On the third day after leaving Storm City.
The rugged mountain path was eerily quiet. Only the uneven footsteps of two individuals echoed clearly.
"Young Master... partner," Amy asked, panting as she followed behind Kael, "How much longer do we have to walk to reach the next town?"
"I don't know," Kael responded curtly, his pace unwavering.
Despite his outward reply, a sliver of wariness rose in Kael's heart. The surrounding silence was too absolute—a stillness that in his previous life often heralded the arrival of danger.
"Vix, any discoveries?" Kael asked internally.
"Mm… Two pesky flies tailing us, about a mile away," Vix's lazy voice replied. "Their strength is mediocre, both high-tier 'Enlighteners,' but their energy waves are peculiar—both concealed and emanating a nauseating stench of decay. They're most likely hounds of the 'Crimson Covenant.'"
Kael's eyes turned cold instantly. He hadn't expected the pursuers to arrive so quickly, and he was even more puzzled at how they precise tracked him in the vast forest.
"Can they follow us indefinitely?"
"Should be the case," Vix explained. "After you killed Buck and took that secret letter, you got tainted with the Covenant's 'Crimson Mark.' It's an energy mark, difficult to remove unless you use special holy water or have someone vastly more powerful intervene. Within a certain range, they'll follow you like sharks scenting blood."
"I see," Kael thought, now fully understanding. He stopped walking and handed a water pouch from his pack to Amy.
"Take a break."
"Huh? Oh, okay." Though confused, Amy obediently leaned against a large tree, sipping the water in small gulps.
Kael leaned against another tree, closing his eyes as if dozing. Yet under his 'Ether Vision,' nothing around him could escape his sight. He coolly analyzed the current situation.
Running wasn't a viable option. As long as the 'Crimson Mark' remained, they would eventually catch up. Besides, dragging along Amy—a "burden" in the forest, their speed lagged far behind professional assassins.
The only solution was to counterattack, turning hunters into prey.
Kael scrutinized the surrounding terrain. This was a gentle slope with dense trees, the ground layered with thick fallen leaves, perfect for hiding and setting traps.
"Amy," he suddenly spoke, "Are you afraid?"
Amy froze momentarily, then nodded heavily, before quickly shaking her head. Quietly but firmly, she said, "A little... but as long as I'm with my partner, I'm not afraid!"
The corners of Kael's mouth subtly lifted, revealing a barely perceptible smile. "Good. Then let's play a game—a hunter and rabbit game."
He briefly explained his plan to Amy. Amy's face turned pale instantly. But looking at Kael's confident eyes, she eventually bit her lip and nodded resolutely.
Half an hour later.
Two figures clad in black tight-fitting attire, metal masks obscuring their faces except for emotionless eyes, moved through the forest. Their motions were as agile as lynxes, barely making any noise.
"The target is just ahead. He's stopped," one of the black-clad figures gestured.
"Good. Looks like the so-called 'Blind Genius' isn't much after all. Didn't last long." The other sneered disdainfully. "Make it quick. Grab the stuff and eliminate them. The lord is waiting for our report."
Exchanging a glance, the duo split up, flanking from different directions toward where Kael and Amy rested.
However, when they arrived, they found the place empty save for two dummies made of clothes and weeds.
"Not good! It's a trap!"
One of them barely reacted before stepping into empty air. His entire body plummeted into a pitfall.
It was a perfectly camouflaged trap with sharp wooden stakes at the bottom!
"Ahhh!"
Though the pit wasn't deep, the stakes cruelly pierced his calves and feet. As he screamed, a shadow shot out from the bushes. A broken sword, carrying icy killing intent, stabbed directly toward his throat!
It was Kael!
The other black-clad man was shocked, immediately drawing a dagger from his waist to assist his companion.
Just then, a rock suddenly flew from the bushes to his rear flank, precisely striking his wrist.
The force of the rock wasn't great, but its timing was impeccable, interrupting his attack. He grimaced in pain, nearly dropping the dagger.
Enraged and startled, he looked toward the direction of the stone's origin. There, Amy crouched behind a large tree, her pallid face holding stubborn resolve. In her hand sat another stone.
Her!
The small maid, whom he had dismissed, had ruined everything at the critical moment!
The momentary delay—less than a second—sealed his companion's fate.
"Slash!"
Kael's broken sword cleanly pierced through the first black-clad man's throat, ending his cries. Without pause, he kicked off the pit's edge, spinning like a whirlwind. His blood-soaked sword drew a deadly arc toward the second man's neck.
The second man's pupils shrank in shock. He hadn't expected Kael's movements to be so swift and ruthless—nothing like a fledgling 'Enlightener' youth, but rather akin to a seasoned assassin.
In panic, he could only raise his dagger to block.
"Clang!"
A crisp clink echoed as sword met dagger, sparks flying.
The man felt a powerful force through his dagger, splitting the flesh at his grip. He staggered back uncontrollably.
He was horrified. Kael's strength was greater than his own high-tier 'Enlightener'—how was this possible?!
What he didn't know was that Kael's ether, refined and guided by Vix, surpassed his peers in purity and explosiveness.
Seizing the advantage, Kael launched a relentless assault. His sword rained down like a storm—quick, efficient, and aimed solely at vital points: throat, heart, eyes. These were pure killing moves, honed from lifetimes in death-laden battlefields as "Ghost."
The black-clad man could only retreat helplessly under Kael's onslaught. Eventually, a failed block gave Kael an opening. The broken sword swiped across his throat.
He clutched his neck, blood gushing through trembling fingers. His eyes held disbelief and dread, staring at Kael.
Yet as he fell, his lips curled into a strange, almost relieved smile.
"The Eye of the Covenant… will forever… watch you…"
Summoning his last strength, he uttered these words.
In the next moment, black flames erupted from within him, consuming his body, leaving nothing but smoldering ashes.
Kael frowned, moving quickly to the first corpse. It too was consumed by black flames, vanishing.
What kind of eerie sorcery was this?
"A mere Soul Mark to prevent intelligence leaks," Vix remarked disdainfully. "Upon death or capture risk, the mark activates, burning their bodies and souls entirely. The 'Crimson Covenant's' control over its members is harsher than I expected."
Kael stared at the smoking ashes, his heart cold.
Walking to Amy, who still shivered behind the tree, he softened his tone. "It's over. You did well."
Amy burst into tears, throwing herself into Kael's arms. "I was so scared… Young Master… I was so scared…"
"I told you, call me partner." Kael gently patted her back, a complicated emotion flickering in his eyes.
This time, Amy had saved him. Or rather, saved both of them.
Kael realized that in this world full of unknowns, a trustworthy partner might be more valuable than immense power.
But new questions arose. The enemies' bizarre self-destruction left him with no information to gather from the corpses. And the curse—"The Eye of the Covenant will forever watch you"—felt like a venomous thorn lodged deep in his heart.
How had they tracked him so precisely?
How many more of such eyes awaited on the road ahead?