Hela had actually spent considerably more time within the Wilderness Stronghold than the current version of Ethan, who had only transmigrated into this world relatively recently.
Naturally, she carried far more familiarity with the wider Algar clan than he did, including several names buried deep within its less visible branches, names most outsiders never encountered outside of formal ceremonies.
The specific person they were searching for now held the title of Shadow Elder within the clan.
He went by the name Huber.
He belonged to that particular category of aging elders, one foot practically resting in the grave, who only ever emerged from seclusion for major ritual rites or summoner ceremonies held within the main compound, otherwise remaining a name spoken of more than seen.
Ethan himself had only laid eyes on the man once before, briefly, during the original summoner ritual held years ago within the compound’s courtyard. He wasn’t entirely confident he’d even recognize the man a second time if he passed him casually on the street.
Fortunately, recognition wouldn’t prove necessary.
The shop was unnaturally quiet.
The moment Ethan pushed open the door and stepped inside, a crushing sense of danger exploded through every instinct he possessed.
Boom!!
A massive Dire Wolf burst straight through the storefront, smashing into both Ethan and Hela before either of them could react, sending them crashing violently into the opposite wall.
A thick cloud of dust billowed up instantly around the impact, splinters of wood and shattered shelving scattered across the floor, and Ethan immediately activated White Inspect despite the ringing in his ears.
Mana signatures flooded his vision.
One belonged to the Dire Wolf pinning Hela beneath its enormous frame, its jaws buried deep into her shoulder.
Another flickered directly behind him.
"Fuck!!"
Ethan reacted instantly, blade already drawn as he spun around.
A figure materialized behind him at that exact moment, swinging a sword downward with everything he had, aiming to end things in a single decisive blow.
Blood Pact and Fear Monger activated instantly.
The old man’s movements faltered for the briefest fraction of a second as a wave of instinctive dread invaded his mind.
That tiny opening was all Ethan needed.
He twisted sideways, the descending blade grazing past his shoulder before he countered in one fluid motion.
Cling!!!
"Tier 6."
Ethan let out a strained breath, feeling the full weight of an overpowering strike bear down against his blade, his eyes locked firmly on the point of contact between the two weapons.
If not for the tier 6 blade Ghost had lent him earlier, that block would have failed completely, and Ethan would have ended up nothing more than a headless corpse sprawled across the shop floor, the whole exchange ending before it had even properly begun.
But right now, that particular concern sat firmly beside the point.
The man standing before him was, without question, a genuine tier 6 summoner.
’He led us straight into a trap. Cunning bastard!!’
Ethan cursed silently, studying the elder before him.
Despite the wrinkles lining his face, the man’s body radiated unnatural vitality. His posture remained straight, his muscles firm beneath loose robes, giving the impression of someone barely past fifty despite the decades hidden behind his eyes.
The Serpent God’s blessings clearly extended beyond mere strength.
"Maximum effort."
Ethan didn’t waste time exchanging further words, commanding two additional figures to materialize beside him as he stepped back to create distance.
Ethan had faced too many close calls already to risk underestimating an opponent at this stage. From the very start of the confrontation, he’d already had Morgana summon the mind dragon into position, a decision made in the same breath as drawing his blade, leaving no room for hesitation.
For the first time since the battle began, genuine shock appeared on the old man’s face.
With visible dread creeping into his eyes, he watched as Ethan climbed atop a massive dragon in the middle of the bustling city street, the creature’s presence drawing immediate, panicked attention from every direction.
"You..."
The old man clearly hadn’t anticipated this development. When Yonai failed to report in the previous day, he’d suspected the worst but had still clung to a sliver of hope regardless, telling himself there could be some innocent explanation. Seeing Ethan now, standing alongside the daughter of the Dragon Mancer herself, completely shattered whatever hope had remained.
Even so, he gritted his teeth.
One dragon was manageable.
Two... perhaps still possible.
"Sic him!!"
Ethan barked the command sharply, pointing his blade directly at the old man as two rock drakes surged forward from both flanking sides simultaneously.
The old man burst forward with astonishing speed, his sword carving through one of the advancing rock drakes before another slammed into him from the side.
Forced onto the defensive, he exchanged several rapid blows before abruptly disengaging.
Rather than gamble his life against two dragons, he turned and fled through the city streets.
At this, Ethan could only scoff, glancing back toward Hela, who had already mounted a dragon of her own, the Dire Wolf’s severed head still clamped tightly within its jaws.
This marked the first time Ethan had actually witnessed Hela’s third summon in action, and honestly, the sight left him genuinely unsettled, the raw scale of it far beyond what he’d assumed she carried in reserve.
"Let’s go."
After a brief pause, Ethan looked toward her and nodded, and the two of them rose slowly into the sky together, following the trail of rock drakes already giving chase after the fleeing old man below.
"That’s a dragon!!"
"What the hell? Is that even allowed?"
"Woah, what was that?!"
Wherever they passed overhead, people below pointed and shouted, dragon fire occasionally raining down from above as the two of them pursued the old man through the streets while he desperately tried to escape in whatever direction offered the slimmest chance of survival.
It was abundantly clear who held the upper hand in this pursuit, and it certainly wasn’t the tier 6 Shadow Elder running for his life below.
Somewhere else within the city, a man sprinted through the streets, struggling to catch his breath.
"Leader, your uncle is being chased by a bunch of dragons!!"
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter
