Chapter 8
The night was thick with humidity, the air filled with the distant cries of nocturnal creatures.
Beneath the moon's pale glow, three figures sat around a small, controlled flame, its warmth barely enough to keep the chill of the Sorrow Kingdom's forest at bay.
Austin leaned back against the thick bark of an ancient tree, his dark blue hair swaying slightly in the evening breeze.
His black eyes flickered with amusement as he watched Lucas and Maya exchange thoughts, their conversation flowing effortlessly into deep scientific theories.
"You two sure are getting along," Austin commented, a smirk playing at his lips. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you're trying to impress her, Lucas."
Lucas, his blue eyes gleaming in the firelight, shot him a half-hearted glare. "It's called intellectual discussion, Austin. You should try it sometime."
Maya chuckled, flipping a strand of emerald hair over her shoulder. "He's just jealous because he doesn't understand what we're talking about."
Austin scoffed but remained silent. Maya turned her gaze back to Lucas, her sharp green eyes filled with intrigue.
"Now, about your Blue Fluid… It's undeniably effective, but you should be aware of a serious flaw.
There's a natural method of drawing mana from the atmosphere to heal someone inside a fluid-like substance.
The problem?
It can heal almost anything, even extreme malnutrition, but it has a devastating drawback."
Lucas raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Go on."
Maya leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on her knees. "The process corrupts the body's natural system. Over time, it alters how the body processes energy, leading to a total inability to digest food."
Lucas narrowed his eyes, considering her words. "So, if someone relied too much on the fluid, they'd eventually become unable to eat normally?"
"Exactly. They'd become completely dependent on the fluid to survive. Their digestive system would shut down permanently."
Lucas rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "What if I added a rare stabilizing agent, like the Night Veil Lotus, and mixed it with Zephorium?"
Maya's eyes widened in surprise. "That… could work. The Night Veil Lotus stabilizes mana flow in living organisms, while Zephorium acts as a neutralizing agent. If mixed correctly, it could counteract the corruption."
Before they could continue, both Lucas and Austin stiffened simultaneously.
They sensed it.
Seven people approaching silently, their auras expertly masked. The rustling of leaves, the nearly undetectable shift in the air—the kind of movements only experts could make.
With a single glance, Lucas and Austin nodded to each other.
Austin rose first, his short sword, similar to a katana, glinting under the moonlight. "Looks like we've got company."
Lucas followed, drawing his own katana with a slow, deliberate motion.
His blue eyes turned into Blue cyan Suns, pulsing with a familiar energy.
The goggles he wore concealed the transformation from Austin and Maya, but through his heightened vision, he saw faint energy trails of their assailants, allowing him to predict their movements before they even acted.
The moment stretched.
Then, they attacked.
The first person lunged from the shadows, twin daggers flashing as he aimed for Lucas's throat.
Lucas sidestepped effortlessly, his katana slicing upward in a clean arc.
The person barely had time to react before blood sprayed into the air, his body collapsing to the forest floor.
Austin, meanwhile, engaged three opponents at once.
His black eyes spun, his eyes became red and a three leaf Clover form at the center granting him an inhuman perception of their movements.
With precise, calculated slashes, he deflected a spear strike, parried a sword swing, and countered with a swift, brutal cut to his nearest opponent's leg.
The man screamed as he fell, clutching his wound.
The strongest of the group, a Four-Star expert, charged straight for Austin.
Unlike the others, he carried a massive battle axe, his swings carrying enough force to cleave a man in two.
Austin ducked beneath the first swing, then twisted mid-air to dodge the second.
"You're fast," the person admitted. "But—"
Austin didn't let him finish.
He blurred forward, his sword cutting through the warrior's shoulder in a devastating diagonal slash.
The man grunted in pain, but instead of retreating, he roared and brought his axe down with monstrous strength.
Austin sidestepped at the last moment, his sword finding its mark—straight through this heart.
Meanwhile, Lucas faced the remaining four opponents.
They circled him cautiously, recognizing his dangerous aura.
One person began chanting a spell while and performed rapid hand signs.
Lucas reacted instantly.
He surged forward, slicing across the throat of the chanting mage before he could finish his incantation.
Simultaneously, he kicked the other person in the wrist, disrupting the hand signs before plunging his blade into his chest.
If either of them had unleashed their spells, more enemies would have been alerted.
The final two hesitated.
A fatal mistake.
Lucas dashed forward, closing the distance before they could react.
His katana moved like liquid death, cutting one person's throat open while embedding itself in the final opponent's ribs.
Silence fell.
Seven people lay motionless, their blood soaking into the forest floor.
Lucas exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "They were from the Hidden City."
Austin flicked blood off his blade. "Yeah. They attacked us without questioning our intentions."
Lucas chuckled. "What do you expect? They're still angry after the war."
Maya, who had observed the entire battle with detached amusement, clapped slowly. "That was quite the performance. You two really do fight like monsters."
Lucas sheathed his katana. "Good thing none of them used their spells, or more would have been alerted."
Austin turned toward him. "It seems they just wanted to eliminate us, not capture Maya."
Lucas sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "And we just made whoever sent them very unhappy."
Maya smirked. "Then I suggest we leave before more arrive."
Austin glanced in the direction of the Sorrow Kingdom's Hidden City of Zanrath.
Though they were far from it, he felt uneasy.
And he had every reason to be—Zanrath was one of the bases of the Abyssal Moon.
Without another word, they vanished into the forest, their footsteps silent, leaving behind only the dead as witnesses to their strength.