The One Who Came Looking For

Chapter 30 — The One Who Came Looking

The footsteps continued.

One.

Then another.

Slow and deliberate.

Aether stood before the Bloodline Shrine, his newly strengthened Origin Energy circulating calmly through his body.

Stage 3.

He could feel the difference.

His senses had sharpened, his foundation had become more stable, and the dense Origin Energy surrounding the shrine no longer felt as overwhelming as it had before.

But the approaching presence was still enough to keep him alert.

The Origin System remained open.

[Hostile Origin signature detected.]

[Distance: 2.9 kilometers.]

[Estimated cultivation: Unknown.]

[Immediate killing intent: None detected.]

[Hostility: Confirmed.]

Aether frowned.

Hostility without killing intent.

That meant the approaching person didn't necessarily intend to attack immediately.

But they weren't friendly either.

Aether preferred knowing which side someone stood on before making a decision.

He looked toward Lyra.

“Stay close to the pups.”

Lyra nodded.

“What about Nyx?”

Aether looked down.

Nyx was already standing beside him.

“She stays with me.”

Nyx's golden eyes gleamed.

Lyra sighed.

“Of course she does.”

The Crimson Fang Wolf suddenly growled.

Her body moved in front of the pups.

Aether immediately understood.

The approaching presence had entered her territory.

A few seconds later, the trees ahead began moving.

A figure stepped through the branches.

A young man.

He appeared to be in his early twenties, wearing a dark gray coat with several silver lines running across the sleeves.

His black hair was tied behind his head.

A long, narrow blade rested at his waist.

Unlike the previous hunters, he wasn't rushing toward them.

He simply stopped.

His eyes moved across the area.

The ruined shrine.

The ancient wolf.

The Crimson Fang Wolf.

The three pups.

Lyra.

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Nyx.

Finally, Aether.

His expression changed slightly.

“So you're Aether Draven.”

Aether didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he activated Hostility Detection again.

[Intent analysis.]

[Immediate attack intent: None.]

[Direct killing intent: None.]

[Revenge intent: None.]

[Hostile objective detected.]

[Objective classification: Acquisition / Investigation.]

Aether relaxed slightly.

Not enough to lower his guard.

“Who are you?”

The young man smiled faintly.

“Names are usually exchanged before weapons are drawn.”

“Then we're not exchanging weapons yet.”

The man's smile disappeared for a moment.

Then he nodded.

“Fair.”

He placed one hand against his chest.

“I'm Caelan.”

The Origin System immediately displayed information.

[Target Analysis]

Species: Human

Cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 6

Ability: ???

Physique: ???

Potential: A

Threat Level: High

[Advanced information unavailable.]

Aether's eyes became slightly colder.

Stage 6.

Three stages above him.

Caelan noticed his reaction.

“You can analyze cultivation?”

“Sometimes.”

“Interesting.”

Caelan glanced toward the ancient wolf.

“And apparently you've already encountered things your system can't understand.”

The ancient wolf stared at him.

“You speak too much.”

Caelan chuckled.

“And you speak less than you used to.”

The ancient wolf's expression changed.

Aether noticed immediately.

They knew each other.

Not casually.

There was history between them.

Aether's attention sharpened.

“How do you know it?”

Caelan looked at the ancient wolf.

“That depends on how much it has told you.”

“Not enough.”

“Then ask it.”

Aether looked toward the ancient wolf.

It remained silent.

Caelan's gaze shifted toward Nyx.

The silver mark on Nyx's forehead glowed faintly.

Caelan's expression became serious.

“So the rumors were true.”

Aether stepped slightly forward.

“What rumors?”

“That an Origin Mark has appeared again.”

His eyes moved toward Aether.

“And that someone carrying another half of it awakened at the same time.”

Aether's expression remained calm.

“You came here for the mark.”

“I came here to confirm whether the rumors were true.”

“And now?”

“Now I know.”

Caelan looked around the shrine.

“The Bloodline Shrine is awakening much faster than expected.”

The ancient wolf finally spoke.

“Who sent you?”

Caelan didn't answer.

That was answer enough.

Aether noticed.

“An organization?”

Caelan smiled.

“You could call it that.”

“What's its name?”

“Not yet.”

Aether's eyes narrowed slightly.

Caelan raised a hand.

“Don't misunderstand. I didn't come here to fight you.”

The Origin System confirmed it.

[Immediate killing intent: None.]

Aether kept watching him.

“Then why reveal yourself?”

“Because hiding would be pointless.”

Caelan looked toward the forest.

“Something else has already noticed this place.”

Aether's expression hardened.

“The creature from earlier?”

“No.”

Caelan shook his head.

“That thing was ancient.”

His eyes returned to the shrine.

“What is coming now is different.”

The forest suddenly became quiet.

Even the wind disappeared.

Caelan's expression changed.

“It seems we've run out of time.”

Aether felt it.

A fluctuation.

Far away.

Then another.

And another.

The system began producing warnings.

[Multiple Origin signatures detected.]

[Number: 12.]

[Fastest approaching signature: 1.8 kilometers.]

[Highest confirmed cultivation: Origin Awakening — Stage 7.]

Lyra's lightning immediately intensified around her fingers.

Aether's expression became cold.

“Friends of yours?”

Caelan shook his head.

“No.”

“Enemies?”

“Not exactly.”

Aether looked at him.

Caelan smiled without humor.

“They're collectors.”

The Crimson Fang Wolf growled.

The pups moved behind her.

The ancient wolf slowly raised its head.

“Bloodline hunters.”

Caelan nodded.

“They sensed the shrine's awakening.”

Aether looked toward the forest.

Twelve signatures.

Highest Stage 7.

He had only just reached Stage 3.

A direct fight against all of them would be dangerous.

But dangerous didn't mean impossible.

His Hostility Detection updated.

[Hostility detected.]

[Multiple targets.]

[Primary intent: Acquisition.]

[Secondary intent: Killing.]

[Target preference: Bloodline-bearing creatures.]

Aether's gaze shifted toward the Crimson Fang Wolf.

Her pups.

Nyx.

Then Lyra.

His expression became completely calm.

That was enough.

He turned toward Caelan.

“You said you didn't come to fight.”

“I didn't.”

“Then don't interfere.”

Caelan raised an eyebrow.

“With what?”

Aether stepped forward.

“With them.”

The first figure appeared between the trees.

Then another.

Then another.

Twelve people emerged from the forest.

Their clothing was different, but each carried the same silver insignia.

At the front stood a woman wearing a dark red cloak.

Her cultivation was immediately detected.

[Origin Awakening — Stage 7.]

She looked past Aether.

Straight toward the Crimson Fang Wolf.

“The bloodline bearer is here.”

Her gaze moved toward the pups.

“Capture the mother.”

Aether's expression didn't change.

The woman finally looked at him.

“And kill anyone who interferes.”

Hostility Detection reacted instantly.

[Killing intent confirmed.]

Aether's Origin Energy surged.

Caelan stepped backward.

“I told you.”

Aether glanced at him.

“Twelve against one isn't exactly fair.”

Caelan smiled.

“Who said you'd be fighting alone?”

He placed his hand on his sword.

Aether looked at him for a moment.

Then toward Lyra.

She was already surrounded by lightning.

Nyx lowered herself, ready to attack.

The Crimson Fang Wolf stood before her pups.

The ancient wolf remained beside the shrine.

And above them, the Bloodline Shrine continued to awaken.

Aether slowly raised his weapon.

His newly stabilized Stage 3 Origin Energy spread through his body.

The woman in red gave a cold command.

“Move.”

The twelve hunters charged.

Aether stepped forward.

This time, he didn't wait for them to reach him.

He disappeared.

And the battle for the Bloodline Shrine began.