The silence that followed the word "idiot" was almost palpable. Cavirieth stood still for a few seconds, the cigar fallen at his feet, smoke still slowly rising while the unconscious guards behind him remained motionless.
"…Hah."
He lowered his head and then began to laugh. Not the loud, exaggerated laughter from before, but a short, deep laugh, carrying something different.
"I'm starting to doubt whether you truly have no idea who you're talking to, do you?"
"I do. An overly strong half-elf, overly bored, and irresponsible enough to turn everything into a stupid test."
Cavirieth took a few steps forward, stopping just a few meters from Enrico. The difference in presence was absurd, like an adult facing a child… yet there was no hostility directed at him.
"Alright, I admit it. You're very interesting. In my evaluation, your strength, cold head, sharp tongue… and a monstrous special talent make me want to see how far you'll go."
'I'm not exactly a prodigy, but it's better if he keeps thinking that.'
[This guy is terrifyingly stupid.]
His gaze shifted to Thalen and Grakka, making both of them flinch when they saw a playful smile appear on his face.
"And you two will come with me for the test."
As the three moved away, Cavirieth spoke once more, in a serious tone—something rare for him.
"I can see you're a special friend of the princess, so make sure you don't die, boy. I'd hate to see her crying."
"I know."
Wanting to speed things up since he was curious about what this elf was plotting, Enrico led the way for the four of them.
'I'll pray that those two don't die.'
[I hope not, I like them.]
While Enrico and the system seemed incredulous, the two who were about to fight felt irritated for some reason they didn't understand.
'I don't know why, but I really want to win this fight.'
'I don't know why, but I want to show my best human friend that I'll win this fight.'
Their auras suddenly surged, while behind them Cavirieth dragged the two guards by their feet with a smile on his face, not caring that their heads were scraping along the ground.
'I hope the two of them entertain me like Enrico did.'
When they reached the place the elf wanted, the three stopped, while the stone hall behind the altar had been isolated by Cavirieth with a simple snap of his fingers. The elven runes on the walls partially faded, forming an improvised containment field.
"Simple rules. You two against them two. If you die, bad luck. If you win… I'll pass you."
'Why is he talking as if we were children? Wait—why is Enrico praying?'
Both Grakka and Thalen saw Enrico praying to God with his hands together, wishing for them to survive. Grakka tightened his grip on the axe.
'Now I understand why I felt that feeling earlier… I'm going to win.'
Grakka's aura exploded, startling Thalen beside her for a moment. With a sigh, he focused his eyes on the two opponents who were being untied.
"He said they're fifth circle, right? Can you confirm? I don't trust that annoying elf very much."
"Yes. They are. I can feel it. I just don't know how strong they are."
The two elven guards woke up at that moment and slowly stood up, cold eyes, mana flowing in a way far too controlled for mere soldiers.
"Who are these rats?"
The first pulled a spear from his back, while the second unsheathed two short blades with a sinister appearance.
"I don't know, but let's finish this quickly and get back to where the princess is."
Both had black eyes, revealing that they were elves who corrupted the World Tree, like those Enrico had killed in the castle.
The Asterion Axe vibrated in Grakka's hand, as if responding to the tension. The dark blade began to emit a subtle reddish glow, and the air around her grew heavier. Thalen, on the other hand, took a deep breath and closed his eyes, and nearly nonexistent leaves began to appear from nothing, formed purely of light-green mana. His presence… simply vanished.
"He disappeared?"
"Don't worry about that. Just stay on high guard and try to listen for any sound."
Grakka charged forward with a roar, the Asterion Axe absorbing her mana as Fury magic began to accumulate. The ground cracked beneath her feet as she unleashed a brutal horizontal strike.
The first guard blocked—but was pushed several meters back, rolling across the ground before managing to stop himself by planting the spear into the floor.
"…What kind of strength is this?"
The second guard tried to flank, but the instant he took a step, a blade of wind sliced through the air where he was. His blood hit the ground as he retreated.
"When…?"
Thalen appeared behind him for a second, leaves spinning around his body as he prepared the second strike.
"Wind Magic: Silent Blade."
The guard spun around, attacking blindly, but Thalen was no longer there. His unique stealth ability completely concealed his presence—even his killing intent. Cavirieth watched with interest, leaning against a column.
"They're interesting, without a doubt…"
In Grakka's hand, she felt the axe vibrate violently. The Fury mana reached its peak.
"Maximum Furious Attack."
She brought the axe down from above, causing an absurd impact. The guard's magical defense shattered instantly, and the ground exploded into a crater. The elf spat blood, his body trembling as he was thrown against the wall.
"Damn it…!"
Before he could get up, sharp leaves pierced his arms and legs, pinning him to the ground.
"Leaf Magic: Green Prison."
Thalen appeared beside Grakka, panting but focused, and nodded to her. She didn't hesitate.
With a mana explosion, she unleashed a powerful attack toward both of them, completely shattering the ground around the area. Cavirieth whistled, seeming like he wanted to laugh for a moment.
"Nice. But now comes the fun part."
A burst of mana erupted from where the guards were, and the two now stood back up. The two youths' eyes widened at the sight.
"These guards? They were the closest to reaching sixth circle in the entire castle."
"What?"
"So if I were you… I'd be quick to eliminate them before they evolve."
At that moment, the two realized why Enrico was still praying even after they had landed solid hits on the elves, and also why that elf was called reckless.
'He's a demon.'
Meanwhile, throughout the entire fight, Enrico had not lowered his praying hands.
'Good luck, guys.'