"Really? Well, I haven't heard about you."
"Names aren't important. But you can call me Kaizer. Let's just say, I've been sent to assess the new 'player' in this little game." He kicked the dead beast at his feet, as though it were a trivial matter. "And it looks like you've been busy, stirring up trouble with the kingdom. You have quite the résumé."
"If you're here to assess me, then you've seen enough. Go back and tell whoever sent you that I'm not interested."
Kaizer's smirk widened, and he took a step closer, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "You misunderstand. I'm not here to deliver messages or threats. I'm here to play with you."
Without warning, he moved. In an instant, he closed the distance between us, his hand outstretched and glowing with yellow energy, aimed directly at my chest.
But I was faster.
With a surge of mana, I unleashed a pulse of red lightning, meeting his attack head-on. The force of our clash sent shockwaves through the clearing, cracking the ground beneath us as my magic fought against his magic.
Rael's eyes widened in surprise, though his smirk never faltered. "Interesting… very interesting."
I pushed harder, the red lightning surging through my veins as it crackled against Kaizer's yellow energy. The air around us buzzed with raw power, and I could feel the ground trembling beneath my feet. He wasn't just testing me, he was provoking me, trying to gauge my strength in the most direct way possible.
With a grunt, I pushed him back, forcing the collision of our magic to break apart. Kaizer staggered a few steps, but his grin only grew wider, like a predator who'd finally found a worthy opponent.
"Not bad," Kaizer said, brushing off the dust from his clothes casually. "You're stronger than I thought. Guess the rumors weren't just exaggerated nonsense."
I kept my eyes locked on him, my senses on high alert, but I didn't respond. Kaizer had shown his hand, but I still couldn't figure out his true intentions. He was strong, far stronger than the corrupted beasts we'd encountered, and yet, something about him felt off.
"Rumors?" I finally asked, keeping my tone measured. "What exactly have you heard?"
Kaizer shrugged nonchalantly. "You know, the usual. A man using teleportation magic, messing with things that don't belong to him, stirring up trouble where it shouldn't be stirred."
"Are you from the kingdom?" I asked, taking a cautious step forward.
Kaizer's grin widened, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "That's for me to know, and for you to find out — if you live long enough, that is."
Then, he suddenly dash towards me in the blink of an eye. My body reacted on its own to block his attack. The impact sent me hurtling backward, crashing through branches and trees until I skidded to a stop, leaving a trail of upturned earth behind me. My body screamed in protest, but my Hyper Regeneration kicked in almost instantly, mending the damage as I rose to my feet.
Kaizer stood where I had been moments before, his expression gleeful, as if this was all just a game to him. His speed was unreal, and despite the initial clash, I knew he had been holding back.
He's toying with me.
I wiped the dirt from my face and locked eyes with him, my mana flaring up as I summoned more of the red lightning to crackle around my hands. The air around us thickened with tension as I prepared for another round.
"If that's the best you've got, you're in for a long day," I taunted, my voice steady despite the pressure building around us.
Kaizer chuckled, his hands crackling with that strange yellow energy. "Oh, I'm just getting warmed up. Let's see how long you can keep up."
In an instant, he vanished again, his speed blurring as he reappeared behind me, his hand glowing with that ominous energy. I twisted on my heel, narrowly avoiding the strike as I countered with a blast of red lightning. The arc of electricity surged toward him, but Kaizer was already moving, dodging with an agility that felt almost unnatural.
Damn it, he's fast!
I barely had time to react before he was on me again, this time with a spinning kick aimed at my head. I ducked, summoning a shield of flame just in time to absorb the shockwave from the missed strike, but the force still sent me stumbling backward.
"Come on, you can do better than that," Kaizer taunted, his grin widening.
I clenched my fists, red lightning surging more violently as I poured more mana into it.
Fine. If it's a game of speed you want, let's play.
With a sharp inhale, I tapped into the full power of my Thunderstorm ability, the sky above us darkening as storm clouds rapidly formed, swirling in response to my call. The air became electric, buzzing with anticipation as the wind picked up, howling through the trees. I could feel the storm bending to my will, waiting for my command.
Kaizer's grin faltered slightly as he glanced up at the brewing tempest. "Now we're talking."
Without hesitation, I thrust my hand skyward, calling down a barrage of crimson lightning bolts. They crashed down in a violent cascade, striking the ground around Kaizer, each one leaving scorched craters in its wake.
Kaizer darted through the strikes, his movements fluid, but I could tell he was starting to struggle. His yellow energy flickered as he narrowly avoided another blast, his eyes narrowing as he realized that I had turned the battlefield to my advantage.
I focused, honing in on his position. I've got you now.
With a surge of power, I redirected the storm, channeling the full force of the tempest toward him. Bolts of red lightning converged, forming a massive electrical vortex that spiraled toward Kaizer with deadly precision.
For a moment, he stood still, his eyes wide as the sheer magnitude of the attack bore down on him. But just as the lightning was about to hit, something strange happened.
Kaizer's body shimmered, flickering like a mirage, and before my eyes, he dissolved into the air, leaving nothing but an afterimage.
What—?!
I felt a cold presence behind me, and before I could react, a hand grabbed my shoulder, yellow energy crackling through my body. Kaizer had reappeared behind me, his grin wicked as he whispered in my ear.
"Not bad. But not good enough."
A pulse of energy exploded from his hand, sending me crashing into the ground with bone-rattling force. Pain shot through my body, but my regeneration kicked in immediately, mending the damage.
I gritted my teeth, pushing myself up from the ground. Kaizer was toying with me, but I could feel the toll it was taking on him as well.
[Notice: Due to intense damage you have taken, a unique passive emerged.]
[Unique Passive Gained: Pain Nullification.]
"About time, Aether."
I pushed myself up, feeling the familiar surge of mana as my wounds healed, but now there was something different. The searing pain I had been expecting... was gone.
Kaizer stood a few feet away, watching me with that same smug grin, his yellow energy still crackling in the air.
"You're starting to bore me," He said with a mock sigh. "How about we wrap this up?"
I met his gaze, now fully aware of the new power coursing through me. Pain no longer a factor, I could focus entirely on the battle. I rose to my feet, red lightning swirling around me more fiercely than before.
But before we can continue, a voice cuts through our fight.
"Stop this nonsense, Kaizer!"
We both glance from where the voice is and saw a woman standing there. Kaizer's eyes widened in surprise but quickly regained his smug look.
"What are you doing here, Aurelia?"
Aurelia? Haven't I heard that name before? Wait... That's right, she's the queen's advisor that Lyra mentioned before.
"You're interrupting my fun," Kaizer said, folding his arms, though I could sense a trace of irritation in his voice. "Why not let me finish this? I've only just started."
"Fun? You've been tasked with observing, not engaging. You know the consequences if you act outside your orders." Her voice was calm but carried a dangerous edge that made even Kaizer's arrogance waver.
Kaizer shrugged, clearly annoyed but not willing to push further. "You're always such a killjoy, Aurelia. We were just getting to the good part."
Aurelia narrowed her eyes at Kaizer, her posture radiating authority as she stepped forward, a shimmering aura surrounding her. She didn't have to say much more to assert control over the situation, her mere presence seemed to douse Kaizer's enthusiasm like cold water.
"You were not sent here to provoke unnecessary conflict," She said, her tone icy. "The King and Queen does not take kindly to disobedience. If you wish to remain in their favor, I suggest you leave... now."
Kaizer's playful smirk faltered, but only for a moment. With an exaggerated sigh, he rolled his shoulders and stepped back. "Fine, fine. You win this round, Aurelia. I'll retreat... for now." He turned his gaze back to me, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
He chuckled before disappearing in a flash of yellow light, his presence fading from the clearing as quickly as he had arrived. The oppressive energy he brought with him began to dissipate, and the storm above gradually calmed as I allowed my magic to subside.
Aurelia walked closer, her eyes assessing me with a quiet intensity. Up close, I could see the faint glow of magic around her, subtle but powerful. She was no ordinary advisor, that much was clear.
"Why does someone like him listen to you?"
Aurelia raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable. "I'm not someone who likes to involve myself in every skirmish. But Kaizer... is a special case." She glanced in the direction he had vanished, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Let's just say, his leash is short, though not as short as I'd like."
"So, you're connected to the kingdom," I said, piecing things together. "You're the Queen's advisor, right?"
Aurelia nodded, her sharp eyes still studying me. "Indeed. I serve as the Queen's advisor, though my role extends beyond mere counsel."
"Then, why are you here? What do you want with me?"
Aurelia regarded me for a moment, her gaze penetrating as if she were weighing her next words carefully.
"I'm here for the same reason Kaizer was, to assess the growing threat or potential ally that you've become. You've made quite the impression in a very short amount of time. Using a teleportation magic without a trace, fighting off corrupted beasts, and now standing against Kaizer, who is one of the strongest S-rank adventurer. It's not something we can ignore."
I straightened, though the exhaustion from the battle still lingered in my limbs. "So, I'm just another potential threat to you then? Is that why you're here? To eliminate me if I don't fall in line?"
Before she could respond, a familiar voice calls out to me. "Master!" It was Zephyr, and behind her is the Berus.
Then another voice calls out but not to me. "Lady Aurelia!"
I turned to see a mage running toward us, her eyes wide with concern. She skidded to a halt beside Aurelia, breathing heavily, clearly having rushed over.
"Lady Aurelia, what's going on here? Why is Kaizer involved?" The mage asked, glancing nervously between us.
Aurelia's expression shifted slightly. "Seraphina, calm down. Everything is under control. Kaizer has... been dealt with."
Zephyr, now at my side, glared at Aurelia, her protective instincts flaring. The Berus followed behind, still weak but alert, clearly sensing the tension in the air.
"Seraphina, please negotiate with him. I'll be going back to the castle and inform the King."
As she disappeared into the distance, the mage named Seraphina shifted nervously, trying to find her composure. She looked between me and Zephyr, clearly uncertain of how to approach the situation.
"Master, are you alright?" Zephyr asked, her voice softer than usual, though her eyes remained locked on Seraphina, wary.
"I'm fine, thanks to my regeneration," I said, rolling my shoulders to ease the remaining tension from the fight with Kaizer.
Seraphina cleared her throat, trying to regain some semblance of professionalism. "I... I apologize for my action yesterday. I didn't mean to declare you as an enemy of the kingdom, and I'm sorry for attacking the Stormfeather Roc."
"Don't worry about it," I replied, my eyes narrowing slightly.
The mage shifted awkwardly, clearly not sure how to handle the tension between us. "I'm not here to force anything on you. My name is Seraphina, and I was sent to negotiate, to see if we could... come to an understanding."
Zephyr took a step forward, her presence looming protectively at my side. "Negotiate? You tried to kill me. That's hardly diplomacy."
"Wait... What are you saying? I didn't remember attacking you." Seraphina asked confusedly.
Zephyr's eyes narrowed at Seraphina, her posture tense. "You don't remember? You and your knights attacked me. How convenient that you would forget."
Seraphina shook her head, genuinely perplexed. "No, that can't be right. I... Wait, are you the Stormfeather Roc?"
Zephyr straightened, her eyes narrowing at Seraphina. "I was a Stormfeather Roc," She replied, her voice cold. "Now, I've evolved."
Seraphina's confusion deepened. "Evolved? That... that's almost unheard of." She looked at Zephyr, taking in her humanoid form and the crackling power that radiated from her. "I didn't realize..."
"Regardless of whether you remember or not," I said, stepping forward to ease the tension, "You're here to negotiate, right? So let's get to the point. What does the kingdom want?"