Noah ran across the skies of the Cusk nation. His movement was rapid and powerful, and his path was straight.
He was already three days into his journey. He had not run all through, however, still taking stops to test out his skills and even cultivating.
He made time for cultivating and training during his travel. He wanted to reach his guild quickly, but his power came first. It was clear that only power mattered in the chains of events that now existed in the nation.
A war was ongoing, only the powerful could do whatever they want or be found useful. His power wasn’t lacking by any means, but he wanted to increase it anyway. He wouldn’t settle. The fifth tier was still there after all. His mission as the last Speedling also required more power.
The region he ran across had seen many big craters now filled with water. A huge pond had been ripped open forcing all that water into the environment, creating a swampy forest or region.
The auras of tier 4 beast reached his mind but he held off from landing to eradicate them.
The fauna of the Cusk nation seemed to have improved after all that time he spent in the chamber of deep time, allowing for the existence of far more tier 4 beasts, so why would Noah in his rationality not directly dive downwards to gain levels?
He was being followed.
Only about seven hours prior long before he reached there, his instincts had picked up the trace of a foreign presence. They were tailing him. And they had maintained a few miles of distance.
For a normal human that might have been great, but for him; a Dark Speedling was still not enough.
He wondered who they were, as only two ideas appeared in his mind. A servant of the immortals as Kir had said, or an elf.
He had never fought one so he hoped it was the latter.
Noah could have simply turned and chased after the person, but their presence had appeared out of thin air, and he suspected that they had teleportation devices available to them.
So he waited. According to the map, a mountain chain was coming up and it would allow him to hide for a little while. Helping him intercept whoever the person was.
The swampy region below him was vast, so much so that he started to believe that not only the pond had resulted in it. Most likely a water mage or many had also been involved.
Distant roars reached his ears, but nothing could beat his concentration.
The huge mountain chain appeared on the horizon at some point and a cold grin cracked on his face. He slowly but surely increased his running speed. He had never utilized his full speed ever since he returned, there had been no reason.
Noah knew if he accelerated that much he would lose his follower. And he considered them a source of information, getting to talk to them was important.
The mountain chain became more and more evident until even Noah nodded at its size.
He had never been there before, but he instantly believed that the landform had to be the biggest he had ever seen. Even at that, Noah lowered his altitude.
He could sense two presences on the mountain. Most likely magical beasts.
His action alerted his follower even if the individuals didn’t stop. They dismissed their former worry and pressed on.
Noah disappeared in the huge figures of the tightly positioned mountains. His faint presence also vanished and the person accelerated the best they can.
They had tried their best to keep up for the past few hours, but damn was he fast. And he wasn’t even flying. Instead was running on platforms of wind he had created.
Noah unfolded his consciousness in search of a hiding spot. He found one.
A cave embedded inside one of the grand mountains.
Behind the view of the mountain chains many kilometers before it, was a vast uneven plain. Its grass featured patches of brownness amid its greenness.
A pond that featured water from beneath the ground unfolded in five blue rivers. Hills and scantly positioned tall trees filled the plain and magical beasts pranced its surface.
That place looked serene and untouched. And truly it was. Barely any events happened there. Heck, most individuals simply flew across its lands. Danger lurked in its mountains.
Noah moved deeper into the cave knowing a minute or two would have to pass before his follower reached that area.
The cave ended up being empty. And dark.
His arrival had signaled the two tier 4 beasts resting lazily on the mountains, but they made no move. At least for now.
Noah waited at that point. He buried his power inside his body and waited for the expert to pass. He contemplated casting his invisibility spell. But decided against it.
The spell only made his body invisible, he could still be felt, so there was no reason for it. All he needed was to hide his presence as expertly as possible.
The seconds passed, and his gaze was light but his focus was at its peak. He would need to move immediately after the expert revealed himself by flying into the open.
Things would not go as he planned, however.
Noah’s instincts tingled at some point during the wait and he didn’t hesitate to sprint out of the cave.
His figure crashed into the plain and a huge ball of blue flames arrived on that spot.
He furrowed his brows as the searing heat loomed over him. That attack had been timed almost perfectly. Unfortunately for his attacker, he was quick.
His figure exploded into a silver streak right before the flames reached him and he ascended into the sky.
The commotion caused by the ball of flames alerted the resting beasts, and Noah could only shake his head at the stupid decision his attacker had taken.
“Found you,” He whispered appearing behind his black-clothed follower.
He had positioned himself expertly, but Noah was not only quick enough to find him out but was quick enough to get to him.
His eyes blazed silver as he delivered a terrible slap onto the man’s face.
The slap sent the expert flying into the plain. His impact on the ground opened a big crater, but he was still alive. Noah had ensured not to kill him. Or at least tried to.
Jumping off the mountain, his departure caused cracks to spread, but he didn’t mind. Noah reached the crater his follower had opened. The man found himself unable to stand or even move. That hit had been improbable. It cracked his skull and made him go partially unconscious.
Sweeping his gaze on the person’s features he saw that he was a normal human and was not veiled. Still, the expert had a staff and a series of magical items with him.
Noah shifted his gaze, however.
A powerful roar and a high-pitched screech reached his ears as mild danger flowed into his mind.
“Look what you’ve caused,” Noah clicked his tongue lifting his head to gaze at the two incoming magical beasts. They sounded furious.
