CHAPTER 170: CHAPTER 170: FRIENDS [2]

Chapter 170 – Friends [2]

Darklore — Elamin’s Territory, Elemental’s Castle.

Inside a training room made of ice and liquid water, with an all-blue sky and a frozen moon hung high above it, Meris Elamin was sitting cross-legged in the middle of a small lake that shimmered with translucent beauty.

Her eyes were closed, her breathing even, as she tried to sink deep into the atmosphere in order to be closer to ice, to become it.

But something was distracting her.

’I miss Kaden...’ Meris thought inwardly, and immediately the water molecules around her, which had just started to transform into ice, quivered then shattered by her stray thoughts.

"Meris." A stern voice echoed from behind, making Meris sigh with frustration.

"Mother, I know. I’m trying," she said without turning around.

Mayari looked at her daughter with open displeasure. Ever since that meeting with Kaden, Meris couldn’t focus properly on her training. Her mind wandered every time, causing her already novice-level control—at least to her own eyes—to become downright abysmal.

She sighed under her breath, stepped forward, grabbed her daughter from behind, and forcefully spun her around so they were face to face.

"Hey—!!" Meris squealed in surprise, disoriented by the sudden spin.

"Meris," Mayari said again, her voice still stern, but now laced with something else...concern.

Meris stopped squirming like a worm trapped in wet soil as she met her mother’s intense violet gaze.

She sighed again—this time with guilt, because she knew she was being irresponsible, and she knew it was unfair to her mother, who had temporarily left her duties as Matriarch to personally train her...

"Mother... I just can’t stop thinking about him. I tried, but I can’t. In fact, the more I try to forget him, the more I think about him," she confessed in a soft voice, her head bowed, unable to meet her mother’s eyes.

Mayari didn’t respond immediately. She just stared at her daughter for a while, her mind spinning in dizzying circles, trying to find the right approach to this.

’Now I’m starting to regret allowing that meeting. Damn that intriguing Warborn.’ She cursed Kaden silently.

Refocusing, Mayari raised her daughter’s chin so their gazes locked again.

The icy room around them stilled completely as if the whole world froze with them. No sound was produced. Only their voices echoed, raw and sharp.

"You will lose him at this rate," Mayari said bluntly. Her tone left no room for doubt.

Meris’s face instantly curled into a deep frown. Her lips parted to protest but her mother didn’t let her.

"Did you see him?" Mayari asked.

"Did you see how different he was from the usual Warborns? You saw it, right?"

Meris nodded reluctantly.

"He had the physical strength and battle instincts of the Warborn, but paired with terrifying intelligence."

"I don’t know if you fully grasp what I’m telling you right now, so let me make it simple for your stupid, obsessed self..."

Meris’s lips twitched stiffly at the insult, but...

’I’m a good daughter... I don’t curse back at my mother... yes I am!’ she muttered inwardly. No way she’d risk being struck by lightning in broad daylight.

Mayari continued, not missing a beat.

"It means that he will surpass every Warborn I’ve ever known."

"And let me tell you, daughter..." her voice turned grave, her face hardened like ancient stone.

"The Warborns are extremely powerful. I’m not exaggerating. Their living weapons are so dangerous and unique that even now, we’ve never seen—either in Darklore or Fokay—another group with living weapons as Origins."

"They’re the only ones. And you’ll only begin to understand the difference when their swords fully develop consciousness."

She paused, letting her words settle.

Meris’s face mirrored her seriousness, her thoughts sharpening.

"So if I tell you that he will be stronger than any Warborn I’ve met—and the gods know I’ve met some I wouldn’t touch with a spear even if I was suicidal—it means you’re falling behind."

"Even his father, Garros Warborn... that space-destroying bastard is someone I would rather avoid at all costs," she added, unable to hide her frustration.

"All of this is to say... if you stay this weak, this unfocused... then you will lose him, Meris."

"And don’t forget..." Mayari’s mouth curled into a mocking smirk.

"You’re not the only one. He also has the Thornspire heiress and she too has a legendary Origin, just like you. If I were you... I’d get serious."

That was all Meris needed.

Her expression turned emotionless, her gaze colder than the ice she wielded. Her silver eyes darkened, and her soft lips pressed into a thin, determined line.

She turned back without a word and resumed her training. Instantly, the water in the air began pulling around her as she froze them into ice shards.

Mayari smirked with satisfaction as she watched her daughter regain focus.

’Heh. Just needed to mention another girl to make you train harder? All for a man?’ she scoffed inwardly.

Her daughter was too easy.

...

Darklore — Dungeon of Ruined Death.

Inside a dark cavern lit by the pale white glow of the floor, Kaden sat cross-legged with a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

He had just finished synthesizing all the origin cores he had, merging them into one powerful Grandmaster core.

Right now, his origin was fully saturated.

’Now I just need an evolution stone, and I can take my evolution quest to become a Master,’ he thought, barely containing the giddy excitement rising inside him.

This speed... it was insane.

Most people took years to reach this point but Kaden?

’My divine luck is finally back. Hahah!’ he laughed inwardly, smug and self-satisfied—until...

"I told you to stop smirking out of nowhere, my friend. You look weird," Asael muttered with a side glance.

Kaden immediately dropped his smile and shot Asael a cold look, then ignored him altogether.

He was in a good mood. He wouldn’t let this guy ruin it.

"Oh, so now you’re ignoring me? Kaden, my friend, that’s not how friendships work."

"I wonder what your definition of ’friend’ even is," Kaden said as he tilted his head, a curious look on his face.

Asael grinned wildly, like he’d been waiting for that question all his life.

"Friends are those who always shoulder each other. Who tell each other the truth even if it’s bitter. Who will defend and fight for one another’s reputation even when they know their friend is a big bastard..."

At that point, Kaden’s lips twitched for some inexplicable reason.

"...Friends are those who can go against the whole world together and win. Like some wild adventure where we face mythical creatures, divine relics, and uncover the history of the gods!" Asael’s eyes sparkled with childlike excitement, his whole body trembling with the imagery he’d just conjured.

Kaden blinked at him blankly.

"...You have a daughter. Grow up," he said dryly but couldn’t help the smile curling on his lips as he slowly rose to his feet.

"But you know what?" he added.

Asael, ready to sulk at his friend cold retort, looked over with a hesitant voice. "What?"

Kaden smirked.

"I like your definition of friends, my friend."

Asael’s face lit up like a lantern in a storm.

"But first..." Kaden’s smirk faded. His face hardened like a blade ready to draw blood.

"Let’s kill that damn Grandmaster and get out of this fucking dungeon."

Asael’s grin darkened.

"My friend, I couldn’t have said it better."

—End of Chapter 170—