“Alice... was that vial you made me drink, a lifeforce potion?”

The spellcaster glanced at her friend, then nodded. “I made it myself. It wasn’t much, but I thought it’d come in handy in an emergency.” She smiled then. “And it did.”

Alary shook his head in disbelief. Lifeforce potions, as their name implied, needed as a base ingredient the lifeforce of the caster, and was usually made during a break through, as oftentimes there is a surplus of lifeforce involved which would otherwise just return to the world. Yet that it’s easier said than done.

How many people could focus on breaking through and the preparation of such a potion at the same time?

Hence, they were quite rare, and even rarer given that they would only replenish the lifeforce of the one who added their own to its preparation, while if drank by another, its effects would limit themselves to heal the body, just like a health potion.

The fact that Alice used it for this purpose on her… was unbelievable.

The spellcaster seemed to see these thoughts drawn on her features, for her smile turned kind. “Don’t feel bad. I made my choice the moment I gave it to you, and again when I saw a way out of this mess.” She cast her gaze forward, observing the gore with squinted eyes. “And despite it, you ended up sharing the load anyway.” Her green eyes returned to her then, and this time held a hint of grievance. ”Also, I can’t believe you know how to chant! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!”

Alary cocked her head. “I wanted it to be a surprise, for when you reached my realm.” A smile adorned her pretty features then, as her mind imagined the scene. “I wanted to see your mouth agape and your eyes popping out, thinking ‘I can’t believe Alary is teaching me something.’”

“Really? That was your plan?” Alice stared at her in disbelief, yet soon after began monitoring the alpha again. “You aren’t the first who wants to see me with my mouth open, and I’m telling you right now… that would have worked.”

Alary chuckled at this, feeling her muscles weak. A few breaths of silence passed then, only interrupted by their sudden panting. Even talking was an effort now. Finally, Alary broke it, “what’s your plan anyway? Wait for the alpha to eat every single demon boar?”

Alice seemed to like the idea, yet she shook her head. “Haven’t you noticed?” She pointed with a finger, not daring to extend her arm and feel just how tired she really was. “Look at the wound.”

Alary returned her gaze to the alpha, and soon realized what she meant. Her seventh sense also examined the creature, provoking her lips to mutter, “Finally.”

“What?” Asked Gallathorn, from behind, as he and Garry tended to Harold’s wound. “Seriously, how can you be a veteran adventurer, yet be so shitty at patching yourself up?”

“Have you ever tried splinting your own arm, GENIUS?!” Harold retorted, the last word in a shout provoked by Garry’s not so delicate fingers.

Gallathorn shook his head, then returned his gaze to Alice’s figure. “What do you mean, Miss Dothein?”

“The wound, Gally.” She called him, exhaustion coming through her tone of voice.

“Yeah, big nose. Almost cut off. What of it?”

The spellcaster sighed. “With how much it has eaten so far, don’t you think it should have regenerated by now? You do know that’s how monsters usually refine Essence, right?”

Realization dawned on him then.

“And not only that. Despite eating so much… it hasn’t refined any Essence.” Added Alary then, from the side, a hint of hope shining through. “It’s like…”

“Like it’s dying.” Finished Alice for her. “After we attacked the parasite, it had to defend itself rather than the alpha’s body. So, the damage we’ve been inflicting, with your skill’s on top finally caught up to it.”

“So despite its best efforts, the wounds are already too severe…” Alary guessed from her words.

Alice nodded. “And if I’m not mistaken, that should happen soon.”

“That?”

The spellcaster, as an answer, just gave her best mysterious smile.

“What happened to you?”

Mira heard no answer, yet she also understood there was no more time to buy.

All the while, Keiner stared at that figure who had just pushed him three steps back, his feet dragged through the ground with just the sheer force of a stab. He remained frozen in place, wondering why he was sweating cold, why he’d been so suddenly attacked after he thought he’d finally gotten through. Alchemists were rare, and even rarer those who weren’t associated with The Tower and were also disciples of a distinguished alchemist. Such a person could not only become a great asset, but given their connections, also steal secrets and techniques from their master and bring them to the guild.

He thought everyone had a price. And in a way, he’d been right.

“H-H-How dare you sneak attack our leader?!” Teppei shouted, pointing a finger. “Don’t you know how to appreciate kindness?!”

His question had the desired outcome, and called Avaln’s attention for a breath, yet all he got from him was a shiver when the thick killing intent emanated from those eyes.

Was that young-man really the same one he met on the path to Greenleaf?

“I take it our negotiations are over then.” Keiner commented, as he felt how his arms were still numb from the impact. A numbness he shouldn’t get from the blow of a Tempered Essence realm greenhorn. ”I hope you won’t regret it.”

“I hope so too.” Avaln said then, the anger that had previously urged him forward, smouldering inside him now. As such, he used that brief time to control his breathing, seeking a calmer state of mind. His next words, however, felt so truthful that his heart pounded as if confirming them. “I’d regret it if you were to leave here alive.”

Those words also served as a sign, forcing Mira to shake her disbelief and prepare for their consequence.

“Bold words.” Keiner chuckled. “The whole story from before, was it a lie then?”

“You sound heartbroken.”

“Just impressed. Not many people can do so. Not to me.”

“Maybe you are just that bad at it.”

“Enough!” Teppei cried then, pointing his sword at Avaln. Given what had happened before, he was now the closer one to him. “Let me take care of him, leader. To end his life was my job from the start!”

Keiner seemed to ponder the answer for a moment, and soon nodded. “Go.”

The knowledge that kid had was something he desired, but the mission came first. All he could hope now was for Teppei to be unable to finish him quickly, and so have enough time to get rid of the old woman and then force him to reveal his secrets. By his reaction, he didn’t seem to be someone who could give up on his companions to save himself, so it shouldn’t be hard to bend his will.

Teppei smiled then. “Heard that? I don’t know what miracle you pulled to break through a greater realm, but now I shall show you the real difference between heaven and earth!”

And so, he lunged himself against Avaln in a jump, much like he’d done before in the forest’s path, this time fully aware he may be able to react in time. But, what kind of strength could he muster against someone a minor real higher than him? The brat may be able to block it, but his stance was bound to crumble beneath his own attack’s might.

In fact, despite how fast he’d been, his eyes caught Avaln already prepared to meet his attack, something that, maybe, if he’d been calm, would have sent some warnings through his whole body, telling him there was something wrong…

“I’ll break you and that spear in HALF!” Teppei screamed, as his edge traced a vertical slash with all of his weight behind.

Steel struck bone, yet to his surprise… it felt like hitting a wall. His momentum was killed, and as soon as his feet touched the ground, a kick to his gut sent him staggering a few steps back. There hadn’t been any strength behind that kick, and the very gesture had been like shoving some nuisance aside.

Avaln spun his spear until it found a place on his left arm, intertwined with it, while with his right, he simply made a hand gesture, indicating him to move piece.

Teppei was dumbfounded, yet that feeling was quickly replaced by an anger fueled by his injured pride. How could he solve his attack so easily? And not only that, but how could he just push him back, like some child that should just try harder? “You’ve just wasted your last chance at dying with some honour, brat.”

No answer came his way.

He didn’t need any.

Teppei took a deep breath, and once again resumed his assault, yet this time he was calm, and proceeded to execute the different movesets he’d learnt throughout his entire life as a martial artist, his sword precise, his balance on point.

Mira caught a glimpse of Avaln quickly being forced into a defensive position, inevitably losing terrain.

Did he bite more than he could chew? Was the question that popped in her mind.

Yet as she sidestepped again, receiving another superficial wound that chiselled at her stamina, she was reminded that her situation wasn’t so different. She limited herself to dodging, as her gaze tried to find some kind of vulnerability, some chance to counterattack, yet Keiner was fast, too fast, and seemed to be now enraged due to Avaln’s sneak attack.

Could it be that he actually didn’t see it coming? Was the errant thought she had then. Could it be that he only was saved by instinct?

Her mind was filled with praise then. To be able to achieve something like that against someone two minor realms higher than him, and not anyone, but Keiner, who seemed to be at the peak, not only in Essence refinement but in mental presence, wasn’t something just anyone could do.

A stab, a horizontal slash, then an ascending diagonal one… she stepped back, she hit the blade down, then moved aside, as cloth and skin were cut out of her. After four breaths, she began to notice something was wrong.

She was lasting way too long against him by only dodging.

Why?

“Mira!” She heard, yet her focus never wavered. “Be careful! He must have a way to deal with someone in the Manifested Essence realm!”

Of course. She thought, secretly thanking Avaln for, despite being on the defensive, have the presence of mind to warn her about it. Indeed, when the adventurers had come to Gale to see the state things were in, she noticed one of them had reached such a realm. She was a young-woman, probably in her early twenties, which left an impression on Mira precisely because of how hard it was to reach such a realm, and how impossible it was to do so at such a young age.

Alary Greenleaf. Avaln called her, and by his reaction from before, their relationship wasn’t so simple.

Little Ri’s got a rival, it seems. She notioned then, and the fact that she could do so while fighting someone of Keiner’s skill, meant that there was indeed something wrong.

He was holding back.

Despite her realm, Mira had a lot of experience behind her, and so her mental state wasn’t easily swayed. Hence, she made a quick guess of why: a greater realm wasn’t something easy to overcome in a fight, and in most cases it was impossible.

So, why would anyone send only a team of Tempered Essence realm adventurers to deal with a target so much stronger?

That was because mobilizing an adventurer of a higher realm was something which could call unwanted attention. Manifested Essence realm adventurers weren’t common, and all of them were considered to be the elite of their respective guilds. And more than anything, it was incredibly rare for such an asset to go unnoticed nor create a name for themselves around the guild they belonged to.

But who would care for a Tempered Essence realm adventurer? Most of them were at that refinement level, and they appeared and disappeared like the birds during their ley line migration.

Mira quickly surmised Keiner would need all of his strength to deal with Alary Greenleaf, and even that in normal circumstances wouldn’t be enough. After a month inside the Demon Mountain range, their group was bound to be tired, or at least, not at their peak, that was also true for someone like her. In fact, given the time the plan has been on the making, Mira didn’t put it past them to have devised some other way to further tire them out.

And even that, most probably, wouldn’t be enough.

That meant that there was a third factor to consider.

If you were to target someone as notorious as the daughter of the biggest guild in a city named after that same guild, you’d need to have the resources to do so, even more when that someone has the strength to back their fame. As Mira, once again, had her hair trimmed by the swordsman, she realized the truth.

Kiener must be in the possession of an incredibly strong artefact.