Chapter 84: Death

Elijah sat atop a pile of bodies, gazing down at the burning town. The villagers scrambled to extinguish the flames, but his focus wasn't on them. His eyes rested on the bodies neatly lined up in front of him.

The corpses beneath him were the ones Kai had killed, every single one, before rushing off to save Adan. Elijah had stacked them up, and now his eyes lingered on the lifeless body of the old man, John.

"A man I knew not too long ago, now dead," he thought to himself. "Sometimes I forget death exists, and when it does, there's no turning back. It makes me wonder... why do people crave immortality?"

Elijah asked himself and answered in the same breath.

"Is it because they fear death so much they refuse to face it? But without death, what is the point of life? A person who can't die doesn't truly live. That's just my opinion, though. Knowing what some of these immortals do... it's mostly madness."

He shrugged, his somber expression fading. "Kai's fight sounds amazing. Maybe I should check it out."

Standing up, Elijah began to walk in the direction of the battle. "It hurts to lose someone you care about, but we have to keep moving forward," he thought. Even if he didn't love the old man, he still respected him.

Kai's Battle

BOOOOMMM!

Kai was sent flying, crashing through several trees before regaining his balance. Matt wasn't faring much better as both fighters paused, catching their breath.

Matt's body was covered in cuts, two deep ones forming an 'X' on his chest. Kai bore his own wounds—his chest slashed deeply, and his arm sliced from shoulder to hand.

Panting heavily, Matt's thoughts raced. "I need to finish this. I'll use my ultimate again."

Kai shifted into a stance, both swords sliding back into their scabbards. Gripping one sword, still sheathed, he focused on Matt. "One sword style," they both thought in unison.

The water element around Matt surged, while the darkness surrounding Kai grew even more intense. In their minds, they shouted in sync, "One sword style..."

Time seemed to slow. All sound vanished. Pain from their wounds faded, leaving only one purpose—kill. They disappeared from their spots, meeting in the center with a clash.

"Dominant Dragon," Kai roared.

"Ultimate Slash," Matt countered.

For a moment, the forest fell silent before a massive explosion erupted in every direction like a tidal wave. The ground shook, everything within a 50-meter radius reduced to rubble. Winds howled as shockwaves rippled far and wide.

Elijah, meanwhile, saved Julia, who had collapsed from mana exhaustion. A silver lotus bloomed behind him, forming a fiery sphere that shielded them from the chaotic mana and the destructive winds.

As the dust settled, Kai stood in a 10-meter-deep crater, breathing heavily. Matt's upper half remained, his sword shattered. The light in his eyes dimmed as he asked, "What did you mean by the weight of your sword?"

Kai looked down at Matt, watching the life fade from his eyes. "Your sword slashes aimlessly. It lacks a purpose, a path. That's the difference between our weapons."

Matt chuckled weakly, coughing blood. "Aimlessly, huh? Maybe... y-you're... r-right..." His voice faded as he died.

Kai sheathed his sword and began climbing out of the crater, deep in thought. Just as he reached the edge, a figure flashed past him at incredible speed. Elijah, with a silver lotus behind him, now sporting three leaves, carried Julia on his back.

"Elijah!" Kai shouted in shock.

"What's going on?" he called out, but Elijah only yelled back, already 200 meters away, "Run!"

Kai stood there, confused, until he felt it—a terrifying power, distant yet undeniable. His heart dropped as he realized what it was. Without hesitation, he sprinted after Elijah, catching up in seconds. "What the hell is that!?"

"I know, right? Probably mad because you killed his man," Elijah replied.

"We're not fast enough. The moment he moves, we're dead," Kai warned.

"Take a pill and use your special form," Elijah suggested.

Kai glanced at Julia, who weakly tossed him a pill. In an instant, the lotus behind Elijah turned from silver to blue, and his strength surged from (E) rank to (E+), almost reaching (D-).

His speed exploded as he flashed through the forest at 60 meters per second.

Kai swallowed the pill, and a mask appeared on his face. "I've overused this form, but I'll have to push it," he thought, increasing his speed to 50 meters per second.

Back where Matt had fallen, a figure floated above the ground. As he descended, his expression was calm, but rage burned in his heart. The wind howled around him, though it did not dare touch Matt's body.

"Old friend, it seems you've fallen today," Zen's sorrowful voice echoed. "Killing them won't bring you back, but I need to let go of this rage."

"My brother!" Zen cried out, tears streaming from his eyes. "It was a wonderful, amazing journey. I'll see you when my time comes." His voice dropped to a whisper, and the calm, emotionless mask returned to his face.

"You can't escape," Zen said coldly.

Death, inevitable for all. In those moments of loss, when loved ones slip away, or when life teeters on the brink, mortals remember their frailty. No matter their power, no matter their race, they are not god. They bleed, they breathe, and in the end, they fall.