Rias’s words silenced the area, as everyone rembered Kael’s words about other forces sensing the opening of the Labyrinth.
Even Kael was surprised, but that was mostly because he didn’t expect them to act so quickly.
’Wait! It could just be a powerful beast,’ Kael thought and asked Rias, "Can you identify their race?"
"Human," Rias answered while staring at her left side.
Kael sighed but wasn’t that shocked, as he had already expected this situation. And the worst part was that they couldn’t even do anything to their enemy, as that would just attract even more people.
Kiona pursed her lips and asked, "Will he co here to check? I an, we have the Great Storm Tree."
"That’s even more reason to check here," Kael shook his head and said. "If there was a storm, then maybe we would be safe—but it’s different now."
"They probably have Artefacts that let them see through so secrets of the Astral World, and that includes the incoming of the Storm," Rias spoke. "I can also sense it, and currently, there is no storm."
"Then what do we do?" Kiona asked. "We can’t hide our progress, especially the canal one."
"If this becos a norm, our progress would beco stagnant," Kael said and turned toward Rias. "Do you have any recollection of doing cosplay?"
"Cosplay..." Rias quickly searched through her ani history and understood what Kael was asking. She replied, "I should have a few things."
"Great! Check if you have a wig," Kael shifted his gaze to Kiona and said, "I need you to tell everything important related to Elves, especially their appearance—quickly."
"Are we shifting the bla to Elves?" Kiona asked with uncertainty, clearly worried about her teacher.
"Kind of. They are equal to humans in strength, so they’ll be fine," Kael said. "I’ll explain the rest later on."
Kiona was clearly hesitant, but she didn’t take long to co to a decision and began to speak, "If you are going to impersonate the elves, I would suggest choosing Noble Elves, who usually have golden hair. They are also considerably taller than other elves, so your height will fit too. And I would suggest using winds while you do your thing, as most Noble Elves have affinity to either wood or wind..."
Kiona continued to explain while Rias took out a midnight bodysuit, elf ears, and a golden wig. She seed to have prepared for everything.
She did a head tilt and asked herself, "I was into cosplays?"
"You might be," Kael smiled and quickly changed into the new get-up, turning into a tall elf with golden hair, which he also covered lightly.
"The infiltrator is coming from that direction, and he is at C-Rank, but don’t underestimate him because he has a few powerful Artefacts with him. As for his class, I think it has sothing to do with communicating and using the shadows."
Once he was sure, he looked toward Rias, who was giving him the information about the infiltrator. He followed her gaze toward the west—the direction where the Human domain was located.
Kael nodded and said, "Wish luck!"
"Do you want my help?" Rias asked.
"Can you help without killing him?" Kael asked.
"I... don’t think so," Rias replied with uncertainty.
"Then, can you create a minor disturbance near the projection of the Great Storm Tree in the Astral World?" Kael asked.
"Isn’t that the opposite of what you want? It will draw attention," Rias frowned lightly, and even the others were confused by his words.
After all, the main reason they were trying so hard to divert attention was because they wanted to lay low while they were still weak.
"Just do as I say. I’ll explain everything later on," Kael smiled and then dashed toward the west.
’Alpha, it’s ti you help in battles.’
[Absolutely! What do I need to do?]
’I am focusing on the outside, so I need you to fluctuate my mana occasionally to make it seem like I’ve suffered an injury and have problems controlling my mana properly. I’ll do the opposite, so the struggle will seem real.’
[Understood!]
’Also, flood my body with my imnse mana for a second when the right mont cos.’
[Master, that’s dangerous. Also, when? How do I know it’s the right mont?]
’You will understand when it cos. Now focus on the task at hand.’
Kael moved between the trees stealthily and almost stumbled on a branch when he sensed his mana flow fluctuating. He gritted his teeth and stabilized it before moving once again.
This continued for a while as Kael made sure he was in the act, even when he was far away. He also kept his [Beast Sense] active so that he could sense the enemy once they entered his range.
After ranking up, his [Beast Sense] range had increased to 400 ters, which made him very happy. It had also evolved due to constant usage and could now give him much more accurate data, even if it involved powerful concealnt.
While enduring the imbalance caused by the mana fluctuations, Kael moved through the forest stealthily. But that was only on the surface, as even if soone tried to sense his movents, it would be nigh impossible for them to do so.
At least if they were close in rank with him.
But his opponent was different and had various thods to sense him—especially with his mana fluctuations—so he wasn’t worried.
The closer he got to the enemy, the more his heart pounded in his chest, as this was the first ti he was facing a true C-Rank—and a human at that.
Normally, he would have suppressed his nervousness, but this ti he let it be, as that would add to his act of desperation and fleeing after getting injured.
Just then, he detected a faint presence at the edge of his [Beast Sense], making his lips curl up.
He didn’t hesitate anymore and sped up even more. He wasn’t entirely confident in defeating a C-Rank, but it didn’t an he couldn’t run away from them.
With labored breaths that were very hard to hear, he ran, getting closer and closer to the human spy. Every second felt like an hour, making him even more nervous as his heart pounded in his chest and sweat covered his face.
Just then, he noticed the human spy hiding behind a tree. They were incredibly close, and the human had also sensed him.
’You’re in my trap now.’
However, he pretended he didn’t notice anything amiss and continued his act, with Alpha occasionally fluctuating his mana.
In the next second, Kael passed the location near which the human spy was hiding. It was extrely difficult to locate him because he was using so kind of concealnt to hide himself.
’Probably his class ability.’
Kael jumped onto the next branch and stopped. Instantly, his body and soul flared up in intense pain as the boundless mana from the Astral World seeped into his body through his soul.
Even though his soul was very powerful due to his Evolution, and even though his body was that of a dragon, they couldn’t handle the burden the imnse mana put them through.
He groaned, feeling as if soone was slicing his soul into countless pieces and grinding them together. It was such a hellish pain that, if Kael didn’t have the experience of those three years, he might have instantly blacked out and lost his sanity.
However, his experience allowed him to endure it—especially since it was only for a second.
[Master, are you alright? Did I delay the timing?]
Kael took a deep breath, trying to bring his soul and body back to normal and replied, ’I’m fine. The timing was also perfect.’
He had noticed the human spy standing up to follow him, but his sudden flare of mana stopped him in place. That single mont seed to have paralyzed him. If Kael really wanted to kill him, he could have done it very easily.
But he continued his act and kept running. This ti, he even used winds to increase his speed. It was to show that he truly was injured and in a desperate situation.
By the ti the human spy regained control, Kael had already disappeared into the distance. The spy looked down at his shaking legs and gulped.
’W-What kind of harrowing being was that?’
The spy was from the Lightwatchers, a legion under the Church of the Dawnfire Goddess. He had been trained since childhood and had experienced a lot of things—yet this was one of the few tis he truly felt afraid from the bottom of his soul.
’I need to inform others. Shit! If I had reacted quickly, we might have been able to kill him. He looked very injured.’
But he knew it was a foolish move, as that man could have easily detected the signal and finished him off before he could do anything.
That would only an the important intel would be lost.
He pondered for a second before deciding to move further south to report his findings to the higher-ups as quickly as possible. What he had discovered was of utmost importance, and he knew that.
In the south, they had a small camp where he could seek refuge and contact the headquarters. This level of information should be directly reported to the Cardinal.
’Now that I think about it, in his last monts he seed to have used winds to increase his pace. In that mont, his cap flipped for a second. The hair... the ears... is he an elf?’
The spy was shocked upon realizing it and felt a chill run down his spine.
’Is it finally happening?’
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