Meanwhile...
Within a stimulated forest on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere, submerged below the ocean's depths protected by a barrier.
A group of individuals in all black suddenly appeared, in a flash of blue light out of nowhere breathing heavily as blood leaked from their injuries. Yet, while beaten beyond recognition they stood tall with smiles of glory and joy plastered all over their faces.
After encountering a Void Beast and managing to survive to tell the tale, all due to a teammate's curiosity getting the best of them following their rash decision to touch a piece of parchment paper coated in blood.
Which they claim flew past them while they were traversing the void, coincidentally occurring around the time, Rin decided to finally stop hiding his cultivation. Since what is the point of having power, if you do not use it for the greater good?
Especially in a situation where an innocent person's life is at stake, but anywho once they touched the piece of paper it crumbled into dust before combining and forming an infinity symbol.
That imprinted itself onto their teammate's wrist like a bracelet or watch, yet that was only the start of it as right afterward a roar came from behind them. As a nebula saber tooth tiger with purple eyes manifested before them and swiped its paw, trapping them within its domain.
Before they even had a chance to escape leading to a game of cat and mouse as the saber-tooth tiger saw them as insects it could kill at any moment to retrieve its treasure.
Which it acquired from a rogue elf, who originally stole it from an old merchant, who claimed it held the location of the Elven race's sacred weapon, the Moon & Sun Scepter of Tisha Inamori.
A fabled Goddess who nurtured the World Tree and later became the progenitor of the Elven race. Unfortunately, only someone from the royal family would ever be able to wield it, since if you looked closely at Shadow's wrist you would notice the symbol.
Contained numerous minuscule red rotating glyphs, signifying that only someone proficient in Elven dialect and runic inscription would ever be able to decipher it. However, while it may seem impossible that does not necessarily mean it was not possible.
It is just that you are confident, you will be the last one laughing when it reaches such a point. Since it won't just be you vying for a piece of the pie but everyone.
***
Click. Clack. Click. Clack.
"Hmm, so it was the first possibility that would've killed them?" A cloaked individual muttered indifferently with a glint in his eyes as he walked slowly through the void. Toward a particular location, while glancing periodically at a golden compass to make sure he was not going in the wrong direction.
Before suddenly stopping a few feet away from a semicircular dome made of swirling spirals of white, black, and purple.
'Interesting, so they ran into a Peak Void Beast on the verge of becoming a True Beast, who has gained a hint of mastery of the Laws of Space, Time, and Darkness?' Ken thought as he lightly taped the saber tooth tiger's domain and created a gap large enough for him to walk through.
***
During that short game of cat and mouse, the saber-tooth tiger suddenly stopped as it sensed a dangerous presence entering its domain. Which usually is not possible unless there is a major gap in power between the invader and the conjuror.
Giving Zero and his group a moment of peace after running around for 10 minutes straight like headless chickens on a farm. While trying to defend themselves from its attacks, which left them in rags with numerous cuts and scratches scattered across their bodies.
Following the appearance of a barefooted figure wearing an emerald cloak, a bamboo hat, and light armor underneath. Who slowly entered their vision with an obsidian heavy sword holstered on his back with a diamond heart in the center.
"Hey Kitty, Kitty could you~"
"Who do you think you..." The saber-toothed tiger roared as it angrily glared at the swordsman.
"Shush! Please and thank you," The swordsman said with a smile as he glanced at the kitten and placed a finger on his lips.
Silencing it before it could even retort as whenever it tried to roar nothing came out its mouth. Except for air and saliva, forcing it to finally shut up and look at the swordsman with hate-infested eyes which deemed Ken a dead man walking.
Before turning his attention to Zero and his team, "So are y'all going to continue to just stand there!? Or do I have to kick some sense into you all?" The swordsman asked mischievously as he scrutinized Zero and his team.
"S... s-sorry about that, sir we were just about to leave! Oh, and thank you for saving us, hopefully, if possible, I could one day buy you a drink."
Zero stated sincerely as he engraved the swordsman image into his mind and left with Shadow and Cloak in a spatial crack. While Billy was hidden in a secret pocket of Cloak's cloak.
5 minutes later...
"Relax, now that they're gone, I'm not here to kill, pal. But those four are quite special to my master, so on my behalf could you spare them?"
"Tsk and why should I do that, when the Temple agreed to not meddle in the affairs of the Void? But I guess I can expect no less from the most shameless bunch of lunatics in the Universe." The saber-tooth tiger scoffed while side-eying the swordsman.
"Because it's pointless for us to fight when you barely even have a possibility of touching my clothes. Also, since I was the one to break the agreement, how about two Law Shards of your choosing and a bucket of Pure Tiger-Dragon Blood as compensation?" Ken replied with a smile.
"Hmph... as if your puny gifts could alleviate my anger, Hall Master Ken! When that young master of yours is but a child who has been given power, he has no means of controlling." The saber-toothed tiger spat as it glanced at Ken and returned to its territory.
"..." Ken, 'Well, that was unexpected, hopefully, Rin finished everything on his end as a brother is tired, so this is it for today.' He yawned as he vanished as well and returned to his humble abode.
***
Back in the forest...
"So, Shadow just where are we?" Zero asked after giving everyone five minutes to recuperate and recover.
"Well, due to the saber tooth tiger's interference and that stranger's assistance, we seem to have been sent to Gateway 5 instead of one. Yet for some reason this place is deserted," replied Zero as he tried to make sense of their situation.
"How so?" Zero asked as he surveyed their surroundings.
"Because each Gateway has an Eye of Heaven which keeps tabs on all things happening within and outside of the sanctuary. So, considering that a patrol unit should have already been notified of our presence and arrested us. But as you can see-" Shadow said before being interrupted.
BOOM! Thud!
"So, this is where you scoundrels escaped to no wonder, I couldn't find any traces of y'all at the resort!" Ghali shouted with a toothy grin as he discarded a burnt corpse without a head.
{First appearance made in chapter 80: Death? - Part 5: Departure.}
After jumping from the northern side of the island to Zero and his team's location, nearly causing the entire island to flip upside down.
"And what is a demon like yourself doing here?" Zero questioned with disgust as he and his party flew into the sky to avoid the shockwave produced by Ghali's descent.
A human-like individual that had violet eyes and red skin filled with obscure symbols that glowed in the sunlight like stars in the midnight sky. Along with two reddish-black horns that protruded from his forehead and curved backward, which resembled an Asian water buffalo's horn but longer and more majestic as a white flame glowing at the tips of them.
"Not sure... however, my senses are telling me you have something that could help me immensely. So considering, that I guess I'm just here to collect what's mine while having some fun," Ghali asked with a devilish smile as he unleashed his aura.