CHAPTER 30: NEW QUEST [2.]

With the exchange done, Elias and Kael departed. The dire wolf paced alongside them as they entered the paths of Embergrove, walking beneath the towering trees while the filtered sunlight danced through the canopy.

At first, the walk was silent. Then Kael broke the silence.

"So, have you heard the history of the Embergrove Forest?"

Elias tilted his head. "Not really. I never paid much attention to stuff like that."

Kael chuckled. "Oh, I see. Me neither, but I happened to get caught up in some of the rumors about this forest."

Elias narrowed his eyes. "Oh? Care to share?"

"Oh, it’s nothing much. Just a rumor that a powerful fire entity once died here. They say its breath still lingers among the trees, making them burn."

"Oh," Elias muttered. "Sounds kinda stupid to me."

Kael burst out laughing at that. "Well, you can’t trust all rumors, I guess. But there’s a saying, right? That in every rumor, there’s a bit of truth. Don’t you agree?"

"True," Elias chuckled.

And with that, silence returned as they walked a bit further into the forest.

"We’re almost there," Kael suddenly said, breaking the silence again.

But just then, Elias came to a sudden stop, making Kael turn around with a puzzled look.

"Lord Elias? Why are you stopping?"

Elias smiled upon hearing that, his eyes gleaming.

"Tell me, Kael. Don’t you think... we’ve gone far enough?"

Kael narrowed his eyes. "I... don’t understand."

Elias’s smile widened, and his voice dropped, amused but sharp.

"Ah. Maybe I phrased it wrong."

He tilted his head slightly. "Let me try again. Haven’t we gone far enough for you to make your move? Or were you still waiting for something?"

The silence that followed was heavy.

Kael’s face stayed still for a moment, then suddenly he burst into laughter.

"So, you knew."

Elias smiled even wider. "Of course I did. What do you take me for?"

"And yet you still came along. You must either be truly stupid... or stupidly confident."

"What if I am?" Elias asked with a grin.

"Then you die," Kael said, pulling out his sword.

At the same time, a gauntlet appeared on Elias’s right hand, surprising Kael. But the very next moment, his eyes gleamed with even more greed.

’He has a spatial storage treasure.’

Kael’s eyes shone brightly as he licked his lips, staring at Elias like he was a piece of meat.

Spatial storage treasures were rare—and not just rare, but also incredibly expensive. Creating one required cutting out a piece of space itself and then enchanting it into an item—like a ring, a bangle, or a pendant—using special runes. This process wasn’t easy. It needed someone with deep understanding of space to pull it off. Even the smallest ones, with barely any space inside, were already worth a fortune.

So, seeing Elias use one Kael couldn’t help but stare with greedy eyes, already dreaming of the wealth they’d gain after taking him down.

With both of them pulling out their weapons, tension filled the air—heavy and sharp, thick enough to slice through.

Kael’s expression shifted, now filled with greed, while Elias stared back calmly. The two stood in silence, eyes locked.

"You shouldn’t have followed me," Kael muttered, breaking the silence. "But now..."

He dashed forward, his sword glinting under the sunlight.

Elias wasn’t standing still either. He was already moving.

With a grunt, he shot forward, fists raised. The metallic shine of his clawed gauntlet flashed in the sun as he burst out with great speed.

Kael narrowed his eyes. "So fast."

But his surprise didn’t last long. He quickly recovered and swung his sword in a wide, horizontal arc.

Elias, rushing in, suddenly ducked low. He stepped in close and swung his fist.

Clank!

His hook slammed into the side of Kael’s armor with a loud metallic sound.

Kael grunted, staggering slightly. Luckily, his armor absorbed most of the impact, so he wasn’t badly hurt—but the hit only made him angrier. He twisted his body and retaliated with an overhead slash, sending a wave of flame toward Elias.

But Elias wasn’t caught off guard. He darted back in time, the red line of fire narrowly missing him as it scorched the ground.

"Tch. You’re faster than I thought," Kael growled, voice filled with irritation.

Then they charged at each other again.

The next minute was a flurry of motion. Elias stayed close, within tight range, throwing quick jabs, elbow strikes, and low sweeps. Kael struggled to create space, constantly on the back foot.

He tried stepping back and swinging in wide arcs, but Elias was too fast—always closing the distance, sticking to him like a shadow. Every time Kael raised his sword, Elias’s clawed gauntlet was already coming at him.

This was what Elias and Vael had trained these past few days—maintaining the right range, staying close to keep the opponent from using their full strength.

Kael tried to adjust, but how could he? Elias stayed on him like glue. And then there was the undead dire wolf—sneaking in from the side, biting or slashing, then retreating again. It was relentless.

Kael’s frustration boiled over.

With a roar, he slammed his sword into the ground, sending flames exploding out in a wide cone.

Elias raised his arms to shield his face and leapt back, the fire licking at his cloak. The heat scorched the ends of his gloves, and he grunted in pain.

Kael smirked. "Gotcha."

"Not quite," Elias replied with a small smile.

[Smoke Veil]

He activated the skill, and in the next instant, a thick fog burst out from around his body, quickly spreading in all directions.

Within seconds, the entire area—around 120 meters—was covered in thick smoke.

Kael cursed, blinded. His vision dropped and his accuracy fell sharply.

"Coward!" he growled.

But Elias didn’t reply. He was already moving—silent, hidden, and ready to strike.

Kael’s smirk dropped. "You bastard—!"

Within seconds, the air turned white with fog. His vision dimmed, and all sound became muffled.

Kael’s instincts screamed at him—retreat. He couldn’t stay in this fog. But how could Elias let him escape?

Elias moved through the mist like a ghost, striking from every direction.

From the side—came a blow to the ribs.

From behind—a sharp sweep to the back of his knee.

Kael’s eyes darted around, blade raised in defense, but Elias’s form stayed just out of sight, shifting like a phantom.

Kael grunted, slashing wildly. "Coward! Show yourself!"

Then, the fog in front of him parted slightly—just enough for him to see it.

A translucent claw, wreathed in energy, shot toward him with terrifying speed.

Kael’s eyes widened, instincts screaming louder than ever. He dove low just in time, barely dodging as the claw ripped past him, carving through the tree behind.

Panting, Kael jumped back. And just then, the fog began to fade slowly... revealing Elias once again.

"Fucking coward," Kael sneered. "Come and die!" he roared, charging forward.

Elias didn’t answer. He charged to meet him head-on.

Their weapons clashed again.

This time, Kael pressed forward with full force. His attacks were faster, heavier—each one fueled by raw rage.

Elias took the hits head-on, but it quickly became clear he was being pushed back. Kael was no longer holding anything back. He was going all out, fighting like a madman, and Elias was forced onto the defensive.

Suddenly, Kael spun his sword and unleashed another wave of flames. Elias ducked under it, but Kael didn’t give him a second to breathe. He rushed in and delivered a powerful kick straight to Elias’s gut.

Thud!

Elias grunted in pain and dropped to a knee, gasping.

Kael didn’t stop.

He rushed again, arriving in front of Elias and raised his hand. His fingers glowed a deep red, twisting into a binding sigil. With a wicked grin, he pressed the sigil straight onto Elias’s forehead.

But the moment Kael’s imprint touched Elias’s soul—

BOOM!

A violent blast of soul energy exploded, sending Kael flying backward.

"GAHHH—!!"

He stumbled, clutching his head in agony, his face twisted in pain.

"W-What the hell...?!"

Elias slowly rose, lifting his head, a smirk on his face.

This had been his plan all along.

He knew he didn’t have enough power to defeat Kael in a head-on fight. The man was a seasoned warrior, far more experienced in battle. So Elias had pretended—acted weak—drawing Kael in, tempting him to place a slave imprint.

That was the mistake.

Elias’s consciousness was protected—linked with two entities that guarded his soul. How could they allow anyone to invade it?

The moment Kael attempted it, a powerful rebound was triggered.

And that was exactly what Elias had wanted.

[Blood Claw Slash]

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