The Aerial Observation Platform continued its smooth, southward glide across the middle portion of the Eastern Territory. It was evening, and the air was growing cool.
"We are rapidly approaching the mountain range," Sylva said, pointing toward the distance. "That is the natural checkpoint. We will soon leave this middle portion of the Eastern Territory and enter the deepest, most volatile part—the territory of the Dragon's Cave."
Zathis looked at the passing scenery below. "I wonder who created this map. The Eastern Territory is so dangerous that we, as an S-rank party, barely pass it. We wouldn't even have had a chance to enter the middle part without Kaelus."
"That's a good question, Zathis," Sylva acknowledged. "This map is surveyed by the Shadow Corps, the elite force of the Mage Emperor. The Shadow Corps are the most terrifying organization, created by the 9th Mage Emperor. Only the Mage Emperor can mobilize them, and throughout history, two Noble Houses were destroyed by this special operations unit."
"I remembered that one of the Bladeheart nobles was a member of the Shadow Corps," Vara murmured.
Zane nodded, his expression softening slightly. "Yes, my younger brother is one of the members of the Shadow Corps. He has a talent in Sound and Wind magic—that's what makes him special and fitted for the organization."
"So they specialize in stealth and assassination," Kaelus mused aloud. He thought of his own past life. SHINSEKAI, my character, was also specialized in assassination. But that was only in the game, using a keyboard and mouse. My fighting sense and technique this time are not as good as SHINSEKAI.
"I haven't seen him since my father applied him to the Shadow Corps," Zane confessed, a sad longing in his voice. I wish I will see him one final time, he thought, implicitly acknowledging the high probability he wouldn't return from the Dragon Cave mission.
"Why so sad, Leader? I think you will be seeing him soon," Kaelan said encouragingly.
Suddenly, Grund shouted, "Guys, the platform is beeping! There are two.. no, that's three SS+ rank monster signatures!"
"Perfect timing," Zane declared, his professional focus returning. "Kaelus, you want to learn and enhance your battle sense, right? Come with me." Zane jumped down from the carriage. The surrounding area was so dark that they couldn't even see the shapes of the monsters below.
Sylva sighed. "They are so reckless."
"Wait for me! I also want to fight!" Zathis shouted, leaping down after them.
Zathis instantly regretted his impulsiveness. He heard a shout, and realized it was his own voice. He was falling, having misjudged the jump. Kaelus immediately used a Wind Cushion to break Zathis's fall, landing him safely near the center of the three signatures.
"Zathis, why are you here?" Zane asked, annoyed.
Zathis, quickly fixing himself after the fall, declared, "I'm so bored; I also want to fight!"
"Good thing you are here, Zathis," Zane conceded. "I need you to hold one monster because we cannot use this type of monster for training."
In the dark, they saw three massive figures, their bodies covered in glowing purple crystal. "That's a Rock Crystal Golem, Zane, and the signature is SS+ rank!" Zathis identified.
"What's wrong about this monster?" Kaelus asked.
"Once you attack this monster, its crystal body will chip off, making it more agile," Zane explained. "So the longer the battle, the stronger and faster it will become!"
"So this monster is the best training partner, then?" Kaelus grinned.
"HAHAHA! I like you, Kaelus! Let's fight this thing, HAHAHA!" Zathis roared.
Zane sighed. "You guys are insane. Okay, but what are we going to do in the other... two..."
Before Zane could finish, Kaelus settled into the Ryujin no Kaze sword stance. He unleashed his ultimate skill. The pure Wind energy tore through the two closest Golems, annihilating them instantly. Their mana dispersed, leaving behind two SS+ Rank Earth Elemental Cores.
"That's Ryujin no Kaze! But it is different. What the hell was that technique, Kaelus? How did you kill the two in just one Ryujin no Kaze? And it seems your ultimate skill can distort the space!" Zane exclaimed, bewildered.
"I think this is not the time to be amazed, Zane. The remaining golem is ready to fight!" Zathis warned.
The remaining Golem roared and attacked the floor, causing a localized earthquake. Zathis was nearly thrown off balance.
"Zathis, focus! Let's chip its crystal one by one, Kaelus, use range attack! I will make this monster worthy to be your training partner!" Zane commanded.
Zathis, fueled by excitement, launched concentrated Geyser Bullets at the Golem. The Petrify effect shattered under the intense heat and pressure, and the crystals began to chip off one by one. The Golem's massive form began to slim down, making its attack incredibly fast and hard to dodge.
The fight immediately intensified. Zane, knowing the Golem was nearing its peak speed, launched himself into the fray. He used his Flowing Steel mobility, striking the Golem with his greatsword to target the dense crystal formations. Every strike was augmented with Gravity Magic, increasing the kinetic impact and shattering the purple shards. Zathis maintained a continuous barrage of Geyser Bullets, targeting the monster's lower joints, while Kaelus utilized the fight as live training, using his range attacks. Kaelus would launch a precise Wind Needle attack to clear the remaining crystal off a limb, making the limb lighter and thus faster, before Zane moved in for a disorienting strike.
As the crystal armor reduced, the Golem's speed increased exponentially, transitioning from a lumbering brute to a rapid, slim fighter. Its attacks were now a whirlwind of motion, its blade-like arm creating sonic cracks in the air. Zane and Zathis struggled to keep up, relying heavily on their deviant elemental shields and the predictive analysis of their S-rank experience.
"You make it too fast, Zane! This is insane!" Zathis shouted.
"Kaelus, it's time to fight it one vs one," Zane ordered, luring the enraged monster toward Kaelus.
The Golem attacked Kaelus, its sharp, slim hand lashing out like a blade. A small mistake would be fatal, but Kaelus dodged with practiced ease. He used his Viridian Sword to parry the monster's piercing claw, feeling the incredible force of the attack.
"Kaelus! Use your wind movements to dodge the attack. Make a little movement. Mask your presence!" Zane coached.
Kaelus followed the instruction perfectly. He relied on the honed, economical movements Zane had instilled in him. He knew this was the moment to translate his virtual skill into reality. His mental image training, where he utilized SHINSEKAI's assassin movements, was helping him connect. His skills were now beyond keyboards and monitors. He executed SHINSEKAI's movement skills, still relying on Wind Magic for pure acceleration and stealth.
The battle became a mesmerizing dance of death. Zathis was amazed at the battle, and Zane also stared, amazed that Kaelus possessed this kind of unorthodox, inhuman movement. They could not follow the speed; it was as if the Golem was constantly punching the air while Kaelus dodged, countering instantly with significant damage from his Viridian Sword.
The Golem was eventually brought down to its knees, its body covered in glowing cracks. Kaelus was also tired, having pushed his physical limits.
"Kaelus, that's enough! Kill it now," Zane ordered.
Kaelus, catching his breath, prepared his Viridian Sword for one final slash. But as he saw the glowing cracks on the Golem's body, he paused. The Golem's crystalline armor was changing color—from purple to a reddish hue.