"Moon!’ He cursed when he felt his Aether core start to rebel. He had used everything in his core, and it couldn’t sustain any more.

If he forced it any longer, it would leave catastrophic effects. He didn’t want to be corrupted just because of it.

"Foooood!" The monster yelled in delight when the prey seemed to be getting closer.

Grasping himself, Poller focused on pushing his legs harder now that he couldn’t use his aether. He pulled out his sword cutting through the overarching branches as he ran.

Soon enough his efforts paid off. A flicker of light penetrated through the dense leaves. He didn’t hesitate, he pushed harder his legs aching with strain.

He burst through the leaves and onto a small open field. In the middle was a small campsite fire but there was no one in sight.

He went pale, everything just felt ridiculous. He had worked so hard to run to the light but it seemed it was an abandoned fire. The campers had probably heard the greedmires footsteps and ran, that was the only conclusion he could come up with.

He came to a stop, surprise and defeat in his body.

’What am I going to do?’

’Should I just explode my core before it eats me. I do not want to end up in a monster stomach’

He couldn’t believe that all that was for nothing. He had sworn to climb up the ranks through this competition, but it seems nothing much happened.

He was panicking in his mind, whether to run straight ahead or just fight to the death. The forest was too dark and he already knew he was definitely lost.

It was hard to decide for him...

"Ghaaaaaa!" The loud shout came from behind him as the greedmire broke through the trees, mouth dripping more saliva.

"Hey, behind you."

A voice came but he didn’t know exactly where it had come from. It seemed as though it was part of the forest.

Then a gust of powerful wind passed by him.

"Fooo..."

The greedmire was only an arm’s length away from him and didn’t even get to finish its words.

Poller only had to turn his head, to see the giant monster headless and its large shadow covering him. He moved a few steps forward and the body came crashing down.

Half of him was covered with its disgusting blood as it was spluttered everywhere but they didn’t even touch his saviour.

All the disgusting liquid circled him then fell off as though a barrier was surrounding him.

They both stood there in silence with Poller looking at the man while the man tilted his head slightly, a small smile on his lips.

"Greedmire, just as disgusting as I’ve read," he spoke almost to himself.

His gaze shifted to him, their eyes meeting and holding. The smile never left his lips. He tilted his head slightly, as though gauging him.

Poller felt fully exposed under those eyes as the man studied him, his eyes narrowing in the process.

"Should we leave here, more of them will be coming," he said.

"What..."

The man sighed.

"We should run, more of them will be coming. The blood, is like an aphrodisiac to the other greedmires," he said.

Poller got out of his stupor.

"Right... Thank you for saving my life your highness."

He bowed respectfully.

"We do not have time for formalities."

He hurriedly followed after him as they left the bloodied section far behind them.

The two walked in absolute silence as the bushes were pushed aside by the wind barrier around the man. Poller followed behind without speaking and just looking at Atheline’s head.

An hour passed with just Atheline walking aimlessly with Poller following behind him.

To the latter’s surprise, there seemed to be no monsters around them. When he had been hunting he didn’t get a respite even though he was on the outskirts but right now, it felt absolutely peaceful almost unreal.

Poller’s gaze moved around his senses trying to locate even an insect but nothing. They seemed to be all alone in the deep dark forest.

He glanced feverently at Atheline in confusion. As though feeling his stare, he glanced back brow raised.

"Is something the matter?" He calmly asked.

Atheline turned his gaze back to the front as he waited for his response. He hesitated, their difference in rank starting to catch up to him.

He wasn’t sure if it would be an offensive question.

"Pardon me, your highness but I seem to have noticed something odd," he quietly said.

His heart thundered heavily against his ribs, as he waited for permission to speak.

"What is it?"

"Why... ah... why did you do it?" He finally asked after his fear had subsided.

Atheline stopped walking and turned to him.

"What do you mean?"

"Earlier..."

"Killing the greedmire or saving your life?"

"Both."

Atheline was silent for a moment, as though in thought then his smile widened.

"Is it wrong for me to help someone who needs saving?" He asked.

This time it was Poller’s turn to pause his eyes widening.

"But you don’t even know me... It’s bizarre... a noble..." he tried to word his mind but it all seemed to come out all jumbled.

"So?"

His eyes widened as he met his eyes. He had never imagined someone of his status would ever help anyone below him. He had enough experience with nobles to know how selfish they were.

"Helping someone doesn’t require me knowing who they are."

After speaking Atheline turned his back to Poller and continued forward. It all felt unreal to him as though everything that was happening around him was a dream and he would wake up with the monster running after him.

’So this is how it feels to be strong’

If Poller was being honest, it was weird to see someone so carefree while in the Spitting Harrows. In the previous competitions, even the topmost participants had to keep their guard up while hunting through the forest.

’Just what part of the Spitting harrows are we?’

Everything around him looked the same and nothing made sense. He was only blindly following his highness.

Atheline extended his arm forward but Poller knocked it back.

"Don’t that flower might look beautiful but it becomes poisonous the moment you touch it," he said, almost shouting while pointing at the blue mixed with green flower.

Atheline smiled taking his hand back.

"See? Helping doesn’t require you to know everything about the person, " he calmly said but his tone carried a joking undertone.

After finishing, he continued forward leaving Poller feeling dumbfounded because he had just realised he had proved Atheline’s point.

He followed a fraction later after grounding himself, a frown marring his face.