Chapter 6

Slitted red-eyes glared at a heavily bandaged and medicated small red-head at an infirmary bed. He was alive, but just barely.

Just who could do this to his rival? He will pay them back ten-fold!

He exited the hospital his rival was in and went to the training grounds. He wasn't like the Hound Of Culainn like his father, but he was pretty decent at detection — in fact it was his forte. It's probably why he was granted a Skill called "Puppy Of Chulainn" which the gods bestowed to mock him.

His father taught him to stand by his word and live an honourable life. His aunt taught him how to fight and behave pragmatically.

He wasn't acting pragmatically, he was behaving by his honour. Only he is allowed to defeat his rival! Not an assassin with no honour of all things!

He entered the crime-scene and ignored the people investigating.

He closed his eyes and sniffed. Whilst there was a multitude of scents, he heavily identified Elsword's blood but he also smelt something else.

Poison.

He clenched his fists and sniffed more. Middle-aged? No, it was an elderly person who had a stern body. The perpetrator was used to such activities. He smelt of old-blood, steel, poison and… incense? He continued sniffing and detected something vital.

Elsword had injured him but only marginally, a light scratch from a clash?

He opened his eyes and a scene played in front of his eyes. His Senses were projecting an illusion.

Elsword was overwhelmed by attacks in a manner that suggests he couldn't see and in a manner that suggested even if he tried it wouldn't be worth-while. Elsword relied on his other senses and still failed. A trained assassin? No, this guy was freestyle in the ways he fought.

In an area in which blood was heavily concentrated another illusion appeared. Elsword was under a barrage of attacks by an enemy that was skinning him alive with merciless cruelty and glee, he was then finished off with a purposeful strike to the chest in order to make him die from blood-loss.

Wait no, that last part was odd. Die from blood-loss? No, he wanted Elsword to survive… for a rematch? He knew that someone was coming in a moment and so decided to leave him alive.

He gathered enough information. He followed his nose and the illusion that showed him the pathway the killer took.

The killer climbed the training-ground's wall and jumped into an haystack with an odd-posture as if taking a leap of faith.

He walked amongst the crowd and calmly walked away into a nearby stall. He bought strawberries and ate them on his way to a… bar? He entered the bar and ordered whisky and drunk a lot of it whilst acting like a drunk and then poared it on himself in an attempt to lead his scent away, however his scent was now largely identifiable due to Connla's high-ranked DA Senses F.

Connla followed the blatant trail and he found himself to the slums or rather an alleyway apart of the slums. He noticed the corpse of a woman that had been artistically killed, he didn't have time for her — not now.

He sniffed some more and found himself outside a decrepit warehouse. His target was there.

All scents end there, there were even a large amount of scents that accumulated there including one that had been around Elsword.

Connla knew he couldn't do this alone and so he had to release a flare that Burkhart Ringstat told him to release when in danger.

He didn't have the flare on him, but Connla did occasionally flaunt his ability for runes towards Elsword.

"Sowilo." A rune that represented the sun was ejected into the air and became a flare.

There were no windows in the warehouse hence he unsheathed his obsidian spear and prepared himself to enter.

He concentrated his bloodlust into his spear and charged it which turned it golden.

His nose told him a pleasant but familiar scent was nearby. He couldn't identify who but he knew they were allies.

Connla placed his legs apart and shifted into a javelin-throwing stance.

He then threw the golden projectile as powerfully as he possibly could. "Go." He growled out as it pierced the entrance to the warehouse and caused a large explosion.

He heard a commotion in the warehouse as he entered.

He heard a clicking of the tongue. "You told me you weren't followed."

An elderly-man with a monocle who clearly had Elsword's scent all over him merely rubbed his moustache. "It seems I was mistaken."

"I can clearly see that!" The other guy who he didn't bother to remember exclaimed that.

"But it is curious how he was able to locate me. I took quite the number of precautions." The elderly man then shrugged as he unsheathed knives and promptly killed his associates with no hesitation. "The deal was supposed to be private, but since it's not then I guess I'll have to abide by the rules and end it."

…Now he kinds understood why Elsword was annoyed with how he killed that random guy in the tournament. Life is previous and the sheer disregard this guy had for it was absolutely disgusting.

Connla growled. "You're the bastard that nearly killed Elsword!"

The old-man hummed. "Good to see he is still alive."

"Elsword?" A small female voice asked to which the old-man looked down at the golden-eyes young girl.

She glared at the old-man.

"Ah Jackie, having such emotion is truly pleasant. In fact I'm quite pleased you are capable of it." He smiled gently as he then narrowed his eyes with serenely calm eyes. "But do not stare at me like that again."

The small girl flinched and nodded.

Meanwhile, Connla's bloodlust was stewing and his spear glowed the brightest glow he had in so long. It was even brighter than his match with Elsword in the tournament.

Connla darted towards the old-man and clashed with the assassin. Connla noticed that whilst he was completely out-matched stat wise — he was more skillful as he attacked in a rapid pace unlike he's ever been before. He momentarily noticed that his entire body was glowing golden — full of blood-lust.

"Oof." The old man grunted as he clashed quite the number of times against the young foe. Why was this boy so strong? Ah, runes. He was using body-enhancement runes and using wind runes to create momentary illusions to trick his senses.

Quite the strong boy he was. A shame that he feels no inclination to keep him alive.

Just before a knife made the boy headless, Jack was blasted by a bolt of concentrated fire which forced him to crash into some cargo.

"I don't think old people like us should be messing with kids, don't ya think?" A familiar stingy wizard in dark clothing asked as he walked up to the red-eyed boy and signalled him to get lost. He growled but did abide.

Jack picked himself up and swiftly swiped the dust away from his clothing. "Hm, but they won't learn if they don't obtain first-hand experience."

Burkhart shrugged "Then I guess I'll have to disagree." He then sighed "Y'know I was having such a great time, I was teaching a fellow Ergokinesis magic user from back home, but then I get news of my annoying disciple getting his ass kicked."

Burkhart glared at the passive monocle-wearing man. "Maybe I should repay you for that?"

Jack shrugged. "I'm afraid I'll have to pass." He then attempted to leave through making his own entrance however his elbow did no damage to the nearby wall. There was a barrier.

Burkhart glared at Jack. "I think you have something wrong here, I will repay you for that."

Jack sighed. "You mages are truly the most troublesome to deal with. Oh well, I'll have to deal with you then."

Burkhart shrugged. "Yeah, Yeah — let's do this already."

Jack appeared within his vicinity in an instant as Burkhart stepped backwards and manifested a sword made out of flames and deflected it and then promptly enhanced his sword with wind to expand his area of effect which promptly forced Jack to jump back.

They both stood opposite each other.

Jack calmly stared at Burkhart. "Hmm, I haven't seen Royal-Rook Swordsmanship in quite a long time. You seem to have an adept mastery of it too — your poise is both immaculate and dexterous."

Burkhart smiled. "Heh didn't think you noticed."

BOOOOOM

A rune that had been placed at Jack's feet exploded however Jack had already escaped from it and zoomed onto the other Level 3 Adventurer's back.

Burkhart clicked his tongue as an explosion from his back sent him flying forwards as he twisted in the air to destabilise himself to stand against Jack once more.

Jack held his knives and sighed.

They battled against each other again and again, neither willing to subsist against the other. Midway in the fight Burkhart started to utilise other elements such as water, earth and wind even then he still did not get an advantage as the assassin somehow knew when to move and evade with foresight rivalling the gods.

However there was something that the assassin didn't notice.

Burkhart began using water spells for the last few exchanges. Water spells that had dripped onto the floor.

BIRIRIRIRIRIRIRIRIRIRIRIRI

Electricity zoomed across the entire warehouse as the assassin grunted as he jumped up the wall and dug a knife into it to hold himself there.

The assassin clicked his tongue. His left leg was burnt and he had no doubt that only the greatest of healers would be able to take care of it.

Such a shame.

Burkhart smirked, however he saw something eerie. The assassin was looking calmly at him.

That was only when he noticed that his vision was becoming blurry, then he noticed it — he was poisoned.

How?

Then Burkhart noticed something. There was a light mist — almost unseeable — that was impeccably thin.

Burkhart laughed as he was forced onto his knees. "I see."

Jack hummed. "You weren't a bad opponent."

Burkhart however didn't take heed of his words as the wizard gripped his fist — or rather what was inside it.

The sound of something breaking resonated as his body was enveloped into light. Jack noticed this and chucked a knife at the wizard however he merely let it dig into his palm as he gripped the knife.

Then the spell-caster disappeared.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

—But not before the entire warehouse exploded into flames.

†

Elesis observed her surroundings as she walked the pavement of the Kingdom Of Altena.

She frowned.

The Kingdom had clearly been full of life. The technology was astounding, the nature was rejuvenated and could even be compared to the lesser parts of the Avalon and the people whilst aggressive a lot of the time were also quite cheerful.

However, now it is the opposite of that. Technological-advancements were dismantled and destroyed, nature was darkened with thinning life and the people's appearance were dreary and depressed.

Her light-footsteps were even able to crackle the brittle floors.

She led herself to the Castle Of Altena in which the gates were heavily guarded. They unsheathed their weapons at first sight of her however she showed no aggression.

"Halt! In the name of Hecate, state your business!" One of the guards asked.

Elesis' crimson eyes briefly analysed them. They had been attacked recently, they were frightened and they behaved as if this would be the last day they would live.

"I come from Rakia to deliver a message from his Imperial Highness! Ares has requested an alliance!" She exclaimed.

They all looked at her with relieved expressions.

The gates opened and a bodacious figure walked out.