Even scanning the area gave nothing. Just a weird gut feeling, like something familiar, yet not. It made his stomach twist.
Then again, this was another world. Having some unknown escape method wasn't out of the question, especially for someone who clearly looked like a shady NPC.
The type that exists just to cause problems. If the author felt like it, they could probably respawn him in the next chapter.
Still, Belial was annoyed. No coins, no loot, and more importantly, no power-up. He was counting on that kill to help him break through.
"…I'm still missing the right tools," he muttered.
He had memorized the guy's mana scent, though. If their paths crossed again, and unless the guy had some crazy cheat, Belial was confident he could flatten him again with a single punch.
But there was one thing that worried him. Now that the guy had already experienced death once, he wouldn't show up unprepared next time.
Who knew what kind of nonsense he'd pull? Maybe he'd bring a whole city down just to take him out.
Belial wasn't worried about morals. He was a dragon, he didn't care about reputation, or honor.
Power was all that mattered. If he was the strongest, he didn't have to care what others did.
Still, something about this situation bugged him. He remembered those deformed monsters from earlier, there was something strange about them.
A kind of power that didn't belong to any of the six known elements. A seventh one? Or something completely different?
At first, he'd thought their weird appearances were just part of this world's design. But now he wasn't so sure.
He was honestly glad he didn't eat them. Something about them felt off, like bait laced with poison.
Especially those guys in black robes, showing up right when he was about to claim the new dna sequence.
Suspicious timing. Add today's events into the mix, and it was clear, this wasn't random.
Whoever that guy was, he definitely wasn't a hero. Belial didn't even hesitate, he mentally marked him as an enemy to kill on sight.
But one thing was clear: he needed to get stronger. Fast.
Without wasting another second, he followed the system's radar and launched himself toward the next city. There was a saying: if your enemies don't want you doing something, that's exactly what you should be doing. Worked every time.
Whatever the guy's goal was didn't matter. If he got in Belial's way, he'd die.
And if he dropped loot? Even better.
With two lazy breath attacks, Belial cleared out the monsters still crawling nearby. Then, without looking back, he spread his wings and flew off toward his next target.
***
"Chomp chomp chomp…"
Elara sat there, looking a little worn out as she tore into a thick slab of grilled meat. Juices dripped down the sides.
The meat was tougher than chicken or duck, but the fat had just the right melt-in-your-mouth texture. Paired with a chilled fruit sauce, it was surprisingly good, just a bit much in size.
But she still wasn't full.
"Chomp chomp chomp…"
Thanks to her foundational magic cultivation, her body was sturdier, and so was her appetite. Even if she looked like a small girl, she could eat like a full-grown man.
"CHOMP!"
She shoved another chunk into her mouth, only to get bonked on the forehead by something white.
A skull. A leftover skull. It hit her head, bounced twice on the ground, and made her soul flinch.
"Little boss, next wave's coming, hit next page to continue!"
Then, just as she reached for another rib, a tiny greasy hand snatched it away. She tightened her grip on her utensils. Good thing her knife and fork were high-quality.
She turned, glaring. "Bryella…!"
The tiny girl beside her had a literal mountain of food, grilled meat, fish, pancakes, peanuts, enough for a banquet. Yet it was all vanishing into her small mouth at a terrifying speed. She was eating so fast even the fork looked like it might get swallowed.
"…Can you at least chew?"
Bryella glanced at her, cheeks stuffed full. It was obvious she'd rather eat than talk.
Elara sighed. No point in arguing.
Not far away, a chef with strong arms was cutting up a roast elephant soaked in honey. He served a fresh plate in front of her with a smile.
"Hehehe…"
At the head of the hall, the Lord chuckled, clearly amused.
After a few more bites, Elara finally leaned back, full and slightly tipsy from the fruit wine. She turned toward the Lord, who raised his hand.
Instantly, all doors and windows slammed shut. Thick metal bars locked into place, and a boundary field activated, cutting off sound and any outside spying.
Several shadowy figures moved into position, guarding all entrances.
Elara took a deep breath. "My Lord, how's the beast wave? And the Deep Abyss Cult?"
Vane swirled his wine, face darkening. Bryella was still chewing, but her eyes flicked toward them. She was listening.
"With the help of the great spirits, and your intel, the Wolf Guard crushed several enemy bases. Even wiped out a few noble families I didn't like."
"Wait… didn't Glacien lead that group? Chomp…"
Elara blinked. 'So Glacien was her spirit?'
Suddenly, a white, semi-transparent figure appeared out of thin air, snow white with icy blue eyes and an air of mystery.
The room's temperature instantly dropped. Even the fire flickered.
Elara recognized her. The second Ice Spirit of the North, Glacien Aurevia Vane.
She'd only been mentioned briefly in the original story. Created by Bryella herself before she split into many ice spirits to protect different regions.
Glacien had chosen Vane's ancestor as her partner and even taken on his family name. So it made sense Bryella could sense her aura right away.
"…Why are you looking at me like that?" Bryella said with a pout, her snow-white cheeks twitching with emotion.
'Glacien. Was that Glacien her name?'
She'd been happy to see her master reborn, but that name…
Honestly, she'd wanted to change it for years. She wasn't a pet! But she couldn't bring herself to say it. Her pride wouldn't let her.
"…"
Elara's mind reeled. Remembering what she can, though her memory was fuzzy.
In the story, Glacien helped the heroes spot hidden enemies, then sacrificed herself by detonating a cultist stronghold. Her unique skill let her sniff out the cult's scent, even if masked.
Thanks to that, Elara had pointed out a few key places from memory. Turned out they were real hotspots. The group had intercepted actual enemy movements.
"…If you could sense them, why are we only hearing about this now?" Vane asked, his tone sharp.
Glacien turned to him, her expression serious. She could pick up on anything Abyss-related.
But this time… it was already too late. The ritual was already underway.
Elara frowned too. How did the cult hide their tracks so well?
Their power clearly didn't belong to the normal elemental system. Even she could see that.
Still, if Glacien could find the source again…
Vane stared into his wine. "If what she sensed is right, there's only one explanation."
His eyes locked on Bryella.
"You. The Ice Spirit of the North. The embodiment of cold. Bryella."