Chapter 70: The Core of Zariod

Chapter 70: Chapter 70: The Core of Zariod

The man descended.

He floated down from the sky. Slow. Deliberate. His black robes billowed around him. His hood shadowed his face. His purple eyes glowed.

He landed on the ground in front of Elara. His feet touched the stone softly. No sound. No impact. Just silence.

Elara stepped back. Her hands were raised. Her wind swirled around her. She was ready.

The man looked at her. His head tilted. His glowing eyes moved over her body. Her face. Her posture. Her aura.

"So..." he said. His voice was slow. Drawn out. "You... Are... The... Strongest..."

Elara frowned. "What?"

The man didn’t answer. He just stared at her. His eyes were cold. Empty.

Elara’s wind swirled faster. She didn’t like this. She didn’t like him. She didn’t like the way he looked at her.

"What do you want?" she demanded. "This place is only for guild members. Please leave."

The man tilted his head. He blinked. Slowly. Like he was processing her words.

"I... am... here... For... The... Core... of... Zariod," he said. "Give."

Elara’s eyes widened. Her face went pale. Then red. Then pale again.

"The Core of Zariod?" she repeated.

The man nodded. "Yes."

Elara’s hands clenched into fists. Her wind howled around her.

"Oh," she said. "Now I get it. You’re part of that crazy group. The ones who want to summon that demon. Zariod."

The man didn’t deny it. He just stared at her.

"You need fifty of the cores," Elara continued. "To complete the ritual. To bring him back."

The man nodded again. "You... seem... to... be... knowledgeable."

"I’ve heard the stories. Everyone has." Elara’s voice was cold. "The demon Zariod was sealed away a thousand years ago. His followers have been trying to free him ever since. They’ve never succeeded."

"We... will... succeed," the man said. "Your... guild... has... one... of... the... cores."

Elara’s jaw tightened. "And if I refuse?"

The man’s eyes glowed brighter. "Then... I... will... kill... everyone... in... that... city."

Elara’s wind exploded outward. It tore through the ground. It cracked the stone. It sent debris flying.

"You won’t touch them," she said.

The man didn’t flinch. He just watched her.

"Oh?" he said. "So... you... will... fight... me?"

Elara stepped forward. Her aura blazed. Her wind howled.

"Sorry for you," she said. "But you aren’t getting anything until you pass through me."

She unleashed her talent.

Wind swirled around her body. Green energy mixed with blue mana. She entered stage two. Her wind sharpened. Her control tightened.

Then she entered stage three. Her body became lighter. Faster. Stronger. The wind carried her. Protected her.

The man watched. His head tilted. His glowing eyes tracked her every movement.

When she was done, he spoke.

"Copy and enhance," he said.

Elara’s eyes widened. "What?"

The man’s aura exploded.

Wind swirled around him. Green energy mixed with purple. His robes billowed. His hood flew back.

His face was revealed. Pale. Gaunt. His eyes glowed purple. His lips curled into a smile.

"Your talent," he said. "Wind. Like your brother. I have copied it."

Elara stared at him. "You can copy talents?"

The man nodded. "Yes. And enhance them."

His wind grew stronger. Faster. More powerful. It surrounded him like a tornado. It cracked the ground. It shattered the walls.

Elara’s face went pale.

"This is bad," she whispered.

---

Meanwhile, in the city.

Daniel stood over the last attacker.

The man was unconscious. His sword was broken. His body was bruised. He wasn’t getting up.

Daniel looked around. The plaza was littered with bodies. Attackers. All defeated. All unconscious.

Lyra was breathing hard. Her guns were smoking. Her hands were shaking.

Fluffy appeared beside her. She was covered in dust. Her ears were flat. Her tail was still.

"We did it," Lyra said.

Daniel nodded. "We did."

The crowd was still huddled behind them. They were scared. But they were alive. They were safe.

Daniel turned to them. "It’s okay," he said. "You’re safe now."

The people looked at him. At his tired face. At his bloody knuckles. At his determined eyes.

Some of them smiled. Some of them cried. Some of them just stared.

Then a figure appeared.

He walked toward them. Slowly. Casually. His hands were in his pockets. His posture was relaxed. He was smiling.

He was young. Maybe twenty. Handsome. Dark hair. Blue eyes. He wore fine clothes. A noble’s clothes. A sword hung at his hip.

He stopped in front of the bodies. He looked at them. At their broken forms. At their unconscious faces.

Then he sat down on a nearby bench. He crossed his legs. He looked at Daniel.

"Useless henchmen," he said.

Daniel frowned. "What?"

The man gestured at the bodies. "These idiots. We haven’t been given the orders to attack yet. And they all went and died. They deserved their fate."

Daniel stared at him. At his calm smile. At his relaxed posture.

"Who are you?" Daniel asked.

The man tilted his head. "Me? I’m nobody. Just a servant. Like the one who took your muscular friend."

Daniel’s eyes narrowed. "You’re with them."

"I am."

"You’re attacking the city."

"We are."

"Why?"

The man smiled. "That’s a secret."

Daniel stepped forward. His fists clenched. His mana swirled.

"You’re going to tell me," he said.

The man laughed. A light, amused laugh.

"Am I?" He stood up. He dusted off his clothes. "I don’t think so."

He drew his sword. It gleamed in the fading light.

"But I’ll tell you this," he said. "My master has a plan. A great plan. And you... you’re in the way."

He raised his sword. His aura exploded.

Daniel switched classes.

[Class Change: Harem Overlord]

He charged.

---

Meanwhile, in the forest.

Brutus stood over the muscular elf.

The elf was hanging upside down from a tree. A rope was tied around his ankles. His face was bruised. His body was broken. His muscles were deflated.

Brutus was using him as a punching bag.

Each punch sent the elf swinging. Each punch made him groan. Each punch made Brutus smile.

"You know," Brutus said, "I’ve been thinking."

The elf didn’t answer. He was too busy groaning.

"You attacked our guild. You tried to hurt our people. You challenged me." Brutus punched him again. "But you won’t tell me why."

The elf groaned. "I... I already told you..."

"You told me you wanted to prove you were the strongest. But that’s not the whole story. Is it?"

The elf was silent.

Brutus punched him again. Harder this time.

"Is it?"

The elf coughed. Blood dripped from his mouth. "Fine... fine... I’ll tell you..."

Brutus stopped. He crossed his arms. He waited.

"We’re... we’re part of a group..." the elf wheezed. "We follow... the Demon Lord... Zariod..."

Brutus’s eyes narrowed. "Zariod?"

"He was sealed away... a thousand years ago... We’re trying to free him..."

"How?"

"We need... the cores... fifty of them... The guild has one..."

Brutus’s face went cold. His muscles tensed.

"You’re attacking the guild for a core?"

"Yes..."

Brutus stared at him. Then he smiled. A cold, dangerous smile.

"You should have stayed home," he said.

He punched the elf again. The elf swung. He groaned. He didn’t get up.

Brutus turned. He looked toward the city. Toward the guild. Toward his home.

"I need to get back," he said.

He flexed. His muscles bulged. His veins popped.

"Me and the boys have work to do."