The members of the Violet Olive Team were quickly riled up. They had already been pissed after learning that Ryu had stolen their mission. But, the closer they got, the more furious they became. It was as though the disrespect was finally settling in for them.
The truth was that the Violet Olive Team was only one of an Alliance of dozens. If they wanted the appropriate rewards, they had to fulfill their tasks to perfection. Any failure to do so would be akin to shooting themselves in the foot.
Not only would they be blamed for the failure and be punished accordingly, but this would also cost them the cut of any rewards they were meant to gain as well.
All of them knew just how important their current mission was. Even if they were just considered to be nearer the bottom rung of responsibility, it was a responsibility nonetheless. They couldn't afford such failure.
Amidst the group, there was a familiar young woman wearing a dark expression.
"Team Leader Giveon, I promise I didn't go easy on him. My warning couldn't have been more clear."
Giveon was a young man of tall stature. He had long, glowing blond hair and two violet eyes that seemed capable of mesmerizing the masses. In terms of looks, he hardly lost to anyone. He truly seemed to be the picture of perfection. Considering his pointed ears, though... it was very clear that he wasn't human.
On his shoulders, a Faerie sat. She held an undeniable beauty to her as well, a graceful smile hanging from her lips.
She had violet hair that matched her Life Partner's irises and eyes just a few shades lighter.
Energies around her seemed to snap and crackle, space fissuring beneath her presence.
Her long, slender legs swung on Giveon's shoulders. If it wasn't for her current miniature size, it would most definitely be an enticing sight no one would be willing to take their eyes off of.
That said, even if Annette entered her full form, no one on Violet Olive would dare to gaze toward her for more than a few moments. Let alone the fact they called her fire cracker behind her back, Giveon was known to be quite protective of his Life Partner.
Despite his current calm expression, everyone knew he had a brewing storm hidden in his chest no less fiery than his Life Partner.
"Mm." Giveon nodded toward the young woman's words without much thought.
The young woman, who went by Amie, ground her teeth. But, she knew saying anything more would be useless.
"Givyyyy~, it's so hot here..." Annette pulled at the color of her dress.
She was already provocatively dressed to begin with. But, this action only made it worse.
The fiery team members of Violet Olive took quick glances but just as quickly looked away.
It was indeed getting very hot. But, the team had come prepared.
Many of them wore fire resistant armor and robes, either forged by weapons smiths or woven by Spiritual Seamstresses. However, even then, they couldn't help but feel that this place was no different from hell. Only the fire qi users among them seemed to be faring somewhat better.
Originally, Giveon wouldn't have come here either. Not only was his presence unneeded, but he had other matters to attend to. With the strength of his team, as long as they used numbers, taking down a Sixth Order Sovereign Beast shouldn't have been too much of a problem, especially since it was just a Lower Sovereign Grade beast. Plus, he knew that Annette had a great hatred for overly hot places.
However, there was a nagging feeling at the back of his mind that told him he had to appear this time.
"We'll be out of here soon." Giveon replied with a smile.
Annette pouted in response, but couldn't say much else.
Seeing the stark contrast between how she and Annette were treated, Amie couldn't help but feel a bit bitter. But, who asked her not to be Giveon's Life Partner?
The team converged onto the location, finally making it to a point where they could see the scorching surroundings of the cave mouth.
'Is there a need to worry about the Cultus Faerie?' Giveon communicated silently with Annette, his expression not giving anything away.
Annette giggled. 'Givy, you've already asked this.'
'You brushed it off too easily last time.'
Annette rolled her eyes. Giveon could just look in her mind for the information he wanted. Not like he had never done so before. But in the end, she still smiled sweetly, because she knew the reason he asked was because he liked to hear her voice.
'Fine, fine. The Cultus Faeries are indeed far above Elemental Faeries like me, but these things are only relative. Lightning Elemental Faeries stand a tier above others along with Fire Faeries, Spatial Faeries and the like. And, even among Lightning Elemental Faeries, my Virtuous Violet Clan stands in a tier of its own.
'You also might not know this, but the higher standing a Faerie and their Clan, the more protected they are. The Royals of the three pinnacle Faerie Clans, including the Cultus Faeries, don't allow their royalty to casually bond with Life Partners. The fact this Cultus Faerie is here at all means that her standing amongst the Cultus Faeries is the lowest of the low.
'Plus, even if she wasn't, Cultus Faeries have no combat prowess of their own. Well, this isn't necessarily true, but their individual power lacks in comparison to Elemental Faeries. The only reason Elemental Faeries are lower than them is because Faerie culture values more than individual combat prowess.
'Finally... even if she was royalty, so what? This isn't the Ethereal Realm nor are we under the laws of Faerie kind here. As long as we don't kill her, it's fine.'
Annette rambled on and on for Giveon's personal pleasure, her soothing voice tickling his ear drums. She seemed to get no small bit of pleasure feeling his excitement.
Yet, to the outside world, one was expressionless while the other was smiling lightly. One would never know the two had such... interesting sexual play.
At that moment, though, Annette's words came to a grinding halt.
The crackling lightning around her seemed to grow out of control, causing her to sit up, her beautiful violet eyes narrowing.
At the mouth of the cave, a figure slowly walked out.
Compared to the past, his steps were exceptionally light, so light in fact that he seemed not to be before them at all.
There were two massive great swords attached to this figures back. Or, rather they seemed to be two great swords at first glance. But, after another look, it was quite clear that their handles were far too long to be classified in such a way.
Still, what was maybe the most shocking part about this figure was the fact he was completely naked. His body seemed perfectly sculpted, its every line reaching the pinnacle of symmetry.?It hid explosive strength, yet it was all streamlined into a lean silhouette of unimaginable power.
As if such a sight alone wasn't enough for them to raise their brows, this young man's skin dripped with droplets of red gold. From afar, it looked as though his sweat was formed of ambrosia, giving him an even more godly appearance. But, the moment he stepped out of the cave and onto the grasses of the forest, the Flames the surroundings burst into told a completely different story.
Amie's heart skipped a beat. Of course, she recognized Ryu the moment she laid eyes on him, but she couldn't help but think... was he always so perfect?
In her disdain of Ryu's strength just a day prior, she had completely disregarded his looks. This was just the way of the Martial World. Men were judged first and foremost by their strength.
But, with Ryu in such a state, even she couldnt ignore it any longer. She had always thought her captain was the most handsome man she had ever seen. But now...
Amie's gaze couldn't help but drift down Ryu's body, landing on a particular member.
She gulped hard, shaking herself awake before a flicker of rage flashed by her pretty eyes.
"Shameless." She ground out through pearly white teeth.
Ryu didn't seem to notice the group of two dozen fanned out around him. He reached for his pristine white hair, running his hands through it.
Droplets of magma were wrung out, falling to the soil beneath him and burning?holes that traveled several meters underground.
'Grivy...' Annette frowned. 'I feel that lightning qi isn't responding to me as easily as before.'
'What?!'
Giveon's expressionless visage finally cracked.
'It's only a small amount and I can also wrest the control back as long as I enter my full form, but its true nonetheless. This boy has a very high lightning affinity, frighteningly so. If it wasn't for the fact his comprehension was only at the Impose Realm, the result would be worse than this.'
Giveon grew serious, holding up an arm and halting any would-be advance.
He stepped forward until he was just five meters from Ryu. It was only at that moment that Ryu looked up, his gaze locking onto the Team Leader.
Giveon shuddered. He felt as though he had been seen completely through in a single breath.. All of his secrets were exposed before those silver eyes.