The yellow-robed mage—Pompey of the Thunderstorm Clan—suddenly erupted with fury. His domain flared, instantly twisting the magic elements within hundreds of meters into raging currents.
As an earth-attribute level-eight mage, his dense earth elements clamped down on Arjun's movements, making even the usually unflappable rogue grimace in discomfort. Caught off guard by the sudden assault, Arjun was immediately forced onto the defensive.
Kael was stunned for a split second—everything had happened too fast—but he quickly snapped into action. His domain shimmered as frostflames surged forth, streaking toward the yellow-robed mage like a comet.
"Damn it, you ambushing bastards!" Pompey nearly spat blood in outrage. He'd expected a lone impostor, not a coordinated attack from two level-eight experts!
Facing two opponents of equal rank, his first instinct was to flee—immediately. Against Arjun alone, he might've held his ground or even won, but with Kael joining the fray, survival became his only priority.
"Galeblade Storm!" Arjun roared.
Countless wind blades, far more lethal than those used against Draven, materialized like a hurricane of razors. The air itself howled as the storm of blades homed in on Pompey with murderous precision.
Within hundreds of meters, the wind turned icy and deafening, howling like vengeful spirits.
Despite his panic, Pompey was still a level-eight powerhouse. His staff struck the ground, triggering a seismic pulse. Earth elements erupted, forming a towering earthen barrier over ten meters high around him.
"Earth Bastion!"
Kael recognized this eighth-tier defensive spell. Arjun's wind blades carved deep gashes into the barrier but failed to shatter it entirely.
This guy's earth magic is refined to perfection—and his mana oscillation is at least tier four. Hard as a tortoise shell! Kael narrowed his eyes. Breaking through would be no easy feat.
Just as Pompey turned to bolt—
Kael struck.
A Cataclysmic Strike!
Frostflames gathered and pierced the sky as Kael's fifth-tier mana oscillationerupted. In an instant, the yellow-robed mage was engulfed in a torrent of searing flames. His screams echoed as his defensive shield finally shattered, and sheer terror sent him fleeing even faster.
Seizing the opportunity, Arjun unleashed a tornado—a swirling column of wind over five meters tall, hurling debris and dust toward the fleeing mage with devastating force.
The yellow-robed mage tried to cast another defensive spell, but Kael's frostflamesclung to him like a curse, relentless and all-consuming. The flames roared with the fury of a wild beast, their mana oscillation unyielding.
This time, the mage didn't even have a chance to scream. In the blink of an eye, Kael's magical fire reduced him to ashes, leaving no trace behind.
Arjun wiped the cold sweat from his brow, exhaling shakily. **"Damn it all, of all the rotten luck—running into an actual Thunderstorm Clan member! Could my luck get any worse?"** The Thunderstorm Clan was one of the continent's notable mage families—not top-tier, but still widely recognized.
That was precisely why Arjun had impersonated them. Who'd have thought he'd bump into the real deal?
He shot Kael a grateful grin. **"Brother Idris, thank the stars you jumped in when you did. Your strength is top-tier even among level eights—on par with mine! Truly, together, we're invincible!"**
Arjun had also revealed his true prowess in that critical moment—his mana oscillationwas at least fourth-tier, and he might still be holding back.
Just like Kael, who had yet to unleash his lightning magic. Unless absolutely necessary, he wouldn't expose his full power.
"That Thunderstorm bastard was strong. If we'd fought him one-on-one, he might've escaped. Good thing you were here!" Arjun rummaged through the spatial ring and let out an astonished whistle. **"Holy hell, we've hit the motherlode!"**
Kael's interest piqued, and he glanced over. The ring was brimming with arcane materials, but one item stood out above the rest.
"That's an Earth Dragon's Horn!" Arjun gasped.
Among all the treasures, the Earth Dragon's Horn was undoubtedly the most valuable. Earth Dragons were ninth-tier magical beasts, a subspecies of true dragons, and exceedingly rare on the continent. Obtaining their horns required nothing short of slaying one—a feat few could accomplish.
The Earth Dragon's Horn was likely worth at least several hundred thousand gold coins on the black market—but more importantly, it was pricelessly rare. With its exceptional magic conductivity, it was a top-tier material for crafting potions and magic equipment.
The fact that this Thunderstorm Clan member had such a treasure made Kael's eyes gleam. This time, we've truly struck gold.
Compared to the horn, the other items in the spatial ring paled in significance.
"This staff isn't bad either—it's embedded with a mana crystal**,"** Arjun remarked, picking up the yellow-robed mage's short staff. It was compact yet exquisitely crafted, its surface gleaming. Most notably, the staff's tip held a lustrous crystal the size of a fist—a rare mana crystal.
Mana crystals could replenish a caster's magic reserves, making them incredibly valuable. One this size was easily worth as much as the Earth Dragon's Horn.
Arjun stared at it, practically drooling.
"Brother, this staff would be incredibly useful for me. I've never had a decent one. Would you let me take it? Of course, the Earth Dragon's Horn** is yours."**
He spoke tentatively—after all, Kael had dealt the killing blow, so by rights, he had first claim to the spoils.
Arjun wasn't in an easy position. Despite his flashy demeanor, he wasn't particularly wealthy. Not every mage could loot an ancient ruin like Kael had. The gems and materials needed to reach level eight and beyond were staggeringly expensive.
Thus, Arjun had always lacked a proper staff—and this mana crystal-embedded staffwas a game-changer for him.
As for the Earth Dragon's Horn, while undeniably rare, it was merely raw material for potions or equipment—neither of which Arjun specialized in. To him, it was useless.
"Take it." Kael tossed the staff to Arjun without hesitation.
In stark contrast to Arjun, Kael prized the Earth Dragon's Horn far more. It was a versatile alchemical and forging ingredient, and he knew of at least several top-tier potions that required it. With this, he could craft truly exceptional items...
Arjun was overjoyed. He clutched the staff as if caressing a lover's skin, his obsessive fondness sending a chill down Kael's spine.
"Thank you, thank you! Finally, I can ditch this piece of junk!" Arjun tossed his old, mediocre staff into his spatial ring without a second thought, then grinned at Kael. **"You're a man of your word, brother! Since you've let me have this, the rest of that Thunderstorm bastard's loot is all yours—it'd be shameless of me to ask for more!"**
True to his promise, Arjun handed over the spatial ring without hesitation.
Kael accepted it without ceremony. Why refuse free spoils? Besides, many of the items inside could prove useful, and selling them off would surely fetch a hefty sum.
"To amass such wealth in such a short time… No wonder plunder is the fastest way to get rich!" Kael marveled at their staggering gains.
The two swiftly cleaned up the scene, ensuring no traces remained, then finally relaxed.
Just then, a clamor rose in the distance. Both Kael and Arjun perked up—a small crowd had gathered ahead, with more people rushing toward the commotion. Whatever lay there had to be extraordinary.
"Brother, look at that crowd! There might be some easy pickings up ahead—let's check it out!"