<Shadow Art Series>

BASH! Killian glared at her as he ordered.

"All at once."

The tendrils around him stretched to even thicker lengths, looming over his frame easily.

They broke through tree branches as they ate up space, digging into the earth as they rose.

<Shadow Barrage>

[Shadow Art Series. Initiated and Active.]

Inside him, Killian felt the Void stir and his HEART beat twice. ’I have to use it’.

Corrupted Fire. That was the only element that could rival the Holy Fire her weapon was made of.

Flames coursed through his arms, darker around the edges and seemed to take more than just mana from his body. The flames engulfed the tendrils just before her strike landed.

The impact of the strike caused her to fall back. Killian’s flames rushed back to him, but vanished into the shadows that spun around him once.

’Even my own flames got devoured?’

<Void Shield>

[Shadow Art Series. Initiated and Active.]

The Knight’s sword cut through the tendrils, yet they reconnected, moving even faster and blocking her path.

"Don’t you dare underestimate me!" Her sword even grew longer, curving through the descending tendrils to find Killian.

"Or what?"

Killian’s form sank into the shadows under his legs, missing the sword’s tip narrowly.

<Void Path>

[Shadow Art Series. Initiated and Active.]

He emerged behind her, and poked the Void-Bat on her neck. "Move and I’d dig it deeper."

Her breathing hitched. "How did you—"

Her sword slowly retracted, and she lowered it. "D-Don’t kill me."

Killian sighed, at his own tiredness and at her tone switch. On closer inspection, it was only her presence that was intimidating. Her skills were better than his, but she had poorer control.

Her swings were wide, and she acted on the spur of her emotions. She really did fight like a monster with no training would, even if she looked very human.

"Where exactly did the girl go missing?"

"I-I don’t know."

A tendril crawled up her body, and wrapped itself around her neck before she could process its movement. She gagged, quickly reaching to pull it.

"I really don’t know! I would just get her back anyway so why—"

"Try to remember." Killian forced more mana into the single tendril. The grip tightened as it thickened, choking her, and forming black lines around her neck.

"A-Ahead... I lost her ahead... a burnt down tree... will show..." She strained to pull it off her.

<Umbral Override>

Her eyes widened when she felt mana seep into her skin as she got marked.

Killian turned away, he returned the Corrupted Flames to himself and the looming tendrils descended obediently to his feet. The Void Shield was still active.

"I believe I am done with you." He started walking away.

Using the shadows around the trees, he merged in, transporting himself with Shadow Path. He re-emerged at the exact spot he had stared at before sinking himself. It was under another shadow of a tree.

His mind went to the skill the Void had told him could retrace his step. Shadow Path seemed just like it.

Thirteen minutes later, at the forest’s edge, Killian looked around again at his new surroundings for a fallen tree. He still kept a quick pace just in case something swung at him.

He knew once he covered a considerable distance, the tendril choking her would loosen and she could charge again.

’I don’t even understand why the goddess would make a knight out of a monster.’

"She probably gave up on humans."

Killian raised a brow at that. From his knowledge, there weren’t any humans who became knights either. S-Rank was the most prestigious level humans could ever reach.

’I know you have many secrets and I have many questions. But don’t speak as if I already know it, that’s just too vague.’

The Void sighed. Killian also noticed that he was no longer alone. He stopped, and cranked his neck upwards. A small smile came to his face.

"George."

In any other circumstances, George would be the last person I wanted to meet. But in a realm where every person he met wanted his life, meeting someone who might not want his life felt very relieving.

He still unconsciously stepped back when George descended. The elevated ground lowered to the earth, melting as it merged with the surface.

George’s eyes swept over Killian’s frame, before he shook his head. "Which Warden did you drag in here with you?"

"They will be fine. I have news that my sister escaped, so have you found her already?" Killian went straight to the point.

George didn’t reply. He took out his tablet from his inventory, and showed the screen to Killian.

"Her signal went off within an empty land. There was an odd temple some distance away but I couldn’t be sure she’s there."

"Did you check?" Killian folded his arms.

George looked away. "No."

Killian frowned. How efficient of him to see a building within the last place a signal went off, and gleefully go ahead. "I see. Well, it was a dead end. You’re welcome."

"You have been around." George looked him over again. "Have you taken your vial already, or were you saving it for your sister?"

Killian walked ahead, regretting that he thought of the A-Rank Warden’s presence as relieving.

He reminded himself again that the only one truly interested in finding Quara was himself. There had been no official search party either.

B-Ranks were high ranks, but still at the bottom within the high ranks so they could also face overlooking and negligence.

George walked behind him, looking from his tablet to their surroundings. "What are we looking for?"

’We?’ Killian rolled his eyes. "She was last seen around a burnt tree. It was likely a signal for whoever came for her."

George only hummed, punching his coordinates on his tablet. He pulled Killian back and showed him his screen again.

Killian’s slight frown, from being pulled, faded to concern when he saw the large burning tree in the middle of an unfamiliar place.

Smoke rose to the sky, and grey clouds had formed above them.

"I believe your sister has found her consciousness. If she had her badge, she would’ve called for help."

Killian touched the badge in his right pocket. A satisfied smirk crossed his face. "She has surrounded herself with flames so she’s safe there."

"Or, she’s battling with someone. Do you think she will risk suffocation to send a signal?" George returned his tablet to his inventory. The ground they stood on grumbled before lifting.

"Let’s go and get her. Or save her." George shrugged, pulling Killian into the rock that stayed afloat.

"If she hasn’t suffocated under her own flames, that is."