"You are a goner now! As soon as I leave this ruin, I will tell the whole world which you try hard to hide—that you are a powerful soul master."
"Even though some powerful experts will fight with one another to take you under their wing, the Fiends won't let you live in peace; they will do whatever it takes to eliminate a threat like YOU. Hahaha"
Garyx laughed while his words resonated in everyone's eardrums. He stealthily took out a palm-sized thick membrane that looked like a special leaf.
It had complex inscription symbols engraved all over it, ones which are completely different from what Gin learned of the Alchemy basics book.
"For that, you need to be alive..." Gin once again charged at Garyx while watching out for the throwing knives which are poisoned.
The moment Gin dashed towards him, Garyx tore that special leaf engraved with inscription symbols into two.
As soon as he tore the leaf, the two halves burst into translucent blue lights and surrounded Garyx's figure. Then, the lights spun at a faster rate blinding everyone present.
At that moment, Gin discerned a throwing knife shooting towards him. Countless thoughts flashed past, as he realized Garyx was escaping.
Time seemed to slow down, Garyx's figure began to fade from his feet, behind the fast-spinning light particles while Gin noticed a grin spreading across his face in slow motion.
Gin suddenly spun his body in a circular motion while grasping the handle of a throwing knife that reached the back of his neck and redirected it at Garyx's direction with his full strength; he even unconsciously used his fistforce.
Everything happened in a heartbeat, in the blink of an eye Garyx's figure disappeared from the spot, so was the throwing knife.
'It's a space-transport leaf, no wonder he exhibited such confidence!' Gin thought, heaving slightly as the last move exhausted his stamina greatly.
'I don't know whether my attack has succeeded or not!'
He knew about Space-transport leaves, they are very precious treasures which can only be chanced upon in some high-level ruins. None of the experts knew how it's made or how to make one!
Gazing at the spot Garyx disappeared, the three of his companions' were dumbfounded and couldn't believe they were abandoned and left to die.
In fact, Garyx promised if they fail to kill Gin, they will use the space-transport leaf and leave the ruin, together. But now, he escaped alone.
When they noticed Gin's intense look, they felt nothing but hopelessness while their blood turned cold, and fear gripped their hearts.
They know, they are going to die but they won't give up without a fight. Three of them readied their weapons, observed Gin's every step with unblinking eyes.
---
Outside the ruin,
The thousand some human experts of Human unions and Fiend Hunter Alliance were resting just outside the entrance, guarding it against the Fiends' hawk-like watch.
While another two to three thousand human figures—Protector Jaux, Beshrin, Zhyho, Alfin, and others—were waiting, some distance away from the ruin.
In truth, after the Fiend's forceful intrusion into the ruin, the entire ruin was sealed which even prevented the humans at the Physique Enrichment stage from entering the ruin.
Some left disappointed understanding they can't enter anymore, while some remained just to see the result.
In that group is two familiar figures, Hammer and Astro dressed in a black jacket with Skyfire academy symbol imprinted on their back.
Just this morning they returned, exploring the ruin located near the Infernal region. As soon as Hammer came out of the ruin, he received Gin's message stating, that he's venturing into a ruin.
Hammer and Astro rushed at full speed, but the ruin was sealed before they could arrive.
At that moment, a sudden brilliance emerged and grabbed everyone's attention. Slowly, the brilliance faded into nothingness leaving behind a human youth.
It's none other than Garyx Bluehorn who escaped from Gin.
Noticing its a human youth, the Fiends didn't take any action. The human experts rushed at Garyx's side, just to witness an appalling scene.
Garyx's lay motionless on the ground with his throat pierced by a throwing knife. Blood trickled from the small opening, drenching his coat.
His body spasmed violently, face ashen white, mouth frothed like a victim of snakebite. Without a doubt, it's the result of the poison smeared on the sharp tip of throwing knife.
He writhed in pain, eyes brimmed with tears and his face was contorted as if he was experiencing a million ants gently feeding his body from the inside. As his throat was pierced, he couldn't even scream to diminish the pain.
"Get someone to treat him, fast" Whitesword spoke and asked the crowd, "Who knows him?"
"Garyx!!" A Moon guardian from Bluehorn family cried.
Hearing his cry, the peoples of Silver Dragon domain quickly arrived. They were shocked to see Garyx in such a state, their mind was blank especially Protector Jaux.
"Quick, please someone save him. The Silver Dragon domain will remember your life-saving grace...please" Jaux pleaded, coming back to his senses.
The surrounding experts shook their heads, as they all could see the youth's condition is beyond their help. Shortly, all the experts left the scene while only Silver Dragon domain's people remained around Garyx.
"H-how did this happen? How am I going to answer his grandfather?" Jaux mumbled, terrified.
"Move, let me through..." A forty-year middle-aged man rushed towards them and shoved the surrounding peoples aside and stooped down to inspect Garyx's condition.
Noticing the middle-aged man, Protector Jaux's eyes lit up in hope while Beshrin, Zhyho, and other representatives stood behind and observed everything quietly.
Everyone remained silent while the middle-aged man checked the Garyx's wound, his pulses, eyes, and tongue.
"He's beyond saving. He's inflicted with a terrifying and potent poison—Heart Devouring Venom of Blind Snake. Since the knife smeared with poison pierced his throat, the poison already penetrated his bloodstream and it will soon corrode his heart away."
"Maximum two minutes, he won't live past that. I will give some medicine to diminish his pain, that's all I can do." Saying this, the middle-aged man took out a vial filled with blue liquid and emptied it on the wound.
"How could that be? Sir, please help Garyx he's the most promising candidate with the potential to become the next family leader." The moon guardian from the Bluehorn family spoke.
"There's nothing I can do," The middle-aged man shook his head.
Hearing the Middle-aged man's words, peoples of Silver Dragon domain whitened. None of them doubted his words as he's not an ordinary person.
He's a certified Alchemy master from Eternal Flame Domain with exceptional Medical and potion-making skills. Only after countless requests by Human Union, he agreed to accompany and help them in today's battle.
Garyx sensed the pain slowly lessening under the medicine's influence but it didn't entirely disappear. He could still feel the burning sensation of something melting his body from inside.
He heard every word spoken by the middle-aged man, knowing he was going to die in two minutes terrified him and he didn't know what to do.
There's only regret in his face, If he had known this would happen, he would have at least kept the antidote with him.
Hell, he wouldn't have brought the poison in the first place and given it to Bryn, if he had known he would die because of it.
Thinking about his condition, hatred and bone-deep resentment blazed in his eyes.
His eyes shifted to Jaux and gestured by rolling it from left to right. When Jaux and Beshrin noticed his actions, they quickly arrived next to him.
Jaux doesn't want to miss Garyx's last words, which may probably help in quelling his grandfather's rage.
Garyx tried to speak but the knife prevented him from vocalizing his thoughts, only some hoarse noise like that of wild animal sounded.
Gritting his teeth and shaking the painful feeling, he moved his hands and endured the pain that came with it.
His consciousness started to blur, but the hatred in his eyes helped him sober and write three words in the ground "GIN".
Just as Garyx's finished writing the words, his eyes dimmed, head limped and hands stopped moving. He's dead, filled with reluctance and hate.
"Garyx!! Jaux called but he got no reply. He knows he's dead. With his fist clenched, he asked "Gin...Gin...Who is this Gin? I want to know everything about him!!"
"Protector Jaux, he's the Alfin's student that you ordered Garyx to kill." Zhyho quickly reminded in a quiet voice.
"What?!!" Jaux then quickly remembered the little conversation that he had with Zhyho before the youths entered the ruin.
"Zhyho, when did I ever command such a thing? Are you certain that I said such words?" Jaux's eyes narrowed, casting a chilling look at Zhyho.
Noticing Jaux's look, Zhyho hastily replied, "No, Protector Jaux. I think my mind is little muddle-headed witnessing Young master Garyx's death."
"I don't care what you do, I want this person named Gin, alive. Only he can quell Master Mesryth's rage." Jaux ordered all the representatives who came with him.