After hearing the news from Ava, Edward saw a bright orange light flickering in the forest. It was a fire, a wild one that quickly surrounded their camp, causing panic and confusion among the camp's residents.
Then, in the midst of chaos and thick smoke, they heard a man's shout. Without thinking twice, Edward and Ava rushed toward the sound's source. They arrived at the scene to find Jacob and his men.
They all looked shaken, and tension was written all over their faces.
Edward immediately asked, "What's going on?"
"Our enemy arrived early," Jacob replied.
As soon as Edward got the answer, he looked in the direction where Jacob's eyes were focused. Widening his eyes, Edward saw Klaus emerging from the flames. There were no signs of burns on his body despite the raging fire. Klaus came dragging a man, and his hands were stained with blood.
Klaus then threw the man's body right in front of Edward and Jacob. Looking at it closely, Edward realized that the man was Daniel, one of his most trusted men.
"Daniel!" Ava exclaimed hysterically. She shook the man's body, calling out for him to wake up.
However, Daniel had already died.
Naturally, it enraged Edward. Clenching his fists, he glared at Klaus with a look of hatred, but Klaus simply grinned.
"Consider it payback for hurting my men," Klaus said. He raised his fingers and taunted Edward, "You all came to me."
Klaus openly challenged Edward and Jacob. However, they didn't respond but gritted their teeth.
Not long after, an old man and several others appeared on the scene. The man looked at Daniel, and his face darkened, indicating sorrow over the loss of his friend. But that sorrow quickly disappeared when he saw Klaus.
"Is he the guy who killed Daniel?" the old man asked.
Edward nodded in response.
As soon as the old man got the answer, a heat aura enveloped his body. It was as hot as the anger burning in his chest, and his hair floated like flames burning the forest right now.
"Let me kill him, boss," the old man said, angrily.
"Don't be reckless, Mason. I don't know how strong my cousin has become," Edward said.
Edward was angry, but his mind remained clear. He had heard rumors about Klaus hiding his power. However, he didn't know what his cousin's true strength was now. He heard that Klaus had a high affinity for the metal element, using metal spheres as weapons to defeat his opponents. But after seeing the burning forest, it became even harder for him to guess it.
"I'm not sure you can defeat him," Edward continued.
"Nonsense," Mason replied. "As long as he's a living being, he can be killed. Don't worry, boss. I won't lose."
It sounded arrogant, but Mason was deadly serious with his statement.
Mason Kalashnikov was an extraordinary man, known as one of the first-generation S-Class awakeners. He possessed a talent called [Zone], which allowed him to create a giant barrier. Anyone inside the barrier would become his puppet. Mason could control humans and objects trapped within his barrier, making him the absolute ruler in battle.
Thanks to his amazing power, Mason had conquered hundreds of dungeons and gained a reputation as one of the strongest awakeners ever. Nevertheless, he chose to work for Edward. Mason was a man with moral codes; once he respected someone, he would remain loyal to them. He had worked as Edward's driver before the first dungeon break.
Still, Edward felt that Mason was not a match for his cousin. He didn't want the old man to attack Klaus.
"Don't rush," Edward said. "We don't know—"
"Sorry, boss. I can't wait any longer."
Mason lost his patience. He didn't defy his boss's orders and darted toward Klaus without hesitation.
"Mason—!"
As Edward tried to stop his subordinate, Jacob held him back.
"Let him be," Jacob said. "You can't stop a man who has lost his comrades."
Clutching his fists, Edward understood what Jacob meant.
In truth, Jacob only wanted to use Mason as a guinea pig to gauge Klaus's true strength. After what Klaus had done to Vincent, Jacob had become even more cautious in facing his enemy.
"You'll pay for my death friend, you bastard!" Mason yelled.
Mason lunged towards Klaus confidently. Before he could reach his target, a metal sphere came hurtling towards him at great speed. Mason quickly created a giant cube-shaped barrier to block it.
Bam!
"What!"
The metal sphere pierced the barrier as if it were fragile glass, and Mason was not ready to dodge the attack.
Splat! Urgh!
Mason collapsed to the ground. Blood flowed from his mouth, and his eyes were open, staring at the dark sky. Mason breathed his last before he knew it.
"Mason!" Edward and Ava exclaimed simultaneously, watching their friend lose his life before their eyes.
Jacob dropped his jaw, shocked by Klaus's unexpected power. He now realized that Klaus was not an opponent to be underestimated, and their situation was becoming more complicated. Klaus looked at him with a cold expression and a small smile on his lips. This threat was clearly not something to be ignored. Jacob had to think quickly and find a way to deal with this formidable enemy if they wanted to survive.
"I told you, you have to come at me together if you want to defeat me," Klaus said arrogantly.
While Ava was still shaken by Mason's death, Edward seemed consumed by anger. His face darkened, and his fists clenched until it bled out.
Only Jacob seemed able to contain his emotions.
"So, this is the path you've chosen, Klaus?" he said.
"You're the one who chose it, not me," Klaus replied.
Jacob snorted. "Are you kidding me? You started it first by telling your subordinates to summon lightning and kill my men. You are the one who wanted it!"
Klaus chuckled. "You're twisting the facts. I know you intended to kill me and my men after getting what you wanted from the Elder Elf. You just wanted to use me to defeat the elf. But you're foolish if you think you can defeat me with Edward's help. I just took action earlier."
"Bullshit!" Jacob retorted. "I didn't even touch your stupid subordinates. They can all still breathe."
Klaus raised an eyebrow. "Then why did you threaten to kill them?"
Jacob fell silent instantly. Gritting his teeth, he couldn't give him an answer.
"Enough, Jacob," Edward said. "There's no point in talking to him anymore. Blood has been spilled. We have no choice but to fight."
Edward was deadly serious with his words. He was ready to engage in battle against his cousin. However, Jacob was not.
The battle with Sylvia had left him in less than optimal condition. He had taken a lot of damage from the white-haired woman, leaving his body weak and exhausted. He had consumed [Potion] and [Ether], but they weren't enough to fully restore him.
"Alright," Jacob replied. He had no other choice.
Klaus's power had proven to be a threat to them. Jacob immediately rallied his remaining seven men to face their formidable opponent.
"We'll fight with everything we've got! Use what you have!"
"Yeah!"
They formed a solid defensive formation, preparing to face their terrifying opponent.
Edward was the first to step forward. Drawing his sword, it gleamed as he attacked Klaus with determination.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Each sword stroke created a circle of light, forming mesmerizing attacks.
"I won't spare you, Klaus!"
Hearing the hate-filled shout, Klaus grinned. He leaped to avoid the incoming attacks as if they were nothing.
However, Edward was the opening attack. Ava, who had the power to control wood, manipulated the burning trees to attack their target. Fire raged around Klaus, attempting to hinder his movements, while roots entwined around him.
"Not bad," Klaus muttered.
Using a metal sphere, Klaus cut through any obstacles in his way.
Suddenly, Jacob appeared in front of Klaus.
"Don't let your guard down, I'm still here," Jacob taunted.
As Klaus tried to evade Edward and Ava's attacks, Jacob seized the opportunity to strike him. He moved like a shadow, creating illusions of swift movements that confused Klaus. At the same time, his men launched attacks at Klaus.
Boom! A burst of fire!
Crack! The ground split!
Thud! Lightning struck!
The battle raged with incredible intensity. Klaus showcased his skill in countering their attacks, but their combined strength continued to push him into a corner.
Edward appeared emotional and aggressive, having lost two friends, he was giving it his all. He created mesmerizing sword art with each strike, incorporating the element of light into it.
The battle reached its peak when Edward gathered an incredible amount of light energy and created a miniature sun in his hand.
"I'll end it all!" Edward shouted.
The miniature sun shone brightly, emitting intense heat. With all his might, Edward hurled the miniature sun at Klaus.
As the miniature sun struck Klaus, an explosion of heat and light engulfed the surroundings. Everything turned white as the light swallowed the night.
Edward, Jacob, and their men saw victory within their grasp. They thought Klaus had been defeated, and they could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
"Ha ha ha! We won!" Jacob shouted, laughing in euphoria.
"Daniel, Mason. You can rest in peace," Ava murmured, wiping the sweat from her brow.
While their friends celebrated their victory, Edward seemed unable to enjoy it. His instincts told him that this battle was not over. And he was right.
"What the...."
In the midst of the burning forest, Klaus emerged without a scratch. Grinning, he said arrogantly, "Is that all you got?"
Naturally, it stopped their celebration.
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