The end

"Is he running away?" A slight frown appeared on Liam's forehead as Matthew's energy, which he had been sensing, gradually showed signs of fading.

"What?" James exclaimed in shock, his eyes wide open. He quickly looked toward the shrinking flames—it seemed Matthew's presence had vanished.

Without hesitation, he pivoted and gathered his strength to accelerate as fast as possible. However, that action was quickly halted when he heard a voice call out.

"Stop here! We should prioritize the more important matters right now."

In reality, Liam was nearly out of mana—not an ideal state for battle. More importantly, the night was approaching, and that was when the flying monsters would appear—it was not the right time for a prolonged fight. However, he didn't understand why Matthew hadn't taken advantage of this, as he was a Vecna, someone who would be invisible to the flying monsters. But that wasn't something he needed to worry about. Weighing the pros and cons, there were still things he didn't know about Matthew. If they pushed him into a corner, they would certainly pay a heavy price.

"Tsk. Damn bastard!" With a look of venom in his eyes, James stared off into the distance.

"We need to get back to town soon. Moreover, we should leave this town tomorrow. This place is too dangerous." Liam sighed, then started moving, with James following without a word.

Just as Liam had said, it wasn't worth lingering in such a dangerous place. James realized there were things more dangerous than the typical monsters. He was even willing to abandon the gold he'd placed with Jackson and the mindless creatures on their upcoming journey rather than face those Vecna.

And so, they left the shattered stone forest.

At that moment, both of them sensed two unfamiliar energy sources approaching, one of which was particularly strong, belonging to a [C] class individual.

"How slow!" James frowned as he spotted Lewis from afar. Their battle had been intense and dangerous; if she had arrived earlier, they might have captured that Vecna. But things don't always go as planned.

"You can't blame her. Besides, we should tell her about the Vecna who caused the disaster in Martin Town," Liam replied.

"I don't expect them to believe us. But it doesn't matter, this issue won't be something we have to worry about anymore," James said with a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"Perhaps."

Liam nodded and then looked towards the two people approaching. Beside Lewis was a short, bald old man—although he still had three strands of hair on his head.

"Are you guys okay?" Lewis yelled with urgency, then slowed down, gasping for breath. It seemed she had been running non-stop the entire time.

This stirred a bit of emotion in both James and Liam, even for someone like James, who often argued with Lewis.

"These are the kids you mentioned? Handsome, like I was in my youth—though not quite as handsome as me," the old man said, stroking his beard as he looked around—though his beard was no better off than the hair on his head.

"Where's that boy Matthew? Earlier, I could sense his energy, but now he's beyond my range."

By this point, Lewis had finally caught her breath after the long, uninterrupted run. With tired eyes, she looked at both of them, seemingly waiting for an answer.

Seeing this, James and Liam didn't immediately know what to say. However, they needed to know the truth about Matthew. Without hesitation, James opened his mouth.

"That Matthew is…"

But before he could finish the sentence, Liam stopped him.

James turned to Liam, confused by the situation and unclear about his intentions.

"Liam, they need to know the truth."

With a glance, Liam turned to the old man and Lewis, smiling, "I think we should return to town first. Night is falling, and as for Matthew, he's already left. We'll discuss this more once we're back."

The old man was briefly surprised, not understanding Liam's mysterious demeanor.

After a few short seconds, the old man smirked, his intense gaze easing.

"Fine! You have the same air as I did when I was young. I like it."

The old man then turned, signaling his agreement with Liam's suggestion.

"But brother..." Lewis looked around anxiously, seemingly hoping for some kind of sign.

"Let's go... That kid will take care of himself. He always does," the old man sighed, showing clear fatigue from having to clean up the countless messes Matthew had caused.

The two walked ahead, leaving James and Liam standing behind.

Still standing, James asked irritably, "What exactly are you trying to do?"

What Liam had done seemed unnecessary. They could have told the whole story right here and now, especially since there were still at least two hours before nightfall.

"I just want to help them. And to do that, we need as much information about Matthew and recent events as possible. I've already got some logic and connections forming in my mind."

"Damn it! All I know is that there are at least two Vecna here, maybe more. This place is incredibly dangerous, and we need to get out of here soon. We still have goals to aim for."

Based on the available information, Matthew was a Vecna who controlled fire. Additionally, there was another Vecna who controlled earth. Many unexpected variables had already occurred, and who knows what might come next.

Neither of them could afford to die here, especially not James. After the recent battle, he had nearly experienced the loss of a loved one again, and he would not allow that to happen another time. He needed to grow stronger, not only for the present but also to avenge the Vecna who had killed his grandfather.

"Don't forget what your grandfather told you."

Liam said calmly, then walked ahead of James, following Lewis and the old man, who was already walking away.

Yet, Liam's voice still echoed in the air: "Don't betray your nature. Especially when those actions make you uncomfortable."

Deep in thought, James shook his head, then sighed and looked up at the sky. Raindrops began to fall on his face. Feeling the coolness of the water, he muttered to himself:

"Damn it! Why do you always say the same things as my grandfather?"