The dark elves halted when they saw their leaders killed, something that many of them had never experienced in their lifetime. It was a horrific sight to behold, and it caused their bodies to tremble. A few started retreating, and then more followed. Not long after, they all started running away in a panic.

Aren chose not to chase after them. He watched with an empty gaze in his eyes. He could care less about them wanting to run away. All they wanted was to ensure that the elves did not stay. A fight with difficult-to-kill enemies would always be an issue.

Fang stood beside Aren. He stretched his hand out and patted Fang on the head. "You did well," he said, and then turned to the others. They stood waiting for Aren. He looked at them as they showed emotions of relief, and somehow that made him feel off.

’What’s this feeling? It’s like them having relief for one success is pissing me off.’

He grabbed the side of his head as though he was having a headache. ’Tch, I can’t even celebrate the small successes anymore.’ He looked up at Lucy. Since his mind could not yet rest, he wanted to move ahead.

"Lucy, do you still have a track on the demon?" he asked.

She shook her head slowly. "No, I lost it during the fight. Right now, that demon is headed for the gates, and we do not know where it is," she explained.

"Tch." Aren clicked his lips and then turned around. He looked in the direction that the dark elves went.

"We are following them," Ken said. He turned and looked at them. "We have to follow the elves. They must know where the gate is."

"You want to go after an army of elves that you just managed to drive away?" Aiden asked.

"There is no choice. The demon has left already," Aren continued.

"I want to find their home as well," Zero said eagerly, a creepy smile on her face. "I want to understand how their body functions. They seem like very interesting subjects for my experiments," she explained.

"Athena, are you okay with this?" Aren asked Athena.

"Yes, I am," she replied with a soft smile.

"Hey, you didn’t ask me," Aiden said while Aren was turning around.

"You are coming, right?" Aren looked over his shoulder and asked.

Aiden bit his lip for a second. "Fine, fine," he replied and rushed ahead to walk beside Aren.

They headed in the direction that the elves had come from. Their home was sure to be that way.

"Aren, what if they have more waiting for us?" Athena asked.

"That’s a possibility," Aren replied. He clenched his fist. "Sadly, we have to walk in blind in the hopes that we can take them."

"I see, then how about a plan in case of that?" Athena offered.

Zero looked at Athena and smiled. "Haha, you are more active than before."

Aren looked at her and smiled as well. She was indeed more outspoken now. It made sense. After all they had been through, her timid nature would be lucky to still be there anymore.

"What do you have in mind, Athena?" Aren asked.

"I can create a diversion if there are too many. My chaos has grown to the level that I could attack the earth below large areas. I could easily simulate an earthquake strong enough to crack the ground and trap people underneath.

At the time I am doing this, you can attack and take down the rest that are still standing. I know it sounds simple, and maybe it might not..."

"It will work," Aren cut her off. He turned his head and looked at her. "Stop selling yourself short. You have a great mind."

Athena’s eyes widened in shock, the kind you had when you heard something genuinely shocking and good.

She nodded. "I understand."

"Hey, where is my compliment?" Zero said. She rushed up beside Aren, leaned forward, and looked him in the mask.

"You don’t need one, Zero. You already know how smart you are," Aren said.

"Tch, doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear it from someone else," she complained and pouted.

"You are smart, Zero. Maybe too smart, and also impulsive. Those two characteristics should not mix," Aren said.

"Huh? How can you compliment and insult in one breath?" she said, punching Aren in the shoulder.

"But it’s true. You are impulsive. You and Aiden are alike in that regard, swing now, act later."

"Tch." Aiden clicked his tongue. "I’ll have you all know that I think properly before every attack," Aiden said.

"You do not."

"No you don’t."

"Nuh uh."

Athena, Aren, and Zero immediately shut that down.

"Your mind is inside your sword," Aren said.

"Arghh, y’all better stop messing with me. Tch, what is the point of overthinking it? My body already knows what to do when I move," Aiden tried to defend himself.

"In battle, adaptation is a way some people learn," Lucy, who had been following quietly, spoke. "Some people are built to learn on the spot. Their minds and bodies fuse into one and learn, adapt, and get better right there.

I’ve caught a glimpse of Aiden fighting. He might be one of them. If he is, then he can channel his energy more, and that could make him far better," she explained in detail.

"Haha, yeah, see? I’m from a special group of people," Aiden said in triumph.

"I should warn you, people that use this method have an extremely high chance of death. To grow more, they have to fight harder and harder, and with every battle, they draw closer to their deaths."

Lucy pointed ahead. "Seems there is a settlement ahead. We might have reached where the dark elves stay."

"Hmm, it’s best I scout it first," Aren said and then summoned a shadow wolf. The wolf dashed into the distance to see what was ahead and how they would deal with the situation.