Chapter 960: A Future At Stake, An Unexpected Interest?

...

Meanwhile, several kilometers away from the outskirts of the Netherly Shadow Fields...

Zeeeut!

A wave of bright light washed over a deserted area. In the following moment, four individuals appeared as the light rapidly dissipated.

These four were responsible for ambushing Izroth and Ranazera at the edge of the Netherly Shadow Fields. However, after the arrival of Aurelius Windstorm, the group's head used a long-distance teleportation magic item to retreat with haste.

The magic item placed them a few kilometers away from the Netherly Shadow Fields and deeper into Malentansium territory.

"Our ambush failed. Now that our target knows that we are after him, it won't be easy to find another perfect opportunity to strike." The group's head said as they lowered their hood, revealing a pair of dark emerald eyes that resembled a sea of burning flames.

The group's head was a woman who looked to be in her mid to late twenties with fair porcelain skin.

However, what stood out about this woman was her unique hair. It flowed down to the middle of her back when she removed her hood and was engulfed in dark green flames!

Though it was not as if her hair was on fire, instead, it was simply a part of her clan's heritage.

"I know we failed our ambush, but... Was killing that guy really the right move, Tal'Yah?" One of the other individuals said as they also removed their hood.

The one who just spoke was a young man who seemed to be in his mid to late teens. He bore a striking resemblance to Tal'Yah with his burning dark green eyes and flaming hair that stopped at the nape of his neck. However, in terms of intensity, the flames were much tamer than that of Tal'Yah's.

There was a troubled expression on the young man's face and a trace of naivety that lingered in his eyes, which announced his inexperience in the world.

"Do not be naive, Tal'Han. That man was an outsider sent to monitor the progress of our mission. If he decided to report our failure before we could strike again, where would our clan have left to go? As far as everyone here is concerned, he died due to his own recklessness—that's all." Tal'Yah stated firmly.

Upon hearing Tal'Yah's words, the young man did not have the heart to continue discussing the matter.

Seeing the young man's defeated aura, Tal'Yah released a heavy sigh as she walked over and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I understand your feelings, but as the head of our clan, I cannot hesitate to do what is in the clan's best interest. Ultimately, it is my responsibility to ensure our clan's survival, and if that means eliminating a person or two, so be it. If something were to ever happen to me, such a responsibility would fall onto your shoulders. Always remember, Tal'Han, what we do does not just affect us. It also has a direct impact on the lives of our kin. We do not have the luxury of pitying others."

"...I understand. I'm sorry, sist- no, clan head. I always end up making things more difficult for you..." Tal'Han said as he hung his head in shame.

"All is forgiven. Speak no more of it. Right now, we have an important task to finish." Tal'Yah stated as she removed her hand from the young man's shoulder and faced the other two people present.

"Kol'Jil, Zel'Kan—I need the two of you to return and keep track of our target. Remember, you are only to observe and not take any action. I don't know what it is, but that man... There's something off about him. Not only did he deflect the Demon Horn Needle, but he seemed completely unaffected by the fumes of the Cloud Serpent Venom. He likely possesses a skill or artifact that can resist strong poisons. He also uncovered our presence, so we can assume he has a detection-type skill. You two will need to keep your distance in order to reduce your chances of being discovered." Tal'Yah commanded.

"What will you do, clan head?" The one called Kol'Jil inquired.

"With the information we've acquired, we have no choice but to change our approach. His reaction time cannot be looked down on, so it will be challenging to subdue him quickly without attracting too much attention once he sets foot into Duke Sorkoza's territory. That's why, in order to complete our mission, I am going to prepare a small gift for our target." Tal'Yah replied as she pulled her hood back over her head.

She then continued, "Everything we do is for the sake of our clan's future—for the sake of our Seventh Demon Clan's survival."

...

A few moments ago, at the outskirts of the Netherly Shadow Fields...

The atmosphere became heavy as Aurelius confronted Izroth face to face.

Aurelius turned and walked several steps away from Izroth before coming to an abrupt stop.

He then faced Izroth and said, "That's a nice sword you got there. I'll be sure to take good care of it after humiliating its owner."

'Oh? I guess he's not as hot-headed as I thought.'

Izroth believed that Aurelius would strike out at him without hesitation. But, against his expectations, Aurelius did not immediately draw his blade. Nevertheless, it did not alter Izroth's opinion of him.

"If you have the ability to do so, then I can only blame it on my own lackings. That being said... I hope you can take responsibility for your words just now." Izroth said with a cold and distant gaze.

In the end, one could be defeated but never humiliated!

"Hey, Vincent, how many moves do you think it will take the young lord to deal with that guy?" One of the soldiers who accompanied Aurelius asked.

"If it's the young lord, then I would not be surprised if he finished it in one move. But, apparently, that guy is the one responsible for taking down Centurion Aloysius. If he is capable of that much, he should at least be able to survive ten moves against the young lord." Vincent stated calmly.

He then continued, "But, whether it's one move or ten moves, the result will remain unchanged—our young lord is bound to be the victor."

After hearing Vincent speak, the soldiers present became excited to see Aurelius in action.

Most of them had only joined Aurelius after his arrival at the Gates of Aegis; therefore, they never truly got the chance to see him fight. However, one thing was for sure. No matter how impressive one's family background, it was impossible to become the Prime Eques of the Order of the Eternal Aegis without the skill to back it up.

Aurelius unsheathed his sword, revealing a sharp blade roughly eighty centimeters in length with a gorgeous black and silver hilt.

A gentle gust of wind swirled around the blade as a heavy sword intent rushed outward, creating a deep scar on the earth in front of Aurelius.

'A good sword.'

In terms of pure crafting technique, Izroth's Sword of the Storm, reforged by the Enati in the Primordial Forge, was a step above Aurelius' sword. However, the materials used to forge Aurelius' sword were of a higher quality. The mana that flowed through the blade was also incredibly dense.

Though what was most surprising about the sword was the emergence of something Izroth did not sense the last time Aurelius drew his sword back at the Gates of Aegis—faint traces of the Law of Wind!

'Weapons capable of containing even the faintest traces of a law have to at least be at the unique grade.'

"A little interesting..." Izroth said to himself as a carefree smile appeared on his face.

Thump! Thump!

"?!" Without warning, Izroth felt a stream of loud thumping heartbeats resonate from his Apparel of Insatiable Transcendence.

'This... Is it reacting to his sword?'

The Apparel of Insatiable Transcendence was a living armor; therefore, it possessed its own will. But, not once had it ever shown an interest in any weapons. Even after his Sword of the Storm had been reforged, it did not show the slightest sign of interest. However, for some reason, it seemed to be interested in Aurelius' sword.

'It's true that the materials are of a higher quality, but it should not be to the extent of drawing the Apparel of Insatiable Transcendence's interest. Then, can there be a hidden secret that even I am currently unable to sense?'

Izroth closed his eyes and took a moment to calm down his Apparel of Insatiable Transcendence. But, from Aurelius' perspective, it looked like Izroth was trying to calm his nerves after being confronted by him.

Seeing this, a grin appeared on Aurelius' face.

"This bastard—I thought he actually had some skill to back up that arrogance of his. Turns out, it was all just an act, after all." Aurelius thought to himself.

Aurelius pointed his sword toward Izroth and said, "Come, I'll let you have the first move. That way, when you reach the afterlife, you can at least brag about how you fought this young lord."

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