Chapter 384 — Treasure III

Damian crouched in the shadows fifteen meters from the clearing’s edge, his Stealth skill active, his presence completely erased.

He’d arrived some time ago, moving through the forest like a ghost, watching as the elves fought, as the beasts died, as the treasure neared completion.

’A+ rank Major General... Twenty B+ rank elves... Dozens of A rank and B rank beasts... And somewhere in the distance, an S rank human general fighting an S rank beast.’

The assessment ran through his mind automatically.

His eyes tracked Kethran’s movements, watching as the elf Major General cut through beasts like they were nothing.

’That elf... he’s way stronger than the panther and bear I fought. They were both A rank, but this guy moves on a completely different level. Speed, strength, stamina... everything about him screams peak A+ rank.’

The realization settled like ice in his gut.

’Can’t fight them or beat them... I can only steal.’

His eyes were locked on the fruit.

The treasure that could elevate his talent.

The thing he needed.

The Stealth skill was A rank, taken from the panther, and it was powerful.

Anyone weaker than him couldn’t detect his presence. Those stronger would need exceptional Aura manipulation and sensitivity to notice the distortion he created in the ambient energy.

’Wait for the moment... Wait until they’re overwhelmed... Then take it and run.’

The fruit suddenly matured and the beasts surged forward with renewed frenzy, no longer cautious, just pure desperation to reach the treasure.

The elvish formation buckled under the assault.

Kethran, the Major General, moved through the chaos like a dancer, both swords killing with every strike.

But he was being pushed back, inch by inch, forced to give ground to protect the crying princess behind him.

His eyes scanned constantly, tracking threats and prioritizing targets.

Then they stopped.

Locked onto empty space fifteen meters to his left.

Where Damian was standing.

’Shit.’

Damian’s breath caught.

’He can sense me.’

Kethran’s eyes narrowed as his grip on his swords tightened.

But he couldn’t abandon his position and couldn’t leave the Princess exposed to danger.

So he just watched that spot, half his attention on the beasts, half on whatever was lurking in the shadows.

Damian saw the recognition in those eyes.

’He knows something’s there...’

His hand moved to his axe.

’Doesn’t matter... He’s being overwhelmed... Can’t chase me and protect them at the same time. I just need to wait for–’

A B+ rank bear broke through the front line, crushed an archer beneath its paw, and charged straight at the fruit.

Three elves tried to intercept, but they were too slow.

The bear was already at the crystalline formation, already reaching for the treasure.

Kethran blurred.

SLASH

The bear’s head separated from its body mid-reach, tumbling through the air, expression still fixed in hungry desperation.

Thud

But the gap it created remained.

Multiple A rank beasts surged through, both heading for the fruit from opposite angles.

Kethran couldn’t cover both.

’Now!’

Damian moved as he deactivated the stealth since the enemy was already paying attention to him.

Sonic Blink

He flickered across the fifteen meters in an instant, appeared directly beside the fruit, his hand already closing around it.

His fingers touched the smooth violet surface–

Kethran’s eyes widened.

"INTRUDER!"

–and Damian ripped the fruit free from its formation.

CRACK

The crystalline structure shattered as the concentrated Aura that had drawn every beast for kilometers was suddenly gone.

’They tried to kill Kuro.’

The thought flashed through Damian’s mind, cold and sharp.

His eyes flashed with killing intent behind the mask and fingers came together.

Snap

The Domain erupted outward, but not everywhere.

He compressed it and focused it, covering the B+ rank warriors, the A+ rank Major General and the sobbing Princess.

All of them.

The black void slammed into their minds simultaneously, showing them their failures, their guilt and their deepest fears made manifest.

The formation shattered instantly.

Elves dropped to their knees, weapons falling from nerveless fingers, their perfect discipline crumbling under the Domain’s weight.

Even Kethran staggered for a moment, both swords dipping, his face twisting as visions forced their way into his consciousness.

But the beasts felt nothing as the Domain wasn’t targeting them.

They just saw the elves, suddenly defenseless and vulnerable.

They attacked as one.

ROOOAAAAAR

Chaos erupted as claws tore through elvish silk uniforms and jaws closed around throats.

Blood sprayed across the clearing as B+ rank warriors who’d held perfect formations were torn apart by beasts they’d been dominating seconds ago.

Screams mixed with roars, the sound of battle becoming a massacre.

Snap

Damian released the Domain.

The elves could fight again, but the beasts were already among them, the formation destroyed and the advantage gone.

Damian didn’t wait to see more.

He turned and ran.

Aura Magnification: 2×

His Aura reserves flooded, multiplying his power two times over.

Sonic Blink

He poured everything into it, every bit of magnified Aura, pushing the skill beyond its normal limits.

His body flickered.

Once... Twice... Three times per second.

Each blink covering meters, eating distance faster than most awakeners could track.

The forest blurred around him, trees becoming streaks, the ground barely registering before he was past it.

Behind him, Kethran’s voice roared with rage.

"AFTER HIM! THAT THIEF STOLE THE PRINCESS’S TREASURE!"

But the elves were fighting for their lives, drowning in beasts, their formation shattered.

Kethran had to choose.

Chase the thief or save his soldiers.

"FALL BACK! REGROUP! FORGET THE TREASURE!"

His swords moved in desperate arcs, carving space, buying seconds for his warriors to retreat.

Serath’ana’s voice cut through the chaos, shrill with terror.

"THAT’S THE DEMON! THE ONE WHO KILLED THEM! THAT’S HIM!"

But Damian was already gone, already hundreds of meters away and accelerating, the fruit clutched in his hand, the forest swallowing him.

****

Damian ran for a long time at his maximum speed, Sonic Blink carrying him far away from the treasure site and the elves.

His Aura reserves were nearly empty, the two times magnification burning through power faster than he could sustain.

His body ached from the strain, muscles screaming, core feeling scraped hollow.

But he didn’t stop until he found a safe place.

He found a clearing soon.

It was small, maybe twenty meters across, surrounded by dense trees and completely empty.

There were no beasts, no signs of territorial markings, no blood and no bodies.

Just... nothing.

’Odd...’

The thought flickered through his exhausted mind.

’Every other part of this forest is a warzone right now... Why is this place empty?’

But his legs were giving out, his breathing ragged and his reserves almost gone.

He needed to rest and needed to consume the fruit before–

’The elves have a tracker for treasures... That’s how they found this one... They’ll track it to me eventually.’

His hand tightened around the violet fruit.

’I need to eat this now... Before they can follow it.’

Damian collapsed against a tree, sliding down until he sat on the ground, chest heaving.

The mask came off first, disappearing into his spatial ring.

Then the black clothes, replaced with his normal gear.

Within seconds, he looked like himself again, just another awakener surviving in a dangerous forest.

The fruit pulsed gently in his palm, warm to the touch, its surface smooth like glass but yielding slightly under pressure.

He didn’t hesitate as he brought it to his mouth and bit down.