nk expression.

    "You are joking right?"

    Haylee shook his head, his ears perking up with delight. In the past, Odiak and his master would always push him to train with the Lizard. And, even though he hated to admit it, he would always end up losing whenever they had a real battle.

    Ris cried out and mmed his tail on the ground.

    "Ahhh! I was supposed to make him suffer with his darkest desire! With his worst nightmare! How could he just slip through my fingers like that?"

    His tongue darted out to lick his lips as he gazed in the distance.

    "Should I go look for him?"

    However, like a sudden ssh of cold water, Haylee''s next words left him speechless.

    "Forget about it, he''s the one who asked me that question Odiak left behind."

    Ris stared at the boar with shock and a bit of suspicion. Yet, he couldn''t detect any deceit in Haylee''s eyes. How could he? After all, Kyle really asked Haylee the question.

    With a frustrated groan, the chameleon started walking away from the mountain. The crystal scales on his body shimmered with bright sparks under the sunlight.

    "Whatever, I am just gonna go get some fresh air. It''s been a while, after all."

    Haylee chuckled and followed behind him.

    "Let''s watch the kids. There are a lot of strong individuals who have entered the realm this time."

    Soon, the duo disappeared into the distance. Once they were gone, Kyle''s body materialized in the air. He gazed at the peaceful mountain and looked towards the second castle he had yet to enter.

    Bia''s tiny figure appeared beside him. She circled him before settling on his head with a satisfied sigh.

    -''They''re gone. Why are we here again?''

    Kyle rubbed his hands together and his lip trickled upward into a faint smile.

    "Let''s explore the second castle. I have a feeling we will need another cure for the future."

    Bia clicked her tongue.

    -''You still wanna break the rules?''

    "Who said I do? I''m just taking extra precautions."

    -''Oh, so you''re doing it when the guardian''s gone.''

    Kyle ignored her words and flew toward the second castle without hesitation. Now, with the dark race gone and his body back to normal, he felt confident in plundering all the treasures from this realm.

    ...

    At the other end of the realm, Guil''s body was ruthlessly thrown into a mountain. Dust and debris filled the air as the once towering mountain copsed into a heap of shattered fragments.

    Emerging from the wreckage, the winged man let out a burst of maniacalughter that echoed through the destendscape.

    "How dare those weak outsiders kill my people! I will make them pay!"

    A far contrast to his bloodied condition, his coal-ck eyes burned with a fiery rage, capable of obliterating everything in his path.

    However, before he could take any action, an illusionary old man materialized in front of him.

    "Stop Guil, you are not supposed to meddle in the affairs of mortals."

    Guil cried out. He wed into his head with a crazed expression.

    "Haha! I am going to kill them all! No one will go back alive!"

    The illusionary old man''s face flickered withplicated emotions as he eyed the man before him.

    "You know, it''s quite ironic. Last time, when the secret realm was opened, your people ruthlessly took the lives of everyone who entered. Now, the tables have turned. So why does it make you so furious?"

    Guil''s face darkened as he spat out a mouthful of blood. He narrowed his eyes at the illusionary figure with a mocking glint.

    "How much longer can you hold on, old man?"

    The illusionary old man raised an eyebrow in response.

    "Don''t worry, it''s going to be longer than you expect. I believe I can keep you busy until they all make it out safely."

    With augh, the winged man pped his wings and zoomed towards the figure. His bloodied eyes dangerously narrowed in on the old man.

    "Are you sure? The realm exit won''t open for another two years. Yet..."

    He dragged his words and gazed at the flickering light particles surrounding the illusionary figure.

    "Your body is crumbling."

    The old man let out a scoff.

    "If myst moment arrives, I will make sure to take you with me."

    They fought for two whole days before Guil''s body was once again thrown into the distance. The old man eyed his panting figure and gazed back in the distance.

    The air was humming and with the dark race gone, the youngsters were exploring the treasure inds without much trouble.

    "Hmm, not like the old times, but this generation is indeed the strongest."

    "I believe now I don''t need to worry about them. They will explore the realm, clear the trials, and leave when it''s time."

 Chapter 328 Work for me

    <h4>Chapter 328 Work for me</h4>

    ?In a dark cave, amidst the silence, two familiar armed-sized golden moths with crimson wings stepped out from the shadows.

    The duo gazed at each other with twisted and pale expressions. It wasn''t because of anger, it was because of the amount of natural treasures they had devoured in the past few weeks.

    "Revenge for the oldest!"

    They roared together and then emerged from the cave.

    One of them sniffed the air and pointed his wing to the left with a dark expression.

    "Now we are strong! That human won''t be able to stay alive for long!"

    The other let out an evilugh.

    "After capturing the human and that little bird, we will torture them! Then we will eat them!"

    Indeed, they craved revenge, but the delicious smell of the human made their mouths water. After giving each other a final nod, they left together, blissfully unaware of the hell that awaited them.

    ....

    At the same time, Kyle hummed as he stepped out from the exit portal. His silver hair shimmered in the sunlight, and his ivory-colored hoodie looked clean and fresh.

    He gazed at the little ss bottle in his hand with a satisfied expression. After tossing the bottle into his mind space, his figure floated above the Castle as he narrowed his eyes in the distance.

    After him, Bia''s tiny figure also appeared from the portal. She looked in the same direction and let out a bored sigh.

    -''That was too easy. We didn''t have to do much to get the cure. I wonder why it was so simple. Wait... maybe that chameleon was the actual challenge inside the punishment treasure inds?''

    Kyle''s lips trickled upward into a faint smile.

    "I had my suspicions but it''s good that we managed to get it without much trouble."

    Bia circled his head and they set off towards the nearest treasure ind.

    Time flew by as the duo ventured from one treasure ind to another. They encountered many new faces and a few familiar ones along the way, but Kyle ignored them. It was better that way.

    Also, every time Kyle finished exploring a treasure ind, he made sure to leave a ''friendly'' message on the castle gates.

    Bia would get angry whenever she caught him scribbling on the gate. First, she didn''t like being called ''little'', and second, she found it ironic that he was putting all the me on her when he was the one taking everything!

    "Caution; The little phoenix took everything."

    All the people who saw Kyle''s friendly message got mad and frustrated, but in the end, there was nothing they could do except find another treasure ind.

    Among them, Jian was the most frustrated one because, for some unknown reason, he found the message the most!

    Haylee and Ris also came across one of Kyle''s friendly messages and they were left speechless. Still, Haylee chose to ignore it, while Ris, who was curious about the person behind the friendly reminder, couldn''t find out who it was.

    In the end, the duo decided to leave it alone and started following behind an interesting winged demi-human who was ying monsters stronger than his rank.

    Amidst all this, everyone in the realm was getting stronger with each passing day. It wasn''t easy though, and due to the countless challenges there were some casualties as well. Regardless, those who persevered until the end reaped the sweet rewards of their hard work.

    After two long months, Kyle was sittingfortably on a tree trunk.

    As he opened one of his eyes, he was greeted by a breathtaking sight. The surroundings were filled with towering green trees, and a mesmerizing crystal-clear stream flowing gracefully amidst the trees.

    His gaze wandered until it settled on a particr tree opposite the stream. A hint of annoyance shed in his eyes.

    "How long are you two going to follow me?"

    The bird on his head moved, deliberately trying to mess up his hair, before letting out an innocent hum.

    -''So, you finally decided to finish them?''

    A vein bulged out on Kyle''s forehead as he grabbed the bird and ced her on his chest instead. Soon, the duo got busy with their own battle. The bird wanted to sit on his head, while Kyle didn''t want her to because he had just washed his hair.

    On the other hand, the two golden moths hiding behind the tree were absolutely terrified when they heard Kyle''s voice. The duo had been following the human for a while now, but they couldn''t eveny a finger on him!

    They tried to secretly attack Kyle countless times but failed miserably. In the end, they decided to put traps around the human, but they failed again. First, the human would always fly, and second, even if he somehow started walking, he would avoid that particr spot where the trap wasid!

    They looked at each other and with a nod, they started flying away quietly. After watching the human and the supposedly little bird that turned out to be a huge phoenix, they knew that winning against the human was impossible. That''s why they were trying to set up a dangerous trap onest time, but the human knew about their location! It was dangerous! Too dangerous! Forget about revenge and the sweet scent, their lives were more precious!

    The duo froze in their tracks when a shadow fell upon them. They held onto each other tightly and looked up with wide eyes.

    A pair of bright green eyes stared back at them. Kyle''s eyes narrowed dangerously at the moths.

    "It''s been a while... No, I sensed you the moment you started following me. So, what should I do with you now?"

    He clicked his tongue when Bia''s voice echoed in his head.

    -''Hey, at least give me a heads up before disappearing into thin air!''

    Kyle extended his hand to touch one of the moths, but to his surprise, the duo immediately jumped back.

    Bia sat down on a nearby tree to watch the show. After all, she knew Kyle could handle the moths easily.

    Opposite her, the moths spread out their wings to send wind currents at Kyle but before their attack couldnd on the human, he vanished into thin air.

    Suddenly, a faint murmur echoed in the air, sending chills down their spines.

    "Ice Domain."

    The moment the words fell, an icy aura spread out in the forest, enveloping everything around the two moths.

    Kyle gazed up and held out his palm toward a floating ice particle, but instead of melting, the ice turned into a wisp of smoke upon touching his skin.

    The moths panicked and tried to fly away, but they were stopped by the long pointy icicles emerging from the ground with a loud rumble. The air cracked, andrge smoky clouds formed above their heads.

    In the next second, round ice pellets dropped from the clouds, heading straight for the panicked moths. The temperature increased so much that even Bia had to move a little further away.

    Still, before the ice could kill the moths, Kyle appeared in front of them. His gaze wandered around the frozen trees and the ground covered in icicles. Even the crystal-clear stream that once flowed gracefully amidst the trees was now frozen into ice.

    Finally, his eyes stopped on the two creatures that were half frozen, their teeth chattering as they struggled to move.

    "How are you feeling?"

    Kyle hummed, he did not use his blue mes since he had no idea how to melt things frozen by the mes. However, he found that he could easily control the ice within the ice Domain ording to his will.

    He tapped the moth''s head with his knuckles, a small smile forming on his lips.

    "I will release you, but from now on, you''ll be working for me."

    The moths'' eyes flickered with unshed tears as they struggled to voice their answers, but the icy aura around their necks made it difficult for them to speak. In the end, the duo could barely manage a nod in response.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed. He rubbed his fingers and the icy aura around the moths'' bodies scattered in the air. The moths gasped for breath as they cried out.

    "Human! How dare you! Release us! We won''t follow you anymore!"

    Kyle let out a chuckle, his tone turning dark.

    "Of course, I will, but like I said, from now on you two are going to work for me. If you can''t work for me, there''s no use in keeping you alive...."

    He dragged his sentence and his eyes turned crescent.

    "Well, the meat of two strong insects would be very delicious."

    The moths trembled under his gaze. The younger one even started crying. They reluctantly agreed to Kyle''s terms, but deep down, they were still nning their escape. But Kyle''s next words made their mind nk.

    "By the way, don''t even think about running away. I can track you with the scent perception skill."

 Chapter 329 An object

    <h4>Chapter 329 An object </h4>

    ?The moths stared at Kyle as his words rang inside their heads. The moment theyprehended Kyle''s words, they gasped together.

    "How...?"

    After all, the ''Scent perception'' skill was something they were born with. How did the human have the skill? Anger shed through the moths'' eyes when they recalled how Kyle killed their brother.

    "How dare you, human! Did you dig up our brother''s core after killing him?"

    The eldest one let out a cry and raised his trembling wing to attack Kyle but before he could, the human smacked his wing away.

    "Don''t talk so much."

    Kyle clicked his tongue and rummaged inside his mind space, but found nothing useful. In the end, he raised his finger and started scribing two symbols in the air.

    The mana in the air gently swirled around his finger before a faint light appeared. Kyle squinted his eyes, the light was so faint that he couldn''t see it clearly. But he was sure he was going in the right direction.

    Bia''s eyes narrowed at the symbols, and she let out a surprised gasp.

    -''Are you sure it''s safe? They could die if you make a mistake.''

    ''Not sure...''

    Kyle''s hand shook in the middle, and his forehead turned sweaty. But after a minute, two faint yetplete symbols shone in the air. He moved his finger, and the symbols immediately vanished into the moths'' heads.

    The moths cried out with surprise when a sharp pain stabbed their heads, but the pain vanished after a few seconds.

    Kyle let out a sigh of relief and massaged his head. When he first read the Array books he found in the tower of opportunity, he didn''t understand a single thing. But in the past two months, he picked them up again and finally discovered something useful inside. It was the ''Symbol of Torment''.

    The symbol itself was very easy, but it took him a whole month just to figure out its purpose. Still, when he did, he was thrilled. If used correctly on someone, the symbol would torment them if they ever tried to attack the one who drew it.

    Its usage was limited, though. After all, it could only be used on monsters.

    "As long as it''s working, it''s fine I guess."

    Kyle said with a chuckle and the two moths in front of him turned pale.

    The duo desperately wanted to run away, but they knew it was toote.

    As Kyle continued to intimidate the moths, Bia unfurled her wings andnded on his head. She watched as he further frightened the moths by warning them that if they ever dared to betray or disobey him, they would meet their demise due to a powerful spell he had ced on them.

    Kyle pped his hands, signifying the end of his threats.

    "Now, go find as many treasures as possible ande report to me every week."

    The duo gave him a trembling nod and attempted to p their wings, but due to their previous injuries, they couldn''t fly properly. Instantly, they dropped to the ground.

    Kyle ignored them and let out a yawn. He decided to climb a nearby tree to rest. However, Bia started protesting, saying it was too cold. Kyle blinked and looked around. It was a bit cold with everything frozen in ice, but it didn''t bother him much.

    Still, he hummed and started walking away, but suddenly one of the moths called out to him.

    "Hey, human...?"

    Kyle stopped and nced back.

    "What?"

    The moths exchanged nces before the oldest one''s eyes shed with determination.

    "If... Eek!"

    He jolted when Kyle turned around. After taking a breath, he continued speaking, though with less confidence.

    "If... you release us from the spell, I will tell you about something that''s inside your body..."

    Kyle frowned, narrowing his eyes dangerously at them.

    "Well, let''s hear it first."

    The moth''s eyes sparkled a little. He knew his words were working.

    "I know you don''t know, because even though you got the scent perception skill after killing our brother, you can''t use it on yourself. I will tell you, but remove the spell first."

    Kyle''s frown deepened.

    ''When the hell did these two idiots learn how to bargain?''

    Bia lowered her head to stare at the moths.

    -''First tell me, can you use the skill on yourself?''

    ''Ah... I cannot.''

    -''Then hear them out. They probably know something.''

    ''Don''t tell me they sense my bloodline?''

    He bent down to gaze at them directly with a hard expression.

    "I won''t remove the spell, but I promise not to harm you as long as you work for me while I am in this realm. So, speak."

    The moths became perplexed. They wanted to protest, but under Kyle''s threatening gaze, they spilled everything.

    "It''s something very bad."

    The other moth nodded in agreement.

    "Unlike the cold and pleasant scenting from your body, it doesn''t smell good."

    Kyle rubbed the artifact in his ear.

    "I know that you two can sense me, but can you sense my rank as well?"

    The duo immediately shook their heads.

    "No, no, we cannot. At first, we only smelled the sweet scenting from your body, but when we found you for the first time, we sensed something else as well. Something dark. It''s probably an object."

    Kyle blinked.

    "An object?"

    The duo''s eyes shed with something as they gazed at each other.

    "It''s very tiny, but it''s deeply rooted in your heart. You can''t remove it."

    "Yes, indeed. If you want to get rid of it, we can help you."

    Bia''s eyes shed with annoyance.

    -''What the hell are they saying?''

    ''They''re not talking about my bloodline. But... how is it possible?''

    Kyle rubbed his chest. He wasn''t sure what it could be. If it was rted to his bloodline, it should be all around inside his body, not in a specific ce. Or maybe his bloodline originated from the object?

    His mind wandered for a few seconds before he shook his head and sat down in front of the duo with a serious expression.

    "Tell me more about it. Also, what is this sweet scent you mentioned that you sensed in my body?"

    The eldest moth licked his lips as he backed away from Kyle, fearing that the human would kill him after learning they wanted to eat him.

    "The scent, it''s very pleasant and cold. Just like an extremely powerful treasure. That''s why we wanted to eat yo- eek!"

    He jumped back when Kyle mmed his hand on the ground. The human''s eyes darkened as he clenched his hand.

    "Now, tell me about the dark object. Can you sense if it''s stronger than the cold scent?"

    The moth shook his head.

    "No, it''s not. It''s very weakpared to the scent."

    Kyle gazed at the ground, deep in thought.

    ''So, does that mean it''s not connected to my bloodline?''

    After pondering for a while, he snapped his head up, almost scaring the souls out of the moths'' bodies.

    "You two. You mentioned you can remove it. How?"

    The moths'' eyes sparkled with glee upon hearing Kyle''s question. Instantly, they tried to hide their excitement, unaware that Kyle had already noticed their crescent-shaped eyes.

    "We can... If you just let us dig into your heart. We''ll take out that tiny thing... Wahhh!"

    They cried out when Kyle stood up abruptly. Bia''s body tumbled downward from his head, but she quickly unfurled her wings to fly above him.

    -''Wow, did you hear it? They want to dig into your... Should I just kill them?''

    The little phoenix snapped, ready to use her most powerful skill, but Kyle grabbed her body.

    He waved his hand at the moths with a cold expression.

    "Go, do your job. Also, remember that you will die if you dare to disobey. So make sure toe report to me every week, or else I''lle to you."

    The duo trembled and instead of flying, they crawled away in another direction.

    Kyle closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His cold expression crumbled, reced with a deep one.

    "Just how many problems does my body have?"

    Bia''s eyes traveled upward, and she flew away from his hand.

    -''Hey, don''t feel down. It will be fine. Let''s go ask Haylee, maybe he could help.''

    Kyle nodded quickly, and they started traveling in a random direction. After a few minutes, Kyle used the scent perception skill to locate the boar, but he stopped after just half a minute due to the countless smells flooding his nose.

    In the end, he let out a sigh.

    "He''s too far, I can''t sense him."

    -''Let''s keep moving then. We''ll find him on the way.''

    The duo traveled toward the west. Along the way, they stumbled upon a few treasure inds. Kyle''s mood did improve, but the thought of something dark lurking inside his body was always present in the back of his mind.

    He would rub his chest from time to time, thinking maybe it wasn''t dangerous. However, after knowing about the object deep inside his heart, he knew it was something he needed to remove as soon as possible, regardless of whether it was dangerous or not.

 Chapter 330 Slimy creatures

    <h4>Chapter 330 Slimy creatures</h4>

    ?Kyle nced down from the top of a towering tree, observing the two massive beasts chomping on strange blue fruits.

    Haylee and Ris, the duo, sat together in their true forms above a broad stone bed, keeping a keen eye on the winged demi-human Sinon, a human girl, and two elves engaged in a battle against a group of (B)-Rank green frogs with ck dots covering their bodies.

    The area surrounding the stone bed was teeming with dirty water and countless tall thorny trees. Additionally, numerous low-ranked frogs were leaping out from the water, causing Sinon and hispanions to be pushed back. Cursing under his breath, the demi-human retaliated by kicking one of the frogs, only to be caught off guard by another frog leaping at him from behind.

    It was clear that Sinon and hispanions were doing their best to escape, but their efforts were in vain as they found themselves encircled by the countless frogs.

    Kyle pinched his nose in response to the stench wafting from the water, and the tiny phoenix sitting on his shoulder let out a disgusted groan.

    -''Why are they even bothering to fight those slimy creatures? Ugh, it''s so gross!''

    ''I am more surprised by Haylee... he is eating while watching the same slimy creatures.''

    Bia blinked in surprise.

    -''What about the lizard sitting next to him?''

    ''Well... let''s not talk about him. After all, lizards do eat frogs, right?''

    Bia''s eyes crinkled with amusement as she noticed a hint of speechlessness in Kyle''s voice. He was mocking the chameleon.

    -''We have been keeping an eye on them for a while now. What''s the n? I wouldn''t be surprised if the lizard tried to strangle you, given your not-so-good history.''

    Kyle rolled his eyes and waved at the little phoenix.

    ''Go talk to Haylee so he can stop Ris in time. Right now, they''re probably hiding from Sinon and the others. They don''t know that I know their location because of the scent perception skill. Meanwhile, I will go help Sinon a bit.''

    Bia unfurled her wings and soared away with a chuckle.

    Kyle clenched his fists and eyed the dirty water with a groan.

    ''Let''s try not to get dirty.''

    In the next second, his body vanished into thin air.

    At the same time, Bia''s figure hovered above the boar. Ris''s ears perked up, and he narrowed his eyes at the little beast.

    "What''s this tiny little bird doing here? Wait! Why is the bird so strong? Also, I feel like I have seen her somewhere."

    Haylee hurriedly stopped the chameleon before he could grab Bia with his tail.

    "Stop, I know her."

    Bia released a relieved breath andnded on Haylee''s shoulder. Immediately, she heard the boar''s voice in her head.

    ''Why are you here?''

    -''Kyle wants to talk.''

    Haylee frowned when he saw Ris''s interested eyes. The chameleon probably overlooked Bia''s presence before because of Kyle, but now he was fully focused on her.

    "Don''t you dare do something funny."

    Ris clicked his tongue and retracted his tail. On the other hand, Haylee hurriedly looked around.

    ''Where is Kyle?''

    -''He''s right in front of you.''

    Haylee snapped his head up to stare at the figure that materialized inches away from the winged demi-human.

    Sinon cried out and almost lost his bnce mid-air, but he quickly regained hisposure.

    Bia shook her head with a sigh.

    -''No one can get used to his sudden appearance.''

    She unfurled her wings and left Haylee''s side with a few more words.

    -''I am leaving. Just stop the lizard in time if he wants to harm Kyle.''

    Haylee slowly turned around to look at Ris, who was fuming when he saw Kyle''s face.

    "That bastard is here! So what if he''s the one who asked the question master left behind? I''m going to break one of his legs!"

    However, before he could throw caution to the wind and leap at Kyle, Haylee grabbed his tail with a chuckle.

    "Let''s talk a little, shall we?"

    The chameleon''s eyes widened.

    "How dare you stop me? Do you want to fight? Haha, it''s been a while, but believe me, it''ll be as painful as before."

    Haylee''s forehead turned sweaty. He cursed under his breath and with all his strength, dragged Ris away so as not to disrupt the battle opposite them.

    While the two beasts argued about whether they should break Kyle''s legs or not, Kyle himself smiled and looked at Sinon''s frightened face.

    "What''s up?"

    The wings behind the demi-human fluttered as he looked at Kyle with hopeful eyes. The previous anger about almost falling into the water due to Kyle vanished into thin air.

    "Kyle, it''s good you''re here. I''m dead tired. Help us out a little. We identally stumbled upon this ce. Now, all we want is to retreat. But these annoying frogs aren''t giving us a chance!"

    Kyle opened his mouth to say that he would help, but under his dumbfounded gaze, Sinon flew away in the distance.

    The demi-human stopped at a nearby tree and waved at Kyle before sprawling on a branch like a starfish.

    Bia circled Kyle and said with utmost seriousness.

    -''He sure knows how to dump his work on others.''

    With a sigh, Kyle gazed at the human girl and two elves still fighting with the frogs. He waved his hand.

    "I will distract the frogs."

    The trio nodded, and in an instant, countless ice spears formed in the air. Kyle''s eyes locked onto the frogs, and the spears shot out toward them with lightning-fast speed. The frogs cried out in surprise and scattered, trying to disappear into the water.

    Kyle lowered his body and nced at the trio behind him.

    "Climb a tree."

    The trio exchanged nces and without asking any questions, hurriedly climbed the nearby trees, just like Sinon.

    Once they were at a safe distance, blue mes surged out around Kyle''s body. The mes spread out on the water.

    A few muffled cries of pain rang out in the air as the frogs in the water tried to flee in different directions, but before they could, the mes traveled in all directions, turning everything into ice.

 Chapter 331 Remove the artifact

    <h4>Chapter 331 Remove the artifact </h4>

    ?The human girl and two elves stared at Kyle in shock. They had been fighting the frogs for hours, but Kyle had effortlessly defeated so many in just a minute. They gasped and looked at him with awe.

    Sinon opened one of his eyes as he felt the temperature dropping with each passing second. He nced at Kyle and clicked his tongue.

    "Show off."

    Kyle''s ears twitched when he heard Sinon''s remarks. He dusted his shirt softly and raised a brow with an expression that seemed to say, ''So what?''

    Sinonughed but was too tired to continue talking. He decided to rest on a branch for a while.

    With a hum, Kyle looked at the ice, which transformed into bright particles and floated in the air, further astonishing the trio.

    As the ice vanished, two round orbs dropped to the ground.

    -''Oh... skill cores.''

    Bia''s voice was t because being with Kyle had made her a bit numb to these types of things.

    Kyle examined the cores. One wasrger, almost the size of his palm, while the other was rtively small.

    At first, he ignored them, thinking about the frogs'' ugly appearance. But suddenly, an old memory shed in his mind.

    In that memory, he and Nine found a small core after defeating a tiny goblin. At that moment, his thoughts were, It''s a Goblin core, what skill can such a small goblin, not even (F)-Rank, possess?

    That''s why he tossed the core to Nine, only toter discover that the small goblin core actually had a very useful skill.

    That''s why Kyle immediately changed his mind and grabbed the cores.

    Sinon, who was just about to jump towards the cores, thinking that Kyle didn''t need them, stopped in his tracks. He sighed with regret and leaned back against the tree branch.

    ''I need to increase my speed.''

    Bia was surprised. She gazed at the two cores in Kyle''s hand as he peeked inside.

    Kyle''s face lit up, and he threw the bigger core at Sinon, who caught it with surprise.

    "Why are you giving me the bigger one? I thought the bigger the core, the stronger the skill. Or is my knowledge wrong?"

    A doubtful expression appeared on Sinon''s face as he stared at Kyle. The trio sitting on the trees sighed because they knew they would get nothing.

    Kyle let out a chuckle and waved his hand.

    "It''s because the small one is useful to me, the other one is not."

    With an ''Oh'', Sinon spread his wings and approached Kyle.

    "Is it a unique skill?"

    He waited with anticipation. Low-rank skills weren''t useful when fighting high-rank monsters, so he was sure Kyle had found a unique low-rank skill, like breathing underwater or having clear vision underwater. But Kyle''s next words left him speechless.

    "It''s an (F)-Rank water skill called ''Aqua ball''."

    Sinon''s expression was screaming, If it''s just a normal water skill, why the hell are you smirking? Yet, heposed his expression and gave a pat on Kyle''s shoulder.

    "Indeed, it''s a... very good skill."

    Kyle''s eyes sparkled as he nodded in response.

    "Of course. It is! I have been searching for a water-type skill for ages!"

    Sinon gazed at him with a nk expression, thinking that maybe low-rank water-type skills were really strong. However, he then thought about his skills. He had five low-rank water-type skills, but they were never useful in actualbat.

    ''Wait, maybe I used them incorrectly?''

    He was doubting his skills, unaware that for Kyle, the water-

    type skill was only useful for a quick bath or cleaning his hands.

    Suddenly, Haylee''s voice echoed inside Kyle''s head, and he hurriedly said goodbye to Sinon. Unfortunately, before the winged demi-human could properly reply, he vanished.

    Sinon gazed at the space in front of him with a nk expression. He retracted his hand that was ready to flick onest pat on Kyle''s shoulder as a goodbye.

    ''Next time, for now, I think I should go practice my water-type skills.''

    Bia cursed under her breath. Her wings fluttered as she dived in the direction where she sensed Kyle''s presence.

    On the other hand, Kyle stopped in front of the winged boar, who stared at him with an ugly expression. The boar''s white fur was covered in dirt, mud, and all sorts of filth.

    Kyle''s body was floating as he circled Haylee with an innocent expression.

    "What happened?"

    Haylee felt like crying. He just got beaten up by Ris because he stopped thetter, who was hell-bent on breaking one of Kyle''s legs.

    ''He''s not even thankful! I should have just let Ris smack him once or twice!''

    Haylee red at Kyle but almost coughed out blood when he saw a faint, barely visible smile at the corner of his lips.

    The boar''s eyes narrowed dangerously as he raised his paw to wipe that smile off, but before he could, Bia appeared and asked him the same question.

    -''What happened to you?''

    The boar''s eyelid twitched because, just like Kyle, the corner of Bia''s eyes trickled upward with mirth.

    He retracted his paw, unwilling to speak further with the infuriating duo.

    "Just tell me what you want to ask. I have more things to do."

    ''Or more specifically, I have to go check on the lizard that I tossed inside a pit.''

    Kyle''s expression hardened when he heard the boar''s words. The previous mischievousness evaporated from his eyes. His feet touched the ground, and he grabbed his chest.

    Haylee was surprised when the human stared at him with a deadly serious expression.

    "Can you... sense something dangerous inside my body?"

    "Huh?"

    Haylee blinked, but when the meaning behind Kyle''s words dawned on him, he knitted his brows.

    "Something dangerous?"

    Kyle nodded and waited for his answer, but after a few seconds, Haylee gazed at him with a speechless expression.

    "First, remove the presence concealing artifact you''re wearing. I can''t sense anything because of it."

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed.

    ''Bia, are you sure he can help? He can''t even go past the artifact...''

    Bia rolled her eyes.

    -''Just remove the artifact. It''s not a big deal.''

    ''Jeez, alright.''

 Chapter 332 It’s eating his soul

    <h4>Chapter 332 It''s eating his soul</h4>

    ?Kyle unsped the white earring from his ear and stared at Haylee.

    "Now?"

    The boar immediately sensed Kyle''s rank and gasped with surprise.

    "Wait, why are you still (S-)-Rank!? I believe you found a lot of treasures in the past two months!"

    Kyle let out a sigh and eyed the clear, bright sky.

    "I am just a tiny bit away from the next rank."

    Bia let out a chuckle. Indeed, it was strange. Even she broke through to the next rank a week ago.

    -''Just tell him you''re stronger than your rank.''

    Kyle gazed at his stats, and his face fell.

    ____________

    Stats:

    Name: Kyle

    Bloodline: Celestial

    Rank: S-

    Strength: S+

    Mana: SS

    Agility: S+

    Talent: SSS+ Rank

    Luck: A

    Skills;

    .....

    ____________

    ''All my main stats are already so high! Why the hell can''t I break through? It''s like there''s a thin wall blocking my path.''

    He shook his head with a serious and determined expression.

    ''It''s okay, I have a feeling that just one more step and I''ll break through!''

    Kyle stared at Haylee with a deep expression.

    "Just tell me, can you sense anything dangerous inside my body or not?"

    With a nod, Haylee dispatched his mana inside Kyle''s body. He couldn''t peek inside because he wasn''t strong enough, but he could probably sense it if he used his mana.

    Kyle''s brows knitted together when a probing sensation appeared inside his body, but he rxed and let the sensation roam.

    After two long minutes, an astonished expression appeared on Haylee''s face.

    "Why do you have so much mana in your body? Also, there''s something cold and very powerful flowing inside your body."

    Kyle gave him a nod. He already knew this much from the moths.

    "What about the thing I asked? Can you sense any dangerous object or not?"

    Haylee paused, a thoughtful expression apparent on his face.

    "I can''t sense anything dangerous, but there''s a strong force inside you. Itpletely destroyed my mana when I got close."

    While they were talking, Ris stomped towards them from behind. He grumbled and cursed under his breath.

    "You sneaky boar! When did you learn to cheat? I just slept for a while and the whole world changed!"

    He paused when he saw Kyle. Instantly, his eyes narrowed at the earring in Kyle''s hand.

    "Oh... what''s this little thing doing here."

    Haylee wanted to stop him, but in a sh, he appeared beside Kyle and sniffed the earring.

    "It''s the same. I remember, it''s a defective artifact."

    Kyle stepped back and a puzzled expression appeared on his face.

    "Huh?"

    Ris was furious with the human, but after faintly hearing Kyle and Haylee''s interesting conversation, he pushed aside his thoughts of revenge.

    "Don''t you know? Odiak actually tried to create a huge storage space that couldpletely conceal everything inside, just like the mind space. But he failed halfway, and even though the earring has the concealing effect, it doesn''t have a storage space. Tsk tsk, he failed so many times I can''t even count."

    Kyle''s eyes widened, not because of the information, but because of the mention of the ''mind space''.

    ''This lizard knows about the mind space!?''

    Haylee raised his paw and smacked Ris''s head.

    "Show some respect! Odiak is your master!"

    The chameleon hissed and red at him.

    "So what? That old dwarf left me behind, saying it''s dangerous and all that! Besides, he can''t even hear, so who cares if I badmouth him?"

    Haylee groaned and closed his mouth. He understood how Ris felt because he had felt the same in the past.

    Ris clicked his tongue and turned his head towards Kyle, his eyes filled with curiosity.

    "I can feel a tremendous power flowing within you, even stronger than that dwarf. How did you acquire it?"

    Kyle raised his hand to stop him.

    "Wait, can you sense anything else, like something dangerous inside me?"

    Ris paused and his eyes shed with a bright light. After a few seconds, his eyes widened.

    He opened and closed his mouth repeatedly.

    Both Kyle and Haylee tensed, waiting for him to speak, rmed by his ugly and angry expression.

    Ris took a deep breath, then angrily mmed his tail on the ground.

    "Who in the world put that disgusting thing inside your body!?"

    Kyle clenched his jaw, and a look of astonishment spread across Hayley''s face. The boar always knew Ris was stronger than him, but he couldn''t believe that Ris could sense what he couldn''t.

    Kyle looked around and settled on a nearby boulder. Bianded on his shoulder. The duo, along with Haylee, patiently waited for Ris to calm down. For some reason, the chameleon''s expression was filled with both anger and disgust.

    After two long minutes, Ris locked eyes with Kyle. His gaze held a sense of pity, an emotion that Kyle rarely witnessed before.

    Taking a deep breath, Kyle braced himself, his face devoid of any emotion.

    "Just tell me what it is."

    Ris turned his attention to Haylee and settled himself opposite Kyle.

    "Just as you suspected, it''s an object... more specifically, it''s an artifact. I''m not certain about its rank as it is currently dormant."

    He paused for a moment.

    "I haven''t sensed something so repulsive in my entire life. There''s an eerie, yet strangely divine, glow surrounding the artifact. It''s likely feeding on you. Even when I was with Odiak, stumbling upon something like this was extremely rare."

    Kyle''s expressionless face crumbled, and he paled as an ominous feeling surged inside his heart. Haylee let out a sharp breath.

    "Is it harming the kid''s body?"

    Ris shook his head.

    "You know, Haylee, it''s rare for me to express pity for someone. If only the artifact was harming his body, it would have been great, but it''s not."

    "It''s eating his soul."

    Haylee''s eyes widened, and he subconsciously gazed at Kyle, who paled even more.

    However, Ris spoke again, and this time his voice was even more solemn.

    "As I said, it''s dormant. So, I believe it has already eaten its fill. Kid, didn''t you feel extreme pain when a part of your soul was torn?"

    After a long silence, Kyle''s eyes traveled to Ris. Indeed, when he was in the tower, a sudden pain wrecked his body, making his mind go nk. But at that time, he thought it was because of his bloodline. But now, he realized how wrong he was.

    "Is it possible to remove it?"

    Ris shook his head again.

    "It''s deep inside your heart and if someone forcefully tried to remove it. You won''t stay alive."

    Haylee stared at him, and Ris let out a tired sigh.

    "There is a way, the person who put it in your body can remove it. But I don''t think you know who did it."

 Chapter 333 A blank fate

    <h4>Chapter 333 A nk fate </h4>

    ?After a long silence, Kyle massaged his temples. He wanted to curse, but the problem was, who should he curse? After all, he didn''t even know who put the artifact in his body.

    Bia sensed his difort, so she gently nuzzled her head into his neck.

    Haylee observed the pair and then turned to Ris. His voice echoed within the chameleon''s head.

    ''Is there any other way? I don''t want the kid to die.''

    Ris looked towards the boar.

    ''Have you be attached to him?''

    Haylee paused, unsure of how to respond. Without even realizing it, spending time with Kyle had caused him to develop a subconscious care for him.

    Ris closed his eyes.

    ''I am not certain if there is another way. However, you know my mind has problems. How about seeking advice from the realm guardian? He is a divine rank individual, and he might have better insight.''

    Haylee nodded and looked over at Kyle. Without hesitation, he asked if Kyle would like to seek the guardian.

    Kyle agreed immediately. After all, anything was better than nothing. He stood up and turned to face Ris.

    "Thank you... And do you have any idea when the dormant artifact will activate again?"

    He paused for a moment.

    "Also, could you give me more details about the mind space?"

    Ris blinked in surprise. It was fine for the human to ask about the artifact but he wondered why Kyle was asking about the mind space. How did he pick up on those specific words from the previous sentence?

    He examined Kyle from head to toe.

    "You''re familiar with the concept of mind space?"

    Haylee furrowed his brows.

    "It''s a separate space that opens up when someone reaches the divine rank. I know about it because master opened his mind space before leaving."

    He turned toward Kyle.

    "You know about it?"

    "Just a little..."

    Two pairs of eyes stared at him, eagerly awaiting an exnation.

    Kyle raised his hand in surrender.

    "Alright, I know about it because I have got one."

    "Huh!?"

    Ris''s eyes widened, looking at Kyle as if he were some kind of freak. Haylee''s expression mirrored the same astonishment.

    The chameleon''s body flickered around him.

    "Wait, wait, wait! You have a mind space? Are you kidding me, kiddo? You haven''t even reached the (SS)-Rank!"

    The two beasts were stunned by this revtion, but after a few moments, they regained theirposure. Suddenly, Ris''s tail grabbed Haylee''s paw, and he stared at him with deadly seriousness.

    "Go, go to the guardian! Hurry up, don''t waste any time!"

    Kyle let out a sigh and pushed the matter of the mind space to the back of his mind. Regardless, he already knew almost everything about it anyway.

    Before Kyle left, Ris gave his body onest examination with narrow eyes.

    "The artifact is dormant right now. So, I think it''ll wake up in a year or two. Or maybe three. I am not too sure about the exact time, but it''s a soul-consuming artifact. So, I believe it''s gonna consume your soul until it''s fully brimming with energy."

    Kyle thanked him onest time and left with Bia and Haylee. After the trio had gone, the chameleon crystal body shed with countless sparks. Itsrge blue, beady eyes turned faintly red, and it hurriedly rubbed them with a pained groan. A drop of blood trickled down from its left eye, and it quickly closed it to avoid further damage.

    "Tsk, I really hate using the fate skill... If I hadn''t seen talent in him, I would have never used it. But it''s strange that the kid has no future, no past... It''spletely nk. Why is he even here in the first ce? Even though my head is all jumbled up, just after using the skill for a few seconds I sensed that he shouldn''t have been part of the people who entered this realm."

    "Clearly, he should have died because of the artifact before even turning eighteen... Or maybe I saw it wrong? Hmm, whatever, it''s tooplicated to figure out. Also, it''s not like my skill is a hundred percent urate. Ah... even in the past, it''s always been 50% inurate. I probably sense it wrong."

    The chameleon mumbled under its breath and, after resting for a while, went in another direction to observe someone else.

    ....

    After traveling for two days straight, Kyle, Bia, and Haylee arrived in an area that waspletely wrecked.

    The trio peeked from behind arge leaf held in Kyle''s hand. The air around them was filled with violent mana. Thend was barren, devoid of any greenery. Additionally, a faint dark energy permeated the air.

    Kyle narrowed his eyes and sniffed the air after activating the scent perception skill.

    "What''s happening"

    Haylee blinked and narrowed his eyes at him.

    "Why are you sniffing the air? Ah... don''t tell me you learned the bad habit from Ris."

    Kyle hurriedly pinched his nose when a foul smell entered his nostrils.

    "It doesn''t smell good. I think someone''s fighting in the distance. Is it even safe..?"

    Haylee''s eyes showed surprise. He cleared his throat, clearly reluctant to show that he couldn''t sense anything.

    "Thest time I saw the guardian, he was fighting with Guil, so it''s safe. The guardian is strong enough to restrain him!"

    Kyle let out an ''Oh'' and pointed towards the distance with the huge leaf they had grabbed along the way.

    "Let''s go then. We need to find the guardian!"

    With a nod, the duo started moving forward. Bia circled above their heads, trying to see as far as she could. However, her sight was limited by the massive dust clouds billowing towards the sky.

    After a few minutes, a powerful tremor shook thend, causing the ground to quake beneath their feet. A sh of dark electricity appeared in the sky.

    Kyle narrowed his eyes and observed the electricity. Haylee spread out his wings to inspect it as well, but at that exact moment, the duo spotted a faint dark dot hurtling towards them with lightning-fast speed.

    They watched as the dot grewrger within a second. Their trance was broken when Bia let out a loud cry.

    "Oh, shit!"

    They cursed together, and Haylee quickly leaped in another direction. He nced back, momentarily forgetting that Kyle was weaker, but before he could worry about him, a bodynded with a resounding thud in front of him.

    Haylee coughed as another cloud of dust billowed into the air.

    Suddenly, a relieved sigh sounded from behind him, nearly causing his heart to jump out of his chest.

    The boar turned around to see Kyle wiping his forehead.

    "That was a close one."

    The faint, illusionary old man appeared in the air, but instead of focusing on the massive pit, he stared at the human and the boar with a speechless expression.

    "Why the hell are you two crawling around in such a dangerous ce?"

 Chapter 334 It could be fatal

    <h4>Chapter 334 It could be fatal</h4>

    ?Haylee''s face stiffened, and Kyle obediently went behind him, clearly shifting the me to the boar. Just like Kyle, Bia hurriedly hid her presence behind the boar''s huge body.

    The duo fell silent as if they didn''t exist at all.

    Haylee''s eyelid twitched as he stared at the guardian with a nk expression. The illusionary old man stared back at him with narrowed eyes.

    "Why are you here again?"

    The boar let out a deep sigh.

    "There''s something we want to discuss."

    The illusionary figure replied with an ''Oh''. His eyes traveled to Kyle, and a hint of curiosity shed in his eyes. Instantly, he waved his hand, gesturing for the trio to follow him.

    However, before they could leave, a hoarse voice echoed from the pit. Guil crawled out,ughing like a maniac.

    "Hahaha, you can''t kill me! I''ll tear apart all the outsiders!"

    The illusionary old man gazed at the dark bloodied figure and waved his hand. In the next second, a few chairs and a table materialized in the air as he gazed at the boar and human.

    "Let''s talk here. I need to keep an eye on someone."

    Haylee nodded, but before he could move, Kyle''s figure shed and he sat down opposite the old man. Bia followed suit.

    The boar''s eyes flickered as he shrank in size and sat down on the table.

    The old man stared at Kyle with a profound expression. After a few moments, Kyle felt a familiar probing sensation within him. A strange feeling stirred in his chest, but he remained calm and allowed the old man to examine him.

    The man let out a thoughtful hum.

    "I think I know why you''re here kid."

    He tapped the table and pointed his finger at Kyle''s chest.

    "Tell me, how did you find out? Haylee isn''t strong enough to sense it."

    Kyle gazed at the finger with a solemn expression. He could tell that the old man opposite him was powerful, even though it was just a fragment of thetter consciousness.

    ''He can sense everything even though I''m wearing the earring. So, does that mean the earring can''t hide my presence from people above (SSS+)-Rank?''

    Kyle stroked Bia''s feathers and locked eyes with the old man.

    "The chameleon told me."

    The old man looked at the faint particles floating away from his body.

    "Oh, Ris woke up? I thought with his messed up memory, he wouldn''t."

    Kyle ced his hands on the table, ready to speak, but the old man raised his hand to stop him.

    "Kid, you''ve got potential. I can see it. But I believe Ris already told you that if he or anyone else forcefully tries to remove the artifact from your body, it could be fatal."

    "That lizard''s memory is a bit jumbled, but if there was another way, he would have mentioned it right away."

    Kyle''s brow furrowed, and his voice trembled slightly.

    "So, there''s no other way?"

    The old man paused for a moment.

    "It''s a divine rank artifact, so I don''t think there''s much you can do except find the person who put it in your body. When you and the other kids entered the realm, I sensed four divine artifacts."

    He sucked in a deep breath.

    "It''s almost unbelievable to think I sensed so many, which is why I had to double-check."

    "One of them is with that kid Alec, right?"

    He nced at Haylee, who nodded in agreement. The boar''s eyes widened in shock upon hearing the number.

    Kyle blinked, his face paling instantly.

    "Four? Does that mean the other three people are in danger too?"

    The old man smiled.

    "Don''t worry about the others."

    He looked down at Guil, who was attempting to fly once more. The old man flicked his hand, and a beam shot out from his finger, pushing the dark man back into the pit.

    "Unlike you, their artifacts were created to guide, not harm. Although, there was this one peculiar artifact I saw with a kid your age. I wonder how he got it. That artifact seemed to make its owner miserable in order to gain more strength."

    Kyle listened intently. Suddenly, Bia spoke in his mind.

    -''Alec has something called a system, right? Don''t tell me the system is an artifact?''

    The old man moved his eyes toward Bia, intrigued.

    "So, you already know about it?"

    Bia''s eyes widened.

    -''OMG! He can hear me!''

    The old man chuckled and shook his head, his eyes filled with amusement as he looked at Kyle.

    "You know, Alec? I can''t predict the future, but I can tell that you possess a powerful bloodline. I don''t know its true strength, but it surpasses even that of the divine."

    He was certain that if his real body were here, or if any other divine being could probe Kyle''s body, they would be tempted to dissect him to see how the kid possessed something so powerful.

    "Maybe that''s why your fate is entangled with him? I wonder if you also know the other two."

    Kyle''s expression was gloomy, but he''d be lying if he said he wasn''t interested in finding out the names of the other two individuals who possess the divine artifacts. He tentatively let out a sigh.

    "Who are they? Maybe I know them."

    The old man''s eyes crinkled with amusement, but then his expression turned serious.

    "Go, don''t waste your time, be strong. The more, the better. The artifact in your body is dormant right now because it consumed too much energy. As a mortal, I don''t think your soul is strong enough to feed so much energy to the artifact. Maybe it''s because of your bloodline? Regardless, I don''t think it would wake up soon."

    ''Except if the owner called it back.''

    He stood up from the chair and gazed into the distance.

    "Haylee would have already told you that the is hidden. Let me increase your knowledge. After the secret realm was opened, I sensed a foreign presence outside, somewhere near the''s core."

    "The shield hiding the is sustained by the energy from the''s core, but it''s getting weaker. That means the foreign individual is harming the''s core."

    The man gazed at Kyle with a deep expression.

    "I don''t know if James, Odiak, and my original body are alive, but I can tell you that the is still in danger. So, if you''re able to stay alive, help Alec."

 Chapter 335 Another goal

    <h4>Chapter 335 Another goal </h4>

    ?Kyle''s face was expressionless as he floated away from the old man. He caressed Bia''s feathers and let out a faint chuckle.

    "In the end, he didn''t tell me how to remove this thing from my body? And he subtly implied that I might die."

    Haylee flew beside him with a deep expression.

    "He asked you to get stronger... maybe you can remove it once you be stronger?"

    Kyle eyed the clear sky. He raised his hand, and wisps of blue mes traveled on his palm.

    "No, he asked me to get strong so I can help Alec when he''s fighting the foreign individual harming the''s core. He didn''t give me a clear answer if I would survive or not."

    Haylee decreased his size into a fur ball andnded on his shoulder.

    "Why are you speaking as if you''ve lost hope? There are so many people in this world who may be facing something worse. Instead of being down, how about looking at the positive side? You still have time to find a way to save yourself."

    The boar''s eyes shed with countless emotions as he gazed at the kid. He wished he could do something for him, but he knew he couldn''t. Not to mention the fact that he was trying to lift the kid''s spirit with just empty words when he could also sense from the guardian''s words that Kyle''s survival would be hard.

    Bia, who had been quietly sitting on Kyle''s other shoulder, raised her head. For some reason, she wasn''t sensing any strong emotion from him. She thought he might feel worse, but he was actually quite calm.

    -''Hey, with your intense luck, I don''t think the artifact can do anything to you. So, don''t worry, okay? I''ll let you ride me if you want!''

    Kyle''s lips curled into a smile. However, amidst all this, he noticed something strange about himself.

    ''This feeling... it''s very simr to the one I felt a few years ago. Strangely enough, something inside me is screaming that there''s no need to do anything. Justy low and live your life... But why?''

    "Bia, do you know why I wanted to be stronger? The reason isn''t a big one. Just like any other person, I wanted to protect my family and friends. However, I got everything too easily. Maybe that''s why I don''t have a long life."

    -''Kyle!!''

    Bia screamed in his head. Clearly angry at his words.

    "But you know what? I hate the fact that I''m not dying because of myself, but because of someone else. So..."

    He cracked his knuckles.

    "I don''t think I will find peace until I kill that bastard who ced this artifact in my body."

    Haylee closed his eyes and let out a sigh.

    "I told you not to lose hope."

    Kyle shook his head.

    "No, I''m not losing hope. I never will. I know I did in the past. But now that I think about it, I don''t even know the reason. Was it because of Sen? Or because my talent was low?"

    Haylee couldn''t make sense of a lot of things, but just like Bia, he listened to Kyle quietly.

    "At first, after finding out about my bloodline, I wanted to unlock it because I was excited. Then, I aimed to reach a rank higher than (SSS+)-Rank because my knowledge increased."

    "Now I am adding another goal to my list. I am going to get strong. So strong that the artifact can''t harm me. And the person who put it in my body will regret ever doing it."

    -''Sigh, you gave me a panic for a second, but if you are getting strong, I am also gonna put in extra effort! Let''s be strong together!''

    Bia unfurled her wings and circled him with resolute eyes.

    Suddenly, the air around Kyle stirred violently. The boar hurriedly left his shoulder, and Bia retracted in another direction.

    Haylee''s eyebrow twitched as he watched the cold aura surging around Kyle.

    "He just said he is gonna get stronger and he''s already breaking through to the next rank?"

    The duo watched for a minute until the cold aura around Kyle dispersed in different directions. With a faint smile, Kyle pointed his finger towards a nearby floating ind.

    "Let''s go, we don''t have time!"

    Haylee sighed but still followed behind him. Bia and Kyle managed to clear two treasure inds in just three days, all with the goal of getting stronger.

    Bia felt proud because Kyle didn''t take any breaks. He even trained his body reaction speed and sword art.

    -''Is this how a parent feels when theirziest child starts walking the right path?''

    However, both Bia and Haylee were rendered speechless on the fourth day.

    While running toward the next treasure ind, Kyle spotted a familiar scent. He paused and immediately changed direction.

    Bia and Haylee followed behind him, thinking maybe he found a strong treasure nearby. However, when they caught up to Kyle, they saw he was talking to a familiar girl.

    Kyle stood above a boulder and gazed down at the pair of amber eyes staring at him. He couldn''t help but be surprised because Yue had gotten strong once again.

    His eyes traveled behind her, where a fire was lit.

    "Ah... I don''t want to disturb you, but when I saw you, I remembered you wanted to say somethingst time?"

    Yue blinked and let out a faint smile.

    "You found the cure. I just wanted to say, be safe."

    "Oh, okay."

    She pointed back at the fire.

    "I just stopped here aftering out from a treasure ind. Do you... want to sit together for a while?"

    Bia left Haylee''s side and hurriedly shook her tiny head in front of Yue.

    -''No way! He has a goal to achieve!''

    Yet, a dumbfounded expression appeared on her face when Kyle jumped down from the boulder. He didn''t say anything and just gave Yue a quick nod.

    Bia stared at his back, but then suddenly Kyle gazed back and blinked innocently.

    ''It''s good to work hard, but we need proper rest as well. Also, don''t you feel hungry?''

    Bia''s eyes widened as the meaning behind his words dawned on her, and she immediately agreed.

    The trio sat down beside the fire, forgetting that a certain boar had been watching them with a speechless expression.

    In the end, when the delicious aroma wafted in the air, Haylee also joined them. Well, no one would reject a good meal.

 Chapter 336 No reinforcement

    <h4>Chapter 336 No reinforcement</h4>

    ?Outside the secret realm, two yearster, at the western border of Kingdom Ete, Ratric''s body floated above the border.

    The old man''s white hair swirled gently as he observed the bloody battle unfolding on the other side of the tall and sturdy border.

    Countless individuals adorned in pale golden armor were locked in a fierce battle with various types of monsters. But it wasn''t just them, many people in regr clothes were also fighting.

    A faint chuckle echoed in the air as Duke Evan thrust his spear into a green six-eyed snake. He raised his head, breathing heavily, and looked at the man fighting beside him.

    "Valenza, I think I won! I killed the ninth (S)-Rank monster!"

    Duke Valenza stabbed his axe into the ground, causing a vast area in front of him to shatter into pieces. The monsters cried out, but instead of retreating, they attacked the border with even more ferocity. His forehead was drenched in sweat as he stared back at the man, both amazed and concerned by his audacious actions in such a dangerous situation.

    "Hey, seriously, how do you even have the energy to talk after fighting for three days straight? Haaa..."

    A sharp cry pierced the air behind the duo, indicating yet another death, but they simply closed their eyes and continued the battle.

    Ratric''s eyes gleamed with a brilliant light as he gestured toward the countless mages standing in rows above the border.

    In an instant, the air crackled and a barrage of spells rained down upon the monsters, creating a massive wave of destruction within seconds. Yet, it seemed like the monsters were never-ending, continuously pouring out from the dense trees opposite the border.

    After a minute, the distant trees quivered, and two enormous ck leopards leaped out from the forest. Their eyes glowed ominously as they surveyed their surroundings, crushing the ground beneath their mighty paws.

    Evan and Valenza''s eyes widened. They were exhausted but now two more formidable monsters had emerged from the dark forest. Nevertheless, they brandished their weapons, charged forward, andunched an attack on the leopards before the monsters could approach the border.

    Ratric''s eyes narrowed as he swiftly vanished from his position and reappeared before the duo.

    "Let me handle this."

    With a wave of his hand, a massiveyer of earth surged from the ground, crashing into the leopards and sending them hurtling backward.

    Duke Evan tightened his grip on his weapon, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he looked at the man who had been his rival for as long as he could remember.

    "How much longer can you keep going?"

    Duke Valenza chuckled.

    "Until I can still stand."

    Without any further words, the duo resumed their fight. They knew that if they faltered, the countless weak citizens behind the border would be the next target of the relentless monsters.

    After defeating the leopards, Ratric hurriedly retrieved amunication crystal from his storage ring. A familiar face appeared in the crystal as George delivered another piece of bad news.

    "The northern border is under attack as well. The monsters seem to be endless. Kingdom Whitnd has sent reinforcements, and the academies have dispatched their elders and strong students. But if this continues, I don''t think we can hold out for more than a week."

    George clenched his teeth.

    "When will the reinforcements from the West and Central Continent arrive? When we''re already dead?"

    Ratric''s expression turned grim as he rubbed his temples and shook his head.

    "I reached out to the King. Like us, he''s also waiting for a response. But neither continent has sent the elite forces they promised before we sent the kids into the ancient realm."

    He let out a sigh.

    "I thought we had at least six to eight years. Who would have thought the Monster Lords would attack before the estimated time? This is just the initial monster wave. So, I believe we can hold them off for a while."

    George nodded, knowing they had no choice but to fight until the end. He had even gathered all the remaining kids from the Royal Academy who were willing to fight for their Kingdom.

    "Also..."

    "What is it?"

    Ratric''s brow furrowed as he sensed hesitation in George''s voice.

    "I just received news from Kingdom Tersia. They have three borders with the dark forest, and with reinforcements from Kingdom Hoekan and Kingdom Loringnad, they were able to control the monster wave easily. But suddenly, the dark mage Ziner attacked one of their borders."

    Ratric''s eyes narrowed with anger.

    "That bastard! Does he have a death wish? Why is he attacking when the East Continent is already in such a dire situation!"

    George''s expression turned grim as he informed the old man about the destruction of one of Kingdom tersia''s borders. Also, for some unknown reason, the dark mage had reached the (SSS)-Rank.

    Ratric took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the situation. They were already dealing with two Monster Lords, and now the dark mage was causing trouble!

    He closed themunication crystal with frustration and unleashed his anger on the monsters.

    "If only I could leave, I would definitely put that bastard in his ce."

    ....

    At the same time, inside avish study room, King Cedric let out a frustrated shout at his first son, Casper.

    "No news again? It seems like the Central and West Continent have no intention of helping us!"

    He grabbed his weapon and armor, prepared to head to the nearest border.

    Casper sighed and hurriedly took the weapon from his father''s hand.

    "I''ll go to the border. As the crown prince, it''s my duty. The initial wave can be handled by Ratric and the others. You need to focus on reaching the next rank. It''ll give us a better chance of survival."

    The King massaged his temples and sank into his chair. He had been on the verge of a breakthrough for some time now. The violent mana coursing through his body was a small price to pay for protecting his kingdom.

    He gazed at his older son, who had been training under his trusted aide. Only recently had he discovered that Casper had achieved a very strong rank.

    "First Carcel, and now you too. Both of you certainly know how to surprise me."

    Casper''s smile faded as he thought about the ce where his brother was.

    "Hmm, Father, when is the realm gate opening? Everyone strong in our kingdom is upied. Who will be there to protect the survivors?"

    Cedric let out a tired sigh.

    "Elder Han has been held back in the Central Continent due to his disciple, the one with the legendary beast. He had to pay a hefty sum to leave, but because he was reluctant to part with his wealth, King Istalian forced him to guide the realm gate with the other Array masters."

    "He recently contacted me and said that he saw some movements in the air. Maybe the gate will open in two or three weeks."

    Casper nodded with concerned eyes.

    "I just hope Carcel is safe. He would have grown into a remarkable young man."

    King Cedric''s smile was bittersweet.

    "Indeed. Once he returns, I will properly discipline him for always doing as he pleases."

    However, deep down, both of them knew that Carcel''s chances of returning alive were slim.

 Chapter 337 No one made it out alive?

    <h4>Chapter 337 No one made it out alive?</h4>

    ?Elder Han looked up at the bright sky with a gloomy expression. Thend surrounding him was deste, and the air was hot. Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead and soaked his clothes.

    A faint growl emanated from his stomach, and he nced over at the numerous tents scattered around him. In the midst of the tents, the other Array masters were gathered, enjoying their meals and discussing a new Array they had recently discovered.

    He let out a sigh and waved his hand dismissively when one of the Array masters offered him to join them.

    "Not right now. I''m keeping an eye on the realm gate. Recently, I felt some sort of movements in the air."

    The Array master left him alone, but in the distance, he scoffed. None of them had sensed anything from the realm gate, so how could he?

    If Elder Han noticed the Array master''s displeasure, he didn''t say anything. His gaze shifted towards the realm gate. It was heavily guarded by strong soldiers from Kingdom Soltecia, stationed both in front of the gate and around the tents. They kept a close watch on those who stayed behind from the other Continents and Kingdoms, prepared to wee back any survivors.

    With a sigh, he jumped down from the rocky bed where he had been sitting for a few hours.

    "The situation back in the Kingdom isn''t good. I want to leave, but I know with all the strong individuals busy, I need to stay here."

    "I have firsthand knowledge that both the Central Continent and West Continent have been watching from the sidelines. They won''t offer assistance until the East Continent weakens. Ultimately, when the Continent is on the brink of copse, they''ll present their demands. Also, something''s wrong with King Istalian. Thest time I saw him, he was talking to his shadow. But as soon as he noticed me, he quickly changed the subject."

    He thought about Kyle, and a solemn expression appeared on his face.

    "I hope he and the little phoenix make it out alive. Otherwise, who is going to pay the money? After all, I''m just an old poor man."

    As he headed towards the Kingdom Ete tent, a couple of muscr guards weed him with polite expressions.

    But just as he was about to step inside and call it a day, the ground beneath him rumbled with a deafening roar.

    Elder Han''s eyes widened, and he quickly whipped his head around. Everyone in front of the realm gate abandoned their tents and gathered around, their eyes fixed on the gate as it began to tremble. Dark wisps of smoke curled out from the gate, and the air crackled with electricity.

    The crowd held their breath in anticipation, knowing that the realm gate was about to open.

    However, to their surprise, after a minute, everything fell eerily silent once again.

    "Huh, what''s going on?!"

    Someone shouted from the crowd. And in no time, the air was filled with a chorus of worried voices.

    The Array masters panicked, they instantly surveyed the symbols drawn around the gate to check if something was wrong with them.

    Elder Han''s figure shed, and he appeared in front of the gate. He roughly pushed back an old man and hurriedly examined the symbols, but his expression hardened when he found nothing amiss.

    He massaged his aching temples and stared at the gate.

    "What the hell is going on?"

    Suddenly, a wave of dread washed over him. Just like him, the faces of the people around the realm gate darkened.

    Amidst the chaotic atmosphere, an elderly man from the West Continent spoke up.

    "Don''t tell me... no one made it out alive?"

    His wordsnded like a lightning bolt, and once again, the air grew silent. But no one dared to believe his words. They knew the realm was dangerous, but how could not a single person have survived?

    .....

    At the same time, without realizing the panic he had caused outside, Ris couldn''t help but let out a silent snarl.

    "One, two, three...? I know my memory has problems, but how the hell am I supposed to inject mana into this thing?"

    He muttered, tapping therge tform engraved with countless symbols with his tail in frustration.

    Haylee growled irritably and pushed him back.

    "Stop! Just stop! Don''t touch anything! The gate will open on its own! Damn it, where is the guardian? This lizard is driving me crazy!"

    Ris clicked his tongue and reluctantly stepped back. He nced at the numerous figures soaring through the sky.

    "You''re shouting at me as if I stepped on your tail. Let''s go. We need to say goodbye to the kiddos. Who knows when we''ll see them again."

    Haylee snorted but followed him nheless. The duo flew across the sky and, after a minute, they spotted the illusionary old man.

    The old man gazed at the many individuals floating mid-air, and a smile spread across his face.

    Almost everyone who had survived in the realm had reached an impressive rank, not to mention the group of kids he had been keeping an eye on. They had exceeded his expectations.

    ''Especially the ones with the divine artifacts.''

    He chuckled and raised his voice, causing a thunderous announcement to echo throughout the realm.

    "Get ready, kids. It''s time to leave."

    In the distance, Nine looked around at the numerous treasure inds with a reluctant and sad expression. He flew across the sky, deliberately emanating his powerful (S+)-Rank aura.

    "I''ve reached the limits of my talent, otherwise I would have been the strongest toe out of this realm."

    A snort sounded behind him. He turned around and raised an eyebrow at Sinon, the winged demi-human floating behind him.

    "Haha, don''t tell me you want a one-on-one. Remember, you''re just a tad weaker than me."

    Sinon clicked his tongue and cracked his knuckles with an evil smile.

    "We''re the same rank, so stop or else you''ll regret it."

    Nine shut his mouth with a loud click. Soon, more and more familiar faces, along with a few unfamiliar ones, appeared around them.

    He frowned when he noticed that a few faces were missing from the crowd.

    "Hey, where are Jian, Carcel, Alec, and even Kyle? They''re not here."

    Sinon''s expression turned nk as he let out a sigh.

    "Last I remember, the trio went to test their strength against someone named Guil. Jian mentioned they were going to beat him. I don''t know who this unlucky person is, but I hope he doesn''t suffer too much. As for Kyle, I have no idea."

    Nine blinked and after a few seconds, let out a tremblingugh.

    "Are you kidding me? They went to beat Guil!?"

    Lara and Mia appeared behind him, exchanging nces. Mia tapped his shoulder.

    "Yeah, Carcel told me the same thing. Who is this Guil anyway?"

    Nine''s expression turned pale. He crossed his legs mid-air and waved his hand towards everyone floating around him.

    "He''s someone who could crush us with just a finger. So, let''s hope the trioes back alive."

    Everyone around him startedughing, thinking he was joking. But seeing his serious expression, they fell silent.

    Kelvin immediately let out a worried sigh.

    "Wait, I''ll try contacting Jian."

    Yet, no matter how much he tried to send signals, the red-

    haired man ignored him. Kelvin stared at themunication device with wide eyes, recalling that thest time he contacted Jian, thetter said he would do the same and ignore him.

    "He''s getting back at me even though I told him I couldn''t share my location because I was stuck in a dangerous ce!"

    In the end, they all got together and started waiting for the old man to open the exit to the realm.

    The old man appeared in front of the crowd, his gaze shifting between the floating people and those standing on the ground. His voice, filled with serenity, echoed in all directions.

    "Fear not, all the living outsiders in this realm will be teleported out as soon as the exit opens."

 Chapter 338 Now, it’s my turn

    <h4>Chapter 338 Now, it''s my turn </h4>

    ?The air crackled as a massive wave of fire crashed into a wounded figure kneeling in the distance. Guil coughed up blood, but quickly spread his wings, causing the mes to scatter in every direction.

    Alec and Carcel cursed simultaneously, wiping the sweat from their foreheads. The duo hovered in mid-air, their eyes locked on the man who wasughing maliciously before them.

    Alec ran his fingers through his hair and let out a frustrated sigh.

    "Jian, why are you relying solely on fire skills? We''re strong, but the intense heat is bing overwhelming!"

    Jian tilted his head, his shoulder-length hair swaying gently behind his back as he let out an evil chuckle. Just like Alec and Carcel, his clothes were drenched with sweat.

    "To be honest, I''m not sure why, but after entering the realm, I only found fire-type skills. Just endure it."

    Alec clicked his tongue and raised his hand.

    "Now, it''s my turn."

    Jian and Carcel immediately pulled back, having had their fill. But what happened next sent chills down their spines.

    Alec''s eyes dted as he whipped his head around.

    "Where is Guil!?"

    The trio hurriedly went to the ce where the man had been kneeling just moments ago, but he was nowhere to be found. Alec sucked in a deep breath. They had been beating up Guil with so much confidence because the realm guardian had injured him badly!

    Also, the Guardian ced a restraint on his body, but no matter what, the man was still a pseudo-divine rank individual!

    Jian let out a distressed cry.

    "Oh my gosh! What''s gonna happen now? The guardian''s gonna punish us!"

    They gazed at each other and immediately started searching thend. After just a few seconds, the hair on Alec''s back stood up, and he jumped forward. Before the others could react, a beam tore through the ce he had been floating just moments ago. The ground sted out, and a huge cloud rose in the sky.

    Jian instinctively grabbed Carcel''s arm. He wanted to shout, but the golden-haired man closed his mouth and pushed him away.

    "Get away."

    Immediately, an evil, almost broken voice echoed through the air.

    "I w..ill k...ill you all!!"

    Guil''s whole body was riddled with wounds, but he was still stronger than these ants! He would have already killed them if not for the restraint ced on his body. Regardless, it''s okay now because he has finally broken free!

    He raised his hand with a twisted smile on his bloodied face, and another beam shot out, heading directly toward Jian.

    Jian freaked out and jumped in another direction in mid-air. Alec and Carcel both followed suit.

    Guil crackled an evilugh, but he choked on his saliva due to his sore throat.

    "Kek..ke, jum..p... jump.. how long will you jump?"

    Countless glowing lights appeared behind him as he used the divine energy present within his body without caring about the potential harm it could cause.

    Alec''s expression hardened. He unsheathed the glowing sword from his waist and pointed it at Guil.

    "You think we''re scared..."

    But he couldn''t finish his sentence because Jian and Carcel started flying away in different directions.

    Alec blinked in disbelief. He turned his head towards Guil and understood why the duo ran away.

    The glowing lights behind Guil transformed into dangerously powerful beams. Instantly, the beams zoomed in toward Alec.

    In a split second, Alec made a decision and rushed behind Jian.

    "Wait for me, you jerks-!"

    Behind him, the beams crashed into the ground, shattering everything into pieces. Dust clouds filled the air, making their vision blurry.

    Jian coughed and waved his hand with an ugly expression.

    "What the hell does this guy still have so much strength for!?"

    He growled, but the trio didn''t stop. It was only when they were far away from the chaos that they gathered and narrowed their eyes at the billowing dust clouds.

    Jian ced his hand on Alec''s shoulder, his expression grave.

    "Hey, Alec, why don''t you go and check if he''s done for after using such a powerful attack?"

    Alec raised an eyebrow and swatted Jian''s hand away.

    "Why don''t you go first? Don''t worry, I''ll be right behind you."

    Carcel shook his head with a faint smile. Suddenly, a massive tremor shook the air around them.

    Jian''s eyes widened in an instant.

    "Don''t tell me he still has strength for another attack!?"

    Alec''s forehead became sweaty as he looked at them.

    "Hey, but the voice ising from behind. Not from Guil''s direction."

    The trio immediately whipped their heads back, and their souls nearly flew out of their bodies at the sight before them.

    In the distance, a familiar figure with silver hair was sprinting towards them. But it wasn''t the running figure that scared them, it was the horde of growling monsters chasing after him!

    The ground beneath them shook violently as the monsters drew closer and closer. They wanted to fly away, but the countless flying monsters in the sky made it impossible to even consider.

    Jian''s face turned pale as he let out a barely audibleugh.

    "I think I''m imagining things."

    "No, you''re not!"

    Alec screamed from behind and pulled him towards the ground. Flying was not an option, or they would meet their demise. Just like the silver-haired man, they started running across the barrennd.

    Kyle''s eyes gleamed with a glint as he spotted the trio. In a sh, he disappeared from his spot and reappeared beside Jian, scaring the living daylights out of him.

    Jian shot him a re.

    "How the heck did you get involved with so many monsters!? Did you steal their kids or something?"

    Kyle gave him a sly smile and raised his hand, revealing a beautiful silver sword shining under the sunlight, covered in a white cloth.

    "It''s been a while since I wanted a sword, but I had to venture into a volcano to find this one. Haylee warned me that the ce was filled with monsters, but I didn''t think it would be a big deal. Turns out, I was wrong..."

    Jian rolled his eyes.

    "Just wrong!?"

    Alec and Carcel overheard their conversation and exchanged bitter smiles. All this trouble for a sword?

    Suddenly, Jian realized that the little birdie, Bia, was missing.

    "Where''s Bia?"

    Kyle let out an ''Oh'' and looked back.

    "Maybe hiding somewhere far away?"

    Jian blinked, then he let out a pleased chuckle.

    "Stay strong, bro..."

    Before he could finish his sentence, Kyle shed him another smile and vanished.

    "You bastard! Wait! My mana is low, I can''t fight so many monsters!"

    Alec, Jian, and Carcel sprinted through the area, muttering curses under their breath.

    In the distance, Kyle''s figure materialized out of thin air, and his eyes narrowed as he caught sight of a familiar injured winged man. The man was kneeling on the ground, with messy hair and bloodied clothes.

    Guil raised his head, and his eyes met Kyle''s mid-air. Sparks flew in the air, and the winged man bared his teeth at the human. He raised his trembling hand to send another beam at Kyle, but the silver-haired man vanished into thin air.

    Guil let out a startled cry but before he could process anything, Kyle appeared behind him.

    Kyle raised his finger and quickly drew a symbol in the air before smacking it against Guil''s neck. Immediately, Guil''s eyes fluttered shut, and his body dropped to the ground with a loud thud.

    "Sleep for a while."

    Kyle mused and narrowed his eyes at the countless monsters edging closer to him. His eyes glowed with a faint blue light as he whispered under his breath.

    "Ice Domain."

 Chapter 339 It’s time to go back

    <h4>Chapter 339 It''s time to go back</h4>

    ?The air suddenly grew cold, and a translucent dome materialized out of thin air, enveloping everything around Kyle in a chilly embrace. Countless icicles formed in the air, and thick clouds gathered.

    Jian''s eyes widened as he stepped into the towering dome, but to his surprise, the path in front of him cleared. He took a deep breath, only to cough from the intense cold.

    His gaze locked onto the figure of Kyle with an aggrieved expression, and he dashed towards him. After him, Alec and Carcel also entered the dome and hurriedly ran towards Kyle.

    The ground beneath them trembled violently, and all eyes turned to Kyle, before staring at the unconscious body of Guil lying behind him.

    Alec''s eyebrow twitched. They had been locked in a battle with Guil for two days, unable to kill him due to the divine energy present within his body. Yet, Kyle had effortlessly rendered him unconscious.

    He so badly wanted to ask how, but controlled the urge, knowing the situation was too dangerous.

    Jian held his breath.

    "Now what? Do we have to fight? If we give it our all, I think we can take them down."

    Kyle raised his head, his eyes narrowing at the approaching monsters.

    "No, there are too many of them, and the exit to the realm is about to open. We''re running out of time."

    He kicked off the ground and started hovering in mid-air. Alec, Carcel, and Jian exchanged nces and quickly followed behind. Under their gaze, the countless icicles floating inside the dome shot out toward the monsters with a speed invisible to the naked eye.

    Kyle sucked in a deep breath.

    "Hope this works."

    He raised his finger and started scribing symbols in the air, shocking the trio beside him. The symbols glowed and instantly trembled. Kyle''s finger shook, and he cursed when the symbols dispersed in the air.

    He raised his finger again and scribbled the symbols once more, but they vanished again.

    "Guys, use your strongest skills to distract the monsters. Just half a minute is enough."

    The trio immediately nodded and hurriedly used the remaining mana in their bodies to divert the attention of the monsters. However, they were overwhelmed. Obviously, they were tired after fighting Guil, and now their mana was running low.

    After the fourth try, Kyle''s eyes lit up. He smiled at the faint glowing circle opposite him, which grew bigger and bigger before transforming into arge round portal.

    He let out a shout towards Alec and jumped into the portal.

    "Hurry!"

    Alec stared back, his eyes widening with disbelief. He sucked in a deep breath and shouted at Jian and Carcel before following behind Kyle.

    Jian dodged an earth spike thrown at him by arge turtle and immediately entered the portal. Carcel followed suit.

    Alec''s head buzzed, and the moment he emerged from the portal, he retched and emptied the contents of his stomach.

    Jian and Carcel were in the same condition. The trio red at the silver-haired man standing opposite them. But they were distracted when a loud rumble sounded behind them.

    They immediately whipped their heads around and saw that the ce they had left was just opposite the tall mountain where they had appeared.

    Three pairs of speechless eyes turned towards Kyle, but he shrugged his shoulders.

    "I need a lot of time if I want to create a portal for a very long-distance travel."

    Jian slumped down on the ground and let out a tired sigh. Alec chuckled and sat down beside him.

    However, they were not able to rest because countless tears formed in the sky, staining the clear sky with cracks.

    Carcel hummed softly.

    "It seems it''s time to leave."

    Alec''s eyes crinkled into a smile.

    "Yes, it''s time to go back."

    Jian also let out a smile.

    Contrary to the serene atmosphere, Kyle''s expression was deep as he stared at the cracks. He rubbed his chest with a bitter smile.

    ''Indeed, it''s time to leave, but I am still not strong enough. I hope the artifact stays dormant for a few more years.''

    "Guys, I am going to fetch Bia."

    Kyle left, but Alec noticed his behavior and knitted his brows. He narrowed his eyes and immediately used the system appraisal skill. His mouth opened wide when the shocking system panel shed in front of his eyes.

    ______________________

    ''Name: Kyle Ohan''

    ''Race: Human''

    ''Rank: (SSS-)''

    ''Special: ??''

    ''???''

    -Error!

    Trying to find the cause! Loading...

    -Error!

    No more information provided. To know further information, the host needs to be a whole rank higher than the target.

    _________________________

    Alec gazed at his status and let out a faint chuckle. Just recently, he broke through to (SS+)-Rank. It was all possible because, for the past two years, he worked hard day and night, but it seemed someone was working even harder than him.

    ''Tsk, just when am I going to be a whole rank higher than him?''

    He nced at Jian and Carcel. The duo had also reached (SS)-

    Rank recently.

    ''If we all stay together, maybe we will be able to face all the hardships in the future. But first, I need to find the person damaging the''s core to buy more time for everyone to grow stronger.''

    He let out a sigh. It''s good that he received the information from Haylee a year ago. Or else he would have stayed in the dark for a long time.

    ...

    Outside the realm, Elder Han''s face grew paler with each passing second. He fiddled with the symbols, but the realm gate remained silent.

    ''No way!''

    He screamed in his head. Unwilling to believe that no one had survived. The Array masters around him were also in a state of panic.

    However, just as despair filled the faces of those around him, the realm gate trembled once again, and wisps of smoke emerged.

    Elder Han let out a cry of relief and squeezed his eyes shut.

    "I''m done for if I receive another panic attack. I can''t take it!"

    He messaged his temples and slumped to the ground. The Array masters around him hurriedly dragged him away from the realm gate to prevent any further issues.

    The sky above the realm gate darkened, and a faint bright light shed. However, instead of the familiar circr opening, the entire realm gate came crashing down with a loud rumble.

    The crowd''s mouths dropped open in shock as the earth trembled, causing multiple cracks to form everywhere. In an instant, sparks of dark electric current buzzed out from the realm gate with lightning-fast speed, and a person with brown hair flew out.

    The crowd held their breath as they gazed at the first survivor emerging from the realm.

    Indeed, he looked incredibly powerful.

    Nine''s expression turned smug upon hearing the faint shocked exmations around him, but he quicklyposed himself with a solemn expression and flew into the middle of the crowd.

    "This deity shall-!"

    His sentence was cut short when Sinon''s figure crashed into him, causing him to lose his bnce. The two of them crashed to the ground with painful groans.

    Nine pushed the winged demi-human away from his body and squeezed his eyes shut.

    ''There! My perfect image just shattered into a million pieces.''

    The crowd stared at the two individuals, but in the next second, they gasped as countless bright lights shed out from the realm gate. Their shock increased because the number of survivors grew with each passing second.

    Elder Han was almost brought to tears with relief when he saw many familiar faces following Nine.

    Lara and Mia floated mid-air, gazing around at the few old men floating or standing on the ground.

    The girls instantly spotted Elder Han and hurriedly made their way towards him.

    While the countless people waiting for the survivors rejoiced with happiness, the guards from Kingdom Soltecia stationed around the realm gate panicked at the increasing numbers.

    Immediately, a few of them vanished into thin air to inform King Istalian.

 Chapter 340 Debt

    <h4>Chapter 340 Debt</h4>

    King Istalian spat out the drink he had been sipping as he stared at the guard kneeling across from him in disbelief.

    "What did you say?"

    He blinked, once, twice, and then massaged his temples. The shadow lurking in the darkness emerged from behind him and let out an excited snarl.

    "Go, go! The kids must have found the divine essence with the help of the map! Hurry!"

    Istalian snorted, but after tossing the cup in his hand aside, he vanished from the luxurious hall, heading straight toward the realm gate.

    Just like Istalian, the strongest individuals in the West Continent received the news from their people stationed at the realm gate. They immediately left their kingdoms to proudly wee the youngsters.

    Even the Queen of the Sea Continent was shocked to hear that seventy percent of their people had returned alive. She burst intoughter and hastily instructed her strongest warriors to go and wee the kids, especially her daughter, Seraphine.

    Simrly, the various kings in the East Continent rejoiced at the joyful news. Unfortunately, due to the circumstances, they were unable to send any strong individuals. In the end, after extensive discussions among all the kingdoms, King Foraan himself set out to pick up the kids.

    Unaware of the chaos they were causing, more and more people emerged from the realm gate with each passing second.

    Regius, Lucus, and Sen, the trio, also floated out from the gate. Regius had a smug expression on his face as he waved at the old man from the elven Kingdom.

    Hended confidently in front of the old man, ready to boast, but his smile froze when two handsome figuresnded in front of him.

    Faith and Niamh stared back at Regius with raised eyebrows, challenging him to boast in their presence.

    The old man from Kingdom tersia cried out with joy when he saw the three men. He had been receiving death threats from their families, warning that if anything happened to their heirs, they would first kill him and then destroy the realm gate.

    He almost dropped to his knees when he saw a beautiful figure floating out from the gate. Yue''s amber eyes shone brightly as she looked around and made her way towards the old man.

    Niamh, Regius, and Faith immediately tried to sense her rank, but they were dumbfounded when they sensed nothing.

    The trio exchanged bitter smiles as they wondered just how much stronger she had be.

    After Yue, Sia also appeared, and she let out a proud smirk when she spotted her father standing amidst the crowd.

    Elder Han had a smile on his face as he stared at the realm gate. However, after a few minutes, the countless lightsing out from the gate suddenly stopped.

    His smile faltered slightly as he wondered where Kyle and Alec were. And to add to his concern, Prince Carcel had yet toe out as well!

    But before he could have another panic attack, thinking that the strongest individuals had perished, three familiar figures stepped out from the realm gate.

    Jian stretched his body and ruffled his hair with a yawn.

    "Man, I''m tired. It''s good that we could easily step out, unlike the others who were tossed out."

    Alec smiled back at him and then his gaze wandered toward the gorgeous figure standing beside Elder Han. Just as he remembered, Lara''s face remained expressionless, but her eyes had softened, and it seemed like she was even conversing with the others.

    He tapped Jian on the shoulder.

    "I''m leaving. See youter."

    Jian stared at him as he vanished into the crowd. With a mischievous glint, Jian raised his arm to ce it on Carcel''s shoulder, but before he could, Carcel also disappeared into the crowd.

    In the end, Jian clicked his tongue and started walking toward Kelvin, who had been ring at him since he emerged from the realm.

    Jian let out a hesitant chuckle as he tried to exin why he couldn''t receive Kelvin''s signal, but Kelvin ignored him as if he were thin air.

    Amidst the bustling atmosphere, King Istalian''s figure appeared in the sky. He scanned the crowd and immediately spotted Lucus and the mermaid princess.

    The shadow hiding behind him let out a relieved sigh. Now he was sure they had obtained the divine essence! Regardless, he controlled the urge to pounce on them because there were too many people around.

    Istalian broke into a polite smile. His loud voice echoed in the air.

    "Wee back. I am happy to see so many survivors."

    A few strong guards appeared behind him, carrying golden chests filled with mana stones, gold coins, and all types of luxurious things one could expect in life.

    However, before he could announce that the gates of Kingdom Soltecia were open for those who wanted toe, a few more old men and women from the West Continent and Sea Continent appeared behind him.

    They scoffed at his actions, clearly mocking him, because how the hell did he think he would be able to snatch their people under their noses?

    While the atmosphere was heated, a faint rumble shook the air. Instantly, all eyes turned to the realm gate that had been quiet for a while now.

    Alec blinked, nced at Carcel, and let out a chuckle.

    "He sure knows how to be the center of attention."

    Lara and Mia shook their heads with smiles. They all knew that now he was strong enough to handle everything, even if he attracted the attention of others.

    Under the crowd''s eyes, a spark of fire emerged from the realm gate, followed by a huge majestic phoenix that soared through the sky, painting the once-cloudy sky with crimson.

    Istalian''s eyes dted when he sensed the phoenix''s rank.

    ''She''s already (SS+)-rank..?''

    The beautiful phoenix was not alone. Just like Alec, Jian, and Carcel, Kyle stepped out from the realm. However, unlike them, his clothes were spotless.

    He wore an emotionless expression as he straightened his shirt and gazed at the phoenix.

    "Bia."

    Instantly, under the stunned eyes of the crowd, the phoenix gracefully fluttered her wings and dived down toward him. She decreased her size and obediently sat on his shoulder.

    -''Hey, what about the two moths?''

    Kyle hummed.

    ''As I said, there''s no need to worry about them. Now that everyone is out, they should quietly live inside the realm.''

    Behind him, the realm gate trembled before the light started vanishing. Faint white sparks flew out from the realm gate, and the opening closed just as fast as it crashed down.

    Kyle''s silver hair swirled gently as he spotted the old man and started walking toward him. Instantly, the people around him parted to give him enough space.

    "Master, it''s been a while."

    Elder Han stared at the handsome man in front of him and broke out intoughter. He wanted to scream, Look, this is my disciple!

    Even though he felt proud, he restrained the urge to express it.

    In the distance, Istalian''s ears perked up when he heard the word ''master''. An evil smirk appeared on his face as he gazed at the people from Kingdom Ete.

    "I think nobody should leave until Elder Han pays his debt, which has increased over the past two years."

 Chapter 341 Two Monster Lords?

    <h4>Chapter 341 Two Monster Lords? </h4>

    Kyle raised his head and stared directly at the man, narrowing his eyes at the air behind him. He wasn''t sure if his senses were correct, so he activated his skill, scent perception, to sense the faint thing lurking behind Istalian.

    The shadow behind Istalian was startled when it sensed someone gazing at it. It nced at Kyle and immediately vanished into thin air, trying not to expose itself.

    Kyle''s brow furrowed as he smelled the various scents in the air. However, he confirmed his suspicions that something strong and dark was present behind Istalian.

    He started floating in the air and stopped right in front of Istalian and the guards holding the golden chests.

    "Why and how much does master need to pay you?"

    As he spoke, an extremely cold aura spread through the air, making those weaker than (S)-rank shiver.

    Alec and Carcel nced at each other and quickly left the ground, floating beside Kyle in mid-air.

    Alec raised his brow.

    "Let''s hear it. Why does Elder Han have to pay you?"

    After the duo, many figures rose into the air. All the people who knew Kyle appeared around him. He was already strong enough, but they just wanted to stand beside him.

    Istalian''s expression darkened, and the old men and women from the other continents immediately distanced themselves to avoid being associated with him. He chuckled.

    "Very well!"

    Instead of stepping back, he immediately told Kyle how Elder Han had opened the realm gate before the intended time and wasted many resources.

    Kyle blinked and gazed at his master floating in the distance.

    On his left, Jian cracked his knuckles, ready to put the man in his ce. Can''t he see that he was alone with a few guards and they outnumbered him? Yet, Kyle surprised him with his next words.

    "How much?"

    Istalian''s eyes narrowed slightly, and he deliberately increased the amount tenfold. The faces of the old men floating in the distance paled when they heard the amount. They nced at each other because none of them had even seen it before.

    Elder Han cried out and pointed his trembling finger at the man.

    "You-!"

    But he wasn''t able toplete his sentence because Kyle agreed instantly as if the amount was nothing.

    Istalian scoffed at his calm expression, but in the next second, Kyle tossed two storage rings toward him. The man eyes dted as he saw the ringsing at him. He immediately grabbed the rings, but to the shock of the crowd, he was pushed back mid-air.

    He stared at Kyle with disbelief. Just how strong does one have to be to startle him? He was at the pinnacle of mortal strength! He was the only (SSS+)-rank in the whole!

    Disregarding the stunned eyes, Kyle raised his brow.

    ''One of the rings is divine grade, the other is supreme grade. I believe the things inside are enough to keep a whole Kingdom afloat for fifty years, even if they have nothing.''

    ''Also, I am overlooking the strange being behind you because I remember I owe you one.''

    An emotionless voice echoed inside Istalian''s head. It took a minute for him topletely digest Kyle''s words, and when he did, he was rooted to his spot.

    The word ''Divine grade'' echoed in his head. No one should know about this word, but seeing how easily the silver-haired man opposite him tossed the rings toward him, it seemed divine grade was nothing for him!

    Istalian let out a shuddering breath when he nced inside the rings. They were not filled, but the things inside were indeed enough to keep a whole Kingdom afloat for fifty years.

    He raised his hand, signaling his guards to retreat, and gazed at Kyle one final time before abruptly departing, leaving the crowd in a state of shock.

    Kyle''s lips trickled upward as he stared at Istalian''s retreating figure. He gazed back, and before anyone could offer him treasures to join their Kingdom, he immediately entered the Kingdom Ete tent.

    Elder Han appeared behind him, gazing at him with a incredible expression. Kyle nodded at the old man.

    "Master, I want to go home, but I believe it''s better if we all go back together."

    Elder Han gave him a quick nod.

    "Don''t worry, King Foraan is here. He has bought a big ship. All the people from Kingdom Ete will go back together."

    After just half an hour, they boarded the ship and it started floating in the air.

    King Foraan was tempted to go and talk with Alec, Kyle, Carcel, and all the strong kids from the other Kingdoms. Who wouldn''t want more allies? But he was surprised to find out that both Kelvin and Jian already knew them.

    As the ship soared, all the older people gathered in a closed room to figure out how to tell the kids about the monster lords. They even put up a big Array around the room so no one could overhear.

    When Elder Han arrived in front of the room, a little figure appeared on his shoulder out of nowhere. It was Bia!

    The old man looked at her and blinked.

    Bia blinked back.

    He smiled faintly, but one could tell he was sweating because now he knew for sure that Bia couldmunicate with Kyle!

    "What are you doing here, little one? Go y somewhere else."

    He waved his hand to dismiss her. But then, a calm and low voice sent shivers down his spine.

    -"Old man, I know you''ve be smarter in my absence. Kyle and the others asked me to spy, so just quietly take me with you. Don''t worry about the others, just tell them I can''t understand."

    Elder Han wiped his sweaty forehead and pushed the door open. Instantly, many eyes turned towards him, some curious gazes traveled toward Bia. However, Elder Han immediately assured them with a dead serious expression that she couldn''t understand a word.

    As they began their discussion, unaware that their words were being heard by the kids, Kyle leaned back in his chair in another room.

    "Two monster lords?"

    Alec and the all his friends around him widened their eyes, taking in the information from their spy.

 Chapter 342 Maybe I imagined it

    <h4>Chapter 342 Maybe I imagined it</h4>

    After a heated argument, King Foraan stormed out of the room. Following his orders, a group of older men quickly gathered the young ones. With the circumstances, they couldn''t keep things hidden from the kids.

    As the floating ship approached the East Continent, King Foraan stood before the group of youngsters. Many other older individuals and Elder Han stood silently by his side.

    He cleared his throat, wearing a solemn expression, to quiet down the faint whispers and voices.

    Once again, he felt a swell of pride seeing the number of people who had returned alive. His eyes flickered with various emotions. The kids had just survived such a big hurdle, and now he and the others were about to put them in danger again.

    "I''m really proud of all of you. It''s amazing to see so many talented people right here. I know you all want to go back and see your families and friends. But, I have some news... and it''s not good, I''m afraid."

    He paused for a moment and rubbed his temples. The tension in the air heightened because, unlike Kyle and his friends, nobody knew what news he was referring to.

    "Your people, your families, they need you. The dark forest, which had been quiet for so long, has produced two new monster lords."

    As soon as his words fell, a heavy silence enveloped the ship. It took a moment for everyone to process the gravity of the situation. Then, a chorus of shocked gasps filled the air.

    King Foraan was about to speak further, but Alec, who had been quietly observing from a corner with his arms crossed, raised his hand.

    "Have the two monster lords already emerged? What''s the current situation? I don''t know about the others, but I''m ready to fight."

    All eyes turned to him in an instant. Carcel tapped his shoulder with a raised eyebrow.

    "Don''t forget to count me in."

    Mia and Lara followed suit, expressing their determination. Only if Nine was here, he would have been the first to join them, but he was forced to go with Seraphine.

    After them, Regius, Yue, Kelvin, and Jian stepped forward. Sia let out a chuckle and raised her spear.

    "Who do you think we are? We''re not afraid of some monster lords!"

    Their voices were joined by many others. At first, they were hesitant, but they found courage when Alec voiced his resolve. After all, the blue-haired man had helped them a lot in the secret realm.

    King Foraan blinked. It was clear from Alec''s reaction that the news was not new to him. Instantly, his eyes traveled to the brown-haired old man standing by his side.

    Elder Han let out a chuckle and waved his hand to shoo away the little bird sitting on his shoulder. He wanted to salvage the situation by pretending he knew nothing, but suddenly, King Foraan let out a chuckle.

    He looked at Alec and nodded quickly. Indeed, the kids had grown up.

    "You all should rest for now. I understand that you''re eager to know more, but we will be heading to Kingdom Ete, where King Cedric will provide all the answers."

    His eyes traveled to the silver-haired man standing quietly in the distance. For a while, Kyle hadn''t said anything. As if sensing his gaze, a pair of brilliant green eyes stared back at him.

    Kyle hummed softly and waved his hand, prompting Bia toe toward him.

    Alec turned his head toward Kyle with knitted brows. He hadn''t heard anything from Kyle.

    "Kyle...?"

    Instantly, all eyes turned to Kyle, waiting for his answer. They were all sure he would join. After all, like Alec, he had helped many of them and was the strongest. Yet, after a few seconds of silence, the crowd grew restless. But before anyone could say anything, Kyle let out a sigh.

    "I will join as well. However, I would like to go and check on my family first. Afterward, I''lle join you guys."

    Alec smiled and immediately gave him an okay sign.

    After an hour, when the ship entered the boundary of Kingdom Ete, Kyle talked to Elder Han, saying that he would just go for a while ande back.

    The old man thought for a second but agreed. He watched as Kyle started floating, but he didn''t leave. Elder Han blinked in confusion, but before he could voice it out, Kyle raised his finger and started scribing in the air.

    Elder Han''s eyes almost popped out of their sockets. He stared at the glowing symbols in shock. Only when Kyle was done did he snap out of his shock, but he was a tad bitte because Directly support the authors on WebNovel!

    another voice called out to Kyle before him.

    Kyle turned his head back to look at the beautiful figure floating behind him. Yue tossed amunication crystal toward him he snap out of his shock, but he was a tad bitte because another voice called out to Kyle before him.

    with a faint smile.

    "Ah... It''s because nobody has any way to stay in touch with you. So, take it with you."

    Kyle grabbed the crystal. The symbols he drew merged together to form a portal in the air. Immediately, he tossed the little bird on his shoulder inside the portal.

    -''Ahhhh.''

    He ignored the voice in his head and nced at Yue for a second before he also entered the portal, but she heard his faint words clearly.

    "Hmm, it''s not like I asked for an exnation."

    Yue''s ears twitched, and she let out a chuckle. Over the past two years in the realm, she had bumped into Kyle many times. Of course, she was a little mad because he and Bia would only show up when they wanted to eat something delicious. However, the fact that now Kyle can easily speak his mind in front of her made her happy.

    She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a distressed voice beside her. Elder Han had one of his hands in the air, and his face wore a nk expression.

    The old man let out a bitter smile as he gazed into the distance.

    "Just what has the worlde to? He can already draw symbols in the air... Or maybe I imagined it?"

 Chapter 343 You are finally back

    <h4>Chapter 343 You are finally back</h4>

    Bia cursed in her mind when she saw Kyle''s figure emerging from the portal. She harrumphed angrily and narrowed her eyes at the city below.

    Kyle''s eyes traveled downward. He could have easily used instant teleportation to get home in a few minutes, but because of Bia, he knew he couldn''t.

    "Let''s go."

    He dove down with lightning-fast speed, leaving his spot in a blur. Bia clicked her tongue and followed closely behind.

    -''You''re just a tad bit stronger than me, but why is your speed so fast!?''

    As Kyle picked up speed, the air rushed against his skin. It was cold, and the air pressure was almost overwhelming, but he only felt a gentle tickle on his skin.

    He raised an eyebrow at Bia''s words and nced at his stats from the corner of his eye.

    ________

    Stats:

    Name: Kyle

    Bloodline: Celestial

    Rank: SSS-

    Strength: SSS

    Mana: SSS+

    Agility: SSS-

    Talent: SSS+ Rank

    Luck: A

    Skills;

    ....

    _________

    ''Just a little..? I suppose.''

    Bia rolled her eyes at his words. She wanted to boast that she had already reached (SS+)-Rank in just two years, but when she thought about the resources Kyle had generously provided and how he was stronger, she chose to remain quiet.

    After just ten minutes, the duo reached a small building in an area that should have been bustling with people, but for some reason, it was strangely quiet. They had arrived in the capital city, right in front of the house where Kyle had left his family.

    Kyle took a deep breath and surveyed the house beforending in front of the gate. As he reached for the gate, he heard a familiar voice calling him from behind.

    "Who''s there?"

    He turned around and was surprised to see the familiar figure of Butler Eon. The old man''s face was more wrinkled, and his brows furrowed as he examined Kyle from head to toe.

    "Who are you, young man-!"

    Butler Eon paused and blinked when he noticed Bia sitting on Kyle''s shoulder.

    "This little bird... It looks very simr..!"

    His mouth hung open as he snapped his eyes to Kyle''s face. A familiar smile yed at the corner of the silver-haired man standing opposite him.

    Unlike before, Kyle had grown taller, and with his eyes, hair, and pale skin, he looked like apletely different person. Eon sucked in a deep breath, his face filled with shock.

    "You..."

    Before he could voice his thoughts, Kyle surprised him even more by giving him a light pat on the shoulder.

    "How have you been, old man? It''s been a while."

    Eon''s eyes moistened as he heard the familiar voice of the youngest child of the house. It took him a few seconds to believe that the person in front of him was really Kyle, but when he did, he opened his arms with a smile.

    Kyle let out a chuckle and embraced him in a warm hug. As they chatted, Butler Eon quickly opened the gate, and they entered the house.

    They walked for a while, and Kyle was pleased to see that the house was adorned with decent furniture and a few more male workers. It seemed like things had changed since he left.

    After passing through a small corridor, the butler stopped in front of a room. He knocked on the door and waited.

    Kyle nced at the closed door, and a few secondster, his father replied that he was busy and shouldn''t be disturbed.

    Butler Eon smiled bitterly as he looked at him.

    "He''s been like this ever since the other two masters left to fight for the Kingdom."

    Kyle sighed and rubbed his temples.

    "When did they leave?"

    "A few days ago, the Royal Pce announced that they were recruiting people who want to participate in the battle against the monster lord, and both of them immediately applied."

    With a nod, Kyle pushed the door open and stepped inside. Immediately, Baron Ohan, who was standing in front of a desk, looked back with a frown.

    "Didn''t I say not to disturb m.."

    He paused when he saw that instead of Eon, an unfamiliar man had entered the room.

    Ohan narrowed his eyes at him, but then he suddenly let out a surprised gasp.

    "Kyle, is it you!?"

    Kyle blinked, surprised that his father had recognized him. He opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, his father hurriedly made his way toward him and embraced him tightly.

    "Oh, my child, you''re finally back. It''s been so long. I almost... thought..."

    Tears welled up in his eyes as he gently patted Kyle''s back. A warm feeling filled Kyle''s chest as he let out a soft sigh.

    "I''m sorry for worrying you so much, dad. I''m fine."

    After a while, Ohan forced him to sit down and quickly summoned a few servants to prepare a special meal. After all, his son had returned after such a long time.

    Kyle smiled and allowed his father to do as he pleased. Ohan asked him questions about his time in the realm. He had been aware that Kyle had entered the ancient realm. However, he knew that his son had grown up. That''s why, even though he was worried and initially wanted to scold Kyle when he heard from Elder Han that he had entered such a dangerous ce, he let it go.

    "The three of you surely know how to make me worry. Now you''re back, and the other two are gone."

    Baron Ohan let out a sigh and shook his head. He immediately took Kyle into the dining hall. The table was adorned with a wide array of delicious dishes.

    Even though Kyle didn''t have much of an appetite, he ate and encouraged the old man to eat as well. After all, he had heard from the butler that his father hadn''t been eating properly for a while now.

    Kyle let out a yawn after he finished eating. He nced at Bia, who was still devouring a meat dish and couldn''t help but chuckle.

    He looked at his father and gently tapped his shoulder.

    "Don''t worry, dad. Ray and Neon are both strong. Also, I''ll go check on them."

    A mischievous glint shed in his eyes.

    "Well, I can''t wait to see their faces when I tell them I''ve reached the (SSS-)-Rank."

    Baron Ohan dropped his spoon and stared at Kyle with a wide mouth.

    "What...!?"

 Chapter 344 Come to the border

    <h4>Chapter 344 Come to the border</h4>

    Kyle''s figure blurred, and before the old man could react, the spoon was back in his hand.

    "Huh!?"

    An innocent smile yed at the corner of Kyle''s lips as he nced at his father.

    "Not just me, Bia has also reached the (SS+)-rank."

    Butler Eon, who had just entered the hall, halted in his tracks as he witnessed and heard Kyle''s words and actions.

    The little bird proudly raised her head and spoke up in a beautiful serene voice.

    -"Of course, the majestic me is not someone who would stay behind!"

    The two old figures stared at the bird with wide mouths.

    Kyle let out a chuckle, and Ohan finally snapped out of his daze. He wiped his forehead, which had turned sweaty for some reason.

    "You... reached what rank?"

    However, instead of Kyle, Bia climbed onto his shoulder and replied proudly.

    -"(SS+)-Rank!"

    Ohan froze, and the little weight on his shoulder increased tenfold. After a long silence, the old man''s eyes turned moist again. In the distance, Eon quickly sat down on a chair to calm his muddled heart.

    Kyle panicked and quickly stood up to pat his father''s back, but his father''s next words nearly made himugh.

    "I don''t know what... and how you did it, but I am proud of you! I was shocked when Elder Han told me you have (SS)-Rank talent... Now you''re telling me you have reached a rank higher than even that...?"

    "I know I never mentioned it, but in my heart, I always knew that myzy son would achieve something big one day..."

    He grabbed Kyle''s hand and tapped it gently. Kyle sat down, and after Eon and Ohan, both calmed down. He asked the other servants to leave them alone.

    In the next second, he raised his hand and drew a few symbols in the air, ensuring that no one could hear them. Then he nced at his father with utmost seriousness.

    "I want to know... in our ancestors, do we have someone who was exceptionally strong?"

    Baron Ohan blinked and thought for a while.

    "No, I was the only child of my parents, and I don''t remember anyone strong in my grandparents'' generation."

    Kyle nodded, but he wanted to know more.

    "How about further in the past... a long, long time ago? Maybe one thousand or two thousand years ago?"

    A deep expression appeared on the old man''s face. He thought hard and long but didn''t remember anyone strong.

    Kyle sighed.

    "Do we have history books? Like the ones passed through generations?"

    However, his father shook his head. Suddenly, Butler Eon spoke up.

    "What about the ice enchantresses? I saw this book in the old house. If I remember correctly, it was quite old."

    Baron Ohan chuckled and shook his head.

    "That book was just an old romance story I found in my parents'' study. Maybe someone wrote it in their free time. I read it, but I don''t think it''s something that belongs to our ancestors. As far as I can remember, we don''t have any grand ancestry."

    Kyle blinked when he heard ''ice'' in the name. Bia gazed at him with wide eyes.

    -''No way! Ask more about it! I feel like we''ll get some clues about your bloodline!''

    Noticing Kyle''s curious expression, Ohan burst intoughter.

    "Haha, it was just a romance book, but if you want to know, I''ll tell you the main story. Well, it''s an old tale about a beautiful woman who was known as a powerful battle mage around four thousand years ago."

    "She was called the Ice Enchantress throughout the whole book."

    He paused for a second to gather all the pieces of the story from his memory.

    "I remember she and her two malepanions were described as unique. They all had something special and they all wanted to be the strongest one day. Hmm, there is a reason why I said the story is not true. The power ranks described in the book were a little different from the ones known in our Continent. And the woman, she had something called a transcendent rank ice bloodline."

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed and a solemn expression appeared on his face.

    "Not much was described, but the story was quite good, at least until the trio''s younger days. Then suddenly, one of her malepanions acquired something very strong and became someone powerful. She was happy for him, but then he became distant. At first, the ice enchantress didn''t care. But as time went on, she ended up falling in love with her secondpanion. Unfortunately, her choice wasn''t the best because the person she fell with asked her to cheat the other one. In the end, together, the two of them betrayed their third friend..."

    Baron Ohan let out a sigh.

    "Afterward, the story ended abruptly. At the end of the book, a few lines were written in a messy scribble. They said, ''I regret it... I regret it so much that it pained my heart. I''m sorry. I''m leaving first... I know the hell I created, but I''m too powerless. So, I''m leaving behind a part of my essence, in case someone from my family can inherit it. I hope they can use it better to protect their loved ones''."

    There was silence as Kyle processed the vast amount of information in the short story his father described. His mind raced with countless possibilities, but in the end, transcendent and celestial were two different ranks altogether.

    He massaged his temples and let out a bitter smile because, ording to his father, the book didn''t have any names.

    "So, does that mean my bloodline is somehow connected to her? And why in the world did she betray her friend... just for love and strength?"

    Baron Ohan listened quietly, and Kyle''s words were enough to shock the old man once again. But he didn''t dare to ask Kyle any more questions, fearing that his fragile heart wouldn''t be able to handle it.

    Kyle stood up and paced around with a frustrated expression.

    "I wish I could say that it was just a storybook, but why do I feel like my peaceful life is getting tooplicated with each passing day? For heaven''s sake, I''m just in my twenties!"

    Bia blinked at his words.

    -"Just how the hell is it rted to your age?"

    Kyle snapped his eyes toward her.

    "You don''t understand! I''m not that old to experience so much. I''m already suffering because of the artifact inside my heart-!"

    He clicked his mouth shut but it was toote. In an instant, two pairs of old eyes fixated on him.

    Kyle couldn''t help but let out a dry smile. No way was he going to worry his father with his problem. As he pondered the different ways to escape the situation, something suddenly started buzzing in his mind space.

    He quickly took out themunication crystal that Yue had given him before he left.

    Ohan and Eon were both prepared to pressure him for more information about the artifact Kyle had identally mentioned. However, the duo froze when a beautifuldy''s image appeared above themunication crystal in Kyle''s hand.

    Yue''s brows furrowed as she called out his name.

    "Kyle? Can you hear me?"

    Kyle sighed in his mind, feeling grateful for the timing.

    "Yes, I can. What happened?"

    The elven girl paused when she saw two more faces behind Kyle.

    "That...?"

    Kyle blinked and looked at the two pairs of curious eyes staring at themunication crystal.

    "Dad...?"

    Baron Ohan cleared his throat and stepped back. He quickly grabbed Eon and gave Kyle a solemn nod.

    "She''s pretty. I agree."

    After his hushed whisper, he hurriedly walked away with Eon, giving Kyle some space. Of course, inwardly, the duo was strategizing on how to make him spill everything about the artifact.

    Kyle watched their retreating figures with a bewildered expression. He snapped out of it when Yue called him again.

    "What happened?"

    Immediately, Yue''s expression turned serious. She mouthed an apology, and another familiar old elven figure appeared in the crystal. Anlee narrowed his eyes at Kyle and let out a grunt.

    "You look quite different from the past."

    Kyle''s expression hardened as he saw the old man. Well, he''d be lying if he said he wasn''t tempted to close the crystal. After all, no matter what, he still remembered the grudge from the past. Even though the man had trained him in Kingdom tersia, he had also attacked him when he came out from the tower of opportunity. Regardless, Kyle waited patiently to hear what thetter had to say.

    Anlee noticed his expression and went straight to the point.

    "It was never my intention to disturb your time with your family, but I hope you remember that you owe the elven King a favor. He wants to use it now. The elven Kingdom needs as many strong individuals as possible right now, and you are the best option."

    Kyle furrowed his brows, but he wasn''t someone who would go back on his words.

    "Alright, I''lle visit the Kingdom in a while."

    However, before he could close the crystal, Anlee stopped him.

    "Come to the border directly. It''s not because of the monsters. We were able to control them because the monster lords hadn''t attacked yet. It''s because the dark mage has attacked one of our borders. He has killed too many innocent people."

    Kyle nodded. He wasn''t sure who this dark mage was, but if thetter was causing trouble, so it was better to take him out.

 Chapter 345 Someone else arrived before us

    <h4>Chapter 345 Someone else arrived before us </h4>

    Kyle closed themunication crystal and walked out of the room. Ohan and Eon noticed his worried expression and asked what had happened.

    Kyle shook his head with a faint smile and exined that he had to leave for Kingdom tersia because of some urgent matters.

    "I''m sorry, I just came back, but I have to leave again. But I promise, next time I''ll stay for a whole month."

    Baron Ohan shook his head.

    "It''s fine. You''re old enough to take care of yourself. Just don''t forget about your old man ande visit sometime. Also, if youe across your brothers, scold them for me. They ran off without my permission. I know they want to help others, but they should inform me first."

    Kyle nodded with a mischievous glint. Of course, he was more than happy to help his father teach his brothers a little lesson. Bia sighed and went to hug the old man too.

    -"I''ll miss the food. Don''t worry, even if he doesn''te back, I''ll be here."

    Kyle rolled his eyes and grabbed the overdramatic phoenix. He waved at his father and butler Eon onest time before the duo left and started floating in the sky.

    Bia''s wings fluttered gently in the air. Kyle raised his finger and drew a few symbols. Suddenly, a round flickering portal appeared in the air.

    He nced at his house onest time. For some reason, a bad feeling was nagging at him, but he couldn''t exin it.

    "I''ll be back soon."

    He stepped into the portal, and Bia followed closely behind.

    ...

    In a grand hall, King Foraan stood beside King Cedric, who had a serious expression. He looked at the kids in front of him and let out a sigh before ncing at Anlee, who just arrived with a request for help.

    Cedric took onest look at Carcel and waved his hand at the youngsters.

    "Just go. The entire East Continent is in danger. It doesn''t matter who falls first, because once the first kingdom falls, the others won''tst long either. Right now, Retric and Prince Casper are taking care of the Kingdom Ete borders. I''ll be joining them soon. So, all of you should go and help take care of the dark mage."

    He paused, his expression turning serious.

    "Make sure he regrets his actions."

    Alec raised his weapon, and the others followed suit.

    On the other side, Elder Han and another array master finished setting up the teleportation array. They called the kids to stand on it, and Anlee stood in front of them, humming. He nodded at the two kings, grateful for their eptance of the sudden request.

    In the next moment, they all vanished from the hall. Cedric tapped Foraan''s shoulder.

    "I just noticed, Jian has be much stronger, and so has your son, Kelvin."

    Foraan chuckled and shook his head.

    "I''m leaving now. Since my son has decided to follow his friends, someone needs to go back and take care of the Kingdom. I just received news that a few nobles are causing trouble."

    He left instantly, and Elder Han talked with Cedric about Kyle.

    "Anlee has already spoken with him. He will go directly to the elven Kingdom."

    After Han left for the nearest border, Cedric turned around to make his way toward his study, but suddenly, a faint tremble in his storage ring made him frown.

    He nced at the old white jewel in his storage ring. It was trembling for some reason.

    "What happened?"

    Cedric paused when he sensed another presence behind him and turned to look.

    "Aefel WintCrest, what brings you here? If you''re looking for your daughter, she left with the other kids."

    Aefel''s feet touched the carpeted floor, and his amber eyes shone in the dim light as he gazed at the King''s storage ring.

    "I know Yue isn''t here. I''m not here for her. I want something from you. We can discuss it."

    Cedric''s brow knitted together, and the jewel in his ring became more agitated with each passing second. He wasn''t sure what it was, as he had found it in an old treasury.

    He folded his hands behind his back and narrowed his eyes.

    "Let''s talk. If you can offer something valuable in return, I''m open to making a trade."

    Aefel smiled, and as Cedric took out the jewel, it instantly leaped toward the two porcin bracelets in Aefel''s hand. With a click, the white jewel merged with the bracelets. They trembled slightly, and Aefel let out a thoughtful sound.

    ''One more part and this artifact will beplete. I hope it''s something useful, or else all the effort I put into collecting the parts would be in vain.''

    He sighed and ced the bracelets in his storage ring. If Kyle were here, he would have recognized the bracelets. After all, he was the one whopleted the symbols on one of the bracelets.

    ...

    Alec opened his eyes above a barrennd and nced at the others standing around him.

    Suddenly, two familiar figures appeared in front of them. Professor Aliza and Professor Liam greeted them with tired smiles. Their clothes were wrinkled, and their weapons were stained with blood.

    They were among the first to arrive here after receiving an order from Principal Retric to help.

    However, before they could even greet their old students and the unfamiliar kids, Anlee impatiently led them toward the border.

    Aliza''s brow furrowed as she looked at Lily. She knew Lily had taken Kyle''s ce and entered the realm. Now, the little girl had grown into a beautifuldy.

    ''Will she be alright? After all, the dark mage is her father.''

    After a few minutes, the kids arrived at a vige that housed arge border, stretching in a straight line before the dark forest.

    They all took in shuddering breaths as they saw the vigepletely destroyed. Thend was stained with blood, and low-rank monsters roamed around. The air echoed with the sounds of metal as countless elves in silver armor fought to kill as many monsters as possible.

    Anlee instantly disappeared to help someone nearby. Alec closed his eyes for a second and pulled out his weapon to take down the monsters around him. The people around him joined the fight too. Together, they defeated all the nearby monsters and hurriedly followed Liam and Aliza.

    Within a minute, they reached the border, but it was already beyond saving. Half of it had copsed, and more monsters kept pouring out from the dark forest every second. Arge number of elves tried to stop them, and even though they managed to hold their ground, the number of monsters was just too much to handle.

    Amidst everything, the air around the border felt a bit cold for some reason.

    Alec nced at Carcel, and with a nod, they floated up to lend a hand to as many people as possible. Alec''s eyes glowed with a faint white light as he unleashed attack after attack on the monsters. After spending so much time in the realm, his swordsmanship became more graceful and precise. Carcel floated behind him, spinning his spear to take down just as many monsters.

    On their left, Regius, Kelvin, Sia, Lily, Sinon, and the others started their rampage.

    Jian, Lara, Mia, and Yue stood at the back with the mages in a line, raining down countless spells on the monsters.

    After their arrival, the elves fighting in front of the border breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, reinforcements were here. Many lives had been lost, but as long as the situation didn''t worsen, they could save a lot of lives.

    Nheless, it was strange. The elves didn''t seem too surprised by the kids'' over-the-top performance. Their expressions were kind of numb like they had seen something even more mind-blowing before.

    As the youngsters quickly took their positions and began fighting, the number of monsters thinned with each passing minute.

    Yue raised her hand, and countless glowing arrows appeared behind her. The arrows shot out with lightning-fast speed, killing many monsters.

    "Where is the dark mage?"

    Her question was interrupted when, in a faraway ce amidst the towering trees, a huge st took ce. Jian narrowed his eyes.

    "I can''t see what''s going on. It''s too far away."

    Lara tapped his shoulder.

    "Let me."

    Her eyes glowed faintly, and in the next second, a familiar tall figure with silver hair appeared in her vision. Far from the border, the man was almost crushing his opponent with the fire phoenix flying around him.

    Lara nced at Jian, a faint smile ying on her lips.

    "It seems someone else arrived before us."

    Jian and Yue both stared at her, confused. Mia, Alec, Carcel, and the others who heard her words were also perplexed, but then a woman with long hair appeared beside Yue.

    Aira, one the strongest guardians of the elven Kingdom, rubbed her bandaged chest and a faint smile appeared on her usually cold face.

    "The kid has indeed gotten stronger. Me and the people beneath you wouldn''t have survived if he hade just a littleter."

    Another figure appeared beside her. Anlee wiped the blood stains from his shirt and raised his brow, surprised.

    "He arrived even before me?"

    Yue''s eyes widened slightly.

    "Is it Kyle?"

    Jian burst intoughter.

    "If it''s him, then I don''t think we need to worry about the dark mage. I can only hope that the dark mage ends up as an intact corpse!"

    Suddenly, he pulled out arge boulder from his storage ring and tossed it in the distance towards a huge, round monster that had arrogantly walked out from the forest.

    The monster cried out as the weight descended on its head. Alec blinked, shocked.

    ''Why does this look so familiar!?''

    Many pairs of eyes instantly turned toward Jian, and he let out a shy smile.

    "What? I learned it from Kyle!"

 Chapter 346 We have an old score to settle

    <h4>Chapter 346 We have an old score to settle</h4>

    At most ten minutes ago, before Anlee and the others arrived, the air above the border trembled slightly and a bright portal appeared out of nowhere. Kyle stepped out from the portal and nced down.

    Instantly, his eyes turned cold. The border was half destroyed, and thend was covered in blood. Countless individuals were trying to stop the monsters pouring out from the forest, but unfortunately, they weren''t able to.

    He wanted to lend a hand, but his eyes narrowed when he saw a familiar woman being thrown back, crashing into the border with a loud bang. The impact sent dust and debris flying everywhere, and the woman spat out a mouthful of blood.

    Kyle recognized her immediately. It was Aira, the guardian of the Kingdom. She''s the one who designed the monster wave during the event where he was chosen to enter the secret realm.

    Aira clenched her bloodied chest and red at the ck-robed man flying opposite her.

    "You bastard!"

    Her voice trembled slightly. The man, draped in a ck robe, stared at her with his blood-red eyes and smirked.

    He raised his hand to kill the innocent elves around him, but Aira shielded them with her body. Even though her condition didn''t look good, she tried to maintain her figure steady.

    Kyle raised his hand, and wisps of blue mes appeared around his fingers.

    "He is the dark mage, right?"

    However, he was jolted by Bia''s startled voice. The phoenix cried out in his head with anger and hatred.

    -''That man! I know him! I know him! He was the one who kidnapped me!''

    -''That bastard!!! OMG, my blood is boiling! I want to throw all my skills at his head!''

    Kyle blinked. It took him a few seconds to understand her words, but when he did, he turned his head towards the man in the ck robe with sharp eyes. Of course, he remembered... There was no way he would forget that old grudge!

    He cracked his knuckles, and augh escaped from his lips, echoing loudly in the air. It caught the attention of almost everyone below.

    Aira snapped her head up, her eyes widened a bit when she noticed a pair of brilliant green eyes staring back at her. Just like her, Ziner the dark mage also turned his head up. But his eyes dted when he saw Bia.

    "Haha, the beast! The legendary beast! I want that beast!"

    He burst intoughter. He had been searching for the beast for a while, and now that it hade to him on its own, there was no way he was letting it go!

    He licked his lip and his eyes gleamed with an ominous color.

    ''I want her blood, her blood!''

    He raised his hand to send Aira flying so he could grab the bird, but before he could, a cold hand grabbed his wrist. Ziner''s eyes contracted when a pair of green eyes stared at him. He was about to let out a surprised gasp, but before he could, a powerful kicknded on his stomach with lightning speed.

    In the blink of an eye, in front of the onlookers, his body crashed back into the forest, shattering countless trees. His shrill cry echoed through the air as he desperately tried to regain his bnce mid-air, but it was in vain.

    Kyle was ready to give chase, but Bia cried out in his head.

    -''No! He''s my opponent!''

    The elves gasped with shock when the air trembled, and a majestic phoenix appeared in the sky. Bia''s wings flickered with crimson mes as she dove down toward the fallen figure with incredible speed.

    Kyle sighed softly and nced back at the badly injured Aira. He reached into his mind space to pull out a healing potion and tossed it toward her.

    "I''ll handle the dark mage."

    Stunned, Aira quickly grabbed the potion. She watched as Kyle''s eyes glowed with a faint light and he disappeared once again, only to reappear amidst the monsters. The elves around him were startled, but before they could react, the ground beneath their feet trembled.

    The cold, flickering mes raced with lightning-fast speed, engulfing the monsters who cried out in surprise. The air grew instantly cold. Then, in the blink of an eye, countless ice sculptures materialized around Kyle, only to vanish into tiny particles as quickly as they appeared.

    -''OMG! He is strong! Kyle!''

    Kyle nced at the phoenix that had left to fight the dark mage so arrogantly. Only to return after a few seconds.

    He clicked his tongue and in the next second, the blue mes around his body surged out in all directions to kill as many monsters as possible. The elves were shocked to see the surging mes that froze everything in their path.

    Kyle nced at Aira, giving her a quick nod before he vanished and reappeared beside Bia.

    "What happened?"

    -''He''s insane! He tried to cut me with a de! And he''s not weak! I think you caught him off guard with that kick!''

    Kyle shot her a raised brow, but he quickly looked away before Bia could notice.

    "Let''s take him deep into the forest to prevent any further casualties."

    Bia nodded in agreement. In the next moment, Ziner''s floating figure appeared before them. The man let out augh and patted his robe. His red eyes gleamed when he nced at Kyle.

    "Kid, you caught me off guard but-!"

    Before he could finish his sentence, another unexpected kicknded on his stomach, sending him flying back once again.

    Bia''s eyebrow twitched violently. Of course, how the hell did she forget? The instant teleportation skill was made to catch others off guard!

    Ziner cried out, but before he could catch his breath, Kyle once again appeared in front of him. He kicked the man repeatedly, and within a minute, they were far away from the border.

    Kyle shed a smile that didn''t reach his eyes.

    "I believe we have an old score to settle."

 Chapter 347 He’s still alive

    <h4>Chapter 347 He''s still alive</h4>

    In the midst of the towering trees, not even the countless monsters running out from deep within the forest dared to approach a particr barren spot.

    Ziner''s eyes were bloodshot as he red at the silver-haired man opposite him with pure hatred. His ck robe was torn in various ces, and one of his legs was bent at an unnatural angle.

    Slowly, he wiped the blood oozing from his mouth.

    ''I won''t believe I can''t evennd a single attack on him!''

    Ziner''s gaze shifted to the flickering mes surrounding Kyle''s body, the same mes that nearly froze him to death moments ago. He let out a menacingugh.

    "You damn bastard!"

    He raised his hand, causing the ground beneath Kyle to cave in and transform intova. But to his frustration, thed vanished before theva could even touch him.

    "Looking for me?"

    The dark mage snapped back upon hearing a familiar voice, only to grasp at empty air. Crazedughter spilled out from his mouth as he stared at his hand. Ziner mped his mouth shut and eyed the little bird perched on a distant tree branch. From the beginning, the bird had been observing him while the silver-haired man kicked him repeatedly. His eyes dted.

    ''Haha, how about I kill it? The other one will show up!''

    He leaped towards Bia with lightning-fast speed, but another kicknded on his back, sending him flying once again.

    Kyle nced at the groaning man with cold eyes.

    "I said we have a grudge to settle, and yet you are seeking death? Huh?"

    He stepped forward, his feet touching the ground with a deliberate pace as he approached the dark mage. Raising his foot, he ced it on the man''s hand, instantly causing thetter to cry out in pain from the pressure.

    "Hmm, what I don''t understand is why, after enduring so much suffering, you still want to harm my bonded beast?"

    Kyle narrowed his eyes, seeking an exnation.

    Ziner''s eyes flickered with countless possibilities, and he let out a stifledugh.

    "Give... the bird to me... I will give you something that will make you stronger... so strong that no one will be able to touch you! Hahah... ahhhh!"

    His cry echoed as Kyle increased the weight on his hand. Kyle''s brows knitted together as he nced back at Bia.

    ''What did he do to you when he kidnapped you?''

    Bia blinked and pondered for a few seconds.

    -''Blood... Ah... remember I was injured. He didn''t kill me, but he took my blood and did some strange experiments.''

    Kyle massaged his temples. So, the dark mage took Bia''s blood and created something that could potentially enhance someone''s strength.

    ''Is there something special in your blood? You are a phoenix, after all.''

    Bia unfurled her wings and soared through the air.

    -''My blood does have healing properties, but it''s only useful for minor injuries. I don''t think anyone would be crazy enough to drink blood just to cure a bruise.''

    ''So, nothing useful?''

    -''It''s just a guess, okay... maybe after bonding with you, the effects were enhanced? Your bloodline could have influenced my blood.''

    Kyle blinked, realizing that this was actually a possibility. He raised his leg, preparing to kick the man, but before he could, a familiar voice echoed behind him.

    He turned around and saw Jian floating mid-air. Jian''s long hair fluttered as he waved his hand with a mischievous glint.

    "I thought you might need some help... but now that I see the state of your opponent, I believe my previous words were urate."

    Hended opposite Kyle, but before he could say anything else, Kyle crushed Ziner''s hand.

    Jian''s eyes widened in surprise.

    "Wait! Don''t kill him! Aira said she would take him to the capital city to execute him in front of everyone. That way, in the future, no one would dare to harm the elven Kingdom!"

    Kyle raised an eyebrow, his expression filled with surprise. Jian nearly dropped to his knees as wisps of blue mes traveled to the dark mage''s legs, freezing thempletely. The ice quickly dissipated into bright particles, vanishing into the air.

    The dark mage let out a shrill cry, causing nearby monsters to be frightened.

    Kyle let out an innocent ''Oh'' to emphasize that it was purely an ident before walking toward Jian and patting his shoulder.

    "He''s still alive."

    Jian nced at Kyle, then looked at the man who had lost consciousness from the intense pain. He didn''t know whether tough or cry.

    ''It would have been better if you had killed him! Just look at his condition!''

    Jian so badly wanted to say it out loud, but he remained silent because he knew Kyle would actually turn back to kill the man!

    Kyle''s feet left the ground as he nced at the border.

    "Bia, let''s lend them a hand and clear out some monsters. The numbers are getting overwhelming again."

    Kyle vanished towards the border, and Bia swiftly floated behind him, leaving Jian to take care of the half-dead dark mage.

    Soon, Kyle appeared above the border. He nced at the familiar figures fighting the monsters. All of them were doing great.

    He hummed and vanished, only to appear beside Alec, who almost shed his sword at him due to his sudden appearance.

    Alec calmed his heart and red at the infuriating silver-haired man, who had mirth dancing in his eyes. Alec rolled his eyes and kicked a nearby monster.

    Instantly, Kyle drew his new (SS)-rank sword to join the battle but then suddenly a hand tapped his shoulder. He turned back, only to see Carcel with a solemn expression. The prince tightly grabbed his shoulder and spoke with deadly seriousness.

    "Don''t appear out of nowhere. I almost attacked you. Well..."

    Carcel paused for a second, and Kyle swore he noticed an evil smile at the corner of his lips.

    "Next time, I won''t stop mid-way and just attack. After all, what if it''s a monster?"

    Kyle''s smile stiffened and he gave him a quick nod. Alec, who witnessed their interaction, immediately froze. His lips would have curled up into a smile if not for Kyle, who red at him with a deadpan expression.

 Chapter 348 You are kidding... Right?

    <h4>Chapter 348 You are kidding... Right?</h4>

    In a grand and regal space, filled with luxurious furnishings and exquisite decorations, the room boasted high ceilings andrge windows that allowed natural light to pour in. However, the tranquility was shattered when Istalian tossed a ss to the floor.

    The ss crashed, its pieces scattering in all directions, causing Seraphine, Lucus, and Sen, who were standing in front of him, to instinctively tremble.

    Yet, before the King could snap at the trio, Nine stared at him with clenched fists.

    "No matter what, we are from the Sea Continent. You have no right to detain us!"

    Istalian let out augh, frustration etched on his face. He desired the divine essence, and yet these kids couldn''t even find it with a map.

    He turned his gaze to Lucus and Sen, and his face darkened.

    "You two are useless. I thought you could at least handle this task, but I was mistaken. I should have sent someone better."

    Istalian wanted to raise his hand, but the shadow behind him screamed inside his head with anger. The King clenched his heart and red at the four individuals standing opposite him.

    "Leave, and never show me your face again."

    The moment they left, he spat out a mouthful of blood and red at the wisps of dark energy emanating from behind him. The shadow let out an angry chuckle.

    "Where is the Divine essence? I told you to send someone powerful, but you! Now how am I going to construct my body? Haha, if I don''t get the divine essence, I will kill you!"

    He paced around the room, causing the air to tremble. Suddenly, he snapped and nced back at Istalian.

    "There''s a way... I sensed divine energy in that phoenix''s body. Get me the phoenix. It doesn''t matter what you do, I want the phoenix!"

    Istalian''s eyes widened slightly.

    "The phoenix has divine energy in its body?"

    The shadow didn''t say anything else and increased the pressure on his heart. Istalian cursed and agreed.

    "Give me some time... I will get the phoenix..."

    Istalian sighed with relief as the pain dissipated into thin air. Regardless, he chuckled to himself. How was he supposed to get the phoenix? After all, both the phoenix and its owner were too strong.

    ...

    In the meantime, Nine quietly walked behind Seraphine, Lucus, and Sen after emerging from the room. His face remained calm, but he felt troubled inside. The divine essence, he remembered it''s with Kyle.

    ''Should I contact him? But I don''t have hismunication crystal coordinates. I wonder if he even has one.''

    Suddenly, an elder from the Sea Continent appeared before them. The old man expressed his anger at Istalian for detaining their princess and prince. However, Nine noticed with a scoff that he was all talk.

    Lucus and Sen quickly left them alone, and after grumbling for a while, the elder led Nine and Seraphine to a secluded corner.

    He nced around and hastily drew a few symbols in the air, scattering some mana stones so they could leave the city directly. But when he turned around, Nine had vanished into thin air.

    The elder cried out in surprise, and Seraphine''s eyes widened. She hadn''t even noticed when Nine slipped away. He had always been standing right beside her!

    She wanted to follow Nine, after all, she knew where he would go, but the elder made her go back because the Queen was worried about her.

    Seraphine red at the empty spot behind her and clenched her jaw.

    ''I''ll just head back for now. Once I get permission from the Queen, I''ll head to the East Continent.''

    After she and the elder disappeared, Nine peeked out from a room. He hadn''t gone too far, just found a hiding spot. He chuckled and rubbed his hands.

    "I don''t really care about the Sea Continent. It''s better if I go hang out with my friends. Plus, my future wife''s probably worried about me."

    He wiped his dry eyes and tiptoed around. But even after wandering the Castle for an hour, he couldn''t find an exit. Frustrated, he decided to take matters into his own hands and jumped out of a nearby window, only to be chased by a guard.

    Nine cursed and started floating, but that only attracted more guards. Eventually, hended on the ground and revealed his identity to them.

    He massaged his temples with a sigh.

    ''Why the heck was I sneaking around when I could''ve just left normally?''

    The guards were suspicious since not many people had seen him. But when Nine mentioned Lucus and Sen''s names, they confirmed his identity and politely escorted him outside.

    Nine stretched his legs as he looked at the scorching sun. He started floating and quickly scanned the nearest city to find a teleportation device so he could directly go to Kingdom Ete.

    ...

    In Kingdom tersia, the air above the partially broken border trembled as Bia''s eyes narrowed and a sea of fire descended upon the forest.

    The nearby elves fighting panicked as the fire spread through the trees. But before the mes could harm anyone, Bia controlled them, directing them to surround the monsters emerging from the forest.

    Kyle nodded in approval. Bia had indeed be more powerful. A faint smirk appeared on his lips.

    ''Ah... finally, one of my dreams hase true. I have a legendary beast strong enough to clear the path for me.''

    However, his smile faltered as he remembered the countless treasures he had to feed her in order for her to reach a higher rank quickly.

    ''Well, it''s worth it!''

    He nodded solemnly. After the number of monsters dwindled around the border, many of the elves let out cries of relief. They had been fighting for so long, but the new arrivals swiftly dealt with the initial wave of monsters in just a few hours.

    Anlee and Aira nced at the figures floating around them, and a faint smile graced their faces. These kids were the future of their Continent.

    Aliza and Liam also felt a swell of pride as they watched their students fight so brilliantly.

    However, Kyle wasn''t done yet. He hated it when things dragged on, and he had to think too much. He knew that neither Kingdom Tersia nor Kingdom Ete were safe until the monster lords were out of the picture.

    ''My head''s already filled with the artifact, and I have to track down that bastard who put it inside my heart without a clue. Moreover, I need to join Alec in searching for the person damaging the''s core. So, I think it''s best if we put an end to this once and for all.''

    He groaned a bit and rubbed his temples.

    ''Why do I feel like I''m working so much when I don''t even have a useful divine artifact like Alec?''

    Bia nced at him with narrowed eyes.

    -''Why the heck are you talking so much? If you want to think, just do it in your head, and don''t disturb my peace.''

    Kyle chuckled and disappeared into thin air. In the next moment, he reappeared amidst the clouds. Instantly, his nose was overwhelmed by countless scents, but the strongest one was the smell of blood.

    After a minute, his eyes faintly glowed as he stared in two different directions.

    ''Gotcha. Now we just need to go and take out the monster lords directly.''

    Bia, in the midst of battling another monster, nearly lost her bnce in mid-air upon hearing his words.

    -''Haha... you''re kidding, right?''

    Sheughed dryly. No way... it had to be a joke.

 Chapter 349 The monster lords’ location

    <h4>Chapter 349 The monster lords'' location</h4>

    Kyle didn''t answer and vanished once again, only to reappear in front of the crowd. The battle was almost over, with only a few low-rank monsters remaining. Alec and the others had already stopped fighting.

    He raised his hands to p, but abruptly, a strange feeling welled up inside his chest. He blinked, and for a moment, his eyes turned hazy. A fleeting thought crossed his mind, warning him of impending danger, but it slipped away before he could fullyprehend it.

    ''What just happened..?''

    Kyle shook his head with a frown, trying to clear his mind. He pped his hands, and blue mes scattered in all directions, swiftly finishing off the remaining monsters.

    The elves cheered with joy. Finally, after all the struggle, the first wave of monsters had been defeated! However, the floating individuals raised their heads towards Kyle, who cleared his throat to get their attention.

    Alec floated up and approached him with a questioning look, followed by Carcel and all the others who could fly.

    Kyle raised his finger and quickly drew a symbol, creating a faint barrier to keep their voices from traveling outside. Then, he looked at Alec, Carcel, and the familiar faces.

    "I found the monster lords'' location. They''re in different ces. How about we go and take them out directly?"

    A few gasps echoed through the air, but Kyle''s gaze was fixed on Alec, who smiled. Alec ran his hand through his hair and nced at an old system notification.

    As soon as he arrived at the border, he received a mission to defeat one of the two monster lords, and he would jump straight to (SSS+)-Rank as a reward. Moreover, if he killed the second one as well he would gain a divine rank skill.

    Alec nced at Kyle and before anyone could reject he agreed.

    "It''s better this way we would be able to save a lot of lives. Also, if the monster lords are gone the other monsters would scatter and won''t attack the borders."

    After him, Carcel agreed too. But he raised a question, how would they kill the monster lords? After all, the monster lords would be surrounded by countless other strong monsters. If killing the monster lords was so easy, why would the strongest in their Kingdoms wait until now?

    Kyle blinked and shed an innocent smile that for some reason sent chills down Bia''s spine.

    "Don''t worry, I''ve got a n."

    Carcel raised an eyebrow, and Jian cracked his knuckles.

    "So, what are we waiting for? Let''s recover our mana and head towards the nearest monster lord."

    Regius hummed softly.

    "You''re right. With so many of us, I think we can easily defeat a monster lord. Alec, Lara, Carcel, Mia, Jian, Yue, Niamh, Kyle, Bia... they all have the strength of (SS)-Rank. In my opinion, it would be too easy."

    Anlee nced at the kids. He refused to let the youngsters face such danger. Even Liam and Aliza spoke up, but after Kyle said that he had a n, they were ignored like thin air. If Aira had been here, she would have also refused, but she went back to the capital with the dark mage''s unconscious body.

    After all his friends agreed, Kyle pointed his finger towards the nearest monster lord, the one who would probably attack the elven Kingdom, and gestured for everyone to follow behind.

    Alec nced at everyone and with a nod, they all floated behind Kyle.

    The air trembled as Bia nced down at the many floating figures. For some unknown reason, her left eyelid twitched violently. A bad premonition stabbed at the back of her head, but she couldn''t pinpoint what it was.

    Anlee cursed and immediately followed behind. On the way, he hurriedly called as many people as possible to let them know about the crazy situation.

    Liam and Aliza also took out theirmunication crystals and immediately called Principal Retric. The old man almost had a heart attack when he heard the news.

    He screamed at the two professors to stop the youngsters in any way possible, but Aliza and Liam could only sigh. Who would have thought there woulde a time when they would be powerless against the kids they trained just a few years ago?

    The news quickly reached the five Kings of the East Continent. They wanted to send their forces behind the kids, but unfortunately, their forces couldn''t arrive on time. After all, the other borders of Kingdom Tersia and Kingdom Ete were still under attack by the monsters.

    ....

    After traveling for two hours, Kyle paused deep inside the dark forest, above a peacefulke, surrounded by tall trees. Completely unaware of the turmoil he caused throughout the entire East Continent, Kyle narrowed his eyes, and the rest of the individuals came to a halt behind him.

    Alec tightened his grip on his sword, looking around the quiet forest. But this part seemed strangely calm. Unable to contain his curiosity, he questioned Kyle with a serious expression.

    "Don''t tell me the monster lord is hiding here alone? If so, we might have a chance to take it out easily."

    Kyle blinked.

    "No, the monster lord is further deep inside the forest, surrounded by powerful monsters. I just sensed something good in this ce. So I thought it would be best to check it out along the way... right?

    Alec chuckled, a small vein popping on his forehead. He couldn''t believe they had been holding their breath for nothing.

    "Yeah, right."

    He rolled up his sleeves and gave Kyle a murderous look. But before he could pounce on Kyle, thetter disappeared.

    Kyle appeared in a distance and stared at him with a hurt expression.

    "I swear we would regret it if we left this ce without checking it out. You know, I sensed so much pure mana, it was overwhelming."

    Hended next to theke and gazed at the crystal-clear water.

    "I believe there''s a big natural treasure beneath theke. I would havee alone, but then I thought about you all..."

    Kyle shrugged and smirked as he stared at them. Alec scoffed, but his expression revealed his interest.

    In the next second, Kyle gave Bia a signal to watch the surroundings and jumped into the water. Alec nced at the others and clicked his tongue before following behind him.

    Jianughed and followed suit. Whenever he followed Kyle, he always found something good. So, there was no way he would stay behind.

    Yue nced at Lara and Mia, and the trio also entered the water. After them, everyone else also jumped in theke.

    Anlee stared at theke and let out a frustratedugh.

    "Why the hell are they trusting him like he would be right!?"

    He wanted to stay back and wait for reinforcements so he could bring the kids back. But suddenly, Liam and Aliza also jumped in theke. He stared at their fading backs with disbelief.

    "Alright, so we''re all getting childish, huh?"

    He scoffed, but curiosity got the better of him. After a minute, he followed behind them.

    Bia gazed at their fading figures and let out a tired sigh.

    -''Are you sure, you sense something simr to the the earthyer that Haylee mentioned in his story?''

    Instantly, Kyle''s voice echoed in her head.

    ''Hmm, the mana is incredibly dense, it''s almost unbelievable. I''m a hundred percent certain that there''s something valuable deep beneath the water.''

    Bia chuckled dryly, wondering how the ones who lost theyer would react to this news.

 Chapter 350 We’ll catch up with you later

    <h4>Chapter 350 We''ll catch up with youter</h4>

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed as he caught sight of a faint light deep in the water. Without hesitation, he dove down, feeling the pressure of the depths surrounding him.

    A few bubbles escaped from his mouth, but ever since reaching the (S)-Rank, he could breathe underwater without much difort. Well, except for a ticklish sensation in his nose and throat.

    He descended deeper and deeper, gliding through the water like a nimble creature. The world beneath the surface held a mysterious allure, and after a while, his eyes widened slightly as he saw a bright, glowing curtain.

    Kyle paused in front of the curtain, which seemed vast, almost like a dome, extending in all directions.

    Soon, Alec appeared beside him. The blue-haired man opened his mouth, perhaps to speak, but all that came out were bubbles.

    Kyle resisted the urge to facepalm and instead rolled his eyes.

    ''Just speak in my head. Why are you so eager to drink water that isn''t even clean?''

    Alec blinked and let out a chuckle, but it got drowned in the water.

    ''Now, what''s this thing? Don''t tell me we need to destroy it or something. Also, I''m surprised your prediction was right. How the hell did you sense it?''

    Kyle''s lips curled into a faint smile. He so badly wanted to whisper in Alec''s ear that he has a pseudo-divine skill, just to see his reaction. But with so many people around, he decided to hold back.

    Shrugging his shoulders, he reached out to touch the bright curtain. To his surprise, his hand passed right through it.

    "Huh?"

    Kyle blinked, and before Alec could ask anything, he entered into the curtain.

    He gasped when thick mana entered his mouth and nose, causing him to quickly raise his arm before his face. He was about to nce back at the curtain, realizing that the space he appeared in had no water. But before he could, his eyes were drawn to the brightness ahead of him.

    Kyle paused and released a shuddering breath. The space in front of him was wide, stretching deep underground. He couldn''t see an end. But what shocked him were the countless glowing weeds brimming with mana in the midst of the darkness. Not only that but thend was filled with natural mana stones, some big enough to be called boulders.

    ''This is worth a fortune!''

    Kyle''s eyes brightened with excitement as he eagerly rubbed his hands together.

    ''I feel like I''ve be the richest person on this!''

    However, his expression quickly fell when Alec also entered the curtain behind him, groaning about the sticky substance. But Alec''sint was cut short when heid eyes on the incredible sight in front of him.

    He mped his mouth shut and stared at Kyle with shock.

    Carcel, Regius, Jian, and Sinon soon followed, their eyes widening with shock as they took in the scene.

    Jian couldn''t help butugh as he patted Kyle on the shoulder.

    "Haha, a treasure? This is more than a treasure, it''s a whole treasury!"

    Kyle raised his brow with a smirk.

    "Now, now, I know you''re grateful. Just make sure to share the next treasure you find with me, okay?"

    Jian nodded solemnly. Of course, a tiny treasure would be nothing in front of the sight he''s seeing. Blissfully unaware, no matter how many people were with Kyle, he would be the one taking the most. After all, he had mind space. And not just any normal mind space, but one big enough to hold a whole city easily.

    After them, many other people followed behind and entered one by one. Aliza and Liam were bewildered. The duo nced at each other with astonishment.

    The crowd stayed quiet, waiting for someone to take the first step forward. Jian chuckled and rubbed his hands.

    "So, let''s bet on who can get the most."

    Kyle agreed instantly.

    "Nice, I like that."

    All of them rolled up their sleeves and dove toward the weeds and mana stones, but the numbers were overwhelming. They knew it would take a lot of time to gather everything, but nobodyined because picking up treasures was everyone''s favorite task, not to mention the treasures that were lying right in front of their eyes.

    As they got busy, Anlee also stepped into the curtain. The old man groaned and muttered a curse, thinking how foolish he would be to follow the kids. But he froze when he saw whaty before him. At first, he stood still, too shocked to react, but then he couldn''t help but burst intoughter.

    "I''m rich!"

    "Ahem... I mean, this ce is a real treasure trove!"

    He nced at the youngsters collecting the mana stones and glowing weeds, then looked at the curtain with a panicked expression. Immediately, he raised his voice.

    "Wait, all of you! Are you crazy? This ce relies on the mana emitted from the weeds and mana stones. If you pick too many, the curtain will copse and the water will rush in. Everything will be lost!"

    A few of them stopped, but not many cared, just like Kyle and Jian. Alec heard his words and quickly intervened, stopping the people around him. They all instantly red at Anlee with anger. After all, the old man had interrupted their joyous moment.

    Nevertheless, nobody questioned his warning and reluctantly retreated. Alec rolled his eyes when he saw Jian and Kyle still engrossed. He nced at Carcel, and the duo hurriedly dragged them toward Anlee.

    Kyle stared at the old man. Inwardly, he somewhat knew the curtain would copse. After all, it was built naturally. But no way he would admit it slipped his mind because he was too busy with his hands.

    Anlee sighed and looked around the area. After a minute, he smiled in a way that a businessperson would when nning to profit from their customers.

    "How about leaving this area to me? I''ll talk to the King and he would send a lot of people to extract all of these precious herbs and mana stones. Don''t worry, I''ll make sure everyone gets their fair share after deducting the workers'' payment."

    Liam scoffed at his words. Being a caring professor, he would never let his students be deceived by an old man!

    "Why should it be you? I can do the same. I''ll contact the principal, and the Royal Academy will handle this ce."

    Soon, they got into an argument. Aliza rubbed her temples beside them. They were fighting, yet the one who discovered the ce hadn''t even spoken up.

    She turned to talk to Kyle, but he was engrossed in conversation with Alec and Jian. After the trio finished, Jian stopped Anlee and Liam. He cleared his throat with a serious expression.

    "I know it''s a challenging task, which is why Kyle and I decided that both Sir Anlee and Sir Liam will take the responsibility."

    The duo immediately agreed, more than willing to work.

    Jian nodded solemnly.

    "Alright, we''ll catch up with youter. Please take care of this ce for us."

    After that, Jian entered the curtain to leave. Kyle also gave a nod to Liam and followed suit. Almost all the young ones went after them, though their eyes revealed some hesitation. But since they had already gained a lot of treasures in the secret realm, parting with a little wealth meant nothing to them.

    Aliza watched their disappearing figures and red at Liam.

    "What the heck are you doing? We''re supposed to stop them because they''re heading towards the monster lords!"

    Liam and Amlee blinked and nced at each other. Liam eyes widened.

    "Wait, did they deliberately leave us behind?"

    Aliza cursed softly and attempted to pass through the curtain, but her eyes widened when she couldn''t.

    "What''s going on?"

    She looked at the two men next to her, and Anlee quickly reached out to touch the curtain. He felt a strange sensation in his hand and let out a deep breath.

    "Did someone among them have expertise in arrays? I just sensed a low-rank array. It might be a simple one, but it''s too tricky for us to force our way out, or the curtain will copse."

    Aliza''s eyes widened.

    "Does that mean we''re stuck?"

    Anlee shook his head.

    "No, the array will fade away in a few minutes, but I''m afraid it might be toote by then."

    ...

    As soon as Jian emerged from the water, he couldn''t help but smile.

    "I had no idea it would be this much fun to fool the elders."

    He nced at Kyle and instantly narrowed his eyes when he saw him holding a gorgeousdy in his arms.

    ''What the heck did I miss?...''

    In the distance, dazed, Kyle locked eyes with a pair of amber eyes. A drop of water trickled down from his hair and gentlynded on Yue''s face.

    He swore it was just instinctual. He thought she had slipped, which is why he grabbed her... but now he felt a weird sensation because their bodies were too close.

    He carefully removed his hand from her waist and took a step back. Yue''s pointy ears twitched, her neck flushed, but seeing Kyle''s passive expression left her feeling a bit disheartened.

    Kyle blinked and immediately apologized.

    Yue gave him a quick nod and nced at Lara and Mia. The girls had already grown a lot closer to their partners.

    ''Why does it feel like it''s going to take us at least a hundred years just to get to the next stage?''

    After spending time with him in the secret realm, she knew she liked him, but he was a little too dense to notice.

    ''Well, it''s not bad. With his behavior, I don''t have to worry about any other girl getting close to him.''

 Chapter 351 The majestic lord

    <h4>Chapter 351 The majestic lord </h4>

    Kyle cleared his throat with a twitching brow as Jian shot him a side-eye.

    "Guys, let''s get moving. The symbols I left will disappear in just a minute or two."

    He started floating, and everyone followed him. They ventured deeper into the dark forest, heading south. Bia let out a yawn and started flying beside Kyle in her smaller form.

    Due to their numbers, the sky was filled with numerous figures, which captured the attention of the slumbering monsters deep within the forest.

    Kyle let out a sigh when he spotted a few monsters eyeing them from below. In a swift motion, he raised his hand and drew symbols to conceal everyone''s presence as much as possible.

    After about half an hour, they halted a few meters away from an open area surrounded by tall trees.

    All eyes were drawn to the open area, which was teeming with an overwhelming number of low-rank and high-rank monsters. Amidst them, a colossal two-horned Lynx was sitting on a makeshift throne of rocks, its towering height casting a shadow over the entire area.

    The creature''s eyes gleamed with arrogance as it stared at a few monsters, causing them to hurriedly scatter in different directions. Its body was adorned with iridescent scales that shimmered in the light.

    Alec let out a breath he didn''t even know he was holding and approached Kyle with a serious expression.

    "So, what''s the n? I mean, we have a good number of people, but most of the monsters around the monster lord are at least (S)-Rank, and I even sensed a lot of (SS)-Rank ones..."

    Kelvin nced at Jian, who had been the most excited about all this, but now seemed to be the quietest among them all.

    He bumped into Jian with a dry smile.

    "What, scared now?"

    Jian arched his eyebrow with a grin. He would be lying if he said he wasn''t taken aback, but he had experienced countless encounters with monsters in the realm. Or, more specifically, he had been chased around so much that it had be second nature to him.

    "Nope, I am ready to fight!"

    He raised his hand in the air and wanted to shout, but Sia mped his mouth shut. The fox demi-human red at him with furious eyes.

    "If you so badly have a death wish, I''m always ready to toss you out in front of the monsters! Shut up!"

    Jian blinked and nodded shyly. If it were someone else, he would have never agreed, but well, she was beautiful, so it''s all good.

    As everyone whispered about how to handle the monster lords as quietly as possible, Kyle blinked and looked at Bia, who sat silently on his shoulder. A shiver ran down the phoenix''s back because she was all too familiar with those two innocent eyes.

    -''Stop! Don''t look at me like that! I''m getting goosebumps!''

    Kyle raised his brow as he grabbed her before she could fly away. Bia shook her head, but Kyle didn''t even nce at her. He focused his gaze on Alec with a serious expression.

    "First, Bia will go and talk to the monster lord. She''s a legendary beast too, and since the monster lord has already reached the highest rank, I believe it has enough understanding tomunicate. If that doesn''t work, I''ll go and lure the other monsters, and the rest of you will have to take down the monster lord."

    -''Noooo! I don''t agree!''

    Kyle paused and then let out a sigh.

    ''You can fly, and I don''t think the monster lord would be idiot enough to immediately attack a fellow legendary beast. Plus, your presence is superior to his. Just try to talk to him and lead him away from the other monsters, or if that doesn''t work, run away. I''ll take care of the monsters that try to follow you.''

    Bia stopped and instantly started checking her chances of getting away with an intact body. She saw Kyle''s expression and knew she didn''t have any other choice. After grumbling for a few seconds, she agreed with an angry look that screamed she wouldn''t talk to Kyle after all this.

    In front of the duo, Alec thought for a minute and furrowed his brow.

    "We can handle the monster lord, but would you be okay with so many monsters chasing you?"

    Kyle''s lips trickled upward into a smile.

    "Now, if I want, I can teleport almost outside the dark forest. Do you really think they have the ability to capture me?"

    Alec blinked and then let out a chuckle.

    "Well, even I am not confident enough in that area."

    Kyle nodded at the others and gestured for them to be ready. The moment the monster lord is alone, they have to distract it in a different direction and take it out of the picture.

    In the next second, Bia increased her size with a grumble and soared above the open area. Kyle blinked and vanished behind her.

    A bunch of flying monsters spotted Bia''s presence and immediately flew up to circle her.

    Bia cursed in her mind, but she could feel that Kyle was only a short distance away. His presence was probably hidden due to the artifact.

    Her wings fluttered gracefully in the air, catching the attention of the huge monster lord sitting on a makeshift throne of rocks. It raised its head and narrowed its glowing eyes.

    The flying monsters around Bia made faint noises, trying to figure out who she was.

    ''Who are you?''

    A deep, unpleasant male voice sounded in Bia''s head. She looked down at the tall monster lord who had stepped down from his throne. She cleared her throat and silently wished that after spending so much time with Kyle, her acting would be as good as his.

    -''I''m Bia, the majestic lord of this area. Who the hell are you, disturbing my peaceful slumber?''

    The monster lord blinked, and his long tail perked up with interest. But then, his eyes turned arrogant, shining with a sense of superiority.

    ''Majestic you say? I''m getting a weird feeling from you... but howe I have never seen you before? Nevertheless, you need to bow down in front of me like everyone else. After all...''

    In a sh, he leaped into the air, and the surrounding monsters backed off slightly to make enough space.

    ''I am stronger and more powerful.''

    Bia''s eyes dted as a huge figure overshadowed her body. She immediately flew back to maintain a proper distance.

    -''Oh? I believe we should have a one vs. one to decide who should sit on the throne.''

    The monster lord let out a heartyugh and fixed a piercing gaze on her, raising an eyebrow.

    ''Why should I? I''m already the supreme ruler. I don''t need to prove my strength, but I have a feeling you''ll soon submit to me.''

    The air trembled and all the flying monsters around them zoomed in toward Bia with lightning-fast speed.

    The phoenix let out a startled shriek and immediately pped her wings, sending a sea of fire in all directions before retreating in a different direction.

    -''Kyle! It didn''t work, the monster lord''s too intelligent!''

    Kyle, who had been watching them from behind a tree branch, let out a groan.

    He rubbed his temples and watched the monster lord, who didn''t even flinch from his spot. What infuriated Kyle even more was that the monster lord seemed to be relishing the moment as he nced at the phoenix.

    ''Not only is he intelligent, but he''s also arrogant. Just leave and take the flying monsters with you. No need toe back.''

    The phoenix''s eyes widened.

    -''You promised to take care of those who followed me! How can you break your word?''

    Kyle clicked his tongue and vanished, only to reappear behind Bia. His eyes glimmered with a faint glow, and in a sh, the air crackled with sparks. Countless bolts of lightning descended from the clear sky.

    The monsters chasing Bia cried out, but the bolts were too swift for them to dodge. They struck them with lightning-fast speed.

    Instantly, numerous bodies dropped to the ground, and Kyle raised his hand, engulfing the area around him with blue mes. The mes dispersed in all directions, and a chilling aura spread out. However, when they dissipated, both the phoenix and the human were nowhere to be found.

    In the distance, the monster lord lifted its head, bewildered.

    ''What the hell just happened??''

    An arrogant scoff echoed in his ears, and he snapped his head up. Bia peered down at his body with a glint in her eyes, her booming voice echoing in all directions.

    -"Submit? Who do you think you are? If you''ve got the guts,e and try to catch me first."

    A vein bulged on the monster lord''s head as he let out an enraged cry.

    "How dare you! As a powerful being, you''re siding with a human?"

    Kyle blinked and nced at Bia, who was floating mid-air beside him. The corners of his eyes trickled upward with mirth, and an even louder voice echoed in the air.

    "So what? Do you have a problem with that? Or are you jealous?"

    The monster lordughed, and a tremor shook the entire area around him.

    "Very well! Everyone, hear mymand! Go and tear that human and phoenix into hundreds of pieces for me!"

    Kyle raised his brow with suspicious eyes. It was odd. After he and Bia had angered him, the monster lord should have pursued them relentlessly. Yet for some reason, he didn''t dare to leave the space above his throne. Kyle let out an evil smirk.

    ''There''s something under his throne.''

    Instantly, the air around him trembled. Countless monsters under the monster lord''smand leaped into the air, while those unable to fly roared and jumped into the trees, aiming to capture the phoenix and the human. Kyle cursed as he saw a barrage of skills being thrown at him. He nced at Bia, and the duo immediately sped up in the opposite direction.

    Fighting against so many opponents was out of the picture. Kyle knew that even if he managed to kill a lot of them, he would probably exhaust his mana before it was over.

    He wanted to use instant teleportation, but, well, he was a bait for now, and Bia would curse him a lot, so he didn''t dare to use it.

 Chapter 352 Now it’s my turn

    <h4>Chapter 352 Now it''s my turn</h4>

    Jian covered his eyes with his hand because he couldn''t bear to see the sight. He so badly wanted tough, but he knew when to control himself, or else he would probably be the first to get beaten up before they even reached the monster lord.

    He cleared his throat and nced into the distance. Kyle and Bia swiftly dodged the countless attacks. The duo waspletely sessful in their task. So much so that it was almost pitiful to watch.

    The many people around him also watched with stunned expressions. The ones who knew about Kyle''s history of getting chased around by monsters finally found out that he had a natural talent for it, and the ones who didn''t stare at him with respect.

    After Kyle and Bia''s figures vanished into the distance, Alec and Carcel nced at the monster lord. There were still a few monsters around the monster lord, but unlike before the open space now felt empty.

    The duo nced at each other, and Carcel took out his weapon before ncing at the people behind him. He was using the same blue spear he got from Kyle. For some reason, he liked this one better than his own.

    "Now, I believe we can win the battle without much trouble. So, get ready. After all, we can''t let all the hard work that Kyle and Bia put in go to waste."

    All the individuals in front of him nodded seriously, and they quickly prepared their weapons. With a gesture from Alec, they left the concealed space.

    Suddenly, the monster lord snapped his head towards them, snarling. His eyes widened in shock as he saw the number of people emerging from the shadows. Instantly, he let out a boisterousugh.

    "So, it was all a trick? Did that human think his puny people could take me out?"

    Sinon''s wings fluttered behind his back and he shed a grin. He nced at Jian, who was eager to unleash his high-ranked skills on the monster lord.

    The winged demi-human raised his hand and spoke up.

    "Let''s see who cannd more hits on him! Whoever manages to strike the monster lord once will receive one mana stone from the others!"

    Of course, no one would refuse free mana stones. They all agreed and immediately went on the offensive against the few monsters surrounding the monster lord.

    The monster lord let out a cry and unleashed his most powerful skill, but Mia stepped in. She raised her hand, and a majestic shield materialized in front of her, causing his attack to dissipate upon impact. The monster lord cried out and called for his underlings who were chasing after Kyle, but to his dismay, the human and phoenix had led them quite far away.

    Alec, Jian, Carcel, and the rest of the individuals surrounded him from all directions, and his eyebrow twitched violently as a foreboding feeling crept into his heart.

    The first one to attack was Alec. He unsheathed his sword and lunged at the monster lord. Immediately, his de shed against the monster lord''s defenses, creating sparks that illuminated the area. The others swiftly joined in, their weapons and skillsbining in a fierce assault.

    The monster lord growled in frustration, he raised his paws and attacked back with furious roars but soon he saw the gravity of the situation. After his few underlings died he was practically alone against so many people. He again tried to call for reinforcements, but his underlings were nowhere to be found.

    Sinon raised his hand, Carcel who was beside him thought he would use a strong skill, and that''s why the prince gave him enough space. Regius also noted the winged demi-human stance, but his eyebrow twitched when he saw Sinon attack.

    A waterfall materialized above the monster lord, glistening with radiant droplets that cascaded down upon him. However, the effect was merely enough to dampen his scales.

    Carcel nced at the demi-human speechless.

    ''If you were going to use such a skill, it would have been better if you didn''t use it at all.''

    Nevertheless, as a good person, he refrained from voicing his opinion.

    Sinon knitted his brows when he noticed a few individuals giving him strange looks. He had been practicing his water-

    type skills ever since he found out through Kyle that they were quite useful, but it seemed he wasn''t naturally suited for them.

    Due to their relentless assault, the monster lord grew more desperate. Ignoring the mounting injuries, he opened his mouth and unleashed a powerful shockwave that reverberated in all directions.

    The force of the shockwave pushed back almost everyone nearby. A few individuals who were of (S)-Rank gasped and clutched their ears, unable to withstand the impact.

    The ground beneath the monster lord fractured and shattered into numerous pieces. Dust and debris filled the air as he attempted to escape amidst the chaos. However, his injured body prevented him from making any significant movements.

    That''s why he wanted to scare the people attacking him by eliminating half of them with his skills.

    Alec noticed the monster lord''s glowing eyes through his hazy vision and raised his voice.

    "Mia! Use the shield!"

    Mia didn''t question him and instantly a shield materialized in front of the monster lord. In the next second, a terrifying beam of light shot through the space and collided with the shield with lightning-fast speed. The shield held for two seconds before crumbling, but it bought Alec enough time to regain control of the situation.

    He clenched his sword and unleashed a mighty swing with it. The de glowed with a vibrant aura as mana tremors rippled through the air. The sword force was incredibly powerful, cutting through the air with an unstoppable force.

    As his sword traveled toward the monster lord, a majestic glowing sword materialized behind him. Instantly, a deafening sh resonated through the battlefield. The monster lord cried out in pain, his body faltering as he staggered back.

    Alec let out a deep breath, sweat trickling down from his forehead. Carcel gave him a signal and spun his spear in the air.

    Instantly, he lunged forward with his spear. The unassuming weapon gleamed and sliced through the air with incredible speed.

    As the spear closed in on the monster lord, a surge of energy coursed through it, causing the tip to emit a brilliant glow. With a resounding thrust, Carcel''s spear pierced through the monster lord''s defenses, eliciting a cry of pain.

    The impact of his attack sent shockwaves through the battlefield, causing the ground to tremble.

    Jian''s eyes twinkled with awe.

    "Now it''s my turn!"

    He moved forward, ready to unleash his most powerful skill. However, it seems he was destined to not get what he wanted because Kyle''s figure appeared above the growling monster lord.

 Chapter 353 It’s cute

    <h4>Chapter 353 It''s cute</h4>

    Kyle furrowed his brows with a loud sigh.

    "You all still haven''t killed him? Alright, I''ll give the finishing blow."

    Alec''s eyes widened, his mission would fail if he let anyone else kill the monster lord! He lunged forward to stop Kyle, panic written all over his face.

    Just like him, Jian''s eyes also trembled but for a different reason altogether. How could he let his prey be stolen right before his eyes? He also lunged at Kyle with a loud no.

    The people around them stared in astonishment as the duo grabbed hold of Kyle''s arms before thetter could unleash his attack.

    Kyle blinked, clearly confused.

    "What?"

    Jian stared at him with a deadpan expression.

    "Let me!"

    Kyle let out a chuckle and gave him a nod.

    "Okay. Look, the monster lord''s secretly trying to run away, so kill him before he''s gone."

    Jian nodded enthusiastically, but Alec stopped him with a righteous expression.

    "Wait, let me kill this one. I''ll give you an (A)-rank skill core!"

    A solemn expression appeared on Jian''s face, but in the next second, he raised his hand with an okay sign and retreated.

    Kyle looked at the red-haired man dumbfounded. He couldn''t believe Jian benefited because of him.

    ''Wait... I was the one who stopped my actions, so why is Alec giving the skill core to Jian?''

    He wanted to ask the question, but he got distracted when he noticed a pair of concerned eyes. Kyle blinked and floated over to Yue.

    "What happened?"

    Yue raised her eyebrow, surprised that he noticed. She was worried when she saw him being chased by so many monsters, but, he didn''t have a single scratch on his body. She hummed and looked around.

    "Where''s Bia?"

    Kyle stared at Alec as thetter used his sword to kill the monster lord.

    "She''ll be here soon. I used teleportation, so I arrived first."

    The crowd around them cheered with excitement. They had done it. They had killed a monster lord on their own, without the help of any elders! Just a few years ago, if someone had told them they would do this, they would have called that person crazy!

    After Alec killed the monster lord, he received the reward for his mission. A bright smile appeared on his face.

    He immediately checked the monster lord''s body for any skill cores, but he didn''t find any. Instead, he found a strange pulsating crystal in ce of the monster''s heart.

    "What''s this?"

    He grabbed the crystal and everyone''s attention shifted to it. But before anyone could look at it properly, a roar echoed through the air.

    -"It''s mine!"

    Bia''s eyes sparkled, and amidst the stunned onlookers, she swiftly snatched the crystal from Alec''s hand. The blue-haired man stared at his empty palm and then nced at the phoenix soaring above with a wry smile.

    Alec shrugged his shoulders and looked at the people around him.

    "She took it. If anyone wants to fight for the crystal, they should go talk to the phoenix."

    Instantly, the crowd dispersed in different directions, searching the other lifeless bodies. Knowing Bia''s temperament, no one dared to challenge her for the crystal.

    Kyle nced at the furious phoenix with a chuckle.

    ''Is the crystal useful to you?''

    Bia huffed at him, her eyes narrowed. Despite her anger, she replied.

    -''It''s the monster lord''s heart. Only monsters with immense physical strength have their hearts turned into crystals. So, it''s pretty rare... no almost impossible toe across one. And yeah, it''s useful to me.''

    Kyle gave her a quick nod and stared at the makeshift throne of rocks.

    ''I need to check what''s beneath the throne.''

    He looked around and saw that everyone was busy examining the bodies of the monsters they had killed. Kyle nced at Yue, she had been floating beside him.

    "Don''t you want to check?"

    She shook her head.

    "Not all of them have skill cores. And the ones that do aren''t useful to me."

    "Huh? How do you know that?"

    "I have a skill, but it''s a low-ranked one, so it''s only useful on dead monsters."

    Kyle let out an ''Oh''.

    "What a useful skill."

    He started floating towards the throne, and Yue nced at him with a questioning look. She didn''t ask anything, but he told her anyway.

    "I''m going to check underneath the rocks. Want toe with me?"

    Yue nodded, and the duo approached the throne. A few people noticed them, but Jian stopped them with a grim expression. No one understood his words, but he tried his best to signal them, that the couple needed some alone time.

    Kylended above the rocks, he stared around for a few seconds but then used the scent perception skill to sense if something valuable was present in his surroundings.

    He frowned when he didn''t sense anything valuable but instead, he sensed a small life behind the throne.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed, and he went behind the throne where many rocks were stacked together to form a small round burrow.

    He bent down and started removing the rocks one by one. Yue sat down on her heels beside him. After he removed the rocks, a pair of brilliant pale blue eyes stared at him.

    Kyle grabbed the growling little monster''s neck and stared at it with curious eyes. It was very simr to the monster lord Alec just killed.

    "A young Lynx? Don''t tell me we killed its father or maybe mother?"

    The little monster stared at him with round eyes, it blinked cutely and tentatively licked his arm with a low whimper.

    Kyle stared at the saliva dripping down from his wrist and had the urge to just toss the monster away, but he paused when he sensed Yue staring at the Lynx with sparkling eyes. He thought for a second and then moved the monster toward Yue.

    "Do you want to cook it? The size is short and won''t fill Bia''s huge stomach, but well, I guess we don''t have a choice. It looks quite delicious."

    As if sensing the impending doom, the monster cried out in surprise and tried to wriggle out of his grip. After countless failed attempts, it stared at Yue with teary eyes.

    The elven girl was speechless at Kyle''s words, and when she noticed the wriggling monster staring at her, she let out a sigh.

    "No, I won''t cook it! It''s too young to understand what''s happening, so why don''t you form a bond with it?"

    Instantly, Kyle shook his head with a solemn expression.

    "No way, one is enough. You know she eats a lot. Also, I just somewhat killed its only parent. So, what if it attacked me in my sleep? That''s why, it''s better to cook the monster."

    The monster didn''t understand Kyle, but for some reason, a chill ran down its spine. It gathered all its strength and leaped toward Yue with a pitiful expression.

    Kyle wanted to grab it again, but Yue stopped him. He furrowed his brow, but his brows rxed when she gave him a bright smile.

    "It''s cute, so if you don''t want it, you can give it to me. In return, I will cook you something good next time."

    Kyle stared at her face for a second and agreed. Yet, for some reason, he felt irritated when the monster curled up on herp cutely.

    ''What cute? It''s too ugly.''

 Chapter 354 It’s impossible

    <h4>Chapter 354 It''s impossible </h4>

    As the youngsters cheered for their victory against the monster lord, the moment the monster lord died, the monsters attacking the other two borders of Kingdom tersia became confused. The fighters at the borders noticed the change - before, the monsters charged at the borders without caring about their own lives, but now, if their lives were threatened, they started retreating. Moreover, the monsters who were inside the forest and getting ready to make a move scattered in different directions.

    How could they not? After all, the one who controlled them, the monster lord, was now dead.

    Dynn, the old elf, stood up at one of the borders in the south. Just two hours ago, he received the news that his one and only grandson, Regius, went to hunt a monster lord. Not just any monster, but a monster lord! The old man was so furious that he almost attacked the person who brought him the news.

    He and his wife were overjoyed when Regius returned from the realm unharmed, but now the rascal had the audacity to go and put his life in danger once again!

    "It''s all because of that silver-haired kid! Just wait till I get my hands on him, I''ll teach him a lesson! How dare he lead my grandson astray?"

    Dynn also noticed the monsters'' peculiar behavior, his clothes stained with blood and wrinkled. Surrounding him were several elderly individuals, their eyes meeting in silent understanding.

    After a long pause, the old elf rubbed his temples and let out a dry chuckle.

    "No way... It''s impossible. Did those rascals really kill the monster lord?"

    Dynn''s eyes widened at his own words, and he vigorously shook his head. He couldn''t believe it. The task they couldn''t aplish was done by a group of youngsters!

    He remained in denial for a moment, but eventually,ughter escaped his lips. His shoulders shook with amusement as he gazed into the depths of the forest.

    "That rascal... Now I don''t know whether to punish him or praise him. Haha, I think I''ll leave that decision to his grandmother."

    He shook his head and closed his eyes briefly, savoring the joy. In just a week, many lives were lost, but they also saved many by ying the monster lord.

    "These kids deserve rewards for such a monumental achievement... I should go and ask the King."

    However, just ten minutester, Aira delivered another shocking news to him. She said that because of the kids, Anlee had discovered a massive undergroundyer filled with countless mana stones and mana weeds. The upperyer alone was enough to rival an entire kingdom''s economy.

    Dynn was on the verge of losing hisposure. He couldn''t believe what he was hearing. He sat down on the border to gather himself. After a few minutes, he let out a loud curse, startling the few old elves floating mid-air around him.

    "You rascal! If you found something good, why the heck did you give the responsibility to that leecher, Anlee?"

    Dynn huffed and, after calming down, looked at the monsters still present at the border. He stood up, gripping his weapon tightly. He raised his voice and jumped towards the monsters.

    "Let''s finish this and go home for a well-deserved rest!"

    The news about the monsters'' behavior spread like wildfire and reached the ears of the elven King.

    Instantly, themunication crystal of Regius, Sinon, Niamh, Faith, and all those from Kingdom tersia buzzed like crazy. The moment they answered, they were bombarded with hundreds of questions. After the questions, they were praised for their achievement.

    Regius let out a heavy sigh and wiped the sweat off his forehead after he closed hismunication crystal. He felt like crying because his grandfather had warned him about the impending doom that awaited him due to his angry grandmother. But his attention was quickly diverted when he noticed a little monster in Yue''s arms. The sight of the monster left everyone gasping in shock as they stared at Yue.

    Regius looked at the monster and gave a wry smile.

    "Yue... how did you find it? Did you form a bond with it?"

    Yue nodded. She had formed a bond with the adorable little monster right away. She felt a little guilty because she did it without their knowledge, but she didn''t want to give it to someone else.

    Regius sighed at his fate. Deep down, he held onto the belief that someday in the future, he too woulde across a small monster possessing immense talent and form a bond with it! Just like him, many others had simr dreams.

    Mia and Lara both stared at the little monster and started petting it. However, they stopped when Bia''s eyes glowed with anger. The phoenix swore to kill the monster if it received more attention than her! No way, no one can take her ce!

    Kyle noticed the fury in Bia''s eyes and secretly praised himself. If he had bonded with that little Lynx, Bia would have pecked him to death!

    ''No... she would have first skinned or maybe grilled the little monster.''

    After everyone recovered their mana, Kyle began floating in mid-air. He sniffed the air, trying to sense the presence of the second monster lord. Their task was far from over. They still needed to defeat the second monster lord, the one responsible for the attacks on Kingdom Ete.

    Jian gave him a weird look, but what else could he do? He needed to smell the countless scents to locate the other monster lord.

    Kyle nced at Alec, who had disappeared suddenly and only just arrived back. He blinked and raised an eyebrow.

    ''How did he jump from (SS+)-Rank to (SSS+)-Rank in such a short time?''

    Alec had a wide smile on his face as he approached Kyle.

    "So, what''s our next destination? I believe we''re all ready now!"

    Kyle grinned and gave Alec a thorough once-over. If it weren''t for his scent perception skill, he would have never detected Alec''s rank. With a slight smile, he tapped Alec''s shoulder twice.

    "Congrats... now you''re stronger than me."

    Alec stared at him for a moment before fullyprehending Kyle''s words. Indeed, he had surpassed Kyle in strength, but how did Kyle know about it!?

    Kyle''s words shocked many, especially Carcel and Jian. The duo had an unofficialpetition with Alec to see who would reach the (SSS-)-Rank first. They exchanged a nce and let out a sigh together. It seemed they had lost. However, Kyle''s next words made them question if they were hearing things.

    "Reaching (SSS+)-Rank at such a young age is an impressive feat."

    Kyle smirked as Alec stared at him with a nk expression. Maybe, the blue-haired man was still processing Kyle''s words. It was clear that Kyle had just revealed his rank in front of the crowd.

    Alec let out a dryugh, unsure whether to thank Kyle or not. After all, now he would have to deal with the consequences of being hailed as the youngest (SSS+)-Rank on the.

    ''My life is about to get a bit difficult from now on.''

    Alec shook his head and swatted away Kyle''s hand. Kyle chuckled and pointed his finger eastward. He felt a bit concerned because while they were battling, the second monster lord had approached dangerously close to one of the borders of Kingdom Ete.

    ''Don''t tell me it sensed when we killed the monster lord... and now it''s preparing to attack the nearest Kingdom in advance?''

    Kyle furrowed his brow and began floating towards the location of the second monster lord. The others followed closely behind.

    As they raced towards their destination without pausing, Alec suddenly remembered something. He blinked and nced at Kyle.

    ''I''ve gotten a lot stronger now... not a whole rank, but definitely much stronger. So perhaps...''

    Alec narrowed his eyes and opened up the system window. In an instant, a panel materialized before him. After taking a deep breath, he decided to use the system appraisal function on Kyle.

    ''Please show something this time!''

    Only after a second, a few panels shed in front of his eyes.

    ________

    ''Name: Kyle Ohan''

    ''Race: Human.... loading...''

    ''Rank: (SSS-)''

    ''Special: ... loading... bloodline...''

    ''Special: have a bloodline''

    ''Bloodline rank: Celestial''

    ''???''

    -Error!

    Trying to find the cause! Loading...

    -Error!

    ''Talent: loading...''

    ''Talent confirmed: Celestial''

    No more information provided. To know further information host needs to be a whole Rank higher than the target.

    ________

    Alec''s breath hitched the moment heid eyes on the special bloodline.

    ''Wait... wait... I remember I received a mission in the past that was rted to a bloodline! The Celestial bloodline... So it was Kyle all along?''

    He took a deep breath when he witnessed Kyle''s talent.

    ''Haha, (B)-Rank...? Who the hell said he had (B)-Rank talent!''

    Alec''s lips curled into a smile. He wasn''t sure about his own talent after reaching (SSS+)-Rank, but seeing Kyle''s made him realize that thetter would likely surpass him.

    ''I hope we stay friends for a long time.''

    At the same time, Kyle felt an intense gaze on his back, but when he turned around, he saw no one. He furrowed his brow.

    ''Did I make a mistake?''

 Chapter 355 He attracts bad luck

    <h4>Chapter 355 He attracts bad luck</h4>

    The eastern border of Kingdom Ete was a sight of chaos and danger. Retric fell to his knees, his body trembling after defeating another (S+)-Rank monster.

    His breathing was uneven, and George quickly rushed to his side, helping him stand. The principal chuckled and shook his head.

    "I... am fine. Go help the others."

    But George refused to leave. Suddenly, countlessrge bats with crystal-like eyes emerged from the forest. George clenched his weapon, gritting his teeth as he swiftly took down several bats trying to grab a young man.

    "These bastards... what''s happening? Why the hell did they suddenly start attacking with full force?"

    He cursed under his breath, his words loud enough for those around him to hear. Retric shook his head.

    "Watch yournguage, George. You''re the Vice Principal of the Royal Academy, and many of our students are fighting behind you. What would they think if they heard your words?"

    George jumped into the air and killed more bats, his brows furrowed in frustration. The situation was growing dire. Just an hour ago, he and the others had celebrated their victory over the initial wave of monsters attacking the second border of Kingdom Ete.

    However, little did they know, that an evenrger swarm of monsters had descended upon the eastern border. That''s why those who knew about Arrays had teleported everyone to the east border.

    George wiped his forehead, exhaustion evident in his tired sigh.

    "After all this is over, I want a big vacation."

    Another elderly figure joined in, Elder Han''s eyes lit up despite being covered in blood.

    "I want one too! How about a twenty-year break? Someone wants to marry me. She thinks we''re getting too old and might die alone... Haha..."

    In the middle of hisughter, he coughed up a mouthful of blood. His mana was depleted, and his legs were trembling. It took all his strength just to float mid-air.

    Retric and George''s eyebrows twitched when they heard his words. George scoffed. This old fogey really knew how to piss him off.

    Retric stood up on his feet and killed another monster that jumped out from the forest.

    "Survive first, then we can talk about vacations. Just a heads up, only one of you can get it, so figure it out amongst yourselves."

    The principal smirked as he observed the duo''s gloomy expressions. He nced at Duke Evan and Valenza, who were on the verge of copse but refused to retreat.

    How could they? Countless lives would be lost if they gave up. Many powerful individuals were floating above or standing around the duo, but like them, their conditions didn''t appear much better.

    As Retric killed another monster, thend beneath his feet started trembling. He and many others raised their heads, and their eyes dted as two towering inferno Cats walked out from the forest.

    The cats'' eyes glowed with a faint light, and their heads were crowned with two horns each. In an instant, one of the cats gazed at the principal, her eyes filled with mirth. Then, she opened her mouth, and a fire tornado swirled out from her jaw.

    Retric and George screamed at the people nearest to the cat.

    "Leave! Both of them are (SS+)-Rank! Go to safety!"

    The principal jumped toward the cat, raising his fist to stop the fire tornado. But the other cat threw him back with her tail.

    His body was flung backward, crashing into a few individuals with a loud bang. Blood oozed from his mouth, nose, and even his head. His consciousness started to fade as the people around him shouted, but his ears buzzed with a loud ringing sound.

    But before the fire tornado couldnd on the countless people and burn everything, a golden-haired figure d in silver armor appeared in front of the cat.

    King Cedric raised his hand, and his eyes narrowed. In the next second, a towering earth wall appeared in front of the cat. The cat cried out, and the fire tornado crashed into the wall. The wall started crumbling with a loud rumble, but it was enough to give Cedric enough time.

    He raised his spear and swung it forward. His figure traveled with lightning-fast speed, and he flung one of the cats back into the forest.

    The other cat also attacked, but Cedric turned around and thrust his spear forward. Instantly, countless spears rained from the sky, and he kicked the other cat back into the forest as well.

    The king calmed his breathing and gazed at George with a hard expression.

    "I will fight them. You go take care of Retric."

    George nodded at him and hurriedly moved back. The King figure stood imposing in front of the two inferno Cats, who walked out from the forest again with angry eyes.

    A lot of people cheered but hidden from the crowd, Cedric''s hands were trembling. He had just broken through to (SS+)-

    Rank a while ago and rushed to the border after receiving the news. Yet, it took all his strength just to send the Cats back into the forest.

    ''I would never let anything happen to my people, so I''ll fight until the end.''

    He started floating and raised his spear again before facing off against the two inferno cats. However, his body was umting numerous injuries, and he knew he couldn''t defeat the cats alone. Eventually, he summoned all his strength and kicked the cats back into the forest. Their massive bodies crashed above the tall trees, putting them at a safe distance from the crowd.

    Cedric groaned as he entered into a fierce battle with the cats. He believed that if he could eliminate the pair, they would be safe for a while. But his eyes widened in shock when he noticed two pairs of red eyes peering at him from behind a few trees.

    ''No way... Is this some kind of joke?''

    The King''s body trembled. The air buzzed with countless voices, as two towering wild boars emerged from the forest. The trees quivered, and thend shook violently.

    The boars let out piercing screams and unleashed shockwaves that crashed into the people fighting nearby. Instantly, the people were thrown backward, and within moments, many innocent lives were lost.

    The border behind the soldiers began to crumble from the impact, causing panic among the mages standing above it.

    In the midst of the chaos, two familiar figures fought valiantly alongside the soldiers against the monsters. The duo raised their weapons, disying great bravery.

    If Kyle were here, he would have immediately recognized them. Ray and Neon exchanged nces as they were pushed back by the shockwave.

    Neon coughed up blood, his armor torn in various ces. He looked at Ray, who grabbed him with a worried expression.

    A sigh escaped Neon''s lips as Ray fought the monsters and tried to protect him. However, Neon could see the severe injury on Ray''s shoulder. He shook his head.

    "I''m fine. I can... keep fighting."

    He coughed again, and Ray red at him with anger in his eyes.

    "Shut up and drink a potion, or else I''m going to beat you up. Remember, we left home just to help the soldiers. We need to go back and apologize to the old man, or he''ll cry his eyes out."

    Neon chuckled and wiped his mouth, then grabbed his knees and staggered back to his feet.

    "Kyle... that rascal entered the Academy and went to such a dangerous ce without a care. I want to beat him up once, so don''t worry. I won''t fall so easily."

    The duo''s eyes widened when a fewrge bats attacked them with countless shards of earth. Neon groaned as one of the shards embedded itself in his shoulder.

    He wanted to cry out in pain, but a pair of pale golden eyes appeared in front of him. Nine sighed as he stared at the duo, and kicked one of the bats back.

    "If I had been a little bitter, forget about monsters, Kyle would havepletely destroyed this whole ce. It''s a good thing I have enough money to travel so quickly."

    Neon and Ray nced at each other, then looked at the brown-

    haired man who appeared before them. The first andst time Nine visited them, they were in aa, so they didn''t recognize him. However, when they heard Kyle''s name, their eyes lit up.

    But before they could ask the brown-haired man anything, a rumble shook thend beneath their feet. In the distance, thend sted, and dust and debris scattered everywhere.

    George shouted, as he stared at Elder Han, who was within range of one of the boar''s attacks. In an instant, the atmosphere became chaotic.

    Elder Han''s eyes widened. He wanted to retreat, but it was toote. In the end, he raised his hand and many symbols materialized around him, forming a sturdy shield. Regardless, he knew the shield wouldn''tst against such a huge monster.

    The old man prepared himself for the impact, but it nevernded on his shield or body. He let out a surprised gasp and raised his eyes to stare at the familiar silver-haired man floating mid-air in front of him.

    Kyle wiped his forehead and cursed under his breath. While they were traveling toward the border, Jian identally roused a pack of monsters sleeping deep within the forest. That''s why they were stopped, or they would have arrived half an hour ago. In the end, Kyle sensed a lot of blood and arrived first after using instant teleportation.

    ''I don''t know why, but he attracts a lot of bad luck.''

    Kyle clicked his tongue. The blue mes surging in front of him dispersed in all directions. The boar''s eyes narrowed, and it raised its leg to crush thend beneath, but before it could, a kicknded on its jaw, and it was flung back into the forest with a cry.

    Kyle nced back at the old man and instantly grabbed a healing potion from his mind space.

    "Master, are you alright?"

 Chapter 356 The one with silver hair, is it Kyle?

    <h4>Chapter 356 The one with silver hair, is it Kyle?</h4>

    Elder Han looked at the vial of green-colored potion offered to him, and his lips curved into a smile.

    "I just saw my life shing before my eyes."

    He sighed and a simr vial appeared in his hand. He shook the vial in front of Kyle.

    "Did you forget that potions are one thing your master nevercks?"

    Kyle raised an eyebrow but then shrugged his shoulders. The potion in his hand disappeared and he waved his hand at the old man.

    "Go rest, I can sense you''re running low on mana. I''ll take care of things here."

    Han chuckled and moved back with a nod. Kyle''s eyes traveled downward, observing the countless people engaged in battle with the monsters. As a few eyes stared at him, he vanished into thin air.

    In the next second, his figure reappeared behind the second wild boar, which had paused after he kicked the first one into the forest.

    "Fear..."

    He mumbled under his breath, causing the boar and all the surrounding monsters to freeze in ce as if sensing a dangerous enemy.

    In an instant, the air trembled, and countless ice spears materialized in the sky, almost overshadowing thend below.

    Kyle''s eyes glowed with a faint light, and before the boar and the other monsters could break free from their frozen state, the spear shot out with lightning-fast speed, piercing through the air.

    The people fighting in front were startled when they saw the number of spears raining down from the sky. But as they blinked, the spears pierced through the bodies of each monster who was under the fear skill, one by one.

    The monsters wanted to cry out, but only muffled cries rang out on the battlefield as their bodies dropped to the ground, with a loud thud.

    The one who screamed the loudest was the wild boar, as many spears prated its body from all directions with their razor-sharp tips.

    The boar''s eyes closed, and it dropped to its knees as it took itsst breath. In an instant, the air turned cold as the ice spears scattered into many fragments and dispersed in all directions, harming the other monsters nearby.

    Kyle floated around. He raised his leg and kicked the already dead wild boar''s body back deep into the forest.

    The boar''s body crashed into the trees and tumbled backward at a fast speed. The other boar, who wasing out, froze in its tracks as it looked at itspanion''s body.

    For a few seconds, a deadly silence enveloped the air as the monsters and all the fighting individuals stared at the silver-haired man floating mid-air.

    Nine let out a chuckle, he started floating and clicked his tongue.

    "Show off."

    Kyle''s ears twitched. He turned around and nced at the familiar face he hadn''t seen for a while. He raised his brow, and his lips curled into a smirk.

    "How about you kill the other wild boar? It''sing out..."

    His sentence was cut short because Nine turned around and disappeared into the crowd without looking back.

    Kyle blinked, and his figure vanished again, only to reappear behind the other wild boar. A chill ran down the boar''s spine. It cried out, and many earth spikes appeared behind its back. However, after hearing no voice for a few seconds, it turned around and nced back, but the human was nowhere to be seen.

    The boar let out a growl, but then it looked down at the bloodied tip of the sword sticking out from its chest, its eyes dted. Blood oozed from its mouth, and its eyes rolled back.

    Kyle grabbed the sword handle and yanked it back, raising a small dust cloud in the sky as the boar''s body dropped to the ground.

    He furrowed his brow as he waved his precious sword to clean the blood off it.

    ''I don''t know if I''ll find any more high-rank weapons, so it''s better if I take utmost care of this one.''

    He sighed and vanished from his spot again.

    In the distance, King Cedric breathed out as he stopped another attack from one of the Inferno Cats. He panicked a little when a figure materialized beside him.

    A sigh escaped the King''s lips as he saw Kyle. He had seen how the silver-haired kid fought and killed two strong monsters so easily.

    The two Inferno Cats froze in their spots when the duo saw the silver-haired human who had killed the boars. They nced at each other, and before Kyle could attack them, the duo ran away in different directions.

    "Huh?"

    Kyle stared at their backs. He could have easily caught them, but it''s probably best if he didn''t venture too far from the border. Not until the others arrived.

    He turned around and nced at the injured golden-haired man who looked a lot like Carcel. With a nod, he offered a healing potion.

    Cedric chuckled and shook his head.

    "My storage ring is filled with these things, save it for the future."

    Kyle blinked and stared at the potion bottle. He couldn''t help but think that maybe something was wrong with the potion, that''s why no one was taking it from him.

    Secretly, he ced the particr potion vial away from the others in his mind space and vanished from his spot again.

    His figure appeared in the middle of the crowd, and blue mes scattered in all directions. The mes didn''t harm the humans and other soldiers but only enveloped the many monsters attacking the border.

    The monsters cried with panicked eyes as their bodies turned into ice sculptures. The air that had been cold turned even colder when the mes appeared. In the next second, the ice sculptures crumbled into bright particles and vanished into thin air.

    Kyle wanted to use instant teleportation again, but a familiar voice echoed in his head. He raised his head and saw Bia''s huge figure soaring in the sky.

    -''You really had the guts to leave me with that little monster, huh? It would have died in my hands if not for Yue stopping me in time!''

    Kyle chuckled, and many eyes traveled towards the phoenix soaring through the air. They watched with awe as the beautiful fire phoenix flew across the sky.

    After Bia, Alec also appeared in the sky. He nced down and let out a sigh. In the next second, his figure shed, and hended beside Kyle.

    "It seems you cleared the most dangerous monsters."

    Kyle nodded.

    "It''s safe for the time being, but the monster lord hasn''t shown up yet. Anyway, did you all take care of the pack of monsters who attacked us?"

    Alec''s lips trickled upward in an evil smile.

    "If me and the others had stopped to take care of all of them, it would have taken me more time to arrive. So, we all decided to leave Jian behind to handle the mess he created."

    Kyle smiled at his words and pointed at the monsters, indicating that they had a lot of work to do.

    Alec nodded, and the duo immediately jumped into battle. The crowd was stunned because, just like Kyle, Alec also killed countless monsters with a single attack.

    The phoenix soaring in the sky also joined the battle. After only a minute, Yue, Regius, Lara, Mia, Carcel, and all the others except Jian arrived as well. The battlefield quickly became even more chaotic as the new arrivals swiftly took care of the monsters.

    In the distance, Nine smirked as he watched them fight. He turned back when someone tapped his shoulder slowly.

    Neon stared at his face with a curious expression.

    "The one with silver hair, is it Kyle?"

    The corner of Nine''s eyes trickled upward with mirth.

    "He''s... maybe?"

    Heughed when Neon''s face fell. Ray, who was standing behind Neon, grabbed his shoulder with a smile.

    "How could you not recognize your little brother? It''s definitely Kyle!"

    Neon let out a groan.

    "I know... but it''s unbelievable. He has gotten so strong in such a short time. Also, what happened to his hair and eyes?"

    The two brothers conversed about Kyle''s appearance when Nine joined in.

    "Don''t worry, the change won''t harm him. I don''t know the reason, but I guess it''s rted to the special mes he''s using."

    Neon blinked, gazing at the blue mes around Kyle''s body, and nodded.

    Nine hummed, he suddenly noticed Ray''s injured shoulder and extended his hand.

    "Let me cure your injury. I have a healing skill. It''s better than a potion."

    Ray nodded, and Nine ced his hand on his shoulder. Nine''s eyes glowed for a second, and a thread of mana emerged from his hand. After a few seconds, the injury on Ray''s shoulder vanished into thin air.

    Nine smiled and wanted to retract his hand, but he froze when a few images shed at the back of his head.

    "?"

    The golden threads in his eyes trembled violently, and both Ray and Neon panicked when blood started pouring from his eyes and mouth. But Nine raised his hand to stop them, with a horrid expression.

    "I''m fine... but Kyle is in danger!"

 Chapter 357 I don’t feel like fighting

    <h4>Chapter 357 I don''t feel like fighting </h4>

    Ray and Neon were stunned as Nine dropped to his knees. Nine''sst words kept reying in their minds, especially his warning about Kyle being in danger. Ray quickly grabbed Nine''s arm and urgently called out to Neon.

    "What are you waiting for? We need to help him! Let''s find a safe spot first, quick!"

    Nine''s eyes blurred, and his consciousness started to fade. He heard the countless voices around him, Neon and Ray''s worried remarks as they cleared the path and dragged him away from the battlefield.

    He closed his eyes and did his best to clear his mind, but he knew he had used too much power again. Sometimes, he hated the fact that he couldn''t control his strength. He raised his head towards Ray and a few incoherent murmurs escaped his mouth.

    "Kyle... ask him to go to a safe ce.. that man.. with golden pupil..."

    Nine couldn''t make sense of his own visions. He saw everyone happy, but then what happened? Suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed at the back of his head, making it hard for him to stay conscious.

    Ray nced at Nine as he slumped on his shoulder. He cursed quietly to himself. Nevertheless, he knew the best thing to do was to find a safer ce for Nine.

    In the meantime, the chaotic battlefield quickly started to calm down as the new arrivals effortlessly killed the monsters.

    Carcel wiped his in-looking spear and nced at the golden-haired man floating beside him.

    "So, how''s my mother doing?"

    King Cedric scoffed and stared at the spear in his hand.

    "Just worried about your mom?"

    Carcel blinked and checked him out from head to toe before looking at where his brother was fighting.

    "I can see you and Casper are totally fine. So, I''m asking about the one who''s not here."

    King Cedric clicked his tongue.

    "So many years have passed, but you''re still the same. About your mom, she wanted toe along, but someone had to take care of the castle, so I made her stay. Go see her once we''re done here."

    Carcel nodded and moved away to kill another monster.

    On the other side, Alec raised his head and stared at the forest where the monsters were pouring out. The numbers had gone down, and they had wiped out all the monsters at the border, except for a few low-rank ones. But the monster lord hadn''t shown up yet.

    He hummed softly but frowned when he saw Kyle stop for a few seconds with a perplexed expression. Alec narrowed his eyes and quickly noticed the hesitation in Kyle''s movements. He would pause every few minutes, but then shake his head as if he zoned out.

    Alec started floating and quickly approached him.

    "What happened-!"

    He stopped because Kyle got startled when he called out to him. Thetter blinked and stared at him.

    "Did you say anything? Sorry, I got distracted..."

    Alec nodded, wanting to ask what happened, but Kyle started stretching his neck with knitted brows, as he nced toward the forest.

    "I don''t feel like fighting for some reason..."

    However, then he shook his head and clicked his tongue.

    "I''m getting frustrated because of the monster lord. Why hasn''t it shown up when it''s just hiding nearby?"

    Kyle nced at Alec and tapped his shoulder with a smirk.

    "How about we force it out if it''s not going toe out?"

    Alec stared at him for a few seconds, but the duo got distracted when a loud curse echoed through the air. Suddenly, a familiar man with red hair appeared, and it was none other than Jian. He fixed his angry eyes on Alec.

    Jian burst intoughter, a vein bulging on his forehead as he pointed an using finger at Alec.

    "You! How could you abandon me? Do you even care if I died out there?"

    "I know... haha, it was your idea to leave me behind!"

    He rolled up his sleeves and zoomed in toward Alec with lightning-fast speed. Alec''s eyebrow twitched, and before Jian could catch him, he flew away in a different direction.

    Jian arrived in front of Kyle, an evil smirk appearing on his face. He ran his hand through his hair and nced at Kyle with a deadpan expression.

    "Bro, help me kick him, and I''ll give you one (A)-Rank skill core?"

    Kyle raised his brow, interested.

    "The offer is not bad at all."

    Alec''s eyes widened in the distance. He couldn''t believe Jian was asking the one who ran away first to beat him for the same reason, and the payment was only one skill core!

    ''Wait... I gave Jian an (A)-Rank skill core just a few hours ago. Don''t tell me he''s using the same one just to get back at me?''

    He paused when the ground beneath his feet started quivering, and a massive tremor shook the trees opposite him. Countless monster cries rang out in the air.

    Alec looked up, his gaze fixated on the towering figure that appeared in the sky, casting a shadow over thend as it approached from the distance.

    The colossal bat''s eyes shimmered like crystal, as it stared down at the border and the many small figures below. Its fur was a deep, obsidian ck, adorned with intricate patterns that glowed with an eerie light. Its wings spanned the length of several trees, a magnificent sight to behold.

    The air grew silent as all eyes were drawn to the monster flying above the trees, and its crystal-like eyes.

    Alec couldn''t help but let out a curse.

    "So, the second monster lord is an obsidian bat?"

    His words hung in the air as the bat unleashed a deafening screech that echoed through thend, causing a massive amount of dust to rise. In the next moment, strong monsters that had been lurking around the monster lord jumped out from the forest with lightning-fast speed.

    Thend crumbled beneath their weight, and the trees were torn apart. It was a truly terrifying sight. But things took a turn for the worse when another wave of low-rank monsters joined in.

    Kyle blinked and vanished from his spot, his voice echoing loudly through the air.

    "Guys, let''s take down the strongest one first!"

    As soon as his words fell, everyone floating mid-air around him sprang into action and engaged the most powerful monsters in a fierce battle. Those on the ground did their best to fend off the onught of countless low-rank monsters pouring out from the forest.

    Kyle furrowed his brow when he noticed that the soldiers and many other fighters were already exhausted. If the situation kept going, they wouldn''tst much longer.

    Alec raised his sword and joined the fight, but he paused for a moment when Kyle''s voice echoed in his head.

    ''Go, confront the monster lord. We will do our best to handle everything here. As soon as someone is free, they will join you.''

    Alec nodded and quickly nced at the monster lord. Once the other monsters emerged from the forest, the monster lord remained motionless, simply observing the chaotic scene with its crystal-like eyes.

    Kyle took down another monster and nced at Alec, who had taken the forest route to avoid drawing too much attention from the other monsters.

    ''Bia, reduce your size and go help him.''

    The phoenix, who had been fighting alongside Mia and Yue, pped her wings and the fire around her disappeared. She grumbled a bit but quickly reduced her size and followed behind Alec. Due to her small size, she easily maneuvered past the monsters.

    Kyle quickly used his instant teleportation and in the next second, he appeared at the boundary of the forest, where the monsters were emerging from.

    ''I hope this goes better thanst time.''

    He took a deep breath and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet trembled, and numerous fire skeletons emerged from the earth. The skeletons had glowing, hollow eyes, but Kyle noticed with a frown that their movements were not properly coordinated.

    ''Why do I feel like my control has gotten worse for some reason?''

    He sighed, knowing that the skeletons wouldn''tst long, but at least their bodies would serve as a decent shield for the hundreds of people behind him.

    Just as Kyle was about to vanish, he noticed two familiar inferno cats stepping out from the forest. The cats let out hungry growls, their eyes filled with glee as they surveyed the chaotic scene. One of them opened its mouth, ready to unleash a fire tornado on the individuals fighting nearby, but blue mes suddenly appeared around her body, causing the cat to jump back to a safe distance.

    The second cat also jumped back as soon as it saw the mes. The two of them looked around, and then a voice that sent chills down their spines echoed from above.

    Kyle waved his hand in the air and clicked his tongue.

    "Almost had one of you this time, but you''re both pretty good at escaping."

 Chapter 358 We have got a lot of work

    <h4>Chapter 358 We have got a lot of work</h4>

    Kyle rubbed his hands as he hovered above the cats. A few nearby monsters attacked him, but he quickly finished them off.

    One of the inferno cat''s eyes darted around. She wanted to escape because she had seen the human fight before. He would just disappear and reappear out of thin air.

    Kyle chuckled when he saw panic in their eyes. The duo truly knew when to retreat. He hummed and vanished again.

    The moment he disappeared, the cats panicked. One of them jumped off toward the forest, ready to escape, but it froze in its tracks when the same humannded in front of her. He cracked his knuckles with a frustrated expression and ran his fingers through his hair.

    "How about fighting without a weapon? It''s been a while?"

    The cat cried out and raised her paw to attack. The other one also jumped toward Kyle, but the duo froze when dread crept into their hearts. They stared at the human with dted eyes as he ran toward them and punched one of them with all his strength.

    Kyle opened his fists with a groan and waved his hand as he watched the inferno cat flung backward mid-air.

    "Fear skill is good, but using my fists is a little painful."

    "Let''s finish this as quickly as possible."

    He sighed and vanished again.

    Sinon was in the middle of a fierce battle with an (S+)-Rank monster when suddenly, a furry body was flung towards him from the forest. His eyes widened in surprise, and without hesitation, he unfurled his wings and swiftly jumped back mid-air. The massive body crashed onto the monster he was fighting, causing it to cry out in pain.

    The winged demi-human wiped his forehead with a sigh of relief and nced at the inferno cat''s body before turning his attention to the forest entrance, where Kyle stepped out with knitted brows. Sinon blinked, and the silver-haired man vanished from sight.

    "Damn, did he use his fists to kill something that huge?"

    The wings fluttered behind his back as he shook his head with a chuckle, not even daring to imagine how badly the inferno cat had been beaten up.

    Kyle reappeared a few meters away from Carcel, who had been locked inbat with a group of (S+)-Rank winged hurricanes, a type of monster with two horns and colorful wings.

    A cold wind swept through the air as blue mes materialized around Kyle. He burned his mana to make the mes spread across the sky, almost enveloping everything around Carcel and the winged hurricanes.

    The crowd and the surrounding fighters watched as the mes grew colder with each passing second. Kyle stepped into the mes and paused beside Carcel. The two of them gazed at the panicked group of birds before the mes gathered, engulfing everything around them. Painful shrieks filled the air, but Carcel realized with a sharp breath that the mes didn''t even touch him.

    Carcel nced at Kyle, who wore an emotionless expression that he hadn''t seen in a while.

    "Thanks, but where is Alec? I haven''t seen him for a while."

    Kyle blinked, and the mes scattered in all directions, leaving behind bright particles. His fingers brushed past the moving particles, and he felt a faint, cold yet soothing sensation. How strange, he had never felt cold before. He rubbed his fingers and pointed towards where the towering bat had been watching everything.

    "I asked Alec and Bia to confront the monster lord, but Bia told me they were stopped in the middle by a group of monsters."

    He looked back at Jian, who had been throwing down skills and casting spells left and right, doing everything he could to take out as many monsters as possible and protect as many people as he could.

    Kyle frowned as he surveyed the battlefield. The situation didn''t look good. He knew they could hold on for a while, but once their mana ran out, the border would fall. His gaze shifted to George and Retric, who had joined the fight despite their injuries, and then to Elder Han.

    He thought for a few seconds and vanished once again, only to reappear beside Elder Han, who was fighting alongside a group of elderly men to clear out some monsters near the soldiers.

    "Master?"

    Elder Han quickly killed his opponent, his forehead glistening with sweat. He nced at Kyle, breathing heavily.

    "What''s going on? Why are you here?"

    Several old men around him immediately stopped the monsters in front of him when they saw Kyle, allowing him to talk with the silver-haired man who had disyed incredible strength since his arrival.

    Kyle reached into his mind space and pulled out a book. In a matter of seconds, he flipped through many pages before stopping at a particr symbol. He tore out the page and handed it to Elder Han, who looked at him with confusion.

    "I need your help. Draw this symbol on the border beneath the mages. The more symbols, the better. It doesn''t matter where you draw them, I just need arge number. Gather as many people as possible who can draw symbols."

    Elder Han stared at the page, which only had one symbol. He recognized it��it was used in one of the lower-ranked arrays that could increase someone''s mana if they stood above it. However, the array consumed a lot of resources and could potentially harm the user''s body if they were lower than (S)-

    Rank, as the mana would forcefully fill their body within a few seconds.

    The old man wanted to question Kyle, but he had already vanished. Elder Han let out a sigh and rubbed his temples, gazing at the symbol before grabbing one of the old men fighting in front of him with a serious expression.

    "Come on, we''ve got a lot of work to do."

    The duo floated towards the border, and Elder Han took out hismunication crystal, asking George to send as many individuals as possible who could draw arrays.

    George cursed because Han closed themunication crystal the moment he asked why. The Vice Principal stared at the crowd around him with frustration.

    "How the hell am I supposed to gather people who can draw array symbols in the middle of this chaos?"

    He punched a nearby monster before floating towards the area where students from various academies were fighting, searching for individuals who could draw array symbols.

 Chapter 359 We’re going to burn the forest

    <h4>Chapter 359 We''re going to burn the forest</h4>

    Kyle appeared behind Mia, who had been floating above the border with a few other mages. He looked around and noticed the pale faces of the people standing above the border.

    "Mia?"

    The people floating in front of him were startled, and Mia paused for a second when she heard the familiar voice. She swiftly cast another spell to take down a monster attacking a soldier, then she turned around to look at him.

    "What happened, Kyle?"

    Yue, Lara, and Niamh, who were floating beside Mia, nced at him. Jian, who had just joined the mages, was also startled by his voice. Kyle took a deep breath and pointed his finger towards the forest entrance.

    "If I give you enough mana, can you construct a shield big enough to cover the entire area in front of the forest?"

    Mia blinked, not quite sure what he meant. Nevertheless, she nodded without hesitation.

    "I can do it, as long as I have arge amount of mana in my body, but how?"

    Kyle looked at her with a serious expression.

    "Mana isn''t the problem, but the process is going to be a bit painful. So, are you sure?"

    Mia nodded and clenched her fists. She believed she could do it. If Kyle had a good n, they could save a lot of lives. Yue frowned, wanting to speak up and question why Kyle didn''t ask her, considering she was stronger than Mia. But she stopped when Kyle turned around and stared at her.

    "Yue, I remember you have a powerful fire skill, right? And Jian too."

    He nced at Jian, who floated towards him with a nod.

    "After Mia is done, I want both of you to use your fire skills. I want it to be as big as possible..."

    He paused for a second and gazed at the duo.

    "Would you do it?"

    Jian and Yue nced at each other, and then the red-haired man let out a chuckle.

    "You think we won''t? Of course, we would! A little pain is nothing!"

    Kyle let out a faint smile as he nodded. Yue gazed at him with crossed arms.

    "So, do we use the fire skill on the monsters? But if the fire is too big, I don''t think we would be able to control it properly. What if it harms the people fighting with the monsters?"

    Kyle shook his head.

    "No, we''re going to burn the forest."

    Jian stared at him with stunned eyes and let out a dryugh. If they burned the forest, it wouldn''t just stop at a mere fire. The fire would spread quickly, destroying the trees, nts, and wildlife.

    "You''re joking, right?"

    Kyle met his gaze with a serious expression.

    "No, I''m not. However, I can assure you that the scenario you''re imagining won''t happen."

    Jian approached him and shed him a grin.

    "Don''t worry, bro. I trust you. And not just me, the others do too. Let''s finish all this and go eat something good!"

    Kyle raised his brow.

    "I like the offer, but I already have ns with someone else who promised to cook for me. So maybe some other time?"

    He tapped Jian''s shoulder, who stared at him and vanished, only to reappear at the border in the next moment. Yue stared at Kyle''s figure from a distance and then nced at Jian, who had a look of disbelief on his face as if he had just experienced the worst betrayal of his life.

    Yue''s lips curled up into a beautiful smile. She thought Kyle would have forgotten her words considering the situation, but he remembered.

    She nced at the little Lynx sitting on Lara''s shoulder and started floating to attack the monsters once again.

    Unbeknownst to her, a pair of suspicious eyes had been observing Kyle and her interaction for a while now. Lily raised her brow when she saw the smile on Yue''s face.

    ''What a beautiful smile. Are they in a rtionship?''

    Lily blinked and stared at Yue for a few seconds before tilting her head back to gaze at the silver-haired man running above the border.

    ''Ah... they don''t seem to suit each other. Well, I think I shouldy low for a while until everyone forgets about the fact that I am the dark mage''s daughter.''

    .....

    Kyle peered at the glistening symbols beneath his feet. The mages around him were startled by his sudden appearance above the border, but he ignored them and kept on drawing symbols. He was so fast that they couldn''t understand what he was doing. All they noticed were the shiny symbols he left behind.

    After ten long minutes, Kyle vanished and reappeared in the sky, fixing his gaze on the opposite end of the border. Elder Han and a few others were trying their best to draw as many symbols as possible.

    ''It''s not enough. I need more symbols... the more, the better.''

    Kyle jumped into the battlefield, and in the next second, he appeared amidst the soldiers fighting the monsters on thend. His eyes glowed, and everyone around him gasped as blue mes scattered in all directions. The mes engulfed numerous low-rank monsters and vanished into countless bright particles.

    However, before anyone could notice his presence, Kyle vanished and reappeared beside King Cedric and Retric. The duo had been struggling against three powerful (SS+)-Rank bats, trying to keep them away from the crowd.

    Kyle nced at the bats and drew his sword, then looked at the two men who paused upon his arrival. He asked them to focus on the low-rank monsters and clear thend. The duo nced at each other and nodded. The King looked at Kyle with a smile and gave his shoulder a shake.

    "Young man, I''ll reward you once all of this is over. You have done a lot, not just for us, but for the whole Continent."

    Kyle blinked and nodded politely. No way he would admit that he was only helping because of his friends. After Retric and the King left, Kyle started fighting the bats. It wasn''t much of a fight, more like a one-sided beating.

    ''Bia, can you hear me?''

    -''I can, but we are unable to get near the monster lord. There are too many monsters surrounding it, and every time we try to get close, they all jump at us from all directions.''

    Kyle sensed with a frown that Bia''s breathing was irregr.

    ''Tell Alec toe back. Change of ns. We''re going to take care of the monster horde first.''

    -''What? There are so many! How are we gonna do it?''

    Bia asked a few questions, but since she didn''t get a proper response, she agreed with a click of her tongue.

 Chapter 360 Is it mocking me?

    <h4>Chapter 360 Is it mocking me?</h4>

    Bia''s figure soared across the sky, quickly maneuvering through the swarm of bats to approach the border. Alec followed closely behind, cursing under his breath when a monster tried to bite his leg. He kicked it back into the forest with an exhausted expression.

    His eyes traveled toward therge bat, watching them with its crystal-like eyes from a distance. A vein bulged on his forehead as he noticed the mirth dancing in the bat''s eyes.

    "Haha... is it mocking me?"

    Alec rolled up his sleeves, ready to dive towards the monster lord once again. But his actions halted when Kyle appeared a short distance away. Alec''s gaze met the silver-haired man, who grabbed his shoulder and pulled him towards the border.

    "Come with me! We have a lot of work to do!"

    "Huh?"

    Despite his confusion, Alec quickly followed. Just like him, Kyle called Carcel, Regius, Sinon, Sia, and a few other strong figures he knew. He pointed towards thend.

    "Guys, I want you all to focus on the area in front of the border. Kill as many monsters as possible and clear the space. Also, if possible, get everyone away from the forest entrance quickly."

    The eyes staring at him looked a bit confused, but with a quick nod, everyone dove toward the ground and started ying as many monsters as they could. Amidst the chaos, they shouted orders for everyone in front of the forest entrance to slowly retreat towards the border.

    Kyle took a nce at the surroundings and closed his eyes for a moment. If everything went as nned, they would soon defeat the monster lord. He snapped his eyes open and focused on Alec, who was taking down some bats in the distance.

    ''Alec, you have a powerful wind skill, right?''

    His voice echoed inside Alec''s head, who killed the bats and appeared beside him.

    "I do have one. Do you need me to do something?"

    "Just get ready to unleash your strongest wind skill. You need to blow the mes and make them spread faster."

    Alec nodded, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

    "Wait... what?"

    He blinked and stared at Kyle, who floated towards the border, and in the next second, Mia appeared in front of Kyle.

    "What are they up to?"

    Alec massaged his temples and hurriedly made his way towards the silver-haired man.

    Kyle took a deep breath, and suddenly the mana around him trembled violently. A faint round symbol appeared in the air, growing wider and brighter until it epassed the entire sky.

    Elder Han and the others who were still drawing symbols on the border paused as their symbols began to float in the air. The old man gasped in shock and snapped his head toward Kyle. He didn''t know whether tough or cry. The kid had already learned so much about arrays, what else would he teach him now?

    ''Wait, I can teach him about potions!''

    Retric and King Cedric both looked up in astonishment, their eyes fixed on the sky filled with countless symbols gathering in a circle.

    The symbols glowed brightly, and with a gust of wind, the surrounding mana red up and moved toward the symbols. The crowd stood in awe, witnessing the spectacle in the sky, but they couldn''t fully appreciate its beauty as they had to focus on defeating the many monsters in front of them.

    Kyle narrowed his eyes, staring at a faraway ce where he sensed a sharp gaze. It seems the monster lord became alert because of his actions, but who cares? The arrogant bat''s eyes told him it was only mildly amused, not enough toe and fight mere humans and soldiers trying to stay alive.

    ''Huh, let''s see how long you can watch.''

    Kyle smirked, ncing at the symbols that dimmed with each passing second. He let out a sigh.

    ''I wantpensation for the resources I''m going to waste!''

    He clicked his tongue, and suddenly thousands of mana stones appeared around him, but the moment they appeared, they were sucked up by the symbols.

    ''More?''

    Kyle massaged his temples and soothed his aching heart before a pulsating flower appeared in his hand. The flower petals shimmered constantly, shifting colors with a soft light.

    In an instant, many monsters turned their heads towards the flower, as if sensing something otherworldly. Not only the monsters but even the humans were drawn to the flower. However, before anyone could understand the reason, Kyle tossed the flower up towards the symbol.

    Alec''s mouth hung open as he watched how the symbols effortlessly devoured the flowers. Instantly, his hand grew sweaty, and he nced at Kyle with a nk expression.

    "Please tell me you had no idea that the flower was a divine grade one?"

    Kyle stared at him and blinked. He did know it was a divine-

    grade one, considering he had stolen it right under the nose of the dark race leader.

    "I do know, but I just didn''t want to waste more mana stones."

    Alec let out augh, unsure of where to direct his regret. He knew that flower wasn''t his, but it was a divine rank herb! He paused as the glowing symbols in the sky suddenly brightened like the sun, and the air around him fell silent.

    A crackling voice echoed in the air as Kyle moved closer to the symbols and called out Mia''s name softly. In an instant, a beam of light shot out from the symbols and zoomed under the stunned eyes of the crowd, heading straight for the woman with blue hair.

    Mia''s body trembled as the light descended on her shoulders. It was as painful, but she patiently allowed the mana to seep into her veins. Only after a few seconds, her body was filled to the brim because her mana skyrocketed to almost triple her original capacity. Mia shook her head as her vision got a bit blurry from the overwhelming mana flowing through her.

    Kyle controlled the array and gestured toward Alec, who raised his sword and unleashed one of his most powerful moves to push the countless flying monsters further away from the border.

    As soon as Alec finished, the light on Mia''s shoulders vanished. She clenched her teeth and utilized all her mana to swiftly create a massive shimmering shield. The air trembled as the shield descended in front of the forest entrance with a resounding bang. Dust and debris scattered everywhere as the area between the forest and the border became separated by the shield.

    The crowd and monsters, all of them, gasped in shock. The shield was tall and wide enough to cover arge space in front of them. The countless monsters pouring out from the forest halted in their tracks and immediately started pounding the shield with all their might.

    Mia started sweating, knowing she couldn''t maintain the shield for long with the relentless pounding of monsters. She clenched her fists, pouring all her strength into preserving the shield as long as possible.

    Kyle nced at Mia and called out Jian and Yue''s names. Two familiar beams of light shot toward the duo as they stood by Mia''s side.

    In just a few seconds, the sky turned crimson with mes as Yue and Jian unleashed their strongest fire skills towards the forest. The mes spread with lightning speed, igniting the tall trees and eliciting cries from the countless monsters.

    The pressure on Mia intensified as the mes descended behind the shield she had created, separating them from the forest. She shook her head and dug her nails into her palms.

    ''Now, if the shield crumbles, countless lives will be lost... I won''t let it happen!''

    The monsters in the forest wanted to jump out, but the shield forced them to retreat deeper. The monster lord, who had been watching from a distance moved. It pped its huge wings and closed in toward the border with panicked eyes.

    Kyle grinned and nced at Alec, who finally understood which mes he needed to blow with his wind skill.

    Alec let out a dryugh, wiped his forehead, and nodded at Kyle. A beam of light descended on his shoulders, and he moved forward to unleash his strongest wind skill.

    Instantly, the surging mes shot backward with frightening speed. The monster lord froze as it watched the mes consume the monsters and trees. It quickly moved back when the mes approached.

    Countless pained cries filled the air as it grew hotter by the second. The mages, soldiers, fighters, and academy students watched with bated breaths as the few youngsters floating mid-air unleashed such devastation in just a minute.

    Kyle nced at the array above him. He thought it would require more resources, but after using the divine flower, he didn''t need any more.

    ''It''s good.''

    Alec, Carcel, and Yue, along with everyone around him, looked panicked when they saw Mia grabbing her knee with a pale expression. They knew she wouldn''tst long, and it would be devastating if they didn''t stop the mes before the shield crumbled!

    Kyle furrowed his brow.

    "Just a few more seconds..."

 Chapter 361 Now... it’s your turn

    <h4>Chapter 361 Now... it''s your turn </h4>

    As soon as Kyle''s words fell, a small crack appeared in the middle of the shield. Then, like a spiderweb, the crack spread across the entire surface. Immediately, everyone floating around him or standing beneath him panicked and used every protection skill or spell they had to shield themselves from the mes.

    Kyle''s forehead turned sweaty when the effect of the enchantment pill he had taken a minute ago finally kicked in.

    ''I''m gonna beat that dwarf if I saw him again... He said it wouldn''t be painful, but it''s hurting like hell!''

    A vein red up on his neck and his strength shot up with incredible speed. He vanished from his spot, only to reappear amidst the shining symbols above him. The symbols trembled and zoomed toward his body with lightning-fast speed.

    Kyle clenched his fists when an even sharper pain coursed through his entire body. Yet, he stubbornly absorbed every drop of mana that came his way. The chaos and noises ringing in his ears disappeared, and everything around him became quiet for a split second.

    At that moment, Mia lost her bnce, but before she could fall, Carcel grabbed her waist with knitted brows. She closed her eyes with a gasp on his shoulder, not even daring to look at the shield.

    The crowd''s hearts raced as they fixated their gaze on the shield, some even started running backward toward the border. But just as the shield was about to crumble into countless pieces, the symbols around Kyle disappeared and he whispered under his breath.

    "Ice Domain.."

    A drop of blood oozed from his mouth as a tremendous amount of mana left his body and traveled towards the shield. The air grew extremely cold, and a translucent dome materialized out of thin air, enveloping the shield and the surging mes in a chilly embrace. The dome shook a little due to the amount of heat radiating from the mes, but countless icicles formed in the air, and thick clouds gathered in the sky to pour ice on the fire.

    The monster lord, watching everything from the other side, retreated further back with dted eyes as he witnessed the ice melting into water, extinguishing the once domineering mes.

    Clouds of ck smoke rose to cover the sky in a dark nket, and the cold air became humid. The crowd snapped out of their reverie when the icy dome dropped down with a loud bang, and the remaining ice scattered into mesmerizing ice kes that floated gracefully in the air.

    Kyle raised his hand, and an ice kended on his finger. His lips curled into a snarl as he locked eyes with the monster lord through the smoky curtain. Anger, frustration, and a multitude of troubling emotions filled the monster lord''s gaze. It was no surprise, considering thetter had witnessed its entire army crumble before its eyes.

    "Now... it''s your turn."

    Kyle wasn''t sure if the monster lord heard him because his body went limp from exhaustion. The enchantment pill''s effect would vanish after an hour, and he mentally prepared himself to endure the same exhaustion for a whole day. Nevertheless, putting aside the pill''s side effects, it''s unbelievable that the West Continent possessed such a powerful object and never shared it with the other continents.

    Kyle closed his eyes and let his body fall. Well, he still had a little bit of mana to make himself float before he crashed into the ground. But he hummed when he felt Bia''s presence underneath himself. The phoenix clicked her tongue and soared through the sky when his bodynded on her back.

    -''Jeez... you know you always overdo things.''

    Kyle chuckled at her words.

    ''I just want to finish it as soon as possible. Let''s find Ray and Neon after we are done with the monster lord. I saw them with Nine for a brief second... but I do not know where the trio went afterward.''

    The phoenix frowned a little when she felt Kyle''s body temperature. It was way too cold, even colder than his usual temperature. But maybe it''s because he exerted so much strength in such a short time. So she just brushed it off.

    -''Okay... okay, just rest for a while or else you will faint even before you find them.''

    Kyle sensed another familiar presence floating above him and opened his eyes to see Yue''s face, looking at him with a worried smile.

    He stared without blinking. She had her hand crossed on her chest, and her long hair was flowing down towards his face.

    Yue tilted her head and began speaking in a soft voice that only the two of them could hear.

    "You scared me when you dropped down so suddenly. Are you alright?"

    Kyle smiled and closed his eyes.

    "I''m fine. What about you and the others? You all also used the array."

    He felt her gaze lingering on his face, but he didn''t say anything. Then, a warm fingernded on his forehead.

    "If you''re fine... why are you knitting your brows? I noticed you''ve been doing it for a while now."

    Kyle grabbed the finger on his forehead, and Yue blinked in surprise. Normally, she would have noticed Kyle''s temperature, but she got distracted when he pulled her and patted the spot next to him with his other hand.

    "Stop floating above me and sit down... I''m getting dizzy."

    "...Oh, okay."

    She sat down beside him and gazed at his face again,pletely unaware that a certain phoenix was grumbling inside Kyle''s mind, speaking about how others shouldn''t be allowed to sit on her back. Bia grumbled for a while but stopped when she sensed Kyle''s peaceful mood.

    -''Well, just this one time is fine.''

    Kyle''s ears twitched when he heard Alec''s loud voice calling for others to surround the monster lord who tried to escape after it realized it was alone. From Alec''s shouts, Kyle was certain that the monster lord would suffer twice as much as they did.

 Chapter 362 I’ll bet on Kyle

    <h4>Chapter 362 I''ll bet on Kyle</h4>

    After some time, Kyle opened his eyes and propped himself up with his elbows. He couldn''t just sleep now because once the pill''s effect wore off, he knew he wouldn''t be able to do anything.

    Yue was startled by his sudden movement. She turned her face away and started floating to create some distance between them.

    Kyle stared at her back, fully aware that she had been staring at him since the moment she sat beside him. His eyes couldn''t help but be drawn to her exposed neck and ears, which had a subtle hint of crimson. He was taken aback for a moment, then let out a soft sigh.

    ''Bia, I know it might be a bit random, but do you think she likes me?''

    -''You just noticed? Almost everyone knows except you.''

    The phoenix burst intoughter when she sensed Kyle''s emotions. He had been troubled for a while, and the reason was unclear. But now, his mood seemed to have returned to normal, or maybe even better than normal.

    -''I thought you were clueless about this and it would take you a long time to ept it, but you''re actually quite natural.''

    ''Shut up... and why do you know so much about all this?''

    Kyle ignored the phoenix''s reply and started floating. He gazed into the distance, where Alec, Carcel, and many strong individuals were busy fighting the monster lord. Yue nced at him and pointed toward the monster lord.

    "I''m going to join them. Come over when you''re fine."

    Kyle tried to reply, but she hurriedly left before he could say anything. He shook his head and let out a faint chuckle. Bia got smaller andnded on his shoulder, giving him a piercing look with narrowed eyes.

    -''You like her as well, right?''

    ''Well, I''m not sure... but I don''t dislike this feeling. Maybe it''s because I''ve known her for a long time, and that familiarity makes mefortable around her. Right now, I can''t even protect myself, so first I''ll find a way to remove the artifact from my body. Only then will I consider getting involved in someone else''s life.''

    -''Tsk... tsk, you''re too self-absorbed. She''s pretty. Don''t you think she might find someone better?''

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched. He wanted to toss the phoenix away, but he ignored that impulse. Instead, he stretched his stiff body mid-air and looked down, feeling the gaze of countless people upon him.

    He knew it would be a hassle in the future with all the attention he was getting. At first, he chose to join the fight for his friends, but then he continued because of the debt he owed to Kingdom tersia. If it were up to him, maybe he wouldn''t have joined the battle against the monster lords. After all, it''s not his duty to protect them. He''s not like Alec, who has a motto to assist anyone in need.

    "I''m feeling restless again..."

    Kyle spotted a few monsters lingering near the border, but their numbers were manageable. He was confident that the soldiers would quickly take care of them in no time.

    He raised his hand with a smile and waved when he saw a familiar face in the crowd. Neon shouted back and waved, but Kyle knitted his brows when he noticed the dread etched on Neon''s face.

    "What happened?"

    Kyle wanted to go check, but he was stopped by a familiar voice. He turned around to see Jian approaching with a sweaty forehead.

    "Hey bro, you okay? I wanted to go check on you, but Carcel stopped me when he saw Yueing your way."

    "I''m fine. Just used too much strength."

    Jian nodded and grabbed his arm.

    "Come on, Alec''s trying to steal my kill! He said I could take down the second monster lord, but I am sure he''s going back on his word! No matter what, I can''t let him steal my prey this time!"

    Kyle raised his brow, counting in his head. He still had time before the pill''s effect wore off, so if he didn''t use his skills, he could fight for a while.

    "Hold on a sec..."

    He nced back to see Neon but thetter had disappeared from his original spot.

    "Where did he go?"

    Jian grabbed his arm, urging him with pleading eyes. No way, he couldn''t let Alec take all the credit! He needed to kill at least one monster lord!

    Kyle nodded and followed him. As the duo floated, Kyle nced down at the devastation he and the others had caused. A huge area of the forest was gone, reced by barrennd filled with water, burned trees, and monster bodies. The air still held a hint of smoke, even though the smoke clouds had vanished.

    The moment they arrived in front of the scene where the monster lord was getting beaten up, Kyle''s eyes narrowed at Sinon and Regius. A speechless expression appeared on his The moment they arrived in front of the scene where the monster lord was getting beaten up, Kyle''s eyes narrowed at face because the duo was cing bets on who would hit the monster lord more. The monster lord''s painful cries echoed in the air as Alec, Carcel, and a few others attacked it repeatedly.

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched when he saw Han, Retric, George, and King Cedric standing behind Sinon, cing their money on the kids to reward those who were performing exceptionally.

    "Are we really fighting a monster lord...? I think it''s the first time in the history of the East Continent that a monster lord has been beaten so badly that no other would dare to emerge for the next hundreds of years."

    He shook his head and cracked his knuckles before ncing at Jian, who nodded at him with a smirk. Instantly, the duo dove towards the huge bat.

    Jianughed and caught everyone''s attention. Many people waved at Kyle, relieved to see him doing well. Elder Han smiled and quickly ced a big bet that Kyle would kill the monster lord!

    King Cedric raised his brow at the old man and instantly put money on his sons, not backing down even slightly. George smiled and bet on Alec and Jian. Retric shook his head at their childish behavior.

    "What are you three doing? Make way..."

    He paused and grabbed a pouch from his storage ring, cing it above everyone else''s money.

    "I''ll bet on Kyle!"

    The old principal cheered and waved his hand to support Kyle, leaving everyone around him speechless.

 Chapter 363 Don’t speak

    <h4>Chapter 363 Don''t speak </h4>

    "He''s be strong in such a short time. And it''s not just him, the kids around him, they all have promising futures."

    A calm voice resonated through the air as a pair of golden eyes observed the battle against a bat-like monster. The person in the purple robe floated mid-air, their gaze fixed on the silver-haired man who burst intoughter when the red-haired person beside them began to cry for some reason.

    "It''s strange... When I first saw him, I didn''t sense anything extraordinary."

    The golden eyes remained devoid of emotion as they continued to witness the unfolding scene below.

    "What a pity. Just me yourself that out of all the people on this, you were the one I picked as the host for the soul-eating crystal."

    He shook his head and reached out to retrieve the nail-size crystal from the other person''s body. After spending so many years on this hidden, he had healed his injuries. He wanted to leave two years ago, but then, like that strange tower, the kid ended up in another mysterious ce where his presence couldn''t be detected.

    The man thought that perhaps the divine bead was lost, but the moment Kyle emerged from the secret realm, he once again sensed the presence of the divine artifact. It was the same artifact that would help him increase his divine strength, the strength that had been stagnant for thest fifty years.

    There wasn''t even a bit of hesitation in his eyes when he ordered the bead to tear the young man''s soul into pieces and devour itpletely.

    "I know that with your soul devoured, you will never be able to enter the cycle of reincarnation, but I hope your consciousness rests in peace."

    He raised his head to stare into the distance. Above the clouds, a vast shield covered the in its protective embrace, but then a tiny crack appeared on its surface.

    "I need to leave. They are here. Well, at least, they won''t pursue me for a while because they''ll be busy with this beautiful."

    .....

    The monster lord was flung backward by Carcel, but then Alec appeared in front of him. He had a deadpan expression as he stared at Jian, Carcel, and Kyle, who were determined to deliver the finishing blow to the monster lord. Alec widened his eyes when Yue, Lara, and Mia joined the trio. In the next second, everyone else also joined, all wanting to be the one to kill the monster lord.

    Alec raised his hand and stopped them all in their tracks.

    "Guys... let me kill this one. I promise-!"

    His sentence was cut short because Jian, who had been weeping beside Kyle, raised his head with a furious expression.

    "You think I''ll trust you this time? No chance! I''m the one who''s gonna finish off the monster lord, no matter what!"

    The red-haired man raised his chin and crossed his arms over his chest before looking at Kyle, who sighed with a faint smile.

    "Well, just let him do it. It''s not a big deal."

    After Kyle spoke, Carcel shrugged his shoulders and took a step back. In the next second, almost everyone else stepped back with a sigh. Now that the strongest person had spoken up, who would dare to disobey?

    Alec fixed his eyes on Kyle with a serious expression.

    "You sure you won''t interfere and Jian will be the one to kill it?"

    Kyle blinked, not sure why Alec was asking, but he nodded nheless. Alec hummed and turned his head towards Jian.

    "Alright, let''s make a deal."

    Jian scoffed.

    "You think one (A)-Rank skill core would make me change my mind? No way! And why the heck do you want to kill it so badly? Just let me handle it!"

    Alec smirked and raised an eyebrow as a round core materialized above his palm.

    "How about an (S)-Rank skill core?"

    Jian''s eyebrow twitched.

    "You think I''ll agree?"

    Kyle looked at Jian, along with everyone else, surprised that he was rejecting such a valuable offer. But they were all left speechless when Jian stepped forward and snatched the core from Alec''s hand, sporting a smirk.

    "Of course, I''ll agree. Who wouldn''t?"

    The monster lord, who had been watching everything from behind, wanted to cry. It couldn''t believe they were fighting over who would end its life. The bat, sensing an opportunity, began crawling in the opposite direction, ready to escape. But itsrge size caught the attention of countless eyes, all fixated on it with a deadly re.

    Jian gave Alec a pat on the shoulder, sporting a serious expression.

    "Go for it, dear, it''s all yours!"

    The people around them burst intoughter when Alec almost lost his bnce mid-air upon hearing the word ''dear''. The blue-

    haired man regained hisposure, swatted Jian''s hand away, and raised his sword to swiftly finish off the monster lord. The creature let out a final cry, its eyes closing with a hint of regret.

    Alec grinned when he got another notification from the system. It said he had acquired a divine skill. He closed his eyes for a moment, and all the details about the skill rushed into his mind.

    They all cheered for their victory, but their celebration came to a halt when they heard a loud voice. All eyes turned towards George, who had a bunch of pouches, a pile of mana stones, and gold coins in front of him.

    "I won!"

    George raised his fist in the sky, sporting a smirk, and nced at Elder Han, who wore an unpleasant expression. Retric and Cedric also had solemn faces, having lost their bets.

    To make sure nobody could go back on their words, George swiftly stashed everything in his storage ring and hurried over to the kids to congratte them on their incredible victory against such a formidable opponent.

    George gazed at the many individuals floating in front of him, and his eyes lit up with happiness. All of them turned around to face him, floating together as a group.

    Retric, Han, and a few more elderly individuals floated behind King Cedric, who had arrived in front of the youngsters to praise them. However, Han noticed with a blink that Kyle hadn''t moved from his spot for quite some time.

    Almost everyone had gathered in front of the King, but Kyle had his back turned towards them. He floated mid-air at the same spot where Jian had left him.

    "Kyle..?"

    Han called out slowly and furrowed his brow when Kyle didn''t respond. After Han, Yue also tried to get Kyle''s attention, but he remained silent.

    Alec moved to grab Kyle''s shoulder when a piercing scream echoed through the air.

    "Kyle!!"

    All eyes instantly turned towards the two men with ck hair, who just emerged from behind a boulder,pletely soaked and covered in dirt. It was evident that the duo had traveled on foot to reach this ce.

    Elder Han instantly recognized the new arrivals. How could he not? He had visited them a few times before.

    "Neon and Ray, why are you two here?"

    His voice echoed through the air, but instead of replying, the duo stared at Kyle with fear written all over their faces.

    "Kyle...?"

    Neon called out, and a sense of foreboding filled everyone''s hearts. Alec quickly grabbed Kyle''s shoulder, but he and everyone around Kyle were pushed backward when a dark red aura enveloped his body.

    Kyle lost his bnce and plummeted towards the ground at lightning speed. Bia, who was sitting on Mia''s shoulder, looked at him with wide eyes. She didn''t sense anything, it was too sudden. The phoenix cried out and swiftly flew towards him.

    However, before she could reach him, Yue and Jian grabbed Kyle. They called out his name repeatedly, but his eyes were unfocused as if he couldn''tprehend what was happening around him. The red energy surrounding him grew more intense with each passing second. The trionded on the ground, and Neon and Ray rushed over to Kyle. Bia''s eyes were filled with tears when shended beside his neck, gently nuzzling her beak against him.

    -''What happened? Kyle! Kyle, wake up!''

    Kyle blinked as a warm tear fell on his cheek. Through the pain, he saw a few blurry figures. He felt Bia''s presence beside his neck, a gentle touch behind his head, and a hand holding his hand.

    Amidst the mor of voices, he sensed a liquid being poured into his mouth, probably a healing potion. Kyle reached out his hand and caressed the little bird that was crying by his neck.

    ''I...I''m fine. Just a little sle...''

    His eyes cleared up a bit, but the dark red aura around him became even more noticeable. He wanted to scream, but he stopped when he saw the beautiful elf sitting beside him, eyes filled with tears, and his brother''s worried expression. Elder Han was shouting, holding multiple ss vials in his hand. Jian, Alec, Carcel, Mia, Lara, and nearly everyone gathered around him from every direction.

    Another tear dropped onto his cheek, and he let out a soft sigh before weakly raising his other hand to wipe Yue''s eyes.

    "I''m... fine."

    Yue''s eyes widened, and she shouted at him with a faint sob.

    "Don''t speak!"

 Chapter 364 His soul

    <h4>Chapter 364 His soul</h4>

    Not just Yue, Ray also shouted at him, telling him to be quiet. Kyle blinked, unsure of what was happening, but he noticed they were staring at him with a horrified expression.

    ''What...?''

    He felt something wet, not tears, something else. The hand that tried to wipe Yue''s tears paused as it reached beneath his eyes.

    He lifted his fingers and examined them. They were red,pletely soaked in blood.

    Oh, it seems his eyes were bleeding. Kyle closed his eyes, but then Neon pped his chest and urged him to stay conscious no matter what. Kyle let out a chuckle.

    "... You''re still getting the better of me..."

    Another potion was poured into his mouth, but nothing seemed to work. Kyle nced at Yue and a faint smile appeared on his face.

    "Don''t cry... You... look ugly when you cry."

    Yue paused, blinking in disbelief. She wanted to give him a piece of her mind, as he seemed to be joking in such a serious situation. But before she could respond, a familiar sentence echoed in her mind. She tried to recall the blurry memory, but suddenly, a tearing sound filled the air. Her gaze shifted to Kyle, realizing that the sound wasing from his body.

    Kyle''s eyes dted, and he finally let out a piercing scream that sent shivers down the spines of everyone present. All the people around him froze in their tracks, and the air turned eerily silent.

    Instantly, the red aura around his body gathered above his chest, and with a faint ripping sound, a small dark red crystal sprang out from his chest.

    The crystal pulsed with a sinister energy, emanating a faint golden light along its edges. When Alecid eyes on the crystal, his eyes widened and he let out a terrified shout. After all, unlike others, he could see everything about the crystal because the system window showed him the details.

    Alec reached out to grab the crystal. However, as he tried to grab it, a powerful st of energy was unleashed, causing everyone around Kyle to be forcefully thrown back as if their strength meant nothing.

    Kyle''s body lifted off the ground when the crystal moved. Amidst the chaos, faint voices called out to him, but he shut his eyes as a numbing, heart-wrenching pain consumed him. It felt like a part of him was swallowed by darkness. Deep down, he knew this moment woulde someday, but he couldn''t help but question why now, and why so soon.

    His body dropped to the ground with a soft thud and the crystal zoomed towards something above in the clouds. Yue, Neon, Ray, and a few others rushed to his side, but Kyle wasn''t responding anymore.

    The phoenix cried out loudly when the connection she had with Kyle broke. She couldn''t sense anything from him anymore, nothing at all.

    Alec screamed at Jian and a few others to follow the crystal, but they froze in their tracks when a pair of emotionless golden eyes appeared in the sky. In the next second, a bone-crushing pressure weighed down on their shoulders.

    Not just them, even Cedric, Retric, and the many older individuals around Kyle felt the same pressure on their shoulders as they dropped to their knees. Alec stared at the man with bloodshot eyes.

    "Why the hell did you do it? How dare you!?"

    He used his newly acquired divine skill on the man. The man in purple robes was taken aback for a moment. However, instead of fighting back, he grabbed the crystal and vanished before Alec''s skill could even reach him.

    Alec''s eyes widened. He couldn''t believe he had let the man slip through his fingers so easily. He froze when a notification popped up, telling him that the mission to kill the man who was harming the''s core had failed.

    "So... "

    He looked back at where Yue and the others were trying to wake up Kyle. Then, Retric shouted and asked everyone to take Kyle to the Academy for better treatment, but Alec knew no one could treat Kyle now. His eyes welled up with tears, and he raised his head to hold them back.

    ''His soul...''

    Jian, who had been beside him, started shouting with anger. He promised to find the man who harmed his friend. But just as the situation calmed down, a loud rumble shook the entire sky.

    "Huh..?"

    Alec looked up, and not just him, everyone around the raised their heads to stare at the sky. It cracked like fragile ss, breaking into countless fragments.

    "No way...?"

    Alec let out a disbelievingugh. He couldn''t believe he had failed so badly. He wasn''t able to save his friend, nor was he able to stop the destruction that awaited the, even if only for a few months.

    ...

    At the far end of the, as the cracks emerged, a pair of astonished eyes peered inside, gazing at the world through the fissures.

    "Huh... another hidden?"

    The woman let out a soft sigh, and the ck three-petal flower engraved on her forehead glimmered faintly. She nced back at the man floating beside her, a wicked grin spreading across her face.

    "Hay, tell me, how long do you think it would take for the fourth shadow general''s army to arrive and conquer this?"

    Hay, the man with pointy ears, pondered the question. He had been oblivious to the''s existence for so many years. Despite his concealed presence, a hoarse voice escaped his lips as he responded.

    "I''m not sure about the fourth general, but a portion of the third general''s army is on azure. It''s pretty close, so I think it would take a week or two, maybe?"

    The pink ears on top of the woman''s head perked up slightly as she narrowed her eyes with mischief.

    "Let''s have some fun, shall we? We haven''t found the man who stole the general''s divine artifact and ran away. Plus, I didn''t receive any recognition when I reported back about the universe projection. So, why not take credit for discovering this? Maybe it''ll help lighten our punishment."

    Hay hummed and nodded in agreement.

    "You''re stronger, Diora. As always, I''ll follow your lead."

    Diora, the demi-human, burst intoughter. She wiped her eyes and smiled at Hay, batting her thickshes.

    "You know, I sensed a few divine presences on this, but they''re not very strong, almost like fragments of their consciousness. How about we go and take them out first?"

    "Okay."

    The duo locked eyes for a moment before leaping into the through the cracks.

    Diora took a deep breath and the corners of her eyes lifted.

    "Ah... the air is so fresh. I don''t like it one bit. And you know what? If I don''t like something, I''ll change it to my liking, right?"

    In an instant, a whip materialized in her hand, and a dark aura enveloped her. The aura extended towards the lush trees below, causing them to wither and thend to dry up.

 Chapter 365 The unkown enemy

    <h4>Chapter 365 The unkown enemy</h4>

    The moment the cracks appeared in the sky, strong individuals from each continent started floating to investigate. After finding nothing, they contacted the other continents to see if they had any information.

    Eventually, they all gathered together because no one could figure out the reason behind the cracks. Just then, theirmunication crystals buzzed, and they received unbelievable news from the East Continent. The same continent they had ignored for the past few months.

    Cedric and the other kings from the East Continent personally delivered the news that the was in danger. Theycked proof to support their ims, relying solely on what Alec, a young man who imed to have found many secrets in the ancient realm, had told them.

    However, when the cracks appeared in the sky, they knew something was wrong. That''s why they did their best to spread the word and urged everyone to gather together to prepare for the unknown enemies that would soon attack.

    All the continents reacted differently to the news. Some people believed, but the majority didn''t. Instead, they scoffed and ignored the absurd warning given by the East Continent.

    It was a shock when the Sea Continent suddenly cut off all contact with thend and disappeared deep into the sea. They even called back all their people and closed off all their entrances without saying a word. As time passed, the cracks in the sky grew wider, and the signs became undeniable. Slowly, skepticism turned into fear, and those who had dismissed the warning began to realize the gravity of the situation.

    But it was toote because, before they could even prepare, the West Continent, which had been the safest of all, was attacked by a strange woman and a man. The enemy''s number was only two, but the duo managed to destroy one of the biggest cities on the continent in just a single day.

    The West Continent was the most developedpared to the other three, but its vast collection of arrays and weapons became useless in the face of the sudden attack.

    The woman, named Diora, who led the attack with herpanion, was incredibly powerful. Instead of targeting the weak, she sought out the strongest guardians of the Continent and mercilessly killed them in front of a horrified crowd.

    Diora wanted to destroy the Tower of Opportunity, which stood tall in the center of the West Continent, but she failed. That''s why her anger increased. Within a short time, news of Diora and Hay''s actions quickly spread to the East and Central Continents.

    King Istalian, who had been secretly plotting to capture the fire phoenix, slumped into his chair with a solemn expression. He may have been a bad person, but he knew that if the West Continent copsed, the Central Continent would be the next to fall. That''s why he immediately dispatched his strongest soldiers to aid the West Continent.

    Istalian wanted to join the soldiers as well because he knew he was the strongest in his continent. But then, the shadow hiding behind his back materialized and stared at him with an emotionless expression.

    "I don''t care about the people who die... but I know if you fall, I''ll also suffer the consequences. No, maybe the remnant of my consciousness willpletely disappear from this universe. That''s why let me give you some advice."

    "Instead of fighting head-on, first secure your own ce. I believe you have a lot of array masters. Call upon them and construct something that could save you when the real enemy attacks. The two people who are attacking the West Continent are nothing in front of the army that will soon...e knocking at your door."

    Istalian''s eyes widened as he stared at the shadow. He paused, and after a few seconds, nodded and quickly contacted all the array masters and every capable individual he knew. He ordered them to first construct a sturdy shield with countless arrays around his Kingdom and then around the whole Central Continent. He didn''t care about the resources and emptied his treasury to ensure immediate results.

    Amidst the chaos, Istalian forgot about the phoenix he was supposed to capture for the shadow.

    In the East Continent, Cedric and the other kings gathered their strongest soldiers and sent them to the West Continent to help. They didn''t receive help when they needed it the most, but how could they just let their fellow people die at the hands of some evil individuals?

    Yet, the news of failure arrived earlier than they expected. Afterward, Alec, Jian, Carcel, and many others stepped forward to fight the two individuals who were causing havoc in the West Continent.

    King Cedric was reluctant to send the kids, but he knew he had no other choice. That''s why he agreed and sent them with arge group of people. He wanted to join as well, but Alec told him that more enemies would arrive soon. That''s why he stayed behind to gather Retric and all the array masters so they could construct a shield that could protect his people if more enemies were to attack.

    ....

    Alec and Jian were furious about what happened with Kyle. That''s why they used everything they had to fight against Diora and Hay. However, the power difference was too great, and they were pushed back, almost losing their lives. Fortunately, a short dwarf with brown hair and eyes suddenly appeared and saved them.

    The dwarf had arge bag on his back as he rubbed his chin, wearing a serious expression.

    "I had a feeling something was wrong, but how could this happen?"

    He nced at Diora and Hay, who wore unpleasant expressions on their faces.

    "You two are killing mortals when you''re clearly much stronger? Do you think I would let that happen?"

    Jian stared at the dwarf, or rather, at the storage rings on the dwarf''s fingers, his eyes filled with shock. The red-haired man raised his finger with a gasp.

    "Those... rings... aren''t they mine and Kelvin''s??"

    He shouted without caring about his injuries. The dwarf moved forward and grabbed Hay''s neck with his hand before tossing him aside as if he were nothing more than a piece of clothing. Hay''s body was thrown backward, crashing into a tall building.

    Diora''s eyes widened, she gritted her teeth and retreated because she knew that the dwarf in front of her was not someone she could fight. The dwarf raised his eyebrow and turned back to stare at Jian, who had his jaw dropped to the ground in astonishment.

    "Kid... these rings are mine? How could you use me of theft when I just saved your life?"

 Chapter 366 Now I like the air

    <h4>Chapter 366 Now I like the air</h4>

    Jian snapped out of his daze and stared at the rings. There was no way in hell he would forget those rings! The same rings he and Kelvin lost when they came out of the tower of opportunity.

    He wanted to argue with the dwarf, but suddenly blood oozed out from the dwarf''s mouth. The dwarf raised his hand and wiped his lips.

    "Ah, I am too old to exert so much strength. I don''t think I can help you kiddos for much longer. I will hold off these two people until I can. You better get ready because I know the''s location has been revealed, and more enemies will be arriving soon."

    The dwarfnded beside Jian, removing his storage rings and the big bag from his back. He ced them beside the stunned red-haired man.

    "Alright... alright, I admit I stole them. Now, don''t give me that re, okay? But, in return, I gave you a divine artifact, didn''t I? And now, I''m giving this all back as well!"

    The dwarf scoffed and rolled his eyes at Jian. It seemed that even after experiencing so much, Jian still had no idea that he had a divine artifact with him. How can someone be so clueless? Then, he turned his gaze to Alec, who had an angry look on his face as he stared at Diora and Hay.

    "Hey, I can sense that you also have a divine artifact. So, don''t just jump into danger without thinking about the consequences. You all have a lot to achieve, so don''t risk your lives as if they mean nothing."

    He started floating and waved at the kids with a sigh.

    "Stop staring and leave. Take the others with you too. I knew this day woulde someday, but I never thought it woulde so abruptly. If only I had enough mental power, I could have realized that something was wrong with the''s core."

    Alec stood up and nced at the dwarf''s back before he and Jian helped everyone around them.

    The dwarf watched their fading backs, his heart aching as he saw how Jian dragged the bag filled with his lifelong earnings.

    ''That brat! Doesn''t he know that it took me a hundred years to gather this much money and wealth?''

    He wanted to go and knock some sense into Jian''s head, but he had other business to take care of. The dwarf nced back at Diora and Hay, cracking his knuckles, but then groaned in pain. He shrugged it off and rolled up his sleeves.

    "Well, the kids didn''t ask, but let me tell you about myself. I''m Zron, thest divine guardian of this. I stayed behind to steal... Ahem I mean protect this ce until the others return."

    He let out a chuckle andunched an attack on the duo with all his might. Diora and Hay were pushed back, but the dwarf''s movements became sluggish with each passing minute.

    Diora''s ears twitched atop her head and she let out a mockingugh.

    "You think you can stop us? Well, maybe for now. Let''s see what you will do when the third shadow general''s armyes and destroys this lovely."

    She raised her chin high, and the whip in her hand trembled, emitting ck smoke.

    Zron clicked his tongue and fought with them for a day. But then Diora retreated in frustration because, although the dwarf couldn''t kill them, he was strong enough to stop them. She clicked her tongue and raised her head, gazing at the sky.

    "Just a few more days... I''ll be back, old man. You''ll see me again soon."

    She grabbed Hay''s arm and lifted him before quickly disappearing in the opposite direction.

    Zron gazed at their fading back, wanting to follow, but his body didn''t obey his instructions. He let out a soft sigh and looked up at the sky as he slowlynded amidst the broken buildings. His knees gave out, and blood trickled down his jaw.

    "Huh... I overdid it again. I don''t think I can fight anymore."

    He closed his eyes, and when he sensed the duo had gone far away, his body started to crumble into countless golden particles. He had used up all his strength to fight them head-

    on. After spending so many years, he had grown old, and his strength had stagnated.

    "At least the has a few more days. I wonder where that kid is... did he die? At first, I wanted to give him the divine artifact, but I stopped because... I sensed something sinister hidden inside his heart."

    His voice faded as the golden particles drifted away with the wind. Yet, a sly smile appeared at the corner of his lips after all that drama. His soul won''t scatter because he has already reached the Transcendent rank. It will take some time, but he knows he will be able to reconstruct his body again.

    ''I haven''t finished my lifelong quote yet. No way, I am gonna die so easily. Hoho...''

    .....

    Alec, Jian, Carcel, and the others returned to their continent, but they couldn''t rest for even an hour before being called back to their own kingdoms. The kings realized the impending threat was powerful enough to destroy them, so no one wanted to take any chances.

    Yue wanted to check on Kyle onest time, but her father arrived with Aira and forced her to go back. Not just her, but Regius, Sinon, Faith, and everyone from the elven kingdom. Aira drew a teleportation array in front of the Kingdom Ete Royal Castle and instantly asked the kids to step inside.

    Yue gazed back toward the castle before stepping into the teleportation array. After Kyle didn''t wake up, Bia lost control and went into a frenzy. She destroyed the nearby trees and ground in her anger. In the end, King Cedric ordered Elder Han to bring Kyle to the castle where the best healers could treat him or maybe help him wake up. But even after so much time, they weren''t able to find out what happened to him.

    Kyle''s body turned extremely cold, enough to freeze anyone who dared to touch him, and his hair lost its brilliant color. Yue raised her head to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. She knew that even though his heart had stopped beating, as long as he continued to breathe, there was hope that he would wake up.

    After them, Jian and Kelvin also departed with the people from their Kingdom. Alec looked at Carcel, Mia, and Lara. The four of them were assigned by the King to assist the array masters in constructing the shield around the Kingdom. They all worked tirelessly, with no time for rest.

    However, when the enemies arrived, the destruction that followed was beyond anyone''s wildest dreams. The borders and shield, constructed with all the resources the East Continent could gather, crumbled in just a week. And it wasn''t just the East Continent; the Central Continent was also left half-destroyed.

    An army of countless individuals, belonging to different races, descended upon the through the cracks. The cracks that shattered into countless bright particles, leaving the vulnerable to the prying eyes of those who sought to conquer it.

    The individuals in the third general''s army had different appearances. Some were elves, some were demi-humans, some from the dark race, and some had horned and lizard-like features. There were even those who called themselves demons. However, they all shared amon symbol, a one-

    petal flower engraved in the middle of their foreheads, representing their allegiance to darkness.

    Leading the army were none other than Diora and Hay. A sinister, dark aura wrapped around the entire, embracing it tightly. Diora took a deep breath, feeling a sense of satisfaction.

    "Ah... now I like the air. It reminds me of our home."

    She looked back at Hay and the few people floating behind her, wearing a sweet smile.

    "How about we go find that old dwarf? I promised him I would visit him again. I really want to give him a scare and see if his old bones can handle it!"

    But after two days, she let out a scream of frustration because the old dwarf had vanished into thin air. Not only that, she wasn''t able to destroy the towers that stood in the middle of each continent.

 Chapter 367 Where is his body

    <h4>Chapter 367 Where is his body </h4>

    The air was thick with the scent of smoke and dust, a haunting reminder of the battle that had raged through thend. Amidst the broken buildings, crumbling houses, and countless screams, Alec knelt on his knees with an expression filled with despair.

    His forehead was dampened with sweat as he grabbed the hand of the beautiful woman cradled in his arms and started mumbling under his breath.

    "Please wake up..."

    His expression grew paler with each passing second after the hand in his grasp turned limp. The clothes draped on his body were torn from various ces, with blood oozing out from the numerous injuries all around his body.

    He let out a disbelievingugh and screamed, no way, no way... But Lara''s eyes remained shut, even after he poured many healing potions into her mouth. He could only watch as thick, dark lines slowly crept up her neck, threatening to steal herst remaining breaths.

    How could this happen? After everyone scattered due to the circumstances, Alec and Lara, along with many other old individuals, were assigned to protect the western part of the East Continent. He thought everything would be fine as long as they didn''t admit defeat, but nothing was fine.

    The sky above him was shrouded in darkness, emanating from the whip of the woman floating in the air. Diora let out a sad sigh, but her eyes were twinkling with mirth. She looked at the blue-haired man kneeling below her, fluttering her thickshes.

    She was alone, with just a small army of one thousand people by her side. Hay and the other powerful individuals, along with the remaining third shadow general''s army, wereunching attacks on the from different ces.

    Diora came here to settle a past grudge with the blue-haired man because, even after so many days, she wasn''t able to locate that old dwarf.

    But who could''ve guessed her opponent would fall so easily?

    Well, she would be lying if she said the man didn''t have any potential to grow stronger than her. The moment she fought with him, she knew he could achieve a lot.

    She let out a smirk when Alec raised his head to re at her.

    "What? You''re standing on the weaker side. A side that was destined to fail the moment master wanted to conquer this whole universe."

    Diora wanted to have a bit more fun with her prey, but then Alec closed his eyes and a faint voice escaped his trembling lips.

    "Stop... You want to harm me, right? So, please don''t kill her... please."

    The woman''s lips curled into a snarl, her shoulders trembling asughter threatened to escape. She couldn''t believe that the proud man, who fought her head-on despite being weaker, was now pleading to save the woman in his arms. She ced her finger on her lips and smiled at Alec.

    "What if I don''t want to? How about begging a little more?"

    Alec''s eyes trembled a little, but then he gazed at Lara. However, at that moment, the sky shook violently, and a tremendous amount of mana gathered in a faraway ce.

    Diora lifted her head, gazing into the distance. Her eyes widened, and in an instant, she fell to her knees. Her previous arrogance and elegance vanished in the presence of the person who had just arrived on the.

    Not only her, but all the people fighting alongside her also dropped to their knees as the petals on their foreheads glowed brightly.

    Alec''s grip on his sword tightened as he stared at Diora with a nk expression. In his mind, there was only one thought��he needed to kill her, and everything would be fine. But his breath hitched when a figure zoomed toward him and Diora, moving so fast that he couldn''t even see a blur. The sword in his hand was flung backward as the person solidified in front of them.

    Alec spat out a mouthful of blood when his eyes met a pair of mesmerizing sapphire eyes staring directly at him. He thought the man was looking through his soul, and his mind wentpletely nk for a few seconds, only to be jolted awake when the system window rang out with countless warning signs. He gasped and abruptly closed his eyes because the ethereal glow in the man''s eyes was somewhat eerie.

    The dust flew around as Diora let out a faint weing cry, calling out to the man with utmost respect. Alec slowly opened his eyes and gazed at the man when he turned around to face the woman kneeling in front of him.

    ''So this is what a shadow general looked like...?''

    The man looked just like a human with the pristine brown robe hanging loosely on his body, or maybe he was a human, except for the blooming five-petal flower in the middle of his forehead. His eyes flickered with annoyance when he saw Diora, who, for some reason, didn''t dare to make eye contact with him.

    Then, he gazed at Alec, who tightened his grip on Lara and moved back a little with gritted teeth. But what happened next made Alec''s scalp go numb. The man actually offered to help save Lara''s life, but the smile at the corner of his lips was anything but good as hended in front of Alec.

    "You know... there''s a saying, if you want something, you should give something in return, right?"

    Alec''s eyes widened when a familiar red crystal appeared in front of him. He stared at the floating crystal with dted eyes. It was the same crystal that harmed Kyle, the one who devoured Kyle''s soul.

    The man nced down at the crystal, and it trembled a little.

    "I just found the person who dared to steal my belongings and remained hidden for so many years. He deserves punishment for the crime hemitted. But I was astonished when I saw the brimming and pure divine energy in the soul-consuming crystal. So, before killing him, I asked him to tell me where and whose soul the crystal consumed."

    The man paused and grabbed the crystal before staring directly at Alec with his sapphire eyes that glowed faintly to captivate the young man.

    "I know the person whose soul was eaten is dead, so tell me, where is his body?"

 Chapter 368 Enthrall

    <h4>Chapter 368 Enthrall</h4>

    The man waited for Alec''s answer, but after a few seconds, his patience ran low. Alec gasped when a sharp pain traveled throughout his body.

    Despite that, he shook his head and kept his mouth shut, not daring to reply. But then, his eyes widened when the man attacked Lara.

    "Wait!"

    The man stopped with an ''Oh'' and gestured for him to spill everything. Otherwise, he would kill them both and dig into their skulls to search for the location of the person''s dead body.

    However, he didn''t want to dirty his clothes. Plus, the chances of finding something useful after digging out their skulls were only five percent. He wasn''t willing to take that risk when he was here to find something ethereal.

    ''How can someone have such a powerful soul... with energy strong enough to equal at least ten divine beings?''

    ''I am sure that person had something special in their body!''

    Maybe he was mistaken, but even if there was a small chance that his prediction was right, there was no way he would let the opportunity pass by.

    Alec gazed at Lara and asked the man to save her first, then he would tell.

    The man raised his brow and, just with a flick of his finger, the dark lines on Lara''s body disappeared and herplexion returned to normal. He stared at Alec, impatiently waiting for an answer. Alec gazed back and closed his eyes for a second.

    "His body is buried among the countless dead bodies of people who lost their lives under your army. Just head north, and you will see a big graveyard."

    The man narrowed his eyes. After a few seconds, he let out a chuckle and a glowing paper with a pen appeared in front of him.

    "Not my army, it belongs to the third general, who happens to be theziest among us all. If I were the one who attacked this, it wouldn''t still be standing. It would have already crumbled into countless pieces."

    The man blinked and Alec''s hand went against hismand. It started moving and grabbed the floating pen with faint symbols. Alec tried to pull his hand back, but the man in front of him clicked his tongue.

    "Now, now, no need to struggle. It''s just a precaution. I don''t like going back on my word, so I won''t kill you now. Just sign the paper, that way if I ever want a loyal follower with a pure soul, I''ll be able to call you."

    He smirked when Alec''s expression crumbled, and his hand holding the pen started trembling. The system''s voice kept ringing inside Alec''s head, telling him not to sign the paper, but he could do nothing but watch as his hand moved on its own.

    After the paper was signed, it vanished into thin air with a faint glow. The man started floating and gazed at Alec from mid-air.

    "Congrattions, you just sold yourself to the devil. Don''t worry though, you will gain strength in return. Strength that can help you protect your people. Well, at least until I''m upied."

    He let out a chuckle and vanished, heading in the opposite direction to search for the body he hade for.

    Alec gazed at the back of his hand, where a faint ck petal appeared. A tear trickled down his cheek,nding softly on Lara''s face.

    Diora, who had been watching from the sidelines, let out a frustrated groan. She knew she couldn''t kill Alec anymore, since he had be the possession of the fourth shadow general.

    .....

    Enthrall, the fourth shadow general, arrived above the graveyard. His gaze scanned the area, and after a long minute, a frown formed on his face. The piece of paper that Alec had signed had long been rolled up and thrown into arge chamber filled with simr papers.

    He closed his eyes, and a dark aura spread from his body, enveloping everything around him, but he found nothing.

    "Don''t tell me that bastard lied...? It can''t be. I would''ve sensed it if he did."

    However, even after a few minutes, he still didn''t find anything. An angry vein bulged on his forehead.

    "Seems like my prediction was wrong, and the body I''m searching for belongs to an ordinary individual who just happens to have a strong soul."

    His eyes grew emotionless as he stared at the pulsating crystal in his hand. In the next moment, the vast graveyard below him crumbled into dust, as if it had never existed.

    Enthrall wanted to obliterate at least a big part of the before leaving, but all of a sudden, the flower on his forehead began to glow.

    "What''s up with 2nd now? Why is he calling me? It''s been so many years, and the war on the other end is still ongoing. It''s not like we can leave this universe, so why doesn''t master just step forward and wipe the struggling onespletely?"

    He looked at the space around him. Despite its abundant resources, the was not vast. It was one of the smallest in this area. So, he knew the third general would handle it, even though thetter was ratherzy.

    Nheless, before he left, he raised his hand with a smirk, and sapphire-colored particles filled the air.

    "Now, I don''t need to worry. Third is useless, but even if he didn''t take care of this ce, it would wither on its own if the air isn''t cleaned on time."

    The already polluted environment of the grew even darker within just a few days. The ones affected by the air were none other than the monsters inside the dark forest.

    The monsters were on edge because of the sudden arrival of so many people on the. However, after the sapphire particles seeped into their bodies, they lost their minds and began attacking everything around them, without any regard for their own lives.

    The scenario was simr to before, the only difference was that this time they were not controlled by a monster lord.

 Chapter 369 Ah... finally

    <h4>Chapter 369 Ah... finally </h4>

    Alec entered a serene and quiet room, where gentle curtains gracefully adorned the windows. The air inside was icy, with a delicateyer of frost casting an ethereal glow.

    His gaze wandered, until it settled upon the majestic bed, positioned at the room''s center. Alec walked up to the bed and stood in front of it, his gaze fixed on the peaceful figure lying there, half-covered by a flowing fabric.

    Overwhelmed with emotion, he dropped to his knees, unable to contain the words that escaped his lips.

    "If only you were awake... would everything have been better?"

    Alec couldn''t help but let out a chuckle as he wiped the tears that had welled up in his eyes.

    Kyle''s eyes were tightly shut, as if he was lost in a dream world. His skin appeared even paler, and a delicateyer of frost covered his body, softly shimmering in the dim light of the room.

    "You were always carefree... but whenever you were around, you never let anything happen to those close to you."

    "I remember when we were in the secret realm, you once said that it wasn''t your duty to step forward and help if the world was in danger. But how strange, you always ended up helping others."

    Alec stood up in front of the bed, brushing off his clothes even though there was nothing on them.

    "Don''t worry, Bia is fine. It took a lot, but Yue and Mia managed to calm her down. Right now, she''s helping the others, and let me tell you, she''s gotten a lot stronger..."

    "So please, wake up... or else she''ll be angry. You know... I lied to save your body, so you owe me now."

    He rubbed his hands together because the air around him was so cold that he could see his breath.

    "Bastard... always sozy. How long are you going to sleep for?"

    Alec shook his head and began to leave the room. But just as he turned away, the person lying on the bed made a slight movement. It was so subtle that no one noticed it. The moment, Alec stepped out, he noticed another figure squinting in front of the door.

    The man with red hair had messy clothes and his face was hidden in his knees. Alec shook the man''s shoulder with a serious expression.

    "Jian... why are you here?"

    Jian let out a long sigh, his usually sparkling eyes devoid of any emotions.

    "It''s been two months and he''s still sleeping?"

    He waved Alec''s hand away.

    "Just like you, I came here to cry. After the King''s death, Kelvin could have taken the throne... but given the circumstances, he gave up. He said we should follow the Central Continent''s orders. That way, we would be able to save a lot of people."

    Alec stared at Jian, realizing they had all been through so much in such a short time. Many people from the older generation sacrificed themselves to save the younger generation. His eyes paused when he noticed a strange white bracelet on Jian''s wrist.

    "What''s that...?"

    Jian raised his wrist and frowned at the bracelet.

    "I don''t know, found it among the treasures in the bag that old dwarf left with me. The bracelet was trapped in a bottle, but when I opened the bottle, it jumped out and wrapped itself around my wrist, and now..."

    He waved his hand roughly.

    "It''s stuck like a leech."

    Alec narrowed his eyes at the bracelet. He tried using the system appraisal skill but didn''t find anything suspicious.

    "You sure it''s not harmful...?"

    Jian grabbed his knees and stood up.

    "I think it''s just a normal bracelet, except it won''t let go of my wrist-!"

    His sentence was interrupted when the bracelet on his wrist suddenly glowed and leaped in the opposite direction.

    "Huh...?"

    Jian''s eyes widened as he quickly jumped and grabbed it in his fist. But then white smoke sizzled out from his fingers. Alec stared at Jian''s hand as he opened his fist, but the bracelet had vanished into thin air.

    "What the hell just happened?"

    The duo was interrupted when Alec''smunication crystal buzzed. He sighed and pulled out the crystal, then looked at Jian.

    "We need to leave... the ones who retreated are attacking again."

    Jian furrowed his brows. The west Continent had fallenpletely, and the east Continent would have fallen too if it wasn''t for Alec forcing Diora to retreat somehow.

    Now, all the remaining Kingdoms have decided to unite and create a single Continent, with four Kingdoms representing each race. The elves, the dwarves, the humans, and the demi-

    humans. As for the Sea Continent, it hasn''t shown up even when they called for help.

    Jian gazed at Alec and massaged his temples.

    "Are you sure it''s okay to let Istalian be the King of the human race? You know I don''t like him. Why didn''t King Cedric say anything? He is thest surviving King of the East Continent."

    Alec floated mid-air as he replied with a tired voice.

    "We don''t have a choice. I don''t know how he did it, but he created a massive shield around his Kingdom that can gather mana from the air to attack enemies. Right now, the safest ce to build the new Continent is right in the center of the Central Continent."

    Jian turned around and nced at the door behind him.

    "What about Kyle? Should we move his body to a safe ce?"

    Alec chuckled and shook his head.

    "I thought you would have noticed."

    He paused for a moment, scanning the corridor they were standing in.

    "Despite the entire continent being attacked from different directions... this massive castle hasn''t been touched by anyone. It''s hard to believe they overlooked such a huge ce as if it doesn''t exist at all."

    Jian''s eyes widened slightly as he understood the meaning behind Alec''s words. It couldn''t be a coincidence. He gazed at the faint icyyer slowly spreading from Kyle''s room. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

    "Once he wakes up, I want to know the rank of his luck stat."

    The duo left together, but after they left, the bracelet that had vanished into smoke crawled out from behind a shadow. It traveled toward Kyle''s room before slowly seeping into the cracks.

    Soon, the bracelet crawled up to the bed and paused above the man sleeping peacefully on the bed. A hoarse voice echoed in the room.

    "Ah... finally."

 Chapter 370 I am not here to cry

    <h4>Chapter 370 I am not here to cry</h4>

    The bracelet slowly crawled towards Kyle''s wrist and, with a click, snugly settled itself around his wrist.

    Instantly, a wisp of white smoke hissed out from its surface, causing the icyyer on Kyle''s wrist to melt a little.

    However, only after a minute, a faint cry pierced the room, and the bracelet was flung in a different direction. Countless tiny blue particles gathered around Kyle''s wrist, and once again, a delicateyer of ice formed on his skin.

    Another frustrated voice resonated from the bracelet as it crawled back towards the bed. Yet, the peculiar cycle repeated itself, and the bracelet was once again forcefully flung away from Kyle.

    "This pesky... mortal!"

    Once again, the bracelet crawled its way toward Kyle''s wrist, but this time it wasn''t flung backward. Instead, the blue particles around Kyle''s wrist seeped into its body, and a crack appeared on its surface.

    "Fuck...??"

    A loud curse filled the air, and this time the bracelet distanced itself from Kyle on its own. The blue particles tightly clinging to Kyle''s skin finally calmed down and settled on his skin once again.

    "No way... what''s wrong with this bastard? Doesn''t he know how much I''ve suffered under that dwarf for the past few years just to reach him again? I do want to eat his lifespan, but how am I going to enter his consciousness?"

    After grumbling for a while, the bracelet tried once more, but once again, it failed. Nevertheless, the delicious treat right in front of it was too tempting to resist. And so, the cycle continued for a long time... until the room door slowly creaked open and a beautiful figure stepped inside.

    The bracelet next to Kyle''s handpletely stilled as it watched the figure slowly approaching the bed.

    Her amber eyes had a faint coral color in the center, and her hair flowed down in long, lustrous waves. The strands shimmered in the soft light, like spun gold cascading over her shoulders. The attire she wore was crafted with intricate details and exquisite fabrics, almost as if she had juste from a grand asion. It hugged her figure in a way that entuated her grace and elegance.

    And in her hand, she carried a silver crown adorned with delicate jewels that glimmered in the dim light.

    She sat down beside Kyle and looked at him with a faint smile.

    "It''s been a while, right?"

    Yue hummed softly and ced the crown beside Kyle. Her eyes were faintly red, but she didn''t say anything for a while. She silently stared at his face.

    "I remember...."

    She raised her hand and touched Kyle''s forehead. It felt cold, even colder than she remembered. Her finger slowly traveled to the tip of his nose.

    "We have met before, haven''t we? A long time ago, when we were kids. It took me a while, but I remember."

    Once again, there was silence in the room, which was broken by a faint sob. She didn''t want to cry, but she had experienced too much in such a short time that it felt a little unbearable.

    "I''m not crying! Okay... I know Alec and the otherse here when they want to cry, but I''m not here for that!"

    She wiped her eyes and looked at Kyle.

    "I''m just here to see you."

    After another pause, she started speaking again, trying to tell the man beside her that she had lost her father. The newly constructed elven Kingdom was named after her father because he had sacrificed his life to defeat a powerful enemy.

    "You know, Dad left behind something special... Those two porcin bracelets, do you remember them? They were actually pieces of an artifact. He collected all the parts and left behind another divine artifact for me."

    A tear trickled down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away.

    "Now I have two divine artifacts... The first one was given to me by my brother before his death."

    "But they''re not useful at all..."

    More tears trickled down her cheeks, and she bent down to ce her forehead above his.

    "Now that mom and I are alone... the elves crowned me as the new queen because the elven King died. Also, I just reached the (SSS+)-Rank. You might be wondering how I did it when my talent was lower. It''s because of the artifact Dad left behind. The artifact is a little bit different. It didn''t give me power. Instead, it summoned someone from a faraway ce..."

    She closed her eyes, and a few tears dropped onto Kyle''s face. Theyer of ice on his face cracked a little, and one of his fingers twitched slightly. However, the elf beside him had her eyes closed.

    The bracelet, which had been observing everything from the sidelines, quietly leaped out and clung to Kyle''s wrist the moment it noticed the small crack in his defenses. Yue raised her head slightly and let out a faint smile.

    "Just look at me crying beside you when I said I''m not here to cry."

    She stood up and smoothed out the faint wrinkles in her clothes.

    "I won''t be able toe see you for a while. Maybe the others won''te as well. We have a lot of work to do. Don''t be lonely."

    "Ah... right, Bia, she also reached (SSS+)-Rank recently. Now she has the authority of a monster lord. She wanted toe see you too, but as one of the guardians of the new continent named Coexis, she has been staying around the border with your family to control the monsters, who, for some reason, have lost their minds."

    She paused in her tracks and once again bent down to drop a fleeting kiss on his forehead.

    "Ah... your skin is cold. Well, it''s not like you will know."

    Yue stepped back and left the room, wearing a faint smile. She had a lot of work to do, and after she was done, she had to leave for a faraway ce with that woman who appeared after she activated the artifact.

 Chapter 371 I hope this works

    <h4>Chapter 371 I hope this works </h4>

    Inside a vast, empty expanse, stretching as far as the eye can see, a thickyer of ice covers everything in a cold embrace.

    The many glowing skill cores floating in the air froze in their spots when the icy mes flickering everywhere touched them.

    A mesmerizing glow enveloped the whole space, and in the center of it all, an icy cocoon covered a small area.

    The ice around the cocoon cracked little by little, and it started to fall with faint clicks. Instantly, the ice stretching across the vast space began melting, and the frozen skill cores started moving again. However, the process stopped when anotheryer of blue particles gathered around the cocoon to make it even sturdier.

    A pair of beautiful green eyes peered at theyer of ice everywhere around him. Kyle raised his hand and stared at it. The crushing pain all around his body had subsided, but he had been trapped in this ce for... maybe a few hours?

    He wasn''t sure because his mind wentpletely nk when the pain became unbearable. Kyle had just opened his eyes when he felt the familiar sensation of warm tears falling on his face.

    A faint memory of countless people crying around him appeared in his mind, and he jolted with a gasp, only to find himself trapped inside ayer of ice.

    "Well done, Kyle... just well done... How could you crumble so easily? That bastard... I didn''t even see his face. I swear I am going to skin him alive, tear him into countless pieces! How dare he!"

    He clenched his fist and banged it on the icyyer, but every time he managed to chip away a huge part, the countless blue particles around him would scatter and reconstruct theyer again.

    Kyle''s eyes were cold, enough to send chills down the spine of those who dared to look his way. He wanted to destroy everything and find that person who dared to harm him. Tearing them into countless pieces would not be enough to make him calm down.

    After another minute of unsessful tries, he took a deep breath and looked down at his body, or rather, his consciousness. He stared at his legs... no, he was missing one leg, and the blue particles floating around him were trying to construct it. An angry vein popped up on his forehead, and he punched theyer even harder.

    "That bastard! If I could find you just once, that would be enough. I would put that same crystal in your body and make sure it devours your soul until there''s nothing left!"

    Kyle closed his eyes and tried to control the particles because he was fed up. He wanted to leave this ce.

    "Damn it... I can''t sense Bia. A lot of people were crying when I lost consciousness. If I don''t get out of this ce soon and wake up, they''re gonna worry a lot. Or maybe they''ll pour hundreds of unknown potions in my mouth."

    The sour taste of thatst potion Han poured into his mouth still lingers on the tip of his tongue. He definitely doesn''t want to wake up and see his master drowning him in countless potions.

    Kyle groaned not sure how much more time it would take for the particles to construct his leg, or more specifically, heal his soul. But he was damn sure that once he got out, he was going to make the person who harmed him regret ever being born.

    His eyes lit up when he managed to control the particles, albeit barely. He sensed as the speed at which his leg was reconstructing increased. However, he realized with a furrowed brow that the process was too slow.

    Kyle blinked and after thinking for a minute, he raised his hand to consume the particles instead of using them to heal his soul.

    "I hope this works..."

    He waited patiently and only after a few seconds the particles trembled before zooming toward his body with lightning-fast speed. Instantly, a pinprick of pain spread throughout his body.

    Kyle didn''t notice because his eyes were closed in concentration. But a faint silveryer appeared around his body, merging with the faint, almost invisible golden particles within him. He snapped his eyes open when he sensed a foreign presence in his mind space. A cold expression appeared on his face.

    "Someone had the audacity to enter my mind space. Maybe they don''t know that I can crush everything here with just a flick of my finger."

    He moved his legs and gazed down.

    "Finally, I have aplete body..."

    Kyle took a break and clenched his fist, ready to punch the iceyer once again with all his strength.

    However, before he could, a faint, hoarse cry echoed in his ears. He paused for a second and listened to the cry, which grew more painful with each passing second. Eventually, the owner of the voice started begging to be saved.

    "Help me! Help me! These mes are going to tear me apart! Oh my gosh! I''ll lose all my strength just because I wanted to devour a few years of lifespan!"

    Kyle''s lips trickled upward into a snarl.

    "Of course, I aming out to help you. Just give me a few seconds."

    He punched the iceyer, and with a loud cracking sound, all the ice around him shattered into countless fragments. Kyle stood up on his feet and gazed at the old figure that was dancing inside his mind space with a panicked expression.

    Kyle raised his hand, and the blue mes chasing the figure vanished into thin air. The man with horns dropped to his knees with a sigh of relief.

    "I almost thought I was going to die..."

    He wiped his forehead and gazed at Kyle, only to retreat with a scared expression. Countless ice spears appeared in the air, surrounding him from all directions. Kyle blinked with a cold smile and cracked his knuckles.

    "So, let''s hear the reason why you entered my mind space."

 Chapter 372 How about we talk a little

    <h4>Chapter 372 How about we talk a little </h4>

    A cry of pain echoed in the vast icy space as the horned man, draped in a dark robe, was chased by countless floating ice spears.

    The man stumbled and fell when one of the spears grazed his leg. But as he saw the other spears closing in from behind, he crawled and tried to run again.

    Kyle watched with a bored expression, observing everything from the sidelines while seated on a familiar throne adorned with gems.

    The throne had some cracks on its surface because he used it a few times in the secret realm as a weapon. But despite the cracks, it still had a malevolent and strong presence, just like before.

    Kyle wanted to finish off the man who imed to be a divine being that had lived for a thousand years. But there was a small problem. The man made him realize that he couldn''t leave the mind space.

    ''Damn it, this is my mind space! Why am I unable to leave? Last time I went out so easily just with a thought...''

    He closed his eyes and once again tried to leave, but again a powerful force held him back. A force that strangely felt very familiar.

    Kyle massaged his temples and stared at the man who had been crying and running around for a while.

    "I''m not going to believe that you''re a divine being. If you are, why are you so weak?"

    His voice echoed in the space, and the sharp spears following behind the man halted in their tracks. The man wiped the sweat rolling down his forehead.

    He wanted to curse so badly. Of course, he would be weak because right now, he''s standing inside a space thatpletely belongs to someone else.

    Not to mention the edgy blue particles around him that, for some reason, want to tear everything that dares to get close to Kyle.

    ''It took me so many days just to find a small opening in his defense... I thought it would be a good chance to sign a contract with the mortal because he would be weakened, but who could have guessed the otherworldly thing inside his body would be so aggressive? And just what the hell did he do with his soul... it''s not divine anymore.''

    ''It seems I have to change my tactics because there''s no way I can fight him in his territory with only my consciousness.''

    Kyle stared at him and raised his hand.

    "Well, if you don''t want to tell me anything, just die... anyway, I''ll find my way out of this space on my own. After all, this ce is mine."

    The man''s eyes dted as towering mes surged all around him in an instant, ready to envelop him in a dangerous embrace that would definitely destroy his consciousness.

    No way, he couldn''t let it happen! His years of hard work would just vanish into thin air, and his dream to achieve transcendent strength would be gone! He leaped and started floating in the air before white smoke sizzled out from his body.

    Kyle paused the mes for a few seconds and watched as the white smoke gathered together to form countless projections. He gazed at them with a yawn.

    "Oh, so this is your final shot at survival, huh? Well, hate to break it to you, but it''s not working-!"

    His sentence was cut short when a familiar figure appeared on one of the screens.

    "?"

    He jumped off the throne and watched the scene reflected on the first projection with wide eyes. It showed the time when he and the others were fighting with Alec over who would kill the monster lord. Then suddenly, another projection lit up, showing the scene where everyone was calling his name and trying to wake him up.

    Kyle watched as his body dropped to the ground with a low thud, and Bia went out of control with anger. The phoenix soared in the sky and started destroying everything around her. Yue and his brothers were crying above him, only to retreat when his master took out a healing potion and started pouring it on his bloodied chest.

    His breath grew heavy as he locked eyes with the horned man. The man smirked in return.

    "I believe you''re willing to talk now, right?"

    However, his smirk froze when Kyle vanished, and in the next second, he was sent flying backward by a lightning-fast punch to his face.

    Kyle blinked down at him and spoke with a cold expression.

    "I really can''t stand it when someone threatens me."

    He wanted to go and beat up the man even more, so the man would know that he had enough power to take him down in seconds if he wanted. But he froze when another projection lit up, showing Alec, Jian, and many others chasing the crystal that had sprung out from his heart.

    Kyle watched as a pair of golden eyes appeared in the projection. The eyes stayed emotionless as the person owning them grabbed the crystal and disappeared before Alec could stop them.

    Kyle chuckled and everything around him shook slightly. He clenched his fist and punched the projection. In an instant, the projection turned into smoke and disappeared into thin air.

    "I finally know who you are! I''m going to track you down, no matter what!"

    However, another projection lit up behind him. He turned around, and his eyes trembled as the sky above Alec cracked and shattered like ss fragments.

    "No way..."

    Kyle moved back, but another projection appeared next to the one showing the cracked sky. It showed two figures with sinister smiles on their faces.

    The duo wreaked havoc and killed countless people. Kyle nced at the next projection, which showed how Alec, Jian, Carcel, Yue, and many others tried to stop the duo but failed miserably.

    His heart sank as Jian''s screams echoed in the air around him. With dted eyes, he moved closer to the projection, witnessing the woman with ears atop her head raise her whip toward Jian.

    "Wait!"

    Kyle shouted, but his hand phased through the projection, which turned into smoke and vanished into thin air. He stared at the dissipating smoke and turned around to see the other projections, but they all turned into smoke too. Then, a familiar voice echoed from behind him.

    "How about we talk a little?"

 Chapter 373 It’s not true, right?

    <h4>Chapter 373 It''s not true, right? </h4>

    Kyle snapped back and stared at the man who had a smug expression on his face.

    "It''s not true, right?"

    The man rubbed his hands and neared the distance between them, only to retreat in the next second when he sensed the murderous aura around Kyle.

    "Of course it''s true. All this happened while you were in this ce."

    Kyle''s expression hardened, and he clenched his fists even tighter. He thought he had only spent a few hours in the mind space, but the situation inside the projection told him a different story altogether.

    "How much time has passed...? A week, or two?"

    The man blinked and raised one of his hands. Kyle nced at his fingers and stared at him with bated breath.

    "Five weeks...?"

    However, the man shook his head and raised his second hand as well before showing him eight fingers.

    "No, it''s been eight... months."

    Kyle vanished, and the man freaked out when Kyle grabbed his robe with dark eyes.

    "No way, you''re lying!"

    The man grabbed Kyle''s hand and quickly pushed him back.

    "I am not! If you can''t believe me, just stay stuck in this ce for a long time until everything outside ceases to exist!"

    Kyle''s hand trembled as hended on the solid surface beneath him. He hid his eyes with his arm for a second and sucked in a deep breath before staring at the man with gritted teeth.

    "Show me the projections again. I want to see what happens next."

    A smile appeared on the man''s face as hended in front of him.

    ''keke... finally got you.''

    "I can do it, but you know there''s a saying that if you want something, you have to pay for it. How about... a hundred years of your lifespan?"

    Kyle stared at his face. He so badly wanted to kill him but controlled the urge because right now he needed information. Information about what''s happened to his friends and his family.

    "A hundred years...? How about I promise not to tear you into countless pieces? That should be enough for the information I need. Or else, I can just beat you up until you''re willing to speak."

    The man''s eyebrow twitched violently.

    "You think I''ll stay here until then? Wahh...!"

    He jumped back when Kyle raised his hand toward him. Kyle''s eyes shed with a cold glint.

    "Don''t fret, I know you can''t leave this space. Not until I want you to. I know I''m stuck here for some reason, but in the end, this ce belongs to me. Just give me the information I want, or else don''t me me for the bleak future that awaits you."

    The man''s eyes widened. Kyle was right. After he entered his mind space, he had been trying to leave, but even after countless attempts, he wasn''t able to.

    He wanted to hide the fact behind an aloof facade, but who would have thought the person in front of him would figure it out so easily?

    "You-!"

    The man wanted to protest, but he knew he was at a disadvantage right now.

    "Alright, first swear on your soul that you won''t harm me. If you ever break it, you''ll suffer the consequences."

    ''Just swear, hurry hurry!''

    Kyle nodded.

    "I swear not to touch your consciousness. You''repletely safe in my mind space. However, if you attack me first, I won''t hesitate to fight back."

    ''Only in my mind space though.''

    The man''s smile widened, and he quickly arrived beside Kyle. In the next second, many simr projections appeared in the air. Kyle watched as the whip neared Jian, but at that exact moment, an old dwarf appeared out of nowhere and saved Jian, Alec, and the others.

    Kyle let out a sigh of relief. He stared at the old dwarf''s back as thetter fought with the enemies and couldn''t help but feel a strong sense of familiarity. After a minute, he remembered where he had seen him before.

    ''He''s the one who gave me the old scroll before I entered the tower of opportunity...''

    After the dwarf''s body crumbled into particles and disappeared into thin air, the projection vanished once again. But it was enough. Kyle just needed to make sure his friends were all okay and... alive. Now, the question was how he was going to leave the mind space.

    Actually, why the heck was he stuck here in the first ce? He looked at the man next to him and narrowed his eyes.

    "The smile on your face says you already know what I''m about to ask, right?"

    The man blinked and let out a groan, pping his hand over his mouth.

    "Are you expecting me to know without you telling me? And now that I''m safe, do you really think I''ll give you information for free?"

    Kyle furrowed his brow. A hundred years of lifespan... no matter how he looked at it, it seemed like too much.

    "I''m willing, but no more than ten years. It''s because I don''t want to wake up in an old body."

    The man burst intoughter, staring at Kyle with astonishment.

    "What are you saying? Don''t you know your body can''t age after your divine soul reached the transcendent rank? Oh... wait, wait, don''t tell me you still have no idea about the otherworldly thing inside your body?"

    He saw Kyle''s serious expression and expressed his shock.

    "Oh my gosh! How can one be so ignorant? The moment I saw you, I knew something was wrong. After all, nature was clinging to you like you''re the most precious thing in the whole universe."

    Kyle blinked and processed the huge amount of information he had just learned. The first thing that clicked in his mind was that he had a divine soul... but it had reached the transcendent rank.

    The second thing that clicked in his mind was that he couldn''t age anymore. As for the nature thing, he had an idea that the man was referring to his luck stat.

    Kyle stared at the man as thetter paced around with a grin. He thought for a long minute, and before the man, who had a big grin on his face, could speak, Kyle spoke up with a deadly expression.

    "I''ll give you ten years of my lifespan. In return, tell me everything you know about the otherworldly thing you are talking about. Also, let me know how I can leave this ce. This is my first and final offer. If you want more, then let''s stay in this ce together for a long, long time."

 Chapter 374 I need to run away

    <h4>Chapter 374 I need to run away </h4>

    In the vast space, Kyle stared at Nesis, the horned man who had achieved true consciousness and a physical form after a thousand years of hard work.

    No, more specifically, thetter had consumed a lot of people''s lifespans to reach the divine rank.

    Kyle found out about this when Nesis pulled a piece of paper out of thin air and ced it in front of him with a smile. But Kyle didn''t even look at it.

    Instead, he tore the paper and burned it right in front of Nesis''s eyes. There was no way he would sign a contract with something that feeds on the lifespan of others.

    Kyle patiently waited as Nesis ced his fingers on his wrist. After his threat, the man agreed to answer his questions in exchange for only ten years of lifespan.

    ''After all, if he didn''t, he would have to stay stuck here with me for a long time.''

    A sharp pain traveled through his body, but it disappeared as quickly as it came.

    Kyle saw it clearly when white energy emerged from his skin and entered Nesis''s head, which glowed brightly.

    ''I said it would be okay to give away ten years of my lifespan, but I still feel bad about it... Well, once I''m out of this ce, I''ll take it back. And if I can''t, I''ll just destroy his true body aspensation.''

    His eyes turned cold, but they returned to normal when Nesis opened his eyes wide with pure shock and astonishment. The man even distanced himself from Kyle, his forehead sweaty. Kyle raised an eyebrow, surprised.

    ''Did he somehow figure out what I was thinking?''

    Nesis took a moment to pause and wiped his forehead. However, the gaze he gave Kyle hadpletely shifted. If before, he wanted to take Kyle''s lifespan because of the otherworldly thing inside his body, now he wanted nothing to do with the human in front of him. Not after learning about his past.

    "... Just as I told you, I can''t see your future, but I have already taken ten years of your lifespan. Not only that, I have also read everything that you''ve gone through up until now. So, I''ll fulfill my end of the deal."

    He spoke with a calm voice, but his trembling fingers revealed his true feelings.

    ''I need to run away! This person isn''t dangerous, but the Celestial essence inside him is too terrifying! How did it make him stay alive for so many years when his body couldn''t even contain such vast power?''

    The first time Nesis saw Kyle, he knew the human had a strong soul and a powerful bloodline in his body. He wanted to devour Kyle''s lifespan because after consuming hisst contractor''s lifespan, normal human life energy no longer gave him power. Yet, never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that the human''s fate would be nk. Not to mention his past...

    It''s been too strange to say. It''s like whenever the human was in danger, the celestial essence inside him would conjure up something entirely different to make him avoid the dangerous path. So, he could stay alive for a little while longer.

    Or rather, he could have a bit more time to get stronger, so his body could finally have enough strength to truly contain the tremendous power within him. And the essence has been sessful because, after so many years, its host had finally gathered enough power to truly possess a part of it.

    However, in all its attempts to steer clear of the most dangerous path, the other paths weren''t exactly safe either. Ultimately, no matter which path it chose, there was always some level of danger. So, in the end, instead of avoiding danger altogether, it shifted its focus to avoiding death.

    If Kyle noticed Nesis''s trembling fingers, he didn''t say anything and just gestured for the man to answer his questions.

    Nesis stood up, his expression growing paler by the second. After all, now that he had harmed the owner of the same essence, the consequences would surelye back to haunt him in the future.

    ''I only took ten years of his life, but gained strength equivalent to consuming a hundred years from a divine being.''

    However, he knew the essence inside the human had already marked him as a threat.

    ''If only I had read his past before taking his lifespan! Now, I need to get as far away from this human or else I''ll lose my life... and the reason could be anything.''

    Nesis opened his mouth, but what came out was far from pleasant.

    "Your body should have withered the moment you were born, and the essence within you should have returned to nature. No, you weren''t supposed to stay alive in the first ce..."

    He paused because the pair of brilliant green eyes staring at him narrowed dangerously. Nesis sensed the faint blue particles trembling around Kyle''s body and quickly shut his mouth with a loud click.

    ''Now, I''m not sure if nature is favoring him or if the essence inside him is forcing nature topensate for the fact that it didn''t write his fate.''

    Nesis went up to Kyle, feeling a bit scared but he knew he had to answer the human''s questions if he wanted to leave. He put his middle finger on Kyle''s forehead. Kyle furrowed his brow, but he didn''t feel any danger, so he didn''t stop him.

    "How about seeing your past from my perspective?"

    Kyle blinked but nodded. He also felt the blue particles on his skin getting a little restless, but he wanted to know.

    He wanted to know everything about himself. The moment he thought about it, the particles calmed down a bit and let Nesis do what he wanted to do.

    Instantly, a white light emerged from Nesis''s finger and entered his forehead. Kyle closed his eyes when a worried voice echoed inside his head.

    ...

    Kyle opened his eyes and found himself floating inside a room he recognized. It was his father''s room, a ce he had seen many times before.

    His gaze paused on the beautiful woman sitting on the bed. She had a worried expression, her eyes fixed on the newborn baby lying beside her. Kyle couldn''t look away as the woman grabbed the arm of the healer who was checking the baby.

    "What happened to my son? Why isn''t he waking up?"

 Chapter 375 It’s something that naturally belongs to you

    <h4>Chapter 375 It''s something that naturally belongs to you</h4>

    Kyle jolted when Nesis materialized beside him. The man gazed at him and hummed.

    "Did you recognize this ce."

    Kyle looked at the woman, the old healer checking the baby, his father''s familiar figure standing behind the woman. He then nced at the two familiar kids peeking from behind the room door, and his expression softened.

    Nesis tapped his shoulder and pointed at the baby draped in a soft fabric.

    "It''s you, the time when you were born. Did your father never tell you that you didn''t cry when you were born, nor did you move for a long time? The only thing that kept the couple going was that you were breathing and your heart was beating."

    Kyle looked away from the woman. It''s been a while since he saw his mother, but he knew she had gone to a better ce. So, he focused his gaze on Nesis.

    "I believe we''re not here just to watch all this."

    Nesis nodded.

    "You''re unresponsive because you possess the celestial bloodline. It''s something that naturally belongs to you, a power that ignited within you the moment you were born. However, your body was too weak to contain it, that''s why your life force was slipping away with each passing second. The healer is not even strong enough to fight a true monster, how could he understand what''s wrong with you?"

    Kyle kept his gaze fixed on the man. The realization that the bloodline naturally belongs to him brought a faint smile on his face.

    "It''s good that I didn''t inherit the bloodline from the ice enchantress or anyone else. It''s good that it is mine... Now I don''t have to worry about someoneing and demanding it back or making me work for them in exchange for the power they gave me."

    Nesis noticed the faint smile forming at the corner of the human''s lips. He narrowed his eyes in contemtion upon hearing the name ''ice enchantress''.

    "The ice enchantress... I''m not really sure who she is, but when I got my first contractor, I did hear her name a few times. Ah... now it all makes sense. That''s why I felt traces of another power in your body and why you survived after birth."

    Kyle''s face, which had a faint smile, quickly turned solemn. So, the moment he had been dreading had finally arrived. The dark history of his ancestors.

    ''After today, I am going to pretend I don''t know the ice enchantress. I don''t want her tragic love story to haunt me or my family.''

    Nesis continued to exin about the other power within his body, and the more Kyle listened, the more his expression grew downcast.

    Kyle nced at his father and massaged his temples. So, basically, every descendant of the ice enchantress carried a trace of her inheritance within them. But the power remained dormant because it was too small.

    That woman made sure to scatter her unique power everywhere, so if a strong individual ever emerged from her descendants, they would bepelled to right the wrong she did.

    ''How cunning...''

    He didn''t even feel a bit grateful towards the woman and looked at Nesis with a deadpan expression.

    "You mean, I would have died after birth, but before I lost my breath, the celestial essence inside me forced the dormant ''nail-sized'' power of the ice enchantress that I inherited from my family to awaken?"

    "Then, the bloodline consumed the nail-sized power to lock itself within me. It also forcefully increased my luck stat so I could survive."

    Nesis''s eyebrow twitched violently when he heard the words ''nail-sized''. He so badly wanted to confront the human because, even though it was nail-sized, it possessed incredible strength! But he managed to control himself. After all, he needs to distance himself from this human as much as possible and as soon as possible.

    "Let''s continue."

    He waved his hand and the scenery in front of them changed.

    Kyle frowned as he watched his younger self leave the house with Neon after their father asked them to y outside. He remembered that during this time, his father''s condition wasn''t good because his mother had just passed away.

    He stared at the two kids, one young and the other a little older, who stood in front of their house. Neon wanted to go to his favorite weapon shop. However, Kyle stopped midway and insisted on going to the park in front of their house. Just because he felt like ying there.

    Neon agreed with a groan, but sighed when many little kids surrounded them at the park. He left Kyle there and went back home to check on their father.

    Kyle watched as Sen and a few more kids around his age started picking on him in the park for no reason.

    "I know what happened next... It was the time when that man with the golden pupil appeared and made me swallow something strange. The same man I saw in the projections you showed me. You know, my memories aren''t blurry, so there''s no need to watch all this."

    Kyle nced at Nesis, who pointed to another scenario. The same shop where he and Neon were originally supposed to go appeared in front of him. He watched as the shop crumbled into dust because a fight broke out between two adults. The duo was strong enough to destroy many buildings, and a lot of nearby people died.

    "Huh...?"

    Kyle blinked because he had no idea something like this happened. After all, he was bedridden for a few days due to the high fever he contracted the moment he returned home.

    His breath turned uneven as he watched many familiar scenarios where he would just change his mind to avoid dangerous events. He couldn''t believe his whole life was filled with so much danger, and he had no idea about all of it.

    Nesis changed the scenes in front of him from time to time so the human could see how the essence inside him had been protecting him, even after knowing that his fate was nk.

 Chapter 376 No one is allowed to control me

    <h4>Chapter 376 No one is allowed to control me </h4>

    ".. so all this while... I''ve been doing so many things that I don''t even want to?"

    Kyle chuckled as the scene in front of him changed again. It showed how he didn''t want to practice, train, or work just because he thought his talent was weak. Or was it because Sen and a few others made fun of his low talent? But he lived in a small city where almost everyone had average talent, except for Sen and his two friends.

    So why did he think that way?

    Nesis looked at the scene and shook his head.

    "No... don''t see it like that. The essence wanted to protect you, so it interfered with your thoughts. It was just trying to help you avoid death."

    Kyle shut his eyes for a few seconds, and when he opened them again, his bright eyes gleamed with a dangerous intensity.

    "It doesn''t matter. No one is allowed to control me, not even something that is a part of me."

    His words echoed in the air, and he noticed that the blue particles on his body became eerily still. As if sensing his sour and frustrated emotions, a strangely soothing cold sensation spread across his skin. However, Kyle''s mood didn''t improve.

    He fixed his eyes on the scene in front of him, where he was eating breakfast with his family, and Neon suddenly suggested that he should go and take the Royal Academy entrance test.

    Nesis gazed at his face and started speaking again.

    "If you had trained hard before your talent awakened, there was a chance that the powerful bloodline in your body, which had barely locked itself, could have been forced to move. But since your body was even weaker than an ordinary human, you would have died due to the overwhelming surge of energy in your veins."

    "The moment you awakened your talent, which was only (B)-Rank, the bloodline within you moved a little. But at that time, the thoughts that had influenced you for so long made youpletely ept the fact that no matter how much you tried, you would never be able to achieve anything big in your life."

    "That''s why the bloodline paused its movement. It knew that changing your thoughts too much would have consequences that could be anything but good, but it had no choice. In the end, it gave you enough reasons to ept Neon''s suggestion."

    Nesis locked eyes with Kyle and asked him a question, a question the human couldn''t answer.

    "Do you think if you didn''t want to take the Royal Academy entrance test, your family would have forced you? Or maybe you thought, what''s the worst that could happen, and it would be fine to participate just for the sake of your family, even though you knew you had almost no strength?"

    Kyle stayed silent and imagined the scenario if he had refused to take the entrance test.

    No doubt, Neon and Ray would have made a fuss and given him a bit of a hard time. He would have received a little scolding from his dad too, but he knew things would have gone back to normal after a few days.

    He would have just gone back to hisid-back, ordinary life with not much to achieve. However, he agreed so easily, as if he didn''t care about the consequences or the possibility of danger during the test. And to top it off, he passed the test with little to no strength.

    Should he thank his luck stat that was increased after consuming the ice enchantress essence? No, he knew he shouldn''t. After all, the tiny essence of the ice enchantress inside him would''ve never awakened if not for his bloodline.

    Nesis''s next words sent chills down his spine, and he clenched his fists tightly.

    "... If you hadn''t entered the Academy, you would have died under the group of monsters that attacked the city in your absence. Kyle, you were weak, but am I wrong to assume that you would''ve jumped into danger to save Neon and Ray? So, entering the Royal Academy was the best course of action for you at that time."

    Nesis was hesitant, but he told Kyle that his fate was nk because he was destined to die the moment he was born. That''s why it remained empty even though he survived. He wanted to say more, but Kyle asked him to stop the scene ying in front of him. In the next second, Kyle opened his eyes and found himself sitting in the same ce inside his mind space.

    He slumped to the ground and tried to process all the information he had just acquired in such a short amount of time. Kyle stared at the empty air around him without blinking.

    "So, all this time, the essence inside me chose the path that would help me gain enough strength to amodate it. Or the path that was safest for me..."

    Nesis didn''t say anything and just listened quietly.

    "So, meeting Nine, Alec, and all my friends wasn''t fate... After all, my fate is not written... it''s nk, right? What about Bia? She had a divine strength within her. I know it''s somehow connected to me..."

    Nesis sat down beside him and after contemting for a few seconds, replied.

    "Bia''s only parent gave you its essence, something that''s very dear to all types of legendary beings because it takes them a lot of time just to form it. That''s why, in return, the essence within you epted Bia as your bondedpanion. And as a gift, when you formed a contract with Bia, it increased her strength a little, so the phoenix could apany you for a long time."

    "However, it couldn''t affect Bia a lot, or it would have given more harm than good to the unborn phoenix."

    Kyle stared at the air, and a long silence fell between them. Nesis felt uneasy when he saw Kyle''s eyes, which had a bright glow to them. But contrary to his expectations, the human let out a chuckle.

    "Now, I know everything. Just give me one more answer. Is the essence still going to interfere with my thoughts? Or will it make me forget everything I just found out?"

 Chapter 377 The protector

    <h4>Chapter 377 The protector</h4>

    Nesis paused for a moment and looked into the distance.

    "From what I have seen in your past, the bloodline stopped interfering with your thoughts after you turned eighteen. The lock on your bloodline was lifted, and it gave you the power of blue mes. But because you were still weak, it could not move freely in your body."

    "You were safe and making progress on your own. You started getting stronger really quickly. So, there was no need to interfere. Eventually, the essence just started floating inside your body, waiting for you to be even stronger and fully amodate it within you."

    "However, when you came out of the secret realm, the bloodline sensed danger on your path again and tried to make you change your mind, to make you retreat to safety. But it failed this time because your emotions were too troubled."

    "Maybe it was because you didn''t want to leave your friends in danger. I''m not sure, but you resisted the urge to retreat and kept fighting alongside your friends until the incident you had been dreading finally happened."

    Kyle stared at Nesis. He knew the man was talking about the incident where the crystal ate a part of his soul. And he had already mentally marked that golden-eyed man as his biggest enemy. He would go out and hunt that man, even if he had to travel to another to find him.

    "So, it will not interfere until I am in grave danger?"

    Nesis nodded in agreement.

    "It won''t, after all, it is a part of you. Now that you know, I believe it won''t go against your wishes. But if you are in a dangerous situation, it would try its best to inform you or maybe..."

    He paused and didn''t say it, but from the expression on the human''s face, he knew thetter understood. That if he ever went through something that could potentially take his life, the bloodline would do everything it could to save its host.

    Kyle let out a sigh and motioned for the man to continue. Nesis opened his mouth and started speaking again.

    "I''m not sure about the extent of a celestial''s powers since I have never seen one myself, but I can tell you that you have only tapped into a fraction of the power within you."

    "Maybe in the future, you would awaken more skills rted to your bloodline. One of them might even be the ability to foresee the future, but I can''t say for certain. You will have to wait a long time to figure it out on your own. However, with your fate nk, I can''t guarantee that you will survive until then. The essence is doing its best to protect you, but who can stop death if it naturallyes knocking at your door?"

    Kyle hummed, death. It''s been around him for so long, but he''s still alive. So, does he still need to worry about death? As long as he keeps chasing strength and keeps moving forward, he knows he can live for a long time. He smirks and looks at Nesis with a raised brow.

    "You say you''re not sure if I''ll survive, but you have taken ten years of my lifespan so easily, haven''t you? That means I have a very stubborn and strong life force. And not to mention the fact that now I have a body that won''t age. Do you really think I''ll die halfway just because my fate is nk?

    "No, it''s actually a good thing. Now I get to write my own fate."

    Kyle jumped up and stretched his body with a faint chuckle.

    Nesis stood up as well beside him, watching the peculiar human with an unknown expression.

    The man couldn''t figure out a lot of things since he was just a divine rank artifact that gained true consciousness by consuming many people''s lifespans.

    However, he knew one thing for sure, the essence within the human could manipte nature to some extent. He just hoped that it would forget about his tiny, fleeting presence once he ran away to a faraway ce.

    Kyle blinked and gazed at Nesis.

    "Now, tell me why I can''t leave this ce. My soul has recovered and gotten stronger, and I am not weak either, so why am I being forced to stay here?"

    "I need to go out. I don''t really care about others but I don''t want anything to happen to my family. Not just my family, there are a lot of people important to me out there. They are all experiencing so much and I am just sitting here doing nothing."

    "Ah... I believe it is time for me to be the protector of the for a while... right?"

    Kyle''s nose wrinkled a little at his own words. No matter what, he knew being a hero could never be his thing, but he didn''t mind doing it for a little while.

    Just until the real protectors, Alec, Carcel, Jian, and the others who had the tendency to help others, could stand up as the strongest on this. They would be the real leaders who could protect this ce for a long time.

    ''Then, I need to get my revenge on the man who ced the crystal in my heart. I must be stronger as well so I can fully control the bloodline within my body. Along the way, I will perform a few good deeds and eliminate the third shadow general and all the people associated with him.''

    Kyle doesn''t know what''s going on beyond this, but if he lets those people live, his family and the will always be in danger.

    A familiar, beautiful face suddenly shed in his mind. Thest time he saw her, she was crying beside him.

    ''Well, now I am safe and I know exactly what I need to do. So, I''ll go see her. If she agrees, it wouldn''t be a bad idea to have someonee along with me on my journey.''

    He looked at Nesis with a smile that didn''t quite reach his eyes. He wanted to ask Nesis if thetter knew anything about the shadow general attacking the or Azazeal. But to his disappointment, Nesis shook his head. The man had only heard their names and didn''t know who they were. Nesis had been focused on increasing his own strength, after all.

    Kyle let out a sigh and grabbed Nesis''s shoulder. The man had been quite useful.

    "Just tell me why I am stuck here and how can I get out of this ce. The sooner the better."

 Chapter 378 You have my permission

    <h4>Chapter 378 You have my permission </h4>

    Nesis looked at the human in front of him, pausing for a moment to think. He blinked as if trying toe up with the right answer to the human''s question.

    "I think it''s because of the hole in your heart. Once it''spletely healed, you will be able to leave this space."

    "Huh?"

    Kyle blinked, feeling a little confused and unsure of what thetter meant.

    "A hole?"

    Then it hit him. Right, the crystal was inside his heart, and when it sprang out, he sustained a dangerous injury.

    "But it''s just an injury, shouldn''t it have healed with the amount of healing potions I consumed? And, the essence, it should have healed me, right?"

    Nesis wriggled out of Kyle''s grip, feeling the tightness on his shoulder. The man rubbed his shoulder, even though it wasn''t his true body, he still felt the pain.

    "You''re right, it should have, but that soul-eating crystal was a sinister artifact. The dark energy it left behind messed up the healing process in the injured part of your heart. Those potions, they stopped the bleeding and healed the outer injury. But, they couldn''t heal the injury deep inside your heart. And your bloodline, it was focused on healing your soul, the most important part of you."

    Kyle''s expression turned solemn as he scanned the man from head to toe.

    "So, how can I leave this ce? Don''t tell me I have to wait for my heart to naturally heal. Or should I try guiding the essence to cure my injury?"

    Nesis''s eyebrow twitched, and he quickly stopped the human before he did something irreversible.

    "No, don''t do that. The essence is too strong and it could harm your heart. Your body may not age now, but it''s still not strong enough to handle the immense power. Plus, if the bloodline could heal your heart without any harm, it would have already done it. After all, it healed your soul and even increased its rank."

    Kyle gave the man an impatient look. The reason was clear - it didn''t matter why he was stuck here. He needed answers on how to leave this ce.

    Nesis felt like crying. The man who had drained the life force of countless people never expected to find himself in this situation. He so badly wanted to p his past self for being so greedy and getting involved with a mortal who possessed something so dangerous inside his body. After hesitating for a moment, a faint glow appeared in his eyes.

    "I can help you with the injury, but you have to let me leave this ce first."

    Kyle raised his brow, not trusting the man one bit. What if he let him go and the guy just ran off without curing him?

    Nesis had a speechless expression on his face, but Kyle''s next words almost made his mind go nk.

    "Right, take out another contract. This time, write inside that I''ll let you go outside, and in return, you''ll cure my heart. If either of us breaks our word, we both suffer consequences."

    Kyle paused for a moment, a smirk forming at the corner of his lips.

    "... And if Nesis tries any tricks while Kyle is unconscious, his consciousness will explode, and he will die instantly."

    Nesis heard his words loud and clear and protested with a wronged expression. However, blue mes appeared around Kyle, and his lips curled into a snarl.

    "You think you have a choice? You have taken ten years of my lifespan. No way I''II let you go so easily."

    Nesis dropped to his knees, but then the blue mes around Kyle formed a round shield around both of them. The man looked at the human in front of him, who looked just like a devil, and reluctantly agreed with an aggrieved expression.

    A thin piece of paper appeared in the air, and Kyle quickly grabbed it. The human turned around and started reading all the terms. After reading them at least ten times, he heaved a sigh of relief. Then, he went back to the man and asked him to sign first before he would sign.

    Nesisplied with a nk expression. Well, his fate was already sealed when heid his eyes on this human, so what more could hurt him?

    He would be happy that he could somehow save his life, just this time. He promised himself he would never even dare to follow someone so casually again.

    The horned man signed the contract with trembling fingers. It was an unfair contract that he had only made others sign before. Who could have thought that one day he would experience the same thing he had put others through?

    Kyle didn''t even bother to nce at him. After reading the contract with narrow eyes onest time, he signed it and sealed the deal. He stared at Nesis and took a deep breath.

    "Go, you have my permission to leave the mind space."

    However, before the man''s face could light up and he could run away, Kyle stopped him with a deadpan expression. The human paced around him before stopping right in front of his face.

    "I need to make sure you didn''t take anything from my mind space. You know, there''s a lot of valuable stuff in here."

    Nesis blinked, watching Kyle''s eyes scrutinize his robe. He couldn''t believe this pesky human was using him of stealing when all he did was run to escape those blue mes. He would be lying if he said he was not tempted to steal a few treasures under the human''s nose.

    But darn, this mind space is so vast that if he really did start looking around for the treasures, the mes would have killed him even before he found a single one.

    Kyle smiled when he didn''t sense anything precious with the man. He nodded and motioned for Nesis to get lost and do his job. After all, he needed to leave this ce as soon as possible.

    The horned man wiped his eyes, which had be wet for some unknown reason, and quickly disappeared from the mind space.

    Kyle kept an eye on his surroundings and sat down with crossed legs, impatiently waiting for the man to do his job.

 Chapter 379 Another crack

    <h4>Chapter 379 Another crack </h4>

    Nesis appeared in the room where Kyle''s unconscious bodyy. His figure was blurry, but he wiped his forehead with a trembling hand as if he had sweat on it. Today was the worst day of his life.

    He nced around and almost freaked out because the room, which had a faintyer of ice before, was nowpletely frozen. Thick ice covered everything, and even the curtains had stopped moving. Then, he looked at Kyle''s body and saw that ice hadpletely enveloped him in a tight embrace.

    Nesis cried out when he saw his original form, the bracelet from which he emerged. It was also frozen into ice on Kyle''s wrist.

    He quickly bent down and started breaking the ice. No way, he was gonna stay here afterpleting his end of the deal! After all, he knew that even if the essence let him go, there was no way the cruel human would.

    The man hissed when the ice seeped into his fingers as he tried to reach the bracelet, freezing his skinpletely.

    "I can''t admit defeat!"

    He summoned all his strength and white smoke emerged from his forehead. Nesis grabbed the bracelet, and as the ice started to melt, he snatched it away. However, his eyes widened as a loud and clear cracking sound echoed in the air.

    The man stared at his original form and dropped to his knees.

    "Oh my gosh... Another crack? How am I going to repair it? It''s going to take at least fifty years!"

    Nesis stared at the human, but first, he formed a small portal mid-air and quickly tossed the white bracelet inside. He wanted his original body to be in a faraway ce. He sighed with relief after securing himself.

    "Now, I will just heal his injury and disappear before he wakes up."

    He hurriedly sat down beside Kyle. His heart ached at the thought of the amount of energy he would waste, but if he didn''t, his consciousness would explode. He had no other choice.

    "Damn it, it''s gonna take me days just to remove the icyyer above his chest."

    His eyes glowed, and white smoke emerged from his body, gathering above Kyle''s chest. To his surprise, the ice above thetter''s heart moved on its own, giving him enough ess.

    "Haha, why does it feel like I''ve been scammed? The essence is making way for me so easily as if it already knows that I don''t have the guts to harm its host."

    Nesisughed, but his eyes were filled with regret. He easily passed through the dormant blue shield on Kyle''s skin and guided the white smoke toward the human''s heart.

    The man closed his eyes to concentrate. After all, if he made even the tiniest mistake, he would die instantly. Yes, it was hard to admit, but he knew it wasn''t the human who would die. He would be the one suffering the consequences.

    After just a few minutes, he discovered the small hole in the middle of the human''s heart, where dark red energy had stopped the surrounding area from healing the center part.

    A lot of faint blue particles were surrounding the energy, but they weren''t daring to move too violently inside the human''s heart. That''s why they could only slowly try to destroy the energy, so as not to harm its host.

    ...

    After an hour, the mana in the room shook violently, and the ice around the majestic bed in the center cracked loudly, scattering intorge chunks.

    Kyle''s heart, which had stopped beating for a long time, finally made a low beat, like a gentle breeze. Then, with each passing second, the beats grew stronger and more frequent. Some faint sounds echoed in the room, and after another minute, his heart found a steady rhythm, full of life. It was a bit weaker than before, but as time passed, it picked up its pace until it finally found the perfect rhythm.

    The room echoed with the sound of a harsh breath, and Kyle''s fingers began to move. He couldn''t open his eyes because of theyer of ice, but he noticed it starting to melt as soon as he moved. A lot of familiar yet unfamiliar knowledge appeared inside his head and he momentarily paused in his actions.

    Dazed, Kyle blinked away the drops of water clinging to hisshes and gazed up at the frozen ceiling. It waspletely covered in ice. He let out a deep sigh.

    "Finally... Nesis?"

    He called out, but there was no response. The bed creaked as he shifted his body to a morefortable position, sitting up. He looked around the room, adorned with many antiques, but found no other presence.

    "Huh, don''t tell me that bastard ran off?"

    Kyle snarled, realizing that guy was pretty sharp. The man had actually left before he could open his eyes.

    "He did check my past, and I guess he would have sensed that I wouldn''t let him go so easily."

    He shifted his hand slightly, feeling his muscles twitch a bit. Well, it was to be expected after being immobile for so many months.

    Kyle clenched his fists and closed his eyes, channeling the mana inside his body. Slowly, he regained some strength and removed the frozen nket draped over him before stepping onto the floor.

    His feet were bare, and he felt a cold sensation from the icy surface, but it didn''t bother him much.

    Kyle gazed at the window in the distance and moved his hand. He wanted to try melting the ice around him, but he knew it would be better not to exert too much strength abruptly, especially since he had just woken up.

    "I still can''t sense Bia?"

    He closed his eyes, and after a few seconds, he did sense the presence of the phoenix in a faraway ce, but it was very faint, almost as if their connection was barely holding on.

    "It seems like I waspletely isted from the outside world. That''s probably why I felt like our connection had been broken. I can still sense it weakly. It might take some time, but I believe it will recover if she stays near me for a while."

 Chapter 380 Rank: SSS+

    <h4>Chapter 380 Rank: SSS+ </h4>

    Kyle nced at his stats from the corner of his eye and raised an eyebrow. A faint smirk yed on his lips.

    He received new knowledge in his head the moment his consciousness came out from the mind space. But who could''ve guessed that when his soul''s rank increased, all his skills would also get a boost in their ranks?

    "Well, after going through so much, it''s only fair to gain at least this much."

    _______

    Stats:

    Name: Kyle

    Bloodline: Celestial

    Rank: SSS+

    Strength: SSS+

    Mana: ???

    Divine energy: ???

    Agility: SSS+

    Talent: ??? Rank

    Soul rank: ??? Rank

    Luck: S+

    Unique ability; Nature''s favorite.

    Unlocked due to (S+)-Rank luck.

    Skill;

    #*Bloodline ability; Blue mes (Unranked)--->(???)-Rank:

    Blue mes acquired due to the presence of an ancient bloodline. The user can manipte the mes with his will by consuming mana or any type of energy.

    --->User can melt the things frozen by the mes with divine energy.

    #*Fireball (F)-Rank--->(A+)-Rank:

    The user can use mana to create multiple fireballs.

    --->The fireballs would be more destructive, causing greater explosive destruction, resembling a raging inferno��a furious and unstoppable ze. The size of the fire''s rage would increase ording to the amount of mana consumed.

    #*Ice Dragon inherited skill; Ice Domain (S)-Rank--->(SS+)-Rank:

    The user can call upon a Domain in a specific area, locking and freezing it.

    --->No one can detect or enter the Domain without the user''s permission. It''s would be an invisible barrier that separates the enclosed area from the surrounding space.

    --->Inside the Domain, all the user''s stats will increase significantly. Water and ice-type attacks will be ineffective against the user, and enemies will have all their stats reduced by a rank. The user has the authority to freeze everything within the Domain unless the enemies are stronger than the Domain''s rank.

    #*Fire Phoenix inherited skill; Fire resistance (Passive) (B)-Rank--->(S+)-Rank:

    --->Any fire or temperature lower or equal to (S+)-Rank naturally won''t affect the user. It would also provide resistance against all fire-type attacks equal to or lower than (S+)-Rank.

    #*Thunder arrow (F+)-Rank--->(A+)-Rank:

    --->The user can tap into their mana reserves to summon a deadly barrage of thunder arrows from the sky. The more mana the user pours into it, the more destructive and wide-ranging the skill bes.

    #*Fear (A)-Rank--->(S+)-Rank:

    The user can instill fear in all the targeted individuals, lower-ranked than themselves, making them unable to think straight during battle.

    --->By activating the skill, an illusion effect would automatically trigger, showing the targeted individuals their darkest nightmares.

    Mana isn''t required for this skill.

    #*Ice Spear (B)-Rank--->(S+)-Rank:

    The user can create numerousrge ice spears by using mana. The ice spears would shatter into fragments upon impact, injuring everyone within their range.

    --->After the ice fragments hit the targets, they would melt and seep into their bodies, causing even greater damage.

    #*Scent perception (Pseudo divine)-Rank--->(Divine)-Rank:

    This skill grants the user the ability to detect hidden scents effortlessly. They can track down elusive creatures or special objects without any obstacles through their sense of smell.

    --->The user can leave a mark on a target and track them even if they leave the realm.

    Mana isn''t required for this skill.

    #*Ice Armor (B)-Rank--->(S+)-Rank:

    This skill lets the user enclose themselves in an invisible veil of ice, the veil provides resistance to physical and magical attacks. The user can also absorb the Ice Armor into their body, using the ice to heal minor wounds.

    --->The user can form ice armor around someone else from a distance.

    #*Fire rain (B)-Rank--->(S+)-Rank:

    The user can harness mana to create a sea of fire that descends directly on the enemies from the sky. The more mana they use, therger the range of the attack.

    --->The fire that is ignited through this skill can be controlled by the user''s will.

    #*ck Skeletons (S)-Rank--->(S+)-Rank:

    The user can harness mana to create skeleton warriors. The more mana they use, the higher the rank of the skeleton warrior. They can even summon an entire undead army with enough mana.

    --->The countless summoned low-rank skeletons canbine to form a sturdy skeleton with a higher rank.

    #*Instant Teleportation (A)-Rank--->(SS+)-Rank:

    The user can teleport within a few-meter radius at lightning speed. The more mana they use, the farther they can teleport. They can even cover thousands of miles within mere seconds, with enough mana.

    --->The user can teleport freely to move in and out of all the realms without any restrictions, as long as the rank of the realm is equal to or lower than theirs.

    #*Swift steps (S)-Rank--->(S+)-Rank:

    This skill can be activated by using mana, and once activated, it increases the user''s agility stat. The user can be as fast as lightning, making it impossible for enemies to see their silhouette before they''re defeated.

    #*Aqua ball (F)-Rank--->(S+)-Rank:

    --->The user can conjure a sea of water out of thin air by using up enough mana. The water summoned by this skill can be controlled by the user''s will.

    ______

    Kyle saw all the question marks in his stats and let out a sigh. The connection he made with the core after entering the Royal Academy couldn''t calcte his strength anymore. It had increased beyond what the could measure.

    "I need to find something stronger to calcte my strength."

    He got out of bed and stretched his body for a few minutes. His feet felt ticklish from the cold floor as he looked at himself. He was wearing a loose dress.

    Kyle nced around the room, which was filled with frozen furniture. It definitely wasn''t his house, and he couldn''t help but wonder why there was no one else around.

    He was practically buried in ice, but there was no healer to check his condition. Or did Nesis make them run away? In the distance, he noticed two doors. One of them seemed like it could be the way out, while the other one probably led to the bathroom.

    He approached one of the doors and tried to turn the handle, but it was frozen. So, he kicked the door and it flew open with a loud noise. Kyle stepped into the bathroom, only to find everythingpletely frozen.

    "No worries, I have got a water-type skill."

    He quickly tossed his shirt aside and cleaned himself while controlling the floating water around him. Kyle wiped the ice off the wide golden-framed mirror hanging in front of him and stared at his reflection without blinking.

    "Oh, my hair isn''t silver anymore��it''s turned grey. I know now it''ll take some time for it to go back to its original color."

    Not to mention his eyes, well, instead of dimming, they were shining with an even brighter green color, almost like emerald gems.

 Chapter 381 There’s a supreme being sleeping inside

    <h4>Chapter 381 There''s a supreme being sleeping inside</h4>

    Kyle sighed and grabbed a new set of clothes and a pair of shoes from his mind space. Soon, he walked out of the frozen room and stood in the empty corridor, in a suit made of soft fabric in a rich shade of midnight blue.

    The suit jacket fit him perfectly, hugging his broad shoulders, while the impably tailored trousers draped elegantly down to his shoes. The color of the suit beautifullyplemented his skin tone and his bright green eyes.

    It was such a serene and beautiful sight, but everything changed when Kyle let out a curse and looked around in frustration.

    "Why am I all alone in this huge ce? Did everyone forget about me because of the situation?"

    He quickly walked away from the corridor, which was covered in a thinyer of ice. The ice must havee from the room where he regained consciousness.

    Kyle noticed a nearby window and decided to jump out instead of aimlessly walking in this vast, empty ce.

    His body stumbled a bit since he hadn''t used his mana for months, but he quickly regained his bnce mid-air and looked around. Instantly, arge garden entered his sight surrounded by towering walls, but all the nts and greenery in the garden had withered.

    There was no sign of a fight, though. Only after a few seconds, he knew he was inside Kingdom Ete Royal Castle. He had visited this ce once before, so he remembered the familiaryout.

    Suddenly, a loud metallic noise echoed in a faraway ce. Kyle raised his head and saw a cloud of smoke rising in the sky. It seemed like someone was fighting. His ears twitched a little when he heard many faint noises mixed with the metallic sound.

    He furrowed his brows and activated his scent perception skill to check if there were any humans nearby. To his relief, he sensed two presences in front of the castle gate.

    Kyle blinked and vanished. In the next second, he appeared above two weak-looking humans wearing armor simr to guards and holding weapons.

    However, before Kyle could speak, one of the guards looking in the direction of the metallic sound let out a high-pitched noise. Then, he roughly grabbed the calm guard next to him and shook him with a tear-filled face.

    "Why? Why are we stationed here? I don''t want to die! I want to go see my grandma!"

    The other guard, who was being shaken back and forth, looked at him with narrowed eyes. He pped the crying guard''s hand away.

    "Don''t worry, you won''t die. This ce is the safest, even safer than the newly formed Continent."

    The crying guard, who had just started his duty today after arriving here through the teleportation array in the castle, stared at his fellow in disbelief.

    "There''s definitely a fight happening in the distance, can''t you hear the noise? We''re going to die! We''re in the middle of a Kingdom that has been conquered by the enemies! Do you think they''ll overlook this huge Castle?"

    The other guard clicked his tongue and grabbed the crying guard''s shoulder, leaning in to whisper in his ear.

    "Listen,d, the pay is good. You and I both know the whole is in danger, but do you know why this majestic Castle has survived for so long? It''s like it doesn''t even exist. Let me give you some insider information. I heard it from the young guardian Jian who visited a few months ago."

    He grabbed the crying guard''s face and forcefully made him look at the majestic Castle behind them.

    "This ce... it''s even more dangerous than the enemies attacking us. Do you know why? Because there''s a supreme being sleeping inside. So, even if everything else gets destroyed, this ce will never be attacked. I''ve been here for two months, and not a single person hase to try and attack the castle! Do you think I would lie?"

    The crying guard blinked, and as he processed the words, a stunned expression appeared on his face. He quickly realized that even though the fight was happening nearby for a while, they were still safe and sound. He looked at his partner and nodded solemnly. So, that''s how it was.

    Little did they know that the same ''supreme being'' they were talking about was floating above their heads.

    Kyle''s eyebrows twitched violently, and a speechless expression appeared on his face.

    "Damn Jian, what rumors did you spread about me to make these people stay in such a dangerous ce? And a new Continent has formed? I just slept for a few months, how could things change so much?"

    The guards looked up when they heard a faint voice, but the owner had already vanished before they could spot him. All they felt was a fleeting cold breeze that passed by their heads.

    Kyle appeared above the ce where he heard the metallic sounds. He gazed down and saw a round stage set up in the middle of countless ruined buildings.

    On the stage, two individuals with scaly lizard-like skin, pointy ears, and long tails were locked in an intense spar. They were dressed in tight outfits that covered their entire bodies. Around the stage, there was a crowd of people who looked just like them. They were all standing, cheering, and cing bets on who woulde out as the winner.

    Kyle narrowed his eyes and noticed the ck petal engraved in the middle of each individual''s forehead.

    ''I remember the people Alec, Jian, and the others were fighting against also had simr petals in the middle of their foreheads. So, these people belong to the enemy side? I have to admit they are rather... ugly.''

    In the center of the audience, there was a luxurious chair draped with blue curtains. Sitting on top of that chair was a female with the same lizard-like scales all over her body, and she had a big grin on her face. However, unlike the others, she had two petals right in the center of her forehead.

    At first, Kyle didn''t see anything wrong, but his eyes chilled when he saw a few chained humans in tattered clothes being dragged toward the stage. The female sitting on the luxurious chair stood up and announced that the winner would get to have the humans as their ves.

    Kyle''s face turned cold as he watched the three females and two males being dragged toward the stage. He cracked his knuckles with a smile that didn''t reach his eyes.

    "It looks like I need to start the cleanup. Anyway, I need to make my body morefortable for intense movements, so these people can be a good warm-up."

    Instantly, everything around him went silent, and ayer of ice emerged from the air,pletely engulfing the stage and the cheering crowd.

    The lizard-like woman stood up from her chair when she saw ice kes falling from the sky.

    "What''s happening? The sky is clear with a burning sun. So where did the snowe from?"

    Not just her, but the chained humans and everyone in the crowd stared at the beautiful ice kes. However, their eyes widened when, with a loud bang, a massive icy structure descended upon them from above.

    Kyle looked at the ice domain he created and felt its strength. It had be much stronger, especially its ability topletely seal off an area from the outside space.

    He disappeared, and then reappeared on the stage, capturing everyone''s attention. The duo fighting on the stage and the lizard-like woman, who had just stood up from her chair, looked at him with a cautious expression. She immediatelymanded her minions to attack the person who had dared toe here.

    However, only after a few seconds, countless pained cries filled the air inside the icy structure that didn''t even flinch from its ce. The chained humans watched as the strange grey-haired man in a blue suit effortlessly crushed everyone around him almost effortlessly.

 Chapter 382 Is it Kyle?

    Chapter 382 Is it Kyle?

    A freshly built colossal border encircles a vast expanse, stretching as far as the eye can see. Many individuals are overseeing the construction in various areas of the new continent, Coexis.

    Despite being in the same location as the former Central Continent, the new continent still needs a lot of work. So, those who sought safety could adapt to this new space.

    Not to mention, the people who lost their loved ones or those who left their families behind. The grief still lingers, and many are mourning. However, all the races havee together, knowing that they must unite and fight back against the enemies, for Coexis is theirst hope. Because if they don''t, no one will survive.

    The border is made up of towering walls adorned with intricate carvings and symbols. These symbols are used to activate thergest array around the continent. However, the array was deactivated after the big attack the continent experiencedst month. Strangely, Diora, Hay, and the army under theirmand have quieted down for some reason.

    But everyone knows the duo might be getting ready for the ultimate attack that could wipe out the''sst hopepletely.

    That''s why all around the border, many individuals, young and old, adorned in heavy armor, were stationed. The entrances of the continent were strictly guarded to ensure no enemies would enter.

    On the eastern side of the border, the air was filled with a lot of metallic noises. A few familiar faces were facing off against the monsters emerging from the forest, surrounded by many men in armor. However, the monsters, for some strange reason, were too aggressive.

    Sinon furrowed his brows and gazed up at the sky, or rather, he fixated his gaze on the magnificent fire phoenix. Bia''s vibrant feathers were aze as she gracefully hovered in the air.

    "Bia! If you''ve managed to recover your mana, could you please make the remaining monsters retreat? I''m feeling exhausted, and I''m sure the others are too."

    The phoenix looked down, and the crimson mes around her body danced and flickered.

    -"I need more time. The monsters are getting more aggressive, and it''s getting hard for me to control them. It''s like they''repletely losing their minds, and the monster lord''s authority isn''t working."

    Mia, who was floating above the border, gazed at the phoenix with a soft expression.

    "Don''t worry, if you''re tired, leave it to me."

    She raised her hand and formed intricate patterns, like fiery ribbons swirling in the air. Before long, arge mouth made of air and fire opened up and swallowed a bunch of monsters. The monsters cried out in pain as the air currents around them wreaked havoc on their bodies.

    Bia stared at the beautiful woman and quickly joined her side.

    -"Where are the others? Are they still trying to summon the guardians of the tower of opportunity? I don''t think it will work. We''ve wasted too many resources, and we can''t evenmunicate with the people inside the tower."

    Mia softly caressed Bia''s head. She knew they didn''t have any option. Just recently, Alec informed everyone about the true strength of the otherworldly ranks that surpassed what they believed was the strongest. The man had suddenly offered that they should summon the guardians inside the tower for assistance, but they were unable tomunicate with them.

    "No, they came back after another failed attempt. Right now, they''re selecting talented youths who should enter the special training program open to all races. We have plenty of resources, thanks to the old dwarf who left behind a bag filled with countless treasures. We''ve also harvested the earthyer that Kyle found in the dark forest. It''s better to use them in the right ce... After all, who knows how long we can keep fighting, right?"

    Bia fell silent upon hearing Kyle''s name. Mia noticed her somber expression and tried tofort her by gently rubbing the phoenix''s head. However, Bia abruptly raised her head high, staring off into the distance with narrowed eyes.

    Mia saw the distraction in her eyes and looked at her with concern. It had taken a lot of effort from both her and Yue to calm the phoenix, so she didn''t want to see Bia in the same state again.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Bia hesitated for a moment before finally responding.

    -"Nothing... it''s just..."

    She trailed off and swallowed her next words.

    -''I just felt like someone tried to sense my presence... is it Kyle?''

    Bia let out a sigh and shook her head before joining the fight with Sinon and Regius. Neon and Ray were also fighting alongside the duo.

    The two brothers decided to stay near the border because it was the closest ce to the castle where Kyle was sleeping.

    Unlike them, Baron Ohan insisted on staying with his son after seeing Kyle''s condition. However, after only a month, the old man fainted due to stress, so they had to persuade him to stay in a safe ce.

    ..... n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Bia''s senses didn''t fail her, Kyle did try to sense her. He stood beside the countless glimmering ice statues that turned into particles and drifted off in the air.

    Kyle gazed at the chained humans who were trembling in a corner. Maybe it was due to the cold or maybe it was because of what they had just witnessed. He sighed, and blue mes crawled up the chains around the humans. The three females and two males were startled, but the mes didn''t harm them. Instead, the chains around their bodies turned into bright particles.

    They blinked at each other, but when they turned around, the grey-haired human who saved them had already vanished into thin air. The humans all came together and hurriedly headed towards the royal castle, the one that was announced to be the safest spot in the ruined Kingdom. Moreover, right now, the castle was the only ce with a teleportation array, so they could only escape this dangerous area through the castle.

 Chapter 383 Do you need help

    Chapter 383 Do you need help

    Kyle traveled through the ruined ce that was once called Kingdom Ete. He killed many groups of people with ck petals engraved on their foreheads. But no one will ever find any proof of what he did because he wiped away all the traces of the fights using his mes.

    After some time, he eventually reached the huge border that stretched across the vast area. He nced at the crowd of people - humans, elves, demi-humans, and a few dwarfs - all trying to enter through the border gates that appeared recently constructed and joined them.

    Kyle followed the crowd, but the guards at the gates didn''t even ask for his name. They just checked his body for any ck petal markings using a gem-like artifact that was crafted by a skilled dwarf. After confirming he was clear, they allowed him to pass through the gates along with many others.

    He would be lying if he said he wasn''t shaken after seeing the state of the East Continent... No, now there was no East Continent anymore. Now, there was just one continent, Coexis.

    He wandered through the streets, looking at the many people who, like him, seemed lost. They must have recently arrived and were searching for a ce to settle.

    Kyle let out a sigh, but then a five-year-old boy tugged at his shirt. The kid blinked at him, and Kyle''s eyes traveled to the old wooden sword in thetter hand.

    "Hey, big brother, you look strong. Can you help me find my parents? I got lost, and I don''t know where they are..."

    Kyle stared at the kid, who offered him the old wooden sword.

    "You can take this... okay."

    Kyle looked at the sword and took a deep breath. He bent down and pushed back the little hand before looking into those innocent eyes with a faint smile.

    "There''s no need, but would you like toe with me? I''ll see if I can find your parents."

    The little boy looked at him but didn''t agree. After all, he shouldn''t follow strangers, right? But for some reason, he was drawn to Kyle. So, he nodded his head after careful consideration.

    Kyle scooped up the kid and started floating. At first, the little boy got a little freaked out, but after a minute, he settled down and began taking in the breathtaking scenery with a look of pure amazement on his face.

    Kyle''s eyes gleamed as he sensed the air around him. He could smell a few scents on the kid''s body and among all the people, he tried to find thetter''s family. His grip on the kid tightened when the thought that maybe thetter''s parents had passed away crossed his mind. But he sighed with relief when he caught a familiar scent.

    Hended behind the worried couple who had been looking for their son, and set the little kid down before telling thetter to go toward his parents. The kid blinked at Kyle, smiled, and said thank you. Then, he dashed off toward his parents.

    Kyle stared at the disappearing figure, but just as he was about to go, he heard some cheering and noticed a small crowd gathered on the street. He walked over to the crowd and looked in the same direction as everyone else, only to see a group of elves dressed in elegant clothes, flying in the sky. His eyes paused when he saw a familiar face among the elves.

    Yue wore a long, flowing white skirt with intricate golden patterns engraved on it. She also had a silver crown adorning her head. Kyle stared at the elf but blinked when he overheard someone in the crowd saying that she had been crowned as the new elven Queen.

    He also heard that the elves were heading towards the western side, where a strange monster had suddenly started banging its head against the border walls. Maybe Kyle''s gaze was too intense because the elf suddenly stopped in her tracks. She looked back at the crowd, and Kyle flinched when their eyes met.

    Yue stared at him, but she jolted when someone from behind asked her what happened. She raised her finger and pointed towards the crowd, but then hesitated when she didn''t spot the same face again. She took a deep breath like she was trying to steady herself.

    ''No way... I couldn''t have been mistaken.''

    She wanted tond in the middle of the crowd to check things out, but Anlee, the elf who was flying behind her, urged her to keep going. Yue snapped at the man. The border wasn''t crumbling, couldn''t he wait for a few seconds? Anlee went quiet, and she turned around to fly in the opposite direction.

    "Once I''m done here, I''ll go check on him." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    She arrived above the border with all the other elves, but apart from Anlee, there wasn''t a single familiar face with her. Regius and the others were busy on the eastern side of the border, so she couldn''t call them here. Lara and Carcel were with her a few days ago, but they went with Alec to once again try to summon the guardians of the tower of opportunity.

    Yue took a deep breath when she spotted the hideous monster with threerge tails ruthlessly attacking the border. Also, the monster wasn''t alone. There were many simr, albeit shorter, monsters howling around it.

    She gazed at Anlee and the other elves behind her with knitted brows.

    "Did the people examining the monsters'' bodies figure out what''s wrong with them? This is already the sixth time this month-!"

    She stopped when she heard a familiar voice beside her.

    "Do you need help?"

    Her eyes trembled a little, and she quickly turned her head towards the voice. The other elves were a bit confused, but like Yue, Anlee''s eyes also widened in shock. How long had it been since hest saw this man? Even though his hair had lost its silver shine, how could Anlee not recognize the face that appeared in front of him?

 Chapter 384 What about Nine?

    Chapter 384 What about Nine?

    Kyle halted in his spot as a pair of arms wrapped tightly around his neck, pulling him into a tight embrace. But his initial surprise quickly transformed into a soft sigh. He hesitated for a split second, before wrapping his arm around Yue''s waist. Kyle noticed with a hum that Yue''s body felt warm against his cold one.

    The elves floating behind Anlee stared at the scene, their jaws dropping in disbelief. They couldn''t believe their eyes as they witnessed their beautiful Queen, who had always been so graceful andposed, embracing someone else in front of so many eyes.

    Anlee let out a faint chuckle and shook his head. He knew Kyle didn''t particrly like him. After all, he had observed the kid before and noticed that Kyle tended to hold grudges. Yet, he couldn''t help but smile at the scene unfolding before him.

    ''Kyle may not be the strongest, but he is strong. It''s good to have a connection with him, especially in such a dangerous situation...''

    Yue paused when she finally realized what she had done in front of all those people. She blinked, once, twice, and slowly, wanted to back away, but the arm around her waist tightened. Her grip on Kyle''s neck loosened... the moment she saw him, she couldn''t hold back and just wanted to touch him to make sure he was really there.

    She tilted her head back and raised her eyes, only to find a pair of bright green eyes staring right at her.

    Kyle smiled, but he noticed the slight moisture in her eyes. He tapped her nose with his finger. Despite not exchanging words, he understood that she had gone through a lot. It wasn''t just Yue, but all of his friends. They had gone through a lot during his absence.

    "So, do you need help?"

    Yue blinked and opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. The arm around her waist held her tightly, and she felt the familiar cold sensation on her skin, but it didn''t feel bad.

    Suddenly, a loud bang echoed beneath them, and Kyle looked down at therge three-tailed monster that had just disturbed him. Yue noticed the faint annoyance in his eyes and blinked once again, unsure if he was the same person who barely talked to her before.

    Kyle furrowed his brow as he sensed the monster''s rank. It was only an (SS+)-Rank, but the numerous monsters surrounding it were a bit troublesome, just a bit though. He finally let go of her waist, and the beautiful elf floated back a bit to create some distance between them.

    "I know you don''t need help, but just give me a moment..."

    Yue looked at him, but he disappeared suddenly. She couldn''t help but touch her nose, feeling the lingering cold sensation. All the elves floating behind Anlee gasped at the figure that suddenly appeared above the three-tailed monster. Then, they frowned because how could one person defeat so many monsters?

    That''s why they wanted the queen to join because they knew they all together couldn''t handle it. After all, recently the monsters have gone crazy and gotten even more aggressive. But what happened next left them stunned. Even Anlee was shocked to see that instead of getting weaker, Kyle had gotten stronger... not just a little, but a lot stronger.

    Kyle looked at the monsters, and instantly, the (SS+)-Rank monster leaped out to attack him. But instead of fighting back, blue mes emerged out of thin air and scattered in all directions, covering everything around him.

    All the monsters near the mes cried out, but Kyle frowned when he saw that instead of retreating, they actually jumped toward the border even more furiously.

    ''There''s something wrong with them... I know low-rank monstersck intelligence, but they all retreat if faced with death.''

    He looked at the howling three-tailed monster, and suddenly, countless ice spears appeared in the air. The spears shot out and pierced the monster''s massive body from all directions. Kyle nced around and all the low-rank monsters around him froze into glistening statues when the flickering blue mes touched them.

    After just a few minutes, the battle that would have probably taken hours to finish was over. The air was filled with bright particles, floating away with the breeze.

    Kyle appeared beside Yue, who had a faint smile on her face. The elves standing behind Anlee stared at him with shocked and wary eyes. But they were d to have another strong person to protect them. Kyle ignored their presence as if they didn''t exist and focused on Yue. He needed to know the situation before taking any action. He couldn''t fight the enemies alone in a full-blown war, right? n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Yue led him to the nearest resting ce, and they sat face to face. She began telling him about what was happening on the Continent. Alec, Jian, and Carcel were trying to call the guardians from the tower of opportunity because the enemies suddenly quieted downst month. She wanted to tell Kyle about the power structure above (SSS+)-Rank, but to her surprise, he already knew about all of that.

    "I think Diora and herpanion Hay have already reached the Divine rank. Last time they attacked, they just watched from a distance as their army fought against us."

    Kyle listened attentively. He asked about Bia, only to find out that the phoenix is currently fighting alongside Mia near the human Kingdom.

    Yue hesitated as she spoke her next words.

    "King Istalian... the current King of the human Kingdom asked Bia for her blood. I don''t know why, but he gave her a lot of resources in return."

    Kyle furrowed his brow. Bia was influenced by his bloodline, which is why the phoenix''s talent increased to the divine rank.

    ''Does she have divine energy in her body?''

    The celestial essence inside him had only given Bia a small boost in her talent. She''s still far from reaching the true divine rank.

    ''Maybe, like me, she also has a little bit of divine energy in her body even before reaching the true divine rank.''

    But regardless, why on earth did Istalian want Bia''s blood? Kyle mentally marked the man, even though he politely asked Bia for blood in exchange for resources. It could be because Bia got strong, and now Istalian can''t easily mess with her. Not to mention the dark shadow Kyle saw with Istalian.

    After talking for a while, Kyle finally asked the question he had been wanting to ask.

    "What about Nine? And the Sea Continent? You haven''t mentioned anything about them?"

 Chapter 385 Your little companion still remembers me

    <h4>Chapter 385 Your littlepanion still remembers me</h4>

    Kyle''s face turned serious when he found out that the Sea Continent sealed itself off as soon as the shield guarding the shattered into countless fragments. And Nine... Yue only knew that Nine passed out after asking Ray and Neon to rescue Kyle. Later, an old man from the Sea Continent took Nine''s unconscious body away.

    Since then, Nine hasn''t been in touch with anyone. Kyle asked about his family and Han and sighed because they were all okay. However, Retric and all the Kings, along with many older individuals from the former east Continent, passed away in battle.

    Yue looked at the man in front of her, nervously ying with her fingers. She wasn''t sure if she should tell him about the artifacts she had.

    Suddenly, the silence was shattered by a little crying from behind Kyle. He turned around and saw a familiar Lynx restingfortably in Anlee''s hands. As soon as the Lynx spotted Yue, it yawned, jumped down from Anlee''s arms, and quickly climbed up Yue''s legs to rub its head against her hand.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed as he locked gazes with the Lynx. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, until the Lynx let out a scared purr and tried to hide itself in Yue''s arms. But before it could, Kyle reached over and grabbed it by the neck.

    "Oh, it seems your littlepanion still remembers me, huh?"

    The Lynx wanted to struggle and escape from the grasp of the person who had once tried to cook it, but it sensed Yue''s emotions. She was happy after such a long time. That''s why it stopped struggling and allowed Kyle to do whatever he wanted. But the way its scales drooped and its pale blue eyes filled with devastation indicated its dejected mood.

    Yue couldn''t help but giggle, and Kyle looked up at her. She quickly took the Lynx from his grasp.

    "Don''t bully Nox, he''s been working hard to get strong so he can be with me all the time. He can increase his size like Bia, but he''s still quite weak."

    Kyle hummed and stared at the Lynx, feeling an unexinable dislike towards the creature. It would have been much better if Yue had just cooked it into a delicious dish.

    As if sensing Kyle''s thoughts, Nox shuddered and quickly leaped away from Yue, scurrying back towards Anlee, who stood in a corner with two other elves.

    Kyle looked away from the monster and locked eyes with Yue. He drew a symbol, and a faint, transparent barrier appeared around them. Then, he ced a ss vial on the table between them.

    The vial contained a single droplet of gleaming golden liquid, shimmering brightly. Yue stared at the vial, unsure of what it was, but Kyle''s next words left her stunned.

    "It''s divine essence. I can sense that you''ve reached the (SSS+)-Rank. I don''t know how you surpassed your talent to achieve a higher rank... and I won''t ask if you don''t want to share. We all have our secrets."

    He pushed the vial toward the beautiful woman sitting in front of him.

    "Normally, it would take you a lot of time and effort to reach the pseudo-divine rank. But with so many dangerous enemies around us, we don''t have that much time. So, increase your strength."

    Yue hesitated, unsure if she should take the vial. It was too valuable, and Kyle seemed to be giving it to her so easily. She was touched, but her thoughts were interrupted when Kyle ced more simr vials on the table as if he had just bought them in bulk from a nearby market. Her eyebrow twitched, but she cleared her throat and kept her thoughts to herself.

    Kyle stood up from the chair and looked at Yue with a serious expression.

    "Give one to each of them, Alec, Lara, Mia, Carcel, Regius, Sinon."

    "I believe all of them, just like you, have reached the peak of their talent. It doesn''t matter what their talent is... I''m just giving them a chance to reach the pseudo divine rank."

    Then, two blooming crimson flowers appeared above his palm. The flowers trembled slightly, surrounded by a faint fire, as he ced them on the table.

    "Give these to Jian and Bia. They both have a lot of fire based skills, so I think the duo would be a perfect fit to consume the flowers. It will help them enter the Ascendant state. After that, just like the others, it''s up to them if they can reach the pseudo divine rank."

    Kyle''s heart ached a little as he gazed at the flowers. He had been chased by a horde of fire eagles in the secret realm after stealing the flowers, but now he was just giving them away. He rubbed his chest gently to calm his emotions.

    "Yue, make sure to remind them that the divine essence and the scarlet flowers are very expensive... No, they can''t buy them with money! They should be grateful!"

    Yue chuckled and got up from her seat. The corners of her eyes lifted with amusement. She couldn''t believe Kyle was entrusting her with such an important task. Does that mean hepletely trusts her? She quickly closed the distance between them and crossed her arms over her chest.

    "What about you? Don''t you want to give this all to them yourself?"

    Kyle tilted his head and surprised her by lowering his head slightly to meet her gaze.

    "You give it to them and tell them to get ready. If the enemies are being quiet, we''ll attack first this time... and not just attack, butpletely wipe them off this."

    Another veil with a golden droplet appeared in his hand, and he let out a faint smirk.

    "As for me... Well, I just remember in the secret realm, Nine asked me for the divine essence. So, I am heading to the Sea Continent. First, to meet my friend who can see the future because he knew what was going to happen, even before I went into aa. Second, to see how long the merpeople can hide underwater..."

    He paused for a second, and the smirk ying on his lips grew wider.

    "... when everything around them starts to freeze into ice."

 Chapter 386 I declare today a holiday

    <h4>Chapter 386 I dere today a holiday</h4>

    Yue stared at the face that was too close to hers and took a step back. The tips of her ears turned red because Kyle had been behaving too differently from before.

    Yet, she couldn''t help but notice the smile on his lips and let out a smile as well. She had not smiled since her father passed away, but his presence alone brought a smile to her face. She flinched a little when Kyle took a step forward and held out his hand.

    "Give me a newmunication crystal so we can stay in touch."

    Yue blinked and took out amunication crystal from her storage ring before cing it in his hand. Kyle tossed the crystal in his mind space, then suddenly raised his hand and touched her nose with his finger. Her skin felt warm, just as always, and he had to say that he didn''t dislike the feeling.

    "Okay, I am leaving for now..."

    He wanted to say more, but well, he wasn''t much of a talker to begin with, so he just stopped there. His body hovered in the room, and after ncing at Yue onest time, he vanished from the room.

    Yue blinked and stared at the ce where he vanished. She would be lying if she said she wasn''t caught off guard when he suddenly touched her nose out of nowhere.

    ''Did he just smile at me before leaving? It seems like he''s finally ready to take a step forward toward me...''

    But her smile faded as she thought about the ce she had to leave for soon.

    ''Ah... now that he''s ready, I can''t stay. I want to tell him, but the words just won''te out. What if that woman who wants me to go with her harmed him?''

    Yue waved her hand and ced the vials and flowers on the table into her storage ring. Anlee approached her, the man wasn''t able to hear what the two of them talked about after Kyle built the barrier, but he noticed the flowers and vials.

    But instead of responding, Yue started to float. She looked at the elves, her previous soft expression turning distant.

    "I''m leaving for a bit. Make sure to protect the people from the monsters while I''m away."

    Anlee wanted to know more, but she left without saying anything else.

    .....

    However, even before Yue could tell the others about Kyle, news of a powerful grey-haired and green-eyed man mercilessly killing hundreds of people within just a few minutes spread like wildfire in the newly built human Kingdom. This was thanks to the few humans that Kyle had saved.

    The humans described the details of the grey-haired man to the two guards stationed in front of the royal castle, where Kyle was supposed to be lying unconscious. The guards were stunned, and the one who called Kyle the supreme being instantly rushed into the royal castle and checked the icy room, only to find it empty. The guard took a deep breath and shouted.

    "The supreme being has woken up!"

    He immediately took out amunication crystal to contact Jian. After all, the young guardian had strictly asked to be informed the moment there was any sign of movement inside the castle. And now, the person he was supposed to keep an eye on had vanishedpletely.

    ....

    Jian sat atop a boulder, observing the numerous youngsters standing in neat rows before him. He wasn''t the only one looking at them, though. Several elderly individuals, including King Istalian, Alec, Lara, and Carcel, floated behind him. Jian, Alec, Carcel, Lara, and Istalian had arrived here after yet another failed attempt to summon the guardians of the tower of opportunity for assistance.

    Now, after selecting countless capable individuals who will undergo intense training under the guidance of powerful elders from each race, they were all giving words of encouragement to the youngsters.

    Jian wore an annoyed expression on his face. He could neverprehend the mindset of the older generation. Despite the dangerous circumstances they found themselves in, the elders insisted on nurturing new talents.

    He scoffed inwardly.

    ''I feel like the would be no more when these young people actually reach a high enough rank to fight alongside us...''

    Jian''s mood soured with each passing second, prompting Alec to shoot him a re. The blue-haired man secretly gestured for him to stand up and offer some words of encouragement to the youngsters. After all, Jian was among the people who were crowned as the guardians of the new Continent Coexis.

    Reluctantly, Jian rose to his feet and cast his gaze over the countless youngsters, including elves, dwarfs, demi-humans, and humans, standing before him. He then turned his attention to the setting sun, before looking at the wooden walls encircling the vast grassy field.

    Jian took his sweet time to float in front of the countless youngsters, who all looked up to him with awe and respect. Alec grumbled a bit and shot him a re, hoping he would just wrap up his part without any more drama. But the red-haired man brushed off his re and cleared his throat.

    "So, I believe you all know I''m Jian. The most powerful person in this Continent."

    Alec and Carcel rolled their eyes. The duo almost wanted to say they had no rtionship with this shameless man.

    However, amidst the speechless looks he was getting, Jian didn''t even flinch and continued with thick skin.

    "I''m the guardian who has not ced any hope on you all... after all-!"

    His sentence got interrupted when something buzzed in his storage ring.

    "Jeez, who is it now? Don''t they know I''m a busy person and my time is precious?"

    He waved at the rows of people standing in front of him.

    "Hold on a sec, kids. Let me check who''s contacting me first."

    Alec was about to go and knock some sense into him, but Jian ignored everyone and took out themunication crystal.

    He listened to the voice that came from themunication crystal, and after a minute, his eyes widened with shock. But the shock quickly turned into a boisterousughter that echoed in all directions. Alec and everyone around Jian looked at him with surprise. It''s been a while since they''ve seen Jian smile so happily. But before anyone could ask him what happened, Jian raised his fist with a wide grin.

    "I dere today a holiday because the only person stronger than me has woken up!"

 Chapter 387 You’re not allowed to leave

    <h4>Chapter 387 You''re not allowed to leave</h4>

    Bia let out a chuckle, her eyes filled with fury.

    -"That bastard! So he woke up, huh? Yet, he didn''te to check if I''m alive or not?"

    Mia ced themunication crystal in her hand inside her storage ring and smiled at the furious phoenix. Bia huffed and stared off into the distance.

    -"Just let me see him again, I''m going to beat him up! How dare he... hold on a second... I''ll go search for him myself!"

    The phoenix soared in the sky with a powerful p of her wings, determined to find the person who had caused her so much worry in the past few months.

    She needed to see Kyle, to make sure he was really okay. But before she could leave the area, two (SS+)-Rank monsters leaped out from the forest. The monsters let out angry roars and red at the people around them with crazy eyes.

    In the next second, they jumped toward the crowd without any care for their lives. Bia stopped in her tracks and looked at Neon, Ray, Sinon, and the others before letting out a curse.

    -"I want to go find him, but I can''t leave everyone alone. The number of monsters is increasing with each passing second, and everyone''s already exhausted. If anyone copses while I''m gone, no one will be able to control the monsters."

    She looked at Mia and, afterining inside her head for the umpteenth time, decided to stay.

    -"I swear, the moment I see him, I want answers as to why he didn''te and meet me and his family first! And if he doesn''t have a good reason, well... hehe."

    Upon hearing her wickedughter, the people around the phoenix quickly moved away, creating some distance between them. However, amidst all the things the phoenix said, there was pure joy and happiness twinkling in her eyes.

    .....

    Completely clueless that a certain phoenix was fuming because he didn''t go to see her, Kyle paused above a vast expanse of glistening blue water.

    It stretched out as far as the eye could see, and the water shimmered under the dim glow of the sun.

    He jumped into the water and traveled deeper and deeper before pausing among the countless little fish swimming around him in a calm manner. However, he didn''t find any structures or any signs of the Sea Continent.

    ''It''s gonna take me a while to find the exact location of the Sea Continent...''

    Kyle clicked his tongue and traveled through the vast space. He spread out his scent perception skill in all directions and smelled the countless scents around him, but with so many small creatures around, it was getting hard to maintain the skill.

    He paused when a white fish with rectangr fins appeared above him.

    ''It''s quite big.''

    Strangely enough, the fish even had some symbols engraved on its skin, a peculiar sight indeed.

    Kyle watched the fish closely and got curious about the symbols. It''s not normal for an animal to have symbols on its body, so he knew it was unusual. He quietly followed the fish as it swam deeper into the water and raised his brow in surprise because the fish seemed to know where it was going. It effortlessly crossed through a bunch of different colored nts. But then, it disappeared.

    ''Huh?''

    He raised his hand and touched the spot where the fish disappeared, causing ripples to form in the water in front of him.

    ''Oh?''

    Kyle''s lips curled into a smile as he activated his scent perception skill and detected numerous scents in front of him. Along with various presences, he also caught whiffs of delicious aromas from well-cooked food and the faint scent of flowers.

    ''Looks like I found the ce I was looking for... rather easily.''

    .....

    Deep beneath the sea, encircling a colossal, glistening castle that is partially submerged in water, countless unique structures are crafted with a blend of natural materials. They include intricately woven seaweed, sturdy coral bricks, and delicate seashell ents.

    The Sea Continent isn''t the biggest because it only has one Kingdom belonging to the merpeople. Also, to remain hidden from outsiders, the entire continent is covered with a transparent shield, making it invisible to those on the outside.

    In stark contrast to the outside world, which is currently going through a major crisis, Kingdom Gylexia is bustling with lots of activities. There are lots of merpeople gliding through marketces with the help of their tails which are adorned with scales that glowed in the sunlight. So many of them are engaged in trading, while others are busy purchasing from the colorful stalls overflowing with sea nts, seashell jewelry, and clothes.

    The air carries the delightful scent of saltwater, and you can hear faintughter from the people inside the Kingdom. However, unlike the bustling atmosphere outside, a loud crashing sound echoed from one of the biggest rooms in the colossal castle at the center of the Kingdom.

    The curtains on one of the curved windows were lifted, revealing a luxurious room adorned with colorful chandeliers, beautiful artwork crafted from pieces of coral and sea ss, and driftwood furniture.

    A graceful middle-aged woman, wearing a long blue robe adorned with golden patterns, sat on a throne. She stared at the people standing in front of her with an angry expression, particrly the man with golden eyes resembling hers.

    "Nine! I told you that you''re not allowed to leave this ce! No means no! Can''t you understand? Or should I impose another house arrest on you?"

    Nine let out a chuckle, he wiped the blood trickling down his cheek with the back of his hand. He had a silver essory on one of his ears, and its strings flowed down, touching the white fitted jacket he wore over the loose grey trousers.

    No matter what, he could never believe that the woman in front of him was his mother. After all, which mother would throw a ss so hard at their child''s head? It''s a good thing he moved away in time, and only a shattered fragment grazed his cheek. Otherwise, he was sure he would have lost consciousness from the impact.

    He stared at Seraphine, who was standing beside the woman''s throne, and he had the urge to wipe the smile off her face. But he controlled himself because there were many people around.

    This was already the seventh time he was captured while trying to run away. The Kingdom didn''t want to help the people living on thend, so why couldn''t they just let him leave?

    The Queen closed her eyes and waved her hand at one of the middle-aged men standing behind Nine, telling him to take Nine back and lock him up in his room. She could have let Nine go, but by the time he woke up, the Sea Continent had already set up an array to iste itself from the outside world.

    Now, she couldn''t let him go, or else the risk of the Sea Continent''s location being revealed would be too high. The Queen looked at Seraphine and let out a sigh.

    "I could have made an exception and let him go... Is there a reason you want him to stay here so badly? Did you have another vision?"

    Seraphine blinked and shed a sweet smile. There''s no way she would spill the beans to the Queen that she was seeking revenge on Nine. After all, he left her all by herself in the secret realm when she wanted to join him. And let''s not forget, because of him, she had a not-so-great impression on Kyle.

    "No, mother, it''s dangerous outside. I''m just worried about my brother."

 Chapter 388 Did my words just come true

    Chapter 388 Did my words juste true

    Nine mmed the door of his room, fed up and frustrated.

    "That''s it, I can''t take it anymore! I''m going to try running away again!"

    He nced at his room and hurriedly approached the only window. But before he could jump out, an older figure appeared out of thin air and stared at him with deep eyes.

    Nine chuckled, a vein throbbing on his forehead. He really wanted to smash every piece of furniture in his room, but he knew he wouldn''t get new ones because of Seraphine. So, he resisted the temptation.

    "I just hope... some gigantic sea creatures appear out of nowhere and break the shield around the Kingdom, so I have a chance to escape-!" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Before he could finish his sentence, a piercing cry echoed outside the castle. The old man guarding his window stared at the transparent shield surrounding the Continent with wide eyes. One cry turned into two, and when Nine looked out, he couldn''t help but curse in shock.

    "Did my words juste true? No way, I never knew my words had so much power!"

    The man guarding his window had already started floating, so Nine jumped out and watched the scene. Countless people in the Kingdom screamed as the transparent shield hovering around the entire Continent began to crack.

    A lot of older merpeople, including the Queen, came out of the Castle and were shouting because they couldn''t believe what was happening. How could the shield that had been glowing so brightly around them for so many years suddenly crack?

    But then, everyone froze when ice kes started falling from the sky. The Queen reached out to touch one and it melted on her finger. But when she looked up again, the cracked shield shattered into countless pieces, like weak ss.

    The phenomenon was just like what happened in the outside world, but now it''s happening right here on her Continent, right in front of her own two eyes.

    "No way..."

    She muttered and yelled at the people around her to move, to do something. They all rushed towards the spot where the shield symbols were engraved, but they knew it was toote.

    The shield around the Continent was already shattered. Now they have to deal with a swarm of sea creatures flooding into the Kingdom from all directions for at least a year until they rebuild the barrier. And to make matters worse, the invisibility barrier that hid the Kingdom''s location also disappeared with the shield.

    At a distance, far away from the chaotic mess, Kyle blinked as he looked at the cracked symbols in front of him. He swore he just wanted to scare the merpeople a little by spreading his Ice Domain above the shield, but who could have guessed that the symbols forming the shield would be so weak and crack so easily?

    No way, it wasn''t his fault at all. He quietly left the location before anyone could find him. It was lucky that not all merpeople were in their original form, at least half of them were floating around with legs, so he easily escaped the crime scene. But while gliding through the panicked individuals, he noticed a familiar figure floating in the water.

    Nine''s lips were twitching violently as he watched the scene around him, with mirth dancing in his eyes. He even had the nerve to enjoy the ice kes falling everywhere.

    Kyle looked at Nine from head to toe, not sure what to make of it. The clothes Nine wore were way more luxurious than his own. He wanted to approach Nine, but before he could, thetter quietly started moving in the opposite direction.

    Kyle watched as Nine took advantage of the panicked crowd andnded between the many buildings. Then, Nine quickly went towards one of the smaller buildings and entered without a care. Kyle raised an eyebrow because the building turned out to be hollow inside, with only arge array drawn in the center.

    Nine scattered mana stones on the array like a skilled person before stopping in the center, maybe waiting to teleport away. But even after a minute, nothing happened. He stared at the array beneath him with wide eyes.

    "What''s wrong with this array now? Thest time I checked, it was working perfectly!"

    Kyle couldn''t help but let out a little chuckle when he saw how Nine, who didn''t know anything about arrays, tried to start the teleportation array but failed, even after many attempts.

    He wasn''t hiding or anything, he was standing right in front of the door that Nine came in from. However, the brown-haired man was so focused on the array that he didn''t even notice Kyle''s presence.

    So, Kyle cleared his throat and spoke up, albeit slowly, but due to the enclosed space, his voice echoed loudly in the air.

    "The array needs more mana stones, I guess."

    Nine''s eyes widened with realization.

    "Yeah, right! Thank-? Huh?"

    Only then did he snap his eyes up and stare at the ce where the voice came from. Nine blinked when he saw Kyle standing in front of him.

    "Kyle...?"

    Kyle smiled and stepped onto the array.

    "Of course, who else? How have you been?"

    Nine closed his eyes for a second and then broke out into a huge smile.

    "You bastard... do you even know how worried I was?"

    He was really worried because he did not even get a chance to see Kyle before he was taken back to the Kingdom. He stood up and wanted to hug Kyle but stopped when it dawned on him.

    "Hold on a second, it was you who broke the shield around the Continent, right?"

    Kyle blinked innocently as if he had no idea what thetter was talking about.

    "What shield?"

    Nine burst out intoughter and punched his chest.

    "Don''t worry, I don''t really care about this ce. Plus, the Queen has enough resources to build the shield again."

    Kyle nodded and let out a relieved sigh. Nineughed at his face and shook his head before scattering more mana stones on the array.

    "Let''s leave before anyone notices my absence... I also need to go check on my girlfriend. I haven''t been able to contact her since I arrived here."

 Chapter 389 Is it really that painful

    Chapter 389 Is it really that painful

    Nine gasped as the harsh air entered his lungs. He looked down at the vast expanse of shimmering water below him and couldn''t help but chuckle.

    Kyle appeared beside him, and his eyebrow twitched violently when he realized that they had teleported above the Sea Continent, only outside the water.

    "You should have told me that the teleportation array wasn''t long distance. I could have just drawn a portal and teleported us directly ontond."

    Nine raised his eyebrow with a smirk.

    "That array is really expensive. I paid an old man to draw it so I can leave the Sea whenever I want."

    He took an exaggerated breath.

    "The air outside sucks, but at least it''s..."

    ''... not suffocating.''

    Nine didn''t finish his sentence and grinned at Kyle.

    "Well, I kind of knew that you would find out through Bia... your little spy. But how long have you known that I''m not human?"

    Kyle blinked.

    "Bia did tell me but I found out on my own even before she knew about it. Also, It''s been a long time, even before we entered the secret realm."

    Nine''s lips twitched, and Kyle''s next words made him smile dryly.

    "You can see the future, right? Or is it just a prediction skill?"

    Nine extended his hand and directed his finger towards his pale golden eyes, to show Kyle the delicate thread encircling his pupils.

    "It''s something we inherited from our ancestors. Not all merpeople have this unique skill. Currently, in the entire Sea Continent, only Seraphine, the Queen, and I possess it. It''s called the spiritual gaze."

    He let out a sigh, who could have guessed there woulde a time when he would share knowledge about the spiritual gaze with someone else without feeling threatened?

    "But mine is a lower-ranked one, so I have zero control over it. That''s why it sometimes gets activated when I directly touch someone''s skin. Since I met you and Alec, it has been activating more frequently. Just recently, an old man from my Kingdom examined me and warned that if the skill activates again... it could pose a threat to my life."

    Kyle listened intently, his brows furrowing because, despite Nine''s words, he still smiled.

    "Nine, catch!"

    Nine quickly reached out and caught the ss vial tossed to him. He looked at the shimmering golden droplet inside the vial and nced at Kyle.

    "What''s this?"

    "Divine essence... It''s thest vial, so be grateful I saved it for you."

    Nine raised an eyebrow in surprise and shook the vial.

    "Is this the same divine essence you found in the secret realm?"

    Kyle nodded, but only after a few seconds, Nine tossed the vial back to him and let out a sigh.

    "I don''t know how to use it. Plus, I have already reached the limit of my talent, so I don''t think it would be useful to me."

    However, Nine regretted throwing the vial back at Kyle the moment he heard what the divine essence was used for.

    Since Nine was taken back to the Sea Continent unconscious, he didn''t have any contact with anyone else and didn''t know what happened in his absence. So, he had no idea what the divine essence was used for. He only knew it was precious because Haylee emphasized its importance in the secret realm.

    Nine chuckled and with a quick and precise movement snatched the vial back from Kyle.

    "So, this little thing could help me reach a rank even higher than (SSS+)-Rank?"

    He fixed his gaze on the glittering golden droplet, suddenly finding it incredibly tempting.

    "I just need to consume this, right?"

    Nine opened the vial with excitement dancing in his eyes. But before he could toss the droplet into his mouth, Kyle grabbed his wrist with a solemn expression.

    "Nine, it''s not a guarantee that you''ll reach the pseudo-divine rank. Moreover, it''s going to be extremely painful... and after you enter the ascendant state you''ll only have a minute, maybe even less. Once the divine essence enters someone''s body, it needs an exit, or else the body will explode."

    Kyle paused for a moment.

    "But since you''ve reached the end of your talent, it wouldn''t endanger your life... just remember, it''s dangerous, and every second after consuming the divine essence is precious."

    Nine smiled, but instead of taking his time to think about whether he should consume the divine essence or not, he pulled his wrist away from Kyle''s hand and asked a very important question.

    "Have you experienced it yourself? Is it really that painful... Also, I have been meaning to ask, what''s your rank right now? Have you reached the..."

    Kyle shook his head.

    "No, not yet... but I can sense divine energy in my body. So, I believe I''ll naturally reach the pseudo-divine rank in a week. I just need a little push."

    Nine''s lips curled into a smirk.

    "So, if I reach the pseudo-divine rank, I''ll be stronger than you? How about we spar once I am done."

    Kyle rolled his eyes, observing the man in front of him. Well, he hoped that Nine would ovee the challenge. No, he believed that Nine could do it. The spiritual gaze Nine mentioned didn''t seem ordinary at all. It felt more like a dormant power within him. Otherwise, how could Nine see the future multiple times with just a low-rank skill?

    Nine took a deep breath and raised the vial, allowing the golden droplet to fall into his mouth. He furrowed his brow and tightly shut his eyes, preparing for the pain Kyle had mentioned. However, even after a few seconds, nothing happened. Slowly, he opened his eyes and cautiously touched his body with his hands. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Don''t tell me the divine essence isn''t working because I don''t feel anything-!"

    Before he could finish his sentence, a sharp, stinging pain pierced his abdomen.

    "Ah..."

    Nine clutched his stomach, his expression instantly turning pale. In the next second, he lost his bnce mid-air and plunged into the water. Kyle wanted to grab him, but he paused when amidst the pain Nine raised his hand to stop him.

    Soon, painful screams filled the air, and Kyle could only watch with a hard expression. He quickly grabbed a few healing potions from his mind space, ready to jump in, the moment Nine signaled. But then, a bright light encircled Nine''s lower body in a mesmerizing way.

 Chapter 390 The Ascendant state

    <h4>Chapter 390 The Ascendant state</h4>

    Nine could feel the essence coursing through his body, moving quickly and creating chaos as if searching for something within him.

    He had just consumed a droplet of divine essence. However, the impact has been devastating so far. It''s painful... that was thest thought in Nine''s mind when his vision blurred and everything around him turned into a haze. But he dug his nails into his palms to stay conscious, because he knew that the chance Kyle gave him would be hisst opportunity to gain a strength he could have never even imagined in his whole life.

    Nine didn''t even realize when he started to transform into his original form. He hardly ever used his tail because he just preferred having a pair of legs. Also, for some reason, he wasn''t as good with it as Seraphine and his other siblings.

    At first, the light around his lowered body was faint, but then it shone brightly before the sound of water around him quieted into hushed silence.

    As the sun''s gentle rays touched the calm water''s surface, Nine''s legs transformed into a tail, a beautiful shade of brown that seamlessly blended with the water. The tail narrowed to a faint golden shade at the end, but with each passing second, the golden shade deepened until his tail''s fins glowed with a radiant golden aura. Crystal-clear flukes appeared around his hips, and the thread inside his eyes encircled his pale golden pupils in a restless manner.

    Kyle backed away in mid-air as the water around Nine began to tremble. Suddenly, without any warning, it burst upward, enveloping thetter from all directions.

    Kyle blinked and looked at Nine with anticipation and a bit of nervousness.

    ''Did he enter the Ascendant state?''

    Nine closed his eyes, wearing a serene and calm expression. The air around him started humming softly as if sensing that he had entered an ethereal state.

    The time he spent in that state was not more than a minute for Kyle, but for Nine himself, it felt like an eternity. Because the moment he entered the Ascendant state, he found himself in front of a towering wall that extended upward, reaching a ce he couldn''t even see with his eyes.

    A wildughter escaped Nine''s lips as a thought emerged in the depths of his mind. He realized he needed to break this wall, this tall towering wall... that seemed to have no end, in order to break free from the constraints of his talent.

    It''s not like he thought it would be easy. He only had an (S+)-Rank talent, but he wanted to reach a rank that no one on this had reached in the past hundreds of years.

    Nine clenched his fist and banged it against the wall, but it didn''t budge. But he didn''t give up. He kept banging the wall again and again, even though his fist went numb. He just couldn''t stop because he couldn''t fail, especially not now when he had a chance to get stronger.

    If he failed, he would never be able to stand up against his so-called mother when she forced him to obey her orders. And he couldn''t admit defeat because if he did, Seraphine would make his life difficult just by her presence alone.

    Nine punched the wall harder with each thought. And, most importantly, he couldn''t admit defeat because he needed to change the future where he saw Alec harming Kyle. He had to be there to make sure those bastards didn''t go down the wrong path.

    He needed to be stronger because he had to protect his future wife and help all his friends who were in danger.

    Nine''s knuckles ached, but he did not stop and just started banging the wall with his other hand. After all, he knew that if he did, he would fail and would be kicked out of this space.

    Amidst all this, he failed to notice, but the golden threads in his eyes tightly wrapped around his pupils as he banged his fists on the towering wall.

    Different from Nine who had no idea what was happening to his body outside the space where he was desperately trying to break the wall, Kyle panicked when he saw blood dripping from his eyes.

    It only took a second, and Kyle arrived beside him, opening his tightly shut eyes with his fingers.

    "Damn it, what''s happening?"

    Kyle loudly called out Nine''s name. But the man''s eyes werepletely nk as if he couldn''t hear his voice at all. Kyle looked around, he had no idea what to do.

    But before he could make Nine swallow every healing potion and treasure he had, thetter gasped and an otherworldly glow appeared around his body. Kyle felt a powerful force around Nine, and he was pushed back in the distance.

    He stared at Nine who sucked in a deep breath as if he hadn''t breathed for a long time. Kyle blinked when countless little sea creatures in the surrounding circled Nine as if sensing something powerful.

    Nine opened his eyes and stared at the sky, breathing unevenly. The golden glow around him didn''t scatter in the surroundings. Instead, it entered his body once again, merging within him. His eyes shone brightly with a deep golden glow, and the threads encircling his pupils moved back to their original position. However, they went eerily still, as if they had exhausted their strength. Nineughed, and a curse slipped out from his mouth.

    "Fuck... I almost thought I failed..."

    Indeed, he thought he failed when he dropped to his knees in front of the tall wall,pletely drained, but then a sudden burst of enlightenment appeared in his mind.

    Nine focused his unwavering gaze on the wall in front of him. One particr spot on the surface had caved in because he had concentrated all his efforts there from the beginning.

    He raised his fist to strike that exact spot again with the thought, just one more time... but in that very moment, an unknown strength that he never knew he had enveloped his fist, and the power behind his punch increased. Instantly, a loud sound reverberated in his ears, and finally, the ce he had been relentlessly pounding cracked.

    The towering wall, which stood before him like an imprable fortress, trembled as the crack appeared. Nine couldn''t help butugh as he watched the wall crumble down into countless pieces in front of him.

    Afterward, he had to crawl just to make his way through the rubble since he had no strength left in his body. But no matter what, he did it..... he broke the unbreakable fortress and gained the strength he never could have achieved.

    Nine''s wildughter echoed in all directions, scaring the little creatures encircling him. His tail, which hadpletely turned golden from the end, was submerged in the water as he pped his hand on the water around him with a loud shout, causing sshes to fly everywhere.

    "I did it!"

 Chapter 391 I think I can force them to agree

    <h4>Chapter 391 I think I can force them to agree</h4>

    Nine turned around and saw Kyle staring at him with a smile. He wanted to go and share his happiness, but before he could, Kyle took out amunication crystal from his mind space and went to a distance to contact Yue. After all, Kyle needed to warn her that the divine essence would cause extreme pain.

    Nine''s eyebrow twitched violently. He clicked his tongue and swam around in the water for a minute. Suddenly, a bright light shed around his tail, and he regained his human appearance. He grabbed a pair of clean clothes from his storage ring and, after putting them on, he started floating.

    "Damn, the world looks so much better now that I''m the strongest!"

    Heughed and cracked his knuckles before staring at the grey-haired man in the distance.

    "Kyle! Let''s have a duel! I want to test my new strength!"

    Or, more specifically, he wanted to give thetter a little beating because who knows when he would get this chance again. An evil grin spread across his face as he zoomed in towards Kyle with a sh.

    "So?"

    Kyle raised his brow and his lips curled upward into a snarl.

    "Do you even have any energy left in you? What about the mana?"

    Nine paused, oh, he had exhausted his mana in the process. Plus, his body was aching a lot from what he had just gone through. Heughed and quickly distanced himself from Kyle before thetter could agree to the duel.

    "Let''s fight another time... anyway, I can''t see my stats, everything''s showing question marks. What''s this... wait wait... what the heck!?"

    _______

    Stats:

    Name: Nine

    Race: Mer

    Rank: ???

    Strength: SSS+

    Mana: ???

    Divine energy: ???

    Agility: SSS+

    Talent: ??? Rank

    Luck: E+ ---> D

    Inherited skill; Spiritual gaze (low)-grade--->(SS+)-Rank:

    If the user touches someone''s skin, they can see a split second into their future. However, this ability may cause pain due to its unique nature. The skill grade is too low, so it cannot be used frequently. It will activate itself randomly.

    --->The user can catch a glimpse of someone''s fate once a month by touching them.

    Special skill; Healing (C)-Rank--->(S+)-Rank:

    The user can heal others and himself with mana or divine energy.

    Skills;

    ....

    ______

    "The rank of my inherited skill increased!"

    Nineughed, even his special skill rank had increased! He raised his fist in the air to show his excitement.

    Kyle looked at him and shook his head at his childish behavior. Then, he narrowed his eyes at the man, seriously considering the duel proposal.

    ''It''s been a while since I fought someone truly strong. So, should I give him a little beating?''

    The thought crossed his mind, but he quickly discarded it because if they started fighting now, the duel would take a lot of time to end. No, it''s definitely not because he''s worried he would suffer a little since Nine had reached the pseudo-divine rank.

    After all, he can use instant teleportation and vanish even before Nine couldnd a hit on him.

    ''Hehe...''

    Nine noticed the faint smirk at the corner of his lips and crossed his arms over his chest with narrow eyes.

    "What are you thinking?"

    Kyle cleared his throat and to change the topic, he looked down.

    "It seems we attracted some unwanted attention. A few merpeople are heading towards us. They probably sensed the turbulence you caused. Oh, and your sister... what was her name? Yeah, Seraphine, she''s with them."

    Nine''s smile faded as he stared down, but his eyes sparkled because his vision had improved with his rank. Now he could see clearly what was happening in the depths of the sea! He narrowed his eyes and could even see countless fishes swimming deep inside the water. His gaze paused on the outline of the Sea Continent.

    "Seraphine... Kyle, I think she became a bit obsessed with you in the secret realm. She made me go through a lot just because she thought her first impression on you became worse due of me. So, I''m going to get a little revenge. After all, now that I have enough power to shake the whole Sea Continent, why should I obey others?"

    Kyle was a little taken aback because he didn''t even remember her, except for the two or three interactions they had in the secret realm.

    "Do you have a bad rtionship with your family?"

    Nine noticed with a raised brow, did Kyle just avoid talking about his sister? He chuckled a bit. Well, he also didn''t like her because of her personality.

    "Not just bad, I don''t think I have a rtionship with them at all."

    He was surprised when Kyle suddenly grabbed his shoulder with a serious expression.

    "Nine, one of the reasons why I came here was to convince the merpeople to fight alongside the other races, but my ns changed after the shield ident..."

    "Ahem, now that you''ve be stronger, can you make them join forces with the other races? I know they might not have arge poption, but I sensed many powerful individuals in the Continent."

    Nine blinked. He knew the people in the Sea Continent were strong because they were all taught to fight sea creatures from a young age in order to protect themselves against them. However, the issue was that they were arrogant and cowardly, which is why they refrained from helping others, especially those who lived onnd if it put them in danger.

    "It''s a bit hard... and I would have never guaranteed before that they would agree with me, but now with my strength, I think I can ''force'' them to agree."

    His lips curled into an evil smile, and Kyle nodded with a satisfied expression. Nine''s answer was just as he had expected from his friend. Now he couldpletely entrust this matter to Nine.

    Kyle quickly shared hismunication crystal coordinates with him so that they could stay in touch.

    "Okay, contact me as soon as you''re done. In the meantime, I''ll go and check out the closest tower of opportunity. I heard the guardians haven''t been responding, even when Alec and the others tried to reach out for help."

    Nine didn''t get some things, but he gave him an okay sign with a chuckle.

    "Don''t worry, go ahead. Leave everything to me. I''ll bring the entire merpeople''s army to fight alongside all of you."

    Kyle blinked and disappeared from his sight. Nine clicked his tongue.

    "No matter what rank I reach, I am always going to envy his ability to teleport whenever he wants."

    He looked at the water below him, and after a few minutes, Seraphine and a few old individuals emerged from the water. His sister in name red at him with an angry expression.

    "Nine! Mom asked you to repent for your mistakes, but you ran away the moment the Continent faced a crisis. Now don''t me me, because it''s the Queen''s order to bring you back for punishment."

    Nine''s raised his brow, his eyes filled with mirth as he gazed at the floating woman in front of him.

    "Okay, let''s go back. I also want to talk to the Queen about something, and if she doesn''t agree... well, then she can only me herself for the disturbance I''m going to cause next."

    Seraphine furrowed her brow, unable toprehend his words. She ordered the old figures around her to capture Nine, and to her surprise, Nine obediently followed them.

    However, the old man assigned to watch Nine narrowed his eyes when he didn''t sense thetter''s rank. Instead, he felt an oppressive aura from Nine. In an instant, dread crept into his heart, but he couldn''t pinpoint the reason behind it. But he felt it very vividly the moment Nine reached the Queen.

 Chapter 392 It’s good to see you again

    <h4>Chapter 392 It''s good to see you again </h4>

    Kyle arrived in a location where everything was in ruins. The houses, shops, and stalls that once stood around the tower were destroyed, creating a scene of utter devastation.

    The debris and remnants of the copsed structures were scattered throughout the area. However, amidst the destruction, the tower that reached the sky stood tall.

    "It seems the towers of opportunity are made of very strong materials."

    The nearest ce to him was the remains of the west continent, so he entered the ce and found the tower that stood proudly in the center of the whole continent.

    Kyle nced around his surroundings because, on his way, he hade across numerous individuals with ck petals engraved on their foreheads.

    Of course, he finished them all, which is why it took him so much time to reach this ce. But he wondered where Diora, Hay, and all the other divine-rank individuals who followed the duo were. After all, he hadn''t encountered a single divine-rank individual even though he had traveled through the east continent and now the west continent.

    Kyle approached the tower and gazed down. Theyer of earth around the tower waspletely dark, as if it had lost its luster due to the tower''s presence. He spread out his scent perception skill to check if any living beings were around. Instantly, he sensed a lot of scents opposite the tower.

    He blinked because some of the scents were familiar. He followed the scents and saw a lot of tents set a short distance away from the tower.

    Kyle looked at the tents. There were some guards in silver armor stationed around them. As he narrowed his eyes, he noticed that not a single guard had the dark petal engraved on their foreheads.

    "Some of them are humans... are they from the''s side?"

    His ears twitched when he heard a familiar annoyed and frustrated shout mixed with a lot of other voices from one of the tents.

    "I told you it won''t work this way! I''ve already checked this symbol!"

    "But we have to check this symbol on all the towers, maybe it''ll work?"

    "No means no! We''ve wasted too many resources on this one."

    Kyle smiled andnded in front of the tents. Instantly, all the guards gathered around him and raised their weapons toward him with a wary expression. They were on the verge of attacking him, but he raised his hand and pointed to his forehead.

    "I''m from the new continent. Look, there''s no petal engraved on my forehead."

    The guards nced at each other. One of them quickly fetched a crystal and asked Kyle to ce his hand on it or they would attack. Kyle nodded and ced his hand on the crystal, but nothing happened.

    The guards lowered their weapons, and one of them, who had pointy ears, approached him with a solemn expression.

    "Who are you, human? This ce is restricted. You shouldn''t havee here."

    Kyle handed the crystal back to him. He could have used instant teleportation to enter the tents, but he didn''t want anyone to freak out due to his sudden appearance.

    "I''m here to help. Now that you''ve checked, am I allowed to enter the tents?"

    The guard with pointy ears furrowed his brows.

    "You''re not allowed. It''s restricted. But if you want to meet someone, I can take you to that person. Just tell me who?"

    Kyle nodded and looked at a specific tent.

    "I want to see the old man who''s shouting right now."

    The guard blinked, surprised to see a guest, especially in such a situation. He had only seen Alec, Carcel, and a few other youths who would visit this ce every few days to check on the progress or offer help.

    "Oh, you mean the array master? Come with me, I''ll take you to the tent. But if he doesn''t want to meet you, you''ll have to leave."

    Kyle''s lips curled into a smile as he followed the guard. The pair stopped in front of the tent, and at that exact moment, a furious shout reverberated from within as if the voice owner was fed up with everything.

    The guard hesitated for a moment, but he allowed Kyle to enter the tent before asking him to wait until the conversation inside finished.

    Kyle looked around at the many old figures, and his eyes stopped on the familiar faces of George and Han.

    George was sitting on the only chair inside the tent with his eyes tightly shut. On the other hand, Han had a frustrated expression as he argued with the other array masters around him, particrly with an old elven woman who had a deadly serious expression on her face.

    Kyle''s eyes traveled towards the table ced between the array masters, and he read the symbols drawn on the papers scattered on the table. The guard beside him was surprised when he suddenly started moving toward the table.

    Instantly, the man with pointy ears reached out to stop him, but Kyle was just too fast. Before the other could react properly, Kyle had already gone to stand in the middle of the many arguing old individuals. The guard''s panicked eyes traveled around, unsure of what he should do because if Kyle disturbed the array masters, he knew he would be in trouble.

    Han mmed his hand on the table, startling everyone around him.

    "I said it wouldn''t work! Why do you all want to waste so many resources? Justst week, we did a trial, and these symbols failed!"

    Kyle gazed at the frustrated old man standing just mere inches away from him and rubbed his chin. He looked at the symbols with narrow eyes.

    "Ah... I also think these symbols won''t work."

    Han nodded with a solemn expression.

    "I said right-!"

    But the old man paused because the voice came from beside him, and strangely, the tone sounded quite familiar. Slowly, he turned his head to look at the owner of the voice, and his eyes widened when he saw the familiar face. His words got stuck in his throat as he watched Kyle, who casually picked up a paper and examined the symbols before drawing a symbol mid-air. After only a few seconds, Kyle''s voice echoed through the silent tent.

    "I haven''t seen these symbols before, but they''re simr to the ones used to break restrictions ced on an enclosed ce. So, if we mix a few destructive symbols with these, maybe we will get the results we want."

    He held out the paper towards Han, who had his eyes glued to him. The tent was eerily silent, with everyone''s eyes fixed on Kyle. Not many people inside knew him, except Han and another old array master from the Central Continent who had seen him after he left the secret realm.

    George sensed the atmosphere and frowned. He peeked out from one of his eyes and was also taken aback to see Kyle standing in front of Han. He stood up and approached the grey-

    haired man.

    "Kyle!"

    The guard who brought Kyle jolted, scared that he would suffer now. But to his surprise, Han''s eyes turned moist as he raised his hand to p Kyle''s arm with a faint smile.

    "You sneezy prick, when the hell did you wake up?"

    Kyle hissed because the strength behind the p wasn''t something to scoff at. He grabbed Han''s hand before thetter could p him again.

    "I just woke up recently, but master, why are you beating me? You know my body is still weak, and your ps can cause harm to me."

    Han rolled his eyes and pped him with his other hand even harder.

    "You rascal! Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

    The people around them were stunned, especially the guard who was ready for a big punishment. Kyleughed and rubbed the old man''s back to calm him down. George also arrived beside them and his eyes were filled with relief.

    "Kid, it''s good to see you again."

 Chapter 393 You need to compensate

    <h4>Chapter 393 You need topensate </h4>

    Han led Kyle into another tent and asked him what had caused him to fall into aa. George also joined the duo, leaving behind the other curious array masters who couldn''t help but steal nces at Kyle due to his handsome appearance. It wasn''t just his appearance that caught their attention. Nobody could sense his rank or even a hint of mana from his body.

    Kyle sighed as he stared at his master, who had a serious expression on his face. The old man even went as far as constructing an array around the tent so no one could hear them. Then, he looked at George and waved his hand.

    "You, leave the tent. Kyle is my disciple, so no one else should know about his weakness."

    George rolled his eyes and was about to leave, but Kyle shook his head and told the duo about the soul-eating artifact without hesitation. The same artifact that ate a piece of his soul and left his body when the golden pupil man called it back.

    The two old men were stunned, but then realization dawned on them. So, that''s why they weren''t able to cure Kyle with normal healing materials.

    Instantly, Han grabbed Kyle''s shoulder and moved him back and forth to check if the kid was alright. Only when Kyle confirmed for the tenth time that he was perfectly fine now did the old man sigh with relief.

    Kyle smiled, but from Han and George''s haggard appearance, he knew the duo had been working day and night after Retric, the royal academy principal, passed away. Not just Retric, many people died. Kyle knew he couldn''t change the past, but now he could at least prevent more people from dying at the hands of the enemies.

    After a short discussion, Kyle asked Han to gather all the other array masters. Now that he was here, he wanted to see how long the guardians of the tower of opportunity would ignore their call.

    Han rolled his eyes.

    "Rascal, do you think it''s that easy? All the array masters, including myself, have been trying for months to find a solution, but we have failed. Adding a few more symbols to the array won''t help."

    Kyle raised his brow.

    "Old man, you should believe in me. If the array really doesn''t work, I''ll use my mes on the tower and let''s see if the guardians would still refuse to answer when the ce they''re staying crumbles into countless particles."

    Han clicked his tongue, a little annoyed at his confidence. But he nodded and looked at George before waving his hand dismissively.

    "What are you waiting for? Go, hurry up and call all those old jerks here."

    George''s eyebrow twitched violently, and he barely controlled the urge to p the old man who was treating him like a servant. In the end, he snickered and left, only to return with all the array masters.

    The array masters were annoyed, but soon the tent fell silent, with only Han and Kyle talking as if they didn''t even care about the others around them. George would hum with knitted brows from time to time as Kyle effortlessly drew iprehensible symbols in the air. The old elven woman who fought with Han before stared at Kyle with a deep expression because, unlike Han, Kyle had a way of making everyone understand what he was talking about. He exined the symbols he drew slowly and precisely.

    After Kyle finished, he asked the older individuals for their opinions. Han agreed instantly, too confident in his one and only disciple. George also nodded, though a bit slowly since he wasn''t very familiar with arrays. He trusted Kyle, but wasn''t sure if his suggestions would work.

    Some of the array masters wanted to say they wouldn''t trust an unknown person who appeared out of nowhere. But before they could, the old elven woman raised her hand and instantly agreed with Kyle. All eyes turned to her, surprised that she, who had argued with Han the most, now agreed so easily. After the woman, the old man who had seen Kylee out from the secret realm also agreed.

    Due to their agreement, the others also kept their mouths shut. But just like how there''s always someone who loves finding faults, an old demi-human with cat-like eyes stared at Kyle with a strange glint. He flicked his robe sleeves and cleared his throat loudly.

    "Kyle, right? If the symbols you suggested didn''t work and we lost our precious time and resources because of you, I believe you need topensate."

    Han narrowed his eyes on the man dangerously. All of them were stuck with a single symbol for so long, and finally someone as genius as his disciple was giving them some options, and this man had to butt in. However, before he could give the man a piece of his mind, Kyle stepped forward and stood in front of the demi-human.

    "Compensation, huh? How about we make a bet? If it doesn''t work, I''llpensate you with double the amount of resources we would''ve wasted. But if it does work, what are you gonna give me?"

    The old demi-human turned silent, he gazed at the others, but everyone ignored him. That''s why, he raised his chin and scoffed at them.

    "You think I''m scared? I''ll give you fifty thousand mana stones if you pull it off. But do you really have enough money topensate double the amount of what we would waste?"

    Kyle blinked innocently.

    "Just fifty thousand mana stones?"

    The people around him were stunned at his words. Blissfully unaware that he had a massive mind space filled with countless precious treasures and thousands of mana just lying around. How could someone entice him with only fifty thousand mana stones?

    Han stared at Kyle, and an old memory shed in his mind. Instantly, his gaze shifted to Kyle''s fingers. More specifically, he wanted to take a peek at Kyle''s storage rings. After all, thest time Han saw them, they were filled with enough treasure and money to make even the richest king jealous. And that was before Kyle entered the secret realm.

    However, he noticed with a frown that Kyle''s fingers were empty.

    ''Don''t tell me someone stole Kyle''s storage rings while he was in aa?''

    But then, his eyes widened because Kyle suddenly conjured a storage ring out of thin air, as if he just took it from another space. Han stared at Kyle, who tossed the storage ring toward the old demi-human with a smirk. Kyle''s next words echoed in his head as he stared at the kid, wondering just from where did he take out the storage ring.

    "This is a supreme grade ring, and there''s an (SSS+)-Rank weapon inside. Do you still think I wouldn''t be able to keep my end of the deal?"

 Chapter 394 So soon

    <h4>Chapter 394 So soon</h4>

    The demi-human stared at the storage ring Kyle tossed at him, stunned. After that, no one dared to question Kyle and all the array masters started working.

    The guards stationed around the tents stared at Kyle''s figure as he floated beside the tower with George to observe the array masters.

    After a while, Han wiped his sweaty forehead and looked up at the two figures floating leisurely above him. He rolled his eyes and tossed the mana stones in his hand toward the duo with an evil smile.

    "You two better start working, or else don''t me me for being cruel."

    Kyle caught the lightning-fast mana stone in his hand before it could strike his head. He took a deep breath, and before Han could toss another mana stone at him, he quicklynded on the ground and started helping the array masters.

    George looked at Kyle''s figure and let out augh. It seems hiszy partner had run away. Now he needs to work as well. But just as he was about tond, another mana stone came flying at him and almost struck his head, but fortunately, he grabbed it in time.

    It was alreadyte in the afternoon when the array masters started working, and nobody noticed when the dim sky darkened with countless little stars twinkling above their heads. Kyle stood before the tower and stared at it. The other array masters had long settled in the distance to rest for a while. He hummed and closed his eyes, trying to sense the mana inside his body. Different from the usual mana he used, there was something more powerful coursing through his body.

    ''So, this is Divine energy. I don''t know how it''s different from mana, and if I use it... how should I replenish it? Just like mana?''

    There were a lot of questions in his head because absorbing mana was easy. After all, he just needed to wait, and his body would automatically absorb mana from the atmosphere.

    So, what about divine energy?

    Kyle raised his hand and used mana to conjure blue mes on the tip of his finger. He waved the mes toward a small hidden area of the tower, and just as he expected, the mes couldn''t break the hard surface. A faint icyyer did appear, but when it turned into particles, the tower''s surface remained intact.

    Then, he tapped into his divine energy. The amount was much lower than his mana, but it was enough for now. He guided it just like mana, and another spark of me flickered above his finger.

    Kyle waved the mes toward the same spot where he had previously experimented, and his lips curled into a smile because it worked. The small area of the tower where the me touched instantly froze, and in an instant, it crumbled into countless particles.

    ''If only I had enough divine energy to cover the entire tower, but the divine energy in my body is too low right now. So, for now, I''ll have to rely on the array.''

    He didn''t turn around because he had long sensed Han hiding behind him. Not just Han, but the other array masters were also secretly keeping an eye on him. Kyle''s lips twitched, and he rubbed his forehead with a sigh.

    ''Just what the heck are they doing?''

    He turned around, but all the people scattered as if they were never even there in the first ce. Kyle shook his head and vanished from his spot. The few eyes that were still peering at him were stunned, but no matter where they looked, they couldn''t find the grey-haired man.

    After the space in front of the tower fell silent, the area that Kyle damaged was covered in ayer of bright particles, only to revert to its original, undamaged state. In the midst of it all, a tired and almost silent voice echoed in the air.

    "This prick... the guardians are also dying toe out. You all just need to use the correct method."

    ...

    Kyle appeared above a boulder andy down to stare at the sky. He wanted to close his eyes, but hismunication crystal buzzed.

    Kyle grabbed the crystal and was surprised to see Nine''s familiar face.

    "So soon?"

    Nineughed and cocked a proud brow.

    "Who do you think I am? I''m a pseudo-divine rank individual! Haha, I didn''t have to do much, the Queen and the older merpeople around her were scared shitless when I released my earth-shattering pressure. She agreed to send her strongest soldiers. But Kyle, I don''t think she would let the normal citizens join the war."

    He lowered his voice for some reason.

    "Oh, and by the way, Seraphine and a few old geezers are nning to poison me. Little did they know, I could hear their scheming loud and clear, even from outside the castle, haha!"

    Kyle shook his head at the man.

    "Don''t you dare to swallow the poison just to test your strength. And as for the soldiers, I think they''ll be enough. No need to involve normal citizens. That way, we can avoid any unnecessary deaths."

    "After you gather them all, head over to the new Continent and meet up with Alec and the others."

    Nine hummed.

    "Alright, leave it to me. What about you?"

    Kyle stared into the distance, where the tower stood tall and proud.

    "I''ll join you guys in a day or two."

    Nine nodded and ended the connection. Kyle paused for a second, then contacted Yue. She answered almost instantly, and her face appeared on the crystal.

    "What happened, Kyle?"

    Kyle stayed quiet for a second, and before he could answer, a familiar voice echoed behind Yue. It was Jian, shouting that he had reached the pseudo-divine rank.

    Yue let out a soft smile and pointed behind her, where Jian was jumping around.

    "I haven''t seen Bia, Mia, Sinon, and Regius yet. However, Alec and I reached the pseudo-divine rank the moment we consumed the essence. But we didn''t feel any pain, I think it''s because we have already reached the (SSS+)-Rank. After us, Carcel and Lara were also sessful in their attempts."

    She paused for a second.

    "The two of them felt the pain you mentioned earlier, but everything went fine. Jian took a lot of time. He was a little grumpy that you didn''t give him the divine essence, but the flower was enough for him."

    Kyle listened attentively and didn''t interrupt as she talked about a lot of other things. In the end, when Yue noticed that he hadn''t spoken a word, she paused. Kyle tilted his head with confusion.

    "Don''t you want to continue?"

    Yue blinked and stammered a little.

    "It''s not like I wanted to talk so much. It''s because you asked!"

    Kyle nodded with a smile that went against his words.

    "Of course, it''s because I asked."

    The elf rolled her eyes and closed the crystal connection before Kyle could stop her. He let out a chuckle and closed his eyes to rest for a while.

 Chapter 395 He’s trying to concentrate

    <h4>Chapter 395 He''s trying to concentrate </h4>

    Kyle drew another symbol and looked at the array masters around him. After working for another day, they were almost done. He looked down at the few pebbles near his feet and, without thinking twice, kicked one of them away. But in an instant, an angry shout resounded in the distance.

    "Who dares to hit me?"

    The shout came from the same demi-human who asked him topensate if he failed. The man was rubbing his neck with a frustrated expression.

    Kyle blinked and quickly walked away to avoid any potential me. It just happened identally, alright. He approached the tower and subconsciously his gazended on the spot he damagedst night.

    "Huh?"

    A surprised expression appeared on his face because the spot had reverted to its original state. He quickly approached the ce and bent down to examine it further. In the distance, Han noticed him and arrived beside him.

    "What happened?"

    Kyle looked at the old man, unsure if he should reveal the fact that he damaged the towerst night.

    "Nothing."

    He stood up and started floating to examine the tower closely. The dark surface, the countless symbols, and the faint purple hue. His eyes stopped on the round openings, the same openings where a purple ore would be ced to open the tower every twenty years for the younger generation. Instantly, Kyle vanished and then reappeared in front of one of the openings.

    He looked inside the hollow ce and saw a pair of symbols engraved inside the circr opening. Those symbols looked quite familiar to him.

    "This..."

    Kyle searched through his mind and pulled out one of the array books he found in the tower. Flipping through the pages, he paused at a page where a pair of simr symbols was drawn.

    "But these are just low-rank symbols used to connect or resonate with your surroundings."

    Kyle thought for a minute and asked the array masters, who were done with their part, to add the strange pair of symbols to the array as well.

    Some of the array masters groaned since adding new symbols to an already-built array wasn''t easy. But they kept quiet and swallowed their protests when Han gave them a deadpan expression. In the end, it took them two hours just to find a good ce for the pair of symbols.

    After finishing the array, they ced countless resources above it. Then, all the array masters gathered together to discuss who should activate the array. Kylended in front of them and gazed at Han and George.

    "Let me do it."

    The duo did not refuse since Kyle was the one who designed a major part of the array. It would be better if he activated it. The other array masters nced at each other and agreed as well. Anyway, if something went wrong in the process, it would be better for Kyle to take the me.

    Kyle closed his eyes and felt the many symbols beneath him, arranged in rows within arge circle around the tower. After just a minute, the mana stones and other resources above the array were swiftly sucked in with lightning-fast speed.

    The ground beneath him trembled as the symbols started to shine and float in the air. Then, they merged to form a glistening two-dimensional rectangr shape around the tower. But Kyle noticed with a frown that it wasn''t working. He opened his eyes and stared at the pair of symbols that had been added at the end. The two symbols trembled when he supplied more mana to them, and at that moment, a faint voice echoed in his head.

    "Finally..."

    Kyle took a deep breath. However, the people behind him were discussing that he probably failed because the array wasn''t working. And, to make matters worse, even the destructive symbols didn''t activate to destroy the tower.

    Han furrowed his brows and nced at Kyle''s figure. He raised his hand to hush the people around him.

    "Jeez, shut up! Can''t you all see he''s trying to concentrate?"

    The demi-human who had asked Kyle topensate sneered at his words and felt a sense of satisfaction.

    ''Tsk, I did say we shouldn''t trust an unknown person so blindly.''

    But at that moment, the floating symbols began to move and attach themselves to the surface of the tower. In an instant, everyone fell silent and stared at the tower with bated breath because it had never happened before. They all had the same question in their minds.

    Did the young man seed?

    Han smirked, and George wore a wry smile as he looked at the proud old man next to him. Suddenly, a cloud of smoke billowed from the tower, enveloping everything around it. A powerful tremor shook the surroundings, and with a loud sound, a flickering portal materialized before the astonished onlookers.

    Kyle nced up and noticed that the portal wasn''t unstable. But then, all the symbols attached to the tower came together and merged with the portal, causing it to stop shaking. At that moment, a loud curse echoed through the air.

    "Damn... I thought I would be crushed since the portal wasn''t stable at all."

    A figure dressed in a dark outfit stepped out of the portal, and in an instant, everyone''s gaze fixated on the short dwarf who had just emerged from the tower.

    The array masters held their breaths because even though Alec had told them that the guardians would help them, there was a faint inkling in their hearts, like, what if instead of helping, the guardians attacked them?

    Kyle looked at the floating male dwarf with ck hair and raised an eyebrow in surprise.

    "Yon?"

    The dwarf took a deep breath before furrowing his brows.

    "Yes, yes, it''s Yonaik, the one whose precious garden you and your friends destroyed. But why is the air so polluted outside? I expected it to be fresh."

    He gazed down at Kyel, then scanned the people standing behind thetter. Just then, the portal behind him started trembling again, and he let out a growl.

    "You all back off... I need to stabilize this thing so the others cane out."

 Chapter 396 I somehow survived

    <h4>Chapter 396 I somehow survived </h4>

    Kyle nodded at Yon and jumped back. The array masters behind him also quickly moved further back. Then, in front of their eyes, Yon grabbed the flickering portal and stretched it wider before a pulsating crystal appeared in his hand. The crystal energy was sucked by the portal, and it finally stabilized again.

    "Ah... now it''s fine."

    He moved back, and another figure appeared from the portal. Yon nced at Susan, the guardian of the first floor of the tower, and clicked his tongue.

    "Old man, hurry up and move. Give way, the others also need toe out."

    The white-haired old man straightened his wrinkled robe and red at Yon before moving away. Kyle watched as many familiar figures appeared from the portal one by one. The cold-faced woman with crimson eyes who put an illusion on him, Jian, and Alec. Jordan, the guardian of the golden stairway.

    The man with slit red pupils who made him and Alec, Jian, fight against thousands of fire skeletons. There were a lot of unfamiliar faces as well.

    Soon, twenty-two old and middle-aged figures floated in front of the tower, all peering at Kyle and the array masters around him. However, before anyone could speak, the tower trembled, and with ayer of smoke, another portal appeared in the sky. All eyes turned to the portal, and the old guardian, Susan, let out a sigh.

    "It seems master decided toe out as well, even though he knows his consciousness would fade after he left the tower."

    The guardians moved aside to make room for the illusionary figure that stepped out from the portal. James looked down and his eyes immediately locked onto Kyle.

    "So, you managed to get rid of that creepy artifact from your body?"

    His deep voice filled the air. Kyle blinked at him and started floating.

    "Not exactly, but I somehow survived."

    James nodded, but then he looked down at his hands, and they began to turn into particles.

    "Young man, it seems I don''t have much time."

    He looked around, his grey eyes turning solemn.

    "It''s really heartbreaking to see the ce I protected with my life in such a state..."

    He let out a sigh as if reminiscing about the past and fixed his eyes on Kyle once again.

    "The guardians will be my final aid to this."

    "They will assist you all and provide the knowledge youck. But in the end, whether you can win this war or not, it''s up to all of you."

    Kyle smiled at his words.

    "Don''t worry, I''m not alone. Many people are standing with me, and we all have the same goal, to save this at any cost. And trust me when I say this, when we''re united to fight the enemies, I don''t think we''ll lose, even if they''re hundreds of times stronger than us."

    The corner of James'' emotionless eyes lifted a little, showing that he liked the confidence the young man had.

    "If my real body is alive out there, he would be very surprised to know all this when I return to him... And I don''t know why, but I have a feeling that we''ll see each other again soon."

    His flickering body had already started vanishing into particles. He looked at the veiled woman standing with the guardians, the same woman who dragged Casian, the guardian who harmed the tower climbers inside the underground punishment chamber.

    "Lie..."

    The woman raised her head and stared at James with her strangely glowing eyes.

    "You and Susan are the only ones who have reached the divine rank in the past years. So, take Jordan with you and use as many resources as you need to restore the''s core energy. That way, you''ll be able to rebuild the presence concealing shield around the."

    Lie gave him a quick nod and without a word tossed a white crystal toward Kyle. Then, she grabbed the unsuspecting Jordan, the short man who was still processing James'' words, and quickly vanished from everyone''s sight.

    Kyle stared at the crystal tossed at him. It looked simr to amunication crystal but much smaller in size.

    He nced at James, and thetter gave him a final nod before his illusionary body dispersed into countless particles that drifted away with the wind. After James'' consciousness vanished, Yon stretched his body and ruffled his hair.

    "Huu, the air is polluted with some strange particles. It seems like I have a lot of work to do."

    He looked at the guardians floating beside him and assigned a few of them to gather information about the enemy''s numbers and base. The assigned people scattered in different directions to do their work.

    Yon and a few more guardiansnded in front of the array masters.

    "Alright, let''s go! We don''t have time to waste. After seeing this deste ce, I am sure all the races have gathered together in one spot. I need to check the defense of that ce."

    George and Han took the lead and quickly guided him and many other guardians to the new Continent. The array masters followed them as well. They were a bit skeptical seeing so many powerful people, but in the end, they had no other choice but to trust the guardians.

    But at that moment, Kyle grabbed the old demi-human with cat-like eyes because how could he let the man go before thetter paid him the fifty thousand mana stones?

    The demi-human''s face turned pale, but he quickly took off the storage ring from his finger and handed it to Kyle without any protest before floating away to avoid any more trouble.

    In the end, only Kyle and Susan were left in front of the tower. Susan introduced himself to the young man because, even though he had secretly watched Kyle in the tower, Kyle hadn''t seen him.

    The old man with white hair looked at Kyle up and down, his eyes glowing a little as he sensed beyond the presence-

    concealing artifact the young man had in his ear.

    Kyle was startled at first, but he calmed down when Susan reassured him that he was just checking his body condition.

    "I''m a divine rank individual, so I can sense that you have divine energy in your body. It''s rare, but not impossible, to have it before reaching the pseudo-divine state. That''s why I believe you can enter the Ascendant state and break through to the next rank."

    Kyle shook his head with a sigh.

    "I want to as well, but it feels like I need a bit more time."

 Chapter 397 Only for a spilt second

    <h4>Chapter 397 Only for a spilt second</h4>

    Susan narrowed his eyes andnded in front of the tower.

    "Come with me, I''ll help you. Otherwise, it would take you too much time to gain enlightenment."

    Kyle followed the old man, but an astonished expression appeared on his face when Susan waved his hand and arge part of the tower''s surface crashed down, revealing an opening leading to darkness. Susan chuckled at his expression.

    "It''s normal. After the guardians left, all the towers on this were opened to the public. You should set aside some time to gather talented youngsters and let them explore the towers. There''s still a lot of resources inside them."

    Kyle nodded and in the next second, asked Susan to wait for a minute because he needed to tell the others about the towers being open to the public.

    Susan''s eyebrow twitched a bit, but he let it slide because he was older and needed to see the bigger picture. After Kyle finished telling Yue about the open towers, he entered the dark space with Susan. In an instant, the duo arrived inside a familiar forest. Kyle looked around.

    "It''s the first floor..."

    Susan nodded and asked Kyle to sit cross-legged mid-air. Then, the old man fiddled with the storage ring on his finger and took out arge pulsating brown crystal, cing it in front of Kyle.

    "Just ce your hand on the crystal and try to guide the energy inside it into your body. This crystal is made of a special material that can''t be found on this, which is why there''s only one of its kind here. And you won''t easily find anyone else with it either."

    "The crystal''s main function is to measure the strength of those who have reached the pseudo divine rank and help them form an illusionary image in their mind by consuming their divine energy, so they can always see their strengths and weaknesses."

    "But since you haven''t reached the pseudo-divine rank yet, once you absorb its energy, it will help you step into the Ascendant state for a split second..."

    He didn''t voice his next words out loud and just looked at Kyle, who was listening attentively.

    ''But only for a split second, though...''

    After Susan finished, Kyle took a deep breath and ced his hand on the crystal, which was almost the same size as his body. He closed his eyes and patiently guided the pulsating energy inside the crystal into his body.

    Time passed slowly, and after a few minutes that felt like an eternity to Kyle, a faintyer of golden energy surrounded his body, and he entered a trance-like state.

    Susan quickly took the crystal from his hand to prevent any damage. Then, he distanced himself from Kyle to see if the young man would seed or not.

    However, the golden energy around Kyle faded as quickly as it appeared, and a pale blue light enveloped his body. It trembled slightly, and the air grew silent.

    At that moment, Kyle opened his eyes and found himself in a wide, white space. He looked around but didn''t see anyone else, except for a small white wall in front of him. The wall was just up to his knees as if trying its best to block his path. He blinked as a strange thought popped into his mind that he needed to break the wall.

    "Oh?"

    Kyle took a step forward, but instead of breaking the wall, he raised his leg and effortlessly jumped over it. If only the universe had a face, it would probably be speechless after witnessing his actions.

    Meanwhile, Susan gasped as blue mes appeared and enveloped Kylepletely. The mes had an icy aura and vanished as soon as Kyle opened his eyes which sparkled with a brilliant glow.

    "That was surprisingly easy..."

    Kyle clenched his fists and felt his strength had tripled. He also sensed another energy in the air, totally different from mana. It was lower in quantity, but it started entering his body as if recognizing that he had reached the pseudo-divine rank.

    "At least now I don''t have to worry about running out of divine energy if I use it all."

    Kyle chuckled and stretched his body.

    In the distance, Susan had a bewildered expression on his face. It was the first time he had seen someone reach the pseudo-divine rank so easily. Not to mention, Kyle only had a split second.

    ''Damn, that much time isn''t even enough to touch the realm of the divine.''

    Susan approached Kyle and ced the crystal in front of him once again.

    "I believe you''ve reached the pseudo-divine rank."

    Kyle nodded with a confident smile.

    "It was easy. Just had to cross a little wall."

    Susan''s eyebrow twitched. It took him countless attempts just to enter the pseudo-divine rank, and now this young man was rubbing salt in his wounds by saying it was easy. He quickly cleared his throat to change the topic before his frustration got the best of him.

    "Now that you''re done, do you want to form an illusionary image in your mind to know your strength whenever you want? If yes, let the crystal consume your divine energy to create the image."

    "The crystal is not connected to anything. It''ll absorb your energy and form an image that will always measure your strength. Then, whenever you think about it, the image will appear at the corner of your eyes to show you your current strength, and only you can see it."

    Kyle didn''t hesitate. He ced his hand on the crystal and let it absorb his divine energy. Anyway, he was getting bothered whenever he saw so many question marks in his stats. But now, he can finally see everything clearly without any issues.

    After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and nced at the image that reced his stats.

    _______

    Name: Kyle

    Race: Human/Semi Celestial

    Bloodline: Celestial

    Soul rank: Transcendent

    Rank: Pseudo Divine

    stats:

    Strength: SSS+

    Mana: Divine rank

    Divine energy: 3rd stage (Average)

    Agility: SSS+

    Current physique rank: Pseudo Divine

    Talent: Celestial

    Luck: S+

    Unique ability; Nature''s favorite.

    Unlocked due to (S+)-Rank luck.

    Skills;

    #*Bloodline ability; Blue mes (Unranked)--->(Transcendent)-

    Rank:

    Blue mes acquired due to the presence of an ancient bloodline. The user can manipte the mes with his will by consuming mana or any type of energy.

    --->User can melt the things frozen by the mes with divine energy.

    ....

    _______

 Chapter 398 Soon, the number will increase

    <h4>Chapter 398 Soon, the number will increase </h4>

    Kyle''s brow furrowed as if he had just seen something unpleasant. Susan noticed his expression and asked what happened.

    "Ah... nothing, it''s just that my divine energy is showing as average... it''s too low..."

    But before Kyle could finish his sentence, Susan grabbed his shoulder and shook him in utter disbelief.

    "What? It''s already average? Are you kidding me?"

    Kyle blinked, unsure of why he was reacting so strongly.

    "Yes, it''s showing as average."

    Susan took a deep breath and stared at Kyle with a serious expression.

    "It''s not low at all, kiddo. Not at all. Listen, after reaching the pseudo-divine rank, mortals gain enlightenment from the universe, which allows their bodies to absorb the divine energy around them!"

    "In the pseudo-divine rank, the divine-energy stat is divided into four progressive stages - zero, low, average, and elite. In this rank, you umte enough divine energy to break through to the true divine rank! Once you reach the elite stage in your divine energy, you''ll break through to the divine rank!"

    Susan rolled his eyes at Kyle with a frustrated expression.

    "Don''t ever say it''s low, okay? How can you say that? Just how?"

    Kyle let out an ''Oh''.

    "So, it''s not that bad."

    Susan''s expression turned nk. He turned around and waved his hand. Instantly, a portal appeared out of thin air, and he jumped into the portal without looking back. Kyle stared at his fading back and hurriedly followed him.

    The duo appeared outside the tower, and Susan tossed amunication crystal at Kyle. Then, he turned around to leave so he could rx in a quiet ce away from this young man, but before he could, Kyle stopped him and asked for that brown crystal he used a while back.

    Susan''s lips twitched violently.

    "You, didn''t I tell you it''s really precious? There''s only one of its kind on this whole, and you''re just asking for it so casually?"

    Kyle let out a sigh. He wasn''t asking for the crystal to damage it.

    "I''m not the only one who reached the pseudo-divine rank. Some of my friends reached this rank as well, so I wanted them to use the crystal too."

    Susan took a deep breath and gave him a curt nod.

    "I can''t give it to you. It''s too precious. But I''ll go with you so they can use it. Lead the way."

    Kyle hummed, and the duo started floating toward the new Continent. On the way, they encountered a group of people with ck petals engraved on their foreheads, but Susan easily took care of them.

    Soon, they arrived in front of the tall border surrounding Coexis, the new Continent where all the races were now living together.

    Kyle paused when he sensed a faint familiar presence in the distance.

    "She is here..."

    He instantly changed his direction and started moving towards the ce where he sensed the presence. Susan stared at his fading back, dumbfounded.

    "Hey, wait! You were supposed to take me to your friends who reached the pseudo-divine rank!"

    His shout echoed in the air, but Kyle had already gone far.

    "Damn it..."

    A curse slipped out of his mouth, as he followed the young man.

    Kyle paused in front of a ce where countless individuals were fighting with monsters. He swept his gaze at everyone, and his eyes stopped at Mia. She was standing above the border with a familiar phoenix who had her eyes closed.

    Kyle nced down and noticed his brothers. Sinon and Regius, fighting alongside them against the monsters.

    He felt the urge to join them, but then he saw Yue''s familiar figure arriving beside Mia. And not just Yue, but Alec, Lara, Jian, and Carcel also arrived above the border.

    They all started talking with excited expressions, but Kyle could tell that Jian was boasting about his new strength. His lips curled into a smile, seeing that they were all doing well.

    Then, Jian let out augh and quickly began killing the monsters in front of the border as if they were nothing. Alec and Carcel exchanged nces and joined the red-haired man with a chuckle.

    Ray, Neon, Sinon, and Regius all dropped their weapons with relieved sighs after Alec, Carcel, and Jian joined the battle.

    Susan arrived beside Kyle and followed his gaze. Instantly, a surprised expression appeared on his face.

    "I thought there would only be one or two pseudo divine rank individuals, but there are one... two... three... five! A total of five pseudo divine rank individuals!"

    Kyle chuckled and shook the old man''s shoulder.

    "Soon, the number will increase. Also, one is missing. He''ll probablye with an army."

    Then, he floated down toward the ce where everyone was fighting and shouted loudly.

    "Guys, do you need help?"

    Jian froze in his ce, not just him, almost everyone who recognized the familiar voice halted in their tracks to stare at the man who just appeared in the sky. Jian quickly floated toward Kyle for a hug with a big smile.

    "Kyle, my bro!"

    Alec, Ray, Neon, Carcel, Regius, Sinon also quickly moved toward Kyle with relieved yet happy expressions. But before anyone could grab Kyle, a huge, dark shadow crashed into him with a loud cry.

    -"You bastard!!"

    Bia''s eyes turned moist as she wrapped her wings around Kyle topletely envelop him in a warm cocoon.

    -"So, you finally had the time to show yourself, huh?"

    Kyle let out a big breath because of the tightness around him. The duo, one human and one phoenix, lost their bnce mid-

    air, but Bia grabbed him andnded slowly on the ground with an angry grumble. Kyle patted the phoenix wings softly to loosen her grip, but Bia''s grip on him tightened.

    Jian, who just arrived beside Kyle, gazed at Bia and then noticed Kyle''s legs peeking through Bia''s wings. Regardless, he didn''t care about the phoenix and wrapped his arms around the cocoon. Well, he wasn''t able to touch Kyle at all because of the wings, but it was enough.

    "Kyle! You will never know how happy I am to see you again."

    Alec nced at the people next to him who also wanted to meet Kyle or maybe give him a piece of their minds because Kyle had worried them a lot. He quickly shook his head because he wasn''t as shameless as Jian, and he would never cling to someone in such an inappropriate way.

    But Alec watched as Sinon, Regius, Neon, and everyone around him jumped towards Bia to wrap the cocoon with their arms. He blinked, and in the next second, he also jumped and joined the group of people.

    In the distance, Yue, Mia, and Lara, who were standing above the border, nced at each other. The girls looked at the bundle of people and startedughing.

    The monsters who were fighting with everything they had were also momentarily frozen at the strange turn of events.

    At that moment, Kyle hand peeked out from between the wings that were too warm for hisfort.

    "Bia! I remember telling you to use your shorter form if you want to do something like this!"

    He grumbled a little, but the phoenix didn''t even listen to him. Instead, she rubbed her head on his hair. In the end, Kyle let out a soft sigh with a smile on his face.

    "Is there anyone who can help me?"

 Chapter 399 Let’s focus on defeating our enemies

    <h4>Chapter 399 Let''s focus on defeating our enemies</h4>

    Regius chuckled as he raised his hand to brush the dust off Kyle''s shoulder.

    Kyle had finallye out of the cocoon, and the phoenix had changed into her little form. But she still held onto Kyle''s neck tightly, as if he would leave if she let go.

    Kyle swatted Regius'' hand away and rolled his eyes. Neon and Ray both looked at him from all angles, checking his body for any potential injuries. Only after confirming that he was fine did the duo stop and hug him, showing their concern.

    Jian, Carcel, and Alec exchanged nces. They nodded at Kyle and quickly went to eliminate all the monsters in front of the border. It only took them a few minutes to ruthlessly kill the monsters.

    The soldiers and other individuals in front of the border cheered and looked at the young guardians with respect and awe.

    Kyle walked alongside Neon, Ray, Regius, and Sinon as they made their way toward the border. He asked about his father, and Ray responded with a curt look, suggesting that this time the old man would surely give him a good scolding.

    Kyle let out a chuckle and shook his head. A lot of curious eyes discreetly nced at him, wondering who he was to elicit such reactions from the strongest individuals on the continent.

    However, after battling the monsters for so long, they were too exhausted to go and follow the grey-haired man.

    Susan clicked his tongue and silently trailed behind Kyle, not uttering a word. He didn''t understand why everyone reacted so strongly to Kyle''s presence, but he didn''t want to dampen anyone''s good moments.

    Kyle looked up where Yue, Lara, and Mia were standing together. Noticing his gaze, the girls smiled andnded beside him. In the end, they all entered the gates built in the border on foot. As they walked inside, they were greeted by a diverse group of individuals from different races, all busy repairing broken weapons or skillfully sharpening them onrge stones.

    The air smelled strongly of metal. The group waited for a bit, and soon Alec, Carcel, and Jian joined them.

    Jian threw his hand on Kyle''s shoulder and urged him to share the reason why he fell into aa. He also asked about the strange crystal that came out of Kyle''s chest. The others around Kyle were just as curious, eagerly waiting for his answer.

    Kyle hummed and gently stroked the little bird clinging to his neck. But when the silence grew thick, he simply shrugged his shoulders.

    "It''s a long story, let''s talk about it once we''ve taken care of all our enemies."

    Jian looked at Kyle''s back with a nk expression as thetter followed Ray and Noen towards one of the nearby buildings where his father, Baron Ohan, lived with butler Eon.

    Carcel tapped Jian''s shoulder to offer somefort, which would have been perfect if Jian hadn''t noticed his crescents eyes.

    "It''s alright, let''s focus on defeating our enemies first."

    But as Carcel followed behind Kyle, Jian couldn''t help but burst into a smile.

    "Wait for me, I''ming as well!"

    Kyle knocked on the door of the building, which looked pretty ordinary, and waited. His father opened the door, probably thinking that Ray and Neon had returned after a long day. Ohan started crying as soon as he saw Kyle. He grabbed him and gave him a thorough look before pulling him into a warm embrace.

    Then, he finally noticed the many familiar figures standing behind Kyle and quickly invited them all inside.

    "Come kids, it might be a bit cramped, but you can all fit in this house. Come on in."

    Kyle looked around and saw that the inside of the building was a bit in. However, considering it was just a short distance from the border, it was pretty nice.

    Susan massaged his temples, unsure of what he should do, and simply followed the group of people without much thought. But he was stopped when butler Eon asked him who he was because Eon had never seen him before. Eon had seen all of Kyle''s friends who would visit the border from time to time, but he had no idea who this man was.

    Only when Kyle waved at Eon, did the butler finally let Susan in. Soon, they all settled in the living room where a few chairs were ced around a wooden table.

    The chairs weren''t enough, but Jian had a whole set of furniture in his storage ring.

    The red haired man chuckled and took out enough so everyone could sit down.

    However, when they finally sat down, the air turned silent. After all, who would have thought that after experiencing so much, they would be sitting together in a small room, casually talking all, who would have thought that after experiencing so much, they would be sitting together in a small room, casually talking with their friends?

    But they all knew it was very different from before because now they all had a lot of secrets to hide. Secrets that can''t be revealed no matter what.

    Carcel gazed at Ohan as thetter asked Kyle countless questions.

    His eyes trembled a little as he recalled the moment when he heard the news that his father had passed away while protecting one of the borders. He clenched his fist, the anger and helplessness he felt at that moment hasn''t faded yet.

    ''It''s okay... me and Casper will protect mom in his absence.''

    A wry smile appeared on his lips. He blinked when a hand softly touched his shoulder. Carcel looked at the person who had just arrived beside him. It was Mia, silently gazing at him with a smile. Her presence alone was enough to make him stop thinking about the past.

    "I am fine."

    He gently tapped the hand on his shoulder with a smile. Mia 01:35

    nodded and pulled her chair to sit beside him, whispering softly.

    "I know you are, but it''s okay if you feel like it''s getting hard. I... am here, and not just me, all of us are here."

 Chapter 400 Let’s eat together once I’m done

    <h4>Chapter 400 Let''s eat together once I''m done </h4>

    Alec gazed at his hand where a familiar ck petal shone for a split second. He blinked, and it vanished. But he knew it would stay with him... for a long time. At least, until he found and killed the man who ced it on him.

    ''But will I be able to find him?''

    He gazed at Lara, who tilted her head at him as if saying, What happened? Alec shook his head and gestured for her toe sit beside him. Lara blinked but dragged her chair beside him.

    She clicked her tongue when Jian turned around to stare at her and Alec with narrow eyes as if they were caught in the act. Alec chuckled and his mood became better.

    ''I''ll find him... after all, that bastard needs to die for me to have a peaceful life.''

    Yue also looked at the bracelets on her wrists and let out a sigh.

    ''I have time... but I need to somehow tell Kyle about this.''

    At that moment, Kyle, who had finally answered his father''s questions about why he went into aa and who the hell dared to harm him, stood up and looked at Susan.

    "You should take the ones who reached the pseudo divine rank and let them use the crystal. That way, they can form an image in their mind and see their strength whenever they want."

    Susan let out a sigh of relief, and it was clear from his face. He pped his hands to get everyone''s attention.

    "Okay now, all of you who''ve reached the pseudo divine rank, follow me outside because this ce is too small. I am going to leave as soon as my job is done."

    However, for some reason, he narrowed his eyes at Alec, who tensed under his gaze.

    ''Did I make a mistake or is he really giving off a faint evil energy?''

    Susan rubbed his chin, but besides that slight dark energy, he didn''t sense anything else. So, he put that thought aside for now and asked the pseudo rank individuals to follow him.

    Yue looked at his fading figure and quickly told Mia, Sinon, and Regius about the divine essence and asked them to use it too. She took out three ss vials and ced them in front of the trio. The trio looked at each other. They were willing, but they asked for more details. In the distance, Susan''s body stiffened when he heard about the divine essence.

    ''Darn it, the kids are talking about divine essence like it''s no big deal.''

    He stared at Kyle''s back with narrow eyes to know where the young man found so much divine essence, but Kyle ignored him as if he didn''t even exist. Susan clicked his tongue and left with Alec, Carcel, and Lara.

    Meanwhile, after knowing about the divine essence, Sinon ruffled his wings behind his back and his eyes gleamed with a mischievous glint.

    "Don''t know why... but I can''t wait to see Nine''s face when he finds out I''ve reached the pseudo-divine rank!"

    But his excitement turned to disbelief when Kyle told him that Nine had already reached the pseudo-divine rank. Sinon let out a dryugh.

    "You''re kidding, right, bro?"

    Kyle shook his head and Sinon''s expression turned sour. He grabbed one of the vials and raised his hand with a dead serious expression.

    "No way, I''m gonna fail! If Nine can do it, then I can too!"

    Regius chuckled at him and the two of them left the house together. After all, they needed a big and quiet ce for the break through. Mia followed them as well.

    Yue looked at their fading figures and then approached Kyle.

    "The flower... you can give it to Bia."

    She held out her palm and a crimson flower appeared on her hand, but Kyle shook his head and grabbed the grumpy bird on his shoulder.

    "No, take her with you so she can use it. I need to talk with my family. It''s important."

    Bia blinked at his words and quickly spoke in his head.

    -''What is it? I think we should first talk about our bond. Why can''t I sense you? It''s like it''s broken...''

    She fell silent, and Kyle raised his hand to caress her head.

    ''It''s not broken. It just went dormant due to my condition. Don''t worry, it''ll be fine after you stayed around me for some time. Also, you need to get stronger. So, go absorb the flower.''

    The phoenix nodded, but she was still hesitant to leave his side.

    Kyle surprised Yue by grabbing her wrist and pulling her towards him. Baron Ohan cleared his throat to remind him that they weren''t alone. Kyle looked into Yue''s amber eyes and ced Bia on her shoulder. Then, he spoke up with a soft voice.

    "Keep an eye on her for me, alright? I''ll join you in a while... and remember, you owe me a meal. So, let''s eat together once I''m done."

    Yue nodded, still a little dazed that he initiated the contact first. She nced at his hand and quickly backed off, her ears turning red.

    "Okay..."

    Bia''s eyebrow twitched a little as she nced back and forth between Kyle and Yue. In the end, she fixed her gaze on Kyle.

    -''I don''t even remember thest time you spoke so gently and softly... Ugh. So, now that you''re fine, did you decide to get yourself a wife?''

    Kyle hummed in response.

    ''The suggestion isn''t bad at all.''

    Bia raised her brow as Yue started moving toward the exit. The phoenix gazed back at Kyle with crescent eyes.

    -''It seems like you''re going to start showing your emotions more openly now, huh? I see a lot of improvement. Let''s see how it goes... but with your personality, I''m betting it''s gonna take a lot of time.''

    But no matter what, she was happy to see him back. Kyle''s lips twitched at her words, but he ignored the phoenix and looked at Ray and Neon. The duo had been staring at him with mischievous eyes ever since he pulled that stunt on Yue.

    Kyle cleared his throat and quickly changed the topic.

    "You two,e here. I need to check your bodies."

 Chapter 401 A little experiment

    <h4>Chapter 401 A little experiment</h4>

    Ray raised his brow and, aftering in front of Kyle, flicked his forehead.

    "Tsk tsk, after spending some time in aa, you''ve be so impolite. What did you just call us, ''you two''?"

    Kyle rubbed his forehead and stared at the man in front of him.

    "I mean, bro, I''m old now. So, it''s okay..."

    He swallowed his words when Ray looked at him with deep eyes.

    "Ah... brother. Can you sit in front of me? I need to check your body."

    Ray nodded with a satisfied grin and pulled a chair in front of him to take a seat. He stared at Kyle, who grabbed his wrist and closed his eyes. Ray had seen Yue give divine essence to others, so he couldn''t help but feel a little sad that Kyle hadn''t given him and Neon any divine essence.

    However, he knew Kyle must have considered all the options before making the best choice. Also, he and Neon didn''t have a high talent to begin with. So, the chances of them failing to absorb the divine essence were really high.

    Neon also sat down beside them and watched as Kyle furrowed his brow and sniffed the air. Neon blinked in surprise.

    "Where the heck did he learn this bad habit?"

    Kyle heard his words and his eyebrow twitched a little, but he focused all his concentration on Ray. Baron Ohan and Butler Eon also sat down beside the trio to see what Kyle was up to.

    Time passed slowly, and everyone''s attention was fixed on Kyle, who had his eyes closed. Ray let out a hiss as he felt Kyle''s already cold fingers on his skin grow even colder.

    He looked down with furrowed brows and observed as Kyle moved his hand slightly, causing a chilling sensation that made his skin tingle ufortably.

    In that moment, Kyle opened his eyes and shed a wide grin. He stared at Ray, who had a confused expression on his face.

    "I knew it... we all have it in our bodies!"

    At first, Kyle was going to save two vials of divine essence for Neon and Ray. But then he remembered. Just like him, his whole family had the ice enchantress essence in their bodies. Even though it was in a small amount, it was way more powerful than the divine essence.

    Regardless, even if his family did not have the ice enchantress essence in their bodies, Kyle would have found a way to extract his own divine essence and give it to them. After all, now that he had the pseudo divine rank strength, he felt confident that he could make it happen.

    But just as he thought, he sensed the ice enchantress essence in Ray''s body, although very faintly. It was so subtle that he couldn''t even locate it with his scent perception skill. In the end, he had to focus solely on Ray''s body to find it.

    Kyle rubbed his chin with a deep expression.

    ''It would be a little difficult to awaken the ice enchantress essence in their bodies, but not impossible.''

    He had learned a lot about the Celestial bloodline in his body from Nesis, that old man who ran off who knows where before he even woke up. So, maybe, just like how he controlled the celestial essence in his mind space to heal his soul, he could control it again to help his family.

    ''I need to try at least. It would be the best option. If it doesn''t work, I have to find some treasures that would help them awaken the ice enchantress essence.''

    Seeing Kyle''s distracted expression, Ray swatted his hand away with a groan.

    "At least let go of my wrist before you start daydreaming. Your hand is too cold."

    Kyle rubbed his hand and clicked his tongue. But then he let out an evil smile.

    "Big Brother... I''m going to do a little experiment on you."

    Ray shuddered at the politeness oozing out from Kyle''s words. He grabbed Kyle''s shoulder tightly with a simr smile.

    "You want a beating?"

    "Of course not... It won''t be painful, I swear. Or maybe just a little... I''m not sure."

    Ray let out augh. It seems Kyle was serious.

    "So, you want to make me your first test subject?"

    Kyle nodded, but before he could say another word, Ray propelled his chair backward, far away from Kyle. But the man froze when he realized he couldn''t move and stared at Kyle with wide eyes.

    "You little prick, what did you do?"

    Kyle blinked.

    "I knew you would try to run away, that''s why I drew a little invisible symbol on your chair. Now, you can''t stand up until I''m done."

    Ray looked at his father for help, but his father stood up and left, saying he should go make something good for dinner.

    Neon stared at Ray and let out a sigh.

    "Brother, don''t worry, I''ll keep an eye on Kyle, and if the experiment bes too dangerous, I''ll save you immediately."

    Kyle rubbed his hand and dragged his chair toward Ray.

    "So, let''s start, shall we?"

    Ray shut his eyes and braced himself for what was toe. He knew Kyle wouldn''t do anything harmful, but the smile on thetter face made him suspicious.

    "Okay, fine. Do whatever you want. It''s not like a little experiment would kill me-!"

    Before he could finish his sentence, a chilling sensation spread across his wrist. He looked down and saw blue mes around his skin, but they didn''t touch him. Instead, they just roamed around his skin.

    Ray nced at Kyle, who had a dead serious expression on his face. Strangely, within a few seconds beads of sweat formed on Kyle''s forehead, as if he was struggling with something. Kyle clenched his jaw and stared back at Ray with a dry smile.

    "It''s harder than I expected. So, let''s get serious, brother. No matter what happens, don''t move, not even a bit, because I have to retrieve it from your body as soon as I''m done... or else it can harm you."

    Kyle closed his eyes and focused, to quickly sense the dormant ice enchantress essence within Ray''s body.

    Then, he exerted all his willpower just to control a few blue particles in his body and guided them outside.

    ''Damn it... I am only controlling a few particles, but it feels like my body can''t handle it.''

    Ray stared at him, unsure of what Kyle intended to do. Nevertheless, he held his breath and remained still. In the end, he didn''t feel anything except for a cold, prickling sensation that seeped into his body. Also, the sensation disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

    He looked at the icy blue mes around his wrist and they scattered into thin air. His eyes narrowed at the faint, almost invisible blue particles hovering above his hand. However, the particles instantly leaped towards Kyle and vanished into his skin, as if they couldn''t part with him.

    Kyle released his hand and took a deep breath with hazy eyes. He experienced a dreadful sensation just by letting a few particles out of his body.

    "That was hard. Not just hard, it was dangerous... I was afraid I would identally harm you."

    Ray rubbed his wrist and looked at Kyle with a frown.

    "What did you just do?"

    Kyle chuckled and blinked his eye to clear his vision.

    "Nothing special, just increased your talent."

 Chapter 402 The experiment is successful

    <h4>Chapter 402 The experiment is sessful </h4>

    Ray blinked, once, twice, and then the meaning behind Kyle''s words dawned on him. Instantly, his eyes widened as he stared at Kyle.

    "What?"

    Kyle shrugged with a grin. He quickly removed the symbol he drew on the chair restraining Ray, who had an astonished expression on his face.

    "Now you can stand up, brother. The experiment is done, and it''s sessful."

    Ray snapped out of his trance and let out a dryugh. Since he didn''t attend the royal academy, he couldn''t see his stats. That privilege was only avable to the royal academy students or students from a few other big academies.

    "So, now you can even enhance others'' talents, something that''s considered unchangeable. What the hell have you been doing...? Are you sure you were in aa?"

    Kyleughed and shook his head.

    "No, I can''t increase others'' talents. I just awakened something that''s already in your body. It''s something that''s present in all the descendants of our family."

    Ray wanted to know more, but Neon pushed him out of the chair with an excited expression. Then thetter sat down in his seat and extended his hand towards Kyle with sparkling eyes.

    "Now it''s my turn!"

    Ray rolled his eyes. Why did it feel like they were at a market taste-testing a new dish? He smiled and watched as Kyle did the same thing to Neon. But the moment Kyle was done, a familiar feeling welled up inside Neon''s body, and he let out a surprised cry.

    "I am going to break through! It''s not believable because I have already reached the end of my talent!"

    He wanted to go outside the house for the break through, but Kyle drew a few symbols around him to envelop him in an array and asked him to do it here.

    Neon closed his eyes and sensed the mana around him tremble as it started entering his body. He felt his strength rise with each passing second. After a while, he opened his eyes and saw two pairs of eyes staring at him.

    Kyle stood up and cleared his throat.

    "Guys, let''s grab the old man-!"

    His forehead was flickered again by Ray, who raised an eyebrow. Kyle grumbled and rubbed his forehead. Then, he looked at the door leading outside the living room, his eyes turning into crescents.

    "I mean, let''s grab dad. He ran off to the kitchen, right? He needs to be part of the experiment too."

    Ray and Neon rolled up their sleeves and dragged the old man, who was hiding behind the door, secretly peeking at them to see what Kyle was up to. Soon, Ohan was made to sit in front of Kyle. He wiped his forehead and let out a wry smile.

    "Kids, I heard what you all talked about, but I''m too old. There''s no need to increase my talent. Ray and Neon are young. They have a big life ahead of them. I''m already happy to see all of you achieving so much at a young age..."

    His sentence got cut short when Kyle, Ray, and Neon gave him stern looks. Ohan let out a hearty sigh.

    "Okay, okay... but don''t expect me to train or anything because I am not going to do it at this age."

    Kyle''s lips curled into a smile.

    "No need to train, I have enough treasures to fill this entire living room. You can just absorb one whenever you feel like it."

    The old man stared at Kyle, speechless. It seemed like he had no other choice.

    Kyle grabbed his wrist and checked his body, but a surprised expression appeared on his face as he looked at the old man. Unlike his brothers, his father''s body had more ice enchantress essence. Almost double the amount they had.

    He did the same thing to his father, and this time he didn''t feel much resistance. That''s why it didn''t take him long to awaken the ice enchantress essence in the old man''s body.

    Just then, Butler Eon entered the living room with a tray full of fruits and drinks. Kyle gazed at Eon and rubbed his chin. The butler wasn''t a descendant of the ice enchantress, so he couldn''t increase his talent with the same method.

    ''Hmm, I''ll ask Susan to help him. After all, that old man is a divine rank individual.''

    Kyle nodded, and the old butler, who had a smile on his face, shivered when he sensed his deep gaze. Then, Kyle grabbed a few storage rings filled with mana stones and treasures from his mind space and handed them over to his father. So all of them can get stronger as soon as possible.

    His father remembered the old scare he got thest time he checked the storage rings Kyle gave them. So, the old man politely gave the rings to his other two sons to avoid any potential shock.

    Ray and Neon nced at each other and let out wry smiles. No matter what, they could never get used to Kyle pulling treasures out of thin air like they meant nothing.

    After chatting a bit more with his family, Kyle stood up and said he should leave.

    Baron Ohan let out a sigh and rubbed his back. Now Kyle had grown taller than the old man.

    "Okay, just take care of yourself. Also,e back whenever you have time to see me."

    Kyle nodded, but as he started moving toward the exit, he noticed everyone was following him. He stared at Neon and Ray to find out why. The duo burst intoughter and Ray shook his shoulder.

    "We are not following you. We are going to a nearby weaponry to look around for a talent checking orb to check our new talent."

    Kyle nodded with an ''Oh''.

    "Hmm, if I saw George again, I would ask him for the crystal that helps you see your stats. Oh, wait... I can ask Susan. Maybe he might have something simr. I can sense he''s nearby, so you two shoulde with me for now."

    The three of them walked out of the house together. Baron Ohan and Butler Eon stood at the building exit, watching as the trio disappeared into the crowd and left the area.

 Chapter 403 It’s difficult, but not impossible

    <h4>Chapter 403 It''s difficult, but not impossible </h4>

    In front of the border, the soldiers and fighters were working hard to clean up the area after the long battle with the monsters.

    They were searching the monsters'' bodies for skill cores and dragging the high-rank ones with stronger structures to craft weapons from their bones.

    Kyle looked at the soldiers and raised his head to see Susan surrounded by Alec, Jian, Lara, and Carcel in mid-air. The group seems to be bombarding the old man with a lot of questions, probably about the image they formed in their minds after using the brown crystal.

    Kyle took a deep breath and shouted at the old man, who got startled and almost lost his bnce in mid-air.

    Susan turned around and gave Kyle a fierce re, his eyes burning with anger. But he quickly regained hisposure andnded in front of the young man.

    "What is it now?"

    Kyle got straight to the point because he could see that now the old man was getting annoyed at him.

    "Do you have something like a crystal that can help others see their stats before the pseudo-divine rank?"

    Susan furrowed his brow, taking a few moments to think before nodding.

    "I do have something... not a crystal, but a te that can connect others to the''s core, allowing them to see their stats. I collected a lot of things in my younger days. So, why do you need it?"

    Kyle gestured towards Ray and Neon, who were standing behind him.

    "Let them use it. Also, is there a way to increase someone''s talent without the divine essence?"

    Susan let out a sigh and massaged his temples. He just came out of the tower and this rascal is making him do so much.

    "No, I don''t think so. I''ve never heard about any other method to increase talent. If someone reached the end of their talent, they can break the wall by consuming the divine essence."

    Kyle nodded.

    "Do you have divine essence or can you tell me how to extract divine essence?"

    Susan closed his eyes for a second and shouted at Kyle.

    "You just reached the pseudo divine rank and you want to extract divine essence from your body, are you crazy? Don''t even think about it! I do have a few drops, but they are inside the tower. So, if you need it urgently, you can take it from me."

    However, his face turned nk when Kyle casually told him to share some of the divine essence with Butler Eon. He took a deep breath to control his emotions and gestured for Neon and Ray to follow him so they could see their stats by forming a connection with the''s core. Especially to avoid any further talk with Kyle.

    In the next second, Alec, Jian, Lara, and Carcelnded in front of Kyle, who looked at Alec with a serious expression.

    "Alec, do you know about the third shadow general?"

    Alec''s expression hardened, and he nodded.

    "I know... better than anyone else. And I don''t think there''s only one shadow general."

    Kyle furrowed his brow.

    "No way, don''t tell me the shadow generals also..."

    However, before he couldplete his sentence, Alec shook his head with a wry smile and secretly rubbed the back of his hand.

    "No, they are not on this. Neither the third shadow general nor the others. If they were, this would not still be standing."

    Kyle gazed up at the sky. The was now open to anyone who wanted to enter. Fortunately, James'' consciousness had ordered someone to take care of the''s core. If everything went right, they would be able to once again construct the presence-concealing shield around the that had hidden the for so long.

    "Alec, I think we need to hurry. I am not sure when the shadow generals will arrive, and I don''t want to know how strong they are��at least not right now. That''s why we must strike first topletely wipe out the enemies on the."

    "Currently, the tower''s guardians are assisting us. Nine will also arrive shortly with people from the Sea Continent. Two of the strongest guardians of the tower are working to restore the shield around the, and I believe they will seed. Let''s gather everyone to fight and clean the enemies once and for all��"

    He paused for a second.

    "I am not overconfident that we will be victorious without any casualties, but I know we don''t have any other choice. We can only fight or wait... until they wipe us outpletely."

    Alec gripped his shoulder.

    "Don''t worry... No one is going to back down now. They started this war, but we are going to finish it!"

    Jian and Carcel joined them, their gazes fixed on the duo.

    "It''s difficult, but not impossible."

    Kyle smiled and shook his head as he looked at all of them. Alec is just as he remembers... always trying to help as many people as possible. Carcel still wears an aloof expression, as if he does not care about what happens. But he is just like Alec.

    Lara, she has changed a lot. He still remembers how she used to ignore him when he first started interacting with Alec. As for Jian... well, he is still the unluckiest among them all.

    Lara surprised Kyle by patting his shoulder. And not just Kyle, but everyone around her too. A beautiful smile spread across her lips when she saw Kyle''s stunned expression.

    "Hey, I just wanted to say... Well, I''ve been meaning to say it for a long, long time. I never meant to ignore you. It''s just that I couldn''t express myself properly... and then you disappeared, and all this happened. That''s why I never had the chance to apologize properly."

    She paused as if it took her all just to say those words.

    "I''m sorry, Kyle, and please take care of yourself. I noticed that whenever something dangerous happened, you were always the one who disappeared or ended up in a difficult position. I just realized that. So... that''s it... Bye."

    Lara turned around and left without saying anything more, but there was a smile on her face. Finally, she said it, and it wasn''t as hard as she expected.

    Jian smirked at her figure and started floating away too.

    "Okay, bro, I''m the strongest and youngest guardian of this Continent. So, I''m leaving too. Just like Lara said, take care of yourself and don''t suddenly disappear on us. After all, you have to fight on the frontline. Haha."

    Kyle''s smile stiffened, but he let it go and waved at the red-

    haired man.

    Alec and Carcel also nodded at Kyle and quickly left with the duo. As the young guardians of the new Continent, they had a lot of work to do.

    First, they needed to send all the talented youngsters they had gathered to train inside the tower of opportunity, now that it''s open to the public. Second, they have to inform the Kings and gather the entire army of the Continent.

 Chapter 404 A well-suited rank

    <h4>Chapter 404 A well-suited rank</h4>

    Kyle stared at their disappearing figures for a few seconds and started floating.

    He closed his eyes and activated his scent perception skill. Instantly, he sensed a few familiar presences amidst the multitude of scents wafting into his nostrils.

    Yue and Bia weren''t too far from where he was. He opened his eyes and went into the forest close to the border. But after just a minute, he stopped when he sensed a barrier.

    The barrier was thin and transparent, separating the space from the outside world. Kyle raised his hand and touched the barrier, causing it to flicker slightly before settling down.

    He smirked and with a blink of his eyes, a symbol appeared in the air. The symbol merged with the barrier and created a small opening on its smooth surface.

    Kyle peered inside, and right away his eyesnded on a sereneke. It was nestled among big rocks and trees, creating a peaceful atmosphere. Bia was sitting on one side of theke in her phoenix form, and faint mes danced around her body, just like flickering sparks. Above her, the crimson flower floated, emitting a red aura that was absorbed by her body.

    His gaze shifted towards the woman donned in elegant attire, seated on the opposite side of theke atop a boulder, quietly observing the phoenix.

    Kyle raised his leg and entered through the opening before it closed behind him.

    Hended softly on the ground, careful not to disturb the deeply meditating phoenix. Gradually, he approached Yue and lightly tapped her shoulder.

    Yue jolted and instinctively clenched her hand into a fist, prepared to strike. But she let out a long sigh when she realized it was Kyle.

    "At least, announce your presence. What if I had attacked you?"

    Kyle hummed and propped himself beside her like it was the most natural thing. Because of the limited space, their bodies were touching, and Yue wanted to shift away a little. But he gently grasped her waist and guided her to sit beside him.

    "Don''t tell me that after I asked you to give everyone the divine essence, you didn''t take a rest for even a second?"

    The woman next to him stilled, seemingly processing his words or maybe more focused on his hand on her waist. His touch was cold... just as she remembered. Yue was startled when Kyle tightened his grip slightly.

    "So?"

    She looked up to meet his gaze, they were too close, so close. She could feel his breath gently brushing against her face. The tips of her pointy ears instantly turned red. She wasn''t sure when Kyle had started to change so much.

    No, he never took the initiative to get close first, so what happened now? Her mind was racing with so many thoughts, and those deep, bright eyes were staring at her, waiting for an answer. Coupled with his handsome features... it had an immediate effect on her, and her thoughts came to a sudden halt.

    ''What did he ask again...? Oh, right...''

    She looked down slightly, too nervous to meet his gaze directly, afraid that her heart, which was already racing, might just leap out of her chest. Her face flushed when she realized that Kyle might be able to hear the sound of her racing heart.

    "It''s not like... I need rest, right? I''m strong, and even if I don''t rest for a few days, it wouldn''t matter..."

    Kyle nodded slightly, his brows furrowing.

    "Still, it''s not like we''re going to war right away. You shouldn''t put so much burden on yourself. I heard you''re the Queen of the elven Kingdom now. The role suits you, but ites with a lot of responsibilities. I just don''t want you to exhaust yourself working day and night."

    Yue let out a smile at his words. The tension around her body loosened, and she peered at him with that beautiful smile of hers. After all, she could clearly sense that he was worrying about her.

    "A Queen..."

    She rolled the words on her tongue. Clearly, it sounded hundreds of times better when Kyle called her with that title.

    "Does it really suit me? I don''t think so. They just needed a strong leader, and I was the only one left..."

    Kyle sensed the sadness in her voice. He had heard that many people had died during his absence, so maybe someone close to her as well...

    "It does, but you can always run away with me. I''m nning to leave this once it''s safe. I have some debts to settle with some people out there, and it would also be a fun journey. So, think about it, okay?"

    Yue blinked at his words and couldn''t help but let out a giggle. The previous sadness seemed to evaporate into thin air as genuineughter spilled out of her lips.

    She surprised Kyle by wrapping her arm around his neck in a swift movement, pulling him closer. Her eyes turned into crescents at his stunned expression.

    "You want me to run away with you? Why? We''re not even close."

    Kyle let out a chuckle as he felt his heart picking up its pace, and a thought that had been getting clearer in his mind became even more apparent. He realized that he liked this woman in front of him, a lot more than he expected.

    "So, how about we get a little closer?"

    Yue''s neck flushed at his words. Her breath quickened as she sensed his grip tightening on her waist and his face moving closer to her face. The air exploded with sparks and thick tension but... the moment was destroyed when a familiar cry rang out in the distance.

    -"I''m gonna break through! Oh my gosh, the majestic me can finally reach a well-suited rank! Hahaha!"

    Kyle closed his eyes as Yue pulled away from his grip as quickly as one would in a startled frenzy. He took a deep breath and closed his hand, which felt empty for some reason, before ncing at Bia.

    "Right, congrattions."

 Chapter 405 You knew its an artifact

    Chapter 405 You knew it''s an artifact

    Bia pped her wings and her eyes lit up when she spotted Kyle in the distance. With a swift movement, she soared into the sky. The air around her crackled with crimson mes flickering around her entire body. Afterpletely absorbing the flower''s aura, she had effortlessly shattered the small wall blocking her path.

    The divine energy in the air rushed into her body, and a radiant golden glow appeared on each of her feathers, which were blue at the edges. The air grew still as the phoenix flew around in the sky and let out a loud cry. In an instant, all types of monsters in her vicinity, those who could hear or sense her presence, froze in ce as if witnessing the birth of a divine beast.

    Kyle looked up and saw Bia''s mes take on a pure golden hue. A little distance away from him, Yue gasped, her amber eyes fixed on the beautiful phoenix as Bia spread out her wings in a majestic manner, covering the entire sky in a nket of mes.

    Yue began to float and eyes turned crescents.

    "She''s beautiful..."

    Kyle leaped up from where he was and floated alongside her, humming. He reached out his hand towards the elf, who blinked but still took hold of it. The duo floated up towards Bia, who had finally ceased her disy of newfound authority to the other monsters.

    The phoenix circled the two of them with excitement and then came to a stop in front of Kyle. She quickly transformed into her shorter form andnded on Kyle''s head with azy expression.

    Kyle leaped up from where he was and floated alongside her, humming. He reached out his hand towards the elf, who blinked but still took hold of it. The duo floated up towards Bia, who had finally ceased her disy of newfound authority to the other monsters.

    The phoenix circled the two of them with excitement and then came to a stop in front of Kyle. She quickly transformed into her shorter form andnded on Kyle''s head with azy expression.

    The previously proud demeanor faded away as Bia made herselffortable and, in the process, messed up Kyle''s hair with a contented sigh.

    -"It''s been a while, right? Now that I think about it, I''m feeling pretty hungry! Let''s find a good ce to eat now!"

    Kyle, who had just raised his hand to pat her head in praise, paused after hearing her words. His lips twitched a little, realizing that no matter what, the phoenix would never change. Regardless, he agreed and looked at Yue, asking if she wanted to go together.

    Yue had already used the brown crystal to form an image in her mind before she took Bia to a quiet ce where the phoenix absorbed the flower. The elf thought for a few seconds. She had a lot of things she needed to do, especially in the Kingdom. But then she noticed the two pairs of bright eyes, staring at her quietly, seemingly waiting for her answer.

    ''Well... it would be fine to put the work on hold for a while.''

    "Okay..."

    Kyle nodded at her, and they left the forest together, only to find themselves in front of the border. Then, they walked on foot and entered the crowded space after crossing the border. A lot of eyes lingered on them, probably those who had seen Yue before or those who had seen Kyle with the other young guardians. But nobody had time to meddle in their matters because the urgency of the situation kept everyone focused on their own tasks.

    Yue noticed they hade quite far away from the border. She paused and gazed back, but Kyle grasped her hand and pulled her beside him.

    "There''s a lot of crowd, just stay beside me. Also, I can smell a good ce a little distance away. Let''s go there."

    She was curious about what he meant by smell, but her attention shifted when she realized he was still holding her hand. Yue softly gripped his hand in return, and even though he noticed, she didn''t say anything.

    They quietly walked through the area, taking in the sights of the houses and numerous individuals selling weapons or skill cores on both sides of the street.

    Bia''s eyes roamed around. She had seen all of this before, but now that she was with Kyle, it felt a lot different. However, the streets weren''t filled with enthusiasm, probably due to the ongoing circumstances. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The phoenix''s sharp eyes narrowed at the duo''s interlocked hands, and a surprised look shed across her face.

    -''Wait, when did they progress so far? Why didn''t I notice?''

    She let out a littleugh in her head and closed her eyes because it would be bad if she disturbed the moment, unaware that she had already done so before.

    However, unlike Bia, Kyle''s eyes narrowed a little as he noticed the familiar bracelets on Yue''s wrists. He hadn''t thought about it before, but now that he looked closely, he noticed that they were slightly different from before, especially the glowing gems embedded on their surface.

    But he stopped his thoughts as they arrived in front of the ce he sensed would be perfect for a good meal.

    It was a medium-sized hotel with wooden furniture, probably the only decent ce in the surroundings. Inside, there was an old dwarf couple serving the customers. The ce was quite crowded, but Kyle''s eyes wandered around and he spotted an empty table in a corner.

    As the duo approached the table, many eyes turned towards them, impressed by how good they looked together. Both of them were good-looking, but Kyle furrowed his brows and drew a few symbols to cast a small barrier around them. So, they could enjoy a peaceful meal together.

    Yue chuckled at him as he sat down across from her, and she was pleasantly surprised when he naturally pulled out her chair so she could sit down.

    "So, if I pay for the meal, would that count as repayment for sparing Nox''s life?"

    Kyle blinked and then rubbed his chin with a thoughtful expression.

    "Well, to be honest, the meat of a beast with (SSS+)-Rank talent would be a lot more expensive than just one meal. But since it''s our first meal together and I think we should get closer, you can keep that little monster alive. Also, it would be better if I paid. After all, I''m the one who invited you."

    Yue''s face turned slightly red when she heard the words ''we should get closer''. The recent memory quickly came back to her mind.

    Bai hopped down from Kyle''s head, realizing they were taking too long, and startled the elderly dwarf woman who came to take their order. The phoenix didn''t hold back and ordered everything because she felt like she should eat a lot more now that she''s a pseudo divine-rank being.

    If only Alec and Nine could hear Kyle''s words, saying that he would pay for the meal. The same Kyle who dine and dashed, leaving a big bill for Alec, even though he had a storage ring full of mana stones. No one would know what their reaction would be because they weren''t here to witness it.

    The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful until Kyle pointed out the bracelets on the elf''s hand.

    "I believe you found all the parts of the artifact because there''s divine energy on its surface."

    Yue was taken aback by his words, unsure of when he discovered the artifact.

    "You knew it''s an artifact...?"

    "Hmm, it was back when we first met. Ipleted some symbols on its surface and realized that the bracelets were part of a powerful artifact, but I wasn''t sure what kind. Then I didn''t see them on your wrists, so it slipped my mind."

 Chapter 406 Thats not fair at all

    Chapter 406 That''s not fair at all

    Yue nodded and fiddled with the bracelets, her voice bing slower.

    "My father found the remaining parts. It''s a divine rank artifact..."

    She wanted to say more, but didn''t know where to start. The moment she mentioned her father, memories of the difficult time came rushing back, making her vision blurry. She hadn''t shown her emotions so openly since her father passed, so why did she have to embarrass herself in front of Kyle?

    Kyle did not really care about the divine artifact. Not this one, or maybe he would not even in the future because the one that ate his soul was enough to give him a big aversion toward divine rank artifacts. But he noticed that the corner of Yue''s eyes turned red when she mentioned her father.

    ''Don''t tell me...?''

    He quietly pulled his chair next to her and surprised her by suddenly putting his arm around her and gently rubbing her back.

    "I know it''s hard, but it''ll get better."

    Once again, he realized he wasn''t good with words, especially when it came toforting others. However, the woman next to him foundfort in just the few words he managed to say, and she buried her face in his shoulder.

    Once again, he realized he wasn''t good with words, especially when it came toforting others. However, the woman next to him foundfort in just the few words he managed to say, and she buried her face in his shoulder.

    On the table, Bia silently bit into another piece of meat that was put there by the old dwarf woman a while ago and watched as Kyle effortlessly secured his future wife. The phoenix had an uneasy feeling that the duo had forgotten about her presence. She clicked her tongue lightly but still didn''t stop munching on her food. After all, wasting was a big no-no.

    After Yue calmed down, they continued their meal, but Kyle noticed that she kept trying to say something, only to stop in the middle as if something was holding her back. He even asked her what happened, and she did open her mouth to speak, but then closed it again with furrowed brows.

    However, before he could learn more, something buzzed in Kyle''s mind space. He grabbed the little crystal that one of the tower''s guardians had thrown to him before leaving to check on the''s core.

    In an instant, a serene voice resonated from the crystal, and Kyle''s expression turned grim as Lie, the divine rank guardian, informed him that there was something wrong with the''s air. That''s why her efforts to rebuild the''s shield were failing.

    In the end, Lie told him to find Yon, the old dwarf, as quickly as possible because he knows a lot about this types of issues and can help solve it. If they don''t act soon, the air that has already affected the monsters on the will start affecting thend and nt life too.

    Kyle''s expression turned serious as he closed themunication crystal. He looked at Yue, but she had already gotten up to leave. Kyle stood up too, and Bia, who had finished eating, quickly climbed onto his shoulder so she wouldn''t be left behind. Kyle generously paid the old dwarf couple and they swiftly left the ce.

    Once they were in the air, Yue looked at him and smiled. Today was one of the best and most peaceful moments she had experienced in a long time.

    "I need to head back to the elven Kingdom too. So, take care of yourself and Bia, alright?"

    Kyle closed the gap between them and let out a sigh before softly kissing the strands of her flowing honey-colored hair.

    "Let''s continue where we left off once everything calms down. I mean, you wouldn''t run away with me because we''re not that close... yet."

    The elf stared at him, dazed, too surprised to even react. So, he could even do that out of nowhere? She watched as Kyle backed away and stared at her with a soft expression.

    "Okay, bye... take care of yourself too."

    Yue watched as he left with the phoenix on his shoulder, heading in the opposite direction, probably to find Yon. After Kyle left, she clenched her fists tightly, feeling a prickling pain throughout her body. It wasn''t because of anything else but because of the bracelets on her wrists.

    "So, I can''t talk about it with anyone else? That''s not fair at all..."

    She let out a sad smile and gazed into the distance where Kyle had gone.

    "I hope everything gets better, just like you said."

    Yue shook her head and headed in the opposite direction towards the elven Kingdom. She had been away from the Kingdom for too long without telling anyone the reason.

    Honestly, she didn''t feel bad about it, but the older elves were definitely going to ask her a lot of questions to make her realize how irresponsible she had been. Just thinking about it gave her a headache.

    ....

    Kyle stopped after floating a long way from the ce. He rubbed his fingers. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Her hair smelled nice, a lot better than all the different scents that always overwhelm my nose because of the divine scent perception skill. I think I''m bing more sensitive to smells."

    Bia pawed his shoulder with a loud sound.

    -"Hey, did you forget there''s a kid around you? I remember you always calling me a kid, and now tsk tsk, you''re doing everything in front of me."

    Kyle rolled his eyes at her words.

    "You think I didn''t notice how eagerly you were staring at us? But don''t worry, next time I''ll make sure to put a barrier around you to block your vision."

    Bia suddenly looked at him with a hint of suspicion.

    -"Umm, Kyle, I could be wrong, but I feel like I''m more sensitive to divine energy. It seemed like you used it on Yue when you touched her hair. What did you do? Or am I mistaken?"

    Kyle raised his eyebrow, surprised that she noticed.

    "Nothing, I just noticed something off about her behavior. It seemed like she wanted to speak but couldn''t. So, I ced something on her, but don''t worry, it''s not dangerous and won''t affect her at all. I''ll remove it as soon as the uneasy feeling I am having goes away."

    He took out hismunication crystal to contact Han. It''s a good thing he took the old man''smunication crystal coordinates before thetter left with the tower''s guardians.

 Chapter 407 Our future hope

    <h4>Chapter 407 Our future hope </h4>

    Yon stood on a tform made of stacked bricks, looking at the other guardians and countless citizens working nearby. They were all building a new barrier in the center of Coexis,bining countless symbols with a lot of natural mana and divine energy. Once activated, this barrier would cover the entire Continent with a transparent dome.

    This way, if the enemy tried to attack and harm the citizens, the barrier, along with the border around the Continent, would give them enough time to fight back with everything they have got.

    Yon wasn''t alone. There were many others, including the demi-human king Muzim and the human king Istalian. They both stared at Yon''s back with solemn expressions. They were shocked to learn that the array masters had seeded after so much struggle. Finally, they called upon the guardians to help them in this difficult time.

    A glimmer of hope appeared in the hearts of all those people who watched the guardians constructing a barrier in the middle of the Continent.

    However, the two kings and a few others werepletely stunned and couldn''t find words when theirmunication crystals buzzed. At that moment, Alec and Carcel, the young guardians of the Continent, dered that this time they would be the onesunching the attack against the enemy first. No way they would wait for the enemy to strike and catch them off guard.

    Of course, the kings and the elders who heard the news didn''t agree because they thought it was too risky, even with the tower''s guardians on their side.

    They had witnessed the enemy''s power, and it would be unfair to say they felt confident in confronting so many divine-rank individuals directly. But everything changed when word got out that Alec, Jian, Carcel, Lara, and the elven Queen had reached the pseudo divine rank.

    The news was so shocking that some of them even dropped theirmunication crystals. The elders exchanged nces, and their faces broke into wry smiles.

    These youngsters had already amazed them by fighting on the frontlines during the previous enemy attack. And now, they had once again surpassed everyone''s expectations by achieving a rank that even they themselves weren''t sure they would reach.

    In the end, a multitude of projections appeared in the sky as the two kings reached out to all the strong people of the Continent. A heated discussion ensued about whether they should heed the words of the youngsters. But before they coulde to a conclusion, another news reached their ears that numerous strong individuals from the Sea Continent had arrived at the border to join the war��a war they hadn''t even decided to start yet.

    Yon couldn''t help but muse with amusement as he watched the faces of the people around him change every minute, as if they were experiencing the shock of their lives.

    King Istalian''smunication crystal buzzed once more, and this time he swore he wouldn''t answer it. However, the people around him stared at him with intense gazes, silently urging him to pick it up.

    He let out a groan. Istalian had finally freed himself from the shadow after countless attempts. He had given the shadow the divine phoenix blood, and in return, before vanishing to an unknown ce, the shadow gave him something that would enhance his strength. Regardless, it would only be useful when he reached the point where he felt he had truly reached the peak of (SSS+)-Rank.

    That''s why when he heard that many people younger than him had already reached the pseudo divine rank, he couldn''t help but feel a twinge of envy. Still, despite his reluctance, he stealed his nerves and held themunication crystal in his hand.

    Soon, Jian''s face appeared before him. The red-haired man ran his hand through his hair and let out a smile, a smile that bordered on wickedness. Jian cleared his throat, and in the next moment, the image above themunication crystal changed, showing countless familiar youngsters entering a tall tower in rows.

    "So..."

    Jian''s voice echoed through the crystal, jolting Istalian, who stared at the familiar tower where the youngsters were entering.

    "I just wanted to ask if I could send some kids to train in the nearest tower of opportunity. Oh well, they''re so eager and already going inside, so don''t me me. But don''t worry, ''our future hope'' will definitely be the hope of the future when theye out from that ce with enough strength to fight alongside us! Hahaha."

    Just like that, before Jian''s words could fully sink inside anyone''s head, the connection of themunication crystal was abruptly cut off, leaving the crystal dead silent.

    Right at that moment, Yon turned around, scratching his chin with a thoughtful look on his face.

    "Oh, it seems they found out that after the guardians left, all the towers are open to the public. It''s great that they''re taking advantage of this opportunity to send all the young ones into the towers."

    His booming voice reverberated through the air, and Istalian''s expression turned pale. So, Jian contacted him after he had already teleported the youngsters in front of the tower and was in the process of sending them in?

    Istalian gazed at Muzim, the demi-human king, only to find that Muzim''s expression was even paler than his own. Not just Muzim, everyone had various expressions on their faces, unsure of what the hell was happening and why the hell it was happening so fast?

    All eyes immediately turned to Han, who was munching on fruits in the distance while overseeing some individuals drawing symbols around him. Han and George were the ones who brought the guardians back, but they haven''t discussed anything else yet!

    Of course, everyone heard about Kyle once the array masters returned. Kyle was the human who was considered to be the strongest among the younger generation when he came out of that secret realm.

    But he vanished even before the was attacked, and no one knew what happened to him. Moreover, due to the circumstances, everyone forgot about him.

    However, the very same Kyle has made a reappearance. And not just that, he even made a major contribution when the array masters opened the tower. No, not just a major contribution, he was the one who added the right symbols in the array.

    Regardless, nobody mentioned that they would be going into a war so suddenly!

 Chapter 408 Where the hell is Susan?

    <h4>Chapter 408 Where the hell is Susan?</h4>

    Yon took a whiff of the air, and a frown creased his brow.

    "The air is polluted, but why can''t I find the source?"

    He gazed at the people behind him who were busy contacting one person after another. Yon heard everything they talked about because his senses were sharper than his rank, that''s why he couldn''t help but let out a smirk.

    ''The young ones really know how to make others panic...''

    He shook his head and started floating to once again sense the air. So, he could find the source of the air pollution, the same air pollution he sensed the moment he came out from the tower.

    Yon closed his eyes and sensed everything around him. The air, the flow of mana, the faint light particles. But his eyes snapped open when he sensed another type of faint sapphire-colored particles mixed with the air. Those particles were devouring the mana in the air and multiplying rapidly.

    "What in the world is this thing...?"

    He couldn''t shake the feeling that whatever it is, it isn''t good because the particles give off an ominous feeling. That''s why he quickly gathered all the array masters around him and gave them a few symbols, before asking them to draw an array that would clean the air.

    However, the only problem was that the array needed a lot of divine energy. Not from any other source, but divine energy directly from someone who had stepped into the realm of the divine. Without it, there''s no way the array would be strong enough to cleanse the entire''s air.

    He clicked his tongue.

    "Where the hell is Susan? He and Lie are the only true divine beings among us. Lie is working on the core, but what the heck is that old man doing? Don''t tell me he ran off somewhere quiet to rest when he knows we have a lot of work to do?"

    Yon massaged his temples. He has reached the (SSS+)-Rank, and there were a few pseudo divine guardians as well, but unfortunately, he sent two of them to scout for information about the enemy.

    He gazed at Han, and after thinking for a few minutes, he asked the old human to call the people who had reached the pseudo divine rank.

    Yon knew it wouldn''t be enough, as the young ones had just recently reached the pseudo-divine rank, but anything was better than nothing. The dwarf watched as the array masters swiftly drew the symbols inside the array he requested. Unlike the barrier, which would take another day toplete, the air-cleaning array was ready within a few hours.

    Meanwhile, Han quickly got in touch with Alec and Carcel. He thought they wouldn''t answer because after Jian''sst words, they didn''t respond to King Istalian and the others. But to his surprise, the duo picked up almost instantly. Han let out a sigh of relief and went to a corner to exin the situation to them.

    Alec thought for a moment and said they were near a teleportation array. They woulde directly once they had sent all the youngsters inside the tower.

    Time passed, and Yon, who was overseeing everything, sensed a ripple in the air. He furrowed his brows, but before he could say anything, his eyes widened when a familiar figure crashed in the middle of the crowd. Instantly, a cloud of dust rose into the sky, and debris flew everywhere.

    Some panic cries rang out from the weak citizens who were only there to construct the barrier, caught off guard by the sudden turn of events. But one of the guardians in the distance quickly mmed his hand down, scattering the dust into thin air, and shouted loudly.

    "Shut the hell up!"

    The ce fell into a deadly silence as Yon turned his gaze towards the caved-in surface of the earth where the horned demi-human had crashed.

    The horned man with slit red pupils spat out a mouthful of blood. His expression mirrored pain as he clenched his chest, where a ck metallic spike protruded out from.

    Instantly, King Istalian and a few other powerful figures became alert, not really sure what had happened. At that moment, a pleasant voice echoed through the air, and a figure stepped out from a portal that formed in the rippling air.

    "Hehe, not bad... Gotta admit, that spy was pretty strong. So, there''s a pseudo-divine rank individual on this too, huh?"

    The man in an elegant attire, who just stepped out of the portal, smoothed out his shirt and looked around, as if familiarizing himself with the ce he had just arrived in.

    "Oh, the defense here is quite impressive. But what else can you all do besides hiding when your opponent is so much stronger?"

    "By the way, those two spies gave me a lot of trouble. One managed to escape, but I caught the other one. So, now tell me, how does it feel to see one of your informants die right before your eyes?"

    His brown eyes, tinged with darkness, held disdain as he scanned the countless people below, looking at them as if they were mere ants. Just like Diora, there was a ck three-petal flower engraved on his forehead, showing his alliance with the people the Continent wanted to fight back against.

    Yon''s pupils dted as he clenched his fingers into fists, ready to tear the man into countless pieces.

    Just like him, all the guardians of the tower were ready to take down that man, even though they could clearly sense his divine-rank strength. But with all of thembined, they were confident they could make him regret ever being born.

    "This arrogant bastard...!"

    However, before Yon or anyone else could attack the man, a punchnded on the smirking man''s face, causing him to stagger backward a few meters in mid-air.

    Jian let out a surprised gasp as he waved his hand around, his brows furrowed.

    "What the heck! Why is his skin so thick? It almost felt like punching metal!"

    He had left Alec and Carcel behind just to investigate what kind of array required divine energy, only to see an unfamiliar figure appearing out of thin air. But no matter what, the ck three-

    petal flower engraved on the man''s forehead indicated that he was an enemy.

    The man chuckled and moved his jaw from side to side, as if relishing the stinging sensation spreading across his skin.

    "That was quite a heavy punch... but hold on a second... Diora said there weren''t any stronger individuals on this, so why am I seeing so many people with pseudo-divine strength?"

    Jian ignored the man and turned his gaze towards Yon and the others. Instantly, Yon, Istalian, and two other guardians of the tower started floating and arrived beside him. Yon looked at Jian and cracked his knuckles.

    "Hey, kid, let''s finish him off before things getplicated."

    The manughed, as if he couldn''t believe what they were saying, and ripples formed behind him.

    "Oh,e and get me, but can you?"

    He smirked, opened his arms, and in the next second, the ripples enveloped his body, and he vanished into thin air.

 Chapter 409 It’s not teleprotaion

    <h4>Chapter 409 It''s not teleprotaion </h4>

    Jian''s pupils contracted when he sensed ripples on his left side. He raised his arm and blocked the fist that came out of thin air directly toward his face. But the impact sent him flying backward in mid-air.

    He rubbed his arm, which got bruised due to the impact, and gazed at the man who just appeared from the ripples. He clicked his tongue.

    "So, you gonna strike secretly even though you''re stronger? Tsk, what a scaredy-cat."

    Yon chuckled and joined him.

    "Doesn''t matter, kid. He knows he''s as good as dead now that he dared to appear in front of us."

    The man''s brown eyes widened slightly with surprise, and he tilted his head unfazed by their words. Yon jumped forward, a hammer appeared in his hand as he mmed it toward the man. But before his hammer could touch the man, he disappeared once again.

    "This bastard..."

    A curse slipped out from Yon''s mouth as he paused and looked around to find where the man would appear next.

    Istalian and the other two guardians also became alert, doing their best to sense the air around them. But instead of attacking any one of them, the man appeared behind Jian and kicked his back, probably because Jian was the one who punched him. However, before his kick couldnd, crimson mes appeared all around Jian, forcing him to retract his attack.

    Jian chuckled and turned to face the person behind him.

    "Now it''s my turn!"

    He gathered all the crimson mes, and they traveled toward the man with lighting fast speed. The man''s brown eyes shed with surprise because Jian''s mes were very strong.

    He wondered how the human got such a strong skill or did the human consumed a treasure rted to fire? Regardless, before the mes could touch him, he vanished into the ripples again.

    Jian let out a frustrated groan.

    "Damn, why does this annoying skill seem so familiar? I really hate these disappearance skills..."

    Soon, the people in the air got busy chasing after the man. But the man seemed to enjoy toying with them because he would always control the air around him and vanish before anyone could touch him. His eyes sparkled with amusement as he watched them struggle.

    ''It''s fun... haha, I should havee earlier. This is so much fun.''

    Meanwhile, below on thend, Han and a few others quickly made their way toward the man with slit red pupils lying inside the caved-in surface. He was the same horned man who was thrown mercilessly on the ground by the enemy who just appeared out of nowhere.

    Han quickly poured a few potions on the man''s chest where a metal spike was sticking out. He shouted to the others to take him to a safer ce, but then a female guardian appeared above the injured horned man and silently carried him away.

    The other guardians quickly dispersed the crowd, and in the end, only stronger individuals were left on thend.

    Han cursed under his breath as he gazed at the sky, where a heated... no, a one-sided battle was taking ce. The man seemed to be just ying around without actually attacking anyone else.

    Just then, hismunication crystal buzzed. He rummaged through his storage ring and grabbed the crystal before a familiar face appeared in front of him. It was Kyle, asking for his location because he needed to discuss something important with Yon.

    In the air, Jian groaned as another one of his attacks missed its mark. He snapped his head toward the man who had just appeared above the round structure, the barrier the guardians were creating.

    The man rubbed his chin and wore an incredible expression.

    "What is this thing? Hmm, should I destroy it?"

    He jumped back when a spear shot out towards him from the air, impaling itself in the ground with a loud bang.

    "Oh, the tip is quite sharp. You all have no manners! I''m just a guest passing by. How can you treat me like that?"

    A vein bulged on Yon''s forehead.

    "You slippery bastard! Just stay in one ce. Why are you buzzing around like a damn bee?"

    The man showed a stunned expression, as if he didn''t like the title.

    "No, no, don''t call me a bee. I''m just a young divine-rank individual who turned two hundred years old a few months ago. Just call me Ateo. That''s the name Hay gave me on my hundredth birthday."

    He massaged his neck and looked around.

    "I''m getting bored now. Diora has ordered everyone to stop searching for natural treasures and assemble, so we can wipe out the remaining struggling souls on this. But now I think we don''t even need to assemble because a few of us are enough to wipe you all out, hahaha."

    His wildughter echoed through the air, and Yon hurled his hammer at the man to wipe the annoying smile off his face, but the man vanished again. Just then, Jian summoned countless earth spikes andunched them in different directions.

    Ateo, who just appeared in a different ce, let out a shriek when one of the spikes grazed his arm, and blood oozed out from the injury. He raised his arm and stared at the little injury with wide eyes.

    "You! How can you send your attack just anywhere? Don''t you know it can harm innocent citizens?"

    As his voice traveled through the air, in that exact moment, a portal appeared beside Han, who was looking up at the battle with a hard expression.

    -"Oh, innocent citizens?"

    Bia flew out from the portal andnded on Han''s shoulder, causing the old man to jolt at the sudden voice echoing by his ear.

    "You scared me. I thought that jerk appeared right next to me."

    He shook his head with a sigh and watched as Kyle also stepped out from the portal.

    "What innocent citizens?"

    Kyle asked the phoenix, who was sitting on Han''s shoulder. Bia pointed one of her wings in the air where the man had disappeared once again, only to attack Istalian in the next second.

    -"Just go and take care of the innocent citizen. He''s using a teleportation skill just like you."

    Kyle narrowed his eyes and observed the man. Instant teleportation was one of his trump cards, so he found it a little weird when someone else used it in front of him. However, only after a few seconds, he noticed with a raised brow, that the skill the man was using waspletely different from instant teleportation.

    "No, it''s not teleportation. He''s using the air around himself as a vacuum to move around at a speed invisible to the naked eye."

    An evil smirk appeared on the corner of his lips.

    "Well, I don''t like the fact that he has this skill. So, I''m going to let him experience the true horror of the real instant teleportation."

 Chapter 410 A true divine being strength

    <h4>Chapter 410 A true divine being strength</h4>

    Jian let out a frustrated shout and raised his fist in the sky.

    "Damn it, damn it! Just once, let me grab you! I''m gonna break every bone in your body!"

    Not just him, Yon, Istalian, and the other guardians also wanted nothing more than to grab the man. Just once would be enough. Ateo hadn''t used a single skill since he appeared, except for his irritating disappearance skill!

    Yon grabbed his hammer and started spinning it in the air. He had been keenly observing the man''s movements and noticed a pattern in his skill. Every time Ateo disappeared, he would reappear within a few meters radius. It''s like he can''t travel far. Electricity crackled around Yon''s hammer as he tossed it toward the ce where he sensed the ripples.

    Ateo''s eyes narrowed because this time the attack wasing directly toward his face, his beautiful and pretty face. His sharp nails turned ck and a dark curtain appeared in front of him.

    The hammer crashed into the curtain with a loud boom. Instantly, ripples formed in the curtain, and it even cracked a bit. But after just a few seconds, the force behind the hammer started to fade away. Eventually, it dropped down aimlessly.

    Ateo gazed at the hammer and wiped his forehead in an exaggerated way.

    "That was close, but is this all you have got? If yes, then the pseudo-divine rank people here are quite weak... Now, just try your best to follow me. I''m going to destroy some nearby cities, hehe."

    Jian shouted at Ateo as ripples appeared behind thetter.

    "You bastard, stop right there!"

    Ateo mused, a mischievous twinkle dancing in his eyes. He didn''t vanish right away, just to enjoy their facial expressions. However, he blinked when Jian abruptly paused, and the human''s eyes widened for a split second, only to turn into crescents. Moreover, he noticed with narrowed eyes that Jian wasn''t looking at him, instead, the human was looking behind him...?

    He froze when a soft touchnded on his shoulder, followed by a deep voice that sent chills down his spine because he hadn''t sensed anyone behind him. Not now, not before.

    "Where do you think you''re going?"

    Jian burst intoughter as he watched Ateo''s expression crumble within a split second.

    "Yeah, just kick him towards me! I want to punch this bastard so badly!"

    Ateo leaped forward so fast that his figure blurred in everyone''s vision. He looked back with narrowed eyes, only to see a pair of bright green eyes staring at him with little to no emotion. Kyle lowered his foot with a raised brow.

    "He''s quite fast."

    Then, he gazed at Jian and gave the red-haired man an okay sign.

    "Get ready, I''m sending him towards you."

    Ateoughed at his words because he had already sensed the new human''s rank. It was hidden behind an invisibleyer, probably because the human is wearing a strong artifact to hide his presence.

    Just like Jian, this human also had pseudo-divine rank strength. Ateo scoffed and gave Kyle a taunting look. The human had caught him off guard with the invisibleyer that hid his presence, but now that he knew about it, there was no way he would be surprised again.

    ''I''m a person who''s never been caught, even after stealing powerful treasures right under the noses of countless strong individuals! How can a mere pseudo-divine rank human-!''

    His thoughts were abruptly cut short because Kyle vanished right in front of his eyes. And before he could react, somethingnded on his back, sending him flying forward with a single impactful blow. Ateo spat out a mouthful of blood and cried out in shock.

    "Ahhh..."

    However, his eyes widened even more when a familiar red-

    haired man with an evil smile appeared in his vision. No, the man didn''te in front of him; he was the one hurtling straight toward the man!

    Ateo wanted to stop mid-air and disappear, but another kicknded on his back in the exact same spot, inflicting more damage and propelling him directly toward Jian.

    Jian instantly clenched his fist and, just like he said, punched the man in the face, sending him flying backward.

    Ateo''s face darkened with anger as he wrapped his body in ripples and vanished, only to reappear in the distance in the next second. The man wiped his chin where blood trickled down. His cheek had started to turn purple because this time Jian infused his fist with divine energy.

    "You prick, how dare you-!"

    He abruptly stopped and let out a startled cry because the man with green eyes had vanished!

    ''No way!''

    He couldn''t believe that one day he would be the one scared by a skill that is so simr to his! He wanted to vanish in the ripples, but before he could, another strong kicknded on his back.

    Kyle slowly lowered his leg and watched as Yon seized the opportunity to strike the man''s stomach with his hammer. He winced as he looked at the size of the hammer.

    ''Yon probably broke a few of his bones with that single attack.''

    And his words were true because the moment the hammer mmed into Ateo''s stomach, faint cracking sounds echoed in the air. The man''s expression twisted in pain as he let out a loud and agonizing cry.

    However, right after that, Ateo managed to bnce himself in mid-air with the help of a ck curtain that appeared behind his body. His eyes zed over, and dark particles spilled into his brown pupils. In an instant, countless dark metallic spikes appeared all around him. The ground beneath him shattered as he unleashed his divine pressure, causing not only thend but also the air to crack and tremble under the sheer force of his power.

    He let out a menacingugh, watching the faces of everyone around him, the faces that turned pale under his pressure. Only after a few seconds, Istalian, one of the guardians, and the people watching from thend, they all dropped to their knees.

    "In the end, no matter what, a true divine being strength is stronger than all your pity tricks!"

 Chapter 411 I’ll tell you when you reached the transcendent rank

    <h4>Chapter 411 I''ll tell you when you reached the transcendent rank</h4>

    Ateo''s pupils trembled, and the spikes around him multiplied in numbers, a hundred, two hundred. The number kept increasing with each passing second, and the faces of the people around him turned even paler because they knew that if the attack wasunched, arge part of thend around them would be destroyed.

    Amidst the pressure, Yon, Jian, and one more guardian jumped forward to stop the man, but they paused when the pressure on their shoulders doubled. Jian let out a curse as he tried his best to maintain his bnce mid-air.

    Ateo stared at the human with green eyes, his pupils filled with dark particles, and a smile crept across his face. In an instant, the pressure on Kyle tripled, causing him to groan in pain. However, Ateo eyes narrowed dangerously when he noticed there was no trace of fear in the human''s eyes as thetter gazed at him.

    He was so angry that he wanted tounch all the metallic spikes towards the human, but before he could, cold blue mes surged out of thin air. At first, he wanted to scoff at the human''sst-ditch effort, but his eyes dted because the mes didn''t vanish, even under his pressure.

    Ateo wanted to disperse the mes, but within a few seconds they gathered around him, enveloping all the spikes and his lower body in an icy embrace.

    "What in the world is this? Get rid of it!"

    A painful shriek echoed in the air as he vividly felt a strong icyyer forming on his skin. And not just that, a strange foreign sensation that threatened to freeze his very soul appeared in his lower body.

    He cried out and watched with horrified eyes as the spikes he created turned into bright particles, even though he had formed them with his divine energy.

    "Nooo, how is it possible?!"

    Kyle spat out the blood that had gathered in his mouth as the pressure around him and the others vanished.

    "This person is seriously strong. The pressure of a true divine being..."

    He grabbed his left shoulder and moved his right arm a little, feeling a slight numbness throughout his body.

    "I used up all my divine energy just to create these mes. I had a feeling they wouldn''t be very effective, but it seems that once the mes reached the transcendent rank, their strength is nothing to scoff at."

    Kyle looked at Jian and Yon, both of them watching as the spikes turned into particles with bated breaths.

    "Guys, let''s finish this."

    Jina nodded and let out a sigh.

    "I can''t help but wonder how the hell you got so many powerful and strangely useful skills..."

    From that point on, it was apletely one-sided fight. Jian, Yon, and Kyle mercilessly beat up Ateo. The man desperately tried to escape, but half of his body was frozen in ice. Also, every time he tried to use his divine energy to retaliate, an attack wouldnd on his body and his mind would momentarily turn nk.

    In the end, all he could do was cry out as he was tossed between the three of them, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying breaking every bone in his body. After a few minutes, even the people watching from below turned their eyes away, unable to bear witness to the man''s almost unrecognizable condition.

    Yon grabbed the half-dead body and ced an artifact on the man''s wrists beforending on the ground.

    "Does anyone here have experience with interrogation? I want this person to spill everything he knows. It''s fine if he dies in the process, I just need the information."

    Han and another man with pointy ears stepped forward and took on the job. They were confident in their skills.

    After the matter was settled, Yon let out a sigh as he looked around thend that had been damaged.

    "Now, I have to work on the barrier all over again..."

    Kylended in front of him with Jian. Almost everyone''s eyes were on him, probably because of the deadly mes he used to stop Ateo. But Kyle went straight to Yon and told him about the air pollution he heard from guardian Lie. Yon wasn''t surprised at his words, he had already sensed the air pollution and its cause.

    The dwarf was more intrigued by the mes Kyle used. While the array that would clean the air was being reconstructed under the dwarf''s words, he took Kyle to a corner to ask a lot of questions about the mes the young man used.

    Jian followed the duo, also eager to know where Kyle found the mes. He had seen the blue mes many times before, but he remembered they weren''t as strong as they are now.

    Kyle let out a sigh at the two pairs of curious eyes peering at him. He scratched his chin, unsure if he should tell them. But then Yon''s eyes widened slightly, as if the dwarf had sensed something within him.

    "Kiddo, are the mes rted to the powerful essence in your body?"

    Kyle nodded, and that was enough for Yon to stop the conversation because the essence within the kid''s body was strong. He couldn''t pinpoint the essence rank due to his low strength, but he was sure it was at least transcendent rank. Now he understood why the blue mes stopped Ateo so easily.

    However, Jian was still curious. He circled Kyle with a grin after getting nothing from the dwarf. He wanted to know, even if he didn''t get anything, he just wanted to annoy thetter a little.

    Kyle let out a sigh and grabbed his shoulder. In an instant, a solemn expression appeared on his face as if he was about to reveal the biggest secret of his life.

    "Jian... I just remembered I need to feed Bia. So, call me when the array that would clean the air is ready. I''lle and supply it with my divine energy as well."

    He gazed at the blinking red haired man and quickly started walking toward the boulder where he could see the little bird dozing off.

    Jian gazed at his back and let out a chuckle.

    "Wait, let''s go together!"

    Kyle paused and without looking back, waved his hand.

    "Don''t follow me. I''ll tell you about it when you reached the transcendent rank."

    Jian stopped in his tracks after hearing his words. He thought Kyle wouldn''t tell him because the mes were probably rted to something special thetter wanted to keep hidden. He was just asking him for fun, but little did he expect that Kyle would actually agree to tell him. Jian burst intoughter and raised his fist in the air.

    "Alright, just wait for me to reach the transcendent rank! It won''t be long!"

 Chapter 412 The faint scent

    Chapter 412 The faint scent

    Alec looked up at the dim sky and let out a sigh. There was a tired smile on his face as he watched thest of the youngsters enter the tower of opportunity. He nced at Carcel and Lara, and the duo nodded at him.

    Now that this task was done, there was only one thing left to do... gather the continent army. The three of them quickly left the ce and headed straight towards where Han had called them. After all, they needed to supply their divine energy to the air-cleaning array.

    The trio wasn''t exactly sure why the air needed to be cleaned, but Han had exined that it was polluted with unknown particles that could harm the and turn it into a barrennd filled with mindless monsters. That''s why they knew it was very important to go and help Yon.

    News of someone attacking Yon and the others had reached their ears, but unfortunately, it was toote because the enemy had already been taken care of.

    Carcel paused when hismunication crystal buzzed. Alec and Lara also stopped in their tracks and looked at him as he grabbed themunication crystal. Mia''s familiar figure appeared above the crystal, and as usual, she had a soft expression on her face, but there was excitement in her sea-blue eyes.

    Mia cleared her throat with a bright smile and told them that when she went into a trance, a towering wall appeared in front of her eyes. At that moment, she felt like she would fail. But She did it! She reached the pseudo-divine rank!

    Carcel let out a sigh of relief. He had been worried about her because, after going through the process himself, he knew it was quite painful, especially for those with low talent. But now that Mia has sessfully reached the pseudo-divine rank, a smile appeared on his usually aloof face as he congratted the beautiful woman.

    However, before his congrattions could properly reach Mia, another figure appeared above the crystal. It was Sinon,ughing like crazy. Alec, Lara, and Carcel narrowed their eyes as they stared at the wings behind Sinon''s back.

    The ck wings had turned golden at the edges with bright silver patterns on their surface. They looked even more beautiful than before when they had only one color. Just by looking at how the demi-human was showing off his wings and the smug smile on his face, they knew that he had also passed the trial and stepped into the realm of the divine. Sinon rubbed his nose and pressed his face close to themunication crystal.

    "Guys, can you see how handsome I''ve be? Even my horns are glowing a bit! Damn, I''m the first in my race to reach the pseudo-divine rank! You won''t believe it, but I actually failed to break the wall on time. However, then I thought about how Nine and Jian reached the pseudo-divine rank and I''m failing like an idiot."

    "At that moment, a sudden burst of strength surged through my body. I lunged forward and tore through the darkness that was trying to drag me away from the wall. And the next second, I did it! But let me tell you, it was painful as hell! I screamed until my throat was sore!"

    Sinon wanted to say more, but Regius roughly pushed his face away from the crystal and looked at Alec and Carcel.

    "Guys, everything''s fine here. The three of us seeded, and we also used Susan''s brown crystal. So, just tell us where you are. We''lle straight to you and join you."

    Carcel noticed the change in Regius'' appearance. The elf''s previously brown eyes had deepened in color, almost like bronze. Not only Regius, but Mia and Sinon''s eyes'' colors had also deepened, just like him, Alec, and Lara.

    Carcel nodded at Regius and quickly informed him about the air pollution, before asking him, Sinon, and Mia toe directly to the ce where Han had called everyone who reached the pseudo-divine rank.

    After Carcel closed themunication crystal, Alec took the lead, and the three of them continued their journey. Before long, they arrived above an open area where many familiar and unfamiliar individuals were busy constructing a round structure - the barrier that would enclose the whole continent in a dome once it''spleted.

    Alec spotted George and Istalian observing the construction process from a distance, along with many powerful individuals, including the tower''s guardians. However, for some reason, Han, who had called them, was nowhere to be found.

    Alec''s eyes paused on Yon and another female guardian floating beside a round array drawn on thend. He followed the duo''s serious gaze and saw Jian sitting cross-legged above the array, which was glowing faintly with a golden color.

    Sweat drops trickled down the red-haired man''s forehead as he concentrated on supplying divine energy to the array. He even had a deep frown between his brows, like it was taking everything he had just to sit there. Bia was sitting behind Jian in her phoenix form, her eyes closed in deep concentration.

    On the phoenix''s left side, two more guardians were seated above the array. However, a dry smile appeared on Alec''s face when he saw Kyle, the man looked bored and almost eager to finish it up quickly.

    Kyle had his hand under his chin, supporting his face. His legs were crossed, but there was a noticeable difference between him and the others. While they were sweating buckets of water, his clothes were as pristine as new. The divine energy surrounding him was also more powerful than the rest.

    At that moment, Kyle startled Alec by abruptly turning around and locking eyes with him. The gray-haired man ced his hands back on the ground to steady himself and let out a sigh.

    "If you''re here,e join us. So, we can finish this as soon as possible."

    Due to Kyle''s voice, instantly all eyes traveled toward Alec who shook his head andnded beside the array with Carcel and Lara. Then he nced at Yon to know where he should sit.

    The dwarf waved his hand and asked the three of them to sit anywhere, but once they sat down above the array, they weren''t allowed to stand up until enough divine energy was supplied to the array.

    Alec nodded and, along with the others, stepped onto the array. But he made a mistake by sitting near Kyle. Alec realized it immediately when thetter gave him a narrowed-eyed look, but now that he had sat down, he knew he couldn''t change his ce. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Kyle''s voice was normal and casual, but his words sent Alec into a panic.

    "Hmm, I have been meaning to ask, are you carrying something strange with you? There''s a faint scent I have been sensing from you since I first saw you. It''s not bad... but it''s somewhat simr to the scent I detected from the people with ck petals engraved on their foreheads..."

 Chapter 413 This isnt fair

    Chapter 413 This isn''t fair

    Alec unconsciously hid the back of his hand with his sleeve and clenched his fist with a tense expression. He wanted tough it off, but then Kyle raised his hand... This gesture almost made Alec''s soul leave his body, but to his surprise, Kyle''s hand softlynded on his back and patted it a few times.

    "Why are you getting so tense? It''s probably because you have fought with the enemy for a long time. I can sense simr scents from almost everyone, but yours is a little too strong. So, just take a good bath to get rid of it..."

    Kyle paused and wanted to sniff the air around Alec one more time because the scent around Alec was a little too strong, different from what one would get by interacting or fighting with others.

    However, at that moment, Nine arrived in the sky. He announced his arrival in a loud voice, which made Kyle turn around to look at the man with a faint smile. After finding out that Nine had arrived with his people, Kyle contacted Nine and asked him toe here because Yon needed people with divine energy.

    Ninended on the ground and swept his eyes over the familiar people sitting cross-legged above the array. He had left the people he brought with him in the city near the border and then went to find Elli, his lovely partner.

    It took him a while, but he found her in the elven Kingdom, and he was very happy to see her perfectly fine. She had changed a lot with all she went through in his absence, but it doesn''t matter.

    Now that he''s here, he''ll make sure to protect her with everything. But because of that, it took him a lot of time to get to the ce Kyle asked him to.

    "Just tell me what I need to do and where I need to sit?"

    He looked at Kyle, who asked him to sit anywhere above the array. Nine smirked at the many eyes that had been quietly looking at him for a while. Carcel examined him from head to toe and nodded.

    "It''s good that all your body parts are intact." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Nine''s eyebrow twitched a little. It''s true that he disappeared suddenly, but it wasn''t his fault! He was unconscious when he was taken back, and then he was trapped by the Queen! Alec hummed at him with a smile.

    "So, how have you been? It''s been a while."

    At that moment, Jian wiped his forehead. He wanted to stand up, but they weren''t allowed to after sitting down above the array. So, he just checked out Nine from where he was sitting.

    "You should have at least contacted us, but you just had to disappear out of nowhere. And now I hear that you''re the prince of the Sea Continent? Tsk, tsk, I want to beat you up a little for all the worry you gave us. But well, I''ll settle for a hug. Come here, sit with me."

    He patted the spot beside him with a grin, but Nine shook his head.

    "Nope, no hug. You''re too sweaty. And do you really want to beat me? Don''t forget, I brought a whole army with me. Hehe."

    Nine looked at Jian and heard thetter click his tongue. He chuckled and then nced at Yon and the woman floating next to the dwarf before stepping onto the array and moving closer to Kyle, finally sitting beside him.

    "That dwarf and that woman with red hair. They are the tower''s guardians, right? I haven''t seen them before, but I can tell they are the guardians because they are excluding a refined and calm aura."

    Kyle nodded, he had also sensed that the aura around the guardians was calm, likely because they had lived for a long time. He quickly told Nine that once they were seated on the array, they couldn''t get up until the array had consumed enough divine energy. Nine understood and closed his eyes to focus on his divine energy before supplying it to the array beneath him.

    Soon, Mia, Sinon, and Regius also arrived and joined them. The demi-human proudly showed off his beautiful wings to everyone he encountered on his way, which is why it took them so long. Sinon plopped down beside Nine and patted his shoulder with a smirk.

    "Bro, check out my wings. They look amazing, right? And my skin has be smoother and more vibrant..."

    He paused when he noticed Nine opening his eyes and looking at him. Sinon blinked, he was astonished to see that Nine''s features were even more handsome than his own. Deep golden eyes flickering as if they had stars in them. Not to mention, Nine''s skin has be radiant with a healthyplexion.

    "No way, this isn''t fair! I know you reached the pseudo-divine rank before me, but why did you be even more handsome than me?"

    Sinon protested with a frustrated expression, causing everyone around to burst intoughter. Nine bent down and patted Sinon''s hand on his shoulder with a look of understanding.

    "Now you know not to brag before seeing what your opponent is capable of..."

    Nine lowered his voice into a whisper, and a solemn expression appeared on his face.

    "Also, who are we to say we are handsome in the presence of so many otherworldly individuals sitting next to us...."

    Sinon''s expression fell as his eyes roamed around, taking in the faces of everyone present. He looked from Regius to Jian, then Carcel, Mia, Lara, Alec, and finally, his gaze paused on Kyle. And then, Nine''s words hit Sinon like a lightning bolt. It was painful for him to admit, but he felt average in the midst of all of them.

    Nine patted Sinon''s shoulder, offeringfort. However, at that moment, one of the guardians who was sitting nearby cleared his throat to let them know that everyone around them could hear their conversation loud and clear. That''s why the duo stopped talking and quickly closed their eyes.

    In the distance, Yon gazed at the young ones with a soft expression. He knew that each and every person in front of him had been through a lot at such a young age. He only hoped that they would all remain as pure as they are now to each other, always ready to support and help each other whenever one of them encountered a problem.

 Chapter 414 Just think in your head

    Chapter 414 Just think in your head

    In the middle of the silence, Kyle suddenly opened his eyes and startled everyone around him by standing up from the array.

    Jian, Nine, and Sinon''s eyes widened at his actions, and the trio shouted at the same time.

    "You can''t stand up after you have sat down!"

    Yon''s eyes also widened, wondering what the heck the grey-haired man was doing. But then he noticed the array beneath everyone and let out a sigh. He quickly shouted, and his voice echoed in the air.

    "After so many hours, the array has absorbed enough divine energy. You all can stand up and leave the array. It''s going to activate in a minute or two."

    The moment his voice drifted in the air, everyone sitting cross-legged on the array stood up. They all had their clothes drenched with sweat, except for Kyle, who has naturally cold skin and fire-resistance skill.

    Jian grabbed the cor of his shirt and gave it a shake before looking at Kyle with a groan.

    "Kyle, you could have used your icy mes to make the ce a little colder, but... you''re never useful in this type of situation."

    Kyle''s ears twitched as he turned around and stared at Jian with a raised eyebrow. But before he could say anything, Jian quickly ran off to join the others who were heading towards the tents in the distance to change their clothes.

    On the other hand, Bia let out a tired yawn and pped her wings, creating air currents in every direction before transforming into her smaller form and flying toward Kyle, only tond on his shoulder.

    -"Kyle, where''s Yue? I haven''t seen her."

    "Not that far... she''ll be here in a minute or two. I did contact her, but she stopped in the elven Kingdom for a long time, probably because of something important."

    Bia raised her head and narrowed her eyes at the man who was stretching his body.

    -"How the hell do you know she stopped in the elven Kingdom for a long time? There''s no way it''s the scent perception skill because it can only vaguely sense others."

    Kyle raised his hand and softly flicked the phoenix''s head because she was looking at him as if he had done something extremely impolite to ady.

    "I can only know her location, nothing else. Don''t give me those suspicious eyes. It''s a new feature of the scent perception skill that was unlocked after the skill jumped a rank. I can mark someone to track their location, but only one person at a time for now. And I already told you I will remove it once the uneasy feeling I''m having goes away."

    Bia hrumphed at his words and looked away. Just then, a bright light shot out from the air-cleaning array that had been supplied with enough divine energy. The light scattered into countless bright particles like fireflies, covering the entire sky in a beautiful nket.

    Kyle raised his hand and touched one of the particles, but to his surprise, not just one particle, but a lot of particles gathered around his body as if they liked his presence. He nced around and noticed that he was the only one the particles gathered around.

    In the distance, Yon chuckled at him.

    "Don''t worry, they won''t harm you and will scatter with the wind. They''re made of nature and divine energy, so they tend to gather around people close to nature. It seems your luck stat is quite high..."

    Kyle looked away without answering. Regardless, these particles will roam the whole, and the air will finally be cleaned once they''re done. Just as he predicted, after a minute, Yue arrived with Anlee and a few other old elves. The elven queen gazed at Kyle, who waved at her, causing the bright particles around him to scatter in different directions.

    Yue suppressed a smile and waved back. Then she went directly to King Istalian and King Muzim with an elderly elven woman in elegant attire. She started talking with the two kings, and after her, the dwarf king also arrived and joined them. The four leaders of the continent had solemn expressions as they discussed something important.

    Kyle found a clean spot on a nearby boulder and sat down above it with Bia, observing everything from a distance. He couldn''t help but notice that Yue was much younger than the three old foggies she was talking to.

    ''The way she talked with the kings with so much confidence despite her age is remarkable.''

    Bia rolled her eyes at his words.

    -''Just think in your head. Why are you making me listen?''

    After talking for a while, the four leaders of the Continent turned around and asked all the strong people around them to gather with solemn expressions, as if they were going to make a hard decision.

    At that moment, Alec stepped out from one of the tents in a fresh set of clothes. He was wearing a white button-down shirt with ck pants, and his shoes were sleek, giving him a sophisticated look.

    Kyle let out an ''Oh''.

    "He''s back to his usual cool and charming look. I can sense a lot of eyes staring at him."

    He let out a chuckle when he noticed Lara in the distance. She rolled her eyes at Alec, who slowly closed the buttons of his cuffs in a cool manner. Kyle watched as she took quick strides toward Alec and smacked his shoulder with a huff before walking away with a look that screamed that she would beat him up if he followed her.

    Alec blinked at the sudden turn of events and gazed at Sinon, Regius, Jian, and Nine who were doing the same beside him, a little aggrieved that he was the only one suffering. Carcel also came out behind Alec, but unlike the others, he tentatively stepped away and started walking toward Mia, who had just stepped out from a tent in the distance.

    Jian quickly left when he spotted Kelvin in the crowd. The man had arrived with a few others when he was supplying divine energy to the array.

    Alec and the others noticed the gathered crowd, and as the young guardians of the continent, they quickly joined everyone in front of the four leaders of the Continent.

    But at that moment, Yonnded in front of Istalian and the other three leaders and told them something that turned their expressions ashen. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The human king, Istalian, took the lead and stood in front of the crowd. He cleared his throat but paused when he sensed a sharp pair of eyes staring directly at his head. From the corner of his eye, he saw it was Kyle, and a drop of sweat rolled down his forehead unconsciously.

    ''Don''t tell me he wants to get back at me just because I took the phoenix''s blood? No, it can''t be possible... right? I sacrificed so many of my precious treasures in exchange for just a few drops of blood that stingy phoenix gave me!''

    He wanted to protest, but well, he had more important matters to attend to. So, he focused his gaze on the people in front of him with a solemn expression.

 Chapter 415 You all are my people

    Chapter 415 You all are my people

    Istalian''s voice echoed everywhere as he first told the people in front of him what Yon had told him.

    "ording to the information extracted from the divine being captured by us, the enemy has six more divine-rank individuals. They also have a big army that is scattered in the dark forest, searching for natural treasures because fortunately or not our has a lot of them."

    He paused as many people''s expressions hardened upon hearing the number. Right, Istalian had only talked about the divine rank individuals. But what about the pseudo-divine rank individuals? And the ones with (SSS+)-Rank strength? Their numbers would likely double or triple the divine rank individuals!

    "However, recently Diora ordered everyone under her to gather at the west side of the former east Continent. They n to attack us in a few days, or if they take as much time as possible, maybe in a week."

    Sharp gasps echoed from the crowd at his words. Alec clenched his fists, just as Kyle said, they had no other choice but to either attack or get ready to suffer under the enemy. But this time, they won''t wait for the enemy to run all over them. No, they will be the ones to make the opponent regret the very moment they stepped on their! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Diora and Hay, the two of them are leaders of the army, along with another divine rank elven woman known as Misha. All of us have already seen the powers of Diora and Hay, but from the information, Misha is even more powerful than the two because she can control the monsters around her. As long as the beasts are weaker than her, she can make them submit to her without much difficulty."

    Bia scoffed at Istalian words. She, the majestic phoenix is the one who just gained the divine authority to rule the monsters below her. Who the heck is this Misha? Does she think she can just appear out of thin air and expect Bia to let her take her one and only trump card? No way in hell!

    The phoenix''s eyes zed, and she swore she would be the one topletely wipe out this Misha!

    -"Let''s see which is stronger, the divine majestic phoenix authority or some unknown little elf maniption who just popped out of nowhere!"

    Kyle chuckled at her words and rubbed her forehead.

    "I am sure your authority is higher, but her divine pressure would be stronger. You sensed the divine pressure that the man we captured excluded. The true divine rank pressure... We have stepped into the pseudo-divine rank, but we just touched the edge of the divine realm. On the other hand, she has attained true divine strength..."

    Kyle paused when a sudden idea appeared in his head. He rubbed his chin, considering if he should use it or not, and after a few seconds, gazed at Bia, who for some reason shuddered under his gaze.

    -"Don''t give me those eyes! They always give me chills!"

    Kyle shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair, which had started to turn silver at the tips. He noticed that the more divine energy he absorbed, the stronger its effect on him became. That''s why for a while now he kept spreading out his divine energy in the atmosphere, allowing his body to absorb more and fill up the space over and over again.

    "No, nothing bad. I just gathered some symbols in my mind and thought of an array that would use your divine energy and construct a barrier around you. It would protect you from all types of divine pressure that can potentially affect your body. So, do you want to give it a try?"

    Bia blinked, tempted by the offer. If she had something like that, she could practically bulldoze her way into the enemy camp without any restraints. As for the divine rank skills, she was confident she could dodge them with her agility.

    -"But I believe the process would be very painful, right? Also, why don''t you draw the symbols on yourself first so I can see its effect?"

    Kyle hummed and nced at Istalian, who was speaking to the crowd.

    "Of course, it would be painful because I would have to draw the symbols directly on your body. And I don''t think it would work on humans or any other race because, in the array, the main symbol I added can only be used on monsters."

    Bia grumbled a little. She didn''t like pain... but then she thought about the potential effect she could have by easily killing hundreds of enemies, so she agreed with a groan. A little pain would be nothing for a majestic phoenix like her!

    Kyle nodded at her, and in the distance, Istalian started talking about the main topic. He said that he and other kings, along with the elven queen, had decided to gather their army andunch a surprise attack on the enemy. Istalian''s voice turned a little hoarse, maybe from the mix of emotions he was feeling.

    "No matter what, we are all together! We have the tower''s guardians! Alec, Carcel, Jian, and all our young guardians who bravely fought on the frontline have reached the pseudo-divine rank! The Sea Continent has also sent their army this time!"

    Many people were angry at the Sea Continent because the merpeople closed themselves off and hid underwater while everyone else suffered. But they didn''t voice their grievances because now the Sea Continent has finally decided to help. Besides, they need as many people as possible for the war. So, even if they wanted to, they couldn''t fight with the people of the Sea Continent.

    Istalian let his gaze wander around the countless people in front of him before he abruptly looked at Kyle, who stared back at him. Istalian smiled and surprised Kyle by pointing directly toward him. All eyes instantly turned towards Kyle because of the King''s gesture.

    "Also, we have Bia, the legendary phoenix. She has reached the pseudo-divine rank too! Now her authority to control all the monsters beneath her is even stronger! So, she''ll be able to control hundreds of monsters to fight against Misha!"

    Many people in the crowd praised the phoenix that protected them from monsters for so many months.

    Bia raised her head proudly, happy to receive so manypliments.

    -"Of course, I will! You all are my people..."

    Before she could say more, Kyle grabbed her beak to silence her. He didn''t want her to make any unnecessary promises because he knew the battle would be life-threatening for everyone.

    Istalian''s smile widened, and he concluded his speech with something that Kyle didn''t like even a bit.

    "Lastly, we have Kyle, the strongest human on this. I''m sure many of you have heard or seen how easily he killed the divine-rank individual who appeared out of nowhere to harm us. He will be leading the Continent army with our young guardians. That''s why I''m also dering him as the guardian of Coexis!"

    "Let''s shout to wee the new guardian and get ready for a battle - a battle that will decide our future!"

    The people in front of Istalian shouted loudly, ready to fight for their lives. Kyle facepalmed with a frustrated expression.

    ''Who the heck asked him to make me the guardian!?''

    He sighed, but then snapped his head up to look at the pair of amber eyes that had been staring at him since Istalian dered him as the Continent''s guardian. She had her arms crossed and a beautiful, innocent smile on her face.

    ''Haha, no way, don''t tell me...''

    Kyleughed dryly in his head. Bia let out a pitiful sigh and rubbed his shoulder with her paw tofort him.

    -''Just believe it, your future wife set you up.''

 Chapter 416 Not alone though

    <h4>Chapter 416 Not alone though</h4>

    The entire Coexis was buzzing with preparations for the war. The three middle-aged kings and the young elven queen, who dered war, wasted no time and left the scene to fulfill their responsibilities as the leaders of the continent.

    Not just them, all the elder figures from each race spread out. Their first goal was to gather the trained royal armies, and their second goal was to announce to the public that anyone with the strength to fight for the continent could join the war. In return, if anything happened to them during the war, their families would be given enough to livefortable lives.

    Kyle watched the busy scene in front of him. Yon and the other guardians of the tower were working hard to finish building the round structure as quickly as possible. The same structure that would enclose the entire continent in a dome-like barrier.

    He nced up at the darkened sky above him and then turned to Bia, who had agreed to draw the array on her body. But he knew it would be painful, so he quickly went to Nine, who was the only one left with him after all their friends scattered toplete the tasks given to them by the four leaders of the Continent.

    It was pretty strange that nobody asked Kyle to do anything, even though he was also named as a young guardian of Coexis by Istalian. But maybe they knew he wouldn''t be very helpful in assembling the army.

    Nine gazed at Kyle, who had arrived beside him quietly.

    "What''s up? Are you getting bored? Don''t worry, soon you''ll be the one fighting on the front lines, haha!"

    Kyle rolled his eyes.

    "I''m leaving for a while because I need to do something. If anything happens, contact me."

    Nine nodded and waved his hand to shoo him away.

    "Go, go! I''m leaving as well because I need to check on the people I brought. I will give yourmunication crystal coordinates to Yon so he can contact you directly if he needs help... Just make sure toe back on time."

    Kyle gave him a pat on his shoulder and started floating. In the next moment, he created a portal in mid-air. Bia pped her wings and entered the portal, with Kyle following suit. Behind them, the portal broke apart into tiny particles that disappeared into thin air.

    In the next second, the duo found themselves above a forest far away from the Continent. Kyle asked Bia to change into her phoenix form. Crimson mes spread out in all directions as Bia spread her wings to change her form.

    Kyle gazed at the pair of crimson pupils that had formed a blue ring around them after Bia reached the pseudo-divine rank and let out a soft sigh.

    In the end, to make sure nothing goes wrong in the process, he first asked the phoenix to call some monsters who were around them. He wanted to test the symbols on another monster first.

    Bia pped her wings and let out a cry. Instantly, a lot of monsters in the forest snapped their heads toward the sky and made their way toward the powerful existence that called them.

    Kyle noticed with knitted brows that a few of the monsters looked like they had lost their minds. However, it seems that after Bia''s authority increased, they were unconsciously listening to her call.

    "I hope the air gets clean as soon as possible..."

    The duo, one phoenix and one human,nded in the forest and got busy with their little experiment,pletely oblivious to the dark sky that started to brighten up as the sun rose.

    Bia groaned a little when another symbol was engraved above one of her wings, in a beautiful shade of gold.

    -"Hey... why does it look like you''re deliberately using fancy symbols so I won''t stop you from finishing the array?"

    Kyle chuckled at her words.

    "Your crimson feathers have a touch of gold in them, and they''re blue at the edges. So I''m engraving the symbols right above the blue feathers, to make them look good on you..."

    ''After all, nobody wants to see an ugly phoenix trailing behind them... haha.''

    Bia narrowed her eyes at him, a hint of suspicion in her gaze. But the phoenix''s attention was quickly diverted when Kyle paused. They both sensed an immense amount of mana in the distance. Kyle started floating and looked at the beam of light that shot up into the sky with lightning-fast speed.

    He blinked, and the beam spread out beautifully from the top, enveloping the vast area around it in a transparent dome that would protect the people within if someone dared to attack.

    "It seems Yon is done with the barrier."

    He looked at Bia, who arrived beside him and softly patted one of her wings.

    "It''s done, the symbols. Also, the array on your body will activate on its own, so you don''t need to do anything..."

    Kyle paused, and his lips curved upward.

    "You know what you need to do next, right? Now you can vaguely feel my presence again because our bond has gotten stronger in just a few days. So, find me once you''re done."

    Bia let out an evil cackle and pped her wings as she dove towards the forest below.

    -"Don''t you dare start the war without me. I''ll be back in no time! Haha, not alone though!"

    Her loud voice echoed in Kyle''s ears as he turned to look in the distance, where the enemies were gathering.

    "It''s true that extra precautions won''t hurt, but right now my heart is hurting because the treasures I collected after so much struggle are all going to disappear..."

    He grumbled and vanished into the distance, only to reappear above the remnants of the former Kingdom Ete.

    "So, they''re really gathering on the western side...? I can smell countless disgusting scents in the distance. The fight with the divine-rank individuals is going to be very hard."

    Kyle flicked his thumb with his middle fingers, and countless bright, flickering symbols appeared around him. They were ordinary low-rank symbols used to attack the opponents that anyone could draw with little knowledge about arrays. As time passed, the number of symbols around him increased, causing the air to contract and tremble under the pressure.

    He closed his eyes and started stacking the symbols on top of each other. Initially, the symbols were violent, but they calmed down as he got the hang of it.

    If only Han could see what he was doing right now, the old man would have fainted from horror and shock.

    These symbols may be low-rank, but the way Kyle was stacking so many together in such a small space, despite their violent aura and potential danger, would create a devastating end product. That could easily take down even an (SSS+)-Rank individual. And to make the symbols even more dangerous, Kyle supplied his own divine energy to them.

 Chapter 417 Who died?

    Chapter 417 Who died?

    Amidst the ruins of countless buildings, a beautiful middle-aged woman wearing a pristine white robe stepped onto the highest andrgest block of rock in front of her. Hundreds of eyes around her were staring at her as she approached the demi-human woman standing before her.

    "Diora, stop ying around and finish the work here so I can leave. I informed the third shadow general, but he won''t being. He said if only you and Hay can turn this ce into a living hell, there''s no need for him to waste his time. Regardless, he will send someone to check once we havepletely conquered the."

    Diora''s ears twitched a little, and she nced at the human standing beside her.

    "Tsk, why do you always wear white clothes? They don''t suit you at all. And I am not wasting time; I am letting everyone have some fun. After all, it''s not every day we find such a beautiful that is untouched by any evil."

    She turned around and pushed the woman in front of her back with three fingers.

    "Also, stay away from my business. I already hate the fact that the third general sent you and Ateo here, even though I said I can handle it."

    Misha let out a smirk and grabbed the three fingers touching her chest tightly, enough to leave marks. The ck three-petal flower engraved beneath her chin glowed with her grey eyes.

    "Don''t provoke me, dear. You know I hate it when I''m challenged."

    Hay, who had been watching the interaction between the two women from a distance, quickly arrived beside them and pulled Diora away from the beautiful woman who looked so pristine. However, he knew Misha was the cruelest among them all.

    Thest he heard, she killed over a thousand humans just to enhance her beauty. So, he knew it would be better if Diora didn''t fight against her. Especially since thetter can control an entire army of monsters.

    "Oh... did they form a barrier around themselves? But how? No, no, the question is, where did they get so many resources to form such a strong barrier around themselves..."

    Hay furrowed his brows beside her.

    Three males, two elves, and one from the lizard race were floating above the trio. They were the divine-rank individuals who arrived on this after Diora and Hay. The trio was silently enjoying the two women''s bickering and keeping an eye on the countless people gathering around them after Diora announced they would destroy thest hope of this.

    Just then, Diora snapped her eyes toward a faraway ce. Not just Diora, everyone who could sense the mana in the air turned around to stare at the distance.

    Diora pulled her hand away from Hay''s grip and widened her eyes with a smirk.

    "Oh... did they form a barrier around themselves? But how? No, no, the question is, where did they get so many resources to form such a strong barrier around themselves..."

    Hay furrowed his brows beside her.

    "I don''t think you should be happy to see it. The barrier is strong-!"

    But he stopped when both Diora and Misha startedughing as if he had said the biggest joke of his life. Misha patted his shoulder with a sweet yet evil smile.

    "Strong? No, it''s not. One of the divine-rank individuals among us is enough to break that little barrier without much trouble."

    Diora agreed with her for the first time. She had seen how weak the people of this were. Last time, she only retreated because of Alec. If the general hadn''t arrived so suddenly and formed a contract with that human, she would have already destroyed the remaining forces of this.

    Diora jumped in the air to gaze at the countless people gathering around her.

    "Hmm, should we gather more people, or are these enough?"

    She gazed at Misha with a taunting look.

    "Or maybe you can just control an army of monsters so we can finish this as soon as possible, just as you suggested."

    Misha wanted to scoff at her words but paused when she heard a cracking sound in her mind space. It was like something just shattered into countless fragments.

    "Huh..?"

    Her eyes widened when she realized what had broken. It was a small finger-sized ck crystal, the same crystal that was connected to Ateo''s lifespan. She quickly took out the broken pieces from her mind space and stared at them in shock.

    "No way..."

    Diora turned around when she did not get the curt response she was expecting from the woman. Her eyes narrowed at the broken fragments in Misha''s hands. The demi-human quickly zoomed in front of the stunned human.

    "Hey, Misha, don''t tell me it is what I am thinking it is...?"

    Diora stared at her and let out a chuckle because she recognized the broken fragments. All the individuals with divine-rank strength and above under the shadow generals had to perform a ritual and connect their life energy to the dark tablet present inside the demon''s. In return, they were all given ck crystals.

    This way, if any of them died, their crystal would shatter, and their names on the tablet would turn white to indicate their death to the one guarding the tablet.

    The reason everyone had to go through the process is because the people above the pseudo-divine rank were important. After all, their full strength could potentially wipe out a big part of a.

    But the question was, who died?

    Diora has her life crystal. Hay and the other three divine-rank individuals are also alive and doing perfectly fine around her. So, who...

    "Wait... one person is missing right now?"

    Misha closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, they were filled with anger.

    "That bastard! How the hell did he die?"

    She let out a loud cry and threw the fragments on the ground. Diora tilted her head, and a bad feeling welled up in her heart.

    "So, Ateo died? But how? He''s strong, there''s no way he would just die out of nowhere."

    Diora snapped her head towards the divine rank individuals around her.

    "Where the hell did he go? Did any of you see him?"

    The divine rank individual with the lizard-like appearance instantly answered with a grim expression.

    "He captured someone lurking around us and then headed towards that ce."

    The man pointed his finger toward Coexis, and Diora let out a loudugh that made the air around her tremble.

    "So, you''re telling me those little ants killed a divine rank individual in such a short time and without making any noise?"

    She looked around, and the corners of her lips curled upward when no one answered. Diora started floating and raised her voice. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Get ready, all of you. We''re going to attack now. I don''t care about the others who haven''t arrived yet. I want to see just how the heck those ants killed a divine-rank individual, hahaha."

 Chapter 418 Attack

    Chapter 418 Attack

    Nine narrowed his eyes at the countless people standing in rows in front of him. Some of the old folks seemed unhappy, but he didn''t give a care. They were all outside the border, in an open field that stretched towards the former ruined East Continent.

    The tower''s guardians, except for Susan, were gathered above the tall border with numerous powerful mages. Behind them, the entire Coexis was enveloped in a dome that shimmered under the sunlight.

    Nine hummed and nced to his left, where numerous elves in armor stood under themand of two old elven Dukes. It was unbelievable but the elven Kingdom had gone all out in such a short time.

    Almost everyone from their Kingdom had armor on, showing that they didn''t hold back in using all their resources for the uing battle. In the distance, Yue was engaged in a serious conversation with a few old elves and she looked beautiful in her ensemble. Her attire featured sleek metal ting, carefully crafted and intricately designed.

    Nine''s eyes paused on another elven woman, standing a little further away from Yue. He quickly left his spot and headed towards his lover, not caring about the old merpeople who were giving him deadly stares.

    Hended in front of Elli, who had her long hair tied in a ponytail, and patted her shoulder with a smile.

    "You look beautiful..."

    However, before he could finish his sentence, Sinon appeared beside him. The winged demi-human wore an evil smile as he nced at the two of them.

    "So, what''s up?"

    Nine''s eyebrow twitched. He wanted to roll up his sleeves and have a one-on-one showdown to answer the annoying question thrown at him. But before he could, amotion broke out. A lot of people turned around to watch as thergest teleportation array, engraved in the distance, lit up.

    In the next second, countless humans in blue armor started appearing above the array. Some older individuals guided the new arrivals to leave the array and stand in a different direction to make room for more people. The first few batches of humans were probably from the royal army because after them, a lot of humans who wore different sets of attire started appearing above the array.

    King Istalian stepped out from another array drawn in the distance, apanied by his two sons, Lucus and Izroth. After them, Jian, Carcel, Alec, Regius, and Lara arrived with George and some other older individuals.

    The crowd kept getting bigger and bigger as more and more people arrived to stand in front of Yon and Istalian, who had started floating in front of them.

    Completely unaware that two pairs of eyes had been watching them from a distance, Diora let out a chuckle as she focused her gaze on the people below her. Her hand rested beneath her chin as she observed the scene while sitting on a cloud that enclosed her in a transparent barrier. Hay stood quietly behind her.

    The woman eyes turned crescents as she twirled her hair.

    "Well, I came first because I got curious about how the ants killed Ateo, but my, my, why am I seeing so many unfamiliar faces?..."

    She had left behind the army with Misha and the other divine-ranked individuals. However, who would have thought that the people they were nning to surprise with a deadly attack were preparing to surprise them instead? Her eyes scanned Yon and the other tower''s guardians before abruptly stopping on a few familiar faces of the young individuals who had fought against her, Hay, and the other divine individuals but somehow managed to stay alive. In the end, her sharp gaze fixed on Alec.

    "How did they increase their strength? I mean, seriously, how? I can''t help but wonder if they stumbled upon some hidden treasure trove. Now I''m itching to dig the beautiful ce hidden inside the dome so badly..."

    "Anyway, I understand now... how Ateo died. After all, with so many pseudo-divine rank individuals, even I would have a hard time."

    She burst intoughter and watched as the number of people grew beneath her. No matter what she said, she was confident that she could easily wipe out a big part of the army below.

    "Hay, should I attack? It would be so much fun to see their expressions crumble when I destroy the army they gathered in just a few minutes...haha."

    She mped her mouth shut when Yon raised his head to stare at her direction with furrowed brows as if the dwarf was trying to see through her barrior. Diora eyes sparkled when Yon looked away.

    "Wow, that was dangerous! I got goosebumps because of that dwarf."

    She paused and rubbed her hands together with a smile.

    After the humans, the people from the demi-human and dwarf races also arrived. Soon, rows after rows of individuals stood side by side. The differences between their races were forgotten in the face of the danger they were about to face.

    "Hay, I just had an idea, let''s wait a bit and see how big their army is. And when they''re all ready... boom! Haha!"

    In the midst of all themotion, the bright sun started to fade from the horizon as the number of people in front of the border grew.

    After the humans, the people from the demi-human and dwarf races also arrived. Soon, rows after rows of individuals stood side by side. The differences between their races were forgotten in the face of the danger they were about to face.

    The atmosphere grew tense with each passing second, and those who were just speaking and chatting casually before were now standing with their weapons clenched tightly in their hands.

    Yon gazed at the crowd in front. The air became heavy, filled with the faint sound of metallic clinking. The soldiers from each race stood in the frontline alongside the older people who wouldmand them. The newly enlisted fighters were positioned behind them, and finally, the mages stood in the end. Many of the mages were also stationed above the border, apanied by a few tower''s guardians who would guide them.

    Amidst the crowd, Alec looked around and suddenly furrowed his brows.

    ''Where''s Kyle?''

    He started floating and quickly located everyone except Kyle and Bia.

    ''Hmm, it seems he''s not here.''

    Just then, King Istalian stepped forward from the group of older people and cleared his throat loudly. Not only him, but Muzim, Yue, and the dwarf King also stepped forward to offer words of encouragement to the countless soldiers and fighters in front of them. The same soldiers and fighters who were about to engage in a life-and-death battle for their home.

    The tense atmosphere intensified as all eyes turned to Istalian. However, before the man could open his mouth to speak, augh echoed in the air. Istalian''s eyes dted because he was just too familiar with that voice.

    Not just him, instantly, all the people who knew the owner of the voice snapped their heads towards the air where the voice came from.

    Diora blinked when so many eyes were fixed on her. She pped Hay, who was floating beside her.

    "Shhh! You should have told me I''m getting loud again! I wanted to hear the speech! Now it''s all gone!"

    Alec, Jian, and many others started floating to gather around the woman. Their eyes zed with anger as they got ready to finish the woman that appeared in front of them. Yon also grabbed his weapon, but Diora''s eyes were fixed on the army below.

    "Now that the speech is ruined, how about I have some fun?"

    She raised her hand, and the eyes of the people around her dted when the air in front of her cracked to form a massive jaw that overshadowed a huge space in front of her. The air twisted with flickering dark particles, and a loud rumble sounded in the sky.

    Alec let out a shout and lunged forward to stop the woman. He had seen that skill before. Last time, it destroyed a big city! Now, with so many people around, who knows how much devastation it could cause?

    "Stop her! A huge part of thend below would be destroyed if her attack-!"

    His sentence was cut short when familiar icy blue mes surged in the air,pletely enveloping everything around Diora. The woman let out a surprised gasp as the mes surged and danced around her, eventually engulfing the jaw she had created.

    "What''s happening? Wait...These mes...?"

    She wanted to stop the mes, but they were too strong and cold to the touch. In the end, she could only watch with wide eyes as the mespletely enveloped the massive jaw she created and vanished into tiny, little particles that drifted around her in a beautiful manner.

    "Haha... No way...?"

    Behind her, Hay narrowed his eyes and looked around for the owner of the mes because he sensed that the mes were dangerous, too dangerous. At that moment, a voice echoed in the distance.

    "A littlete but just in time." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Kyle sighed as he stepped out of a portal, his gaze traveled to Diora and Hay before stopping at Alec.

    "What are you all waiting for? Attack!"

    Yon wasted no time andunched the first strike against the woman. The others quickly joined the dwarf as well.

 Chapter 419 Shell be back in a minute or two

    Chapter 419 She''ll be back in a minute or two

    Yon''s hammer collided with a hard surface, and a loud bang echoed in the air. He looked up and saw the dark-robed elven man who had been quietly standing beside Diora all this time. The man effortlessly blocked his attack with just the back of his hand.

    Hay scoffed at the dwarf and with a push, sent him backward a few meters in mid-air. Then, he straightened his robe and turned to look at Diora, whose eyes were glued to his back.

    "Indeed, those strange icy mes caught us off-guard, but you shouldn''t let yourself get distracted, Diora."

    Diora gritted her teeth at his words, and her mood turned dark. She clenched her fists and let out augh.

    "You''re right... but now, I''m angry!"

    She narrowed her eyes at Alec, Carcel, and Regius, who had gotten closer to her just because she was distracted by the blue mes. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    In a sh, a whip materialized in her hand, and her nails grew darker along with her eyes, which started to shine ominously under the dim evening sunlight.

    "Let''s see... one, two, three... I''ll take-!"

    Her sentence was abruptly interrupted because she had to jump back mid-air in order to avoid a glowing arrow that was aimed directly at her head. Diora snapped her head toward the beautiful woman with orange hair who was floating in the distance.

    Lara tilted her head as her gaze locked with the woman who had nearly killed her in the past. If it weren''t for Alec, she might not have even survived. Although she had no idea how he saved her life.

    The moment their eyes met, the old memories of seeing so many people die in front of her eyes came flooding back into Lara''s mind, causing her eyes to be devoid of emotion.

    "So, what were you saying? Three? No, the number is bigger. Count again."

    Lara''s cold voice sounded in the air. Mia and Yue nced at her and the two of them raised their voices to agree with her.

    The corners of Jian''s eyes lifted, showing a mix of anger and mirth at the same time.

    "Wow, that was cool! Now it''s my turn!"

    He summoned a fire tornado, and the fiery mes surged into the air before heading straight toward Diora with lightning-fast speed. The woman''s eyes grew even darker as she watched the mes, and a piercing cry escaped her lips.

    "You bastards! I am going to kill you all!"

    Diora sensed it right away that the fiery mes Jian used weren''t strong,pletely different from the icy blue mes that had momentarily halted her before.

    But before she could disperse the mes, Yue and Mia unleashed their most powerful attacks. The air cracked with lightning as a thunderstorm appeared in the sky.

    Alec, Carcel, and Regius exchanged nces and attacked the woman from different directions with their weapons.

    Diora roared and looked at Hay, but sheughed with anger when she saw herpanion surrounded by countless figures from all directions.

    Just like her, Hay seemed to be in a tight spot with Nine, Sinon, Yon, Istalian, and many others attacking him from all sides.

    Diora''s angry eyes then traveled towards the grey-haired man floating in the distance, the same man who had blocked her initial attack. She stopped Alec and Regius'' attacks with her nails and thrashed her whip to disperse the thunder and mes.

    The woman''s expression twisted with pure rage because the grey-haired man didn''t even join the others to stop her and Hay. He just watched from a distance with an emotionless gaze, as if he believed his involvement wasn''t necessary.

    "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! You bastard! How dare you mess up with me! I''ll kill you! No, I''ll kill all of you!"

    Her eyes zed with anger, and with a powerful thrash of her whip, the people around her were pushed back mid-air.

    "You weak ants think you can stop me with your meager strength? Let''s see how long you canst!"

    Diora locked eyes with Hay and shouted his name. In the next second, she raised her hand and released her divine pressure in all directions. Alec, along with everyone around him, froze in their tracks.

    Not only them, but a sense of dread enveloped the countless people standing beneath them as the air turned heavy and suffocating the moment the woman released her pressure.

    Hay wanted to join Diora, but his eyes widened when he noticed a familiar figure materializing behind her.

    "Behind you!"

    He shouted, but it was toote because before Diora could sense something behind her, a powerful kicknded on her back, throwing her body forward in mid-air.

    Diora''s surprised cry echoed in the air as she quickly tried to bnce herself, but her eyes widened when a portal materialized in front of her.

    "What the hell?!"

    She wanted to tear the portal with her nails, but another powerful kicknded on her back. In the next second, the portal enveloped her body, and her vision turned dark. The moment she vanished into the portal, her divine pressure disappeared, and countless relieved sighs echoed in the air.

    Hay cried out and gazed at the flickering portal that vanished into thin air before snapping his head toward the culprit.

    "Human! Don''t think I can''t tear you apart right here and right now!"

    Kyle lowered his leg and nced back at the man with a raised brow. His lips curled upward, but his eyes remained cold.

    "Why don''t you give it a shot? But I believe you''ll have to go through a lot of people before you can even get close to me."

    Nine and Sinon crackled at his words. The duo raised their weapons and once again attacked the man with Yon and the others. Alec, Carcel, Lara, Yue, and Mia also joined in, raining countless attacks on the elven man who seemed to have gone quiet for some reason after hearing Kyle''s words.

    Hay''s eyes darted around. Now that Diora wasn''t here, there was no point in fighting so many people alone. He knew he could overpower them with his divine pressure, but he knew it wouldn''t work for long.

    Jian gazed at Kyle and the empty air around the man. The red-haired man rubbed his chin and asked him the question that almost everyone had been itching to ask.

    "What did you do with Diora? Don''t tell me now you''re strong enough to kill a divine being... Wow, bro, you just left for a while and got stronger again... No way!"

    Instantly, everyone in the air perked up their ears, except for Yon and the ones who had already sensed what the portal did.

    Kyle turned around and replied, but his response left all the people who were eagerly waiting to hear that Diora had died speechless.

    "Nothing, just tossed her in a teleportation portal to send her to a faraway ce. She''ll be back in a minute or two... I guess."

 Chapter 420 Youre back?

    Chapter 420 You''re back?

    Jian rolled his eyes. So, the portal was just a regr teleportation portal? How the heck did he never know portals could be used like that? Many people had the same question, especially the array masters and the tower''s guardians.

    But they knew that if they wanted to create a portal in the blink of an eye, they needed to have a deep understanding of arrays and a lot of practice. And even with all that, they would still need Kyle''s teleportation skill to make it look so effortless. So, in the end, all they could do was let out a big sigh.

    Kyle blinked, unaware of what was going through the minds of the people stealing nces at him. He watched as Hay was pushed back by Alec and the others.

    "It''s strange, why isn''t he using his divine pressure?"

    Kyle narrowed his eyes at the man and used his scent perception skill to sense the air. A foul stench that made him retch entered his nose, and he quickly shut off the skill.

    "What the heck was that? Don''t tell me he''s preparing tounch a powerful attack..."

    "No matter what, we can''t take risks."

    He vanished from his spot, and Hay, who had been secretly keeping an eye on him while blocking the attacks, quickly became alert.

    ''Where did that human go? No, he can''t just disappear. I''m almost done gathering all my divine energy. This attack would kill at least half of them. Just a few more seconds...''

    He became ruthless and started using the mana in the air to form sharp de-like earth spikes. Then, he shot them in all directions to stop the grey-haired man from suddenly attacking him out of nowhere.

    Kyle appeared between Alec and Regius, who were just pushed back by Hay. He grabbed Alec''s shoulder and gestured toward Regius, the green-haired elf with a serious expression.

    "I''m going to use all my divine energy, so use your strongest attack. Let''s finish him in one go. I sensed that woman is almost back... and she''s not the only problem. A big army is heading toward us from the opposite direction with many divine-rank individuals."

    Alec nodded his head and distanced himself from the crowd. The sword in his hand glowed faintly with a golden light as he fed it his divine energy without restraint. He wanted to use the system''s double power skill as well, but it had stopped working after he reached the pseudo-divine rank. Probably because the system is an artifact that is only divine rank.

    He knew the system wouldn''t help him any further after he reached the divine rank because the skills and benefits the system gave were only useful to those who were below the pseudo-divine rank. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Kyle didn''t vanish from his spot and watched as Hay suddenly distanced himself from the people surrounding him. The dark three-petal flower engraved on the man''s head glowed with a dark light, and the air stilled when a crack appeared in the air above his head.

    Hay snickered as everyone around him froze when a tremendous amount of pressure descended upon them. The pressure was even greater than Diora''s divine pressure, and in the next second, darkness spilled out from the crack. Countless red eyes peered from the crack at the people below, their glow looking almost eager to devour everything as they tried to make the crack wider with each passing second so they coulde out.

    However, it was apparent from Hay''s trembling hands that he was struggling.

    Kyle pinched his nose as he raised his head to stare at the crack. Now he knew where the stench came from. He didn''t know what those eyes were, and he didn''t want to know either. That''s why, before the eyes coulde out from the crack, he used all his divine energy, and in the next second, icy blue mes surged out into the air.

    The mes enveloped the crack, and a few mournful cries rang out as the countless eyes peeking from the crack sensed the chilling and dreadful coldness.

    Hay''s eyes contracted at the mes. He had already used his divine energy to summon the darkness, so he knew he couldn''t stop the mes. He gritted his teeth and used his mana to create many defensive barriers around himself.

    The mes flickered around him, but for some strange reason, they didn''t get close. Instead, they only enveloped the crack and silently swirled around him.

    Kyle wiped his forehead with a sigh as the mes enveloped the crack and closed it off with ayer of ice before vanishing into bright particles. But he raised his head and narrowed his eyes when he noticed a familiar figure approaching from the distance.

    "Damn, She''s already back. Alec, Regius, your turn!"

    The duo jumped forward to attack Hay the moment Kyle''s words echoed in the air. Yon gazed at the other guardians, and they all also jumped forward in mid-air to attack the man together. The dwarf had already sensed that Kyle was up to something when instead of attacking Hay, Kyle appeared between Alec and Regius.

    Hay''s eyes darted around, and finally, panic shed within them. No way, if so many attacksnded on the barriers he created with his mana, he knew the barriers would crumble. Then it would be impossible for him to stop the icy mes that were dangerously lingering around him.

    Now he understood why Kyle''s mes didn''t get closer to him. The grey-haired man probably used all his divine energy to form the mes, and he knew he couldn''t waste them. That''s why he asked the others to attack first.

    Jian, Yue, Mia, and Lara looked at each other and unleashed their strongest attacks on the man as well.

    Alec was the first tond his attack on the barriers Hay had created. His sword, infused with divine energy, flickered with countless sparks. When his attack hit the barriers, there was a loud bang, and Alec got pushed back because of the recoil effect.

    He tightened his grip on his sword and regained his bnce mid-air. Not only him, but even Hay was pushed back by the impact. Alec grinned because, after his attack, countless cracks appeared in the barriers around Hay. Regius attacked the barriers right after Alec with the two glowing des in his hands.

    Hay cried out as the barriers around him crumbled. He quickly moved his hand to create another barrier to protect himself. Anything would be fine. After all, he just needed to survive for a few more seconds because he sensed Diora''s presence nearby... but Carcel''s spear pierced his body with a tremendous force.

    Hay spat out a mouthful of blood, and his eyes widened with shock as the ordinary-looking spear tip entered his shoulder. He lifted his eyes to stare at the golden-haired man who shoved his spear further into his body to push him back. In the next second, a sword pierced his other shoulder.

    Hay grabbed the sword''s tip and tilted his head to stare at the pair of golden eyes peering at him. Nine let out a snicker and kicked him forward toward Yon and the others, giving them enough chance to attack. Carcel also jumped back into the distance.

    At that moment, Diora arrived in the air. She let out a high-pitched cry, as she watched Hay''s condition.

    "Stop right there!!"

    She raised her whip, and her divine aura spread out once again. But a chill ran down her spine when a cold voice echoed behind her.

    "You''re back?"

 Chapter 421 Go for a stroll once again

    Chapter 421 Go for a stroll once again

    Diora snapped back and swung her whip, but it missed its target.

    "Come out! Don''t y hide and seek with me! I''ll kill you all!"

    She intensified her divine aura, using all her strength. Alec and Carcel clenched their teeth and were about to move toward Diora to stop her, but they froze when Kyle suddenly appeared behind her, lifting his leg in a very familiar manner. Alec smirked and cursed under his breath.

    "That bastard... really knows how to get on others nerves."

    Carcel shook his head and stretched his neck.

    "At least she will be out of the picture until we''re done with Hay."

    Diora sensed it clearly this time when Kyle attempted to kick her. She quickly turned around, but her eyes darkened when she saw a familiar flickering portal just inches away from her body. She cried out and tore the portal with her nails. However, in that moment of distraction, she failed to notice another powerful kick thatnded on her waist and sent her flying downward.

    Kyle watched her, then vanished behind her. He winced as he appeared close to her, feeling the immense pressure radiating from her body.

    "I have to admit, I still can''t handle the divine pressure..."

    Diora wed at his body, but he disappeared before her nails could pierce him. Kyle straightened his clothes and looked at the woman, who had managed to regain her bnce in mid-air.

    "She''s insane."

    Even though he said that, a smile crept onto his lips as he vanished once more. He reappeared around Diora again and again, from all directions, driving her to the brink of madness.

    The others who were fighting with Hay or more specifically delivering finishing blows to the man who seemed close to death, moved back when the icy blue mes, which had been silently swirling around Hay, suddenly engulfed the man in a chilling embrace.

    A pained, heart-wrenching cry that sent chills down the spine of everyone who heard it rang out in the air as the mes forcefully entered Hay''s mouth to freeze his skull and all his internal organs.

    Diora paused in her actions. The woman lowered her whip and stared at Hay who turned into a glistening ice statue right before her eyes.

    She let out a crazedugh.

    "Haha, no way! No way!"

    She wanted to go and save him, but halted because the ice statue shattered into countless bright particles, the same beautiful particles that had stopped her skill before.

    Diora''s eyes flickered with madness. There was no way her partner could die, not because of some insignificant ants!

    The woman opened her mouth, probably to shout again that she would kill every person in her sight, but before she could, another kicknded on her waist, sending her into a portal that materialized behind her. Diora''s eyes locked with Kyle''s, and darkness enveloped her vision once again.

    Kyle lowered his leg and let out a sigh.

    "The enemies are near... and I''ve already used up all my divine energy. Not to mention, even my mana is running low."

    He nced back at the many individuals behind him who had been staring daggers at him for a while now.

    "What?"

    Nine floated towards him and gave him a serious look before ncing at the distance where the array masters were present. More specifically, he looked at Han, the man who taught Kyle about arrays.

    "Bro, I think I should also learn some array symbols, especially to create the portal you just used to send that woman away."

    Jian and Sinon joined him with solemn expressions.

    "We should learn as well. It''s too powerful to ignore."

    Regius rubbed his chin.

    "Now that you three are going to learn, I''ll join as well. I don''t think it''s hard after seeing how easily Kyle can draw so many symbols within a second."

    Alec and Carcel wanted to join too. They would be lying if they said they weren''t tempted. However, Yon poured cold water on their expectations even before they could voice them.

    "Kids, it''s not easy to learn array symbols, especially the ones Kyle is using to create teleportation portals mid-air..."

    The old dwarf counted his fingers and hummed with a thoughtful expression.

    "Well, if you really want to learn, it won''t take you all a long time. Approximately twenty years...? Only if you all spend all your time learning them and have a good memory andprehension ability."

    Nine stared at the dwarf with nk eyes and retreated into the distance as if he never even asked to learn about arrays. Jian and Sinon quickly followed him and went towards the crowd to recover their divine energy and mana.

    Kyle chuckled and shook his head at them before staring into the distance.

    "I think we should all get ready and move. The enemies are here."

    Yon and Alec arrived beside him and nodded. The dwarf nced at Kyle, a little surprised that the kid could already spread his senses so far away. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "I can sense them as well. It''s a big army. They''ll be here soon because they''re traveling at full speed."

    Kyle nodded.

    "Not just them, that woman is back as well. Let''s move forward and ask..."

    He stopped speaking when Yon patted his shoulder with a smile.

    "I know, leave it to me. I''ll get all the people behind us ready for the fight. Just worry about yourself. I can sense you used all your divine energy."

    Kyle watched as Yon and Alec quickly left his side to tell the others. Istalian, Yue, and the other two kings instantly ordered their people to get ready because they were going to move forward. The air tensed because the people had seen how Hay and Diora were so strong, but Istalian raised his voice to make their resolve stronger.

    "Don''t forget, we are fighting for ourselves, for our families, for our people! If we retreat today, no one will survive! So, grab your weapons and start moving because the enemies won''t stop, and they will get stronger with time! That''s why we are not going to hesitate and wipe them out before they can be strong enough to finish us all!"

    The crowd''s eyes zed with anger, and they raised their weapons in the air. In the next second, thend trembled as countless people from different races started moving toward the enemies to make them regret the time they stepped on this.

    Kyle gazed at them, he knew many of them would die, but he just hoped they could finish this war with as few casualties as possible. He raised his head and clicked his tongue when Diora once again appeared in the sky.

    "I don''t have enough divine energy to fight with you. So, it''s better for you to go for a stroll once again."

    He blinked and in the next second vanished into thin air.

 Chapter 422 The war I

    Chapter 422 The war I

    Amidst the ruined buildings, Misha paused in mid-air and narrowed her eyes, gazing into the distance. She wasn''t alone��thousands of individuals from different races were running behind her floating figure. Some had animal feathers, some were humans, and others had lizard-like scales covering their bodies.

    But no matter how they looked, all of them had a petal engraved on their foreheads. Or if not on their foreheads, it would be on other parts of their bodies.

    Misha''s grey eyes sparkled as she sensed countless presences rushing directly toward their location.

    "Don''t tell me... haha! So, they''reing towards us instead of hiding behind that dome they created."

    She rubbed her chin, a little surprised by the situation. Nevertheless, she wondered where Diora and Hay were. The duo had left her behind to do all the work and disappeared. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "It''s strange... with Diora''s personality, she would have already attacked the dome. And why didn''t she inform me that the people we''re attacking are heading toward us to fight head-on?"

    Misha grabbed the hem of her robe and elegantly turned around, her gaze falling upon the three divine-rank individuals, two elves, and one from the lizard race floating behind her.

    "You three, take charge of the army. I am going to summon the monsters. After all, we can''t afford any risks, especially after what happened to Ateo."

    A flicker of coldness shed in Misha''s eyes as she mentioned Ateo.

    "I swear, I want to tear apart the bastard who killed that prick..."

    She began to float upward and her eyes started glowing ominously with a red hue. In the next second, a sweet melody wafted through the air.

    However, only the lurking monsters around the ruined structures could hear it. Even the distant monsters in the forest raised their heads, drawn to the enchanting voice. In the end, all the monsters who heard the voice started running towards it as if they were under its control.

    The three divine-rank individuals looked at Misha''s figure and immediately ordered the countless people beneath them to move forward.

    The air was filled with cheerfulughter as the huge army eagerly rushed ahead, itching for a fight. Thend beneath them trembled as they jumped or ran through the many ruined structures, heading straight toward thest hope of the without any hesitation.

    After all, they knew they had the upper hand, being stronger and more powerful, and with so many divine-rank, pseudo divine-rank, and countless other strong individuals by their side. This battle wouldn''t evenst long enough for them to savor it. It would probably be over before they could even fully indulge in their desire to kill to their heart''s content.

    Their eyes lit up when they saw countless people rushing towards them. Just like them, the people at the front shouted loudly and raised their weapons in the air to show they were ready for the war.

    Dust filled the air and the ground trembled beneath their feet as the two opposing forces arrived opposite each other.

    Istalian''s eyes narrowed because the enemies didn''t stop; instead, they attacked instantly without any care. Istalian and the older individuals around him ordered their people to attack. No matter what they can''t back down now.

    The sh of weapons echoed in the air, apanied by the cries and shouts of the people who fought with their lives on the line. However, the individuals with ck petals engraved on their foreheads were amused and treated the war as a little game that would soone to an end.

    In that moment, countless monsters appeared in the distance. Misha looked down at the battlefield with her glowing eyes andmanded the monsters to attack and take out the enemies.

    The atmosphere grew tense as countless roars reverberated in the air. More and more monsters joined the battle, only increasing the pressure on the people fighting against the ones with ck petals engraved on their foreheads.

    Alec paused in mid-air, his eyes sweeping over the countless people below. Before long, the air became heavy with the sounds of shing weapons and the unmistakable scent of blood.

    Then he fixed his gaze on the three divine-rank individuals who floated in the distance. The trio seemed almost bored, as if they were just waiting for the battle to end, fully confident that it would be an easy victory. Moreover, they weren''t alone. Many pseudo-divine rank individuals were floating behind the trio, as if waiting for their order to join the war and finish off the struggling souls.

    The moment the three divine-rank individuals met Alec''s gaze, they became alert. Not because of Alec, but because of the many people floating mid-air behind the blue-haired man. After all, they weren''t aware that the enemy had so many pseudo-divine rank individuals.

    Jian let out a shout.

    "There are our preys! Guys, attack!"

    The three divine-rank individuals were surprised when Alec, Nine, Carcel, Yon, Sinon, Regius, and all those who fought in closebat rushed forward toward them without hesitation.

    Yue, Jian, and Miamanded the mages with the tower''s guardians from a distance and rained down one attack after another on the enemies. Jian jolted when a portal materialized beside him. Kyle stepped out from the portal with furrowed brows.

    Jian formed countless sharp earth shards and threw them at the enemies, then gazed at Kyle.

    "What happened? Also, what about Diora?"

    Kyle massaged his temples.

    "Gone... at least for a while. I''ll take care of the divine-rank individual with lizard-like features. Bia is almost here too. She said she''ll take out the woman who is controlling the monsters."

    Then, he patted Jian''s shoulder and gazed at Yue.

    "I''m leaving for now. Contact me if something happens. Also, don''t go jumping into something that can threaten your life."

    After Kyle disappeared, Jian''s eyes zed and he jumped forward to battle a pseudo-divine rank individual. Not just him, Yue, Lara, and Mia also started fighting with the pseudo-divine rank individuals.

    Istalian and the ones with (SS)-Rank strength or higher got themselves busy with the ones who had simr strengths.

    Misha watched the battlefield and scoffed at the people who were struggling, trying their best to fight. She was a little taken aback when she saw so many pseudo divine rank individuals. But that''s all because she knew she and the other divine rank individuals would be able to easily handle them.

    Suddenly, the woman snapped her eyes in another direction where she sensed arge number of monsters rushing toward their location. Her grey pupils shook because she was not the one who summoned them!

    So, why the heck so many monsters are rushing toward the battlefield?

    "What is happening!? I know that the monsters on this are getting crazy because of the polluted air, but why are so many heading toward this ce? Is there someone else on this who had the ability tomand the monsters?"

 Chapter 423 The war II

    Chapter 423 The war II

    Misha''s grey eyes narrowed into slits as fiery mes entered her vision. In that moment, amanding cry echoed through the air, followed by a beautiful pair of wings that appeared in the sky.

    The wings were glistening with a mix of golden, red, and blue feathers as they soared towards the battlefield. Bia''s eyes narrowed as she surveyed the people below. Just as she said, the phoenix wasn''t alone. Countless flying monsters followed her in a mesmerizing formation.

    All of them covered the sky like a nket and cast shadows on the ground, causing many on the ground to raise their heads and stare at the majestic phoenix leading the monsters with bated breaths.

    Nine, who was fighting alongside Carcel and Regius against one of the divine rank elves, suddenly stopped in his actions.

    He looked up at the phoenix and couldn''t help but let out a loud curse, almost startling Carcel, who had just been pushed back towards him in mid-air.

    Carcel followed his gaze, and his eyes widened in astonishment.

    "Fuck..."

    Nineughed when he heard Carcel cursing so openly. It was a rare sight to see Carcel lose hisposure like that.

    "Damn, I''m jealous. She brought a whole freaking army with her!"

    Bia snickered at the monsters who were fighting alongside the enemies. Her eyes sparkled, and she ordered the flying monsters behind her to attack the people with ck petals engraved on their foreheads.

    Not just the flying monsters, but the countless monsters following behind the phoenix through thend also jumped into the battlefield. Many were surprised, but the ones who knew Bia shouted toward the phoenix with newfound enthusiasm.

    The people with ck petals engraved on their foreheads faltered in their stance for the first time when they saw the massive army of monsters joining the opposing side. They subconsciously looked at the divine rank individuals on their side and were once again stunned because all the divine rank individuals were surrounded!

    Misha''s dark eyes followed the beautiful phoenix, and a vein throbbed on her forehead. She knew it was rare to see a phoenix, let alone one that had attained psuedu-divine rank strength. But this was troublesome because the same phoenix was helping the people she wanted to kill.

    Moreover, to make matters worse, she could vividly sense that the phoenix''s authority tomand the monsters was much stronger than hers.

    ''Don''t tell me it''s a bonded beast...? Diora just how the fucking hell can you spout such nonsense that this doesn''t have anyone above (SSS+)-Rank?!''

    The woman zoomed in towards the phoenix to immediately finish it off because if she didn''t, she knew it would be bad for her side.

    "No matter what, I am stronger! So, you need to die for me, pretty phoenix."

    Misha released her divine pressure, and countless burning meteors materialized behind her that shot out towards the phoenix with lightning-fast speed. The people and the monsters who felt her pressure dropped to their knees.

    But the woman wearing the white robe didn''t care if her pressure was affecting the enemies or allies. She just wanted to end the battle as soon as possible. Because for some reason, a nagging feeling started stabbing at the back of her head the moment she saw the phoenix.

    Misha''s face crumbled when the phoenix, who should be the main target of her pressure, snickered at her face with a pair of eyes that clearly mocked her, as if she didn''t amount to anything.

    Bia''s wings glistened with a pale golden hue, and the symbols engraved at the edges of her wings started glowing. In the next moment, a transparent barrier enclosed her body and pushed away the pressure that was directed towards her.

    -''I gotta admit, these symbols are not just for show haha. Now, I''m gonna have a lot of fun, and unfortunately, this woman''s gonna be my first target.''

    The phoenix glided down the air smoothly to avoid the burning meteors, and her eyes sparkled as she fixed them on Misha.

    -''Let''s see how long you canst against the majestic me!''

    The air around Misha started trembling as she conjured a snowstorm with sharp wind currents, but she staggered in mid-air when the phoenix didn''t even flinch from the coldness. Blissfully unaware that after spending so much time with Kyle, Bia had developed a natural resistance to all types of icy skills.

    Misha increased her pressure with a frustated cry, and the people beneath her were almost crushed, but she didn''t stop. Bia groaned because she couldn''t get near the woman, and due to their fight, many people were dying.

    The phoenix''s eyes roamed around, searching for a way to get close to the woman. Bia''s eyes brightened when a familiar figure materialized behind the crazy woman, who had been throwing so many attacks towards her that it was getting a little difficult to dodge.

    Kyle gazed at the phoenix, and before Misha could react, he grabbed her neck tightly. The cold sensation shocked the woman to the core, and with a movement so fast that not even Bia could follow with her eyes, Misha''s body turned into a mirage. In the next second, the air behind her cracked into countless fragments.

    Misha froze when her nails, which had turned into crystals, touched nothing but empty air.

    "Huh?"

    She looked around with bewildered eyes and then snapped her gaze towards the phoenix, thinking it was probably the phoenix''s trick. But then, countless flickering portals materialized all around her, almost eager to suck her in.

    Misha cried out, shocked that the phoenix used array symbols! Moreover, with how fast the portals materialized around her, she was a hundred percent sure that the phoenix''s knowledge about it had far surpassed the ordinary level. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "But... but how is it possible!?"

    Not even in her wildest dreams did she imagine she would see a beast that couldprehend something she herself had little knowledge about because it was too difficult. The womanughed and tore the portals before fixing her dark gaze on Bia.

    "Now I want to open your skull and cut your body to see just how the hell you reached this level of strength!"

    Bia''s eyes sparkled with mirth as she watched the woman getting ready to send another attack towards her, unaware that the real culprit once again materialized above her. The woman cried out as a powerful kicknded on her head, sending her tumbling downward with lightning-fast speed. Kyle lowered his leg and gazed at Bia before a portal materialized in front of the phoenix.

    "Go, I''m sending her behind you. Fight somewhere else. She''s causing too many deaths."

    -"Haha, don''t worry and leave her to me! She''s my prey!"

 Chapter 424 The war III

    Chapter 424 The war III

    After sending Bia away with Misha, Kyle gazed at the battlefield. He rubbed his forehead, which throbbed from using so much divine energy in such a short time. Plus, he used up all his mana by creating multiple portals and using instant teleportation repeatedly.

    "It seems I will have to fight in closebat for a while until I recover some mana. If only I could draw an array that could give me a constant supply of divine energy or mana."

    He let out a sigh because he knew it wouldn''t be possible. First, drawing the array would require a lot of time and people. Second, he didn''t have any strong resources to power the array. After all, he used up all his resources to supply enough energy to the array he built to defeat the divine rank being at the right time.

    Kyle looked at Alec, Yon, and the others. They weren''t exactly winning, but they were keeping the pseudo-divine rank individuals and the two divine rank elves upied. He let out a curse when he saw two familiar figures appearing in the sky. Diora and the divine rank individual with lizard-like features.

    "I just sent you two away, and you''re back again. It would be hard, but I think it''s better to at least take down one of them."

    He zoomed in towards Alec, who was fighting with one of the divine rank elves alongside Yon, Sinon, and the other tower''s guardians. Kyle grabbed Alec''s shoulder and gave a nod to Sinon.

    "I''m taking him. I believe you and the others can handle the man while we''re gone."

    The winged demi-human''s eyes widened as he blocked another attack that almost sent him flying. How could the two of them leave him behind, even though they can clearly see his battered condition!

    "Wait-!"

    Sinon wanted to speak, but he shut his mouth because Kyle had already dragged Alec with him even before Alec could reply. Yon swung his hammer and let out a chuckle as he gazed at Sinon.

    "So, it looks like it''s just us taking on this guy now. Let''s give it our all and take him down, young man."

    Sinon''s face fell, but he nodded with a solemn expression.

    ''It''s fine, I can take a little beating. It''s just that my already hurting body will hurt a little more. So, it''s fine... right?''

    In the distance, Alec gazed at Kyle, who had dragged him away from the fight.

    "What happened?"

    Kyle pointed his finger at the sky, where an ominous aura surged out. Diora''s eyes were dark, filled with craziness, and the divine rank individual with lizard-like scales all over his body had half of his clothes torn. Plus, the lizard man''s head was throbbing with many angry veins, like he just wanted to destroy everything in his path.

    The corner of Alec''s lips twitched as he gazed at the two divine rank individuals.

    "Kyle, I really don''t want to suffer at your hands ever..."

    Kyle raised his brow with a mischievous glint.

    "Oh, what if we shed in the future? How about this... if for some reason we had no other choice but to go against each other, you admit defeat, and if you do, I''ll do the same. After all, it wouldn''t be good for the well-being of this universe if the two of us started fighting each other, haha."

    He shook Alec''s shoulder with augh.

    "Don''t worry, though. I don''t think we''ll ever fight, except for some friendly spars. And I promise not to use instant teleportation in those spars. Otherwise, it would be an unfair fight."

    Alec let out a sigh, but his eyes were smiling. The duo talked just like any other time, after all, no one knew what the future held. Alec gazed at the two people who had already started attacking.

    "So, now what?"

    Kyle cracked his knuckles.

    "I don''t have divine energy or mana. Just a little that I gathered in the past minute. So, I''m going to send the lizard man to Susan."

    "That old man is probably resting somewhere, but he should also help now that we need it so much. Until I am done, keep Diora upied. When I return, we''ll take her down together."

    Alec nodded, it was hard but not impossible. He grabbed his sword and hurried towards Diora to stop her. Alec winced a little when Diora''s eyes, which had turned pitch ck, stared at him intensely before the woman leaped towards him with a loud, angry shout.

    Kyle grabbed hismunication crystal and contacted his father. His brothers were fighting alongside the people of the human Kingdom, so he knew that right now, his father was the only one who could help him.

    The old man''s voice came through the crystal almost instantly, as if he had been waiting for someone to contact him. Kyle chuckled, and before Ohan could ask him anything, he quickly inquired about Susan. After all, the guardian had been ignoring him despite his attempts to reach out for so long.

    Kyle''s eyes lit up because his father shared the news about Susan right away.

    "He''s with me and Eon because he wanted Eon to drink the divine essence. But Eon refused because he thought it would be painful. So, Sir Susan is forcing... I mean doing his best to convince Eon to take it."

    Kyle smirked. He couldn''t believe Susan remembered his request.

    "Dad, do me a favor and ask Susan to go check the forest outside the border as soon as possible. Ask him to see if the monsters are behaving. With everyone busy fighting, it''s important to have someone strong watching the border to prevent any unnecessary trouble." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Ohan''s voice sounded a bit confused as he agreed to Kyle''s request. He wasn''t quite sure what his son was up to, even in the midst of a war.

    Kyle closed themunication crystal and looked at the divine-ranked man covered in lizard-like scales.

    "Now it''s time to get rid of this lizard. At least he won''te back."

    He checked his mana and sensed that he had enough for a few uses of instant teleportation. In the next second, Kyle disappeared towards the lizard man who had attacked some people, only to be stopped by Lara and Yue.

 Chapter 425 The war IV

    Chapter 425 The war IV

    The sky grew darker with each passing second, the atmosphere was quiet, and the air felt calm. However, words couldn''t capture the frustration that Susan was experiencing. His forehead throbbed with anger as hended on the border and looked at the dome covering the entire Coexis.

    "I said there''s no need! With this barrier around the whole continent, how could the monsters attack the citizens? So why the hell does that little prick want me to check the forest?"

    "Darn it, I swear I''m going to get back at him. He''s the only one who dares to make me work so much!"

    Susan clicked his tongue and started floating before pausing in front of the dome. A bright light spread out from his fingers and the light created a small opening in the dome for him to pass through.

    He flew out from the opening and after a minute of floating, he stopped above the forest. Because aside from a few low-rank monsters wandering around, he didn''t see anything else.

    "I''ve checked the border, it''s safe. No problem at all."

    He kept exploring the forest for another minute before turning back to the dome enclosing the Continent. But suddenly, he sensed a movement in the mana behind him and titled his head back.

    "Huh?"

    In the next second, under his gaze, a flickering portal materialized in the air. The portal spit out a muscr man with lizard like features who managed to bnce himself mid-air and let out a furious roar.

    "Human, I''m going to tear you apart!"

    The scales on the man''s body glowed ominously as he rushed toward the flickering portal. Susan jolted when a hand came out from the portal to punch the lizard man backward. The old man''s heart trembled at the sight and he swiftly turned around to fly toward the dome that covered Coexis, but he halted when a familiar voice sounded behind him.

    "Ha... old man, take care of him. I can''t anymore."

    Susan''s eyes widened as he watched Kyle step out from the portal. The young man had his clothes filled with blood and sweat, and he was breathing heavily as if he had just run a marathon. He lookedpletely different from the pristine appearance the old guardian saw him inst time.

    Kyle gazed at Susan and wiped his forehead with his sleeve. Opposite him, the divine rank lizard man easily bnced himself in mid-air and stared at him with bloodshot eyes, ready to kill him right then and there. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Kyle winced as his whole body throbbed from the pressure he had been putting on himself for so long. This time, he felt it vividly that the mana in his body wasn''t even enough to make him float for more than a minute.

    Yet, he pushed his limits again and used instant teleportation to appear in front of the lizard man. Then, he used all his strength to punch the man, and thetter flew towards Susan, who had a bewildered expression on his face.

    The old man was still processing what was happening when he sensed the divine aura spreading out from the lizard man. Susan snapped his shocked eyes toward Kyle.

    "What the hell! He''s a divine being!? Why did you bring him here?"

    Kyle chuckled at Susan, who easily dodged an attack thrown at him by the lizard man. In the end, no matter what, the gap between a divine rank and a pseudo divine rank individual was too huge. After all, he could see it clearly that unlike him, Susan could easily handle the lizard man.

    "Yon and the other guardians are busy. Also, you didn''t join the war. So, I''m leaving this man in your care."

    Susan silently cursed the time he met Kyle with a pair of eyes that screamed he''s leaving for a faraway ce after he''s done with the lizard man! No, he''s going to leave this! The old man''s eyes fixed on the lizard man as he rubbed his hands to release all his pent-up frustration.

    However, he stopped when he noticed Kyle staggering in mid-air. Susan narrowed his eyes and watched as Kyle clenched his fists hard enough to draw blood. The old man wanted to check Kyle''s body, but thetter vanished from his sight.

    "The kid''s pushing himself too much. There''s not even an ounce of mana left in his body. If he continues like this, he''s going to copse."

    Susan sighed and gazed at the lizard man who attacked him once again.

    "It seems now I have to join the battle. Yon is going to make me listen to his endless nagging, but well, it''s okay I guess. Fighting once in a while is fine because not just Kyle, but all the kids fighting for the Continent have a lot of potential. It would be a pity if any of them lost their life in the battle."

    He fixed his gaze on the lizard man, and in the next second, his body turned into a mirage. The lizard man''s eyes dted as a hand grasped his neck and sent him flying backward. His body crashed into countless trees before mming into arge boulder, shattering it upon impact.

    Susan appeared above in the sky and looked down at the man who cried out and jumped into the air, causing the surroundings to tremble.

    The duo started fighting, and with two divine rank individuals using all their strength, the sky rumbled with dark clouds, and fissures formed in the air.

    Still, even though the fight looked evenly matched, the lizard man was already exhausted because of Kyle.

    Sure, the grey-haired human wasn''t able to harm him badly, but thetter made him use a lot of divine energy. That''s why the lizard man soon realized he was losing to the old man. So, he decided to secretly flee when he had the chance. After all, his life was way more important than his anger or the battle he had to fight to conquer the.

    On the other hand, Kyle staggered as he appeared above the battlefield. He let out a gasp as he lost his bnce in mid-air, and barely managed to safelynd amidst the thousands of people fighting each other.

    Countless metallic sounds rang in his ears and the unmistakable scent of blood entered his nose as he unsheathed his sword. The same sword he found in the ancient realm. Its gleaming de shone brightly as he jumped forward and went into a killing spree in the middle of the many people fighting around him.

    Kyle''s eyes traveled towards Alec, and he let out a tired sigh. The blue-haired man was giving it his all in the fight against Diora, and he didn''t seem to be in the best shape. Still, Alec was holding his own against her pretty well.

    "Just hold her a few more minutes... until I have some mana."

    After just a minute, Kyle''s clothes werepletely drenched in blood. Moreover, because of his divine skill, he could smell it so vividly that it turned revolting. That''s why he grabbed a shirt from his mind space and tore a piece from it to cover his lower face.

    The night clouds gathered above the sky, and the moon shone brightly. Despite that, the battlefield remained well-lit thanks to the countless skills, spells, and attacks being thrown by everyone. In the midst of it all, Kyle paused when he noticed a familiar shimmer on his forehead.

    "Huh..?"

    Kyle stabbed his sword into the chest of an (S)-Rank demi-human who had a glowing one petal ck flower engraved on his neck, then kicked the body away before grabbing the tips of his hair.

    "Oh, they''re turning silver..."

 Chapter 426 Bia VS Misha

    Above a vastnd far away from the ce where the war was going on.

    Under the darkened sky, a thunderous and exasperating cry pierced the air, causing it to tremble in response.

    "You pesky phoenix! Just let me get you once! Just once is all I need to pluck everyst feather from your body!"

    Bia cackled menacingly and the space around her shone brightly with vibrant crimson mes. The phoenix looked down at the woman opposite her, who was screaming in frustration.

    Misha''s pristine white clothes were soaked in dirt and blood, and her forehead throbbed with angry veins. She couldn''t believe that as a true divine being, she couldn''t handle a mere phoenix who had just barely touched the divine realm!

    The woman let out augh, and her figure became blurry. She moved so fast that it almost left behind an afterimage as she lunged at Bia. But her eyes darkened with anger when crimson mes surged out to cover the phoenix''s entire body in multipleyers of protective shields.

    Misha cursed under her breath and tried to break the barriers with her fists.

    However, apart from a few cracks, the barriers stayed intact, and to make things worse, the crimson mes left burn marks on her skin.

    "Damn it! Damn it! Why the hell are this phoenix''s mes so powerful? I''m a divine rank individual, for fuck''s sake, and I can''t even disperse the mes!"

    She wanted to scream once again because her divine aura wasn''t working on the phoenix. Whenever she spread out her divine pressure, the strange golden symbols on the phoenix''s wings would shine and deflect her pressure away from the phoenix''s body.

    Bia snickered when she finally saw the woman''s figure materialize beside her.

    -"Now it''s my turn! Hehe!"

    She pped her wings, which shone with a mesmerizing blend of golden, crimson, and blue feathers.

    Misha''s eyes contracted when the many barriers surrounding the phoenix expanded in all directions with a deafening echo. The woman gritted her teeth and raised her hand to create several earth shields to protect herself.

    But she had to retreat because the mes were too hot and melted the shields she had created. In a sh, Misha grabbed a double edged de without a hilt from her mind space and fixed her dark gaze on the phoenix.

    "Let''s see how long you can hold on!"

    In that moment, a sweet melody reverberated through the air, and the woman''s eyes shone brightly with a crimson hue. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Bia narrowed her eyes when she heard countless roars echoing around her. The phoenix scanned the many monsters that started gathering around the woman.

    Misha tilted her head and flipped the gleaming de in her hand, like she was getting used to the sensation. Bia watched as the woman rushed at her with the sharp de, and the many monsters followed suit, as if dancing to hermands.

    Misha''s stance faltered for a second when she didn''t see a hint of fear in the phoenix''s eyes, which annoyingly turned crescents. Regardless, she didn''t pause in her actions even when the phoenix formed the familiar barriers around her body. The woman raised her de, and with glowing eyes, a crimson light shed from her fingers as she stabbed the de into the burning barriers. The many barriers that enclosed the phoenix cracked and started scattering into countless pieces.

    Misha let out a victorious smirk.

    "Haha, finally, I got you..."

    But when she raised her eyes tough at the phoenix, she staggered a little. The woman saw a mischievous glint inside the bright pair of crescent-shaped eyes staring down at her. The brightness amidst the darkness made the phoenix''s eyes almost look overbearing with a hint of blue in between.

    The phoenix''s massive presence loomed over her, and in that exact moment, she felt a shiver run down her spine as she realized that her control over the monsters she had just summoned was nullified by another force. It was a powerfulmanding force,pletely different from her own.

    No matter what, Misha could only control the monsters through their senses when she used the dark powers bestowed to her. But the force the phoenix used made them obey because the phoenix held a position that was rightfully above them.

    "Haha... no way-!"

    Her words got cut off when the phoenix opened her mouth and let out a cry. It was so loud that the woman''s ears started ringing. The next thing she saw was a sea of pure golden mes that spread out from the phoenix''s body, almost covering the entire space around them.

    Misha''s eyes trembled as she watched the mes. So, all this time the phoenix never used her divine energy? In that moment, the woman finally epted the fact that she was fighting with a true phoenix��one that had touched the realm of the divine and had the power to go even beyond it if given the chance.

    But she didn''t dare admit that she, a divine being, would lose to a mere phoenix! Misha wanted to prove that she was stronger, no matter what tricks the phoenix used. In the end, the phoenix could never defeat a true divine being with her lowly tricks! That''s why she secretly took out an artifact and stopped to face the golden mes head-on. Her n was to take out the phoenix in one go the moment the phoenix exhausted her divine energy. But that was her biggest mistake.

    Biaughed in her head and looked at the woman with a haughty expression.

    -"It looks like you wanna get a taste of my beautiful mes, huh? Okay, enjoy~"

    She spoke in a sweet voice that sounded too harmless for its own good. In the next second, the golden mes turned even brighter and enclosed the whole sky in a golden nket. Misha''s shocked eyes reflected the mes that enveloped her from all sides.

    "Nooo! How can you have so much divine energy!"

    The woman cried out and used all her divine energy to form one shield after another around her body. But the shields would melt under the heat within seconds, which turned hotter with each passing second.

    "Wait, wait! I admit defeat! Retract the mes!"

    Bia''s breathing turned irregr because she used all her divine energy and remaining mana in that move. Her vision blurred for a second, but she shook her head and watched everything as painful, desperate screams echoed from inside the mes that shone brightly under the moonlight.

    The many monsters watching everything from beneath whimpered with scared expressions and quickly ran off in different directions, so as not to disturb the phoenix.

    Regardless, the golden mes burned brightly, and after a long time, when they scattered, nothing was left behind.

    Bia let out a grin. Unlike the others, she could sense her stats very vividly, and she knew that Kyle wasn''t the only one who had a high divine energy stat the moment he broke through to the pseudo-divine rank. Bia''s divine stat also showed 2rd stage (low). Probably because of her bond with Kyle and because she''s a phoenix, not any ordinary beast.

    -"I did say it! I am majestic, and a woman who just appeared out of nowhere can never be superior to me in terms of controlling monsters! Tsk tsk, look what happened when you dared to challenge this majestic me!"

    The phoenix''s vision blurred with tiredness. She had used all her energy. Her body screamed with pain, even though she fought Misha head-on without showing any weakness. She was truly tired, so much so that she wanted nothing but to sleep for a long time. Bia let out a yawn.

    -"I''m done with my job. So, I can sleep for now, right? Just for a while..."

 Chapter 427 I dont like this form even a bit

    Chapter 427 I don''t like this form even a bit

    Under the moonlight, the air swirled gently and caressed the phoenix''s feathers. Suddenly, a beautiful, brilliant crimson light enveloped the phoenix''s entire body.

    "Woah, it''s cold..."

    Bia clicked her tongue, and strands of long golden hair scattered in the wind before gently cascading down her back. As the light faded, a pair of mesmerizing crimson eyes with blue slits peered at the small, pale hands that emerged from the glow.

    She touched her wrists, where the golden symbols Kyle engraved on the edges of her wings glowed brightly.

    "Hmm, not bad, but I still prefer my original form."

    Bia gazed down at her legs and wriggled her toes.

    "Geez... I don''t like this form even a bit. Without the feathers, my skin feels cold. How do humans manage to survive with such fragile bodies?" N?v(el)B\\jnn

    With a blink, a crimson feathery tunic materialized around her body. Her eyelids drooped with fatigue, yet she couldn''t resist the curiosity to see her human features. That''s why she soared through the sky and found ake nestled between some rocks.

    Bia''s bare feet touched the ground, and she gazed into the crystal-clear water. However, in the next moment, a piercing cry echoed through the air. Bia dropped to her knees, staring at her own reflection in disbelief.

    "This is me??"

    She touched her face, which looked too round, and her body that appeared no older than a six or seven-year-old child. A red me mark shone brightly in the middle of her forehead.

    "No way! I just tried to transform into a human for the first time, so why do I look so young? Did I mess up the process or something!?"

    The phoenix counted her age on her little fingers in a panic, but her eyes widened with shock when she realized that she wasn''t even ten years old originally!

    "Ugh, it''s all because of Kyle. He''s been advancing so fast that I didn''t even notice how quickly I progressed."

    "Still, I can''t believe how talented I am. I was able to reach the pseudo-divine rank at such a young age. As expected, I am too majestic and powerful. Truly the leader of all the monsters."

    She nodded her little head and gazed at her reflection once again. The previous negative remarks immediately faded from her mind due to her unimaginable high potential.

    "Dang, look at me, I think I''m pretty cute with this round face as well. Maybe I should ask Kyle to adopt me as his daughter once he sessfully marries Yue... Well, it''s not a bad idea. But wait, that means I won''t be able to enjoy the privilege of being a bondedpanion, right!?"

    "Nope, no way! I can''t let that happen! Otherwise, he wouldn''t supply me with enough treasures!"

    She crossed her arms over her chest and paced around theke, once again not really liking her human form. The moment she broke through to the pseudo-divine rank, a flood of new knowledge filled her mind, knowledge that didn''t belong to her deceased parent.

    She knew very well that it''s something she acquired through her own advancement. Moreover, after reaching the pseudo-divine rank, she immediately realized that she could transform into a human or any other form just by thinking. However, she couldn''t try it due to the chaotic atmosphere.

    Bia let out a yawn and put her hand over her mouth. As she moved, her golden hair swirled onto her shoulder, and some of it got into her mouth and eyes. She let out an irritated huff.

    "What the heck is this? Why is it getting in my mouth? I don''t like the taste. I''ll ask Mia to cut it off for me!"

    She stomped her feet on the ground and changed back into her little bird form, the same form she could use to easily sit on Kyle''s head. Bia let out a sigh.

    -''In the end, no matter what, this form is the mostfortable, even though it''s the most useless.''

    She pped her little wings and settled above a boulder after finding a quiet spot nearby.

    -''Alright, I''ll rest for a while and then join the war again. Good night for now.''

    .....

    Inside the battlefield, Kyle''s eyes crinkled with mirth, and the previous predicament of wanting to get rid of his bloodied clothes as soon as possible slipped from his mind when something coursed through his body. In that moment, the divine energy all around him traveled towards him and entered his body in an almost desperate manner.

    Though he still felt tired and his muscles were strained, he couldn''t help but let out a satisfied smirk when a refreshing and cool sensation spread throughout his entire body. Moreover, a part of his divine energy filled up almost instantly after the divine energy in the atmosphere entered his body.

    Kyle immediately nced at the image that had reced his stats from the corner of his eyes.

    "Haha, just what I needed!"

    _______

    Name: Kyle

    Race: Human/Semi Celestial

    Bloodline: Celestial

    Soul rank: Transcendent

    Rank: Pseudo Divine

    stats:

    Strength: SSS+

    Mana: Divine-rank

    Divine energy: Final stage (Elite)

    Agility: Pseudo Divine

    Current physique rank: Pseudo Divine

    Talent: Celestial

    Luck: S+

    Unique ability; Nature''s favorite.

    Unlocked due to (S+)-Rank luck.

    Skills;

    ....

    _______

    Kyle gazed at his hair that hadpletely turned silver again. He had just advanced and entered thest stage of the divine energy in the pseudo-divine rank, yet he didn''t break through.

    "I do feel like I can break through to the divine rank, but why does it feel like I need a little push? Susan did say I''ll break through to the divine rank if I reached the elite stage in my divine energy..."

    He let out a sigh and gazed at Alec and Diora. The woman had made Alec''s appearance almost unrecognizable.

    "I only asked him to handle her for a few minutes. I believe he''s cursing me right now. Haha, but..."

    Kyle cracked his knuckles and stabbed his sword into another individual''s neck who attacked him from behind.

    "Now, I don''t think I need to wait until I have enough mana or divine energy."

    He blinked and vanished from his spot, only to appear behind Diora who tried to grab Alec''s neck. But the blue-haired man avoided her hand by a hair''s breadth.

    Alec''s eyes lit up when he saw Kyle. In an instant, his gazended on thetter''s hair that should have been grey, but right now they were shining brightly in silver color.

    "Finally, you''re here! I almost thought I would die!"

    Diora paused after she heard Alec''s words and turned around with lightning-fast speed to tear the person behind him, but Kyle had already vanished. In the next second, a familiar kicknded on the woman''s back, sending her flying into a portal that metarilized in the air.

    "You bastard!!"

    Kyle ignored her scream as he clenched and unclenched his hand a few times. He really didn''t like sweating. That''s why he was grateful for his cold body. However, due to the pressure he put on himself and the amount of skills and strenuous activities he did in such a short time, his body started sweating, and with the blood, it was getting a little annoying for him to stay in that condition.

    He let out a sigh, and another portal materialized in front of him and Alec, whose breathing was even more irregr than his.

    "Let''s go, it''s time to finish off the remaining divine rank individuals."

    Alec heard Kyle''s words and let out a chuckle at how confident thetter sounded before the duo jumped into the portal.

 Chapter 428 I wonder too

    Chapter 428 I wonder too

    The air shook with a boomingugh as Diora floated in mid-air and stared at the two people who stepped out from a portal that materialized before her. Her eyes werepletely ck, filled with madness. She knew she had gone too far and had lost a lot of her divine energy by aimlessly running around, only to be thrown into a distant ce over and over again.

    But no matter what, she couldn''t ept that these little ants in front of her had killed Hay and were not dying under her power.

    "You two need to die... die..."

    Diora muttered under her breath and locked her eyes on Alec and Kyle. After mumbling for a few seconds, her eyes cleared up a little as she let out a breath and finally started to process what the heck she had been doing for the whole day.

    She, the one who should have been ying with the people on this, was the one who got yed. How ironic.

    The pair of pitch ck eyes started to regain its color, and soon her pupils returned to normal with a hint of earthy color in between.

    Diora''s eyes scanned Kyle and Alec as they both held swords in their hands. The duo seemed out of ce on this small, with their otherworldly appearance. And their strength... why were they so powerful and possessed such unique skills if they were just ordinary people living on a hidden, forgotten?

    The one with bright silver hair wore an emotionless expression on his handsome face, while the other with deep blue hair had a cold expression on his handsome face as they focused their gaze on her. They were probably ready to attack her, right? As her eyesnded on Alec, a mockingugh unexpectedly escaped her lips.

    Kyle, who was about to vanish, suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing at the woman floating opposite him.

    "I wonder if she had finally lost her mind?"

    He voiced his thoughts so Alec could hear, but Diora actually started speaking after hearing his words.

    "Haha, I wonder too... Did I lose my mind or not? But you know what? The fact that I''m fighting someone who, in the end, is one of us, it''s what''s making meugh at myself."

    Diora tilted her head and her lips curled upward as she watched Alec''s face crumbling under her gaze.

    "I also wonder how your friends who know you will feel after they find out you sold your-!"

    Her words were abruptly cut off because she wasn''t able to react on time when Alec left his spot with lightning-fast speed. He grabbed her mouth to silence her, then promptly threw her backward, causing her body to stumble in mid-air.

    Diora gazed at the pair of angry eyes staring back at her, as if challenging her to speak one more word, and he would make her regret ever being born. She attempted to fix her disheveled clothes with a snicker, but they were already torn in multiple spots, so she decided to leave them as they were.

    An evil smile yed on her face. She was mocking the audacity of the human who dared to challenge her with that look even though he knew he had no chance of winning against her.

    "I have to admit, now that I am tired, my reflexes are getting slower and slower."

    Alec didn''t dare to look back at Kyle, who was floating behind him. He just wanted to finish off the woman in front of him, but he knew that even though he caught her off guard earlier, he wouldn''t be able to defeat her head-on.

    He held onto his sword tightly and waited for Kyle to question him about what Diora was talking about. But little did he know, after hearing Diora''s useless screams so many times, Kyle didn''t even care about what she was bbering anymore. Plus, her voice sounded too hoarse for hisfort.

    ''Why''s he so quiet?''

    Alec got his answer when the ground beneath him and Diora started glowing with countless symbols that were trembling ominously. The dark space lit up with the brightness spilling from the symbols.

    "Huh?"

    Diora nced at the symbols too, and unlike Alec, she felt a chill run down her spine when she noticed how intensely the symbols were trembling.

    She didn''t know much about arrays or symbols, but one thing she knew for sure was that symbols weren''t supposed to be stacked on top of each other! Not to mention so many destructive symbols!

    The woman cried out, with only one thought in her head. She needs to run far away from this ce. However, in that moment, Kyle''s familiar voice finally sounded behind Alec.

    "Done, the array activated sessfully. Now we just need to make her stay above the array for a minute!"

    Alec snapped his head back, but Kyle had already vanished from his spot. In the next second, he appeared beside Diora, who tried to leave the ce.

    Kyle raised his sword, and a loud sound echoed in the air when his de shed with the woman''s pointy nails. He gazed at Alec and shouted with furrowed brows.

    "Hey, what are you waiting for? Help me!"

    Alec nodded and let out a sigh of relief before quickly joining Kyle. Diora''s eyes trembled as she felt the symbols beneath her turning more and more violet with each passing second. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The woman screamed and unleashed her divine aura,unching powerful attacks on the two humans. However, Alec gritted his teeth and attacked her from behind.

    The sounds of swords shing against something solid filled the air.

    The moon shone brightly through the gaps in the dark clouds, and the brightly lit symbols illuminated the fast and almost blurry movements of the three people fighting in mid-air.

    Kyle''s eyes were fixed on the woman as his sword moved swiftly, and the tip became blurry. Diora dodged Alec''s attack and attempted to grab Kyle''s sword, but her eyes widened when the de changed direction in mid-air. A loud cry escaped her mouth as the de pierced her shoulder.

 Chapter 429 The war V

    Chapter 429 The war V

    Diora clenched her bleeding shoulder and stumbled backward as she stared at the silver-haired man opposite her with dted eyes. In that exact moment, another sword pierced her stomach, and blood oozed out from her mouth. But instead of panicking, she let out a crazyugh because she could sense that she would be leaving this ce in a few seconds.

    And she swore toe back just to kill every single living individual on this. Especially the two men who had made her go through so much.

    The woman tightly grabbed the tip of the sword protruding from her stomach before tilting her head to stare at the blue-haired human behind her.

    "You think you... can kill me? No, you can''t... haha..."

    She smirked at Alec, but her face paled when Kyle waved his hand in front of her face. It wasn''t because of his hand, but because of the ordinary-looking ck pendant that hung down from the metallic chain in his hand.

    "How...?"

    She questioned and slowly lowered her gaze to her waist where the pendant should have been. But it wasn''t there. Then, she stared at Kyle and desperately reached out to snatch the pendant because it was the only artifact that would teleport her back to her home once it was infused with enough divine energy.

    But before her hand could reach the pendant, the man vanished from her sight. In the next second, Kyle surprised Alec by grabbing his cor roughly. The blue-haired man let out a shocked gasp when he was suddenly tossed into a portal, and Kyle jumped into the portal after him.

    Diora''s trembling eyes followed their movement.

    She wanted to chase them, but it was toote because the glowing symbols beneath her spread out with lightning-fast speed and enveloped her entire body. The woman screamed, and a loud booming explosion echoed in the area. It was so loud that all thend upied by the former east continent trembled due to the noise. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The ce where the war was going on also shook, and many individuals cried out in surprise. But just after a few seconds, the noise settled, and once again the battle raged on.

    However, this time the people with ck petals engraved on their bodies started retreating or running away because a lot of divine rank individuals on their side had already vanished into thin air, and the two divine rank individuals who were present above the battlefield were surrounded from all sides.

    Quite a distance away from the ce where the explosion took ce. Kyle watched as the ck pendant in his hand turned into particles after he used his mes on it.

    He thought everything went well, but then suddenly Alec let out a frustrated cry.

    "You bastard! At least tell me what you''re up to! My sword! Noooo..."

    Alec grabbed his knees andnded on the ground with a dejected expression.

    His one and only precious sword, the one he found inside the tower of opportunity, was just gone like that? He had been taking care of the sword like his child because it was a growth-type weapon, a powerful weapon that had been steadily growing alongside him as he fed it a part of his mana sometimes.

    Kyle blinked. Now that Alec mentioned it, he did just toss the blue-haired man inside the portal without any prior notice, so Alec wasn''t able to retrieve his sword.

    ''It''s a good thing I took mine in time.''

    Alec shot a fierce re at the man floating in mid-air. After fighting with Diora, his breathing was erratic, and now, noticing Kyle''s expression of relief, a vein visibly red on his forehead.

    "What the heck? You''re relieved that I lost my weapon!?"

    Kyle immediately shook his head and his expression turned solemn. No way, he would never say that he was relieved because he took his sword back on time.

    "Stop whining, it''s just a sword. Let''s go check the ce where the explosion happened. Maybe it survived...?"

    ''Maybe...''

    Alec sucked in a deep breath and controlled the urge to go one-on-one with the man floating in mid-air. He reminded himself that a war was going on, and it wouldn''t be good if he started fighting with Kyle right now.

    He closed his eyes for a minute and rubbed his temples, really hoping that somehow his weapon would survive. That''s why Alec didn''t notice when Kyle started sniffing the air around him and locked his bright green eyes on his body.

    ''Hmm, I did have my suspicions, but Diora''s words confirmed it.''

    ''Regardless, the dark energy radiating from him is very faint. Maybe he just consumed something he shouldn''t have? I don''t know if I should ask because there''s no way he''s going to share this with me or anyone else. And after seeing how stiff he became when Diora confronted him, I know he''s gonna run away instead of letting me or anyone else worry about his problem.''

    Kyle stared at the bright moon.

    ''I think I should just let him handle it because there''s no way a little setback can stop him. After all, he''s the most hardworking one among all of us.''

    In that moment, something buzzed inside his mind space. Kyle grabbed the small crystal that Lie, one of the tower guardians, tossed at him before leaving with Jordan to restore the''s core energy.

    Kyle''s expression turned serious as he quickly answered the woman whose voice sounded from the crystal. It was the second time Lie had contacted him. The first time was to tell him about the air pollution, so he wondered what she wanted to say now.

    Alec also heard the voice and, even though he wanted to stay seated on the ground for a few more minutes, he knew he had a lot to do right now.

    Lie paused for a few seconds when she noticed Alec and Kyle''s condition. The duo waspletely drenched in sweat and blood, not to mention their dirty clothes.

    "Ahem, I just wanted to let you know that the''s core is fine now. It has once again started supplying energy to the structure connected to the barrier that enclosed and hid the in the past."

    "I believe the barrier will regain its power before the sun rises. So, make sure no one from the enemy side can escape this. If they do, all our efforts will be wasted."

    Kyle''s eyes lit up. He smiled and looked at Alec, who had a simr expression. Finally, the would be safe from the shadow generals, at least for a while. And that time would be enough for the people of the to get a little stronger. Kyle closed the crystal after Lie finished speaking. He chuckled at Alec, who groaned because thetter''s body was aching like crazy.

    "I''m tired too. Let''s finish off the enemies once and for all. Then we can rest for as long as we want."

    Alec let out a tired sigh but still entered the portal that materialized in front of him. Kyle wanted to follow suit but paused when he noticed a faint glint from the corner of his eye.

    He looked back at the distant area where the explosion happened with squinted eyes. And then, something shiny in the darkness caught his attention.

    "Haha, his sword survived, but how? Now I''m tempted to steal this sword. It''s too unique."

 Chapter 430 Do you still want it?

    Chapter 430 Do you still want it?

    Alec appeared above the battlefield, and he nced down to see the thousands of people battling below. Then, he turned his gaze towards Carcel, Yon, and the others who were fighting the pseudo-divine rank individuals and the two divine rank elves in the distance.

    He quickly rushed towards Mia, who was fighting one of the pseudo-divine rank individuals, and started helping her.

    Alec took out another sword from his storage ring, the one he obtained from the Continent. It was heavier and bigger than the one he had lost. But it''s not like he had any other choice, did he?

    Mia''s breathing was uneven when she nced at Alec, who appeared out of nowhere. Her eyes reflected surprise, not just Mia, but everyone who had watched Alec fight with Diora and then vanish with Kyle and the woman was surprised.

    However, the surprise soon turned into happiness when they didn''t see Diora anywhere on the battlefield. Does that mean Diora has been taken care of? But they weren''t sure because Kyle hasn''t returned yet.

    Also, Yon and the other tower''s guardians were curious about the sudden earthquake that happened a while ago. It definitely wasn''t natural��more like the sound of an explosion that happened in a faraway ce. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    In that moment, a familiar portal materialized above the battlefield, and Kyle stepped out from the portal. Many people nced at the man with the bright silver hair.

    Alec kicked the person in front of him and instantly felt the familiar presence that appeared beside him. This time, he wasn''t even surprised because it seems he finally got used to Kyle''s sudden appearance.

    "What took you so long-!"

    He halted in mid-sentence when he turned his gaze toward the man, only to notice a familiar sword in Kyle''s hand.

    Kyle smirked and ran his fingers along the de of the sword in his hand.

    The metal had turned ck in different spots, but the shape of the sword remained unchanged even after going through such a massive explosion. Not to mention, the bright golden light that was emanating from the sword.

    "So, do you still want it, or should I take it?"

    Alec''s eyes lit up, and he quickly grabbed the sword from Kyle before hugging it tightly. He wanted to thank Kyle and ask how the sword survived, but thetter disappeared from his sight.

    Kyle appeared behind one of the divine-rank elves fighting with Carcel, Regius, and Nine and punched the man. The man cried out and was flung towards Carcel, who seized the opportunity and spun his body mid-air before kicking the man towards Regius.

    Nine wiped his forehead and finally took a rxed breath after spending so much time under the divine pressure. He really thought his body would be crushed soon, but he survived.

    "Now it''s my turn, you bastard!"

    He rubbed his knuckles and clenched his fist, gathering all his strength. But the elven man managed to bnce himself mid-air and let out a loud cry. The air around the man started cracking, and countless shockwaves, strong enough to make everyone deaf, spread out in all directions.

    Nine grabbed his ears tightly and cursed under his breath. Just when he thought he would be able to get his revenge, this crap happened. His breathing was irregr, and his divine energy low, so he couldn''t even form a proper barrier against the shockwaves.

    Not just him, everyone around him was also affected by the shockwaves.

    Kyle winced and almost lost his bnce mid-air, but he gritted his teeth and used instant teleportation to appear behind the man. His eyes shed with a cold glint as he grabbed the man''s head and flung him forward, where a portal appeared out of thin air.

    "Ugh, I almost thought I was gonna lose my hearing today..."

    He watched as the portal disappeared with furrowed brows before looking at the exhausted people around him.

    "Carcel,e with me. Let''s finish this one. I prepared one more explosive array in another ce. Nine and Regius, you two should help the others."

    Carcel nodded, even though he wasn''t really sure what explosive array Kyle was talking about. He followed the silver-haired man as thetter entered another portal.

    Nine and Regius nced at each other, and the duo quickly joined Yon, Sinon, and the other tower''s guardians. Now, only one divine rank individual was left behind, and with more people joining the fight, the elf felt a chill run down his spine.

    The elf''s clothes were torn and soaked in blood that was oozing out from the various injuries on his body. He looked around and, after realizing that he was the only divine rank individual left, he turned around and was ready to make a run for it.

    He didn''t care about the shame and punishments that awaited him after he reported all this to the shadow general. In the end, his life was what mattered most.

    But Sinon, who got the most beating from the divine rank individual, let out an angry shout.

    "You think you can run away after giving me so many injuries!? Just look at how my handsome face is all swollen up because of you! Get ready for my ultimate move!"

    He pped his wings and with lightning-fast speed appeared above the elf. Nine paused in his actions and gazed at Sinon with a serious expression.

    "What''s he up to?"

    Not just Nine, Yon, and the others also stopped in their tracks and curiously gazed at the winged demi-human.

    The divine rank elf snapped his eyes toward Sinon and with a snicker, instantly used one of his skills to finish off the demi-human now that thetter was alone.

    However, in that moment, under so many eyes, a massive wave of water appeared behind the Sinon. The wave grew in size and surged out in an all-exposing manner before enveloping the sky in a curtain.

    Nine''s eyes widened at the sight.

    "Oh, crap!"

    He instantly fled in a different direction. Regius and the ones who knew about Sinon''s strange interest in water-type skills also started flying away in different directions.

    Yon and the other tower''s guardians were confused at first, but they got their answer when the towering wave of water swooped down. It didn''t just drown the divine rank elf, but all those who were in its path.

    Sinon let out a boisterousugh as he watched the wave, satisfied. He used all his remaining divine energy in this skill. That''s why his water-type skill was strong enough to drown a divine rank individual. But his smile disappeared when many drenched individuals gazed at him with dark eyes.

    "Oh, it seems I failed to control the skill rage properly..."

    He quickly ran off and started fighting with the drenched divine rank elf to avoid the people ring at him. Yon let out a tired sigh and quickly joined Sinon.

    "This is a new experience I''m adding to my list. After all, it''s not every day I get to have a free shower in the middle of the battlefield."

    In the distance, Alec killed the pseudo-divine rank individual he was fighting and took a deep breath. Jian also took down the two pseudo-divine rank individuals he had been fighting after Yue and Lara came to help him out.

    The battlefield shook once again when another loud explosion echoed in a far away ce. Alec, who had joined Nine and the others in beating the hell out of thest divine rank individual, stopped when he heard the noise and let out a chuckle.

    "Just how on earth did he manage to set up another deadly array?"

 Chapter 431 How about a good meal?

    Chapter 431 How about a good meal?

    Carcel coughed a few times as he stepped out from a portal and appeared above the battlefield. He tried to calm his heart which was beating wildly because a while ago, he saw his life shing before his eyes.

    ''The glowing symbols enveloped me as well with that divine rank individual. I seriously thought I was a goner!''

    He ran his fingers through his hair and nced at Kyle, who appeared beside him, breathing irregrly.

    "You could have told me it''s dangerous and can potentially threaten my life."

    Kyle wiped his forehead with his sleeve.

    "But I saved you just in time, didn''t I? So, no need to worry."

    Carcel took a deep breath. He thought he was more level-headedpared to Alec and the others who always wanted to beat up Kyle. But every time he experienced something like this, he understood where they wereing from. He ignored Kyle and quickly joined the others who were fighting in mid-air. Kyle nced at his fading back and let out a chuckle.

    "Maybe I should have told him that I calcted the time and knew when the symbols would explode. So, there''s no way I could mess up the time we had to leave."

    His eyes scanned the battlefield. Unlike before, now he could clearly see that the people of Coexis were winning.

    "The ones with ck petals engraved on their bodies had started fleeing in different directions. It seems they noticed that all the strong individuals on their side had either been defeated or disappeared."

    Kyle nced at thest divine-rank individual. The man was getting beaten up by so many people that he knew there was no need for him to interfere.

    His eyes paused on the pseudo-divine rank individuals Jian, Yue, and Lara were fighting and he vanished before appearing behind one of the pseudo-divine rank individuals.

    Yue paused in her actions when she saw the bright silver hair. She blinked and watched as Kyle easily took care of her opponent. She immediately realized that she was staring at the man too intensely, but she didn''t stop.

    Maybe it was because of his hair, which had once again started to shine brightly, or was it solely because it was him?

    Kyle kicked the body off his sword and watched as it plummeted toward the chaotic battleground below.

    He took a deep breath and looked at the blood on his hands. Then, his gaze shifted to the elven woman floating across from him. He knew that throughout the fight, Yue was keeping her eyes on him, and it made him feel self-conscious.

    ''I do want to go near... but I''m drenched in blood. Next time.''

    He was about to disappear toward the battlefield, but someone grabbed his hand. Kyle felt the warm sensation on his skin and nced back at Yue.

    The corners of his eyes lifted as he looked into the eyes staring at him.

    "What happened?"

    Yue raised her hand and wiped the few bloodstains off his face.

    "Just don''t tire yourself too much."

    Kyle sensed many pairs of eyes on his back, especially Jian''s stare. However, he shamelessly leaned into the touch.

    "That''s not possible, I am already tired. But I guess I can rest a lot after all this ends."

    "Umm."

    Yue nodded and after she let go of him, Kyle vanished toward the people fighting on the ground. She quietly watched him as he killed many people. In that moment, Jian arrived beside her and cleared his throat loudly with a smirk.

    "Ahem, there''s a war happening. So, how about we all focus on the battle first?"

    Yue blinked at his words and her ears turned red with embarrassment. She hurriedly joined Lara against two (SSS)-Rank individuals.

    After a while, the phoenix arrived above the battlefield. Bia''s wings overshadowed the ground as she controlled all the living monsters inside the battlefield beforemanding them to hunt and kill every single enemy who tried to escape.

    Kyle rubbed his aching shoulder and nced at Bia for a second.

    ''What took you so long?''

    The phoenix looked down, and after a few seconds, she dove down towards the silver-haired man fighting amidst the countless people.

    -''I just realized that I''m too young, and youngsters need plenty of rest when they are tired. So, I went to take a break after killing that woman.''

    Kyle raised his brow with an ''Oh''. Not really getting what she meant by too young.

    ''Good job. As a pseudo-divine rank, you killed a divine-rank individual. That''s already enough. So, it was fine for you to rest.''

    Bia raised her head proudly. She didn''t say anything, but Kyle chuckled when he sensed her emotions faintly. She was happy. He did feel that their bond had gotten stronger the moment his hair turned silver, but now he was sure.

    "I should praise her more often."

    The people around Kyle were startled when they saw the phoenix that paused above the silver-haired man.

    Kyle jumped into the air and grabbed Bia''s leg as she flew upward. In the next second, blue and golden mes surged out in the air, brightening the dark sky.

    The mes traveled toward the battleground and skillfully killed many enemies. Kyle let out a tired sigh and spun his body upward before climbing onto Bia''s back to lie down.

    "I guess now they can handle the rest... My whole body is aching, and I have no energy left in me. There''s no way I can continue."

    He closed his eyes as the phoenix roamed above the battlefield, which grew more chaotic with each passing second. Not because of the enemies, but because the soldiers and fighters from Coexis started chasing after the individuals with ck petals engraved on their bodies.

    Alec, Carcel, and the tower''s guardians also joined the battle happening on the ground after killing the remaining pseudo-divine rank individuals.

    Time passed with countless metallic sounds echoing in the air. Kyle''s ears twitched when he heard Nine''s familiar voice.

    "Bia, can I sit on you too? I''m tired as hell, and the alive old foggies from my Kingdom will work me if I go down now. So, let me hide on your back for a while."

    The phoenix snickered at the brown-haired man with narrowed eyes.

    -"No way, one is already heavy enough!"

    Kyle opened one of his eyes and gazed at the man whose condition was even worse than his. He smirked and closed his eyes again.

    "Nothing is free in this world, my friend. How about you bribe her? Maybe she''ll let you sit on her."

    Nine gazed down at the battlefield. It had grown louder with everyone killing the remaining enemies, and the soldiers had started cheering with tears of relief.

    "Bro, honestly, I don''t think there''s anything I can give her. She''s already at a rank where normal treasures won''t tempt her. So... how about a good meal?"

    Kyle opened his eyes and stared at Nine with shock.

    ''So cunning, he knows Bia''s weakness!''

    He clicked his tongue when Bia agreed with twinkling eyes at the mention of food and told Nine that he could sit on her back.

    Nine sat down beside Kyle, who stretched his neck and closed his eyes again. Kyle''s ears twitched again when the man beside him let out a big sigh. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Actually, there''s something I want to tell you. That''s the second reason why I came here."

    "Oh, what is it?"

    Kyle quickly sat up when he sensed the seriousness in his voice. In that moment, Nine pointed at his eyes.

    "You know, I can see the future. It''s only for a few seconds, but it''s usually true. A while back, or rather, a few years ago, I saw a vision after I touched Alec."

    "It was the first time I saw something so clearly... so it''s still fresh in my mind."

 Chapter 432 The end of the war

    Chapter 432 The end of the war

    Kyle furrowed his brows and gave Nine a nod, urging him to continue.

    "Alec didn''t look good in that vision. He looked a little older than he is now, and he was mumbling non-stop that he didn''t want to kill someone."

    Nine nced at Kyle, fully aware that sharing his visions with others could mess up how things were supposed to go. But what if he wasn''t there when Kyle and Alec fought? What if he couldn''t step in and stop them? In the end, he decided it would be best to tell the duo everything.

    "I''m sure I heard it clearly... Kyle, he was mumbling your name."

    "I don''t know what will happen in the future, but this thing has been weighing on my mind for a long time. So, I wanted to tell you this."

    Kyle hummed. He didn''t understand why Alec would harm him. Did they really go out and start fighting each other? But why?

    "Alec isn''t the type to suddenly harm me or anyone else. There must be something that happened to make him behave like that... Tell me, did you see me in that vision? Or did you see my lifeless body?"

    Nine blinked when Kyle sounded so nonchnt. He closed his eyes for a second and thought about that vision again. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "No, I didn''t see you. I only saw Alec and some blurry figures in front of him."

    Kyle rubbed his chin, lost in thought.

    "Did you tell Alec about this?"

    Nine let out a dryugh.

    "He already knows. I got disoriented after the vision, so I tried to punch him and blurted out everything I saw."

    Kyle ced his hands on the soft feathers beneath him to lift his weight and sighed.

    "Now that both of us know about this, do you really think it will happen in the future? In my point of view, the future has already changed because-!"

    He stopped in the middle of his sentence when he remembered what Diora said and how Alec''s body emitted a faint dark energy.

    "Haha, no way. It can''t be possible."

    He gazed down at the battlefield as Nine asked him what happened.

    "Huh... Nine, it seems like me and Alec... we''re really going to fight. I don''t like it, but I guess if we have to, I''m gonna beat him up."

    Kyle surprised Nine when he let out a quiet curse under his breath.

    "Damn, just a while ago I promised him I wouldn''t use instant teleportation if we ever fought in the future. Now I want to beat up my past self."

    However, afterining for a few minutes, Kyle slumped down on the soft feathers with a calm expression.

    "Sometimes it gets infuriating when we don''t know what''s going to happen... But it''s not like we''re going to fight now for something that hasn''t even happened yet."

    Nine nodded in agreement.

    "Yeah, you''re right. Maybe my vision isn''t urate anymore now that you both know about it. I''m relieved I won''t get in trouble for sharing it, haha. But I think it''s best if I keep my ability hidden from everyone else. It can be dangerous if too many people find out about it."

    He was about to leave but stopped when he remembered that his inherited skill rank had increased after reaching the pseudo-divine rank.

    "Hey Kyle, now I can see a glimpse of someone''s fate by touching them. I can''t use the skill often because of the pressure, but now I can use it whenever I want. So, do you wanna give it a try?"

    Nine waited, but instead of agreeing, Kyle startedughing and waved his hand, telling him to go away.

    "Nine, my fate is nk. I already know that. I don''t think you''ll be able to see anything. No need to waste the skill on me."

    "Huh?"

    Kyle smiled at the confused man and held out his hand.

    "Well, if you still want to try, you can."

    Nine stared at the hand, and a strange feeling of hesitation welled up inside him. The thread in his golden eyes moved a bit as he touched the hand with a frown. However, after just a second, Kyle sat up and pulled his hand back, not because of him, but because of the woman that appeared in the air.

    "Oh, Yue is here. I''m going for now. How about you use the skill on me next time?"

    Kyle let out a yawn. He was really tired and the first thing he wanted to do was take a bath. He didn''t wait for Nine''s answer and started floating towards Yue.

    He looked down upon the battlefield, which had now grown calm as the enemies werepletely defeated. It seems the tower''s guardians, Alec, and other pseudo-divine rank individualsunched a full assault after dealing with the stronger enemies.

    Lots of fighters and soldiers were crying, cheering, and raising their weapons in the air with joy. They emerged victorious in the war, but they also lost manyrades. Maybe that''s why many of them started moving back towards Coexis, not even caring about the spoils of war.

    Kyle shook his head and floated beside Yue as they watched the morning sun rising in the sky.

    "The war ended, but the casualties on our side are not low... I knew many would die, but I still hoped for fewer."

    Before long, Alec, Jian, Carcel, Regius, Sinon, and the other girls joined the duo as they floated side by side to watch the rising sun. Or, more specifically, to witness the bright light enveloping the entire. The scenery was simply beautiful, with the skypletely bathed in ayer of brightness.

    The same sky that was filled with broken ss fragments when the barrier around the lost its strength.

    Now that the barrier is surrounding the once again, they know the is safe. But for how long? That''s a question nobody wants to think about right now.

    Bia nced at the sun and let out a tired groan because Nine hadn''t left her back even though Kyle had left.

    -"Hey, if you don''t leave my back in a minute, I''m going to throw you down! I''m tired, so go away!"

    She grumbled a few more times, but Nine didn''t reply.

    -"At least reply, are you even listening?"

 Chapter 433 I have been waiting for you

    Chapter 433 I have been waiting for you

    Nine opened his eyes and looked at the pitch-ck space around him, with nothing in sight. He rubbed his hand and clearly remembered that thest thing he did was touch Kyle''s hand and activate his inherited skill. Afterward, his vision turned blurry.

    ''What is this ce?''

    His golden eyes glowed in the midst of darkness as he took a step forward. However, no matter where he looked, he saw nothing but an endless void.

    Nine opened his mouth and tried to speak, but as usual, nothing came out.

    ''Kyle did say his fate is nk... So, this is what he meant when he said I won''t be able to see anything.''

    He shook his head and started walking in the darkness, waiting for the effect of the spiritual gaze to wear off. The silence was deafening, and in the darkness, he almost felt a little out of ce.

    However, in that moment, a spark of brightness lit up in the darkness. Nine paused and watched as a tear formed amidst the darkness. But just as it appeared, the darkness swallowed itpletely. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    ''Huh, what''s happening?''

    He took a step forward, but this time an even bigger tear formed in front of him, as if someone or something was trying to forcefully enter a space they weren''t supposed to.

    The sound of the tear echoed through the silence, and in the next second, brightness spilled out from the tear. A figure d in dark yet luxurious attire stepped out from the tear and stood in front of him.

    Nine''s eyes widened, and he staggered backward as he stared at the pair of cold, emotionless eyes gazing at him. They were familiar, yet unfamiliar at the same time. The figure''s face remained expressionless as he opened his mouth.

    "I have been waiting for you."

    Nine knew the man in front of him was Kyle. But no matter how he looked at him, he couldn''t help but feel that something was off. The way Kyle''s eyes checked him from head to toe, with little to no emotions, made it seem as if he was looking at someone who had died a long time ago.

    Kyle stepped forward, but Nine took a step back. He didn''t want to, but it happened naturally. Nine noticed that Kyle''s hair was no longer silver, but instead, it had turned ck. His eyes remained the same shade of green, but devoid of any emotion.

    Kyle chuckled slightly, but the corners of his lips stayed downturned as he raised his hand to point his finger towards Nine''s forehead.

    "Don''t worry, I just want you to do something for me. It was difficult for me to enter this space because in your time, my body is still heavily reliant on the bloodline. So, I don''t have much time."

    Nine''s gaze zeroed in on the finger that touched his forehead, and then his vision darkened. In the next second, Bia''s angry voice entered his ears, and he jolted in surprise.

    -"Ahhhhh! Nine, I''m going to throw you down in three seconds. One, two, three..."

    Bia pped her wings and glided down from the sky, trying to throw Nine away from her body. But before she could, he started floating and rubbed his forehead, which was hurting a little.

    "So, that wasn''t just a dream?"

    Nine ignored the grumpy phoenix who wanted more food because he stayed on her back longer than expected and looked at the familiar figures floating in the distance, watching the sunrise.

    His eyesnded on Alec, and he couldn''t help but let out a wry smile.

    ''I didn''t see much of what the strange version of Kyle tried to show me. It would only be unlocked when I reached the ce he asked me to. Still, this bastard got himself into a big mess and hasn''t told anyone yet. I just hope I canplete my task on time. Otherwise, it won''t be good for both Alec and the others.''

    He quickly joined the others, and they all floated silently in the sky. The brightness of the new day bathed the battleground where the war had taken ce.

    However, after just a few minutes, Kyle watched as everyone around him left one by one. Yue went to the three kings who managed to survive the battle and started doing her part. After all, she had led her people back to the Kingdom, along with many other old elves.

    Nine went to his people and asked a few old merpeople to guide all the alive people from the Sea Continent towards Coexis, where they could rest for a day before heading back to the Sea.

    Alec, Carcel, Jian, Regius, Sinon, and the girls went to join Yon and the other tower''s guardians. They started surveying the battleground and eliminating all the remaining individuals with ck petals engraved on their bodies.

    Thend was stained with blood, but Kyle knew there was nothing more he needed to do. He let out a sigh and stroked Bia''s head as she sat tiredly on his shoulder.

    "Let''s go home and get some rest... I''m tired too. Ray and Neon are safe. I should ask them if they want to go back together."

    Kyle floated towards the ce where many humans were resting, some in uniforms and others in ordinary clothes, but all of them had their clothes stained with blood.

    The people who saw him approaching gazed at him with respect and cheered his name loudly because they saw how he ran around the battlefield, killing many enemies throughout the war.

    Kyle nodded at them and quickly asked Ray and Neon if they wanted to go home or if they wanted to stay back.

    The duo was tired, so they flung their arms over his shoulders and asked him to carry them back home. Kyle chuckled, and in the next second, a portal materialized in front of him. Ray and Neon rolled their eyes at how easily he conjured a portal just so he wouldn''t have to lift their weight.

    The trio entered the portal together. However, when their father saw their blood-filled clothes and unrecognizable condition, the old man freaked out and called Butler Eon to bring some healers immediately!

    It took Ray a whole twenty minutes to calm the old man down, and for Kyle to slip into one of the rooms in the small buildings to finally take a long bath.

 Chapter 434 How about we go and kidnap him?

    Chapter 434 How about we go and kidnap him?

    The morning sun began to set on the horizon, and the entire Coexis erupted in cheers for their victorious battle against the enemies who had taken the lives of their loved ones.

    Alec, Jian, Carcel, and all the young guardians of the Continent were hailed as heroes the moment they set foot inside Coexis. But it wasn''t just them who got praised.

    The tower''s guardians also got gratitude and respect from all the races living inside the Continent. Guardian Lie and Jordan returned too afterpleting their mission to restore the''s core energy.

    The celebration of victory filled the whole Continent with excitement and energy. The soldiers and fighters who survived the war started returning to the Continent through teleportation arrays.

    They all held their heads high and joyfully reunited with their families. Also, just as the soldiers and fighters were promised when they decided to join the war, every single survivor got rewarded. But unfortunately, the ones who lost their lives had their rewards given to their families.

    Not to mention, the four rulers of the Continent tasked a lot of individuals to build a grand tomb in the center of Coexis. The people were asked to write down the names of the ones who died in the war to honor their memory.

    Istalian, Yue, and the other two Kings announced that the ones who contributed the most in the war would be rewarded in front of the crowd to show them respect.

    The four rulers also wanted to let everyone know that the ones who attacked the weren''t the true enemies. The real enemies are beyond the''s boundaries. They will attack again, and the people of Coexis need to be stronger. Strong enough to face the true enemies head-on.

    Yon and the other guardians were offered the title of the Continent protectors. They were the ones who emerged from the tower just to help the. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Yon epted the title on behalf of everyone. Then, he asked all the other guardians from the tower to go and enjoy the victory with the Continent.

    Now that all the towers of opportunity on the were opened to the public, there is no need for them to go back. The tower''s guardians could go back, but after living inside the tower for so long, they were all bored.

    Moreover, since James''s consciousness had left the tower, they all decided to stay on the. Some of them decided to guide the people of Coexis, so everyone could fight back if the enemies outside the attacked again.

    The remaining guardians were not sure what they would do in the future.

    Regardless, Yon told them all to do whatever they wanted. After all, he knew they all wanted to explore the world now that they got the chance.

    Yon was surprised when Susan appeared in front of him in a disheveled condition, asking where the war was happening.

    "Yon, so you''re saying the war ended? Are you kidding me? I just killed a divine-rank individual and came to find you instantly because Kyle is ghosting me after asking me to kill that lizard. And now you''re telling me everything ended? How could it be possible!?"

    Susan huffed, and Yonughed at his condition. The old man''s white hair was messed up, and his clothes were torn in various ces. Yon controlled hisughter and patted the man''s shoulder.

    "So, you were the one tasked with killing that lizard. Good job, my friend. As for Kyle, even I don''t know where he is. After he was done, he left and never came back."

    Susan pped the hand on his shoulder away. He ran his fingers through his hair and left, shouting that he was going to a faraway quiet ce and this time he wouldn''t return no matter what!

    Another day passed, and every single individual living in Coexis, young and old, started gathering together in front of the biggest castle inside the continent.

    The luxurious castle belonged to Istalian. He was the only king among the four rulers to have his own castle because Coexis was built in the same ce where the former Central Continent was located, and he saved his kingdom by merging it with the others.

    The castle gates were opened to everyone, and the crowd gathered in the garden. It was a ce where they could see and cheer for all the heroes of the continent.

    Alec eyed the people and floated towards Istalian, who stood on the huge balcony overseeing the crowd and received recognition from the four rulers of the continent.

    Not just Alec, Carcel, Jian, Sinon, Regius, Lara, Mia, Yon, and all the tower guardians, along with the strongest individuals of the continent, also received recognition.

    Jian narrowed his eyes and massaged his temples because, amidst the vast numbers of people, only one person was absent.

    He couldn''t help but let out augh when Istalian called Kyle and Bia''s names, only to receive silence in return.

    The crowd also turned silent, but to their surprise, Istalian tentatively called out someone else''s name after Yue whispered something to him.

    Jian clicked his tongue.

    "Just where the hell is that guy? Don''t tell me no one contacted him and told him about the ceremony."

    Nine arrived beside him and let out a sigh. After the war, he asked the merpeople to rest in the elven Kingdom.

    Then, he dumped everything else on the older merpeople so he could enjoy his time in Coexis with his friends for a while because he had to leave for a faraway ce soon.

    "I did, Alec and Sinon did too. Kyle didn''t answer themunication crystal at first, but when he did, he only said that he''s sleeping and Bia''s eating. So, he can''te."

    Sinon joined the duo, and they floated together.

    "Guys, how about we go and kidnap him? Right now, everyone inside the Continent is enjoying, and he is sleeping. That''s not fair! We need to enjoy ourselves! Let''s drown ourselves in good food and drinks!"

    The trio jolted when Carcel suddenly arrived beside them and let out his opinion.

    "I like that."

    Alec and Regius also joined them, and after the ceremony was over, they all vanished together towards a certain someone who had not shown his face for even a minute after the war.

 Chapter 435 My future friend

    Chapter 435 My future friend

    On the other hand, after Kyle went home, the morning sun did not stop him from staying in bed all day. The bed belonged to Neon, but he did not really care, even when his brother entered the room and stared at his back for ten long minutes.

    Kyle''s entire body was sore from the intense battles in the war. He let out a sigh and covered his face with the nket.

    "I never knew that repeatedly exhausting mana and divine energy could be so physically draining..."

    He had many things to do, like getting up and exercising, as well as finding a good and safe way to leave the. However, he felt that nothing was urgent, so he decided to simply lounge around for the next few days.

    But in the evening, his father insisted on dragging him to the dining hall and asked him to eat. Kyle protested that as a pseudo divine rank individual, he did not need to eat. Nevertheless, when Ohan gave him a deep look, he obediently and quietly ate with the others.

    Kyle gazed at the round, red feathery ball sitting on the table with a raised brow.

    "What is this thing?"

    He poked his finger at the bulging stomach of the phoenix and let out a chuckle.

    "Just how much did you eat?"

    Bia huffed and rolled her body toward his father.

    -"Dad, your unfilial son is bullying me!"

    Kyle blinked and watched as his father picked up the little phoenix in his hand and gave him a re as if he had done something wrong.

    ''Huh, what the hell?''

    Heughed, and even though Ray and Neon left the house to celebrate the war victory with their friends, he went to his room to lie down again.

    But his peace did notst long because his father asked him to go and help Butler Eon in setting up a small library in the building. After all, in the old man''s opinion, lying for too long will not be good for him.

    Kyle let out a tired yawn and reluctantly went to assist Eon in cing the many books on different shelves. But after an hour, instead of setting the books, he started reading them. Eon noticed his distraction but allowed him to do as he pleased with a smile.

    The day paused, and Kyle didn''t even realize because he was engrossed in the books that were strangely interesting.

    He didn''te across many books that mentioned his family ancestry and just skimmed through the book about the ''ice enchantress'' a few times. Somehow, that particr book ended up inside the pile of books that came out from the old storage ring Eon brought from his father''s study.

    But strangely, he didn''t find anything useful. Regardless, he had to admit his father had a strange interest in romance because he came across many romance books in the pile. Kyle finally got the chance to justy down on the bed without a care when both Eon and his father left the house.

    The two old men went to the royal castle in the center of the human Kingdom to watch the ceremony, where all the young heroes of the Continent would be present.

    Kyle slumped down on his bed, thinking that he should soon contact Susan or Yon to find out how he could leave the.

    "Should I just fly and leave the to go to another? Also, Yue hasn''t given me an answer yet."

    Bianded on his stomach and closed her eyes to sleep.

    -"Talk to her again when she''s free. You know she''s busy, unlike you."

    Kyle clicked his tongue, a little annoyed at the truth. He closed his eyes and went to sleep as well, but he was jolted awake after a while when a sense of dread crept into his heart.

    Bia''s eyes snapped open due to his sudden movement, and she freaked out when she saw a pair of glowing eyes in the dimly lit room.

    -"Kyle!?"

    The phoenix called out his name and settled on hisp to see what happened.

    Kyle closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead that throbbed painfully.

    "I just saw a strange dream. I don''t usually have dreams... no, it''s the first time I had such a vivid dream."

    Bia gave him a puzzled look and furrowed her brows.

    -"What kind of dream was it that made you sweat so much? I mean, you usually don''t sweat even under intense heat with your normal body temperature."

    Kyle caressed the phoenix''s head and stared nkly at the ceiling above him.

    "I don''t know, it was really weird. I was screaming for help while some bizarre creatures, made of... maybe molten steel, were devouring me. The weirdest part is that I saw it all as if I was watching it, not actually experiencing it."

    "Bia..."

    Kyle paused for a second.

    "I saw someone standing just a little distance away from me... but that person just stood there silently, watching me cry out in pain, and soon blood painted thend that looked colorless for some reason."

    "I was jolted awake when that same person suddenly spoke up without turning around, saying, ''Are you looking my future friend?'' The voice sounded sad, but it gave me chills for some reason."

    Bia stared at Kyle, who started rubbing his forehead again. He was probably trying to understand what the dream meant. But then, a familiar voice entered Kyle''s ears.

    "Kyle, my bro? Where are you? We''re all here to pick you up! Let''s go party! Alec''s paying for everything!" N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Sinon sounded very excited when he mentioned Alec name. It seems he was ready to make Alec poor. Kyle blinked, feeling a bit disoriented when someone knocked on his room''s door.

    Kyle didn''t even respond, and all of a sudden, the door of his room swung open before Nine, Jian, Carcel, Regius, Alec, and Sinon strutted in like they owned the ce.

    Nine grabbed his nket and tossed it away. The brown-haired man burst intoughter at Kyle''s bewildered expression.

    "Don''t me us for intruding! We bumped into your father on the way, and he gave us the green light to kidnap you. He said you were just lounging in your room like a sleepyhead. So,e on, get up and let''s have some fun!"

    Kyle stared at them as he was pushed off the bed, and before he knew it, everyone was urging him to go wash his face. He let out a sigh and chuckled before giving an okay sign as he entered the bathroom.

    Bia stared at Kyle fading back before she turned to look at the many people in the room. The room looked crowded because of its small size, and for some unknown reason, she gave them a pitiful gaze.

    After five long minutes, Jian frowned.

    "What''s he doing? Why is he not out yet? Did he sleep in the bathroom or something?"

    The others had simr questions, and at that moment, Bia climbed onto Jian''s shoulder with a huge sigh.

    -"Who told you to send him to wash his face? Now, just wait for an hour because he takes forever when he''s washing up."

    Jian stared at Bia, and she nodded with a serious look. He looked at the others who were standing around him, and they all facepalmed.

    After ten long minutes, all of them sat down on the bed where Kyle was lying a while ago, waiting for him with a patient look as he took his sweet time to get ready.

 Chapter 436 Alecs going to pay

    Chapter 436 Alec''s going to pay

    Kyle walked out of the house, wearing a cream-colored hoodie and trousers of a simr shade.

    His bright silver hair gracefully framed his face, entuating his attire, while his green eyes exuded an air of seriousness.

    But upon closer observation, one could detect a slight glimmer of excitement as he nced back at the group of people behind him.

    Unlike him, they had their excitement dampened after waiting for him in a cramped room for one long hour.

    However, as they all walked together, they started talking once again.

    The passersby could not help but steal nces at the group due to the unique air they exuded and because all of them were handsome in their own way. A lot of people even recognized the group as they entered the market to simply roam around.

    In the end, Kyle had to use a concealing array around everyone to avoid the crowd that started gathering. After all, they were there to enjoy themselves.

    Sinon and Jian were the most excited ones. They used Alec''s wealth to buy everything they saw in the market, regardless of whether it was useful or not.

    Kyle let out a chuckle when he saw Alec''s solemn face as he paid for every single item. The blue-haired man was probably regretting the time when he agreed to pay for everything. In that moment, Kyle''s eyes paused on Nine. The man seemed rather quiet for some reason, and it didn''t suit his personality at all.

    Kyle bumped his shoulder with Nine and raised his brow as if asking what happened. But Nine just smiled and said something he didn''t really get.

    "Bro, I''m leaving for a faraway ce soon."

    Kyle furrowed his brows, and Bia, who had been sitting on top of his head, also fixed her gaze on Nine.

    "Oh, where are you going? Back to the Sea Continent?"

    Nine chuckled.

    "Not sure yet. I''ll let you know when I''m back from that ce. That''s why you won''t be seeing me for a while."

    Kyle watched as Nine went toward Alec. Then, the brown-haired man dragged Alec toward a stall selling handmade armors that were engraved with some symbols. Carcel stopped beside Kyle and followed his gaze.

    "He''s kinda quiet for some reason."

    Kyle nodded, but before he could speak further, he got distracted when something buzzed in his mind space. He went to the side for a while to check hismunication crystal.

    After wandering in the market for a while, the group went to a restaurant to eat. One male elf and one female human took their orders as they ordered all types of drinks and food.

    Carcel spat out the moment he took a sip of the beverage ced in front of him. The alcohol tasted too sweet for his taste.

    "Guys, I don''t like this thing. Alec is going to pay, so I am ordering something else."

    All eyes instantly traveled toward the golden-haired man, a little taken aback that even Carcel had decided to use Alec''s money.

    Jianughed and called over one of the waitstaff nearby.

    "Hey, bring us the special elven wine! We are going to get drunk!"

    Kyle nced at the mug of elven wine that was soon ced in front of him. He hadn''t consumed alcohol before, not because he didn''t want to, but because he didn''t get the chance at all.

    He stared at the murky dark liquid and took a sip. It tasted a little sour, not that different from fruits.

    All of a sudden, Sinon, who was sitting in front of him, raised his mug.

    "I''m drinking, but I''m not getting tipsy, haha. Maybe it''s because I''m too strong, and this stuff can''t affect me at all."

    He lowered his mug but then narrowed his eyes toward the hotel entrance that was a little further away from their table. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Hey, hey, why am I seeing some familiar faces? Woah... a few of them look angry for some reason."

    "Huh?"

    The first person to follow Sinon''s gaze was Alec, and the moment he did, his smile stiffened because Lara stared back at him with a look that demanded an exnation.

    Carcel also nced at the hotel entrance and paused in his actions.

    "So, all of us forgot to tell them, right?"

    Nine opened his mouth to speak but stopped because Lara and Mia weren''t the only ones who appeared at the entrance. Yue and Elli were also with them.

    Alec and the others turned silent after they saw the girls. Kyle noticed the silence and nced back to see the reason, but instead of surprise, he waved at the girls. He blinked when all eyes turned toward him.

    "What? Yue contacted me when you all were busy at the armor stall. She asked if I know where you all went because both Mia and Lara had no idea. So, I told her that we are together and shared our location."

    Alec sighed, but no one was prepared for the bigmotion that erupted in the restaurant when so many beautiful girls joined their table.

    All the boys were under the concealing effect of the array Kyle used to alter their appearance, so they appeared ordinary to the onlookers.

    Kyle quickly used the array again before anyone approached their table and asked everyone to go to another ce.

    Nine nced at Kyle as they all left the restaurant together. The silver-haired man walked with Yue. Bia quickly changed her position and climbed onto Yue''s shoulder with a pleased expression. A bitter smile appeared on Nine''s face as he eyed the elf beside Kyle.

    ''I thought it wasn''t today... but everything is happening just like I saw in my mind.''

    He grabbed Elli''s hand and whispered to her that he wanted to talk about something important. After saying their goodbyes, the duo separated from the group.

    Jian clicked his tongue as he watched Nine''s fading back.

    "I swear I''m gonna find a beauty too!"

    The group traveled around together and ate at another restaurant. Late at night, when everyone started leaving for home and the shops began to close down, the group finally separated and went in different directions.

    Kyle nced at Yue, who stood beside him, and let out a hum.

    "How about I send you home?"

 Chapter 437 What are they up to?

    Chapter 437 What are they up to?

    Yue thought Kyle would just form a portal and send her back, but she was surprised when Kyle started floating and extended his hand toward her with a smile. She blinked and grabbed his hand as they started floating.

    It took them a while to arrive in front of therge building surrounded by a huge garden where Yue was living currently.

    Kyle''s ears twitched when he heard many faint noises in the building. He even saw numerous guards and servants in the garden. He drew some symbols and concealed Yue and his presence from everyone as they walked in the garden.

    "I believe it''s difficult for you to leave this ce without being detected."

    Yue nodded with a hum.

    "My title is not small. So, the old elves have assigned many people to safeguard me, even though I am strong and do not require their protection. They probably want to keep a close watch on me."

    The duo didn''t even notice, and the sun started rising on the horizon to clear the dark sky. Kyle nced at the sky, filled with pink and orange clouds, and let out a sigh.

    "I don''t want to say it''ste and you should leave. But I know so much has happened, and you must be tired. So, go and rest."

    He nced at the elf next to him.

    She was wearing a flowing forest green dress adorned with delicate golden embroidery. The belt cinched at her waist entuated her figure, and her long hair, tied in a ponytail, cascaded down her shoulders and back.

    As the morning light reflected in her amber eyes, Kyle couldn''t resist softly running his fingers through her hair.

    Bia''s eyes narrowed when she sensed the atmosphere turning quiet and strange. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    -''Hey, I am going to go see Nox, that little monster. Call me when you are done.''

    Kyle watched as the phoenix left Yue''s shoulder and flew toward the building. He couldn''t help but think that the little child he had been watching over had finally grown up.

    However, what happened next made him freeze in his spot. His eyes were still fixed on Bia''s fading image when suddenly, a gentle touchnded on his cheek. It was so soft and fleeting that it took him a few seconds toprehend what had just happened.

    He raised his hand and lightly brushed his cheek before looking at the woman across from him, whose ears and neck had turnedpletely bright red.

    Yue covered her lips with her arm. Only after she had done it did she realize that they were in the middle of a ce where so many guards were wandering around. She knew they couldn''t see her or Kyle due to the array, but she panicked in that moment and quickly turned around to leave.

    But Kyle grabbed her hand and pulled her into a hug. Their bodies pressed close, and he wrapped his arm around her waist as she raised her wide eyes to stare at him.

    The corners of Kyle''s eyes lifted upward with mirth as he gazed into her eyes. Yue flinched slightly when he leaned in closer and whispered softly.

    "You started it..."

    The elf closed her eyes tightly when he got even closer, and in the next second, a soft touchnded on her lips. She noticed with a gasp that Kyle''s lips were as cold as his body. Her hands were pressed against his chest due to their close proximity, and she noticed something under his clothes.

    However, the presence of the shield protecting Kyle''s heart went unnoticed when, for the first time, she heard and sensed it clearly that his heart was beating just as fast as hers.

    The rhythm of his heart sounded so beautiful that she got the courage to raise her hands and wrap them around his neck.

    The faint whispers around them faded as the two of them focusedpletely on each other. Kyle smiled softly in between their kiss and pulled the woman in his arms even more closer.

    .....

    On the other hand, after Bia entered the building, she found Nox immediately because the little lynx was surrounded by countless servants who were feeding him many delicious dishes.

    -''Dang, look at him! Why does it feel like he''s living a better life than me?''

    She narrowed her eyes and spoke in the head of the lynx, who jolted with shock after hearing her voice. Nox stared at the little bird that flew above his head with a menacing expression.

    -''How dare you enjoy in my absence? It seems like you need punishment!''

    Nox cried out and instantly remembered all the times in the past when Bia had opened her beak wide enough to swallow his body whole, only to stop because Yue and Mia were nearby. He immediately offered everything around him to the phoenix.

    The servants were surprised to see the crimson bird, and some of them who had seen Bia with Yue before immediately recognized her. They prepared many delicious meals for the phoenix.

    After a few minutes, Bia was lying on the tablefortably, surrounded by many people who offered her whatever she needed.

    Meanwhile, Nox whimpered beneath the table, hoping that Yue woulde back home soon to save him from the devil.

    Bia''s eyes sparkled with happiness as sheughed and enjoyed her time, but she got curious when she overheard some servants talking about Nine and Elli who hade to visit Yue.

    She used her divine energy to digest the food she ate and started flying. However, before leaving, she didn''t forget to say goodbye to Nox.

    -''Alright, my future food, I''ll visit you some other time. So, eat a looot and grow chubbier.''

    Nox shuddered and hid his face under his paws. Biaughed at the little monster, and quickly got rid of the servants following her. Then, she started wandering inside the building to find Nine and Elli. After a few minutes, she found the duo, but she raised her eyebrow because, after the servents left Nine and Elli alone and asked them to wait for Yue, the duo secretly left the room.

    -''Huh, what are they up to?''

    She thought about telling Kyle, but decided against it because she had been feeling very strong emotionsing from him for a while now. She knew Kyle, and it was very rare for him to feel such strong emotions, especially good ones.

    Plus, Bia had a feeling he wouldn''t respond if she reached out now. So, in the end, she quietly started following Nine and Elli to see what the duo was up to.

 Chapter 438 Cant I stay here for a while longer?

    Chapter 438 Can''t I stay here for a while longer?

    Bia stopped in front of one of the bookshelves, filled with an array of books. In the center of the room, there was arge, ornate wooden desk surrounded by several armchairs. The dimly lit room exuded an air of sophistication and calmness as she nced around.

    -''Hmm, a study?''

    The phoenix got startled when Nine almost caught her by suddenly turning his head towards her. But before he could spot her, she quickly hid behind one of the bookshelves.

    -''Phew, that was a close one! But why do I feel like I am doing something wrong by following behind them? Ugh, just what the heck are they up to?''

    Regardless, it''s a good thing that neither Nine nor Elli could sense Bia because the elven woman was a lot weaker than her, and Nine had the same strength as her.

    Bia found a hidden spot between some books and settled in to observe Nine and Elli. But even after a few minutes, the duo didn''t do anything special.

    Nine simply took out two blue beads from his storage ring and gave one to Elli. Then the duo quickly found a hidden spot in the study and concealed their presence.

    -''What am I even doing? Don''t tell me they are going to do something crazy... Ugh, whatever, I''m outta here!''

    But at that exact moment, the air inside the room turned troubled for some reason, and there was a faint rustling sound.

    But at that exact moment, the air inside the room turned troubled for some reason, and there was a faint rustling sound.

    -''Huh?''

    Bia stopped and looked back. The phoenix narrowed her eyes as a crack appeared in mid-air, a little distance away from the wooden table.

    The crack silently grew wider and wilder, and after a few seconds, someone stepped out from it without making a sound. It was a middle-aged elven woman with short purple hair.

    She was wearing a cloak that gracefully flowed down her body, hiding everything except her face.

    The woman nced around with a pair of bronze-colored eyes, and then she took a step forward with a cold and emotionless expression before quietly sitting on one of the armchairs around the wooden table.

    Bia stared at the woman whose presence alone made her a little overwhelmed. After the woman appeared, the phoenix tried her best to secretly sense her strength, but she wasn''t even able to hear the sound of her footsteps.

    -''She is stronger than me!''

    If Bia hadn''t seen her with her own eyes, she would have never known that someone else had arrived in the room. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The phoenix held her breath and tried to be as silent as possible, so the woman wouldn''t sense her presence.

    Then she finally noticed the insignia engraved on the woman''s dark cloak that was overlooked before because of the dim lighting in the room. It featured a graceful tree with intricate branches and leaves. The tree was also adorned with many delicate symbols.

    Bia watched as the woman nced at everything inside the room. It seemed like her gaze lingered for a moment on the spot where Nine and Elli were hiding, and then she turned her attention to the area where the phoenix was hiding.

    Bia shut her eyes and scooted back further into the spot between the books. She had a bad feeling about all this and knew that the woman had already sensed her presence.

    -''Kyle! I don''t know what you are doing! There''s something very, very wrong going on here! So, pleasee here now-!''

    She jolted in mid-sentence because the door of the room swung open with a loud sound. In the next second, another person stepped in and let out a faint squeal, which sounded too loud due to the quietness in the room.

    -''Damn it, my tiny heart almost leaped out!''

    Bia calmed herself and quickly nced toward the voice, and her eyes widened because it was Yue.

    The elf had her face hidden behind her hands as she stood beside the door. Her neck and pointy ears were flushed red. The color contrasted with her fairplexion, so it was visible even in the dimly lit room.

    Yue took a deep breath and lowered her hands to smooth out the wrinkles in her dress. She had a smile on her face, but it froze when a soft and bored voice echoed in the room.

    "Did something happened?"

    The woman sitting on the armchair ced her palm beneath her chin and nced at Yue from head to toe.

    "Probably something good."

    Yue froze in ce upon seeing her. She took a step back with trembling eyes. Her previous smile faded, reced by a hard expression as she clenched her fists and stared at the woman.

    "Why... are you here?"

    The bracelets around her wrists started shining as the woman nced at them and let out a hum.

    "Why are you asking questions when I''ve already given you so much time? It''s time for me to leave, and you know you have toe with me."

    She stood up and approached Yue with silent steps.

    "This is indeed filled with treasures, but after looking around for a while, I found out they are not really useful to me. So, I got bored."

    Yue took a step back, and a panicked expression appeared on her face as she nced around. She wanted to run away, but she knew she couldn''t because the person in front of her was way too strong.

    "Can''t I... stay here for a while longer? It''s so sudden, and I''m not ready. I have so many responsibilities. How can I leave? Please... At least let me say goodbye to my friends and family. They don''t even know about all this because I couldn''t speak due to the bracelets!"

    The woman''s face remained devoid of emotions even after she heard Yue''s desperate voice.

    "It''s surprising that you have reached the pseudo-divine rank on your own, even though less than a year ago, you begged me to increase your talent so you could save your people."

    "But it''s a pity that as someone who has entered the realm of divine, you still can''t let go of mortal emotions."

    All of a sudden, the woman snapped her eyes toward the phoenix that had been screaming Kyle''s name in her head.

    "Shut up and stop screaming. It''s starting to get on my nerves. You are in my domain ever since I arrived here."

    "So, all your connections to the outside world have been cut off. Simply put, the person you''re calling for can''t hear you."

 Chapter 439 We were just getting closer

    Chapter 439 We were just getting closer

    Bia gasped and cried out. She frantically pped her wings to fly, but before she could, an invisible force held her body in ce. Bia used her divine energy and tried to scream, but she couldn''t even move.

    Yue''s eyes widened when she noticed Bia''s struggling figure. She stepped forward and tightly grabbed the woman''s arm.

    "Stop it! What are you doing, cia? Don''t you dare harm her!"

    The woman raised her brow and nced at the hand tightly gripping her arm. She let out a bored sigh.

    "Why did you have to be the one who found and activated the artifact, something that belonged to my deceased master? You don''t resemble her at all, nor do you have coral eyes. If I wasn''t bound to take the person who found the bracelets with me to the elven, I wouldn''t even nce at someone as weak as you."

    She stared into Yue''s eyes, and in the next second, Yue dropped to her knees, gasping under the tremendous weight that descended on her shoulders.

    "Listen, youngdy. The universe is filled with many pseudo-divine rank individuals. Do you really think you are special?"

    "You already promised to go with me when I increased your talent, and believe me when I say, I hate it the most when people go back on their words."

    cia clicked her tongue. She only helped the elven woman in front of her because Yue activated something that belonged to someone precious to her. After all, it''s not like the elvencks people with talent. So why would she want someone from such a small and weak?

    It''s just been a long time, that''s why she forgot about the old artifact, and now she has to handle this mess.

    Regardless, she gave Yue time so the woman would willingly go with her to avoid any further drama. But in the end, she still has to force it. How troublesome.

    "We are leaving now. I have wasted enough time on this."

    Yue closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath to control her emotions.

    ''No, if I try, maybe I can make her stay a little longer... Yeah, I can do it!''

    cia saw through her easily and coldly nced at the ce where she sensed another pseudo-divine rank person the moment she stepped inside the room.

    "Or else I will have to do something that I don''t think you will like at all."

    Yue tried to grab the woman with a panicked expression, thinking that thetter was going to harm Bia. But to her surprise, cia didn''t harm the phoenix.

    Instead, one of the distant bookshelves was pushed back, causing all the books to scatter on the ground.

    The air shook, and in the next second, two surprised cries rang out in the room as Nine and Elli were both dragged out from behind a transparent curtain. cia looked at the brown-haired man and ignored the woman beside him.

    "Oh, a merman. It''s pretty rare toe across one with such pure spiritual eyes these days. Especially since thest mer got destroyed by the first shadow general."

    Yue gazed at Nine and Elli, who were struggling to breathe under the invisible pressure that held them tightly to the ground.

    "What are you two doing here!?"

    She shouted at the duo, breathing raggedly, but didn''t get an answer because the two of them couldn''t speak under the tremendous pressure. Bia also cried out when her body was lifted in the air before cia stared at her with narrowed eyes.

    ''It''s a phoenix. It''s already unusual to see one with so much divine essence on a small... but I can also sense something powerful in its body?'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The woman was about to examine Bia''s body, but her thoughts were interrupted when Yue spoke again, this time with a pleading voice.

    "Wait, wait! Let them go! Okay, okay, I''ll go with you. Just please, let them go!"

    Nine and Elli gasped when the pressure around them finally disappeared. Bia also let out a breath as she regained control of her body. The phoenix surprised the woman by growing in size and unleashing a high-pitched cry.

    -"How dare you! Who do you think you are to harm me and the others! Wahhhh!"

    Crimson mes scattered inside the room, setting the books and wooden furniture aze. The phoenix quickly flew towards the ceiling, aiming to shatter it.

    After hearing the conversation between the woman and Yue, Bia knew Kyle had to be here because there was no way she could defeat the woman with her current strength.

    However, before the phoenix could touch the ceiling, someone grabbed her neck and threw her toward the bookshelves. cia furrowed her brows in annoyance, and the mes inside the room vanished under her pressure.

    "I really hate it when someone screams and this thing has been continuously getting on my nerves. Now, finally it will be quiet."

    Bia''s vision turned blurry when something powerful enveloped her senses. Thest thing she heard was Yue''s panicked and loud voice before she lost consciousness.

    cia looked at the phoenix and then nced at Yue, Nine, and Elli who gathered around the phoenix, trying to wake her up.

    "It''s not dead, so stay quiet. Yue, show me the bracelets because now I''m losing my patience."

    Yue paused and looked at Bia. She grabbed the hem of her dress tightly, and her eyes started to well up with tears, even though she tried her best not to cry. In the end, she still felt so powerless.

    However, strangely the person who stirred up the strongest emotions within her was none other than Kyle.

    ''We were just getting closer and now this has to happen. I know he is going to get mad at me...''

    She took a deep breath and extended her wrists towards the woman.

    cia touched the bracelets, and they scattered into countless bright particles before everyone''s eyes. The whole room shook, and after a few seconds, the particles came together to form a portal that was shining with a white hue.

 Chapter 440 Who is this crazy person?

    <h4>Chapter 440 Who is this crazy person?</h4>

    Yue quickly stood up and swiftly backed away before the woman could forcefully throw her into the portal.

    "Wait, you said I could bring my mother with me! You can''t go back on your promise! She''s the only family I have left, and she''s not strong enough to survive alone!"

    cia couldn''t help but chuckle, amazed at the girl''s courage to repeatedly speak to her as if they were equals. But she despised those who didn''t keep their word, so how could she break her own?

    "Tell me, where is she?"

    Yue held onto her dress tightly and told the woman that her mother''s room was on the second floor. cia disappeared from the room but returned a few secondster with an unconscious middle-aged elven woman in her arms and a squirming monster in her grasp. She threw the Lynx at Yue and Nox quickly hid behind Yue with a frightened expression.

    "It''s yours, right? Now enter the portal."

    cia pointed at the portal. It was surrounded by a restless white hue that was growing weaker with time.

    Yue took a hesitant step toward the portal, but Nine, who had been silently observing everything all this time, finally spoke up.

    "I want to go too. cia, I believe you wouldn''t mind because I have a unique ability that can be of help."

    cia nced at the brown-haired man with a raised brow. The man stared back at her with an expression that seemed too serious for him to be joking around in such a situation. An irked feeling surged in her chest. Why is everyone on this so arrogant? They are speaking to her so casually even after seeing her strength.

    But when she looked into Nine''s eyes and saw the pure golden spiritual threads, she was tempted. It''s very rare for people to have the ability to foresee the future. So, it wouldn''t be bad to take him with her. After all, it''s not like she''s poor and can''t feed some extra people.

    Regardless, the thing that made him even more interesting was that he appeared in the room even before her, almost as if he already knew something was going to happen. Not to mention, he wants to go with her even after knowing that she is dangerous.

    ''Haha, did this brat already foresee my arrival? But the real question is, why does he want to go with me?''

    Yue looked at Nine with a puzzled expression. She wanted to stop him, but cia let out a chuckle.

    "You cane, but are you sure? Because if youe with me, you will have to work under me."

    Nine nodded in agreement. He knew he had to leave now because if he didn''t, it would be toote. He stepped towards the portal, but then he nced at the ck-haired woman beside him. She was clutching his shirt with a worried expression.

    "Elli, I already told you it''s very dangerous. Your life could be in danger. So, I can''t take you with me. I just wanted to say goodbye, but I realized I put you in danger. I''m truly sorry. I can''t promise that I''lle back... just please don''t hate-!"

    Nine''s words were abruptly interrupted as the ground beneath him started shaking violently. Not just him, but everyone else also noticed when the whole room started trembling as if someone was trying to destroy it but couldn''t.

    cia''s eyes narrowed to slits as a crack appeared within her domain, the separate space she had created. In the next moment, everyone froze as a familiar angry voice echoed into the room.

    "Who is this bastard?! How dare you harm my people! Do you really think you can get away with it!?"

    Yue''s eyes widened the moment she heard the voice. It wasing from behind the room door, and then loud banging sounds started reverberating in the room.

    "Kyle..."

    Her feet moved unconsciously, but she cried out when cia grabbed her wrist and pushed her and the unconscious woman in her arms inside the portal, which had begun to fade into white particles. Nox instantly followed behind Yue with a loud cry.

    cia furrowed her brows and narrowed her eyes to get a better look at the person who was trying to enter her domain.

    "Who is this crazy person? Why is he using so much divine energy? Does he want to blow up this ce?"

    The woman raised her hand and sealed the crack that appeared in her domain. Nine let out a dry chuckle.

    ''He''s gonna destroy this ce because I know, even without looking at him, he''s really pissed off right now...''

    He quickly moved towards the portal, ready to follow Yue, but Elli grabbed his arm. Nine let out a soft sigh and tightly grabbed the hand holding him.

    "Elli, please..."

    But he paused when the woman opposite him started pping his shoulder with an angry expression.

    "You really think I would let you go alone? What if you go and start cheating on me? I aming with you, you jerk! I don''t have any family left here anyway."

    Nine wanted to argue, but his eyes widened in shock as Elli forcefully shoved him into the portal. After his figure vanished inside the portal, Elli nced at cia, who had stopped paying attention to the portal.

    Instead, the woman was staring at the room door with an intrigued expression.

    Elli looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath before she also jumped into the portal. The moment Nine told her he was leaving, she made up her mind to follow him. She stayed quiet because he said the ce he was going was very dangerous.

    Plus, she knew she was weak, so he wouldn''t take her with him even if she insisted. That''s why she followed him to this room, even though he asked her not to. It was her decision to go with him, and she knew she wouldn''t regret it because she really had no one left on this.

    The portal began dissipating into countless white particles. cia moved towards the portal and waved her hand to remove her domain.

    The moment her domain disappeared, the whole room was flooded with icy blue mes. She nced at the mes for a second longer, then watched as the room door opposite her was destroyed into tiny pieces.

    In the next second, a person with bright silver hair and green eyes, filled with anger, stepped inside the room and stood opposite her.

 Chapter 441 Why can’t I sense her?

    <h4>Chapter 441 Why can''t I sense her?</h4>

    A while ago, Kyle let out a chuckle as he watched Yue, who quickly ran off towards the building with an embarrassed expression.

    He touched his lips with the back of his hand and let out a pleased hum.

    The feeling of someone else touching him was not bad at all. Or maybe because it was Yue, that''s why. Kyle''s heart fluttered for a second when he recalled what he had done a moment ago.

    He started walking towards the exit of the garden and watched the orange, morning sky. The atmosphere was peaceful and quiet.

    However, the softness in his eyes and the faint smile on his face vanished when suddenly, Bia''s presence disappeared.

    "Huh."

    He stopped in his tracks and started calling the phoenix''s name in his head with a confused expression.

    ''Bia?? Bia? Bia!''

    But no matter how many times he called, there was no response.

    "What the heck happened?"

    A sense of dread crept into his heart, and without a second thought, Kyle vanished from his spot.

    In the next second, he appeared in a corridor, startling an old servant who saw him materialize out of thin air.

    Kyle ignored the servant who started shouting and ran off to call the guards, iming that an unknown enemy had entered the queen''s residence.

    He looked at rows of doors on both sides of the corridor and spread out his scent perception skill to sense Bia.

    But it was like the phoenix had entered another space altogether because even with his divine rank scent perception skill, he couldn''t detect her presence.

    "I''m sure she''s inside the building, so why can''t I sense her!?"

    Hundreds of different scents flooded his nose, but he let out a shuddering breath because in that exact moment, the mark he ced on Yue disappeared, and along with it, her scent that he smelled a moment ago also vanished into thin air.

    "Haha, no way."

    "What the heck is going on!?"

    He started running through the corridor, frantically checking every room while calling out Bia and Yue''s names loudly.

    The old servant who ran off before came back with many guards holding weapons, but the moment they saw Kyle''s hair and eyes, they knew who he was.

    The guards and servants also panicked when they heard Kyle''s frantic voice calling out to their queen and the divine phoenix.

    No matter how they looked at the situation, they knew something was wrong. That''s why, instead of questioning Kyle, they all scattered and, just like him, started calling out Yue''s name. After all, their top priority was to ensure Yue''s safety.

    Kyle paused when he saw a middle-aged woman who hade to find him after hearing that Yue had disappeared.

    He looked at the woman, and even though he hadn''t seen her before, her hair, which was simr to Yue''s, gave him a clue about who she was.

    Kyle took a deep breath and regained hisposure. It wasn''t the time to panic. He looked at the woman, who appeared on the verge of tears, as she asked him about Yue.

    "Don''t worry, aunty. Yue is strong. I believe she''s okay. We will find her. Ist saw her entering the building."

    Yue''s mother, Iva, gave him a nod. She could see the tense air around him and knew he was just as worried as her. Also, finding Yue was their top priority.

    She didn''t ask anything else and started searching the building with the servants, even though they asked her not to due to her health, which had been declining since her husband passed away.

    Kyle nced at her back and rubbed his forehead.

    ''Damn it!''

    His eyes brightened as he spread out his scent perception skill to the extreme level and covered the entire building.

    Kyle''s stomach churned, and his vision turned blurry because he still couldn''t use the skill for a long time due to the many scents that entered his nose all at once. But he shut his eyes and sensed every single scent in the building.

    However, all of a sudden, he heard many cries in the distance as a lot of servants started shouting in panic.

    "What happened?"

    Kyle didn''t have to check to know the answer because the moment he turned around, he saw a woman in a dark cloak holding Iva''s unconscious body.

    His eyes widened because he couldn''t sense anything from the woman in the cloak, as if her presence was just an illusion.

    He used instant teleportation and tried to stop the woman, but before he could even touch her body, she transformed into a mirage and vanished from his sight.

    "?"

    Kyle stared at his hand that grabbed nothing but air, and his eyes dted. The enemy is stronger than him, so much that he can''t even touch her.

    Suddenly, someone shouted from downstairs in a frantic voice.

    "The study... the study door isn''t opening!"

    Kyle turned his head toward the voice and vanished. In the next second, he appeared beside a female servant who was trying her best to push open the study door, but it wouldn''t even budge.

    The elven girl immediately backed away the moment she saw Kyle. She cried out, and many other guards and servants gathered as they watched Kyle kick and punch the door with all his strength. Kyle breathed out and shouted at the many people behind him.

    "All of you, leave this ce!"

    He didn''t wait for an answer and started gathering all his divine energy inside his palm. Icy blue mes surged out and they started surrounding the study from all directions before seeping into the walls, freezing everything in their path.

    Kyle let out a shout and once again punched the door in front of him, this time with so much divine energy that everything else around him started disintegrating.

    All the people inside the building started running out when the ground beneath them started trembling violently.

    Kyle watched as a crack appeared in the space in front of him, and he finally faintly sensed Bia, Yue, and Iva''s presence. His anger increased because he even sensed Nine and Elli in the study.

    "Who is this bastard?! How dare you harm my people! Do you really think you can get away with it!?"

 Chapter 442 Where did you send them?

    <h4>Chapter 442 Where did you send them?</h4>

    Kyle yelled and mmed his fists against the door with even more desperation. But the crack that appeared after he poured so much of his divine energy into it quickly sealed up before his seething eyes.

    "Damn it all to hell!"

    Countless ice spears materialized behind him and shot towards the door, but not even a scratch appeared on its surface. It felt as if a powerful invisible barrier was blocking all of his attacks.

    "Why won''t this freaking door break!?"

    He noticed that even his mes, which had surrounded the room from all directions, could not enter the space.

    Kyle gathered more divine energy, but as he tightened his fist with anger and frustration to punch the door again, something strange happened. The ce in front of him shook, and with a faint rustling sound, something spread out in all directions.

    Immediately afterward, his mes surged into the room from all directions, freezing and turning everything in their path into countless bright particles because the barrier stopping them had vanished.

    After the walls sustaining one of the biggest rooms inside the building turned into particles, a big part of the building started to crumble, causing a cascading effect throughout the entire structure.

    Kyle stared at the crumbling door and kicked it with so much strength that it shattered into many pieces.

    However, even before he stepped into the room, he sensed it very clearly that Yue, Nine, Elli, and Iva had left the ce.

    The thing that barely made him relieved was that the moment Yue left the barrier that stopped him from entering the room, he could finally sense the mark he ced on her. But it was so far away and so faint that he couldn''t even grasp her exact location.

    Kyle stepped into the room. His knuckles were bruised from pounding his fists on the door repeatedly. But despite the pain, he still clenched his fists so hard that blood oozed from his palms.

    He stared at the woman in the dark cloak standing across from him. A smirk formed on her face as she checked him out from head to toe with a look that screamed interest.

    Kyle''s eyes darted toward Bia''s unconscious body for a split second, and then he once again fixed his cold gaze on the short-haired woman.

    There was a fading portal beside her, and he knew Yue and the others had left the room through that exact portal.

    "Where did you send them and why!?"

    He couldn''t believe the voice that escaped from his lips belonged to him because it sounded too hoarse for hisfort.

    The woman didn''t say anything and just stared at his body.

    At that moment, Kyle felt that something was off because he wanted to attack her, but his legs wouldn''t move. He raised his hand and touched beneath his eyes, which had started bleeding.

    Not just his eyes, but blood was also flowing from his nose and mouth, even though he wasn''t injured.

    "?"

    Then, he finally dropped to his knees and stared at the woman with dted eyes as she took a step closer to him. Her bronze eyes brightened up as she peered at him.

    "Who are you? You are clearly so weak, but why is there something inside your body that I can''t grasp?"

    cia narrowed her eyes. As one of the strongest people on her, someone who had reached the final stage of the transcendent rank, she couldn''t believe she was unable to see through a human who hadn''t even entered the divine rank.

    "I have been sensing something unique inside you, but the moment I tried to understand it... it hid itself, almost as if it had a mind of its own and knew that my presence could pose a threat."

    The portal next to her began to fade, and cia knew it would crumble in a few seconds. But the human in front of her made her want to stay on this weak a little longer.

    "How about I give it a look? Don''t worry, I will make sure not to kill orpletely destroy your body."

    The icy mes in the room began to extinguish as Kyle lost control of his body. He didn''t notice, but cia had once again extended her domain to gainplete control over everything around her.

    She reached out her hand towards Kyle, who met her gaze with a pair of cold, emotionless eyes.

    Kyle couldn''t speak, but he swore that if he survived today, he would do whatever it takes to kill this woman.

    cia let out a chuckle.

    "I have to admit, it never ceases to amaze me how arrogant all the people I have met on this are."

    She touched Kyle''s forehead and started sending her energy into his body. Not really caring about the massive power difference between them or the fact that her energy could wreck his body.

    Only after a split second, an astonished expression appeared on her face because she sensed that the human in front of her had a mind space. But how was it possible when he clearly hadn''t reached the true divine rank?

    She wanted to forcefully peer inside his mind space, but before she could, once again a crack appeared in her domain. cia snapped her eyes up from where a pair of brown eyes stared at her.

    Her hand left Kyle''s forehead, and she staggered back when the person staring at her threw a wave of electricity at her.

    cia''s eyes widened with shock because the person who attacked her had reached the transcendent rank as well, albeit just the initial stage. But it was enough to make her raise her guard against the old dwarf who tore a part of her domain, even though his hands were trembling.

    "Hoho, Susan, this is interesting, but I only see a kid and a phoenix in there... no one else."

    The old dwarf entered the domain after he finally managed to tear a part of it. He wasn''t alone. Susan, Anlee, and many old elves who were contacted by the guards and informed that something happened to Yue were floating right behind him.

 Chapter 443 That woman took Nine as well?

    <h4>Chapter 443 That woman took Nine as well?</h4>

    Susan quickly entered the domain after he heard the old dwarf''s words. He saw Kyle, and upon seeing the kid''s condition, an angry expression appeared on her face.

    "Just what the hell is going on here!?"

    His angry voice echoed in the air. He couldn''t believe he had just left the kids alone for a while, only for an unknown person to attack them in his absence.

    If he hadn''t sensed the strong force inside the former west Continent and found the old dwarf, Zron, one of the old divine guardians of the who had just managed to construct his body, he would have never known something was going on.

    Zron nced at Susan with a surprised expression, a little taken aback that his old friend was getting angry because of an unknown kid. Regardless, he focused his gaze on the woman in the dark cloak.

    "I did sense another transcendent presence, but why is such a strong person harming a weak individual? I thought those above the pseudo-divine rank are not allowed to kill lower beings unless they are siding with the dark side."

    cia clicked her tongue.

    "What bad timing..."

    She nced at Kyle onest time.

    The human''s eyes had turned nk; he probably fainted in the process.

    cia knew the dwarf was weaker than her, but she also knew that even if she fought with him and won, she wouldn''te out unharmed.

    That''s why, before Zron could even attack, her body turned into a mirage, and she entered the portal that scattered into countless white particles.

    Anlee and the other old elves also entered the space and started looking around for Yue. However, when they did not find her, they started to panic and questioned Zron and Susan, but the duopletely ignored them.

    Susan gritted his teeth and made his way toward Kyle. The moment he touched his body, the boy fell down toward him.

    "He is badly injured! Zron, I am taking him with me for treatment. Just find the other tower''s guardians and inform them about everything."

    Susan formed a portal in front of him and left with Kyle. After he left, Zron nced at the phoenix and checked her body.

    "She is fine. Just unconscious."

    He nced at Anlee.

    "You, what is your name? Well, whatever it is, do you have amunication crystal?"

    Zron paused and started mumbling under his breath.

    "Wait, even if I have amunication crystal, I don''t know the other guardians''munication crystal coordinates..."

    He let out a sigh and before Anlee and the other old elves could get a proper idea of what the heck was happening, his figure turned into a mirage and he vanished with the phoenix.

    It didn''t take long for the news that the elven Queen had disappeared to spread throughout the whole Coexis.

    The news reached Yon and the other guardians an hourter through an old elf, and Yon immediately contacted Susan since Zron didn''te to find him.

    Yon got angry after hearing everything from Susan. He couldn''t believe that something like this happened in their presence. And seriously, what was Zron doing when that woman ran off without a scratch!?

    Alec, Jian, Carcel, Sinon, and the others found out about it through Anlee, and they were shocked because they had just parted with Yue and Kyle a while ago.

    They all quickly went to find the tower''s guardians to get more details, but even the guardians had no clue, except that a powerful elven woman took Yue and badly injured Kyle.

    The people of Coexis, who were still celebrating their recent victory against the enemies, were hit with another wave of panic when they heard that a new powerful enemy had appeared on the.

    How could they not panic? After all, this time the enemy was strong enough to badly injure the strongest human on the and kidnap Yue, the elven Queen, right in front of the guardians of the tower of opportunity.

    ....

    Inside a dimly lit room, Kyle opened his eyelids at the sound of the water droplets. But a splitting headache hit him hard, and he let out a groan. Just then, a familiar voice sounded beside him.

    "Don''t get up because I don''t have any more divine energy to heal you."

    Kyle blinked a few times, and his hazy eyes finally cleared up. But when he remembered what happened before he became unaware of his surroundings, he let out a deep exhale and clenched his fists tightly.

    His eyes darted toward the unfamiliar ceiling before he nced at the old man with white hair sitting a little distance away from him. It was Susan, and he looked very tired for some reason.

    The room looked ordinary, but water droplets cascaded down from one corner of the ceiling, forming a beautiful curtain of water that fell into a small pool. Also, the room didn''t have any furniture except for the bed Kyle was lying on and the chair and table where Susan was sitting.

    "So, I survived...?"

    He let out a sigh, which sounded way too loud to ignore. Susan raised his eyes and stared at the kid.

    "Yes, you did because of me and Zron."

    Kyle blinked, still a bit dazed from everything that had just happened.

    "Zron?"

    "He''s thest divine guardian of this who stayed behind when all the other divine beings left. He reached the transcendent rank, so he could sense the woman who harmed you."

    Kyle sat up, ignoring Susan''s request not to. The old man let out a sigh, even though Kyle had made him work a lot during or before the war, he couldn''t just let the kid die.

    At first, when Zron told him about the transcendent rank individual, he thought it would be just another enemy. But who would have guessed that Kyle and Yue would be in danger?

    Kyle massaged his temples and asked the question he had been hesitating to ask because he already knew the answer.

    "What about Yue and Nine?"

    Susan''s eyes widened at his words.

    "What, that woman took Nine as well?!"

 Chapter 444 I am leaving this planet

    <h4>Chapter 444 I am leaving this</h4>

    Kyle nced at Susan''s shocked expression and quickly got out of bed to stand on his feet.

    "Not just Nine, there were more people too, and I have a feeling Nine already knew this was going to happen."

    He remembered Nine''s words. The brown-haired man had told him that he would be going to a faraway ce for a while.

    "Also, Yue''s strange behavior..."

    Regardless, the one thing Kyle didn''t understand was why they didn''t tell him or anyone about it. If they were forced to go with that elven woman, they could have at least shared the situation.

    After all, if Kyle and the others had known about it, they would have rushed to help Yue and Nine if the duo was in danger.

    Yet, they both chose to hide it.

    "Hmm, I remember Yue trying to tell me something, but she would always stop. It''s like, for some reason, both Yue and Nine couldn''t share it with others."

    Kyle took a moment to check his body. He clenched and unclenched his hands a few times and moved around, making sure everything was okay.

    Susan''s expression turned grim as he approached him.

    "Kid, don''t push yourself too hard. That elven woman gave you some serious internal injuries, and even though they are healed, you still need rest."

    Kyle shook his head and took out a pair of shoes from his mind space. He put them on and looked at Susan.

    "I am good. I am grateful that you and Zron saved me and Bia. And you even took care of me while I was unconscious."

    His voice echoed in the room, which had started to feel too silent.

    "But... now I think it''s time for me to leave this. Yue and Nine aren''t my only reason. I have been meaning to leave for a while now because I have some scores to settle with a few people out there. Plus, I don''t think staying here will help me increase my strength anymore."

    Susan let out a big sigh, not sure what else to say to make the kid stay and rest.

    Also, Kyle''s unwavering gaze made it clear that he wouldn''t listen or care about the danger beyond the''s boundaries.

    So he pointed at the room''s exit.

    "Alright, I respect your decision, but let''s talk about itter. Now that you have decided to get up, please ask all the people outside to leave the tower of opportunity."

    Susan looked fed up as he went back to sit down on the chair.

    "They have been crowding outside the whole day because of you."

    Kyle let out a faint smile. He had sensed the many familiar presences outside even before Susan told him. His tense shoulders rxed as he quickly stepped towards the room''s exit.

    He pushed the hard wooden door open and saw many people talking, sitting, or walking in the open area filled with grass in front of the room.

    In an instant, all eyes turned to him, and the first one who jumped towards him was none other than Bia.

    The phoenix left Mia''s shoulder and climbed onto Kyle''s head with a worried expression.

    -''Hey, why are you always the one who gets seriously injured!? That damn woman, I am going to kill her if I ever see her again, even if I have to use all my strength! Ugh, I need to tell you a lot! Nine and Elli were behaving strangely, and so was Yue!''

    Kyle heard all theints of the grumbling phoenix who, like always, messed up his hair.

    He barely maintained his bnce when Jian, Sinon, Ray, and Neon wrapped their arms around him tightly.

    Alec, Carcel, Regius, Han, Mia, and Lara shook their heads as Kyle patted the red-haired man''s back to make the man move away from him.

    Kyle froze when all of a sudden Jian wiped his nose on his shoulder. He took a deep breath but still raised his leg to kick the man far away from his body.

    However, before he could, Jian quickly backed away and started wiping his eyes which werepletely dry.

    "Bro, why are you freaking us out again? It''s good you didn''t go into aa again. Also, I think Nine went back to his Kingdom. I wanted to inform him about you... but he''s not picking up hismunication crystal."

    Sinon also backed away and joined Jian as Ray and Neon started checking Kyle''s body, and after they were sure he was perfectly fine, Ray fixed his narrowed eyes on him.

    "I feel like now you invite trouble whenever you go. You''re the youngest among us, so don''t you dare to die before us. I am going to contact dad because he''s been worried sick about you. So talk to him, okay?"

    Kyle nodded and nced at Alec, who stepped forward and patted his shoulder.

    "We all know what happened. Don''t me yourself, you did your best. Zron had told us everything about the woman who took Yue with her. She has reached the transcendent rank."

    Alec paused for a second.

    "But no one knows if Yue''s fine..."

    Kyle closed his eyes for a second and sensed the mark he ced on Yue.

    "Don''t worry, she''s fine. I can sense her faintly... and if she''s fine, the others are fine as well."

    Alec looked at him, and his face turned serious, not because Kyle could sense Yue, but because the elven woman had kidnapped some others too.

    "What do you mean, others?"

    Kyle gave a wry smile and told everyone everything. Bia also joined in and shared what she saw and heard before she lost consciousness.

    The moment the duo was done, the air became heavy as Jian clenched his fists with an angry expression.

    "That bastard Nine! How could he not tell anyone about this and just leave with such a dangerous person? Not to mention he took Elli with him! Did he lose his mind or something? If he knew, he should have told me or anyone else!"

    Sinon grabbed Jian''s shoulder and let out a smile that looked borderline evil.

    "Don''t worry, the next time we see that bastard, we are going to beat him to a pulp!"

    Han nced at the young people around him. All of them had started talking about how they were going to find that woman who dared to harm their friends. Then he moved his eyes toward Kyle, who went to the side to talk with his father.

    After Kyle closed themunication crystal and tossed it toward Neon with a faint smile, Han approached him with a solemn expression.

    "So, Kyle, what are you going to do next? I know you won''t just sit around."

    Kyle nced at his master, who hadn''t said anything all this time. A sharp and serious glint shed in his eyes.

    "Master, I am leaving this."

    In an instant, everyone turned silent. They already had a feeling Kyle would leave, and honestly, all of them also wanted to depart from the to be stronger and find Nine and Yue.

    Han let out a sigh.

    "It''s your decision, and nobody is going to stop you because you are old enough to know what''s best for you. I also know you have be very strong, and staying on this would hinder your growth."

    "As your master, I want to see you achieve an amazing future. So don''t ever give up, no matter what goes down, no matter how hard it gets."

    Kyle''s green eyes brightened up as he stared at the old man opposite him.

    "Master, I know what I want to do after that elven woman tried to take my life. I want to be stronger than anyone out there."

    He chuckled when everyone started gathering around him and continued.

    "I don''t want to be vulnerable. I want to be able to protect myself and my loved ones. Nobody should have the power to harm me. So, I am going to go all in, push myself to the limit, and be the strongest."

    "It might seem like a dream or maybe I sound arrogant, but I am going to try my best to make it my reality."

    Alec clicked his tongue.

    "You think you are the only one, huh? I''m also gonna be the strongest! Let''s see if you can beat me first!"

    Jian''s eyes widened with shock.

    "How can you two forget about me?? I''m sure I will be the strongest, and you two will be my underlings in the future!"

    Sinon rolled his eyes and wrapped his arm around Jian''s neck.

    "How about we have a one-on-one to see who''s stronger?"

    Regius smiled and folded his hands.

    "You shouldn''t forget about me, right? After hearing Kyle''s words, I am super motivated to be the strongest too."

    Lara and Mia raised their brows and nced at each other.

    "Do you really think we would stay behind?"

    Carcel cleared his throat and surprised everyone around him by stepping into the conversation.

    "I don''t think you all should worry about who should take the title of being the strongest. I mean-!"

    His sentence was cut short when Bian let out an evilugh.

    -"Of course, the majestic me has already taken it! Who dares to im the title if not me?"

    Ray and Neon nced at everyone as they all turned quiet after Bia dered her im to the title of the strongest.

    The duo grinned at the proud phoenix, who held her head high and stared at everyone, daring them all to challenge her words.

    Han let out a wry smile as he watched them all and shook his head. He nced at Kyle and held his shoulder.

    "So, when are you nning to leave the?"

 Chapter 445 Just a feeling I can’t describe

    <h4>Chapter 445 Just a feeling I can''t describe</h4>

    All eyes turned to Kyle, who nced at Susan from the corner of his eye.

    The old man had just stormed out of the room made of stones in the grassy field, probably because of all the noise everyone was making. Susan wanted to make them all go away, but he stopped when Kyle started speaking.

    "I havee to realize that putting things off is a bad habit of mine. So, from now on, if I want to do something, I will do it right away... That''s why I am leaving now."

    Kyle gave his answer to Han with a subtle smile, and he responded with a nod. But then a wave of protests erupted, with all of his friends saying that if he left now, they would not be able to go with him.

    After all, they had to inform many others about their departure since they were the young guardians of the Continent.

    Regius needed to bid farewell to his grandmother and the surviving elders from his vige. Carcel had to inform his older brother and mother. Sinon, Jian, Lara, and Mia faced the same situation.

    And let''s not forget that they had to find capable individuals to take their ces all around the. It would take at least a few days to sort it all out.

    Alec rubbed his chin with a thoughtful expression.

    "Kyle, I know you have made up your mind, but how about we all leave together after a few days?"

    "That way, me and everyone else can quickly handle what we need to do."

    Jian agreed with him.

    "Also, if we leave together, it will be a lot safer. In the end, no one knows how many dangers are waiting for us outside the boundaries of this."

    Ray and Neon nced at each other and also agreed with Jian and Alec.

    They wouldn''t stop Kyle if he wanted to leave because they knew he could take care of himself, but they wanted him to stay for a few days because they didn''t know how long it would take for them to see their younger brother again once he left.

    Kyle let out a deep breath as multiple voices flooded his mind. Bia sensed his troubled emotions and left his head to sit on his shoulder.

    -''What happened?''

    Kyle raised his hand to caress the phoenix''s head and furrowed his brows.

    ''Just a feeling I can''t describe...''

    The moment he mentioned that he would leave the now, a sense of unease began to well up inside him. It felt like something was telling him it would be better if he left a few dayster with everyone else.

    Kyle rxed his brows when he noticed Alec''s eyes on him, not wanting to make the man worry. But why would he feel this way all of a sudden, like something bad would happen if he left the now?

    ''This is not the first time I have had this feeling... Could this be a new way for my bloodline to alert me about danger ahead of time? Regardless, it is best to stay cautious.''

    He thought he would leave a few dayster and the strange feeling in his heart vanished like it never existed.

    ''Hmm...''

    Kyle raised his hands to calm everyone around him, but at that moment, another personnded on the surface a little distance away from them.

    Zron let out a yawn. Then, the brown-haired dwarf clicked his tongue at all the people in front of him as he approached them with slow footsteps.

    "I just wanted to rest. Kids, can you all stop speaking for even a second? I can hear all your noise up here."

    He pointed up at the clouds where he had been trying to catch some shut-eye and locked eyes with Kyle.

    "Hoho, I actually thought you died. But it was a pleasant surprise to see you alive."

    Kyle squinted at the dwarf because he looked a bit familiar, especially with that sleazy smile on his face. Then his eyes widened because he had seen the dwarf before!

    "You... aren''t you the one who gave me that old scroll before I entered the tower of opportunity?"

    Zron stopped and let out a chuckle.

    "It has been so long and you still remember?"

    He waved his hand and rubbed his nose.

    "Shhh, no need for thank you! I''m someone who helps people here and there. That scroll was nothingpared to all the things I have given out casually."

    Alec gave a wry smile since he was the only one who knew which scroll the duo was talking about.

    ''So, Kyle got the scroll from Zron?''

    However, in that moment, Jian raised his hand with suspicious eyes.

    "Wait, wait, wait! What scroll are you both talking about?"

    He had a bad feeling about this because he knew Zron stole his and Kelvin''s storage rings! That damn old dwarf! He only let it slide because the dwarf saved his life.

    Bia nced at Jian, and his expression sank when she told him about the scroll.

    "The scroll helped us a lot in the tower, and we gathered many treasures because of it. It has all the knowledge of the first three floors of the tower."

    Kyle started checking his mind space.

    "I think I still have it with me... I wanted to sell it for a good price after knowing it''s authentic, but I never got the chance."

    Han let out a chuckle at Kyle''s words. Now he understood why the kid had so many treasures to sell aftering out from the tower. Not just Han, Neon, and Ray also nced at each other, finally figuring out the secret of how Kyle got his hands on so many treasures.

    In that moment, Jian surprised everyone around him by dropping to his knees with a nk expression. He pointed his trembling finger at Zron.

    "You!? Don''t you dare tell me you stole the scroll from me and Kelvin!!!"

 Chapter 446 You theif!

    <h4>Chapter 446 You theif!</h4>

    Zron let out a gasp.

    "Brat! How could you put such me on me!? Me, stealing? No way! I am such a powerful person, do I need to steal..."

    He shut his mouth when Kyle took out an old scroll from his mind space, and Jian lunged forward to open it and check the content of the scroll.

    "Haha! This is the same scroll Kelvin and I lost! You thief!"

    Jian''s angry voice made the dwarf sweat.

    "You didn''t even spare our essories! Do you have any idea how much suffering we had to endure because we lost this scroll? The king acquired it after spending thousands of mana stones!"

    Zron let out a scoff, too thick-skinned to admit he stole it.

    "No way, it''s a different scroll! Look, the design is older than yours!"

    Susan facepalmed when the two started arguing. He quickly dragged Jian away before the kid got beaten by the dwarf, who had started to roll up his sleeves to prove his words.

    The moment Jian was out of the picture, Zron swiftly changed the topic.

    "You kid, I heard your conversation. You want to leave the, right? However, where would you go? Do you have a destination in mind?"

    Kyle shook his head.

    "I have no idea about my destination. But I will follow the mark I ced on Yue to find her, Nine, and the others. Also, I''ll increase my strength along the way so I can take down all the enemies I encounter."

    Zron rubbed his chin.

    "You have reached the pseudo-divine rank. But it''s dangerous to wander outside the due to the shadow generals and the dark armies..."

    In the next moment, a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

    "Just tell me this. Are you gonna leave alone or go together with the others after a few days?"

    Kyle smiled as everyone stared at him in silence. He could see that they all hoped he would leave with them in a few days.

    "I''ll leave with them after a few days."

    Sinon raised his hand and cheered to lighten up the mood, and he seeded because everyone startedughing at the winged demi-human.

    However, at that moment, no one knew that today would be theirst day to have a normal conversation with each other.

    Zron nodded at Kyle.

    "So, how about you all go to ''The Sacred Divine Land''? I remember our has an ethereal tunnel leading to that ce. Odiak and many other divine rank individuals discovered it a long time ago and made it usable after sacrificing a part of their strength."

    He waved his hand, and many chairs appeared around him. He sat down on one of them, and Kyle quickly sat opposite him to learn more about it. Alec and the others followed suit.

    In the distance, Susan released Jian, who let out a snort and made his way to one of the chairs. He put aside the thought of revenge for now because he knew he was weaker, and it seemed like the dwarf had some useful information to share.

    Susan let out a sigh and joined everyone.

    "The Sacred Divine Land is probably the best ce for you all right now."

    "James and many other people had used the ethereal tunnel in the past. I''m not sure where they are at the moment, but I heard the Sacred Divine Land is perfect for those who want to gather enough divine energy to break through to the divine rank or go further."

    Bia furrowed her brows.

    -"What is that ce? A ce filled with Divine energy?"

    Zron let out a hum.

    "It''s a hugend floating between countlesss in this universe. You are right, the ce is filled with divine energy. But it''s not called a sacrednd because of the divine energy. It''s named that way because of the thousands of ancient tombs filled with treasures hidden beneath thend."

    "The sacrednd is also called thend of spirituality because there''s no mana in thatnd. Instead, there''s spiritual energy, which is very useful for strengthening one''s soul rank."

    Kyle nced at the image that had reced his stats from the corner of his eyes. His soul rank increased after he woke up from thea because his soul consumed the celestial essence.

    ''So, there are other ways to increase one''s soul rank too?''

    Zron continued when he saw all the people around him invested.

    "However, only the people who are close to nature or can converse with the mystical spirits in thatnd can harness that energy. The spirits are small winged creatures without physical bodies, they only have souls."

    "It''s pretty rare toe across people who can use spiritual energy, except for the special ones who can see the future or fate of others. That''s why thend is known as the Sacred Divine Land."

    Zron''s expression turned serious as he nced at Susan.

    "It''s a perfect ce for all of you. But unlike Susan and the other guardians who haven''t left this, I know a lot. I don''t think thend is very safe now because half of it is ruled by the demon and dark race after the first shadow general destroyed a big part of it just for the sake of fun."

    "But I truly think you kids should go there and enhance your strength because, apart from the sacrednd, there''s no other ce that can offer you sufficient resources to break through the confines of the divine rank."

    A teacup appeared in Zron''s hand as he took a sip and nced at the many people staring at him with a hint of excitement.

    "Nevertheless, in the end, it all depends on your luck and abilities whether that ce bes a treasure trove for you or a worst nightmare."

    Kyle absorbed the information he had just received from the old dwarf. He couldn''t believe there was still so much he needed to know to be truly strong.

    As everyone around him quietly digested the information, Kyle did not hesitate to ask the many questions he had after knowing Zron had a lot more knowledge than the tower''s guardians.

    "Do you know more about the shadow generals? What about their leader? Why are they attacking thes?"

 Chapter 447 How about you go and ask him?

    <h4>Chapter 447 How about you go and ask him?</h4>

    Zron let out a chuckle at Kyle''s questions.

    "The shadow generals... I don''t know much about them, butst I heard there are five of them. Perhaps the number has increased during my absence... but all of them have only one leader, Azazeal."

    "However, no one has seen the man, so how could I know how much stronger he is... or how he managed to make so many strong individuals submit to him."

    Zron''s voice turned solemn as he spoke the next words, and the teacup in his hand vanished.

    "He simply appeared out of nowhere and shook the whole universe."

    "As for yourst question, kid... Hoho, do you think evil people need a reason to do bad deeds? Or maybe there is a reason, but I don''t know. After all, I am just one of the countless people who are living in this vast universe."

    The dwarf started grinning as he stared at Kyle and the others.

    "How about you kids go and ask him?"

    Jian stared back at him with a deadpan expression.

    "Don''t worry, I will personally go and have a face-to-face conversation with him."

    Zron''s grin widened.

    "Good good, I like your enthusiasm! So, do you all want to leave for now to prepare for your departure or should we first go and check the ethereal tunnel? I haven''t visited that ce and I wonder if it has enough resources to function..."

    Susan stood up and straightened his clothes.

    "It''s not far away, and I can draw a teleportation portal."

    "So I don''t think it would take us a lot of time to go and check it. Does anyone want to go together?"

    Jian raised his hand.

    "I wanna go! I have to do a lot of things, so I don''t think I will have time to go and see the ethereal tunnelter. So, take me."

    Sinon grabbed the arm of the red-haired man and pped his wings.

    "The name sounds pretty awesome, and I''m curious too, so I wanna go too. I believe the ce is not dangerous."

    Han also decided to go and visit the ce because he always liked discovering new things, and the ethereal tunnel really sounded otherworldly.

    Zron stood up and let out a tired sigh.

    "Why are you all so excited? The ce has been abandoned for a very long time, and it''s probably covered in so much dust that you won''t be able to see anything."

    "Hassh, all of you are making me feel old even though I am only a few hundred years older than you all."

    Susan''s eyebrow twitched as the dwarf wearily stretched his back as if he had shouldered the workload of countless individuals.

    Susan rolled his eyes and created a portal before looking at everyone nearby.

    "The ones who want toe with me, follow me, and the rest, please leave the tower of opportunity. Although it''s open to the public, it''s not a ce where you all should just barge into anytime!"

    He clicked his tongue and stepped into the portal before he appeared in front of a dark underground cave, leading even further into the darkness.

    He nced back and saw many people arriving behind him, one by one. In the end, everyone followed him.

    Kyle saw Zron yawning beside him and sniffed the air. He raised his eyebrow and let out an ''Oh''.

    "So, the ethereal tunnel is beneath the tower of opportunity?"

    Zron almost lost his bnce when he heard his words. He stared at the silver-haired man as if he had seen a ghost.

    "How did you know?"

    Kyle blinked and pointed at his nose.

    "My nose is a little sensitive."

    Zron''s eyes widened. He couldn''t believe a pseudo-divine rank nose was so strong.

    "This ce is covered with manyyers of barriers because the tower''s punishment chamber, where the guardians who harm the''s residents are punished, is on the other side. So, I''m really surprised you can sense that it''s beneath the tower!"

    Kyle ignored the dwarf and furrowed his brows as he nced at Susan, who had grabbed amunication crystal from his mind space to contact Yon and Jordan. After all, the duo was more knowledgeable than Susan about the ethereal tunnel.

    Alec and the others have started to look at the dark cave to check the ce out. Bia flew towards Mia and sat down on her shoulder, curiously looking at the cave structure.

    But Kyle paused and grabbed Zron''s arm before staring at the dwarf with a serious expression.

    "Zron. It''s faint but I''m sensing a familiar dark aura in this ce. Are you sure it''s safe?"

    The dwarf halted after hearing his words and quickly used his senses to explore the area, then shook his head.

    "You''re overthinking, Kid. I have a strong detection skill and I can''t sense any other living thing besides us here."

    Kyle''s expression became even more serious.

    "No, I''m not saying someone is here. I''m saying someone with a dark aura has visited this ce before us."

    Zron noticed his troubled eyes and quickly stopped everyone from entering the cave without him.

    "I''ll take the lead."

    Kyle watched the dwarf''s back as thetter took the lead. Just then, Yon and Jordan also arrived through another portal that Susan constructed.

    The duo, along with Susan, hurriedly followed Zron, and the others walked behind them, chatting faintly about the ethereal tunnel they were about to see.

    But for some reason, Kyle didn''t feel like going into the cave. The moment he used his scent perception skill, he sensed a very subtle scent of the dark shadow he had sensed with Istalian in the past.

    ''I can''t detect its presence, but just its scent... It feels like that dark thing stayed in this ce for a while, which is why its scent is still here.''

    Kyle pushed aside his growing anxiety and quickly joined the others before walking alongside Ray and Neon.

    But he kept an eye on his surroundings as they passed through the dark cave and entered a well-lit open space.

    There, they all saw a big stone tform in the middle with a round ss structure on top. It rose up towards a shimmering, see-through curtain.

 Chapter 448 I think we should go back!

    <h4>Chapter 448 I think we should go back!</h4>

    Zron''s eyes narrowed sharply as he took in the condition of the ce.

    The stone tform and the round ss structure, which should have been covered in dust, looked like someone had cleaned them thoroughly. And there were countless mana stones and various nts emitting mana scattered around the tform.

    ''No way...''

    He shot a quick nce at Kyle from the corner of his eyes, and a wave of unease washed over him. Something was definitely not right. And to top it off, the shimmering, see-through curtain that transported people to the Sacred Divine Land was now rippling with divine energy. Clearly, someone had recently infused it with power!

    Susan, Yon, and Jordan saw the same things and quickly moved to stop everyone before they got close to the stone tform with serious expressions on their faces.

    Jian furrowed his brows and asked Susan what was going on. However, Susan just brushed it off, saying it was nothing.

    Bia flew over andnded on the red-haired man''s shoulder to get a better view of the situation since Jian and Alec were in the front row with Han and Sinon.

    Kyle''s anxiety started to grow once again as he nced at the stone tform.

    "Guys, I think we should go back!"

    He raised his voice to make his point clear, and his voice sounded serious, not open to any refusal. Zron heard Kyle''s voice and waved at Susan with a stern expression.

    "You, gather everyone and lead them back. There''s nothing worth seeing here except for the tform."

    Jian clicked his tongue and grumbled quietly to himself.

    "It''s not like we want to stay. The ethereal tunnel is nothing special anyway."

    Susan let out a sigh, and everyone turned around to enter the portal that he created. Zron quickly climbed the tform to check the ss structure above it.

    But as the dwarf took another step toward the ss structure, there was a loud click, and the tform beneath him shook with a thunderous sound, causing the entire chamber to tremble with it.

    Almost with the speed of lightning, all the mana, divine energy, and the countless mana stones and mana nts scattered around the tform dissipated into tiny particles.

    The portal Susan created also faded into tiny particles before anyone could even leave through it. In an instant, everyone became alert as Susan, Yon, and Jordan shouted at them to leave through the cave they arrived from.

    Kyle''s face hardened as he quickly created a few portals, but all the portals dissipated the moment he built them. That''s why he also rushed inside the dark cave with everyone else.

    "Damn it! Damn it!"

    He cursed when the ceiling above their heads started crumbling. The cave turned suffocating as every speck of mana in the air transformed into particles and was greedily absorbed by the tform.

    Meanwhile, Zron froze in front of the ss structure and gasped when the see-through curtain above it started expanding at a speed visible to the naked eye.

    It rippled and started sucking everything in its surroundings with a maddening pull. Zron''s body turned into a mirage as he vanished towards the cave.

    "Someone messed with the ethereal tunnel, it''s going to st-!"

    His sentence was cut short because, with a sonic boom, a powerful wave of energy spread out in all directions.

    The deafening sound was enough to make everyone''s ears stop working.

    Then, a loud st echoed in the air as the entire ss structure above the tform shattered, and the stone tform itself started to disintegrate.

    The impact was so powerful that it shook the entire tower of opportunity above the underground chamber, causing the cave to crumble down on top of those inside.

    Many surprised cries echoed in the air, and Kyle''s eyes dted as he used his Ice Armor skill on everyone around him.

    An invisible veil of ice appeared on their bodies, but his skill dissipated within a split second. Gritting his teeth, he vanished towards Neon when he saw him almost getting crushed under the ceiling. But he spat out blood because the moment he used instant teleportation, the mana he used was forcefully sucked away, causing him to crash into Neon who was already struggling.

    Kyle shouted at Zron to do something, who was saving Han and Sinon. He spread out his blue mes in all directions, attempting to freeze everything.

    However, just like his skills, the icy mes also faded and turned into particles that were sucked in by the see-through curtain, which had started to tremble wildly.

    Alec, Jian, Mia, Susan, and everyone else used all their protective skills to protect themselves and the others around them, but they all cried out because, just like Kyle, their skills also dissipated into bright particles.

    -"Ahhh!"

    Kyle snapped his eyes toward the phoenix when she cried out and saw Jian, Bia, and Alec scrambling to grab onto something as their bodies were forcefully dragged toward the curtain that had started to spin with lightning-fast speed.

    Lara, Yon, Regius, Carcel, and Mia were trying to help the trio, but they were also being dragged toward the curtain. Kyle wanted to use instant teleportation, but his mind started buzzing and his eyes turned hazy. Zron let out a shout in that moment that jolted him out of the daze.

    "All of you, brace yourselves! I am going to use all my physical strength to forcefully destroy the curtain!"

    Thest thing Kyle had in mind was to use instant teleportation, so he vanished towards Bia and the others without caring about the pain he went through when his mana was forcefully sucked away.

    His vision blurred as he tried to grab onto the phoenix, but then Bia let out a cry and grew in size. In an instant, golden and crimson mes scattered everywhere, enveloping her in a barrier.

    However, she made a mistake because as her mes scattered, the curtain sucked in her divine energy and let out a howl.

    Just before Zron''s fists could touch the curtain, it ominously stretched out and swallowed the phoenix and the two people closest to her.

    Then, right in front of everyone''s eyes, the curtain broke apart with a loud rumble, shattering into countless pieces that scattered in every direction.

 Chapter 449 Now what would happen to them?

    <h4>Chapter 449 Now what would happen to them?</h4>

    Zron let out an angry cry and used his divine energy to make everything around hime to a standstill. His divine energy finally stopped dissipating now that the curtain had shattered into countless pieces.

    The crumbling structure of the cave and underground chamber came to a pause and the rocks and debris that were falling stopped mid-air.

    Alec gasped as the tip of a sharp boulder halted just inches from his shoulder. He took a deep breath and steadied his racing heart. As he looked around, he noticed that everyone around him was badly injured.

    Ray dragged his injured leg and stared at the ce where the curtain scattered into countless pieces with bated breath.

    "Kyle!"

    He cried out with a horrified expression. Noen also stared at the ce where, just a little more than a minute ago, he stood with Kyle, but now the silver-haired man had vanished.

    Sinon let out an angry shout as he repeatedly punched his fists into the ground. Kyle, Bia, and Jian were swallowed up by the curtain right before his eyes, and he couldn''t do anything.

    Regius quickly stopped him. He was feeling the same way, but he couldn''t let Sinon harm himself even more when his clothes were already dripping with blood.

    But before anyone could fullyprehend just what the hell had transpired in front of their very eyes and what they should do next, a faint ripple formed in the air.

    In the next second, a gem rolled out from beneath the ce where once the stone tform was present.

    Carcel looked at the gem''s pure white surface as it stopped in front of him. He hesitantly reached out to pick it up when everyone''s attention shifted to the gem. However, as soon as his fingers touched it, ripples appeared on its surface and it exploded into many white particles.

    The particles gathered to form a buzzing screen. In an instant, the screen flickered with countless colors as they merged and showed an image of a man with grey pupils staring back at all of them.

    Zron''s eyes turned red when he saw the man in the image. He knew who it was!

    But how was the man alive when his body was destroyed a long time ago?

    "You bastard!"

    Zron wanted to rip apart the screen created by the resonite gem, something he didn''t even possess.

    However, when he attempted to touch the screen, his hand simply passed through because it was just a recording.

    The man on the screen snickered and ran his hand through his jet-ck hair. He let out a menacing chuckle as everyone stared at the screen, holding their breath.

    "Yo, yo!? I wonder how much damage the little gift I left behind caused?"

    "Hehe, it''s a pity I can''t see it! However, I''m sure I took my revenge very brutally. Did the ethereal tunnel''s entrance st? Haha, I really want to know how many of the tower''s guardians died and how many were forcefully sucked into the curtain, only to be tossed into the vast universe?"

    The man''s grey pupils widened with amusement. Even though it was just a recording, his expression made it clear that if someone was seeing him on the screen, they had received his gift.

    "Tsk tsk, I know many would have survived. But don''t worry, I''lle back even stronger to eliminate the remaining guardians! This is my revenge now. Odiak should regret the time he ordered a group of pseudo-divine rank individuals to team up and kill me!"

    The man smirked as the screen cracked and scattered into thin air. Zron clenched his fists.

    "Darn it!"

    He cursed under his breath, but he knew the person he wanted to kill so badly right now had already left through the ethereal tunnel. The man even messed up everything before leaving to ensure that if any of the tower''s guardians ever stepped into this space, they would suffer the consequences.

    Alec nced at Zron as he stood up. His throat felt dry as he spoke up and asked the question that everyone wanted to ask.

    "Now... what would happen to them? The man on the screen said they would be tossed into the vast universe? But where...?"

    He clenched his fists and stared at the dwarf who nced back at everyone with an unreadable expression.

    Zron couldn''t tell the truth to the kids, not now at least, because he knew if he did, all of them would me themselves and it would hinder their growth.

    "I know the entrance of the ethereal tunnel has been destroyed, but its path is made of pure divine energy. It''s not something anyone can mess up easily."

    He paused for a moment.

    "The kids are strong, and all of them have reached the pseudo-divine rank. I''m sure they can handle the forces pulling them from every direction and they would go to the sacrednd."

    Ray dropped to his knees and let out the breath he was holding. So, Kyle would be fine, right? Han approached him and gave him a healing potion before holding his shoulder tightly.

    "Don''t worry, I know they will be fine. All of them know how to protect themselves."

    Alec clenched his fists and nced at everyone around him with a solemn expression.

    "Guys, let''s quickly do what we need to because we need to leave the as soon as possible! We can''t let Kyle, Jian, and Bia get into any danger, no way!"

    He turned his gaze towards Zron and pointed towards the chamber where the entrance of the ethereal tunnel was destroyed.

    "Zron, you can restore the ethereal tunnel, right? Please do whatever it takes to fix it because instead of searching for them aimlessly, it would be better if we all took the same path as Kyle, Jian, and Bia."

    Zron nodded with a serious expression, and Carcel stepped towards Susan.

    "What are you waiting for? Create a portal because we don''t have much time."

    Susan nced at Zron. He knew the dwarf was hiding something as he formed a portal, and everyone quickly left the cave. In the end, only the three tower''s guardians and Zron were left in the space, surrounded by an eerie silence.

    Susan''s expression turned grim as Zron stepped toward him. The rocks and debris that had been suspended in mid-air began to move away to clear the dwarf''s path, but he paused when Yon''s voice sounded from behind Susan.

    "Just spill it, would you? What''s going to happen to the kids?"

    "Will they really go to the sacrednd?"

    Zron closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm his nerves.

    "I don''t know. The path of the ethereal tunnel is stronger than its entrance, but... I know that bastard pretty well. Even if he couldn''t destroy itpletely, he would have damaged a major part of it."

    "I can just hope the kids don''t get separated or end up on a that has already been conquered by the shadow generals..."

    Susan massaged his temples as he sat down on his heels.

    "But how manys out there are safe right now, apart from the ones that are hidden from the outside world?"

    No one replied to his question as Jordan and Yon started checking the chamber to see how much resources and manpower they needed to restore the ethereal tunnel to its original state.

    Zron nced at Susan, who had a solemn expression on his face, almost as if he was thinking about something really important.

    "Hey, old man, are you worried about that silver-haired boy?"

    Susan held his knees and stood up.

    "I am, I am, even though he annoyed me a lot but I still am. Not to mention, he has something very precious inside his body, and if a greedy person sensed it, he would be in grave danger."

    Zron furrowed his brows.

    "What? He has something else inside his body? But I didn''t sense anything except for that soul-eating artifact, and he had gotten rid of that artifact, hadn''t he?"

    Susan let out a dry chuckle and shook Zron''s shoulder.

    "I wonder why as well? Maybe it''s because you are greedy? Anyway, now I know what I want to do. I''m going to leave the with the other kids to find him, or else my heart won''t be at ease."

    .....

    A while back, after Kyle was sucked into the see-through curtain with Bia and Jian.

    It was downright painful, and the thought kept echoing in his head as he fought to figure out where the heck his body was being pulled into.

    His green eyes shimmered brightly amidst the vast darkness that surrounded him from all sides. He tried his darnedest to stop himself from being dragged further into the abyss.

    And he was certain that he had broken a few bones in the process, but he simply was not able to withstand the powerful force that pulled him body.

    His pupils shook as he heard Bia''s voice in his head, crying out in confusion about what the heck was going on. But with all the chaos in that dark space, he couldn''t quite pinpoint where the phoenix was.

    After a minute, numerous bright, sizable holes appeared in the darkness.

    Those holes were the ones generating the suction force. In that moment, when the brightness cleared up Kyle''s vision a little, he finally saw Bia and Jian being sucked into one of the holes. The red-haired man was holding onto the phoenix tightly, shouting words that Kyle couldn''t understand.

    Kyle wanted to use his skills to grab Bia too, but it didn''t work out because his mana and divine energy were sucked in by the dark space around him.

    Nheless, he reached out his hand toward the phoenix''s body, and he swore his fingers touched her feathers.

    However, he just couldn''t grasp them because all the bright holes in the darkness let out screeching sounds that made his head ring.

    His eyes started to close due to the horrible sounds, and he lost consciousness, even though he tried his best not to.

 Chapter 450 It’s a human, I think?

    <h4>Chapter 450 It''s a human, I think? </h4>

    Kyle''s body felt weightless after he passed out, and the blinding light of one of the holes enveloped him from all sides.

    The swirling motion made his stomach churn, and after what felt like forever, his body was finally ejected out from the other end of the hole with a thunderous rumble.

    The sudden sound startled him awake, causing him to gasp for air and blink his eyes wide open, desperately trying to make sense of his new surroundings.

    At that moment, he was captivated by a mesmerizing sight��the countless stars shimmering in the dark expanse of space. However, he couldn''t fully appreciate it as the powerful ejection propelled him further into an unknown destination within the vastness of space.

    He gritted his teeth and tried to stop himself, to bnce himself in mid-air, but the force was just too strong. In the end, he spread out his mes, now that they had stopped dissipating because he had left the ethereal tunnel. The icy mes engulfed his body entirely as he was propelled backward. But when he forcefully turned around and saw a massive looming behind him, his racing heart almost stopped for a second.

    ''Oh, shit! If I crash now, my remaining bones will surely break too!''

    Kyle cursed the entire universe in his mind and used all his divine energy to create multipleyers of ice armor around his body. Then he buried his face and head inside his arms and braced himself for the impending impact, which he was certain would be excruciatingly painful.

    The air around him started to get hotter, even though he was surrounded by the icy mes. But the moment he passed through the outer boundary of the, his face turned pale as the smell of blood and flesh assaulted his nose from all directions. It was so repulsive that it made him gag.

    Kyle quickly shut down his senses, or else he knew he would pass out again from the stench alone. Right now he wasn''t really in a position where he could properly check his surroundings.

    After a while, his body crashed onto a solid surface, causing dust and debris to fly everywhere from the impact.

    Just like he thought, the impact was so strong that the ground beneath him caved in. Momentster, the dust finally started to settle, and he coughed up blood, his vision spinning from the whole ordeal.

    Pain was shooting through his entire body, and he couldn''t even move his limbs while hey inside the copsed ground. It made his already blurry vision even worse.

    Kyle let out a faint cry and dug his nails into his palms to stay conscious.

    One of his trembling hands tried to grab some healing potions from his mind space, but they slipped from his grasp and dropped onto his chest.

    However, he clenched his jaw and used the mana in his body to shatter the ss vials above him. The green liquid slowly trickled down his body, and he winced in even more pain as it started to heal his injuries.

    His breathing started to calm down as some of the injuries started to heal. Kyle closed his eyes tightly and after a while, he gathered some strength to grab a few more healing potions from his mind space to drink them this time. The liquid trickled down his throat, and he let out a sharp breath.

    "I swear... I''m... fuckin'' going to tear the person into thousands of pieces... who made me go through all this... shit."

    His eyes shone brightly with anger as he nced at his battered condition. The healing potions were healing his injuries, but he knew it would take at least an hour for him to recoverpletely. It''s rare for him to suffer so much, except for the time when the soul-eating artifact ate his soul. But now, he couldn''t help but nce at his luck state again and again.

    Did his luck take a nosedive for some reason? Why on earth was he suffering so much? For fuck''s sake, didn''t he get the nature''s favorite unique skill after his luck stat increased? So, why the hell is this happening!?

    Kyle''s thoughts came to a screeching halt when he saw a pair of crimson, beady eyes outside the spot where his body was sprawled out like a starfish.

    ''Oh, crap!!''

    He forgot to keep an eye on his surroundings because he blocked his senses due to the gross smell!

    In an instant, Kyle held his breath and stayedpletely still, hoping the white earring in his ear, which had been pretty useless recently, would hide his presence because he could sense the owner of the beady eyes wasn''t strong. But he knew he had caused quite amotion when hended on this, so there were probably a lot of people who saw him unless they were blind.

    That''s why, he hurriedly spread out his scent perception skill and sensed all the presences around him, and many more heading towards his location with fast speed.

    Kyle started sweating because all of them had the same disgusting scent he sensed from the dark race inside the secret realm. No, the scent was a lot stronger than the dark race! Not to mention, the strong scent of blood that oozed out from almost everywhere on the.

    ''Damn it! Damn it! Don''t tell me I freakingnded on a that''s been conquered by the dark race or the second subsidiary branch of the demon race?!''

    Kyle got ready to use instant teleportation when a raspy female voice sounded above him, along with a few others.

    "How strange... I can''t sense anyone. But I''m sure I clearly saw something enveloped in strange mes dropping from the sky."

    In the next second, a man with a pair of horns atop his head peered into the pit where he was lying. His crimson eyes twinkled with mirth as they met Kyle''s.

    The man''s lips curled into a beautiful smile as he let out a chuckle before gazing back at someone else.

    "Oh, it''s a human, I think? And he''s still alive."

    Kyle let out a dry chuckle that got stuck in his throat as he noticed several pairs of crimson eyes peering into the copsed ground, fixated on his body.

    The man with horns on his head jumped into the copsed ground and walked towards the human with a smirk that showed he was intrigued by thetter sudden appearance.

    He extended his ghostly pale hand, which stood in stark contrast to his dark clothes, to grab Kyle''s leg. But he halted when Kyle abruptly raised his leg as if he was about to kick him.

    Surprisingly, Kyle used that movement to propel himself up and stand on his feet. Then, he finally noticed the dark two-petal flower engraved on the man''s neck, and he knew he was totally screwed.

    The man arched an eyebrow, surprised that the human still had the strength to move despite all the injuries on his body.

    "Human, does that mean you are strong? It''s actually been a while since someone came to this."

    Kyle took a step back when more people jumped into the copsed ground.

    "So?"

    The man startedughing, and a woman with simr horns on Kyle took a step back when more people jumped into the copsed ground.

    her head paused behind him.

    She giggled and blinked at Kyle with a sweet smile.

    "Human, do you not want to introduce yourself? We are all here to wee you, anyway."

    Kyle chuckled and tilted his head.

    "I don''t need an introduction, and I won''t give one. Simple, right? Because I''m leaving. Goodbye."

    The woman opened her mouth to mock him. How could she let the prey that dropped into herp run away? But her smile stiffened when the human vanished from her sight.

    "Huh!?"

    Kyle appeared in an area filled with dry trees. He let out a sharp breath and quickly used his scent perception skill to check his surroundings.

    After a few minutes, he found a hidden underground tunnel tucked between many huge boulders.

    He quickly set up a concealment array outside the tunnel and hid inside the space, waiting for his injuries to healpletely. This way, he could leave the without any trouble.

    Kyle changed into a clean pair of trousers and a dark shade hoodie, then sat down with his legs crossed. The moment he closed his eyes, he tried to reach out to the phoenix.

    But even though he could sense Bia at a very far away ce, she didn''t reply to him. It was as if she couldn''t hear him clearly due to the vast distance or maybe she wasn''t conscious.

    "I need to find Bia and Jian first. I just hope they don''t end up in some dangerous ce. But at least they are together."

    He let out a sigh as he remembered Jian clinging to Bia''s body as if the red-haired man''s life depended on it. So, he was sure the duo would have gone to the same ce.

    Kyle drank another healing potion. Then he quietly started to recover his mana and divine energy. Completely unaware that after he vanished from the sight of the people who found him, a massive uproar erupted throughout the entire Aethstria.

    The same that has been ruled by the nightkin and dark race, the two subsidiary branches of the demon race, for the past fifty years after the fifth shadow general killed one of the strongest demi-humans in existence.

 Chapter 451 Planet Aethstria

    <h4>Chapter 451 Aethstria</h4>

    The nightkin race people who found Kyle were stunned when the human vanished into thin air right before their eyes.

    They started searching for the human because Aethstria was off-limits to the outside world due to the fifth shadow general, who had been staying on the to heal the injuries he suffered while fighting the strongest demi-human.

    That''s why Kyle''s sudden appearance was a shock to them, even though every nearby knew that Aethstria is very dangerous right now.

    Not to mention, it''s rare for people to have teleportation skills, but the human have such a strong teleportation skill!

    If they manage to find him, they could sell him to one of the twin divine-rank demons on the for a hefty price, all because of th human''s teleportation skill.

    The twin demons possess a unique ability. They can extract skills from anyone''s body. That''s why the duo is always willing to pay big for people with strong skills.

    After the nightkin race started searching for the human, the rumors about a silver-haired man with brilliant green eyes entering Aethstria spread like wildfire.

    The news reached the dark race as well, and how could they miss out on the fun? So, even though they had doubts about the rumors, they started destroying everything around the just to find the human before the nightkin race.

    Just within an hour, chaos erupted throughout the whole, with two different racespeting with each other just to find an unknown human.

    After the people of the demi-human race, the ones who used to rule Aethstria, were either killed or trapped by the dark race and nightkin race, life on the became pretty dull for the two races.

    So, Kyle''s sudden appearance ignited their spirit to hunt once again. However, no matter where they looked, not even a single person was able to find the silver-haired human, almost as if he didn''t exist at all.

    ...

    Inside a grand hall, bathed in a soft, dim light that cast long shadows across the stone walls. The air seemed heavy, and right in the center of the hall, there sat a magnificent throne. It was crafted from dark, weathered wood and adorned with ornate carvings and gilded ents.

    A man with dark, piercing eyes and pointy ears was sitting upon the throne. Onicuss, the fifth shadow general, let out a yawn. He was trying to rest, but he wasn''t able to due to themotion he could hear from outside the hall.

    He let out a snarl and narrowed his eyes to see just who the hell dared to disrupt his rest, and he saw the twin divine-rank demons pacing behind the doors.

    "What do they want now? I gave them permission to do whatever they want on this and leave me alone."

    His voice didn''t sound hoarse, but it had a hint of pleasantness to it. If it weren''t for the dark five-petal flower glowing on the back of his hand, he could have been mistaken for a normal elf who just gained a lot of strength.

    He rubbed his temples and got up from the throne, then gestured toward the entrance of the hall. Right away, the two massive doors shook and creaked open slightly to give the twin demons enough space to enter the hall.

    Onicuss watched as the two idiots, dressed in dark robes, entered the hall and quickly knelt before him. He tsked and took a seat to hear what the duo wanted this time.

    If they weren''t useful, he would have already disposed of them. After all, they are the only ones bold enough to disturb his rest.

    One of the demons flinched when he sensed the shadow general''s gaze on his head. But he knew that the general wouldn''t kill him or his brother because of the unique skill they possess.

    Still, he cleared his throat and, without wasting any more time, went straight to the point. Even though he and his brother were useful, he knew the man opposite him would kill them without a second thought if they wasted his precious time.

    "Master, we apologize for the disturbance. We just want a little help from you... Please use your strength and close off the for a while so no one can leave this."

    He didn''t dare to raise his head, hidden beneath the dark robe, and quietly waited for an answer with his brother, hoping the shadow general would agree.

    Onicuss let out a hum and raised his brow. He thought the duo wanted more rewards from him since they recently managed to extract a powerful skill from one of the strongest demi-humans he killed and presented it to him.

    "Why?"

    The two demons kneeling in front of him flinched again, as if they weren''t expecting him to agree so easily or maybe ask such a question.

    "It''s just that... we heard a human with a strong teleportation skill entered the, and we want to extract that skill... So, if master closes off the, he won''t be able to leave, and we would be able to find him."

    The news about the silver-haired human reached the ears of the twin divine-rank demons an hour ago.

    The moment the duo found out that the human had a powerful teleportation skill, they were tempted and started searching for him. However, even with their superior senses, they weren''t able to locate the human.

    At first, they thought the rumors were baseless and wanted to punish the people who spread them. But coincidentally, one of the nightkin race people who saw the human had the ability to show what he saw to others.

    After the duo saw the vision shown to them, they finally believed the words of the people who were dragged in front of them for punishment. Now they wanted to find the human, but they knew it wouldn''t be good if he somehow left the.

    In the end, the duo decided to seek help from the shadow general. But they were hesitant and wasted too much time outside the hall.

    Onicuss hummed with a bored expression. He was a little surprised that someone dared to step onto the even after knowing about his presence, but that''s it because he knew the human wasn''t a threat. Otherwise, he would have sensed thetter''s arrival.

    "A human you say?"

    The twin demons nodded their heads while not daring to look straight into the shadow general''s dark eyes.

    "Yes..."

    Onicuss rubbed his chin and waved his hand toward the demons.

    "It''s not hard to seal off the. I''ll do that... so go and find the human. I believe he is not strong and just someone who identally entered the."

    The two demons'' expressions lit up. They quickly thanked the shadow general for his help and left the hall.

    Onicuss stared at their fading backs and let out another yawn.

    "I will sleep after this..."

    He sighed and ced his palm beneath his chin before a dark beam of energy shot out from his other palm. The beam shot up towards the hall ceiling with lightning-fast speed.

    After just a few seconds, countless dark ripples started spreading all around the in the sky, which was already filled with gloomy clouds.

    Onicuss observed with his senses as the entire was enveloped in a faintyer of energy. Now, no one would be able to leave the without his permission.

    He closed his eyes and decided to sleep again because after another year, he had to leave this.

    Meanwhile, the twin demons started searching for the human once again. They also asked a lot of people under them to find the human, and whoever found him would get a huge reward.

    .....

    Completely unaware of themotion his sudden appearance has caused throughout the, Kyle stretched his body and slowly peeked out from where he was hiding. He let out a sigh of relief when he didn''t see or sense anyone nearby.

    "I need to leave this as soon as possible."

    He thought his injuries would heal in an hour, but it took longer than he expected, maybe because he broke a lot of bones and had many internal injuries.

    Regardless, he was sure that if it was another person who suffered such injuries, the person would have taken at least a few days to make a full recovery.

    He removed the concealment array and left his hiding spot. But after only a few minutes, he sensed many dark presences around him.

    "Why the hell are there so many people in this ce? I didn''t sense so many when I decided to rest and heal my injuries."

    Kyle quickly vanished in another direction, but once again, he sensed many people in his surroundings.

    He cursed under his breath and vanished towards the clouds to leave the. But his eyes widened with shock when ayer of energy stopped his path.

    "What the heck!?"

    He clenched his fist and tried to break or tear theyer of energy. But no matter how much he tried, it just didn''t budge.

 Chapter 452 Just what have I gotten myself into?

    <h4>Chapter 452 Just what have I gotten myself into? </h4>

    Kyle took a deep breath to calm down and red at theyer of energy in front of him. It barely rippled after he punched it so many times. He touched theyer of energy and attempted to teleport directly to the other side, but once again, he failed.

    He felt a presence behind him and looked back to see a floating woman. She had dark, beady eyes and bat-like wings.

    A smirk appeared on her face as she examined Kyle from head to toe, as if she had found a hidden treasure. Her nails were sharp and pointy, and dark veins were visible on her tanned skin where the tight fabric of her dress didn''t cover her body.

    Kyle''s brows furrowed as the foul stenching from the woman reached his nose. It had been a while since he encountered someone from the dark race, and he could not deny his difort.

    He could sense that the woman in front of him had pseudo divine rank strength. Kyle''s frown deepened as the pair of beady eyes locked onto him, and the woman let out a chuckle.

    "I found you! Haha!"

    He didn''t get what she meant, and he didn''t want to know either.

    Kyle was about to grab his sword to deal with her and avoid any more trouble. But then, she opened her mouth wide and let out a deafening scream that echoed everywhere, making his ears ring.

    ''The heck is wrong with her....?''

    He immediately got his answer when he saw countless dark dots filling the entire sky around him.

    Kyle squinted his eyes and nearly freaked out at the sight of numerous individuals with bat-like wingsing straight toward him from all directions.

    The woman''s eyes crinkled with amusement as Kyle''s expression turned solemn. She tried to attack him with her sharp nails, but a look of surprise crossed her face when the human swiftly moved back and effortlessly dodged her strike.

    She nced at her empty hand, which grabbed nothing but air, and let out a chuckle.

    "I knew it! I knew you are strong! How else could you stay hidden for so long? I am the one who found you first, human, so I am not going to let you go!"

    She pped her wings and tried to attack Kyle again, but he dodged her attack once more and fled in another direction. No, it''s not because he was scared of a single pseudo divine rank woman.

    He could handle her easily, but there''s no way he could handle the countless pseudo divine rank individuals approaching him from all directions!

    ''There are some divine rank individuals as well! Damn it, what did I do to offend them!? I just entered the not more than a few hours ago!''

    The woman stared at his back and let out a loud shout that echoed in all directions.

    "Do you think you can run away? Dream on!"

    She pped her wings and followed behind Kyle, who jumped in mid-air to dodge her attack.

    Kyle''s eyes shed with a glint, and he vanished from his spot. The woman halted in her position, ncing around to find the human. She let out a loud shout, realizing that the human had run away.

    She gritted her teeth, unable to believe she had let her prey, the same prey that could get her a huge reward, slip away from her hands so easily.

    At the same time, Kyle appeared in a distant ce filled with broken trees. The ground beneath his feet was deste, and he even spotted some crumbled stone structures in the distance.

    He let out a sigh and rested his hand on a broad, withered tree trunk to contemte his next move. He knew for certain that someone strong had sealed off the, preventing him from leaving. However, as he nced upward, he caught sight of a pair of ominous crimson eyes peering down at him from above the tree trunk.

    "Oh, hey..."

    The owner of the crimson eyes smirked at the human, who slowly stepped away from the tree trunk. The man''s pale cheeks stretched into a wide, creepy smile.

    Kyle let out a dryugh when he sensed that there were several other people around him as well, except for the man sitting above the tree trunk.

    "No, it''s bye I guess..."

    He vanished again before the man could attack him. This time, he appeared inside a crumbled structure that looked like someone''s house.

    Kyle quickly grabbed the edge of his hoodie and pulled it over his face. Only his eyes were visible as he peeked out from behind a half-standing wall to nce at the people floating in the distance. Some of them were from the dark race, and Kyle was sure that the people with pale skin and crimson eyes belonged to the second subsidiary branch of the demon race.

    "There''s something wrong. I feel like they are searching for me... But why? I need to confirm my suspicions."

    Kyle whispered under his breath and fixed his gaze on one of the unsuspecting men who had crimson eyes. He took a deep breath and drew a portal that materialized before him. Slowly, he stepped into the portal and appeared behind the man dressed in tightly-fitted blue clothes.

    He grabbed the man''s mouth and, before the other people nearby could notice, dragged the struggling man back into the portal that dispersed in the air.

    Kyle appeared inside another crumbled structure and used his fear skill on the struggling man, causing thetter to cease all movement and start trembling. Kyle lowered his voice and grabbed the man''s neck with his other hand.

    "If you make even a single sound... I''m going to kill you, got it?"

    The man nodded, and he tossed him aside. Kyle formed a ball of water and washed his hand with furrowed brows.

    The scenting from the people who had dark petals engraved on their bodies, he just couldn''t handle it because it always overwhelms his sense of smell.

    Kyle sat down on his heels and stared at the man whose already pale skin had started to turn purple under the fear skill.

    ''This skill has gotten a lot stronger... it''s very effective against anyone below pseudo-divine rank.''

    "So, I have some questions I want to ask. Just nod your head if you agree, or else I can just kill you and find someone else."

    Right away, the man opposite him scooted back a little and nodded his head vigorously. Kyle hummed, satisfied. It seems he should use the fear skill more often because he could see the man''s eyes starting to turn hazy with fear.

    "Okay, now tell me, are you and the people outside searching for me?"

    The man nodded again, and then Kyle asked why they were searching for him. But the answer he got wasn''t pleasant.

    "You mean there''s a big bounty ced on my head by some divine-rank demons because they want to extract the teleportation skill from my body?"

    Kyle rubbed his forehead, feeling a little distressed and bewildered. Within just a few hours, the entire was hunting him. Why? Just because of his teleportation skill?

    He had been chased by many people, and not just people, but monsters too. But not even in his wildest dreams, he thought that one day all the residents of an entire would be hunting him. He let out a wry smile and stared at the man.

    "Do you have know anything about theyer of energy surrounding the right now?"

    "Who created it, and is there a way to bypass it?"

    Kyle waited for an answer, but the man opposite him suddenly became quiet. In the next second, his hazy eyes started to clear up, as if he had just thought of something that gave him the courage to ovee the fear instilled inside him.

    "Why should I tell you... human!?"

    Kyle clicked his tongue, and the man opposite him froze in his spot as several ice spears materialized around him. Their sharp tips were just inches away from his neck. The man watched as the pair of bright green eyes peered at him, and the human across from him spoke in a cold voice that sent shivers down his spine.

    "I believe I asked you some questions?"

    But the information Kyle got after breaking one of the man''s legs wasn''t good at all.

    He crashnded on a where the fifth shadow general has been staying for years, and to make matters worse, the shadow general was the one who wrapped the in ayer of energy!

    Kyle waved his hand, and the many floating ice spears immediately killed the man opposite him.

    "Just what have I gotten myself into? One problem after another... I still have to find Bia and Jian."

    "I don''t even wanna think about Jian''s bad luck right now... I can just hope the duo don''t end up on a where the first shadow general or Azazeal is present..."

    Kyle smacked his mouth with a curse.

    "I shouldn''t think about the worst!"

 Chapter 453 Just a little more to go!

    <h4>Chapter 453 Just a little more to go!</h4>

    Kyle sensed a few peopleing towards the ce he was hiding, and he vanished in a different direction. He wandered among the copsed structures and avoided every person he encountered on the way.

    The gloomy sky above his head began to darken as the dark clouds concealed the faint light that barely made it through.

    Kyle stopped beside ake and pulled the hoodie down from his head.

    However, he didn''t dare to get close because he saw many skeletons scattered around. Plus, theke had started to dry up, and the remaining water inside was too dark to be called water. He released a sigh and settled behind a boulder to spend the night there since he did not sense anyone nearby, at least not in close proximity.

    "I should try using my mes to break through theyer of energy... maybe it will work? Just a small opening would be enough for me, because once I leave this, I can easily escape."

    He closed his eyes but snapped them open a minuteter when he sensed someone approaching from the distance.

    "Darn it! Don''t they need to sleep or have a home where their parents are waiting for them? It''s sote, and they are still searching for me..."

    "It''s only my first day on this, and I''m already frustrated from running around just to find a quiet and safe spot."

    Kyle vanished in another direction, but he screeched to a halt in mid-air when he saw a majestic castle amidst the barrennd, surrounded by many stone houses.

    His nose twitched as he used his scent perception skill, despite the difort, and sensed many powerful treasures inside the grand castle adorned with towering stone walls. He hasn''t smelled a single treasure on this since he arrived here, and now he sensed so many in a single ce... almost as if someone dumped the whole''s treasures inside the castle.

    Kyle nced at the dark aura surrounding the castle and, without a second thought, he turned around and fled in another direction.

    "No way am I going inside when this ce could very well be where the shadow general is staying."

    "I can fight a divine rank individual right now, but I''m sure the strength beyond that would be too much for me to handle."

    In that exact moment, inside the castle, Onicuss opened one of his eyes and his gaze traveled before he fixed his eye on the floating silver-haired human. His lips trickled upward into a smile as he whispered under his breath.

    "So, the human has another strong skill besides the teleportation skill?"

    He nced at his feet that had stepped on a fleeting transparent energy, a energy that shouldn''t have been visible to him because it was just someone else''s perception. However, he sensed it immediately the moment it entered his range.

    "A powerful skill that allows its user to smell everything in their surroundings."

    Onicuss let out a chuckle. It''s the first time he was d the twin demons sessfully extracted the transcendent rank awareness skill from the strongest demi-human body he killed. Now he could naturally sense everything as long as it was in his surroundings.

    He lifted his feet and the thing beneath dissipated into thin air.

    "How strange... I wouldn''t have sensed it because just as his senses were about to reach me, he suddenly withdrew as if he knew my exact location. But I still felt it... It''s a shame that even though I was trying to sleep, I couldn''t."

    He mused with interest and closed his eyes. But then he opened them again and rose from the throne. The tight-fitting grey attire on his body stretched as he started stepping toward the exit of the hall.

    Onicuss''s pointy ears twitched as a few individuals from the dark race, stationed outside the hall, greeted him with their heads bowed to the ground.

    They dared not look up and even held their breath in his presence. But his attention was captured by the silver-haired human who had already run far away from his castle in just a few seconds.

    Onicuss beckoned one of the individuals kneeling in front of him, and the woman freaked out when she saw a smirk on his face. It was a smile that only appeared on the shadow general''s face when he found something interesting that he wanted to y around with.

    "Just contact the twin demons and ask them to follow my presence. I think I found the human those idiots have been searching for so long."

    The woman heard his every word, but before she could nod, the shadow general had already vanished from her sight. She let out a relieved sigh and quickly left with the others to inform the twin demons.

    Onicuss appeared outside the castle in mid-air. He narrowed his dark eyes and spotted the human in a far away ce.

    Thetter had tucked his silver hair inside the hoodie, probably to stay as invisible as possible in the dark night. Onicuss rubbed his chin and floated towards the human slowly.

    "His presence is hidden from everyone below the pseudo divine rank for some reason... Oh, it''s because of the earring he''s wearing. It''s an artifact."

    He watched as Kyle started moving towards theyer of energy he created.

    "Don''t tell me he''s trying to break it? Haha, it''s not possible. Even a transcendent rank individual can''t break it, let alone a weak human who hasn''t even entered the true divine rank yet."

    Onicuss chuckled and watched as the human punched theyer of energy again and again, only to fail in the end. At that exact moment, he sensed two individuals behind him as he floated toward the human, but he ignored the duo because he knew they were the twin demons.

    He yawned and shook his head at the human''s effortless struggle before asking the twin demons behind him to go and quickly grab the human because it was getting boring.

    "I did say he can''t break it-!"

    Onicuss halted mid-sentence when bright blue mes reflected in his dark eyes. The mes surged all around the human''s body before quickly traveling toward theyer of energy with lightning-fast speed.

    .....

    A while back, Kyle looked around to make sure nobody was nearby. Then, in the next second, he used his divine energy to create the blue mes that surrounded him and quickly approached theyer of energy.

    He clenched his fist and punched theyer as the mes covered the area he hit. Kyle''s ears twitched when he heard a faint crack, and his eyes lit up.

    ''It''s working!''

    He punched theyer again with even more strength, using his divine energy to coat his fist. Under his eyes, the icy mes started to seep into theyer of energy, and ice started to form on its surface.

    ''Just a little more to go!''

    Kyle punched the same spot again as the mes covered his fist and theyer of energy in front of him. But then, a deep voice sounded beside him.

    "Oho, you are weak, but it seems you will be able to break it..."

    "Of course-!"

    Kyle''s eyes widened as he realized his mistake. He was supposed to be alone! So, who on earth asked him the question?!

    He vanished from his spot and appeared in the distance before he fixed his gaze onto the source of the voice.

    The first thing that caught his attention were the pair of dark eyes, and then he noticed the wide smile on the face of the elven man floating opposite him.

    Kyle clenched his fist and furrowed his brows. He failed to sense the man, even though thetter hade so close to him. Doesn''t that mean the person opposite him was very strong?

    ''But he looks quite ordinary...''

    Nevertheless, he moved back further and quickly sniffed the air.

    But just as Kyle suspected, he couldn''t detect anything from the man dressed in gray across from him, as if the man''s presence was merely an illusion.

    In the next second, Kyle moved his eyes toward the two individuals flying toward him from the distance.

    He wrinkled his nose as a disgusting stench of blood and flesh emanated from the duo, whose bodies were covered in dark robes and entered his nostrils.

    ''Ugh...''

    Kyle pinched his nose before he emptied the contents of his stomach. He quickly made up his mind to disappear in another direction but paused when the two individuals in dark robes started chuckling, albeit faintly.

    The twin demons stopped a little further away from Kyle because of the shadow general who had his eyes fixed on the human. However, the human ignored him and kept his eyes on the two demons who were whispering to each other.

    "Brother... we found the human, now he can''t escape! Hehe."

    "No, it wasn''t us who found him, it was our master!"

    Kyle''s face turned rigid when he heard the duo''s faint conversation.

    He didn''t even dare to look at the smiling elven man who had been boring holes into his body with his intense gaze.

    ''Don''t tell me this ordinary-looking elven man is the shadow general? But he doesn''t have any visible dark petals engraved on his body, and I can''t sense any dark energy from him!?''

 Chapter 454 I will give you a good spot among my servants.

    454 I will give you a good spot among my servants.

    Kyle slowly began moving backward in mid-air with a face that didn''t reveal his inner panic. His expression turned serious when the elven man started to move towards him. He blinked and used instant teleportation to disappear in a different direction.

    ''I am fucked!''

    Onicuss'' lips curled into a smirk as the human across from him vanished into thin air. He narrowed his eyes and raised his hand to envelop the space around him inside a barrier. Afortable wooden chair materialized beneath him in mid-air, and he sat down. Onicuss rested his palm beneath his chin as he watched the human with an amused expression.

    Meanwhile, Kyle didn''t dare to look back as he kept using instant teleportation to go to the other end of the. He was hoping to find an abandoned cave or something to hide in. But his eyes widened because after the third time he used instant teleportation, he realized that the scenery around him didn''t change at all.

    He clenched his hoodie, which covered his head, and slowly looked back at the man who had been watching him with an amused smile.

    "You... "

    Kyle''s shut his mouth when he sensed countless more people around him.

    The night sky started to turn even more ominous as individuals from the dark race and nightkin race began to fill the sky and surround the area from all sides. The air rumbled with the distant echoes of theirughter and cheers. It seemed they were delighted to have found their prey, the prey they had been searching for so long, all thanks to the shadow general.

    Kyle''s face hardened as he stared at the man, who he was now sure is the shadow general. He sensed many pseudo-divine rank and divine-rank individuals around himself.

    ''What does he want to do? I believe he alone is enough to finish me, so why? Don''t tell me this bastard wants to watch me struggle...''

    He knew he was in big trouble.

    No, if only it could be called trouble... he was literally floating between so many enemies that his chances of survival were almost non-existent. Not to mention, he still had no idea about the rank of the elven man sitting in the chair before him.

    Could he be a transcendent rank individual or maybe even higher?

    "Just when I thought things couldn''t possibly get any worse..."

    Kyle whispered under his breath in a faint voice, but he knew everyone around him heard him because the two dark-robed individuals floating behind the shadow general burst intoughter.

    He would be lying if he said he was not overwhelmed. He wanted to curse so badly, but had no idea who to curse... The only thing that gave him courage was knowing he was part of the future Nine saw.

    ''Damn, back then I was so sure that the future had changed because Nine told me about it. And now, I''m betting on that same future. Huh, honestly, getting beaten up by Alec and beating him in return is a lot better than dying.''

    Kyle almost wanted tough at his thoughts but held it in because he knew people around him would think he went crazy, seeing no way to survive.

    He pulled down the hoodie that was covering his head. His silver hair glistened in the darkness as he locked eyes with the elven man sitting on the chair in mid-air across from him.

    The man had been strangely quiet, but Kyle did not care. He got ready to face the worst nightmare of his life. After all, he had already tried to escape using instant teleportation, but he failed.

    "So, fight is it? Alright, let''s fight ''cause I don''t think I can escape."

    Kyle grabbed his sword from his mind space, but the shadow general only raised a surprised brow and waved his hand.

    In an instant, the twin demons behind Onicuss floated forward to fight Kyle. Not just the duo, but the countless people flying in the sky also surrounded the silver-haired human from all directions.

    Kyle''s face stiffened when the twin divine-rank demons attacked him with many other divine rank individuals. He blocked one of the attacks as his sword crashed with the pointy nails aimed at his heart, but he was just a pseudo-divine rank individual. That''s why he was pushed back in mid-air. As the second attack aimed at his heart arrived, he vanished toward Onicuss to at least wipe that disgusting smile off the man''s face.

    But he let out a frustrated shout when a barrier stopped him from approaching the man sitting on the chair, and many people flew forward to attack him.

    "The hell... I told you I would fight you! Why do I need to go through so many people just to reach you!? That''s not fair!"

    Onicuss rubbed his chin and narrowed his eyes at the human, who blocked another attack aimed at his back and vanished into thin air, only to appear behind one of the divine-rank individuals to kick them into a portal that materialized in the air.

    The air lit up with arrays of skills as they were thrown at Kyle. But everyone was growing increasingly frustrated due to the human''s teleportation skill.

    Kyle jumped back after he killed a pseudo-divine rank individual amidst the crowd. His ears twitched when he faintly heard the voice of the shadow general amidst all the sounds around him.

    "There''s something in your body I can''t sense... what is it, human? It''s strong enough to counter my perception... how interesting."

    Kyle''s face darkened. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    No way, he couldn''t let the secret of his bloodline be known to others, especially not to the shadow general! He still remembers how that woman who took Yue, Nine, and the others with her wanted to peer into his body just because she couldn''t exactly understand the essence in his body. The pain he felt in return was unbearable.

    He blinked and disappeared into the distance, away from the shadow general. Also, to divert the man''s attention from his body, he took out countless mana stones from his mind space and scattered them in the air around him. In the next second, many portals lit up in the air and illuminated the dark sky.

    Then Kyle used his fear skill. His eyes glowed a bit, and all those below the pseudo divine rank stopped in their tracks, and their eyes started to turn hazy.

    Kyle''s head throbbed, even though the skill didn''t require mana or anything else. He still had to concentrate to spread it out to such a vast space. Moreover, he noticed, with a clenched jaw, that he couldn''t maintain it for a long time.

    But he took advantage of the few seconds he got and used a big part of his divine energy to spread out his ice domain. Kyle felt his strength rising when an ice barrier spread out to enclose him and a lot of people around him inside a space that separates them from the surroundings.

    Kyle''s breath turned heavy. He knew his domain had the ability to make itself invisible from the outside world, and not many people can enter inside without his permission. But it consumed too much of his divine energy and mana, and he knew that to maintain it for a long time, he needs more mana and divine energy.

    ''That''s why I don''t use the powerful skills too often... they are useful but they require too much energy.''

    The people inside the domain watched as countless icicles formed around them, their icy sharp tips pointed directly towards their bodies. The air grew increasingly cold as Kyle clenched his fist, and the icicles shot out towards them with lightning-fast speed.

    Many people who were still struggling to ovee the fear skill cried out as the icicles prated their bodies. But in the next second, the air stilled and Kyle gritted his teeth when he saw a crack in his domain.

    ''Darn it! I thought he wouldn''t interfere!''

    He watched as the icy barrier started to shatter. All of a sudden, a chill ran down Kyle''s spine and he vanished from his spot. In his ce, Onicuss watched as his hand grasped nothing but thin air.

    "The human possesses yet another impressive skill. Now, I wonder how many more strong skills he has."

    Onicuss chuckled, but a look of disdain appeared on his face as he nced the injured people around him. He couldn''t help but feel repulsed by these weaklings who couldn''t even handle a single human who hadn''t even reached the divine rank yet.

    He raised his dark eyes, and the domain Kyle created shattered into countless pieces before fading into thin air.

    Onicuss watched the fading ice and nced at the panting and sweating silver-haired human across from him. He knew thetter had probably used up all his divine energy, and he wouldn''t be able to fight any longer.

    But for the first time in his life, he was so interested in someone. That''s why, even though he wanted to kill the human before him and extract all his skills, he offered him a way to survive.

    "I have to admit, you are strong. I will give you a good spot among my servants. So, how about you sign a contract with me, human?"

 Chapter 455 Its bearable

    455 It''s bearable

    Kyle let out a chuckle and tried his best to calm his breathing. He had no idea what contract the man opposite him was talking about�� but one thing was for sure, he had no ns of bing someone else''s servant. Not in this life, at least. Sweat glistened on his hairline, even though his body had started to turn colder with each passing second.

    He ran his fingers through his hair and checked the remaining mana and divine energy in his body.

    ''Not much... huh, not even enough to finish one third of them.''

    Kyle nced at his hands, trying to sense the bloodline within his body. The bloodline that had turned eerily silent from the moment he entered this.

    ''It''s not enough... I am not strong enough. But instead of waiting for death, it''s better to give it my all. It''s dangerous... but maybe if I use my essence to injure the shadow general, I will be able to leave this in one piece.''

    Onicuss smiled as he watched the human opposite him, who had be quiet. Not just the human, but all around him, the air turned silent as the twin demons and all those who were ready to fight Kyle once again stared at the shadow general with bewildered expressions. No one had any idea as to why he wanted to take an unknown human under his wing.

    Amidst the silence, time trickled by and after a minute, Onicuss''s patience started to wear thin. He peered at Kyle with a smile that didn''t reach his eyes.

    "So, what''s your answer, human?"

    Kyle nced at his hands one more time. He really hated it when he had no way out. It frustrated him that he felt powerless, to the point where a man who couldn''t even live his life without his owner''s permission could run all over him. He blinked and tilted his head to stare directly into the pair of dark eyes peering at him.

    "I would have agreed... Only if the stenching from you wasn''t so repulsive."

    "And besides, I despise working under others, especially not under a man who himself is a ve to someone else and doesn''t even know when he will die just because his owner wants it."

    Onicuss''s smile faded, and his dark eyes grew even darker. The air around him quivered, causing the twin demons who could sense his mood to quickly retreat. The duo even silently ordered all the people floating nearby to move away because they knew that now the shadow general was angry.

    Kyle also sensed the air around him tense, but he did not stop as he channeled his mana and covered his body in a faintyer of ice armor. He clenched his fists and grabbed his sword.

    "I am not going to be your servant, not yours, not anyone else."

    "You have so much power, but what''s the point when in the end you have to bow to someone else? You don''t even have the right to decide for your life."

    "I pity you-!"

    Kyle''s words were cut short when a powerful gust of wind neared his stomach so fast that he could not even react. He was only able to sense the attack when Onicuss'' fist collided into his stomach, and he was flung backward in mid-air.

    Kyle gasped with wide eyes as the air from his stomach was punched out. It was painful, so much that his vision blurred, yet he still tried to stop his body in mid-air. But before he could, another attacknded on his stomach, and his body was hurled downward with lightning-fast speed before crashing into the barrennd with a resounding boom.

    Onicuss rubbed his wrist and unclenched his fist. He gazed down at the cloud of dust that emerged from where the human''s body crashed.

    "Huh, you pity me? You?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He sneered. In the next second, the night sky lit up as shimmering particles spread out from his palm, brightening the space around him. All the people around Onicuss quickly retreated further back in mid-air as the man nced at the silver-haired human who once again started floating opposite him.

    Kyle wiped the blood oozing out from his mouth and nced down at his stomach where a massive injury was peeking out from his torn clothes.

    He shook his head to clear his vision and attacked the shadow general, despite his whole body screaming with pain.

    "Ha... You have no idea how much I want to kill you right now... But I am not able to."

    Onicuss snickered and tilted his body to dodge Kyle''s fist, but then the human vanished from his sight. He chuckled, and his body disappeared into a blur as Kyle''s sword phased through the ce where the shadow general should have been.

    Kyle raised his head and watched with bated breath. In the distance, Onicuss grabbed his cor with both hands, smoothing out the few wrinkles before staring at the human with a cold smile.

    "Me too. I want to kill you so badly as well, and believe me, I can. A single attack is enough. But I won''t, because I want to see you beg for it... you know what?"

    His body turned into a blur again as Kyle attacked him once more. In that exact moment, a deep voice sounded in Kyle''s ears as someone tightly grabbed his shoulder.

    "Death."

    Kyle gritted his teeth upon hearing a cracking sound from his shoulder. His whole arm felt numb, and he knew the bone in his shoulder had been forcefully twisted enough to break it.

    ''Damn! It''s painful!''

    He clenched his other fist and punched the person behind him, but his body was thrown forward in mid-air when a kicknded on his back before his fist could even touch Onicuss.

    Onicuss chuckled when the human managed to maintain his bnce in mid-air and red at him with eyes that screamed he wanted to kill him. He felt satisfied for some strange reason when he saw Kyle''s bloodied condition.

    "I like the fire in your eyes. The eyes that I will dig out and feed to the monsters after you take yourst breath."

    Kyle gritted his teeth and moved his shoulder, trying to alleviate the pain a little. He clenched his jaw, refusing to let out even a single noise as he retrieved several healing potions from his mind space. The ss vials shattered in his hand as he threw the liquid onto his body. Amidst the stinging pain, he nced at the man standing opposite him.

    "Your eyes aren''t too bad either... How about you dig them out first?"

    Onicuss let out a sigh and shook his head at the human''s bold remarks.

    "Of course, it wouldn''t be fun if you lost so easily. I want to see just how long you can hold on before you beg me to kill you."

    Kyle narrowed his eyes as Onicuss disappeared from his sight. He tried to use instant teleportation to vanish as well, but before he could, someone grabbed his leg and forcefully dragged him back.

    Onicussughed as the human let out his first scream and blood trickled down from Kyle''s upper body. He knew how painful it could be when someone''s body was pulled out from the void that teleported them to another ce. No, not because he had experienced it, but because he has a simr skill that allows him to enter a secret space.

    Nheless, he mused, as he had actually thought he wouldn''t be able to grab Kyle in time. It seemed the human had exhausted all his divine energy and had resorted to using his mana to fight back.

    "The teleportaion skill is strong but dangerous at the same time, isn''t it?"

    Kyle clenched his jaw and kicked the man with his other leg. Surprisingly, Onicuss let him go before he could even struggle, but he couldn''t maintain his bnce and crashed down once again.

    His bodyy amidst the floating sand and dust as another crater formed in the ground due to the impact. Kyle spat out blood, which stained his jaw and neck red, and struggled to clear his vision. He clenched the sand around him and took a deep breath before grabbing another healing potion from his mind space. However, he noticed that his injuries weren''t healing as fast as before. His whole body was covered in blood, and he had no strength left.

    ''I can''t... I can''t give up. Not until I know Nine, Yue, Bia, and Jian are safe...''

    Onicussnded beside him and sat down on his heels with a smirk.

    "Does it hurt? Do you want me to make it less painful?"

    But his expression darkened when Kyle chuckled and stared into his eyes.

    "It''s bearable... you are not as strong as I thought..."

    A vein bulged on the shadow general''s forehead. He couldn''t believe that even in such a condition, the human had the strength to talk to him like that. Onicuss stood up with a dark expression.

    "Very well. Very well."

 Chapter 456 Why is he here?

    456 Why is he here?

    Onicuss clenched his fist and attacked Kyle''s heart, a spot he had been avoiding so the human wouldn''t die too early. But now, the human was getting on his nerves to the point where it bothered him in an unpleasant manner.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed into slits as his ears picked up the faint rustling of the wind. In that moment, his eyes started glowing and he managed to fix his gaze on the fist rapidly closing in on him.

    ''Damn it!''

    He strained his muscles and used his agility to its fullest to move away on the ground as Onicuss'' fistnded an inch away from him. In an instant, thend sted into many pieces as the shadow general shifted his gaze to locate the human who had once again vanished into thin air.

    Kyle coughed up more blood as thest remnants of mana in his body dissipated, just like his divine energy after another usage of instant teleportation. His body crashed to the ground just meters away from Onicuss, who stepped towards him with a raised eyebrow.

    "Ugh..."

    Kyle grabbed his knees and managed to stand on his feet, but then he saw another attack heading towards him. He stumbled backward, attempting to block the attack, yet he couldn''t do it in time. However, just as Onicuss'' hand was an inch away from his heart, under the watchful eyes of many, a blue shield zoomed out from his chest and stopped the shadow general''s attack.

    Immediately, a loud sound echoed through the air as Onicuss'' narrowed his eyes and his hand collided with the shield, which shimmered in the darkness.

    Kyle also nced at the familiar shield. It had been a while since he had seen it, as it hadn''t been very useful to him after he found it in the ancient realm. Then he raised his eyes to fix his gaze on the man opposite him.

    "Ha... That was close..."

    Onicuss let out a snort and attacked once again, this time with a little more strength. Kyle''s breath hitched as the blue shield shattered into countless fragments right before his eyes, and the impact sent his body flying several meters back.

    His body rolled in mid-air, and his feet skidded on the ground as he desperately tried to maintain bnce with gritted teeth. However, his vision started to blur as blood rushed to his head, causing him to drop to his knees.

    He raised his head and nced at the figure d in grey. Onicuss let out a smile and gazed down at him.

    "So, do you want to die yet, human?"

    Kyle''s fingers twitched as he reached out for his sword, which trembled in the distance, far from his body. He had been gathering his essence since the beginning of the fight. It was very hard to focus on multiple things at once, but he somehow managed to gather a few particles. He just hoped the essence would at least injure the man standing across from him.

    Kyle knew the secret of his bloodline would be revealed once he used the particles, but right now he didn''t give a damn. His life was what mattered most, and he couldn''t let the person who is trying to kill him walk away unscathed.

    His eyes turned nk as he contemted the worst oue. If he were to die today, what would be the point of having such a strong bloodline? It would be meaningless.

    He needed to use it to kill or injure the one who made him so miserable, just to reassure himself...

    Onicuss watched as Kyle''s fingers beckoned the sword in the distance. The shadow general couldn''t help butugh at the human''s final struggle. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Nevertheless, he found amusement in the fact that he had never met someone so incredibly stubborn in his entire life. The human knew that he would die, yet he refused to submit like all the others Onicuss had encountered thus far.

    "Do you still think you can fight back?"

    "How pathetic. Can''t you see you are already at death''s door? Your breath is leaving your body, human."

    Kyle''s eyes crinkled, even though his whole body was screaming with pain. His clothes were torn and countless massive injuries covered every inch of his body.

    "I don''t think... I can let you live..."

    He whispered with a barely audible voice, but due to the silence, everyone floating in the air heard his words loud and clear.

    Onicuss''s lips curved upward into a smile, and he deliberately let out a gasp.

    "I''m so scared. What are you going to do? Punch me or stab me with the sword you are secretly reaching for?"

    "Oho, you picked the de?"

    Kyle grabbed the sword and watched as Onicuss stepped back. In the next second, the elven man coated his fist with ayer of energy that had a pure white color. The shadow general''s eyes showed that he thoroughly enjoyed Kyle''s struggle.

    "Human, tell me your name. I''m giving you a chance to be remembered by me because you made my day today."

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed as he pushed his body up to stand on his feet. Immediately, he wobbled as blood trickled down his body and almost lost his bnce again. But he managed to stabilize himself by stabbing the sword in his hand into the ground. He nced at the shadow general.

    "You want to remember me? Alright, it''s Kyle... my name. Don''t you ever forget this name because I will be the one to kill you."

    He meant what he said, even if he would have to die under the countless people around him after injuring the shadow general. He wouldn''t regret it.

    Onicuss''s expression hardened when he saw the confidence and hint of arrogance in the human''s eyes, which seemed to shine even brighter, almost as if they were burning.

    "Kyle? A good name, I must say. But has no one ever told you that you are very annoying and have a knack for getting on others'' nerves?"

    He watched as the human clenched one of his fists and let out a strained chuckle.

    "Maybe... my mind is too hazy to recall such little details."

    Kyle quickly grabbed the sword he had stabbed into the ground. However, he caught Onicuss off guard by hurling the sword in a different direction. Then he leaped towards the shadow general. As he clenched his fist, a surge of excruciating pain shot through his spine. But he focused on the few blue particles he had gathered inside his body and controlled them, so they would move towards his fist.

    ''Now... everything depends on the essence in my body...''

    Onicuss chuckled and swayed his neck from side to side as he locked his eyes on Kyle. He knew better than to underestimate his enemies, especially the humaning at him, who had continuously surprised him. He was aware that the human must have something up his sleeve, which exined his confident lunge.

    That''s why he used a significant portion of his strength as he raised his fist envelope in white energy to match Kyle''s attack. The power he used was enough to severely injure a divine-ranked individual, let alone a badly wounded pseudo-divine human.

    However, what happened next surprised Onicuss once again.

    He watched as Kyle approached him, but then suddenly, the human''s face disyed an expression that he had not seen since their first encounter. The expression of dread and utter disbelief.

    Onicuss wondered what happened in just a split second for the human to change his expression, but yet again, he was surprised when Kyle''s fist collided with his. He felt a faint tickle on his knuckles and watched as the human was flung backward. Kyle''s body skidded on the ground for a minute before his back crashed into a boulder with a resounding boom.

    The shadow general looked at his fist in utter confusion. So, the human''sst attack didn''t mean anything?

    Onicuss couldn''t believe his prediction about how Kyle would use a powerful attack or secret artifact against him waspletely wrong.

    "....?"

    But after a few seconds of silence, he burst intoughter so loud that the air around him quivered. Seeing the shadow generalughing, everyone floating in the air also started tough at the human.

    Amidst the countless noises, all of a sudden, the mana and all type of energies on the started to dissipate.

    Onicuss''s smile vanished when the ck five-petal flower engraved at the back of his hand started to emit intense heat.

    He snapped his head up toward the dark sky, which began to brighten up with a deep red and purple hue, enveloping the entire in its embrace.

    All of a sudden, everyone floating in the air started gasping for air, and Onicuss let out a shocked cry. His forehead turned sweaty, and his hands started trembling as he lowered his head, not even daring to gaze at the sky that started to tear up with countless cracks.

    "No... why is master here!? Why!? No one had seen him for so many years..."

 Chapter 457 He was here, right?

    457 He was here, right?

    The people in the sky, including the twin divine-rank demons, plummeted to the ground when a tremendous force descended on the.

    Countless panicked cries echoed in the air as thend beneath them also started to crack. Then, spatial tunnels started forming in the air as violent currents surged out of them, sucking everything in their surroundings inside.

    The dark sky soon turned murky with a mixture of purple and red hues that danced around like electricity. At that very moment, a colossal crack ripped through the sky, stretching wider and longer with lightning-fast speed.

    Onicuss''s eyes quivered as he instinctively knelt because the ck five-petal flower engraved on the back of his hand had begun to react once more, urging him to bow in front of the powerful presence. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    His strength felt insignificant as a cold and empty gaze, which sent shivers down his spine, bore down on his back.

    He cursed at the twin demons as they started fleeing in different directions, along with many other divine-rank individuals. The gaze was so powerful that all those with strength lower than pseudo-divine lost consciousness under its influence.

    If only someone looked up right now, they would have noticed the massive, obsidian eye with two purple slits in the middle peering out from the colossal crack.

    The eye possessed an aura of detached indifference as it surveyed the, yet a ripple of disturbance traversed its vacant gaze when it couldn''t find what it was searching for.

    After a few seconds, which felt like an eternity to those under its gaze, the eye closed, and the crack began to mend itself. Onicuss breathed a sigh of relief as the gaze on his back faded and the countless spatial tunnels around him started disappearing one by one. But the shadow general''s thundering heart nearly leaped out of his chest when he nervously nced upward and saw a figure materializing in the sky, as the red and purple hues converged together.

    Onicuss couldn''t help but let out a hup at the sight, his body swaying as he fought to maintain his bnce. Despite his restless heart, aplete figure materialized from the red and purple hues within seconds, dressed in a in white shirt and dark trousers.

    It was a young man, no older than twenty, with purple eyes and ck hair. The man stared down at every person on the before fixing his empty gaze upon Onicuss, who scrambled to make sense of what the heck was happening.

    His form disappeared, only to reappear before Onicuss in an instant. The shadow general bowed his head until it touched the ground to greet him, but the man appeared indifferent as his gaze swept across the deste and ravaged terrain that surrounded them.

    Onicuss whispered under his breath as he discreetly raised his head to gaze at the man opposite him.

    "Mast...er?"

    However, he soon realized that the person in front of him wasn''t exactly the same he had met in the past.

    More precisely, the man''s appearance looked a little off because he seemed like just an ordinary human... only if one ignored his empty eyes.

    Onicuss shut his eyes as a deep and resonant voice came out from the man''s lips, and he strode forward in a particr direction where a tent had formed in the middle of a massive boulder.

    "He was here, right?"

    Onicuss had no idea what he heard because his head was a jumbled mess.

    "Huh...?"

    He cleared his mind of all unnecessary thoughts and tried to grasp the man''s words. Yet, even after understanding them, he couldn''t help but ponder over whom the man was referring to. However, when he raised his head and saw where the man was going, a sudden realization dawned on him. He stuttered as he hurriedly stood up and followed the man from a distance of one meter.

    "Th...at human...?"

    Onicuss held his breath with a pale expression when the man walking in front of him nodded.

    ''Wahhhh, but I killed that human!? Right now, I can''t even sense his presence... Don''t tell me... he is someone master knows...? No no no, I am dead if it''s true!''

    He screamed internally as he watched the man who waved his hand to clear the dust and bent down to inspect the tent on the boulder. Onicuss let out a frightened gasp when the pair of purple eyes turned around to gaze at him, and the man stood up.

    "He was here, but I guess he escaped. I can''t believe he risked his life and used the spatial tunnels that were created due to the presence of my original body. If he used the tunnel... he probably went to the no manand."

    Onicuss watched as one of the man''s hands started fading into a red and purple hue, but it stabilized once again when the man blinked and nced at his hand while speaking.

    "What''s your number?"

    Onicuss answered with a barely audible voice, feeling aggrieved that his master didn''t even know his name.

    "5th..."

    "So, you are thest one? I was wondering why you are so weak."

    Onicuss felt his knees weaken as the man grabbed his shoulder and looked at him with a face that held little to no emotion.

    "Increase your strength because you just made an enemy of my future friend. Just a few more years and he''s going to be someone who will mercilessly kill everyone who ever dared toy a finger on him."

    Onicuss stuttered with a stunned and bewildered expression.

    "... friend?"

    Just when the hell did his master, the person he barely even saw twice in his life, have a friend?

    ''Wait, hold up, master said future friend... does that mean that silver-haired human is someone master''s going to know in the future?''

    Onicuss watched with a nk expression as the man began floating towards a round portal that materialized in the air.

    "I shall take my leave and go meet him because my body is made of pure energy. It won''t remain stable for long and will soon return to my original form."

    The moment the man stepped into the portal and the portal vanished into thin air, Onicuss dropped to his knees and let out a sharp exhale to calm his heart. In just a day, he had experienced so much and his mind couldn''t fullyprehend it, no matter how hard he tried. He quickly used the ck five-petal flower engraved on the back of his hand to contact the other shadow generals.

    "I need the inform them all, master... Azazeal hase out from his seclusion after all these years."

    He lowered his voice as he mentioned the man''s name, the one who didn''t even bother to remember his name.

 Chapter 458 Dont ever look for me

    Chapter 458 Don''t ever look for me

    A while back, Kyle felt his heart thundering in his chest as he nced at his own fist with disbelief. He screamed in his head with a desperate expression, hoping that the few blue particles he had gathered inside his body after so much struggle would heed hismand.

    But they did not. They coursed inside his arm for a split second, but when he neared the shadow general, the particles quickly returned back to his mind space and refused toe out again.

    Kyle''s fist collided with the shadow general''s, and he heard the clear sound of his knuckles cracking. Not only his knuckles, but he also felt the bones in his entire arm breaking from the impact as he was flung backward. His body came to a halt only when it collided with a boulder. The pain was excruciating, rendering him unable to utter a single scream.

    As his body skidded down to the ground amidst the dust, a trail of blood was left behind on the surface of the boulder. His fingers twitched as his breath started to fade with each passing second. His vision grew dim, and this time he didn''t fight to stay awake. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The only question echoing in his mind was why? Why didn''t his essence obey him? Wasn''t he the owner... so why? Deep down, he knew that his chances of survival were slim after he used his bloodline, but if his essence had just helped him, he wouldn''t have any regrets. He could have injured or perhaps even killed that bastard who sought to gouge out his eyes. It''s not like there was any other option...

    Amidst the haze and pain, a faint voice echoed in Kyle''s head. It sounded familiar, very familiar. He tried his best to grasp the voice that started to break as his consciousness started to fade.

    -''Kyle...? Kyle?''

    -''It''s Bi...a, can you hear... me?''

    Bia''s voice sounded very concerned because, due to the distance, she wasn''t able to feel Kyle''s emotions or presence properly. She lost consciousness after she left the ethereal tunnel andnded on an unfamiliar. It was fortunate that even though the shended on with Jian was conquered by the dark side, a group of people who were still fighting for the saved her and Jian. They took them to a safe ce before the duo met their demise at someone''s hand.

    Bia just regained consciousness, and the first thing she did was to use all her focus to contact Kyle. She wanted to make sure he was okay because Jian didn''t let her leave the alone.

    Kyle''s ears twitched a little when the air around him started to stir for some reason. But his attention was diverted because his head started ringing when someone called out his name loudly again and again.

    -''Kyle!? You basta...rd! Reply or else I''m going to b...eat you up!''

    -''Why aren''t yo...u saying anything!?

    Bia''s voice cracked when she didn''t get any response even after calling out his name so many times. She even cursed, but he stayed quiet. Instantly, dread crept inside her heart, and she let out a loud scream in his head.

    Kyle gasped, and his eyes snapped open wide, their clear surface now marred with many red veins. He blinked to shake off the haze covering his mind and sight, so he could focus on the voice ringing in his head.

    ''Bia...?''

    The phoenix''s tense voice visibly rxed when she heard his voice. Sheined about why he wasn''t replying but stopped only after a few seconds because she finally focused on the tremor in his voice as he called out her name. It was as if it took his all just to utter a single word.

    -''Kyle...? Are you okay?''

    Kyle let out a faint breath, his brows furrowed in concentration as he tried his best to close off all his senses andpletely focus on Bia''s voice.

    ''I am... fine.''

    -''Are you sure?''

    Bia''s voice turned silent, but now that Kyle regained his sight, he deliberately forced himself to not sound like he was in pain.

    ''I am fine. You... tell me about yourself.''

    His voice wavered in the middle because all of a sudden he heard many panicked cries around him and a suffocating pressure descended on his body.

    Kyle nced upward and watched as the entire sky above him started to fill up with red and purple hues.

    -''I am okay... Jian too. Wended on a dangerous, but we found a good ce to hide. I wille find you-!''

    Bia''s words were cut short because Kyle abruptly stopped her in the middle.

    ''Don''t...''

    ''Just go to the sacred divinend with Jian. I wille to find you two... when I''m done here.''

    Kyle wanted tough at his own words because he wasn''t even sure if he would be alive to see the next morning sun with his condition.

    But he was d for the first time that the phoenix couldn''t sense his emotions at the moment. His eyes started to sting as tears welled up in them.

    ''Bia, remember, don''t ever look for me, or else I will never talk to you... I wille to find you. I will...''

    The phoenix went silent for a moment, then she started bombarding his head with many questions.

    -''Where the hell are you? What do you mean I shouldn''t find you!?''

    But before Bia could even get a single answer, Kyle blocked out her voice from his mind. And to make sure she wouldn''t leave Jian and start searching for him alone, he quickly drew a symbol in the air with his gaze alone. The symbol glowed and then entered the back of his hand before disappearing inside his body.

    ''Now she won''t know, at least not for a few years, if I die today...''

    He wasn''t sure if that amount of time would be enough for Bia to forget about him, but at least the crybaby wouldn''t be crying as much as she would right now.

    After all, time had the power to make the memories fade away.

    He closed his eyes and many familiar faces shed through his mind... Yue, he wasn''t even able to find her. His family, would they ever find out-!

    Kyle''s thoughts came to a screeching halt when all of a sudden the air beside him started to twist. He opened his eyes and watched with bated breath as a round tunnel formed in mid-air just a little distance away from him.

    Violent currents surged out from the tunnel, and it started sucking everything in its surroundings inside.

    ''The hell...''

    He narrowed his eyes and tried his best to look towards the spot where the shadow general was supposed to be. Due to the pain, his mind forgot to process the fact that the elven man had note to check on him. However, before he could get a clear look, his body started getting pulled towards the tunnel because of the strong suction force.

    ''Now what''s going on? It seems like I can''t even have a moment of peace...''

    He wanted to grab onto something nearby to stop himself from being pulled towards the tunnel because he could see that the currents in the tunnel were too intense. No way he would be able to fight them and stay alive in his current condition. But the pain coursing through his body and hisck of energy prevented him from doing so.

    Kyle''s struggle came to a halt when his eyes identally wandered toward the sky, where a massive crack formed and an obsidian eye with two purple slits peered out from the crevice.

    He held his breath as he locked his gaze onto the eye. In that split second, he made a decision��to let the tunnel suck him in, no matter if his body could bear it or not. Well, he would die either way, so the method doesn''t really matter to him anymore. But at least no one would be able to extract his skills or dig out his eyes.

    Moreover, he has a minuscule chance of survival if his luck stat somehow kicks in, although it has been rather uselesstely.

 Chapter 459 No mana land I

    Chapter 459 No manand I

    Deep within the heart of a vast forest, the trees stood tall and proud, basking in the gentle sunlight streaming through the veil of clouds. They were surrounded by patches of blossoming flowers.

    But the leaves of the trees, as well as the petals of the flowers,cked their usual vibrant shades. Instead, they appeared as muted gray. This unique color, contrasting against the brown earth, gave the forest an eerie and mysterious ambiance.

    The air in the forest seemed to move at a leisurely pace.

    However, there was a noticeable absence of vitality and all types of energies, almost as if the very essence of life was missing. This left the forest with an iplete and deste atmosphere.

    The calmness of the forest was shattered as a strong-built elderly couple, with striking blue pupils and crests on their heads, d in leather clothes, made their way through the trees. They chatted while collecting flowers in the baskets strapped to their backs, seemingly unfazed by the forest''s unusual colors, which created a surreal atmosphere.

    The couple soon encountered a bizarre creature that didn''t have a defined shape and had a color simr to molten steel. Its body was constantly shifting and flowing, like liquid metal in motion. And amidst the flowing liquid, a pair of fiery eyes glowed, giving it a menacing look.

    The old woman paused and quickly stopped her husband as well. Her smile faded when she saw the creature sniffing the air with hungry eyes.

    "My, my, it''s been ages since Istid eyes on a manaless beast so close to our vige, especially after the owner went on a crazy hunting spree because one of them ate the only mana nt he managed to grow after fifty years of effort."

    "Honey, look! It''s sniffing the air... Do you think it''s going to attack us-!"

    Before she could finish her sentence, the creature surprised the duo by moving in a different direction. The old man narrowed his eyes at the beast''s back.

    "Huh, where is it going? These beasts are always bloodthirsty, so it''s strange to see one of them leaving even though it had already spotted us."

    The old woman also furrowed her brows. Her wrinkled face mirrored worry as she grabbed the man''s arm.

    "Don''t tell me the beasts are up to something again? Just a few years ago, they attacked in a group and killed many people from our vige."

    "Honey, I don''t think we should let it roam around the vige. The owner is toozy and only cares about himself. He wouldn''t care if the vige is attacked again."

    The old man sighed and nodded. His blue pupils shimmered as he locked them on the creature and started following behind it with his wife.

    "It''s just one beast, and after looking at its body, I believe it has not stepped into the divine-rank yet. So, we can handle it."

    However, only after a minute, the duo stopped in their tracks when they found the reason for the beast''s strange behavior as it halted next to a tree that was covered in glistening ice. The creature''s eyes glowed ominously as it fixed its gaze upon the two figures opposite it.

    On the other hand, the first thing that caught the couple''s attention was blood, so much so that it painted a significant part of thend in crimson. The glistening ice on the ground and the tree''s surface made the red color even more striking under the sunlight.

    Then, their eyes fell upon the unconscious man lying beside the tree. His sparkling silver hair was covered with blood, and blood was flowing from every part of his body, creating a distressing scene.

    But what truly startled the elderly couple wasn''t the unconscious man, but rather the individual dressed in a pristine white shirt that had not even a speck of dust on it, crouching beside his bloodied body. This person''s purple eyes disyed little to no emotion as he extended his hand towards the bloodied man''s neck as if intending to strangle him and take away hisst breath. The duo watched as the man retracted his hand after a moment and murmured under his breath with a sigh of regret. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "It''s a shame that I can''t kill you, or rather, you won''t die even if I obliterate your body into thousands of pieces... just like me. I feel like we are very simr in this regard."

    At that exact moment, the beast standing beside the crouching man started letting out strange struggling sounds. And under the old couple''s stunned eyes, the beast''s body dissipated into smoke, leaving behind nothing as if it did not exist at all.

    The duo almost tripped on their feet when the man with purple eyes turned his head and looked at them directly.

    "Hey, my friend and I are lost after we entered the no manand. How about you two lend us a hand?"

    The duo nced at each other, unsure if they should help him because he clearly tried to kill the other person and now he is asking for help.

    Moreover, even though they could gauge the strength of the unconscious man, they were not able to sense anything from the man with purple eyes. Not to mention, his empty gaze gave them a strange feeling, almost as if he was peering directly into their souls.

    The old woman took a deep breath and bravely stepped forward, despite the old man''s attempts to stop her. She let out a sigh and shook her head at her partner.

    "Joshua, I''m not sure about the one with ck hair, but the injured one needs immediate treatment."

    "The air in thisndcks mana and has nothing within it. So his body won''t be able to naturally recover, and he will die soon. I can''t just stand by and let someone die before my eyes... especially when he looks the same age as our grandchildren."

    Joshua massaged his temples. His wife only called him by his name when she was very serious.

    "Alright, alright, Hazel, but stay behind me and let me handle it."

    He grabbed his wife''s hand and made her stand at a distance. Then he moved toward the bloodied silver-haired man. The other man with purple eyes had long since moved away from the couple and was now watching everything from a distance.

    Joshua checked the silver-haired man''s pulse and furrowed his brows in concentration.

    ''How the hell did he even survive...? His whole body is badly broken.''

    He nced at his wife, and together the duo decided to take the man back to their vige to give him proper treatment. But they were sure that the man wouldn''t regain consciousness for at least a few months given the severity of his injuries.

 Chapter 460 No mana land II

    Chapter 460 No manand II

    A familiar sensation of excruciating pain coursed through Kyle''s body as he desperately gasped for air.

    No matter where he looked, everything around him was dark, with violet currents crawling around his body, as if trying to tear him apart. He wanted to scream, but his throat had grown hoarse, leaving him voiceless.

    In that very moment, he snapped his eyes open, gasping for breath. Beads of cold sweat streamed down his forehead as he locked his gaze at the unfamiliar ceiling above him, which emitted a soft glow.

    Immediately, he attempted to grasp theyer of fabric enveloping his body, but a sharp, stinging sensation shot through his fingers. It was then that he realized his entire body was covered in something unfamiliar. Kyle''s mind felt hazy and muddled, making it difficult for him toprehend his surroundings. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He absentmindedly blinked a few times, and after a while, he finally regained enough rity to realize that he was in a dimly lit room, and his body was wrapped in bandages.

    Then, the painful memories of what he had gone through came rushing back to him. He instinctively reached out for his sword upon hearing a few murmurs outside the room where he was lying, only to remember that he had lost it while fighting the shadow general.

    Kyle''s eyes trembled as he attempted to grab healing potions from his mind space... but his fingers grasped nothing. He realized with dread that he was unable to ess his mind space. It was then that he noticed there wasn''t even a trace of mana in his body, not even divine energy.

    It felt awfully simr to when he was just a normal human and hadn''t awakened his talent. He panicked for a moment but sighed with relief when he nced at the image that had reced his stats from the corners of his eyes and didn''t notice any change in his strength.

    He was still a pseudo divine rank individual. The only difference was that his bodycked mana and divine energy.

    Kyle wanted to absorb it from the air, thinking that maybe because he was unconscious, his body had stopped performing its natural function. But he noticed with a shuddering breath that the air around him didn''t contain anything. Itcked the very essence of nature.

    He couldn''t move his body much, probably because his injuries hadn''t healed yet. Moreover, he could still feel the pain throughout his body, so he decided to just move his head a little to get a better look at his surroundings. However, all he could see inside the room were some baskets filled with grey petal flowers, a few wooden chairs, and a stone table that was a little distance away from the in bed he was lying on.

    ''It seems someone saved me, but who? Also, what is wrong with this ce? Why does itck mana and divine energy?''

    Kyle let out a deep sigh... so he made it through, huh? In the midst of the pain, a fleeting smile crossed his face, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. This time, he truly believed he was going to die. He was certain of it when he willingly entered that tunnel filled with violent currents.

    ''If only it wasn''t so painful...''

    A surge of anger welled up inside him as he recalled the moment when his bloodline refused to obey hismand.

    ''This is dangerous... really, really dangerous. It has the power to influence my thoughts, and I havee to realize that it will do anything to ensure its own survival. It''s a part of me... but it''s very strong, and I have no control over it.''

    Kyle''s ears perked up when he heard footsteps approaching the room. He quickly shut his eyes and tried his best to calm his breathing as much as possible. His fingers twitched when the room''s door was flung open with a loud bang, like someone had just unleashed all their anger on that pitiful door.

    Instantly, an old man with a long white beard and hair stormed into the room with big strides. He muttered curses under his breath as he red at the old couple standing behind him.

    "Are you two a bunch of idiots? Do you think I''m running a charity here or am I a doctor? Why the hell does this whole damn vige keep bringing back injured folks and expecting me to heal them?"

    "Damn it, I swear one of these days I''m gonna drop dead from all the work I''m doing, just because I made the stupid mistake of creating this vige."

    The old couple''s faces fell as they red back at the old man. Hazel let out a silent snicker, as if saying, what the hell do you even do? But she instantly hid behind her husband when the old man raised his brow with a dark expression towards her.

    Joshua sighed. He was equally annoyed, but he knew not to make an enemy of the old man opposite him because he was the strongest person in their race.

    "Owner... we just gave him simple treatment and applied some ointment on his injuries. You know we can''t use any healing skills since weck mana... It''s been three days, and his body is as cold as ice. The poor kid would die if you didn''t do anything."

    The old man let out a snarl, his face screaming that he didn''t even care a bit even if the kid died right in front of his very eyes.

    "Just remember, this is thest time I''m saving someone. After this, if you two ever bring someone to me, I''m gonna strangle that person with my own hands."

    The duo exchanged nces as they remembered the man with purple eyes who also wanted to strangle the silver haired kid. But they stayed quiet as they watched the old man drag a chair and sit beside the bed where the kid was lying.

    However, the moment the old man sat down beside the kid, he narrowed his eyes and let out a snicker.

    "Brat, you are already awake?"

    Kyle''s fingers twitched violently. He heard the conversation very clearly and couldn''t help but slowly open his eyes to nce at the old man in the leather outfit sitting beside the bed. But instead of looking at him, the old man nced back at the old couple with a deadpan expression.

    "Didn''t you two say he was almost dead. So, why is he fit as a fiddle? Did you two disturb my sleep and drag me here just to annoy me!?"

 Chapter 461 No mana land III

    Chapter 461 No manand III

    After hearing the old man''s words, the couple exchanged a startled nce. Hazel swiftly closed the distance, her leather attire hugging her figure as she stood beside Kyle''s bed, scrutinizing the man from head to toe with her aged face.

    Right away, a look of surprise and bewilderment crossed her face as she observed with her own eyes how Kyle''s injuries had significantly improved since the previous day. She had believed it would take him months just to regain consciousness, but now she could see that his progress had far exceeded her expectations.

    Not just Hazel, even Joshua looked surprised. As the couple checked out Kyle, he also checked the people around him and noticed something inmon. All of them had blue pupils that looked like sapphires, and they all had crests on their heads, just like a crown.

    ''That means they aren''t humans...''

    He also noticed that even though they looked old, the trio bodies were quite muscr. The silence in the room was shattered when the old man sitting beside his bed stood up abruptly and nced at the room''s door.

    The couple was startled by his sudden movement, and when they followed his gaze, their expressions turned tense.

    Kyle furrowed his brows and tried to follow their gaze, but the trio''s backs blocked his view. He let out a silent sigh because he had many questions in his head, but first and foremost, he wanted to know where he was. His ears twitched when, for some reason, the old man''s voice turned icy as he looked at the door.

    "Why are you here? I told you to wait outside, didn''t I?"

    Kyle didn''t hear any footsteps, nor did he sense anyone''s presence, so he became a bit curious when a deep and nonchnt voice replied back to the old man with little to no emotion.

    "He''s awake, right?"

    The couple looked at the old man, who rubbed his white beard with a serious expression that they rarely saw on his face. Hubert, the owner of their vige, was always nonchnt, but for some reason, the old man lost his calm the moment heid eyes on the man with purple eyes standing opposite them.

    Joshua let out a hushed whisper.

    "Owner..."

    Hubert raised his hand to silence him. He was furious... because deep down, he had an inkling that the man standing before him was a disaster the couple should have never brought into their vige. After all, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t fathom the man''s true strength.

    He silently moved aside, granting Kyle a clear view of the man who had just entered the room. Kyle forgot to blink when his eyes locked with the purple ones. He instinctively tried to clutch the fabric draped over his body because in those purple eyes, he saw nothing but a void... an emptiness that sent chills down his spine.

    Hubert stroked his beard and observed Kyle''s expression for a moment before shifting his gaze towards the man with purple eyes.

    "As you can see, he''s wide awake. So, take your friend and leave my vige. You two are free to go wherever you please. And no need toe back, ''cause I wasn''t pleased with how you forcefully entered the vige despite being stopped by the residents."

    Kyle finally blinked when he heard the old man''s words. Friend? Does he know that man? No, he doesn''t! He opened his mouth to refute, but before he could, the man in question spoke up.

    "Oh, but we are not acquainted yet."

    Hubert furrowed his brows. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "I don''t give a damn. Just leave, both of you, ''cause I am not interested in any more troubleing my way."

    Kyle''s gaze shifted towards the man with purple eyes who casually strolled over and settled into one of the chairs in the room, seemingly unfazed by the old man''s words. There was something about the man that stirred an uneasy sensation within him.

    ''Who is he?''

    He took a deep breath and decided to ignore the man for now. Kyle opened his mouth to speak... his throat felt dry, but he managed to speak, albeit faintly.

    "I... am really grateful to the ones who saved my life... Thank you so much. That''s all I can offer right now. I don''t know where I am at the moment. But as soon as I am able to walk, I will leave..."

    Kyle attempted to sit, but his body refused to obey. He winced in pain as he tried to grasp the bed with his hands. Observing his difort, Hazel promptly assisted him in sitting on the bed and let out a sigh.

    "Aye, kid, try not to move too much. I don''t know how you woke up so early, but your wounds might reopen if you exert yourself too much."

    Kyle nodded and leaned back against the pillow ced behind him. He nced at the man with purple eyes who stared back at him.

    "I don''t know him."

    His voice was firm as he fixed his gaze on the old couple and the old man standing beside the bed.

    "Please, can any of you tell me where I am? Why can''t I feel any mana in the air. Not just mana, I also can''t sense divine energy."

    Kyle failed to notice, but Hubert''s eyes caught a strange glint shing within the pairs of empty purple eyes when the man heard the words, ''I don''t know him''. Hubert almost thought he was imagining it because he saw the man''s purple eyes crinkling with amusement. A troubled expression appeared on his aged face because in that very moment, he finally sensed the man''s strength.

    Perhaps the man intentionally emitted a faint aura to make his strength known. Hubert wasn''t sure since he had never encountered someone whose presence put him on edge before. Nheless, just like the silver-haired man, the ck-haired one also possessed pseudo divine rank strength.

    ''Did I make a mistake... maybe he''s an ordinary human just like the silver-haired one?''

    Hubert fixed his eyes on Kyle and sat down on the chair, wearing a stern expression. His previous annoyance faded into thin air. Now that the two humans had entered his vige, he needed to ensure they left as soon as possible to avoid any further trouble.

    "I don''t know how you ended up here, but this ce is called No Mana Land."

 Chapter 462 No mana land IV

    Chapter 462 No manand IV

    ??"A ce that''s cut off from the outside world after me and my friends battled the first Shadow General..."

    "... and got defeated miserably."

    Hubert''s expression turned somber as he reminisced about the past. However, he regained hisposure when he noticed the pair of green eyes fixated on his face.

    Kyle winced when the old man patted his arm and nced back at the man with purple eyes.

    "You both know about the shadow generals, or you want me to go into details? ''Cause I really don''t wanna talk about that bastard who betrayed his own kind."

    Kyle instinctively shifted away slightly to evade any further pats and nodded.

    "I''m well aware."

    Hubert let out a thoughtful hum.

    "Well, unless you have been living under a rock, it''s hard not to be familiar with the shadow generals in this day and age."

    He reached out his hand and grabbed Kyle''s arm once again.

    "Stay put, now that I''m wasting my time here, I might as well do some more good deeds and try to heal your broken bones. I happen to be the only person in thisnd with a healing ability that works without mana and divine energy."

    Immediately, a sensation simr to water spread through Kyle''s arms, and he could clearly feel his injuries healing. It wasn''t happening at a speed visible to the eye, but the pain was definitely diminishing. He looked at the old man''s hand and noticed that Hubert wasn''t using any energy... or perhaps he was, but Kyle couldn''t quite grasp it because it was very different from mana and divine energy.

    Hubert felt Kyle''s eyes at his hand, but he brushed it off. It''s not like the human wouldprehend the spiritual energy of a water dragon. He carried on.

    "Just as the name implies, thisnd is devoid of mana. And not only that, it alsocks divine energy."

    In the past, the no manand was actually a part of a beautiful brimming with various energies. It was ruled by the water dragon race, a race that is very different from all the other dragon races because they only focused on water type skills. But  everything changed when one of their own betrayed them and joined forces with the dark side.

    "How ironic that he gained the title of the first shadow general after destroying his own home."

    Hubert let out a bitter chuckle, his aged face reflecting the pain as he reminisced about the past.

    The was wrecked in the battle. Hubert, along with his friends who have since passed away, did their utmost to save the. But unfortunately, their efforts were in vain, as just when they thought they were gaining the upper hand, Azazeal''s fake body stepped into the battle and broke the into countless pieces with just a single attack.

    After the battle, when Hubert opened his eyes once again, he found himself alone. All of his people were dead, except for a few who had managed to survive by hiding themselves. The was broken into countless pieces. In a final effort to save his race from extinction, Hubert gathered the remaining survivors to leave the ce. However, something strange happened.

    All of a sudden, the''s core burst out from the broken pieces, and all the mana and divine energy in those pieces started dissipating into particles. Those particles formed a grey field around one of the biggest pieces of the, where the''s core settled.

    "That''s how the No Mana Land came to be. Countless people know about this ce, but no one dares toe here because there are many natural spatial tunnels around thisnd that can send them to an unknown ce in this vast universe."

    Kyle''s expression sank when he heard Hubert''s next words, and he immediately looked away from the man''s hand to focus on his face.

    "Also, if someone enters thisnd, they won''t be able to leave unless they possess a transcendent rank physique. Only then can they pass through the grey field surrounding the No Mana Land."

    Hubert saw Kyle''s expression grow pale with each passing second, but he didn''t really care and continued.

    "That''s the reason I decided to settle here and create a vige in this deste ce. It was hard at first because we couldn''t adjust without mana, and due to theck of mana, manaless beasts started forming on thisnd..."

    He let out a sigh.

    "But over time, we made our naturally strong physiques even stronger and fought back against the manaless beasts. After all, this ce is hundreds of times better than the outside world."

    Kyle closed his eyes to process the information. He took a deep breath and looked at Hubert.

    "Is there any other way to leave thisnd? Getting a transcendent rank physique... is not easy. How am I going to leave thisnd then?"

    Hubert rubbed his forehead.

    "There is no other way, and I told you to leave my vige. Not thisnd."

    He retracted his hand from Kyle''s arm and stood up.

    "I''m taking off. Just take it easy for now and don''t overthink. You need to recover and leave this vige as soon as possible. I know you''re human, but I don''t dislike you. Rather..."

    His blue eyes shifted towards the man sitting in the distant chair.

    "... I didn''t like the person who came with you."

    Kyle wanted to ask more questions, but the old man took a few big strides and left the room. He nced at the old couple, but they also left behind the old man.

    He let out a groan.

    "Damn it... how the hell am I going to achieve a transcendent rank physique in and thatcks mana!?"

    His ears twitched when a familiar deep voice reached his ears.

    "It''s not that hard. Moreover, the old dragon didn''t give youplete knowledge... maybe he forgot."

    Kyle snapped his eyes towards the man sitting in the distance. The man''s purple eyes seemed too empty to belong to someone who was trying to give him reassurance. He furrowed his brows.

    "Who are you exactly? I don''t know you. Why did you say we are friends?"

 Chapter 463 No mana land V

    Chapter 463 No manand V

    ??The atmosphere in the room grew tense as Kyle locked his eyes on the man seated in the distance. But only after a few seconds, he quickly looked away from the man''s eyes and noticed that his palms had started to sweat, almost as if he was feeling overwhelmed by the intensity of staring directly into those purple pupils.

    ''Huh!?''

    Kyle noticed his own behavior and once again snapped his head towards the man, this time with a deadly serious expression because he noticed the man was treating him like thin air even after hearing his questions. That''s why he repeated his words once again.

    "I said, who are you?"

    His firm voice echoed in the air, but he received nothing in return except silence. Kyle took a deep breath to stop himself from getting even more frustrated after everything he had been going through recently.

    He decided to put rest as his top priority because he knew his body needed it the most at the moment. Hubert has helped alleviate his pain, and he could sense that his bones were better than before. But it still wasn''t enough for him to walk normally.

    And once he gains some strength and mobility, he''s gonna rough the man up to vent his frustration and anger, and, of course, to get the answers too.

    ''It''s not like he''s all-powerful. I sensed his aura too when he let it out earlier. He''s just a pseudo-divine rank human, like me.''

    Kyle grabbed the fabric covering his body and shifted to lie down on the bed, but he kept his eyes open. Mostly because of the presence in the room��the presence he couldn''t sense at all. Subconsciously, he wondered if the man was truly a pseudo-divine rank.

    He blinked and gazed at the ceiling in silence, his mind reying everything he had experienced recently. A flicker of pain gleamed in his eyes as he thought about the phoenix.

    ''She''s going to give me a good beating. I guess I deserve it. It''s my fault this time.''

    The tranquility in the room shattered as the familiar deep voice resonated in his ears.

    "Your eyes still shine so brightly. But why? They should be serene,posed, icy, and vacant... just like mine."

    Kyle blinked as the voice continued.

    "Maybe... it will take a while for us to be on the same side but also opposite at the same time. Do you still remember the face of the person who made you so miserable?"

    At the end, the voice turned slightly raspy, almost as if urging him to answer.

    "Huh...?"

    Kyle blinked again with a stunned expression.

    ''The face of the person who made me so miserable..?''

    He promptly stopped breathing as he recalled the time before he jumped into the tunnel filled with violent currents. Instantly, dread crept into his heart, which started thundering in his chest because even after he racked his brain many times... he couldn''t remember.

    He couldn''t remember the face of the person who beat him up. No, how was it possible?

    Kyle''s eyes dted. He remembered everything else... how he fought back, how the person beat him up enough to make his body bleed from every part, but he forgot... he forgot the opponent''s face. It was as if his memory had turned hazy, blurring that specific face.

    He snapped his eyes towards the ce where the man was sitting, only to find the chair empty.

    Kyle attempted to drag his body out of bed, but the pain coursing through his body thwarted his efforts.

    His eyes darted around in a frantic search before finally fixing on the fading figure of the man who had started to walk towards the room exit.

    "Wait! Wait!"

    "What the fuck!? What the hell do you mean? Why don''t I remember his face?"

    Kyle shouted, causing the man to pause briefly in the doorway.

    "I told you the old dragon didn''t give you all the knowledge."

    Kyle watched as the man walked away, without a single nce back, and silence descended upon the room once again. He lowered his gaze and noticed that many of his wounds had reopened due to the movement.

    "Ugh, just fuck it all!"

    He gathered the fabric on the bed in his hands and buried his throbbing head in the material. However, right at that moment, a familiar icy sensation flowed through his body, as if trying to calm his nerves. But instead of feeling soothed, Kyle grew even more irritated. He muttered a silent curse and willed for the sensation to stop.

    In his current state of mind, he feared he might lock the essence himself.

    .....

    Hubert quietly walked through the houses made of y bricks that surrounded him. There were many people with simr blue pupils who greeted him as they wandered the narrow, earthy streets of the vige.

    A few shops lined the streets, offering leather clothing sourced from the wild goats, which are one of the only normal monsters found in the nearby mountains. They also had meat and essories crafted from stones, wood, and various ores found in thend. Some children were ying with tree branches, adding a lively touch to the peaceful atmosphere.

    But a vein bulged on Hubert''s forehead as he paused and nced back at the old couple following him.

    He snapped and waved his hand.

    "What now? I gave him treatment. Go, shoo, leave me alone. I am going back to the mountain to rest."

    Hazel and Joshua exchanged nces before Joshua spoke up.

    "Owner, we just wanted to tell you that you forgot to pass on all the information about thisnd to the silver-haired human."

    Hubert furrowed his brows, feeling slightly confused. Sensing his confusion, Hazel let out a big sigh and raised a finger.

    "Aye, you didn''t mention that the longer he stays here, the more he will forget about his past. His old memories will start to fade, just like the rest of us. This cecks the very essence of nature. Only you managed to keep your old memories intact because you have reached thest stage of transcendent rank."

 Chapter 464 No mana land VI

    Chapter 464 No manand VI

    ??Hubert closed his eyes and let out a sigh.

    "I probably forget... but it''s not like I can help him. No one can. Still, he won''t forget the time he''s going to spend on thisnd. He will only forget what he experienced outside the boundaries of the No manand. So, just tell him about this when you two have time."

    He paused for a second.

    "It''s partially ''cause of the grey field around thend as well, but if he''s able to leave this ce, he can remember... well, only if his mind gets stimted."

    Hubert rubbed his long white beard and started thinking if he forgot anything else. The old couple left his side to go back to their house, and only then did he raise his hand as if he remembered something else.

    "Ah, right... the passage of time here is also different from the outside world. Ten years here equals a year outside... huh? Where did they go? Tsk, that''s why I don''t like answering them."

    He stomped his foot and with big strides, he left the vige, heading towards the mountain that overlooked the vige. He didn''t stay in the vige. Instead, he built his own house atop the mountain. He did this to keep an eye on the nearby forest and to stay away from all the noise.

    .....

    A few days went by, and the sky above the vige was filled with thick, dark clouds. There were no stars or moon to be seen in the sky, but the houses in the vige were adorned with numerous grey flowers. These flowers were ced inside pots that hung on the walls, providing a source of illumination.

    Joshua entered the room where the silver-haired human was staying. The old man was apanied by his only great grandson, who appeared to be around twelve years old.

    The little kid with blue pupils held a te filled with meat and some other edible herbs as he followed his grandfather.

    Joshua nced at Kyle, who had his gaze fixed on the wall opposite him.

    "Kyle, if you are awake, eat something. Just like I mentioned earlier, there is no mana in the air, so you will feel hungry quite easily."

    Kyle took a look at the food that was brought for him and let out a sigh. He nced at the in notebook with a dark cover in his hand and carefully tucked it beneath his pillow. Slowly, he got up from the bed, being careful not to reopen his wounds that had almost healed.

    The kid circled around him with his usual cheerful smile and called him big brother before cing the food on the stone table. He ruffled the kid''s short, wavy hair and sat down on the chair to eat.

    Joshua noticed the notebook that Kyle had ced beneath his pillow. It was something the human had requested, along with a pen, from him and Hazel when they informed him that his old memories would start to fade over time.

    Kyle wanted to write down everything about himself so that even if he forgot, he could remember by reading the notebook.

    Joshua walked over to the table and took a seat across from the human.

    "Have you finished writing everything down?"

    Kyle nced at him. He felt grateful towards the old couple who had been taking care of him. He wanted to repay the duo with mana stones or treasures, but he couldn''t retrieve anything from his mind space due to theck of mana.

    "Not everything. Just the things I can''t afford to forget. Well, I still remember everything else, except for the face of one of my enemies..."

    Suddenly, he remembered the man with purple eyes.

    "What about that man? The one you found with me? Is he still in the vige?"

    Joshua furrowed his brows.

    "I saw him yesterday near the forest... but he ignored me, and before I could approach him, he was gone."

    He stared at the human opposite him.

    "I thought you would react very strongly... when Hazel and I came to tell you about the fact that your old memory would fade... but surprisingly, you didn''t."

    Kyle didn''t say anything. He actually had a lot on his mind, but after contemting everything for an entire day, he found himself bing calm.

    He had already been through a lot, so he knew it was important to stayposed and deal with the situation instead ofining or asking why all this was happening to him.

    The room went silent as Kyle ate the food that was brought for him.

    Joshua was about to leave but stopped when the human stared at him with his green eyes.

    "I need to leave thisnd as soon as possible. There are many people waiting for me. Is there truly no alternative method to leave thisnd without achieving the transcendent rank physique?"

    Kyle ced the small knives in his hands on the table as he finished eating. He stared at the old man, waiting for his response. He had actually started walking around and doing some light exercises in the room to help himself heal even faster. Right now, he only had one objective��he had to find a way to leave thisnd.

    Joshua locked eyes with Kyle. He could never get used to the human''s bright eyes, shining like gems. In that fleeting moment, he thought about the pair of purple eyes belonging to that other person he encountered before and wondered if they too ever shone so beautifully... Or maybe they were always nk?

    He let out a sigh.

    "Unfortunately, there isn''t. In the past, a few youngsters from the vige wanted to leave as well to explore the outside world. That''s why Owner checked thisnd many times to find an opening or hole in the grey field, but he wasn''t able to."

    Kyle''s face hardened as he listened to the old man quietly.

    "Owner is strong, and he can leave thisnd whenever he wants, but he never did. He''s a little annoying, but he has been protecting this vige for a long time. He grumbled a lot, but he''s also the one who trained those youngsters and helped them all achieve a transcendent rank physique... and they were able to cross the grey field."

 Chapter 465 I can do it

    Chapter 465 I can do it

    ??Joshua paused for a moment as a thought shed through his mind. He nced at Kyle from head to toe, observing his human physique, which was significantly different from that of a dragon''s.

    "Kyle, how about you go and ask the owner for help as well?"

    "Thisndcks mana, so you won''t easily find any natural treasures that can assist you. He can train you. His methods are a little... challenging, but under his guidance, you can definitely achieve a transcendent rank physique more easily."

    Kyle noticed the slight pause in the old man''s words when he mentioned Hubert''s training method. Nevertheless, he didn''t care about the difficulty of the method. He needed a way to leave this ce.

    If achieving a transcendent rank physique was the key to leaving, he was willing to do whatever it took to reach that level.

    He nced at the image that had reced his stats from the corners of his eyes and noticed that his physique had already reached the pseudo-divine rank.

    Kyle rubbed his temples.

    "But still, it''s gonna be hard to get him to agree, right? I mean, he made it crystal clear that he wanted me out of this vige multiple times. If it weren''t for my injuries, I believe he would have kicked me out without a second thought."

    Joshua let out a chuckle.

    "So you don''t even wanna give it a try? I remember those youngsters who wanted his teachings."

    "They had to camp outside his house for days and do all the chores for thatzy man, like cook meals for him, cleaning his house, and washing his clothes. It was only after enduring so much hardship that they achieved what they wanted. And mind you, they were of his own race... That''s why for you, it''s gonna be even tougher, but he''s not a bad person. If he sees your determination, he will surely help you."

    He lowered his voice into a whisper.

    "Also, it''s a secret, but owner can use spiritual energy. So if you are under him and get badly injured somehow, he would save your life at all costs."

    Kyle nodded and stared back at the old man with a firm gaze.

    "I will make him agree. I have no idea about thisnd, and if I train on my own as you said, thisndcks natural treasures, it would take me too much time. I need a knowledgeable figure to guide me and Hubert is my best choice."

    "That''s why I will make him agree."

    Joshua patted his shoulder with a grin and wished him luck before he left the room after picking up the kid who had long since fell asleep on the chair next to Kyle.

    Kyle watched his fading back and then stood up from the chair. He did some light exercises in the room, like moving his arms and legs, before he went out of the room to enter the bathroom opposite his room to wash his face. There was no mirror in the bathroom, and the water was filled up inrge buckets.

    He bent down slightly, careful not to make any excessive movements, and sshed water on his face multiple times before staring at his reflection in the water. The faint glow from the grey flowers hanging on one of the walls illuminated the small space with a soft glow.

    "I have to do a lot, right?"

    He sighed and closed his eyes.

    "I need to keep moving forward... I can''t stop. Not when I promised Bia I would go see her soon. She''s probably going crazy right now... And Yue, I wonder how she''s doing? I hope she''s alright."

    Kyle''s eyes fluttered open as a rush of unfamiliar thoughts flooded his mind. His eyes turned extremely cold because he had finally understood the pattern of how his bloodline influenced his mind. Almost every time he was about to step into danger, the essence would try to influence his actions, just like now... his thoughts��they were trying to tell him that he shouldn''t take any action at the moment and that he shouldn''t worry too much about the people waiting for him, as they can take care of themselves.

    "What now? Is there something dangerous nearby? Hmm, well, the No Mana Land itself is dangerous."

    "But... for some reason, the essence has be rather quiettely, has it not? It''s not even pushing it anymore. Now I can easily sense thoughts that don''t belong to me. Or is it that my mind has gotten sharper?"

    He wasn''t exactly sure why. Maybe it was because he warned the bloodline that he would lock it, or perhaps it could sense his restlessness and frustration.

    But strangely, it had settled within his mind spacepletely. He could asionally sense a familiar cold sensation coursing through his body, but it would quickly vanish as if it never existed at all.

    "I am sure I can''t lock it at my will. Not when it''s a part of me. But I will make sure it does not interfere with my thoughts. Now I know this feeling. So, I will know if danger is nearby."

    Kyle cleared his mind and stared at his reflection.

    "Hardships... I need to face them as well. I can''t always rely on my bloodline. Not when it''s not even listening to me if it''s threatened."

    He has realized that as long as he stays alive, everything will be fine. Only when his life is threatened does the bloodline act up. That''s why he needs to stay alive, and he will stay alive. No matter what.

    Kyle took a deep breath and straightened his posture before removing his clothes. He examined the multitude of scars and injury marks that marred his body. They stood out even more prominently against his pale, cold skin.

    "So, let''s get started. The goal for now is to achieve a transcendent rank physique. It''s hard, but not impossible."

    "I can do it."

    His gaze shifted towards the clothes ced in the distance.

    Hazel had purchased a few sets of clothes for him to change into. He put on the in brown shirt and jacket, slipped into the dark pants over the boots, and let out a sigh as he noticed that everything was made of leather. They were slightlyrger on his frame, but well, it''s not like he canin.

 Chapter 466 Can I come along

    Chapter 466 Can Ie along

    ??Early the next morning, Kyle stepped out of the house where he had been staying for the past few days. He was able to move around normally, albeit slowly, but it was enough for him in that moment.

    However, before he could proceed further, he encountered a familiar face. It was a young man named Bemail, who appeared to be around the same age as him. Bemail had previously visited him with Hazel.

    Bemail was taken aback as he examined Kyle from top to bottom. His height nearly matched Kyle''s, but Kyle couldn''t help but notice, with a quick nce, that Bemail''s body was filled with densely packed, explosive muscles.

    Kyle nodded as the man approached him, a smile lighting up his face, his blue eyes gleaming in the daylight.

    "Oe, you can move already? I thought it would take you a while to heal since you''re human."

    Bemail pped Kyle''s back and shed a mischievous smile.

    Kyle flinched slightly at the force behind the gesture, but he managed to maintain aposed expression.

    Bemail clicked his tongue.

    "You''re quite sturdy, huh?"

    Kyle wasn''t sure if it was apliment or not, but he gave the man a quick nod and expressed his desire to explore the vige. Bemail pondered for a moment and agreed since he still had some time before heading to the training grounds to join others his age. The duo strolled through the vige, and Kyle couldn''t help but notice that it wasn''t veryrge.

    Many curious onlookers stared at Kyle, particrly due to his unique eyes and bright silver hair.

    However, a number of older residents greeted him nicely, probably because they were already aware of his presence.

    After taking a brief tour of the vige, Bemail turned around and faced the human. Initially, he was curious about Kyle, but when he saw him for the first time... he had to admit he was disappointed because Kyle appeared somewhat weak.

    He knew he shouldn''t judge a book by its cover because he still hadn''t sensed Kyle''s strength, but it just bothered him whenever he nced at thetter''s good-looking face that stood out in the crowd.

    ''He''s all looks, nothing more.''

    Nevertheless, Bemail kept his thoughts to himself because his grandma had strictly asked him not to be impolite to the guest.

    ''Tsk, what guest... he''s just a freeloader.''

    He gave Kyle''s shoulder a pat.

    "I reckon you have seen enough of the vige. Head back now. I need to go train, the instructor is strict and I can''t bete."

    But he closed his eyes and took a deep breath upon hearing Kyle''s next words.

    "Can Ie along?"

    Bemail smiled, and a dimple appeared on his left cheek.

    "Oe, what would you do if you followed me? You can''t even throw a decent punch in your current condition. Are you nning to watch me sweat or something, huh?"

    "Just head back. It''s not something a kid should watch."

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched, and he held himself back from saying something inappropriate.

    He felt grateful for Hazel and Joshua because the elderly couple had taken care of him. That''s why he would overlook their grandson''snguage.

    "I just want to do some light exercise. The room is too cramped for that."

    Bemail clicked his tongue and then, without caring about Kyle, he started walking toward the back of the vige.

    Kyle quietly followed behind him, making his steps as light as possible. He rubbed the white earring in his ear.

    ''I guess it''s still working.''

    They soon left the ce surrounded by houses, and Kyle stopped when he noticed arge field in front of him.

    It was just a in field where many people, both male and female, around his age or maybe even younger, were engaged in physical training and practicing with various weapons.

    ''So, this is the ce where the youngsters are taught to fight and protect themselves in dangerous situations?''

    Kyle watched as a stern middle-aged instructor shouted at Bemail, who jumped over the wooden barrier surrounding the field and entered inside, only to be punished by the instructor for beingte. Kyle''s eyes traveled towards the trees surrounding the field. He had noticed before in the vige, but now as he looked at the trees and flowers again, he realized that all of them were grey.

    ''At least thend, wood, and everything else I have seen so far still have their natural colors intact.''

    Almost everyone in the field noticed him and started whispering. The instructor heard the sudden murmurs in the field, which is why he came to ask the human if he needed something.

    Kyle noticed the instructor''s slight difort, which made him realize that not everyone in the vige weed someone from a different race. That''s why he decided to go straight to the point.

    "Can I use the field as well?"

    The middle-aged man across from Kyle furrowed his brows with aplicated expression. He scratched his head while ncing at the human.

    "You can use the field, but try not to disturb the others."

    Kyle observed as the middle-aged man left without uttering another word. He himself remained silent and began to stroll along the perimeter of the field. Gradually, he picked up his pace, increasing his speed with each passing minute. After an hour, he was running at a pace that could rival that of an average person.

    However, he was careful not to make any big movements that could worsen the healing wounds on his body. He needed to make sure that his body was properly healed before engaging in strenuous exercise.

    He performed some light stretches and noticed that the clear sky above him had started to turn darker. That''s why he decided to leave the area, without even sparing a nce at the instructor or the individuals who had been secretly observing him.

    Kyle walked along the familiar path, making his way towards the house where he had been staying, while counting on his fingers.

    "One, two... three... including the instructor, I sensed four divine rank individuals in the field. Huh, they looked so much younger than me, but they are all so strong. Not to mention, almost every other person in the vige is divine rank. Except for those whose strength I couldn''t figure out."

    He rubbed his thumb against his index finger. Once his mind cleared, he began using his scent perception skill. It was hard at first since his head was throbbing, likely due to his poor physical condition. But the skill didn''t require mana, just like the fear skill, so as soon as his mind cleared, he started using it.

    "I will go find Hubert as soon as my injuries are healed. If he doesn''t agree to help, I will enter the forest. I hope the scent perception skill can help me find some treasures, even though the chances are very low in thisnd thatcks mana."

 Chapter 467 A familiar name

    Chapter 467 A familiar name

    ??Bemail clicked his tongue with annoyance as he approached the silver-haired human who had been visiting the training ground for the past week. A couple of girls and a few guys his age were pestering him to invite the human to join them inside the field instead of running and exercising outside.

    As Bemail approached the human, he couldn''t help but give Kyle a once-over, noticing that there wasn''t even a drop of sweat on his body, despite witnessing the human sprinting around the field earlier at a pace that could rival Bemail''s own.

    The sky had started to turn dark, and he couldn''t understand how Kyle managed to stay so dry.

    "Man, I start sweating buckets after just a couple of hours, but look at this guy..."

    Bemail muttered under his breath and scratched his head.

    "Ugh... I guess humans just don''t sweat as much as dragons?"

    He flinched as, just before he could jump over the wooden barrier, Kyle nced back and locked eyes with him, raising a questioning brow.

    "What happened?"

    "That... I-!"

    Bemail almost pped his mouth in disbelief because he actually stuttered due to the sudden surprise. That face, coupled with those bright eyes that had a color he rarely saw in his life... Damn!

    "Ahem, the instructor said you can join us and train inside the field. So why don''t youe in?"

    Kyle let out a surprised ''Oh''. He had felt many eyes on him ever since he starteding here. But he mostly ignored them because he knew the people of the vige would be cautious around him.

    "It''s fine. Now that my injuries are healed, tomorrow I''m heading to the mountain to find Hubert. That''s why I don''t think I''ll being back here anytime soon."

    Bemail blinked, but when he processed Kyle''s words, he let out a gasp of surprise with wide eyes.

    "What, you are going to find the owner? Don''t you know he doesn''t like it when others visit him? He''s gonna throw you off the top of the mountain!"

    Kyle looked at him, and the corners of his eyes raised a bit with amusement. At first, Bemail was very guarded around him, but now Kyle could sense a hint of worry in the man''s voice. Maybe after staying around him for so many days, Bemail had started to to feel more at ease around him.

    "Thanks for the reminder. I''ll make sure he doesn''t throw me off the mountain, at least. After all, I can''t fly now."

    He rummaged through his clothes and pulled out a few patches of dark silver flowers from inside his jacket. As soon as he revealed the flowers, Bemail''s eyes widened even more in shock. Kyle noticed the subtle change in his face and tossed the flowers towards him.

    "I just found them around the field while running. Are they useful in any way?"

    Bemail quickly caught the flowers with a fluster. He nced at them and then at Kyle with a bewildered expression before turning aroundpletely to face Kyle, making sure that no one could see them.

    "These are moonlight flowers! They are very rare and precious! How the hell did you find them? And not just one, but so many! Did you really find them around the field? No way! I won''t believe you!"

    Kyle raised an eyebrow. He really found them around the field while running... they were unlike the other gray flowers and were simply concealed amidst the cluster of flowers around them. If it weren''t for the faint metallic scent he detected from them, he would have overlooked them, thinking they were ordinary.

    Kyle rubbed his chin because he had noticed many more in that spot as well. He would go and gather them too.

    "Moonlight flowers? So, are they useful?"

    Bemail lowered his voice with a solemn expression.

    "Of course they are! They are very popr among girls because they are believed to enhance beauty and youthfulness!"

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched, but he took a deep breath and patted Bemail on the shoulder.

    "Then you can have them. Take care."

    Bemail seemed like he wanted to refuse, but the human left the area with long strides, without looking back.

    Kyle clicked his tongue as he passed through the narrow, earthy streets and made his way toward the ce he''s been staying to say goodbye to Hazel and Joshua, as he would be leaving tomorrow. On the way, his ear twitched when a passerby suddenly called out his partner with a name that sounded strangely familiar. He furrowed his brows and mumbled under his breath.

    "Nicole...? That name sounds rather familiar, but why can''t I remember where I heard it before?"

    But no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn''t remember any memories associated with that name except for a feeling of familiarity.

    Kyle''s picked up his pace, and after only a few minutes, he entered the room he had been staying in and hastily took out the notebook from beneath the pillow to check for any familiar names. Yet, even after he checked the notebook multiple times, he realized that there was no mention of that name in there.

    As he rubbed his forehead in frustration, Hazel entered his room with a few more sets of clothes and asked him what had happened. Kyle hid the notebook inside his jacket and nced at the old woman.

    "Nothing... I feel like I have forgotten someone important once again."

    Hazel looked at him quietly and softly patted his shoulder. She ced the clothes she brought on the bed.

    "Don''t worry, young man. Even if you forget them, they will remember you, won''t they? Once you leave this ce, you can go and meet them, and you will regain your memory."

    Kyle stared at the woman''s old face, his expression downcast as he felt a deep sense of having forgotten someone very important, someone he never wanted to forget.

    "Yeah... Hopefully."

    He responded with a sigh, setting the matter aside. He informed Hazel that he would be leaving to meet Hubert the next day. At first, the old woman was taken aback, but then she wished him luck.

    Hazel had seen Kyle heal faster than anyone she had ever seen. She had a feeling he would leave thisnd sooner than she expected.

    Nevertheless, she made sure to let him know that he was always wee to visit her whenever he wanted. She even packed some sets of clothes and shoes for Kyle in a bag. After all, storage rings or any other storage abilities didn''t work in the No Mana Land due to theck of mana.

 Chapter 468 Its my name, Aze

    Chapter 468 It''s my name, Aze

    ??Azazeal stepped out of thin air andnded on the rooftop of the house where Kyle and Hazel were. He calmly ced his thumb on his fingers, his expression devoid of emotion.

    However, his purple eyes gave away a hint of disappointment as he moved his thumb over his fingers, as if he was calcting something really important.

    Despite his extraordinary senses that could rival the Celestials outside this universe, he had failed to find the most important thing he hade to find on thisnd.

    "It''s rare for me to find them through the visions of the future... but I''m sure I saw it clearly, one of the remaining eight guardian celestial spirits is here on thisnd."

    He looked down, and his purple eyes reflected the silver-haired human engaged in conversation with the old woman inside the house.

    "Do I really need to follow you to find it?"

    His eyes gleamed as numerous fragmented images shed through his mind. In that moment, the corners of his eyes lifted upward for a brief moment.

    "After all, amidst the countless possibilities... among the myriad of paths you can traverse due to your nk fate, in one of them, the spirit willingly bestowed upon you all its power simply because, unlike me, your essence is pure, so beautifully cold... almost equaling nature itself."

    Azazeal''s ears twitched slightly upon hearing Kyle mumble a name under his breath.

    "Nicole...?"

    He briefly closed his eyes and then reopened them with a thoughtful hum.

    "Your mother? It appears that your memories are fading quickly because your essence is trying to hide from me."

    .....

    The next day, early morning, Kyle stepped out of the house, wearing a loose-fitting pair of pants beneath a cream-colored sweater with long sleeves. His feet were snugly tucked into dark shoes.

    On his back, he carried a sizable round bag that had been prepared for him by the old woman. Hazel and Joshua offered to walk with him until he reached the forest, but he politely declined their offer since the old couple had already done a lot for him.

    Kyle had only taken a few steps when Bemail stopped him.

    Bemail wore a determined expression as he locked his blue eyes with Kyle''s.

    "Kyle, I will apany you to meet the owner. I know it''s risky, but I can''t just sit back knowing that the owner might grab hold of you and toss you down the mountain!"

    "I considers you a friend, especially after you gave me so many moonlight flowers! They were quite valuable, and I want to repay the favor!"

    Kyle stared at his face, which looked dead serious for the man to be joking around. Also, from Bemail''s attire that clung to his body perfectly, he seemed ready forbat. Kyle blinked and opened his mouth, pointing toward an unknown cloud in the sky.

    "What''s that?"

    Bemail immediately followed his finger with narrowed eyes, then turned around to face him with confusion.

    "There''s nothi-!"

    But he stopped abruptly and his eyes widened because there was no one in front of him. The silver-haired human had vanished.

    Meanwhile, Kyle was jogging through the cluster of small houses that surrounded him from all directions.

    Many passersby noticed him, and he could even feel a lot of eyes on his back. But he paid no mind to them and quickly left the vige, entering the forest and making his way straight toward the nearest mountain that overlooked the vige.

    Hazel and Joshua had told him everything about Hubert they could, and now he just needs to find the old dragon.

    Kyle sniffed the air around him to keep a close check on his surroundings because ording to the old couple, the manaless beasts were the most dangerous beasts on thisnd. It would be very dangerous if he somehow encountered one because even the lowest rank of them had a strength above Ascendant state.

    He passed through the tall trees, bathed in the soft morning light. But even when he reached the foot of the mountain, he didn''t see a single hint of greenery. Instead, the leaves of the trees and the petals of the flowers were gray.

    Kyle gazed at the towering mountain, its shadow casting over the vast stretch of space. With the round bag secured behind his back, he raised both hands to stretch his back and arms. He was determined to find Hubert before night.

    However, in that very moment, as he lowered his gaze, a pair of white shoes caught his attention. Instantly, Kyle''s breath caught in his throat as he slowly lifted his gaze to meet the eyes of the figure dressed in white. No words could capture the depth of his shock, for he had not sensed the presence of the man, whose purple eyes bore into him with an unsettlingck of emotion.

    "You!?"

    Kyle backed away and assumed a guarded stance against the man, who stared at him with a raised brow and slowly withdrew his hand that had been suspended in the air, as if he had intended to touch Kyle''s head.

    ''Did he want to attack me!?''

    But before Kyle could confront the man, thetter opened his mouth and spoke in a deep and silent voice that vanished in the air within a second.

    "Aze..."

    Kyle took another step back in rm, his mind racing. Despite using all his mental strength to perceive the man''s strength through his scent perception skill, he couldn''t sense anything from him except for a faint scent of warmth that strangely reminded him of the cold sensation of his bloodline.

    He really thought the man who called him his friend, even though they weren''t, had disappeared, and he would never see him again... but who could have guessed that the man would return?

    Kyle got ready to run in the opposite direction when the man stepped towards him. A chilling sensation ran down his spine, and his bloodline, which had been holed up in his mind space, started to stir restlessly. However, before he could make his escape, the man spoke again, but this time his voice sounded surprisingly ordinary, just like that of an ordinary human.

    "It''s my name. You can call me Aze."

 Chapter 469 It wouldnt be fun, then

    Chapter 469 It wouldn''t be fun, then

    ??Azazeal �� this is the name that everyone knew him by. He didn''t remember from whom or when he received that name because it''s been so long.

    However, for the first time in a long while, Azazeal was taken aback when a very old yet familiar name slipped out from his mouth almost instinctively. His purple eyes flickered with surprise as he gazed at the silver-haired human across from him.

    ''Is it because I have seen you a lot in the future that has yet toe?''

    On the other hand, Kyle''s stance visibly rxed as he gazed at the man dressed in white from head to toe. He mumbled under his breath with furrowed brows.

    "Aze?"

    He had no clue why thetter had suddenly chosen to reveal his name. But he snapped out of his thoughts when he saw Aze stepping towards him.

    Azazeal parted his lips and stretched out his left hand towards Kyle.

    Immediately, the deep purple color of his eyes began to dim, reced by a moremon shade of purple.

    "Now that I have given my name, shouldn''t you do the same?"

    Kyle''s eyes traveled towards the outstretched hand reaching out to him. He recognized the gesture; the man opposite him wanted to get acquainted. But he couldn''t shake the sense of unease stemming from his bloodline.

    "Aze, you say? How can I be sure it''s your actual name? Besides, you''re the one who disclosed your name to me. I''m notpelled to reveal mine."

    He saw the man blink, but there was still no emotion in those purple eyes. Kyle quietly clicked his tongue and without another word began striding towards the mountain. He cast a final nce at the mountaintop and, without any more hesitation, started to climb.

    Azazeal nced at his outstretched hand, the purple color in his eyes gathered into two slits, revealing the hidden obsidian color beneath. He tilted his head to look at the silver-haired human who had once again altered the future.

    "It''s annoying... how his actions can change without any rhyme or reason. Should I feed him the fruit of fate... because I am still unable to see our end."

    "But it wouldn''t be fun, then, right?"

    The corner of his eyes trickled upward, and his eyespletely turned obsidian, only to regain their normal shade of purple in the next second.

    The clear sky above rumbled slightly as Azazeal too started climbing the mountain. Kyle noticed him immediately due to the pristine white clothes... or maybe because the man deliberately made sure to stay in his sight. But Kyle observed with a frown that the man was walking effortlessly, unlike him, who had to clutch at each jutting rock to stay steady because the entire mountain was treacherous.

    The air was calm and serene, but a vein visibly throbbed on Kyle''s forehead every time he stole a nce at the man walking not far from him. He took in a deep breath and quickened his pace, but Aze effortlessly matched his speed.

    "Damn it, what''s your deal? Stop following me and scram because you are seriously getting on my nerves."

    Azazeal paused and stared at him.

    "But I also want to climb the mountain."

    Kyle rubbed his temples and without a second thought, sprinted towards the mountain top. He didn''t look back and utilized his agility to the fullest, grabbing onto rocks to leap and flip his body.

    But as he grasped a jutting rock to cross anotherrge gap in the mountain, he nearly lost his grip when he caught sight of a familiar pair of white shoes.

    "Th fuck!"

    Kyle gripped the rock with all his strength to maintain his bnce and snapped his head up to look at the eyes staring at him. His scent perception skill had beenpletely useless against the man.

    "Aze, right? What''s the problem with you? Just go and climb the mountain if you want. Why are you following me?"

    His eyes widened in disbelief as the man effortlessly leaped towards another rock, ignoring him as if he didn''t exist. Kyle let out a cold chuckle, his burning gaze fixed on Aze''s back.

    "This guy... he''s pushing it too much this time! I swear I''m going to punch him the next time I see his face!"

    He leaped upward and continued his journey, this time ignoring the man just as thetter had ignored him. However, as he crossed one-third of the mountain, his head collided with Aze''s back, who had halted to gaze at the area in front of him.

    Kyle barely restrained himself from grabbing the man and throwing him off the mountain. He reminded himself repeatedly that he was unaware of Aze''s strength and it wouldn''t be wise to engage with someone who hadn''t initiated an attack. Yet, for some reason, his patience was wearing thin in the man''s presence.

    He reached out to touch Aze''s shoulder to push.. Ahem, gently move him aside, but before his hand could make contact, the man swiftly stepped out of his path.

    Kyle blinked and nced at the man suspiciously. Aze had stopped moving for some reason, even though the path ahead was clearer than before.

    "Don''t you want to climb the mountain? Why did you stop?"

    Once again, he received no answer as the purple eyes peered at him as if waiting for him to move forward.

    Kyle seriously had enough. He rolled his sleeves to have a one-

    on-one with the man. However, as he took a step forward, the ground beneath his feet caved in, and he dropped into a narrow gap.

    Immediately, a groan escaped his lips as he grabbed his back and stared at the dust and debris that enveloped his vision. And in that moment, a familiar voice echoed outside the gap.

    "Oh, I thought you would avoid it?"

    Kyle let out augh, augh that was nothing but cold as he locked his eyes with Aze, who stared at him from outside the gap. He raised his fist and with a single jump left the gap only to find that Aze had already jumped toward another ce.

    "Just you wait, you bastard!"

 Chapter 470 Can you cook?

    Chapter 470 Can you cook?

    ??It was a peaceful evening with a sky clear except for the dark clouds that had begun to obscure the brightness. The birds were singing a beautiful melody behind Hubert, who had his legs casually propped up on the wooden table in front of him as he rxed on a chair with his eyes closed.

    The old man rubbed his white beard and hummed softly as he savored the moment, but he nearly jumped and lost his bnce from the chair when a loud shout pierced the air around him.

    "You bastard!!!"

    Hubert swiftly regained hisposure and shifted his gaze to identify who dared to call him a bastard.

    His eyes narrowed as he observed two familiar individuals running towards his humble hut. One dressed immactely in white, and the other... well, his attire was so grimy with dirt that it obscured the color.

    "What''s going on?"

    He stepped back and picked up amon stone from the ground before focusing on the man in white.

    "How dare these fellows disrupt the peace near my home."

    Hubert raised the rock and exerted some of his strength to hurl it towards the man d in white. But the old man''s eyes widened slightly in surprise as the man with purple eyes evaded his attack, causing the rock to strike the person behind him directly on the head.

    Kyle cursed again and massaged his throbbing forehead.

    "Who the heck dares to..."

    He paused in the middle when he saw a familiar face opposite him. It was Hubert, the old man he had been looking for. Kyle quickly wiped the dirt off his forehead and red at Aze for ruining his clothes. He had been trying to catch the man to beat him up, but he ended up falling into another pit on the way.

    ''Damn it, now my first impression is ruined all because of this guy.''

    Nevertheless, he quickly went up to Hubert to greet the old man. However, Hubert stopped him with a raised hand.

    "Human, state your business from a distance and leave, ''cause I don''t have time. I am a busy soul."

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched, but he stopped in his tracks and first greeted the old man by asking how he had been, only to receive a curt response in return.

    "I am fit and perfectly healthy. Just tell me, why are you... two here?"

    Hubert nced at Azazeal for a second, then he fixed his gaze on Kyle once more, as he already had an inkling of why they were here. He made a mental note to punish both Hazel and Joshua because they are the only ones who could inform Kyle about the fact that he taught others in the past, and all the people he taught were able to sessfully leave thisnd.

    Kyle''s expression turned serious as he looked at the old man.

    "As you already know, a transcendent rank physique is necessary to leave thisnd. I am here to ask you to help me because I believe you have the most knowledge about thisnd, and you are currently the strongest person as well. I have to leave thisnd as soon as possible. I can''t stay here. So, please help me reach the transcendent rank physique."

    Hubert hummed nonchntly. He had indeed helped many young people in the past, and he had to say it wasn''t a good experience because he knew once he took someone under him, he had to take responsibility for that person.

    However, he didn''t refuse immediately because when he healed Kyle''s injuries, strangely, his spiritual energy willingly entered the human body to heal thetter''s injuries as if it liked Kyle''s presence. This piqued his curiosity about the human. Not to mention, he could see the determination in Kyle''s eyes and knew from his experience that even if he rejected the human today, thetter would do anything to reach the transcendent rank physique.

    It might take Kyle a longer time to reach the physique, but the human would surely reach it. Moreover, the second thing that made Hubert hesitate from outright rejecting him was the other man who came with Kyle, the one who had been silently standing and watching everything from the side.

    Hubert sat down on the chair and nced at Kyle as he ced his foot on the table.

    "It''s getting dark, don''t you think? Also, I''m feeling quite hungry at the moment... How about we continue this conversation over some food?"

    Kyle blinked, realizing where this was heading, and the old man''s next actions confirmed his thoughts. Hubert gestured toward both him and Aze before pointing at the small hut in the distance constructed of wood, dry leaves, and y bricks.

    "Go, you two, hunt a wild goat from the back of the mountain and prepare a good meal for all of us since I am too old to be doing so much work."

    Kyle''s eyes traveled toward the man with purple eyes who seemed unfazed and spoke up without a second thought.

    "But I am not good with cooking. No one has ever liked it? How about Aze..."

    "Can you cook?"

    He smirked when he finally noticed a faint flicker of annoyance in those purple eyes, but his smile vanished when the man replied back with a nonchnt voice.

    "I can''t."

    Kyle was itching to argue, but he mped his mouth shut as Hubert mmed his palm on the table.

    "What''s with the uselessness? If you can''t even cook, why are you two even here? Go and tidy up the house... wait, it''s already clean, I did itst night."

    Hubert massaged his temples, feeling a massive headacheing his way as he nced at the two people opposite him. However, he couldn''t help but notice that the one in white clothes had still not asked him for help, even though from the faint aura he sensed in the past, Aze should also be a pseudo-

    divine rank. Nevertheless, he held his thoughts and rubbed his chin with a pensive expression.

    "Alright, I have decided."

    He pped his hands together and drew a leafless bud on the ground with his finger. The bud looked like a flower that hasn''t bloomed yet.

    "This is a rare herb known as the Vitalis. It enhances body endurance if its bud is consumed. Locating this herb is hard, but with a sharp sense, you can discover it on this mountain. The one who can gather 1,000 of them for me, I will train that person until they reach the transcendent rank physique."

    Kyle stared at the drawn image of the herb, and after a few seconds, his eyes lit up.

    "I saw them a while back!"

    Hubert''s eyebrow twitched as he raised his head to gaze at Kyle, only to see the silver-haired human sprinting back toward the direction he came from.

    The old man turned around to gaze at Aze, the silent one, but the man with purple eyes had also started strolling in the same direction as Kyle without giving a damn about him.

    "...."

 Chapter 471 I do have a motive

    Chapter 471 I do have a motive

    ??Kyle leaped into a narrow pit a short distance from the mountaintop, where his eyes caught sight of the familiar leafless buds sprouting all around him. The herbs, with their earthy hues, blended seamlessly into the surroundings.

    He dusted off his clothes, then stooped down to pluck and gather the herbs in his hands. But as he got busy in his task to gather 1,000 Vitalis as soon as possible because the sky had started to turn even darker, behind him, the man dressed in white also entered the pit.

    Azazeal''s feet hovered in the air beforending on the ground without a sound. His eyes absorbed the scene in front of him. A pit full of rare herbs that grew only because of spiritual energy. He couldn''t help but stare at Kyle''s back.

    ''So that''s why you dropped into the pit? I was wondering why... when you could have easily avoided it, given that nature favors you as if you are its child.''

    Kyle''s back tensed, and he snapped his head back, only to witness a pair of glowing eyes staring at him in the dimly lit space. But he didn''t get startled, probably because, for some reason, the eyes had be a lot more normal... or maybe he had seen them just too many times already? He wasn''t sure as he clicked his tongue.

    "What are you staring at me for? Don''t you want to gather the herbs? It''s getting dark, and carrying a thousand up the mountain would require many trips because weck storage space. Ugh, and I even dropped my bag somewhere because of you."

    Azazeal moved his eyes to focus on a distant herb with a richer huepared to the others.

    "Why should I? I never asked him for help. It was always you."

    Kyle blinked, now that he thought about it, Aze never once asked for help from Hubert. He simply observed from afar.

    "So, why are you even here?"

    He fixed his gaze at the man who opened his mouth to speak up while gazing in another direction.

    "Do I need a reason? It''s my choice to go wherever I please."

    Kyle took a deep breath to calm his throbbing head. He set the herbs in his hands down and stood up, then walked toward the man who paused in his tracks and stared back at him due to his sudden movement. Kyle let out a long sigh and, after wiping his hands on his sweater to clean them, he extended his right hand toward the man across from him with a faint smile.

    "It''s Kyle... Kyle Ohan. I want to leave thisnd as soon as possible. I don''t know who you are and why you are following me, but I believe you also want to leave thisnd. Therefore, let''s not get in each other''s way and do our best to leave this ce."

    He paused for a moment when he noticed a flicker of surprise shing through Aze''s eyes.

    "Aze, right? It would be better if we don''t be enemies. I can''t sense it, but I have a feeling that you''re not weak. So, standing on opposite sides wouldn''t benefit either of us, because I am sure I won''t back down even if you are stronger than me."

    Azazeal stared at the hand stretched out toward him before ncing at the face of the human who gazed at him with a faint but genuine smile. He couldn''t help but think... how naive?

    ''You have no clue who I am and that I''m already standing on the dark side... In fact, I''m the one who created that side.''

    The corners of his eyes lifted as he extended his hand to shake the outstretched hand.

    "Kyle, I have to admit once again, you surprised me. Now I get it..."

    The human across from him furrowed his brows slightly when he didn''t finish his sentence.

    ''...why we became friends in the first ce. It''s because of your actions... I can''t and would never be able to predict them.''

    It was alreadyte at night when Kyle finished stacking 1,000 Vitalis herbs near Hubert''s house, where the old man had gone to sleep. Kyle''s eyes shone slightly in the darkness as he nced at the starless, moonless sky. Different from the dark sky, the dim lighting from the countless gray flowers scattered on the mountain illuminated his surroundings enough for him to see everything around him.

    He slumped down on the ground and closed his eyes. However, only after a minute, he opened his eyes to nce at the man with purple eyes standing at a distance, staring at the empty sky.

    Kyle sat up and let out a sigh.

    "Just sit down, will you? The ground won''t harm your pristine white clothes."

    Instinctively, he stared at himself and couldn''t help but grimace at just how dirty he was. But he didn''t have spare clothes to change into since he lost the bag Hazel had prepared for him.

    ''I''ll search for it first thing in the morning when it''s a little brighter.''

    Kyle followed Aze''s gaze and looked at the sky filled with nothing but dark clouds.

    "Hey, you have been doing nothing. So, what''s your n? If you don''t want Hubert''s help, why are you even here? You must have a motive, right?"

    He didn''t really expect the man to answer because he had noticed that Aze didn''t like to answer if the man deemed it unnecessary.

    "Whatever..."

    Kyle shut his eyes once more andy down. He was still wary of Aze, but he had started to be less bothered by the man''s presence. Besides, without Bia''s voice that always echoed in his head, he realized he didn''t enjoy quietness.

    So, he wanted to speak a bit more, even though he usually stayed quiet. But he was surprised when the man actually replied.

    "I do have a motive..."

    Kyle let out a silent scoff.

    He so badly wanted to say that If you want to speak,plete your sentence at least! But he didn''t because he knew he would not get an answer.

 Chapter 472 Dont ever call me that

    Chapter 472 Don''t ever call me that

    ??Hubert woke up in the morning and gazed at therge bundle of herbs stacked in front of his house. He heard the noisest night, but he never imagined the human would actually gather 1,000 of them in just a single night.

    He let out a sigh as he gazed at the only person in front of him, sitting leisurely on the chair he used yesterday.

    "So, where is Kyle? He''s the one who gathered the herbs, right?"

    Azazeal stared at him and, after a nod, he pointed his finger towards the path leading down the mountain without uttering a single word. The old man pulled out another chair from the house and sat down opposite him with a grave expression.

    "Let''s set Kyle aside for now. Just tell me, who are you? Why are you in thisnd?"

    He released his spiritual energy to exert pressure on the man, but a shiver ran down his spine when Azazeal lifted his eyes to gaze at him with a pair of obsidian eyes.

    "Don''t meddle in affairs that are not your concern. I will leave once I am done here. It''s better for your entire race if you ignore my presence."

    Hubert''s eyes trembled and he mmed the table between them, ready to make Aze regret his words. However, he stopped and regained hisposure when he saw Kyle approaching, this time dressed in a clean set of clothes and carrying arge bag on his back.

    Kyle sensed the air was heavy for some reason, but he didn''t say anything and immediately went up to the old man. Now that he had gathered 1,000 Vitalis, Hubert should keep his word and help him.

    Hubert gazed at Kyle with a serious expression, and after a long minute, he released a sigh of resignation.

    "I am a dragon, and we always honor our promises. Therefore, from now on, you, Kyle, will be under my guidance until you attain the transcendent rank physique. Still, remember that you must notin or cry, as reaching that level is no easy feat."

    Kyle stared back at him with a determined expression and raised his voice slightly to show his resolve.

    "I won''t!"

    Hubert was startled, and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest when all of a sudden Kyle bowed before him and called him second master before stating that he would be under his care until he achieved a transcendent rank physique.

    The old man quickly held Kyle''s shoulders and made him stand properly while trying his best to calm his heart.

    "What? I never said I would be your master! I will help you, but do not ever call me that. It just gave me chills for some reason!"

    Kyle blinked as if he didn''t understand what the old man was saying.

    Hubert''s eyebrow twitched. Only then did he notice that Kyle had called him second master... what did that mean? The old man wanted to confirm his suspicions, but at that very moment, he noticed Aze, whose eyes'' crinkled up to show his amusement. His expression turned rigid when Aze murmured under his breath, loud enough for him and Kyle to hear.

    "He does know how to seal a deal."

    Hubert slumped down in the chair and gazed at Kyle with a wry smile. He had a hunch that he would regret the decision he made today. But for now, he has to ensure these two humans leave thisnd as soon as possible to soothe his increasingly agitated heart. He sighed and epted Kyle''s gesture before he stroked his beard with a distant expression.

    "Just go... your first task is to capture a wild goat. Go-!"

    However, before he could even finish his sentence, Kyle spoke up with a serious expression.

    "But I am not good at cooking."

    Hubert''s head throbbed, and he wanted to tug at his white beard, but he stayedposed as he gazed at Kyle.

    "Did I ask you to cook? I told you to go and capture a wild goat. They are quick and have sharp horns. It will provide you with valuable experience."

    Kyle nodded and turned to descend the mountain once again. Hubert watched his fading figure before turning to look at Aze to settle the old score, only to find the chair before him empty. The man had vanished once more.

    "Just what have I gotten myself into..."

    The old man rubbed his forehead and started to make a schedule for Kyle. He nned to train the human day and night so Kyle could achieve a transcendent rank physique in the shortest time possible. But he then remembered that he didn''t know the type of weapon Kyle used inbat.

    "Or did he fight with fists? He wasn''t even wearing a storage ring... did he lose his belongings somehow? Well, he was badly injured when the old couple found him, so he probably escaped with just his life... but the question is who harmed him?"

    "I still have to know a lot about him. I am not sure about the other one, but Kyle would probably tell me about it. I hope he hadn''t forgotten about itpletely."

    He closed his eyes to rest, but only after an hour, he was jolted awake when Kyle arrived with many wild goats chasing behind him. The old man couldn''t believe what he was witnessing... the silver-haired human''s agility state was unexpectedly high for some reason. Hubert quickly secured his chairs and table before the goats, as tall as him, could destroy them with their horns.

    But he cried out and ran to stop the goats when a few of them got dangerously close to his humble house. He, for the first time in his life, lost hisposure as he red at Kyle with a dark expression.

    "I told you to capture one, not to bring a horde here to destroy everything!"

    Kyle gritted his teeth and slightly bent his body to kick off one of the goats that nearly threw him off his feet.

    "Damn, it''s not my fault! That bastard Aze picked up a strange nt the goats were trying to reach! But instead of following him, the goats started chasing me!"

    After Hubert finally chased all the wild goats away, Kyle was spotted sitting on his heels with his hands raised high in the air. He nearly lunged to punch the man dressed in white who arrived on the mountain and casually strolled to sit down on a chair in the distance if not for the heavy weight ced on his shoulders.

 Chapter 473 What about you?

    Chapter 473 What about you?

    ??It was a peaceful morning, much like any other, and Kyle was climbing one of the tallest mountains in the No Manand.

    He clutched onto one of the many gray-hued nts cascading down from the mountain''s peak as he made his way towards the summit.

    However, the more he climbed upward, the intense the pressure on his body became, as if numerous giant rocks were pressing on his shoulders, making it hard to maintain his bnce.

    Kyle was always grateful that his body was colder than usual due to his bloodline, making it rare for him to sweat.

    But he couldn''t help but furrow his brows because right now, his entire body was soaked in sweat.

    Not to mention, the ufortable sensation of sweat beads trickling down his face and seeping into his shirt.

    The same light blue shirt he wore over the dark trousers he was too exhausted to change in the morning, thinking he would finally get a day of rest because Hubert had to go check on the vige after the old man received news that many manaless beasts were suddenly appearing in the forest surrounding the vige.

    But just who could have guessed that before the old man left, he would gesture towards a distant mountain and ask Kyle to ascend to the peak and meditate there for an entire day because the gravitational pull on the mountain grew stronger as one climbed higher, putting more pressure on the climber''s body the further they ascended.

    Kyle winced as he lost his footing while trying to maintain his bnce by cing his foot into a narrow space.

    Immediately, his body slid down dangerously, but fortunately, before he could plummet further, he quickly grabbed onto a jutting rock with a curse.

    "Damn... I''m only halfway, and I already feel crushed. How the hell am I gonna make it to the top and spend a whole day there when the pressure might double or even triple from what I''m feeling now..."

    It has been three months since he began training under Hubert. He has been through a lot, like chasing wild goats to match their agility until his whole body screamed with exhaustion and dragging massive boulders up the mountain, only to watch as the old man then threw them down in front of his very eyes and told him to drag them back up again.

    Let''s not forget the time when the old man threw him into a narrow, deep underground tunnel where he couldn''t even see the end and asked him to climb out without anything to hold onto.

    It was the toughest challenge Kyle had ever faced because the sand was wet, causing him to slide down repeatedly. He even got hungry in the middle because the aircks mana... but he somehow seeded in climbing out after two days and three nights of struggle.

    "Ah... Hubert told me he wants to see me use a weapon and watch me fight."

    "I''m sure it''s going to be even harder because the old man enjoys hitting me on the head whenever he pleases just because I am not good at cooking. But... it''s good I remember to write down my sword art in the notebook on time so even if I forgot it, I could recall just by reading the text."

    Kyle let out a sigh. He gazed at the clear sky and reached for another spot to climb when suddenly his eyes spotted a familiar figure, and a vein immediately throbbed on his forehead.

    It was Aze, dressed in a neat set of dark clothes, strolling casually towards Kyle from below, with a face that appearedpletely unfazed by the pressure. The same pressure that made Kyle sweat buckets of water.

    Aze would always disappear without a sound the moment Kyle turned around only to show up for a few hours after weeks, and Kyle was sure the man came back just to see him suffer!

    Also, even though Aze never did anything wrong, the man somehow just increased the hardships Kyle had to go through just by his presence alone. It was as if Kyle''s luck took a U-turn whenever this man appeared before him.

    ''He just had to show up again. I feel like I might drop down the mountain if I even engage in conversation with him.''

    ''So, let''s just ignore him.''

    Kyle took a deep breath and continued his journey without paying much attention to the presence that drew closer to him with each passing second. His caution around Aze had diminished significantlypared to when they first met, perhaps because the man never attempted to harm him... but it was strange because Aze never made an effort to help him either. The man would simply observe silently from the sidelines with a face devoid of any emotion.

    In that moment, a familiar voice echoed in Kyle''s ears, and he lifted his head to look at the pair of purple eyes staring down at him with emptiness.

    "How have you been?"

    Kyle wasn''t even startled this time because he had be used to this and simply changed his path.

    Azazeal watched the silver-haired human who altered his path by leaping in another direction without acknowledging his presence.

    "Hmm?"

    He blinked and followed suit quietly as Kyle climbed the mountain. He watched as Kyle lost his footing and barely clung to a rock to maintain his bnce.

    A curse slipped from the silver-haired human''s lips as he tried to climb up, but his hands were too mmy with sweat, so he couldn''t properly grab onto something.

    Immediately, a thought emerged in Azazeal''s mind as he watched Kyle.

    ''Oh, he''s going to drop down.''

    Then, he stared down to see just how far the silver-haired human would drop if he lost his bnce now.

    Kyle''s eyes identally caught sight of the man in the distance counting who knows what on his finger while staring down toward the base of the mountain.

    ''This bastard... Don''t tell me he thinks I am going to drop down!? Just like always, he''s going to watch! Ugh, sometimes I hope his presence wasn''t so frustrating.''

    He groaned and with all his strength punched theyer of earth in front of him to dig a space to hold onto before stabilizing his footing.

    Kyle wiped his forehead and let out an exhausted sigh. He saw Aze staring at him with a flicker of surprise and let out a scoff.

    "What, feeling bad because I didn''t lose my bnce?"

    Kyle''s eyes saw red when the man actually replied to his words.

    "What a pity."

    He gritted his teeth and used his anger to climb the mountain even faster because thest time he tried to fight Aze, he couldn''t evennd a single hit on the man who just stared at him quietly throughout the whole exchange.

    ''I wish I could punch him just once.''

    It was alreadyte in the afternoon when Kyle reached the mountain top, but he couldn''t stand due to the overwhelming pressure. Therefore, he crawled to sit in the middle of the unevennd in front of him to endure the pressure for a day so he could go back to hunt a monster and eat something before Hubert returned and assigned him another task.

    He crossed his legs, but then a sudden thought appeared in his head. Immediately, he spread out his scent perception skill in the surrounding area and noticed that the area the skill could cover had decreasedpared to before.

    "Is it because of the pressure?"

    Kyle was surprised because the more he tried to spread the skill under pressure, the harder it became for him to maintain it. Moreover, it was very faint, almost nonexistent, but he could sense his skill was getting stronger.... He also tried to spread out his fear skill, but this time nothing happened.

    "I think it''s because the fear skill impacts the opponent''s mind more than the space around me..."

    He sighed and observed as Aze also sat down at a distance from him. The man stared into the space opposite him as if searching for something. Kyle ced his palm beneath his chin and followed his gaze but saw nothing because the space opposite them had nothing except some clouds. He blinked when Aze started speaking on his own.

    "It''s amazing how time passes without a pause, just like a breeze."

    Kyle rubbed his eyes and copsed backward onto the ground with a heavy sigh, allowing the pressure to descend on his body.

    "It is... I didn''t even notice, and three months have passed. I don''t know how many people I have forgotten and how many I will forget as I try my best to leave this ce. But I always wonder how they are doing..."

    He nced at Aze from the corners of his eyes, and despite the possibility of not getting an answer, he began asking questions.

    "What about you? You are strong... and I have a feeling you can leave thisnd whenever you want."

    "So why are you here? I wonder... Are you searching for treasures hidden in this mana-deprivednd? Whatever it may be, is there no one out there waiting for you?"

 Chapter 474 An old tale I

    Chapter 474 An old tale I

    ??Kyle closed his eyes after not receiving any response from the man. He had anticipated this, but after a long pause, a familiar voice finally reached his ears, and for the first time, he sensed the voice waver slightly.

    "No, there is none."

    Azazeal''s eyes crinkled a bit as he thought about the words that slipped from his lips. Right, there''s no one waiting for him. It''s been like that for as long as he can remember.

    Kyle opened his eyes and let out a sigh. It wasn''t that he hadn''t thought about this possibility, but now, what should he say because he wasn''t good atforting.

    ''I shouldn''t have asked that question...''

    But apparently, the man opposite him wasn''t done at all.

    "Do you want to hear an old tale?"

    Kyle blinked and pushed himself up into a sitting position with a groan. The wind on top of the mountain wasn''t brisk due to the pressure, but his hair was a mess as it had started to grow longer once again.

    He gazed at Aze, who looked unfazed even though they were both sitting under the same pressure.

    "An old tale? It''s rare for you to share something out of nowhere... but I suppose I have to sit here for a whole day, so it''s better than being bored in silence."

    Azazeal counted on his fingers and calcted that there were three different paths Kyle could take when he would descend the mountain... each path leading to the worst possible oue. The most unfavorable of them all was the one he desired for the human to choose, as it was finally time for him to capture the celestial spirit. He lowered his fingers and shifted his position to directly face Kyle instead of gazing into the air.

    "Kyle, have you ever heard the word Celestial?"

    Kyle stilled in his spot as he stared into the man''s purple eyes. His mind screeched to a halt, and the next words that slipped out from his mouth were immediate.

    "No, I haven''t... never."

    He caught a glimpse of his own expression in Aze''s eyes, which stayed unchanged, and regained hisposure. Only to realize in the next second that he had made a mistake!

    As a pseudo-divine rank individual, he should be knowledgeable about the Celestial rank!

    ''Fuck! It''s because of my bloodline! I got nervous for a second! I hope he doesn''t question me further...''

    Azazeal noticed with amusement how Kyle''s body stiffened for a second, but the human''s expression remained unchanged as he lied through his teeth.

    "I see."

    His lips twitched slightly, almost threatening to curl upward when he observed Kyle secretly sighing with relief after hearing his words.

    Kyle brushed his thoughts away and changed the topic immediately. He should not get so nervous just by hearing the word Celestial because his bloodline knows how to stay hidden if it is threatened.

    "So, you were going to tell me an old tale? Or did you change your mind?"

    Azazeal stared at Kyle for a while. Then he opened his mouth, and his voice resonated with a deep, mncholic tone, as if he were recalling a forgotten past, lost to the passage of time.

    It was just an ordinary story that had a somewhat nice ending, but the more Kyle heard, the more he moved backward a little away from Aze. His expression showed he was shocked to the core because the whole darn story revolved around the word Celestial!

    He stared at Aze with aplex expression. Just a while ago, if someone asked Kyle for his opinion about the man, only one word would have slipped out of his mouth. Mysterious.

    At first, he thought Aze might be one of the shadow generals who had appeared in thisnd to uncover a hidden treasure or maybe to conquer orpletely destroy it.

    But he quickly dismissed those thoughts because there was no visible dark flower on the man''s body, and Kyle couldn''t detect any unpleasant scent emanating from him. Not to mention, Aze had never harmed anyone. The man simply followed Kyle around for some unknown reason.

    Kyle winced when his usually strong skin grazed over simply because of a small rock beneath him. Immediately, his gaze fell upon the drop of blood trailing toward the ground, followed by the few faint blue particles that emerge out from his skin to heal his broken skin��the same particles that had been holed up inside his mind space since he arrived on thisnd.

    A shiver ran down his spine because in that very moment he noticed Aze''s eyes fixed on the faint blue particles.His bloodline had never revealed itself in front of others before, so why now!?

    Kyle''s eyes quivered slightly as a sudden realization dawned on him.

    "Is it because you have something simr in your body...?"

    Azazeal''s lips curved into a faint smirk as he stared into Kyle''s eyes.

    "No, it is because I concealed my presence the moment I started the tale. Right now, we upy the same physical space but exist in different dimensions."

    Kyle tightened his fists and, despite the pressure on his body, he swiftly scrambled to run in the opposite direction without ncing back. Something was definitely wrong because he saw it... he saw how Aze''s eyes turnedpletely obsidian with nothing but darkness within them as the man stared at him. The moment Kyle stared into those eyes, a single thought emerged in his head. He would die if he stayed in this ce any longer.

    His bloodline waspletely calm probably because it can''t sense the man''s presence right now, but his instincts told him to run away as far as possible. Kyle started to descend the mountain.

    Aze was far stronger than his expectations... The man could easily slip into another dimension while right in front of his eyes all this time. And let''s not forget the tale Aze shared with him. If the one who survived in that story turns out to be the man himself...

    Then Aze was definitely not a shadow general. No, the man could be even more dangerous than the shadow generals. After all, the only person who survived in the end of the story lost everything, his whole race, yet chose to forgive the world that stripped him of all he held dear.

    ''Damn it! Damn it! Just someone please give me a beating... why the heck do I have to go and poke my nose in every crappy situation. But I am a hundred percent sure that bastard only told me the first half of the story.''

    ''No way I''m going to believe there''s someone so saintly in this universe who could forgive those who killed their loved ones right before their eyes!''

    Kyle wasn''t sure if Aze was truly thest survivor in the story or if the man just shared his own past in the form of a tale to convey that he is a good person... and Kyle had no desire to find out either.

    But as he stepped on a narrow space to descend the mountain quickly, the ground beneath him copsed with a soft noise. Instantly, a startled expression crossed his face before his body fell downward into the narrow opening due to gravitational pull.

 Chapter 475 An old tale II

    Chapter 475 An old tale II

    ??The blessed race �� Azazeal remember that''s what everyone called them.

    It was a race that naturally held supreme authority throughout the universe because all of its members possessed something celestial within their bodies from birth.

    The people of that race bore a human appearance but possessed a pair of unique eyes that set them apart from humans. No matter the eye color, there would always be two slits in the center of their pupils.

    Moreover, within that race, almost everyone had the potential to achieve the celestial rank because of their natural gift and exceptional talent.

    However, due to this distinctiveness, the poption of the race was always small, typically not exceeding a hundred members.

    And even if the numbers somehow exceeded a hundred, the elder individuals would leave the universe as soon as they attained the celestial rank to avoid disrupting the bnce of power.

    Azazeal blinked as the obsidian in his pupils began to shift away, unveiling the two purple slits within. Instantly, a mocking gleam shed through his eyes.

    "The most powerful race, huh?"

    He thought about the tale he shared with Kyle just moments ago. It revolved around the same blessed race that was ordinary yet so powerful at the same time.

    The survivor in that story was one of the youngest members of that very race. A young kid, barely nine years old, whose mother hid him inside a separate space to protect him from the people who came to y their entire race. The very race they themselves called blessed?

    Howughable.

    The nine-year-old kid held the celestial bones in his body, a blessing from nature, just like his entire race who carried a celestial element within them from the beginning of their lives.

    After all, they were thest, yet distant descendants of the pure celestial race that had be extinct after thest of them transcended mortality and left the universe to fight among themselves because the mortals were too weak to even witness their powers.

    However, just like how precious gems captivate admirers, their blessing stirred jealousy and envy among all the other races in the universe. This was the reason why the kid''s mother, despite knowing she would die once she used thest of her strength, created a separate space to save her one and only child.

    Azazeal gazed at the sky as purple and obsidian particles emanated from his skin, coalescing to create a beautiful purple flower with numerous petals nestled between his corbones.

    The flower petals radiated a faint yet brilliant light, but they werepletely tainted by the red and dark spots within.

    "Her tear-streaked face... I''m d I can''t recall it anymore."

    His ears buzzed with distant cries, and the scene before him blurred to show a familiar kid with striking obsidian eyes, each holding two purple slits within them. The eyes were fixed on the tragic event unfolding just a little distance away from them.

    The kid sealed his lips and ceased all movements to ensure that the fragile curtains of the separate space created around him stayed intact as he watched everything being drenched in crimson.

    Not to mention, those who did it loudly dered before his very eyes that they were purging the universe of wicked individuals... as the blessed race had veered off the right path after washing their bodies in dark energy just like the demon race.

    However, he witnessed it all... when they slyly chuckled amongst themselves, whispering about how they would divide the otherworldly blessing within the bodies of the people they killed. The kid was certain of their actions as they carried the bodies away right before his eyes. It was the first time he saw so many races together, and the most beautiful among them were the golden dragons and the winged people who soared across the pitch-ck sky after the entirend where the blessed race lived was shattered into pieces to ensure they hadn''t missed anyone alive.

    Yet, he remained silent even as the air around him grew suffocating... just as his mother had instructed him to do... Aze, you must stay quiet. Do not make a sound. The sky darkened even further, turning a deep red, almost as if mourning the blessed beings who perished beneath it.

    He didn''t know how many days or weeks had passed when the curtains around him finally began to break, and he copsed on the ground, gazing at the remnants of what was once his home.

    The kid wandered among the ruins, looking at the clear sky, hungry, with clothes that had be soiled with sweat from his time in that confined space. Only a few words managed to escape his parched throat that had turned so dry that it was difficult to even speak.

    "Is it... finally over?"

    After gazing at the brokennd one final time, he started walking with a nk mind, filled only with the cries and sights he had witnessed while hiding inside the separate space, just like a useless person.

    He walked and walked until his legs gave out because he wanted to go to a faraway ce where the air wasn''t filled with the suffocating stench of blood. But then he noticed a teleportation array drawn in the middle of the ruins, undoubtedly by the people who killed his race.

    Having started learning at a young age, he managed to activate the array with hands that were trembling, even though his body contained not even a speck of mana as he had not yet awakened his talent.

    His empty stomach twisted with pain as he used the array, only to drop to his knees the moment he arrived in a different ce. But when he raised his head, he saw a bustling area that waspletely different from the nightmare he had just left behind.

    The remaining brightness in his eyes started to fade, and the two slits in his pupils vanished into the obsidian color when a few people gathered around him with concerned expressions to ask about his identity and why a child was present there, or if he was okay.

    He willingly lifted his head so they all could identify him after seeing his eyes and end his life, just like all the others.

    But at that exact moment, when he locked eyes with the person closest to him... he realized that his blessing was different from all the others, and it knew how to hide itself when threatened.

 Chapter 476 An old tale III

    Chapter 476 An old tale III

    ??Azazeal couldn''t hide his amusement when he recalled Kyle''s shocked expression as the human started to move away from him after hearing his next words.

    "The kid who survived never shed a single tear, even after witnessing all that."

    "He had a strong soul, didn''t he?"

    Despite many people extending their hands towards the kid, no one actually took him in or offered him a meal. He found outter that they were only concerned because he was hindering their business by sitting above the teleportation array.

    The kid''s eyes contained nothing but hatred as he nced at the people around him, but theyughed at his audacity. He quickly left the area, even though he struggled to walk because he understood that, given his condition, he wouldn''tst another week without eating soon.

    But before he could even swallow the food offered to him by a homeless person as he sat inside a dark alley, he overheard a story that was strangely familiar from the people conversing in the restaurant a short distance away.

    They were discussing how, even though all the races are always fighting each other for resources, many of them joined hands and carefully nned before hunting the entire blessed race just to obtain a share of the celestial element the race possessed. The ones who didn''t participate in that hunt also just watched from the sidelines quietly without interfering because even though they didn''t desire the race''s blessing, they wanted the strongest race to disappear so they could obtain the title.

    The blessed race was strong, but what could they do with their small poption when countless people attacked them together? But despite knowing the truth, when someone nearby asked them about the details, the people changed their words whileughing it off and stating that it''s good the powerhouses of each race took actions on time and defeated the evil before it was toote.

    The kid felt it right away... those words crushed something deep inside him, and the emotions bottled up inside himpletely spiraled out of control as he erupted into uncontrobleughter in the midst of that suffocating ce that threatened to engulf him entirely.

    It might have been his final bit of hope that kept him going as he devoured the small and dirty bun handed to him. Days slipped away as he staggered from one alley to the next, battling for food like stray dogs just to survive. He even resorted to stealing, only to end up getting beaten up numerous times in the process.

    It was incredibly hard for him as he felt the weight of each blow and the sting of each defeat as he fought to cling to life in the harsh streets. However, the hatred and disgust he had for the people around him just increased with each passing day. So much so that he couldn''t even bear the sight of a living person.

    But who would have guessed that he himself would forgive the world when all of a sudden two annoying people would enter his empty life without his permission, only to change itpletely.

    Their presence showed him that not everyone in the universe was bad, not everyone was so repulsive. It was just a coincidence, right... that he needed to awaken his talent on the very same day when they both just happened to go to that very ce to supervise the process because of their master.

    The ce that was always open for the poor people so they could awaken their talent without paying, and if any of them had an exceptional talent, someone influential would take them under their wing, and their lives would change.

    Hence, it was unexpected when two elegantly dressed individuals arrived just to observe the process and take part in it. He would never forget the moment when one of them held out a shimmering crystal orb towards him and asked him to ce his hand on it with a beautiful smile.

    The smile that was annoying but not at the same time. However, the smile stiffened when the crystal ball erupted with a brilliant light to showcase his talent that was higher than all the people present. Or maybe even higher than the whole.

    Azazeal suddenly closed his eyes and released a heavy breath.

    "It''s hard for me to remember anyone from the past as it''s been too long, but why is it that I can''t forget the faces of those who extended their hands toward me, only to deceive me the moment I turned away?"

    "That is why I still want to end their lives just once with my own hands, even if they are dead. If not, I would have already destroyed this entire universe without a thought and would not have felt a thing even if it crumbled right in front of me."

    Now, even the bitterness from the past has be so faint for him that he can barely feel it. But he knew he can''t act on that urge. Not right now.

    Azazeal rubbed his thumb and gazed into the air for a while, as if waiting for the perfect moment.

    "If this universe crumbled. Instead of breaking the barrier that''s stopping me from leaving, I will be buried under that same barrier. Huh..."

    He chuckled and shook his head. That was the only reason that kept him afloat. The story of the nine-year-old boy reached its conclusion when he transformed into a handsome adult with boundless talent.

    Only after a year, he found himself surrounded by two individuals who always stood by his side, and together, they all started their journey to be the strongest.

    Maybe that''s why the sole survivor of the story forgave the entire universe for taking everything he cherished and making his life miserable. Or perhaps he forgave them because it was too bothersome, and the two people beside him weren''t bad, even though he had forgotten how to smile a long time ago.

    But regardless of the circumstances, he never shed a tear throughout his entire life, not even one out of joy.

 Chapter 477 Found you

    Chapter 477 Found you

    ??A loud voice rumbled inside the mountain, and the air quivered slightly. Azazeal slowly turned his gaze toward the narrow opening Kyle slipped into.

    "Did the spirit show up? So soon?"

    He stood up, and the space around him rippled and stretched out with many dark particles before he stepped out from the separate space he created to make his presence known once again.

    The flower between his corbones evaporated into the particles. However, as he recall Kyle''sst expression, he paused for a split second. He thought Kyle''s presence was just something he would notice in passing, but in the past three months, the human was nothing but amusing... Simr to someone he remembers.

    The moment that thought shed in his head, a strange possibility flickered through his eyes that maybe Kyle was the descendant of one of them.

    But as soon as the thought appeared, he dismissed it because he had killed all their descendants himself.

    "No, not them, but he is simr to me except for his eyes... right?"

    "I wonder why he was born with the celestial essence naturally when a human body can''t even endure that much pressure. His body should have crumbled after being born with the essence."

    His feet left the ground, and he floated, only to enter the same opening Kyle slipped into a while ago.

    Azazeal thought Kyle wouldn''t notice his change, but strangely, in the middle of the story, everything went awry.

    "I wanted to tell him more. At least the true ending, so he would know what happened to that person who forgave the world and started leading a normal life..."

    However, what could he possibly do when Kyle had a bad habit of catching on to things quickly. The human''s intuition, for some reason, was quite sharp.

    Azazeal rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

    He concealed his presencepletely mainly because, among the three paths Kyle could potentially take, he wanted the human to follow the path where he would encounter the celestial spirit.

    And for that to happen, Kyle''s bloodline, which had been concealing itself within his body, needed to reveal its presence.

    But who could have guessed that after his presence vanished, the celestial spirit would show itself on its own probably because it was attracted to the essence within Kyle''s body.

    "His bloodline was calm because it hadn''t detected any threat from the spirit yet, but I immediately sensed what it wanted to do. That''s why my eyes briefly changed, but he had to injure his hand in that exact moment just to look at me, huh?"

    "As usual... the path he took this time is alsopletely different from the ones I anticipated. It''s even more dangerous than the previous three."

    Azazeal''s body traveled through the narrow tunnel leading underground, but his floating figure paused in mid-air when he arrived in a wide hollow space, enveloped in profound stillness. His eyes witnessed the dazzling light in front of him that shimmered brightly, illuminating everything in its surroundings.

    "Found you..."

    He whispered slowly with a snicker as he watched the celestial spirit''s ethereal form that radiated a gentle, otherworldly glow.

    Its presence was a manifestation of pure spiritual energy, with shimmering iridescent wings on its formless figure.

    However, the spirit was struggling to escape theyer of darkness enveloping it from all directions. Its voice sounded more melodic as it emitted a faint shriek that reverberated through the hollow space.

    "d I was ready."

    Azazeal moved his finger, causing the darkness to constrict around the spirit, fully shrouding its ethereal form.

    At the same time, below on the uneven surface, Kyle stood frozen in his spot as he watched the majestic and ethereal form in front of him. He snapped out of his daze when his bloodline stirred in his body, urging him to get away from the light.

    The same light that bathed the surroundings in a warm, golden hue, casting intricate patterns and shadows on the walls.

    The air seemed to hum with a soothing energy that calmed Kyle''s heart, and it was as if he was being controlled because even though his bloodline was getting restless and he could notice theyer of darkness that was trying to swallow the light, he took a small hesitant step forward toward the formless entity that was made of light.

    In that very moment, a familiar yet extremely cold voice sounded above him that sent chills down his spine.

    "Don''t you dare. It''s mine."

    Kyle snapped his head up and only then did he notice the pair of obsidian eyes staring down at him. Aze was floating in mid-air, his body enveloped by the same darkness that trapped the ethereal light. Moreover, the man''s eyes... they held a clear warning that if Kyle took even a single step forward, he would die.

    Kyle halted in his tracks and stared at the formless entity that gave him a profound sense of peace, as if all his worries and fears were momentarily lifted. But it was struggling to break free from the darkness, and after Kyle paused in his actions, the spirit let out a sharp noise as if frustrated.

    The space around the spirit responded to its struggle, and numerous glistening nts sprouted from the ground.

    The energy from the nts was absorbed by the spirit, causing thend beneath Kyle''s feet to start trembling. In that moment, he heard Aze speak up again with an unbothered voice.

    "This ce is going to copse."

    "?"

    Kyle''s eyes widened as he took a step back. He frantically looked around to find a path he could use to leave the area. In the end, the only ce that could lead him outside was the ce he originally dropped from. He immediately ran toward the narrow tunnel he fell from.

    The tunnels walls were slippery, but he was grateful that Hubert had made him climb something simr and deeper before. He easily dug his fingers into the sand to climb up, allowing him to exit the hollow space.

    His mind was a mess because too many things were happening at the same time. Not to mention that strange light... it looked so dazzling that he had the urge to absorb it inside him.

    ''No! I don''t even know what that thing is! Not to mention, did it just control my mind...? Don''t tell me it wanted to swallow me just like the energy from the nts!? Fuck!''

 Chapter 478 Just seven more to go

    Chapter 478 Just seven more to go

    ??Azazeal''s eyes traveled toward the tunnel Kyle''s figure disappeared into, and he let out a hum as he gazed back at the spirit whose form shrank inside theyer of darkness.

    "How sly aren''t we?"

    "You wanted to secretly consume a part of the essence present within his body and gave him a bit of spiritual energy in return? Can you evenpare yourself with that cold, threatening thing inside his body?"

    His gaze sharpened when the spirit ceased its struggle and stilled, as if it grasped the mistake it would havemitted had he dared to touch the essence.

    "Oh, you realized it on your own? The fact that even though he is weak and you can easily control him right now... you would have lost a lot if you had tried to touch that thing within his body."

    "I have to admit that you indeed managed to perfectly conceal your presence from his essence and even made sure his essence would show itself on its own after sensing the vast spiritual energy inside the mountain."

    "But it''s a pity that you forgot to consider the fact that even though his body is weak, the essence in his body is purer than the one you possess."

    Azazeal clenched his fist, and the spirit emitted a loud noise before the hollow space began to crumble, with dust and debris falling to fill itpletely.

    However, the floating man stayedpletely unfazed and observed as the spirit shrank in size inside the darkness until it transformed into a dark ball and obedientlynded on his palm.

    "Just seven more to go, and I can finally shatter the barrier preventing me from reaching them once again."

    In the next moment, the ball exploded into limitless energy that flowed into his body, only to transform into darkness... But he heard it clearly as another crack appeared in the barrier he was so eager to shatter.

    Azazeal''s form vanished from the space just a split second before it crumbled entirely, causing the entire mountain to resonate with a deafening rumble.

    Instantly, the shape of the mountain underwent a drastic transformation as numerousrge rocks cascaded from all directions towards the ground.

    In the next second, he appeared beneath the sky that had started to turn darkpared to before when he and Kyle sat together atop the mountain. His eyes traveled downward only to pause at the silver-haired human who was busy descending the mountain.

    "His speed has increased."

    Kyle leaped in a different direction to dodge a massive rock hurtling down from above. He then seized a long, cascading gray nt and covered a significant distance within seconds by letting his body fall while keeping his hand around the nt.

    Azazeal followed his every movement before he vanished and his feetnded at the base of the mountain where Kyle would arrive after a while. In that very moment, low growls and many rustle shook all the trees surrounding the mountain.

    "The worst case... did these monsters gather due to the spiritual energy the spirit let out in the air."

    He watched as countless pairs of glowing eyes blinked behind the trees, and many creatures without a defined shape, with a color simr to molten steel, emerged from the trees to encircle the mountain from all directions.

    Their bodies were constantly shifting and flowing, like liquid metal in motion, and Azazeal could sense many more were approaching in the same direction.

    But even though the manaless beasts spotted him, they didn''t dare to approach him, almost as if they were intimidated by his mere presence.

    "They have keen instincts. It seems they can instinctively discern what poses a threat and what benefits them."

    He remarked and looked up at Kyle, who was descending the mountain and nearing the very area teeming with beasts, each possessing strength no lower than a pseudo-divine rank.

    "I already knew he chose the worst path, even worse than the three I predicted. But will he survive? I can''t seem to predict if he will... Should I watch? It''s not like I have something urgent to do."

    As Azazeal stood in that ce, he remembered how just a while ago, he warned Kyle not to approach the spirit.

    It wasn''t because he thought Kyle might absorb the spirit because he knew the human''s body was still too weak to handle even a fraction of the spirit''s boundless energy. Besides, Kyle had not even grasped spiritual energy yet. He stopped Kyle because he sensed that the essence in the human''s body was bing restless after encountering the spirit, who was eager to exchange a part of itself with Kyle for a part of his essence.

    "It seems his bloodline cares more about itself than its host... Or maybe it simply can''t bear to part with Kyle, even though it hasn''t fully merged with his body yet."

    "It was really a surprise when I sensed a threat from his body �� not directed towards me but at the spirit."

    Azazeal closed his eyes but he stepped back to give Kyle enough space to pass when he sensed his presence. Kyle''s feet screeched to a halt not because he also saw Azazel but because of the countless manaless beasts in front of him.

    Kyle''s eyes dted as he let out a dry, strainedugh while staring at the beasts closing in on him from all directions.

    "Tell me this... is a joke!?"

    He sprinted towards the mountain to ascend once more, his heart pounding in his chest. Overwhelmed by panic, he didn''t even care about Aze''s presence and why the beasts didn''t move towards the man.

    Kyle''s breathing was ragged, his clothespletely drenched in sweat because he had been struggling against the mountain''s gravitational pull all this while. Moreover, due to rolling rocks, he had to exert more pressure on his body as he knew he would suffer a lot if he was just a little bit careless.

    But no one could fathom the depth of his anger when he caught an amused glint in Aze''s eyes, the same eyes that had once again regained their usual purple color as they observed his struggle.

 Chapter 479 Just what the hell are you?

    Chapter 479 Just what the hell are you?

    ??Kyle clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He realized his pace had slowed because his body was tired.

    In that very moment, several manaless beasts stamped their bodies on the ground beforeunching themselves towards Kyle, aiming to crush him under their weight.

    He quickly leaped in a different direction, causing his body to tumble down towards the mountain''s base once more.

    A sharp gasp escaped his mouth as he crossed his arms to protect his head before, with a sudden burst of strength, he kicked a nearby rock to jump in mid-air, only tond on the ground in the midst of the beasts again.

    This time, his way was blocked, with numerous beasts stationed on the path leading to the mountain''s top.

    Kyle let out an angryugh, a vein throbbing on his forehead as he stared at the many monsters surrounding him.

    The tips of his hair glistened with sweat and he knew there was no way he could defeat so many of them together without mana... not to mention he doesn''t even have a weapon.

    He had battled a few manaless beasts before, but Hubert had warned him to stay away from them because they have a taste for flesh and devour anything with life. Also, due to their undefined body shapes, it was extremely challenging to kill them, as their only vulnerable spot was their heart, always concealed within their flowing bodies.

    But instead of attacking the monster nearest to him who leaped toward him, Kyle tilted his body and clenched his fist before dashing toward Aze to punch him.

    "You bastard, just what the hell are you!?!?"

    He shouted with a loud voice as he watched Aze blink, as if the man was surprised because of his actions.

    Kyle''s eyes trembled as his fist phased through the man''s body, who tilted his head to stare at him before Kyle sensed that his speed had slowed down. No... he realized with dread that it wasn''t his speed that had slowed, but the man opposite him had be so fast that he wasn''t able to see what happened next.

    He only felt a sharp pain on his forehead that felt strangely simr to a quick flick, before his body was hurled backward and collided with numerous beasts, who were also pushed back into the distance solely from the sheer force.

    Kyle let out a sharp scream as one of the beasts opened its massive jaw and bit down on his leg. His mind was spinning due to the pain that stemmed from his forehead as he desperately struggled to crawl away from the monsters, whose numbers increased with each passing second to crowd around his body.

    Amidst the chaos, and his vision that was getting blurry due to the pain engulfing his entire body, he noticed Aze standing in the distance, watching the scene with a face that held no emotion whatsoever.

    Not even pity... it almost felt like the man''s presence was just a mere illusion. Or else how could someone be so cruel to watch such a sight and not even flinch?

    Kyle''s chest tightened... right now, he hated it so much that he was starting to like Aze''s presence around him. The man would always disappear but he would alsoe back for a few hours. That''s why Kyle believed even though Aze was mysterious, still they had gotten just a little closer.

    "I thought.. we were friends...?"

    The words just slipped out instinctively from his mouth as he pushed his hand inside one of the monster''s bodies to crush its heart, only to be restrained once again by the many others as they pressed their weight on him. In the end, only a single thought remained in his head that he needed to stay alive.

    He sensed the cold sensation that tried to alleviate his pain or maybe heal the piling injuries on his body, but it wasn''t helping as he screamed when more and more monsters bit down on his body.

    Azazeal watched the scene and he caught Kyle''s faint words, which nearly vanished into the air in a fleeting moment.

    "Friends? Of course, we are from the moment I reached out my hand to you, even though I despise the very presence of life. But must I intervene simply because we are friends... especially when I already know that we would sh in the future because even though we are simr in many aspects, our goals are vastly different."

    "Wouldn''t it be wiser to get rid of you to prevent any more trouble?"

    He narrowed his eyes because Kyle''s survival was getting harder with each passing second. If this continues, he knew the human wouldn''t survive.

    "Well, he won''t die because his bloodline can save his soul even if he lost his body. But it would take too much time for it to restructure a new body for its host... So, I wonder how it''s going to save you."

    That''s the reason why he couldn''t finish Kyle himself. Not until the human had fullmand over the essence inside his body, or else it would always forcefully interfere to save itself.

    All of a sudden, Azazeal tilted his head slightly to gaze into the distance when he sensed someone familiar watching the scene just like him.

    "Oh...? It seems that even though I wasn''t able to predict this future, he already foresaw that this was going to happen. But why is it that even though you knew about it, you weren''t able to change it?"

    Azazeal shifted his gaze away from the faint figure of the familiar silver-haired human who stood frozen in his spot, with horror evident on his face as he watched his own self screaming, and observed thend that had lost its color due to numerous manaless beasts crowding the ce, getting drenched in blood.

    The silver-haired human jolted when he noticed Azazeal''s back, who watched the scene just like him but didn''t help the person who desperately needed it.

    Azazeal opened his mouth and uttered a few words that traveled through the curtain of time, resonating inside the ears of the person who had just appeared to see the future that had yet to unfold.

    "Are you looking my future friend?"

 Chapter 480 Should I give it back or not?

    Chapter 480 Should I give it back or not?

    ??Azazeal wanted to say more, but before he could, he sensed the faint figure behind him vanish into thin air. He nced back to stare at the empty space, only then did he sense that another person was approaching this ce.

    "Oh... now I see how you will make it through."

    He locked eyes with the blue pupils of the old man who had just appeared on the scene. In an instant, Hubert''s eyes chilled as he surveyed the multitude of monsters and the blood that stained thend crimson.

    Hubert moved so quickly that his figure blurred as he effortlessly dodged every monster obstructing his way. In that very second, he released his spiritual energy to send the monsters crowding the blood soakednd in various directions. His breath hitched in his throat as he took in Kyle''s condition... the human''s entire body bore brutal wounds, and the old man could even make out a few bones exposed where the flesh had been devoured by the monsters.

    "No... how could this happen!?"

    He screamed and channeled his spiritual energy to envelop Kyle''s body entirely.

    "I just told you to go and meditate under the pressure! So why didn''t you flee when you encountered the monsters!?"

    Hubert''s eyes widened when his spiritual energy was repelled by the human''s body. But before he could utter another word, he noticed patches of shimmering ice forming on Kyle''s skin... and no one could describe his shock when he saw how the ice began to heal the human''s wounds before his eyes at a speedparable to a supreme-level treasure. No! Maybe nothing could match that speed as new flesh started to emerge on Kyle''s exposed bones, who had passed out after enduring intense pain.

    He calmed his heart and lifted Kyle''s body before swiftly moving him away from the area as he observed more and more monsters crowding the space.

    "What in the world is happening!? I went to check the vige because of the monsters'' unusual behavior, but why are so many gathering in this ce!?"

    Hubert''s eyes caught sight of Aze as he passed by the man''s side, and he noticed with a sharp intake of breath that not a single monster dared to approach Aze.

    ''He is stronger than me!''

    He felt angry and wanted to grab the man''s cor to question what he was doing just watching while Kyle was going through such a tragedy, but he knew that getting Kyle to a safe ce was the most important thing right now.

    Kyle needed treatment, even though the strange ice had begun to heal the human''s body, it couldn''t heal the emotional scars that this incident would leave on the human''s heart!

    Azazeal watched as the old man left from the corners of his eyes before he moved towards the blood-coverednd.

    The monsters surrounding him quickly backed away to make way for him. He took one step, then another, before pausing beside an ordinary notebook soaked in blood. The book cover was damaged, and the pages were scattered on the ground. The writing on them had almost be unreadable.

    Azazeal looked down, and in that very moment, the scattered pages began to float, and the blood on them started to drift away. The notebook then started to revert back to its original state,pletely free of any blood. Finally, it gentlynded on Azazeal''s palm.

    He opened it in his hand and read the content but didn''t understand much because everything was written in riddles. However, while flipping through the pages, his eyes caught a few words written in a corner with a ring circle around them to show their importance. Azazeal raised an eyebrow at the human audacity as he ran his thumb over the circled text.

    (The five shadow generals, you need to kill them, including the man named Azazeal, even if you forget everything.)

    Azazeal mmed the notebook shut in his hand as he stared in the distance where Hubert had disappeared.

    "Should I give it back or not?"

    He had spent a lot of time on thisnd. But the journey had been fruitful because he had finally obtained another celestial spirit after spending many years in seclusion due to theck of any leads guiding him towards thest of them.

    Out of nowhere, a thought popped into his head, and he rubbed his chin, pondering it before he began walking towards the same ce where Hubert had disappeared.

    "I suppose using him a bit more isn''t such a bad idea. After all, isn''t helping each other what friends are for, right?"

    His figure disappeared as he advanced another step before he reappeared outside the house of the old couple who had cared for Kyle previously. The scene was chaotic, with Hazel urgently instructing her husband to fetch water and a few other items that Hubert had requested upon his arrival with Kyle''s bloodied body. The old man refused to tell the couple what had urred and just began treating Kyle.

    Azazealnded before Hazel, who freaked out and let out a sharp gasp after seeing his figure descend from the sky.

    The old woman''s eyes were wide with shock as she pointed her finger at the familiar man, wanting to know how the heck he could float when the aircked mana and divine energy! But Azazeal ignored her, and before she could stop him, his figure blurred and he entered the house.

    After a few seconds, he paused in the doorway of the room where Kyle was present because Hubert noticed him. The old man red at him with seething eyes, and started shouting.

    "Leave immediately! I don''t care how powerful you are, but if you dare to take a single step into this room, I will fight you to the end! I ampletely certain that you yed a part in Kyle''s current condition!"

    Azazeal gazed at the man before his eyes shifted towards the human lying on the bed in the center of the room.

    He could sense that Kyle was beginning to regain consciousness, likely due to the old man cing damp cloths on his forehead, where a deep scar was visible.

    Hubert grabbed a nearby chair. He was ready to throw it at Aze and get into a fight with the man to make him leave the No Mana Land when he also noticed a slight movement in Kyle''s body and swiftly turned his gaze back to the silver-haired man.

    Kyle''s head was pounding as he slowly fluttered his eyes open, tinged with red, to stare at a ceiling that looked too blurry. The icyyer that he could vividly feel all around his body made him conscious of the fact that his bloodline was healing his injuries at a speed that he had never noticed before.

    However, he never imagined that the first person he would see after barely opening his eyes would be the exact man who just moments ago watched him being eaten by monsters but did nothing at all.

 Chapter 481 We should resume training

    Chapter 481 We should resume training

    ??Kyle''s eyes zed over for a moment as he locked his gaze on the man standing in the doorway. Hubert stepped back towards him after tossing the chair aside.

    However, Kyle''s eyes stayed focused on the man in the doorway until Hubert covered them with his hand because the old man noticed... he noticed they were losing their light and getting dull due to the amount of anger and hatred within them.

    Hubert whispered slowly and noticed that his voice wavered in the middle.

    "Don''t... it''s okay now."

    Kyle''s breathing turned uneven, but even with the hand covering his eyes, he didn''t close them. He tried, he really tried, but he couldn''t forget the empty eyes of the man who watched him being devoured by the monsters.

    The very eyes that are watching him right now. His ears buzzed with the noise of the monsters who crowded his body from all sides just moments ago. But for some strange reason, instead of beating loudly in his chest, his heart rhythm began to slow down, even slower than usual.

    Hubert noticed it as well how Kyle''s body quivered for a few seconds before it stilled under him. The old man closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath.

    He couldn''t believe something like this happened right under him, and he wasn''t able to get to the scene in time.

    The old man''s pupils started to shine as he turned his head to gaze at Aze, as blue scales started to appear on his face.

    "I SAID LEAVE."

    His voice thundered in the air. It was so loud that it echoed through the entire vige or maybe even further. Immediately, the air around him began to quiver under the weight of the powerful pressure that radiated from his body, wholly directed at the man standing in the doorway.

    Azazeal tilted his head with an unbothered expression, unfazed by the pressure. He raised the notebook in his hand and ignored the old man before speaking directly to Kyle because he knew the silver-haired human could hear him loud and clear.

    "This in notebook... I believe it''s yours. You probably dropped it a while back."

    Kyle''s body tensed on the bed, and even Hubert noticed it as he still had his hand on the human''s eyes. Kyle wanted to check his clothes because he remembered that he always kept the notebook in a pouch hidden within his clothes. However, it was as if his body failed to listen to hismand and stayed still in the bed, even though he so badly wanted to move. Not to mention, his mind failed to process the fact that his clothes were torn previously, and right now his upper body waspletely bare.

    Hubert had reached his limit. He withdrew his hand from Kyle''s eyes to seize the notebook because he understood its importance if it belonged to Kyle.

    However, before his fingers could even touch the book in Aze''s hand, a chilling voice whispered beside his ear.

    "Stay out of this."

    Immediately, the old man copsed to his knees, his expression betraying his shock. He already suspected that Aze was more powerful than him... but to what extent that he couldn''t even raise a finger? How many individuals in the universe could match his strength... he knew the count was limited, not to mention those who surpassed him.

    Azazeal gazed at Kyle, who returned his gaze with a much calmer expression this time. However, Azazeal could clearly see the hatred and anger concealed within those green eyes as he held the notebook higher in his hand for Kyle to see.

    "You want it back, don''t you? But unfortunately, you can''t take it from me right now due to your condition. So, how about we make a deal?"

    The book in his hand disappeared, and an image formed above his palm. It showed the same celestial spirit that he and Kyle had encountered just a short while ago.

    "You recognize this entity, right? I''m sure you do, and I trust you won''t forget it since you acquired this memory within the No Mana Land, not outside."

    The image faded as Azazeal''s lips curled into a forced smile that seemed unsettling due to his vacant eyes.

    "This is a celestial spirit. Get me just one of them, and I will give you back the notebook when we meet next time. I believe that you can easily find the spirit because of the thing within your body."

    "But Kyle don''t you dare to absorb it... because your body is too weak and it would burst if you consumed the spirit before reaching the supreme rank. Moreover, I am cing a mark on you so the moment you found the spirit I will know."

    Azazeal''s body began to fade as he nced at Kyle onest time with a fake smile that had no happiness whatsoever. He saw the human eyes and noticed that they were slowly but surely resembling his.

    "So, farewell until our paths cross once more..."

    "My friend."

    Kyle''s eyes trembled, and after the man''s figure vanished, he finally lost control of his emotions and let out a loud scream that echoed through the whole house.

    Hubert closed his eyes as he grabbed his knees and stood up from the ground with a solemn expression. He didn''t intervene to stop Kyle from releasing all his pent-up emotions through screaming.

    ''I need to find that man... if not, at least I need to know who he is and where the hell he came from. Did he juste here to make Kyle miserable...?''

    The old man raised his head and let out a deep sigh. Then gazed back at Kyle, who had stopped screaming and was now staring at the ceiling in a daze.

    "Kyle... just close your eyes and rest for a while. Your injuries are healing due to the strange ice around your body, but your mind need plenty of rest."

    Hazel entered the room with her husband and nced at Kyle.

    The duo heard themotion, but ayer of curtain stopped them and the other people who had gathered outside from entering. Only now that everything has turned silent were they able to enter.

    Hubert stepped back when the old woman approached Kyle to check on him. But even though she asked Kyle repeatedly if he was alright, he didn''t respond for a long time and just stared at the ceiling with a vacant expression.

    She nced at Hubert, who shook his head to signal her not to force it. After a whole day, Kyle finally spoke up, but the words that came out of his mouth were different from the ones everyone wanted to hear. He gazed directly at Hubert and spoke in a voice that epted no refusal.

    "We should resume training."

 Chapter 482 Just how powerful is he

    Chapter 482 Just how powerful is he

    ??Hubert told Kyle that he should rest for a few more days because even though his body had healed quickly due to the strange ice, his emotions... they weren''t stable. But Kyle shook his head and said he was fine. The old man let out a sigh as he gazed at Kyle, noticing a significant change in him, as if the young man had grown up a lot in just a day, and he agreed reluctantly.

    The moment Hubert agreed, Hazel began insisting that Kyle had to visit the vige once every month, even if he was busy training, because she was concerned after seeing his condition.

    Kyle stared at the old couple and nodded when Hazel red at him.

    Then he put on a sweater to cover his upper body as he stood up from the bed to follow Hubert, who grumbled under his breath.

    "Do you think I care? Let''s see if you can even stand on your feet after a few months because I am going to increase the difficulty!"

    They walked out of the house as Kyle stared at the old man''s back. He could feel Hubert''s concern for him, but he found it challenging to stay still and rx because he knew that with every passing moment, he was losing the memories he had created before he arrived in the No Manand.

    The memories of his friends and family who are waiting for him.

    Now that he no longer has the notebook to remind him about those memories he feared, once he forgets them all... all that would remain inside his head would be those empty, obsidian eyes that bore into him as he suffered through hell.

    He checked his body to feel his bloodline. After actively healing all his injuries and creating a thinyer of ice around his skin that no one noticed except him, it has be dormant once again.

    Maybe it''s because the bloodline ensured he stayed alive and healed his body very quickly, but he could sense that it wouldn''t wake up for at least a few months.

    ''It was always hiding inside my mind space in his presence, but now it''s sleeping quietly while circling my heart, which has strangely slowed its pace. The essence is asleep but not hiding in my mind space. Don''t tell me it''s because he left thisnd?''

    ''I never imagined even something with celestial in its name would be afraid of that man. Just how powerful is he?''

    ''I need to know...''

    Kyle nced at the stalls and shops surrounding him and Hubert as they made their way outside the vige on foot. He noticed the old man lowering his pace so he could walk behind him slowly under the bright sky.

    ''I need to know how strong he is if I want to retrieve what he took from me.''

    ''The notebook and... I want to see how it would feel if he also went through the same hell and I watched from the sidelines.''

    Kyle grabbed the cor of his sweater and shook it slightly to make the ice around his body disappear, but it persisted, so he let it be and checked his stats, but nothing had really changed.

    After they left the vige, Hubert stopped in his tracks among the trees thatcked their usual vibrant colors.

    The old man nced back at Kyle with a serious expression before he sped his hands behind his back and took a step back from the young man.

    "Kyle, it''s been three months that I have been training you, and I have to say you know how to work hard, even though you grumble a lot. Up until now, you have been able toplete all the tasks I asked of you better than my expectations."

    Kyle listened attentively as Hubert started moving back and forth opposite him.

    "At first, I assumed as a human, you would take more time to adjust to my training since I am from the dragon race, and I have only ever trained individuals from my own race. Dragon bodies are naturally strongerpared to others. But after the first month, I noticed that you can adapt to the situation easily and think of ways toplete the tasks."

    "Just like when I threw you into the tunnel and asked you to climb, you learned to use your hands and feet fingers in a way that would help you climb instead of relying on your agility to run on the walls."

    Kyle raised his brow. The tunnel was too deep and dark... but can he really run on the walls? As if noticing his interest, the old man nodded his head.

    "You can run on the walls no matter what they are made of or howrge they are after you learn how to use your agility in the most efficient way."

    Hubert rubbed his chin.

    "I noticed you drawing symbols on the ground with your finger several times. I have some knowledge about arrays, but the symbols you drew were quiteplex. It seems you are quite proficient in arrays. It''s umon to encounter someone so young with such deep expertise in arrays. That is why I hope you make sure to practice them regrly, or else you will forget what you learned."

    Kyle nodded solemnly. He was already aware of this, which is why he made sure to practice drawing theplex symbols that would jog his memory about arrays whenever he had time.

    "My first master taught me how to draw symbols. I can''t... really remember his face, but he was an expert in arrays."

    Hubert''s expression soured when he heard the human mention his first master. He had been aware of this since Kyle referred to him as second master, but he still felt a tinge of bitterness knowing he would always be the second!

    "Huh... must be someone strong if he had such vast knowledge about arrays."

    Kyle nodded, even though he didn''t remember much except the name Han, who he was sure would fade from his memory soon.

    "Yeah..."

 Chapter 483 The essence of swordsmanship I

    <h4>Chapter 483 The essence of swordsmanship I </h4>

    Hubert changed the topic because he had no ns to hear about how strong and awesome Kyle''s first master was.

    "I remember you said you use a sword as your main weapon, right? Show me some basic moves."

    "That way, I can gauge how much mystery you have over swordsmansthip and see how far you havee with it."

    "I usually prefer to fight with my fists, and my main focus has always been on spearmanship. But I have also trained extensively in swordsmanship and many other arts ofbat. So, I can guide you because pushing your body to extreme limits all the time without proper bnce can lead to harm rather than strength."

    Kyle stared at the old man as thetter waited for him to perform the basic sword moves. He furrowed his brows.

    "How can I show you the moves when I don''t have a sword?"

    Hubert smiled as he moved and snapped a tree branch from a nearby tree, causing the gray leaves to cascade over his head.

    "It seems you have always used high-rank weapons for your swordsmanship, huh? I wonder how many weapons you have changed and broken until now."

    "Kyle, you should learn how everything around you has the potential to be your weapon."

    He gazed at a falling leaf and performed a basic swordsmanship move, a sh, in front of Kyle with a deliberate yet graceful manner.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed as he watched the leaf being cleanly cut into two pieces before the pieces fell to the ground softly. He observed every move of Hubert, noting how the old man used the branch to slice the leaf, capturing not just the cut but also the essence of the moment.

    Clearly, the old man used not even a speck of mana or any other type of energy in that move, nor did he exert much visible effort. However, Kyle was fascinated by the speed, precision, and grace it disyed. It was just a basic move, but Kyle sensed the power behind that slow movement that sliced the leaf. He was certain that Hubert''s mastery of swordsmanship had reached a level far beyond his own.

    He couldn''t help but wonder if Hubert was so good in swordsmanship, then how much better would the old man be in his main art, spearmanship?

    Hubert noticed how Kyle''s eyes were still fixed on the fallen pieces of the sliced leaf. He cleared his throat to grab the human''s attention before tossing the tree branch toward Kyle, who grabbed it without a second thought.

    "Kyle, remember, the real essence of swordsmanship doesn''t solely rely on the weapons themselves but in your ability to adapt your moves to utilize any object in your immediate surroundings. It''s not the weapon that defines your skill, but how you wield it with precision and ingenuity."

    He paused when Kyle took a step back with the branch held horizontally.

    The human then closed his eyes for a few seconds and replicated the exact move he had demonstrated a moment ago.

    Hubert''s eyes widened with surprise because even though Kyle couldn''t fully tap into the move''s essence, he replicated it so perfectly with the branch that it seemed like he had done it countless times.

    At the same time, Kyle looked at the fallen leaf pieces after slicing it like the old man. However, he noticed with a frown that the leaf''s cut edges were uneven, not smooth like the old man''s.

    "It seemed easy, but it''s a bit tricky. I think I need more practice to make my move resonate with the air around me."

    Hubert cleared his throat but he was a bit shaken inwardly. It''s true, the move was basic, but he used a branch to show that the essence of swordsmanship lies in the person, not the weapon. And reaching that level required a long journey. Using an ordinary object to tap into the essence of swordsmanship isn''t easy. That''s why only a few choose to learn it, while others focus on mastering their sword arts after mastering the basic moves of swordsmanship.

    But... Kyle just went ahead and simply copied it! Luckily, Kyle didn''t fully replicate the actions, and the human movecked true strength.

    Otherwise, Hubert wasn''t sure what he would be feeling now.

    ''I never expected him to be so adept at replicating andprehending what he saw just once with his eyes.''

    It was to be expected because all Kyle ever did was train his body under his guidance. So, how would he know the human would be so good at learning?

    Hubert wanted to ask about what type of sword art Kyle had learned because they were quite famous everywhere. But before he could, Kyle started demonstrating the other basic move of swordsmanship with the branch held in his hand.

    The old man focused his eye on Kyle''s as the human thrust the branch forward in a stabbing motion before shing it in a sweeping cutting motion.

    Kyle then stepped back and, with a swift movement, held out the branch in front of him in a defensive move as if to parry an attack. Only to lunge forward in the next moment in a sudden movement to attack before he slowly lowered the branch just like a sword in a graceful manner.

    Hubert barely managed to keep his jaw from dropping because with each move, he could clearly see that Kyle was picking up what he taught the human.

    How many times did he demonstrate that move again!? He only showed that move once, just one frickin time!

    ''Don''t tell me I somehow... got a genius disciple who is made for swordsmanship?!''

    He schooled his expression and nced at Kyle with a smile as if just a moment ago the human didn''t give him such a big surprise.

    "I can clearly see you are good with the basics. Kyle, I believe you have learned a sword Art? They are avable in almost everywhere."

    The old man paused for a second.

    "Do you remember your Art moves? It''s been three months since you arrived on thisnd, and I believe you have forgotten a lot of things."

 Chapter 484 The essence of swordsmanship II

    <h4>Chapter 484 The essence of swordsmanship II</h4>

    Kyle pointed the branch in his hand down and wrote a few words on the ground with a concentrated expression.

    He knew he would forget the memory he created before he arrived in thisnd. That''s why, even though he couldn''t practice his art due to theck of a weapon, he made sure to go through the memory of his art again and again in his mind. He even outlined it in his notebook, but now that the notebook was gone, he needed to write the art in another ce as soon as possible.

    "I remember..."

    Hubert nced at the character Kyle wrote on the ground and raised a brow.

    "Void Shattering Strikes...?"

    "You are saying it''s a 3-star Art? But why does the name sound so powerful to be just a 3-star Art?"

    The old man rubbed his chin.

    "I know Arts are divided into 1 to 8 stars, with 8-star being the highest... And I''m sure the name of the art you wrote is definitely not a 3-star. Instead, it gives off a feeling that it''s a higher star Art."

    Hubert''s words reverberated in Kyle''s ears, who suddenly remembered a line he read when he first got the art.

    "I just recall there was a note at the end of the art book I got that stated the star of the art can be increased after the learner achieved perfection in all the moves included in the art."

    The old man let out an ''Oh'' with an interested expression.

    "And how far have youe in those moves? You are skilled with the sword, and yourprehension ability is also great, so I am sure you have already achieved perfection in all the moves, right?"

    However, Hubert never expected to hear the words that came out of Kyle''s mouth next, who scratched his head with an embarrassed expression.

    "There were only four moves in the art, but... actually, I neglected the art after I acquired a powerful skill, blue mes. The mes were stronger and always killed the enemies faster, so I just got used to using them instead of my sword. I remember a little that I did use my sword in between but not to the point ofpletely mastering the four moves. To be truthful, I just mastered the first move perfectly. The second and third moves had not reached perfection yet... and I never even used the fourth move, not even once."

    Kyle''s expression remained unchanged as he exined to the old man how he had neglected his art, causing him to miss the moment when Hubert tightly sped his hands behind his back to refrain from smacking him on the head.

    The old man''s eyes shed with frustration. He couldn''t believe the human neglected the talent he was most proficient in just because of a powerful skill?! No matter how powerful the skill was, Kyle should have never neglected his sword!

    All of a sudden, he finally noticed that the young man never mentioned the fact that he ever practiced swordsmanship. Kyle only mentioned that he stopped focusing on his art after acquiring a powerful skill.

    Hubert narrowed his eyes sharply.

    "Kyle... tell me. Just how much time have you given to practicing swordsmanship? Don''t you dare lie, tell me truthfully."

    Kyle raised his brows with a thoughtful expression. He remembered not entirely but a vague memory of himself practicing with the sword in the academy for a while where he was surrounded by many people he barely remembered.

    Then he practiced his swordsmanship a few times afterward in the secret realm as well, but Kyle had no recollection of himself practicing the sword or his art extensively... like the man with blue hair who appeared in his memory as he thought about the academy and sword.

    He opened his mouth and let out an ''ah'' as he remembered how he never asked for help from someone else while practicing the sword. After understanding his art, he didn''t think he needed help.

    ''Now that I am looking at myself from the perspective of someone who is trying to recall his memories like images... why do I feel like I was being an arrogant prick?''

    ''Don''t tell me I was proud of my ability to grasp the art easily when others my age could not. I was, was not I?''

    ''I want to beat up my past self.''

    He let out a sigh inwardly and evaded Hubert''s sharp gaze before sidestepping the topic.

    "Master... I can not recall clearly as my memory is hazy. Maybe I did practice the sword art for a brief period?"

    Hubert narrowed his eyes and, after unsping his hands, he made a pinching motion with his fingers, leaving a small gap between his thumb and index finger.

    "How much brief?"

    Kyle blinked as he observed the old man''s action before grabbing thetter''s fingers to make them move a little further away from each other.

    "A little more maybe?"

    Immediately, Hubert smacked him on the shoulder, and Kyle hissed with furrowed brows while rubbing his shoulder. Even though Kyle''s expression remained passive during their talk, the old man noticed that his body had be less tense.

    Hubert clicked his tongue and gestured for Kyle to follow before they started walking toward the mountain that overlooked the vige. Once they arrived at the old man''s house, he entered inside and retrieved a weathered, dusty wooden sword. Hubert brushed the dust off the sword and tossed it to Kyle with a solemn expression.

    "Starting today, you are going to pick up your sword again. I expect you to practice the basics every day before you go to bed."

    "But first and foremost, jot down everything you remember about your sword art so I do not have to find a new art for you. Our new routine will include physical training in the morning and afternoon, and refining your swordsmanship skills at night."

    Kyle gave him a nod and took the pen and in notebook Hubert handed to him. He also voiced his concern when the old man began exining more about the sword.

    "But... thisndcks energy. Except for the first move of my sword art, the rest of the moves require mana or any other form of energy, and without it, the moves won''t be able to show their true power."

    "So, will I be able to reach the perfection stage in the remaining moves?"

    Hubert grinned.

    "So what? Achieving perfection isn''t about making your move deadly and forceful. It''s about mastering its form to the extent that you can effortlessly perform it with muscle memory alone, and it''s possible without relying on mana or any other form of energy."

 Chapter 485 I didnt teach him that!

    Chapter 485 I didn''t teach him that!

    ??One yearter, the night sky above the No manand was starless and moonless as usual, but the air was illuminated by the shimmering grey flowers scattered throughout thend.

    It was a quiet night, yet Hubert''s eyes snapped open as he caught a faint noiseing from outside the house. He closed his eyes again with a yawn and decided to go back to sleep, thinking the noise belonged to a passing monster.

    But as he turned his head, even in the darkness, his blue eyes shimmered slightly when his gaze fell upon the empty bedding on the floor, a short distance away from him, inside the house, which consisted of only onerge room and a bathroom with just the essentials.

    "What in the world? Don''t tell me Kyle went out to train sote at night again."

    "I know he has made progress and can pull all-nighters, but continuous training isn''t healthy for his body."

    He grumbled because even though his student was diligent, he didn''t appreciate that diligence at all. Throughout the year, his life had be too busy, and he didn''t even have a single quiet moment because Kyle would finish every task he gave him without anyints and immediatelye back to ask for another task.

    Hubert tossed the nket aside and stood up from the bed to search for something to wear on his feet before leaving the house with big strides and mming the door loudly behind him.

    "Just where is that training maniac? I told him to take a break for a few days because his body needs time to adjust to the power imbnce. Even though his physique had reached the divine-rank, he still has not broken through to the divine-rank because thisndcks divine energy."

    He scanned the area, all set to drag Kyle back to rest as soon as he spotted him, but he soon discovered that the noise that had woken him up was actuallying from a monster that had somehow climbed the mountain. It turned out to be a wild goat, the kind that usually stayed behind the mountain and rarely came up.

    Slowly, he crept toward the goat and captured it before tying its limbs to ensure a good meal for tomorrow. After throwing it toward the house, he started descending the mountain to look for Kyle.

    "I''m going to make him stand upside down on his hands for a whole day to at least keep him in one ce for a while. He really knows how to get on my nerves."

    Hubert let out a sigh as he recalled how, in just a year, Kyle had achieved perfection in the first three moves of his art and was on the verge of reaching perfection in thest one without the use of mana and any other type of energy. Not to mention, the young man effortlessly mastered the concept he shared with him in just a few months and became adept at using everything in his surroundings to disy his art with precision and grace.

    "He has also been giving his all to enhance his physique. Sometimes I feel like he''s not human because even a dragon''s body can''t bear this much pressure."

    The air was chilly, and he noticed that the further he descended the mountain, the colder it became.

    Hubert furrowed his brows with a serious expression because it was unusual for the temperature to drop so drastically, and no one could describe his shock as he paused above a wide protruding rock in the middle of the mountain and saw the half-

    naked man, who was supposedly his disciple, sitting cross-

    legged on another protruding rock a little further away on his right.

    Kyle''s eyes were tightly closed, and he seemed to be meditating. However, what shocked Hubert wasn''t the man himself but the thickyer of ice enveloping thend around. The icyndscape was glistening under the dim light radiating from the gray flowers in the surroundings, simr to Kyle''s silver hair, which had grown long enough to reach his shoulders in just a year.

    His hair was tied in a ponytail, with only a few strands gently swaying around his serene face, giving the impression that he had entered a state of concentration.

    There were many scars on his exposed upper body, a testament to his hard work and persistence.

    Not to mention, Kyle''s muscles had grown more defined, glistening under theyer of ice that had slowly crawled up from his torso, now reaching his neck and steadily advancing towards his face.

    Hubert noticed the iron sword that was stabbed into the ground behind Kyle. He had been the one to give the sword to Kyle after the wooden sword broke. But when he gazed at the deep sh marks that scarred thendscape beneath Kyle''s spot, he took in a deep breath because he noticed that many of the sword marks on thend exuded a hint of... spiritual energy.

    ''No way...! Did he learn to grasp the spiritual energy? When? I didn''t teach him that! Also, where did the icee from?''

    ''The ice is not emitting spiritual energy and thend clearly doesn''t have mana or divine energy either-!''

    Hubert''s eyes widened slightly as he remembered that this very same ice had healed Kyle''s injuries before, but he couldn''t help but narrow his eyes at the ice to know just how it is spreading on Kyle''s body and thend around him without any type of energy.

    In the distance, Kyle opened his eyes and exhaled a chilly puff of smoke after his bloodline obediently went to encircle his heart under hismand. It had been doing whatever he thought after that incident, a memory he was certain would forever remain fresh in his mind. But now, even though he used his bloodline from time to time to increase his strength, he never relied on itpletely.

    ''I am never going to put hope on it when I need help... because it can simply run away to hide inside my mind space to save itself.''

    Kyle let out a faint snicker as the bloodline attempted tofort him with a refreshing sensation that coursed through his body.

    ''It took a lot of time to wake up after that incident. I suppose it also needs rest to sustain itself.''

    His green eyes were shining faintly in the darkness, notpletelycking their luster, but one could clearly see they had turned a lot colder and detached, unlike before, almost as if he had started to not care about his surroundings.

 Chapter 486 Two new skills

    <h4>Chapter 486 Two new skills </h4>

    Kyle raised his hand and gazed at the light that gathered above his palm. The light was purely white with a hint of gold and grey in between. His nose twitched when he caught a familiar scent in the air.

    ''Master is here?''

    Although he sensed Hubert''s presence through his scent perception skill that had developed significantly in the past year, he didn''t turn around to acknowledge the old man''s presence.

    ''I''m sure he''s going to ask too many questions, especially about why and how I can use spiritual energy. So, how about I let him see to reduce the number of questions?''

    Kyle closed his palm, and the light seeped out through his fingers to disperse in the air. It had been a while since he started sensing spiritual energy in his surroundings, thanks to Hubert, because whenever the old man used spiritual energy in front of him, he observed keenly and did his best to understand the process.

    Regardless, getting a hold of spiritual energy was the hardest challenge he had faced so far. It took him a full six months just to sense it in his surroundings. Another six months to learn how to harness it, and even now, he could only absorb a small amount into his body. The quantity was so meager that he could barely conjure a fireball with it.

    He let out a breath, and the ice enveloping his body started to crack and fall away to the ground. Kyle gazed his body and saw the scars fading.

    ''At least the ice is quite useful for healing. I just used it since I acquired two new skills from the bloodline six months ago. I guess the ice is also one of the reasons my body can handle so much pressure.''

    He shook his head and nced at the image that showed his stats from the corner of his eyes.

    ________

    Name: Kyle

    Race: Human/Semi Celestial

    Bloodline: Celestial

    Soul rank: Transcendent

    Rank: Pseudo Divine

    stats:

    Strength: Divine-rank

    Mana: Divine-rank [Paused]

    Divine energy: Final stage (Elite) [Paused]

    Spiritual energy: (F)-rank

    Agility: Divine-rank

    Current physique rank: Divine-rank

    Talent: Celestial

    Luck: S+

    Unique ability; Nature''s favorite.

    Unlocked due to (S+)-Rank luck.

    Skills;

    #*Bloodline ability; Encasing Ice; (Celestial)-Rank:

    The user can envelop themselves in ayer of ice that heals all their injuries. However, this ability can only be used once every six months since it doesn''t draw energy from the atmosphere but rather directly from the ancient essence within the user''s body.

    #*Bloodline ability; Arcane Visions; (Divine)-Rank:

    The user can activate it to see the potential paths they could take in the uing minute that hasn''t urred yet, but only with enough spiritual energy.

    --->The skill might activate on its own if the user''s life is threatened due to specific paths they are meant to take.

    ....

    _______

    Kyle groaned inwardly after seeing (F)-rank in front of his spiritual energy stat because he had a nagging feeling at the back of his head that he had this same rank in other stats before as well. But he didn''t remember much now.

    Also, he was still a pseudo-divine rank because his divine energy stat had been stuck in the Final stage �� elite. Only when he absorbed divine energy would he jump to the next rank. After all, to reach the true divine rank, one needs to gather enough divine energy.

    Kyle found out about itter from Hubert, but almost all the vigers had only ever achieved strength in their physiques.

    He was a little surprised because he sensed through his scent perception skill that many people in the vige had reached divine rank. However, after hearing the old man''s exnation, he realized that his skill did not track their ranks but rather sensed their physiques, giving him the impression that they had reached divine-rank.

    Also, they were all dragons and could transform into their true forms if they were able to tap into spiritual energy.

    Kyle rose to his feet and seized the iron sword he had stabbed in the ground.

    He ran his fingers along the de and assumed a normal stance before shing it forward. Immediately, the air around the de rippled, even though he had just used pure strength in that move before the sh traveled and left another mark on thend across from him. Then he disyed the same move again, but this time with all the spiritual energy in his body to satisfy the old man watching him.

    After he was done, he sensed Hubert approaching him. Kyle finally moved his gaze to look at the old man, who leaped andnded softly before him with a serious expression. But he could clearly see the joy flickering in Hubert''s eyes as thetter cleared his throat.

    "So, Kyle, my dear pupil... if I ask how you learn to use spiritual energy, would you tell this curious old man?"

    Kyle raised his brows. It was very rare for Hubert to ask something so politely, as the old man would usually just smack him if he wanted to get something out of him. But it seems Hubert didn''t want to pry because hepletely overlooked the ice that is still glistening beneath their feet and only asked about how Kyle learned to use spiritual energy.

    "Of course, I learned it through observation whenever master used it in front of me."

    Hubert gave him a nod. He already knew Kyle''sprehension ability was top-notch, but he never expected Kyle could use the sameprehensive ability for other things as well!

    "Good, very good! I also wanted to teach you how to sense spiritual energy as it is extremely important for your growth after you pass the transcendent rank."

    "But you are human, and it''s quite challenging for humans to understand spiritual energypared to other races. Plus, since you want to leave thisnd as soon as possible, I thought it would be best for you to first achieve the transcendent rank in physique. I never thought you would learn it just by watching me use it!"

 Chapter 487 The passage of time here is different

    <h4>Chapter 487 The passage of time here is different</h4>

    Kyle gazed at the excited old man who asked him about the rank of his spiritual energy stat with an eager expression. He opened his mouth with a serious look.

    "It''s just showing (F)-rank."

    Hubert nodded.

    "It''s to be expected. Of all the energies in this universe, spiritual energy is the most powerful, and understanding it is the most challenging. Just like the mana stat, spiritual energy is also categorized into various ranks. To attain a higher stat in this, one must put in a great deal of effort!"

    Kyle thought for a moment, and his curiosity got the best of him.

    "Master, what is the rank of your spiritual energy stat?"

    Hubert raised his brow and waved his hand in a dismissive manner.

    "Nothing to boast about, but I have just reached the divine-rank in that stat."

    Kyle let out an ''Oh'' and gazed at the dark, starless sky. He already knew the old man was strong because in the time they had spent together, he had seen Hubert battle countless manaless beasts effortlessly.

    Nheless, Kyle had reached the divine-rank physique, but achieving the transcendent-rank physique wasn''t easy.

    Including the divine and transcendent rank physique, Hubert had already shared all the necessary knowledge with Kyle regarding the divine and transcendent rank.

    Just like in the pseudo-divine rank, where umting sufficient divine energy and progressing through the four stages - zero, low, average, and elite - is essential to move to the divine rank, the divine rank follows a simr principle. The moment someone breaks through to the divine rank, their divine-energy stat, which is at the Final stage - elite, resets to zero.

    After reaching the true divine rank, they gather more divine energy in their bodies, this time twice the amount they previously did in the pseudo-divine rank to progress through the same four stages again - zero, low, average, and elite.

    However, breaking through to the transcendent rank is tricky because the universe needs to ept their divine existence and shower them with its power to make their bodies eternal. This means that even if they lost their bodies, they could reconstruct them.

    Moreover, one had to go through a significant trial to enter the transcendent rank after passing the divine rank. The details of the trial were unknown because each person had a different experience, and not many shared their trials.

    Regardless, the ranks don''t affect the physique, and building a strong physique was quite different. To achieve it, a person simply needs to undergo extreme pressure that would strengthen their skin and bones. This way, if someone is just reaching the transcendent rank in their physique, they don''t have to undergo the universe''s trial.

    Only when someone breaks through the confinement of the divine rank and enters the transcendent rank do they have to face the trial. Simrly, even if one breaks through to the transcendent rank, they won''t be able to achieve a transcendent rank physique if their bodies don''t undergo extreme pressure.

    Kyle stretched his neck and picked up the leather shirt he had thrown on the ground a while ago. He put on the shirt and grabbed the sword to practice a bit more. It was only then that Hubert remembered why he hade to find Kyle! The old man snatched the sword from him and narrowed his eyes.

    "Didn''t I tell you to rest? Your body needs time to adjust to the imbnce since you just reached divine-rank physique."

    Kyle blinked and nodded, although he desired to practice a bit longer. They ascended the mountain together. Along the way, Kyle hesitantly spoke up and asked what was on his mind.

    "How much longer will it take me to achieve the transcendent physique? It''s already been a year, and I have only reached the divine rank physique. Time is passing too quickly, and I wonder if anyone will still be waiting for me when I leave thisnd?"

    "I believe they would have forgotten all about me... and moved on with their life."

    Hubert stopped in his actions after he heard Kyle''s words. The old man thought the human was feeling down, believing that his progress was slow.

    But if Hubert had to give his opinion, he would say that Kyle''s progress had been ten times faster than all the people he had trained up to that point.

    "What are you saying? They would be daft to forget someone in just a month or two! Considering the time difference here and in the outside world, they would have barely spent a little over a month without you."

    Kyle froze in his spot after processing the words that echoed in his ears, and his eyes widened slightly as he stared at the old man across from him.

    From his expression, Hubert quickly remembered that when he was exining the time difference between the No Mana Land and the outside world to the old couple, they left his side even before hepleted his words.

    "Those darn oldies... Ugh, I''m old as well."

    He scratched his head and noticed Kyle''s focused gaze on him. He let out a sigh, realizing he couldn''t me anyone else as he himself had forgotten about itter.

    "I think I forgot to mention it. The passage of time here is different from the outside world. Ten years here equals a year outside."

    Kyle sat down on the ground and let out a heavy breath. He really had no idea.

    "You could have told me a little sooner..."

    Hubert raised his brow.

    "Why, would you not have worked hard then?"

    Kyle grabbed his knees and stood up straight before he resumed climbing the mountain.

    "No, I would have worked just as hard as I am doing right now. But at least I would have known and been relieved that even if I forget them, they won''t forget me."

    Hubert walked beside him. It usually takes countless years for someone to achieve the transcendent-rank physique, but he thought if it''s Kyle, maybe the young man will reach it earlier than expected.

 Chapter 488 Spiritual energy Cavern

    Chapter 488 Spiritual energy Cavern

    ??Hubert stretched out his hand, feeling the limited spiritual energy in the atmosphere. The quantity was minimal in this region.

    ''Hmm, now that Kyle can absorb spiritual energy, he needs an environment rich in spiritual energy.''

    Abruptly, he halted in his steps as he remembered the spiritual energy cave he had found in thisnd a couple of years back while exploring methods to cultivate mana nts in this mana-deprivednd.

    ''How could I have forgotten about that location!?''

    It was a vast underground chamber surrounding the core that had been sustaining thisnd, a heaven for those who could harness spiritual energy.

    ''But... thest time I passed through that ce, it was filled with manaless beasts, not to mention...''

    He thought for a second and decided to let Kyle make the decision.

    "Hey, Kyle?"

    Kyle turned back. They had reached the mountain''s top and were standing outside Hubert''s house.

    "Hmm?"

    Hubert let out a sigh as he saw Kyle''s eyes drooping due to tiredness, yet he still had the audacity to practice sote at night.

    "Why don''t you enter the spiritual energy cavern? It''s quite far from this ce, but now that you have learned to use spiritual energy, it will be advantageous for you."

    "It will also help you enhance your physique. But... once you enter the cavern, you won''t be able to leave until you reach at least (SSS)-rank in spiritual energy. So the choice is up to you because it can take many years for you to just step out from that ce."

    Kyle blinked twice to shake off the sleep and noticed the old man''s blue eyes gleaming in the darkness.

    "A cavern?"

    Hubert nodded.

    "It''s a vast underground space filled with manaless beasts and spiritual energy. Also, I can apany you because I can exit that space at will since I have already surpassed the threshold required to pass through theyer of energy surrounding that ce due to the''s core. This way, I can easily check on the vige while training you simultaneously."

    "Kyle, in that ce, you can boost your spiritual energy stat. I think it''s the ideal option for you at the moment. But as I mentioned earlier, the decision is up to you if you want to go or just continue what we are doing right now, as you already know gathering spiritual energy is difficult."

    Kyle stared into the air for a moment. He thought about the people waiting for him, but not many faces came to his mind. If it had been a short time ago, he might have turned down the old man''s offer. But after knowing the fact that the passage of time in the No Mana Land is different from the outside world, his mind just said that he should go.

    "So, worst-case scenario, I would spend a few decades in that ce, right? But it''s fine I guess... now I don''t need to worry about being forgotten by those I know because, unlike me, only a few years will pass for them. They will remember me, and if they do forget me in just a few years, then that means I was not someone significant to them. I shouldn''t get too emotional about this because it can be stressful sometimes."

    Hubert furrowed his brows when he saw the same expression of nonchnce he would see on Kyle''s face from time to time after that incident. It was rare, but Kyle''s eyes would also turn detached for a split second now and then. He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Kyle open the house door before heading inside to sleep after sharing his final words.

    "I''m not even sure where or who I''m going to search for once I leave this ce... Let''s head to that location tomorrow morning because it''s important for me to be as strong as possible since I want to make someone stronger than me suffer."

    Hubert stared at the closed door for a second before gazing up at the sky with a solemn look.

    "I shouldn''t have made this suggestion. It would have been better for me to focus on training him so he could leave thisnd as soon as possible. This kid, he''s bing numb at such a young age, I can see it... I hope his loved ones can help him find himself again..."

    The next morning, Kyle packed multiple sets of clothes and essential items even before Hubert woke up.

    Once the old man was ready, they set off for the spiritual energy cavern, a vast area teeming with nothing but monsters and nts that had lost their color.

    After they found a secure and secluded spot within the cavern and arranged their living space, Kyle''s routine remained the same as before.

    He would engage in physical training in the morning and afternoon, fight the manaless beasts and other monsters, and refine his swordsmanship under Hubert during the night before sleeping under the dark sky.

    Though it took a lot of time, Kyle also managed to make his body actively absorb the spiritual energy in the air without needing to sit down and concentrate to allow the energy to enter his body.

    Hubert would leave the cavern from time to time to check on the vige and his people after advising Kyle not to act recklessly.

    But when the old man returned, he would always sense a significant decrease in the number of manaless monsters. Moreover, Hubert had to keep his cool and prevent his jaw from dropping at the abundance of spiritual nts that Kyle imed to have stumbled upon identally during his training and walks.

    Unbeknownst to him, Kyle hated the sight of manaless beasts. So, the moment he would leave, the human would have the freedom to go on a killing spree while using his scent perception skill to find as many treasures as possible from the cavern.

    Not to mention, after Hubert spent a few more years with Kyle, the old man had to admit with bitterness that the human''s luck was unbelievably high for him to bear. How on earth can someone find a treasure just because they went to bathe at a nearbyke??

 Chapter 489 Planet Luminara

    Chapter 489 Luminara

    ??One yearter, in the outside world, far away from the No Mana Land. Inside a colossal and one of thergests in the universe, distinguished by a massive and expansive tree that dominated nearly half of the''s surface. The tree stood so tall that its branches had surpassed theyer of clouds and could be spotted from outside the boundaries of the.

    But regrettably, its leaves had begun to wither, showing signs of darkness creeping through its branches, a consequence of the ongoing war between the elven race and the demon race that had persisted for an extended period on that. The demon race wanted to corrupt the tree, known as the ''Tree of Fate'', that bore the ''Fruit of Fate'' every thousand years.

    It was because their current leader desired the tree to produce the ''Fruit of Darkness'' instead of fate to help her reach the final stage of Supreme-rank. This achievement would secure her the esteemed title of the sixth shadow general.

    On the other hand, the elven race valiantly protected the same tree as it has been guiding them with its pure spiritual power over generations. Moreover, every time a child was born in the elven race, they would receive the tree''s blessings and would undoubtedly awaken high talent.

    That''s why the elven race believed in the sacred significance of the ''Tree of Fate'', and the precious ''Fruit of Fate'' it produced was protected by them with their lives. Still, neither the elven side nor the demon side was winning because both sides had powerful figures fighting for them.

    However, as time passed, the ongoing war had begun to affect the tree, causing it to lose its strength. Not to mention, the time for the tree to bear the fruit of fate was approaching, so the demon race had started to fight with even more vigor. This was because their current leader had started to be impatient, fearing that the fruit would be lost.

    This was indeed worrying for the elven race, but it was manageable because the elven race wasn''t weak, considering that  Luminara'', the very that housed the tree of fate, was their main. That''s why their poption was high, and many powerful, old elven residents could resist the demon race and safeguard the tree.

    Amidst all this, who could have imagined that a shocking news would reach the ears of the elven race while they were already engaged in constant battles.

    The news revealed that the first shadow general had fled from the war urring on the other side of the universe after a supreme-rank individual from the human race severely injured him. Now he also wanted the fruit of fate to heal his wounds and enhance his power.

    To discuss this very news, a meeting was held among the many strong elf leaders who had returned after oveing another wave of the demon race, intent on destroying a portion of the tree of fate. The meeting took ce in a spacious room furnished with numerous chairs surrounding a round table.

    They discussed about the first shadow general and the need to implement safety measures by recalling all their powerful fellow elves who had left the to join the war urring on the other side of the universe. After the discussion concluded, everyone started to leave the room.

    Among them were females and males, old and young elves, but they all shared amon feature �� the insignia on their clothing that showcased a graceful tree with intricate branches and leaves.

    After a while, only two elven woman remained in the room. One was a middle aged woman seated at the end of the round table, and the other was an older woman with features that seemed to indicate she was in the final stage of life, upying the authoritative seat at the table.

    The middle-aged woman let out a yawn as she gazed at the older woman.

    "My Queen, what''s the matter this time? Why did you stop me when everyone had left? I already told you I''m not joining the war for a while. I''m close to a breakthrough and aiming for the next rank."

    The older woman sighed and gazed at cia, who was one of the strongest warriors of her race. She was the current Queen of the elven race since her husband, the king, had passed away.

    The Queen didn''t mind cia''s disrespect and had grown ustomed to it because the entire elven race was like a family to her. However, she feared that one day cia might regret her behavior. After cia''s master passed away, she only cared child from and why she hates us so much when we are of the same race."

    about herself and had umted many enemies over the years.

    The Queen shook her head as she had already tried to reason with cia to steer clear of trouble, as it could potentially harm their entire race in the future, but her efforts were in vain despite numerous attempts. That''s why she didn''t mince her words and went straight to the point.

    "Just tell me, how''s that girl you brought with you a year ago doing right now? Also, you never told me where you got that child from and why she hates us so much when we are of the same race."

    cia''s face reflected nothing as she leaned back in her chair.

    "You mean Yue? Well, this little troublemaker has quite the attitude, huh? She doesn''t hate the elven race. She hates me because I forced her toe here."

    She let out a snicker.

    "Does she really think I would have bothered with such a weakling and gone to such lengths to bring her here if I wasn''t bound by the promise I made with myte master?"

    The Queen rubbed her forehead in frustration as the pair of bronze eyes stared at her with annoyance. She let out a bit of her pressure to make cia understand that she was serious.

    "Just tell me how that child is doing. I saw her for the first time when she came here, but I have been busytely and haven''t had time to visit her."

 Chapter 490 The rumors

    Chapter 490 The rumors

    ??cia straightened her posture when she sensed the pressure radiating from the Queen, who had gotten serious.

    In contrast to the old Queen, who wore a light green robe with little to no design, cia''s attire consisted of a flowing blue gown adorned with intricate silver embroidery.

    ''This old hag... she is still so strong even though she used almost ny percent of her lifespan to help the tree of fate to clean the dark energy seeping through its branches.''

    cia furrowed her brows when the Queen''s coral-colored eyes, which usually remained soft, focused sharply on her body.

    "My Queen, that girl is fine. I have visited her a few times. She and the other people who came with her are under the town head''s care. So, there''s no need to worry."

    cia''s expression soured when she remembered the brown-haired man who willingly jumped into the portal toe with her, but that infuriating man ran off to who knows where the moment he arrived in thisnd. He even left behind his girlfriend to vanish into thin air.

    ''And here I thought he would be useful as his eyes contained spirituality.''

    The Queen closed her eyes for a few seconds and sped her hands together, cing them beneath her chin to support her head before she let out a faint smile and opened her eyes that shone slightly in the dimly lit room.

    "Dear... it seems you didn''t hear the rumors. Well, it''s to be expected because you are always busy doing whatever you want."

    cia''s furrowed brow deepened.

    "What rumors?"

    The Queen chuckled, her wrinkled face showed her amusement.

    "That girl... I heard the tree of fate is favoring her for some reason because while she was fighting under the tree with another one of our race, the tree branches helped her so she wouldn''t fall down. Almost every maid working for me is gossiping about this, and when I heard it, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Just how long has it been since the tree of fate showed its interest in another..."

    In a sh, cia''s expression changed, and she gazed at the older woman across from her with eyes full of disbelief, thinking that the Queen was joking. The tree of fate has its own consciousness, but it had been a long time since it showed interest in someone else.

    Thest person the tree of fate showed interest in was cia''s master, who could foresee the future with the vast amount of spiritual energy in her body. That''s why she couldn''t believe this tant lie. The rumors were probably baseless!

    But when cia looked into the Queen''s eyes, which held no deception, realization dawned on her, and she understood that the Queen wasn''t joking! No, the Queen never joked in the first ce.

    "How...? No, why! Why would the tree show interest in someone who is not even from this-!"

    Her words were cut off when the Queen shook her head and stood up.

    "I hope you check on that girl regrly... I believe there was a reason why your master left behind such a strange promise to bring an unknown girl to this. Maybe she already saw this far..."

    cia clenched her fists and nodded. She would go and keep an eye on that girl from now on, but the Queen''s next words made her blink twice with surprise.

    "That girl... I sensed a mark on her body when I saw her for the first time, but even though I knew the mark was used to locate her location, I didn''t remove it because the mark was created by someone very weak. So, I hope you haven''t made an enemy of someone strong while bringing her here."

    The Queen stared at the middle-aged elven woman who had turned silent. After a long minute of silence, cia let out a chuckle as the image of a silver-haired man shed through her eyes.

    ''Don''t tell me...? Haha, did he ce the mark on Yue''s body?''

    She gazed at the Queen.

    "My Queen, there''s no need to worry because the I brought Yue from didn''t have any exceptionally strong individuals. Moreover, I believe I know who put a mark on her body, but he''s just an ordinary young man, nothing to be concerned about."

    The Queen nodded with a sigh. It''s not like she could leave the just to find out what more trouble cia has caused. The light green robe on her body fluttered as she took a moment to think about the recent events happening on their.

    She did not think much about the man cia talked about because she knew he wasn''t strong, as the mark on Yue''s body barely held any strength.

    cia nced at the Queen onest time and stood up to leave the room because things had be much more interesting for her. She wanted to go and see for herself if the tree of fate had truly started showing interest in Yue, not to mention the mark... She didn''t sense it, and if the Queen hadn''t informed her about it today, she would have never discovered it.

    ''Interesting... that silver-haired human, I knew he had something peculiar in his body. I should have checked it; now the curiosity is killing me... I won''t remove the mark because I want to see him again. I wonder if he woulde to find Yue since he seemed quite desperate to stop me when I took her with me. Well, I suppose it would take a long time, considering his strength wasn''t even divine rank.''

    She opened the door, but before she could step out of the room, the Queen stopped her. cia paused and looked back only to see a serious expression on the Queen''s face as thetter started speaking.

    "cia, you are close to a breakthrough, right? I believe you will be staying in one of the elven cities until you sessfully reach the next rank. While you''re here, train Yue... and if that girl is able to reach the divine rank in three years, include her with the other young elves who are going topete in the ''diator Arena''."

 Chapter 491 Then who?

    Chapter 491 Then who?

    ??cia''s expression froze for the first time, and her astonishment was beyond words as she stared at the Queen. The ''diator Arena'' was a famous battleground located within the ''Sacred Divine Land'' that opened its gates only once every hundred years.

    This extraordinary event attracted millions of skilled and strong fighters from all races across the universe, each risking their lives with the sole aim of winning, so they could enter the ''Lost Treasure Tomb''.

    The ''Lost Treasure Tomb'' was only essible once every hundred years, and its door always opened in the ''Sacred Divine Land''. However, the number of people who could enter the Tomb was limited. That''s why the diator Arena was established to provide every individual with an equal chance to enter the tomb.

    Countless powerful and influential individuals from various races would willinglye to oversee the numerous battles taking ce in the ''diator Arena'' to ensure the smooth operation of the event thatsted for months.

    Those influential figures also aimed to prevent anyone above the transcendent rank from entering the ''diator Arena'' or the ''Lost Treasure Tomb'' because it would be a huge disaster for each race if that person started ughtering their people who could potentially be the strong pirs of their race in the future.

    Amidst all this, it was a well-known fact that the battles that happened in the ''diator Arena'' were brutal and bloody because the ''Lost Treasure Tomb'' offered resources that could help those who went inside reach the transcendent rank or maybe even a higher rank if they were fortunate enough to find something extraordinary.

    Just who would pass up such an opportunity?

    Also, killing was a norm in the Arena if the fighters are not stopped in time! That''s why all those who stepped inside the Arena knew they were risking their lives.

    cia rubbed her forehead. She wasn''t concerned about Yue, but she could not believe the Queen suggested such a thing, even though the Queen knew that this time the diator Arena would be even more chaotic than before as half of the ''Sacred Divine Land'' had been taken over by the dark and demon races after the first shadow general destroyed a part of it.

    But before cia opened her mouth to speak, the Queen spoke up again.

    "Just let her go. It''s not like your master asked you to keep that girl on this. She only asked to bring her here once. Besides, we can''t take care of her for long. Maybe I''m being greedy, but I don''t like that the tree of fate is showing interest in her."

    "I don''t want the tree to bestow the fruit of fate upon her because if it did, neither you nor I would be able to intervene. I want to protect my race. So, instead of giving the fruit to a young person who is still weak and untrustworthy, it''s better if the tree chose someone more deserving."

    cia released a deep breath and gave the Queen a quick nod before, unexpectedly, she uttered something that she herself thought would be impossible.

    "What if Yue cleared the diator Arena and earned a ce in the Lost Treasure Tomb? She would definitelye back here... I know she hates me, but then she would also resent the elven race for throwing her into the bloody battles."

    The Queen let out a faint smile.

    "I never knew you thought so highly of her... that girl hadn''t even reached the divine-rank. Do you really believe she could? But even if she did, she wouldn''t hate the elven race. I saw it in her eyes; she isn''t someone who can despise her own."

    "Also... I heard she wanted to be stronger, so we are doing this to give her the opportunity to be stronger. We will also protect the people she brought with her in her absence. Her mother and her friend. This way, she would be a strong pir of our race."

    cia startedughing at the Queen''s words. She covered her face to hide her smirk and shook her head.

    "You are a good person, but I suppose even good people can turn a bit ruthless to safeguard what they hold dear."

    "Also, you said she would be a strong pir of our race. If shees back, do you n to send her to the war happening at the other end of the universe?"

    The Queen looked at the middle-aged woman, who returned her gaze with a grin.

    "We will see... it''s something the future will determine. For now, just focus on what I asked you to do."

    cia raised her hand to show an okay sign and quickly left the room to find the person they had talked about for so long. The Queen stared at her fading figure and ced her hand on her heart.

    "It''s strange... but even though I am sending that girl away, I have a feeling my race won''t get the fruit of fate this time."

    "My Queen..."

    A faint voice echoed behind her, and another old figure materialized behind her. It was a white-haired old elven woman who had pledged to stay as the Queen''s shadow to protect her from harm since the moment the King passed away. The white-

    haired woman let out a hum.

    "The tree of fate. I can sense it vividly... it has started to grow happier since that girl arrived on this."

    The Queen started walking toward the room exit, and the white-haired woman vanished behind her after she hid her presence.

    "Me too... that''s why I am worried the tree wants to give Yue the fruit of fate."

    She stopped in the doorway when the white-haired woman fell silent at herment.

    "What''s the matter? Do you think I''m being greedy too? Should I let her have the fruit?"

    She waited for a few seconds just to hear a response from the white-haired woman, which came after a long silence.

    "No, it''s fine to be a bit greedy sometimes. But you know I have a deep connection with the tree as I have lived the longest on this, and... I have a feeling that it''s not Yue the tree wants to give the fruit to."

    The Queen''s expression turned solemn.

    "Then who? Someone from our race... or could it be the people who came with Yue?"

    The hiding woman let out a silent sigh.

    "I''m not sure myself as I can''t foresee the time that is yet toe. Maybe it''s someone from our race, maybe it''s someone rted to that girl..."

    She paused for a second.

    "Or maybe it''s someone who has yet to arrive on this."

 Chapter 492 Yue will train under me I

    Chapter 492 Yue will train under me I

    ??Underneath one of the countlessrge, expansive branches of the Tree of Fate, many wooden houses were lined up in a haphazard manner, surrounded by lush nts and vibrant flowers.

    The atmosphere in the quaint town was bustling and spirited, despite its small sizepared to the numerous grand cities of the elven race that thrived under the vast canopy of the Tree of Fate.

    In the middle of that very town, a small circr arena with sand covering the ground was set up. Inside that arena, a beautiful young elven woman with amber eyes and honey-colored hair, along with a man of a simr age with green hair and brown pupils, were engaged inbat.

    Many groups of people, old and young, wearing robes, elegant attire, or expensive embroidered dresses had gathered around the arena to witness the fight. As the elven woman with amber eyes gracefully moved inside the arena with a bow in her hand and attacked the man across from her with a sharp icicle that she formed with lightning fast speed, the gathered crowdughed at the man who was getting beaten up after another rejection he received from the same woman who was overpowering him so that he would leave her alone.

    The crowd grew louder and taunted the man in the arena even more when he tried to dodge the icicle but ended up freezing in ce as the elven woman across from him took out an arrow from her storage ring and pointed the sharp tip directly at one of the man''s eyes.

    The man''s brown pupils narrowed at the sharp tip that was just an inch away from one of his eyes, before he raised his hands in defeat with a loud grumble.

    "I admit defeat! Yue, please spare me this time. I know you are disappointed as I am so weak... but you know I like you so-!"

    He bit his tongue as the arrow edged closer to his eye, so much so that he almost thought it grazed his iris.

    However, he sighed with relief when the elven woman across from him retracted the arrow after the old town''s head concluded the fight with a chuckle.

    The old town''s head pped the shoulder of the man with brown pupils, causing thetter to groan in pain. Then he looked at Yue with soft eyes as his white robe billowed in the wind.

    "Yue won again, and Sebastian, our blockhead bird who''s been getting on everyone''s nervestely, lost!"

    The crowd burst intoughter at the young man, who kept his sad brown eyes fixed on Yue''s back, as if he was contemting to make another attempt at proposing.

    As the sun filters through the leaves above the area, casting dappled shadows on the crowds, Yue flew out from the arena andnded gracefully on the ground. The grey robe, cinched with a ribbon at her waist, swirled gently as she started walking towards the ck-haired elven woman sitting in the distance, waving at her.

    It''s been a year since she arrived on this, and she has to say that the people here treated her well.

    They also gave her, her mother, and her friend everything one would need to live a pleasant life but, she just was not grateful and felt like she was trapped because she was not allowed to leave this ce.

    Not to mention... she had no idea what happened after she vanished so suddenly into thin air. Did Kyle try to find where she went? Did he resent her, thinking she could at least tell him?

    It''s been a year since she saw him. She knew he would have gotten stronger as he always did, but she was still just a pseudo divine rank individual who was trapped in a small town, unable to leave.

    In that moment, a familiar pair of green eyes shed through her mind before she remembered thest moment they were together under the same sky. It was a beautiful memory.

    Yue let out a sigh and shook her head to disperse the countless thoughts that would always emerge in her head every night as she stared at the night sky that always twinkled with many stars.

    She gazed at Elli, the ck-haired elven woman who had been by her side for the past year and let out a faint smile that only stayed on her face for a brief moment before Elli began to speak.

    "That jerk Sebastian! Who does he think he is? Just because he''s the town head''s son, it doesn''t give him the right to bother you! It''s the sixth time already, but it''s good you gave him a good beating this time!"

    Yue shook her head at the elven woman who got angry on her behalf.

    She sat down beside Elli on one of the many tree trunks sticking out from the ground. Suddenly, she raised her hand to shield her eyes from the sunlight filtering through the leaves, but she stopped when the many leaves of the tree of fate moved on their own to block the sunlight as if sensing her difort.

    It had be a normal urrence, but Yue was still fascinated whenever the tree of fate did something like that. Just like her, many other people nearby also noticed how the leaves'' moved to block the sunlight for her, and they all started whispering among themselves, but she ignored them.

    Yue gazed at Sebastian, the man with brown eyes whom she had just fought. He was being reprimanded by the town head, who happened to be his father, for losing so badly in front of arge crowd.

    She furrowed her brows slightly because, no matter how much she tried to stay calm in his presence, he was just annoying. He was a year younger than her and was also one of the youngest pseudo-divine rank individuals on the, just like her.

    However, since she arrived on this, he had been pestering her, saying he liked her and that it was love at first sight. Yue snapped out of her thoughts when the small lynx jumped on her shoulder.

    "What happened, Nox?"

    Nox rubbed his horns on her shoulder as iridescent scales shimmered on her body before gazing sharply across with his blue pupils that turned sharp and alert, almost as if he was looking at a big enemy.

    Yue followed his gaze with furrowed brows, and she froze in her position when she saw cia, who had justnded from the sky on thend across from them.

 Chapter 493 Yue will train under me II

    <h4>Chapter 493 Yue will train under me II </h4>

    Elli also froze in her spot when she followed Yue''s sharp gaze and saw cia stepping toward them. The old town''s head pushed Sebastian away and quickly left the arena, joined by a few others, to greet cia, who had halted in front of Yue. But the woman with bronze eyes waved her hand at the town''s head and gave a faint smile.

    "It''s alright, old man. No need to be so formal. I am just here to see the people I left in your care."

    The old town''s head gazed at Yue and Elli before gesturing for the others around him to leave them alone. However, to everyone''s surprise, his one and only foolish son boldly went and stood in front of cia with his still swollen face before asking what business she had with Yue.

    cia chuckled at the young man standing before her. She remembered him. Thest time she visited the town, he was the only one who didn''t greet her.

    "Sebastian, right? You have quite an attitude, young man. If you want to listen, then listen from a distance, or else I can simply bury you underground."

    Sebastian''s stance faltered, but instead of leaving the area, he crept behind his father to hide. The old town''s head facepalmed at his son''s antics and just wanted to bury the young man himself.

    Yue stood up, and Nox jumped away from her shoulder to climb a nearby branch that extended toward him on its own. cia''s narrowed eyes followed the lynx''s every movement before she gazed at the branches of the Tree of Fate.

    ''Indeed, the rumors are true. The Tree of Fate is favoring her...''

    cia snapped out of her thoughts when Yue and Elli both stared at her with cold eyes before Yue stepped forward and started speaking.

    "You are here to see us, right? Now that you have done it, please leave."

    cia shook her head.

    "No, no, I am not just here to see you all. I have something to tell you as well. So let''s sit down for a while."

    She waved her hand to take out a few wooden chairs from her mind space before taking a seat on one of them and gesturing for Yue and Elli to sit opposite her. Yue''s eyes showed her displeasure, but she and Elli sat down across from the woman to bring it to an end, as they had no intention of looking at the face of someone they disliked so much. But when they heard cia''s next words, they were both stunned.

    "Yue will train under me from now on because I want her to enter the diator Arena that will open in the Sacred Divine Land three yearster. As for Elli, she is too weak and still has a long way to go before she could even clear the Ascendant state, so she will stay here and train with the townspeople."

    Elli''s eyes widened at the woman''s words, but before she could speak up to ask why the heck Yue would practice under her when cia is the very person who is forcing them to stay here, Yue held her shoulder to stop her.

    After Elli stopped, Yue sped her hands together tightly and stared at the woman to understand what the heck she was talking about. What diator Arena and what Sacred Divinend? It''s been a year since Yue arrived on this, but she had never heard of these terms before.

    However, the one who answered her questions wasn''t cia but the old town''s head who stared at cia with a solemn expression and exined everything about the Sacred Divinend and the diator Arena to Yue and Elli. The old town''s head had been to that ce before once, that''s why he knew everything about the bloody fights that took ce in that event.

    The more Yue and Elli heard about that ce, the more serious their expressions became. Elli stood up to argue with cia, even though she was weak, there''s no way she would let Yue go to such a dangerous ce. But cia smirked and spoke up while staring directly at Yue.

    "You want to be stronger, right? That''s why you''ve been putting your body under so much pressure to train day and night since you arrived on this, and I know the motivation... you want to go back to your home, or more specifically, you want to meet that silver-haired man, right?"

    Yue''s facial expressions stiffened when she heard cia talk about Kyle. Not only Yue but Elli''s eyes also widened. However, cia wasn''t done yet.

    "The very man who I am not even sure if is alive or not because I made sure to break his body when he stared at me with those arrogant green eyes."

    Yue''s expression chilled as she stared at the woman. She almost attacked cia if not for Elli, who grabbed her arm and made her look at her. Yue blinked and saw her reflection in Elli''s eyes. The rims of her eyes hadpletely turned red.

    She took a deep breath.

    ''No, Kyle is fine.''

    She repeated those words in her head to calm her nerves, and after a long minute, she made a decision. She needs to return to her. But to leave, she needs to be stronger... strong enough so no one could stop her.

    Also, she needs to make sure both her mother and Elli are safe before she does something impulsive, or else they would be put in danger because of her. Yue red at cia with icy eyes as she brushed Elli''s hand away from her arm.

    "I will train under you and participate in the diator Arena as well. Just tell me if he is alive or not?"

    cia smirked.

    "He is... probably because he was breathing when I left. Your training willmence tomorrow. So, be prepared."

    Elli gazed at Yue''s firm expression and realized she couldn''t stop her now. She was already upset that Nine had disappeared after leaving her here, and now even Yue would leave.

    At that moment, Sebastian also spoke up with a grave expression.

    "I want to follow Yue-!"

    But before he could finish his sentence, his father smacked him and dragged him back home to beat him up so he knows what he is allowed to speak and when he is not.

 Chapter 494 Planet Eadmire I

    <h4>Chapter 494 Eadmire I </h4>

    Inside a massivepletely shrouded in a crimson hue, an eerie atmosphere engulfed every corner of the that was bustling withughter and countless noises.

    The very essence of malevolence seemed to seep from the very core of this forsaken, where twisted spires pierced the sky like jagged teeth, and a sense of foreboding hung heavy in the air. The ground below was filled with a dark and sinister energy, giving the impression that the itself was alive with only dark energy.

    Countless individuals, each with four wide andrge dark-colored wings behind their backs and white slit pupils, soar across the sky or engage in conversations within the numerous huge structures on the.

    These towering structures house vast arenas where ves from different races battle each other just to get another day to live while spectators ce bets, enjoying alcoholic beverages and various other delicacies, restaurants where people indulge in debauchery, and various shops that sell someone else''s body parts to make someone else stronger.

    A feeling of dread filled every corner of the vast known as Eadmire, thergest in the universe, which also happened to be the one and only belonging to the demon race. It was a ce where the very concept of light and hope felt like a distant memory, where nightmares took form, and where the line between reality and nightmare blurred into a twisted tapestry of fear and despair.

    In that very, within one of the countless huge structures, a young man in his twenties donning a ck cloak that concealed his entire body from head to toe, nibbled on his nails as he peered from behind a wall to observe the numerous individuals with white pupils and expansive wings who were cheering and showering gold on a chained beautiful demi-human woman singing in the center of the hall.

    The whole hall was adorned with soft pillows andvish carpets, all upied by members of the demon race.

    The young man''s body tensed, and he turned around to walk away from the ce when suddenly one of the demons snapped his head toward him. But who could have thought that the moment he moved around, he would crash into a stunning woman with simr white pupils, wearing tight clothes, causing his cloak to slightly slip off his head, unveiling a pair of golden pupils that shimmer in the dimly lit hall due to the threads swirling within them.

    ''Damn it! Damn it!''

    Nine clenched the fabric of the cloak around his head tightly, ready to flee if the woman in front of him noticed the fact that his presence was quite out of cepared to all the other people in the hall... but he breathed a sigh of relief as the demoness paid him no attention.

    ''I really need to start trusting this thing!''

    He caressed the insignia shaped like a white flower with two leaves, hidden within his cloak, and thanked his past self who risked his life to obtain it before he set foot on this dangerous.

    The insignia was only given to the strongest demons in the demon race. It made sure to envelop his body in a veil of dark energy, even if he had not tapped into dark energy and did not have a dark flower engraved on his body. Also, whenever a high rank demon gazed at him, they would politely greet him because, unlike the low-rank ones, they could sense the insignia''s presence.

    ''No, I should thank the future Kyle who provided me with enough knowledge about everything. Otherwise, I would have never made it this far in just a year. Dang, I might have perished when I stole the insignia right under the nose of a transcendent rank demon...''

    Nine dashed towards the exit of the ce and hurriedly left the hall because, once again, he found no clue about the ''Dark Chamber of Secrets''.

    The chamber held numerous ancient scrolls and books filled with extensive knowledge about the demon race and its two subsidiary branches, nightkin and dark race. However, his aim wasn''t to gain that knowledge but to find a specific room within that chamber. That room held many dark contracts that the shadow generals and several other powerful individuals under them forced others to sign. Through these contracts, they enved the people they took an interest in, even if it went against the person''s will.

    These contracts were made from dark energy and a special teleportation material only found on the demons''. That''s why after they were used, they were all kept in a single ce. This way, if someone who signed those contracts ever grew strong enough to break free from them, they would be teleported straight to the demon.

    Nine shuddered when he thought about the poor souls who might have tried to break free from the contract, only to be met by hordes of demons in the next moment.

    ''I feel the urge to teach those fools a lesson who signed these contracts... oh, but one of them happens to be my friend, haha? I will definitely give him a good smack on the head when we meet again to knock some sense into him that he clearlycked when he agreed to sign that contract.''

    He stepped out of the grand structure and found himself in an open area filled with many people from the demon race. Nine looked up at the swirling maelstrom of crimson clouds above him and let out a bitter smile.

    ''I have a long way to go! I possess all the knowledge. I just need to find the dark chamber of secrets exact location! The moment I get my hands on the contract I''m searching for, I will run away with the help of the teleportation artifact I stole from cia...''

    He smirked.

    ''I wonder if she has found out yet? Haha, the expression on her face will be quite something when she realizes that her life-

    saving artifact is missing.''

    ''I never thought Kyle could be so vengeful. Well, she did kidnap his girlfriend and me, his best friend. But I wonder why the knowledge the future Kyle has given me mentioned that cia died...''

    Nine covered his face and smoothly blended into the crowd to gather as much information as possible about the dark chamber of secrets.

    ''I have a feeling that Kyle is going to kill her, which is why he knew about the life-saving artifact. I really wanted to witness the fight but I can''t... not until I am done here.''

 Chapter 495 Planet Eadmire II

    <h4>Chapter 495 Eadmire II </h4>

    After spending a challenging month traveling through one huge structure to another on the demons'' to find information about the Dark Chamber of Secrets, Nine finally arrived in front of a massive building encircled by three towering pirs reaching skyward.

    Perched atop each pir was a majestic statue of a winged demon. The massive building stood amidst a bustling array of other structures, starkly contrasting the deste and abandoned appearance it bore, as if forgotten by time itself.

    He coughed due to the thick, dark smoke surrounding the building, then raised the edge of his cloak that covered his eyes to peer at the abandoned building covered in dust and spiderwebs.

    "....."

    Nine couldn''t believe the Dark Chamber of Secrets had been right in front of him all along, yet he had ignored such a massive building simply because there was not a single guard stationed around it.

    If it weren''t for him kidnapping a drunken (S)-rank demon, who looked like a wealthy old man, and pping the hell out of that bastard to extract information about the Dark Chamber of Secrets, he would have overlooked this building again, just like he did when he firstnded on this.

    Now he understood why he hadn''t been able to pinpoint the exact location of the Dark Chamber of Secrets upon his arrival on this.

    After using the hidden teleportation array that transported him to the demon, he had actually arrived directly in front of this very building, but he ignored it as it looked old and abandoned. He just never thought the demon race would be so idiotic as to not even station a single guard in front of such an important ce.

    "Do they not care about this ce? Or are they overly confident, thinking that no one would dare toe to theirnd to steal something under their nose?"

    Nine muttered under his breath and rubbed his aching forehead. He had the urge to go back and smack his past self who suffered on this for an entire month.

    Just two weeks ago, he was nearly sold into a betrothal due to a cunning demon who had offered him and many others a room to stay in his hotel, only to secretly mix something in their drinks at night to auction them off.

    It was fortunate that he did not consume the beverages provided in the hotel since he disliked the food avable on this due to the dark energy radiating from almost everything here. Also, Nine did not feel hungry mostly due to his high rank, but even if he did, he simply took out the food he had stored in his storage ring to eat.

    Otherwise, he might have ended up being sold like all the others.

    "That bastard... he didn''t even spare his own kind. It''s good I ran off in time before they noticed something was off."

    He covered his face and, after a cautious survey of his surroundings to ensure no one was watching, quickly slipped through the partially open massive steel door before sprinting towards the building.

    Only after a few seconds, he arrived at the building''s entrance and softly pushed the dark door open. He then effortlessly slid inside the door without any trouble and let out a sigh of relief.

    "Damn, that was easy-!"

    Nine almost bit his tongue when he saw an old pair of white slit pupils staring at him. It was an old demon who appeared to be sweeping the floor with a broom.

    The old demon scrutinized him from head to toe as he froze in ce, almost ready to sprint backward. But he blinked when thetter paid no attention to him and went back to sweeping the floor.

    ''Did... that oldie just ignore me?? Wait, he saw me but he''s just going to ignore me? Really? Is it because of the insignia?''

    Nine hurriedly reached for the insignia inside his cloak. After calming his nerves, he briskly walked away from the old demon towards the grand stairway leading upward. However, as soon as he stepped on the first stair, he heard an old voice behind him.

    "Don''t enter the thirdyer. He has just returned from the war, so it would be unwise to disturb his rest. You are only permitted to wander in the first twoyers, even if you possess the demon''s badge."

    Nine held his breath and, after stiffly nodding his head, he began climbing the stairs. He only released his breath when he had climbed far enough to no longer see the old demon.

    ''That was a close one. My heart almost leaped out of my chest!''

    This time, he took the insignia out from under his cloak and disyed it openly on the dark cloak so that everyone could see it since it had just saved him. But he furrowed his brows when he remembered the old demon''s words.

    ''Who just returned? And from what war? Whoever it is, I should not take any risks and should quickly grab what I need from this ce and leave. It''s already bad that the old demon knows I''m here.''

    He scanned the dimly lit first floor in front of him, illuminated by light emitting from a few round orbs embedded in the wall, and quickly ascended to the second floor.

    Nine didn''t even nce toward the third floor and started walking through the second floor. He nced at the numerous doors lined in the hallway he was walking. Some were dark, some wooden, and there were even some sealed with old chains.

    After a few minutes, he came to a stop in front of a wooden door that had arge horn drawn on it.

    After taking a deep breath, he slowly grabbed the door handle and opened it. In an instant, a creaking sound echoed in the eerily silent space, sending shivers down Nine''s spine as he entered the room.

    However, no one could describe his shock when he saw many mountains of papers of various sizes haphazardly strewn across the room, stretching to upy a vast space encircled by countless empty, dusty shelves draped in spiderwebs.

 Chapter 496 Planet Eadmire III

    <h4>Chapter 496 Eadmire III</h4>

    Nine''s eyebrow twitched as he surveyed the mountains of papers before him. The sheer number of them made him wonder how he would ever manage to go through each one to find the right contract.

    On top of that, he had no clue how the contract Alec signed differed from the rest spread out before him!

    He let out a frustrated groan at the mere thought of the time it would take to find the contract he needs as he approached the papers, and the slightly open door shut behind him.

    He crouched down and without hesitation grabbed the paper closest to him before brushing off the dust and studying the unfamiliar symbols scrawled on it.

    Nine''s eyes paused on the dark inked signature at the paper''s bottom half. The signature form appeared unsteady, as if the hands of the person who signed the paper were shaking as they held the pen and wrote the name.

    In the quiet room, a deep sigh slipped from his lips as he read the unfamiliar name on the paper that was definitely not written in Alec''s handwriting and tossed it away. He grabbed a few more papers to scan them, but in that instant, his eyes lit up, and he threw all the papers in his hands aside.

    "Ah... I can just take them all! If I can take one, then why not take them all! Haha, why didn''t I think of this sooner!"

    Nine clutched his knees and rose to his feet. He gazed at the storage rings on his fingers, and a broad grin spread across his face as he emptied the contents of one of his storage rings into another and began filling it with the papers before him.

    After ten long minutes, Nine let out a chuckle and sat down on his heels in the center of the room, still surrounded by numerous empty, dusty shelves veiled in spiderwebs. But the mountains of papers that once cluttered the room were now safely stored in his storage ring.

    He quickly wore the ring and scanned the dimly lit room onest time to ensure he hadn''t missed any papers. After a moment, he rummaged through his cloak and took out a small pulsating crystal.

    "Haha, I should leave now. It''s a shame I won''t be able to see the expressions of those who would find this room empty-!"

    He shut his mouth when suddenly a deep and tired voice resonated from outside the room where he stood.

    "Who''s there?"

    Nine''s eyes dted, and without a second thought, he crushed the crystal in his hand that would teleport him far away from this. In a sh, a brilliant light burst from the crystal and enveloped his body. But just a moment before he disappeared entirely, the room door swung open with a resounding bang.

    A handsome youth, who appeared to be fifteen years old, d in grey silk clothes, entered the room and peered at his fading body with a confused expression. Nine''s breath hitched when the youth gazed into his eyes with a pair of golden eyes that were eerily simr to his.

    The youth''s long peach-colored hair, tied in a high ponytail, cascaded down his back as he blinked and reached out his pale hand towards Nine''s fading body enveloped in light, as if to catch him.

    Nine''s heart nearly jumped out from his chest when the slender fingers phased through the light, almost grasping his body, but his body scattered into countless particles before the youth''s fingers could grab onto something.

    The shimmering particles danced in the room for a fleeting moment and then also vanished into the air. The youth''s surprised expression was apanied by a soft ''oh'' as he gazed at his empty hand.

    "I missed him... He had the demon''s badge, but his soul and body were too pure for him to be a part of us."

    He rubbed his fingers and surveyed the vacant room with a smirk.

    "It''s been a while since I encountered someone from my race... and he dared to steal right under my nose."

    "Haha... truly remarkable."

    He turned his gaze back to the old demon who had ascended the stairs to reach the second floor, likely drawn by the sound of the forcefully opened door moments ago.

    "Master? Why did youe down-!"

    The old demon''s words were abruptly halted as he nced at the empty room.

    "Wait... is not this the room where the dark contracts are kept?"

    He quickly hurried outside the room and inspected the door of the room, where arge horn was drawn, and let out a shuddering breath.

    "Oh no!"

    The old demon''s eyes widened as he remembered the cloaked man who had climbed the stairs just a while ago. He thought it was another human who had willingly allied with one of the demons or shadow generals to obtain strength and a demon''s badge, but it turned out he waspletely mistaken!

    He nced at the youth standing in the room''s center and lowered his head. This same youth held the title of the second shadow general, named Ceano.

    Ceano looked young, but he was the oldest among all the shadow generals. The man just liked his young appearance. He was also the strongest among all the shadow generals, even more than the first shadow general who belonged to the dragon race. However, unlike the other shadow generals working under Azazeal, he had only one goal �� to be the strongest.

    The man did participate in the war happening in the other end of the universe because it was important if he wanted the dark side to win, but he always ignored what he thought was not useful to him in achieving strength.

    "I am sorry, master. I made a grave mistake..."

    The old demon stopped speaking when the youth across from him raised his hand and staggered toward the room exit.

    "It doesn''t matter. It''s not my duty to take care of every single thing. Besides, this building has been deserted for a while now after the demon king''s death, and the other demons were too arrogant to put some guards here, thinking that no one would ever dare to step on their."

    "Let''s not stress over it too much and chill. The one who took the contracts is already gone, who knows where, and I don''t give a damn. I am not gonna waste my energy hunting down some unknown person just for some useless contracts."

    Ceano stretched his neck and began ascending the stairs to head to the third floor to rest. The old demon stared at his back and let out a sigh before he decided to contact a few powerful demons to discuss the matter of the contracts. The demons would then secretly search for the person who stole the contracts.

    After all, if the countless enved individuals bound by the contracts crafted by the shadow generals and other powerful figures were to discover this, it would be a cmity. Those individuals would go all out to locate the thief who took the contracts before the demon race, aiming to break free from the darkness thatpelled them to obey the contract owner''smand.

    At the same time, in another ce surrounded by lush green trees reaching up towards the sky filled with dark clouds and numerous twinkling stars.

    The serene atmosphere on the was disturbed when a bright light shed in the dark sky, and Nine''s body appeared in the light that scattered into particles.

    He immediately lost his bnce mid-air because his body had just traveled such a vast distance at a speed even greater than light, making his head spin violently. Nine shook his head to clear his vision as his body edged closer to the trees, but just before he could crash, he managed to regain his bnce mid-

    air.

    Nine''s eyes were still a bit hazy as he gripped his chest and nced around to figure out where on earth he was. After spotting no signs of life, hended among the trees and settled on the uneven ground before leaning against a tree to calm his still-thundering heart, partly due to the crystal he used to leave the demon''s but mostly because of the golden pairs of eyes that he saw before escaping.

    "Who was that person...? Damn, he looked so young, but I felt a chill running down my spine when he held out his fingers to grab my body."

    After a minute, Nine looked at one of the storage rings on his finger that held the contracts and burst intoughter.

    "But I did it! Haha, after a year and a month of struggle, I finally got it!"

    He checked the contracts to make sure he wasn''t dreaming and he actually wandered around the demon''s for more than a whole freakin'' year and stole the contacts right under their nose.

    "Done... now my the next destination is the Sacred Divine Land."

    Nine''s smile stiffened when he nced around to take in his surroundings.

    "Well, I guess it would take me some time to figure out where I am and how should I reach the Sacred Divine Land when I don''t even know its location."

    "Haha... nice one."

    He fiddled with the storage ring that held the contracts and let out a dry smile.

    "I also have to find the contract I need among all these. I can''t even destroy them as it would affect the bodies of the people who had signed them."

    "I hope Kyle has a way topletely erase the darkness within the contracts..."

 Chapter 497 Did I do something wrong?

    Chapter 497 Did I do something wrong?

    ??Six monthster, after Nine stole the contracts from the demon''s, within a vast, freely floating horizontalnd that extended far enough to epass a massive area within the universe.

    Thend had been enveloped in a thickyer of divine and spiritual energy from the moment it came into existence. That is why it exuded a sense of divinity and carried the scent of numerous ancient tombs filled with treasures hidden beneath its surface. Despite all this, there is ack of mana in and around the sacred divinend.

    It was also renowned as thend of spirituality because it housed countless mystical spirits. These ethereal beings were small winged creatures without physical bodies, existing solely as souls. The spirits emitted a tremendous amount of spiritual energy, which is why the divinend excluded a lot of spiritual energy. However, unfortunately, only those who are close to nature or canmunicate with these small winged beings can sense and harness the spiritual energy.

    But... at this moment, a portion of the sacred divinend''s surface was releasing a dense miasma of dark energy that was slowly but surely eroding the divine and spiritual essence in the air. The darkness was also corrupting the many mystical spirits who were trying their best to find safety in the ancient tombs to get away from the repulsive energy.

    Inside the sacrednd, far from the darkness, where the air was still filled with a soothing melody and the atmosphere was clean, calm, and serene. Surrounded by many lush green trees atop a boulder in the middle of ake, a beautiful woman with long dark blue hair cascading down her back was sitting on her heels.

    The white robe enveloping her figure was cinched at the waist with a lovely sash intricately embroidered with flowers.

    She extended her hands with a radiant smile as she nced at the small winged creature wholly made of light, hovering just a short distance away from her above the calm surface of theke.

    "Come here..."

    Then she opened her mouth and said in a sweet voice that echoed in the silent space. The spirit hesitated but slowly pped its wings to edge closer to the beautiful woman with sea-blue eyes.

    In the meantime, a bit farther from theke, nestled among the trees, behind a fewrge boulders that seemed out of ce, almost as if they were deliberately positioned there to conceal the group of individuals secretly observing the woman who was trying her best to rope a mystical spirit.

    A white-haired old man seated among the group ced his finger on his lips to hush the excited individuals around him with a solemn expression.

    "Shhh! The spirit will run away if there''s even a little noise, so be quiet."

    Almost everyone obediently nodded their heads at Susan and silently moved further back away from the boulders. They all hoped for Mia to be sessful.

    In that way, she would finally be the first person in their group who would be able to converse with a spirit.

    This would benefit all of them as well because with a mystical spirit by their side, they would easily be able to locate another ancient tomb filled with treasures hidden beneath the sacrednd.

    Carcel tousled his golden hair and offered a subtle smile as he looked at the blue-haired woman in the distance who was trying her best to connect with the spirit.

    "She''s doing great."

    He turned to the dark-haired dwarf next to him and posed a question that lingered in everyone''s mind.

    "Will she be able to sense spiritual energy once she befriends the spirit?"

    Yon chuckled softly when he noticed the many pairs of eyes gazing at him with curiosity. It had been over a year and a half since they all arrived in the Sacred Divine Land. He and Susan followed the kids, Susan because the old man wanted to find Kyle, and he because, unlike the other guardians of the Tower of Opportunity who had chosen to pursue their own paths by remaining on the blue or leaving to enhance their strength elsewhere, he had nothing nned for his future.

    However, the dwarf did desire to achieve the transcendent rank one day. That''s why the sacred divinend was also the ideal ce for him, just like it was for the youngsters.

    "Well, befriending spirits to gain an advantage in locating the ancient tombs is quite different from sensing spiritual energy. So, I''m certain it would depend on Mia''s ability toprehend. After all, except Regius and Alec, none of you can sense spiritual energy yet, not even me."

    Carcel nodded and nced at the blue-haired man seated behind him before looking at the green-haired man. He clicked his tongue when he noticed a smug expression on Regius''s face.

    Sinon held onto his wings tightly and released a dejected sigh. His wings and horns had started to turnpletely silver the more his strength increased, adorned with golden patterns that now stretched across their entire surface.

    "I wonder... when will I be able to sense spiritual energy? I thought demi-humans are closer to naturepared to others, but it seems nature doesn''t favor me as I am not handsome enough-!"

    He hissed when Regius smacked his head and hushed him to stay quiet because the spirit was just an inch away from Mia''s hands. Sinon red at the green-haired elven man and closed his mouth.

    Lara chuckled softly at their actions. She was wearing a robe simr to Mia''s, but her orange hair was tied in a high ponytail, with a few strands cascading to frame her face.

    All of a sudden, the whole group cried out when a loud, elderly voice echoed behind them, and the spirit''s form scattered into numerous particles that floated in the air within Mia''s grasp.

    "What are you all doing?"

    Susan and Yon whipped their heads around with deadly serious expressions to gaze at the floating old dwarf, who had disappeared who knows where a week ago, only to disrupt such an important moment.

    Zron scratched his chin in confusion when he noticed everyone ring at him.

    "Hmm, did I do something wrong?"

 Chapter 498 I want all of you to reach Divine-rank

    Chapter 498 I want all of you to reach Divine-rank

    ??Alec sighed along with everyone else and gestured back towards theke with a dejected expression.

    "Master, Mia almost got the spirit, but your sudden voice frightened it away!"

    Zron blinked and let out an apologetic ''Oh'' as he nced at the group of youngsters. Besides Susan and Yon, all the young ones present here were his students.

    The old dwarf had only tagged along with the youngsters out of boredom because he had nothing else to do on the blue. Also, he believed that stealing from a ce abundant with treasures was a far more enticing prospect than stealing from a small he had already thoroughly explored every nook and cranny of.

    That''s why he could never have imagined that so many talented youngsters would end up bing his disciples, especially since he didn''t have much to offer in terms of teaching. Initially, the youngsters asked him to be their master because theycked knowledge about the Sacred Divine Land and required a strong individual to protect them in this dangerous ce.

    However, the old dwarf was delighted to have so many talented individuals as his students, so he intentionally brought back numerous treasures for them whenever he went off alone for a few weeks. This is why they still referred him as their master.

    Susan rubbed his forehead and rose to his feet as he saw Miaing toward them.

    "We were so close! Just one more second, and we would have gotten a mystical spirit who could have be our personal guide to locate treasure-filled ancient tombs!"

    Yon patted his shoulder.

    "It''s alright. I''m sure we will be able to find another spirit soon because it seems they like Mia''s presence. It''s already the third time she encountered a spirit."

    Susan and all the people around Yon nodded in agreement.

    They were confident that another spirit would soon appear before Mia.

    In that moment, Zron saw that the atmosphere was calming down, so he cleared his throat to attract everyone''s attention towards himself.

    "I found an underground tunnel close by and saw a massive ancient gate within. That''s why I returned, as I''m certain it leads to an ancient tomb where you all can discover valuable treasures."

    Instantly, everyone''s faces lit up. But Zron wasn''t finished speaking yet, so he waved his hand to calm them down and continued.

    "Also, I want all of you to achieve divine rank as soon as possible."

    He paused for a second to think.

    "Right, within two and a half years. I can sense Alec and Carcel are on the verge of a breakthrough, and they will reach the true divine rank in a month, especially if they consume a divine treasure."

    "However, the rest of you are still quite far from the divine rank. It''s important, so I want all of you to reach the divine rank and if possible, try to increase your strength even beyond the divine rank."

    A confused expression appeared on everyone''s faces as they stared at Zron. Sinon pped his wings and closed them behind his back before ncing at the old dwarf across from him.

    "Why? We are in the sacrednd, and we will eventually reach the divine rank with the amount of treasure we are finding and due to the abundant divine energy in the air."

    "So, why in two and a half years? Also... even after spending so much time in thisnd, we still haven''t found a single clue about Kyle, Bia, and Jian..."

    Sinon''s voice quivered slightly, and a somber atmosphere enveloped everyone upon hearing the names of the people they had been searching for.

    "Did the trio even make it to thisnd after being pulled into the ethereal tunnel? If so, why haven''t we even caught a glimpse of them? Knowing Jian''s nature, he would have already started making a name for himself here."

    "And as for Kyle... we are all aware that even if he remained hidden and kept a low profile, his mes and his ability to uncover and amass treasures with his luck stat alone would have already made him famous in thisnd."

    Sinon let out a wry smile.

    "Let''s not forget Bia. Being a divine phoenix, how could she have remained hidden for so long... did she never used her true form aftering to thisnd?"

    Carcel grabbed his shoulder.

    "Don''t worry. They are not weak... besides, the sacred divinend is vast. Perhaps we overlooked them. I believe wherever they are, like us, they are getting stronger."

    Sinon shook his head.

    "How can I not worry? I know you all are concerned too. Nine, Elli, and Yue are also missing, yet we have no idea where to search for them... We can only hope they are alive and safe."

    The tension in the air grew heavier with each passing second after Sinon fell silent. They all shared Sinon''s concern about Kyle and the others, but, as Sinon mentioned, they had no clue where to begin searching for them. Moreover, even after reaching the sacred divinend, they had not heard a single rumor about them.

    Doesn''t that suggest Kyle, Nine, and the others might not be here? They could be out there, somewhere in the vast universe, facing unknown dangers.

    Zron let out a sigh as he gazed at the people in front of him, all wearing solemn expressions. His heart ached every time he saw the youngsters getting dejected.

    "That is also one of the reasons I want all of you to achieve the divine rank within two and a half years! At least hear me out before getting emotional!"

    He raised his hand and flicked Sinon''s forehead with a low grumble. After the old dwarf stopped speaking, everyone stared at him to understand what he meant. All of a sudden, Zron''s ears twitched when he heard a noise in the distance.

    "I can hear many footsteps. A few people are approaching this ce. Let''s go to another area to talk."

    "Thisnd is unsafe, especially because of the treasure it holds. It''s best for us to avoid any conflicts because if we engage in any kind of fight, many others might join just for the sake of fun."

 Chapter 499 All of us are going to train like crazy

    <h4>Chapter 499 All of us are going to train like crazy </h4>

    Zron began floating, and everyone immediately followed him, and together they all left the area. After a while, they arrived at the base of a mountain.

    Instantly, they extended their senses to survey the surroundings. Only after confirming no one was nearby did they settle on the ground to ignite a fire.

    The bright day was gradually darkening, even though there was no sun in the sacred divinend. If there was light in the sky, it meant it was day, and if dark clouds gathered, it meant it was night.

    After everyone settled down, all eyes shifted to the old dwarf, as if urging him to continue his unfinished words.

    Zron motioned for them to gather around him with a serious expression. The fire grew brighter as he exhaled and looked at the people seated across from him.

    "I want all of you to join the diator Arena. Its gates will open in two and a half years, and anyone below the supreme rank can participate, regardless of their age."

    He then turned to Yon and Susan.

    "You two as well. Susan is already at the divine rank, and Yon achieved divine rank just a month ago. I want both of you to join in. I can also participate since I haven''t surpassed the transcendent rank yet but, well, I am too old, and my bones start to ache if I move too much."

    "So... I will keep an eye on all of you from the audience seats as a guardian who will always be there to protect you if something goes wrong in the diator Arena."

    Right away, confusion flickered in everyone''s eyes because it was the first time they heard about the diator Arena. They all had numerous questions in their heads after hearing the old dwarf''s words, but before any of them could voice their questions, Zron himself began to exin about the diator Arena.

    He went into the specifics of the powerful ancient tomb named the ''Lost Treasure Tomb'', which could only be essed once every hundred years, with its entrance situated in the Sacred Divine Land. But because the number of people who could enter the tomb at a time was limited, the diator Arena was set up to provide every individual a fair chance topete for an opportunity to enter the tomb.

    After Zron finished exining, he paused for a few minutes so everyone opposite him could digest the information.

    Surprisingly, he had no prior knowledge of the diator Arena, despite being familiar with the sacred divinend. Perhaps his memory had faded over time.

    He only heard the details about the diator Arena a few days ago when he overheard some elves discussing it and their ns to participate.

    He was immediately interested, and after noticing that the elves were weaker than him, he made them sit in front of him and politely asked them to tell him everything about the diator Arena.

    Of course, after he obtained all the necessary knowledge about the diator Arena and discreetly removed their storage rings, he allowed the elves to leave.

    Zron tossed a storage ring toward Susan and told the old man thatter he should share the treasures with the youngsters. Then he ended his words with a few more sentences that immediately made everyone''s eyes light up.

    "All across the universe, everyone who wants to be stronger will surelye and participate in the diator Arena so they can secure a ce and gain entry into the Lost Treasure Tomb."

    "I''m sure that if the silver-hairedd you all are searching for is on the sacred divinend, he will definitely participate."

    "After all, entering the Lost Treasure Tomb means he will get a chance to reach the transcendent or maybe even the supreme rank if he encounters an otherworldly opportunity inside the tomb."

    Zron took a brief pause and observed everyone''s expressions. From their bright eyes alone, he could sense all of them were ready to participate in the diator Arena right this instant simply because there was a chance Kyle would also join the Arena.

    "Nevertheless, even if Kyle and the others are not here on thisnd, I am confident that wherever they may be, they would hear about the diator Arena because currently, nearly everyone in the universe is getting ready to send their people to join the battles that will begin soon."

    There was a moment of silence before a heated discussion erupted as Alec, Sinon, and Regius bombarded Zron with many questions about the diator Arena and the Lost Treasure Tomb.

    Carcel, Lara, and Mia also had some questions, but unlike the enthusiastic trio, they stayed mostly quiet and simply listened to what else Zron shared. As the youngsters got busy with the old dwarf, Yon and Susan exchanged nces before Yon sighed and ced his arm on Susan''s shoulder.

    "Old man, it looks like it''s time for us to show our strength to the world. I want to reach the transcendent rank, so I will give it my all to secure a spot.... Haha, maybe its possible my opponent would be Kyle?"

    Susan clicked his tongue at his joke and pped his arm away.

    "I might be old, but that doesn''t mean I can''t fight. Besides, I really want to see that kid again... So, count me in. In the end, if I find myself overwhelmed in a battle, I know when to admit defeat."

    Then suddenly, the two gazed at Zron. The duo couldn''t believe that the oldie, who was the strongest among them all, was backing away and nning to watch everything from the audience. A sudden realization struck them, and the duo locked eyes.

    They were aware that Zron had a tendency to steal, but now that he would be seated among thousands of people in the audience, they were unsure whether to be concerned about those sitting around Zron. After all, those individuals are definitely going to lose their precious belongings if they don''t have a mind space.

    After some time, Alec lifted his sword towards the sky. He didn''t hide the back of his hand anymore because he had learned to conceal the dark petal within his body. He raised his voice as everyone else around him also raised their fists toward the sky.

    "Our next stop is the diator Arena! We are not just going there to search for Kyle and Jian but also for Nine and Yue! So, all of you, prepare yourselves because for the next two and a half years, all of us are going to train like crazy!"

    Zron grinned at their enthusiasm.

    "Good! Very Good! I will watch and make sure all of you train like crazy... haha!"

    If before hearing Alec''s exmation everyone was feeling excited, now after hearing Zron''s words, they all lowered their fists and let out dryughs, thinking the old dwarf was joking. However, Zron''s pleasant expression told them that their next two and a half years are going to be filled with nothing but training.

 Chapter 500 I am always a good support

    <h4>Chapter 500 I am always a good support</h4>

    Just like a gentle breeze, time quickly passed as Yue trained under cia on Luminara beneath the Tree of Fate, day and night without much rest.

    Simrly, Alec, Carcel, and the others immersed themselves in intense training within the Sacred Divine Land.

    They also explored ancient tombs, searching for treasures, all to prepare for the uing diator Arena.

    Alec and his group always stayed together and trained in Zron''s sight because of the dangers on thend, while Sinon made sure to leave their names on the gates of the ancient tombs they discovered. So... if Kyle and the others they are searching for evere across these tombster, they would know Alec''s group had been there.

    That was also the reason their names became famous in the Sacred Divine Land as the ones who were looting the ancient tombs and vanishing after leaving their names before anyone could see them.

    Simultaneously, Nine discovered that he had arrived on a ruled solely by a few ancient tribes of a lizard race. It turned out to be a stroke of luck as one of these tribes was also getting ready to go to the Sacred Divine Land for the diator Arena. Despite the initial unfriendliness of the lizard race towards him due to his sudden appearance, Nine managed to forge new friendships effortlessly due to his personality.

    In the end, he even started training alongside the lizard race members who were getting ready for the diator Arena, under the guidance of an elder of their race who was over two hundred years old and had attained the initial stage of the supreme rank.

    Just like that, a year passed, and then another, with only six months left for the diator Arena gates to open up for the whole universe on a distant, medium-sized that was once beautiful and teeming with life. However, the ongoing war for the past fifty years between the Nightkin race and the human race had transformed that lively into a battlefield scattered with ruins and graveyards.

    In the midst of the very ruins, a loud battle cry erupted as a handsome transcendent rank human with pale hazel eyes, dressed in grey armor, shed against a transcendent rank individual from the Nightkin race in the sky to prevent him from interfering in the battle happening on thend.

    The human let out a groan and spun the white spear, bathed in blood, in his hand to push his enemy with such force that thetter was thrust back mid-air.

    His hand holding the spear trembled as he calmed his breathing and red at the man with crimson eyes and a pair of horns atop his head across from him, who bnced himself mid-air and licked the blood away from his ghostly pale hand.

    After the man from the Nightkin race bnced himself mid-air, he sneered at the human opposite him with a wicked smile, as if mocking the human''s struggle to save his that is already in ruins.

    "Just admit defeat; you know you can never win. Why the struggle then, huh? Trust me, if even one of the shadow generals arrived here right now, victory would be ours-!"

    His words abruptly halted when he sensed a presence behind him. In an instant, his figure turned into a mirage, and he disappeared from his spot.

    The moment he disappeared, a metallic chain engulfed in red mes encircled the vacant space like a snake. The chain moved in the empty space and after a second went back to its owner.

    The Nightkin race individual stared at the chain''s owner with intense hatred, as if thetter had taken all his money. On the other hand, the human''s hazel eyes brightened up as he caught sight of the chain''s owner.

    "Jian! Finally, you are done with your opponent. Now, help me a little; I want to get rid of this bastard!"

    Jian chuckled, his shoulder-length red hair was flowing in the air as he wrapped the metallic chain around his arm and gazed at the human before turning his attention to the transcendent-

    rank individual from the Nightkin race who was ring at him.

    "Don''t worry, Xavier. I may be weaker, but I''m always a good support, right?"

    Xavierughed at his words, well aware of how valuable Jian could be as a support. It had been this way since the red-haired human arrived on his.

    He lifted his spear that glistened under the sunlight filtering through the dark and red clouds and signaled for Jian to get ready beforeunching another attack on the Nightkin race individual.

    Their battle continued, with Jian using his skills to assist Xavier in mid-air. However, after a minute, a loud cry pierced the air.

    Jian''s eyes lit up upon hearing the voice. He whipped his head back to see the massive phoenix engulfed in golden mes that had just arrived to join the battlefield alongside a horde of flying andnd monsters.

    "Bia is also back! Now victory is ours!"

    Xavier''s eyes widened slightly. No matter how many times he saw the divine phoenix controlling thousands of monsters to fight alongside her, he could never grow ustomed to it.

    It was truly amazing.

    He knew Bia had just recently reached the divine rank, but even before that, she could handle many divine beings thanks to the golden symbols engraved on her wings. Those symbols always repelled all the divine pressure directed towards her.

    Xavier wondered who had engraved those incredible symbols on the phoenix''s body. He really wanted to meet that person and request them to engrave simr symbols on his body. Still, it was a matter forter. He smirked because, just like Jian said, victory was now theirs. He could see no shadow general had arrived on the, and from the circumstances, they weren''t going toe either.

    It seems the war that had been going on for so many years on his is finally going to end after so much struggle.

 Chapter 501 Leave him to me

    <h4>Chapter 501 Leave him to me </h4>

    Xavier kicked the transcendent-rank individual from the Nightkin race opposite him away in mid-air before he raised his spear to use his strongest skill to kill the numerous enemies on thend.

    Bia''s eyes narrowed at his move... she had seen it before. Not only Bia, Jian''s eyes also narrowed, and he also prepared to use his strongest skill with the man. Just like the duo, many other floating strong divine-rank and pseudo-divine rank humans also got ready to use their strongest skills.

    The air rumbled, and cracks appeared within the space around Xavier.

    The eyes of the transcendent rank individual from the Nightkin race, who had just bnced himself mid-air, dted when a beam of white light shot out from Xavier''s spear, traveling toward the people of his race who were fighting on thend. The beam of light moved even faster than lightning and only selectively killed the people of the Nightkin race while leaving the humans untouched.

    Bia''s eyes brightened, and a touch of blue shimmered within her crimson pupils that had begun to turnpletely golden after she stepped into the divine rank.

    In the next moment, a thunderous echo resonated from her body, apanied by a flood of pure golden mes that extended to follow the beam.

    Jian chuckled, his pupils quivered slightly as he utilized nearly ny percent of his divine energy to conjure another sea of mes that followed the golden mes.

    But unlike before, after reaching the true divine rank, he had learned to control his skills and spellspletely. Now, his mes and all the other spells he used as a mage traveled ording to hismand to target only the individuals he desired to eliminate.

    After the duo, many other pseudo-divine and divine rank humans also unleashed their most potent skills and spells. In an instant, the battlefield was engulfed in ice, mes, earth, lightning, wind currents, and various other abilities that rained down from the sky upon the enemies.

    The air became saturated, and the sky darkened due to the immense divine energy harnessed in mere moments.

    Thend trembled violently under the pressure, and countless agonizing cries echoed through the air. The humans seized the advantage they gained and started killing every enemy within their sight.

    Xavier panted and nced at the transcendent rank individual from the nightkin race who was fleeing from the scene after seeing how his people werepletely defeated.

    "Where do you think you are going, you bastard!?"

    He raised his spear and with immense force hurled it directly at the fleeing man, who cried out as the spear impaled his shoulder. Instantly, blood oozed out from the man''s shoulder to stain his already red clothes an even deeper crimson.

    Xavier clicked his tongue as his hand trembled. He had barely maintained his bnce in mid-air after hurling his spear away. His entire body was screaming with pain, and he swore if not because he wanted to kill the strongest enemy he would have closed his eyes. A smile spread across his face when he saw Jian who arrived beside him and grabbed his arm to bnce him.

    Bia nced at the duo and, after ordering the monsters under hermand to clear the battlefield, she zoomed in towards the man who was still attempting to flee despite his badly injured shoulder.

    -"Leave him to me."

    Jian blinked as he stared at the phoenix who immediately started beating up the injured transcendent-rank individual with the advantage of her huge body.

    He winced at the sight and nced at Xavier only to see the man had ced his other hand above his head to watch the fight with an excited expression.

    Jian shook his head at the excited man who had been trying his best to rope the phoenix since the moment Jian and Bia arrived here.

    It''s actually been more than three years since he and Bia arrived on this. At first, he thought they hadnded on a that had been conquered by the dark side because they fell from the sky directly into the middle of a battlefield.

    Bia immediately lost consciousness, probably because she took the most impact when they crashed on the. Jian fought in the battlefield for a while, but the enemies were too strong. He quickly realized he was on the losing end, but he couldn''t leave Bia behind. So, he fought and did his best to wake up the phoenix. But fortunately, before anything bad happened to them, a group of humans saved them and took them to a safe ce.

    Bia was frustrated and angry after she woke up because she was not able to contact Kyle properly, and Jian wouldn''t allow her to leave the alone.

    She was very happy when she finally managed to reach Kyle, but after talking with him for a minute, she cursed a lot and scared away every human who dared to approach her for the next few days.

    Jian found out about itter, but Kyle, that bastard, asked her not to look for him and instead go to the Sacred Divine Land. The silver-haired man imed he woulde find her, but for some unknown reason, he blocked Bia''s voice, and after that, she couldn''t sense him at all.

    That was the moment when the duo decided to help the humans on the as a token of gratitude for the time when the humans saved their lives. They both entered the battlefield and began fighting alongside the humans to defeat the nightkin race.

    Additionally, they started searching for a way to reach the sacred divinend to find Kyle, who had disappeared after Bia''sst interaction with him, almost as if he had ceased to exist. If it weren''t for the fact that Bia could still sense their connection and hadn''t felt that Kyle was dead, the phoenix would have already left Jian behind to search for Kyle in the vast universe.

    Jian let out a sigh and pped Xavier on the back to make him stop gazing at the phoenix with sparkling eyes.

    Xavier was the only transcendent rank human on the after his father, who was the strongest on this, passed away in the war. But as Jian had mentioned earlier, from the moment Xavierid his eyes on the phoenix, he became interested in Bia. Also, his interest grew when he witnessed Biamanding thousands of monsters to fight alongside her.

    "Man, she''s already taken. Don''t even think about trying to win her over because..."

    Jian took a exaggerating breath to emphasize his next words.

    "Herpanion is very dangerous. He could easily turn you into an ice sculpture with just a flick of his fingers!"

    "Don''te crying to meter saying I didn''t give you a heads up."

 Chapter 502 We are not here to sit

    <h4>Chapter 502 We are not here to sit</h4>

    Xavier rolled his eyes, and his expression clearly showed he didn''t believe the red-haired man one bit.

    "Well, I am a hundred times better than herpanion who left her alone in such a dangerous world. I will see just how strong that person is when the timees. He asked you and Bia to go to the Sacred Divine Land, right?"

    Jian raised an eyebrow. It''s been a while since they talked about the Sacred Divine Land because they were caught up in the war. Initially, he and Bia had no idea about the location of that ce and how to get there after leaving this.

    But then Xavier informed them that a few elders on his were knowledgeable about that ce. These elders requested Jian and Bia to stay on the for a few years due to the phoenix''s unique ability to control thousands of monsters, which greatly aided the human race in repelling the nightkin for the first time.

    No matter what, the prospect of having a vast army of monsters at their disposal was truly remarkable.

    In order to persuade Bia to remain on the, they suggested teleporting both Jian and Bia directly to the Sacred Divine Land using an array once the conditions on their improved. But no one could have imagined that within just a few years, they would win the war.

    Xavier chuckled and thumped his chest. The elders had already informed him and Jian about everything regarding the Sacred Divine Land. Now they just need to use the array and go there.

    "Doesn''t that mean Bia''s bondedpanion will take part in the diator Arena? Haha, I can join as well since I have not gone past the transcendent rank yet. The war just ended as well, and now I can leave the. I am also going to enter the diator Arena just so Bia can see who''s stronger-!"

    His words got cut off as he cried out when Jian let go of his arm, and he immediately plummeted towards the ground. Xavier quickly regained his bnce mid-air and red at the red-haired man.

    "What was that for?"

    Jian smirked and tilted his head with an innocent expression.

    "Oh, sorry, my hands slipped."

    He nced around.

    "I really thought a fly was buzzing around my ears... tsk, tsk, it really needs a good beating so it can acquire somemon sense because despite knowing the risks, it insists on poking the ho''s nest."

    Xavier''s eyes widened with disbelief... did that little punk who is more than twenty years younger than him call him a fly!?

    He rolled up his sleeves to show Jian just who the fly really was, but before he could confront the red-haired man, Bia killed her opponent, and her body shed with a bright light. The phoenix regained her smaller form and thennded on the red-haired man''s shoulder.

    Jian crackled menacingly and dared Xavier toe closer with his smug expression. He grinned when Xavier''s expression fell and reached out to stroke Bia''s head, only to hiss as the phoenix pecked his finger.

    "Bia! See, my fingers have marks from your fierce attacks. I was just going to pet your head gently!"

    Bia sneered.

    -"Why? I don''t like it. Besides, you are not handsome... not a beautiful woman. It doesn''t suit you."

    Jian''s expression stiffened at her remarks, and he quickly lowered his hand to rub his throbbing finger. In the distance, Xavier burst intoughter and taunted him with a raised brow, almost as if saying who had the upper hand now.

    The war concluded with the victory of the human race after the transcendent rank individual died, and the monsters under Bia''smand ruthlessly killed all remaining enemies on the battlefield.

    Xavier, Jian, and some other high-rank humans themselves attended to post-war matters, such as arranging for the injured to be taken back to the camp for treatment and selecting some powerful divine-rank humans to scour the entire to ensure everyst individual of the nightkin race was found and dealt with.

    After two hectic days, the human camp was now celebrating their victory with delicious food, a variety of beverages, and tears of happiness as they had saved their, the very that was on the verge of copse just a few years ago.

    Jian entered Xavier''s tent with Bia sitting on his shoulder. The grey-haired man was busy organizing papers on his desk. Xavier had finally taken off his armor, and his white spear was resting in a corner.

    Xavier paused in his actions when he saw Jian approaching. He dragged a chair from a corner and ced it next to Jian before attempting to organize the stack of papers on the onlyrge desk in the tent.

    "Sorry, I have been busy. Sit down. I will be done soon, just give me a minute."

    Jian and Bia both eyed the chair, but then the red-haired man grimaced silently when Bia ced her paw on his shoulder and squeezed it roughly.

    Jian quickly cleared his throat to get Xavier''s attention.

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    "We are not here to sit."

    Xavier sighed and set the papers on the desk before looking at Jian quickly cleared his throat to get Xavier''s attention.

    "We are not here to sit."

    Bia and Jian.

    "I understand... Now that the war has ended, you both want to leave. Just wait for another week. A few others and I are also nning to go to the Sacred Divine Land. Let''s all go together."

    Bia shook her head.

    -"No, it''s already been so many years. I want to leave as soon as possible."

    Jian shrugged his shoulders when Xavier gave him a pleading look to convince the phoenix. Xavier immediately changed his strategy and turned to Bia with a smile.

    "I have fed you so many delicious things and taken care of you. Plus, you said you like my eyes. Can''t you even wait another week for this pretty face?"

    Bia narrowed her eyes and muttered quietly.

    -"Your eyes are just a bit like Kyle''s... nothing special. And you''re not that pretty."

    Jianughed quietly as Xavier''s expression darkened at Bia''s words. The grey-haired man let out a big exhale and raised his hands in surrender.

    "Alright, we will leave for the Sacred Divine Land in two days. I just have to sacrifice some sleep, no biggie. Come on, Bia, you have got to at least give me a thank you."

    Bia rolled her eyes. The phoenix spread out her wings and left Jian''s shoulder tond on Xavier''s shoulder, who grinned excitedly just because she sat on his shoulder.

    She nced at Jian, who looked betrayed because she left his side. Bia''s eyebrow twitched at their behavior, and she closed her eyes with a tired sigh.

    -''A bunch of idiots...''

 Chapter 503 They are here as well!

    <h4>Chapter 503 They are here as well! </h4>

    It was a sunny day when Jian, Bia, Xavier, and two other humans stood in the middle of arge circr array that filled a vast space, surrounded by numerous mana stones floating in the air.

    In the distance, several elderly humans in robes who had set up the array and many others who hade to bid farewell to their''s strongest individuals and the divine phoenix stood. The emotional ones were cheering for the people standing on the array, and the elders were quietly watching those on the array.

    The array lit up, and a bright light shed, enveloping the people standing above the array in an bright embrace.

    In the next second, the light scattered, and the array with the people standing above it all vanished within the particles.

    The air fell silent as everyone watched the bright particles that scattered in the wind. One of the elderly humans stroked his beard and let out a sigh.

    "I hope the kids stay safe and return unharmed... that ce is dangerous, but I have faith they can endure, especially Xavier and Jian. They both hold promising futures, and with the Divine Phoenix alongside them, I trust they can ovee all the challenges in their way."

    ...

    Inside the Sacred Divine Land, numerous new faces and formidable figures from various races began to arrive. After all, the opening of the diator Arena was merely less than six months away.

    Thend was expansive, and despite thousands of neers arriving each day on floating ships or through teleportation arrays, the space was stillrge enough for them to easily lose themselves within it.

    Nevertheless, they were all aware of their ultimate destination �C the diator Arena. So, even though they wandered the Sacred Divine Land in search of treasures, they were all ultimately making their way towards the Arena.

    It was a huge shock for everyone when a supreme-rank representative from the demon race arrived to negotiate with the supreme-rank individuals who would oversee the diator Arena.

    The representative from the demon race expressed their eagerness to participate in the diator Arena. Not only the demon race, but he said that its two subsidiary branches, the dark and nightkin races, would also participate.

    He threatened the old figures that if they were prevented from joining the event, they would make every effort to disrupt it. Also, the people of the demon and dark race who are currently residing on the Sacred Divine Land, as they have conquered a part of it, would start a war on thend to ughter every single participant.

    The supreme-rank individuals were taken aback, and some even considered killing the representative.

    But they halted their actions when the representative mentioned with a wicked smile that the second and third shadow general would also attend the diator Arena as they are a little bored from the ongoing battles.

    The shadow generals promised not to intervene if the demon, dark, and Nightkin races were permitted to participate in the diator Arena.

    After hearing about this, the old supreme rank individuals had no choice but to agree with gritted teeth, but they swore in front of the demon race representative that if the shadow generals dared to interfere or if the dark, demon, and nightkin race dared to break the rules of the diator Arena under their watchful eyes, they would not care about the war that is still ongoing on the other end of the universe and do their best to kill the shadow generals even if they have to give up their lives.

    At the same time, Alec and his group trained intensively as they had said, and all of them reached the Divine-rank. They wanted to look around for some ancient tombs in search of treasures as Mia had finally befriended a few mystical spirits. But Zron sensed the tense atmosphere in the Sacred Divine Land and noticed numerous groups from the demon and dark races lurking around everywhere.

    That''s why, for the first time, the old dwarf suggested to the youngsters that they take a few months'' break from training before the diator Arena opened up. This break would also allow their bodies to solidify their newfound strength. Also, a bit of rest is always necessary to rejuvenate oneself and maintain peak performance.

    Despite knowing they did not need rest since they had been training rigorously to reach the divine rank, Alec and the others opted to follow Zron''s suggestion upon noticing a solemn expression on the old dwarf''s face. After all, it was rare for Zron, who always wore a carefree expression, to be so serious all of a sudden.

    In the end, they discovered a huge cave beneath a withered tree trunk and chose to take shelter inside for a few months while Zron and Susan sealed the cave entrance with a concealment array.

    But because they decided to remain inside the cave, they missed the rumors about the Divine phoenix and the red-haired man who arrived on the Sacred Divinend with Xavier and two other humans.

    Bia was frustrated because even after entering the Sacred Divine Land she still could not sense Kyle''s presence.

    This led her to vent her frustration by making enemies with everyone she encountered, particrly the individuals from the dark and demon races. Jian found it amusing and couldn''t resist joining in the fun. As a result, the duo quickly became famous in the sacred divinend.

    Xavier shed many tears because of the duo and started to regret his decision to follow Bia and Jian to join the diator Arena. He was the strongest in the group; that''s why he always ended up getting beaten up in the end because both Bia and Jian were skilled at escaping after making enemies.

    However, his heart always melted when Bia gave him some attention and asked him if he was alright. Therefore, he allowed the phoenix to do as she pleased.

    But... no one could describe Xavier''s inner turmoil because the more time he spent with Bia and Jian in the sacred divinend, the more he realized that Jian''s luck was at rock bottom, or perhaps the red-haired man''s luck stat was in the negative.

    Before, during the war on the human''s, Xavier never noticed this, and even when something bad happened in Jian''s presence, he med it all on the war. But now, seeing how every time Jian chose a path, they ended up in trouble, and how Bia always chose to stay behind whenever Jian was taking the lead, Xavier understood that no matter what, he should never let Jian take the lead. Otherwise, they would all perish even before the diator Arena opened.

    Xavier took charge, and within the first two weeks of their arrival on the sacred divinend, they discovered an underground tunnel leading to an ancient tomb.

    The two humans with Xavier were delighted, but Jian and Bia''s eyes widened in shock when they saw a few familiar names inscribed on the huge gate that served as the tomb''s entrance. Both of them surprised Xavier and the others by shouting together with excitement.

    "Alec and the others are here!"

    -"Mia is here!"

    Jian looked at Bia to know why she only called out Mia''s name, but the response he received was something he would have been better off not hearing.

    -"She is pretty and warm."

 Chapter 504 Just ignore her

    <h4>Chapter 504 Just ignore her</h4>

    After finding out that Alec and the others are on the Sacred Divine Land, Jian and Bia also started leaving their names wherever they went and began searching for the group.

    In the end, they were unable to locate the group or Kyle, but they were confident that if Alec and the others were present on the Sacred Divine Land, they would certainly participate in the diator Arena.

    So, the duo, along with Xavier and the other humans, slowly started making their way toward the diator Arena.

    Three monthster, on the elven, Luminara, Yue was also ready to depart for the Sacred Divine Land along with many other elves.

    A massive flying ship was docked beneath the Tree of Fate, and many elderly, powerful elves started gathering their most skilled individuals who had been training to participate in the diator Arena.

    In one of thergest elven cities beneath the Tree of Fate, Yue opened her eyes and released a deep breath.

    She was floating in mid-air and her body was enveloped in divine energy. However, if someone with a sharp eye were to observe her at that moment, they would also notice spiritual energy around her body.

    She adjusted the elegant blue robe on her figure and gazed at the woman hovering in front of her, with nothing in her eyes, not even anger because Yue had learned to hide her emotions.

    cia gazed back at her with a smirk.

    The two of them locked eyes for a few seconds before cia raised her hand and motioned for Yue to attack her. She never thought Yue would reach the divine rank within a year and a half. Yue surprised her even more by reaching the elite stage in divine energy after entering the divine rank within another year just because cia gave her a little helping hand.

    Perhaps it was because the Tree of Fate showered Yue with unlimited Divine and Spiritual energy, but cia didn''t care.

    The elven woman was simply ecstatic that ''an ant'' she trained became incredibly powerful in such a short time.

    cia burst intoughter when Yue ignored her presence as if she didn''t exist at all with a calm expression. The woman shook her head and pped her hands in amusement. Her flowing green dress, embroidered with a familiar tree insignia, swayed gently in the wind as she spoke.

    "No matter how many times I see it, it''s always amusing when you act this way, even though you know I am powerful enough to..."

    She lowered her voice intentionally to emphasize her words.

    "...make you vanish from this universe."

    Yue didn''t say anything in return and just listened with a calm expression as the woman spoke up again.

    "Yue, remember, I am your master. No matter what you think about me and how much you hate me, this fact can never be changed. How about you call me master? Just once would be enough, and I would let you go. No... no... wait, I will honestly tell you whether that silver-haired man was alive or not when I left your."

    Yue''s eyes quivered slightly, yet she quicklyposed herself in a heartbeat. It''s not a big deal... she told herself inwardly.

    She never called cia her master, not even once, even though she had trained under the woman. But it really wasn''t a big deal if she could know about Kyle. cia was still stronger than her, and she knew she needed to wait until she had the upper hand to fight her head-on. Yue opened her mouth, and even though it was a bit harder than she expected, she called out the word she had avoided like a gue since she began training under cia.

    "Master... happy? Now, keep your end of the bargain and tell me about him honestly."

    cia grinned and waved her hand.

    "Of course, I will. He was alive. I said it before as well, but I am saying it again. He was alive. Now, go. In a few days, everyone will be leaving for the Sacred Divine Land. So, get ready. I hope youe back alive, but it''s okay even if you don''t. Haha, I will make sure to marry off your friend and ask someone to take care of your mother."

    Yue clenched her fists, but her expression remained calm. A huge shadow loomed over her and cia''s body. She quietly raised her arm, and the massive Lynx with two horns and stunning iridescent scales on his body, which had been flying above her, reduced in size beforending softly on her arm with a weary yawn.

    Nox''s piercing blue eyes shimmered with a strong intent as he looked at the woman floating across from Yue.

    ''Just ignore her; she is someone we will kill in the future. Probably... yep, yep, we will.''

    Yue heard the voice in her head as Nox jumped to climb her shoulder. She caressed the lynx''s head and, after ncing at cia onest time, she decided to head towards the elven town to meet and bid farewell to Elli and her mother.

    In a few days, she had to leave for the Sacred Divine Land. But she vowed to be stronger and return alive to fight the woman who had always looked at her as if she was an ant.

    However, the moment Yuended in the town, Sebastian blocked her path and told her he had also broken through to the divine rank. After countless attempts and being beaten up by his father many times, he had finally seeded in persuading the old town''s head to let him join the diator Arena with Yue and the other elves.

    Yue frowned and, after listening to the green-haired elven man for a few minutes, she quickly left the area with Nox to head towards one of the small wooden houses scattered in the town.

    She soon spotted Elli sitting outside the wooden house on the stairs with an older woman who had long honey-colored hair simr to hers. After taking a breath, she called out to Elli and her mother.

 Chapter 505 Its just... happy?

    Chapter 505 It''s just... happy?

    ??Elli''s eyes lit up when she spotted Yue, and she immediately waved her hand toward her. Iva also stood up to hug her daughter, who rarely came to meet her because Yue was busy training. She immediately asked what her daughter wanted to eat, and she would make it for her.

    Iva knew Yue was going to leave the in a few days, but her daughter had grown up and be stronger even more than her brother and father. So, even though she was very worried, she let her heart calm down and agreed when Yue told her she would be leaving for a dangerous ce.

    The three of them entered the house together, and after Iva prepared a delicious meal for everyone, they all gathered around a round wooden table to eat. The aroma of food filled the air as the sound of utensils clinking echoed through the house while the trio chatted softly. But the one who spoke the most was Iva; she asked many questions about what Yue did and what rank her daughter had achieved.

    Iva did not fully understand the new terms Yue used, but she enjoyed listening to whatever her daughter shared.

    In the distance, Nox stretched his body and leaped onto the dining table to let the three women know he was also in the house, so they would stop ignoring him.

    Iva chuckled and lifted Nox before gently patting the Lynx''s head.

    "Nox, remember, you must always stay with Yue. Look out for each other... I truly don''t want either of you to get hurt."

    Nox blinked and looked at Yue, who sighed and said she would contact Iva and Elli from time to time after leaving. It''s not like the Sacred Divine Land would stop her from using amunication crystal.

    Yue spent the next few days with the two women, and soon it was time for her to leave. Sebastian showed up outside her house dressed in a stylish grey outfit that suited his hair and eyes.

    He mentioned he wanted to go with Yue as they both needed to head towards the flying ship docked a bit farther from the town. This ship would take them and all the other elves participating in the diator Arena to the Sacred Divine Land.

    Sebastian smiled and shamelessly extended his hand toward Yue, but his smile stiffened when she ignored him and started walking towards the town''s exit with her mother and Elli, who insisted on seeing her safely board the ship.

    The area around the massive ship was bustling with many elves who hade to watch their family members and friends board the ship.

    Many powerful old elves, who were also heading to the Sacred Divine Land to supervise and safeguard those taking part in the diator Arena, floated above the ship, discussing which elves had a better chance of winning in the Arena.

    Across from the ship, in the middle of the crowd, Sebastian was getting beaten up by his father, whoined about why the young man ran off alone when the old man wanted to watch him board the ship.

    Iva tightly grasped Yue''s hands and hugged her onest time before asking her to go and board the ship. Elli also opened her arms with a smile for a hug. She never thought Yue would be her closest friend because, for her, Yue was someone strong she could only admire from afar.

    It was all thanks to Nine, that fool who she doesn''t even know where he is right now. Nox, who had been sitting on Elli''s shoulder, leaped and climbed onto Yue''s shoulder when she started moving toward the ship.

    Sebastian also ran behind Yue as his father dabbed his moist eyes with a handkerchief while voicing out little curses directed at his only son, whom he wasn''t even sure woulde back alive or not.

    After everyone who was going to participate in the diator Arena boarded the ship, the old elves prepared to leave. But suddenly, the Tree of Fate began to tremble slightly. The crowd''s eyes widened in shock, and the old elves were also taken aback. Immediately, a huge discussion ensued with everyone pondering what was happening.

    "What''s going on?"

    "The Tree of Fate has never reacted like this before."

    "Is it bidding farewell to the elves heading to the Sacred Divine Land?"

    The crowd fell silent when a beautiful humming sound emanated from the tree, and its leaves began to dance as if expressing joy. Instantly, everyone erupted in happiness, thinking that the Tree of Fate was bestowing its blessings upon the people leaving for a dangerous ce.

    The people who had boarded the ship all expressed their gratitude to the Tree of Fate. Even Yue held out her hand to touch some leaves of the Tree of Fate, but she blinked when, for the first time, the Tree of Fate ignored her. She stared at the tree and watched as it once again erupted with another humming sound that became more like a melody reverberating throughout the whole. Suddenly, one of the old men let out a shout with a boisterousugh.

    "The Tree of Fate has given us all its blessing! We shouldn''t waste more time and leave to not disappoint it!"

    The crowd agreed with the old man and cheered with tears of happiness because it''s been a long time since they saw the Tree of Fate humming with such joy. Many people quickly started filling the ship''s engine with mana stones, and after a minute, the ship started floating. Under everyone''s eyes, it reached the sky.

    The old Queen of the elven race left her living quarters in a beautiful, elegant robe and stared at the tree with shock before muttering under her breath.

    "What the heck is happening? Why is the Tree of Fate so happy? Don''t tell me it''s going to bear the fruit of fate...?"

    The woman hiding in her shadow disagreed with her immediately.

    "No, if it was going to bear the fruit of fate, it would have showered the whole with spiritual energy. It''s just... happy?"

    They watched the tree in silence. Not just the two of them; many powerful individuals came out from their houses to watch the tree whose leaves danced in the air.

    cia also left the restaurant where she was staying and narrowed her eyes at the Tree of Fate. Not only were the elves, but also the demons residing on the elven, alerted by the tree''s sudden movement.

    The current leader of the demons, who had been waiting for a chance to get her hands on the fruit of fate, also left her chamber to watch the Tree of Fate with hungry eyes.

 Chapter 506 What a strange place

    <h4>Chapter 506 What a strange ce </h4>

    Meanwhile, in the midst of the elven crowd watching and loudly cheering at the massive flying ship that soared in the sky, a man d in a hoodie that hid his facial features stared at the same ship with a pair of curious yet uninterested eyes as it sailed beyond the''s borders and vanished into the distant horizon.

    The man considered directly teleporting inside the massive ship but chose not to when he felt a powerful presence of a supreme rank individual inside.

    He epted the fact that he was a bitte to arrive... just a bit though.

    He thought if he followed one of the two faint presences he could sense in the vast universe, he would encounter someone familiar but... what a pity the nearest person he sensed left before he could even catch a glimpse of their face.

    The man furrowed his brows as a branch of the Tree of Fate attempted to approach him with enthusiasm. He raised his hand and roughly swatted the branch away, causing it to emit a regretful and pained sound as if expressing how it had weed him only to be treated this way in return.

    "What a strange ce..."

    Due to the sudden movement, his hoodie was lifted to reveal a bit of his face.

    He shook his head, thinking what a waste of time, and turned to leave, but then his gaze met a pair of eyes in the crowd, and he swore those eyes looked quite familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time.

    Elli''s eyes dted in shock when she saw the familiar green eyes staring at her as if she were a stranger. Iva noticed her pause in the middle of their conversation. That is why the older elven woman followed Elli''s stunned gaze and also spotted the familiar man standing across from them.

    The silver hair that peeked out from the man''s hoodie and those green eyes... Iva opened her mouth and let out a loud gasp.

    "Kyle...?"

    Kyle blinked and tilted his head as he observed the two unfamiliar faces that seemed somewhat familiar, yet he had no knowledge of them. He let out an amused ''oh'' and quickly changed his expression to mimic someone who had just reunited with his long-lost rtives, even though he felt no connection to the two women.

    ''It seems they know me.''

    .....

    A while ago, inside the No Mana Land, Kyle hovered in the air with his upper body exposed, revealing his chiseled and toned muscles, each sinew defined and entirely enveloped in a glisteningyer of ice.

    His physique alone exuded a sense of strength and power, and he could easily be mistaken for an ice sculpture of a deity frozen in time within the manalessnd, if not for the subtle rise and fall of his chest, showing he was breathing.

    Kyle''s shoulder-length silver hair was tied up and cascaded to cover his neck. The luminous silver strands,bined with the vast spiritual energy surrounding his body, enhanced the ethereal sight, as if an otherworldly being had graced the colorless grey trees with his presence, cloaked in a radiant aura of spirituality.

    A sleek and elegant spear, with a stunning shade of grey that exudes sophistication and charm, floated behind him. The spear''s metallic tip glistened with a powerful force as Kyle snapped open his eyes and grabbed the shaft to block the golden sword aimed at his right shoulder. Instantly, a loud clicking sound echoed in the forest, and a chilling aura spread out from Kyle''s body to cover everything around him in a nket of ice.

    He breathed out a wisp of cold smoke when he noticed the hand holding the sword trembled slightly.

    Hubert let go of the sword and lunged to snatch the grey spear from Kyle''s grasp, but he let out a frustrated groan when the silver-haired man moved back in mid-air with a speed that was even faster than lightning and easily avoided him.

    In an instant, a vein bulged on the old dragon''s forehead, and he let out a angryugh as he watched his hand that had grasped nothing but empty air.

    "You scoundrel!"

    "Give me back my spear! I gave you such a powerful sword, and you want to steal my spear!? No way! I regret the time when I decided to teach you my spear Art!"

    Kyle blinked innocently and swiftly stashed the spear in his mind space before the old man could try to snatch it again. He was able to ess his mind space after his body started to naturally absorb spiritual energy, and now, for him, using spiritual energy was even easier than mana.

    "Second master... you don''t even use it. So is not it better if you give it to me?"

    Hubert''s eyes widened in shock and disbelief. What if he no longer used his weapon? How dare this bastard steal his cherished weapon just because Kyle liked its shape and size in his hand after practicing with it once!

    Kyle saw the old man''s expression and realized things were escting, so he changed the conversation while discreetly creating a small portal behind him in mid-air using spiritual energy to also take the golden sword that had fallen to the ground after their little sh.

    "Old man... it''s time for me to leave this ce. You should just give me the spear as a parting gift."

    Hubert took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and recalled the time when he led Kyle to his armory. Then he asked the young man to choose a weapon because Kyle didn''t have a proper one. But who would have thought the silver-haired man''s eyes would fixate on his precious spear. He did let Kyle use the spear once, but he never thought this day woulde when the rascal would steal his spear while he was sleeping.

    "I should have stored my spear in my mind space, but after living inside the No Mana Land for so many years, I have be ustomed to managing things without energy. Otherwise, I would never have left my spear so openly! Kyle, you are the first person ever to squander spiritual energy like mana. I''m not even sure if I should be proud of this or not."

    After grumbling for a few minutes, Hubert sighed and approached Kyle.

    He gave the silver-haired man''s shoulder a rough pat but winced at the coldness that spread to his fingers and quickly withdrew his hand to rub away the icy sensation.

    "I can never understand why your body is always freezing, and it''s getting colder as time goes by. But are you really ready to go? Don''t you want to stay a few more years since you are near another breakthrough in terms of your physique?"

 Chapter 507 I am getting bored

    <h4>Chapter 507 I am getting bored </h4>

    Kyle nced at the sky for a few seconds and then grabbed a shirt from his mind space to cover his upper body. Although his facial features remained unchanged, his eyes now exude maturity and the extensive experience he acquired over the years under the old dragon''s guidance and alone.

    "It''s already been a long time... now I don''t even know what I want to do next. You have already taught me a lot, and I am sure now you have nothing else to teach me-!"

    He stopped mid-sentence because Hubert smacked his head with a smile that didn''t reach the old man''s eyes at all. Kyle cleared his throat and swiftly shiftd his words.

    "I mean, now that I have enough power to leave this ce, I should go. Thisnd can no longer increase my strength. Moreover, I need divine energy to break through to the divine rank to equal my physique rank with my true rank. Otherwise, when my physique jumped another rank, it wouldn''t be good for my body."

    He held back his next words because he knew the old man would smack him again.

    ''Also... I am getting bored.''

    Hubert closed his eyes and thought for a few minutes. He knew that the day when the human would leave woulde eventually, but now that Kyle had finally mentioned it, he felt somewhat emotional. However, when he remembered how Kyle had forgotten everything except the fact that Hubert was his second master and how Kyle had secretly taken his spear, all the emotions he was experiencing vanished into thin air.

    The old man turned to face Kyle with a smile that stiffened a little when he noticed that even the golden sword which had fallen to the ground a while ago had disappeared. He softened his voice as much as possible, even though he so badly wanted to beat up the man floating across from him.

    "Right, you should get los.. Ahem, I mean, you should go. It''s better for your body to progress in true rank now that your physique has advanced so much."

    "Kyle, you''re not a dragon, so even though your body has been handling the imbnce quite well, I know it wouldn''t be good for the long term. Therefore, even though it pained me, I believe and urge you to leave."

    He paused for a second.

    "Don''t forget to bid farewell to the vigers before leaving, or else the old couple and the many people who had epted you as one of them would be sad if you left without a word."

    Kyle willed the ice on his body to melt into particles that drifted in the air. He waved his hand to disperse the particles around his body and nced at the old man.

    "I have already said my goodbyes to the vigers. I just wanted to talk to you onest time. Now that I have done it, I am going to leave shortly."

    Hubert''s expression mellowed as he nced at the pair of green eyes staring back at him. Kyle''s eyes had not lost their brightness, but they were not shining either.

    "You have changed a lot over the years... but sometimes, I still catch glimpses of the old Kyle in you. So, young man, don''t you ever dare to risk yourself for the sake of amusement. It''s a reckless habit you have picked up over the years."

    The old man''s expression turned grim. He had watched Kyle change with his own eyes and had seen how ruthless the young man could get if someone else dared to harm him. It seems that after forgetting about his loved ones, Kyle started to love and care for himself more than anything else.

    ''I should have kept a closer eye on him and scolded him the first time he disappeared for two whole years within the No Mana Land. After that, Kyle''s long disappearances became a regr thing... There was a time when I even thought he had left the No Mana Land, but he came back again.''

    The old man stared at Kyle, who gave him a subtle nod that wasn''t even sincere, to tell him he wouldn''t put himself in danger.

    Hubert rubbed his temples, which ached due to this troublesome brat.

    ''Hahh, even though Kyle had spent many years with me, I can still affirm that he had spent even more time alone in thisnd... I can scarcely fathom how he eradicated nearly ny percent of the manaless creatures in this hugend.''

    Also, even though the vigers had gotten closer to Kyle over the many years they spent with him, Hubert had noticed that Kyle never genuinely opened up to anyone nor did hepletely ept them, as if he just couldn''t trust others like before that incident involving Aze happened.

    Hubert hoped that Kyle would reconnect with someone he considered his family before he arrived in the No Mana Land. But the old man knew it was highly unlikely because the universe was too vast. How could Kyle possibly search for his family without even a trace of old memories?

    He let out a sigh, but then suddenly he remembered about the Sacred Divine Land. Hubert''s eyes widened slightly. How could he forget about that ce! He called out to Kyle, who paused and tilted his head to stare at the old face he had seen the most in his time on the No Mana Land.

    "Kyle... right now, the thing you need the most is divine energy, correct? Go to the Sacred Divine Land. It''s dangerous, but it''s the best ce for you right now if you don''t encounter any individual above transcendent rank. Also..."

    Hubert counted with his fingers because the time here and outside was different. So he always had to calcte to know how much time had passed outside.

    "I don''t know if it''s going to open, but I remember a grand Arena called the diator Arena opens up in the Sacred Divine Land every century. It''s a risky event, but if you enter the Arena, you mighte across someone you know, since individuals from all over the universe gather and participate in this grand event... I can give you the location of that ce."

 Chapter 508 Thanks for the reminder

    <h4>Chapter 508 Thanks for the reminder</h4>

    Interest sparked in Kyle''s eyes, and he asked the old man to share more about the Sacred Divine Land, but Hubert didn''t have any additional information besides the location of that ce.

    Kyle let out a hum. Anyway, he would uncover more on his own once he reached the Sacred Divine Land. After an hour, he was floating before the grey field that encased the entire No Mana Land tightly.

    As he extended his hand toward the grey field, his hand smoothly traversed the thickyer with minimal resistance. However, before he could leave, Hubert, who had been following him all along, for some reason, spoke up from behind.

    "It''s been a long time, but Kyle, you asked me once to remind you of this when you are leaving thisnd... You want to kill the Shadow generals and many other enemies you might forget with time. You said to tell you that if your gut feeling is telling you to kill someone, you should do it because that person could very well be someone who had tried to take your life in the past."

    Kyle''s lips curled into a smirk, and he cast one final nce back at the old man.

    "Thanks for the reminder, master."

    He stepped into the grey field that stretched out to make way for him, but before he vanished into the fieldpletely, he heard the old man''sst words which brought a faint yet genuine smile to his face.

    "Rascal! If you ever find yourself in grave danger that threatens your life, throw the spear you have stolen into the air and it wille find me, and I wille to help you immediately!"

    After some time, Kyle sucked in a deep breath as he stepped out of the grey field that rippled behind him before closing together as if it had never opened at all.

    He lifted his eyes to look at the numerous spatial tunnels brimming with turbulent currents encircling the No Mana Land and the expansive dark void ahead, littered with sizable shatterednd pieces drifting aimlessly in all directions.

    Kyle extended his hand and touched the current flowing out from one of the spatial tunnels nearest to him. The current slithered on his fingers before traveling toward his arm like a snake. However, it vanished as it lost its strength, leaving behind a faint ticklish sensation.

    "I have learned to manipte the natural elements around me using spells just like mages, but I wonder if I can also control the space around me and create such spatial tunnels. It seems achievable..."

    "...I just require more time."

    He muttered quietly before, with a blink, he utilized the spiritual energy within his body to disappear from his location and swiftly traveled arge distance away from the ce in just a split second.

    As his body materialized outside the maic field that enveloped the scattered pieces ofnd around the No Mana Land, his eyes shed with surprise as two foreign yet oddly familiar energies rushed into his body desperately. In an instant, a refreshing sensation coursed through Kyle''s body, and he somewhat felt overwhelmed as his body once again began to absorb mana and Divine energy.

    Kyle could clearly see the countless transparent particles clinging to his body. He shut his eyes and guided the mana and divine energy inside his body for a while before they started to flow naturally in his body like spiritual energy.

    Suddenly, the dark space around him started to quiver slightly, and he watched as the divine energy in his surroundings gathered around him to create a delicate veil of divinity. The veil dispersed in every direction with a gentle rustle and Kyle felt a slight enhancement in his strength.

    "Hmmm..."

    He clenched and unclenched his fist as he finally ascended to the Divine rank after so many years.

    However, reaching the Divine rank didn''t grant him a significant increase in strength; instead, it just doubled the reserve of divine energy his body could store. Regardless, it doesn''t matter as his physique had already reached a rank beyond the Divine.

    Kyle nced at the image disying his stats from the corner of his eyes, and his lips trickled upward into a satisfied smirk.

    "Not bad."

    ________

    Name: Kyle

    Race: Human/Semi Celestial

    Bloodline: Celestial

    Soul rank: Transcendent rank

    Rank: Divine

    stats:

    Strength: Transcendent-rank te stage)

    Mana: Divine-rank

    Divine energy: First stage (Zero)

    Spiritual energy: Divine-rank

    Agility: Transcendent-rank te stage)

    Current physique rank: Transcendent-rank

    Talent: Celestial

    Luck: S+

    Unique ability; Nature''s favorite.

    Unlocked due to (S+)-Rank luck.

    Skills;

    ...

    ________

    "I believe that with another year, my physique will naturally break through to the supreme-rank. Now, I don''t need to focus on my physique. I just need to gather enough divine energy to increase my overall rank."

    He squinted his eyes to peer in two different directions in the vast darkness around him, filled with nothing but tiny stars and a couple of distants.

    Throughout his time in the No Mana Land, he consistently sensed two presences, but they were so faint that he couldn''t quite connect with them. Now that he had left the boundaries of the No Mana Land, they became too vivid to ignore.

    "I can sense a connection with the first presence, but the second presence... I can''t believe I left a mark on someone else''s body. Doesn''t that mean that person was quite important to me?"

    Kyle randomly selected the nearest presence he sensed and, instead of heading straight to the Sacred Divine Land, he opted to go and see if catching a glimpse of their face could trigger his forgotten memories.

    After all, he could always head to the Sacred Divine Landter since Hubert had already given him the location.

    He blinked and vanished from his spot. It wasn''t difficult to travel a vast distance in mere seconds using instant teleportation. Also, his agility stat was high. So even if he didn''t use instant teleportation, he could cover considerable distances in seconds.

 Chapter 509 I should cut this strange tree

    Chapter 509 I should cut this strange tree

    ??Along the way, Kyle spotted variouss and expansive floatingnds, but with the exception of one or two, he detected a repugnant odor of darkness emanating from each one of them.

    But he didn''t stop and continued his journey because it doesn''t really matter to him what was happening inside those ces. That''s why within a short time, he arrived outside the boundaries of a colossal, which had nearly half of its surface dominated by a massive and expansive tree.

    The tree stood so tall that its countless branches had surpassed theyer of clouds, and Kyle could see them from outside the''s boundaries.

    However, Kyle noticed that its leaves had started to wither due to the dark particles that were spreading inside the. He activated his scent perception skill and immediately sensed numerous powerful presences inside the. One of them almost detected him, but luckily, his scent perception skill had recently advanced to the transcendent rank. That''s why even though that individual was much stronger than him, he quickly retracted his skill before they could sense it.

    "That was a close call."

    He tilted his head with surprise when all of a sudden the massive tree standing tall on the began to tremble.

    "What''s happening with the giant tree now? Well, I suppose it''s not something I should worry about. I can sense the exact location of the mark I ced on another person. So, I will head straight there and see who it is."

    Kyle thought for a moment and grabbed a hoodie from his mind space to conceal his hair and eyes. It would be best to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. Plus, there was a chance he had put the mark on an enemy''s body.

    In the next second, a few symbols lit up in mid-air across from him. He used a bit of divine energy, and the symbols merged together to create a portal.

    Kyle wore the hoodie over his shirt and stepped into the portal, which scattered into particles behind him.

    He emerged from another portal that appeared in the middle of a huge crowd, but no one noticed him because everyone was focused on the massive tree above them.

    His eyes widened a bit when suddenly a branch of the giant tree tried to get closer to him. Kyle swatted the branch away with furrowed brows and quickly followed the presence of the mark to find the person he was looking for. However, he paused when a beautiful humming sound emanated from the tree. Instantly, every person around him fell silent for a few seconds, and then the crowd erupted with joyous cheers. Kyle''s expression turned serious because even amidst the mor, he felt like the tree was calling out to him to get closer.

    "What the..."

    He stepped back when a few more branches of the giant tree attempted to approach him once again. But then another louder humming sound emanated from the tree that resembled more like a sweet melody, and he got distracted for a minute or two. Kyle only snapped out of it when he sensed that the mark he was following was moving further away from him... only to realize that the person he was looking for was inside the massive flying ship that had set sail toward the sky.

    ''I can''t directly teleport inside the ship because there''s a supreme-rank individual in there.''

    He gazed at the flying ship that vanished toward a distant horizon, thinking what a waste of time it was toe here. But that was when he saw the two strange elven women who recognized him, and his mood improved a bit because at least his trip wasn''tpletely useless.

    Elli let out a sharp noise and quickly sprinted toward Kyle, who raised his brows with surprise. He watched the young elven woman who grabbed his hand and bombarded him with numerous questions, asking how the heck he found them, how he ended up on the elven, and how he had been. Iva also joined them and asked him simr questions with a warm smile, but Kyle simply stared at them and nodded asionally to respond.

    He was curious about the rtionship he had with these two elven women since they were definitely not his blood rtives, given that he was human and they were elves.

    Therefore, he decided to go along with them to learn more. Elli lowered her voice upon noticing the old town''s head staring at them strangely.

    "Oh no! We need to leave and find a secure ce... if cia discovers you are here, it won''t be good!"

    Kyle rolled the name Elli just spoke up on his tongue but felt nothing. He could sense the hostility in the elven woman''s eyes when she called out that name, and he was certain that whoever this cia was, she was an enemy.

    He quietly followed the two elven women who took him inside a town before they headed directly toward a small wooden house in the distance. His eyes shed with a clear warning when once again a branch of the huge tree that surrounded half of the tried to get near him.

    "If possible, I should cut this strange tree."

    The moment he muttered those words, immediately the Tree of Fate turned eerily silent and quickly moved away from his path to watch him from afar. Elli noticed this small interaction, and her eyes shed with surprise.

    They stepped into the house, and once Kyle settled into a chair, he watched as the older woman with honey-colored hair asked him if he wanted to eat or drink something. He shook his head, and then the air inside the house turned silent.

    Elli and Iva exchanged nces, unsure of what to say to Kyle as they noticed hisck of response. Iva hadn''t interacted with Kyle much before. She had only met him once and her knowledge of him was based on what she had heard from Yue and the rumors. She thought he might be the silent type. However, a sense of foreboding crept into Elli''s heart when she saw Kyle''s eyes, which remained calm andposed even when she suddenly mentioned that Nine had disappeared a few years ago.

    Kyle just let out a regretful ''Oh'' and half-heartedly said he hoped wherever Nine was, he would be safe.

 Chapter 510 Oh no, you missed

    Chapter 510 Oh no, you missed

    ??Elli had witnessed Nine and Kyle''s interactions before, and from Nine''s boasting, she knew their rtionship was quite close. There was no way she would believe that the Kyle she knew would respond like that upon hearing that his closest friend was missing.

    She wanted to voice her doubts, but the words got stuck in her throat when Kyle grabbed the edge of his hoodie and lowered it from his head. Immediately, his long shoulder-length hair, which was neatly tied up, cascaded down to cover his neck.

    He cleared his throat and gazed at the two women seated opposite him at the round table with a beautiful yet insincere smile. His face which had turned even more attractive from using the encasing ice skill on his entire body countless times over the years to heal his injuries,bined with that brief smile thatsted only a few seconds, immediately captivated both of the women across from him.

    Kyle groaned inwardly but showed nothing on his face. He nced at the older woman because he could sense that the younger one was catching onto the fact that he was somehow behaving strangely.

    "So... it''s been a while, Auntie. How have you been?"

    Iva rested her hands on the table, and a bitter smile shed on her face.

    "I have been fine... the locals here have not mistreated us, apart from bringing us here. But Yue, she''s had to endure a lot because of me. You know her, she''s too caring. Now she has gone to such a dangerous ce..."

    Confusion flickered in Kyle''s eyes as he heard the name that struck a chord with him, evoking a sense of familiarity and warmth.

    "Yue? Who-! I mean where is she?"

    Kyle almost bit his tongue when he identally asked, Who is Yue? He didn''t even notice how his voice sounded a bit eager to know about the person he heard the name of for the first time.

    Elli''s eyes shed with relief when she finally sensed something in Kyle''s voice. She let out a smile.

    ''At least... he still cares for her.''

    Iva fell silent at Kyle''s question. She had only learned about the Sacred Divine Land from Yue after their arrival on this. She wondered how Kyle would know anything about it, considering he lived in a ce where people knew very little about this vast universe. She hesitated to answer, thinking he had alreadye so far and must have suffered a lot to find them. How could she burden him with more? But Elli spoke up with a solemn expression.

    "I don''t know the location of the ce, but it''s called the Sacred Divine Land. Yue is going to participate in a dangerous Arena. I heard many people die in that ce... and Yue went there because of cia!"

    Kyle blinked. He knew a thing or two about the Sacred Divine Land, and the Arena the eleven woman was talking about was probably the diator Arena. His second master specifically asked him to head to the Sacred Divine Land because right now his body needed a lot of divine energy.

    "Yue went to the Sacred Divine Land to participate in the diator Arena?"

    Elli''s eyes widened slightly.

    "You know about that ce!?"

    Kyle nodded, and Elli let out a sigh of relief. She didn''t hesitate like Iva and wanted to tell him everything.

    However, she then remembered the silver-haired man had yet to tell them how he arrived here at a ce that is so far from their. So even though she had a feeling he wouldn''t answer, she asked the question again to know just onest time that he was truly alright because she could feel something was wrong with Kyle.

    "You... have you been fine all these years after Yue and Nine left without a word?"

    She let out a bitter smile.

    "Don''t me Yue. She was forced toe here... and Nine, that fool, he mentioned before he vanished that he would let you beat him up once as a form of apology because unlike Yue, he left the with cia on his own. But I don''t know how the two of them would feel if they knew you have been searching for them all this time..."

    Elli''s voice trailed off at the end because she couldn''t grasp just how much Kyle had endured toe this far.

    Kyle let out a hum, and both Iva and Elli felt the chill when all of a sudden the room''s temperature plummeted.

    The two elven women watched as Kyle pushed his chair back and rose to his feet with an emotionless expression to gaze into empty air.

    "I can''t tell if I am angry or not because it''s been too long for me to tell. Honestly, how I have been doing all this while, it''s quite a lengthy story, but still, I would have made something up to continue the conversation if I was not getting annoyed by the uninvited guest''s presence."

    Kyle let out a snarl while gazing at the vacant space.

    "So, you don''t want toe out?"

    Iva and Elli exchanged a nce to understand what had suddenly happened for Kyle to act like this. But the duo froze in their spots when a familiarughter filled the air around them. Elli snapped her head towards the direction Kyle was staring, and her eyes widened when she saw cia stepping out from behind a shadow.

    cia pped her hands together and examined Kyle from head to toe with an incredible and amusing expression. Her eyes conveyed how she had found something very interesting.

    "So you are indeed still alive, huh? And you have managed toe this far even after I wreck your body?"

    She raised her finger with a pondering expression.

    "What was your name again?"

    An ''ah'' slipped out from her mouth, and her lips curled upward into a wide smile.

    "Kyle, right? All this time I have been regretting that I wasn''t able to peer inside your mind space. How about I do it now? Also, I am getting very very curious to know just how did you sensed my presence when I can clearly see you have just entered the divine-rank."

    Iva and Elli both panicked and quickly the two elven women stood up. Elli grabbed her weapon and yelled at Kyle to step back. Even though Iva had stopped fighting after she got married, she also prepared to cast her most powerful skill.

    But Kyle''s gaze was locked on the bronze-eyed woman in front of him. His ears twitched slightly when he heard a loud nameing from Elli''s mouth.

    "cia!"

    cia turned to look at the panicked expressions of the two elven women with an amused expression for a second, which is why she failed to notice when Kyle''s eyes chilled enough to scare everyone who would have locked eyes with him at that moment.

    Kyle''s pupils zed over, and a faint old memory of a simr bronze-eyed woman in a dark cloak shed inside his mind. He watched as the woman reached out her hand with a smirk towards his head, and tremendous pain wrecked his body. He couldn''t speak, but he remembered he swore to kill this woman at all costs if he survived that day.

    "Haha..."

    cia blinked and whipped her head towards the silver-haired man who let out augh and covered his eyes with his palm. She smirked... if it weren''t for the town''s head informing her that Yue''s mother and Elli had taken some unknown hooded man in their house, she would have never found out that Kyle, the same man she badly injured in the past, had arrived on the elven.

    All of a sudden, she remembered the Tree of Fate''s unusual behavior. It was strangely aligned with Kyle''s arrival, and a sense of foreboding welled up inside her mind.

    ''No way, don''t tell me the tree reacted that way because of him? Oho... intriguing, but let me first take a look at that thing inside his body that I wasn''t able to seest time.''

    cia''s figure turned into a mirage as she reached out her hand toward Kyle''s head with a smirk, but her eyes contracted when the human in front of her sidestepped and evaded her hand. A shiver ran down her spine as a faint, deep, and chilling voice sounded beside her ear.

    "Oh no, you missed."

 Chapter 511 I wanted to help you a bit

    Chapter 511 I wanted to help you a bit

    ??The atmosphere inside the wooden house got colder as cia swiftly turned left to grab the man, who had sidestepped and dodged her hand.

    "Huh...?"

    She scrutinized her empty hand and attempted once more to grasp Kyle, but in that moment, something both blunt and sharp pressed against her back. Without hesitation, she vanished from her position and reappeared a short distance away from the silver-haired man who had his hand suspended in midair.

    cia fixed her gaze on Kyle''s hand, particrly his fingers, which were stained with blood. The blood couldn''t havee from the man since he had evaded her grasp. So then...?

    She extended her hand to touch her back, and her expression chilled when she felt something moist on her fingers.

    "That... blood is mine? How?"

    She lifted her eyes to stare at Kyle with a stunned expression. Did he just try to dig his nails into her back? No, no, the main question is how and when did he do it?

    How the hell could a person who had just reached the divine rank move so fast that she wasn''t even able to notice?

    Her face darkened as the blood trickled down her back, and she felt the sensation vividly. The wounds weren''t deep, mostly because she moved away before he could further dig his nails into her back.

    Elli and Iva both staggered back with shock, and just like the woman, their eyes were fixed on Kyle''s bloodied fingers.

    The man lowered his hand with a remorseful expression, and the blood on his fingers turned to ice before it scattered into particles and vanished into thin air as if he never had it on his hand at all.

    Kyle tilted his head and stared at cia, whose facial expressions mirrored shock, disbelief, and bewilderment.

    "It''s been a while, hasn''t it? I''m d you remember me because I just did as well."

    cia''s eyes twitched, and she let out augh that echoed through the wooden house. In an instant, the wounds on her back started to heal as spiritual energy emanated from her body to cover them. She used her divine energy to envelop the space around the house in her domain to gainplete control over her surroundings.

    At first, the woman believed she could easily handle the human, but it turned out she was utterly mistaken. Kyle''s sudden appearance was indeed something that sparked her interest, but she was angry because a human who had just entered the divine rank could wound her, especially when she was just a step away from reaching the supreme rank.

    cia''s lips curled upward into a sweet smile as the silver-haired man took a step toward her,pletely unaware that the domain that had rendered him powerless in the past had once again expanded to epass everything around them.

    "Right, it''s been a while. So how about we pick up where we left off and finish what was left undone in the past?"

    It was then that she noticed thend beneath her hadpletely frozen into ice, adorned with countless bright symbols lighting up the icy surface.

    "When did you...?"

    Kyle rubbed his wrist, and the numerous bright symbols on the ground began to float, creating a mesmerizing spectacle of gold, white, and grey. They trembled under the immense amount of spiritual energy that emanated from his body to envelop them.

    In the next second, under everyone''s eyes, the symbols spread out in all directions and disappeared as they passed through the wooden walls to leave the house. Kyle nced at cia, who unconsciously stepped back.

    "Nice question. It''s when you were busy expanding theyer of divine energy to iste the space around us."

    He vanished from his spot, and cia''s eyes widened in disbelief because she was not able to control his movements even after expanding her domain.

    In the next moment, a thunderous boom echoed through the air, causing it to quiver as cia''s eyes narrowed into slits at the sight of the clenched fist aimed at her upper body. The speed was so fast that it rivaled hers. No, it was even faster than hers. She hastily raised her arms to intercept the attack.

    But the woman immediately realized she had made a big mistake because, even though she managed to block the attack sessfully, the unmistakable sound of her bones fracturing upon impact pierced her ears like a haunting melody.

    Moreover, the sheer force of the blow propelled her body backward, and a cry of pain escaped her lips as she crashed through the wooden wall behind her.

    Right after that, the house''s structure started to crumble as a hole opened in the wall across from Kyle.

    He stared at the dust and shattered pieces of wood that scattered all over, but his ears twitched when he heard Iva and Elli''s cries that echoed a littleter because the scene turned messy just too fast for them toprehend what the hell happened.

    Kyle nced at the two elven women who scrambled back when they saw the pair of green eyes staring at them with little to no emotion. He clicked his tongue and exited the house through the hole.

    Outside the house, cia managed to stop herself by nting her feet firmly into the ground. The woman gazed at her shaking arms, and for the first time, her eyes reflected fear.

    What in the world just happened...?

    However, no one could capture the magnitude of her shock when she saw the solidyer of ice that encircled the area around the house. It was as though the icy barrier had entirely sealed off the space from the outside world. The icyyer was shimmering with the familiar symbols that had just left the house... And her domain... it waspletely overshadowed by the icyyer brimming with immense spiritual energy.

    "This is....?"

    Her breath caught in her throat when a familiar deep and cold voice responded.

    "Oh, it''s my domain. I thought you didn''t want anyone to disturb us, so I wanted to help you a bit. We don''t want to attract any more unwee guests now, do we?"

 Chapter 512 You still haven’t noticed?

    <h4>Chapter 512 You still haven''t noticed? </h4>

    cia let out augh that sounded too strained and dry. So, he expanded his domain while she was distracted by the symbols? The man also specifically used spiritual energy to create his domain to counteract the influence of her domain.

    But the real question was how the heck did he have so much spiritual energy...?

    Even she, a transcendent rank individual herself who was just a step away from the supreme rank, didn''t have so much spiritual energy to power so many symbols and also cover such a huge space!

    A shiver ran down her spine when she noticed Kyle stepping toward her. The woman instantly used her spiritual energy to heal her injuries, but before the spiritual energy could evenpletely envelop her arms, her ears heard another thunderous boom, and she caught sight of another fist aimed at her stomach.

    "Hold on!"

    cia clenched her teeth and used her divine and spiritual energy to erect as many barriers as possible in front of her to block the fist because, after blocking the previous attack, she realized she couldn''t rival the silver-haired man''s strength. But her eyes widened in horror as the barriers shattered into countless fragments, and the fist squarely struck her abdomen, causing her to scream out in pain as she heard her ribcage crack upon impact.

    In an instant, her body was propelled backward toward the icyyer. Her vision blurred momentarily from the intense pain coursing through her entire body, and before she could even regain her focus, a swift kick connected with her figure and hurtled her deep into the earth.

    Immediately, a deafening boom echoed through the air, and dust and debris scattered in all directions.

    Kyle grasped the fabric of his pants and pulled it up as he crouched down to look at the bronze-eyed woman who was coughing blood in the crater. Her pristine dress, which just moments ago swayed elegantly around her body, was now tattered in various ces and soaked in blood that oozed out from her wounds and mouth, but she was alive.

    ''She has reached the end of transcendent rank, so I have topletely erase her consciousness to kill her.''

    cia''s head was spinning, but even amidst the pain coursing through her entire body and the dust that clouded her vision, she could clearly see the green eyes peering at her from the distance as if she were already dead. In an instant, a surge of extreme anger clouded her eyes.

    "You bastard..."

    She spat out, and the air around her began to tremble. In the next moment, she vanished from her position.

    Kyle let out a hum. He tilted his head to the left and caught the silver knife with his bare hand that almost grazed his neck.

    cia''s eyes widened... she had just used one of her skills to double her speed, but he still managed to thwart her attack? How?

    Kyle snatched the knife and tossed it away. His lips curved into a smirk as he stood up and nced into the woman''s eyes.

    "You still haven''t noticed?"

    cia''s voice faltered as she took a step back. She couldn''t understand how the human had be so powerful that she couldn''t even properly fight back.

    "What...?"

    She admitted for the first time in her life that she was scared. The woman even regretted the time when she harmed Kyle because now that she gazed directly into his eyes, she could not even see a speck of emotion in those green orbs.

    cia felt it clearly that he would kill her without a second''s hesitation even if she offered him many precious treasures.

    That''s why she wanted to run away... yes, she would put her anger, hatred, and the shame she felt today because of the human aside as she loved her life more than anything else in the world.

    Now that she is so close to the supreme rank, the rank so many people dream of but can''t achieve, how can she just let it all go because of a mere human who was an ant in her eyes just a few years ago?

    Nheless, she can always repay the human tenfoldter because Kyle was inside the elven. She simply has to step out of the icyyer, and as soon as the townspeople catch sight of her condition and the stranger who wants to harm her, they would attack Kyle. And it''s likely that due to themotion, many powerful old elves on the would be alerted. They would restrain the human who dared to enter their and tried to kill one of them right under their noses.

    Then, cia just needs to watch from a distance as Kyle meets his demise at their hands. There''s no need for her to endanger her life when she can simply watch him die. Kyle chuckled when he saw how her eyes scanned the area around them to find an 00:49

    opening or vulnerable spot in his domain.

    "You really haven''t noticed? Not even after getting beaten up by me? Hasn''t your speed and strength decreasedpared to before?"

    he saw how her eyes scanned the area around them to find an opening or vulnerable spot in his domain.

    "Huh?"

    cia blinked and quickly checked her body, but she wasn''t able to notice much difference. It was only when she saw the image disying her rank and stats that she noticed her stats had decreased! Did the human cast a spell or use a skill on her body? If so, why didn''t she even notice?

    If before, her strength and speed were at the final stage of the Transcendent-rank, now they were both at the middle stage of the Transcendent-rank. It finally dawned on her why Kyle''s speed looked simr to hers but much faster at the same time... his strength and agility stats are probably at the Transcendent-

    rank! But how!? He was just at the divine rank!

    Kyle let out a bored sigh as he saw cia''s expression pale at his words. He didn''t even bother to share the fact that her stats were reduced because of his domain and just watched as the woman slowly moved back toward the icyyer, probably to run away.

    "Where do you think you are going?"

    cia''s eyes contracted as he vanished from his spot and reappeared above her body with both of his hands clenched together into a fist that mmed down at her body. The woman let out a horrified scream and dodged the fist by a hair''s breadth as it crashed into the ground with a resounding boom, forming a big crater as dust and debris flew everywhere.

    Kyle stood up and swept his hand to disperse the dust in front of him. He then nced at the woman whose body transformed into a mirage as she vanished towards the icyyer.

    "Hey, don''t you remember we need to pick up where we left off and finish what was left undone in the past? It''s just that our roles would be reversed."

    He paused for a split second as he recalled the words that echoed in his head when he remembered the old memory featuring the same woman who was running away before him.

    "Don''t worry though, to repay you for the kindness you showed me in the past, I will also make sure not topletely destroy your body, but..."

    "...unfortunately, I do need to kill you."

 Chapter 513 I can not break it

    <h4>Chapter 513 I can not break it</h4>

    cia gazed at the icyyer before her and without a moment''s hesitation, she used a big chunk of her spiritual energy to form numerous long, razor-sharp nails.

    The pointy tips of the nails shimmered with white and golden energy as she frantically directed them to breach the barrier wholly made of glistening ice. There was only one thought engulfing her mind �� she had to escape this space by any means necessary. After the initial exchange with Kyle, she understood she can''t defeat him.

    Not when her strength was lowered for some reason!

    The woman watched as the nails pierced the ice, and a visible crack appeared in the barrier''s surface. Instantly, cia''s eyes lit up with hope, and she channeled more spiritual energy to create more nails that punctured the icy surface.

    In the distance, Elli and Iva, after calming down, stepped out from the wooden house through the same hole as Kyle.

    The duo couldn''t quite make out cia''s figure because the woman was just moving too fast, but the two of them could clearly see the silver-haired man who had paused a few steps away from the blurred silhouette of the bronze-eyed woman.

    Kyle just stood there and watched as countless nails formed in the air and stabbed the icyyer he created as if he didn''t care, even if cia broke it. However, both Elli and Iva took in a shuddering breath when they saw a cold smile on Kyle''s face. It was one thing to watch someone who is your enemy in desperation, but he... why was heughing at the scene?

    Under their eyes, he raised his hand and simply snapped his thumb and index finger together. The moment he did it, the many glistening symbols nketing the circryer of ice gathered together to fill up the crack that cia managed to make within the ice after so much struggle.

    cia screamed and mmed her fists against the ice with even more desperation. Her knuckles turned bloodied, and her arms, which weren''t even properly healed yet, started to sting with immense pain as she expended all her remaining spiritual energy to somehow break the barrier.

    Thend around her began to disintegrate from the immense amount of spiritual energy she focused in one ce. But the crack that had appeared in the icyyer, after she poured all of her spiritual energy into it,pletely sealed up before her disbelieving eyes.

    "Why the hell won''t this darn ice break!?"

    Immediately, red veins red up inside her eyes as she clenched her fists and used her divine energy to create as many fire spears as possible. The spears shot towards the ice, but even though the ice melted a bit, its glistening surface remained devoid of any major damage.

    "Haha..."

    "I can... not break it..."

    She epted with dread, and a chill ran down her spine when a familiar voice sounded behind her.

    "This looks familiar... your struggle, but unfortunately, even after watching you for a while, I can''t remember why."

    Kyle vanished from his spot, and before cia could move away, he grabbed her head and mmed it into the icy barrier. Immediately, a pained gasp escaped her lips, and her bronze eyes that had turnedpletely red shook when she saw the pair of green eyes staring down at her.

    "Regardless, I believe you are done struggling. Let''s continue. Shall we?"

    cia gritted her teeth and tried her best to get away from his grasp, but when she couldn''t, she changed her tactics.

    "Wait! Wait! I am sorry! Alright! Let''s talk! Please, let''s just talk-!"

    Her words were abruptly cut short as a panicked gasp escaped her lips when he seized her shoulder and hurled her body away from the barrier before he vanished from his spot. cia barely managed to halt herself, but she cried out when another kicknded on her abdomen and mmed her body deep into the ground.

    After that, it was just a one-sided beating... Elli and Iva watched for a few seconds, but then they both closed their eyes in fear and trepidation when Kyle grabbed the bronze-

    eyed woman''s hair, whose whole body was covered with bloodied injuries.

    He dragged her out from one of the many pits that filled the once grassynd in front of the wooden house, before forcing her to kneel in front of him.

    Kyle gazed down at cia... he had never erased someone''s consciousness before. However, he was familiar with the process. Hubert had shared the theory with him.

    He needs to peer into her mind topletely wipe out her consciousness and all her memories before severing her soul from her body. This is crucial because if the woman''s soul held onto even a bit of her consciousness as a transcendent rank individual, she had the ability to reconstruct a new body for herself.

    cia''s eyes widened in horror as a cold touch pierced through her hazy vision. She snapped her bloodshot eyes up and gazed at the silver-haired man who ced his broad palm on her forehead.

    "What... what are you doing!??"

    Kyle raised an eyebrow.

    "Nothing special. It''s just getting boring, so I thought I should end it."

    Instantly, a chilling premonition welled up inside her heart, and it made her beg.

    "Wait... wait! Please, stop whatever you are going to do! Ahh, just stop! I said I''m sorr..y! I am s...orry!"

    Her voice broke as she stared at Kyle. She desperately wanted to get away from his grip, but she couldn''t move her body much.

    Kyle''s eyes reflected irritation when the woman started to struggle. He immediately spread out his fear skill, and even though cia was strong enough to counter it, her condition wasn''t good enough to fight back the fear that crept into her mind and heart. She stopped her struggle and gazed at him with wide eyes filled with dread, as he ordered in a voice devoid of emotion.

    "Just stay still."

 Chapter 514 It’s empty

    <h4>Chapter 514 It''s empty </h4>

    Nevertheless, in the end, cia was a transcendent rank individual. That''s why even amidst the fear that clouded her vision, she reached out towards the steel ring on her middle finger.

    The ring contained a life-saving artifact gifted to her by the current Queen of the elven race a few years ago.

    She never imagined a day woulde when she would need to use it because it was incredibly precious to her. The artifact possessed the ability to transport the user to a distant ornd in mere seconds, but due to the pure energy within, it couldn''t be stored in the mind space.

    Kyle paused in his actions as his eyes traveled downward toward the woman''s fingers as she fiddled with the in steel ring on her middle finger. He narrowed his eyes at the ring but blinked in confusion when cia spoke up in a tone filled with shock and disbelief.

    "How...? Where did the artifact go-!"

    Her words were cut short because Kyle closed his eyes and forcefully directed his spiritual energy into her body. He shut down all his senses to concentrate solely on her mind and, without any concern for the pain it would cause the woman, he started erasing her memories and consciousness.

    Elli and Iva both turned their heads away from the harrowing scene as the woman screamed out in agony. cia''s eyes started to lose life and blood seeped out from them to paint her face red.

    After she endured a long and torturous minute, Kyle finally wiped everything from her mind. He then proceeded to separate her soul from her body. It was a delicate procedure, and if he injured her soul during the process, she would not be able to live a normal life once she entered the cycle of reincarnation because her impaired soul would impact her future existence. That''s why he ensured his spiritual energy was as harmless as possible before enveloping her soul to separate it from her body so he wouldn''t identally harm her soul.

    ''Just try to lead a better life next time...''

    He watched as a faint light, pure yet slightly tainted with darkness, left cia''s body and disappeared into the air before the woman''s lifeless body gently fell back to the ground with a soft thud.

    Kyle did not notice, but when he was about to touch cia''s soul, the Tree of Fate got ready to intervene. It loved the silver-haired man''s presence... yet the tree couldn''t bear to watch from the sidelines when someone from the race it had protected for thousands of years was about to lose their entire existence, even though that very person wasn''t a good individual.

    However, when Kyle let her soul go without any harm, the tree branches that were just an inch away from breaking the round icy barrier surrounding the space retraced back with a pleasant hum, as if saying that even though the human heart had turned a lot colder, his soul remained untainted.

    Kyle crouched down on his heels beside cia''s body and removed the steel ring from her middle finger. He noticed a barrier around the ring and effortlessly shattered it with his divine energy, only to find the ringpletely empty.

    "Huh? It''s empty..."

    His words halted as he spotted a folded page floating within the ring''s storage space. He took out the white page from the storage ring and unfolded it to reveal a few lines inscribed on its pristine surface. Kyle ran his thumb over the words and read them with a puzzled expression.

    [Haha, it''s Nine, your one and only best friend... I am taking what you asked me to. You lucky bastard, never forget this; you must inform me timely that I needed to steal it to save my life.]

    He rubbed his chin when he read the familiar name he had heard from the two elven women a while ago. Instantly, blue mes spread out from his body to envelop cia''s body before her body turned into ice that transformed into bright particles. He stood up and gazed back at the two elven women standing in the distance. Elli and Iva both flinched when they met his gaze, and they started to move back. Kyle clicked his tongue and realized the duo wouldn''t be much useful anymore.

    He folded the paper and tossed it inside his mind space. Anyway, he would investigate about Nine and the meaning behind the lines written on the paperter.

    Kyle nced around and murmured a few spells under his breath that he had learned to manipte the natural elements around him like mages. Instantly, the brokennd filled with pits and craters began to tremble before the earth gathered together to revert it back to its previous state.

    He gazed at the damaged wooden house but, unfortunately, he couldn''t do anything about it since he had no idea how to control wood like water, air, fire, and earth.

    Kyle nced up at the icyyer that surrounded the space, and it started to crack under his gaze. He watched as the countless bright symbols covering theyer vanished, and the ice began to dissipate. Just within a few moments, the icyyerpletely disappeared into thin air as if it had never existed in the first ce, allowing the sunlight to filter through the leaves of the huge tree above him.

    He cast one final nce at the two elven women and pulled his hoodie over his head. Elli and Iva were not even able to watch his fading figure because he just simply vanished into thin air.

    Kyle appeared in the distance where he had sensed an old elven man lurking around. He didn''t recognize the man, but he had a faint inkling that this man was the one who told cia about his presence. So, he beat up the old man enough to make the old town''s head appearance unrecognizable.

    After getting done with the old man, he decided to leave the since the person he had put the mark on had already left for the Sacred Divine Land.

    However, before he could leave, the huge tree above him let out a loud noise and started to tremble violently.

 Chapter 515 The Fruit of Fate I

    <h4>Chapter 515 The Fruit of Fate I</h4>

    The entire elven shook with intensity as countless branches of the Tree of Fate suddenly began to stir restlessly.

    The elven Queen, who had just returned to her quarters to rest after confirming that nothing was wrong with the Tree of Fate, paused in her steps. Instantly, her eyes moved down to stare at the wooden floor beneath her that started quivering.

    No one could describe her shock when a wave of pure spiritual energy flooded into her chamber. The warm and gentle energy was familiar... very familiar because she had felt and absorbed it countless times whenever she meditated beneath the Tree of Fate to enhance her strength.

    Startled, she jerked her head back as the spiritual energy expanded not only in her room but throughout her entire house. The overwhelming presence of the spiritual energy in the air was undeniable, and it overpowered everything else.

    "No way..."

    She gasped with wide eyes, and instantly, the old white-haired woman hiding in her shadow emerged with serious eyes.

    "What''s happening? It''s not even time yet... why is the tree getting impatient?"

    The Queen''s expression turned solemn as she grabbed the fabric of her robe.

    "How would I know? I just checked the tree, and it was fine just moments ago. Don''t tell me it''s..."

    She nced at the old woman, and the duo vanished from the room together without saying another word.

    In the next moment, they appeared in the sky, which was getting brighter with each passing second, even though the day had long since started to darken. They watched the massive tree. It was radiating spiritual energy to envelop the entire in a wave of white, grey, and gold.

    Not just the duo, many powerful pseudo-divine, divine, transcendent, and supreme rank old and young elven figures also appeared in the sky and gazed at the colossal tree in astonishment. All of them knew the time when the tree of fate would bear the fruit of fate was near, but there were still several years remaining before the expected time.

    So, why was the tree preparing to yield the fruit so early and with such eagerness?

    The older elven individuals looked at the Queen for an answer, but she could only shake her head and gesture for them to wait because she herself was shocked by the unexpected turn of events.

    The floating elves all witnessed as every single elf on the came out of their homes or paused in their activities just to observe the colossal tree with awe. They then respectfully sat down to seek the tree''s blessing with hope.

    After all, it was a well-known knowledge among the elves that it was up to the tree to decide whom to bestow the fruit of fate upon, and no one had the right to take that fruit from the chosen one unless they were not of elven descent. Nheless, to this day, the tree of fate has never granted its fruit to any race other than the elven race.

    Still, the elves were also aware that whoever received the fruit of fate this time would face many life-threatening situations because every demon residing on the would pursue and hunt that individual for the fruit.

    Also, the demon''s leader, Samara, who has been relentlessly battling the elven race for years just to get her hands on the fruit of fate. How could she relinquish her pursuit so easily when she even went as far as to corrupt the tree with dark energy? She would undoubtedly stop at nothing to eliminate the individual who obtained the fruit, even if that individual is under the protection of the elven Queen.

    All the elves watched in anticipation as multiple branches of the colossal tree reached up to encircle a specific higher branch that stayed bare, without leaves, yet untouched by the extensive dark energy that has been spreading throughout the and corrupting the tree.

    The branches, in a mesmerizing disy, began wrapping around that single branch to create numerous protectiveyers. They only stopped when not even a speck of light or any intruder could breach their intricate cage, shrouding the untouched branch in a protective embrace. After the wondrous disy, all the spiritual energy that had dispersed across the congregated around the massive circr barrier and began to permeate through it.

    At that instant, a small white flower sprouted from the bare, untouched branch that twinkled within the dark cage. The flower continued to grow with a speed visible to the naked eye within the security of the protectiveyers, nourished by the energy surrounding it. Slowly but steadily, the delicate petals transformed, and the flower evolved into a fist-sized white fruit that appeared ordinary except for the wisps of pale grey, gold, and white light surrounding its surface.

    In the distance, many powerful demons who had been fighting in the war against the elven race started floating in the air. They gazed at the tree with wide smirks. Although they weren''t able topletely corrupt the Tree of Fate in time, they were determined to obtain the fruit for their leader or, if the elves somehow killed their leader, then obviously for themselves.

    The elven Queen''s face turned ashen, and not just hers, but the white-haired woman floating behind her and all the other old and young elves hovering in the sky became serious upon seeing the demon leader, Samara, who appeared across from the cage of branches, wearing a wide, menacing grin on her face.

    Samara didn''t even nce at the elves who surrounded her to stop her and pped the four wide wings behind her back. The white slits between her pupils brightened as dark energy began to crawl around her body. She was ready topletely destroy the cage of branches when the white-haired woman, who had always stayed by the elven Queen side, vanished from her spot after receiving a signal from the Queen and pushed her away from the cage in mid-air.

    "Don''t you darey a finger on it."

 Chapter 516 The Fruit of Fate II

    <h4>Chapter 516 The Fruit of Fate II </h4>

    Samaraughed at the words the old elven woman spat out with a dark face. She pped her hands, and the snug dark fabric that hugged her body stretched over her enchanting figure as she stared at the multitude of elves surrounding her.

    "What if I do touch it? It''s mine to begin with. Do you have any idea how long I have waited for this day? Not even all of youbined can stop me."

    In the next moment, several powerful demons with four expansive wings behind their backs arrived around the floating elves. The demons red at the elves with menacing expressions. The atmosphere crackled with tension as numerous eyes locked onto each other, each side waiting for the other to initiate the first move.

    However, the silence was shattered by an unexpected event. Before everyone''s astonished gazes, some branches from the impermeable cage extended and began to form a staircase. The elven Queen''s eyes widened in realization, but before she could speak, Samara interjected with a smirk.

    "Oho, the tree of fate has chosen who it wants to give the fruit to. I wonder which unfortunate elf that may be, haha."

    Meanwhile,pletely uninterested in whatever the heck was happening on the, Kyle looked up at the massive tree that had been annoying him since he arrived on this.

    He let out a snicker at the countless powerful auras he could feel in the sky without even using his scent perception skill. They all had gathered around the cage of branches the tree had just formed a while ago before his eyes.

    "Seems like a big fight is about to start. I never imagined this useless tree had so much spiritual energy that even I am tempted to secretly cut some big branches to store in my mind space."

    He shook his head and secured his hoodie on his head topletely cover his hair.

    "Tsk, I really want to go and check what''s inside the cage of branches that so many powerful people have gathered to fight for. However, even if I overlook the many pseudo-divine, divine, and transcendent rank individuals, there are just too many supreme rank individuals..."

    "So it''s impossible for me to get my hands on it without losing an arm or two."

    His lips twitched slightly at his own words, which came off a tad arrogant. Just an arm or two? Nah, if he dares to steal something right under the noses of so many supreme rank individuals, it would be a miracle if he makes it out of this alive.

    Kyle stopped in his tracks when the beaten-up old man lying lifelessly beside him all this time suddenly began to cry tears of joy. Kyle was pretty sure that the old man would have started dancing with happiness if not for his wounds.

    ''Did he lose his mind?''

    He furrowed his brows and turned his head to follow the old elven man''s gaze as thetter startedughing like a maniac, but he was stunned when he spotted a staircase descending from the sky.

    No, the staircase was actuallying down from the same circr cage the tree branches had formed a while ago!

    Kyle watched as the branches intertwined to extend the staircase further towards the ground. A sense of impending doom crept into his heart, causing him to take a step back. Beside him, the old elven man wiped his tears and reached out his hands towards the staircase.

    "Come on! So, this old me... is the chosen one! Haha, just you wait, you silver-haired human. I am going to get back at you... just you wait, I am going to get stronger, haha!"

    Kyle raised his hand to smack the man''s head to shut him up but stopped and put his hands behind his back when he felt many eyes fixed on his head.

    ''Fuck!''

    He turned eerily silent because if the many eyes staring at him found out he was an intruder on their, he was definitely done for. He took in a deep breath and got ready to use instant teleportation while also slowly stepping back away from the crying old man and the staircase descending from the sky.

    However, as the staircase advanced toward him and the old man, his eyes chilled because the staircase ignored the weeping old man who let out a horrible cry and started to move closer to him.

    ''No, no, no! Don''te towards me!''

    "You bastard! I will sever you!"

    "Stop!"

    Kyle''s eyes darkened, and he muttered many curses under his breath when he sensed numerous elves surrounding the ce he was standing from all directions. He so badly wanted to cut this tree. No, he would light the tree on fire and watch it burn to ashes with his own eyes if he was able to leave this alive.

    But almost as if mocking his threats, the staircasended in front of him just an inch away from his feet. He watched as a few branches nudged him from behind to urge him to climb up. Kyle''s head throbbed, but then his eyes shed brightly, and he vanished from his spot.

    He reappeared a little distance away from the staircase when ayer of spiritual energy interfered with his teleportation. He attempted to teleport again, but this time he couldn''t even teleport as a barrier of spiritual energy surrounded him from all directions.

    "Haha..."

    His expression darkened as he clenched his fist and got ready to shatter theyer of spiritual energy, but he stopped when the old elven man he had beaton up began muttering frantically behind him.

    "It''s no use... the tree of fate has selected you; you cannot escape... you must climb. The tree of fate has chosen another instead of the elven race... it is displeased with us. Yes, it is upset with us because we can''t help it clean the dark energy that''s corrupting it..."

    Kyle exhaled deeply and gazed back at the staircase with a calm expression. He could sense the many eyes on him, so even if he destroyed the spiritual energy barrier, he wouldn''t be out of danger.

    So, he decided to just go with it. After all, what''s the worst that could happen, right? Would the many supreme-rank individuals feast on his flesh? No, he just needs to fight them to stay alive. It''s not that bad, considering he had experienced worse in the No Mana Land.

    He stretched his neck with an irritated scowl and disappeared from his spot, only to reappear above the staircase. He gazed up at the sky where the massive cage awaited him and began to climb up.

    "I swear I will burn you to ashes if I don''t gain anything useful from all of this."

 Chapter 517 The Fruit of Fate III

    <h4>Chapter 517 The Fruit of Fate III</h4>

    The branches surrounding Kyle froze in ce upon hearing his threat, then slowly withdrew with a remorseful rustle, allowing him to ascend on his own. It was as if the massive tree understood that the human might truly follow through on his words if provoked further.

    Kyle''s sharp eyes, hidden beneath the hoodie covering his head, covertly surveyed the area as he advanced towards the imprable cage awaiting him.

    He gazed at the many elves gathered around the staircase on the ground and hovering in the air before ncing at the dark beings with expansive wings behind them. Surprise flickered in his green eyes because oddly, none of them attempted to approach the staircase to climb it or to hinder him.

    He blinked once as a sudden thought crossed his mind, and to confirm his suspicions, he raised his fingers to touch the space beside him.

    Instantly, a faint ripple formed in the air before him, and he felt the familiar spiritual energy barrier that had stopped him from leaving the ce a while ago.

    An almost imperceptible ''oh'' escaped his lips as a sudden realization dawned on him. It seemed he didn''t have to worry about the numerous onlookers because the staircase was encircled by a strong barrier made purely from spiritual energy, and even the supreme-rank individuals are unable to break through or pass it!

    Kyle stopped in his tracks and felt the weight of countless intense stares focused on him, each stronger than thest, as if they wanted to eat him alive.

    "Haha..."

    A softughter bubbled out from his throat, and due to the solemn and hushed air, the faint noise intensified. It resounded in the air clear enough for every single individual around him to hear. In an instant, the many eyes staring at him narrowed, but Kyle didn''t give a damn, especially after knowing that they can do nothing to him as long as he stood on the staircase.

    He couldn''t help but think, how long had it been since he felt his body so tense and eagerly anticipating what would unfold once the barrier around him shattered? It''s been more than ten years, at least for him, since thest time he surrounded himself with countless manaless beasts to gauge his strength... yeah, he did that many times, so many times that he can''t even count.

    Those crimson-eyed beasts would always gnaw at his skin whenever he made even a single mistake, but he had long since learned to rip their hearts to make them lose their lives within seconds. But what a pity... after the manaless beasts'' poption thinned, it became hard for him to gather or find arge number of them.

    Right now, the sharp eyes staring at him felt akin to the crimson eyes of the manaless beasts who sought to devour him. The only difference was that these people can only watch as he climbed the staircase and took what they want right before their eyes.

    A rush of adrenaline coursed through his veins as this thought emerged in his head, and his eyes gleamed with excitement and amusement. The feeling wasn''t bad at all, and the more he thought about it, the better his mood became. That''s why he deliberately slowed his pace, almost as if taunting the people watching him, making them see how he raised his leg and slowly ced it on the next stair.

    In the distance, the elven Queen''s expression turned solemn, especially upon hearing the faintughter from the hooded individual who clearly resembled a male elf from his body shape. She nced at the elves around her with furrowed brows.

    "Who is this elf? Someone from the town? I can''t see his face because it''s covered, and due to the strong barrier, I can''t even use my senses tomunicate with him directly."

    But all the elves around her had simr questions, so they simply shook their heads, their attention solely fixed on the man ascending the stairs at a leisurely pace. Suddenly, one of the elderly elves spoke up.

    "Regardless of who he is, we need to protect him. Once he obtains the fruit, the tree will temporarily lose its power. If we don''t shield him... Samara will surely tear him apart."

    Different from the elves, the demons weren''t as patient and started to grow irritated with Kyle because he was climbing the stairs too slowly. At this pace, the day would pass, and he wouldn''t even reach the fruit of fate! One of the demons licked his lips with a sinister yet annoyed smile and finally broke the silence as he taunted Kyle.

    "Little elf, why the dy? Hurry up and ascend. Don''t test my patience with your slow steps, or else, when I catch you, I will ensure to crush your bones to dust."

    After the first demon broke the silence, it seemed like a floodgate had opened because many demons began urging the man climbing the stairs to hasten his pace.

    "Hurry up?? Will you?"

    "Damn, this guy, I will break his useless legs... Why is he walking slower than an ant?"

    "I never thought watching someone walk could frustrate me so much that I want to chop them into pieces."

    The elves clenched their teeth before one of them raised his weapon towards the nearest demon with a dark expression.

    "Shut your filthy mouth!"

    Samara nced at the bickering demons and elves with a scoff and refocused her gaze on the man climbing the stairs. She had a faint feeling that this person was relishing the chaos around him and her eyes sparked with interest.

    No one among the people present could breach the spiritual energy barrier to harm the person inside as the Tree of Fate was stronger than all of them. Still, all the supreme-rank individuals present could clearly sense the strength of the person climbing the stairs. That''s why she couldn''t help but wonder what on earth this elf had consumed to exude such arrogance in front of many formidable beings, considering he had just barely entered the divine rank.

    On the other hand, Kyle''s lips curved upward, and his eyes twinkled with mirth. He was enjoying himself, which is why amid the many noises urging him to hurry up, he halted in his tracks.

    Instantly, the demons cried out in frustration, and even the elves began to wonder how the hell someone from their own race could be so irritating as to make enemies of many powerful beings.

 Chapter 518 The Fruit of Fate IV

    <h4>Chapter 518 The Fruit of Fate IV </h4>

    Just as quickly as Kyle got excited, he became bored just as fast. After the second time he paused on the stairs, he let out a faint sigh, and before anyone could even blink, he vanished from his spot and appeared before the cage made of numerous thick branches.

    Instantly, every single person around him fell silent and gazed at him with shock, disbelief, and bewilderment. They couldn''t help but wonder if he could freakin'' ascend in less than a second, then what the heck was he doing all this time!?

    Kyle ignored the curses the demons hurled at him and noticed that many of the leaves on the tree''s branches had begun to darken and wither, probably because of the dark energy spreading across the.

    In the next second, the branches clustered before him began to shift, creating a small opening within the wide cage.

    He narrowed his eyes at the darkness ahead and, after covering his body with ice armor to be ready for any surprises, he stepped into the opening.

    The many onlookers staring at him all became quiet when his figure vanished into the cage, and they all eagerly started waiting for him toe out.

    Contrary to their expectations, after a few minutes, instead of the hoodied individual, what came out from the cage were chilling blue mes that expanded to engulf the cage made of branches before the mes started to spread out to cover the entire Tree of Fate in a chilling embrace.

    In an instant, the elven Queen''s eyes widened with panic.

    "What''s happening!?"

    She let out a scream.

    "Stop the mes! Hurry!"

    But before anyone could lunge forward to halt the chilling blue mes spreading out to epass the whole Tree of Fate, another voice echoed in the air. It was the white-haired elven woman who has always stayed as the elven Queen''s shadow. She stopped the elves with a loud shout.

    "Don''t! The mes aren''t harming the Tree!"

    Immediately, everyone paused and stared at the older woman with disbelief. However, upon closer inspection, many strong individuals noticed that the mes were indeed not harming the Tree. Instead, they were cleansing the dark energy that had corrupted the tree for many years. An elderly elf let out a shocked gasp.

    "How...?"

    No one could answer his question. They were too shocked by the sudden turn of events because even the elven Queen and the many supreme-rank elves together weren''t able topletely cleanse the dark energy from the tree, even after exerting all their strength. So... seeing the icy mes devouring the darkness without harming the tree left them all stunned.

    Samara''s expression chilled at the sight.

    "What is happening? How can someone from the elven race possess something so... otherworldly? These mes have a powerful allure to them, and I can sense they are no ordinary mes..."

    She shouted at the demons around her because she couldn''t allow this individual to live, especially since she had nned to take over the elven in the future. He could very well be a huge obstacle for her in the future if he survived!

    "All of you, get ready! The moment that persones out, we need to eliminate him at all costs! He can''t consume the fruit of fate unprepared; he is just a divine rank individual. So, the instant he emerges, kill him and seize the fruit!"

    The elven Queen''s face, which had been tense for so long, finally rxed upon witnessing how the icy mes transformed the dark energy clinging to the Tree of Fate into mere particles drifting in the air. She let out a faint smile and gestured to the elves beside her to get ready. No matter the cost, she would protect the elf inside the cage. How could she allow him to die at the hands of the demons when he held such a promising future? The icy mes alone were sufficient to deem him valuable.

    "You think I will let you kill him, Samara?"

    The elven Queen made a mental note to learn everything about the elf inside the cage after this crisis subsided. She faced the demons with a resolute expression, and all the floating elves gathered behind her. There was no way they would let someone who could be a strong pir of their race in the future die.

    The atmosphere grew heavy, and in the next moment, the floating demons and the elves attacked each other with loud cries. They wielded their weapons and attempted to overpower their opponents with all their might,pletely unaware that the man responsible for all this chaos had already secured a means to leave the after striking a deal with the Tree of Fate.

    A while back, after Kyle entered the cage, he was greeted by nothing but darkness. But his eyes quickly shifted to the surrounding darkness, and as he took a few slow steps forward, he noticed a small light twinkling within the dark enclosure. In an instant, his gaze focused on the fist-sized fruit that had sprouted from a leafless branch.

    He rushed to grab the fruit, but a familiar barrier of spiritual energy materialized in front of his hand and prevented him from reaching the fruit. A vein throbbed on his forehead as he spoke with a cold voice.

    "Are you kidding me? After luring me here, you now want to stop me from taking the very thing I came for?"

    Before he could say more, the bright spiritual energy in front of him quivered slightly and formed a few words in the air. Kyle narrowed his eyes at the words.

    ("Help me.")

    "Huh... what''s this now? You can evenmunicate with others? Well, it''s to be expected from something with its own consciousness."

    There was a moment of silence before Kyle let out an exasperated breath. He couldn''t believe he had to deal with all this because of a tree he could just chop into many pieces. But as he stared at the powerful fruit before him, he realized he couldn''t just let it go now that he hadid his eyes on it.

    "Alright, let''s first hear what help you want from me when so many strong individuals are floating around you. If it''s within my ability, I will assist, but even if it''s not, I expect you to give me the fruit because if you don''t, I''m gonna light a fire here and watch as it consumes each and every branch of yours."

    After a few seconds of pause, the spiritual energy before him quivered once again to form new words.

    ("Help me cleanse the dark energy that has begun to consume my essence with the mes you used to turn cia''s body into particles. In return, you can take the fruit, and I will also teleport you directly to the Sacred Divine Land. You desire to go there, correct?")

    Kyle raised a brow, and a mirthful chuckle escaped his lips.

    "So, you witnessed me killing that woman? I won''t delve into how and why because I like the deal but... how can my mes assist you in cleansing the dark energy when they are only capable ofpletely obliterating whatever they touch? I have indeed learned to unfreeze things frozen by the mes with divine energy, but how will they cleanse the dark energy?"

    The spiritual energy before him shifted to form some new sentences, and his eyes widened slightly as he read them.

    ("Your mes can consume dark energy as long as you possess sufficient control over them. I will provide your body with ample spiritual energy; all you need to do is concentrate and envelop me entirely with the mes, then gradually control them to only eradicate the darkness seeping into my body.")

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed with a hint of suspicion. So, everything would be resolved just like that? He would leave this with a powerful treasure without any issues at all... Suddenly, a smirk yed on his lips.

    "Aren''t you afraid? What if... instead of helping you, Ipletely destroyed your body once my mes engulf you?"

    His smile faded as the response came almost instantly.

    ("No, I''m not. Your mesck the strength to harm me at this point. They are feeble because you are feeble.")

    Kyle scoffed with an impassive expression. He was already strong enough to easily defeat a transcendent rank individual, so when he heard the Treebel him as weak, a bitter taste lingered in his mouth.

    "Huh, let''s just begin without further dy so I can leave as soon as possible."

 Chapter 519 Thanks but no thanks

    <h4>Chapter 519 Thanks but no thanks</h4>

    The atmosphere surrounding the Tree of Fate grew extremely cold, almost icy, as the blue mes extended and enveloped every part of the colossal tree without regard for the ongoing battles in the air between the numerous elves and demons.

    In the midst of the darkness surrounding him, Kyle sat cross-legged as he exhaled a cold mist. His eyes were closed tightly, his mind fully concentrated on the immense spiritual energy flowing into his body from the Tree of Fate.

    At first, it was hard, absorbing a huge amount of spiritual energy quickly and then immediately using it to spread out the blue mes over such a vast area. Besides, he had to stay focused to ensure the mes only consumed the dark energy clinging to the Tree of Fate.

    However, after doing it for a while, he started to get the hang of it. He also felt his body adjusting to the abundant spiritual energy flowing through him. It was almost as if the more he repeated the process, the amount of spiritual energy his body could hold was growing.

    Kyle''s brows were tightly knit in concentration. It was his first time spreading his mes so extensively... and he had to admit, even though he couldn''t see where his mes were reaching, he could unmistakably sense them enveloping every branch of the tree. Many cries and the clear sound of metal shing with metal filled his ears, indicating that the elves and winged dark beings had started their battle. But he didn''t stop; he continued to engulf the Tree of Fate in his mes.

    In no time, the air around the tree grew so frigid that even the people below and the powerful individuals engaged inbat in the air began to get affected by it. All the supreme rank individuals battling in the air were intrigued by the nature of these icy mes and how the one within the cage acquired them.

    After a while, Kyle slowly blinked open his eyes when he sensed that his mes hadpletely covered the Tree of Fate.

    He let out a faint sigh, and the tension on his shoulders finally rxed as he directed the mes to disappear now that their task was aplished. Immediately, the icy blue mes surrounding the massive tree began to transform into numerous bright particles that floated in the air in a mesmerizing disy.

    Shortly after, the Tree of Fate emitted a pleasant hum, indicating that it had finally rid itself of the darkness consuming its essence. The elves below the tree gazed up with relief and tears of joy as it stretched its branches in all directions.

    Under their delighted gaze, slowly but surely, the withered and darkened leaves clinging to the massive tree branches began to revert to their original green state now that the dark energy surrounding the tree had been purified.

    Many lively sounds filled the air as the numerous elves on thend cheered and called for celebration at such an incredible moment. The battle in the air also halted, and the demons and elves retreated to face each other when the numerous branches of the Tree, which had assembled to create an imprable cage, began to retract to reveal whaty inside.

    The elven Queen''s expression turned serious as she ordered every single elf floating behind her to prepare to protect the individual inside the cage.

    Samara also instructed all the demons under hermand to prepare to attack the moment the cage opened and the spiritual energy barrier disappeared.

    However, what happened next shocked every single person in the air. Inside the cage, Kyle plucked the shimmering fruit from the bare branch and held it in his hand with a pleased expression. Now that he had fulfilled his end of the deal, he would have been very angry if the tree prevented him from taking the fruit.

    He lifted his head and rose to his feet as the cluster of branches around him began to shift, revealing the light filtering into his eyes from outside.

    Kyle grinned as the spiritual energy in front of him began to converge around his body, likely preparing to teleport him to the Sacred Divine Land.

    His eyes gleamed mischievously as all the branches around him shifted away to reveal the numerous beings with dark wings and elves floating across from each other. In a moment, his eyes locked with a pair of eyes with two white slits inside their pupils, prompting him to tilt his head.

    Samara chuckled at the hoodied man across from her, her gaze fixed on the glistening fruit in Kyle''s hand. She would have lunged forward to grab it if not for the barrier still surrounding the man''s body. But a puzzled expression crossed her face... after handing over the fruit, shouldn''t the tree have weakened for a while? So, why was it still expending so much spiritual energy to protect the man?

    Not just Samara, many others shared the same question. In that moment, the elven Queen spoke up loudly.

    "Young one, once the barrier vanishes, unleash all your strength to leap towards me and the elves. We will protect you. Fear not, you need not fret about these demons. They cannot even touch a single strand of your hair in my presence."

    Kyle raised an eyebrow upon hearing the words. He let out an ''oh'' as he tossed the fruit in his hand up in the air, nearly startling the onlookers, before catching it again. He directed the fruit towards the dark beings he had just discovered were demons. If he remembered correctly, weren''t the demons working for the shadow generals? He bore no grudge against them, but they were simply standing on a side he needed to eradicate. Samara''s eyes widened as Kyle extended the fruit to her, and then a high-pitched yet slightly soft voice emanated from his lips.

    eradicate. Samara''s eyes widened as Kyle extended the fruit to her, and then a high-pitched yet slightly soft voice emanated "Do you want it?"

    The elven Queen''s eyes turned solemn, and she spoke up with furrowed brows.

    "What are you doing? This precious fruit is bestowed upon you by the Tree of Fate. How could you give it to the demons?! I promised we would protect you. There is no need to fear; juste towards us!"

    After her, many other elves also started urging him to join them the moment the barrier surrounding him disappeared. They all believed the young elf was frightened and merely trying to save himself by giving away the fruit. How exasperating! He just used such a powerful skill to clean the dark energy from the tree but has no courage!

    Kyle nced back at the older woman who had been urging him to go toward the elves. He looked at the other elves behind her and, with his other hand, grabbed the edge of his hoodie to make it drop behind, revealing his silver hair and green eyes.

    The air turned deadly silent, but the elves weren''t shocked by his appearance; they were shocked when their eyesnded on his ears. His ears! They weren''t pointy! That means he wasn''t an elf!

    Doesn''t that mean the Tree of Fate just gave away the Fruit of Fate to someone who is not from the elven race? Why!?

    Kyle''s smirk broadened as he realized from their expressions alone that they had mistaken him for an elf. He gazed directly at the older woman who had earlier encouraged him to approach the elves for protection before uttering a few words.

    "Thanks but no thanks. You see, I don''t really like being protected by others."

 Chapter 520 It’s gone

    <h4>Chapter 520 It''s gone </h4>

    Samara erupted intoughter at Kyle''s words, the sound resonating like a sweet melody that startled every elf who had been taken aback after discovering that the man they aimed to safeguard was not one of their own.

    The elven Queen''s expression shifted to one of pure bewilderment and astonishment. It took her a few moments to grasp that the individual she had just pledged to protect was a human... not an elf?

    How could this be possible?

    ording to the countless history books she had studied, the tree of fate had only ever bestowed its fruit upon the elves.

    The demon''s eyes sparkled with interest as they gazed at the human. Now that he was not an elf, they wondered if the elven Queen would still go to such lengths to protect him. Samara suppressed herughter and extended her hand towards Kyle with a wide, menacing grin.

    After finding out that the man was human, she realized he needed to protect himself. So, the best way for the man toe out unharmed from this situation, where many powerful demons and elves surrounded him from all sides, was to give the fruit away.

    "Pretty human, you possess good judgment. Give me the fruit, and I will ensure no demon dares to harm you."

    The elven Queen''s eyes contracted. She was determined not to allow the demons to take the fruit, as it would have negative consequences for the whole elven''s future. But before she or any of the elves could say anything, Kyle withdrew his hand from under Samara''s eager gaze, and then the fruit disappeared from his hand as he tossed it into his mind space.

    A look of innocence crossed his face as Samara''s expression darkened with angry veins ring around her forehead, and he gestured towards her with his empty hand.

    "Oops, I don''t want to. Why don''t youe and retrieve it? I might consider giving it to you if you... you know, plead a bit?"

    He even made a pinching gesture with his thumb and middle finger in front of her to underline his words, and his eyes gleamed because he promptly witnessed the reaction he desired.

    In a instant, Samara''s anger exploded, and she vanished from her spot.

    The elves tried to stop her, but before anyone could intervene, she forcefully mmed her entire weight into the barrier surrounding Kyle.

    "You bastard! Do you think you can hide inside the barrier forever!? No! And believe me, I will make sure you face hell once the barrier shatters. Haha."

    Kyle narrowed his eyes at the tiny crack that appeared in the barrier. He couldn''t even properly see how the woman moved from her ce before mming into the barrier. A single thought crossed his mind that she was fast... much faster than him, at least for now. But in that moment, he sensed his body starting to vanish within the spiritual energy that hadpletely surrounded him.

    "Tsk... it was just starting to get fun."

    Samara also noticed his body fading, and her pupils narrowed so much that the white slits within turned into thin lines.

    "Stoppp!"

    She mmed her fists into the barrier again and shouted at the demons.

    "Hurry, you useless idiots, help me break it! He is going to disappear!"

    The elves who had wanted to stop the demons halted when the elven Queen signaled for them to remain in ce.

    She realized it was toote.

    It seemed the tree of fate had already known that once the elves discovered the person who got the fruit was not an elf, they would not help him. That''s why it was sending the human away to protect him, utilizing its final reserves of energy.

    Kyle raised his hand and waved it at Samara, who shouted at him with clenched teeth. His lips twitched slightly at his own actions, and he promptly lowered his hand.

    "I know I can''t hide inside the barrier my whole life, that''s why I shall leave. Come find me soon, okay?"

    He paused for a split second, and as if recalling something crucial, he struck his fist against his palm.

    "Right, you don''t know where I am going? I am heading to the Sacred Divine Land. Now, I hope we cross paths again for a proper one-on-one."

    His words floated into the air as his bodypletely vanished into thin air. The instant he disappeared, the barrier around him also dissipated. Samara lunged forward, but her hand grasped nothing but empty air.

    She let out a menacing crackle before an angry scream escaped her mouth, echoing through the entire. After a few seconds, she nced at the elves and mumbled under her breath.

    "It''s because of all of you that I can''t break through now... yes, it''s because of all of you that he ran away."

    "I, Samara, will make sure all of you understand what it means to be deprived of something you desire so much!"

    She pped her wings behind her back, and an angry shout escaped her mouth.

    "Kill them all!"

    In a sh, the demons hovering behind her all lunged at the elves. The battle raged on, and the air filled with the smell of blood and metal as even the supreme-rank individuals exerted their full force to defeat opponents of equal rank.

    The elven Queen''s gaze turned grave at the scene. She drew her weapon, and alongside her shadow, the duo faced off against Samara to protect the innocent citizens under the Tree of Fate.

    The air exploded with raw power, but after a day of non-stop fighting, a sudden stillness settled over the elven.

    The white-haired elven woman wiped the blood oozing from her mouth and raised her head to look at the sky where a crack appeared. She narrowed her eyes and muttered quietly to herself.

    "I can''t seem to gauge the strength of the person who is entering the. It''s someone extremely powerful..."

    The elven Queen pushed Samara aside and nced up to follow the white-haired elven woman''s gaze. Her body stiffened as she saw a male figure dressed in skin-toned attire emerge from the crack.

    The man watched the intense battle between the elves and demons with his piercing blue eyes. His gaze briefly flickered towards Samara''s frantic figure before he vanished from his spot, only to reappear above the very branch where the fruit of fate had blossomed just a day earlier.

    A deep voice resonated from his lips.

    "It''s gone."

 Chapter 521 It was a human!

    <h4>Chapter 521 It was a human!</h4>

    Not only the elven Queen, but every high-ranking individual floating in the air, recognized the man. The azure intensity of his eyes, the regal crest atop his head, and the powerful, sculpted form he possessed were all unmistakable.

    He was Damien, the water dragon �� or more precisely, the dragon who defied his own kin and ascended to the esteemed title of the inaugural Shadow General.

    The man''s presence alone startled not only the elven Queen but every individual floating in mid-air. The elves averted their gaze as he swept his eyes over them with an inscrutable expression.

    Damien crouched down in mid-air, his fingers delicately caressing the barren branch devoid of leaves. As his thumb traced the spot where the fruit of fate had been severed, the branch trembled under his touch and tried its best to evade him. But unfortunately, the tree couldn''t muster much strength to move the branch because it was weakened after yielding the fruit of fate. Also, it had utilized a significant portion of its strength to grow the fruit of fate a little earlier than intended.

    The elven Queen''s facial expression paled as tremendous pressure descended on her shoulders, causing her to struggle to maintain her bnce in mid-air. She nced around and observed that every person, whether demon or elf, had frozen in ce with pale expressions. They were also experiencing the same intense pressure as she was.

    Damien nced at the old white-haired woman beside the elven Queen because he could sense she had the most spiritual energy in her body, indicating she was the closest to the Tree of Fate.

    "Who took the fruit? I''m a bitte because I went to visit master since I heard from fifth that he woke up... but unfortunately, I wasn''t able to see him."

    His voice softened a bit, but his next words were something that sent chills down the spine of every elf who heard him.

    "Just tell me who took the fruit, and I will not touch this. Otherwise, I can just destroy it because, after all, the Tree of Fate is not strong enough right now to stop me."

    The elven woman clenched her jaw tightly as the pressure on her shoulders doubled. Nevertheless, she remained silent as the decisiony in the hands of the Queen. She had stood by the elven queen''s side since the king passed away and held a deep love for her race. But the Tree of Fate had bestowed the fruit upon that silver-haired human of its own volition. How could she question the tree''s choice?

    Damien''s eyes narrowed.

    "So, you''re useless?"

    A chill ran down the woman''s spine, and in the next second, her eyes began to roll, and she started coughing up blood. But before she could fully sumb to the darkness, the elven Queen gritted her teeth and appeared beside her body.

    "Wait! I will tell you! It was a human!"

    She already knew that the first shadow general was also pursuing the Fruit of Fate because rumors had it the man had been injured in the war happening at the other end of the universe, and he desired to consume the fruit to heal his wounds.

    That''s why she and many others elves had been trying to summon as many powerful individuals of their race back from the war. But who could have predicted the tree would bear the fruit earlier than expected, even before the two strongest individuals of her race returned to protect it?

    Damien raised his brow when he heard the elven Queen''s words. A sh of annoyance coursed through his eyes at the mere mention of ''human''. He loathed humans deeply because of a human named James, who had been his archenemy for the past hundreds of years.

    The human and his followers, who have been increasing with each passing day, even though he kills many of them every single day, have been hindering him and all the other shadow generals from achieving victory in the war and breaking thest two seals that block the path leading outside the universe.

    He groaned and rubbed his temples the moment he thought about James. He could never fathom just where the heck that darn ck-haired oddball came from out of the blue and messed up all their smoothly progressing ns.

    The dark side would have won ages ago if that bastard hadn''t started gathering every powerful individual in the universe regardless of race to fight back.

    Not to mention, among the people following James, his closest friends were also battle-crazed fanatics just like him, especially that dwarf who slew a thousand divine beings with an artifact he invented.

    The shadow generals haven''t even found a single Celestial spirit in Azazeal''s absence. He was certain his master would be very displeased upon discovering that the shadow generals, to whom he had granted significant power, had failed to break even a single seal from the remaining two and had not found a single Celestial spirit.

    Damien let out a sigh and brushed away the negative thoughts in his mind as he was here to find something important before locking eyes with the elven Queen.

    "A human, you say? It''s quite unusual for the Tree of Fate to bestow its fruit upon someone outside the elven race... Are you being truthful?"

    The elven Queen''s coral-colored eyes began to bleed as she felt a looming darkness above her head... She knew that now if she lied, he would kill her without a second thought. But to everyone''s surprise, before she could speak, Samara stepped in.

    "It was a human! A silver-haired man who appeared to be in his early twenties... I saw him! The Tree of Fate aided him, and before I could attack him, he vanished!"

    She clenched her teeth.

    "I have no idea where the Tree of Fate sent him! He just disappeared; how could we possibly know!?"

    Damien lifted his blue eyes to gaze at Samara, and she flinched not because he put pressure on her body but because she had just lied to him.

    She was determined not to let the fruit of fate slip away from her grasp; she would go and track down that silver-haired man and secure the fruit for herself! She needs it to get stronger. How could she let it go after enduring so many struggles?

 Chapter 522 Tell me more about the human

    <h4>Chapter 522 Tell me more about the human </h4>

    Damien rubbed his chin. He had seen Samara before a few times because she had been striving to attain the title of the sixth shadow general, even going as far as searching for a way to meet Azazeal. So, he knew she was also on this for the fruit of fate to increase her strength.

    "You have got potential... you know I can see you can reach the Celestial rank if you work hard. So, don''t let this small setback hinder you because I hope to see another Celestial rank by my side soon."

    His voice grew more intense, and those who paid attention could detect the subtle threat in his words.

    "Forget about the fruit because I need it."

    Samara nodded and Damien gave her an approving look.

    "Alright, now tell me more about that human. I believe he has not consumed the fruit yet since the branch from which it was taken stillcks any leaves."

    There was a hush in the air because all those who were familiar with the fruit of fate knew it required careful preparation before consumption. If the Tree of Fate''s branch, where the fruit blossomed, stayed bare of leaves, it signified that the fruit had not been eaten. Ultimately, the fruit was incredibly potent because it not only greatly boosted the consumer''s strength but also possessed the ability to reshape and improve their fate.

    Samara started telling the first shadow general everything about the silver-haired human except his location, saying that he had disappeared without a trace. The numerous elves who overheard Kyle''s loud promation about heading to the Sacred Divine Land all fell into an eerie silence and watched the demon as she lied with a serious face.

    They couldn''t believe there would be a day they would see someone bold enough to lie in the face of the first shadow general, known for being ruthless.

    Samara''s eyes crinkled a bit as she deceived the man who had reached the initial stage of the Celestial rank. She knew that even though the elves didn''t get the fruit of fate, they wouldn''t let the demons or the shadow general take it.

    Therefore, they wouldn''t tell the shadow general that she was lying!

    As for the demons circling around her, despite their unruliness, they understood when to remain silent because ultimately, their lives were in her hands.

    After she was done, Damien stared at her with narrowed eyes. He had his suspicions, but it''s not like he can peer into her head and kill a demon who had the potential of reaching the Celestial rank in the future. Moreover, when she was describing the human''s appearance, he detected no lie in her eyes. But... for a moment when she mentioned that she didn''t know where the human went, he did sense a faint ripple in her eyes.

    "Hmm, silver hair and green eyes, you say? He also has powerful icy blue mes..."

    He thought for a second and nced at Samara with a serious expression.

    "That''s enough. Now that I know his appearance, I will send my people to search for him. Also, you have been staying on this, right? Just remain here and keep an eye on the branch. I can''t keeping back to check if the branch has any leaves. Let me know immediately if you sense even a single leaf growing on the branch."

    Samara nodded eagerly, and Damien mentally noted to physically bind her to himself once she reached the final stage of the Supreme rank. This way, she would understand the consequences of deceiving those superior to her. He had faced this situation several times before.

    Demons and those aligned with the dark side were all sly and constantly pursued what would serve them best. That''s why he disagreed when the second shadow general carelessly exempted the demon, dark, and nightkin races from having to put a dark petal on their bodies just to disy their loyalty if they didn''t want to. After all, these three races were inherently dark and willingly followed Azazeal for power.

    ''Tsk, that fish was just being greedy. He''s the strongest among us five, but he hates sharing his power. I will have to speak with master directly about this so we can fully control these three races too.''

    ''It''s not like mastercks dark energy... he has enough to dominate half of this universe with it if he chooses to.''

    He nced at the Tree of Fate onest time, and within moments, a crack formed before him. Without uttering another word, he stepped into the crack and vanished. He had numerous tasks at hand, unlike these ipetent demons who have failed to conquer the elven even after so many years.

    He needed to return to the war as well; otherwise, that troublesome ck-haired human and his followers would once again go on a killing spree in his absence to im the lives of the many formidable individuals fighting for the dark side.

    The second shadow general had also withdrawn from the war to recuperate and investigate the rumors he heard about the Celestial spirit that is supposedly hiding within the Sacred Divine Land.

    Damien really hopes that the fish find at least one Celestial spirit in the Sacred Divine Land, or else he will have to teach Ceano a lesson, even if it means enduring a beating in return. After all, he had to bear the full brunt in the war because the four other shadow generals are all off doing who knows what.

    ''Now that master has woken up, I hope he gives the others some punishment because they have all been wasting time.''

    After Damien disappeared, Samara grinned and scanned the demons around her, who all began trembling under her gaze.

    "Did you all hear what the first shadow general requested? Keep a watch on the branch and inform him immediately if it starts to grow leaves. In the meantime, I am heading to the Sacred Divine Land to search for that human. Haha..."

    Her gaze sharpened.

    "I believe nobody will open their mouth when I''m not around because if they do, they would have to die together with me."

    Samara didn''t even nce at the elves and retrieved a round wooden artifact from her mind space. The artifact brightened in her palm, and several symbols illuminated around her.

    Subsequently, she disappeared from her location as the artifact teleported her directly to her desired ce. The air fell silent for a moment after she vanished, then a single word slipped from the elven Queen''s lips, sending chills down the spine of every demon floating in the air.

    "Kill!"

 Chapter 523 What is this thing...? A bug?

    <h4>Chapter 523 What is this thing...? A bug?</h4>

    Instantly, another fight between the elves and demons erupted in mid-air, but with Samara''s absence, the elves started to overpower the demons. The elven Queen nced at the white-haired woman beside her amidst the battle and whispered softly.

    "Go to the Sacred Divine Land. Locate that human and secure the fruit of fate from him before the first shadow general or Samara catches him. I don''t want the fruit to end up in the wrong hands."

    The old white-haired elven woman halted briefly but then released a sigh.

    "No, my Queen, let''s just leave the fruit be. The tree has bestowed it upon that human, and I believe there''s a purpose behind it. Now it''s up to the human to decide whether to consume it or to pass it on."

    She nced at the elven Queen.

    "I have never opposed you before, and this is the first time I am requesting something. I understand it''s challenging to let go of something so valuable, but..."

    "... I believe this time the fruit was never meant for our race."

    The elven Queen went quiet for a moment after hearing the woman, then she patted the old woman''s shoulder with a nod.

    "Alright, I will honor your request this time. No need to chase after that human. Let that young man carry the burden of owning such a powerful treasure."

    But in that moment, only the Tree of Fate was aware that these simple words saved the life of the white-haired elven woman, and the future of the elven race underwent a significant transformation.

    ....

    After Kyle reached the Sacred Divine Land, he cursed as his body plunged into a pool of warm water, and an unfamiliar warmth spread over his extremely cold body. He hissed at the feeling and quickly jumped out of the water.

    Immediately, he clicked his tongue in irritation as his clothes became soaked. ncing around, he noticed numerous lush andrge green trees encircling theke where he hadnded.

    He murmured a spell and manipted the air around him to quickly dry his clothes within seconds. A grin appeared at the corner of his lips as he remembered what he had just done a while ago.

    "Not bad... It was enjoyable."

    Kyle closed his eyes and gazed at the fruit floating in his mind space. It sparkled beautifully but... oddly before his body vanished from above the massive tree, he heard an unfamiliar voice echoing in his head. The voice was simr to an elderly woman who had not spoken for many years. It advised him not to eat the fruit he acquired, at least for now. Otherwise, his empty fate would be sealed on a single path, and he would face loss.

    "Hmm, it said empty fate? So, I don''t have a destiny? Great, just great. I already have no memories of the past, now I don''t even have a fate... tsk tsk, just what else can I expect from nature."

    He shook his head and secured the strands that had fallen out from his tied hair tightly behind his head. Then, he donned his hoodie and decided to explore the Sacred Divine Land and on the way, he would also search for the diator Arena.

    Kyle realized that despite the tree teleporting him to a far-off location, he felt no physical difort, likely due to his improved physical strength.

    He let out an exaggerated breath because he could sense the abundance of divine and spiritual energy in the air. He was certain that even if he did nothing in thisnd and just stayed still, he could easily reach the pinnacle of the divine rank since his body required no training, only divine energy at the moment. He sighed and took a step forward in a random direction, but his eyes widened when a faint twinkling light appeared in front of his face.

    "The fuck!"

    He jumped back and red at the light that had just startled him. Kyle narrowed his eyes at the light when he sensed pure spiritual energy around its body. He noticed with a solemn expression that this strange creature, wholly made of light, hovering just a short distance away from him, had a beautiful pair of wings behind its back.

    "What is this thing...? A bug?"

    The mystical spirit in front of him let out a soft sound, as if showing its displeasure at being called a bug!

    But who could me Kyle for confusing a mystical spirit with a bug, especially since Hubert hadn''t shared much about the Sacred Divine Land with him.

    Kyle lifted his hand and prodded the hovering orb of light, causing it to tremble under his uncaring touch. However, before he could retract his finger, the light clung to it desperately.

    Amidst the ethereal glow, he could swear he saw a pair of small, shimmering eyes gazing at him, almost as if pleading him to allow it to hold onto his finger. Kyle raised his finger and gazed at the light with aplex expression.

    "What the...? Did I get myself a little bug made of spiritual energy as a pet?"

    He pondered for a moment, and an evil gleam flickered in his eyes. Now that he thought about it, isn''t this tiny bug actually a creature crafted from spiritual energy?

    "Should I consume it?"

    The light quivered as it felt the covetous eyes fixed on its form, and for the first time, a mystical spirit began to regret its decision to approach a human from whom it had sensed a "Should I consume it?"

    The light quivered as it felt the covetous eyes fixed on its form, lovely fragrance.

    Yes, it had sensed an otherworldly fragranceing from Kyle''s body, which was almost akin to nature itself, leading it to approach the human quickly.

    But... little did it know that this would be itsst choice, as the human appeared determined to consume it. The spirit let out a deep breath and epted its fate, as it really didn''t want to release the human now that it had touched his body, emitting a calm andforting coldness.

    Kyle noticed the trembling light clinging to his finger and clicked his tongue because it seems the bug understood his words. He gripped the light with two fingers and forcefully detached it from his skin before gazing at it. However, as he performed this action, a faint sense of nostalgia washed over his body, almost as if he had once picked up a familiar small creature with his two fingers... He furrowed his brows but, unfortunately, couldn''t recall the form of the creature even after pondering for a few seconds, so he pushed the thought to the back of his mind.

    "Now that I have got myself a little buddy, it wouldn''t be right to consume you, so... do you wanna stick around, little one? You can have your meals when I''m eating, and I won''t let any small animal snack on you."

    "Sound good?"

    The mystical spirit body brightened up at his words, and Kyle raised his brow as he confirmed his thoughts. The bug can really understand his words. He naturally wanted to ce the light on his head but paused midway with a strange expression.

    ''What am I doing?''

    Kyle let out a sigh and instead ced the spirit on his right shoulder.

    Then he watched as the light instantly snuggled closer to his body... only if anyone knew he encountered a mystical spirit right after entering the Sacred Divine Land, their jaws would drop because finding a mystical spirit is extremely rare.

    After all, mystical spirits tend to hide whenever they sense any presence nearby. But fortunately or unfortunately, no one was around Kyle to know about it.

 Chapter 524 I forgot I had company

    Chapter 524 I forgot I hadpany

    ??Kyle nced up at the sky above him. It was getting a bit dark, indicating that night was drawing near. He started running and left theke behind, even though he knew it was a hot spring from the warm water and the faint scent of sulfur in the air.

    He hade to understand that as much as he enjoyed warmth, he found that things just a bit warmer weren''tpatible with his cold body. His silhouette darted through the verdant trees enveloping him from every angle, while the mystical spirit desperately clung to his shoulder, trying its best not to be left behind due to the harsh wind that pushed against his body.

    Kyle expanded his scent perception skill in all directions to monitor his surroundings. Instantly, a multitude of scents inundated his nostrils, yet he didn''t even flinch and extended his skill even further, detecting the diverse array of presences, monsters, and valuable items surrounding him.

    His eyes narrowed, and he paused above a rock amidst the grassy expanse because he sensed numerous underground chambers beneath thend he was running on.

    Oddly, he could only perceive the presence of these deep underground chambers due to the peculiar scent emanating from them but couldn''t discern what these chambers held within them. It seemed as though his skill was unable to prate the barriers or energy fields encasing those chambers.

    "This ce is filled with natural treasures, even though I don''t know what they are. I can also detect a myriad of nts all around myself that are emitting pure spiritual energy and divine energy."

    He rubbed his chin with a pleased expression. At least, his master had sent him to a better ce than he had anticipated.

    But it was a shame that his body only needed divine energy at the moment, and even if he got those treasures, they wouldn''t be very helpful to him. Also, his spiritual energy stat had a minor breakthrough after the massive tree infused so much spiritual energy into his body, allowing him to engulf the entire tree with his mes.

    Therefore, it wouldn''t be wise for him to take in more spiritual energy than his body can handle right now, at least until his body adjusted to the previous breakthrough. This was also one of the reasons he held back from consuming the light sitting on his shoulder and saved it for the future.

    The mystical spirit on his shoulder shuddered slightly as it sensed a faint ominous aura from the human eyes when they nced at its form. It couldn''t help but wonder if the human had lied to it when thetter said it could stay with him...?

    Kyle averted his gaze, but his eyes narrowed as he noticed another floating light approaching him from a distance. He let out an ''Oh'' and pointed his finger towards the familiar light before tapping the light on his shoulder.

    "Hey, is that one of your family members? Are they looking for you?"

    He chuckled and thought to himself that it was all good because he could just put the other light on his shoulder too, not realizing that he would soon regret his decision.

    At midnight, Kyle halted in front of a tree that caught his eye because its trunk was giving off a soft glow. He gazed at the two round fruits radiating divine energy hanging from the tree''s branches and disappeared from his spot to pick them.

    As he vanished, the two spirits sitting on his shoulder were startled, and the duo instinctively pped their wings to stay airborne after losing their positions.

    Kyle settled on his heels atop one of the tree branches and grabbed the fruits. He barely managed to contain the urge to let a smirk creep onto his lips as he watched the two lights rushing towards him from the distance. It somehow felt familiar.

    "Oops, I forgot I hadpany."

    The two mystical spirits were incensed at his words, but they once again quietly sat down on his shoulder withoutint, even though they had the power to make this human regret his words. Kyle nced at them once and then ignored them.

    He was feeling somewhat giddy, perhaps because initially, he believed he would only meet the individual he had put a mark on upon reaching the Sacred Divine Land. But now that he was here, he could also clearly feel the second presence he had sensed alongside the first one for many years in the No Mana Land. The presence with whom he shared a bond. He wondered about their appearance.

    Were they a human, an elf, or maybe someone from another race? But he knew deep down he wouldn''t connect with any of them as it didn''t align with his taste. Also, forming bonds with humans and other races wasn''t feasible unless it was done using unorthodox methods.

    So, they must be a beast, right? A huge, intimidating, and dark beast. That would be his choice. Something robust and mighty enough to catch his attention. He let out a sigh and looked in two different directions, unsure which one to follow, as both were very far from him.

    Kyle stored one of the two fruits he had torn from the tree in his mind space and started eating the other while making himselffortable on the branch. It was gettingte, so he opted to spend the night on the tree meditating since he felt the divine energy around the tree was more potent than in other locations.

    After taking a few bites of the fruit, he moved it towards the two little lights sitting on his right shoulder, but the light bodies trembled and quickly moved away from the fruit as if scalded.

    "Huh... it seems they don''t like it."

    He gave a nonchnt shrug and ate the fruit before feeling his body fill with divine energy that needed proper assimtion. That''s why he closed his eyes to meditate. However, after a while, a crease formed between his brows when he sensed a familiar presence, simr to the two lights sitting on his shoulder, approaching him.

    He slowly opened one of his eyes and watched as another light approached him from a distance and settled on his body as if iming ownership. Kyle''s eyebrow twitched at the scene, but he sighed and let it pass since the bugs were not heavy as their bodies were made of light.

    He closed his eyes once more, only to be interrupted again by another light that appeared and sat on his forehead.

 Chapter 525 How did you get here!?

    Chapter 525 How did you get here!?

    ??It was all good even when four or five more lights appeared and settled on Kyle''s body. However, a vein throbbed on his forehead because, for some unknown reason, their numbers kept increasing, causing his body to tingle from the tremendous amount of spiritual energy around him.

    He released a deep exhale and repeatedly reminded himself inwardly to stay calm, but his final shred ofposure shattered when another light appeared and settled on his left eye. Kyle swatted the few lights on his face away and vanished from his spot without a second hesitation.

    He reappeared in the distance and cursed under his breath while brushing his body to dispel the tingling sensation. His actions halted as he caught the sound of rustling leavesing from the tree where he was sitting just a moment ago.

    Kyle blinked and whipped his head back only to see numerous lights rushing toward him. Their radiance illuminated the entire area around the tree, and his lips twitched when he noticed that, strangely, their speed was much faster nowpared to before.

    "Okay... I take back my words. I am good alone. I don''t need apanion!"

    His final words dissipated into the air as he vanished into thin air towards a distant ce. The mystical spirits all froze when they witnessed his disappearance.

    Then, they all let out faint sad whimpers and dispersed in all directions to search for the human they liked so much. They were even willing to lead the human toward valuable treasures; all he had to do was let them stick to his body.

    In the meantime, Kyle reappeared in a faraway ce and clicked his tongue. It waste at night, and he had no good ce to sleep anymore. Well, it''s not like he was sleepy. He just wanted to meditate. But now that he had started moving, he didn''t want to sit anymore.

    So, he gazed at the faraway ce where he sensed the presence of the individual he had marked and vanished from his ce to go see them. Unfortunately, on the way, he caught a repulsive scent of blood mixed with the scent of an individual that made him a bit angry for some reason.

    Kyle halted above a barrenndscape. He had sensed many other people around him since he arrived here, and he was sure they were also exploring the Sacred Divine Land just like him. That''s why, to avoid unnecessary inconvenience, he always avoided them. However, among those presences, this familiar yet unfamiliar dark scent stood out distinctly, as if his body was drawn to it intentionally.

    "I feel like even though I forgot, my body remembers... who is this person to make me angry just by their scent alone? It''s definitely not Aze because I can clearly sense their rank... So?"

    Kyle nced to his left and vanished, only to reappear above a cluster of boulders. He gazed down at the concealed narrow tunnel that descended underground towards one of the numerous buried chambers he had sensed in thisnd. In the next second, a cold smile crept across his face as he leaped and entered the tunnel.

    "Well, whoever it is, I will figure it out after giving them a little beating, won''t I? It won''t take much time, I''m sure."

    He blinked, and his vision adjusted to the darkness enveloping him as he walked through the tunnel leading down. After a minute or so, Kyle''s eyes narrowed at the light at the other end of the tunnel.

    He stepped out into an open area that shimmered brightly due to the slightly ajar, majestic silver gate adorned with various symbols that loomed across from him.

    Kyle''s eyes quickly focused on the few individuals fighting before the massive gate. The first thing that caught his eye was the blood pooling beneath their feet before he noticed a middle-aged human male, two male elves, a living male demi-

    human, and the lifeless body of another middle-aged demi-

    human female.

    His gaze narrowed at the middle-aged human who, along with the two elves, was attempting to kill the demi-human. But even after looking at the middle-aged man d in a blue shirt with jet ck hair and a pair of grey pupils, he didn''t remember or feel anything.

    "So, is it just his scent that''s making me feel infuriated? I should inquire if that man recognizes me."

    He had already sensed that none of the individuals in the group were powerful enough to confront him on equal terms. In the next moment, Kyle''s floating body materialized behind the middle-aged man who was wielding a whip towards the demi-

    human and gently tapped his shoulder.

    Instantly, the middle-aged man who had a menacing grin on his face as he and the elves attacked the demi-human froze when he felt the fleeting touch on his shoulder. He snapped his head back, and his eyes dted when he saw the familiar pair of green eyes staring down at him.

    Leroy, the middle-aged man, for the first time since he left the blue through the ethereal tunnel to arrive on the Sacred Divine Land because he was able to construct a new body for himself with the help of the divine phoenix blood, felt like he was dreaming. After all, how could the human he had seen years ago on the blue... the very human who he heard disappeared, leaving behind the phoenix, appear behind him out of thin air?

    His grey pupils trembled slightly because, even though he had only seen Kyle once before when he followed Istalian to check on the youngsters who emerged alive from the ancient realm, he could never forget those piercing green eyes.

    These eyes were the very reason that instead of kidnapping the divine phoenix, he asked Istalian to use a more diplomatic approach to request the phoenix for her blood in exchange for treasures. Leroy''s mouth fell open in a startled shout.

    "You!? How did you get here?"

    He leaped back from Kyle, who stared at him with emotionless eyes. The man was extremely shocked and wanted to know how and why the human who should have been on the blue was here! No way, the main question was how the heck did the youngster find him!?

    Leroy made sure before he left the blue that the ethereal tunnel would bepletely destroyed if anyone else used it after him to take revenge against Odiak, who in the past ordered a group of divine rank individuals to kill him! So... how?

    The two elves fighting alongside Leroy kicked the injured demi-

    human aside and nced in his direction after hearing his loud and shocked exmation. Leroy, however, paid them no attention; he simply began moving with the elves because he needed allies in this dangerous ce. At that moment, he couldn''t fathom just how this human had arrived here!

    A sudden thought crossed his mind, sending him into a bit of a panic... If Kyle is here, does that mean the guardians of the Tower of Opportunity who survived when the ethereal tunnel copsed are also here searching for him?

    But why so soon? It''s not even been five years since he arrived on thisnd!

 Chapter 526 An enemy I need to get rid of

    <h4>Chapter 526 An enemy I need to get rid of</h4>

    Kyle gripped the hem of his hoodie and pulled it back from his head. Instantly, his hair tumbled down to cover his neck as he scrutinized the middle-aged man opposite him from head to toe with a curious look.

    ''It''s clear from his reaction that we both know each other. However, unlike cia, I can''t recall anything even after seeing his face and hearing his voice.''

    ''Only his scent is making me uneasy, almost as if he''s an enemy. Huh, I did say I would trust my instincts, so he should just me that his scent is bad.''

    Leroy calmed down when he noticed that Kyle was alone. He quietly extended his senses to check the youngster''s rank, only to be caught off guard when he found out that the person in front of him had just recently stepped into the divine rank!

    That was predictable since Kyle didn''t bother to conceal his rank. He basically unted it, almost like he wanted everyone to see how strong he was. But once Leroy knew his rank, he let out a deep breath. The middle-aged man realized he had only panicked because Kyle had appeared behind him too abruptly!

    Leroy shook his head and wanted tough at himself. Just what had caused him to panic upon seeing a divine rank person?Sure, Kyle was a threat to him back on the blue when he didn''t have a physical form, but now that he had a body, he had almost regained all his former power! He was a transcendent rank individual for the world''s sake! How in the hell could he get startled by a mere divine rank?

    He just needs to finish Kyle off and leave before the guardians of the Tower of Opportunity arrive and find him. Yeah, that''s right, he just has to kill this silver-haired human. Nothing else.

    Leroy''s expression brightened the more he thought about it, but before a smile could settle on his face, he stilled as a chill ran down his spine upon seeing an evil smile at the corners of Kyle''s lips. The silver-haired man peered directly at him with those green orbs that threatened to swallow him whole. Then, a deep voice emanated from his lips.

    "It''s been a while, hasn''t it? How about we reconnect and address any unfinished business from the past?"

    "What do you say?"

    The middle-aged man snapped out of his trance but then burst intoughter at Kyle''s words. The two elves stared at him and the silver-haired man with furrowed brows. One of them even asked Leroy if he needed help, but he waved dismissively at the elves.

    "No need. Just handle that demi-human. This silver-haired fellow is my target. After all, we do have a bit of a history, don''t we? Let''s reconnect, shall we?"

    Kyle raised his brow at the man, and his feet finally touched the ground.

    "Nice, I like it."

    Leroy''s smile faded, reced by a menacing expression as his figure turned into a mirage, and he vanished from his spot. The whip in his hand crackled with dark energy as he struck it out at Kyle. The air quivered at the attack as he watched the whip edge closer to the silver-haired man''s body, who stayed rooted in his ce.

    He and the two elves were at the initial stage of transcendent rank. The trio had been trying to take out two demi-humans who were both at the middle stage of the transcendent rank. All five of them found this ce at the same time and just wanted to enter the hidden ancient tomb. It was only after they reached the silver gate and opened it that they discovered only a limited number of individuals could enter. Therefore, eliminating the others was necessary.

    Kyle blinked as he witnessed the dark energy emanating from the whip. He couldn''t help but question why the man seemed so slow in his movements even though thetter had reached the transcendent-rank.

    ''His foundation is weak...''

    He could clearly see every single action of the middle-aged man as the man sprinted towards him with the whip handle tightly gripped in his hand before snapping the long slender leathersh towards him. But what made his rxed demeanor change was the intense killing intent he perceived in the man''s grey eyes.

    Kyle''s eyes turned indifferent, and he grabbed the whip when it was just an inch away from his body. He quietly muttered under his breath with a nonchnt voice as he witnessed Leroy''s expression morph into one of pure shock and disbelief when he seized the whip.

    "This won''t be an enjoyable fight... But one thing''s for sure �� this man is definitely an enemy I need to get rid of."

    The elves in the distance who had cornered the injured demi-

    human were stunned when they witnessed the scene. They wanted to help the middle-aged man since, in the end, Leroy was their teammate. However, before they could even budge, Leroy''s body was thrown backward, and the man cried out in horror and pain.

    Kyle disappeared from his spot and reappeared in front of the man''s body. And before the man could even get his bnce back, his eyes dted as Kyle clenched both of his fists together and mmed them down at his body.

    In an instant, dust and debris scattered in every direction as the middle-aged man''s body was driven deep into the ground.

    The two elves in the distance and the injured demi-human quickly stepped back from the swirling dust, their eyes wide with disbelief. How could a transcendent rank be taken down so swiftly and effortlessly!?

    They watched with bated breath as Kyle waved his hand, making the dust scatter in all directions before the silver-haired human grabbed Leroy''s leg and pulled the groaning, bloodied man out of the crater without a single emotion on his face.

    Kyle''s grip on the man''s leg tightened so intensely that a distinct, crisp sound of bone breaking echoed through the air, apanied by the middle-aged man''s painful cries.

 Chapter 527 Does any one of you want to help him?

    Chapter 527 Does any one of you want to help him?

    ??Leroy''s head was spinning violently. He could not even make out what in the world happened because everything just unfolded too fast for his mind to grasp onto even a single thing.

    He unconsciously wanted to crawl away from the agonizing hold on his leg, but before he could, his body was once again hurled upward before crashing painfully into the ground with a resounding thud that intensified the ringing in his ears.

    Kyle mumbled a spell under his breath and controlled the wind around him to disperse the dust. He nced at the two elves and the injured demi-human in the distance with a chilling smile.

    "Does any one of you want to help him?"

    The demi-human shook his head at him with an angry expression. He was already badly injured and wanted to witness at least one of the individuals who killed hispanion die before his eyes.

    On the other hand, the elves quickly retreated with horrified expressions. The duo had recently attained the initial stage of the transcendent rank, and after witnessing how effortlessly the silver-haired man defeated someone of a simr rank to them, they realized he was much stronger than they were.

    No way, they wanted to get involved in this mess! They don''t even know who Leroy is! Yes, they have no connection with the middle-aged man!

    The pair swiftly shook their heads like the demi-human, but a chill ran down their spines when Kyle spoke up again, this time staring directly at them with eyes that glowed ominously for some reason.

    "If you all don''t want to join, then what the fuck are you doing here? Huh? Watching the show? Get out of here."

    His words barely faded, and the two elves hastily scrambled toward the tunnel they came from to leave. Kyle''s eyes narrowed sharply as he nced at the demi-human who didn''t move from his spot. A deep chuckle rumbled from his throat.

    "What, didn''t get my words? Need me to spell them out for you again?"

    The demi-human opened his mouth to say something, but when he saw the silver-haired man stepping toward him, he gritted his teeth and also ran off towards the tunnel to leave the open area.

    Kyle clicked his tongue with a scoff as he nced at the man''s fading figure. But a smile crept onto his lips as he moved next to the middle-aged man. Then he lifted his foot and firmly nted it on Leroy''s uninjured leg to halt the man who was discreetly attempting to crawl towards the massive silver gate opposite them.

    "Where do you think you are headed? I don''t recall asking you to get lost as well."

    Leroy clenched his fists, and another scream ripped from his throat when Kyle forcefully pressed his foot into his leg. His eyes contracted as the silver-haired man bent down in front of his face and roughly pped his cheek a few times.

    "Don''t you dare pass out. I need to ask you some questions. If you tell the truth, we are good, but if you lie, I will break one of your..."

    Kyle drawled his words as he scanned the man''s bloodied body.

    "... intact bones for each lie. I have a skill simr to a lie detector, you know?"

    He lied with a straight face, thinking if a skill that can detect lies truly exists? Well, even if it doesn''t, it''s not like the man who is right under his mercy would have the audacity to question.

    Leroy stared at the silver-haired man with a pair of horrified eyes. How could the human he remembered who hadn''t even stepped into the pseudo-divine ranke so far as to make him so miserable?

    His mind did not help much either because it was too jumbled up from the events that happened in mere moments. Moreover, his whole body was screaming with pain. So, he simply nodded his head at Kyle while he secretly started searching inside his mind space to find an artifact or anything that could save him from this situation.

    He swore he would forget about the revenge he desired against Odiak and go into hiding all his life if he made it through the day! Ultimately, his life held the utmost significance. If he couldn''t even survive, what purpose would revenge serve...?

    But his expression sank only after hearing Kyle''s first question... Leroy''s lips quivered, and agony was evident in his grey eyes as he stared at the silver-haired man with shock and disbelief. Kyle offered him a smile that failed to reach his eyes.

    "Well, well, you seem to understand the situation you are in quite well. So, my first question is: Who are you, and what enmity do we both have between us?"

    Leroy wanted to scream so badly to ask the human if he doesn''t even know him, then why the heck did he beat him half dead!? His eyes zed red with veins ring around the white surface.

    In that moment, his mind cleared up for a while. He finally pieced together everything that had happened now and in the past. If he remembers correctly, Kyle had never seen him before, right?

    Sure, the human felt his presence when he was hiding in Istalian''s shadow, but that was the only time Kyle sensed him! They never crossed paths again, so why was the silver-haired man so hell-bent on ending his life? Right, he remembered he left behind a resonite gem on the blue to proudly inform the survivors that he caused the ethereal tunnel explosion... but if Kyle had seen that recording, he wouldn''t have asked the question he just did!

    Still, he swallowed all his protests, and fear was evident on his face as the green eyes ring down at him grew impatient.

    He wanted to plead, but his words got stuck in his throat as Kyle grabbed his hair and forcefully mmed his face into the ground with a click of his tongue. Leroy coughed up blood, and his eyes began to roll as a deep voice echoed in his ears.

    "Do you expect me to wait around all day for a single answer?"

 Chapter 528 At least, I didnt die

    Chapter 528 At least, I didn''t die

    ??A frown was visible on Kyle''s face as he gazed at the man sprawled before him. He got the answer to his first question, albeit somewhat vague. Perhaps the vagueness stemmed from his missing memories. The man disclosed his name and mentioned a known as the ''blue,'' the birthce of both him and Kyle.

    Subsequently, he exined that their enmity was minimal since they had never formally crossed paths, except Leroy messed with the ethereal tunnel before leaving the blue. So, if someone attempted to use the tunnel to reach the Sacred Divine Land after him, they would either die or be lost in the vast universe if they were sucked into the messed-up ethereal tunnel.

    The man did this to get back at his old enemy, Odiak, and nned to kill as many of the guardians of the Tower of Opportunity as possible.

    Kyle let out a sigh,pletely unaware of who these guardians were. However, one thing was certain �� he had finally discovered his ce of origin.

    He quickly asked Leroy if the man had any knowledge about his family, friends, or acquaintances he had on the blue, but the man shook his head. Leroy only knew a thing or two about Kyle, mostly what he heard from Istalian.

    Kyle''s interest was piqued when all of a sudden the man hesitatedly shared information about his bonded beast. He was genuinely surprised to discover that it was not a muscr dark beast as he had thought but a beautiful fire phoenix.

    "Bia... you say?"

    He rolled the name on his tongue, and it felt more familiar than he expected. Almost as if he had called this name numerous times in the past. Kyle''s demeanor rxed a bit as he began to exert a little pressure on his head to remember anything about Bia, but unfortunately, even after a long minute, he had no recollection of the phoenix.

    Now, he was curious and eager to see the phoenix, but his eyes darkened when he saw the man before him, who once again attempted to flee when he got distracted. Kyle let out a chuckle and stood up to gaze at the man''s crawling figure.

    "You didn''t lie, I could see it from your bodynguage, but that ethereal tunnel you mentioned... you know, I just formed a bad theory in my head. Do you want to hear it?"

    Leroy clenched his fists when Kyle nted his foot on his back. Instantly, a bad premonition welled up inside his heart. He gritted his teeth and used all his willpower to retrieve the round teleportation bead he had found in his mind space after searching for so long.

    His eyes lit up as he grasped the small white bead in his palm. Now, he would finally be able to break free from the silver-haired man''s grip! He watched with bated breath as a few symbols illuminated above his clenched fist, but before the symbols could teleport him... Kyle casually flicked the symbols away with a bored expression.

    Leroy''s heart sank as Kyle grabbed his hand and peeled open his fingers to snatch the white bead. The silver-haired man clicked his tongue and threw the bead away.

    "Just some low-rank symbols? I thought you would have a better trick up your sleeve to get out of this. Also, it''s a shame you are not interested in hearing my theory."

    Kyle ced his hand over the man''s head, and unlike the first time, this time, sending his spiritual energy into another person''s body topletely erase their memories and consciousness was rather smooth.

    At first, Leroy was a bit confused, but when the pain hit him, he started screaming, yet Kyle''s eyes remained eerily calm. After a few seconds, a light tainted with darkness left the man''s body, and Kyle sensed that thetter had stopped breathing.

    Kyle stepped back from the man''s body and watched as blue mes engulfed the body before it transformed into an ice sculpture that disintegrated into particles and drifted into the air. The moment Leroy spoke about the blue, the ethereal tunnel, and how the man messed it up, Kyle connected the dots between the various incidents.

    He couldn''t recall how he ended up in the No Mana Land, and all he knew was what Hubert had told him �� that the vigers found him in a bloodied state. But now he understood, and he was confident his theory waspletely urate.

    Kyle, whether alone or with others, attempted to use the ethereal tunnel after Leroy, and the tunnel exploded. In the end, out of the two possible oues - death or being sucked into the tunnel - thetter likely happened to him. He was sucked into the ethereal tunnel and somehow ended up in the No Mana Land.

    "At least, I didn''t die."

    He shook his head with a wry chuckle and nced at therge silver gate that stood slightly ajar across from him.

    After pondering for a moment, Kyle approached the door, but he didn''t go inside the tomb. Instead, he gripped the silver door and spread out his scent perception skill. Before, he couldn''t figure out what was in the different chambers he sensed buried underground due to the barriers around them. But now, as he stood in front of one of those chambers with the door open, he effortlessly extended his skill inside to explore its contents.

    Kyle''s nose wrinkled because the smell inside was ten times stronger than outside, especially the scent of decay and death. It was almost as if he was sensing remnants of someone. After a while, he let out a sigh and withdrew his skill because all the treasures within the chamber were linked to spiritual energy. Plus, even if there were treasures that contained divine energy, they weren''t particrly useful to him.

    He stepped away from the silver gate and closed it shut before walking toward the exit of the ce, but at that moment, he saw a familiar small floating body of light approaching him from the distance.

    Kyle clicked his tongue and this time just flicked the mystical spirit away with an annoyed expression.

    "I don''t want any more bugs around me."

    He blinked and vanished from his spot, heading straight toward the presence he had marked. After all, the night was long, and it''s not like he was sleepy.

 Chapter 529 It’s her... the person I marked

    <h4>Chapter 529 It''s her... the person I marked </h4>

    It didn''t take Kyle long, not even a few minutes, to reach a vast, bustling area that was brightly illuminated even at night. He stood above a building and nced at the myriad of people, each belonging to a different race, conversing or wandering among the numerous buildings scattered haphazardly throughout the area.

    The location housed a collection of buildings likely constructed to amodate individuals participating in the diator Arena whocked lodging. Kyle''s gaze swept the area. He saw several stalls and shops selling various things among the numerous buildings. But he couldn''t shake the feeling that despite the lively atmosphere, the air was heavy with tension, as if every person present was vigntly keeping an eye on their surroundings.

    He chuckled and gazed into the distance, away from the bustling area, because while he was on his way here, he felt a significant amount of dark energy spreading across the other half of the Sacred Divine Land, gradually expanding to cover more ground. Also, he sensed many people with a scent simr to the demons he had recentlye across on the elven.

    "I suppose the air is tense because everyone is concerned about a potential attacks from the demons while they rest or sleep. But I wonder how so much dark energy manifested in this ce?"

    Kyle rubbed his chin and started walking on top of the building with a curious look.

    "It''s definitely not spreading because of the demons. They are probably utilizing some kind of artifact or array to spread the dark energy and corrupt thisnd."

    He reached the edge of the buildings and wanted to jump towards another in the distance, but he halted when some powerful presences, which he was sure were of supreme rank or even higher, scanned his body for a second or two before vanishing into thin air.

    Kyle''s expression chilled, and he clenched his fists. He had sensed many powerful presences even before entering this ce, but he didn''t expect them to scrutinize every individual who entered the area to ensure they are not aligned with the dark side.

    It''s fortunate that his bloodline is in his mind space; otherwise, things could have taken a bad turn for him.

    He let out a breath and jumped down from the building to blend into the crowd, aiming to avoid a repeat of the situation as he truly disliked being scanned by others.

    After wandering through the crowd for a while, Kyle arrived at the area mostly upied by elves, and his gaze finally settled on a familiar insignia �� a graceful tree with intricate branches and leaves. He had encountered this exact insignia before, sketched on the attire of many elves on the elven. Kyle observed the group of elves, all of whom had an identical tree symbol on their attire, almost as if signifying their shared origin from a particr.

    He covered his hairpletely that was peeking out from the hoodie and closed his eyes to urately pinpoint the location of the person he had marked. His eyes lit up because it wasn''t far; it was very near. As Kyle moved through the crowd of elves, he approached a distant building where he noticed many elves with the same tree insignia on their clothes.

    However, he stopped outside the building and furrowed his brows because he sensed some supreme-rank individuals inside. But after seeing a few demi-humans entering the same building, he followed suit and slipped in with them.

    The ambiance inside the building waspletely different from outside, and as soon as Kyle stepped in, his nose twitched at the delightful aromas of food wafting through the air.

    He surveyed the area and noticed that the ground floor was filled with numerous wooden tables surrounded by chairs, where many elven men and women were actively taking orders and serving food and drinks to the people seated on the chairs.

    "Would you look at this? They are having a great time here even though the demons are just around the corner."

    He mumbled under his breath with a snicker as he weaved through the tables, but he quickly fell silent when an elderly elf at a far-off table shot him a sharp look.

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched as he eyed the elderly elf who stroked his white beard and gracefully sipped the drink from the ss before him. However, even though the old geezer had averted his gaze, Kyle could keenly feel thetter''s attention on him.

    ''Darn, can''t he think I''m also here to eat? I never thought a supreme-rank person needs to eat too. Just why is he sitting with a bunch of youngsters-!''

    His thoughts abruptly halted as his eyes unconsciously swept across the round table where the old elf was seated, only to pause at a particr face. It was an elven woman in a robe, and just like everyone else around the table, her white robe also bore a familiar insignia of a graceful tree.

    Kyle''s gaze lingered on the locks of long honey-colored hair cascading down her shoulders before settling on her amber eyes, which glowed warmly in the dimly lit atmosphere. His heart, which had remained silent for as long as he could remember, suddenly skipped a beat, and even though it was faint, he vividly sensed it when it quickened its pace.

    He only realized he had been staring at the woman''s face too intensely when the old elf, who had shot him a sharp look earlier, cleared his throat loudly and emphatically mmed his ss on the table.

    Kyle jolted and instinctively spun around when he felt the old elf''s eyes boring holes into his head. He could sense, even from afar, that the old man would surely gouge out his eyes if he stared a bit longer at the woman who was clearly among the people under the old man''s protection.

    Kyle blinked, once, twice, and a few faint images shed through his head, but no matter how much he tried, he wasn''t able to grasp them. In the end, he just let out a long breath and calmed his restless heart that had stirred just after seeing another face. He quietly muttered under his breath.

    "It''s her... the person I marked."

 Chapter 530 You need a hand with something

    <h4>Chapter 530 You need a hand with something</h4>

    Kyle noticed that after the elderly elf emphatically ced his ss on the table, many eyes turned towards him. He quickly scanned the area and casually chose an unupied chair at a table where some elves and two demi-humans were seated across from the elderly elf''s table.

    The elves and demi-humans were surprised when Kyle suddenly joined them and gazed at him with wary expressions. However, they rxed when they detected his rank since he was practically unting it for everyone to sense.

    They were about to ask him to leave their table, but before they could, Kyle cleared his throat and skillfully adjusted his hoodie to reveal his face a bit, then looked over at the elven woman seated nearest to him.

    "Pardon me, miss, may I join you here?"

    The elven woman blinked, taken aback by the pair of green eyes gazing at her eagerly. Before anyone else at the table could object to Kyle, she nodded slightly with a subtle flush on her neck, clearly charmed by the intense gaze upon her.

    Kyle reciprocated with a brief smile that didn''tst more than a few seconds. He softly uttered a quiet ''thank you'', though internally he found his own actions somewhat awkward.

    The other people at the table were all astonished by the exchange that happened before their very eyes and gazed at the elven woman with bewilderment. Her friend even whispered in her ear, questioning why she allowed a stranger to sit next to them. But the elven woman simply shrugged and remarked that it was because he looked handsome. The men at the table scowled at herment and chose to ignore the hooded man who silently beckoned an elderly server to order some food.

    After the server left, Kyle''s eyes once again wandered to the table across from him. Some elves around him tried to talk to him, only to fall silent after being ignored by the man who treated them like thin air once he got what he wanted.

    He gazed at the amber-eyed elven woman seated next to the old geezer who had given him a stern look earlier. Clearly, everyone else around her was dining, but she was evidently ying with her food, lost in her own thoughts. Kyle wanted to gaze a bit longer in the hope of recalling anything about her. But unfortunately, the supreme rank old elf sitting at her table was keeping an eye on him. So, he closed his eyes with a sigh and began to wait for his food.

    ''I know her name... it''s Yue, right?''

    He remembered the two elven women who had spoken to him on the elven and began to think about what else they had mentioned about Yue. They informed him that she waspelled toe to the elven... and when he connected the information gathered from Leroy with this incident, everything started to strangely fall into ce. A sudden thought crossed his mind, and he opened his eyes in surprise.

    ''If she was forced to leave... Don''t tell me I wanted to enter the ethereal tunnel to leave the so I could go find her? Oho, even though I have no memories of her, from my reaction, it''s evident we were very close or perhaps we were lovers?''

    Kyle wanted to chuckle at his own words, but his smile waned as he nced at Yue. He let out a hum, finding it hard to believe, particrly his willingness to go to such lengths for someone else. The truth could only be revealed once the gap in his memory was filled.

    ''I need to talk to her alone, but how can I manage it when she''s surrounded by so many people, especially that old geezer?''

    He clicked his tongue and crossed his arms. The ambiance around him buzzed with myriad scents, particrly food, but everything faded as he began to craft a n to share a private moment with the elven woman, all the while keeping an eye on her table to follow her whenever she left.

    Suddenly, a few more elves joined Yue''s table. They were all young men, which was fine until one of the elves with brown pupils whispered something in the ear of the person sitting in front of Yue, prompting them to leave their seat. The elf then took the vacant seat with a wide smile.

    Kyle''s crossed arms loosened as he gazed at the green-haired elf, whom he discovered was named Sebastian by listening to the faint whispers in the air.

    The old geezer, who had previously given him a sharp look, now directed a simr nce at Sebastian, but the man simplyughed it off without a care.

    It was tolerable when the bastard attempted to engage Yue in conversation despite her obvious annoyance. Kyle''s eyes sharpened when Sebastian and the elves who arrived with him took out a few ss bottles of liquor from their mind space they had purchased at a steep price from a stall outside. He sneered as Sebastian confidently imed that the drink they had acquired was very strong and was rumored to intoxicate even divine-rank individuals.

    The supreme-rank old geezer at their table, even though asked the youngsters not to drink just anything, seemed tempted to try the drink and sneakily took one of the bottles for himself.

    It was very normal to have a drink with food, and Kyle stayed calm, but he reached his limit when Sebastian and his friends began pressuring everyone at the table to drink it, even including Yue.

    "That bastard..."

    The people around Kyle were startled when he cursed out loud with dark eyes. They nced at each other, but before any of them could ask him what happened, Kyle abruptly stood up and left the table. Okay, he was officially pissed.

    He walked toward an old server and inquired about where to settle the bill for the food he had ordered but had not yet reached his table. The old man pointed toward a counter in the distance where a young human was seated. Kyle nodded and approached the person, who gazed at him with a bored expression and requested some mana stones.

    Kyle''s lips curved into an evil smile as he retrieved the fruit filled with divine energy from his mind, which he had previously stored, and tossed it onto the counter. The blue-haired man at the counter was surprised and quickly stored the fruit before gazing at him with a knowing smile.

    "So, you need a hand with something?"

    "I do, first off, I need a room in this ce, and the second..."

    Kyle dragged his words and nced at Sebastian as he ced his arm on the counter.

    "See that elf over there? He''s really getting on my nerves. Can you help me get him out of this ce? I will handle the rest."

    The blue-haired man''s smile broadened as he looked at Sebastian.

    "Just that? Sure, it''s no problem."

 Chapter 531 A bonded beast?

    <h4>Chapter 531 A bonded beast? </h4>

    Sebastian let out an annoyed huff when a young server told him that someone was looking for him outside the building.

    He furrowed his brows, wondering who it could be since all the people he knew were seated with him. But his curiosity got the best of him, so after informing his friends that he would be stepping out for a bit, he stood up and left the table.

    Yue gazed at his fading figure and let out a deep breath. She quickly ced the ss that Sebastian had handed her on the table, but she had already taken a few sips of the fruity drink because so many people were asking her to, even the females. Moreover, the drink turned out to be stronger than her expectations, and after just a few sips, she could feel its effects.

    She sighed and looked under the table where Nox was seated, eating meat from the te ced before him.

    The lynx refrained from climbing the table because he disliked it when others touched his body. Nox looked up when he sensed Yue''s gaze and tilted his head.

    ''What happened?''

    His voice echoed in her head, and Yue pinched her brows with a frown.

    ''It''s barely been a day since we got here, and Sebastian is already getting on my nerves. Also...''

    She hesitated, wanting to mention that she had been sensing an intense gaze on her for some reason.

    Nox let out a sneer.

    ''I suggested you just pummel him... but hold on... you have already done that numerous times, and it seems like he enjoys being beaten up by you. So, you taking a swing at him is off the table. How about I handle him this time?''

    Yue smiled at the lynx''s words, but her following words betrayed her harmless expression.

    ''It''s dangerous here... so return as soon as you are finished.''

    Nox chuckled darkly and stealthily slipped away from under the table without anyone noticing. He had recently stepped into the pseudo-divine rank, so he was eager to test his new strength. He knew Sebastian was stronger, but he had trained alongside Yue and knew that the green-haired mancked a solid foundation, having only relied on treasures to reach the Divine rank just to follow Yue to the Sacred Divine Land.

    Therefore, the lynx was confident he could defeat him. If not, he nned to use his true form to overpower Sebastian.

    After Nox left, Yue stood up, and even though a few people tried to stop her, she informed them that she was tired and wanted to go rest in her room.

    The supreme-rank elf in charge of safeguarding the young ones while the other supreme rank elves were away gave her an approving nod with a slightly tipsy look as he had consumed half the bottle of the liquor he secretly took from Sebastian, and she quickly left the table, heading straight to her room.

    Yue could not quite describe it, but ever since the Tree of Fate avoided her touch, she had been feeling strange, almost as if something positive was about to happen. The drink she had just consumed only intensified this feeling. However, she chuckled at herself, thinking what good could possiblye her way.

    In the meantime, after Nox leaped out from the building exit, he scanned the area with a sinister gleam in his eyes.

    The lynx deftly dodged every person in his way as his piercing blue eyes scrutinized every face to spot the familiar one. His gaze halted and his eyes narrowed upon seeing Sebastian being dragged away by a hooded figure in a dim alley.

    ''Huh...? Oh no! Someone is stealing my prey! Who dared to!''

    Nox''s scales stood up as he hissed and swiftly followed Sebastian and the hooded man into the alley. However, he blinked the moment he entered the alley because some strange symbols lit up in the air and closed the area around him with a thinyer of divine energy, almost as if sealing it off from others'' senses.

    The lynx started regretting the time when he followed behind Sebastian after seeing how the hooded man beat the shit out of the green-haired man with little to no effort. At one point, he even covered his eyes with his paws in shock, but Nox''s breath hitched in his throat when he caught a glimpse of the hooded man''s face as his hoodie slipped from his head.

    ''Kyle!!!!''

    His eyes widened in shock as he gazed at the man opposite him.

    Kyle casually flung Sebastian''s battered body aside with a click of his tongue and abandoned the weeping elf to fend for himself. He nced at the pseudo-divine rank beast that had stealthily entered his presence concealing array a while ago, only to be met with a pair of astonished blue eyes fixed on him as if they had encountered a ghost.

    "..."

    Kyle furrowed his brows, and before Nox could react, he vanished from his spot and grabbed the lynx by his neck, staring at his body with a curious expression.

    "A bonded beast? I have seen a few on my way here, but to whom do you belong? Don''t tell me you are bonded with the idiot I just beat up?"

    Nox was left gaping at him, but his shock soon morphed into bewilderment. How could the human not recognize him when he vividly remembers the day Kyle wanted to cook and eat him up!?

    That''s just not fair! Hold on, maybe it''s because he has changed a lot in thest few years. Yeah, that''s it, but then again, his body hasn''t changed much, so why is the human looking at him with eyes that seem to suggest he doesn''t know him.

    Nox''s body tensed as Kyle sniffed the air around him. The human''s eyes lit up with a strange glint, and a sense of foreboding welled up inside the lynx''s heart.

    This feeling was proven correct when he heard the human''s next words.

    "Are you Yue''s bonded beast? I can smell her scent connected with you. How about I take you to meet your bonded partner? It''s a dangerous night, you know. You could get lost in a dark alley."

 Chapter 532 Of course, it wasn’t me!

    <h4>Chapter 532 Of course, it wasn''t me!</h4>

    Nox fell silent because something was definitely off with Kyle... like, really off, especially the aura surrounding him. It had be much scarier. As he caught Kyle staring at him, he simply nodded.

    He would just let Yue handle the silver-haired human. After all, she would be happy to see him again.

    Kyle gave him an approving look, slightly pleased that the lynx didn''t attempt to escape his grasp.

    However, from the beast''s behavior, a thought crossed his mind that perhaps he knew this little lynx as well?

    He ced the beast on his shoulder and, after taking onest look at Sebastian''s body, he exited the alley. Instantly, some curious onlookers who had previously seen Nox with Yue turned their attention to Kyle as he re-entered the building, only to discover that Yue left the table.

    Kyle noticed that the supreme-rank old geezer was drunk and preupied in his own world. So, he effortlessly slipped away from the ground floor and began climbing the spiraling staircase leading up to the higher floors. He wanted to sense the mark he had ced on Yue to know her exact location and follow it, but he paused when a young voice sounded in his head.

    ''Just follow me.''

    He tilted his head toward the lynx on his shoulder and watched as the beast jumped down and began climbing the staircase.

    Nox gazed back at the human and, after ensuring the man was closely following behind him, the lynx quickened his pace until he reached the fourth floor.

    Kyle followed him onto the floor and discovered a symmetrical arrangement of wooden doors on either side, each marked with a different number tag.

    His gaze immediately shifted towards the lynx, only to see the beast sitting before a door in the distance.

    Nox looked at the silver-haired man who approached him and ced his paw on the door with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He called for Yue in his head and asked her to open the door because he was done with Sebastian. Instantly, a surprised voice echoed in his mind as the elven woman questioned him how he did it so quickly while she opened the door for him.

    ''Don''t me me... It''s a little revenge for the time you wanted to cook and eat me!''

    The lynxughed inwardly as the door in front of him creaked open, and he swiftly slipped inside before mming it shut with his horns. Kyle stopped in his tracks and stared the door that mmed shut before his eyes. His eyebrow twitched, but then a smirk crept onto his lips.

    "Little one, do you believe a weak door can prevent me from entering the room?"

    Inside the room, Yue blinked and watched as Nox leaped towards the only bed in the distance with a smug expression.

    Her face had a slight flush because she was feeling a bit tipsy from the drink she had earlier, even though she had used her divine-energy to remove it from her body. Yue let out a faint smile when she sensed Nox''s emotions; the lynx was feeling proud, and she thought it was because he had beaten up Sebastian quite badly. However, she wondered how he did it so quickly. That''s why she approached the bed and crossed her arms with a curious expression.

    "So... what did you do? I sensed your emotions were quite troubled for a while after you left the building, but then you became very happy. Hmm, I can''t believe you defeated a divine rank so easily."

    Nox''s eyes sparkled.

    "Of course, it wasn''t me! Not me at all! It was someone else, someone Yue wants to see so badly. He''s outside the room!"

    Yue looked confused and gazed at the lynx, who messed up the bedsheet with a yawn.

    "Who are you-!"

    Her words were interrupted when Nox stood up on the bed and gasped sharply.

    "Oh no! He entered the room without permission!"

    Yue''s eyes narrowed sharply when she sensed the divine energy behind her stir. She spun on her heels, and instinctively reached out for her weapon as she stared at the wooden door across from her.

    "Who?"

    She had let her guard down, thinking that with a supreme-rank individual protecting her and the other elves, no one would dare to attack them. However, who would have imagined someone would be bold enough to enter her room!

    Yue swiftly nocked an arrow in her bow adorned with spiritual energy stones and spread out her senses to identify the intruder, but her expression sank when the air before her cracked, and with a speed visible to the naked eye, the divine energy in the air converged to create a portal that expanded to engulf a significant area.

    She prepared herself to attack as a man cloaked in a hoodie stepped out from the portal, but her breath hitched in her throat, and her eyes widened when she locked eyes with the familiar pair of green eyes staring back at her. Instantly, the bow and arrow in her grasp fell to the ground with a resounding thud that reverberated through the quiet room. It took Yue a few moments to ept that what she was seeing was not a figment of her imagination. She staggered and gasped in disbelief.

    "Kyle...?"

    Kyle stared at the shocked woman before him and muttered softly.

    "Yes."

    He waited outside the room for a minute to gather his thoughts on what he wanted to discuss with her, but even after that, now that he was standing before her, he didn''t know where to begin.

    Right... he should start by asking why she left the blue and when, but before he could utter another word, Yue''s figure disappeared from her spot.

    ''No, she didn''t disappear...''

    His mind supplied because he could see hering towards him, but he didn''t move and just watched as she heaved all her weight onto his body.

    Due to the sudden movement, Kyle staggered, and they tumbled to the ground together with a soft thud. He released a deep breath when Yue clutched his clothes tightly and buried her face in his chest,pletely disregarding the fact that they had just dropped to the ground.

 Chapter 533 Is it really you?

    Chapter 533 Is it really you?

    ??Kyle blinked and gazed at the dark ceiling quietly as he felt the warmth from the body above him that felt very familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time.

    A few fleeting images shed through his mind and he tried to grasp them, but they slipped away from his reach as he stilled upon hearing a faint sob from the woman above him. She murmured softly.

    "Kyle, Kyle, Kyle... is it really you?"

    Kyle shut his eyes and clenched his fists as he heard Yue call out his name repeatedly, as if making sure he wasn''t just a figment of her imagination. How he wondered she would react when she found out that hecked all the memories rted to her...

    Instantly, a bitter sensation spread across his chest, and his heart pained whenever he heard Yue''s sobbing voice. This sour feeling alone was enough to make him believe that she was truly his lover... The moment this thought crossed his mind, his body strangely rxed.

    His hands, which had been still beside him all this time, hovered above her, and when she called out his name once again, this time much louder, he wrapped one hand around her waist and ced the other on her head before whispering softly.

    "Yes, its me."

    He felt it distinctly when Yue''s grip on him tightened, and she pressed her face further into his chest before calling out once again.

    "Kyle..."

    A mirthful chuckle rumbled out from his throat, and it was as if a knot loosened in his heart, he replied with a faint smile.

    "Yes."

    Yue nodded slightly and slowly but surely loosened her grip on him. Kyle noticed with a soft sigh that she didn''t move and stayed still on him. They stayed on the floor in silence for a long time.

    Kyle let out a hum and was surprised even at himself that his body didn''t reject the warmthing from her body.

    He stared at the dark ceiling and started ying with her hair by running his fingers smoothly through her long locks. Her hair was smooth, silky, and emitted a pleasant scent. Unlike the countless scents that always overwhelmed him, this scent was gentle and gave him a nice feeling.

    Kyle unconsciously tilted his head and buried his nose into Yue''s neck to take another sniff of the sweet scent. Only after he had done so did he pause and blink, a bit surprised at his own actions, but before he could move back, the elven woman in his arms finally stirred.

    Yue raised her face to stare at him with red-rimmed eyes. Clearly, she was happy to see him again, but she just couldn''t stop the emotions she had been keeping inside herself from the moment she left the blue from bursting. Now that she had calmed down, she was feeling a bit embarrassed at her behavior.

    Kyle tilted his head to get a better view of her face and raised his hand to tuck the locks of hair cascading down toward him behind her ears. He gazed into her eyes with a smile, but his next words caused Yue''s already flushed face to turn an even brighter shade of crimson.

    "Done crying?"

    She rolled her eyes and let out a huff before softly punching his chest. However, she paused when Kyle wrinkled his brows as if her fist had caused him great pain.

    "I didn''t hit you that hard! No, I didn''t even put pressure into it..."

    Yue stared at her hand, thinking maybe she identally used divine energy. After all, she had been training non-stop, so perhaps she instinctively used it. Also, her fist was heavier than before. However, her eyes widened with disbelief when she saw how Kyle coughed to hide hisughter.

    "You!"

    She raised her fist to punch him again but stopped mid-way and released a breath. Yue decided to let it go because she was feeling happy after seeing him.

    Kyle thought she would finally stand up, but how wrong he was because this time she just pressed her face into his neck. There was hesitation in Yue''s voice when she spoke up again.

    "So... how have you been? Are you angry that I left the without telling you? I am sorry. I thought I would be able to tell you, but it happened so suddenly..."

    She paused for a bit and after gathering her thoughts started bombarding him with one question after another.

    "How did youe to Sacred Divinend? What about Bia? No, how did you find me? What about the others?"

    Kyle let out a chuckle and surprised Yue by grabbing her waist tightly before he stood up from the ground. She hastily wrapped her hands around his neck for support and stared at him unblinkingly. His movement faltered when he sensed her intense stare, but he quickly approached the bed in the distance and lowered her body onto it.

    "Don''t you think it''s cold? The floor and then... my body as well."

    She shook his head.

    "Not really, it''s fine, and the sensation is pleasant. Also, as long as I remember, your body has always been cold, so I was just a little surprised when it was even more colder than before."

    Kyle raised his brow... so they have had intimate physical contact before? He quickly refocused his thoughts before they strayed in the wrong direction, but then his eyesnded on a familiar lynx peacefully sleeping in the center of the bed. He narrowed his eyes and approached the oblivious lynx.

    Nox let out a startled gasp when Kyle grabbed his neck, and his eyes widened with shock when the human tossed him away from the bed as if he were a rag. He looked at Yue forfort but despair clouded his gaze when he saw her eyes fixed on the silver-haired man. Instantly, a shuddering thought crossed his mind, it seems from now he had to get used this treatment. No way! Nox screamed in his head and wanted to jump toward Yue but when he saw Kyle he quietly turned around and epted his fate.

    Kyle nced around. When he entered the room, he didn''t notice, but it waspletely empty, with nothing but a bed in the center, a table, and a chair on the right side. There wasn''t even a window, and the dim light inside wasing from the two bright stones embedded in the walls.

    He sat on the bed and ced his hands behind him to bnce himself before looking at the elf who had been watching him. Yue blinked when he remained silent and asked again.

    "So how have you been? Also, Bia, where is she? Why is she not with you?"

    Kyle let out a thoughtful hum.

    "Well, I''m doing alright, as you can see. As for Bia, I''m not sure. She has never been by my side for as long as I can remember."

 Chapter 534 I placed a mark on your body

    Chapter 534 I ced a mark on your body

    ??Kyle let out a sigh inwardly. Initially, he was here just to talk to her, to figure out why she left the blue and to confirm if he had truly left the to search for her.

    But after seeing her and having a conversation with her, he felt that it was fine for her to know that he remembered nothing if she was his lover.

    He felt it strongly, the distress and bitterness creeping into his heart as he heard her soft cry above him and could do nothing but hold her tightly. That''s why he feared if he acted oddly in her presence or said something different from his usual self, she would surely question him. If she found out about his memory loss on her own and thought he kept it hidden because he couldn''t trust her, it would surely break Yue''s heart, a sight he was certain he couldn''t bear to see.

    Heughed to himself inwardly at how effortlessly he feltpelled to share everything with her.

    ''So, the feelings are mutual, huh? It''s surprising that with my personality, I developed feelings for someone. I wonder about when and how... Now, I truly wish to recall what I have forgotten.''

    Kyle looked at Yue as she furrowed her brows in confusion at his response. It was understandable because he had just said that his bondedpanion, who should have always been with him, hadn''t been by his side for as long as he could recall. He lifted his hand and gently ced his finger between her brows to ease the tension.

    ''It''s fortunate we met before I entered the No Mana Land. If not, I fear that even if we crossed paths, I might have just walked past without forming a true connection.''

    Yue blinked at the sudden cold touch but looked away when she saw Kyle staring at her with a soft expression.

    She cleared her throat and moved his hand, worried they wouldn''t be able to continue the conversation like this!

    However, her eyes unconsciously drifted down to his body; even though he was in a hoodie, it couldn''t hide his toned physique. He appeared more muscr, almost as if he had trained his body a lot. Looking back at his face, she noticed he also appeared more handsome, and for some reason, his presence was intimidating, more so than hers, even though she could clearly sense that the divine aura emanating from his body was weaker than hers.

    She had reached the final stage of the divine-rank, and from Kyle''s aura that was disyed to the world, she knew he had recently entered the divine-rank. So, why did it feel like he was stronger than her? But then she shook her head because he had always been stronger... maybe he was concealing his strength?

    Yue''s eyes widened as she realized her thoughts were drifting off the important discussion! Snap out of it! It''s not the time to admire his physique and strength! She quickly refocused and resumed speaking.

    "What are you saying? Bia should have always been with you. She is your bondedpanion. Also, there''s no way she would leave your side on her own ord!"

    She watched as Kyle lowered his hoodie from his head and let his body drop backward onto the bed as if he owned it. He ced his arm behind his head, and her heart sank when he nodded and let out a silent ''right''. A bad premonition welled up inside Yue''s heart. How could the Kyle she knew talk so nonchntly when they were discussing Bia? Bia was someone he cherished a lot!

    "You-!"

    Her words were interrupted as he took her hand and pushed her to lie down beside him. Yue wanted to sit up again because they really needed to talk, especially when she could clearly sense that something was definitely off with him, but her movements paused when she heard his next words.

    "I know what you are thinking, but it''s because I don''t remember her."

    "Not just Bia, I don''t remember anyone. The knowledge I have is all that I have gathered. So, don''t ask me anything about her because I won''t be able to answer."

    It took a few seconds for Kyle''s words to sink into Yue''s head, and when they did, she grabbed his clothes and let out a faint whisper filled with disbelief.

    "What...?"

    Her eyes trembled as she reyed his words in her mind, especially the part where he mentioned that he doesn''t remember anyone. Wait... Doesn''t everyone include her as well? The moment this thought crossed her mind, she felt like her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach.

    Yue''s voice quivered slightly as she gathered her courage to ask, with a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, she wasn''t included in those he didn''t remember.

    "What... about me?"

    There was silence for a moment before she heard a deep sigh above her.

    "I am sorry."

    Those words were enough to confirm her fears... he doesn''t remember her either. Yue closed her eyes and clenched her fists tightly. But she rxed her grip when Kyle grabbed her hands and carefully opened her fingers before tilting his head to gaze at her with a distressed expression.

    Yue let out a deep breath and swiftly collected her thoughts. It had been a long time since she had felt so many emotions and showed them so openly on her face. She wasn''t usually like this; she had learned to conceal them, but she just couldn''t in Kyle''s presence. So, she allowed them overflow... because she knew it was okay, even if he didn''t remember. Yet, she still asked to confirm.

    "If you don''t remember me, then why? Why didn''t you push me away? And how did you know that we... no, how did you find me and recognize me when you don''t even remember me?"

    Kyle blinked and let out augh. There were many things he himself didn''t understand, especially how easily he epted the fact that she was his lover.

    "I didn''t push you because I didn''t feel like it. I don''t remember you, but it doesn''t mean my body and heart don''t as well. They do, and they were too reluctant to push you away. As for how I found you and recognized..."

    A mischievous glint shed through his eyes as he picked up a few locks of her hair and took a sniff.

    "I ced a mark on your body."

    "Huh???"

    Yue''s eyes widened as she gazed at him.

    "You did what!? When?"

 Chapter 535 Its good you took care of her

    Chapter 535 It''s good you took care of her

    ??Kyle let out a chuckle at the reaction of the woman lying beside him.

    "I already told you, I don''t remember. How could I know when I did it? But one thing''s for certain, I have always been able to feel your presence because of the mark, even when I forget who exactly I marked."

    Yue gasped and stared at him in disbelief. He marked her, and she had no idea? She let out a soft sigh, but a smile appeared on her face as she thought about how the mark had led him to her, even though he had no memories of her.

    Perhaps Kyle sensed her strange behavior on the blue and decided to mark her to ensure he would know if she ever faced danger, but who would have thought it would turn out this way.

    Yue looked at him and wanted to question how he lost his memories. Did he face a dangerous situation on the blue after she left? Is their home safe? What happened to Bia? Why wasn''t the phoenix with him when thetter had always stayed with him? What about Alec, Lara, Mia, and the others?

    She had numerous questions in her mind but didn''t know where to begin and how much he remembered. In the end, she was not even sure if he would answer or not, so she quietly started fidgeting with her fingers.

    Observing the array of emotions in Yue''s eyes, Kyle snapped his fingers above her face to bring her back from her thoughts. She blinked and stared at his face with furrowed brows because after grabbing her attention, he settledfortably on the bed and closed his eyes. However, Yue''s eyes brighten when he started speaking in a carefree tone with his eyes closed.

    "You know, you can ask me anything you want to know. I will answer if I know and remember..."

    A faint smile appeared on his lips.

    "After all, if I didn''t want to share, I would have never told you Ick memories about the past, and trust me, I had enough knowledge to keep it hidden. So, feel free to ask whatever''s on your mind."

    Yue pushed back his hand that had been ying with her hair and sat down on the bed with a solemn yet curious expression.

    "So... how did you forget?"

    Kyle sighed in regret as his fingers, which had been running through the smooth hair, were left grasping empty air.

    "It''s a long story..."

    He started by sharing how he was found in a bloody state in a far-off ce called the No Mana Land, a ce with no mana and divine energy.

    The old couple who found him were members of the water dragon race that had resided in thatnd for many years. They took him back to their vige and took care of him when he was injured.

    The duo also called their vige leader, Hubert, who healed his injuries with spiritual energy and told him everything about thend he had entered.

    It was a ce where outsiders gradually lost their memories over time, the longer they stayed. Hubert also told him about the grey barrier surrounding thend, which only those with a transcendent rank physique could traverse.

    As he narrated, Kyle''s thoughts briefly turned to Aze, and a flicker of coldness shed across his face. He deliberately omitted every detail about Aze and what he had experienced in the man''s presence. After all, he had known from the moment he saw Aze watching him with little to no emotions while the manaless beasts fed on his flesh that the man was dangerous.

    He didn''t want to risk putting Yue in any danger, so it wouldn''t be wise for her to know about the man, at least not until Kyle had the strength to retrieve the notebook Aze took away from him and became powerful enough to make the man experience what he had endured.

    He opened his eyes, and his expression softened when he noticed how attentively Yue had been listening to him. Her brows were once again furrowed, and her eyes conveyed a myriad of emotions, with sadness being the most prominent one.

    Yue noticed Kyle''s pause, and before he could continue, she dropped onto his arm and hugged him tightly.

    "I''m sorry I wasn''t there with you when you were in such a ce all alone. I thought I was the only one who had to go through hardships, but how wrong I was. Even though I was staying with strangers on the elven, my mother and Elli were with me, but you faced it all alone, without anyone beside you."

    Kyle blinked, and his heart warmed up at her words. He buried his face in her shoulder and let out a bittersweet smile.

    "It''s fine. It''s not your fault. Also, I wasn''t alone; the vigers were with me. Ah, right, Hubert as well. He is my second master, the one who helped me train my physique so I could leave thatnd."

    Yue patted his back, and he chuckled at her gesture. After a brief pause, she cleared her throat and silently asked him to continue.

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched at her words, and he picked up where he left off. He exined that after leaving the No Mana Land, he traced the mark he had left on her, leading him to the elven.

    However, he got there a bitte because she left on a ship right before his eyes. After that, two elven women, Eilli and her mother, whom he had recently learned about from Yue, spotted him, and he had a conversation with them for a while.

    Kyle hesitated when he thought about cia, wondering if he should tell her. After a few seconds, he decided to just say that he killed that woman because she was trying to kill him. Yet, he blinked in surprise when he heard Yue''s response and swore he sensed a hint of pride in her voice.

    "It''s good you took care of her. Nox and I had been wanting to get rid of her too because she had been getting on our nerves from the moment she forcefully took us to the elven."

    "So well done."

    Kyle burst intoughter at her words because, for some reason, the words that came from her mouth sounded truly unexpected. He paused when he felt Yue''s gaze sharpen and cleared his throat with a serious expression.

    "You mentioned Nox... who are they?"

    Yue quickly got distracted and nced around before pointing at the lynx that had been observing everything from a distance, or more precisely, after being thrown from the bed, Nox was watching them roll around on the bed from the ground with a solemn and sour expression.

    Kyle nodded, and Nox felt a shiver run down his spine for some reason when the man called out his name.

    "Oh... he is Nox."

 Chapter 536 They didnt sound too bad

    Chapter 536 They didn''t sound too bad

    ??After Kyle finished speaking, he let out a quiet yawn. He had never realized that talking so much could be so tiring, and now he felt the urge to rest for a while. However, before he could even close his eyes, Yue grabbed his arm and pulled him to sit in front of her with a serious expression.

    "Now, it''s my turn!"

    She dered loudly, and Kyle blinked in response with a mix of sleepiness and confusion on his face.

    "What?"

    Yue giggled.

    "Of course, now that you don''t remember, it''s my responsibility to remind you of what you have forgotten! No need worry, I will fill you in on everything from your past that I know!"

    Kyle groaned and attempted to slump back onto the bed, but Yue pulled him back to sit once more. She was determined not to let him off the hook until she had shared all the information! He sighed and raised his hands in surrender.

    "I am listening."

    Yue smiled at him, and he rested his hand under his chin, prepared to listen to whatever she had to share.

    Unlike him, the elven woman had a wealth of information to disclose. She started by delving into details about his family, and he found out he had two older brothers, Neon and Ray, along with an old father. She also mentioned that his mother had passed away during his childhood due to her weak health.

    Kyle let out a thoughtful hum. He repeated his brothers'' names and his father''s name in his head, only to blinked in surprise when suddenly a faint image of a ck-haired young man, who was showing him his fist with a fed-up expression, shed in his mind. Instantly, he tried to hold onto the memory, but as usual, it slipped away before he could fully grasp it.

    He immediately became attentive because simply listening seemed to be more useful than he expected. Yue let out a chuckle when she saw how he crossed his arms and legs with a solemn expression.

    She didn''t stop and continued. As time passed, Kyle''s sleepiness dissipated, and he became engrossed in her narration.

    But for some reason, he felt like she was exaggerating because she described him as someone who was always strong enough to fight enemies of higher rank.

    Yue also mentioned many unfamiliar yet familiar names, starting with a few humans like Alec, Jian, Carcel, Lara, and Mia before she told him about a demi-human named Sinon, then Regius, an elf.

    She brought up Han as well, his master, but paused for a moment before mentioning Nine, who was someone very close to him and his best friend as well.

    Kyle mumbled the names under his breath. Leaving everyone else aside, he had heard about Nine from Elli and Yue''s mother. Also, from the content of the note he found after he killed cia, he already knew that Nine was his friend. But he was still surprised when Yue told him Nine is a mermaid.

    Instantly, his eyes brightened a bit, and his interest was piqued. A mermaid, he couldn''t believe he had befriended someone from the mermaid race. The more he listened to Yue, the more incredible he felt because, ording to her, all his friends were extraordinarily strong, just like him.

    "So... they are all strong?"

    Yue nodded.

    "Yes, especially Alec! He is, you know, the most hardworking one among us all! Carcel and Jian are also strong, but I don''t know who is stronger, them or Alec. Lara and Mia are too. As for Nine..."

    She let out a chuckle.

    "Last time I heard from Elli that he had a motto to follow you around and bask in your luck! Jian and he both have this motto! When I heard that, I really wondered if your luck is really that high? I do know you are always fortunate, but the duo always exaggerates things!"

    Kyle raised his brow with an ''oh'' as Yue continued and told him how he suddenly went into aa when they were all fighting the monster lords on the blue together. It was all due to a strange man who appeared out of nowhere and retrieved an artifact from his body.

    The elven woman''s eyes reflected bitterness and sadness as she recounted everything that happened while he was in aa, but they softened when she mentioned he woke up soon. Then Kyle, Alec, and the others, along with every remaining soldier on the blue who was willing to fight, engaged in battle against the people from the dark side andpletely vanquished them.

    Kyle''s gaze remained focused as she finished recounting the events. He let out a sigh, gathered all the information he had collected, and began piecing it together. He hadn''t mentioned Leroy and the ethereal tunnel to Yue yet.

    Upon realizing he had many friends and family, he quietly hoped in his heart that he was the only one harmed by the ethereal tunnel and that they were all safe. Hisck of emotions or attachment towards them didn''t matter because he knew he would regain them once his memories returned.

    But when he closed his eyes and sensed Bia''s presence, a feeling arose in his heart that he wasn''t the only one. It seemed likely that someone, or perhaps everyone, was with him on the day he was drawn into the ethereal tunnel. Kyle stared at the dark ceiling with a distant expression.

    ''I just hope they are alive. Nothing else... because from Yue''s ount, they didn''t sound too bad. It wouldn''t be a bad idea to get to know them once again.''

    He chuckled inwardly at his thoughts. It was true that he had started feeling fewer emotionspared to before. That''s why he never imagined that even before gaining his memories, he would worry about other people.

    ''If they are just as strong as Yue had described them, I am sure they will be fine wherever they are.''

 Chapter 537 Did you find who it was?

    <h4>Chapter 537 Did you find who it was? </h4>

    Yue nced at his face. Now she understood why he was so tired after speaking so much because she was, too! Her throat was dry as well! She was sure she had talked the whole night, and the new day had probably started. Well, it can''t be helped; she became too excited and just started to tell everything in detail.

    Kyle stepped down from the bed and headed over to the table in the distance to grab the ss sitting on top of it. With just a snap of his finger, water appeared in mid-air and dropped into the ss.

    He then strolled back to the bed at a leisurely pace, even though he could hear a faintmotion on the building''s ground floor, and offered the ss to Yue, who blinked but then epted it with a smile.

    She observed as Kyle moved to her left side. After picking up the nket, hey down on the pillow, only to gaze at her as she drank the water. When she finished, he patted the space beside him.

    Yue ced the ss on the floor and moved closer to him with a slight blush. However, she blinked in surprise when he simply wrapped her in the nket and suggested she take a nap for a while.

    "Sure..."

    Kyle felt a surge of affection when he noticed a subtle pout on her lips. He took a quick look at Nox and saw the lynx sleeping peacefully on the floor.

    Yue let out a surprised gasp when he grabbed the nket and pulled it over their heads. Her eyes widened as he pressed his lips against hers. She instinctively grasped his shoulders, and her cheeks flushed red. Not to mention, her heart, which had barely quieted down, skipped another beat. But a smile soon appeared on her lips, and she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him toward herself.

    The touch on her lips wasn''t cold, just as she remembered. A giggle escaped her throat when she remembered that just a moment ago he had asked her to sleep.

    ''I wonder who just said that?''

    Nox''s eyebrow twitched violently at the sight before him. He wasn''t sleeping! Yue knew about it! Darn, he hadn''t even turned ten, and he had to witness such a sight.

    ''I need to clean my eyes and mind...''

    He quickly leaped toward the room''s exit with dark eyes, but the moment he slipped out from the door, he noticed a faint ripple in the air, and his eyes widened when he sensed a divine barrier before him.

    The lynx let out a sharp exhale when he thought about how he and Yue both had failed to even notice when this barrier was erected around the room. He flinched when theyer of divine energy in front of him parted to give him enough space to leave.

    ''?''

    A shiver ran down his spine at the mere thought that the silver-haired human could sense everything around him clearly without even using a skill.

    He shook his head and quickly jumped out from the barrier. But the moment he did, it was as if he stepped out from a different chamber altogether because instantly he heard a loudmotion downstairs.

    Nox nced down to the ground floor where the noises wereing from, but then he turned back and noticed that the barrier had be silent as if it had vanished into thin air. He tried to touch it, but his hand met nothing but empty air.

    ''Is this an array?''

    ''It seems to conceal the presence of the people inside the room because I can no longer sense the two of them.''

    Without wasting any more time, he hurried towards the staircase and made his way down to the ground floor. As he reached the ground level, he noticed the light streaming into the building through the entrance, signaling the start of a new day.

    He might have med Kyle for disrupting his sleep and taking his spot on the bed. But all other thoughts dissipated from his mind, and his eyes sparkled with curiosity when he spotted numerous familiar faces gathered on the ground floor.

    Almost fifty of the elves from Luminara who had arrived at the Sacred Divine Land to take part in the diator Arena were gathered on the ground floor. The remaining elves from the same were also joining the gathered crowd with each passing second, either descending from upstairs or entering the building through the entrance.

    Nox chuckled at the sight of Sebastian and the friends the green-haired elf had made on the ship while traveling to the Sacred Divine Land. All four of them were kneeling before the old supreme-rank elf who had given Kyle a sharp look the previous night. The old elf, named Wesley, stroked his beard with a grim expression as he looked at Sebastian''s battered condition.

    Wesley clenched his fist tightly as he thought how someone had the audacity to harm the people under his protection without his knowledge!

    All this went down under his watch! His, a supreme rank individual''s watch! Yet he was intoxicated all night just because of a bottle of liquor. He red at Sebastian, who flinched under his gaze.

    Sebastian felt like crying. After he was abandoned in the alley, he fainted and just woke up as the morning sun was rising. He came to the old man toin and seek help because he was attacked by a hooded individualst night. He never expected to receive punishment instead!

    Another supreme rank old elf with a muscr build entered the building and nced at the many elves crowding the space. All the young elves were informed to gather together so the older folks could find out if someone had seen who beat up Sebastianst night. But unfortunately, no one had any idea how Sebastian got so badly beaten that even as a divine rank, his whole face was swollen with dark bruises everywhere.

    Wesley noticed his presence and asked with a solemn expression.

    "Did you find who it was?"

    The other supreme rank individual shook his head with a sigh. He had searched the whole ce, but he didn''t find the hooded man Sebastian had described.

    Well, it was to be expected because the young elf wasn''t even able to see the face of the person who beat him up.

 Chapter 538 But I can’t sense her

    <h4>Chapter 538 But I can''t sense her</h4>

    The ground floor of the building was shrouded in palpable tension as the elves cast nces at Wesley. The old elf walked before them with a solemn expression. He couldn''t believe they hadn''t found the one who had beaten up Sebastian. Also, to top it off, Sebastian, that idiot, couldn''t even identify the person who had attacked him.

    "Who the hell gave such a useless person the chance toe here with the others?"

    Wesley shot a stern look at Sebastian, and everyone understood who the old elf was referring to. The other supreme rank elf let out a sigh and approached him.

    "Let it slide. I don''t think the one who harmed Sebastian is an enemy. If they were, they would have killed him by now instead of just beating him up. Our kid likely got on someone''s nerves, and that someone retaliated."

    Sebastian wanted to argue that he hadn''t made contact with anyone except the elves who came with him. So, how could he have gotten on someone''s nerves? However, he refrained because he knew the folks in front of him wouldn''t treat him like his father and just brush off his slip-ups.

    Wesley rubbed his temples. After a long minute, he solemnly nodded. He wanted to send the youngsters away, but the supreme-rank elf stopped him.

    He looked at the older man in front of him, who then informed him that upon hearing about what happened with Sebastian, the other supreme rank elves had decided that instead of letting the kids waste time, it would be more beneficial to divide them into groups and go with them to explore some tombs together.

    Wesley nodded. It wasn''t a bad idea. He nced at the young ones and started talking with Oldeus, the supreme rank individual standing opposite him.

    After a while, they used an emblem that was given to every elf under them before leaving the, and sent some signals to call everyone to gather.

    It didn''t take long for over one hundred additional elven men and women to show up outside the building. Wesley and Oldeus also stepped out from the building and began waiting with the young ones for the other youngsters who had not yet arrived. At that moment, two more supreme rank individuals appeared in the air.

    One of them was an old woman, and the other was a cyan-haired male elf who seemed to be in his early forties.

    Wesley greeted the cyan-haired man respectfully, and the man acknowledged with a nod. Ronan was the most powerful among the four, having already reached the pinnacle of the supreme rank.

    Ronan looked at the gathered crowd and requested the older woman next to him to exin everything to the youngsters when they all arrived, as he could see that many faces were missing.

    His eyes moved towards the lynx seated in the distance, observing everything with a bored expression and he started looking around for the beast owner.

    There were a few other elves in the crowd with bonded beasts, but none of those beasts came close to the lynx that had reached the pseudo-divine rank.

    Ronan had encountered Nox before on the ship, and he had also conversed with Yue because he sensed that her aura was akin to the few elves who were stronger and more refined than the rest.

    However, upon not locating Yue, he looked at Wesley to ask about the beast''s owner. But unfortunately, he got no reply as Wesley had also just noticed that Yue was absent from the group of elves.

    Wesley furrowed his brows and scanned the area. Yue should have arrived earlier than everyone else since she was one of the elves staying in the same building as him. So, why wasn''t she here? He spotted Nox and hastened towards the beast.

    "Hey, little one, where is Yue? All the elves received the signal to gather, she should have as well. What is she doing?"

    He extended his senses to ensure nothing was amiss with Yue, but genuine shock filled his eyes when he didn''t sense the elf! Wesley spun around, but before he could react, Nox climbed onto his shoulder and let out a yawn.

    "Don''t worry, she is sleeping."

    The old man looked at the lynx who had just spoken and let out a sigh. He almost had a panic attack, fearing that just like Sebastian, Yue might have faced some problem as well.

    Wesley chuckled to himself because if something had truly happened to Yue, her bonded beast wouldn''t be sitting so calmly before him. Yet, why couldn''t he sense her presence? Had she left the building? He gazed at Nox for an answer.

    "Sleeping? But I can''t sense her? Don''t deceive me, little one, it wouldn''t be good for you. Has she secretly wandered off? If so, it''s fine; after all, many others have done the same. There''s no need to lie."

    Nox''s eyebrow twitched as he shifted his body around the man''s neck, wearing a solemn expression.

    It had been more than a few hours, and the bright day had transitioned into afternoon since he left the duo alone, and he couldn''t help but wonder if they were still up to what he had seen before. But when he closed his eyes and tried tomunicate with Yue, he sensed from her peaceful emotions that she was truly sleeping.

    Sensing his silence, Wesley let out a sigh and attempted to reach for him, but before the man''s hand could even touch the Directly support the authors on WebNovel!

    lynx, thetter slipped away from his grasp. Nox snickered and gazed at the old man.

    reach for him, but before the man''s hand could even touch the lynx, thetter slipped away from his grasp. Nox snickered and "I''m not lying. She underwent intense training under cia before joining your group, so now that she finally has some peace, it''s natural for her to rest as much as possible. Don''t worry about her. She will join us once she wakes up."

    Wesley''s eyebrow twitched. Why did it feel like the lynx was bossing him around? He massaged his temples and looked at Ronan to let him know, only to see the cyan-haired man observing him and Nox.

    Ronan had overheard the conversation between him and the lynx as he stepped toward the lynx and the old elf.

    Wesley furrowed his brows when the man across from him suddenly narrowed his eyes at the building, almost as if sensing something he couldn''t. Ronan looked at the lynx, his brown eyes filled with curiosity and a hint of incredulity because he had just sensed a powerful concealment array crafted around a room to hide everything inside from the outside world.

    "She is indeed sleeping but..."

    He stopped his words midway and he shook his head, thinking he shouldn''t interfere in other people''s affairs.

    If Yue had allowed someone into her room willingly, she must have had her reasons, or perhaps she knew him personally. Ronan had just recently returned to protect the youngsters participating in the diator Arena and doesn''t have much knowledge about her or any other elf under him.

    Moreover, the individual he sensed with Yue... he wasn''t strong, just a divine rank human. He couldn''t be an enemy as well because Ronan didn''t sense even a speck of dark energy from his body.

    ''He may be weak, but his knowledge of arrays is quite profound. If I didn''t have some understanding of them, I wouldn''t have been able to detect the array.''

 Chapter 539 Should I go check?

    <h4>Chapter 539 Should I go check? </h4>

    Wesley stared at Ronan, waiting for him to finish his words, but thetter just patted his shoulder with a sigh and started discussing the topic at hand.

    "There are still around twenty or so youngsters who have yet to arrive here. So, the other two supreme-ranked individuals and I will divide the ones who have already gathered and apany them to train and provide them with a real experience of the tombs they have only read about."

    He stopped and gestured towards the elderly supreme rank elven woman, who, upon receiving his signal, began exining to the youngsters before her that they were going to explore the ancient tombs hidden in the Sacred Divine Land.

    Instantly, many elves were surprised because just a day ago when they arrived on thisnd, the supreme rank individuals had instructed them not to venture beyond the boundaries of this busy area without permission, citing the dangers posed by the dark, demons, and nightkin races freely roaming thend.

    However, their eyes lit up with excitement when the woman assured them that they wouldn''t be alone and that the supreme rank elves would apany them.

    Wesley watched the enthusiastic youngsters. Even though many of them had outgrown being called kids, but for those who had experienced what truly felt like being aged, they were still young and excited individuals. They would one day be stronger if they were fortunate and had the ability to ovee the hardships that woulde their way. Renon removed his hand from his shoulder andpleted his words.

    "You gather those who are absent and guide them to explore a tomb tomorrow as well. By then, everyone should be present. Also, be cautious and reach out to me and the others if anything urs."

    Wesley nodded. The day was already getting darker, so he realized that instead of waiting for the few people who had not arrived yet, the others should leave.

    He would look after the remaining ones. But when everyone was about to leave after the supreme rank elves divided them into groups, Sebastian refused to go. The man insisted on going with Yue. If she hadn''t arrived yet, he would wait.

    Wesley''s eyebrow twitched. The old man had noticed from the short time he had spent with Sebastian how annoying the young man could be.

    So, without a second hesitation, he smacked Sebastian to try to make him see reason. However, to his surprise, Renon agreed with Sebastian''s request and decided to leave the man behind.

    Wesley swore he saw a sly smirk creeping onto Renon''s lips as he looked at Sebastian, and for some reason, that smile didn''t seem quite right. It was a smirk that he had only seen on the man''s face when thetter had predicted something enjoyable and couldn''t wait to witness the results.

    The old elf sighed and shook his head. It was probably just his imagination. After all, no matter how he considered it, there was nothing about Sebastian that would pique Renon''s interest, especially considering the man had reached the final stage of the supreme rank.

    He entered the building and began waiting for the other elves who had scattered to at least observe and explore the bustling area after their arrival here.

    Nox sat on the chair next to him with a nonchnt expression, but then Sebastian, who had finally consumed a few healing potions to get rid of the bruises on his face, arrived beside him and asked eagerly.

    "Where is Yue?"

    "I haven''t seen her for a while now. Is she in her room? Should I go check?"

    Instantly, the lynx hissed at him with a deadpan expression and huffed coldly.

    "Don''t you dare disturb her! It''s been a long time since she slept for so long. Unlike you, I had seen how she was never able to get proper rest in the past few years. So if you dare to go and wake her up, I assure you, you will face another beating simr to the one you receivedst night!"

    Sebastian''s face paled as he recalled what he had experienced the previous night. He shuddered and quickly changed the topic. He was okay with getting beaten up by Yue since the elven woman never seriously hurt him, but being beaten up by that hooded man was definitely a big no-no! Due to his panic, Sebastian didn''t notice what Wesley did. The old elf''s eyes narrowed at the lynx because from Nox''s tone, it seemed like thetter had witnessed what happened to Sebastian firsthand.

    .....

    Inside Yue''s room, Kyle stood before the table with a cold expression. He snapped his fingers, and a few symbols lit up mid-air before vanishing into the barrier he had erected around the room.

    He never thought someone would see through the barrier he made with spiritual energy and masked with divine energy. It was fortunate he sensed it right away when a supreme rank individual peeked inside his barrier using their consciousness.

    He did consider severing that part of the consciousnesspletely with the help of his mental power and spiritual energy, but he knew he couldn''t afford to make enemies stronger than him, at least not when someone he now considered precious was by his side and his actions can potentially bring harm to them.

    Kyle nced at Yue. She was sleeping peacefully with a smile on her face, and his expression softened.

    It was as if the earlier coldness had vanished, and the person exuding that cold yet threatening aura had changed into someone else altogether.

    Kyle stepped toward the bed and made sure the nket was securely tucked around Yue''s body. He nced at her for a few seconds, then he grabbed the edge of his hoodie and slipped it off his body.

    He ced it on the bed before sitting on the floor half-naked to meditate until Yue woke up naturally. He didn''t want to disturb her, especially when the expression on her face was so calm and beautiful.

 Chapter 540 You can follow me openly!

    <h4>Chapter 540 You can follow me openly!</h4>

    The night had already fallen when Yue stirred on the bed. She sleepily reached out to the space next to her, but even after moving her hand up and down, she didn''t feel anything.

    Instantly, her eyes flew open, and she nced around to search for the man who should have been by her side, thinking whatever happened yesterday was a dream. Before her heart could sink into the pit of her stomach, she saw the person she was looking for from the corners of her eyes.

    Yue let out the breath she didn''t even know she was holding and pushed the nket aside before she moved on the bed to get near the silver-haired man.

    He was sitting on the floor before the bed, half-naked, with his eyes tightly closed. The air around him was icy, and Yue could even see ayer of ice beneath him. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she let out a hum and reached out her fingers to touch the space between his shoulders.

    Kyle let out a sigh as he felt her fingers move on his body before she started ying with his hair. He had already sensed her movements from the moment she woke up. Opening his eyes, he shifted his body to grab her hand before leaning back to softly brush his lips against hers.

    "Done sleeping?"

    Yue giggled and moved back.

    "It''s been a while since I slept for so long. How much time has passed?"

    Kyle let go of her hand and reached for his hoodie. He slipped his head inside and pulled it down to cover his body.

    "It''s night. Do you want to eat something?"

    Yue shook her head. She wasn''t feeling hungry, but she blinked when Nox''s voice sounded in her head.

    The lynx expressed his sorrow at how she had left him after meeting the silver-haired human before promptly providing her with a summary of what urred while she was away and informing her that she has to apany Wesley and the other elves tomorrow to explore an ancient tomb.

    Kyle noticed her quietness, and when she released a deep sigh with a frown, he stood up from the floor and settled down on the bed next to her.

    "What''s wrong?"

    She reached out to straighten the wrinkles in his clothes and told him what Nox had informed her before mentioning that she has to join the elves tomorrow. Kyle thought for a few seconds.

    "Do you have to go? You can simply refuse to follow their orders."

    Yue shook her head.

    "I wish I could, but I can''t because Mom and Elli are still on the elven. I can''t risk putting them in danger."

    Kyle nodded and understood she needs to ensure her mother and Elli''s safety before going against the elves. After a brief pause, he proposed another alternative.

    "Should I follow you secretly? I don''t have anything to do right now and just need to gather enough divine energy to advance to the next rank."

    Yue chuckled at his words and shook her head. Her eyes sparkled as she grabbed his hand with a smile.

    "Why should you follow me secretly? You can follow me openly! It''s not like anyone would ask you anything when I tell them that I know you."

    He raised his brow. Now that he thought about it, the elves didn''t have any enmity with him. Even when he beat up Sebastian, he made sure to hide his face.

    They would be wary of him when Yue introduced him to them, but he didn''t think they had any reason to attack him as he would be a stranger to them who wasn''t even strong enough to pose any threat. In just a few seconds, his mind processed Yue''s words, and he nodded.

    "Okay. I''m fine with it."

    Yue rolled her eyes at him. His eyes were saying he would follow her even if she didn''t ask. That''s why she couldn''t believe how hesitant his words sounded, almost as if she was forcefully dragging him along.

    Now that they had settled on their next steps, Yue nced down at her attire. Her robe appeared creased, and even her hair seemed slightly disheveled. She then shifted her gaze to Kyle and discreetly cleared her throat to get his attention.

    "So... you know I need to change my clothes. It won''t take long."

    Kyle looked at her with a puzzled expression, though a spark of interest flickered in the corner of his eyes.

    "You can."

    Yue''s face flushed with embarrassment. There was no bathroom in the room! That meant she had to change in the room. Why couldn''t he understand? She gestured towards the room''s exit and pursed her lips.

    "I know, but can you step out for a while... you cane back when I''m finished."

    Instead ofplying with her request, Kyle propped his hand under his chin and fixed her with a prating gaze. She flinched as his eyes roamed down, taking in every part of her body. He rubbed his other hand''s fingers, and a smirk crept onto his lips.

    "Why though? I have already touched everything. There''s no need to hide it... you know."

    He fell silent as Yue red at him.

    Her face turned a deep shade of crimson when she remembered what they had done before she fell asleep, but even though they had rolled around on the bed for a long time and touched each other, she still felt embarrassed to undress before him!

    Kyle sighed with regret when the elven woman kicked him out of the room. He waited outside for a moment but then remembered that he had also gotten a room for himself in the building the day before and knocked on the wooden door.

    "Hey, once you are finished, head down to the ground floor. I will be stepping away briefly to change too."

    A response came immediately, and after checking the array he had set up around the room onest time, Kyle searched inside his mind space to find the room''s key that the man who helped him get Sebastian out of the building had given him the day before and left the area.

 Chapter 541 Who is that... ?

    <h4>Chapter 541 Who is that... ? </h4>

    After checking the number engraved on the key, Kyle ascended the staircase to reach the fourth floor of the building.

    In a matter of moments, he stood before another wooden door. After unlocking it, he pushed it open and stepped inside.

    Surveying the room, he observed its interior bore a striking resemnce to Yue''s room. It also contained only a bed, a chair, and a table. Kyle shook his head, then snapped his thumb and middle finger.

    Instantly, water materialized before him, then the hovering water merged into arge curtain that mirrored his figure. He took off his hoodie and selected a clean, light blue shirt and dark trousers from his mind space to wear, but when he caught his reflection, his eyes narrowed at his overgrown hair. They had grown too long once again.

    "I had just cut them a few months ago in the No Mana Land. They grow easily if I''m not paying attention. I should use my spiritual energy to halt their growth."

    He didn''t stop their growth even though he could because he wanted to see them grow and recognize the time passing while he was by himself. But now... he realized that Yue''s mere presence was enough to signify the passage of time around him. Kyle gazed at his reflection and grabbed a pair of scissors from his mind space. He undid the band securing his hair, and the silver strands promptly fell down to his neck.

    He had learned to trim his hair after the day when Hubert offered to help cut it short, but Kyle''s eyes reflected pure shock when he saw the condition of his hair.

    They were trimmed short but ended up resembling a bird''s nest. After destroying his hair, the old man burst intoughter and confessed that he had never cut someone''s hair before and wanted to try it for the first time on him. This incident prompted Kyle to go to the vige and learn to cut his hair by himself whenever necessary to prevent a repeat of such a situation.

    He twirled the scissors in his fingers, feeling the weight of the metal tool. Then, he grabbed a section of his hair and began cutting it shorter with surprising speed.

    The silver strands floated to the floor around him as he snipped away, each cut bringing a new shape to his hair. After just a minute, Kyle brushed away the hair that had fallen on his shoulders and took a look at his reflection. The shortened hair gave him a more refined and polished appearance.

    "Not bad. I feel lighter."

    Kyle waved his hand, and the water gathered before him enveloped his body to clean him before disappearing into thin air. He leisurely put on the blue shirt and dark trousers, then left the room, heading downstairs.

    It didn''t take him long to reach the ground floor, and without even ncing around, he knew the ce was bustling with numerous people, just like the first time he entered the building, from the noises in the air.

    He stepped down the staircase, and the moment he did, many eyes turned toward him. Kyle''s ears twitched as he heard many people whispering to each other to know who he was, as they hadn''t seen him enter the building, and it''s not like they would have forgotten such a face once seen.

    Kyle ignored the curious eyes on him and proceeded to walk toward an empty table in the distance to sit down. He didn''t nce around because he knew Yue was still in the room due to the array. However, his attention was immediately drawn to a familiar person standing on his left.

    It was Sebastian with a few more elves and the supreme-rank old elf, Wesley, whose name he had learned from Yue.

    Kyle''s eyes shifted to the round table at the center of the elves, where he saw Nox sitting with a bored expression. He hadn''t spotted the lynx since it left the room, and nodded inwardly at how sharp the little beast was.

    At that moment, his attention shifted to a middle-aged man carrying a food tray towards a nearby table.

    As the middle-aged man approached Sebastian''s location, Kyle''s eyes narrowed, and he quietly murmured a weak spell to control the air.

    The spell was so subtle that it resembled a gentle breeze, but when it reached the tray of food, it momentarily hastened its pace. Kyle moved closer to the empty table he had been heading towards earlier, and he could barely contain a smirk as a loud crashing sound erupted behind him.

    He counted to three in his head, and then Sebastian''s loud cry echoed in his ears. Kyle blinked and turned around to be one of the many audience members who stood up to watch themotion.

    He watched as the green-haired elf bared his teeth at the middle-aged server with a furious expression.

    Sebastian even went as far as to tell the middle-aged man if he were blind to spill the whole tray of food on him, but he shut his mouth because the middle-aged server let out a bit of his aura with a smile that didn''t reach thetter''s eyes. Sebastian''s eyes widened when he sensed that the server was stronger than him!

    He quickly changed tactics and scrambled back to hide behind Wesley before pointing his finger at the server.

    "You! How dare you!?"

    "So what if you are stronger, I have someone even stronger by my side!"

    Before the server could even reply, Wesley smacked Sebastian on the head with a fed-up expression.

    "Would you not make trouble just for a day!? I am telling you I am going to toss you between a nest of insects if you speak even a single additional word!"

    Sebastian''s expression paled when he saw Wesley''s dark eyes directed at him, and he quickly shut his mouth with an aggrieved expression.

    The server nodded and left after Wesley assured him that everything was okay, and they acknowledged that it was an unintentional mistake.

    In that very moment, Yue also stepped down from the staircase. She nced at the heated atmosphere and after spotting Kyle in the distance, she started walking toward him.

    Wesley noticed her figure and raised his hand to call her towards himself.

    All the elves who would be under his guidance tomorrow when they would go to explore a tomb had already gathered at the table; only Yue was missing.

    Now that she was here, he would just discuss their ns for tomorrow with them. However, his eyes narrowed as he watched Yue walk towards a silver-haired stranger and then grab his hand with a smile he hadn''t seen on her face before.

    "Who is that..?"

 Chapter 542 Will he also participate?

    <h4>Chapter 542 Will he also participate?</h4>

    Sebastian furrowed his brows when he heard Wesley''s question. Not only did he, but the other elves behind him also turned their attention to the old elf who had asked the question out loud.

    They followed Wesley''s gaze when they saw a solemn expression on his face. But no one could describe Sebastian''s shock when he saw Yue clinging to an unknown person. He clenched his chest and asked out with a furious expression.

    "Who the heck is that!? No matter who it is, how dare he touch Yue!"

    "I won''t-!"

    His words were abruptly halted as he emitted a pained cry when Wesley struck him on the head with a fed-up expression.

    "I already mentioned for you to be quiet!"

    Sebastian''s expression paled as he massaged his head and let out a cry filled with bitterness and frustration.

    "But, but Yue-!"

    This time, Wesley made no attempt to silence him and simply seized his shoulder before tossing him towards the other young elves behind him with dark eyes.

    "Ensure he remains silent, or else all of you will face the consequences in his ce."

    The elves nced at each other, and in a sh, one of them muffled Sebastian''s mouth with his hand to quiet the struggling man. Then, like Wesley, the group of elves behind him also started observing Yue and the overly handsome silver-haired human beside her with curiosity while the pair in question chatted without a care.

    Meanwhile, Yue let out a smile as she scrutinized Kyle from head to toe to take in the sudden change in his appearance. She pouted and grabbed his hand upon noticing a few eyes focused on him, especially from the females.

    It was somewhat expected, even though he was only wearing in clothes without any designs; his handsome features made the clothes look luxurious on him. Yue nced at Kyle''s hair and reached out to touch them with a smile.

    "You cut them short? The longer ones weren''t bad either, you know. Well, it''s not like the shorter ones are bad..."

    Kyle raised his brow, sensing a hint of regret in her voice as she gazed at his hair and reached out to touch the tips. He leaned down slightly so she could touch and whispered softly.

    "Don''t tell me you haven''t noticed? Wesley and the other elves are looking at us."

    Yue blinked at his remark, lowered her hand, and leaned closer to reply.

    "I did even before I reached you... I wanted them to watch so I wouldn''t have to exin much about you, and they would automatically understand."

    Kyle gazed down at her long flutteringshes, which looked beautiful, and he let out a hum in response, not fully focusing on what she was saying. Yue moved back when Wesley called out to her and mumbled under her breath.

    "It seems the old man ran out of patience."

    Kyle watched as the smile on her face vanished, reced by aposed expression as she turned to look back at Wesley, who raised his hand to wave at her.

    Yue waved back at the old elf and reached out to intertwine her hand with Kyle before the duo walked toward Wesley together.

    Wesley''s eyes narrowed at their sped hands, and even though he had an inkling of what was happening, he still asked Yue to confirm his suspicions while gazing at the silver-haired man beside her.

    "This is...?"

    Behind him, after struggling for a while, Sebastian managed to remove the hand that was stopping him from speaking and shouted loudly through gritted teeth.

    "Who is this man!? I want to know too-!"

    The elves around him swiftly quieted him before Wesley could scold them, but they were also keeping their focus on Yue and the silver-haired man. They were curious to know who he was because it was hard to believe that Yue, the elf woman they had seen as distant and unapproachable, had suddenly acquired a man overnight. But what unfolded next left not just Wesley but all of them stunned; even Sebastian ceased his struggle as his eyes widened at the silver-haired human who shamelessly encircled his arm around Yue''s waist and pulled her closer to himself.

    Kyle opened his mouth and answered Wesley''s question instead of Yue.

    "Her partner."

    Yue''s face flushed as the atmosphere around her grew quieter. She could sense it without even looking around; right now, every single person around them, whether elf or not, had their eyes fixed on them.

    Wesley''s eyebrow twitched as he nced at Kyle''s hand. It was wrapped around Yue possessively, as if attempting to erase any distance between them. The old elf rubbed his temples, uncertain of where to start... should he ask how Yue found a partner or why she brought him here? Eventually, he released a deep breath and looked at Yue with a serious expression.

    "I understand it''s not my ce to meddle, but I hope you have an exnation."

    Yue quickly peeled Kyle''s fingers from her waist and stepped away from his cold yetfortable embrace. She cleared her throat with aposed look.

    "I understand. Let''s talk."

    Wesley nodded and turned to Kyle.

    "Stay here and refrain from interfering."

    He then proceeded towards an unupied table ced at the far end of the area, away from prying eyes. Yue nced at Kyle and, after giving him an okay sign indicating that she would handle everything and he need not worry, she followed the old elf.

    Wesley set up a barrier around the table to ensure privacy and took a seat before motioning for Yue to sit across from him. He fixed his gaze on her, waiting for her to begin the exnation as she settled in.

    Contrary to his expectations, Yue didn''t provide any exnation. Instead, she mentioned a few things that ended up giving him a massive headache.

    "My partner has just arrived at the Sacred Divine Land and he is unfamiliar with this ce. I kindly request your permission for him to stay with me."

    Wesley let out a frustratedugh.

    "Just that? How about you first tell me about him a bit? I know I have no knowledge about you because I rarely stay on elven. But now that you have proposed him to stay with you, I need to know about him to ensure he isn''t an enemy."

    He paused for a moment, and a scowl appeared on his face.

    "I can''t abandon you... not just you, I can''t abandon any of the elves who are under me. We are here, including me and the other supreme rank elves, to guide all of you to the diator Arena and minimize casualties as much as possible. Now, you are saying your partner is here, and you want him to join you. Doesn''t that mean that me and the others have to take responsibility for his life as well? Also..."

    "If he''s going to apany you, will he also participate in the diator Arena?"

    Yue fell silent. She hadn''t thought this far, but now that she heard about the diator Arena from Wesley again, she knew that if she participated, there was no way Kyle wouldn''t. He would definitely join her to ensure her safety. She furrowed her brows and considered the danger of the diator Arena. However, when she gazed back at the silver-haired man, her brows rxed.

    She shook her head. She wasn''t sure how strong he was, but he was stronger than cia, a transcendent rank individual whom he had killed.

    So did he really need protection? Who knows, maybe he was powerful enough to protect himself. Also, she believed that whether to participate in the diator Arena or not, Kyle was capable of making the right decision for himself.

    A smile spread across her face as she looked at Wesley.

    "It''s his decision to participate in the diator Arena or not. There''s no need for you to protect him; I believe he can handle it himself. I just want him to follow because he''s unfamiliar with this ce."

    She paused for a moment.

    "Now, if we consider the possibility of him being your enemy, do you truly believe that if he were an enemy, he would have revealed himself to you? I have known Kyle for a long time and can assure you that he would never harm others without a valid reason."

    Wesley gazed at Yue for a full minute, his expression indescribable. He had already sensed the silver-haired man''s rank and knew thetter wasn''t a threat, but for some reason he couldn''t pinpoint, he felt an overwhelming sensation when he looked into the man''s eyes. The old man closed his eyes and released a breath.

    Yue awaited his response, and her eyes brightened when Wesley spoke again.

    "I will talk to the other supreme rank individuals and let you know tomorrow if he can join us or not."

    He opened his eyes, stood up, but before leaving to contact the other supreme rank individuals, he nced at Yue with a solemn expression.

    "You still haven''t told me anything about him. Regardless of whether he''s an enemy or not, he''s still an outsider... So, I hope he doesn''t cause any trouble because Sebastian is already a handful, and I don''t need another useless person under mymand."

 Chapter 543 I hope you dont cause any trouble

    Chapter 543 I hope you don''t cause any trouble

    ??Kyle nced at Yue, who was seated at the table, before shifting his gaze to Wesley as the old man rose and headed towards the building exit with a frown.

    ''I wonder if he agreed or not... well, even if he didn''t, I can always follow Yue from a distance. It''s not like he can stop me.''

    He quickly scanned the many elves beside him who had been observing him since Yue and Wesley left to talk. Stepping forward, he casually pulled an empty chair from the adjacent table and sat down between them without a care.

    The elves seated at the table and those holding Sebastian all stared at him with astonished expressions as he paid them no mind, as if they were invisible. Kyle then signaled a young server and ced an order for something to eat.

    Nox stretched his body before fixing his gaze on Kyle with a solemn expression.

    ''You took your timeing out, huh? I couldn''t sleep because of you.''

    He flinched and almost stepped back when Kyle reached out his hand towards him, but he gathered his courage and stayed put. There was no way he would show fear, even though the man had once attempted to eat him! However, he blinked when Kyle gently rubbed the space between his horns.

    ''If you are tired, just rest. Tomorrow, you have to apany and fight alongside Yue if Wesley takes all the elves to explore a tomb and encounter danger.''

    Nox scoffed at him. Of course, he would always stay by Yue''s side, so he didn''t need any reminder. Despite being somewhat wary of the silver-haired man due to their past, he leaned in to theforting touch, which felt vastly different from Yue''s because it was extremely cold.

    The elves seated at the table exchanged nces before one of them attempted to get Kyle''s attention by tapping on the table in front of them. He even inquired if Kyle was truly Yue''s partner and how they had met, but his eyebrow twitched when the silver-haired human disregarded him.

    The other elves surrounding him all stifled theirughter as his face stiffened. At that moment, Sebastian pushed aside the elves around him with a furious expression.

    "The old man is gone! So, for the world''s sake, stop grabbing me now!"

    He gritted out, and the elves around him backed away, silently hoping for a good show as Sebastian rolled up his sleeves and advanced towards Kyle.

    However, just as Sebastian was about to reach Kyle, the human shifted his chair to the side and nced at Yue, who was approaching. The events unfolded rapidly, catching Sebastian off guard, and in the next second, he found his body getting dangerously close to the table filled with half-eaten food.

    He instinctively grasped the table''s edge and sighed with relief, but who would have thought that the table would topple over onto his feet due to his weight.

    Sebastian cursed under his breath as he gazed at his condition, which looked no better than that of beggars.

    He turned sharply towards the silver-haired human with a grim expression, but Kyle had already risen and moved towards Yue, who met Sebastian''s gaze with an icy expression. As if daring him to touch the human in her presence, and she would make him regret it.

    Sebastian''s expression darkened, and he sank into a nearby chair with a resentful look. How could she support a human after all the time he had spent by her side? He shot Kyle a fierce re and opted to ignore him for now since he was with Yue.

    He had sensed the human''s rank and knew they were evenly matched in strength. Deep down, he made up his mind to challenge the human to a duel as soon as he reached the next stage of divine energy in the divine rank, feeling confident that he was almost there. Then, he would beat up the human in front of Yue to show her who is superior!

    After nning his next moves, Sebastian stood up, his eyes filled with determination as he left the area to change his clothes first and foremost. He would train hard to grow stronger and defeat the human who had taken away the person he liked!

    Blissfully unaware that the human he nned to beat had alreadybeled him as an annoyance who needed some help to get some brain cells.

    Kyle nced at Sebastian''s fading figure from the corner of his eye as he chatted with Yue, who informed him that they would find out after Wesley spoke with the other supreme ranks whether Kyle could join the elves or not.

    He nodded, and they began walking towards another table to eat, aiming to avoid any further interaction with the elves nearby. Nox nced at them and then leisurely hopped down the table to follow behind the pair. But he nearly panicked when Kyle suddenly halted his steps and extended his hand towards him.

    "Come here."

    The human called out to him as he suspiciously stared at the hand reaching out to him. After a long and thorough battle in his mind over whether to approach Kyle or not, he slowly climbed onto Kyle''s hand before settling on his shoulder. Despite that, the lynx could never get used to the human''s gentle behavior; it always sent a chill down his spine. They sat at the table, and the food Kyle had ordered earlier quickly arrived.

    Kyle grabbed the lynx sitting on his shoulder and ced him on the table. Then he pushed a te filled with meat in front of Nox and asked him to eat. The lynx''s eyes narrowed suspiciously, and he looked at Yue. Only after getting her assurance that everything was fine did he start eating. When they finished eating and were sitting at the table chatting, Wesley returned.

    Upon spotting them, the old man approached their table. He couldn''t believe the other supreme rank individuals agreed so easily. He even emphasized the fact that the human was very suspicious. However, for some reason, Ronan said it was okay to let the human stay by Yue''s side.

    Wesley stopped in front of Yue, and her face lit up when he told her that Kyle could apany her. Then he gazed at the human with a solemn expression.

    "But I hope you don''t cause any trouble and simply stay silently by her side. Also, I won''t interfere or help you if you face danger because I''m already upied with the elves under my protection... You see, currently, the Sacred Divine Land is very dangerous as many powerful individuals from the dark side are roaming around in this territory."

    Kyle nodded silently. He believed he could defend himself, and if the opponent was above the transcendent rank, he was confident in his ability to escape before they could eveny a hand on him.

    Wesley let out a heavy sigh. Even though he said he wouldn''t assist the human, he knew he would if the man was in danger because Yue would undoubtedly try to help, and he had to protect her, which meant he had to protect Kyle as well.

    "Alright, I will see both of you tomorrow morning. Don''t bete. Just join the other elves who will gather in front of the building and wait for me."

 Chapter 544 Are you certain this land is dangerous?

    Chapter 544 Are you certain thisnd is dangerous?

    ??Wesley left the duo alone after he finished. He had a massive headache and just wanted to rest for the day, so he did. That''s why the next morning, he was a bitte to arrive outside the building. The twenty-six elves under him had already gathered, including the silver-haired human.

    The old man cleared his throat, a bit embarrassed that he waste instead of the young people. Without wasting any more time, he informed them that they would explore any tomb he sensed nearby. He would follow them while they trained and wouldn''t interfere unless they were in an extremely dangerous situation.

    The elves nodded enthusiastically and began preparing their weapons while Wesley stepped back and retrieved a small square-shaped artifact used to instantly send emergency signals to their allies if they were in danger. He tucked the artifact into his sleeve so he could quickly reach out to Ronan and the other supreme rank elves if the elves under him encountered any peril he couldn''t manage.

    Kyle rolled up the sleeves of his blue shirt. He hadn''t changed because after getting a good sleep, Yue wasn''t able to rest.

    So, she dragged him around to explore the area around the building. He simply went along and walked beside her as she spent the whole night looking around the small shops and stalls selling strange things while buying a few she liked.

    He hummed and nced around at the elves surrounding him. He could see everyone, including Yue, was tense but excited at the same time.

    Nox was sitting on his shoulder. After he had shown some kindness to the lynx, thetter warmed up to him quite easily.

    ''He has a brain, but he is too naive and trusting. I need to train him properly so he can support Yue and assist her in danger instead of being a burden.''

    The lynx''s scales bristled when a strange sense of dread crossed his heart, making him alert with narrowed eyes.

    Yue looked at Kyle, and upon seeing the serious expression on his face, she touched his arm with concern.

    "What happened?"

    Kyle''s expression softened.

    "Nothing."

    Yue nodded and nced at Wesley, who pped his hands to grab everyone''s attention. The old man then gestured in a random direction and started walking.

    "Stick close to me because, apart from this area where many powerful individuals are gathered, every other ce in the sacred divinend is extremely dangerous at the moment."

    The elves nodded solemnly and trailed closely behind him. But strangely, even after they left the bustling area and ventured into a barrennd filled with boulders and rocky formations, they barely encountered any powerful monsters.

    The group didn''t even stumble upon individuals from the demon, dark, or nightkin races! They did spot some small groups exploring the surroundingnd, but all of them were preupied with their own affairs and simply ignored them.

    Sebastian squinted and surveyed his surroundings with furrowed brows before muttering under his breath with a touch of suspicion.

    "Old man... are you certain thisnd is dangerous? Because from what I can see at the moment, it doesn''t appear dangerous in the slightest."

    Wesley''s eyebrow twitched as he raised his hand and smacked the man''s head, causing thetter to grumble in response. The old man pinched the space between his brows and nced at the people following him.

    "Don''t let the peace and silence deceive you. Stay vignt at all times because we could be ambushed at any moment!"

    Instantly, the elves loudly agreed with him that they were and they would stay vignt at all costs. After getting the response he wanted, Wesley closed his eyes to sense any tomb nearby. Being a supreme rank, his senses were strong enough to detect them unless they were very powerful and had a concealing effect around them.

    Kyle observed everything from beside Yue and let out a bored yawn. At this rate, they were going to spend the whole day here without any progress. But then he nced at Nox and reached out his hand to rub the lynx''s head. Nox leaned into the cold touch but blinked when the human''s voice sounded in his head.

    ''Go and lead everyone to the right side. I believe you can spot an enigmatic arrangement of boulders there, right? I have a feeling something lies beneath... perhaps a tomb. So help Wesley in reaching it.''

    Nox gazed at Kyle with a dumbfounded expression before shifting on his shoulder and tentatively asking with narrowed eyes.

    ''You can sense the tombs'' location? But why are you asking me to guide the elves when you can do it yourself?''

    He fell silent and grumbled inwardly upon hearing Kyle''s response.

    ''Do you want to be useless? Just follow my instructions. If they ask how you knew about the tomb, say you sensed it. Take all the credit because I don''t want to reveal my skill to them.''

    Nox jumped down from his shoulder, a quick thought crossed his mind that he was agreeing to the human''s instructions quite easily, even though they didn''t sound like a request. But he brushed the thought aside because within just a day, he had noticed the human wasn''t mean, just not great at showing emotions.

    He approached Wesley, who was gazing into the distance. Nox leaped onto the old man''s shoulder andmunicated directly in his mind, informing him that he could sense something strange in the right direction.

    Wesley''s eyes widened slightly as he nced towards the area Nox was pointing to because he had also felt the presence of an underground tomb there. He turned his gaze to the lynx, and his eyes sparkled with a touch of joy.

    ''You can sense the tombs'' location!? It''s a powerful but risky ability. If a greedy person finds out, they might try to capture you. So, don''t tell anyone else about it. Got it?''

    Nox nodded before giving Kyle a stern look, who had put his life at risk.

    Now, he just hoped Wesley would keep this information to himself and not share it with anyone, or else the lynx was unsure what would happen to him.

 Chapter 545 So they arent bugs?

    Chapter 545 So they aren''t bugs?

    ??It didn''t take long for the group of elves, one human, and one beast to reach the massive formation of rocks. Nox leaped down from Wesley''s shoulder and headed towards Yue, while the old man soared above the array of rocks beforending in the midst of the formation.

    The others quickly followed behind, with Kyle being the only one to climb one of the rocks instead of flying over like all of them. He extended his hand towards Yue, who chuckled and grabbed his hand before the duo jumped into the formation together.

    Many eyes twitched at the scene, but they chose to ignore it except Sebastian, who gritted his teeth and swore in his mind that he would break the human''s hands that touched Yue. He secretly decided to keep an eye on Kyle to learn hisbat style, which would help him in the future.

    After everyone entered the space, it appeared empty at first nce. The rocks stood tall and silent around them, casting shadows on their figures. Wesley closed his eyes and felt a wave of highly concentrated divine energying from behind one of the small rocks nearby. He walked towards the energy source and, after pushing the rock aside, uncovered a hidden entrance leading into the depths of the rock formation.

    "Found it!"

    The old man chuckled and stroked his white beard as he nced back at the group. He quickly gestured for them to gather because they would enter this very underground entrance leading to a tomb buried below. However, in that moment, his eyes widened when he saw a small winged creature wholly made of light flying towards Kyle from behind. Wesley wasn''t the only one who noticed the light; instantly, every elf froze, even Nox, who was sitting on Yue''s shoulder, narrowed his eyes at the light approaching Kyle from behind.

    The atmosphere turned eerily silent as everyone stood frozen in their spots, observing the human and the luminous ball with anticipation and eager eyes. They all had learned essential information about the Sacred Divine Land on the elven, and even though they had nevere across a mystical spirit before, they were absolutely sure that the light approaching Kyle was indeed a mystical spirit!

    Mystical spirits were known to be extremely elusive. They consistently stayed hidden and rarely revealed themselves to others. Yet, here one of them was approaching Kyle so willingly and enthusiastically!?

    It was unbelievable, and everyone immediately got the cue when Wesley gestured for them to cease all movements so as not to scare away the mystical spirit. A huge grin spread across the old elf''s face; he couldn''t believe they had just begun their exploration and already found a mystical spirit! He chuckled inwardly because with the help of this mystical spirit, they would easily find many powerful ancient tombs hidden in the Sacred Divine Land that even supreme rank individuals couldn''t sense, along with many valuable treasures.

    However, not just Wesley, but everyone''s thoughts came to a sudden stop, and the happiness in their eyes vanished quickly when they saw Kyle''s next move. The human furrowed his brows as the light approached his body.

    Kyle raised his hand, and just when everyone thought he wanted the spirit to rest on his hand, he closed his thumb and index finger together, creating a precise grip. He then flicked the spirit powerfully, sending it flying away into the distance. The spirit quivered in the air and let out a pained sound that drifted like a melody before vanishing into thin air with a poof.

    The sequence of events happened so fast that no one was able to react and stop the human. Only when the spirit vanished did they believe what had transpired before their very eyes. The first person to call out Kyle, who was oblivious to the inner shock and bewilderment he had caused to the people around him, was Yue.

    "Kyle..."

    The elven woman squeezed out his name with a helpless smile, and Kyle nced at her with a clueless expression.

    "Yes?"

    He blinked when he saw Wesley staring at him with a dark expression, as if he had stolen thetter''s precious treasure right under his nose. The old elf wasn''t the only one; every person around him was staring at him with a solemn expression. So he furrowed his brows and asked out loud.

    "What happened?"

    Those two words were enough to make everyone around him cough out blood. Instantly, the elves looked away from the infuriating human, or else they would want to strangle him. It was a mystical spirit, for the world''s sake! Yet this human flicked it away like it was a bug!

    Wesley let out a bitterugh that looked out of ce beneath his empty eyes.

    They were just an inch away from getting a mystical spirit that would have helped everyone. But...

    The old elf took a deep breath and calmed himself. He finally grasped the significance of Yue''s words that Kyle had no knowledge about thisnd. The silver-haired human really knew nothing, and he had to provide thetter with ample knowledge, or else his old heart won''t be able to take it if he saw Kyle flick away another mystical spirit.

    Wesley nced at Yue with a forced smile, and she understood he wanted her to tell Kyle about the mystical spirits. So she quickly approached Kyle and informed him about them. He let out an ''oh''.

    "So they aren''t bugs? I thought they are because some of them clung to my body when I arrived here."

    Instantly, the facial expressions of the people around him stiffened. There was only one thought in their heads. So it wasn''t the first time he encountered a mystical spirit? They didn''t dare to think further than this, or else the blow would be too big for them to digest. Yue let out a softugh at his words and shook her head.

    "They are not bugs. So next time just let theme closer, then we can use them to locate tombs and treasures."

 Chapter 546 It can’t be a concidence

    <h4>Chapter 546 It can''t be a concidence</h4>

    After Yue informed Kyle about the spirits, Wesley quickly urged everyone around him to enter the underground entrance without further dy, or else he would lose hisposure. The old man stood before the entrance and observed as the elves entered one by one due to the narrow opening.

    Yue intended to join the queue, but suddenly Kyle grabbed her hand. She stopped in her tracks, staring at him with confusion. Her eyes widened when he gestured towards the spot in the distance where the spirit had disappeared earlier... only for it to reappear and head towards Kyle again.

    This time, Kyle didn''t flick the spirit away; instead, he reached out to hold the spirit, and it willingly allowed him to grasp its body. He then raised Yue''s hand and ced the spirit on her palm.

    Kyle''s eyes softened. He watched Yue as she stared at the small, winged creature entirely made of light with bated breath, refraining from any sudden movements to prevent harming the delicate being. The mystical spirit tried to fly towards him, but upon receiving a dark look from him, it obediently settled on Yue''s palm.

    Wesley nced back to see why Yue and the human weren''t keeping up with the other elves, and the old man''s astonishment was indescribable when he noticed the spirit seated on Yue''s palm. He quickly approached the pair and fixed his gaze on the spirit.

    "This...."

    Kyle shrugged his shoulders and lifted Nox, who was sitting on Yue''s shoulder. After transferring the lynx to his own shoulder so Yue could ce the mystical spirit on hers, he gestured for her to enter the underground entrance.

    Wesley''s eyebrow twitched intensely when he was disregarded like air. He took a deep breath and exhaled because, as the eldest, he should be the one with a bigger heart. Nevertheless, they had acquired the spirit! A broad grin spread across his face as he quickly pushed Kyle, who intended to follow Yue into the underground entrance, and entered first.

    Kyle blinked and watched the old man''s fading figure. Nox, who was sitting on his shoulder,ughed at the scene. The human pinched his brows and also entered the underground entrance.

    He stepped into the dim tunnel and hurriedly made his way towards the group ahead. Kyle''s ears perked up when he heard a loud, pained shout in the distance. It was a male voice, so he didn''t bother to identify who had been hurt. Upon noticing Yue''s figure, he raised his hand and drew some symbols in the air to envelop her body in an array powered by his spiritual energy. This way, if she encountered a trap within the tunnel, she would be safe.

    Wesley noticed the bright symbols but didn''t have time to ask about them as he promptly vanished towards the source of the distressing voice. He discovered that one of the elves had fallen into a trap and been injured by a poisonous thread. After examining the elf''s wound and determining it wasn''t severe, he instructed the elf to drink a healing potion.

    Yue nced at Kyle, who appeared behind her and asked her to follow him instead of moving in front. She let out a pout but still moved back a little to give him space to pass through the narrow passage. But Kyle came to an abrupt stop when he caught her grumbling softly under her breath.

    "I am strong! Don''t underestimate me!"

    He raised his hands in surrender and remained in his ce. A faint smile crept onto his lips, illuminated by the glow of his shining green eyes in the darkness.

    "Alright, then I''m counting on you to keep me safe. Your Divine energy is stronger than mine, so I''m confident that you can watch over me, and I can just rx."

    Yue''s face flushed at how shamelessly he portrayed himself as weaker, even though he was a lot stronger than her.

    "You..."

    However, as she thought carefully about how she could demonstrate her strength in front of him due to his words, her eyes lit up, and a smile appeared on her lips.

    "Okay, leave it to me!"

    Kyle stifled augh at her words and followed slowly without any protest. He extended his scent perception skill and divine senses in all directions to detect all the poisonous traps around them.

    And before Yue could even step toward them, he quietly murmured a few spells under his breath and drew some symbols in the air to manipte the earth around them to alter the traps'' positions. It wasn''t hard because the traps were quite old, and the duo reached the tunnel exit without encountering any trouble, unlike the other elves who were following Wesley.

    Nox, who had watched Kyle from the start to the end, mumbled spells and drew symbols, could do nothing but watch the human speechlessly. After seeing how effortlessly Kyle cleared Yue''s path, he doubted the human ever needed anyone''s protection. His eyes sparkled with mischief, and he wanted to tell Yue about it, but when he saw Kyle''s eyes fixed on him, he quietly curbed his urge. His life was more important than a bit of fun.

    The moment Yue and Kyle stepped out from the tunnel''s exit, they saw a vast empty space before their eyes. Looming in front of them stood a majestic golden gate, adorned with intricate ancient symbols.

    Instantly, Wesley, who was standing before the gate with the other elves, beckoned the duo over to join the others. Despite the old man''s vignce, a few elves had fallen into the traps. So, he suggested that everyone wait outside for a while and only enter the gate when they were all ready.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed at the golden gate. If he remembered correctly, thest gate he saw was silver, right?

    His question was answered when Wesley informed everyone that they had discovered a divine ancient tomb, indicating that the tomb would contain more divine treasures rather than spiritual ones.

    ''So... did the silver gates contain more spiritual treasures?''

    He hummed, feeling content. After all, he required divine energy more than spiritual energy at this moment to advance to the next rank. As he moved closer to the gate, Kyle noticed a few names sloppily inscribed on one side of the gate. He approached the names and read them aloud.

    "Sinon, Mia, Regius, Alec, Lara, Carcel...? These names bear a striking resemnce to the ones Yue told me about."

    "It can''t be a coincidence... Don''t tell me they are also here?"

 Chapter 547 I trust you can do it, right?

    <h4>Chapter 547 I trust you can do it, right?</h4>

    Yue found herself surrounded by all the elves the moment she joined Wesley, thanks to the spirit on her shoulder. She hastily backed away from their numerous questions with a helpless expression and hurriedly joined Kyle, who stood before the golden gate. Her eyes also fell upon the names, and she let out a gasp.

    "This...?"

    She looked at Kyle with surprise, which then turned into happiness and joy as she saw Alec and the others'' names, signifying the group was also present here! However, the joy soon faded into a frown as many questions flooded her mind.

    She wondered how they all ended up here and whether they would also participate in the diator Arena. But unfortunately, no one could answer her questions, and she refrained from asking Kyle, knowing he doesn''t recall anything about the past.

    Kyle noticed her conflicted expression and touched the engraved names, feeling a sense of familiarity. It was as if he had done it before... had he? He concentrated, and an image of himself engraving something on a towering castle gate shed in his mind.

    The gate was shining brightly, and he had a smile on his face as he gathered mana on his finger and began inscribing. The words wererge and clear, almost damaging the once beautiful castle''s gate.

    "Caution; Don''t enter the little phoenix took everything."

    Kyle blinked as the memory grew clearer with each passing second. He was curious to learn more because there was someone conversing with him in that memory, a small creature perched on his head. But his train of thought was abruptly halted when Wesley called out to him and Yue from behind, suggesting they should use the mystical spirit sitting on Yue''s shoulder after entering the golden gate.

    A vein throbbed on Kyle''s forehead. It marked the first instance he had witnessed such an extended scene from his forgotten memories, and he believed he could have recalled more if the old man hadn''t interrupted him. Taking a deep breath, he shook his head to throw the matter to the back of his mind for now, hoping he might encounter a simr situation again. Nheless, he was certain of one thing �C the small creature sitting on his head was definitely Bia, his bonded beast.

    Kyle picked up the spirit from Yue''s shoulder and shook its body roughly, almost giving heart attacks to the people around him before he let the spirit go as it flew around him with an aggrieved look.

    "Okay, little one, if you want to follow us, lead the way to a powerful divine treasure without giving us trouble."

    "I trust you can do it, right?"

    Wesley''s eyebrow twitched as Kylemanded the spirit. The old man was a little shaken that the spirit hadn''t attacked or left from the human''s side despite the treatment it received.

    He took a deep breath and rushed towards the golden gate to check if there were any restrictions on the number of people allowed to enter. Many tombs can only hold a set number of people inside. Once the capacity is reached, the tomb gate won''t open, even if supreme rank individuals attempt to enter. He wanted to make sure there wouldn''t be any problems with everyone entering together.

    Wesley examined the symbols on the gate and didn''t see any restrictions. Without hesitation, he pushed the gate, and it opened with a creak.

    He looked back at Kyle, who pushed the spirit forward to lead the way with a serious expression, as if he would abandon it if it wasn''t useful enough.

    Yue stifled augh at the sight and promptly followed behind him. The other elves behind them became alert and swiftly followed the floating spirit that guided them before entering through the partially open gate, which sealed shut behind them after everyone stepped in.

    Instantly, a familiar smell of decay and death filled Kyle''s senses, causing him to furrow his brow as he surveyed the unfamiliar surroundings.

    It felt like he had stepped into apletely different realm... with a murky grey-red sky above, numerous shattered structures, and a barrenndscape devoid of any greenery. However, the divine energy in the air was twice as potent as it was outside.

    The smell around him was quite unpleasant, but he didn''t hold back his scent perception skill; instead, he spread it out in all directions further and further until it covered half of the tomb. Surprise flickered in his eyes because this tomb was wider than the previous one, almost double the size, which made it difficult for him to thoroughly check every corner.

    Kyle observed as everyone gradually appeared around him, one by one, and then shifted his gaze to the spirit hovering in front of him. He wondered if the spirits were even useful to him when he could just sense everything in his surroundings.

    "Well, at least it is directing the others to discover something valuable."

    He mumbled under his breath and shifted his gaze toward the area where he detected dark energy and the distinct scent of blood. One, two, three... Counting silently in his head, he identified four different groups of people inside the tomb. Two of them were of the dark race, while the races of the other two remained unknown.

    Wesley stepped back after they entered the tomb and began watching everyone from a distance as he had stated he wouldn''t assist anyone inside the tomb unless necessary.

    Surprisingly, the first person to move forward was Sebastian. He grunted at Kyle and locked his intense gaze on the spirit.

    "Alright, let''s go. Move. It''s time for me to grow stronger! Hurry up! Little spirit!"

    Kyle raised his brow as he found the elven man''s behavior a bit amusing. The spirit didn''t even acknowledge Sebastian and stayed rooted in its spot. Instantly, a fewughs echoed in the air, and Sebastian''s face turned red with embarrassment.

    He pointed his shaky finger at the spirit, wanting to stay something, but before he could, Kyle prodded the spirit and pushed it forward. As soon as he nudged the spirit, it started moving ahead, and it didn''t forget to emit a distressed sound as if it was being taken advantage of.

 Chapter 548 Join the group and walk with them

    <h4>Chapter 548 Join the group and walk with them</h4>

    The elves, including Yue, all followed the spirit, but Wesley''s eyebrow twitched when the silver-haired human stepped back and positioned himself beside him. Just like him, Kyle also started observing everyone from behind like a guardian.

    The old man managed to control his impulse to scold the human because Kyle wasn''t under his authority like the others. Instead, he patiently attempted to converse with the silver-haired human.

    "What do you think you are doing? The others will face powerful monsters and easily find treasures thanks to the spirit that will boost their strength. If you hang back and don''t join in, no one will share the treasures with you. So, join the group and walk with them."

    Kyle turned to the left side to gaze at the old elven man walking next to him. Well, it''s not like he could say that if he joined the others, they wouldn''te across any monsters or enemies due to his luck stat.

    It was something he had grown ustomed to over the years. After all, his luck in these types of situations was quite good, even though it sometimes turned out to be useless.

    Not to mention, he could effortlessly defeat all the monsters present in the tomb alone since he had already sensed they weren''t powerful, which wouldn''t help the group gain experience. Therefore, he chose to respond nonchntly.

    "It''s all good. I will join them when they are fighting for something I require."

    His feet began to levitate as he settledfortably in the air with a yawn. Wesley could hardly believe his ears; he repeatedly restrained his hand from pping the brat who casually mentioned he would join the group only when they found something he needed. How could someone be so exasperating and...zy?

    Unbeknownst to him, Kyle wasn''t cking off; he had long abandonedziness. He was actively utilizing his senses and scent perception skill to maintain a keen watch over his surroundings, particrly the four groups of people he had sensed earlier inside the tomb... even though the smell of death and decay was quite overwhelming.

    Nox stayed on Kyle''s shoulder for a while, then jumped down to follow behind Yue and the rest of the elven group as they moved through the shattered structures, following the spirit. Finally, they encountered their first opponents �� a flock of divine-rank ravens with sharp, hooked beaks and dark fire dancing along their ck feathers.

    The ravens were feasting on a huge dead creature that seemed to have passed away quite some time ago, but they perked up immediately when they sensed the elves. Kyle observed from a distance, knowing that everyone, including Yue, had enough experience and skills to handle the opponents effortlessly.

    Just like that, he didn''t even need to intervene, and they swiftly began defeating the ravens. Heplimented Yue inwardly as she shot an arrow at a raven and simultaneously cast spells that hit another raven behind her. Herbat style was impressive,bining the use of a bow and spells simultaneously.

    "So she''s a mage but has also learned to use a weapon."

    "Not two weapons."

    Kyle quickly adjusted his words when he saw Yue taking out a small knife from her mind space and throwing it towards another raven behind her.

    Beside him, Wesley proudly told him to watch how the young people under him are so talented and powerful. Unlike someone who didn''t even dare to join them and fight. Kyle''s eyebrow twitched as the old man kept emphasizing that ''someone'', clearly hinting that he was that spineless individual.

    In the middle of the elves fighting the ravens, Sebastian secretly startedughing in delight when he spotted Kyle standing with Wesley and doing nothing.

    Initially, he had believed the human might pose a threat, but now it appeared all his concerns were unwarranted.

    With this newfound realization, Sebastian made up his mind to challenge Kyle to a duel as soon as they exited the tomb. His eyes shone with burning determination, and he became aggressive in his attacks as he swung his de at the nearest raven.

    ''I will also show Yue in this tomb that I''m way more powerful than the weak human... even though she can beat me, Kyle can''t!''

    The group swiftly defeated the ravens and after taking a brief rest they resumed their journey. Suddenly, the mystical spirit they were following halted in front of arge, ancient circr structure.

    The elves nced at each other before a few of them headed towards the only narrow entrance into the structure. Once they all went inside, Kyle grabbed the spirit, and he and Wesley followed.

    He didn''t sense any treasure within the structure, but he remained silent, curious if the spirit could truly lead them to treasures. Additionally, for some reason, he felt that the scent of death was stronger inside the structure than outside.

    Upon entering the structure, they found themselves in arge room with a sandy floor and a dark ceiling. At the far end of the room, a floating golden storage ring caught Kyle''s eye. Seeing the ring, Kyle realized why he couldn''t detect any treasures inside the structure �� they were inside the ring.

    He noticed from the corner of his eye when Wesley quietly began to float and moved away from the sandy floor with a grin.

    The old elven man returned to the spot everyone had entered the room from and started observing the people who advanced towards the floating ring. Kyle followed suit and floated next to Wesley, who wrinkled his nose in annoyance.

    Kyle ignored the old man; he was curious about what would happen next. But unlike others who tensed due to the silent atmosphere, his curiosity was dampened when he saw the events unfold. The sandy ground began to sink, and suddenly, numerous bodies emerged from the sand. Kyle pinched his nose as he pinpointed the source of the decaying smell.

    It emanated from the bodies of undead creatures crawling out from the sand. Their bodies were devoid of flesh, revealing their skeletal forms beneath the thin, dark tattered fabric around them. Also, by looking at their skeletons, he could tell that these bodies belonged to people from different races.

    Those eerie figures rose from the sand and fixed their hollow eyes on the elves who were approaching the ring.

    Kyle let out a sigh. Nevertheless, he understood why the tombs were filled with the scent of death and decay. It seems they were really teeming with undead creatures. However, he wondered why the divine and spiritual energies were so high in the tombs, considering they were essentially housing dead bodies.

 Chapter 549 I will share them with you

    <h4>Chapter 549 I will share them with you </h4>

    When the undead started rising from the sand, the elves wasted no time and began attacking them. However, due to the enclosed space, many of them were unable to use their most powerful skills to avoid harming others nearby and damaging the structure. Consequently, they had to rely on their weapons to fight the growing horde of undead saturating every corner of the circr structure.

    Yue shouted at Nox to stay behind her and attack from a distance when one of the undead figures attempted to strike the lynx with its skeletal hand that transformed into arge de unexpectedly.

    After the first undead hand turned into a de, many other undead body parts also began morphing into different weapons. Some even started spitting fire and sharp shards from their mouths. The elves'' faces turned serious when their attacks barely made a dent in the skeletons shrouded in ragged clothes, almost as if they were crafted from unyielding steel.

    The undead''s hollow eyes gleamed with a golden glint before they began lunging at those around them, disying no regard for the blows hitting their bodies as they were already walking dead.

    The tension in the air heightened, but when one of the elves used his spiritual energy to strike one of the closest undead, his eyes sparkled with sess as he managed to sever the undead''s head.

    He immediately shouted at everyone to utilize their spiritual energy, although not all of them possessed it. Those with spiritual energy gathered at the rear to cast spells and skills at the undead, while the rest stood at the front to defend and deflect the attacks. The situation gradually eased as the undead bodies started to break and disintegrate under the impact of the spiritual energy used against them.

    Wesley''s eyes sparkled with joy as he watched the group of elves effortlessly taking care of the undead, even though the undead were quite powerful because they were formed in a tomb filled with divine energy. He noticed from the corner of his eye when the human floating beside him narrowed his eyes at the undead bodies.

    Kyle raised his brow as his eyes caught a faint golden glow at the center of the undead bodies, draped in thin fabric. The glow was so subtle that if he hadn''t spread out his scent perception skill, he would have never detected it. Not to mention, the pure divine energy surrounding it.

    He noticed Wesley''s sharp gaze, and his lips curled into a smirk because, for some reason, he had a feeling that whatever was inside the undead bodies was definitely not useless. That''s why, before the old elf could stop him, he left Wesley''s side like a breeze andnded on the sandy floor.

    Kyle quietly positioned himself behind the group of elves battling and destroying the undead bodies. His gaze traced each attack as they tore through the undead skeletons, causing them to disintegrate into sand. Amidst the disintegration, he noticed the bodies left behind tiny golden beads, each norger than a nail, that fell onto the sandy ground without any sound.

    As the elves advanced towards the floating storage ring, defeating one undead after another with joyous expressions, Kyle softly murmured a few spells under his breath to control the sand and air around him. In the next second, the scattered beads on the sand rolled towards his feet, and he bend down to collect them in his palm.

    Wesley''s eyebrow twitched violently, and his urge to give the human a few good smacks almost got the better of him, but he held back and instead muttered curses under his breath. Just like Kyle suspected, the beads were filled with divine energy, which made them pretty valuable. Even though they only had a small amount of divine energy, it was pure. If someone absorbed it, they could very well boost their divine energy stat.

    Kyle observed as Yue and the rest sessfully reached the floating ring, with one of them beginning to examine its contents. At that instant, Sebastian turned back and gave him a sneer, implying that he hadn''t contributed anything, hence they wouldn''t share with him.

    However, Sebastian''s eyes narrowed when he noticed a cluster of tiny golden beads in the human''s hands. Before the elven man could get a good look at the beads, they disappeared from the human''s palm.

    Kyle spun around only to find Wesley''s dark eyes ring at him intensely. The old man was angry because the rest had done thebor while the human had singlehandedly gained nearly fifty percent of the rewards. It was unjust, and he wanted to instruct Kyle to give back the beads to the others, but before he could, the square-shaped artifact he had concealed in his sleeve before departing the building they were residing in began to vibrate.

    Wesley blinked and pulled out the artifact from his sleeve. He shot Kyle one final re and quickly turned to the side to check who was reaching out to him from the other supreme rank elves because only they couldmunicate with him through this artifact, as each of them possessed a simr one, just like him.

    At the same time, the other elves took out the contents of the storage ring after breaking the weak barrier around it. However, they were disappointed to find only arge golden shield inside along with an ancient artifact that, upon some investigation, they realized was used for teleportation in times of danger.

    Yue nced at the shield and the round artifact, but they weren''t useful to her, so she left them to the other elves. She then walked over to Kyle and circled his body while examining his empty hands.

    "What were you picking? I was fighting, but I saw you pick something up from the sand."

    Kyle was surprised that she noticed, unlike the others who were too busy reaching the storage ring. He chuckled, and a golden bead appeared in his palm.

    "Just picking up what others ignored."

    Yue nced at the bead and picked it up from his palm with a curious expression. She had actually seen a few simr beads fall to the sand while she was fighting, but she didn''t think they were valuable. But now that she looked at it closely, she noticed the pure divine energy around it. She sighed and ced the bead back in his palm.

    "You always pick up good stuff!"

    She blinked as more golden beads appeared on his palm, and he extended his hand towards her.

    "I will share them with you since you didn''t take the treasures from the storage ring. I collected them with effort, so make good use of them."

    Yue chuckled at his words, and before she could decline, Kyle ced the beads in her palm and walked towards Wesley. She gave a resigned smile, stored the beads in her mind space, and then reached for the spirit that had been silently observing everything from a distance all this while.

 Chapter 550 It’s up to you

    <h4>Chapter 550 It''s up to you</h4>

    Wesley''s expression darkened as he activated the artifact and received news that both Ronan and Oldeus'' groups were under attack by individuals from the dark and demon races. The two supreme rank elves had reached out to him, along with thest supreme rank elven woman, seeking reinforcements.

    Kyle appeared beside him and inquired, even though he had already heard from a distance that the other supreme rank elves were summoning him back for reinforcement.

    "What happened?"

    Wesley furrowed his brow in frustration before looking at the human who had been by his side without much action, akin to a leech. He grunted and turned to the elves gathered behind him after getting the storage ring.

    "It''s not your concern."

    Kyle''s eyes widened slightly, and he chuckled at the old man''s words. Indeed, it wasn''t his concern. When had he ever meddled in others'' affairs? Never. So why was he asking what had happened?

    He looked at Yue and realized it was because of her. She was the one who made him understand the need to protect someone other than himself. Nevertheless, he couldn''t believe that just a short amount of time with her could affect him so profoundly. Wesley heard hisughter, and not only the old man but everyone else as well, as they had fallen silent upon seeing Wesley''s grim expression.

    The old man furrowed his brows because theugh sounded too empty and nced at Kyle, but he felt like he saw nothing on the human''s face, not even the usual carefreeness, as if the mask of emotions that covered his face had shattered to reveal the emptiness beneath.

    A strange feeling of dread crept into Wesley''s heart as he looked into Kyle''s eyes, but he couldn''t quite understand why. He shook his head, trying to refocus, knowing he had more pressing issues to deal with. As he nced at the elves in front of him, he noticed they too were slightly surprised by Kyle''s unusual expression. Wesley cleared his throat to regain their attention.

    "It seems like we need to conclude our exploration here. The other supreme rank individuals need assistance, so I have to go. I won''t be able to ensure everyone''s safety, which is why I will take you all back to the bustling area where we are currently staying to avoid any more trouble. Even though the other supreme rank individuals and I won''t be present with you, that location is much safer than wandering around aimlessly."

    The elves nced at each other, and suddenly, one of them spoke up loudly with a tense expression.

    "If the other supreme rank individuals are in danger, what about the elves with them? Are they also at risk?"

    Wesley remained silent for a moment but then let out a sigh. He anticipated this question would arise soon, so he was already prepared to tell them the truth because concealing information wouldn''t bring any benefits.

    "They are with them, so obviously they would also be in danger. That''s why I need to leave as soon as possible."

    The elf who had just spoken let out a quiet curse, and his expression sank. He had reached the end of the divine rank, and he was confident that in a little more time, he would reach the transcendent rank without any issues. However, his sister had followed one of the groups that had gone with the other supreme rank individuals! He couldn''t let anything happen to her.

    The elven man with grey eyes and ck hair gazed at Wesley with a grave expression as he clenched his fists tightly.

    "I want to join you too! I can''t return to the bustling area. My younger sister is with the other groups. We promised to protect each other in times of trouble, so I can''t allow anything to happen to her!"

    Wesley''s expression turned solemn.

    "No, you can''t, it''s dangerous!"

    However, he let out a groan when the elven man insisted on following him, even though it was dangerous. He didn''t care as long as he could ensure his sister''s safety. Wesley''s headache intensified when a few friends of the elf who wanted to follow him also stepped forward and asked to join him.

    The old man wanted to reprimand them all, but a few more elves, even though hesitating, joined them. They weren''t weak, and if one of them was in danger, they were willing to fight alongside the people of their race. After all, if something happened to Wesley and the other supreme rank elves, they knew no one would protect them in this perilousnd. So, instead of staying behind and waiting for bad news, it was better for them to join in.

    Wesley grabbed his head because in the end, except for Sebastian, two more elves beside him, and Yue, everyone else stepped forward to follow him.

    Yue let out a sigh. She wasn''t sure if she should follow the elves or not.

    She didn''t have much attachment with the elves. She did make a few acquaintances over the years but not close enough to call them friends. In the end, the only reason she couldn''t leave their side was because of her mother and Elli. So, she was conflicted if she should follow or not.

    After a bit of hesitation, even Sebastian stepped forward and said he would join in. A few elves gave him strange looks because he was practically the weakest among them, but they praised his courage. Due to Sebastian, the remaining two elves also joined the group, and in the end, only Yue was left. She nced at Kyle, who had, for some reason, turned very quiet after his earlier interaction with Wesley.

    Kyle noticed her gaze, and his expression softened a bit. However, unlike before, it was evident on his face that he didn''t really care about whatever happens with the elves. He only cares about Yue and no one else. A sigh escaped his lips when he saw Yue''s conflicted eyes.

    "You can choose to join them or not, it''s up to you. However, if you joined them, you know I will follow you."

 Chapter 551 You dont have to come along, you know

    Chapter 551 You don''t have toe along, you know

    Wesley felt a wave of frustration wash over him as he massaged his forehead. He tried his best to reason with the elves in front of him, but they all refused to listen, especially the one eager to join him because of his sister who was most probably in danger.

    Releasing a deep breath, he raised his hands in surrender when some of them warned that if he didn''t bring them along, they would follow him secretly. Though Wesley could have easily left them behind given his superior strength, allowing the elves to search for him aimlessly posed a greater risk than having them apany him. Hence, he reluctantly agreed with a solemn expression.

    ncing at Yue, the only elf left, he wondered if she would alsoe along. But the chances of her agreeing were slim. If she did agree, it meant Kyle woulde too. Wesley was sure she wouldn''t risk Kyle''s safety, knowing he was quite weak. So, he was certain she wouldn''t join...

    However, the old man''s thoughts came to a sudden stop when Yue released the spirit in her hands and stepped forward toward him with a serious expression.

    "I will join as well."

    As those words escaped from her lips, all the elves turned their gaze towards her. She could have stayed with Kyle, but she chose differently. Did this not show that she cared for them more than for Kyle?

    This sudden realization brought smiles to all their faces, especially Sebastian''s and Wesley''s. Sebastian, as Kyle was someone who had caught the interest of the person he liked. Wesley, on the other hand, didn''t like the human at all and believed that someone like Yue deserved better.

    Unaware, she wanted to join them because she understood that moving forward, she would encounter nothing but danger. If she stepped back every time, how would she grow? Thend she was standing on and the entire universe were filled with dangers; she also had to join the diator Arena where her opponents would be much stronger than her.

    Would she always stay behind whenever there was danger? No, she had worked hard over the years, and she would never hesitate to face danger.

    She wasn''t someone who needed protection; she was strong enough to fight whenever there was danger instead of backing away. Even though she didn''t have any attachments with the elves, she wanted to join in for battle experience.

    Not to mention... now that she knew Alec and the others were also here, she didn''t want to stay weak and wanted to get stronger. Because she believe they all would have advanced just like Kyle, who was obviously much stronger than her.

    Yue caught Kyle''s eye, and he responded with a subtle smile, almost as if he already knew she would join the elves. As Wesley let out a sigh and moved to the side to check the location they needed to reach, Yue approached Kyle with a smile.

    "You don''t have toe along, you know. Just like you mentioned, it''s my choice to apany them, so you can stay back if you wish. Don''t worry; I can protect myself, and I wille back without any trouble."

    Kyle reached out to rub her back. His gesture caused her tense shoulders, which she didn''t even realize were tense, to rx.

    "Just do what you want to. I can handle myself, and if things get risky, I know how to escape. I trust that the supreme rank elves will protect you and the other elves. If they can''t, they should just stop calling themselves supreme rank."

    He paused for a second.

    ''Well, even if the supreme rank individuals are useless and can''t protect you, I can always do it myself.''

    Wesley, who had just confirmed the location and heard Kyle''s words, let out an infuriated grunt with a dark expression. But Kyle ignored him and continued.

    "I will stick around for a while and leave once this situation is resolved, as I was already nning to explore the Sacred Divinend for treasures after we finish exploring this tomb."

    Yue''s eyes widened a bit at his words. She had a faint inkling that he would leave to explore the Sacred Divine Land soon, but she didn''t know he had decided to leave so soon. Her eyes turned gloomy, and upon hearing that he would be leaving soon, she forgot the fact that she wanted to stop him from joining her and the other elves.

    "You want to leave. It''s okay, but when will youe back to see me again? Do you have amunication crystal? I know you can sense my presence, but I will give you one. Take it to stay connected with me."

    "No, take it because I want to stay connected with you!"

    She grabbed amunication crystal from her mind space and ced it in his hand with a serious expression. Kyle let out a soft chuckle and shook his head as he stored the crystal in his mind space.

    "I will keep in touch, but as for our next meeting, I think we will likely meet at the diator Arena, as I n to find a quiet ce and go into seclusion after discovering some treasures that can enhance my divine energy stat."

    Wesley, who had asked the other elves to quickly vacate the structure as they would be heading north after exiting the tomb, cast a nce at the pair with a groan.

    "Hurry up, or else I am leaving you two... no, it''s three, including Nox. I am leaving you three behind if you don''t speed up!"

    Kyle gazed at the old man and urged Yue to head towards the exit of the structure. She emitted a soft sound as she looked at him but still trailed after the other elves.

    Wesley eyed the mystical spirit circling Kyle and considered they should bring the spirit along, but his gaze turned nk at the human''s next moves.

    Kyle raised his hand and dismissed the spirit with an expressionless face.

    "Now that you are not needed, there''s no point in sticking around me. So, leave and return to where you came from."

    Then, under Wesley''s gaze, the spirit vanished into thin air with a poof and an aggrieved sound. Kyle started floating and headed towards the structure exit. He cast one final look at Wesley, whose eyes were still fixed on the spot where the spirit had vanished, before leaving the structure just like the other elves.N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 552 Dont worry about him

    Chapter 552 Don''t worry about him

    After exiting the tomb through the same golden gate they entered, the group began to float and swiftly headed north, following Wesley.

    Nox flew over Yue and nced at the terrain below. After some time, the destend started to transform into greenery with scattered small trees. Kyle, who was at the rear, paused momentarily when he detected a strong scent of blood and dark energy emanating from their destination. He narrowed his eyes as he could also sense Bia... his bonded beast, in that same direction.

    "What''s the phoenix doing there? Thest I sensed her, she was quite far from me. Why did she head in this direction? Don''t tell me she''s in trouble...?"

    Kyle nced at the elves who had moved quite a distance from him and reached for the silver spear that floated in his mind space. The spear exuded a sense of calmness, and the moment he took it out, it eagerly started absorbing the divine energy in the air. It was the same spear he had stolen from Hubert, his master.

    "Ah... I didn''t want to get involved because this battle isn''t mine. I just wanted to watch from a distance and help Yue if needed, but it looks like I have to to join the fight..."

    He twirled the spear in his hand and clutched the shaft firmly. Right then, Wesley nced back with narrowed eyes as he had felt the sudden halt in the human''s movement. He was about to ask Kyle why he had stopped when everyone else was charging ahead at full speed. But before a word could leave his mouth, Kyle disappeared from his position. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Wesley blinked, bewildered as he hadn''t sensed how the human disappeared... Did he use a skill? If so, it was a quite powerful one. Before he could gather his thoughts, Kyle surprised not only him but everyone around by suddenly appearing beside him.

    "Old man, I''m leaving first."

    "Huh??"

    Wesley let out a startled sound as Kyle nced at his face. He watched as the human turned back to look at Yue and Nox onest time before Kyle once again vanished into thin air.

    Due to his sudden appearance and disappearance, everyone paused and nced at each other to understand what had happened. It all urred so fast that they could have easily dismissed it as a figment of their imagination... had they not witnessed Wesley''s jaw drop in astonishment.

    Wesley closed his mouth and looked around with clenched jaw because even though the human possessed a powerful teleportation skill, entering the battlefield alone when the other supreme rank elves were unaware that he was on their side was extremely risky! He shouted.

    "Wait!"

    However, he noticed with a sinking expression that he could no longer sense Kyle''s presence. This marked a stark contrast from earlier when he could detect the human''s every subtle action since Kyle never concealed his divine aura.

    "That brat..."

    He muttered a few curses under his breath and nced at Yue because Kyle''s reckless actions would worry her the most. However, he blinked when he noticed the elf''s calm andposed expression, as if she wasn''t concerned about him in the slightest and believed nothing would happen to him.

    Yue noticed Wesley''s gaze upon her and smiled. She pointed into the distance.

    "Let''s keep moving forward. Don''t worry about him; he''s strong enough to take down a transcendent rank individual. I remember you saying you wouldn''t protect him even if he followed me because your hands are already filled with the elves under you. Well, trust me when I say there''s no need for you to protect him."

    Sebastian, who was floating a short distance from Yue, paled at her words. He couldn''t believe what he was hearing... Kyle? That weakling who didn''t even join them when they were fighting the ravens and undead inside the tomb was powerful enough to defeat a transcendent rank individual? No, she must be joking. He shook his head, trying to dismiss it.

    However, then he recalled how Kyle had appeared before Wesley and vanished in less than a second. A shiver ran down his spine because if Kyle truly had the strength to defeat a transcendent rank individual, he would have been in grave danger if he had challenged the human to a duel!

    Wesley pinched his brow and began to advance, instructing the elves to trail behind. If only one of them possessed the ability to craft a teleportation array, they would have arrived at their destination by now.

    He sighed and shook his head because no one in his group had that level of expertise... not even he himself had much knowledge about symbols or arrays.

    .....

    In the distance, where Wesley and the elves under him were trying to reach, there was a beautiful forest now aze with mes. Numerous individuals from the dark and demon races were assaulting the people before them with weapons and razor-sharp nails.

    They also cast dark energy infused spells and skills at their opponents, creating a cacophony of mockingughter as their opponents fought to defend themselves.

    Ronan, Oldeus, and the groups of elves under them weren''t the only one fighting; numerous humans and demi-humans were also involved in the intense battle. As each moment passed, the intensity of the heat and bloodshed increased.

    This was primarily due to one of the supreme rank demons leading the assault, who was utilizing powerful dark fire. The sky above the battleground grew darker than its surroundings, tainted by the polluted divine energy absorbed by the demon and dark race individuals.

    In the middle of the fierce battlefield, within a cramped structure crafted from rough rocks, Jian cautiously looked out and surveyed the scene. His brow furrowed as he observed the chaos, his attire and body stained with blood - not his own, but that of the enemies he had recently killed. However, after depleting his divine energy, he was left with no choice but to hide. After all, the Sacred Divine Landcked mana.

 Chapter 553 Why the heck do you never listen?

    Chapter 553 Why the heck do you never listen?

    Jian let out a sigh and looked back at the exhausted group behind him. Three humans and a crimson birdy sprawled out among them, the bird appearing utterly fatigued as if she couldn''t care less about her posture. All the humans, like him, had their clothes stained with blood. Among the three humans, the one with grey hair and hazel eyes stared at him with a deadpan expression and whispered.

    "I warned you that we shouldn''t head in this direction! Why the heck do you never listen? Just look at the mess we have gotten ourselves into!"

    Jian scratched his head with a wry smile. How could Xavier me him? Who would have thought a fight would break out on this side!? He was merely drawn this way after catching a glimpse of a mystical spirit that vanished in this direction. He wanted to follow the spirit and capture it!

    He grumbled as Bia gave him a stern look. The phoenix took a few deep breaths and properly settled on the ground.

    They had been battling individuals from the demon and dark races since the conflict began between the dark side and a group of elves. Unluckily, they were the first group to join the fight alongside the elves. But now, with all of them depleted of their divine energy, they were in hiding.

    Initially, the fight was minor, just between the elves and the demon and dark races. But as time went on, more and more people from various races passing by got involved, or more specifically, they were forced to join because the supreme rank demons leading the battle were not allowing anyone to leave.

    Bia closed her eyes with a weary expression, her entire body was aching, longing for nothing but rest. However, she snapped them open with a sh of anger when Jian spoke up once more.

    "We are all alive and safe now, aren''t we? So, everything''s okay, no need to worry."

    The three humans and one phoenix gave the red-haired man a dark look. It was only then that Jian quieted down, but right at that moment, the cramped structure built from rough rocks shook.

    In a single swift movement, the entire structure above their heads was hurled into the distance. Jian''s eyes widened as he looked up and saw a pair of white slit pupils staring at him, with mockingughter dancing within them.

    "Shit!"

    Jian let out a string of curses and, just like the others, rolled away from the spot. He couldn''t believe he had just imed they were safe when their hiding ce was already exposed!

    They narrowly evaded as the owner of the white slit eyes aggressively brought down the tips of his four expansive, dark-hued wings towards their position. The moment the sharp tips stabbed the ground, a loud noise filled the air, and the demon let out a sinisterugh before turning his focus to the grey-haired human and the phoenix.

    Xavier and Bia were among those who made the fight quite challenging for the dark side. The crimson phoenix, due to her imposing size, and the human, due to his exceptionalbat skills.

    Additionally, the three other humans in their group took out many individuals from the dark side. When the dark and demon races attempted to eliminate them, they quickly fled and disappeared from the battlefield like a merciless gust that struck down numerous demons before vanishing.

    Surprisingly, who would have guessed the group was hiding right in the middle of the battlefield? They didn''t flee! The demon''s eyes gleamed, and after he demolished the rocky structure, many other demons and individuals from the dark race encircled the group from all sides. The demons with white slit pupils floated just like the dark race individuals with dark beady eyes.

    Xavier let out a bitterugh that sounded too strained as he looked at Bia, Jian, and the two humans he had brought to the Sacred Divine Land with him. He was the strongest among them, and even though it was all because of Jian that they ended up in this difficult situation, he needed to ensure they all make it out alive.

    He tightly grasped the spear in his hand and, despite his body screaming with exhaustion, he intercepted the attack of a demon who attempted to swing the de at one of the humans beside him. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Bia pped her wings frantically and escaped in a different direction when a demon attempted to grab her petite body. She hurled numerous curses at the woman with white slit pupils who tried to stab her with her nails. Some of the curses were so vulgar that Jian, who was in a fight with an individual from the dark race, had to look back to confirm they indeed came from their dear little Bia''s mouth.

    Xavier let out a pained grunt as a demon''s sharp, pointy nails grazed over his thigh while he tried to fend off another attack aimed at his shoulder. Instantly, blood started pouring out from his wound.

    The two humans beside him quickly came to his aid, but their faces paled as more demons began to gather around them.

    They exchanged nces with panicked eyes since they couldn''t seek assistance; everyone around was engrossed in their own battles, striving to survive.

    The group of elves who were initially targeted by the demons were huddled together in the distance, doing their utmost to protect each other.

    The neers who had joined the battlefield seemed indifferent to their own fates. So, who woulde to their aid in this situation!? No one!

    Jian clenched his jaw so tightly that he could taste the distant metallic tang of blood in his mouth as he pushed back an attack aimed at his stomach.

    He excelled in closebat, but being a mage, he knew he wouldn''tst long when his divine energy was already depleted!

    Xavier, Jian, and the two humans'' eyes widened when they heard Bia''s pained shriek. The phoenix couldn''t shift into herrger form as she had depleted her energyter than the others. So, even though they had gathered some divine energy, they knew that in such a short time, even if Bia had gathered some, she wouldn''t be able to transform into her original form instantly!

 Chapter 554 So, you finally decided to show up, huh?

    Chapter 554 So, you finally decided to show up, huh?

    Jian harshly kicked the dark race individual in front of him and looked back at Bia, but his eyes chilled when he saw the phoenix in the clutches of a demon woman.

    The woman was transcendent rank, so despite Bia''s struggles, she couldn''t break free from her hold! He lunged at the woman to rescue Bia, but a demon seized his neck and forcefully mmed his body to the ground, apanied by a mockingughter. Jian fought against the grip and screamed at the woman.

    "You bitch! Let her go!"

    Just like him, Xavier''s eyes also turned red when he saw Bia in the demon''s hand. He immediately thrust his spear into the chest of the demon in front of him before hurling it at the demon woman, but she effortlessly caught it in her hands. After all, unlike them, who were surrounded from all directions, she had hardly any worries.

    An evil cackle slipped from the woman''s lips as the snug blue dress hugging her form stretched when she unfurled the four expansive wings behind her back, then peered down at the red-haired and grey-haired humans.

    "What? This little bird is quite precious to you two, huh? I suppose I will take my sweet time to end her life then."

    Bia looked around with panicked eyes, a terror she had never experienced before gripping her heart tightly as she called upon the small amount of divine energy she had gathered in her body to revert to her original form because she knew as long as she transformed to her original form she would be able to get away from this!

    However, her eyes widened in rm as a shroud of dark energy emerged from the woman''s hand and encircled her form.

    She realized with a sinking feeling... that she couldn''t tap into the divine energy within her body because it was bing polluted by the darkness!

    She opened her beak and sharply bit down on the woman''s fingers, but it was as if the woman''s fingers were made of steel because the woman didn''t even flinch at her attack. Instead, she tightened her grip on her body before slowly and excruciatingly stabbing her pointy nails into her form.

    A sweet voice emanated from the woman''s mouth as she let out a giggle.

    "Don''t struggle, little one."

    Bia''s eyes saw red. This witch, she cursed out loud and started cursing the demon''s entire family and ancestry.

    -"Let me go! Do you even have any idea which majestic being you are grabbing? Get your filthy fingers off me!"

    The demon''s eyes turned crescent, and she released a scornfulugh. Majestic? She couldn''t fathom the arrogance of this small, exquisite creature. The beast was already under her mercy and still dared to call herself majestic? As Bia screamed relentlessly, the demon woman drove her nails even deeper into the phoenix''s body, her eyebrows arching in disdain.

    Crimson blood began to seep from the phoenix''s wounds, staining her red feathers in an even deeper hue of red. The woman sneered as she gazed at the phoenix and the struggling humans below her.

    Jian let out another scream, his eyes turning bloodshot as he caught the glint in the woman''s eyes, realizing she was toying with them! Xavier and the others also grasped this truth as they were already at the mercy of the dark side. It was odd that instead of ending them, the demon and dark race individuals decided to force them to witness Bia''s suffering.

    The battles around them were still ongoing, and the sky was getting redder and darker with each passing second due to the zing forest; the supreme-rank individuals were fighting the supreme-rank demons, while the transcendent-rank and divine-rank individuals were battling opponents of simr rank. Xavier and Jian could see that many individuals had noticed what was happening to them. However, no one came forward to help because they were focused on saving themselves.

    The demon woman''s lips curled into a captivating smile as she leaned down to whisper in a voice audible to everyone.

    "What if I don''t let you go-!"

    In that moment, the air around the woman became eerily silent and icy cold. She blinked as a pale hand tightly grasped her wrist. Instantly, a chilling sensation spread through her skin, and she was surprised by how cold the touch felt... but this thought vanished from her mind when she realized that she hadn''t noticed how and when the owner of the hand had approached her.

    Before she could turn her head towards the figure hovering beside her, a raspy voice, filled with murderous intent, echoed behind her ears. The voice sounded hollow yet chilling simultaneously, with an edge as though if she didn''tply, it would erase her.

    "If she''s asking to be released, then it means you should release her."

    Jian stopped struggling when he saw the silver-haired man, whom he recognized, materialize next to the demon woman. The man had his back turned toward him, but even without looking directly at his face, Jian knew who it was �� the familiar yet unfamiliar voice, the coldness seeping out from every inch of his body, and the white earring on his ear. All these signs indicated that the man was the very person Jian and Bia had been searching for all these years.

    Jian held his breath for a moment, then burst into loudughter that filled the now silent air due to the sudden arrival of the silver-haired man. The demon, who had his hand wrapped around Jian''s neck, furrowed his brows in confusion. Not only the demon but all the individuals surrounding the humans nced at each other with confusion.

    They all had the same thought in their heads - had the red-haired man gone crazy? Even though the arrival of the silver-haired man was sudden, they could clearly sense that he was just a divine rank human. So, they knew the transcendent rank demon would easily take care of him.

    Xavier eyed the silver-haired man just like everyone else. He had heard about him from Jian many times. Jian gave the man many titles - the strongest among them all, the one with overwhelming luck, the one who can turn everything in his favor with just his presence alone, the one who sleeps a lot. But now that he was looking at the man directly, even though the man was just a divine rank individual, Xavier felt a little oppressed due to his presence alone.

    The demon woman, despite feeling a bit starteld, let out a chuckle at the audacity of the person floating next to her.

    She lifted her head and met the gaze of the silver-haired human with a smile. However, her smile faltered when she realized his eyes held no trace of fear.

    Bia whipped her tiny head towards the human and cursed loudly. Her eyes welled up as she started speaking directly into the human''s head with a voice filled with various emotions, especially relief, longing, and joy.

    -''Kyle, you funkin'' bastard! So, you finally decided to show up, huh? I thought you were dead or something... hiek or maybe you just conveniently forgot that you have a bondedpanion?!''N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 555 Stay put and dont drop down

    Chapter 555 Stay put and don''t drop down

    Kyle blinked as his mind was unexpectedly bombarded with a barrage of curses. Within the cacophony in his head, he recognized a young female voice...

    The voice was undeniably familiar, and despite the curses aimed at him, he found himself devoid of anger, almost as though he had be ustomed to the same voice cursing in his head. His eyes shifted to the crimson bird, which fell silent as their eyes met. The bird''s round crimson eyes held a unique blend of blue and pure golden hues, but they quickly turned tearful, punctuated by a loud hurrmp.

    He was distracted when the back of his hand, clutching the demon woman''s wrist, started to shine. As they both looked down, a bright symbol manifested above his hand. It quivered and then broke into various pieces that scattered into the air. When the symbol dispersed, it felt like a barrier had been broken, as intense emotions, not his own, flooded Kyle''s mind.

    The sudden rush of someone else''s feelings caught Kyle off guard, but he quickly recognized them as Bia''s. As he reyed the shattered symbol in his mind, he realized that for some reason he had set up a barrier in their connection to prevent her from detecting his presence. This very barrier also hindered his ability to sense the usual portion of her emotions that one could feel from their bonded beast.

    He noticed how Bia''s eyes widened a bit and grasped that now she could sense him and just like him, she could also feel his emotions since the barrier in their bond had crumbled when he arrived by her side. Kyle''s gaze shed with a smile as he picked up on the exasperation and ire in her emotions aimed his way, but beneath those feelings, he could distinctly sense sheer happiness and a peaceful calmness, as if she was in a conflicted yet content mood.

    But the smile in his eyes faded and was reced by a chill when he saw the blood soaking the little bird''s feathers. His hold on the demon woman tightened as he gazed directly into her eyes. The woman smirked at him with disdain.

    She could clearly sense his rank and knew he could be dealt with effortlessly with just a flick of her finger. However, when she attempted to move her hand away from his grasp, a frown creased her face because she couldn''t budge her hand.

    "You-!"

    Her words were abruptly cut off, and a sharp cry escaped her lips as the resounding crack of bones breaking filled the air when Kyle tightened his grip on her wrist... and unlike fighting with cia, this time he used his full strength.

    The cry escted into a dreadful scream, and the woman''s fingers, entwined around the phoenix''s body, snapped open as her wrist became useless.

    Bia pped her wings frantically to fly toward Kyle, but due to the injuries on her body and the sudden movement, instead of flying, her small body plummeted towards the ground. Her eyes widened, but before she could regain her bnce, Kyle let go of the screaming woman''s wrist and extended his hand to catch her. A familiar cold sensation tingled through Bia''s feathers, and she ceased her movements before tightly gripping his hand with her wings.

    The demons and dark race individuals around Kyle all gazed at him dazedly, quite shocked by what had just happened before their very eyes. Did a divine rank just harm a transcendent rank?

    Many others fighting in the vicinity also heard the demon''s dreadful scream that echoed throughout the battlefield. Even though they were busy in their battles, they nced back to see who had dared to fight the demon woman to save the group of humans surrounded from all directions.

    Jian grinned and took advantage of the opportunity created by Kyle''s distraction. He jostled the individual who had his hand on his neck, performed a backflip, andnded a punch to the man''s gut.

    Another scream echoed through the air, breaking the silence, and once again, a fight erupted between the four humans and the demons and dark race individuals surrounding them.

    Kyle raised his hand and gazed at the crimson bird in his grasp. He narrowed his eyes and examined her blood-filled body. A faint sense of worry was visible in his eyes.

    "Are you alright?"

    His question was met with a distressed voice in his head that grumbled like a child. It almost seemed as if he was the one who had harmed her.

    -''Do I look fine to you!? Huh, can''t you see I''m dying?? Help me! Give me a healing potion! No, not just one, give me a few at least. I can''t stand the pain!''

    -''Ugh, damn, this witch, I swear I want to break all her bones, but I can''t right now as I don''t have strength left in my body...''

    Kyle furrowed his brows at the incessant voice in his head, and Bia felt her world spin violently as he deftly evaded the attack of the demon woman who had regathered herself after the initial dread.

    The woman let out an angry scream and thrust a de that materialized in her unharmed hand towards him, yet he smoothly evaded once more.

    Kyle noticed Bia''s eyes spinning from his sudden fast movements, so he snapped his fingers. Instantly, a few symbols lit up in the air, forming a shield around the phoenix''s body to help her regain focus.

    A few curses slipped out from Bia''s mouth, and Kyle made a mental note that he needs to correct hernguage as it wasn''t good for his bondedpanion to curse so much.

    Spiritual energy emanated from his palm to heal her injuries because, unfortunately, he didn''t have any healing potions with him. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The demon woman red at him with pure hatred andunched another attack. But Kyle deftly maneuvered in mid-air once more and evaded her assault. A frustrated scream escaped her lips, and he caught sight from the corner of his eye that a few more demons were stealthily gathering around him, aiming to overwhelm him. So, he firmly grasped the spear that had been hovering behind him all this time and ced Bia on his shoulder.

    "Little one, stay put and don''t drop down. Since you can''t break her bones, I will take care of it for you."

 Chapter 556 Thats not what I have heard

    556 That''s not what I have heard

    Bia blinked at the strange and unfamiliar way Kyle called her... she wasn''t used to it. He always called her by name, so why the sudden switch to little one? She grumbled inwardly and gripped his shirt to show her displeasure since she had no strength left in her body to even speak.

    A calming feeling began to spread through her body, and her eyes started to close as spiritual energy continued to flow from his body to envelop her. Some faint symbols shimmered around her, creating a shield to protect her from the sudden shift of air in case he moved too fast.

    Kyle sensed her tightening grip on his shoulder and picked up on her underlying unhappiness. His brow furrowed, and he raised the glinting silver spear in his hand. His gaze turned frigid as he locked eyes with the demon woman.

    The demon woman, who had summoned more allies, sneered at him with disdain. She was caught off guard initially, but did he truly believe he could harm her again with numerous demons encircling him from all sides?

    Indeed, she had noticed his strength surpassed that of a divine rank for some reason, but it''s unrealistic to think he, just a mere divine rank, could defeat so many divine-rank demons, including herself a transcendent-rank demon.

    Jian, who had once again been taken down by an individual from the dark race, nced at Kyle''s back and let out a loud shout.

    "Bro, help me too! Don''t just favor Bia! The phoenix is stronger than me!"

    Bia''s eyes narrowed sharply at Jian, and even Kyle took a quick nce at the red-haired man sprawled on the ground, trying to escape the many individuals with bat-like wings surrounding him. The man appeared to recognize him, but Kyle just couldn''t recall him, even though his voice sounded somewhat familiar.

    Kyle then shifted his gaze away and focused on the woman in front of him, his lips curling into a chilling smile.

    "Just me yourself... for touching someone you shouldn''t have."

    The demon womanughed. Not just the silver-haired human, but all the other humans he was supposed to save were under her mercy, and he was being so arrogant right in front of her face? She wanted to raise her hand to taunt him but clenched her jaw when she remembered that even though she wasn''t feeling pain anymore, her wrist was still healing.

    She haughtily raised her head and stared directly at him.

    "Ohhhh, I am so sacred. What are you gonna do, huh? Can you even touch me?"

    As the demon woman''s words faded, many demons appeared around her. Kyle raised his brow and fixed his gaze on her.

    "I wonder as well what I am gonna do... let''s see, how about we start with your demise?"

    Bia, who had just closed her eyes to rest, gasped when his body moved once more. Her eyes widened because even though the shield around her body was preventing the air from shifting, the surroundings around her were changing too rapidly!

    She clenched her feet tightly on his shoulder, afraid he might unintentionally drop her off somewhere.

    When her vision cleared, the phoenix spotted the demon woman with a smirk on her face that quickly turned to terror when a pale hand suddenly grabbed her neck and forcefully mmed her entire body into the ground with a loud bang.

    Bia observed as dust and debris clouded her vision, but nothing touched her body thanks to the shield around her. She held her breath when a scream echoed through the air and looked at Kyle''s face, which was just a little distance away from her. A shuddering breath left her as she noticed nothing on his face except a hint of amusement.

    The scene unfolded so quickly that the demons surrounding the woman couldn''t react in time. They only realized what had happened when the demon woman''s body had already plunged deep underground, with dust and debris swirling around. The demons hastily dispersed the dust and rushed to rescue the woman, but the silver-haired human had already vanished from the pit, leaving behind the woman coughing up blood and clutching the ominous dark mark on her neck.

    Kyle''s eyes gleamed as he swiftly moved and paused behind one of the demons attempting to rescue the woman. The spear in his hand hummed softly as he lifted its shaft and thrust the tip straight down towards the demon''s chest.

    Instantly, blood spurted from the demon''s chest, and he looked at the other demons around him with a fearful expression, reaching out to them for help. But they all recoiled in fear after witnessing what had transpired, as the human had left after driving the spear into his chest.

    Kyle halted at the edge of the pit, peering down at the demons below. His eyes swept the surroundings, and he noticed that the individuals with bat-like wings behind them, who were battling the humans nearby, had ceased their actions due to the event that just unfolded before them.

    Jian shed a grin at Kyle, but the red-haired man''s smirk faded as a member of the dark race raised a de towards his abdomen. He instinctively moved to shield his vital organs from harm, but before the de could even make contact, Kyle appeared beside him in a sh and seized the de''s tip. The silver hair above Kyle''s head shimmered softly as he shook his head in disapproval.

    "You are pretty weak. He''s not even divine rank, just a pseudo rank guy, but he can still harm you? That''s not what I have heard. Maybe you are not one of the people Yue talked about." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Jian snapped out of his daze, his gratitude turning sour upon hearing Kyle''s words. Weak? He wasn''t weak at all! He had simply depleted all his divine energy! With a full reserve of divine energy, he could easily kill numerous pseudo divine rank individuals! However, when his tired mind processed Kyle''s entire words, a shocked expression appeared on his face.

    Did Kyle just talk about Yue?

    Jian''s eyes widened, and he wanted to ask if Kyle had really found Yue, but his words were stuck in his throat as he watched how effortlessly Kyle broke the hand clenching the de aimed at him.

 Chapter 557 You never change

    557 You never change

    Kyle raised his hand, and the silver spear zoomed out from the pit in the ground he had created andnded in his palm.

    He turned back and looked at the screaming man with bat-like wings, whose hand he had just broken after thetter had tried to plunge his de into the stomach of the red-haired man. His eyes gleamed with a menacing glint, radiating a sense of ominous intent as he maneuvered with an agility that even a transcendent rank individual couldn''t hope to match.

    The tip of the silver spear in his hand gleamed dangerously with a golden hue as he executed a rapid series of thrusts and spins in just a split second.

    Each movement was swift and precise, aimed directly at his opponents'' vital points as he effortlessly weaved through the people with bat-like wings encircling Jian, leaving behind a trail of blood and agonizing cries in his wake.

    The sudden, piercing screams startled everyone fighting around the area. The cries also drew the attention of the supreme rank demons battling high above in the sky with opponents of simr ranks. However, the supreme rank demons were hindered by their opponents and could only watch with dted eyes as a lone human decimated numerous dark race individuals solely with sheer strength and a single spear.

    Jiam''s eyes turned dazed as he tried to locate Kyle''s figure, but he could only see a faint afterimage because before his eyes could even catch on, the man had already moved to another ce. He sucked in a deep breath when he realized that Kyle wasn''t using instant teleportation.

    The silver-haired man''s agility alone was enough to give the impression that he was teleporting from one ce to another. Jian cursed under his breath as he witnessed the grim fate of the dark race individuals who were desperately trying to track down Kyle when the man wasn''t even utilizing instant teleportation.

    "Dang, what the heck. I knew the gap between us would be huge when we met again, but I never knew it would be... this wide. What on earth did he consume to gain such speed when he''s obviously a divine rank like me? No, his divine energy is clearly weaker than mine! So how?" N?v(el)B\\jnn

    His words barely faded when a familiar figure d in a blue shirt paused in front of him. Kyle''s clothes were spotless, not a drop of blood in sight, but his silver spear was drenched in crimson as he let it go and it started floating behind his body.

    Jian blinked as Kyle extended a hand towards him. His eyes widened when he realized he forgot to get up from the ground because he was so engrossed in watching Kyle! He muttered a curse under his breath and grabbed Kyle''s hand, noting that it was extremely cold, just like ice. The man pushed him up, and Jian stood up.

    Jian let out a sigh as he ran his hand through his shoulder-length red hair. The strands were messy, scattered all around his shoulders due to the ordeal he had just been through. He shook his head and looked at Kyle with a grin.

    "Bro, how about a hug? It''s been a while. I have to admit, as always, you showed up, and the enemies were taken care of without even getting the chance to fight back."

    Heughed and lunged at Kyle for a hug because unlike Xavier and the other two humans who were still struggling, all the enemies surrounding him from every direction were killed.

    Kyle eyed his figure covered in dust from head to toe and sidestepped to the right to evade the outstretched hands. But it looked like the red-haired man saw thating as he switched directions halfway and pulled Kyle into a hug with a smirk before giving him two pats on the back.

    "You never change..."

    Jina stepped back and a hint of amusement shed through his eyes when he saw Kyle''s surprised expression, as if the man hadn''t anticipated it.

    "What? It''s typical for you to dodge me. So, this time I was prepared! Besides, I already knew that you would move to the right to avoid getting blood on your shoes, haha."

    Kyle furrowed his brows and brushed his shirt to clear the dust that clung to his clothes after Jian hugged him.

    He nced at the gray-haired human battling in the distance and, upon sensing Xavier''s rank, he knew that man was the strongest among the group. A low voice came out from his mouth as he asked the red-haired man next to him.

    "That is?"

    Jian followed his gaze.

    "Oh, it''s Xavier. I made some friends after separating from you and everyone else."

    Kyle nodded and recalled the name inscribed on the golden gate. Yue had told him many names, and only one of his friends name was missing in the engraved names. To confirm his suspicions, he patted the red-haired man on the back.

    "Indeed, it''s been a while... Jian?"

    Jian didn''t notice the strangeness in his eyes, unlike Bia, who had her solemn eyes fixed on Kyle''s face and let out a chuckle.

    "Of course, it''s been so many years!"

    Kyle nodded and retracted his hand. It seems like all his friends were currently in thisnd. What a coincidence...

    A faint smile appeared on his lips but quickly disappeared as he grabbed the spear floating behind him.

    "Jian."

    He called out seriously, causing the red-haired man to look at him.

    "What?"

    "It''s time to cleanse this ce of the individuals emitting the scent of the repulsive dark energy. Can you fight?"

    Jian rolled his eyes.

    "Of course, I can! Just because I have depleted my divine energy doesn''t mean I''m useless! Wait, now that I remember, you mentioned Yue-!"

    His words got interrupted as a de lying on the ground flew towards Kyle''s hand before the man handed it to him.

    "Good. Now, less talking and more fighting. They must pay for touching my bonded beast. We can always chatter."

 Chapter 558 They are finished!

    Chapter 558 They are finished!

    Jian stared at the de in his hand. It wasrge, heavy, and sharp with a rough handle. He cursed under his breath because Kyle had already vanished from his sight.

    "That fast guy. Doesn''t he know I am not good with des, especially the heavy ones? Ugh, I will just go with it until I have more divine energy in my body."

    He scratched his head and rushed over to Xavier to help him out. The gray-haired man was shooting him dirty looks because Kyle and Jian started chatting instead of lending him a hand. Just as he reached Xavier, a woman''s cry pierced the air behind him.

    This time, the scream was so excruciating and tormenting that it sent chills down the spines of everyone who heard it. It felt like someone was trying to extract the person''s soul and break it into pieces.

    Xavier looked at Kyle, who had once again subdued the demon woman attempting to escape after the silver-haired man started talking to Jian. Kyle firmly held her head, and Xavier whispered under his breath.

    "He''s separating her soul from her body. Well, it''s the only way topletely kill her because she is a transcendent-rank demon with the ability to regenerate her body."

    Jian pushed aside one of the demons surrounding Xavier and nced back.

    "It looks excruciating. I know the process, but I haven''t attempted it yet. I guess I will once I reach the transcendent-rank..."

    He let out a regretful sigh because he wasn''t able to do it right now, and Xavier''s eyebrow twitched violently.

    What the heck? They were talking about separating a soul from another''s body for the world''s sake! It''s a delicate process, and if the soul is damaged, the person would never be able to have a good next life.

    Kyle let go of the woman''s head, and her body slumped lifelessly to the ground after her soul departed. He gazed at the demons a bit away from him and grabbed the spear floating behind him before his form turned into a blur as he vanished from his spot.

    The demons and dark race individuals around him all immediately fled in different directions with panicked expressions. The ones battling with the elves and people of other races had also seen what went down. They also aimed to get as far as possible from the silver-haired man or ensure the man was dealt with.

    The supreme rank demons were busy, so of course, they had to handle the human who was killing their kind like ants themselves. That''s why among the transcendent rank demons and dark race individuals, three of them abandoned their opponents and joined forces to eliminate the human.

    The human was solely relying on sheer strength and his spear to kill others. So if they gathered andunched an attack on him from a distance using their skills, they thought they could easily defeat him. But what unfolded next shocked everyone who thought Kyle''s power was limited to his physical strength and his spear.

    Kyle paused and stood over a demon''s lifeless body he had taken down. He surveyed the scene, observing the dark fire engulfing everything in the vicinity �� the once beautiful trees and thend too. Many individuals from the dark and demon races were attacking the people in front of them, but they now seemed a bit wary due to his presence. The sinisterughter in the air had turned eerily silent, and now everyone was solely focused on fighting.

    Kyle noticed the two demons and one transcendent-rank woman with bat-like wings who approached him with their weapons from the corner of his eye. As he raised his head, his gaze locked onto the supreme rank demon fighting an elven man in the sky. The middle-aged demon with four expansive wings behind his back was engulfed in dark mes, emitting a sinister energy that polluted the air around him. Due to the dark mes, the sky above him had turned ominously dark and red.

    The supreme rank demon, who sensed his gaze, looked down directly into his eyes. A dangerous murderous glint shed through the demon''s eyes. If he wasn''t preupied with the supreme rank elf, he would have descended and tormented the human with his own hands.

    The demon''s eyes narrowed when the silver-haired human didn''t flinch away from his dark gaze and instead stared back into his eyes with a mocking glint. Kyle''s lips curled into a sneer, and he slowly raised his hand to flick his fingers while muttering a few words under his breath, knowing the supreme rank demon could hear them clearly despite the surrounding noise.

    "See you again in a bit."

    Right after his words faded, the air around him quivered, and an icy barrier descended upon a wide area around him. Then strange symbols lit up in the air and clung to the barrier to enhance its strength.

    The people fighting who were enclosed in the barrier gasped at the icyyer filled with immense spiritual energy thatpletely isted the space from the outside world. Countless icicles formed just inches away from the icyyer, their sharp tips pointing directly at every person within the barrier. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Kyle smirked as he watched the supreme-rank demon whose eyes dted after his ice domain descended. He was the only one who could see through his domain, and he knew that even though the supreme rank individuals fighting far above in the sky could sense his domain, they couldn''t peer inside and couldn''t easily break through it because he used pure spiritual energy to form it.

    "They can break it, but their hands are already full with the people opposite them. So, I guess I have a lot of time..."

    He gazed at the three transcendent-rank individuals gathered around him, and their expressions sank when they sensed their strength decreasing due to some unknown reason. Kyle raised his spear and spoke loudly so everyone could hear him.

    "The ones not emitting the scent of repulsive dark energy, now your opponents'' strength is lower. Attack and finish them off as soon as possible."

    Jian shouted from a distance.

    "Haha, they are finished!"

 Chapter 559 Come fight me if you can

    Chapter 559 Come fight me if you can

    A thunderous boom reverberated through the air as Kyle''s figure vanished from his position, leaving behind an afterimage. At that very moment, one of the wings of the three transcendent-rank individuals around him was torn to shreds as Kyle''s eyes gleamed sharply. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    It was the first time he used the spear art that Hubert had taught him. Silently reciting the first move of the ''Whirlwind stab'' in his head, the spear in his grasp shimmered and grew hot before its tip punctured multiple spots of one of the demon''s wings simultaneously.

    The air shook as the transcendent-rank demon screamed in agony and his body plunged towards the ground. Kyle''s figure stopped right where the fallen demon had been floating. He nced at the remaining two transcendent-rank individuals around him who, upon witnessing the fate of the first, fled in different directions with frightened expressions. They had only one thought in their heads �� they needed to escape from this ce.

    After all, even with their full strength, they knew they couldn''t face the human alone and had gathered to defeat him. So, who were they fooling to think that now, with their strength reduced for some unknown reason, they could defeat the human? But their escape was stopped by the icyyer, and despite exerting all their strength to break through the barrier, they couldn''t escape the icyyer.

    Kyle''s eyes shed with amusement when he noticed that, like the duo, many other trancendent rank demons and dark race individuals fighting around him were also trying to escape upon realizing that the situation was turning against them.

    He looked down at the injured transcendent-rank demon who had fallen, and instead of chasing the fleeing pair, he vanished towards the first one to finish him offpletely.

    "I will eliminate you first. Then the rest.

    The people around him, battling the demons and dark race individuals inside the domain, all became courageous when they noticed that their opponents'' strength had weakened, just as the silver-haired human had mentioned. Theyunched full-force attacks to defeat their adversaries swiftly because, although they were unsure how the silver-haired human had weakened so many people, they understood that such a potent ability wouldn''tst long. Perhaps that''s why the human asked them to eliminate their opponents quickly.

    The atmosphere that was previously echoing with the dark side''s scornfulughter was quickly reced by the sound of their anguished cries as they desperately attempted to secure their survival and flee. Nevertheless, every possible escape route was sealed off by the icy barrier.

    At that moment, Wesley and the group of elves following the old man arrived in the sky outside the domain. Kyle sensed their presence and looked up as he killed the transcendent rank demon beneath him.

    Different from Wesley, who could somewhat sense the domain''s precense, the other elves behind him were confused because all they could see was a burning forest and the supreme rank individuals battling in the sky.

    Kyle had just looked at the group floating outside the barrier when Wesley suddenly shouted at the young elves behind him to descend. It was only then that he noticed that the middle-aged supreme rank demon, who had previously made eye contact with him, swiftly kicked aside his opponent and attacked towards Wesley with full force to eliminate the elves behind him.

    ''Bia fly!''

    Bia was startled when Kyle told her to fly, and the instant she did, the figure beneath her disappeared into thin air.

    Kyle''s form materialized just an inch away from the supreme rank demon lunging at Wesley and the group of elves.

    Immediately, blue mes erupted around his body, and the dark sky illuminated with an otherworldly glow as he utilized all the remaining spiritual energy in his body to engulf the demon in the icy mes.

    The demon''s eyes widened at the chilling coldness surrounding his body, causing him to pause briefly. This momentary pause allowed the supreme rank elf, who had been pushed aside by the demon earlier, to re-enter the fight against him.

    Kyle nced at the icy mes before him. It''s been a while since he used them. He noticed when the supreme rank demon gave him a chilling re brimming with murderous intent and let out a sneer.

    "What? Come fight me if you can. It''s not like I am running away anytime soon."

    The supreme rank demon gritted his teeth and became more aggressive against his opponent, who wasn''t weak at all to sumb to his attacks. Otherwise, their fight wouldn''t havested so long. Kyle chuckled and waved his hand; immediately, the blue mes before him spread out to engulf the dark mes, lighting up the air and the trees all around him.

    It didn''t take long for the blue mes to engulf the dark mes, and everything they touched transformed into icy sculptures. This shocked the supreme rank demon because his mes were the most potent among all the demons who could wield dark energy to create pure dark mes.

    He wasn''t the only one shocked; all the other demons fighting around him were also taken aback, including the elf fighting him. Ronan''s eyes narrowed at the mes, then at Kyle, who had just protected the elves behind Wesley.

    His gaze rxed as he realized that the silver-haired human was the very person he had detected in Yue''s room.

    Back then, he had only felt Kyle''s presence and hadn''t seen his face. But now, as he looked at the young man, he couldn''t help but acknowledge that Yue had a good eye for choosing him.

    Wesley''s bewildered gaze was also locked onto Kyle''s back. He couldn''t believe what he had just witnessed.

    The human he had thought was weak had the power to halt a supreme rank demon, even if only for a split second. After all, a divine rank individual stopping a supreme rank was unheard of. Not to mention, the mysterious mes Kyle just used.

    So many questions flooded his mind, but before he could even think of how to ask them, Kyle disappeared from his position and reappeared behind Yue. Little did he know, Sebastian nearly had a heart attack when he materialized among the elves.

 Chapter 560 We need to have a thorough conversation

    Chapter 560 We need to have a thorough conversation

    Yue looked back at the figure that tapped her shoulder, and her body rxed when she saw Kyle. A faint smile appeared at the corner of her lips as he pointed down toward the ground and spoke loudly so every elf around him could hear. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "I will create a small opening in my domain. So, enter before it closes."

    The elves were puzzled, but Wesley''s mouth dropped open in shock because he had sensed the domain earlier!

    The old man couldn''t believe such a powerful barrier was created by someone of only divine rank! He closed his mouth and wore a solemn expression.

    He realized he shouldn''t underestimate Kyle, or he might end up making an enemy of a future formidable individual who could very well surpass him in rank. The old man was grateful to his past self for not reacting harshly to Kyle and remaining silent about the young man''s seeminglyzy behavior during their walk in the tomb.

    Now he understood that Kyle wasn''tzy; the young man was simply trailing the other elves because if he walked among them, he was strong enough to handle all the enemies they faced alone!

    Yue gazed at Kyle. Although she had seen his domain before, she was still surprised by how powerful it had be.

    As she and the elves watched, Kyle moved a bit downward toward the ground. After he moved, the air in front of him rippled, and then ayer of ice appeared in the air, which parted to reveal the events unfolding within the area isted from the outside world.

    The elves around Yue gasped when they caught sight of a battlefield that had been concealed from their view before. Instantly, many demons and individuals from the dark race who had been attempting to break the icy barrier rushed towards the opening Kyle had formed to breach it.

    Wesley, who had just moved to prevent the demons and individuals from the dark race from escaping the barrier, flinched when Kyle clenched both of his fists together and mmed them down towards the approaching individuals.

    The force of his attack was sufficient to send those desperately flying towards the opening plummeting to the ground. Kyle then unclenched his fists and turned to gaze back at the stunned elves.

    "Now, enter."

    Sebastian swiftly took cover behind an elven woman, not even daring to approach Kyle. Alright, he admitted defeat even before facing the human. After all, there was no chance he could withstand a single punch from the man! That very punch had just sent many strong individuals plummeting to the ground...

    Kyle gazed at the elves who rushed toward the opening with Wesley onest time, then vanished from his spot only to reappear beside Bia, who was circling Jian.

    He extended his hand toward the bird, who flew to him. But he blinked and tilted his head down when instead of sitting on his shoulder, Bianded on his head.

    "Huh?"

    She tousled his hair with a satisfied look and settledfortably on his head before speaking directly in his mind.

    -''I think we need to have a thorough conversation because I want to know exactly where have you been what you have been up to in recent years.''

    Kyle chuckled when he sensed the underlying seriousness in her voice and gestured towards Yue and Nox.

    ''What if I told you I just went to find them?''

    Bia''s eyes widened at the two familiar figures. Jian kicked aside his opponent and followed Kyle''s gaze. A wide grin appeared on his face as he began to float.

    "You found her? I knew there was a reason why you asked Bia not to find you. So, you were busy searching for your other half. Haha, well done."

    Jian nearly lost his bnce mid-air as he raised his hand to smack Kyle''s back, but the silver-haired man swiftly moved away like lightning before his hand could make contact with him.

    "You... forget it. My whole body is aching; let''s just finish this quickly."

    Kyle gave him a sidelong nce.

    "Don''t worry. A supreme rank has just entered the area to fight alongside us. I believe the old man can help us bring all this to a swift conclusion."

    Bia stared at Jian and then firmly grasped Kyle''s hair before tugging on it tightly, her eyes filled with seriousness.

    -''Hey, don''t change the topic. I''m not interested in ''what ifs''. And when did you start getting on my nerves?''

    Kyle''s eyes sparkled with a touch of surprise as he shed a smirk. Well, he wasn''t nning to keep anything from his bonded beast, but it was pleasant to know she understood him so well.

    ''Okay, little one... hmm, I guess you don''t like this title. So, Bia let''s have a thorough conversation when we are done here.''

    He gazed at the people Xavier and the two humans beside the man were battling, and his spear materialized in his hand.

    In a sh, he left Jian''s side and grabbed one of the demons fighting Xavier before mming the demon into the ground.

    Xavier''s eyes narrowed because even though he could track Kyle''s movements, he was sure he couldn''t confront him directly as Kyle was much faster. He watched as the silver-haired man thrust his spear into the demon''s chest without a hint of emotion on his face.

    Kyle retrieved his spear from the demon''s chest and locked eyes with Xavier, who returned the gaze with a dry smile while stealing nces at Bia. However, the phoenix paid him no attention at all.

    Xavier let out a deep breath, feeling a bit hurt that after meeting with her bondedpanion, the phoenix had forgotten all the care he had shown her.

    He really wanted to fight for Bia. But, he knew he shouldn''t provoke Kyle after witnessing the man''s capabilities.

    Kyle tilted his head as he observed the demons and dark race individuals scattering in various directions after he killed one of them. He swiped his spear to rid it of the blood before shifting his gaze towards Xavier.

    "What are you staring at?"

    "Go after them and eliminate them. We can''t afford to waste time."

    Xavier took one final look at Bia before leaving Kyle''s side. But he made sure to drag Jian along as well because he was exhausted, yet the red-haired man had stopped fighting and was just gazing at everyone silently without a care.

 Chapter 561 What about Nine?

    Chapter 561 What about Nine?

    The battlefield swiftly started to clear up after Wesley entered the fight. The demons and dark race individuals began falling one by one under thebined forces of the elves, demi-humans, dwarfs, and humans.

    Kyle killed most of the people from the dark side as he moved through the area with his spear, eliminating every person who attempted to breach his ice domain.

    Once the phoenix got her divine energy back, she turned into her original form to fight alongside Kyle. After all, she didn''t want to appear weaker than Nox, who had changed into his original form and was helping Yue kill the enemies.

    With a fierce cry and mes of fury in her eyes, Bia sought vengeance against the demons for the injuries one of their kind had inflicted upon her body.

    Kyle gazed at the phoenix with enormous breathtaking wings adorned in red, golden, and blue hues that shimmered under the dark sky. Golden mes danced along her wings, creating a mesmerizing disy.

    "She''s stunning..."

    Yue stopped next to him in mid-air and gazed at the phoenix too.

    "She''s... but you know, Nox isn''t bad at all. His iridescent scales are the most beautiful in the darkness as they start to glow."

    Kyle looked at the lynx.

    "But he''s quite a scaredy-cat because I can see he''s getting frightened by Bia for some reason, almost as if the phoenix would eat him if he''s not keeping an eye on her."

    Yue blinked when she also noticed Nox''s strange behavior. The lynx was really keeping a sharp eye on the phoenix... She suppressed augh when she saw how Bia ordered Nox to clean the space before him, and he silently did what she told him. Kyle raised his hand when he noticed his domain was losing its strength.

    "The area is almost cleared, and only a few people from the dark side are alive, being hunted by Wesley and the elves who had lost their friends because of them. I think it''s time to end all of this."

    In the next second, the icicles floating near the icyyer enclosing the area trembled. Then they zoomed directly toward the flying demons and dark race individuals and impaled their bodies mercilessly.

    Wesley paused as he gazed at the icicles and blood that spread out, making the already crimson group even redder. The old elven man swiftly dealt with the remaining individuals who were still alive even after the icicles had pierced their bodies before he looked up and noticed the icyyer that had encased them cracking.

    As the ice cracked, it transformed into ice kes that drifted in the air in a captivating manner. The symbols attached to the icyyer all dissipated as well. The dark sky began to clear up due to the cold yet sparkling ice drifting in the air.

    The supreme rank individuals were still fighting high up in the sky, but the ones on the ground had dealt with their enemies, which is why everyone who had been inside the icyyer started to disperse. But before leaving, they all looked at the silver-haired human floating in the midst of it all onest time to imprint his face in their minds. To ensure they never made an enemy of this young human and, if possible, ask their people to make him agree to join their side.

    Wesley looked at the numerous elves gathering around him. They were all injured, their clothes drenched in blood. He sighed and nced at the sky where the supreme rank individuals were still fighting.

    The old man told the young elves toe with him to a secure location where they could care for their wounds. Even though he saw a decrease in the number of elves due to casualties, he didn''t have time to grieve for the fallen because his main focus was ensuring the safety of those who survived.

    Yue looked at Wesley as thetter started moving in the opposite direction, and Nox shifted into his smaller form beforending on her shoulder. The lynx nced at Kyle before speaking directly into Yue''s mind.

    ''So... are we not following the old man?'' N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Yue looked at Kyle as the man reached out his hand towards Bia.

    The phoenix had also transformed into a small crimson bird. But instead ofnding on his hand, the phoenix changed direction and perched on Yue''s shoulder.

    -"It''s been a while."

    Bia rubbed her head against her neck and shot Nox a secret re. The lynx flew away from Yue''s shoulder with a aggrieved look and went to Kyle forfort.

    To the surprise of both Yue and Bia, Kyle actually patted Nox''s head and allowed the lynx to move around his shoulders. Jian, Xavier, and the two humans apanying them also began to float and appeared beside the couple.

    Jian looked at Yue with a smile.

    "How have you been? I never thought I would see you here... but it''s good that you are safe and Kyle found you. Also, what about Nine? I haven''t seen that rascal who vanished with you and Elli."

    He let out a sigh when he mentioned Nine. Yue smiled back at Jian. She could tell the red-haired man hadn''t changed at all. He was still the same Jian she remembered, even though the aura surrounding him seemed more mature than before.

    "I have been good, thanks. About Nine, I don''t have much information... he left Elli and me because he had important things to take care of. Elli said he will catch up with us once he''s done with his tasks."

    Jian''s expression turned serious. Although Yue''s words sounded usual because to get stronger, one needs to explore the universe, he couldn''t shake off his concern for Nine. He just hoped nothing bad had happened to that idiot who had disappeared without a word about his destination. He shook his head and looked over at Kyle.

    "So what''s the next move? Should we all go and find Alec and the others because you know they are also here."

    Kyle hummed. So Jian also knew that the others were here?

    "I know they are here, but it would be very challenging to locate them in such a vast ce, so it wouldn''t be very useful even if we search for them..."

    He paused for a moment.

    ''... especially because I don''t remember them, which is why I can''t track their scents.''

    Kyle took Bia from Yue''s shoulder and ced the phoenix on his head.

    "I think it''s best if we wait for the diator Arena to open. They will surely participate, and we can meet them there."

 Chapter 562 Then... left side it is?

    Chapter 562 Then... left side it is?

    Jian nodded and raised his hands in surrender. He had been searching for Alec and the others since he found out they were here but hadn''t found a single clue about their whereabouts, except for their names engraved on the gates of some ancient tombs. It was like the group was here but not here at the same time.

    Perhaps they were hiding because the Sacred Divine Land was currently very dangerous. The recent situation Jian and everyone around him had just experienced was a prime example of why the Sacred Divine Land was perilous.

    He tied his tousled hair and looked up at the supreme rank individuals fighting above them. A bit tempted to enter the fight but knew he would just break his bones if he dared to even touch one of them. That''s why he gazed at the silver-haired man.

    "So... what are we gonna do?"

    Xavier''s eyebrow twitched at how easily Jian changed sides. The red-haired man had been following him around all this while, but now it was clear he wanted to follow Kyle and abandon him.

    He grumbled inwardly; first Bia, and now Jian as well. Both of them had no loyalty. However, he didn''t say anything because he knew staying with a stronger person like Kyle was safer for the duo.

    Kyle tilted his head in a gesture of confusion, unintentionally not grasping Jian''s intent. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Of course, we go separate ways. I want to find some treasures and go into seclusion for a while to increase my divine energy stat. Yue and Nox will follow the other elves."

    Jian''s eyes widened slightly at his words. This bastard... but then he snapped his sharp eyes towards Xavier, who attempted to stifle hisughter but failed miserably.

    "You want a beating?"

    Xavier shook his head and quickly moved back from the red-haired man. Kyle, who had been thinking, spoke up before Jian could engage in a one-on-one with Xavier.

    "Why don''t you all follow Yue as well? I inadvertently assisted the elves, so I think they wouldn''t mind morepany. I have seen that you, Xavier, and the people with you guys have the ability to defend yourselves in danger. Therefore, I''m not concerned about all of you."

    Yue looked at Jian.

    "Yes, you cane along with me and Nox if you want to. There are some powerful individuals guarding the elves."

    Jian rolled his eyes and eximed.

    "I don''t get it. Why isn''t anyone questioning why Kyle can roam around solo while we have to stick together in a secure location? Aren''t the dangers the same for him? Yue, aren''t you going to ask him to stay with us?"

    Right after he spoke, everyone looked at Kyle, who remained silent. The man simply grabbed a cloth from his mind space to clean the blood off the silver spear he had been using all this time.

    Then they all turned to Jian with expressions that questioned whether he truly believed Kyle needed protection. Jian let out a disbelievingugh.

    "What? I know he''s strong! But he''s not strong enough to face a supreme rank! I don''t think he should be allowed to go alone! Let''s stick together. In the end, our final destination is the diator Arena."

    Kyle furrowed his brows.

    "Don''t fret about me. It''s not that I don''t wish to remain with everyone. It''s because currently, there''s an imbnce between my strength and rank. It''s not good for my body. I need to increase my divine energy quickly to raise my rank."

    "That''s why I want to explore for treasures and seclude myself. Plus, if I do face danger, I know how to escape."

    Jian narrowed his eyes at Kyle''s body. He had noticed Kyle''s rank and seen thetter''s strength, which was a lot higher than his rank. So he knew the man wasn''t lying. He thought for a minute and then nodded.

    "Okay, do whatever you want. Just stay safe... wait, will Bia go with you?"

    Kyle nodded without a word. It was evident that Bia would apany him. Jian''s eyes widened as he looked at the phoenix.

    "Bia?? You are gonna leave me?"

    Bia cringed at the words that came out of the red-haired man''s mouth. She sneered.

    -"This majestic phoenix has already been by your side a lot and saved your life many times. Just be grateful for that."

    Jian''s face fell, and Xavier''s expression also revealed reluctance. They both wanted the phoenix to apany them, but it was evident from Kyle''s expression that he wouldn''t leave Bia behind.

    Jian and the other humans silently trailed behind Yue in mid-air as she and Nox began moving towards the direction where Wesley had vanished with the other elves.

    Kyle followed the group until they reached the edge of the area filled with buildings, the exact ce where Yue was residing with the other elves until the diator Arena opened. Yue looked back at him with a smile and waved, indicating that he could leave now. Kyle let out a faint smile in return. Yue blinked as he shifted from his position and stopped directly in front of her. He gently wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into a hug before cing a soft kiss on her forehead.

    "Stay safe. Contact me immediately if you are in any type of danger."

    Yue nodded with a flushed face.

    "Hmm..."

    In the distance, Jian, Xavier, and the two humans'' face turned sour at the sight. They turned their heads away and flew towards one of the buildings in the area to locate afortable spot to rest. Having stayed in the forest since their arrival in the Sacred Divine Land, and following a strenuous battle, they were in need of rest.

    Kyle observed until Yue and Nox also vanished behind Jian and Xavier before he caressed Bia''s head.

    "Bia... which direction should we go? Left or right? We have a couple of months before the diator Arena opens. Let''s catch up and also increase our strength, shall we?"

    The phoenix shifted on his head.

    -"Nope, not gonna choose. Your choice is a better option, you know? I am sure we would end up finding some treasures if we followed your directions."

    -"So, choose yourself."

    Kyle''s lips curved upward. Truly, she knew him a lot. He extended his scent perception skill and gazed towards the left.

    "Then... left side it is?"

    The moment his words drifted in the air, he vanished from his location with Bia, and the duo began their search for treasures. As many as possible. That''s how the rumors of a phoenix and a silver-haired man hunting and snatching treasures under the nose of others became famous throughout the entire sacred divinend.

    Kyle''s appearance had already be renowned when he effortlessly killed many transcendent rank demons and dark race individuals inside his ice domain. So when he and Bia began gathering treasures, they became even more well-known.

 Chapter 563 The Gladiator Arena I

    Chapter 563 The diator Arena I

    Just as a breeze, time flowed by, and three monthster within the Sacred Divine Land, above a particrly elevated area, a crack materialized in the sky, radiantly lit without a sun, as there was no sun in thisnd filled with divine and spiritual energy.

    Numerous figures, both old and young, dressed in cream-colored robes with arge gray sword intricately engraved on the chest of their garments, emerged from the crack and gazed down at the elevated area. Among them were men and women from various races, yet they all shared amon trait - an imposing aura.

    The elderly man, with white hair and light blue eyes, leading the group, was enveloped in a brilliant white light, appearing to have transcended mortal limits and reached a state harmonizing with nature. Yet, despite his immense power, visible battle scars marked his exposed hands.

    Simrly, all the individuals floating behind him also bore numerous scars on their bodies, evidence of the deadly conflicts they had endured in their lifetimes.

    The elderly man with white hair gazed around at thend beneath him and felt an uncountable number of people scattered all around the vast elevated area. He heaved a deep sigh as he peered into the distance, observing the region in the Sacred Divine Land enveloped by pure dark energy, which was extending to engulf the divine and spiritual energy.

    "What a pity..."

    His blue eyes brightened briefly as he attempted to foresee if a war would indeed erupt in thisnd within the diator Arena between the dark side led by the shadow generals and the many races participating in the diator Arena. But he furrowed his brows when he saw nothing but countless threads of fate intertwined with death.

    Whose threads they belonged to, he couldn''t discern for some reason. But one thing was certain, thousands of people would perish in this Arena that he and the others behind him are about to open.

    "I suppose this time we will witness many deaths in the diator Arena."

    The expressions on the faces of the numerous people behind him remained unchanged even after hearing him. They were already mentally prepared to witness a brutal spectacle this time, a bloodbath that would stain the tforms in the diator Arena.

    The elderly man gestured and waved his hand. Without dy, the many figures behind him scattered in different directions above the raised ground. As each of them encircled the elevated area like a bubble, a hidden barrier that had concealed the seemingly deste space shattered, revealing a grand spectacle.

    In the next second, many immensend pieces lifted into the air and began shaping themselves into towering walls engraved with ancient symbols encircling the expansive raised tform.

    The symbols glistened and eagerly absorbed the divine and spiritual energy in the atmosphere. As the walls took form, borate statues representing powerful ancient rulers emerged from the walls at different points. A tall man''s statue, representing the human race with strength and power, stood proudly next to a winged woman from the demi-human race. Close by, a dwarf''s statue, holding a hammer, symbolized resilience and craftsmanship. Next to it was an elven woman''s statue exuding grace and agility, holding a sword with a thin de in her right hand. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Amongst them, a demon''s statue was also present. The man was sittingzily against the wall with a sinister grin, adding an air of mystery and danger. Lastly, in the midst of this grandeur, there was a stunning mer woman''s statue. She wore a blindfold over her eyes, her hands lifted towards the sky, and a serene smile gracing her lips.

    The statues, carved with exquisite detail from ancient stone, added a sense of history and reverence to the walls reaching the sky. Each figure seemed to tell a story of its race, standing as a testament to the diversity and legends of the past. Once the walls were established, numerous chairs crafted from sand emerged from the walls for the audience. Then, in the next moment, thousands of circr stages where the participants would battle each other materialized in the middle of the walls surrounding the huge ground.

    The group of people dressed in robes hovering above the area, watching the scene, stayed unruffled since they had seen this scenario y out many times. The diator Arena, a centennial event, was a familiar urrence to them.

    The elderly man with white hair and blue eyes, leading the group, descended upon the walls. He gazed at the walls, and under his gaze, numerous illusionary figures of men and women purely made of spiritual energy emerged from the walls glistening with ancient symbols.

    The figures had different duties: firstly, to provide a namete to each person participating in the diator Arena. The participants would then write their own name or whatever title represented them on that te. Once they inscribed their names, the te would vanish and integrate itself onto the back of their hands, automatically entering their names in the countlessrge floating projections lighting up the sky every passing second.

    This te would show the participants when to join a battle and their designated stage since each stage had a different number. It would disappear from the back of their hands when the participants are eliminated from the diator Arena.

    Secondly, the illusionary figures would oversee the floating stages where different participants would battle each other. As a result, some figures settled on the floating stage, while others positioned themselves in various locations before the walls.

    The group of people d in robes floating around the elderly man channeled their spiritual energy. All at once, a sphere of light shot towards the sky. As the ball of light reached the highest point in the sky, it erupted into mes that engulfed the sky before a resounding trumpet st echoed throughout the entire Sacred Divine Land, signaling themencement of the diator Arena. Right after that, the three grand gates positioned in various directions amidst the towering walls lowered with a resounding noise to allow entry for all those eager to participate.

    As the crimson mes lit up the sky above the towering walls and the trumpet st resounded, every person in the Sacred Divine Land with some knowledge of the diator Arena was alerted. Those close by hurried towards the Arena gates, while others, following their elders, also gathered to head to the Arena. Immediately, the sky was filled with many figures, all moving towards the same destination.

    The elderly man in robe and the group around him positioned themselves above the chairs that materialized near the majestic mer woman''s statue. They silently observed as the thousands of people eagerly waiting for the diator Arena to open filled the space from eachrge gate. The atmosphere quickly intensified and buzzed with various sounds, yet everything remained orderly as the illusionary figures moved about, handing a namete to each participant and guiding those old elders not participating to the audience seats.

 Chapter 564 The Gladiator Arena II

    Chapter 564 The diator Arena II

    "Dang, it''s super loud..."

    A familiar voice sliced through the chaos of sounds reverberating in front of one of the three massive gates positioned in various directions amidst the towering walls of diator Arena.

    The young man, decked out in a sophisticated grey hoodie adorned with intricate designs on the cuffs, paired with dark trousers that exuded elegance and style, glided out from one of the many floating ships docked by the massive gate that loomed over a vast area. He pulled back his hoodie, revealing a pair of golden eyes that narrowed as he scanned the numerous people of different races lining up to get a namete before entering the massive gate.

    Another curse slipped from his lips as he ran his hand through his brown hair, now showing hints of darker edges. The pure golden threads in his eyes swirled as he briefly shut them, but snapped them open again when a woman from the lizard race gave him a rough smack on the back.

    "Nine, pick up the pace. The Arena registration might be open for weeks, but that doesn''t mean we shouldg behind and end upst in line for a namete. Let''s move quickly."

    Nine crossed his arms and grimaced at the overwhelming sight. The sheer number of people around him was beyond count. It felt as if the entire universe had gathered here for the Arena. How would he ever locate his friends in such a massive crowd?

    He nced at the individuals from the lizard race floating around him, the people he had spent many years with. The ones who had arrived on the Sacred Divine Land alongside him and clicked his tongue. Nine had hoped to arrive early at the Sacred Divine Land to search for his friends, but he was unfamiliar with the directions.

    The lizard race possessed an array that could teleport them near the Sacred Divine Land, and even though he asked to use it, they were reluctant to use many resources to activate the array solely for his journey. Consequently, he had to wait until the lizard race members preparing for the diator Arena departed from their.

    However, because of the old supreme rank lizard bastard''smand, the lizard race members left their just an hour before the start of the diator Arena to prevent conflicts with the dark and demon races wandering the Sacred Divine Land.

    Nine eyes widened with shock as the old supreme-rank lizard leading the group of people that had arrived with him instructed them to move forward, discreetly signaling for them to abandon him. He clenched his teeth and followed closely behind them.

    ''Darn, I really wish I could outmatch this old man. Ugh, If only I were stronger... I have trained under him for so many years, and he still treats me like I''m just an annoying bug. This old geezer. Why doesn''t he understand that I don''t have scales covering my body like him and his people? That''s why my body is on the weaker side!''

    He grumbled silently because over the years he had trained under the old supreme rank lizard, he had to endure intense training that was not suitable for his fragile body! The lizard race people bodies were stronger than his, so he had to put in extra effort to catch up with them.

    He chuckled when he thought how among all his friends, he was the weakest and the one who detested training the most.

    Nine grinned as he observed the well-defined muscles entuating his physique. It was evident that he outshone all his friends in terms of physicality, strength, and agility, even though he had only reached the second stage of divine energy within the divine rank. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Hehe..."

    An evilugh slipped past his lips, but he quickly pped them shut them when he remembered the familiar faces of Alec, Carcel, and Kyle.

    "Okay, I retract what I just thought. If I got ahead of myself and those rascals are stronger than me..."

    "...They might just pummel me to a pulp to taunt me for the rest of my days."

    Nine shuddered at the mere thought of the trio teaming up against him just to tell him who is the strongest among them. He was certain that Regius, Jian, and Sinon would also join in for the fun.

    It seemed likely that he would meet his grave early if he was haughty before them, so he decided inwardly to keep a low profile and avoid boasting in their presence.

    In that moment, a familiar old voice echoed beside his ear as he had unknowingly halted mid-air while lost in thought.

    "Nine Ondo!"

    "Huh??"

    Nine blinked. Who had the audacity to address him by his full name, a name he had almost forgotten, but as he turned his head and met the serious gaze of the supreme rank old lizard, he nodded.

    "Yes, boss."

    "How may this humble me assist you?"

    The old supreme rank lizard raised his hand and gestured around them.

    "Can this humble one see just how many people are floating around him?"

    Nine nced around. There were numerous unfamiliar individuals floating around him. He opened his mouth to respond, but the old man interjected before him.

    "Nine, I don''t have the patience to ensure you don''t get lost in this crowd. You need to stay with the group. Otherwise, I will leave you behind!"

    Nine let out a dryugh and scratched his head when he noticed that the group of people under the old lizard had already entered one of the numerous lines queuing in front of the massive gate leading inside the towering walls. The old man harrumphed and swiftly moved towards the group looking at him from a distance; Nine quickly followed behind and joined the group. However, he didn''t forget to mumble curses under his breath.

    "Old geezer, just you wait..."

    He nced around at the countless people surrounding him, hoping to find his friends'' faces among them because he knew he would meet them all here.

    He moved forward with the line to get a namete. However, when he saw the incredibly long line, he was sure it would take him at least a whole day before he could get a namete.

 Chapter 565 The Gladiator Arena III

    Chapter 565 The diator Arena III

    Just as Nine had anticipated, it took a full day before he and the group of lizard race individuals with him, standing in the queue, reached one of the illusionary figures handing out the nametes to the participants.

    The supreme-rank old lizard stood quietly by everyone''s side as the people under him each took a namete. Nine quickly rubbed his hands and grasped the small square namete that the illusionary figure handed him when it was his turn.

    He let out a sigh, finally, after so much struggle, he got a namete.

    After everyone in his group got a namete, he swiftly entered the massive gate with them. It took them some time due to the crowd to find empty chairs among the many lined up within the towering walls surrounding the stages where the battles would take ce. Nine''s eyes reflected a hint of surprise when he saw the massive tform in the middle of the towering walls. The ancient statues and the projections floating in the sky, disying various titles and names of the people who had written their designations on the nametes given to them.

    They all settled as a group, and the supreme rank lizard sat in the middle of them to share some tips on how to handle powerful opponents. Nine listened attentively to this crucial advice, but his lips twitched when the supreme-rank lizard suggested, with a serious expression, that they should admit defeat if they realize they can''t ovee their opponent.

    The old supreme-rank lizard stressed that with numerous battles ahead, wasting time and energy on unwinnable fights was not smart. Instead, they could use that time to challenge a different opponent. Given the many battles in the diator Arena, losing a few matches wasn''t a big concern as long as they secured the necessary victories needed for the next round.

    The noise in the air got louder with each passing second as numerous people entered the diator Arena. Nine stared at the sky with furrowed brows because of the noise. However, his sharp ears picked up a conversation amidst the cacophony of sounds in the distance among a group of people from the dwarf race. The group sat together talking about how they could secure victory since all of them had reached the transcendent rank.

    He tilted his head and started listening. Initially, it was just a dull conversation, and he was simply listening because he had nothing better to do. Suddenly, one of the dwarves spat out in anger and cursed loudly. Nine blinked, a bit surprised, but his eyes widened when the dwarf who cursed mentioned that he would have advanced to the next stage of transcendent rank if the powerful treasure he foundst month wasn''t stolen by a crimson phoenix.

    "A phoenix?"

    Nine turned back and chimed in with sparkling eyes, startling the people around him. The dwarf who had just spoken was also taken aback when he saw the pair of golden eyes peering at him.

    "You...? Were you eavesdropping?"

    He was a bit angry that his embarrassing past was known by someone else, but his anger faded when Nine shook his head with an innocent expression.

    "I just heard one word, phoenix. So, were you the one who talked about a phoenix? I really like phoenixes, so I would love to learn more if you are willing to share."

    He smiled, a bit excited to know more because what were the chances that the phoenix the dwarf mentioned was not Bia? Only five percent! After all, phoenixes were rare, especially those of such a powerful rank to steal under the nose of a transcendent rank. But his smile faltered when the dwarf sneered at him. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "I don''t want to. Just mind your own business, human."

    Nine sneered back at the dwarf and jerked his head forward with a serious expression. He rubbed his forehead and contemted taking a nap. However, the man from the lizard race sitting beside him shook his shoulder. Nine opened his eyes and looked at the familiar man dressed in white.

    "What happened, Quazi?"

    "I just wanted to say, don''t forget to write your name on the namete. Otherwise, you won''t be able to join the Arena."

    Nine muttered a thank you and quickly grabbed the namete he had tossed in his mind space. Quazi suggested he should just use his divine energy to engrave his name on the te. Nine nodded, but before he could engrave his name, he paused for a moment and looked at the man next to him with a mischievous glint.

    "You know... I heard we can write anything on the namete. A name or a title that represents us. Doesn''t that mean I can write whatever name I want?"

    The lizard man with scales all over his skin seemed a bit puzzled but nodded his head in response, and Nine let out a chuckle.

    "Good, very good."

    He thought for a few moments and then began engraving his title on the namete. Quazi stole a nce at his te, not just him, but many others from the lizard race who knew Nine, also peeked at the namete to find out what he was writing because he was taking a lot of time just to write down his simple name consisting of only four words.

    Even the supreme rank old lizard cast a nce at his namete from afar, his old face revealing a hint of surprise when he read what Nine was inscribing. All the people around Nine gazed at him with scrunched-up expressions as the te in his hand dispersed into particles and melded into the back of his hand.

    In the next second, an empty circle appeared on the back of his hand. The moment the circle appeared on his hand, another title lit up in one of the many projections floating in the sky.

    [The Lone Overlord of the Sea.]

    Nine nced at the people around him, and shrugged his shoulders with a smirk.

    "What are you all looking at? It''s totally up to me what I want to write. Gotta admit, this title suits me best. Hahaha..."

    Thanks to him, everyone around who hadn''t written their titles on the namete yet got inspired. Instead of their names, they also began jotting down various powerful titles for themselves. After all, Nine was right that they could put whatever they wanted on their nametes.

    The moment Nine''s title lit up in the projection, the old man in a cream-colored robe with arge gray sword intricately engraved on the chest of his garments, sitting high above the crowd by the mermaid statue was surprised. The old man read the title, and his blue eyes narrowed with a faint light that vanished, leaving nothing behind.

    The people in simr robes beside him were also a bit surprised when they read the title. Then they all broke into subtle smiles. Indeed, there were always individuals who knew how to make themselves known.

    The moment Nine''s title lit up in the projection, the old man in a cream-colored robe with arge gray sword intricately engraved on the chest of his garments, sitting high above the crowd by the mermaid statue was surprised. The old man read the title, and his blue eyes narrowed with a faint light that vanished, leaving nothing behind.

    The people in simr robes beside him were also a bit surprised when they read the title. Then they all broke into subtle smiles. Indeed, there were always individuals who knew how to make themselves known.

    That''s how so many powerful people found Nine and decided to keep an eye on the young man to see if he could truly live up to the title he had written for himself.

 Chapter 566 The Gladiator Arena IV

    Chapter 566 The diator Arena IV

    A heartyughter filled the air as a young man with ck hair paused among the numerous people floating in the air. The horns atop his head and his ck wings with golden edges and silver patterns glistened in the daylight.

    Sinon paid no mind to the onlookers giving him side eyes and shed a grin at the three men floating across from him.

    "You all lost! I won this race, haha. That means I''m the fastest in agility!"

    He ran his hand through his hair with a haughty expression. Finally, he defeated the trio in something... if only he hadn''t started gathering so many water type skills because of Kyle, he would have been a lot stronger in that aspect as well. But well, it was already in the past, and now he was proficient with all his water type skills.

    Carcel gave him a thumbs up with a nod, but the words that came out of the golden-haired man''s mouth were anything butplimentary.

    "It''s because you have wings."

    Sinon''s smile faltered, and he clutched his wings with a wronged expression.

    "Why? Just why? Just ept that I am the fastest among you all! You all excel in one thing or another!"

    Regius''s brown eyes glistened with a mischievous glint and he joined Carcel with a solemn expression.

    "If you hadn''t used your wings... you know you wouldn''t have won."

    Alec nced at the duo and suppressed a chuckle when Sinon red at him with dark eyes, almost as if daring him to join the duo and he would make him regret it.

    The trio looked behind Sinon at the towering walls. Then they nced at the massive gate leading to the diator Arena, and their smiles faded. It had been months since they had been staying inside a hidden underground chamber, and finally, the Arena was open, so they came out to join it. Their faces turned sour as they all looked at the extensive queues of people in front of the massive gate.

    Regius furrowed his brows.

    "Just how are we going to secure a namete in such a massive crowd...?"

    Sinon nced back and cursed.

    "Damn, it''s going to take many hours or maybe a day or two before it''s our turn..."

    As the four men gazed at the massive gate, Zron, Yon, Susan, Mia and Lara also arrived beside them. Zron grabbed his back with a pained expression.

    "Who suggested we race mid-air?? I sprained my back! My old muscles are all aching because of you young people."

    Susan shot the old dwarf a deadpan look. Being at a transcendent rank, his body was already strong enough to ovee numerous powerful hurdles, and his back was sprained just because he floated for a while? What a liar... Just admit you lost and stop making excuses.

    He looked away when Zron whipped his head toward him. Yon chuckled at their interaction and gazed at the massive gate before them with a calm expression. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Finally, it''s time... So, we are all going to participate except Zron, right?"

    The people around him all nodded, and they quickly joined one of the queues without any dy. Sinon nced around in hope of finding a familiar face but sighed when he didn''t. Alec patted his shoulder when he noticed his expression.

    "Don''t worry, if Jian and the others are here, we would know immediately because you know their battles would surely attract the most attention."

    Sinon nodded as he adjusted his wings behind his back.

    "Exactly, especially Bia... Haha, her true appearance is distinctive enough for us to spot her... but only if they are here and join the diator Arena."

    His expression turned gloomy, but he blinked when a beautiful woman d in a grey dress standing in the queue across from him winked at him.

    "Huh?? Hey, Alec, are you seeing what I am seeing!? Did ady just try to flirt with me in the presence of your and Carcel''s otherworldly visages?"

    Alec''s eyebrow twitched violently as he followed Sinon''s gaze and noticed the woman with doe eyes staring at their group. He had already noticed that many people were secretly looking towards them. Well, this wasn''t new because except for the old trio in their group, all the young ones were handsome and beautiful, especially Mia. Not to mention, all of them were wearing matching blue outfits, so they stood out a bit from the rest of the crowd.

    However, they were here to participate in the diator Arena, not to flirt. So, he cleared his throat to tell Sinon to stay away from everyone they don''t know, but before he could even speak, the winged man had already left his side and entered the queue across from them to talk with the woman.

    Alec''s eyes widened with disbelief, and he opened his mouth to call Sinon back, but Zron beat him to it. The old dwarf moved swiftly and grabbed Sinon''s ear before dragging the winged man back.

    Sinon rubbed his ear and red at the old dwarf before quietly waving goodbye to the woman with doe eyes who chuckled at him and pointed towards the massive gate. She was clearly indicating they should get a namete first. So he sighed and stood in the line that moved at a snail''s pace quietly.

    The bright sky above them had already darkened by the time they all received a namete from an illusionary figure and entered the massive gate. However, it seemed like the space inside the gate was distinct from the outside because unlike the dark clouds outside, the area within the towering walls was as bright as day.

    The group quickly found some empty seats within therge walls and settled together amidst the noise. They gazed at the nametes in their hands and got ready to inscribe their names. But in that moment, Sinon pointed his finger above at the numerous projections floating in the sky.

    "Wait, why do the names on the projections sound more like titles people would choose for themselves rather than actual names?"

    They arrived a dayter than Nine, so it was expected that within just a day, many others would have written down powerful titles on the nametes they received instead of names following Nine''s example. Or maybe just to hide their names.

 Chapter 567 Their fates are intertwined

    Chapter 567 Their fates are intertwined

    Alec and everyone else stared at Sinon''s namete with an intrigued expression as the winged demi-human inscribed a title on the namete for himself.

    Once Sinon finished, the namete in his hand dispersed to create a circle on the back of his hand, and another name appeared within one of the numerous projections hovering in the sky.

    [The Ruler of Skies.]

    He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders with a smile. If others can im grand titles for themselves, why can''t he? Zron tsked at the young man and shook his head. Back in his days, young people were not so utterly shameless. But the old dwarf''s face turned deadpan when Susan also wrote down a strange title for himself.

    [The elderly Emperor.]

    Zron looked at the white-haired elder who grinned at the title as the namete in his hand scattered in the air.

    "So... you have also chosen to be shameless like the youngsters?"

    Susan chuckled at his words.

    "What''s wrong with being shameless? It''s fine to join the young ones asionally to enjoy the moment. No need to be so old-fashioned all the time."

    Yon, who was about to jot down his name, stopped upon hearing Susan''s words and also inscribed something different.

    [The Divine Hammer.]

    Zron rolled his eyes and shook his head with a sigh. In reality, he was somewhat tempted to join the diator Arena just to craft a powerful title for himself. However, even though he could, he decided against it... It''s not because he was scared; he simply didn''t want to intensify thepetition for the younger ones.

    Alec peeked at Lara''s namete. She seemed lost in thought, her brows furrowed in deep concentration. With a gentle smile, he brushed aside the strands of hair that had fallen on her face.

    "Just write down whateveres into your head. Don''t bother with Sinon; he''s a bit of a dimwit, you know. Feel free to put your name if you feel like it..."

    Lara nodded, but her expression turned skeptical as she watched him write on his namete. Only to notice him following Sinon''s footsteps. She arched a brow as she read out loud what he had written.

    "The Invincible Sword?"

    Alec touched his nose with a grin.

    "Doesn''t it suit me well?"

    She shook her head and twirled the namete between her fingers, humming softly.

    "I thought you told me to ignore Sinon... and here you are following his lead."

    She pondered for a moment and swiftly penned a fitting title for herself. Alec read it and gave her a nod of approval before the namete dispersed in the air, and a circle appeared on the back of her hand.

    [The Archery Queen.]

    Regius nced at the couple next to him and clicked his tongue with a smile. They were engrossed in their own chat.

    So, after scribbling a few words on his namete, he swiftly showed it to Carcel before it disappeared.

    "Hey, does this title suit me well?"

    Carcel, who was seated across from him with Mia, tilted his head back and nced at the title written on the namete that vanished in the air.

    "The Regal Monarch?"

    "Not bad... but a bit cringy."

    Regius raised a brow.

    "What? It''s light-years ahead of what Sinon and Alec scribbled down! Come on, let''s see what you came up with. I bet it''s even more cringeworthy than mine!"

    He rose from his chair and leaned over Carcel to check his namete. However, he couldn''t hold back a chuckle when he saw that Carcel''s namete was nk, not a single word on it.

    "So, you couldn''t even think of a title? That''s... haha, the most cringiest thing I have ever seen in my life."

    Carcel pushed his face back with a grim expression. He knew he wasn''t good at this, but there was no need to mock him. He just wanted to write his name, even though the others had chosen strange titles. But when even Mia picked a title for herself, he found himself unable to write his own name. How could he be left out when everyone else had decided to do something together? n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Mia gave him a quick look and held back a smile. She pointed to the round circle on the back of her hand.

    "I put down ''The Azure Mage'' because I''m a mage and my eyes are blue. You can just pick a title rted to your strengths."

    Carcel gave a nod. His brows furrowed with a serious expression as he thought for a bit and then wrote down his title.

    However, by the time he finished, everyone around him was staring at his namete, and they all burst intoughter when they read what he had written.

    [Just a Spear Lord.]

    Unbeknownst to them, a pair of blue eyes narrowed at them with strange emotions swirling within the glowing orbs. The old man in a cream-colored robe, seated before the mermaid statue, closed his eyes when his pupils started stinging. The people in simr robes around him all looked at him with concerned expressions. One of the older women questioned with an unreadable expression.

    "What happened, old Hal? You have been focusing on a particr group of people for a while. Have you seen something special in them?"

    The old man, called Harold, but known as old Hal by others, rubbed his closed eyes.

    "Their fates are intertwined... but someone or something in their lives is hindering me from discerning what is truly inscribed in their fates. This is the first instance where my ability is faltering."

    He blinked a few times and looked at the man with golden pupils. The young man eyes were stunning, with golden threads swirling within them.

    "I suspect they are all connected to the young man who proimed himself as the Overlord of the Sea, as his fate is also somewhat vague."

    The woman''s lips turned upwards. Her smile seemed innocent and kind, but her eyes hinted at a touch of disdain.

    "Who cares? Just picking fancy titles doesn''t make them important. They need to prove they are as good as they say they are. Anyway, we will find out if they have got what it takes once the battles kicks off."

 Chapter 568 Not quite there yet...

    Chapter 568 Not quite there yet...

    The old man, Hal, furrowed his brow and nced at the woman, but she quickly looked away to avoid his gaze. He sighed and changed the subject.

    "What about the other elders? Among the seven elders involved in the war on the other side of the universe, I am here, and one more should have arrived by now. Has she contacted any of you?"

    "We need her here. The two Shadow generals will arrive at the diator Arena any time now... I don''t want any of the participants in the diator Arena to die because of the dark side."

    One of the people sitting behind Old Hal leaned in and whispered in his ear.

    "She''s here. But she''s in the crowd. She mentioned she would watch discreetly, and if the Shadow generals acted out, she would step up to fight them."

    Old Hal nodded, and at that moment, two loud cries echoed from one of the three massive gates leading into the diator Arena. The old man squinted his blue eyes and saw two bonded beasts in mid-air outside the gate, ring at each other.

    One was a huge eagle with piercing grey eyes, while the other was a towering horned lynx adorned with iridescent scales. The eagle held the divine rank, whereas the lynx was only at a pseudo-divine rank, yet the lynx stood its ground, matching the eagle''s intense gaze without flinching.

    Old Hal furrowed his brows at the scene and looked back at one of the young men seated behind him at a distance.

    "Go and check what''s happening. Whose bonded beasts are causing trouble. They are outside the towering walls, and I''m sure they don''t know that bonded beasts are not permitted to revert to their original forms once inside the Arena. Theirrge forms could disrupt the peace of this ce."

    The young man in robes nodded and quickly moved from his spot to check what was happening and to control the crowd that had started gathering around the two beasts. But before he could intervene, a group of elves and some humans swiftly surrounded the lynx. Then, an elven woman with amber eyes among them hurriedly calmed the lynx down.

    Nox shot a re at the eagle, who returned it with mocking eyes, and then transformed back to his smaller form before grumpily sitting on Yue''s shoulder, prompting a soft sigh from the elven woman.

    ''That eagle started it! She dared to try and break my left horn! How could she even touch my precious horns!''

    ''Only you and the crimson phoenix have the privilege toy a hand on them!''

    Noxined in Yue''s mind, ready to tear the eagle apart even though the eagle was stronger than him; he was sure he could handle it! Jian and Xavier both quickly arrived beside Yue, and the trio nced at the eagle''s owner. She was a young woman with cunning eyes like a fox and pointed ears on top of her head, signaling she was from the demi-human race.

    The woman stood surrounded by many other demi-humans, each with a bondedpanion by their side. She sneered at Yue, Jian, and Xavier before calling back her eagle, which transformed into a smaller size andnded on her arms.

    "I gotta admit, your little lynx is one brave fe. He went for my eagle, even knowing he couldn''t beat it."

    Yue nced at the woman, her eyes showing nothing, but hidden anger shed in her gaze, and she decided the woman wasn''t worth a response.

    She saw the woman surrounded by many powerful demi-humans and knew that if a fight broke out, neither Yue nor the woman could join the diator Arena. While she thought about her next move, Jian interrupted with a dark expression.

    "Hey, hey, hold your horses."

    "Your ugly eagle barely escaped by fleeing. If Nox had attacked, it would be six feet underground by now."

    "So, count your blessings!"

    The woman''s expression turned sour as she pointed her finger at the group with furious eyes. Numerous powerful old demi-humans emerged from the group, and as they flew towards the young elves, Wesley, Ronan, Oldeus, and the supreme rank elven woman vanished from their positions and floated in front of the younger elves. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The conflict was among the younger generation, so the supreme rank elves refrained from intervening initially, but if the powerful individuals from the demi-human side attacked, they were prepared to retaliate as well.

    But before a fight could erupt between the two groups, a gentle pressure that didn''t harm anyone but still sent chills down their spines descended on their bodies. Wesley lifted his gaze and locked eyes with the young man in cream-colored robes who materialized between the two groups and began speaking in a solemn tone.

    "All of you, cease this conflict at once, or none of you will be permitted to participate in the diator Arena."

    The young man nced at the demi-humans, who quickly backed off, then turned to the elves, who also retreated with their young ones. His eyes narrowed at the lynx and the eagle briefly, and he recalled his own bonded beast who was fighting in the war. Unconsciously, hepared the lynx and eagle to his bondedpanion, and a sneer crossed his face.

    "What are they both so arrogant about? Their bondedpanions are just so-so. Not even worthy of attaining a rank above the divine rank."

    He mumbled under his breath as he left the area, but both Nox and the eagle, who heard his words, were enraged. The two beasts red at his retreating figure with dark, ominous eyes, and even their owners disyed anger in their gazes.

    Yue clenched her fists and shook her head when Jian looked at her with an expression that hinted they should challenge the man who dared tobel Nox as unworthy. She then eased her grip, and a smile lit up her face, contrasting her spoken words.

    "Not quite there yet... but I have a feeling that we will soon be on par with him. Then we will see if he has the nerve to dere someone else unworthy."

 Chapter 569 The dark side arrived

    Chapter 569 The dark side arrived

    The young man in the cream-colored robe paused in his tracks, a chuckle escaping his lips as he nced back at the elven woman with amber eyes who had just spoken up.

    "The youngsters these days are so arrogant. They have no idea how dangerous the universe they are living in truly is. Well, I can''t me them because all their lives, they have been sheltered under the protection of their elders."

    He disappeared and reappeared in front of Old Hal, only to find the old man looking at him with a serious expression.

    The young man braced himself for a scolding because he knew the old man was powerful enough to be aware of whatever he had just done outside the gate. Old Hal shook his head and let out a sigh.

    "Ned, how many times do I have to remind you not to blurt out everything that pops into your head? Who can predict the future and the potential these people hold? We should all unite and not belittle others who are on our side. What if those you have just branded as arrogant actually grow powerful enough to match you? Due to your careless words, they might end up on the wrong side instead of being with us."

    Ned''s face twisted in displeasure when he heard the old man''s words. He quietly nodded and took his seat.

    Meanwhile, after resolving the issue, Yue, Jian, and all the people with them lined up in many queues to collect their nametes. It took a couple of hours before Yue and everyone else with her managed to get their hands on their nametes.

    Wesley and Ronan quickly directed the elves and humans as they entered the massive gate and made their way toward the many chairs within the towering walls. However, due to therge number of elves, they were unable to find enough empty seats all in one area. Therefore, they had to split into two groups eventually. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    As usual, Yue followed Wesley, with Jian, Xavier, and the two humans apanying them. Sebastian hesitated but then quietly trailed behind Wesley and the other elves. It had been three months since Sebastianst saw the silver-haired man, yet he still didn''t dare to approach Yue closely. It seemed that in this life, it was safer for him to keep his distance from her if he valued his life.

    Jian''s eyes were gloomy due to the recent events he had experienced with Yue and Xavier as he sat down beside Xavier. He nced at the numerous projections illuminating the sky with a sigh but then noticed the peculiar titles shining within the projection. He blinked and read them aloud with a puzzled expression.

    "Huh?? The sluggish tortoise? The all-knowing betrayer? The double-faced Empress? What''s the deal with the names on the projections? Am I the only one who finds these names kind of strange?"

    He turned his head towards Xavier and the elves, only to see that they too had noticed the oddity in the names lighting up in the projections. Jian''s eyes sparkled when a sudden realization struck him.

    "Hold up, don''t tell me we can write any title or name we want on the nametes we received?? No way!"

    "Haha, now we are talking! The person who created these nametes is a genius. Wow, I can''t believe I can finally unt my charm just through my name!"

    Xavier looked at him with a nk expression when Jian enthusiastically started jotting down a title for himself. But he was relieved that at least it wasn''t the sluggish tortoise...

    [The majestic Magic Monarch.]

    Jian chuckled as he also used the title Bia often used for herself into his designation and then nced over at Xavier.

    "Not bad, huh?"

    Xavier smiled and nodded, but his nose wrinkled with distaste. He silently moved away from Jian, but before he could escape, Jian caught his arm and firmly made him sit next to him. The red-haired man gazed at him with a knowing smile, indicating that he wouldn''t let him go until he came up with a perfect title for himself. Xavier felt like crying as the others around him quickly fled before Jian could involve them too. With a bitterugh, Xavier also wrote down a title for himself.

    [Tempest Spearmaster.]

    Xavier''s expression turned deadpan when Jian beganughing at his title. However, he sighed with a smile when he saw the displeasure in Jian''s eyes finally dissipate. He watched as Jian made his way towards Yue to see what she was jotting down.

    Yue nced at the red-haired man and shrugged her shoulders.

    "Just gonna write down my name."

    Jian''s eyes widened as he moved the elven woman sitting next to Yue aside and settled down beside Yue with a serious expression.

    "Nooo, you can''t! Choose a strong title! You know Kyle, he would never just write his name! Let''s do what he would do, right?"

    Yue smiled.

    "Then...?"

    She pondered for a few seconds with a thoughtful expression.

    "How about ''The Queen of the Forest''? I like greenery and I have held the title of queen previously. So, it wouldn''t sound too awkward to me, right?"

    Jian''s eyes sparkled as he gave her an approving nod. She noted her title, and her namete also dispersed. It was a calm moment, not only for Yue and Jian but also for Alec and the others as well. Although they were seated far apart, the tranquility in the noisy atmosphere was disrupted when an ominous crack emerged in the sky above the numerous projections floating in the air.

    The crack widened with each passing second, and the crowd erupted with panicked whispers as a tremendous amount of dark energy seeped out from the crack. Countless individuals from the demon race, dark race, and nighkin race emerged from the crack and filled the sky with uncountable ck dots. All of them had twisted smiles on their faces. Finally, the people from the dark side, who had previously sent their envoy to inform the overseers of the diator Arena that they would also participate, arrived.

 Chapter 570 Oh... Im third

    Chapter 570 Oh... I''m third

    Among the numerous dark beings floating in the sky, a handsome young man dressed in a golden garment adorned with silver designs stepped out from the crack.

    He appeared incongruous amidst the darkness, radiating brightness. With golden eyes and long peach-colored hair pulled back into a high ponytail, flowing down his back, he peered down at the Arena below, enclosed by towering walls.

    As his golden eyesnded on Old Hal, the old man''s expression grew grim. He got up from his seat and started floating in the air to make sure the second shadow general wouldn''t try anything while he was around.

    However, the young man with golden eyes before him, surrounded by numerous dark figures, looked away with a disinterested expression, as if he had already assessed what the old man could achieve and what he couldn''t with his gaze alone.

    Ceano, the second shadow general, shifted his gaze back to the crack pulsating with dark energy behind him, and another figure emerged from it. It was a handsome youth who appeared slightly older than Ceano but no more than twenty years old, dressed in a blue shirt and dark pants, with short grey hair and light ivory-colored pupils.

    Different from Ceano, who could easily be mistaken for an ordinary young man due to his pristine appearance and the noticeable absence of the dark five-petal flower, the youth with ivory eyes had a dark five-petal flower etched beneath his chin in the middle of his neck, standing out distinctly.

    The youth with ivory eyes yawned wearily, as if he had been toiling ceaselessly, but Ceano remained impassive when he observed his rank.

    "Third, why haven''t you progressed in rank yet? I saw youst time, and you are still at the same rank. Why is it that you haven''t advanced, despite doing as you please and not even participating in the war?"

    The third shadow general, named Will, blinked and looked at the familiar face before him with narrowed eyes. It took him a few moments to remember which number shadow general was floating in front of him. If not for the golden eyes, he might not have remembered at all.

    "Oh... I''m third. I almost forgot. Haha, well, it''s been a while, enchanted beauty. How have you been!"

    He opened his arms with a smile for a brotherly hug but tsked when the person before him recoiled back with disgust.

    Ceano raised his hand to smack him, thinking what the heck he had been doing all this time since he hadn''t advanced in rank at all. However, his hand paused in mid-air when Will''s eyes turned icy, and a menacing expression crossed the man''s face, indicating that if he dared to touch him, thetter would tear him apart.

    It was a stark contrast to thezy demeanor the man disyed when he emerged from the crevice. Ceano''s lips curved into a smirk... even though the third shadow general was theziest and most useless among them all, the malevolence within the man was unfathomable. After all, unlike him, who solely pursued strength, Will harbored a pure desire to reign over nothing but the darkness. That''s why, despitezing around on Azure for so many years, he still held the title of the third shadow general.

    "I''m certain that in the entire universe, you''re the only one weaker than me yet still have the audacity to gaze at me with such an expression, all due to the dark energy that constantly there to help you, huh?"

    Will''s expression shifted in an instant, and he blinked with a bewildered expression.

    "What are you on about? I would never even in my wildest dreams consider threatening someone stronger than me!"

    He casually waved his hand, yet the dark energy in the air coiled around his wrist in a sinister fashion, almost as if it relished his entire presence. Ceano shook his head and looked down at the Arena.

    "It''s just like I remember... nothing''s changed. These people are gearing up to fight each other like crazy and shed blood. Tsk, what''s the real difference between them and us when all we want is what we desire at any cost?"

    The atmosphere within the towering walls buzzed with countless murmurs, some anxious, some solemn, some furious, all aimed at the numerous dark beings hovering in the sky.

    The demon race, dark race, nighkin race individuals floating behind the two shadow generals sneered at the people below, eager to bathe in their blood.

    Old Hal spoke up upon noticing a smile at the corner of Will''s lips as the man tried to discreetly slip away from the sky, but his bright attire gave him away instantly.

    "Don''t do anything you might regret."

    "You all are here to take part in the diator Arena, right? ording to our agreement, all the people you brought can join in, but if they dare to break the rules, don''t me me for being ruthless."

    Will tilted his head as he nced at the old man before him in a cream-colored robe.

    "Hey, oldie, do you really think we''re afraid of you? You alone can''t take us down..."

    He wanted to say more, but Ceano shook his head at him, hoping the grey-haired man would remember that they were here for a purpose, and to achieve it, they couldn''t halt the diator Arena from progressing. Will shrugged his shoulders and nced at the people floating behind him.

    "Alright, all of you head down and grab some nametes for yourselves to join the battles. Then settle into the chairs. Don''t make too much mess... you know, the old man can be ruthless, puhahaha."

    Heughed at his own words, and Old Hal''s expression darkened as he vanished from his spot. However, before the old man could disappear behind him, Will''s fading figure paused in front of the massive demon statue lounging against the towering wall with a wicked grin. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The third shadow general admired the demon statue, and a chair appeared before him. He took a seat in front of the statue with a proud look as he looked at the numerous individuals in cream-colored robes seated in the distance opposite him. He winked at them with a yful expression, and they all scowled in disgust before gesturing for Ceano to join him.

 Chapter 571 This familiar voice

    Chapter 571 This familiar voice

    Ceano sighed and joined Will. The duo sat before the demon statue and casually observed the numerous people below. Many eyes turned towards them, but the presence they emitted caused the onlookers to quickly look away.

    Once the two shadow generals settled before the demon''s statue, the demon, dark, and nightkin race individuals all chuckled and descended towards the numerous stages below amidst the towering walls.

    The atmosphere grew heavy as dark energy filled the air. The individuals from the dark side sneered and taunted those around them with their words, but they knew they were not allowed to mess with the crowd.

    The second shadow general who had brought them here had instructed them not to provoke anyone, but had also granted them the freedom to act as they pleased once the battles in the diator Arena began and they stood above the stages.

    The illusionary male and female figures floating around the stages all gathered around the people from the dark side when Old Hal gazed at them. He watched as the figures started handing the demon, dark, and nighkin race people nametes.

    The old man returned to his seat with a solemn face and instructed a woman to relocate all those seated beneath the demon''s statue to a different ce. This way, all the individuals from the dark side would sit in one single ce and wouldn''t secretly do something under their nose.

    The woman nodded and disappeared from her spot. The air was filled with different voices, but the sickeningughter from the demons was now the loudest as they mocked every single person around them, yet refrained from physical conflict. After all, even if those they were taunting wanted to engage inbat, they couldn''t do so in the presence of the illusionary figures. Also, anyone who broke the rules by starting a fight before the Arena officially began would get kicked out of the Arena.

    Nine got up from his seat and started moving with the others because he was among the people seated beneath the demon''s statue. He looked up at the two shadow generals, and his gaze lingered on Ceano. The familiar golden eyes simr to him and long hair... Undoubtedly, the man was the very person he had encountered on the demon''s. He took a deep breath, remembering how close the shadow general''s fingers had been to him when he narrowly escaped. If Kyle hadn''t told him about that life-saving artifact, he would have been in big trouble.

    "Just where is that silver-haired man? Is he going to join in or what?"

    A man with ghostly pale skin and a pair of horns on his head walked past Nine, and Nine''s eyes narrowed at the man''s grin as thetter took the seat he had just left. The man belonged to the nightkin race.

    Nine looked around and noticed more people from the dark side were filling the seats that were getting empty. His eyes narrowed, and a smirk yed on his lips as all the chairs where he and the lizard race members had previously sat suddenly crumbled.

    There was a collective gasp from the nightkin race individuals who had just taken the seats, only to find themselves slumping down as the sand-made chairs disintegrated. Laughter erupted from the onlookers. In an instant, the smiles on the faces of the nightkin race individuals faded as one of them realized the chairs'' base had been sabotaged. He scanned the crowd with a challenging gaze.

    "Who the hell did this? Step up!"

    "Let''s see if you even have the courage toe forward!"

    Nine swiftly grabbed his hood and flung it up to cover his head, his lips mimicking the words the nightkin race individual had just spoken before he gazed back with a grin.

    "Nah, I don''t wanna, any problem?"

    His hushed words drifted in the air, but all the lizard race members who had seen what he did with the chairs earlier stared at his head with nk expressions upon hearing his faint whisper. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Nine blinked innocently when he sensed some eyes on him and gestured towards a distant area where several empty chairs were avable.

    "Guys, there are some vacant seats. Let''s hurry over there! What are you all doing watching the fate of some pitiful souls who were so heavy that their chairs broke?"

    He shook his head with a sigh, causing everyone around him to roll their eyes at his words, and began floating toward the empty chairs. However, he paused and narrowed his eyes when he spotted a familiar figure in the distant crowd. He blinked a few times to confirm he wasn''t mistaken since the man was quite far away.

    A heartyugh erupted from his mouth as he took a deep breath and shouted loudly enough for everyone around to hear.

    "Jian, you bastard!"

    The people around him all gave him strange looks as he yelled once more, even though Jian had already caught his voice and shifted his gaze towards him.

    The man with red hair squinted in his direction, but after a few seconds, heughed and swiftly moved away from the elves seated nearby. Yue also picked up on the voice and, upon seeing Jian leaving, she and Nox followed suit. Wesley shouted from behind the duo with an angry expression.

    "Where the hell are you two going!? Stop,e back, it''s dangerous!"

    However, it was as if his words were drowned in the surrounding noise because the duo didn''t even nce back at him.

    Due to the sudden shouts, someone from another group of people, who were sitting a bit further from Nine''s previous location, also caught his voice.

    ''This familiar voice...''

    Carcel blinked. He had to rise with the others to vacate their seats as well because, ording to the woman in the cream-colored robe who had just appeared in the air, only individuals from the dark side would sit beneath the demon''s statue. He whipped his head back, only to see the back of the hooded man floating in the distance and spoke up.

    "Is that Nine?"

 Chapter 572 He has a contract mark on him

    Chapter 572 He has a contract mark on him

    Sinon''s ears twitched at the familiar name that came from Carcel''s mouth, and he whipped his head towards the man.

    "Nine???"

    His booming voice not only caught the attention of those nearby but also prompted Alec, Lara, Mia, Regius, Zron, Susan, and Yon to follow Carcel''s gaze. Their eyes sparkled with excitement because although they couldn''t see Nine''s face, they noticed Yue and Jian floating towards the figure in the hoodie!

    Sinon spread out his wings and disappeared with a heartyugh to soar towards the man in the hoodie. Carcel and the others also vanished behind him. In the end, only Zron, Yon, and Susan remained standing before the chairs set within the towering walls. The three old figures'' eyes disyed relief as they witnessed the younger ones reunite with their old friends who had been separated.

    Nine gasped with a wide smile. His throat felt dry from all the shouting, but it was worth it when he saw Jian and Yue approaching him. However, the red-haired man paused in mid-air in the distance, his eyes widening with shock and joy as he looked behind Nine.

    Nine blinked, wondering why he had stopped. Usually, Jian was the first to initiate a brotherly hug among them. He tried to tilt his head back to see what had caused the red-haired man to pause, but before he could, a swift presence he sensed but couldn''t react to in time crashed into him from behind.

    Nine almost coughed up blood from the impact and lost his bnce mid-air. However, just as he was about to fall, someone seized the back of his hoodie, causing it to slip off his head, revealing the brown hair and golden eyes. Then, a familiar voice resonated in his ears.

    "Wow, wow, it''s really Nine, guys! Haha!"

    Sinon released his grip on his hoodie and leaned forward to study his face with a broad grin and sparkling eyes.

    Nine''s fists, which had clenched in readiness to strike the audacious person who had knocked the wind out of him, rxed. His heart filled with joy as he identified the familiar features of his long-lost, somewhat foolish friend.

    "You... Nevermind..."

    He reached out to grab the shoulder of the winged man staring at him and hugged Sinon tightly, feeling the warmth of their friendship rekindle after so long apart. Jian quickly joined the duo and wrapped his arms around their necks.

    Alec, Regius, and Carcel nced at each other and followed suit. Mia and Lara approached Yue and embraced the elven woman before inquiring about her whereabouts and well-being. The girls smiled as they floated together, enjoying the heartwarming reunion of the six men. They wereughing and catching up with each other, their arms draped over each other''s shoulders in mid-air,pletely unconcerned about the numerous judgmental stares fixed upon them.

    Alec, Regius, and Carcel nced at each other and followed suit. Mia and Lara approached Yue and embraced the elven woman before inquiring about her whereabouts and well-being. The girls smiled as they floated together, enjoying the heartwarming reunion of the six men. They wereughing and catching up with each other, their arms draped over each other''s shoulders in mid-air,pletely unconcerned about the numerous judgmental stares fixed upon them.

    Whispers fluttered through the surroundings as the onlookers swiftly distanced themselves from the group in reunion.

    "What''s happening over there?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Seems like they''ve lost their minds..."

    "Why are they so joyous though... it seems like a reunion, but in the diator Arena, one wouldn''t anticipate such happiness."

    "I have a feeling this group might be targeted by the dark side now, especially the demons. After all, they can''t stand seeing such tranquility."

    The atmosphere resonated withughter and joyful tears as the group reunited.

    Old Hal, seated in front of the mermaid statue, observed the heartwarming scene below. A smile graced his face, for although uncertain, he had a premonition that they all shared a connection.

    Ned and others in cream-colored robes behind him also witnessed the scene �C some smiled, some sneered, while others simply looked away with indifference.

    Ceano and Will, the two shadow generals, also took note of the sudden wave of happiness in the air. Their eyes immediately shifted towards the groupughing and conversing with each other in mid-air.

    Will rested his hand under his chin, his ivory-colored eyes gleamingzily as he admired the beautiful and warm scene.

    "It''s so touching that I''m tempted to have them witness each other''s death. I wonder how they would react then... would they help each other or run away to protect themselves?"

    Ceano fixed his gaze on the man.

    "They would flee. It''s natural for every living being to prioritize their safety and sacrifice others to ensure their own survival..."

    He stopped for a second and squinted as he observed Nine''s silhouette.

    "He belongs to the same race as me, but why does his presence feel familiar, almost as if I have encountered him before?"

    Will tilted his head to stare at Nine.

    "He''s from the mer race? Well, it''s hard to recognize the people of that race because onnd they usually stay in their human form. But why do you feel like you have seen him before... he isn''t even strong enough to stand before you."

    His lips curled upward.

    "How about we discuss the one with blue hair? I believe you can also feel that he has a contract mark on him. That means we can control him. Now, the diator Arena is going to be a bit enjoyable."

    Ceano shook his head at his words. It seems Will found a target to y with and pass his time until the gate of the ''Lost Treasure Tomb'' opens.

    In the middle of the crowd, Alec, who suddenly felt a chill down his spine, looked back with furrowed brows. Nine noticed his expression and asked what happened. The group had decided to sit together and were heading towards some empty seats when Zron, Yon, and Susan joined them.

    The lizard race members who hade with Nine gave him some side eyes when he mentioned he found his friends and would be sitting with them. Wesley and the elves with Yue were a bit worried about her, but since she was sitting not too far from them, they allowed her to join the group she introduced as her friends. Meanwhile, Xavier and the two humans who had been with Jian decided to sit with the red-haired man after getting to know his friends.

    Alec shook his head at Nine,posed his expression, and asked Jian with a smile.

    "Anyway... what about Kyle and Bia? Both Kyle and Bia disappeared with you as well. So, why is it that I can see you and Yue but not that silver-haired man?"

 Chapter 573 Such a beautiful creature...

    Chapter 573 Such a beautiful creature...

    Jian paused in mid-air and gave a wry smile at his words, causing everyone except Yue around him to feel concerned.

    "Kyle actually got separated from me and Bia after we were sucked into the ethereal tunnel. But he''s fine and managed to find Yue. Bia and I only recently caught up with him and reunited with Yue and Nox."

    "Later, he and Bia disappeared together because Kyle wanted to boost his divine energy level. He did mention he would meet me and Yue at the Arena. So, we will just have to wait until he shows up."

    Nine smacked his shoulder when he finished speaking with a deadpan expression.

    "Then why are you wearing an expression that says he''s not fine at all, huh?"

    Jian clicked his tongue.

    "Of course, it''s because he didn''t take me with him. I''m sure by now he has found so many treasures within the Sacred Divine Land... No, I fear he might have emptied the whole divinend with his luck..."

    He groaned and settled into a seat next to Xavier on the chairs arranged within the towering walls as everyone else sat down around him. Alec furrowed his brows once more, this time turning his gaze towards the two shadow generals as a sense of foreboding gripped his heart.

    "Those bastards..."

    A curse slipped from his lips because he had a feeling that the shadow generals had somehow sensed the dark mark hidden on the back of his hand. The soft curse drew all eyes towards him since it was umon for him to curse.

    However, before anyone could ask him what happened, a faintmotion broke out in the distance. Immediately, all eyes turned toward the noise, and Alec, who had his gaze on the shadow generals, shifted his eyes above their heads when arge shadow engulfed their bodies. He was the first one to take in a sharp intake of breath, and everyone sitting around him followed suit as their eyes widened in astonishment when they saw the huge figure casting the shadow not just over any individuals, but the two shadow generals themselves!

    Although many bonded beasts were present in the diator Arena, once inside, no one dared to transform back to their original forms. All were cautioned at the Arena gates by the illusionary figures that their bonded beasts were forbidden from assuming their original forms inside, as their substantial sizes could disrupt the peace of the surroundings. Yet, at this very moment, a fire phoenix made her entrance into the Arena in her massive form. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Whispers and murmurs erupted in the Arena as the spectators questioned the boldness and audacity of the phoenix. But a hushed silence fell over the crowd when they realized the phoenix had not breached the boundaries of the diator Arena. Instead, she was floating a few inches above the towering walls encircling the numerous stages in the center.

    Old Hal''s eyes shifted toward the phoenix bathed in golden mes; he had already noticed the presence of the phoenix and the human with her but didn''t take any action to stop them as they were still outside the boundaries of the diator Arena. The individuals in robes seated behind the old man all furrowed their brows at the scene.

    Despite the phoenix''s beauty, she was only at the divine rank, yet she disyed such arrogance by floating above everyone to make her presence known. Not to mention, the phoenix even caught the attention of the two shadow generals...

    The people sitting behind Old Hal couldn''t help but shake their heads in disapproval, thinking the phoenix had acted recklessly given herck of strength. Will gazed at the phoenix with a smirk.

    "Such a beautiful creature..."

    He wanted to capture her and ce her among the numerous treasures he had amassed over his lifetime simply to decorate the dark abode he lived in.

    He and Ceano both looked up when they sensed the presence that had justnded on the demon''s statue behind them. The first thing they saw was an indifferent face, devoid of any trace of fear, even though he stood just a bit further away from two powerful dark figures dreaded by nearly everyone in the Arena. Then, they noticed the silver hair and bright green eyes gazing softly at the flying phoenix.

    Kyle had already felt the numerous eyes on him and initially nced down to lock eyes with the two shadow generals who greeted him with smiles. He raised a brow because even though their smiles looked harmless, he could feel the hidden malice beneath those smiles. Also, he wasn''t able to sense their ranks, which means the duo were stronger than him.

    He opened his mouth, and a smile eerily simr to the ones on the shadow generals'' faces appeared on his lips.

    "What are you staring at? Never seen a good-looking guy before?"

    A wildughter escaped Will''s lips at his words, and Ceano''s eyes shed with a strange glint as he noticed the smile on the human''s face.

    A notion crossed the second shadow general''s mind that this human was somewhat dangerous. Not because he was powerful, but because the aura surrounding him bore a striking resemnce to that of someone willing to go to any lengths to aplish their objective. He sensed it because he was just like that too.

    Kyle shifted his gaze and nced at Bia, unaware that he had just spoken with the shadow generals. He had stopped using his scent perception skill as soon as he neared the diator Arena because he was aware that numerous powerful individuals would be present inside the towering walls, and they would detect his skill the moment he activated it. The phoenix expressed her joy in his mind and reverted to her smaller forms beforending on his head.

    -''I have found Yue and Jian! They are not alone; the others are with them too!''

    Kyle gazed down in the direction where Bia had pointed and noticed a group of people staring at him. He tilted his head, observing their faces, and tried his best to recall the memories he had with them, but unfortunately, he couldn''t.

    ''I will remember with time... I guess.''

 Chapter 574 How have you all been?

    Chapter 574 How have you all been?

    Kyle''s feet lifted off the statue surface as he started to float, with Bia sitting on his head, his floating form entered the space within the towering walls.

    The two young men sitting before the demon''s statue were strangely fixated on him with amused expressions. Not just them, but he also noticed another group of individuals in cream-colored robes sitting before the mermaid statue, all looking at him with various expressions.

    A pensive look crossed his face as he grasped that the people positioned above the audience in front of the statues are the ones supervising the Arena. However, as he descended towards the crowd, his eyes moved to the area beneath the demon''s statue where the demons and other dark beings were seated. Even without his scent perception skill, he could feel the heavy dark energy filling the air in that region.

    Kyle unconsciously wrinkled his nose, yet his expression remained impassive as hended above one of the stages floating within the towering walls.

    "What are the people from the dark side doing here? Can it be... they are also allowed to join the Arena?"

    Bia cocked her head to nce back at the demons and the other two races she knew were from the dark and nighkin race.

    -"Does it matter?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    She sneered and turned her gaze away because even a nce at them disgusted her. A cold glint flickered in her eyes as she recalled the challenges she, Jian, and Xavier had faced because of them.

    -"Just take them out when they are up against you. They won''t y fair against the others without cheating anyway."

    Kyle hummed. At that moment, an illusionary figure of a woman d in white paused before him and asked if he intended to join the Arena or simply observe.

    "I''m here to participate."

    The woman passed him a square namete, and he inspected it, unsure of its purpose. He looked over at the familiar group of people silently watching him from the audience and waved the namete at them with a smile that appeared on his face as he caught Yue''s gaze.

    Bia moved and peered down at his face, nearly blocking his view.

    -"Why are you just waving? Let''s go join them! I missed Mia, and even though the others are a bit idiotic, I missed them too. Let''s go! I know you told me you don''t remember them just like you forget me, but they do. So, don''t get on my nerves."

    Kyle let out a sigh at the pair of round eyes staring at him and gave her a nod. But he didn''t forget toin as he made his way toward the group.

    "Just trying to avoid physical contact. You know, it''s not really my thing."

    Bia rolled her eyes at his words. He was okay hugging Jian even though he didn''t remember the red-haired man, so what''s the issue with others? Kyle moved toward the group and noticed the numerous onlookers staring at him and inexplicably trying to avoid his direction as if he had done something terribly wrong.

    His feet touched the ground in front of Yon and Susan, who stared at him in silence. He let out a smile as he gazed at every face around him, trying his best to recall anything about them.

    "Hey... How have you all been?"

    There was silence for a few seconds before Nine stood up from his seat and fixed him with a serious look. Kyle blinked at the seriousness as the golden eyes scrutinized him from head to toe, but before he could say anything, Nine broke into a relieved smile and opened his arms wide.

    "I see, your knack for attracting danger hasn''t changed, huh? Still the same old Kyle! Get over here, you good-looking rascal, let me give you a hug!"

    Kyle was taken aback by the warm gesture, and before he could react, Nine had already embraced him. He reciprocated the hug but was surprised when everyone around them burst intoughter, and his eyes widened as many others joined the brown-haired man. He almost stumbled but was steadied by the blue-haired man who grabbed his shoulder with a chuckle.

    He really wanted to break free from the crowd surrounding him, especially the pair of wings belonging to the demi-human wrapped around his body, by using instant teleportation. However, for some reason, he refrained and took a deep breath. The furrows between his brows smoothed out as he allowed the group of people around him to do as they pleased. Bia had already left his side to go towards the blue-haired woman when Nine approached him.

    Kyle let out a breath when he finally wriggled free from the hugs.

    He went along and answered everyone patiently when they nudged him to sit down in the middle and bombarded him with questions about his well-being. His gaze drifted towards the white-haired elderly man who took the seat to his left and he spoke up in the phoenix''s head.

    ''Who''s this...?''

    Bia, who had made herselffortable on Mia''sp, looked back at the silver-haired man upon hearing his question. She then followed his gaze.

    -''It''s Susan. Didn''t Yue inform you about the tower Guardians?''

    Kyle gazed at the old figure who tsked at him andbeled him a troublemaker who had pushed the old man to work day and night, only to vanish into thin air when the time for repayment arrived.

    ''Oh, Yue did tell me, but she didn''t tell me everyone''s appearance.''

    Bia shook her head and, to make sure he didn''t blurt out wrong names while calling others, she reluctantly left Mia''s side and went back toward Kyle.

    -''Ugh, just tell me whose name you want to know, then I will go to Mia.''

    But to her surprise, he managed to get everyone else''s names right, except Zron. He even got Yon''s name right. At that moment, Sinon, who had sat down on the seat in front of Kyle, reached out and grabbed the namete from his hand.

    "Ohoho, what title are you going to write on your namete? We have all finished, and you are the only one left. How about ''the silver-haired deity''? Haha."

 Chapter 575 Thanks for the heads-up

    Chapter 575 Thanks for the heads-up

    The three old men sitting with the young ones shook their heads at the title that came out from Sinon''s mouth as the man told Kyle that he needs to write a title for himself on the namete to register for the diator Arena. No one really noticed the strangeness in Kyle''s behavior because he was almost behaving the same as before, except for the asional pause in his words before answering their questions, except Alec, Carcel, and Nine.

    Alec eyed the silver-haired man, and for some reason, he could feel that even if he overlooked his somewhat strange behavior, something had changed within him.

    On the other hand, Nine was seriously contemting using his spiritual gaze on Kyle to get a glimpse of his fate to know if everything was fine with him because his eyes... they had be somewhat simr to the future Kyle he had seen in his vision. Not entirely though, because there was a constant smile on Kyle''s face, unlike his future version that looked like he had stopped smiling a long time ago.

    He sped his hands over his chest with a solemn expression, but before he could make a decision, Carcel, who was seated on his other side, shook his shoulder. Nine nced at the golden-haired man who shook his head at him.

    "I am not sure what''s on your mind, but I can sense from your expression that it''s not something right."

    He nced at Kyle, who was listening to Sinon''s exnation about the namete.

    "I can also see the faint difference in Kyle''s temperament. But instead of trying to figure it out on your own, why not approach him privately and ask what is wrong? I believe he would tell you if you asked."

    Carcel flinched when Nine''s eyes widened at him, disbelief evident on the man''s face as he patted his shoulder.

    "Wow... you know, since the moment I met you in the Arena, this is the first time you have talked to me so much! I almost forgot what your voice sounded like. And you are correct, I should just ask him what''s wrong instead of trying to figure it out on my own." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Nine grinned and joined Sinon, who had finally returned the namete to Kyle, unaware that Kyle had already overheard his and Carcel''s conversation. It was typical for Kyle to keep his ears open all the time and stay aware of his surroundings.

    Regius leaned in towards Kyle from the back row of chairs and eyed his namete before suggesting with a smirk.

    "Hey, both the Shadow Generals you talked with a while ago without even flinching are looking at you. How about you write your title as the Shadow Generals'' favorite?"

    Kyle''s grip on the namete tightened as both he and Bia turned their heads back to stare at the green-haired elven man who had just spoken up, sporting a huge question mark on their faces. Observing their expressions, Regius blinked, and a sudden realization dawned on him.

    "Wait, don''t tell me you had no idea that the two men sitting before the demon''s statue are the Shadow Generals?"

    "Huh?"

    Kyle''s gaze shifted towards the two men seated across from the demon''s statue, and a hint of amusement sparkled in his eyes. A chuckle slipped from his lips as he made eye contact with the two men, now known to him as the shadow generals.

    "I had no clue... I thought those well-dressed men were one of the people overseeing the Arena. Their harmless appearance definitely threw me off."

    He looked back at Regius, who seemed surprised after hearing him chuckle.

    "Thanks for the heads-up. I would have regretted it if I had joined the Arena without knowing who was keeping an eye on me. But I''m curious, why do you think they didn''t make a move against me and Bia?"

    Nine patted his shoulder and gestured towards the figures in robes seated before the mermaid statue.

    "It''s because of them. They''re the ones who opened the diator Arena, and I believe if the Shadow Generals had gone after you in front of them, a sh would have gone down between the two sides."

    Jian clicked his tongue as he nced at the robed figures. He was seated further away from Kyle, but the silver-haired man heard his faint words loud and clear.

    "Just a bunch of arrogant bastards. If they can''t even handle the two shadow generals, then what''s the point of their presence? Just showing off their power to the weaker ones by calling them worthless?"

    Kyle''s eyes gleamed with a chilling glint as he took in the red-haired man''s words. He noticed that Yue and Nox also had a bit of a cold look when they nced at the people in robes. It seems like the group had a conflict with the robed individuals in his absence. He fiddled with his namete as he nced at the individuals seated in front of the mermaid statue.

    ''I suppose the shadow generals are not the only ones I need to keep an eye on. I will also ensure to take down at least one from each side before the diator Arena wraps up.''

    Bia, who heard his words in her head, blinked, but instead of being shocked, her eyes showed a touch of interest. Having spent thest three months with Kyle and knowing his ways, she wasn''t anxious; in fact, the phoenix genuinely wanted to know just how he nned to take down opponents much stronger than him.

    -''I wonder how? After all, they are a lot stronger than you and me both.''

    Kyle''s eyes returned to normal when he caught sight of Alec staring at him with a serious expression.

    ''You know, strength doesn''t always stop someone from kicking the bucket. If they are destined to die, then no one can stop them from dying.''

    He smiled, but the blue-haired man had already seen the strange glint in his eyes, so he changed the topic.

    "What should I write on my title? No, the shadow general''s favorite doesn''t suit my taste. So, how about nature''s favorite? After all, my luck stat is always active."

    Bia couldn''t help butugh at his words because she was the only one who caught when Kyle emphasized the phrase ''my luck stat is always active''. This indicated his confidence in being able to kill the ones he wants and get away without a scratch.

    -''Now the Arena is going to be a bit fun... I thought as a beast I would be bored to death just watching everyone fight.''

 Chapter 576 Hiding in the audience...?

    Chapter 576 Hiding in the audience...?

    After Kyle wrote down his title on his namete, a circle appeared on the back of his hand, and the people sitting in front of the statues all gazed at the projection to find out what title he had written on his namete to describe himself.

    It was surprising for them to find out he was part of the group that stirred things up earlier, but when they remembered how he had caused amotion the moment he appeared, they were already expecting him to be another arrogant person who would select an exaggerated title. However, their expectations were pleasantly contradicted when they read the simple yet somewhat profound title the man had chosen.

    [Nature''s favorite.]

    Will, the third shadow general, tilted his head with a bored expression and lost all interest in the human after seeing his title.

    "Don''t tell me he is the weakest among them all. That''s no fun. I thought with the arrogance he just showed, even though he was only at the divine rank, he would be somewhat powerful in another aspect... like with weapons or in normalbat. But you are telling me he is just a human who thinks he''s nature''s favorite?"

    Unlike him, Ceano''s eyes were still fixed on the group of people seated together. Not on Kyle, though; the second shadow general''s gaze was fixed on the brown-haired man with golden pupils.

    For some reason, he was certain he had sensed that merman''s presence before, but he had just visited thest hidden mer race to conquer it recently. So, he wasn''t sure if his instincts were correct or not.

    On the other side, Old Hal''s eyes turned somber as he looked at the silver-haired human. He had previously checked the fates of the group surrounding Kyle and knew that their fates were connected. So, when Kyle approached the group, Old Hal attempted to examine his fate as well.

    But his astonishment peaked when he discovered that the silver-haired human was the one influencing the fates of those around him. Kyle was the very cause of the old man''s inability to fullyprehend the genuine essence of their future paths... yet the young man''s own fate was nk.

    It was the first time Hal had witnessed someone''s fate entirely nk, even after exerting all his spiritual power, as if no one was there to write anything for the young man. Or perhaps he had lost his fate along the way by evading a death that was predestined for him.

    "There''s something unique within him. How can he survive with a fate that''s empty?"

    He murmured softly to himself. Suddenly, the woman seated beside him interjected.

    "Old man, you have been fixated on that group for some reason. They are all just at the divine rank, nothing exceptional. But if you had seen something special about them, should we keep an eye on them?"

    A middle-aged man behind her chimed in with a contemtive expression.

    "If the group isn''t all talk and can genuinely achieve something in their futures, they could be quite useful."

    Old Hal furrowed his brow. Just how many times does he have to remind these people not to fixate on superficial values? He let out a sigh as he looked at the people around him and shut his eyes.

    "Just let them be. If they are truly exceptional, they will find a way to shine without our intervention."

    The people surrounding the old man fell silent and disregarded the group. Instead, they began scanning the huge crowd for formidablepetitors exuding a powerful aura, specting on whether they would seed in the diator Arena or not.

    Sitting in the audience seats, Kyle''s eyes drifted towards the dark circle on the back of his hand. He hummed softly, and after Bia moved towards Mia, he closed his eyes and started absorbing the divine energy in the air to expand his divine energy reserve since he wasn''t sure how many more days the registration would continue before the battles in the diator Arena began.

    Yue looked back at his calm expression. She was seated with Lara and Mia in the front row, a little way from him, but she could still witness his actions and calm replies to everyone''s questions. A look of surprise crossed her face when she sensed Kyle''s rank; he had already reached the third stage of divine energy, just one step behind her. But she couldn''t help but wonder how he had progressed from the initial stage to the third stage in merely three months.

    She smiled and looked at Bia. The phoenix had made it to the final stage of the divine rank, and she was sure Bia would smoothly move up to the transcendent rank in a few months. Yue had a feeling that Kyle would achieve the transcendent rank before her and everyone else, even though many of them had reached the final stage of the divine rank long before him.

    Kyle opened his eyes when he felt her gaze, but she had already nced away. His eyes softened, but suddenly he snapped his head to the right and narrowed his eyes at a distant ce...

    ''I swear someone just tried to check my body... Did I make a mistake?''

    A look of caution crossed his face because he could never make such a mistake. His senses were sharp, so whenever someone, strong or weak, tried to probe his body, he could always sensed it.

    Susan followed his gaze.

    "What are you looking at?"

    Kyle''s lips curled upward as he withdrew his gaze and looked at the old man.

    "Nothing... I just realized that the people sitting in front of the statues are not the only ones watching us. Also, It seems the one who is not in our direct line of sight is the most dangerous of them all."

    Susan''s gaze sharpened as she grasped Kyle''s implication.

    "Hiding in the audience...?"

    Kyle chuckled and closed his eyes to continue absorbing divine energy, knowing that whoever it was, they couldn''t attack him, at least not in the diator Arena.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 577 Hes quite sharp, isnt he?

    Chapter 577 He''s quite sharp, isn''t he?

    Far from Kyle and the group, a woman, cloaked in a blue hoodie, couldn''t help but let out a smirk when the young man, who had not yet reached the transcendent rank, noticed her presence.

    "He''s quite sharp, isn''t he? It seems my journey here isn''t entirely in vain."

    She raised her head and looked in the direction of Kyle and the others with her pale violet eyes. The three old individuals, one human, and two dwarfs seated among the group seemed oddly familiar to her. They looked like she had seen them before, but she couldn''t be sure because even after studying their faces, she couldn''t remember where she had seen them before. It was like she had totally forgotten those faces because it''s been such a long time.

    "I guess I will enlist some talented youngsters toe with me and join the war this time."

    "I just hope James approves of them. He''s quite picky when ites to adding new young members to his crew."

    Her gaze shifted towards the figures in robes seated before the mermaid statue, and a sigh slipped past her lips. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Now, I see why James sent so many ipetent individuals with old Hal... I suppose he intended for some of them to die under the two shadow generals due to their unreliable nature."

    She shook her head and closed her eyes. As one of the seven elders leading the war happening at the other end of the universe, her reason for being here was clear. She needed to watch the two shadow generals closely to know their true purpose for being here because the dark side had never previously shown interest in the diator Arena. So, why the sudden interest? She was certain they had an ulterior motive.

    .....

    Another day passed, and the countless seats within the towering walls were filling up with people of different races streaming through the three massive gates to register themselves for the Arena.

    Kyle spent his time absorbing the divine energy in the air, sensing that everyone else around him was doing the same, except for Zron, who, for some reason, made no effort to enhance his strength.

    When Kyle questioned why the old dwarf was simply eating and sleeping without a care, Zron responded with a deeply solemn and regretful expression, exining that unfortunately, he was already very old. Why would an elderly man in his final years push himself just to boost his strength? Kyle''s eyebrow twitched at his response, and he decided to leave the old dwarf alone.

    Susan and Yon scoffed at the shameless old man, but unlike them and everyone else who were already ustomed to Zron''s behavior and didn''t really bother to pay much attention to him. Kyle observed everything in his surroundings and, whether by good fortune or not, he detected it when at night Zron quietly vacated his seat to wander amidst the crowd.

    At first, Kyle thought the old man was just tired of sitting and wanted to walk around, but he eventually figured out what Zron was up to because when the dwarf came back, he had valuable herbs and other items with him. Kyle''s suspicion was confirmed when the next day many people in the crowd argued with each other because they had lost their belongings. He gazed at the old man with a speechless expression.

    ''He may be old, but his hands are surprisingly... adept. He seeded in stealing right under the noses of so many people... even I wouldn''t attempt that.''

    Bia yawned with a sleepy look. She hade back to him to nap on his head.

    -"I need some lessons from the old dwarf. He is truly skilled in this area. But honestly, people are foolish; if they have a mind space, why would they leave their valuable items outside? It''s their fault; no one can me our old man who is spending his final years of life..."

    Kyle facepalmed as all eyes shifted towards him and the crimson bird perched on his head. It was then that Bia realized she had spoken aloud in response to his question instead speaking in his head.

    Zron''s eyes narrowed towards Bia; he wanted to know exactly what she meant by her words. Before he could get an answer, the phoenix fled towards Mia and made herself invisible in her arms.

    The girlsughed at the phoenix, but when Nox attempted to join in to mock Bia, the phoenix swatted him away. Ultimately, Nox fell silent with aggrieved eyes and chose to stay away from the old bully because he knew he couldn''t seek revenge, especially since he was much weaker than her. On the other hand, Kyle simply averted his gaze when Zron turned his eyes towards him to understand why Bia said what she did.

    The elderly dwarf harrumphed loudly and left the group, stating that he needed some fresh air to soothe his wounded heart after the phoenix used him of being a thief.

    Nine grinned and shook his head. He extended his hand and rose to his feet.

    "I''m going for a walk too."

    After he departed, the rest followed suit one by one to stretch their legs as sitting for an extended period had left them feeling bored and fatigued. Eventually, only Kyle and Xavier remained together. Xavier scooted over to the chair next to the silver-haired man and cleared his throat.

    "Well, Kyle... I was wondering, how did you and Bia first meet? What are the phoenix''s likes and dislikes, can you tell me?"

    He quickly moved back to his original chair when Kyle gave him a questioning look.

    "Just curious, no hidden agenda..."

    Kyle''s eyes sparkled with amusement. The phoenix had already shared with him all about Xavier and how he had cared for her and Jian on his. That''s why he didn''t mind when the man inquired about Bia, even though he was aware that Xavier was trying to win over the phoenix.

    "I understand... It''s a bitte, but thanks for looking after Bia in my absence."

 Chapter 578 I guess its time to work

    Chapter 578 I guess it''s time to work

    Xavier let out a wistful smile.

    "It wasn''t me who took care of her. She''s the one who led an army of monsters and vanquished numerous foes threatening my. She was the greatest help my people could have hoped for."

    Their conversation was quite ordinary as Xavier moved to the chair next to him and started talking enthusiastically about how Bia controlled a multitude of monsters and defeated their enemies. But Kyle sensed more than just admiration in the human''s eyes beside him. A sudden realization flickered in his eyes, and Xavier flinched when he probed his suspicions.

    "You saw her human form?"

    Kyle was taken aback by Xavier''s reaction. No way, he was spot on. Bia had told him about her ability to transform into a human, but the phoenix said she didn''t like the human form because the body structure of a human was too different from her usual form. But now, finding Xavier''s pining for his bonded beast, he couldn''t help but feel like a protective parent who had caught his daughter''s first suitor. Therefore, even though he didn''t intend to, his voice unintentionally sounded stern.

    "You are too old for her, and even if I overlook your age, you are too weak. So, don''t even think about it."

    Xavier''s eyes widened. He wasn''t that old, alright! He was the youngest transcendent rank on his!

    He wanted to speak up for himself but quickly shifted to a distant chair when Kyle gazed at him with a look that said if he spoke even a single more word, his life might be shortened by a few years.

    Kyle rubbed his forehead and stood up. He really shouldn''t allow Bia toe anywhere near the grey-haired man. It posed a risk to his innocent little crimson bird. With a sigh, he left the area and started maneuvering through the audience seats.

    His gaze shifted towards the shadow generals and the individuals seated in front of the mermaid statue. Upon ensuring they were preupied observing others in the crowd, spiritual energy began to emanate from his fingertips, and delicate symbols that blended into the ground beneath him were imprinted with each step he took.

    ''I guess it''s time to work.''

    A smirk yed at the corners of his lips as he touched the earring in his ear and made his presence invisible within the crowd. As he strolled in circles among the audience seats, Nine and all the others returned to their ces shortly after.

    Bia, who was sitting on Mia''s shoulder, nced at the empty seat where Kyle should have been seated. Now that their bond had regained its strength, she could clearly sense his location in a very distant ce, quite far from their current location but still inside the diator Arena.

    -''What is he doing?''

    She furrowed her brows and decided to ask him directly, but Kyle simply instructed her to stay with Mia, and he would return once he had finished something important.

    -''What the hell are you up to now...''

    Bia clicked her tongue and allowed him to do as he pleased. However, the silver-haired man did not return even after a whole day. Nine gazed at the vacant seat beside him and observed the phoenix.

    "Do you have any idea where he went?"

    Bia nced back at him and gestured with one of her wings in the right direction.

    "He''s in the Arena, but not nearby. It seems like he''s upied with something, but I''m not sure what. Well, he did mention he would return once he''s finished."

    After hearing Bia''s words, everyone decided to overlook Kyle''s absence. After all, he was strong, and they were confident he wouldn''t get into unnecessary trouble.

    Unlike them, the powerful woman in the blue hoodie, who sought to recruit Kyle and the others for James, closely monitored everything the silver-haired man did.

    Unfortunately, she wasn''t well-versed in arrays, so even though she could spot the symbols Kyle was writing all over the diator Arena, she wasn''t certain of their purpose. Plus, she had never encountered such a multitude of intricate symbols scattered in various positions.

    "What''s he up to anyway? Is he really sure he can activate so many symbols and form an array when he''s just a divine rank? Also, why does he have such a vast amount of spiritual energy in his body..."

    She nced at the array masters sitting behind Old Hal with a speechless look.

    "They call themselves array masters yet they can''t even sense that a mere divine rank individual has almost filled the entire area beneath them with symbols. If he can truly activate such a massive array, it''s not the shadow generals who will be destroying the Arena. It''s the human I should be more concerned about. I''m not even sure what the symbols are being used for..."

    She stood up and tried to destroy the symbols Kyle engraved with his spiritual energy, but unfortunately, they had vanished into the ground without a trace.

    "Damn it... What the actual hell??"

    The people around her were startled when such a beautiful and poised woman, who looked so elegant, cursed out loudly with a frustrated expression. In the end, she sat down with a calm expression.

    ''"What''s the worst that can happen? He''s just a divine rank anyway. I will give him a little beating if he does something wrong." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    After three more arduous days, the atmosphere above the Arena exuded a sense of serenity. Unfazed by the external light or shadows, the interior of the Arena always remained bright. Suddenly, under everyone''s gaze, the numerous illusionary figures handing out namettes to the neers paused in their actions and floated away from the three massive gates that led into the diator Arena.

    Almost all the seats within the towering walls were filled with a diverse crowd who watched quietly with different emotions as three imposing barriers rose to seal the massive gates. Then, a ray of golden light shed from the many statues above the walls, creating an invisible shield in the sky above the audience, signaling the end of registration for the diator Arena.

    Usually, the massive crowd would have cheered with enthusiasm, but due to the presence of the dark side, the air held a hint of unease, and only faint murmurs could be heard. But the demons, dark, nightkin races individuals all shouted with excitement.

    The individuals still trying to get nametes all cried out in distress as the three gates to the diator Arena closed. Despite their efforts, they could onlyment because they knew that even if they pounded on the barriers sealing the gates, they wouldn''t be able to enter since once the registration was closed, no one could enter the Arena.

 Chapter 579 Let the battles begin!

    Chapter 579 Let the battles begin!

    Old Hal nced at the people in robes behind him, and many of them started floating above the numerous stages in the center of the towering walls. A middle-aged woman with long hair amplified her voice so that everyone could hear her clearly. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "It''s a bitte, but I, Vexana, wee everyone to the diator Arena. It''s been a hundred years, and I''m lucky to witness that once again, we are opening the tform where the winners will have a chance to enter the ''Lost Treasure Tomb''."

    "This tomb is filled with otherworldly treasures that even a supreme rank like me desires. However, only those below the supreme rank are permitted to enter to ensure that the stronger individuals do not overpower the weaker ones."

    She scrunched up her face when the people from the dark side barged in, hollering and cackling during her speech.

    "Just kick off the Arena; My bones are practically rusting!"

    "Ah,e on, zip it; we are not clueless. Start the Arena, old hag."

    "I''m bored to death; start the Arena... itching for a brawl."

    "Can someone shut her up?"

    The rest of the crowd was eerily quiet as the two shadow generals chuckled softly at the middle-aged woman whose eyes zed with pure fury. The people in robes hovering behind her exchanged nces, and a young man among them, Ned, swiftly raised his hand and put up a barrier in front of the section where the dark side people were seated to silence their voices.

    He whispered near the woman''s ear.

    "Keep going..."

    Vexana took a deep breath and red at the individuals from the dark side before continuing her speech. However, this time, she omitted all the unnecessary details and jumped right into exining the rules for the first round of the diator Arena.

    "As you all know, in the diator Arena, many battles ur, and every fighter must win a specific number of battles to move on to the next round. In the first round, ten individuals will be picked to battle on each stage, and only thest person standing on the stage will advance to the next round."

    "The rules are straightforward. If a fighter concedes defeat or is thrown out from the stage, they will be immediately eliminated. Also, if the illusionary figures overseeing your stage intervene to prevent you from harming your defeated opponents, you must cease fighting. Remember, the aim is not to kill but to earn your ce in the lost treasure tomb through fairpetition."

    Vexana scanned the massive crowd surrounding her, seated in the audience.

    "That''s it for the first round... Now, let''s see who secures the top positions in this round because the time taken by the winners to defeat their opponents will be noted by the Arena, and the final list of top participants will be revealed at the end of the first round. The top hundred on that list will receive additional points towards their overall final score. After all, many ties happen in the final round, and the additional points can determine victory or defeat."

    While she was talking, Kyle finally sauntered back to his seat with a pair of eyes that beamed with a smile. Nine, Alec, and the others all gave him curious looks, wondering what he had been up to, but they were left speechless when they saw he had changed his clothes and was now sporting a loose, pure white shirt and grey trousers. Sinon shook his head with a sigh.

    "Bro, hate to break it to you, but that shirt''s gonna be a mess real soon. I mean, with a bunch of fighters aiming to defeat you, keeping it clean''s gonna be a challenge."

    Kyle gazed down at his clothes, and because of his beaming eyes, everyone around knew he had done something that lifted his spirits. However, they weren''t sure if they should worry about the potential oue they had to face due to whatever he had done...

    "Well, I will see..."

    Kyle shrugged casually, not really bothered by the idea of his clothes getting dirty. He could just switch to a new pair if necessary. Bia and Nox both floated over to Zron to watch the fights since the bonded beasts weren''t allowed to join. Just then, Vexana pped her hands and wrapped up her speech with her final words.

    "Alright, everyone, check the dark circle on the back of your hands. It will lead you to your stage. Let the battles begin! I wish everyone all the best on behalf of every guardian watching over the Arena."

    As soon as her words finished, the circles on the back of each participant began to glow, and a number materialized on their skin. Kyle looked at the number that appeared on the back of his hand and whispered softly.

    "Stage 199?"

    Next to him, Nine was fervently hoping he wasn''t assigned to the same stage as his friends because only one winner would be chosen in the end. Everyone quickly matched their numbers and breathed a sigh of relief when they realized they would be fighting on different stages. Nine stood up with a smirk and stretched his shoulders.

    "Finally. Now, it''s my time to shine! The lone Overload of the Sea is here!"

    "Guys, I will be gone for a minute, but don''t worry, I will be back soon."

    He winked at everyone and floated off to find his stage. Sinon spread his wings and quickly followed him to locate his stage with a smirk.

    "And I will be back in half a minute, haha."

    Regius shook his head at the two shameless men with a sigh, but a grin appeared at the corner of his lips.

    "Okay, I ept the challenge!"

    "Let''s see who can return to the audience seats faster than me!"

    The others chuckled, and one by one, they also left their positions. Only Kyle stayed behind, slowly getting up from his seat and looking around to locate his stage for the uing battle. Zron, Bia, and Nox stared at his back, and the old dwarf spoke up.

    "Hurry up, young man! Why are you dragging your feet? What if the illusionary figures kick off the fights without you?"

 Chapter 580 Not bad, right?

    Chapter 580 Not bad, right?

    Kyle nced back at the speechless old man and began to levitate, gliding his way towards the many floating tforms. He briefly stopped to check the lit-up numbers above the tforms, looking for stage number 199. Among the people floating around him, he spotted the stage he was looking for and floated towards it beforending gracefully on one side.

    A middle-aged elf and a young dwarf with dark short hair were already on the stage, waiting with the illusionary figure for the other eight members to join them. When Kylended on the stage, they scrutinized him with cautious eyes. Upon realizing that unlike them, who were at the transcendent rank, he was only at the divine rank, they silently decided to eliminate him as soon as the battlemenced.

    Kyle started adjusting the sleeves of his white shirt as he observed the gathering individuals before him. One... two... three... he counted in his mind until thest person who would participate in the battle on his stage arrived. The illusionary figure then directed them to get ready for the impending fight.

    Eventually, above stage 199, three elves, two dwarfs, two demi-humans, one human, one woman from the dark race, and one demon stood facing each other, disying a range of emotions. The demon and the woman from the dark race united in one corner with smiles, ready to kill all others on the stage together, with the intention ofter facing off against each other to determine the ultimate victor.

    As the illusionary figure started floating above the stage to begin the battle, all the fighters tightly gripped various weapons. It was odd when the silver-haired man in the pure white shirt remained empty-handed, casually rolling up his sleeves.

    The only dwarven woman on the stage looked at Kyle and shook her head with a sympathetic sigh. Just like everyone else, she could sense that the silver-haired man was the weakest of the group. Now, seeing him without a weapon, she was certain he was a hand-to-hand fighter. She was sure everyone would target the human first.

    However, she flinched when the human in white looked at her with a pair of cold eyes after sensing her sympathetic gaze on him. She quickly averted her eyes but was surprised by her own reaction.

    Kyle nced at the illusionary figure, prepared to start the fight, and curled his fingers into fists. The people around him scoffed at his arrogance when he spoke with a passive expression.

    "Okay, I''m ready to eliminate the unnecessary people, except for the two from the dark side that I n to kill. Let''s begin the battle without any further dy."

    The demon on the stage looked him up and down and startedughing. Then, he gazed at the woman from the dark race next to him with a sinister smirk.

    "Kill the divine-rank human first. He''s really getting on my nerves."

    The woman pped her bat-like wings and shot him a simr smirk.

    "Leave him to me."

    The duo had just finished speaking when the illusionary figure raised his hand, then waved it downward and shouted loudly.

    "Commence the battle!"

    The illusionary figure''s words hadn''t even faded in the air when a deafening boom echoed across the stage. The air crackled with energy as Kyle zoomed at full speed. He even triggered his swift steps skill to boost his already maddening speed. His eyes gleamed as he grabbed the cor of the nearest person and flung them off the stage. The elf, whose feet were suddenly lifted off the stage, hadn''t even reacted yet, and Kyle had already delivered a swift kick to another person next to him before moving on to his next target.

    He intentionally paused for a split second in front of the dwarven woman who had looked at him sympathetically to reveal the face of the person about to eliminate her. Her eyes widened at the familiar pair of eyes that appeared before her, but before she could react, his hand had seized her shoulder to flung her off the stage.

    Kyle paused at the other end of the stage and rubbed his wrist as the three elves, two dwarfs, and two demi-humans were all flung outside the stage. The woman from the dark race, who had lunged towards his previous position, stopped as her hands grasped only emptiness.

    She blinked, and her ears twitched when a few startled shouts echoed behind her. She slowly... very slowly nced back, but her eyes widened because the only people she could see standing above the stage were the demon who was rooted in his position, utterly shocked, and the back of the human d in the pure white shirt.

    The demon and the woman both flinched, and their expressions turned pale when the human pivoted to fix his gaze upon them.

    "Eliminating seven people in three seconds... Not bad, right?"

    The individuals who got eliminated in seconds all floated around the stage, their faces contorted in anger. They were itching to get back on the stage, but a barrier rose up to enclose the stage. The illusionary figure cast a nce their way to convey that they were eliminated the instant they stepped beyond the stage''s boundary. They were ready to object because how could they be eliminated when they hadn''t even started fighting... but they all fell silent when Kyle shot them a cold look.

    The demon snapped out of his shock and, without caring about the stunned woman from the dark race, desperately shouted towards the illusionary figure.

    "Wait!! I admit-!"

    However, before he could finish his words, an extremely cold hand covered his mouth to silence him and then forcefully mmed his body to the ground. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The demon''s eyes turned red in pain, and the eliminated participants watching from outside the stage gasped and instinctively moved back in the air because they were unable to follow the human''s speed with their eyes! Moreover, after attacking the demon, he had already seized the woman from the dark race by the neck!

 Chapter 581 Dont worry, it will be your turn soon

    Chapter 581 Don''t worry, it will be your turn soon

    The many individuals dressed in robes, seated by the mermaid statue, were a bit startled when suddenly, within one of the many projections lighting up the sky, a name shot up at lightning speed to im the top spot in that projection.

    Old Hal furrowed his brows with a serious expression because the battles hadn''t even properly started; how could someone gain so many points so suddenly?

    "What''s happening?"

    He blinked when he read the name that had just shot up to im the top spot.

    "The nature''s favorite?"

    Instantly, his eyes scanned the numerous stages in the center of the towering walls to find the human he had seen days ago. All the people behind him did the same.

    Just like the people in robes, the two shadow generals, who were bored after spending so many days doing nothing, also noticed the abrupt changes in one of the projections lighting up in the sky.

    Will raised his brow.

    "This title looks kind of familiar..."

    He and Ceano both nced down and started searching for the human as well. However, no one could prepare them for what they witnessed and heard when they finally found the silver-haired man.

    Kyle''s hand was tightly wrapped around the woman from the dark race''s neck when he locked eyes with the shadow generals. His lips curled upward as he exerted enough force to break all the bones in her neck and used his spiritual energy to separate her soul from her body before muttering towards the shadow generals.

    "What are you watching, huh? Don''t worry, it will be your turn soon."

    Ceano''s eyes flickered with a touch of anger, but he averted his gaze with a disdainful snort. In contrast, Will''s eyes grew cold at the human words. The third shadow general chuckled and muttered in response with a sinister expression.

    "Well, well, it looks like someone has sessfully caught my attention. Let''s see if he can handle the repercussions."

    Kyle tossed the lifeless body in his hand outside the stage and moved toward the demon who had lost consciousness after he mmed thetter''s body to the ground. With nearly no emotion on his face, he severed the demon''s soul from his body as well. The illusionary figurended next to Kyle as he kicked the demon''s lifeless bodies off the stage.

    The atmosphere around stage 199 was silent as the illusionary figure dered the silver-haired human the winner. Old Hal closed his eyes with a sigh, and the people behind him all wore stunned expressions as they watched Kyle leave the stage to move towards the audience seats.

    The other eliminated participants floating around the stage cleared the space in front of him with solemn expressions, and many others in the audience who had witnessed him win the first round in less than half a minute were now gazing at him with awe and a touch of trepidation.

    Zron, Bia, and Nox, who were cheering for Yue after finding that her stage was nearest to them, were stunned when Kyle sat down beside the old dwarf. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    His pure white shirt held not even a speck of dust or blood as he held out his hand toward Bia and Nox so the two beasts could climb onto his shoulders.

    Zron nced at him with a disbelieving expression. No way, the young man couldn''t have defeated all his opponents in such a short time...? Or did he?

    His mouth hung open, and Bia and Nox nced at each other. The two beasts nodded at each other with a knowing look that they should never get on Kyle''s bad side before they quickly climbed onto his shoulders to watch Yue''s battle.

    Kyle''s gaze shifted to the beautiful elven woman battling on the stage. Whether it was fortunate or not, Sebastian was also present on Yue''s stage.

    "Well, it appears he will be eliminated in the first round by none other than Yue."

    An amused gleam flickered in his eyes as he observed Sebastian dashing around the stage with a terrified look, being pursued by a woman from the nightkin race wearing a malevolent smile.

    "Why doesn''t he just admit defeat?"

    He nced at Yue, who was battling a demi-human and swiftly dominated her opponent. She then raised her bow, and Kyle hissed as she thrust the sharp edge of the bow into the demi-human''s stomach before kicking him off the stage.

    "That must have stung."

    Bia rolled her eyes.

    -"Like you haven''t punched and kicked your opponents off the stage. I didn''t see it, but I bet you were brutal."

    Kyle''s eyes widened at the usations.

    "What? How can you me me when they''re the ones too weak?"

    Nox hopped down from Kyle''s shoulder and settled on hisp with a smirk.

    "Of course, little crimson phoenix, how could you fault the strong one when they are the weak ones."

    Bia''s eyes dangerously traveled down to the two-horned lynx and Nox flinched when he sensed a omnious gaze upon himself. A sh of anger flickered in the phoenix''s eyes before she asked with augh.

    -"What the heck did you just call me, you little piece of-!"

    However, before the phoenix could speak more and swoop down to attack the lynx, who had darted off towards Zron with a fearful expression, Kyle grabbed her with a speechless expression.

    "Just where on earth did you pick up so many curses, huh? I know for sure it wasn''t me who taught you that."

    Bia let out a loud huff and struggled to break free from his grasp. Her keen eyes remained fixed on the lynx, who seemed to be considering making a quick exit and leaving the area for a while, even though it was risky to wander alone in the crowd.

    Kyle chuckled and gently caressed her small head to calm her down. His gaze wandered below the numerous hovering tforms where thebatants were fighting, and a smirk crept onto his face as he observed how the ground beneath was slowly but surely absorbing the excess divine and spiritual energy in the air.

    "I wonder which brilliant mind crafted the diator Arena. They designed it in a way that everything in this ce stays alive with the natural divine and spiritual energy in the air. This means no one needs to use their strength to keep it powered up..."

    Zron hummed when he heard his somewhat out-of-ce words and nced around to once again marvel at the massive arena he was seated within.

    "Why do you want to know? It''s not like knowing would benefit us in any way."

 Chapter 582 Thats straight up cheating!

    Chapter 582 That''s straight up cheating!

    Kyle yed with Bia''s feathers as he listened to the old dwarf sitting beside him.

    "Just curious..."

    He nced to the side as another person arrived and sat down beside him. It was Alec. The man with blue hair had wrinkled clothes and was panting heavily. Surprise shed through his dark eyes when they met Kyle''s gaze.

    "You...? It''s only been a few minutes? How are you back already?"

    Kyle let out a chuckle.

    "So, did I win the bet, huh?"

    Alec sighed with a smile.

    "Yeah yeah, I practically bulldozed everyone in my stage and tossed them out, but even after that, I''m second. Who do you think would be next?"

    A pensive look crossed Kyle''s face as he narrowed his eyes to survey the numerous floating stages ahead. Yue''s stage was the closest to him, and after a moment, he found the others in the crowd as well.

    His gaze briefly lingered on Nine''s form. The brown-haired man wielded dual swords in both hands, courageously confronting opponents stronger than him. Kyle''s gaze flickered with curiosity when he noticed Nine''s injuries healing on their own.

    His eyes gleamed as he focusedpletely on the blue glow that always enveloped Nine''s skin whenever thetter sustained even the slightest injury.

    ''He has got a powerful healing skill...''

    He looked away from Nine when thetter suddenly turned his head with a puzzled expression, likely feeling his stare. Kyle observed Regius, Mia, Carcel, and the others'' fighting styles before focusing on Sinon and responding to Alec.

    "I think Sinon would be next. Being a demi-human with wings, he''s quicker than the rest. If he has a powerful skill, he can easily win by tossing his opponents out of the stage in one go."

    Alec, who had just leaned back in his chair to catch his breath, shook his head with a dry smile at Kyle''s words.

    "No, not Sinon. Like you said, he''s fast, but all his strong skills are water-based. So, even though he''s good with them, he can''t exactly flood the stage and overwhelm his opponents by drowning them in water."

    Kyle was surprised by his words.

    He started watching Sinon, but a mix of emotions crossed his face when Alec''s words proved right. Alec held back augh at his expression and yelled loudly at Sinon, even though he knew the demi-human couldn''t hear him from that far.

    "Come on! Submerge them all!"

    A speechless expression appeared on Kyle''s face as he heard Alec''s words.

    In the meantime, Sinon, who had just started floating after defeating one of his opponents and was about to unleash his most powerful water-based skill to flood the entire stage, paused for a moment.

    He narrowed his eyes when a sudden thought crossed his mind that someone was talking behind his back. However, after realizing no one was looking at him, he casually shrugged, nced down at the battling figures below, and smirked.

    "Taste the power of the ruler of skies!"

    A chuckle escaped his lips as a massive wave of water, tinged with violet currents and swirling vortexes, surged behind him. The illusory figure floating beside the stage swiftly retreated, and a barrier rose to cover the stage as the water wave crashed down, submerging all those battling below.

    Curses filled the air, yet Sinon remained undeterred, his eyes sparkled with a white gleam as he tightly clenched his hand. In an instant, the water filling the stage began to heat up, forming bubbles on its surface. The violet currents and swirling vortexes grewrger and more violent, slicing through everything in their path.

    Those caught within the water swiftly moved away from the powerful currents and swirling vortexes. Some of the fighters quickly ditched their opponents and rushed towards the demi-human at lightning speed to deal with that jerk first. However, they were caught off guard when Sinon raised his fist. With a swift motion, he brought it down towards the bubbling water, causing it to split in half and forcefully ejecting everyone floating within off the stage.

    Sinon flicked his hair with a smug look as he watched the water exiting the stage.

    "Now, that''s what we call a swift finale! Haha, I think I should switch my title with Nine... the sea overlord fits me better-!"

    He stopped as he noticed that after the water drifted off the stage, two individuals had somehow managed to grab onto the stage in time, ensuring parts of their bodies stayed above the hovering tform, and surprisingly, both of them were women.

    As the two women climbed the stage, one of them, who was from the demon race, spat out the water in her mouth with an extremely unpleasant expression. Her hair was a mess, and her clothes were soaked. She red at the flying demi-human and gritted out with pure fury.

    "You bastard!"

    Sinon gazed down at the demon woman and let out a dryugh. His eyes shifted toward the other woman who was from the human race as he mumbled quietly.

    "Oh, it appears the battle isn''t over yet..."

    He swiftly turned his head towards the illusionary figure outside the stage.

    "Woah, hold up! Weren''t they supposed to be eliminated? I mean, more than half of their bodies were off the stage!"

    The illusionary figure shot him a passive look and shook their head, signaling that the two women weren''t eliminated since they were still holding onto the stage.

    "That''s straight up cheating!!"

    Sinon leaped in the air as the demon woman lunged at him with her sharp nails. His expression turned serious as he maintained his bnce mid-air.

    "Alright, it''s time for me to end this! I can''t be thest one, can I? I still remember the bet I made with my friends!" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    A mace appeared in his hand as he pointed the blunt end towards the two women who were now hovering in front of him, ready to take him out. He clicked his tongue disapprovingly at the human.

    "What? Now you gonna side with a demon? What if she kills youter?"

    Hesitation flickered in the human''s eyes, but she shook her head and chose to deal with the demi-human alongside the demon first. She nned to handle the demonter since she believed she was stronger.

    Sinon let out a sigh, leaped forward, and engaged the two opponents in battle. In the audience, Carcel also joined Kyle and Alec. The golden-haired man''s eyebrow twitched when the other two didn''t even ask about his well-being and just showed him their three figures, indicating he was third.

    After Carcel, it was Nine who returned to the audience seat with a tired expression. Kyle nced at the faint blue light on his exposed skin and, even though he wanted to ask about the man''s healing skill, he refrained because he understood that, just like him, Nine would prefer to keep some of his powerful skills concealed.

    "You are good at physicalbat."

    Nine chuckled and rolled up his sleeve with a self-assured look.

    "Absolutely! It''s because I have trained tirelessly day and night under an old lizard! If my body isn''t tough as steel by now, then I don''t deserve to curse that old lizard. Now that you have witnessed my awesomeness, how about a one-on-one match? It''s been so long since we have tested each other''s skills in a friendly spar."

    Kyle arched a brow, but before he could consent to a friendly spar, Jian, who had just arrived at the scene, abruptly shouted.

    "Wait!"

    All gazes shifted to the red-haired man, who hastened towards Nine and whispered in his ear with a grave expression.

    "Bro, not physicalbat... I have seen what you haven''t. Please think it over. I truly don''t want to lose you."

    Alec and Carcel, who were just about to follow Nine''s footsteps because they also wanted to spar with Kyle to assess how strong the silver-haired man had be, fell silent upon hearing Jian''s words. Nine lifted his head and looked at Kyle. He understood, after observing Jian''s intense expression, that the red-haired man had witnessed Kyle''s physicalbat.

    "Kyle, I believe we shouldn''t spar with each other. As friends, we should unite to battle enemies, not each other, right?"

    He hushed his voice.

    "Anyhow... I was curious, what are your strength and agility stats? It''s fine if you prefer not to disclose. Absolutely fine."

    Alec, Carcel, and Jian''s ears perked up at Nine''s inquiry, all fixing their eyes on the silver-haired man. Even Zron showed some interest as the old dwarf leaned in to listen to Kyle, who looked back at them with an amused expression. Bia shifted on Kyle''sp and gazed at everyone with a smile dancing in her eyes.

    -"How about I spill the beans?"

    After grabbing everyone''s attention, she cleared her throat and shot a quick look back at Nine, who had narrowly avoided a serious thrashing because if he had a friendly spar with Kyle, he might have lost an arm or two, even if Kyle used only ten percent of his strength.

    The phoenix wanted to speak out loud, but upon recalling the many eyes fixated on the silver-haired human at that moment, shemunicated directly into Nine''s mind.

    -''His strength is at thete stage of transcendent rank, and his agility just broke through to the supreme rank.''

    Nine''s eyes widened a bit, and he let out a disbelievingugh.

    "No way, tell me you are lying!?"

    Alec and the others, who had just witnessed the interaction between the phoenix and the brown-haired man, swiftly turned their attention to Nine, who took a deep breath andmunicated directly into their minds because Bia had warned him that the shadow generals were monitoring Kyle.

    Alec released a breath and patted Jian''s shoulder, who was shocked after Nine informed him about Kyle''s strength and agility stats. As Jian looked at the blue-haired man, thetter shot him a grateful look; otherwise, not only he but all of them would have been in big trouble just for wanting a friendly spar.

 Chapter 583 So, it was him?

    Chapter 583 So, it was him?

    As everyone pondered how Kyle had enhanced his strength and agility so significantly while still at the divine rank like all of them, Yue joined them after securing victory on her stage. Following her, Regius, Mia, Lara, Susan, and Yon also returned after excelling in the first round. Sinon was thest to arrive because, upon witnessing his water-based skills for the first time, the two women who were his final opponents skillfully evaded all his moves. So, it took him quite some time to defeat them.

    Old Hal observed the group with an intrigued gaze as they conversed with each other, wearing carefree expressions. They paid no heed to the fact that both the shadow generals were observing them or that everyone in the audience had marked them as ones to steer clear of, especially since the whole group returned within ten minutes after defeating their opponents.

    The others in robes behind the old man were now also keeping a close eye on the silver-haired man and his group. Even though they missed Kyle''s battle, once his name surged to im the top spot in his projection, they quickly found the others in his group and watched their battles, and they must say, they were quite surprised. It seemed like the group of friends who had given themselves exaggerated titles somewhat lived up to those ims.

    If these young ones, who had disyed such formidable abilities in the first round of the diator Arena, were given the chance to enhance their skills, everyone behind Old Hal was confident they could aplish something remarkable. But it was regrettable that they all exuded such arrogance, as history shows that conceited people rarely meet a good fate. Moreover, the group had already made enemies with the two shadow generals, lowering their odds of surviving the diator Arena. Even if they managed to pull through, the dark side would be on their trail.

    Kyle closed his eyes and began absorbing the divine energy from the air. Despite him and his group finishing their battles, others in the Arena were still engaged. They had to wait an entire day before the first round of the diator Arena concluded.

    Sinon sighed in boredom and looked at everyone else seated around him, only to find half of them sleeping without a care. After another hour when all the participants were finally done with their battles, some of the people sitting in front of the mermaid statue began to float. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Vexana looked over the sea of faces in the audience. Those who emerged victorious beamed with joy, while the defeated ones wore dejected expressions. She refrained from providing any words offort or hope and officially dered the conclusion of the first round. After all, she understood that the next diator Arena wouldn''t open for another century, so who knows if the individuals who lost this time would have the opportunity to participate again.

    Ned tapped Vexana''s shoulder, and she stepped back in mid-air with a nod before he captured the attention of the audience.

    "Just as we mentioned earlier, the time taken by the winners to defeat their opponents in the first round will be recorded by the Arena, and now we will unveil the final list of top participants."

    He joined Vexana, and one of the many projections lighting up the sky descended before the duo. It immediately erged in size, showcasing the top winners of the first round to the audience. Ned smiled and dered with a booming voice.

    "I congratte the top hundred on this list who have received additional points and are one step closer to their ultimate goal!"

    But instead of loud, boisterous cheers in return, all he received were shocked gasps and countless disbelieving whispers. Ned blinked in confusion and quickly nced at the projection to understand why the crowd was bing agitated rather than happy after seeing the results. His eyes widened a bit when he noticed the points the Arena had awarded to the first name on the list.

    In the audience, Nine and everyone else stared at Kyle with dry smiles upon seeing his name at the top of the list before Jian asked with a shake of his head.

    "Just what the heck did you do? How did you manage to get so many points?"

    Kyle shrugged.

    "Maybe it''s because I defeated my opponents in less than a minute."

    He pointed at the projection.

    "Look, I can see Alec, Carcel, and Nine''s names in the top hundred as well."

    No one looked over there because, even though Alec, Carcel, and Nine''s names were listed in the top hundred, the point difference between the first name and the rest was simply enormous. The nature''s favorite got a whopping 100 extra points added to his total score of 10, whereas everyone else in the top hundred only got 10 extra points each on top of their initial 10 points from winning the first round.

    Ned swiftly sent the projection in front of him upward towards the other projections with a perplexed look before the audience began to question the authenticity of the results. He had never heard of someone getting a hundred extra points in the first round before, so how was it possible for someone to achieve such a feat?

    His gaze shifted towards the silver-haired man seated in the audience, and it seemed as though the silver-haired man had been watching him all along, as Kyle locked eyes with him, sporting a faint smirk.

    Ned furrowed his brows and looked away, signaling Vexana to announce the rules of the second round promptly. However, he and all the others in robes mentally agreed to observe the silver-haired man and watch his battles closely to understand why the diator Arena awarded him so many extra points. What on earth did he even do to achieve such a remarkable score?

    Kyle, who was still fixated on Ned, ran his hand over Nox''s body as the lynxy on hisp, looking content.

    ''So, it was him?''

    Nox nodded and began to drift off at the cold sensation moving across his body.

    ''Yes, it was that bastard... who said I wasn''t deserving of reaching a rank higher than the divine rank before Yue, Jian, and I entered the diator Arena.''

    Vexana, who was floating in the midst of the towering walls, pped her hands.

    "The rules for the second round are pretty straightforward as well. Each participant will battle in 100 matches back to back without a break. Your opponents could be any of the other participants. For every win, the victor will earn a point towards their total score. At the end of this round, the winners will be those who have achieved the most victories out of the hundred and have umted the highest points."

    She paused for a moment.

    "Just like in the initial round, at the conclusion of this stage, the top hundred participants with the most victories will also receive additional points. However, remember, the goal is not to kill but to emerge victorious. Therefore, if your opponent concedes defeat or if the illusory figures intervenes to cease the fight, you must halt your actions at all costs. Failure to do so will result in your elimination from the diator Arena. Now, without further dy, examine the back of your hands; the mark will lead you to your stage and adversaries. Best of luck!"

    Vexana, Ned, and the others in robes floating behind them quickly returned to their seats to watch the uing battles. Numerous participants died in the first round due to the dark side and because they were simply too weak, yet their remains were promptly taken care of by the illusory figures to clear the arena grounds.

    The friends and guardians of the deceased were saddened, yet none of them dared to voice their grief, fully aware of the dangers they had embraced by participating in the diator Arena.

    Kyle seized Bia and Nox, positioning the pair on Zron''s shoulders.

    "A hundred battles, eh? What if I have finished already, and my next opponent is still engaged inbat? The waiting would indeed be quite a bother, I must admit."

    A speechless expression dawned on those who heard his words.

    Nine rose to his feet and nced at everyone as he began to levitate.

    "Hopefully, none of you are my opponents, at least not in this round."

    Sinon and Jian echoed in unison.

    "Hopefully!"

    The pair locked eyes and burst intoughter. They reminded each other that if one spotted the other as an opponent, they should admit defeat. However, when neither agreed to concede, they just shrugged and swiftly checked the stage number on the back of their hands before floating away to find their designated stages.

    Kyle watched their fading figures and then examined the back of his hand to identify the stage number for his first battle. Rising to his feet, he suddenly tilted his head with a smirk to gaze at the two shadow generals and the individuals seated in front of the mermaid statue, all closely monitoring him.

    "Its seems I should do my best now that so many people are watching me, huh?"

 Chapter 584 Thankfully not

    Chapter 584 Thankfully not

    Someone softly touched Kyle''s back, prompting him to turn around and discover Yue standing there, wearing a smile.

    "Don''t push it too far; the shadow generals pose a serious threat. Let''s steer clear of stirring them up for now since they hold more power than us."

    Kyle''s expression softened.

    "I was simply feeling a bit yful after meeting the others... but rest assured, I''m fully aware of my actions."

    His soft eyes hardened as he felt the eyes on him shift towards Yue. Immediately, the corners of his mouth drooped. Despite having everything nned, he doesn''t want the shadow generals or anyone else targeting those he holds dear.

    ''A bunch of bastards... I''m the one provoking them, so they should focus only on me, not on anyone else. But it''s not like I can expect them to leave the others alone just because I want them to.''

    Yue blinked as he nced away with a frown, and before she could inquire about what happened, Kyle began to levitate. In that precise moment, Kyle''s voice resonated in her mind.

    ''Let''s talkter and give it your all.'' n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    She looked at his retreating figure, and a smile appeared at the corner of her lips. It seems he doesn''t want the focus of the two shadow generals to turn towards her.

    Lara and Mia exchanged nces with her, and after bidding goodbye to Nox and Bia, who were sitting on Zron''s shoulder, she started floating with the two women to locate her own stage where she would encounter her first opponent.

    Kyle, who had already found his stage but was still awaiting his opponent, was taken aback when Carcel''s floating form halted above his stage. He arched a brow and gestured to the back of his hand.

    "Same stage?"

    Carcel took hold of his spear and descended onto the stage opposite him.

    "Thankfully not."

    Kyle shook his head with a faint chuckle when he noticed the relieved look on the golden-haired man''s face. He knew his strength and agility stats were high, but it''s not like he would beat his friends too badly if they fought with him in a friendly spar. However, as he nced at the blue spear in Carcel''s hand, he felt like the spear in the man''s hand was somewhat familiar, so heplimented without much thought.

    "Your weapon looks impressive, and I can sense it''s quite powerful."

    Carcel blinked at the suddenpliment and twirled the slender spear in his hands.

    "Of course, it''s because I snatched... No, it was gifted to me by a very strong man."

    Kyle hummed as he gazed ahead at his opponent who justnded on the hovering stage. It was a middle-aged woman with long hair from the demi-human race.

    "Who?"

    He stole a nce at Carcel from the corner of his eye when the man remained silent at his question, only to observe a deep frown between the man''s brows.

    ''Did I say something wrong?''

    Carcel was about to mention that he snagged the spear from Kyle himself, then learned it was a growth-type weapon, just like Alec''s sword that evolves with its user, so he made it his main weapon.

    But he kept quiet as his opponent also showed up. However, he couldn''t help but wonder why Kyle didn''t remember. A sudden thought crossed his mind that maybe there was something wrong with Kyle''s memory, considering Kyle''s odd behavior when he first met everyone. It seemed too unusual, so he pushed the thought aside and focused on his opponent.

    The illusionary figures on his and Kyle''s stage told the people on stage to prepare without dy. A smirk crossed his face as he nced at the silver-haired man casually rolling up his sleeves, unarmed.

    "You nning to fight barehanded? I know you are stronger than me in strength and agility, but how about wepete to see who can take out their opponent first..."

    He paused for a second.

    "I think the difference between us wouldn''t be that significant because ultimately, we are both at the same rank."

    Kyle''s eyes flickered with a mischievous glint as he heard the golden-haired man.

    "Oh, why not, sure."

    Both Carcel''s and Kyle''s opponents were ticked off by the duo''s behavior, as the two men were busy in their own conversation,pletely disregarding their opponents as if they could easily eliminate them. As the illusory figures on both tforms signaled the beginning of the battles, a thunderous boom reverberated through the air. Carcel and his opponent who were still rooted in their spots, were distracted by the sound. But before they could even turn to look at the source of the noise, Kyle''s opponent was already hurled off the stage.

    A painful cry echoed in the air, startling Carcel and his opponent out of their daze. The duo watched as the illusionary figure on Kyle''s stage dered him the winner. A dry smile appeared on the golden-haired man''s face... it appeared he had lost even before thepetition started.

    Carcel and his opponent weren''t the only ones affected by Kyle''s sudden burst of strength. Everyone on the nearby stages was also taken aback by the swift and victory the silver-haired man secured.

    Kyle shot a final smirk at Carcel and floated off to locate his next opponent, hoping for a swift match without much dy and an empty stage for his uing battle. In the meantime, all the people sitting behind Old Hal, who had been eyeing Kyle intently this time to figure out just how strong he was to act so cocky and why in the world the arena had showered him with so many extra points, all murmur in bewilderment.

    "What on earth? Did he really win... in the blink of an eye?"

    "Why is his agility so off the charts?"

    "No, it''s not just agility; his strength must be insane as well, or he would not have sent his opponent flying with a single punch."

    "But he''s only divine rank, right? So, how..."

 Chapter 585 Did he work on his physique?

    Chapter 585 Did he work on his physique?

    Old Hal chuckled at the people behind him and let out a soft hum.

    "That''s why I always told you all not to judge a book by its cover."

    He gazed at them with a amused expression and inquired.

    "I reckon some of you might have simr agility stat as him, because his agility stat is equal to that of someone at the early stage of the supreme rank."

    Ned and a few others expressed their disbelief at the old man who wasparing them with a divine rank... yet they couldn''t help but nce at Kyle''s figure with perplexed expressions because even though the human''s rank was low, his agility and strength were very high. Just like Old Hal said, it was true; a few of them actually had the same agility as Kyle and were wondering if they could truly dodge if he had a skill to boost his agility.

    Vexana checked out the human.

    "Did he work on his physique? But seriously, having that kind of strength and agility at the divine rank is unheard of."

    Old Hal smiled at her words.

    "I''m certain he truly pushed his body during training and endured intense pressure to attain what he achieved today."

    At the same time, in front of the demon statue, Will had both of his hands clenched together as he ced them beneath his chin with a solemn expression.

    "Did you see what I saw?"

    He asked the man seated next to him, but Ceano stayed silent in response, making him a bit annoyed at the man.

    "Dude? It''s about my reputation. Can that little prick''s agility truly be that high when he''s just at the divine rank, huh? No chance, I won''t buy it! Back when I was at the divine rank, my agility wasn''t even close to pseudo-divine rank..."

    "Not to mention, I got goosebumps when, before punching his opponent, his speed suddenly shot up for a small movement, as if he was deliberately showing us that if he wants to, he can increase his speed even more. I am sure even if no one else from the people in front the mermaid statue noticed this, you would have, right?"

    Ceano snarled at the loud voice ringing in his ears and red at the man beside him.

    "Quiet. What do you want to hear? How many times I need to say it, stop cking off and increase your rank."

    He sighed and massaged his temples.

    "No need to fret, his agility stat isn''t superior to yours... I saw it; he actually triggered a skill to amplify his speed two or even three times for a brief period. His base agility is at the beginning of the supreme rank, but with that skill, it''s almost at the mid supreme rank."

    Will didn''t show it, but a hint of relief flickered in his ivory eyes. He almost thought the human''s agility was better than his. It would have been quite embarrassing if he ended up weaker after challenging the human in front of so many people... but when he looked at Ceano, he sneered.

    What was he worried about?

    Even though he was only at the middle stage of the supreme rank, the guy next to him could easily wreck the entire diator Arena with just a bit of his strength. Plus, he could always tap into the dark energy in the air to defeat his opponent because it wasn''t strength he was proud of, but the darkness that always surrounded him.

    Nheless, the third shadow general''s relief didn''tst long because Ceano shifted his words with a serious expression after watching the silver-haired man''s next battle. The people in cream-colored robes seated behind Old Hal were also left stunned when they witnessed Kyle using a very familiar and annoying skill that they had seen numerous times on the battlefield.

    Kyle, who had no idea that his instant teleportation skill had caused a stir among the powerful people watching him, blinked and vanished from his spot once more to toy with his second opponent a bit, who belonged to the dark race.

    He had to wait a long time with the illusionary figure hovering above the stage, supervising the ongoing battle below, as his opponent was still engaged in his first battle, and the stage designated for their fight was taken up by two others. Hence, he aimed to prolong the fight a bit to evade an extended wait for his next opponent. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Kyle''s form materialized at various points on the stage at the same time as he utilized instant teleportation many times within a second, creating a trail of afterimages. But after a minute, he grew bored and delivered a decisive punch to his opponent''s face, ultimately extinguishing the man''s life and separating his soul from his body.

    Old Hal''s expression was nonchnt as he watched Kyle. The silver-haired human had yet again killed another of his opponents. In that moment, Ned nced at Kyle with astonishment and eximed.

    "Just how the hell does he have this skill? Could he possibly be the secret child of James and Elizabeth?"

    Beneath the people sitting in front of the mermaid statue, the woman in the blue hoodie, who had been keeping an eye on Kyle and the others and wanted to recruit the group for James, spat out her drink when she heard Ned''s words. An extremely speechless look crossed her face, which quickly turned into suspicion.

    "Wait... don''t tell me James betrayed me, and this silver-haired youngster is his secret kid? He does somewhat look like James."

    She shook her head with augh.

    "No way, that old coot wouldn''t dare; he knows I would kill him if he even looked at another woman. So, who''s this kid that has somehow acquired his teleportation skill?"

    Her pale violet eyes shook slightly as she turned her head and looked once more at Zron, Susan, and Yon, the three old folks apanying Kyle. Suddenly, the woman''s old memories, somewhat obscured by time, were stirred, and she finally recalled where she had seen the trio before, grasping why they seemed so familiar.

 Chapter 586 Should I concede defeat right away...?

    Chapter 586 Should I concede defeat right away...?

    "Ah... no... it can''t be possible. Is that small still holding its ground?"

    A disbelievingugh escaped from Elizabeth''s lips as she gasped at her own words. Her, the very ce of her birth, was still standing? Even after many years had slipped by beyond her count.

    "I thought it would''ve been destroyed just like the other nearbys by the shadow generals after we left to fight in the war but it''s still alive. Now I understand why James was suddenly feeling giddy a few years ago when a piece of his soul returned to him. That bastard didn''t tell me... I''m totally going to pick a fight with him!"

    As she fetched amunication crystal from her mind space to contact the man in question and inform him about seeing some familiar faces from the blue, Old Hal coughed at Ned''s words. He wasn''t the only one surprised after hearing what the man had to say. The other individuals in robes also gazed at Ned with speechless expressions as he furrowed his brows.

    "What? You all know that instant teleportation is James'' signature skill. Given his nature, he wouldn''t readily share it with just any stranger unless the human is somehow rted to him."

    Vexana let out a sigh.

    "Let''s set that topic aside for now and concentrate on the fighters. We will find out once we meets the man since only James can exin how his skill ended up in someone else''s possession."

    All the people around her agreed with her words, but their gazes couldn''t help but drift towards the silver-haired man. They were curious to uncover what more the young man could show them.

    Does he possess another potent skill akin to instant teleportation? Also, is he solely skilled in physicalbat, or does he wield a weapon too? If yes, what kind of weapon does he use, and is he proficient with it? A lot of questions swirled in their minds, and all of them knew they could only obtain the answers by keeping a close watch on the silver-haired human who had given himself the title of the nature''s favorite.

    At the same time, Kyle who was dered the winner of his second battle as well by the illusionary figure, swiftly checked the back of his hand. He then leaped off the hovering stage to find the stage where his next battle would ur, only to discover it was upied by two other fighters.

    Kyle released a sigh and grabbed a chair from his mind space to settle outside the stage for an extended wait next to the quiet illusionary figure, who paid him no heed. While he waited, his next opponent also appeared outside the stage, and a mix of surprise and amusement danced in his green orbs upon seeing the man. And behold, it was none other than Carcel.

    Carcel paused in mid-air with a solemn expression as he nced at the illusionary figure overseeing the battle unfolding on the stage below him and Kyle.

    "Should I concede defeat right away...?"

    He was contemting his words with a serious expression because there was no way he could match the silver-haired man''s agility... but then Kyle fetched a sleek silver spear from his mind space and rested the shaft on his shoulder with a subtle grin. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "How about a friendly spar? I know you, Nine, and the others wanted to. I won''t use my speed and strength against you, only the spear. I''m curious to see how good you are with that powerful spear of yours."

    Carcel nced at the silver spear in Kyle''s hand and a look of surprise crossed his face. When did Kyle start using a spear? As far as he could remember, the silver-haired man had always wielded a sword in battle. A pensive expression appeared on his face because even if Kyle had learned to use a spear during their time apart, mastering it in just a few years seemed unlikely. After a few seconds, Carcel nodded at the man with a serious expression.

    "A friendly spar, alright, but I will admit defeat immediately if you use your strength and agility against me."

    Kyle raised an eyebrow as he caught a glimpse of a subtle challenge in the golden-haired man''s expression. The silver spear in his hand hummed softly as he released it, and it began floating behind him, emanating a stunning shade of grey that exuded sophistication and charm.

    Carcel''s eyes trailed toward the spear. It was truly beautiful, and he wondered just how Kyle got his hands on it. Unaware that the silver-haired man had stolen the spear from an old dragon, and it was a lot more powerful than the spear in his hand.

    The duo hovered in mid-air, waiting for the stage below to clear so they could engage inbat. After a few minutes, the two fighters on the stage were finally nearing the end of their battle as one of them was severely injured. However, the injured fighter''s persistence and refusal to admit defeat irked Kyle, even though thetter had nothing left to secure a victory.

    Kyle was very tempted to kick one of the fighters off the stage secretly due to the growing annoyance. He even tried to approach the shield enclosing the stage to act on his thoughts but clicked his tongue when he was halted by the illusionary figure, who gave him a deadly stare.

    Carcel stifled augh when he saw Kyle quietly and swiftly return to his ce under the illusionary figure''s stern gaze.

    After another minute, the battle on the stage below the duo finally ended with the injured individual securing the victory by surprising his opponent with a powerful skill. Kyle promptlynded on the stage as the shield enclosing it lowered.

    "Finally, it''s our turn..."

    The illusionary figure gazed at the silver-haired man and then at Carcel before instructing the duo to prepare for the battle. When they both held their spears tightly, the illusionary figure left the stage and shouted for them tomence the match.

 Chapter 587 He cant be left breathing

    Chapter 587 He can''t be left breathing

    The moment the illusionary figuremenced the battle, Carcel dashed towards Kyle, who stood at the far end of the hovering stage. The silver-haired man keenly eyed his speed for a split second and promptly synchronized his own movements to match Carcel''s pace.

    Kyle nced at the gleaming tip of the ordinary-looking yet powerful blue spear wielded by the man opposite him as thetter swung it towards him, prompting Kyle to deftly maneuvered his spear to deflect the impending attack.

    Immediately, a sharp metallic ng reverberated through the air, apanied by a thunderous roar as sparks of fire and electricity lit up the stage when Carcel''s spear connected with Kyle''s.

    The golden-haired man'' eyes widened when he saw Kyle holding his spear with just one hand. Carcel''s expression hardened as their gazes locked, with Kyle''s faint words of praise reaching his ears.

    "Not bad..."

    Carcel sighed and swiftly jumped back, ready tounch another attack.

    "Just not bad, huh? Well, just from that single sh, it''s clear you are more skilled with the spear than I am..."

    Kyle maintained his speed and synchronized his movements with Carcel to uphold hismitment. A contemtive hum slipped past his lips upon hearing the golden-haired man''s words.

    "Don''t sell yourself short. When I say not bad, it means you have already exceeded my expectations. Plus, it wouldn''t be entirely fair topare our spear skills since I have had more experience training with the spear than you."

    Carcel chuckled as Kyle firmly gripped his spear shaft, swiftly moving to unleash a precise strike towards him. He tilted his body and blocked the attack.

    "I''m pretty sure I have put in more hours with the spear than you because even back in the Royal Academy, you only ever trained with your sword... So, why do you think your experience with the spear is higher?"

    Kyle''s eyes flickered with a hint of emptiness as he heard his words because the moment he thought why his experience with the spear was higher than Carcel, he remembered the face of the man he didn''t want to recall... not until he was strong enough to finish thetter with his own hands. Carcel noticed the strangeness in his eyes and instead of attacking again, backed away. He was surprised when the silver-haired man opposite him spoke in a tone entirely unfamiliar, a monotone, almost devoid of emotion.

    "It''s because I have had way more time to train than you... at least a few decades."

    Carcel furrowed his brows at his words, but before he could grasp their meaning, Kyle stepped forward andunched an attack. He blocked the attack and nced at Kyle''s face but didn''t find the emptiness he had seen in the man''s eyes a few seconds ago, as if it never existed in the first ce.

    The stage pulsed with a whirlwind of energy, resonating with intensity as the duo shed repeatedly without utilizing any skills and their spear arts.

    Their strikes were swift and precise, each blow sending ripples of force through the atmosphere. However, it was clear that Kyle was restraining himself as he effortlessly blocked every attack sent his way by the golden-haired man. Not to mention, each time he noticed Carcel being pushed back, Kyle would retreat momentarily to give the man a chance to catch his breath.

    Many in the audience noticed their battle and began watching in awe as the two fighters engaged in a mesmerizing disy ofbat, their spears leaving trails of light and energy in their wake. The stage beneath them shook with each impact, and the air crackled with the raw power unleashed by their weapons.

    Will nced at Ceano, who wore a serious expression, and whispered softly.

    "Why are you watching them so intensely. It''s just a normal spear fight, right?"

    Ceano nced at the man and then locked eyes with Old Hal, who was seated in the distance in front of the mermaid statue.

    "It looks like the old man caught on too. The silver-haired man''s mastery with the spear has soared to heights even a centuries-old expert can''t match."

    Will''s ears perked up at the faint murmurs that slipped from Ceano''s mouth.

    "What are you saying?"

    Ceano closed his eyes, but his next words twisted Will''s expression into a grimace.

    "After keeping an eye on the human for a while, I can now confidently say that even though he''s only at the divine rank, there''s a fifty percent chance he can chop off your head and end your life."

    "That''s why he can''t be left breathing. Handling James and the other freaks with the man is already challenging; I don''t want another anomaly joining them."

    Will''s eyes chilled, but he sneered. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Do you even know what you''re saying? He''s just at the divine rank!"

    A paper filled with eerie dark symbols materialized in Ceano''s hand.

    If Alec had seen it, he would have recognized it right away. It was very simr to the dark contract he signed, the one that made Alec''s life difficult.

    "It doesn''t matter how powerful he is... What truly counts is that we must take him out before he bes a serious threat. If he''s already this strong at the divine rank, what havoc could he wreak at the supreme rank or even higher?"

    Ceano carefully rolled the paper, enclosing the symbols within the folds, and then passed it to Will.

    "This is a special contract that doesn''t require a signature to make someone your ve. Just a drop of blood will suffice. Give this to our people who are battling in the arena and tell them to get the blood of the man known as nature''s favorite to make him yield to us. If they don''t seed, I will kill him after the diator Arena closes."

    Will nced at the folded paper and smirked wickedly before leaving his spot.

    "Well, having a powerful ve wouldn''t hurt. If he had the power to harm me, then I also had the power to make him my ve."

    As he eyed the silver-haired man,ugh slipped from his lips. In the next moment, a few more contracts appeared in his hand, but the ones he took out from his mind space were a bit different from the one contract Ceano gave him. They were enclosed with pure dark energy.

    "Not just him, though... the others with him aren''t too bad either. I am not sure whether to be pleased or not that one of them is already a ve, haha."

 Chapter 588 Whose blood does he want?

    Chapter 588 Whose blood does he want?

    After a long hour, Kyle paused at the opposite end of the stage as a surge of energy erupted around the silver spear in his hand. He nced at the panting man across from him.

    Carcel clicked his tongue and wiped his sweaty forehead with his sleeve. He was a bit annoyed that even after pushing himself to his limits to fight the man opposite him, thetter didn''t even break a sweat, not to mention, his pristine white shirt remained immacte.

    "That''s not fair at all... what on earth did you consume to gain such immense power in just a few years. I also underwent intense training in the Sacred Divine Land, so why is the gap between us now so vast?"

    He muttered quietly under his breath and straightened his body only to speechlessly gaze at the three familiar figures clustered outside the hovering stage. They were none other than Alec, Nine, and Regius.

    After their battles ended, instead of advancing to their next stages, they joined the audience upon noticing Kyle and Carcel in the middle of their duel. The illusionary figure, whose vision was obscured by the three floating figures watching Kyle and Carcel stage intently, gently tapped Nine''s shoulder. However, Nine simply shrugged the figure''s hand away and remarked.

    "Kyle is very strong, but he''s even more powerful with the spear... now I really get why Jian was scared of losing me, because if I had sparred with him, I would probably have been beaten in the end."

    Alec nodded with a serious expression.

    "Indeed... but I was hoping to witness Carcelnd at least a single blow on Kyle. Oh well, who am I toin."

    Regius noticed Carcel''s darkening expression and spoke with a slight smirk ying at the corner of his lips.

    "Guys, we should just be thankful that Carcel''s precious body remains unharmed even after enduring so much-!"

    His words were abruptly cut off when the golden-haired man lunged towards him with his spear, sporting a fed-up expression. But he swiftly dashed in the opposite direction before the man could grab him.

    Carcel huffed at the elven man''s diminishing figure as he left the hovering stage boundary and red at Alec and Nine, who fell eerily silent. On the stage, Kyle chuckled at the group and shook his head.

    He watched as the illusionary figure brushed past both Nine and Alec, swiftlynding on the stage to dere him the victor after Carcel''s left the stage.

    Kyle''s eyes flickered with a hint of a smile, but the warmth soon faded as he scanned the area and realized one of the shadow generals had vanished from his spot.

    His gaze grew icy as he searched the surroundings for the man and eventually spotted Will among the people from the dark side in the audience seats, finally allowing his body to rx.

    ''What''s he up to?''

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed at the man who was talking with some demons. Unfortunately, due to the energy curtain covering the dark side''s area to keep them from speaking up in between Vexana''s speech every time, he couldn''t hear what the shadow general was discussing with the group of demons.

    He tried to read the man''s lips but only caught two words.

    "Get... blood...? What is that bastard saying, whose blood does he want?"

    Kyle tracked the man''s movements with his eyes but shifted his gaze to the stage under his feet when it trembled. Not only did the hovering tform beneath him shake, but the entire diator Arena quivered slightly. A tap of his foot on the stage eased the trembling, and a chilling glint passed through his intense green eyes.

    "Well, whatever the dark side is plotting. Does it truly matter now? They won''t be able to carry out their ns because... the real battle is finally about tomence."

    Unlike him, who knew the cause of the abrupt tremor, all the powerful individuals supervising the Arena were taken aback. Quickly, every one of them, including Old Hal, vacated their positions to investigate what had caused the Arena to shake.

    The audience and the fighters on the hovering stages were also disrupted by the tremor, leaving them a bit shaken. The first thought that came to their minds was that the shadow generals and the people from the dark side were trying to destroy the Arena. The crowd panicked, but under Old Hal''smand, all the illusory figures quickly started to calm them down.

    The two shadow generals, who were med for the sudden disturbance, were puzzled by the event. Ceano furrowed his brow and extended his senses to investigate the cause, but as he did so, Elizabeth who was seated in the audience, used her own power to block his senses, fearing he might harm the audience. Ceano was surprised when he detected another familiar presence in the crowd and discreetly withdrew his senses.

    "I only wanted to understand why the diator Arena shook, but it seems there''s another powerful individual concealed in the audience, so I needn''t fret."

    "I hope they resolve the issue because I want the Arena to conclude peacefully for me to achieve my goal."

    He was the only one who could have figured out what was wrong with the Arena since he was the strongest among them all. But he could not do it because of Elizabeth. He could have easily overpowered her, but he chose not to because he wanted the diator Arena to conclude smoothly, allowing the lost treasure tomb gates to open without any problem.

    The many individuals in robes with Old Hal hurriedly inspected all the structures from which they controlled the diator Arena but discovered no issues. So they were confused about what had gone wrong. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    At the same time, Alec and Nine, who were still hovering outside Kyle''s stage after Carcel left to take a brief rest,nded beside Kyle with serious expressions to witness the sudden disturbance that rippled through the arena. Nine furrowed his brows.

    "What''s going on? Is it possible that the dark side has sneakily tampered with the Arena? Given their nature, I am certain they are the ones responsible for this abrupt disturbance!"

    Alec concurred with Nine, but when the pair nced at Kyle and noticed a faint smirk on his lips, a sudden premonition struck them. Alec firmly grabbed Kyle''s shoulder with a deadly serious expression.

    "Don''t tell me you are the cause of the sudden tremor...?"

    Kyle raised an eyebrow at his words.

    "Why? You don''t think I can be innocent? I am just a divine rank after all."

    Alec''s eyes flickered with bewilderment because even though the silver-haired man spoke in an innocent voice, the smirk on his lips indicated otherwise.

    "You! I know you are strong, but you can''t just mess with so many powerful people! You are not the only one who''s going to suffer the consequences!"

    There was a touch of disbelief in his voice as he couldn''t understand why Kyle would endanger them all. Alec knew, just like him, all his friends want to kill the shadow generals and the people from the dark side, but with their current strength, he understood they stood no chance! Besides, causing chaos in the diator Arena would surely anger the arena overseers, and who knows what they would do to Kyle once they found out he orchestrated it all!

    Kyle brushed off the hand on his shoulder. He grasped the blue-haired man''s point of view, but the n was already in motion, and if all went ording to his strategy, they could potentially kill both of the shadow generals present in the Arena.

    "Do you really think I don''t have a n?"

    Alec let out a troubled sigh.

    "It''s not that I doubt you; it''s just that, if you''re nning something, I hope nobody suffers any harm."

    As Kyle and Alec locked eyes, Nine intervened to stop them. He gripped their shoulders with a serious expression.

    "Stop bickering, both of you! Alec, now that Kyle has started something, we must trust him. You know he''s the stronger one at the moment. Besides, only Kyle, you, and I are aware that Kyle tampered with the Arena. If we keep this to ourselves, no one else will find out."

    He shifted his gaze to Kyle.

    "Now you! Tell us, what are you up to before I lose my cool with you!"

    Kyle gave Nine a different look this time. But even though his eyes shone with a hint of solidarity because Nine was clearly taking his side, he still roughly pushed the man''s hand off his shoulder. Nine grimaced with a click of his tongue but still leaned in when Kyle started speaking.

    "I ced a unique array all over the Arena. No need to stress; it won''t activate just yet since it requires a bit more divine and spiritual energy. You both should discreetly alert Jian and the rest to get ready because we are all going to fight together."

 Chapter 589 Just need two more people

    Chapter 589 Just need two more people

    ''We are going to fight together...''

    That''s what Kyle said to the two men who were flying away from him to inform others about his n. But unfortunately, he didn''t want all of them to join him in the battle. He watched the duo''s retreating figures and hummed softly.

    "I just need two more people to harness the power of the array with me. As for the rest, it''s better for them not to participate at all."

    He nced at the illusionary figure standing beside him and flicked his fingers to remove the barrier he had erected around him, Alec, and Nine a while ago so no one would hear their conversation. The illusionary figure''s eyes followed him as he checked the number that appeared on the back of his hand. He then exited the stage to seek out the next arena where he would engage in his forting battle.

    The chaos that erupted earlier from the sudden tremor in the diator Arena settled down a bit after the illusionary figures and the many individuals in robes scattered in different directions inside the arena to confirm everything was okay.

    Once they confirmed the situation was under control, Vexana proimed loudly that everything was fine and attributed the tremor to the surplus of divine and spiritual energy in the arena. However, despite the calming of themotion, the tension in the air escted significantly.

    Kyle stopped in mid-air above the stage where he would have his battle because even though it was vacant, his opponent was nowhere to be found. Amidst the many battles happening around him, Kyle''s eyes drifted towards the golden-haired man fighting on a faraway stage.

    It was Carcel; it seemed he had moved on to his next battle after a short break.

    "Carcel excels in closebat. He will be the second person to wield the power of the array alongside me in battle."

    He made the decision in a split second because, after battling with Carcel, he understood the man''s capabilities.

    "As for thest person..."

    His gaze swept the surroundings; he had witnessed almost all his friends in battle. Though each had their strengths, he sought two individuals who could withstand the challenge with him, considering they were preparing to face the shadow generals. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The array he drew all over the Arena was created by him. Hebined different symbols to craft a vast array that could enhance or diminish others'' strengths. It also had the power to immobilize multiple individuals under hismand. So he was aware that no one could destroy it unless their proficiency in arrays surpassed his.

    Kyle, who ced the array, was its main master, but he knew he needed at least two more people to share its powers since it''s too strong. If he took all its strength into his body, it would not be good for him. Instead of getting stronger, he might end up risking his life if his body can''t handle it.

    Kyle, who ced the array, was its main master, but he knew he needed at least two more people to share its powers since it''s too strong. If he took all its strength into his body, it would not be good for him. Instead of getting stronger, he might end up risking his life if his body can''t handle it.

    However, he knew he needs to choose wisely which of his friends will share the burden with him because once the array is triggered and he shares its power with two others, the power bestowed upon them will remain with them until the array remains active... or until they die. Even he himself can''t take back the power he gave them.

    It can be perceived as a w in the array since he clearly held the master position, but he understood that something of such immense power cannot be wless. He simply has to choose his friends. After all, even though he had just spent only a few days with them, he knew he could trust them all. So, he doesn''t need to worry.

    Kyle nced at Yue, Lara, and Mia. The three of them were also fighting on different hovering stages. But even though the girls could use weapons, theycked prowess in closebat. Moreover, just as he wished to protect Yue, he knew Alec and Carcel, who seemed close to Lara and Mia, wouldn''t want to endanger the two girls. So, he couldn''t let them join. Sinon and Jian were eliminated right away because Jian was a mage, and although Sinon excelled inbat, all his skills were water-based. Ultimately, he had to choose the final person from Alec, Nine, and Regius.

    Kyle rubbed his chin as he spotted Regius in the crowd and watched as the elven man engaged in a battle with a dwarf.

    "His fighting style is somewhat brutal. But I can see he''s avoiding harming all the vital parts of his opponent..."

    While he liked it, when he shifted his attention to Nine, he noticed that Nine''s physique was very strong. Combined with the double sword he wielded, in his opinion, Nine was stronger than Regius overall. Kyle''s gaze did wander toward Zron, Susan, and Yon, but for some reason, he just couldn''t trust the three old men the same way as his friends.

    He was scanning the area when a man from the demon race appeared before him and chuckled loudly.

    "Human, so you are my opponent? I know who you are... you are the nature''s favorite, right? Are you ready to meet your end at my hands? Though I have not seen your fights or how you got so many points in the first round, I know I have reached thest stage of the transcendent rank. Therefore, there''s no way you can defeat me!"

    The demon shed a sinister grin when Kyle nced at him with a nk face. Just like all others from the dark side present in the arena, he too was tasked with obtaining a drop of blood from this human before him. That''s why even though he had neverid eyes on Kyle before, he recognized him as the one who held the title of nature''s favorite. But his smile stiffened when Kyle looked away with a bored expression.

    "You-!"

    He wanted to curse the human before him, but the illusionary figure overseeing their stage instructed them to descend onto the stage and ready themselves forbat.

 Chapter 590 Ah... impressive

    Chapter 590 Ah... impressive

    The demon sneered at Kyle and promptlynded on the stage, but the silver-haired man remained suspended above the stage, casting a nce at the illusionary figure.

    "Just a minute. After all..."

    He nced at the demon staring at him with an amused expression.

    "... there''s no rule preventing me from taking my time outside the stage."

    The illusionary figure looked at him with a speechless expression, even though it was made of energy, it had a consciousness to understand Kyle''s intention.

    Also, it realized there were truly no rules stopping the human from spending time outside the stage where he would fight.

    The demon, having just heard his words, shouted at the illusionary figure in protest, and it looked at Kyle, urging the man tond on the stage so it could start the battle. But Kyle looked away and nced at a distant stage where Alec had just encountered a transcendent rank individual.

    ''I have observed everyone else''s fighting style, but his is the only one I haven''t seen. Since he wields a sword, a minute should be enough to gauge his mastery level.''

    Kyle''s eyebrow arched as he watched Alec wield the sword effortlessly, executing a sequence ofplex strikes that culminated in a masterful final blow, leaving the transcendent man incapacitated. Alec''s strikes were precise, each movement meticulously crafted.

    "That sword..." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    His eyes narrowed at therge sword in Alec''s hand, and only then did he notice the sword was enveloped in a subtle yet pure golden glow. A sudden realization dawned on him that the sword resonated with joy in the hands of its wielder.

    "Just how long has he been using that sword? Most weapons wear out over time, but the sword''s seamlesspatibility in his grip suggests he has wielded it for years. His mystery over his weapon is quite good too."

    Of course, it was somewhat lower than Kyle''s usual standards, which were so high that even Hubert, his master, was somewhat displeased... as the sword was a weapon he could confidently dere no one could surpass him with.

    He had reached a point with the sword where just holding it was enough to make the air around him tremble.

    Unfortunately, he changed his weapons often in the No Mana Land, so he doesn''t have a weapon that had spent many years with him, only if he didn''t include the sword and spear he stole from Hubert. So, he was somewhat surprised when he saw Alec disying such remarkablepatibility with his weapon. The illusionary figure floating beside Kyle tapped his shoulder to remind him he had a battle to attend... but the human paid it no mind.

    Kyle''s lips curled upward when he witnessed Alec using his sword art. The blue-haired man quickly channeled his divine energy into the de in his hand, creating a vortex of power.

    As his sword arced through the air, it emitted a harmonic hum and left behind a trail of shimmering energy, causing a shockwave to ripple outward. The force generated from the strike was so immense that even though the stage beneath him was powerful enough to withstand the impact of a transcendent rank attack, a huge scar appeared on its surface.

    ''Ah... impressive. I suppose Yue was correct in stating that you are the most powerful among the group. It''s evident you surpass Carcel in strength. Therefore, I trust you will be thest person to receive the array power alongside Carcel.''

    He chuckled, but the illusionary figure beside him was finally fed up and told him that if he doesn''tnd on the stage to fight his battle immediately, he would be eliminated from the diator Arena. Kyle clicked his tongue as he nced down at the demon staring at him.

    ''What''s the point? I would be kicked out of the Arena once the array activates.''

    Hended on his stage to fight his battle, but the demon who was gazing at him with an angry and sinister smile began screaming the moment their battle started when he disappeared from his spot and grabbed thetter''s neck.

    Kyle gazed at the man wing at his arm as he tightened his grip on thetter''s neck. A soft sigh escaped his lips.

    "You can''t injure me with your nails alone. My skin can normally withstand most attacks without a single scratch. An enemy needs a sharp weapon to harm my body... but I wonder why you are so desperately trying to injure me? Hmm?"

    He tilted his head and suddenly recalled the two words he had somehow caught after lip-reading the shadow general who was conversing with some demons.

    "Oh, don''t tell me the shadow general asked you to get my blood?"

    Kyle''s eyes chilled when he saw shock in the demon''s eyes. A cold smile appeared on his lips as he loosened his grip on the man''s neck and pped his face.

    "How about you tell me why? Maybe I will let you live a little longer."

    But instead of replying to him, the man shouted toward the illusionary figure.

    "I admit-!"

    Kyle mped his other hand over the man''s mouth, and the man''s white slit pupils widened in agony as intense pain surged through his entire body.

    "It''s okay if you don''t want to tell me. I already know the shadow generals want my blood. So, I will figure out the restter when I am fighting them both."

    He swiftly separated the man''s soul from his body and flicked his fingers to conjure water, cleansing the blood from his hands. The illusionary figure floating outside the stagended beside him and dered him the winner with a hint of incredulity in its somewhat monotone eyes.

    Meanwhile, Alec, having just defeated his opponent and now able to catch his breath, scanned his surroundings with a perplexed expression because during the fight, he felt an odd stare fixed on him.

    It was a keen, evaluating gaze, not threatening but more like someone sizing up his skills. However, he scratched his head upon realizing that nobody seemed to be observing him closely except a few audience who were watching his battle.

    "Did I make a mistake?"

 Chapter 591 Was I deceived too?

    Chapter 591 Was I deceived too?

    Kyle let out a sigh as he defeated his hundredth opponent.

    After the illusory figure proimed him the victor, he settled on the stage to simply gaze at the sky. The second round for him ended, yet many individuals around him were still engaged in battle, endeavoring to ovee their adversaries. Fortunately or not, he did not face any of his friends after Carcel.

    The atmosphere was thick with potent energy due to the ongoing battles. He rested his hand on the stage beneath him, and with a crack, a subtle ripple of light emanated in various directions from his palm.

    The illusionary figure standing next to him gazed at him as he closed his eyes. The figure wanted him to leave the stage, but when it saw no new fighter hade to battle on the stage, it simply let Kyle be since the human hadpleted his battles.

    As the figure averted its gaze to look in a different direction, another burst of light radiated from his palm, this time the light was intense and darted with lightning-fast speed, enveloping the entire diator Arena in a fraction of a second.

    "Done..."

    Kyle murmured a few incantations under his breath, and the air around him grew calm. He opened his eyes, and a subtle white shimmer flickered around his body as he sat down with crossed legs to replenish the energy spent during the battles. The fights around him continued, and he calmly awaited the end of the second round.

    Simultaneously, beneath the audience seated on the chairs within the towering walls, watching the battles or simply resting after enduring a significant fight, delicate symbols began to glow, intricately weaving an borate web across the ground. The ancient symbols carved into the towering walls and beneath the various hovering stages, drawing in divine and spiritual energy from the air to power the arena, began to fade. In just a few seconds, they were engulfed by the delicate symbols weaving a web across the arena.

    The individuals in robes sitting in front of the mermaid statue were deliberating on who, besides Kyle and his group, disyed potential. Meanwhile, the shadow generals were focused on watching those from the dark side battling Carcel, Jian, and the others on the different stages, aiming to defeat them to obtain their blood.

    That''s why it was a huge surprise when a woman in a blue hoodie seated among the audience started shouting and cursing. The suddenmotion caught the attention of many, but before anyone could identify the woman, she disappeared from her spot.

    Old Hal was taken aback when she reappeared before him. His eyes widened as he locked gazes with the familiar pale violet eyes. However, before he could grasp why Elizabeth had suddenly shown herself when she was meant to stay hidden in the crowd and only intervene if the shadow generals attacked, she red at the array masters seated behind him and shouted.

    "You useless bunch of fools! What are you all doing while the entire arena-!"

    Her words were abruptly cut short by a thunderous tremor that echoed through the air, shaking the entire arena. Immediately, many massive white symbols manifested across the towering walls, enveloping their surfaces. This sight sent shivers down the spines of all who gazed upon them, as the symbols were crafted from pure spiritual energy and were expanding in size with each passing moment!

    Old Hal, Elizabeth, and the eyes of those around the two widened as they gazed at the symbols. The array masters moved to eradicate them. But it was toote; the symbols had already been activated.

    In a sh, the entire arena descended into chaos as panic seized everyone.

    Old Hal swiftly attempted to direct the multitude of illusionary figures within the arena to pacify the turmoil. However, to his and everyone''s shock, all the illusionary figures in the arena began to fade into light, eagerly absorbed by the white symbols. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The shadow generals and individuals from the dark side were also caught off guard by the sudden turn of events.

    A sense of foreboding crossed Ceano''s golden eyes, and an inner voice cautioned him not to allow whatever was happening reach its conclusion. He thought he had to prevent the white symbols frompletely engulfing the towering walls.

    Will frowned and shifted his gaze towards Ceano to grasp the unfolding situation, only to find the man had disappeared.

    The third shadow general redirected his focus forward and saw Ceano suspended in mid-air behind the numerous robed individuals striving to erase the symbols amidst their intense exchanges.

    Ceano locked his eyes on the symbols growing in size, and a surge of intensity permeated the air. He quickly clenched his fist tightly to obliterate the many symbols with sheer power because even though he has knowledge of arrays and symbols, he had never seen such intricately intertwined and unfamiliar symbols before. Will''s eyes chilled at his actions.

    "Wait... why is he helping them?"

    A puzzled yet cold expression clouded his face because even though they were not here to disturb the arena and simply wanted to peacefully reach the Lost Treasure Tomb, why the freaking hell was Ceano aiding the enemies in destroying the symbols?

    On the other hand, Old Hal and the numerous individuals in robes attempting to destroy the symbols mistook Ceano for attacking them and believed he was involved in all the events unfolding in the arena. They wanted to attack him, but Elizabeth quickly intervened.

    "Destroy the symbols first! He''s an enemy, but he''s not the one who ced them!"

    Ceano sneered at them, and as he opened his fist, all the symbols across the towering walls cracked and vanished into particles. But just when everyone thought they could finally regain control of the situation, all of a sudden, a massive circr array emerged from the ground beneath the audience and the countless hovering stages.

    It swiftly ascended, easily passing through the bodies of the numerous people floating in the air, enveloping the entire sky above the numerous floating projections.

    A sudden realization dawned on everyone fixated on destroying the white symbols on the towering walls when they looked at the massive circr array pulsating in the sky. It became evident that the symbols they were focused on all this time were not the true threat; rather, those symbols merely appeared to divert their attention. Ceano''s eyes gleamed with a wild intensity.

    "Haha, was I deceived too? But the real question is, by who the hell..."

 Chapter 592 Too late...

    Chapter 592 Toote...

    Elizabeth let out a dry chuckle as she nced at the massive array above her, brimming with countless unfamiliar symbols. In that moment, she remembered the words she had spoken when she saw the silver-haired man drawing strange symbols all across the arena.

    "What''s the worst that can happen, huh? This darn situation is the worst that can happen, you fool!!"

    She wanted to beat her past self, but now wasn''t the time for regret. As the many array masters and Old Hal swiftly advanced towards the colossal array in the sky to destroy it, her sharp gaze shifted to the floating tforms below to locate the silver-haired individual. However, she was utterly shocked when she saw the situation below.

    After the many illusionary figures overseeing the arena vanished into lights, the fighters on the hovering stages ceased their battles and began floating mid-air.

    The people in the audience also started vacating their seats, filling the space below her with countless floating figures, anxious to understand what was happening.

    Wesley, Ronan, Oldeus, and many supreme-rank individuals in the audience had also swiftly ascended to the sky to grasp the situation and ensure the safety of the people they had brought to the arena. The individuals from the dark side had begununching attacks on others now that the illusionary figures no longer stopped them.

    An angry expression crossed Elizabeth''s face as she scanned the area for the man who held the nature''s favorite title.

    "Damn it! I''m gonna beat him up so thoroughly that he won''t ever dare to draw a single symbol again, let alone cause such a hugemotion!"

    Amidst the chaos happening throughout the diator Arena, Alec, Carcel, Nine, all their friends, and the three old men with the group, who knew what was going on, were a lot calmer than the others.

    Alec and those battling on the hovering stages swiftly defeated their opponents and began awaiting Kyle''s signal.

    Nevertheless, they all found it unbelievable that Kyle alone designed such a huge array. He even ced so many fake symbols to distract the powerful individuals.

    Nine plunged his sword into the stage and cast a quick look at the individuals from the dark side who had started attacking. He sensed a looming confrontation about to unfold. Scanning the area to find Kyle, he muttered under his breath.

    "Hurry up, the array is ready, now activate it. What are you doing? I thought it was just us going to be fighting."

    He wasn''t the only one waiting for Kyle to activate the array. Alec and the others were too. In that moment, Elizabeth found the silver-haired man, sitting on one of the stages, looking calm and collected amidst all the chaos around him.

    "You little freak!!"

    Her enraged voice thundered across the entire arena as she disappeared towards Kyle. If she wanted to swiftly end it all and restore peace to the arena, she needed to catch the culprit first!

    Ceano, Will, Old Hal, and the other robed figures were drawn to her sudden outburst and followed her disappearing figure with their eyes to see where she was headed, only to spot a familiar face seated in the direction she was moving.

    Almost everyone in the Arena heard her sudden shout, and immediately, all the supreme rank individuals in the arena who could somewhat see her fast figure shifted their eyes to the lone silver-haired man.

    Alec, Nine, and the others waiting for Kyle to activate the array all freaked out when they heard the woman''s sudden shout.

    They couldn''t see her due to her fast movements but they knew she just shouted at Kyle and was rushing towards him! They all frantically began searching for Kyle in the crowd with worried expressions.

    Ceano eyed the silver-haired man and then shifted his gaze to the array before swiftly moving up to obliterate it. It didn''t matter that Elizabeth was a strong enemy he wanted to kill. Right now, he understood that if no one took down the array, not only the people within the arena but he too would face the consequences. Also, he had a hunch that the silver-haired human would target him and Will first because he clearly held no grudge against the others. Will who was confused and angered by the situation, quickly disappeared behind him.

    Elizabeth reached Kyle and extended her hand toward him with a solemn expression. However, her eyes widened when he tilted his head with a speed almost equivalent to hers. A faint smirk appeared on his face. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Toote..."

    Kyle murmured and ced his hand beneath his chin to watch the woman rushing toward him, disying a myriad of emotions on her face. Shock, disbelief, bewilderment - but all of these transformed into a loud shout when numerous chains made of spiritual energy emerged from the ground beneath her and with a speed that was even higher than hers quickly wrapped around her body tightly.

    All those watching were stunned as Elizabeth''s figure crashed to the ground. She tried to break the chains, but after a few seconds, she shouted in frustration because she realized she couldn''t. She red at Kyle with angry eyes.

    "You-!"

    She wanted to curse but paused when she saw the gaze he directed towards her. It was nonchnt, devoid of any emotions. Kyle retracted his gaze and finally stood up from his spot. He started floating, and the moment he did, familiar chains that had just held Elizabeth emerged from the ground throughout the whole Arena to bind all those present in the Arena.

    In an instant, all the floating figures started to crash into the ground. Nine, Alec, and the others who were waiting for him to activate the array sighed with relief when they saw the silver-haired man unharmed.

    Nine raised his weapon and called out Kyle''s name, but his voice was drowned within the many voices around him.

    "Damn, finally! It''s time for us to eliminate the shadow generals!"

    His eyes gleamed with excitement, but he blinked with a nk expression as simr chains made from spiritual energy emerged from the ground below him to ensnare him just like everyone else.

    "What the funkin'' hell...?"

 Chapter 593 Hes not alone

    Chapter 593 He''s not alone

    Nine was not the only one in disbelief when the chains wrapped around his body. As the chains made of pure spiritual energy held him captive, he dropped to his knees and stared at the floating silver-haired man. In that moment, a realization dawned on him �C Kyle had never intended for him to partake in the impending battle!

    "You lying piece of crap! You promised we would fight together!"

    He refrained from attempting to break the chains because if the formidable woman who attempted to halt Kyle couldn''t, how could he, a mere divine rank?

    Nine clenched his fingers into fists, frustration evident on his face, as he observed identical chains that had tightly bound his body now swiftly enveloping every individual around him.

    His gaze paused on a familiar face amid the mor of struggle echoing all around as the ones bound by the chains tried their best to break free. It was Jian. The red-haired man too was striving to free himself from the chains, wearing a shocked expression. Nine breathed a sigh of relief,forted by the fact that he wasn''t alone in facing the repercussions of Kyle''s deception.

    He cast a nce skyward, where Old Hal, the shadow generals, and numerous others were floating, striving to destroy the array but unfortunately were unable to.

    Ceano peered down at the silver-haired human floating below, watching everything with a hint of amusement in his eyes. He extended his hand towards the array, all set to obliterate it just like he had previously done with the white symbols.

    However, when he clenched his fist, the array stayed firm and unscathed. Instead, a blend of pure spiritual and divine energy intertwined to effortlessly deflect his power from the array as if it were insignificant.

    Anger zed in the second shadow general''s eyes, who does this human think he is? Does he believe he can harm him by casting an array all around the arena? No, he can''t, even if he were to deploy hundreds of such arrays because Ceano''s strength exceeds even his wildest imagination.

    He was about to mock the human''s efforts, but stopped when Kyle waved his hand, and familiar chains swiftly emerged from all directions, ensnaring Old Hal and the robed figures. They vociferously demanded the human to halt his actions if he valued his life, yet despite their shouts, like Elizabeth and the others, their bodies plummeted to the ground, rendered motionless.

    The atmosphere buzzed with countless struggling noises, and after Old Hal and hispanions were also bound by the chains, only Kyle and the two shadow generals remained hovering in the air.

    Will''s eyes flickered with incredulity at the feat achieved by a single human who was only at the divine rank.

    If he or anyone else had said this same thing a while ago to someone else, he was sure no one would have believed the words and called them a fool, but it was the truth he was witnessing. He drew in a deep breath and cast a nce at Ceano.

    "You handle the array. That''s the main issue. I will take care of the human. He''s only a divine rank and alone anyway."

    Ceano shook his head. He had already attempted, but he couldn''t dismantle the array with sheer power because he had just realized the array had absorbed an immense amount of divine and spiritual energy beyond hisprehension.

    "I can''t break the array, and I''m sure it''s definitely not bad news that..."

    Ceano''s eyes gleamed as he quickly scanned the surroundings. A subtle smirk appeared on his face as he looked down and uttered his next words. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "...he''s not alone."

    Will caught his words, a bit annoyed that the man called himself the strongest of all yet couldn''t even destroy a darn array.

    He followed Ceano''s gaze to see who else he had to take out besides the silver-haired human, but his ivory-colored eyes sparkled with mischief as he spotted the blue-haired man among the two familiar men floating out from the struggling crowd.

    "Oh... it seems I don''t need to intervene. I am definitely going to enjoy the show."

    He murmured under his breath, and his lips curled upward into a sinister smile.

    Initially, he believed that with the powerful array, the human could easily restrain him and Ceano, simr to what happened with Elizabeth and the others. However, all his worries turned out to be needless because they had already won even before the human couldy a hand on them.

    Alec and Carcel, who were astonished to find themselves not bound by the chains, looked at Kyle, who retrieved the familiar silver spear from his mind space.

    "It''s time to end them."

    Alec and Carcel locked eyes. The duo sighed and drew their weapons. It seems among everyone, Kyle had only chosen the two of them to fight alongside him, and they were certain now that they had been given a chance, they wouldn''t let the shadow generals escape.

    Kyle looked at the two shadow generals, and Ceano''s smile vanished because unlike Will, who was initially at the middle stage of the supreme rank, his strength decreased and reached the final stage of the supreme rank under the human''s gaze.

    Ceano stared at his hands with wide eyes and whispered in disbelief.

    "How...? No, it can''t be..."

    Will felt his strength waning and gasped in shock. Ceano turned abruptly towards the array with a furious expression before redirecting his gaze towards Kyle.

    "I will kill you! You bastard!"

    "There''s nothing I despise more than someone who can make me feel weak. I, the second shadow general who cherishes strength above all else, will finish you with my own hands."

    Kyle''s eyes twinkled with a hint of a smile as he glimpsed the firm, golden pupils fixed on him, shaking for the first time. He vanished from his spot and materialized opposite the two shadow generals.

    "Already riled up? I haven''t even revealed the real surprise to you two yet."

 Chapter 594 So, run to save your lives

    Chapter 594 So, run to save your lives

    Kyle''s icy smile disyed his resolve as he gestured towards the sky. His goal was to swiftly and ruthlessly kill the two shadow generals. This way, everyone in the arena would see that this time the dark side had messed with the wrong person.

    He didn''t n to harm the other individuals from the dark side. His intention was solely to take out the two shadow generals they worshipped right before their very eyes and let them all go. So they could spread the word in the dark side that he had begun hunting them, to end them.

    As he lifted his hand, under the watchful eyes of Ceano and Will, two brilliant beams of light shot out swiftly from the pulsating circr array in the sky and descended upon Alec and Carcel''s bodies.

    The two men who were approaching Kyle paused in their tracks when the brilliant light enveloped their bodies. Immediately, they felt overwhelmed as their strength began to rise at an rming speed.

    The crowd below, trapped in chains encircling their bodies, was stunned beyond words as the two men''s ranks rose from the divine rank to the transcendent rank, swiftly moving through all its levels before reaching the supreme rank.

    The light, however, kept pouring onto them, exceeding the initial stage of the supreme rank. It climbed higher, and only when the duo reached thest stage of the supreme rank did the light scatter in different directions with fluttering sounds.

    Elizabeth took a sharp breath and ceased her attempts to free herself from the chains, muttering under her breath.

    "Just what the heck is this freakin'' cheat of an array? How can it even exist? And why the heck did I never know such a powerful array existed all this time!?"

    Then it hit her that she, James, and the people with them barely knew about arrays. She realized they had totally missed this powerful profession that could have made  them win the war just by using arrays.

    Alec gasped for breath and clutched his chest as an immense surge of energy coursed through his body. The amount of spiritual and divine energy in his entire body was so overwhelming that he almost felt like his body was about to burst with extraordinary power, as if he could obliterate everything around him.

    Carcel was in a simr state as beads of cold sweat formed on the forehead of the golden-haired man.

    Shock was an understatement to describe the level of disbelief visible in the two men''s eyes as they steadied themselves in mid-air after gaining an immense amount of strength within seconds.

    Kyle nced at the duo and took a deep breath. He had already infused his share of strength into his body while seated on the hovering stage. Therefore, he only needed to provide Carcel and Alec with their portions so the array could begin operating autonomously, no longer requiring his constant attention to remain active and keep everyone bound in the chains.

    Alec and Carcel steadied their breathing and disappeared from their positions to assess their newfound strengths.

    Adjusting to such immense power so abruptly was a bit overwhelming, but they were not ones to be daunted by such challenges. They reappeared behind Kyle, armed with their weapons, as he gazed at Ceano and Will, and an innocent smile graced the corners of his lips.

    "How do you like my surprise? Now, the battle is between three individuals at the top of the supreme rank facing off against two others, one in the middle stage of the supreme rank and the other at the final stage. It''s not fair, I know, that''s why I will offer you two a chance to flee."

    "So, run to save your lives."

    Alec and Carcel were speechless at his yful words, feeling a touch of cruelty in his attitude. It looked like the silver-haired man was getting a bit excited.

    Kyle blinked and tilted his head as neither Ceano nor Will budged from their positions, simply fixing their gaze on him.

    "Why? Not nning to flee? I''m offering you the chance, you know."

    With a snap of his fingers, a small gap appeared in the array above them. He wasn''t being cocky and assuming they wouldn''t run; it was just that after the array boosted or reduced someone''s strength, their power would remain constant even if they wandered away from the array.

    Their strength would only return to normal when the array ceased to function or was destroyed. So, even if the shadow generals managed to slip out of the array, he was confident he could drag them back and eliminate them in front of everyone.

    However, to Kyle''s confusion, the two shadow generals shook their heads at him. Will chuckled, and Ceano, who had been angered by Kyle after his strength was weakened, raised an eyebrow towards him with a taunting and cold gaze.

    "Well, we don''t intend to run. Why don''t you demonstrate what you have got?"

    Unlike Kyle, who had no clue about the shadow generals'' intentions, Nine, who was observing the scene from below like everyone else, suddenly recalled something crucial. His eyes widened, and he yelled towards Kyle with all he had.

    "You bastard! Let me go! I have something vital to share with you! You can''t fight without me! Stop right there!"

    The people around him were a bit startled by his sudden outburst, but it seemed like his voice didn''t reach Kyle because the man didn''t even nce his way.

    Panic shed through Nine''s eyes as he looked at the shadow generals and the three men floating in the air. In that moment, Kyle furrowed his brows with a bored expression and spun his spear.

    "If you two have no intention of escaping, then I don''t think we need to waste any more time. Let''s just end this."

    He spoke in both Alec and Carcel''s minds to convey some important information.

    ''The array will only remain functioning for three hours, and I trust you both know what needs to be done. I will take care of the golden-eyed one; finish off the other.''

    Kyle''s eyes gleamed as he moved toward Ceano with a speed that was very simr to the one Elizabeth had shown earlier.

    He understood that even if the array could endure beyond three hours, Carcel, Alec, and his body wouldn''t be able to withstand the pressure for an extended period. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The people beneath watched the silver-haired human with bated breath. Unlike those aligned with the dark side, who were losing hope and filled with fear at the unfolding scene, the rest disyed eyes gleaming with a touch of excitement amid the chains enveloping their bodies.

    Old Hal and Elizabeth both inwardly decided not to punish the silver-haired human for his actions if he truly eliminated the two shadow generals. But what transpired next caught everyone off guard, with Kyle being the most surprised as his movements were halted by a hand gripping his arm.

    He gazed at the blue-haired man with a perplexed expression.

    "Why...?"

    A chill ran down his spine when he saw Alec''s eyespletely nk, almost as if the man had lost all his senses.

 Chapter 595 I made a small mistake

    Chapter 595 I made a small mistake

    Kyle froze and stared into Alec''s eyes. The grip on his arm tightened, and before he couldprehend the situation, the man holding him raised his other hand and struck his chest with force.

    Carcel''s eyes widened when he saw Kyle being thrown backward in mid-air by Alec. He looked at Alec in disbelief, preparing to ask why he attacked. His words were stuck in his throat when he watched Alec float towards the shadow generals.

    "Huh?"

    The blue-haired man positioned himself in front of the two shadow generals he was supposed to take down.

    Then he raised his sword toward Carcel, and that''s when the golden-haired man finally noticed Alec''s vacant gaze.

    A shuddering breath escaped Carcel''s mouth as dark energy began enveloping one of Alec''s hands under his gaze. Then a dark petal, pulsating with eerie energy, emerged on the back of his hand.

    In the distance, Kyle stopped his body in mid-air and slowly gazed down at his chest where Alec''s punch hadnded. His pure white shirt, which had remained unscathed throughout the entire second round of diator Arena, was torn, revealing a ring mark on his cold skin.

    A wisp of icy smoke slipped from his lips as his already cold body grew even colder. Under his intense gaze, the dark mark on his chest quickly healed, leaving behind swathes of rejuvenated skin.

    "What just happened?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The voice that escaped from his lips differed greatly from the ones he had been using around his friends. Additionally, the faint smile that always lingered at the corners of his lips after meeting Yue and the others vanished entirely, giving way to a nk, emotionless expression.

    He gently brushed his chest and gazed at Alec, who floated before the shadow generals in a defensive stance.

    "What happened to you?"

    His eyes caught sight of the lone ck petal that had appeared on the hand of the blue-haired man, and he remembered some words Hubert, his master, had told him in the No Mana Land.

    "Ah... you have signed a dark contract? But the real question is why and when?"

    Kyle knew that dark contracts were employed by the dark side to enve others they couldn''t defeat or simply desired to control, forcing them into servitude. But he never imagined that the first time he would witness someone enved by the dark side would be one of his own friends.

    Carcel looked at Alec and then at Kyle, his brows furrowed tightly. A grave and solemn expression graced his features when he heard Kyle''s words.

    "What dark contract? And Alec, seriously, what''s up with you!? What the heck are you even doing? Snap out of it!"

    He yelled with his fists clenched as Alec and Kyle hovered across from each other, both disying expressions he had never seen before. At that instant, Ceano clicked his tongue with a smirk at Kyle.

    "That''s all? I thought after everything you have pulled off, you could impress me more. But I suppose I set my hopes too high for just a divine rank."

    Will chukled at his words and shed a grin toward Kyle, who stared at the two of them with an unreadable expression.

    The crowd below erupted into a mor of murmurs and shouts, drowning out Nine''s voice as he yelled at Kyle, throwing every curse he knew at the silver-haired man to elicit just one nce from him. Old Hal closed his eyes with a sigh.

    "What a pity..."

    Jian, Sinon, Lara, Regius, Yue, Mia were equally shocked when Alec attacked Kyle. But they all could do nothing but struggle to get free from the chains holding them.

    Kyle nced at the shadow generals, then at the man floating before them.

    "I made a small mistake..."

    He acknowledged his mistake. If he had kept using his scent perception skill, he would have sensed even the tiniest trace of darkness on the people around him. Yet, he stopped using the skill when he entered the Arena, thinking that the strong individuals present would notice his ability.

    Ceano raised his brow with a hint of mockery reflecting in his golden eyes.

    "Mistake? Of course you did. Now your friend, who is under my control, has his life in my hands. He would fight you to the end at my bidding. So, I reckon you''re regretting tangling with me and Will. But as the one in charge here, I might let it slide if you get down on your knees to beg me and..."

    A paper filled with intricate symbols materialized in his palm.

    He had witnessed Kyle''s impressive abilities through all the human had shown. Thus, he intended to transform him into a follower of the dark side, and if the human refused, he could always make him meet his end by his own friend''s hands.

    "Join the dark side."

    A vein bulged on his forehead when Kyle didn''t even nce his way and had his eyes fixed on the blue-haired man. Ceanoughed and nced at Alec. Immediately, dark energy slipped out from his fingers.

    "Go and fight them both, but don''t kill them because I will end their lives."

    Alec blinked, his eyes clouded with haze. The sharp, pounding pain in his head left him disoriented and suffocated. However, as Ceano''s words echoed in his ears, he swiftly sprang into action and attacked Carcel, who was closest to him.

    A loud tremor reverberated through the air as his sword shed with Carcel''s spear, who skillfully blocked the attack but was still pushed back slightly in mid-air.

    The golden-haired man yelled at him to regain his senses, but it seemed as though Alec couldn''t hear him. He kept attacking relentlessly without saying a word.

    Carcel gritted his teeth. He was unable to harm Alec, knowing the shadow generals had influenced him. Why else would Alec attack his own friends? So, he focused on deflecting the man''s strikes while trying to make Alec snap out of whatever spell the shadow generals had cast on him.

    Kyle nced at the two men locked inbat. He caught sight of Ceano and Will closing in on him from the corners of his eyes. A tired sigh escaped his lips.

    "Did you truly believe that if you could control one of us, you won? How naive."

 Chapter 596 Lost his mind, huh?

    Chapter 596 Lost his mind, huh?

    The moment Kyle finished speaking, a cold aura emanated from his body, followed by icy blue mes that spread to envelop the entire sky. Both Ceano and Will stopped in their tracks when they witnessed the blue mes engulfing everything around them. A sudden realization dawned on them that the human had yet to reveal all his abilities.

    Kyle clicked his tongue and took hold of the hem of his shirt to exchange the tattered one with a new garment.

    "I said I made a small mistake. That doesn''t mean I can''t end you both." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    He slid on a gray shirt over his lean and muscr frame and stared at Ceano and Will with an nonchnt expression.

    "It''s just that I have to fight a bit differently. I detest having to tap into its power because it can manipte me, but well, I suppose I have no other choice."

    He was talking about his bloodline. It''s been a while since hest used the blue mes and the strength of his bloodline. Or should he say he stopped using its power after realizing it could subtly influence his thoughts whenever he was about to face a life-threatening situation. Kyle blinked, and the blue mes enveloped his figure. Ceano vanished from his position to reach for him, but his hands caught nothing but a chilling sensation that spread through his palm upon touching the mes.

    "Where did he go??"

    He shot a quick look back at Will.

    "Find him! I have a hunch he''s up to something again!"

    Will nodded, and they both exerted their strength to quell the mes. But the more they attempted to extinguish the icy mes, the more they multiplied in all directions. It was as if they were endless.

    Carcel, who was inbat with Alec, was startled when Kyle''s form emerged from the mes that hadpletely surrounded both him and the blue-haired man.

    "Be careful! Alec haspletely lost his mind and I doubt he would even recognize any of us!"

    He shouted and deflected another lightning-fast attack aimed at him with his spear. His muscles were stretched to their limits as he tried to keep up with Alec''s lightning-fast pace, feeling somewhat dizzy.

    He knew Alec was under the influence of the two shadow generals, but they had both reached the supreme rank together just a while ago! So how could Alec adapt to such immense strength so easily when he was feeling overwhelmed after using the same strength for not more than a minute.

    Carcel''s eyes widened as Alec suddenly changed the direction of his attack.

    Alec whipped his head towards the silver-haired man and swung his de at him. However, before Carcel could lunge forward to intercept the attack, icy mes surged out, halting Alec''s actionspletely. Under the stunned gaze of the golden-haired man, Kyle seized Alec''s neck and snatched the sword from his hand.

    "Lost his mind, huh? Let''s see if he really did lose his mind."

    He tossed the sword in the air and it disappeared into his mind space. Alec struggled in his grasp, but his grip tightened on the man''s neck enough to leave behind marks before a faint dark aura of dread slipped out from his body to envelope the struggling man. Carcel tried to stop him, thinking he was going to harm Alec.

    "What are you doing?? He is under the shadow generals'' control! No way he would harm us if he was sober!"

    The golden-haired man closed his mouth, frustration clear on his face when Kyle stared back at him with an indifferent expression, as if he didn''t care about the reason why Alec''s attacked them.

    "Don''t harm him-!"

    He halted his words when he saw Alec ceasing his struggle within Kyle''s grasp. The blue-haired man''s vacant stare began to darken further, and Carcel discerned with a solemn expression that this time the mist in Alec''s eyes mirrored genuine fear and dread instead of mere haziness.

    Kyle released Alec, yet the man remained motionless, hovering in the midst of the mes surrounding them. Dread, fear, and desperation shrouded his face, which quickly paled, while a bitter yet twisted smile crept onto his lips. Carcel looked at Alec''s state and took a deep breath. He then turned his gaze to the silver-haired man who had begun to leave.

    "What the hell did you do?"

    Kyle nced back, noticing a flicker of anger in the dark eyes fixed on him. A smirk yed at the corners of his lips. His mood lifted a bit, and he exined, not wanting the golden-haired man to curse him.

    "Just a light punishment, firstly because he hid the truth from everyone about signing a contract with the dark side for some unknown reason, and secondly, because he inflicted harm upon my precious body."

    He cast a nce at the blue-haired man who''s face has turned even paler.

    "Let him be; he''s just facing his deepest fear. Now that he''s under the shadow generals'' control, it''s best he stays in that nightmare until we are done with them."

    Kyle was speaking the truth. He just used his fear skill on Alec to throw him into a nightmare. This was possible because even though Alec had reached thest stage of the supreme rank with the help of the power gained from the array pulsating in the sky, he was weaker than Kyle. This way, even if the shadow generalsmanded Alec to do something, he would carry out that task within the nightmare.

    Regardless, the silver-haired man couldn''t help but wonder what the blue-haired man was experiencing in his nightmare to evoke such intense emotions on his face.

    Carcel gazed at Kyle with suspicion. Yet he had no other choice but to ept Kyle''s words because right now the silver-haired man was in charge of everything. He just hoped that whatever nightmare Alec was going through wasn''t too much... but seeing Alec show such fear, he knew the man was experiencing something very severe. He snapped out of his thoughts when Kyle''s voice echoed in his ears.

    "Hurry up. Now that Alec is out of the picture, we need to eradicate the shadow generals. Or do you also want to face a nightmare like him? Because if you''re not fighting with me, I''m sure I don''t need you."

    A curse slipped from Carcel''s mouth, and after casting one final nce at Alec, he quickly followed the silver-haired man who had opened a small passage in the icy mes surging around them.

 Chapter 597 What are they...?

    Chapter 597 What are they...?

    Ceano and Will, who were trying to scatter the icy mes, both became alert when the mes suddenly started to gather in a single spot in the air as if engulfing someone entirely.

    A rift opened in the mes that had gathered in a round ball, and Kyle emerged from them, followed by Carcel, both clutching their weapons tightly as they floated opposite the shadow generals.

    Kyle smirked, but his face showed no emotion, giving his smirk a dark edge.

    "What? Your puppet is out cold. I doubt he will heed yourmands any longer."

    Ceano knew exactly who the silver-haired man was referring to �C Alec. But he couldn''t believe how Kyle could abruptly turn against one of his friends, especially after showing such care and warmth towards them upon meeting, all because thetter was influenced by the dark side.

    "Why not finish him off? I can sense he''s alive and can hear mymands."

    Kyle gazed intently into Ceano''s eyes, and Ceano observed faint yet powerful blue particles flickering around his fingers before enveloping his entire body.

    "I will... if he interferes again. Fortunately for him, that won''t happen."

    Carcel was stunned by his words but simply tightened his grip on his weapon, confident that Kyle would never harm Alec.

    He believed Kyle''s words were just a distraction to divert the shadow general''s attention away from Alec, who was in the middle of a nightmare.

    And he was spot on; although Kyle could take out anyone without a second thought, he knew he would never harm those close to him. At most, he would beat them up to bring them back to their senses.

    But Kyle deliberately disyed a hint of pure darkness in his green eyes to the two shadow generals to make them think he wouldn''t hesitate to eliminate those in his way, even if they were his friends.

    Ceano''s eyes were once again drawn to the tiny blue particles swirling around Kyle''s body. He couldn''tprehend their nature, but they sent shivers down his spine, as if they possessed the ability to erase him entirely from existence.

    ''What are they...?''

    He whipped his head back and swiftly erected a shield on his left and backside as the silver-haired man disappeared from his spot and attempted to punch him. A deafening boom reverberated through the air when Kyle''s fist collided with the barrier set up by the second shadow general. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The atmosphere around them quivered, fissures forming due to the sheer power of the silver-haired man''s punch. A grin spread across Kyle''s face as cracks appeared in Ceano''s barrier, and he struck the barrier again, this time with even greater force.

    Will''s ivory-colored eyes darkened at the unfolding scene, and dark energy began to swirl around his entire body. In a sh, a dark pulsating orb, entirelyposed of darkness, materialized above his hand as he lunged towards Kyle, who was attempting to break the shield.

    "You bastard! Do you believe that just because your rank has risen, you can harm us? Absolutely not, for in the end, you are merely a punny divine rank who has forgotten his rightful ce!"

    Before his words could even fade in the air, a blue spear flew from the distance and stopped him in his ce.

    Carcel vanished behind his spear. He grasped the hilt before swinging it at the dark orb brimming with potent energy that he sensed could decimate an entire city. The orb in Will''s hands shattered with a resounding boom that echoed in the air, sending both Carcel and Will flying in opposite directions when the tip of the spear collided with it.

    Carcel halted his body in mid-air, a bit surprised at the strength of such a small orb. He nced at Will, who had also easily regained his bnce mid-air, with a grave and serious expression.

    "Your opponent is me. Let them settle their score. By the way, those golden eyes he has don''t really suit him, unlike someone I know. I hope Kyle deals with him because those eyes are giving me an uneasy feeling..."

    Will heard his words, and a dark smirk appeared on his face.

    "His eyes...? I don''t think you should worry about something that you can''t even grasp. Your friend is somewhat amusing, but I don''t think you are. So just die."

    He disappeared from his spot, and countless dark orbs, simr to the one he conjured before, materialized all around in the air before shooting toward Carcel with lightning-fast speed.

    The air shook with intense dark energy, so much so that many people bound beneath the four men fighting in the sky started to feel suffocation, especially those at the divine rank and pseudo-divine rank.

    Old Hal, who had previously thought that after one of the silver-haired man''s friends had gone against him, the human had lost this battle, was now in awe at the scene unfolding in the sky.

    Elizabeth felt the same, but unlike her and the people in the supreme rank, she could tell that the crowd around her was being affected by the four men battling in the sky exerting all their strength. Nevertheless, it was tolerable, and she believed the crowd could endure it to a certain extent.

    ''My only fear is that their attack doesn''t unintentionally target the crowd below, as it would result in many casualties. After all, a single strike from the from a supreme rank can very well obliterate arge part of a if they so desired.''

    But what came next left Old Hal and all the robed individuals with the old man in a state of bewilderment.

    Kyle, who had been punching the shield around Ceano non-stop, noticed when a curved de materialized in the second shadow general''s hand. He clenched his fist, channeling all his strength into it.

    Ceano locked eyes with him and knew that with this strike, the shield in front of him would shatter, but he was prepared to end the human. However, a sly and eerie smile crept onto the corners of Kyle''s lips, and just as his fist was about to shatter the shield, he vanished from his position.

    Ceano immediately scanned the area with angry eyes, but before he could locate the silver-haired human, Will''s screaming voice reverberated in his ears, indicating exactly where the human had disappeared to.

    His bright golden eyes chilled when Will, who had easily cornered Carcel with the spell of pure darkness, was punched in the stomach by the silver-haired human who materialized before him. Will''s body iled like a rag cloth before it crashed into the majestic statue of the demon perched atop the towering walls of the diator Arena.

    Instantly, a significant portion of the massive statue shattered, sending dust and debris flying everywhere.

    The numerous individuals from the dark side who were seated in the area beneath the very statue, silently watching the battle in the sky like the others, erupted into loud, painful groans as the debris and broken fragments of the statue fell on them.

 Chapter 598 You... can see the future?

    Chapter 598 You... can see the future?

    Kyle rxed his fist, his gaze shifting to Will, who spat out blood but immediately regained himself and began levitating away from the statue where his body had been forcefully mmed. The part of his shirt where Kyle''s fist connected was torn, revealing a ring dark mark.

    Will''s ivory-colored eyes gleamed with pure anger and hatred as he red at the human.

    "You little piece of-!"

    Before he could finish his words, Carcel''s spear once again shot out to impale itself in his body, but much to Carcel''s dismay, he easily blocked the attack.

    As Carcel and Will once again engage in battle, Kyle nced at Ceano and tilted his head, the silver spear in his hand.

    "I did give you two a chance to escape, didn''t I? But it''s your fault for not taking my offer... or should I say benevolence?"

    Ceano''s golden eyes started to shine, and Kyle knew he was plotting something.

    Acting swiftly, he tapped into one of the skills he acquired from his bloodline in the No Mana Land: Arcane Visions.

    The spiritual energy in his body shook slightly and began to burn at a speed that would have depleted all his stored spiritual energy when his strength wasn''t boosted by the array. However, with the tremendous amount of spiritual energy he gained from the array above him, he was confident he could use the skill multiple times without worrying about draining his reserve.

    The instant he triggered the skill, multiple visions of forting events set to ur within the next minute shed in his mind. Kyle let out a dark smirk at the sight of himself covered in blood with Ceano''s curved de poised at his neck. But having foreseen the future, he caught Ceano off guard by deftly repositioning his body and thrusting the silver spear in his hand into the crack that had opened behind him. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    As his spear pierced the creature in the crack inching closer towards him, suddenly, a spine-chilling scratching noise of agony echoed through the air, sending shivers down everyone''s spines, and he knew he had attacked the right ce.

    Kyle was a bit surprised that he couldn''t sense the creature sneaking up on him, despite his supreme rank strength. He had already stabbed the creature, yet couldn''t sense its presence at all. Nevertheless, he refrained from looking at its body as he had already foreseen the near future.

    The creature waspletelyposed of dark wisps with two shining coin-like eyes. If he made eye contact with it, whether summoned or created by Ceano''s power, he would lose his strength, as its eyes had the ability to drain anyone''s strength. It led to his defeat against the second shadow general in just a few seconds.

    Kyle nced at the man. His green eyes sparkled with mischief as he repeated the exact words Ceano uttered when thetter held his de at his neck after he lost his strength due to the dark creature.

    "It''s a pity you are dying, human... but no one has ever evaded the gaze of my spiritual shadow. How could you, a mere divine rank who has yet to witness the vastness of the world, escape?"

    Ceano''s eyes chilled at his words, and for the first time in a long while, he lost hisposure in front of a weak human.

    "How do you know about...?"

    He paused, staring directly into Kyle''s eyes with a shocked expression when a sudden realization dawned on him.

    "You... can see the future?"

    It was impossible for the human to know about his spiritual shadow since they had never crossed paths before. Moreover, he had only utilized it in war, keeping it a well-guarded secret. After fully absorbing Kyle''s words, he was utterly convinced that the human possessed the gift of foresight. But how...? How could a mere divine rank possess such a skill when his eyescked any trace of spirituality?

    Ceano was aware that Kyle''s strength had been enhanced by the array, but gaining the ability to foresee the future just by getting stronger wasn''t doable. It only meant the human had a skill to foresee the future.

    ''If whatever I nned could now be anticipated and blocked by the human, wouldn''t that lead to my downfall instead of eliminating the human? I must put an end to him. He''s too dangerous.''

    Kyle vanished from his position, but this time, Ceano disappeared too. A thunderous tremor shook the entire sky above the arena when the two shed in the air.

    Their movements were swift, precise, and equally lethal; one misstep, and the other would lose his entire being.

    The tremor in the air intensified with numerous fissures forming everywhere as Kyle''s spear and Ceano''s curved de shed repeatedly.

    Except for Elizabeth and the supreme rank individuals who could somehow catch glimpses of the two powerful men battling in the sky, the countless people below couldn''t even grasp their afterimages. All they could see was a lingering trail of violent energy left in the wake of the intense confrontation.

    Carcel and Will were also affected by the violent currents surging around them. Will was furious when he saw a mere human keeping up with Ceano.

    "That bastard should just give up his title as the second shadow general! Does he even have any dignity left when he can''t even defeat a mere divine rank!?"

    Carcel was also amazed by the scene. He, Kyle, and Alec, all three of them, gained equal strength from the array, so he couldn''t understand how the silver-haired man had effortlessly adapted to his power. Alec''s state might be due to being influenced by the shadow generals, but what about Kyle? How was he holding his own against Ceano, who had years of experience?

    He destroyed another of the dark attacks thrown at him by the man opposite him and let out a sigh inwardly. He better quit trying to figure out Kyle''s true strength; that guy had already outpaced everyone in terms of power. And to think, when they all started getting stronger in the academy, he was the weakest. Carcel nced at Will, who was cursing out Ceano, his own ally.

    "If he has got no dignity left when he can''t even handle a mere divine rank, what about you? Do you even know what dignity is?"

    Will was furious at his words, and a massive orb of darkness materialized on his palm. It wasrger and more intense than any he had used before. The dark energy in the air around him also began to grow violent, but he didn''t direct the attack at Carcel; instead, he aimed it at the people below him with a wicked smirk.

    "Ah... I missed my target."

 Chapter 599 Lets end this, shall we?

    Chapter 599 Let''s end this, shall we?

    Carcel''s eyes widened at Will''s move, and he quickly rushed behind the looming dark orb heading towards the numerous people bound in chains below.

    "You bastard!"

    He cursed, but Will chased after him and grabbed one of his legs tightly with a smirk. Carcel kicked and struck violently with his other leg at the man, his panicked gaze fixed on the orb moving dangerously closer to the chained individuals below.

    Amidst the crowd, fear gripped those who could perceive the looming threat, with the air buzzing with anxious voices. Elizabeth and Old Hal''s faces turned grave when they saw the dark orb. Without hesitation, they got ready to burn a portion of their strength to halt the dark orb''s advance. They knew they would lose strength, but saving so many lives was more important.

    However, before the orb could reach the crowd, a flickering portal appeared in its path. The portal expanded and swallowed the orb before vanishing into thin air.

    Carcel let out the breath he had been holding as he watched the orb disappear, then red at the man gripping his leg with a menacing look.

    Will was taken aback as he witnessed the portal consuming his attack. He intended to intercept the golden haired man''s strike, who red at him with fury and swung his blue spear at him, but before he could act, a familiar voice filled with pure coldness and rage reverberated in his ears.

    "I thought this was our battle? How dare you target those uninvolved."

    Kyle was seething. If he hadn''t acted in time, the dark orb could have harmed Yue or his friends who were bound below. He didn''t care about anyone else life and cared only for them; how dare this bastard threaten his loved ones.

    Ceano passed in mid-air when the silver-haired man he was engaged in a fierce battle with vanished suddenly. He scanned the area to find his opponent, but as he rushed toward Kyle, who was floating behind Will, the silver-haired human under his and everyone''s eyes mercilessly and swiftly grabbed Will''s right shoulder before tearing thetter''s whole arm away from his body with a dark expression. Immediately, a cold aura that could freeze anyone below the pseudo-divine rank spread out from Kyle''s body as blood painted his clothes.

    Will let out an agonizing scream and instantly lost his bnce mid-air. Under the countless eyes, his bloodied body crashed into one of the hovering stages in the middle of the towering walls as the man wailed and screamed in pain.

    Carcel''s eyes widened at the brutal scene as he looked at Kyle, who disyed nothing but pure anger on his face.

    Blue mes erupted from the silver-haired man''s body,pletely freezing the arm he had torn from Will''s body before the ice scattered into shimmering particles.

    There was an eerie silence in the air. No one dared to speak; even Ceano was dazed at the scene he had just witnessed.

    The hushed stillness was abruptly shattered by Kyle himself as he released the spear in his grip with a cold chuckle, his eyes aze with anger and a haunting familiarity that Ceano recognized.

    It was a dark void the second shadow general had witnessed before in the eyes of the only person who had the strength tomand him and potentially end him within a mere second.

    Ceano jolted when Kyle tilted his head toward him. The anger in the human eyes was vanishing, reced by a growing void with a touch of darkness.

    "I should have put an end to both of you much sooner. It''s my own doing that this battle has dragged on for so long."

    As Kyle''s words dissolved into the air, the spear hovering beside him vanished, and a gleaming golden sword materialized in his grasp. The air quivered as he clenched his fingers firmly around the hilt.

    "Let''s end this, shall we?"

    He vanished from his position, and in the next instant, his gleaming sword shed with Ceano''s de. The quivering air surrounding them hushed as their weapons met, but unlike earlier when Ceano effortlessly deflected Kyle''s strikes, this time his golden eyes shook in realization as he felt the immense power behind human''s attack, far surpassing anything before.

    The second shadow hand clutching the de trembled as he met the piercing gaze of vivid green fixed upon him.

    A sudden realization crept into Ceano''s mind that he might lose. However, his golden eyes burned with fury as this understanding dawned on him.

    He was adamant about not epting defeat from a mere divine rank human! Nor would he run away! As one of the formidable shadow generals, feared by all, he was determined to eliminate this human and show him the gravity of provoking someone of his stature.

    As their des separated, a small crack echoed through the air, sounding like steel fracturing, and the voice came from the de in Ceano''s hand. The second shadow general gazed down at the curved de in his hand, which had endured countless battles unscathed by his side, now tarnished by a crack.

    His eyes widened in disbelief as he turned to look at the golden sword in Kyle''s hand. Just one ordinary strike from the human''s sword had cracked his de. Did this mean that the human''s primary weapon was a sword all this time?

    ''Then how did he gain such profound insight into the art of the spear? If he has mastered the spear to such an extent, how much has he mastered the sword, which is his main weapon?''

    This question was echoing in the minds of everyone who saw Kyle''s attack. But before anyone could fully wrap their heads around the fact that Kyle''s sword had put a crack in the second shadow general''s de, a sharp aura started to swirl around his sword.

    Kyle''s eyes were locked on Ceano. When he said he wanted to end the battle, he meant it. A faint murmur echoed in the air as he quietly spoke and unleashed the third strike of his sword art, then disappeared from his spot...

    "Ethereal Voidbreaker sh."

    However, he didn''t head towards Ceano, who was prepared for his attack. Instead, he vanished towards Will, who had regained hisposure and was regrowing his missing arm while fighting Carcel.

    Ceano''s eyes contracted when he didn''t face the anticipated attack. This time, without hesitation, he vanished towards Will, but how could he mimic the speed of instant teleportation? n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The atmosphere in the arena quivered as Kyle materialized before Will. His de shimmered with such potent spiritual energy that it sent shivers down even the highest-rank individuals present. Even Elizabeth and Old Hal weren''t certain they could evade unharmed from the impending assault Kyle was about to unleash.

    Will, who suddenly saw the silver-haired human appear in front of him, tried to jump backward at full speed in mid-air. His torn arm hadn''t fully regenerated yet, so he knew he couldn''t fight Kyle head-on.

    The dark energy in the air enveloped his bodypletely in a protective shield, but unfortunately his body couldn''t evade the attack. With a swift and precise swing, Kyle''s sword sliced through the air and hit Will''s body with a speed akin to light.

    Instantly, a rift of light and spirituality, capable of obliterating anything in its way, trailed the trajectory of Kyle''s sword.

    The air around the de trembled with shockwaves reverberating in all directions. The deafening noise of the attack caused everyone''s ears to ring, followed by a blinding light that shook the whole arena and enveloped Will''s bodypletely, rendering him unable to even shout.

    Intense energy surged through the atmosphere, creating a surreal moment where the boundaries between the ordinary and the extraordinary blurred. The luminous rift expanded on Will''s body, and then, as if it had never existed, everything vanished into Kyle''s sword, which didn''t even sustain a scratch despite enduring such a powerful attack executed by its wielder.

    A muffled, anguished cry filled the air as Carcel and everyone else within the arena turned their gaze to witness the chilling sight of the aftermath of Kyle''s brutal attack. Half of Will''s form had dissipated with the blinding light, the remaining half was also a grotesque sight with exposed bones jutting through shredded flesh.

    As the echoes of the attack faded, an eerie stillness settled over the arena, broken only by the soft rustle of disced air.

    Kyle nced at Ceano who was frozen in his ce because, just like Elizabeth and Old Hal, he also sensed that Kyle''s attack not only damaged Will''s body but also severely wounded his soul.

    Ceano''s eyes locked with Kyle''s as the human raised his hand and, with a sinister grin, flicked his fingers. Instantly, spiritual energy surged from his body, and Ceano''s golden eyes dted when the faint rustle of something snapping echoed in the silent air... He had heard this sound many times on the battlefield.

    It was the sound of someone''s soul being forcefully torn from their body, and he realized with a shuddering breath that the person whose soul was separated from his body was none other than Will.

    Kyle''s eyes stayed unfazed as blue mes burst from his body, fully enveloping Will''s form and turning it to ice before the ice scattered into particles. He had separated Will''s soul from his body and also erased his consciousness, but he didn''t want to leave behind any part of the dead man to ensure he coulde back to life.

    "One dead, one more to go."

 Chapter 600 Hes not dead, right?

    Chapter 600 He''s not dead, right?

    Kyle shook his sword to rid it of the glistening crimson blood on its de and faced Ceano in mid-air as the man unconsciously withdrew. The green eyes fixed on Ceano became even more eerily silent when a dark aura subtly enveloped the air surrounding the silver-haired man, clearly different from dark energy.

    It was evident the human was gearing up for a move even more potent than what he had just disyed to the audience.

    Those opposing the dark side held their breath in anticipation as Ceano and Kyle floated facing each other.

    Carcel hovered behind Kyle to assist him. But despite being shaken by Will''s death, Ceano didn''t retreat. Instead, he gazed at Kyle with a solemn expression, focusing on the faint blue particles swirling around the human''s skin... as he finallyprehended their nature. Something otherworldly... that no one possesses, at least not in this universe except Azazeal, his master.

    Ceano let out a breath as realization dawned in his eyes. The reason behind the human''s immense power despite being only at the divine rank became clear. The power to defeat Will, the extensive knowledge he held - it all originated from the otherworldly particles, or should he say the essence within the human, the source from which the otherworldly particles emerged? Greed and another emotion - fear, a sentiment unseen by anyone except Azazeal, flickered through his golden eyes.

    He raised his gaze to look into the green eyes, disbelief evident on his face as a chuckle slipped from his lips.

    "I admit... I, Ceano, the second shadow general, find myself truly astonished for the first time by a mere divine rank."

    He shook his head as faint golden lines started appearing all over his body. His strength began to fade, and he wished for the lone fragment of a powerful soul within his body to gradually dissipate into wisps of dark energy, moving towards a distant location, far from the Sacred Divine Land.

    "However, it is not surprising, for you possess something coveted by all in the universe, do you not? So, human, I wonder how have you managed to conceal your existence for so long? I couldn''t sense its presence for some reason, but I have encountered something simr before, hence I am aware... I am aware that you hold something truly Cele-"

    His final words were drowned out by a loud rumble reverberating through the air as Kyle disappeared from his position, infusing his de with all the spiritual energy in his body to execute the fourth andst move of his sword art. His sword art had long since transcended from a 3-Star to a 7-Star art after he perfected all four moves within the No Mana Land. A low murmur echoed amidst the loud rumble.

    "Void of Silent Darkness."

    Kyle''s de waspletely shrouded in pitch-ck shadows, gliding through the air with spectral elegance, its edge pulsating with immense power. With a swift and precise motion, he aimed the de at Ceano''s body. However, confusion and doubt shed in his eyes when the second shadow general made no attempt to evade or defend against the attack. Instead, the man merely stared at him with eyes brimming with greed.

    As the attack connected, a wave of darkness erupted from the golden de, engulfing Ceano in a chilling embrace of nothingness. The second shadow general''s body, enveloped in the silent void, appeared to dissolve into the shadows, his form disintegrating into mere echoes of existence. However, before his entire body could fade into the shadows entirely, he fixed his gaze on Kyle and spoke a few words with a twisted smile.

    "We shall cross paths again... Soon. Then, I shall unearth whatever Celestial resides within your body..."

    Kyle''s eyes widened at his words, and he finally caught sight of the wisps of dark energy slipping away from Ceano''s body, which was slowly but surely turning into a hollow shell. He loosened his grip on his sword and hurriedly reached out to grasp the wisps of dark energy, but it was merely a remnant of what was real. Anger and bewilderment shed in Kyle''s eyes as his hand grasped nothing. The air around him became stagnant, with countless voids forming in the sky to swallow every speck of spiritual energy within.

    The eerie silence that followed hung in the air for a long time as Kyle floated in mid-air, staring at his empty hand. The darkness in the air that arose from his action started to fade alongside the voids in the sky.

    It was at that moment Carcel, who had been hovering behind Kyle all along, spoke up with a touch of hesitation.

    "Kyle...?"

    The silver-haired man didn''t reply to him and vanished from his spot, only to reappear before Elizabeth. The people around were all startled when he showed up in front of her, but he paid them no heed. Kyle knew Elizabeth was the most powerful person in the Arena and perhaps the only one who could dispel his confusion. A deep voice rumbled from his throat as he settled on his heels to meet the woman''s voilet eyes, who returned his look in a daze.

    "He''s not dead, right?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Elizabeth snapped out of her daze and closed her gaping mouth when she heard his question. It took a few seconds to fully grasp Kyle''s words, and when she did, she let out a sigh and nodded.

    "You are right. He''s not dead. Ceano, he''s very cunning... I believe he anticipated that something would go wrong in the arena and didn''te with his real body. Instead, he sent a part of his soul with another body he likely created using his power."

    Kyle closed his eyes briefly and then turned his gaze to the area where the people from the dark side were seated. After the second shadow general''s body dissipated, they all had started shouting with panic and dread. He had thought he wouldn''t harm them, but now he felt a desire to eliminate them all to release his frustration because one of his preys had escaped.

 Chapter 601 He still hasnt woken up?

    Chapter 601 He still hasn''t woken up?

    Kyle''s thoughts were spiraling out of control, but he halted when he caught sight of Yue''s face in the crowd. But his eyes gleamed with darkness as he thought about Ceano who had fled with his life.

    "That bastard... It''s dangerous for him to remain alive since he knows my secret. I need to locate him and eliminate him as soon as possible. Otherwise, even if I manage to evade him, those around me won''t be able to if he targets them..."

    He was mumbling under his breath when Elizabeth spoke up again with sparkling bright eyes filled with joy.

    "I know Ceano''s alive. But the moment his fake body was destroyed, even if his soul escaped, he lost a huge portion of his strength! That means he has to consume many treasures just to regain his real strength! Haha, I can''t believe this! I need to share the news of Will''s death and Ceano''s weakened strength with everyone! We need to hunt Ceano to eliminate him before he regains all his strength!"

    Kyle raised a brow at her words and observed as she extended her hand, likely to retrieve amunication crystal from her mind space, but all her strength was constrained within the chains binding her body. Herughter vanished quicker than it emerged, and she gazed at him earnestly. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Well, now that you are done. I believe you should release us all."

    Amidst the joy in her eyes from Will''s demise, a touch of severity remained. She was very happy that a powerful ally has emerged to fight the dark side with her and James. However, she felt the need to discipline this human to ensure no one would ever dare to turn the diator Arena into their personal battleground again!

    Kyle blinked slowly. He would be a fool to set them all free knowing they would all turn against him the moment he did. After all, he had caused such a massivemotion in front of everyone.

    He shot onest nce at the people from the dark side and decided to leave them all to Elizabeth and the individuals in robes to deal with. With both shadow generals now absent from the diator Arena, he knew they could handle them. He shook his head at Elizabeth with a sigh.

    "Unfortunately, it is not up to me to release you all. It''s only possible when the array in the sky loses all its strength."

    Elizabeth stared at his back with suspicion, but it''s not like she could argue with him when, right now, he had the power to wipe out every single person in the Arena. Kyle started floating in the air, and her eyebrow twitched violently with disbelief when she saw the silver-haired man flick his fingers to release his friends who were also bound in chains. She shouted with frustration.

    "You liar!!"

    Kyle tilted his head back to stare at her with an innocent expression, further increasing her frustration.

    "When did I lie, I wonder?"

    As he freed his friends from those chains, the first one to let loose a string of curses was none other than Bia. She zoomed towards him, eyes zing with anger.

    -"You jerk! You dare to leave me out of the battle and bind this majestic me? I am gonna take you on!"

    She mmed her small body into his stomach with full force, and Kyle just let her be. A small oof escaped his lips because she really did use a lot of strength to crash into him. His eyes returned to normal, and he let out a chuckle as he grabbed her.

    After Bia, the others also surrounded him with aggrieved expressions and just wanted to give him a good beating for lying to them about fighting together, only to leave them out of the battle in the end! However, after witnessing Kyle''s strength, no one dared to actually hit him, and they all just expressed their grievances with words.

    Kyle nced at Yue, who hurrmped at him and snapped her head away from his gaze to indicate she wouldn''t talk with him. It was at that moment that suddenly Nine appeared before Kyle with seething eyes.

    Jian, Sinon, Regius, the girls, and the three old men quickly retreated when they caught sight of Nine''s enraged eyes fixed on Kyle. Nine lowered his gaze and adjusted his sleeves while muttering under his breath.

    "How many times... Just how many times have I called your name..."

    His voice sounded hoarse and dry as if he had shouted until his throat was parched, and then, much to everyone''s shock, he raised his fist to punch Kyle in the face.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed at the punch aimed at his precious face, and just before Nine''s fist could connect, he vanished from his spot. Nine let out a menacingugh.

    "Oh, you wanna y it like this, huh? Alright, as you wish! I won''t stop until Ind a few punches on you because I know, I know as a supreme rank, you could hear my shouts loud and clear! You bastard!"

    Bia quickly regained her bnce in mid-air with a curse when Kyle disappeared. Carcel, who was hovering toward Kyle from behind, swiftly moved away from Nine''s path as thetter quickly maneuvered behind Kyle, who had reappeared in the distance.

    Kyle stared at the fist now aimed at his stomach and swiftly dodged with a bewildered expression.

    "What happened!?"

    He backed off, dodging another punch once more. The pair kept arguing in the air, with Nine desperately trying tond a hit on Kyle, but then all of a sudden Lara intervened with a concerned look. She nced at the ball of icy blue mes above in the sky and asked the silver-haired man about Alec.

    Kyle followed her gaze and rubbed his nose as Nine red at him from a distance. The expression on the brown-haired man''s face showed that he wouldn''t calm down until hended at least one punch on him.

    But Kyle didn''t understand why he was so angry... Alright, he admits that even though he faintly heard Nine calling out to him, he ignored the man, but why does he want to hit him? He shifted his body to avoid Nine''s potential attack while distracted and responded to Lara.

    "He''s fine... and I suppose it''s time for him to emerge from the nightmare."

    Lara blinked as he flicked his fingers, and the ball of icy mes in the sky scattered in different directions.

    In the next second, Alec''s hovering body dropped toward the ground. Immediately, Nine and all the others rushed toward Alec to grab his dropping body because they could see his eerily paleplexion and tightly shut eyes. Kyle slowly followed behind them and silently murmured.

    "He still hasn''t woken up? Just what is he seeing in the nightmare?"

 Chapter 602 The nightmare I

    Chapter 602 The nightmare I

    A while back, when the massive array encasing the entire sky above the diator Arena was erected and Kyle faced the two Shadow Generals with Alec and Carcel.

    Alec was floating in mid-air behind Kyle with a determined expression, ready to end both the shadow generals alongside him and Carcel with the newfound strength coursing through his body.

    His body was brimming with divine and spiritual energy. But he could easily handle his power thanks to the divine rank artifact, his system that had been with him for a long time and grown with him.

    Also, luckily, the air in the Sacred Divine Land was devoid of mana. Hence, his mana reserve was empty; otherwise, the scenario would have been even more overwhelming.

    Alec''s gaze shifted towards the two shadow generals. He could see everything was under Kyle''s control, and with the array, he was confident they could effortlessly ovee the shadow generals.

    But when Kyle''s voice resonated in his mind, instructing him to eliminate the third shadow general while Kyle dealt with the golden-eyed one, Alec''s mind went nk.

    It was a sudden nkness, as if someone else had taken over his consciousness, followed by intense pain that shot from the back of his head to his entire body. Then, a dark voice sounded in his mind.

    ''Kill him.''

    Those two words echoed in his mind like thunderbolts. He couldn''t help but question, who? He no longerprehended what was happening around him, and the voice resounded once more in his head. This time, followed by a surge of excruciating pain, as if someone had just squeezed his soul. The pain was so intense that Alec wanted to scream, but nothing emerged from his mouth. Then the voice persuaded him to do as asked, promising an end to the pain. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    ''It would end...?''

    He asked in his mind with a nk expression and did what the voice asked him because he just wanted to get rid of the pain. He couldn''t bear it. The pain was consuming his entire being, and he felt like he would die if it didn''t stop.

    His body moved on its own with lightning-fast speed, and he grabbed someone... the face reflecting in his eyes was familiar. Silver hair and green eyes, but he couldn''t remember who it was... and just did what the voice asked him to.

    ''Kill him.''

    He raised his hand, and surprise shed through the green eyes staring at him as he struck the man''s chest with all his strength. The silver-haired man was flung backward and Alec positioned himself in front of two familiar but strangely unfamiliar men because the voice asked him to.

    Alec stared at the silver-haired man as thetter steadied himself in mid-air and said something, but with the pain looming to engulf him, he couldn''t grasp a word.

    The two men behind him were also talking, stating that they have control over his life. Alec attempted to focus on the discussion with all his might but couldn''t understand what the four people around him were discussing. Then, anothermand resonated. This time, it echoed in his ears, not in his head.

    "Go and fight them both, but don''t kill them because I will end their lives."

    Alec blinked, and his vision blurred, followed by a sharp, pounding pain in his head that left him disoriented and suffocated. He knew that to get rid of the pain, he needed to do what the voice asked him to do. So, he quickly sprang into action and attacked the golden-haired man, who was closest to him.

    The golden-haired man was yelling at him, saying things he couldn''t understand as he attacked the man without stopping. There was only one thought in Alec''s head �C he needed to fight this man. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but then a chill filled the air around him.

    Alec sensed another presence, other than the golden-haired man, and turned his head toward the silver-haired man, who emerged from the icy mes surrounding him.

    He swiftly swung his sword at the man without a moment''s pause. But before his attack couldnd, icy mes surged out to halt his actions. Then the silver-haired man grabbed his neck and easily snatched the sword from his hand.

    Alec struggled to break free from the vice-like grip on his neck. However, it tightened, causing a sharp, searing pain to shoot through his skin. Just as despair crept in, a mysterious dark aura enveloped his being. His resistance waned, and his already befuddled mind spiraled further into confusion. Now, his surroundings plunged into an abyss of pitch-ck darkness, obscuring all vision.

    He peered into the darkness, and bit by bit, his ability to think clearly andprehend his surroundings began to return.

    "What''s happening...? Weren''t we fighting the shadow generals?"

    As his mind cleared, the darkness around him shifted into a vast battlefield strewn with broken buildings. Up in the sky, the two shadow generals were watching him while sitting on two colossal thrones. Will and Ceano ordered him to eliminate all his friends with sinister smiles.

    Alec nced ahead... Kyle, Nine, Carcel, Jian, Lara, Yue, Mia, Sinon, Regius. They all floated before him with their weapons raised towards him.

    He attempted to stop his body, yet it refused to obey hismands and instead followed the shadow generals'' orders to battle hispanions, who implored him toe to his senses.

    His face lost colors, and he silently screamed within himself to stop. He dreaded harming his friends! The shadow generals'' sinisterughter echoed in his ears as he wounded Carcel and several others who were hesitating to harm him because they knew he was under the shadow generals'' influence.

    Alec''s face went ghostly pale with each passing moment as he swung his sword, meant to kill the shadow generals, at his friends. A bitter yet twisted smile appeared on his lips when, unlike the others who were still trying to bring him back to his senses, Kyle lost hisposure.

    With fury aze in his green eyes, the silver-haired man floated toward him to ensnare him within a cage crafted from his icy blue mes. Alec wanted to yell to Kyle that he never meant to hurt them, but his body wouldn''t listen.

    He hoped they would all flee from him so he wouldn''t hurt any of them more. When Alec and Kyle confronted each other in the sky, one of the shadow generals rose from his seat and spoke to Alec with an eerie smirk.

    "Kill him."

 Chapter 603 The nightmare II

    Chapter 603 The nightmare II

    Alecughed through the pain, his eyes vacant as he swung his de at Kyle, who red at him with anger.

    The dark petal on the back of his hand blossomed, and darkness enveloped Alec''s entire body as he battled Kyle in the sky in front of all his friends. After a lengthy fight, Alec stood alone atop a shattered building, his hands stained red with blood and his once bright eyes nowpletely dull.

    Kyle was nowhere to be found. Half of his friends were kneeling weakly on the ground, while the other half aimed their weapons at him, tears glistening in their eyes, as he muttered hoarsely.

    "I''m sorry... I''m sorry... I didn''t mean it... I didn''t mean to kill him..."

    He stared at his bloodstained hands. This nightmare, if only Nine could witness it, he would have been utterly shocked, because it was eerily simr to the vision he had seen a long time ago on the blue.

    Fortunately or unfortunately, Nine''s vision was merely a fragment of the nightmare Alec was currently going through.

    Alec''s heart sank even deeper, as he copsed to his knees when the two shadow generals ordered him to kill all his remaining friends as well. He shook his head, eyes wild with madness, screaming ''no'' repeatedly. The shadow generals merely sneered at his state and relished in his torment. It was at that instant he sensed his body plummeting... perplexing, considering he was kneeling; why did it feel like he was free-falling from the sky?

    Alec''s voice faded, and once again, his vision started to darken when numerous voices echoed in his ears, urging him to wake up. He blinked a few times, and dazedly gazed at the many familiar faces gathered around his body.

    ''How...?''

    His eyes were veiled with haze, yet he was absolutely certain that moments ago, all his friends were gravely injured because of him. So why did they all appear unharmed? Had he perished, or was he merely lost in a dream? His eyes shifted towards Lara, and his heart, which had been bleeding from everything he had just endured, began to slowly ease. She was sitting beside his head with a relieved smile.

    "Finally, you open your eyes. Are you feeling okay? Any difort in your body?"

    A familiar worried voice echoed in his ears, and he just wanted to lean towards Lara''s warm hand resting on his head and do nothing. Not even move his body. However, in that calm moment, his eyes caught sight of the silver-haired man floating above everyone sitting around him.

    Kyle locked eyes with him, a hint of amusement dancing in his gaze. Alec immediately jerked back, recoiling from everyone around him. His eyes reflected not just dread and fear but also intense pain, a tumultuous mix of emotions. He let out a bitterugh and started mumbling.

    "Don''t approach me... I might harm you all... Please, stay away from me..."

    Lara, Nine, and everyone else around him were stunned at his reaction and gazed at Kyle with solemn eyes. Carcel had already spilled the beans that the silver-haired man was the one who put Alec into a nightmare. Kyle blinked when he found all eyes on him and let out a sigh.

    "What? Don''t give me that judgmental look. I just threw him into a small nightmare-!"

    He halted, raising his hand in surrender as the many eyes on him darkened.

    "Okay, okay, it wasn''t just any ordinary nightmare. But I did it to prevent him from fighting me and Carcle under the shadow generals''mands. I have no clue what he endured in that nightmare."

    Kylended next to the group and began rolling up his sleeves with a serious expression as he examined Alec''s face.

    "Let me bring him out of whatever he went through. A couple of ps, and he will be back to normal, just like before!"

    Of course, he was joking. But the people around him didn''t find his joke amusing. The first person to give him a smack was none other than Yue. She hit his leg and red at him fiercely.

    "Can''t you see he''s already not thinking straight? Don''t do anything to make his condition worse."

    Kyle hissed dramatically and sat down beside her. A touch of bitterness shed in his eyes, but she ignored him. He nced at Alec, who had ceased mumbling and was now observing everyone around him with a vacant yet puzzled expression. It appeared the blue-haired man was starting to regain hisposure. Kyle then looked at Nine and patted his shoulder.

    "You possess a powerful healing skill, right? Can you apply it to others? Alec isn''t injured, but the skill could help soothe his mind."

    Nine shot him a fierce look and swiftly moved towards Alec to apply his healing skill. He didn''t really mind how Kyle knew about his healing ability as he extended his spiritual energy to envelop Alec, who gazed at him silently. Alec raised his hand to examine the ck petal present on his skin, while a few notifications from the system echoed in his mind.

    _______

    - Error!

    Attempting to identify the issue! Loading...

    The host''s consciousness was manipted by the dark energy within his body. In result, the system was temporarily disabled.

    The host endured a potent nightmare while the system was offline.

    _______

    After receiving the notifications, Alec realized that everything he had experienced was merely a nightmare, meaning he hadn''t hurt anyone. He let out a deep, relieved breath and eased his tense body. However, he clenched his hands into fists at the realization that everyone now knew he could be influenced by the dark side before scanning the faces around him.

    "I am sorry..." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He softly murmured.

    "I don''t remember what happened after the darkness overcame me... I didn''t mean to harm anyone. If I did, I am truly sorry."

    A bitter smile crept onto his face as he attempted to hide the dark petal glowing on the back of his hand with his sleeve.

    "The shadow generals can control me because I signed a dark contract with one of them. I''m sorry I didn''t tell you all..."

    "It''s best if you all stay away from me because you all would be affected if they controlled me once again."

 Chapter 604 No thanks. We reject.

    Chapter 604 No thanks. We reject.

    Lara and all the others stared at Alec silently. They didn''t me him because they knew he had been suffering all alone due to the dark mark without any help.

    All of them wanted to help him but had no clue how one can be released from the dark contract. While they were all busy in their thoughts, Old Hal, who was chained outside the very stage they hadnded with Alec''s unconscious body, suddenly spoke up.

    "I can help. One of myrades recently invented an artifact that can wipe out the dark mark ced on someone''s body by the dark side. But in exchange, you all need to follow me to the war going down at the other end of the universe. Because, you know, nothing is free in this world."

    The powerful figures in robes chained around the old man were taken aback by his sudden proposal. They looked at him with a hint of admiration.

    Truly, the old man was suggesting a deal that the young ones would never turn down at the ideal moment. None of them dared to disturb him as he directed his serious gaze towards Kyle and the others.

    Old Hal had been observing them all from the beginning and had noticed the deep care they held for each other.

    Their fate was intertwined with the silver-haired man. Hence, he particrly desired to bring the silver-haired man to the war. As he watched them pondering his words, a faint smile graced his face. If they agreed to his proposal, he would recruit numerous skilled individuals... but his smile faltered when suddenly Nine chuckled and gazed at him with narrowed eyes.

    "No thanks. We reject."

    Nine''s firm voice, which epted no refusal, reverberated through the air, and a wide grin crept onto his face. Lara, Carcel, Jian and the few others who were seriously contemting epting the old man''s proposition gazed at him in confusion.

    Old Hal and all the people in robes waiting for the youngsters'' responses frowned at Nine''s words. They were well aware that the youngsters werepletely lost on how to get rid of the dark mark on the blue-haired man''s body. So, why was thisd rejecting the old man''s proposal? Even Elizabeth, who was listening to everything from a distance, was somewhat puzzled.

    Kyle''s eyes shifted towards the grin on Nine''s face, and he was certain the man had something up his sleeves. Instantly, a spark of curiosity flickered across his face, but he held back from moving closer to Nine, aware that the man would try to punch him again. Keeping their distance seemed like the wiser choice.

    At that instant, Alec cracked a subtle smile as he made eye contact with Nine.

    "Good. You all don''t have to follow anyone just because of me. This is my battle-!"

    Before he could finish his sentence, Nine clicked his tongue loudly.

    "Quiet, why are you being such a whiner? And who said it''s only your fight? We''re all here for you. Let me finish my words first."

    He reached out his hand into the air and pulled out a rolled-up paper from his mind space. It took him a considerable amount of time to locate the contract with Alec''s name among the numerous papers he swiped from the demon''s.

    As the paper materialized in his hand, all eyes were drawn to it. But nobody knew its significance. Nine sheepishly rubbed his nose and then shot Kyle a stern look.

    "Here."

    He extended the paper towards Kyle, who moved closer, albeit slowly, and took it from his hand with a puzzled look.

    Kyle unrolled the paper amidst everyone''s curious stares, but as he read the symbols inside, his eyes widened in surprise. The symbols of confinement. He locked eyes with Nine, who had a sly grin on his face.

    "I''ve finished my task. It''s your turn now."

    Sinon, Regius, and Jian leaned in towards Kyle, gazing at the paper in his hands with narrowed eyes. But unfortunately, the trio didn''t get anything at all. Regius traced the symbols with his finger and asked.

    "What are these? Symbols?"

    Sinon replied with a frown.

    "I think they are, but why do they look more like scribbles?"

    Jian shook his head, pointing to the paper with a serious expression.

    "No, look closely! It''s a drawing of a snake with seven heads!"

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched slightly at theirments. Thinking he should teach them a thing or two about arrays in his spare time, he shook his head solemnly.

    "No, it''s a dark contract."

    He nced at the name signed at the bottom corner of the paper.

    "The one Alec signed..."

    Jian''s eyes widened at his words. Alec was the most shocked and quickly stood up to snatch the paper from Kyle''s hand. He fixed his eyes on the ordinary paper, shaken by the memories it brought back.

    As everyone gathered to stare at the paper in disbelief and shock, Kyle moved closer to Nine and asked with curious eyes.

    "How did you get your hands on it?"

    Nine''s face beamed proudly as he lightly thumped his chest.

    "A powerful being... someone beyondparison, lent me a hand. He admired my charm and just couldn''t stand to see harme my way." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Kyle blinked at the enigmatic words uttered by the brown-haired man. He could not help but think about the identity of this powerful being who helped Nine. Little did he knew that it was none other than himself.

    ''Another friend I have forgotten? No, that can''t be right. Yue never mentioned anyone else I am very close to.''

    Old Hal and the many folks silently watching the group were utterly shocked when they realized that the paper Nine handed to Kyle was a dark contract. They were curious about how Nine came across it, given that no one had ever managed to find one. However, watching the group deeply engrossed in their conversation, no one dared to ask, feeling they would probably bepletely ignored.

 Chapter 605 How about we even the odds?

    Chapter 605 How about we even the odds?

    Alec stared at the paper in his hands, feeling the urge to obliterate it, shred it to bits. However, before he could act, Nine approached him and swiftly snatched the paper from his hands.

    "You can''t tear it or else it would harm your body. We need to eliminate the dark energy within this contract."

    Alec nodded, his gaze fixed on the paper in Nine''s possession as the brown-haired man handed it back to Kyle, who blinked in surprise. Nine sighed inwardly.

    "Don''t be clueless. You can read the symbols on this contract, so I trust you have the ability to cleanse the darkness from it, right?"

    Kyle looked at Alec and the others, their hopeful gazes focused on him. The paper in his hand began to float, and a spiritual radiance illuminated his index finger. Amid the watchful eyes upon him, he swiftly traced a series of symbols in the air, too fast for anyone to follow, to counter the powerful ones etched on the paper.

    Then icy mes burst from his palm, enveloping the paper in frost before breaking it into tiny particles.

    Subsequently, dark smoke started to emerge from the back of Alec''s hand where the dark petal resided. All present observed as the dark petal dissolved into smoke, leaving nothing behind. Alec looked at his hand and expressed his gratitude to Nine and Kyle with a broad smile.

    "Thank you."

    The darkness began to lift from his eyes, hinting at a newfound light within. At that instant, Jian looked at the array in the sky.

    "What''s next? I don''t think we can enter the Lost Treasure Tomb at this point."

    Kyle eyed the array, noting there was ample time before it dissipated. With a flick of his fingers, a portal materialized in the air.

    "Let''s make our exit for now. We can strategize our next moveter. But before we go... how about we even the odds?

    His gaze narrowed as he peered at Ned, who was bound by the chains behind Old Hal. The scoundrel who had called Nox worthless. Kyle wouldn''t let this slide; he had a score to settle.

    Noticing the silver-haired man''s intense gaze fixed on him, Ned''s body tensed, and a wave of dread washed over him.

    Yue and Jian, who have crossed paths with Ned previously, were momentarily confused by what was happening. But when they saw Nox, floating above Kyle with a fierce look, they immediately understood why Kyle was ready to beat up Ned. The lynx sneered and perched on Kyle''s shoulder.

    "Finally! It''s time to show him who the true worthless one is!"

    Kyle chuckled and patted the lynx''s head. Before anyone could intervene, he vanished from his spot. In the next moment, Ned was hurled backward as the chains restraining him disappeared.

    Despite Ned''s desire to fight back, the silver-haired man''s speed was just too fast. A violent blow to his stomach left him gasping for air, coughing up blood. In mere seconds, he struggled to even stand on his feet.

    Old Hal simply closed his eyes at the sight as Kyle kicked Ned''s body away without a hint of mercy. The old man had anticipated that Ned''s inconsiderate remarks would eventually result in a situation like this. He let out a deep sigh, somewhat relieved that Kyle chose not to end Ned''s life.

    Nox couldn''t see a thing with Kyle''s lightning-fast moves. Yet, he felt content, a wicked grin forming on the lynx''s face as he turned his head towards the audience, particrly fixing his gaze on a distant eagle perched on the shoulder of a demi-human woman. The eagle trembled as its eyes met the lynx''s.

    "Haha, It''s my go now."

    He glided towards the eagle to exact his revenge while Kyle returned to his position without a trace of blood on his attire. Yue and the others looked at the silver-haired man with speechless expressions but chose to stay silent.

    Bia promptly followed Nox, and upon witnessing him assaulting a small eagle, she shot him a scornful look.

    -"Don''t tell me you couldn''t even handle a feeble eagle, huh? Just how weak have you be in my absence? I believe I need to put you through some serious training so you don''t cut my nose."

    Nox halted his actions and swiftly tossed the eagle he was beating away with a shiver upon hearing Bia''s words.

    "What sort of training...?"

    He inquired with a sinking heart. But Bia departed his side and went towards Kyle to sit on the human''s head, leaving Nox behind, cursing his luck.

    Nox shot a final re at the eagle before swiftly joining Kyle. With all debts settled, the group began to drift towards the portal that Kyle had conjured to depart, under the watchful gaze of many onlookers. But Nine paused and, before stepping into the portal, he tossed a storage ring filled with dark contracts toward Old Hal.

    "No need to thank me. I have a generous heart, so I assist everyone."

    Nine had stolen mountains of dark contracts from the demon realm. He didn''t really have any need for them once he found the one he needed. So, he hoped the old man would find a way to cancel the contracts and free all those enved by the dark side.

    As he entered the array behind the others, he was stunned, just like everyone else, when they materialized right outside one of the gates of the diator Arena.

    Jian looked back at the colossal gate, surrounded by a barrier.

    "Huh? I thought we were leaving for a distant ce. What''s the meaning of this?"

    Kyle descended and touched down on a grassy field. There were still countless individuals outside the arena who were unable to register in time. They had heard themotion inside from outside but couldn''t enter due to the restrictions. When the group emerged from a portal, it surprised many, but since the group was not recognized, they were safe.

    Jian and the others swiftly followed Kyle andnded on the grassy field too. They observed as the silver-haired human settled on the ground and leaned against a tree behind him, wearing a tired expression. A glint of mischief flickered in Kyle''s eyes as he began counting the people around him.

    "Regius, Jian, Nine, Sinon, Carcel, Alec, Lara, Mia, Yue, Zron, Yon, Susan, and me... Not counting Bia and Nox since the two of them are bonded beasts. We make up a total of 13 individuals."

    Jian let out a faint groan.

    "You''re quite something, aren''t you? You didn''t free Xavier and the other two humans from the chains. They were with me. I am sure they are going to suffer...."

    However, all hisints died down, and his eyes sparkled brightly when he heard Kyle''s next words. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "We can all enter the Lost Treasure Tomb forcefully or maybe secretly if we sit here and wait for the right moment."

 Chapter 606 Then why is he completely fine?

    Chapter 606 Then why is hepletely fine?

    Zron sat next to Kyle with a skeptical expression when he learned he could also explore the Lost Treasure Tomb. He had refrained from joining the diator Arena because he feared his old bones might get broken, but he would definitely not turn down the opportunity to enter the tomb without having to earn a spot.

    "What if we couldn''t? The Lost Treasure Tomb can only amodate a limited number of folks inside, you know."

    Kyle nodded thoughtfully. The tomb had a limited capacity for visitors. That''s why the Arena was organized, but he was confident that with the right strategy, they could gain entry to the tomb without any issues.

    "Don''t worry, leave it all to me. Besides, even if we can''t get into the Lost Treasure Tomb, the Sacred Divine Land is brimming with countless treasures. I am sure it wouldn''t be a bad n to loot it all."

    Zron hummed and opted to sit back and observe how things unfolded. After seeing so much, he couldn''t quite anticipate what the young man was truly capable of. His brow twitched as Kyle distanced himself from him and made his way over to Yue, who was sitting with the girls.

    The silver-haired man shamelessly rested his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes to rx for a while. Yue was surprised, but she smiled and let him be. Bia followed suit, closing her eyes to rest, while the others closed their eyes to meditate.

    Alec and Carcel both felt a bit uneasy because of the supreme-rank strength still flowing through their bodies, making it hard for the duo to concentrate. They wanted to ask Kyle to remove the power of the array from their bodies and return them to their normal strength, but seeing him asleep, they held back from interrupting him.

    They thought that once the array in the arena disappeared, their strength would return to normal by itself. However, they weren''t ready for the sharp pain that shot through their entire bodies when the supreme-rank power faded away.

    Alec clutched his chest, gasping for air, sweat pouring down his face as he looked at Carcel, who was in a simr condition. Lara, Mia, Nine, Sinon, Regius, Jian, and the three old men quickly huddled around them to hand them healing potions and other healing treasures. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    However, even after drinking the potions, the two men were too tired to even move. Every muscle in their bodies felt like it was stretched to the max, aching with exhaustion and pain as if they had been asked to lift a mountain. Susan checked their pulses, his expression grim.

    "Their bodies exerted a power that was too much for them. That''s why it has taken a toll on them. It will take a few days at least before they can move freely again as their bodies need time to recoverpletely."

    The people around him nodded, understanding that the power of the array was too much for Carcel and Alec''s bodies to bear, and it''s not like they thought that such immense power woulde without any cost. This was just a small price to pay. In that moment, Nine''s eyes narrowed, and he whipped his head toward Kyle, who was resting on Yue''s shoulder, making her unable to move from her spot.

    "Then why is hepletely fine?"

    His words grabbed everyone''s attention, and immediately all eyes turned to Kyle. Indeed, the silver-haired man had utilized the majority of the array''s power. So, why did he appear unaffected when both Alec and Carcel were clearly in pain?

    Yue''s eyes flickered with concern as she gently patted Kyle''s back.

    "Kye? Are you alright?"

    He remained silent, letting out a slight groan with furrowed brows before leaning into the warmth emanating from her body. Yue''s eyes widened as his skin made contact with her neck, realizing his skin was freezing cold, almost like ice. His skin was always cold but not to this point where she felt like she was touching ice.

    She swiftly extended her other hand towards his forehead, and everyone was stunned as a delicateyer of shimmering ice materialized on Kyle''s skin before her hand could connect with him.

    "Kyle?"

    Yue flinched suddenly when she felt an icy sensation on her neck, realizing the frost on Kyle''s skin was affecting her shoulder and neck. Despite this, she chose not to move away but instead softly tapped his back again to wake him up.

    Nine frowned and rolled up his sleeves, his expression solemn and concerned.

    "Move back, Yue. Let me wake him up. A couple of ps should do the trick!"

    The words he spoke were eerily simr to what Kyle had said when he wanted to help everyone wake up Alec. Everyone was left speechless by his words. It was clear that the two men were truly friends. However, before Nine could act, Kyle''s eyes snapped open, and he swiftly moved away from Yue, shaking his head to clear his thoughts.

    "Ah..."

    He let out a soft gasp, and a hint of pain shed through his green eyes. However, it disappeared in the next moment, and he released a soft yawn. He was experiencing the same, or maybe even worse pain than what Alec and Carcel were going through. Yet, he was already ustomed to it. Thus, the pain didn''t really affect him too much, except for some difort in his body. He nced at Yue, and upon seeing her slowly rub her neck, he let out a soft sigh.

    "Why didn''t you move away?"

    Kyle ignored Nine, fully ready to give him a few ps to settle all the scores, thinking he wouldn''t have this chance again. Not just Nine, he ignored everyone around him and reached out his hand toward Yue, cing it gently on her shoulder. Instantly, spiritual energy flowed from his palm, calming the redness on her pale skin.

    "Step aside next time if my body starts feeling too cold. It urs when my body''s natural healing powers are activated."

    The many eyes that were fixed on the duo shifted to Alec and Carcel when they saw that the silver-haired man was perfectly fine and had the audacity to disregard them all, devoting hisplete attention to Yue.

 Chapter 607 What punishment?

    Chapter 607 What punishment?

    Inside the diator Arena, as the array in the sky disappeared into a shower of tiny sparks, Elizabeth was the first to take flight, followed by Old Hal. The other robed figures apanying the old man hurried to help Ned with his injuries. But they were taken aback when they saw the man''s condition, silently vowing never to judge a person by their appearance again.

    The people from the dark side werepletely terrified at the fate awaiting them with the two shadow generals gone. Realizing they had to fight to survive, theyunched an immediate attack. However, before their strikes couldnd on anyone, Elizabeth swiftly raised her hand, creating a powerful barrier that trapped them all.

    She was a powerful presence, unmatched by anyone in the diator Arena except for the men called Ceano. Sadly, that bastard was stronger than her.

    Her booming voice resonated through the air as she pacified the audience.

    "Settle down, everyone. It''s not the time to panic. It''s the time to celebrate! Finally, after so many years, one of the shadow generals has met his demise!"

    A broad smile appeared on her lips.

    "I can''t express the happiness I feel that such a formidable enemy was defeated by none other than a young human... and that human is from my! Haha, Kyle, I will always remember this name I heard, and I believe you all will too. Indeed, he deserves the title of nature''s favorite... or maybe any title he chooses for himself."

    Instantly, her smile turned stern, and a solemn expression graced her face.

    "He aplished the unimaginable, vanquishing a powerful foe. I aim to acknowledge his deeds and those of hispanions, yet their transgression in the diator Arena cannot be overlooked. Rules are rules, and they must face the consequences of their misconduct. No exceptions shall be made to uphold the integrity of the diator Arena as a ce where regtions are important."

    Whispers swirled through the air as the crowd chattered about the silver-haired man and hispanions. They caused quite a stir and then vanished.

    Surprisingly, the crowd seemed somewhat pleased that the silver-haired man and his friends would face consequences. Nobody likes being chained up for hours, and to top it off, Kyle even messed with Ned, one of the powerful folks overseeing the Arena.

    From various individuals'' points of view, despite the silver-haired man taking down a shadow general, Kyle''s arrogant attitude deserves some punishment. Some might just be hiding their jealousy behind their critiques of his actions and power.

    Elizabeth gazed into the distant sky with a contemtive look and let out a sigh.

    "The first punishment I have chosen for the group is to ban them from the Arena. They are also prohibited from entering the Lost Treasure Tomb. The second punishment is something I cannot reveal, but rest assured it is not a light one."

    After her words disappeared in the air, Xavier and the two humans apanying him, who were attempting to stay discreet and blend in with the crowd, were swiftly apprehended by Vexana, following Old Hal''s instructions. They weren''t the only ones caught; Wesley and the elves who entered the Arena with Yue, along with the lizard race individuals who arrived with Nine, were also captured for interrogation.

    Xavier muttered curses under his breath, much like the supreme-rank old man from the lizard race who was rueful of the day he allowed Nine to integrate with his people. Wesley and Ronan faces were also grim as they were presented before Old Hal. The old man in a robe asked them about Kyle and hispanions, wondering if they knew where the group had headed after leaving the diator Arena, but they had no clue about their whereabouts.

    Old Hal nodded, and Xavier and the individuals gathered in front of him breathed a sigh of relief when he let them all go without any punishment, stating that only Kyle and his friends who had run away would face consequences, not those who were with them unknowingly.

    After the Arena settled, and all the dark side participants were removed from the Arena to be sent to a distant inhabited by flesh-eating beasts by the array masters since Elizabeth and Old Hal both avoided getting their hands dirty with their blood. Vexana dered that the battles in the arena would promptly rmence.

    Elizabeth once again rose into the sky to convey her parting words to the audience before leaving the Sacred Divine Land to return to the war. With the shadow generals gone, her presence became unnecessary. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "I encourage all of you to do your best to im a spot in the Lost Treasure Tomb now that the dark side''s presence has been eliminated from the arena. Give it your best shot. And remember, don''t mimic what the nature''s favorite attempted, for youck the power to endure my wrath, hahaha."

    Her loudughter echoed through the air, making everyone scrunch their noses in annoyance. As Elizabeth floated towards Old Hal to say goodbye, Ned, who had regained consciousness, stopped her with a serious expression.

    "I''m sorry for interrupting, but besides kicking Kyle out of the diator Arena, what other punishment did you have in mind for him?"

    He asked with fists clenched and jaw tight. He wanted to see Kyle suffer for what the human did to him. This kind of humiliation, Ned had never faced before, and he felt he had lost all his dignity.

    All those who saw him being beaten by Kyle would mock him for life for being defeated by a mere divine-rank human. He waited for Elizabeth''s answer with anticipation. After all, even if he couldn''t find the human, she could with her powerful influence.

    Elizabeth blinked, tilting her head with a puzzled expression.

    "What punishment?"

    Ned''s expression sank upon hearing her words, a realization hitting him.

    "Don''t tell me...?"

    Elizabeth patted his shoulder, a smirk ying on her lips.

    "Listen, Kyle and his crew, they are a big plus for our side. Their strength is top-notch, and I''m sure they will be a huge help to us in the future. I noticed their strong aversion to the dark side."

    Her smirk widened.

    "I am not going to punish any of them. It was simply a way to calm the crowd. Forget what happened to you; it was a result of your own actions. Kyle and his friends will soon join us, fighting against the dark forces alongside you asrades. Clear your heart, or you may regret it."

    Elizabeth''s gaze turned cold with a warning. After seeing Ned grow pale under her stare, she departed the diator Arena.

    She wanted to personally let everyone fighting in the war know that the future looks bright because many formidable allies would soon join them.

 Chapter 608 Let us in on the plan

    Chapter 608 Let us in on the n

    The sky was clear above the towering walls of the diator Arena. Every dejected soul who couldn''t register for the Arena on time had scattered to hunt for treasures in the Sacred Divine Land.

    Among the myriad verdant trees surrounding the arena, a group of familiar faces congregated beneath a specific tree, divvying up the treasures they had obtained from delving into a nearby ancient tomb, all thanks to Kyle''s acute sense of smell.

    Sinon nced back at Kyle. The silver-haired man had done the most important work, locating the ancient tomb and treasures. Unlike the others who were busy selecting treasures for themselves, he was leaning against the tree with a calm expression. The winged demi-human moved closer to Kyle with a smile.

    "Do you not want anything? We havee across many treasures. Take some before Zron hogs them all-!"

    His words were interrupted by a smack on his head. Zron rolled up his sleeves and red at him with narrowed eyes.

    "Who am I, once more?"

    Sinon winced and rubbed his head with a somber expression. He lowered his eyes, filled with regret... indeed, he regretted the moment, just like everyone else, when they epted this greedy man as their master.

    "Master..."

    A satisfied expression appeared on Zron''s face as he got busy again selecting some valuable treasure to enhance his current strength. Kyle chuckled at the scene, his eyes softened as he patted Sinon''s shoulder to give him some support.

    "Don''t worry, they''re all spiritual treasures. Not really useful to me right now. You all can divide them. Plus, many such treasures are just gathering dust in my mind space."

    Kyle was telling it like it is. When he and Bia set out to explore the Sacred Divine Land on their own, they stumbled upon a trove of treasures, practically emptying out every tomb they stumbled upon. So, he wasn''t short on treasures by any means.

    His smile faded as he raised his hand to flick away the tiny winged creature entirely made of light attempting to sneak up on him from behind.

    Sinon didn''t even flinch at this sight. It''s been over three months since they left the diator Arena, and witnessing mystical spirits hovering around Kyle and seeing him casually shoo them away had be somewhat routine for all of them... or to be precise, they were sort of numb after the initial shock they experienced.

    Kyle brushed his hand, which hade into contact with the mystical spirit, against his clothes and nced at Sinon. He casually reached out to pluck a distinct, dark green patch of grass growing nearby, different from the others, and handed it to the man.

    "I''m not sure what this is, but it''s giving off a positive scent. You should ask Alec or Susan as they are more knowledgeable. I''m confident it''s something valuable as well."

    Sinon nodded and swiftly rejoined the others. It seemed his worry about Kyle not acquiring any treasures was baseless. The man could easilye across something valuable by simply leaning against a tree. Who was he to fret about such a formidable individual?

    After dividing the treasures, everyone agreed to grab a bite. Initially, they weren''t big on eating since each member of the group possessed enough strength to go without food for months, thanks to the divine energy within them. But Bia''s habit to eat at least two substantial meals daily, even when not feeling hungry, led the group to join her in eating. Eventually, it turned into a shared habit among them all.

    Nine, Carcel, Sinon, and Regius wasted no time and swiftly went to hunt a few beasts nearby. At the same time, the three girls with Alec began to light a fire and gather the essentials for preparing the meal. The three old men were also upied; they went to find some good fruits nearby.

    Only Kyle, Bia, and Noxy peacefully under the green tree without a care. It wasn''t that they were unwilling to help; it was simply because after trying Kyle''s cooking, he was kindly told to never cook again.

    Also, due to the mystical spirits always surrounding him, all the beasts would flee at the mere sight of his shadow. Eventually, they requested Kyle to gather other edible items like regr fruits or anything else edible, but the silver-haired man returned after a full day with fruits brimming with divine and spiritual energy. Eating such divine and spiritual fruits daily wasn''t good for everyone''s body, so he was also dissuaded from that task.

    As for Bia and Nox, the pair just simply stayed with Kyle because they only knew how to eat and nothing more.

    Kyle''s nose twitched as a delicious aroma wafted in the air, and without even looking, he was certain it was Yue''s turn to cook today. However, before he could join the others after Bia and Nox, his head snapped toward the sky. His eyes narrowed at the dark clouds gathering above.

    "Oh... it seems the lost treasure tomb is about to open. That means the diator Arena will be over soon."

    A mischievous gleam flickered in his eyes as he checked out the towering walls of the diator Arena. After they finished their meal, Kyle told everyone to get ready to enter the Lost Treasure Tomb.

    They weren''t surprised at his words since they could also see the event unfolding in the sky. They were just curious about how they would enter the diator Arena. Nine rubbed his hands with an evil smirk.

    "I can''t wait to see the faces of those top participants who have been grinding day and night in the arena just to secure a spot to enter the Lost Treasure Tomb when we casually stroll into that very Tomb!"

    Jianughed in agreement.

    "It''s going to be so entertaining, haha!" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The pair, along with everyone else, exchanged nces with Kyle before Regius couldn''t contain himself any longer.

    "But seriously, let us in on the n. Just spill it; we''ll figure it out eventually anyway."

    Kyle''s expression turned serious as he cleared his throat.

    "It''s something I can''t reveal at the moment. Otherwise, it might jeopardize the n."

    Bia, who knew him inside out, swiftly moved to his shoulder and asked him with a skeptical expression.

    -''Hey... why do I get the feeling that you don''t have a solid n in mind right now? Don''t you dare tell me you just want to go with the flow?''

    Her doubts were confirmed when Kyle reached out to grab her beak to silence her so she wouldn''t tell anyone else.

    ''No way! Just what kind of person do you think I am, huh?''

    -''....''

    Just like that, a phoenix, trying to tell everyone around Kyle to prepare for another impending doom, was silenced by the man himself before she could utter a sound.

 Chapter 609 Get ready, everyone!

    Chapter 609 Get ready, everyone!

    At the same time, inside the diator Arena, Old Hal and the individuals in robes were observing the final round of battles happening within the towering walls.

    After enduring three long months, the top five thousand participants would atst be chosen to venture into the Lost Treasure Tomb from the numerous contenders.

    Old Hal watched the final battles with a serene smile, much like everyone seated behind him. Blissfully unaware, a group of individuals was plotting to enter the Lost Treasure Tomb right under their noses.

    The crowd roared in support of the victors, their thunderous cheers echoing through the grand arena, containing the thrill within its colossal walls. Numerous onlookers felt envious as they were unable to im a spot for themselves, yet that didn''t deter them from cheering on the winners.

    A grand projection descended from the sky, expanding in size to disy the final scores of the five thousand winners, guaranteeing the precision of the final result.

    However, as soon as the audience''s eyes fell on the floating projection, their smiles vanished. The individuals in robes floating around Old Hal also lost their smiles.

    The joyous atmosphere was somewhat dampened by the name that imed the top spot on the projection. It belonged to the very human who had only cleared the first two rounds of battles in the arena, yet he stayed securely at the top throughout, all thanks to the generous amount of extra points the Arena awarded him after the second round ended in his absence.

    Old Hal simply sighed; hecked the strength to alter the results of the diator Arena. The arena was designed that way. It autonomously assigned points to each participant based on their skills and demonstrated powers.

    Kyle received a massive 100 extra points, boosting his initial score of 10 to a total of 110 by the end of the first round. As the second round concluded, his total skyrocketed to 220.

    In each round, only 10 points were awarded to all winners, with an extra 10 points given to the top hundred contestants who showed outstanding skills.

    Even with the bonus points granted during the nine rounds of battles in the arena, the person in second ce only umted a total of 180 points overall.

    Old Hal signaled to Vexana and a few others to take down the floating projection showing the names, then proceeded to dere the top five thousand participants, except for the top name, naturally. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The individuals in robes swiftly called out the names and started gathering the five thousand winners in one spot. The impending opening of the Lost Treasure Tomb didn''t leave any room for dys.

    It didn''t take long for the five thousand winners to gather and stand proudly in the heart of the arena atop a massive tform that ascended from the ground once the numerous floating stages separated. Old Hal emerged before them with a gentle gaze and a subtle smile.

    The individuals in robes swiftly called out the names and started gathering the five thousand winners in one spot. The impending opening of the Lost Treasure Tomb didn''t leave any room for dys.

    It didn''t take long for the five thousand winners to gather and stand proudly in the heart of the arena atop a massive tform that ascended from the ground once the numerous floating stages separated. Old Hal emerged before them with a gentle gaze and a subtle smile.

    "I wholeheartedly congratte all of you gathered here. It''s an honor for this elder to witness such a multitude of talents... and I genuinely wish none of you encounter harm in the treacherous realm that lies ahead."

    He ended his speech with a parting advice, asking the five thousand winners to stay safe and make it back alive before shifting his focus to the sky above the Arena.

    The onlookers hushed as they beheld a subtle aura of spiritual energy materialize above the diator Arena, slowly blending and intensifying until it intertwined, forming a grand floating gate in the sky pulsating with profound divinity and spirituality. The colossal gate gleamed, radiating a feeling of power and enigma that saturated the atmosphere with a tangible energy.

    Whispers of awe spread among the spectators, the atmosphere crackled with anticipation, each heartbeat resonating the deep importance of the unfolding event. The most thrilled were the five thousand victors standing on the tform before Old Hal, who announced upon seeing the gate.

    "Get ready, everyone! The moment has finally arrived. The gate will open shortly and will close once the maximum capacity of entrants is reached. Vexana, prepare for the tform to move towards the gate. Ned, disperse the arena''s power to prevent unauthorized ess from those nearby. Only the winners are permitted to enter."

    Vexana and Ned nodded and, along with a few others, began their designated tasks. They were aware that certain individuals in the crowd below might try their luck and attempt to enter the tomb forcibly.

    Right away, the arena''s power surged, emitting a brilliant light that momentarily subdued the strength of all those watching from below, ensuring they wouldn''t cause any trouble. Old Hal nodded and watched as the tform, carrying the many winners, ascended towards the sky to position them in front of the Lost Treasure Tomb gate, which began to open from the center.

    The old man wasn''t concerned about outsiders forcing their way into the Tomb as the arena walls acted as an imprable barrier, preventing any unauthorized entry. He smiled as a loud creak echoed through the air, and the two halves of the gate swung outward, gradually unveiling an entrance.

    At that very moment, a figure of a silver-haired man briefly appeared among the audience seated in the numerous seats within the towering walls. But he vanished instantly after observing the scene in the sky at such a rapid pace that no one was able to witness his arrival.

    Kyle reappeared outside the arena where everyone was eagerly waiting for him. They all stood before different teleportation portals, filling the space around him, a blend of excitement and thrill evident in their expressions, ready to utilize their utmost agility for a single leap.

    With the tomb gate''s exact location already in his mind, Kyle skillfully traced a series of symbols in the air to connect the unfinished teleportation portals in front of everyone to a point just an inch from the gate. He nced at everyone before directing his gaze at Bia, sitting on Jian''s shoulder.

    "Jump right after getting the signal I will send to Bia through our bond! Old man, the portals are ready. I trust you got this!"

    Susan, the only one in the group who had some knowledge about symbols and arrays, nodded. He was the one assigned to activate the other end of the teleportation portals. Kyle disappeared once again, and the anticipation in the group grew.

 Chapter 610 You little something-!

    Chapter 610 You little something-!

    As the Tomb gate swung open, Old Hal''s smile froze when a portal materialized right above the tform, where the countless eager winners stood poised to enter the Lost Treasure Tomb under hismand. A familiar figure garbed in a sleek grey leather sweater emerged from the portal, sporting a sly smirk that sparked astonishment in the eyes of the onlookers.

    Kyle peered down at Old Hal and the individuals floating before the tomb gate. Naturally, he wasn''t conceited enough to believe that the portals he had crafted wouldn''t be obliterated by so many supreme ranks. He cleared his throat and shifted his focus to the imposing gate.

    "The tomb entrance has finally opened, and no one thought to invite me. How sad."

    He shook his head with a sorrowful expression and nced downward once more when he sensed a murderous aura aimed at him. It was Ned, floating beside Vexana, ring at him with fury in his eyes.

    "I believe I should at least be awarded a spot after killing a shadow general, right?"

    His booming voice echoed through the air, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he disappeared from his spot using instant teleportation to enter the tomb directly. However, as he anticipated, a strong aura surged from Old Hal''s body, and the instant his form reappeared before the gate, he was hurled backward through the air as a powerful force struck him.

    Old Hal nced at the numerous winners standing on the tform, shocked at Kyle''s sudden arrival, and his booming voice reverberated through the air.

    "All of you, start entering the tomb."

    As his words dissipated in the air, he swiftly vanished from his spot to reappear before Kyle, who had already bnced himself mid-air in the distance.

    Kyle rubbed his shoulder with a dramatic hiss; for some reason, the old man didn''t use his full power because the force that struck him was only at thete stage of transcendent rank. He could have easily overpowered it, but he chose not to. He wasn''t here to enter the tomb but to divert the attention of the formidable individuals capable of tearing the portals he had crafted. ncing at the myriad of people on the tform who had begun flying and entering the Tomb, he let out a sigh.

    "I''m just asking for a spot,e on, it''s not a big deal."

    He looked at Old Hal floating before him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ned, Vexana, and all the individuals in charge of the Arena gathering around him. At that moment, Old Hal gazed at him with a serious expression.

    "Unfortunately, we can''t. The winners have been chosen. You should go; we won''t harm you. Just consider it a favor owed to me."

    Kyle chuckled, slightly on edge as ten percent of the individuals on the tform had already entered the tomb. He needed to hurry, or it would be toote.

    "Old man, I never thought this is how you would treat the one who took down a shadow general. Don''t you think you should grant this humble one small request to avoid making an enemy out of me?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Ned sneered at his words and wanted to lunge at him to seek revenge but halted when Old Hal red at him. The old man shook his head at Kyle.

    "It doesn''t matter who you are. You were already eliminated from the arena. So, it''s impossible for me to grant your request. Leave, young man. Don''t force me."

    Kyle raised his eyebrow.

    "Oh, what would you do if I don''t leave? Believe me, I am definitely going to enter the tomb. No one can stop me."

    He vanished from his spot to enter the tomb once more, but once again, a powerful force flung his body backward. Old Hal appeared before him. His aged face showed a hint of reluctance because he didn''t want to harm the young man.

    "Remember; you force me to do this."

    Kyle smirked inwardly as the old man approached him to engage in a battle. It seems his n seeded.

    He vanished from his spot before the old man could grab him and reappeared above the elegant elven statue, standing proudly atop the towering walls. It was the farthest from the tomb gate.

    Vexana, Ned, and all the other powerful individuals followed the old man who went toward Kyle. But the instant they neared him, blue icy mes burst from Kyle''s body, enveloping everything around them with a speed that caught everyone off guard.

    Kyle shouted in his mind to Bia as the icy mes engulfed everything and everyone around him, obstructing their vision.

    ''Jump!''

    The instant his voice resonated in Bia''s mind, she yelled towards Susan.

    -"Now!"

    Susan wasted no time, activating the other ends of the numerous portals flickering in front of everyone and shouted.

    "It''s ready!"

    Without a moment''s hesitation, everyone jumped into the portals. Inside the arena, under the eyes of countless onlookers and the people entering the tomb, many portals materialized in the air, just an inch away from the tomb gate.

    Before anyone could understand what was happening, Nine, Alec, Carcel, Reguis, Sinon, Jian holding Bia, Lara, Mia, and Yue holding Nox, together with Yon, Susan, and Zron, appeared from the portals.

    Their figures went unseen by many bewildered onlookers as they entered the tomb smoothly because the portals materialized extremely close to the tomb gate. Only those in the transcendent and supreme ranks, who possessed powerful eyesight, were left in shock.

    Old Hal, who had dispersed all the icy mes around him, halted his actions, his eyes widening as he sensed what had urred behind him. He swiftly turned his head back towards the tomb, but it was already toote as the flickering portals disintegrated into particles.

    An angry expression flickered across his eyes as he unleashed his most powerful wind skill to disperse the icy mes. The air cleared instantly, and the sight of those hovering around the old man returned.

    "You little something-!"

    A curse escaped his lips as he shifted his gaze towards the spot above the elven statue where Kyle was meant to be standing, only to discover it empty.

 Chapter 611 Can I enter this tomb without using its entrance?

    Chapter 611 Can I enter this tomb without using its entrance?

    "Where did he go!? Find him! This time I am going to punish him with my own hands!"

    Ned, Vexana, and all those who had rarely seen Old Hal lose hisposure were surprised when a powerful aura emanated from his aged body. They swiftly started searching for the silver-haired human, intending not to further upset the old man. Suddenly, a loud and familiar taunting voice echoed from the audience below.

    "Well, if the old man doesn''t want to give me a spot, then I guess I shall take my leave. It''s fine even if I don''t enter the tomb. I should heed the words of the elder one."

    The folks near Kyle were startled by his voice. They quickly distanced themselves from the silver-haired man lounging atop a chair in the audience with a smirk. After all, theycked the strength to confront him at that moment, and nobody wanted to incur his wrath after witnessing his strength.

    Old Hal''s eyebrow started twitching violently at his words as he looked down at the human staring up at him.

    Unlike Ned and the others who swiftly dashed towards Kyle with lightning-fast speed to capture him, the old man remained firmly rooted in his ce.

    "You have got quite the nerve, don''t you, young one? But do you honestly believe I would fall for the same trick twice?"

    Kyle shook his head upon hearing the old man''s loud words. He vanished from his spot as Ned and the others closed in on him, only to reappear in the air a short distance away from the old man.

    "Of course, I am certain you won''t. You are far more powerful than me. However, I''m kind of curious, can I enter this tomb without using its entrance?"

    Old Hal''s pupils shook with disbelief as he grasped the meaning behind Kyle''s words. The human intended to enter the tomb using his teleportation skill. He knew this was doable as he had seen James using his teleportation skill multiple times to bypass the limitations of various restricted realms and forcefully enter inside.

    "Don''t!"

    He yelled and exerted his power to pause the human because Kyle''s body wasn''t yet strong enough to withstand the pain that breaking the rules of such a powerful ancient tomb would cause.

    The old man even lunged forward with all his might to seize the human body; after all, he didn''t want to lose such a powerful individual! But his blue pupils erged as blood trickled down the jaw of the human floating before him.

    Kyle''s eyes shed with a wild glint as he nced at the old man''s hands trying to seize his body. A sudden wave of pain pulsed through his body as he advanced in mid-air, and the space before him expanded to engulf his whole being in darkness, leaving only a faint remnant behind.

    Old Hal gazed at the vacant space before him for a few moments before closing his eyes and furrowing his brow.

    "Crazy fool... Just don''t die."

    He looked at the entrance of the old tomb and, without paying attention to the crowd below, quietly watched the people on the tform who showed no concern for Kyle and were determined to enter the tomb.

    He just wanted to make sure the silver-haired man wasn''t dead by seeing how many unfortunate folks, whose spots were taken by Kyle and his crew, couldn''t get into the tomb. After a few minutes, the tform in front of the tomb gate was nearly empty, except for thirteen individuals who were unable to enter as they were pushed back by the entrance.

    The thirteen unfortunate souls tried to force their way into the tomb and let out cries when the gate mmed shut before them. They stared at Old Hal, seeking answers for the injustice they had just faced. However, the old man paid them no heed, shifting his gaze to Vexana and the group assembled behind him.

    "Our task here is finished. Our presence is unnecessary until those who went into the tomb emerge. I believe there''s no need for us to linger here any longer."

    The crowd below bellowed, questioning how such powerful figures couldn''t even halt a few unruly individuals. The thirteenth unfortunate souls stared at the old man''s back with disbelief in their eyes.

    All the barriers encircling the arena shattered into particles, and the arena walls began to dissolve into the ground alongside everything within the towering walls. The audience, whose strength was suppressed by the power of the arena, was finally released, and they regained their power.

    Right away, the guardians and rtives of the thirteen unlucky individuals, shedding tears on the dissipating tform, moved to confront Old Hal for the unjust treatment their people endured. They had earned the tomb''s spot fairly but were denied entry! If this isn''t injustice, then what is??

    But before they could reach him, Old Hal and hispanions disappeared into a fissure that opened before them.

    Old Hal emerged from the fissure with Vexana and the rest onto a barren in, devoid of any greenery and littered with countless skeletons. He sighed and massaged his throbbing head.

    "At least he made it... I was certain he wouldn''t, but that insane fellow did. With Kyle and all hispanions, excluding the two beasts, the total number of spots they held within the tomb is 13... yet, how can that young man risk his life just to gain ess to an ancient tomb?"

    He sighed and looked at Ned, who hovered behind him.

    "Return quietly and offer some treasures to the guardians and families of those thirteen unlucky folks to pacify them. I truly wish to avoid any more chaos when I return to the Sacred Divine Land to see those who made it back from the tomb alive."

    Ned was taken aback and pointed at himself, looking bewildered.

    "Me?"

    Old Hal nodded with a frown.

    "Who else goes by Ned around here?"

    He waved his hand to dismiss him.

    "Off you go. I know it won''t be easy to calm the guardians and families of those thirteen unlucky folks, but take it as a punishment. You have really been a headache for me." N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Ned''s face fell, and he left the group with clenched teeth to go back to Sacred Divine Land. It was then that Old Hal retrieved the storage ring Nine had tossed at him.

    "These dark contracts... I must bring them to James. Elizabeth departed hastily, so I couldn''t inform her. I believe we will gain many allies by freeing those enved by the dark side."

    The group disappeared towards one of the many floating inds above the deste in, scattered with numerous skeletons.

 Chapter 612 So this is the lost treasure tomb...?

    Chapter 612 So this is the lost treasure tomb...?

    After using instant teleportation and entering the dark void, Kyle''s body passed through many solid invisible barriers. Despite the darkness surrounding him and the sharp, tingling pain coursing through his body, he pushed forward with sheer determination and managed to cross the threshold. Yet, he lost his bnce in mid-air when his body materialized inside the tomb.

    His attire was drenched in blood, yet a slight grin adorned his face as he realized his body was intact. However, his smile waned as he coughed and struggled to halt his descent. Peering through his eyes, he beheld the sky above, engulfed in darkness and veiled by ominous murky clouds.

    "So this is the lost treasure tomb...? Looks kinda eerie to me."

    This was hisst words as he chuckled and lost consciousness. His body plummeted like a stone, hurtling at breakneck speed before plunging into ake of crystal-clear water with a resounding ssh, startling the beautiful purple-winged creatures sitting near theke out of their wits.

    As he went into the water, the ripples spread out, distorting the reflections of the dimly lit torches hanging on the wooden structures and rocks around theke.

    The sudden ssh disturbed the peaceful atmosphere of the water. The faint light yed on the water''s surface, creating spooky shadows that appeared toe alive in the flickering torchlight. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "What was that? A beast?"

    A deep voice echoed in the air as a man, who appeared to be in his mid-twenties, hastily emerged from behind the many rocks encircling theke. He scanned the surroundings with narrowed eyes and settled on a rock, his brows furrowed.

    "No chance I misheard, I''m positive I heard a big ssh in the water."

    He inserted his pinky finger into his ear for a quick clean but halted abruptly, his soul nearly escaping his body as he locked eyes with the glowing green eyes shimmering within theke before him. Quietly, the man reached for the heavy sword hanging on his back, a weapon with a lengthy sharp edge and a curved de, ready to face the possessor of the eyes in the water.

    However, before he could even grab it, the glowing eyes in the water disappeared.

    "Huh?"

    The man was about to dive into the water to check what was there since this ce was his, but he stopped when he saw a pair of floating shoes that popped up out of nowhere. He lifted his head slowly to see who the shoes belonged to, and his mouth dropped open when he saw an ethereal, striking figure floating in front of him. His eyes shed with a glint, but he abruptly shut down his senses when he felt a powerful threat aimed at his life.

    The man was about to dive into the water to check what was there since this ce was his, but he stopped when he saw a pair of floating shoes that popped up out of nowhere. He lifted his head slowly to see who the shoes belonged to, and his mouth dropped open when he saw an ethereal, striking figure floating in front of him. His eyes shed with a glint, but he abruptly shut down his senses when he felt a powerful threat aimed at his life.

    Kyle blinked, and the water dripping from his clothes evaporated. He had employed instant teleportation to exit the water as he noticed someone... quite strong. He gazed at the man in front of him, exuding a powerful aura of supreme rank.

    "Who are you? I am sure you are not one of the people who just entered this tomb."

    With maroon-gray eyes, golden scales adorning his exposed skin in a blue outfit, and horns on his head, the man closed his gaping mouth and, instead of answering Kyle, eximed with pure joy in his voice.

    "Oh my gosh!! Could it be that a hundred years have passed, and once again this tomb is open to the outsiders!?"

    He leaped in the air, aiming to grab Kyle''s shoulders with sparkling eyes, but his hands grasped nothing but empty air.

    Kyle reappeared in the distance with a frown. He had a vague idea of why this man was here from thetter''s earlier words but wanted confirmation.

    "Who are you?"

    The man''s maroon-gray eyes showed sadness as he lowered his empty hand. He just wanted to feel the warmth of another living being. For over a century, he had been trapped in this tomb, fending off countless undead creatures.

    "I''m Asher. A half-dragon and half-human. I entered the tomb a hundred years ago after earning a spot in the diator Arena, but I became trapped in an ancient structure when it was time to leave and couldn''t exit in time... Now that I see you, I know that finally, after all this time, the tomb has reopened, and I can leave!"

    Asherughed and raised his fist towards the sky with shining eyes.

    "Now nothing can hinder me from going back to the outside world! My family and friends... I wonder if they even remember me? Well, I don''t remember, so they might have forgotten as well. I was just one of the many sons of a wealthy family, striving to prove my worth by bing stronger."

    He kept rambling on, sharing all the pain and loneliness he had faced in the tomb. But Kyle, the one listening, didn''t seem the least bit interested. Kyle turned around and left, and only then did Asher notice the empty space before him.

    "Wait? Where did the human go!?"

    Asher whipped his head around to face the beautiful purple-winged creatures, perched quietly by theke, observing him.

    "Number. 1, 2, 3, which way did the human go? It''s nighttime, the hour when the undead beings awaken. He will die if he doesn''t find shelter! I need to locate him! I can''t allow the first human I have seen in so many years to die so easily!"

    The winged creatures with round, smooth bodies simply gestured their wings to the left without a word. They were purple earthlings, one of the many monsters Asher had conquered in this tomb. He nodded and quickly followed behind the human.

    However, nobody could describe his surprise when, after only a minute, he saw the silver-haired human dashing back toward theke with a dark creature made entirely of bones and dead flesh, trailing behind him with lightning-fast speed.

    Kyle cursed and leaped in mid-air to avoid the bony club aimed at him by the hideous creature that had suddenly risen from the ground when he used his scent perception skill and sensed a treasure beneath the dry ground, only to be confronted by a pair of glowing white eyes beneath the earth he tore apart using a spell.

 Chapter 613 What about you, human?

    Chapter 613 What about you, human?

    Asher detected the rank of the creature trailing Kyle and, upon recognizing it was merely at thete stage of transcendent rank, he breathed a sigh of relief. Being only at the middle stage of the supreme rank, he needed to steer clear of all the undead who were more powerful than him.

    Nheless, he wondered how the heck the human stumbled upon such a powerful undead in this area, especially after he had recently cleaned this ce. Swiftly moving towards Kyle, who recoiled from the undead with a look of disgust, Asher whispered.

    "Hey, I introduced myself, and you bolted. That''s kind of rude. How about you share your name too? I can sense you''re only at the divine rank, not quite ready to take this thing down. Introduce yourself, and I''ll lend a hand. Sounds like a fair deal, doesn''t it?"

    He grinned with a hint of anticipation, but the human''s words didn''t quite align with what he had hoped for. Instead of saying, Yeah, let''s be friends, help me out, Kyle mumbled to himself.

    "I don''t have gloves. Ugh, I really don''t want to touch this thing; its body is emitting such a foul smell but well..."

    Kyle had lost nearly all of his divine and spiritual energy when he forcefully entered the tomb after breaking its restrictions. Flying and using instant teleportation a few times was the most he could manage at the moment. Knowing this, he understood he had to rely on his fists for now. He grabbed a shirt from his mind-space, tore it swiftly, and wrapped the fabric around his hands so fast it left Asher a bit stunned.

    Then, under the man''s gaze, he advanced towards the undead, nearly three times his size, with all his agility. After dodging its weapon, hended multiple punches on the undead''s chest. Instantly, a pained howl burst from the undead''s lips, and its white eyes dimmed as cracks spread across its bones, shaping its ribcage.

    Kyle stepped back as the undead began swinging its weapons wildly, causing destruction all around due to its immense power. As he ascended into the air, ready to attack the undead again, his gaze fell upon numerous simr undead emerging from the distance, the exact location where he had previously disturbed the earth after sensing a treasure buried beneath.

    "What the actual hell...?"

    He blinked and used thest bit of energy in his body to vanish from his spot, dodging entanglement with them all. A few transcendent ranks were okay, but with no divine and spiritual energy, it was better for him not to push too hard and avoid tangling with so many transcendent rank undead. Especially since he had no idea what other obstaclesy ahead in this ce.

    Asher, who had been silently observing Kyle all this time, was somewhat surprised to witness how the human could engage a transcendent rank and inflict damage with his bare fist despite being only a divine rank. He blinked as the one he was monitoring vanished.

    "Why did he leave? The undead is almost finished... just a few more punches would be enough to end it-!"

    His words abruptly stopped as his senses caught onto the numerous powerful undead moving toward his location.

    "Oh... I know why he disappeared!"

    He shouted and quickly fled in another direction, away from theke. The undead Kyle had attacked and injured followed behind him, with many others. But how could they catch a supreme rank?

    Asher easily led them far away from theke and, after making sure they wouldn''t find their way back, he vanished from their view to return to theke. He sat atop a rock, gently caressing the body of a winged creature to soothe his excited heart.

    "I am surprised to see the outsiders have be so strong. A divine rank beating a transcendent rank with just fists? This generation seems pretty powerful. I am just hoping that the tomb exit opens up soon so I can get out of here. I know I will, but I am getting all worked up just thinking about finally leaving this ce!"

    He peered towards the far end of theke, where a wooden pir stood with a light.

    "What about you, human?"

    After receiving no reply, he approached the pir with a wide grin.

    "I already sensed your presence. Why hide, huh? Come out. Let''s converse. It''s been a long time since I have spoken to someone other than monsters." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Kyle didn''t budge from his spot. He never meant to hide and knew Asher could sense him given thetter''s superior strength.

    He sat cross-legged behind the pir to absorb divine and spiritual energy from the air. Prior to using instant teleportation, he had employed his scent perception skill and observed that every direction around him was filled with powerful undead.

    Only the vicinity near theke seemed rtively clear. Mentally calling out Bia''s name, he paid little attention to the man who had slowly crept beside him, engaging in ceaseless chatter, as Kyle sensed no imminent threat from him.

    ''Bia?''

    An immediate response came.

    -''Yes, I can hear you. I''m with Jian. We sessfully entered the tomb with the rest. I''m not sure where the others are, but I can sense you''re quite far from my location. I wille to find you.''

    Kyle stopped her froming to find him. It was better for her not to move when the sky above was nearly pitch ck.

    ''This ce is filled with undead. Did you and Jian encounter any? If yes, don''t wander around and find a cave or a hidden spot nearby to hide until morning. Then you can head in my direction.''

    His brows furrowed as silence fell momentarily. Moreover, he detected a touch of hesitation in Bia''s emotions.

    ''Are you and Jian truly okay?''

    He rose abruptly, surprising Asher seated beside him. However, before he could leave towards the location where he could sense Bia, her voice resonated in his mind.

    -''We are okay. No need to worry. But I wille find you as soon as daylight breaks!''

 Chapter 614 A massive white creature resembling a spirit

    Chapter 614 A massive white creature resembling a spirit

    Kyle''s eyes reflected suspicion when he heard her words, but he chose to trust Bia''s words and settled back down, closing his eyes to resume absorbing the divine and spiritual energy into his body. Asher narrowed his eyes at him.

    "Human, are you talking with someone through a mind link?"

    Unfortunately, he received no response. Asher moved back, annoyance evident in his eyes. He felt like he was talking to a wall. Then, a smirk crept across his face as he decided to use his trump card.

    ''Let''s see how long you can keep quiet!''

    He didn''t hold much hope for the human to speak, given his strength, but he cleared his throat to give it a shot.

    "Hey, I know nearly everything about this tomb, including where treasures can be found. It''s like my second home. You are lucky to run into me right as you entered the tomb. Wouldn''t it be clever to team up rather than keeping mum?"

    Kyle opened his eyes and gazed at the half-dragon sitting across from him. Without hesitation, he assessed the pros and cons of having a supreme-rank ally who possessed extensive knowledge about the tomb. The benefits outweighed the drawbacks since he could escape using instant teleportation if needed.

    "Nice to meet you, Asher. I''m Kyle. I hope you could share the knowledge you possess with me."

    Asher''s eyebrow twitched as the human regarded him with a solemn expression, as if he was on the brink of making the most significant decision of his life.

    "You-!"

    He let out a sigh, and a look of understanding crossed his face.

    "Just forget it. I can''t expect much from someone who seems to detest the presence of others. I bet you don''t have any friends or allies. You are somewhat like my former self, always alone, with only one goal in mind: to grow stronger."

    Kyle didn''t bother to clear up the misunderstanding about not having any friends as Asher gave him a sorrowful nce. He continued to absorb the divine and spiritual energy from the air. In that instant, Asher brightened with a smirk.

    "Kyle, a nice name. Now that we have be acquainted, I should give you a gift. How about helping you reach the transcendent rank? I can sense you have reached thest stage of the divine rank. There''s a powerful tform nearby that can help you ascend to the transcendent rank as long as you are at the pinnacle of the divine rank. Would you like to use it?"

    Immediately, an intrigued expression appeared on Kyle''s face. A tform that can help him reach the transcendent rank? He had indeed gathered enough divine energy to reach the pinnacle of the divine rank while awaiting the tomb to open.

    ''It seems my decision to keep this half-dragon around wasn''t so bad after all.''

    Noticing Kyle''s interest, Asher''s smirk grew wider. Despite many years passing since hisst interaction with a human, he knew that everyone values treasures, especially those that can boost their strength!

    "So...?"

    Kyle stretched his neck. He was slightly irritated by the faint scent of blood on his body from all he had endured, but he would address itter.

    "What are you waiting for? Lead the way. I hope you know a secure route to reach the tform. I would prefer to avoid any conflicts with the undead."

    Asher chuckled, a glint of pride shining in his eyes as he casually rubbed his nose.

    "Well, I''ve pretty much cracked every secret of this tomb. I mean, I''ve spent a century all alone in here, just wandering about."

    He began floating, and upon noticing Kyle trailing behind him, he rapidly extended his senses in all directions.

    Kyle noticed the subtle energy emanating from his body but chose to remain silent. It seems that despite Asher''s vast knowledge of the tomb, the mancked the confidence to face the undead emerging from the ground to roam thend at night. Well, he couldn''t really me the half-dragon for that, as he himself had sensed arge number of undead surrounding them using his scent perception skill. Otherwise, why would he linger around theke?

    Asher''s expression turned solemn as they left the area near theke and stepped into the dark, deste terrain scattered with rocky structures. Kyle observed the man growing quiet and extending his scent perception skill to ensure they evaded any monsters and undead in the vicinity.

    Unlike Kyle, who remained quiet, Asher promptly spoke up upon detecting the faint energy emanating from Kyle''s body.

    "You possess a strong detection skill; I noticed it before as well, and I must say your skill truly surpasses my supreme senses. Hopefully, with you here, we won''t run into a horde of undead."

    Kyle arched his brow.

    "A horde?"

    He attempted to pat Kyle''s shoulder but tutted when the human recoiled as if burnt.

    "That''s quitemon around here."

    Asher paused, mischief glinting in his eyes as he looked at Kyle.

    "Do you want to witness something amazing?"

    Without waiting for Kyle''s response, he strode off in another direction, and with furrowed brows, Kyle trailed after him.

    After some time, the two of them found cover behind a massive rock above a slightly raised terrain.

    Asher grinned when he saw Kyle''s calm expression shift to solemn as they secretly watched a horde of undead howling in the vicinity. More than half of the undead held the supreme rank, while the rest were at the transcendent rank, all moving around with huge bony weapons in their hands. Asher tapped the rock and looked at Kyle.

    "What do you think? If they spot us, we are both goners, haha."

    All of a sudden, he let out a sigh.

    "Actually, it wasn''t like this a hundred years ago when I entered the tomb; it was very unusual toe across a being above the transcendent rank here. But for some reason, the spiritual energy in this ce began to surge rapidly when a massive white creature resembling a spirit showed up about fifty years ago. That''s why the undead have be so strong."

    Kyle''s eyes were locked onto the undead when he heard Asher mention a massive white creature resembling a spirit. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    His pupils shook, and only one thought crossed his mind �C that Asher was talking about a Celestial spirit. The very same Celestial spirit he had seen in the No Mana Land, the one Aze desired. After all, only Celestial spirits hold such immense spiritual energy within them.

    "You saw it, right? The massive white creature. Do you know where it is?"

    Kyle''s voice sounded vastly different from usual. It carried a touch of anger and even a hint of darkness. His hand, which was on the ground, clenched tightly around the sand he grabbed, enough to disperse the sand into mere particles. But Asher didn''t seem noticed and let out a sigh.

    "I only caught a glimpse of the massive creature once when it showed up in the sky and caused amotion by releasing a ton of spiritual energy. After that, it just disappeared into thin air."

 Chapter 615 You got something they lack

    Chapter 615 You got something theyck

    Kyle closed his eyes for a moment. Suddenly, he remembered his conversation with Bia. She sounded a bit hesitant, and now, seeing so many undead, a sense of foreboding crept over him.

    Without a word, he disappeared from his spot, reappearing in the sky. He needed to locate both Bia and Yue. But they were both in different directions, so he headed towards the nearest one first.

    Asher, who was taken aback by the sudden emptiness beside him, blinked. He turned his head back and noticed the human''s figure floating in the distance.

    "Where are you going!? Wait for me!"

    He eximed suddenly, then quickly covered his mouth with his hands, wide-eyed. The howling undead nearby fell eerily silent upon hearing his loud voice.

    "Oh no... Looks like I messed up..."

    He really did, as when he jumped out from behind the rock where he was hiding, a heavy bony whip crashed onto the rock, shattering it into countless pieces.

    "No no no!!! Don''t chase me!"

    He dashed through the air because, unlike Kyle, who vanished to a far-off ce using his teleportation skill upon realizing the blunder he made, he didn''t have any teleportation skills!

    "You traitor! I thought we were buddies!! How could you abandon me??"

    Asher cursed and his pupils dted as he witnessed a multitude of weapons hurtling towards him! The undead even utilized their abilities to summon numerous fire, ice, and earth attacks in the air, all aimed at ending him! He chuckled through the tears, threatening to spill from his eyes.

    "It seems I have encountered my first betrayal in friendship in this life. But does he really believe I would sumb to just a bunch of bones??? No way, I will flee and return stronger than ever-!"

    His words were abruptly interrupted by a familiar voice echoing behind him.

    "Shut up!"

    Asher''s eyes lit up. He knew deep down Kyle wouldn''t betray him! Even though he could have gotten away from this ce and the undead without a scratch, it would have been devastating for him if his first friend after all these years had ditched him.

    However, before he could express his joy and gratitude, a hand emerged from the portal that had appeared behind him and grabbed his cor, pulling him inside.

    Kyle tossed the man he had just grabbed aside with a click of his tongue.

    "How the hell can you make such a big mistake? Even after living in thisnd for so many years, you have no brains."

    Asher bnced himself in mid-air and scratched his head with an embarrassed smile. He was obviously the older one, but he had been behaving so childishly all along. But who can me him? He was just too excited after meeting a human.

    "Don''t worry. I have collected many life-saving treasures from thisnd. So, even if I am surrounded by hundreds of supreme ranks, I can save myself. But I am d you are worried about my safety." N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Kyle''s lips twitched violently. He wanted to ask the man, if he had life-saving treasures, why was he bawling and using him of betraying? But instead, he took a deep breath to steady himself.

    He spun around and swiftly made his way to where he sensed Bia. Yue was quite a distance away from him. Asher noticed him leaving and promptly trailed behind. Flying through the air at high speed, Kyle detected numerous individuals who had entered the Lost Treasure Tomb below, battling the undead. He nced at Asher from the corner of his eye.

    "I''m curious, why are you tailing me? We have already passed by many humans and individuals of other races."

    Asher smiled softly, but the next words that escaped his lips were something Kyle never expected to hear.

    "Of course, it''s because we are already friends, and, also... you have got something intriguing in your body that theyck."

    Kyle paused in his ce, a smile appeared on his lips, though his eyescked warmth. He reached for his weapon, and his sword appeared in his hand.

    Asher nced at the golden sword and clicked his tongue with a sigh. His face grew serious.

    "I already told you we are friends. If I was some greedy person trying to attack you just to get the powerful thing inside you, I would have done it by now. So, put the weapon away. I promise on my soul, I won''t tell anyone about it or harm you. If I do, may my strength never grow."

    He scratched his chin with a mix of embarrassment and curiosity.

    "I never intended to pry, but it happened identally due to a skill I possess. I''m really intrigued though, what''s that thing? It''s got some serious power, but honestly, I don''t know what it is as I have nevere across anything like it before."

    Kyle didn''t stow his sword back into his mind space. Instead, he fastened it to his waist with a cold expression.

    "It''s best for you not to uncover what''s hidden. Otherwise, it won''t end well for you."

    Asher raised his brow at his words. He truly didn''t aim to harm Kyle. The instant he felt the peculiar power within the human''s body, he sensed a danger that clearly warned him he would face death if he even dared to touch the power within Kyle''s body.

    That''s why when he first saw Kyle, his mouth was left hanging open because he had never sensed such a potent threat to his life before, not even when he was chased around by countless undead.

    "Alright, alright, I hear you... I''m not trying to snoop around. I was just a tad curious. But seriously, where are we headed? Come on, give me a hint at least."

    Kyle shot him a look and kept flying towards the west. He extended his scent perception skill even farther, but oddly, its range was getting disrupted and restricted whenever it encountered a creature of supreme rank.

    "You don''t need to tail me. I''m just searching someone I know."

 Chapter 616 I cant believe we survived that...

    Chapter 616 I can''t believe we survived that...

    Inside a dark cave, Jian struggled for breath, his muscles aching as he heaved several massive rocks to seal the cave entrance. Beads of sweat rolled down his face,bining with the dust.

    The air was heavy with a musty, earthy scent, heightening the sense of foreboding in the oppressive atmosphere.

    He slumped to the ground and wiped his forehead with his sleeve, trying his best to calm his irregr breathing.

    It hasn''t even been an entire day since he entered the tomb with the others, but he already felt like he would die any second.

    Bia was lying sprawled on the ground behind him, also gasping for breath in her huge phoenix form, somewhat dirtied by dust from the life-and-death situation she had just crossed. Jian''s voice echoed in the air as he nced at the phoenix.

    "Bia... what did you tell Kyle?"

    Jian knew Kyle had reached out to the phoenix a while back when he and the phoenix were surrounded by a horde of undead. Bia sneered.

    -"What else? I told him we arepletely fine. He always lies; I learned from him. He can''t me me."

    Jian chuckled at her words. The brief peaceful moment the duo shared didn''tst long as the cave violently shook. Dust and debris scattered on their bodies, and in the next moment, Jian and Bia swiftly jumped from their positions to cling to the walls. As they did, a massive bony hand tore through the cave ceiling and entered inside.

    The hand''s fingers prowled the cave, seeking the human and bird concealed within as the duo held their breath, blending into the darkness to remain unseen. After a moment of probing, the hand retreated, eliciting sighs of relief from Bia and Jian.

    The duo was actually doing pretty well when they got surrounded by a swarm of undead right after theynded in the tomb. But then, everything took a turn when a massive undead, towering twice the size of a building, rose from the ground.

    Suddenly, a big white eye peered into the cave from the hole in the ceiling, instantly lighting up the area inside. Jian cursed and leapt swiftly towards the phoenix.

    "Bia! Fly! Or we are dead!"

    Bia spread out her massive wings and grabbed his body before swiftly soaring toward the gap in the ceiling. The eye staring at them moved back when golden mes erupted from the phoenix''s body, burning everything in the surroundings. Jian shielded himself from the mes and held onto Bia''s leg as she sessfully flew out of the cave, before flying in the opposite direction from the colossal creature.

    Jian''s breath caught in his throat as he once again beheld the monstrous being before him. Its skeletal structure loomed ominously, draped in dead flesh,bined with a pair of glowing white eyes. In the center of the skeleton''s chest hung a round te engraved with a dim symbol.

    "I can''t believe we survived that..."

    The undead''s eyes shifted, locking onto the fleeing phoenix, and in an instant, its hand was already reaching towards the duo. Bia and Jian were ready to use all their energy reserves to push the hand back. It was this moment, Kyle arrived in the sky. His eyes narrowed when he witnessed the scene.

    Asher halted in the air as the human did, gasping dramatically and attempting to reach out to Kyle for support, as they had been moving at a speed he rarely used. But before his hand could touch Kyle, the human vanished from his spot.

    "What now!?"

    His eyes immediately caught sight of the massive undead standing beneath him, and they widened with surprise.

    "An undead king? How? They onlye out from the ground once or twice a month. It''s been a year since I''ve seen one of them!"

    No one could describe his shock when he saw Kyle''s figure materialize before the massive bony creature.

    "No!! I have to stop him! These types of undead have consciousness! They can think and protect themselves!"

    He quickly followed Kyle, but it was already toote. Under his watchful eyes, dazzling blue mes burst from Kyle''s body as the human acted swiftly to position himself between the undead hand and the fire phoenix soaring in the air.

    Kyle''s eyes zed with fury as he enveloped his fist in blue mes. Ice crystallized in the air around him as he moved forward and struck the colossal hand. A resounding tremor reverberated through the surroundings as his fist met the unyielding bones with a deafening impact. The undead staggered back, its white eyes shing with a hint of surprise.

    Jian''s eyes widened at the sight, and the red-haired man quickly left Bia''s side before flying towards the silver-haired man.

    "Kyle!"

    Bia tilted her head back at the noise and, upon seeing Kyle, she also moved towards him with relief in her eyes. She should have told him about the situation right away! Lying was really not a good idea at all!

    Kyle''s eyes were fixed on his fist. He nced at the undead and then back at his fist,pletely ignoring the voices echoing in his ears. He couldn''t believe it... the bunch of bones didn''t even crack when he used more than 80 percent of his strength. This very strength was sufficient to kill a transcendent rank.

    A thought shed through his mind. This ce was dangerous, yet both Bia and Jian were taken aback when they noticed pure excitement and thrill gleaming in his eyes. Bia transformed back into her small form and mmed her body into his shoulder when she saw the undead attacking again.

    -"Dodge!!"

    Jian whispered numerous spells under his breath at a speed no one could catch before several earth walls emerged before the trio to stop the undead, which had swung the bony chain hanging on its waist toward them. In an instant, all the walls shattered, but before the attack could reach them, a massive portal materialized before them to engulf the aimed attack.

    Jian nearly lost his bnce in mid-air, his heart pounding thunderously.

    "Thought we were goners for a sec..."N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 617 Next time, dont lie to me

    Chapter 617 Next time, don''t lie to me

    Asher, who had seen everything from beginning to end, was at a loss for words. His mind raced, pondering just how powerful Kyle was.

    The human just rocked the bnce of an undead king with a single punch! Not just any undead, but an undead king! A creature with the power of peak supreme rank and the ability tomand all weaker undead!

    He knew the undead body was merely bones and lifeless flesh, far inferior to a true supreme rank entity. But for the world''s sake, Kyle was only at the divine rank! How the hell did he manage to pull off such an extraordinary feat?

    If only Asher knew that the human was dissatisfied with what he had achieved, he might have been tempted to pull his hair out in frustration.

    Kyle looked over at the phoenix and Jian, who were struggling to catch their breath. Their exhausted state indicated they had been battling the undead since their arrival in the tomb. He swiftly sketched a series of symbols in the air, creating another portal, and pushed both Jian and Bia inside.

    The duo cried out in surprise, but their voices faded as the portal in front of Kyle dissipated into nothingness.

    He quickly used instant teleportation and disappeard just as the undeadunched another attack, this time from a different direction to avoid the massive portal that had previously interrupted its assault.

    Kyle reappeared before Asher, who was watching the scene with twinkling eyes. The half-dragon was taken aback as the human seized his cor and stepped into another portal that appeared before them.

    Asher cursed as Kyle flung him aside upon emerging from the portal, which vanished behind them. The half-dragon steadied himself in mid-air and clicked his tongue.

    "Why so rough? Couldn''t you have just asked me to step through the portal instead of grabbing me like a rag?"

    He grumbled, taking in the familiar surroundings. The crystal-clearke and the beautiful purple-winged creatures perched on the rocks encircling it. It was the exact spot where he first encountered Kyle.

    Bia and Jian were there too, hovering above the calmke. When they spotted Kyle, their worried eyes brightened with relief, and they hurried over to him. Jian let out a sigh as he watched Bianding on Kyle''s shoulder.

    "You never fail to worry us! Why send only us through the teleportation portal? You should havee with us!"

    He blinked when Kyle''s eyes narrowed sharply, and the silver-haired man swiftly plucked the phoenix off his shoulder with two fingers. A stern expression appeared on Kyle''s face as he locked eyes with Bia.

    "I''m certain, Bia, you told me that you both are doing great. So, what was that I just witnessed, huh? When did you pick up lying, Bia? I don''t recall teaching you that."

    The crimson bird averted her gaze with a guilty expression. It was true that she lied, so she couldn''t say anything in response to Kyle. Jian also fell eerily quiet; just like Bia, he could feel Kyle was angry at them.

    Asher observed the unfolding drama from the sidelines with keen interest. It''s been a hundred years since he enjoyed such a good show, after all.

    Kyle closed his eyes for a second and let out a sigh before ncing at the phoenix with a soft expression.

    "Next time, don''t lie to me. I''m not scolding you. You know it''s risky. What if I hadn''t shown up? What could have happened to you and Jian?"

    Bia agreed but also expressed her frustration after he was done.

    -"Ugh... I know. But you always do this! You lie whenever you are in danger! You should act the same way!"

    Jian nodded in agreement, recalling the time when the silver-haired man prevented Bia from locating him a few years back and faced whatever danger he was in alone! The duo knew they weren''t as strong as him but they wanted to lend him a hand whenever he was facing danger! Yet, he consistently chose to handle everything alone!

    Kyle''s lips curved into a faint genuine smile as he gazed at the phoenix in his hand, then shifted his gaze to the red-haired man. He could clearly see the worry and care they held for him in their eyes.

    "Well, that''s in the past. I wouldn''t do that again unless it''s extremely dangerous."

    Bia wanted to argue, but Kyle snapped his fingers, and water materialized around the phoenix''s body to cleanse her of all the dust and sweat clinging to her.

    She grumbled at the cold water but stayed in his hand as he ced her back on his shoulder once she was clean and dry.

    As the tension eased, Jian finally pointed at Asher, who had been staring at them with a wide, unpleasant grin.

    "Who''s that now? He''s really getting on my nerves, especially with that smile."

    The smile on Asher''s face disappeared after hearing his words. He abruptly closed in toward Jian, startling the soul out of the man''s body before grabbing the red-haired man''s hand to introduce himself.

    "Hey, I''m Asher, a half-dragon and Kyle''s friend. Nice to meet you. What about you?" N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Jian''s eyes flickered with surprise. He was not able to sense Asher''s strength, and now, seeing him move so swiftly, he could barely react. He knew Asher was at least at thete stage of the transcendent rank!

    "Ah... my name is Jian."

    He introduced himself but nced at Kyle for confirmation if this person was truly his friend, and after receiving a nod from the silver-haired man, he shook Asher''s hand, grabbing onto him.

    Jian blinked with bewilderment when Asher''s eyes welled up, and the man''s grip on his hand tightened impossibly.

    "You are warm..."

    Jian snapped his hand away from the half-dragon grip and moved back in mid-air.

    "What the hell!?"

    Asher paused, taking a deep breath as he fixed his gaze on Jian with eyes filled with gratitude and embarrassment.

    "Sorry, I be somewhat emotional because it''s been a hundred years since Ist touched another soul."

 Chapter 618 Where did my prey disappear to?

    Chapter 618 Where did my prey disappear to?

    Jian nced at Kyle with a confused expression, trying to understand what was going on with the half-dragon before him. But the silver-haired man ced Bia on his shoulder and quickly formed a portal.

    "Just ask Asher; he will tell you what you want to know. I''m heading out to find Yue. This tomb is extremely dangerous, but this ce seems safer than the rest, and I''m confident Asher knows many other secure locations. So, stay put until morning. I will return swiftly after ensuring Yue''s safety."

    Hearing his words, Bia wanted to follow him, but since she had depleted almost all her divine energy fighting the undead and needed time to recover, Kyle suggested it was best for her to stay with Jian.

    Bia gave a grumpy nod, and the trio observed as the silver-haired man entered the portal. Just before Kyle vanished, Asher heard his voice resonate in his mind.

    ''Don''t you dare pull any tricks while I''m away. I will be keeping tabs on everything through Bia. I''m not asking you two to protect them. They can protect themselves. Just let them stay here until Ie back.''

    Asher''s eyes widened at his words.

    ''Huh? But I''m going to follow you! Wait, wait-!''

    He leaped toward the portal, but it disappeared into particles under his stunned gaze. It took the half-dragon a few seconds to regain himself and nce at Bia and Jian, who were staring at him with cautious expressions. He sat down atop a rock with a sigh, grabbed a winged creature in his arms, patted the ce next to him with a smile, and called Jian. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Come sit. Tell me what do you want to know? I enjoy chatting, you know, and I have loads of stories to share. How about we sit down and talk over some food?"

    Bia narrowed her eyes.

    -"Food here? Your words are very fishy, half-dragon."

    Jian''s eyebrow twitched at her words. The phoenix seemed more interested in food. Floating away from Asher, he settled on a rock far from the half-dragon.

    "Alright, spill it. How did you be friends with Kyle so fast? We barely set foot in the tomb... Don''t tell me you''re trying to take advantage of him after seeing his strength in the diator Arena!"

    Asher shook his head with a mncholic expression and gazed at the sky.

    "What are you talking about? Taking advantage of someone is not something I need at this stage. After all, my mind space is filled with countless treasures I have collected in the past hundred years. As for what happened in the diator Arena, how would I know about it when I haven''t even seen the outside world for so long?"

    Jian''s eyes widened as he grasped the meaning behind Asher''s words. Bia tooprehended the situation.

    The duo had their doubts when the half-dragon mentioned that he hadn''t touched anyone for a century. But now their suspicions have been proven true! Asher had been in the tomb for a hundred years! This implies he entered the tomb with the previous group of winners from the diator Arena!

    However, the lingering question is: why is he still within the tomb? Shouldn''t he have left when the tomb exit opened?

    Seeing Jian and Bia''s shocked expressions, a grin spread across Asher''s face. This was precisely the reaction he had hoped to see when he revealed his identity!

    ''Their reaction is a lot better than someone who only gave me a faint, almost invisible frown after learning I have spent a hundred years in the tomb!''

    He was talking about Kyle. The human response somewhat left him dissatisfied. Asher cleared his throat and donned a somber expression.

    "I know everything about this tomb. You don''t have to worry about me; Kyle''s my friend, so I won''t hurt anyone he knows. But I''m quite curious how that iceberg managed to make friends. I thought he would be a loner like me, given his personality."

    Jian and Bia exchanged astonished looks. They were amazed that Kyle hade across this half-dragon right after entering the tomb! The duo silently decided to gather all the information from Asher since they were stuck with him until morning and began questioning the man, who was more than willing to chat with them.

    ....

    After parting ways with the trio, Kyle returned to the exact spot where he had found Jian and Bia. He looked at the vacant space in front of him with a frown.

    "Where did my prey disappear to? I left for a minute, and it slipped away?"

    The undead creature, which he couldn''t defeat with his strength, had vanished. He hade back expressly to shatter it into multiple pieces, but it appeared he was a tad toote. He clicked his tongue with a cold expression and vanished toward the ce where he could sense Yue.

    Just a minuteter, he stopped before a narrow entrance that led to an underground tunnel, concealed among scattered bones. His gaze darkened as he detected the scent of fresh blood in the air.

    Entering the narrow passage, his eyes nearly turned crimson as he felt Yue''s vivid presence just a short distance away. Kyle clenched his fists and hastened his steps, his heart leaping into his throat.

    He had heard many screams and seen numerous fights on his way, but he didn''t bother to nce at the fighters as their scents were unfamiliar. However, if anything happened to Yue, he swore he wouldpletely destroy this tomb!

    Relief lit up his eyes, and his tense body eased as he reached the end of the tunnel and spotted Yue seated, leaning against a wall. Nox sat beside her in silence.

    Kyle didn''t even hesitate for a second and scanned her entire body, only to notice that her leg was injured. He moved forward, and the soft noise he made caught the attention of both Yue and Nox. The elven woman grabbed the weapon beside her and inquired with amanding voice.

    "Who is it?"

 Chapter 619 Perhaps a different race?

    Chapter 619 Perhaps a different race?

    The tunnel was cloaked in darkness, mirroring the night sky outside. Yue refrained from igniting a fire in the underground space out of fear that the light might trigger more undead to rise from the ground. Regardless, being a divine-rank, she could see everything in her surroundings clearly even amidst the darkness.

    She signaled to Nox to prepare to confront the intruder who had entered the tunnel as she tightened her grip on her bow. The duo had both used up their divine energy while defending themselves from the undead that surrounded them upon entering the tomb, but they still had some spiritual energy left in their bodies. So, they were confident they could defeat whoever entered the tunnel.

    Yue sighed with relief and lowered her weapon when she sensed a familiar presence stepping toward her.

    "It''s you..."

    Kyle swiftly approached her, his eyes were gleaming in the darkness as he sat down in front of her to assess her injuries.

    "You require treatment. And what about Nox? Is the lynx injured too?"

    He scanned her body and noticed her clothes were stained with blood. Yue flinched as he ced his cold palm on her right leg, just above the injury where she had applied a healing potion.

    "Nox isn''t badly hurt, and I gave him a healing potion."

    Kyle nodded and noticed that the wound on her leg was healing steadily. Nevertheless, he traced her skin, and a soft spiritual glow radiated from his palm to ease her pain and hasten the healing process.

    "Don''t move."

    She froze and observed as he flicked his fingers, causing water to materialize in the air to cleanse her skin of the blood before a subtle icy sensation radiated from his palm, swiftly healing her wound in an instant.

    "Finished."

    Kyle released her leg, his eyes shed with amusement when he noticed her remaining perfectly still, even to the extent of holding her breath to avoid any movement.

    "You''re free to move now."

    Yue nodded and brushed her fingers over her skin, now clear without a trace of blood. A question arose in her mind.

    What was that icy sensation? It felt markedly distinct from the usual coldness emanating from Kyle''s entire body.

    She might have pondered further if she hadn''t caught the amused sparkle in his eyes fixed upon her. Instantly, a flushed expression spread across her face.

    "What...?"

    Kyle arched an eyebrow. Was she thinking about something else? He leaned towards her, and a chuckle slipped from his lips when she closed her eyes.

    At the sound of his voice, Yue''s eyes snapped open. Instantly, her face flushed even more with embarrassment as she caught him gazing at her.

    "You-!"

    Her words faded as he leaned in swiftly, nting a gentle kiss on her forehead with a smile before embracing her in his arms.

    "You did great... but I hope next time you contact me when you are in danger. I can''t bear to see you injured."

    Nox''s eyebrow twitched at the scene. He had been quietly watching the duo from the sidelines. He shook his head with a sigh and turned away, not sure if it was a good thing that he had gotten good at fading into the background when he wasn''t needed.

    Outside the underground chamber, a resounding bell reverberated throughout the entire Lost Treasure Tomb.

    The sound was powerful, nearly creating ripples in the atmosphere.

    After the bell''s toll, a brilliant light illuminated the entire tomb, clearing the sky and dispersing the dark clouds, revealing a stunning morning sky, thoughcking a sun, it shone brightly.

    The many individuals, who had been fighting the undead since they entered the tomb to protect their lives and survive, let out cries of relief as all the surrounding undead were suddenly engulfed by the ground below and disappeared.

    Those who had fought the undead creatures tirelessly had no energy left in their bodies to appreciate the magnificent view that unfolded all around the Treasure Tomb when the sky finally cleared.

    Kyle and Yue emerged from the underground tunnel upon hearing themotion outside. Nox trailed behind.

    As Yue and Nox briefly shut their eyes from the intense light in the sky, Kyle remained unaffected. He noticed a shadow beside him and turned to behold a grand marble statue standing in the distance.

    It was old and damaged, with a missing arm and part of its face, yet it clearly represented a male human. However, the statue''s eyes were peculiar, featuring two straight slits carved into its pupils.

    "Perhaps a different race?"

    Yue and Nox caught his whisper and turned their gaze toward the statue. It loomed tall, nearly three times the size of a building, casting shadows over the ground. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Nox climbed on Kyle''s shoulder.

    "It looks human except for the eyes."

    Kyle nodded, but they didn''t head towards the statue because he needed to fetch the phoenix first. Furthermore, he had to visit the tform Asher mentioned, which could help him achieve the transcendent rank.

    He had informed Yue about the tform, and she, along with Bia, could also benefit from it since the duo had reached the final stage of the divine rank.

    As Kyle and Yue soared through the sky, their eyes caught sight of many statues belonging to different races standing in various directions around them. Thend below was barren, littered with bones, and only a few trees were visible.

    Kyle conjured a portal leading straight to where he had left Bia and Jian, and stepped inside with Nox after Yue.

    Upon appearing above the calmke, his eyes instantly narrowed at the red-haired man and the phoenix. The duo was sitting on the same rock as Asher, eating cooked meat and listening to the half-dragon who was talking non-stop.

    Kyle''s gaze paused on the meat in their hands, not because something was wrong with it, but because it was from the same purple-winged creatures Asher had been fondly caressing earlier.

    ''He cooked them...? I thought the beautiful beasts were hispanions.''

    His eyes shifted to the few surviving purple-winged creatures. They were sitting at the edge of theke together, gazing at the half-dragon with sheer terror.

    ''....''

    Right away, Kyle realized they weren''t Asher''spanions but just stocked food the half-dragon had gathered for himself.

 Chapter 620 Three powerful figures?

    Chapter 620 Three powerful figures?

    Upon noticing Kyle and Yue, Jian and Bia quickly approached them, inquiring about Yue''s well-being. Asher cast a nce at Yue with admiration in his eyes, but before he could approach the elven woman, Kyle halted him with a dark expression.

    The half-dragon blinked and withdrew from the lovely elvendy with a sigh. Why are all the gorgeous people always taken?

    Bia swiftlynded on Kyle''s shoulder and promptly lifted one of her feet to kick Nox away with a sharp gaze. The lynx gasped at her with disbelief but, upon meeting her gaze, he quietly left the silver-haired man''s side. But he almost spat out blood when he tried to sit on Yue''s shoulder, only to be kicked by the phoenix once more.

    -"You''re not a helpless cub without the strength to fly. It''s a part of your training to be stronger. You mustn''t sit. Otherwise, you will growzy."

    Kyle''s eyes flickered with a touch of amusement at the phoenix''s sharp words. Yue and Jian both stifled theirughter, and Asher was simply speechless, witnessing the lynx obediently nod at the little bird as if she possessed supreme strength.

    She did seem unique in some way, but ultimately, she was just a bird... little did he know that he would soon regret his words and follow in Nox''s footsteps.

    Kyle reached out to caress Bia''s head on Yue''s shoulder to distract her. He nced at the sky with narrowed eyes.

    "Asher, you need to tell us what happened. I can''t detect any undead anymore. It''s as if they all vanished the moment the strange sound of the bell rang out in the air."

    However, before Asher could reply, Jian raised his hand with a smirk.

    "I know. Let me exin. The bell sound is like a warning mechanical rm in the tomb that goes off when the sky is going to clear or get dark. In this tomb, there''s no sun or moon, so day and nighte suddenly without any warning."

    Asher and Bia nodded.

    "The bell is the only sound that signals the end or beginning of the day. Moreover, when the sky clears, the undead disappear, but when it darkens, the undead show up to harm everyone around."

    Kyle raised an eyebrow. It looked like they were safe from the undead during the day and only had to worry about them at night. This setup was way better since nobody could handle fighting or being constantly surrounded by the undead creatures.

    "What about the statues scattered throughout the tomb?"

    Jian gestured to his right, far from theke where they were floating, another marble statue stood. It was mostly shattered, but half of its form remained upright.

    "Are you referring to those? They serve as the entrances to the trial grounds where we can undertake various challenges and get different treasures as rewards. The trials also hold the remnants of many races and their legacies, gathered by three powerful figures thousands of years ago. Some of these races are unknown and have vanished into history."

    Kyle let out an ''Oh''. He had some suspicions, but now they were confirmed. However, a look of surprise crossed his face when he learned that everything in this tomb was gathered by certain individuals. Wasn''t this meant to be an ancient tomb? Why was he hearing that everything inside was gathered by just a bunch of people?

    "Three powerful figures? Who?"

    He asked with curiosity. If they built this tomb, why weren''t they famous? And why did they do it? For the future generations?

    Jian scratched his head with a sigh and nced at Asher because the half-dragon hadn''t said a word about the three powerful individuals yet. Catching his gaze on Asher, Kyle''s eyes shifted to the half-dragon too, who cleared his throat with a serious expression and gazed at the sky as if he was about to share the most significant information he possessed.

    "Those three individuals... even after being here for a hundred years, I couldn''t dig up much about them. Their names were never disclosed; I found many old books from the trials I cleared and spotted loads of ancient writing on the statues. But they only ever mentioned that three powerful figures created this tomb."

    Kyle rubbed his chin with a frown, but after considering that knowing about the three people was probably useless, his curiosity died instantly. He nced at Asher.

    "Let''s just forget about them. We are not here to uncover the history of this tomb but to grow stronger. Now that the undead are no longer around us, Asher, guide us to the tform you mentionedst night that can assist those at the peak of divine rank in reaching the transcendent rank." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Jian and Bia''s eyes widened when Kyle spoke, and they both nced at Asher, who facepalmed after hearing Kyle''s words. He had not informed the bird and red-haired man about the tform.

    The half-dragon smiled wryly, sighed, and looked at the silver-haired man.

    "You know that was a privilege I only granted you because you were the first friend I made after so many years... I never expected you to share it with everyone. Well, I can''t do anything now that they all know. Juste with me."

    Jian and Bia gazed at Asher''s head with solemn expressions as he headed towards the statue Jian had pointed out earlier. The duo thought Asher was their friend after sharing a good meal with him, but it appears they were utterly mistaken.

    Feeling their gaze, Asher shot a look back with narrowed eyes, but the duo turned their eyes away and chose to ignore him.

    ''Did I make a mistake...?''

    The three individuals and two beasts around the half-dragon silently followed. It didn''t take them long to reach the statue.

    They paused under the broken statue, which bore the likeness of a woman, and promptly spotted a small square marble structure adjacent to it. An open entrance in the structure, obscured by dust and spiderwebs, led into darkness.

    Kyle nced at the entrance, but before he could wave his hand to clear the dust, Yue murmured a spell and swept all the dust away from the entrance. He smiled at her, and his eyes caught sight of a few strange symbols engraved on the wall of the structure next to the entrance.

    "Hmm?"

    He looked at Asher, who entered the dark entrance without a care, as if he already knew all about whaty inside. Jian, Yue, and the two beasts followed behind him.

    Kyle extended his scent perception skill to ensure they avoided any traps and entered the entrance behind them.

    But before proceeding, he nced at the symbols once more. They weren''t clearly visible, but as an array master, he took note of them and unconsciously traced them in his mind to learn them, even though he had no idea of their purpose.

 Chapter 621 So, this is the platform?

    Chapter 621 So, this is the tform?

    As Kyle stepped into the entrance, he sensed a peculiar force enveloping his body, and in the next second, he appeared in an old chamber cluttered with shattered furniture and bones, cloaked in dust.

    The chamber''s walls emitted a faint glow, casting a dim light across the space. Kyle surveyed his surroundings and saw Asher and the rest standing ahead of him, facing three open, shattered doors leading in various directions.

    Asher gestured for everyone to enter the first opening and began moving.

    "Don''t worry about traps. I have already gone through this ce a few times before. I disarmed all traps and even took apart the mechanical setup that triggers the trail inside this structure, so it''s safe."

    He chuckled with a sheepish expression.

    "But there is a downside. There are no treasures left in this trial; I took everything. The only thing left inside this structure is the tform that can assist those at the top of the divine rank to reach the transcendent rank."

    Kyle looked around at the walls as they passed through chamber after chamber, filled with smashed furniture and remains of undead creatures. He also spotted a couple of small human-sized shattered marble statues holding weapons like they were the protectors of this ce.

    He hummed and paused for a moment to touch the walls emitting a faint glow, trying to understand the source of their radiance. There must be something powering them. If Asher had already destroyed the trial, why were the walls still shining?

    He sensed faint divine energy within the walls and nothing else, prompting him to trail behind the others. However, he couldn''t help but ask the half-dragon.

    "How many trials have you destroyed? I just hope you haven''t ransacked everything in this tomb and taken all the treasures. It wouldn''t bode well for us if that''s the case."

    Jian and the others turned their heads toward Asher, eager to learn the answer to Kyle''s question. If the half-dragon had truly destroyed everything in this ce, wouldn''t their visit to this tomb be pointless?

    Asher paused in his tracks as they approached a white gate within the chamber they had just entered.

    "I have indeed spent a hundred years in this ce, but there are many trials here that I couldn''t even pass the first round of. Not to mention, this ce is massive, nearly ten times the size of an average."

    He shook his head with a wry smile.

    "How could you expect me to explore every nook of this tomb and uncover every single treasure here? If that were possible, I would have ascended to the pinnacle of strength in this universe and obliterated this tomb myself to escape this confinement."

    Asher pushed the white gate before him, and it creaked open slowly, sending dust swirling in every direction, revealing a vast expanse with a circr tform adorned with numerous symbols at its center.

    He coughed from the dust, just like Jian, who was right behind him. Both his and the red-haired man''s eyebrows twitched when they saw Kyle standing more than a meter away from the gate with Yue. It was clear the silver-haired man expected the dust to fly and made sure he and the elven woman beside him stayed clean.

    Kyle gestured to clear the space ahead of him and advanced. Under the speechless gazes of Asher and Jian, he entered the gate with Yue and the two beasts.

    "So, this is the tform?"

    Asher straightened his clothes with a tsk and trailed behind the couple with Jian.

    "Yeah, this is the tform. You simply sit on it, and pure spiritual energy will emanate from it, blended with another element. This energy will cleanse your mind, enabling you to enter an ethereal state where you can clear the universe test to advance to the transcendent rank."

    Kyle nodded and climbed the dusty tform. The moment his feet touched the surface, it began emitting a calming energy. He gazed at the minuscule particles, a blend of pristine white with hints of gold and grey swirling around him. No doubt, it was spiritual energy, but it was intertwined with another aroma. His scent perception skill was active, so he easily distinguished what was blended with the spiritual energy. It was the fragrance of nts, or more precisely, herbs, perhaps of divine rank.

    He nced down at the tform as a realization struck him.

    ''There are divine rank herbs beneath this tform. Not lifeless but flourishing, and I''m certain it''s an entire garden.''

    Yue and Bia wanted to join Kyle on the tform as they, too, aimed to attain the transcendent rank. But Asher intervened and halted their advance. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Just one person at a time, because when Kyle or any of you breaks through, the surge in power will impact the surroundings, including those around."

    Kyle looked at the phoenix and the elven woman as they stepped back upon hearing the half-dragon''s words.

    "Any of you want to go first?"

    Yue gestured for him to go first with a smile, and Bia simply ruffled her wings and sat down on Yue''s shoulder to watch him.

    -"Just proceed first now that you have ascended the tform."

    Kyle nodded and quickly murmured a spell to clear the tform of dust before sitting cross-legged on it. The energy emanating from the tform began to swirl around his body. Jian, Asher, and Yue stepped back as the silver-haired man closed his eyes.

    Nox, who had been floating nearby, suddenly noticed Jian moving to a corner and retrieving amunication crystal. He circled the red-haired man.

    "What are you doing?"

    Jian sighed. He was just a bit away from the peak of the divine rank. Therefore, he had decided to wait beside the tform and absorb divine energy for a few days to reach the peak and then climb the tform to reach the transcendent rank.

    "I''m connecting everyone else through themunication crystal Zron provided us to notify them about the tform so they can alsoe here and utilize it to reach the transcendent rank. I just hope the crystal works here and they can find this ce..."

    Nox nodded and watched as themunication crystal in Jian''s hands lit up, and the man sighed with relief upon hearing Yon''s voice resonating from it.

    Asher shot a speechless nce at the red-haired man standing in the distance, connecting others and informing them about the tform.

    However, he decided to overlook it. Since the tform had no significance for him, it was alright for others to utilize it. In that moment, Yue inquired.

    "How long will it take for Kyle to reach the transcendent rank?"

    Asher pondered, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

    "It all depends on how swiftly he can breach the barrier of divinity around his divine soul, achieve eternal status, and true immortality after passing the universe test. However, I reckon it will likely take at least a day-!"

    His next words were caught in his throat as a cold, powerful aura surged out from Kyle''s body, enveloping him entirely.

    Asher looked down as the ground beneath him began to tremble. He eximed with shock and disbelief.

    "What in the freakin'' world!? It''s barely been a minute, and he''s already making a breakthrough!?"

 Chapter 622 Aze was Azazeal all along

    Chapter 622 Aze was Azazeal all along

    Initially, a sense of tranquility enveloped Kyle''s mind and body. He became aware of his bloodline pulsating through his veins as his mind and body both reached a state ofplete calmness, leading him into a trance-like condition.

    He exhaled tendrils of smoke and sensed a sensation of floating in a void. Gradually, he opened his eyes and discovered himself within a vast, white expanse.

    "Hmm..."

    The white space around him stretched out, yet itcked any visible objects. Confusion flickered in his eyes when he saw nothing in his surroundings as he had full knowledge of how to achieve the transcendent rank.

    His master, Hubert, had told him in the No Mana Land that he needs to pass the universe test when he reached the end of the divine rank and shatter the divine shield encasing his soul, which had only absorbed divinity in the divine rank, and he would ascend to the transcendent rank.

    "What must I do? Do I need to search the test in this expansive white void? There''s nothing... Well, let''s start by breaking the divine shield around my soul."

    He felt the shield around his soul, and with a mere blink, it shattered into many pieces. After all, his soul had already reached the end of the transcendent rank. How could it not break a mere divine barrier?

    "That was a breeze. What''s next?"

    He looked around and started walking forward to discover the trial the universe was supposed to provide to evaluate his worthiness to enter the transcendent rank and achieve true immortality. As he moved ahead, he spotted a raised area resembling a standing wall on the ground. He nearly tripped, caught off guard by identally encountering it.

    "What the heck?"

    The wall barely grazed his toes, measuring no more than half a finger''s width.

    The moment he discovered the wall, a thought not his own crossed his mind that he had to pass this wall to break the barrier blocking his path to the transcendent rank, leaving him utterly speechless with a look of bewilderment on his face.

    "So, this is the universe''s test? Why do I feel like it forgot to up the challenge? And why does this seem familiar? Almost like I''ve been through it before."

    He stared at the wall with narrowed eyes. Kyle had forgotten, but he had indeed passed a familiar wall when he reached the pseudo-divine rank. However, at that time, the wall that blocked his path was about knee-length, which had now shrunk to a length even shorter than his toes

    At first, he thought about leaping over the wall, but after a moment''s contemtion, he opted to break through it.

    After all, he didn''t want to take any unnecessary risks. Stepping back, he retracted his right leg and forcefully kicked the wall, causing it to immediately shatter like paper. With his strength at the final stage of the transcendent rank, a barrier intended to hinder divine rank individuals striving to attain the transcendent rank presented no obstacle for him.

    After breaking the wall, Kyle stepped over the shattered fragments and stared into the vast white expanse that seemed to lead into an endless void. He shut his eyes for a second, feeling a sudden surge of energy coursing through his body as if a barrier impeding his progress had vanished.

    As he closed his eyes, a pair of luminous white eyes materialized in the void. These eyes seemed puzzled as they fixed their gaze on Kyle. The moment the eyes locked onto him, a cold energy emanated from his body, enveloping him entirely as if safeguarding him from all harm.

    ''Oh... a human with Celestial essence within him? It''s been ages since I''vee across such a being. I was puzzled by why my power wasn''t working. Regardless, his essence didn''t meddle with the trial, nor did he vite any of nature''s rules because I can see his body has already achieved the transcendent rank, so the trial was never meant to impede him.''

    The luminous white eyes shed with annoyance as they closed themselves. It was the universe''s will, awakened from its slumber upon sensing an issue in the trial designed to evaluate the divine rank individual''s worthiness to reach the transcendent rank.

    ''Ugh... now I regret waking from my slumber, thinking Azazeal had once again forcefully raised someone''s rank. I have grown too weak from using my power to keep the realm designated for the dead in this universe sealed, but if it continues like this, I do not think I can hold on for long because all the Celestial spirits are dying. I really want to kill those two bastards who sealed the path leading to the Celestial realm. It''s all because of them I have to suffer... one died and one left the universe after they destroyed my peace.''

    Even after seeing Kyle and sensing the power of the essence in his body, the universe''s will didn''t harbor much hope that the human standing before it would achieve anything substantial beyond reaching the supreme rank. As soon as this human posed a threat, Azazeal would swiftly eliminate him to prevent him from interfering with his goals.

    The universe''s will had long given up hope that anyone could resolve the mess caused by the two bastards it desperately wanted to kill with its own hands, even going to the extent of viting thews of nature to meddle with the universe''s inhabitants.

    ''I suppose... my time is almost up. Let''s just rest until that moment arrives. It''s been four thousand years... just a little longer, and everything wille to an end.''

    The eyes gazed at Kyle onest time. The human appeared handsome and ethereal, bathed in a cold Celestial glow.

    The universe''s will couldn''t predict Kyle''s fate, but it just knew that the human''s life would soon end. Regardless, it wondered why Azazeal had allowed the human to live for so long, knowing that the man had long detected Kyle''s presence.

    ''They both harbored something simr within their bodies. The main difference is that half of Azazeal''s essence was dug out of his body by those two he considered his own, while the rest of his essence was tainted by the darkness which consumed his heart. But this human... he possesses a pure essence within him. I just hope he don''t get swallowed by Azazeal.''

    After blinking twice with a touch of hopelessness in them, the eyes dissolved into the whiteness around and faded away. Only after the universe''s will vanished did Kyle slowly open his eyes. A chilling darkness crept into his gaze, intensifying with each fleeting moment.

    He didn''t sense anyone around when he closed his eyes, but he felt it when his bloodline began to stir for some unknown reason. It forcefully left his mind space to enter the white space he was standing. He wanted to know the cause, yet it was in that moment his bloodline somehowpelled him to listen to thepletely silent and ethereal voice speaking in his vicinity.

    "Who was that...? I get swallowed by Azazeal? I? You must be joking because it would be me who will swallow that bastard if he even dared toe in my path. Not the other way around..."

    The cold energy around Kyle began to resonate with his emotions, growing even colder. If before it wasn''t fully merged with his body, now it finally slowly but surely started to be one with him. However, due to his strength, which was stillcking to amodate it entirely, the process stopped before it couldplete, and the essence returned to his mind space.

    Kyle''s lips curved into a smile, yet his eyescked warmth. He felt his strength, which had ceased increasing after he entered the transcendent rank, surging once more.

    "Aze and Azazeal, I always wonder why these two names sounded so simr. I had my doubts. But when the voice mentioned all the Celestial spirits are dying, I became sure they both are one and the same. Aze wants the Celestial spirits, and Azazeal is killing them. What a beautiful coincidence. Aze was Azazeal all along."

    Augh escaped his lips as he shook his head. In the No Mana Land, Aze shared an old tale with him. He remembered it vividly because it all unfolded within the confines of the No Mana Land.

    "So... two individuals you considered your own extracted half of the essence from your body? I wonder who they are. I do wish to encounter them one day to ensure they pay for the anguish they caused my friend."

    Kyle''s smile faded as he nced at the image disying his stats from the corner of his eyes.

    ________

    Name: Kyle n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Race: Human/Semi Celestial

    Bloodline: Celestial

    Soul rank: Transcendent rank (Last stage)

    Rank: Trancendent (Last stage)

    stats:

    Strength: Transcendent-rank (Last stage)

    Mana: Divine-rank

    Divine energy: fourth stage (Elite)

    Spiritual energy: Trancendent rank (Initial stage)

    Agility: Supreme rank (Initial stage)

    Current physique rank: Transcendent-rank (Last stage)

    Talent: Celestial

    Luck: S+

    Unique ability; Nature''s favorite.

    Unlocked due to (S+)-Rank luck.

    Skills;

    ....

    ________

    "Not bad at all."

    His strength stopped surging once his rank reached thest stage of the transcendent rank, which was divided into three different stages: initial, middle, andst.

    Finally, his true rank somewhat matched his actual strength. It was rare to jump all three stages at once immediately after reaching the transcendent rank, but Kyle''s body had long surpassed his true rank.

    Therefore, he knew his rank would ascend to reach the end of the transcendent rank the moment he absorbed enough divine energy and broke through.

    Kyle noticed his bloodline skill ''Arcane Visions'' had jumped from divine to transcendent rank as well, and a sense of satisfaction flickered in his eyes.

    ncing at the vast white space around him, Kyle closed his eyes to leave. It was time for him to grow stronger and hunt Azazeal now that he had confirmed the identity of his dear friend.

    _Orange_

 Chapter 623 Hes still increasing his strength?

    Chapter 623 He''s still increasing his strength?

    A little while back, in front of the tform, Kyle was seated. Asher, Yue, Jian, and the two beasts gazed at the scene unfolding before them in a daze.

    After a cold aura emanated from Kyle''s body, everything around him, including the chamber they were in, began to tremble. It started off okay, but then, under their gaze, faint blue particles surged out from Kyle''s body before circling him to form an ice shield around his body.

    Asher looked intently at the icy particles. He was curious about the strange power Kyle had within him, but before the half-dragon could figure it out, a strong burst of cold energy emerged from the silver-haired man''s body and started freezing everything around him.

    Asher jumped back as the ice covering thend tried to reach him.

    A shiver ran down his spine, not because the ice posed a threat but due to the rapidly dropping temperature around him. In just a few seconds, the temperature inside the chamber plummeted enough to freeze everyone below the pseudo divine rank.

    "Guys, let''s get out of here. I don''t think we should stay here when Kyle is unaware of his surroundings."

    Jian closed themunication crystal in his hand after snapping out of his daze upon hearing the half-dragon''s voice. Initially, he was contacting the others, but after finishing his conversation with Yon, he ceased and joined the rest in observing the silver-haired man. With a nod, he swiftly trailed behind Asher, but halted when Yue stopped them with a concerned look.

    "What about Kyle?"

    Asher exhaled a wisp of cold air and gazed at Yue with a wordless expression.

    "Do you really think his own power would harm him? Watch closely, it''s shielding him, and I''m certain it would eliminate anyone who dares to disrupt his breakthrough!"

    He swiftly grabbed Nox and Bia, who were in the air observing Kyle, and dashed out of the room with Jian before the temperature plummeted further.

    Yue nced at Kyle''s direction. His figure was obscured by the icy shield. She sighed and trailed after the others. The instant she exited the chamber, Asher hurriedly closed the gate leading inside to prevent the ice from spreading outside.

    ''I''m certain that guy has something very powerful yet dangerous within him!"

    Jian nodded.

    "Me too!"

    They moved back from the sealed gate as ice slowly but surely started seeping out from underneath. Asher let out a groan.

    "He''s going to freeze everything at this rate... It hasn''t even been a few minutes since he sat above the tform!"

    His words got cut off when a powerful transcendent rank aura suddenly burst out from inside the chamber, apanied by a loud tremor that shook the entire structure they stood in. Jian''s eyes immediately lit up with joy and a hint of relief.

    "He broke through. Looks like we won''t be freezing to death! Haha!"

    He joked, but who would have guessed his jest would turn into a bad omen.

    After his words dispersed in the air, ice exploded from all sides of the sealed gate in front of them and started freezing everything around them rapidly.

    The transcendent rank aura emanating from the chamber started surging higher at a speed that left Asher stunned.

    "He''s still increasing his strength? But how? He just broke through! Can his body even handle that much power at once!?"

    He was truly surprised.

    Unaware that Kyle''s physique and strength had already surpassed the transcendent rank, making him capable of enduring the advancement he was going through.

    He once again tried to seize Bia and Nox, who should have been soaring around him to flee outside, away from the ice. But he was left dumbfounded as this time the two beasts were already far ahead, having left with Jian who bolted the moment he noticed the ice. Yue followed suit.

    Asher stood speechless at the sight before swiftly following behind with augh.

    ''This is kinda fun... finally, I have friends after so many years! Haha!'' N?v(el)B\\jnn

    In the end, the trio exited the structure together and found themselves outside the same dark entrance they had used to enter the trial ground beside the broken statue.

    Jian gazed at the clear, bright sky with a chuckle and sat down on the ground.

    "Gosh... Don''t tell me he''s going to leap straight to the supreme rank! Look at the stir he''s causing!"

    Bianded on his shoulder and looked at the entrance ahead of her.

    -"Given his stats, I wouldn''t even be surprised if he actually soared to the supreme rank."

    Asher''s expression turned curious when he heard Jian and Bia''s words. He wanted to know more, so he scooted closer to the phoenix and the red-haired man. However, when he inquired about Kyle''s stats, they both acted as if they had never even heard the word ''stats''. He nodded with a scoff.

    "So, that''s the game you''re ying, huh? Fine, let me give you some bad news."

    He let out a menacing chuckle.

    "Reaching the supreme rank is not as simple as reaching the transcendent rank. If Kyle truly ascended to the supreme rank, his sudden surge in strength, capable of destroying a small, would obliterate everything around him, including the tform he''s on!"

    He was speaking the truth. In fact, he went through it himself when he was ascending to the supreme rank. He was sitting within a trial ground during his breakthrough, and ultimately found himself buried under the ceiling above him as everything around him disintegrated when he tapped into the pure essence of nature, capable of interfering with thews of this universe.

    But the fact that even after reaching the supreme rank he wasn''t able to understand a singlew of nature because they were tooplex was something he would never disclose to anyone.

    Asher brushed away the negative thoughts and nced at Jian and Bia.

    "That''s means; if Kyle ascended to the transcendent rank, no one else could ess the tform after him."

    He expected them to be disheartened by the news that they wouldn''t be able to use the tform, but they surprised him. Jian nodded confidently.

    "Don''t worry. Even without the tform, we have what it takes to reach the transcendent rank."

    Bia nced at Asher with a sneer.

    -"I''m on the verge of a breakthrough due to the many powerful treasures Kyle fed me in thest few months. Whether I use the tform or not, I will naturally break through within a month."

    Asher chuckled at their words, touching his nose, and then rxed on the ground next to Jian. His gaze shifted from Bia to Jian and finally settled on the beautiful elven woman standing by the entrance of the structure, noticing a touch of concern on her face, which made him a bit jealous.

    ''That guy sure knows how to pick people who will never turn on him... Of course. I won''t either. He''s dangerous, and I''m sure it''s better to stay on his good side rather than being an enemy.''

 Chapter 624 Our memories?

    Chapter 624 Our memories?

    When Kyle opened his eyes, he found himself alone inside the chamber. He surveyed the area around him, his scent perception skill was still active, which is why he immediately detected Yue and the others outside the trial ground.

    A wisp of smoke escaped his lips as he observed the ice surrounding him.

    His vision sharpened, allowing him to perceive events at the far end of the tomb from his current position. Peering down, he tried to look at the herb garden beneath the tform, only to be surprised by the darkness that greeted him.

    "Is something obstructing my view?"

    He shifted his body, causing the ice surrounding him to shatter into numerous pieces before gradually dissipating into particles that vanished into the air. Kyle observed the faint blue particles near his skin, noticing they had grown brighter, almost as if they were using more of their strength as his body became stronger.

    "The bloodline proves useful as long as it doesn''t start bothering me by manipting my thoughts. Lately, I haven''t observed it behaving unusually. It has be quieter, especially after I warned it in the No Mana Land. It''s almost like it has chosen not to interfere... or perhaps it can no longer sense any threats to my life." N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Kyle shook his head and got up. First, he got rid of all the glistening ice surrounding everything around him.

    With a blink of his eyes, the ice turned into particles and disappeared. Even the cold temperature inside the chamber and the entire trial ground returned to normal, as if it had never changed in the first ce.

    He stretched his muscles by extending his arms and legs, feeling the fluidity with which he could exert his strength. It was much easier and less strenuouspared to when he was still in the divine rank.

    "This is good. Now let''s check the herb garden buried underneath me."

    His eyes gleamed as he quickly bent down to touch the tform beneath him. In the next moment, he vanished from his spot to enter the concealed chamber below.

    A few barriers tried to stop his body, but with his newfound strength, he effortlessly broke through them and appeared inside a vast underground room, only to behold a ce teeming with myriad flowers and various herbs growing abundantly.

    "Hmm... the garden isrger than I expected."

    The area in front of him was twice the size of where the tform was located. He was surprised to see numerous herbs that had surpassed the phase of divinity and reached the next rank.

    Kyle nced at the golden orbs floating all around the room, emanating abundant spiritual and divine energy. He reached his hand towards one of the orbs, causing it to quiver slightly but remain afloat.

    "Not a powerful artifact, but quite handy. These golden orbs are gathering spiritual and divine energy from the air to ensure the garden remains lush and vibrant for an extended period."

    He noticed numerous symbols etched on the walls surrounding him. Over time, many had faded, but it was clear that most were designed to draw divine and spiritual energy into the room from outside.

    Suddenly, his gaze fell upon some symbols that were somewhat familiar to the ones he had seen outside, carved next to the entrance of the trial ground.

    Kyle quickly made his way toward the symbols and started studying them. They appearedplex, and he had never seen this type of symbols before, but he was confident he could uncover their purpose.

    He shut his eyes, and his mind began working to decipher the symbols he had seen next to the entrance of the trial ground before attempting to corrte them with the ones in front of him to check if they had any connection with each other. After all, they bore some resemnce. Gradually, a single word emerged.

    "Memories..."

    He delved deeper, repeatedly merging the symbols together. After several attempts, they unexpectedly fused, shaping two distinct words. Kyle''s eyes opened in astonishment at the revtion.

    "Our memories? These symbols are meant to encapste specific moments or events within them. I have learned about symbols that can store memories, but they usually don''t endure for long periods. Also, they aren''t asplex as these. These symbols seem like the creator wrote them for fun and didn''t really want others to see the memories hidden within."

    He smirked.

    "But I suppose whoever it was, they were too confident to believe that no one could decipher the symbols they wrote. Someone who can craft such symbols... is likely more proficient in arrays than I am, much more so, and I''m not too happy about that."

    Kyle made a mental note to enhance his understanding of arrays. It had been some time since hest explored them.

    He ced his hand on the symbols on the wall before him and began infusing them with his spiritual energy. He shifted his gaze, allowing his spiritual energy to extend towards the other symbols outside, carved next to the entrance of the trial ground.

    Outside, Jian, Yue, Asher, and the two beasts perked up as they felt a surge of powerful spiritual energy heading their way. Just as they were about to suspect an attack, Bia reassured them.

    -"It''s Kyle. He has opened his eyes. He just discovered something interesting."

    Asher blinked in surprise. Kyle had found something interesting in this trial ground? The very ce he had thoroughly scavenged for treasures? How could that be possible? He wanted to inquire further from Bia, but suddenly, right before everyone''s eyes, the nearly faded symbols, carved next to the entrance of the structure, began to glow with a radiant white light.

    Yue stepped back from the entrance and shut her eyes as the light intensified. The symbols detached from the surface they were etched on and began floating in the air. Jian and the two beasts also closed their eyes, but Asher observed everything with wide-open eyes.

    He extended his senses to pinpoint Kyle''s location and understand what the human was up to inside the trial ground. He had refrained from using his senses before, fearing it might disrupt the human''s breakthrough.

    But his shock was indescribable when he realized he couldn''t sense the human inside the trial ground! Kyle''s spiritual energy was evidently emanating from within, so why wasn''t he physically present inside?

    "Don''t tell me there''s a hidden room or chamber in this trial ground? Wait, if it''s true, why the heck didn''t I find it? There must be some powerful treasure stashed inside that hidden chamber! Darn it!"

    He was about to cry, but all his thoughts disappeared when a sweet and somewhat mischievous female voice echoed from the symbols floating in the air.

 Chapter 625 Tell us what rank you reached

    Chapter 625 Tell us what rank you reached

    Inside the hidden room, Kyle stepped back from the symbols floating in front of him, radiating a brilliant light. As he gazed upon them, the light dispersed along with the symbols, and his surroundings began to transform, revealing a scene that was not truly tangible but merely a fragment of memory stored within the symbols.

    "Hmm?"

    He squinted at the scene in front of him. It appeared somewhat illusory, but the first things that caught his eyes were a woman''s back and her flowing dark hair. She was inscribing symbols on the walls.

    Kyle sidestepped to see her face and noticed a pair of icy-hued eyes.

    She wore a mischievous smile as she swiftly finished inscribing the symbols meant to attract divine and spiritual energy. Then, she slyly changed her position and began etching symbols intended to capture fragments of memory on the walls. But her smile turned into a sigh when suddenly a deep voice echoed behind her.

    "Lilith, I can see what you are doing. So, stop it, will you? If you''re done,e help me. We need to finish our work if we want this ce to bepleted soon."

    Kyle turned his head toward the voice and noticed a male figure standing in the middle of the room. A pair of cyan eyesbined with tinum blonde hair. He was tall, even more than Kyle, and had a aloof expression on his face as he crafted one golden orb after another with just a wave of his hand before letting them float in the room.

    A scowl creased his brows when he saw Lilith still etching symbols on the wall in front of her despite his words.

    "Hey, don''t get on my nerves. I''m already irritated that we''re stuck with this pointless task. Why must we handle it ourselves? We are already the strongest in this universe. Can''t we delegate it to those beneath us?"

    Lilith paused, shooting back an irked look.

    "Why all the griping? The one putting in the most effort hasn''t even uttered a word!"

    She pointed towards another individual, and Kyle immediately spotted a man seated on the ground a short distance away from the man standing in the middle of the room.

    He moved closer and noticed dark hair. The seated man was quietly nting numerous herbs after digging thend. Kyle wanted to see the man''s face, but the figures in front of him distorted, as expected due to the age of the symbols. Nevertheless, despite the distortion, the voices of the people around him remained clear.

    "Huh, don''t you even mention him, Lilith, because he is also getting on my nerves just like you. He could just snap his fingers and nt all those herbs in a second. But no, both of you have to take forever and waste my valuable time!"

    Kyle stepped forward, moving a little closer to the three figures before him. He used his spiritual energy to rify the scene. It somewhat worked, and Lilith''s face became visible once more. She red at the tall man with clear anger in her eyes.

    "Precious time? I remember we agreed to do this ourselves to engrave our legacy in this universe. So, the people in this universe won''t forget who we are once we ascend to the Celestial realm. You were also the one who supported this idea, and now you are whining because we have to work?"

    Kyle started to lose interest. It seemed he had wasted his time just to witness some people quarreling with each other. Plus, as time passed, the voices of the people before him began to get all mixed up.

    "But I do want to know more about that Celestial realm the woman mentioned, but her voice is getting hard to grasp..."

    He tapped into his spiritual energy once more, but this time, his actions caused the scene ying before him to grow even more messy. Kyle let out a sigh as he nced at the herb garden.

    "Well, I guess I can''t pluck anything from the garden yet since Yue and the others need to use the tform. It wouldn''t be good if the tform malfunctioned because I took the herbs."

    Just as he was about to leave, his ears twitched as among the two jumbled voices encircling him, he caught onto a few words. Or more specifically, he grasped the words because, for some reason, they sounded familiar as if he had heard them before.

    "Ice Enchantress? That''s quite a grand title, fitting for her since she''s one of the people who built this ce. But I wonder where I have heard it before?"

    Kyle took one final nce at the three figures made of energy and disappeared from the space. The moment he withdrew his spiritual energy, the scene within the room fragmented into particles. A faint, sorrowful sob reverberated in the empty space as the dissolving particles once again coalesced to form Lilith''s bloodied figure, desperately etching a few more symbols into the walls.

    "I know no one will ever know what happened in this ce. But I hope... someone out there would find that we killed the human inside himpletely together in this very ce."

    The voice faded in the air, and the figure dispersed into particles. At the same time, Kyle reappeared outside the structure, only to find Yue, Asher, Jian, and the two beasts observing the memory ying before them with curiosity. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    They were all stunned as the scene unfolding before them fragmented into particles since Kyle had already retracted his spiritual energy. Kyle tapped Jian''s shoulder, causing the man to jolt.

    "Oh... it''s you."

    Jian sighed in relief, and everyone scrutinized Kyle from head to toe. He had effectively masked his strength, leaving them unable to sense it at all. Bianded on his shoulder with a curious expression.

    -"So... first, tell us what rank you reached. Then we will discuss the memory we just witnessed because I''m sure you went above the first stage of the transcendent rank."

    Kyle observed the dissipating particles.

    "Thest stage of the transcendent rank."

 Chapter 626 Good job on coming this far

    Chapter 626 Good job oning this far

    Everyone around Kyle nodded. Except for Asher, the others weren''t overly surprised after hearing his current rank. They were already expecting it, even specting that he might reach the supreme rank. Also, they had be somewhat immune to all the surprises the silver-haired human could present to them.

    Even before Kyle could inquire, Jian and Yue exined what urred after the symbols etched next to the entrance of the structure began to float and glow. They witnessed a beautiful woman apanied by two men. The scene was blurry, so they couldn''t see the faces of the three individuals. Kyle nodded with a calm expression. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "I understand. It''s because the symbols were old. They have weakened over time, that is why the memories within them were somewhat damaged."

    Asher looked at everyone with disbelief, finding it hard to digest how casual they were about the whole thing.

    The silver haired-man skyrocketed from the divine rank straight to the final stage of the transcendent rank in a single leap, and on top of that, they just witnessed an ancient memory, yet they were shrugging off all of this as if it were insignificant!?

    ''I haven''t experienced this much shock in the past hundred years!''

    He took a deep breath and did his best to give Kyle a calm smile.

    "Don''t you want to know what the three people in the memory discussed?"

    Kyle shot him a sidelong nce.

    "I''m already aware. I could hear everything even while inside the structure. The woman mentioned they would construct simr trial grounds around the tomb and hide treasures inside. The two men with her simply agreed to her ns."

    Asher''s eyebrow twitched. How could he forget that the human had reached the transcendent rank? Kyle could easily see and hear everything outside the structure since the half-dragon had shattered all the restrictions around the trial ground.

    However, he was a bit irked because if Kyle could see and hear everything, why the heck didn''t he stop Yue and Jian when they were exining about the memory?

    ''Darn... he''s giving them special treatment. Is it because I just met him and they have known him for a long time?''

    Regardless, he couldn''t wrap his head around everything he just saw. He spent a hundred years in this tomb and still couldn''t find something like what Kyle discovered��an old memory. That''s why he forgot to ask the human what else he found besides the symbols containing memories and where exactly he found them.

    Kyle watched as Yue and Bia entered the structure to break through as well. Then, he gestured for Jian to follow him.

    After moving a distance away from the half-dragon, he informed Jian about the herb garden. Kyle asked the red-haired man to gather all the herbs once everyone they knew had finished using the tform.

    Jian nodded quickly with a serious expression, as if he had been given the most significant task of his life.

    "Don''t worry, I will be camping out here. I won''t leave until I have plucked every single herb! But how do I enter the hidden garden when I don''t know where it is?"

    He hummed when Kyle told him that it was under the tform, and he had broken all the barriers around the herb garden. Jian just needed to reach the transcendent rank and break the tform. Then he would easily reach the hidden room.

    Asher narrowed his eyes at the pair and secretly tried to eavesdrop, but he was left speechless when he noticed a barrier around them, undoubtedly set up by Kyle because he couldn''t breach it.

    "Just what are they discussing?"

    Jian and Kyle came back after a few minutes. The red-haired man was grinning, almost beaming with joy. However, when Asher asked about what happened, he schooled his face to a serious one.

    Nox and Kyle entered the trial ground to oversee Yue and Bia, while Jian and Asher remained outside the structure. The two of them were lounging under the clear sky, one absorbing divine energy to ascend to the pinnacle of the divine rank, the other just getting bored with nothing to do. Suddenly, a massive portal materialized above them, and swiftly Kyle emerged from it.

    The silver-haired man looked down at Jian and Asher and without a word, moved a distance away from the portal.

    Confusion clouded their faces, and Asher''s eyes widened as a majestic fire phoenix emerged from the portal. Unlike him, Jian chuckled when he saw the golden mes illuminating everything around him.

    "Bia has also broken through!"

    Asher''s mouth hung open.

    "Who... the little bird with Kyle? I knew it was at the divine rank and not normal, but it was actually a phoenix!?"

    As soon as the phoenix appeared, the air grew unnervingly hot, capable of melting everything in its path.

    Jian and Asher quickly moved back and observed as the phoenix soared high into the sky, unleashing a piercing cry that echoed through the entire tomb.

    Kyle smiled faintly at the phoenix as he watched her unfurl her huge, breathtaking wings adorned with red, golden, and blue hues that shimmered under the sky. Her feathers were draped in golden mes, dancing along her entire body.

    "Good job oning this far."

    He witnessed Bia''s breakthrough. She was already at the pinnacle of the divine rank, and even without utilizing the tform, he knew she would easily break through. That''s why it didn''t take her long to ascend to the transcendent rank. Just an hour.

    Themotion drew in a crowd of individuals who were roaming around the ce to find treasures after battling the undead all night.

    But before anyone could find the trial ground and catch a glimpse of the massive phoenix, Kyle waved his hand. Instantly, numerous symbols illuminated in the air and created a shield to envelop everything around him, preventing any uninvited guests from discovering this ce.

    Bia controlled her mes and encircled Kyle''s body with sparkling eyes. He noticed the phoenix''s eyes had turned more blue and golden. The crimson hue within them had nearly diminished, bing the least prominent of the three colors.

    -"So, I heard you singing my praises, huh? That''s rareing from you. But who could resist praising this majestic me that has reached an impressive rank. Hehe."

    Kyle''s eyes crinkled a bit in response.

    "You did great."

    But then his gaze turned serious.

    "But I don''t want to catch you cking just because you have grown stronger. After all, the transcendent rank pales inparison to the higher ranks."

 Chapter 627 Is it my fault that you are so fast?

    627 Is it my fault that you are so fast?

    Bia couldn''t help but roll her eyes at Kyle''s remarks. She wasn''t going to ck, but he had to go and dampen the mood.

    "Sure, sure."

    She ascended into the sky, allowing her mes to dance freely as she familiarized herself with her newfound power. Kyle cast a quick nce her way beforending on the ground beside Jian and Asher, both captivated by Bia''s disy.

    "Ahem..."

    He cleared his throat, and the two men finally snapped out of their daze.

    "Jian, I have set up a barrier around this area. Let me know when someone arrives, and I will remove the barrier."

    Jian gave him an okay sign and drifted towards Bia to check on the phoenix. Asher gazed at Kyle and sighed.

    "You are really catching me off guard. I won''tin though, I mean, having you around has spiced up my otherwise boring life. Guess my final years in this tomb won''t be all that bad after all."

    He was taken aback when Kyle patted his shoulder, but upon looking at the human face, he saw nothing. The human observed him and re-entered the structure before them, likely to keep an eye on Yue.

    "It''s the first time he has touched me. Is this a sign that he sees me as a friend now? But why is his body so chilly? It almost felt like ice against me."

    Asher brushed his shoulder where Kyle had touched him with a hum and then joined the phoenix and the red-haired man in the sky.

    Bia was showcasing her skills, engulfing everything around her in golden mes. So Jian channeled his divine energy to create multiple barriers around her body to gauge her current strength.

    The phoenix didn''t even use any skill and just simply pped her wings, and searing wind waves formed in the air, shattering all the barriers. A proud glint shed in her eyes when Jian gave her a thumbs up.

    Asher watched from the sidelines. After both Jian and Bia exhausted their divine energy, theynded on the ground with the half-dragon and began waiting for Yue and Kyle to emerge from the structure.

    Bia dozed off on Jian''s shoulder. After a while, another portal materialized above them. This time, it was the half-dragon who spoke up instead of the red-haired man.

    "Oh, I reckon the elf ascended to the transcendent rank as well."

    The first individual emerging from the portal was Nox. He quickly approached Jian, breathing irregrly.

    "They are battling! Leave this ce!"

    Bia was startled awake by his loud voice. Jian and Asher were somewhat surprised by his words. The couple was engaged in a fight? But why? However, they couldn''t find out because in the next moment, Kyle burst out of the portal, followed by Yue, her entire body surrounded by an ethereal glow.

    Yue drew her bow, releasing an arrow at Kyle that split into multiple arrows infused with spiritual energy. Yet, the silver-haired man skillfully dodged every single one.

    The elven woman didn''t give up and murmured a few spells, causing multiple earth pirs to rise in the sky and move toward Kyle with lightning-fast speed. But he blinked and vanished before they could even close in. A smile yed at the corners of his lips as he reappeared beside Yue and watched the earth pirs collide.

    "You have to try harder and maybe a bit faster as well?"

    He hissed dramatically when she pouted and yfully hit his shoulder.

    "I just achieved the transcendent rank. Is it my fault that you are so fast?"

    Kyle chuckled. After Yue''s breakthrough, she wanted to test her strength, and he simply suggested a friendly spar.

    "You did amazing. Congrattions on reaching the transcendent rank."

    Asher and Jian were left speechless, observing the situation. They looked at Nox. The lynx told them that Yue and Kyle were in a battle, but in truth, the pair was just flirting openly!

    They wanted to beat him up, but Bia, who had lost sleep thanks to Nox, was a step ahead and told him it was time to train.

    Nox began sweating heavily. In Bia''s training, it essentially meant him getting beaten up by her.

    Both Jian and Asher averted their eyes when he looked at them for help. In the end, he sighed and chose to embrace his fate. But he was taken aback when Bia simply instructed him to fly and circle the broken statue before them a hundred times. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

    "Are you sure that''s it? Like, you know, as a divine-rank, it''s easy for me."

    Bia arched her eyebrow.

    -"You want me to add more? How about ten thousand-!"

    He dashed off before her words could finish. Just a hundred circles around the statue, that''s it, right? He wouldplete them in just a few minutes.

    Kyle and Yuended before the half-dragon and the red-haired man. Jian let out a smile as he looked at the duo.

    "So, you two are going to leave now, right? Just take care, and Yue, make sure to reach out to me or the others if you are in danger or need a hand."

    Kyle blinked at his words.

    "Just Yue? Can''t I reach out to you and the others when I am in trouble?"

    Jian''s eyebrow twitched at his words, and he patted his shoulder with a wry smile.

    "Bro, you are a walking danger in this tomb. Why would you need our help when you can easily take down anyone in your way?"

    He almost wanted to smack the silver-haired man when thetter nodded with an expression that was saying their help would probably make the situation worse but controlled the urge.

    Jian distanced himself from Kyle and Yue after bidding his goodbyes.

    He did not forget to ask Kyle to remove the barrier that thetter had set up around the area before leaving so that everyone Jian had informed about the tform wouldn''t have any trouble finding the ce.

    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 628 They are unbelievable...

    628 They are unbelievable...

    Kyle nced at Jian''s back. He had a nagging feeling that he was forgetting something. This feeling had been lingering since he achieved the transcendent rank. It seemed as though he had failed to uphold a promise made to the man because he couldn''t recall it.

    "Hmm?"

    He tried to exert pressure on his mind. Now that he had reached the trancendent rank, he thought he might forcefully bring back the memories he forgot in the No Mana Land. But Yue''s voice interrupted him.

    "Yes?"

    Yue tilted her head. It was rare for him to be so distracted and not hear her speak.

    "I''m saying it''s better if we explore the tomb separately. It will benefit us more. I know a lot about this tomb thanks to Asher. So, I can just hide at night from the undead."

    Asher, standing before them, agreed with Yue''s words. It would be better for them to explore the tomb separately.

    ''Does that mean I can follow Kyle? Great. If Yue isn''t going with him, I can tag along since I have nothing else to do.''

    Kyle went silent for a moment, then gave a nod. He nced at Asher and with a swift motion of his fingers, a portal materialized beneath Yue. Before she could react, she disappeared into the portal. Kyle followed suit, leaving Asher alone with the phoenix, observing Nox circling the statue.

    Asher gazed at the empty space in front of him and clicked his tongue.

    "They are unbelievable... Can''t they even consider the single folks around here??"

    .....

    Yue gasped as she emerged from the other end of the portal. Before she could steady herself, Kyle deftly caught her by the waist and drew her nearer.

    Her eyes shed with surprise as his touch wasn''t cold and surprisingly felt usual... but on closer look, she spotted a faintyer of divine energy enveloping Kyle''s skin. Yue smiled and grabbed his face in her hands.

    "You don''t have to. I have already grown ustomed to your body temperature."

    Kyle leaned his head down to rest it on hers and tightened his grasp on her waist. They were floating under the clear sky. He murmured softly.

    "Really? I thought it would be ufortable. After all, it''s too cold."

    Yue chuckled and wrapped her hands around his neck, lifting her eyes to gaze affectionately into his.

    "How about you check it yourself?"

    Her racing heart skipped a beat as he leaned in for a kiss.

    "Well, the idea isn''t half bad."

    She giggled as his lips touched hers and moved back after a while with a smile.

    "Is this your way of saying goodbye and reminding me to take care of myself?"

    She teased, her voice filled with affection and a touch of yfulness. But her next words got stuck on the tip of her tongue, and her heart raced, nearly leaping out of her chest, upon hearing his next words.

    "No, it''s my way of letting you know... that I love you. Much more than words can express. So don''t ever get hurt."

    Kyle''s eyes shed with a hint of panic as he noticed tears welling in her eyes.

    "What''s wrong!?"

    She simply nestled her face into his chest, a smile ying on her lips. It was actually the first time he had expressed his love for her. So she became a little emotional.

    "Just you are an idiot..."

    Kyle blinked and raised her face with one of his hands to catch her gaze.

    "Why?"

    Yueughed at his bewildered expression, and the tears in her eyes dissipated.

    "But I still love you."

    His eyes caught the mischievous glint in hers, and with a sigh of indulgence, he leaned in to kiss her eyes. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Hmm... now that''s a lot pleasing to hear. Say it again."

    ....

    Asher was lounging under the sky with a bored expression. Jian was seated in the distance, soaking in the divine energy from the air with closed eyes.

    Bia was sitting on a rock beside the red-haired man. Nox had also returned to her afterpleting his hundred circles around the statue before them. However, the couple was nowhere to be seen.

    The half-dragon sat up with a sigh.

    "What are they doing? It''s been an hour... I do want to know, but I feel like I shouldn''t, or else Kyle will probably cut my throat."

    He chuckled at his words and decided to have a conversation with Bia to learn how Kyle discovered such a powerful phoenix like her. Phoenixes were scarce and those who could attain the transcendent rank were even scarcer.

    ''Perhaps there isn''t a phoenix in this universe who has attained the transcendent rank. Creatures like phoenixes are indeed beautiful, with potential higher than other beasts. However, they typically cannot surpass the divine rank due to their physical limitations... I wonder why she can achieve the transcendent rank.''

    He was a bit surprised when Bia shared that Kyle bonded with her while she was still in an egg, and theye from a small where the concept of the divine rank was initially unknown.

    "Doesn''t that mean the divine energy on that is scarce? So why is your potential so exceptional? If youe from a small, I assume your parents'' power levels only reached somewhere between (F) and (SS) in the mortal ranks. Did you consume divine essence to increase your potential? That''s the only way one can enhance their mortal talent."

    Bia''s head was buzzing with the countless questions the half-dragon was bombarding her with. She almost let slip that her talent was elevated because of Kyle''s bloodline but managed to stop herself just in time.

    -''This bastard! He''s so irritating!''

    It was then that Kyle and Yue both came back. Bia promptly moved away from Asher''s side and approached Kyle to dodge any further questioning. Yue affectionately rubbed Bia''s head with a smile.

    "Take care as well."

    Bia nodded and leaned in for the touch before resting on Kyle''s shoulder. Nox joined Yue and the two left together.

    Kyle gazed at the elven woman''s retreating figure for a moment before turning to Asher, who had arrived beside him.

    "Don''t follow me around. I don''t need any more information."

    Asher narrowed his eyes.

    "I have nothing else to do. So I will follow. It doesn''t matter if I am useful to you or not."

    Kyle let out an ''Oh'' and without a word started floating. He didn''t really mind if the half-dragon tagged along, as long as thetter didn''t bother him.

 Chapter 629: Im certain theres another presence here

    Chapter 629: I''m certain there''s another presence here

    ?

    Kylended in front of a trial ground, next to a statue of a woman with majestic wings and horns on her head. His ears perked up, picking up bits of conversation in the air.

    Ashernded next to him and eximed with a carefree expression.

    "I can sense some people are inside the trial ground, and some..."

    He nced over his shoulder, and two figures, a demi-human male and a female, emerged from the rock formation behind them and stopped close by.

    The two demi-humans'' eyes widened as they recognized the silver-haired man. How could they not? After witnessing what Kyle did in the diator Arena. But they were puzzled. Why was he here? Wasn''t he eliminated from the diator Arena?

    Fortunately or not, they were among the people who entered the tomb first and didn''t

    witness, unlike many others, what unfolded in the Arena after they had gone inside the tomb. Nevertheless, they were cautious of Kyle and instinctively moved back. The woman nced at herpanion.

    "It''s the nature''s favorite... What should we do? If the human decides to attack, I am sure we don''t stand a chance."

    The man nodded and motioned for her toe along, letting the nature''s favorite enter the structure ahead of them. They would find another structure, as there were many more anyway. He wasn''t sure how Kyle had gotten into the tomb, but it was safer for them to steer clear of him.

    Asher was taken aback when the two demi-humans departed the area without a second nce, as if they had encountered a ghost. He intended to inquire about the matter from Kyle and Bia, but the pair had already disappeared into the dark entrance of the structure ahead of them. He clicked his tongue and followed suit.

    "Wait for me!"

    The moment he entered the entrance, darkness enveloped his vision, and in the next moment, he found himself inside arge chamber filled with human-sized marble statues. He noticed Kyle and hurriedly moved toward the man while scanning the surroundings.

    "Oh... this trial ground. I know this ce too; I have been here before. Regrettably, I couldn''t pass the third stage back then, and afterward, it slipped my mind."

    Kyle shot him a nce, feeling a tinge of regret for bringing the half-dragon along. The man wouldn''t stop talking.

    After parting ways with Yue and Jian, he had easily found another trial ground. Yet, Asher insisted it was useless, leading them to wander until stumbling upon a statue the half-dragon didn''t recognize. And now, he imed to have been here before as well?

    ''The constant talking is somewhat starting to get on my nerves...''

    Bia ruffled her wings on his shoulder.

    -''Mine too.''

    Kyle nced at the marble statues and advanced. There was arge round circle drawn on the ground beneath him, and oddly enough, the ce was tidy and well-kept, unlike the chaotic trial ground where the tform was located.

    Sensing his gaze on the statues, Asher spoke up before he could even inquire.

    "It''s because the restrictions and mechanical setup in this location are still functioning. Therefore, even if someone haspleted the first stage of this trial ground, everything will return to normal once they move on to the next stage."

    Kyle let out an ''Oh'' and nodded. He could somewhat already guess.

    "I need to fight the marble statues to clear the first stage of this ce, right?"

    Asher nodded at him.

    They just need to wait for the statues to be active and then destroy them.

    If he remembers correctly, all the marble statues would only possess the strength of divine- rank. And he was certain Kyle would easily defeat them, allowing them to progress to the next stage.

    However, all his thoughts dissipated when Kyle bent down to touch the ground below. The human sniffed the air.

    "There''s something beneath us."

    Asher blinked and bent down. He ced his hand on the ground as well and extended his senses, but detected nothing.

    "I can''t detect anything, though."

    The eyes of the statues around them started to glow with a brilliant golden light, but before they could even move towards their targets, Kyle snapped his fingers, conjuring a portal in front of him.

    He entered the portal with Bia and left the area without even looking at the statues, leaving the half-dragon bewildered. Asher quickly followed suit and leaped into the portal before it disappeared.

    The moment Kyle stepped out from the other side of the portal, a sharp metallic nail impaled itself between his legs. His eyes chilled as he peered at the nail he narrowly dodged by a hair''s breadth.

    "Who was that?"

    His cold voice resonated in the chamber, yet no response came. Asher emerged behind him but collided into his back as Kyle had not budged from his spot.

    "What happened?"

    The half-dragon stepped back as the portal behind him dissipated into particles.

    He surveyed the space around him, equallyrge as the chamber they were in a while ago. However, unlike the previous one, there was nothing in this chamber except three golden boxes floating in the center.

    "There are treasures in this ce!"

    His eyes gleamed, and he would have dashed to seize the golden boxes if only he hadn''t noticed the metallic nail lodged between Kyle''s legs. Asher instantly went on alert and

    stopped moving.

    "Traps?"

    Kyle eyed the area around him suspiciously. He was positive he hadn''t triggered a trap when he exited the portal. If a trap had been set off by his arrival, he would have sensed it. Plus, the nail was incredibly fast-he couldn''t even react in time.

    "No, not traps. I''m certain there''s another presence here. A living entity-no, their scent differs from that of a living being. It''s a blend of spiritual and divine energy... perhaps a fragment of a soul or consciousness?"

    Asher was taken aback by his words. Wasn''t he supposed to be the stronger one between them? Kyle was in the transcendent rank, yet he could perceive what Asher, as a supreme rank, couldn''t? Wasn''t this a tad unfair?

    A yful yet melodious chuckle filled the air around Kyle and Asher as they braced themselves for battle, but suddenly, theughter dissolved into sorrowful sobs.

    Kyle grabbed Bia and leaped backward as his gaze locked onto another metallic nail hurtling toward him. But despite his quick and agile movements, the nail brushed his left cheek, igniting a searing sensation that rippled across his cold skin.

    Asher froze in his position as he watched the nail aimed at Kyle melt the shimmering crystal ground it pierced. If Kyle hadn''t dodged it in time, would he have suffered the same fate as

    the liquefied crystal?

    Bia pped her wings and freed herself from Kyle''s grasp to fly above him. She gave him a

    serious and concerned look.

    -"Are you alright!?"

    Kyle straightened himself and slowly ran his finger over the cut on his face. A sharp, searing pain shot from the wound, yet he stood unfazed. With his spiritual energy, he healed the injury, and the pain vanished.

    "I am good... but the one who attacked me won''t be fine for long."

    He leaned down, and blue mes burst from his body, engulfing everything around him. If he can''t lure out the hidden attacker, he will obliterate everything so they have nowhere left to

    hide.

    Asher stepped back as the icy mes surged before him, filling the entire space. The mes gave him a familiar feeling of dread, simr to what he felt when he sensed the powerful thing within Kyle''s body, causing panic to rise within him.

    He scooted back as the coldness neared him, but his eyes widened as his back met a wall, and the mes drew ominously close. Instantly, he clung to the wall, prepared to break through it to flee. However, as his fist struck the wall, it didn''t even budge. He shut his eyes and called

    out to the human.

    "Kyle, my friend! I''m here as well! Don''t identally freeze me to death! I still have to see the

    outside world!"

    Despite his worry, the mes didn''t touch him and instead seeped into the walls. The half- dragon peeked out from his eyes and noticed the blue mes engulfing the space around him, yet maintaining a safe distance from his body. Instantly, a sigh of relief escaped his lips.

    Asher let out a forced smile when he noticed the icy mes freezing the wall behind him, turning it into ice that dissipated into mere particles.

    "He seems to have a solid grip on these odd mes... but they''re pretty dangerous. One wrong move, and those mes could freeze me just like this wall. They are too powerful..."

    He murmured softly, recalling the three golden boxes floating in the room''s center. "Well, looks like we won''t beying our hands on any treasures from this hidden chamber I have never visited before. Those treasures must have held great power... but s, they would likely be frozen by the mes. Here''s hoping they find peace in their icy slumber."

    His words were interrupted by a woman''s scream that reverberated through the air. Following the echo of the scream, the mes began to dissipate. Kyle emerged from the mes, pulling out a luminous figure alongside him.

    Asher''s eyes widened as he gazed at the woman; she was entirely made of light. The pair of wings behind her back and the horns atop her head bore a striking resemnce to the statue they had encountered outside the trial ground. And he immediately recognized she was just a fragment of consciousness.

    "What in the world!? I thought the human was mistaken, but there are really fragments of consciousness scattered in this tomb! So why haven''t I stumbled upon any of them before??"

 Chapter 630: My existence will entirely disappear...

    Chapter 630: My existence will entirely disappear...

    ?

    Kyle murmured a spell under his breath, conjuring a cage of spiritual energy before tossing the luminous figure inside.

    The figure made of light writhed within the cage, her eyes filled with menace as a melodious voice escaped her lips.

    "Release me, human! I am one of the guardians of this tomb!"

    Kyle bent down to peer into her eyes.

    "Just a piece of consciousness? I presumed it to be a shard of an ancient soul. Souls, after all, wield more strength than mere consciousness."

    He got up and, under Bia and Asher''s eyes, he approached the two metallic nails that the woman had thrown at him earlier. Kyle pulled the nails out from the ground and nced at the woman.

    "I never expected that a piece of consciousness would be one of the guardians of this ce. What''s more, it had the audacity to attack me without even making its existence known." The woman blinked and fell silent.

    He was right. She was just a shred of consciousness who had been residing in this ce for many years. She drifted into slumber ages ago but was awakened when Kyle stepped into her domain. The woman wanted to use her strength to break through the cage surrounding her body, but she was interrupted by a familiar metallic nail that swiftly impaled her lower body. A gasp escaped her as the area where the nail struck disintegrated into particles.

    "Wait, hold on! You can''t destroy my body! I am the guardian of this tomb!"

    She murmured quietly.

    "My existence will entirely disappear..."

    Kyle titled his head.

    "So?"

    He lifted the second metallic nail in his grasp, channeling spiritual energy from his palm to encase its surfacepletely. But Asher intervened before he could hurl it at the woman''s forehead. The half-dragon instinctively retreated as Kyle fixed his dark gaze upon him. A chill crept into Kyle''s voice as he lowered the weapon.

    "You do know, we both would have been dead if I hadn''t captured her."

    Asher scratched his cheek, letting out a sigh at his words, and nced at the figure of light, which stared right back at him.

    "I know, and I am not stopping you at all, but we need to gather all the information she holds about this tomb. I''m sure she has a lot of knowledge if she''s proiming to be one of the guardians."

    Kyle fell silent for a moment, then nodded. He tossed the nail he held before ncing at the woman who let out a sigh of relief.

    "Go ahead, do as you please."

    He stepped back and gestured to extinguish the remaining icy mes in the chamber. As the mes vanished entirely, the three golden boxes floating in the air reappeared once more.

    Asher''s eyes shed with surprise as he saw the boxes. It seems Kyle made sure not to destroy them. His eyebrow twitched when he saw Bia swiftly glide towards one of the golden boxes that Kyle reached for with lightning-fast speed, enveloping it with her wings, even though her body was smallerpared to the box.

    -"This is mine!"

    The phoenix eximed loudly, causing Kyle''s hand to pause in mid-air. The human chuckled and reached for another box next to the one Bia took. The duo left the third box untouched and silently retreated to a distance after taking the two.

    Asher let out a smile and quickly went to seize the third golden box. Having reached the middle stage of the supreme-rank, he required a powerful treasure to advance to the next stage of the supreme-rank.

    But unfortunately, all the treasures he stumbled upon in this tomb after attaining the supreme rank were useless to him; they could only benefit those in divine rank and transcendent rank. Nevertheless, he was certain these golden boxes contained something powerful! After all, a piece of consciousness was protecting them!

    The woman watched them silently, but when one of them was about to open the box, she started sobbing.

    "You can''t... you can''t open it. They all contain something made by him."

    Tears made of energy streamed down her eyes as she looked sadly at Kyle, Bia, and Asher. Instantly, the half-dragon and the phoenix halted their movements.

    Unlike the duo, Kyle didn''t even acknowledge the woman and briskly opened the box in his hands. The noise caught the attention of everyone nearby.

    "Gloves...? Nice, I needed a pair."

    He nodded, and amidst the stunned onlookers, he extracted a dark pair of gloves with numerous tiny white symbols carved onto them from the box and tossed the empty container

    away.

    Bia followed his lead and opened her box too. If Kyle could open it, why couldn''t she? She peered inside and spotted a ring.

    -"What!? I can''t wear this! Please, don''t let it be useless for me!"

    The phoenix panicked, but her eyes shed with surprise when the ring floated out from the golden box and expanded in size. It then split from the center before loosely wrapping around her ankle.

    The ring shimmered in the light, forming a striking contrast with her feathers.

    -"Not bad. But what''s this used for?"

    The woman made of light stopped crying. She was secretly attempting to break free from the spiritual energy cage enveloping her body to reim the three golden boxes, but it appeared that the individuals in front of her weren''t easily fooled.

    "It''s a life-saving artifact. It will transport you to a safe location when your life is at risk and even mark your enemy to reveal their whereabouts."

    Bia wasn''t satisfied, but something was better than nothing. She raised her talon and stared at the ring for a few seconds. At least it was making her look rich. She should wear more

    essories.

    Kyle donned the gloves on his hands, and even before the woman could exin their purpose, he discerned it from the symbols inscribed on them. The gloves would amplify the strength of

    his attacks.

    They both gazed at Asher, who froze in his spot after opening the box in his hand as an ominous aura emanated from it.

    Kyle stepped back and scrunched up his nose at the smell of blood and flesh drifting from the box in the half-dragon''s hands.

    Asher wiped his forehead, nced at the pulsating crimson object in the box, and then turned

    to the woman.

    "This is...?"

    The woman''s eyes sparkled.

    "This is the heart of a golden dragon. You are a half-dragon, right? Consuming it can enhance

    your strength."

 Chapter 631: I wonder who he is?

    Chapter 631: I wonder who ''he'' is?

    ?

    "It''s fortunate I didn''t pick that box."

    Kyle murmured under his breath with a solemn look. Who knows just how long the heart had been trapped inside the box? Not to mention... he would never eat another living being''s heart!

    Bia also quickly distanced herself from Asher, who didn''t know whether tough or cry. He had indeed found a powerful treasure, but it was a pulsating heart!

    The woman was speechless at their reaction. They should have been overjoyed to have discovered a treasure that many would sacrifice everything for. Yet, they were utterly repulsed by it.

    "What in the world are you all doing? This heart holds the power to boost your strength significantly. It can elevate those in the transcendent rank to the supreme rank and elevate the supreme rank to an even higher level! Just consider it as any other meat and consume it. Show gratitude because this heart was found by one of the individuals who constructed this tomb and ascended to the Celestial realm!"

    Kyle grasped her words. Atst, she divulged some information she held.

    "I suppose they are one of the guys who was with the ice enchantress or perhaps the ice enchantress herself. But they had ascended to the Celestial realm..."

    Asher swiftly closed the golden box in his hands and tossed it into his mind space. He would thinkter whether to consume the heart or not. Then, he approached the woman to learn more about the Celestial realm she mentioned. After all, if it has the name ''Celestial'' in it, it must be connected to the Celestial rank!

    Hearing the name ice enchantress, the woman made of light fell silent. Her eyes showed pity, fear, and a lot of regret. Once again, she started sobbing.

    "I am dead... all of us are dead. He killed every single one of us. Weren''t we all summoned here just to guard this tomb? So why do we have to die? It''s all because of the ice enchantress and the one who ascended to the Celestial realm."

    Confusion flickered across Kyle''s face as he nced at the woman.

    "What do you mean you are dead? As long as you have a piece of consciousness left, can''t you reconstruct your body? I can perceive from the aura around you that your original form is at least of supreme rank."

    The woman shook her head.

    "No, it''s not possible if your soul has beenpletely destroyed. Not to mention, this fragment of consciousness was something I separated from my body before I died. So, it

    doesn''t hold much power. My existence will entirely vanish if even this piece of consciousness is destroyed."

    Kyle nodded and picked up the nail he had previously discarded.

    "You know, if you fear disappearing entirely, you shouldn''t have attacked me."

    The woman''s eyes widened.

    "What? Of course! I will attack when someone enters my domain! You are not allowed to destroy me! How can you be so heartless, human?"

    She sobbed with a pitiful expression, but her tears vanished as anotheryer of spiritual energy enveloped her body.

    "You bastard! I was so close to escaping!"

    She wrestled within the confines of the cage, her face a mask of frustration as tears welled up in her eyes once more.

    "Please release me. The treasures are already in your possession. Just let me go. I''m merely a piece of consciousness. I pose no threat to you. I swear, I will never cause you harm. I won''t even cross your path."

    Kyle furrowed his brow.

    ''She is getting annoying...''

    His words resonated in Asher and Bia''s minds as hemunicated with them telepathically. Asher''s eyes flickered with amusement at the woman''s swift changes in expression. One moment she was cursing Kyle, the next she was in tears.

    ''The tears are not even real. They are crafted from energy. So it''s hard for me to sympathize with her. She even tried to end our lives. Not to mention, she''s already dead. Therefore, it matters little if we destroy what''s left of her.''

    He wasn''t merciful. In this world, the strong thrive and the weak perish. If he had been merciful, he wouldn''t have made it this far. He only stopped Kyle previously to extract information about powerful treasures from the woman.

    Kyle grasped the metallic nail firmly in his hand and moved towards the woman. He sat down in front of her, lowering himself to meet her gaze.

    "I have got some questions. I''m curious about the name of the person who ascended to the Celestial realm. And where exactly is this Celestial realm located? The name sounds grand. I am sure it''s a ce of immense power."

    The woman''s expression grew somber at his words, and she touched the energy barrier before her with a sad smile.

    "The one who ascended to the Celestial realm? The one responsible for the downfall of us all? You want to know his name? But the one who brought about our end detests it if his name is spoken by another. Yet, you still want to know?"

    She leaned in close to Kyle and whispered softly in a hushed tone.

    "It''s Nathaniel... thest human who managed to attain the genuine Celestial rank in this universe apart from him. And the Celestial realm you mentioned is a realm beyond this universe where the Celestial beings reside."

    Kyle let out an ''Oh''. The phoenix couldn''t handle so much information, so she chose to listen silently.

    Kyle didn''t shift his gaze, but he could sense faint cracks appearing on the surface of the cage enclosing the woman. She was trying to break free once more.

    He had caught her off guard before using the power of his blue mes and knew that even though she couldn''t kill him, she had the ability to harm him, despite being just a fragment of consciousness.

    "Nathaniel? That''s quite a powerful name. Hmm, but I wonder who ''he'' is? The one you keep mentioning in your words."

 Chapter 632: So, need a hand? Or-!

    Chapter 632: So, need a hand? Or-!

    ?

    Unlike Bia and Kyle, Asher waspletely shocked by the woman''s words. He was clueless about the Celestial realm, but he had heard of many individuals who had touched the Celestial rank.

    After all, despite being a half-dragon, he was part of the dragon race and had only been trapped in this tomb for a century.

    At the top of the list were the first and second shadow generals, but it was a well-known fact among the dragon race that even though the first and second shadow generals had advanced from the supreme rank, they had only touched the boundary of the initial stage of the Celestial-rank, like many others.

    ''In this universe, there exists only one individual who has truly attained the true Celestial rank �C Azazeal, the leader of the dark side. So, who exactly is this Nathaniel? If he is thest human to ever reach the true Celestial rank in this universe and has ascended to the Celestial realm, wouldn''t that indicate that the other person she''s talking about is Azazeal?''

    Asher''s mind raced with thoughts, yet he chose to maintain his silence.

    He needed to gather more information before confirming anything.

    Asher watched the human''s back as thetter questioned the woman entirely made of light about the other person she had been mentioning in her words.

    Kyle''s gaze was locked onto the woman as she lowered her voice with a sob.

    "It is... him."

    He furrowed his brows.

    "Who?"

    Suddenly, the spiritual energy cage surrounding the woman shattered, and she let out a chilling scream that shook the entire chamber. She swiftly leaped in the opposite direction, aiming to flee the area and hide for the time being while internallymitting to deal with the humanter. However, before she could make her escape, Kyle raised the metallic nail in his hand and drove it into her abdomen.

    "I believe I asked you a question?"

    A monotonic voice emanated from his lips as he grabbed the woman''s shoulder and quickly pinned her to the ground.

    She writhed with a look of horror on her face, witnessing the spot where the nail had been driven disintegrate into particles. A big part of her was destroyed just like that...? She opened her mouth to quickly answer the human''s question. Her existence was more important than anything else!

    "It''s... Az-!"

    She gasped as the core of her body fragmented into particles due to the human''s tight grasp. Kyle swiftly let her go upon seeing her body disintegrate, yet it was toote. The remainder of her form shattered into particles, scattering throughout the chamber.

    "Ah, the gloves... boosted my strength. I didn''t put much pressure when I grabbed her, but they magnified the force."

    He nced at the gloves adorning his hands. The symbols on them gleamed briefly before returning to their usual state. Kyle shifted his gaze back to the phoenix and the half-dragon. "I suppose no more information."

    Bia rolled her eyes at his words. The phoenix floated towards him and settled on his shoulder as he stood up.

    Asher nced at the remnants of the disappearing particles swirling inside the chamber, which waspletely destroyed by the icy mes Kyle used, and sighed inwardly with a solemn expression.

    ''I was so close to knowing if that person who reached the Celestial rank alongside Nathaniel is Azazeal or not. Az...? Her final words for some reason gave me the creeps. I haven''t even seen the leader of the dark side and would rather not. All I want is to make it out of this tomb in one piece.''

    He massaged his forehead, feeling weary from the influx of information he gained due to the silver-haired man in just a day. It felt like he was learning far more than he should, even delving into knowledge he wasn''t meant to explore.

    Asher jolted as a cold hand touched his shoulder. He lifted his gaze to meet the familiar pair of green eyes, now exuding a sense of nonchnce. Kyle tilted his head and gestured towards the portal he had conjured moments ago, only to find the half-dragon lost in thoughts.

    "What happened? You are not going to follow me anymore?"

    Asher shed a smirk at his question, but as usual, before he could touch the human, thetter retreated a meter away from him. This time, he wasn''t even surprised and just patted the ce Kyle touched with a smile as he watched the human step into the portal he had crafted.

    "I just had this sudden realization that I don''t want to die. It''s frightening because I will vanishpletely just like her..."

    He nced at the empty chamber and followed Kyle to exit the space. The trio reappeared in the chamber filled with marble statues they had left earlier.

    Kyle looked at Asher. He heard what the man said before stepping into the portal.

    ''I don''t want to die either. The pain isn''t scary for me anymore, but death itself is something I don''t wish for.''

    He didn''t say it out loud, and the air around the duo fell into a heavy silence. Bia sensed the sudden change in the atmosphere.

    -"What''s next?"

    Kyle turned his gaze toward the phoenix perched on his shoulder.

    "Hmm? Let''s conquer this trial ground."

    Asher nodded and observed the numerous statues surrounding them, which began to move closer.

    "So, need a hand? Or-!"

    His sentence remained unfinished as Kyle vanished from his position.

    Bia nearly stumbled, but she had grown used to Kyle''s sudden disappearances, so she steadied herself effortlessly. The phoenix watched alongside Asher as the statues closing in on them began to shatter one by one, and in just a few moments, Kyle reappeared in the exact spot he vanished from, with hardly a wrinkle on his clothes.

    "Done."

    Kyle grabbed the base of his gloves and adjusted them to sit snugly on his hands.

    The half-dragon chuckled as he surveyed the shattered statues around them. It was quite swift, even for him. Nevertheless, they had sessfullypleted the first stage of the trial

    ground.

 Chapter 633: Thats why I failed this stage

    Chapter 633: That''s why I failed this stage

    ?

    After Kylepleted the first stage of the trial ground, a door opened behind them. The trio entered and found themselves in another chamber, but this time, they faced only one marble statue as their opponent, which held the transcendent rank.

    "Hmm? That''s it?"

    Kyle looked around for more challenges, but it seemed there were none.

    Asher chuckled at his words. When he entered this trial ground in the past, it was difficult for him to clear this round because he was weak at that time. That''s why he couldn''t advance past the third stage.

    "Don''t get too confident. It''s not easy for those who have entered this tomb to face so many divine-rank statues and then immediately confront a transcendent rank one. You are the exception here."

    Kyle shot him a nce. He wasn''t feeling overconfident. He simply wanted a bigger challenge because he needed to boost his physique and strength, which are currently at the final stage of the transcendent rank, to reach the supreme rank.

    Putting his body under intense pressure was crucial to achieving this goal.

    ''I guess I need to battle the supreme rank undeads to make it happen because the trial ground is not helping me much.''

    He approached the statue emanating the power of the transcendent rank, and as the statue raised its weapons, he lifted his fist and used his strength to shatter it.

    A superior physique and strength make someone more powerfulpared to others at the same rank.

    In the end, not many can improve their physique and strength, even as they advance through their true rank.

    Kyle''s situation was different, though. His strength and physique were above his true rank because he spent years in a ce thatcked mana and divine energy.

    Once the transcendent rank statue was defeated, another door opened up before the phoenix and the two men. However, before they could step through the door, a few screams echoed out from it. Kyle''s ear twitched as one of the voices among the others sounded somewhat familiar.

    ''Hmm?''

    He was distracted when Asher swiftly headed towards the door.

    "These are the individuals I sensed earlier, undoubtedly the ones who entered the trial ground before us. It appears they are trapped in the third stage."

    Kyle and Bia followed him, and as they entered the door, Kyle had to float like the phoenix as they were met by a vast pool of bubbling water and countless sharp spikes jutting out from the ground before them.

    Asher lifted his gaze towards the massive circr tform hovering above the water. The screams of the people echoed from above the tform. His eyes met a pair of crimson eyes instantly.

    "That''s why I failed this stage..."

    Kyle followed his stare and spotted a colossal creature constructed of rocks adorned with various symbols covering its entire body. It peered down at them with a pair of crimson eyes.

    "Thest stage of the transcendent rank?"

    Asher nodded.

    "Not just one. There are three of them above the tform. We have to defeat them to pass this stage."

    Kyle silently drifted towards the tform and noticed four figures engaged inbat with two of the rock creatures. Among them were two elven men, one demi-human female, and finally, an old dwarf... Oh, he recognized the dwarf instantly. It was none other than Zron.

    ''Now I get why I couldn''t shake off that familiar scent nearby, but it was so faint... I almost thought I was imagining it. I suppose it''s because the barriers around this chamber are stronger than the others.''

    Bia joined him alongside Asher. Unlike the half-dragon, who found the scene amusing, the phoenix was rendered speechless as she watched Zron narrowly evade an attack from one of the rock creatures, while desperately calling out for help.

    - "I reckon that old man''s only good at stealing... He''s terrible inbat. Is he truly at the transcendent rank?"

    Zron whipped his head towards Bia when he heard her voice. His eyes sparkled as he attempted to fly out from the tform but was thwarted by a barrier.

    "Help! Finally, this old man can be rescued!"

    He was overjoyed beyond words. However, Asher dampened his joy. The half-dragon gestured towards some inscribed carvings on the tform. They weren''t symbols but clear words engraved there for the fighters.

    "I assume all of you know how to read? It''s clearly written that if you can''t defeat the rock creatures, you can simply surrender. It just means you will be removed from the trial ground. So, surrender if you can''t seed. Why the unnecessary struggle?"

    Zron snorted at his words. He had nearly broken his old bones defeating countless divine- rank marble statues. He even faced a transcendent-rank marble statue! It was true he wasn''t alone, and the three other individuals with him somewhat aided him, but no way he would give up aftering this far! He musty his hands on the treasures this structure holds! He whipped his head towards Kyle while deftly dodging another attack from one of the rock creatures.

    "Kyle... This old man needs some help. Come, assist me."

    Zron asked with a pleading tone. He had not even taken the belongings of the three

    individuals with him. How could he possibly admit defeat?

    Asher nced at Kyle.

    "You know him?"

    Kyle wanted to shake his head in denial but held back the urge.

    "Kind of. Let''s just clear the trial ground."

    He entered the tform with Bia. The moment they stepped onto the tform, one of the rock creatures attacked them. Asher stayed outside the tform and asked Kyle and Bia.

    "Need a hand? Or not?"

    The other three peeps on the tform immediately recognized Kyle. They were shocked, but all their thoughts disappeared as Kyle raised his fist and struck the rock creature that had attacked him and Bia. A thunderous boom echoed on the tform as the creature skidded backward, nearly falling off the tform but managing to regain bnce just in time. Kyle

    clenched his fists and confidently stated.

    "No, really. I can handle them myself."

    Suddenly, as he moved towards another rock creature, Bia halted him.

    -"Hey, leave one for me. I want to test my strength too. I reached the transcendent rank just

    recently. I need some practice."

    Kyle pointed towards the rock creature fighting the two elves and demi-human.

    "Go, that''s your prey."

 Chapter 634: Their eyes are their weakness

    ?

    Kyle nced at the chamber he arrived in after entering the gate; it was an ordinary room with a table in the center.

    He floated towards the table,nding on the ground, only to notice several scales ced on it. Asher and Zron also appeared behind him and promptly joined him.

    Kyle grabbed one of the palm-sized, nail-shaped scalesid out on the table in front of him and examined it intently.

    "Golden Scales? Are they even useful?"

    Bia squinted at the scale in his hand, her brows furrowed.

    -"It''s shiny though? Like beautiful... don''t tell me the scales on the table are the reward of this trial ground because I don''t see anything else in this chamber."

    Zron grabbed one of the scales and also examined it but didn''t find it much useful except the fact that it was quite robust... so much so that even with his transcendent rank strength, he wasn''t able to break it.

    He nced at Kyle.

    "Can you check if you can break it? The material is quite sturdy. I am sure these scales can sell for a hefty price."

    Kyle nodded and gave it a shot with ten percent of his strength. A look of surprise dawned on his face as the scale remained unbroken. He increased his strength to fifty percent, but the oue was unchanged. It wasn''t until he exerted hundred percent of his strength on the scale that a minuscule crack finally emerged on its surface.

    "It''s actually quite sturdy. I can''t break the scale even though, with the gloves, my strength is at the first stage of the supreme rank... but why does the smell emanating from the scales feel somewhat familiar?"

    Hepletely enveloped the golden scale in his hand with his scent perception skill, and a realization crossed his face. Kyle turned to Asher, who was quietly gazing at the scales with aplex expression. The half-dragon noticed his stare and sighed.

    "You finally caught on?"

    He stepped forward and picked up one of the scales from the table.

    "These are dragon scales. I don''t think we can use them to boost our strength; they are typically used to craft armor. First a dragon heart and now dragon scales? I''m curious, did the people who set up this trial ground kill an actual dragon for all this?"

    Kyle tossed the scale onto the table, and it made a soft clinking sound as it joined the other scales.

    "They likely did. How else would they have acquired these? If not, I suppose they got these from a dying dragon. Regardless, the trip here was pointless. I don''t use armors. Plus, we''recking someone who can craft one from these scales."

    Asher and Zron nodded, but that didn''t stop them from reaching out to grab the scales. Before they could, Bia spread out her wings over the table with gleaming eyes.

    -"They are beautiful, so they are mine. Let''s create jewelry with them. I should wear more essories like this ring."

    She raised her talon and disyed the ring around her ankle. Kyle''s eyebrow twitched. "Can you even carry them? We have already collected so many useless things. They''re just gathering dust in my mind space."

    Bia blinked with sparkling eyes.

    -"Can''t we grab a few more? I don''t believe it would make a difference."

    She whispered with sad eyes.

    -"As a beast, Ick a mind space, hence I can''t stash what I like in a separate spot. Can''t you even do this much for me?"

    Zron and Asher were taken aback by Bia''s words, and upon witnessing her sorrowful eyes, the pair retreated.

    There was no chance they would take something from the phoenix after seeing her round eyes. They nced at Kyle, who was momentarily speechless. He sighed and stored the scales in his mind space.

    "Content?"

    Bia nodded with a pleased look, a stark contrast to Asher and Zron''s expressions. Nheless, the duo reassured themselves that the scales held no value for them. So, it was all good.

    As the three men and one phoenix exited the chamber, they immediately spotted the two elves and the demi-human emerging from the neighboring doors, with satisfied looks on their faces.

    It appears that the elves and the demi-human also acquired valuable items.

    Zron felt like crying. He endured so much struggle toplete this trial, yet... ended up with nothing.

    Bia chuckled as the two elves and the demi-human avoided them like gue and rushed towards the chamber''s exit to depart the trial ground.

    -''I guess your luck stat led you to the most beneficial treasure. I wonder what the elves and the demi-human discovered.''

    Kyle stole a quick nce at the trio.

    ''I couldn''t sense whaty within the chambers because of the barriers. So, unfortunately, I''m clueless too.''

    He created a portal and entered, choosing to exit the trial ground directly rather than dealing with the hassle. Asher and Zron followed him, but as soon as they emerged from the other side of the portal, a familiar bell chimed throughout the entire tomb. Kyle gazed up at the

    darkening sky.

    "Night has finally arrived."

    An excited gleam danced in his green eyes as the space around him darkened within seconds. Asher became alert. Night was dangerous in this tomb.

    Zron also grew vignt as he had already figured out that the many undead creatures he fought for his life when he first entered the tomb only showed up at night and vanished when

    morning came.

    Now, upon hearing the familiar sound again, he was sure it marked the shift between day and night in this tomb.

    Kyle shot a quick look back at the half-dragon and the old man.

    "I suppose it''s time for us to part ways."

    Asher blinked, looking stunned.

    "What? Why-!"

    Before he could finish his sentence, Kyle began to float. Asher wanted to follow him and the phoenix like before, but his eyes widened as the human swiftly created a portal at a speed that even put the supreme rank to shame and vanished into it with Bia, leaving him with Zron, who was shocked that the silver-haired man had left him alone in such a perilous moment.

    "What in the world??"

    The half-dragon spread out his senses to locate the human and the phoenix, but he realized with a wide-open mouth he couldn''t track them at all!

    It was as if Kyle hadpletely concealed his and Bia''s presence!

    "Wait, so he could hide his aura easily this whole time...? Why was he showing off his strength then?? That powerful jerk! He''s making me feel like I''m weaker than him, even though I''m at

    the supreme rank!"

    He whipped his head toward Zron and finally realized why the human left the old man alone with him. Kyle knew Asher would not abandon the old man to die, considering their

    friendship.

    That sneaky bastard.

 Chapter 635: I suppose its time for us to part ways

    Chapter 635: I suppose it''s time for us to part ways

    ?

    Kyle nced at the chamber he arrived in after entering the gate; it was an ordinary room with a table in the center.

    He floated towards the table,nding on the ground, only to notice several scales ced on it. Asher and Zron also appeared behind him and promptly joined him.

    Kyle grabbed one of the palm-sized, nail-shaped scalesid out on the table in front of him and examined it intently.

    "Golden Scales? Are they even useful?"

    Bia squinted at the scale in his hand, her brows furrowed.

    -"It''s shiny though? Like beautiful... don''t tell me the scales on the table are the reward of this trial ground because I don''t see anything else in this chamber."

    Zron grabbed one of the scales and also examined it but didn''t find it much useful except the fact that it was quite robust... so much so that even with his transcendent rank strength, he wasn''t able to break it.

    He nced at Kyle.

    "Can you check if you can break it? The material is quite sturdy. I am sure these scales can sell for a hefty price."

    Kyle nodded and gave it a shot with ten percent of his strength. A look of surprise dawned on his face as the scale remained unbroken. He increased his strength to fifty percent, but the oue was unchanged. It wasn''t until he exerted hundred percent of his strength on the scale that a minuscule crack finally emerged on its surface.

    "It''s actually quite sturdy. I can''t break the scale even though, with the gloves, my strength is at the first stage of the supreme rank... but why does the smell emanating from the scales feel somewhat familiar?"

    Hepletely enveloped the golden scale in his hand with his scent perception skill, and a realization crossed his face. Kyle turned to Asher, who was quietly gazing at the scales with aplex expression. The half-dragon noticed his stare and sighed.

    "You finally caught on?"

    He stepped forward and picked up one of the scales from the table.

    "These are dragon scales. I don''t think we can use them to boost our strength; they are typically used to craft armor. First a dragon heart and now dragon scales? I''m curious, did the people who set up this trial ground kill an actual dragon for all this?"

    Kyle tossed the scale onto the table, and it made a soft clinking sound as it joined the other scales.

    "They likely did. How else would they have acquired these? If not, I suppose they got these from a dying dragon. Regardless, the trip here was pointless. I don''t use armors. Plus, we''recking someone who can craft one from these scales."

    Asher and Zron nodded, but that didn''t stop them from reaching out to grab the scales. Before they could, Bia spread out her wings over the table with gleaming eyes.

    -"They are beautiful, so they are mine. Let''s create jewelry with them. I should wear more essories like this ring."

    She raised her talon and disyed the ring around her ankle. Kyle''s eyebrow twitched. "Can you even carry them? We have already collected so many useless things. They''re just gathering dust in my mind space."

    Bia blinked with sparkling eyes.

    -"Can''t we grab a few more? I don''t believe it would make a difference."

    She whispered with sad eyes.

    -"As a beast, Ick a mind space, hence I can''t stash what I like in a separate spot. Can''t you even do this much for me?"

    Zron and Asher were taken aback by Bia''s words, and upon witnessing her sorrowful eyes, the pair retreated.

    There was no chance they would take something from the phoenix after seeing her round eyes. They nced at Kyle, who was momentarily speechless. He sighed and stored the scales in his mind space.

    "Content?"

    Bia nodded with a pleased look, a stark contrast to Asher and Zron''s expressions. Nheless, the duo reassured themselves that the scales held no value for them. So, it was all good.

    As the three men and one phoenix exited the chamber, they immediately spotted the two elves and the demi-human emerging from the neighboring doors, with satisfied looks on their faces.

    It appears that the elves and the demi-human also acquired valuable items.

    Zron felt like crying. He endured so much struggle toplete this trial, yet... ended up with nothing.

    Bia chuckled as the two elves and the demi-human avoided them like gue and rushed towards the chamber''s exit to depart the trial ground.

    -''I guess your luck stat led you to the most beneficial treasure. I wonder what the elves and the demi-human discovered.''

    Kyle stole a quick nce at the trio.

    ''I couldn''t sense whaty within the chambers because of the barriers. So, unfortunately, I''m clueless too.''

    He created a portal and entered, choosing to exit the trial ground directly rather than dealing with the hassle. Asher and Zron followed him, but as soon as they emerged from the other side of the portal, a familiar bell chimed throughout the entire tomb. Kyle gazed up at the

    darkening sky.

    "Night has finally arrived."

    An excited gleam danced in his green eyes as the space around him darkened within seconds. Asher became alert. Night was dangerous in this tomb.

    Zron also grew vignt as he had already figured out that the many undead creatures he fought for his life when he first entered the tomb only showed up at night and vanished when

    morning came.

    Now, upon hearing the familiar sound again, he was sure it marked the shift between day and night in this tomb.

    Kyle shot a quick look back at the half-dragon and the old man.

    "I suppose it''s time for us to part ways."

    Asher blinked, looking stunned.

    "What? Why-!"

    Before he could finish his sentence, Kyle began to float. Asher wanted to follow him and the phoenix like before, but his eyes widened as the human swiftly created a portal at a speed that even put the supreme rank to shame and vanished into it with Bia, leaving him with Zron, who was shocked that the silver-haired man had left him alone in such a perilous moment.

    "What in the world??"

    The half-dragon spread out his senses to locate the human and the phoenix, but he realized with a wide-open mouth he couldn''t track them at all!

    It was as if Kyle hadpletely concealed his and Bia''s presence!

    "Wait, so he could hide his aura easily this whole time...? Why was he showing off his strength then?? That powerful jerk! He''s making me feel like I''m weaker than him, even though I''m at

    the supreme rank!"

    He whipped his head toward Zron and finally realized why the human left the old man alone with him. Kyle knew Asher would not abandon the old man to die, considering their

    friendship.

    That sneaky bastard.

 Chapter 636: Has he gone crazy!?

    Chapter 636: Has he gone crazy!?

    ?

    The lost treasure tomb''s sky was pitch ck, and within that darkness, a group of demi- humans battled undead creatures that had emerged from below. Despite one of them being injured, they had defeated all the undead except for two. Their fatigued expressions glowed with relief as they vanquished another undead.

    "Just one more... then we can locate a spot to hide for the night!"

    One of them shouted, and everyone around him nodded in ord.

    However, at that moment, the ground beneath them trembled, and a massive undead

    creature, towering twice the size of a building, crashed onto thend just a short distance away from them.

    They were terrified as the enormous skeletal figure, covered in decaying flesh, swiftly rose to its feet and released a thunderous roar. The pair of glowing white eyes in its skull held a hint of anger, a stark contrast to the mindless undead they had been battling until then.

    This was the biggest undead they had evere across, and the group knew they were in big trouble if it caught sight of them! But before they could even think about running, another massive undead crashed onto the one that had just stood up.

    The sounds of bones crashing against each other filled the air as dust and debris once again exploded into the air.

    The two undead let out roars of anger and frustration as they struggled to stand, and the group''s expressions paled. All of them bolted in different directions to safeguard themselves, except for the demi-human at the forefront who was facing thest undead they were originally fighting.

    Thest demi-human unleashed his most powerful skill to defeat the undead in front of him, but his knees buckled, and his heart almost stopped when one of the colossal undead in the distance locked eyes with him... but then the undead ignored him and shifted its gaze forward. He hurriedly attempted to flee, but his attention was captured by a radiant light in the sky. The light streaked towards the two massive undead and disappeared, revealing the silhouette of a silver-haired man d in blood-stained clothes. He held his breath and observed as the two undead assaulted the lone man suspended in the air, who faced their attacks head-on. "Oh my gosh!! Someone is battling two supreme-rank undead!!"

    Disbelief and shock were evident in his voice as he ran for his life. He couldn''t see the silver- haired man''s face as thetter had his back turned toward him, and he didn''t want to see it either! As he departed, a loud curse echoed in the air.

    -"Damn it! Don''t move so fast, Kyle, you bastard! Let me catch my breath!"

    The sky above lit up with brilliant golden mes as a majestic phoenix appeared above the two colossal creatures fighting the silver-haired man.

    Bia nced at the human who didn''t even bother to reply to her and was preupied with the two undead.

    -"At least don''t get injured! When the hell did you be so crazy!?"

    Her eyes flickered with concern, yet she refrained from intervening as per Kyle''s request. He aimed to elevate his physique and strength to the next rank.

    -"Shhhh-! Does he really have to push himself that hard? Can''t he just opt for normal training methods to enhance his strength and physique?"

    Kyle heard her voice loud and clear, but his mind was fixated on his opponents. He had been battling the undead for hours. His knuckles ached, but he didn''t halt; instead, he increased his speed even further. He refrained from utilizing any skills and simply pushed his body to the limit.

    One of the undead before him fired a beam of golden light at him, and he spun his body in mid-air to dodge it beforending a solid punch at its stomach area.

    A loud sound of bones breaking reverberated through the air as the undead staggered back. Quickly changing position mid-air, Kyle struck the other undead lunging at him from behind. His eyes shed with a glint as he advanced and seized the arm of the undead he had just punched, ripping it apart from the body. The undead staggered and swung its other arm towards him, trying to smack him underground, but Kyle swiftly moved in and delivered a kick to the center of its chest, where a round te with a faint symbol was hanging.

    Cracks appeared on the te, making the dim symbol vanish right away. The undead''s glowing white eyes dimmed, and its remaining body shattered into pieces once the te broke into pieces.

    -"Third..."

    Bia murmured under her breath and watched the human from the sky.

    This was the third supreme rank undead he destroyed in just a few hours, and that''s not even counting the countless lower-ranked undead he annihted along the way.

    If he continued at this pace, the phoenix was confident the tomb would soon be rid of all the undead creatures.

    After Kyle destroyed thest undead fighting him, he once again extended his scent perception skill, which he had temporarily disabled during the battle, to detect more supreme rank undead nearby. His gaze shifted northward, and he swiftly vanished towards the location where he sensed another supreme rank undead presence. Bia muttered a curse under her breath and followed closely behind.

    In just one night, almost every person who had entered the treasure tomb heard about the silver-haired human relentlessly hunting down the undead creatures.

    The man would appear like a whisper, swiftly eliminating every undead in the area before vanishing just as swiftly.

    Many people recognized Kyle since they had seen him in the diator Arena.

    So, if anyone caught even a glimpse of his shadow, they would bolt because for them he was more dangerous than the undead.

    In another spot, Alec, who had just courageously rescued some lizard race members from the undead, was heading to the tform Jian had informed him about a while ago to boost his strength to the transcendent rank.

    Unlike his friends, he could see their locations because he had marked all of them with a skill The acquired through the system before they entered the tomb.

    Of course, he didn''t mark Kyle and Bia''s bodies because he knew the man would sense it immediately.

    He paused when he noticed a group of people in his way and considered about changing his route to reach Jian''s location swiftly, taking Mia and Nine, who were close by, with him. But the conversation of the group grabbed his interest.

    They were talking about the nature''s favorite and the crimson phoenix.

    "Huh?"

    Alec''s lips fell open in shock and disbelief as he heard the group discussing how the nature''s favorite had gone crazy and began wiping out all the undead in the tomb for some reason.

    "What? But why?"

    The group was startled when he suddenly leaped out of hiding and questioned them. Due to Alec''s disheveled appearance, they initially couldn''t recognize him. But when they recalled he was with the nature''s favorite in the diator Arena, they swiftly withdrew with highly alert

    expressions.

    Alec observed their expressions and calmed the tension building up in his body.

    "I mean no harm. I''m just curious about the individual you were discussing."

    He stepped back to reassure them. The group rxed and somewhat lowered their guards. One of the men among them, who appeared to be the strongest, advanced toward him with a

    serious expression.

    "We don''t know much about th nature''s favorite. We only heard about him on the way. The word is, he''s been crazily hunting undead, and not just any normal undead, he''s going for the

    strongest of them."

    Alec nodded with a frown, muttering a thanks before swiftly leaving the group.

    "What''s Kyle up to now?"

    He sighed and moved with lightning-fast speed, reaching Nine''s location in no time. The merman was hidden inside a cave with a few other individuals and was quite pleased to see Alec. Having already heard about Kyle and Bia, Nine wasn''t surprised when Alec mentioned the silver-haired man.

    "Leave him be. If he dares to hunt the strongest undead in this tomb, I don''t think we need to worry about him at all. He''s probably grown stronger after using the tform Jian had told us

    about."

    Nine sighed deeply and, after casting a nce at the people with him in the cave, he followed Alec. He was a bit surprised that Alec had found him, but he didn''t dwell on it. There are many skills one can use to mark others to find their location.

    He had one as well, but since it wasn''t the strongest, he rarely used it. So, he was sure Alec had also used a simr skill on everyone''s bodies to locate them.

    They were chatting about the others while heading towards Jian''s location after Alec confessed on his own that he could locate everyone because of a skill he had, when a thunderous boom echoed in the distance, shaking everything around them. Nine nced at

    the trembling air.

    "What the hell...?"

    Without a second thought, the pair moved towards the sound to investigate what was going on but quickly concealed themselves upon spotting a horde of undead. They would have fled the area because battling so many undead was akin to seeking their death if they hadn''t noticed the phoenix surrounded by golden mes hovering in the sky and the bloodied figure of a familiar silver-haired man fighting amidst the horde.

    Kyle''s figure looked eerily smallpared to the colossal creatures surrounding him. A vein

    bulged on Nine''s forehead as he noticed the human''s condition.

    "That bastard! Has he gone crazy!?"

    Alec''s expression turned solemn, but itpletely sank as he suddenly whipped his head to

    the left.

    "Mia''s heading this way!"

 Chapter 637: You have a death wish, huh?

    Chapter 637: You have a death wish, huh?

    ?

    Kyle kicked the undead in front of him, breathing raggedly. He clenched his fist and punched another undead on the head. The atmosphere around him quivered violently due to his strength. His body moved swiftly, leaving afterimages behind as Bia''s voice echoed in his head.

    "I believe that''s enough for today. Will you even be able to move after all this?"

    She grumbled inwardly, a touch of concern in her eyes as she checked on the human''s state. He hadn''t stopped for even a minute since he started hunting the undead.

    Kyle halted upon hearing her voice, letting out a hum as he rxed his fists to assess his strength. His physique was still a bit away from reaching the supreme rank.

    "The pressure is enough... but I guess my body is not ready yet."

    He scanned the swarm of undead surrounding him and opted to call it a day. Not because he was tired, but because he had noted how long the previous night hadsted and understood that the next day was about to begin.

    Kyle floated upward, and with a blink of his eyes, a multitude of ice spears materialized in the sky before swiftly darting towards the undead surrounding him.

    Dust and debris erupted in the air as the ice spears struck the undead bodies, causing them to waver and lose bnce. Bia quickly arrived next to the silver-haired man.

    -"Heal your wounds first!"

    Kyle chuckled and gave her a nod. He flicked his fingers and used his divine energy to conjure skeleton warriors.

    It had been forever since hest used this skill, but he was itching to test the strength of his skeleton warriors against those made within this ancient tomb.

    His green eyes gleamed with a dark intensity, and in the next moment, numerous skeletons emerged from the ground beneath him. They immediately engaged the ones trying to attack him.

    "Oh... mine are weaker."

    He remarked loudly with a narrowed gaze when one of the dark skeleton warriors he had crafted with his energy was destroyed by a single strike from its opponent.

    "Nevertheless, they serve well as a distraction for the undead surrounding me until dawn breaks."

    Kyle extended his scent perception skill to monitor his surroundings. Just as he was about to use his ice encasing skill to heal his injuries quickly, he detected three familiar scents approaching him.

    "Huh?"

    He took a quick look to his right and saw Alec and Nine charging towards him with serious expressions.

    As he turned his gaze forward, he noticed Mia''s figure approaching as well. Nine let out a string of curses at Kyle as an undead enemy swung its weapon at him.

    "You jerk!? You have a death wish, huh?"

    The air quivered as Nine unleashed a powerful move he had recently learned. He channeled his divine energy, transforming it into a devastating st that engulfed the undead surrounding him in a surge of power, causing a massive explosion to reverberate in the area.

    Alec coughed and staggered backward in mid-air as the surroundings exploded with dust and debris, scattering fragments of shattered bones everywhere.

    The undead in the vacinity let out ferocious roars and surged towards Nine and Alec in response to the abrupt attack.

    Kyle floated in the distance with a speechless look as Nine''s sudden attack also destroyed many of the skeleton warriors he had created.

    Alec cleared the path ahead with Nine as they moved towards the bloodied figure of the silver-haired man, skillfully avoiding the attacks of the undead. Mia also used all her agility to reach man''s figure.

    Kyle sighed and rubbed his forehead.

    Didn''t they know he and Bia could easily vanish into a portal he can create with just a mere flick of his fingers? So why the hell were they heading towards him even after seeing the horde of undead around him?

    He shook his head, and with a snap of his fingers, a portal materialized in front of him. The phoenix next to him shot him a re before entering the portal, and he swiftly vanished towards Mia.

    The blue-haired woman was taken aback when a portal popped up in front of her, but when Kyle showed up beside her, she gasped at his condition.

    "You need healing potions-!"

    Kyle cut her off.

    "Go ahead. We will chatter."

    Mia eyed the swarm of undead and, with a nod, stepped into the portal before her.

    After she left, Kyle vanished towards Nine and Alec. He purposely observed the two men suffer for a moment before conjuring a portal in front of them.

    Nine cursed silently and as soon as Alec entered the portal, he red at the silver-haired man. "I know you too well! I bet you are gonna vanish into thin air! So, go in first!"

    Kyle wanted to chuckle but contained himself as the man shot him a dark look. With a nod, he entered the portal. Only after he had vanished did Nine follow suit.

    As Nine stepped into the portal, a familiar bell chimed throughout the tomb, signaling the end of the night and the beginning of a new day. He emerged from the other side of the portal and gazed at the brightening sky.

    "Finally, it''s morning again."

    He clicked his tongue and surveyed his surroundings. Kyle, Bia, Mia, and Alec were hovering in front of a shattered structure that resembled a woman. Nine hurried over to Kyle and reached for his shoulder, but a vein throbbed on his forehead as the man dodged his touch.

    "Let me heal your wounds, will you!?"

    Kyle nced at his clothes. They were bloodied, and he wrinkled his nose as the scent of blood

    reached him.

    "It''s okay, I can heal them."

    He blinked, and an extremely cold aura radiated from his body. The instant he activated his

    ice encasing skill, ayer of ice started to form on his skin.

    The ice shimmered with an otherworldly light as it enveloped his entire body, even creeping up from his neck to encase his face as Kyle closed his eyes briefly.

 Chapter 638: I guess he didnt wanted to explain

    Chapter 638: I guess he didn''t wanted to exin

    ?

    Nine moved back as he witnessed the ice forming on Kyle''s body.

    "A healing skill?"

    Alec also watched as Kyle was soon enveloped in ice, resembling an ice statue.

    "Yes, a powerful one."

    He remarked, and Mia nodded in agreement. Bianded on the blue-haired woman''s shoulder with a sigh.

    -"He had gone a bit crazy. I need a break. I''ve endured too much because of him."

    Mia chuckled and picked up the phoenix, who had resumed her smaller form, before gently caressing her body. Bia leaned in to the touch with a content expression.

    -''I needed this.''

    At that instant, they sensed a powerful surge of energy coursing through the air.

    Alec turned his eyes toward the marble structure next to the broken woman statue. He knew it the instant he arrived here, that he had reached Jian''s location because the system told him. Zron, the old dwarf, was also inside the structure ahead of him.

    A grin lit up his face as he nced at Mia and Nine, but before he could utter a word, Kyle''s eyes flickered open.

    "Oh... Jian has sessfully reached the transcendent rank."

    The icy encasement around his body fractured, transforming into minuscule particles. As the ice dissipated entirely, not a single scratch marred his skin; even the blood on his body dispersed into particles.

    A bright, chilly aura radiated from Kyle''s figure, enhancing hisplexion with a radiant glow as he stretched his neck.

    "I knew he could do it."

    Nine snorted in response.

    "Don''t change the subject. You need to exin why you were hunting undead!"

    Kyle let out a smile.

    It was the broadest smile he had ever shown to his friends, captivating the three individuals hovering before him instantly.

    "Let''s go check on Jian."

    He turned around and swiftly headed towards the structure next to the shattered statue of a woman, while Alec, Nine, and Mia watched his departing figure in a daze.

    Only after he vanished into the entrance of the structure, did Bia clear her throat to bring the others back from their daze.

    -"I guess he didn''t wanted to exin."

    Nine shut his open mouth.

    "What just happened?"

    Bia''s eyelid twitched. She had already be ustomed to Kyle''s appearance after spending time with him.

    Kyle always wore a passive expression, so when he smiled, it had a devastating effect on those around him.

    Alec nced at Nine.

    "I believe he dodged your question in a way we never expected..."

    Nine closed his eyes for a moment to collect himself, then opened them to whisper to Alec.

    "Hey, did the ice Kyle just used on his body enhance his charm? Why do I feel like it improved his looks?"

    Alec nodded solemnly. Mia couldn''t contain herughter at their conversation, and the two gave her a look. They were genuinely contemting asking Kyle to use the strange ice on them.

    Mia shook her head and began gliding toward the entrance of the structure.

    "Guys, let''s go see how Jian is doing."

    Alec and Nine exchanged nces and trailed behind her. Before they even entered the structure, a portal materialized in the sky. A familiarughter resonated through the air as Jian emerged from the portal, his face lit up with joy.

    "Yes! I nailed it!"

    Zron emerged behind him with a smile, followed by Asher. The two of them had returned to this ce after Kyle ran off to who knows where with the phoenix. Alec, Jian, Mia, and Bia quickly approached the red-haired man. Jian''s eyes sparkled as he nced at them.

    "It''s good you all found this ce!"

    He went toward Nine and Alec and bumped shoulders with them,ughing.

    After waving at Mia, he enthusiastically began showing his strength and exining about the tform to them.

    Alec''s eyes brightened as he listened to Jian. He was already at the pinnacle of the divine-rank and just needed a tiny push to reach the transcendent level. That''s why the tform was perfect for him.

    Both Mia and Nine were a bit away from reaching the final stage of divine-rank, so they both chose to absorb some treasures they had discovered in the Sacred Divine Land to enhance their strength to the pinnacle of divine-rank.

    They spotted the half-dragon hovering with Zron behind Jian. The trio was shocked when Jian introduced them to Asher, who had resided in this tomb for a hundred years and shared how Kyle hade across the half-dragon right after arriving in the tomb.

    Only when Jian mentioned Kyle name did everyone noticed the silver-haired man had not emerge from the portal yet. Bia furrowed her brows.

    -"Where''s Kyle?"

    Before Jian could respond, Bia reached out to Kyle through their mind link and was left speechless when he informed her that he was going to locate Carcel, Lara, Regius, and the others who could utilize the tform using his scent perception skill and bring them to this

    location.

    -''Don''t you dare tell me this is another form of training you are doing!?''

    The phoenix was a bit angry when Kyle admitted that he was, in fact, working on enhancing

    his scent perception skill. Kyle chuckled in response.

    ''You know me so well. I will feed you something good when I am back.''

    Bia sighed at his words and allowed him to do as he pleased.

    - ''This is a hundred times better than you charging straight into a horde of undead.''

    Alec, Nine, and Mia headed to inspect the tform upon learning that Kyle had gone to locate

    the others.

    Jian and Asher led the way for them.

    Regardless, the half-dragon was a bit surprised to discover that the silver-haired man, who seemed aloof and distant, actually had arge circle of friends, each one formidable in their

    own right.

    Zron just trailed behind the group since he had already achieved the transcendent rank, making the tform useless for him.

    The old dwarf had indeed nned to store the entire tform in his mind space once everyone had finished using it. One mustn''t allow such a valuable treasure to waste away in

    such a location.

    As they arrived in the chamber containing the tform, Alec took a deep breath and ascended

    the tform before all of them.

    "Alright guys, wish me luck!"

    Jian and Nine scoffed at him with mirth dancing in their eyes.

    "You are the strongest among us! We believe it will be very easy for you!"

    Mia and Bia nodded in agreement, and after Alec closed his eyes, they all began waiting for

    him to ascend to the next rank.

 Chapter 639: Where have I seen it before?

    Chapter 639: Where have I seen it before?

    ?

    In a chamber rapidly filling withva, several floating individuals frantically attempted to unlock the sole exit located in the ceiling above, their faces contorted in panic.

    Carcel was also part of the group. He had gone into a building next to a statue of a man with wings, but after he sessfullypleted the first three chambers of the trial ground, he was suddenly tossed into this ce, where he found many people caught in this dangerous situation.

    "It''s not opening!"

    He cursed under his breath, frustration evident as he kicked at the exit. Beads of sweat streamed down his entire body as he nced at the encroachingva, edging closer to him and the group.

    The air was scorching hot as panicked voices and bangs filled the chamber, but the exit in the ceiling didn''t even budge. Carcel wiped his sweaty hands on his clothes and joined the group again to tackle the exit.

    As a divine-rank, his body could have effortlessly endured theva. Even if it couldn''t, he could have utilized his divine energy to shield himself, but the people around him informed him that someone had entered theva earlier to search for another exit. Unfortunately, that person perished instantly because theva was unique, infused with dark energy.

    He paused for a moment to catch his breath. In that moment, suddenly a familiar voice sounded behind him.

    "Hmm... Do you need a hand?"

    Carcel whipped his head around swiftly and spotted the silver-haired man floating in the distance, watching everything with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

    Kyle wiped hispletely dry forehead with an exaggerated breath.

    "It''s kind of hot in here. So I don''t want to watch anymore."

    The people around Carcel were startled by the sudden voice, but even after spotting Kyle and identifying him, they disregarded him and concentrated on breaking the exit because

    escaping this ce and saving their lives took priority.

    Nevertheless, they sneered silently. So, the nature''s favorite wasn''t an exception? The powerful man too was thrown into this ce, now stuck alongside them.

    Unaware that, unlike them, Kyle had willingly stepped into this ce.

    Carcel gave Kyle a sharp look, eyeing him up. Even as theva crept closer, the man seemed rxed. It was crystal clear from the man''s eyes that he didn''t give a hoot about the danger they were in.

    "Wait, you just said you''re tired of waiting, so how long have you been here?"

    Kyle opened his mouth with a contemtive expression.

    "Like for five minutes? Maybe?"

    Carcel''s eyes went speechless at his response. He cursed under his breath but restrained himself because, unlike before when the silver-haired man was unting his strength with his aura, now Carcel couldn''t detect anything from Kyle.

    "If you aren''t going to help, don''t distract!"

    He turned around and began attempting to break or open the exit in the ceiling with the others, disregarding the silver-haired man.

    Kyle raised his brow and started rolling up his shirt sleeves.

    "Back off. I will open an exit."

    His booming voice echoed in the air, causing everyone near Carcel to stop their actions. They swiftly moved back to allow room for Kyle, casting hopeful looks at the silver-haired man. Carcel clicked his tongue but retreated with the others to observe Kyle as the man clenched his left fist.

    Kyle raised his fist under the hopeful gaze of everyone, but just as they anticipated him breaking open the exit, he unfurled his fist and snapped his thumb and middle finger together. Instantly, the air before him trembled, and a portal materialized as he nced back at Carcel.

    "Done. I opened an exit."

    Carcel let out a deep breath.

    "You-! Seriously? Ugh!"

    Giving onest look to the silver-haired man, he entered the portal, followed by the others. When everyone had gone, the portal before Kyle vanished.

    Carcel stepped out from the other end of the portal, and his frustration was beyond words when he appeared under the clear sky of the tomb.

    "Really, Kyle!? I invested so much effort and struggle to get to that ce, only toe out empty-handed!?"

    He whipped his head back towards the portal, rolled up his sleeves, not caring if Kyle was stronger; he just wanted tond one hit on the man!

    "Just get out here, you jerk!"

    The others who followed him out of the portal felt like crying because, like Carcel, they had also endured a lot to reach that part of the trial ground! All eyes red at the portal, but once everyone exited, it vanished into thin air... and fortunately or not, Kyle didn''t step out of the portal.

    Carcel''s already sour mood darkened further, yet he, like the rest around him, could do nothing. After a minute, everyone scattered to find other trial grounds nearby, a more productive choice than just waiting around. Carcel, however, remained outside the trial ground, awaiting Kyle with a brooding expression.

    He waited for ten long minutes, and finally, a portal appeared in front of him. However, instead of the silver-haired man, a golden crystal emerged from the portal.

    Carcel grabbed the crystal, and Kyle finally stepped out from the portal.

    "There, the treasure of this trial ground. It would have taken you a lot of time, so I decided to lend a hand."

    Carcel blinked and nced at the palm-sized crystal in his hand. It held a ton of divine energy that began flowing into his body the instant he touched it. He shot a nce at Kyle.

    "You are bing annoying with each passing day, you know?"

    Kyle chuckled, but his smile faded as his nose began to bleed.

    Carcel''s eyes widened at the sight of blood, and he hurried over to the man to assess the situation. However, Kyle wiped the blood with his hand and reassured him.

    "It''s fine. I am picking up too many scents at once, so my mind''s a bit overwhelmed. It will improve once I get used to it."

    Carcel paused in his tracks. Letting out a sigh, he grabbed a translucent flower with nine

    delicate leaves from his mind space and extended it to Kyle.

    "Here, have this. It''s the elixir of life. It can mend any internal wounds you got. I''m not sure

    what''s going on, but don''t push yourself too hard."

    Kyle gazed at the flower for a moment; for some reason, it looked familiar.

    ''Where have I seen it before? Elixir of life...''

 Chapter 640: If you cant finish them, I will

    Chapter 640: If you can''t finish them, I will

    ?

    Aplex emotion surfaced in Kyle''s eyes, and his chest constricted briefly as he took the flower from Carcel''s hand.

    "Thanks..."

    He whispered softly, and Carcel was taken aback when he epted it. A smile graced the golden-haired man''s face. Kyle never epted anything from anyone, iming his mind space held countless treasures. Thus, he felt pleased that the man finally epted something from him.

    Kyle snapped his fingers, and a portal materialized in front of Carcel.

    "You should go and use the tform. I believe Jian mentioned it to you, right?"

    Carcel nodded and headed towards the portal. Just before stepping in, he nced back at the silver-haired man.

    "And what about you?"

    Kyle shifted his gaze from the flower in his hand to look at him.

    "I still need to locate the others. I will catch up with you and the rest shortly."

    With a nod, Carcel vanished into the portal. Kyle tilted his head at the flower in his hand and delved into his mind space, noticing a collection of familiar flowers inside.

    "I have many simr flowers in my mind space. I wonder where I got them. They are evoking a rare sensation in me... the feeling of losing someone significant..."

    He threw the flower into his mind space and vanished in another direction.

    His earlier mischievousness faded as he remembered a forgotten memory triggered by the flower. In that memory, someone instructed him to acquire this flower to rescue some people...

    "I wonder if I sessfully saved them? Yue didn''t tell me I lost anyone close to me. So, I probably saved them."

    He expanded his scent perception skill in every directions. The pressure on his mind intensified as the lost treasure tomb was hundreds of timesrger than the tombs he had explored in the Sacred Divine Land.

    After a while, he paused above an elevated tform and nced down at a group of people fighting Sinon, demanding him to give them everything he held. There were two elves, four demi-humans, two humans, and one person from the lizard race.

    Kyle disappeared from his spot and reappeared beside the winged man. A powerful aura emanated from his body, pushing back all the people around the winged demi-human. "You need a hand?"

    Sinon''s eyes widened with relief when he saw him, but the ones who had surrounded the winged man paled after seeing Kyle. They recognized the silver-haired man!

    The group of people around the duo scrambled to flee, but their eyes widened in fear as an immense pressure bore down on their shoulders, forcing them to their knees. Sinon let out a

    sneer.

    "It''s good you''re here, Kyle! These bunch of bastards surrounded me when they saw me and recognized me! They said if I''m the friend of nature''s favorite, I would probably have many good treasures! Damn, I thought I was really done for! Like 1 versus 9? Four of them are even transcendent rank!"

    Kyle shot a cold re at the group of people kneeling around him, causing the air around him to chill.

    Sinon quit hisining as he felt the temperature shift.

    "Hey... bro, don''t identally turn me into an icicle, okay? I''m right here too."

    He shut his mouth tightly when he heard Kyle''s next words.

    "Kill them."

    Sinon''s expression turned solemn. He opened his mouth to say that they should pardon the group since he wasn''t actually injured, but Kyle nced at him with an emotionless expression.

    "If I hadn''t appeared, they would have killed you, wouldn''t they?"

    Sinon stayed quiet as Kyle continued speaking while staring directly at him.

    "I am sure they wouldn''t have even hesitated for even a second. After all, the nature''s favorite will never find out they were the ones responsible for your end. Can you still forgive them?"

    Kyle turned his gaze away.

    "If you can''t finish them, I will. It''s best to deal with these kinds of individuals."

    Sinon clenched his fists and nodded. It''s not that he hadn''t taken lives before. He had ended many... but if they didn''t harm him, he always spared them.

    "You''re correct. I will finish them. Just give me a moment."

    The faces of the people around them turned even more pale when they saw the winged demi- human approaching. They were all kneeling and couldn''t move due to the pressure Kyle put on their shoulders, so Sinon didn''t have much trouble swiftly ending all their lives.

    Kyle observed everything with apletely neutral expression. After a minute, Sinon nced back at Kyle with a wry smile.

    "There are times... I feel like you have turned really cold. That''s why it''s relieving that you are my friend, not an enemy."

    He moved toward Kyle and raised his hand to shake the silver-haired man''s shoulder. Sinon was a bit surprised when Kyle didn''t move back from his touch.

    Kyle blinked and water materialized in the air.

    "Clean your hand."

    With a chuckle, Sinon washed the blood off his hand and under his eyes. Blue mes erupted from Kyle''s body before enveloping all the dead bodies around them, turning them into mere particles as if nothing had happened in this ce.

    Kyle waved his hand and a portal appeared in front of the winged man.

    "Go use the tform to increase your strength. Don''t get into trouble again."

    Sinon nodded and entered the portal. Kyle stared at his back for a few seconds and then turned his head toward a certain ce cluttered with rocks.

    "How long are you guys gonna hide?"

    The two transcendent rank demi-humans hiding behind the rocks trembled. They had appeared in this ce and had witnessed Sinon being attacked by many people.

    However, the two of them didn''t intervene but chose to stay hidden, nning to loot once everyone finished off Sinon.

    Who would have guessed that the nature''s favorite would show up and the winged demi- human would effortlessly defeat all the enemies with his assistance?

    The duo wanted to run away, but Kyle appeared before them.

    "It''s a bad habit to not help those in need."

    He stared at them with an empty expression, and blue mes erupted from his body to envelope the two demi-humans when they tried to attack him, turning them both into

    glistening ice statues.

    "My mes have gotten stronger."

    Kyle hummed and left the area as the two ice statues dissipated into particles.

 Chapter 641: Just how did he find this place?

    Chapter 641: Just how did he find this ce?

    ?

    After running into Sinon, Kyle came across Lara. She was actually searching for Jian''s location. Without dy, he conjured up a portal and instructed her to head over and make use of the tform.

    Just like that, in no time, he located the rest of the people he knew in the tomb with his scent perception skill, except for Regius.

    Kyle floated under the sky with narrowed eyes, extending his skill even further. He had nearly surveyed the entire tomb, yet the elven man was nowhere in sight.

    "Did he run into any issues?"

    He retrieved amunication crystal from his mind space and attempted to reach out to Regius, but the man didn''t answer.

    Subsequently, he reached out to Jian to inquire if the red-haired man had any clue about Regius''s whereabouts.

    It turned out that when Jian reached out to Regius, thetter was trapped inside a vast maze- like rock formation encircled by three majestic statues, trying to find an exit.

    Kyle closed hismunication crystal.

    "A maze-like rock formation encircled by three statues... I''m positive I spotted something simr nearby."

    He nced to his left but halted, shutting his eyes briefly to retrace the paths he had taken to arrive at his current location.

    After a moment, he reopened his eyes and turned to the right.

    "This direction..."

    Kyle used instant teleportation and disappeared. Within mere moments, he found himself hovering directly above a maze-like rock formation.

    Three grand statues, the biggest he had everid eyes on, one female and two males, encircled the maze. He immediately identified one of the three statues as the ice enchantress but couldn''t discern the other two due to their damaged state.

    He enveloped the rock formation with his scent perception skill but knitted his brows when his skill was repelled by an unseen force. He even tried to enter the formation from above but was met with a dim barrier. Eventually, he found an entrance leading into the formation to enter.

    "Just how did he find this ce?"

    Kyle put his hand on the rocks around him and began walking inside the formation. He tried to spread his scent perception skill now that he was inside, but a tremendous pressure descended on his senses.

    "Ugh..."

    His eyes mirrored pain as his skill fragmented under the pressure. Despite this, he didn''t give up and tried to extend his skill once more, but his skill once again scattered into fragments. Kyle sucked in a deep breath when a sharp stabbing sensation shot out at the back of his head before crawling down his spine.

    "This pressure... It''s perfect! I can increase the strength of my natural senses here!"

    His eyes sparkled as he closed his scent perception skill and cautiously extended his natural senses just an inch beyond his body. It felt like a part of him had been torn away as the fragment of his senses that ventured out of his body was shredded by the immense pressure.

    Kyle hissed and immediately stopped.

    "That was painful..."

    There was no need to hurry. He would take his time and slowly, very slowly, make use of this ce. Finally, the tomb offered something that would benefit him.

    "If only this pressure were directed towards my body, I''m sure my physique would have easily broken through to the next rank."

    He wiped away the droplet of blood that trickled from the corner of his mouth and decided to locate Regius first.

    His silhouette darted within the formation as he maneuvered between the rocks. Kyle saw many individuals within the formation, wounded from stumbling into various traps. A flicker of amusement danced in his eyes. It appeared that his luck was finally on track because he didn''t encounter a single trap.

    He paused in front of a group of humans who were tending to their wounds to inquire if they had spotted an elven man with green hair and a pair of brownish eyes.

    The group of humans was vignt when they saw him because they immediately recognized him! Who wouldn''t after what he did in the diator Arena?

    They all promptly withdrew, not wanting to engage with him.

    Kyle was on the verge of using a bit of force when one of the men in the group stepped forward with a polite smile.

    "Hey... I am Elijah..."

    The burly-looking man stumbled over his words with a hint of fear and awkwardness in his shining eyes. He was one of the people who was injured.

    He almost recoiled as Kyle advanced toward him butposed himself when Kyle

    acknowledged him.

    "I''m Kyle. Have you spotted an elven man with green hair and brown eyes?"

    Elijah blinked and, after a moment, nodded. The others behind him seemed surprised as his interaction with the nature''s favorite proceeded so seamlessly.

    "I remember the person you are searching for because I saw all yourpanions in the diator Arena. We met him a while back, but he ignored us and ventured deeper into the

    structure."

    Kyle nodded and nced at the group of people behind Elijah. They all wore grim expressions, seeminglymenting why they hadn''t been the ones to answer the nature''s favorite question. His gaze lingered on a few of them for a moment.

    "Elijah, correct?"

    Elijah nodded vigorously, and Kyle gestured towards some of the people behind him.

    "Hmm, I don''t know how long you''ve known these people, but when I was around this area, I overheard some of them discussing the idea of eliminating the injured members to lighten the load in their teams. You aided me, so I''m returning the favor. Now it''s your call whether to trust me or not."

    Elijah''s face went pale in an instant as he nced back at the people behind him, who started shouting that Kyle was making false usations against them! A seed of doubt crept into his mind and the minds of all those who were injured.

    They all fell silent as Kyle stepped forward. He gave Elijah one final look and caught him whispering a quiet thank you before walking away, never ncing back.

 Chapter 642: This place is quite handy

    Chapter 642: This ce is quite handy

    ?

    Kyle delved deeper into the formation. He quickened his pace when he discerned a faint sound of battle in the distance.

    His steps halted as he reached a circr opening among a cluster of rocks. It stood half his height, prompting him to sit on his heels and peer inside. There, he observed a group of individuals engaged inbat.

    Kyle''s eyes immediately fixed on a familiar figure amidst the chaos.

    It was Regius. The elven man wasn''t engaged inbat; instead, he was seated on a raised circr structure like a few others, enveloped in a golden shield.

    "What''s going on?"

    Kyle tuned into the chatter of thebatants and discovered that they were battling each other to decide who gets to upy the circr structures once the current upants are finished.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The raised circr structures emitted spiritual energy. Those who hadn''t learned to harness this energy could learn to wield spiritual energy just by sitting on it, while those who already know how to wield spiritual energy could enhance their spiritual energy stat with its help.

    "Oh... this ce is quite handy."

    Kyle blinked and vanished, reappearing amidst the people who were fighting, causing them to abruptly stop.

    They all immediately recognized him and stepped back with wary expressions. The air turned eerily silent.

    However, he paid them no mind and approached Regius, who had his eyes shut in focus. Kyle nced at the man seated cross-legged and reached out his hand to touch the golden shield surrounding him. Instantly, he felt a burning sensation on his skin, prompting him to retract his hand.

    "So that''s why you weren''t answering when I connected earlier... I suppose I will have to wait until you are finished."

    Kyle looked around. There were a total of five raised circr structures, and all of them were upied for now.

    "Spiritual energy is stronger than all the other energies, so it''s good that Regius stumbled upon this ce. Even I can use the raised structures."

    He nced at the quiet people standing around him who were fighting earlier and pped his hands.

    "You all should clear out from this ce because I am dering it as my turf."

    The people around him erupted into angry shouts immediately.

    "What do you mean you are iming this as your territory!?"

    "We risked our lives to reach this ce!"

    "How can you do this!? You think you''re tough so you can just take over!?"

    "Don''t be so unfair!"

    Kyle''s eyes turned cold.

    "You all are going to fight each other to the death the moment even a single circr structure is emptied. So isn''t it better if you all leave? Moreover, haven''t you heard that the strong rule and the weaker obey? Don''t make me repeat myself; leave."

    They all gritted their teeth, some even wanted to attack, not caring that he might be much stronger than them. However, Kyle flicked his fingers, and in an instant, a massive portal appeared beneath them.

    Cries erupted as they were all sucked into the portal, only to be thrown to a random ce far from the rock formation.

    Kyle rubbed the tip of his ear, a look of annoyance crossing his face.

    "I absolutely despise loud people."

    He nced over at the four other people on the raised circr structures like Regius, whispering an incantation. In an instant, the ground next to him trembled and rose, crafting a seat for him.

    Kyle climbed onto the seat and sat cross-legged. He would wait until everyone seated on the raised structures opened their eyes since the golden shield around them was somewhat strong. Though he could have tried to break it, he opted not to.

    While seated, he drew symbols in the air, crafting aplex array to hide the area with the structurespletely from view of those wandering in the rock formation.

    He casually retrieved some divine-rank treasures from his mind space and utilized them all to power the array.

    After he finished, he shut his eyes and began to attune his senses and scent perception skill to the unusual pressure in the ce. Since he couldn''t utilize them, he couldn''t detect what was powering the circr structures around him.

    "It''s probably something powerful... and I think it should go into my mind space."

    He chuckled at his own words, unaware that a pair of eyes were fixed on him.

    Those eyes belonged to a massive, formless figure with gleaming iridescent wings seated directly beneath thend where he was positioned. It was the same massive white creature that Asher hadid eyes on many years ago.

    The celestial spirit, glowing gently and otherworldly, edged closer to the human, seemingly drawn to Kyle.

    The pure spiritual energy encircling it quivered with delight upon sensing the essence within the human''s body.

    However, before the spirit could even get close to Kyle, it sensed a threat directed towards itself and swiftly fled the area.

    The threat didn''t originate from the essence within Kyle''s body or the dark mark Azazeal ced on him. Instead, the threat emerged from another celestial spirit that had been slumbering in the tomb for over a thousand years, awakening only upon sensing the essence within Kyle''s body.

    They both wanted a part of the essence in the human''s body, so they were both silently fighting each other to stop the other from getting to the human.

    Completely unaware, the moment they revealed themselves to the human, Azazeal would learn their whereabouts.

    Kyle opened his eyes when one of the people seated on the circr structures opened his eyes with a joyful expression. It was a man from the lizard race, but before the man could jump with joy because he had finally learned to wield spiritual energy, his smile stiffened when he noticed the silver-haired human.

    Kyle waved his hand, and a portal appeared before the lizard man, who abruptly ceased all movements upon seeing him.

    "I believe you know what to do?"

    The man nodded and immediately, without even needing to be asked twice, jumped into the

    portal.

    He had seen Kyle before and knew whom he could fight and whom he couldn''t!

    Kyle blinked and scratched his chin.

    "That was easy... for some reason."

 Chapter 643: Dont tell me he really lost it...?

    Chapter 643: Don''t tell me he really lost it...?

    ?

    A whileter, Regius slowly opened his eyes and exhaled deeply with a bright smirk. "I have grown more powerful!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The golden shield around his body dissipated, and he stood up, prepared to confront the many individuals who were supposed to be in the area as he had forcefully taken over one of the circr structures. But he was surprised when he saw the space around him empty.

    Only a familiar silver-haired human sat on one of the elevated circr structures nearby, surrounded by a golden shield.

    Regius blinked and eased his body.

    "When did he arrive here?"

    He moved towards Kyle and began to pace around him, waiting for the man to open his eyes and step out from the golden shield.

    "It will require some time for him, just like me... what should I do in the meantime?"

    Reguis decided to leave the area to search for some treasures in the rock formation. However, he was left speechless when he found himself unable to exit the space because of a barrier.

    Behind him, Kyle''s eyes snapped open, and with a mere flick of his finger, the shield around him shattered into fragments.

    "You are finally awake."

    Regius jumped at the sound of the voice but then let out a sigh, realizing only Kyle shared the space with him.

    He turned back.

    "I am-!"

    His words were abrubly cut off as he saw Kyle trying to pick up the structure the man was seated on just a second ago.

    "What are you doing?"

    Kyle paused and nced at him. It took nearly five hours for Regius to wake up.

    During that time, Kyle had discovered everything about the raised structures after he somewhat seeded in extending his scent perception skill beyond his body.

    He initially believed the structures were fueled by a source, but his assumption was incorrect. They were crafted from a unique material that absorbed spiritual energy from the surroundings and stored it within.

    Kyle gestured towards the five structures.

    "I''m taking them with me. They are, you know, kinda useful..."

    Regius''s eyebrow twitched.

    "What if you damage them by forcibly taking them?"

    Kyle waved his hand.

    "Don''t worry, they won''t get damaged. I''ve already checked everything."

    He swiftly detached the structure from thend and stored it in his mind space before repeating the process with the other four. Once he was done, he destroyed the array he set in the area.

    Regius observed him silently until a portal materialized in front of him.

    Kyle moved toward the portal.

    "Let''s go. I will send you to Jian''s location. You should use the tform like the others to reach the transcendent rank."

    Regius followed but paused when he suddenly recalled something.

    "Wait, have you explored the trial grounds next to the three massive statues around this rock formation? I spotted an ancient carving on my way here, and it hinted that those trial grounds held the inheritance of some powerful people."

    Kyle stopped in his tracks.

    He had seen the three statues encircling the rock formation, and for a while now, he had been mulling over the idea of exploring the trial ground next to the statue that belonged to the ice enchantress.

    After all, she was one of the individuals who had a hand in creating this tomb.

    "I haven''t done it yet. I thought it would be best for me to send you to the tform before going to check them."

    Regius smiled.

    "Thanks. I would have had to face many opponents after standing up from the structure, but you handled them all."

    Unbeknownst to him, Kyle was actually distracted by the peculiar pressure in this rock formation and had stopped to sharpen his senses and scent perception skill.

    They entered the portal and met up with Jian and the rest.

    Bia quickly left Mia''s side andnded on Kyle''s shoulder when she saw him.

    -"You''re back atst? The night is going to fall, you know?"

    Kyle stroked her head.

    "I know."

    His gaze lingered on Alec. The man with blue hair exuded a strong presence as he sat by the tform with his eyes shut.

    Kyle''s eyes shed with surprise as he sensed Alec''s power. The man had attained the mid- stage of the transcendent rank. How did he manage that?

    Perhaps feeling his stare, Alec opened his eyes and nced at him, but he had already looked away to see who else had attained the transcendent rank.

    Kyle nced at everyone around him, then turned around to leave, but Jian and Nine grabbed

    his shoulders.

    Nine narrowed his eyes.

    "Where are you heading? Nightfall is approaching. Don''t tell me you''re thinking of facing the horde of undead once more?"

    Sinon chimed in from behind.

    "Bia informed us about everything! Don''t you dare to do something like that again!"

    Kyle shot a nce at the phoenix sitting on his shoulder but she looked away with a guilty

    expression.

    ''I will deal with youter!''

    He let out a sigh and turned around to face Jian and Nine, his expression showing he wouldn''t

    do what he did again.

    They nodded with content looks, and failed to notice the subtle twinkle in his eyes.

    Suddenly, Kyle took out the five circr structures he had just retrieved from the rock

    formation out of his mind space.

    "I just remembered, I picked up something useful for you guys."

    Everyone perked up at his words and immediately gathered around him. Alec also rose from

    his spot to see what the man had retrieved from his mind space.

    Susan examined the structures and narrowed his eyes in astonishment.

    "These structures are crafted from a valuable material. Where did you discover them?"

    Regius responded to his inquiry. He had used one of the structures and knew everything about

    them.

    Alec, who could discern details about the structures with the help of the system, was also

    somewhat surprised.

    He nced at the spot where Kyle should have been standing.

    "You always find amazing-!"

    His words were abruptly halted as he scanned the area for the silver-haired man.

    "Where''s Kyle?"

    The surroundings fell eerily silent as everyone looked around for the silver-haired man. At

    that instant, Asher, who had been observing the situation from the sidelines, cleared his

    throat and intervened.

    "He left... just as you all were distracted, a portal materialized beneath him, and he vanished into it with Bia. It happened so fast that even I couldn''t follow him."

    Everyone sighed... It seems they are powerless to stop the silver-haired man.

    On the other hand, Kyle emerged from the opposite side of the portal and once again

    reappeared above the rock formation.

    He ventured into the formation and discovered a suitable spot to sit down, utilizing the pressure in the area to enhance his senses and scent perception skill.

    Bia was a tad confused by his moves, but her confusion turned to shock as she saw blood

    trickling from his mouth.

    -"What are you doing now!?"

    Kyle grabbed a nket from his mind space and enveloped the panicking phoenix in it.

    "Rest for a while. Don''t sumb to panic every time. If I don''t endure this, I will never grow

    stronger."

    Bia grumbled quietly to herself.

    He was correct, but she couldn''t help but wish he did not endure pain as though it were

    routine for him.

    She closed her eyes and after a while drifted off to sleep on hisp.

    Kyle concentrated on the pressure surrounding him. He was certain he could epass the entire formation with his senses if he persisted in training under the pressure for a day or two. Eventually, a familiar bell chimed throughout the entire tomb, signaling the end of the day. The undead rose from the ground and started battling those wandering the tomb.

    The night came and went, but Kyle didn''t step out from the rock formation; he stayed inside

    for two entire days.

    Jian and the others tried to contact him through themunication crystal to let him know they were going to separate, but he was so focused with his eyes closed that he didn''t respond.

    A powerful icy aura began to form around his body as he persistently extended his senses and scent perception skill outward, only for them to break under the pressure and reform repeatedly, bing stronger with each cycle.

    He eventually opened his eyes when he managed to epass the entire rock formation with

    his senses and scent perception skill.

    He detected numerous individuals and valuable items within the formation. The pressure no

    longer bothered him.

    Kyle''s eyes gleamed with a radiant green glow as, along with his scent perception skill, he extended his senses far beyond the rock formation, swiftly traveling faster than light to

    epass everything.

    The night had fallen once more a little while ago, hence he sensed many undead.

    His peered into the trial grounds beside the three massive statues encircling the rock formation and sessfully prated the barriers around them.

    A smirk lit up on his face as he sensed all the treasures inside them.

    All was proceeding smoothly, and even though his natural senses stopped after covering half

    of the tomb, his scent perception skill continued further.

    He managed to handle the myriad scents, despite his mind growing increasingly dizzy with

    each passing moment.

    However, he abrubly stopped his skill and attempted to pull it back when he sensed the

    presence of a powerful spiritual creature.

    Kyle''s smile vanished, and he coughed up blood as, before he could fully retract his skill, the

    creature seized a portion of it and shredded it into pieces.

    Bia, who had awakened and was bored just sitting around, panicked when she noticed his

    expression losing color.

    Her eyes widened as he let out a loudugh, wiping the blood off his lips.

    -''Don''t tell me he really lost it...?''

    She looked at him with concern and circled his body as Kyle rose with a cold smile, gazing

    towards the ce where he felt the presence of the creature.

    "So, there really is a Celestial spirit in this tomb...? Aze, my friend, looks like we will be meeting again sooner than I thought."

 Chapter 644: Leave the Lost treasure Tomb

    Chapter 644: Leave the Lost treasure Tomb

    ?

    Kyle left the rock formation with the phoenix and gazed at the dark sky above him. He sensed a group of undead nearby and quickly disappeared from his location, leaving only an afterimage behind.

    Lightning shed in the air as a deadly barrage of thunder arrows rained from the sky, striking the undead roaming thend. Kyle appeared above them and observed as the undead bodies crumbled to dust.

    "Too weak... I need to battle the supreme rank undead to enhance my strength."

    He extended his scent perception skill, ensuring it didn''t extend too far to avoid alerting the Celestial spirit in the tomb, and began pinpointing the supreme rank undead. Bia observed him quietly.

    Kyle had shared with her everything he experienced in the No Mana Land, including Hubert and his training. However, he had yet to mention Aze... When he mentioned the name, she expressed curiosity, but he fell into an unsettling silence.

    -''I am getting a bad feeling about this. He went all quiet after bringing up that name.''

    Unlike before, she could feel a faint yet desperate yearning for strength from him. His other emotions seemed muted, as if he were devoid of feeling, fixated solely on the goal to get stronger.

    Bia didn''t stopped him. Instead she joined him in training too. If he''s getting stronger, she can''t afford tog behind.

    Kyle paused as he crushed an undead and nced at the massive phoenix beside him. The golden mes dancing around her body brought a sense of calm to his mind, and he reached out to touch the mes.

    "They are warm..."

    Bia''s eyes widened at her actions, and she quickly retracted her mes.

    - "What are you doing! I know my mes don''t do much to you because we are bonded, but they can melt your body!"

    Kyle rubbed his fingers, and Bia was even more shocked when she saw not a single burn mark on his skin.

    "They can''t really..."

    The phoenix grumbled under her breath, a tad bit annoyed that her mes, capable of melting everyone below the divine rank within seconds, didn''t affect him at all.

    Kyle nced at the heap of bones and the undead surrounding him.

    "Bia, we need to get ready."

    The phoenix''s ears perked up. So he was finally willing to share what was bothering him? She circled his body.

    -"For what?"

    The corners of Kyle''s lips trickled upward and spiritual energy erupted from his body to engrave numerous symbols in the air.

    "A powerful person, whom I know, will soon be entering this tomb... I want to give him a fitting wee."

    Bia''s eyes shed with confusion as she paused beside him and gazed at the shimmering symbols in the air.

    -"Who?"

    Her beak dropped open when she heard his next words, which were spoken in a very nonchnt manner.

    "Aze... or should I say Azazeal?"

    Bia wanted to shake him and find out if he was talking about the same Azazeal she knew! But Kyle vanished towards a nearby undead before she could even process his rming words.

    -"Wait!! We need to talk!"

    She shouted and pursued him.

    -"When did you even meet Azazeal?! No! How did you even meet him?!"

    Kyle chuckled at the phoenix.

    "I met him thanks to my luck. What can I do when it''s too high?"

    Bia was speechless for a moment at his words, but the phoenix wasn''t going to let what he said slide until he provided all the information! They were discussing Azazeal, the one feared by the entire universe! Not anyone else but Azazeal!

    Kyle raised his fist and mmed it into the ground. Thend exploded, forming a crater that swallowed many undead around him.

    A thunderous sound echoed as dust and debris erupted into the air, causing Bia to halt in her ce and close her eyes.

    He didn''t stop and once again mmed his fist into the ground.

    The people roaming around the area were all spooked when a lightning storm shed in the sky, lighting up everything before pouring down faster than light.

    The air crackled with raw energy.

    Bia moved back when a wave of powerful aura erupted from inside the dust, right where Kyle was standing.

    She hadn''t even grasped the situation when the dust cleared to reveal the silver-haired man''s figure. He had a smile on his face as he checked his body. Bia''s eyes narrowed at the icyyer around his body. A look of disbelief crossed her face.

    -"Ah... has his physique broken through to the next rank?"

    She knew she was right. After all, it was rare to see such an expression on his face.

    In another location, Alec abrubly paused in his tracks when he saw the thunder lighting up the

    distant sky.

    He began to float and narrowed his eyes towards the area but then let out a sigh.

    "It''s Kyle, isn''t it? I mean, who else could stir up such a fuss like this?"

    He chuckled when he realized he hadn''t even considered anyone else.

    With a shake of his head, he nced at the sword at his waist, the very sword he had obtained

    in the Tower of Opportunity.

    Certainly, he got his sword back from the silver-haired man after the guy stashed it in his mind space. It was a real fight for Alec, but eventually, Kyle handed back his sword with a click of his tongue, iming his golden sword was better than Alec''s.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Once more, I wonder if I''m truly the one... Soul, the first andst divine artifact forged by Odiak, should have selected Kyle, wouldn''t that have been more fitting? Kyle had grown much

    stronger than me-!"

    Alec halted mid-sentence when a system notification shed before his eyes. Soul, the system, had been evolving alongside him ever since they bonded.

    The system had granted him many treasures and skills during his time on the blue by assigning specific missions. However, after he left the blue and grew stronger, the system couldn''t provide him with strong enough treasures to boost his strength anymore.

    While it still possessed many powerful skill cores and treasures, they were no longer beneficial to Alec, who hade so far.

    "It''s notpletely useless though... It had a wealth of knowledge about various herbs and things I can''t grasp."

    He hummed and checked the system''s notification. The system had long stopped giving him missions, so he was surprised when he saw he had received one. His faint smile disappeared when he finallyid eyes on the content of the mission.

    ''Mission; XX''

    Leave the ''Lost treasure Tomb''.

    Reward:

    None.

    Penalty:

    Death.

    Time remaining:

    20 days.

    Alec''s eyes dted.

    "What!?"

    He couldn''t wrap his head around what he was seeing. It was true, the system had be somewhat useless to him.

    However, it was linked to him, that''s why any threat to his life would trigger an immediate

    response from it.

    "Why would I die...? I have gotten rid of the dark mark... So why?"

    He called out to Soul to know the answers of his questions. He knew after he reached the

    divine rank the system had developed a proper consciousness.

    "Reply to me!"

    There was silence as his voice echoed in the atmosphere, drawing the attention of many nearby undead. Alec gritted his teeth as his eyes shed with frustration. "Damn it, sometimes I wish you had a body so I could give you a beating!"

    He swiftly dealt with the undead lunging at him from behind, shattering their skeletal

    structures. After dealing with the undead, he left the area to avoid the many undead who had begun heading toward him after hearing his loud voice.

    As he ran across the barrennd surrounded by darkness, another notification shed before

    his eyes.

    Leave the Lost treasure Tomb.

    "I get your point! Just tell me, why am I going to die? Is something gonna happen in the

    tomb? Be helpful! Don''t just give me half-baked details!"

    He paused when a sudden bad feeling arose in his chest. "Wait... don''t tell me it''s not just me who''s in danger, but everyone in the tomb is at risk?"

    The system stayed eerily quiet, causing Alec''s heart rate to rise with panic. "Soul, speak! You know if I am dead, you will vanish as well! So just tell me what''s going on!"

    There was silence for a moment before another notification shed before Alec''s eyes.

    I am not sure. I just deduced with my power the tomb is going to explode soon.

    Alec took a deep breath as he read the notification. He paused by a rock, his feet anxiously tapping the solid surface below. He was right; he wasn''t the only one in danger.

    "But seriously, why now? This tomb has been around for countless years, and nothing bad has

    happened before!"

    He waited for Soul to reply, hoping for more clues about what was gonna happen in the tomb,

    but didn''t get anything more. The system doesn''t know about the future; it can only predict a

    potential oue and warn him of the danger, nothing more.

    After all, it was just an artifact.

    "I reached the second stage of the transcendent rank thanks to all the mystical spirits the

    system caught because of Kyle''s presence... but how am I going to get everyone out of the tomb when I don''t even know the way out myself!?"

    He knew the tomb exit would only open when it''s time for the tomb to vanish. And if he recalls correctly, didn''t the Lost Treasure Tomb exit only open after a year or two!?

 Chapter 645 Avoid those spots

    Chapter 645 Avoid those spots

    Alec''s figure shed through the darkness as he sprinted towards the ce where he had seen the lightning a while ago.

    He moved swiftly, but even at full speed, when he finally arrived, all that greeted him were piles of bones and shatterednd.

    His anxious eyes searched the surroundings for the silver-haired man, but Kyle was nowhere in sight.

    "Where could he have gone?"

    He asked Soul, but the system reminded him that he hadn''t marked Kyle and Bia''s bodies, so it couldn''t track their whereabouts.

    "How am I gonna track him down? I gotta give him a heads-up about the looming danger! I can''t deal with this by myself!"

    He tried to reach out to Kyle through themunication crystal, but like before, the man didn''t pick up. Alec took a deep breath.

    "I need to stay calm and think this through. It''s okay if I can''t find Kyle now. Considering him, he will cause another bigmotion soon. I should reach out to the others first and fill them in on what''sing."

    Alec started reaching out to everyone. He didn''t reveal the system''s presence and simply informed them that he possessed a divine artifact and had sensed through it that the tomb they were in would be destroyed within twenty days.

    They didn''t doubt his words. Sinon, Jian, and Nine, initially thought that he was joking with them. Yet, upon hearing his solemn voice, they became alert.

    Regardless, all of them had only one question: why would the lost treasure tomb, which had been fine for countless years, suddenly explode?

    Eventually, everyone Alec knew was aware of the impending danger, except for three individuals. The first two were Kyle and Bia. The third individual was the half-dragon.

    Asher had separated from the group to locate Kyle after they dispersed in various directions, and they forgot to ask for hismunication crystal coordinates.

    Inside a trial ground, Yue tried to reach Kyle through themunication crystal after Alec contacted her but got no response. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Just where is he?"

    She whispered with concern in her eyes. Simrly, the others also exerted their best efforts to contact Kyle, but it appeared that the silver-haired man and the phoenix apanying him had vanished entirely; no one could reach them.

    Completely unaware, the silver-haired human fell unconscious after his body attained the supreme rank. Eventually, Bia had to pick him up and take him to a safe location away from the undead.

    Inside another structure constructed fromyers of stacked rocks, Bia let out a sigh as she nced at Kyle. Hey there sleeping with a peaceful expression.

    -"He pushed his body too hard. I don''t even want to wake him up."

    She could feel his calm heartbeat. It was a tad slower than usual, but he was okay. His body had just be too worn out after going through so much in such a short time.

    -"I doubt anyone except the people who know him would believe me if I said that within just a few days of entering the lost treasure tomb, Kyle leaped from the divine rank to the end of the transcendent rank, and his physique and strength even attained the supreme rank."

    She pped her wings and settled down beside his body with a sigh.

    -"I''m hungry... I wanna eat something. Everyone has a mind space, why the heck don''t I have one? It''s so unfair."

    Bia''s eyes shed with frustration, and to vent it, she started pulling Kyle''s hair. But he didn''t even budge.

    -"Sleep, just sleep! I''m gonna end up dead from hunger by the time you wake up!"

    A day passed, then another, and by the end of the third day, Alec had located everyone with the assistance of the marks he ced on them through the system, except for Kyle, Bia, and Asher. He let out a sigh.

    ''Kyle found everyone in just a day with his skill alone, and it took me three whole days to gather them all.''

    They were all gathered above the very rock formation where Kyle found Regius because they discovered through Regius that the three massive statues around the rock formation held the inheritance of some powerful individuals.

    Nine moved toward Alec with furrowed brows as everyone around them nced at the three massive statues encircling the rock formation.

    "Which one should we enter? Also, I don''t think we will find the exit of this tomb through the trial grounds."

    Carcel nodded at his words.

    "Just like Regius mentioned, these trial grounds contain the inheritance of strong individuals. I am sure their inheritance is unrted to the tomb''s exit."

    Alec nced at the system screen. His eyes were fixed on the map the system had created after thoroughly examining the entire tomb with all its resources.

    "I''m uncertain, and we''re left with no other option. We could split up and go in different directions, but unforeseen events could ur at any moment. I don''t want us to be scattered when we might need each other. That''s why I gathered you all."

    Alec went over the whole map and noticed that Soul had pinpointed three locations on it. The first two marks were small, and the third one indicated his current location.

    ''Soul, can you shed some light on what the other two locations you marked on the map represent? Are they also trial grounds?''

    The system fell silent for a moment. It had depleted a significant portion of its power while investigating the tomb and knew that it would require several years to recuperate. Alec''s eyes shed with surprise upon reading Soul''s response.

    ______

    Avoid those spots.

    ______

    ''Why?''

    The people around Alec noticed him gazing into the air but didn''t disturb him.

    Having known him for so long, they understood that he was utilizing some kind of artifact or power to gather information.

    Alec''s eyes flickered with disbelief when the system responded.

    ______

    I detected two powerful spiritual creatures in those spots. If I''m not mistaken, they are Celestial spirits. You aren''t strong enough to battle them yet. They will devour you.

    ______

    This was the longest response he had gotten from the system.

    ''Celestial spirits...?''

 Chapter 646: I guess I needed the rest

    Chapter 646: I guess I needed the rest

    ?

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    It was umon to evene across the name Celestial. Hence, Alec questioned the system regarding the Celestial spirits and how they were different from the mystical spirits, but the system went into a slumber.

    "Don''t tell me Soul exhausted all its strength?"

    He whispered under his breath. Suddenly, Lara patted his shoulder, prompting him to look back at her.

    "What''s the n? I don''t think we should wait around. There are three trial grounds around the rock formation. How about we separate into three groups and enter each? It would be easier to search for clues regarding the tomb''s exit this way."

    Alec pondered for a moment. Splitting up didn''t seem ideal, but Lara had a point. He concurred with her, and the rest were on board as well. They decided to clear the trial grounds individually and regroup outside the rock formation.

    At that moment, Noxnded on Yue''s shoulder with narrowed eyes. He nced at the three massive statues once more.

    "Hey... don''t you think these statues look somewhat familiar?"

    Yue nced at the statues.

    "They do look familiar..."

    Suddenly, her eyes shed with surprise as she recognized the woman statue. Quickly, she approached Jian.

    "Jian, don''t these statues bear a resemnce to the three individuals we saw in the ancient memory triggered by Kyler? Although the memory was blurry, I''m certain the woman''s facial features match the one in the memory."

    Jian''s eyes widened.

    "Wait, now that you mentioned it, I remember! The face of the woman''s statue bears a striking resemnce to the one in the ancient memory!"

    Alec and the rest heard them talking, and Jian quickly exined to them about the old memory Kyle found at the spot where they all ascended to the transcendent rank using the tform. He revealed that the three individuals in the memory were, in fact, the creators of the tomb!

    Zron''s eyes narrowed in thought.

    "If what Jian is saying is urate, would not that imply that these three trial grounds hold significant power within this tomb? I believe we might discover a hint to escape this tomb within these trials."

    Susan and Yon nodded in agreement. If these three statues truly belonged to the creators of this tomb, it was possible that they could discover clues about the exit through them.

    Reguis pped his hands.

    "Then what are we waiting for? Let''s split up into three groups quickly and enter them. We can only confirm our spections by exploring the trial grounds."

    Yue nced at the clear sky above her and rubbed Nox''s head with a sigh.

    "Kyle and Bia are missing. I hope they are doing well wherever they are."

    Nine rolled his eyes at her words.

    "With his strength, do you truly believe anyone in this tomb is capable of harming him? Even Asher, who was in the supreme rank, was somewhat doubtful!"

    Alec heard Yue and Nine''s words. He wanted to tell them about the Celestial spirits, thinking the spirits could maybe harm Kyle. But decided against it when he recalled Kyle was stronger than him.

    ''Maybe he can handle the spirits?''

    He furrowed his brow. The system had gone into slumber, so he couldn''t ask Soul about the true power of the Celestial spirits.

    The group discussed for a while, then swiftly split into three smaller groups.

    Group one,prising Alec, Lara, Regius, and Yon, entered the trial ground adjacent to one of the male statues.

    Group two, consisting of Zron, Carcel, Mia, and Sinon, proceeded to the trial ground beside the other male statue.

    Group three, made up of Jian, Yue, Nox, Nine, and Susan, entered the trial ground next to the woman statue.

    After they all disappeared, a burly man emerged from the rock formation.

    He stood alone, and if Kyle had seen him, he would have recognized him instantly. It was Elijah, the human to whom he had given a friendly warning.

    "Aren''t they Kyle''s friends?"

    He had been wandering the rock formation alone after sessfully escaping from the people who tried to kill him after Kyle left. He didn''t hear anything Alec and the individuals with the blue-haired man said; they were all floating high, and he was inside the formation.

    He just saw them and paused. Like him, many other people nearby had also noticed Alec and his group, but they avoided them.

    Elijah scratched his head. He had seen the same carving that Regius found in the rock formation and wanted to enter one of the trial grounds surrounding the rock formation.

    "Should I enter the trial grounds or not? I want to get stronger, but I''m not sure if Kyle''spanions are as good as he is."

    He was hesitant. Getting stronger mattered, but his life mattered more. After a moment, he sighed and cautiously stepped into one of the trial grounds.

    "I can''t keepgging because there''s someone stronger ahead. To get stronger, I must confront my fears head-on!"

    He entered the woman statue, simr to Jian, Yue, Nox, Nine, and Susan.

    However, due to Jian''s bad luck, the group encountered a more challenging path, and he went ahead of them.

    As they explored the trial grounds, within the structure constructed fromyers of stacked rocks, Kyle finally woke up.

    He blinked a few times to gather his thoughts. His mind and body both were feeling

    refreshed.

    "I guess I needed the rest."

    His gazended on the crimson bird napping beside him, prompting a chuckle from him.

    "Don''t tell me she dozed off while keeping watch? I appreciate that even after I passed out,

    I''m still in one piece."

    He shifted, and Bia''s eyes snapped open at the motion around her.

    -"Who!?"

    The phoenix assumed a defensive posture, fearing an undead had infiltrated the structure. However, she sighed in relief upon seeing Kyle standing up.

    -"You''re finally awake, huh? I nearly died of hunger and boredom."

    Kyle''s eyes sparkled with amusement at her words. He retrieved some fruits from his mind space and ced them in front of Bia.

    "You did a great job protecting me. Now it''s my turn. You can rest as long as you want."

    Bia let out a sneer.

    -"Of course, I''m going to do nothing but eat and sleep for the next few days!"

 Chapter 647: Dont worry. No one will die.

    Chapter 647: Don''t worry. No one will die.

    ?

    Kyle stepped out from the rocky structure with Bia sitting on his shoulder. He stretched his limbs and raised his head to admire the bright sky above him.

    "I was engaged in a crucial task when I suddenly lost consciousness."

    Bia climbed onto his head, adding to the disarray of his already untidy hair.

    -"What? Don''t give me any more surprises, please. Azazealing to this tomb is already difficult for me to ept."

    Kyle let out a chuckle. It seems the phoenix wasn''t going to inquire further, like how and when he met Azazeal.

    "No, no, it''s just that the symbols I was carving before I passed out. I haven''tpleted them yet."

    He began walking leisurely, and spiritual energy started emanating from his body, carving numerous symbols in the air around him before they dissolved into thend beneath his feet.

    Bia nced at the symbols, too exhausted to inquire about his next move. She simply shut her eyes and opted to rest. Her mind was truly in need of a break.

    Kyle''s steps were slow as he took in the scene around him.

    Several individuals caught sight of him, but as soon as they noticed him, they quickly changed their route.

    "It''s a bright day."

    After a bit, he reached a trial ground beside the statue of a merman with a set of broad wings behind its back.

    He stepped into the trial ground and felt a crowd of people inside.

    They were all clearing the tests inside the trial ground to obtain the treasures.

    Unlike them, Kyle didn''t clear any tests. He simply stood in one ce after entering and extended his scent perception skill to detect the treasures inside the trial ground and all the mechanisms operating it.

    Symbols kept forming around him before sinking into the ground beneath him.

    He didn''t forcibly break the mechanisms driving the trial ground. Instead, once he pinpointed the exact location of the main power source, he created a portal and stepped through with Bia, only to find himself in a small chamber.

    In the center of the chamber floated a palm-sized spherical artifact radiating divine and spiritual energy.

    "Is this the main power source? Just an ordinary artifact?"

    Kyle moved forward and grabbed the hovering artifact. He checked its purpose but found it wasn''t much use to him, as it was only meant to run the trial ground. After he finished reading and understanding the tiny symbols on the artifact, his grip on it tightened, causing it to disintegrate into dust, releasing a surge of divine and spiritual energy in all directions.

    The instant the artifact disintegrated, all the mechanisms in the trial ground stopped, causing the tests within to pause. The folks inside the trial ground were shocked when all the closed doors around them burst open on their own, exposing the entrances and exits of the test chambers.

    Quickly, many dashed forward in search of the end of the trial ground for treasures. Those who had reached the final test even ventured into the chamber housing the treasures, only to encounter a familiar silver-haired man standing inside.

    Kyle and Bia nced up at the group of people who walked into the chamber they had just stepped into through a portal. The phoenix cocked her head slightly.

    - "Can''t you see we are already here? Give us some space, will you?"

    Kyle''s lips curved up at her words, and the expressions of those who had just entered the chamber fell.

    They had gone through so much in the trial ground, only to see nature''s favorite swoop in and im the spoils effortlessly?

    They felt the urge to resist, but upon sensing the powerful and overwhelming aura emanating from Kyle''s body, they all withdrew with dejected expressions.

    Kyle shifted his gaze toward the table in the chamber and, without bothering to inspect the treasures resting upon it, tossed the entire table into his mind space.

    "These treasures aren''t enough..."

    He muttered quietly before bending down to ce his hand on the ground beneath him. Instantly, a multitude of pulsating golden symbols illuminated the entire trial ground, startling everyone inside.

    After checking the symbols onest time, he formed a portal and left the space. He appeared outside and once again started walking, carving symbols everywhere.

    Bia was puzzled by his deeds and eventually dozed off on his head.

    Kyle ventured into many trial grounds and began destroying their main power sources to stop all the mechanisms operating them. He even took the treasures and filled the trial grounds entirely with the symbols.

    "My expertise in arrays is improving."

    He paused above an elevated area beside a sereneke. His eyes scanned everything around him, but suddenly he jerked his head back, causing the person slowly creeping toward him from behind to halt.

    It was the half-dragon. Asher let out a sigh and closed his eyes for a moment.

    "I finally found you. I wanted to startled you, but I guess I can''t pull that off with you." Asher had been on the lookout for the silver-haired human ever since he split from Alec and the rest. But man, finding Kyle was like trying to catch smoke.

    In just a few days, he figured out that if Kyle wants to hide, no one can track him down. It was pure coincidence that Asher caught sight of Kyleing out of a trial ground, and he started following him.

    Asher peered at the symbols taking shape around Kyle before sinking into the ground beneath him. He narrowed his eyes,cking knowledge about arrays, so he was unsure of what the

    human was doing.

    "What are you up to?"

    Kyle gave him a sidelong nce. He had detected Asher''s presence since the man started following him. A mischievous glint flickered in his eyes.

    "I''m not sure about the others, but you will be delighted to learn what I''m up to."

    Asher''s ears pricked up, and even Bia tilted her head slightly, curious as to why the half-

    dragon would be pleased.

    "Now that sounds intriguing!"

    Kyle eyed the symbols.

    "I''m nning to open an exit so we can leave this tomb before the actual time."

    Asher''s jaw dropped.

    "What??! How!?"

    If he recalls, doesn''t the tomb open only at the exact time?! No matter how skilled Kyle is in arrays, how could he unlock the exit of an ancient tomb when, as a supreme rank, he had no clue about it! If opening an exit in the tomb was that simple, wouldn''t he have fled this ce

    ages ago?!

    Even Bia was taken aback at Kyle''s words. She thought he was preparing to confront Azazeal who, ording to him, would soon arrive in the lost treasure tomb.

    -"You sure know how to leave others speechless. So, how exactly are you nning to open an

    exit of this tomb?"

    Asher closed his mouth and fixed his gaze on Kyle, eager to know more details.

    The half-dragon''s eyes gleamed with joy, relief, and anticipation. He had believed it would

    take him another year or two to escape this ce since the lost treasure tomb only opens after

    that duration.

    However, it appeared he would be leaving the tomb sooner than anticipated!

    Kyle opened his mouth but closed it again. He cleared his throat and nced at Asher.

    "It''s better you don''t know the procedure. What matters is that you will be leaving the tomb

    very soon."

    Bia left his head and started floating. The phoenix narrowed her eyes at him because a bad premonition welled up in her heart upon hearing his words.

    - "What the hell are you up to?"

    Kyle chuckled.

    "Don''t worry. No one will die."

    Asher and Bia both nced at each other. Immediately, they knew the human was up to

    something that was definitely not good for their well-being.

    Asher looked at Kyle with a tearful gaze. The previous joy in his eyes faded.

    "No one will die...? Why do I feel like my life is in danger for some reason now."

    Kyle blinked innocently and gave the half-dragon''s shoulder a reassuring shake. "What are you saying? Don''t worry, I am sure we will leave this tomb in one piece."

    Okay, now Asher was even more scared. The silver-haired human''s words did nothing to calm

    his nerves.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Just tell me how you n to open an exit of this tomb?"

    Kyle nced at the sky and shifted the conversation without paying attention to the half-

    dragon in a panic.

    "Can you sense Alec and the rest? I can''t spread my senses far due to some reason."

    Asher had the urge to smack him but took a deep breath and decided against it.

    "I saw Alec a few days back from afar. He was with Carcel and Mia. I didn''t talked with them

    and left them be. Let me see if I can sense some of their presence nearby."

    He closed his eyes and extended his senses in all directions. After a few minutes, a look of

    surprise appeared on his face.

    "Oh, they are all together."

    Kyle arched an eyebrow.

    "Everyone? I thought they wound be hunting for treasures separately."

    Asher shrugged.

    "I''m not sure why they regrouped, but they''re not too far from us."

    Kyle nodded, and the two of them, along with Bia, swiftly departed the area in search of the

    others, eventually reaching a familiar rock formation. Kyle extended his senses now that he was near everyone''s location.

    "They are inside the trial grounds."

 Chapter 648: Another ancient memory?

    Chapter 648: Another ancient memory?

    ?

    Kyle sauntered into the trial ground next to the ice enchantress statue alongside Bia and Asher, reaching a vast chamber strewn with shattered furniture and branching pathways. Kyle cast a brief nce at the pathsid out before him.

    "Yue, Jian, Nox, Nine, and Susan are in this trial ground."

    He had already sensed the exact location of the treasures in this trial ground earlier when his senses and scent perception skills got better. So, he just aimed to find precisely where the group was.

    Asher also extended his senses and moved toward one of the paths to his right.

    "I can sense they''re on this side-!"

    His words were cut off by Bia.

    -"Where do you think you''re headed?"

    The half-dragon blinked and nced back, rendered speechless upon noticing Kyle standing before a portal thetter had crafted. A dry chuckle escaped him.

    "I almost forgot you could just conjure a portal straight to their location..."

    Kyle shot him a look and entered the portal, with Bia following suit. Asher swiftly joined them, reminding himself mentally to start learning about arrays.

    ''This is so handy... I really should pick up portal crafting skills at least! I will ask Kyle to teach me once we''re out of this tomb!''

    The trio entered another chamber that was vacant and instantly sensed the gravity around them intensifying tremendously.

    Bia''s eyes widened as her floating form plummeted, but fortunately, Kyle caught her before she could hit the ground.

    Asher''s brows furrowed as he felt like a heavy mountain was weighing down on his entire body. He attempted to float, but his feet could scarcely lift off the ground.

    "I have been in this trial ground before, but this ce is unfamiliar to me. The gravity here is incredibly strong. It might be bearable for those above the divine rank, but I reckon those below wouldn''t even be able to stand under such pressure."

    He looked over at Kyle and observed the human casually cing the phoenix on his shoulder, showing no signs of being affected by the pressure at all.

    He let out a sigh and shook his head. What was he even expecting?

    As they moved forward in the empty chamber, suddenly they felt like they were crossing through ayer of energy, and in the next second, a slender golden bridge appeared in their vision, stretching to the other side of the chamber.

    Below the bridge, numerous rock creatures with glowing eyes were present, exuding an aura of peak trancendent rank, the tips of their sharp weapons aimed skyward.

    Kyle''s eyes sparked with amusement when he noticed Jian desperately clinging to the narrow bridge, crawling towards the other end where Yue, Nox, Nine, and Susan were waiting for the red-haired man.

    Jian let out a groan when his hand slipped due to sweat, barely saving himself from falling down the bridge.

    "Ugh... the pressure is making it hard for me to advance."

    He groaned silently, cursing the person who created this chamber.

    Asher chuckled at his condition. Jian''s ears perked up at the sound. He turned around and recognized the familiar faces.

    "What a bad day..."

    The red-haired man cursed quietly. Now, even Kyle and Asher catch sight of him in this embarrassing moment!

    Nine was already mocking him from the opposite side of the bridge.

    "I seriously need to improve my strength. I never want to go through this again!"

    Nine and the others caught sight of Kyle and Asher. Relief washed over the Yue''s face when she saw Kyle unscathed.

    The group quickly called out to Kyle and Asher toe across the bridge too.

    Kyle nced back at them.

    "I am a bit surprised."

    Bia tilted her head.

    -"Why?"

    He chuckled, waved at Yue, and stepped onto the narrow bridge with Asher.

    "In the entire trial ground, this ce was the most dangerous, nearly in the opposite direction of where the treasures are. How did they end up here of all ces?"

    Bia pointed one of her wings at Jian without hesitation.

    -"You know, it''s because of that guy!"

    Kyle nced at the red-haired man on the bridge in the distance. He had noticed over the past

    few months that Jian''s luck was incredibly low, but why so down?

    He didn''t think someone''s luck could naturally be so low. He was certain it was due to

    something influencing him.

    ''Could it be because of an artifact he carries or something he holds with him?''

    He pondered inwardly. Both he and Asher could easily navigate the pressure, unlike the red- haired man. So, it didn''t take them long to reach Jian''s location.

    Jian raised his head to nce at Kyle and extended his hand, hoping the man would help him stand up and cross the bridge. But his expression turned deadpan when Kyle raised his long leg and jumped over his body to go towards the other end.

    Nine and Nox burst intoughter at the scene. Everyone was tense after Alec told them the tomb would explode soon, but for some reason, after seeing Kyle, a sense of relief washed

    over them.

    Jian muttered a curse and sharply turned his head back to Asher, who tried to stifle hisughter but couldn''t.

    The red-haired man was ready to fight Kyle once he reached the end of the bridge, but the silver-haired man before him paused, looked back, and then extended his hand.

    "Get up."

    Jian grunted and rolled his eyes. He grabbed Kyle''s hand, sensing the coldness radiating from the man''s body. His legs shook as he fought against the pressure pushing down on his body

    but eventually stood on his feet.

    Kyle nced at him with a sigh.

    "Your physique is quite weak. You should also focus on training your body."

    Jian grabbed his back for support as Kyle started moving.

    "I am a mage and mages are usually weak in strength! Don''t me me!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Kyle ignored him and nced at Bia.

    "You''re training Nox, right? Include Jian in the training with the lynx. I''m sure you know the

    ins and outs of physical training after watching me train."

    Bia''s eyes flickered with a dark smile as she looked back toward the red-haired man.

    -"Don''t worry, leave it to me! I am the best trainer in the world!"

    Jian blinked. It took him a few seconds to understand what was going on. However, when he understood, he didn''t know whether tough or cry.

    Asher, who was behind Jian, ced his hand on his shoulder with a sigh.

    "Hoping you make it through in one piece."

    Jian wanted to p his hand away but had no strength due to the pressure on his body. They

    soon reached the end of the bridge, and Jian immediately copsed on the ground with a

    sweaty forehead.

    Asher joined Nine and Susan, and Kyle moved toward Yue. The elven woman''s hair was disheveled, just like the others, probably due to experiencing the same pressure while

    crossing the bridge.

    Kyle surprised her by moving behind her, gathering her hair and securing it neatly behind her

    back.

    "Why have you all gathered again? Alec and the others are also exploring the other two trial grounds circling the rock formation."

    Yue looked at Nine and the rest who were watching them, and her face turned slightly red due

    to Kyle''s actions. However, she didn''t stop him.

    "We gathered because something big is about to happen..."

    Worry flickered in her eyes.

    "Alec mentioned that the tomb we''re in is going to blow up soon. So we are trying to find an

    exit out of this ce."

    Asher struggled to keep hisposure upon hearing her words.

    "Why would the tomb suddenly explode? I''m sure Alec made a mistake. No, wait, the real question is how does Alec know that the tomb is going to explode?"

    Kyle''s eyes flickered with surprise briefly. Once he secured Yue''s hair behind her back, he turned to address the group, to learn more about what she had just mentioned.

    His reaction was different from Asher''s because he was already aware that the tomb was going to explode. Since he was the one who would trigger the explosion, that''s why he had already begun preparing to evacuate everyone from the tomb in time. So no one would be

    harmed.

    He listened to Nine and the others who were trying to convince Asher that Alec would never lie. If the blue-haired man had somehow discovered that the tomb was going to explode, it meant that something significant was about to ur.

    Kyle furrowed his brows, then posed a question simr to Asher''s.

    "The main question is, how did Alec find out about the tomb going to explode?"

    Nine nced at him with a strange expression. Kyle should be aware of the artifact Alec has,

    or maybe he isn''t? He didn''t want to disclose it in front of Asher, as they hadn''t known the half-dragon for long, but he sighed.

    "Alec possesses a powerful artifact that can detect future threats."

    Kyle nodded and didn''t ask further. He nced around the chamber they were in and created a

    portal directly leading to where the treasures were located.

    "Let''s head to the treasure chamber; perhaps we can uncover some clues about the tomb''s

    exit there."

    Nine and the others'' eyes lit up when they saw the portal. Finally, they wouldn''t have to

    endure the tests in the trial ground! They promptly followed the silver-haired man after he

    entered the portal.

    Kyle was surprised when he saw a familiar man already standing in the center of the space

    where he emerged.

    It was none other than Elijah. The burly human he met a few days ago in the rock formation. Elijah was staring ahead with a serious expression on his face.

    Kyle advanced towards the human with Bia sitting on his shoulder, while the rest emerged

    from the portal behind him.

    He followed Elijah''s gaze, and the air around him chilled dangerously when he saw an eerily

    familiar face in front of him.

    "Aze...?"

    He appeared much younger, but Kyle recognized him instantly. Kyle would have probably

    attacked the man if the person in front of him was real. But it was just a moving image made

    of light. Elijah was startled at the sudden icy chill in the air, even more so when he caught sight of the nature''s favorite standing behind him with a dark expression.

    Nine and the rest stopped beside Kyle, all slightly taken aback by the cold, dark aura

    emanating from his body.

    They followed his gaze, and Jian, Yue, and Asher''s eyes flickered with surprise as they

    eximed in unison.

    "Another ancient memory?"

 Chapter 649: Why?

    Chapter 649: Why?

    ?

    Nine and the others gazed at Jian, Asher, and Yue after hearing their words.

    "An ancient memory?"

    Jian had already briefed everyone outside the trial ground about the ancient memory Kyle had triggered earlier. The three people, one female and two males, in that memory were the

    creators of the tomb they were standing in. So, is the memory unfolding before them also simr to that one?

    Asher pointed at Elijah.

    "I am certain he triggered the memory. This human arrived in this chamber before us."

    Everyone scrutinized the burly human from head to toe, making him nervous.

    Elijah promptly stepped back. He had already imed the treasures in this ce, and he didn''t want to lose them!

    Unlike the others, Kyle quietly advanced toward the illusionary figure of the man he recognized standing before him. It wasn''t solid but rather a form made of light.

    He extended his hand toward the figure, only to see his fingers pass through it.

    "It''s been a while..."

    Kyle rubbed his fingers together and observed the illusionary man standing before him, who gazed ahead with a hint of softness in his purple eyes. The Azazeal in front of him waspletely distinct from the one he encountered in the No Mana Land, resembling a mere ordinary human.

    Kyle''s words caught everyone''s attention. Why does it feel like he was familiar with the man in the scene ying before them?

    Not to mention, the menacing and icy auraing from Kyle''s body was intensifying the longer he gazed at the figure of light.

    Asher approached the silver-haired man with furrowed brows.

    "Kyle, calm your aura. I''m getting chills, and if even I am feeling like that, I''m sure the rest are feeling even more ufortable."

    The half-dragon was ignored as the silver-haired man abruptly bent down to ce his palm on the ground beneath him. A tremendous surge of spiritual energy erupted from Kyle''s body, forcing everyone around him to step back.

    Bia also left his shoulder with a curse and went toward Yue and Nox.

    Everyone in the chamber was startled when suddenly numerous symbols started to light up the entire space around them.

    Susan nced at the symbols. He was somewhat skilled with arrays, but even he could not decipher what Kyle was doing.

    "What''s he trying to do?"

    The old man''s question echoed in the air, and the chamber fell eerily silent. Everyone gazed solemnly at the silver-haired man''s back. They could sense it, something was definitely amiss with Kyle.

    The hush was shattered by Elijah, who gasped in shock and profound respect as heid his eyes on the symbols.

    "He''s trying to trigger all the old symbols etched in this chamber. Not just that, he''s even attempting to fullymand them..."

    Susan nced at him with surprise.

    "You''re familiar with arrays?"

    Elijah nodded slowly. Sure, he was. Otherwise, how could he trigger the memory unfolding before him? He had begun delving into arrays from a very young age, so he had always taken pride in his proficiency in symbols and arrays.

    Yet, witnessing the silver-haired man''s expertise in arrays left him stunned and amazed. Kyle''s proficiency in arrays had reached a level he had only dreamed of.

    Yue reached out to touch a symbol, but her fingers passed through it.

    "Why is he trying to trigger and control the symbols here?"

    She whispered softly, and to everyone''s surprise, Kyle actually replied.

    "It''s because I want to witness the whole memory stored in this ce. The one ying now isn''tplete; it''s merely a fragment of the captured memory."

    After hearing his words, no one interfered and simply watched him silently.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed in concentration as he started blending his symbols with the ones etched in the chamber. His spiritual energy spread out, surrounding the entire chamber, and faint, flickering figures of light started to take shape around him.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    His thoughts were racing with endless possibilities, each pointing to a single answer he had already anticipated but wanted to confirm.

    He recalled the words of the voice his bloodline forced him to listen to when he ascended to the transcendent rank. The voice disclosed that two individuals had betrayed Azazeal. One had departed the universe, while the others had perished.

    Kyle then recalled the words spoken by the consciousness of the guardian of the tomb he encountered with Asher.

    The woman also mentioned three individuals, one of whom ascended to the Celestial realm. She even mentioned that the one who killed her despises it when the name of the one who ascended to the Celestial realm is spoken.

    "There were three people from the start... two of which betrayed the third one. And what a coincidence, even the old tale Aze shared with me in the No Mana Land had three people in it?"

    His words puzzled everyone around him. However, when the half-dragon heard the name Aze, his face fell. Why was the name Aze so eerily simr to Azazeal?

    Asher instantly recalled the final words of the consciousness of the woman who identified herself as one of the guardians of the tomb.

    "I am getting a bad feeling about all this."

    He whispered under his breath and watched, like everyone else, as Kyle stood up and gazed at the illusionary figures of light beginning to form around him.

    Bia wanted to fly towards Kyle but stopped when thetter snapped his fingers, and the ancient memory forming around everyone became very vivid, almost as if the scene was

    unfolding right before their eyes.

    Immediately, a painful sob reverberated in the air, and everyone snapped their heads towards

    the figure of the crying woman that materialized in the distance.

    The first thing that caught their attention was her body drenched in blood.

    Then her long flowing disheveled hair and icy-hued eyes. The woman was desperately

    inscribing symbols on the walls.

    Kyle stepped toward the woman and nced at her with an emotionless face.

    "The ice enchantress..."

    Everyone heard his words clearly, but their eyes stayed fixed on the crying woman made

    entirely of energy.

    It was merely an old memory, so she proceeded with her task. Her soft, whispered words reverberated through the air as she struggled to contain her sobs.

    "I regret it... I am sorry, I regret it..."

    Her body quivered when a deep male voice echoed in the air.

    "Why are you crying for him? I told you, he belongs to the blessed race. The race that worshipped darkness! We took his power away so he wouldn''t harm this world!"

    Kyle gazed at the source of the voice. Immediately, a familiar figure of a tall man with cyan

    eyes and tinum blonde hair appeared in his vision.

    The man stood beside the ice enchantress, his eyes devoid of anypassion, filled instead

    with a mix of greed, anticipation, and a touch of apprehension.

    "Nathaniel? Thest human who ascended to the Celestial realm."

    Kyle whispered as he stared at the man. Thetter''s hands were covered in blood and he was

    holding a few bones.

    Asher''s forehead started to glisten with sweat as he watched the memory and listened to

    Kyle''s words.

    ''This is getting dangerous for some reason. I feel like I shouldn''t be aware of the memory

    ying before me at all!''

    Suddenly, Nine narrowed his eyes at the bones in Nathaniel''s hands, noticing they were

    enveloped in an otherworldly glow.

    "What are those bones?"

    He couldn''t say more as the ice enchantress red at the tall man in front of her with

    bloodshot eyes.

    "We shouldn''t have hurt him... We shouldn''t... You and I both know his race never worshipped

    darkness!"

    However, the tall man remained unfazed.

    "Why are you getting on my nerves? We have finally acquired an otherworldly power! Now, we

    can clear thest hurdle stopping us from bing true Celestials! Let''s leave the universe

    together!"

    "Lilith,e with me. Let''s leave this universe together."

    He sat before the woman and extended his bloodied hand towards her with a smile, but the

    woman swatted his hand away, tears streaming from her eyes.

    "I should''ve never helped you... It''s my fault for not seeing your true self sooner."

    Nathaniel''s eyes shed with anger at her words, and with a frustrated expression, he swiftly

    turned around and disappeared.

    Kyle hummed and nced at the lone crying woman now left in his sight.

    "Where''s the person I''m looking for?"

    He scanned the chamber, and atst, his gazended on the face he sought. In the far

    distance, Azazeal''s bloodied figure knelt on the ground.

    Kyle moved towards the man. Azazeal whole body was covered in blood, a hole gaping in his

    chest, as he stared nkly into the air. The smile on his lips seemed out of ce given his condition and vacant gaze.

    Kyle tracked the motion of his lips. He appeared to be talking to himself.

    "Why?"

    A single word slipped from his lips before blood began to trickle from his mouth, and his

    purple eyes reflected that he was enduring a torment beyond death.

    Kyle sat down on the soles of his feet to nce at him.

    "The survival of the old tale you told me forgave the entire universe, even after witnessing all

    his loved ones being killed before his very eyes just because he encountered two good people... but I am sure he could no longer forgive anyone after even those two people

    betrayed him."

 Chapter 650: No, I dont want to hear it.

    Chapter 650: No, I don''t want to hear it.

    ?

    Kyle stood up and moved back. He turned around, only to notice everyone''s eyes fixed on him. They all felt bad for the illusionary figure kneeling behind Kyle.

    After all, by simply listening to the chat between Lilith and Nathaniel, they grasped what happened in this location. Of the three creators of the tomb they stood in, two turned against the third.

    Jian let out a sigh.

    "The world is filled with greedy people. I hope this man''s soul has found peace-!"

    His words were cut short by Kyle''s chuckle, which caught everyone off guard. They all stared at him with perplexed looks.

    How could the silver-haired man find joy in what they were witnessing?

    Kyle nced at Jian and shook his head.

    "Don''t jump to conclusions. Do you even know if he has passed away or not?"

    Jian nced at the figure behind Kyle. The silver-haired man had been behaving as if he knew that person.

    But, how could that be possible? This tomb was made hundreds, or maybe thousands, of years ago. And Kyle had never been here before, just like the rest of them.

    That''s why the words Kyle spoke a while back were puzzling for him.

    "The survival of the old tale... which old tale were you mentioning? Are you familiar with the history of this tomb?"

    Jian nced at the ice enchantress. After inscribing symbols all around the chamber, she had began moving towards the kneeling injured man behind Kyle.

    Yue gave Kyle a worried nce. Just like Bia, she could sense it; he was definitely not fine for

    some reason.

    Kyle hummed softly at Jian''s question. The memory ying around him persisted. The chamber resonated with nothing but Lilith''s sobs as she dropped to her knees before the injured man and began to apologize.

    Nevertheless, Kyle didn''t nce back to observe further. He had already witnessed and verified what he sought.

    "I disclosed the identities of the two who betrayed him. Aren''t you all curious about the poor soul who got betrayed?"

    At that moment, Asher grabbed his ears with his hands and cursed. His panicked eyes met Kyle''s amused gaze, and he mustered a dry smile.

    "No, I don''t want to hear it. Don''t say it. I don''t want my life to getplicated! I haven''t even seen the outside world!"

    Kyle raised an eyebrow at the half-dragon, a bit surprised that Asher had caught on even without knowing what he knew.

    Asher''s words left everyone even more puzzled, and upon seeing his pale and sweaty face, they couldn''t help but ponder who the man in the memory, seemingly on death''s door, truly

    was.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Nine stepped up to Kyle.

    "Hey, ignore the half-dragon. I want to know, so tell me the name of the man kneeling behind you. I doubt he''s a big deal; his name''s probably faded into history."

    His eyes showed a touch of sympathy for the man, but not much. After all, he didn''t know the man personally. Jian and the others agreed with Nine.

    Bia left Yue''s shoulder andnded on Kyle''s shoulder. She was already aware of Aze, so she was somewhat mentally ready for what was toe.

    Kyle nced at Nine with a mischievous glint in his eyes. The scene ying behind him began to shift once more to show thest piece of the ancient memory stored in the chamber.

    "He''s actually pretty well-known in the whole universe... and not just me, everyone here knows his name."

    Nine felt the urge to roll his eyes at the silver-haired man but froze when he heard Kyle''s next words. They actually gave him the biggest shock of his life.

    "His name is Aze. No, I mean, Azazeal."

    Susan''s eyes widened with disbelief. Elijah dropped to his knees with a face drained of colors, and Asher wanted to cry.

    ''I knew... I knew... That''s why I didn''t wanna know the name!''

    There was a moment of silence in the chamber, interrupted by Jian.

    "Kyle, are you referring to the same Azazeal we are familiar with? The leader of the dark side? That can''t be true..."

    Kyle nonchntly lifted his shoulders.

    "But that''s true."

    Jian massaged his temples. His eyes widened suddenly not because of Kyle''s words but because the scene behind the silver-haired man finally shifted. The ice enchantress had disappeared from the chamber, leaving behind Azazeal''s lone figure, kneeling on the cold ground.

    Nine, who had approached Kyle, backed away, the reflection in his eyes disyed purple and obsidian particles that merged to form arge purple flower in the air.

    Kyle noticed everyone''s expressions suddenly shift and turned his head, only to be met by the sight of a flower with many petals above Azazeal''s kneeling figure.

    "Hmm...."

    He watched as darkness began to envelop the beautiful flower, tainting its petals before it entered Azazeal''s body.

    The man''s vacant purple eyes started to transform entirely into obsidian before two purple slits formed in both of his eyes.

    Kyle squinted as the hole in Azazeal''s body began to heal rapidly before his eyes. The man shut his eyes. Suddenly, a potent burst of otherworldly purple and crimson energy radiated from his body and started to encase him in a cocoon.

    "So, his essence saved him by merging with the darkness? That''s not surprising, given the essence in his body would go to any lengths to ensure its survival."

    Kyle let out a sigh, but his gazecked anypassion for the man. He was sure his bloodline would do the same to ensure its survival if he were on the brink of death.

    "But why are you smiling?"

    He questioned, his gaze fixed on the faint smile on Azazeal''s lips as the man''s body vanished

    entirely into the cocoon.

    The scene before Kyle fragmented into myriad particles, and all the symbols in the chamber scattered into energy. He reached out to touch the particles.

    "I will ask you the reason for your smile when we meet again."

 Chapter 651: What!? Wait-!

    Chapter 651: What!? Wait-!

    ?

    Asher gasped at Kyle''s words.

    "What do you mean, meet him again? Don''t you dare to tell me you have encountered Azazeal before..."

    The half-dragon''s words startled everyone. They might have dismissed Kyle''s words due to the overwhelming information they had just received and the spectacle they had witnessed. But when Asher spoke, it hit them that the silver-haired man''s unusual behavior clearly indicated he had known about Azazeal from the beginning.

    Yue advanced towards Kyle.

    "You are keeping something from us, aren''t you? You always do that when you think it''s too dangerous for us to know. Why can''t you share it... don''t you believe we can handle it? We''re not that weak..."

    Her eyes trembled slightly. When Kyle reunited with her in the Sacred Divine Land, he disclosed everything, or so she believed, but now she was certain he hadn''t shared everything. It was impossible for Kyle to meet Azazeal in the Sacred Divine Land. He likely encountered the man even before arriving in the Sacred Divine Land.

    Kyle''s eyes shed with a flicker of panic for the first time upon witnessing the elven woman''s sorrowful expression.

    He wanted to exin, yet Bia exacerbated matters by nodding solemnly.

    -"He''s hiding a lot of stuff from us. He needs a beating, but sadly, we can''t beat him because he''s stronger."

    Kyle shot a speechless look at the crimson bird sitting on his shoulder, but she looked away with a disgruntled expression.

    He tried to grab Yue, but she also stepped back with a simr expression. It was clear that the elven woman was angry at him.

    Nine nced at the vacant chamber, which held nothing now that the old memory had fragmented into particles.

    "We were initially here to uncover clues to escape this tomb before it explodes. But we havee across something beyond our wildest dreams..."

    Jian, Susan, and Nox nodded in ord, their eyes shifting to Kyle, waiting to see if he would divulge the secrets he had been keeping from them or not.

    Elijah, who had finally managed to stand on his feet after hearing Kyle''s previous words, copsed to the ground once more upon hearing Nine''s revtion.

    He couldn''t bear it any longer. The burly man quietly started to crawl towards the chamber''s exit, yet it appeared that fate had destined him to uncover everything he wished to remain ignorant of.

    Kyle sighed softly. He moved closer to Yue and ced his head on her shoulder.

    "I know you guys aren''t weak... but I just can''t risk putting any of you in danger. I met Azazeal in the No Mana Land and... he''s gonna visit this tomb soon."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Okay, he sessfully managed to leave everyone shocked and bewildered. Now, it''s time to vanish from the scene. Kyle stepped back from Yue with a serious expression.

    "Guys, we need to find the exit of this tomb as soon as possible. I''m going to meet up with Alec and the rest to check if they found any clues. You all should search this entire chamber for any clues and reach out to me via themunication crystal."

    His words hadn''t even entirely faded in the air when a portal materialized behind him, but before he could enter it with Bia, while everyone was processing his words, Asher swiftly moved and disyed a speed he never knew he had.

    The half-dragon gripped his shoulder tightly and released a darkugh.

    "Where do you think you''re going after disrupting my peace, huh?"

    Nine and Jian gave him a thumbs up and swiftly surrounded Kyle. Susan, Nox, and Yue joined them. No way they were gonna let that silver-haired man slip away before he told them why the heck Azazeal was going to visit the lost treasure tomb!

    The portal Kyle created scattered into bits as he paused in his steps. A bit surprised by the half-dragon speed.

    ''He hadn''t shown it, but he is not weak. Well, that''s no surprise. After all, he is at the middle stage of the supreme rank.''

    Elijah gazed at the group with a nk expression on his face. Not sure about anything anymore. If he believes the words they just said, it signifies the tomb he is in will explode soon, and to worsen the situation, Azazeal, the man dreaded by the entire universe, is going to appear.

    ''Now I don''t want to run... I must follow the nature''s favorite and these people even if I have to beg. Or else I know I''m done for!''

    He quickly stood up on his feet and began observing as Kyle sighed in defeat and looked at the people around him.

    "Okay, I''m not going anywhere. Just tell me what you all want to know. I will answer." Asher squinted at Kyle. The rest were collecting their thoughts as there was so much they wanted to ask the silver-haired man. So the half-dragon took matters into his own hands. After all, he wanted to exit this tomb he had been trapped in for a century in one piece! "You have encountered Azazeal before. Why is he going to visit this tomb?"

    Kyle nced at Yue''s concerned expression. He couldn''t reveal that he was the one nning to blow up the tomb. Nor could he disclose that he was preparing to forcibly eject everyone out from the tomb.

    "Azazeal wille here because of me. He took something that belongs to me and said he woulde to return it once I find what he desires."

    His words left the people around him puzzled. What on earth could Azazeal want from him? That man had already attained the highest power status in this universe, so why would he task Kyle with finding something for him?

    Asher''s expression turned grim.

    "What did he take from you? And what do you have to give him? This is all spiraling out of control. I really don''t want to die so young, especially not in this tomb!"

    Nine and Jian asked the silver-haired man the same question. Before long, everyone started bombarding the man with a flurry of questions.

    Kyle kept quiet to let them finish their questions. Bia''s eyes widened when his voice echoed in

    her mind.

    ''Sorry, I''m gonna leave you with them for a while. I need to do a lot of things. You know nearly everything, so just tell them whatever they want to know. I will pick you upter...''

    -"What!? Wait-!"

    Bia''s words were cut short as the silver-haired man vanished from underneath her, causing

    her body to drop.

    She quickly bnced herself in mid-air and cursed him loudly with furious eyes.

 Chapter 652: You can sense my soul rank too?

    Chapter 652: You can sense my soul rank too?

    ?

    Kyle''s figure appeared under the sky as he hovered above the rock formation.

    He had disabled the main power source that operated the trial ground next to the statue of the ice enchantress and even filled the trial ground with his symbols.

    He wrinkled his nose as Bia''s boisterous curses resounded in his head.

    ''Stop cursing, or I will block your voice!''

    Instantly, the phoenix fell eerily silent, and a chuckle escaped his lips when he sensed her annoyed and cranky mood.

    He knew that after he disappeared, everyone would have encircled Bia. Now she had to respond to all their inquiries.

    ''I promise, I wille to get you soon.''

    Kyle''s eyes crinkled when the phoenix stopped talking to him. She was clearly upset, but he wouldfort herter.

    He looked at the two male statues encircling the rock formation, and his eyes turned cold. With both statues damaged, he couldn''t tell which one represented Azazeal and which one was Nathaniel''s.

    Kyle vanished from his spot. Shortly after, one of the towering statues disintegrated into pieces, startling all the people in the rock formation and inside the trial grounds as the thunderous noise of the copsing statue reverberated through the air.

    He unfurled his fist and cast a nce at the other male statue, which too crumbled into many pieces under his attack.

    Kyle eyed the dust swirling around him. His ears twitched when he heard the shocked cries of those nearby.

    "What are they making noise for? I just smashed some worthless statues."

    He nced at the entrance of the trial ground next to the one of the statues he had demolished. It was entirely covered by the debris of the shattered statue.

    Nheless, he shrugged and vanished to enter the trial ground directly. He can use instant teleportation. No need to waste time clearing the mess.

    Kyle spread out his scent perception skill to sense the location of Zron, Carcel, Mia, and Sinon who were in this trial ground.

    Before heading to their location, he materialized inside a random chamber of the trial ground and ced his palm on the ground. Instantly, spiritual energy burst from his body, and numerous symbols began to form in the air before swiftly disappearing into the walls around him. He disabled the main power source operating the trial ground and created a portal to directly reach Carcel and the others.

    Kyle emerged from the other end of the portal, only to be greeted by the panting figures of everyone. Carcel was the first to spot him, followed by the rest.

    A touch of relief flickered in their eyes as they saw the unscathed silver-haired man. It wasn''t unexpected, as they had tried to reach Kyle through themunication crystal, but he hadn''t responded.

    Sinon fluttered his wide wings and stretched his tired body. Then he pointed at the many marble statues around him. The very statues they were fighting, but suddenly they all stopped functioning as if they lost their power. He nced at Kyle.

    "I am absolutely certain you did it. But how did youpletely shut down the trials in this trial ground?"

    Mia was the one who responded to him.

    "He probably destroyed or closed the power source of this trial ground."

    Kyle nced at the blue-haired woman. She was smoothing the creases in her flowing attire and tidying her hair now that they no longer have to battle the marble statues.

    "Indeed, I closed the power source."

    Sinon let out a tired sigh.

    "That''s pretty unfair. Us regr folks have to put in all our strength to clear the tests in the trial ground, and you just swooped in and shut down the power source... like it was the simplest thing ever."

    Kyle raised an eyebrow.

    "Now that you brought it up, it does feel somewhat unfair. So, do the regr folks want toe with me? I''m heading straight to the treasure chamber."

    Sinon promptly stood up.

    "Absolutely, boss! I''ll follow!"

    Carcel and Mia chuckled at the winged demi-human. It was at that moment, Zron''s shaking voice echoed in the chamber.

    "Kids... someone lend me a hand. I can''t stand up because my legs gave up..."

    Kyle nced at the old dwarf sprawled in the distance as if thetter had exhausted all his strength and might die any moment.

    ''He''s quite the actor.''

    He noted with a smirk. Now that he was stronger than the old man, he could tell thetter was quite robust. Kyle approached Zron and sat down next to him.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The dwarf''s body tensed up when he saw the deep green eyes checking him from top to bottom. Zron sat up, forgetting he had just said his legs gave out, and narrowed his eyes at Kyle.

    "What?"

    His eyes widened when he heard the silver-haired man''s next words.

    "You''re going to break through to the supreme rank?"

    The unexpected reveal caught everyone off guard in the chamber. Sinon swiftly made his way to the old dwarf.

    "Master, you are going to break through? No, that can''t be! I finally thought I could beat you once or twice now that I have reached the transcendent rank-!"

    He mped his mouth shut when Zron gave him a deadpan look.

    The old man felt betrayed. He had fed and clothed these young ducklings only to hear they

    wanted to beat him up? Don''t they have any regard for their respected elder?

    Zron shook his head with a sigh and chose to disregard the winged demi-human. He

    responded to Kyle.

    "I am indeed going to break through. It''s good that I am. Alec mentioned the tomb is going to explode soon. We need to be as strong as possible to escape this tomb."

    Carcel, Mia, and Sinon''s expressions immediately fell upon hearing his words. They were feeling exhausted, so they hadn''t shared this news right away with Kyle. It''s good that the old

    man told him in time.

    Yet, they were taken aback when Kyle didn''t appear surprised at all. The silver-haired man simply nodded nonchntly.

    "I know, Yue and the others with her updated me on everything. I caught up with them before

    arriving here."

    He nced at the old man.

    "Nevertheless, I believe you shouldn''t break through just yet."

    Zron furrowed his brows. He was puzzled after hearing his words.

    "Why?"

    Kyle grabbed his arm and tightened his grip, causing the old man to hiss. He released the old

    man''s arm and stood up.

    "That''s why. Your physique is weak. If you break through to the supreme rank without improving your physique, you won''t be able to enhance it easilyter on. So, enhance your

    physique and soul rank first before advancing to the next rank."

    Zron''s eyes shed with surprise. "You can sense my soul rank too?"

 Chapter 653: Its strangely smell familiar...

    Chapter 653: It''s strangely smell familiar...

    ?

    Kyle nced at the old dwarf.

    "I can''t sense anyone''s soul rank, but I can sense yours because you created a new body for your soul with divine energy after your original body was destroyed. Your soul has notpletely settled in this body yet."

    Zron''s mouth hung open hearing Kyle''s words. Indeed, he destroyed his body on the blue and built a new one for his soulter, but he never knew people could sense this fact with their senses... Kyle had truly be very dangerous.

    ''The scariest part is I didn''t even feel him checking my soul!''

    He let out a tired sigh. A bit relieved inside that Kyle wasn''t an enemy.

    "I will do what you said. I will increase my physique and soul rank."

    Kyle nodded, and immediately a portal materialized in front of everyone.

    "Let''s go."

    He entered the portal, with the others following, and they found themselves in a chamber with only a table in the center. Sinon and the rest approached the table to inspect the treasures it held, while Kyle stooped down to ce his hand on the ground beneath him.

    He wanted to check if this trial ground contained any ancient memories. However, he didn''t sense any ancient symbols that could store memories.

    "There''s nothing."

    Kyle stood up and walked over to the others to see what they found on the table, only to spot a cluster of palm-sized translucent crystals resting on the table. The others were examining the crystals.

    Kyle picked up one of the crystals and saw a tiny droplet of something swirling inside. He sensed a tremendous power emanating from the drop but couldn''t quite identify it.

    "It''s strangely smell familiar..."

    He muttered quietly, his eyes widening in surprise as he suddenly recognized the moving substance within the crystal.

    "Oh, it''s a drop of essence. Someone likely extracted it from their body."

    Now, the reason behind the familiar scent of the drop within the crystal became clear to him. It was actually a droplet of a transcendent-rank bloodline.

    Kyle counted the crystals on the table. There were five crystals.

    After hearing his words, Carcel and the others each took one crystal, expecting him to take thest one, but he shook his head.

    "I don''t need it. I''ve got something simr that''s way more powerful than this tiny drop of essence. But I am curious, who does this essence actually belong to?"

    Sinon crushed the crystal in his hand to extract the tiny drop of essence within, and suddenly, an icy aura filled the air. Kyle''s eyes flickered with a sudden realization.

    "Does this essence belong to the ice enchantress? Her title contained ice within, and this essence holds icy power within."

    Sinon''s ears perked up at his words. He swiftly conjured a divine energy shield around the drop of icy essence to prevent it from dissipating in the air.

    "Ice enchantress?"

    Kyle nodded, but his task in this trial ground wasplete. He conjured a portal. "Alright guys, I''m off. Take care."

    "Hold on!"

    Carcel tried to stop him, but he jumped into the portal that scattered into particles.

    "Weren''t we supposed to search for clues about the tomb''s exit...?"

    He muttered softly. Kyle did not look the least bit worried even after knowing the tomb is going to explode soon. He sighed and nced at the others, only to catch Zron red-handed as thetter was secretly trying to pick up the crystal Kyle didn''t take.

    Carcel''s eyebrow twitched as, despite sensing his gaze, the old man swiftly tossed the crystal, along with his own crystal, into his mind space. With a shake of his head, Carcel motioned for everyone to scour the entire chamber for any clues rted to the tomb''s exit. Having reached the end of the trail ground, if they found no clue here, their journey would have been rather fruitless.

    As the group was scouring the chamber that only contained a table in the center for any distinctive symbols or ancient carvings, suddenly Sinon''smunication crystal buzzed in his mind space.

    The winged demi-human whipped out hismunication crystal, only to find that the person reaching out to him was Nine.

    Sinon almost fumbled the crystal in his grasp when Nine suddenly shouted asking if they had encountered Kyle.

    "Shhh! Don''t shout! We did meet him a while back. But he disappeared into a portal."

    Nine fell silent for a few moments. He and the others with him had been interrogating Bia to gather all the details about how Kyle encountered Azazeal, so it took them some time to contact the rest.

    Carcel, Mia, and Zron gathered around Sinon to understand why Nine was inquiring about Kyle, but when they heard Nine''s next words, they were too shocked to respond.

    "Azazeal is gonna show up at the tomb soon, and he''sing here for Kyle. We have to find Kyle and stick with him so he doesn''t go face Azazeal alone!"

    Alright, the crystal in Sinon''s hand finally slipped, only to be caught by Carcel, who was also processing Nine''s words. Zron''s expression went nk as he snatched the crystal from Carcel''s hand.

    "Which Azazeal...?"

    Nine''s voice echoed in the air.

    "The leader of the shadow generals and the entire dark side. The one we all know! Don''t ask any more questions because I can''t go into details right now! Just trust me! I''m speaking then/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    truth!"

    The old man''s hand shook, and once more, the crystal fell, but Carcel swiftly grabbed it before it could hit the ground and shatter.

    Mia nced at the people around her and swiftlymunicated through the crystal.

    "Nine, get in touch with Alec right away! If Kyle hasn''t already seen him, he''s bound to head there! We''ll reach out to Alec too!"

    Nine swiftly cut the connection, and everyone quickly got in touch with Alec and the others, just to discover that Alec''s group had reached made it to the treasure chamber. After finding no hint about the tomb''s exit there, they were on their way out, and Kyle didn''t join them at

    all.

 Chapter 654: If its him, anythings possible

    Chapter 654: If it''s him, anything''s possible

    ?

    Above the rock formation, Alec, Lara, Regius, and Yon met up with the others. They had emerged from the trial grounds to strategize their next steps. Their surprise was palpable when they all beheld two of the three colossal statues encircling the rock formation shattered into fragments.

    Nine nced at the clear sky above them and let out a frustrated groan.

    "Now what?"

    Alec furrowed his brows as he eyed the group of people floating around him. They hadn''t stumbled upon any hint about the lost treasure tomb''s exit, and to add to the trouble, the leader of the dark side was about to step into the tomb soon.

    ''Even the system has gone to slumber! It could''ve thrown me a hint if it was active!''

    He thought hard for a minute and then suddenly he remembered what Nine and the rest had told him.

    "Hold on... is not Azazealing here to get something from Kyle? Something that Kyle needs to locate for him. Doesn''t that imply... What Azazeal desires is inside the tomb, and Kyle has somehow discovered its whereabouts in the tomb?"

    Asher''s brow creased at his statement.

    "I believe this tomb does not contain an item of such immense power that Azazeal, the person who has achieved ultimate strength in this universe, requires..."

    The half-dragon has been living in the tomb for a century. He couldn''t understand what Azazeal might seek from here.

    "Azazeal is undeniably connected to this ancient tomb. It''s where hispanions betrayed him. I fear that instead of looking for an item, that man would destroy everything if he came back here!"

    The expressions on the faces of those around him grew even graver. The tomb was about to explode soon, and Azazeal was going to enter the tomb... Aren''t these two events happening too coincidentally at the same time? The conclusion they reached from all this was that Azazeal would detonate this tomb!

    Unaware that the real culprit was none other than the silver-haired man.

    Suddenly, Nox, who was getting overwhelmed by all the information, spoke up with a confused expression.

    "The thing I don''t understand is if this tomb is where Azazeal was betrayed, why didn''t he destroy this ce sooner? I''m sure he didn''t leave it to cherish the memory..."

    His words caught everyone''s attention. A sudden realization dawned on Nine.

    "Nox is spot on... Why would Azazeal spare this ce if his intention was to destroy it? Could it be that Azazeal isn''t the one who would destroy the tomb but..."

    Everyone instantly caught on to what he was implying. However, they shook their heads. They knew Kyle was powerful, but they were certain he wasn''t strong enough to destroy such a massive tomb... but then they suddenly recalled what Kyle did in the diator Arena, and their eyes widened with shock and disbelief.

    If the silver-haired man can do what he did in the diator Arena with his knowledge of arrays alone... he could obliterate this tomb with a colossal array too!

    Asher, who didn''t witness what went down in the diator Arena and had no clue what was going on in the heads of those around him, shook his head at Nine''s words.

    "No, I admit Kyle''s powerful, but he hadn''t achieved such a level of strength yet. He just hit the final stage of the transcendent rank. He''s not even supreme rank-!"

    The rest of his words trailed off as he noticed the sweaty and grave faces of those around him. His mouth fell open. No way, they have to be kidding with him!

    "That''s impossible. Kyle can''t destroy this tomb by himself with his strength. Even I cannot do that!"

    Carcel gripped his shoulder and peered at his face with a solemn expression.

    "We''re talking about Kyle here... if it''s him, anything''s possible."

    Jian nodded in agreement.

    "You''re right, if it''s Kyle, even if he made an error, his luck stat is so high that it would ensure he achieves his goal... that''s why he chose the title of nature''s favorite!"

    There was silence for a few seconds. Then Yue proposed that they should split up and locate the silver-haired man to prevent him from carrying out his ns.

    They had asked Bia if she could sense Kyle''s whereabouts, only to find out that the man had hidden his presencepletely, making it impossible even for the phoenix to detect him at the moment.

    Regius shook his head at Yue''s proposal.

    "No, let''s not go searching for Kyle. Let''s focus on finding the item Azazeal is after. Once we found that, we will reach Kyle automatically!"

    Nearly everyone agreed to his words, but the main problem was they didn''t know what item Azazeal was after!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Nine let out a sigh and slowly rubbed his throbbing temples.

    "We have no idea where to begin... but what I am certain is that Kyle wouldn''t detonate this tomb without ensuring our safety. He''s definitely nning to forcefully send us out from this tomb or perhaps, simr to what he did in the diator Arena, he''s nning to set up a massive array here and enclose everyone in the tomb within a barrier or shield to keep them safe..."

    Yue let out a mncholic smile.

    "He always does that. He never opens up about his troubles and always confronts danger alone... This time, no matter what he says, I won''t forgive him easily!"

    Lara and Miaforted her when they noticed her tight grip on her robe. To lighten up the mood, Sinon, Regius, Jian, and Nine mentioned they would all team up against Kyle this time to teach him a lesson for all the headache he was causing them. The others immediately agreed with them.

    While everyone was talking, Alec once again reviewed the map the system had generated for him before going to slumber.

    He noticed thest notifications he had received from the system.

    "Avoid those spots...? Celestial spirits..."

    His words sessfully grabbed everyone''s attention, and instantly they all looked at him. Hoping the blue-haired man would lead them out of their dilemma.

    After all, the title Celestial itself was something of immense power.

    Alec''s eyes narrowed in thought, then he nced at those around him with a smile that didn''t reach his eyes.

    "Guys, I am not a hundred percent sure, but there is something powerful in this ancient tomb that Azazeal could be after. If I''m right, we might find Kyle there."

    He paused for a second.

    "The artifact I had detected two powerful Celestial spirits in this tomb a while back. These spirits are very potent, so they are the only things right now that I believe could grab

    Azazeal''s attention..."

    Asher gripped his sword. His expression deadpan as he nced at Alec with a simr smile. It was evident that the silver-haired man was in trouble.

    "We shouldn''t waste time. It doesn''t matter if you are right or not. What matters is we need to check on those spirits! No matter how powerful the two spirits are, I believe we all together

    can handle them!"

    Alec and the others nodded in agreement. Right away, they armed themselves, and once Alec identified the precise location of one of the spirits, they all got ready to head towards that spot. However, at that moment, Yon gestured towards the burly human who had been eavesdropping on their conversation from afar.

    "What about him? I don''t think we should treat him like thin air."

    Nine looked at Elijah. The man truly had the skill to stay invisible even in a crowd. If Yon hadn''t pointed at him, everyone would have likely overlooked him.

    "Let hime along. He knows almost everything at this point. It''s probably better if he

    sticks with us."

    No one had any problem with one more personing with them. After all, the more people, the better. However, Alec still asked Elijah out of courtesy.

    "You do realize who we are up against... So, are you certain you want to apany us? If

    you''re not keen on it, there''s no pressure."

    Elijah quickly shook his head.

    "I want toe along! I know you all are going to face a formidable foe, and there''s a chance

    we might not make it. But I believe that by sticking with all of you, I will have a better chance

    at survival..."

    Asher patted his shoulder.

    "Human, you have a good head on your shoulders. I didn''t expect that."

    Elijah wasn''t sure if it was apliment or not, but he nodded in response, and they all

    started traveling toward the location of one of the Celestial spirits.

    Bia and Nox shifted into their colossal forms and soared across the sky to trail the group. The two beats aimed to be prepared for any challenge. As they all moved in unison in one direction, anyone who caught sight of them was alerted. But besides a few transcendent rank individuals, no one else could keep up because the group''s speed was exceptionally swift. When the group was halfway their destination, a familiar bell chimed through the entire tomb, signaling the end of the peaceful day and the start of another challenging night.

 Chapter 655: Are they even looking for me?

    Chapter 655: Are they even looking for me?

    ?

    Kyle raised his head as a familiar bell chimed throughout the ancient tomb.

    He was inside a trial ground, with numerous symbols illuminating his surroundings. After obliterating the power source of the trial ground, he disappeared once again, only to reappear under the dark sky.

    His gaze narrowed as he sensed Bia and Yue''s presence moving quite a distance from the rock formation.

    "What are they doing?"

    He couldn''t expand his scent perception skill or senses widely to avoid alerting the Celestial spirit as he nned to entice it out at the right moment, but he could detect Bia through their bond and Yue through the mark he ced on her.

    He didn''t dwell on it much; they were likely looking for him. Moreover, now that Bia and Yue had attained the transcendent rank, he was sure they could easily handle anything in the lost treasure tomb.

    "The only danger they can''t handle in the tomb are the supreme rank undeads. But running into one of them is very rare. So, I reckon there''s no need to worry."

    Kyle took a quick look at the undead that had emerged from the ground beneath him. Instantly, many symbols lit up the air as he zoomed in on the undead and smashed its entire skeletal form with a single punch.

    All the symbols floating around him vanished into the ground, and the shattered remains of the undead scattered around. In a sh, he vanished in a different direction. After wandering throughout the entire night and inscribing symbols in various spots, he halted in front of a familiar statue.

    It was the very first statue he had encountered upon entering the tomb but hadn''t actually entered.

    Kyle nced at the a huge marble statue standing before him. It represented a male human, but the statue''s eyes were peculiar, with two straight slits carved into its pupils. In the past, he didn''t recognize which race this statue belonged to, but now he did.

    "The blessed race..."

    He mumbled under his breath as he remembered the two purple slits he had seen in Azazeal''s eyes. It seems like the three creators of this tomb ced a statue representing every race in the universe here, whether they are extinct or not.

    "They sure did a good job crafting this tomb to leave their marks in this universe, but it''s a shame one of them got greedy, and that greed ruined the rest."

    Kylended in front of the trial ground beside the statue and proceeded through the entrance leading inside.

    He could have teleported straight to the treasure chamber, but he wanted to see if Azazeal had made the tests in this trial ground challenging or somewhat different. After all, the statue represented his race.

    However, he was surprised because after entering the trial ground, he found himself in a chamber that contained nothing. The ground beneath him was deste, and the walls around him were embellished with ancient inscriptions.

    "Hmm..."

    Kyle strolled through the chamber and quickly spotted a door in the distance. Upon entering the door, he encountered a group of demi-humans who seemed to have entered the trial ground ahead of him.

    He nced at the group and noticed some of them were attempting to interpret the inscriptions drawn on the walls.

    However, he had already inspected and realized the inscriptions were merely there for aesthetic purposes.

    That''s why he proceeded directly to the solitary door in the chamber.

    The demi-humans also noticed the silver-haired man, but when they saw him leave without paying any attention to them, they collectively breathed a sigh of relief. One of them whispered softly.

    "Shouldn''t we inform him that this trial ground is empty and holds nothing?"

    The one standing behind hushed him.

    "Hey, he''s the nature''s favorite. I believe we shouldn''t meddle with him. Let him waste his time here, not our concern."

    They all swiftly left the trial ground. They had already examined everything in this trial ground, and it contained nothing.

    Kyle eventually made it to the end of the trial ground. Howeve, he discovered nothing remarkable, or should he say, nothing at all in the entire trial ground.

    "That''s odd. I thought the trial ground representing the blessed race would have something significant-!"

    His words faded as his eyes caught a few sentences carved on the wall ahead. The sentences blended seamlessly among the numerous inscriptions on the walls, to the point that if he hadn''t noticed them, he would have missed them entirely.

    Kyle stepped towards the words, brushed off the dust, and squinted at them.

    "There''s nothing left of the blessed race to be preserved as a treasure, not even their bodies... except for thend they inhabited, the very ground you stand upon."

    He blinked in surprise and gazed at the ground beneath his feet.

    "Ah... I was wondering why Azazeal didn''t entirely destroy this tomb even after getting betrayed by Lilith and Nathaniel in this very ce. But why did he choose thisnd to create the lost treasure tomb? Did he want thend where his people lived to be remembered?"

    Kyle took one final look at the words etched into the walls before he began to leave the trial ground. He already knew from the old tale Azazeal shared with him that the entire blessed race had been annihted by other jealous races envious of their power.

    "I truly want to sympathize with you, and maybe I would have in the past... but you and I have bothe too far, and the things that happened between us are something we can never

    change."

    He shook his head as he stopped walking, and numerous symbols illuminated the air surrounding him. They swiftly dispersed in all directions before melding into the walls and the ground below. Kyle noticed that this trial groundcked any power source.

    "That''s no surprise considering it had no test inside and was totally empty."

    After the symbols disappeared, he vanished too. Kyle gazed up at the clear sky with a serene expression and started etching symbols all around once more.

    He ventured into several trial grounds to deactivate their power sources and filled them with

    his symbols.

    He had to take a few breaks in between to recharge his divine and spiritual energy, but in a week, hepleted the array he was putting in the entire treasure tomb.

    Kylended on an elevated terrain and surveyed the undead roaming around him.

    "Now, I just need to find three different locations and put many treasures in there. Those treasures would power up the array for a second, and that is enough. The array would automatically consume everything in this tomb which contained spiritual energy and divine energy to entirely activate."

    He nced northward, and his eyes crinkled with pure amusement.

    "What on earth are they up to?"

    Kyle couldn''t resist a chuckle. He had been monitoring Bia and Yue''s presence.

    A few days ago, he happened to pass by them and noticed that Alec and everyone else were

    also with the phoenix and the elven woman. For some reason, they were all wandering

    together.

    "Are they even looking for me?"

    That was something he couldn''t verify because they kept altering their course every few

    hours, almost as if they were pursuing something.

    Kyle rubbed his chin and started floating. His gaze narrowed towards a distant spot where he

    could feel Bia and Yue''s presence.

    "Oh, they altered their course again. The way in which they are shifting ces clearly

    indicates they are pursuing something they can pinpoint..."

    He disappeared from his spot and arrived above the familiar rock formation.

    Kyle nced at the two shattered statues and one intact statue surrounding the rock formation before entering it. He swiftly cleared out everyone from the formation and then

    reached the center.

    "This is a good spot..."

    A few symbols lit up beneath his feet, drawing a small circle on the ground. He blinked, and a myriad of divine and spiritual treasures appeared above the circle.

    "What a shame that I have to waste so many treasures... Nevertheless, they aren''t particrlyn/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    useful to me right now."

    He sighed and stepped back. The energy radiating from the countless treasures he retrieved from his mind space was powerful enough to shake the entire rock formation.

    The abrupt surge of divine and spiritual energy in the air made even the people he had just

    kicked out of the rock formation to stop in their tracks. They could easily feel the treasures nearby. However, their actions came to a halt when the treasures they sensed vanished into

    thin air.

    Kyle, who could sense their movements with his senses that covered the entire rock

    formation, smirked.

    "Do they really think they are strong enough to take something of mine?"

    Shaking his head, he looked at the circle in front of him. It had encased the treasures and then

    disappeared into the ground.

    "Done. Now, I just have to locate two more prime spots, far apart from this one and each other. Then, I believe it will be time to attract the Celestial spirit."

 Chapter 656: I shouldnt have come here...

    Chapter 656: I shouldn''t havee here...

    ?

    Nine slumped onto a boulder with an exhausted expression. The others around him looked pretty ticked off.

    "Alec... are you positive it''s a spirit? Why does it vanish every time we get near it?"

    Alec sighed and rubbed his forehead. They had been chasing the spirit for so long, but it always vanished to another spot the moment they got close.

    "I''m sure it can somehow sense us, and it''s not like the spirit would stick around in one ce for us to catch it... It''s fortunate I can urately track its location; otherwise, we wouldn''t even know it''s on the move."

    He sat down next to Nine and gave the man''s back aforting pat. Asher nced at the group around him.

    "We concealed our aura, but the spirit can still detect us. I''m sure it''s pretty powerful."

    Sinon flopped onto the ground too. He looked toward a far-off location.

    "If only we were as knowledgeable about symbols and arrays as Kyle, we could have set up a presence concealing array and an area sealing array to capture the spirit..."

    Immediately, everyone silently cursed the individual who introduced arrays to Kyle. The silver-haired man had turned a basic skill into something dangerous.

    Elijah silently observed the group as they strategized their next move. Suddenly, Alec furrowed his brows and stood up.

    "We can''t just keep wasting time. How about this: we use our most powerful skills in the vicinity where the spirit is concealed to force it out? Once it''s above ground, Mia can create a substantial shield around the spirit to prevent it from escaping."

    Jian gave him a surprised look.

    "You do realize that using our most powerful skills can result in arge area of this tomb being destroyed? What if we identally hurt anyone nearby."

    Alec nced at him.

    "It''s because we don''t have any other options. But we are all strong, especially Asher, who is at the supreme rank. We can rely on our senses to spot anyone nearby and drive them away from the area."

    After a while, everyone agreed with Alec''s n and swiftly followed the blue-haired man as he traced the new location where the Celestial spirit had paused through the map the system generated.

    They reached the location, but this time they didn''t go underground. Instead, they started driving everyone in the area away. It didn''t take them long to clear the area.

    Mia, who was assigned to create a powerful shield around the spirit, ascended into the sky, while the rest surrounded the area from various directions.

    After everyone encased themselves in a protective barrier and were prepared, Alec let out a loud shout.

    "Now!"

    Right away, they unleashed their most powerful skills towards the area ahead.

    The air froze for a moment, saturated with overwhelming destructive power, then split with a thunderous boom.

    In an instant, a big explosion rippled throughout the entire lost treasure tomb, shaking its very foundations. Alec, just like the others, sped his ears in response to the deafening noise.

    The protective barriers encasing their bodies fractured, yet they swiftly erected new shields as the explosion''s aftermath rippled outward in every direction. The people wandering around the area cried out in shock as they watched a massive cloud rising into the air, and thend beneath their feet cracked with countless fissures.

    Amidst the chaos, a beautiful, calming voice echoed in every direction, capturing the attention of all who could hear it.

    Above the area where the explosion urred, Mia''s eyes widened when she saw the massive creature that burst out from the ground after thend disintegrated due to the immense power.

    "The Celestial spirit..."

    She whispered and used her skill topletely envelop the shapeless ethereal being in a powerful shield.

    The air surrounding the Celestial spirit became stargely tranquil as it let out a cry filled with anguish and a touch of fury.

    Alec and the rest swiftly used their wind skills to sweep the area clean of dust, only to behold a radiant light ahead of them that gleamed brightly, casting illumination on everything around

    it.

    The Celestial spirit''s form emitted a soft, mystical glow. Its presence embodied pure spiritual energy, with shimmering wings adorning its ethereal figure.

    The clear sky above which had darkened due to the explosion once again began to clear up due to the spirit

    After the shield Mia created enveloped the spirit massive bodypletely, it emitted a loud shriek that echoed through the air.

    In that moment, all of a sudden, Bia, Nox, and a few others'' eyes were captivated by the scene, bing momentarily dazed.

    - "What a beautiful creature..."

    Bia whispered, but before the phoenix, who was in her massive form, could approach the

    spirit, Nine grabbed one of her legs.

    "What are you doing? Snap out of it!"

    Yue also grabbed the lynx, and Nox snapped out of his daze. The lynx''s eyes shed with a touch of shock.

    "The spirit has the power of maniption! It just tried to control me! Don''t look at it!"

    Nox shouted, and Bia agreed with him. Upon hearing the lynx''s voice, everyone else who was entranced by the spirit''s presence snapped out of their daze and immediately became alert.

    Mia furrowed her brows as she shook her head to refocus, sealing off every possible escape route for the spirit. A sense of relief washed over her as the massive entity within the shield ceased its struggles.

    Their optimism was short-lived as Alec''s eyes widened when he suddenly received a notification from the dormant system.

    ''Mission; XX''

    Leave the ''Lost treasure Tomb''.

    Reward:

    None.

    Penalty:

    Death.

    Time remaining:

    7 days

    -Error!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Trying to find the cause! Loading....

    -Error!

    5 days

    -Error!

    "What''s happening? Soul? Are you awake?"

    In an instant, the system''s mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

    What the hell did you do?

    It was the first time Alec sensed a hint of anger and frustration in Soul''s voice. His heartbeat raced as he watched the system interference with wide eyes. The time left for the Lost Treasure Tomb to explode was decreasing with each passing second.

    "What''s going on, tell me! Soul!"

    He shouted loudly with a panicked expression. His voice startled everyone, and they quickly

    shouted at him to know what happened. After getting no response, they began moving toward

    him.

    Alec''s eyes were fixed on the dwindling countdown disyed in front of him.

    -Error!

    Trying to find the cause! Loading....

    -Error!

    10 hours

    The continuous notifications buzzing in his ears finally stopped, showing a time that left him

    too shocked to even respond to those shouting around him.

    Time remaining:

    20 minutes.

    "Alec...!?"

    Alec blinked when Asher shook his shoulder to snap him out of his daze. The half-dragon was

    rmed immediately when he saw the sweaty forehead of the human standing in front of him. Nine and the rest also arrived beside the blue-haired man as Asher asked with a solemn

    expression.

    "What happened?"

    Alec closed his eyes for a second to calm his nerves and then opened his mouth.

    "The tomb is going to explode..."

    Jian furrowed his brows at his words.

    "We know that! Currently, Mia is using all her power to stop the spirit from escaping. We need

    to help her before she loses all her divine and spiritual energy! I am sure with the spirit in our

    hands we can stop Kyle from destroying the tomb-!"

    He couldn''t say more as Alec suddenly interrupted with solemn eyes.

    "No! No! The tomb is going to explode within twenty minutes." Everyone''s eyes widened at his words, and they shouted collectively.

    "What!?"

    Asher grabbed Alec''s shoulder.

    "Do you even know what you''re saying? I thought we still had a week or so left!"

    Alec nced at the spirit that had stopped struggling for some strange reason.

    "I don''t know! The remaining time suddenly plummeted after we captured the spirit-!"

    His words were abruptly cut short as he caught sight of a familiar figure hovering in the air,

    directly above the spirit.

    "Kyle...?"

    Right away, everyone turned to look where he was staring and saw the silver-haired man

    floating in the air with a dark face.

    Kyle shifted his furious gaze downward, locking eyes with Alec and the rest. He cursed loudly

    under his breath.

    "Damn it! We are all dead!"

    A hint of frustration tinged his voice. He hadpleted the array that would send everyone

    out of this ancient timb and had even ced treasures in two different spots. However, he still

    needed to find the third perfect spot for the treasures! Only then would the array be triggered!

    Kyle was actually searching for the third and final good spot for the treasures when he heard

    the massive explosion, causing him to halt in his tracks.

    "I shouldn''t havee here..."

    He whispered because the moment he arrived in this ce to check why the explosion

    urred, the spirit noticed him and became eerily still.

    "Now that Azazeal knows I found the spirit, he is going toe here!"

 Chapter 657: This place looks familiar I

    Chapter 657: This ce looks familiar I

    ?

    Kyle wanted to vanish, but the Celestial spirit in front of him emitted a melodious sound, unleashing a surge of pristine spiritual energy in all directions.

    The shield Mia had created around the spirit shattered instantaneously, and the spirit advanced towards the silver-haired man with unbridled force, seemingly intent on enveloping himpletely.

    Alec and the others watching the scene from below were shocked at the sight. They immediately yelled at the silver-haired man to retreat and rushed toward him.

    The noise emanating from the spirit grew louder, causing Kyle to freeze in ce, his eyes fixated on the colossal, shapeless figure with wings hurtling towards him.

    The spirit moved so fast that he wasn''t even able to blink, let alone teleport away. But just before it could reach him, another simr voice echoed in the air. The atmosphere trembled as a massive surge of spiritual energy burst forth. This energy repelled the spirit advancing towards Kyle, and he teleported away into the distance.

    "This bastard..."

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed at the formless creature that had just tried to swallow him, his gaze filled with anger.

    He wanted to tear the spirit, but he had more pressing matters at hand.

    "Where did the other voicee from, and what pushed the spirit back!?"

    He extended his scent perception skill, and his eyes widened as he felt another spiritual entity swiftly approaching his location.

    "Another spirit...?"

    Kyle''s words hadn''t even faded in the air when another colossal spirit burst out from thend below him.

    The spiritual energy in the air grew so intense that it rendered the air motionless, causing cracks to form all around.

    "The hell!?"

    He cursed loudly, and everyone who was rushing toward him froze in their spots to watch the two massive spirits that began fighting each other in the air.

    The air trembled and erupted with two different melodious, soothing sounds as the spirits shed before surging upward toward the sky, sending waves of spiritual energy everywhere.

    Mia''s eyes widened as she saw the spirits approaching her location.

    She wanted to move, but she knew she would not be able to get away in time, so she readied herself for the impact. Her ears started bleeding as the spirits'' voices grew louder and nearer, but before their formless bodies could make contact with her, her whole body was engulfed in a somewhat unstable portal that lit up before her.

    Mia let out a startled gasp when she entered the portal, only to emerge from the other side. She closed her eyes when she saw her body getting dangerously close to the ground, but someone grasped her waist before she could crash into the ground.

    "That was close..."

    A familiar voice resonated in her ears, causing her to open her eyes in surprise. Carcel smirked when she gazed at him.

    "Aren''t you gonna thank me?"

    He gently lowered her to the ground. The others behind him had their eyes wide open in shock. What just happened? Did Carcel just create a portal? But how? He had never studied arrays! In their group, only Susan, Kyle, and Elijah could do that!

    Kyle, who also wanted to create a portal to save Mia from the spirits but stopped in his actions when he felt someone else doing it, too nced down at the golden-haired man with a raised brow.

    Carcel could feel their gaze. He hadn''t started studying arrays because he knew the profesion was tough. But he at least wanted to learn to create portals. So, every time Kyle conjured a portal before him, he would carefully follow the symbols the silver-haired man employed in his mind.

    Just now, witnessing Mia in danger, he felt the urgency to rescue her and instinctively tried to replicate the symbols Kyle would use to create a teleportation portal, and managed to seed somehow.

    He nced back at the group of people staring at him as if he had something monumental and unattainable.

    "What? After observing Kyle creating portals for so long, I''m confident I can at least create a basic portal, can''t I?"

    Mia grabbed his arm with a smile. Nine and the rest give him proud looks. Now that one of them had learned to create teleportation portals like Kyle, they were certain they would seed soon as well!

    Completely unaware that the silver-haired man''s anger towards them was not over yet, but fortunately for them right now, he didn''t have time to punish them.

    Kyle nced at the two massive spirits fiercely battling in the sky.

    "I don''t know if I should be grateful or not that they''re both fighting each other to get the essence in my body..."

    His eyes turned icy as he nced at the spirits. He truly wanted to end them, but soon another would do it for him.

    His bloodline had started to get restless inside his body after he arrived here.

    Kyle moved back, and blue mes burst from his body, creating a barrier that would prevent the spirits froming down. It would give the people below enough time to flee once the spirits were distracted.

    Right after that, he disappeared to swiftly locate thest suitable spot to position the treasures and activate the array he had inscribed all over the ancient tomb.

    Alec and the rest who wanted to inform him that the tomb was going to explode within twenty minutes... No, the remaining time was even shorter now, couldn''t stop him as he

    vanished.

    Zron and Asher let out frustrated shouts as their hands grasped nothing but empty air when they tried to grab Kyle. The half-dragon nced at Alec.

    "What now? We don''t have time! He ran away again!"

    Amidst themotion, suddenly, Bia''s eyes lit up, and she shouted.

    -"I can contact him! He just lifted the barrier that was preventing me from reaching out to him! I can even track his location!"

    Right away, everyone huddled around the phoenix with hopeful eyes as she tried to reach out to Kyle. They were desperate for her to convey the message that the tomb was about to explode within a few minutes! It didn''t matter if the silver-haired man was the one causing the explosion or not; he had to stay with them!

    However, all of a sudden, the spirits fighting in the air let out loud and agonizing cries,

    causing them all to cover their ears.

    The mes Kyle had let out in the air to make a barrier that would prevent the spirits from descending toward the group disappeared instantly into nothingness.

    Asher squeezed his eyes shut and released a pained groan as an immense pressure bore down

    on his body.

    "What in the world is going on now!?"

    Unlike the others, he was at the supreme rank... if he was in such a state, what would the

    others be going through?

    The countless people who had gathered around the scene due to the loud noises and were observing while concealing themselves also fell to their knees.

    All of a sudden, everything froze entirely as if time itself hade to a standstill. Even the spirits froze in their positions.

    Alec and everyone around him released their ears as a dark aura permeated the surroundings,pletely consuming the spiritual energy in the air.

    The bright sky turned dark. There was a moment of total silence, then a cracking noise reverberated through the air.

    Hearing the sound, everyone slowly looked up at the sky, only to witness arge crevice forming above the two spirits, who were the sole source of light in the darkness that had

    engulfed everything.

    A big obsidian eye with two purple slits blinked open from the crevice and gazed down at the

    scene below.

    Alec stared at the huge eye in a daze. The others around him were in a simr state. It was as if they could not move at all in the presence of the person who was peering down at them with

    an empty gaze.

    The eye nced at the two spirits and vanished back into the crevice. Instantly, the people staring at the sky sighed with relief, thinking that whatever danger was about toe hadn/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    passed.

    However, before they could shift their gaze, a mix of dark purple and red energy oozed from the crevice. Then, a figure shrouded in darkness stepped out from the crack.

    It was a handsome young man, who appeared no older than twenty with dark hair. But the pair of purple eyes he had was entirely devoid of any hint of emotion.

    He slowly nced down at the group of people kneeling directly beneath the two spirits first. Then he looked around in every direction where he could sense the presence of living beings

    "This ce looks somewhat familiar...?"

    A quiet voice resonated through the air as the ck-haired man started contemting why the ce he had arrived felt so familiar, as if he had encountered it before. Meanwhile, Nine, Asher, and those who had seen the ck-haired man previously in the ancient memory began to turn pale. But they could not even move an inch in his presence, let

    alone confront him.

 Chapter 658: This place looks familiar II

    Chapter 658: This ce looks familiar II

    ?

    Azazeal''s eyes narrowed when he remembered where he had arrived. A sardonic smile yed on his lips as he surveyed his surroundings.

    "It''s been a long time. I almost forgot about this ce."

    He nced at the two spirits, and the vacant smile on his lips broadened.

    "I sensed only one spirit, but he discovered two? I knew I chose the right man for the task, and he didn''t disappoint me at all."

    The darkness in the air crackled as his purple eyes turned into obsidian.

    Dark chains materialized instantly, rushing towards the two spirits who frantically tried to break free from the otherworldly power that ensnared them in ce. Unfortunately, they couldn''t escape, and the dark chains started wrapping around their bodies.

    Azazeal clenched his fist, and the spirits let out screams of terror as the spiritual energy surrounding them started to fade.

    They shrank in size within the darkness until they transformed into two dark orbs, obedientlynding on his palm.

    Nine and the others stared at the man hovering in the air. The air was eerily silent, save for the lingering echoes of the spirits'' screams, now transformed into tiny orbs.

    "Can we even do anything...?"

    He whispered with clenched fists. Due to the weight pressing down on their bodies, they couldn''t move even an inch and could only watch Azazeal do as he pleased.

    As if catching his words, the man floating in the air directed his gaze downward to meet his. Nine held his breath as the pair of dark eyes locked with his own.

    Not only Nine, everyone kneeling around him felt a chill run down their spines when they saw the emptiness in the eyes of the man staring at the brown-haired man.

    The emptiness in his obsidian eyes was quite simr to what Kyle would show at times, but unlike Kyle, who would eventually unveil his emotions, the eyes looking at Nine held no depth. They were hollow.

    It was crystal clear that the floating man wouldn''t even think twice about taking them all out, and to top it off, he currently had the strength to eradicate them all.

    The two dark orbs in Azazeal''s hand burst into boundless energy that surged into his body, transmuting into pure darkness.

    However, his gaze stayed fixed on Nine, or more precisely, the moving thin, golden threads within the man''s eyes.

    "The spirituality in his eyes is quite potent."

    Azazeal''s eyes shifted towards the others around Nine, a flicker of surprise passed through his gaze as he saw their fates.

    "Ah... they''re all connected to Kyle. I must admit, they all have bright futures ahead."

    He vanished from his position and materialized on a boulder facing the group. A surge of darkness emanated from his body as his eyes locked onto Alec.

    "Where''s Kyle? Doesn''t he want the notebook that held his past back? Or did he run off after sensing my arrival... leaving you all behind to meet your end?"

    His eyes crinkled as the faces of those kneeling before him paled when the dark energy emanating from his body began seeping into their bodies.

    An unassuming notebook materialized in his hand, and he extended his senses in all directions to envelop the entire tomb in search of Kyle. If that man had set foot in this tomb, Azazeal knew there was no way he could leave with his current strength.

    Alec gritted his teeth as an even more intense pressure bore down on his body. He hadn''t witnessed the ancient memory, yet without anyone telling him, he was sure the man before him was Azazeal, the leader of all the shadow generals!

    ''Fuck... I can''t speak due to the pressure. Does he even expect an answer!?''

    Azazeal''s eyes were strangely fixed on Nine before and now on him, as if thetter had noticed something special in them.

    Alec''s eyes narrowed as Azazeal suddenly extended his hand towards the phoenix''s body behind him. Under the mounting pressure, he let out a scream.

    "Wait-!"

    However, before he could even finish his words, he coughed up a mouthful of blood because the intense pressure on his body abruptly intensified. Azazeal nced at him with a nonchnt expression.

    "Don''t meddle when you can''t even stand on your feet before me right now."

    He continued with his actions, causing the phoenix''s heart to sink.

    Bia tightly closed her eyes and shouted Kyle''s name in her mind to tell him she was about to die young, and it''s all his fault!

    Asher, who could still move somewhat, tried to intervene but was forcefully thrown back by a mere nce from the man.

    Just as everyone''s heart sank, thinking that now no one would be able to stop Azazeal, suddenly the man''s arm was grabbed by someone, and he let out a chuckle.

    "Already here? Considering you were quite a distance from me, I figured it might take you some time to reach me."

    Azazeal raised his entertained obsidian eyes to meet the gaze of the person who had just sped his arm, and he saw what he desired. The dark and wrathful look on the silver-haired man''s face.

    He didn''t budge, and Kyle was flung back into the distance. Azazeal massaged his wrist and nced at him.

    "You do realize you are sporting a look that''s practically shouting you are about to rip me to shreds any moment. Is that really how you n to greet an old friend?"

    Kyle steadied himself in mid-air. In one of his hands, he was tightly holding the golden sword he got from Hubert. The very sword he rarely ever took out of his mind space.

    An expression of anger and deep frustration shed across his icy face because the way Azazeal pushed him back without even lifting a finger made him realize he was still utterly

    powerless against the man standing before him.

    "Old friend, you im? Well, how delightful to see you again, my dear friend."

    His voice dripped with sarcasm as he locked eyes with the dark-haired man.

    Azazeal blinked a few times.

    "Why do you look angry? I am here to give you back what I took from you. I thought you

    would be happy to see me again?"

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched violently. He noticed the subtle amusement flickering in Azazeal''s vacant gaze.

    Heughed angrily in his mind. Why does it feel like the man was deliberately trying to get on

    his nerves?

    ''So, you want to y it like that, huh?''

    He sheathed his sword and immediately extended his senses in all directions before reaching out his hand towards Azazeal.

    "I have held up my end of the bargain. Now that you have taken the two spirits, hand over the

    notebook."

    However, his expression chilled when dark mes burst from Azazeal''s hand, reducing the notebook in his grasp to ashes. The man looked at him with a vacant smile, and the very mes that consumed the book now crept towards Bia and the others.

    "You bastard!"

    Kyle vanished from his spot. He materialized behind Azazeal and brought his sword down towards the man''s neck. But before his de could make contact, he was forcefully thrown

    backward.

    Azazeal nced back at him with a sigh. The dark mes he conjured spread out to envelop the group of people kneeling next to him, ready to engulf them all as they struggled to even

    move.

    "You''re still the same. I expected you to change after losing all your memories and staying in that manalessnd for so many decades. I thought the next time I would see you, you would have be someone ready to give up everything just to confront me and bring about my

    end."

    His words shocked many except the phoenix and Yue, who knew Kyle had lost all his memories. However, they couldn''t even speak a word.

    Azazeal pointed at them while looking at Kyle, his lips curving upward.

    "Are they the reason? They''re your distractions, right? You can thank meter for getting rid

    of your distractions now."

    He didn''t take away Kyle''s mobility because he wanted to watch; he desired to witness the

    man desperately trying to save the ones dear to him but fail miserably. But he raised a brow when Kyle did nothing at all and just stared at him with an emotionless face.

    "Hmm?"

    Azazeal''s eyes narrowed sharply when he suddenly sensed the spiritual energy and divine energy in the air thinning as if consumed by something.

    He nced down at the spot where he stood, and numerous symbols illuminated the darkness, forming a beautiful design that shone brightly amidst the dark.

    "Ah..."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He lifted his eyes to nce at Kyle. So, that''s why the human left his friends alone and went to such a faraway ce? He waspleting a massive array. The symbols hungrily consumed everything, even the dark mes he conjured and the dark energy emanating from his body.

    "I have to say, you have gotten very proficient in this profession."

    He praised and slowly raised his hand to dismantle the array but halted when Kyle began

    speaking in a calm voice.

    "I have a gift for you. I thought I should definitely give it to you when you return to the ce you once called home. Now that you have met me, don''t you want to meet some other old

    friends?"

 Chapter 659: This place looks familiar III

    Chapter 659: This ce looks familiar III

    ?

    Azazeal was suprised at Kyle''s words.

    "You have dug up so much I had forgotten. You know this ce was once my home. Did I leave a clue here in the past? I can''t quite recall. It''s been thousands of years."

    Kyle arched a brow. His expression remainedposed, yet his fists were tightly clenched with tension.

    ''Just a bit longer...''

    He noticed the symbols that had glowed on the ground under Azazeal and throughout the tomb slowly starting to float in the air.

    "Seriously, you forget that you yourself wrote down the fact that there''s nothing left of the blessed race except for thend they inhabited, the very ground we stand upon. Then... what about Lilith and Nathaniel? Did you forget them too? What a shame... I was going to let you see them again."

    Right away, the atmosphere surrounding Azazeal became still, and a burst of dark energy erupted from his body. Even though the symbols beneath him hungrily devoured the energy, it still caused harm to everyone nearby, including Kyle.

    "You even know about them? And how are you going to let me see them again...?"

    His voice grew ominously deep as the obsidian in his eyes began to shift, unveiling the two purple slits within.

    Kyle''s fists tightened as he wiped away the blood trickling from his mouth. The abrupt surge of dark energy from Azazeal''s body had rattled his internal organs. He could only hope that the others were fine...

    "It''s actually pretty easy."

    He smirked and flicked his fingers. A few symbols lit up beside him, merging together to form two illusionary figures.

    He was conjuring an illusion. Now that he knew how Nathaniel and Lilith looked like, he could shape their forms. It was a shame that the illusion he was creating would be mere images unable to do anything.

    Azazeal''s eyes zeroed in as the symbols next to Kyle intertwined and shaped two very familiar faces gazing at him.

    The two illusionary figures showed no emotions; they were just made from energy. But Kyle''s eyes shed with contentment as the man in front of him finally disyed emotions in his usually empty gaze.

    It was pure rage and hatred directed towards the two illusionary figures.

    Kyle let out a chuckle when the two illusionary figures beside him, who had just taken shape, burst into energy, and he knew very well who had destroyed them. He gazed straight into Azazeal''s eyes.

    "I must say, just like you mentioned in the old tale, Lilith and Nathaniel were truly good people. I am sure that is why they foresaw early on how wicked you would be in the future. The only mistake they made was that they didn''tpletely vanquish you-!"

    His words got abruptly cut short when a powerful force hit his body, sending him hurling backward at an astonishing speed, leaving him unable to react in time.

    Kyle mmed into the ground hard, and blood immediately spilled from his mouth. Despite trying his best to pause, his body didn''t stop. He crashed into many boulders, shattering them instantly before his body finally came to a halt as he collided with the lower body of a massive marble statue.

    He immediately coughed out more blood. But the statue he crashed into crumbled, so instead of healing his injuries, he quickly conjured a shield with spiritual energy to protect himself from the falling debris.

    Alec and the others who were saved from the dark mes after the dark mes were consumed by the bright symbols couldn''t even blink as everything unfolded.

    Nine''s eyes dted as he caught the sound of someone crashing into something. Just like the rest, he heard and saw what Kyle had just said and shown to Azazeal.

    ''Kyle, that bastard! Why is he provoking the leader of the dark side when he knows he can''t win against Azazeal at the moment? Does he not want to live anymore?''

    His eyes shook as he clenched his teeth and attempted to move like the others. Yue and the phoenix were the most fretful for Kyle at that moment. Yue even managed to stand on her feet briefly before copsing back onto her knees. Her eyes turned red.

    ''Why? Why can''t I do anything!?''

    All of a sudden, a brilliant light shed around them. It was so bright that it made them all instinctively shut their eyes.

    The numerous symbols that had started to float swiftly shot towards the sky, too fast for anyone to react.

    Next, a surge of powerful energy erupted from all the trial grounds Kyle had filled with his symbols. These beamsbined in the sky, forming a dazzling web that wrapped around the entire tomb.

    Alec and the others snapped open their eyes when they suddenly felt their bodies enveloped by a warm sensation, only to see their bodies dissipate into particles that began to be pulled

    towards the sky.

    All of them immediately tried to resist the warm energy that had entirely surrounded their bodies but were momentarily dazed when they saw the colossal portal that had materialized in the sky, surrounded by a dazzling golden web of symbols.

    They weren''t the only ones being transformed into particles that were forcefully drawn toward the portal; every living person in the lost treasure tomb was also experiencing the same phenomenon, whether they wanted it or not.

    Countless startled screams and shouts reverberated through the tomb as the people abruptly discovered their bodies dissolving into particles, drifting towards the portal in the sky that devoured everything that came near.

    Despite their efforts, they were powerless to resist and could only watch in horror as theypletely transformed into particles and vanished from the tomb.

    Jian let out an angry chuckle as he attempted to break free from the energy enveloping his

    body.

    "Don''t tell me that jerk was distracting Azazeal so the array he crafted could activate sessfully?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He would be a fool if he didn''t know what Kyle was nning. Right from the start, the silver- haired man aimed to get them all out of this tomb safely and blow it up with Azazeal and

    himself inside!

    "I am not leaving, no way! Not unless he''sing with us!"

 Chapter 660: I cant stay here for long I

    Chapter 660: I can''t stay here for long I

    ?

    Alec and the rest around Jian shared the same sentiment as him. However, what could they possibly do when their bodies were dissipating into particles?

    Nine quickly used his spiritual energy to resist the warm energy around him. He swiftly grabbed a nearby boulder and snapped his head toward Alec.

    "How long until the tomb explodes?"

    His question heightened the urgency with which the others around him were battling the warm energy enveloping their bodies. Alec quickly checked the system panel.

    "Just barely over four minutes!"

    Bia cried out loudly at his words, and golden mes burst from her entire body, yet even then, she couldn''t halt her body from dispersing into particles.

    Azazeal, who previously stood before them, had disappeared, leaving uncertainty about what the man was doing with Kyle.

    -"Just stay alive, you jerk!"

    Bia closed her eyes and began gathering all her divine energy around her body to dispel theyer of warm energy surrounding her. At that moment, Asher retrieved something from his mind space and let out a sigh.

    "I really didn''t wanna use this... but it would be a shame if Kyle died. He can aplish so much, and he''s even the first friend I made after so many years-!"

    His words were cut off when Nine, with lightning-fast speed, snatched the round artifact resting on his palm

    "Huh???"

    The brown-haired man frantically started examining the artifact.

    "How do we use this thing? Quick! We are running out of time!"

    Asher was dumbfounded. The guy didn''t even know how to use the artifact, and the fact that it was a one-time-use artifact that would obliterate every form of energy around them within a second.

    If the half-dragon began exining how to use the artifact, he was certain the tomb would explode before he even finished!

    "Give it back to me! We don''t have time and only one person can use it!"

    Before Asher could grab the artifact from Nine''s hand, Jian snatched it away, and for some reason, it activated the moment the red-haired man grabbed the artifact.

    "What...?"

    Jian blinked as the round artifact in his hands burst into energy and shredded the warm aura around his body. Instantly, his body, which was dissolving into particles, came to a halt, and he experienced a sharp jolt of pain as all the particles that had drifted off his body merged back into his body,pleting his fading form.

    He was shocked and wanted to know how the heck he just touched the artifact and it activated on its own. But when he saw the expressions of Asher and the others, he knew they all wanted to know that too!

    "Fuck..."

    Nine cursed under his breath. He tried pressing the artifact from all angles, but it remained inactive. Yet, Jian simply touched it, and it sprang to life?

    "Don''t tell me it''s because of your luck stat that''s always wants you six feet under...?"

    Nine murmured, and eventually, everyone around him understood why the artifact activated when it was in Jian''s hands!

    Jian chuckled and started to float. Finally, his tremendous bad luck was of some use! The heavy pressure on their bodies had lifted after Azazeal vanished.

    "Well, I guess I wil be dying alongside Kyle! Farewell, my friends!"

    He waved at the others, who were doing their darnedest to keep their bodies from dissipating into particles entirely but were failing miserably, and they all cursed at the proud red-haired

    man.

    Jian gave them onest look and quickly disappeared towards the direction where they heard the crashing noises earlier. Sinon yelled out in frustration.

    "Why Jian!? Anyone else would do, but Jian!? He''s just going to make things worse with his personality alone! No, he''s going to lower Kyle''s chances of survival-!"

    His words were cut off as his body burst into particles entirely, only to be consumed by the massive portal above. Following him, everyone else also followed suit.

    Eventually, Alec, Carcle, and Asher were thest ones left, still struggling against the warm energy surrounding them.

    However, after a few moments, even their bodies entirely transformed into particles and vanished into the portal.

    .....

    Jian''s face was solemn as he extended his senses in all directions as far as he could and raced towards the location where he had heard the crashing sounds earlier, continuously calling out

    Kyle''s name.

    He was sure that only a minute or so remained before the tomb would explode! He needed to locate Kyle and pull him into the enormous portal in the sky with him!

    Jian paused in mid-air when he spotted a familiar man''s back in the distance, but he was certain from the dark hair that it wasn''t Kyle. It was Azazeal!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    His heart sank when he didn''t notice Kyle anywhere and thought the man was dead. Instantly, pure anger shed in his red eyes as he charged straight toward Azazeal.

    No matter how strong the man was, he wanted to avenge his friend! But before he could even get close to Azazeal, the space before him suddenly began to tremble and crack, causing him

    to pause.

    Jian noticed with a racing heart that it wasn''t a portal that was forming before him; the space in front of him itself was cracking open as if something or someone was tearing it apart with

    bare hands.

    The process was eerily simr to how Azazeal arrived in the tomb.

    He jolted back in mid-air when a person d in a luxurious outfit stepped out from the crack. Jian''s eyes dted when he saw the facial features of the man who had emerged from the crack. The familiar red hair and red eyes... it was he himself!

    "!"

    Immediately, his mind went nk because he couldn''t process the unbelievable sight he was witnessing!

    At the same time, the red-haired man floating before him, who was eerily simr looking to him but much more muscr and taller, raised his fist in the sky with a triumphant

    expression.

    "Finally, I did it! And that jerk Kyle believed he was the only one capable of mastering the naturalws of time and space!"

    The man cackled with glee but then coughed out blood. Immediately, crimson liquid seeped from his ears, nose, and every pore of his skin.

    "Darn it! I definitely can''t stay here for too long, or the nature''s going to kill me for messing with the universe''s bnce and traveling through a timeyer!"

 Chapter 661: I cant stay here for long II

    Chapter 661: I can''t stay here for long II

    ?

    Jian was startled when he saw blood seeping from every pore of the man who bore a striking resemnce to him.

    However, before he could react, the man swiftly extended his hand and grabbed his shoulder with lightning speed.

    "What??"

    Jian let out a gasp at the tight grip and wanted to resist, but a force prevented him from moving. The man floating before him clicked his tongue.

    "Just stay put! I am taking away something you don''t need anymore."

    He positioned his hand amidst Jian''s corbones, igniting a fiery sensation that swept through Jian''s body. Subsequently, a nail-sized red orb enveloped in ominous energy emerged from his skin with a menacing sound.

    "That''s it... This darn artifact Zron gave me really made my whole life difficult. Now that it''s gone, your luck stat should improve!"

    Jian staggered back in mid-air as the man released him, hastily attempting to heal the small hole between his corbones from which the man had extracted the orb.

    He shot a fierce re at the man, only to realize thetter''s state was more critical, with blood drenching his entire body. But even though the man looked like he was on the brink of death, he had a satisfied smirk on his face as he quickly squashed the squirming orb in his hand.

    Jian''s sharp eyes locked onto the man before him as his mind raced to process everything unfolding before him.

    He had a flurry of answers swirling in his mind from the short interaction he had with the man, but only the person in front of him could truly confirm them!

    Hence, he didn''t dilly-dally or waste time. Ultimately, the top priority at that moment was to rescue Kyle!

    "What are... you? Me!?"

    Hearing Jian''s words, the man before him let out a chuckle with a hint of amusement in his crimson eyes.

    "You are not a fool. So, guess on your own. Now leave this tomb, or else you and I both will cease to exist."

    The man blinked, and in an instant, the space behind Jian cracked open before forcefully pulling him inside.

    Jian''s eyes widened, and he frantically tried to stop himself from being swallowed by the gap that opened up behind him.

    "Wait! wait! What about Kyle!? I need to find his body at least!"

    A wildughter slipped out from the man''s mouth as he stared at Jian.

    "Do you really think Kyle would die so easily? Then you didn''t yet know the real him. He wouldn''t die even if death itself arrived to forcefully take him!"

    He raised his finger and flicked Jian''s forehead, sending him hurtling into the gap.

    There was a smug smile on the man''s face as he watched Jian''s fading figure, but the smile instantly disappeared when a hand slipped out from the crack he had emerged from and forcefully grabbed his cor. A chilling voice echoed from the crack.

    "Just how many times do I have to remind you not to meddle with the past, or Azazeal will do the same and end us all."

    Jian felt like crying. He knew he was in real trouble this time. Kyle sounded really angry! The cold hand grabbing his cor dragged him back into the crack, and the crevice vanished into nothingness.

    ''Well, at least I managed to improved my unlucky life a little-!''

    After he vanished into the crack, the entire tomb exploded into a dazzling disy of luminous particles, scattering like ethereal fireflies in the darkness.

    The once quiet atmosphere crackled with an electric tension, as if the very fabric of time and space had been disrupted.

    ....

    A while ago, Kyle pushed aside the shattered statue fragments above his body. Blood covered his entire body as he looked up at the sky where Azazeal floated, ring at him with eyes brimming with rage.

    He chuckled but spat out blood. A single attack from the man was enough to break all his ribs... no, perhaps nearly every bone in his body. He couldn''t even move an inch right now. But the pain coursing through his body was nothing new to him. Kyle''s eyes flickered with a hint of smile as he gazed directly into Azazeal''s ominous eyes.

    "Finally... you look a little human..."

    The rage clouding Azazeal''s eyes started to fade when Kyle burst into wildughter at his own words. Human? Who? Azazeal? No, this man had lost his humanity ages ago. But he found some satisfaction in knowing he could still shake Azazeal to the core.

    Kyle began taking deep breaths to steady his breathing and mend his wounds with the help of his bloodline, which was rushing through his body, prepared to do whatever it takes to save him if his life was in danger.

    ''I believe the others will make it out from this tomb unscathed now that the array has been fully activated... all that''s left is for me to skedaddle before this ce blows up.''

    He gazed up at the sky, a glittering golden web stretched above, and in the center of it all was a massive portal.

    Kyle wielded his bloodline without a care. Azazeal already knew about his bloodline, so why bother hiding it? It was wiser for him to quickly heal himself and flee this ce while Azazeal had momentarily halted for some unknown reason.

    ''I wonder why he didn''t tear me apart. Haha, he really does have a lot of self-control.''

    Azazeal gazed at the battered form of the bloodied silver-haired man sprawled on the ground beneath him and tilted his head.

    "Do you really think I can''t finish you off?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Kyle smirked and spat out the blood that had collected in his mouth.

    "Then do it. Kill me."

    His eyes darkened.

    "What are you waiting for, huh?"

    Azazeal gazed at him. The familiar emptiness had crept back into his eyes.

    Kyle''s smirk broadened.

    "There''s a reason you can''t kill me, right? Otherwise, knowing that one day I could be an obstacle in your way, you would have finished me off in the No Mana Land."

    He wore a thoughtful expression.

    "Is it because we both possess something simr in our bodies?"

 Chapter 662: Its almost comical

    Chapter 662: It''s almostical

    ?

    Azazeal fixed his gaze on the bloodied man. He noticed the blue particles mending Kyle''s wounds but chose not to intervene.

    "You are right. That''s one of the reasons."

    He counted on his fingers, yet as always, couldn''t fully unravel Kyle''s fate or his next moves. Therey numerous paths that the human could take.

    "The second reason I spared your life in the No Mana Land is because, even though just a bit, you were a mirror image of me."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He peered down at Kyle.

    "The third reason is that your bloodline can attract the Celestial spirits. I am sure that having you as a bait to find them was more valuable than getting rid of you."

    Kyle felt a chill run down his spine when the corners of Azazeal''s lips curved upward.

    "Final reason, how can I kill a friend? But you''re bing so dangerous that I want to get rid of you."

    A beam of dark energy burst from his fingertips and shot towards Kyle''s heart at lightning speed, but his eyes narrowed as the human made no attempt to escape. There was no struggle at all.

    Kyle mumbled something quietly, and in an instant, his whole body burst into countless particles. The beam destroyed everything, yet the particles effortlessly glided away towards the massive portal in the sky.

    Azazeal gazed at the floating particles and released an amused chuckle. He could have easily force Kyle back, but only if he had arrived here with his true body.

    "I couldn''t predict his departure until the final moment... Didn''t he acquire the fruit of fate? Why hadn''t he consumed it yet?"

    He pondered aloud and started inspecting the array Kyle had constructed in the tomb. He was highly skilled in arrays... no, he was proficient in all professions existing in this universe. However, he got distracted when he felt a familiar presence behind him.

    "Oh... it appears one of Kyle''srades remained in the tomb. To rescue him?"

    Azazeal remained suspended in the air. Dark energy began emanating from his body, flowing towards the man he sensed had halted a short distance from him.

    "Kyle gave me a gift... I am sure I should reciprocate with a gift as well."

    Suddenly, his gaze narrowed as he sensed the space behind him fracturing, permitting someone who shouldn''t have been able to enter this realm, or more precisely, this time, to materialize behind him.

    Azazeal slowly tilted his head back to gaze at the two simr-looking figures floating in the distance. His eyes flickered with the realization that an intruder had breached a barrier of time to revisit his past.

    "Someone among them has mastered the naturalws of time and space when they had just stepped into the supreme rank... Why did I not finish them?"

    He wondered aloud and wanted to forcefully tear apart the fabric of time to eliminate the red-haired man who had arrived to visit his past. But his actions stopped as he felt the air around him growing eerily tranquil.

    "The tomb is about to explode..."

    Azazeal''s eyes narrowed at the words that slipped out of his mouth. The array Kyle had constructed was not only meant to get everyone out of the tomb; it also involved destroying everything once they had left.

    He attempted to dismantle the array to prevent the tomb from detonating.

    "It''s toote... the array has already consumed every speck of energy in this tomb. Kyle needs to eat the fruit of fate. Otherwise, with his fate unknown, I can never predict his next move."

    He took in his dark surroundings. An old memory of a boy trapped in a separate space, witnessing the devastation of his entire race, flickered through his mind. He softly hummed before gently setting foot on the ground below.

    "It seems that even thend where the blessed race once lived will now vanish... When this ce fades, their entire existence will disappear along with it."

    He walked on the broken pieces of the marble statue, a stark difference from the past when he stumbled around this very ce with an empty stomach. Now, he had the power to obliterate the universe.

    "It''s almostical."

    The space around him burst into a magnificent show of glowing particles, dispersing like fireflies in the shadows. Despite the destruction around him, his body remained unscathed as a dark shield encased him to protect him. His once quiet surroundings crackled with electricity as debris flew in all directions, mes danced wildly, and the ground trembled beneath his feet. Yet, he strolled through it all with a nonchnt expression.

    "The shadow generals are not helping much. I have to do everything on my own. I still need to find five more spirits... Just a bit more, and I will reach them once again."

    Suddenly, purple and obsidian particles emanated from his skin, forming a purple flower with multiple petals nestled between his corbones. The flower petals emitted a faint yet dazzling light, tainted by red and dark spots within.

    Before him, the space cracked open, offering him a path to leave the crumbling ce. After one final look at the crumbling ce he once called home, he stepped into the dark crack, which disappeared behind him into nothingness.

    On the other hand, in the Sacred Divine Land, after the nature''s favorite took down one of the shadow generals in the diator Arena, his name echoed across the Sacred Divine Land and beyond, spanning every in the universe. Those who failed in the diator Arena reached out to their guardians to spread word of Kyle''s strength and the power of the silver- haired man.

    It''s barely been a month since the Lost Treasure Tomb opened in the Sacred Divine Land, and the victor of the diator Arena ventured into the tomb to seek treasures and enhance their

    strength.

    The shock and joy from one of the shadow generals getting killed hadn''t quite settled in the outside world when, all of a sudden, the sky above the Sacred Divine Land cracked open, creating a huge portal from which countless people started pouring out.

 Chapter 663: The lost treasures tomb entrance had exploded

    Chapter 663: The lost treasures tomb entrance had exploded

    ?

    In a bleakndscape, void of greenery and scattered with numerous skeletons, there were several floating inds that housed countless grand residences. Atop one of these inds, within a residence, Old Hal, the one who watched the battles that had urred in the

    diator Arena, sat at a table with a few others, sipping tea.

    The old man''s body carried numerous injuries, as did those around him because after the first shadow general discovered that a mere divine rank had killed the third shadow general, Will, heunched a sudden attack, leading to numerous casualties.

    Old Hal sighed. The clothes he and the others sitting around him wore disyed arge gray sword intricately engraved on the chest. This sword symbol represented their allegiance to the righteous side that had been battling the dark side for centuries.

    Elizabeth, who was sitting opposite the old man, rubbed her forehead and mmed the cup of tea in her hand on the table.

    "Wasn''t the first shadow general badly injured in thest battle and needed time to get better? I thought he would be looking for the person who took the fruit of fate. Why did hee back to attack all of a sudden and even more powerful than before?"

    Upon hearing her words, the faces of those around her sank even more. One of the women at the table patted her back.

    "What about James? Did he regain consciousness? He managed to stop the first shadow general from breaking one of thest two seals we are guarding, but he went through a lot in return."

    Elizabeth shook her head.

    "He suffered an injury directly to his soul. It will take him some time to heal this time. If only Odiak and the other elders weren''t busy hunting down Ceano to finish him off after learning that he was injured by Kyle, they could have reached James in time. Then, the first shadow general wouldn''t have had the chance to severely injure him with the assistance of many supreme ranks."

    She clenched her fist and muttered a curse under her breath. If it were up to Elizabeth, she would have already shredded the first shadow general to countless pieces!

    Old Hal and the people around him were startled when the door of the chamber they were in mmed open, and a man rushed in. Immediately, the expressions of those inside the chamber darkened, fearing that the first shadow general had attacked once again, and the man had brought that news.

    Elizabeth swiftly moved towards the young man and grasped his shoulder.

    "What''s up, Ned? Did the first shadow general attack-!"

    Her words were abruptly cut off as Ned shook his head frantically. He had just returned from the Sacred Divine Land after gifting some treasures to the guardians and families of the thirteen unlucky individuals who missed their opportunity to enter the tomb because of Kyle and his friends.

    "No, no! It is not about the first shadow general! The old tomb! The gate of the lost treasure tomb had exploded into pieces-!"

    Elizabeth''s eyes widened.

    "What!?"

    Old Hal and the others instantly rushed towards Ned upon hearing his shocking words as Elizabeth grabbed his cor.

    "Do you even know what you''re saying?! How can the entrance of the lost treasure tomb explode?! If that''s true, the entire tomb itself would''ve blown to bits!"

    She gave Ned''s body a fierce shake, and he nearly lost consciousness.

    However, fortunately, Old Hal intervened in time and stopped Elizabeth. He allowed Ned to finish his words.

    Ned quickly straightened his cor and calmed his breathing.

    "It''s true! The entrance of the lost treasure tomb has really exploded into pieces! I just received the news from the individuals I had stationed in the Sacred Divine Land!"

    Immediately, the faces of those around him fell, as if they had lost everything. Old Hal shook his head in disbelief.

    "No... If that''s true, we have lost all our future warriors. If the lost treasures tomb entrance had exploded, it suggests the whole tomb has been destroyed... Doesn''t that mean all those inside had perished?"

    Someone nearby swiftly caught the old man before he copsed to the ground. The atmosphere in the chamber immediately grew eerily quiet, interrupted by Ned.

    "At least hear me outpletely before plunging into despair..."

    All eyes turned to him. What other bad news remained to be revealed? Did the first shadow generalunch an attack as well...? However, their eyes widened when they heard Ned''s next words.

    "The tomb entrance did explode, but miraculously, all the people inside were somehow ejected before the st, through a massive portal that materialized above the Sacred Divine Land!"

    Elizabeth blinked at his words, confused between relief and bewilderment.

    "How? We all know, it is not possible for the ones inside to leave the tomb before its gates open up for those inside to exit."

    Ned didn''t know himself, so he quickly exined that after the massive portal appeared in the sky of the Sacred Divine Land and many people poured out of it, the people of the demon and dark race who are currently residing on the Sacred Divine Land had begun ughtering them upon learning that those who had emerged from the massive portal were the ones who had entered the lost treasure tomb.

    Ned''s words stirred everyone around him into action. Old Hal instantlymanded those around him to assemble a group of powerful fighters and head to the Sacred Divine Land to handle the crisis.

    In the end, only Elizabeth, Old Hal, and Ned remained in the chamber.

    Elizabeth''s expression turned solemn as she asked Ned with a grave tone.

    "What about Kyle and hispanions? Did they too manage to escape the tomb? They are our main concern right now! We must locate them before the dark side reach them and harm

    them!"

    Old Hal also sought this information.

    After the first shadow general discovered that a divine-rank had taken down the third shadow general, he put a bounty on Kyle''s head. He promised the position of the third shadow general and numerous rewards to anyone who could deliver the silver-haired man to him, whether

    breathing or lifeless.

    That''s why it was important for them to find Kyle and hispanions before the dark side reached them to eliminate them.

    Ned''s eyes darkened as he recalled the silver-haired man who had beaten him up in the diator Arena in front of arge crowd, yet he masked his anger.

    "I am not sure if Kyle and his group had managed to escape from the tomb, but a few people saw a phoenix and a horned lynx emerging from the portal. Then the two beasts disappeared."

    He paused for a second.

    "Perhaps, Kyle and his group had indeede out from the tomb, but they likely went into

    hiding because they now have plenty of enemies looking for them after what they pulled off in

    the diator Arena."

    Elizabeth nodded and nced at Old Hal, who understood her intentions and gave a

    reassuring pat on her shoulder.

    "Don''t worry. I am also secretly leaving for the divinend with Ned and Vexana. You should

    remain here with James and the other elders, as who knows when the first shadow general

    might attack again."

    Old Hal promptly exited the chamber with Ned, while Elizabeth went to inform the other

    elders about the news.

    ....

    Just like Old Hal, the strong guardians of the many individuals who had ventured into the lost treasure tomb were informed about the massive portal by the individuals they had stationed

    in the Sacred Divine Land.

    They quickly departed from theirs to safeguard their people who were meant to remain in the lost treasure tomb for a year or two but had exited the tomb early.

    Silently cursing and vowing to end the people behind what had transpired.

    The shadow generals were also informed about the news, but since the first shadow general had recently fought with James and sustained injuries, he couldn''t personally go to the Sacred

    Divine Land.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    He tried to contact the other shadow generals, but they were all busy with their tasks. Ceano

    had also lost the fake body he crafted using a fragment of his soul, so he had disappeared to seek powerful treasures to mend the injuries he sustained when a part of his soul was harmed.

    In the end, he told the people of the dark and demon race on the Sacred Divine Land, who were hunting the people who had emerged from the massive portal, that the greater the number of people they eliminated, the more rewards they would receive upon returning to the demon

    net.

    However, to eliminate the nature''s favorite and his group, the first shadow general still sent two powerful supreme rank individuals to the Sacred Divine Land.

    The two supreme rank individuals were ordered to kill without hesitation the moment they spotted the nature''s favorite or anyone from the people who were with him in the diator

    Arena.

 Chapter 664: He is close

    Chapter 664: He is close

    ?

    In the Sacred Divine Land, the air was saturated with dark energy as sounds of battles echoed all around. It had been this way ever since many people emerged from the lost treasure tomb through the portal.

    The sky was veiled in dark clouds, and even the divine and spiritual energy in thend was bing tainted as a shroud of dark energy spread throughout.

    Inside a forest, a man in a grey outfit with golden scales adorning his exposed skin paused on one of the trees as he swiftly scanned his surroundings.

    "I''m unsure whether to feel relieved for finally getting out of that tomb or worried about my life because the people with me are being hunted by the dark side..."

    Asher muttered quietly with a wry chuckle and nced at the little phoenix that had justnded on his shoulder.

    "Thisnd is growing increasingly dangerous... Bia, are you certain you can detect Kyle''s presence nearby?"

    Bia nodded confidently. Ever since Kyle removed the barrier he had ced on their connection in the tomb, she could feel his presence without a doubt.

    -"He''s close. I can feel his presence."

    Asher shifted his gaze towards another tree where a man was sitting.

    "Regius, what about the rest? Have they sessfully located Jian?"

    The elven man nced into the distance and noticed several demons approaching their location.

    "I need to reach out to them to confirm, but I am confident they have, as Alec can track Jian''s location through the mark he ced on him. Hopefully, Jian is safe... because knowing his luck, I wouldn''t be surprised if he lost an arm or something in the tomb."

    He aimed his fingers at the few demons who had arrived in their location and were flying a short distance from them.

    Asher eyed the demons closely, quickly gauged their power, then asked Regius to stay put and vanished from sight.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Regius watched as the half-dragon maneuvered within his shadow, moving at a speed too swift for him to track with his eyes, stealthily drew his sword, and swiftly cut down all the demons.

    The elven man praised his strength, and Asher reveled in the admiration. They had effortlessly dealt with all foes they met along the way, all thanks to Asher.

    At that moment, Yue''s solemn voice sounded from behind them.

    "Don''t you think we should continue moving and locate Kyle as soon as possible? Let''s not waste time any longer."

    Asher and Regius nced at the two women sitting on a tree in the distance. Yue and Mia had been so quiet that the pair almost overlooked them.

    Nox sided with Yue.

    "Yes! We must hurriedly locate Kyle! I don''t want that human to get hurt!"

    Bia whipped her head toward the lynx circling Yue with narrowed eyes.

    -"When did you start caring about him?"

    Nox wanted to scoff but refrained. His life held more significance.

    "He''s not bad. Just a bit intimidating."

    Bia rolled her eyes and started floating towards where she could sense Kyle. Asher and the others promptly trailed after her. They came across a couple of folks from the dark side on the path, but the half-dragon swiftly and silently dealt with them. An hourter, as they moved amidst the trees, they spotted an area ahead nketed in ice.

    Bia stopped as everyone watched the ice that was slowly spreading, threatening to engulf everything in its wake.

    -"He is here..."

    The phoenix mumbled and without hesitation went into the frozen trees.

    Asher reached out to touch the ice but quickly withdrew his hand when he sensed the cold seeping through it.

    "Ah... I believed as a supreme rank, ice and fire wouldn''t affect me anymore. How did Kyle create such powerful ice? Did he use his blue mes? No, it''s different. Wait, is it safe for us to advance in this area-!"

    He nced at the other individuals apanying him, only to notice that they had already ventured into the area.

    "It appears I am the only one worried..."

    With a sigh, he trailed behind Regius, Yue, Mia, and the two beasts.

    After they arrived in the Sacred Divine Land, they easily found each other thanks to Bia and Nox, who were in their massive forms.

    However, for some reason, many demon and dark race individuals started attacking and eliminating those who emerged from the massive portal. Consequently, they had to take cover for a brief period, only to hear rumors that the nature''s favorite, also known as Kyle, and all hispanions were being hunted by the dark side.

    Only after the area around them was somewhat cleared of the demons and dark race people, did they split into two groups; one went to search for Jian, while the others apanied Bia to locate Kyle.

    Asher nced at the ice surrounding him. Strangely, even though it was very cold to the touch, the ice didn''t harm him and the others in front of him.

    He paused when he sensed a few demons nearing the area and quickly instructed the others ahead of him to pause for a while until he dealt with the demons.

    But his eyes widened when he saw the fate of the divine rank demons who had just set foot on the shimmering ice carpet.

    The ice around the demons surged forth, causing them cry out as it began to engulf their bodies at lightning speed. The demons caught in the ice tried to escape, but within moments, they were transformed into ice sculptures. The remaining demons fled after witnessing the

    chilling scene.

    "What the...."

    Asher gazed at the ice sculptures but was startled when they dispersed into particles before him. He wiped his sweaty forehead.

    "Is it truly safe for us to move forward? Why do I suddenly have this unsettling feeling that it might not be safe anymore...?"

    He sheathed his sword and swiftly joined the others as they moved forward.

    Bia had already disappeared into the distance, and now they were merely tracking her

    presence.

    After a minutes, they finally arrived at a small clearing encircled by the frozen trees. The ground below was smooth and shining because of the ice, and Asher spotted Bia floating

    above a bloodied figure.

 Chapter 665: Did they locate Jian?

    Chapter 665: Did they locate Jian?

    ?

    The first person to rush towards the bloodied figure after Bia was Yue. She quickly noticed the man''s familiar silver hair as hey motionless on the ground. Yue sat beside Kyle''s body on the icy ground and started examining him.

    "Kyle!?"

    Her concerned voice echoed in the air. Bia, who had arrived earlier, strangely moved away to a distance and began watching everything with a deadpan expression.

    - ''He could have at least changed his bloodied clothes. Now that we are close, I can tell he''s perfectly fine and awake... This bastard. He''s definitely faking it to dodge all the bacsh from everyone for the stunt he pulled in the tomb!''

    Her eyes shed with anger, but she hurrmped and didn''t intervene as Asher, Mia, and Regius also arrived next to Kyle''s body, and the half-dragon grabbed his hand to assess his condition. Asher blinked.

    "Weird, I can''t detect any major injuries on his body. Is he unconscious because he lost too much blood?"

    He scratched his head with furrowed brows and mumbled under his breath.

    "But considering he is a transcendent rank, that shouldn''t be a problem for him, right?" Yue grabbed her sleeve with her fingers and wiped away the bloodstains on Kyle''s chin. Kyle let out a faint groan and nestled his head against her. Even though Yue was mad at him and wanted to ignore him until he turned over a new leaf and would never repeat what he did in the tomb, she allowed him to lean in and wrapped her arms around his head in a warm embrace.

    "It''s safe... I''m here."

    She whispered softly, and Asher stepped back with Regius and Mia to give the couple some space. They couldn''t detect any major injuries on Kyle''s body, so maybe he just needed some rest to wake up.

    Bia floated over to Mia andnded on her shoulder. Observing the phoenix''s somber expression, Mia gently stroked her head.

    "Don''t you wanna go see Kyle? I know you are upset with him, we all are, but go check on him. He''s injured; who knows what Azazeal did to him in the tomb."

    Bia rolled her eyes.

    -"I know he suffered in the tomb; that''s why I''m not exposing his lousy acting."

    Mia blinked in surprise.

    "What?"

    The phoenix simply shrugged her wings and nuzzled into her touch.

    -"Nothing."

    After a bit, Asher spotted Yue helping Kyle to sit down, who had just started to open his eyes slightly. But the half-dragon''s eyes narrowed suspiciously when he noticed a smirk on the corners of Kyle''s lips.

    He didn''t ponder much on it and looked over at Regius, who was talking with the others through themunication crystal.

    "So, did they locate Jian?"

    Regius''s eyes were wide with astonishment as he shut themunication crystal.

    "They did and you won''t believe it, but they discovered his body submerged in a hot spring beneath a massive treeden with fruits brimming with divine energy..."

    The disbelief in Regius''s eyes was crystal clear. Jian, the very Jian he knew, who had the worst ill-fated luck among all of them...nded in such a good ce?

    Asher''s eyes also shed with surprise. He had noticed Jian''s bad luck in the time they were together, and after hearing all the tales from the others, he was certain thatdy luck had a grudge against the man. So, why did he end up in such a fortunate spot?

    "He''s alive, right?"

    Regius gave him a look.

    "The others did spot a tiny hole in the middle of his corbones. But he''s alive."

    He paused for a second.

    "I heard Zron had started frantically scouring the hot spring for some reason after spotting the hole in Jian corbones, insisting that Jian had lost something vey valuable that he had given the young man."

    Asher nodded with a perplexed look, and they headed towards Kyle. The half-dragon once more inspected Kyle''s body.

    "Are you certain you''re alright? We must leave this location and seek a hidden spot as the entire Sacred Divine Land is currently teeming with people from the dark side."

    Kyle brushed his hand aside, looking irritated. He wasn''t fond of physical contact, but upon catching Yue''s gaze, he ced his arm on her neck for support, wearing a solemn expression. "I''m okay, just having trouble walking. I should improve in a few weeks... perhaps?"

    He intentionally gave the impression that he wasn''t certain about fully healing even within that timeframe.

    ''I''m sure that by then, everyone will have forgotten about what I did in the tomb, and I won''t have to exin anything.''

    Bia''s eyebrow twitched at his words. The man who can heal even the worst injury in seconds with his bloodline needs weeks to be fully healed? Who does he think he''s kidding? Shended on Kyle''s head and grabbed his hair tightly.

    -"Why only a few weeks? It''s fine even if you need a couple of months. We will definitely look after you. Don''t worry."

    Kyle wrinkled his nose at the sudden anger he sensed from the phoenix and realized she saw through his act.

    ''The others are okay but don''t tell Yue... I will treat you to something really special.''

    Bia chuckled wickedly to herself.

    -''Only food won''t suffice this time!''

    Kyle let out a sigh inwardly.

    ''Okay, okay, I admit I was definitely in the wrong this time-!''

    Bia interrupted with a grave voice.

    -''Just this time?''n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Kyle amended his words.

    ''I have been wrong many times, now good? I will fullfil any wish you have in return.''

    Bia nodded and quickly made herselffortable on his head.

    -''That doesn''t sound half bad.''

    Kyle''s eyes crinkled at her words, but his smile faded when Asher bent down before him and asked him to climb on his back. Since Kyle was having trouble walking, the half-dragon wanted to help him. However, Kyle just flicked his fingers and conjured a portal nearby with a

    deadpan expression.

    "I am not able to walk properly, but that doesn''t mean I can''t do anything else at all."

    Asher stood up with a chuckle, and they all stepped into the portal.

    In the next second, they arrived at the area in the Sacred Divine Land filled with many

    buildings and shops, the very ce where Yue and those who had taken part in the diator

    Arena had stayed for a while.

    That area was also attacked by the demons and the people from the dark race, but Kyle formed an array around a building to hide itpletely, and they went in to rest.

 Chapter 666: Oh, she is also here?

    Chapter 666: Oh, she is also here?

    ?

    Kyle stepped out from a bathroom within the building he had entered with the others, d only in dark trousers. Water droplets sparkled on his wet hair, flowing down his neck towards his exposed upper body, as he had just taken a bath.

    However, he waved his fingers, and his entire body dried up in an instant.

    A frown appeared between his brows as he examined himself. There were no signs of injury on his body, not even a scar, yet his body temperature had risen inexplicably.

    "Could it be because I used my bloodline to heal my injuries? It even went into my mind space and had be eerily quiet. I am not surprised though, given all the bones I broke due to Azazeal, and the bloodline fixed them in just an hour."

    He grabbed a shirt from his mind space and swiftly pulled it down his body.

    "Let''s just hope the bloodline doesn''t wake up for a while. It doesn''t bother me now, but I really don''t like using it unless necessary. But now that I have gotten used to my body always being too cold... it''s a bit unsettling when it had suddenly gotten warmer."

    He nced at the room he was in. Bia was sleeping on the bed in her little form.

    "She must be tired from all the things she went through in a short time."

    Kyle''s eyes gleamed as he extended his scent perception skill in all directions. He shut his eyes and felt his skill pass through the array he had set up around the building before expanding to epass nearly eighty percent of the sacred divinend.

    "There are so many supreme ranks in the Sacred Divine Land right now, and nearly half of them have been badly injured. Oh, she is also here?"

    He opened his eyes with an amused expression because he had just sensed a familiar presence. Samara, the demon he encountered on the elven where he acquired the fruit of fate, was also present on the samend as him.

    "I did ask her toe find me for a proper one-on-one, but I can sense she has gotten stronger. Did she discover a potent treasure in thisnd while searching for me?"

    Kyle swiftly withdrew his skill when he sensed a few supreme rank catching onto him. Samara had attained the final stage of the supreme rank. He knew she was going to pose a challenge for him.

    "But I suppose it could be a fun experience... Can I face off against a peak supreme rank? The undead I encountered in the tomb were mindless and didn''t pose much of a threat."

    Suddenly, he leaped onto the bed, startling Bia out of her sleep and swiftly grabbed the nket to cover half of his body.

    Bia cursed at him.

    -"What-!"

    The phoenix''s words were abruptly interrupted as a knock echoed on the door of the room, and then Yue''s voice resonated from the other side.

    "Kyle? I''m here to see how you''re doing. Are you feeling any better?"

    Kyle manipted the air around him, causing the room''s door to creak open, providing enough space for the woman outside to enter.

    Yue stepped inside and her eyes immediately settled on Kyle. His hair was a bit messy, but he had removed his bloodied clothes and put on clean ones.

    ''Oh... he looks fine.''

    She sighed with relief. She had left him in this room a while back and moved to the one next to it when the man shamelessly suggested they shower together.

    However, remembering that Kyle couldn''t even walk properly, she grew worried and came back to check on him.

    Kyle met Yue''s gaze. He could see she had changed into clean clothes. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail.

    He swiftly hid the angry phoenix under the nket, which suddenly bit his finger.

    "I''m okay. Just a bit worn out."

    Yue nodded in understanding.

    "Take a nap. Asher mentioned he''s keeping watch, so no need to worry. Alec and the others areing here too after Regius told them about this ce."

    She moved towards the bed and sat beside him to check his body once more to ensure he was truly okay. Surprise flickered in her amber eyes when she noticed Kyle''s skin was quite warm. It couldn''t be considered really warm, but it wasn''t ice-cold either.

    Kyle grabbed her hand and let out a sigh.

    "My temperature just rose a bit. It''s not a big deal. Anyway, where''s Nox?"

    He let out a chuckle as Yue started touching his face with furrowed brows.

    "Okay, but it''s kinda strange since I''m used to your cold temperature..."

    Kyle took hold of her other hand as well and pulled her onto the bed next to him.

    "Let''s just rest. I''m sure my temperature will return to your liking soon."

    Yue blinked, feeling his hand encircle her waist as he drew her nearer. She closed her eyes with

    a hum as he began ying with her hair and eventually drifted off to sleep without even

    realizing it.

    Bia emerged from the nket with a furious expression. After cursing Kyle for the nth time, she stormed out of the room.

    After waking up so abruptly, there was no chance she could fall back asleep!

    She moved through the hallway lined with empty rooms on both sides and descended from

    the second floor to the lobby below, only to discover Asher seated with Regius.

    The pair had cleaned up the area, which was aplete mess when they arrived at the building, and even changed into clean clothes.

    -"What are they doing?"

    Bia sat on a handrail around the stairs to observe the duo. However, as she looked down at the table the duo was sitting at, her eyes sparkled when she saw food.

    -"Damn, they found food in the building! How dare they eat without me!?"

    She zoomed toward the table at lightning speed, startling both Asher and Regius, who had not even touched the variety of dried fruits and wine they found stored in the room hidden beneath the stairs.

    sher quickly grabbed the phoenix, who had begun eating without a care.

    "Eat like a human, okay. The food isn''t going anywhere. There''s plenty."

    Regius raised a brow at his words.

    "She is a phoenix. How can she eat like a human? She will eat like a phoenix."

    Asher stifled a chuckle at his words and released Bia, who red at Regius.

    "Right, right, you should eat properly like a good phoenix. No need to rush."

    He burst intoughter, causing Regius to join in. Bia''s eyes narrowed at the two men who, for some reason, were annoying her. Why did they look so darn happy?

    -''Dont tell me they are mocking me?''

    She moved back with solemn eyes.

    - "Eat like a human, huh? Why not."

    Hearing her sharp tone and noticing her deadly serious gaze, both Regius and Asher instantly quieted down. They thought they had surely upset the phoenix and wanted to apologize, but they shut their eyes when suddenly a dazzling, brilliant crimson light filled the space before

    them.

    Asher quickly rubbed his eyes, nearly blinded by the intense brightness. The light seemed unusually warm and caused an ufortable sensation in his eyes.

    "What the... Bia!"

    He blinked his eyes open, all set to give the phoenix a piece of his mind for the blinding light

    that could have seriously harmed both his and Regius''s eyes.

    However, his words got stuck on the tip of his tongue, and his jaw dropped when he saw a beautiful girl in red feathered attire, hovering above the table. Regius, who had also managed to open his eyes, was just as shocked at the sight.

    Before them, strands of long golden hair danced in the wind before cascading down the girl''s back. As the brilliant light faded, a pair of captivating crimson and golden eyes with blue slits gazed at the two men who were staring at her.

    Bia''s bare feetnded on the ground next to the table, and she touched her wrists, where the golden symbols Kyle had engraved on the edges of her wings glowed brightly.

    "Oh, my human form has gotten a lot bigger than thest time."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    She mumbled,pletely unaware of the shock and disbelief she had caused the two men

    around her. Then she strolled toward the numerous empty chairs in the lobby and dragged one toward the table where Regius and Asher were sitting. She quickly settled onto it with a

    haughty expression.

    "I can eat like a human anytime I want! But unfortunately, you two can''t because one is an elf

    and the other is a half-dragon."

    Asher was still out of it. He shut his mouth and nced at the girl who appeared to be eighteen sitting in front of him. Was she really Bia? The same tiny bird?

    Regius mumbled beside him.

    "What, how can her human form be so beautiful...?"

    Bia didn''t even care about them and began eating once again. Suddenly, Mia''s stunned voice

    sounded in the distance. She had arrived downstairs at the exact moment when Bia

    transformed into a human.

    "Bia?"

    Upon hearing her voice, Bia nced at her, and instantly, her eyes sparkled.

    "Oh,e on! Join me!"

    Noxnded on Mia''s shoulder, giving Bia a scrutinizing look.

    ''She''s really quite pretty... wait, how can I even think that!? She''s the devil who always beats

    me up!''

    He scoffed inwardly and quietly mumbled under his breath.

    "You think you''re the only one who can turn into a beautiful human? Well, unfortunately for

    you, I can do it too, okay!"

 Chapter 667: That human is not simple at all

    Chapter 667: That human is not simple at all

    ?

    Quite a distance from where Kyle and the others were, a demon woman with four expansive wings behind her was floating under the sky with her eyes closed.

    Her fists were clenched tightly in concentration, and an evil smile was ying on the corners of her lips.

    "He is here! I definitely sensed his pressure a while ago. Hehe, finally, I got a clue about him after searching for him for so long!"

    Samara''s eyes snapped open, and a sphere of darkness surged behind her, shooting up towards the sky, making it even darker.

    She nced down at the demons fighting with the group of individuals who had just arrived in the Sacred Divine Land in a flying ship to find and protect their people who had emerged from the massive portal.

    "End them!"

    Her loud voice echoed in the air as the sphere of darkness, which had shot toward the sky, descended on thend, instantly obliterating everything in its path. The air reverberated with countless cries; even the demons fighting below her were harmed by the sphere, but she didn''t care. She had more pressing matters to attend to.

    "I need to find that human. The Tree of Fate''s branch, which bore the Fruit of Fate, still hasn''t grown any leaves. That means he still hasn''t consumed the fruit yet!"

    She had found a powerful treasure in the Sacred Divine Land. It was sheer luck. Who would have thought she would reach the peak of the supreme rank without the fruit of fate she had been chasing for years? Yet, against all odds, she achieved it.

    Nheless, her ultimate goal was to im the title of a shadow general.

    "That bastard... third shadow general. He just had to go and perish at the hands of a mere divine rank. Now, the race for his title among everyone has begun. My dream of bing the sixth shadow general has be difficult all because of him!"

    She cursed Will and swiftly unfurled her wings to pursue the aura that had suddenly enveloped everything around her moments before. She was certain it emanated from the silver-haired man, the very individual who took the fruit of fate.

    A supreme rank elf and a supreme rank demi-human showed up before her. They wanted to eliminate her as she was the biggest threat from the dark side at the Sacred Divine Land currently.

    Samaraughed wickedly, and suddenly, pure dark energy burst out around her. Dark veins started creeping on her skin, visible through the tight gown she had on.

    "You mere ants cannot even touch my hair! Who do you think you are to challenge me?"

    The air shook as another big battle broke out in the sky, that turned pitch ck.

    In that moment, the two supreme rank individuals, who were specifically tasked by the first shadow general to kill the nature''s favorite and all his friends, also arrived at the scene, making the battle more chaotic.

    Samara''s eyes chilled when one of the supreme ranks fighting alongside her informed her about the appearance of his target - the nature''s favorite: silver hair and green eyes. She let out augh.

    ''So... the one who took out the third shadow general was the one who had the fruit of fate all along? This is going to be quite fun. But I need to be careful.''

    She nced at the two supreme ranks who were here to eliminate the nature''s favorite, and an evil glint flickered in her eyes.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Of course, now she has two perfect baits she can sacrifice if things get dangerous.

    ''That human is not simple at all...''

    Her objective was the fruit of fate and the position of shadow general. The number of lives she needed to sacrifice was irrelevant as long as she reached her aim.

    ....

    Kyle''s eyes snapped open when all of a sudden a chill crept up his spine.

    The room he was in was dark as he had closed off all sources of light when he began to drift off to sleep.

    His sudden movement made the woman in his arms stir, and when he nce at her, the coldness in his eyes vanished. He hummed and ced his chin on her head.

    ''What was that just now? It''s quite rare for me to get this feeling. But whenever I do, it''s always connected to something bad that''s about to happen very soon.''

    Kyle''s eyes were glowing in the dark. He wanted to extend his scent perception skill once again but chose not to.

    His bloodline had be dormant, and even though he hated to admit it, if he put himself in extreme danger, he could very well endanger those around him.

    ''It''s wiser for me to avoid risky situations, at least until I''m by myself.''

    He knew he enjoyed the adrenaline rush that came with risking his life because he believed he could survive even if he was on the brink of death. Additionally, his ability to fight improved in more extreme situations. However, it was a different scenario if his recklessness harmed those around him.

    Kyle was jolted from his thoughts as Yue nestled closer to him.

    "You''re awake?"

    She nodded. She knew it had only been a short while since she fell asleep and was certain Kyle hadn''t slept for long either. He probably stayed awake and only closed his eyes briefly, but he woke up so easily.

    ''Well, we don''t really require a lot of sleep now that we''ve grown so strong...''

    She opened her eyes, and with a flick of her fingers, the dark room brightened because the orbs in the walls started shining once they were supplied with energy.

    Kyle rested his palm beneath his head to watch her as she sat down and began to tidy her slightly messy hair.

    Yue nced back when she felt his intense stare but let out a chuckle at his disheveled hair and clothes.

    "Get up, let''s head downstairs. I can sense Alec and the others have arrived."

    Kyle slumped back.

    "I can sense them too. They got here a while ago, but strangely, they''re all gathered in the

    building lobby."

    "I wonder what they''re up to?"

 Chapter 668: You destroyed my sleep!

    Chapter 668: You destroyed my sleep!

    ?

    When Kyle and Yue arrived downstairs, the scene that greeted them left them stunned. Everyone in the lobby was seriously voting on who was the most beautiful between the two young individuals sitting confidently at the center of the lobby.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed at the golden-haired girl in the feathery outfit. He could sense Bia''s presence even with his eyes closed, but upon seeing the littledy, he was skeptical if it was truly Bia.

    His gaze shifted towards the boy seated beside Bia on the chair, and upon observing Yue''s shocked expression, he realized it was none other than Nox.

    ''What the hell are they doing?''

    A sigh slipped from his lips as he looked at the two beasts with an amused gaze. They seemed to revel in the praises they were receiving for their beauty.

    He noticed that Bia''s eyes were different from her phoenix form. They featured blue slits in the center, encircled by hues of gold and crimson. His gaze then turned to Nox, noticing the lynx''s sparkling blue eyes that seemed to hold tiny sparks within them.

    Kyle nced at Nox from head to toe. The lynx hair was dark, and even though he had resumed a human form, there were still two horns on his head and iridescent scales on his body. Nox was wearing casual clothes purely made of divine energy, but even in them, he looked good. His ears twitched when he heard Yue''s faint exmation.

    "Nox and Bia are so pretty and cute!"

    She swiftly step forward to join the others who were already captivated by the beauty of the two beasts.

    Kyle chuckled and pulled an empty chair to sit at a distance. However, he arched an eyebrow as The noticed Bia''s unease.

    "She is smiling proudly in front of everyone. But she really can''t handle, or should I say retain, the human form for long."

    He was right because after a minute, a brilliant light shed, and Bia resumed her little bird form.

    Noxughed at her, saying she can''t even maintain the human form longer than him, even though she''s stronger than him, only to get a ball of fire thrown at his hair. He cried out, and Sinon quickly conjured water to extinguish the fire before his hair waspletely singed.

    Bia sneered at the lynx.

    -"That''s what you get forughing at me! Consider yourself lucky I''m letting you go only at this much."

    She quickly spotted Kyle before flying towards him to sit on his head.

    Kyle smirked with a touch of pride in his eyes as many gazes turned back, but no one paid him any attention; everyone was was looking at the little phoenix. He raised his hand to caress Bia''s head.

    ''Is it difficult to maintain the human form?''

    Bia clicked her tongue.

    -''It is not difficult. I am just not ustomed to the human form. It will take me some time to getfortable with it.''

    Kyle hummed, but then all of a sudden Bia yanked his hair roughly and let out an angry chuckle in his head.

    -''I''m sure we have got a lot of scores to settle! I had your back and kept Yue in the dark about your fake inability to walk! And how did you repay me, huh? You destroyed my sleep! The sleep I managed after tossing and turning for so long!''

    Kyle grabbed the phoenix as everyone before him started to take their seats around the tables in the lobby to chat or enjoy some food and drinks.

    ''Don''t yank my hair! It doesn''t hurt, but it''s definitely going to make me bald one day!''

    Bia hissed at him and grumbled. This was unfair! She needs revenge for the sleep she lost! Not to mention, she has still got a bone to pick with him for what he did in the tomb! But her anger disappeared, and her eyes sparkled when she heard Kyle''s next words.

    ''I''ve got many treasures that can boost your strength. Want to eat them?''N?v(el)B\\jnn

    All of a sudden, Nine and Alec both pulled a table towards Kyle and dragged chairs to sit down before him with narrowed eyes.

    Seeing their serious expressions, Kyle understood what they wanted to discuss. Instantly, everyone in the lobby fell silent as Alec ced his hands on the table and stared directly at Kyle.

    "So, how about we delve into what happened in the ancient tomb?"

    However, the silver-haired man was clearly not in the mood to discuss it all.

    ''Bia.''

    The phoenix quickly understood he needed her help, and her eyes gleamed with an evil glint. It was finally time for revenge!

    -"Kyle! Give me back the treasures I entrusted to you for safekeeping in the tomb! I am leaving you alone to chat with Alec while I go consume those treasures!"

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched as Alec and the others'' attention shifted to Bia.

    ''You-!''

    He wanted to give the phoenix a piece of his mind because instead of helping him, she was taking advantage of the situation! However, Alec intervened.

    "Give her what she gave you in the tomb, Kyle, so we can talk. We all want to know why you put your life in danger."

    Nine nodded, and Bia chuckled inwardly. Kyle was left speechless. He sighed and decided to resign himself to his fate. It''s not like they would or should, he say, have the power to beat him up if he didn''t answer.

    However, as he searched his mind space for some treasures to give Bia, he paused when he sensed the fist-sized fruit floating among many others in his mind space.

    ''That...''

    He had nearly forgotten about the fruit after taking it from the elven.

    The Tree of Fate indeed told him not to eat it soon, but it''s not because of that he didn''t eat the fruit. It''s because after thinking for a while, he had decided not to eat it at all. His fate was nk, and it always gave him an advantage when facing someone who could see or calcte the future.

 Chapter 669: Its just a spiritual treasure

    Chapter 669: It''s just a spiritual treasure

    ?

    Kyle nced at Alec and Nine, then tilted his head with a thoughtful expression. He also nced at the others.

    "Hmm, can you all empty the divine and spiritual energy in your bodies?"

    Alec furrowed his brows in confusion. They wanted to have a conversation with Kyle to make sure he would not put his life at risk again, but he was abruptly shifting the topic.

    "Why?"

    Kyle didn''t reply to him and flicked his fingers with a solemn look. Immediately, symbols began to appear around him.

    He closed his eyes for a moment and created another powerful array around the building they were in. An array that would conceal all types of energies within.

    Asher leaned back in his chair and nced at the silver-haired man.

    "What are you doing?"

    He couldn''t make sense of the symbols Kyle created, but just like the others, he saw how they spread out in all directions.

    Kyle grabbed a knife and a fist-sized fruit from his mind space. The moment he took out the fruit, a wave of pure spiritual energy erupted in the lobby. Immediately, all eyes narrowed at the fruit because they could sense immense spiritual power from it.

    "I found a treasure that can boost spiritual energy stat and soul strength a while back. However, it wasn''t useful to me, so I kind of ignored it. Now that I was looking for some treasures for Bia in my mind space, I saw it and thought it would be better to share."

    He stretched out his hand towards Zron, who was seated at a table in the distance.

    "te?"

    Seeing the knife and fruit in Kyle''s hand, everyone understood his intentions. Zron''s expression turned sour when he saw that, among so many people present, Kyle was singling him out to do the task!

    That kid had zero respect for his elders! He was itching to blurt it out, but considering it was Kyle, he held back and just handed over an empty te to him.

    There was silence in the room interrupted by Nine, who tapped the table to grab Kyle''s attention as he started cutting the fruit.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Hey, it''s just a spiritual treasure. We could have consumed itter. You sure have a talent for changing the topic, huh?"

    He rubbed his forehead with a sigh.

    "I get it, you are the strongest of us all. And I can also see you don''t want to exin why you risked your life in the tomb, but I hope next time you at least give us a heads-up before doing something crazy. We are not that weak. We can have your back."

    He got up and headed towards the stairs to find an empty room in the building.

    "I''m going upstairs to take a break. Please don''t disturb me-!"

    His words were abruptly cut off as someone suddenly grabbed his shoulder. Nine blinked and turned his head, only to see the silver-haired man. He hadn''t even noticed when Kyle got up from his seat.

    "What?"

    He swatted Kyle''s hand away and asked with a raised eyebrow. Just moments ago, observing the indifferent expression on the silver-haired man''s face, he thought that Kyle genuinely didn''t care if his actions caused concern to those around him.

    Kyle stared at the man in front of him. He closed his eyes for a second.

    "I am sorry. I appreciate that so many people are always concerned for me, even though sometimes I feel I don''t deserve it. I didn''t even tell you all that I lost my old memories, and you had to find out from Azazeal. I can''t promise, but I will try to give you a heads-up next time before I do something risky."

    Nine observed the sincerity in the green eyes fixed on him. His lips twitched slightly, threatening to curl upward into a smirk, but he maintained a stoic look.

    "Oh, now you''re sorry? And who are you to decide if you deserve our concern or not? It''s up to us to decide, okay! Not to mention, even now you say you can''t guarantee that you will let us know if you put yourself into another life-threatening situation, huh?"

    He narrowed his eyes when he noticed Kyle''s face shift to a serious demeanor. The silver- haired man reached out and grabbed his shoulders to stare into his eyes.

    "I can''t promise because I know... I am going to do it again, put my life in danger, especially when it involves Azazeal. I can''t change who I am because I don''t remember my past self. I hope you and everyone else can ept the new me."

    Nine''s eyes crinkled with mirth as he watched the expression on Kyle''s face. The mirth dancing in his golden eyes made the silver-haired man to narrow his gaze at him. Nine burst into a chuckle and punched him on the shoulder.

    "See, that wasn''t so hard, was it? You just had to say it. We can understand, you know. Give me a hug now."

    He extended his arms but tsked when Kyle moved back like always, proving once again he really doesn''t like physical contact.

    "So you can grab my shoulders, but I can''t even get a friendly hug in return? That''s pretty unfair, don''t you all think?"

    Nine looked at the others sitting around them who couldn''t help but smile at the exchange he had with Kyle. They all just wanted to hear Kyle''s thoughts, like why he did what he did. He wasn''t obliged to follow their lead. He had the freedom to choose his path, but they just hoped he would ask for help when things got too risky.

    Nine returned to his seat with a satisfied expression, sat down, and then motioned for Kyle to take his ce.

    "Come, sit down. Let''s savor some delicious food and wine. I''m going to leave the Sacred Divine Land tomorrow to go meet my girlfriend on the elven. Who knows when we will see each other again after we parted ways."

    Kyle''s eyes softened, and with a sigh, he sat back in his seat.

    Nine suddenly noticed Alec and Bia''s fixed gaze on the fruit the silver-haired man had been cutting earlier but left on the te.

    He could understand Bia''s interest as a foodie, but he was puzzled by Alec''s intense focus on the fruit. With a smirk, he nudged Alec''s shoulder.

    "What''s going on? Why are you spacing out? Are you tempted by the fruit? Well, it does seem quite powerful with all the spiritual energy it''s radiating."

 Chapter 670: I got it from the elven planet

    Chapter 670: I got it from the elven

    ?

    Alec snapped out of his thoughts and nced at Nine. Unsure of what to say, he identally, or should he say instinctively, used the system''s perception skill on the fruit Kyle brought out of his mind space to know if it was truly a powerful treasure. It took a minute for the system to check out the spiritual fruit, but when it came back with the details, it caught him off guard.

    ''Why do I keep checking Kyle''s stuff? Just why? When I know, I know they''re never just ordinary... I need to turn off my perception skill around Kyle. I seriously need to do it.'' He chuckled at Nine and nced at the screen floating before his eyes.

    System analysis;

    ''Fruit of Fate.''

    ''Grown on the Tree of Fate, the guardian of the entire elven race.''

    Usage for the host;

    ''Can raise the host''s spiritual stat to the Supreme rank. Can change the host''s fate for the better. Can boost the host''s soul rank to the supreme rank. (But it would take the host''s body some time to consume the fruitpletely.)''

    Special;

    ''Eating this fruit can up the chances of the host reaching the Celestial rank. Host can even gain a new and more powerful fate by eating the seed of the fruit.''

    "I''m good, just got a bit distracted. No worries. I am totally fine."

    Alec''s words had just left his mouth when the insistent message from the system shed before his eyes.

    You should ingest the fruit.

    ''I know it''s powerful, but it''s clearly not mine! Don''t you dare give me a headache with your constant messages! And don''t you dare to speak in my mind either!''

    He nced at Kyle, who had once again started cutting the fruit, and his heart ached at how carelessly the silver-haired man was handling it. Taking a deep breath, he looked away. It wasn''t his, so he shouldn''t care about what Kyle did with the fruit.

    Kyle tossed the seed of the fruit into his mind space. After making sure he had cut the fruit into enough pieces for everyone in the lobby to take one, he pushed the te in the center of the table he was sitting at.

    Bia tried to lunge at the te, but Kyle quickly grabbed her to stop the phoenix from devouring everything. She grumbled under his breath and eyed the te.

    Kyle chuckled and petted her head.

    "Don''t be greedy. Everyone should take a piece. Also, you all need to cleanse your bodies of all kinds of energies before consuming it. So do that first."

    Bia closed her eyes with an annoyed look. It''s just a tiny little fruit, not even equivalent to a snack. Why the heck does she have to go through so much just to eat it? Still, she quickly began emptying the spiritual energy and divine energy in her body. Alec also closed his eyes and followed suit, as did the others, doing what Kyle asked.

    Asher rose from his seat. Being at the supreme rank, it wasn''t difficult for him to control the spiritual and divine energy in his body. He took a piece of the fruit from the te and popped it into his mouth.

    Immediately, surprise flickered through the half-dragon''s eyes as he nced at Kyle.

    "Where did you get this? I can feel it has a lot of spiritual energy even though I only took a small piece."

    He quickly went back to his seat and began digesting the massive amount of spiritual energy that surged through his body the moment he consumed it.

    Everyone else also grabbed a piece. Yue rested her hand on Kyle''s shoulder as she arrived beside him. She sighed when she noticed he hadn''t taken one.

    "What about you?"

    Kyle nced at Bia, who quickly devoured her piece in less than a second. He grabbed the phoenix when she tried to snatch Nox''s piece and then turned to Yue.

    "It''s not beneficial to me. Or rather, I should say it''s better for me to not eat it."

    Yue tilted her head, a bit puzzled by his words. But when she saw him pulling out many more fruits from his mind space and eating them, she shook her head with a smile. How could she forget that his mind space is always brimming with treasures?

    Everyone started absorbing the spiritual energy after eating the fruit.

    Many of them asked what was different with the fruit Kyle gave them and the ones he was eating, but he just smirked, leaving them somewhat suspicious that they had ingested something they shouldn''t have.

    Nine nced at Kyle. He wanted to drink and eat tonight to enjoy with the others, but now he can''t because of the immense spiritual energy flowing in his body. He shook his head with a wry smile.

    "You probably got this in the tomb. Well, considering your luck, I''m not surprised you even found this type of treasure there, even though the environment in the tomb wasn''t conducive to growing something like this."

    Kyle''s lips twitched at his words.

    "Not really, I got it from the elven when I went to find Yue."

    Nine, who had just leaned back in his chair with a yawn, immediately froze in his spot when he heard his words.

    "The elven? Hold up, hold up, if I recall correctly, when I was taken there by cia, that was being consumed by dark energy due to the demons who were attacking the

    elves for the..."

    He was taken aback by his own words, unable to believe what his mind was hinting at, and nced over at Kyle.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Does this fruit have a name? Please tell me it doesn''t, right?"

    His eyes dropped when he saw the smile ying at the corners of the silver-haired man''s lips. Kyle wasn''t really surprised that Nine caught on so easily. After all, the man had visited that before and surely knew what was going on there.

    "It does have a name. The elves called it the fruit of fate if my memory serves me right."

    Asher choked on his breath because even though he had spent a hundred years in the tomb, he knew about the fruit of fate. Zron, Yue, and Nox also froze in their spots. They too knew about the fruit of fate.

 Chapter 671: Its time to purify this land

    ?

    Asher coughed and pounded his chest a few times to steady himself.

    "Oh my ghosh... Have I truly ingested a piece of the Fruit of Fate? The very fruit that was said to be unattainable by any other race as the Tree of Fate only bestowed it upon the elven race...?"

    He shifted his gaze to look at Kyle, eyes brimming with newfound respect.

    The man had given him something so precious with such simplicity? If it were someone else, they wouldn''t even tell anyone they had the fruit of fate, let alone sharing it with others!

    However, he noticed that the seat Kyle upied earlier was vacant now.

    "Where did he disappear to?"

    He scanned the lobby like the rest, all a bit perplexed by Kyle''s sudden disappearance. But before any of them could extend their senses beyond the building they were in to locate where the silver-haired man had suddenly disappeared to, Kyle''s figure materialized on the stairs. Kyle''s eyes were cold, and his face was devoid of emotion. Seeing his expression, everyone immediately became alert. After all, even though Kyle typically maintained a nonchnt face, he always disyed this expression when something irked him or when facing his enemies.

    Yue swiftly approached him with Bia and Nox following closely behind.

    "What''s going on?"

    Kyle nced at the individuals around him. Currently, none of them were in a state to engage inbat as they had dispersed all the divine and spiritual energy within their bodies to consume the fruit of fate.

    Plus, since they had just recently reached the transcendent rank, he knew that even if they managed to confront supreme rank individuals, he wouldn''t be able to help them in a life- threatening situation.

    "You all need to leave this ce. I sensed danger, so I exited the building to check the surroundings. I saw numerous divine and transcendent rank individuals from the dark side apanied by three supreme ranks. They have picked up on the concealing array I set up around the building."

    Upon hearing his words, Alec quickly checked with the system. Both he and Soul were distracted because of the fruit of fate. Therefore, he was certain the system had neglected to monitor their surroundings, and his hunch was spot on as the system ryed the same information as Kyle. But a sudden thought shed in his head.

    "Why haven''t they attacked yet then? They are right outside this building!"

    His words echoed in the air, breaking the silence in the lobby. The people around him, who had begun preparing for any situation they might have to face after hearing Kyle words, grew even more solemn.

    Kyle was crafting symbols for a portal that would directly transport everyone out of the Sacred Divine Land and to a distant as he cast a nce at Alec.

    "It''s because they are setting up restrictions around the building to trap us all inside so nobody could run away."

    His words had barely faded when a massive portal formed in the lobby. He didn''t have the coordinates of a safe far from thisnd, so he had connected his portal to the elven where he met Yue''s mother.

    "Leave immediately."

    Instantly, everyone exchanged nces. They knew they couldn''t handle such arge number of enemies. After all, except for Asher, Alec, Kyle, and Zron, the rest had recently reached the transcendent rank. But rather than moving towards the portal, Jian fixed Kyle with a scrutinizing gaze.

    "What about you? You better not be thinking of staying behind alone."

    Asher nodded in approval.

    "You can''t handle that many individuals from the dark side, especially with three supreme ranks among them."

    Kyle took out his spear.

    "I can''t join you. I have to end someone from the group outside the building. Don''t worry about me; if things get dangerous, I will use instant teleportation to escape."

    All the people around him let out a collective sigh of frustration. They just can''t seem to halt this man, can they? He wants to take down a person currently encircled by numerous powerful adversaries!

    Nine nced at Kyle and questioned with a grave yet serious expression.

    "Should we stay? Do you think we can win if we all fought together?"

    Kyle stared directly at him.

    "It doesn''t matter if we can win or not because I won''t be able to protect all of you if anything goes wrong. The people outside this building can''t harm me because I can escape. But if they capture one of you to get to me, then it''s a whole different story."

    Nine jabbed his stomach, looking irritated. He knew that he and everyone else weren''t as strong as Kyle. They didn''t even possess a strong teleportation skill like him, but the man didn''t have to make it seem like he would die if they joined him!

    "Whatever, I''m out. Just don''t die. Otherwise, I will hunt down your soul to bring you back to life at any cost!"

    He was the first to turn around to leave, because Kyle was right, he could escape with his portals and instant teleportation whenever he wanted, but if any of them were captured by the enemies, Kyle would lose without a battle. The silver-haired man didn''t show it, but Nine knew thetter would never put them in harm''s way.

    "Crazy bastard..."

    He muttered under his breath and jumped into the portal. Alec nced at Kyle and tossed a golden orb at him.

    "It''s an artifact. You probably don''t need it, but it can create a shield around you and protect you for a minute from attacks by supreme-rank individuals."

    He quickly followed Nine with the others. Jian smacked Kyle on the shoulder.

    "Don''t die. I know you havepletely forgotten your old memories, but you still haven''t fulfilled the promise that you would tell me about the special power you have if I reached the transcendent rank!"

    Kyle blinked and gazed at Jian''s back as thetter also leaped into the portal. Asher offered him a respectful nod.

    "I appreciate the valuable fruit you shared with me. I''m truly thankful. However, I''m not ready to meet my end just yet. I trust in your ability to protect yourself, unlike me. I look forward to our reunion in the near future."

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched at the sudden politeness oozing from the half-dragon''s words. He tsked when Asher shed him a wide smile and vanished into the portal.

    Suddenly, someone yanked his shirt to pull his upper body down, and his eyes widened a bit when he saw Yue''s angry face inches away from him.

    She stayed silent and gazed into his eyes for a moment before leaning in to kiss his lips. Then

    she stepped back with Nox.

    "Take care and let me know when you''re done with what you want to do."

    Kyle stared into the empty space. He thought she would give him a piece of her mind or

    unleash some fury. But what Yue did waspletely unexpected.

    Bianded on his shoulder.

    -"Get a grip, will you. She''s gone already."

    She shook her head and nced at the portal that disappeared after Yue left.

    -"Oh, I thought you would throw me into the portal too. Don''t tell me I have secretly be

    super strong and dependable?"

    Kyle straightened up and scanned the vacant space around him.

    "You are not going to fight alongside me. I need you to do something else."

    Bia nced at him.

    -"What?"

    He started walking and settled into one of the empty chairs, waiting for the people outside

    the building to make a move.

    "If there are so many supreme-rank individuals from the dark side here, hunting those whoe out from the lost treasure tomb, doesn''t that mean that to protect their people from the dark side many strong supreme-rank individuals from other races have probably also made it to thisnd?"

    Bia''s eyes narrowed with confusion. But then she blinked as she understood what Kyle wanted

    her to do.

    -"Ah... So, you want to use them to pave your way and get rid of the person you desire? But

    will they help you?"

    Kyle smirked.

    "They definitely will once they know I am the nature''s favorite, the one who took down the

    third shadow general. They will surely attempt to recruit me to their side."

    He snapped his fingers, and another small portal materialized behind him.

    "I can''t believe how utterly useless those array masters from the dark side are. It''s been so

    long, but they still haven''t put any proper restrictions around the building. If it was me, the

    enemies would have been buried ten feet underground already."

    Bia nced at the portal.

    -"Right, right, I am leaving. I will update you if I seed in what you want me to do. If not... well, you can just conjure a portal and vanish with the person you want to eliminate." Kyle gazed at the phoenix as she vanished into the portal and chuckled. "That''s not a bad n... disappearing with the person I want to eliminate. However, my true

    goal is to eradicate everyone who hade here to harm me and the others."N?v(el)B\\jnn

    His eyes grew cold when the building he was in began to tremble.

    "I guess it''s time to purify this sacrednd of all the filth and eliminate every person from the

    dark side from thisnd."

    His words had just barely faded when he noticed everything around him crumbling to dust,

    and he nced up when Samara''s familiar voice echoed in his ears.

    "It''s been a while, pretty human, hasn''t it?"

 Chapter 672: You are here for the fruit, right?

    Chapter 672: You are here for the fruit, right?

    ?

    After the remnants of the crumbling building surrounding him were engulfed in darkness, Kyle''s gaze finally locked with the white slit pupils gazing down at him. The eyes fixated on him held a blend of anger, caution, and amusement.

    He cocked his head and rose from the seat he upied as the darkness encroaching around him started to swallow it too.

    "My name is Kyle. I would rather you stick with that instead of using something else. But yeah, you are right, it has been a while."

    Golden energy burst forth in the surrounding darkness, and Kyle knew without even spreading his senses that the restrictions the dark side was setting around the building had taken effect.

    He nonchntly nced at the darkness creeping toward him and then at Samara, who was floating above him.

    "This little trick is quite dangerous, I must say. But how long do you think it can hold me, or should I ask, can it even hold me?"

    Samara''s eyes narrowed as she observed the absence of fear in the green eyes fixed on her, which held an eerie calmness.

    Moreover, she noticed with a solemn expression that whenever the dark energy tried to reach Kyle, it was immediately pushed back by an unknown force.

    Suddenly, recalling something important, she scanned Kyle''s surroundings and extended her senses everywhere.

    "Where are the others?"

    She flinched in surprise as Kyle suddenly materialized right before her.

    "So, you knew I wasn''t the only one here?"

    His voice, once serene, now exuded coldness. Kyle gazed at the woman who released a sinisterugh. He was sure she had picked up from his words that he had sent everyone else in the building away.

    Samara retreated into the distance, and instantly, the dark energy surrounding them dissipated to reveal many transcendent and divine rank individuals from the dark side hovering all around, apanied by two more supreme rank beings.

    "So, it''s just you now, huh? Well, we can easily find the others if we have you."

    Kyle nced at the supreme rank individuals first and noticed that they were from the human race. He then nced at the powerful shield that had enveloped the area around everyone to seal itpletely, so no one could leave.

    "Just as I said, do you really think the barrier you set up can stop me? After all, it had miserably failed to prevent me from using my divine and spiritual energy."

    He grabbed his spear, and spiritual energy began to surge around him.

    Quietly, Kyle targeted one of the unsuspecting transcendent ranks flying behind the two supreme rank humans and aimed to vanish to kick off the battle by taking down an enemy. However, Samara said something unexpected to him.

    "You know what I want from you, right? If you give me what I desire, I will make sure you don''t meet a wretched end, and no one will bother looking for your friends."

    Kyle chuckled.

    "I was wondering why you didn''t attack me after you saw me. You are here for the fruit, right? But what a pity, I had consumed it just a moment before you arrived."

    Samara''s eyes widened at his words.

    "No way! I know you haven''t consumed it yet! The branch of the Tree of Fate that bore the fruit still hadn''t grown any leaves!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Kyle vanished from his spot as his voice reverberated in all directions.

    "Why don''t you go check that branch now? I''m sure you would see some leaves on it." The two supreme-rank humans, who had been quietly observing everything from the sidelines all this time because they wanted to know why Samara suddenly offered to help them kill the nature''s favorite and his friends, exchanged nces when they heard Kyle and Samara''s conversation.

    So, the fruit of fate that the first shadow general was desperately seeking a while ago was actually taken by the nature''s favorite, and he had even consumed it?

    With a nod, one of the supreme-rank humans vanished from his spot. Unlike the demons and dark race individuals dressed in dark and extravagant attires, he wore a rather casual outfit simr to the other supreme-rank human.

    His form flickered between two positions before Kyle, who was on the brink of killing a transcendent rank demon, was forcefully hurled toward the ground.

    The other supreme-rank human swiftly approached Samara. Her eyes were zing with anger and anxiety as she frantically tried to activate hermunication crystal to reach out to the demons on the elven and confirm Kyle''s statement.

    He snatched the crystal from her and gazed at her with solemn eyes.

    "You must rify everything. Did you deceive the first shadow general when you imed that you had no clue about who took the fruit of fate? Are you aware of the consequences of lying to your superior?"

    Samara red at the human before her.

    "Who the heck do you think you are to try and stop me? You darn human, you are just ackey for the first shadow general! You can''t even defeat me! Get lost!"

    She took the crystal from him and shoved him away. However, she couldn''t help but let out a scornfulugh when the demons she left on the elven didn''t respond at all. The reason was clear; they feared she would kill them if they told her the fruit of fate had been consumed!

    "Kyle, you bastard! I will shred you into pieces! How dare you consume what was rightfully mine!? I waited for that fruit for more than a hundred years!"

    Samara instantly spotted the silver-haired man, tangled up in a battle-or should she say being chased by the other supreme rank human, but her fury escted when she saw Kyle unting a cold smirk as if victory was already his. Not to mention, his expression oozed confidence, as if daring them to try and take him down.

    She vanished behind Kyle as well andmanded everyone around her, even the supreme rank human whom she had shoved back earlier.

    "What the heck are you all waiting for, just watching the show!? Finish him!"

    Kyle, who was flying across the air inside the shield erected by the dark side, swiftly used instant teleportation when the hairs on his neck stood up.

    As he vanished, his former position was abruptly torn apart into pieces.

    He surveyed the shattered space in front of him and then nced at the supreme-rank human from the dark side who had halted upon hearing Samara''s angry words.

    "Tsk... I''m certain you have mastered aw of nature after reaching the supreme rank, haven''t you? The power to shatter space, I have never witnessed it before. It''s surely not a skill. That''s

    quite irksome, though."

    He knew he could shatter the space with his strength and weapons, and he had seen many others do the same. But what set the man before him apart was not the use of strength to break the space; Kyle sensed it clearly that the space shattered on its own.

    The supreme rank human ignored Kyle and cast a nce at Samara before turning to his partner with a monotonic face.

    They were here to follow the orders of the first shadow general, as their loyalty was with him. The moment the other supreme rank human locked eyes with him, hemunicated via

    telepathy.

    ''Let''s deal with the nature''s favorite first; that''s our task. We can address Samarater. She deceived the first shadow general and will surely face the consequences.''

    After receiving a nod from his partner, he turned towards Kyle, only to realize the human had

    vanished once more

    "His agility isn''t exceptional, but his teleportation ability is annoying."

    His eyes gleamed as he directed the space around him to pinpoint Kyle''s location. The silver- haired human hadn''t truly vanished; he knew Kyle was just using teleportation to move

    continuously within the vicinity.

    Kyle materialized in another spot using instant teleportation, but his eyes widened slightly when he found himself unable to teleport again as his body was suddenly engulfed by the surrounding space. He cursed as he sensed his body being thrown towards the ground, but quickly performed a backflip to regain bnce mid-air.

    The transcendent and divine rank beings from the dark side employed their powerful skills, spells, and even lunged at the silver-haired human with their weapons upon seeing him materialize before them. Their objective was to eliminate this man as soon as possible to im the rewards promised by the first shadow general!

    Kyle wanted to disappear but chuckled darkly when he saw the space around him begin to shift once more. He knew the supreme rank human could not impede his use of instant teleportation once more with the same tactic. Nheless, he wasn''t in the mood to y

    anymore.

    Gripping his spear tightly, he utilized all his agility and even used his swift steps skill to double his speed to dodge the many attacksunched at him and attack the nearest demon to

    him.

    "You first!"

    However, this time his body was thrown back by none other than Samara. The woman''s eyes were seething with rage as dark energy erupted around her. But Kyle tilted his head, and blue mes spread out of his body to consume the darkness.

    "Dark energy can''t harm me. Also, it''s truly a pity you haven''t learned even a singlew of nature when you have already reached the pinnacle of the supreme rank. That means you can

    never advance."

 Chapter 673: Seriously, a sneak attack?

    Chapter 673: Seriously, a sneak attack?

    ?

    Samara''s figure trembled upon hearing Kyle''s mocking words. It''s true she hadn''t mastered anyws of nature after attaining the supreme rank, but did that matter? She had already attained a level that very few in the universe had achieved! A wicked smile crept onto her lips.

    "So, what if I can''t progress now, do you think I won''t in the future too!? If you do, then you''repletely wrong! Let''s me see just how long your mes can withstand and consume the darkness I possess!"

    The dark energy enveloping her began to escte at a threatening pace. Kyle''s eyes narrowed; he could clearly see that even though his mes were overpowering and consuming the dark energy, there was a significant disparity in quantity. He moved back when the dark energy surrounding the demon woman surged towards the sky.

    "Well, to be truthful, I couldn''t care less if your strength can advance or not."

    His eyes gleamed brightly as he activated one of his bloodline skills, Arcane Visions, to glimpse into his own future. Specifically, he saw the potential paths he might tread in response to Samara''s attack.

    His spiritual energy waned as he saw numerous scenarios, all ending with him getting injured. But now that he foresaw what could unfold, would he allow the woman to eveny a scratch on him?

    Absolutely not.

    Kyle remained rooted in ce, slightly perplexing the two supreme-rank humans with his stance, as they could perceive the true power of the skill Samara intended to unleash upon the man. Yet, what unfolded next left them both astounded.

    The moment the darkness in the sky showered down towards Kyle at a speed imperceptible to all divine and transcendent ranks, a massive dark portal lit up before the silver-haired man and instantly began engulfing everything.

    Samara''s eyes widened, and she reached out to destroy the portal, but a shiver ran down her spine when the air behind her suddenly trembled intensely.

    Before she could turn around to obliterate the portal she sensed forming behind her, Kyle''s figure materialized in front of her. He deftly raised the spear in his hand, directing its tip straight at her heart with icy eyes.

    Of course, he didn''t forget that the demon woman flying before him was at the peak of the supreme rank. That''s why it came as no surprise when she maneuvered to avoid his attack before striking his body with one of the four wings behind her, causing him to crash downward with astonishing speed.

    Kyle''s eyes crinkled as Samara effortlessly tore apart the portal behind her, and he muttered under his breath.

    "Just a bunch of idiots."

    The two supreme rank humans who had also left their positions after sensing the portal forming behind Samara paused when they spotted another portal emerging above the divine and transcendent rank demons and dark race individuals.

    Their eyes widened as Samara''s earlier attack, which had been consumed by the portal, reappeared to plummet down upon the divine and transcendent ranks.

    "Stop!"

    The supreme rank human who could control space swiftly used his power to stop the attack approaching the divine and transcendent ranks. However, he was a tadte, as a few people cried out in pain from the sudden darkness that fell upon them.

    He clenched his jaw tightly and nced at the silver-haired man who let out a hearty chuckle as his body crashed to the ground, scattering dust and debris everywhere.

    ''He''s dangerous. We need to eliminate him quickly because if we don''t, he could pose a major threat in the future.''

    His words echoed in the other supreme rank human''s mind, who nodded, and they both disappeared towards Kyle.

    Samara, who also witnessed the event that just unfolded, yelled at the divine and transcendent rank individuals.

    "All of you are utterly useless! There are so many of you, yet you can''t even handle a transcendent rank!? Just get lost!"

    She also disappeared towards Kyle, who had started floating once more. Her speed was way faster than his. Not just her, but the other two supreme ranks were fast too. However, Kyle didn''t budge even an inch from his position and shed head-on with the first person who reached him.

    Kyle''s jaw tightened, and a vein bulged on his forehead as he felt the impact of the sh reverberate through his body. He was certain that if his strength had been even slightly lower, he might have lost his arms. The supreme rank human who had just collided with him was left stunned as Kyle stood his ground firmly against him.

    "How?"

    He was the individual with the ability to manipte space. Nheless, he had never imagined that a transcendent rank would stop his attack one day.

    Kyle''s lips curled into a mocking sneer. He could feel his muscles tightening under the pressure of the strength in the human hand he was holding back with his spear.

    Yet, he couldn''t resist a sense of amusement. Perhaps because the knack for irritating others The acquired in the No Mana Land was incurable.

    "Supreme rank, huh? It''s not really as impressive as I thought it would be."

    His words echoed in the air, and his eyes gleamed with satisfaction when he saw the angry crimson veins beginning to re in the eyes of the person in front of him.

    Instantly, the supreme rank human intensified his strength, trying to grab the spear from Kyle''s hands. But he backed off when icy blue mes erupted from the silver-haired man''s

    body once more.

    Kyle shifted the spear in his grip to one hand and flexed the other because his hands had be numb. He quickly did the same with the other hand, all the while keeping his eyes on the two supreme-rank individuals who stopped for some reason.

    He clicked his tongue in disapproval when he sensed Samaraunching a surprise attack at him from behind.

    "Seriously, a sneak attack? Show a bit of honor as a supreme rank."

    He knew he was much weaker and slowerpared to her, but that doesn''t mean he can''t take her on. As long as he had divine and spiritual energy within his body, he was sure he could fight with everyone around him without dying.

    He quickly utilized instant teleportation to reposition his body to face Samara, but his eyes contracted when the space around him froze, and the two supreme-rank humans closed in on

    him together.

    "Bastards-!"

    His words had barely left his mouth when three attacksnded on him from different angles. Kyle somehow managed to absorb the force of Samara''s strike with his spear, but he couldn''t fend off the other two, even after his efforts to shield himself.

    Kyle spat out blood, and despite the pain coursing through his body, he quickly used instant teleportation to vanish. In a sh, he reappeared in the distance only to crash to the ground. But he gritted his teeth and nced down to inspect his body.

    Seeing no visible injury, he believed he hadn''t sustained any major harm - or so he thought. However, his eyes darkened as he felt something wet trickling down his back, catching the

    faint scent of blood in the air.

    The scent of his own blood.

    He chuckled and gazed at the two supreme-rank humans. Instantly, his eyes drifted towards their bloodied hands, and he noticed the tiny sharp des amidst the gaps between their

    fingers.

    "It''s weird. Why didn''t I feel the sharp edges of the des piercing my skin?"

    He questioned loudly, finding it peculiar. He only sensed the force of the attacks and no other

    sharp objects touching his body. So, when did they use the des? He rose to his feet as

    spiritual energy emanated from his body to heal the injuries on his back.

    The supreme-rank human who could manipte space tossed the des in his fingers away

    and quickly wiped his hand with a handkerchief.

    "It''s because weced the des with a poison that dulls the pain when they are piercing flesh. The poison serves multiple other purposes too, but I believe I don''t need to borate

    further."

    Kyle, who was healing his injuries without much concern, immediately extended his scent perception skill upon hearing the man''s words. His gaze chilled when he detected the

    unfamiliar particles infiltrating and spreading within his body.

    Samara smirked, a bit amazed by the move the supreme rank humans pulled off.

    However, all three of them were caught off guard when, instead of freaking out, Kyle erupted

    into a heartyughter.

    He clutched his stomach, attempting to suppress hisughter but failed.

    An angry vein bulged on the forehead of one of the supreme-rank humans.

    "What''s so funny? Have you lost your mind knowing your impending demise?"

    Kyle shook his head and hurriedly healed the injuries on his back.

    Now, how would he reveal to them that the toxin they cunningly injected into his body was

    easily consumed by his bloodline? All their scheming had been in vain.

    "You just realized I''m crazy? Well, let''s keep this fight going. I seriously doubt that poison''s

    gonna have any effect."

    He disappeared in a sh, leaving both supreme rank humans in disbelief, as they believed

    the poison would immobilize him.

    They exchanged solemn looks andunched their attack at Kyle too. After all, they were determined to bring down this silver-haired man today!

    Samara''s eyes zed with contempt for the two supreme ranks.

    "They are worthless too!"

    She then vanished towards Kyle.

    The divine rank and transcendent individuals in the vicinity could only watch with solemn and

    fearful faces as Kyle, a transcendent rank like them, faced off against three powerful supremeN?v(el)B\\jnn

    ranks.

    They couldn''t even catch a glimpse of Kyle, let alone follow his figure with their eyes! So, they began to wonder if this human was truly just a transcendent rank? But one thing was crystal clear: if any of them dared to confront the human, they would meet their end!

 Chapter 674: Bia, where are you!

    Chapter 674: Bia, where are you!

    ?

    Kyle coughed up blood and could see that injuries had started to pile up on his body.

    Despite putting up a good fight, he was aware that his spiritual and divine energy was depleting rapidly. After all, he had to use instant teleportation continuously to keep up with their pace.

    Quickly and skillfully maneuvering his spear, he deftly blocked Samara''s sharp nails aiming to rip apart his heart.

    However, the supreme rank human, who could manipte space, attacked him from behind and mmed him into the ground.

    ''Damn it... Bia, where are you! I can''t hold them off much longer!''

    He really wanted to tear apart the three supreme ranks around him, and he knew he would have cut them into countless pieces if he was just a bit stronger...!

    Suddenly, his eyes lost their anger and coldness. They became emotionless when the other supreme-rank human stepped on his leg while he tried to stand up.

    Kyle tilted his head back to look at the man who had just tried to break his leg but failed because his body wasn''t that weak.

    "I guess I should demonstrate how to properly break someone''s legs. You obviously need a tutorial."

    The supreme-rank human smirked at his words and assessed his condition.

    Indeed, the human was powerful, but unfortunately not strong enough to survive under three supreme ranks. However, his smirk faltered, and he instinctively stepped back when he locked eyes with Kyle.

    Witnessing him retreat so abruptly, the other supreme-rank human, who could manipte space, furrowed his brows andunched another assault on Kyle.

    He was taken aback when Kyle did nothing to block his attack this time, and dust and debris scattered everywhere as his tightly clenched fistnded on thetter''s body.

    Samara also attacked the human lying on the ground with an evil and satisfied grin.

    Her sharp nails effortlessly pierced Kyle''s skin when they encountered no resistance, yet hey motionless on the ground.

    "Did he die?"

    She whispered, a blend of confusion and caution evident on her face, as she could distinctly hear his faint breathing and the voice of his beating heart, even though it was beating at an unsettlingly slow pace.

    Her eyes narrowed as she made the decision to end the human. Just like her, the supreme-rank human with the ability to manipte space shared the same intent and extended his spiritual energy to quickly detach Kyle''s soul from his body. However, right before Samara''s sharp nails could reach Kyle''s heart and the supreme-rank human''s spiritual energy could touch his body, he vanished from his spot.

    The duo''s eyes widened, but before they could search for Kyle, the supreme-rank human, who had previously taken a step back upon meeting Kyle''s gaze and was observing from afar, cried out when a familiar spear pierced one of his legs.

    The crisp sound of bones breaking reverberated in the silent air, sending chills down the spine of Samara and the other supreme-rank human. They both swiftly charged at Kyle, who yanked his spear back, causing blood to stter all around.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Kyle nced at the two supreme ranks charging at him with an expression he hadn''t shown throughout their battle. The amusement in his eyes, the coldness, anger, everything had disappeared.

    He swiftly crossed his arms to shield himself when Samara wed at his face, followed by a punch from the supreme-rank human. However, despite his firm footing, he was still forcefully pushed backward.

    His spear slipped from his grasp after he blocked the two attack, the faint sound of cracking bones ringing in his ears.

    He didn''t even get the chance to stop his sliding body when suddenly a de shed his stomach, followed by the familiar sensation of nails digging into his body.

    Kyle''s arms stayed crossed until the two individuals attacking him paused, as a cold, threatening aura emanated from his body. They both thought he would use his strange icy blue mes again, but he didn''t. Instead, he lowered his arms, spat out the blood that had gathered in his mouth before casting a nce in their direction.

    "Why you two so mad? I merely taught him how to break someone''s leg, that''s all."

    He looked at the supreme rank human, whose leg he had broken, and his eyes showed disappointment when he saw that the man had halfway healed himself. Well, that was to be expected; he had reached the so-called supreme rank, after all.

    "Tsk, what a pity."

    He wiped the blood from his mouth and immediately his spear soared back to him, then silently began hovering behind his back as if waiting for hismand.

    Samara''s gaze locked onto the man who, despite being riddled with injuries all over except his face, didn''t copse to his knees. The chilling aura emanating from his body remained, but no mes appeared.

    She shouted at the supreme rank human who could manipte space.

    "Kill him! What the hell are you even waiting for!? End him! He is already half-dead!"

    The human snickered at her. If she was so eager, why doesn''t she attack him herself? He knew the nature''s favorite was surely up to something. So, he had to stay cautious.

    He nced at his partner who had finallypletely healed his leg, and catching his solemn gaze, the other supreme rank took out a dark ring from his mind space. Then he discreetly tossed the ring toward Kyle, and it silently rolled on thend before stopping a bit of a distance from Kyle.

    Kyle noticed the dark ring as his senses were on high alert. He was tending to his internal injuries, especially his arms, with his spiritual energy. That''s why he just cast a spell to envelop his body in a cold aura. It wasn''t harmful but effectively halted the three supreme ranks.

    After quickly healing his arms, he chose to leave the other injuries as they were since he had depleted all his spiritual energy.

    He grabbed his spear and locked his emotionless gaze on Samara. With no energy left in his body, now he could only rely on his physical strength to fight.

    "First, you."

 Chapter 675: The barrier could never stop

    Chapter 675: The barrier could never stop

    ?

    In an instant, Kyle harnessed all his agility and charged toward the woman. The spear in his grasp hummed and started to absorb the spiritual energy in the air.

    Samara''s eyes widened as she saw him running straight toward her. At first, she was startled, but she noticed that this time he didn''t utilize instant teleportation or any other skill to boost his speed, making him appear somewhat slow to her. A glint of disbelief shone in her eyes.

    "He had clearly exhausted all his spiritual and divine energy!"

    She shouted with wildughter and firmly stood her ground as Kyle''s spear reached her, colliding with the attack head-on.

    A surge of pure power burst forth into the air, unleashing a wave of force that rippled in all directions. The atmosphere fractured under the sheer force Kyle exerted to drive his spear into her heart, yet she grasped the weapon with both of her hands, the tip hovering just an inch from her body.

    Samara''s eyes dted, and her smile disappeared because, even though she managed to stop the silver spear, she could clearly see her hands holding the weapon were trembling, indicating she might not be able to hold it back for much longer.

    A bead of sweat rolled down her forehead as she let out a scream and attacked Kyle with her wings to shove him backward, but a look of panic crossed her eyes when her efforts proved unsessful.

    She looked at Kyle. Instantly, a chill ran down his spine as she saw his green eyes fixed on the tip of his spear. He clearly wanted to drive the spear into her heart!

    "Help me!"

    She shouted as he pushed forward, a vein ring on his forehead.

    Witnessing the scene, the two supreme rank humans swiftly punched and kicked Kyle, but he remained steadfast, continuing to press on. The eyes of the two supreme humans darkened as they saw Samara being pushed back by Kyle.

    The dark ring that was thrown at Kyle previously started glowing on the ground, and suddenly darkness erupted from it, surging towards Kyle. As the darkness started wrapping around his lower body, the two supreme rank humans moved back.

    Samara clenched her jaw tightly, red veins zing in her eyes.

    A little mistake, and she knew that spear would go right through her heart!

    ''How is he so damn strong?? Why can''t I push him back!!''

    She cursed the two supreme-rank humans in her head. They had halted, not taking any action even though the darkness entwining Kyle''s lower body couldn''t stop him!

    Immediately, dark energy burst from her body to seep into Kyle''s body forcefully. If she cannot stop him, she would let the dark energy consume himpletely!

    Suddenly, the supreme rank human, who could control space, grabbed a huge stone nearby and smashed it into Kyle''s head.

    Kyle''s vision blurred from the unexpected blow to his head, causing his firm hold on the spear to finally loosened.

    Samara seized the opportunity and swiftly kicked him backward.

    She fell on her butt, fear evident in her eyes, and urgently ced her hand on her chest, sensing her thundering heartbeat.

    "This bastard..."

    She looked at Kyle, who shook his head, clearly trying not to lose consciousness. The movement caused his sparkling silver hair to turn entirely red from the blood seeping out of the wound in his head.

    Samara instinctively moved back,pletely forgetting to even stand up, because, even after enduring so much, Kyle still hadn''t fallen to his knees! The dark energying from the ring had engulfed almost everything below his chest, but he was still standing on his feet!

    She knew about the ring the supreme rank humans had used because she had seen it before with a fellow demon.

    The dark energy trapped within the ring was specifically used to bind those at the initial stage of supreme rank! But now it was not even able to bind a transcendent rank??

    The supreme rank who had smashed a stone on Kyle''s head earlier flinched when the human raised his gaze to stare at him.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "I swear, I will kill you with my own hands."

    Kyle then lifted his eyes to stare at the shield that enclosed the area around him and everyone else, ensuring no one could escape from this space.

    "Ah... she is finally here."

    The supreme rank who could manipte space wanted to attack Kyle again, to end himpletely, but his eyes dted when he suddenly sensed countless powerful people surrounding the ce he was in.

    "This..."

    He instantly snapped his head up and saw a massive fire phoenix outside the shield he and the others had crafted around the area they were in so the nature''s favorite and hispanions wouldn''t escape.

    Samara''s face also fell when she sensed a few supreme ranks outside the shield.

    The many divine and transcendent rank demons and dark race individuals, who had been quietly watching everything from the sidelines all this time, panicked too. After all, they would be the first ones to die!

    Seeing the strength the nature''s favorite disyed, they had lost all their confidence and just knew they were doomed! The three supreme ranks on their side were useless! They can''t even handle the nature''s favorite, how would they even save them!?

    However, the supreme rank human capable of manipting space snickered at Kyle and reassured everyone around him.

    "Have you all forgotten that no one can breach the shield around us? Not even the supreme ranks can. We can teleport directly and escape this ce with its assistance."

    He quickly grabbed a de from his mind space and moved closer to Kyle.

    "Let''s finish him off and get out of here."

    Kyle looked at him and chuckled.

    "I told you, didn''t I?"

    He clenched his fists to clear his vision. The humaning towards him stopped as he raised

    his finger and pointed at him.

    "Did you really think that barrier you put up could actually hold me back?"

    "Let mey it out for you... it couldn''t. It could never stop me if I wanted to escape."

    He pointed his finger toward the shield, and under the gaze of everything present around him,

    a massive crack formed in the shield.

    Many symbols began to light up all around, the very symbols Kyle had secretly carved everywhere while fighting.

 Chapter 676: Too slow...

    Chapter 676: Too slow...

    ?

    Kyle locked eyes with the supreme-rank individual who could manipte space, as the shield surrounding the area became filled with countless fractures.

    The symbols glowing in his surroundings quivered, and with a resounding snap, the shield shatteredpletely, its fragments scattered in the air like sharp shards of ss before vanishing into thin air.

    Right away, the divine rank and transcendent rank demons and dark race individuals in the vicinity cried out as golden mes consumed the sky above them, and a colossal phoenix descended into the area with numerous others individuals following behind her.

    Kyle felt a surge of amusement as he noticed the solemnity and panic on the faces of those around him. However, unfortunately, his physical state prevented him fromughing at them. Despite this, he remained standing on his feet. He wasn''t done yet and would finish what he had started-to end certain individuals.

    -"Kyle!!"

    Bia''s loud voice echoed in his ears, but he was in no condition to respond. She quickly scanned the area from above to find him. It took her a while to return here because, while she was searching for supreme-rank individuals, she spotted Ronan and Wesley-the two supreme tank elves she had encountered with Yue previously.

    They were searching for their people who hade out of the Lost Treasure Tomb earlier than expected and had sessfully rescued many of their young ones.

    When Bia transformed into her phoenix form and informed them that Kyle was in danger, they hesitated but then agreed to help because suddenly Ronan said he wanted to reciprocate the assistance Kyle had provided them in the past, aiming to make everything even between them.

    On the journey, due to Bia''s massive size, Old Hal found her. The old man had been searching for Kyle and hispanions with Ned and Vexana and hade across Bia solely because of her noticeable presence.

    Because of Ned''s irrelevant questions about why Kyle was fighting three supreme ranks alone and where the others were, Bia had to exin to the group following her. That consumed a lot of time.

    - "That bastard I am going to kill him if anything happened to Kyle!"

    Behind her, Old Hal, Ronan, Wesley, Ned, and Vexana, alongside the many divine and transcendent rank individuals, attacked the demons and dark race people attempting to escape in different directions.

    The supreme rank from the dark side, who could manipte space, staggered back as he witnessed the countless figures in the sky attacking the people with him.

    "Damn it!"

    He muttered a curse under his breath, and his eyes turned crimson with anger when he noticed Samara fleeing the scene.

    "That witch!"

    His fists clenched tight, and dark veins started popping on his neck as he charged at Kyle with full speed.

    "If you die, it''s all worth it!"

    At that moment, he cared not for the casualties on his side. Eliminating the nature''s favorite meant removing a threat that could potentially be unstoppable for them in the future!

    The other supreme-rank human noticed his partner and instantly joined him. Together, they both ran toward the silver-haired man, whose entire lower body was enveloped in the dark energying from the ring.

    Bia''s eyes widened as she finallyid eyes on Kyle. She didn''t catch the two supreme ranks rushing towards the man due to their incredible speed, only the eerie darkness that had crawled up to his neck.

    -"Kyle!!"N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The phoenix''s loud cry caught the attention of both Old Hal and Ronan as she charged straight toward Kyle''s location.

    Old Hal''s gaze sharpened because he instantly spotted the two supreme ranks rushing towards Kyle, unlike Bia.

    "Stop!"

    His shout echoed everywhere. The air quivered intensely as his blue eyes shone, turningpletely white for a split second, causing everything around Kyle to explode into pure natural energy.

    However, the two supreme rank humans charging at Kyle didn''t stop, even after they sustained injuries when Old Hal suddenly used the naturalw of disintegration.

    Simultaneously, dark, curved des appeared in their right hands, enveloped in an aura of ominous energy. The razor-sharp edges gleamed with malevolent intent.

    One of them would end Kyle''s physical body, and the other would destroy his soul. That''s what they had mentally agreed on.

    Kyle didn''t lift his gaze but closed his eyes. He could feel the two mening at him, the dark energy enveloping his lower body and inching towards his face.

    He could even hear Bia''s voice and the remnants of the noise from the explosion that had urred around him ringing in his ears. But now, with both of his eyes closed, everything felt eerily slow to him.

    "Too slow..."

    He let out a soft breath and experienced a kind of pain, unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was as though someone had just stabbed countless needles all over his soul.

    The pain didn''t go away; instead, it intensified into an all-consuming inferno that incinerated his thoughts, leaving his mind a deste, hollow void. Just one word kept echoing in his head, slow, with the torment, ready to break his sanity.

    When he reopened his eyes, everything around him genuinely slowed down.

    No one took notice, not even he, as the green hue in his eyes faded, and his pupils turnedpletely white.

    The sky above him cracked open with a deafening sound because he tapped into a power he wasn''t allowed to yet. Even his bloodline, which had been sleeping in his mind space after the stunt he pulled in the lost treasure tomb, was jolted awake.

    Kyle''s mind went nk when he raised his gaze towards the nearest person to him. The darkness enveloping him dispersed as he moved from his position, and the silver spear that had fallen in the distance shot towards him at a speed rivalling that of a peak supreme rank. In the next moment, a loud, agonizing cry tore through the air.

    Old Hal, who was just about to deploy another of his powerful skills to save Kyle, felt a sudden chill run down his spine upon hearing the loud cry and sensing the subtle shift in his

    surroundings.

    Not just the old man, every supreme rank present in the area felt it when a powerful naturalw was forcefully invoked in their surroundings, and to make it frightening, they were all affected by it, even though they weren''t supposed to be impacted to this extent as supreme

    ranks.

    Old Hal slowly lowered his gaze and noticed a bloodied figure of a familiar man tightly holding a silver spear above another. One half of his spear was deep inside the heart of the man under him. Completely shocked, the old man slightly staggered in the air and sucked in a deep breath to calm his wildly beating heart.

    "A... true monster... Did Kyle just use the naturalw of time to slow down everything around

    him?"

 Chapter 677: Dont you dare to interfere

    Chapter 677: Don''t you dare to interfere

    ?

    Kyle''s eyes regained their original hue, and rity began to return to his mind.

    He gradually shifted his gaze downward to look at the man in agony below him. A hint of confusion flickered in his bleeding eyes as he observed the spear in his hand. It was deep inside the heart of the supreme rank human who could manipte space.

    "Ah...?"

    He didn''t know what happened, and his mind wasn''t providing any good answers. He just remembered suddenly feeling an intense pain and his mind struggling to grasp something he wanted to control...?

    Kyle''s hand, holding the spear, trembled a bit as the pain that waspletely numbed before when his mind shut down and went nk resurfaced in his body once more.

    Even though he couldn''t quite recall how he had subdued one of the supreme ranks or why his body felt like it was about to break, he still sneered at the man below him.

    "I told you... didn''t I?"

    "I will end you... with my own hands."

    His consciousness was fading, and he could sense his bloodline rushing within his body, probably to heal his injuries.

    Amidst this, he gripped his spear with one hand and leaned down to ce the other hand on the head of the man beneath him to sever thetter''s soul from his body.

    Kyle could have severed his soul from his body using his spiritual energy alone, but right now, the spiritual energy in his body wasn''t even equivalent to a ss of water. So, he was resorting to physical force.

    ''The pain it would inflict upon him... didn''t concern me as my goal is to end him.''

    The supreme rank human beneath him exerted all his might to fight back but cried out for

    help in desperation when he found himself unable to move even an inch, and was horrified to discover that it was due to the spear deeply imnted in his heart!

    The strange energy emanating from the spear waspelling him to remain still! His eyes dted when he suddenly felt a faint buzzing noise from the spear, as if it wasmanding him to obey!

    He hurriedly controlled the space around him to tear Kyle''s body into fragments, yet the human towering over him didn''t even flinch under the intense pressure!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Behind Kyle, the other supreme rank human halted in his steps as the silver-haired man he was meant to eliminate with his partner disappeared from his spot.

    The dark energy meant to restrain Kyle dispersed in various directions once the person it was restraining left.

    Upon hearing his partner''s cry for help, the supreme rank human instantly whipped his head towards the ce he heard the sound, and his eyes chilled at the sight he saw. He lunged at Kyle to intervene.

    "You bastard! Stop-!"

    His weapon didn''t even get a chance to reach Kyle when an elven man materialized in front of him and kicked him away into the distance. Ronan gazed at him with a cold look and rolled up his sleeves.

    "Don''t you dare to interfere. Now, your opponent is me."

    The supreme rank human cried out with a crazed look and attacked him immediately. He had to save hispanion!

    However, the weapon in his grip fell to the ground with a soft thud, and he dropped to his knees with a sinking expression when he felt hispanion''s soul departing his body without a shred of consciousness.

    "No... No..."

    Ronan nced at him and shook his head. Seeing the man''s expression that screamed he had lost everything, he wondered if the two supreme ranks were actually brothers? cing his hand on the man''s head, he whispered with an emotionless gaze.

    "Go join him."

    Bia also appeared above the scene. Anger zed in her eyes when she finally noticed the two supreme rank humans.

    However, she couldn''t really do anything at the moment since one of them was already killed by Kyle, and the other was being killed by Ronan. Golden mes danced in the air as her massive form hovered above Kyle with a concerned and solemn gaze.

    -"Hey...? You still breathing?"

    She lowered her body next to Kyle and tilted her head to gaze at his face, only to find his eyes tightly closed. He was still standing but notpletely conscious.

    -"This jerk..."

    Spiritual energy erupted from her body to envelop his form. She wanted to help heal the injuries on his body, so she didn''t hold back and let all her spiritual energy out.

    But when she assessed his condition, she was utterly shocked! There wasn''t a single part on his skin that wasn''t bleeding!

    Bia had seen Kyle getting injured many times since they reunited in the Sacred Divine Land because he always willingly put himself in danger to get stronger. However, this was the first asion she had seen him in such a critical condition!

    She instantly grew fearful for him and began inwardly hoping that nothing bad happened to him while trying her best to heal at least his external injuries.

    Ronan also moved towards Kyle to reposition his body. He too wanted to assist but took a step back when an eerie, chilling aura radiated from the silver-haired man''s body. It didn''t harm Bia, but it instilled a sense of impending danger in him, as if approaching Kyle would lead to

    his end.

    "What the... I just want to help, you know?"

    Old Hal arrived beside him and gazed at the silver-haired man with a sigh.

    "Aren''t you shocked? This young human before us just manipted a naturalw. I cannot believe his body is still intact and didn''t crumble under the immense pain and pressure it had

    to endure..."

    Ronan tousled his cyan hair and nced at his people fighting the enemies in the sky. They had nearly subdued all the demons and dark race individuals in the vicinity.

    "I am more envious than shocked at him. I am sure you know, even I, who achieved the supreme rank long ago, cannot manipte any naturalws yet. So how the hell did Kyle do it? I can clearly sense that he is only at the transcendent rank. He isn''t allowed to manipte nature yet. Don''t tell me he did it instinctively to save himself...?"

 Chapter 678: He is dangerous

    Chapter 678: He is dangerous

    ?

    Old Hal nced at Ronan. He had met the elven man a few times before as they had fought together in the war happening at the other end of the universe. Ronan joined the war when he was only at the divine rank. He arrived with the individuals who came to represent the elven side in the war.

    The man had indeed grown immensely powerful within a short time.

    "Don''t be envious. I think Kyle is favored by nature. Maybe that''s why he chose the title of ''nature''s favorite'' for himself."

    Ronan hummed. He didn''t really care. He just felt envious because the young man could do something he couldn''t yet. His voice turned grave for a second.

    "No matter, Kyle is dangerous. So, I am going to leave him alone and make sure my race never gets on his bad side. As an old subordinate, I advise you to do the same, old man. Leave him alone."

    Old Hal shook his head with a chuckle.

    "I know he is quite dangerous, that''s why I can''t leave him alone. He can be a great asset for us to win the war that has been ongoing for so long. But why did you say that? Are you scared of the young man?"

    Ronan turned around, sped Old Hal''s shoulder, and gazed directly into his eyes with an solemn gaze.

    "I am not scared of him. I just don''t want another Azazeal to rise in this universe. One is already enough and can end us all."

    He gave the old man''s shoulder a few shakes and then started to float towards Wesley and his people to put an end to the battle raging in the sky.

    Old Hal gazed at his back and then once again turned to look at the phoenix and the bloodied figure of the silver-haired man.

    "Does he need my help or not?"

    He wanted to assist Kyle but changed his mind when he noticed strange ice starting to form on Kyle''s body.

    "I reckon he doesn''t need any help."

    Old Hal''s eyes narrowed at the shining ice. He didn''t have to get near the ice or touch it to know that it was healing Kyle''s injuries at a speed that he had never seen before.

    "What a strange human. If you had such a powerful skill to heal yourself, why didn''t you use it earlier?"

    Bia''s eyes also flickered with relief when she noticed the sparkling ice forming on Kyle''s body. Yet, confusion danced in her eyes as she recalled something.

    -''Wait, didn''t Kyle say he can only use this skill every six months? If I recall correctly, he had used it before in the tomb. So how is he able to use it again when six months haven''t even passed yet?''

    She furrowed her brows and circled Kyle.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    - ''Don''t tell me his bloodline is interfering with his body again to heal him? Well, that''s good actually. He needs help right now.''

    She was wary of all the people around them, but in this situation, she could not just run away with Kyle''s unconscious body.

    What if someone powerful from the dark side attacked them again? It was better for her to stick around Old Hal and Ronan for now, at least until Kyle woke up.

    Bia let out a tired sigh and continued to channel her spiritual energy to heal Kyle. She just couldn''t rely solely on his bloodline to heal himpletely.

    -''I guess, it''s gonna take him a while... Actually, maybe a good while to wake up.''

    She groaned, but her eyes widened with surprise when Kyle''s fingers holding the spear twitched ever so slightly.

    The ice forming on his body intensified its pace upon sensing his movements. It crept up to his face, but then it started cracking and dispersing into bright particles.

    -"Hey, are you finally awake!?"

    - "Speak up, will you!?"

    Bia quickly leaned her head on his shoulder to see if he had woken up, but she stopped when The let out a painful groan.

    Kyle slowly opened his eyes but nearly lost his bnce when he saw Bia''s angry eyes ring at him. She was in her massive form, so suddenly seeing two big round eyes so close to his face, he was a bit startled.

    "Get a bit of distance away from me..."

    His voice sounded very dry, as if he hadn''t spoken for many months.

    Very unpleasant indeed.

    Kyle fixed his gaze on the body below him, and his immediate action was to harness the little bit of divine and spiritual energy that had gathered in his body.

    Instantly, blue mes spread out of his body to envelop the lifeless body, turning it into an ice sculpture that scattered into particles. The moment Kyle''s spear lost its embedded ce, he lost his bnce and fell backward. His back met the ground, and he let out a soft sigh as Bia''s eyes narrowed at him.

    -"So, you managed to survive? I was half expecting you to meet your end."

    The phoenix clicked her tongue disapprovingly and ced her massive paw on his stomach, ready to deliver a beating, but halted when he hissed in pain.

    -"What''s this? I thought your wounds had fully healed? Are you still feeling pain?"

    Kyle nced at her, and his eyes crinkled with amusement.

    ''Don''t worry. I am fine, but I guess I broke my body too badly this time. It''s gonna take me a while to healpletely. The encasing ice skill, that was all of a sudden triggered by my bloodline, managed to heal all my external injuries, but not the internal ones.''

    Bia barely held back from smacking him, worried she might identally harm him. Yet, her eyes clearly showed she was equally angry at him as concern.

    Suddenly, Kyle''s gaze turned icy.

    "How did I suddenly drive my spear into the body of one of the supreme rank humans? I can''t remember. And what about Samara? Did she escape?"

    He tried to move despite the pain coursing through his entire body.

    "I must go find her, to end her."

    But once again, he dropped to the ground with a painful groan and a frustrated look. It was at that moment that Old Hal moved closer to him and stood next to him.

    "Young one, the one thing you need most right now is rest. Do you even know what you did? I guess you don''t, considering you just said you don''t remember. I will tell you. So, just rest for

    a while."

 Chapter 679: Whats happening to your hair!?

    Chapter 679: What''s happening to your hair!?

    ?

    "The naturalw of time...?"

    Kyle whispered softly as he nced up at the crystal-clear sky, his expression dazed. Memories of the intense pain that still sent shivers down his spine flooded back and he was amazed that he could control a naturalw at just the transcendent rank.

    ''Is it due to my bloodline? I remember wanting to halt everything around me when I sensed the supreme ranksing at me, and because of that sudden thought, my mind wanted to grasp something powerful, but I can''t believe I actually pulled it off.''

    He raised his hand and tried to grab the natural light around him inside his fist. But as usual, it slipped away from his grasp.

    "So, in conclusion, my mind instinctivelyprehended and used a naturalw to slow down everything around me when I was in danger due to the supreme ranks."

    Old Han, seated beside Kyle, nodded in agreement. He had exined everything to the silver- haired man.

    Ronan and Wesley, along with their race individuals, were seated in the distance, attending to those injured in the battle that had ended easily once Ronan joined in. Vexana and Ned were assisting them.

    Kyles sat down slowly, crossing his legs. He released a deep breath and could vividly feel his bloodline working diligently in his body to heal his internal injuries.

    "I am sure if I can manipte the naturalw of time once, I can do it again."

    Old Hal shook his head at him. This young man really can''t rest, not even for a second. Just how long has it been that Kyle went through a life and death battle, yet here he was once again trying to exhaust his mind?

    Nevertheless, after hearing what Ronan said to him, now Old Hal was a bit hesitant to ask Kyle outright toe with him and join the war to fight the dark side.

    So, he was waiting for the man to recover or maybe for the right time.

    Kyle furrowed his brows as he tried to remember the exact feeling he experienced when he controlled the naturalw. The first thing he recalled was pain, extreme pain, and after that, his mind just went nk.

    He attempted to use his bloodline to manipte the flow of time around him, thinking that if his bloodline had aided him before, it would do so once more, but his bloodline didn''t even respond.

    "Ah...?"

    He blinked with surprise when he felt the movement of his bloodline slowing down in his body, as if it was very tired.

    It had healed all his internal injuries, and under Kyle''s watch, it slowly inched towards his mind space before withdrawing into a secluded corner. There, a frosty embrace enveloped it entirely in a massive cocoon.

    "What just happened?"

    Kyle closed his eyes and attempted to extend his senses towards the icy cocoon to investigate what the hell was happening. He had noticed his bloodline going dormant in his mind space many times before, but this was a new urrence... as if it had sealed itselfpletely.

    No, his mind suddenly supplied, and he understood immediately that this was definitely not his thought.

    "So... now that I am on the verge of reaching the supreme rank and also had the power to manipte a naturalw in danger, could it be that it is about to awakenpletely and merge entirely with my body because my body has be strong enough to hold it?"

    Kyle''s abrupt words caught Old Hal''s attention, who had been closely watching his every single action and raised an eyebrow in response at him.

    "What are you talking about?"

    The old man didn''t even have to make an effort to check Kyle''s strength because the silver- haired man hadn''t hidden his rank at all and was actually boasting that he was at the peak of the transcendent rank by letting his aura be felt by all around him.

    Old Hal simply wondered what mysterious power Kyle was referring to that was about to awaken and merge with his body.

    Kyle let out a hum.

    "I am going to work on my physique. I need that the most right now. So, I can absorb as many mystical spirits as possible."

    He grabbed the bright, glimmering, winged light that had quietly crept up behind him. It exploded into pure spiritual energy in his firm grip and swiftly entered his body.

    Old Hal''s mouth hung open, but he quicklyposed himself. This was actually the third mystical spirit Kyle had absorbed, so he shouldn''t be surprised anymore.

    Nevertheless, he wiped the sweat off his forehead because it was the first time he had seen someone absorb many mystical spirits so casually when even finding one in the Sacred Divine Land was a dream for everyone, including himself!

    It was fortunate that none of the people around Kyle dared to challenge him, given his strength and daring nature. After all, he could see that the silver-haired man was attracting many envious gazes!

    Kyle noticed the old man''s serious expression and shifted his attention to where he could feel another spirit approaching him.

    ''I guess I owe Alec a thank you. He secretly gathered all the mystical spirits drawn to me. Because of him, I learned that absorbing the mystical spirits is not dangerous at all. The spirits are quite valuable, but they choose toe to me by themselves. So, they can''t me me for absorbing a few.''

    Bia, who had been sitting beside him all this time, rolled her eyes after hearing his words in her head. He was feeling kind of calm for some reason, even though he had just gone through a life-and-death battle.

    -''You noticed Alec secretly nabbing the spirits drawn to you? I thought you didn''t.''

    Kyle touched her feathers. She remained in her phoenix form because anything could happen

    at any time with so many enemies wandering in thend they were in.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ''I did. It wasn''t hard because he would capture the mystical spirits every time any came to

    cling to my body.''

    Bia nodded and nced at him, but her eyes widened when her gaze suddenlynded on his

    head.

    - "What''s happening to your hair!?"

    The phoenix''s sudden outburst caught everyone''s attention.

    Kyle furrowed his brows and waved his hand to create water to see his reflection. His eyes narrowed as he saw the bright silver shade of his hair fading. It slowly turned grey and then

    completely ck.

    Old Hal''s expression grew serious as he looked at Kyle''s hair that had darkened.

    "Are you feeling okay?"

    Kyle looked at his reflection in the water before him and couldn''t resist a chuckle. His eyes crinkled with amusement as he reclined onto his back with a sigh, a sense of amusement

    dancing in his eyes.

    "Nothing, it''s all good."

    He paused for a second and suddenly gave Old Hal a scrutinizing look.

    "Actually, old man, I thought that the next time we crossed paths, you would be after my life because of the stunt I pulled in the diator Arena alongside my friends. But now, seeing you concerned about me, I realize I waspletely mistaken."

    Kyle nced at the sky, feeling conflicted about his bloodline but not overly so.

    ''So, my hair color wasn''t natural? It was influenced by my bloodline, and now that the bloodline has sealed itself, my hair has reverted to its original shade. Doesn''t that mean I can''t ess the bloodline''s power for the time being?''

    He closed his eyes.

    ''What a shame. It was rather handy.''

    Old Hal nced at him, not even aware that Kyle had just changed the topic to divert his

    attention from his hair.

    "Well, I suppose I am not taking any action against you because I am hoping you would join the war and fight against the dark side."

    Kyle sneered inwardly. He had some information about the war going on at the other end of

    the universe. His master, Hubert, had briefed him about it. He had actually ns to visit the war zone, but he would never go because of someone else. He would only go when he wants

    to.

    Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, and he sat down with a thoughtful gaze, ncing at Old Han with a smirk.

    "I will think on it, you see, joining the war, if you lend a hand in what I aim to do at this moment in the Sacred Divine Land."

    Immediately, Old Hal inquired for more details, but the old man was left speechless upon hearing Kyle''s next words.

    "I want to wipe out every person from the dark side lurking in thisnd and cleanse the air tainted by their presence. But I can''t do it alone. I need many people who would follow my orders. If you agree, I will think about joining the war."

    Old Hal was at a loss for words. Kyle wants to cleanse the Sacred Divine Land?

    Does this young man even know just how vast thisnd is and the number of dark side

    individuals here currently?

    It might take months, or even a year, topletely cleanse thisnd of the dark side if he

    truly agreed to Kyle''s demand!

    "That... give me a minute."

    Old Hal quickly left Kyle''s side and moved to a distance to reach out to Elizabeth and the other elders. He needed to figure out whether to agree with Kyle or not. However, he was taken aback and somewhat shocked when Elizabeth informed him that James had instructed him not to return unless he could bring Kyle and Kyle''spanions with

    him.

    Old Hal''s role in the war wasn''t crucial currently, as things had quieted down after the first shadow general was severely injured by James and the second shadow general disappeared. Old Hal let out a dry chuckle as he closed themunication crystal. It appears he''s going to remain in this sacred divinend for some time. He then returned to Kyle.

    "I agree. But I''m not sure about Ronan and the elves. They aren''t with me, you know."

    He muttered with a sigh, but grabbed his aching temples when Kyle swiftly took out his spear

    with a wicked grin.

    "Well then, what are we waiting for, huh?"

 Chapter 680 Cleaning the Sacred Divine Land I

    Chapter 680 Cleaning the Sacred Divine Land I

    Kyle''s eyes sparkled as he stood up and stretched his tense muscles before walking over to Ronan and Wesley. He conveyed Old Hal''s agreement to them.

    The duo exchanged nces, and after a moment of quiet discussion, Ronan turned to him with a serious look.

    "The others from my race won''t fight alongside you, but once Wesley and I have escorted them back to the elven, we will join you. We want to seek justice for the many members of our race who fell victim to the dark side in thisnd."

    Kyle nodded, a satisfied smile on his lips.

    "Well, even though our numbers won''t be high, I am sure having three supreme-rank and two transcendent-rank individuals apanying me should suffice."

    Currently, all he needed was enough folks to wrap things up in the Sacred Divine Land. Kyle was confident in his abilities to handle everything alone, but after the recent battle, he knew if he suddenly encountered more supreme ranks, it would be a problem.

    ''My body ispletely healed thanks to my bloodline, but it''s best for me to steer clear of getting injured again for a while.''

    Nevertheless, when he thought about Samara, who had escaped, his eyes shed with a touch of anger. That demon woman slipped away from him. He knew that if he didn''t find her and deal with her soon, she would be a hassle in the future.

    ''After leaving the No Mana Land, it''s actually the second time someone I wanted to end slipped away from my grasp. First Ceano, and now Samara.''

    Suddenly, amid the many thoughts swirling in his mind, he remembered something very crucial. Kyle startled Ronan, who was just a short distance away, by leaning towards the man with a solemn expression.

    "I forgot to mention, but inform your Queen. My friends are currently on the elven. I hope the elven race won''t cause them any harm while they are there."

    He actually shook Ronan''s shoulder to make the man understand his words.

    Ronan let out a sigh. So, Yue and the others who were with Kyle had gone to his? Regardless, he was quite annoyed at the way Kyle was talking to him when he was clearly much older than the man.

    "I can tell you are not threatening me because your aura is calm, but a bit more politeness wouldn''t hurt, right? Perhaps you should throw in a ''please'' next time if you need to ask someone for a favor?"

    Kyle raised a brow at him.

    "You got me wrong. I am not seeking a favor. I am just worried about the safety of the elven. Because even though the others can''t face off against supreme ranks right now, trust me, together they could bring down the entire elven."

    Bia, who was flying above him in her massive form, nodded her head. Nox and the others were a bit foolish, but they were powerful, just like her.

    Ronan''s eyebrow twitched. He didn''t dread Kyle or hispanions. Not even a bit. But he knew it would be wiser for the elven race to not get on their bad side.

    "Right, right, I will contact the Queen."

    He hurriedly departed, leaving Kyle be before the human uttered words that would truly infuriate him. Wesley and he left the area with the other elves. The duo would first send their people back to the elven before reuniting with Kyle.

    Eventually, only Ned, Vexana, and Old Hal stayed by Kyle''s side. Bia nced at Kyle as he absentmindedly yed with his spear.

    Ned groaned under his breath, clearly reluctant to follow Kyle''s lead. The human had beaten him up in the diator Arena! There was no way he would follow the man! However, upon hearing his protest, Old Hal smacked his head with narrowed eyes.

    "If you don''t behave, I will send you to join the team currently on the demons'' searching for the second shadow general."

    Ned''s expression paled.

    "No! Not the demon! I would rather follow Kyle than go to that insane ce!"

    His loud voice snapped Kyle out of his daze, and he looked back at him with a snicker. Bia had told him how Ned wasted time on the way when she was bringing supreme ranks to help him.

    "I guess the lesson I gave him in the diator Arena wasn''t enough. I need to make sure he understands who he can mess with and who he can''t."

    Kyle whispered under his breath and scanned his surroundings. His spiritual energy had fully recovered thanks to the spirits he consumed.

    "As for divine energy, I believe I don''t need to worry about it since my body has already absorbed a lot from the surroundings."

    His eyes gleamed as his feet lifted from the ground. Old Hal fell silent when suddenly he sensed a wave of powerful senses. His eyes widened as he looked at Kyle.

    "Why are his senses so strong? They are actuallyparable to a supreme rank."

    Kyle''s gaze turned cold as he detected numerous individuals from the dark side.

    "Let''s start by cleaning up the folks from the dark side who are nearby, and then we will attack the ce in the Sacred Divine Land that the dark side has conquered."

    He nced at Old Hal, who was staring at him, then at Vexana and Ned.

    "Make sure to stick close. I don''t want any of you falling behind. Otherwise, I will leave that person behind. Honestly, I don''t expect much from you all. Maybe in the end, I will have to clean up thisnd alone."

    He sure did ask the old man to fight alongside him, but that doesn''t mean he fully trusts the old man. He would ditch him and the two people with him if they turn out to be rather useless.

    Old Hal furrowed his brows at his words. He had years of battle experience beyond measure, that''s why he easily understood Kyle''s implications. He started to levitate with Ned and Vexana.

    "You think I would slow you down? Even as a supreme rank?"

    Kyle shrugged.

    "We will find out soon."

    He gestured to the west.

    "So, get ready because we are going to battle and nothing else until I deem this divinend sufficiently cleared."

    He vanished towards the spot he pointed to, and Old Hal trailed behind with a sigh.

    "This young man is quite annoying. He ought to work on his manners."

    He shook his head, but he was soon shocked to see Ned and Vexana struggling to match the human speed.

    He could keep up, but he knew he would be in the same situation as Ned and Vexana if he wasn''t at the supreme rank!

 Chapter 681: Cleaning the Sacred Divine Land II

    Chapter 681: Cleaning the Sacred Divine Land II

    ?

    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Two weekster, in an entirely destroyed section of the Sacred Divine Land. The bright sky above the terrain was filled with nothing but dust and smoke clouds.

    Above the destruction, a ck-haired man was floating in mid-air with his eyes closed, as many anguished cries of demons and dark race individuals echoed around him.

    It was Kyle. Golden mes erupted all around him, yet he remained unfazed. Bia floated over to his side but paid him no attention, instead she snickered at the many people below on thend.

    -"You weaklings from the dark side! You have called upon my fury! Count yourselves lucky to perish under my mes!"

    Her thunderous voice echoed everywhere, and immediately, the golden mes in the sky rained down upon the many demons and individuals of the dark race scurrying around on thend.

    Old Hal''s eyes widened at the mes, and he cursed before quickly darting away from the path of the mes.

    "At least give us a warning before using a dangerous wide rage attack!?"

    His condition was a far cry from two weeks ago when he agreed to follow Kyle.

    He looked haggard and his clothes had a few holes in them. As a supreme rank, he don''t need sleep at all, but he was so tired that he knew he would immediately fall asleep if he just closed his eyes!

    Just like the old man, Ronan and Wesley, who had joined Kyle after sending their people back to the elven, also quickly moved away from the path of the golden mes that crashed down on thend.

    Wesley stopped in the distance and wiped his sweaty forehead. His and Ronan''s state was no better than Old Hal''s. He watched as the golden mes began to further destroy the already devastatednd.

    The demons and dark race individuals engulfed in the mes screamed out as their bodies started to burn.

    "We may be supreme ranks, but Bia''s golden mes are too darn powerful... where in the world did that human find such a powerful bondedpanion."

    Ronan clicked his tongue at his words.

    "You''re pondering that? Meanwhile, I''m regretting the moment I agreed to follow Kyle and fight alongside him."

    Wesley gazed at him with a nk expression.

    "Just like Bia said, be grateful. At least our situation is better than Ned and Vexana."

    He gestured towards the distance where two figures were crawling, desperately trying to escape the mes.

    Ronan eyed the two battered figures and didn''t know whether tough or cry.

    Just like Old Hal, he and Wesley also believed it would take months, or even a whole year, to cleanse the Sacred Divine Land of all the individuals from the dark side, but Kyle proved them all wrong.

    In just two weeks, that scoundrel had cleared almost seventy percent of the Sacred Divine Land! Now, the only territory held by the dark side in the Sacred Divine Land was the area they had conquered.

    "I have never fought this long and hard, not even in the war happening at the other end of the universe. Is this normal? Fighting non-stop, without eating or sleeping?"

    Wesley gave a wry smile.

    "I guess it is normal. Kyle seems to be perfectly fine. I can''t spot a single scratch on him. And you know what''s the most infuriating part... his clothes are spotless too! It''s as if he didn''t battle at all, when he is the one fighting the most!"

    Ronan rubbed his eyes.

    "We had already agreed to fight alongside Kyle. Now we can''t take back our words, especially not when that bastard always says that we are too slow..."

    He shook his head to push the bad memories to the back of his mind.

    Kyle didn''t talk much with them, but whenever the human did, it was always to point out they were falling behind or to urge them to hurry up because he doesn''t have all day to wait for them.

    Ronan eyed the ck-haired figure in the sky, donned in a pristine blue hoodie, and narrowed his gaze sharply.

    "What''s he doing, anyway? He suddenly stopped fighting and closed his eyes. We could have wiped out everyone from the dark side here if he hadn''t stopped."

    Old Hal arrived beside him and Wesley.

    "I wonder that too, but is it just me, or can you two also see that the air around Kyle is getting disturbed?"

    Upon hearing his words, both Ronan and Wesley narrowed their eyes at Kyle.

    They easily noticed what Old Hal was referring to. The atmosphere around Kyle was indeed growing turbulent.

    Wesley rubbed his white beard with a contemtive look.

    "Is he sleeping?"

    He knew his words sounded foolish, but he wouldn''t be surprised at all if they were true. After all, among them, Kyle needed rest the most, considering the man hadn''t even sat down for a minute in the past two weeks. But he was proven wrong when suddenly the air around him began to turn silent.

    Old Hal''s eyes widened. Wesley and Ronan exchanged stunned looks when the old man eximed loudly.

    "Don''t tell me he''s attempting to harness the naturalw of time?"

    They knew that grasping and using a naturalw was very taxing on the mind and body.

    Kyle was at the transcendent rank and had yet to reach the supreme rank, where one is allowed to manipte the nature.

    Last time he used the naturalw of time instinctively because his mind sensed the threatsing at him. However, this time he was not in any danger and knew it would strain his body. Yet, he was trying to manipte the time around him?

    Old Hal shook his head.

    "He is just putting his body in pain. It''s not that easy to manipte nature. He needs time to grasp-!"

    His words were cut short, and his eyes widened with disbelief when suddenly the air around him slowed down slightly. Itsted only for three seconds, but Old Hal, Wesley, and Ronan

    felt it distinctly when the time around them was interfered with.

    Wesley''s mouth fell open.

    "He used it again...? And this time not instinctively but by his own!"

 Chapter 682: Cleaning the Sacred Divine Land III

    Chapter 682: Cleaning the Sacred Divine Land III

    ?

    Kyle opened his eyes when he sensed everything surrounding him began to slow down, yet despite his efforts, he couldn''t hold onto the time around him for more than a fleeting few seconds.

    "Tsk..."

    He scrunched up his nose in distaste. Even though he had been battling alongside Old Hal and the others for the past two weeks, in his mind, he had been endeavoring toprehend thew of time by repeatedly pondering the feeling he experienced when he first wielded the power of time. Despite straining his mind, he only managed to seed for a fleeting few seconds.

    He looked back when he heard Bia''s menacingughter behind him.

    "She''s having a good time, isn''t she?"

    He chuckled and watched the phoenix as she controlled the golden mes, engulfing everything beneath her. Kyle''s gaze shifted to Ned and Vexana, who were sprawled on the ground in a distant location.

    Kyle shook his head. The duo was at the peak of the transcendent rank just like him, but both of them were very weak. He was certain that Bia, who was at the initial stage of the transcendent rank, could easily defeat them with her mes alone.

    "Nevertheless, I reckon Ned had learned his lesson. Because if he dared to get on my nerves again, I am going to finish him off directly instead of wasting my time."

    He sensed Wesley, Ronan, and Old Hal''s eyes on his body but he paid them no mind and cracked his knuckles.

    "Let''s tidy up this battlefield."

    His words hadn''t even faded in the air as he disappeared from his location.

    The next second, a muffled painful cry echoed in the area as one of the dark race individuals, attempting to flee from Bia''s golden mes, suddenly noticed a silver spear piercing his heart.

    Kyle''s figure briefly flickered before his horrified eyes as his body dropped to the ground with a soft thud. Simr agonizing cries echoed throughout the area as one person after another from the dark side began copsing lifeless to the ground.

    Bia''s gaze narrowed. She could feel Kyle''s presence on thend, but she didn''t control her mes because she knew he could easily avoid them, unlike some others.

    - "I guess the battle is going to end soon."

    Her words were indeed proven right as, within mere minutes, all the enemies in the vicinity met their end.

    There was no supreme rank, and nearly all of them were injured, which is why it didn''t take Kyle long to finish them all off.

    He pulled out his spear from the tanned body adorned with bat-like wings and shook it to clean off the blood.

    Ronan and Old Hal approached him to understand the extent of his mastery over the naturalw of time. Not many in the universe could manipte time; even those who could do it, can only slow it down or speed it up in a specific area.

    Yet, after witnessing what just happened, they were confident that Kyle would soon master the naturalw of time.

    However, before they could say anything, Kyle began floating. His eyes shed with fatigue as he let out a yawn.

    "Clean this ce up. Then, we will head to the area in the Sacred Divine Land that the dark side has conquered. Hopefully, we will be done here in a few more days."

    He finished speaking, not even allowing the two supreme ranks a moment to respond, and promptly disappeared towards Bia.

    The phoenix was astonished when he suddenlynded on her body. Kyle reclined on her back and closed his eyes.

    "I''m taking a short rest. Tell me when the others are finish cleaning up the mess."

    Bia rolled her eyes.

    -"So, finally you want to rest? I thought you wouldn''t until you copsed."

    She started floating above the area to watch the supreme ranks, who gazed at her with speechless expressions. The phoenixughed inwardly at them; she was the only one in the group who had slept in the past two weeks above Kyle''s head whenever she felt tired. Thus, she understood that, like Kyle, the others were also exhausted.

    On thend, Ronan let out a sigh and nced at Wesley, who was assisting Ned and Vexana. He shook Old Hal''s shoulder.

    "I''m going to take a short break as well. Just use your naturalw of disintegration to clear away the remnants of the battle."

    He swiftly distanced himself from the old man, who stared at him with sharp eyes, and joined Wesley and the rest.

    Ronan let out a chuckle when he heard Ned''s pleading voice. The man was actually requesting to be sent to the demon to assist the team currently searching for the second shadow general. At least there, he don''t need to fight so strenuously!

    Ronan leaned against a boulder, and Wesley nced over to see if he had any updates on how well Kyle had gotten with the naturalw of time. But he shook his head with a sigh.

    "He''s taking a break; we should rest too. After all, who knows when we will get the opportunity to rest again since he just said that we would be soonunching an attack on the area in the Sacred Divine Land conquered by the dark side."

    He closed his eyes, but Wesley and the two others individuals nearby caught his words as he whispered softly in a serious tone.

    "I''m sure Kyle''s mental fortitude is exceptional, unlike that of regr people... or should I say he has an innate gift for easily understanding everything?"

    He briefly opened his eyes to look at the sky where the phoenix was flying.

    "That''s a bit unjust."

    Wesley tracked his gaze and also shut his eyes to take a break. However, the four of them had barely dozed off when Bia''s loud voice resonated next to their ears.

    - "Wake up, sleepy heads!"

    Ronan pinched his brow and looked at the small bird flying nearby. He easily spotted Kyle''s familiar figure, sitting atop a raised area in the distance with Old Hal.

    "He''s awake already?"

    Ronan clicked his tongue and intended to wash his face. But he was surprised when Kyle told him and the others to freshen up and change into clean clothes. They agreed and left the area

    for a short while.

    Simultaneously, Kyle grabbed Bia by her neck. Instantly, the phoenix let out an angry huff at his audacity, but before she could fight back, he conjured water in the air and tossed her into

    it.

    "Clean yourself too. You have be dirty and smelly."

    Bia''s eyes widened with disbelief.

    -"You bastard!? That''s how you gonna repay the favor I did by letting you sleep on my back! I

    will beat you-!"

    Her words faded as more water materialized around her, engulfing her bodypletely. After a few seconds, the water scattered in the air, leaving behind a drenched, angry phoenix. Kyle held back a chuckle when he saw Bia shaking off the excess water from her body and preening her feathers with furious eyes. She appeared clean, but he was certain she would attack him any second by the way she was ring at him.

    He was right spot on because Bia lunged at his hair and began pulling them out. Her enraged voice echoed everywhere.

    - "I can easily clean myself with just a blink of my eyes, so why do you always have to toss me in water every time??"

    He swiftly grabbed her and ced some food in front of her to calm her down. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as she harrumphed and settled down to eat.

    ''It''s fun... buy dangerous for my hair.''

    Kyle was looking at Bia when Old Hal and the others came back.

    He arched a brow as they all leisurely took their time to reach him. Ronan rolled up his sleeves

    and took hold of his weapon.

    "So, when are we moving?"

    Bianded on Kyle''s shoulder as he leaped down from where he was seated. Instantly, the

    silver spear materialized behind him.

    "Now."

    No one was surprised at his words anymore and quickly followed him as he disappeared with

    the phoenix. Ronan and Old Hal took the lead and floated alongside Kyle. Not because the others didn''t want to, but because the duo was the only ones who could match the human''s

    agility.

    Old Hal furrowed his brows as they approached the areapletely enveloped in dark energy. Despite it being daytime in the Sacred Divine Land, the clouds above that region were

    ominous and dark.

    "What''s the n? Are we gonna sneak in and start eliminating the other side quietly?"

    His eyes went nk when he heard Kyle''s nonchnt response.

    "No, I can only sense two supreme ranks in the area and a hundred transcendent ranks. So, we

    will face them head-on. It''s not like they are fools and unaware what we have been up to inN?v(el)B\\jnn

    thest two weeks."

    He chuckled with cold eyes.

    "They for sure know we have taken out many of their folks. I wouldn''t be surprised if they are actually waiting for us to show up so they can finish us off."

    Ronan looked over at Ned and Vexana, who went pale at the human''s words.

    "If there are a hundred transcendent ranks individuals... I am sure the divine ranks must be

    almost twice that number."

    "Can the seven of us handle them all?"

 Chapter 683: Seven against countless enemies?

    Chapter 683: Seven against countless enemies?

    ?

    Kyle stopped in mid-air as they arrived at the threshold of the shadowy expanse. A smirk crept across his lips as he detected many demons and individuals from the dark side covertly

    lurking in the vicinity ahead.

    "Seven against countless enemies? It sounds tough, but I''m confident we can defeat them all. You know why? Because I''m in the mood to cause chaos."

    His eyes sparkled with excitement. He chuckled when his eyes caught sight of a colossal, rectangr prism in the midst of the dark area before him. It was the object that was drawing in divine energy from the air, transforming it into dark energy, and then dispersing it into the atmosphere.

    "So, that''s the device they''re using to saturate the air with dark energy? Quite impressive, I must say."

    Kyle nced at Bia as she left his shoulder and transformed into her phoenix form.

    "Your main target is that prism. Destroy it the instant you get the opportunity."

    Bia nodded and gazed towards the distant location where dark energy was emanating from the top of the colossal prism.

    Kyle tightened his grip on his spear.

    "I will handle the transcendent ranks. Old Hal and Ronan, you two take care of the supreme ranks. Ned, Vexana, and Wesley, it''s on you three to handle the rest."

    The three supreme ranks nodded in agreement, although Vexana and Ned were reluctant, they had no other option but toply, given how far they hade.

    Strangely, the area before them remained eerily silent, almost as if beckoning them to step into the darkness. But before anyone could move, Kyle raised his spear.

    "I can sense traps. Let me start the battle."

    The spear''s body gleamed as Kyle infused it with spiritual energy. Its tip sparkled with a powerful force, and swirling wind currents encircled its form, causing the surrounding air to tremble intensely.

    He whispered thest move of the spear art Hubert had taught to him.

    "Whirlwind Cataclysm."

    Just as the energy within the spear was about to erupt, he hurled it into the space ahead with all his might. Old Hal, Ronan, and Wesley''s eyes narrowed as the spear sliced through the silence. The instant it plunged into the ground, a destructive whirlwind burst forth from its

    core.

    The whirlwind unleashed by the spear immediately enveloped a vast radius and started causing chaos for everything and everyone caught within its path.

    The people from the dark side who were hiding in the vicinity, waiting for Kyle and his group to step into the traps they had set up, all cried out and swiftly attempted to flee from the furious whirlwind. In that chaos, Kyle''s voice echoed in the air.

    "Now, attack!"

    Upon hearing his voice, everyone turned towards his location, but he had already disappeared. Bia''s eyes narrowed as she gazed at the prism in the distance.

    "That''s my target! Let''s go!"

    She pped her wings, and golden mes danced around her body as she swiftly made her way into the dark area.

    At that moment, a supreme rank from the nightkin race emerged from the chaos and hurriedly extinguished the whirlwind. His crimson eyes quivered with anger.

    "You bunch of useless fools! All you had to do was to lead the nature''s favorite and the individuals with him into the traps, but you can''t even manage that!? Now stop hiding and attack the enemies!"

    Even though he was angry and yelling, deep down, he was actually freaking out!

    He had confirmed, just like many others, how easily the nature''s favorite had taken down the third shadow general. Now, that very nature''s favorite hade to battle him, how could he not panic!? His ghostly pale skin turned even paler, with beads of sweat dripping down his forehead.

    ''Those useless shadow generals! Why do I have to face an enemy they created!? I was enjoying a life of luxury in thisnd! My peace has been shattered!''

    His eyes dted, and he disappeared from his spot when Old Hal attacked him. In an instant, a fierce battle erupted in the sky between the two supreme ranks.

    Countless transcendent ranks and divine ranks from the dark side flew out from the distance, with another supreme rank from the dark race flying before them. The man pped his bat- like wings and shouted at the numerous people behind him.

    "Attack! End them! We outnumber them, and together we can easily defeat them-!"

    His speech got interrupted when he saw a kicking for his jaw. He hurriedly flew back, but Kyle reappeared behind him andnded a solid blow on his back, causing him to lose his bnce in mid-air.

    The man let out a surprised cry, but just as he was about to regain his bnce, Renon tightly seized his cor and flung his body skyward with a wicked smirk.

    "You are my opponent!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Ronan disappeared behind him, and the two began fighting under the dark sky.

    The air crackled when the dark energy shed with divine and spiritual energy, forming a stunning disy of light sparks shing through the dark curtain.

    Kyle''s silhouette streaked through one ce after another as he began to kill all the transcendent ranks within his reach.

    Wesley, Ned, and Vexana joined him. They were surprised when the people from the dark side started to scatter upon noticing that the two supreme ranks on their side were losing their battles in the sky.

    Wesley nced at Kyle''s figure, who suddenlynded next to his spear and yanked it out of the ground.

    "And here we all thought it would be a difficult battle for the seven of us against so many... but at this pace, I believe we can crush the dark side on the Sacred Divine Land within just a

    single day."

    He shook his head as a horde of people charged at him. A powerful force erupted from his body, sending them all flying.

    Wesley quickly eliminated the closest individuals before deftly navigating the area to avoid being surrounded by the multitude of people simultaneously.

    Witnessing the enemies fleeing, Ned and Vexana, too, grew confident. Their fighting style became fiercer and bolder.

    Kyle disappeared from his spot and materialized among a sea of divine and transcendent rank individuals. Instantly, the air around him trembled. His eyes turnedpletely white as the time in his vicinity slowed down under his control, causing everyone around him to slow

    down.

    His lips curled into a content smile as he employed instant teleportation numerous times to travel at a speed rivaling that of a peak supreme rank.

    Kyle hadn''t learned a lot about the natural timew, because the information Old Hal gave him was kinda useless.

    Currently, he could only tweak the time in his surroundings to slow down everything for a few seconds. However, he was confident he was making progress.

    Blood sttered through the air, echoing cries filled the scene as his spear pierced the bodies of many. Kyle wrinkled his nose in annoyance when he had to take the time to detach the souls from the bodies of the people he was eliminating.

    The flow of time around him resumed its usual rhythm as he paused at a distance, his spear deeply embedded in the body of a transcendent rank demon who was looking at him with

    terror-stricken eyes.

    Kyle kicked the man away.

    "That wasn''t bad. This time I managed to slow down time for five seconds."

    He nced at the individuals who were still alive flying around him. However, instead of facing him inbat, they all scattered in different directions to flee. He clicked his tongue and vanished behind them. There was no way he would let them escape!

    Wesley, who had just seen Kyle manipte the naturalw of time yet again in a single day,

    took a deep breath.

    "He''s getting better..."

    He murmured and vanished from his spot as a transcendent rank attempted to strike his left shoulder with an artifact.

    The old elf used his most powerful skill and destroyed arge area beneath him, causing the demise of many people in the process.

    The air quivered with the echoes of battle and myriad cries. The dark sky started to adopt a crimson tint due to the amount of blood flowing beneath it.

    Those from the dark side were plummeting at an astonishing speed, and every time a member of Kyle''s group faced danger, he stepped in to clear their surroundings.

    At the same time, in the distance, silently flying above the rectangr prism, Bia''s eyebrow

    twitched at the scene.

    The phoenix couldn''t believe how chaos had erupted in the area so effortlessly.

    After Old Hal started battling one of the supreme ranks, she took an alternate route to head

    straight for the rectangr prism to destroy it since Kyle gave her that job. She was fully

    prepared to confront anyone who tried to impede her progress! However, not a single individual came to fight her, let alone stop her!

    All of them were focused on Kyle and the others! Her imposing, majestic, and massive presence was ignored just like that!?

    -"Are the people from the dark side blind? Or do they simply not care about this prism!?"

    She fixed her solemn gaze on the prism and employed her golden mes upon it. -"Those bastards from the dark side! How dare they overlook my majestic presence! I will obliterate you to quell my fury!"

    The prism quivered as the phoenix screeched and began assaulting it from every angle.

 Chapter 684: So what if hes alive?

    Chapter 684: So what if he''s alive?

    ?

    Under the veil of the dark sky, Bia panted with a look of frustration, her eyes fixed on the numerous glistening shattered pieces of the prism strewn across the ground.

    -"Now I feel a tad better!"

    She nodded, a sense of contentment washing over her. After she shattered the prism, the dense dark energy enveloping the area began to slowly but surely dissipate. It didn''t vanishpletely, but with the device spreading the dark energy now broken, the malevolent energy that had been extending outward from this location to consume the divine energy ceased its advance.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Bia looked over at the chaotic battle happening in the distance. Many from the dark side were fleeing to save themselves, but she saw Kyle targeting those who were attempting to escape first.

    Her eyes paused on Ned and Vexana; the duo was breathing heavily and drenched in sweat from head to toe. Nevertheless, they didn''t stop fighting because they knew the enemies would overpower them if they did.

    -"But why do I feel like that their divine and spiritual energy is running low?"

    Bia''s eyes narrowed, but she shrugged it off. It''s not like she cared whether they survived or perished in this battle.

    Ned had be her foe when that man dyed everyone from reaching Kyle. So, why would she even bother about him or anyone linked to him?

    The phoenix tsked disapprovingly as she soared towards the battle.

    Her gaze sharpened at the many people from the dark side, who had ignored her up until now as if she didn''t exist.

    -"Hehe, I guess if they won''t face me, I will jump into the action myself!"

    She let out a loud cry, startling everyone engaged in the battle or trying to run away. Golden mes erupted from her wings to engulf everything before her. Kyle chuckled at the phoenix and disappeared from his location to appear above her figure.

    "You broke that prism? Good job."

    Bia gazed at him with a speechless expression. She knew he had extended his scent perception skill in this area to ensure no one from the dark side could escape alive under his watch. That''s why she was sure he would have sensed the moment she shattered the prism. Yet, he was still inquiring if she had broken it?

    Her eyes narrowed at him.

    -"Hey... Why do I feel like you''re overly excited? I know you enjoy fighting, but it''s rare to sense so much excitement from you. No, scratch that, it''s more like amusement. Why is that?"

    Kyle''s eyes crinkled at the phoenix''s words. He wasn''t surprised at all since she could sense a fraction of his emotions.

    Suddenly, he tossed the spear in his hand, and it trembled with powerful force before taking down a fleeing transcendent rank. Then he nced at Bia.

    "You noticed? It''s because I can feel someone''s eyes on us. A pair of eyes is silently watching our every move."

    His eyes were full of amusement as he abruptly looked up at the dark sky. The instant he did, the gaze he was feeling on himself vanished as if it never existed.

    Bia''s eyes widened at his words.

    -"What!? Someone''s watching us? But I can''t sense anyone!"

    A bad feeling crept up in her chest.

    -"Don''t tell me it''s Azaze-!"

    Her words got cut off by Kyle.

    "No, not him. I''m sure of that. His gaze is always empty, and there''s no way I could feel his stare with my current strength. The gaze watching us is unfamiliar. It showed up when we started fighting in this ce. I could sense a clear threat from it. So I am sure it''s belongs to an enemy."

    Bia''s frustration reached its peak, and she let out an exasperated sigh at him.

    -"Why do your enemies keep multiplying? Isn''t the dark side enough? I feel like I would die young alongside you one day!"

    Suddenly, she recalled something.

    -"Wait, you''re not young, considering the years you spent in the No Mana Land-!"

    Kyle vanished before she could finish her words, prompting a chuckle from her.

    - "I never realized you had turned so much older! How old are you anyway?"

    Bia''s loud voice echoed through the air as she maneuvered between the enemies with golden mes dancing around her body.

    -"Forty? Fifty? Hold on, you spent roughly forty years in the No Mana Land... Wow, you''re really ancient!"

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched. This phoenix! He hadn''t aged that much, okay!

    The time inside the No Mana Land was different from the outside world. One year outside was equivalent to ten years in thatnd, so he had actually only spent around four years in thatnd!

    Bia''s loudughter echoed in the air. She could sense clear annoyanceing from Kyle, who asked her to quiet down and focus on the enemies. Finally, she found something to get on his nerves! She should definitely share this with the others when she meets them to double the fun!

    ....

    While they shed with their foes, in a distant location, a pair of intense azure eyes snapped open with pure fury swirling within them. These very eyes were the ones Kyle had felt watching them. And the eyes belonged to none other than the first shadow general, Damien. The man rose from where he was seated and nced at the countless skeletons scattered all around him.

    "That human is dangerous. I need to eliminate him before he bes an even bigger threat. But I can''t leave this location for the time being since Elizabeth and the other elders might be searching for me to finish me off, especially now that James has wounded me again."

    He couldn''t leave and because of this very reason he sent two supreme ranks to hunt down the nature''s favorite, but who would have thought he would receive news that both of the supreme ranks he sent had perished at the hands of Kyle.

    "I wonder how Samara slipped away from his clutches? She has grown powerful, and if she had not informed me about the two supreme rank humans'' failure, I would still be clueless

    about it."

    Damien gazed at the sky, the majestic crest atop his head shimmered as the sky started to transform under his control. His sculpted and muscr form contrasted sharply with the grey shirt and dark breeches he wore.

    "It''s strange. Why hasn''t master summoned us all to meet him yet? Could it be that he is disappointed since none of us found a single Celestial spirit in his absence?"

    His azure eyes turned solemn. Azazeal woke up a few years back. But instead of making his army strong, he vanished.

    Damien chuckled at his thoughts. Azazeal never cared about the people on his side. All that man ever wanted was to obtain all the Celestial spirits and break all the seals blocking the

    path beyond this universe.

    "Seals blocking the path beyond this universe... or should I say seals guarding the realm designated for the dead?"

    Among all the shadow generals, only he and Ceano knew the true contents of the seals they were shattering. On the other side, amidst those striving to safeguard the seals from being breached, only James and Odiak were aware of this fact, thanks to the universe''s will, which had been interfering with Azazeal''s ns to keep the realm for the dead in this universe

    closed.

    "The third shadow general has fallen. Suddenly, now I feel that the future for our side has be more challenging. At first, I believed victory woulde easily, but things have be quiteplicated. If only master hadn''t fallen asleep for so long, we would have already conquered this whole universe."

    He closed his eyes and remembered the first time he met his master, Azazeal.

    The first thing he recalled were his empty eyes. He was seated on a throne made of dark energy, with a nonchnt expression, gazing down at everything below as if he could obliterate it all in an instant.

    "I was drawn to that power... he held in his gaze alone. However, that very gaze felt so empty,

    so detached. You promised me and Ceano that you would assist us in attaining the true

    Celestial rank if we served you."

    "Never forget your words. After all, I betrayed my own kind for that power."

    Damienughed out loud at his words and recalled the water dragon race, his race. It was

    renowned as the mightiest race in the universe after the blessed race. It was he who brought an end to that race to im the title of the first shadow general.

    "I wonder if Hubert is still alive? He was stronger than me before I turned to the dark side,

    and among our whole race, he was the most resilient-!"

    His words were interrupted when a voice sounded behind him.

    "So what if he''s alive?"

    Damien jerked his head back, only to be met with a familiar pair of golden eyes staring at him

    with a raised brow.

    It was a young man in arge robe with peach-colored hair, styled in a high ponytail that

    flowed down his back.

    "Ceano? Well, I am not surprised since it was about time you show up."

 Chapter 685: Dont tell me he left?

    Chapter 685: Don''t tell me he left?

    ?

    Under the dark sky, saturated with the pungent scent of blood, Kyle''s breathless form darted amidst the chaos. Ronan and Old Hal had also joined Wesley and the others after defeating their opponents.

    Even though they were close to victory, every single one of them was so worn out that they could copse from exhaustion at any moment. And to make matters worse, neither they nor the folks from the dark side could leave the area as Kyle, that bastard, had drawn an array to seal it off entirely!

    While no one noticed when amidst the battle Kyle sketched the array, they all saw as he pulled out many treasures from his mind space. The instant he brought out the treasures, they disintegrated into particles, and a massive shield emerged from the ground to enclose everyone inside.

    Ronan kicked aside a divine-rank demon trying to w at his back with a grave and frustrated expression. Despite his trembling hands and legs from exhaustion, he knew he couldn''t afford to stop fighting.

    "By the stars! I swear after this all ends, I will never fight alongside Kyle!"

    The people from the dark side, who initially wanted to escape to save themselves, had now shifted to desperate measures.

    With all escape routes sealed off by Kyle, the only choice they had now was to face the enemies head-on. Ronan could see that many of them had epted their fate and were striving to bring down an enemy with them if they were bound to die.

    He gritted his teeth and shielded his upper body with his arms when a few individuals attacked him simultaneously.

    Normally, he could effortlessly eliminate many divine and transcendent opponents, but currently, his spiritual and divine energy were running low. Moreover, his body was overwhelmed with exhaustion!

    In an instant, a surge of power exploded from his body, sending the people around him flying. He nced at the others. Both Ned and Vexana were clinging to Bia''s feet, looking like they would faint any second. Wesley and Old Hal were in no better condition than him.

    "There are still fifty or so enemies alive. At this rate, we all are going to copse from exhaustion. Should I use an artifact?"

    He pondered as he fought against the people around him and was ready to use one of the powerful artifacts he possessed, but his eyes widened when suddenly a faint feeling of dread crept into his chest. Ronan wasn''t affected by it much, but everyone attacking him froze in their spots and began trembling with horrified eyes.

    "Huh...?"

    He darted his eyes around and observed that every living person from the dark side in the area had frozen in their tracks. Their eyes bore nothing but fear, as though they were sensing something truly dreadful.

    Wesley and Old Hal, too, stopped momentarily, surprised by the sudden turn of events. They quickly took out the people in their vicinity while scanning around to find Kyle, who had once again vanished.

    "What''s going on?"

    Ronan''s words had barely faded when Bia''s furious voice echoed in the sky.

    -"Bastard! If you could use fear skill to halt all the enemies from the start, why the hell didn''t you employ it earlier!?"

    Immediately, everyone knew who the phoenix was referring to. Their eyes filled with a mix of speechlessness and anger, emotions they couldn''t release.

    So, Kyle possessed a skill that could instill fear in others'' hearts? Yet, he refrained from using that powerful skill until now!

    Even though he could clearly see all of them grappling with such suffering!

    Ronan and the others scanned the area to find the human, but they couldn''t discern his

    whereabouts. They extended their senses, yet they couldn''t detect Kyle.

    Old Hal rubbed his forehead and nced at the two supreme ranks around him.

    "Let''s deal with the remaining enemies first, then we can search for him."

    Wesley and Ronan agreed with him. With the remaining individuals from the dark side under Kyle''s fear skill, they could eliminate them swiftly without much resistance.

    Bia grumbled under her breath, silently cursing Kyle. Some of her feathers were soaked in blood, not her own but from the enemies she had eliminated. She was in her phoenix form, but keeping that form was getting more and more challenging with each passing second.

    She abruptly turned her cold gaze towards the two individuals clinging to her feet and, with a furious shout, forcefully tossed them away from her body.

    -"Ugh, I only let you two cling to me because you were getting in the way of my mes! Yet, both of you decided to make yourselves at home here, huh?"

    Ned cursed under his breath and quickly steadied himself in mid-air. Vexana also swiftly regained her bnce.

    The duo nced at the phoenix and understood she was directing the anger she harbored towards Kyle onto them. But they knew they couldn''t argue with her in their current condition because if they did, they would be the ones suffering in the end.

    Bia noticed their gaze and red at them. She was all set to get into a fight with the duo to show them just who had the upper hand right now but stopped when a familiar voice echoed

    in her head.

    ''Don''t start a fight. We''re leaving. Let the supreme ranks deal with what''s left.''

    Bia snickered at the duo.

    "You two, count yourself lucky."

    Her words had barely faded when a massive portal light up above her. She pped her wings and swiftly entered the portal, which disintegrated into particles under Ned and Vexana''s

    astonished eyes.

    Ronan halted in his tracks when he saw Bia''s figure vanishing into the portal. He eliminated another of the living individuals from the dark race, all currently under Kyle''s fear skill, and

    looked up at the sky.

    "Don''t tell me he left?"

    Old Hal swiftly dealt with the enemies around him and began searching for Kyle.

    "No, he can''t just suddenly disappear on me! I followed him to bring him to the war! I can''t go back if he didn''t go back with me!"

    Wesley chuckled at him.

    "Did he agree to go with you? I just remember he wanted to rid thisnd of every person from

    the dark side."

    Old Hal furrowed his brows. Now that Wesley mentioned it, he remembered that Kyle never explicitly agreed to go with him and join the war. Kyle had only mentioned he would consider it if Old Hal assisted him in aplishing his own goals.

    "That''s little something!"

    His entire body was overwhelmed with exhaustion, yet there were still some folks from the

    dark side alive in the area.

    Moreover, they needed to clear the battlefield, which was strewn with dead bodies and blood. Otherwise, the bodies would decay and harm thend.

    Old Hal clenched his fists and quickly shouted at Ronan and Wesley.

    "I need to find Kyle! His fear skill is still affecting the enemies, which means he hasn''t gone far. Hurry up and finish off the remaining people from the dark side!"

    Ronan and Wesley exchanged nces. They were sure Old Hal would never find Kyle since he

    had left on his own. But they didn''t shatter the old man''s hope, and in a short amount of time, together with Old Hal, they eliminated the remaining people from the dark side in the

    vicinity.

    Wesley slumped onto a boulder, stained with blood, yet it was the cleanest spot in the vicinity. Ronan sat beside him, trying his best to calm his breathing.

    Suddenly, a sigh slipped from Wesley as he gazed at the dark sky. The shield that Kyle had

    crafted earlier with the help of an array was dispersing into brilliant particles above the devastation where they were seated.

    "I can''t believe... we actually eliminated every being from the dark side in thisnd. It''s all

    thanks to that crazy human."

    Ronan agreed with him.

    "It sounds so simple now that we have seeded in such a short amount of time. But if it were that easy, someone else would have aplished it long ago."

    The duo had not even calmed their breathing when Old Hal asked them to clean the aftermath

    of the battle. The old man looked exhausted, but he dragged Vexana and Ned with him to find

    Kyle.

    Ronan nced at the old man''s fading figure with a speechless expression.

    "We aren''t even getting anything in return. So, why do we need to clean up the mess? Screw it, I''m not doing it! I''m too exhausted and can''t even move a finger right now!"

    He copsed onto the boulder, only to jolt back up in the next second when the stench of blood assaulted his nose.

    "Darn it! Couldn''t Kyle just use his mes to clean this ce before disappearing??"

    Wesley nced at him.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Let''s rest for a bit. Then we can clean this ce because we can''t leave it like this."

    The duo rested for a while and after regaining their divine and spiritual energy, they began cleaning the area. Completely unaware that a bit of distance away from the area, inside one of the many structures that the dark side had established around the rectangr prism, Kyle and Bia were both sleeping peacefully surrounded by a presence concealing array.

 Chapter 686 Hey, are you tipsy?

    686 Hey, are you tipsy?

    In the sacred divinend, the sky above the battleground where Kyle and others shed with the individuals from the dark side was getting brighter by the second because the dark energy in the atmosphere was slowly getting cleansed by the nature.

    In the midst of the ruins, Wesley''s exhausted figure drifted towards a nearby boulder where Ronan sat. After a long day, they had finally cleared all the dead bodies in the area. Right now, all they desired was to return to their to rest.

    Ronan nced at the old elf who sat down beside him and took out a flying ship from his mind space. In their current state, they definitely can''t fly towards their.

    They could draw a teleportation array, but they weren''t proficient with arrays and knew it would take another day to finish it. So, it was better for them to use a flying ship.

    Wesley trudged his tired body towards the massive ship adorned with intricate leaf patterns and a majestic tree at the bow, with Ronan trailing close behind him.

    They both decided to activate the presence-concealing artifact in the ship to make it invisible and rest during their journey back. However, as they ascended the ship via the stairs that descended from above, another yawning figure, surrounded by numerous sparkling symbols, strolled towards the ship from a distance.

    Kyle nced at the ship with droopy eyes. The loose white shirt he wore over trousers waspletely clean but wrinkled.

    He carefully ced the sleeping crimson bird in his hands above his head.

    Then, a portal materialized in front of him, and in the next moment, he was leisurely climbing the stairs of the ship. The symbols gleaming around his form entirely masked his and Bia''s presence as he arrived on the ship and scanned his surroundings.

    The stairs disappeared behind him. Kyle spotted Wesley and Ronan''s figures in the distance. They were starting the ship with an artifact rather than their strength. He looked back at the section of the ship that housed rooms and casually chose one.

    He was pleased when he saw that he had picked quite a luxurious room for himself.

    The room featured a spacious bed in the center, apanied by several chairs in one corner surrounding a table. He ced Bia on a pillow, then swiftly nestled under the nket and went back to sleep.

    Outside the room, Ronan, who was tinkering with the artifact, suddenly nced back with furrowed brows.

    "Did I make a mistake?"

    Wesley followed his gaze as the ship started to ascend into the sky.

    "You noticed too? I didn''t sense anyone, but I had this feeling like someone just walked by behind us... Strange."

    They both gave each other a solemn look and swiftly extended their senses, yet even after a minute, they couldn''t detect anyone on the ship, let alone around it.

    Ronan even proceeded to check a few rooms. In the end, he found no one and nced back at Wesley.

    "I suppose it''s because we''re tired."

    Wesley nodded at him and after entering the coordinates of their destination into the artifact operating the ship, they each chose a room and went to rest. They didn''t sleep; instead, they began meditating.

    The instant the ship departed from the Sacred Divine Land, Kyle''s eyes snapped open. His body felt like it was wrapped in a warm embrace as a familiar yet foreign energy flowed through him.

    "Mana..."

    Kyle blinked his eyes to regain his focus and directed the mana entering his body to flow inside him like a gentle stream. It had been a while since hest used mana.

    After leaving the No Mana Land, his body did absorb mana, but when he stepped into the Sacred Divine Land, it was also devoid of mana. This scenario caused his mana stat to stay stagnant for so long.

    "It was about time for my mana state to advance. Even though mana is weaker than divine and spiritual energy, in the end, it''s still a form of natural energy."

    He sat on the bed and started absorbing mana from the surroundings. He couldn''t help but notice how easily the amount of mana his body could hold increased.

    It was no surprise, given that his body had be significantly stronger than when he was only at the divine rank. After a while, Kyle nced at the image disying his stats from the corners of his eyes.

    ________

    Name: Kyle

    Race: Human/Semi Celestial

    Bloodline: Celestial

    Soul rank: Supreme-rank (Initial stage)

    Rank: Trancendent (Last stage)

    stats:

    Strength: Supreme-rank (Middle stage)

    Mana: Trancendent-rank (Initial stage)

    Divine energy: Trancendent-rank (Middle stage)

    Spiritual energy: Supreme-rank (Initial stage)

    Agility: Supreme-rank (Middle stage)

    Talent: Celestial

    Luck: S+

    Unique ability; Nature''s favorite.

    Unlocked due to (S+)-Rank luck.

    Skills;

    .....

    ________

    Kyle closed his eyes and sensed he was on the verge of reaching the supreme rank.

    He had already realized that his strength operated differently from others. So, he wasn''t surprised when he saw almost all his stats were higher than his true rank.

    "I can break through if I consume a few powerful treasures, but it''s not beneficial right now to move to the next rank."

    He slumped back onto the bed. He hadn''t extended his senses and scent perception skill to avoid alerting Wesley and Ronan, so he was feeling a bit off. After all, he always kept an eye on his surroundings.

    "It''s too peaceful... Regardless, I will advance to the next rank when all my stats have reached the peak of the supreme rank. This way, I can ascend straight to the peak of the supreme rank."

    Kyle had just shut his eyes, intending to drift back into sleep. Thoughts could wait.

    But at that moment, themunication crystal buzzed in his mind space. He sighed and ignored it. After all, who else but Alec and the others would be reaching out?

    In thest two weeks, the group had reached out to him many times. He answered a few to chat with Yue and assure her of his well-being. But mostly he disregarded the rest.

    He let out a groan when the buzzing persisted and nced at Bia who had been sleeping like a log from the moment they were done with the battle.

    "...."

    His life just had to be so difficult. He quickly grabbed themunication crystal from his mind space, prepared to silence it if it was Alec, Nine, or anyone else.

    However, upon hearing Yue''s familiar voice, he promptly sat up on the bed.

    "Are you still in the Sacred Divine Land?"

    Kyle rested his hand beneath his chin, a faint smile ying on his lips as he picked up on the worry in her voice.

    "Perhaps I am, perhaps I am not. Do you want to see me? If you do, you know, I cane to the elven to see you."

    There was silence on the other side. Kyle let out a silent chuckle because he was certain Yue was speechless at his words.

    Then he heard a faint voice, a sound he would never have picked up if his hearing sense wasn''t so sharp.

    "You say you cane see me if I want, but I know you won''t since you always do whatever you want."

    Kyle raised an eyebrow. The way she put it, he could practically feel her frustration and a tinge of resignation, as if she had knew that he wouldn''t make the effort toe.

    "Really? Well, what if I showed up before you this very moment? Wouldn''t your words be falsely using me then?"

    Yue giggled heartily at his words.

    "Right this moment? ording to yourmunication crystal''s location, you are quite a distance away from me. So how do you n to show up before me instantly? Just keep doing what you are doing, and when you are done, we can meet."

    Kyle furrowed his brows. She was right. He had just left the Sacred Divine Land not long ago and was currently on the ship. It would indeed take him some time to reach her. But that didn''t mean he couldn''t get to her instantly. He could always draw an array and use instant teleportation...

    Did she maybe overlook these facts? No, that didn''t seem possible.

    It was only then that Kyle noticed Yue''s speech was a bit faster than usual, and she sounded more cheerful.

    "Hey, are you tipsy?"

    Instantly, a response came.

    "No, I''m not!"

    Kyle rose from the bed with a shake of his head. From her voice, it was evident she wasn''t in danger, but he couldn''t leave her alone if she was truly drunk.

    "Just how did you manage to get tipsy as a transcendent rank? What did the elves give you to drink? Or did you identally consume something?"

    He let out a chuckle when he heard her grumbling in an annoyed tone.

    "I told you I''m not! Alright!"

    Suddenly, a mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes as he lowered his voice.

    "I trust you, but if I were to show up in front of you right now, how about you marry me in return? How does that sound?"

    There was total silence, and Kyle had to make sure themunication crystal connection wasn''t lost. He did say something unexpected, but if Yue was truly tipsy, he was sure she would agree without much thought. He was right on the mark when he heard a faint response.

    "Okay..."

    Kyle chuckled and vanished from his spot. Bia, who had woken up due to the sound of chatter, gazed at the spot where he had stood just a second ago with a speechless and utterly incredulous look in her eyes.

    -"Did that bastard forget about me!?" N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 687 Why did his hair lost their brilliance?

    687 Why did his hair lost their brilliance?

    On the elven known as Luminara, renowned due to the massive and extensive Tree of Fate that covered almost half of the''s terrain. The sky was cloaked in dark clouds, yet the moon between the clouds bathed the towering Tree of Fate in its radiant glow as its branches swayed with the wind.

    Below the tree, amidst the winding paths and quaint wooden abodes aglow with the soft light ofmps and glowing stones, the merry chatter of many elves filled the air.

    Many of the elves were talking about the group of individuals that had arrived on their a little over two weeks ago.

    They were discussing how these neers had begun aiding the elves by battling the demons who had taken over a portion of their and had previously caused harm to the Tree of Fate. The talk about the silver-haired human who purified the dark energy from the Tree of Fate was sometimes mentioned, but since that very human took the Fruit of Fate, which should have belonged to their race, many chose not to talk about him much.

    Today, the elves were rejoicing because a few days ago, their race had sessfully defeated numerous demons. The group of individuals who had recentlye to their helped, but their powerful warriors also yed a crucial role in the victory.

    In the middle of the lively atmosphere, inside arge restaurant, many female and male elves were enjoying the elves'' special drinks and dishes, but they all shared amon feature �� the emblem on their clothing disying a graceful tree with intricate branches and leaves.

    Alec, Nine, Carcel, Sinon, Jian, Regius, and Asher were seated at a table in the bustling restaurant lobby, where many servers were busy serving food and drinks. The one who blinked first would have to foot the bill.

    Susan and Yon were seated at a nearby table with Mia, Lara, and Elli, whom they had met on the elven.

    Zron had vanished a week ago, and they had no clue where the old dwarf had gone. They were just hoping the old man hadn''t started stealing things from the elves.

    Meanwhile, Yue was seated at a table by the window, with Nox dozing on the table. She was looking at the moon through the window with a flushed face. Her hand held amunication crystal tightly.

    All of them also donned clothing adorned with an emblem depicting the graceful tree with intricate branches and leaves. And the reason; when the group reached the elven via the portal Kyle created, they tried to conceal themselves, but the Tree of Fate exposed their whereabouts to the elves.

    The elven Queen herself arrived to find out just who they were, and they were promptly put into confinement, except for Yue, as the elven Queen was familiar with her.

    However, fortunately, before the ones confined could escape and cause a scene on the elven, Ronan contacted the elven Queen, and they were released. The elderly elf who freed them told them that they were wee to stay on the elven for as long as they wished.

    Ultimately, to repay the favor, the group decided to actively help the elven warriors battling the people of the demon race who had seized a part of their.

    A few days back, the group, along with numerous other elves, had sessfully triumphed over many demons. They had just returned today after clearing the area where the battle took ce, and the fellow elves suggested they visit this famous restaurant on their, exclusively reserved for the wealthy elves.

    Alec and the others had assumed the food and drinks at this restaurant wouldn''t be too expensive given their massive wealth.

    However, they were shocked when the servers informed them that even the most affordable bottle of wine here cost at least a thousand mana stones, something the group currentlycked.

    Despite the substantial bill, they didn''t argue with the elven servers because the drinks in the restaurant were truly powerful.

    They could easily intoxicate even the supreme-rank individuals.

    Alec, Nine, Carcel, Sinon, Jian, Regius, and Asher could easily convert one of the many treasures they had into mana stones at the restaurant, but they simply did not want to.

    Obviously, they could not let thedies in their group pay, nor could they allow the two old men with them to do so.

    So, one of them had to handle the bill!

    That''s why they decided the first one to blink would pay the bill. However, it''s been nearly half an hour, and none of them had blinked even once. It was no surprise; with their strength, they could easily go without blinking for days if they wanted to.

    Nine mmed his hand on the table with a frustrated expression. Then he pointed his finger at Alec''s nose with narrowed eyes.

    "You pay the bill. I know you are the richest among us all. I am tired and feeling tipsy due to all the drinks I have consumed."

    Alec''s eyes widened slightly, and he shook his head with a serious look.

    "No way. You keep doing this to me. I still haven''t forgotten the time when we went to a restaurant together for the first time. You, Carcel, and Kyle all dashed off after eating, leaving me to cover the bill! At that time, I wasn''t even well-off! Just simply take out a treasure from your mind space and use it. Why is everyone being so stubborn?"

    As Nine and Alec engaged in a heated discussion, Jian intervened with a serious expression on his face.

    "Let me rify something. It''s not Alec who is the wealthiest among us. It''s me."

    11:05

    He pointed confidently at himself. Undoubtedly, he was the wealthiest in the group since he had gathered numerous divine rank herbs in the Lost Treasure Tomb, all thanks to Kyle who shared the location of the herbs with him.

    Instantly, all eyes turned to the red-haired man, and Sinon smirked at him.

    "Then, you pay. It''s decided!"

    Jian''s expression deadpanned.

    "I was joking. I am poor."

    He turned his gaze away before anyone else asked him to pay the bill. But then he saw a figure approaching Yue in the distance.

    "Who''s that?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Alec and the others followed his gaze, they furrowed their brows as theyid eyes on the back of a dark-haired man who casually pulled out the chair opposite Yue and sat down in front of her. The unkown man wore a crumpled shirt, and his disheveled hair indicated he had just rolled out of bed.

    None of them could sense the man''s rank, but all of them were shocked beyond words when that jerk leaned in to touch Yue! To make matters even worse, Yue startedughing at him with a flushed face!

    Asher blinked a few times, unsure of what to make of the scene he was seeing.

    Suddenly, Nine stood up with a dark and angry expression. It was evident from Yue''s face that she was drunk! How dare that bastard hit on her in front of all of them!

    Nine cracked his knuckles.

    "Whoever that person is, I reckon he will be paying the bill after I give him a beating!"

    Alec and the others stood up too. They weren''t sure how strong the man was, but they believed together they could give him a good lesson! They left their table and made their way over to Yue and the man.

    Mia, Elli, and Lara were also surprised. Along with Yon and Susan, they nned to follow Alec and the others, but then out of the blue, Nox jumped onto their table.

    The lynx grumbled under his breath. His sleep was disrupted by an unexpected visitor, and he had to leave Yue''s side.

    Nox clicked his tongue with annoyance and cast a nce at Mia and the others.

    "No need to worry. It''s him."

    The threedies and two old man around him were caught off guard by his words. They understood what he meant. With a chuckle, Mia settled back into her seat.

    "That surprised me. But what happened to his hair? Why did they lose their brilliance?"

    Lara nced at the ck-haired man. He was sitting in a way that they couldn''t see his face, only his back.

    Additionally, hecked presence, and even his rank was concealed. So, it was actually challenging for them to recognize him.

    "Did something happen in the Sacred Divine Land that harmed him in some way?"

    She murmured under her breath with a solemn look. Mia and Elli were also puzzled about why Kyle''s hair suddenly turned dark.

    Susan nced at the dark-haired man and narrowed his eyes with a thoughtful look.

    On the blue, he had sensed the powerful essence in Kyle''s body. Now, a sudden thought crossed his mind: perhaps that powerful essence in Kyle''s body was what caused his hair to turn dark?

 Chapter 688 You dont want to clear up the misunderstanding?

    688 You don''t want to clear up the misunderstanding?

    Not long ago, Kyle''s eyes gleamed as he used instant teleportation without pause. He was astonished since he only needed to use the skill thrice, ensuring he locked onto Yue''s precise location as his destination. In a moment, he found himself in a bustling restaurant teeming with elves.

    He felt many eyes on him and sensed an aura of power emanating from everyone in the restaurant. Nevertheless, his attention remained fixed on the elven woman seated at the table beside the window.

    She was gazing at the moon through the window with a flushed yet calm face. Themunication crystal she held hadn''t lost connection yet, but she had fallen silent.

    Disregarding the many eyes on him, Kyle approached her table and pulled over the chair opposite her before sitting down with a smile on his face. Yue was startled when suddenly someone sat before her, but her eyes widened when she saw his face.

    Kyle tilted his head and tapped the table lightly to bring her back from her daze.

    "So, you gonna keep your words, right?"

    Yue''s face flushed even more as she remembered their earlier conversation.

    "You... how did you get here so quickly? I thought you were very far..."

    She quickly nced at the crystal in her hands, convinced she had just picked up Kyle''s location through it a few seconds ago, and he was definitely far away.

    Kyle chuckled as he watched her hastily checking themunication crystal.

    "You imed you''re sober, but those fumbling hands tell a different story. Plus, don''t forget I can simply conjure a portal to appear in front of you since I can track your location through the mark I ced on you."

    She wanted to argue that she wasn''t drunk, but before she could, Kyle leaned in on the table and pinched her nose.

    "Don''t lie. Besides, it''s too loud here. Let''s leave here and find a quieter spot."

    His other hand identally brushed against one of Nox''s horns, startling the lynx out of his sleep. Nox caught sight of Kyle''s face and left the table with an annoyed look.

    ''Why does my sleep always get ruined whenever he''s around? I don''t dislike him, but he''s annoying just like Bia.''

    Nox paused and looked back to find the phoenix. If Kyle had made it to the elven, she should have too, but his mood soured even more when he didn''t spot her.

    ''Where is she? Well, it''s not like I care!''

    He grumbled under his breath and quickly made his way towards Mia and the otherdies. Kyle nced at the lynx''s figure.

    "He has be more powerful..."

    Yue pushed his hand away from her face with an annoyed expression. Nevertheless, she still responded to him.

    "He got stronger after consuming the fruit you provided everyone."

    Kyle hummed and reclined in his chair, fixing his gaze upon her with intensity, causing her to look away.

    His eyes absorbed every feature of the woman sitting before him: her amber eyes with a hint of coral, her long honey-colored hair cascading over her shoulders.

    She wore a flowing robe embellished with an emblem depicting a graceful tree with intricate branches and leaves.

    "You look stunning as always."

    Yue''s face flushed even deeper. The crimson hue spread towards her neck as she red at him.

    "You! Don''t you realize everyone around us can hear you since they are all powerful?"

    Kyle blinked, looking puzzled. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "So? I''m not saying anything untrue."

    His eyes crinkled as Yue rolled her eyes at him, and he cleared his throat.

    "Well... now that I''m right here in front of you. I have held up my end of the deal, so it''s your turn to keep your promise. We could have a wedding beneath the Tree of Fate. That idea isn''t bad at all. It''s been on my mind for a while now-!"

    His words were cut off by a hand that gripped his shoulder tightly. Then, a familiar yet angry voice echoed behind him.

    "You really do have some nerve, huh? Flirting in front of so many people, and with none other than someone whose partner could easily put an end to your entire existence alongside your family."

    Nine red daggers at his head. The moment Nine, Alec, and the others took action against the unknown man who had just appeared in the restaurant, every single person surrounding them fell silent. The bustling atmosphere quieted down, and all the elves who had been keeping an eye on Kyle were prepared to ensure the situation didn''t escte if Nine and his group indeed began to confront the unknown man.

    Sinon advanced and grasped Kyle''s opposite shoulder while waving at Yue.

    "Don''t worry Yue; we will deal with this man and guarantee he never dares to gaze at a woman again in his life."

    Yue caught Kyle''s gaze mid-air, observing the speechless expression in his eyes. His mischievous demeanor had faded, reced by clear annoyance. Her lips briefly curled upward into a smile, but then she quickly adopted a serious stance.

    "Oh, okay."

    Kyle suppressed a chuckle at her words. Does she want the others to beat him up? He removed the array he had previously set up around himself and Yue to prevent their conversation from being heard by others.

    "Really? You don''t want to clear up the misunderstanding? That''s unexpected."

    Nine, who finally caught his voice, narrowed his eyes with a serious gaze. Why does this man sound so familiar?

    He nced behind to find Alec and the others who should have been standing behind him but saw no one except Sinon, who had grabbed Kyle''s other shoulder.

    "Where did the others disappear to-!"

    His words faded mid-way when the man whose shoulder he was holding, the very man he wanted to beat up, suddenly raised his head to meet his gaze.

    "Haha..."

    Nine let out a wryugh at the familiar pair of green eyes staring at him with amusement dancing within them.

    "It''s you...?"

    He swiftly released Kyle''s shoulder. Sinon followed suit. The pair scanned the area and noticed Alec and the rest had long returned to their table, engaged in conversation as if they had never gone to confront the dark-haired man who was flirting with Yue.

    "Those scoundrels..."

    Nine cursed under his breath, a tad irritated but nheless d to see Kyle again. His eyes shed with a smile, and he wanted to sit beside Kyle to inquire about why his hair had suddenly changed color. However, an old memory suddenly shed in his mind.

    "Huh...?"

    He stared dazedly at Kyle. The familiar dark hair... He knew Kyle originally had dark hair in the past. But he had also seen a future version of Kyle with dark hair, the one who told him the dark contracts'' location.

    Nine recalled the emotionless stare of the future Kyle who gazed at him as if he were already dead, and a sense of foreboding rose in his chest. He snapped out of his thoughts when Kyle rose to his feet.

    "I will pay the bill. I know you all were fighting over it. Enjoy. I will leave with Yue."

    Kyle shook his head at him and the others who cheered in the distance upon hearing his words. He signaled a nearby server and inquired about the bill.

    The middle-aged elven man scrutinized him from head to toe, as if etching his face into memory, and told him of the total amount due. Kyle was taken aback by the sum.

    "Just how much did you all eat?"

    Sinon chuckled at his words.

    "Not food, the drinks here are pricey."

    Kyle gave him a baffled look, then grabbed a storage ring from his mind space filled with mana stones before handing it to the server, who bowed and left them alone.

    He looked at Yue and reached out his hand toward her when she stood up.

    "Come with me."

    But then, his eyes narrowed abruptly, and he swiftly evaded Nine''s touch when thetter attempted to make contact.

    "What was that sensation just now?"

    Nine''s hand halted in mid-air. He stared at Kyle for a while and then withdrew his hand. Right now, many eyes were watching them. He actually wanted to employ his spiritual gaze on Kyle to glimpse into the man''s future. But it appears he can''t for now.

    "I forget you don''t remember anything."

    Kyle touched his neck. He felt a weird vibe from Nine all of a sudden, as if the man was trying to peek into his soul. Kyle furrowed his brows at him.

    "Next time, give me a heads up before doing anything strange."

    Nine nodded and rubbed his fingers. Kyle noticed the swirling golden threads in Nine''s eyes but didn''t ask anything and left with Yue. Sinon nced at Nine when he saw the solemn look on his face.

    "What happened? I thought you would be d to see Kyle back in one piece. Why are you wearing such a serious face?"

    Nine hummed. He let out a smile and swiftly changed the subject.

    "Nothing. Let''s have some fun for a bit and then leave since Kyle took care of the bill."

 Chapter 689 So, it really is Kyle?

    689 So, it really is Kyle?

    Inside a study room, before a round table scattered with papers, the elven Queen, dressed in a beautiful, elegant robe, stood. She was scrutinizing the papers on the table one by one. Her gaze lingered on a sheet filled with symbols she had been trying to decipher when suddenly, another female figure materialized behind her.

    "What happened?"

    The Queen didn''t turn around since she recognized the presence behind her. It was her shadow. The white-haired woman behind her moved closer.

    "I saw a new face with the group."

    The Queen''s hand paused, and she nced back with a calm expression.

    "A new face with Yue''s group? Is he the nature''s favorite, the one who killed the third shadow general?" N?v(el)B\\jnn

    However, the white-haired woman shook her head with a sigh.

    "I''m not sure since I couldn''t see his face because he left the area with Yue. But his hair was dark, not silver. I can''t confirm if he is Kyle, the one who took the fruit of fate."

    The Queen nodded. She had ascertained that the nature''s favorite and the individual who took the fruit of fate were one and the same from Ronan''s description of Kyle.

    "Leave it. We will figure out if the new face is Kyle or not when Ronan and Wesley get in touch with me or return to the. My only concern is that if that person is indeed Kyle, his presence might attract the dark side''s attention towards us."

    The white-haired woman nodded and disappeared into the shadows.

    The Queen nced at the papers strewn across the table and disappeared from the study. She reappeared under the dark sky to look at the Tree of Fate. Her eyes narrowed as she detected a trace of joy in the air surrounding the tree branches.

    "So, it really is Kyle. Otherwise, why would you be so joyful? Why do you even favor him? Is it because he''s unique?"

    All she got in return was silence. She nced down to observe the people of her race. It was peaceful, too peaceful.

    Nearly every elf under the Tree of Fate was reveling in the joyous atmosphere, and the area was vibrant with festivities.

    But she couldn''t shake the feeling of unease, like it was the quiet before a storm, and she felt her shadow had also picked up on something majoring, something that could threaten her race.

    "He is the source of your joy, but it would be better if he and those associated with him leave this as soon as possible."

    .....

    At the same time, beneath the Tree of Fate, amidst a cluster of small wooden houses, Kyle stood before Yue, holding her hands.

    His deep gaze locked onto hers as he rested his forehead against hers.

    "So, now it''s just us. Let''s pick up from where we left off."

    She giggled. The branches of the Tree of Fate swayed around them, and suddenly, tiny flowers made of spiritual energy began to bloom around them. Kyle nced at the soft brightness twinkling around them. A hint of speechlessness crossed his eyes when he saw the bright spiritual energy behind Yue forming words in the air.

    ["Don''t forget I am here."]

    "..."

    He stepped back with furrowed brows. He really should have uprooted this tree after he took the Fruit of Fate. As if sensing his thoughts, the spiritual energy behind Yue began to form words once more.

    ["Ungrateful, aren''t we?"]

    Yue caught the sudden shift in Kyle''s demeanor. She advanced towards him and tilted her head slightly, unaware that the Tree of Fate was conversing with Kyle.

    "Why are you stepping back? You don''t want to marry me anymore?"

    She said teasingly, but her eyes crinkled when Kyle responded instantly.

    "No, that''s not it!"

    She raised a brow.

    "Oh, really?"

    Kyle let out an indulgent sigh. He could sense Yue was enjoying herself from the smile on her face, so he just gestured towards the writing behind her.

    He wasn''t sure why the Tree of Fate had suddenly be so enthusiastic. Thest time, it didn''t chat with him until he reached the Fruit of Fate, but now it was actively trying tomunicate with him.

    This made him wonder if the Tree of Fate had regained all its strength after he purified the dark energy within it.

    Yue nced back, but the bright writing in the air had already vanished, so she didn''t see anything. Suddenly, she released Kyle''s hands and called out for the person who had been secretly watching them.

    "Mom, you cane out now."

    Her face flushed with embarrassment. She had actually brought Kyle to this location. It was close to the restaurant and also where she, Mia, and everyone else were given a house to live by the elven race.

    Her mother hadn''t joined them at the restaurant because she wasn''t feeling well, but now Yue was embarrassed to be seen in such a state by her.

    Kyle nced at the middle-aged woman who stepped out from the wooden house directly behind them. Her hair color was simr to Yue''s, and he easily recognized her since he had met her before when he was searching for Yue.

    Iva nced at her daughter with a smile and then at the familiar young man beside Yue before she cleared her throat.

    "I didn''t mean to interrupt. I was just about to step out of the house for a walk... when I saw you two. Don''t mind me. You two just keep doing your thing. I will head back in to make something delicious for you both."

    Yue''s eyes widened. She couldn''t believe what her mother was saying!

    "Mom!"

    However, to her mortification, Kyle bowed slightly towards her mother.

    "Thank you, aunty."

    Iva waved her hand at Kyle with a chuckle, ignoring Yue''s growing red face.

    "I overheard your conversation. So you better start calling me mother, or I might not give you my daughter."

    Kyle''s eyes shed with a hint of a smile when he heard the word ''mother''. Yue had informed him that his biological mother had passed away a long time ago. But he had forgotten his past, so he wasn''t sad; rather, he didn''t feel anything.

    Iva, who had just said what she said to lighten the mood, was a bit surprised when Kyle actually referred to her as mother.

    "Yes, mother."

    She burst intoughter when Yue smacked Kyle''s shoulder with a red face. Kyle hissed, hamming it up, and blinked at the woman beside him with a hurt look in his eyes.

    "What was that for? If she''s your mother, it''s only fair for me to call her mother too now that we''re both getting married."

    Yue rolled her eyes.

    "But I don''t recall saying yes yet!"

    Kyle shook his head shamelessly.

    "Nope, you sealed the deal when we were talking on themunication crystal."

    His words earned him another smack on the shoulder, and Yue stomped her foot on the ground before she turned around and swiftly entered the wooden house, leaving both Kyle and her mother outside.

    Iva nced at Kyle.

    "I think you really ticked her off this time... so you better go after her."

    Kyle nodded. He remembered being pretty rude to Yue''s mother when they first met on the elven, and he even brutally killed cia in front of her. But despite all that, the woman remained surprisingly calm towards him. With a smile, he spoke up.

    "I apologize for my past behavior. I hope you can trust me. I will take care of Yue and make sure she''s always safe."

    Iva let out a sigh. She walked toward him and softly patted his shoulder.

    "Just don''t make her sad. That''s the only thing I want from you because my daughter is strong. She can protect herself. Now, go."

    Kyle quickly headed towards the wooden house but then abruptly halted in his tracks. Iva noticed his sudden pause.

    "What happened?"

    He scratched his chin.

    "Nothing, I just feel like I am forgetting something very important."

    He shook his head and pushed the thought to the back of his mind. Then quickly went after Yue.

    Iva gazed at his back for a while and released a mncholic sigh.

    "Yue has grown up so fast..."

    She nced at the huge tree above her, feeling a bit sad that she had to give her daughter away to another. But she was happy that Yue had found her partner.

    After strolling around for a bit, she also entered the house to prepare a good meal for the couple and have a chat with Yue.

    The next day, the elves were all surprised when a massive flying ship appeared in the sky out of nowhere. Their cheers echoed loudly when they spotted the familiar insignia of the elven race on the ship.

    The shipnded on a grassy field beneath the Tree of Fate, and Ronan and Wesley''s disheveled figures staggered out of it.

    They were cursing Kyle, that bastard who had left his bonded beast in their ship! The fact that they were still on their feet after Bia transformed into her phoenix form in the flying ship and caused amotion was already a miracle!

    The elves gathered around Ronan and Wesley''s ship to wee them, all quickly moved back with startled expressions when behind the duo, a huge phoenix surrounded in golden mes flew out of the ship.

    Bia''s zing eyes scanned every single person around her to find Kyle.

    -"You jerk! Where the hell are you? This time I want a proper one-on-one to teach you a lesson! How dare you leave me behind!"

 Chapter 690 Dont tell me you left Bia behind?

    690 Don''t tell me you left Bia behind? N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Bia was taken aback when all of a sudden, the branches of the massive tree above her began to sway and tried to encircle her. She swiftly pped her wings and flew back to avoid the encroaching tree branches.

    -"What the hell?!"

    She wanted to unleash her mes to incinerate the green branches, but her eyes flickered with surprise as spiritual energy began to radiate from the branches.

    It enveloped her body gently, as if attempting to calm her anger.

    -"Huh?"

    Bia blinked with a mix of confusion and caution as the warm and soothing spiritual energy pressed down on her body, trying to guide her tond on the ground.

    The many elves gathered in the area were astounded by the sight as they witnessed the Tree of Fate engaging with the phoenix. They whispered to each other, not sure how toprehend the unfolding situation.

    "What''s happening? The Tree of Fate is responding to that phoenix."

    "I''m not sure, but if the Tree of Fate is showing interest in the phoenix, it means she is incredibly powerful and should be treated with respect!"

    "That phoenix is truly captivating. I can sense it''s a bonded beast, but which lucky person does it belong to?"

    Bia touched down on the grassy terrain, a sense of drowsiness creeping over her due to the spiritual energy surrounding her. Her earlier anger faded away, and now she just wanted to know what was happening.

    She surveyed the area and noticed the numerous elves present. Her ears perked up at the sound of their whispers. Instantly, a wave of satisfaction washed over her as she saw the elves looking at her with respect and admiration in their eyes.

    -"These elves have got some serious insight. They just saw me, and they already recognize my majestic presence?"

    Bia held her head high with a hint of pride. Wesley and Ronan exchanged tired nces and sighed simultaneously. At least the phoenix had calmed down!

    Out of the blue, arge shadow loomed over Bia, and the phoenix nced up, only to see Nox flying above in the sky. Everyone on the elven had seen the lynx before and knew who the beast belonged to, so they weren''t surprised to see it. However, they were taken aback when Noxnded beside Bia and started circling her.

    "Here you are! I was wondering why I didn''t see you with Kylest night!"

    Bia''s gaze narrowed at the mention of Kyle, but she was distracted when she noticed the lynx had grown more powerful.

    She noticed the growing crowd around them and shifted into her smaller form beforending on Nox''s back.

    -"Take me to Kyle and the others."

    Nox blinked but soared into the sky. His iridescent scales shimmered brightly as he swiftly left the area under the many eyes.

    Wesley and Ronan didn''t follow the two beasts since Bia had informed them that Kyle was on the elven. They decided to speak with the elven Queen first before determining their next steps.

    Regardless, Ronan, who was called back from the war happening at the other end of the universe to safeguard the elves entering the diator Arena, hadpleted his task and now had to go back to rejoin the war.

    "I suppose I will talk with Kyle to see if he wants toe with me. If he agrees, I will also inform Old Hal about it."

    Wesley and Ronan disappeared from the spot as well, leaving the murmuring crowd behind. Meanwhile, in the sky, Bia squinted at the enormous tree.

    -"What an odd tree... Even though I didn''t witness it, I just know Kyle got the fruit of fate from this tree. It appears to be fond of me, so can I also get a fruit of fate?"

    Her eyes sparkled. She was eager to sweet-talk the tree to gather a few fruits of fate for herself to get stronger. But Nox dashed her hopes even before she could try.

    "But I heard that the tree of fate can only yield one fruit after thousands of years. So, I don''t think you can get one."

    Bia nced at the tree and tsked.

    -"What a waste of space then. It''s so massive but utterly useless."

    She was angry that nobody but Nox hade to fetch her and decided inwardly to teach all of them a good lesson. But she was left speechless when she and Nox finally reached the area filled with wooden houses, only to find almost everyone fast asleep as if they would never wake up.

    -"Now what''s going on here..."

    Nox shrank into his smaller form and climbed a branch, swaying around him.

    "Last night, they all had a strong wine; I doubt they will wake up anytime soon."

    Bia closed her eyes to take a deep breath. She needed to stay calm.

    -"What about Kyle?"

    Nox pointed behind Bia with his paw to a spot where Yue, Iva, and Kyle were seated at a table outside the wooden house. They were enjoying a good breakfast.

    "There. Can''t you sense him?"

    Bia''s eyes narrowed as she nced back.

    -"I can, I just wanted to make sure that bastard is really behind me."

    10:04

    In the distance, Kyle suddenly felt an angry re on his back. He stopped eating when he sensed a familiar presence approaching him and let out a dry chuckle.

    Both Yue and Iva were surprised when they saw him suddenly wiping his forehead even though he wasn''t sweating at all.

    Yue looked at him with concern. He hadn''t shared with her yet why his hair had turned dark, so she was worried that something might be wrong with his body.

    "Are you okay?"

    Kyle let out a chuckle.

    "I''m okay, but unsure about the future."

    His words had just finished when Bianded on his head with angry eyes. Yue nced at the little phoenix, and a sudden realization struck her. She hadn''t seen the phoenix with Kylest night.

    "Don''t tell me you left Bia behind?"

    She stifled a chuckle when Bia started tugging Kyle''s hair. The phoenix even tried to ignite a fire on his head, but fortunately, before she could, Kyle swiftly grabbed her, only to have his fingers bitten.

    Kyle nced at the amber-eyed elven womanughing at him silently.

    "You do know it''s your fault I''m suffering."

    Yue shrugged her shoulders and motioned towards Bia with a smile on her lips.

    "Concentrate on Bia; I doubt she will calm down anytime soon. Try your best."

    Iva was also amused by the scene unfolding before her. She never imagined she would see Kyle being tormented by his bonded beast, given his personality. But perhaps he only showed this side of himself to those he held dear.

    Kyle let out a sigh. It took him a while to soothe Bia after enticing her with many treasures and beautiful jewelry.

    Bia hurrmped and left his side. Shended on the table to eat but her gaze stopped on the lynx, who was eating on the other side silently. She swiftly moved towards Nox and ruthlessly kicked him off the table.

    Kyle and everyone around were stunned and rendered speechless upon hearing Bia''s exnation for kicking Nox off the table.

    -"He is getting fat and needs to eat less!"

    Nox''s eyebrow twitched furiously at her words as he quickly maintained his bnce mid-air. He so badly wanted to ask why she was directing Kyle''s anger at him, but he held back, aware that he would be the one to face the phoenix''s wrath in the end!

    ''No one''s taking my side either!''

    Yue and Kyle were busy trying to cheer up Bia, leaving him feeling excluded. The lynx grumbled inwardly and climbed a nearby tree branch to rest for a while.

    ''I will take my revenge one day! Enjoy it while you can, Bia!''

    Kyle caught sight of two familiar figures heading towards the table �C Nine and Elli. The duo joined them at the table. Iva got up to make something good for them too, and since Kyle and Yue had finished eating, they went to assist her.

    After a while, the others also began to emerge from their designated wooden houses, albeit looking a bit worse for wear. It was to be expected since they indulged in wine a bit too muchst night. After everyone had gathered under the Tree of Fate, Kyle suddenly cleared his throat and dropped a bombshell on them.

    "Yue and I are getting married."

    Jian spat out the water he had just sipped and coughed loudly. He looked at Kyle with a nk expression.

    "Why so soon!? I haven''t even found a partner, and you''re getting married!"

    Asher, Sinon, and Regius shared the red-haired man''s sentiment. However, the old people were just surprised when they saw the rare delight in Kyle''s eyes. It seemed the human was genuinely happy.

    Yue was shocked by the sudden announcement. Kyle hadn''t discussed anything with her yet! What a jerk!

    The trio, Alec, Nine, and Carcel, quickly exchanged thoughtful nces. The idea wasn''t bad... if Kyle was going to tie the knot on the elven, then they could consider it too... However, their partners seemed to have read their minds and shot them disapproving looks, halting their fanciful thoughts.

 Chapter 691 Welcome to my humble place

    691 Wee to my humble ce

    Inside a dimly lit room, the soft glow of the mirror illuminated Yue''s figure as she stood, gently brushing through her long hair. Her reflection stared back at her in silence.

    Across the room, Kyle lounged against the doorframe, his eyes locked on her. The duo had juste inside the house to freshen up and changed into clean outfits after everyone had finished breakfast.

    The air between them crackled with unspoken words, a silent exchange of emotions that hung heavy in the dimly lit room. Yue''s delicate movements with the brush contrasted with Kyle''s strong, silent presence, as he stood in the distance. Yue secured her hair in a ponytail and looked back at him, a pout forming on her lips.

    "Shouldn''t you have discussed with me first before announcing in front of everyone that we are getting married?"

    Kyle inched closer to her. It wasn''t just about getting married; because, marriage isn''t the key element when two people love each other. His actions were driven by his wish to care for and protect the woman he loved.

    "I reckon I might have approached this the wrong way from the beginning. My bad. I should have asked you properly first."

    Yue blinked as he stopped in front of her. She was surprised by his sudden move as he knelt down on one knee in front of her, then extended his hand towards her.

    "What do you say, will you marry me? I know I am a bit crazy, and I am certain I will get myself into risky situations in the future, just like in the past. But I vow to protect you and love you for all eternity, as I can''t bear the thought of you with another."

    Kyle''s eyes flickered with a touch of nervousness as Yue remained silent. He thought proposing would be simple, but when he had to articte his innermost thoughts, he never imagined it would be so nerve-wracking. He hadn''t felt this edgy even when facing countless enemies. His heart, which usually beat at a slow pace, now throbbed loudly in his chest.

    A sigh of relief escaped his lips when Yue finally took his hand, but he was caught off guard when she leaned down to ce her forehead on his. Yue gazed into his eyes, those familiar deep eyes. She could feel the love they held for her. Currently, Kyle''s eyes weren''t distant or icy; they were brimming with nothing but affection for her.

    She smiled and whispered softly.

    "I love you too. But what about the ring? Are you really proposing without one?"

    Kyle stared at her, and the moment her words sank in his mind, he blinked.

    "Ah, a ring..."

    He quickly sifted through his mind space, filled with numerous treasures he couldn''t even tally. Still, he couldn''t find the perfect ring to present to the love of his life. Seeing the sudden urgency and panic in his usually nonchnt eyes, Yue let out a chuckle.

    "It''s okay, you can give me er. We can get married first. I agree."

    Kyle stopped searching for the ring. He smiled at her words, then stood up and encircled her waist with his arms before resting his head on her shoulder.

    "That''s a relief..."

    After a while, Kyle stepped out of the wooden house upon sensing an unfamiliar supreme rank presence around himself. He was wearing grey pants and a brown shirt as he looked in a certain direction.

    "How long are you going to hide? Do you truly think I can''t sense you?"

    He looked back when he suddenly felt Alec''s familiar presence behind him.

    Alec met his gaze, a bit surprised. He had been in the vicinity after the system warned him about an unidentified presence circling around Kyle and Yue, nning to deal with the mysterious person discreetly. However, upon hearing Kyle''s words, he understood that the man must have also detected the presence and came out of hiding.

    He stopped next to Kyle.

    "You felt that presence too?"

    Kyle nodded silently. He had sensed the unknown presence a while back. He didn''t feel any threat from the presence towards him or Yue; it just lingered around them, so he didn''t pay it any mind. But now, it was starting to get annoying.

    His gaze turned icy when the concealed person didn''te out. He could clearly sense that the person was nearby, and he knew that the moment he used his scent perception skill, he would pinpoint the person''s exact location.

    "Didn''t you hear me? I saide out. Or do you want me to drag you out."

    Alec smirked at his words. He should give these words a shot sometime too.

    The duo narrowed their eyes when an elderly elven man d in a light blue robe stepped out of the space before them. The elf sighed as he nced at Kyle and Alec.

    "So, you both sensed my presence? I suppose Ronan and Wesley were correct when they told the Queen that you aren''t ordinary folks but rather extraordinary."

    Kyle tilted his head, his eyes exuding nonchnce, a stark contrast to his demeanor with Yue moments earlier.

    "So? You have an issue with it?"

    The elderly elf was surprised by his words and burst intoughter, shaking his head.

    "I mean no harm. I''m just a messenger. The elven Queen wishes to see you."

    Kyle nodded at the elf.

    "I was wondering why she hadn''t summoned me yet. I suppose it was about time she sent someone to me."

    The elven man couldn''t help but chuckle at his words. This human was indeed full of himself, and the old elf wasn''t the least bit displeased because Kyle''s overwhelming strength granted him that privilege.

    He made a portal and motioned for Kyle to step inside, to send him straight to where the elven Queen awaited.

    Yet, his eyes widened a bit as he felt Kyle examining the portal with his senses. His shocked peaked when he felt the strength of Kyle''s senses; they outmatched his own, even though he was a supreme rank!

    ''This human... where on earth did hee from? His senses are already so strong at the transcendent rank. What will happen when he reaches the supreme rank?''

    The old elf didn''t think any more and watched as Kyle step into the portal. He was about to go after him, but Alec stopped him and looked at him seriously.

    "I will go with him. I think the elven Queen won''t object to Kyle having somepany."

    The old elf blinked and then let out a chuckle at the blue-haired man.

    "Go ahead and do as you please. My task was simply to guide Kyle to the elven Queen location. It''s your choice whether to apany him or not."

    Alec entered the portal and disappeared as well. The elderly elf was about to follow but stopped once more, this time not because of someone else, but because he sensed a pair of eyes on him.

    He looked back and saw a set of golden eyes staring at him from a window in the far wooden house. It was Nine.

    "Ah... they''re all freaks. I''m sure these youngsters are gonna shake up the power dynamics in this universe soon. But it''s up to them to choose which side to take."

    The old man sighed and hurriedly entered the portal before the golden-eyed man coulde and question him about where he had sent Kyle and Alec. In the next second, he found himself in an empty hall and saw no guards around. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "I guess they took Kyle to the Queen."

    With a sigh, he departed the area. He was already too old for these sorts of tasks. Not to mention, he had spent his entire lifespan saving other people in the war. All he desired now was to spend his remaining years peacefully on his.

    At the same time, outside the hall, in a narrow alleyway filled with numerous rooms, Kyle and Alec strolled alongside the two elven guards dressed in fairly rxed attire but armed nheless. They walked a short distance before stopping in front of a door engraved with a tree symbol.

    Kyle and Alec nced around. They were somewhat taken aback because they had imagined the elven Queen''s residence to be luxurious, but it turned out to be rather modest, though spacious.

    The door in front of them swung open, and the two guards gestured for them to enter. With a nod, the duo stepped into the room, only to find an ordinary study.

    An elderly woman in a robe stood before them. Kyle recognized her immediately; he had seen her when he took the fruit of fate.

    The elven Queen gazed silently at the two humans before offering a faint smile.

    "Wee to my humble abode. Please, have a seat and make yourself at ease."

    Kyle''s eyes shifted downward to the Queen''s shadow when he sensed a powerful presence concealed within it. He had actually felt that presence before. While Alec slightly bowed to show respect to the Queen, Kyle simply nodded.

    "Thank you for the warm wee."

 Chapter 692 He noticed my presence

    692 He noticed my presence

    Alec shot Kyle a bewildered look. He coughed and stood tall as well. If Kyle is not doing it, he shouldn''t bow either. They are not from the elven, so they do not really need to bow to the Queen.

    Kyle surveyed the study, noting the numerous bookshelves that lined the walls. However, his gaze lingered on the round table behind the elven Queen, heaped with papers, for a moment longer.

    He then strolled over to the many seats positioned in the corner of the study and settled infortably. Alec and both the elven Queen gazed at him for a moment before they both joined him and settled down on the seats around him.

    Kyle''s eyes flitted about quietly. He wasn''t typically intrigued by many things, but he had to admit, the many books on arrays around him piqued his curiosity. Although somewhat tempted to check the books, yet as a guest, he restrained himself. ncing at the Queen, he inquired.

    "So, what do you want to talk about?"

    The elven Queen caught his subtle gaze as he scoped out the study but chose not to address it and got straight to the point.

    "Let''s not waste time in trivial talks. I permitted your friends to stay on this. Now you are here too. But with all the enemies you''ve made so far, wouldn''t it be better for my people''s safety if you leave this promptly with your friends?"

    Alec noticed the atmosphere around him shift. However, he observed that the elven Queen still had that same smile she had disyed when they first saw her.

    ''She''s quite blunt, I must say.''

    He then looked at Kyle, noticing that the man seated beside him wasn''t bothered at all. Kyle nodded at the elven Queen, and a smile appeared on his face.

    "I understand your perspective, and you''re correct. I shouldn''t endanger others due to my presence, but don''t you think your race should repay me for what I did for them?"

    Alec was perplexed by his words, but he noticed how, for a brief moment, the elven Queen''s smile faltered before she regained herposure and fixed her gaze on Kyle.

    "Are you talking about the Tree of Fate? I recognize your help in cleansing the dark energy that endangered the tree, but you took the fruit of fate in return. I believe that''s ample repayment for your help."

    Alec''s eyes widened a bit. So, that''s how Kyle snagged the fruit of fate! Ever since he set foot on the elven, he had been wondering how Kyle took the fruit right under the noses of so many elves!

    ''Anyhow, why do I feel like I''m being left out of the conversation?''

    Kyle shook his head.

    "Do you honestly believe that such a tiny fruit could repay the favor I did by purifying the dark energy from the Tree of Fate? It was something your whole race, together, couldn''t aplish."

    The Queen was left speechless by his words. They were discussing the fruit of fate, not just any ordinary treasure! But it appeared, to Kyle, the fruit of fate held no greater significance than a mere trinket.

    She furrowed her brows.

    ''Don''t tell me Kyle is not aware of the purpose of the fruit of fate? I know he has consumed it, since the branch of the Tree of Fate that bore the fruit had grown leaves. I need to enlighten him about the power that tiny fruit he consumed holds.'' n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    However, before she could exin the immense power of the fruit of fate to Kyle, especially the fact that it can reshape a person''s fate, he began to speak again.

    "I know you''re expecting something in return for letting us stay on your. So, just go ahead and tell me what you want. Do you want me to owe you a favor? Or something else?"

    Kyle scanned his mind space. He possessed a lot of treasures right now. He was certain his wealth exceeded that of the woman sitting in front of him. Therefore, he was confident he could offer her adequatepensation to let him and the others stay on her. But the Queen just sighed at his words.

    "Young man, that''s not my intention. I merely want to protect my people. Having conversed with Ronan, I have an idea of your personality. Hence, I harbor no wish to impose upon you. My sole request is for you to leave my territory. That is all."

    Kyle gazed at the woman before him. He didn''t detect any threat in her words, but he felt the gravity behind each of her words.

    ''Does she truly not want anything?''

    He was somewhat taken aback. She disyed wisdom in her approach. He was certain that if it were someone else, they might have demanded a favor in return for their help or something simr.

    Alec nced at Kyle and finally intervened when he noticed how Kyle and the Queen were silently locked in a gaze.

    "We will leave. Our initial n wasn''t to remain on this for long. The elders in our group have decided to go find James because they said he is their master."

    Kyle''s eyes moved to Alec. Why didn''t he know about this? As he continued to listen to the man, his gaze grew more intense.

    "Asher will leave tomorrow. He mentioned he would search for the people he knows to see if they are still alive. Jian informed me he intends to go back to our to meet his friend. Regius and Iva will go with him. The rest of us are getting ready to join the war."

    23:00

    Alec finished his words but swiftly averted his gaze when he caught Kyle''s piercing stare fixed on his head. The Queen let out a silent sigh of relief.

    "Trust me, if you all were just regr people, I would have never asked you to leave. But sadly, the circumstances didn''t allow me to let you stay on mynd."

    Alec nodded in understanding. With Kyle''s list of enemies growing, if he found himself in her position, he would done the same!

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched as the Queen and Alec began conversing. She cleared her throat and gave Alec a smile.

    "Wesley and Ronan are also getting ready to head back and join the war now that they havepleted the task I gave them. If you are interested, you and your friends can join the two supreme ranks."

    Alec didn''t immediately agree and said he would discuss with the others first. He then inquired about the war, and the Queen was more than willing to address his queries.

    The two were talking when Kyle clicked his tongue, rose from his seat, and made his way to the bookshelve behind him. The elven Queen didn''t stop him, so he didn''t think twice and grabbed a book about arrays that was closest to him.

    Kyle flipped through the book pages. A single nce at each page was sufficient for him to grasp everything. He knew the Queen wasn''t watching him, but he could sense the presence lurking in her shadow, keeping an eye on his every move.

    He put the book back after a few seconds, then swiftly picked up another and began flipping through its pages. He noticed how both Alec and the Queen became quiet. In the end, the only sound in the study was him consistently flipping the pages.

    Alec cracked a polite smile at the Queen, clearly puzzled by Kyle''s behavior before ncing at the man behind him. He spoke directly in Kyle''s mind.

    ''What are you doing? If you want to read them, just pick some. Why are you flipping through the pages? It''s not like you would understand anything this way.''

    Kyle paused in his actions. He believed the books here would be beneficial, but after examining just a few, he realized they were somewhat pointless. His understanding had surpassed the content within them.

    ''Got it...''

    He turned back but didn''t return to his seat. Instead, he gazed at the table in the middle of the study. He noticed many papers piled on the table, but before he could approach it, the elven Queen gestured with her hands and created a barrier that blocked his path. Her smile had disappearedpletely as she locked eyes with him.

    "You and Alec should go. I have finished what I needed to discuss with you. It was indeed a pleasure meeting you both."

    Alec sensed the sudden awkwardness in the air and realized there was no chance the Queen would entertain any more of his questions. What a shame; he was eager to learn more about the war. He stood up and was on the verge of instinctively bowing again but halted just in time.

    "It was delightful conversing with your highness as well."

    The Queen nodded at him, but her eyes widened upon hearing Kyle''s next words.

    "It was also a pleasure for me, Your highness, Ariana Silverleaf. But I would like to chat a bit longer."

    He returned to his seat, disregarding the shock in the elven Queen''s eyes. He knew she was curious about how he knew her full name, but he couldn''t confess that he had read some of the papers on the table the moment he stepped into the study.

    "Actually, I''m nning to get married. But since everyone I know is gonna go their separate ways soon because of you, I''d like to have a wedding under the Tree of Fate before they leave. I believe it won''t take much time. A day would be enough."

    Alec almost choked on his breath when Kyle''s words shattered the serious mood. The Queen''s lips twitched as she looked at Kyle, who waited for her answer with a serious look. She closed her eyes for a moment and then let out a sigh.

    "You are truly... unexpected. There are ces on my that host weddings for the elves, but instead of going there, you want to have one under the Tree of Fate?"

    She rose from her seat. The fact that Kyle knew her name might be a coincidence. He could have picked it up from someone else. It''s not as if her name was a secret. So, she didn''t dwell on it much.

    "Very well, I will instruct some of my people to make arrangements."

    She paused for a brief moment.

    "And... I reckon with this, my poeple no longer owe you anything."

    Kyle looked at her shadow and stood up with a contented expression.

    "The elven race isn''t as bad as I thought. However, I hate owning others. So, I will remember every word we talked today."

    He motioned to Alec and began striding towards the study exit.

    "Time to leave"

    Alec nodded at the Queen one final time and swiftly trailed behind him. After they both exited the room, the woman hiding in the Queen''s shadow emerged behind her with a solemn expression.

    "He noticed my presence."

    Ariana, the elven Queen, simply sighed.

    "Well, that''s not surprising. He took down one of the shadow generals. How could you expect he won''t detect you?"

    The woman behind Ariana pondered for a moment before she approached the books Kyle had checked a while ago.

    "He skimmed through the pages so effortlessly... At first, I thought he grasped nothing, but then I noticed the intensity and peculiar gleam in his eyes. I can''t believe that hisprehension abilities surpass even mine. He undoubtedlyprehends every page he saw with just a nce."

    Ariana rubbed her forehead.

    "What a unique individual... He possesses both strength and intelligence. It''s truly a shame he''s not from our race."

    But then suddenly, she chuckled.

    "Regardless, I never thought he would get married on the elven and I would be the one preparing for his wedding."

 Chapter 693 The Wedding I

    693 The Wedding I

    After Kyle and Alec left, the elven Queen dispatched a team of elves to prepare for the wedding Kyle had requested. A sizable space next to the Tree of Fate''s trunk was cleared, and the elvesmenced crafting a beautiful setting for the ceremony.

    The abrupt stir caught the attention of many elves in the vicinity, prompting them all to join in when they saw the Tree of Fate actively aiding in the preparations.

    Not many knew about the identity of the couple tying the knot, but the elves worked seamlessly, theirughter and whispers enveloping the air with delight.

    They decorated the area with flowers and positioned crystals that shimmered in the sunlight, creating a dazzling disy. The atmosphere was filled with anticipation, a tangible excitement that seemed to dance among the leaves of the Tree of Fate.

    As the preparations continued, tiny flowers made from pure spiritual energy started to cascade from the branches of the Tree of Fate, creating a soft, colorful rain.

    The elves were thrilled to witness this rain; it was the blessing of the Tree of Fate that hadn''t been seen for countless years.

    Kyle and the others who were informed about the wedding venue by Wesley and another elven woman were amazed when they arrived at the location in the evening. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Yue extended her hand to touch the numerous flowers crafted from spiritual energy floating around her. She stole a nce at Kyle, who was standing next to her, and her heart skipped a beat.

    ''So... we''re really getting married!''

    She fiddled with her dress, feeling super nervous yet excited simultaneously. Yue closed her eyes for a few moments and took a deep breath.

    She recalled how not long ago they had all talked about their future ns; they would all separate after her and Kyle''s wedding.

    She hadn''t yet decided if she would follow Kyle or the others to join the war since Kyle hadn''t decided his next move yet. Thinking about all this, she finally felt much calmer.

    Kyle noticed her flushed face and drew nearer, encircling his arm around her waist, oblivious to the fact that his gestures once again sparked her nervousness.

    His eyes gleamed with amusement as he observed the growing number of elves in the vicinity with each passing second.

    "This ce looks good... but why are so many elves preparing for the wedding? Do they even know who''s tying the knot?"

    Yue blushed and pushed him away.

    "How would I know!"

    Kyleughed and started observing the elves working around him. He nced at Bia and Nox. The two beasts were flying in the distance, ying with the flowers made of spiritual energy. Or perhaps, he mused, were they secretly absorbing them?

    Just a couple of strides from him, Jian nced at the tiny flowers made of spiritual energy cascading down from the branches of the Tree of Fate and sighed.

    "I''m so envious... I want a partner too! I want to get married as well!"

    He muttered quietly. Asher, Regius, and Sinon sympathetically patted his back, knowing they shared the same wish. Yon and Susan chuckled at the red-haired man before Yon pped Jian''s back.

    "Why do you want to get married? Given your luck, I don''t think you will ever find a partner. However, staying single isn''t bad either. You can always get married when you find the right string in the universe."

    Jian''s lips curled into a wide smirk as he deftly pushed Yon''s hand back.

    "You never know, maybe my luck''s taken a turn for the better! Hehe, it might be on par with Kyle''s now! I mean, I got rid of that pesky artifact Zron ced in my body!"

    He was left speechless as Yon and the others gave him sympathetic nces as if they could empathize with his suffering. Jian clenched his jaw in frustration.

    "I am telling the truth! My luck has gotten better! Why don''t you guys believe me!?"

    Nine nodded at him, yet his golden eyes were telling a different story altogether.

    Jian muttered a curse and nced at his luck stat disyed on the image showing his stats from the corners of his eyes.

    ________

    Name: Jian

    Race: Human

    Soul rank: Divine-rank

    Rank: Trancendent (initial stage)

    stats:

    Strength: Divine-rank

    Mana: Trancendent-rank (Initial stage)

    Divine energy: Trancendent-rank (Middle stage)

    Spiritual energy: Trancendent-rank (Initial stage)

    Agility: Trancendent-rank (Initial stage)

    Current physique rank: Divine-rank

    Talent: Supreme rank (Influenced)

    Luck: B+

    Special skill;

    Can manipte any kind of mes in the surroundings, provided they are hot.

    Skills;

    ....

    ________

    "Alright, don''t trust me!"

    Jian let out a chuckle. His mood improved when he checked his luck stat. It used to be just (-) in the past, but now it''s at (B+)-rank! Everything had changed now!

    "It''s not like if no one believed me, my luck would plummet, because I''m certain I''m as fortunate as Kyle now!"

    Alec and Carcel approached Wesley, who had just arrived at the scene, to inquire if the elves had arranged an outfit for Kyle, simr to what they did for Yue.

    23:01

    Wesley simply provided Alec with the location of a nearby clothing store, wearing a weary look after ncing at the duo.

    He nced around and noticed Kyle standing quite a distance away from him and the others with Yue.

    ''Well, it''s his day. I doubt I will have a chance to talk to Kyle alone before leaving for the blue. I wanted to remind him of the promise he forgot. But it''s his biggest secret; maybe it''s best if I don''t pry into it.''

    Jian was startled when Alec and Nine pushed him back and headed towards Kyle. Nine swiftly grabbed Kyle with a frown.

    "What the heck are you two doing? You both need to change into nicer attire! The wedding location is nearly ready!"

    He intended to ask Mia, Elli, and Lara to help Yue get ready, only to notice that they had already surrounded Yue, with several other elven women who were informed by an elf that Yue was the bride. Iva smiled and silently followed behind as thedies escorted Yue away.

    Kyle gazed at Yue''s fading image for a moment. A smile yed on the corners of his lips. He hadn''t anticipated that the elven Queen would organize everything in such a short time, but he appreciated it.

    ''I will express my gratitude to herter.''

    He looked at Nine and the others who had arrived beside him with a sigh.

    "Really? My outfit is already fine."

    He was taken aback when Sinon suddenly grabbed the cor of his shirt.

    "This is not okay at all! This is too in! Let''s go ask the elves; I''m sure they have prepared a good outfit for you too!"

    Kyle swiftly withdrew his hand with a strained smile.

    "Okay, but don''t grab the shirt."

    Alec and Carcel approached Wesley, who had just arrived at the scene, to inquire if the elves had arranged an outfit for Kyle, simr to what they did for Yue.

    Wesley simply provided Alec with the location of a nearby clothing store, wearing a weary look after ncing at the duo.

    "I am not sure what kind of clothes Kyle prefers. Take him to this ce, and he can choose what he wants."

    The pair left him be and, together with others, dragged Kyle away. They didn''t really have to do anything, but they would at least assist him in choosing a nice outfit. Kyle sighed and went along with them.

 Chapter 694: The Wedding II

    Chapter 694: The Wedding II

    ?

    As the sunpletely dipped below the horizon, Kyle finally returned to the ce where the wedding was set to happen.

    Annoyance flickered in his green eyes, softly gleaming in the dim light. He had thought selecting an outfit would be an easy task, but little did he realize it would end up taking so much time! He nced at Alec, Nine, and the others, all of them had satisfied expressions on their faces.

    ''It''s all their fault, but why are they all so darn happy? Ugh.''

    However, he had to admit, the outfit they settled on in the end was pretty good. Kyle adjusted his cuffs and checked himself. He was dressed in a ck suit,plete with a crisp white dress shirt paired with ck shoes. The suit jacket hugged his frame elegantly, disying a subtle sheen under the soft surroundings lights. The trousers were perfectly tailored, draping just right over his shoes. Toplete the look, a simple green flower decoration was gleaming on thepel of his suit.

    "The best thing is, this isfortable."

    As he and the others strolled toward the only elevated area before the Tree of Fate''s trunk, everyone around them was stunned. Kyle looked stunning, but to add even more ir, every single person walking alongside him had also opted for elegant suits.

    They all looked incredibly handsome, so all the elvendies in the area were captivated when this group of handsome young men walked before them together.

    But, the elven men were a bit irked because they were hosting just one single wedding! Why did this group have to dress like they were all ready to walk down the aisle!?N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Kyle ascended the elevated tform decorated with flowers and crystals, now finally starting to feel a bit nervous.

    He scanned the surroundings; the flowers crafted from spiritual energy continued to cascade from the tree of fate, but Yue and the others with her hadn''t arrived yet.

    Nine, Alec, and the rest of the group stood below the tform on either side, chatting andughing. Now, all they needed to do was wait for the bride to arrive.

    Suddenly, Wesley started to float. The elderly elf coughed to redirect everyone''s attention from Kyle and the group gathered around the tform before dering the arrival of the elven Queen.

    "Everyone, please wee Her Majesty, Queen Ariana Silverleaf, to the gathering."

    The elves in the area were shocked, but they all respectfully bowed at the sight of a flying elderly woman dressed in a regal and elegant attire in gold and silver tones. She donned a silver crown and exquisite gold jewelry as she descended in the vicinity apanied by two guards.

    Ariana''s eyes reflected the lights around her. She gestured for the elves around her to rise and carry on with their activities. Her gaze turned to Kyle, and she was surprised when he bowed slightly in her direction. A chuckle slipped from her lips.

    "Is this even the same individual who had conversed with me earlier this morning as though I were just an ordinary person?"

    She shook her head and headed towards Wesley, who stood in the distance.

    Ronan also showed up in the area, but he was kinda taken aback that, unlike him who had been just lounging around, Wesley still had the strength to organize such a grand wedding for Kyle, not knowing that the old man was on the verge of copsing.

    He pped Wesley''s back with a sigh.

    "You may be older than me, but you have got more energy than I do."

    Wesley nearby stumbled. A vein bulged on his forehead, but he couldn''t react to Ronan in the presence of the Queen.

    In the midst of the whispers filling the air, Kyle turned around upon feeling a familiar presence behind him. He acknowledged the old elf standing there. It was the supreme rank who had previously alerted him when the Queen wished to speak with him. The old elf arched his brow at him.

    "Pleasure to see you again, young man. I never thought I would meet you again so soon as the one who would guide you through your marriage vows."

    He pointed ahead with a faint smile when Kyle wanted to speak with him.

    "Look, your partner is here."

    Kyle swiftly turned his head and he was dazed when he finally caught sight of the woman who would soon be his wife.

    Yue entered the space with Elli and Mia by her side. Iva and Lara followed behind her, while Bia and Nox hovered above her.

    The two beasts, especially the phoenix, appeared content after being fed by Iva.

    The old elf near Kyle coughed softly, yet Kyle''s gaze remained locked on the elven woman walking toward him.

    Yue was dressed in a long white dress embellished with intricatece and light blue embroidery. A delicate white fabric flowed down her back, apanying her cascading honey-colored hair.

    The silver hairpins and jewelry she wore glistened under the softly lit surroundings with each step she took.

    "Beautiful..."

    Kyle murmured. However, his voice was heard by the old elf and everyone standing below the tform because the area had fallen silent when the bride arrived.

    Sinon, Regius, Jian, and Asherughed quietly at him, but they were left speechless when they witnessed Nine, Carcel, and Alec in a simr state as Kyle, all gazing at the women

    surrounding Yue.

    Unperturbed, Kyle stepped down from the tform and made his way towards Yue.

    He extended his hand towards her with a warm smile, and after she sped his hand, they both ascended the tform where the old supreme rank was standing.

    Under the glowing flowers gently falling from the branches of the Tree of Fate, the couple stood, gazing into each other''s eyes. All attention was on them as the supreme rank old elf behind them began the wedding ceremony by reciting the vows. The old man first turned to

    Kyle.

    "Do you, Kyle, take Yue to be yourwfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do

    you part?"

    Kyle grabbed both of Yue''s hands, and with unwavering affection in his eyes, he replied.

    "I sure do."

    The old elf then turned to Yue.

    She tightly sped Kyle''s hands as the old elf began to speak, and her eyes welled up slightly with overwhelming emotions.

    "Do you, Yue, take Kyle to be yourwfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this

    day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death

    do you part?"

    Yue nodded her head, her voice softer than usual but it was heard by everyone.

    "I do."

 Chapter 695: The Wedding III

    Chapter 695: The Wedding III

    ?

    Kyle let out the breath he was holding. It was unbelievable how such simple words had intertwined his and Yue''s lives together eternally under the eyes of so many.

    The old elf smiled and withdrew.

    "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you both husband and wife."

    Instantly, the surrounding crowd erupted into joyous apuse, cheering loudly and showering the newlyweds with heartfelt congrattions and well-wishes.

    The crowd grew even louder as Kyle grabbed Yue''s waist and pulled her in for a kiss. The flowers falling from the Tree of Fate seemed to pause in their descent.

    The moonlight shone brightly above the enchanting and joyous scene.

    In that moment, Kyle''s hold on Yue tightened as his eyes shifted to the man who had arrived on the scene a while ago.

    Kyle had brushed off the man''s presence earlier as he wanted to finish the wedding. Nheless, his gaze subtly gleamed with a mocking glint as he locked eyes with the man floating in the distance, whose golden eyes sparkled with amusement.

    ''I was wondering why everything was proceeding so smoothly when peace neversts long in my life. I guess I will just enjoy the moment until that man is quiet...''

    Yue wanted to step back when she noticed Kyle''s sudden distraction, but he drew her closer and gazed into her eyes.

    "Focus on me."

    Yue''s face flushed at his bold words. They were in front of a crowd, after all! However, when she caught the intensity in his gaze, her eyes widened as she instantly grasped his unspoken message these could be their final moments together.

    She grabbed his cor and pulled him in for another kiss, causing their friends who had just climbed the tform to halt awkwardly in their tracks and avert their gaze.

    The awkwardness on the tform shattered when suddenly wildughter echoed in the distance, followed by the sounds of pping hands. Everyone in the area was alerted because theughter didn''t blend with the surrounding noise; instead, it grew louder and louder.

    The supreme rank individuals, including the elven Queen and her shadow, eyes widened as they saw the familiar man with golden eyes and long peach-colored hair, tied up in a high ponytail, floating in the distance.

    Ceano stopped pping when he noticed Kylepletely ignoring him.

    "What a stunning sight. I originally came here to steal a piece of the Tree of Fate''s core, but who could have imagined I would witness such a lovely wedding."

    Instantly, Ronan and the supreme rank individual who had just guided Kyle and Yue through the wedding vows surrounded the second shadow general. The duo knew they couldn''t defeat the man, especially when he was stronger, but considering that Kyle had injured him before, they could at least try to prevent him from harming their people.

    Wesley''s booming voice echoed across the area, grabbing the attention of all the elves.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "This is an order; all of you, evacuate this location immediately!"

    He hovered next to the Queen and her guards with a solemn expression.

    The elves in the vicinity were puzzled and startled by the sudden turn of events, but they followed Wesley''smand without question and began to leave the area.

    Amidst the fading crowd, a divine-rank elven man with green hair and brown eyes paused momentarily and nced at Yue''s figure onest time before letting out a sigh. Sebastian wiped his moist eyes.

    "I guess I will give up on you now."

    His elderly father, who had been with him, smacked his head and dragged him away. It was already a miracle that Sebastian lost in the diator Arena and returned alive, and that the old man survived Kyle''s beating!

    Therefore, the two of them should remain as quiet as possible in Kyle''s presence!

    As the elves began to depart, the elven Queen and Wesley joined Ronan and the other supreme ranks to surround Ceano.

    Ariana seized her weapon and fixed her gaze on the second shadow general.

    "I know you are stronger, but you made a grave mistake bying here alone. If you don''t leave immediately, don''t me us for the consequences."

    The elven Queen had heard what Ceano said earlier, and it only fueled her anger.

    This bastard was here to steal a piece of the Tree of Fate''s spritual core!

    The core of the Tree of Fate held all its power and even its consciousness, and if anything happened to it, the tree would fall into a deep slumber until it recovered!

    However, Ceanopletely ignored the people around him. His eyes were fixed on Kyle, who wasn''t even looking at him.

    "That''s a bit irritating. I thought he would at least greet me, considering our history. But he''s busy talking with his bride."

    He paused for a second.

    "Should I kill her?"

    His words had barely left his lips when every individual around Kyle shot furious res at him, as if they would rip him to shreds if he ever dared toe near.

    Ceano let out a chuckle. His eyes gleamed as he attempted to use one of his skills to send everyone around him flying.

    However, his skill was consumed by the spiritual energy that erupted from the tree. The branches of the tree began to move to bind him, but he easily evaded them.

    Ronan snickered at him.

    "This is our territory. Do you really think you could have the upper hand here?"

    Ceano simply tilted his head at his words and an artifact appeared in his hand.

    "I thought so..."

    The moment the supreme ranksid their eyes on the artifact enveloped in pure dark energy, their eyes widened in shock.

    Some of them had seen it before in the war, while others had only heard about it. It was an artifact capable of destroying everything on arge scale the moment it exploded!

    Ronan lunged at Ceano with a curse.

    "You bastard! How dare you?!"

    However, he and everyone around him immediately froze when Ceano raised the artifact as if preparing to detonate it. Their hearts sank at the thought, knowing that if the artifact exploded, half of the would vanish in an instant!

    Ceano wanted to mock them. It''s true he wouldn''t be able to destroy this with his strength in the presence of the Tree of Fate, but that doesn''t mean he couldn''t do it with a powerful artifact. He had many such artifacts with him; if one didn''t work, he could always

    use another!

    He suddenly sensed a threatening gaze on him and turned around with a smirk, having finally captured Kyle''s attention.

    Kyle grabbed Yue''s shoulder and let out a smile for a brief moment.

    "I guess it''s time to part. I''m sorry that I have to leave right after we got married." Yue smiled and sighed. She wasn''t sure why he was leaving or where he was going when they needed to face Ceano, but she knew he surely had something on his mind, and it wasn''t like Kyle could share it with her in their current situation.

    "I''ve decided that I will join the war. Don''t you dare forget that you have a wife now."

    She grabbed her weapon, just like Alec and everyone else standing around her, ready to face Ceano alongside the elves, since they had all heard that Kyle would be leaving.

    However, everyone''s eyes widened as everything around them suddenly slowed down, causing their movements to freeze. Kyle vanished from his spot.

    The elven Queen and the supreme-rank elves looked at Kyle, who appeared beside them momentarily and then disappeared toward Ceano, leaving behind a few words.

    "Leave him to me."

    Everyone was taken aback. The elven Queen nced at Kyle''s fading figure. She had the power

    to control a naturalw as well, so she wasn''t affected much by Kyle, just like Ceano and her

    shadow.

    Nheless, even though she knew Kyle could manipte the naturalw of time, she never imagined his proficiency had reached such an extraordinary level!

    Kyle''s eyes flickered with coldness as he noticed the disbelief in Ceano''s gaze.

    It was no surprise, though; he was equally astonished that he could manipte time around him for such an extended period.

    He caught the golden-eyed man off guard by suddenly slowing down time and tried to grab Ceano''s face. However, as anticipated, even though the man was taken by surprise, he leaped

    back and easily evaded him.

    Kyle sneered, having already foreseen Ceano''s movement. He paused for a split second and watched as Ceano''s figure was engulfed by the portal that had illuminated at the exact spot he

    had jumped toward.

    "That was easy."

    With a chuckle, he also jumped into the portal that disintegrated into particles, leaving behind the stunned onlookers who could barely react, as everything happened too quickly for

    them to stop anything.

    There wasplete silence for a few moments before Bia, who was floating beside Nox and cursing Kyle for seemingly forgetting her again, was also swallowed by a small portal that lit

    up beneath her body.

    Alec nced at the small portal that disappeared with Bia and stabbed his weapon into the tform with a curse.

    "That annoying jerk! We should have seen his intentions when he mentioned he was going to

    leave!"

 Chapter 696: Im sure Ive seen this pair before

    Chapter 696: I''m sure I''ve seen this pair before

    ?

    "Why did he reveal himself?"

    Seated atop a branch of the Tree of Fate, directly above the tform where Alec and the others were bad-mouthing Kyle, a man d in a loose-fitting brown sleeveless top over trousers murmured with knitted brows as he stared at the spot where Ceano and Kyle had vanished into the portal.

    He was enveloped by the very fabric of space, making it impossible for anyone to see him or detect his presence.

    His sapphire eyes shed with annoyance. He and Ceano were here to quietly extract a piece of the Tree of Fate''s spritual core and leave, yet that bastard had to reveal himself and vanish along with the human who had recently been gaining quiet poprity.

    "Now what? Am I supposed to search for the Tree of Fate''s core all by myself?"

    He scrunched up his nose.

    "I''ve told Damien countless times not to assign me any tasks with Ceano! Ceano always does whatever he pleases!"

    The man resembled a human, or perhaps he truly was one, except for the five-petal flower in the center of his forehead, which should have beenpletely dark but had now taken on a shade of azure. He was the fourth shadow general, Enthrall.

    His sapphire eyes narrowed at Alec and Lara as he sifted through his memories.

    "I''m sure I''ve seen this pair before. My memories are a bit hazy due to my time in the Sea of Consciousness, but I know I have encountered them before."

    Enthrall had been in the Sea of Consciousness for the past few years. It is a powerful ce that guides those who seek to learn thews of nature. However, to enter this realm, one must attain the peak of the supreme rank and possess strongprehension abilities.

    Otherwise, entering the Sea of Consciousness can be very fatal, as their consciousness would bepletely wiped out along with their souls and bodies if they fail toprehend even onew.

    Thus, even though it is a renowned ce, few dare to venture into it. For that reason, it was not mentioned to many.

    Yet, even in the face of such danger, Enthrall entered the Sea of Consciousness because a few years prior, he had ingested a piece of a divine soul that was far more powerful than its usual strength. Only after fully consuming that fragment of the soul did a few dim, cold particles hidden deep within it surge through his body.

    Those few tiny particles were eagerly absorbed by the dark energy within him, resulting in a significant increase in hisprehension abilities. This newfound mind strength gave him the confidence to enter the Sea of Consciousness, where he sessfully learned two naturalws.

    Enthrall stared at Alec. However, even after some time, he could only recall fragmented snippets of a conversation with a man who looked simr kneeling before him.

    "It''s strange. If I had encountered him before, why did I leave him alive?"

    Because of the currents in the Sea of Consciousness, all his trivial memories were rather murky. He remembered all the important ones, as he had protected those memories. However, fully recalling the trivial ones would take him some time.

    His eyes widened when Alec suddenly nced directly at the location where he was seated, only to look away in the next moment with a puzzled expression.

    "Did I imagine it, or did he just sense me?"

    Enthrall eyes gleamed with interest. He should make this man his ve. But before that, he nced at the Tree of Fate.

    "I need to obtain a piece of the Tree of Fate''s spiritual core. All the preparations areplete, and with this, we can shatter the second-tost seal that obstructs the path leading outside the universe."

    He disappeared from his location, as nothing else mattered for now. He would firstplete the task assigned to him by Damien, the first shadow general.

    As for Ceano, he knew the man was powerful enough to handle Kyle, and if he couldn''t, it wasn''t as if the second shadow general could die, since that man had sent one of his fake bodies here. As for his real body, even he didn''t know where it was.

    After Enthrall vanished, Alec once again turned his gaze back to the location where the man had been seated.

    "Did I make a mistake?"

    He scratched his chin, convinced he had sensed the space around that area ripple for a moment. He asked the system, but it had no idea what he was talking about.

    Sinon noticed Alec''s distraction and gave him a light smack on the back.

    "Now that Kyle and Bia are gone, let''s get ready to leave this as well. What are you wasting time for?"

    With a nod, Alec trailed behind the group, but because he couldn''t shake the uneasy feeling, he decided to urge everyone to leave the elven immediately.

    Simultaneously, the elven Queen and the supreme-rank individuals with her worked together to secure the area, ensuring that no other members of the dark race had infiltrated their

    territory.

    They then erected a spiritual energy barrier around theirnd to ensure that no enemy could enter without their knowledge.

    .....

    A short while earlier, after Bia was consumed by a portal, she emerged from the other side and quickly steadied herself mid-air. However, her eyes widened in shock when she witnessed everything around her erupting in an explosion. She swiftly darted in the opposite direction to evade the st, which surged forward with lightning speed, engulfing everything in its path. Bia cursed loudly. She had just arrived, but what the hell was happening here?!

    In no time, the st caught up to her, and she quickly enveloped herself in a shield to brace for the impact. But before the st could reach her, Kyle appeared before her. He grabbed her small body and leaped into the portal that lit up before him.

    Kyle emerged from the other side of the portal and took a moment to steady his breath. Then he nced at the unknown he had arrived on with Ceano. His and Bia''s eyes reflected the devastation-nearly eighty percent of the exploded into nothingness under their gaze in just a matter of seconds. Bia took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    - "What''s happening? How can such a big part of a just vanish like that?"

 Chapter 697: Who do you think will win this time?

    Chapter 697: Who do you think will win this time?

    ?

    Kyle wore a serious expression as he released the phoenix from his hands.

    "It''s because of Ceano. He triggered the strange artifact enveloped in dark energy in his hands the moment we arrived here."

    Bia nced at the destroyed, its shattered pieces drifting aimlessly in the dark expanse of space.

    -"Wait, wouldn''t suchrge-scale destruction also harm him? Why did he do it? And what about the''s residents? Oh my gosh, they must have all died!"

    Kyle extended his senses to locate Ceano. He was certain that the man would not be harmed by the explosion he had caused.

    "The''s inhabitants? I don''t think we need to worry about them because, based on the dark energy I sensed, I am sure it belongs to the dark side."

    He had randomly selected the coordinates for the portal he created for Ceano, aiming to ensure the location was as far away as possible from the elven. Who would have thought that they would end up on a linked to the dark side?

    "Still, it''s hard to fathom that even after knowing we had arrived on a aligned with his side, Ceano chose to destroy it."

    Kyle muttered under his breath and swiftly turned around when he sensed a presence behind him, only to discover Ceano floating there,pletely unscathed.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "What a pity. I was genuinely hoping you would be harmed in the explosion."

    Ceano chuckled at his words, softly brushing off the dust from his clothes.

    "The sentiment is mutual, you know?"

    He cast a regretful nce at the, eighty percent of which had been reduced to mere fragments.

    No, he didn''t feel any sorrow for the lives lost in the explosion he caused; his only regret was that he had wasted a valuable artifact, while the target he intended to eliminate with it remained unharmed.

    Ceano let out a sigh, and Kyle formed a portal just as the man suddenly attacked the area where he was with a beam of light. The portal shattered, and the beam of light obliterated everything in its path, but Kyle had already moved away with Bia before the beam could reach them.

    Bia swiftly transformed into her phoenix form. Immediately, golden mes erupted around her, illuminating the surrounding space with a warm glow. Kyle nced at her andmunicated in her mind.

    ''Be careful. He is not weak.''

    The phoenix''s eyes narrowed at his words. She wanted to argue that she wasn''t weak, but chose to hold off on that confrontation forter, considering currently they were up against a powerful enemy.

    Ceano watched Bia''s transformation, his golden eyes reflecting the mesmerizing yet destructive mes.

    "What a sight. I''ve been meaning to ask... you both have unique mes, don''t you?"

    He shifted his gaze to Kyle.

    "Your icy blue mes as well-they''re far more powerful than ordinary."

    Kyle simply sneered.

    "So, are you jealous?"

    Ceano''s eyes gleamed as he examined Kyle''s whole body to see if the human form held something unique within it. However, he clicked his tongue in disappointment when he sensed nothing special.

    "No, not really. I''m just curious if there''s a reason behind it. Regardless, who do you think will win this time?"

    He waved his hand, and the dark space around him began to reshape into massive, sharp spear-like structures that pointed their tips toward the human and the phoenix flying opposite him.

    Last time, the array created by Kyle had reduced his strength, but now, even though his current body was a fake he had created, he could utilize nearly all his strength.

    ''Let''s see how long you canst now that there''s no array to assist you.''

    Ceano disappeared from his spot, and all the sharp structures hovering around him surged toward Kyle and Bia.

    Kyle nced at the many attacks hurtling toward him and Bia with astonishing speed. His eyes turned white, and immediately, everything around him slowed down.

    "Of course, I will win."

    He didn''t stop the attacks; instead, he quickly turned around and blocked the kick aimed at him from behind.

    Ceano''s eyes widened slightly as he observed his movements slow down in sync with the environment. He scrunched up his nose in annoyance.

    "I didn''t believe it at first that you could manipte the time around you, but now I suppose I have to ept it."

    Both he and Kyle were propelled backward in mid-air due to the collision.

    Ceano had just managed to stop himself when a wave of golden mes attempted to engulf his body. With a cold expression, he vanished from his position.

    "You stopped me, but what about the attacks that are closing in?"

    His voice resonated in the space. This was the second time Kyle had used the naturalw of time against him. Therefore, it was futile for the human to affect him with the same tactic again, since he could simply nullify its effects as the stronger one.

    Kyle crafted portals before himself and Bia. They swiftly entered the portals just as the time around them resumed its normal pace, and the barrage of attacks hurtling toward them reached their position.

    The dark space erupted with another thunderous explosion as the numerous spears aimed at the duo converged at a single point. The sheer force of the impact unleashed shockwaves that rippled through the air, distorting the surroundings.

    Kyle emerged from the portal in the distance. He nced at the phoenix that appeared behind

    him.

    ''Bia, you can sense me, right? You are slower than both me and Ceano. However, through the connection we share, try to pinpoint my location and attack Ceano whenever you get the

    chance.''

    The phoenix nodded, and before Ceano couldunch another attack at them, Kyle attacked him first this time.

    The silver spear materialized in his hand as he shed with Ceano amidst the darkness surrounding them.

    The air crackled with sparks, and Kyle was pushed backward from the impact.

    However, thanks to his physique and strength, which had attained the supreme rank, he was not significantly affected, even though Ceano rank was higher than him.

    "This bastard has gotten faster. I guess this battle is going to drag on for a long time..."

    Kyle whispered as he charged at Ceano once more, who smirked and drew a curved de shrouded in dark energy to face him.

 Chapter 698: You have a goal?

    Chapter 698: You have a goal?

    ?

    A deafening explosion erupted in the dark expanse of space, resonating through the void as Ceano detonated another artifact, simr to the one he had triggered before. The sound reverberated, reaching the ears of many powerful individuals residing on thes in the vicinity.

    Kyle''s figure was engulfed by the shockwaves since he was caught off guard by the sudden turn of events. He believed they were going to engage in closebat when Ceano drew his weapon!

    "This bastard!!"

    He swore under his breath as he encased himself in ice armor before using instant teleportation to disappear from his spot.

    His eyes glowed as he utilized nearly all his mental strength to slow down time again, causing the shockwaves approaching Bia to lose their momentum for a while.

    The phoenix sustained some minor injuries, but fortunately, she sessfully escaped through the portal he created behind her before incurring any serious harm.

    Kyle spat out blood as he materialized in the distance. His eyes zed with anger as he gazed at the vibrant light that contrasted sharply with the darkness of space.

    The very fabric of space before him was distorted by the residual energy released from the explosion, creating ripples that spread through the surrounding area.

    "The one who made the artifacts Ceano possessed, I swear I will end that person myself if I ever catch wind of them!"

    He seized his spear and moved in front of Bia when he sensed an attack directed at her. A resounding metallic ng echoed in the air as Kyle''s weapon collided with the curved de held in Ceano''s hand.

    Both of them were flung backward from the force of their attacks, and Bia quickly moved aside just before Kyle crashed into her.

    She noticed Ceano charging at Kyle once again and spread her mes everywhere to engulf both herself and Kyle in an effort to halt the shadow general''s advance.

    Kyle quickly steadied himself and gestured for Bia to disperse the mes. The golden warmth surrounding him scattered, and his eyes turned cold when he met the gaze of the man floating before him, who stared at him with a mocking gleam in his eyes, as if taunting him that he was insignificant now that there was no array to aid him. Kyle clenched his fists.

    "So this is how you want to y, huh? Artifacts, let''s see how many more you have got, because I will ensure you use every single one of them in this battle!"

    Ceano ignored his words and scanned his body from head to toe. The elegant clothes the human wore for his wedding were now stained with his own blood.

    Lost in his distraction, he failed to notice the darkness creeping into Kyle''s eyes. Shaking his head, he sighed at the human.

    "I wonder how your bride will react when she hears the news of your death? I should go and witness her tear-streaked face-!"

    His words were abruptly interrupted, as he noticed the tip of the silver spear ominously approaching one of his eyes. But before the spear could reach its destination, his body instinctively moved back to avoid it.

    Kyle''s attack sliced through the air, and the impact caused the surroundings to tremble as he raised his gaze to stare at Ceano, who had fallen silent.

    "So what were you saying?"

    His voice resonated more powerfully than usual as he vanished toward the second shadow general andunched one more attack, this time with even greater force.

    Ceano''s hands quivered slightly as he deflected the spear aimed at him, and he caught sight of a crack in the de in his hands. A curse escaped his lips.

    ''Why is his strength so overwhelming? I am sure it''s not that much lower than mine!''

    He barely had a moment to think before he noticed the gleaming silver spear hurtling toward him once more.

    Ceano deflected the attack and sent the human, who hadpletely abandoned any sense of defense and was determined to eliminate him at all costs, flying back.

    Kyle steadied his body. Without pausing for even a moment, he aimed the spear in his hand at the shadow general andunched it at the man with all his strength. The spear sliced through the air with a deafening roar, moving forward at an astonishing speed.

    Ceano eyed the iing attack. All the spiritual energy gathered at the tip of the spear burst forth even before it reached him, creating a destructive whirlwind that engulfed his entire body before he could barely move from his position.

    The whirlwind immediately expanded to epass a vast radius. Ceano hissed as the winds around him felt like sharp des, threatening to slice into his body.

    His eyes gleamed, and a surge of dark energy erupted from him, radiating outward to deflect the silver spear aimed at him and dissipate the whirlwind encircling him.

    Kyle nced at the man. Just like him, Ceano now looked like a mess. The anger and coldness he felt toward the man earlier had faded away. He should have set his emotions aside sooner, just as he usually did when confronting a difficult battle.

    "I think I got toofortable with so many familiar people around me. I should have never set my goal aside due to them."

    Ceano chuckled and nced at him. He acknowledged that Kyle''s strength was formidable. If only the human were on his side, he could have been a tremendous asset; but what a pity indeed. Additionally, Kyle had destroyed one of his fake bodies, so there was no way he would let him live. He had to kill him at all costs.

    "You have a goal? I''m curious what it is; perhaps I could be of assistance."

    He was preparing to use another artifact. This time, he intended to target the phoenix, knowing that in doing so, the human would undoubtedly try to save her. Kyle tilted his head and locked eyes with him.

    "Yes, you can actually help me by taking your own life, because my objective is to eliminate all the shadow generals. I don''t recall the specifics of the grudge, but I''m certain one of you tried to kill me in the past or at least got under my skin."

    Ceano paused for a split second and then burst intoughter. His voice echoed in the air as he stared at Kyle, as if the human had just delivered the biggest joke of his life.

    "You''re really funny sometimes, you know?"

    Kyle watched as the silver spear soared toward him and began to silently hover behind his back. However, he didn''t grab the spear; instead, he took out his sword. The sound of loudughter was getting on his nerves, and he wanted to silence it.

    "Funny? This is the first time I have ever heard someone call me that."N?v(el)B\\jnn

    His words faded into the air as he disappeared from his position andunched an attack on the

    man.

    Ceano raised his guard the instant he saw Kyle wielding the sword. He knew that Kyle''s mastery with the sword far exceeded that of the spear, so he understood he needed to be more

    cautious now.

    ''I can''t activate the artifact just yet, since Kyle won''t let me reach the phoenix. I need to find a good opportunity.''

    He vanished from his position as well, and the duo collided in the dark expanse.

    The space around them quaked violently, unleashing sparks of electricity every time their attacks collided.

    Shockwaves rippled through the air, creating thunderous roars as they engaged in an unrelenting barrage of strikes, striking at each other relentlessly without pause.

    Ceano''s eyes narrowed when, all of a sudden, Bia swooped into the battle. The phoenix

    unleashed a torrent of golden mes upon him, and he couldn''t believe that she could match the incredible speed he and Kyle were currently disying!

    His upper clothes were burned, and he sustained minor injuries from the mes, but he wanted to seize the moment and reach the phoenix, only to realize that she had already

    departed the area.

    He couldn''t even follow her because Kyle engaged him in battle once more!

    Bia halted in the distance, observing the battle with solemn eyes.

    -"I believe we''re going to win. The shadow generals haven''t utilized any naturalws, which indicates he might not have learned any. If he doesn''t use any more artifacts, Kyle should be

    able to overpower him."

    Her soul nearly leaped out of her body when an elderly voice sounded behind her.

    "Ceano can use naturalws. He just hasn''t used them yet."

    Bia attacked in the direction of the voice, but her strike didn''t connect with anyone since the

    space behind her was empty.

    She nced around and was left speechless and shocked when she finally spotted the owner of the voice, who was very far away from her.

    The voice belonged to an elderly demi-human seated on a floating chair in the distance, surrounded by a few other older individuals-two of whom were men of the human race, and

    thest was a woman from the dragon race.

    The elderly individuals were gathered around a round table, munching on seeds as they

    watched Kyle and Ceano battle with intense focus. The demi-human nced at Bia and offered her a grateful nod.

    "Don''t worry, we meant no harm. We were just drawn in by the explosions and came to watch

    the battle after noticing that the dark race''s, whose inhabitants have been at war with ours for the past hundred years, has been destroyed."

    The others around him nodded in agreement, gratitude shining in their eyes as they nced at Bia. After thest attackunched by the dark race, they had lost all hope of protecting their remaining alive people from the dark side. However, who could have imagined that the dark race''s entire would be destroyed before they could fully conquer theirs?

 Chapter 699: A fake body?

    Chapter 699: A fake body?

    ?

    Bia''s eyebrow twitched violently, and her anger surged as she sensed the ranks of the old individuals. All of them were merely at the first stage of the transcendent rank, yet they had the audacity to watch Kyle and Ceano battle as if they were esteemed!

    - "Leave this ce before I do something that will erase all of your existence!"

    The older individuals exchanged wary nces when they heard the threat of the phoenix. They had seen the golden mes the phoenix wielded and the devastation they could cause. Therefore, they certainly didn''t want to get on her bad side.

    Quickly, they all began to pick up their belongings to leave the area. Suddenly, the only woman among them nced at Bia.

    "Ah, right! We reached out to one of the seven elders who are overseeing the war happening at the other end of the universe. While we don''t know much about the elders, some time ago, when the nature''s favorite injured Ceano, manys that had sent their people to join the war were instructed to notify the elders if they even saw a glimpse of the second shadow general!"

    The demi-human beside her paused in his actions and let out a mncholic sigh.

    "Did you just mention the famous figure known as the nature''s favorite? That strong young human I want to meet before I die? I have only heard stories about how he killed the third shadow general and even injured Ceano from the youngsters whopeted in the diator Arena!"

    Everyone''s attention was captured by his words, and Bia''s ears also perked up at the mention of the title Kyle had chosen for himself in the diator Arena.

    -''What did he just say?''

    Confusion flickered in the phoenix''s eyes as she fixed her gaze on the group.

    -''Famous? Who? Kyle?''

    She was about to use her mes on the older individuals, intending to drive them away to prevent any idental deaths if Ceano triggered another artifact. However, upon hearing the demi-human, she paused and began to listen to the conversation.

    The old demi-human nced at the battle happening in the distance.

    "Regardless, I never thought another powerful individual who could fight Ceano head-on existed. I nearly thought he was the nature''s favorite, if only I didn''t know that the nature''s favorite have silver hair!"

    The two humans with him nodded in agreement, one of them even gestured toward Bia with a sigh.

    "Right, he even has a formidable fire phoenix! What a coincidence!"

    Suddenly, the old woman next to the trio smacked them. The phoenix had just given them a warning that could threaten their lives, yet they still had time to chit-chat!

    It was true; they all held deep respect for the nature''s favorite because of the feat he had aplished. They were well aware of the fear that the shadow generals had been instilling throughout the entire universe, and Kyle''s actions had earned him considerable acim in their eyes. They would always honor the nature''s favorite, whoever he may be. However now wasn''t the time to praise him! They needed to leave before the phoenix burned them to ashes! The woman red at the trio, and they quickly began to scatter back to theirs. In the end, only the woman remained. She nced at Bia.

    "I sincerely apologize for our actions. The reality is, we have grown old, which is why we were ovee with emotions when we saw that the enemies we had been battling for years were eliminated just like that..."

    She looked at the fierce battle unfolding between Kyle and Ceano in the distance.

    "It''s so easy for him, isn''t it? Fighting someone so powerful... Even though I can tell he''s weaker from their exchange, he''s still confronting Ceano head-on."

    Bia sighed in agreement. Suddenly, golden light enveloped her entire body, and she transformed into a human.

    -"He is strong... but what sets him apart from others is the fact that he''s crazy. Just look at how the injuries are umting on his body, yet he continues to fight!"

    She adjusted the feathery outfit around her body, feeling slightly ufortable before ncing at the woman.

    -"You may have never seen him before, but I can tell from your eyes, you recognized that he is the nature''s favorite."

    The woman nodded quietly. She hadn''t given it much thought when she followed the others to investigate the sounds of the explosions. But now, feeling the sharp gaze of the phoenix upon her, she felt a wave of nervousness. It seemed wiser not to lie.

    "The others are a bit slow on the uptake, so they easily missed the fact that hair color can change for a variety of reasons."

    She took a deep breath.

    "I shall take my leave. Please tell yourpanion to stay alive; I am certain one of the elders is on their way to help him."

    Bia chuckled at her words and shook her head, her golden hair flowing in the air.

    -"Well, he wouldn''t die even if no help came. I''ve known him long enough to assure you of that. Just go and make sure I don''t see you or anyone else near this area again."

    The woman let out a wry smile.

    "Alright... I said that because I don''t want to see the man who had the potential to end the chaos this universe is facing to die."

    She turned around to leave the area but paused and nced at Bia.

    "But... does the nature''s favorite know that the person he''s fighting right now might just be a fake body of the original?"

    She pondered for a second, unaware of how Bia''s eyes darkened at her words.

    "I guess he knows since he has fought Ceano before. The second shadow general never takes risks. He would never fight the nature''s favorite with his real body when he knows what his enemy is capable of."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The woman''s figure vanished in the distance. She wanted to help Kyle and Bia, just like the others individuals who were with her, but they refrained from interfering in the battle after witnessing the strength that Kyle and Ceano were disying. With their current abilities, they would only end up dead if they attempted to help.

    Bia nced at Kyle and Ceano as they shed in the distance once again. She couldn''t pinpoint their exact location due to their speed, but through the connection she shared with Kyle, she could sense that he had nearly exhausted all his spiritual and divine energy. A curse

    escaped her lips.

    -"Damn it! Kyle is sacrificing so much, but in the end, the person we''re trying to eliminate might just be a fake body of the original!? There''s no gain in this battle!"

    She transformed back into her phoenix form and tried tomunicate with Kyle. At first, he didn''t hear her, as his mind and attention were consumed by the enemy before him. But after several failed attempts, Bia''s eyes lit up when Kyle finally caught her voice. A weary voice

    resonated in her mind.

    ''What... are you saying? Repeat it.''

    Kyle''s expression turned even more emotionless when Bia revealed that the person he was fighting might just be a fake body! In the diator Arena, Ceano had also used a fake body. If this was true now as well, there was no way they could kill him!

    He mused to himself as he swiftly executed the first move of his sword art to send Ceano staggering back to catch his breath.

    ''A fake body? I have my suspicions, but I''m not sure. I need to look deeper into his body to confirm, but there''s a barrier around the space where his soul resides.''

    He had sensed the presence of the old people watching the battle from a distance the moment

    they arrived in the area, as his scent perception skill was active.

    However, since all of them were rtively weak and posed no threat to him or Bia, he dismissed their presence. Regardless, if they had interfered, he would have found a way to eliminate them. Fortunately, they left before that became necessary.

    Kyle nced at Ceano. They had been fighting for some time, and he had already sensed the

    man''s desire to reach Bia, as thetter had attempted it multiple times during the battle. He concluded that Ceano wanted to use an artifact simr to the ones he had employed earlier again but this time on Bia. But would he allow that? Of course not!

    ''It doesn''t matter if it''s a fake body or not because I am going to end him!''

    He charged at Ceano again while Bia informed him about the conversation she had with the people she met, revealing that a powerful elder from the war urring at the other end of the universe would arrive soon to assist them to defeat Ceano.

    Kyle clicked his tongue as he locked eyes with the golden-eyed man staring at him. Beads of sweat trickled down both of their bodies due to the immense pressure they were exerting on

    each other.

    "It''s going to be problematic if someonees here to interfere... Let''s try to end this

    as soon as possible."

 Chapter 700: You are truly insane

    Chapter 700: You are truly insane

    ?

    Ceano''s eyes crinkled at Kyle''s words. Like the human, he had sensed the presence of the individuals who had previously arrived in the area to observe their battle.

    Naturally, he knew they wouldn''t remain silent after seeing him near their territory. After all, he could annihte their smalls with just a wave of his hand.

    "Okay, as you wish. I will finish you as quickly as I can. However, how about you surrender to expedite the process?"

    Kyle tilted his head as their weapons collided with a sharp metallic ng, and noticing that Ceano was fixated on his sword, he quickly let go of his grip and delivered a punch to Ceano''s abdomen, sending him reeling backward.

    "Surrender? What''s that?"

    Ceano chuckled. He could see the sweat trickling down his body, mingling with the blood oozing from the wounds Kyle had inflicted on him in such a short time.

    He wasn''t seriously injured and could have easily healed his injuries, but he refrained from doing so because he had noticed that Kyle frowned whenever they were too close to each other, indicating that the scent was making the human ufortable.

    The scent of his blood was heightened by the dark energy within him. And given Kyle''s difort, it was evident that the skill he was using to monitor his surroundings was closely connected to his sense of smell.

    From this, Ceano concluded that the more potent the surrounding scents became, the more overwhelmed Kyle would feel.

    ''Honestly, I can''t just harm myself on purpose to make him feel more uneasy, especially since he''s not even reacting to my provocations anymore. I need toe up with something else... something that would wreck his sense of smell.''

    He noticed Kyle moving toward him, the sword tightly gripped in thetter''s hand. But instead of engaging, he moved back and steadied his breath, then a familiar artifact materialized in his hand.

    Kyle halted in his movement as he noticed the round artifact enveloped in dark energy. It resembled a crystal but emitted no luster; it was purely dark and ominous.

    With a swift flick of his fingers, a teleportation portal instantly materialized behind him. He then locked eyes with the second shadow general, wearing a smile that didn''t quite reach his eyes.

    "Go on, use it. What are you waiting for? I told you, didn''t I, that you are allowed to use all the artifacts you possess in this battle? I would never go back on my word."

    Ceano tightened his grip on the artifact. He wanted to reach the phoenix, but the human stood in his way. That''s why even if he used the artifact, it would be pointless since Kyle could easily escape the explosion''s range through a simple teleportation portal.

    "Who said I was going to use it?"

    A smirk spread across his face as the artifact began to levitate, its dark aura swirling and seeping into his body.

    "I never intended to invoke a naturalw merely to defeat an individual who hasn''t even reached the supreme rank, as it drains too much of my strength, but it seems I have no other option this time."

    Kyle hummed nonchntly, but all his attention was on the man before him as a powerful, destructive aura began to gather around thetter''s body.

    "A naturalw? So you do possess one."

    He pondered in his mind, attempting to discern what type of naturalw Ceano had mastered, all the while silently channeling all his remaining spiritual energy into his sword to unleash the final move of his sword art: the Void of Silent Darkness.

    ''If the threat I am sensing from the man intensifies, I will eliminate him with one swift strike, even if it means sacrificing a body part in the process.''

    Bia, who was watching the battle from a distance, noticed when they both paused in their movements. Kyle didn''t say anything, but she instinctively sensed that he was nning something dangerous.

    However, it wasn''t like she could interfere; that would onlyplicate things for Kyle. Nevertheless, she possessed a life-saving artifact-the ring on her ankle that she had discovered in the tomb. If things spiraled out of control, she would position herself between the two men to activate it.

    So, the artifact would instantly transport both her and Kyle to another location.

    She became alert when Ceano began tough loudly. The dark energy surrounding the man hadpletely engulfed his form. Even his long, peach-colored hair was turning dark with each passing second. He ced his palm over his face and nced at Kyle through the gaps in his fingers.

    "Just one naturalw? I suppose you underestimated me far too much. Third waszy, so even though he had the chance to learn thew of darkness because the dark energy favored him, he didn''t and met a pathetic end at your hands. But the other shadow generals are different from him."

    He blinked, and his pupils darkened. The golden color within them vanished as if it had never existed in the first ce.

    In that instant, Kyle felt as if the entire universe had copsed upon him, throwing him off bnce. He cursed and desperately attempted to steady himself, but it was as if the very fabric of space waspelling him to fall. He failed and even lost his grip on the sword in his hand as he struggled, and began coughing up blood.

    Bia''s eyes widened at the sight. Instantly, she rushed toward Kyle, ready to catch his body on her back. However, the moment she entered his vicinity, she too lost her bnce as an overwhelming pressure pressed down on her body.

    Ceano crouched down and observed the duo. Below themy an infinite dark space as they plummeted deeper and deeper.

    "Pfff!"

    His body quivered slightly as he stifled the uncontrobleughter that threatened to escape his lips. With a mere wave of his hand, both Kyle and Bia''s falling bodies came to a abrupt

    stop in mid-air.

    Instantly, the two of them spat up blood because all their internal organs were shaken when their bodies were forcefully yanked from beneath the overwhelming weight that had pressed

    down on them.

    Bia cried out from the pain coursing through her body and cursed the shadow general and his entire lineage. She suffered more injuriespared to Kyle, as her physique wasn''t as strong

    as his.

    - ''This funkin'' son of a witch! If only I were a bit stronger, I would have torn him apart for causing such harm to my precious body!''

    She tried to used all her agility to leave the area, but her injuries left her barely able to fly. So, she quickly began to channel her spiritual energy to heal herself.

    In the distance, Kyle wiped the blood from his mouth and called for his sword, which had slipped from his grasp earlier.

    His fingers trembled as he grasped the sword and lifted his head to face the man now hovering

    above him.

    "What was that?"

    Ceano locked eyes with Kyle. His smile wavered when, instead of fear, he detected genuine

    curiosity in the human''s gaze.

    What an weird individual.

    But since the human was about to die anyway at his hands, he opted to respond to thetter''s

    final question.

    "It''s weak since there''s no mass beneath. However, thest time I used the naturalw of gravitational domination, I took countless lives simply by increasing the gravitational pressure around them until their bodies could no longer endure it."

    He paused for a moment, allowing the weight of silence to linger in the air. When he spoke

    again, his voice was imbued with an ominous yetughing tone.

    "Do you want to know what happened to those people when their bodies could no longer withstand the pressure?"

    Kyle''s eyes crinkled slightly, but instead of joy, they glimmered with a dark curiosity, as if he had discovered something fascinating that he desired at all costs. He clenched his fist and

    raised it toward Ceano.

    "Oh, no need for that since I know."

    He opened his fist suddenly, fingers unfurling to spread wide.

    "Their bodies exploded into pieces, right?"

    Ceano''s eyes chilled at his words. The human spoke with a peculiar tone, as if he were eager to

    try what he had just said.

    "You are truly insane."

    Kyle burst intoughter and inwardly instructed Bia to instantly leave the area, as he was

    about to obliterate everything, even the very space they were in.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "But you haven''t even seen the real me!"

    Ceano lifted his head as he sensed a powerful individual approaching his location from a

    distance.

    ''What a nuisance. Wasn''t James injured? Why is Odiak himselfing here for this human when he needs to guard the seals? He could have sent another elder. I need to finish this

    before he arrives.''

    He blinked, and the darkness that had gathered around his body began to absorb his blood, adopting a hint of scarlet. Ceano nced down to lock eyes with Kyle. And his gaze flickered with a hint of greed.

    "It''s odd that I can no longer sense that unique essence I once detected within you. However, I still want to uncover whatever Celestial your body contains. So, don''t worry; I will leave your

    body intact."

 Chapter 701 Not gonna let you go this time

    701 Not gonna let you go this time

    The dark energy enveloping Ceano surged toward Kyle with astonishing speed. At the same time, the space behind him began to crack, forming an escape route for him to vanish as soon as he was done.

    Kyle remained rooted in ce as the darkness, tinged with a faint shade of crimson, approached and began to circle around his body. It didn''t touch him at all; instead, it scattered and enveloped the vast empty space surrounding him.

    His grip on the sword tightened. Fortunately, Bia had already left the area through the portal he had created while Ceano waspletely focused on him.

    ''The level of threat had escted. I can sense that whatever he is nning can endanger my life. It''s time to end this.''

    Kyle took a firm stance in mid-air and locked his solemn gaze on Ceano. The golden sword in his hand began to wrap itself in pitch-ck shadows, gliding through the air with grace.

    He wanted to use instant teleportation to reach the man first, but his eyes widened when, suddenly, countless small dark and red flowers made of energy began to take shape around him. Instantly, they began to release overpowering fragrances that overwhelmed his senses.

    ''This bastard!''

    Kyle hurriedly stopped using his scent perception skill as he realized Ceano''s intentions. But it was toote; the sudden onught of overpowering scents blurred his vision, and his nose began to bleed.

    His head began to ring, and his eyes turned bloodshot from the intense assault directly on one of his senses. In the end, he felt as if he had entirely lost his sense of smell.

    Amidst the hazy vision, he noticed Ceano charging at him with his curved de. The man smirked at him ominously.

    "How is it? It''s not a naturalw; it''s just a low-rank skill I learned identally. I never really found it useful in battle, but it certainly works wonders on you."

    Kyle felt a strong urge tough, but he controlled himself. He could tell through the disgusting sensation crawling on his skin that the scents from the flowers had also begun to corrode his body. Yet, he remained still on his spot, waiting for Ceano toe closer.

    ''Just a little more. Just a little...''

    His head was throbbing, and his entire body was consumed by pain, yet in the middle of it all, he once again attempted to grasp the naturalw of time. This time, he sought to explore itsplexities more profoundly.

    Although he had no prior knowledge, his desire to grasp the very nature of reality fueled his efforts, and to his delight, the nature began to resonate with him.

    Kyle''s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as the second shadow general''s de finally arrived eerily close to his neck. Instantly, he tapped into the naturalw of time.

    Ceano let out a confused and bewildered sound as he suddenly felt his body moving backward on its own, as if time itself were reversing around him. He looked ahead, and a familiar pair of green eyes shed before him in a blur, followed by the raspy echo of Kyle''s voice resonating in his ears.

    "A friendly reminder: you talk too much."

    With a swift and precise movement, Kyle plunged his sword deep into Ceano''s heart.

    "!"

    Before the man could evenprehend what the hell just happened, a wave of darkness erupted from the golden de, engulfing him in a chilling embrace of nothingness that felt eerily familiar.

    Ceano''s pupils dted as his grip on his de loosened, causing it to drop into the vast darkness surrounding them.

    "No way... how?"

    Kyle met his shocked and bewildered gaze with an air of nonchnce. His grip on his sword loosened, and he could feel his body growing numb. Even before he tapped into the naturalw of time, he knew that his body had already given up.

    Not to mention, he had exhausted all his spiritual and divine energy. Fortunately, his body still contained a bit of mana, allowing him to remain conscious. Still, he was sure he would faint any second now.

    He staggered back and watched as the second shadow general''s body, enveloped in the silent void, began to dissolve into the shadows, the man''s form disintegrating into mere echoes of existence.

    However, before his body could fade entirely into the shadows, Kyle reached out his hand and caught the fleeting wisps of dark energy slipping away from Ceano''s body, which turned into a hollow shell.

    "Not gonna let you go this time..."

    Kyle chuckled softly as the energy in his grasp fought to break free. This time, what he caught wasn''t merely a remnant of what was real; it was a real fragment of the second shadow general''s soul.

    He tightened his grip, and the fragment of soul scattered into energy, leaving behind nothing but faint, luminous particles.

    "Next time... it won''t be merely a fragment of your soul. It will be your entire existence that will disappear in my grasp."

    His eyelids began to grow heavy as the air around him became stagnant, with many voids forming in the space to consume every speck of spiritual energy.

    Kyle shook his head to prevent his consciousness from fading. With great effort, he managed to store his sword in his mind space and create a somewhat stable portal behind him, using thest of his mana to reach Bia.

    But just as he was about to plunge into the portal, he caught sight of two middle-aged men arriving on the scene: a white-haired dwarf and a dark-haired human.

    His final thought was that the two individuals looked vaguely familiar, as if he had encountered them before, just as his body vanished into the flickering portal that disintegrated into numerous particles.

    "Ah... it seems we arete."

    Odiak''s deep voice echoed in the dark space as he sighed regretfully and watched the fading particles. His gaze shifted to the numerous voids that had formed in the air after Kyle unleashed his sword art.

    They were wreaking havoc, devouring everything in their path, even the very essence of space itself.

    "But that young kid... what the hell? How can he be so powerful already?"

    He cast a sidelong nce at the man dressed in casual attire, whose presence waspletely concealed by an artifact, and narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

    "Did you deceive everyone when you said that the human with the Celestial essence and the one my artifact chose as its host haven''t even attained the divine rank?"

    James''s gray eyes shed with incredulity. ording to the piece of his soul that had returned to him, both Kyle and Alec were far from the divine rank. There was no reason for him to lie about this. So why was this old fellow ming him?

    "I didn''t. You know I''m still not fully healed, yet you dragged me here, iming it could be our chance to capture a piece of Ceano''s soul and find his whereabouts through it. But I have to say, Kyle has gotten incredibly powerful. He just defeated one of Ceano''s bodies so easily without anyone''s help." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Odiak''s eyes grew even more suspicious when James tried to change the topic. He stared intensely at the man.

    "You say you didn''t lie, but do you realize it hasn''t even been ten years since the piece of soul you left on the blue returned? How did the youngsters be so strong in such a short amount of time?"

    He rubbed his chin, a thoughtful yet perplexed expression on his face.

    "It all just doesn''t add up. First, Kyle and his group, whom Elizabeth encountered in the diator Arena, came from the blue, which was isted from the outside world andcked a lot of knowledge. Second, thatcked the resources necessary to help someone reach the divine rank."

    James shook his head at him. He just wanted to rest, but this old man was giving him a headache with all his questions.

    "Why can''t you ept the fact that the youngsters are geniuses? That''s why they have be so powerful in such a short amount of time... unlike us. Anyway, I don''t think we can locate Kyle now that he has left through a portal, especially since I can''t detect any remnant coordinates."

    He turned around as the space behind him began to crack to form a route that would directly take them to their destination.

    "Let''s head back; we can''t be away from the seals for too long, or who knows what the dark side might do while we''re gone."

    Odiak nodded. The dwarf still had questions about how Kyle and his group had gained such immense strength in such a brief period. But then he remembered the Ancient Lumbra Realm he had sealed on the blue. At that time, James had left to battle the third shadow general who had injured Elizabeth, and the dark race that resided on the blue began causing chaos, so he had trapped them in that realm in a fit of anger.

    Perhaps the youngsters entered that realm and found the divine essence James had left behind with his bonded beast?

    "Wow... just how fortunate do they need to be to find the divine essence in such a vast realm? That''s the only thing that could have helped them reach the pseudo-divine rank since it''s hard to achieve the Ascendant state, even if your talent is (SSS+)-rank."

    James stepped into the crack and disappeared before the dwarf could ask him any more questions. Odiak watched his fading figure and let out a wry smile.

    "I know you''re thinking it''s due to the Celestial essence Kyle possesses within his body. But what you might not realize is that the essence is merely a guarantee of the potential to reach the Celestial rank. To truly achieve that rank, a person must invest the necessary effort themselves."

    He wouldn''t have so many pointless questions if only Kyle had grown stronger. But it''s not just him; everyone standing by his side is bing a formidable force.

    "The bnce of power in the universe is about to shift once more. Hopefully, they won''t turn to the dark side... Well, at least Alec would stand by our side since Soul would lead him to me."

    With a soft hum, he also stepped into the crack and vanished from the space.

    \

 Chapter 702 Someone stronger is watching us

    702 Someone stronger is watching us

    Under a canopy of green trees, Bia was seated on the ground. Her head nestled in her wings, and her eyes were closed.

    The air was pleasant, filled with the faint scent of fresh fruits and flowers.

    Seated beside her, with his back resting against her body, Kyle''s eyes were also closed. His clothes were covered in dried blood, yet he didn''t have the strength to change into clean garments.

    Bia''s eyes flew open when she sensed several presences nearing their location.

    -"Just some divine-ranks?"

    She whispered and closed her eyes again, sensing that the people were not a threat. Still, she erected a spiritual shield around herself and Kyle to keep them hidden from those passing by. Her feathers glowed as a wave of energy radiated from her body.

    Instantly, every monster in her vicinity turned their heads toward her, their eyes filled with fear and profound respect. Once Bia had gained their attention, she, as the one who held authority over those below her,manded them to drive away the individuals who had entered the forest.

    -"This should be enough, I guess..."

    The monsters bowed their heads to the powerful presence thatmanded them, then unleashed a chorus of furious roars as they charged at the divine beings who had innocently entered the forest near their city to collect herbs for a mission entrusted to them by an elder.

    In the distance, a woman with a pair of curved horns atop her head, d in a grey uniform and holding a few golden-colored herbs, raised her gaze when she felt the ground tremble beneath her.

    "What��!"

    Her remaining words caught in her throat as her ears twitched, picking up the furious roars of numerous monsters. She began to levitate and shouted to the two simrly looking men beside her.

    "Run! It''s a monster wave!"

    The two men exchanged nces, sensing the multitude of monsters rushing toward their location. At first, the duo believed they could handle the threat since, including the woman, they were three divine ranks.

    But their eyes widened in shock as they detected several divine-rank monsters among those charging at them!

    "Run!"

    The duo eximed loudly in unison, but instead of heading toward the city near the forest where the guards could have easily saved them, they panicked and rushed in different directions.

    The flying woman, who had been waiting for the twins to follow her, was left utterly speechless and shocked.

    "These idiots!"

    Now she was uncertain whom to follow. She couldn''t possibly abandon the duo, as the three of them had been assigned the mission together. If she returned alone, she would face severe punishment if the two fools met their end in the forest!

    "Ugh!!"

    With a look of frustration, she quickly followed one of them. Just as she was about to reach him, a piercing scream echoed behind her. The silver-haired man floating in front of her froze in his tracks when he heard his brother''s cry.

    "Mason!"

    Without hesitation, he spun around and disappear toward the sound, leaving the bewildered woman behind, who could do nothing but brace herself for a fight. If the situation escted, she would use a teleportation artifact to save whoever remained and make her escape.

    A divine-rank flying chimera, with a snake-like body and wings resembling those of eagles,unched an attack on the two. They managed to evade the strike, and after a while, finally reached the location of the voice. However, what they saw made their jaws drop in shock.

    Mason was before their very eyes, but he was pinned beneath the talon of a massive creature with wings adorned in shades of crimson, gold, and hints of blue.

    The woman covered her mouth, ensuring that not even her breath would betray her presence to the beast, prepared to abandon Mason, who was shouting for help, and use the teleportation artifact. But she cried out in rm when the man flying beside her lunged at the creature to save his twin.

    "Logan, stop!"

    Bia cursed under her breath when she saw another divine-rank individual charging at her, wielding a saber in his hand.

    She had thought these divine ranks would leave the area when confronted by a horde of monsters, but who would have imagined one of them would charge directly toward her location and collide with the shield she had created around herself and Kyle!?

    -"Stop right there!"

    Bia''smanding voice echoed through the air, and instantly, the man struggling beneath her talon and the one charging at her became eerily still in their ces. Heck, they even stopped breathing!

    The woman in the distance vanished using the teleportation artifact, leaving behind the twins who began sweating profusely under the intense and dark gaze of the phoenix.

    There was utter silence in the air as Bia scrutinized the simr-looking men. Both had silver hair and pale brown eyes, and they wore matching grey outfits. The only difference between them was that the one beneath her talon had horns atop his head, while the other, holding the saber, did not and only had slightly pointed ears.

    -"Twin demi-humans?"

    Bia whispered, uncertain whether to let them go or kill them. She was aware that the she and Kyle had arrived on was inhabited, and whether fortunately or not, they hadnded near a bustling area. If she chose to let the twins go, she knew it would only be a matter of time before many woulde to hunt her and Kyle down.

    -"I guess I should kill them." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Instantly, both Mason and Logan turned pale. They were on the verge of tears, ready to plead for mercy from the creature.

    However, just as they were about to cry out to the phoenix, a haggard voice emerged from behind the crimson beast.

    "Don''t. Someone stronger is watching us; it wouldn''t be courteous to harm their people in their territory."

    Bia shot a quick nce at the man who had been seated behind her all this time. So, he had finally decided to open his eyes?

    Kyle yawned, stretched his neck, and then stood up, before finally meeting the gaze of the man standing still in the distance. He inhaled and exhaled dramatically.

    "Breath."

    Logan blinked as he locked eyes with the pair of green eyes staring back at him. He followed the human''s advice, and finally stopped holding his breath.

    His twin, watching him from beneath Bia, instinctively mirrored his actions.

    Kyle nodded.

    "Good."

    He grabbed his shirt and let out a sigh because the scent of blooding from his clothes felt unexpectedly faint, even though he typically had a much stronger sense of smell than most people.

    Well, considering that he had harmed his sense of smell during the battle, it wasn''t surprising. It would surely take some time for his sense of smell to return to normal.

    "I believe I can''t use the scent perception skill for the time being."

    Logan stared at him. At first, he thought the man had been injured by the crimson beast, since he waspletely covered in blood. But his thoughts changed when he saw thetter running his hand through the phoenix''s feathers. It was enough for him to realize that the phoenix belonged to the man!

    Kyle nced at the person beneath Bia''s talon and asked her to let him go. With a nod, the phoenix raised her leg and moved back before transforming into her smaller form andnding on Kyle''s shoulder.

    Mason, who was finally released, jumped toward his twin with relief in his eyes.

    The duo was nning to flee with all their might, but before they could even move a single step, Kyle appeared behind them. He grabbed their shoulders with a smile that didn''t quite reach his eyes.

    "I just arrived here. So how about you two be my guides for a while?"

    The twins could do nothing but nod in response, casting hesitant nces at the tiny bird sitting on his shoulder, who was a massive beast just a moment ago.

    Kyle released their shoulders. He had already heard their voices from a distance and knew their names, so he didn''t need any introductions.

    "Alright, let me put on a robe over my bloodied clothes, and then you two can lead the way. First, I would like to go to a nice ce where I can clean myself."

    He retrieved a dark robe from his mind space and quickly put it on over his clothes before following behind the twins, who started walking quietly in front of him.

    The twins sucked in deep breaths when they saw the many monsters that had previously tried to attack them retreating into the forest after noticing the little bird.

    Amidst the heavy tension, they inwardly sighed with relief when they exited the forest and arrived at a massive border where a grand gate awaited them.

    Kyle nced at the gate. Many armored demi-human guards stood watch at it.

    As soon as the guards spotted the twins, they greeted them with polite smiles, since it was normal for the students of the powerful elders in the city to venture into the forest toplete missions.

    They didn''t even check the man in robe with them and opened the small gate inside the massive gates to allow them entry.

 Chapter 703: Maybe theyre just too innocent?

    Chapter 703: Maybe they''re just too innocent?

    ?

    Kyle stepped through the city gate alongside the twins, only to be weed by a throng of people and a lively scene unfolding before him. The air was alive with the sounds of soft

    chatter,ughter, and the distant tter of horse-drawn carriages making their way through the streets.

    On either side of him, rows of stalls stretched out, each adorned with vibrant fabrics and fresh produce.

    Vendors eagerly called out to passersby, enticing them with the delightful aroma of spices and baked goods.

    Bia''s eyes lit up at the sight of the food, but before the phoenix could dart toward the nearest stall, Kyle quickly grabbed her.

    Mason and Logan nced at Bia, who started biting the human''s hands. However, the man didn''t let her go and asked them to lead him to a nearby hotel. With nods, the duo quickened

    their pace.

    On the way, Kyle noticed many demi-humans around him. To his surprise, even though their numbers were fewer, he also spotted some elves and members of the dragon race on the streets.

    Bia grumbled in his hands. He sighed as he caught sight of the phoenix eyes locked onto the food stalls around them, studying them with intensity. He caressed her head.

    ''Stay calm. Can''t you tell that, unlike the guards who seem indifferent, everyone around us is secretly checking us out?''

    Hearing his words, Bia finally managed to tear her gaze away from the food.

    -''Huh? Really? I didn''t notice. But I don''t think we need to worry. I can clearly sense the crowd around us is quite weak. You just need to lift a finger, and they would fall. So, can''t you get me some food?''

    Kyle hummed and his gaze met that of a few passersby, all of whom were startled under his stare and quickly looked away.

    ''I will get you foodter. Regardless, I scanned the entire with my senses when we arrived here. From what I sensed, there are only two cities, and surprisingly, I can''t detect even a hint of darkness.''

    After following the twins for a while, he finally arrived in front of a building. Logan nced at him and cleared his throat.

    "This is the best ce around. It''s a bit pricey, but don''t worry, we will cover the expenses... if you want us to."

    He nced at his brother, who swiftly began checking his mind space to see how much money they had. Typically, they didn''t carry much since they always spent all their money on precious treasures that appeared in the city to boost their strength. But it''s not like they could ask the human to pay, particrly because the little bird with the man could end them in mere seconds!

    Kyle nced at the duo, and before Mason could pull anything from his mind space, he tossed a storage ring to them.

    The twins blinked in surprise, but he simply asked them to go get him a nice room. As they entered the hotel to find a room for him, Kyle mumbled under his breath.

    "They bothckmon sense. I thought once we were inside the city, they would run away because I wouldn''t be able to harm them under the gaze of so many."

    Bia agreed with his words as they trailed behind the duo who entered the hotel.

    -"Maybe they''re just too innocent? Not tainted by this impure world!"

    Her words were cut off the moment Kyle stepped into the hotel; because instead of the hotel lobby, they were transported into an entirely different dimension.

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched violently as he raised his head to nce ahead. The space he had just arrived in was enclosed by grey walls, and the twins were hiding behind two old demi- humans who stared at him and Bia with solemn expressions.

    "Innocent, huh?"

    He chuckled as he cast a nce at the twins, who hastily avoided his gaze and retreated even further.

    "You better take back your words because they no longer suit them."

    Kyle surveyed the grey space around him, feeling somewhat intrigued, before turning his attention to the two old demi-humans dressed inrge robes. Bia climbed onto his shoulder and asked him to wrap this up quickly because she wanted to eat.

    One of the old demi-humans, with slit brown pupils, exerted his pressure on Kyle and Bia, his brows furrowed. His aged voice resonated throughout the space.

    "Who are you, human?"

    Kyle didn''t even flinch under the pressure. He grabbed a chair from his mind space and sat down with a tired expression.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "First, tell me this: when did the twins contact you two and inform you about me? They were under my watch the entire time, and I''m certain I didn''t see them using anymunication divice or artifacts."

    The two old men were immediately alerted because the one who had exerted pressure on Kyle was at the transcendent rank.

    They silently exchanged solemn nces. From the beginning, even though they could sense the phoenix strength, they had been unable to tell the human strength.

    At first, the duo suspected that he was using an artifact to mask his power, but now, witnessing his calm demeanor, they realized he was far from weak.

    The old demi-human who had spoken earlier locked his eyes on Kyle. He hadn''t lowered his guard, but he couldn''t afford to make an enemy of a powerful individual who even had a transcendent-rank beast and risk endangering the city.

    "You look incredibly young-no, you are young, especially since your skin shows no signs of aging... but how is it that you are so strong? Fortunately, I can''t detect any dark energy emanating from you."

    He nced at the other old man standing beside him, who nodded before pointing at the twins behind him.

    "To address your question about how the twins reached out to us, the truth is they didn''t. We detected your beast''s presence the instant it arrived on this, and the twins just happened to lead you into the city, so we came to investigate you."

    He retrieved a purple crystal from his mind space and let it float in front of him. It was an artifact designed to trap anyone within a powerful array who used any type of energy in the separate space they upied.

    After ensuring the artifact was functioning properly, he introduced himself and the old demi- human beside him.

    "My name is Zask, and this is Galdor. We are two of the four elders who safeguard this city. I believe that is sufficient. Now, I would like to know who you are and what has brought you to

    our."

    Kyle stood up. Now that they weren''t attacking him, there was no need for him to resort to violence either. He nodded at the two old demi-humans.

    "I didn''t mean any harm. I arrived here identally after a battle. I n to stay for a few days until I recover from the injuries I sustained, and then I will leave."

    Zhask thought for a moment andmunicated with Galdor telepathically to determine if they should allow the human to stay in the city. After their discussion, Zhask turned to the

    human.

    "If you are merely here as a guest, then you may stay for as long as you wish. However, we would appreciate your assurance that neither you nor your beast will cause any harm to this

    city."

    Kyle agreed. It''s not like he would harm anyone here unless absolutely necessary. He had arrived identally and nned to leave after a while.

    But he was genuinely curious about the, especially since it was safe from the dark side. Observing the lively atmosphere earlier made it clear that the citizens hadn''t faced any danger

    up to this point either.

    He noticed Zhask''s gaze on him, and confusion flickered in his eyes. What more could he say? He had already assured them he wouldn''t hurt anyone.

    "I would appreciate it if you two could send me out of this space. I want to change into fresh clothes and rest, as I am tired from the battle I had recently."

    Galdor cleared his throat at his words.

    "It''s not that we don''t want to. We are just waiting for you to introduce yourself."

    Kyle let out a sigh. Right, he hadn''t introduced himself yet.

    "My name is Kyle. This here..."

    He pointed at Bia.

    "... is my bonded beast."

    Zhask and Galdor exchanged nces after hearing his name. Why did it feel like they had heard this name before? Then their eyes widened slightly, and they turned to Kyle, eximing

    simultaneously.

    "Are you the nature''s favorite!?"

    Kyle raised his brow. They knew about the title he had used in the diator Arena? But he had thought that since there was no dark energy on this, it was hidden from the outside world, and he had identally entered this ce. So how do they know that the title nature''s favorite belonged to him just by knowing his name?

    "Yes, nature''s favorite is a title I used a while back, but how do you both know me?"

 Chapter 704: They were both excellent students

    Chapter 704: They were both excellent students

    ?

    Zhask and Galdor''s faces lit up when they heard Kyle confirm that he was indeed the nature''s favorite! Instantly, their demeanor toward the human shifted, and they smiled broadly at him before Zhask hurriedly answered his question.

    "We know everything about you thanks to elder Hal, because this is under the

    supervision of elder Hal''s wife, who is one of the seven supreme rank elders currently fighting the shadow generals!"

    Kyle blinked at the mention of elder Hal. The name sounded very familiar, and it suddenly clicked when he recalled the supreme rank old man who had battled alongside him in the Sacred Divine Land some time ago.

    "Are you both talking about Old Hal? The one who oversaw the diator Arena?

    He paused for a second.

    "He has a wife?"

    This was the only fact that surprised him and Bia because they didn''t think the old man would have a wife... much less one who was as powerful as he was.

    Zhask nodded at him and pulled out amunication crystal with excitement.

    "A while back, we received news that elder Hal has been looking for you! We need to inform him that you are here- !"

    His words were abruptly cut off as Kyle disappeared from his spot and snatched the crystal from his hands. Then, under the shocked gaze of everyone present, he crushed the crystal into dust.

    Kyle''s expression grew serious as he nced at the two old demi-humans.

    "I hope my location isn''t disclosed to anyone, especially since currently I have many enemies. What if they alle here for me... and I identally destroy this just to eliminate them?"

    Everyone was left dumbfounded by his words as they quickly grasped what the human was implying. He wanted them to keep his presence on their a secret, or else he would destroy their and make it look just like an ident.

    The twins standing behind Zask and Galdor inhaled sharply as the atmosphere in the enclosed space grew tense.

    They had heard about the nature''s favorite from their elders; he was the first human to y one of the shadow generals, a feat that no one else had managed to achieve.

    Both Logan and Mason held profound respect for him, understanding that anyone in the universe who knew of Kyle revered him for his extraordinary strength. But they never expected him to be so... different from their imagination.

    They had envisioned him as a hero, someone who had risen tobat the darkness, and they aspired to be just like him. But how wrong they were; he was not like that at all. From his demeanor up till now, they realized that he was merely a powerful man who cared only for himself, willing to eliminate anyone who dared to cross him.

    It was safe to say that the twins'' expectations of the nature''s favorite had shattered into pieces.

    Kyle noticed the sudden stares directed at him and shifted his gaze toward the twins, who this time did not flinch away. Instead, the two brothers stared back at him with expressions of betrayal.

    ''What''s with them?''

    Zhask and Galdor were both uncertain whether to tell Hal, who was searching for Kyle, that the human was on their or to keep this information to themselves. But, considering the human''s strength and his obvious threat, the two old men decided to keep it under wraps for

    now.

    Regardless, only they and the twins behind them were aware of Kyle''s presence on the, so it shouldn''t be too challenging to prevent the news from leaking out.

    After a brief discussion with Galdor, Zhask turned to Kyle with a sigh.

    "Alright, we will keep your presence here a secret. But you should reach out to elder Hal since he is searching for you."

    Kyle nodded and suddenly nced at the purple crystal floating in front of him-the very artifact Zhask had taken out earlier.

    He noticed various symbols on the crystal and reached out to grasp it. Instantly, Zhask and Galdor shouted for him to stop, but his hand was quicker, and before the duo could do anything, he seized the crystal.

    The two old men paled as a powerful array erupted from the crystal to trap Kyle.

    "Oh no!"

    However, to their surprise, instead of being startled or fearful, Kyle simply regarded the array trapping him with curiosity in his eyes. Their eyes widened in shock as he calmly touched a weak spot within the array.

    Instantly, the array surrounding the human shattered into particles. The crystal in his grasp lost its color and turned white.

    Kyle watched the swirling particles fade around him and casually tossed the crystal to Zhask, who was staring at him in a daze.

    "Not bad for a trapping array. However, the weak points in the array are quite apparent, so anyone with knowledge of arrays can easily escape it."

    Zhask stared at the white crystal in his hand with a nk expression. Wasn''t the array on this crystal crafted by one of their best array masters? That array master had imed that the array within the crystal could even trap a supreme rank!

    dor muttered under his breath as he nced at the white crystal.

    "Really...? Is it that weak?"

    Kyle simply shook his head and moved toward one of the walls surrounding him.

    "And this space... I could have easily disappeared from here using teleportation, but I was intrigued by how you two created this ce. So, I have been investigating; guess what I found?"

    Everyone''s mouths fell open when he suddenly touched the wall before him, causing the space they were in to tremble slightly before it began to vanish. Zhask''s startled voice rang out behind him.

    "How can you do this? This small separate dimension was created with the help of a powerful

    artifact!"

    Kyle shrugged at his words.

    "The artifact was simply weak. It operated on spiritual energy, and I merely cut off the source of power. It''s not that hard."

    The space beneath him lit up with countless symbols he had created while conversing with the

    duo.

    The two elders and the twins watched in shock as the walls around them vanished and the surroundings began to shift.

    In the next second, everyone found themselves standing inside the lobby of the hotel Kyle had

    entered earlier.

    Instantly, the attention of the many people in the lobby shifted to the five individuals that

    had materialized out of nowhere.

    Some in the lobby recognized Zhask and Galdor, known for their efforts in protecting the city, and they began to converge around them to extend their greetings.

    Kyle clicked his tongue and quickly retreated as he noticed the crowd around the two old men growing. He disliked noise and being surrounded by too many people.

    Just as he was about to leave the area, he spotted the twins slipping away from the hotel. A wicked glint flickered in his eyes.

    "If I remember correctly, I gave them a storage ring filled with mana stones and treasures.

    How dare they run away beforepleting their task as guides?"

    He looked at Zhask, who flinched at the sound of his voice echoing in his mind.

    ''I''m taking the twins because I need to ensure they don''t tell anyone about me. Don''t worry, In/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    will send them back alive.''

    Zhask quickly shouted at the people gathered around him to disperse, but Kyle had already

    left the lobby.

    He sighed under his breath, feeling a bit anxious for the twins. They were both excellent students... what a pity that they had to suffer because of him.

    Outside the hotel building, Logan and Mason cautiously nced back when they noticed a shadow above them, only to see Kyle''s floating figure behind them. Theyughed dryly, discreetly searching for the two elders who should have been dealing with this human, before Logan''s gaze wandered to a far-off ce.

    "Oh, I just remembered that we need to report back to the mission hall since we were out on a

    mission in the first ce!"

    He bowed toward Kyle.

    "I suppose we should take our leave for now, esteemed nature''s favorite. It was a pleasure to

    meet you."

    Mason gave him a thumbs-up in his heart, but just as the duo was about to run off, Bia''s loud

    voice echoed in their minds.

    -''Who gave you permission?''

    Instantly, the duo froze in ce, sweat trickling down their foreheads,pletely unaware of how the phoenix wasughing at their reaction internally.

    - ''Wow! I just raised my voice, and they are acting like I''m about to kill them!'' Kyle shook his head at the phoenix, amusement dancing in his eyes, before turning to the twins. He pointed at the storage ring Logan was wearing.

    "That ring. You two need to cater to my needs until I have used all the mana stones and

    treasures inside it. After that, you two are free to go wherever you want."

    Logan and Mason exchanged nces. They hadn''t yet examined the contents of the ring due

    to the situation, so they thought what Kyle just told them would be quite easy. However, when Logan finally checked the storage ring, he nearly fainted on the spot.

    Firstly, it was a supreme-rank ring, and secondly, the mana stones and items inside were actually worth enough to sustain their entire city for many years!

    Mason caught his twin before he could fall and blinked in confusion as Logan mumbled

    through a tearfulugh.

    "We''re doomed..."

 Chapter 705: The ancient projection I

    Chapter 705: The ancient projection I

    ?

    Inside a lively restaurant, all the patrons seated at the tables cast curious nces at Mason and Logan, who were racing down from the second floor yet again.

    The duo dashed back and forth, grabbing an assortment of dishes before sprinting back upstairs, only to do it all over again. It was a chaotic yet entertaining scene, withughter and chatter filling the air as onlookers enjoyed their antics.

    The people seated had recognized the twins. After all, the duo was dressed in the uniforms worn only by the fighters training under the elders who protect the city.

    But what the onlookers didn''t understand was just who the hell was bold enough to give orders to the two students?

    On the second floor, which was entirely empty since it was reserved by Kyle, Bia sat at arge table cluttered with empty tes. Her stomach was bulging, and a blissful expression lit up her face.

    -"This is what we call life!"

    The phoenix chuckled as she spotted Logan and Mason, her two new personal servants, bringing her more food.

    Although she had no room left in her stomach, she continued to use her divine energy to digest what she had already eaten, making space for more.

    -"Food is here!"

    Logan and Mason had barely ced the dishes they had brought to the table before Bia shooed them away again to go and fetch something sweet this time.

    The duo''s eyes held unshed tears... how could someone eat so much? They would have asked this question to Bia if they didn''t know that the little bird in front of them was actually a massive phoenix. And not just any phoenix; it was the phoenix bonded to the nature''s favorite -the man who had defeated the third shadow general!

    Kyle was seated in the chair by the only window on the floor, observing the phoenix and the twins with a hint of amusement. He had changed into a fresh pair of trousers paired with a blue sweater after the twins found him a room in a nearby hotel.

    As he looked outside the window, he realized that night had enveloped the city. Just as he was about to turn away from the dark sky, he noticed a faint golden spark of light amidst the many tiny stars.

    "Hmm...?"

    He blinked; initially, he thought it was just a star, but then his eyes narrowed as the light subtly shifted, as if it were circling around something hidden from view.

    Without hesitation, he rose to his feet and locked his gaze on the light. Instantly, his vision prated the curtain of clouds.

    His eyes widened slightly when he finally saw the object the light was encircling.

    It was a colossal projection, hovering directly above the in a way that its body shrouded, or perhaps concealed, the entire beneath its presence.

    "What''s that?"

    Kyle''s soft voice echoed in the air, and Bia turned her head to look his way.

    -"What''s what? The pastries?"

    She pointed at the baked delights the twins had just brought up from downstairs.

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched at the phoenix''s words as he nced back at her.

    "Stop eating, will you? You''re not allowed to sit on my shoulders or head if your weight increases any more than it already has."

    Bia''s eyes widened at his words.

    -"What!? Are you calling me heavy and fat? Me? This magnificent being??"

    Kyle let out a sigh. He knew he couldn''t win this argument now that Bia was indulging in her favorite pastime-eating-so he opted to shift the conversation.

    "No, I''m not talking about food. I just saw something outside the. It looked like a projection, but I''m not sure what it is."

    He had just finished speaking when both Logan and Mason choked on their breaths. The duo quickly wanted to flee to the lower floor under the pretense of getting Bia more food, but the phoenix and the human had already fixed their gaze on them.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed as he let out a surprised ''oh'' and approached the twins, who were frozen in ce.

    "Based on your reaction, it seems you both know what I''m referring to. Care to share?"

    He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for an answer as the two brothers exchanged nervous nces. Finally, it was Mason who looked at Kyle.

    "That... that is something we are not allowed to talk about since its presence is hiding this from the outside world."

    Kyle''s eyes sparkled with interest as he waved his hand, and a chair slid toward him, allowing him to sit down.

    He had been wondering from the moment he arrived on this why there was not a single trace of dark energy here.

    Old Hal and his wife can certainly conceal this ce from the dark side, but no matter how powerful they are, it seems imusible that not a single visitor from the dark side has ever discovered this.

    He gazed at the twins, who flinched under his intense stare. Then poured two sses of wine and pushed them toward the duo.

    "Don''t worry, I won''t tell anyone. I''m just curious about what that projection-like thing is. So, tell me, alright?"

    Mason shook his head, but then Bia flew over to sit on his brother''s shoulder.

    -"Oh, really?"

    Logan panicked, and before the phoenix''s sharp talon could reach his neck, his twin quickly grabbed one of the sses of wine offered by Kyle and smiled.

    "Of course, we would share everything that nature''s favorite wants to know, but please ask your beast to leave my brother alone!"

    Biaughed internally behind him. She nearly lost her bnce because of the weight she had gained from overeating, coupled with her sudden distraction. But fortunately, she managed to stop herself from falling face-first in time and cleared her throat, though her awkward expression gave away what had just happened.

    -''No one noticed, right?''

    She sighed with relief when she noticed that everyone was focused on Mason.

    Kyle gestured for the demi-human who had grabbed the wine ss to speak, and with a nod, Mason began to exin.

    "We don''t know much, but it''s an ancient projection created by a supreme being long ago. This projection holds the names of all those in this universe who have the potential to achieve the divine rank in the future. Its main purpose, however, is to indicate who among them

    would be the strongest."

    He paused for a moment.

    "But you know... since the projection was created so long ago, people have stopped believing in it. Now, only some individuals from the dark side, who take pride in the fact that Azazeal''s name is at the top of that projection, go there to see it."

    Kyle raised a surprised eyebrow. Azazeal''s name was at the top of the projection? The very projection that determined who would be the strongest? What about him then? Did his name also appear on that projection?

    Just as he was about to ask questions to gain more insight into this projection, Mason gulped down the wine in the ss he held and fixed him with a serious gaze.

    "Actually... we heard a decade ago that some of the top names on the projection had finally fallen to lower positions, and new names have risen to take their ces."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    His vision started to blur slightly, but he shook his head to regain focus. "The divine dragon, the guardian of the projection who always blessed our, suffered at the hands of some divine-rank individuals from the dark side and lost his physical form when they heard this news. After that, a shadow general ced a veil over the names on the projection to prevent anyone from seeing them. As a result, no one knows whose names have

    fallen."

    "Regardless, because of the immense presence of the projection, our has been concealed from prying eyes. Even the shadow generals cannot locate it since it lies directly beneath the projection and is shrouded by the energies surrounding it."

    Masonpleted his sentence, but then the demi-human fainted. Logan quickly grabbed him with a panicked expression and began shaking his brother to wake him up. When Mason did not respond, Logan nced at the wine bottle from which Kyle had poured wine for the two of them.

    "Oh no! It''s that wine! It was the most expensive one in the entire city! The person who sold it

    to us told us it''s very strong, and it''s already in my twin''s body; he''s not going to wake up

    anytime soon!"

    Kyle''s expression deadpanned as he heard his words and nced at the wine bottle. He hadn''t drunk any, but did the duo really think he would faint from just wine?

    "You really?"

    He chuckled, and Logan quickly tried to salvage the situation. Of course, the twins wanted to

    get Kyle drunk and then run off to the elders, who would rescue them from him and the

    phoenix. But it wasn''t like they could tell him that!

    "It''s because you said you wanted us to spend all the money in the storage ring! So... so we bought the most expensive things for you and the phoenix in the city!"

 Chapter 706: The ancient projection II

    Chapter 706: The ancient projection II

    ?

    Kyle''s eyes flickered with a touch of amusement as he listened to Logan''s exnation, but then he leaned in closer to the demi-human, prompting thetter to fall silent as coldness settled in his gaze.

    "Just take note: next time, if you bring anything that could be even slightly harmful to me or Bia, you won''t be standing on your own two feet. Instead, I believe you will find yourself a few meters underground-alongside your twin, of course."

    Logan nodded frantically, a chill running down his spine as he locked eyes with the piercing green gaze fixed on him.

    He felt momentarily dazed, but then Kyle moved back and waved his hand.

    "Leave for now, as I want to rest. Come back tomorrow to the hotel where I am staying, then we will explore this city."

    His words had barely faded when Logan seized his unconscious twin and rushed down from the second floor to escape the restaurant. Bia called out after the duo.

    -"Wait! I''m not finished yet-!"

    Kyle shushed her and covered her mouth. Just how much did she want to eat?

    "That''s enough food for today. I want to go and check the projection."

    Bia gasped in surprise, momentarily forgetting about food. She struggled and quickly pushed aside the hand that was preventing her from speaking.

    -"Oh, really? We can go there? But is it safe for us to check it out? The twins said that the projection is hiding this. What if something goes wrong with the projection because of you? I mean, you know, your presence alone attracts trouble."

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched at her remarks as he released her and raised an eyebrow.

    "Then you stay here. I will be back after checking out the projection."

    Bia''s eyes widened when he disappeared from his spot, and in an instant, his figure reappeared standing in the open window.

    -"Wait for me! Don''t leave me behind!"

    She shouted, swiftly chasing after him as he leaped out of the window.

    Several bystanders outside the hotel noticed his floating figure, but it wasn''t unusual to see someone levitating, so they looked away after just a nce or two.

    Unlike the unconcerned bystanders, Bia cursed under her breath as Kyle''s floating figure ascended rapidly toward the sky.

    -"Do you think if you are faster than me, I won''t be able to catch up?!"

    With an angry huff, she pped her wings and used all her speed to follow the fading figure of the human. It didn''t take long for her to realize that with her current size, she could never match his agility... which is why she transformed into her phoenix form.

    The dark night, adorned with tiny stars, ignited with golden mes as a majestic phoenix appeared above the city.

    Countless eyes from below were drawn to the magnificent creature soaring in the sky, and gasps of astonishment rippled through the bustling city; some powerful individuals even tried to chase after the phoenix, but the beast was simply too swift.

    Zhask and the three other powerful elders in the city stepped out of their residences when they sensed the distantmotion, only to be perplexed by the sight of the fire phoenix soaring in the sky.

    They didn''t pursue Bia and instead wondered... were Kyle and the phoenix leaving the? But they couldn''t help but question why it was happening so soon. Had Kyle already healed from the injuries he had mentioned to them?

    In the sky, Bia darted behind Kyle with all her agility, unfazed by themotion her presence had stirred in the city.

    She chuckled when suddenly a series of symbols illuminated the air around her. The symbols swirled around her, shimmering brightly before coalescing into a shield.

    The moment the shield appeared, her presence vanished from the sight of all those watching or following her.

    Kyle halted in the distance and nced back at her with a shake of his head.

    ''Next time, hide your presence when you transform. I sent the twins away because I didn''t want anyone to know we were going to check the projection, but you just had to go and announce it to the whole?''

    Bia quickened her pace as his voice resonated in her mind. She reached his figure after a few seconds and circled around him, with innocent eyes.

    -''It''s your fault, though. You shouldn''t have left me behind! Especially since whenever you leave to do something, you always disappear for days-even weeks!''

    Kyle sighed, realizing the phoenix''s words held some truth... he couldn''t deny that he often disappeared. But it was only when he was about to do something crazy.

    ''Okay, okay, whatever you say.''

    He began to move again, but this time he ensure his pace matched Bia''s, making sure not to go ahead of her.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The spark of golden light that Kyle had spotted in the sky earlier started to erge as they drew closer to its source. Together, the duo passed through the curtain of dark clouds and left the boundary of the. As soon as they did, they found themselves surrounded by a thin cluster of energies enveloping the.

    However, amidst the unclear path and countless distant stars, their eyes quickly found what they were looking for. Directly above them, a massive square projection made of energy hovered in the air.

    Its luminous glow illuminated the surrounding darkness, and the golden energy swirling around it seemed to pulse with life, creating intricate patterns that danced across the dark

    space.

    Kyle quickly made his way toward the projection alongside the phoenix. Unable to expand his scent perception skill, he relied on his senses to survey the surroundings. Fortunately, he detected no one nearby or around the massive projection.

    He finally came to a stop when he arrived directly before the projection, its enormous frame looming above him and Bia.

    But just as Mason had told him, Kyle noticed that everything on the projection was veiled behind a curtain. So, he couldn''t see anything at all, let alone check if his name was on the

    projection.

    Kyle rolled up his sleeves.

    "Well, it looks like we need to take action regarding the veil. I definitely won''t leave without seeing my name on the projection. Plus, I''m curious to find out if Azazeal''s name is truly at

    the top."

    He extended his senses toward the projection and began to examine the veil obscuring its

    content.

    Bia circled above his head, eagerly waiting for him to either dismantle the veil or find a way to see whaty on the projection.

    -"Do you think my name will be on it as well? After all, I''ve gone above the divine. I hope the projection does not discriminate against beasts; otherwise, I will destroy it."

 Chapter 707: The ancient projection III

    Chapter 707: The ancient projection III

    ?

    Kyle chuckled at Bia''s words. How easily the phoenix imed she would destroy the projection if it didn''t contain her name. He mused, amusement dancing in his eyes.

    "I suppose I can only hope the projection knows what''s best for itself. Still, Bia, you can''t destroy it, as its presence conceals the directly beneath it."

    Bia grumbled under her breath. Right, she couldn''t destroy this thing... Suddenly, her eyes lit up with an evil gleam.

    - "I can''t destroy it, but... I can at least ensure that no one will ever be able to see the names on it again. Hehe."

    Kyle could only sigh at her as he continued to scrutinize the veil shrouding the content of the projection.

    Unaware to both Bia and Kyle, the divine-rank dragon''s soul that had been residing within the projection for quite some time was renderedpletely speechless by the phoenix''s words. However, the dragon was filled with excitement and joy at the sight of Kyle, so it chose to disregard the phoenix. It couldn''t leave the projection because, although the dragon had formed a new body for itself, it had not yet attained its full strength.

    Regardless, it decided to solidify its form for a few minutes and step out of the projection to make its presence known to Kyle and see if the human remembered it.

    The dragon had recognized the human immediately, even though the essence within the human''s body hadpletely retreated as if it no longer existed. A deep voice echoed from the projection.

    "Kyle...?"

    However, the voice was so faint that itpletely vanished within the golden energy swirling around the projection.

    "You have transformed into someone entirely different from your once innocent and naive self. Also... you havee this far-so far that it''s hard to believe Azazeal hasn''t eliminated you yet."

    At that moment, Kyle''s ears twitched as he nced around with an alert expression.

    "What was that?"

    Bia mirrored his actions.

    -"What was what?"

    He extended his senses this time withplete focus to confirm there was truly no one around. However, even after a while, he sensed no presence. He furrowed his brows and turned to Bia.

    "I think I just heard a voice, but I''m not sure because it was very fleeting."

    Bia titled her head.

    -"You sure?"

    Kyle checked his ears to ensure he hadn''t damaged them as well during his fight with Ceano. He hummed in relief when he found nothing wrong with his hearing.

    "I don''t think I made a mistake. I''m certain I heard someone speaking."

    He shifted his gaze toward the massive projection standing before him. If he was right, didn''t the voicee from the same direction as the projection? Was someone hiding behind it? However, he had already surveyed the surroundings. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed at the projection as a startling realization dawned on him.

    "Wait... Don''t tell me the voice came from within the projection? No, that can''t be..."

    His words trailed off as he and Bia both sprinted away from the projection when a dark shadow emerged from its surface and began to take shape. The phoenix''s eyes widened in shock at the sight.

    -"Dark energy? No, that''s not dark energy! It''s a soul, and it''s forming a body for itself!" Kyle readied himself forbat, feeling a twinge of displeasure that Bia had warned him something would go wrong with the projection due to him-and now it had.

    ''I need to make sure she keeps herments to herself next time before I am going to do anything, because her words are manifesting into reality...''

    However, he was quite surprised when he sensed the strength of the soul in front of him. It was only of divine rank.

    He rxed his body, ready to destroy the soul before it could sessfully form a body for itself, but he halted in his tracks when he heard Bia''s surprised murmur.

    -"A true dragon...?"

    "Huh? A dragon?"

    Kyle lowered his fist aimed at the shadow when a deafening roar echoed through the air. His gaze caught sight of a pair of dark eyes staring at him from the shadow, each containing nothing but a white slit.

    He stared into the eyes, and suddenly a forgotten memory shed in his mind. The eyes- they were familiar.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    While Kyle was distracted by this sudden realization, the divine soul in front of him sessfully formed a body for itself.

    The remnant of the dark shadow in the atmosphere scattered, revealing a majestic blue dragon with a sleek and powerful body, adorned with scales that shimmered like sapphires. It unfurled its ethereal wings, which spanned a vast expanse, and shook them to adjust to its new form.

    Bia gasped with wide eyes.

    -"It''s truly a true dragon!"

    She had sensed its presence after it began to form a body for itself. Perhaps she could sense that the soul belonged to a dragon because they were both beasts?

    -"But... why is it bigger than me?!"

    This fact was what frustrated and astonished the phoenix the most! She was already at the transcendent rank, while this dragon was only at the divine rank, yet its size was twice that of

    her own!

    Why?? That''s not fair!

    The dragon''s eyes shifted toward the phoenix after it adjusted its wings, a hint of

    speechlessness crossing its gaze.

    "I am bigger because I am older than you, little one. Don''t fret."

    Bia''s anger surged when the dragon called her little one! But before she could respond, the dragon turned its gaze to Kyle, who had been staring at it intensely with narrowed eyes and an

    unreadable expression.

    "It''s been a while since Ist saw you, young man. You have grown a lot... Still, I hope you can rx your fists. I can''t harm you; after all, I am weaker than you now."

    Kyle rxed his fists. It was not because the dragon asked him to, but because after he stopped thinking about the old memory that shed in his mind when he saw the dragon''s eyes, he recalled what Mason had told him a while back and looked at the dragon with a

    thoughtful expression.

    "You are the guardian of this projection, aren''t you? And we have encountered each other before, or perhaps I should say you have revealed your eyes to me in the past? I am certain of it, even though I haven''t fully recalled that memory yet."

 Chapter 708: The ancient projection IV

    Chapter 708: The ancient projection IV

    ?

    The divine dragon blinked at Kyle''s words, its deep voice resonating through the air.

    "You don''t remember anything else, but you recall seeing my eyes?"

    It was perplexed-if the human remembered seeing its eyes, then why did he not recall that it was the dragon who had given him the knowledge of the ranks above the mortal levels when he knew nothing of whaty ahead (SSS-rank)?

    Kyle shrugged his shoulders.

    "Does it matter? What happened is in the past and has faded with time. And I don''t think I need to remember every single person I encountered along my path."

    The dragon''s eyes glimmered with a hint of smile as it nodded its head with a sigh.

    "Right... you don''t need to. But now that you''vee this far, I assume you know about the war. So why haven''t you joined the fight yet? You are already so powerful; your assistance could make a difference for those battling in the war."

    Kyle stared at the dragon, his eyes reflecting a sense of indifference. Why did everyone want him to join the war?

    "I will definitely join the war; I will, but not for anyone else''s sake. I will do it on my own terms and when I feel like it."

    The dragon hummed at his words, having somewhat anticipated this response. After a brief conversation with Kyle, it discerned the type of personality the man possessed. The human clearly disliked being asked to do anything by anyone.

    "Alright... it''s not like I have the strength to force you. Go at your own pace. After all, I can tell that your main goal aligns with the ones fighting in the war."

    Kyle and Bia gazed at the dragon, questioning why thetter sounded so undeniably confident.

    Under the duo gaze, the dragon glided gracefully toward the projection, its scales glinting brilliantly in the light. It came to a stop before the projection and touched its surface with its w.

    "I can tell from your earlier conversation that you two are here to see the names on the projection, but as you''ve already seen, its content has been obscured by the veil. So, it''s not possible for you to see it. Just leave before the people from the dark side arrive andplicate things for you."

    Kyle looked at the massive projection, and a surge of spiritual energy erupted from his body, racing toward it. He hade here to check if his name was on the list; there was no way he would leave without finding out.

    "You just need to stay back; we will break down this veil soon enough."

    Bia smirked and nodded.

    -"Yeah, the old should definitely keep their distance; we wouldn''t want them getting hurt if we unleash too much power!"

    Kyle shot her a sidelong nce, amusement dancing in his eyes. She really hates being called little one, doesn''t she? It seems she had ced the dragon on her cklist for using that term.

    The dragon could only sigh and moved aside to let them do whatever they wanted. It simply watched from the sidelines as the duo began to try to break the veil with their strength, lost in thought.

    It actually wanted to ask Kyle to save the old individuals trapped in the second realm, a realm created by Azazeal countless years ago. But it seemed Kyle had forgotten the favor it had done for him in the past.

    ''Hmmm, did he lose his memories? If so, with his current personality, there''s no way Kyle would do what I ask.''

    The thing that puzzled him the most was that Kyle didn''t seem to care about his past anymore, as if it held no significance. The dragon gazed into the distance.

    ''I can give Kyle a fragment of an old memory, and if he truly wants to save the people who were all trapped by Azazeal thousands of years ago, he will. But if he doesn''t, then it''s up to him.''

    The dragon had barely rxed its body when a loud cracking noise reverberated through the air. It quickly turned its gaze toward Kyle and Bia, only to see that the two had created a fissure in the veil concealing the projection.

    "They actually did it?"

    Its astonished voice echoed as it watched Kyle moved back in mid-air, followed by a torrent of ice spears surging behind him. The dragon''s eyes widened in disbelief.

    "Wait, such a massive attack could harm the projection too-!"

    Its words faltered as it saw the spears racing toward the projection at a speed many times faster than its own. Before long, the ice spears crashed into the veil, producing a deafening roar and scattering shards of ice in every direction.

    However, to the dragon''s surprise, even though the countless ice spears shattered the veil, they failed to make contact with the projection beneath it.

    "Ah... I have to say Kyle''s mastery over his skills is truly remarkable."

    Kyle cast a nce at the projection before him as the darkness shrouding it began to dissipate. He had sensed several protective symbols that upheld the veil by siphoning energy from the projection itself. After he countered the symbols with his spiritual energy, the veil shattered effortlessly.

    "Finally, now show me what you hold."

    His eyes scanned the many names that began to materialize on the projection.

    All the names were disyed in three different colors: gold, red, and brown. The brown names were at the bottom, with the golden names above them, while the top of the projection was filled with red names.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    However, as soon as the highest point of the massive projection cleared, Kyle''s gaze instantly shot upward toward the top name, and a surprised sound escaped his lips when he saw the top

    spot empty.

    1_

    2_Azazeal

    "Why is it empty?"

    Bia, who had been searching for her name on the projection, quickly followed his gaze and blinked in surprise as well.

    -"Azazeal''s name isn''t on top? Wait, but the top spot is empty!"

    Kyle and Bia nced at the dragon, searching for an answer to their question, but it simply shook its head.

    "I don''t know why the top name is invisible... maybe even the projection isn''t certain if the person on that spot will live to be the strongest?"

 Chapter 709: The ancient projection V

    Chapter 709: The ancient projection V

    ?

    Kyle narrowed his eyes at the dragon, his expression unreadable, before shifting his focus back to the massive projection, searching for his own name or any other familiar names he could recognize.

    "What about the color of the names? What do they indicate? Their owner power?"

    The dragon spread its wings and flew closer to Kyle, but sensing that the human had still notpletely lowered his guard, it stopped a short distance from him.

    "The colors of the names indeed indicate the potential power of their bearers. Brown color signifies a mortal with the capability to achieve divine rank in the future. Golden color indicates that the person has attained divine rank, while red color signifies that they have far surpassed it."

    Kyle nodded, and his eyes flickered with a hint of a smile when he saw Alec''s name directly beneath Azazeal. That joy quickly faded when he saw Ceano and Damien''s names below Alec and above James.

    His gaze moved down, and he spotted Carcel''s name in the tenth spot, followed by Nine. His eyes lingered a bit longer when he saw Yue''s name in the neenth position. After that, he continued to scan the names, humming softly to himself.

    "What about my name? I see so many familiar names at the top, painted red, but I can''t seem to find my own. I''ve surpassed the divine rank, so my name should be painted red, shouldn''t it?"

    His voice sounded concerned, but his amused and thrilled gaze told a different story as he nced once more at the empty top spot in the projection.

    ''So, you''re not sure if the one with the potential to rise above all will survive until the end? I wonder, is that me? Since, I can''t seem to find my name.''

    After he saw Alec and the names of everyone he knew on the projection, he was convinced that it was functioning correctly. That''s why it seemed nearly impossible for the projection to miss just his name. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Bia''s voice, filled with shock and disbelief.

    -"No! No! Nooo! that can''t be possible!"

    Kyle hurriedly nced at the phoenix, only to find her downcast eyes fixated intently on a particr spot in the projection.

    He easily realized the reason for her distress and shock when he spotted her name in the thirty-third position. It wasn''t because her name was so far down; she was panicking because Nox''s name was positioned directly above hers.

    Before the phoenix could unleash her mes and obliterate the projection, he quickly positioned himself in front of her.

    "Don''t, we can''t destroy the projection."

    The area in front of Kyle erupted with a dazzling light as Bia transformed into a human. She rushed toward him and shook his shoulders, desperate to convey the turmoil she was experiencing.

    -"No! This projection is wrong! Absolutely wrong! Nox is just a weak lynx who always gets beaten by me! There''s no way he could surpass me in the future!"

    Kyle stifled augh that threatened to escape his lips and maintained a solemn gaze as he looked into the eyes of the panicked littledy before him.

    "Yes, yes, the projection is wrong. A lynx can''t be stronger than a phoenix."

    Bia moved back and mmed one of her fists into her palm with a nod, finally feeling a sense of relief from his reassurance.

    -"Right! The projection doesn''t even have your name, so it''s totally wrong! I won''t buy into this nonsense!"N?v(el)B\\jnn

    She red at the projection and transformed into her phoenix form before ncing at Kyle with a huff.

    -"Let''s go! I don''t want to stay in this ce any longer than I already have!"

    Just as the phoenix turned away to head toward the, Kyle''s lips twitched and curled upward, but they instantly dropped when Bia nced back at him.

    The dragon watched the duo from a distance with an amused expression as Kyle trailed behind the phoenix, who began to soar toward the. Suddenly, an orb of light materialized between the dragon''s brows and shot toward Kyle. But before it could make contact with the man, he spun around and caught it in his palm.

    Kyle stared at the orb and then at the dragon with an icy expression. He would have eliminated thetter if he had detected even a hint of threat from the orb. However, fortunately for the dragon, he didn''t.

    "What is this?"

    The dragon chuckled at him. It had used all its strength to secretly send the orb into the human''s body, but it seemed that it couldn''t do so because the man had be far stronger than it.

    "I suppose it''s better to be upfront. That was not an attack. The orb contained some knowledge; it may not be particrly useful to you, but knowledge is never a bad thing, right? Just consider it my parting gift, since I don''t expect we will meet again."

    Kyle nced at the orb in his grip before tossing it into his mind space to examer. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the dragon spreading its wings before flying toward the beneath the projection behind Bia. He followed suit.

    In no time, they arrived on the. This time, Bia enveloped her body in a shield to mask her presence, and together with Kyle, they proceeded directly to the city and the hotel where

    they were staying.

    The divine dragon did not follow them. Instead, it hovered in the sky, and a surge of energy erupted from its body, illuminating the entire sky of the.

    The citizens, who had barely calmed down after witnessing the fire phoenix, were once again astonished as the dragon-a familiar figure that had always blessed their in the past but had suddenly ceased its visits-revealed itself once more.

    The dragon''s scales shimmered like sapphires against the dark sky as it soared majestically and unleashed a resonant roar that echoed across thendscape, sending waves of awe through the hearts of the people watching it from below.

    With each powerful beat of its wings, the dragon seemed to awaken the very essence of the, stirring the winds and causing the trees to sway in reverence.

    The citizens cried out to the dragon, their voices a blend of joy and gratitude, as it roamed the skies��a guardian returning to bless theirnd once more.

    Zhask and the other powerful elders in the city also emerged to greet the dragon, the guardian of the projection. They were all relieved that, after so long, it had finally conjured a physical

    form for itself.

    With onest nce at the enthralled crowd, the dragon vanished into the sky as if it had never existed.

    After its departure, the energy that had erupted from its body to illuminate the''s sky faded away as well.

    In the city, standing atop a hotel building with Bia seated on his shoulder, Kyle gazed at the dark sky with an intrigued gleam in his eyes. He had observed everything the dragon did until

    it faded from sight.

    "That was a naturalw, wasn''t it? The ability to purify the air and thend from all sorts of

    pollution."

    Unlike him, Bia didn''t understand what the dragon had done by illuminating the sky. She simply tried to process his words.

    -"A naturalw? No, that can''t be possible. You know the dragon is only at the divine rank. How can it wield a naturalw when even I cannot?"

    Kyle caressed her head with a hum. Yes, she was right. It seemed quite imusible for the dragon to wield a naturalw, given that it hadn''t yet attained the supreme rank. However, perhaps the dragon could wield it because it had lived for thousands of years and its body

    could withstand the pressure?

    He tore his gaze from the sky and swiftly jumped down from the building.

    "Let''s head back to the hotel. I need to check mymunication crystal; it has been buzzing for quite some time."

 Chapter 710: The knowledge of a past

    Chapter 710: The knowledge of a past

    ?

    Kyle opened the door to his room upon hearing a knock, and amusement flickered in his eyes at the sight of the twins, whose expressions fell when they saw him. Bia settled on hisn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    shoulder with a yawn and cast a sidelong nce at the twins.

    -"What? Did you two think we had left this or something?"

    Logan and Mason flinched at her words. Naturally, the duo believed that Kyle and Bia had left after hearing about themotion caused by the two the previous night.

    The twins had actually gone to the elders seeking help and justice after leavingst night because the human and the phoenix were treating them like servants. However, instead of offering assistance, the elders instructed them to do whatever Kyle and Bia asked and to stay with the duo for as long as they remained on the!

    Mason cleared his throat. Now that the twins had epted their fate, it was wiser to perform their duties properly instead of risking punishment from the elders by angering Kyle and Bia.

    "That''s not the case. We''re here just as you both requested. Where would you like to go? Do you want to explore the city?"

    Kyle hummed, a bit surprised when he noticed that the two were quite serious. He thought for a moment; he didn''t particrly want to see the city. Then...

    "How about we go to the mission hall you two mentioned yesterday? I want to check out that ce."

    Logan blinked at him, surprised that the nature''s favorite wanted to see the mission hall. It was a ce reserved solely for the students of the elders. However, before he could refuse Kyle, Mason agreed with the human and told him to just follow them.

    He nced at his twin in confusion, but then Mason exined that since the elders had told them to do whatever the human wanted, they probably wouldn''t mind.

    Kyle watched the duo bicker. He could see they had finally started to feelfortable around him. He followed them as the twin demi-humans began to walk.

    Together, they left the hotel where he was staying and soon started to stroll through the streets of the city.

    While walking, Kyle nced at the bright morning sky above him. It was beautiful, crystal clear, and devoid of darkness. His gaze flickered with a hint of indifference as he recalled what he had seen the previous night after finishing his conversation with Yue through the

    communication crystal.

    It was the knowledge of a past so tragic, yet wholly unrted to him, encased in a small, white orb. He wondered what the dragon hoped to achieve by giving such knowledge to him.

    ''Does the dragon want me to save the people trapped in the realm created by Azazeal? But are those people even alive, considering it has been over ten thousand years since they were trapped?''

    Kyle had witnessed the catastrophic moment when this first plunged into the depths of hell, where dark mes roared and danced, illuminating the entire universe in a terrifying ze after he absorbed the orb given to him by the dragon.

    It was the time when Azazeal finally emerged from the lost treasure tomb, the very ce where he had been betrayed by the two beings he believed were proof that not everyone in the world was evil. The man was enveloped in darkness, and his eyes were entirely consumed by it.

    He went on a massacre, a bloodbath, mercilessly ughtering every single person connected to Lilith and Nathaniel. The air was thick with the stench of smoke and ash as he carved a path of destruction. Yet, the two he longed to kill the most remained just out of his reach.

    Nathaniel had entered the Celestial Realm with the aid of the Celestial bones he had extracted from Azazeal''s body.

    That man even sealed the Celestial Realm to ensure that no one could ever pursue him into that ethereal ce.

    As for the ice enchantress, she died due to regret and because the ice bloodline within her showed her the bleak future that awaited her and all her descendants.

    Nevertheless, she left behind a lot of things; she even scattered her ice bloodline so that her rtives and descendants would at least have a chance to fight back.

    Upon learning this, Azazeal''s bloodlust knew no bounds, for he was left with the haunting realization that he had even been denied the closure of killing the two people he so desperately sought.

    The universe trembled under the weight of his anguish, and the dark mes flickered with memories of a past he knew he would never be able to forget, unlike before.

    When he was eliminating everyone connected to Lilith and Nathaniel, many tried to stop him, but Azazeal plunged into a relentless killing spree, ending all those who stood in his way, having finallypletely lost all his emotions.

    His sole desire was to force open the realm meant for the dead in this universe and the Celestial realm, which would enable him to kill the two individuals he once considered friends with his own hands. Many began to follow him, not because he hadpelled them, but simply because they all craved the strength he could offer them.

    The demon, dark, and Nightkin��these three races were the first to kneel before Azazeal after the man began ruling over dark energy, followed by countless powerful individuals from other races who started betraying their own kind merely to gain his trust.

    However, as the universe teetered on the brink of copse due to his actions, all the powerful individuals united to confront him. Even the Universe''s Will itself decided to intervene to oppose him.

    There were no Celestials present in the universe, as anyone who reached that rank had to leave for the Celestial realm to avoid disturbing the natural order. They could not seek help from the Celestials either, since the Celestial realm was sealed off.

    Thus, they understood they had to stop Azazeal themselves before they all faced their demise at his hands.

    Only to solemnly realize that the dark energy that had merged with Azazeal had made him too strong to handle. In the end, they all decided to sacrifice their lifespans in a desperate attempt to end him.

    But just when they believed they had triumphed, Azazealpelled the very nature around him to obey hismand.

    He tapped into countless naturalws simultaneously-a feat that could end even the Celestials��and trapped all those who were fighting against him in a realm, just as they were about to bring him down.

    However, after the people fighting Azazeal disappeared, he too vanished. Many believe he sustained injuries, but no one knew the true reason behind his disappearance. Nheless, Azazeal left behind the five shadow generals and countless followers who waged war against the other races at the ce where he fought hisst battle.

    Kyle hummed as he nced ahead at the twin demi-humans walking before him.

    ''The people trapped by Azazeal in the second realm; they should be considered the ancestors of this universe, right? I am sure they are probably dead in that realm, or maybe they''re still alive, but can they even fight against the dark side now? They are not rted to me. If I ever stumble upon that realm, I will see what I can do, I suppose.''

    He had examined everything in the orb the dragon gave him. However, the knowledge contained within it wascking, since there was no mention of the celestial spirits or the seals of the realm of the dead that the dark side was trying to break.

    ''From all the knowledge, it seems that Azazeal wants to destroy this universe, but no one ever considered the fact that if he truly wanted to, he could have already done so with his strength

    alone.''

    He wondered if Azazeal had sessfully achieved what he wanted in the past; would they have ever met?

    "Maybe not... since who knows if he would even remain in this universe after achieving his goal of getting to the two individuals he wants to eliminate so badly." Hearing Kyle''s whisper, the twins nced back at him, but he simply stared at them, prompting them to redirect their attention forward. Before long, they stood before arge building encircled by towering walls.

    Kyle noticed the numerous individuals entering and exiting the structure, each dressed in uniforms simr to the twins. For some reason, his gaze remained fixed on them, drawing strange looks in return.

    Bia cleared her throat to redirect his attention after sensing the twins'' worry.

    -"Hey, stop staring. You are attracting too much attention to us."

    Kyle opened his mouth but then closed it again with a perplexed look. It felt as if he had

    walked in a simr ce before, where everyone wore matching uniforms.

    The moment he thought that, his mind shed with an old, forgotten memory.

    He saw the young figures of Alec, Carcel, Lara, and Mia walking before him. That''s why, he let

    out a surprised sound.

    "Ah... the Royal Academy, was it?"

    Bia''s eyes widened slightly at his words.

    -"What? How do you remember that ce? Did Yue tell you about it as well? But no... she

    wasn''t in the Academy with you!"

    Kyle rubbed his chin. Usually, he struggled to remember anything about his past, even when

    he forced himself to think. However, now, unexpectedly, he recalled something, and it happened when he was not even trying to remember.

    "No, she didn''t. I just remember a few things-not much. I think the memory was triggered

    when I saw something simr."

    He paused for a moment.

    "But why was I always walking behind Alec, Carcel, Lara, and Mia? That doesn''t feel right for

    some reason."

    Bia''s eyebrows twitched at his words. She so badly wanted to tell him just how much of an

    introvert he had been in the past. Even Nine, his first friend at the Academy, was the one who

    approached him first.

    Who knows if he would have ever made friends if Nine hadn''t taken that step?

    Suddenly, Bia''s eyes gleamed with a mischievous glint. She can make fun of him, especially since he had no recollection of what had happened at the Academy! All he knew was what others had told him!

    -"Oho, isn''t it because you were just a weakling back then? That''s why you always walked behind them. They were the talk of the Royal Academy in the past!"

    -"Carcel was a prince! Mia and Lara were the daughters of nobles! And Alec? He was the only

    person in the Academy after me who possessed (SSS)-rank talent! You were merely a speck of

    dust at that time-!"

    Bia swallowed her next words when she sensed a d��j�� vu. She let out a dryugh and hurriedly

    left Kyle''s shoulder. As the crimson bird soared across the sky, Kyle stared at her with narrowed eyes, a flicker of disbelief shing in his gaze.

    ''Was I really that weak in the past? No, that can''t be possible... I''m sure.''

 Chapter 711 The Forsaken Land

    711 The Forsaken Land

    In a deste expanse, stripped of all greenery and littered with skeletons, a colossal flying ship emerged from a rift in the sky, before gracefully descending onto one of the many floating inds hovering above the bleakndscape.

    The moment the ship touched down, numerous powerful individuals residing in the magnificent residences on the floating inds emerged to see who had arrived in the area after sensing numerous unfamiliar presences within the ship, as only a select few were granted permission tond directly on the floating inds.

    Under their gaze, a wooden ramp began to extend from the center of the ship to allow the passengers to disembark, but before it could even touch the ground, a young man leaped out of the ship, a curious glimmer flickering in his golden eyes.

    "So, this is the ce where the war is happening? But why is it so quiet...?" N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Nine straightened his clothes before ncing ahead at the massive residence in front of him. He saw many floating inds around the one he had justnded on.

    "Oh... these inds bear a striking resemnce to those we encountered in the ancient realm on the blue."

    He noticed the many eyes upon him and waved at the floating figures watching from all around, shing them a smile. After him, Sinon flew out of the ship. The demi-human didn''tnd on the ground; instead, he began to fly and survey his surroundings.

    Alec and Carcel joined Nine as well, somewhat speechless that he had jumped out of the ship instead of disembarking normally with the others. Unlike Nine, the duo nodded politely at the many figures watching them from the sky.

    Behind them, Mia, Lara, Yue, and Elli descended from the ship, followed by Ronan and Wesley, the two elves. Nox was thest to leave the ship. The lynx let out a yawn as he leaped down from the ship and then walked toward the group.

    He climbed onto Nine''s shoulder with a curious expression.

    "This ce looks kind of ordinary. I thought everyone would be fighting in here��!"

    His words were abruptly cut off by a thunderous explosion in the distance. Instantly, everyone turned their gaze toward the sound, only to see dark clouds billowing up from a distant location, apanied by crimson mes that engulfed the sky.

    Carcel narrowed his eyes.

    Even from such a faraway location, he could hear the haunting cries of many.

    He looked over at Ronan and Wesley.

    "Are we in a safe zone?"

    Wesley responded to his question as all eyes turned to the old elf and Ronan.

    "You can indeed consider this area a safe zone because there''s a barrier protecting it, but it''s notpletely secure. This ce does experience attacks as well; it''s just that the floating inds here operate on spiritual energy, which is why even though they have been destroyed many times, they revert to their original state after some time."

    Everyone nodded at him and began to survey their surroundings. The group had barely taken in the scene when two women d in purple robes, adorned with arge gray sword intricately engraved on the chest of their garments,nded before them.

    One of the women was actually Elizabeth, whose expression brightened when she saw Alec and the young people with him.

    "You all are finally here? Haha!"

    Herughter echoed in the air, surprising everyone watching the neers who had arrived with Ronan and Wesley.

    The older demi-woman next to Elizabeth raised her brow; it was quite rare to see Elizabethugh so heartily.

    "You know them?"

    Elizabeth nced at the old woman who was the wife of Old Hal and also one of the seven supreme elders like her and shed her a mysterious smile.

    "Why don''t you take a guess, Sophia? You know them well; after all, they are the ones who have been causing quite a stirtely!"

    Sophia''s eyes widened as she instantly grasped her words. Not just Sophia, but every single person flying in the sky was surprised, as their keen senses allowed them to easily hear Elizabeth''s voice. They swiftly descended onto the floating ind and began to assess the neers, their eyes reflecting a hint of respect.

    Among the crowd gathering on the ind, there were numerous elderly individuals, all of whom wielded considerable power.

    However, each of them had heard that this group of youngsters had achieved what no one else had in the past: they had killed Will, the third shadow general! Instantly, faint whispers began to echo in the air.

    "Are they the audacious group who destroyed the diator Arena? Have they finallye to join us in the war?"

    "I heard they even detained Old Hal, Elizabeth, and all the powerful people who went to oversee the diator Arena with formidable chains."

    "But I can''t see anyone with silver hair. Wasn''t the silver-haired one the one who designed the array in the Arena? I want to have a conversation with him so we can share knowledge about arrays over tea."

    "Where''s the nature''s favorite?"

    As soon as those words resonated in the air, a profound silence enveloped the crowd. Everyone shifted their gaze toward the ship, eager to see if anyone else would appear.

    They had heard that the nature''s favorite possessed remarkable power, and that the man was able to hide his presence with his mastery of arrays alone. Yet, even after a lengthy wait, no one else emerged.

    Alec and the others, standing at the center of it all, could only manage awkward smiles as countless eyes fixated on them, eagerly awaiting an answer to their question.

    Suddenly, Elizabeth cleared her throat to capture the crowd''s attention. Unlike the others present, she was aware that Odiak had received information from a faraway small that Kyle had been spotted battling one of Ceano''s fake bodies.

    After Odiak learned about Ceano''s fake body, he found James, and together they left immediately��first to assist Kyle and second to retrieve the piece of soul within Ceano''s fake body to find his true form. It had been over a day, yet the two of them hadn''t returned or contacted her.

    Perhaps they were still engaged in a struggle against Ceano? This might exin why Kyle hadn''t arrived with the group. In the end, she turned to Alec.

    "Are you aware that Kyle is currently fighting one of Ceano''s fake bodies?"

    Upon hearing her words, the crowd around her gasped in astonishment. Nine was the one who responded to her.

    "We know. He vanished with Ceano right before our eyes. Since he left on his own, I believe he can manage the situation. So, I don''t think we need to worry about him."

    Alec and the others around him nodded in agreement. They had no doubt that Kyle could handle the situation since they had witnessed how he obliterated the entire lost treasure tomb right under Azazeal''s nose!

    Elizabeth chuckled at Nine''s words.

    "Indeed, considering Kyle, I am sure we don''t need to be concerned about him."

    She pped her hands to get everyone''s attention and raised her voice.

    "I realize I haven''t adequately weed all of you here, have I? So, wee. This ce is known as the Forsaken Land, and here, if onecks strength and intelligence, they will surely meet their end."

    Her words were followed by a loud explosion that didn''t echo in a distant ce; instead, it resonated quite near them, apanied by wickedughter that filled the air.

    Immediately, all eyes turned toward the source of the sound, only to witness a supreme-rank demon, followed by many others. They had breached the barrier surrounding the floating inds.

    Elizabeth''s gaze hardened, and many individuals around her disappeared to confront the demons and repair the crack in the barrier. She steadied her expression and nced at Alec and the others.

    "Don''t worry; this ispletely normal."

    Alec and the others could only nod in response to her words. Elizabeth motioned for them to follow her as the crowd around them began to break apart. She started to speak as they walked toward the residence on the floating ind.

    "You won''t be sent to the frontlines right away. Instead, you will have the chance to learn a variety of new skills alongside the other young individuals whoe here to join the war. I know you all want to learn a lot, because simply being strong is never enough. Just look at Kyle, for example..."

    Her words hadn''t even settled when a startled cry from Wesley pierced the air, filled with panic. Immediately, everyone turned to gaze back at the old elf.

    Ronan, who had just begun to fly to assist those battling the demons that had attacked the barrier around the floating inds, also nced back at Wesley, only to witness the old man''s pale face and amunication crystal in his hand.

    Alec and Nine were the first to rush toward Wesley, catching the old man before he lost his bnce. Alec furrowed his brows as he noticed the crystal in thetter''s hand.

    "What happened? Are you alright?"

    However, instead of responding to Alec, Wesley nced at Ronan, who hadnded before him with a concerned expression. The old elf voice trembled as he spoke.

    "The Tree of Fate... it has fallen into slumber."

 Chapter 712 It’s very weird

    712 It��s very weird

    Ronan''s eyes widened in disbelief at the shocking words that spilled from Wesley''s lips. The Tree of Fate, the guardian of their, had fallen into slumber?

    How could that even be possible?

    That simply couldn''t be!

    Under the astonished gazes of Alec, Elizabeth, and the others, who were equally taken aback by the old elf''s words, Ronan gripped Wesley''s shoulders, his expression a mix of disbelief and urgency.

    "What? Hadn''t the Tree of Fate already recovered from the dark energy consuming it, thanks to Kyle? Then why??"

    Wesley grasped his hands with a wistful smile and could only shake his head. His voice trembled as he stared at him.

    "No... it''s not because of dark energy... not dark energy. The Queen just contacted me. It''s Enthrall... the fourth shadow general. He was on the elven and had harmed the Tree of Fate''s core."

    He sucked in a deep breath.

    "By the time the elves discovered his presence, it was already toote."

    Ronan''s expression darkened; he had encountered Enthrall once before and knew that, unlike the other shadow generals, this man was exceptionally devious. The fourth shadow general''s whereabouts had been a mystery for quite some time, so he didn''t expect him to act so suddenly.

    But the real question was, why would he damage the core of the Tree of Fate?

    Ronan steadied himself, but his grip on Wesley''s shoulders instinctively tightened when he posed the question that weighed heavily on his mind currently.

    "What about the...? It''s safe, right?"

    Wesley nodded, and a flicker of relief finally shed in the eyes of the elf before him.

    "The is safe... Enthrall left immediately after he was discovered. He didn''t try to fight anyone; he justughed at everyone before disappearing, as if he had aplished what he intended." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Ronan stepped back and nced at Elizabeth, who returned his gaze with a solemn expression. They were both aware that The Tree of Fate wasn''t weak; it could protect itself. But if Enthrall had managed to reach its core without detection, it meant that the fourth shadow general had either grown powerful or discovered something formidable to mask his presence.

    Wesley thought for a second.

    "I believe we should return to the elven. There are only three supreme ranks there: the Queen, her shadow, and the old man who is nearing the end of his life. The Tree of Fate was the protector that kept all powerful enemies at bay, but now that its protection has vanished, if the elves face an attack, none will survive."

    Elizabeth asked the two elves to leave for their when they looked at her, even though they had just arrived.

    "Very well, go ahead, but I will apany you. I want to evaluate the damage inflicted on the Tree of Fate and see if I can uncover a clue regarding what the shadow generals are scheming by suddenly harming it."

    Behind her, unlike Nine, Carcel, and the others who felt remorse after learning that the Tree of Fate had been harmed��since they were quite grateful to the elven Queen��Alec''s eyes burned with pure rage.

    He clenched his fists tightly.

    This anger had consumed him since he heard Enthrall''s name. How could he forget the man he wants to kill with his own hands? The very man who had forced him to sign the dark contract?

    ''Ah... finally a clue about him. I thought he had disappearedpletely.''

    He surprised everyone around him by suddenly interrupting Elizabeth and the two elves'' conversation.

    "What about Enthrall, the fourth shadow general? Is there a chance he is still on the elven, or he mighte back?"

    Wesley shook his head at him.

    "I have no idea. He just disappeared."

    Alec thought for a few seconds, but it was as if Elizabeth sensed what he wanted. She chided him with a soft sigh.

    "No, you are not allowed to follow us to the elven. Stay here with all your friends. The elders will help you all settle in."

    Alec felt the urge to argue but restrained himself. Ultimately, he consented.

    "Alright, but please let me know if you hear anything about the fourth shadow general."

    Elizabeth hummed thoughtfully. Noticing the fury in Alec''s eyes directed at Enthrall, she understood that he had an unresolved conflict with the fourth shadow general.

    But she wondered when Enthrall had crossed paths with Alec? Didn''t Alec and the otherse from the blue?

    As she thought about her home, she began to wonder how the was faring and how its residents were doing. Untimely, she decided to ask Alec and the others for more details about her home when she returned from the elven.

    She shook Alec''s shoulder.

    "Just wait. No matter where Enthrall is, he will definitely return to the battlefield since he loves to stay on the frontlines. Until then, you can focus on bing stronger, as he is much stronger than you are right now."

    Nine''s eyes turned toward Alec. Instead of wondering why Alec wanted to know about the fourth shadow general like the rest, he had something different on his mind.

    ''Why do I feel like Alec was already aware that something bad was about to happen on the elven? After all, he was the one who urged everyone to leave the as quickly as possible...''

    He thought for a moment but then sighed when he remembered that Alec possessed a powerful artifact. That artifact would have provided th man with a warning about any potential future danger.

    ''Still... I should ask him about what conflict he had with the fourth shadow general.''

    After Elizabeth was done contacting someone she trusted to familiarize Alec, Carcel, and the others with the Forsaken Land they all had just arrived in, she turned around and began to float with the two elves. She had just created a rift in the air to reach the elven directly when suddenly, Sophia''s loud voice interrupted her.

    Elizabeth nced back and saw the old demi-woman hovering in mid-air, a smile brightening her entire face.

    Sophia was one of the individuals who had gone to confront the demons. Although she noticed the serious atmosphere around her, it didn''t faze her; her aged eyes sparkled as she eagerly shared the news she had just received with Elizabeth.

    "The divine dragon has appeared again! That''s why Zhask and the other elders went to check the supreme projection. Can you guess what the elders discovered? The veil shrouding the contents of the projection has beenpletely destroyed! And..."

    She couldn''t help but burst intoughter��a joyful sound that took Elizabeth by surprise.

    "And you won''t believe this, but the elders discovered that Azazeal''s name is no longer at the top of the projection!"

    Elizabeth''s eyes widened. Unlike the countless others who had lost faith in the projection, the seven elders had always trusted in it ever since Odiak, one of the greatest artifact makers in the universe, validated its power! Her face lit up with a smile, but Sophia wasn''t done yet.

    "It''s not just Azazeal��the four shadow generals and many other formidable names from the dark side that once upied the highest positions on the projection have also now fallen to lower ranks!"

    Elizabeth gasped in shock and covered her mouth as her eyes lit up with excitement.

    "Finally, now it all makes sense why the shadow generals were so desperate to conceal the contents of the projection!"

    The earlier somber atmosphere created by the tragic news about the Tree of Fate began to lift, as even Wesley and Ronan were surprised by Sophia''s words.

    Elizabeth hurried over to the demi-woman, eager to know the name that had taken the top spot in the projection. However, to her and the two elves'' disappointment, Sophia could only shake her head.

    "The name isn''t visible to anyone. Perhaps the supreme projection is trying to protect the owner of the name?"

    Elizabeth took a deep breath to steady herself. In such a short time, she had been overwhelmed with information. She quickly retrieved an artifact to contact James and Odiak, wanting to share everything, but she could only grumble in frustration when neither of them responded.

    Nine, Alec, and the others, who were unaware of the projection and the divine dragon, could only observe the scene from below with intrigued expressions. Sinon''s floating figure halted behind Yue and Nine. He narrowed his eyes.

    "Guys... don''t you think it''s a bit weird?"

    Mia was the one who replied to him.

    "Weird?"

    The demi-human pped his wings with a serious and thoughtful expression, as if he were considering something important.

    "It''s very weird. Think about it: whenever something significant happens, Kyle is somehow connected to it, but this time... there''s no mention of Kyle!"

    Everyone around him was left speechless. What did he think about Kyle? The man was indeed a bit entric, but there was no way everything significant happening in the universe would be rted to him!

    Sinon gasped with a distressed expression as everyone ignored him and began to walk toward the residence in the center of the floating ind. He shouted at them.

    "So, you all don''t believe me? But what if Kyle is really connected to all this!"

    "At least, take me with you!"

    He quickly rushed behind them before they disappeared from his sight.

 Chapter 713: You asked the wrong question

    Chapter 713: You asked the wrong question

    ?

    In the center of a vast hall, a grand tablet was disyed, surrounded by chairs. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as numerous attendees filled the seats, their conversations creating a low hum. At the head of the table sat James, exuding an aura ofposure and confidence.

    Beside him, Odiak upied the adjacent chair, his presence equally formidable.

    The duo had just returned to the Forsaken Ind, but Elizabeth had already departed with Ronan and Wesley, leaving Sophia to share all the information with them.

    nking the two men were several other supreme ranks from various other races.

    The ancient decor of the hall, with its soaring ceiling, provided a fitting backdrop for this momentous assembly, which had urred in this hall many times before.

    However, for the first time, everyone in the hall appeared genuinely satisfied.

    James softly rapped his knuckles on the table to capture everyone''s attention, then turned his gaze toward Sophia.

    "What are the chances that the name currently upying the top position in the supreme projection belongs to someone who is on our side?"

    Silence enveloped the hall as everyone contemted James''s words.

    Thanks to the information provided by Sophia, they had discovered that Alec''s name now upied the third spot on the projection, directly below Azazeal. But they couldn''t find out who held the top position, as that name remained invisible.

    All the individuals in the hall were quite excited, as not only Alec''s name but also the names of all his friends were seen in the top spots on the projection.

    Odiak smiled at James, a glimmer of disbelief and joy shining in his eyes.

    "You asked the wrong question; you should be asking what the chances are that the top name on the projection belongs to Kyle."

    Immediately, everyone in the hall erupted into a heated debate. However, the air was thick with uncertainty. They acknowledged Kyle''s power, but no one among them could confidently assert that he was the one whose name held the top position.

    Moreover, instead of joining the war like his friends, Kyle had disappeared yet again, and his whereabouts remained a mystery.

    Realizing that the discussion would never end if it continued like this, James raised his hand to silence everyone.

    "It doesn''t matter. We will find out whose name had upied the top position in the projection, as that person will soon rise to be the strongest. However, Odiak has made a valid point, as Kyle''s name wasn''t seen anywhere on the projection."

    Everyone nodded in agreement. After all, even though they had never seen Kyle, they recognized his power from the feat he had aplished, and it was unlikely that the projection would overlook his name.

    James let out a sigh, feeling somewhat disheartened that his own name had also dropped to a lower position. Shaking his head, he redirected the conversation.

    "Let''s shift our focus to the dark side. The shadow generals are definitely scheming something; otherwise, why would Enthrall attack the Tree of Fate? Aside from Old Hal and Elizabeth, who are absent, all the elders here should head to the battlefield."

    He nced at Odiak.

    "You should look after Alec and hispanions. Assess their special talents and assign different people to help them refine those skills. Also, if possible, ask the youngsters to use aliases instead of their real names for now, as the dark side wille after them if they discover that they are the ones whose names have taken the top spots in the projection." The old dwarf nodded.

    "I understand. I will ensure the young ones reach at least the end of the Transcendent rank before entering the battlefield, as the stronger they are, the better their chances of survival. But what about you?"

    James chuckled and cracked his knuckles, a fierce glint shing in his eyes.

    "I received information from one of the spies we have nted in the dark side. They have located Onicuss''s whereabouts."

    He rose from his chair, causing everyone around him to stand as well.

    "I''m heading to the where Onicuss has been spotted to take him out. The fifth shadow general slipped away just as I was about to finish him offst time; I believe it''s finally time to end him for good. And you all should return to your duties."

    Everyone told him to stay safe before disappearing in different directions. Some went to check thest two seals holding the realm of the dead, while others made their way to the battlefield.

    In the end, only Odiak remained in the hall. The old dwarf stood up and walked toward the exit of the hall, which had gone unused since everyone else had simply vanished to reach their destinations.

    He opened the door and cleared his throat, wearing a solemn expression.

    "Eavesdropping on others is bad."

    Nine, who had been leaning against the wall beside the door and listening to everything discussed in the room, flinched at the sound of the voice. His soul nearly leaped out of his body when he turned around only to see the old dwarf staring at him.

    He was shocked that the old dwarf had sensed him, especially since he was clearly using a powerful artifact he found in the lost treasure tomb to conceal himself! But he quickly regained hisposure.

    Nine''s eyes darted around as he scratched his head with a confused expression.

    "Actually, I took the wrong route and forgot the way back. I guess I came from the right side. I apologize; I should leave-!"

    His words trailed off, and he let out a chuckle when the dwarf grabbed him from behind. Odiak''s eyes narrowed.

    "Kid, do you truly believe the weak artifact you were using concealed you from me? It may have hidden your presence from those at the trancendent rank, but many in the hall sensed you the instant you arrived here. Do you really think I would believe you?"

    Nine shed him a sheepish smile. Alright, since he had already been discovered, there was no need to pretend. Regardless, given the dwarf''s demeanor and the conversation he had overheard, he was confident he wouldn''t face any punishment.

    "Ah... I just wanted to know why so many powerful people were gathering in this building, so

    I followed behind."

    Odiak''s eyebrow twitched when he saw the cheeky smile on the young man''s face.

    A touch of speechlessness crossed his expression, but then he let out a sigh.

    "Then I take it you heard everything? Well, that''s actually a good thing. It means I don''t need

    to exin anything at all."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Nine nodded at him. Of course, he did; his hearing was quite sharp.

    Odiak pped his back, and they began walking toward the building exit.

    The old dwarf nced back at the young man trailing behind him.

    "Anyway, do you know about me? This is our first official meeting, but I am from the same

    net as you."

    Nine hurriedly caught up to him.

    "I do. Not just me, everyone else with me knows you too. You''re Odiak, right? Actually, Zron told us about you. He vanished a while ago, so I don''t know where he is now."

    He paused for a moment.

    "But I want to ask if you''ve seen Yon and Susan? Those two old men were with us on the elven, but they left first, saying they were going to find you and James. We are here, but I

    don''t see them anywhere."

    Odiak rolled the familiar names on his tongue with furrowed brows. It took him a few

    moments to remember the people Nine was referring to, and when he finally did, his eyes widened slightly in surprise.

    "Yon and Susan are still alive? And Zron, that thief as well? Wait... wait, you are telling me that the they were with you, but then they all vanished? And two of them even imed they were going to find me and James?"

    Nine nodded simply since that was the truth, but then Odiak burst intoughter. The old dwarf calmed down after a while and shook his head with a faint smile.

    "Susan and Yon, as the guardians of the blue, indeed respect me and James. However,

    I''m sure they wouldn''te here because James was the one who burdened them with responsibilities. The duo would first seek to grow stronger beforeing to give us a piece of their minds... and as for Zron, I''m certain he would nevere here. He likes stealing more

    than anything."

    Nine let out an ''oh''. He had a feeling something was wrong when Yon and Susan left so suddenly, even though the duo could have actually joined them toe here.

    Suddenly, Odiak gazed into his eyes with a solemn look, and Nine''s eyes widened when he heard the old dwarf''s next words.

    "Your eyes... they are quite powerful. But don''t use their power here, as many desire the

    vision your gaze possesses. Be wary of everyone here as well. You never know who might have secretly aligned themselves with the dark side. We''ve uncovered numerous spies among us, yet we can''t foresee who may betray us at any moment."

 Chapter 714: Silence, will you?

    Chapter 714: Silence, will you?

    ?

    Within a grand arena, rows of eager spectators filled the seats encircling the circr battle stage at the center, where two demi-humans shed fiercely. Their movements were a blur of skill and power as they fought for victory. The air crackled with electric energy as the crowd cheered and ced bets on the fighters, captivated by the skill and ferocity on disy.

    At the far end of the enthusiastic crowd, Kyle satfortably in a chair with one leg draped casually over the other, observing the scene before him with an inscrutable gaze. For some reason, he cleared his ear, his eyes narrowing in concentration.

    "Hmm, why have I been feeling like someone''s talking about me?"

    Bia, who was seated beside him, and the twin demi-humans in front turned to him at the sound of his murmur.

    They had entered the ce known as the mission hall, and after Kyle surveyed the area where the elders posted missions for the youngsters, they went into one of the battle arenas within the building. However, they had been sitting here for the past few hours because, for some reason, Kyle remained motionless in his spot.

    This soft noise the human made was actually the first sound he had produced in the past few hours. Bia tried to get closer to Kyle but quickly retreated when she noticed the solemn expression on his face.

    -''What''s with him anyway...''

    The twins too looked ahead at the battle unfolding in the arena. Unlike Kyle, who seemed unfazed by the numerous stares directed at him, they were starting to feel a bit anxious as they noticed severaldies around them stealing nces at Kyle.

    To make things worse, some of those women had partners who were growing increasingly irritated by Kyle''s presence! Logan and Mason could only hope that no one would approach Kyle, as they wanted to avoid getting tangled up in any drama!

    But their fears soon became reality. A blue-eyed demi-woman sitting next to them nced over at Kyle with a sweet smile and tried to strike up a conversation with him.

    Although she was ignored, her boldness encouraged others to follow suit, and soon a small crowd began to gather around Kyle.

    Mason cursed under his breath.

    "He''s handsome... but what''s with these students? It''s like they have never seen a good- looking guy before!"

    His twin stood up and attempted to disperse the crowd when suddenly an elven man seated behind Kyle sneered at him, a look of disdain in his eyes.

    "So what if he''s all pretty?"

    The elven man scoffed, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

    "Looks don''t mean anything if there''s nothing beneath the surface."

    The remark hung in the air, drawing a few chuckles from those seated around him.

    Mason shot a nce at his brother, frustration and fear etched on his face.

    This damn elven bastard doesn''t even realize who he''s provoking! He''s practically begging for a death wish and wants to drag everyone in the arena down with him!

    However, before Logan could voice his anger at the smug elven man, the blue-eyed woman, who had been overlooked by Kyle earlier, stood up and defended him.

    "I''m at the pinnacle of the divine rank, yet I can''t seem to sense this human''s rank at all. What makes you believe he''s weaker than you, especially since you''ve only just managed to reach the divine rank?"

    Her words resonated with the crowd, causing the elven man''s sneer to falter, and a few other women began to agree with her, intrigued by her boldness.

    Due to the sudden noise, the situation began to escte, capturing the attention of everyone in the arena.

    Logan and Mason started to grow pale. They hesitantly nced at Kyle, only to find his gaze fixed on the battle stage ahead.

    The man seemed utterly indifferent to the events unfolding around him, leaving them uncertain whether to feel relieved or not.

    Bia''s eyes glimmered with mischief as she savored the spectacle before her.

    The elven man rose abruptly, engaging into a fervent dispute with the woman, insisting that she was blinded by the human beauty.

    Kyle turned his attention to Bia when he sensed her movement, and swiftly caught her before she could stir up any trouble. His brows were tightly knitted together.

    ''They just had to make a racket... I was finally beginning to piece together some memories from the past.''

    Bia blinked in astonishment at his words reverberating in her mind. So that was the reason he had stayed so motionless in his ce for the past few hours?

    -''Oh... if I may ask, how much did you remember?''

    She looked at him eagerly but was left speechless by his response.

    ''I remember the Royal Academy entrance test and the time I trained hard to gain entry to the Tower of Opportunity. I also recalled the battle when I conceded defeat to Alec.''

    Bia narrowed her eyes.

    - ''That''s it?''

    Kyle nced down at the little bird in his hand, raising an eyebrow.

    ''No... it''s actually quite meaningful. Reflecting on all these memories, I realize how weak I

    truly was back then. But I know what helped me get stronger.''

    He didn''t mention his bloodline, knowing the phoenix understood him. Bia nodded, her expression deadly serious.

    -''Of course! I told you, did not I? You were just a tiny speck in the past! That''s why you should be thankful you crossed paths with someone as powerful as me!''

    Kyle''s eyes shed with amusement. He acknowledged that he disliked the feelings that came with the knowledge that he was weak in the past. But he knew that he had to embrace that part of himself as well.

    Coldness settled in his gaze as he finally turned his attention to the people causing the

    commotion around him.

    Logan and Mason, who had been trying to disperse the crowd, instinctively froze when they sensed his stare and the sudden chill that began to rise in the air.

    A loud voice boomed through the hall, cutting through the numerous voices.

    "Silence, will you?"

    Instantly, the noise around Kyle faded, reced by an eerie silence. Not only the people arguing around him but every single person seated in the arena clearly felt it when a sudden dread crept into their hearts; their instincts screamed at them to obey the voice or they would regret it. Even the two fighters on the stage froze in their spots.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Kyle stood up and motioned for the twins, who hurried to his side before he made his way toward the exit of the arena.

    "Let''s get out of here; this ce is crawling with fools who know nothing better."

    Bia zipped behind him with augh. All of a sudden, she nced back at the blue-eyed demi- woman, who now looked at Kyle with even deeper admiration. A mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes as she turned around and approached the woman.

    -"He is married. You might want to stop staring; his wife is dangerous, you know."

    The woman and everyone around her jumped in surprise when the bird piped up. They could only watch in astonishment as the bird darted back behind Kyle.

    Only when the human hadpletely vanished from everyone''s view did a faint murmur ripple through the crowd.

    "What just... happened? I felt like a heavy pressure descended on me, suffocating me, as if I were on the verge of death..."

    This stammering voice ignited a chorus of reactions from the crowd, and everyone finally erupted in confusion, questioning what had just happened. Had they really been frozen by a

    mere voice?

    "I felt it too! Who was that human? He wasn''t wearing the student uniform!"

    "That human exuded such an imposing aura! Just how powerful is he? With just a few simple words, he intimidated so many divine rank individuals!"

    The air was thick with tension as whispers swirled around them, each person trying to process

    what they had just witnessed.

    "Wait... weren''t the twins with that human, Logan and Mason? Didn''t those two die in the

    forest near the city?"

    A person from the crowd stood up.

    It was the very demi-woman who had abandoned Logan and Mason in the forest when she

    saw the massive phoenix.

    "We need to inform the elders!"

    Meanwhile, indifferent to the chaos his actions had caused, Kyle casually walked inside the

    building.

    He paused when, after a while, the twins encountered a few of their friends.

    Kyle watched the duo as they tried to send their friends away, insisting they were busy. He

    tapped Mason on the shoulder.

    "Go with your friends."

    The twins could onlyugh dryly at his words, while their clueless friends, who were finally leaving after the duomunicated through telepathy that the person with them was dangerous, stopped and looked back at them with worried expressions. They joined their friends, and Kyle simply walked behind them, observing everything they did.

    Bia noticed the seriousness in Kyle''s gaze and understood that now that he had figured out how to recover his past memories, he was intent on reiming all of them.

    -"I guess the trip here isn''t entirely useless."

 Chapter 715 I am leaving

    715 I am leaving

    Kyle stood amidst many bookshelves, immersed in the pages of the book he held, while Bia''s small form rested serenely on his shoulder with her eyes closed.

    Outside the mission hall''s sole library, where he stood, the twin demi-humans bid farewell to their friends, who anxiously asked the duo to take care.

    As their friends vanished from sight, the twins stepped into the library. They paused a short distance from Kyle when they saw him engrossed in the book in his hand. But noticing how the human flipped through the book''s pages with remarkable speed, as if thetter was just counting them, the duo wondered if he was truly reading it.

    Many students were around Kyle, but no one seemed to be paying attention to him, or rather, everyone was behaving as if they couldn''t see the human at all. Logan nced at his twin and whispered.

    "Did he conceal his presence?"

    Mason narrowed his eyes. Although he could see nothing around Kyle, he checked the energy in the air and detected subtle stirrings of divinity encircling the man.

    "It seems he has created a protective barrier around himself, allowing only those he chooses to see him through it. But given what happened earlier, it''s probably for the best that no one can detect him."

    The twins sighed and began waiting for Kyle to finish whatever he was doing. The air was filled with the faint rustle of pages and the soft sound of books being returned to the shelf. To their annoyance, the human seemed to be merely flipping through one book after another.

    He would examine the cover of each book, skim through all the pages, and then return it to the shelf, only to reach for another, repeating the entire process.

    The air was thick with a sense of frustration as the twins exchanged nces, wishing for Kyle to hurry the hell up. In the end, the two brothers leaned against a bookshelf and dozed off.

    Kyle turned to nce at the duo when he sensed their guard around him had rxed, only to find them fast asleep. He hummed and began to wander through the library.

    A wave of nostalgia washed over him, awakening emotions he hadn''t felt in ages. His eyes roamed the space, pausing briefly on a group of students seated around the tables scattered throughout the space, all absorbed in the books before them.

    A faint smile tugged at his lips, growing brighter with each step he took.

    "Thest spot in the practical exam, huh? That merman really did underestimate my abilities. I suppose even if I was weak in the past, my mind remained quite sharp."

    His eyes flickered with amusement as he remembered how he had amassed so many mana stones from Nine after winning the bet, where thetter had wagered that he woulde inst in the exam.

    "It''s a pity Alec and Carcel didn''t join in."

    With a shake of his head, Kyle grabbed another book from a shelf nearby.

    The knowledge within wasn''t very useful, but he had noticed that the books in this ce contained many unique concepts.

    What he liked the most so far was learning how to form a weaker version of the skills he possessed to share with others.

    Bia stirred on his shoulder, but he patted the phoenix, and she rxed. After putting the book in its ce, he was about to wake the twins to leave when he spotted Zhask entering the library alongside an old elf.

    Walking directly behind them was the demi-woman Bia had seen with the twins in the forest, apanied by the blue-eyed demi-woman who had tried to strike up a conversation with Kyle not long ago.

    In addition to the two girls, many other people followed behind the elders, all wearing expressions of curiosity.

    Zhask scanned the area, but since Kyle''s presence was hidden behind the barrier, he couldn''t detect him with his senses.

    In the end, he turned to the two demi-women behind him and voiced his frustration, since they were the ones who had caused a scene and alerted the elders. But the two women remained persistent, urging him to search the entire library, as it was rted to the twins'' safety!

    Kyle shook his head at the sight.

    "It''s clear the elders don''t want to create a scene since they know about me, but the youngsters aren''t grasping their point."

    He made his way toward the twins, raised his leg, and nudged Mason''s body, causing the man to jerk awake the moment his foot made contact. Mason gasped at him and quickly roused his twin as well.

    Kyle flicked his fingers, causing the barrier around him to dissipate. The twins followed closely as he made his way toward Zhask. Instantly, the two women''s eyes locked onto him, and they quickly pointed him out.

    "It''s him! He was the one who caused a scene in the arena!"

    The crowd surrounding the elders began to murmur their agreement as they recognized Kyle''s face. However, to their surprise, the two elders remained silent. Zhask raised his hand, demanding attention.

    "Silence. That is our guest."

    Instantly, an eerie silence settled in the space as the two women and everyone around them gazed at Zhask in confusion. If the human was a guest, then why hadn''t the old man mentioned it to them earlier?

    The unexpectedmotion captured the attention of everyone present in the library. Still, Kyle strode casually toward the elders and locked his gaze with Zhask.

    The other elder with Zhask wanted to introduce himself to the nature''s favorite, but he was utterly ignored as Kyle began to speak in a calm voice.

    "I am leaving. My stay here wasn''t great, but it wasn''t bad either."

    The twins behind him beamed with relief, exchanging gleeful nces; atst, the human was leaving from their!

    Zhask nodded at Kyle.

    "That''s unfortunate to hear that your stay here wasn''t entirely enjoyable... but may I ask where you''re headed next? Also, since you are leaving, I believe I can let others know that you were here."

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed slightly.

    "No, don''t tell anyone because I wille back here after settling an old score. Just tell me if there''s a group of people here who will soon join the war. I will follow them."

    Zhask was surprised by his words. It was true that many youngsters from his would be selected to join the war every few years, but Kyle wanted to join the war with his people? He wondered how Old Hal and Sophia would react upon learning this.

    He counted the time. Even though there were still three months before the selected group would leave, it wouldn''t hurt to send them off a bit earlier to shorten the wait.

    "A month from now, a group of youngsters will be departing; you can join them."

    His response shocked the elder standing beside him and the individuals around who could somewhat grasp what he was saying. Yet, they could do nothing but watch.

    Kyle hummed with a nod. A month was enough time for him to settle the old score he had remembered, along with many other past memories. Zhask seemed to want to say more, but he turned around and gestured for the twins to follow him. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Immediately, the twins'' faces fell. They watched as a circr teleportation portal illuminated before them. They nced at the elders for help, but the elders averted their gaze, extinguishing theirst hope.

    With heavy hearts, they stepped into the portal. Kyle followed behind, and then the portal shattered into many tiny particles.

    Zhask let out a sigh as he sensed the numerous eyes upon him. He understood that he owed an exnation to many, but for now, he could only watch the fading bright particles before him.

    "Where could he possibly be heading? When I firstid eyes on him, he seemed cold and unfeeling... yet now, his gaze is filled with so much depth. I can''t help but wonder if this is a positive change or not."

    He shook his head.

    "But wherever he is going, I hope he doesn''t encounter anything that would lead him to abandon the emotions reflected in his gaze once more. After all, losing one''s emotions might be bearable once, but experiencing that destion again makes it impossible to reim what has been lost."

 Chapter 716 Learning to craft skill cores I

    716 Learning to craft skill cores I

    Kyle nced at the two identical-looking brothers standing below on the ground as he satfortably on a tree branch with one leg crossed over the other.

    Bia stretched and yawned on his shoulder, unfurling her wings before soaring into the sky for some fresh air. To her surprise, she discovered they had returned to the exact spot in the forest where they had firstnded upon arriving on this.

    Her gaze shifted to the twins. The sweat glistening on their foreheads revealed their anxiety, as they remained clueless about why they had been brought here.

    Bia then turned to Kyle, who was focused on shaping something with a mix of mana and spiritual energy in his palm.

    -''What are you doing? Weren''t we supposed to leave the?''

    Hearing the phoenix''s voice echo in his mind, Kyle nced at her, and a wicked smile crept across his lips.

    ''Actually, I wish to conduct an experiment. Two test subjects should suffice, as I doubt I will find suitable candidatester, so I want to do this before we leave.''

    Bia blinked and noticed how Kyle''s intense gaze fixated on the twins, who trembled under his ominous stare.

    -''An experiment? What kind of experiment? It does sound quite intriguing.''

    Curiosity sparked in the phoenix''s eyes as she circled the tree where Kyle was seated, observing what he was crafting in his palm.

    Could it be a soul-injuring spell?

    Or perhaps a deadly weapon capable of killing another without detection?

    Logan and Mason exchanged nces before Mason retrieved the storage ring that Kyle had given them earlier. It was still filled with treasures, and with the human about to leave, it felt appropriate to return it. However, before he could say anything, Kyle waved his hand dismissively.

    "You both can keep whatever remains in that storage ring. Think of it as payment for being my guides."

    Mason was entirely taken aback. How could the human so nonchntly part with such a huge amount of wealth? It seemed that Kyle was indeed very rich!

    His face lit up, and he noticed that his brother shared the same excitement. With the treasures inside the ring, they could significantly enhance their strength!

    It had been so long since the twins had been stuck at the first stage of divine rank; finally, they had the opportunity to advance to the next stage! No, with this abundance of treasures, there was even a possibility they could reach the next rank!

    Mason bowed slightly to Kyle, his face beaming with gratitude.

    "Thank you!"

    He had just finished his words when the mana and spiritual energy that Kyle had been gathering in his palm suddenly emitted a loud whistling sound.

    Kyle''s eyes widened at the sound, and he vanished from his spot. Bia also sensed a sudden disruption in the air beneath her and shot upward into the sky as well.

    They left, and a small but deafening explosion shattered the stillness, sending shockwaves through the air. The branch of the tree where Kyle had been seated moments before disintegrated into tiny particles, raining down like confetti.

    Mason and Logan stood frozen in shock, trying their best toprehend what had just happened. The two instinctively raised their arms to shield themselves from the splintering wood and debris that rained down on them.

    Kylended softly behind the twins, a contemtive look on his face as he saw the two brothers coughed and waved their hands to clear the dust around them. His voice was low, so it didn''t reach anyone.

    "I guess it wasn''t as easy as I thought. Ibined equal amounts of mana and spiritual energy, but the spiritual energy, being the more dominant force, consumed the mana before I had the chance to form a core and infuse it with knowledge."

    The twins brushed off their clothes and stared at Kyle with nk expressions. The duo''s earlier gratitude had entirely faded; now all they wanted was to return to their city as quickly as possible!

    From above, Bia too nced down at Kyle with a twitching eyebrow... so he was truly creating something highly dangerous?

    -''At least give me a warning if you are going to explode something!''

    Kyle remained silent, lost in thought, his eyes sharp with focus.

    "I think I understand now."

    With a whisper, he lifted his hand and spread his fingers wide, and once again, mana and spiritual energy started to coalesce in his palm, startling the twins, who instinctively stepped back.

    Bia, who was about to approach, also retreated. It was wiser for her to wait until Kyle finished what he was doing before getting any closer for her own safety.

    This time, thankfully, no explosion urred. Kyle''s eyes lit up as a nail-sized orb began to materialize above his palm, casting a soft glow. He began transferring knowledge into the tiny orb after the shell surrounding the energy in his palm grew strong enough to contain it. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Observing his concentration, the twins wondered what he was trying to achieve. They noticed that the orb in Kyle''s hand somewhat resembled a skill core, but they quickly dismissed the idea.

    Skill cores aremonly extracted from the bodies of defeated monsters because their bodies naturally form them.

    The only way to artificially create a skill core is by forming a weak version of the skill one possessed, but this task requires immense mental strength andplete control over mana and spiritual energy. Even if one possesses these qualities, they must also master the conversion of their knowledge into fragments of energy toplete the final step. That''s why, despite many knowing the process of creating a weak version of a skill core, everyone struggles to put it into practice.

    The twins blinked when the human suddenly lifted his head to meet their gaze, wearing a seemingly harmless expression. Kyle held the tiny orb between his fingers and raised it for the duo to see.

    "It''s ready. So, who''s going to test it?"

 Chapter 717: Learning to craft skill cores II

    Chapter 717: Learning to craft skill cores II

    ?

    A chill ran down the twins'' spines as they stared at Kyle''s face with wide eyes.

    Test it? What test?

    Didn''t something simr that Kyle was creating previously explode not long ago? Does the nature''s favorite really want to test this dangerous object on them!?

    The duo scooted back as Kyle moved toward them, their backs colliding with a shield that had formed behind them to block their escape. Kyle tilted his head, seemingly waiting for them to take the glowing orb from his hand.

    Mason took a deep breath; it wasn''t like they could outmatch someone who had defeated one of the shadow generals! He began to advanc toward Kyle, despite his twin''s attempts to stop him. He patted his brother''s shoulder and reassured him that he would make it through, no matter what.

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched at the sight, his gaze flickering to the orb in his hand.

    "It''s not like it''s some kind of destructive artifact, right?"

    Bianded on his shoulder with a chuckle.

    - "I wouldn''t be surprised if it is!"

    Kyle was left speechless, and Bia''s words only deepened the twins'' unease. However, Mason still took the orb from his hand with a determined look. Kyle gaze narrowed.

    "Absorb it."

    With a nod, Mason tightly shut his eyes. It was better to do what needed to be done as quickly as possible to minimize the pain.

    The tiny orb in his hand shattered into particles and entered his body.

    Logan stayed by his side, worry etched on his face and a powerful healing potion in his hand, but fortunately, even after a few seconds, nothing happened.

    Mason slowly opened his eyes with an utterly bewildered look and stared at Kyle.

    "That...?"

    He staggered back when Kyle looked at him with a hint of expectation in his gaze.

    "Did it work?"

    Mason nodded, still not fully processing what he had just experienced.

    "It did. I absorbed the skill; it was an (F)-rank fireball, wasn''t it?"

    Kyle smirked. So he seeded. Good. He raised his hand and crafted several more tiny cores. This time, the twins were more than willing to try. Yet, in the end, they were both left disappointed since the human only created (F)-rank fireballs.

    After a while, when Kyle was finally sure that he had seeded in mastering the ability to craft skill cores, he stopped. He nced at the twins. They wore dejected expressions, and who wouldn''t feel that way after absorbing so many fireball skill cores that weren''t even useful?

    A faint smile appeared at the corners of Kyle''s lips, but it faded before the twins could see. He began to float.

    "I guess that''s enough for the time being. It''s finally goodbye then."

    The twins sighed with relief when they heard his words. They even waved at him, urging him to just disappear directly!

    Kyle''s eyes flickered with amusement. He checked his mind-space, where many skill cores he had acquired floated. But since they were low rank and useless to him, he had never used them.

    He nced at the duo below him.

    "Well, I remember a lot about my past thanks to them, and I dislike being indebted to others. Besides, any skill below my rank is not useful to me..."

    Logan and Mason jumped in fright when they saw the human throw a few glowing objects toward them. Kyle could only shake his head as the duo collided and fell down, before he vanished into the portal that illuminated behind him with Bia.

    The twins cautiously nced at what the human had thrown their way, and their eyes widened in shock as they spotted several glowing, fist-sized skill cores scattered across the ground before them.

    Mason gasped in disbelief.

    "Their size is enormous! They are at least (S)-rank or maybe even higher!"

    The duo collected the cores, astonished to discover that all the skills within them were incredibly powerful!

    It wasn''t easy toe across strong skill cores; although they could be found within the bodies of defeated monsters, the odds of obtaining even a single core after ying numerous monsters were quite rare!

    They nced at the sky where Kyle had vanished and eximed simultaneously.

    "He wasn''t that bad..."

    Then, they erupted intoughter and copsed onto the ground to calm down. The time the two spent with Kyle felt like walking on the edge of a precipice! The human''s presence alone was enough to make them lose theirposure! How could someone be so strong when he looked much younger than they were?

    Despite everything, they felt certain they would encounter Kyle again in the future, especially since he seemed to have caught on to the fact that their presence brought calm to others. Maybe that was the main reason; even though the human clearly disliked having others around him, hepelled them to stay around him.

    Mason let out a sigh.

    "I guess his emotions found some peace because of us. But what made you decide to use your inherited skill on him after our first encounter went so horribly?"

    Logan scratched his head, a hint of uncertainty in his eyes.

    "It was actually triggered identally, but the human didn''t stop me because it only remained around my body. Then you also started to use it, and seeing him getting

    comfortable, I just let it stay active."N?v(el)B\\jnn

    He raised his voice.

    "However, the primary reason was that I disliked his gaze! When it turned empty, it was so unsettling and frightening!"

    Mason smiled at his brother, then he thought about the skill the two of them had inherited from their father.

    #*Inherited skill;

    Emotional Resonance (D)-rank;

    This skill can create an invisible aura around the wielder, which helps everyone nearby calm their minds and regain their numb emotions. This sense of calm can enable them to vividly recall any aspect of their past, weaving together fragments of their history into a coherent

    narrative.

    It was a skill that was neither useful nor powerful, yet who would have thought that such a seemingly weak ability would one day bring them so much fortune?

    Mason''s gaze traveled toward the sky.

    "ident...? Regardless, I suppose what happened was for the best. The nature''s favorite is indeed intimidating when his expression bes unreadable."

 Chapter 718: Onicusss whereabouts

    Chapter 718: Onicuss''s whereabouts

    ?

    -"Where are we going?"

    Bia''s enormous wings, enveloped in crimson mes, illuminated the darkness around her as she trailed behind Kyle''s figure with a curious expression.

    She only knew that he wanted to settle a score with someone and had no idea where they were heading. However, from the cold and evil smile on his face, she was certain that whoever they were searching for was destined to meet a gruesome end.

    Kyle turned around in the space and nced at her with a gleam in his eyes.

    His lips curled upward into a smirk.

    "You want to know where we''re going? I''m not exactly sure of the name of that ce, but it''s a conquered by the dark side. There''s a man named Onicuss. I want to kill him since I finally remembered that I swore I would end him with my own hands."

    Bia furrowed her brows, rolling the name Onicuss on her tongue. It sounded familiar. Her thoughts came to a halt, and her eyes widened when she finally recalled where she had heard the name before!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    -"The fifth shadow general!"

    Her voice echoed through the vast darkness as they glided through a sea of distant stars ands.

    Kyle let out a chuckle.

    "Perhaps?"

    At the moment, he felt incredibly light... all because he remembered so much about his forgotten past. Although he still hadn''t recalled his family, there were many joyful memories he had grasped.

    He nced at the sight around him, spinning his body in the air.

    "It''s breathtaking-the countless stars shimmering in the vast, dark space."

    Bia mimicked his actions and nced around, and for the first time, she saw the beauty of the universe.

    - "Oh... it is."

    They admired the space before disappearing into a portal. Kyle had no idea of the location of the where he met Onicuss, but he was sure he would find the man soon enough since he was going to create chaos on every belonging to or conquered by the dark side until they themselves led him to Onicuss.

    In no time, the phoenix and the human entered a colossal enveloped in a crimson hue, only to discover that they had arrived at the sole in the universe owned by the demon

    race.

    net Eadmire��the very where Nine had discovered the dark contracts.

    Perhaps it was due to Kyle''s luck stat?

    Kyle''s figure descended above one of thergest buildings on the, destroying everything in the process, as he wanted to make his presence known.

    Just as he had anticipated, the moment he released his aura, countless pseudo-divine, divine,

    and transcendent rank demons, with four expansive dark-colored wings behind their backs

    and white slit pupils, filled the sky and the space around him.

    Kyle cracked his knuckles. He had already scanned the entire with his senses and knew that a few supreme rank demons were also present on the.

    But they posed no threat, as they were only at the initial stage of supreme rank.

    ''Those arrogant bastards didn''t even bother to show themselves. Are they thinking that a mere transcendent rank would be easily handled by their minions?''

    The countless demons encircling him snickered at him, their eyes glimmering with malice as one of them taunted, a wicked smile spreading across his face.

    "Did you lose your way, human?"

    Another chimed in.

    "Don''t worry, we''ll make sure you don''t die too quickly; it''s been a while since someone dared to intrude on our territory, so we want to alleviate our boredom first."

    A third added, licking his lips.

    "He is handsome; the wealthy demons will surely covet his skin and flesh."

    As their loudughter echoed around him, Kyle simply raised a finger toward them. His loud voice silenced the crowd.

    "I don''t like the demon race since you all stink... but today I''m here because I want to know where Onicuss is. I will start killing and won''t stop until I get the whereabouts of the man I''m looking for."

    A demon nearbyughed mockingly at him after hearing his unbelievable words. This human thought he could kill them in their own territory-who did he think he was?

    The others might have joined in, but before they could, theughing demon''s body was sliced in two equal halves.

    Kyle wiped the blood from the saber in his hand and lifted his gaze.

    "Bia, stop hiding, will you?"

    A loud tsk echoed in the air, startling everyone who had frozen in disbelief after witnessing how easily the human had killed a peak divine rank in front of them, but they were unable to

    even react.

    In the next moment, crimson mes erupted into the air, and the phoenix, who had been enjoying the show from behind the invisible barrier she had created around herself, let out a piercing cry. The barrier surrounding Bia shattered, revealing her massive figure enveloped in

    mes.

    The demons'' eyes widened at the sight of the breathtaking phoenix, her pure golden mes casting a radiant glow that pierced through the shadows of their dark.

    In an instant, rm bells red in their minds as they knew, they knew that right now there was only one individual in the entire universe who had a powerful fire phoenix as a bondedpanion-it was none other than nature''s favorite!

    The very nature''s favorite who had killed Will, the third shadow general!

    The atmosphere crackled with tension, and the demeanor of the demons shifted. Some of those with brain vanished to contact the shadow generals or somehow alert the few supreme ranks currently on their.

    Kyle sensed the movement when a few demons departed from the area, but he chose not to stop any of them.

    After all, he was sure that by the time any individual capable of stopping him arrived, he would already be finished here.

    He vanished from his spot, and all the demons around him were terrified when a powerful massive ice domain descended from the sky to envelop thempletely.

    Bia, who was about to ask Kyle how they were both going to handle the residents of an entire on their own, blinked when the ice domain descended.

    She knew that even though they were both strong, they wouldn''t have enough energy to handle so many people. That''s why, upon seeing the ice domain, her eyes lit up.

    After all, she knew that the area inside Kyle''s ice domain couldn''t be detected or breached by anyone without his permission, as the domain created an invisible barrier that separated the enclosed space from the surrounding environment.

    - ''Ah... so he never nned to fight the entire. He just wanted to get Onicuss''s whereabouts and then disappear!''

    - ''Now, this is going to be fun!''

    With a flick of his wrist, Kyle unleashed a pulse of spiritual energy that began to form multiple symbols, which quickly entered his domain and increased its strength.

    The demons attacked him, but he easily dodged their strikes. A dark aura erupted from his body as he activated his fear skill, aiming topletely obliterate the hope of the demons surrounding him.

    "I have already told you all what I want to know. If you wish to survive, simply provide me with the information I seek."

    He shed a beautiful smile that sent chills down the spines of everyone around him as his fear skill enveloped them entirely.

    But just as Kyle expected, many transcendent-rank individuals escaped the influence of his fear skill. They began to cry for help and break the ice domain.

    He shook his head.

    "How annoying. Why can''t any of you understand even the simplest words? I suppose I will have to eliminate half of you to get the others to start talking."

    A powerful aura erupted from his body as he vanished from his position. No, he didn''t use

    instant teleportation; he simply utilized all his agility to move with a speed that was

    imperceptible to anyone.

    In the next moment, numerous cries began to echo through the air, but no one outside the ice domain could hear them, as they werepletely engulfed within it.

    Bia also spread her mes, and it didn''t take long for the demons surrounding them to plead for mercy and reveal everything they knew about Onicuss''s whereabouts.

    The phoenix''s eyes turned toward Kyle. For some reason, he wasn''t as brutal as when the two

    first met in the Sacred Divine Land.

    -''Is it because he remembers many of his memories? Well, this change isn''t bad.''

 Chapter 719: Theres another human with him!

    Chapter 719: There''s another human with him!

    ?

    Damien, the first shadow general who had just arrived on Eadmire, gazed darkly at the gruesome sight before him. Behind him, the demons who had contacted him, along with many other powerful residents of the, floated with pale faces.

    The area before them was covered in shattered fragments of ice that shimmered ominously in the darkness. Frost-covered corpses of demons littered thend.

    Damien''s azure eyes burned with pure rage as he turned around and pped one of the supreme-rank demons behind him, sending the man hurling toward the ground.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "You useless fools! You couldn''t restrain a single human until I arrived!"

    His booming voice thundered, causing every demon around him to tremble. He was already upied, but now he had to deal with this mess as well! Rubbing his temples, he took a second to calm down and gestured for a demon to approach.

    The woman trembled under his intense gaze but flew closer to him. She was one of the demons who had disappeared from the area to contact the shadow generals.

    Damien gazed at her, and she bowed her upper body and closed her eyes.

    "Why was he here?"

    The woman parted her lips; her voice was shaky, but she managed to speak.

    "He... said he wanted the fifth shadow general''s whereabouts..."

    Damien''s gaze narrowed.

    "Onicuss''s whereabouts? Why?"

    The woman shook her head.

    "I don''t know... the human said he was only here to get Onicuss''s whereabouts and that he would leave once he got it... since he has left, that means..."

    She didn''t need to finish her sentence, as the first shadow general understood what she was trying to convey. Damien snapped his head toward another supreme-rank demon in the distance.

    "Where is Onicuss currently?"

    The demon quickly moved toward him.

    "Its Aethstria! The fifth shadow general always goes there to rest or heal his injuries whenever he is tired from the war! That is concealed under a nket but he can only be there!"

    Damien mumbled the name of Aethstria. He knew about this. It was conquered by Onicuss after he killed one of the strongest demi-humans.

    However, what he didn''t understand was why the hell Kyle was suddenly searching for Onicuss. He furrowed his brows.

    ''It''s good that Enthrall, who was supposed toe here, went to meet Ceano. It would have been catastrophic if that human had uncovered our n and interfered with it.''

    An ominous aura began to emanate from his body, and the dark five-petal flower on his shoulder glowed as he contacted the fifth shadow general through the link shared by all the shadow generals.

    ****

    Inside a grand hall, bathed in dim light that cast long shadows on the walls, Onicuss sat on a magnificent throne.

    Ayer of dark energy surrounded his body, and as it dissipated, he snapped open his dark, piercing eyes with augh.

    "I''ve broken through... finally!"

    Hisughter was interrupted when the dark five-petal flower on the back of one of his hands began to emit a faint light.

    "Who is contacting me?"

    Onicuss was surprised when he sensed Damien''s familiar dark signature. It was very rare for the man to seek him out for something, so he felt quite curious.

    "Wait, did he find out about my n to secretly eliminate James so I could gain some merits? I was discreet, though... even when I discovered and bribed the spies that James and Odiak had nted among us."

    His eyes gleamed with a hint of anticipation, believing that Damien had discovered his n and was reaching out tomend him. Perhaps the man would even promote his title from fifth shadow general to that of the third who had died?

    He had already revealed his location to James through the spies who had betrayed their side for some treasures. Currently, all the traps to ensnare the man were set, and he was waiting for the human to arrive at his doorstep and trigger them.

    And considering that James had been injured recently, he would easily be able to handle him if

    he directly attacked his soul after thetter was caught off guard!

    The grin on Onicuss''s face crumbled when Damien''s voice finally echoed in his mind.

    ''Evacuate Aethstria immediately.''

    Onicuss was taken aback.

    Why was the first shadow general asking him to leave his own territory, thend he had conquered with so much effort?

    ''What do you mean? Why should I-''

    His words were interrupted by Damien, and he sensed the underlying seriousness in the voice echoing in his head.

    ''The nature''s favorite is looking for you, and he has discovered your whereabouts.''

    Onicuss blinked. The nature''s favorite? The very human who had killed Will? But why? He had never even encountered that man. Amisdt the many questions swirling in his mind, the most pressing was why the hell Damien sounded as if he would face his doom if the nature''s favorite found him!

    This bastard! How dare he look down on him just because he was a bit stronger!?

    His eyes turned cold, but he kept his words measured; after all, Damien was above him in strength and status as well.

    ''Do you have anything else to share?''

    There was silence for a while before the first shadow general''s voice echoed again in his mind, this time with an angry snarl.

    ''I aming there myself; this time, I will put an end to Kyle at all costs. So, leave the and don''t risk doing something you would regret. You may be strong, but given that Kyle has killed Will, you aren''t powerful enough to confront that human.''

    Onicuss clenched his fists, feeling the weight of Damien''s words.

    ''I will do as you say.''

    The flower on the back of his hand lost its glow, and he let out a sneer. He was furious-very furious that Damien had called him weaker than a human who he had heard was only at the

    Transcendent rank.

    But he wasn''t an idiot. If Kyle had the strength to kill the third shadow general, then that human could harm him as well.

    "What the hell? Why is there never any peace in my life? Let''s just go and join the war... I need to shed a lot of blood to improve my foul mood."

    He had just risen from his throne when suddenly everything around him began to tremble violently as if an earthquake had struck the.

    "!?"

    Onicuss raised his gaze as the twin divine-rank demons d in dark robes rushed into his chamber, not even asking for permission to enter, their expressions filled with panic. The two demons stumbled over their words as they tried to convey their message.

    "Master, the traps... the traps we set up around the have failed!!!"

    "James... James has entered the boundary of the unscathed!"

    Onicuss''s eyes widened.

    "What? That''s not possible! His soul isn''t strong enough to pass through the traps!"

    The twin demons fell to their knees as Onicuss''s formidable dark aura erupted from his body. They quaked in fear but still managed to speak again.

    "There''s another human with him!"

    "Yes! That human tore through the barrier around the with his bare hands and even

    faced all the attacks unscathed!"

    Onicuss stumbled back. Another human? Immediately, the conversation he had with Damien a while ago and the name of the nature''s favorite shed in his mind.

    But how did he arrive here so soon...? His eyes widened when he remembered what nature''s

    favorite was capable of.

    "Ah... he can create teleportation portals! He didn''t just discover my location; he also got the coordinates of this toe here directly! Damien, you bastard! You didn''t tell me he would arrive here so soon!"

 Chapter 720: I am here for a target

    Chapter 720: I am here for a target

    ?

    A while back, Kyle stepped out of the teleportation portal alongside the phoenix, who transformed into her smaller form andnded on his shoulder. There wasn''t even a single wrinkle on his clothes, although he had just in many demons. Naturally, he eliminated every demon inside the domain after acquiring the coordinates of the where Onicuss was present.

    His eyes scanned the dark space before him, revealing nothing but distant stars. In the end, his gaze paused on a man floating in the distance, drawing symbols in the air to break something invisible.

    "Hmm?"

    As if sensing Kyle''s presence, the dark-haired man in the distance halted his actions and quickly turned with a defensive posture. But his eyes widened when they met the green eyes gazing at him.

    "You?"

    Kyle tilted his head when he saw the man''s face. He looked to be in his thirties and, for some reason, seemed familiar.

    ''Do I know him?''

    He asked Bia, since he couldn''t recall. Bia narrowed her gaze, and after a second, she blinked with a surprised look.

    -''It''s that person! The one we saw in the Tower of Opportunity. What was his name again? Right, James!''

    "Oh..."

    Kyle halted the attack he was about to unleash upon realizing that the man before him wasn''t from the dark side. However, he didn''t lower his guard since he sensed that thetter was quite powerful.

    James examined him from head to toe; aside from the hair, Kyle was exactly as he had seen when the part of his soul that he left on the blue returned to him.

    He stopped what he was doing and disappeared to talk with Kyle, but when he reappeared, he froze as he realized that the moment he used teleportation, Kyle also stepped into a teleportation portal.

    James nced back, and his eyebrow twitched when he saw Kyle flying in his previous position with an amused gaze.

    "What the..."

    He hurriedly approached the human, and Kyle acknowledged him with a nod before silencing him with a gesture.

    "I don''t have time for conversation. I need to get to my prey before it slips away."

    Bia nodded at his words. Given the chaos they had caused on the demon, she was sure

    the dark side was already aware that they were looking for Onicuss, and it was likely that many powerful individuals were already on their way to find them.

    So, they really didn''t have much time.

    Under James''s solemn gaze, Kyle turned toward the spot where the man had been trying to break something earlier.

    He spread his senses to assess whaty before him, and his eyes narrowed when he detected a peculiar type of barrier ahead. It was quite strong, yet the way it was crafted suggested that the individual who created the barrier intended for others to breach it, as Kyle easily discovered a weak point.

    James retreated as ayer of spiritual energy began to gather around Kyle.

    He observed with a calm demeanor just how much the young man had advanced. Yet, he couldn''t shake his curiosity about whom Kyle referred to as prey.

    ''Is he also here for Onicuss? But why?''

    His eyes flickered with disbelief when suddenly Kyle grabbed something in the air with his hands, and a loud tearing sound echoed as he stretched it apart.

    Then, the invisible curtain before them vanished into nothingness, finally revealing a massive cloaked in darkness that loomed before their eyes.

    James sucked in a deep breath.

    "Did he just destroy a powerful barrier with his bare hands...?"

    But suddenly, a chill ran down his spine as he sensed numerous powerful dark attacks heading straight for Kyle''s location.

    "Be careful-!"

    He rushed to protect him, but it was toote; countless dark beams of light surged from the and enveloped Kyle''s body. Bia gasped in shock as the dark beams forcefully began to ensnare Kyle.

    - "What''s happening?? An attack?"

    For some reason, the dark energy only trapped Kyle while the phoenix was thrown aside. James''s eyes dted as he sensed what the dark energy was doing.

    "Oh no! It''s an attack aimed at his soul!"

    His gaze turned cold as he quickly used his spiritual energy to destroy the dark energy wrapping around Kyle to help him. He was not sure why, but he had a hunch that this attack was somehow meant for him!

    ''Don''t tell me Onicuss already knew I woulde here? That bastard!''

    His eyes glowed white, but just as he was about to tap into a naturalw to control everything in his surroundings, time around him suddenly came to a halt. Then it started to reverse, and everything began to flow backward with its currents.

    "This..."

    Kyle''s figure emerged as the darkness enveloping him transformed back into dark beams, retreating to their origin.

    His eyes were icy as he brushed off his clothes and fixed his gaze on the spot where the attack

    had withdrawn.

    "I said I don''t have time."

    His words had just escaped his lips when time around him regained its momentum. Once again, the same attack surged toward Kyle, but this time he was ready.

    He raised his fist, and a tremendous amount of spiritual energy erupted from his body as he charged straight at the beams of dark lighting at him, obliterating them into a shower of

    sparks.

    James''s lips parted in shock, but he hurriedly regained hisposure. It was nothing; he could also somewhat control the flow of time. However, as he nced at Kyle, he let out a dry

    chuckle.

    ''Who am I kidding? If I were in his ce, I would have already lost at least half of my soul. Controlling the naturalw of time requires a lot of mental strength. It is the most dangerous

    naturalw.''

    ''But I had no idea Kyle had made so much progress... it''s almost unbelievable.''

    Bia hurried toward Kyle as he advanced toward the ahead, and James quickly trailed

    behind them.

    As they crossed the''s boundary, they wrinkled their noses at the air, which was

    saturated with dark energy.

    There wasn''t even a hint of light.

    Kyle halted in mid-air as numerous individuals from the Dark race and Nightkin race began to encircle him. Some of them were the ones who had activated the traps meant to eliminate James the moment he destroyed the barrier around the.

    The twin divine-rank demons, who were their leaders, had vanished from the area after the n fell apart. The only order the twins left behind was to overwhelm the two humans with numbers and end them.

    Ultimately, anyone who seeded in this challenging task would be generously rewarded by the shadow general.

    However, instead of worrying about the growing number of enemies surrounding him, Kyle

    nced back at James.

    "I believe I mentioned that I''m here for a target-it''s Onicuss. So, don''t interfere because I''m going to take him down."

    James arched an eyebrow, a smirk ying on his lips. He had suspected as much, but now Kyle''s words solidified his suspicions. The young man had a troubled past with the fifth

    shadow general.

    "You can do whatever you want with him. But you can''t take on an entire filled with thousands of enemies by yourself."

    He cracked his knuckles, and an overwhelming aura surged from his body, causing everyone from the dark side in the vicinity to lose their bnce and copse to the ground with

    panicked cries.

    "So, I will deal with the minions. Consider this a gift from someone who hails from the same

    net as you."

    James spread his senses and let out a sneer before ncing at Kyle.

    "That cunning bastard is escaping. What are you waiting for? Go finish your prey, and if you can''t, I will. After all, I was originally here to take him down."

    Kyle nodded his head. James''s personality wasn''t bad for someone currently leading the fight

    against the dark side.

    The man was also powerful... and the best part was that he didn''t question Kyle''s strength; he

    didn''t seem to doubt how Kyle could defeat a shadow general.

    "No, I will handle Onicuss."

    He formed a portal, but then suddenly his lips curled into a smirk as he remembered

    something and nced at James.

    "You can handle the rest. But feel free to ask for help if it gets too difficult."

    Bai''s eyes also twinkled with mirth.

    -"Yes! You can ask for help!"

    Before James couldprehend what the two meant, Kyle and Bai both entered the portal

    and vanished from his sight.

    James manipted the space around him with a confused expression and started to eliminate everyone around him.

    He could easily handle everyone on this. Onicuss would be a bit of a problem, but since there was only one other supreme rank on this, he was sure he could defeat him as well

    with a little effort.

    In truth, Onicuss always ran away from battle whenever he was on the verge of defeat, which was why James hadn''t been able to eliminate him all this time.

    "The fifth shadow general is the weakest. If he hadn''t run away with the assistance of the other shadow generalsst time, he would have already died at my hands."

    He shook his head and focused his attention on the enemies around him, who began to fleen/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    after witnessing his strength. He also kept his senses extended to keep an eye on Kyle and Onicuss. Suddenly, his expression stiffened as he looked up.

    A massive crack appeared in the sky, and when Damien stepped out of the crack with a furious

    expression, he finally understood why Kyle and Bia had advised him to seek their help if

    things became difficult.

    "What the hell did those two do!? I can''t fight Damien alone! He''s stronger than me!"

    He let out a dryugh.

    "Why do I feel like... I''m done for?"

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 721: Don’t you remember me?

    Chapter 721: Don��t you remember me?

    ?

    Onicuss paced in front of the magnificent throne, wearing a grim expression.

    The twin divine-rank demons d in dark robes and a supreme-rank individual he had just summoned knelt before him.

    "This is the worse..."

    His dark eyes glowed ominously in the dimly lit space. If it had been only James who had sessfully intruded upon his domain, he would have fought the man until reinforcements arrived; but the issue was that nature''s favorite, who had killed the third shadow general, was also with him!

    Onicuss waved his hand, and the space behind him began to fracture, creating a path for him to leave the. He wasn''t foolish enough to confront two powerful individuals head-on; while he was arrogant and proud of his strength, he valued his life above all else. If he were dead, then what was the point of all this anyway?

    He nced at the twin demons, but knowing that their only usefulnessy in their ability to extract the skills of others and that they were ineffective inbat, he tsked and shifted his attention to the older man kneeling beside the duo.

    "You, I bestow upon you the authority tomand everyone on this. Every individual here is bound to me. You can act as you see fit; I only require that you ensure James and the nature''s favorite remain on this until Damien arrives. At that point, Damien will take over."

    The middle-aged man nodded. His slit pupils and a pair of fox ears on his head revealed his identity as a demi-human. A mocking sneer briefly crossed his lips as he noticed Onicuss preparing to flee, but his eyes were dull, weighed down by the dark flower glowing on the back of his neck.

    The very dark flower thatpelled him to bow his head before Onicuss. He clenched his fists, but he had no other choice.

    His had been conquered, and everyone he held dear was dead; no one hade to help -not even when thest of hisrades fell to the fifth shadow general. Now, he was merely a ve to the shadow general, forced to obey Onicuss like a puppet, bound by a dark mark.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    That doesn''t mean he harbored any affection for those fighting against the darkness; he despised them just as much as he loathed the dark side itself. After all, his people had never received help as they died or were enved by the dark side. So why for what reason should he side with those battling the dark side?

    "I will do my best."

    His eyes glowed with a dark glint. He had no idea who had arrived on the and instigated such chaos for the fifth shadow general, but he definitely wanted to see Onicuss ripped apart by them.

    However, since that wasn''t possible, he would do as Onicuss had instructed. Just as he had nned, he would wait-wait until he became strong enough to destroy the envement mark on his body and kill the fifth shadow general with his own hands to avenge his people. ''I''m at the first stage of supreme rank, so I know I am valuable. Onicuss would never eliminate me. I just need to stay alive until the day I can exact my revenge.''

    Hearing his response, Onicuss turned around and stepped into the crack that had formed behind him, his jaw clenched.

    ''I will remember this day, nature''s favorite! I had no feud with you, but today you have made yourself my greatest enemy! I will make sure you face a very brutal fate!''

    The crack was swallowed by the space after he vanished from sight. In that very moment, the twin divine-rank demons, who were in a state of panic since Onicuss did not take them with him, and the older man beside them suddenly turned their heads as arge portal illuminated behind them.

    Kyle stepped out of the portal with Bia, finding himself in a grand hall bathed in soft, dim lighting. It didn''t take him long to find Onicuss''s exact location, as the instant he expanded his senses, they screamed at him that the prey he was searching for was right here in this ce.

    He scanned the surroundings, his gaze briefly resting on the twin demons and the supreme- rank demi-human, who stared at him solemnly, before shifting to the throne in the center of the hall.

    The throne was empty, and he could no longer sense Onicuss''s presence.

    "Where is he?"

    Kyle''s voice was heavy with menace, bordering on murderous, as a powerful pressure erupted from his body.

    Due to the immense pressure, the twin demons were forcefully mmed to the ground, crying out in pain and shock.

    The demi-human also froze in ce, astonished by the intensity of the force radiating from the human''s body, even though thetter looked so young.

    His gaze was captivated by Kyle''s green eyes, reminiscent of nature''s hue, yet they carried a chilling promise of destruction if his question remained unanswered.

    ''He is dangerous...''

    He admitted, steeling himself for a brutal battle. He could not fall now-not until he had killed Onicuss with his own hands. In that moment, Bia cursed under her breath.

    -"We arete! He escaped!"

    Kyle snickered, a dark glint flickering in his eyes as he reached behind him and grasped the fabric of space with his hand.

    "No, he is not allowed to escape. I didn''t give him permission."

    The supreme-rank demi-human who had charged at him despite the pressure on his body gasped when the young human''s eyes suddenly turned entirely white. Immediately, everything around him came to a standstill before time began to reverse.

    A thunderous crackling of electricity reverberated outside their location, and blood began to ooze from Kyle''s eyes, as if nature itself was warning him to stop what he was doing; but he

    didn''t.

    His lips curled upward into a sneer as the space before the throne began to swirl in front of him. The demi-human and the twin demons'' eyes widened in utter shock as the crack from which Onicuss had escaped started to regain its shape.

    A chill ran down their spines as they watched Onicuss emerge from the crack, just as he had stepped in a few seconds earlier, wearing a bewildered expression.

    Their eyes darted toward Kyle just as they heard the sound of his footsteps. He let out a melodic hum, causing Onicuss to nce back with a pale expression.

    "How...?"

    Kyle chuckled and wiped the blood from below his eyes. Bia silently rolled her eyes at his recklessness, but he had achieved what he wanted, so he didn''t care.

    "How, you ask? I forced the space before me to obey mymand, along with time."

    "It was excruciatingly painful and challenging enough to overwhelm my mind, but I did it�� that''s what matters."

    He tightened his fist, and the crack behind Onicuss was swallowed by the surrounding space, startling the fifth shadow general.

    "After all, if it''s space you manipted to escape, then I can manipte it as well to force you

    toe back."

    Kyle titled his head with a dark gaze.

    "Anyway, don''t you remember me? It''s been a long, long time, but I believe you wouldn''t have forgotten this face so easily. Or have you already forgotten me?"

 Chapter 722: Arent you my masters friend?

    Chapter 722: Aren''t you my master''s friend?

    ?

    Onicuss staggered back. The shock of seeing Kyle manipte space and time to bring him back after he had already left the area was reced by a sudden chill that ran down his spine as he digested the words spoken by nature''s favorite.

    Have you already forgotten me?

    These words reverberated in his mind, hitting him like a bolt of lightning. Instantly, fleeting images from the past flickered in his mind, and he remembered the weak silver-haired man who had identally entered his territory, only to be ruthlessly beaten to the brink of death by him.

    He recalled how Azazeal, his master, hade to find that man, but the silver-haired man had used a spatial tunnel to escape before his master could catch him.

    "You... aren''t you my master''s friend?"

    Onicuss mumbled aloud with a shocked expression. To think that human, that weak human he had beaten up in the past, was the nature''s favorite! The future friend Azazeal was looking for!

    His face grew even paler when the words his master had spoken to him at that time began to ring like rm bells in his mind.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    [''Increase your strength because you just made an enemy of my future friend. Just a few more years and he''s going to be someone who will mercilessly kill everyone who ever dared toy a finger on him.'']

    Kyle tilted his head with a confused blink, not understanding the reason behind the sudden dread in the fifth shadow general''s eyes. It was true he manipted space and time-twows of nature at transcendent rank-when his body couldn''t even handle it. But Onicuss was stronger than him, as he could sense that the man had just broken through to the second stage of supreme rank. So why was he suddenly so scared?

    "Your master''s friend...?"

    Darkness crept into his eyes when he understood the meaning behind the fifth shadow general''s words. There was only one master of the shadow generals, and that was none other than Azazeal.

    Kyle let out a soft, mocking chuckle that was devoid of any hint of joy.

    "Indeed, I am your master''s friend. I wonder how you became aware of this fact."

    Hearing his shocking words, the twin demons and the demi-human were utterly bbergasted. After all, they knew who the master of the shadow generals was...

    Kyle disappeared from his spot, extending his fingers like ws to grasp Onicuss''s face, but the man let out a piercing cry.

    "Stop him, Wyatt!"

    The supreme-rank demi-human, who had fallen into a silent daze after hearing Kyle and Onicuss''s conversation, snapped back to reality when the dark flower on the back of his neck glowed faintly and a jolt of pain coursed through his body,pelling him to obey Onicuss''smand. He gritted his teeth and vanished behind the human

    Just as Kyle''s hand was about to reach Onicuss, Wyatt grabbed his cor.

    However, a gasp of pain escaped his lips when golden mes erupted from behind him and engulfed his entire body.

    Bia let out a frustrated sigh.

    - "Why does everyone always ignore my presence until I have to intervene?"

    The twin divine-rank demons cried out in despair as the hall began to fill with golden mes, and a massive phoenix materialized out of nowhere before their eyes. Because of Bia''s imposing frame and the movement of her wings, the space began to tremble, leaving her momentarily speechless.

    - "Well, not my fault. It''s because they dared to ignore my majestic presence!"

    Kyle nced back at the demi-human who had grabbed his cor with an unreadable gaze. He seized the hand on his cor and, with a swift motion, tilted half of his body back to punch the man, sending him flying backward further into the mes.

    "Don''t interfere. Bia, keep them upied. Until I''m done with my prey."

    The phoenix''s eyes widened at his words. She could manage the two divine ranks, but she had only caught the supreme rank off guard due to the perfect timing.

    Unlike Kyle, shecked the ability to manipte thews of nature and didn''t possess immense physical strength or agility. How the hell was she supposed to handle a supreme rank all by herself??? She was just an ordinary transcendent rank phoenix, for the sake of the universe!

    -"Wait! I believe this isn''t right-!"

    Her words were cut short, and her eyes widened as a blurry dark figure leaped out from the mes directly toward her.

    Without thinking, she recognized it as the supreme rank demi-human, causing her to cry out and p her wings to fly backward. The wall behind her copsed as a shield erupted from her body to protect her.

    Wyatt''s attack collided with the shield, causing it to shatter in a second. But the brief moment of pause provided Bia with an opportunity to escape the hall by soaring straight toward the

    ceiling above.

    -''Kyle, you bastard! I am sure I will be killed because of you one day!''

    The hall''s structure copsed entirely after Bia''s body collided with the ceiling, creating a massive hole to escape outside.

    Kyle, who had seized Onicuss by the shoulder after sending Wyatt flying toward Bia, grimaced as the ceiling began to cave in. Dust and debris rained down, the sound of crumbling stone

    echoing in his ears.

    Without hesitation, he created a teleportation portal and quickly leaped inside, pulling Onicuss along with him as the man squirmed in his grasp.

    He stepped out of the other side of the portal and tossed Onicuss''s struggling form ahead, clicking his tongue in annoyance as he brushed the dust off his clothes. But his expression changed when he caught sight of James''s flying figure passing on his left, crashing into one of the structures behind him with a thunderous noise.

    "Huh?"

    Kyle blinked as his eyes locked with the furious azure gaze of the floating man that appeared behind Onicuss, who had barely regained his bnce in mid-air. Seeing the regal crest atop his head and the powerful, sculpted form he possessed, one thing became clear: he was a

    dragon.

    "A water dragon..."

    Kyle''s eyes widened slightly, for there was only one water dragon who had allied with the dark side by betraying his own kind-Damien, the first shadow general. Damien was the very person his master in the No Mana Land despised the most.

 Chapter 723: I wont underestimate you

    Chapter 723: I won''t underestimate you

    ?

    After the brief surprise, Kyle burst into wildughter as he stared straight at Damien. "Haha, so the famous first shadow general himself has shown up to fight me!"

    "Truly, what an honor!"

    He sensed that after leaving the building, Bia had transformed into her smaller form and hidden herself in the area, so he wasn''t worried about her anymore. As for James... Well, it''s not like he cared whether that man died or lived. They had just met, so he felt no attachment to him.

    Hearing Kyle''s words, Onicuss whipped his head back, and immense relief flickered in his eyes when he saw the first shadow general. He rushed toward Damien.

    "You''re finally here! This human is very dangerous! He can manipte both time and space. But... but..."

    He fumbled with his words.

    "Don''t you know that nature''s favorite is the very person our master called a friend?"

    Damien looked down at the disheveled elven man hovering before him, bewildered by his strange words. Master''s friend? How can nature''s favorite be a friend of Azazeal? He is an enemy, not an ally! An angry vein throbbed on his forehead.

    "Utterly useless."

    He raised his hand and smacked Onicuss, the sharp sound resonating through the air. The fifth shadow general staggered back in mid-air with a shocked expression.

    The numerous survivors and injured individuals from the Dark race and Nightkin race in the surroundings collectively gasped as they witnessed the scene unfold.

    Damien had saved them from James upon his arrival on the, but who could have anticipated that they would witness him hit the fifth shadow general instead of fighting the two powerful enemies?

    The twin demons and Wyatt, who had emerged from the rubble of the copsed structure, were just as astonished.

    The air was thick with tension, and Onicuss''s eyes gleamed with fury as he red at Damien with clenched fists. But after a moment, he lowered his head and closed his eyes; he couldn''t fight him. The first shadow general was far stronger, and they were on the same side. Right now, they couldn''t sh with each other, especially with two powerful enemies nearby. He could always settle his grudgeter.

    "I apologize."

    He braced himself for another blow from the first shadow general, but was surprised when Damien grabbed his shoulder.

    "It''s good to see you still have some sense left. Stay back. Don''t get yourself killed. Will has already fallen, and our side can''t afford to lose another shadow general."

    Onicuss lifted his head in disbelief, recognizing how misguided he had been. Damien wasn''t truly that bad. How could he have felt resentment toward someone who was here to help him?

    Just then, the sudden solemn atmosphere was shattered by a faint, stifledugh. "Pfff!"

    Right away, all eyes snapped to the dark-haired human floating in the distance, desperately trying to hold back hisughter. Kyle raised his hand to rify that he was not at fault, feeling the intensity of the many furious res directed at him.

    "Wait, it''s not my fault. It''s because you two are just acting out of character!"

    "Is not this the moment when you two should be at each other''s throats? So what is with this sudden brotherhood? I just can''t wrap my head around it, you know?"

    James, who had just arrived behind Kyle after healing the injuries he sustained when Damien sent him flying, stared at his back with a dazed expression.

    ''Wow, he really has a talent for getting under people''s skin...''

    He nced at Damien and Onicuss, and a nervousugh slipped from his lips. No, it wasn''t augh; it was more of a breathless exhale, a sound that caught in his throat as he saw immense dark energy rising behind Damien, so powerful that it engulfed everything in its wake.

    "Now we are truly done for... He has just summoned all his strength to end us both."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    James had battled Damien numerous times and knew just how strong he was. The first shadow general indeed ranked second to Ceano in terms of overall power, but that was only because Ceano had the ability to create multiple fake bodies!

    The second shadow general can undoubtedly overpower Damien when all of his fake bodies are assembled with the real one, but even he wouldn''t dare to confront Damien when thetter gets serious.

    James clenched his fists tightly as the air around him thickened, enveloping him in a suffocating pressure.

    ''I need to contact the elders somehow. I can''t fall, nor can I let Kyle...''

    His thoughts abruptly halted when he noticed the indifferent expression on Kyle''s face, as if the young man didn''t care about his own life or death.

    ''This reckless young man!''

    Damien stretched his neck, fixing Kyle with a dark gaze as a massive de began to take shape in the sky above him.

    "I won''t underestimate you, as I know you are the one whose name currently sits at the top of the supreme projection. Nor will I underestimate the man behind you. But I believe it''s time for both of you to perish."

    He had never been able to defeat James, the human he loathed most, because thetter never fought him alone. But today, he finally had the perfect chance to kill the leader of the force opposing the dark side. To make things even better, he would also eliminate the new powerful force rising in this universe to prevent future problems.

    Kyle pulled out the silver spear floating in his mind space. Its metallic tip gleamed in the darkness surrounding him.

    "You want to end me? But what a pity. Today, I am not here to fight you. I am here for the elven man flying beside you. After all, I hold an old grudge against him. That''s why I want to end him with my hands."

    Suddenly, he held out the spear in his grip toward Damien, and it quivered slightly as if conveying anger. An unreadable glint shed in Kyle''s green eyes.

    "By the way, do you remember this weapon? It belongs to someone who despises you to the

    -core."

 Chapter 724: Is he still alive?

    Chapter 724: Is he still alive?

    ?

    Damien nced at the gleaming weapon, uncertain of what the nature''s favorite was on about. Without wasting any more time, he vanished from his position.

    Before James could react or call out a warning, he reappeared directly in front of Kyle. With a swift motion, he mmed his palm against Kyle''s chest, the powerful impact reverberating through the air.

    Under his gaze, Kyle was sent hurtling downward, crashing into the ground with a

    tremendous force that created a massive crater. Dust and debris exploded outward, obscuring the scene for a moment.

    Without hesitation, James rushed forward with a racing heart and attacked Damien to prevent him from going after Kyle. After all, Kyle was only at the transcendent rank, and an all-out attack from someone who had surpassed the supreme rank would have already left him on the brink of death!

    However, his eyes dted as the first shadow general effortlessly dodged his attack and raised his hand. Under Damien''smand, all the dark energy in the vicinity flowed into the massive dark de he had conjured in the sky earlier.

    James exerted all his strength and invoked a naturalw. The wind currents across the entire responded to hismand.

    "Stop, you bastard! Fight me instead of someone weaker than you!"

    Utilizing the wind pressure, he halted the dark de that plummeted from the sky, moving with incredible speed toward the exact spot where Kyle had crashed.

    However, with his mind upied, he left Damien a significant opening to strike. A chill ran down his spine when he heard an amused whisper echo before him.

    "I never knew you could sacrifice yourself for someone you had barely known."

    In the next moment, the air was knocked out of his stomach, and his figure was sent flying backward. Damien stretched his neck and disappeared behind him.

    Behind them, after the force holding the massive dark de in the sky dissipated, it crashed down to the ground at its intended position before erupting into a sea of dark energy, engulfing everything in its wake.

    The individuals from the Dark race and Nightkin race hurriedly began to run away to save themselves from the aftermath of the attack, but many of them were caught in the impact and cried out in pain.

    All of them wielded dark energy, yet even they weren''t spared when such a powerful attack was unleashed.

    Onicuss sucked in a deep breath as he observed the scene.

    "I already know, but Damien is really powerful... It''s surprising he got injured in the war so many times. Well, I am d I apologized right away. Phew, it''s good to stay on the good side of powerful people."

    He clicked his tongue when the twin divine-rank demons appeared behind him. Surprisingly, these two useless demons always managed to survive.

    Wyatt''s floating figure also arrived behind him like the obedient servant he was.

    Even after the dust in the area began to settle, the sea of darkness in thend did not recede; dark currents started to swirl through thend, tainting it further.

    Suddenly, Onicuss beckoned the three figures behind him, a sly smile creeping onto his face as he licked his lips. His gaze drifted down to the taintednd where the nature''s favorite remains should be.

    He wasn''t certain whether Kyle was the friend Azazeal was looking for. However, one thing was clear: since Damien was the one who had killed him, the repercussions would fall solely on him. Therefore, there was no need for him to worry.

    "Wyatt, take the demons with you and search for the nature''s favorite remains. I can''t let it go to waste. He must have had many powerful skills that the twin demons can extract from his body, particrly the teleportation skill! Go find his body if it has not beenpletely destroyed!"

    The eyes of the supreme-rank demi-human floating behind him shed with disgust for him, but he had no choice.

    Wyatt nodded and motioned for the twin divine-rank demons to follow him. He had just moved when suddenly a familiar, sleek, and elegant spear, with a stunning shade of grey, zoomed out from the darkness below. Its tip glistened with a brilliant light, lighting up the surroundings as it soared toward the sky with iprehensible speed, startling Onicuss and everyone else.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    However, instead of heading toward a certain someone, the spear quickly passed the''s boundary under their stunned gaze and disappeared from view.

    Onicuss''s eyes widened with shock.

    "What the hell! Is he still alive?!"

    He extended his senses to ascertain if nature''s favorite was still breathing after enduring such a powerful attack.

    Damien was upied with James, so he knew he had to verify Kyle''s death. However, his brows furrowed when he detected no living presence in the vicinity.

    "I can''t sense him. Is he dead or not?"

    Immediately, he kicked the stunned supreme-rank demi-human beside him.

    "Go check if he is alive or not! What the hell are you waiting for?"

    With a furious glint in his eyes, Wyatt vanished toward thend with the demons to confirm Kyle''s death, unaware that the human had already left the area.

    Further away from the scene, Kyle leaned against a rock, surrounded by the remnants of copsed structures. He let out a pained groan as he clutched his chest, the area where Damien had struck him.

    Crimson blood trickled from his mouth, staining his neck and clothes.

    Bia''s small figure circled restlessly around him, her eyes filled with anger and worry.

    -"You could have disappeared earlier! Why did you have to take that first hit?"

    Kyle spat out the blood gathered in his mouth. He had used instant teleportation just an instant before the dark de crashed down on his location.

    "I did it because I wanted to make sure Damien thinks I am dead. If I had used instant teleportation earlier, I wouldn''t have been able to leave the area. Also... I needed to channel enough spiritual energy into the spear so it could withstand the attack and remain under my

    control."

    He tilted his head and nced at the distant ce where Onicuss was floating.

    "Well, I guess we need to wait for a while until the master is here. Then I can easily take Onicuss with me. Hopefully, James stays alive until then."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 725: Who the hell dares to interfere?

    Chapter 725: Who the hell dares to interfere?

    ?

    Bianded on Kyle''s shoulder with a thoughtful expression but took off when he hissed, as if he were in so much pain that he couldn''t even tolerate her light weight.

    She descended to the ground with a speechless expression. If he was in so much pain, why the hell did he have to take Damien''s first hit head-on? With a shake of her head, she suddenly asked him to take out hismunication crystal.

    -"Contact Yue as well. She can notify the other powerful individuals toe here. That way, they can subdue Damien!"

    Kyle blinked in surprise. He had nearly forgotten that he could also contact the people James knew. It seemed that his gluttonous bondedpanion had finally started to show signs of intelligence.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Seeing the surprise in his eyes, Bia''s eyebrow twitched. It wasn''t hard for her to grasp what Kyle might be thinking. With a swift motion, she pinched the back of his hand with her nails and let out a huff.

    - "Cease whatever you are thinking!"

    Kyle let out a sigh and took out hismunication crystal. A smile lit up his face when Yue answered immediately, as if she had been waiting for him to reach out. He cleared his throat, but knowing he would waste time on small talk, Bia intervened and exined their situation to Yue.

    The elven woman remained remarkably calm even after discovering that they were in the presence of the first shadow general who was currently battling James.

    That was to be expected, as Yue had even witnessed Kyle fight Azazeal, the powerful leader of the dark side. What else could possibly surprise her at this point?

    Yue wasted no time and swiftly checked Kyle and Bia''s current coordinates through themunication crystal before abruptly severing the connection to quickly inform Odiak and the others about the situation.

    Kyle stared at the crystal in his grasp, wearing aplicated expression.

    "That was quick..."

    After storing the crystal in his mind space, he began healing his injuries while secretly watching Damien and James fight, only to furrow his brows. The fight was brutal, and James was the only one getting beaten up. On the other hand, the first shadow general appeared to be quite delighted.

    But fortunately, James was sessfully avoiding all the dangerous attacks with the instant teleportation skill.

    Kyle''s gaze shifted toward Onicuss''s position. Thetter was just floating in his ce, watching the battle alongside others from the Dark race and Nightkin race.

    "The dark side can be incredibly foolish sometimes. They have an opportunity to eliminate their long-time arch-enemy, yet instead of taking him down together right away, they''re just relishing the show."

    He clicked his tongue, and began silently waiting for the perfect moment to get to his prey. Just a little longer, as he could sense the silver spear had already reached its destination through theyer of void.

    ****

    Meanwhile, the air trembled as James''s figure was sent flying once again, crashing into the ground with a thunderous impact that created a deep crater.

    Dust and debris erupted around him as he gasped and spat out blood. His shirt hung in tatters, revealing numerous gruesome injuries that marred his body.

    Damien''s dark presence loomed above, casting an unsettling shadow. The first shadow general smirked with a sinister glint in his eyes, as he raised his hand. Instantly, dark energy began to gather around him, and James knew the man was conjuring another massive dark de to deliver the final blow that would end him.

    James let out a chuckle. He had regretted many things in his life, particrly the loss of his friends andrades. But today, he experienced the deepest remorse of all as he watched Kyle die right before his eyes.

    He couldn''t save that young man-the one who might very well have had the potential to be one of the strongest.

    Hearing him chuckle even in such a dire situation, Damien raised an eyebrow.

    "What, are you happy about the fact that you''re finally dying?"

    James spat out the blood that had gathered in his mouth and, amid the pain, forced himself into a seated position.

    "It doesn''t matter if I die. I have lived long enough to be unafraid of death. But do you truly believe my death would bring victory to the dark side? No, never!"

    He began to float.

    "After all, there are many other powerful individuals in this universe who will rise to fight the dark side in my stead!"

    Damien clenched his jaw. He hated James''s arrogance-this misguided belief that somehow his side would win against the darkness. Oblivious to the harsh truth that the idea of good always triumphing over evil existed only in stories.

    He disappeared from his position. There was no need to drag this any further. It was time to end his greatest enemy.

    James''s eyes widened as he sensed Damien''s figure approaching with even greater speed than before. But he didn''t waver; despite insisting he wasn''t afraid of death, he knew he couldn''t die right now. He feared that Elizabeth, his wife, might shatter the remaining seals of the realm of the dead herself just toe after him!

    He quickly tapped into the naturalw of time. He hadn''t mastered it, but he could slow the time around him for a while. But he cursed as Damien was not affected in the least by the

    naturalw.

    The massive dark sword had already materialized above him, poised to descend at the first shadow general''smand.

    James wasn''t certain if he could sessfully block the attacking at him, so he resorted to instant teleportation to vanish from sight, only for his body to be violently yanked back from the void he had entered, causing him to cry out in pain.

    His head buzzed, and the next instant, a punchnded squarely on his abdomen, sending his body crashing once again into the ground below. Damien nced down, raising his hand with

    a satisfied smirk.

    "It''s finally goodbye."

    The massive dark sword above him plummeted with terrifying speed, aimed directly at James, who gasped for breath, his body screaming in pain as he struggled to move. However, his limbs betrayed him, leaving him helpless to do anything but watch as his doom drew ever

    closer.

    But just before the de could crash, chains forged from pure spiritual energy surged down from the pitch-ck sky of the, gripping it firmly in ce.

    James''s struggle ceased as he stared nkly at the dark de hovering just an inch from him. The radiant light from the chains holding the de illuminated the space engulfed in dark

    energy.

    "This...?"

    Relief flickered in his eyes, but his disoriented mind prevented him from moving from his position, let alone identifying who had helped him.

    Damien''s angry eyes fixed on the chains. They weren''t powerful, but they were made with immense spiritual energy, and that''s why they sessfully halted his attack, which was

    composed of dark energy.

    "Who the hell dares to interfere??"

    He roared in fury, extending his senses to locate the person who had the audacity to stop him.

    It couldn''t be Odiak or the other elders, as they didn''t possess such a pure and vast amount of spiritual energy. A wildugh escaped his lips when he detected an individual at the initial stage of supreme rank outside the''s boundary.

    "Haha, so it''s just someone who has barely entered the supreme rank trying to dig their own

    grave!"

    He blinked, and a dark vortex materialized in the sky, pulling the audacious individual from outside the. In the next second, an elderly figure who seemed to be trying to flee the scene was forcefully drawn into the by the vortex''s powerful pull.

    Hubert, who was tightly clutching the gleaming spear that had sought him out in his arms, cursed all the ancestors of Kyle.

    He desperately wanted to run away- of course, he hated Damien to the core-but he wasn''t strong enough to fight him!

    After he appeared here, he sensed someone dying, so he extended a hand of help, thinking it was Kyle. But it wasn''t Kyle! His disciple, that bastard! Summoning him to die at the hands of his worst enemy! Yet, he himself was nowhere to be seen!

    "Fuck! I take back what I said back then!"

    The parting words he had spoken to Kyle when he had left the No Mana Land echoed in his

    mind like a haunting melody.

    ''Rascal! If you ever find yourself in grave danger that threatens your life, throw the spear you have stolen into the air and it wille find me, and I wille to help you immediately.''

 Chapter 726 Can he hold on for a few minutes?

    726 Can he hold on for a few minutes?

    Hidden behind a boulder, Kyle silently apuded for Hubert,pletely oblivious to the fact that the old man was cursing him and nning to beat him up.

    "Master may be weaker, but I have faith he can hold off the first shadow general. Just a few minutes will be enough until the reinforcements arrive."

    Bia followed his gaze and observed the old man floating in the distance, clutching the spear, her curiosity piqued.

    -"Is that the person who is your second master? He stopped Damien''s attack. How did you find such a powerful individual?"

    The two of them watched with anticipation, eagerly waiting for the old man to confront the shadow general head-on.

    In the distance, Hubert''s eyes glimmered with solemn intensity as they locked onto Damien''s gaze��the man who belonged to the same race as him.

    On the other hand, the first shadow general froze momentarily upon seeing his face.

    "It''s you?"

    His eyes shed with incredulity. How could he ever forget those solemn blue eyes that mirrored his own? But the idea that Hubert was still alive, even though the entire water dragon race and their had been obliterated by Azazeal into mere fragments right before his eyes, was almost unfathomable.

    Damien''s eyes were drawn to the silver spear in the old dragon''s grasp, and they widened slightly. Wasn''t that the spear Kyle had shown him earlier? Why was it with... His thoughts suddenly came to a halt as he finally remembered. He remembered where he had seen that spear before.

    "Ah, just how could I forget?"

    A wide smirk made his lips curve upward. After all, that spear was the very weapon Hubert had wielded when he battled him in the past, alongside many others, only to ultimately lose when Azazeal arrived.

    He raised his eyes with a feigned relief in his gaze that was filled with thrill.

    "It''s been a while, hasn''t it?"

    Seeing his smirk, which contrasted sharply with the darkness rising behind him, Hubert clenched his fists. He felt his anger surging but managed to control himself. It was true that he had been residing in No Mana Land, but thanks to his strong physique, he could leave that ce at any time.

    He had asionally traveled to nearbys to ensure he stayed updated on every new piece of information regarding Azazeal and the shadow generals. That''s why, he was well aware of their strength.

    Hubert''s physique was strong, and his spiritual energy was impressive as well. However, he had only recently reached the supreme rank. So how could he even think fighting Damien��the one who had already surpassed that rank? The oue was clear: he would lose miserably.

    ''Still, my blood boils at the mere sight of him! He has grown immensely powerful, while I remain exactly the same... but that''s to be expected because he acquired that strength by betraying his own race.''

    Getting no response, Damien grew impatient. He raised his hand, and the darkness gathering behind him erupted, instantly shattering the chains of spiritual energy that held the dark de in ce. In the next instant, the de crashed down at its intended destination.

    However, the brief opportunity Hubert created provided James with enough time to clear his muddled thoughts and evade the sword using instant teleportation. An angry vein bulged on Damien''s forehead as he spotted James''s floating figure in the distance, sneering at him.

    Truly, he was thrilled to see a familiar face from his race after so long, especially since that individual had once been someone he couldn''t defeat. However, this situation was starting to irritate him. He turned his gaze to Hubert with a shake of his head.

    "Now that you dare to interrupt me, I trust you are ready to face the consequences. If you''ve been alive all this time, it would have been far wiser to remain hidden and never reveal yourself. But s, what a pity."

    In the next moment, both Hubert and James felt an unsettling chill as the air around them began to quiver ominously. The ground trembled violently, and then a thick curtain of darkness unfurled in the sky, swirling with an eerie energy. It swiftly enveloped the entire, casting a shadow that seemed to consume the light, creating a formidable barrier that would not allow anyone on the to escape.

    "No one shall leave this until I have ensured that every enemy is dead."

    Damien dered loudly. He needed to eliminate James and this old, familiar face as well. Moreover, after seeing the spear, he had a hunch that Kyle wasn''t dead.

    Hemunicated telepathically with Onicuss and asked him to search for Kyle''s body, only to find out that Onicuss had already scoured the area but had not even found a trace of Kyle''s remains.

    ''Damn it, I was careless.''

    He extended his senses, but after failing to detect Kyle, he asked Onicuss to search for the crimson phoenix��the one he and the others had overlooked all this time. If they found the phoenix, they would ultimately discover whether Kyle was alive or not.

    ''I have a bad feeling about this. I think I should use the naturalws to end this quickly, even if it puts a strain on my body and causes me harm.''

    With narrowed eyes, he suddenly disappeared andunched an attack on Hubert, who had remained silent all this time, secretly searching for Kyle on the with his senses. But just as his strike was about tond, James intervened using instant teleportation. Damien cursed and sent him flying with a kick, but despite his bloodied state, James''s lips curled into a smirk as he noticed the intense frustration and anger in the shadow general''s eyes.

    ''Huhu... this is actually quite fun!''

    After witnessing James fighting Damien with all his might, Hubert also refused to retreat from the battle and unleashed his spear art against the first shadow general. But Kyle and Bia were left speechless when he was sent flying like a piece of paper. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Kyle scratched his chin with a perplexed expression. It looked like he had overestimated his master''s strength.

    "Can he hold on for a few minutes? Or should I step in since I am the one who got him into this situation?"

    But fortunately, just before he could join Hubert and James��only to add to the number of people getting beaten up��he sensed someone attempting to pierce the curtain of darkness enveloping the.

    "Atst, the elders have arrived!"

 Chapter 727 Are you crazy!?

    727 Are you crazy!?

    Damien''s eyes shot up as he sensed some people attempting to breach the barrier of dark energy he had created around the to keep those inside from escaping. His fists clenched with pure rage, and his suspicions about Kyle still being alive after enduring his attacks were solidified.

    "Huu.."

    He took a deep breath and distanced himself from James and Hubert, who, despite being hit brutally, were not backing down in the slightest. His gaze swept over the numerous individuals of the Dark race and Nightkin race before they passed by Onicuss, the twin demons, and Wyatt. A flicker of disdain shed in his eyes.

    ''How utterly useless. They are watching me fight as if it''s a spectacle, reveling in it, fully aware of how crucial it is for me to win and for our side to eliminate James.''

    Damien knew he needed to calm down. As the strongest, he had to think rationally and eliminate his enemies. However, one thing was clear: none of the individuals from the dark side currently on the would be of any use or actively assist him.

    Those fools, including Onicuss, didn''t even seem to realize that the dark barrier he had created was being broken, with numerous enemies outside the screaming to end them the moment the barrier fell.

    "Truly pathetic. Aside from Ceano and Enthrall, the rest of the people on our side are nothing but a disappointment."

    He mumbled loudly enough for everyone around him to hear, causing James, who had regained his bnce mid-air, tough. He had also sensed that some people were trying to break the barrier around the, and from Damien''s earlier expression, he realized that those trying to break through were on his side, here to help him.

    He didn''t have to ponder much how they knew his location; seeing the spear Hubert was wielding made it clear that Kyle had called for reinforcements. The young man he had thought was dead was still alive!

    However, his gleeful smile faded when the first shadow general suddenly let out a calm yet ominous sigh, as if he were tired and wanted to end this pointless battle.

    "It has gone on for too long. But I must say, nature''s favorite has truly made me realize that I can''t treat him as a normal threat."

    Damien''s azure eyes glimmered ominously with a dark sheen before the two dark orbspletely turned pure white, creating the illusion that they were untainted.

    A wide, malevolent smile spread across his face, which started to pale as the immense surge of nature''s power rose around him at hismand, yet he no longer cared.

    "This feels amazing..."

    He whispered softly with a satisfied expression, for he loved the moment when he unleashed his full strength.

    James''s eyes dted when he saw Damien''s eyes. Instantly, he knew what thetter was nning, having witnessed it far too many times in the war. The first shadow general was going to obliterate every single thing, including the they were on!

    "Are you crazy!?"

    He screamed loudly, knowing that if the was obliterated, it would also end the people from the dark side!

    However, his throat went dry as he witnessed numerous tears forming in the surrounding space, and all the individuals from the dark side, including Onicuss, began to dissolve into the void.

    "This..."

    A hollowugh escaped James''s lips when suddenly Damien give him a serene smile, a smile that conveyed a clear message: only you and those who are here to save you will die. No one from my side shall perish, even if they are utterly useless.

    Hubert had long been frozen in ce the moment he saw those pure white eyes. He had seen a pair of simr eyes before��the dark eyes of Azazeal, which turned crystal white when he shattered his. Killed hisrades and his people.

    So, Damien, who had once been so much weaker than him, had be so powerful that he could now wield a force simr to that of the man who destroyed his race?

    "No, this can''t be possible..."

    He staggered in mid-air. He still hadn''t found Kyle... who had summoned him here. Was Kyle dead or alive? He had no idea, as he couldn''t detect him at all, despite having scoured the entire with his senses. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Yet, he had no time to calm himself as the space surrounding him began to break like ss, splintering into countless shards.

    With just a single movement of his hand, Damien had controlled the space on the, including the air pressure.

    Then he invoked the naturalw of destruction andmanded the core of the to detonate on its own. He knew this was taking a heavy toll on his body; so much so that he could taste the metallic tang of blood in his mouth.

    However, seeing the air being squeezed from James and Hubert''s bodies, he felt it was worth it if his enemies perished.

    Hubert''s eyes turned bloodshot as he abruptly lost his bnce mid-air due to a sudden pressure that bore down on him, causing him to copse onto the ground, which was also breaking apart.

    From the corners of his hazy vision, he noticed that James had also fallen. But the bloodied man was still desperately trying to fly toward the dark barrier surrounding the, shouting with all his might to warn hisrades to flee the area, as the was on the verge of exploding. However, his efforts were disregarded by Damien, who shook his head with a solemn sigh.

    "Don''t be so desperate, James; they can''t hear you. Just like how no one on this can leave without my permission, their voices can''t escape either."

    He nced around thoughtfully.

    "I wonder if nature''s favorite is feeling the same pain as you two. Is he witnessing this destruction? But where could he be hiding? It''s very odd that even after everything, I still can''t sense his location."

    He narrowed his eyes, and despite the strain, he invoked another naturalw: the Veil Sight, which allowed him to perceive all living things in his surroundings.

    The colors around him faded, leaving only the white shadows of all living things on the, yet he still couldn''t locate Kyle or his bonded beast��the phoenix.

    ''That''s strange. Even if nature''s favorite is using a powerful array to hide, escaping a strong naturalw is impossible.''

    ''Wait, don''t tell me Kyle had already died from my attacks and my suspicions were unfounded? But then, who called Hubert with the spear and the reinforcements? Nothing seems to add up.''

 Chapter 728: You are indeed still alive

    Chapter 728: You are indeed still alive

    ?

    James clenched his fists tightly. The strength Damien was disying now was the reason he and the elders had never won the war against the dark side, even after Azazeal disappeared. He cursed.

    ''The people outside the barrier are here to save me! If it''s really Kyle who had called them, I''m sure Elizabeth is with them too! They''re in danger! Damn it!''

    He gritted his teeth, fully aware that after fighting for so long, his body was teetering on the edge of giving in. It was nothing but sheer willpower that kept him going.

    He fought against the relentless pressure weighing down on him. If only he could use the artifacts Odiak had given him; he could easily escape this suffocating force. But

    unfortunately, at that moment, he couldn''t even move his fingers, let alone retrieve those artifacts from his mind space.

    His trembling gaze shifted toward Hubert, only to discover that the old dragon was in even worse condition.

    He then scanned the for Kyle; if the man was still here, he would undoubtedly be enduring the same ordeal. But just as Damien had mentioned earlier, he couldn''t locate Kyle. Therefore, he concluded that Kyle had already escaped the.

    ''At least he is not dead...''

    He didn''t expect a young man with such a bright future to sacrifice his life for him. He just hoped Kyle could warn those outside the that it was about to explode so they could leave the area and avoid dying.

    ''Please... Kyle! Take them away!''

    However, even after a few seconds, the people outside the didn''t retreat.

    The''s core emitted a deafening screech, resonating through the air as if pleading for help. The fracturednd began to dissolve into bubblingva, and in that instant, James made the decision to sacrifice his soul to stop Damien.

    If he had to die anyway, he would at least save his partner and his people!

    He smiled bitterly.

    ''So, this truly is the end then.''

    Then he closed his eyes. But just as he was about to release the strength of his soul, a familiar yet pained voice echoed in the air.

    "Ugh!?"

    James snapped his eyes open, and the first thing he and Hubert noticed was a massive crack in the shattered space.

    Kyle, who had just stepped out of the crack, dragging Onicuss''s bloodied and struggling form, lost his bnce in mid-air and, with a heavy thud, fell squarely to the ground. The impact sent a powerful tremor through the shattered space around them.

    "Fuck!"

    He let out a loud curse, yet he still refused to release Onicuss from his grasp.

    Following Kyle, the familiar crimson phoenix surged out from the crack, only to follow him and plummet toward the ground due to the overwhelming pressure.

    -"Ahhhhh!"

    Kyle''s eyes widened as he saw Bia''s massive forming straight toward him. He shouted with all his might.

    "Turn back to your smaller form!"

    As if sensing the urgency in his shout, Bia quickly transformed into her smaller form andnded on Kyle''s back. While the impact didn''t hurt him, she let out a hiss of pain.

    -"Damn it!! We just left for no more than half a minute to catch the prey, and what the hell happened in this ce?!"

    Her bewildered and angry shouts echoed in the eerie silence as she struggled to move under the pressure weighing down on her.

    Just a short while ago, when they saw Onicuss suddenly disappearing into the rifts forming in space, Kyle had created a portal, and they had followed Onicuss into the tear to catch him.

    But who would have thought their brief absence would change everything here? Damien nced at the struggling neers, his expression turning icy when he spotted Kyle.

    "So, you are indeed still alive."

    His gaze shifted to Onicuss''s struggling figure, who screamed in agony since Kyle maintained a tight grip around his neck, even under the immense pressure.

    The fifth shadow general shouted desperately at the first shadow general.

    "Help me, Damien!"

    Yet, the cold gaze that met his eyes sent chills down his spine, causing him to mp his

    mouth shut. Damien''s eyes flickered with disdain and disappointment.

    "What a useless fool. I sent you away, yet you still got caught."

    He turned his gaze toward Kyle and increased the pressure on the human.

    "Let him go."

    Kyle scoffed and refused to release Onicuss. He ignored him and lifted his head to nce at Hubert with a solemn face.

    "Master, I never knew you were so weak!"

    At hearing those words, Hubert spat out blood. He had nearly sacrificed his life, and yet this insolent disciple still dared to call him weak? He swore that if he survived today, he would settle this with Kyle, even if it meant fighting a full-fledged battle!

    A vein throbbed on Damien''s forehead. With his peak transcendent rank strength, Kyle should have easily sensed that the he was on was about to explode!

    Shouldn''t he be begging for mercy?

    What was with his attitude?N?v(el)B\\jnn

    With a swift motion, a beam of light shot toward Kyle and Bia. And the human finally released Onicuss, just an instant before his hand was severed from his body.

    Damien called for Onicuss, and the man hurriedly disappeared toward him, leaving behind the human and the phoenix, who stared at him with cold eyes.

    The''s core emitted another deafening noise, a loud cracking sound reverberating through the atmosphere-a chilling warning that in just a few more seconds, the would erupt in a cataclysmic explosion, annihting everything in its path.

    Damien hurriedly controlled the space around himself and Onicuss, creating a separate area that isted them from the surroundings, allowing them to witness the fate of the people dying firsthand.

    The first shadow general loathed taking risks, so he was determined to ensure that these individuals met their end right before his eyes. Meanwhile, Onicussughed at Kyle, who struggled to even move.

    "What now? Weren''t you supposed to kill me for revenge, huh? What happened now? Can''t even move! Haha!"

    His ominousughter echoed in the air, instilling despair in James and Hubert. But when Kyle suddenly joined in with a wild, crazedugh, Onicuss fell silent.

    Damien stared at the human who wasughing uncontrobly with amusement, his expression solemn as he wondered if Kyle hadpletely lost his sanity.

    For some reason, as he felt those green eyes fixed on him, Onicuss experienced a twinge of panic inside but he managed to maintain his outwardposure. After all, the first shadow general was with him, so there was no need to worry!

    Unlike the shadow generals who were fixated on Kyle, James and Hubert were too absorbed in finding a way to escape to take the time toprehend Kyle''s suddenughter in such a dire

    situation.

    Only Bia felt a chill run down her spine at the sound of Kyle''sughter. She was all too familiar

    with that eerie sound, whichcked even a hint of joy.

    -''Oh no, he''s gonna do something crazy!''

 Chapter 729: Lets finish what was left unfinished

    Chapter 729: Let''s finish what was left unfinished

    ?

    Bia''s eyes flickered with panic as she listened to Kyle''sughter. She tried her best to reach out to him, hoping to make him snap out of his sudden outburst, but it was as if he could no longer hear her. Or perhaps he simply didn''t want to anymore.

    The air quivered, and in the next moment, under everyone''s widening eyes, despite the immense pressure bearing down on him, Kyle forced his body to move.

    Blood trickled from his mouth and every inch of his skin, yet he bore the strain. After all, this degree of pain was nothing.

    A wide smirk yed on his lips as he felt the pressure on his body increase further. It was fortunate that his physique was at the supreme rank; otherwise, he would have already been crushed under the weight.

    Damien''s eyes darkened at his smile. An unsettling premonition surged within his heart, and without hesitation, he used his power and clenched his fist tightly.

    In the next moment, with a loud, deafening sound, the center of the, where the core was situated, erupted in an explosion, the devastating impact sweeping through to obliterate and consume everything.

    Yet, even as the explosion threatened to consume everything, Kyle''s frenzied gaze remained locked on Onicuss.

    Hubert, in a frantic bid to protect his soul, used every ounce of spiritual energy in his body to survive the explosion.

    Next to him, James, who was on the brink of sacrificing his own soul to halt the st, felt his heart stop beating when he realized it was toote. His people-the ones who hade to save him-would all die...

    Bia simply closed her eyes. After all, she was hundred percent certain she wouldn''t die- definitely not in Kyle''s presence.

    This was because, despite his craziness, she trusted him. Moreover, unlike the others who were far away from them, she sensed it very clearly-the familiar calm yet chilling aura radiating from his entire body.

    For some reason, this time the icy power felt so overwhelming to the phoenix that everything else seemed insignificant, like a mere speck of dust inparison.

    As the impact of the explosion radiated outward from the''s center, Kyle''s voice cut through the chaos.

    "I was meant to end my target. It''s time toplete what was left unfinished."

    His voice was hoarse, almost grating, strained by the oppressive pressure.

    The tips of his dark hair instantly transformed to silver, glistening beautifully amidst the surrounding darkness, as he vanished from his spot.

    Then everything came to a standstill.

    The surging explosion, the swirling fragments, the air, the myriad of energies-even Bia, Hubert, and James were caught in this moment, suspended in time.

    Damien''s eyes dted as he sensed a chilling aura behind him, but before he could react, Onicus''s shrill cry pierced the air. His heart raced, and a single question echoed in his mind... How the hell did Kyle manage to intrude into a space that waspletely under his control?! It was simply impossible!

    With every ounce of agility he could summon, he turned, but the sight before him made him blood run cold.

    Right in front of him was the human who hadn''t even stepped into the supreme rank yet-he had torn apart Onicus''s right arm. Blood sttered everywhere, painting his vision entirely crimson.

    Kyle''s green eyes glowed with an overwhelming radiance, devoid of any emotion except pain as blood trickled down his cheeks. His head throbbed, and he knew he was using a power he wasn''t meant to ess yet-thanks to his bloodline, which had risen from its slumber to save him when his life was threatened.

    His body felt like it would burst at any moment from the overwhelming icy power coursing through him, trying to desperately merge with him, but he refused to stop and ignored the pain that threatened to consume himpletely.

    Just as Damien was on the verge of breaking free from his trance, blue mes erupted from Kyle''s body, engulfing both him and Onicus in a chilling embrace. The space turned frigid, so much so that even the surrounding darkness recoiled.

    Onicus''s anguished wails echoed briefly before silence fell, and the mes began to devour everything in their path.

    Damien could only watch as the towering mes tore through the separated space he had created. Finally, fear-the emotion he only ever felt in Azazeal''s presence-flickered in his azure gaze.

    He wanted to stop the mes, but the moment he attempted to harness thews of nature, an icy aura surged forth to thwart him. Then his instincts kicked in. It told him to run-run away before the blue mes engulfed him. Sensing the strength of the mes, he knew that even if his soul survived, he would lose his body.

    With gritted teeth, he retrieved several explosive artifacts and hurled them into the surrounding area before disappearing into the crack that appeared behind him.

    For now, he needed to inform Azazeal about nature''s favorite-because if Kyle remained alive any longer, he feared the dark side would surely lose its advantage and face dire consequences!

    ''Ceano was right! We definitely can''t allow this human to stay alive!''

    After he disappeared, a faint frustrated sound reverberated from within the blue mes, as if the person controlling them was displeased with his escape.

    The mes surged in all directions.

    Time stood still, and the only movement within the eerie stillness was the flickering of the icy mes, casting a brilliant glow that illuminated the darkness.

    In just mere seconds, they enveloped the entire exploding in their embrace. A faint whisper echoed in the space.

    "Beauti... ful."

    The voice disappeared, and then the massive that had frozen into ice shattered, breaking apart into tiny cold particles that filled the space like sparks.

    The people outside the dark barrier encircling the, which Damien had erected earlier, realized when the barrier suddenly lost its strength. With onest powerful blow, Odiak

    shattered it.

    He rushed forward with three others alongside him, but the sight that greeted them was something they knew they would never forget for the rest of their lives.

    Behind the older individuals, Nine''s golden eyes sparkled with wonder as he gazed at the countless particles before him. He even reached out his hand to touch them, only to shudder when the cold sparks vanished into nothingness upon contact with his skin, leaving a tingling sensation behind.

    "Just what the hell happened here...?"N?v(el)B\\jnn

    He was mesmerized, and the golden threads in his eyes began to shift as if attempting to grasp something powerful. However, unfortunately, his moment of enlightenment was interrupted, and he snapped out of his trance when he heard Elizabeth panicked scream.

    "James!"

    The woman rushed forward with all her might and grabbed the floating, bloodied man who was amidst the cold sparks. Odiak and the other elder hurried behind her. Their expressions turned grim as they assessed James''s condition.

    Fortunately, he was alive but unconscious. However, his body was in terrible condition, and it appeared to have deteriorated further due to the extreme cold. Odiak rubbed his head, his

    expression heavy with concern.

    "His body is destroyed. He will need to create a new body for his soul because healing this one

    will take many years."

    While the three elders examined James, Alec appeared behind Nine and pped him on the

    back to get his attention.

    After hearing the news from Yue that Kyle and James were confronting Damien, who had appeared to save Onicuss, Elizabeth, Odiak, and another elder present instantly abandoned their tasks to rush to the location Yue had shared with them.

    Naturally, the three elders had no time to worry about Yue and herpanions who wanted to

    tag along. However, to everyone''s shock, Nine abruptly jumped into the crack the elders had created. Before Carcel and the girls could process Nine''s action, Alec also vanished behind him, having already sensed the merman''s n.

    Nine swatted the hand that pped his back away with an aggrieved look.

    "What? Can''t you see I''m trying to find out if Kyle''s body is still intact?"

    Alec rolled his eyes.

    "He had escaped this ce. There''s no way he would linger around after destroying an entire

    net. Don''t you dare joke with me. Tell me why you followed the elders. You know we are in

    the same boat now."

    He paused for a moment, somewhat surprised at how readily he had epted that it was indeed Kyle who had destroyed this. With a wry smile, he shook his head and refocused

    his focus on Nine.

    "You''ve been acting suspiciously."

    Nine let out a deep sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. This bastard really had an uncanny

    intuition.

    "I wanted to separate from the group for a while. There''s a ce I want to visit, and this was

    the best time."

    Alec narrowed his eyes but then just nodded. He too wanted to go to a ce he had recently discovered. But that ce was too dangerous-he couldn''t go there now. Not until he reached

    the supreme rank.

    "What ce?"

    He nearly choked on his breath when he heard Nine''s answer because it was the very ce he

    wanted to visit!

    "Sea of Consciousness."

    Nine whispered, and a determined gleam flickered in his eyes. It was a ce he had glimpsed

    in his vision when he hugged Jian to say farewell on the elven. "The only ce in this universe where we can put our lives on the line, but in return,

    comprehend thews of nature."

 Chapter 730: He is asleep

    Chapter 730: He is asleep

    ?

    Beneath a bundle of green leaves encased in a softyer of glistening ice, a tiny figure stirred, and a pained groan echoed through the dark space filled with towering trees.

    A small wing broke free from the leaves, followed by a sharp curse that pierced the stillness. Bia struggled to pull her tiny body from the soft, cold leaves that felt as heavy as mountains. Her red-rimmed eyes glowed in the darkness, scanning her surroundings with a mix of confusion and bewilderment.

    -"I am still alive... but what happened?"

    First and foremost, she assessed her body to confirm all her limbs were still intact and let out a loud sigh of relief.

    However, the cold aura surrounding her and the ache in her body reminded her that what she had experienced was no dream.

    She nced up at the canopy of countless twinkling stars and therge, bright moon before attempting to sense Kyle''s location through their connection.

    Bia froze when she sensed him not far away. He wasn''t in any type of pain; rather, he was in a deep, peaceful sleep.

    -"

    With a speechless look in her eyes, the phoenix moved toward his direction, feeling the air grow even colder with each step.

    Ultimately, she found him lying face down on the grassy, leaf-strewn ground, his body half- buried beneath the leaves.

    Quickly, Bia checked his breathing. She narrowed her eyes when she noticed his clothes were soaked in blood, yet there wasn''t a single scratch on his pale skin-only ayer of ice covering his body.

    -"He is fine. But what happened? What about the shadow generals?"

    Bia scratched his back with her nails, slightly frustrated because she had no idea what had transpired. She only remembered Kyle''s words when he said he was going to finish what was left unfinished. After that, everything blurred, and the next second she blinked, she found herself engulfed by a portal amidst a sea of icy mes.

    -"Did he stop time? But... hisprehension of the naturalw of time isn''t strong enough to manipte it when the surroundings are already under the control of someone more powerful."

    -"He got stronger again... No, it was because of that cold thing..."

    She grimaced with a solemn expression. Why did Kyle have to be so strong so fast? If it went on like this, she would be left behind! A grumble escaped her lips before her ears perked up at the sound of another pained voice in the distance.

    Bia quickly became alert.

    She knew Kyle wouldn''t wake up from the way he remained motionless, even though she had started pulling his hair. It seemed his body needed rest after whatever he did to escape Damien and Onicuss with her.

    -"Okay, I should protect him from the enemies until he wakes up!"

    Her eyes sparkled with determination, prepared to eliminate anyone nearby. She knew she was weaker than him, but during these fleeting moments when Kyle fell asleep, the phoenix felt a rush of pride knowing she could protect him too!

    However, she clicked her tongue in disappointment when she spread her senses and detected the presence of the old dragon Kyle called master. The pained voice belonged to the old man.

    -"He is alive too."

    She arrived above the old man''s groaning body, covered in blood, as he struggled to move- or should she say crawl?

    Her eyebrows raised when he ceased his attempts to move and gazed at the starry sky with a mncholic expression. A soft whisper escaped his lips.

    "Is this the realm of dead? Why is it still so painful, as if all my bones are broken? And why is this ce so cold?"

    Hubert blinked a few times, and his eyes finally began to clear. He gasped when he recalled the sea of familiar icy mes. Like Bia, he couldn''t remember what happened after Kyle dered he would finish what he had left undone. He only remembered being abruptly engulfed by the icy mes and then a dark portal that swallowed him.

    "Damn that bastard of a disciple! He almost got me killed! Where the hell is he�D!"

    He tried to move to confront Kyle but winced as a sharp pain shot up his spine from his broken bones and the numerous wounds covering his skin.

    "Oh my...! How am I even awake in this condition!? I need to heal myself, or else I will go mad from pain!"

    With a harsh breath, the old man tried to concentrate on mending his wounds and bones, but his expression twisted when he realized there wasn''t even a hint of spiritual energy in his

    body.

    After one final curse, Hubert started absorbing the spiritual and divine energy from the surroundings before directing the two powerful energies to heal himself. He shut his eyes, but Bia, who had settled on a branch of a nearby tree to keep an eye on him-because, unlike Kyle, she had yet to trust this person-suddenly saw him open his blue eyes and stare directly at her.

    "It''s going to take me a long time topletely heal my injuries. How long are you going to stare, little one?"

    Bia blinked, taken aback. There was no anger, no greed, not even a hint of malice in the gaze directed at her. The only thing she could see in those eyes fixed on her was a trace of a smile one would reserve for family. She was at a loss for words.

    It was the first time she had met Hubert, but she finally understood why Kyle had epted

    this man as his master.

    The old man wasn''t a bad person.

    -"I wasn''t staring. I was just checking who was in the surroundings..."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    She blurted out whatever came to her mind, and Hubert responded with a chuckle. But suddenly, his calm blue eyes flickered with annoyance and a touch of sternness.

    "What is Kyle doing? I can sense he''s nearby. After injuring me, he isn''t even helping me heal! How ungrateful! It''s time for me to teach him a lesson... but... but he has be so much

    stronger..."

    He let out a deep sigh, reassuring himself that the day woulde when he could beat his disciple-one day, somehow.

    Bia''s eyes flickered with amusement as she flew closer to the old man. Finally feeling a bitfortable, shended next to him.

    -"Kyle is asleep. I can help. I don''t have a mind space so no healing treasures, but I can use my spiritual energy to assist."

    Hubert didn''t stop the phoenix as she assisted him with her spiritual energy. At least the bonded beast of his ungrateful disciple wasn''t as heartless as he was.

    It took him three full days to heal all his broken bones and recover from his severe external injuries. Although there was still a dull ache in his body and he needed more time to recoverpletely, he felt much better than when he couldn''t even move.

    During this time, under Bia''s gaze, he had killed all the monsters in the vicinity and had even adjusted Kyle''s motionless body into a morefortable position, despite his grievances

    against the man.

    However, the surrounding temperature continued to rise. By the end of the fourth day, the entire forest was encased in a thickyer of ice, yet Kyle, the one responsible for it, hadn''t

    even moved a finger.

 Chapter 731: The right time

    Chapter 731: The right time

    ?

    Sitting atop an ice-covered boulder, Hubert exhaled a plume of frigid air and rubbed his hands together for warmth.

    Despite coating his body in spiritual energy to protect himself from the surrounding ice, his skin still felt the sharp sting of the cold.

    "At this rate, we''re going to freeze into ice sculptures just like the forest. Why is so much cold emanating from him?"

    On his left, the fire phoenix who had transformed into a beautiful youngdy d in a feathery outfit, mimicked his actions and rubbed her hands together.

    -"I don''t feel much cold because my body naturally resists it. Not to mention, I am bonded to Kyle, so his aura doesn''t affect me as much. You can leave if it''s getting difficult; I can keep an eye on him."

    Hubert sighed and shook his head. He couldn''t leave, not when he still couldn''t figure out why Kyle wasn''t waking up.

    "No, I am fine. But why aren''t you wearing the shoes I gave you? They may be a bit big, but in your human form, you will injure your feet if you don''t wear them."

    He reprimanded her gently, and Bia grumbled in response.

    -"But they are so ufortable!"

    Hubert shook his head again.

    "I understand that. It''s definitely ufortable since you''re not used to being in human form. However, in the future, yourrger form could hinder your battles against enemies. It''s important to adapt and be prepared."

    Bia fell silent, realizing she hadn''t thought about it before. With a nod, she slipped on the shoes the old man had given her.

    They were certainly oversized and ufortable, but she understood that she couldn''t alwaysin. Just like the old man said, she needed to adapt if she wanted to grow even stronger.

    Suddenly, Hubert shifted his gaze toward Kyle, whoy on a bed of ice before him. Unlike him, Kyle seemed unaffected by the cold; in fact, he appeared oddly serene as the cold aura grew further around him with each passing moment.

    The human''s entire body was encased in ice, glistening like an otherworldly statue. His calm face radiated an ethereal beauty that Hubert was certain would captivate anyone whoid eyes on him.

    "Sigh... he just had to be so damn handsome too. Is strength not enough? Why is he so blessed? It''s just not fair to poor souls like me."

    Bia rolled her eyes.

    -"He isn''t that good-looking. Among everyone, Alec has the best face-way better than his!" Hubert smiled dryly, a pained expression crossing his face. So, there was someone even more handsome than Kyle? It was true that the old man''s younger form was quite good-looking, but it paled inparison to Kyle. This universe truly isn''t fair.

    Suddenly, he pointed at Kyle''s hair.

    "If I remember correctly, the tips of his hair turned silver when we were under Damien''s pressure, but now they have reverted to their dull shade. In the No Mana Land, Kyle''s hair waspletely silver."

    He paused, letting his words sink into Bia''s mind before asking the main question.

    "What happened? Did he go through something that caused his hair to darken?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Bia looked away. She knew the reason, but there was no way she would share it.

    - "Noment. I am hungry; let''s find something to eat."

    Without waiting for Hubert to respond, she turned and, despite knowing that there were no monsters in the forest-since, aside from the ones killed by Hubert, the rest had fled because it waspletely frozen-she began scanning the area for something to eat or perhaps find some trees with fruit.

    Hubert''s eyebrow twitched. How could a transcendent-rank phoenix feel hunger? She could go for years without eating, thanks to her strength. But he quickly followed behind her to make sure the kid didn''t identally harm her human form.

    Shortly after the two of them left, Kyle''s fingers twitched violently.

    After ensuring Bia and Hubert''s safety, he managed to throw himself into a portal before losing consciousness.

    However, even in the darkness of his dreamless sleep, he somehow knew that his essence had mended his broken body within mere minutes after he fainted.

    The damage inflicted on his body by the power he wasn''t supposed to wield yet was healed, but the scars it left on his mind and soul remained. That''s why he fell into a slumber and didn''t wake up.

    Kyle''s twitching fingers clenched into tight fists as his consciousness began to return. First, his awareness manifested in his mind space to check on his essence, which had once again retreated into a corner.

    His eyes fluttered open, a brilliant glow illuminating his emotionless gaze as he focused on the tiny blue particles floating in the distance, which conveyed a deep sense of sorrow directly to him. His lips parted.

    "The essence failed... it failed to merge with mepletely. But why? Is it because my body is still too weak?"

    He fell silent as the understanding of the naturalws he had grasped while wielding a power beyond his strength solidified in his mind. He recalled the pain he had endured from directly tapping into a fraction of his bloodline''s power. It felt as if all his internal organs and bones were breaking apart and merging together only to break apart again.

    Conflicted emotions flickered in his eyes. If it was already this painful, how much more agony would he have to endure when the Celestial Bloodlinepletely merged with him? With a sigh, he shook his head.

    "I guess I will wait for the right time. There is no hurry. It''s not like I or the essence in my body is going anywhere. The way it clings to me so desperately, it''s clear that the moment I die, it will return to nature and disappear as if it never existed before."

    With an exhale, Kyle''s consciousness disappeared from his mind space. His body shifted slightly above the bed of ice where he was lying.

 Chapter 732: The old man is a scaredy-cat!

    Chapter 732: The old man is a scaredy-cat!

    ?

    The instant Kyle''s physical body shifted, a faintyer of coldness radiated from him, dissipating the ice that covered his body. He slowly blinked open his indifferent eyes but sighed when he saw that his frigid aura had frozen everything around him.

    With a groan, he moved and ced his palm behind him for support as he sat on the icy bed. Even though his body had long since healed, it still felt stiff, likely because he hadn''t moved at all for some time.

    His eyes scanned the frozen surroundings before he silently extended his senses and noticed Bia and Hubert''s presence quite far away. The duo seemed to be fine.

    "Hmm..."

    With a simple motion of his fingers, the ice surrounding him began to dissolve into tiny particles without harming the forest.

    The vibrant colors of the trees and the sounds of rustling leaves, which had been stifled by the ice covering them, began to reemerge. In no time, the forest returned to its original appearance, as if it had never been encased in a glistening ice.

    Kyle got to his feet and stretched his arms and legs a little, but he wrinkled his nose at the scent of blood surrounding him. And to make matters worse, it was his own blood, dried and stuck to his tattered clothes.

    "Damn... that old man didn''t help me change?!"

    However, in the next moment, he suddenly blinked when he realized that his sense of smell hadpletely healed.

    "Ah..."

    A surprised noise escaped his lips as he hurriedly touched his nose. After fighting against one of Ceano''s fake bodies, he had damaged his sense of smell, but it seemed that when his bloodline healed his body, his sense of smell was also fully restored. No, he actually felt it was stronger than before!

    Before he could test his scent perception skill, which he had avoided using since his battle with Ceano''s fake body, he suddenly felt a familiar pressureing straight toward him from behind.

    Just as he turned around, Bia rushed toward him and wrapped her arms around him tightly. Kyle nearly lost his bnce, but he quickly regained his footing.

    He schooled his expression, and the indifference in his eyes vanished as if it had never existed. He gently patted Bia''s back.

    "Bia, you are suffocating me."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    A frustrated huff pierced the air as the phoenix released him. Her eyes scanned his body, and she nodded upon confirming he was perfectly fine.

    Hubert halted behind Bia and examined Kyle''s body as well. The two had rushed back the instant they saw the ice around them dissolve into particles.

    After confirming that Kyle was in good state, the concern in the old man''s eyes vanished, giving way to a flicker of anger.

    "So, you''re finally awake, huh?"

    His voice echoed in the air, drawing the attention of both Kyle and Bia.

    With a raised brow, Bia quickly stepped away from Kyle, excited for a good show. Over the past few days, she had heard the old man repeatedly say that he would beat up Kyle the moment the human regained consciousness, so she was eager to see what Hubert would do.

    Kyle simply lifted his gaze and met the familiar blue eyes fixed on him.

    "Yes, I am awake, master."

    His voice was firm, almost challenging, causing Hubert to swallow all his grief and nod stiffly in response.

    "That''s good..."

    Bia was left speechless, even more so when she saw the corners of Kyle''s lips curve upward into a faint, satisfied smirk.

    -''Wow, the old man is a scaredy-cat!''

    Hubert''s eyebrow also twitched when he saw Kyle''s smirk, but instead of getting angry, he just sighed softly inwardly. Unlike the emotionless man who had stayed in No Mana Land, this Kyle seemed much better, even though he was annoying. He cleared his throat to suppress the relieved smile that threatened to appear on his face.

    "Regardless, now that Kyle has woken up, I believe I should leave. There is no use for my presence anymore-"

    His words were interrupted by Kyle.

    "No, master, you should stay with us for a few weeks. I''m not fully healed; my body is, but my strength has weakened a bit. I need to meditate to clear my mind. During that time, I don''t think it would be wise for me and Bia to be alone, especially since I have killed the third and fifth shadow generals. I am sure the entire dark side is after my head right now. There''s even a chance Azazeal himself will show up."

    He clicked his tongue at the mention of Azazeal''s name. It had been a while since he had seen that man.

    Hearing his words, two pairs of extremely shocked eyes stared at him with mouths agape, both for different reasons.

    Hubert was shocked by the fact that Kyle had killed two shadow generals! Doesn''t that mean Kyle had killed the third shadow general after leaving No Mana Land? And if he remembered correctly, wasn''t the fifth shadow general Onicuss? That meant Kyle had also sessfully killed Onicuss even though Damien was protecting him!

    On the other hand, Bia was astonished because it was the first time she had seen Kyle depend on someone else! He always acted alone, regardless of how perilous the situation was, so when he asked Hubert to stay with them, she could hardly believe her ears and thought she must have misheard!

    There was a brief silence before Hubert cleared his throat and cautiously took a few steps away from Kyle. Grateful that he had refrained from seeking revenge against Kyle for his suffering, he now realized he would have deeply regretted it! Kyle had truly be very, very

    dangerous.

    Taking a deep breath to calm his troubled yet proud heart, Hubert nodded.

    "Okay, I will stay with you two for a while. Anyway, I think Bia needs some training in her human form, so I will help her adjust. Once you''re fine, we can part ways. I need to return to No Mana Land; I cannot leave my people alone for too long."

    Hubert blinked in confusion when Kyle suddenly stretched out his hand toward him. He took

    another step back.

    "What now?"

    Kyle tilted his head and shed a dazzling yet insincere smile that Hubert was all too familiar with after all the years they had spent together in No Mana Land.

    "The spear, master. So, I can call you for help in the future as well."

    Hubert''s heart sank then and there. The thought that he might have to endure even worse in

    the future, after all he had already faced just to help Kyle, was enough to make him lose his

    bnce.

    Heughed, and Bia couldn''t tell if he wasughing or crying at his fate.

 Chapter 733: Bad habit

    Chapter 733: Bad habit

    ?

    In the end, Hubert didn''t give the spear to Kyle, iming he had lost it in battle. But just who would have thought that Kyle had already marked the spear with his spiritual energy? Moreover, even though the spear was bound to Hubert, it seemed to prefer feeding off Kyle''s spiritual energy.

    So, instead of asking Hubert for the spear again, Kyle simply closed his eyes and tried to sense it. He felt a sense of satisfaction when the spear actually responded to him. It seemed that the old man had forgotten to store it in his mind space and had left it behind because he was too injured.

    "Come back."

    Kyle murmured, and he felt it distinctly when the spear started moving toward his location with lightning-fast speed.

    ....

    In a distant ce, Alec, the one who had discovered the familiar silver spear he had seen with Kyle floating in the void when he, Nine, and the elders found James''s body, was jolted when the silver spear resting at his side suddenly began to stir.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He gripped the spear tightly, his brows furrowed as it struggled to break free from his hold. Unlike Nine who disappeared, he had returned with the elders and reunited with Carcel and the girls.

    So, when he suddenly made a sound while Carcel, the girls, and many other men and women were meditating around him under the direct guidance of Old Hal''s wife, Sophia-one of the seven elders who was teaching them how to harness their mental strength to confuse their enemies��everyone opened their eyes to see him being dragged by the silver spear in his hand, which seemed hell-bent on flying away.

    Carcel''s eyes flickered with amusement as he stood up and approached Alec, who was doing his best to hold onto the spear while trying not to cause it any harm.

    After Alec returned with the spear, Carcel had actually asked him to lend it for a while since his main weapon was a spear, but Alec had refused, insisting he would damage such a beautiful weapon.

    Now, watching Alec beingughed at by those around them, Carcel was itching to have his sweet revenge. He tapped Alec on the shoulder with a serious expression.

    "I never knew you were so covetous, Alec. Just let it go. You know it''s not yours."

    Alec''s lips twitched, and a speechless expression crossed his face. However, before he could retort to Carcel''s words, Lara also joined Carcel and regarded him with a solemn expression. "Let the spear go, Alec. I am certain it will find its way back to Kyle."

    Mia and Elli nodded, doing their best to stifle theirughter. Yue simply shook her head, smiling at the scene.

    Alec red at Carcel. He was going to let go of the spear soon, alright!

    Actually, when he found the spear, the system informed him that it bore the mark of a powerful dragon and could help the wielder learn spear arts more easily. So, he thought he should use it to master a spear art in his free time. After all, if Kyle can use both the sword and spear, why can''t he?

    But s... it seems he cannot.

    With a dejected sigh, Alec released the spear. In mere seconds, it vanished into the sky before everyone''s eyes. Alec stared at the sky for a few moments.

    "Hopefully, no one follows it. I don''t want the spear to attract any more danger to Kyle''s location."

    Carcel shook Alec''s shoulder with a satisfied expression that seemed to say, If I can''t use that spear, you aren''t allowed to either. Alec rolled his eyes, silently adding Carcel''s name to his cklist for a while.

    Just then, Elder Sophia pped her hands and instructed everyone to return to their positions and resume their lessons.

    ....

    On the other hand, Kyle finally utilized his scent perception skill to explore the where he had arrived with Bia and Hubert.

    Although Hubert and Bia had already assured him that the was rtively safe, he still wanted to confirm that it was secure enough to stay for a while.

    Ultimately, he discovered that the whole was primarily inhabited by monsters, with only a small poption of humans and dwarfs residing in two cities located nearly on the opposite side of the.

    After confirming that there were truly no major threats in the vicinity, Kyle suddenly asked Hubert if he could borrow a change of clothes from the old man.

    Hubert raised an eyebrow but didn''t dwell on it and handed Kyle a new set of clothes. However, he was left speechless when Bia informed him that Kyle had a bad habit of discarding his clothes simply because they were slightly torn or because he was toozy to wash them.

    "He had a simr habit when he first arrived in No Mana Land, but it improved over time since clothes were scarce there. To think he has started doing it again... But it''s not like I have the strength to teach him the value of clothes. Besides, he can easily buy new ones from the cities on this."

    With a shake of his head, Hubert simply began teaching Bia physicalbat.

    A weekter, while Hubert was training Bia in the sky, Kyle sat atop a rocky structure in the forest with his eyes closed.

    He was dressed in a pair of dark trousers and a fitted white shirt underneath a light blue sweater that he had bought from the human city on the, as he had no clothes left in his mind space.

    Suddenly, his eyes flew open as he sensed the presence of the silver spear, which hade quite close to his location.

    With a blink, Kyle vanished from his spot, only to reappear after a few seconds, this time with the spear in his hand.

    The moment Hubert sensed the spear''s presence, he cried out at it from a distance, his expression filled with grievance.

    "You treacherous weapon! Who are you truly bonded with, me or Kyle?"

 Chapter 734: Leaving for the war I

    Chapter 734: Leaving for the war I

    ?

    Three weekster, Kyle hovered opposite Hubert above the forest where they had lingered for nearly a month.

    Bia was seated on his shoulder in her smaller form. She was so tired that she didn''t even have the strength to move!

    Over the past few weeks, Hubert had subjected her to intense physical training and had even taught her closebat-all while she was in her human form!

    To make matters worse, he even used a weird artifact to prevent her from tapping into her mana, divine, and spiritual energy during training! Just a week ago, Hubert had excavated a tunnel in the ground with his spiritual energy and tossed her inside, instructing her to climb out without relying on her phoenix form or any of her skills! It took her two whole days to crawl out of that dark, narrow ce!

    -''I think I have sessfully developed a trauma toward human physical training...''

    That''s why, she couldn''t fathom how Kyle had endured the old man''s grueling training for countless years when she struggled to withstand it for just a month.

    -''Any longer and I would have perished!''

    Resentment flickered in her eyes as she recalled how Kyle hadn''t lifted a finger to help her and had just watched her suffer from the sidelines, entirety nonchnt!

    -''Hmph! I will... I will... Ugh, I can''t even take revenge! Why does Kyle have to be so much stronger than me?!''

    Kyle sensed her difort and caressed her head, wearing an amused expression as he exchanged a nod with Hubert.

    It was finally time to part ways.

    Hubert smiled wryly as he gazed at the silver spear floating behind Kyle. He wanted to take it back... but ultimately decided to let it remain with Kyle.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Just don''t find yourself in a simr situation again. You survived from Damien this time, but we can''t predict the future. Try not to get into too much trouble."

    "Take care."

    With that, he turned and vanished toward the clear sky dotted with clouds. He needed to make his way back to No Mana Land.

    Hopefully, the young members of his race who wished to leave hadn''t departed during his absence, as the outside world had be increasingly perilous.

    After he disappeared, Kyle turned around, stretching his neck.

    "We should head back too and join the twins. I just hope Zask and the people under him haven''t left for the war yet."

    Bia shifted on his shoulder, slightly annoyed at the thought of traveling again. But before she could even protest, a portal illuminated before them, and Kyle stepped through.

    In the next moment, they stood before the massive border where the grand gate of the city, protected by Zask and his three fellow elders, awaited them. Bia''s eyebrow twitched as she folded her wings.

    -"How convenient..."

    She nced at the many armored demi-human guards stationed at the gate, who immediately became wary at the sight of Kyle materializing out of thin air. One of them quickly approached to check on him, but before the guard could reach him, Kyle stepped into another portal that lit up in front of him and vanished with Bia, leaving the guards dumbfounded.

    Kyle reappeared inside the city, before a bustling two-story hotel. After renting a room, he ordered arge amount of food for Bia to lift her spirits. He then took a long bath before finally allowing his aura to leak, letting Zask know that he had returned.

    After just a minute, a soft knock echoed on his door. He rolled up his sleeves, intrigued by the oddly pleasant politeness.

    "That was fast."

    ncing at the small phoenix, who had made a mess on the round table beside the bed because of her habit of overeating, he stood up with a shake of his head and went to open the door, only to find Zhask''s familiar figure standing outside.

    Kyle''s eyes traveled past Zhask when he noticed three more figures behind the old demi- human. He recognized one of them as Galdor, one of the elders who protected the city in the absence of Old Hal and his wife. Therefore, he concluded that the other two individuals were also elders of the city.

    Zhask''s robes were wrinkled, and the clothes of the others behind him also looked disheveled. It seemed they had rushed to see Kyle.

    However, that didn''t stop them from scrutinizing Kyle; after all, he was the reason they were sending their people to war a few months earlier this time.

    The preparations had beenpleted a few days ago, but the human was nowhere to be found, so the four elders had been waiting for his arrival. Some of them even suspected that Kyle wouldn''t return. Yet he did.

    Kyle stepped back after Zhask and the other elders greeted him.

    "Come in."

    They exchanged nces but stepped into the room. It was quite small, containing a bed and a table where Bia''s tiny figurey sprawled, breathing softly from having eaten too much.

    Kyle didn''t intend to keep them longer than necessary, but Zhask took out some chairs from his mind space and arranged them for everyone to sit. With a sigh, he decided to sit down opposite the elders.

    "Is the preparation ready?"

    Galdor responded to him.

    "Everything is ready. Zhask will be leading the ship. We can leave at any time."

    Kyle nodded, realizing they had been waiting for his arrival. Suddenly, he said something that

    surprised everyone.

    "The twins, are they going too?"

    Zhask, who understood whom Kyle was referring to, nodded.

    "They are. They have grown stronger with the help of the treasures you gave them, so they decided to join the war. However, since they are only at the divine rank and the least powerful among everyone, they will return to the city with me after a few months."

    Kyle stood up to check on Bia.

    "Alright, we can depart tomorrow as early as possible. There''s no need for the elders toe personally to fetch me; I believe you all have your own matters to attend to. Just send the

    twins to inform me."

    Hearing his words, Zhask and the elders didn''t linger and quickly departed. Still, they were somewhat intrigued by Kyle''s specific request for the twins. Had he developed a liking for theirpany? No, that can''t be possible since the twins were treated more like servants than

    friends.

    They had no answers to their questions, so they decided to set them aside and hurried to inform those who would be heading off to war to gather in one ce.

    When the twins, who were enjoying their normal lives, were informed by Zhask that they

    would once again have to take care of Kyle, they instantly rejected the idea. But upon seeing the elder''s solemn eyes, they could do nothing but ept their fate.

 Chapter 735: Leaving for the war II

    Chapter 735: Leaving for the war II

    ?

    Early in the morning, Kyle jumped out of bed when a knock echoed at the door. He wasn''t sleeping; he was meditating to clear his mind, so he quickly opened the door to find twins familiar faces standing outside.

    Logan and Mason greeted him. He could still see fear in their eyes, but unlike before, Kyle noticed that the fear was concealed beneath ayer of gratitude and respect. Mason stepped forward toward him.

    "We''re here to pick you up. Everyone has gathered, so the ship will leave in an hour."

    Kyle gave them an okay sign before heading back toward the bed where the crimson bird was sleeping. Bia gasped when he pinched her neck with two fingers and lifted her body to eye level.

    "Wake up, or I will toss you in the water again."

    Instantly, the phoenix hissed at him in anger, her feathers bristling in rm. This damn bastard! He had conjured waterst night and mercilessly dipped her in it again and again, insisting she was too dirty. He didn''t stop, even when she cried and pped her wings in protest!

    -"I''m already fully awake, okay!"

    Kyle''s eyes flickered with amusement as he ced her on his shoulder.

    "That''s good to hear."

    Bia snorted and climbed onto his head, tugging at his hair in retaliation. He didn''t stop her and walked toward the twins.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Let''s go."

    Without wasting any time, Mason and Logan turned around, and the four of them left the hotel, heading straight toward therge building known as the Mission Hall, surrounded by towering walls.

    Kyle had been there before, but after passing through the bustling area, the twins chose to take a detour instead of entering the Mission Hall, heading toward the open area on the left side of the structure.

    Bia narrowed her eyes as she spotted a massive flying ship docked in the center of the open area. In front of it stood at least a hundred demi-human and elves, alongside Zhask and another elder.

    As the twins approached the ship, the buzzing atmosphere around the ship fell eerily silent, with all eyes fixed on the duo before shifting to Kyle.

    A few astonished gasps filled the air as every single person present already knew that the dark-haired human approaching them with the twins was none other than the famous nature''s favorite!

    It''s because, in response to the students who were abruptly informed that they would be leaving for the war in a month when they were originally supposed to leave in a few months, the elders had no choice but to tell them that the reason for this was that the one who had killed, Will, the third shadow general would be joining them!

    Kyle furrowed his brows at the hushed whispers and the way everyone stared at him in awe as he halted in front of Zhask. He wasn''t particrly fazed by the stares, but he couldn''t shake the feeling that his journey would be far from peaceful.

    Seeing his frown, Zhask gestured for the students to quiet down before asking the other elder to allow them to board the ship. He then proceeded toward the vessel with Kyle and the twins.

    "We can''t use a teleportation portal to the Forsaken Land, where the war is ongoing, as we need to keep the presence of this secret from the dark side. So, as I mentioned earlier, we will travel by ship. It will be a two-day journey, and another elder and I will be responsible for ensuring everyone''s safety throughout the trip."

    Kyle hummed in agreement. He had no issues with the setting. He didn''t float and climbed aboard the ship like everyone else, doing his best to minimize his presence. After informing him of the location of his room on the ship, Zhask left him alone. After all, he needed to operate and protect the ship alongside the other elder.

    Remembering something, Bia suddenly tugged at Kyle''s hair.

    - "We''re leaving for the war... don''t you want to inform Yue and the others?"

    Kyle blinked. He didn''t particrly miss anyone except Yue, as they were all quite annoying, but he would be lying if he said he didn''t enjoy theirpany. Moreover, after recalling some of his old memories, he felt as though he had not seen them in years, even though it had only been a little over a month since they parted ways. Therefore, he was looking forward to seeing them.

    "No, I want to give them a surprise."

    The faint yet genuine smile that curled up on his lips for some reason elicited a few squeals from some of the female students who had boarded the ship before him.

    Kyle''s smile instantly faded as his gaze drifted toward them. The hundred or so elves and demi-humans stood in small groups at the front of the ship, whispering andughing among themselves. He even spotted two familiar demi-women he had encountered a month ago in the mission hall, staring at him intensely.

    "What a nuisance."

    Bia clicked her tougue at his words.

    -''It''s all because of your face! Seriously, check yourself out in the mirror-your skin is glowing. This always happens after your body is healed by your bloodline!''

    Kyle ignored the phoenix''s words, and before any of the students could try to approach him, a golden barrier appeared around him, clearly visible to everyone, preventing them from getting close. He permitted the twins to pass through as he walked toward the front of the ship and gestured for them toe closer.

    The ship began to float, as Mason and Logan rushed over to the human, feeling a bit aggrieved because, after Kyle formed a barrier around himself, the other students were giving them stinky looks. But their minds went nk, and they turned pale when they heard Kyle''s next words.

    "It''s strange. I''m not sure I felt a calming sensation from one of youst time, but it''s not present this time. So, I can assume it was either a skill or a spell, right?"

    Mason started to sweat, anxious that his twin might face severe consequences or might die for daring to use a skill on Kyle without permission. In a moment of panic, he dropped to his knees and pulled Logan down with him.

    "I swear... it''s not harmful! We didn''t mean any harm!"

    Kyle''s lips twitched. So, his suspicion was spot on. They had indeed activated a calming skill or spell around him. He noticed from the corners of his eyes that after the twins suddenly knelt, everyone around him backed away from his location. A hint of amusement flickered in

    his eyes.

    "I know it''s not harmful because if it were, you two wouldn''t be alive right now." The twins trembled, but they were dumbfounded when Kyle suddenly asked them to exin that skill or spell. Without hesitation, Mason shared everything the two knew. Since the skill they activated around Kyle was merely a low-rank skill, they felt no need to conceal it.

    Kyle rubbed his chin thoughtfully. So, that was the reason why he recalled some of his old memories so easily.

    "Emotional Resonance? A (D)-rank skill. Its effects aren''t bad. You two should activate it

    when you''re around me."

    The twins exchanged nces and agreed immediately. They would do it, as long as Kyle didn''t make things difficult for them.

 Chapter 736: Let him learn

    Chapter 736: Let him learn

    ?

    Two dayster, in the Forsaken Land, beneath the relentless re of the sun, a multitude of figures d in armor stood watch around arge elevated stone tform, shielded by many protective arrays. A simrrge gray sword was intricately engraved on the chest of each of their armors.

    Thendscape around the tform was stark and barren, devoid of any greenery, creating an atmosphere of destion.

    Yet the armored individuals remained indifferent, as if they had witnessed this scene for so long that they had bepletely numb to its impact.

    However, unlike any other day, today they struggled to contain theirughter as they observed a certain demi-human striking a corner of the tform with all his might.

    He would cry out in protest with every strike, cursing the moment he asked Odiak to take him as his disciple and teach him the art of forging artifacts and weapons.

    Sinon staggered. With a groan of frustration, he threw the ordinary-looking metal hammer from his grasp away before copsing to the ground, panting heavily.

    Hisrge wings, adorned with intricate silver and golden patterns, fluttered briefly before folding to shield him from the sun as he propped his palms behind his back and sat down with difficulty.

    "I can''t break this..."

    He murmured, a solemn expression crossing his face as he acknowledged and red at the stone tform before him. This was the task Odiak had assigned him: to break a small piece of the tform, norger than a fist, and in return, he would be epted as his disciple. The rules were very simple, yetplicated at the same time. He wasn''t allowed to use anything except an ordinary hammer!

    "I''ve been hammering for ten days, and look at this-it''s not even budging!"

    He spitefully extended his leg and kicked the corner of the tform he had been hammering nonstop, only to hiss in pain.

    "What the hell is the stone used to make this tform made of? Ugh! I can''t handle this anymore! I have had enough. I suppose I will just have to ept that I wasn''t cut out for the art of forging."

    Sinon dusted his hands, and after shooting onest re at the hammer and tform, he decided to join Alec and the others, who were training under elder Sophia alongside many other individuals.

    "They are gonnaugh at me... I left with Odiak so boldly without looking back. It''s only been two weeks and I am already going back to join them."

    He clicked his tongue. Initially, he had attempted to learn about arrays with Mia and Carcel under another elder who was an expert in that field. The old elder even gave them special treatment, but the trio ended up causing a few tiny miny disasters in the elder''s residence that destroyed half of the old woman''s abode while attempting to experiment with array symbols. After the nth explosion, the elder simply taught them how to create teleportation portals and then kicked them out of her ruined home with a nk expression. She stated that they had no talent in the art of arrays because, although they could easily memorize the concepts, they were unable to form proper arrays and always messed up one thing or another.

    Sinon shook his head disapprovingly.

    "She doesn''t understand that practice makes people perfect! She should have given us more time. I swear I felt like I was so close to bing an array master!"

    "But s..."

    He spread his wings and began to fly. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead as he attempted to form a teleportation portal back to one of the floating inds, knowing he couldn''t roam in this dangerous ce that could blow up at any moment.

    After two failed attempts and wasting ten long minutes, he finally conjured a portal, which was still somewhat unstable. Sinon let out a sigh of defeat.

    "This is already the best, considering how difficult it is to merge the new destination coordinates with the symbols of the teleportation portal every time."

    He waved at the guards stationed around the stone tform, who had been watching his struggles all this time, inwardly vowing never to return to this ce.

    But just as he was about to step into the portal, the air trembled, and arge flying ship emerge from a rift in the sky.

    11?11

    Due to the sudden shift in energy, the portal before Sinon started to quiver, and before he could salvage the situation, it emitted an explosive sound and shattered, leaving the demi- human stunned and dumfounded.

    "It''s gone just like that...?"

    The guards stationed around the tform chuckled at him, but that didn''t mean they neglected their duties. They quickly shifted their attention to the flying ship thatnded in the center of the stone tform.

    This ce actually served as the designated location recognized throughout the universe for individuals who periodically send their people to join the war, as it was closer to the battlefield and also the most secure area due to the protective arrays surrounding the tform. Moreover, the tform itself had a powerful artifact underneath, which made it very sturdy.

    A divine-rank guard in the crowd immediately recognized the familiar ship and quietly went to tell elder Hal and elder Sophia that, for some reason, neers from their had arrived a few months earlier than usual this time.

    Sinon red at the ship as adder descended from its center. Under his gaze and that of the guards, a stream of curious yet vignt demi-humans and elves began to disembark in neat, orderly lines.

    His frustration simmered beneath the surface, but he could do nothing but curb his anger. After all, it wasn''t as if he could confront the neers simply because their arrival had destroyed his portal. All of a sudden, his eyes glinted with mischief.

    "Well, they would be sent straight to the battlefield. They aren''t as fortunate as I am and my friends, who are favored by James and the seven elders. So, there is no need for me to n

    revenge, hehe."

    His wickedugh captured the neers'' attention, which is why he sealed his mouth and turned his gaze away from the crowd to create another teleportation portal.

    After everyone had disembarked from the ship, two older demi-humans stood at the forefront of the group.

    The guards counted their numbers before asking who the leader of the group was.

    Sinon''s ear twitched as he heard one of them introduce himself as Zhask. However, he was too focused on creating a portal.

    At the far end of the new arrivals, Kyle lifted his gaze toward the sky, where the winged demi- human was flying. He murmured under his breath with a sigh.

    "The symbols aren''t bnced; the teleportation portal is gonna explode."

    Bia chuckled at his words.

    - "Then just go and help him."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Kyle shrugged his shoulders and pulled the edges of his hoodie to conceal his face. He wanted

    to check the battlefield first.

    "Don''t want to. Let him learn."

    The bird sitting on his head grumbled in protest as she was pushed back into the fabric by his

    fingers.

    He nced ahead at the guards. Upon knowing that Zhask was the leader of the group, they wasted no time; one of them began to exin the rules of the Forsaken Land to the neers, while the others provided them with armor, uniforms, and a ocean-blue metal ring that would record their contributions in the war and alert the elders if anyone dared to join the dark side and betray them, since they would be directly escorted to the battlefield. Only after the neers'' potential, capabilities, and determination to fight against the dark side is assessed on the battlefield will they have the opportunity to enter the area filled with floating inds and a chance to study under the elders.

    Kyle fiddled with the ring given to him. He didn''t take the armor and uniform since they weren''t mandatory and he didn''t really need them. His eyes narrowed at the ring as he noticed

    symbols carved into it.

    "Once worn, we can''t remove this ring."

    The guard who handed him the ring was taken aback by his words and nodded in response

    with a polite smile.

    "Don''t worry. It''s not dangerous. It''s just a safety precaution to prevent enemies from infiltrating our side. Also, the ring wille off the moment you leave thisnd."

 Chapter 737: He is not an enemy!

    Chapter 737: He is not an enemy!

    ?

    Kyle nodded in understanding at the guard, but then suddenly the older man before him pointed at Bia, who was poking her head out of his hoodie to look at the ring.

    "Your beast?"

    Kyle forced a faint smile and roughly nudged the crimson bird in the hoodie.

    "Yes, she is just a little shy."

    The guard chuckled; it wasn''t the first time he had seen someone hiding their bonded beast, so he didn''t think much of it.

    "I can tell she is not weak. You should take your beast to the area where bonded beastspete against each other by controlling the monsters weaker than them. I am sure it would provide yourpanion with valuable battle experience."

    He handed him another ring for Bia, one that could adjust its size to fit the wearer, before moving on to another person.

    Kyle put one of the rings on his finger before pulling one of Bia''s legs from his hoodie and sliding the other ring onto her limb until it adjusted in size just below the life-saving artifact she was wearing.

    His eyes shifted toward Zhask when a few powerful guards suddenly approached the the demi-human and took him a distance away to discuss something.

    "I suppose his unexpected arrival has been reported to Old Hal and his wife."

    Bia poked her head out once again.

    - "Doesn''t that mean we don''t have much time to create chaos?"

    Her words were followed by a distant explosion echoing in the sky. The human and the phoenix nced up, only to see Sinon cursing because the portal he had created had exploded once again.

    Biaughed, and Kyle simply sighed. He nced at the twins standing in front of him. Sensing his gaze, Mason and Logan quickly moved to his side.

    Unlike before, the twins were now quite happy to be around him, having benefited from his generosity over the past two days.

    He would unexpectedly give them treasures, even though the duo had done nothing but stay by his side.

    They were unaware that Kyle only gave them treasures when he recalled some of his forgotten memories due to their skill and felt a sense of indebtedness.

    Seeing the twins standing with Kyle, the others around them stared at the duo with envy and a hint of jealousy, but no one dared to approach the human.

    After all, many of them had already made every effort to get close to him on the ship, only to be ignored as if they were air. Not to mention, some of them were even thrown outside the ship when they attempted to breach the shield he formed around him! It''s fortunate the Zhask allowed them to board the ship again; otherwise, no one dared to imagine what would have urred if they had been left in the vast, dark space!

    Kyle began moving with the crowd when suddenly one of the guards asked them to follow and guided them down the tform toward a teleportation array drawn on the ground in the distance.

    Behind the group, Zhask carefully stored the massive ship they had arrived in inside a storage ring before leaving with a guard who provided him with amunication crystal to speak with elder Hal.

    When he returned, everyone was already standing on the teleportation array, so he hurriedly joined them.

    Kyle''s eyes shifted toward Sinon, who was still trying to form a teleportation portal in the sky, and he clicked his tongue.

    The array beneath him shone, but before he disappeared along with the others, his eyes turned white and time stopped.

    He stepped out of the array and floated toward Sinon, noticing from the corners of his eyes that Zhask and a few guards hadn''t frozen like everyone else and were staring at him in shock, before raising his knuckles to softly hit the demi-human''s head.

    "At this rate, you will never be able to form a proper teleportation portal."

    A few symbols lit up in the air and merged into the portal Sinon was creating as Kyle checked the coordinates of the destination Sinon wanted to reach, before the portal stabilized in front of the demi-human.

    "That should be enough. I will draw some symbols on your wrist next time to make it easier for you to create arrays."

    Bia rolled her eyes as Kyle turned and returned to his position on the array.

    - "I wonder who said he wouldn''t help?"

    Kyle hummed, observing that those who had managed to retain their consciousness after he paused time were trying to move.

    "Who knows?"

    He blinked, and the white color in his gaze vanished, reverting to its original green hue. Instantly, time returned to its normal flow.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The light from the portal beneath engulfed him and everyone standing around him, and they vanished into particles.

    A few gasps of shock echoed in the air as the neers disappeared. A guard in the distance

    cried out.

    "What just happened?"

    Another guard clenched his weapon with a solemn and alert expression.

    "That person... did he just stop time?"

    In the sky, Sinon suddenly rubbed his head, feeling a faint pain on his skin.

    "Why do I feel like someone just hit me?"

    He noticed the stable portal before him, and his eyes widened in surprise.

    "Did I really create this?? But I was sure just a moment ago it wasn''tplete!"

    An excited expression lit up his face because this was the most stable portal he had ever created! Finally, he noticed that the guards below had be restless, with some even contacting the elders.

    He nced at the portal, and seeing that it was stable and wouldn''t disappear anytime soon, he hurried toward the guards to find out what had happened to them.

    His eyes widened when he heard what had urred in his presence, and he hadn''t even been

    able to sense or react to it!

    "Someone stopped time?"

    Suddenly, a familiar face popped into his head, and he grabbed one of the guards.

    "Tell me the appearance of the person who stopped time!"

    His lips curled into a grin when the older man before him answered hurriedly.

    "I only saw a pair of green eyes and a crimson bird on his head."

    Sinon ran a hand through his hair and stopped the guards who were trying to use the

    teleportation array to pursue Kyle.

    "Don''t worry! Haha, he''s not an enemy! In fact, now that he''s here, he will wreak havoc on our enemies in the battlefield!"

    The guards who were notifying the elders also paused when elder Hal emerged from a crack

    that appeared in the sky. The elderly man hade swiftly after Zhask informed him that

    Kyle was here.

    Sinon nced at Elder Hal, who scanned the surroundings and rushed toward the

    teleportation portal.

    "Now that an elder is here, I am leaving. I need to inform the others that Kyle is here! And he

    has be even more powerful!"

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 738: The battlefield I

    Chapter 738: The battlefield I

    ?

    A loud ringing echoed in Kyle''s ears as his figure materialized in the center of a camp filled with countless armored warriors from different races shouting and bustling about, alongside Zhask and the rest of the group.

    Kyle''s gaze swept across the fric surroundings to take in everything.

    The space was chaotic, filled with tents, supplies, and medical stations treating the gravely wounded individuals brought back by those with high agility. When Zhask and his group arrived, no one seemed surprised; instead, they ignored them and continued with their urgent tasks.

    Suddenly, a few more deafening noises echoed from a distance, followed by a chorus of distant, agonized cries that attracted the group''s attention.

    Kyle lifted his gaze and beheld a thick nket of blood and darkness shrouding the sky in the distance, with smoke clouds billowing up to form dark, eerie patterns. He even noticed a few tiny figures in the sky.

    Before he could disappear from his position, a middle-aged female dwarf d in dark robes and exuding an imposing presence hurried over to the neers standing above the teleportation array.

    A familiar blue ring sparkled on one of her fingers, and arge gray sword design was emzoned on the front of her robes.

    She seemed to recognize Zhask and the other elder with him, as a smile brightened her weary face upon seeing them.

    "Oh, Bill and Zask! You two are early this time. But did Galdor note along?"

    She enthusiastically pped Zhask on the back, causing the old demi-human to scowl and swat her hand away.

    A chuckle escaped her lips at his reaction as she nced at the youngsters-though not truly young, as many of them were already over fifty or even a hundred years old-standing beside the two elders.

    Her gaze lingered on the man in the ivory-colored hoodie for a moment longer, surprised that, unlike the others who had already begun donning the armor provided to them, he wore such vibrant clothing, which was rarely seen on the battlefield.

    With a sigh, she pushed the thought aside; after all, he would soon realize that on the battlefield, such clothing was impractical, as it would easily be ruined. Her eyes refocused on Zhask and Bill.

    "Since it''s you two, I trust your people already know the rules of the battlefield, and even if they don''t, the guards would have told them of everything important."

    Despite saying that, she turned to look at the youngsters standing around the duo.

    "I am Nora, the one in charge of this camp and your direct superior from now on. There are many other camps nearby, but they are not under mymand. Regardless, you must remember that this is the battlefield."

    A solemn expression clouded her face.

    "You are here to fight, and nothing else. None of you will receive anything for free here-not even a tent to rest in. You must earn everything through your efforts."

    Kyle noticed how everyone around him tensed at her words. They had already been briefed earlier by the guards that they would enter the battlefield immediately. After all, they were here to assist others in fighting the enemies, not to waste time. However, some of them, who were only here to gain experience and return with the elderster, seemed more anxious than the others.

    Nora''s gaze once again settled on Kyle, more specifically on the crimson bird secretly peeking out from his hoodie. Her eyes narrowed as she sensed a powerful aura emanating from the little bird, and she suddenly spoke unexpectedly, directing her words specifically at the bird. "The battlefield is divided into two distinct sections. On the far right, strong beasts are shing, while on the left, the various races are confronting the dark side."

    Kyle raised his brow and pushed Bia back into the hoodie before meeting Nora''s eyes, but she looked away and pointed at the blue rings on everyone''s fingers.

    "This ring is an artifact. It will record your achievements on the battlefield. Once you have aplished enough, you will be granted a tent in this area for rest. And if you perform exceptionally and defeat many enemies, you will earn the opportunity to study under the seven elders, the strongest individuals on our side after James."

    With that, she pped her hands.

    "That''s it! The dark side''s forces are shing with our allies just a short distance away. Join the battle as soon as you''ve assessed your surroundings. Also, aside from the area where the beasts are fighting, avoid flying on the battlefield, as one of the seven elders, Jane, is engaged inbat with two supreme-rank enemies in the sky. I certainly don''t want any of you to meet your end on your first day."

    Her words had barely ended when she noticed the man in the hoodie move. He shot her a quick nce before sprinting toward the battlefield with an agility that rivaled that of an ordinary divine rank.

    ''Huh... I couldn''t sense his rank, so I assumed he was stronger than me. Did I make a mistake?''

    Nora furrowed her brows, suddenly feeling a strange sense of d��j�� vu. Why did it feel like she knew this man, even though it was the first time she had seen him? Her eyes widened as she staggered back a step.

    "A small crimson bird and a pair of striking green eyes...!!"

    She gasped. How the hell could she have missed that detail when the entire universe was talking about this man??

    "No, no, that can''t be possible. The silver hair is missing!"

    She murmured in disbelief and turned her head sharply toward Zhask, who wore a sly grin that made her break into a cold sweat.

    "Haha..."

    Before she could confront the old man and wipe that infuriating grin off his face, one of the youngsters around Zhask suddenly shouted, confirming her suspicions.

    "Let''s follow the nature''s favorite!"

    It was Mason. He nced at his twin, and with solemn nods, the two brothers began to run after Kyle''s figure without a second thought. The others also exchanged looks of silent agreement, quickly grabbed their weapons, and rushed after the two.

    Ultimately, only Zhask, Bill, and Nora were left in the area. Bill gave one final nod to Zhask

    and rushed behind the group.

    However, the man in the hoodie running at the front seemed to notice that the others had

    begun to follow him.

    Kyle nced back; he had chosen to run instead of vanishing outright to encourage the twinsN?v(el)B\\jnn

    to muster their courage and join the battlefield without fear.

    Now that his task wasplete, there was no longer any reason for him to linger.

    "Bia!"

    After his words fell, the small bird flew out of his hoodie, her bright eyes sparkling with anticipation as golden mes erupted from her body, startling everyone nearby.

    -"Haha, finally! No more hiding!"

    Kyle clicked his tongue as Bia transformed into her phoenix form in front of everyone and let out a powerful cry to announce her presence to all the beasts in the vicinity.

    "What a show-off."

    He chuckled, knowing he didn''t need to tell her what to do, since she was more than ready to head toward the area where she could sense the presence of countless bonded beasts and

    monsters.

    "My turn I guess."

    Kyle elerated, his eyes glowing white, and the space in front of him and Bia tore apart,

    before engulfing both of them.

    The duo vanished within the rift, which then sealed itself, leaving the group of individuals trailing behind and everyone who witnessed the scene in a daze.

    Above the camp, in the sky, elder Hal, who had witnessed everything, sighed.

    "These two are bound to create chaos. However, I''m curious to see how much they have improved. So, I will let them fight to their heart''s content."

 Chapter 739: The battlefield II

    Chapter 739: The battlefield II

    ?

    Arge rift opened in the sky, and Kyle''s figure emerged from it alongside Bia. The moment the rift disappeared into the void, his eyes returned to their original color.

    Before anyone could notice the two new arrivals, symbols materialized in the air around them, creating a powerful shield that concealed their presence and barred anyone else from entering the area.

    Kyle was fine with the sounds of battle-metal crashing violently against metal, the sharp ngs echoing through the air like thunder amidst the chaos of war.

    However, no one could prepare him for the putrid scent of fresh blood and decay in the air that assaulted his nostrils, forcing him to instinctively shut off his sense of smell.

    Floating amidst the dark sky thick with swirling clouds of smoke and an ominous hue of crimson all around, Kyle ignored the figures engaged in battle around him and lowered his gaze to thend below.

    Instantly, his eyes grew cold. No matter where he cast his gaze, thend below was teeming with people of all races, engaged in brutal battles against those who aligned themselves with the dark side.

    The anguished cries of those who fell echoed through the air as their bodies copsed, further cluttering the already gruesomendscape littered with bones.

    He could feel the weight of despair in the air, enveloping the ce like a shroud.

    The frenziedughter of the individuals from the demon, dark, and nightkin races, who seemed to have lost their minds from the sheer amount of blood they had spilled, made the scene even darker. That is why even the confident shouts and screams of those fighting the dark side did nothing to improve the situation.

    Kyle closed his eyes for a moment to steady his nerves before exhaling. He had seen numerous brutal battles, but the scene he had just witnessed surpassed everything he had experienced before.

    "Too many... there are too many enemies, almost never-ending. The sheer number is overwhelming, even for the supreme ranks. Where the hell are they alling from?"

    He understood that the people on the ground weren''t taking to the skies to avoid being killed by the supreme ranks fighting above. But he wondered why James and the elders hadn''t killed the weaker people from the dark side to reduce casualties?

    Kyle got his answer when he suddenly saw a supreme rank elven woman from the dark side plummeting from the sky toward the ground, only to be repelled by a powerful force field that surged from thend.

    The woman cursed and swiftly retreated from the force field, as if remaining near it would bring her a lot of harm.

    Kyle narrowed his eyes at the scene.

    "An array? No, it can''t be an array. Or else, I would have sensed the concentration of symbols. An artifact? No... artifacts don''t possess this level of power."

    Without hesitation, he used his scent perception skill, striving to suppress the twisting sensation in his stomach caused by the noxious odors surrounding him.

    After going through a bit of torture, he finally found the source of the force field; it was generated by the pure spiritual energy radiating from a massive, spherical core deep within thend below.

    The shape and energy of the core resembled that of a''s core, the only distinction being that its surface was engraved with ancient symbols.

    "The symbols are far too ancient and distinctive; I can''t decipher their meaning. However, what I can tell is that the force field generated by the core is repelling only those at the supreme rank and above."

    He grabbed his spear. Understanding why James and the elders couldn''t eliminate the weaker enemies on thend left him feeling conflicted, as the presence of the force field was both fortunate and unfortunate. Since it was preventing both the supreme ranks from the dark side and their own from interfering in the battle on thend.

    "It''s good I didn''t ascend to the supreme rank. I can take out a significant number of enemies on thend without the supreme ranks getting in the way."

    Kyle nced at Bia to send her away, only to see the phoenix struggling to suppress her gag reflex at the gruesome scene and the heavy scent of blood and decay.

    Noticing his gaze, she understood his intention and turned around to leave but was stopped by the shield around them.

    -"Remove the shield; I am going in the opposite direction. I can hear Nox trying tomand the beasts. The lynx is close by."

    Bia''s head perked up in the right direction. Her eyes glinted with indignation, the foul odors around forgotten as she recalled the old grievance that still lingered in her mind.

    - ''That lynx''s name is above mine in the supreme projection! The audacity! He needs a good beating so the projection knows who truly holds the power!''

    Kyle followed her gaze, unaware of her inner thoughts. He could hear the distant howling sounds. Nevertheless, he used his scent perception skill to ensure Bia didn''t make a mistake. As he confirmed the lynx''s presence, he furrowed his brow because Nox was alone and Yue wasn''t with him.

    He locked onto Nox''s exact location, and before Bia could say anything more to him, a portal lit up before her. She blinked, but she entered the portal with a delightedugh, knowing where it was leading.

    The portal disintegrated after Bia disappeared, and as he lowered the shield he had created around him, his hair stood on end when he noticed numerous eyes locked onto him from the surroundings.

    He smirked as he met the gaze of a supreme rank in the distance, but before the demon could reach him, he dove down toward the battlefield on thend.

    "Time to practice my spear art."

    The ground trembled violently beneath him as he descended into the throng of people, shattering the bones piled underfoot.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Kyle felt the pulse of the brutal war raging around him as he effortlessly killed many individuals from the dark side in his vicinity before charging forward with a speed unmatched by anyone on thend.

    In just a matter of seconds, the painful cries echoing in the air multiplied.

    To ensure he didn''t identally harm anyone from his own side, he activated his scent perception skill, narrowed the skill radius, and sharpened his focus to target only those wielding dark energy.

    Due to the chaos, no one on thend noticed the sudden shift in the battle, but the supreme ranks in the sky witnessed the bloodbath a single man had unleashed within mere seconds of

    his arrival.

    To make matters worse, he hadn''t employed a single skill! However, none among them could intervene due to the force field; those from the dark side could only grit their teeth and hurriedlymand the transcendent ranks to quickly eliminate the human who had just

    joined the war!

 Chapter 740: The battlefield III

    Chapter 740: The battlefield III

    ?

    Kyle tilted his body and kicked a person attempting to attack him from behind.

    The spear in his grasp gleamed with satisfaction as its silver surface turned crimson with blood. Simrly, the blue ring on his finger glowed each time he killed an enemy, recording his achievements on the battlefield without pause.

    Kyle smirked when he sensed a gaze upon him, and a thrill coursed through his veins as he locked eyes with the three supreme ranks in the sky who had been watching him since he first appeared.

    Two of them belonged to the dark side, while the third, a human woman with light gray hair who was fighting against them, seemed to be on his side.

    The woman was likely Jane, one of the seven powerful elders-Nora had warned him and his group about confronting the enemy supreme ranks in the sky.

    Kyle deliberately slowed his pace and crushed a demon''s head beneath his foot, openly taunting the two supreme ranks from the dark side.

    "Come, stop me if you can!"

    The supreme rank elven woman and the supreme rank demon from the dark side gritted their teeth at his provocation. Even though they couldn''t hear him clearly due to the surrounding noise, they saw his mouth moving and understood his words!

    The audacity of this human!

    How despicable!

    They would have already torn the human into pieces if not for the force field.

    It would harm them, and even if they endured the pain and managed to enter the field, they would be weakened and lose a considerable amount of their strength!

    The demon, who had alreadymanded the transcendent ranks in the area to swiftly eliminate Kyle, shouted in their minds once more, filled with anger and frustration.

    ''Why the hell have you all not subdued him yet, you useless fools? End that bastard!''

    Behind the two supreme ranks from the dark side, Jane was stunned by Kyle. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and continued to observe the human.

    As one of the elders managing the battlefield in James''s absence, she had witnessed Alec and his group in battle; even among all of them, only Alec had caused such chaos in this ce. However, while Alec used skills, this human was entirely relying on physical strength.

    It was evident that although his rank was simr to Alec''s, he was far stronger.

    She had no idea who this reckless individual was, but for reason she admired his audacity. It suited him, as she could see there was no fear in his gaze.

    Jane grabbed her weapon, ready to confront the two supreme ranks again to prevent them from crossing the battlefield and destroying the resting camps nearby, as the force field only worked within this area. It had no effect anywhere else in the Forsaken Land.

    Regardless, she couldn''t help but like Kyle more the longer she watched him battle.

    "James is going to like this new guy... but who is he? Tsk, I''ve been on the battlefield for too long. I should really take some time to catch up on thetest news."

    Kyle didn''t nce up at the sky again. He focused on the battle, and within a minute, many transcendent ranks surrounded him.

    Raising his bloodied spear, he let out a fierce snicker and spun it above his head. A faint whisper drifted through the air.

    "Whirlwind vortex."

    That was the only warning the individuals surrounding him received as he unleashed the second move of his spear art.

    The spear in his grasp shimmered and heated up, consuming spiritual energy. A powerful burst erupted from its silver body, forming a vortex above his head.

    The vortex spun violently in the air as Kyle hurled it forward, slicing through everything in its path. The air crackled with energy, and the ground trembled as the vortex devoured all that dared to approach, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake.

    Kyle clicked his tongue when he noticed many souls escaping the area.

    "I can''t eliminate them all... that''s the problem with higher rank individuals. Their soul can flee and reconstruct a new body."

    Still, he couldn''t deny that he felt a sense of exhration as he observed the devastation caused by one of his simplest attacks.

    Amisdt the vast battlefield, the area in front of him was now clear, and the enemies no longer charged at him head-on.

    He nced at the wary and frightened people around him, blinking innocently.

    "Why stop?"

    Kyle took a step forward, and they stepped back, causing him to sigh dejectedly.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Come on, the battle has just begun, and I haven''t even unleashed all my power."

    His eyes gleamed and he disappeared, causing a huge uproar among the people there to eliminate.

    However, no matter where the dark side looked, they couldn''t find him!

    Just a few minutester, amidst the numerous small explosive sounds echoing across the battlefield, a sudden, loud, and deafening st erupted in the air.

    It urred on the other side, from where the forces of the dark side were advancing to join the battlefield.

    What followed the explosion were agonizing, wretched cries echoing in the air, sending chills down the spines of everyone present as they witnessed the magnitude of the st and the massive golden array that rose high into the sky to consume all the souls trying to escape the

    ce.

    "What the..."

    Someone mumbled as the array disintegrated into particles, obliterating the consciousness of all the souls it absorbed. Numerous startled cries echoed in the air as people gasped in shock at the sudden turn of events.

    Jane also looked down, her solemn eyes narrowing at the familiar human.

    "Did he just design a powerful array... in the midst of the battlefield? How?"

    She fought against the two supreme-rank enemies before her, feeling a surge of panic because if that human continued like this, the shadow generals and other supreme ranks would get involved!

    James was still unconscious and hadn''t recovered from his injuries. The other six elders were also not present!

    If a shadow general showed up with numerous other supreme-rank individuals who had recently retreated to rest, they wouldn''t be able to handle it!

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 741: The battlefield IV

    Chapter 741: The battlefield IV

    ?

    Jane finally felt a wave of relief when she spotted Elder Hal''s floating figure in the sky, at a distance, observing everything. The old man had a spark of excitement in his eyes, but he was also frowning as he watched Kyle sprinting across the battlefield.

    Noticing Jane''s gaze, Hal nced at her, feeling a bit guilty that he hadn''t helped her despite being in the area for a while. He was ready to assist her.

    However, a few more supreme-rank individuals from the dark side emerged from the other side with dark expressions. Their eyes were locked on Kyle, and it was clear what their intentions were.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    In that moment, Elder Hal regretted his decision to allow Kyle to join the fight, just so he could see the man''s improvement.

    "I should have stopped him when I saw him running toward the battlefield with Bia."

    He sighed, realizing he couldn''t stop the man now. His thoughts were interrupted when suddenly a crack formed behind him, causing him to turn his head back. His eyes softened a bit when he saw his wife.

    Sophia nodded at him and stopped next to him with a faint smile as she followed his gaze and saw Kyle for the first time.

    "Don''t worry, they will stop him."

    Hal raised his brow. He understood what she meant because after a moment, a few familiar figures emerged from the crack with excitement dancing in their eyes.

    Alec''s eyes narrowed impatiently as he surveyed the area before him. His gaze sharpened when he spotted several furious supreme ranks in the distance.

    "Where''s Kyle?"

    Elder Hal simply pointed toward a fast figure in the crowd below to indicate the location of the only untainted individual amidst the gruesome carpet of red.

    Alec rolled his eyes.

    "Even in such a situation, he is not letting his clothes get dirty."

    Sinon pushed him aside. He had informed everyone about Kyle the moment he learned of his arrival. It had only taken a short while to notify everyone, so he was speechless to see that Kyle had already caused a scene.

    He let out a chuckle. That''s Kyle for you.

    "Guys, I don''t think we would be able tomunicate with him from this distance. Let''s join the battle and drag him out before he ends up dead."

    Alec grabbed him quickly before the man dove down and shook his head. They had previously entered the war and caused a bigmotion, so if they joined the fight again, it would only worsen the situation, which was already dire with Kyle.

    "We shouldn''t. Let''s try to contact him through themunication crystal."

    Carcel hurriedly separated the two men before they could start arguing. Since Nine left, Sinon had been the one getting into the most disputes with Alec.

    "But would Kyle even have time to respond in the middle of the battle?"

    Mia agreed with him before Lara suggested that they should at least try. Among the six individuals in the group who hade here with Sophia, only one remained silent.

    It was Yue. Her amber eyes, tinged with a hint of coral, were fixed on the familiar man running across the battlefield, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. The very man who had disappeared after their marriage. Her heart skipped a beat at this thought.

    She was certain he had already noticed their presence; after all, he possessed a powerful sensing skill. Unlike the others, she found herself waiting to see how long Kyle would ignore everyone.

    ''Should I call him? Would he listen?''

    Yue pursed her lips into thin lines.

    ''I kind of want to hit him... but can I? He''s be even stronger. We talked through themotion crystal, but it was only twice.''

    Finally, sensing her silence, the people around her turned to her. Sinon''s eyes sparkled with mischief as he cleared his throat to catch Yue''s attention.

    "Yue, how about you try shouting his name? Maybe Kyle will... actually stop fighting and look in our direction?"

    Yue blinked at his words, as if confirming she had heard correctly. Mia smiled at her and grabbed her right arm.

    "Trying it won''t hurt. We can already tell Kyle has sensed our presence, and he is ignoring us on purpose."

    Lara agreed with her.

    "Yeah, the supreme rank can not enter the area because of the force field, and if we go in, the enemy supreme ranks that have been watching everything would attack without considering the consequences."

    Yue''s face flushed when everyone''s eyes were on her, waiting for her response.

    Across from the group, Hal and Sophia didn''t know what to think anymore. Why did it feel like they weren''t floating above the most brutal battlefield in the universe, but above a serene, idylldscape?

    And why on earth was this group of people not the least bit interested in the fact that Kyle was currently killing non-stop?

    Yue nced at Kyle and nodded at the people around her, even though she wasn''t sure he would listen.

    "Okay, I will shout Kyle''s name..."

    She hadn''t even finished her sentence when someone gently tapped her shoulder. The touch didn''t feel cold... but warm.

    Sinon tsked at the person behind her. Alec and the others were just as surprised, but more than surprised, they were amused.

    Yue hurriedly tilted her head and looked back, only to see a familiar pair of green eyes staring intently at her. She held her breath for a second when she saw a smile on his face-a smile he

    rarely showed.

    His expression appeared so much softer than she remembered, almost as if she were

    imagining it.

    Kyle''s smile widened at the sight of her dazed expression. It was a pleasing feeling to hear his wife call his name.

    Just as they had assumed, he sensed the group''s presence the moment they arrived.

    But he wanted Yue to call him... well, he knew he was being a bit of a jerk. Still, all his focus

    was on her the instant he sensed her familiar presence nearby; he couldn''t even concentrate on the fight.

    His nerves were on edge, and he could hardly believe he heard her faint words amid the chaos

    surrounding him.

    "You called me, my wife?"

    His words were so gentle that Alec, Carcel, and Sinon cringed, unable to believe it was Kyle speaking. Even Mia and Lara were taken aback. After all, even around Yue, Kyle had never shown this level of softness before. It felt as if something had changed within him.

    The most shocked person was Old Hal. His jaw dropped in disbelief. He couldn''t believe he was seeing the same cold Kyle who had forced him and many others to work day and night in the Sacred Divine Land!

 Chapter 742: The battlefield V

    Chapter 742: The battlefield V

    ?

    The group around the couple was jolted from their surprise when all of a sudden Yue lifted her fist and delivered a punch squarely on Kyle''s torso.

    Kyle didn''t dodge and simply raised an eyebrow, noticing that his wife had be stronger in his absence. However, his smile vanished, and he hissed when he realized the punch was anything but gentle.

    Yue''s face lit up. So, she was allowed to hit him even though he was stronger?

    Sinon stifled a chuckle, and everyone around him did the same. They seemed to forget that they were above the battlefield as they watched Kyle grab Yue''s hand before she could strike him again.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Yue offered Kyle a sweet smile. She had settled all the littleints she had against him with that punch.

    "So, how have you been?"

    Kyle blinked when Yue pped his hands away and created some distance between them, clearly waiting for his response.

    He could have sworn he sensed a hint of satisfaction in her voice, as if she was quite happy tond a hit on him.

    ''At least she''s no longer angry. I will handle the restter when we are alone.''

    He straightened his posture, feeling a twinge of annoyance rising within him as he noticed Alec and the others reveling in his interaction with Yue a bit too much.

    "I am good."

    Hearing his words, Yue nodded, and Kyle noticed how her smile faded, reced by her usual calm demeanor. But then she suddenly nced to either side of him, seemingly searching for someone.

    "What about Bia?"

    Kyle tilted his head to the right.

    "She went to check the other side of the battlefield. I contacted her; she should be here soon with Nox."

    ....

    At the same time, high above and swarming with countless types of beasts mindlessly and mercilessly wing at one another, a colossal fire phoenix let out a piercing screech among the manyrge floating divine beasts in the sky, striving to assert her dominance over the others.

    From the right side, arge dark hawk with enormous wings and sharp, dark eyes tried to attack the phoenix, but a massive horned lynx quickly interrupted its assault.

    Nox raised his blue eyes toward the phoenix engulfed in mes, the iridescent scales on his body shimmering even under the dark sky as he grumbled inwardly.

    ''She has be more powerful!''

    It has been quite some time since Bia arrived on the battlefield. She had always been the one to torment him the most since he formed his bond with Yue. But strangely enough, he felt a genuine sense of joy when he saw her familiar form.

    Nox felt strange, but he attributed his feelings to the fact that it had been a while since he had seen the phoenix. However, he was disheartened because Bia had yet to acknowledge his presence.

    From the moment she appeared on the battlefield, it was clear that her interest was more focused on asserting her dominance over the countless beasts surrounding her, which only deepened his bitterness.

    ''What''s so great about being the one inmand? There are many monsters here that are stronger than her. Even if she is a phoenix, she won''t be able to dominate the weaker beasts in their presence.''

    He narrowed his eyes as another beast from the dark side attempted to attack Bia. He wanted to intervene again but stopped when the golden mes surrounding the phoenix frightened the beast away.

    All of a sudden, Bia paused in her movements and let out an annoyed sound. Nox noticed her displeasure and wondered what had happened. His eyes lit up when she finally turned her gaze toward him.

    Bia nced at him in silence. She had originallye here to beat up Nox, but when she saw the countless monsters around her, her focus shifted. She wanted to control them all, to force them to obey hermand. But even though she had managed tomand arge number of monsters on the battlefield, she ultimately failed to dominate all the beasts due to the presence of other powerful monsters with consciousness in the vicinity.

    She hadn''t even had the chance to enjoy herself properly yet, but just now, Kyle had told her to return to him with Nox!

    -''I don''t want to leave just yet...''

    Her eyes shifted from Nox as she nced toward the other side of the battlefield-the side from which the monsters controlled by the dark side were advancing.

    Instantly, her gaze met a pair of cold, dark ruby-red eyes that stared back at her.

    It was another phoenix.

    However, in contrast to Bia, who had a blend of golden, red, and blue feathers, this phoenix had a striking array of dark and blood-red feathers encasing its body.

    Bia scoffed at the dark phoenix in the distance that merely stared at her. She had noticed it the moment she arrived on the battlefield, but it simply observed her quietly, a solemn glint in its

    eyes.

    It didn''t engage in the fight and remained perched atop a massive rocky structure in the distance,manding the monsters around it to charge forward.

    - "Tsk, tsk, just at the divine rank, and yet you''re already so arrogant? It is clear that I am the majestic one among us. Is not that the reason why you have been sitting so far away, not daring toe and fight me? Just a little kid trying to pretend to be grand."

    Perhaps the dark phoenix heard Bia''s condemning words; it suddenly opened its wings, but instead of approaching her, it left the area and vanished into the dark sky.

    Bia let out a snicker.

    - "Running away, finally? Go on, run. It''s not like I would waste my time on someone weaker

    than me."

    Nox, who had been observing the exchange, flinched as Bia suddenly opened her enormous ws to grab his body. He dodged quickly, and she merely rolled her eyes before soaring

    upward.

    -"Quit dilly-dallying. Follow me; Kyle''s calling."

    Nox nodded and quickly followed her as they maneuvered through the battlefield, heading toward the nearest resting camp.

    He couldn''t help but nce back at the chaos. Unlike Alec and the others, he hadn''t drawn much attention when he first joined the war, particrly because he wasn''t as strong as they were. Therefore, he had been fighting in the war for nearly a month now, determined to grow stronger after receiving Yue''s permission to fight alone. So, it felt a bit strange to leave so

    suddenly.

    He noticed numerous powerful beasts observing him, curious about why he was suddenly leaving with the phoenix. With a sigh, he spoke directly in their minds.

    ''I will return shortly and join you all.''

 Chapter 743: He has finally shown up

    Chapter 743: He has finally shown up

    ?

    The phoenix and the lynx hurriedly flew away from the battleground, avoiding the enemies, and soon entered a nearby resting camp, surrounded by a protective array.

    Nox immediately reduced his size upon entering the busy area to avoid disturbing anyone, especially the injured and tired individuals returning to rest.

    He could only shake his head at Bia, who didn''t seem to care and soared above the area, catching everyone''s attention, before she turned to the left side.

    A whileter, a few familiar figures finally came into the duo''s view. There they stood, surrounded by many tents reserved for transcendent rank individuals, receiving shocked nces from everyone.

    Kyle raised his gaze to nce at the two beasts. He lifted his hand and rubbed Nox''s head as the lynxnded on his shoulder.

    -"The heck..."

    Bia cursed and rolled her eyes at the lynx, who had settledfortably in her spot, before finally reducing her size.

    She circled around Yue, and the elven woman gently caressed her head before hurrying over to Mia, who embraced her small figure with a smile. Lara and Sinon also gathered around her, a bit taken aback by the powerful aura radiating from her.

    Alec and Carcel just focused their eyes at Bia, then exchanged a knowing nce.

    All of them could sense the phoenix''s strength as she made no effort to conceal her aura. In

    just a little over than a month, Bia had progressed from the initial stage of transcendent rank to thete stage.

    In that moment, Elder Sophia''s calm voice echoed through the air, capturing everyone''s attention as she approached the group.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "You all... Let''s head back to the inds. Hal will handle things here."

    Everyone agreed and waited for her to create a space rift for their departure.

    Kyle nced toward the battlefield; his scent perception skill spread outward, and he sensed that another supreme rank had joined the fight against Jane, who was already battling two supreme ranks. To assist her, Hal had entered the battle.

    His eyes narrowed as he contemted everything he knew about the war.

    "Aren''t there seven elders, excluding James? Why aren''t the others here?"

    Hearing his words, Sophia nced at him. She wanted to respond, but since they were moving to a somewhat safer location, she opted to save her response forter.

    She quietly manipted the space and opened a rift. At her signal, Alec and the others began to step through.

    Yue nced back at Kyle when he didn''t move, seemingly lost in thought. He caught her gaze and smiled faintly in return.

    Her face instantly flushed, and she quickly looked away. But then she noticed how his smile seemed to attract the attention of the crowd around them, especially from a few women. Frustration simmered in her heart as she stepped into the rift after the others, muttering angrily under her breath.

    "Why are you suddenly smiling so much? It''s so unlike you..."

    Kyle raised a brow as his ear twitched at her faint aggrieved words. What happened? He was sure Yue had already vented all her anger toward him with that punch.

    He followed behind, his mind filled with many questions now that he had seen the battlefield with his own eyes. He wondered where thest remaining seals of the realm of the dead, which the elders and James are protecting, were located.

    A while ago, on the battleground, he had surveyed the area with his scent perception skill, but the only thing he could detect was the core emanating the force field.

    The leader of the dark side, Azazeal had also vanished after theirst encounter, as if the man had never existed at all.

    Kyle stepped into the rift with a sigh.

    ''I have fought too many life-and-death battles recently, so I''m not in the mood to face another life-threatening conflict with the dark side.''

    The myriad thoughts in his mind faded as he attempted to grasp the space warping around his body, but it only tried to tear him apart, so he stopped.

    ''Too weak... my understanding of the the naturalw of space is too weak. Last time, the space willingly obeyed me due to my bloodline. I need to break through to the supreme rank and focus on enhancing my understanding of the naturalws.''

    He had only learned two naturalws: time and space. However, even regarding these twows, his understanding was still at the very beginning. He was certain he had only grasped a tiny fraction of their essence.

    There are countless naturalws in the universe; he wondered silently if he could grasp them all one day? With that thought, Azazeal''s face shed in his mind.

    ''I wonder, just how many naturalws that man can control?''

    Before he knew it, he emerged from the other side of the rift.

    A pair of familiar warm amber eyes, with a hint of coral within them, stared at him as he took a step forward.

    Kyle''s eyes softened as he met Yue''s gaze, only for her to look away toward Bia.

    He hummed and surveyed his surroundings. Numerous floating inds surrounded the one he stood on, and atop each ind, he could see buildings.

    Everyone in the vicinity shifted their attention to the group that had suddenly emerged from the crack, but their senses were fixated solely on Kyle.

    Kyle had to release his transcendent rank aura to deter the many people attempting to gauge his strength, so they would quitely withdraw before he harmed their senses. A cold flicker

    crossed his eyes.

    "What a nuisance."

    Nox shifted ufortably on his shoulder due to the sudden chill he felt from him.

    Sinon shook his head at Kyle, chuckling.

    "Don''t worry. We all went through this as well. They are all on our side. Come, I will give you a tour of this ce."

    Kyle didn''t nod. He simply decided in his mind to eliminate the senses that dared to probe his strength without his permission next time. It didn''t matter who it was; he disliked the feeling of being scrutinized. Even James hadn''t checked his body, so who gave these people the audacity to assess his strength so tantly?

    At the same time, in many of the buildings atop the floating inds, numerous eyes snapped open, and everyone who had just attempted to gauge Kyle''s strength felt a chill run down

    their spines.

    The most surprised among them was Odiak, who was crafting a weapon and had just sensed a new presence on the inds. He wanted to investigate the presence, only to be ovee by a

    sense of dread.

    "So, it really is Kyle. He has finally shown up to join the battlefield."

    He chuckled and shook his head. Atst, another person who could scare him off like James had emerged. It seemed Kyle would give them a lot of headaches.

 Chapter 744: Where is Nine?

    Chapter 744: Where is Nine?

    ?

    Sinon''s expression fell when he saw Kyle''s annoyed face. He assumed Kyle didn''t want him to give a tour of the ce.

    "But I know this ce better than Alec and the others since I followed Odiak. You really don''t want me to show you around?"

    Kyle nced at him. Immediately, the annoyance on his face faded, reced by a calm expression. For some reason, after regaining his memories due to the twins, he had be slightly more expressive than usual. But he didn''t mind it, especially not in front of his wife and friends.

    "No, that''s not it. I was just lost in thought. You can give me a tour of this ce."

    Sinon''s expression brightened.

    "Good, you won''t regret it!"

    Alec and Carcel just stared at Kyle. Were they imagining it, or had Kyle''s demeanor really changed so much in such a short time? The two nced at the girls, and noticing their surprised expressions, they were sure they weren''t imagining it.

    With a click of his tongue, Alec stepped toward Kyle and Sinon.

    "Okay, you two can meet up with uster. We''re going to continue training under Elder Sophia. Sinon, you know where to find us."

    Sinon nodded and tried to grab Kyle''s shoulder to drag him away, but his face turned nk when Kyle avoided contact. Everyone immediately rolled their eyes. So, this habit of his hadn''t changed at all.

    Kyle nced at Yue onest time. He wanted to spend more time with her, but he pushed the thought aside.

    He would seek her outter when she was finished with her training.

    After that, he gestured for Sinon to move, signaling that he would walk with him.

    He nced at Bia, but she remained on Mia''s shoulder. Through their connection, she told Kyle that she would stay with her favorite person for the time being, so he should go alone with Sinon.

    Nox also jumped down from his shoulder. Since he knew everything about this ce, he didn''t want to get bored. The lynx decided to stay with Yue for a short while before returning to the battlefield.

    Kyle watched the two beasts, and his lips twitched at how they didn''t follow him. As he began to walk with Sinon, he noticed that everyone else was following Sophia toward an open area on another floating ind in the distance, where many people were meditating with their eyes closed.

    His eyes caught sight of a familiar figure, Elli, and he suddenly realized that one of his friends, who should be here, was missing. He stopped in his tracks, interrupting Sinon, who was ready to inform him about the buildings containing different types of treasures and training resources.

    "Where is Nine?"

    He knew Jian and Regius had returned to their home alongside Yue''s mother, but he remembered that Nine followed Alec to join the war against the dark side.

    Sinon paused in his tracks at the familiar name, his expression souring.

    "How would I know? That half fish disappeared! Alec just said he went to a powerful ce to get stronger and had no idea when he would return."

    Kyle blinked, surprised by the way Sinon referred to Nine. Half Fish? So, Nine had revealed his race to everyone? Still, calling a merman a half fish... his lips quivered. He should remember this nickname.

    "He went to a powerful ce?"N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Sinon nodded as they walked toward the only building on the ind.

    "Yes, that ce is called the Sea of Consciousness. We wanted to follow Nine, but Odiak told us that ce is dangerous, and we shouldn''t go there without reaching the supreme rank. Also, that ce is ruled by the dark side. But Nine had to jump into the most dangerous ce alone."

    Kyle murmured under his breath.

    "Sea of Consciousness?"

    He had heard about this ce, but he didn''t have much knowledge of it. Sinon filled him in on the Sea of Consciousness, exining that it was a ce where people risked their lives to understand thews of nature.

    At the mention of thews of nature, Sinon''s eyes turned to Kyle. A hint of awe shed in his dark orbs as he ruffled his wings, subtly shifting closer to him.

    "I and the others heard from Elder Hal that you can already control the naturalw of time. It sounds incredible!"

    His eyes sparkled.

    "One can only control nature upon reaching the supreme rank, so how did you manage to do it while still at the transcendent rank? I am at the initial stage of the transcendent rank, and you are at the final stage. Why is the gap between us so wide?"

    Kyle could see the excitement in the eyes fixed on him. He simply raised his hand and flicked the demi-human''s forehead.

    Sinon hissed, and Kyle wondered how Alec and the others had managed to suppress their curiosity. Knowing them, they should have bombarded him with questions just like Sinon, but

    they didn''t.

    Now, he finally understood why Alec and the others had so easily left his side.

    It was because they wanted to grow stronger instead of wasting time.

    Hearing from the elder about how Kyle could now even control a naturalw, they must have felt they would be left behind.

    Kyle had regained nearly all of the old memories he had forgotten in No Mana Land. That''s why he knew that his friends had always beenpetitive. They constantly strived to be stronger, and now they seemed determined to catch up to him-to stand alongside him.

    He suddenly extended his hand toward Sinon, and the demi-human silently stared at his open, empty palm, which seemed to contain something incredibly powerful. The space above Kyle''s palm trembled slightly as he spoke slowly.

    "Understanding nature is not that easy. But you are not weak. So don''t rush; if you do, you won''t be able to grasp the essence of nature. Just try toprehend the natural things happening around you, and you will understand what you''re searching for."

 Chapter 745: Its going to be a bit painful

    Chapter 745: It''s going to be a bit painful

    ?

    Sinon nodded his head, understanding that Kyle wanted to help him understand nature. Fortunately, he felt he had gained valuable insight from such simple words.

    From now on, he would make an effort to sense the nature around him to find which naturalw he waspatible with. After all, if he couldn''t grasp any naturalw by the time he reached the supreme rank, he would remain stagnant in that rank and be unable to advance in strength.

    With that thought in mind, he resumed his movement. The two walked together, and he informed Kyle that the only building on the ind they were standing on belonged to an old array master, one of the seven supreme rank elders known as Razial.

    It housed a vast collection of ancient and unique books on arrays that the elder had gathered andposed over the years, making it a ce where one could obtain nearly all the materials and knowledge necessary for understanding arrays.

    Sinon''s expression soured as he recounted to Kyle how he, Carcel, and Mia had sought to learn about arrays, only to be kicked out by the elder for identally making a few mistakes. Kyle raised an eyebrow.

    "A few mistakes?"

    Sinon cleared his throat.

    "Just... we caused a few arrays to explode while we were experimenting."

    He quickly added.

    "But the explosions were very small and didn''t do much damage!"

    Kyle nodded. But he had seen Sinon struggle to evenplete a teleportation portal, so he was fully convinced that the explosions were anything but small.

    "So, half of the building was destroyed?"

    He asked, and Sinon actually nodded.

    "No, a bit more than half..."

    Sinon stopped mid-sentence. The realization that he had just admitted the few mistakes he and the others made were not small at all caused him to re at the dark-haired man standing next to him.

    "You..."

    He wanted to argue but just muttered a curse in frustration when he noticed the amusement in the green eyes locked onto him. He was sure Kyle wouldn''t listen, even if he attempted to make his case.

    Kyle nced at the towering building with multiple floors before him. He could sense many individuals from various races inside, studying and crafting arrays, but he couldn''t detect any supreme rank presence.

    "Elder Razial isn''t here?"

    Sinon was surprised that he could sense what was inside the building, despite the powerful concealment array around it. But he didn''t dwell on it since it was Kyle.

    "Yes, he isn''t here. Since James is in aa, Elder Elizabeth and Razial both left after receiving a sudden message from Elder Kurt, who is always guarding thest two seals of the realm of the dead."

    "Before you ask about the seals of the realm of the dead, I have heard they aren''t here. The seals that the elders are guarding are actually thest two remaining of the seven crystal pirs situated at the center of the Forsaken Land. All I know is that if thesest two pirs are also destroyed, the entire Forsaken Land will crumble, and the bnce of life and death in this universe will be thrown into chaos."

    Kyle absorbed the information. Now, he finally had a somewhatprehensive understanding of the power structure on their side in the war.

    There are seven supreme ranks directly under James, who were given the title of elders, along with several other supreme ranks fighting alongside them.

    He knew Elizabeth, James''s partner. The second was Odiak. Then there was Old Hal and his wife, Sophia. Not long ago, he had met Jane, another elder in the war. Thest two are Razial and Kurt, who seemed to be absent from the ce for the time being.

    Sinon waved his hand to get his attention.

    "Let''s continue. After this, I need to report back to Odiak and inform him that I wasn''t able toplete the mission he assigned to me. As a result, now I can''t learn the art of crafting weapons from him."

    He pped his wings and flew toward another ind. Kyle chuckled and followed behind the annoyed demi-human.

    They didn''tnd, and Sinon exined everything about the ce as they passed over the many floating inds. The ind adjacent to the one they had just departed belonged to elder Odiak.

    As Kyle looked down, he saw many young and old individuals diligently working and learning under some elderly dwarves, who were d in garments embellished with arge gray sword engraved on them.

    Sinon told him that they specialized in crafting artifacts and weapons. The people working there hade from others, sent to contribute to the war. However, due to their expertise in the art of crafting, once they earned enough merits in the war, they would take the opportunity to learn from the elders who specialized in their craft.

    Kyle nodded. He could see that the entire ind was abundant with ores, and it was equipped with hammers, anvils, and chisels for shaping metals. The two buildings on the ind emitted faint wisps of smoke, indicating that they housed furnaces for smelting metals and

    ores.

    They passed through a few more inds where individuals were training their bodies and skills in weapons under the guidance of a few elderly elves and humans.

    Those inds were dedicated to people who aimed to strengthen themselves. They had also initially joined the war, but after gaining enough merits, they seized the opportunity to train here. Once the trainees became strong enough that the instructors could no longer guide them, they had to leave to fight in the war again, making room for new individuals to take

    their ces.

    After passing through a few more inds that housed residences and living quarters, Sinon paused over an ind with the fewest inhabitants. He sighed.

    "This is where individuals skilled in potion-making work. This ce has many ancient books and materials like the others, but since potions be less useful after one has gained strength, not many choose to join this ce. That''s why the poption here is the smallest." Kyle nodded. He had also stopped using potions, but he knew that they were still handy for weaker individuals.

    "Did Yue join this ce?"

    Sinon snapped his head back.

    "How did you know?"

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched. Of course, he knew Yue was skilled at potion-making. He had spent

    a lot of time with her on the blue, so he was familiar with her hobbies.

    "Why wouldn''t I know?"

    Sinon clicked his tongue.

    "Yes, yes, she is your wife. So, you would definitely know. But you have to protect your wife; I always see many bees and butterflies flying around her. After all, not many know she is

    married."

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed slightly as he nced back at a distant ind where Alec and the others

    had gone to train.

    "She isn''t weak, so she can easily handle them. But I would also like to see who dares to get

    under my skin."

    Sinon chuckled at the sudden hint of coldness that enveloped the space.

    He simply informed him that they were done with the tour, and now Kyle could go and join whichever ce he wanted to train until any elder called for him.

    Kyle nodded, but before the demi-human could leave, he remembered that he wanted to help him so he could draw teleportation portals more easily. He asked him to extend his hand and

    roll up his sleeve.

    The demi-human blinked, a bit confused, butplied with his request.

    "What are you going to do?"

    He asked tentatively as he watched the man opposite him take out a weird round crystal

    emitting spiritual energy.

    Kyle nced at him with a hum.

    "It''s going to be a bit painful. You have seen the symbols I drew on Bia''s wings, right? It''s

    something simr to that, but the symbol I am going to draw on your skin can help you create teleportation arrays instantly as long as you know the coordinates of the ce you want to

    go."

    Of course, Sinon had seen the golden symbols engraved on the phoenix''s wings. Those symbols concealed her presence from anyone of a lower rank as long as she remained hidden.

    His eyes lit up.

    "Really? You can do that! I have been struggling to form teleportation portals ever since I learned them! They are easy, but I always mess up somehow. Hehe, I don''t care about the pain; just draw the symbol! I am going to show it to the others!"

    Kyle''s eyes shed with a hint of amusement as he drew a symbol in the air and crushed the

    crystal in his hand.

    The smile on Sinon''s face vanished when the symbol and the spiritual energy from the crushed crystal entered his skin.

    He nearly screamed as a sharp, prickling pain, like needles stabbing, coursed through his wrist. Fortunately, the pain faded after a moment, leaving behind a strange golden vertical line at the center of his wrist.

    Sinon clenched his wrist tightly and stared at the smirking human floating before him, an

    anrgy vein ring on his forehead.

    "You bastard! You said it would only be a bit painful! What was that just now?!"N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 746: Connection to the sky

    Chapter 746: Connection to the sky

    ?

    Kyle just tilted his head at the man floating before him, with a face that said he was not the one who had caused pain to him.

    "Try to create a teleportation portal. You need to feed it energy. Any type is fine."

    Sinon scoffed but did as he was told. The moment he channeled his spiritual energy into the golden mark on his wrist, a few symbols illuminated in the air, and with a fast speed that he could barely perceive, they converged to form a tear in space. Kyle''s voice echoed beside him.

    "Merge it with the coordinates of the ce you want to go. That''s something you need to do yourself."

    Sinon immediately thought of a ce he wanted to go, and the moment he drew the coordinates in the air, they automatically merged with the torn space before him, forming a dark, round portal.

    His eyes widened excitedly as he stared at the stable portal in front of him. The recent grievance he had with Kyle faded from his mind as he watched the portal.

    It waspletely stable, and thinking about how he had crafted it in just a little over two seconds made him smirk widely.

    "You could do something so amazing for everyone, but you have to hide it, huh?"

    With that, he quickly entered the portal without hesitation. Kyle stared at his fading figure. He had seen the coordinates Sinon had drawn, so he already knew that Sinon went to meet with Odiak.

    "He could have just flown to his residence. With his wings and agility, it would have been faster than creating the portal."

    Kyle shook his head as he turned back, and in the next moment, he stood before Sinon, who had just emerged from the other side of the portal. Sinon nearly choked on his breath when he saw the familiar face, who hadn''t even bothered to use the portal and had directly teleported to his location.

    "Damn, it must be nice to have such a convenient and powerful skill."

    Sinon''s smile didn''t fade as he clicked his tongue. Sometimes, he wondered if they had really gotten so strong? They had barely left their twenties, yet they hade so far-farther than he could have ever imagined.

    But he knew, he knew it was all because of the dark-haired man before him. Kyle, this anomaly, had reached a ce that Sinon or anyone else could never attain.

    He stared at Kyle as thetter quietly surveyed the bright corridor of the building they had just arrived at, trying to familiarize himself with his surroundings.

    "People spent so many years just to step into the divine rank, yet..."

    He muttered but swallowed his next words. Who would believe that they were already among the strongest in the universe?

    But it was the truth.

    It almost... it''s almost as if they were chosen by the nature, destined to fight against the darkness. But aren''t the chosen ones always the ones who suffer?

    Sinon scratched his head; he was lost in thoughts again. Odiak''s voice echoed from the room at the end of the corridor.

    "Come here. Don''t just stand outside."

    He looked up, only to see that Kyle had already opened the door to Odiak''s room and stepped inside.

    With a sigh, he followed behind. The moment he entered, he was greeted by a familiar, massive yet chaotic room filled with a jumble of metals, crafting tools, and papers containing strange designs that he couldn''tprehend at all.

    Sinon retrieved the hammer Odiak had given him from his mind space and ced it on the floor, staring resentfully at the old dwarf seated at the table in the distance, as if thetter had wasted half of his life.

    "I wasn''t able to break a piece of the tform you asked me to. That means you won''t teach me... but I really want to craft artifacts and weapons."

    Odiak stopped cutting the small square crystalline metal in his hand, and nced at the demi-human.

    "Have you already given up? You know that to craft weapons and artifacts, knowledge is not the only thing one needs; you also need determination-the will to stand in one ce for days, months, or even years, just to create a single artifact or weapon."

    He pulled down his sleeves. He had lived for too long, and his knowledge was vast in this field, so he was confident he could tell with a nce if the person before him could be a master in crafting.

    "It''s not that I don''t want to teach you. It''s just that it would only waste your time if, after all your hard work, the only thing you can create is ordinary weapons."

    Sinon nodded. He wasn''t offended. He admired how the old dwarf crafted so many powerful weapons and artifacts capable of wreaking havoc. But he understood that his admiration wouldn''tst for long; patience was never his strong suit.

    "I will just focus on increasing my physical strength for now while searching for what I can do best. To be honest, I feel I shouldn''t concentrate on learning something meant for the people of thend..."

    He paused and softly moved his wings.

    "Is there nothing special that can connect people more to the skies?"

    Hearing his words, both Odiak and Kyle were taken aback. Something that can connect someone to the skies? What an odd phrase, yet also remarkable.

    Kyle, who had remained silent all this time, allowing the two to converse, murmured.

    "And to think when we first met you were scared of heights... or should I say flying."

    Sinon froze for a moment, the meaning behind Kyle''s words sinking in. He snapped his head toward him with wide eyes.

    "You... you remember?"

    His question came out uncertain. After learning that Kyle had lost his memories of the past, he felt a pang of sadness that he had forgotten how they became friends. But with what the

    latter just said...

    Kyle scanned the wide eyes staring at him and sensed the excitement within them. So, he didn''t lie. Well, there was no need to lie.

    "I did, almost everything."

    Sinon jumped toward him with a grin, likely aiming for a hug, but before he could reach him, a dark portal lit up beneath him and engulfed his body. Thest thing that rang out in the room

    was his sharp curse.

    "Kyle, you bastard!"

    Odiak suppressed hisughter. Just a hug, and he could see Kyle''s difort from his expression alone. The kid truly didn''t like it when things became too sentimental.

    Kyle turned to leave as well, only to be stopped by the old dwarf''s deep voice.

    "Do you want to learn the art of crafting?"

    He turned back, his green eyes flickering in contemtion. But considering how much his body despised heat, he knew he couldn''t do it, even if he found crafting interesting. He could never endure standing in front of intense heat just to hammer metal to craft a weapon when he could easily obtain weapons from other sources.

    "It''s easy, but not something I would pursue. I''m not a patient person either."

    His gaze scanned the scattered papers in the room before pausing for a while on the square crystalline metal that the dwarf had been working with earlier.

    "But the explosive artifact you''re crafting is truly interesting. I trust you won''t mind if I

    replicate the designter on."

    With that, he disappeared, leaving the old dwarf bewildered, staring into empty space. Odiak blinked once, twice, and finally broke out into a cold sweat.

    "Easy...???"

    The words escaped his lips as he slumped down in his chair and stared at the device he had

    been working on for two weeks.

    "Did he just understand what I am making just by looking at it for a while?"

    After the initial shock, a heartyugh escaped his lips. His hands trembled, and he genuinely

    wanted to go and grab that kid right now and teach him his art because he felt that if Kyle ever took up crafting, he would be the best in no time. But he wouldn''t force him, knowing the youth would likely run away, and he didn''t even have the confidence that he can catch him.

    ''Now I understand why he can grasp such powerful naturalws already, even before reaching the supreme rank.''

    He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

    ''Hisprehension abilities are truly frightening. I heard Azazeal had simr traits... it''s because they possess something alike in their bodies, right? I knew, but it''s still hard to

    believe.''

    He closed his eyes, and the word ''Celestial'' echoed in his mind pleasantly. He had lived for over a thousand years-so long that he could no longer count his age or recall where his journey began. Yet, he was still so far from that word.

    A low chuckle escaped his lips.

    "I am not greedy. I am content to be just an immortal who is the most knowledgeable

    craftsman in this universe."

    A deep and hoarse voice echoed behind him as James stepped out of thin air.

    "I know, that''s why I shared it with you."

    Odiak''s eyes lit up as he turned his gaze toward him. The old man stood up and took in the sight of the pale, tall figure standing behind him before checking his body.

    "Why did you leave your room? Let me examine your body. You just recovered from those terrible injuries; you should rest and not do anything excessive. You know your soul can''t handle this much strain."

    James didn''t stop Odiak as thetter examined him from head to toe. There was still a sharp pain running throughout his entire body because it had beenpletely battered in thest battle he fought, but he didn''t create a new one for his soul.

    Instead, he healed himself with treasures and divine essence, as forming a new body would take at least a month time. Not to mention, his physical strength would be somewhat diminished.

    "I am fine. I sensed Kyle, and I am sure he sensed me too. So, he is finally here after all the

    chaos he caused?"

    He took Odiak''s seat with a sigh.

    "Knowing that there''s no way I can rest easy, he is too unpredictable. I don''t want to be absent if he ends up attracting even more danger in this perilous ce."

    The old dwarf scoffed at him.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "As if you weren''t the same in the past. You even wanted to go find Azazeal, who never

    revealed himself, while his minions created chaos in his absence, and confront him... it''s fortunate you got beaten up midway on your journey and returned."

    James''s expression soured a bit as he recalled the past and how childish they were; he could

    only smile dryly.

 Chapter 747: Can you check Kyles stats?

    Chapter 747: Can you check Kyle''s stats?

    ?

    Kyle reappeared above a rock, resting amidst the many small nts surrounding a vast open ground where numerous people sat cross-legged in meditation, their eyes closed in

    tranquility.

    His nced towards elder Sophia, who stood at a higher vantage point than the meditating individuals.

    She, along with a few older individuals, observed and guided the people around her, ensuring everyone remained focused and centered in their practice.

    Sophia''s eyes shifted towards Kyle when she sensed his gaze. Believing he wanted to know why everyone was meditating, she exined everything again in a louder voice just for him to understand the purpose.

    "You need to clear your mind. Try to channel the divine and spiritual energy within your body into your mind space. This will strengthen your soul and expand the size of your mind space. Having a powerful soul and arger mind space is essential for advancing to the supreme rank."

    She paused for a moment and spoke directly in Kyle''s head.

    ''Everyone here has already practiced to strengthen their mental strength so they could overpower their opponents in battle with mind strength. If you want to practice that, you should focus your spiritual energy towards your mind and work on building a strong connection. Visualize your energy flowing into your thoughts, creating a shield that can deflect any negative influence. Once you feel that energy, practice directing it outward, imagining it as a wave that can impact your surroundings. This will also help you strengthen yourprehension skills and enhance your concentration.''

    Kyle heard her; the training sounded good and right, but he had a question.

    ''I know that meditating to enhance the power of one''s soul and mind is beneficial. But why are they expanding the size of their mind space? Isn''t it already quite vast?''

    A frown appeared on his face. He had awakened his mind space before he sensed divine

    energy, but the size of his space was like a never-ending ocean.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    So, shouldn''t everyone else''s mind space possess the same vastness? Or maybe he was wrong, and everyone''s mind space had a different size?

    Sophia was slightly confused by his words, but she responded patiently.

    ''A newly awakened mind space is indeed quite vast, and it expands with each rank one ascends. However, its size is closely linked to the strength one can attain. The vaster the size of one mind space, the greater the potential for growth. Thus, expanding the mind space is crucial.''

    Kyle remained silent for a moment. It seemed that the size of his mind space was certainly different from others, likely due to his bloodline. After the brief pause, he nced at the elder.

    ''What is the size of your mind space?''

    Sophia raised an eyebrow. This was a personal matter that not many shared with others. She narrowed her eyes at Kyle''s face to gauge his expression and noticed he was deep in thought. After a moment, she provided him with a vague answer.

    ''Half the size of a.''

    Kyle let out an ''Oh''. He actually wanted to say, how small, but he swallowed his words and withdrew his gaze.

    He sat downfortably and nced toward the spot where Yue was seated with Elli, Lara, and Mia.

    ''Everyone is working hard...''

    With this thought, he crossed his legs, ced his hand under his chin, and closed his eyes to rx... ahem, meditate as well.

    After a short while, Sinon''s furious figure stormed into the area. The man pointed an using finger at Kyle, who seemed to be meditating with his eyes closed. However, when he caught Sophia''s narrowed gaze, he quickly backed off. No one was allowed to make noise on this floating ind.

    ''I will definitely get my revengeter!''

    He grumbled before heading over to join Alec and Carcel, who were seated together in the distance.

    The sky above them didn''t change shade, time trickled by, and Kyle''s breath stilled. He wasn''t sleepy, but his thoughts were empty, like a nk canvas. He lifted his hand to pat the head of the crimson bird that had suddenlynded on his shoulder.

    ''Where did you go?''

    Bia''s eyes shed with fury, but she restrained the urge to curse.

    -''I just went to see my little junior off to war. He seems to be working incredibly hard-so much so that I would not mind watching him get a few bones broken.''

    Kyle didn''t say anything in response. He already knew Bia was talking about Nox. Still, he had to admit he was surprised to see that the lynx''s physique and soul had reached the divine rank.

    Nox''s true rank remained the same, but it was clear that he was making an effort to be more powerful, unlike thezy and gluttonous phoenix on his shoulder.

    Bia shook her wings, irritated, but she soon began to calm down. After a few minutes, as drowsiness started to set in, she finally noticed a faintyer of spiritual energy emanating from the body below her.

    -''What is this? A new skill?''

    Kyle hummed in response.

    ''No, I''m just using my spiritual energy to create a subtle healing effect in the air around me.

    It''s calming.''

    Bia closed her eyes.

    -''So, it''s not dangerous.''

    She settled infortably and decided to drift off to sleep. After all, she didn''t have anything else to upy her time. In such a tranquil atmosphere, she knew she would feel hungry if she stayed awake. With no food avable, sleep was her only option.

    A few hours passed in the blink of an eye. Sophia eventually left the area.

    The older individuals wandered around, guiding everyone in the area whenever they noticed someone struggling to concentrate.

    The sky remained a constant shade of orange, as if night and day didn''t exist.

    Alec was the first to open his eyes. He clenched and unclenched his fists, feeling a slight increase in his soul strength. It wasn''t much, but given his current power, even a small boost made a significant difference.

    His gaze turned to Carcel, then at Sinon, who had joined them a while ago.

    Both had their eyes closed.

    Alec''s eyes wandered around the area beforending on a familiar face sitting cross-legged on a rock in the distance. He stared for a moment, narrowing his eyes when he noticed how many people in Kyle''s vicinity were sneaking nces at the man instead of concentrating on

    meditation.

    The scene was so familiar... so familiar that it made Alec chuckle.

    ''I remember getting these kinds of looks when I first arrived here. No, even when I first joined

    the Royal Academy back on the blue, people would always nce at me because of my face. To think that one day, Kyle''s charm would be so high that even mine wouldn''tpare. What is he doing to make his skin glow so much?

    Alec shook his head, feeling aggrieved at how Kyle could look so otherworldly. He rubbed his

    nose and called the system.

    ''Soul? Are you awake?''

    Soul replied immediately.

    ''I am.''

    Unlike in the past, when the system functioned just like a machine, it had now evolved into something significantly more powerful. This transformation was due to the power it was gaining from Alec, who climbed one rank after another.

    Odiak was shocked when he discovered that the first divine artifact he had created countless years ago had gained sentience. The old dwarf had merely left it behind on the blue, along with many treasures stored within it, designing it in such a way that it would attach itself to a person with the greatest potential.

    The artifact was crafted from the essence of a''s core and many other powerful

    treasures, giving it the ability to predict the future and design missions for the chosen individual, ultimately leading them to Odiak. This meant that one more powerful ally would be added to their side in the war.

    And it had done its job perfectly. However, when it was time for the system to return to its

    creator, it outright refused.

    Alec could only remain silent as the two spoke, but Odiak expressed that he didn''t wish to

    reim artifact. Instead, the dwarf appeared genuinely excited and more than willing to let it

    apany Alec for as long as the young man lived.

    Odiak had crafted numerous artifacts over the years, but only a select few had gained sentience. One of them was the sword he created for James.

    To think that another of his divine artifacts had gained consciousness and be so

    powerful filled him with a lot of pride; he just wanted to see it grow even stronger, like a

    father, and he was content.

    Alec stared at the space before him.

    ''Can you check Kyle''s stats?''

    The system didn''t respond and simply disyed the results. Instantly, a familiar blue screen

    shed before Alec''s eyes.

    ''Name: Kyle Ohan''

    ''Race: Human/Semi Celestial''

    ''Rank: Trancendent (Last stage)''

    ''Bloodline: Celestial''

    ''Soul: Supreme-rank (Middle stage)''

    ''Physique: Supreme-rank (Last stage)''

    ''Special ability: Nature''s favorite, due to (S+)-Rank luck.''

    ''???''

    No more information provided. To know further information host needs to be a whole Rank

    higher than the target.

    Alec sucked in a deep breath. His eyes reflected indescribable emotions when he saw Celestial

    - a word that not many can voice twice in Kyle''s information.

    The system''s voice suddenly echoed in his mind, jolting him out of his daze.

    ''I could see this only because he allowed me to check his body.''

    Alec snapped his head up and saw the familiar green eyes staring at him. No, they were staring straight at the screen floating in front of him with aplex expression.

 Chapter 748 Did they forget me?

    Chapter 748 Did they forget me?

    Kyle narrowed his eyes slightly. He didn''t like it when someone scrutinized his body without permission. So, the moment he felt a unique yet familiar energy attempting to invade his space, he sensed it immediately. At first, he was ready to destroy it, but as he pinpointed its origin, he rxed.

    He stared at the hovering screen suspended in front of Alec. It was faint,posed entirely of air and spiritual energy. If he hadn''t sensed it probing his body just now, he was certain he would have never noticed it with his eyes.

    ''An artifact?''

    That was his thought as his gaze locked onto the blue-haired man seated in the distance, and Alec shifted awkwardly.

    Kyle stared at thetter''s face for a long minute, clearly seeking an exnation, but he let out a sigh when he received nothing and Alec turned his head away.

    ''Really? Not even an apology?''

    He drummed his fingers on hisp.

    ''This artifact is somewhat annoying, but I have to admit it is quite powerful.''

    If not for the fact that he had regained his memories, he would have definitely been exasperated with Alec. But he recalled that the man had checked his body many times in the past as well with the strange artifact he possessed. So, he knew that Alec was already aware of his bloodline.

    After a while, he simply sent a friendly reminder into Alec''s mind in a calm voice.

    ''Next time, ask for permission.''

    Alec''s eyes widened slightly at his voice, and he nodded solemnly. There was no threat in Kyle''s words, but he understood that the man disapproved of his actions.

    Kyle stepped down from the rock he had been seated on and stretched, causing the sleeping phoenix on his shoulder to lose her bnce. However, he enveloped her in spiritual energy and ced her on the rock before she could curse and pluck his hair.

    He blinked, feeling a bit sluggish.

    "This feeling is familiar..."

    He mumbled, noting how his thoughts had begun to slow down. Furthermore, his body had been feeling unusually calm for some time now, as if he were about to fall asleep, even though he didn''t feel tired at all.

    As a transcendent rank, sleep was something he could forgo for years, so why was he feeling this way?

    He could attribute this feeling to thefort he felt in his friends'' presence after regaining his past memories. However, he was certain that for him to feel this calm, something was surely not right.

    Kyle''s ears twitched as he overheard many people around him murmuring, expressing their desire to approach him, the renowned nature''s favorite, and get acquainted. Yet, none in the surroundings seemed to have the confidence to make the first move.

    ''They know I can hear them clearly, but they''re still getting on my nerves.''

    He rubbed his temples, ready to leave when he noticed that some of the people in the crowd had gathered their courage.

    A demi-woman, an elven woman, and a few men who appeared to be half-human and half-elf approached him together. One of the two women in the group stepped forward, wearing a charming smile.

    Kyle wanted to turn, grab the phoenix, and disappear to avoid any headache as the woman opened her mouth to speak, but he stopped in his tracks when he sensed a familiar presence behind him.

    A pair of beautiful hands clutched his right arm firmly. He tilted his head to look at the slightly shorter figure standing beside him, only to see Yue smiling up at him with an unsettlingly sweet expression.

    "Oh... Are you done for the day?"

    Yue shot him a re before scoffing at the women gathered around.

    "Yes, let''s leave!"

    Gasps echoed around them as everyone watched Yue drag Kyle away, and to their shock he actually followed her quietly!

    The gathered people quickly retreated.

    Even those nearby who had considered pursuing Yue, the beautiful and powerful elven woman, gave up the thought when they saw how close she was to Kyle. After all, there was no way they could confront the nature''s favorite, the man who had defeated two shadow generals! A feat that no one had ever achieved!

    The older individuals responsible for maintaining order in the area during Sophia''s absence simply observed the scene with amused expressions.

    They didn''t intervene when people started gathering around Kyle because they hoped the others would be able to befriend him and gain some insights. But... they never expected that Yue was Kyle''s partner and that she would be furious when she saw him surrounded by women.

    Sinon opened his eyes and shook his head at the crowd, which had begun murmuring with regretful expressions.

    "What''s wrong with these people? Don''t they have anything better to do, like focus on their training?"

    His wings trembled as he took flight and hurriedly joined Alec and Carcel at the spot where Kyle had been seated earlier.

    He paused when he noticed Carcel attempting to soothe the phoenix, who looked absolutely furious at having her sleep disturbed by the noise. Watching the golden-haired man hesitantly patting the phoenix, he chuckled.

    "Just let the girls handle it. You know Bia''s temper; she''s going to burn everything if you end up angering her even more."

    Carcel shot him a re but stepped back.

    "Are they done with their training?"

    He got his answer when he saw Elli, Mia, and Lara approaching them. Mia took Bia, and the phoenix immediately calmed down, though she didn''t forget to grumble.

    -"Hrummph, I am still angry! And that''s making me hungry!"

    Mia chuckled at her. Her dark forest robes fluttered as she began to float.

    "Then we can go eat. There''s no restaurant here, but the ind where fighters train has some chefs who sell delicious food."

    Elli and Carcel followed them silently. Lara and Alec left to train on another ind and improve their weapon skills. Ultimately, only Sinon was left in the area. He stared at his empty surroundings.

    "Wow... just wow... did they forget me?"

    If only the many people around him, who were sneaking nces at him, knew that he considered their presence as ''empty'', they would have undoubtedly coughed up blood. Kyle was undeniably handsome, but Sinon had his own unique charms, especially his massive wings that shimmered in the light. However, he seemed oblivious to it all. The reason was simple; he is always surrounded by handsome people who drew attention.

    A frustrated vein throbbed on Sinon''s forehead. It was during these lonely moments that he missed Jian, Regius, and that half-fish who had vanished.

    With a silent, irritated huff, he turned to leave but suddenly nced at the sky.

    The air was undoubtedly tainted by dark energy, yet it brushed against his wings gently, making his mood better.

    In an instant, he rushed toward the sky, feeling an irresistible urge to meditate among the vibrant orange clouds.

    ....

    Kyle stopped when Yue let go of his arm. He watched her back silently before looking at the building standing in front of him. It wasn''trge and had only two floors.

    They had left the ind where everyone meditated under Sophia and had arrived at one of the inds where many residences had been constructed for living.

    Yue turned back, slightly embarrassed about what she had done a moment ago. Her voice was calm and quiet, but it still gave away her emotions.

    "I just wanted to help you escape the crowd. I know you don''t like it."

    Kyle''s lips twitched, but he resisted the smile that threatened to break free. Instead, he nodded at her, feeling quite satisfied that she was jealous. He wasn''t so dense as to not notice what had happened.

    It was quite endearing to see her like this, and for a moment, he relished the lightness of the situation.

    Yue noticed he had fallen silent. To change the topic, she pointed at the building.

    "This is where Elli, Lara, Mia, and I rest when we are tired. This building was given to us after we contributed to the war."

    She paused for a second.

    "You have already fought in the war, and I know you have earn a lot of merits from the number of enemies you''ve defeated, so you can get a living quarter as well. But it''s better if you join Alec and the others. They all live in the same building..."

    She stopped speaking when a hand wrapped around her waist. Unlike in the past, this time she felt that Kyle''s skin wasn''t cold; it was actually quite warm.

    Kyle lowered his head to rest on her shoulder with a contented sigh.

    "How about we stay together?"

    Yue smiled and intertwined her fingers with his hand resting on her waist.

    "En..."

    Kyle breathed against her skin, and Yue finally snapped out of it. Remembering that they were in a ce where many people could see them, she quickly distanced herself, her ears and neck turned red. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "No, I mean, Lara and the girls are leaving with me. So, you can''t."

    Kyle chuckled as the warm body left his side. He could still smell her lingering scent.

    "For a while is fine as well. How about my wife shows me around?"

 Chapter 749: How did he manage to do it?

    Chapter 749: How did he manage to do it?

    ?

    A few hourster, Lara and Alec stood before the two-story building where the girls stayed. Both of them were exhausted from the day''s activities, their clothes slightly rumpled and in desperate need of a refreshing bath.

    Lara stretched her tired arms with a sigh, and Alec couldn''t help but watch her. The way her long orange hair, tied in a ponytail, cascaded down her back, and her calm eyes flickered with determination, was truly mesmerizing. There was a certain charm in her every movement, even in her fatigue, that captivated all his focus.

    Earlier, they had both sparred, and although Lara was not able to win, she managed tond several well-ced strikes on him.

    He could see that she had improved significantly in closebat, and her physical strength had increased too.

    Alec dipped his head low, surprising the woman standing beside him. Lara stepped back and raised an amused brow.

    "What?"

    He quickly adjusted his expression to one of remorse, determined to ensure that now that they were finally alone, he would spend some quality time with his girlfriend.

    "How about you invite me in? We haven''t spent time together since we are always busy. We should really make some time for each other... I am so tired that even if you asked me to leave, I don''t think I could."

    He lowered his gaze, adopting a feigned expression of fatigue.

    Lara chuckled softly, already ustomed to this drama, and approached him with a mirthful glint in her eyes.

    "Alright,e in with me."

    Alec''s lips curled upward as he followed behind her. Of course, he didn''t just want to spend time with her; he knew that Mia and Elli wouldn''t return for at least a day, as they were going to learn some new ancient spells from an instructor.

    With the entire building to themselves, he hurriedly asked the system to retreat into his mind space to give him some privacy.

    ''I will seal of the surroundings as well.''

    But his smile vanished, and he felt as if a cold bucket of water had been poured over him when the system informed him that he wouldn''t be able to enter the building.

    ''Why??''

    Soul didn''t have to answer him because Lara, who was walking ahead, suddenly bumped into an invisible barrier when she reached the entrance of the building. She gasped and rubbed her head.

    Alec arrived beside her.

    "What''s wrong?"

    He turned his head and reached for the wooden entrance to open it, only for his hand to collide with a thin barrier.

    "What the..."

    Soul''s voice echoed in his mind.

    ''I told you, you won''t be able to enter.''

    Alec''s eyes widened; he had a feeling that he definitely wouldn''t want to know why there was a barrier around the building.

    However, Soul, being a good system, provided its host with full information.

    ''Kyle constructed the barrier.''

    Alec snapped back in a sharp voice.

    ''I didn''t ask for the details!!''

    He rubbed his forehead, and seeing his deadpan expression, Lara, who already had an idea of

    what was going on, turned and walked away with augh.

    "I will join Mia and Elli. Go rest in your designated building."

    Alec stumbled after her, trying to catch up, but she vanished toward another ind.

    "Wait!"

    His voice echoed in the air as he red back at the two-story building, speechless.

    ''Now I can''t even enjoy my romantic life!''

    He stormed off in another direction, deciding to train more. It''s not like he had anything else to do.

    "I''m going to spar with him next time!"

    The system responded ordingly.

    ''I have calcted Kyle''s strength, and the chance of host winning against him is only 20 percent. Host should reconsider, but if host is determined, the system can look for some healing treasures in his mind space as a precaution in case you end up gravely injured with a few broken bones.''

    Alec froze in mid-air with a look of sheer disbelief. He wanted to ask the system who it belonged to and why it was taking Kyle''s side! But he swallowed his words and instead posed the crucial question.

    "Why only 20 percent? We are both clearly at the same rank. If it''s about naturalws, you know I can also control a naturalw-thew of gravity. So, why only 20?"

    Soul stayed quiet for a few seconds, seemingly trying to find the right words.

    ''It''s because, aside from his rank, which is simr to yours, he is stronger in every way. He possesses a powerful bloodline that is always prepared to do whatever it takes to eliminate any threats to his life. Plus, his luck surpasses the host''s luck. Even if Kyle identally makes a mistake in battle, the system is confident that his attack will hit the target simply because of his luck.''

    Alec''s jaw tightened. He clearly remembered being the stronger one in the past, so how had the gap between him and Kyle increased so much? Regardless, he was now even more determined to be stronger! He recalled Kyle''s luck stat and the unique ability ''nature''s favorite'' that he had because of it, letting out a dryugh.

    "So, he didn''t pick just a random title back then; he truly is favored by nature."

    He nced at his own luck stat, which had risen to (B-), and clicked his tongue.

    ''The difference between (S+)-rank luck and (B-)-rank is too huge! I can narrow the gap in our strength and be stronger, but how the hell am I going to increase my luck? Is that even possible?''

    For some reason, this time Soul spoke up almost enthusiastically, though the system mechanical voice sounded uncertain.

    ''It is possible. Host''s luck is the highest after Kyle, Bia, and Jian among everyone we''ve encountered so far. Host can boost his luck stat if heprehends more naturalws or consumes powerful essences. Finding a strong bloodline is no longer possible since the ancestors were sealed off by Azazeal; however, many monsters still retain traces of weaker bloodlines within their bodies, which the host can find and consume.''

    Alec digested the information. He knew about the ancestors who were sealed off in the second realm, but the knowledge about the bloodline was something new.

    ''I know Kyle''s luck is high, and Bia''s luck is high because of him... But how can you say that Jian has higher luck than mine? That''s not possible! Soul, don''t you remember he''s the unluckiest among us all?''

    He was aware of the divine artifact that was inside Jian''s body. It was a powerful artifact that helped him grow stronger by cing him in dangerous situations, but it also diminished his luck stat. Even if Jian had somehow removed that divine artifact from his body without him knowing, his luck stat couldn''t be this high, right?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Alec''s face dropped when the system told him that Jian''s luck stat was actually higher than Bia''s, just below Kyle''s. Jian''s luck stat had only been suppressed due to the divine artifact in his body, which he had somehow gotten rid of in the Lost Treasure Tomb.

    ''That''s not fair at all! Tell me how much higher his luck ispared to mine?''

    He hadn''t scanned Jian''s body, but he had asked the system to mark everyone in the Lost

    Treasure Tomb to assist them if they were in danger. So, Soul knew everything about Jian the

    last time he was around.

    ''(A-)-rank.''

    Alec chuckled and wiped away his nonexistent tears, feeling utterly miserable. Today was a

    terrible day.

    A truly awful day.

    He rushed toward another floating ind, now even more determined to train!

    He had been trying to elevate his physique, strength, and agility to the supreme rank, and he knew he was very close! This time, he decided not to break through first and to focus on his physique, strength, agility, and, most importantly, his soul strength. Suddenly, Alec paused when he caught sight of a familiar individual in the sky.

    "Huh, what''s Sinon doing in the sky?"

    He moved closer when he saw a light surrounding him and saw Sinon seated cross-legged in

    the midst of the clouds. A faint, nearly invisibleyer of silver and golden particles danced

    around him.

    "That''s spiritual energy..."

    He wanted to approach the man when he sensed a profound natural force in the air but stopped as Soul''s mechanical voice suddenly rang out in his head.

    ''Don''t disturb him. He is in a state where he can grasp a very powerful naturalw.''

    Alec took a deep breath, even silencing the sound of his breathing and heartbeat. A smile crept

    onto his lips.

    ''Sinon is close to understanding a naturalw? But what type of naturalw? He is only at the first stage of the transcendent rank. How did he manage to do it?''

    Without hesitation, he grabbed a powerful artifact and channeled his spiritual energy to form

    a barrier around Sinon.

    This ce was safer than the area where the war was ongoing, but an attack from the dark side coulde at any moment. So, it was notpletely safe. Additionally, any noise could disturb Sinon''s concentration.

    As a good friend, Alec felt it was his responsibility to make sure Sinon wasn''t disturbed; as for seeding in whatever the demi-human was attempting to achieve, that rested solely with

    Sinon.

 Chapter 750: You are the first person

    Chapter 750: You are the first person

    ?

    Inside a medium-sized, dimly lit bedroom, Yue''s eyes slowly fluttered open when she felt something cold around her waist. She nced down in a daze and saw a familiar, strong arm tightly wrapped around her, the touch bothforting and icy.

    She didn''t find it unusual that Kyle''s skin had begun to turn cold again; after all, his temperature had always been low.

    With a sleepy expression, she turned around in the bed, her heart racing slightly as she nestled closer into the cold embrace. The soft fabric of the sheets brushed against her skin, and she breathed in the faint scent of him, icy like the coolness of winter.

    In that moment, the world outside faded away, leaving just the two of them in their serene little bubble.

    Yue smiled, but suddenly she noticed something, and her eyes dted in rm. She didn''t sense any heartbeat from him! With a startled and fearful expression, she clenched his arm, her heart dropping.

    "Kyle?! Kyle!"

    The silence around her felt suffocating as she leaned closer in panic, hoping to hear the familiar rhythm of his heart, but all she felt was an unsettling stillness.

    Fortunately, before she could scream, a soft hum resonated above her, and the hand wrapped around her tightened further.

    "I am awake."

    Yue finally released the breath she had been holding when she heard his familiar voice and snapped her gaze upward. Kyle stared at her and offered a faint smile, but seeing his smile made Yue''s moist eyes turn red, and she punched him.

    "You just scared me!"

    She eximed, her voice filled with frustration as she quickly checked his heartbeat again. Hearing a faint rhythm return, she let out a sigh of relief.

    Kyle blinked with a hurt expression and rubbed his corbone where she had just punched him, his calm voice doing little to ease the tension in the air.

    "I didn''t mean to. My heart rate just slowed down for some reason. Don''t worry, I can sense it''s picking up pace again."

    Yue''s body shook at how casually he was handling the situation, and she pinched his waist hard with an angry expression.

    The moment his grip loosened around her, she pushed him away and vanished from his side. In the next instant, she appeared before the bed wearing a loose, knee-length flowing blue dress paired with light gray pants that entuated her figure.

    "For some reason? Shouldn''t you be looking for the reason behind this? Why are you treating such a serious matter so lightly?"

    She swallowed hard, her expression bitter.

    "I thought... I thought I lost you for a moment! Imagine sleeping next to your partner and waking up only to find their heart isn''t beating anymore!"

    "You''re such an idiot!"

    Kyle''s expression fell when he saw her crying. In an instant, he reappeared before her, quickly reaching out to wipe away the tear that had rolled down her cheek. A rare look of panic shed in his calm eyes as he blurted out whatever came to his mind.

    "I am sorry. It''s my fault. You''re right; I am an idiot. Please stop crying."

    He wrapped his arms around her, realizing that his many secrets were now hurting the only person he hade to love in his life.

    "I''m fine, and I am not going anywhere."

    Yue finally calmed down. She held her breath and listened to his heartbeat; it was no longer faint��it had quickened further and was now beating very rapidly and loudly, matching her

    own.

    She ced her hand on his heart and nodded before backing away.

    "You are fine..."

    Relief flickered in her eyes, but then hesitation clouded her gaze.

    "Can you tell me what happened a little while ago? Is something wrong with you?"

    He hadn''t even opened his mouth to respond when she hurriedly added.

    "It''s okay if it''s something you can''t share."

    Yue fiddled with her fingers, feeling a bit embarrassed by her own behavior. But she couldn''t me herself; she had just gone through so much in such a short time.

    Now, her mother and Kyle were the only ones she could truly call close family. If anything happened to him, she knew she wouldn''t be able to handle it.

    Kyle let out a soft sigh as he stared at the silent beauty standing before him.

    A warm and sweet tingle spread through his heart, even though right now his entire body had turned cold, just like ice.

    Noticing that his upper body was bare, glistening with a thinyer of ice, he moved toward the bed and picked up his shirt. With a quick motion, he slipped on the brown fabric that rested just above his pants. And then sat down on the bed, patting the space beside him and gesturing for Yue to join him.

    "Come here."

    Yue stepped forward and settled beside him. They shared a moment ofplete silence before countless golden symbols illuminated the air around them.

    Kyle used his spiritual energy, and Yue observed as the symbols eagerly absorbed it, intertwining and coalescing into a radiant barrier that enveloped them both.

    The barrier flickered with dense golden and silver glow, and she waspletely certain that even a powerful supreme rank would not be able to break through it.

    Yue tore her gaze away from the barrier when Kyle extended his palm.

    He met her eyes with a smile. It was fortunate that his bloodline had begun to stir again in his mind space, though this time the pace was very slow, as if it were assessing his body onest time to ensure it was ready.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He can just show it to Yue directly.

    "It''s because of this."

    He muttered softly, and Yue nced at his empty palm with a look of confusion. Her eyes widened when tiny, icy blue particles began to emerge from his skin.

    For some reason, her heartbeat quickened, and she held her breath at the sight.

    A dazed expression settled on her face as she stared at the particles, captivated.

    They were very small, resembling grains of sand, yet there was an undeniable allure to them; they felt like the most exquisite and beautiful treasures she had ever seen.

    Suddenly, almost instinctively, a word echoed in her mind: powerful-something

    extraordinarily powerful.

    The particles danced in the air, casting a mesmerizing, cold glow that seemed to pulse with an

    otherworldly energy.

    Yue felt an irresistible urge to touch them and extended her hand. Kyle watched her silently

    and didn''t stop her as her fingers brushed against his palm.

    But, as if scalded, the particles scattered away from her touch with a speed that was

    impossible for both of them to follow.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed as he attempted to stop them, but Yue quickly withdrew her hand, taking a sharp breath.

    "Just... what are they? They almost made me feel dazed for a second. Suddenly, I had this overwhelming urge to reach out and grab them; it almost felt like an insatiable desire. I''ve never felt like this before."

    Kyle raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly. He nced at the icy blue particles. Did they just attempt to tempt his wife?

    He closed his hand, and the particles eagerly vanished into his body.

    Then he held Yue''s gaze with a smirk. The barrier around them prevented anyone from prying,

    so he no longer hid anything.

    "I don''t like it, but it''s something very powerful. It has given me a lot, but it has also taken a

    lot from me."

    He paused for a second.

    "One thing is certain: 90% of the pain I''ve experienced in my life has been due to these tiny

    particles in my body. Yet, they are also what has saved my life time and again when I was on

    the brink of death."

    "I was born with it... I''m not sure what others call it, but the name I see in my mind is Celestial... Celestial bloodline."

    Yue''s eyes widened, and he pressed his lips to hers and whispered softly.

    "You are the first person I have told about my bloodline myself."

    He moved back, and Yue stared at him with disbelief written all over her face.

    Her breath hitched.

    "Celestial...?"

    She murmured, and Kyle nodded, amused by her reaction. It took her a few seconds to digest

    something so significant.

    The word ''Celestial'' was rare; no one in the universe had reached the true Celestial rank except Azazeal, the leader of the dark side.

    After the initial shock, a hint of excitement shed in her amber eyes as she stared at Kyle

    with a smile.

    "You have something so powerful in your body... does that mean you can reach the Celestial

    rank in the future?!"

    Kyle hummed with a thoughtful expression.

    "It depends. If I stay alive I can, but if��"

    His words were cut short when another punchnded on his shoulder. Yue hissed.

    "Don''t you dare talk about death! Now you are going to exin what is the connection between your heartbeat suddenly stopping and your bloodline! And why you said it has caused you so much pain!"

 Chapter 751: Is something about to happen?

    Chapter 751: Is something about to happen?

    ?

    Alec gazed at Sinon, who sat cross-legged within the barrier he had created.

    It had been two days, yet the demi-human showed no signs of opening his eyes or moving from his position.

    ''How much longer will it take him?''

    He asked Soul, but the system had no idea at all, so it remained silent.

    Suddenly, Carcel tapped his shoulder, and Alec turned to him with a questioning look. The golden-haired man assessed him from head to toe before clicking his tongue.

    "You have been here for two days. Go take a bath and change your clothes. It''s not like we can''t guard him."

    He pointed at Lara and Mia, who were floating behind him. The three hade here when they noticed Alec''s absence and found out that he was guarding Sinon, who was in a state of deep concentration. But since Sinon hadn''t moved from his ce, they could only watch him silently.

    Alec wanted to stay but agreed to leave when Lara gave him a piercing stare, clearly displeased with his condition.

    "Okay, I will be back soon..."

    He turned to leave toward the resting area but paused and nced at the two girls.

    "Did theye out of the building?"

    Lara and Mia both blinked at his words, confused. But then their eyes widened, and their faces flushed when they realized what Alec was talking about.

    Mia coughed lightly. At least telling Alec was easier than coaxing Bia, who wanted to go and check on Kyle. In the end, she had asked Elli to take care of Bia and buy her as much food as the phoenix wanted.

    "No, we haven''t seen Yue."

    Alec''s eyebrow twitched violently.

    Why did he get the impression that Kyle hade here not to participate in the ongoing war but to celebrate his marital retreat that he wasn''t able to have after his marriage?

    He didn''t dare to ask anything more, fearing he might worsen his good mood.

    After Alec disappeared toward one of the inds to bathe and change, a sudden loud ring sound echoed through the air.

    The sound echoed for only a few seconds, but everyone on the floating inds who knew the reason behind the noise froze when they heard the rming sound.

    Complete silence engulfed the area before numerous older individuals with panic and rmed expressions floated into the sky.

    Odiak and James also emerged from their residence with dark expressions. The loud sound came from the center of the floating inds, where an artifact was situated that would warn them if the seals of the Realm of the Dead were under attack.

    James turned his attention to Odiak.

    "Gather the elders and any strong individuals who aren''t engaged in the war and meet me in front of the seals."

    He didn''t say anything else, and before Odiak could respond and remind him that he needed rest as his soul hadn''t fully recovered, he vanished into thin air.

    The old dwarf cursed his recklessness and rubbed his throbbing forehead. Sophia and a few other older figures appeared before him with solemn expressions.

    "What''s going on? Kurt contacted us a while ago, which is why Razial and Elizabeth left. He didn''t mention that the seals were being attacked, so why is the artifact acting up?"

    Odiak''s eyes hardened as he looked at Sophia. The previous worry on his face faded into a monotone expression.

    "I have no idea. This is an emergency."

    His voice echoed loudly, catching the attention of everyone in the area.

    "Send urgent signals to all the supreme ranks on our side. Inform them that if they can leave their posts in the war, they must instantly head toward the seals that hold the realm of the dead. Something big has definitely urred! This is our mistake; we let our guard down just because two of the five shadow generals fell, and the others have been missing for some time!"

    Sophia and the few older individuals with her disappeared to inform the other elders and maintain order in the inds. After all, the suddenmotion had agitated the many individuals training on the inds.

    The remaining individuals in the sky assembled silently behind Odiak. The situation was critical, and there was no time to waste on trivial conversation

    An array master stepped forward and hurriedly drew a massive teleportation portal in front of crowd, and many people began to enter under Odiak''s gaze.

    Mia and Lara were the first to arrive on the scene. Carcel was still with Sinon, so the two quickly asked an older woman in the crowd behind Odiak what was happening.

    Their faces turned grim when the woman exined the reason for the loud rming noise that had echoed earlier.

    Lara furrowed her brows as the woman left their side to enter the teleportation portal.

    "Should we follow?"

    She nced at Mia, who silently stared at Odiak''s figure in the distance.

    "It''s dangerous. But we know that Alec will join when he finds out. So, we cannot just stand

    and watch. I will inform Carcel; you should wait here for Alec."

    Mia left her side, and before long, Lara saw Alec''s figure heading toward the crowd. He

    paused beside her, and before he could ask, she informed him about the situation.

    Alec wanted to talk with Odiak, but seeing the old dwarf surrounded by many others, he knew

    he couldn''t for now.

    "Let''s just follow the others."

    Lara nodded, and they moved with the people who were entering the portal.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    At that moment, a faint chilling aura suddenly spread through the air.

    Alec and Lara turned their heads back, along with everyone else floating in the area, only to see a familiar man d in a wrinkled white button-down shirt and blue trousers. The cold aura was emanating from his body.

    Kyle blinked his eyes a few times to clear his head and stared at the people before him with a calm expression.

    He had heard the noise and sensed the suddenmotion, which is why, despite feeling sluggish, he hade out.

    "What''s going on?"

    His voice was a bit too deep, as if he hadn''t drunk any water for days, and Yue''s figure appeared behind him with a worried look.

    They had stayed together for the past two days, and Kyle had told her everything about his bloodline. At first, he was fine, but a few hours earlier, his body started to be so cold that

    she could barely touch him.

    ording to him, this wasn''t the first time this had happened. He had experienced this feeling before, a long time ago on the blue when he awakened his bloodline.

    The older individuals stared at Kyle in silence, uncertain how to interact with the man who had killed two powerful shadow generals or what they should call him.

    They held deep respect and gratitude for him, as he had aplished what they could not in their entire lives. But Kyle had only recently joined them and had yet to be familiar with

    them.

    Odiak spoke up before Alec could.

    "We are going to check the seals of the Realm of the Dead because we just received an

    emergency signal."

    "Do you want toe along?"

    Kyle''s brows knitted together.

    The seals of the Realm of the Dead?

    He wanted to check on the seals as well, so he nodded, and everyone resumed entering the teleportation portal. He nced next to him when Yue grabbed his arm.

    "I wille along as well."

    Kyle wanted to nod, but then suddenly nced at her lower body with an uncertain expression, wondering if it was okay for her to fight after what they had done... Sensing his inappropriate thoughts, Yue pinched his arm with a furious expression.

    ''Stop thinking useless things!''

    Her voice echoed in his head as she left to join Lara. Kyle blinked and watched her with a wronged expression, wondering what he had done wrong this time.

    He turned back when he sensed Bia, and the phoenixnded on his shoulder with a look of bliss. Her tiny stomach was bulging, and Kyle understood she had been doing nothing but

    eating in his absence.

    "You''ve gained more weight."

    He raised his finger and flicked Bia''s forehead with a sigh, and the phoenix responded with a

    grumble.

    -"Talk about yourself! You''ve been absent for two days! Why is your body cold again?"

    Kyle didn''t answer; he moved and entered the teleportation portal. When everyone had left, Odiak also stepped into the portal, and it scattered into particles in the air.

    The air surrounding the many floating inds was very tense after the powerful individuals

    left, but it suddenly began to grow louder and more intense. A low rumble echoed through the atmosphere, and whispers of wind swirled, vibrating the air with a strange sensation that made everyone feel a sense of anticipation.

    As the noise grew, a few murmurs echoed in the air as the poeple training on the inds began

    to float to find the reason.

    With most of the powerful figures in the area gone, they felt even more agitated by the

    sudden movement of the wind.

    "Now what is happening?"

    "Is something about to happen?"

    "For some reason, I can sense a powerful natural force in the sky..."

    Silence settled in the air when suddenly a bright light began to illuminate a particr spot in

    the sky with an otherworldly golden glow before it disappeared, and the wind returned to its normal pace as if nothing had ever happened. Only Mia and Carcel, who had witnessed what transpired, were left shocked and at a loss for words.

 Chapter 752: Just how many fake bodies you have?

    Chapter 752: Just how many fake bodies you have?

    ?

    Kyle stepped out of the portal, but instead of finding himself in front of the seals, he found himself in an open expanse where a worn-out array was carved on the ground.

    He nced around and noticed that thend surrounding the array was deste. A lot of people were already standing on the array, and he quickly joined them.

    Kyle''s eyes shifted downward as he examined the symbols on the array; they were both old and worn. A look of surprise crossed his face when he realized he couldn''tprehend them. Ultimately, he memorized the design of the symbols to understand themter.

    After everyone had gathered on the array, Odiak used a golden orb, and a bright light surged from the array to envelop them all before they disappeared.

    Kyle opened his eyes as the sounds of battle echoed in his ears. He watched a tiny ice kend on his nose and noticed that everything around him was covered in ice.

    Countless snowkes poured down from the gray, sunless sky filled with clouds, but the dull whiteness nketing thend was tainted by blood raining from above as many powerful beings shed.

    Kyle spotted Ceano''s figure in the sky, the man wasughing as he ruthlessly attacked a supreme rank opponent.

    His eyes narrowed when he noticed two more figures above, their features identical to Ceano''s. All three had golden eyes and long peach-colored hair tied in ponytails that cascaded down their backs.

    "Fake bodies?"

    Kyle mumbled with a chuckle. He had already fought Ceano a few times, but the man always slipped away like a slippery insect, never truly dying at his hands. This was all because that cunning man never truly fought with his real body and sent the fake bodies he had created to battle.

    Now, looking at the three identical figures flying in the sky, Kyle couldn''t tell if any of them were real. A glint of darkness shed in his green eyes; whether real or fake, he was determined to ensure these three simr faces fell beneath his grasp.

    Odiak''s loud voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He watched as the old dwarf ordered everyone to charge forward. They all rushed toward James, who, alongside an injured middle- aged man with a scar on his chin, was fighting against a handsome man d in a sleeveless bloodied top.

    Kyle nced at Bia.

    ''Stay with Yue.''

    With a low tsk, the phoenix hurriedly followed behind Yue and Lara as the two women trailed Odiak''s flying figure.

    Kyle wanted to disappear, but he noticed Alec hadn''t moved from his spot.

    He nced to his side and saw Alec''s usually clear eyes filled with anger. With a raised brow, Kyle followed his gaze and noticed that Alec was staring at the handsome man fighting James. "You know him?"

    Hearing his raspy voice, which for some reason had grown even deeper, Alec shut his eyes and clenched his fists.

    Of course, he knew that man!

    Those arrogant eyes! That dark five-petaled flower in the center of his forehead! It was the very person who had forced him to sign the dark contract! The very person whose followers had harmed their!

    Fury surged inside Alec''s heart, so intense that he felt as if his blood were boiling. He had always prided himself on being a good person, and as long as he could, he would help everyone, striving to make the world a slightly more peaceful ce.

    The first time he fought in the war, he was chilled to the bone by the sheer amount of blood spilling every second, which was why he had gone on a rampage.

    However, soon, he became numb.

    The more he killed, the more merciless the poeple of the dark side grew, as if they had abandoned any regard for their own lives.

    That''s why, even though countless people were dying in the war, he retreated from the battlefield with his friends, hoping that the chaos their sudden involvement caused would subside to reduce the loss of life.

    But that didn''t mean he had forgotten the anger and hatred he felt toward the dark side and especially for this man.

    Alec took a deep breath and snapped open his eyes, pushing the dark thoughts to the back of his mind as he nced at Kyle with a solemn and eerily calm expression.

    "I know him, and he, Enthrall, the fourth shadow general, is my prey. You are not permitted to touch him."

    Kyle raised his brow as he watched Alec draw his sword. The de pulsed with a golden glow as Alec vanished toward the battle unfolding in the sky. Kyle expanded his scent perception skill and also disappeared into the fray.

    Yet, he paused midway when a faint scent of something very familiar reached his nose. His gaze shifted to Enthrall.

    "He smells like me. Why?"

    His question sounded strange, but his expression grew cold as he concentrated on the faint scent and realized why it was so familiar to him, as if it belonged to him.

    "How?"

    He could clearly sense a small amount of his soul''s essence within that man''s body.

    It was very faint, but there was no way he could mistake what truly belonged to him.

    No, the important question was how and when, Enthrall, the fourth shadow general had consumed a part of his soul...? He didn''t recall ever encountering him...

    Suddenly, Kyle blinked as a very old and painful memory resurfaced in his mind.

    "����?�ѧ���..."

    His loud, deepughter echoed in the air, finally catching the attention of everyone fighting. A look of astonishment, disbelief, and a touch of incredibility shed in his green eyes as he met Enthrall''s gaze, who looked back to see the audacious person daring tough so loudly. Ceano also noticed Kyle''s figure, and his expression turned solemn. He nced at his other two fake bodies, which hurriedly surrounded Kyle''sughing figure along with a few others from the dark side.

    The second shadow general could not afford to make a mistake today; he had nned too much and put too much on the line. So, he definitely couldn''t leave withoutpleting what he hade to do!

    The power structure in the universe had begun to shift due to Kyle, this anomaly that had emerged so suddenly.

    He simply wouldn''t die, no matter how Ceano tried to end him, and he was growing stronger with each passing day. If Ceano failed today, he was certain he would not be able to stand tall

    before his master.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Been a while. Fancy seeing you again. I heard you went to fight in the war a while back. What a pity I wasn''t able to wee you when you arrived here."

    Ceano tried to strike up a conversation with Kyle, his voice casual, but his eyes darted to the far end of the battlefield.

    There stood two tall, pristine crystal pirs, gleaming like beacons in the midst of the devastation of shattered stones and snow. Each pir was intricately carved, reflecting the dim light of the overcast sky, and they were surrounded by a powerful ancient array that

    pulsed with spiritual energy.

    They were thest of the many pirs that sealed the gates to the Realm of the Dead in this universe, a natural domain where the souls of the departed sought refuge and received a chance for reincarnation to a better life after atoning for their sins.

    The air surrounding the two pirs was thick with the chill of descending snow, each ice ke swirling around them in a delicate dance, but the warmth radiating from the pirs melted the ice before it could settle on their surfaces.

    Kyle wiped the corners of his eyes and stoppedughing. He never thought that the fragment

    of his soul he lost on the blue would ultimately be consumed by the fourth shadow general, Enthrall. This left him uncertain about how to feel.

    His eyes were smiling, and there was a smirk ying on his lips. However, those who saw him only felt a chill. For some reason, his expression and gaze were very unsettling.

    Kyle felt calm, very calm as he nced at Enthrall, who had resumed battling James and a few

    other opponents.

    He remembered how the loss of that fragment of his soul had plunged him into a deep slumber, preventing him from aiding his loved ones when they needed him most.

    He was angry; he could not show it, but he knew he was. Yet, he also found it amusing that the stolen fragment of his soul had somehow ended up with Enthrall.

    He noticed that two of Ceano''s fake bodies had surrounded him, but his focus remained on

    the fourth shadow general.

    Alec joined the fight against Enthrall, prompting Kyle to sigh.

    "What a pity. I would have enjoyed tearing his body apart, but someone else asked me not to

    touch him. So, I won''t."

    With that, he shifted his gaze from Enthrall and focused on Ceano.

    "Just how many fake bodies do you have?"

    He asked with a genuinely curious expression but was met with powerful attacks from every

    direction. Kyle chuckled.

    "It''s fine if you don''t want to answer. I will find out in time."

 Chapter 753: How annoying

    Chapter 753: How annoying

    ?

    Kyle''s figure darted across the battlefield, evading the attacks aimed at him. He didn''t rely on teleportation; instead, he utilized his speed to the fullest.

    One of Ceano''s bodies cursed loudly, and then all three of his forms followed closely behind him with sharp eyes. However, Odiak and two other individuals intervened to confront one of Ceano''s fake bodies.

    They all knew Ceano was powerful, as shown by his ability to create multiple fake bodies to fight for him, each possessing the same strength as if they were real.

    One of the remaining two fake bodies had to halt and engage elder Kurt, who, despite being gravely injured, wielded a massive halberd and attacked without hesitation.

    Kurt was a half demi-human with silver scales covering his body and a pair of small curved horns atop his head. His slightly pointed ears indicated that he was also a half-elf. He was muscr and appeared to have trained his physique for years, prioritizing it over everything else.

    As he watched Kyle, his brown eyes narrowed. He had heard about nature''s favorite but never thought the young man would be like him. Kyle had sculpted his physique so impressively that it was just slightly below his own.

    ''I like this kid more than the others!''

    Kurt''s satisfied words, apanied byughter, echoed in the minds of James, Odiak, Elizabeth, and Razial, causing them all to roll their eyes.

    This training maniac was still in the mood to check out others when they had such a pressing matter to address!

    He would never change!

    The elders intervention annoyed Kyle. He knew he would be overwhelmed fighting three Ceano when he had barely managed to defeat onest time, but he wanted to fight all three of Ceano''s bodies himself.

    Suddenly, he caught sight of Yue in the distance; a worried look was in her amber eyes, and his heart began to calm.

    He couldn''t afford to be a mess in front of her. He knew he was crazy-very, very crazy. Time had shaped him, but he still wanted to remain clear-headed in her presence. So, he let the others engage Ceano''s bodies. After all, there were too many people, and even if he wanted to fight Ceano himself, someone would definitely intervene to help.

    ''I will just have to make sure to be the one who ends all of Ceano''s bodies in the end.''

    He paused, and his golden sword materialized behind him. The chaotic trembling air quivered even more as he released his pressure. With a deep breath, all the memories of his past guing his mind began to fade into the background.

    He knew he wasn''t able to help his friends on the blue, and in the past, they had suffered alone in his absence, but he would not let the past affect him now.

    They were all fine, as was his family. They were all fine... Suddenly, he wondered how his father and brothers were doing.

    Kyle grasped the hilt of the sword, which trembled in anticipation. He calmly stared at Ceano. Now, only one of this man''s bodies remained, but he intended to eliminate the other two with his own hands as well.

    However, he was not certain which of Ceano''s bodies was real or fake. No, the main question was: is Ceano''s true body even here at the moment?N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "How annoying."

    Kyle clicked his tongue, and with a speed that only the supreme rank could capture, he attacked Ceano. In the next moment, a loud sh echoed through the air, and the sky above trembled as the de of his sword collided with another de.

    Ceano sneered, even though his hand holding the saber trembled.

    A bead of sweat rolled down his temple amidst the snowkes raining from the sky. He couldn''t believe that Kyle''s strength had increased since thest time they fought. But he remained calm.

    ''This bastard... just what the hell is he eating to be so strong! It took me countless years to reach where I am today, and he can already match my strength!''

    He clenched his jaw and pushed Kyle back, increasing the intensity of his attacks.

    Ceano knew there was something special in the human''s body, and he wanted to tear the human apart to get his hands on it, but he couldn''t focus on that now. His mission here was something different.

    The moment Kyle noticed that his opponent''s speed had surpassed his, he began using instant teleportation.

    The two shed in the air nonstop, their weapons colliding and sending sparks of electricity flying everywhere.

    Even though Kyle was using instant teleportation, he matched Ceano''s pace equally, shocking everyone watching.

    Kyle''s eyes glowed faintly, and familiar icy blue mes engulfed his form, casting an ethereal glow around him.

    The mes burned brighter and more fiercely, yet they appeared restless, as if eager to conclude the fight and vanish.

    As they spread around, the already frigid temperature in the surroundings dropped even further, creating a bone-chilling cold that swept through the air.

    Previously, no one fighting in the area was affected by the falling snow. After all, they were strong; their bodies would not even flinch in low temperatures. However, once the mes appeared, a strange icy chill suddenly began to bite at their skin.

    The atmosphere shifted, as if the very essence of winter hade alive with Kyle at its center. A thinyer of ice crept across his skin, almost making him appear like an otherworldly ice statue, but he appeared unbothered as he nced at Ceano, who moved back upon seeing the

    mes.

    Kyle hummed and vanished behind him. His sword shed with Ceano''s weapon as he channeled his spiritual energy into the de to enhance his attack strength.

    Ten minutes. He mumbled to himself as he sensed his bloodline stirring within him. For some reason, he knew his body was not in optimal condition to battle for long, and his bloodline

    was up to something again.

    That''s why he decided to end the man before him in no more than ten minutes before focusing on the others.

 Chapter 754: We are done here!

    Chapter 754: We are done here!

    ?

    On the far left side of the battlefield, Alec shivered as a wisp of frigid smoke escaped his mouth. Heunched a sword attack on Enthrall alongside Elder Razial after James left to aid Elder Kurt.

    His gaze shifted toward Kyle.

    ''If I''m feeling this chill from so far away, what the hell is Kyle, the origin of this cold, going through? His mes have turned too cold... Is his body alright?''

    The system''s faint mechanical voice echoed in his mind, and Alec was sure he sensed a hint of awe and regret in its tone.

    ''Don''t worry. The mes originate from the essence within his body, and his body has already adapted to the cold.''

    Alec narrowed his eyes sharply.

    He focused on the sudden regret he had sensed in Soul''s voice. Was the system regretting its failure to locate Kyle in time and its decision to attach itself to him?

    Alright, a petty smile appeared on his face as he stared at Enthrall. He wasn''t going to forget this. He would make sure Soul knew just how petty he could be!

    The system instinctively felt that something had gone wrong for some reason, and then it disappeared, turning eerily quiet.

    Enthrall''s expression turned furious when he noticed the strength of the blue-haired man before him suddenly increase.

    Alec''s sword glowed with spiritual energy, and the fourth shadow general was pushed back in mid-air. Enthrall''s face contorted in shock and extreme fury as he stared at the transcendent rank human before him.

    Even elder Razial, who was behind Alec, was surprised. The middle-aged man with pointy ears stared at Alec and drew an array on his back to increase his spiritual energy.

    Alec sensed the sudden surge of spiritual energy enter his body and attacked Enthrall with even greater force.

    Suddenly, a multitude of glowing arrows pulsating with powerful and violent energy rained down from the right side toward the fourth shadow general, forcing him to retreat, but one of them grazed his arm.

    Alec spotted Lara out of the corner of his eye and winked at her, prompting her to roll her eyes and change the direction of her bow to attack one of Ceano''s bodies.

    Enthrall stared at his bleeding arm with a dark expression before ncing at Alec and the woman in the distance.

    He let out a loud roar. He was the most rational among all the shadow generals. Not only was Enthrall rational, but he also ensured he never got the short end of the stick. He always bet on the side that would win; that''s why he had joined Azazeal.

    "You!"

    He wanted toment that until now, hardly anyone had ever managed to attain this level of strength, but now there were kids reaching it and surpassing him left and right. It was so absurd. He wanted to call it bullshit, but then suddenly recalled why this blue-haired man looked so familiar.

    "Ah... aren''t you one of my ves?"

    Hearing Enthrall''s words, Alec''s expression darkened. So, he finally remembered that he had forced Alec to sign a dark contract?

    "Shut up!"

    He spat out coldly and attacked again.

    Enthrall''s eyes flickered with a torrent of emotions. To think... to think this man had be so strong in such a short time.

    It hadn''t been long since he went to that tiny, weak to find the origin of that powerful soul he discovered and forced this man, who wasn''t even in the divine rank, to beg him. And now, that same person was fighting him on equal footing???

    "Who the hell released you from the dark contract? I am going to mice that individual into thousand pieces with my own hands!"

    He gritted his teeth, wanting toughugh at the nature that rendered everything so unfair for different people, favoring some immensely over others.

    The frustration and fury clouding his mind made him see red, and he wanted nothing more than to sink his nails deep into Alec''s heart. But he paused in his ce when a loud whistling sound rang out in the air.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The space in the center of the battlefield cracked open, and a tall figure d in an borate dark brown suit stepped out from the crack, emanating a powerful aura.

    Damien''s cold azure eyes surveyed the battlefield silently, absorbing everything around him. He nced at Kyle, and a hint of unease shed through his calm gaze as he recalled how this person had destroyed an entire right before his eyes.

    Everyone fighting in the vicinity tensed upon seeing the first shadow general, especially James, who was already struggling due to old injuries that hadn''t healed properly.

    James knew that if Damien entered the battle, the poeple on his side wouldn''t be able to withstand thebined threat of Damien, Enthrall, and Ceano.

    However, Damien''s next words shocked every single person in the area.

    "Retreat! We are done here!"

    Enthrall''s lips curled upward into a smirk. The previous frustration and anger faded into the

    background as he abandoned Alec and vanished toward Damien in a sh.

    Alec''s mouth hung open in shock, and he hurriedly tried to catch him but failed.

    Enthrall clicked his tongue as he paused beside Damien for a moment.

    "You took too long. You have grown old, and your strength has be rusty with time.

    Increase your power, or someone else will take your ce."

    Damien nced at him, fully aware that Enthrall had grown stronger and was eyeing his position as the first shadow general.

    He sneered in a challenging manner, and Enthrall responded with an expression that indicated he epted the challenge. And he was ready to fight him anytime.

    With that, Enthrall vanished into the crack behind him without looking back, as if he had nevere here to battle.

    Damien nced at one of Ceano''s bodies, and two of them instantly rushed toward the crack, disappearing behind Enthrall along with several other powerful figures from the dark side without looking back.

    His eyes widened suddenly, and many others who saw Kyle''s sword tearing thest fake body of Ceano in two equal halves felt a chill run down their spines.

 Chapter 755: Where are my practice targets?

    Chapter 755: Where are my practice targets?

    ?

    Kyle raised his eyes, which were entirely white, to meet Damien''s dted gaze.

    Everyone around him stared with held breath as he made a grabbing motion in the air, sessfully seizing an escaping wisp of something bright, tainted with darkness, from the two halves of the body before him.

    He clicked his tongue as he crushed the fragment of the soul in his hand. An eerily cold voice slipped past his lips.

    "A fake one."

    The moment his words fell, blue mes erupted from behind him, consuming the lifeless body of the man who did not even have the chance to scream in pain after he had manipted the naturalw of time within their proximity to bring the surrounding time under his control.

    His eyes returned to their normal green shade, and with a speed that astonished even him, he reached out to grab Damien.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The first shadow general instinctively jumped back to enter the crack behind him. His heart nearly stopped as a familiar fear surged within him, the same fear he had felt when Kyle destroyed an entire before his eyes. His breath hitched as Kyle''s icy cold fingers brushed against his skin, but he managed to slip into the crack.

    Kyle''s gaze zed over, the green hue deepening. He wanted to pursue and catch the fleeing enemies despite the many familiar voices shouting behind him to stop, but the crack before him sealed shut with a resounding thud, causing him to hiss as his foot, which had entered, became injured from being ensnared in the spatial rift.

    Blood emerged from his injury, but it froze into ice before it could scatter in the air.

    He shrugged off the pain, and ayer of ice instantly covered his wound, healing it as if he had never been injured at all.

    Kyle stared intently at the empty space before him, wanting nothing more than to bring back the shadow generals. Right now, his body was brimming with power, and he needed a way to channel it.

    His bloodline moved aggressively within his mind space, urging him to do just that: to fight, so it could forcefully merge with him.

    He tired to manipte the naturalw of time, but as he concentrated, a sharp pain akin to a thousand needles stabbed at his head, sending painful shockwaves through his body. The sensation slithered down his spine like a snake, constricting his focus and threatening to overwhelm him.

    Before hepletely lost focus, a pair of warm hands embraced him from behind, apanied by a familiar voice.

    "Kyle, snap out of it! The battle has ended!"

    He blinked a few times, and finally, the powerful, cold, suffocating aura that had unknowingly spread from his body began to disappear. Yue sighed with relief when she sensed him calming down, the icy aura retreating back into him.

    Kyle nced down at the arms around his waist, a guilty expression crossing his face as he noticed the ice creeping onto the pale skin. With a frown, he quickly moved away from the warm grasp.

    "You are harming yourself. I just lost focus for a second. It''s fine now-"

    He stopped midway when he noticed all eyes on him and that the falling snowkes surrounding him hade to a standstill, turning into a deep shade of blue.

    He could sense everyone breathing harshly, as if they were experiencing the coldest winter they had ever encountered.

    Then his eyes caught sight of many ice statues scattered across thend. Every single person from the dark side, who had been abandoned by the shadow generals, had turned into ice sculptures.

    "Ah... I did this? When?"

    A frown creased his brows, and Yue''s fingers twitched to smooth it out when she saw how his cold and handsome features were marred by confusion.

    Kyle scratched his chin, trying to piece together the events. He didn''t remember spreading his mes. So, when the hell did he attack the enemies in his surroundings?

    Seeing his bewildered look, everyone around him sucked in a deep breath, feeling somewhat relieved that this man was on their side. Because just recalling how the enemies fighting against them had turned into sparkling ice statues right before their eyes as raging blue mes engulfed them was enough to make them sweat.

    Bia, who had done absolutely nothing in the battle and just stayed close to Yue and Lara in her smaller formnded on Yue''s shoulder and gave him a thorough once-over.

    - ''Still breathing, I see. All good then.''

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched. He felt the urge to flick her forehead, but she flew away with a scowl, unwilling to be an ice cube, as a faint icy aura was still radiating from him.

    Alec moved toward him with a stiff expression. He wanted to pat his shoulder, but seeing the ice covering his body, he held his hand back and just rolled his eyes.

    "It doesn''t matter how you did what you did. We won; that''s what matters."

    Kyle raised an amused brow at him. He thought Alec would be upset knowing that Enthrall had escaped from his grasp, but it seemed that due to whatever he had done, thetter was more focused on him.

    He wanted to respond when a loud battle cry echoed through the air, instantly capturing everyone''s attention.

    Everyone turned their heads toward the voice and noticed Elder Sophia and Hal flying through the air, followed by Carcel, Sinon, Mia, and many others.

    Sinon, who had just shouted to announce his presence to the enemies, froze when he saw not a single foe in sight.

    "Where are the shadow generals? Where are my practice targets, the ones I''m supposed to test my new powerful moves on???"

    "Come out!"

    He looked eagerly from left to right, excitement coursing through him, but all he could see was an expanse of snow stained with blood, scattered dead bodies, and ice statues that appeared to belong to the people from the dark side.

    "Huh??"

    Sinon was speechless. When did fighting off the shadow generals be so easy? Or was he

    just toote?

    Just like him, Sophia, Hal, and the others were equally confused. James exined the situation to the two elders, and their eyes widened briefly before they rxed, faint smiles lighting up their faces.

    Finally, they had dealt a substantial blow to the shadow generals, enough to send them fleeing with their tails between their legs.

    However, they also knew that this sudden assault from the shadow generals was not something they could easily overlook. The dark side was clearly up to something, and the anxiety of the unknown was the most unsettling feeling they could experience.

    Unlike James and the elders, who instructed those with them to clear the battlefield and proceeded to examine the seals of the realm of the dead, Kyle''s gaze was fixed on Sinon.

    More precisely, he focused on the empty space behind the demi-human. Sinon''s massive wings... they were missing.

    Alec, Lara, Yue, and Bia also noticed the anomaly. They hurriedly approached him with curious expressions. Kyle wanted to follow when he spotted Elder Kurting toward him

    with a broad smile.

    The muscr man rubbed his hands together nervously and looked at him. At first, seeing Kyle''s powerful physique made him consider making him his disciple, but after witnessing Kyle''s strength just now, he abandoned that idea. He knew that with such power, having a master was the least of what Kyle would want.

    "How about bing my sparring partner? I am highly skilled in closebat and have a lot of experience. I can assure you, my friend, you won''t regret it."

    Kyle examined him from head to toe. His body was marked by many injuries, some so severe that bones were visible. Instead of taking the time to heal, he hade to him seeking to be

    his sparring partner?

    "Alr..."

    His voice sounded a bit strange to even his own ears, causing him to clear his throat before he gazed at the burning eyes staring at him with anticipation.

    "Alright, but..."

    He had yet toplete his sentence but Elder Kurt had already disappeared toward James with a joyful expression, telling him that the kid was nothing like the cold and emotionless person he had described and was actually quite good-natured!

    Kyle wanted to tell him that he was skilled in closebat and that if they sparred, he might identally break his bones.

    However, seeing the elderugh despite his injuries, he swallowed his words and chose to

    save that information for another time.

    He turned and made his way toward his friends. Sinon wasughing with a proud expression

    as the others surrounded him.

    Kyle felt many eyes on his back as the people clearing the aftermath of the battle secretly sneaked nces at him. His ears twitched as he heard their whispers of praise, marveling at

    how they had never seen mes so cold and powerful. Well, that was to be expected; he had just destroyed one of Ceano''s bodies in front of everyone and even killed many others from the dark side. He could only hope the attention on him would fade with time.

 Chapter 756: It kind of smelled like the Tree of Fate

    Chapter 756: It kind of smelled like the Tree of Fate

    ?

    Kyle paused a short distance from his friends and fixed his gaze on Sinon. He had already overheard Sinon telling Alec, Lara, and Yue that he had mastered a formidable naturalw. As an added bonus, he had also learned how to hide his wings.

    Noticing Kyle''s arrival, Sinon grinned and shed him a boastful look.

    "I have be much stronger! Even more so than that half-fish!"

    Kyle raised an eyebrow, and without needing any prompting, Sinon voluntarily raised his hand and announced to everyone around him that he would now demonstrate the naturalw he had learned.

    Sinon wore a solemn expression, and to heighten the dramatic effect, he decided to bring out his wings, which had be more beautiful with his advancement.

    In the next moment, a stunning pair of silver wings with golden edges emerged from his shoulder des.

    His eyebrow twitched when he heard the sound of his shirt tearing-alright, he forgot to think about this important issue.

    However, everyone was focused on his wings and didn''t notice his small mishap.

    The silver wings were embellished with intricate, swirling designs that mirrored the gentle flow of the wind. The golden ents within the silver shimmered in the dim light, casting a radiant glow that highlighted their ethereal beauty.

    Kyle gazed at the wings in silence. They were truly beautiful, and he wondered if he could get a pair for himself. Yet, when he thought about how heavy they might feel on his body and the responsibility of caring for them, he decided against it.

    Bia has wings, and that was more than enough for him to manage.

    He snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed the gentle breeze swirling around Sinon suddenly surge with overwhelming intensity; in no time, the wind transformed into a calm yet ferocious whirlwind.

    Carcel and Mia, who had witnessed this once, maintained their distance from Sinon, while the others instinctively moved back.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    They watched as the space around the demi-human began to buckle and copse under the immense pressure of the wind.

    The air crackled with various types of energy, swirling fiercely, as if the very sky itself were responding to Sinon''s presence. Then, it all transformed into a gentle breeze and vanished, as if what they had seen was merely an illusion.

    Alec let out a chuckle when Sinon finished his shy demonstration. He moved closer and draped his arm over his shoulder.

    "That was powerful! You can nowmand the wind. Well, I wouldn''t expect anything less from someone who chose the title ''Ruler of the Skies'' for himself."

    He paused for a moment, as if recalling something very important.

    "Truthfully, Nine and I thought the first naturalw you wouldprehend would be rted to water, given that you have so many water-type skills!"

    "I guess we were wrong!"

    Sinon''s lips turned downward when he heard his words. Instantly, he recalled a time in the past when he had seen Kyle taking a very weak water-type skill core.

    At that time, he believed that water-type skills were powerful and began collecting them. As a result, nearly 80% of his skills were now water type. He almost pulled out his hair when heter discovered from Nine that Kyle only had one water-type skill, and the man used it solely to take a bath!

    His expression soured at the memories, and with a swift and precise motion, he elbowed Alec squarely in the stomach, causing him to hiss in surprise.

    Alec clenched his stomach and hurriedly distanced himself from him when he saw another attack aimed at him.

    "Why??"

    He groaned with an aggrieved look, but Sinon just sneered at him with a tsk.

    While they were chatting, James and the elders watched them with expressions filled withplexity. They had witnessed Sinon effortlessly demonstrate the naturalw he had mastered, leaving them feeling sour.

    And why wouldn''t they be?

    It had taken them countless years to learn the naturalws they could manipte!

    But these youngsters were mastering the naturalws with such ease, as if it were a simple stroll beneath the sky...? It seems their generation had finally been outpaced by a new and more formidable one.

    James shook his head and turned his gaze back toward Elder Razial, who was floating in front of the two tall, radiant pirs.

    "Is there any issue with the seals or the ancient array protecting them?"

    Razial traced a few strange symbols in the air for onest check and shook his head.

    "There''s no problem. The seals are secure. But if the shadow generals weren''t here to destroy the seals, then why...?"

    James narrowed his eyes, his mind racing to uncover the reason behind the sudden attack as The nced at the elders.

    "I have a bad feeling about this, but the universe''s will hasn''te to check on the seals, which means they are not in danger. Still, we must strengthen the guards around the seals. Now, alongside Kurt, Hal and Sophia, you two should also stay here."

    Hal and Sophia nodded.

    After Odiak ced a few more protective artifacts around the two pirs, despite the presence of many strong artifacts already guarding them, James turned around and announced for everyone to return.

    Kyle nced at James when he heard his words and silently trailed behind Yue and the others as they followed the individuals who were going back.

    Elder Sophia, Hal, and Kurt stayed behind with several other powerful individuals. The three elders floated and observed as James and those following him ascended the array they had used to arrive at this ce.

    As Kyle stood on the array, the icy aura emanating from him caused him to keep a small distance from those around him. Yue cast him a very disapproving nce, but he acted as if he didn''t sense her eyes boring holes into his head.

    He nced in the direction of the seals of the realm of the dead as the array beneath him illuminated. If he recalled correctly, he had sensed a faintly familiar scent among the various odors surrounding the seals while he was fighting Ceano.

    But he wasn''t able to identify what it was because the faint scent entirety vanished after the

    shadow generals left.

    "It kind of smelled like the Tree of Fate..."

    He mumbled almost instinctively, but his words were lost in the air as his figure vanished alongside the others.

    ....

    A while ago, Damien gasped sharply, clutching his pounding heart tightly as he stepped out of the crack before him and tried to shut it. He panicked when he sensed Kyle following closely behind him and only rxed a little when he closed the crack with all his might.

    A cold snicker echoed behind him, and he turned to see Enthrallughing at him with a mocking expression.

    Damien''s eyes turned cold as he met the familiar sapphire gaze of the man who held the power to create true illusions and even drive every type of living being mad with just a few

    glowing particles.

    "You want a fight? We will go back and fight in front of a crowd, just as you wish."

    He uttered with an nk expression, but Enthrall just clicked his tongue in response.

    "You two still think you''re strong, huh?"

    He pointed at Ceano''s two bodies; one of them was fine, but the other was coughing up blood and had fallen to the barrennd below with a ghostly pale face.

    "Look at him. You can sense it, right? He lost another of his fake bodies. That means he lost a

    portion of his strength and a piece of his soul! How wasteful! If only he had given that part of

    his soul to me!"

    Damien clenched his jaw as he nced at Ceano''s real body below on the barrennd, clearly

    handling immense pain.

    It was an open secret among the shadow generals that if Ceano lost a fake body he had created with a fragment of his soul as a catalyst, he would also lose a significant portion of his strength. After all, such a formidable ability to create fake bodies came with its own set of

    consequences.

    Enthrall sighed with mock sadness.

    "Now Ceano''s current power is at the mid-stage of the supreme rank. I''m sure that person...

    what was he called again? Kyle, right?! He must have also noticed that his opponent has grown a lot weakerpared to before. Ha! If Ceano loses another body, his strength will drop to the initial stage of the supreme rank."

    "Then even a single attack from those useless elders under James would be enough to end him

    His words were cut short when Ceano screamed from below.

    "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Or else I will help sew your mouth shut!"

    The air around Ceano trembled as an overwhelming aura surged from his body. He raised his

    fist and punched down on the ground, causing thend beneath him to disintegrate into a

    cloud of dust.

    "That bastard!"

    He screamed and unleashed his anger, destroying everything in sight. Enthrall immediately mped his mouth shut and, under Damien''s scornful eyes, fled the ce. He knew his tongue was trouble, and he had a habit to make sharp remarks that made everyone want to draw his blood. But he wasn''t an idiot; he understood when it was time to

    retreat.

    Damien stared at his fading image with pure disdain and ridicule before moving away to let Ceano release his anger.

    It was very rare for Ceano to lose hisposure, but he understood why he had done so. Ceano valued strength above all else; the only reason he had joined Azazeal was his desire for

    power, and now that very thing was being taken away from him.

    After a long while, Ceano paused and hovered in the sky as he silently surveyed the

    devastation he had caused.

    The barrenndy in utter ruins, the surrounding mountains reduced to dust, and the scant greenery that had once been visible was now nothing but ashes.

    He straightened his wrinkled clothes and properly tied the loose strands of his long peach- colored hair in a ponytail as they cascaded down his back.

    The frustration and indignation in his golden eyes subsidedpletely, and he nced back

    at Damien with a calm face, as if his earlier outburst had been nothing but a figment of

    imagination.

    "So, I believe you seeded?"

    Damien nodded, not considering that the mental state of the man before him was far from right. They were all crazy anyway; that was why they followed Azazeal.

    "I nted the fragment of the Tree of Fate''s core that Enthrall stole. If everything goes

    ording to n, the two seals will crumble on their own in a few months. We just need to

    inform master when it''s done."

    Ceano''s lips curled upward into a sweet smile as he looked away.

    "Good, I expect a substantial reward from master after we are done. After ll, I have sacrificed

    the most in all of this."

 Chapter 757: Finally! We are here!

    Chapter 757: Finally! We are here!

    ?

    A monthter, high above the tform where travelers from across the universe descended to enter the Forsaken Land, a flying ship devoid of any emblem marking its origin emerged from a rift.

    The ship descended gracefully, touching down at the heart of the tform.

    Some of the guards stationed around the tform immediately sprang into action to learn from which the neers who hade to join the war hailed.

    As the wooden stairs, firmly secured with handrails attached to the ship, descended, an elderly man in flowing robes, with brown hair and dark eyes, stepped down, clutching a glowing map in his hand. He was followed by a throng of individuals.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Han lifted his head to meet the eyes of the two guards approaching him and the group behind him, sighing with relief.

    Atst, after a month of wandering, they had finally found this ce.

    However, he had no regrets.

    In fact, even if he could go back in time, he wouldn''t mind if their journey took a month to reach this destination, as it had been free of danger and filled with countless valuable

    opportunities along the way.

    The greatest opportunities they encountered were in the Sacred Divine Land, which was their first stop after leaving the blue.

    It was there that they discovered the location of the Forsaken Land after meeting some old demi-humans.

    Jian poked his head out from behind Han who greeted the two guards, excitement sparkling in his crimson eyes.

    "Finally! We are here! I can already sense Alec''s and the others'' presence in the air!"

    He raked his callused fingers through his messy red hair, further disheveling the long strands that were loosely tied in a ponytail, reaching down to his shoulders.

    The explosive aura surrounding his body and the well-defined muscles on his frame made it clear that he had not been cking at all. In fact, he appeared stronger. And why wouldn''t he? After all, he had reached the final stage of the transcendent rank.

    Kelvin draped his arm over Jian''s shoulder with a solemn expression.

    "The air here isn''t clean at all. There''s too much dark energy."

    Jian nodded in response to his childhood friend''s question before pulling him closer with a serious look.

    "You, don''t you dare leave my side. I told you, you aren''t strong enough to be here! But no, you had to follow!"

    Regius stepped between the two and separated them before tapping his knuckles on Jian''s head with a click of his tongue.

    "Don''t babysit him. Kelvin''s already at the (SSS)-rank, thanks to the divine essence. He isn''t weak. If he doesn''t face challenges, he will never be able to advance!"

    He nced back at the people behind him and sighed. They hadn''t intended to bring so many individuals with them.

    However, many were determined to follow the two, and their resolve yielded positive results, all thanks to Kyle''s father!

    Among the crowd were several familiar faces: Elder Han''s wife Serena, Yue''s old friends Lumi, Faith, and Niamh, Kyle''s older brother Neon, a former student of the Royal Academy Lily, and King Istalian''s son Lucus, apanied by his friend Sen, someone Kyle had entirely forgotten with time.

    Sensing Regius''s gaze in her direction, Lily gracefully tucked the strands of her long dark hair behind her ear before ncing at Jian with a charming and innocent smile.

    "Regius is right. We are not weak. It was our decision to follow both of you, so it''s our responsibility to protect ourselves."

    Jian clutched his heart dramatically at the sight of the beautiful woman, but Regius swiftly pped his head, reminding him that thisdy was trouble.

    She had cunninglyined to Kyle''s father, who had somehow be one of the strongest individuals on the blue, alongside his butler, Eon.

    Kyle''s father, Ohan, had opened his own academy with Eon to guide the younger generation and had be the most renowned figure on the blue.

    Jian and Regius had asked the old man how he had achieved the pseudo-divine rank so soon, and he easily told them that he and all his sons possessed a powerful ice bloodline, which they had unlocked after Kyle did something to their bodies. Once their bloodline was unlocked, Ohan, who simply consumed many of the treasures Kyle left behind because they tasted good, became stronger, even though he just wanted to remain an ordinary mortal.

    Ohan remained remarkably calm as he revealed this huge secret, as if he feared nothing. When Regius and Jian asked him what he would do if people came to harm him to obtain his bloodline, Ohanughed and confidently replied that his sons were more than strong enough to protect him.

    Lily had somehow gotten close to Kyle''s father and manipted him into pressuring Jian and Regius to take her with them. To make matters worse, she convinced Ohan and Eon that the talented young individuals on the should all strive to be stronger and bring glory to their.

    And those old fools had actually agreed!

    Jian grimaced as he recalled the day-long scolding he received from Kyle''s father. He remembered how Ohan had emphasized the importance of helping others and how much he missed his youngest son, yet they had not brought him back.

    He averted his gaze from Lily.

    Although she was very beautiful, her innocence was so pronounced that it almost seemed feigned.

    Jian found himself thinking that Seraphine, Nine''s sister who wanted toe along but couldn''t because of the sea people and the mer queen, was actually better than Lily. But he shook his head when he recalled that Nine hated his sister a lot and would have actually killed her if she hade here!

    The guards talking with Han frowned when they sensed his strength and the strength of the people behind him.

    Except for Regius and Jian, everyone else was in the mortal ranks below (SSS+)-rank. But they didn''t look down on them.

    Over the years, all types of weak and strong individuals hade to join the war, either because their sent them or because they simply wanted to experience the thrill.

    Some had grown stronger, while others had perished. So, why would they judge anyone just for being weak? As long as this group contributed to the war, that was enough.

    Silently, after recording the name of the that Han and the poeple with him came from, the guards provided them with armor adorned with a gray sword design on each piece. And everyone epted it.

    In that moment, a fist-sized, white-winged boar flew out of the ship docked behind the group, his expression sad, andplex as hended on Jian''s shoulder.

    "Kid, I told you I didn''t want toe... why did you have to bring me here?"

    Haylee cursed under his breath when he sensed his master''s presence nearby. He had beenpletely fine residing in the ancient realm on the blue just a few months ago when Jian and Regius had swaggered in and destroyed the entrance, converting it into public

    property.

    A month ago, they had even dragged out the two powerful beasts, the white boar and the chameleon, which had been left behind to guard the ancient realm, iming they would take them back to their masters.

    The chameleon managed to escape, but Haylee was captured and brought here.

    Jian chuckled when he heard the boar grumbling on his shoulder.

    "Be grateful I remember you, unlike your master who has forgotten you. Now that we are

    here, you should break the bond you have with another. I want apanion, and you aren''t bad! That was the main reason Regius and I went to that realm to retrieve you and that

    chameleon who escaped."

    Haylee fell silent for a while.

    "You know I cannot get stronger than I already am. My potential has reached its limit. I have even consumed divine essence, but nothing worked... There''s no use in you bonding with me. Also, don''t you dare speak ill of my master! He is the strongest person I have ever met!"

    Jian snorted as the guards led everyone toward an array, exining they had to join the war first and foremost and earn credits before they could get the chance to meet James and the

    powerful elders.

    "Strongest person? At that time, James had barely reached the divine rank. How can you call him the strongest? I am at the pinnacle of the transcendent rank, and considering my luck has improved so much recently, I can just find a powerful treasure for you to be stronger! You just need to break your bond with James ande to me!"

    As he bickered with Haylee, Neon could no longer hold back and tapped Regius on the shoulder to get his attention.

    Regius turned around to face the ck-haired man, who looked quite handsome in the fitted suit he wore. He was especially courteous, knowing that Neon was Kyle''s older brother, and Kyle was someone he would never want to offend.

    "Yes, big brother, how can I help you?"

    Neon''s eyebrow twitched. He was still not used to how effortlessly Regius and Jian began

    referring to him and Ray as brothers the moment they met them, as if they were truly family. He wondered just how strong his younger brother had be to make Regius and Jian, who exuded an aura of power strong enough to destroys and reshape the sky, behave so

    politely around him and his family.

    He pushed aside his thoughts.

    "When can we meet Kyle? You know I especially came to see him. It''s been so many years; I

    can''t even remember when was thest time we talked."

    Regius scratched his chin.

    "That would be a bit difficult. We actually have no idea about Kyle''s current location, and after separating from the others, we lost contact. But there''s no need to worry; we know Alec

    and the others are here, so we can meet them by joining the war and find out if Kyle is

    around." Neon nodded, but in that moment, everyone suddenly fell silent. The numerous guards around them all paid respect to someone in the sky, causing everyone to look up, only to see a

    handsome figure floating there.

    James''s eyes narrowed with manyplicated emotions as he looked at Haylee, who averted his gaze as if he didn''t recognize him at all. He had sensed his presence a while ago... At first, he thought he was imagining it. After all, how could his first bonded beast, whom he hadn''t

    seen in over a thousand years, be here? But when the presence he sensed didn''t vanish even

    after a long time, he arrived here.

    "Haylee?"

    He called out, and Haylee finally turned to him with a wistful and sad expression before

    responding in a barely audible voice.

    "Master..."

 Chapter 758: Why didnt you tell me earlier?

    Chapter 758: Why didn''t you tell me earlier?

    ?

    James closed his eyes as guilt washed over him. He let out a heavy sigh beforending in front of the group of people.

    Han, the oldest among them, stepped forward to greet the man who seemed to be quite famous, as every guard in the vicinity looked at James with respect.

    "Hello, we are..."

    Han couldn''t finish his words because James raised his hand to stop him.

    "I know. You are from the blue. It''s nice to see that my is still thriving."

    James''s eyes traveled to Haylee, who had lowered his head. He spoke in a soft voice. "Come here."

    Jian snickered, his eyes glowing as he prepared to fight the man who seemed to be trying to steal his future bonded beast. However, he gasped with a hurt expression when Haylee actually left his shoulder. He sat down on James''s right arm and lifted his head with a hint of joy when James raised his other hand to caress him.

    Haylee was a rather reserved and never approached anyone willingly. That''s why, when the white boar went to the dark-haired man so easily, the scene was so shocking that even Regius had to double-check to ensure he wasn''t imagining things.

    Jian muttered a curse under his breath. A bit annoyed, but seeing Haylee''s obedient behavior, he had a hunch that the person before him was none other than the boar bondedpanion. He stepped forward and took in James''s appearance. A tall figure with a strong concealed aura. "Who are you? Hello, I am Jian, and the people behind me are with me. We were nning to join the war, but you appear to be quite powerful here. Can you contact the powerful supreme elders? We just want to know about Alec and our friends'' location. Thest we heard from them, they were on their way to join the war."

    James finally took in Jian''s features: crimson hair and eyes. He blinked when he sensed his bone age, which was simr to those powerful young monsters residing on the floating inds, along with his peak transcendent rank strength. Truthfully, he was encountering far too many people who had reached the transcendent rank at such a young age as if it were nothing, which caused him to doubt his own potential.

    "You know Alec?"

    Hearing the name, every guard in the area perked up their ears, their eyes shing with excitement. And why would not they? In the past month, Alec had be quite popr in the Forsaken Land. He was only second to the powerful Ice Monarch, who was also known as nature''s favorite by everyone.

    Jian thumped his chest with a grin.

    "Of course! We are childhood friends who grew up together-"

    His lying self received a p on the head from Kelvin, who was standing behind him. The former prince rolled his eyes hard at his friend, who had be so skilled at lying.

    Jian hissed, unsure whether to cry orugh. He had grown so strong, but Kelvin still held the upper hand. He was more like a brother, reminding his little brother not to lie.

    James''s eyes flickered with amusement at the scene as he directly gazed at Haylee to know if the youth was telling the truth. The boar nodded at him with a serious look.

    "Master, he is not lying. He knows Alec."

    With a hum, James nced at the people behind Jian. They were not powerful; aside from Jian and the elf at the end, the others were all in the mortal ranks.

    His expression grew serious. The joy that had lit up his face upon seeing his bonded beast after such a long time vanished. Jian and everyone behind him regarded him with eager anticipation, but they were met with disappointment by his next words.

    "It doesn''t matter if you know Alec or not. Rules are same for everyone. You all need to participate in the war and earn enough credits; only then can you meet him. Those are the rules, and I won''t change them."

    His expression waspletely emotionless as a formidable aura radiated from his body, not to harm but to signal the guards-who had frozen upon his arrival-to resume their duties, give this new group of people the blue rings, and send them to war.

    Jian wanted to argue with this man and unleash his own aura to prove he wasn''t weak, especially if thetter was seeking a good fight! But Regius and Kelvin stopped him just in time. They were unaware of this man''s identity, so they knew they could not risk provoking a powerful individual in this unfamiliar and dangerous ce.

    Han quickly stepped forward and hid the angry red-haired young man behind him before politely nodding at James.

    "We will join the war. We are not here to break rules and do not wish to be treated any differently than anyone else."

    James hummed at the older man, who appeared to be a powerful array master, noting the strong symbols carved on his robes and the brooch he wore.

    He gently caressed Haylee''s wings and prepared to leave as the guards began their duties, leading Jian and his group toward the array at the edge of the tform that would transport them to the war.

    Lily watched James holding the white, winged boar with great interest in her calm eyes. However, since she was inpany, she maintained her facade.

    She silently decided to learn about the strongest person in this ce and charm him to make her path easier.

    At that moment, Neon suddenly called out to James, hesitation evident in his eyes.

    James, who had turned to tear the space before him, paused when he sensed the hesitant voice behind him. He turned around with a calm expression.

    "Is there anything else you want to say? Regardless, you have to join the war..."

    Oh, how he regretted his words when he heard Neon''s next statement. He almost wished he could turn back time and hit his past self for uttering those cold words and for not behaving more politely toward this group of individuals from his home.

    Neon straightened his clothes.

    "I want to know about my younger brother. He might be here, but I am not certain. Have you heard his name around?"

    He paused for a second.

    "His name is Kyle. Kyle Ohan. He has green eyes and is nearly as tall as I am. No, he might actually be taller than me now."

    James''s eyes widened slightly as he stared at the man before him, like a hawk, trying to peel away everyyer of deception to find out the truth behind his words.

    However, his expression turned awkward and panicked when Haylee informed him that Neon

    was telling the truth.

    "You... are Kyle''s brother?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Before Neon could respond, James chuckled, his demeanor taking a sudden 180-degree turn

    that left everyone around him dumbfounded.

    "Why didn''t you tell me earlier? Hah!"

    James waved at the guards around them with a distressed expression.

    "How the hell are you all doing your jobs? Why didn''t you inform me that these people are

    important guests?"

    Jian and Regius''s jaws dropped at the turn of events. They couldn''t believe that all they needed to do was mention Kyle''s name for their treatment to change so drastically!

    James patted Neon on the shoulder.

    "Come with me. There''s no need for any of you to join the war. Kyle has earned a lot of credits in the past month; they are enough for all of you to train under the elders."

    He turned around hurriedly and tore open the space before him. A rift formed in front of everyone, and the group dazedly stepped through it behind James.

    Even Haylee was surprised to see his master acting so strangely upon hearing Kyle''s name. What he didn''t realize was that Kyle was currently very important not only to James but also

    to all the elders.

    Kyle had defeated two powerful shadow generals and destroyed three of Ceano''s fake bodies. Thus, the idea of Kyle''s family joining the war unsettled James. No matter, he just could not afford to let the enemies exploit any of Kyle''s weaknesses.

    Before long, they all found themselves standing on one of the floating inds. James extended his senses, and two powerful old elves emerged from the surrounding inds to

    greet him.

    They hadn''t seen him in a while, so they were surprised to see him with a group of weak people and a beast on his arm.

    James instructed them to lead the group behind him to a living quarter near where Alec and his friends lived. It was quitete; even without a sun or moon in the sky, the area had darkened significantly. James was certain that everyone would have returned to their living

    quarters by now.

    But how wrong he was. Suddenly, a thunderous explosive noise echoed in the dark sky, followed by an icy chill in the air that bit at their skin.

    All eyes turned toward the sky, just in time to see a sea of icy blue mes engulfing it in a cold embrace. Then, from the heart of the mes, a muscr man with a scar under his eyes was

    hurled out.

    Kurt cursed for the umpteenth time as he tried to regain his bnce. His entire body ached

    with pain, but he chuckled and wiped the blood from the corners of his mouth as Alec, Carcel, and Sinon were hurled after him, their bodies battered by the cruel human they called friend.

    "Good to know that I am not the only one suffering this time. Haha!"

    He choked on hisughter as the pain crawling on his skin became worse. Kurt had just swapped ces with Elder Jane to return and fight Kyle again, despite having

    lost the previous two battles to thed very, very badly. This time, the three kids joined him to take on Kyle, but who would have thought that even though they were sessful innding a few punches, the moment he unleashed his icy mes, they would suffer terribly?

    Alec spat out the blood that had pooled in his mouth. Kyle wasn''t merciful at all! To make matters worse, his punches were heavy and packed with explosive power! Sinon, who was in even worse condition than him, just wanted to end this battle! He regretted his decision to join Alec and Carcel to overpower Kyle for once! Carcel simply straightened his wrinkled clothes. He was the calmest of them all. Kyle stepped out of the mes with amusement dancing in his eyes. The mes vanished with a flick of his fingers, and he rubbed his bruised chin where Alec had sessfullynded a solid

    strike.

    "Really? You just had to attack my face? Don''t you know I''m a married man now?"

    Alec nearly coughed up blood. Yue, who was floating and watching the battle from a distance with Lara, Elli, and Mia, rolled her eyes at Kyle''s shameless words.

    Below on the ind, unlike Han, Neon, and the others who were watching the battle in shock,

    Jian and Regius exchanged nces.

    The two smirked, and with a tacit understanding, they vanished and reappeared behind Alec,

    Carcel, and Sinon. Jian''s mischievous voice echoed in the air.

    "Need a hand to beat him up?"

 Chapter 759: So unfair

    Chapter 759: So unfair

    ?

    Kyle''s eyes flickered with surprise as he nced at the two familiar faces.

    He had not expanded his scent perception skill, as it had recently be somewhat overwhelming for him. This was due to the fact that he had achieved a breakthrough to the supreme rank a week ago, which had significantly heightened his senses.

    Sinon was equally surprised to hear Jian''s familiar mischievous voice behind them.

    He had been so focused on the intense battle with Kyle that he concentrated all his attention to him, causing him topletely overlook his surroundings.

    Unlike the other two, Alec and Carcel''s eyes were filled with mirth. They had sensed Jian and Regius''s presence the moment the two appeared behind them.

    Alec turned around, a smirk on his lips. His gaze met the mischievous red eyes staring at him before he nced at the familiar elf floating beside Jian.

    "Finally back, huh? You two took your sweet timeing back to meet us!"

    He clicked his tongue and met Jian''s gaze, feeling a twinge of bitterness when he saw thetter''s strength through the system. It had increased, and Jian''s physique was almost as strong as his.

    "Why are you asking for permission? Can''t you see we''re getting battered by that cruel human? Come join us! Let''s beat him up!"

    Jianughed, already excited for a good battle. As a mage, he quickly moved back and took his ce at a distance, ready to chant a variety of powerful spells, but that didn''t mean he was physically weak.

    Following Kyle''s advice, he had diligently worked hard to strengthen his physique, even though he mostly used the treasures he found that caused him a lot of pain. But despite the difort, he had no regrets, as they didn''t harm him in any way.

    He felt fortunate that his luck had dramatically improved since meeting his future self. Now, he was confident that even if he picked something up from the trash, he would discover a treasure or two!

    Jian licked his lips, a wicked glint in his crimson eyes. He was eager to test whose luck was now greater-his or Kyle''s!

    Seeing the red-haired man ready, Regius grabbed his short swords and positioned himself next to Alec and Sinon.

    Carcel and Kurt moved to the left side, joy dancing in the elder''s eyes as he mmed his knuckles together.

    Kyle raised an eyebrow at being surrounded, amused that they wanted to overpower him with their numbers.

    "So unfair."

    His words echoed in the air, igniting a thunderous roar of discontented cheers from below. The sound came from a few inds where countless individuals had gathered to witness the battle between the Ice Monarch and other powerhouses. They had been silent, watching the intense battle, but seeing two more powerful opponents join the fight against Kyle displeased them, as many had ced significant bets on him. They didn''t want him to lose!

    James''s lips twitched in disbelief at the astonishing scene unfolding in his territory. He had only stepped away for a short time to go and locate the Universe''s Will, yet Kyle and his friends had transformed it into their own personal battleground!

    He nced at the two older individuals he had just summoned, but they avoided his gaze as if it had nothing to do with them.

    James rubbed his temples and sighed. He wanted to go check on Odiak and question how he could allow this to happen when the enemies were so close by.

    However, as he extended his senses, he was bewildered to discover that the old dwarf was actually among the many individuals cheering for the battle!

    All of a sudden, a very, very troubling premonition shed in his mind.

    "Damn, don''t tell me he''s betting too!"

    He vanished, feeling a bit anxious at the thought of Odiak''s bad habit of betting. He could only hope that the old dwarf hadn''t wagered his entire wealth on Kyle in a moment of excitement!

    Neon, Han, and the group of individuals he had brought with him could do nothing but watch as he disappeared, not even leaving behind an afterimage.

    However, they were soon distracted by a powerful sound reverberating in the sky. Yet, they couldn''t see anything except faint, blurry lights shing like lightening.

    Alec and Kurt hadunched an attack on Kyle, but he skillfully sent them staggering before turning to counter a powerful me spell from Jian, as well as the short des of Regius and the explosive punches from Carcel and Sinon.

    Neon''s eyes sparkled with amazement, pride, and joy after he saw his little brother, whose familiar figure now appeared muchrger. Although he was the older brother, he felt as if Kyle had surpassed him, making him feel almost like the younger one. A broad smile spread across his face as he shouted alongside the enthusiastic crowd, wishing his brother the best of luck. Han blinked when a loud shout echoed beside him. He nced at Neon''s tall figure and chuckled, feeling a bit overwhelmed. It was difficult to believe that the rascal who once called him ''master'' had be so strong and formidable that he could now hardly keep up with him visually.

    Hearing Neon shout, Kelvin, Lumi, Faith, Niamh, and all those dazedly standing with him jolted and joined in.

    Kelvin cheered for Jian, while Lumi, Faith, and Niamh cheered for Regius. The others simply followed their lead.

    Serena watched the youngsters with an amused smile and moved to stand beside Han, her husband, shocked that Han''s troublesome student hade so far.

    Lily remained silent, her calm eyes fixed on the blurry lights in the sky. She could not even discern how they were fighting.

    ''Too powerful. It''s as if everything I knew before was just a speck of dust. Almost as if I am nothing. What do I need to do to reach the level they are at?''

    She dug her nails into her palm, her eyes darkening for a brief moment with a hint of ambition and greed, but it quickly vanished as a sweet smile spread across her face.

    Beside her, Lucus and Sen were both dazed, wondering if the people in the sky were truly the same ones who had entered the ancient realm alongside them.

    How could the gap between them have widened so much in such a short time?

    Sen felt particrly conflicted. To think that Kyle, who had awakened a lower talent than him back in that small city where they lived as neighbors for a short time, and whom he had once cursed, had be so strong that now he couldn''t even touch him. It filled him with a hint of displeasure and intense fear, a nagging worry that Kyle might seek revenge for their troubled past. He cursed his reckless mouth, regretting that he had ever messed with him in his

    younger days.

    Unbeknownst to Sen, Kyle didn''t even remember him. If he had wanted to kill him, he would have done so long ago in the ancient realm on the blue.

    In the sky, Kyle''s ears twitched at the cacophony of explosive sounds. The noise of the crowd

    below was just as distracting. He fought the urge to click his tongue when one of Jian''s spells struck his arm, giving Carcel the perfect opportunity tond a punch to his abdomen from

    behind.

    Just then, a familiar male voice he hadn''t heard in years resonated from the crowd below, cutting through the chaos and momentarily capturing his attention.

    Kyle turned his gaze toward the massive floating ind where Han, Neon, and the others stood. His eyes widened when he saw his older brother''s familiar figure.

    ''Brother...?''

    That briefpse in focus was all it took for the poeple surrounding him to unleash a relentless barrage of attacks. Instinctively, Kyle raised his arms to shield his face.

    They weren''t holding back at all. He had to admit their attacks were anything but mild, with Alec''s fists delivering the hardest blows that made his skin thrum with pain.

    It felt as if the group was exacting revenge for every punch he had thrown at them.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    ''That''s it!''

    Immediately, the air around him began to warp and crack, creating massive, violent rifts that tore through the atmosphere. The space trembled with a powerful, destructive suction force, causing those attacking him to finally retreat as the rifts threatened to consume everything in

    their path.

    Kyle chuckled softly as every inch of space around him came under his control.

    Seeing his glowing white eyes, Alec bellowed with a dramatic gasp.

    "You said you wouldn''t use anything else except your mes and fists!"

    "That''s cheating!"

    Kurt followed suit with a justifiably indignant expression. Finally, he had the chance to beat

    this kid, but he had to go and manipte a powerful naturalw!

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched at their words.

    "What cheating? I never said I wouldn''t use anything else. Do you all seriously expect me to

    stay in ce and let you beat me?"

    He was speechless because, from their expressions, it was clear that they wanted just that: for him to remain in one spot while they roughed him up.

    Kyle wanted to snicker, but for reasons unknown to everyone, one of the slender fire arrows

    that Jian had conjured through a spell somehow managed to breach the cracking space around

    him.

    He shifted slightly to avoid it.

    With a nk face, he double-checked that he had truly controlled all the space around him, slightly doubting his own mastery over it, unaware that Jian''s luck had gone up, allowing his arrow to slip through.

    Kyle''s eyes narrowed as he stretched his neck. Slightly displeased, he let themnd so many

    hits on him. He nced toward his brother onest time before curling his fingers toward the

    people around him.

    "Alright, someone important to me that I haven''t seen in a long while is watching. I can''t let them down now, can I? It''s time for me to get serious."

    A chill of excitement coursed through the spines of the group surrounding Kyle. He had been taking them lightly all this time, but now seeing him so serious, they knew he was about to go

    all out against them!

    But they all soon began to regret it when all hell broke loose. Kyle became so merciless in his attacks that they all actually started to consider fleeing.

    Jian was the first to disappear from the battle, as if he had never joined it at all.

 Chapter 760: Do you guys want to continue?

    Chapter 760: Do you guys want to continue?

    ?

    A whileter, Kyle suddenly clenched his fists together and raised them high above his head, his gaze intense and sharp. As he unleashed his attack, those attacking him felt their hair stand on end as the very air around them began to warp.

    Alec and the others scattered in every direction in a bid to escape the attack. But it was toote. With an explosive roar, the attack shattered the very fabric of space.

    Kyle''s fists didn''t make contact with anyone, but the force was powerful enough to send everyone hurtling away, while the ground beneath erupted in a deafening explosion, forming a massive crater.

    James grimaced, relieved that there were no floating inds directly beneath Kyle.

    He had stopped Odiak from betting, but the fight became so thrilling that he ended up joining the crowd watching from below.

    Kyle raised his gaze and deliberately paused in mid-air for a moment to assert his presence. So, everyone below could see who had made whom miserable.

    His eyes locked onto the nearest person who had barely bnced himself, and with a burst of strength, he vanished.

    Sinon''s eyes widened at the fist zooming toward him. He wanted to manipte the naturalw of wind, but there was no time, so he could only retreat as he shouted, his whole body aching in pain.

    "Wait, wait, wait! Time out-"

    Yet, it was as if his words fell on deaf ears because the next second, his vision went nk, and he gasped in pain as his body was thrown straight toward the massive crater that had formed earlier.

    Kyle clenched his fist and turned back. Carcel flinched, knowing he was next, and prepared to counter the attack.

    But oh, how wrong he was. If they could hardly stop his attack whenbined, how could he do it alone? In no time, his body followed suit behind Sinon, who didn''t even dare to crawl out of the crater and justy there sprawled like a jellyfish.

    Carcel coughed as clouds of dust swirled around him. A faint groan escaped his lips. He wanted to crawl out of the crater, but he was left speechless when he heard Sinonughing at him, as if they hadn''t both experienced the same fate.

    "............"

    With a frustrated click of his tongue, he decided to stay still in the crater and wait to greet the others, whom he was sure would soon follow in their footsteps.

    In the sky, Regius raised his hands in defeat, a dry smile on his face as Kyle''s gaze shifted in his direction. His clothes were already tattered; there was no way he could endure any more. "Bro, I''m done fighting you!"

    Kyle raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement tugging at the corners of his lips as he titled his head.

    "Oh, then let me send you away."

    He disappeared, and in the next moment, another shout pierced the air as Regius was also hurled into the crater.

    Kyle lifted his head to nce at Alec and Kurt, the only two left around him. Jian had disappeared as soon as he took a few punches, joining the crowd to watch.

    Alec chuckled as he staggered in the air, grabbing his waist and hissing in pain.

    "You''re merciless, you know?"

    He watched as Kyle used instant teleportation to send Kurt''s body toward the crater. With a sigh, he himself vanished toward the crater before Kyle could punch him down. It was better that way.

    Sinon greeted him with mocking sneer, but he shot back with a sneer of his own.

    "What? Unlike you guys, I came here of my own ord! I''m in much better shape!"

    Just as he finished speaking, another body suddenly crashed down behind him, forcing him to step back. As the dust settled, Jian''s curse rang out in the air.

    "Kyle!!!!"

    Everyone erupted inughter, only to hiss in pain. Sinon finally propped himself up to sit. "Wow, he didn''t let you go either?"

    Jian brushed the dust away with an aggrieved expression, clutching his chest, which he was sure was badly bruised. He had been hiding in the crowd when a portal suddenly lit up beneath him, and the next moment, he found himself in front of Kyle, who punched him mercilessly.

    "At least... he didn''t use his full strength."

    That was the only saving grace, not just for him but for everyone around.

    If Kyle had truly used all his strength, they wouldn''t just be bruised and battered; their bones would have been shattered.

    Kyle disappeared toward the crater below on thend, overshadowed by the floating inds. His feet touched down amidst the scattered bones that littered the ground, remnants of ancient battles fought in the Forsaken Land. As he gazed into the crater, he began to count heads.

    "I see, all here. So, do you guys want to continue?"

    His gaze swept over the people in the crater, and they were uncertain whether tough or cry. Elder Kurt raised his hand.

    "I''m going back to guard the seals. This much beating is enough for today. Next time I will try to fight a minute longer."

    Sinon and Regius agreed with him and stretched their bodies, wanting nothing more than to shed their sweaty clothes, take a warm bath, and heal their fatigued muscles and bodies.

    Lara and Mianded in the crater, amusement dancing in their eyes as they nced at their partners. Mia looked at Kyle with resolve in her blue eyes.

    "How about we join in as well next time?"

    Kyle chuckled softly, his muscles rippling as he pulled up his pants and sat down on his feet to

    meet her gaze.

    "Why not? Sure. But remember, I won''t hold back, so it''s not going to be easy."

    His voice was deep, and the carefree expression on his face, carrying a subtle coldness, made

    Mia stare at

    in

    ned

    unt Carcel covered her eyes.

    "You shouldn''t look at other men."

    His words were meant for her, but he was focused on Kyle. It was rare to see Kyle in such a

    good mood. Mia pped his hand away with a chuckle.

    "He just looks like an ice statue."

    Just then, Yue and Ellinded beside Kyle and overheard her words. Yue raised an eyebrow and

    nced at Kyle.

    She had to admit he had be even more handsome in the past month since breaking

    through to the supreme rank.

    "En... he does."

    Kyle lifted his head at the sound of her voice and met Yue''s gaze with a smile.

    "I will take that as apliment."

    He hummed and stood up.

    Alec rolled his eyes at his words as Lara helped dust off his clothes.

    "He''s bing more annoying."

    Jian nodded in agreement and red at Kyle''s back with using eyes.

    But he quickly looked away, whistling innocently when Kyle nced back.

    Kyle shook his head and looked ahead. Suddenly, as if remembering something important, he halted in his steps and began to straighten his wrinkled clothes.

    Everyone behind him noticed the hint of nervousness that enveloped him as he smoothed out

    each crease.

    Yet, as if feeling unsatisfied, he quickly discarded his shirt and changed into a new long-

    sleeved white shirt.

    Sinon narrowed his eyes as he ced his arm over Regius''s shoulder and whispered.

    "What happened to him?"

    Regius wanted to shrug, but when he met Jian''s amused eyes, his expression shifted, and he

    smirked. It seemed someone was getting anxious about meeting his family member after

    such a long time.

    Everyone watched silently as Kyle hurriedly rolled up his sleeves, and when he was sure he looked good enough, he disappeared toward the floating inds.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Yue, Elli, and the girls followed behind him, while the others disappeared to change into more suitable clothes first.

    Kyle appeared before the group from the blue, who were conversing with the two elderly individuals meant to guide them to their living quarters.

    As he arrived, all eyes turned to him, reflecting a blend of awe, respect, and fear. So many emotions were directed toward him as his gaze swept over each face before finally resting on Neon. He looked just as Kyle remembered, although Neon had grown a bit taller.

    Kyle opened his mouth, but so many thoughts swirling in his mind, he couldn''t decide where to begin. Instead, he simply smiled, relieved to see that Neon appeared healthy andpletely fine.

    Like him, Neon took a moment to assess him from head to toe. A smile brightened his face as

    he stepped forward.

    "You look great. No, even better. I''m really grateful that you''re okay."

    He opened his arms for a hug, and Kyle hurriedly forced the coldness clinging to his skin to retreat back into his body as much as possible, ensuring his touch wouldn''t harm him before

    returning the embrace.

    "You too."

    Neon frowned as he sensed Kyle''s body temperature. It was cold and freezing. He also had a cold essence within him, one that Kyle had told his family belonged to the Ice Enchantress. However, his temperature was only slightly chilly-not enough for his touch to feel like ice. He moved back after a while, but before he could ask about his low body temperature, Han

    patted Kyle''s back with a chuckle.

    "Long time no see, young man."

    Kyle nodded at the old man. "It''s good to see master is doing fine." Alright, his simple words were enough to shock every powerful individual secretly eavesdropping in the vicinity. Many eyes began to scan Han, as it was the first time Kyle had referred to someone as his master!

 Chapter 761: Then I will enjoy the special treatment!

    Chapter 761: Then I will enjoy the special treatment!

    ?

    Odiak narrowed his eyes at Han, and rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he noticed the array symbols adorning thetter''s robe.

    "Did Kyle learn the art of arrays from him? He is weak, but to guide someone so far, maybe he is a great master of arrays?"

    James followed his gaze with a hum.

    "Who knows? We have only observed Kyle for a brief time, but it was enough to realize that his memory andprehension skills are exceptionally strong. That''s likely why he can grasp naturalws with such ease."

    Unlike the two, the others were just disappointed when they heard the Ice Monarch refer to someone so weak as his master. But it wasn''t like they had a say in the matter. They could only watch as Kyle greeted Han with the utmost politeness he rarely showed to anyone except his wife.

    Kyle shifted his gaze from Han and nced at his brother again, who was looking at him with a proud smile that suggested he wanted to talk with him for a long time to catch up on everything he had been doing.

    He looked at the other people behind Han and Neon but didn''t recognize all the faces, so he simply nodded at them before shifting his attention to the two older individuals James had summoned earlier.

    "You should lead everyone to their living quarters and give them a tour of this ce so they can familiarize themselves and start training as soon as possible."

    Yue, who was standing behind Kyle, suddenly interrupted him.

    "I will lead them."

    Kyle looked at her, only to see a bright smile on her face. He blinked in confusion, but when he noticed her staring at some people in the group, he whispered.

    "Friends?"

    Yue nodded, and before he could ask further, she hurried toward a female elf with frost- colored hair and brightvender eyes standing between three male elves.

    "Lumi!"

    Yue nced at Lumi from head to toe, and Lumi chuckled with a teasing smile before stepping forward to grasp her hands.

    Who would have thought she would meet her friend again? Lumi had lost hope of ever seeing Yue after her talent was tested and revealed to be below (S)-rank back on their. But fate is truly remarkable. Look at how she had broken the constraints of her talent, and now she was once again gazing into the amber eyes of her best friend.

    Standing behind the two women, Faith, Niamh, and Izil smiled when they saw Yue. They had followed Jian and Regius even though the others didn''t want to take them along, iming the outside world is too dangerous. However, they did not regret their decision. After all, only by facing hardship can they truly grow.

    Niamh reached out his hand to pat Yue''s shoulder. They had remained friends for a year during their time at the academy. But he suddenly felt an intense stare directed at his hand and raised his head, only to see the familiar pair of green eyes staring at him.

    He blinked and nced at his hand that was reaching toward Yue, then tentatively pulled it back. It seemed Yue had entered into a rtionship with Kyle.

    Niamh was not surprised, not at all. After all, even before the two left blue, he had sensed there was something going on between them. But he nearly choked on his breath when he heard Kyle''s next words.

    And he was not the only one.

    Kyle patted his brother''s shoulder and turned Neon''s gaze toward Yue.

    "I got married to a beautifuldy. I forgot to introduce her. Yue is my wife."

    Neon rolled his eyes, already aware of the news. Jian had informed him, Ray, and their father about the marriage. But it was clear the others were still in the dark, evident from their shocked expressions.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Yue''s face flushed. She shot a re at Kyle, but when her eyes met Neon''s, she offered him a nervous smile.

    Lumi chuckled at her nervous expression and draped her arm over Yue''s shoulder, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

    "I guess your taste has changed with him around. He no longer has long silver hair that was your preference."

    Yue wanted to p her arm away but decided to drag her away instead. Then, she called out to the others to follow her as she would give them a tour and lead them to their living quarters.

    Elli watched her with a smile. She had met Yueter and be friends due to Nine, so she wasn''t familiar with her old friends.

    She nced at Lara and Mia, who had approached Han, their former teacher. The two greeted Han, and since they didn''t know anyone else, they left the area with Elli to check on Bia and Nox.

    The two beasts had been fighting in the war. Nox because he wanted to be stronger, and Bia because she wanted to ensure that the lynx didn''t be stronger than her.

    Neon nced at Kyle, who looked satisfied, and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Good job. I see you''re quicker than your older brothers, who are still single." Suddenly, he pulled out amunication crystal and tossed it to him.

    "Talk to Father and Ray. You haven''t reached out to them. They miss you."

    Kyle caught the crystal. He had not been able to contact his family because after leaving blue, he ended up in the No Mana Land, a ce entirely cut off from the outside world.

    Then, he lost his memories and forgot about them.

    "I will. I''m sorry, I lost the coordinates for themunication crystals with you guys and

    couldn''t get in touch."

    Neon shook his head.

    "No need for sorry. Things happened. It''s good as long as you are fine."

    He wanted to follow Han and the others trailing behind Yue, but Kyle grabbed his shoulder.

    "You shoulde with me."

    Neon stopped and nced at him.

    "Why? I thought the treatment here was the same for everyone."

    Kyle raised an eyebrow, suspecting it was James who had uttered these words.

    "Not everyone."

    He began to float, and Neon followed behind him,ughing.

    "Then I will enjoy the special treatment!"

    As the two left, therge crowd that had gathered on the inds to watch the battle began to disperse, heading off to either continue their training or take a rest.

    A dayter, Jian and Regius stepped out of a building where they had secured rooms after realizing that Alec, Carcel, and Sinon were staying there, even though they had been offered another ce to rest.

    Jian stretched his body, his crimson hair swirling in the air like a fiery halo as he took in the sky above, which had cleared and brightened considerably.

    "There''s no sun, no stars, and no moon in this ce... But the air is cold."

    Regius hummed in response.

    They wanted to go and find the ce where they were originally supposed to be sent by the

    guards to join the war and earn merits.

    However, after the stunt Kyle pulledst time on the battleground, the elders were already

    prepared.

    So, the moment the two tried to leave the area filled with floating inds, they were captured by a few transcendent-ranks and taken to the training grounds.

    Jian was dissatisfied, but he joined the training with Regius. He soon became excited as he witnessed his strength improve under the elders'' guidance.

    The others training with the two were surprised by their rapid progress, but after seeing

    someone like Kyle and Alec, they had grown numb to such feats. As a result, Jian and Regius actually appeared quite normal inparison.

    James was personally overseeing the training on the ind, where individuals developed their mental strength, in Sophia''s absence. He nodded at Kyle when the man arrived with Neon and

    joined the others.

    He was instructing the crowd seated cross-legged on how to sense the nature around them

    and how to tap into it.

    Suddenly, he asked Kyle, the next person after him capable of controlling the most naturalws in the crowd, to share some words of advice.

    Kyle wanted to refuse, but with so many familiar eyes on him, he sighed and moved to stand

    beside James.

    He thought carefully and decided to speak about the naturalw of time, as he was the most

    proficient in it.

    "I''m not certain how it would manifest for others, but the first time I controlled time, it felt instinctive. As I began to focus on what I was doing, it felt like I was both stretching and contracting the moments."

    His eyes turned white as he slowed time around everyone without influencing them, before making it rush forward.

    "To slow it down, I envision pulling it backward, while to speed it up, I imagine stretching it

    forward. That''s it."

    His exnation concluded, and James could only smile awkwardly before raising his hand to p, as if urging others to join in, even if they understood nothing.

    Only Jian''s eyes lit up, as if he had uncovered a profound insight from Kyle''s words, and he

    eximed with excitement.

    "Wow, that''s incredible! To control time itself-how thrilling would that be? Doesn''t that

    mean we could travel through time to meet our future, past, and present if we fully understood thew of time? Damn, I am going to learn thew of time at all costs!"

 Chapter 762: What a liar I

    Chapter 762: What a liar I

    ?

    Time flew by like a breeze, and before anyone knew it, another peaceful month had slipped away in the Forsaken Land. Each day, everyone grew stronger, fiercely battling against the forces of the dark side, who finally began to retreat.

    The change in the war was drastic; it was as if the never-ending tide of fighters from the dark side was finallying to an end. Aside from one or two supreme ranks, all the other supreme ranks from the dark side had vanished. The shadow generals also didn''t show their faces.

    Yet, James and the seven elders had a hunch that something was amiss. How could the vast dark army that had fought tirelessly against them for countless years suddenly start to show signs of retreat?

    Unaware of the growing unease in the hearts of James and the elders overseeing the war, Alec and hispanions trained diligently to grow stronger. They focused mainly on enhancing their physiques and mastering the naturalws.

    However, it felt as though they were at a standstill because after Sinon sessfullyprehended thew of wind, no one else seemed to be making progress in that area.

    Nevertheless, they made tremendous strides in their physical strength under the guidance of Elder Kurt and Kyle, who would spar with them to toughen their bodies.

    Suspended above one of the floating inds, Kyle watched his brother, who was panting heavily across from him. His green eyes held a carefree light, and a thinyer of ice coated his body, causing his skin to shimmer softly under the dimly lit sky.

    "Come again."

    His deep, calm voice echoed in the air, causing those training around him to cast envious nces at Neon, who was being trained by the Ice Monarch himself.

    Neon clicked his tongue in frustration before raising his hands in surrender. His entire body ached; there was no way he could continue training.

    "Can''t... anymore."

    He tossed his sword into the storage ring and floated down tond on the ind before slumping onto the ground.

    A softugh escaped his lips.

    "Can you believe there was a time I actually beat you? Haha, I wish I could go back and tell my past self to treat you better. Now look at me-I''m the one suffering!"

    Kyle, who had followed him to encourage him to continue after a short rest, shrugged in amusement upon hearing his words.

    "Unfortunately, we can''t change the past."

    A familiar firm and resolute voice contradicted his words from behind.

    "No, no, we can! We can change the past! The future too! We just need to grow strong enough to manipte time so profoundly that it will bend to our will!"

    Kyle''s lips twitched, and he wanted to disappear. Not again. For the past month, Jian had done nothing but annoy him day and night with questions about thews of time. It was as if the man was obsessed with the idea of controlling time!

    Neon lifted his head from where hey and regarded the approaching crimson-haired man with a contemtive expression.

    "That actually sounds doable."

    Jian chuckled and rubbed his nose sheepishly. He shot daggers at Kyle''s back.

    "I am here for another lesson! Let''s continue from where we left offst time. Time is like sand! I still have not grasped this profound concept!"

    With a reluctant sigh, Kyle turned around. The numerous people around them didn''t attempt to interrupt. They knew better than to engage with Kyle after witnessing how he treated those he didn''t know, as if they were mere shadows that didn''t even exist.

    He stared at Jian, whose entire body was covered in shallow injuries and dust, clearly indicating that he had just returned from a beating by Alec and the others.

    "Do you need a helping hand in healing?"

    Kyle offered, but upon hearing his words, Jian jumped back a few steps with a shiver.

    "No, thank you! Your spiritual energy is so cold! I almost turned into an ice statue thest time you offered help!"

    He curled his fingers when he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen and right leg, a curse slipping from his lips.

    "Damn, that bastard Alec. He''s always venting his anger from losing to you on me and the others!"

    Kyle hummed in response. He wanted to tell Jian that he was the one who benefited the most from all the beatings he somehow provoked by annoying others.

    However, he held back.

    He wasn''t blind. He had noticed how Jian''s progress had surpassed everyone else''s, as if the man only needed to breathe and walk casually to be stronger.

    This transformation was due to a shift in fortune; unlike in the past when Jian''s bad luck consistentlynded him in challenging situations that forced him to grow, now his luck had drastically improved, presenting him with perfect opportunities.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Coupled with his hard work, Kyle was sure that he could defeat Carcel and Alec if he achieved the supreme rank before them.

    The only thing Jian couldn''t grasp was the naturalws, and that was because of his limitedprehension abilities.

    He needed enlightenment, which unfortunately no one could provide, as there were few capable of manipting naturalws. Moreover, those who could hardly knew how to teach

    it.

    Regardless, his agility and physique had be remarkably powerful.

    Kye mused as he looked at him, as if delving directly into his very being.

    ''And his soul. It has also grown stronger.''

    Jian waved his hand in front of him when he noticed he was lost in thought.

    "What? Even if you are not keen on giving me lessons, you know I won''t let you off the hook.

    So,e with me willingly, or else..."

    He stopped when Kyle''s eyes narrowed.

    "Or else?"

    Jian chuckled and raised his hands. He could feel a familiar icy sensation creeping closer to his body and was sure his next words would decide his fate.

    "I am joking."

    Kyle''s lips curled upward.

    "You better be."

    He waved his hand and turned back to Neon, who had stood up.

    "Come backter. I''m teaching him how to wield a sword in a way that it can obliterate

    everything and everyone with a single, decisive strike."

    Neon groaned at his words. He had never trained this much in his entire life, not even when the blue was attacked by the dark side! He couldn''t even remember thest time he got

    a good night''s sleep.

    "I can''t. I''m done for the time being."

    Kyle didn''t stop him, just reminding him to continue training. If nothing went wrong, he would easily be able to break through to the pseudo-divine rank in a few months.

    Jian wanted to drape his arm over Kyle''s shoulder, but before his hand could reach him, he felt a chilling coldness that made him pull back.

    He sighed and rubbed his arm. He knew it wasn''t Kyle, but it was strange how Kyle''s body was growing colder and colder.

    "You''re free now, right? Let''s go. We can head to the ind where Han and Lily are learning about arrays. The building there is the most peaceful."

    A dejected expression crossed his face as he recalled an old promise Kyle had made to him-

    the promise that he would tell him how he obtained his mes and icy power once Jian

    reached the transcendent rank.

    "What a liar."

 Chapter 763: What a liar II

    Chapter 763: What a liar II

    ?

    Kyle blinked when his ears picked up Jian''s faint murmur. A liar? Him? He furrowed his brows, contemting why Jian would call him that. He didn''t recall ever lying. It was true he had

    concealed many things, but he had never outright lied.

    The two of them left the floating ind, flying side by side-one lost in thought and the other chatting incessantly.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    When they arrived at the ind where the array masters resided and entered the main building atop the ind, they spotted Han''s familiar figure standing before a stone table filled with books on ancient array symbols, alongside Elder Razial and a few other powerful array masters in the hall.

    The group of elderly individuals was engaged in enthusiastic conversation, asking one question after another. It was clear they were engrossed in their talk.

    Jian shut his mouth when he noticed the scene. He didn''t want to disturb them likest time, which resulted in Elder Razial hitting him with books. He gestured for Kyle and began to tiptoe away.

    Kyle shook his head at his actions. They were powerful and could easily create a barrier to silence their voices, but no, this man had to sneak around like a thief.

    He waved his hand, and an invisible shield of divine energy enveloped him and Jian as they passed through the hall, ascending the stairs on one side to go upstairs and find a quiet and empty room.

    But as they reached the second floor, they encountered a group of women engaged in a heated debate over some array symbols. They struggled to understand the symbols; some argued they were destructive, while others maintained they were defensive.

    Upon seeing Kyle and Jian, the group fell silent. Only Lily and Lumi had the confident to step forward to greet them. Lumi turned her gaze to Jian with a smile, but when she noticed him focused on Lily, she shrugged and turned her attention to Kyle.

    "Hello, um, do you have a moment?"

    Kyle, who was about to walk away, stopped in his tracks and nodded at her. He had not yet spoken with everyone who had arrived in the Forsaken Land Jian, but he had begun to recognize some faces since they seemed to appear before him every day.

    For instance, Lumi, who now frequently spent her free time with Yue, was the reason Kyle had been banned from entering Yue''s room without permission. He would be lying if he said he wasn''t annoyed, but Yue was too happy to be with Lumi, so he swallowed his grievance.

    Then there was Lily, his former ssmate, who had grown closer to Lara and Mia. She trained alongside the two, but because she wasn''t strong enough to match their pace, she couldn''t always join them. Therefore, she would learn about arrays from Elder Razial when she couldn''t train with them.

    Catching Kyle''s attention, Lumi wasted no time and got straight to the point. Yue had told her, he wasn''t a fan of small talk.

    "We just started learning about arrays. I''m grasping this quickly since elder Han shared a lot of knowledge with me."

    She grabbed a book from one of women behind her and held it out toward Kyle.

    "Could you help us a bit? We''re stuck! Elder Razial gave us this old book to learn some symbols, but no one understands them, and the elders are busy discussing a powerful array, so we can''t disturb them."

    Lily wanted to interrupt her; she wanted to be the one to say all this. But Kyle emitted an aura that made her unable to speak.

    Just like the other women behind her, she could only watch as he flipped through the book he took from Lumi. In a few seconds, Kyle returned the book.

    "You know the basics?"

    Lumi nodded, and he raised his finger toward her head. He didn''t touch her, but a faint light emerged from his fingertip and entered her forehead. Lumi rubbed her head when Kyle moved his finger back.

    "This..."

    She gasped when she felt foreign information entering her mind.

    Kyle turned to leave.

    "You will understand the knowledge if you know the basics and can draw symbols in the air. Just tell the others."

    He didn''t pause even when a loud, enthusiastic thank you rang out behind him. It wasn''t Lumi; it was the other girl with her.

    Jian said his goodbyes to the two girls. He also made sure to wave at the other women standing silently behind Lumi and Lily before he hurriedly followed him.

    He walked beside him, clicking his tongue as he recalled how Lily''s face fell when Kyle didn''t acknowledge her thanks.

    "How rude. Don''t you care about the feelings of the fairer gender? Women''s hearts are fragile, you know."

    Kyle didn''t respond as they entered an empty room and settled down at a table in the center, surrounded by bookshelves.

    Jian immediately started to talk about the naturalw of time. However, Kyle had other ns. He tapped his knuckles on the table to attract Jian''s attention.

    "This liar wants to talk."

    Jian''s eyes widened as he swallowed hard. He called him a liar unconsciously!

    "You heard? Wait! Wait! I can exin!"

    He stood up, nning to bolt out of the room and hide if things got messy.

    "I didn''t mean it! You know how my mouth is; it''s always spouting nonsense. Don''t hit me. I

    can''t take it. Alec and James already gave me a lot of punches today!"

    Kyle chuckled, and seeing his amused expression, Jian calmed down.

    "Oh, you''re just messing with me."

    He sat down again with a roll of his eyes.

    "What do you want to say?"

    Kyle hummed and raised his finger. Just like what he did with Lumi, he sent what he wanted to

    share directly to Jian''s mind.

    "I didn''t lie. I just forgot the promise I made."

    Jian blinked, feeling nervous all of a sudden as he watched the faint light enter his mind. His crimson eyes widenedically when he uncovered Kyle''s biggest secret.

    "Cles..."

    Kyle quickly interrupted him.

    "It''s a bitte, but you have reached the transcendent rank. You fulfilled your end of the deal,

    and now I''ve done mine."

 Chapter 764: Something is very wrong I

    Chapter 764: Something is very wrong I

    ?

    A boisterous and annoyingugh reverberated through the bright sky above the floating inds, causing the group of people flying around him to scoff.

    Jian rubbed his nose with a sheepish expression, a wide grin on his face as he stared at Kyle with excitement.

    "I should call you Master! Why don''t you ept me as your first student? You are so good at teaching others!"

    Kyle''s eyebrow twitched as he met the white eyes staring at him. Another month had passed since he revealed the secret of his bloodline to Jian.

    In this month, more than fifty percent of the dark army had retreated from the Forsaken Land, leaving parts of the battlefield strewn with remnants of the brutal conflict.

    The fighters who hade here to join the war and dedicated themselves to the battle were finally finding moments to rest.

    The gloomy air had transformed into one thick with camaraderie, and the echoes of shing swords and battle cries were now apanied by hum offorting voices that dared to hope for a brighter future, one free from the shadows of war.

    Kyle did not let his speechlessness show on his face and ignored the remarks of the red-haired man before him.

    He didn''t teach Jian anything; in fact, he wasn''t even sure what nonsense he had told him whenever Jian came to discuss the naturalw of time.

    However, for some unknown reason, Jian had grasped it. Today, for the first time, he even managed to manipte it.

    Kyle raised his fist silently to attack the man floating before him, but Jian had other ns. With the newfound power of nature he had finally grasped, he tried to freeze time to stop Kyle''s movement. But he gasped as he lost his grip on time.

    Jian''s eyes reverted to their normal color, and before he could process anything, he was struck in the stomach and hurled down like a discarded piece of clothing, crashing into thend below and creating a crater.

    Sinon, Regius, and Alec, who had been shocked and envious when Jian suddenly controlled time in the midst of their battle against Kyle, finally burst intoughter at the sight and cast him pitying nces. It was actually Carcel, the one who never mocked others, who spoke up.

    "One should not be too arrogant simply because they have grasped the fleeting thread of greater power."

    Sinon interjected with a whistle.

    "Oho, looks like someone just exceeded their word count for the month. I figured I wouldn''t hear his voice for a week more."

    Carcel shot him a nk stare, and Sinon couldn''t help but smirk, fully aware of how speechless he had left him.

    They didn''t have time to banter further because, after trapping Lara in a barrier, Kyle made his way toward them.

    They braced themselves to face him. However, Kyle paused midway when Mia and Yue attacked him together. He didn''t use his fists, but he certainly didn''t go easy on them. A surge of spiritual energy erupted from his body, sending them flying.

    But if one looked closely, they could easily see that he enveloped Yue''s body in a thinyer of protection to ensure she didn''t get hurt in any way. This was what one would call preferential treatment.

    Alec, along with everyone else, rolled their eyes as Kyle once again proved he was a cruel jerk. Throughout the battle, they had watched as Kyle ensured that not a single scratch touched his wife''s body while he mercilessly beat them, showing no regard for their well-being or mental health!

    Sinon clicked his tongue and attacked Kyle with all his strength, a smile forming on his lips when the wind he controlled sent Kyle a short distance away from him. His massive wings fluttered as violent currents capable of tearing space itself surged toward Kyle, but as usual, they couldn''t touch him as he disappeared from his spot.

    Regius muttered a curse under his breath.

    "I swear, whoever invented this skill never knew it could be the most frustrating weapon in someone else''s hands! Ugh, if only we had this skill too!"

    The countless people training on the floating inds paid them no attention.

    For the past two months, the group of powerful friends had fought so frequently and disyed such immense power that the crowd had be numb to it all.

    Not to mention, they already knew the oue of these battles-it was always the Ice Monarch beating everyone else.

    Kyle''s figure reappeared behind Carcel, but the icy aura radiating from his body foiled the surprise attack he intended tond. He clicked his tongue when the golden-haired man slipped away like the wind.

    His green eyes turned to Alec, who stood his ground and took his attack head-on by folding his arms before his face.

    Kyle hummed and increased his strength and speed with each strike. He felt pleased sensing that Alec had progressed so much.

    Alec clenched his jaw but suddenly shed a wicked smirk, and in the next moment, the very air around Kyle seemed to warp as an overwhelming pressure bore down on him from all the

    directions.

    Kyle groaned as his movements slowed. He sensed the pressure and tried to fight it off as he murmured briskly.

    "First wind, and now gravity. So now we''re using naturalws in the battle, huh?"

    He was aware that Alec could manipte thew of gravity, but he didn''t realize that his understanding had evolved.

    Just as Kyle was about to unleash his full agility, despite the pressure gnawing at his skin, a soft weight plummeted from the sky, apanied by a whispering voice that only a select

    few could perceive.

    "James."

    One word-just one word-and Kyle''s body froze. The voice was familiar, he thought.

    But the instant he stopped resisting the pressure weighing down on him from all sides, it took effect, and a thin streak of blood oozed from his lips.

    The deep crimson color stood out vividly against his icy skin as it trickled down his chin, only to freeze into ice.

    Alec''s eyes widened, and he instantly halted using the naturalw before rushing toward Kyle to check if he was okay.

    He had also heard the strange voice, but it carried no malice; it had called out James''s name with a sense of familiarity, so Alec''s mind didn''t perceive it as a threat.

    Kyle waved his hand to signal that he was fine when he saw everyone rushing toward him. Everyone halted, but Yue frowned and unleashed her divine and spiritual energy to envelop his body for healing.

    This left the others in the area feeling conflicted as they nced down at their badly bruised bodies. No one hade forward to heal them, yet just a single injury on Kyle had Yue rushing to treat him. Wasn''t this a bit too unfair?

    Kyle didn''t stop the energy flowing into his body as he nced up at the sky, searching for the

    source of the voice he had heard. He sensed a pure and vibrant presence above him, and in the next moment, his eyes fell upon an old man whose body was entirelyposed of nature,

    floating high above.

    He narrowed his eyes, and his friends also took notice of the old man floating outside the boundary of the Forsaken Land.

    The old man, d in white robes, seemed taken aback that so many young people could sense

    his presence so easily.

    He wasn''t exceptionally strong and had remained at the pinnacle of the supreme rank since his birth, but as the Will of the Universe, only those who could manipte at least one natural

    law could perceive his presence and true form.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    So, how could he not be surprised by the multitude of gazes directed at him?

    He looked down directly at Kyle and the others with the kid, blinking in recognition as he

    recognized each and every face.

    How could he not? He had gone to check on all of them when they ascended to the

    transcendent rank.

    Ultimately, his gaze settled on Kyle.

    ''Oh, it''s the kid with the Celestial essence. He is still alive?''

    His surprise grew the more he looked around the Forsaken Land. Everything had changed too

    much. More importantly, he couldn''t sense many powerful individuals from the dark side in

    the war.

    ''What happened in my absence?''

    He frowned; he hade here to check on the remaining seals of the Realm of Dream when he felt a strong, ominous sensation.

    But he had checked both seals and found no issues with either of them, which made him even more restless. That''s why he hade to find James, one of the few people he had ever conversed with.

    As the Will of the Universe, he had the natural ability to sense if impending doom was near that could threaten the bnce of existence. He couldn''t interfere directly, but if the universe were destroyed, he would cease to exist. Therefore, he did everything in his power to protect

    the natural order.

    He snapped out of his thoughts when James appeared before him. His white eyes met Kyle''s green ones for a moment, but he looked away, feeling a sense of urgency for some reason, and

    nced at James.

    "I have a feeling something is very wrong. Increase the guards around the seals. No, go guard them yourself. Take Odiak and all the elders with you as well."

 Chapter 765: Something is very wrong II

    Chapter 765: Something is very wrong II

    ?

    James''s eyes flickered with confusion. He, too, had a troubling premonition, which was why he had been sending people to infiltrate the dark side''s main base, but he had yet to gather any useful information.

    Regardless, he nodded at the old man in white before him. They couldn''t afford to be careless when it came to the seals.

    "Okay, I will go guard the seals myself and take the elders with me too. The war does not need us for now since nearly all the powerful enemies have retreated."

    He watched as the old man turned around, leaving behind a few parting words.

    "I will stay around the seals as well."

    Kyle observed from below until the old man disappeared from sight. He hummed softly and then shifted his gaze away.

    Alec rubbed his chin, a serious expression crossing his face as he contemted the situation. Just then, Jian''s voice sounded behind him, breaking the silence in the air.

    "You guys heard what the old man said?"

    All eyes turned toward the red-haired man who had flown out of the crater, and Sinon let out an exasperated sigh.

    "Of course we did. They didn''t attempt to conceal their voices."

    The group exchanged nces, the weight of the revtion hanging heavily in the air as they processed the implications of what the old man had just said to James. It was then that they heard Kyle mumbling.

    "Why would I sense something simr to the Tree of Fate?"

    Yue, who was closest to him, turned her attention to him.

    "Huh?"

    Kyle shook his head and called for Bia in his mind, asking her to return to his side. A grumpy voice replied, okay, as he instructed her to meet him directly at the location where the seals were present.

    He turned to the others.

    "I am going to check the seals. I think I sensed something familiar around the seals thest time I was there."

    Alec hurriedly sheathed his sword and dusted off his clothes.

    "I will go too."

    If two of them were going, how could the others stay back? They all followed behind as Kyle and Alec made their way toward the seals. Ultimately, only Jian was left floating in the air, deep in thought.

    "I don''t feel like going. James and all the powerful elders are leaving; it''s not wise for all of us to abandon this ce. Ugh... I will just stay here until everyone returns. It''s better to be safe than sorry."

    He had barely moved when James appeared in front of him. Likely to inquire about Kyle and the others, but upon seeing him alone, he didn''t ask anything, realizing that the others must have already departed for the seals'' location after hearing his conversation with the old man.

    ncing at Jian onest time, James vanished as well. He had already informed the other elders nearby mentally and knew they would follow him shortly.

    Jian watched his figure fade before he noticed Odiak emerge from his building and leave after him calmly. He floated above in the sky with a frown for a long while as he observed the floating inds.

    After a while, Elder Razial flew out of his building, apanied by several powerful array masters. Razial sensed Jian''s gaze and appeared before him.

    "You don''t want to follow?"

    Jian blinked and scratched his head.

    "Um... So many people have already gone there. I will stay here and assist if the dark side does anything in the elders'' absence."

    Razial considered his words and let out a low chuckle. He was also worried about the dark side attacking the floating inds in their absence, but Odiak had activated an array around the area that would notify them if anyone dared to attack.

    "Don''t worry, there''s a barrier surrounding this ce. If anything were to happen while we''re gone, we would be alerted and return before the dark side could breach it."

    Jian nodded, a bit relieved, as he watched the elder disappear with the array masters.

    "I want to break through..."

    He mumbled under his breath as he clenched and unclenched his fists. But he knew there was still a long way to go before he could reach the supreme rank.

    "Tsk... there are times I feel envious of Kyle."

    Suddenly, recalling the source of Kyle''s immense strength, he shivered.

    "No, no, that doesn''t mean I am jealous of that cheat he has in his body! It''s powerful and otherworldly but just as dangerous. I''m better off without something like that. And I really don''t like cold things!"

    He rubbed his arms, astonished by how Kyle could withstand such biting cold. The Celestial essence had transformed his body into something almost inhumane-so cold and utterly... unfeeling.

    "But he is finally acting normal, though,ughing just as he did in the past."

    With a chuckle, he set off to join Niamh, Faith, Sen, Lucus, and the others to guide them in their training and release some of his pent-up frustration on them. They could only me Kyle for making him so wicked.

    ...

    Kyle stared at the two massive, tall pirs standing amidst the icy terrain. He took in every corner of the ce and enveloped it with his scent perception skill.

    A clear scent of multiple treasures protecting the pirs wafted into his nose, and he could even detect a subtle scent of spirituality from the pirs. But he couldn''t sense anything simr to the Tree of Fate.

    "Strange."

    Floating above a small crowd of warriors and array masters, Razial, Odiak, and Jane were conversing with Kurt, Hal, and Sophia, the ones who had been guarding the pirs for the past two months.

    James was inspecting the two massive pirs while Elizabeth floated beside him, discussing how there was nothing wrong with the seals since she had already checked them numerous

    times!

    Kyle had to admit that seeing so many supreme ranks together made him feel a bit weak. He wondered if the elders, along with James, all attacked him at once, whether he would be able to emerge victorious?

    He looked below; aside from Regius and Carcel, who stood with the crowd, Alec and the others were wandering around the two crystal pirs with solemn expressions.

    They had no idea what to do, so they could only try to detect any issues with the seals through their senses and be prepared to help if the dark side suddenly attacked.

    Kyle chuckled softly. The corners of his green eyes crinkled slightly. Yet, the sharp contrast

    between his smile and the weight of his words was striking.

    ''Why is it so calm? It''s almost as if there''s not a war raging around us, but...''

    He raised his hand and ced it on his chest, as if seeking answers.

    A profound sense of peace-that was what he was feeling. But it was so overwhelming that it bordered on suffocating.

    ''Why are you so calm? Shouldn''t you be acting in a time like this?''

    He hummed, and the smile and tion on his face disappeared, reced by an eerily familiar emotionless gaze as he tried to summon his bloodline, which had been wreaking havoc in his

    body recently.

    He clenched his jaw when it refused to obey and remained holed up in him. Summoning his spiritual energy, he activated a skill he had not used in a long time. It had evolved and be more powerful when he stepped into the supreme rank.

    #*Bloodline ability; Arcane Visions; (Supreme)-Rank:

    The user can activate the skill to glimpse the potential paths they might take in the uing minute that have yet to ur, but only with enough spiritual energy.

    ---> The skill might activate on its own if the user''s life is threatened due to a specific path

    they are meant to take to help them.

    --->There''s a chance to see something dangerous that is about to unfold.

    To Kyle, it resembled a weaker version of the naturalw of time. It could only reveal

    potential futures that might ur or might not, depending on his own actions. Also, it consumed too much spiritual energy, unlike the naturalw of time, which only required mental strength and understanding.

    He nced at his luck stat, hoping his (S+)-rank luck would be useful as he aimed to activate the slim chance of catching a glimpse of something dangerous, the new capability of the

    Arcane Visions.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He activated the skill; it was one of the skills he got from his bloodline. He thought it might

    try to resist him, but it didn''t.

    Kyle stared at the empty air before him because, unlike everyone around him, he was seeing something entirely different.

    He saw himself floating in the same spot where he currently was, above the icynd before the

    seals for an long time, observing the various paths he could take, such as speaking with Yue,

    Alec, or the others.

    But that wasn''t what he wanted to see. He wanted to know what would happen after the calmness that enveloped thisnd.

    And he smirked when the chance to see something dangerous from his Arcane Visions skill

    suddenly activated.

    ''My luck is useful after all.''

 Chapter 766: Realm of the Dead I

    Chapter 766: Realm of the Dead I

    ?

    Kyle''s smirk faded when a pair of very familiar eyes stared back at him-eyes he had not seen since leaving the Lost Treasure Tomb that had exploded.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    They radiated a madness that was starkly different from the calm and emptiness he had grown ustomed to.

    Azazeal''s figure,ughing maniacally, looked at him from his position at the heart of what could only be termed devastation.

    Surrounding him, everything disintegrated into nothingness, echoing with the haunting and bewildered cries of confused souls.

    He mumbled frantically as he tore apart and destroyed every confused soul in sight without a hint of hesitation.

    "Where is she?? Where is she?!"

    Even after seeing Kyle, he paid him no attention, as if he were trapped in a trance.

    Kyle staggered from his position, his heart racing wildly at the sight he was seeing, as if it were trying to escape his ribcage.

    His pupils burned and stung painfully, yet he refused to stop using his skill. He could see his breathing out in erratic bursts, and sweat dampening his palms.

    The reality of the present around him blurred at the edges as he stayed focused on what he was witnessing, determined not to look away or close his aching eyes, even as the weight of what was about toe threatened to crush him.

    The space around Azazeal twisted and shattered into fragments, but he remained unfazed. A multitude of figures in white and dark robes, their forms obscured byyers of spiritual and divine energy, surged forth from the massive gray void that had formed where the two remaining crystal pirs of the Realm of the Dead should have stood.

    The figures tried to stop the destruction, to halt the man surrounded by darkness, and to gather the escaping souls, but they were all consumed by the purple and obsidian particles emanating from Azazeal.

    The countless particles roared hungrily as they merged with the darkness, giving birth to a beautiful purple flower with numerous petals that bloomed to hold the falling sky.

    The flower petals radiated a faint yet brilliant purple light, but they were tainted by countless red and dark spots.

    Kyle spat out blood as he stared at the flower. His ears rang with the haunting cries of the souls being destroyed. But before he could lose himself in the future, a familiar voice cried out his name.

    His mind registered... Yue was calling him. Her trembling hands were gripping him. He needed to stop. He severed the connection with what he was seeing.

    But his head spun because if this was the future, then what had happened to him and all those who were in the Forsaken Land?

    What had be of them?

    Where did they go?

    How had the seals been destroyed?

    Kyle''sshes quivered as he blinked the blood oozing from his eyes and nced at the worried people around him.

    Alec ced his arm around his neck and helped himnd on the ground, which was covered in a thickyer of ice. He gritted his teeth as he pressed his hand against his back to transmit his spiritual energy into his body to heal him if he was injured.

    "Why are you always worrying everyone?!"

    Carcel and Sinon did the same.

    Yue rubbed his palm as everyone surrounded him, calling out his name. They had no idea what had happened. Suddenly, Kyle''s floating figure began to convulse, and blood started to pour from his eyes and mouth. Sinon was the first to notice his state and cried out to alert the others.

    James shouted toward Odiak, Elizabeth, and all the elders, urging them to gather every healing treasure they possessed.

    They couldn''t let anything happen to the person who had given them hope for a better future, the one who had proved that the supposedly undefeatable shadow generals could be defeated.

    Alec and the others also retrieved all their healing treasures, but in that moment, Kyle finally exhaled. He raised his hand to stop them as he calmed his racing heart.

    "We need to leave... this ce."

    He clenched Yue''s hand, which was rubbing his cold palm, and tried to stand. Only then did he notice the condition of his body; it was beginning to freeze.

    Kyle''s eyes widened as a very, very bad premonition welled up in his mind.

    Everything that had happened shed through his mind. His bloodline silence, even though it had the ability to know the dangers that the future held.

    If it already knew what was about to happen, did it seek to exploit the chaos to fully merge with him?

    But how? Over the past two months, Kyle hade to understand that his bloodline required something powerful to strengthen his body enough for the final step to merge with himpletely and transform his supreme physique into Celestial.

    It was evident that if something happened, Kyle would leap into danger to protect his loved ones, so why was it acting this way? Why was it not giving him any hints about the dangers so he could escape? Why was it trying to stop him? There was something crucial he was missing.

    There was no way his bloodline was going to risk his life and endanger him by trying to forcefully merge with him in the chaos.

    It cherished its own existence and wouldn''t jeopardize his life, knowing it would return to nature and cease to exist if he died.

    Yue''s choked voice, filled with worry, snapped him out of his thoughts.

    "Why? What happened to you?"

    Kyle''s jaw tightened as he fought against the cold freezing his internal organs.

    "We need to leave! Now! Ugh..."

    His voice trembled as he struggled to exin what he had seen and how he had seen it. The faces of the people around him grew paler the more he spoke.

    James muttered a curse under his breath as he struggled to ept the future being described

    to him. He nced at Odiak and the other elders with anxiety, only to see that their faces were even worse than his.

    Kyle hadn''t even finished when a loud cracking sound suddenly echoed through the air, capturing everyone''s attention.

    James''s heart stopped. Not just his; the hearts of every single person around the seals sank when they saw arge crack forming in the crystal-clear surface of one of the towering pirs. The moment the first crack appeared, another quickly followed, then another in no time.

    The Will of the Universe appeared in the clear sky, filled with snowkes cascading down to umte on thend, and the old man cried out in horror.

    "No! No! No! This can''t be happening!"

    He tried to stop the two seals from cracking further by channeling all his spiritual energy into

    them.

    James and the elders shook off the terror that gripped their hearts and also spread their spiritual energy to prevent the cracks in the seals from worsening.

    Odiak shouted with all his strength.

    "Everyone, supply your spiritual energy to the seals! Don''t hold back!"

    His words echoed, and without hesitation, everyone around the seals began to pour their spiritual energy into them. Alec, Carcel, Mia, Lara, and Regius also rushed to help.

    They couldn''t let the seals break! If they did, no one in the Forsaken Land would survive! The universe would be plunged into chaos-chaos that couldn''t be resolved even if they won

    against the dark side!

    Kyle forced himself to stand when he saw his friends leaping into danger right before his eyes.

    He grabbed Yue and Sinon, who were still beside him, and shouted as he summoned his strength to tear the fabric of space in the sky, creating a massive crack.

    "Leave! Go!"

    He pushed them toward the crack but gritted his teeth when they refused to leave.

    Yue clenched his arm.

    "No! We can''t leave everyone behind! The others are still on the floating inds!"

    Dread and horror filled her entire being as she thought about the people fighting in the war

    and the many on the floating inds.

    Her friends and Nox... Nox and Bia! Her mind supplied as she tried to rush toward the floating inds, only to be stopped by Kyle as he grabbed her waist.

    He panted as he rested his head on her shoulder, holding her tightly.

    "I will not let anything happen to them. I promise. I promise. Please believe me. Just this

    once. Just for thest time."

    Yue froze when his touch became even colder, so much so that it pained her, as if it were not a

    human hand but a block of ice.

    She nced at the seals and took a deep breath to steady herself.

    She needed to stay clear-headed.

    "I will! Okay, I will!"

    Sinon grabbed Kyle as he staggered, his expression filled with concern and dread.

    "What the hell is going on? Everything was fine just a moment ago! Why the hell is this

    happening?!"

    Seeing Yue calming down, Kyle rxed a little as well. He knew that Yue and Sinon wouldn''t

    leave without him and the others, so he didn''t waste any time urging them and vanished

    toward the seals.

    Yue and Sinon followed behind. They expanded their spiritual energy just like the others to

    prevent the seals from breaking.

    At that moment, Damien''s familiar voice echoed from the distance as he stepped out from a

    crack that formed in the air.

    "It seems I am right on time."

    He chuckled with pure amusement and mirth dancing in his azure eyes.

    "I would have regretted it if I had missed such a beautiful sight."

 Chapter 767: Realm of the Dead II

    Chapter 767: Realm of the Dead II

    ?

    James''s head whipped around at the familiar voice. He clenched his teeth so hard that he drew blood as he cursed the first shadow general, who watched their struggle with a satisfied expression.

    "You bastard! So, this was the dark side''s n all along? That''s why you and Ceano were so silent; that''s why more than half of the dark side retreated from the war? How the hell did you two pull this off?"

    Damien chuckled, feeling the weight of countless piercing eyes upon him, as if they longed to tear him apart. Yet, he didn''t care. The dark side had already won. No one in this world could change that fact now.

    The corners of his eyes crinkled as he surveyed the scene before him.

    He could see fear, desperation, and panic etched on everyone''s faces, and he felt a twisted sense of exhration.

    The sight was one of the most beautiful he had ever witnessed, igniting a thrill within him that he couldn''t quite suppress.

    "Are you sure you want to waste time chatting with me, James? Well, I am free, so I don''t mind. But don''t you have more important things to do, like preventing the Realm of the Dead from opening?"

    He chuckled as he observed the expressions of everyone around the seal contorted in rage and horror. They couldn''t stop what they were doing, which meant they couldn''t fight him to shut

    him up.

    "Hmm, I wonder just how long you all can supply such immense spiritual energy to the seals? Tsk, tsk, it isn''t even working."

    The Will of the Universe shuddered.

    Damien was right; no matter how much spiritual energy the people around the seals poured into them, the two pirs continued to crack, marred by so many fractures that they appeared on the verge of copsing.

    James''s eyes turned red with fury. He wanted to fight Damien in a life-and-death battle. But he understood the gravity of the situation they were in; he couldn''t afford to stop channeling spiritual energy.

    The seals were already on the brink of breaking, and they needed every ounce of strength to hold back the impending chaos.

    That''s why he clenched his fists and swallowed his anger, battling against the fear that threatened to engulf him. He knew that if the seals broke, it wouldn''t just be his life at stake; the fate of everyone he cared about hung in the bnce.

    Damien''s smile faded, and he scoffed loudly when his provocation didn''t work. Then, out of nowhere, his gazended on Kyle-the one person he most wanted to see gripped by fear and desperation.

    He had hoped to see him curse or glower at him just like the others, but Kyle did none of that. Instead, he dismissed his presence, as if he held no significance whatsoever.

    His green eyes were fixed on the seals as he channeled his spiritual energy into them and drew ancient symbols in the air that the first shadow general couldn''t recognize.

    Kyle''s expression was calm andposed. If one overlooked the tremor in his body as he battled against the ice encasing his skin and his pained face, they might assume he was indifferent to everything and would not care even if the seals were to break.

    A vein throbbed on Damien''s head. Even in such a bad situation, Kyle didn''t show him any fear! He wanted to see the same fear he felt due to Kyle reflected in thetter''s eyes. He wanted to see him break as he could do nothing but watch everyone he cherished perish before his very eyes.

    "That son of the "

    Before he could rush toward Kyle and confront him, a hand grabbed his shoulder, halting him in his tracks. Enthrall sneered as he emerged from the crack behind him, apanied by Ceano.

    "Are you an idiot? Don''t you realize he is simr to what one would call ''the son of fate''? Read some books in your free time. The viins always end up dead-because they underestimate the son of fate."

    No one understood the nonsense he was spewing. Damien scowled and swatted his hand away, and like Cenao, could only re at him, hoping he would shut up.

    But Enthrall was far from finished. He continued to ramble on.

    "Look, I know I lost to you badly when we battledst month. That''s why you are still above me. I hate you, and you hate me. To be honest, I wouldn''t mind if you died, but it would be a shame for you to die when we are so close to achieving something big."

    "It would be bad if you charge into battle thinking you can end him, only to find out that you''repletely outmatched..."

    That''s it. That was the final straw. Damien raised his fist to silence him, but he froze when the icy air turned even colder.

    The three turned their heads and watched as ayer of familiar blue mes spread out to engulf the two crumbling pirs.

    Kyle panted, exerting all his strength to control the space around him. He felt the bewildered and shocked gazes directed at him and shouted loudly.

    "It''s no use... We can''t save the seals. Stop wasting your spiritual energy."

    The Will of the Universe shook his head in denial and attempted to pass through the icy mes to save the seals.

    "No! No! That can''t be!"

    Kyle ignored the old man. He shed his palm with a wind de. The crimson blood floated before his eyes and merged with the symbols he had been creating in the air.

    Elder Razial''s eyes widened in shock when he saw the golden symbols that turned red after absorbing Kyle''s blood. It wasn''t just him alone; the eyes of several other array masters in the area also widened.

    Some of the symbols looked familiar; they had encountered them before!

    They were used to gather life force! They were not difficult to draw, but they were too dangerous because they drained life force, so not many dared to use them!

    So, why the hell did the kid draw such dangerous symbols?

    Razial and the array masters couldn''t decipher the other symbols glowing in front of Kyle, but the ones they recognized were enough to raise their rm.

    One of them raised his voice.

    "What are you doing? Don''t be reckless! Don''t you know that once the symbols that drain life force are drawn, they can''t be undone until they have satisfied their hunger and fulfilled their

    purpose?"

    Many others shouted as well. First, Kyle stopped them from pouring spiritual energy into the seals, and now this?

    What was he doing? All of their lives, along with countless others in the Forsaken Land, were

    in danger!

    If they couldn''t save the seals, they needed to at least make a good n to escape this ce before it copsed, taking as many people as possible with them! But he was wasting precious

    time!

    The Will of the Universe, having failed to pass through the mes, turned to Kyle.

    "Extinguish your mes!!"

    The old man''s voice thundered in the air. He could not interfere, nor could he harm any living

    being in the universe. That''s why he turned to James and the elders.

    "Stop him! What are you all waiting for? We don''t have time!"

    James clenched his fists and turned to Kyle, but he didn''t stop him. He already had a

    premonition of what the man was trying to achieve. He understood it when Kyle said they couldn''t save the seals.

    If they truly couldn''t, then at least they needed to save themselves!

    The Will of the Universe gritted his teeth as James and the elders ignored his words.

    "Have you all lost your minds?! You''re entrusting everything to a kid who hasn''t even lived long enough to grasp the vastness of this world!"

    With that, he turned and resumed his struggle to pass through the icy mes to reach the seals. He couldn''t allow the Realm of the Dead to open!

    Elizabeth nced at James to determine their next actions. But he shook his head. It wasn''t that they trusted Kyle with their lives; it was just that they had no other choice.

    If they tried hard enough, the two could escape this ce with their friends... but what about the countless people fighting in the war? The ones on the floating inds?

    Yue, Alec, Carcel, Regius, Sinon, Mia, and Lara rushed to float around Kyle. They had no idea what he was doing or why he had created such dangerous symbols, but no matter what, they would trust him and defend against anyone who attacked.

    They all turned back when Kyle''s voice echoed in their minds, asking them to help himn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    complete the array he was trying to create. He needed life force. They weren''t the only ones

    Kyle asked for help.

    James and the seven supreme elders exchanged nces. Losing life force meant losing their strength, as it would reduce the number of years they could live.

    Their bodies were nearly immortal, allowing them to live for a long time since they had reached the supreme rank. But that didn''t mean they were invulnerable.

    Alec nced at the system panel, which was shing warning signs of impending danger, and

    took a deep breath. Then, he shed his palm and watched as his blood was drawn into the glowing symbols in the air. Carcel and the others followed suit.

    Seeing them trust Kylepletely, James moved forward and also shed his hand, choosing

    to sacrifice his life force. Odiak, Elizabeth, and the other supreme elders who believed in

    James followed suit.

    The other powerful individuals in the area were uncertain about what to do, but when they heard James''s voice in their minds, they too followed without hesitation.

 Chapter 768: Realm of the Dead III

    Chapter 768: Realm of the Dead III

    ?

    Ceano''s eyes narrowed as he stared at the glowing crimson symbols before Kyle. He had heard what the array masters said to the human; not just him, but the other two shadow generals had heard it as well.

    Enthrall''s eyes flickered with panic as he tried toprehend the symbols.

    "What is he doing? Don''t tell me he somehow found a way to save the seals! We cannot let that happen! I have already informed master; he will be here soon! Go, stop him, you two!"

    He remained still and asked Damien and Ceano to go and stop Kyle.

    It was wiser to stay away from the source of distress, especially in times of extreme danger, if one wanted to survive!

    Ceano gave him a dark nce that conveyed his intention to hack him into many pieces once they were finished here, before vanishing toward Kyle.

    Damien closely trailed behind. He didn''t dare to look at Enthrall onest time like Ceano, fearing he might lose control at the sight of his face and choke him to death.

    However, they were stopped before they could reach Kyle by James and the elders, who stepped away from the crowd.

    Deafening, thunderous roars reverberated through the stilled air as the attacks from both sides collided in mid-air, shaking the very ground beneath them to its core.

    As each side unleashed their full strength, thend fractured and convulsed violently, while both factions unleashed a torrent of devastating skills at one another, entirely disregarding any restraint or concern for their dwindling energy reserves.

    The atmosphere crackled with raw power, creating a chaotic symphony of destruction that echoed for miles.

    Ceano gritted his teeth when he was pushed back by Elizabeth and Kurt. Had he be so weak that now he couldn''t even handle a few supreme ranks? This was all because he had lost far too many of his fake bodies because of Kyle!

    He wanted to tear that human apart; no, he would make him experience true hell if he ever got his hands on him!

    Ceano chuckled darkly, and with that, a portion of the space behind him cracked. Another of his bodies stepped out of the rift, rushing toward Kyle. He only needed to disrupt whatever the human was trying to aplish, and that would be enough!

    Suddenly, the sky shuddered as an overwhelming aura erupted from Damien''s entire body, as he wielded the naturalw of space to assert dominion over the very fabric of reality surrounding him.

    His gaze was fixed on Kyle, who was surrounded by a swarm of people as he drew unfamiliar symbols one after another in the air and murmured spells tobine them with the red ones floating before him at a speed that appeared surreal.

    With a thunderous sh of his hands, everything within Damien''s radius erupted into a deafening cacophony of explosions as he shattered the space.

    Ceano seized the split second he gained because of Damien''s sudden attack, and the air became impossibly dense under hismand, pressing down on all those attempting to escape the area.

    James coughed up blood as thepressed space assaulted his body, struggling to remain afloat under pressure that felt like the immense weight of the universe bearing down on him. He cursed when he saw the state of the elders; unlike him, some of them had already

    crumpled to the ground, desperately trying to rise.

    "Damn it! These bastards..."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He used the naturalw of space to help the elders escape the pressure. They also utilized the naturalws they had learned to re-engage the two shadow generals.

    But it was toote.

    Damien had already reached Kyle.

    Alec and Carcel tried to stop him, but their weapons were met by Ceano''s fake body de. The two were pushed back.

    Yue and Mia created multiple shields around Kyle as Lara, Sinon, and Regius faced Damien''s attack head-on. They were sessful in stopping him in his tracks, but their hearts sank when they heard Ceano''sughter echo behind them.

    Sinon turned around sharply.

    "His second body!!!"

    Alec and Carcel, who were engaged with Ceano, widened their eyes at the sight.

    Far away, Enthrall, who was about to make his way to Kyle by taking advantage of the chaos, suddenly stopped.

    "I guess I''m not needed, hehe. At least Ceano''s fake bodies are still useful."

    Ceano licked his lips with a wicked grin as he tore apart the barriers surrounding Kyle and wed at his face to rip it apart.

    For some reason, he felt as though he could actually kill this human, especially seeing his weak, trembling body!

    Kyle stared at the hand reaching for his face and spoke with an emotionless gaze.

    "Just a secte."

    Ceano''s eyes dted, because just as his hand was about to touch Kyle''s face, the symbols before Kyle glowed ominously in blood-red, and a formidable aura, stronger than what Damien had released earlier, surged outward from them, sending everyone around him flying

    away.

    Sinon, who was closest to him after the second shadow general, felt the full force of the sudden surge of power, which sent him hurtling through the air.

    He hissed in pain and shielded his body with his wings to minimize the impact as he crashed

    to the ground, creating a crater. Instantly, a torrent of curses erupted from his mouth,

    directed solely at Kyle.

    "At least give a warning! You piece of "

    His words were cut short as an unimaginable pain suddenly shot through his body, forcing

    him to let out a scream.

    Alec and the others also wanted to curse Kyle as they crashed down hard; but Sinon wasn''t the only one feeling the sudden pain; all those who had fed their blood to the symbols experienced the same agony.

    James finally plummeted from the sky. He clenched his jaw and endured the agony as he felt his life force slipping away from his body, heading straight toward the glowing red symbols. He knew that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t stop it since he had willingly offered

    his blood.

    He nced around and noticed the seven elders enduring the same torment.

    But unlike the younger generation, they did not scream. They had experienced far worse to let this pain affect them.

 Chapter 769: Realm of the Dead IV

    Chapter 769: Realm of the Dead IV

    ?

    Regius gritted his teeth as he crawled out of the crater, dragging Sinon along.

    "Ugh, this pain is going to end me, and I can''t even demandpensation!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Mia, Lara, and Yue couldn''t evenugh at his sudden joke. They were too focused on the painful sensation in their bodies as their life forces faded away in front of him.

    They didn''t scream and endure the pain, knowing it would distress Kyle further as the one who had drawn the array.

    Ceano and Damien, having bnced themselves in mid-air after suddenly being thrown away by the powerful force, halted in their tracks at the sound of screams.

    Damien''s eyes narrowed as he drew in a sharp breath, utterly shocked by the power those mere symbols possessed. He looked around and sensed what was happening.

    "He is extracting their life force? That can''t stop the seals from breaking. Then what..."

    His azure eyes suddenly widened as a realization settled in his mind, and he let out a loud, mockingugh.

    "Wait, is he creating an array to save the people on the Forsaken Land? Haha, I can''t believe it! But just how many people can he save? A hundred? Two hundred?"

    Hearing his words, Enthrall immediately spoke in his and Ceano''s heads from the same ce where they had left him.

    ''Ahem... One should not celebrate before iming victory. Focus on stopping him instead ofughing foolishly.''

    Damien''s head throbbed with frustration. How he desperately wanted to go and pull his tongue out of his mouth!

    But he controlled himself with a deep breath. It wasn''t the first time he had felt like killing Enthrall, that annoying piece of work who always got on his nerves.

    Unlike him, Ceano''s two bodies vanished toward Kyle after hearing Enthrall''s words. It was true that the fourth shadow general was annoying, but he wasn''t wrong. Instead of wasting time, it was better to destroy the symbols to ensure Kyle wouldn''t seed in whatever he was trying, even by ident!

    As he got near Kyle, he was stopped by a barrier. Ceano tried to break through it but was pushed back as the glowing symbols in front of Kyle twisted and coiled around Kyle''s body like a sinister red serpent.

    Instantly, the symbols stretched out and morphed into a colossal array with Kyle at the center, serving as the main catalyst.

    The array pulsed ominously as it greedily absorbed the life force of all those who had offered their blood, shifting from a vibrant red to an abyssal darkness.

    Yet, amidst it all, the most enticing life force came from the human floating in its center, radiating cold energy.

    Kyle heard the people around him screaming... and knew his friends were among them. He didn''t care about others. He never did. But the thought of having put the ones he cared for through this pain as well made his chest tighten.

    He never wished for any of them to suffer, nor did he appreciate the idea that they had to serve as the power source for the array. But he needed arge amount of life force to activate the array that would forcibly tear the sky and create a massive spatial rift above the entire Forsaken Land.

    That rift will forcibly draw in every single living person in the Forsaken Land, whether they are willing or not, and teleport them all far away from the danger. And his life force alone was not enough for the array.

    Kyle had an idea of the pain his friends were enduring, perhaps all too well. After all, he was experiencing far more than what they were going through since he had made himself the main catalyst of the array.

    The realization that, unlike him, they didn''t know what he was going through offered him a strange sense of relief.

    He smiled faintly, and the emotionless expression on his face softened slightly.

    ''I will make sure they never discover the truth; that way, they''ll believe they have all endured the same suffering as I have.''

    Bia''s shouts echoed in his mind when she sensed his life force dimming. Kyle sighed, realizing he couldn''t hide anything from her and assured her he was fine.

    His skin cracked as the dark array around him expanded further, and a powerful beam of dark, golden, and crimson light surged from the array toward the darkened sky.

    Ceano, who had been watching everything, paused in his attempts to break the barrier and jumped away from the array.

    His golden eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the man encased in ice, floating at the center of the devastating beam that tore through everything in its path.

    "You..."

    Kyle chuckled with a nk expression, amused at how shocked Ceano appeared. It was quite a funny sight.

    He shook his head and nced up.

    The sky fractured as the beam of light reached a certain point, erupting outward in all directions in a devastating disy. The crack expanded alongside the chaotic light of the beam with frightening speed.

    In no time, the crack expanded to cover the entire sky above the area where the seals were present, engulfed in icy blue mes. It continued to spread without pause.

    The Will of the Universe halted when he sensed the overwhelming force above him. He red

    at Kyle but said nothing and continued with what he was doing.

    At a distance, James released a sigh of relief as he realized that his life force had finally stopped draining from his body.

    He began to heal his injuries and looked around, noticing that everyone else in the vicinity was also breathing more easily.

    The ones who had been screaming had fallen silent as well. However, many wore dejected

    expressions.

    And who could me them?

    They had lost a considerable amount of their strength. Even James felt the impact; his rank had plummeted from the pinnacle of the supreme rank to the second stage.

    He took a deep breath and floated to observe the beam of light.

    ''It''s worth it... as long as we can save everyone in thisnd.''

    Alec checked his body and joined his friends. They felt their strength diminish, but they had no regrets. At least this time, they helped Kyle, unlike every other time he had risked his life alone.

    Under everyone''s gaze, the crack in the sky quickly expanded in all directions to cover the entire Forsaken Land.

    The countless people training on the floating inds were the first to notice the massive crack. They were alerted and tried to stop it, but their efforts were in vain.

    Jian observed with a grim expression as the crack consumed the sky above.

    "I knew something was wrong... I can feel Kyle and the others'' life force within the crack... What the hell happened?"

 Chapter 770: Realm of the Dead V

    Chapter 770: Realm of the Dead V

    ?

    The soldiers fighting in the war looked up as the sky grew dark. The stronger ones tried to figure out the source of the crack that was swallowing the sky, but all their attacks were

    absorbed by it.

    They initially believed the dark side was responsible, but even the dark side was astonished by what they were seeing.

    Both sides on the battlefield suspected each other of being the culprit, believing it to be a trick the enemy was using to gain the upper hand. This suspicion escted the ongoing battles in the war.

    Suddenly, for some reason, the few supreme ranks from the dark side still on the battlefield vanished, leaving only the weaker fighters to continue the battle. This sudden absence made those fighting to save the universe increasingly anxious.

    But what happened next shocked both sides to their very core. The moment the crack, filled with violent crimson, dark, and golden sparks, consumed the sky over the entire Forsaken Land, it burst forth with a thunderous roar, unleashing a powerful suction force that surged outward.

    Like a colossal wormhole, it began to consume everyone indiscriminately. The countless people fighting in the Forsaken Land cried out in terror as they were drawn into the massive crack, desperately trying to find their footing and thrust their weapons into the ground to

    hold on.

    Panic-stricken screams filled the air; even those from the dark side still battling in the war were horrified as they, too, were drawn in by the crack pulsing with energy.

    Then, suddenly, Odiak''s familiar voice resonated throughout the entire Forsaken Land, cutting through the chaos.

    "All those who followed the gray sword, stood with James to fight for the universe. Don''t resist; leave thisnd through the rift, for staying here any longer is dangerous! The gray sword on your clothing signifies your allegiance, and all who are aware of it will always be weed to gather and seek refuge until the seven elders have established a new base!"

    The cries in the air lessen considerably when they hear the loud voice. Even if they don''t recognize the voice, they are aware of the gray sword engraved on their armor.

    This weapon symbolizes their strength. It was wielded in the past by an ancestor who was the first to stand against Azazeal. The sword never broke, even in battle against Azazeal. Ultimately, its owner was sealed away alongside all theirpanions in the Second Realm by Azazeal, never to be seen again, and the weapon was lost.

    High above the floating inds, Jian silently observed the dark sky as those around him were pulled into the crack.

    After hearing Odiak''s voice, almost all the people on the floating inds allowed the crack to draw them in, leaving the area willingly and without resistance.

    Jian''s gaze shifted when he heard his name. He nced toward Kelvin, Neon, and all the familiar faces he recognized as they gathered above an ind, calling his name and trying to resist being swept away.

    He knew he couldn''t remain on the Forsaken Land much longer, as the force from the crack was bing increasingly difficult to resist, even for him. He could have left alongside the group; however, he didn''t depart immediately.

    With lightning speed, he left his spot and reappeared before Kelvin, his childhood friend, wearing a wry smile.

    "Sorry, bro. I promise we will train together until you reach the same rank as me. But I have something important to do, so I can''t leave with you guys..."

    Kelvin let out a chuckle. Even without knowing the details, he had a feeling that something significant had happened.

    "It''s okay. It''s not like it''s the first time you''ve broken a promise. Just stay safe."

    Jian scratched his head andughed with an apologetic smile. He nodded at Han, Lily, Lumi, and a few others he was familiar with before pausing to meet Neon''s gaze.

    Neon simply shook his shoulder. He wasn''t worried about Kyle; he had already seen just how strong his little brother was. In fact, he was more concerned about the enemies.

    "Kyle is way too strong and has grown up, so I am not too concerned about him. Just focus on staying alive yourself. Let''s meet again after you''re all done, but I''m pretty sure that''s not happening anytime soon."

    Jian''s eyebrow twitched as he noticed the proud look in Neon''s eyes.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    He was tempted to tell Neon that Kyle was a crazy bastard and that he waspletely sure Kyle was likely the one responsible for the crack in the sky! But he held back since he cared about that crazy bastard.

    Jian watched as they all left. He was also being pulled into the crack, but he resisted and disappeared toward the seals. But he wasn''t prepared for what he saw when he finally arrived before the seals. Thend had shattered beyond recognition.

    Amidst the devastation, only the supreme ranks floated while everyone else struggled to avoid being drawn toward the crack.

    Ceano and Demain were battling against James and the seven elders. Alec and the others were assisting them while struggling to avoid being pulled into the sky. However, for some reason, all of them seemed weak-very, very weak. It was almost as if they had lost a big portion of their strength.

    Jian rushed toward Alec and the others to help, only then did he realize why they were fighting the shadow generals.

    Not just Ceano and Damien; everyone''s eyes were fixed on the dark-haired human floating amidst the destruction, surrounded by a massive, dark array. On Kyle''s side, the two seals were enveloped in icy mes.

    Ceano''s two bodies and Damien seemed resolute in their mission to obliterate the array surrounding Kyle. Meanwhile James, Alec, the seven elders, and the others were trying to stop them, aware that the human at the center of the array was maintaining control to keep it active and looked as if he would copse at any moment.

 Chapter 771: Realm of the Dead VI

    Chapter 771: Realm of the Dead VI

    ?

    Jian cursed fiercely when he spotted another figure floating far away, watching the chaos unfold with a twisted sense of amusement. It was Enthrall.

    "That fucker! I want to gouge out his eyes! What''s so damn amusing?"

    With a surge of adrenaline, he darted across the battlefield at blinding speed.

    His eyes turned white, and the air around him stilled; not just the air, but everything in his surroundings froze as time halted under hismand. Jian murmured a powerful spell aimed directly at Enthrall.

    The sky erupted in a torrent of zing mes, each flicker shimmering with a sinister hue of deep crimson.

    Enthrall jolted in surprise as the mes morphed into a thousand deadly arrows, raining down upon him mercilessly.

    Ceano and Damien were also alerted and scanned their surroundings immediately when they sensed that time hade to a standstill around them.

    They initially thought Kyle had joined the fray to attack, but their confusion turned to surprise as they noticed an unfamiliar face wielding the nature to control time.

    Damien sent Odiak sprawling with a kick and fixed his sharp gaze on Jian.

    "Kill him."

    His words were loud and clear, causing everyone around him to turn toward the red-haired man rushing toward Enthrall.

    Carcel grabbed his spear and hurled it toward Ceano''s body, which was just inches away from Jian, with all his might. Alec and Regius did the same. However, they failed to realize that themand Damien gave was not meant for Ceano.

    Enthrall, who was leaping to evade the fire arrows aimed at him with a mocking smile, froze when the dark five-petal flower on his body reacted. His amused sapphire eyes instantly turned deadly serious.

    After all, if Damien had suddenly resorted to using the flower to assert hismand, it meant that their master was near. Now, he can''t be a salted fish, can he?

    He tilted his head toward Jian''s approaching figure with a sinister smile.

    "I am cautious..."

    His words were followed by a powerful force that swept aside all the arrows raining down on him as he vanished from his spot and reappeared directly in front of Jian.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "That doesn''t mean I''m weak."

    Jian''s eyes dted as he failed to react in time, and the man before him plunged his nails deep into his heart without hesitation. He spat out blood as he tried to stop him but failed when Enthrall clenched his fist.

    The cries of his friends echoed in his ears, but they all faded into the background as he became fixated on the sapphire eyes gazing at him with a mesmerizing light. Enthrall smirked when The saw the dazed look.

    "Shhh... Sleep for eternity, or destroy those you care about? What will you choose?"

    Faint blue particles surged from his fingertips, spreading through Jian''s body to turn him into a mindless person, just like the monsters he had turned mindless thest time he visited the blue. So, even if his soul survived today and formed a new body for himself in the future, it would be pointless, as he would lose all capacity for reasoning and would attack ruthlessly anyone who dared to approach him.

    That''s what death meant in Enthrall''s dictionary. If the person he wanted to kill didn''t die, they would either be his ve or a mindless individual who would ultimately be killed by their own people.

    Alec summoned all his strength and even jumped to the initial stage of the supreme rank for a short while with the system''s help to stop him. He raised his fist, his eyes red and his expression filled with fury.

    "You fucker-"

    Yet, his attack was intercepted by one of Ceano''s bodies, which spun and absorbed the blow head-on before sneering at him.

    "You have too many people to care for. Don''t you know that is what usually leads people to their downfall?"

    Alec wanted to attack when a cold, deep, raspy voice echoed in the distance, causing them both to freeze. Not just them, but everyone else in the vicinity also froze.

    "Oh, really?"

    It wasn''t fear that paralyzed them in their spots; the voice carried an overwhelming pressure that rendered them motionless.

    Kyle blinked to regain his focus and nced at everyone around him. He had lost all his senses for a short while when a significant portion of his life force was drained away by the array, causing him to fail to stop Enthrall in time.

    His dark hair turned silver as he stared directly at Ceano with a chilling smile that resembled nothing like a smile.

    "Doesn''t that mean I have the same weakness as him then? Since I also cared for many people. And one of them seems to be dying right in front of my eyes."

    The array around him buzzed with joy as a powerful life force surged from his body for it to consume. Kyle stepped out of the array and walked above it as its illusionary form solidified into a dark mass of energy. The icy mes danced around him, intertwining with the faint particles emanating from his body, creating an ethereal spectacle that pulsed with an overwhelming power capable of destroying everything.

    "I wonder if it''s painful... dying, I mean?"

    With each step, he felt the coldness enveloping his body, intensifying in strength to halt him. The Will of the Universe turned to him when it sensed his aura but gasped at the sight of his body cracking like ss.

    Kyle blinked, and in the next second, he was floating directly behind Enthrall, who tried to turn back and attack him.

    But couldn''t moved.

    Kyle''s eyes met Jian''s hazy ones, and the green within them turned to white.

    Everyone in the vicinity hissed as space shattered in a blur, and time rushed back with an anguished noise, as if forced.

    The sky erupted with a powerful roar, and the Will of the Universe rushed to stop him when it realized what he was doing.

    "Stop! You can''t toy with nature so recklessly!"

    He wasn''t allowed to interfere, but as the Will of the Universe, he couldn''t let anyone disrupt nature. It was one thing for Kyle to try to turn back time in his vicinity, but he was trying to alter events that had already transpired to save someone!

    "Damn it! It''s not like the kid''s going to die! He can create a new body for himself! So, why are

    you doing this?"

    Kyle tilted his head and the old man rushing toward him was stopped by the icy mes. He wanted to say just because... However, considering his condition, he refrained. He watched as the hazy red eyes he had been staring at began to return to normal.

    Time turned back, and with each moment, his skin cracked further.

    He had already lost too much life force due to the array, which was still operating in the distance, and now his body was suffering for doing what he was forbidden to do.

    Jian blinked in surprise, as if his thoughts had returned to him, and he blinked again. He nced down at his body and released a harsh breath when he saw no blood. Not even a hint of it... He was sure his heart... even the thought made him shudder.

    "This... Oh my..."

    He pressed his palm against his racing heart, and a hint of excitement shed in his red eyes.

    So, one can really turn back time enough to alter events!? He whipped his head toward Kyle

    with a grin, but the smile faded when he saw his condition.

    "!???"

 Chapter 772: Realm of the Dead VII

    Chapter 772: Realm of the Dead VII

    ?

    Jian''s face paled, and he hastily lunged forward to grasp Kyle to help him, seeing his skin marred with cracks. But before his hands could reach him, a brutal kick sent a jolt through his midsection, knocking the breath out of his lungs.

    "Ugh!!"

    Gasping, he doubled over, struggling to regain his bnce in mid-air. But it was futile-his body iled like a cloth, and he was hurled backward before crashing hard to the ground. Jian coughed violently as blood spilled from his lips.

    There was silence in the air as everyone watched Kyle lower his leg.

    Alec''s mouth hung open at the sight. He was closest to Jian, so he saw clearly how thetter''s body was flung away.

    Jian struggled to get to his feet, his expression wounded as he wiped the blood from his chin and lips and stared straight at the silver-haired man floating far away.

    "What was that for...???!"

    Kyle met his gaze with an cold expression, making Jian shut his mouth.

    "It''s for getting injured even after all this time training with me."

    Jian stared back at him nkly as his body was hoisted up toward the crack above. A faintugh escaped his lips.

    "Seriously? That''s what you care about when it looks like your body is about to shatter any second? You bastard!"

    He fought against the force pulling him up, but his injury made his struggles feel futile. Kyle disregarded him and turned his attention back. His eyes fell on Enthrall, who floated in the distance, astounded by the events that had just unfolded.

    The shadow general was in disbelief that even his body had traveled back in time.

    His sapphire eyes locked onto the green ones, and just as Kyle''s fingers reached out to grab him by the neck, he leaped into the rift from which he, Ceano, and Damien had emerged earlier, disappearing from sight without a moment''s hesitation.

    Kyle stared at the empty space before him and blinked once before turning toward the other two shadow generals.

    "He is quite elusive, isn''t he?"

    Ceano flinched at his words and looked at Damien, who wore a grave expression.

    For some reason, they sensed an overwhelming cold aura radiating from the human in front of them, prompting them to hesitate before confronting him head-on.

    Kyle wanted to eliminate them, but it was at that moment that thest two seals binding the Realm of the Dead finally disintegrated into dust, causing the entire Forsaken Land to tremble as a massive void to the realm of departed souls opened in their ce.

    The icy mes enveloping the area dissipated into nothingness as an aura of pure divine and spiritual energy, along with something entirely beyond the realm of the living, surged forth from the void, followed by a cacophony of mixed sounds filled with confusion and surprise.

    The Will of the Universe cried out in pure horror as everything around the void began to disintegrate into nothingness, devoured by the energy radiating from it.

    The old man wanted to intervene, but he was too weak. In the end, he could only leave everything to fate and vanished.

    James shouted to his people as he rushed toward the crack in the sky.

    "We need to leave! Now!"

    The seven elders gathered to escape the terrifying scene, their hearts pounding, as a blinding light erupted from the void.

    Odiak paused suddenly and called out to Alec and the other youngsters toe as well, but his eyes widened when he saw them all rushing toward Kyle.

    He gritted his teeth and floated after the other elders while assisting Razial. Once he and James sent the others away, they both turned back to urge the kids to hurry up.

    The array maintaining the crack in the sky trembled and lost its power as the energy from the void consumed it.

    The crack in the sky began to close the moment the array disintegrated.

    Kyle''s body trembled as he sensed the air quickening and a very familiar presence tearing through the space behind him.

    In contrast, Damien and Ceano''s eyes sparkled with excitement and respect. Their hearts raced with awe as ayer of darkness intertwined with something otherworldly spread out to envelop the space.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The air crackled with an overwhelming surge of power, and a pair of obsidian eyes peered out from the tear behind Kyle.

    James''s breath hitched at the sight, feeling a suffocating pressure grip him, threatening to engulf everything in its wake.

    ".......!!"

    Yue rushed toward Kyle.

    "Come with us!!"

    Not only Yue, but all of his friends rushed toward him, except for Jian, who was quite far away. He shouted in denial as he realized he couldn''t move, feeling the weight of the dark gaze behind him fixed on his back.

    "Go!"

    Kyle screamed and, without hesitation, invoked another naturalw to manipte the space. The area before Yue cracked open, and her eyes widened as the fissure forcefully swallowed

    her.

    Carcel, Sinon, Regius, and Mia, who were together in the distance, met the same fate and were swallowed by another crack.

    Alec, who was closest to him, reached out with gritted teeth, desperate to grab him.

    He wanted to use a teleportation bead to bring Kyle with him; they could figure out how to heal his body together. But his eyes widened as a teleprotation portal red to life before him and swallowed him.

    Lara froze in her tracks at the scene. With onest nce at Kyle, she hurried toward Jian, determined to pull him away toward the closing crack in the sky where James and Odiak were waiting. She understood there was no point in trying to help Kyle if he didn''t want it. He would do the same to send her away. So, instead of letting him waste his energy trying to send her and Jian off, it was wiser for them to make their own escape.

    Kyle didn''t turn back to look at the person watching him; instead, he focused on Lara as she reached Jian. He wanted to send them away as well, but there wasn''t an ounce of strength left

    in his body.

    He heard it loud and clear when a figure stepped out of the tear behind him. Kyle clenched his fists. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to escape; he wanted to.

    It was just that the icy power within him,bined with the dark gaze on his back, was forcing him to stay. A deep, crazed, familiar voice rang out behind him.

    "Finally... finally... after such a long time, I can get my hands on at least one of them!"

 Chapter 773: Realm of the Dead VIII

    Chapter 773: Realm of the Dead VIII

    ?

    A chill ran down Kyle''s spine at the sound of the voice. He turned his head to his left and saw the familiar figure of the man he hadn''t seen in a long time arriving beside him.

    Azazeal didn''t nce at him again; his obsidian gaze was fixed on the void in the distance from which the cries of confusion and bewildered souls were emanating as he mumbled something no one could hear.

    His eyes brimmed with a madness and darkness that signaled he wouldn''t hesitate to annihte and obliterate anything that obstructed him at that moment.

    Kyle couldn''t breathe when he sensed the aura radiating from Azazeal''s body. It was so dark and powerful that it made him feel like the strength he possessed at that moment was entirely insignificant.

    Damien and Ceano also seemed to sense that something was very, very wrong with Azazeal. Instead of waiting for praise from their master, they both turned and vanished without looking back, their hearts pounding loudly in their chests.

    Kyle stared hazily at the back of the tall man who let out a menacing, crazedugh before rushing toward the void.

    He turned his gaze toward Lara and Jian, panic shing in his eyes when he saw they were still far from the crack.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He wanted to help them, but when he tried to, his body began to shatter. His bloodline stilled and finally allowed him to move.

    "Ah..."

    A soft cry escaped his lips. It was agonizing, so much so that he wanted to scream. But he didn''t-because he didn''t want to attract the attention of the crazed man peering into the void in the distance.

    Ultimately, he lifted his hazy eyes to look at Odiak and James, who snapped out of their daze under his intense stare. Without Kyle needing to say anything, they instinctively understood what he wanted.

    Lara and Jian gasped as they witnessed what was happening to Kyle. With startled eyes, they saw his body shatter. But before the two couldprehend the situation or rush toward him, Odiak activated a strong artifact to transport both of them away.

    Odiak shut his eyes at the sight of the gleaming icy blue particles floating around the purely golden soul amidst the darkness. He couldn''t believe what he was witnessing; it was not that he hadn''t seen individuals lose their bodies and create new ones as long as their soul and consciousness were intact, but after knowing Kyle, he never imagined Kyle would go through

    it.

    James nced at Azazeal''s figure, witnessing dark energy erupting from his body and engulfing everything. He wanted to help Kyle, so he tried to use the naturalw of space to assist his soul in escaping the area, but it was as if an invisible barrier enveloped the soul, rendering his strength ineffective within Kyle''s vicinity. He gritted his teeth and decided to try again with an artifact this time, but suddenly a burst of purple energy surged from Azazeal, shattering everything in the vicinity.

    The sheer force was so powerful and overwhelming that both James and Odiak were violently propelled back into the crack. They groaned in pain as the closing crack fractured under the relentless power. By a narrow margin, they both managed to escape the crack with their lives. Hazy-that''s how everything appeared to Kyle. Cold was the only sensation he felt. It was as if he were naked, yet simultaneously encased in chilling ice. He felt vulnerable, weak, and powerless.

    He couldn''t speak, nor could he feel his body, but he remained conscious as he felt himself plummeting downward.

    The scene before him was very familiar: darkness intertwined with swirling purple particles. Azazeal''s figure loomed,ughing maniacally at the heart of the devastation as he unleashed his power on the void.

    Countless souls surged from the gray void, only to be annihted without hesitation by Azazeal as his dark eyes flicked around, just as Kyle had seen in his vision.

    Kyle gazed silently at the sky as everything around him disintegrated into nothingness, echoing with the cries of lost souls.

    He felt his own presence in the sky directly behind Azazeal and thought... Ah, this was the moment when he used his skill to catch a glimpse of the impending future.

    Azazeal noticed him but ignored him. It seemed the man cared about nothing else but the person he was searching for among the countless souls.

    He mumbled frantically as he tore apart and destroyed every confused soul in sight without a hint of hesitation.

    "Where is she?? Where is she?!"

    Kyle watched silently. He wanted to ask Azazeal if the man was searching for Lilith''s soul, the woman who had betrayed him in the past. But he didn''t have a body, so he couldn''t speak. Perhaps it was because he had lost his body, but now he felt no fear even as he saw the sky

    copse.

    Kyle had believed that losing his physical body would be difficult and that it would take him a long, long time to form a new one, especially since he didn''t know how.

    However, he sensed his bloodline working to craft a new body for him, almost eagerly.

    He questioned why it forced him to stay when he could have escaped the ce, and he received his answer in the next moment.

    As Azazeal destroyed everything, a half, glistening, golden, palm-sized core rolled out from the area near the massive void.

    It stopped beside Kyle''s soul, and he desperately wanted tough, as its scent was eerily simr to the Tree of Fate.

    Now, he understood why thest two seals sealing the Realm of the Dead had suddenly cracked and turned to dust.

    The shadow generals had used the fragment of the Tree of Fate''s core they had stolen from the elven and concealed it near the seals, in a location where its scent was entirely obscured by the scent of the seals, which is why Kyle couldn''t detect it. That core''s power destroyed the seals.

    His bloodline was aware of everything that was about to happen, as he could sense it consuming the glistening core nearby and shaping a new, more powerful body for him-one that could merge with it.

 Chapter 774: Where is she?

    Chapter 774: Where is she?

    ?

    The space around Azazeal twisted and shattered into fragments, but he remained unfazed. Numerous figures in white and dark robes, their forms obscured byyers of spiritual and divine energy, surged forth from the gray void before him.

    The figures attempted to stop him and gather the souls escaping from the void, but they were consumed by the purple and dark particles emanating from his body.

    After a while, five more figures-three old females and two old males-emerged from the void, d in golden robes.

    Unlike those in white and dark attire, they did not attempt to stop Azazeal.

    One of them closed his eyes and sensed every living being that possessed a form of energy in their bodies throughout the entire universe. A somber look settled on his face, obscured by spiritual and divine energy.

    "There''s no other Celestial in this universe except for the man floating before us. Let alone one who has reached the peak."

    His words filled the other four figures floating with him with a grim sense of foreboding. If there was no other Celestial, then who would close the void leading to the Realm of the Dead in this universe?

    Who would stop this madman wreaking havoc before them? The bnce of the universe had already been shattered!

    They were the five eternal guardians of the Realm of the Dead-tasked with judging the souls that naturally found their way to the realm after they had truly died.

    Each soul faced judgment ording to the life they lived; virtuous souls were rewarded with peace and enlightenment, while those whomitted serious misdeeds endured torment, ensuring they fully grasped the consequences of their actions.

    After the souls had served their time in the Realm of the Dead, they would reincarnate into a new life ording to the karma they had umted during their previous existence, allowing them to live anew.

    However, this cycle was now disrupted. In fact, it waspletely shattered, as the only entrance to the Realm of the Dead in this universe had been destroyed.

    As a result, the souls currently within the realm were being forcefully ejected, and those who would arrive after death would also fail to find their path.

    These soulsck consciousness; they could either be destroyed by others or be malevolent entities, possessing weak living beings and wreaking havoc.

    The bnce of life and death was thrown into turmoil, leading to a reality where they could no longer guide the souls.

    One of the five guardians suddenly looked up at a distant point, her brows furrowed. "We must reach out to the Celestial Realm. This universe requires help; I am certain the Celestials who guard nature would respond to us. This universe is one of the biggest, and if the Realm of the Dead here remains unsealed, it will face destruction, and the other universes will be affected as well."

    The guardian who had spoken earlier replied with a solemn expression.

    "There''s no use. I just tried to reach out, but the only gate leading to the Celestial Realm is sealed for some reason."

    The four guardians around him gasped in shock. The Celestial Realm was sealed?

    But how and why?

    Wasn''t that realm always open for those who reached the Celestial rank to prevent them from disturbing the bnce of the universe with their overwhelming power?

    One of them clenched his fists.

    "I don''t understand why the Celestial before us is still in this universe. Shouldn''t he have departed after reaching the Celestial rank? This situation already vites the rules."

    The others had the same questions, but they didn''t have time to seek answers. They had no time to figure out why the Celestial realm was sealed, why a powerful Celestial was still in this universe, or why no other Celestial had forced him to leave.

    They all spoke for a moment before deciding tomunicate with Azazeal to understand his intentions. They had no other choice. After all, even though the five of them possessed immense power, it was only in the presence of souls; before a true Celestial at the peak, their strength barelypared to that of a trancendent rank.

    Even though they had talked for so long, only a few seconds had passed. Yet in that brief moment, the entire Forsaken Land had turned into nothing but a mass of energy.

    The guardian who had previously checked the universe and tried to reach the Celestial realm stepped forward. He was the oldest among them and also the leader.

    He spoke loudly, noticing that Azazeal wasn''t in the right state of mind.

    "What are you searching for? No, let me rephrase that-who are looking for?"

    His voice rang out so loudly that even those outside the Forsaken Land could hear him.

    Azazeal finally paused. He had ignored everyone around him��every single person. The only thing he wanted was to reach the one he desired. But even he knew that if he entered the Realm of the Dead and checked every single soul there, it would take him countless years to find her.

    The madness in his gaze subsided. The moment he calmed down, he stopped the beautiful purple flower with multiple petals that had bloomed to hold up the sky above him from consuming the souls. It let out an aggrieved sound, as if it were dissatisfied but remained

    obedient.

    Azazeal''s obsidian gaze fixed directly on the five floating figure d in gold, looking so out of ce amidst the surrounding darkness-so pure, so clean.

    "I... want her! Give her to me! I know she has not reincarnated. She hasn''t, or else I would have found her. She isn''t here!"

    He mumbled loudly,menting how he had searched the entire universe for her soul, but it wasn''t here. Not here.

    The guardian speaking to him sensed that the energy from the Realm of the Dead had left the Forsaken Land and was wreaking havoc in the surroundings as well.

    He nced at the other guardians; they needed to stop the foreign energy or at least seal it temporarily, or else it would consume the entire universe.

    Believing they could somehow persuade the man before them-who seemed to be the one who had opened the Realm of the Dead-to close it as well, the old guardian intervened with

    impatient eyes.

    "Who is it? Give us her name and birth date. We can find her soul for you."

    Sacrificing a single soul was trivial if it meant saving countless others. Also, they couldn''t be held ountable, considering that soul had made an enemy of the wrong individual herself

    before death.

    Yes, they would be viting some naturalws, but it was for the greater good.

    They would sacrifice that soul for now to temporarily protect the universe while they found a

    way to reach the Celestial Realm.

    "We will give you the soul you seek. In exchange-"

    The guardian who had been speaking to Azazeal couldn''t finish his sentence and shut his mouth when he heard the name of the person the madman was searching for.

    "Lilith... her name is Lilith. The one known as the Ice Enchantress."

    The five guardians fell deadly silent when they heard the name, exchanging panicked nces.

    How could they not know? Lilith-it was a name they would never forget.

    After dying, that soul refused to enter the cycle of reincarnation for over a thousand years, despite havingmitted only a minor amount of wrongdoing in her life.

    She endured punishment for her nearly nonexistent bad deeds countless times, to the point that even the guardians could no longer bear to witness it.

    Lilith''s soul had entered the Realm of the Dead with her consciousness intact and her strength at the peak of the Supreme rank. Yet somehow, she had no memories.

    The only thing she was certain of was that she did not deserve to reincarnate and felt she needed punishment for something very wrong she had done in her life, though she could not

    recall what it was.

    However, after so much time, even the strongest soul would break. Around two thousand

    years ago, Lilith''s soul began to fracture. The guardians couldn''t just watch as her existence vanished into nothingness. So, they forcefully attempted to restore her memories and

    reignite her spirit.

    They believed that if they could help her remember the truth of her past, she might find the strength to forgive herself and enter the cycle of reincarnation to live a new life. However, they failed. In the end, her soul shattered and vanished before their eyes, returning

    to nature never to exist again.

    How could the Lilith that the guardians knew have made an enemy of this man? And how

    could this man still remember her after more than three thousand years? The guardians weren/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    in disbelief and utter panic.

    Noticing the guardians'' silence, Azazeal''s impatience grew. He opened his mouth, his voice

    deep and hoarse as he spoke again.

    "Where is she? Give her to me. If not, I will annihte every single soul here to find her myself. And believe me when I say that none of you will exist to witness it."

 Chapter 775: Consume everything...

    Chapter 775: Consume everything...

    ?

    The five guardians turned pale as they sensed the air around them growing violent, feeling as if an overwhelming weight bore down on their shoulders beneath the gaze of the obsidian eyes fixed upon them.

    One of them, an old woman, attempted to speak in an effort to manage the situation.

    "That... Lilith''s soul..."

    She stammered, struggling to find an answer to curb the madness spilling from the man before her, but before she could articte her thoughts, she gasped as a hand tightened around her neck.

    The other four guardians surrounding the woman were sent hurtling away by the aura radiating from Azazeal, as if they were mere feathers caught in a tempest, insignificant in the wake of his power.

    Azazeal growled at her, the obsidian in his gaze fading to reveal two sharp purple slits, signifying that he had not yet unleashed his full power. The massive flower holding the falling sky emitted a dark and otherworldly aura capable of annihting anything. Red veins snaked along his neck, leading to the area between his corbones.

    The woman in his grip punched his arm desperately, trying to break free from the fingers clutching her neck. She screamed as a dark aura seeped into her eyes and mouth. A low, hoarse whisper echoed near her, sending chills down her spine.

    "Time''s up. You don''t have to speak anymore. I will find out on my own."

    The other guardians hurriedly found their bnce and witnessed him tearing apart the woman''s mind and soul to absorb all her memories. They shouted in horror and attempted to stop him, but they couldn''t even get close, let alone intervene.

    In the end, they could only watch as the woman''s body transformed into golden dust that vanished into the darkness.

    Azazeal''s breath came out in quick, erratic bursts as he stared into the air, watching the golden dust slip through his fingers.

    He saw her; he saw Lilith. He saw the person he had been searching for in the woman''s memories.

    But she had already vanished into nothingness. What now? One of the two people who had made him the way he was today was already gone?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    What was he supposed to do now? For so long, the only thing that had driven him was revenge -the thought of finding the two people he cared for, the very ones who had taken hisst shred of sanity, to give them a thousandfold of what they had done to him. But now he was discovering that one of them had already ceased to exist?

    Azazeal felt as if everything was mocking him-mocking his agony, his struggles, his relentless quest to find them.

    He felt small, very small, despite the overwhelming power he possessed, and lost as he plummeted downward, not really caring where he was falling as he stared into the darkness.

    It started as a faint, almost inaudible, choked, mockingugh. That immediately transformed into a heartrending scream as he wed at his stomach-the very ce from which those two, his dear friends, had extracted his Celestial bones. The scream echoed loudly everywhere, reverberating through the emptiness around him, a haunting testament to his anguish.

    The four remaining guardians froze, struggling to breathe at the sound that tore directly at their very beings. They could not believe a voice could contain so much pain.

    Each cry that echoed in the air served as a reminder of the betrayal and the unbearable loss Azazeal felt, intensifying the pain that surged through him like an unrelenting tide.

    The massive flower that held the sky dissolved into purple and ck particles that trailed behind Azazeal. They formed a shield beneath him to halt his falling figure in the center of the energy mass that was once known as the Forsaken Land.

    He gasped and struggled to gather his scattered thoughts. After screaming for a while, he simply knelt above the glowing purple shield, surrounded by darkness, staring nkly into empty space.

    In that moment, he was not a figure of power; he was a shattered soul, grappling with the weight that wed at his core, threatening to consume him.

    A faint whisper slipped from his lips, causing everything around him to quiver.

    "Consume everything..."

    With that, the power within him surged outward and began consuming all in its path. The remaining four guardians, fighting to keep their consciousness, cried out once more as they witnessed the purple and dark energy devouring everything in its wake.

    The gray void leading to the realm of the dead was also being consumed. In a final bid to save the universe from copse, the guardians gathered and used themselves as catalysts, alongside countless other souls, to stop the devastation.

    They managed to save the Realm of the Dead, but the bnce was lost. Now, no one in this universe would be able to find a new path after death. Souls would be forever lost, leaving them with no chance for another life.

    Before the guardians'' bodies crumbled to golden dust, they somehow reached out to the Will of the Universe to inform him that they could only buy two decades, even with their lives and countless sacrifices.

    Now, it was up to the inhabitants of this universe to either gain the strength needed to save it or discover a way to reach the Celestial Realm for help within the fleeting time their sacrifice had afforded them.

    They didn''t need to find new guardians for the Realm of the Dead, as new guardians would naturally be born in that realm. They just needed to close the void and restore the lost bnce

    in the universe.

    The four guardians shattered their souls and created a thin gray barrier around the mass of energy to prevent the aura of the Realm of the Dead from spreading further. As for the purple energy, it had returned to its master for reasons unknown.

    Then, the guardian vanished into the surrounding darkness, leaving behind the haunting cries of the lost souls-those who could never find peace-echoing in the void. But no one could

    help them.

 Chapter 776: What are you all doing?

    Chapter 776: What are you all doing?

    ?

    Outside the massive mass of dark energy that had just moments ago been known as the Forsaken Land, millions of people from various races-those who had escaped thend through the crack and those who had gathered from numerous nearbys due to themotion��could only watch with horrified and grim expressions.

    Many of them saw the inky darkness engulfing the vast expanse ofnd. It consumed everything so swiftly that they couldn''t even gather their thoughts to take action. However, when the darkness began to spread outward, threatening to consume everything in its vicinity, many regained theirposure and attempted to halt its advance, but ultimately failed.

    Amidst the chaos and the growing crowd, many also witnessed the massive, beautiful purple flower, blooming to support the copsing sky above thend.

    Its beauty was so captivating that the crowd was mesmerized, only to gasp in horror and dread when they realized the exquisite flower was trying to drain their strength by manipting their thoughts.

    The flower was surrounded by an enchanting darkness. Its petals radiated a faint yet brilliant purple light, but they were marred by countless red and dark spots.

    James and Odiak gathered with the elders. Though too injured to take any action, they called out to the crowd to assemble.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The countless fighters who had just moments ago been fighting in the war quickly assembled under theirmand, but those who hade from nearby and didn''t know them ignored their calls.

    However, the moment Odiak unfurled the familiar banner of the gray sword, everyone present obeyed James''smand. They would be fools not to recognize the symbol used by the side battling Azazeal and the shadow generals to save the universe!

    Just like the crowd, the people from the dark side who had also survived due to the crack were captivated by the flower, and a wave of pure ecstasy washed over them at the sight of the devastation.

    Unlike the others, they knew the flower belonged to their master, their leader, who was all- powerful. But all of a sudden, a loud scream reverberated, shaking everything in the surroundings, and the flower vanished.

    Then, before their eyes, a thin gray shieldpletely enveloped the mass of energy and sessfully halted its advance.

    They were stupefied. Many from the dark side fled when they saw that, under James and the elders''mand, the crowd had begun to form a battle formation. Still, many of them were killed mercilessly.

    The scene was chaotic, filled with battle cries. Countless powerful beasts, who had also been saved by the crack Kyle created, attacked opposing sides, further disrupting the bnce and intensifying the chaos.

    The air crackled, and the very fabric of space shattered under the force of their immense power and powerful skills. Nox and a few other powerful beasts led the beasts on their side to drive away at least some of the strong beasts on the enemy side in an effort to reduce the casualties.

    However, even amidst the chaos, Nox''s eyes were locked on the crimson phoenix that soared far away, silently observing the mass of dark energy.

    Bia hadn''t said anything��nothing at all-even as the Forsaken Land crumbled.

    Alec and the others were nowhere to be found, and Nox learned from Yue that they had all been teleported to a quite far away from this ce.

    Alec, Yue, Mia, Regius, Carcel, and Sinon were together since Kyle was the one who sent them away, and it would take some time for them to reach this ce.

    As for Lara and Jian, who were teleported away by Odiak using an artifact, no one had any idea where the duo currently was.

    Seeing the thin barrier that enveloped the mass of energy, many of the supreme ranks under James''s shout tried to push forward and force their way in, as James and the elders still wanted to save Kyle''s soul.

    However, it was surrounded by a type of energy that harmed their souls.

    In that moment, the Will of the Universe appeared in front of them. The old man confronted James, his teeth clenched.

    "What are you all doing? You didn''t help when it mattered, and now you are trying to destroy the barrier that was forged through countless sacrifices, which has granted us two decades of time to save this universe, all to rescue someone who may have already ceased to exist?"

    James paused in his actions, regarding the old man with a calm facade, but inside, he was boiling. Normally, he held the Will of the Universe in high regard, but witnessing the old man''s indifference toward their lives and his obsession with the seals had shifted his perspective on this man.

    Elizabeth grasped his shoulder, trying to calm him, and to her relief, it worked.

    James sucked in a deep breath, his mind racing as he contemted the words uttered by the Will of the Universe.

    "What the hell are you saying now? I know Azazeal is in there, and it''s dangerous for us to enter the area. But we need to save Kyle''s soul! He has the potential to reach the Celestial rank, and I''m certain he will!"

    He shouted so loudly that even amidst the battle raging in all directions, every single person in the vicinity heard him.

    Those who understood the gravity of his deration inhaled sharply. Celestial rank? It was a rank that many had only dreamed of, a level of power and enlightenment that few could even

    fathom.

    But the question lingered-could anyone truly achieve that rank? After all, not even James had reached it. Aside from Azazeal, the leader of the dark side, and the first and second shadow generals who were said to have approached the initial boundary of that rank, no one had ever attained it.

    The Will of the Universe clenched his fists. He, too, knew that a capable youth like Kyle shouldn''t simply perish; however, saving the universe was his highest priority.

    "What''s the point of reaching that rank if this universe doesn''t exist by the time he achieves it? Tell me, James, what''s the value of power if it serves no purpose?"

 Chapter 777: Just let him come back!

    Chapter 777: Just let hime back!

    ?

    James wanted to argue, to refute the old man floating before him by saying no: Kyle didn''t need to save this universe. He didn''t need to endure suffering simply because they wanted him to be their hope.

    It wasn''t his duty. And who were they to dictate the purpose of his strength? Kyle had already saved so many by sacrificing himself-he had given everything, and now they couldn''t even save him in return?

    How tragic it was. The injustice stung, and James wanted to express that true power should be about choice, not obligation.

    But he couldn''t find the words. After all, he knew that if the universe were to copse, they too would vanish alongside it, as they couldn''t leave and go to another ce. The realization hit him like a cold wave, and his muscles tensed as he stared at the Will of the Universe, who scoffed at his silence, aware of the weight his words carried.

    Odiak was the one who broke the tension by suddenly interrupting the two. He looked at the old man and mentally told Elizabeth to take James away to calm him down.

    "I believe we have more pressing matters to discuss. What did you mean when you said that we only have two decades to save this universe, and who made sacrifices?"

    His words made all the elders stop whatever they were doing and listen, but what they uncovered only made their hearts race with dread. The universe they inhabited was teetering on the edge of copse! The guardians of the Realm of the Dead had sacrificed themselves, along with countless innocent souls, to prevent the aura of that realm from consuming everything.

    The bnce of life and death was lost! Now, no one in the universe would be able to find peace after death; the souls of the departed would be forever lost!

    To make matters even worse, the thin shield the guardians created could onlyst for about two decades! After that, it would copse, and the lethal aura trapped inside would spread everywhere, consuming the universe and reducing it to nothingness!

    Every supreme rank that had been attempting to destroy the flickering shield under James and the elders pulled away, their faces etched with horror.

    What were they doing? Were they truly trying to destroy the shield that had been forged through countless sacrifices and had granted the universe precious time?N?v(el)B\\jnn

    It was true that Kyle had the potential to reach the Celestial rank, but would his so-called potential save them? No!

    The moment the shield broke, the aura inside would annihte them all! And who knew if Kyle''s soul still existed? Everything inside the shield had turned to nothingness, so how could only his soul have survived? His soul must have vanished too!

    The powerful figures before the shield turned to side with the Will of the Universe, no longer willing to save the person who had just moments ago saved thousands-perhaps even tens of millions.

    Their expressions were somber as they red at James and the elders, filled with anger and frustration. How could the ones, who had been battling the dark side all this time to safeguard the universe, put them in a situation that would lead to their own end, all for the sake of one single individual?

    James and the elders felt a sense of disbelief and pain deeper than anything they had ever experienced at the sight. They couldn''t help but want tough at the sheer irony of it all. Yet, they were no different. After learning what the Will of the Universe had revealed, they made no additional attempts to save Kyle''s soul.

    Odiak wore an aloof expression as he straightened his clothes and regarded the people around him with an indifferent gaze before turning to give one final nce at the Will of the Universe.

    "We know now. We know... But what about Azazeal? Is he... not affected by the aura of the Realm of the Dead?"

    "Not even a little? He''s in there too."

    Everyone held their breath, but their hopes were dashed when the old man clenched his fists and shook his head.

    "Huh, he ispletely fine. So much so that he even tried to destroy everything."

    Odiak rubbed his temples, his aged voice weary and slightly hoarse.

    "If that''s all, you can go."

    The Will of Universe narrowed his eyes at him for a moment before disappearing.

    Elizabeth stepped forward and, in amanding voice, asked everyone around her to join the

    battle unfolding around them and to end the people of the dark side.

    No one hesitated and quickly scattered, leaving the elders alone.

    James shut his eyes for a moment before taking a long, deep breath. He nced at the shield and whispered softly.

    "I guess I can only say sorry for being so weak and truly... thank you."

    The elders understood he was referring to Kyle, so they silently watched his back.

    At that instant, Bia, who had been listening to their conversation from a considerable distance, let out a snort.

    A brilliant crimson light shed around her imposing form as the phoenix transformed into a beautifuldy with golden hair, d in a feathery golden and crimson dress. She reached James in no time.

    -"No need! If Kyle were here, he wouldn''t ept this fickle apology either. Also, he didn''t make the crack to save you all. I know he didn''t. He wanted to save me and those he cared about. Everyone else was just lucky to be saved in the process!"

    James blinked at the gaze fixed on him. He sensed that thedy was Bia, but it felt as if he were looking at a different person.

    Her eyes had blue slits in the center, encircled by shades of gold and crimson, and at that moment, they appeared cold and utterly indifferent.

    -"We won''t help the elders anymore. I believe what we have done is enough!"

    With that, Bia turned to leave. She knew that if the supreme ranks couldn''t break the shield, how could she do it alone?

    As for Kyle, that bastard, even she had no idea what happened to him. His presence hadpletely vanished. The bond they shared had also disappeared.

    But this wasn''t the first time. It wasn''t. So, unlike before, this time she wouldn''t lose her calm. She would wait for him to return.

    -"I''m going to pull out all his hairs... just let hime back!"

 Chapter 778: Move aside!

    Chapter 778: Move aside!

    ?

    Bia took a deep breath and whipped her head sharply toward the lynx, fighting the other monsters fiercely for the people she no longer gave a damn about.

    -"Nox!!!"

    Her voice resonated through the air, so powerful and loud that Nox almost forgot how to fly, despite it being second nature to him, all because of sheer fear.

    He turned his frightened blue eyes toward the phoenix, who had been silent all this time. Bia''s eyes flickered with anger.

    -"We''re leaving to find Yue! Take Neon and the people we know with you. It''s time to grow stronger! Follow me before I pluck all your beautiful scales!"

    Nox cried out inwardly. What had he done to get on her nerves now? He had just been fighting to end the people of the dark side! But he didn''t dare to question Bia.

    The multiple powerful monsters fighting around him scoffed at the phoenix and telepathically told Nox to reject her.

    They had all formed a friendship with him after fighting alongside him for several long months, so they were confident he wouldn''t abandon them for Bia, who always beat him up for no reason on the battlefield.

    But they were dumbfounded when Nox turned and disappeared toward the phoenix without even sparing them a nce! Damn! He didn''t even look back!

    Bia red at James and the seven elders onest time. Then, she turned and swept her gaze across her surroundings. The blue in her eyes deepened to an almost icy hue, but she didn''t notice. Before long, Nox was flying beside her in his human form, along with Neon and many familiar faces.

    James could only massage his temples as he watched their figures disappear.

    "Why do I feel like we angered the wrong person? Kyle is someone who doesn''t care about all this. But Bia..."

    Odiak patted his back.

    "There''s no use. She knows we can''t do anything, even if we want to. She can''t too. Now it''s up to Kyle to survive... he has to. And if he can''t..."

    He didn''t dare say anything more. James turned and joined the battle urring in the surroundings alongside the elders.

    As they killed the remaining people of the dark side, their minds raced with thoughts of what to do now that they had only two decades to either save themselves or face oblivion alongside the entire universe.

    First and foremost, they needed to convey the grim news about what had transpired to every single person in the universe. Then, they had to establish a new battleground. With the Forsaken Land gone, the dark side could nowunch attacks anywhere.

    And they were correct, as Ceano and Damien, who had escaped in time after witnessing Azazeal''s condition, had already begun issuing orders to their people to conquer every in the universe.

    The shadow generals believed they would leave for the Celestial Realm alongside the powerful leader they served as soon as Azazeal achieved what he wanted.

    They were determined to grow stronger, indifferent to the universe''s future.

    Alongside many individuals from other races, the demon race and its subsidiary branches, the dark and nightkin race, under theirmand, were entirely oblivious to the impending doom.

    And even if any of them were aware, they believed that if anything urred, Azazeal would shield them since they were fighting for him. As a result, they had no concern for the devastation that the future held.

    But would Azazeal truly protect them? That was something that not many consider.

    ....n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Jian and Lara both were the first to arrive before the expansive thin gray shield that contained the dark mass of energy.

    The people of the dark side in the surroundings had been already eliminated, while the powerful warriors fighting under James and the elders were either retreating to their homes or seeking refuge on nearbys until the influential figures could identify a new battleground.

    The crowd had also thinned, leaving only the older supreme and transcendent ranks alongside James and the elders as they discussed their next course of action. It was then that they noticed Jian and Lara.

    The duo was panting heavily, and it was evident from their injured bodies that they had struggled a lot to reach this ce.

    Jian gritted his teeth as he remembered how Kyle''s body had shattered before his very eyes, and couldn''t to do anything!

    He unleashed his strongest skill to shatter the shield surrounding the mass of energy in an attempt to reach Kyle, but his attack was stopped by elder Hal and Sophia. The eyes of all the supreme and transcendent ranks floating in the vicinity widened in shock at his actions. Jian cursed loudly and unleashed his powerful aura, ring at Hal and Sophia. "Move aside, you two! Why have you all not destroyed this thing and reached Kyle yet??"

    Lara arrived beside him to help him destroy the shield; she had thought Kyle didn''t need assistance when he was sending everyone away. But upon seeing his body shatter, she realized there was no way he was fine!

    Alec, Yue, and the others didn''t even know what had happened! She red at the elders who

    were stopping Jian.

    "What''s the meaning of this?"

    Her voice was calmer than Jian''s, but she had also unleashed her transcendent rank aura. James hurriedly positioned himself opposite the duo.

    "Listen first... alright��"

    Jian cut him off.

    "What''s there to listen to? Kyle isn''t okay! We need to find his soul! He lost his body right in front of my eyes! Move aside; I will break that shield if you all weaklings can''t!"

    His voice was hoarse as he tried to push his way through everyone in front of him. Instantly, whispers of disapproval filled the air, expressing how arrogant this red-haired man was for daring to challenge so many powerful figures. The powerful individuals who hadn''t joined the war and had recently gathered due to themotion had no knowledge of Jian and were displeased. But they shut their mouths when James and Odiak darkly red at them. Jian cursed when he was pushed back in the distance. James quickly formed a barrier around him and let out a sigh.

    "Kid, I know I have grown weaker since many of us sacrificed our life force, but I am not weak. You won''t be able tost long if we all fight against you. So, listen to me first, and then decide

    what you want to do."

 Chapter 779: Where were you? I

    Chapter 779: Where were you? I

    ?

    Jian clenched his fists, feeling irritated. Time was of the essence. The thought of what Kyle was enduring inside that ce, with none other than Azazeal, weighed heavily on his mind.

    However, even though James and the elders had weakened after losing arge amount of their life force, Jian knew he couldn''t defeat so many supreme-ranked individuals, even with Lara by his side.

    He wasn''t sure if he should feel d or distressed about not being among those whose life force was drained. The reason was that he had arrived at the battlest, having stayed behind on the inds.

    Now he regretted it; he should have followed Kyle and the others when they left to check the seals! To make him feel even guiltier, when he did go there, he put himself in a situation where Kyle had to help him! He was certain that Kyle''s condition had worsened because he had invoked a powerful naturalw to save him!

    So, he suppressed his emotions and gestured briskly for James to speak his mind quickly. Yet, the more he and Lara listened to what James had to say, the darker their expressions became. Jian clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his mind racing as he tried toprehend everything he had just heard. But unlike James and the elders, it took him less than half a minute to make a decision that shocked everyone.

    "Are you seriously saying that you all wouldn''t save Kyle''s soul because breaking the shield would jeopardize the universe? But so what? The dangers that could arise two decades from now could just as easily happen today! If the universe is destined to survive, it will do so now. If it isn''t, then even with those extra two decades, no one can prevent its downfall!"

    James and the seven elders exchanged nces, their thoughts unmistakable. They knew Kyle and his friends all came from the same, but they never imagined their friendship was this deep.

    The faces of the other supreme and transcendent ranks turned ugly. Was this red-haired man insane? To save a single person, who might very well have already ceased to exist, he wanted to kill them all?! They all immediately expressed their anger and indignation by unleashing their aura.

    One of them scoffed.

    "You must not have a family! That''s why you''re thinking this way!"

    Another followed.

    "There are countless lives in this universe, and you want to jeopardize them all for the sake of one person! Dream on!!"

    James red at them. He immediately unleashed his aura to shut them up, and the elders followed suit. They had lost a portion of their strength, but that didn''t mean they were weak! These people never came to help, yet now they were using their worthless words!

    James refocused his gaze on Jian again, who wore a livid expression.

    Jian shot a dark look at everyone who had just spoken up, conveying that he would remember each of their faces.

    It was true that he did not have a real family; his parents had died when he was young. However, he had Kelvin, who was like a brother to him, along with many friends and others he cared for. He would never put any of them in harm''s way!

    The reason he insisted they should save Kyle was that he had faith in all those who stood by his side. Once they saved Kyle, they would find a way to stop the dark aura within the shield! He was confident of it!

    Before Jian could speak further, a very familiar voice he hadn''t heard in a while echoed behind him.

    "Calm down."

    His red eyes widened as he whipped his head back. Lara, who was floating beside him, was also taken aback upon seeing the familiar figure d in a silver button-down shirt over dark pants, emerging silently from a crack far behind them, so quietly that they hadn''t even noticed.

    Seeing the familiar golden eyes that now gleamed with a touch of icy aloofness and an aura of detachment, Jian''s nerves, which had been on edge since he witnessed Kyle''s body shatter, finally began to ease a little.

    He opened his mouth to exin what had happened, to tell him about Kyle, but in the end, he couldn''t say anything.

    Nine appeared beside him in no time, so quickly that Jian couldn''t even react. He passed through the barrier James had created around Jian with ease.

    Outside the barrier, Lara''s eyes widened. Even she hadn''t been able to pass through that barrier. Only then did she realize that she could no longer sense Nine''s rank. It was true that she had lost a significant part of her strength when she lost her life force, but to think she couldn''t sense even a hint of his strength... that was astonishing!

    James''s eyes flickered with disbelief as well. Had he truly grown so weak? He was certain he had put at least eighty percent of his power into creating that barrier around Jian to prevent him from fighting against him and the elders, yet Nine had passed through it as if it were a breeze!!

    Jian stared into the golden eyes fixed on him, the thin threads moving within them emanating an aura that conveyed wisdom he couldn''tprehend. He couldn''t help but wonder what Nine had been doing over the past months to transform into this.

    Nine patted his back, his words resonating directly in Lara''s and Jian''s minds.

    ''He is fine. I am sure of that. So, there''s no need to waste time here. He wouldn''t like it.''

    Jian blinked twice, and the meaning behind Nine''s words finally settled in his mind. He was saying that Kyle was fine.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "That bastard... he better be fine..."

    He stopped releasing his aura and rubbed his temples. For some reason, he believed what Nine had told him without hesitation, even though just a while ago he had been ready to fight James and the elders to break the shield and find Kyle''s soul.

    Now that the weight had lifted from his shoulders, the exhaustion of everything he had endured finally came crashing down on him like a wave. His eyelids stung, and the injuries on his body throbbed... Well, Kyle had kicked him pretty hard after all. Plus, Kyle had even sent him and Lara to a ce they couldn''t easily escape from, filled with powerful swamp monsters!

    "I guess I could use a good sleep. But I''m sure the scene of Kyle''s body shattering is going to haunt me until I see him again... Let''s leave before I end up torturing some people who got on

    my nerves."

    Jian swept his gaze across the supreme and transcendent ranks in the area, a clear warning that he would ensure they learned a lesson if they ever crossed paths with him again. And they all shivered as they felt the coldness in his crimson eyes.

 Chapter 780: Where were you? II

    Chapter 780: Where were you? II

    ?

    Nine chuckled at Jian, the aura of indifference in his eyes fading to a more casual and friendly one. He too had been shocked and on edge when he heard what had happened with the Forsaken Land. And lo and behold, he heard it from a powerful trancendent rank demon.

    He had spent thest few months near the Sea of Consciousness, where he had gone to learn the naturalws. But that ce was surrounded by members of the demon race, so he had to blend in.

    At first, he thought he only needed to stay safe from the demon race. But soon, he realized how mistaken he was.

    He had easily blended in with the demons by transforming his appearance and aura to match theirs through a camouge spell.

    The real threat was the Sea of Consciousness itself! The moment he entered that Sea, he nearly died. It was so painful that he screamed himself hoarse.

    In the end, an old demon fishing to catch fish monsters in the Sea of Consciousness had fished him out, just as he had done to many young demons who would leap into the water to try their luck and learn naturalws, and sneered at him with disdain.

    The demon called him a moron and aplete fool for scaring away all the water monsters in the area, which were sold for high prices everywhere due to their exquisite and delicious taste and the aura of nature they possessed.

    While eating the water monsters couldn''t help anyone learn the naturalws, their presence in a ce abundant with nature sometimes allowed the eater to resonate with the essence of nature.

    The old demon, who wasn''t even (S)-rank, had shooed Nine away with a wide mocking sneer. If entering the Sea of Consciousness is so easy and all one needs to do is jump in for a good dip, why do the demons in the surrounding area stay so far away, as if they would perish if they approached?

    Nine learned it the hard way. He couldn''t simply jump into the Sea of Consciousness without proper preparation. That''s why he snooped around and gathered information about the sea from the demons in the area while pretending to be one of them.

    Then, he finally began to touch the seawater inch by inch until he found a way to stay submerged for a short amount of time. It was painful each time, and even now he shuddered, but he had gained a lot from the Sea of Consciousness. He had grown significantly more powerful.

    If not for the fact that, as usual, he had gone to a nearby hotel to rest for a day after enduring pain in the Sea and heard from a powerful demon who was rejoicing after receiving news of victory from above-that the Forsaken Land had turned into nothingness��he would have never left that ce and might have stayed longer.

    Nine shook his head to push the thoughts to the back. He stole onest nce at the mass of energy within the expansive shield before turning to Jian and Lara.

    "Let''s go find Alec and the others. I have already heard what happened here, which is why I rushed back."

    He tore the fabric of space in front of him to create a rift with his bare hands.

    Jian and Lara''s eyes widened in shock. Jian cursed under his breath in amazement.

    "Why the hell do you guys keep getting stronger the more I try to surpass you all? First Kyle and Alec, and now you too! I''m telling you, you''re going to spill everything you''ve been doing. How have you be so strong? Using naturalw of space?? And your control over it is incredible!"

    He wasn''t the only one curious about what Nine had been doing. Lara chimed in with a nod, eager to know as well.

    "I would like to know too."

    Learning naturalws wasn''t an easy feat. They had also learned some naturalws, but their control over them wasn''t nearly this powerful. Nine hummed softly, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

    "Of course. I wouldn''t hide anything from you guys. Let''s find and gather the others first, and then I will dly lead everyone to experience what I have experienced. I am sure you will all enjoy it. It''s just a pity only Kyle won''t be present..."

    When he mentioned Kyle''s name, the air tensed once more. But he quickly pushed Jian into the rift, with Lara following suit. Nine nced back at James and the seven elders onest time before entering the crack that vanished behind him.

    James closed his eyes and released a heavy sigh, massaging his temples before releasing a faint, weary chuckle. Unlike Lara and Jian, he had sensed Nine''s rank, and it filled him with deep regret.

    "I am certain we made a mistake... Nine has reached the supreme rank and has even grasped a naturalw. Jian and the others are not weak either. Even with Kyle gone, they are a

    formidable force we shouldn''t have lost... but we did."

    Odiak and the elders behind him, fully aware of the immense power Jian, Alec, and theirpanions possessed even without Kyle, nodded in agreement.

    They had indeed made a mistake.

    The group of young individuals, who seemed destined to conquer and achieve greatness in their lives, would no longer fight alongside them in battle.

    However, they couldn''t be med; circumstances had forced their hand. They would have helped Kyle if only they had been a bit stronger to bear the burden.

    They would have done everything to save this universe so that the younger generation wouldn''t have to suffer like they did in the battle that began due to the mistakes of the older generation. But they were too weak to change the course of fate.

    Now, all they could do now was hope that this group of kids wouldn''t be tempted to join the dark side. Otherwise, they feared they would truly lose this battle-and perhaps the entire universe along with it.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    James turned to eyes at the other supreme and transcendent ranks in the area, whose presence had only worsened the situation with Jian earlier, his expression icy.

    "You all. I trust you now realize that the future is nothing but grim. Therefore, I hope that instead of just speaking empty words, you will take meaningful action to help us, rather than hiding as you did before when your support was needed in war the most."

 Chapter 781: Can you sense him?

    Chapter 781: Can you sense him?

    ?

    Amidst the countless distant twinkling stars ands, Yue''s gaze was fixated on the swirling mass of energy wrapped in a gray shield, her expression unreadable.

    Nox''s massive form floated a short distance behind her, with Bia seated on his back in her human form, her expression rxed and strangely calm.

    The two watched Yue''s back as the elf stared at the gray shield, now protected by countless armored warriors. Each one had arge gray sword symbol engraved on the front of their

    armor.

    The guards, though powerful, felt a bit uneasy and tense as they observed the two powerful beasts alongside the familiar elf, who would return to this ce every few weeks to gaze at the shield.

    They had been assigned by James and several other powerful individuals to protect the shield from the dark side and any daring souls who might attempt to cause harm. If they found themselves unable to handle the danger, they were also to inform the elders, who had scattered tobat the dark side that had begun to attack all thes.

    However, they never understood why so many powerful individuals woulde to stare at the seal, especially these three!

    After a while, Yue withdrew her gaze and turned to Bia with a calm expression.

    "Can you sense him?"

    Bia leaped down from Nox''s back, her golden hair cascading behind her like a shimmering waterfall.

    She wore a blue-gold dress paired with matching shoes. It was clear that she had begun to somewhat like her human form.

    -"No."

    She closed her eyes and tried once more to grasp the faint, thread-like connection she still had with Kyle, but failed. Fiddling with the storage ring on her finger, she retrieved a yellowish fruit and took a bite.

    -"It''s only been two months. Don''t worry about him... He will show up soon..."

    She trailed off and changed the topic.

    -"Anyway, what are you going to say to the elven Queen? She reached out to you and Regius to help save the Tree of Fate... She mentioned that the tree is a symbol of your race or something. Tsk, I don''t want to help. I am going back to join the others, who are near the Sea of Consciousness."

    Yue remained silent. This wasn''t the first time the elven Queen had asked her and Regius for assistance. It intrigued her how persistent the elves were just because she and Regius belonged to the elven race.

    She knew that the elven Queen wasn''t seeking her and Regius''s help because they were exceptionally strong. It was because she knew that if they agreed, Alec and the others would naturally follow them.

    "Let''s talk about itter. For now-"

    Her words were abruptly interrupted by a loud explosion that resonated from afar.

    Instantly, all eyes in the area turned toward the horizon, where they witnessed a erupting into a cloud of debris.

    What followed was the sinisterughter of the Demon and Nightkin race erupting from the destruction as their dark, distant figures pursued the fleeing people of the, who desperately tried to escape.

    Many of the powerful guards surrounding the gray shield immediately rushed to help the inhabitants of the and eliminate the dark aide people with seething eyes. To think- the dark side had be so bold as to attack a near this ce; they had passed the point of caution!

    For the past two months, it was true that the entire universe had been thrown intoplete chaos, with the forces under the shadow generals assaulting every in sight. However, they had not attacked the near the shield, as it was heavily guarded by many powerful individuals.

    Yue also grabbed her weapons. She had followed Nine two months ago and mostly stayed near the Sea of Consciousness in camouge after he assured her that Kyle was fine and stopped her from tearing down the gray shield to find him.

    Nine had advised everyone to focus on getting stronger to fight the challenges ahead, rather than fretting over those who wouldn''t hesitate to abandon them the moment they lost their usefulness.

    As a result, she hadn''t witnessed the gruesome sight the three shadow generals were creating by spilling rivers of blood on every without fear, even though many of their forces had been getting killed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Still, there was no way Yue would stand by and watch as the Demon and Nightkin race hunted others like mere animals.

    "Bia! Nox!"

    Her voice echoed through the air as she vanished toward the battle. Bia clicked her tongue, but she quickly turned serious as she followed behind Yue.

    Nox sighed and trailed after the two. He wondered how these two women still had the strength to fight. His entire body ached since he had recently tried to enter the Sea of Consciousness because Nine told him it was nothing and that the others were just

    exaggerating the pain.

    He regretted trusting that evil human! He just wanted to get stronger, but given that his strength was at the end of divine rank, he nearly died after just a single dip in the sea. He was traumatized and had sworn he wouldn''t even go near that sea again!

    ''I don''t understand how that evil human managed to coax all the men to jump into the Sea of Conciousness... and I believed him despite seeing how the other before me screamed themselves hoarse!''

    Far away, the air crackled with sparks of electricity and explosions as the dark sideunched their assault on those they were pursuing. Their evilughter faded when they realized their noise had drawn the attention of even more people.

    Yue and Bia attacked them with all their strength, alongside the guards. But they were all dumbfounded when the members of the dark side suddenly fled the area.

    It was as if they were only there to destroy the and kill as many as possible. They didn''t even look back, their lips stretching in eerie smiles as they vanished.

 Chapter 782: What are you staring at?

    Chapter 782: What are you staring at?

    ?

    Nox narrowed his eyes sharply at the scene. Indeed, the guards, Yue, and Bia had killed some of the Demon and Nightkin race members, but most of them fled.

    "What''s the meaning of this? I thought they were crazy and would fight without fear for their lives. Why did they run off?"

    Yue and Bia shared the same confusion. The air was thick with the echoes of cries, as the small group of people who had just survived the dark side''s assault wept. Their red-rimmed eyes fixed on the remnants of the they once called home, now reduced to mere fragments.

    The souls of those who perished in the explosion were scattered everywhere, never to find peace. It was not just the loss of so many lives that left the people distraught; it was the haunting realization that even in death, they could not find sce. This thought brought forth their tears, a deep sorrow that echoed through the air.

    The guards in the vicinity couldn''t even offer any words offort to the grieving survivors. They had witnessed countless deaths and the destruction ofs, but what was happening now was inhumane.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Two months ago, James and the elders had announced to the universe that the Realm of the Dead had been destroyed and that there was now no peace after death. The weight of that knowledge pressed heavily on every heart in the area.

    Yue felt a deep ache when she saw the scene. She nced at one of the oldest people in the group who had survived and patted the old man''s shoulder.

    "Stay strong... this is a time when we need to remain resilient and fight the enemies to ensure that others don''t endure the same."

    Her words offered little reassurance, and Bia sighed when she saw Yue''s ashen face. The phoenix understood that things were about to go wrong, and she was right when she heard Yue''s next words.

    "I will ept the elven Queen''s request."

    Bia grumbled but didn''t stop her. If it were Kyle, she knew he would have ignored this sight. But Yue didn''t have a hard heart like him. Not to mention, seeing such a scene, even the strongest would feel the pain.

    -"I will follow you..."

    She whispered before quickly adding.

    - "It''s not because I want to help those elves! I just want to make sure you stay safe!"

    Bia turned around and left. Yue smiled at her fading back. And with one final nce at the destruction before her, she too turned and followed behind the phoenix with Nox.

    She had made a decision, but it wouldn''t just impact her. She was well aware that many would follow her once they learned she was going to help the elven race.

    ...

    At the same time, near the Sea of Consciousness, inside a restaurant, Nine''s eyes narrowed, feeling as if someone were bad-mouthing him. He turned and fixed his gaze on the red- haired man ring daggers at his back, letting out a chuckle.

    "What are you staring at, you ugly demon?"

    He taunted, and Jian nearly lost it. This cruel bastard had just a while ago pushed him into the Sea of Consciousness and watched as he screamed in pain. Yet, he didn''t seem regretful at all!

    Jian wanted to punch him so badly, but seeing that they were surrounded by many powerful demons, he controlled his anger. Still, he shot back with a sneer.

    "You misunderstood! What''s there to stare at when you''re uglier than me?"

    Nine''s eyebrow twitched. They were all using a powerful camouge spell, which meant they looked just like the demons in their vicinity. But to be truthful, the demons were not ugly; each had four wide,rge dark-colored wings behind their backs and white slit pupils. The only problem was the dark veins crawling on their skin and the dark aura emanating from their bodies.

    "Tsk..."

    He clicked his tongue and turned his gaze to the beautiful elven woman seated before him, who didn''t even nce his way.

    "My dear... this ce is filled with flies. Why don''t we go somewhere nice and quiet?"

    Elli shot him a re and left his table, treating him like he was invisible as she joined Lara and Mia''s table. Nine had left the Forsaken Land without telling her, and now that they had met up, he wanted her to forgive him that easily? No chance at all.

    The restaurant, teeming with demons, buzzed with a symphony of sounds as the clinking of wine mugs and the tter of dishes reverberated through the lobby, which was filled with wooden tables surrounded by multiple chairs.

    Yet, even in that loud atmosphere, Jian''s mockingughter grated on Nine''s nerves, who had just been ignored by his girlfriend for the nth time in the past two months. To make matters worse, Sinon and Alec joined the red-haired man inughing at him.

    Nine had made them all suffer when they first arrived in this ce. So, why wouldn''t they revel in his misery? He had coaxed all the men in the group to jump into the Sea of Consciousness without any preparation, iming it was not painful at all. But damn, only when they jumped did they realize how much of a liar he was.

    In the end, he fished them out, saying that they should experience the hell he had gone through since they were friends.

    The atmosphere around the group was good, but that changed when Regius arrived with a grim expression and amunication crystal in his hand. Carcel, who was closest to the entrance, stood up to find out what was happening.

    Regius sighed as he tossed themunication crystal into his mind space before speaking directly in their minds.

    ''It''s Yue. She just contacted me. She said she is going to help the elven race. She is going to ept the elf queen''s request.''

    No one was surprised. After leaving with Nine, they hadn''t gone to help James and the seven elders, but they knew they weren''t heartless. Sooner orter, one of them would go to help those suffering, and they would all follow that person.

 Chapter 783: Then what are we waiting for?

    Chapter 783: Then what are we waiting for?

    ?

    Alec stood up, causing his chair to skid backward as he cast a nce at Nine before turning his attention to Regius.

    "Then what are we waiting for? Getting stronger is something we need to prioritize, but we can''t just remain in this ce while the universe is crumbling around us."

    Carcel rose after him.

    "We also need to return and check on the blue. It''s concealed behind a shield, but we can''t underestimate the dark side. They are attacking every; some of us should go and defend our home."

    Mia and Lara agreed with them. They had been getting stronger since they arrived in this ce and blended with the demons. But they couldn''t always stay here while countless people were dying.

    Elli nced at the two girls. She would undoubtedly follow them. She cared about Nine, but he was strong and could protect himself. On the other hand, she needed to be stronger so he wouldn''t see her as someone who needed protection.

    Her eyes glimmered with a determined light. She had sessfully broken through to the divine-rank. Now, all she had to do was put in the effort to reach the next rank. Still, that was easier said than done.

    Sinon hummed softly, his eyes fixed on Nine, who remained silent. He then shook Jian''s shoulder, the second quiet person in the group, with a mischievous grin, causing the red- haired man to hiss in pain, as the difort from earlier-when Nine had pushed him into the Sea of Consciousness-had not yetpletely faded.

    Jian red at him.

    "What''s with you? You should learn to understand my silence. I will follow them. It''s not like me to be left behind."

    Sinon chuckled and raised his hands in surrender, hoping to avoid provoking the bristling man. At that moment, Jian was the strongest among them after Alec and Nine, and Sinon had no desire to face his wrath.

    "Don''t be mad. You know you''ve been the luckiest among ustely. You even found a beautiful golden pearl filled with the aura of nature when we were wandering around the Sea of Consciousness. I just wanted to make sure you were going."

    Jian scoffed confidently, fully aware of his incredible luck, rubbing his aching body as he stormed out of the restaurant. Soon, the others followed suit when they noticed that their conversation had begun attracting the attention of the demons nearby.

    As they left, numerous pairs of white slit pupils narrowed at their retreating figures. This group of individuals had appeared in thisnd out of the blue, and the demons had no idea where they hade from.

    However, each of these young demons radiated a formidable aura that indicated they were not to be trifled with. As a result, no one dared toy a hand on them.

    One of the demons muttered loudly.

    "They are powerful, so why aren''t they helping the main army under the Shadow Generals and fighting for a higher position? Why are they wasting time here?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    With his words, suspicion spread among the demons seated in the restaurant lobby. The clinking of wine mugs came to a halt. Even the waitstaff appeared perplexed. One of them nced at the tes of food they had served to the tables upied by Nine and hispanions, humming with an inscrutable expression.

    "Again, none of them touched the food that contained dark energy... fascinating."

    His words seemed to silence the gathered crowd even more. A female demon spoke, shocked at where all this was heading.

    "They are demons who all emanate powerful dark energy, but why do they avoid eating what we would do anything to have?"

    Her words seemed to seal the fate of the moment, as everyone''s expression turned grim. One of them licked his lips and turned to hismunication crystal to inform the higher-ups who ruled this ce, saying.

    "Something is wrong with these people. We aren''t strong enough to confront them. It''s better to let the powerful deal with them."

    He was right. They weren''t strong. The strongest among them, an old woman, had barely reached the (SS)-rank.

    Before long, every demon agreed with him. However, they couldn''t directly contact the higher-ups, so they decided to reach out to the person in charge of this area.

    That''s why the demons in the lobby all gathered around the middle-aged demon initiating the connection to testify, knowing that the fat demon they were reaching out to would certainly whip them to death if their newscked credibility.

    But who would have imagined that Nine, who had just left, would stroll back into the lobby at that exact moment? Amusement danced in his golden eyes as he watched the cluster of demons conversing into a singlemunication crystal.

    Jian followed closely behind him and let out a loud tsk, sessfully startling every demon in the restaurant and capturing their attention. The demons'' hearts thundered as their eyes locked onto the deep golden and fiery red ones, which stared at them as if they were already dead.

    The red-haired man flicked his fingertips, and an aura of pure spiritual energy spread throughout the restaurant, separating the space it upied from the outside world.

    Jian bumped into Nine''s shoulder as he observed the demons who all paled.

    "I freaking hate snitches. Let me handle them; I am not in the best mood."

    Nine cast a nce at his tall figure before turning and exiting the lobby to wait outside the restaurant for him to finish.

    Jian didn''t disappoint; in just a minute, the entire restaurant disappeared, along with the many old and young demons inside, as if it had never existed in the first ce.

    Feeling quite satisfied, he stretched his arms and approached the brown-haired man standing guard outside the space he had separated from the surroundings.

    Behind himy a piece of devastatednd as his spiritual energy faded and the veil concealing the area dissolved.

    Nine nced at the shops surrounding the spot where the restaurant once existed and noticed the demons gasping in shock when they realized how an entire establishment had just vanished into thin air. He sighed.

    "How many times do I have to tell you to eliminate the people here discreetly? The demons you killed failed, but the ones who just witnessed an entire restaurant vanish will definitely

    inform their superiors."

    Jian chuckled and shrugged.

    "That''s something we don''t need to worry about right now. Come on, the others must be

    waiting."

 Chapter 784: Destroy this place!

    Chapter 784: Destroy this ce!

    ?

    A monthter, on a far from the Sea of Consciousness, the sky that should have been filled with twinkling stars was instead shrouded in dark energy, echoing with the sickeningughter of Nightkin race.

    Their pale, ghostly skin stood in stark contrast to the oppressive darkness that emanated from them, and their crimson pupils gleamed with satisfaction as they watched the helpless inhabitants of the being dragged through the rubble of their once-thriving cities.

    Buildingsy in ruins, reduced to mere skeletons of their former glory, while the air was thick with despair and the acrid stench of smoke. The agonizing, loud cries of the oppressed filled the air, a chilling echo that only seemed to amuse their captors.

    As the people of the Nightkin race reveled in their victory, the''s vibrant life was slowly being extinguished, leaving behind a wastnd of fear and hopelessness.

    Suddenly, one of the Nightkin, a powerful supreme rank old woman dressed in fitted crimson attire, shouted to another.

    "Destroy this ce! I checked, there is no trace of any Celestial Spirit here."

    Hismand was met withughter of agreement. But before they could ignite the and activate the scattered artifacts to explode it into pieces, a powerful kick struck the woman who had just given the order, causing her to cry out in pain.

    Her cry startled her people in the vicinity, and as they turned, they were met by an angry, bloodshot pair of maroon-gray eyes. Asher wiped the blood from the corners of his mouth andughed maniacally.

    "I am still alive, you witch! How dare you destroy my home right before my eyes!"

    The golden scales that filled his exposed skin beneath the tattered, bloodied outfit, along with the horns on his head, shone brilliantly even in the darkness.

    The people of the Nightkin race, who were frightened when they saw their leader being kicked away suddenly, sighed and snickered upon seeing the half-dragon.

    Asher was one of the strongest on this, yet they had already defeated him. They would have killed him too, but the first shadow general had ordered them not to eliminate powerful individuals. Instead, they were instructed to enve them by forcing them to sign dark contracts. Therefore, they had no idea how the hell this supreme-rank half-dragon had escaped from where they had imprisoned him after their victory.

    Many of them surrounded him as the old, dark-haired woman he had just kicked flew back toward him with seething eyes.

    "How dare youy your hands on me! It seems you didn''t appreciate the chance we gave you by sparing your life!"

    Despite being gravely injured and surrounded by so many powerful enemies, Asher still managed to sneer at her.

    He had returned to find his family after parting ways with Kyle and the others, only to discover that his parents had died during the long time he spent trapped in the Lost Treasure Tomb. This left only his siblings, whom he had alwayspeted against. However, they looked so aged that they resembled his great-grandparents.

    In the past, he often felt inferior for being the weakest. But witnessing his siblings, who had grown so old and appeared so frail, filled him with pain. He realized he should have spent more time with his family instead of chasing strength.

    Still, it was toote for regret. So, he decided to spend his time with his people and be a guardian of his as one of the strongest. But who would have thought that peace wouldn''tst?N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The Nightkin race attacked. He and his people fought with all their might, but due to the explosive artifacts the enemies used, they had to prioritize protecting the citizens, which ultimately led to their defeat.

    He and many other powerful individuals were captured and thrown into a dark ce where they were tortured and asked to sign dark contracts or face death. He managed to escape, but he never expected to see such devastation upon his return.

    Asher pressed his tongue against his teeth, wearing a disgusted expression as he look at the old woman floating before him.

    "Not my hands! Do you think I would touch something as filthy as you? It''s my foot!" The woman saw blood and raised her hands. A long, spiked maze appeared in her grip, its metallic surface glinting ominously as she struck him mercilessly.

    Asher blocked the attack, but he couldn''t evade the strikes from the other members of the Nightkin race surrounding him.

    He gritted his teeth as the numerous injuries on his body, which hadn''t even healed properly, stung painfully.

    But he didn''t back down. He was here to end them all! That''s why heshed out at them with all his remaining strength, unleashing one skill after another.

    He hadn''tprehended any naturalws, but spiritual energy was his strongest suit! He was confident that he possessed double the amount of spiritual energypared to most ordinary supreme ranks!

    As he fought against the woman and the others, no one noticed a few more figures stepping into the''s boundary.

    James''s eyes narrowed at the devastation. He was about to turn back when he noticed that the had already been conquered. However, among the group of people with him, the two men who had recently joined him thought differently.

    Alec''s eyes widened when he saw Asher''s familiar figure and his poor condition. He unsheathed his sword and shouted.

    "Attack! Kill them all!"

    Jian''s crimson eyes darkened at the sight. He didn''t even wait for Alec''smand and had already disappeared to fight the woman and the poeple attacking Asher.

    A merciless punchnded on the supreme rank woman''s abdomen, sending her flying back into the air as she cried out in pain.

    Jian didn''t turn back to look at Asher''s shocked figure as he kicked and punched the other people around the half-dragon away. When he was done clearing the space, his deep and oppressive voice echoed across the entire.

    "I am just going to kill you all, and that would be a mercy! If Kyle were here, he would have tortured you severely for evenying a hand on our friends!"

 Chapter 785: Another Job?

    Chapter 785: Another Job?

    ?

    Inside a beautiful forest, Ceano sat cross-legged atop a rock, healing his soul while absorbing a powerful treasure he had acquired after defeating a supreme rank water monster.

    A dark phoenix perchedzily on a nearby tree branch, observing him. It had no idea why the second shadow general had asked for it, but it didn''t really care. After all, even though the dark phoenix was weak, death was something it never feared.

    Suddenly, its eyes shed with the memory of Bia, the crimson phoenix-one of its kind. It couldn''t help but think about her, as it had been so many years since the dark phoenix had encountered another of its race.

    The phoenix race had dwindled over time, as many sought to possess them for their beauty and power. This ultimately led to their demise when the phoenixes refused to form bonds with those who hunted them.

    To the dark phoenix shock, that crimson phoenix had broken through the potential limit of their kind!

    Bia had surpassed the divine rank and reached the transcendent rank! Therefore, the dark phoenix couldn''t shake the intense desire to go and find that red phoenix.

    It was itching to slice open her body and uncover the secret of how she achieved such an extraordinary feat!

    A low male voice resounded in the air as the phoenix transformed into its human form, with two beautiful dark wings.

    "Why did second master summon me?"

    Ceano opened his eyes, and the golden color within his gaze deepened a lot. Yet, he didn''t smile; instead, he punched the space in front of him, shattering itpletely.

    "Why? Why? Why can''t I heal my soul!? My strength isn''t increasing! Ahhh!"

    The dark phoenix quickly retreated to a distance, but he was still injured due to his slow reaction. After all, he was only at the peak of divine rank, unlike Ceano, who was at the supreme rank.

    He coughed up blood as he observed the second shadow general''s outburst. His dark pupils crinkled, and a bored yet amused smile curled at the corners of his lips.

    ''To think I would see the mostposed shadow general like this... interesting. It''s because of that human, Kyle, isn''t it?''

    He didn''t dare to voice his thoughts aloud, for while the dark phoenix didn''t fear death, that didn''t mean he had a death wish.

    Silently, he watched as Ceano obliterated everything around him. The once-beautiful forest was reduced to ruins.

    After several long minutes, Ceano finally took a deep breath and smoothed out his rumpled clothes, as if his emotions hadn''t just spiraled out of control once again.

    Well, one couldn''t me him.

    He had once been one of the strongest in this universe, but now his power had faded to a mere shadow of his former self! A disbelievingugh escaped his lips.

    To think, he, Ceano, had once stood at the threshold of the Celestial rank... Just one step away from breaking through to that otherworldly power that no one except Azazeal had attained!

    Just one step... but now he wasn''t even at the peak of the supreme rank! All because of a single human! A single damn human!

    He had been striving to regain his true power, but all his efforts had been in vain. The treasures he discovered to heal his weakened state were proving useless.

    To make matters worse, he couldn''t even ask his master, Azazeal, for a reward for his sacrifices in destroying thest two seals of the Realm of the Dead, since the man had disappeared without a trace.

    A smile spread across his face as he thought about how Kyle had died; yes, the one responsible for his suffering had finally met his end! That human, that bastard he could never kill was gone.

    He had received the news from Damien, who informed him that Kyle hadn''t been able to leave the Forsaken Land in time.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "The only regret I have is that I couldn''t torture him until he begged for death but couldn''t die! And that I couldn''t get my hands on the power within him!"

    Now he just needed to wait for Azazeal to show up and bestow upon him the rewards for all his sacrifices. Only then could he reim his lost strength.

    The moment he got it, he was going to hunt down every single person connected to Kyle to unleash his anger! He couldn''t make Kyle suffer, but he would make his friends pay!

    Ceano hummed as he gazed at the dark phoenix floating in the distance, observing him in its human form.

    He had summoned the phoenix to reward him, as this was the same beast that, with Damien, had ced the piece of the Tree of Fate''s core they had obtained near the two seals in an advantageous position.

    "Come here."

    He spoke calmly. The handsome young man d in a feathery dark outfit floating in the distance hesitated, but he moved closer. Ceano shook his shoulder.

    "Good job. Damien and I have been busy, but we haven''t forgotten what you did."

    He tossed a storage ring in the air, and the phoenix hurriedly caught it in his hands. "This is your reward. I heard the demon you bonded with had died in the war?"

    Ceano continued in an impassive tone as the phoenix nodded.

    "It must have been painful to lose your bonded partner... But do you wish to form a bond again? Your inherited skill, which can make your presence invisible even around supreme ranks, is truly powerful."

    He was truly surprised when the phoenix rejected the idea of forming a bond again. One forced bond was enough. The second shadow general chuckled at his boldness. But he did nothing to bind him, as he could sense that, like many strong monsters on their side, this one also had a dark flower on his body beneath his clothes.

    "Then how about I give you another job? The rewards would be plentiful if you are sessful. I know as a phoenix you can''t go beyond the divine rank due to your racial limitations, but I can give you a drop of my supreme rank essence that will help. You will be able to surpass your limitations."

    For the first time, the phoenix''s dark eyes, which held nothing but boredom, shone with something beyond indifference.

    "What does the second master require of me?"

    Ceano chuckled at his enthusiasm. He was surprised by the depth of darkness this little beast concealed behind his indifferent face. He could sense the dark aura seeping from the man before him. The dark phoenix was weak, yet at the same time, he was not.

    "You need topletely alter your appearance and infiltrate the enemies. Steal what remains of the Tree of Fate''s core. I want to absorb it to heal my soul."

 Chapter 786: Why didnt you contact us? I

    Chapter 786: Why didn''t you contact us? I

    ?

    Completely oblivious to the second general''s schemes, on a inhabited by an old race linked to the golden-scaled dragons through their dragon blood.

    Asher''s shock at seeing a familiar figure was quickly reced. His red-rimmed eyes flickered with a hint of relief as he watched the red-haired man floating before him.

    "Thank you..."

    He uttered very quietly, and if not for Jian''s keen sense of hearing, he would have never caught the soft whisper. Jian finally turned to look at the half-dragon with a scoff.

    "No thanks between us! Why didn''t you contact anyone when you needed help?"

    Asher was tongue-tied for a moment. In that brief time, Alec had also arrived beside Jian, a dark grin on his face that suggested a thirst for vengeance.

    "Leave everything to us. Now that we are here, no enemy will escape alive! James, seal this; it''s time to inflict double the pain the Nightkin race has caused the inhabitants of this!"

    James felt conflicted. This was already in ruins, and it was clear that the Nightkin had devastated everything. With his senses, he sensed that nearly nighty percent of the inhabitants were dead. The only remaining threat was theplete annihtion of the itself.

    If it were up to him, he would have chosen to go to another, one with more lives to save before it was toote. That seemed like the best course of action given the current state of the universe, but James was reluctant to further damage his rtionship with the two supreme ranks who had recently joined his team.

    He had already strained his rtionship with this group of youngsters when he and the elders failed to save Kyle''s soul, and that was more than enough. Now, he didn''t want to deepen their resentment toward him, so heplied with Alec''s request.

    Well, he also couldn''t bear to witness the remaining weak inhabitants of this being ughtered by the Nightkin race.

    With those thoughts, James pped his hands together and tapped into nature. It was true that he had grown weaker, but that didn''t mean he was any less powerful than an average peak supreme rank.

    Within seconds, he sealed off the andmanded the bewildered group of old and young individuals behind him.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Attack! What are you all waiting for? Go eliminate the enemies!"

    The group of people d in garments disying the emblem of a familiar gray sword, who had apanied him for the past few months as they eliminated the forces of the dark side and saved manys, jolted in surprise.

    However, after the initial surprise, they obeyed hismand and vanished to kill all the enemies on the. Their mission was to save as many innocent people as possible, not waste time on trivial thoughts. In the past few months, they had fought countless life-and- death battles alongside James and now trusted himpletely.

    James also spread out his aura, ready to unleash a bloodbath. And he did. Leaving Alec and Jian alone with the half-dragon, he vanished to kill the enemies on the.

    Quite a distance away, the supreme-rank woman from the Nightkin race, who had been kicked brutally twice in a very short time, growled in boiling anger, prepared to st the entire.

    But her body froze when the tip of a glistening sword was ced against her neck, and a powerful aura from someone who appeared to have just attained the supreme rank enveloped her.

    Alec''s eyes narrowed as he looked at the woman who was already marked as dead.

    "It''s about time I test my strength against enemy stronger than me. You wil serve as a good punching bag for now."

    His words made the already enraged womanugh maniacally. Veins bulged on her forehead and neck, making her ghostly pale skin look even more grotesque; the red in her eyes nearly turned pitch ck.

    She couldn''t believe that a mere ant, who had just barely stepped into the supreme rank, dared to challenge her!

    "A good punching bag?? Let me show you what a punching bag really is!"

    She shouted, using her agility to evade the sword pointed at her neck and lunged at the blue- haired man, exuding an air of calm and utter nonchnce, with her maze filled with

    dangerous spikes ready to tear him apart.

    Still, Alec wasn''t intimidated; instead, he sneered, matching her ferocity equally.

    No, he even overpowered her, causing the woman to see red in humiliation.

    Jian clicked his tongue softly as he watched Alec fight the strongest enemy. Still, he felt no disappointment. He would address the issue of Alec stealing the strongest enemy and spotlightter.

    Cracking his knuckles, he turned his attention to the other powerful figures from the Nightkin race he had previously kicked and punched. With a speed that bordered on teleportation, he engaged them all, eliminating them mercilessly without leaving a single intact corpse behind.

    He would have released their souls after erasing their consciousness, but knowing there was no Realm of the Dead anymore, he opted to destroy their souls as well. So to prevent the souls from roaming free and possessing weaker individuals or beasts, thus averting potential future problems.

    Watching them fight, Asher finally stopped floating. Exhaustion and pain from what he had endured made his eyes heavy.

    He knelt onto the ground, surrounded by nothing but the ruins of what was once a thrivingrge city, and took a deep breath to steady his troubled emotions.

    "I need to save those who were captured to sign dark contracts... I can''t rest yet."

    He closed his eyes and began to heal his injuries. The sounds of those fighting and crying around him gradually began to fade with each passing second.

    About ten minutester, a hand rested on his back, channeling spiritual energy into his body to help mend his wounds.

    Jian let out a sigh.

    "You didn''t answer. Why didn''t you contact us? I know we have only known each other for a brief period, but we are friends..."

    There was a moment of silence. Asher rubbed his thumb across his injured wrist, hesitating slightly as he opened his eyes. Then he finally decided toe clean.

    "I did. I did try to contact you all."

    Jian moved to sit beside him, a deep frown creasing his brow as he wondered which of his idiotic friends hadn''t responded when one of them needed help. He seriously contemted

    breaking their bones.

    "Who did you contact among us?"

    Asher nced at him with a faint smile.

    "Kyle... I tried to reach out to him a month ago, but he didn''t respond."

 Chapter 787: Why didnt you contact us? II

    Chapter 787: Why didn''t you contact us? II

    ?

    Jian bit his tongue when he finally discovered who Asher had tried to contact. He was not surprised that the half-dragon had reached out to Kyle instead of anyone else, given that Kyle was the first person he had met in the Lost Treasure Tomb.

    Now, seeing Asher''s expression, it was clear to Jian that after Kyle didn''t respond, the half- dragon hadn''t attempted to reach out to anyone else, thinking they no longer wanted to stay in touch with him.

    Jian wanted to exin why Kyle couldn''t respond to him ore to help. After all, he knew that the news about Kyle''s soul being trapped in that vile ce was known only to those who had witnessed it and those who had heard. It was evident that Asher had no idea what had happened to Kyle, but he couldn''t find the right words.

    Asher noticed Jian''s silence and grew even more distressed, convinced that his belief about Kyle ignoring him because he found him annoying was ultimately true.

    "Well, I won''t me him. It was me who forced our friendship. He even ignored me at first, but after being trapped in the Lost Treasure Tomb for a hundred years alone, he was the first person I met. So, I wanted to make him my friend at all costs-"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Jian quickly cut him off.

    "Wait, wait! It''s not what you think! I know Kyle cane off as indifferent and has a cold demeanor, but he genuinely cares for those who are close to him! He would have never ignored you when you reached out, given the current state of the universe..."

    He paused for a moment.

    "Only if he was truly okay. He''s been missing for a few months now."

    Asher frowned as he processed the meaning behind those words. Kyle had disappeared? There was no way he would believe that anyone could harm that crazy man, especially after witnessing how easily Kyle fought against countless powerful undead in the Lost Treasure Tomb, even while only at the divine rank.

    Before he could ask more, Jian hurriedly exined everything that had happened.

    Asher''s maroon-gray eyes widened as he listened to everything they had endured in such a short time. He couldn''t believe what he was hearing, and the shock and disbelief were clearly reflected in his expression.

    "Hold on... so you''re saying that Kyle sacrificed his body to save all of you? And now you have no idea where his soul is?"

    He inhaled deeply when Jian nodded. So, Kyle hadn''t been defeated by anyone else. Instead, he had put his own body on the line to create a dangerous array just to save his friends. For some reason, he blurted out.

    "He''s fine. I''m sure of it."

    Jian nced at him deeply and agreed. Nine had said the same thing.

    "We know he is. That''s why no one''s freaking out and patiently waiting for him to show up so we can beat him."

    He settled downfortably.

    "Still, I asked James and some other powerful individuals. They exined that it takes time for a soul to form a new body for itself since the soul has to sacrifice its own power and gather energy from nature. The process can be expedited, but only if someone uses treasures to assist that soul, which has no physical form. But since we can''t help him... we can only wait."

    Asher remained silent as he looked up and watched Alec cleanly behead the supreme rank woman who had inflicted the most suffering on him and his people.

    His thoughts wandered to that powerful, cold presence he had sensed in Kyle''s body. If it was a natural treasure, then forming a new body wouldn''t be difficult for Kyle... The only problem was the dangerous location where his soul was currently trapped. With a contemtive expression, he muttered.

    "It usually takes a month or two to form a new body with their previous physique if the soul is powerful. However, the stronger the physique of the body being formed is, the longer the process takes."

    "Just how much stronger must the physique of the body that Kyle''s soul is forming be to take so much time?"

    Jian caught his words and tried to lighten the gloomy atmosphere with a joke.

    "Not less than Celestial!"

    Asher wasn''t the only one who heard him. Alec, who had finished off his opponent andnded nearby to join them, also heard. The duo''s eyes widened, and their expressions clearly showed that they were seriously considering what Jian had just said.

    Alec turned around and frantically called out to Soul, his face ashen as if he had just discovered the biggest setback of his life.

    ''Soul! Tell me the likelihood of what Jian mentioned actually happening! Tap into your ability

    to calcte the potential future and whatever else you can! I need to know!''

    The system that had grown stronger and gained greater consciousness since Alec broke through to the supreme rank groaned upon hearing his loud ringing voice.

    ''Calm down for a moment. You do realize that ability costs me a lot. And it will cost you too. All your spiritual energy will be depleted the moment I try to use it.''

    Alec paced around. How could he calm down? No, he could never calm down! If Kyle really formed a body with a Celestial physique, then would not he be left behind in terms of strength once again?

    He already couldn''t defeat him, and if Kyle had a Celestial physique, there was no way he could even touch him in this life!

    Sensing Alec''s sudden crisis, Soul, like a goodpanion, tried to reassure him.

    ''Why are you getting anxious? You''re growing stronger at a steady pace. The likelihood of Kyle forming a Celestial body is very, very low. There is a reason why this universe only has one Celestial. If forming a Celestial body were so easy, many would have already done it.''

    Alec didn''t calm down. He would be happy if Kyle became stronger. Not just Kyle; he would be happy if any of his friends became stronger. But his ownck of strength inparison was what made him feel bitter and panicked!

    ''Soul, did you forget about Kyle''s bloodline? He has a Celestial bloodline-something no one else in the universe has! There''s more than a fifty percent chance he would show up with a Celestial physique next time!''

 Chapter 788: A big decision!

    Chapter 788: A big decision!

    ?

    Suddenly, Alec paused as he made a big decision on the spot. He needed to work even harder! Yes, that''s right!

    ''Be ready! I am going to increase the intensity of my training! We are even going to hunt powerful monsters with bloodlines! There''s no way I''m going to stay weak! If he is going to reach the Celestial rank, I am going to prove that I can as well!''

    The system had no clue whether it shouldugh or cry. Its host had truly lost his mind.

    The training Alec was doing was already enough to scare everyone. Just how much harder did he want to push himself? But it could say nothing to reason with him.

    It just hoped that when Alec stood at the peak of the supreme rank-just a boundary away from the Celestial rank-but couldn''t cross it despite everything, he wouldn''t be too disappointed.

    Alec stomped toward Jian, who looked a bit startled by his determined expression, as if he had made a significant decision.

    "What are you chitchatting about? Hurry up! We have many enemies to eliminate!"

    Before Asher and Jian could even speak, he turned and left, determined to take down all the members of the Nightkin race alongside James and the others. This was too a form of training -all to be stronger!

    Jian stared at his back and blinked.

    "What happened to him all of a sudden?"N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Asher shook his head, equally confused. Remembering that he needed to go and save his people, who were being coerced into signing dark contracts, he stood up despite his injuries not being fully healed.

    Jian also stood up and followed him. They fought their way to the ce where Asher''spanions were imprisoned. Jian''s blood boiled when he discovered they were being forced to sign dark contracts, and he killed every enemy even more mercilessly.

    They saved almost all of them, except for a few who had chosen to self-destruct. None among them had signed the dark contracts. They believed that dying was better than bing a ve to the dark side.

    A long day came to an end as the battle raged on across the. However, it was evident that James'' side had already won.

    Asher and many of his people watched from high above. The Nightkin race had killed so many of their own... but now they were the ones being ughtered.

    Many couldn''t help but wonder how long this cycle of death would continue.

    Suddenly, Asher recalled an important detail. Many of the people of the Nightkin race were searching for Celestial spirits on their, simr to the one he had seen in the Lost Treasure Tomb.

    When Jian arrived to inform him and his people that all the powerful enemies above mortal rank had been defeated and that the remaining foes were also being eliminated, Asher shared this information with him.

    Jian cursed, startling everyone, when he heard about the Celestial spirit.

    "Shit! They''re also searching for the Celestial spirits! Azazeal showed up in the Lost Treasure Tomb just to get the Celestial spirit that appeared because of Kyle! We''re also looking for the Celestial spirits!"

    James, who had arrived behind him to inform him that they would leave instantly once they finished eliminating the remaining enemies, paused when he heard him. He instinctively muttered something he had been telling everyone recently.

    "We can''t let the remaining Celestial spirits fall into the hands of the dark side. Azazeal isn''t just searching for the Celestial spirits to open the Celestial realm, despite the fact that the entire universe would suffer; he''s consuming them to be stronger!"

    Jian rubbed his temples. He knew that Azazeal was searching for the Celestial spirits, but he didn''t realize that even after damaging the Realm of the Dead badly, the shadow generals were still trying to seize their only chance to save the universe.

    The Will of the Universe had already revealed much to James about the sealed Celestial realm and how they can no longer open it without causing further harm to the universe. Alec and Jian, who had recently joined James, also gained this knowledge. However, after the ancient memories they had witnessed in the Lost Treasure Tomb, they were able to piece together all the information more effectively.

    ording to James, the Celestial realm was sealed by someone from the other side who had departed from their universe. He didn''t disclose the identity of the individual, but Jian and Alec immediately recognized that Nathaniel was the one who sealed that realm from the other side after he attained the Celestial rank and left. They just didn''t understand how the hell that sick bastard managed to aplish it.

    They discovered that the spirits are powerful guardians who protected the gate of the Celestial realm before it was sealed. They possess immense power, so much so that they can''t be harmed by the inhabitants of the universe. However, they scattered after the realm was sealed, and Azazeal began hunting and consuming them.

    The spirits'' spiritual power can open the Celestial realm, but ording to the Will of the Universe, which had also begun looking for the spirits but couldn''t sense them due to their unique and pure spritual presence, it was discovered that many of the spirits had already been consumed by Azazeal.

    The dark side leader sought to gain more power and forcefully tear open the path to the Celestial realm, ignoring the fact that the pressure from such an action couldpletely destroy the universe.

    Now, the only way they could contact the Celestial realm without causing more harm was to gather the remaining living Celestial spirits hiding from Azazeal and attempt to establish a connection with the guardians of nature in the Celestial realm.

    However, the challenges were: first, they were unable to locate the Celestial spirits, and second, the Celestial spirits were far too powerful for them to subdue!

    Jian turned to face James.

    "We know. You don''t have to repeat it. Let''s just start an all-out war against thes inhabited by the races that are siding with the dark side. In that way, at least the dark side would have something to worry about and wouldn''t search for the Celestial spirits."

    James considered his words. But he still needed to consult many others to finalize this sudden n. Their forces were already stretched thin since they needed to save thes under attack; waging an all-out war against thes protected by the shadow generals would be challenging.

    "I will talk with the elders and the many other supreme ranks on our side."

 Chapter 789 Saving the elven planet I

    789 Saving the elven I

    Far away from the dragon that Jian and Alec were helping alongside James, on thergest elven, Luminara.

    The very where the Tree of Fate stood. Its branches, as always, were visible even from outside the''s boundary, extending beyond the clouds. However, it had withered, leaving not even a single leaf on its once-magnificent branches.

    The tree''s once-majestic form had been reduced to an empty shell, a mere shadow of its former glory. Below, chaos reigned as battles raged fiercely; countless elves who had once sought refuge beneath its from were now fighting in a brutal manner.

    Samara, the familiar supreme-rank demon who had escaped from Kylest time with her life, watched with gleeful malice as the demons under her wreaked havoc, reveling in the suffering of those who had once been sheltered by the Tree of Fate.

    The air, which had once been filled with spiritual energy, was now thick with dark energy and utter despair.

    A sinister smile curled on Samara''s lips as she absorbed the chaos around her while seated on a dark throne in the distance.

    The screams of the elves echoed in her ears like a sweet symphony of victory.

    "Truly magnificent. I couldn''t get my hands on the Fruit of Fate due to that bastard..."

    She gritted her teeth in fury at the thought of Kyle but soon smirked widely. In a way, it was all thanks to that human that she was now the strongest demon in the universe, standing at the peak of supreme rank.

    "Just who could have thought I, Samara, would return to this even stronger and crush the once-mighty elves? Haha."

    Her eerieughter echoed through the air, making the hearts of the elves who could hear her contract and race wildly. She was happy because now she also officially held the title of Queen of the entire demon race, a stark contrast to before when she had only ruled a small part of her race.

    Samara licked her lips, satisfied.

    "Well, well, who needs the Fruit of Fate when I can simply im the entirety of the Tree of Fate? Now I don''t even need to feed it dark energy; I can just dig out its life core! Even though it has already been harmed by the shadow generals, the power contained within the remaining core would be enough to make me even stronger!"

    She had already been summoned by the shadow generals, and after witnessing her formidable strength, they appointed her as one of those who would receive the title of shadow general upon Azazeal''s return. Her body already bore a flower symbolizing her loyalty to the dark side. Now, the only thing left was to inform Azazeal of her presence. All she had to do for now was wait, and all her dreams, which were already 90% fulfilled, woulde to fruition.

    A ss of fruit wine was poured for her by the demons behind her as she sipped and leisurely observed the devastation her race was inflicting all around.

    While she reveled in her already secured victory, she failed to notice three elves and a human entering the boundary, apanied by a phoenix and a lynx.

    Regius furrowed his brows.

    "We''rete. The elven queen requested help first, but we paused midway to assist thes along our route. I didn''t anticipate the situation here would be this dire."

    His senses swept across the entire as he ran his fingers through his green hair, now slightly longer than usual.

    Regius''s brownish eyes darkened at the sight before him. He didn''t care much for the elven race, but in the end, he was still an elf. How could he stand by and watch those simr to him perish?

    "I can''t sense Wesley and Ronan... what about you all?"

    Bia, in her small bird form,nded on his right shoulder, silently shaking her head. The aura of darkness on this was overwhelming, making her uneasy.

    Nox hurriedly followed the phoenix''s lead and settled on Regius''s left shoulder.

    Yue and Elli both floated behind Regius in silence, trying to connect with the elven queen, Ariana, through their senses, hoping the old woman was still alive.

    Nine narrowed his eyes.

    "Let''s just attack. We''ll find them if they''re alive and fighting. The dark energy here is too powerful; it''s hindering our senses."

    No one argued with him. He was the first to unleash his supreme rank aura, enveloping the entire and asserting his strength.

    Regius followed suit, having also finally broken through to the supreme rank. All of this was thanks to Nine, this bastard who didn''t hesitate to push or throw them into the Sea of Consciousness despite the excruciating pain that came with it.

    Nine nced at the two women behind him. Elli had yet to forgive him even after so many months. A helpless look crossed his face as he looked at the love of his life.

    "Elli... stay close to me."

    He said softly, and she nodded, fully aware that she was the weakest in the group.

    With that, the three vanished toward the battle below, leaving Yue and the two transcendent rank beasts behind. Yue also spread her powerful supreme rank aura, and the moment she did, both Bia and Nox turned serious and transformed into their massive forms, letting out powerful roars.

    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The sky erupted with golden mes as the phoenix unleashed her power, apanied by an aura of faint suffocation as Nox also unleashed his most powerful skill.

 Chapter 790 Saving the elven planet II

    790 Saving the elven II

    Samara finally sensed the presence of the new arrivals. The silver barrier surrounding her was indeed powerful enough to stop all attacks aimed at her, but that didn''t mean she had shut down her senses. She rose from her throne with a deep frown.

    "Who are these ants now? Why are they here when James had already sent an elder to help save the Tree of Fate?"

    She clenched her fists tightly, frustrated. Why the hell are these people interfering when it was clear the elves had lost? Her forces were ughtering them!

    She had killed the strongest elf on this, the Elven Queen''s shadow, with her own hands! With a shout, shemanded the numerous ves she had acquired in the past months after making them sign dark contracts to attack the neers.

    The people, though reluctant, could do nothing but obey hermand when a painful dark force gripped their souls and forced them toply.

    Only one among them refused to heed her order. Silently enduring the pain, he sneered at her with an indifferent and cold face.

    "You can kill me, but I will never follow themand of someone as filthy as you."

    Samara moved away from her throne and pped him, causing him to spit out blood.

    "Shhh... Shhh! I won''t kill you! Not yet! I will make you watch the end of your people. I heard you contributed a lot in the war... and also that human Kyle��you''re acquainted with him, right? That''s my revenge!"

    Ronan wiped the crimson blood from his lips as he was forced to kneel before the demon he could only describe as vile. He had no idea how Samara had discovered that he and Elder Hal had helped Kyle the most when the nature favorite eliminated all the people of the dark side in the Sacred Divine Land after emerging from the Lost Treasure Tomb. But just because he was connected to Kyle somehow, Samara didn''t kill him like the Queen''s shadow; instead, she forced him to be a ve.

    His cyan hair fell over his forehead as he lowered his head, his eyes bloodshot. If only he could tear this woman apart��he would dly do it. That was hisst wish.

    Samara wasn''t the only one who had noticed the neers. The old Elven Queen, Ariana, surrounded by countless demons trying to reach her, also looked up at the magnificent phoenix and lynx. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Finally, they are here... I thought they wouldn''te."

    She muttered, her voice hoarse and parched. The old elf, Wesley, the one who watched over Yue when she traveled to the Sacred Divine Land, Oldeus, and three other aged supreme ranks, who had all formed a circle around her to protect her, heard her but couldn''t follow the Queen''s gaze.

    The reason? They themselves were standing on death''s door with their bodies marred by countless injuries.

    Now, the only thing left that they could do for their people was to sacrifice their souls to kill as many enemies as possible. But all of them were stalling for time so that at least their Queen wouldn''t die.

    They had been fighting non-stop for the past few months, and they would have won as well if only the Queen''s shadow hadn''t fallen at the hands of Samara, and Ronan, the second strongest elf on their, hadn''t been captured by the demons and forced to sign a dark contract.

    Wesley kicked another demon, his breath erratic as he let out a faint whisper.

    "They arete. I know... I shouldn''t say this, but if only they hade sooner, so many elves could have been saved...!"

    He didn''t dare to say that it was their responsibility to help them. James had sent help; even one of the seven powerful elders, Kurt, was fighting in the sky.

    However, it wasn''t enough this time. They had been severely outnumbered.

    The demons surrounding them noticed the hope in their eyes andughed, their white slit pupils gleaming with amusement. One of the supreme rank demons, who had just attained this powerful rank thanks to Samara, scoffed in pure disdain.

    "Just a few youngsters trying to act tough? Do you really think they will save you all? No, you are all already finished!"

    Another demon chimed in with a snicker, pointing at the sky with her wing where Bia and Nox had already been surrounded by those enved by them, who had joined the fight after Samara''smand.

    "Look, the Demon Queen has sent the ves to deal with the neers. They''re going to be buried alongside you all��"

    Her words were abruptly cut short, and a heart-wrenching scream erupted from her throat as a sword sliced through the four expansive, dark-colored wings behind her back with a brutal precision.

    Nine seized her shoulder and flung the demon into the air, moving with a speed so swift that it was barely perceptible to those around him. Instantly, he cleaved her body in two before quickly obliterating her soul.

    An indifferent expression concealed his features, and his golden eyes darkened to a nearly molten hue as he clicked his tongue, shaking his sword to rid it of the blood.

    "Talk less. Fight more."

    Wesley stared at the familiar human who had fled from the elven after cia brought him to the elven with Yue and Elli. The old elf opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the cries of the demons around him, who had finally snapped out of their daze and realized that one of their own had died at the hands of a human.

    Regius arrived next to Nine and swiftly killed another demon. His eyes narrowed at the golden eyes as he shook his head.

    "Don''t act so cool. It only fits Kyle."

    Nine''s eyebrow twitched, but he didn''t say anything. Together, they began to eliminate all the demons surrounding the old elven Queen with ease, as if they were facing not the strongest demons, but the weakest.

    Elli appeared beside the elven Queen. An aura of spiritual energy emerged from her body as she helped heal the old elves in her surroundings. She also provided them with healing potions and treasures to expedite the process, even though her healing skill was the strongest after Nine. At the same time, she raised her bow to assist Nine and Regius in defeating the enemies.

 Chapter 791 Saving the elven planet III

    791 Saving the elven III

    Farther away from Nine, in the sky, Yue nced down at the devastation; she could hear the desperate cries of countless elves battling the demons.

    Nevertheless, she stayed calm, not letting the bloodbath happening all around affect her as her graceful figure wove through the throng of demons surrounding her with a speed that bordered on teleportation.

    She used spells and skills to unleash powerful attacks on the demons to reach Bia and Nox. The two beasts had finished eliminating the demons in their vicinity, but some powerful unfamiliar individuals had suddenly surrounded them. Yue wanted to get to them as soon as possible.

    However, when her spiritual and divine energy began to wane, she drew two silver des from her mind space, their surfaces gleaming ominously in the dim light.

    With a fierce glint in her amber eyes, she engaged in closebat, the air trembled under pressure as she lunged forward, her des dancing in a deadly rhythm.

    Each strike of her gleaming des was precise, a seamless blend of elegance and ferocity as she sliced through the bodies of her enemies. The demons, sensing her shift in tactics, also stopped using their skills and spells, but their confidence wavered in the face of her relentless assault. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    They murmured loud curses as they regrouped, attempting to counter her swift movements, but they failed. Her thin des were too fast, and before the victims could react, their bodies were already cut. Finally, a deep sense of fear settled in the pits of the demons'' stomachs, and many of them attempted to flee, but it was toote.

    Cries of pain erupted in the air as their bodies fell one after another. With thest of the enemies gone, Yue shook her des to clear the dark, murky blood from their surfaces as she calmed her breathing.

    ''Not bad.''

    A familiar voice whispered softly in her mind, and her grip on the des tightened as she recalled the time she practiced her closebat skills with Kyle. She shook her head, trying to dismiss the thoughts that surfaced, muttering to herself.

    "Hiss... He couldn''t even give me a decentpliment. Next time, I am going to coax a lot ofpliments out of him. Let him just show up again."

    Of course, she was talking about Kyle. With the demons around her dead, she moved to help Bia and Nox, feeling grateful that she had be proficient with des.

    She had always been skilled with many weapons, but as a mage, her true strength had alwaysin in ranged fighting. However, that was no longer the case.

    Now her closebat skills had be so powerful and refined that she couldn''t help but remember the one responsible.

    Just like Neon and the rest, she had also fought and received training from Kyle.

    However, unlike the others, who always ended up badly bruised and battered, Kyle was particrly indulgent with her.

    Perhaps that was the benefit of being his lover, which often made the others, who got beaten up, feel sour to the core.

    One could say he never attacked her; he only dodged whenever she tried to strike and would sometimes get quite handsy. Still, he trained and taught her just like the others, without mercy, particrly in how to wield des with such precision that her enemies couldn''t evade her attacks.

    Bia noticed Yue''s approaching figure, and with a powerful surge of divine energy, she pped her massive wings and conjured a tornado of zing golden mes to distract the enemies surrounding her and Nox.

    Bia and Nox snickered as they swiftly transformed into their human forms when Yue tossed her des at them, whispering while sweat trickled down her nape.

    "Finish them; I can only hold their bodies still for a short time."

    Fear and terror finally flickered in the eyes of the people surrounding Yue and the two trancendent rank beasts as they witnessed her manipting the naturalw of gravity to the extent of immobilizing them.

    They wanted to run, scream for help, and exin to the beasts who had transformed into two beautiful humans right before their very eyes that they werepelled by dark contracts, which was the reason they had attacked them. Yet, they found themselves unable to speak or move, forced to watch in horror as their life force was extinguished.

    On thend, Nine and Regius, who were eliminating all the demons surrounding the elven Queen and the supreme-rank elves, also sensed the gravitational pressure.

    Regius nced up for a brief moment. The pressure affected not only the enemies but every single person on the, except for the people at the supreme rank.

    "They don''t need help��"

    Nine hummed in agreement. Yue was not weak, and with Bia and Nox by her side, he knew she could handle the enemies.

 Chapter 792: Saving the elven planet IV

    Chapter 792: Saving the elven IV

    ?

    Nine nced at Elli and formed a golden barrier around her to neutralize the effects of Yue''s naturalw.

    His eyes also glowed with a white hue as he harnessed the naturalw of space to manipte the surroundings and eliminate the enemies who were already trapped under Yue''s

    gravitational pressure.

    Regius smirked and followed suit, causing thend to stir under his control. The entire quivered and began to swallow the demons who cried out in fear.

    The elven Queen, Wesley, and the old supreme rank elves drew in deep breaths. Their shocked eyes took in the one-sided battle raging in the sky, where Bia and Nox were mercilessly ughtering the enemies around them with relentless ferocity. They shifted their gaze to the two men before them, who were eliminating the demons with equal, if not greater, ferocity. No one among them could fathom the sudden shift in the atmosphere, followed by the utter devastation wrought by just three individuals wielding the power of nature.

    The questions in their eyes were evident. When did naturalw be so powerful? And when did people begin to master thesews to such an extraordinary extent?

    Ariana couldn''t help but mutter.

    "These youngsters have be so powerful in such a short time..."

    Wesley and the old supreme rank elves nodded, and they weren''t the only ones. In the sky, far away from Yue''s location, one of the seven elders, Kurt, who hade to assist the elves at James''smand, also noticed the sudden shift in the atmosphere. After all, he was affected as well.

    He had sensed the familiar presence of Nine, Yue, and the others with them when they arrived and began fighting. Kurt kicked the supreme rank demon before him, which refused to die no matter how hard he tried, like a stubborn ant, and finally nced around in search of the youngsters.

    Amidst the chaos of the battle raging all around, the first person Kurt spotted was Yue''s floating figure, followed by Bia and Nox in their human forms.

    As his gaze continued to scan, he also spotted Nine, Regius, and Elli. The elder hadn''t seen these youngsters since the destruction of the Forsaken Land. Now, seeing them again, more powerful than before, filled him with astonishment.

    "The three of them have reached the supreme rank... I sensed that, but they have even mastered naturalws to this extent? Incredible... just what the hell did they do after leaving us that day?"

    He sighed. After the initial shock, he felt a sense of relief that they were alright.

    Ever since Jian and Lara left with Nine in anger after he, James, and the other elders had stopped them from breaking the shield surrounding the mass of energy, he had felt a strong urge to reach out to them and have a heartfelt conversation with them. But he was unable to because not many of them answered theirmunication crystals.

    The fact that he, James, and the other elders weren''t able to save Kyle weighed heavily on his conscience, filling him with guilt. He knew they had messed up, but he still wanted to personally apologize.

    Kurt had held Kyle in high regard; after all, he was always with Alec and the other kids when they battled against him to train and practice. If it had been up to him, he would have done everything possible to save that kid''s soul. But fate had other ns.

    "I should tell James the kids are fine..."

    He couldn''t finish his words because the supreme rank demon he had kicked away earlier had crawled out of the crater.

    Cursing loudly under his breath, Kurt immediately engaged the angry demon once more, along with the many other demons that had surrounded him. He defeated the supreme rank demon. In that moment, Bia, Nox, and Yue arrived to assist him in eliminating the enemies.

    While the fighting elves finally saw a glimmer of hope for revenge and a chance to save their with so many powerful enemies falling, at a distance, Samara, the Demon Queen, shattered the ss of wine in her hands in a fit of rage upon witnessing how the tide was shifting with the arrival of just a few neers. She kicked away her throne. She couldn''t believe what she was witnessing. Her fury was palpable, and her eyes zed with an intensity that could ignite the very air around her.

    "What the hell??? You fools! Kill them!"

    She shrieked loudly, her voice piercing through the chaos of the battlefield toward the foolish demons who were falling like headless chickens. How could the ves she had acquired sumb so easily?

    "Damn it! There are just freaking two damn beasts, a human, and three elves! How the hell can''t you all even subdue them??"

    "Surround them!"

    She summoned her remaining dark forces and alive ves, hermands sharp and authoritative, driven by a desperate need to regain control of the situation. With a flick of her wrist, a long, dark whip materialized in her grip, crackling with energy as she prepared to plunge into battle herself.

    There was no way she could allow these pathetic insects to derail her meticulously crafted ns to conquer the elven and get her hands on what remains of the Tree of Fate''s core!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Victory was close, just within her grasp; how could she possibly ept defeat?

    Ronan, who had been kneeling before her all this time, also noticed the change. He sensed many powerful demons falling and snickered to catch Samara''s attention. But inwardly, he aimed to stall for time so his people could eliminate more enemies.

    "What? I thought you were just going to watch? What now? Did the mighty queen finally decide to step into the battle, huh?"

    His words wereced with sarcasm, sessfully capturing Samara''s attention as she turned andshed her whip at him. Ronan closed his eyes, bracing for impact, but the anticipated pain never came.

    He blinked open his eyes, and was astonished to see Samara''s eyes seething with rage, dark veins crawling across her neck. Just as the whip was about to strike him, a hand had grasped it

    firmly.

    Regius hissed as the dark energy from the whip tore at his skin, and he flung it away.

    "Ugh... I shouldn''t have grabbed it!"

    Nine, who had arrived directly behind him, swiftly grabbed his cor and immediately dragged him back just as Samara reached out with her w, aimed at his heart.

    Regius shivered, narrowly avoiding those sharp, long, terrifying nails, but he was left speechless when he heard Nine''s voice.

    "Who asked you to grab her whip so boldly just to act cool-"

    Regius shoved him away, truly unsure whether tough or cry when he realized his own words

    were being thrown back at him and finished his sentence.

    "Yeah, yeah! I know it only fits Kyle."

    "No need to repeat!"

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