Blake was completely taken aback, unable to believe that he was facing the same person he had once treated like a mere toy.
‘W-What happened to him?’ Blake’s thoughts raced as he tried to make sense of the situation. He had believed that both he and that girl had perished inside the forest, yet here stood Aether, fearless and unyielding.
“Come on… Where’s that haughty attitude now?… heh,” Aether chuckled wickedly, his demeanour reminiscent of a villain relishing the chaos.
‘This bastard!!’ Blake’s frustration and anger surged, evident in the veins that popped on his forehead.
“I will end you with my own two hands!!!” Blake’s voice reverberated with determination as he lunged at Aether once more, intent on cutting him down. However, his attack was swiftly intercepted.
‘Thud’
‘Shhh’
Aether deftly caught Blake’s forearm that held the weapon, effortlessly disarming him with a single strike. Before Blake could react, Aether delivered a devastating gut punch, sending Blake crashing to the ground.
“BAM!!”
“Cough, Cough”
Blake coughed up blood, his body wracked with pain as he struggled to regain his footing and retrieve his weapon. Yet, Aether was relentless.
“BOOM!”
Aether’s fist connected with Blake’s head.. “Heheh…”, each strike was accompanied by a chilling chuckle from Aether.
“BOOM!”
“Heh..”
“BOOM!”
“Heh..”
“BOOM!”
“Heh..”
“BOOM!”
…
….
Blake’s party, witnessing the brutal scene unfold, couldn’t contain their outrage.
“YOU BASTARD!! STOP!!”
“YOU JERK!!!”
“I WILL KILL YOU!!”
Hearing their enraged shouts, Aether momentarily paused his assault, a sinister grin crossing his face.
“I dare you to step in and fight for your friend, otherwise….” Aether’s threat hung in the air, ominous and foreboding.
“BOOM!!”
“Hehe…” Aether’s laughter echoed through the arena, sending chills down everyone’s spine.
“C-Come on, guys, we need to intervene or we’ll lose our leader at this rate!!” One of Blake’s party members shouted, prompting them to jump into the battle arena.
However, their impulsive action was swiftly halted by the Announcer,
“Who gave you permission to enter the battle?” The Announcer’s voice cut through the chaos, her tone devoid of emotion… it was none other than Empress’s Maid.
Blake’s companions flinched, realizing their oversight in the heat of the moment. They scrambled to plead for forgiveness, but before they could utter a word,
“Empress.” Aether stood up, his gaze fixated on Empress, “I want to face them all at once,” his voice brimming with anticipation, his mind consumed by thoughts of defeating Blake and his allies…. Forgetting his seduction process!!
“Ether, what the hell are you talk–” Velc attempted to intervene, but Empress interrupted with, “Go ahead, but… I’m not yet impressed.”
‘Impressed… what is she talking about?’ Aether wondered briefly, but his focus returned to the group as they tended to Blake, administering healing potions to his battered form.
‘Four men and two women…’ Aether nodded to himself, sizing up his opponents as he stretched his muscles in preparation.
“Damn that bastard!!”
“Is he really the same person we nearly killed before?”
“How is he even alive?”
“Perhaps that girl sacrificed herself for him, and now he’s seeking revenge.”
Blake’s team murmured amongst themselves, wearing grim expressions as they contemplated Aether’s actions.
“Whatever it is, we need to eliminate him,” Blake declared as he stood up, his face healed but still bearing signs of the brutal beating.
His companions nodded in agreement, their determination evident as they summed their Arcane cards and readied their weapons.
“You’ve made a grave mistake… allowing us to group together. Now you have no chance of survival,” Blake spoke with malice in his words, his eyes fixed on Aether.
“Hmm…” Aether nodded calmly, showing little reaction. He then casually inserted his hand into his pocket and spoke with a haughty smile, “I’ll give you one minute. If you land a single attack on my body, I’ll be on total defence….. You can do whatever you want, and I won’t fight back.”
“…. Seems like you’re pushing your luck,” Blake retorted, his gaze unwavering as he asked, “What if our attacks don’t reach you?”
“…. Well, you’ll find out soon enough,” Aether replied with a shake of his head, a hint of pity in his eyes.
“Tsk, KILL HIM!!” Blake commanded his teammates, who quickly formed an attack formation. Three men took the front lines with their axes and swords, while two women positioned themselves as support behind them, and Blake positioned himself in the centre, ready to strike.
“Heeee…” Aether’s smile took on a wicked edge as he observed the approaching attackers. His hands remained in his pockets as he braced for their assault.
The scene reminded Aether of past encounters, facing off against groups of thugs armed with various weapons… a baseball bat, an iron rod, sharp knuckles, and chains. It always thrilled him in a peculiar way, yet he never acknowledged that feeling.
“Hehe…”
‘Shhh’
‘Shhh’
‘BAM!’
“What the….” The three men in the front were taken aback as Aether effortlessly evaded their attacks, moving with the grace and agility of a snake.
Undeterred, they continued their assault, swinging their weapons fiercely, but Aether continued to evade every strike without taking a single hit.
“The clock is ticking~” Aether’s voice carried a gentle tone as he deftly avoided their attacks.
But then,
“BAM!!”
“Shh… that was close,” Aether muttered, assessing the damage caused by a fireball that narrowly missed him. He then turned his attention to the two women who were launching magical spells at him.
With a smirk, “Increase charm”
[+1 Charm]
[Charm: 11↑]
The sudden increase in charm made the two women flinch, their faces flushing as they were momentarily entranced by Aether’s gentle smile.
“What are you doing?!” Blake’s shout snapped them out of their daze, and they refocused on launching their magical assaults at Aether.
‘Tsk, Well, I suppose I’ll use it if things get dire…’ Aether thought, swiftly evading their spells and physical attacks with remarkable ease and grace, almost like a dancer on the battlefield.
“Sshhh”
“Don’t move, idiot!!”
“Sshhh”
“Bam!”
“Come on, stand in one place!!”
“BOOM!”
…..
…
Aether, with his hands still leisurely tucked in his pockets, effortlessly dodged every attack, making it look like child’s play despite the intensity of the battle raging around him.
“F-Father, I-Is he truly the same person?” Kai asked with disbelief, his eyes wide as he watched the seasoned warriors of their group struggle to even lay a finger on Aether.
“…” Velc’s face turned pale as he observed Aether’s prowess, a sense of unease settling in as he realized the gravity of the situation. He glanced at Delphine, seeking some explanation, “Did you teach him these skills?”
“Who knows?” Delphine shrugged casually and with a gentle smile she commented, “While his movements may seem rough, there are no unnecessary or wasted motions in his body. It’s a natural talent…. Good talent!”
Empress, watching the battle unfold with a keen eye, nodded in agreement. “Indeed, his fighting style may lack refinement, but he is exceptionally skilled in his own way.”
In the midst of the chaotic skirmish in the battle arena,
“That’s all? Just ten seconds more, you know!! Time is crucial,” Aether remarked with a hint of impatience, his keen eyes scanning the panting and fatigued opponents before him, a predator sensing its prey’s weakness.
All eyes turned expectantly to Blake, who stepped forward with renewed determination, a flicker of doubt hidden behind his confident facade, “Looks like I’ll have to teach you a lesson right here,” he taunted, holding a massive fireball conjured with intense concentration.
“Hehe… That’s what I’m talk—”
“BOOMMMMMMMM!!!!”
Before Aether could finish his sentence or react, Blake unleashed the fiery projectile with surprising speed and force, aiming to end the battle decisively.
“!!!” Selene’s eyes widened in horror, her heart pounding in her chest…. not only her but also Velc who abruptly looked at his son for any discomfort but to his surprise,
“Kai, are you alright?” Velc’s voice was tinged with concern as he hurriedly checked his son for any signs of injury.
“H-Huh?” Kai blinked in confusion, his expression mirroring his father’s concern as he checked his outer body, “I-I don’t feel anything,” he reassured them, relief flooding his voice.
“He’s really playing with fire… quite literally,” the Archpriestess remarked, her gaze fixed on the inferno fire
“Hehe…” Empress chuckled softly, a hint of amusement in her tone as she watched the unfolding spectacle with keen interest.
“Did we kill him?” a woman from Blake’s party asked, her voice trembling with uncertainty as she scanned the battlefield for any sign of Aether, Hoping everything ends here…
However, before her eyes, A man walked out from the yellow flames without a single burn on his body or rather on his dress.
!~Ding~!
[Survival rate: 5.55%?↑]
Aether glanced triumphantly at Blake, his grin widening into a mischievous smirk as he revelled in the thrill of the battle. “Time’s up! I won! Yay!!!” he exclaimed joyously, briefly adopting a childlike demeanour before his expression shifted back to one of terrorizing faces. “Hehe… Let’s play Hide and…..
Seeeekkkk!!!” he added, his tone taking on a slightly menacing edge that sent a chill down the spines of those around him.
[+1 Agility]
[Agility: 13↑]
Before the woman could even comprehend what was happening, she found herself slammed into the ground by Aether’s swift and precise strike.
“Boom!”
“One down~” Aether declared with a hint of amusement, showcasing his dominance in the battle arena with both skill and cunning.