Chapter 410 - 405 — Justice

Chapter 410: Chapter 405 — Justice

A few minutes ago.

"Haaa..."

Lariat breathed a puff of warm air onto her friend’s nose and watched her expression expectantly. Her friend took in the scent, but her expression remained unchanged.

"Well?" Lariat asked hopefully.

Her friend, Kaina, simply shrugged and shook her head. "For the hundredth time, lady Lariat, your breath doesn’t stink."

"...Are you absolutely sure?"

"As sure as I am that mine doesn’t."

Lariat clenched both fists and swept her gaze over the others gathered around her.

In their world, strength attracted followers. These were people who’d recognized her strength and chosen to follow her since their academy days, despite her being a mere commoner. Among them was Kaina, a friend who had stood by her side since her earliest days. Together, they had formed a powerful faction amidst the countless others in their year.

"What about the rest of you? Surely someone has something to say."

One of them chuckled. "Honestly, I think he was just messing with you. I’ve heard you speak countless times, and I can assure you, your breath has never once assaulted my nose."

Another hummed thoughtfully. "Still... that Gular is rather strange. Never took their kind for having such sharp tongues. Aren’t they supposed to be, um, all muscles and no brains?"

"That’s what I heard too," another added. "But this one seems rather quiet and thoughtful. Almost like he’s actually got something going on up there."

"It doesn’t matter," Kaina said coldly. "What matters is that he waltzed into our camp and openly disrespected Lady Lariat. And we all know what happens to people who do that."

The others fell silent, their expressions growing serious.

The rivalry between their factions had been ongoing since their academy days. Each had always vied for control over the students of their year, and their struggle for dominance had even extended into their Unbound Journey.

However, over time, the numerous competing factions had gradually dwindled into two major groups: the commoners led by Lariat and the elites led by Nourald. Several smaller factions still existed, but each ultimately bent to the will of one of these two powers.

Even so, allowing a newcomer to walk away scot-free after openly insulting their leader was the fastest way to lose the respect of the other factions.

Lariat’s eyes turned icy. "Where is that bastard now?"

The others exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions growing tense. They knew that look all too well. Whenever it appeared, things rarely ended well for whoever had earned her displeasure.

One of them quickly replied.

"Last I saw him, he was strolling through the camp with Lord Nourald."

"But Lord Nourald is right over there."

They followed his gaze towards the middle of the camp, where Nourald was chatting with a scrawny-looking boy, a gentle smile on his face.

"Then where did he—"

"There! Over there!"

Lariat immediately narrowed her eyes on the edge of the camp, where Zephyrion was walking towards the forest.

"Wait... isn’t that..."

Zephyrion wasn’t alone. Lasner and his crew were trailing behind him like predators stalking their prey. Lariat couldn’t help but notice the murderous look on Lasner’s face, and her brows furrowed.

Kaina chuckled, a wicked smile spreading across her face. "Ha! Looks like that fool’s gone and bitten off more than he can chew. Lord Lasner’s going to pound him so deep into the ground they’ll have to dig him out."

Everyone knew Lasner as a bona fide bully. But bullies were usually bullies for a reason, and that reason was strength. Lasner certainly had plenty of it. Among the students of their year from the Kasner Colony, he ranked among the ten strongest. Judging by his current expression, it was clear that whatever awaited the newcomer wouldn’t be pleasant.

The others also wore wicked smiles. Though Lasner belonged to the elite faction, seeing the newcomer put in his place was just as satisfying to them.

"Lady Lariat?" Kaina called, frowning slightly.

Of all of them, Lariat was the only one who didn’t seem pleased by the sight. Instead, her frown had deepened. Unfortunately, Kaina and the others who knew her well recognized that look too.

Lariat exhaled. "I’ll be back."

"My lady... don’t tell me you’re actually thinking of helping that bastard. After what he said to you?"

Lariat shook her head, her expression impassive. "My honor is mine to defend, Kaina, and believe me, I’ll make sure he answers for that insult. But what’s about to happen is wrong. And if I stand here and let it happen, what makes me any different from those arrogant, self-important elites I despise so much?"

Before any of them could stop her, she stormed off, taking off after Lasner and his crew.

...

’This is far enough.’

More than a kilometer away from camp. He should be able to handle things here without any interruptions. Though, considering the number of Air Heralds he was dealing with, he might need to employ some of his metal powers to defeat them.

Zephyrion halted his steps and turned around, quickly surveying his surroundings.

Tall trees stretched in every direction, their broad leaves blocking most of the moonlight and leaving countless patches of the forest shrouded in darkness. Dense shrubs covered much of the ground, while a faint, gentle night breeze drifted through the trees.

The conditions were perfect.

"Oh, look, the bastard finally stopped running."

"Ha! Looks like he’s found himself a nice little place to be buried."

"You had quite the mouth on you earlier, didn’t you, filth? Let’s see how much you run it after we’re done with you."

Before long, several figures emerged from the forest. Lasner’s lackeys appeared first, fanning out to surround Zephyrion as they fixed him with cold, threatening looks.

Slowly, the gentle breeze vanished, replaced by an eerie stillness. Even the leaves that had been swaying moments ago became motionless. The air began growing increasingly thin until, eventually, it vanished entirely.

Zephyrion tried to breathe, only to realize there was no air left to breathe.

He frowned.

Every bit of air had just been stripped from a wide radius around him.

’A vacuum. How troublesome.’

This was another annoying aspect of facing Ascendants of different elements. There were simply too many variables to keep track of. Still, Zephyrion’s expression remained unchanged. He had enough air left in his lungs to keep him going for a while.

Around him, the lackeys had surrounded their heads with domes of air, allowing them to breathe freely. The sight alone told him they weren’t the ones responsible for this.

He looked past them, towards a figure slowly making his way into the clearing.

Violent gales swirled around him, surging outwards like waves crashing against the shore. There was no anger on his face, nor even a hint of a smile, only an icy expression accompanied by such overwhelming killing intent that the air around him seemed to distort.

Lasner stopped in front of his lackeys, his wide eyes fixed firmly on Zephyrion.

"You... have you made your peace with death?"