Immediately after Kent and Unity left the city, he began to feel uneasy, as if a danger was looming over him. Of course, with a gorgeous lady beside him, he didn't show it. Instead, his Divine Sense was spread wide, now encompassing a 6-kilometer radius.
He wasn't taking any chances.
As they entered the quiet road leading to the Alderford Mansion, he sensed three individuals moving parallel to them, about 5 kilometers east of their location. Kent smiled and decided to wait until they made their move.
He had expected as much.
Five minutes into their journey, about halfway to their destination, the three individuals moved quickly, ensuring that by the time they entered what they assumed was the sensing range of the strongest person present, it would already be too late.
Clearly, they had been observing them closely for a while. They believed the strongest was Unity, whose Divine Sense range, according to the average level 4 Root Master, should be about 2 kilometers. That was their calculation, and it was accurate enough.
However, they miscalculated Kent's sensing range.
His soul grew stronger as he added women to his harem. With Unity now part of it, his soul strength had increased, further expanding his already impressive sensing range. As a result, Kent had been tracking the three long before they made their move.
Three Level 5 Root Masters, each wielding a sword. Kent smiled and waited.
Just as they came within range, Uncle Drew, a Root Ascendant, sensed them and halted the carriage. However, he never got the chance to warn Kent and Unity, as an attack appeared before him before he could act.
The sword came dangerously close, but before it could connect with Uncle Drew's face, a golden sword sheath struck it, deflecting the blade. The sheath then flew back toward the cart of the carriage, but before it could strike the edge, Kent's hand emerged from the carriage and caught it effortlessly.
He stepped out, but not before reassuring his significant other, who had also sensed the attackers, to remain calm.
"I'll be back in a minute," Kent said confidently before exiting the carriage.
As soon as he stepped out, the three attackers blocked their path. Kent smiled and jumped down. He glanced back at Uncle Drew.
"I'll take care of it," Kent said with a nod.
Uncle Drew acknowledged him silently and stood ready, but Kent strode forward with calm confidence. He tilted his head, looking at the three attackers with a pondering expression.
"Let me guess—the person who poisoned Lilian sent you to take me out. How amusing," Kent said, already piecing together the reason behind the ambush.
Since he was the one who cured Lilian, Kent knew they would want him gone. It didn't take a genius to realize they needed something from Lilian. Perhaps, knowing her unique constitution, they had chosen to put her into a forced slumber.
Killing her was not an option. But now that Kent had used his alchemy skills to wake her, they wanted to eliminate all variables before making their next move against her.
Very sinister indeed.
Kent understood the urgency. He had to get answers and deal with this threat before his enemies started piling up. Of course, the Tower couldn't magically extract their memories and reveal who sent them, but it could do something better: uncover their names.
"So, Cephas… should I call you Cephas? Never mind. Cephas, who sent you to kill me?" Kent asked with a disarming smile.
"And before you entertain any funny ideas about running or ambushing me, know this—you three are destined to die today. It is the will of the heavens.
"But you can save your life by telling me what I need to know."
His words were calm yet carried an undeniable weight. Kent could tell from a glance he wouldn't need much to kill them. They are that weak
One of the attackers froze, Their faces turning grim. One of them, hearing his name from the mouth of a stranger was utterly shocking.
Cephas took a step back. His hands tightened around his sword.
"How do you know my name?" He asked, his voice trembling slightly.
Kent smiled but said nothing. He stepped closer, his golden sheath resting casually on his chest as he crossed his arms.
The other two attackers glanced at Cephas, uncertainty creeping into their expressions. Kent noticed this and chuckled.
"I don't need to answer you," Kent said calmly. "But you do need to answer me. Who sent you?"
Cephas gritted his teeth. "We won't tell you anything."
Kent sighed and shook his head. "I gave you a chance. Now, I'll have to make you talk."
Suddenly, Kent's sword intent filled the space, engulfing the three attackers. Their faces immediately turned pale as the air grew thick with hate and resentment. The pressure was suffocating.
Then, his sword Qi surged. Without even drawing his blade, small cuts began appearing on their bodies. Thin lines of crimson streaked across their skin as if the air itself had become a weapon.
Realizing the hopelessness of their situation, one of the attackers opened his mouth, perhaps to beg or reveal more. But before he could utter a word, Kent's sword flashed out of its sheath, a streak of golden light slicing through the air a couple of times.
The blade was back in its sheath a second later as if it had never moved. The oppressive sword intent and Qi disappeared instantly, leaving behind an eerie silence.
Then, two sounds broke the stillness.
Thud! Thud!
Cephas turned slowly, dreading what he might see. His breath hitched as his gaze fell upon the lifeless bodies of his two companions, their heads rolling away from their now-slumped forms.
His face turned ashen. Fear overtook him as he fell back onto the ground, landing on his rear, trembling uncontrollably.
"Now," Kent said, his voice calm and cold, "dare I ask... who sent you after me?"
He crossed his arms over his chest casually, as though he hadn't just killed two people moments ago. His relaxed posture only made the scene more unnerving.
Cephas gulped, his body trembling even more under the weight of Kent's gaze. "I… I will tell you, I will tell you," he stammered. "It was Orlan… from the Black Veil Syndicate. I swear I'm telling the truth!"
Kent tilted his head, his expression unreadable. "Orlan, you say? And where can I find him?"
Cephas hesitated, but the flicker of Kent's sword hand made him blurt out the answer. "He… he's stationed at the old mines north of the City! That's where he operates!"
Kent smiled faintly. "See? That wasn't so hard."
Cephas nodded frantically, his lips trembling. "I've told you everything. Please… let me go. I won't come after you again, I swear!"
Kent leaned in slightly, his smile fading. "I appreciate your honesty, Cephas. But letting you go isn't part of the deal."
Cephas's eyes widened in terror as Kent's sword Qi flared briefly, and the space around them seemed to freeze. His head fell, joining the two already on the ground.
Kent flicked his hand, and his Blue Void Pill flame appeared. In the next moment, the three bodies were reduced to ash. He returned to the carriage, and soon, they were on their way again, headed to Alderford Mansion.
However, 20 kilometers west of where Kent had killed the three people, Sword Saintess Selene stood with a pondering expression. After a few seconds of contemplation, she began following Kent's carriage.
Clearly, she needed to know more about Kent after witnessing how effortlessly he had killed three people who were two stages above him.