Elena strode forward, her greatsword resting against her shoulder, eyes locked onto Valerius. He never moved. He was waiting. Watching.
Her fingers twitched around the hilt of her weapon. What's with this brat's confidence? She thought, irritation creeping into her chest. Does he seriously think he can beat me? No… I don't think he can, but her gut twisted. A familiar instinct clawed at her thoughts.
I've fought arrogant fools before. They always lose because they underestimate me. But this one… something's wrong. Something's different. And I don't like it.
Her steps slowed. She stopped entirely. Instead of drawing her weapon, she sheathed it across her back.
"Brat, what's your name?" she called out, her voice sharp.
"Valerius." His lips curled into a smirk. "What's this? You interested in me or something?"
"Hah… Don't make me laugh," Elena scoffed. "You're ten years too young for me." She crossed her arms, assessing him again. I don't know what it is, but this one… I need to be careful. She exhaled. "You don't seem worthy enough to fight me. How about you prove yourself by taking on my men first? If you survive, then maybe you'll have earned the right to fight me."
Valerius chuckled. "That so? Well, I was planning on taking them down anyway. Guess you can have it your way."
Without another word, he strolled deeper into the camp's interior, his confidence unwavering.
Elena's voice cut through the murmurs of the gathered mercenaries. "Men, get ready! If you lose, I'll break your damn limbs myself!"
A wave of agreement surged through the camp.
"Got it, boss!" they yelled, their weapons drawn. A dozen fighters surged forward, moving as a single unit.
Elena frowned. Idiots.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she snapped. "He's not a damn monster you can't all hit him at once! You'll just get in each other's way! Didn't I drill this into your thick skulls already?"
Valerius sighed. "Finally, someone with a bit of sense. I swear, every time I fight groups like yours, they all charge in like I'm a damn dragon. I'm not big enough for everyone to take a swing at me at once."
Elena pointed at the group. "Three at a time."
Valerius grinned. "Why not four? You've got twelve guys three waves, four each."
She narrowed her eyes. "Don't get cocky. You haven't even laid a hand on my men yet. Don't tell me all that talk is just to cover up your fear?"
"Oh?" Valerius arched an eyebrow. "Says the one hiding behind her goons to gauge my strength before stepping in herself."
Elena's jaw clenched, but before she could retort, Valerius bent forward, rolling his shoulders. His hand slipped down to his second dagger.
"Alright," he muttered. "I've said what I needed to say. Let's get started."
A subtle shift in the air. Then boom.
He disappeared.
A blur. A gust of wind. And in the next heartbeat
Screams. Blood sprayed across the dirt as four bodies crumpled to the ground, limbs severed, and fatal wounds spilling blood onto the earth. They never even had a chance to react.
Elena's breath hitched. What just happened?!
Her eyes darted to Valerius, now standing amidst the carnage. Did he disappear? No that speed…
Wind affinity. He's a wind elemental wielder.
She sucked in a sharp breath, gripping her greatsword. I've fought plenty of speedsters before. They always think they can win just by being faster. But this brat's speed Her fingers twitched. It's unreal.
And yet, she smiled.
Speed alone won't win him this fight.
Valerius caught the look on her face and smirked. Oh? You think I'm just fast? Is that what that smile means?
Without hesitation, he leaped into the next group five men this time.
The moment he landed among them, his entire body shifted.
Mana crackled around his limbs. This time, it was different. He converted it Earth.
His muscles tensed, his skin toughening like reinforced stone. He clenched his fists.
And then…BAM.
The ground shattered.
A crater exploded outward from the force of his punch, the impact sending all five mercenaries flying. Bones snapped. Blood spilled. Their bodies hit the dirt like ragdolls.
Silence.
Elena's smirk vanished. Her grip tightened around her sword. Strength too?
Her mind reeled. Two elements? That's not unheard of, but… Her jaw locked. His control is perfect. No delay. No weakness.
She forced herself to swallow her unease. I can still win. Strength and speed aren't everything. He's young. He lacks experience. That's my edge.
But Valerius wasn't finished.
Three men remained. He didn't rush them. Instead, he stopped.
His mana shifted again.
Elena barely had time to process before fireballs erupted in the air, splitting into three.
They shot down like falling stars.
The thugs didn't even have time to scream.
By the time the dust settled, all twelve were gone.
Elena stared at him, her blood running cold.
Three elements. Not just using them she clenched her teeth. Mastering them.
Her fingers twitched. A memory surfaced.
The last Grandmaster I fought… Tiberius.
She exhaled shakily. That brat is nearly on that level.
She forced herself to remain still, to think. He used three elements in succession. He has to be running on fumes now. That's my chance.
Valerius flicked his daggers, sending droplets of blood splattering onto the ground. His purple eyes locked onto hers.
"Well, Ms. Elena," he said, voice laced with amusement. "Looks like you have no one left to hide behind. You finally ready to fight? Or do you have more excuses?"
Elena inhaled sharply, steadying herself. I can't back down now. I'm this close. If I run now, I lose everything.
"That was impressive." She rolled her shoulders. "But you seem tired." She unsheathed her greatsword, the steel gleaming under the torchlight. "I'm not like those small fry you just took out. I'm a mid-level master. Don't underestimate me just because I'm a woman."
Valerius grinned. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it. I respect strength, not the gender."
She took her stance. "I hope you'll go all out, because if you don't..." Her grip tightened. "You won't live to regret it."
Valerius's smile widened.
"Let me be the judge of that."
Wind howled.
He vanished.
Elena's eyes widened. Shit, he's fast!
Before she could blink he was in front of her.
Her sword was too long. Too slow. He was already inside her range.
Desperation flared. She swung wildly, trying to catch him.
CLANG!
Steel met steel. Sparks flew.
Valerius stood firm, one dagger raised.
Her greatsword stopped dead in its path.
Elena's breath hitched.
He blocked it? One-handed?!
Valerius smirked, his eyes gleaming.
"Is that all?"
What?
Elena's breath hitched. She had been watching him carefully, searching for any telltale flicker of mana reinforcement or Earth-elemental conversion. But there was nothing.
Yet he had blocked her greatsword with just his physical strength alone?
Her? Outmatched in raw power?
Me?
Her fingers clenched around the hilt. She forced herself to breathe, her mind racing.
No. She wouldn't accept it.
With a sharp inhale, she regained her composure. This time, her movements shifted no longer the reckless, desperate swings of before. She wielded her sword masterfully, each strike flowing into the next with the precision of a veteran warrior.
But…
She still couldn't land a hit.
Why?
Her attacks were unpredictable, her movements refined. Yet Valerius simply dodged, weaving through her slashes with an almost lazy grace. The few times he parried, it was with minimal effort his dagger meeting her massive blade and sending harmless sparks into the air.
The ease with which he moved infuriated her.
Elena gritted her teeth. Is he… mocking me?!
Her patience snapped.
"Do not screw with me, you immature brat!" she roared, unleashing a massive surge of mana.
A shockwave erupted from her body, the sheer force cracking the ground beneath her.
Valerius casually backstepped, evading the blast before it could reach him.
"Oooh…" He tilted his head, smirking. "That's an impressive amount of mana." He adjusted his stance, rolling his shoulders. "So? What's your elemental?"
Elena's expression darkened. "You think you can beat me? What are you, barely twenty? I've been fighting longer than you've been alive. Do not expect me to go easy on you!"
She surged her mana into her body, preparing for her trump card.
I can still win.
Her element was lightning.
Even though she couldn't move at his speed consistently, she had something better a burst technique that granted her a moment of absolute acceleration.
It was a technique strong enough to catch even Grandmasters off guard.
She dropped into a stance, gathering mana into her legs. Sparks crackled along her skin, energy coiling through her body.
I'll finish this in one strike.
It's risky… but I have no choice.
Her muscles tensed.
Lightning exploded from beneath her feet.
She vanished.
A flash of blinding speed far faster than Valerius had moved before.
She closed the distance instantly, her sword already mid-swing
CLANG!
The impact rattled her bones.
Her blade stopped cold.
Valerius stood firm, his dagger raised in one hand.
Her brain froze.
No…
He had reacted.
Her fastest attack.
Her strongest burst.
He blocked it.
Elena's stomach twisted.
This move… it should have been fast enough to make even Grandmasters lose sight of me. But he… he saw it? He reacted?
Her breath hitched.
He wasn't just talk. He was never just talk.
A horrifying realization clawed into her gut.
I made a mistake.
I can't win.
What do I do?
Her mind spiraled.
Run?
There was no one here to witness her loss. She could escape live to fight another day.
But…
My pride. My reputation. I built everything on my strength.
Her fingers trembled around the hilt.
Her throat tightened.
Damn it. How did it come to this?!
A distant memory surfaced a moment from hours ago.
The bastards who ran back to camp, telling stories of a beautiful girl they'd found in the wilderness.
She had sent them out without thinking.
She clenched her jaw. That's where it started. That's where I messed up.
Her grip weakened.
And then
Valerius exhaled.
"What's this?" he asked, voice calm, almost disappointed. "Is that the best speed your mana reinforcement can give you?"
He still had her sword blocked with one hand.
"You really thought you'd land a hit at this speed?"
He tilted his head, his expression amused.
"I'll give you one more try." His voice was almost bored. "Though I doubt anything's going to change."
Elena's chest tightened.
Her fingers slipped from the hilt.
Thud.
Her greatsword dropped, hitting the ground with a thunderous bang.
Her knees buckled.
She collapsed, staring at the dirt, her breathing ragged.
This… this isn't happening.
This isn't happening.
She had been completely overwhelmed.
Not even a proper fight.
No tricks. No strategies. Just raw, merciless dominance.
Valerius stared down at her. His expression didn't change.
"You said I should go all out," he muttered, his voice calm. "Or I'd regret it."
His purple eyes darkened.
"But if this is all it takes for you to give up…" He shrugged. "Then you were never even close to pushing me that far."
Elena's fingernails dug into the dirt.
No. I can't die here. I can't.
She clenched her teeth.
I have something to live for. Someone waiting for me.
Her daughter.
Waiting for her to come home.
Her breath shuddered.
"P-Please…" Her voice cracked, barely above a whisper.
Valerius frowned slightly. "Huh?"
Her eyes lifted, locking onto his.
"Please… spare me."
Silence.
Valerius arched an eyebrow. "Sorry? What was that?"
His voice was genuine... he hadn't heard her.
She swallowed her pride.
She looked up at him, her lips trembling.
"I asked you to spare me."
Valerius exhaled sharply, his patience wearing thin as he gazed down at the defeated woman before him.
"You sure have guts, huh. Don't give me that 'spare me' crap." His voice was filled with disgust. His purple eyes, usually amused or indifferent, now burned with cold fury.
His fingers twitched around the hilt of his dagger.
"Would you have spared me?" he asked, his tone sharp as a blade. "You're a slaver, aren't you? How many women did you sell across the continent? How many of them begged you with the same words you just used?"
Elena flinched, but before she could answer, tears welled in her eyes.
"I… I have a daughter," she whispered, her voice breaking. "She's sick. Everything I've done… it was for her."
Valerius stilled.
"I was a warrior once. A real one. But the money I made wasn't enough. No matter how many battles I won, how many contracts I took, it was never enough."
Tears streaked down her dirt-stained cheeks. Her body trembled, exhaustion and despair gripping her like a vice.
Valerius studied her for a long moment, then sighed.
"Slavery is illegal in the empire," he muttered. "Didn't the emperor outlaw it years ago?"
Elena hesitated, then a bitter chuckle escaped her lips.
"I pay a bribe," she admitted. "To the Empress' people. That's how I get away with it."
Valerius went completely still.
For a brief moment, the world around him blurred, his focus narrowing onto that single, damning truth.
The Empress…?
Valerius face went cold as soon as he heard that name. Something stirred inside him. Something that ran deeper than anything in existence. But he collected himself.
He sat down beside her, stretching his arms behind his head in a deliberately vulnerable position. He even set his dagger down beside him, his posture relaxed as if exhaustion had finally caught up to him.
Elena's gaze flickered to the weapon.
Her breathing quickened.
He's tired.
He has to be. He fought an entire camp alone. That's why he let his guard down.
Desperation got the best of her in the situation. She, who assessed every situation with a level head, couldn't predict this was a trap.
She eyed the dagger, then his open stance.
Her heart pounded.
This fool… He thought I was just another damsel in distress. That was his mistake.
Slowly, her fingers crept toward the dagger.
She reinforced her arms with mana, pouring everything into one last burst of acceleration.
This is for underestimating me.
With everything she had left, she lunged
A blur.
A flash of light.
Elena's blade stabbed into empty air, followed through and hit the stone.
Her eyes widened in horror.
Valerius was gone.
Before she could even process what had happened
A whisper brushed against her ear.
"As expected."
Her blood ran cold.
He was behind her.
Lightning crackled around him, residual sparks still dancing across his skin from the acceleration that had left her completely outmatched.
Her body locked up.
He had known.
He had always known.
"You don't feel remorse," Valerius said simply. "That was your last chance."
His dagger gleamed in the dim firelight.
Elena barely had time to gasp before
Schlkt.
A swift, clean cut.
A sharp, wet gasp escaped her throat.
Her hands shot up to her neck, desperately pressing against the wound.
But the blood
The blood wouldn't stop.
"Gluhh… Glugh…"
She fell to her knees, fingers trembling, vision darkening as her strength drained from her body.
She knew.
She was dying.
Her thoughts were a whirlwind racing between regret and disbelief.
I lost. I really lost.
Her body slumped forward, collapsing into the dirt.
The last thing she saw before everything went black
Was Valerius, looking down at her with nothing but cold indifference.
Silence crept across the slaver's camp.
Draven, who had been watching from the sidelines, exhaled sharply.
His heart was still racing.
He had known Valerius was strong.
But this…
This was on another level.
He had never seen anyone fight like that moving as if in a trance, switching elements with flawless ease, toying with his opponent like a seasoned predator.
And that final moment…
He didn't even see what happened.
To his untrained eyes, it was as if Elena had teleported only for Valerius to appear behind her instantly, ending it before she could even react.
Draven finally forced himself to move, walking toward Valerius, who had just let out a tired groan.
"Hahhh…" Valerius stretched his arms before falling onto his back, staring up at the night sky. "As expected, my mana efficiency is shitty. The stress is too tiring to handle."
Draven chuckled, shaking his head. "Woah… You were amazing back there, Valerius."
He extended a hand, helping him to his feet.
"I knew you were impressive, but seeing it with my own eyes? It's like you were possessed." Draven exhaled. "The way you fought switching elements like it was nothing it was unreal."
Valerius groaned. "Alright, enough with the flattery." He dusted himself off. "Check on Serephina. She should be in that tent."
Draven followed his gaze.
"What about you? Where are you going?"
Valerius cracked his neck.
"I don't know," he admitted. "But there's someone in that tent " he pointed toward another one on the opposite side of camp.
"Their mana… it's dense. Maybe even denser than Elena's."
Draven frowned. "Be careful. We've been gone too long. People back at camp are probably panicking."
Valerius gave a lazy wave before heading toward the tent.
The moment he stepped inside, the stench hit him like a brick wall.
"Ah, damn it." Valerius gagged, covering his nose. "What a pungent smell."
The air was stagnant filled with rot, sweat, and something far worse.
Then he heard it.
A muffled cry.
He turned toward the darkest corner, his torchlight illuminating a small cage.
Inside…
A girl, could be 13 or 14 years old.
She was curled into herself, clad in rags, her tiny body covered in dirt and filth.
Her face was swollen, bruises littering her skin.
The sight made something inside Valerius snap.
"Hey." His voice softened. "Are you alright?"
The girl flinched.
Her breath hitched, and her fragile body curled even tighter.
"P-Please…" Her voice was barely a whisper.
"Please don't hit me. I won't talk back."
Valerius froze.
A heavy weight settled in his chest.
What the hell did they do to her? Is this the daughter Elena mentioned before dying? That's not possible. This is not the kind of situation someone would leave their daughter in.
"You don't have to worry about that," he said gently. "That woman isn't going to bother you anymore."
The girl didn't react.
She was too lost in fear, too broken to even comprehend his words.
Valerius sighed.
He reached forward gripping the iron bars
And bent them apart with his bare hands.
The cage groaned, metal twisting beneath his grip.
The girl flinched again.
She slowly turned her face toward him
And Valerius stilled.
His breath hitched.
His eyes widened.
His mind froze.
"…Lisa?"
The name tumbled from his lips before he could stop it.
The girl's tear-stained eyes locked onto his.
Valerius's heart pounded.
His throat went dry. All the blood in his face stopped flowing.
"How… are you alive?"