Chapter 26: A Cruel Reunion!

Most of the attackers were Level 2 Hard-Shell Beetles. Individually, they weren’t particularly dangerous, but their rock-hard carapaces and massive vitality made them incredibly difficult to kill. Every strike that failed to hit a vulnerable joint merely glanced off their shells.

Lurking around the edges of the battle were two agile Level 1 Mutated Dogs, circling like hungry wolves as they waited for an opening to lunge.

The four players were clearly strangers forced together by circumstance. Their coordination was poor, and the fragile formation was already on the verge of collapsing.

At the front stood a burly man carrying a crude wooden shield. His class appeared to specialize in defense, but the shield was already riddled with cracks after repeatedly absorbing the Hard-Shell Beetles’ relentless charges.

Behind him, a man wielding a fire axe swung with all his strength. Yet each heavy blow did little more than leave shallow white marks across the beetles’ armored shells.

Beside him, a pale-faced young woman desperately condensed streams of water to heal her teammates. Unfortunately, the restorative effect was pitifully weak, barely enough to slow their accumulating injuries.

And the fourth person...

The moment Aiden Cross’s gaze landed on the tall, thin young man continuously releasing weak wind blades to target the gaps between the Hard-Shell Beetles’ armor, his pupils contracted sharply.

A bone-chilling killing intent erupted from the depths of his soul, nearly beyond his control.

That face... Even if he died a thousand times, he would never forget it.

Zach Merrick!

In his previous life, Zach had been a mid-ranking backbone of the intelligence division within the Dragon Sovereign Guild, serving directly under Damien Bale.

He wasn’t exceptionally powerful, but he excelled at currying favor with the strong while mercilessly trampling the weak. Cunning, opportunistic, and utterly devoted to Damien Bale, he had climbed the ranks through manipulation rather than strength.

During the final battle of Aiden’s previous life, the battle where he had been betrayed and sacrificed, Zach had not struck the killing blow himself.

Instead, he had been responsible for monitoring and restraining Aiden’s most loyal subordinates, ensuring none of them could come to his aid.

After Aiden’s death, Zach had eagerly taken part in the systematic purge of everyone associated with him.

His hands were soaked in the blood of Aiden’s people.

Aiden had never imagined that he would encounter Damien Bale’s future lapdog so early...

Or that fate would deliver him directly into his hands.

...

At this moment, Zach Merrick looked nothing like the capable schemer Aiden remembered.

His movements were clumsy, his expression filled with panic and anxiety as weak wind blades flew from his hands one after another, their power barely enough to distract the monsters.

Dressed in nothing more than an ordinary jacket, he had likely awakened a D-rank or, at best, C-rank wind-type class. Against monsters of this caliber, it was pitifully ineffective.

What a small world... Or perhaps... What a narrow road for enemies.

The killing intent in Aiden Cross’s eyes gradually receded, replaced by an icy calm and a faint smile, one that belonged not to a savior, but to a hunter watching prey wander into a carefully laid trap.

Rescue them?

The thought never even crossed his mind.

He had not clawed his way back from death to become some selfless saint who repaid evil with kindness.

His creed had always been simple. Repay kindness with kindness. Repay hatred with hatred.

Anyone connected to Damien Bale, anyone who had stood against him in his previous life, was already on his list of those who deserved retribution.

Could he kill Zach Merrick right now? Of course.

With his current strength, eliminating this inexperienced, fragile wind mage through a surprise attack would be effortless.

But that would be far too merciful. And far too boring.

More importantly, killing Zach now might create unnecessary variables. If Damien Bale sensed that something was amiss too early, it could interfere with Aiden’s future plans.

Watching the four survivors struggle desperately against the monsters, Aiden remained expressionless.

The shield-bearing man was already below half health. The healer’s mana was nearly exhausted. Their formation was moments away from collapse.

A cold, cruel smile slowly spread across Aiden’s lips.

A far better idea had just occurred to him. Not only would he refuse to save them... He would make their situation even worse.

Silently retreating, Aiden circled around the battlefield until he reached the opposite side.

There, another small pack of four or five Level 2 Hard-Shell Beetles wandered aimlessly through the abandoned street.

Among them lurked a lone Level 3 Sprinter Corpse, a humanoid monster renowned for its explosive speed and poisonous attacks.

Aiden’s eyes settled on it immediately.

Compared to the beetles, the Sprinter Corpse posed a far greater threat.

If introduced into the battle... Chaos would erupt instantly.

He silently calculated the distance before raising his right hand.

[Root Entanglement]!

Mana rippled outward as ten points of mana were consumed.

The next instant, the cracked pavement beneath the Sprinter Corpse exploded apart.

Several thick, dark-green roots burst from the earth like venomous serpents, coiling tightly around its ankles.

"Roar?!"

The Sprinter Corpse let out a startled growl and struggled violently, but the roots were astonishingly tough.

For one and a half precious seconds... It was completely immobilized.

’Now!’

Aiden stepped out from his hiding place without the slightest hesitation.

He deliberately waved his hand at the surrounding Hard-Shell Beetles and the enraged Sprinter Corpse, openly provoking them before turning on his heel and sprinting away.

His destination was the battlefield where Zach Merrick’s team was desperately fighting for their lives!