The battle finally ca to an end after what felt like an eternity. Outside the Northern gate of Valthorn City, a grueso scene unfolded — a small sea of blood stretched across the flattened land, with mangled pieces of flesh drifting aimlessly atop the crimson water. Broken limbs, shattered bones, and the twisted remains of beasts floated like grim flotsam on a river of death.
A pungent, gut-wrenching stench hung thick in the air, an invisible cloud of decay so strong that it clawed at the throats of even seasoned soldiers. Many had to cover their faces with cloth as they scavenged the battlefield, picking through gore and shattered armor for anything of value. Their footsteps squelched against the muddy ground, every step a sticky reminder of the lives lost.
Thankfully, the wind favored the city; the breeze blew the revolting sll away from the gates. Had it been otherwise, even the simple act of breathing would have turned into a form of torture for the ordinary citizens of Valthorn.
anwhile, high atop the Northern wall.
Damien stood motionless, his gaze locked on the ruined battlefield beyond, though his eyes seed to be staring into a far-off void rather than at the carnage. His expression was dazed, empty, as if his mind drifted sowhere far beyond the bloody horizon.
Beside him, General Clayn surveyed the battlefield in grim silence. His rough, battle-worn face remained hard, but every ti his eyes flickered toward Damien, a flicker of sothing warr appeared — admiration. Sincere and profound.
Clayn understood better than most: it was Damien’s power, the crown prince’s devastating ability, that had brought swift victory against the monster tide. Without him, the Northern gate might have been overrun. The thought alone sent a cold shiver down his spine.
So distance away from the royal duo, Akira and Selene sat cross-legged atop the wall’s stone surface. Their breaths ca heavily, fogging the air as they ditated with closed eyes. Sweat matted their hair to their foreheads, and their clothes clung to their bodies, torn and stained with dust and blood. The previous battle had pushed them perilously close to their limits.
Even now, the spiritual energy around them pulsed faintly as they tried to recover what little mana remained.
---
A faint shimr of light danced in Damien’s mind as two notifications surfaced before him.
[Acceleration Talent Exp: 3,000 / 10,000]
[Epoch Breaker Exp: 3,500 / 10,000]
"Hmm... so large-scale battles can help my talents evolve faster," Damien muttered under his breath, voice barely audible against the wind.
The realization was electrifying.
The experience points for his talents, which had crawled forward at a snail’s pace during his solo hunts, had suddenly exploded after the large-scale clash. His heart stirred with dangerous thoughts.
"Three more battles like this..." Damien mused, his fingers curling slightly, "and they might reach the threshold of evolution."
A dangerous anticipation welled inside him. What new powers would the Epoch Breaker talent unlock upon evolving? What unseen heights could he touch?
Shaking his head with a scowl, he forced the temptation away. Useless to think about skills he couldn’t even activate yet. His mana reserves were woefully insufficient — that much he had concluded after painful trial and error.
Without enough mana, even the powerful skill Temporal Shot remained nothing but an unreachable promise.
A sudden, deliberate cough snapped Damien from his thoughts.
It was General Clayn, clearing his throat loudly enough to make sure he had the young prince’s full attention. Once Damien’s gaze shifted toward him, the old general tilted his chin toward the two recovering girls nearby.
After a few monts of ditation, so color had returned to Akira and Selene’s pale faces. They no longer looked half-dead, though exhaustion still clung to them like a second skin.
"Crown Prince, the Divine Researchers wish to speak with you..." Clayn said, his tone carefully neutral.
"Divine Researchers," Damien repeated under his breath, his sharp mind flipping through the information stored in his mory.
In this world, Divine Researchers occupied a place similar to Formation Masters and Alchemists — and yet even among them, they were considered elite. These were the minds that studied the mysteries of the heavens, created new ditation techniques, and even engineered False Paths for cultivation.
The royal family’s own Frost Lion and Armored Paths — both capable of raising warriors to the Silver Rank — had originated from the genius of Grade 2 Divine Researchers.
That fact alone gave the profession imnse prestige. Wherever they went, Divine Researchers were treated with deference, sotis even more so than nobility.
"They’re like... scientists," Damien concluded inwardly. Scientists, but ones wrapped in an aura of reverence.
The cheerful and fiery Akira, now standing a few paces away, wore a grateful smile on her face. Her deanor was like the warm crackle of a fire on a cold night.
Gathering herself, she stepped forward and spoke clearly, "Thank you for rescuing us, Crown Prince."
Damien simply nodded, his voice calm and even as he replied, "There’s no need to thank . As crown prince of the Valthorn Kingdom, it is my duty to ensure the safety of all citizens."
When he spoke, there was a subtle shift in the air. A magnetic pull surrounded Damien, as though his very words carried the weight of inevitability. Even the ever-alert Clayn nodded inwardly at the almost kingly charisma radiating from the young man.
Akira hesitated for a breath but steeled herself.
"Please forgive for being intrusive... but why did you co to such a dangerous place?"
Clayn, who had remained a silent observer until now, leaned forward slightly, his interest clear.
Akira seed to expect the question. Her expression remained unchanged as she answered without hesitation.
"We were en route to the second layer of the Ten Thousand Beast Forest when we encountered the monster wave."
For a mont, there was only the howling wind between them.
At the corner of his eye, Damien noticed General Clayn giving him a pointed, almost mischievous look.
"What is it, old man..." Damien thought irritably, before a sudden realization clicked into place.
Without missing a beat, he turned toward Akira and Selene, his tone as casual as if he were inviting old friends.
"You two must be tired from your journey. Why not join us for dinner at the Royal Castle tonight?"
Clayn grinned behind Damien’s back like a proud uncle, though he quickly masked his expression before anyone could notice.
Akira blinked, clearly not surprised by the invitation. If anything, she would have been more shocked had he not offered. Divine Researchers were accustod to royal treatnt wherever they went.
Still, Akira hesitated, instinctively glancing at the silent Selene.
The ice-cold beauty, who had barely spoken a word, gave a slow nod.
Akira almost dropped her jaw in shock.
"She agreed? She actually agreed?" Akira thought, her mind reeling.
Her gaze flickered between Selene and Damien, and understanding dawned like a hamr blow.
"Don’t tell ... she’s agreeing because of him?"
Before Akira could continue spiraling deeper into confusion, hurried footsteps echoed up the stone stairs behind them.
A disheveled figure appeared — a middle-aged man, his robes bloodied and torn, his face twisted with righteous fury.
"I finally found you—!" he bellowed, pointing an accusing finger at Akira and Selene. "You scamrs! How dare you leave without paying!"
The bitter taste of conflict, it seed, had not yet left the battlefield.
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