No doubt about it—this was a Tenth-tier powerhouse.
While Levitation Flight had been lost to time, those who reached the Tenth-tier could soar through the skies, wielding power beyond mortal limits.
The man hovering in the distance was unmistakably one such being—a Tenth-tierexpert from the Renault Family!
Kael searched his memory. This figure was ranked in the 90s on the Continent's Earth Ranking, a list of formidable warriors. His name was Zev, another prominent member of the Renault lineage.
Zev's gaze swept over the area where Kael had been moments ago, his expression darkening. "Strange," he muttered. "The residual trace from Lucian's death mark was strongest here... yet there's no one around." His eyes gleamed with a dangerous light.
Lucian had been one of the Renault Family's most prized successors—a prodigy even the Water Dragon had acknowledged. Had he not fallen to Kael's hands, he might have risen to lead the family one day.
Zev's face twisted with barely restrained fury as he scanned the surroundings, his mana pulsing like a radar.
The Renaults had their own methods. Every member carried a unique death mark—a magical imprint that left traces on anyone who came into contact with their remains. The residue was fleeting, but it had led Zev straight here.
Unfortunately for him, the mark had already faded from Kael's body, leaving only a vague sense of the killer's presence.
"Human, is that guy your enemy?" The cat perched on Kael's shoulder whispered as they crouched in a thicket, holding their breath. Fleeing now would only draw Zev's attention—and against a Tenth-tier opponent, speed was hopeless.
Kael gave a terse nod. "Yes. He's a ranked expert among humans."
"Tenth-tier?!" The cat's ears drooped, its usual bravado crumbling. Even it understood the futility of facing such a foe.
Above them, Zev hovered like a vengeful specter, his mana rippling in visible waves. His piercing gaze scoured the land below, methodical and relentless.
He knew Lucian's killer was nearby.
As Lucian's uncle, Zev had been close to the young prodigy. The loss cut deep—and vengeance would be exacted in blood.
Zev's eyes narrowed, glinting with malice as he let out a derisive snort. "I know you're still nearby! Did you truly believe you could kill a Renault and walk away unscathed? My family rules the Kingdom of Maide! No matter where you flee, our reach will find you!"
His voice, amplified by mana, reverberated through the forest, leaving no corner untouched.
"Such arrogance! If he dares show his face, I'll claw his eyes out!" The cat hissed, swiping its tiny paws indignantly.
"You'd be torn apart by his magic before taking a single step," Kael chuckled, amused by the creature's bravado. This little thing truly fears nothing.
"You think hiding in the trees will save you?" Zev sneered, abruptly raising his staff. A chant spilled from his lips—
And the world ignited.
Fire elements converged with terrifying speed, the very air thinning as flames gathered at his staff's tip.
"He's burning the forest down!" Kael's expression darkened. Ruthless.
A Tenth-tier archmage like Zev was a force of nature—capable of altering battlefields with a gesture. Now, crimson light pulsed around him as the spell took form.
"Inferno's Abyss!"
A Tenth-tier spell.
The forest erupted.
Flames geysered skyward, painting the world in violent oranges and reds. This was no mere wildfire—it was cataclysm given form, a conflagration that could reduce cities to ash.
The raging flames engulfed the forest like a pile of timber suddenly set ablaze, spreading rapidly.
The little cat, both startled and furious, sensed the threat of the fire and began hopping anxiously on Kael's shoulder, muttering in a low, urgent voice, "Quick, think of something! Otherwise, both you and this young lady will perish in this sea of fire! What rotten luck today—I thought I'd found a 'cash cow,' but instead, it turned out to be a walking disaster..."
The terrifying power of the tenth-tier magic finally filled the little cat's eyes with fear, making her restless and uneasy.
Kael frowned. "There's no way around it. The might of tenth-tier magic is truly horrifying. Staying here means certain death, but if we take our chances outside, we might have a slim hope of survival..."
The surrounding inferno grew fiercer, magical flames spewing everywhere as the temperature soared abruptly. The scorching magical fire licked at Kael, infuriating him.
Under such relentless flames, it wouldn't be long before he burned to death. Better to risk everything than wait for the end!
"We have to make a run for it," Kael declared.
"Who's this 'we' you're talking about? Our relationship isn't that close, meow! No way I'm going—a tenth-tier mage is too terrifying! I'm staying right here!" the little cat yowled, digging in her paws as if she'd rather die than move.
Kael couldn't help but find her antics amusing. This little cat was truly something else.
"Aren't you a dragon-cat? Where's your draconic courage? You're acting like such a Kael teased.
"This young lady is a dragon-cat, not a dragon! I may have dragon blood, but I'm still a cat—being afraid of death is perfectly reasonable!" the little cat retorted indignantly.
Kael rolled his eyes, thinking to himself, Cats have nine lives anyway—losing one wouldn't be the end of you.
Still, the little cat's antics lightened the tension in Kael's heart. Right now, escape was their only option—lingering any longer would mean certain doom under the devouring flames of tenth-tier magic.
"Hold onto my shoulder," Kael said, his gaze hardening with resolve.
"You' going to run?" The little cat immediately dug her claws into Kael's shoulder, clinging tightly.
Kael burst forward, his body flashing as he chanted an incantation. The spell of Levitation took effect, and the whistling wind immediately rushed past his ears.
Zev had been closely monitoring his surroundings, and the moment Kael stirred his magic, he noticed immediately. His eyes narrowed, a intent flashing openly in his gaze. "So it's you! You dare kill my nephew—the heir of the Renault Family? You're courting death!"
"Today, I'll tear you to pieces and send you straight to hell!" Zev's arrogant voice boomed, but Kael ignored him completely, darting away at full speed.
Kael knew any words now would be pointless—in terms of raw power, he was no match for Zev at this moment. His only option was to flee with everything he had!
"H-he's catching up!" The little cat clung to Kael's shoulder, unable to resist glancing back. What she saw terrified her—the tenth-tier mage was charging straight at them, staff in hand, his speed monstrously fast. In mere moments, he would close the gap!
A tenth-tier mage's speed was simply beyond Kael's capabilities.
"This fast?!" Kael's heart lurched. The sheer might of a tenth-tier mage was indeed horrifying—his own speed offered no advantage at all. Zev was clearly going all out, relentless as a madman.
"Could it be that I, a peerless beauty of unparalleled grace, am doomed to perish here today?" The little cat watched as Zev inched closer, dramatically tilting her head skyward with a sigh of despair.
"Woe is me! A stunning goddess like myself, driven to the brink by some mere human! And to make it worse, I don't even have a single gold coin on me!" she wailed pitifully.