Arthur disappeared beyond the smoke that rose from somewhere and filled the dome. Yurirl could only hear a vague sound of his words before they disappeared too.
Yurirl wanted to call out for Arthur but he had more important things to do. He took off the Limiter and felt his strength return to his control. He stretched his arms as he looked around for Arthur's friend, Emma.
"Really, how do you want me to find her in this smoke?" Yurirl frowned as he tried to slash the smoke. The smoke cleared for a few meters but it returned to obstruct him in an instant.
'I guess I have no choice.' Yurirl closed his eyes as he activated his ability. His body glowed in ethereal white as he felt connected to the world. In a matter of seconds, he was able to find Emma.
However, he also felt something peculiar. This was the only time he used his ability after he came to the Runes Apprentices Cup. He found that his Divine Sense was being obstructed by something.
He looked toward the direction Arthur disappeared to with a frown. He could feel a powerful presence there. His ability was craving this presence and Yurirl felt that it was a part of his own body.
He usually felt this way toward powerful awakeners, but that was only the case for the Empyrean-rank. Did a powerhouse leave their castle and come to their rescue? Unlikely.
Yurirl felt the presence to be familiar as if this part of the world had intensified until it became a giant sun. However, he made a promise to Arthur to help Emma.
He dashed across the fog and reached her in an instant. An Ender was eyeing her and her partner, Tin Rasan. They sensed Yurirl's arrival and turned to look at him.
"Yurirl, have you seen Arthur?" This was Emma's first question, earning a smile from Yurirl. He wondered if this was what it felt like to have real friends.
"Yes, he asked me to protect you."
"You shouldn't have agreed, I don't need protection." Emma frowned and took out a card from her storage artifact. Light glowed as a giant ethereal eagle was summoned. "I'm capable on my own."
"… Against those?" Yurirl pointed at the Ender coming their way. A hooded person that had giant black scythes protruding from his back. Under the hood was a disfigured face.
"He's at the peak of the rei-rank at most." Emma gestured with her hand and the eagle screeched before diving toward the hooded person.
The scythe and the talon clashed against each other as mana destroyed the surrounding. The eagle's talon wavered as it started cracking and fragmenting. The eagle screeched before flying away.
"I guess you have never met a Nether being." Yurirl smiled.
"Are they a monster?" Emma asked with terror. "He looks human, I don't understand."
"He's a human, but he's also a monster. That's why humans are the ones you need to look out for because they can be both."
Yurirl slashed once with his transcalent sword and light beams traveled in the air and clashed with the Ender. He walked unhurriedly toward the fallen human.
"Unless you have a high-grade artifact, Enders are invincible. I've met them once with my master in a fissure. They're lowly humans that have sold their souls to the darkness, hence the name Nether Beings."
The Ender started merging with its host as it transformed into a fully black creature. It screeched like rusted metals as if the vocal cords were being ripped apart.
"Let me teach you this," Yurirl continued as he blocked the ender's scythe. His body started glowing white as the world caved under his sword. "Never judge them based on their host. They have a different name; Mana-eaters."
The black substance started pooling out of the Ender as the arena began corroding. The Ender began attacking as Yurirl began deflecting the attacks and attacking the medium itself. He knew that these creatures couldn't manifest for long.
As the battle stretched on, the Ender descended fully as several arms sprouted from its back and headed toward Yurirl like tentacles.
"Divine Swordsmanship Art." Yurirl closed his eyes as he muttered. His sword was held straight in front of him. "Thirteenth Move." He opened his eyes and they were radiating holy white light. The world was shaking as Yurirl disappeared from his spot like a ghost.
"Heavens," Tin's hand was shaking as a weary grin overtook her face. "I don't know who's the monster here."
Yurirl reappeared behind the Ender. The world stood still before it started breaking apart. The arena broke apart as the Ender was slashed apart a thousand times. Space was broken as it grew unstable and air pressure pushed everyone back.
"Truly a wretched condemned being." Yurirl looked with sorrow at the Ender trying to regenerate. Black fluids pooled together as they gathered and scattered.
"A worthy prey." A voice echoed from within the Ender as a giant eye snapped open on its body. Yurirl watched as a bolt of darkness shot from within the Ender toward him. With a flick, he deflected it.
Yurirl frowned as he felt the tip of his index finger corrode because it was touched by the Ender's attack. Using mana, he removed the substance from his hand as it healed fully.
The smoke began remerging after it was pushed away by the fight. Emma and Tin walked toward Yurirl as he stood there looking in another direction.
"Are you okay?" Emma asked despite how funny she sounded even for her ears.
"I am," Yurirl nodded without taking his eyes away from the smoke. "Something is coming."
It was then that giant pillar of light shot out from everywhere, even visible through the smoke. The lights flew over their heads as a giant explosion resounded. The dome was cracked open as the smoke started slipping away.
They could see the lights gathering in a single place. The smoke regathered and obstructed their view.
"We need to find Arthur," Emma said as she pulled another card, her face full of worries.
"I don't think that's what he wants." Yurirl shook his head and turned to Emma. "He asked me to deliver a message to you."
"What is it?" Emma tilted her head in Yurirl's direction with surprise.
"He says he's sorry for disappearing. You can keep the million." Emma stood there with confusion, wearing a blank face at Yurirl's word. He continued without missing a beat. "A few people had arrived."
***
Mistletoe's team was far stronger than Arthur, that much was obvious. However, that was only the case in normal circumstances. Against the Enders and Nether Beings, Arthur was their natural nemesis with his runes.
His golden scaled armor was impenetrable for them. Tyrin tried to corrode it, but it was futile. Arthur grabbed the Ender's arm with his scaled hand and pushed a fire rune into it. The Ender screamed in misery.
"I'll have my revenge!" Its rusted and hoarse voice screamed at Arthur. Its body was a mangled mess of fluid that was trying to run away from the fire rune.
"Dude, this 'is' your revenge," Arthur stressed this fact. "And what do you do? You bring a few lackeys thinking that would be enough?" Arthur laughed.
"Curse you!" The Ender screamed hoarsely as it tried to attack again but the manifestation armor blocked it. It should normally contend with Vetus-rankers and even have a chance facing a Deme-ranker, but this wretched human was hell-sent.
"Ever noticed that Arthur is ruthless whenever it comes down to the Nether Beings?" Ivy told Zas as the two were holding and Ender back a distance away from Arthur.
"I don't know. I don't care. No one likes these creatures, they're hideous to look at." Zas teleported the moment he finished talking and an Ender's scythe slashed the place he stood at.
"Well, true. However, Arthur seems especially keen on taking them down." Ivy looked at Arthur who was still beating the living daylight out of the Ender. "And he's especially good at it too."
Ivy punched the Ender and its body started convulsing. Zas appeared by her side and teleported her away before the Ender attacked.
"I still don't trust him. He hides too much" Zas looked warily at Arthur. "However, Si trusts him so that's enough for me."
"As if you don't hide things, lost heir."
"Never mention that." Zas's face took a horrifying frown but Ivy simply shrugged.
As they stood there, the arena suddenly shook as a part of the dome exploded. Heat spread everywhere as flames spread in the arena. The two steadied themselves as they looked with sympathy at the direction Reece was thrown in.
"Let's throw a few Nether Beings into the flames so that no one suspects a thing. I don't want to be dragged to protect this newbie again." Zas looked at the Ender in front of them.
"Well, I guess you also have a soft side."
"I just don't like plans failing, that's all." Zas shrugged. "It's better to have several unidentified bodies than none at all."
