CHAPTER 185: EX 185. SECRET CAMP

Elizabeth’s lips parted, stunned. "Five? At once? Are those... easy to find nowadays?"

Leon shook his head, the grin never fading. "I don’t know. But whether it’s luck or timing, we can’t miss this opportunity. I’m going to meet the commander now, and see what we’ll do from here."

Elizabeth nodded, still processing the weight of what he’d just said. Before she could reply, Leon bent down, placing a soft peck on her forehead. "Tell Nikko and the rest I’ll be back soon."

She smirked faintly, warmth flickering behind her eyes. "No problem."

Without another word, Leon grabbed his jacket, the sharp lines of his figure cutting a determined silhouette against the residence’s dim light. The door closed behind him, leaving Elizabeth to glance at the quiet room before exhaling softly.

****

The trial world was cloaked in night, yet Leon’s arrival at the central base pulled more eyes than the moon above. Whispers spread like wildfire across the encampment, after all, who hadn’t heard of Leon in the past few days? His name carried weight, and here, in the heart of the center, he was treated like a star.

Hands lifted in greeting, soldiers bowed, some even dared to call out to him, their voices full of awe. Leon, however, waved them off with his usual mix of politeness and impatience. He cut through the crowd like a current breaking against rocks, until at last he reached the commander’s office.

Inside, Commander Ben Stallion rose from his chair with military precision, offering Leon a sharp salute.

"Colonel Leon," Ben said with genuine respect.

"It’s fine, Commander," Leon replied, casual yet firm. "I just want to see the altars you found."

"I fully understand, Colonel." Ben placed a thick file of documents onto the desk, the edges neatly stacked.

Leon didn’t need them, he could bulldoze through any threat the mortal zone threw his way, but still, he flipped each page with focus. The terrain, the monsters, the peculiarities of the altar sites, all absorbed into memory. After a few minutes, he set the final page down.

"We’ll be tackling all five."

Ben blinked, frozen. For a moment he wondered why he was surprised, this was Leon Kael, after all. Still, the sheer audacity of clearing all five altars at once nearly made him laugh. What did I expect? This is completely normal for a colonel.

"Very well, Colonel Leon," Ben said, smoothing his tone. "The documents will be processed by tomorrow morning. You and your squad can depart at first light."

"Thank you for the help," Leon said with a small smile.

He lingered a moment, his gaze turning thoughtful. "Strange, though. Altars of this tier usually take two weeks to track down, but we’ve found five in under two days. It’s almost like the stars are favoring me."

Ben nearly coughed up blood. The truth was far less mystical, he’d put out heavy incentives, fat rewards that had squads scrambling to uncover altar sites. If he had known Leon could have been patient, he might have saved himself the expense. Still, opportunities like this didn’t come twice. Building goodwill with Leon was worth more than any treasure.

"I may have provided... a little extra motivation," Ben admitted smoothly. "It sped up their efforts."

Leon’s eyes flickered with understanding. He leaned back, the corner of his lips tugging upward. "Commander, you’ve really helped a lot. If you ever need something in the future, don’t hesitate to ask. As long as it’s within my reach, I’ll do it."

That kind of promise could move mountains. Ben’s heart nearly leapt in his chest, though he masked it with a warm laugh.

"Don’t worry, Colonel. Just being able to assist you now is more than enough."

The two men shared light conversation afterward, the tone easy, almost friendly, until Leon finally rose to his feet. Commander Ben walked him to the door with the same respect he’d shown at the start, though this time, his mind buzzed with the unspoken possibilities of what Leon’s words might mean.

****

In the depths of the trial world, while Leon was off dealing with the corrupted altars, another story was unfolding. A lone figure moved swiftly through the forest, leaping from tree to tree with a grace that seemed more natural than human. The night embraced them as if they belonged to it, the moonlight barely catching on her green hood and the bow strapped across their back. Hours slipped by, their movements carrying them deeper into the wilds until the faint glow of torches came into view, a hidden camp, tucked neatly beneath the shadow of towering trees.

they landed lightly on the forest floor, their boots making no sound against the moss. Glancing around, they moved toward one of the larger tents, every step practiced, every motion careful. But just as their hand touched the flap, a stern voice cut through the silence.

"Where are you coming from at this hour?"

The figure froze, shoulders tightening. For a moment, they considered vanishing back into the woods, but the weight of the voice behind them left little room for escape. Slowly, they turned, their eyes betraying their defeat. With deliberate slowness, they pulled down their hood and slipped the black mask from their face.

The sight was enough to still the forest itself. Her hair spilled free in a cascade of silvery white, glowing faintly under the moonlight. Her skin was flawless, smooth as polished marble, and her emerald eyes carried both youth and an untamed sharpness that could snare anyone foolish enough to meet them too long. Her body was slender yet sculpted, the kind of beauty that carried both grace and danger. But what marked her beyond any doubt was the pair of long, pointed ears that crowned her head. An elf, no, more than that. This was beauty woven into a single being.

The young woman gave a disarming smile. "Mrs. Jessica, I just went out for a midnight stroll, that’s all."

The one who had spoken earlier stepped forward from the shadows of the campfire. She was older, her silver hair tied back neatly, her eyes sharp with the wisdom of centuries. Jessica’s gaze fell upon the bow strapped across the girl’s shoulder, the hood she had worn, an enchanted one, humming faintly with defensive and speed-enhancing magic. More telling still was the faint scent of blood clinging to her like perfume, betraying the monsters that had been felled by this so-called midnight stroll.

Jessica let out a weary sigh. "Princess Racheal," she said, her tone firm, "we are here on an important mission. It should be taken with utmost seriousness."

Racheal tilted her head, that mischievous smile never faltering. "But I am taking it seriously."

Jessica closed the distance between them, her gaze sharp enough to pierce through the younger elf’s playful front. Her voice lowered, every word weighed.

"But are you?"