A heavy killing intent poured across the skies. Everyone in the small village felt a terrifying pressure crushing their bodies. That man was an Elder who had already gone through dozens of cycles. If this were the desert, he'd be considered someone at level 4, standing at the very peak of power there.

"You sinner! Surrender immediately!"

He shouted coldly, blades of wind covering the whole village threateningly.

Darian narrowed his eyes for a moment. Pridd was terrified, unable to think straight in that situation. The three youngsters, however, took a deep breath, and right away their gazes changed… a glint full of rage and bloodlust lit up in them.

"How dare you threaten Brother Darian…"

Awel muttered, clenching her fists tight.

Darian stared at the man and spoke coldly: "What are you talking about? I just arrived from the desert — how could I be a 'sinner'?"

"Don't play dumb!" The man roared, though his voice betrayed hesitation and even fear before Darian. It was like he had instantly recognized that Darian was a terrifying threat, hiding under the appearance of a weak hybrid.

"You carry the death mark of the Radiant King — someone who must be captured dead or alive! I won't repeat myself: if you dare resist, I'll strike to kill!"

He didn't want to argue any further, like he was facing someone he had to treat with the utmost caution. The moment he shouted, the entire sky above the village filled with even more runes and wind blades. With his will alone, he could crush everything below without mercy.

The villagers began trembling, frozen. They could clearly feel death creeping closer. Seeing the Elder's severe gaze, they understood: if the "sinner" dared to resist, the Elder would destroy everything to capture him — and they might die just for being nearby.

Darian let out a sharp breath. He had barely arrived, and already the Radiant King's curse was showing its effects. He knew nothing about his own situation or who his possible enemies were, and now he was already cornered.

"Don't you think this is a bit ridiculous? You don't know anything about me, or if I really did something wrong. You're just assuming, based on some decree from someone you probably don't even know. Why the hell should I surrender?"

Darian tried to reason. That was a Heavenly Elemental Spirit, and he still wanted to believe there was a chance… but…

The man completely lost his patience. With a wave of his hand, the wind runes shifted, closing in around Darian. He wanted to capture him alive, so he didn't unleash a massive attack, but any reaction would be answered with a devastating strike.

When Darian didn't move, the Elder let out a small sigh of relief. Now Darian was trapped in a circle of hundreds of wind runes covering him completely. There was no way out.

The Elder descended to the ground, just a few meters from Darian, gripping his sabre tightly.

"You! Step away from him!" he shouted at the four nearby.

Suddenly, a sword was drawn with a sharp clink. Awel and Tir's eyes widened as they turned to Eleri.

"You idiot!" She couldn't hold back anymore and charged furiously.

The man scoffed with disdain and flicked his hand. A single wind blade dropped from the sky toward Eleri. Everyone held their breath — that blade alone could slice any of them clean in half.

The blade fell, tearing through air and space. Everyone trembled, not wanting to witness the young girl's brutal death.

But…

At the very millisecond the Elder shifted his focus toward Eleri, something he thought impossible happened.

*Pierce!*

Everyone jumped in shock.

A dark shadow appeared behind the Elder, as if it had come straight out of the void, and stabbed him with a strange dagger.

The Elder convulsed violently as a terrifying energy invaded his body. Then, a wind rune appeared on his forehead.

That was his true body… and thin black lines appeared across it, writhing like evil worms.

It all happened so fast. The Elder tried to unleash his full power, but a cold blade was already pressed near his forehead.

"Dare make a single move…"

Eleri spat the words, her face twisted in disgust and hatred, as she pressed the tip of her sword against his forehead. If that rune was even slightly damaged, it would mean death for his race.

Behind him, Darian watched the little girl with satisfaction. He had to admit: he liked that kind of wild streak in a girl.

Awel was the smarter, more thoughtful one, Tir was careful and protective, but… in situations like this, someone explosive like Eleri was the most reliable — just like Niara. Hesitating or overthinking wasn't always the best way to solve problems; sometimes you just had to act.

It only took a single microsecond of distraction, and Darian instantly used Tempest Blink. At the moment of activation, there was always a tiny ripple in the winds — that's why he couldn't use it directly, or the Elder would've gone all out. But Eleri created just enough of an opening for him.

The Elder couldn't believe it. He had been as careful as possible, and yet Darian slipped out of the encirclement and appeared behind him with insane speed. Worse: what kind of power was that, invading his body so quickly?

"I'll be straight with you. Answer me honestly." Darian's cold voice came from behind him. "Who else, besides you, can sense this mark of the Radiant King on me?"

"Hehehe… you won't live long. Everyone… everyone with any power, in practically every sect and across the whole Wild World, will feel it and hunt you down." he spat, mocking coldly.

"The Radiant King is the supreme being we all follow. With my death, they'll all understand they can't even blink before attacking you with everything they've got. You'll be hunted… you really think you can hide? Hahahahaha… the sect leader can sense your sinner's mark across the entire Wild World…!"

He suddenly froze when he felt Eleri's sword tip press tighter, piercing the rune on his forehead ever so slightly.

Darian let out a long breath. He was stuck in this Wild World without enough power to face all the top experts at once… and on top of that, they could track him anywhere? His life had never been easy, but now things had gotten seriously bad.

But… the Elder's every word, every fluctuation, was felt by Darian. He was sure the Elder wasn't lying. He had said "in practically every sect." Which meant… there was at least one place he could go.

"Trying to scare me? You think I came here alone and unprotected?" Darian's voice turned sly. "Of course they are ready to help me take you down… if it was even necessary. But you were so pathetic I didn't even need them."

"Fuck you! The Wilding Kin Sect will pay for this!" the Elder roared, full of resentment, convinced he'd fallen into some hidden trap. "You're already one step from your end! Soon you'll be completely wiped out and serve as an example to anyone who dares defy our King!"

Darian smiled inwardly. He was a genuine Heavenly Elemental Spirit, with a head made of wind… and yet he'd been so easily manipulated into spilling too much.

He glanced at Eleri and saw her hand and blade trembling, like she was struggling to hold back from killing him right there. Behind her, Awel's eyes were sharp as blades on the man, while Tir's face burned with anger.

For the three of them, that Heavenly Elemental Spirit wasn't a relative, nor someone they wanted to talk to. Back in the desert, every member of their race was an ally and someone they could trust. They had never seen someone wicked from their own kind… which is why Darian worried.

But those three had learned not to be naïve anymore, and they could already tell ally from enemy… almost. If that man had done anything other than threaten Darian, he might've fooled them. But now, he'd become their mortal enemy, with no salvation.

Darian snorted and waved his hand. In an instant, the Elder let out a muffled grunt. The rune on his forehead turned completely black, then shattered. Moments later, his body dissolved forever.

The runes and wind blades across the sky and the whole area lost their master.

"Well, well." Darian gestured, activating his ring to seize them. He wouldn't waste a thing, and quickly stored everything into his inventory.

Meanwhile, everyone in the village stared at him, pale and breathless. He… had really killed an Elder like he was just some irrelevant ant?

Finally, Darian turned his gaze to Pridd.

The moment she felt his eyes on her, she began trembling and took a few discreet steps back.

He sighed, saying nothing else. Then he turned to his three little but most loyal allies, and together they left, leaving the village behind.

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