The three men launched themselves at the vine dome, their weapons crashing against the thick, writhing vines. After several relentless strikes, the barrier cracked and splintered, eventually shattering under their combined strength. Without a moment's pause, Aria and Leon sprang out, weapons drawn and mana flaring.
One of the men sneered, his eyes narrowing. "They don't even look hurt."
"Doesn't matter," the second man growled, his grip tightening around his sword. "Finish them quickly. Take their belongings and leave."
The third man, with a crooked grin, wasted no time and lunged at Orin and Amelia.
Aria's eyes flashed with determination as she faced her opponent. The air around her swirled with mana, responding to her will. Her opponent swung his broad sword, but Aria sidestepped gracefully, her sword finding an opening in his guard. The clash of steel echoed through the forest. Leon, on the other hand, faced a more agile foe. Each strike and counter came with bursts of sparks, his sword dancing like a whirlwind. The two men had underestimated their opponents, and it quickly became clear they were not gaining the upper hand.
But the same could not be said for Orin and Amelia.
The man they faced was relentless. Orin barely managed to parry the brutal swings, his hands trembling from the impact. Amelia, though swift, found herself constantly on the defensive, her sword unable to close the distance against the man's long sword. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she darted away from each deadly slash.
Aria's heart pounded as her gaze flickered toward her struggling cousins. Every second that passed heightened her anxiety. She wanted to help, but her opponent gave her no room. Leon was locked in combat, equally unable to offer aid.
"Amelia! Orin!" Aria called out, frustration evident in her voice.
The man fighting Orin and Amelia scoffed, a twisted smirk on his face. "You two are pathetic," he taunted, lowering his guard, convinced they were no threat. "Just give up already."
But the moment he moved to strike once more, the ground beneath him shifted.
A vine erupted from the earth, aiming directly at his chest. His eyes widened in shock, and though he twisted his body mid-air to avoid the fatal blow, the vine pierced his shoulder. A guttural scream escaped him as blood stained his clothes. The man writhed, clutching his wound, but before he could retaliate, the vines coiled around him like living chains, binding him to the ground.
"What the hell?" One of the remaining men shouted, his face draining of colour.
"They have backup!" the other cursed.
Suddenly, two spears flew from the shadows. The remaining men leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding the projectiles. Fear flashed in their eyes.
"Fall back!" one barked.
But before they fled, they launched a desperate final attack. A massive glowing magic circle appeared in the sky, pulsating with energy. From within, countless ethereal swords materialised and shot down like a deadly rain.
"Damn it!" Leon shouted, rushing to Orin and Amelia's side.
Aria followed suit, her hands glowing with mana. Together, she and Leon erected a powerful mana shield, the barrier shimmering as the barrage of swords struck relentlessly. The vines holding the injured man failed to protect him, and his agonised screams were silenced under the onslaught.
Once the assault ceased, the two remaining men had already vanished into the shadows of the forest.
Emerging from their hiding spots, Ronan, Sylphie, Darius, and Garrick approached the battered group. Ronan hurriedly passed out healing potions while Garrick checked on Orin and Amelia, who were visibly shaken but otherwise unharmed.
"Who were they?" Sylphie asked, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the scene.
Darius crouched beside the lifeless body of the stabbed man, his expression dark. "This is really messed up." He pointed to the twisted expression frozen on the man's face. "Why kill their own partner?"
Leon walked over, the grim realisation evident in his voice. "They're not just ordinary bandits."
Ronan tilted his head. "What makes you say that?"
Leon gestured to the corpse. "They deliberately killed him. If we had captured him, we could've gotten information. But now, there's nothing left to interrogate."
Darius scowled. "I hate people like that."
Sylphie turned to Aria. "What now? Do you plan to head back?"
Aria, though visibly exhausted, shook her head. "No. We still need a few more Soul Siphon Deer's cores."
Sylphie's lips curled into a small smile. "What a coincidence. We have also come for this."
Aria nodded. "Then let's travel together."
"Of course." Sylphie agreed without hesitation.
Leon inspected the dead man's storage ring, but his disappointment was clear. "Just weapons. Nothing useful."
Without another word, Ronan ignited a small flame in his palm and incinerated the body, ensuring no trace remained.
For the next few days, they hunted Soul Siphon Deers. Each night, they absorbed the essence of the monster cores to strengthen their Soul Power. However, Ronan soon noticed diminishing returns. The cores no longer seemed to benefit him.
At dinner one evening, he finally voiced his thoughts. "The Soul Siphon Deer cores aren't helping me much anymore. It's like my Soul Power has outgrown them."
Darius raised a brow. "That's a good sign. Your soul strength is surpassing what these cores can offer. Garrick and I are also in the same position."
Ronan nodded thoughtfully. "Then we can leave for the academy. What do you think?"
Darius replied, "Yes, we can leave for the academy now."
I want to explore the Ruins of Aerion," Ronan announced. "Want to accompany me?" "Why not?" Darius replied, while Garrick added, "Count me in.
Sylphie says from the side, "Am I excluded?"
Ronan says, "Tomorrow, we will leave for the Ruins of Aerion."
Ronan asks, "Aria, we want to explore the Ruins of Aerion. Are you all coming with us?
Aria replies, "Yes, we will come."
The day they arrived at the Ruins of Aerion, the sun was barely visible behind the overcast sky. In front of them stood a massive wall, nearly eight feet tall, surrounding a vast area. Time had taken its toll, leaving large cracks and crumbling sections, yet remnants of ancient magic still lingered. Ronan traced his fingers over the worn surface, his sharp gaze fixating on the faintly glowing runes etched into the stone.
"These walls are embedded with magic runes," Ronan murmured. "Even in this ruined state, the runes remain. Was this the work of time, or did something far worse happen here?"
They stepped through the partially collapsed gate. To the left, a dilapidated building with broken pillars and shattered windows stood in eerie silence. Ahead of them, a large mansion-like structure loomed, its grand entrance barely intact. On the right, there was nothing but barren land, the remnants of what may have once been another building, now lost to time.
Yet the most striking sight was the statue standing in the middle of the ruins. It depicted the Light Goddess, her radiant form untouched by the years. Vines and plants crawled around her, but dared not obscure her face. There was no sign of wear, no cracks, no erosion. It was as if time itself refused to tarnish her image.
"How is this statue still intact?" Ronan thought, narrowing his eyes. "No corrosion, no damage… Is this normal?"
Sylphie stepped forward, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Let's check the main mansion first."
Ronan gave a nod, but his curiosity lingered. He formed a quick hand sign, and in a flash of mana, two identical clones emerged beside him.
"I'll check the left side," Ronan said, gesturing to one clone. "You head for the mansion with Sylphie, and you go check the right side."
The second clone nodded while the first set off toward the right.
"Wait! Wait!" Sylphie protested, her eyes wide in disbelief.
Ronan turned back with a mischievous grin, waving playfully. "I'll be fine."
"This brat," Sylphie grumbled, crossing her arms.
Darius, amused by the display, leaned in to examine one of the clones. His curiosity got the better of him, and he reached out to poke its face.
Smack!
"What the hell are you doing?" the clone snapped, glaring at Darius.
Darius stumbled back, rubbing his head. "You can talk?!"
"Obviously," the clone scoffed. "What did you think? I'm not some mute puppet."
Darius blinked in disbelief. "My clones can't talk."
"That's because they're inferior," the clone quipped.
Before Darius could respond, Amelia cut in, her voice laced with irritation. "It's just a cloning skill. Why are you making such a fuss?"
She glared at Ronan's clone. "We should be at the academy, not wasting time in these ruins. But no… we're here because of him."
Before she could finish, a wave of oppressive bloodlust washed over the group. For a split second, it was as if death itself had brushed past them. Sweat gathered on their foreheads.
The clone turned its head slowly, its gaze cold and lifeless. "If you don't like it, you can leave. I never asked you to come." His eyes flicked to Aria. "That goes for you, too."
Without waiting for a response, the clone turned and walked forward.
Darius, his voice low, whispered to Sylphie. "Is that really Ronan? He doesn't feel the same."
Sylphie hesitated, then shook her head. "It's the clone. This is a Phantom clone. Ronan told me about his clones before. Unlike other cloning techniques, these clones reflect the user's emotions. Ronan's anger, frustration… everything is amplified within the clone."
Aria nodded, adding, "They're weaker than the new version clones' skills, but have their advantages. Every experience they have will return to Ronan the moment they disperse. That's why they act with independent thought."
Darius sighed. "Oh, that explains why he's so... cold."
Aria sharply looked at Amelia.
The group pushed on, eventually arriving at the ruined mansion. The walls groaned under the weight of time, cracked pillars barely supporting the massive structure. Inside, sunlight filtered through shattered windows, casting a dim light on the dusty stone floor.
They searched for about an hour, but were unable to find anything except the rune in the room wall. There was nothing.
Ronan's clone, alongside Garrick, explored a collapsed chamber. "Help me move this boulder," the clone called. Garrick nodded, both of them straining as they pushed against the stone. It barely budged.
Darius, smugly watching from the side, chuckled. "Need a hand?"
"Idiot," the clone growled. "If you're going to mock, at least be useful."
Just as Darius approached to assist, a sudden puff of smoke enveloped the clone. It vanished without a trace.
Aria's face darkened. "The clone vanished… That only happens when the user is seriously hurt."
Panic flickered through their expressions.
"We need to find him," Sylphie said firmly.
Without wasting another moment, they hurriedly left the mansion, their hearts heavy with worry for Ronan.