Dante's voice, laced with irritation, cut through the air. "Listen buddy, I have things to do, okay? What I want is very simple—very, very simple. Go to the Josten Empire and deal with that old Mystical Being. Ideally, kill him, but if that's too much for you, just keep him busy. I'd appreciate both, but one will do. Meanwhile, I'll be handling some... renovations in a few of their kingdoms. Understand?"
Polian studied the silhouette before him, his expression unreadable. "Why don't you do it yourself? You're clearly strong enough. And all I hear are threats—you've yet to offer anything in return if I agree to help. No benefits, no compensation, nothing."
Dante tilted his head slightly, considering his words. "Fair point. I haven't given you the carrot, only the stick. Very well." His tone turned nonchalant. "I'll heal your child and spare your family's life. You might be difficult to kill, but your family? Not so much."
Polian ground his teeth, anger and helplessness warring within him. How long had it been since he was ever threatened?
How had elves become so shameless? Even demons weren't this despicable. He glanced at his wife, who was cradling their injured, wailing child, tears streaking down her face as she desperately tried to soothe him. His heart clenched.
"Fine," he relented, his voice tight. "Just heal our child before this gets worse."
Dante nodded, snapping his fingers. A mystical energy radiated outward, wrapping around the infant. The severed foot floated back into place, reattaching seamlessly as the wound vanished without a trace. Polian watched in stunned silence. His wife, still shaking, clutched the now-sleeping child, disbelief and relief washing over her.
Dante flexed his fingers absently, satisfied. "Still need more practice with this technique, but my telekinetic energy control is coming along nicely." He turned back to Polian. "Alright. Now, move out within thirty minutes. Any longer, and I'll return to dispose of you and you family personally."
He was bluffing, of course. Even his father didn't fully grasp how many Sovereigns existed, much less their capabilities.
If nothing else, someone would notice a battle between Mystical Beings, especially a foreign Mystical Being. That was the problem with fighting those at his level—stealth wasn't an option.
Currently, he was relying on a optimized use of his skills to remain undetectable, and it was hammering away his mana. Moreover, he wasn't even sure he could beat these guys, he had never fought those at this level. He had no idea what Mythical Beings were like, the extent of their abilities, or how strong his were in comparison, at minimum he was sure his Mythical skills were at least 3 to 5 levels above their combat level.
Essentially, he believed at level 0 he could fight a level 3 to 5 mythical being. But there was an issue. System was just a legendary tier skill; he had no way of truly appraising Mythical beings.
He was in all honesty bluffing his way around things.
The reason he was able to hide himself despite Abyss Veil being a tier lower, was simple, he was using Spatial Body together with this skill. Or rather Second Mind was.
System was truly more then it let on, and through the years he discovered more of that. Only problem, his mana would deplete quite quickly, headaches were also a consequence, only reason he wasn't feeling it was because Spatial body skills were passive, requiring little mana management, second mind as well, lastly Mental dominion, helped him heal himself , and keep a calm head. Nonetheless, mana was being depleted at a speed new to him. Dante could maintain it for three days at most, but thankfully, he only needed it when near Level 0 to 5 Mystical Beings.
The system had optimized the synergy between the two, allowing him to wield them simultaneously. Ordinarily, skills of different tiers couldn't be used in such perfect harmony without brutal training. The trade-off? It was incredibly draining.
The real uncertainty? Whether it would fool a Sovereign. He had no idea if he was even fooling his Parents at this point.
'Why is this godamn continent full of strong people?'
Dante glanced once more at the Empress, who was holding her sleeping child protectively. He shook his head as he disappeared into the folds of space. His parting thought, 'She's skilled with her mouth, but she's just skinny'
Polian stood frozen, unable to determine whether the intruder had truly left. After a moment, he exhaled deeply, releasing the tension that had gripped his body. He turned toward his wife, helping to soothe her, he guided them to the bedroom and comforted her as she lay with their child.
Minutes passed before he spoke again. "I have to go," he said softly. "Stay here with the children. I need to speak with a few friends—see if they know anything about this mysterious figure."
His wife hesitated, reluctant to let him go, but she understood. The silhouette that had stood before them wouldn't take kindly to delays. Polian gave her a reassuring smile before his body lifted effortlessly into the air and vanished into the night.
Like most elves—including the opponent he was now being forced to fight—Polian was a master of wind manipulation.
Josten the First, one of the oldest Mystical Beings alive in the continent, was an adversary he despised and had never wanted to face again. Their last battle had been over two thousand years ago, and he had nearly died.
He wasn't looking forward to a rematch.
With a sigh, Polian shot forward, his body producing shockwave-like bursts that propelled him at impossible speeds. His destination, however, wasn't the Josten Empire—not yet. He veered slightly right, deeper into dark elven territory. His movements were near undetectable, a streak of motion too fast for the naked eye.
Soon, he arrived at his true destination—another empire, equal in size to his own. Instead of descending straight to the palace, he soared higher, vanishing into the clouds above.
He stayed afloat there waiting.
Soon, a young dark elf who appeared to be in his early twenties walked toward Polian with a composed stride. His hands were clasped behind his back, and his striking features— accentuated by vibrant dark green hair—gave him a refined and dignified air. His pristine white robes added to his charm, flowing gracefully with each step.
Beneath his feet, solid blocks of ice materialized in perfect sync with his movements, allowing him to walk effortlessly through the air.
"Little one, what brings you here?" he asked, his voice smooth yet carrying an undeniable authority.
Polian immediately bowed, discarding all traces of arrogance. His posture was filled with humility and deep respect. "Greetings, Master. The situation is as follows..." The elf, referred to as Master, nodded as he listened intently.
As Polian recounted the events, his mentor's expression gradually shifted from calm contemplation to mild confusion. Scratching his ear thoughtfully, he narrowed his gaze and cast his eyes into the void as if searching for something unseen.
Within the Sandrian Empire, Aurora lay on her bed, her expression clouded with sorrow. She sulked in silence, wrestling with her emotions. Her relationship with her child had changed. Though he still treated her well, the deep bond they once shared was fading. He spent less and less time with her, and the distance between them only seemed to grow.
Her melancholic thoughts were suddenly interrupted. Turning her head sharply, she gazed into the void beyond her chambers. "What do you want?" she asked, her voice edged with annoyance.
A familiar chuckle echoed in response. "We haven't spoken in five thousand years, and this is how you greet a fellow Mythical Being?"
Aurora snorted. "Speak, Haven. I'm busy."
Haven, Polian's master, merely shrugged. "Has a new Mythical Being emerged in your empire that I should be aware of?"
Aurora's eyes narrowed slightly. Her son had been born recently, but the way Haven phrased his question was vague—offhanded yet deliberate. Mythical Beings had long lifespans; if Haven referred to someone 'recently born,' that could mean anywhere from ten to twenty thousand years ago or so.
Many Mythical Beings had indeed been born within her empire, including the Crown Prince, yet none came to mind as particularly noteworthy. She frowned considering Havens words and tone carefully. "What do you mean?" "One adept in spatial skills," he clarified.
Aurora immediately relaxed. Her child possessed a strong anti-appraisal skill, as well as telekinetic abilities, but she had never known him to wield spatial magic. Such skills were exceedingly rare. Confident in her knowledge, she replied, "No. You and I both know the names of every Mythical Being with such abilities. If someone like that had surfaced, we would have heard of them. Why do you ask?"
Haven glanced briefly at Polian before answering, " One appeared in our territory, but he was undistinguishable and unidentifiable all we know is that. The individual had blue eyes and white hair. That's all we know. Since that coloring is more common among your husband's lineage, the lord above Sovereigns, the Ancient Sovereign Justin, I thought you might recognize them."
Aurora's frown deepened. Without hesitation, she vanished from her bed, reappearing outside her son's room. She peered through the window.
Empty.
Vexion?... nowhere to be found.
With a flicker of movement, she returned to her chambers.
"I don't know of such a Mythical Being," she finally responded. "Are they of my race? My lineage?"
Haven shook his head. "All I know is that they are an elf. But if you don't know, that's fine. Thank you for your time."
With that, he turned his attention back to Polian, a knowing smile playing at his lips.
"Little one, it seems a hermit is using you for their own gains. I know nothing of this Mythical Being. Either they are extremely reclusive, far stronger than I am, or they are a weakling pretending to be powerful. I doubt it though; you've lived long enough to not be fooled by such methods. Moreover, anyone with a spatial ability cannot be underestimated"
Polian exhaled deeply with a reluctant sigh. "I see. Thank you, Master."
Haven chuckled. "You're not going to ask for my help?"
Polian offered a wry smile. "You have your own battles to fight. If you make any sudden moves, it could put you in danger. Besides... his request is troublesome, but not impossible."
Haven nodded approvingly. "Good. Seeking my aid now would only weaken you in the long run. You must face your own challenges. Besides, the barbarians have been active. Until a semblance of peace is restored in the lands again, I cannot afford to leave this empire"
Polian inclined his head in understanding. "I'll handle it."
......
Meanwhile, Aroura stood in front of a wryly smiling Justin, who had an awkward "I've been caught expression" as he sat behind his desk.