"Don't think too hard. Just block this if you want to live," Kael said calmly.
The floating weapons around him shifted at once, all of them aligning in the air with precise, deadly intent.
Valka's eyes narrowed instantly, his instincts screaming danger as the pressure in the air spiked.
Then Kael's hand moved slowly—almost casually, in contrast, the world seemed to slow.
One by one, the floating daggers shot forward.
Each one tore through the air with extreme speed and surgical precision, all aimed directly at Valka.
Valka's eyes widened in shock.
This speed… it was even faster than the ice spike from before.
"—!"
He twisted his body immediately, raising his greatsword.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Sparks exploded as the first few daggers were barely deflected, the force pushing his arms back.
His expression darkened.
"…This isn't normal speed…" he muttered, sweat forming again.
He took another step back, bracing himself as more daggers closed in from all directions.
One dagger slipped past his defense.
SHUNK!
Valka's shoulder was pierced instantly.
"…Ghh!" he grunted, blood spraying as the force staggered him backward.
Valka gritted his teeth and roared, blue aura erupting from his body as he swung his massive sword in a wide arc.
BOOM!
The remaining daggers were blasted away, scattering into the trees and ground around him.
Kael watched silently.
Then he took another step forward.
His calm eyes remained fixed on Valka as more weapons around the battlefield slowly began to rise into the air again.
"…I'll end this now. Though… I did manage to figure something out."
The weapons floating in the air slowly turned, their tips aimed directly at Valka and the bald man.
Valka's face turned pale.
For the first time in years, genuine fear crept into his eyes.
"…Why does his Spirit Energy feel limitless…?" he whispered to himself, barely able to comprehend what he was sensing.
His grip trembled slightly.
"Ahh… why is a monster like this in the forest…?"
The bald man stumbled backward in panic before turning toward Valka.
"B-Brother Valka… do something!"
Kael slowly raised his hand.
Then—
Every floating weapon launched forward at once.
They shot through the air with terrifying speed and impossible precision, turning the battlefield into a storm of steel.
Valka roared and swung his massive sword forward.
BOOOOM!
Blue aura exploded outward as he desperately tried to block the incoming storm.
But the barrage didn't stop.
One weapon after another crashed against his defense faster than he could react.
CLANG! SHUNK! CRACK!
Valka's arms trembled under the impact as blood slowly spilled from new wounds across his body.
When Valka looked toward Kael again, his expression froze.
Kael was preparing something else.
At the tip of his finger, energy began compressing into a single point—small, dense, and unstable. The surrounding air distorted faintly around it.
"T-that's dangerous…" Valka whispered, instinct screaming at him.
Meanwhile, Kael remained completely focused on the energy gathered at his fingertip.
"If I compress energy into one point… it should create a destructive attack," he muttered calmly. "And if launched… it should be faster than sound."
Then he slowly raised his hand, pointing directly at Valka.
At the same time, the floating weapons continued crashing relentlessly against Valka's defense, giving him no chance to escape.
"Here. A gift for you," Kael said.
The compressed energy at his fingertip released.
A tiny red sphere shot forward—silent for a fraction of a second, then instantly tearing through the air at the speed of sound.
Valka's eyes widened.
"…I can't dodge—!"
BOOOOM!
The impact detonated on contact.
A violent shockwave erupted outward, ripping through the battlefield as dust, blood, and debris were thrown into the air.
When the smoke slowly cleared, nothing remained where Valka had stood.
Only a massive crater scarred the ground.
Behind it, the forest had been erased completely—trees shattered and blown away as if something had carved a path straight through the land itself.
The battlefield fell silent.
Kael looked at the destruction quietly.
"…This is really destructive," he muttered to himself.
He lowered his hand slightly, staring at his fingertip.
"But it takes too long to prepare… not worth using against a fast opponent."
Kael turned his head toward the cat-eared woman leaning against the tree, she looked unconscious at first glance.
But Kael's eyes faintly glowed.
[Truth]
In an instant, he could clearly perceive her thoughts beneath the act.
"T-this idiot… he really killed the Mad Butcher effortlessly… and he even used my abilities… how?" her thoughts trembled with disbelief.
Kael stared at her quietly for a moment.
"…So you're awake," he said calmly.
The cat-eared woman's body stiffened, a bead of sweat slowly rolled down her face as panic rose inside her.
"Huh? How does he know?! No… no, he's just testing me. He can't actually tell if I'm awake…"
Kael frowned slightly. "Hey. I know you're awake," he said flatly.
The woman's ears twitched instantly.
"…Tch."
Realizing she'd been exposed, she slowly opened one eye while still leaning weakly against the tree.
"Who… who really are you?" the cat woman asked cautiously, her eyes fixed on him.
"I'm Kael," he answered calmly.
"That's not what I mean!" she snapped immediately. "I mean you! Your identity—what are you?! You idiot!"
Her voice rose in frustration and disbelief as she stared at the battlefield around them—the corpses, the crater, the destroyed forest.
No Mortal-Level could do this.
"Hey, cat girl," Kael said calmly, glancing around at the ruined battlefield. "What exactly is this world… this place you call the Deep Abyss?"
The cat woman stared at him in disbelief.
"…Hah?"
For a moment, she genuinely wondered if he was mocking, but Kael's expression remained completely serious.
The cat woman blinked slowly.
"…You really don't know?" she asked, her voice filled with disbelief.
Kael he just stare at him.
"…No."
When early morning arrived, pale sunlight slowly broke through the forest canopy.
Kael and the cat woman walked through the quiet woods, the ground still stained with traces of last night's battle.
Neither of them spoke for a while, only the sound of footsteps and rustling leaves filling the silence.
"Hm. The Deep Abyss and the Great Land…" Kael muttered quietly to himself as they walked.
"In the Deep Abyss, creatures called Nightmares exist… and to protect ordinary people, the Seven Great Kingdoms were formed to prevent their rebirth."
He narrowed his eyes slightly, processing the information as if organizing pieces of a broken world.
"For the Great Land…" Kael murmured, continuing his analysis as they walked. "It's filled with strong beings like ancient gods and monarchs."
He glanced at the information Runa had shared, connecting it with what he had observed.
"Based on this Runa… the ancient gods of the Great Land are likely human—not shining figures with golden wings."
He fell silent for a moment, eyes narrowing slightly as the implications settled in.
Kael turned his gaze toward the cat woman.
"…Cat girl—Runa. How do I enter the Great Land?"
Runa stopped walking.
Her ears twitched slightly as she looked at him like he had just asked something dangerous.
"…You really don't know anything, do you?" she muttered.
Runa sighed, slowing her pace.
"…There are only a few ways," she explained. "Portals controlled by the Almighty Palace… or crossing the border gates—if you can survive getting there."
She glanced at Kael sideways, studying his reaction.
"Most people from the Deep Abyss never even get close to those gates alive."
"How about the Almighty Palace?" Kael asked calmly.
Runa let out a small breath.
"…The Almighty Palace is ruled by the Monarchs," she said. "They created portals to enter the Deep Abyss… to gather products and control the Seven Great Kingdoms."
She glanced at him briefly, her tone turning more serious.
"…They're the true power that keeps both worlds connected—and chained at the same time."
Kael nodded slightly "…So they control both sides."
Runa's ears lowered a bit.
"…Yeah. And you don't want to get involved with them."
Kael didn't answer.
He simply kept walking.
Runa followed behind him, watching his back in uneasy silence.
Soon, the forest ended.
Ahead of them rose a massive fortified city—towering walls that stretched like a mountain range carved from stone and metal. Gates large enough for giants stood sealed, guarded by silver-armored knights standing perfectly still like statues.
A heavy banner waved above the entrance.
Fortress Genesis.