Third Person’s POV
A few minutes earlier,
After meticulously blocking the narrow cave entrance, Aether stepped out, his face a portrait of shock and disbelief.
“OH MY FUCKING GOOODDDDD!!!!” he screamed, albeit quietly.
He couldn’t believe he had actually slapped the haughty princess straight across her face. If the Empress ever found out about this incident, he was certain that not even his remains would be left to tell the tale.
Such an act against someone of her status was unthinkable and punishable by the severest means.
Aether sighed with a proudful expression then, he gazed down at his hands, which bore a few snowflake bite marks.
A pained expression crossed his face. She had been truly resistant to the idea of staying away from him, but Aether had no choice. He had forced her, pushing her into his backpack and sternly ordering her to stay there until he returned.
‘Now for the final part… I’m betting everything on you, princess….’ Aether thought, his eyes fixed on the stone that blocked the cave entrance.
He knew this plan might break her spirit, but it was the only viable option he could think of, “I will really die if you don’t step up,” he muttered to himself, hoping his gamble would pay off.
He glanced down at his chest, where he had secured the condition spell scroll, ‘Thank goodness I activated this earlier,’ he thought, feeling a slight sense of relief before he began walking towards the group of bandits that had gathered nearby.
“Hmm? It seems someone has decided to give up,” one of the bandits remarked, a smug expression spreading across his face.
However, Aether stared at the group with a cold, indifferent expression, “How were you able to enter?” he asked, hoping that some fool would blurt out the information he needed…..
But the bandits merely smiled, their expressions shifting from amusement to deadly determination, ready to kill Aether without a second thought.
‘Looks like these bandits aren’t idiots after all…’ Aether thought, shrugging internally. He couldn’t afford to care less about the situation; once the Principal was aware of everything, she would take care of it. There was no point in him dwelling on the current predicament.
Facing the group, Aether smirked, his confidence unwavering.
“Ahhhh!!” With a war cry, one of the bandits lunged towards Aether, sword in hand, his face set in a determined expression, intent on taking Aether’s life without mercy.
Shhh
In one fluid motion, Aether swiftly shifted to the side, knocking the bandit’s wrist, grabbing the weapon, and…
Chcckk
Stabbing the enemy in the neck with his own weapon. It all happened in a matter of seconds, leaving the other bandits momentarily stunned, struggling to comprehend what had just transpired.
With eyes as cold as ice, Aether looked at the remaining bandits, “That’s all?” His tone was laced with arrogance, daring them to challenge him further.
There was no mercy in his eyes!
Yes, he was still reluctant to kill others, but these were his enemies who wouldn’t hesitate to kill him if given the chance. There was no way in hell he would let that go…
He had already witnessed the chaos and had come perilously close to losing two of his friends.
He needed to be decisive; otherwise, he would find himself at the mercy of his foes.
There was no point in pondering who was right or wrong!
He wanted to live, and if anybody stood in his path and tried to claim his life, then Aether had no choice but to steel his heart and do what was necessary.
“I will ask you one last time… How did you get here?” Aether’s indifferent voice sent chills down their spines as he pushed the dead body aside.
“H-he is stronger than we thought…” one of the bandits mumbled, his voice trembling with disbelief and fear. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
“G-group up!!” another shouted, panic spreading through the group as they scrambled to form a united front against Aether.
They all converged on Aether, believing their combined strength would surely overpower him. Little did they know, Aether loved to have battle royals far more than in one-on-one duels.
“Hehe…” With an uncanny smile, he stomped on the ground. Before they could fully surround him, Aether caught his first target and slammed him to the ground with a bone-crushing force.
Aether’s hood fluttered, revealing his emotionless face, “I hate it when weaklings like you act big,” he said coldly. Still, his blood-covered hands trembled slightly from the adrenaline coursing through his veins.
But soon, his hands steadied as he remembered that these people were here to kill him and Aqualina. There was no need for him to feel guilty about what he had to do.
The air soon became thick with the scent of blood, and within a matter of minutes, only a few of the bandits were left alive.
Seeing their brothers fall one by one, the remaining bandits couldn’t help but glare at Aether with immense hatred.
Their eyes burned with fury as they shouted with pure, unrestrained anger.
“Kill him!!!”
Slck!
Yet,
Aether swiftly killed the bandit before the enemy’s weapon could even reach him.
‘Drip’
Aether felt the Umbra Domain increased within him, ‘I suppose they must hold a deep hatred for me,’ he thought with an amused expression, glancing at the lifeless bodies strewn around him.
He shook his head with a pitiful expression and then turned his attention to the remaining two–
“Wait! Two?” Aether’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked at his own body, which remained top-notch and perfect without a single scratch.
‘Fuck!!’ Aether screamed internally. This was not part of his plan!
Caught up in the heat of the moment, he had totally forgotten the purpose of the fight.
Aether then shouted in a voice slightly different, gruff, more like a thug.
“Bastard!! Where is that girl with you!!”
Slck!
He slammed his head into one of the bandits’ heads, knocking him to the ground.
“Look at me, boy. Tell me where she is, and I will let you live,” Aether demanded, continuing his act.
“I won’t!” he answered in his normal voice, switching back to his true self.
The remaining two bandits looked at Aether with horrified expressions, unable to comprehend what he was doing.
Seeing their flabbergasted expressions, Aether quietly stammered, “M-my body suddenly felt dizzy,” mimicking an idiot’s mannerisms.
Seeing an opportunity to save their lives, the two bandits shouted,
“KILL HIM!!!”
They launched an attack on Aether, hoping to overwhelm him.
“Hahahaha…..” Aether laughed maniacally, adding to their confusion.
“Look at the loser!!!” one taunted.
Slck!
“FUUFF HHHAAAAA!” another screamed as Aether headbutted him, his words cut off by the impact.
“Boy, don’t you want to have a taste of that beautiful girl?… We’ll let you have her first. Just tell us where she is.” Aether mimicked their cruel intentions as he headbutted another bandit, who finally died from the impact.
“I’d rather kill myself than hurt her again!” Aether responded in his normal voice, his resolve unwavering.
Slck!
“Come on, boy. This is your last chance… tell me where she is,” Aether continued his act, pressing for information.
“Fuck off!” the bandit spat back, his defiance short-lived as Aether struck him down.
Slck!
Aether stared at the dead bodies around him, wincing in pain. He had lost a few fingers, and his body bore numerous cuts. His eyes then moved to the stone that was about to crack.
“Now… It all depends on you, Aqualina…” Aether mumbled before tearing off the spell scroll from his chest.
‘Thud.’
He fell to the ground like a broken toy.