"I promised to wait for them, but I can no longer, unfortunately," Kaden muttered under his breath, thinking of both Meris and Inara as he sat cross-legged on a cloud of crimson-gold flame, tainted with countless hues like freckles upon a face, floating slightly above the ground.

Meris and Inara had gone back to Fokay for their advancement quest two months after that starry night. They still, after all, needed to aid their respective mothers and families before departing again.

So it had been two months already, and neither of them had yet returned. To say Kaden was not worried would be an understatement on the level of saying the sun was warm.

He was worried in a way he never thought possible, not for family, but for others. Meris was understandable, she was his fiancée and soon-to-be wife. But Inara…

Kaden's face couldn't help but soften into a quiet smile — one as tender as a newborn's skin — as he recalled the blood oath Inara had sworn to him. She had pledged it herself, promising obedience and loyalty through anything and everything, so long as it didn't compromise the fate of her tribe.

Kaden had been genuinely surprised to receive such devotion from her. She was, in her own way, much like Meris, unafraid to show what she felt, and always speaking her truth aloud.

She was rude, and she cursed like a soldier, but in some strange way…

'I like that about her,' Kaden admitted inwardly. He wasn't sure he would feel the same if anyone else cursed so freely in front of him. But Inara…

…she got a free pass.

The two months he had shared with Meris and Inara before they left for Fokay had been among the best of his life.

The two women couldn't stop quarreling, with Inara provoking mostly through her sharp tongue and Meris retaliating through her actions.

It was during that time that Kaden realized he had severely underestimated Inara's power, something he hadn't thought possible.

Creation of monsters? Control of monsters? Mutations? Toxins? And maybe more?

Kaden couldn't believe this was merely a Legendary Rank Origin. It couldn't be. The level of dread Inara's abilities inspired was almost equal to Zaki's Mythical Origin.

And that was a comparison not to take lightly.

He realized then that these people… these companions of his were ridiculously talented.

Though knowing all of that didn't make him jealous, not in the slightest. He was confident enough in himself to know that if battle were to occur, Inara would not win against him.

The monsters she controlled? They would burst into a rain of blood without him moving a single muscle. As for her mutating toxins? Even more laughable.

So far, he had only seen her using her blood to corrupt others, but that method would never work on him. He was the Lord of Blood. Blood was his dominion.

As for Zaki… his power was too dependent on his Will, something Kaden would never believe another being on this earth could surpass him in, not in due time.

And the last time he saw Zaki, he had been a coward — a changing one, yes — but still a coward. Yet surely…

"You've changed now, haven't you?" he whispered, smiling faintly. He was oddly eager to see him again, if only to witness what the coward had become.

Hopefully, someone worthy of the talent he was born with.

That would be a shame otherwise.

But for now…

"I asked Mother Mayari, and she said the rune-life of Meris is still intact, meaning she's at least alive."

That knowledge eased him. At least, she wasn't dead somewhere in some strange realm.

"As for Inara… without even needing Lady Ouroboros, I can already feel her life and death."

She had sworn a blood oath to him, after all. He could probably sense her location if she were nearby, but for now… he couldn't. Still, he was certain that once his proficiency with blood oaths increased, he'd be able to locate anyone bound to him…no matter where they were.

'Practical,' he thought.

Then, smoothly, his mind shifted to more pressing matters.

He had already informed his parents that he would soon depart for Fokay, so there was no need for an emotional farewell. Daela wasn't here either, she had gone back a month ago for her Grandmaster quest.

It was thanks to her that Kaden truly understood the difference between the Grandmaster quest and those of the lower realms.

It was simple, really.

The quest would always thrust the challenger into an environment where the only way to succeed was through domain creation.

Simple, right?

But simple did not mean easy.

The creation of a domain was no small feat. It required deep comprehension of a specific concept, and a Will strong enough to impose itself upon reality, and carve a world of one's own, where they alone stood as god.

Of course, the specifics of each quest always differed, depending on the individual and the evolution stone.

Kaden possessed a Mythic Evolution Stone. He didn't know what kind of trial awaited him, but in any case, he was ready to face it. Well, almost ready. He had forty thousand death coins and he only needed a few more stat points to push himself beyond his current limits.

And that was something he could achieve either through his Will, which had grown immeasurably stronger, or through Synthesis.

Something he would do once he arrived in Fokay.

"I want to see Old Smith. I promised her the opportunity to study Reditha in exchange for her guidance… sigh… would she think I'm like Dain, one who doesn't keep his word?" he wondered, and that thought bothered him.

Because he still couldn't wrap his head around how his brother could fail his promises…at least, not until he had no choice but to.

'I need to find him,' he decided, eyes sharpening with focus. And for now, his only lead was Old Smith. So…

"I'll visit her first," he resolved. And at the same time, he'd ask her for a few good blacksmiths and runesmiths…the kind of hot-headed ones capable of killing him.

Now… why stop there? He might as well go further and find an alchemist who could kill him too.

That way, he would become proficient in alchemy, blacksmithing, and runecraft, then money would flow endlessly, and he'd be able to forge his own artifacts and brew his own potions.

He couldn't suppress his grin. His father had always seemed to hold blacksmithing in high regard. Even now, as King Progeny, the man still visited his forge every night, never missing a single day.

Kaden had once asked him why, and the answer had been simpler than he expected.

"Blacksmithing is also our legacy," his father had said.

Since then, Kaden had given the craft more thought, and now… it was time for him to uphold that legacy properly.

Meaning, it was time to go back to Fokay.

Sighing softly under his breath, he closed his eyes for a brief moment to steady himself. He wasn't afraid, but his perception had been tingling ever since he decided to head toward Asterion.

Something was waiting for him there.

Good? Bad?

Kaden sensed both. Which meant the outcome would depend entirely on him, it could become either one… or both at once.

It was a curious thing, and that only made him more eager to go.

He raised his right hand and lifted a finger. Blood coalesced at its tip until it formed a crimson parchment. Flames flickered into existence, swirling upon themselves before shaping into a pen that began writing across the red surface.

When finished, the parchment curled inward, transforming into a red crow that shot out the training room window with blistering speed.

His parents probably already knew, but he still wanted to let them know he was leaving today.

And once that was done…

…Kaden disappeared from Darklore.

…

Fokay — Asterion

Kaden found himself a kilometer away from the main gate of Asterion, just as he had told Vaela, all to avoid arousing suspicion. He was surrounded by a few sparse trees and the soft chirping of birds all around.

He took one step onto the sandy ground scattered with pebbles and began walking toward the looming gate ahead.

Each of his steps seemed to shrink space itself, and soon Kaden stood before the colossal door, once again facing the same guard he always seemed fated to meet.

The guard grinned at the sight of him, his golden armor gleaming unbearably bright beneath the reflection of the blazing sun above. His eyes flashed with a strange light for a brief second.

"Well, who do we have here?" he chuckled, though his hand tightened around the runic communication tool hidden beneath his breastplate as faint mana glowed between the seams. "I thought you were dead, little Warborn."

Kaden smiled back. "There's a greater chance the sun won't rise than me dying," he replied evenly.

"Now that's an interesting metaphor," the guard said with amusement. "Since when did the Warborn learn the way of words?"

"I wonder?" Kaden shrugged. "If you have any idea, do tell me. I'm curious too."

And with that, he completed the brief inspection process and entered Asterion, leaving the guard behind.

He stopped almost immediately, as a wave of sound, scent, and color crashed over his senses…a cacophony so sudden and vivid it felt like a ship being wrecked by a murderous sea. He frowned slightly, his expression tightening in momentary discomfort.

His senses howled at him, but he acted as though nothing was wrong, continuing forward until he reached the Tycoon's Merchant Building.

There, Kaden halted abruptly, his eyes narrowing.

A figure stood in front of the entrance…a woman, he noticed. That much was clear, though little else could be discerned, her entire face was hidden behind a mask, revealing only a pair of golden eyes.

Golden eyes Kaden could never forget, even if he wanted to.

A faint smile tugged at his lips. Slowly, almost lazily, he raised his right hand and waved at the woman with eerie familiarity.

People nearby turned to stare, confused by the strange exchange.

"Been a while…" Kaden said, his voice cutting softly through the chorus of noise around them, reaching her.

Then his smile deepened, and he finished his sentence.

"…Golden Voice."

—End of Chapter 290—

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