The air tightened.
Not violently.
Just enough to signal what was about to happen.
The three abyssal royals stood ready now.
No more casual posture.
No more underestimation.
They had felt it.
Zael had changed.
And not just a little.
Zael rolled his shoulders once.
Loose.
Relaxed.
Then—
"…Um."
A pause.
The timing was almost awkward.
The three frowned slightly.
"…Before we begin—"
Zael scratched lightly at the side of his neck, like he was asking for directions.
"…mind telling me where the other guy is?"
A beat.
"…And the girl too."
His tone stayed casual.
Almost polite.
Then he added—
"…I'd like to deal with them after I'm done here."
Silence.
For exactly one second.
Then—
The temperature dropped.
"…You—"
Kaelith's expression twisted first.
Then Virex.
Then Morvane.
The reaction spread between them like a spark catching dry fuel.
"…You think you're walking away from this?"
Zael tilted his head slightly.
"…Planning to."
That did it.
No signal.
No countdown.
They moved.
All three at once.
Fast.
Coordinated.
Like they had done this a hundred times before.
Zael didn't move immediately.
Just watched.
Then—
"…Good."
He stepped forward.
And everything broke.
Kaelith reached him first.
Raw power behind the strike—
Enough to tear through most defenses.
Zael shifted slightly.
Barely.
The attack missed.
Not by chance.
By inches.
"…Too wide."
A quiet comment.
Then—
His hand moved.
A single strike.
Kaelith's body jerked—
Momentum shattered.
He was thrown sideways like something had snapped inside him.
Before he hit the ground—
Virex was already there.
Gone.
Reappearing behind Zael.
A blade of shadow forming mid-motion.
Fast.
Precise.
Zael didn't turn.
Didn't need to.
"…Predictable."
He stepped—
Not away—
Into it.
The strike passed where he had been.
Zael's elbow came up.
Sharp.
Clean.
Virex's body folded.
Air forced out in a broken gasp as he dropped.
Morvane reacted instantly.
No hesitation.
Energy surged.
The ground warped.
A field of corrupted power expanding outward.
This one—
Was dangerous.
Zael felt it.
Acknowledged it.
"…Finally."
Something worth responding to.
He moved.
Straight through it.
The corruption clung.
Pressed.
Tried to invade.
And failed.
Adapted.
Assimilated.
Gone.
Morvane's eyes widened slightly.
"…What—"
Too late.
Zael was already in front of him.
"…You should've started with that."
A single strike.
Direct.
No wasted force.
Morvane's body lifted—
Then dropped.
Hard.
Silence.
Zael stood there.
Still.
Then glanced over his shoulder.
Kaelith was trying to stand.
Virex too.
Not dead yet.
Durable.
As expected.
Zael sighed lightly.
"…You guys are tougher than the last ones."
A pause.
"…Still not enough."
Kaelith growled, forcing himself up.
"…You—what did you become—"
Zael shrugged slightly.
"…Busy."
Then added—
"…You should've caught me earlier."
He moved again.
This time—
Faster.
No restraint.
Kaelith tried to react—
Didn't make it.
The strike landed clean.
He dropped.
Didn't get back up.
Virex turned—
Tried to run.
Zael's voice followed him.
"…Really?"
A blur—
Then Zael was in front of him.
"…That's disappointing."
One hit.
Done.
Morvane was the last.
Barely conscious.
Eyes unfocused.
Still trying to gather energy.
Zael walked up to him slowly.
Stopped just in front of him.
Looked down.
"…So."
A slight tilt of his head.
"…You gonna tell me where they are?"
Morvane tried to speak.
Coughed instead.
Blood.
Then—
A faint, broken laugh.
"…You think… you'll make it that far…"
Zael sighed.
"…Yeah, I do."
A pause.
Then—
"…But I'll figure it out either way."
His hand moved.
Quick.
Clean.
Final.
Silence returned.
Zael stood there for a moment.
Then—
> [Devour Activated]
[Energy Absorbed]
[Attributes Gained: +7 Strength, +6 Agility, +5 Endurance, +4 Spirit]
[EXP Gained: 4,800 ×10,000]
[Stored in Dao Pool]
Zael exhaled slowly.
"…Better."
He rolled his neck slightly.
Then looked ahead.
Eyes steady.
Focused.
"…Two more."
A faint smirk appeared.
Not arrogant.
Just certain.
"…Let's see if they're worth the trouble."
And then—
He moved.
Gone.
Like he had never been there.
Zael slowed as he moved through the forest.
Something felt familiar.
Not danger.
Not pressure.
Just presence.
He stopped instantly.
"…Hide."
Instinct kicked in.
He stepped back into broken cover between the trees, suppressing his aura until it nearly vanished.
Then he looked.
Before revealing himself, his focus sharpened.
Seer activated.
The world shifted into structured information.
Three panels formed instantly.
---
[TARGET: AURELIA]
Level: 30 (Locked – Class Trial Incomplete)
Class: Oracle of Radiant Veil (Unawakened Form)
Attributes:
Strength: 210
Agility: 276
Endurance: 248
Spirit: 433
Skills:
Divine Sight
Radiant Pulse
Veil of Clarity
Talents:
Precognition Trace
Lightframe Perception
Focused Mind
Adaptive Vision
Traits: ???
---
Zael's gaze lingered briefly.
"…Still the same type of build."
Then—
---
[TARGET: AURALIS]
Level: 30 (Locked – Class Trial Incomplete)
Class: Abyssborn Vanguard (Unawakened Form)
Attributes:
Strength: 342
Agility: 318
Endurance: 355
Spirit: 241
Skills:
Abyss Step
Abyssal Burst
Void Reinforcement
Talents:
Abyssal Affinity
Combat Instinct
Pain Resistance
Spatial Pressure Tolerance
Traits: Abyss-aligned constitution (stable)
---
Zael's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Yeah. That explains a lot."
Naturally built for abyssal environments.
"No wonder she seems so comfy here."
No resistance. No strain.
Just compatibility.
Then—
---
[TARGET: ZANE]
Level: 46
Class: Abyssal Dao Sovereign (Fragmented)
Attributes:
Strength: 538
Agility: 572
Endurance: 556
Spirit: 618
Skills:
Blade Domain
Void Step
Resonance Strike
Night Sever
Phantom Split
Talents:
Primordial Blessing
Authority of Infinite Growth
Adaptive Evolution
Ascendant Echo
Traits:
Devour
Corrupted Harmony
Abyssal Assimilation
Dao Anchor
Seer
---
Zael let the panels fade.
"…Good."
Everything aligned.
No unknown variables.
Just his team.
He stepped out.
No concealment.
No hesitation.
Just presence.
The moment he did—
Aurelia's faint glow softened.
"…Found you."
Not alarmed.
Relieved.
Auralis immediately lit up.
"…There you are!"
She almost moved forward but held herself back out of discipline.
Zane turned.
Calm.
"…You're back."
Zael exhaled lightly.
"…Yeah."
Like it was normal.
Because for them—
It was.
Aurelia lowered her hand slowly as her skill faded.
"…You took longer than expected."
Zael shrugged.
"…Didn't plan the schedule myself."
Auralis tilted her head.
"…Was it bad in there?"
Zael thought for a second.
"…Messy."
Auralis clicked her tongue.
"…Of course it was."
Aurelia checked him briefly—not scanning, just confirming.
"…You're stable."
Zael nodded once.
"…Mostly."
Zane stepped slightly closer.
Not invasive.
Just verifying what he already understood.
"…I know."
Zael looked at him.
"…You always do."
Auralis stretched lightly.
"…So we're all back together now?"
Zael nodded.
"…Seems like it."
Aurelia exhaled softly, tension easing.
"…Good."
A pause.
Then quieter:
"…We were starting to worry."
Zael glanced at her.
Then away.
"…I'm fine."
Auralis leaned in slightly.
"…You don't look fine."
Zael gave her a flat look.
"…I never do."
That earned a faint huff of amusement.
Zane tilted his head.
"…You changed."
Zael didn't deny it.
"…Yeah."
Aurelia studied him again, calmer now.
"…We'll adjust."
No hesitation.
No fear.
Just acceptance.
Auralis nodded immediately.
"…Obviously. You think you're the only one who got stronger?"
Zane's voice remained even.
"…We all did."
That settled it.
A team realigning after separation.
Then Zael's expression shifted slightly.
"…Before we move."
All three focused instantly.
Aurelia attentive.
Auralis ready.
Zane already listening.
Zael scratched lightly at his neck.
"…Did you find them?"
A brief pause.
Aurelia answered first.
"…Not yet."
Auralis added quickly.
"…But we've got traces. They're not far."
Zane nodded once.
"…They're moving together now."
Zael's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Convenient."
Then he looked ahead.
Past them.
"…So they grouped up."
A faint breath.
"…Good."
Auralis grinned.
"…You're going to deal with them?"
Zael didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"…Yeah."
Simple.
Certain.
Aurelia stepped slightly beside him.
"…We move together."
Not a question.
A statement.
Zane echoed calmly.
"…Together."
Auralis rolled her shoulders.
"…Finally."
Zael gave a small nod.
"…Then let's finish this."