Chapter 57: Trap

Seeing Zaos' unrestrained attitude, Venom Panther was a bit suspicious but brushed it off after recalling his initial assessment of Zaos' character. In his opinion, although Zaos was powerful, he was overconfident in his abilities and neglected his enemies because of his quick rise to power.

He is still a youth after all… Venom Panther thought to himself as a small smile crept onto his face.

Settling into his seat, he began engaging Zaos in a conversation.

Zaos happily obliged, eagerly awaiting the moment of the destined showdown.

A few minutes into the conversation, Zaos began to feel weakness spread throughout his body. His thoughts slowed and his actions mirrored that state.

[It was… drugged… after all…] Acting swiftly, he conjured an elemental weave to negate the effects of the poison.

In under a few seconds, the sudden fatigue vanished, yet Zaos continued to act like he was still under its influence. His responses to Venom Panther's questions took longer and his actions were stiffer.

Seeing this, a smile formed on the latter's face as he spoke in a mocking tone.

"Leader, are you feeling alright?" Venom Panther asked.

"I am just… a bit… tired," Zaos fulfilled his role impeccably.

Venom Panther's smile grew, and the mocking look in his eyes intensified as he spoke once more.

"I must say, you are very reckless. You came into my home and drank what I offered even when you knew my specialty. Although my poisons can't kill high elves, it's enough to restrain them significantly," He stood up, giving Zaos a triumphant look as he spoke.

Zaos displayed a look of horror as he listened to Venom Panther's rants.

"You… dare!" He spoke with visible rage.

Venom Panther scoffed a reply, "Why wouldn't I? You might be strong but you aren't worthy of being a leader," He retrieved a dagger from his pocket as he dashed toward Zaos.

"Your biggest mistake was underestimating your opponent. Regret your decision in death!" He thrust his blade at the supposedly horrified Zaos.

At the last second, Zaos skillfully evaded the blade before rolling to the open window in the room.

"It seems your physique is much stronger than I anticipated…" Venom Panther watched Zaos leap out of the building.

"Yet… it won't save you today. Your death is certain." Venom Panther's words drifted into Zaos' ears as he rapidly descended.

Surveying the area around the mansion, Zaos wasn't surprised to see a group of elves surrounding the mansion in a tight formation. He had sensed their presence earlier after all.

[Hahaha! That's it! This won't be fun otherwise!] He smiled wildly as he prepared himself for impact.

The elves beneath were startled to see someone falling towards them, yet when they recognized the individual, excitement filled their faces.

"That's Zaos, He is trying to flee! Quickly attack!" Ash Raven, who was among the group, quickly issued an order.

Without question, those with long-ranged abilities and weapons swiftly attacked the descending figure.

Zaos snorted as he watched the projectiles rapidly move toward him. Just when he was about to collide with them, his figure suddenly vanished, leaving the onlookers below and Venom Panther above speechless.

*Boom!* *Boom!*

The collision between the attacks and the brick walls of the mansion shook the onlookers out of their daze.

"Where is he?!" A wind elf welding a bow screamed.

"Could it have been an illusion?" A dark elf questioned with uncertainty.

"That's impossible! We clearly saw him smash through the window, an illusionary technique could never achieve that!" Another dark elf retorted.

"Then how do you explain him disappearing in mid-air?!" A fire elf from the group screamed.

"Be alert! He might still be nearby!" Ash Raven ordered in a deep voice.

Immediately his statement ended, and a piercing scream drew the attention of the shaken group. They all looked in the direction of the scream only to be horrified by what they saw.

Stood behind Venom Panther was Zaos who had driven a dark-colored dagger into the former's back. Venom Panther had a look of disbelief as he collapsed lifeless.

Zaos shifted his gaze from the corpse and onto the group of elves that were too stunned to react. He smiled and then disappeared right before their eyes once more.

Ash Raven suddenly felt the grip of death approaching him in that instant. He hurriedly erected a flame wall around himself, disregarding his companions close by.

The teleporting Zaos appeared right in the middle of the flames, however, he managed to quickly conjure a shield around himself, successfully minimizing the amount of damage he received.

He rushed forward through the flames, aiming at his slowly retreating target.

All this happened within a few seconds causing the slower elves around Ash Raven to be engulfed in his flames.

"Arghhhh!" The unlucky fellows' screams of pain flooded Zaos' ears as he traversed through the mighty flames unharmed, except for the burns he sustained at the beginning. After his evolution, attacks from high elves could now be completely blocked by his shield!

Panic filled Ash Raven's face as he watched his opponent rapidly inch towards him. He quickly shouted to the rest of the group spared by his flames as he conquered a few fireballs and hurled them toward Zaos.

"Attack him!" He ordered in a voice laced with desperation.

Most of the elves were too stunned to understand what was transpiring, others were too scared to aid him and chose to retreat. Only a few managed to stand their ground and attack Zaos' figure which was rapidly closing in on Ash Raven.

A volley of attacks transversed through the flame wall and connected with Zaos, yet they didn't manage to penetrate his shield.

*Boom!*

The multitude of attacks failed to harm Zaos and instead created a dust cloud blocking the sights of the elves further away from the battle.

"Did we win?" A wind elf asked in lingering fear, he lowered his bow, looking at the cloud of smoke with hope.

"There is no way he survived that!" An earth elf who had been too stunned earlier managed to speak.

"But sir Ash Raven…"

"Hmph! Who cares about that greedy bastard? He is the one who erected a firewall and killed most of us! Besides, a sacrifice to take down that monster was necessary!" The earth elf Ash Raven had berated a few days earlier scoffed. Yet his bold words could not mask the relief on his face as he looked at the dust cloud.

His words had just concluded when a set of footsteps drew the attention of the group. The group of elves on the battlefield froze in horror as a figure emerged from the cloud of dust created by their attacks.

The figure's upper garments were scorched, and his trousers barely held together, however, he was completely unharmed. With the head of an elf with fierce red hair in one hand, and a dagger in the other, the figure, Zaos, scanned the stunned and terrified expression of the group.

He smiled and said in a chilling tone, "Don't just stand there, let's continue…"