CHAPTER 66: CHAPTER 66: KILL

Chapter 66 – KILL

Kaden’s voice was cold and merciless as Reditha glowed in his hand with a low, threatening blood-red hue. The kind of glow that promised pain and blood. That turned warnings into declarations.

The man in the black robe immediately raised both hands in surrender.

"Young Master... I have no intention to harm you," he said.

But strangely, his voice wasn’t nervous.

It was calm, steady almost unbothered.

"I’m a subordinate of Young Mistress Daela."

Kaden narrowed his eyes.

Then he noticed it—the edge of a uniform peeking beneath the robe. The Warborn insignia stitched into the inner cloth. A two crossed swords with pool of blood beneath them.

He slowly lowered Reditha and took a step back, though his gaze didn’t soften. He stayed on guard.

After all people could fake affiliations. With the right gear and the right words, anyone could pretend to be part of a particular group.

The man noticed it, but didn’t say anything.

"Why were you following me? And what does my sister want?" Kaden asked flatly, his tone sharp and direct.

The man removed his cloak, revealing a middle-aged face with green hair and soft black eyes. Calm, unreadable.

He took a respectful step back and bowed deeply.

"I am Boris, and I greet the youngest of the Warborns."

Still bowing, he continued, "Lady Daela sent me to give you information. Information regarding where to obtain an evolution stone."

Kaden raised an eyebrow.

’An evolution stone...? Really?’

His heartbeat kicked up slightly. This was exactly what he’d been searching for since arriving in Asterion. But on the surface—his expression didn’t move. It remained calm, flat and even uninterested.

"Where?" he asked.

"Inside a dungeon located within a dangerous zone. But that’s not truly your concern young master. We’ve already placed a teleportation rune at the entrance. We can teleport you directly there. And you will just then enter the dungeon."

Kaden tilted his head.

"And how do you know an evolution stone is actually there?"

"The Will itself told us. Dungeons in Fokay are governed by The Will. Before entering, it informs you of both the difficulty and potential rewards. That’s the difference between Fokay and Darklore."

’Interesting...’ Kaden thought, resting his chin on his hand for a moment.

"The difficulty?" he asked. "And what grade of evolution stone are we talking about?"

"Intermediate-level dungeon. And the reward is a rare-rank evolution stone."

Kaden’s eyes sharpened just slightly. That wasn’t normal. Intermediate dungeons didn’t usually drop rare evolution stones. Hell, even common ones were not easy to find them there.

"Do you have anything to prove your identity?" Kaden asked, Reditha still on his hand.

Boris smiled, ’a prudent Warborn? I think I have lived enough by now.’ He thought with a chuckle. Then he took out a small runic plate with his name engraved on it.

The runic plate has also the symbol of the Warborns.

Kaden recognized it as the identification tool all their soldiers had back in his home.

He then nodded. "Wait for me for a couple of days. I’ve got things to handle before I go."

He turned to leave—but then—

"Lady Daela also left you a message," Boris said behind him.

Kaden paused.

When he turned, Boris was staring straight at him. Calm black eyes. Deep. Old. Full of experience.

"She said... you better finish your evolution quest and come back fast. Otherwise..."

Boris smirked ever so slightly.

"...the next time you’re unconscious, it might last much longer."

And with that—

He vanished.

No flash. No sound.

Just gone, like he’d never existed.

Kaden stood there, lips twitching.

He sighed, but a small smile played on his face.

"My sister is so damn overbearing."

And yet... his smile lingered.

’I miss them. Those crazy guys. I hope they’re doing alright.’

His gaze hardened again.

’Finish the mission. Smack Kenan around. Then head for that dungeon.’

Simple plan.

Time to execute.

Kaden went to Tycoon’s Merchants.

...

Meanwhile, while Kaden was thinking about his family—

They were thinking about him, too.

Inside the Warborn residence, in a grand dining room soaked in luxury and silence, Sarena, Garros, and Daela sat at the long table eating their evening meal.

"I miss my son," Sarena said suddenly, her voice cutting through the quiet like a whisper made of steel.

Daela’s spoon paused subtly. Her expression didn’t change, but her body tensed. Just a little.

Garros glanced at his wife, eyebrows raised.

"How many times are you gonna say that?" he muttered, then turned to Daela with an exaggerated sigh.

"Daela, do you see this? Your mother never acted like this when I was out killing monsters, risking my life to protect this house. Not once. You think that’s fair?"

His large frame slouched as he pouted dramatically.

It was quite a disturbing sight honestly.

Daela lifted her head slowly, her gaze flat as a blade.

"...Yes. It’s fair," she replied.

Then she went back to eating.

Garros twitched, sighed, and returned to his food like a defeated soldier.

Sarena gave him a mocking smile, sipping her wine.

"I need Dain," Garros muttered, missing the only person in this house who ever took his side.

At the mention of Dain, the atmosphere shifted slightly.

"Do you know where he is?" Sarena asked, serious now.

"I don’t. You know Dain. He never tells us anything," Garros replied.

Sarena nodded slowly. "I know—"

KNOCK. KNOCK.

A loud, urgent and heavy knock echoed through the dinning room.

The door burst open a second later, and a guard stormed in, dropping to his knees instantly.

His entire body trembled. He knew this breach of etiquette could cost him his life. But he had no choice.

"Lord Patriarch. Lady Matriarch. Lady Daela. I beg forgiveness... but we’ve received critical information from our camp outside Waverith."

The Warborns’ expressions changed in unison. The room shifted.

All three red-eyed monsters turned to the kneeling man like a pack of beasts scenting blood.

And the guard almost choked from the pressure.

It felt like he was being stared down by three executioners.

But he didn’t back down. He gathered his breath and forced the words out.

"The camp... the camp we established outside Waverith for surveillance..."

He lowered his head even more, almost to the ground.

"...has been decimated, my lords. All of our people....were slaughtered."

Silence.

A cold and heavy silence.

No reaction.

Then—

Daela stood without a word.

She walked past the table, past her parents. Her expressionless gaze not even looking at them.

Garros and Sarena didn’t stop her.

They didn’t need to.

Because they both knew what that silence meant.

Daela was ready to slaughter.

And in her mind...

Only one word echoed.

’KILL.’

—End of Chapter 66—

A/N:

1000 power stones - 2 Chapters.

Dragon - 1 more Chapter.

300 Golden tickets - 3 more Chapters.

Magic castle - 5 Chapters.

Anything higher than magic castle...10 more Chapters.