Kailena's glare deepened with every passing second. Her annoyance wasn't just visible-it radiated from her like heat from smoldering coal.
And her words?
Sharper than any blade.
"You better have something useful to say," she growled.
"Or did you drag me out of my training just to waste my damn time in this gods-forsaken dump?"
It was clear: she wasn't happy to be here.
Sent to the borderlands by Duke Will II to "protect" Quent, Kailena had no desire to babysit some forgotten noble brat during her breakthrough phase.
Especially not now-on the cusp of reaching Tier 4.
The journey to Reckton had been brutal.
No rest, no time to train, and much of Quent's caravan-including several carts of goods-had been lost on the road due to her relentless pace.
Now, just when she'd finally settled down, when she was finally training with focus…
He called her in.
And for what?
She didn't even try to hide the venom in her eyes.
She wasn't Quent's follower.
Her loyalty was to Duke Will II, not some exiled "Baron" with a smile too polished for his own good.
If Quent had any delusions of winning her over, he was about to get burned.
"I came across something that might interest you," Quent said calmly, still smiling.
"If not, then I won't bother you again."
His words were smooth. Polished. Practiced.
But the tight fist at his side betrayed the truth.
"Speak already," Kailena scoffed.
"You think I want to rot in this place forever? Say it, or shut it."
Her voice was low and husky-almost like gravel on fire.
Her presence filled the room with tension.
Still, Quent forced himself to stay calm.
He knew how badly he needed her.
"According to recent intel, Lister uncovered a turquoise deposit beneath the ruins of Rai Barony."
Kailena's eyes shifted slightly.
"Turquoise?" she repeated, her tone no longer purely dismissive.
She wasn't stupid.
Even without Quent saying more, she understood the economic and strategic weight of such a discovery.
But then came the real bait:
"Not just the ore," Quent continued.
"He also spotted a Turquoise Companion Crystal in the hands of the Eye Giant chieftain."
Her response was instantaneous.
Kailena closed the distance in a heartbeat, standing toe-to-toe with him.
Their eyes met. Her chest nearly pressed into his, height perfectly matched, body tense like a drawn bow.
"You'd better not be lying," she hissed.
"I'm not," Quent said, swallowing hard.
"But the crystal is currently held by a Tier 4 elite Eye Giant. The same one commanding the others."
Kailena smirked.
"And? It's just a brainless beast."
"What is it you want from me, exactly?"
Her tone was full of contempt, but her interest was real.
The value of that crystal?
For someone like her-on the edge of Tier 4-it could be the final push she needed.
"Honestly?" Quent said, finally dropping the act.
"My father's real orders were for you and the others to kill Lister… once he finished cleaning up the giants."
"I thought you'd benefit from more time to train, so I didn't tell you."
"But now, with the crystal involved… I thought you deserved to know."
He wore a mask of concern, as if genuinely looking out for her.
But Kailena wasn't fooled. She could see the truth behind his silver tongue.
Still, she didn't argue the logic.
"Hmph. At least you're not completely useless," she muttered.
"But next time? Don't hide things from me. That's not your call."
She turned, fire in her step.
"Where are you going?" Quent called after her.
She didn't look back.
"To Rai Barony," came her raspy reply.
"If I see Lister-I'll kill him.
If not? Guess he gets a few more days of life. I'll take care of the Eye Giants first."
And with that, she was gone.
The door slammed shut behind her, leaving only silence.
Quent stood frozen for a moment, then drove his fist into the oak table behind him.
"BAM!"
The wood cracked loudly, a jagged line running through the center.
He had once entertained delusions of swaying Kailena to his side.
But now?
"Fools like Lister… freaks like Kailena… They only respect one thing."
Power.
And right now, he didn't have enough.
But that would change.
It had to.
Meanwhile…
Far across the ruined plains of Rai Barony, three figures crouched in a decrepit farmhouse-watching the castle ruins from a distance.
Lister, Lawson, and a third man: a broad-shouldered warrior clad in reinforced leather and iron plates.
Simons – the Connor Family's personal tank.
A trained Shield Warrior, Simons was Level 32, already in Tier 4.
His combat skills were simple. Direct. Not flashy.
But in a fight? He was a fortress.
And his presence meant Lawson and Lister could finally stop holding back.
"Are you sure Kailena will show?" Lawson asked.
His tone was skeptical, but his eyes never left the crumbling castle ahead.
Lister nodded.
"Quent already sent word. She won't pass up a Companion Crystal-not when she's trying to break through."
"Besides," he added with a smirk,
"I made sure she'd find out."
Lawson raised an eyebrow.
"You're betting a lot on her pride."
"No," Lister said. "I'm betting on her ambition."
In truth, Lister had paid a price for the rights to that crystal.
He'd offered the Connor Family a larger share of the turquoise mine-to guarantee he got the crystal if it dropped.
To them, the long-term value of the mine far outweighed one shard.
But for him?
That crystal could catapult him forward.
And if he timed it right, all his enemies could fall in one move.
"She's here," Lawson muttered.
He cast a quick-range vision spell, wiping his hand across his eyes like a curtain of fog.
"I see movement. North side of the ruins. She's just arrived."
"The puppet master's drawing out the small fry," he added.
That would be Ant, the third member of Quent's escort squad.
A manipulator of magical constructs-sent to create distractions.
And it was working.
Lawson ended his spell and stepped toward the edge of the rooftop.
"It's time."
He leapt down, landing softly on the overgrown grass below.
Simons followed, without a word.
And Lister?
He placed a hand on the hilt of his blade and smiled.
Let the hunt begin.