Kael had always considered himself resourceful in wealth accumulation since arriving in this world. His first fortune came from brewing Manawell Potions, followed by acquiring a mine by curing Victor. With over 100,000 gold coins at his disposal, he'd felt prosperous—until now.
Yuri's spatial ring redefined opulence.
Piles of mana crystals and gemstones glittered inside, including several sixth-tier beast cores. A fist-sized sapphire ice crystal caught his eye—its dense water-element energy perfect for hydromancers or water-aligned warriors. "Amelia will appreciate this," Kael murmured, retrieving the gem with a smile. Her unwavering protection during his trance had saved his life; denying his gratitude was impossible.
Other treasures followed: fire agates, storm emeralds, earth garnets—all elemental catalysts for cultivation. Then, tucked in a corner, a discovery halted his breath:
A ninth-tier fire-attribute beast core.
Even dormant, its aura pulsed with refined flames. Ninth-tier beasts rivaled human intellect and surpassed them in raw power. Such cores sold for astronomical sums—if one could find them at all.
"With this," Kael grinned, "my Emberflame Staff gets an upgrade." His current wand lagged behind his growth; a core-forged replacement would amplify his casting speed exponentially.
Plunder truly was the fastest path to wealth. Yuri, son of Whitejade City's lord and heir to a mage lineage, had been swimming in riches.
Yet shadows lingered. Marcus and Sebastian's deaths settled old scores, but Yuri's aristocratic ties posed risks. Amelia's safety demanded discretion.
"We incinerated Yuri's corpse. If Amelia and I return directly to Flamecrest Academy—foremost of the four great academies—what can Whitejade City's lord do?" Kael calculated coldly. His status within the Sacred Parliament further insulated him.
Satisfied, he turned to Amelia.
Her wounds had stopped bleeding, but gashes still marred her skin. The memory of her resolute gaze during the fight tightened his chest. She truly risked everything.
"Reckless woman." Cradling her gently, he inspected her injuries without distraction. Rage flared anew at Yuri's trio. A sword had carved a deep slash across her abdomen—fatal without armor. Her back bore frostbite scars from ice magic. Dozens of lesser wounds completed the grim tapestry.
Amelia stirred faintly in unconsciousness, brows knitted in pain.
From his spatial ring, Kael retrieved a vial of Sacred Light Potion—rare healing draught brewed from precious materials. He'd crafted only one.
Tilting her head, he poured the golden liquid between her lips. Faint holy radiance enveloped her as gashes sealed. Color returned to her pallid cheeks.
"Effective." Relief washed over him. The potion jumpstarted her natural healing; her combat aura stirred. Fingers twitched. Eyes fluttered open.
"You're awake." Her first sight: Kael's smile.
"I…" She winced, pain spiking with speech.
"You're badly hurt. Don't speak."
Amelia scanned their surroundings, confusion creasing her brow. The battlefield lay eerily pristine—no corpses, no bloodstains. "Where… Yuri? Sebastian?"
Kael grinned. "They're dead. By my hand."
"You… won?" Amelia blinked, incredulous. Even enhanced by the Ice Essence's tempering, defeating three Sixth-tier foes defied reason.
"Would they spare us otherwise?" His反问 held dark amusement.
"But how—"
Answering her unspoken doubt, Kael flipped his palm upward. Cerulean flames erupted—a coldfire both mesmerizing and lethal.
"Arcane mutation…" Amelia breathed, recognizing the phenomenon. Such transformations occurred rarely, often amplifying magic unpredictably. Here, the result was clear: Kael's azure inferno radiated catastrophic potential.
"The Ice Essence's gift," he confirmed, withdrawing a fist-sized sapphire ice crystal from Yuri's hoard. "Your share of the spoils."
She accepted without ceremony—their bond now forged in blood required no pretense. The gem's value (easily 100,000 gold) paled beside its utility for her water-aligned cultivation.
"We must leave Mistveil Forest," Kael urged. "Daniel remains wildcard. His neutrality reeks of opportunism."
Amelia nodded, rising despite her injuries. No pampered noble, she masked pain with practiced ease.
Together, they vanished into the fog-shrouded woods, shadows swallowing the battlefield's secrets.