Elven nuisance

The next morning, Seth opened up the shop and dungeon and waited for customers in silence, cultivating while remaining seated.

But once it hit noon, he stood up and walked outside, having gotten suspicious and impatient. Upon having done so, he noticed a semi-transparent barrier, and a smug elf covered in bandages. "How does it feel to be stuck in a cage?"

Without responding, Seth poked it with finger to find out it was hard as stone, only for the elf to return a mocking smirk without words.

Seth then grabbed his sword and poked the barrier with it to discover that it pierced through with extreme ease, leaving a slice in it that wouldn't regenerate thanks to crystal swing, which left emeralds in the barrier.

He then glanced at the elf with the same ominous smile as yesterday prior to slicing a square big enough for him to fit through before running right at the elf.

[Partial transformation activated. All stats increase by 75.]

[Hydra fear (Basic) lv.1 automatically activated.]

"Ah! Shit! Guards!" The elf yelled out as two muscular elves with spears interrupted his punch that was aiming for the elf's head, causing them to slide on the ground while a blast of dark mana headed for the short elf, striking him and sending him flying into a tree.

"You wanna pass out or pass on?" He asked him as claws popped appeared from his fingers as he moved fast enough to leave an afterimage before striking the elf, only to be interrupted by a barrier, and a projection from a necklace the elf wore.

"Please wait, sir." An older elf's image showed up as he bowed in front of Seth in apology. "I apologize for my son's antics. Can you please let him go?" He politely asked.

"Hold on one second." He said as he looked at the sky. "Should I kill him?" He asked.

[The insect of storms tells you to take him hostage.]

[The ogre with a bag tells you elf meat is juicy and tender.]

[The lake enchantress tells you elves fetch a high price.]

"Your boy here has cost me a lot of money. And his life is in my hands." He said as he threatened the elf with his sword. "I expect proper payment for all of that. As well as the removal of that barrier." He spoke while rubbing his thumb, middle and ring finger.

"Of course, sir. Please step through this portal." The man spoke as a portal appeared next to him.

"I wasn't born last night, old man." He said as he put the sword's blade on the elf's neck. "You think I don't know how you can ambush me the moment I step through?" He spoke with a soured expression.

"Hate smart bastards." He mumbled in a voice no one other than himself could hear. "Please come in so we can negotiate a price."

Seth walked through the portal, dragging the elf by his collar through the halls of the elven castle towards the only entrance in sight as he kicked the giant door open with a midget in hand.

"Welcome to my castle, good sir." He said as he looked at him. "Please have a seat while we discuss the terms over a cup of tea and sweets." He offered.

"Do you doubt my intelligence because I'm human?" He asked. "Or rather, that I look human?" He spoke with a glare. "Underestimate my intelligence one more fucking time and your boy's head flies off." He threatened while his blade remained near the elf's neck.

"How much do you want?" The older elf asked while narrowing his eyes.

"I'll pick what I want from the treasury." He said.

The elves were in shock as their eyes widened. 'How did he know?' They asked themselves, but the father realized that it was obvious. No regular elf lived in a giant castle that led into a spacious room with huge doors. "Please follow me." He requested.

He obliged while dragging the elf with him, silently activating his armor's second ability, entomancy so the insects that were here would look for any cracks in the treasury.

Seth watched as they scurried around, before spotting one disappearing into a wall, which he followed it into, to the absolute shock of the two elves.

Beyond the illusory wall were seven items which Seth attempted to inspect, only to be denied as he was forced to simply look at the items, which were a spear, a staff, a blue flame, an egg, a cross, a shield, and a large container of blood.

Seth then picked up the egg surrounded by a barrier, as well as the blood container he felt compelled to pick up, before walking back out and grabbing a sinister book sitting in a corner of the treasury before dragging the elf through the halls, throwing him away prior to walking back through the portal.

"I swear I'll repay-" The elf spoke before a slap landed on his face, turning to look at his father who was quiet as an ant a mere moment ago in surprise.

"You stupid bastard!" He said as he grabbed him by his clothes. "Instead of sitting your ass down and being a good prince, you went and provoked something that could flatten our whole world if it pleased!" He berated. "Get the fuck out of my sight." He said as he let go of him. "Escort him out." He ordered the two guards.

He watched as his son was taken out. "Imperial Hydra... So those still exist." He said while sighing and sitting down in his seat, looking at one of the images in the room. "That means that the dragons and their riders are finally gonna be thrown off." He spoke before closing his eyes.

Meanwhile, Seth was walking up to the barrier before placing his hand on it and activating his cultivation, finding it to be far faster and denser than the way he normally did it as he felt his cultivation rapidly rise, while the barrier slowly thinned, before cracking and shattering like it was glass right before he felt like he neared his breaking through.

He then walked back into his restaurant, where he found the skeletons and other minions serving a few customers to his confusion. 'When did they leave the demonica?' But he quickly shrugged it off since they did well and the customers looked satisfied, he went down to the pub to work there where he only occasionally had customers.

But nothing else happened for the rest of that day, causing Seth to close early and head to bed.