Arad's skin was damp with cold sweat. The moment he saw the glowing blood-red eyes of the two bodies he had slain, he knew the truth, they weren't ordinary enemies. They were clones. Aaron's clones.
He slung his bow over his shoulder, his mind racing. "Master was wrong about Aaron," he murmured to himself. "The ninja profession he awakened... it's not just rare, it's terrifying. Much more powerful than we ever expected."
His heart pounded. Aaron had uncovered the Goldvien Family's secret, that they were behind the assassination attempt. That realization alone shifted the entire balance. Arad's voice dropped as dread settled into his bones. "Aaron won't let us go now. He'll come for vengeance."
He glanced toward the distant skyline. Aaron was still classified as a low-tier threat, young, unrefined, not yet fully dangerous. But if they failed to eliminate him now, before he matured into the full potential of his awakened abilities... Arad didn't dare complete the thought.
Without wasting another moment, he spun on his heel and sprinted toward Goldvien Manor. He had to reach the Master before it was too late. They needed time to plan, to prepare, to survive.
Juliet, the City Lord, stood hidden beneath his cloak, watching the chaotic battle unfold. For a moment, he was stunned, Aaron's power was far beyond anything he had imagined. It wasn't just a victory; it was a one-sided massacre.
Every move was precise. Aaron's throwing knives never missed, striking his enemies with surgical accuracy. And then there was the fireball, not cast by hand, but expelled straight from his mouth. It wasn't just unusual, it was enormous, far larger than any fire-based attack Juliet had ever witnessed.
But what disturbed him most were Aaron's clones. They fought with the same strength, skill, and technique as the original. Juliet never even saw the real Aaron fight, yet the clones alone had decimated their opponents. If the duplicates were this powerful… what kind of force was the real body hiding?
Then came the red eyes. Blood-red and glowing with malevolence, they unsettled Juliet the moment he saw them. Once those eyes activated, Aaron's clones became untouchable, even when outnumbered, they countered every attack, striking down foes effortlessly. Juliet had seen many skilled fighters in his time, but nothing like this. These abilities were unnatural. Terrifying.
For a brief moment, Juliet considered recruiting Aaron. Someone with powers like that could change everything, he thought. But reality hit quickly, Aaron was a target of the Goldvien Family. If he were to side with Juliet, they would come for him, too. It wasn't worth the risk. Not yet.
Shaking his head, Juliet turned away. "If he survives what's coming… then maybe." With that thought lingering, he made his way back to Blueish City, his mind racing with possibilities and warnings.
Kola, the Guild Master of the Adventure Guild in Blueish City, had a very different reaction to the battle. Watching from a distance, she was amazed by Aaron's strength and skill. "If I can recruit this guy," she thought, "the guild headquarters will definitely reward me well."
But then reality hit. She hadn't even seen the real Aaron, only his powerful clones. And even though he wiped out an entire bounty hunter team by himself, the Goldvien Family was still out there. They wouldn't sit still after this. They'd send their top experts to hunt him down.
"If Aaron is smart," she thought, "He won't come back to Blueish City anytime soon." And that meant she might lose her chance to speak with him directly.
Still, Kola had a backup plan. She had captured the entire fight using a recording crystal, carefully storing Aaron's image and techniques. "Even if I don't meet him," she told herself with a grin, "I can send this to headquarters and claim the discovery. I'll earn my reward either way."
With that thought in mind, she turned and walked back toward the guild hall, already planning her next move.
Meanwhile, David, after selling the loot and stocking up on supplies, was racing toward Blueish Forest, gripping the reins tightly as the carriage bounced along the path. His goal was clear: find Aaron, Auriel, and Fiona before the battle began. But time was slipping through his fingers.
On the other side of the forest, just 300 meters away from the battlefield, Aaron stood still, eyes closed for a moment. The memories of his clones had returned to him the moment they were destroyed. In his mind, the battle played out like a vivid recording, every strike, every counter, every death.
Aaron let out a slow breath, surprised by what he saw. "I've grown stronger... without even realizing it," he thought. But he didn't let the feeling linger. Instead, he grounded himself. "Don't get cocky, Aaron. There are plenty of professionals out there who could end you in seconds. Stay low-key. Stay sharp."
Just then, Auriel broke the silence with her usual icy tone. "Aaron, how long do we wait? When are we joining the fight?"
Fiona, looking a bit anxious, leaned closer and added, "Aaron… are your clones gone? I don't hear any more fighting."
Aaron chuckled and turned toward them, a confident smirk on his face. "Didn't I tell you? The battle was over in five minutes. My clones may have been taken down, but they finished the job. The entire Bounty Hunter Team is gone."
Auriel and Fiona stared at Aaron in disbelief. His words seemed impossible. They knew hundreds of trained professionals had been sent to eliminate them, so how could Aaron claim victory with just his clones?
Thinking he was joking or bluffing, both exchanged skeptical glances.
Aaron noticed their doubt and gave a half-smile. "You think I'm lying?" he said calmly. "Alright then... come with me."
Without another word, he turned and began walking toward the battlefield. Auriel and Fiona followed closely, their footsteps quiet, the forest around them unnaturally still.
As the trio reached the battleground, a heavy chill settled in the air. A cold wind blew through the trees, carrying a faint smell of smoke and blood. The once-lush clearing was now a scene of devastation.
Charred bodies lay scattered across the ground. Limbs were twisted and broken, intestines spilled out like torn fabric. Potholes created by violent explosions still smoldered with fire, flickering orange against the darkened soil. In some of the corpses, kunai were embedded deep, sharp and merciless.