Hadrian's eyes narrowed.

In the short time that had passed, he'd regained some of his essence.

He left his monkey vessels closer while the Hadrian and Alia vessels got further up the tree they were on.

Of course, he still had to be in range with his monkey vessels.

The reason he did this was because if he could sense them, what if they could sense him.

The monkey vessels were fine, since they were monkeys, it wouldn't be strange for them to be there.

But two human children?

Making sure the Alia and Hadrian vessel were now hidden among some massive leaves a hundred metres above the monkey vessels, he observed the ground.

He made one monkey vessel the main vessel, such that the other one could descend further down closer.

This way, the main vessel was at the centre.

Six figures, spread out, approached the spot of the now dissipating black gas.

When the first one came into view, Hadrian's brow furrowed.

Where do I recognise him from?

The man clicked twice, and the others emerged as they converged around the first man.

"There was definitely a battle here." The first man said.

His hair was a fiery red, and he had a short beard to match.

Hadrian rubbed his head in thought, trying to remember where he knew the man from.

Meanwhile, the fiery haired man and his comrades approached the Fiend's still standing corpse.

They covered their mouths in coughs and spat.

"Death path." one of them said. A woman.

"A fiend too." Another added.

The body of the fiend, which by then had depleted most of its essence spewing the black gas, moved, following the sounds of the party.

However, rock layers instantly rose around it, trapping it in position.

Elemental path.

Monkey Hadrian's eyes narrowed as he peered into their essence, a second at a time.

The fiery haired man was his first target.

A rank three.

The others were three rank two Mages and two rank one mages.

"Looks like no one won this fight."

One of the men said.

The fiery haired man nodded.

"Its not too surprising. Especially for a death fiend."

His eyes scanned the area.

"Unless its body is completely incinerated, it can live on in a zombie state."

Hadrian's lips pressed tightly as he listened.

"What now?" The woman asked.

"What else?" The fiery haired man asked in response, "The hard part has been done for us. It's only right we reap what the other couldn't."

Eh!

Hadrian's lips parted.

Saying this, the fiery haired man raised his right hand.

The rock layers wrapped around the fiend moved to create an opening to the Fiend's chest.

Above the man's right shoulder, fire formed and coalesced into a sphere of spinning flames.

With a slight nudge of his chin, the tiny flame sphere shot to the Fiend's chest.

Passing through its flesh like paper, it began incinerating the fiend from inside.

The other small party members gagged and created distance from the strong smell being created.

The fiend didn't thrash or struggle. Like the rock holding it in place, it was still as it burnt.

Three minutes later, its entire body was up in flames.

Meanwhile, Hadrian's mind was racing.

I'm the one who fought it to such a state, I can't let you!

Sadly, even he knew it was a pointless thoughts.

It was one thing to face a mindless fiend from a path he seemed to well counter.

Facing six human mages, with one of them being of a higher rank and on the same path of his highest ranked cores, would be complete suppression.

"Hey," the fiery haired man shouted, snapping his fingers. "One of those leather bags." He said.

Coughing, one of the rank one mages approached him, and flicking his wrist, a leather bag appeared.

Huh, elemental and space path mage's together.

He didn't pay this much mind though. His heart beat fast in his chest as he watched the physical manifestation of the Fiend's three cores rise from the dying flames.

Rock floated up with them and wrapped around the cores, forming a sphere.

The fiery haired man then put the rock in the small leather bag.

"Uh, Gurov. Won't it turn to a mystical artifact?"

Hearing this name, a light flashed in Hadrian's eyes.

Gurov.

Back when he'd been talking to Truston in the cellar, Truston had mentioned that name, and it seemed he'd been in opposition with Bagdona.

Though Hadrian only had Haldon as a vessel for a few seconds, he'd gotten some memory flashes and that's where he recognised the face from.

It's indeed him.  Hadrian's lips pressed tightly. But what is he doing out here? What are they doing out here?

He shook his head.

That doesn't concern me. What does, is them taking my price!

Gurov chuckled and turned to the rank one mage.

"If it was rank one or two cores, that would be the case, for rank three and above, it's not quite that simple."

The rank one mage, who was still covering his nose and mouth with his right arm, nodded.

Gurov turned to the sight of the fallen tree for a moment, taking a deep breath then sighing heavily.

"Alright," he said, "let's keep moving, we're almost there."

Behind the massive leaves, Hadrian's eyes looked down to the branch in thought.

Should I follow them?

Sure, I want the rank three cores, but it's a loss I'm willing to cut. After all, my main goal was to find a flying creature.

On top of that, I'm not sure if the current me can even accommodate rank three cores and be fine.

He let out a sigh.

I don't have to accommodate them. I could always carry them to that space until I am able to.

Glancing at the Alia vessel, Hadrian rubbed his growing hair and decided to follow.

I said I don't want to be surprised anymore. I might as well learn what this is about as I try to get my cores.

But I can't let it distract me from my goal. That Jasmine fellow might teleport Baruch and the others at any moment.

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