Chapter 26: Naïve Approach

Lightly lighting up the goblin cave again, Darcel and Aniela could now take the time to observe it's...peculiar design. Oddly enough, just like the outside of the cave, the walls here were in this dry molting green color.

Furthermore, dried dark red blood stains cover patches of the wall and ground.

Definitely, this place wasn't something for the faint of heart. Just this mere ominous design could easily terrify someone from wanting to come in here.

"Oh? Eh? Darcy! Some of these goblins' heads are just completely gone!" Aniela pointed out first once, glancing at the goblins charred corpses. Upon dozens of them, some really were noticeable without heads.

Darcel and Aniela knew how they kill. It was all either roasting them alive or shredding their bodies apart. Not even for the Perfect Order goblins did they remove their heads, yet their heads were also suddenly gone!

It was then Darcel remembered the slight fluctuation that came from his hand. Looking down at this purple ring, Darcel had finally decided to see just what in it.

Promptly his eyes were in for a huge surprise. From Extreme Order to the Perfect Order, several goblins' heads floated around in the ring. And on each goblins head ran down varying purple lines.

If it was an Extreme Order goblin, the lines would be light purple. Supreme Order was a regular shade of purple, and then there was the Perfect Order.

These were the most eye-catching since they had the deepest shade of dark purple, plus their lines had also dazzled a bit.

This was...odd?

Darcel didn't understand this at first until he sensed the auras of these goblins.

Just slightly but still noticeable, did these goblins carry the remnant aura of their previous prowess before death! Basically, this told Darcel their proof and evidence for clearing this mission couldn't be faked.

While drawing this conclusion, Darcel did have to wonder just who was the person that created this ring. It seemed far too, well...magical! And the possibility of it being a mages work shouldn't be far off from the mark.

After all, from what he could tell, mages have more varied miscellaneous powers compared to cultivators. Pushing these thoughts down, however, Darcel told Aniela,

"It's this...weird ring. Apparently, it transported the goblin's heads in here once they were dead and even kept a tiny portion of their remnant aura to confirm their previous prowess."

"Ah! So there's no way for the Elder to accuse us of cheating!...Yet, those poor ignorant students. This will be too much of a pill to swallow that they might think something strange compared to reality."

Aniela exaggeratedly sighed while shaking her head. The duo already knows completing this mission will only further shroud their prowess in mystery. But being mysterious, for a little while, isn't such a bad thing.

"Once this mission is over, and we collect our crystals from that fool, Giel. I'm afraid the Academy will only be further shrouded in mystery about our prowess...for now, where do you think those goblins store their treasures?"

Darcel's eyes were darting at specific corners of the cave. With all the goblin's charred corpses lying around, it was difficult to accurately spot well-hidden places.

Well, at least for Darcel, it was difficult since he promptly heard Aniela say, "Umm...I think I found it, Darcy! This ordinary ignorable rock is just odd to me."

His eyes snapped to Aniela, who was off to the cave's left side, dusting off an inconspicuous rock after moving a charred goblin corpse off from it. This girl's intuition truly is something.

"If you think this is it, then turn over, and let's find out," Darcel told her while walking up to this spot. Still, even when he tried specifically sensing this spot, Darcel didn't find anything out of the ordinary.

Grinning at Darcel, Aniela flipped the rock, and the duo was immediately taken by a slight surprise. Just like Aniela had guessed, there were five blue spatial rings, all having different degrees of condition.

Two of them had small cracks running along on its surface while the other three were still stained with blood, supporting larger cracks. But despite their condition, the duo's eyes had sparked up when seeing the rings.

They took each ring and inspected inside of them. The process was swift, and a broad smile had soon formed on the duo's faces. Everything they needed right now was stuffed inside these five rings.

"To all those Perfect Order youths that fell before us. Their rings are now going to be put in good use! Though... it's kind of a shame there's no special weapons or strong talisman in here."

Aniela remarked while shoving two rings inside her pockets. Darcel took the remaining three while telling her, "Given the line up in this cave? These guys probably have no other option than to waste everything. Thankfully we got to these crystals before those goblins did."

The duo was feeling elevated. This mission was a huge roaring success, plus it was filled with adrenaline-pumping moments! With no more reason to stay, the pair were starting to walk out of the cave.

Only their footsteps had suddenly stopped.

Their eyebrows wrinkled, and that familiar feeling of arrival had gotten significantly closer now. Truly some group was trying to spy and intercept them!

But now that the two could take the time and focus on this group's prowess, Darcel and Aniela formed back their smirks. Just another foolish Perfect Order group.

At the entrance of the cave, the group had soon revealed themselves. Four young-looking boys had halted their way. They were donned in fancy red ropes with a design of the legendary Roc beast on it.

Even if you didn't know where they come from, one could tell they have a healthy background just by their clothes. Though on their faces wasn't the usual calm and utmost confidence, most youths at their ages have.

Instead, their faces were kindly smiling though the duo could notice a small dosage of distress. Obviously, before they came here, these four looked like they were in a dilemma.

A dilemma the duo guessed was related to them. Moreover, the two picked up on this subtle, faint hostile feeling. As if these four will spring into action at any given moment.

Before Darcel and Aniela could say anything, though, the boy in the middle had promptly started to speak, using an amicable tone in his voice.

"You two...you guys are really powerful! Somehow you managed to kill every goblin here and still look unscathed. I'm sure as hell even we couldn't achieve this result!"

The boy's tone sounded a bit forceful, but he was genuine in believing these two cleared this goblin nest. It was only just he, and the other boys missed out on a substantial crucial detail.

All they saw and felt when coming here were powerful surges of attacks.

They were on the same mission as the two but being far slower, they only walked upon a trail of dead goblins dying with no signs of a struggle.

Furthermore, in this cave, some goblins heads were mission or looked to have varying degrees of mangled corpses. Two Middle Orders kids couldn't achieve this.

For even themselves, they knew it was impossible to achieve this kind of prowess at their level.

But now it made a bit more sense in their minds when observing the duo. These two were from the Zakira Academy! That prestigious Academy that's essentially the richest in the whole City!

So they must have some sort of background and brought powerful talismans, weapons. Meaning they also must have crystals!

Sensing their realms, it made more sense than these two having defying jumping prowess.

Now it was time for them to test their luck. And if worse come to worse, then no matter what these kids have, they will have nothing that can match their speeds!

If they caused too much trouble resisting, they wouldn't even have the chance to know how they die...

"Ah! Why, thank you! It warms my heart to see other teens our age appreciate our talents. But...what are you four are actually after for?" Aniela asked as she and Darcel slowly walked up to the four.

Seemed like these boys were blissfully unaware of how past Zakira Academy students had failed on this mission if they thought they used something other than their real prowess.

The duo managed to deduce this just from the boy simply saying 'somehow.'

If they had indeed seen what they could do then, Darcel and Aniela were a hundred percent sure these four wouldn't dare go near them.

But since their merely ignorant, then Darcel and Aniela didn't mind in the slightest about taking…' extra rewards.'

"Oh us? Well...surely you two found some hidden rewards here? Being fellow youths in the same generation, it wouldn't hurt to share and gain some new friends, right?" The boy on the far right had suddenly spoken up.

And, upon doing so, it was time for them to test the waters. Silently all four of these boys leaked out their Perfect Order Qi Formation Sea aura! They all zeroed in on the duo and waited for their reaction.

Depending on whether or not that boy or girl goes for a spatial ring tells them whether or not they would need to fight or not.

It was a bit of a tense moment; however, all the duo did was creased their eyebrows.

Well, Darcel creased in thinking how foolish these kids were. But Aniela, she found something odd. Compared to the usually blunt Darcel, she could pick up on and read feelings in voices far better.

Before the action started, she willed a portion of her soul into her voice and curiously asked, "So eager to make some friends! But...I couldn't help but notice. You all are perhaps a bit too over eager for crystals? Even after guessing what we can do, why the sudden rush?"

This voice...her voice, it started to become...angelic! Before when she talked, the boys felt it was soft and pleasant to listen to. But suddenly, it just went on a whole other level of holiness!

Their minds buzzed with tender sensation, letting their guards relax some. Judging by how they tensed up, they could spot they most likely are very limited or ran out of special artifacts or talisman.

And the leader boy didn't feel any harm talking to them more. Though he was a bit confused. "Aren't students in the Zakira Academy talking up a storm about the upcoming labyrinth expedition? We Qi Formation Sea youths need to hurriedly increase our prowess until then!"

Common knowledge and news for these groups of boys was entirely new information for the duo. Because of their less than well-received reputation, they genuinely haven't got a chance to know about this.

Nevertheless, it still was all the more interesting. In a chipper, excited tone Aniela had then asked,

"Ohh! We have heard about that during our walks! But just when will this expedition start?" Aniela had achieved a perfect, welcoming, friendly vibe towards these boys.

Her big black eyes sparkled in the dimly lit cave, and her bright expression even made the boys want to smile.

Even if Aniela looks wasn't on some excellent beauty level, her cute personality made her far more endearing.

The boys nearly even forgot they were just now trying to rob and potentially even kill this duo.

"Ah, well, it's going to begin in two weeks or so...if you don't know, we hail from the Quicksilver Roc sect. And if you give us about...eighty percent of your rewards, I can promise you we'll lend you our aid on this expedition!"

It was like clockwork for Aniela as she made people who still held malicious intentions make them want to partner up with them. Alas, it was a shame Darcel and Aniela got what they needed from these four.

"Hooh, we've been quite busy during our time at the Academy. So thanks for providing this useful update. But honestly, eighty percent is quite steep. Your arrogance in this...it must be because of some sort of backing? It's almost pitiful how naive you all are."

Darcel's words were straightforward, and his voice held an undertone mocking one.

He singles handily put a damper on their whole moods. For his first words spoken, he's quite the bold one. But, his bravado...this is undoubtedly just a bunch of hot gas to scare them off.

The boys' smiles turned a bit more violent as they increased their aura leakage more. Looking straight at Darcel, the leading boy said,

"You're brasher than your friend...but really. What sort of backing do we need to deal with the likes of two Middle Orders? We're naive? Answer me this then, do you really think you have enough talisman or whatever artifacts to beat us now?"

"Better question! Tell us, what kind of devious plans do you have for us if we don't have anything but still don't comply?" Strangely enough for the boys, Aniela never let her smile go as if she was in no danger.

"No matter what tricks you have, can it compare to the speed of a Roc? No one in the City can match our sect speeds! Now you have two options, peacefully fork over your rewards and don't say a word to this to anyone if you don't want the wrath of a True Soul Core genius. Or resist and die."

The leading boy plainly laid it out to them. Seeing the duo get increasingly aggressive, all previous pretenses about helping each other were off.

Though they weren't ruthless, they can't help it if these two foolishly try to resist.

Clearly now, Darcel and Aniela can sense the boy's leakage of killing intent! Frankly, for even other Perfect Order Qi Formation Sea youths, the boys' threat would've been effective.

Unfortunately for them, this was Darcel and Aniela. And were they just mere doormats that they thought they could walk over?

'Whir!'

Darker than the abyss blackness, and blinding dazzling of white mixed together spewing out an enchanting color combination! The boys had seen Darcel's arm lit up black, and Aniela's arm lit up white.

This magical scene was only crushed by one major factor.

The all-mighty powerful aura that pressed down on the boys like a hundred mountains! Fear enveloped the boys realized a vast mistake in how these two killed all those goblins.

They simply have no need for talisman or artifacts!

Their aura was like meeting a whole new world. They were angelic, holy, divine, all kinds of blessed description combined into one. And the worst part was their eyes bearing into their very souls.

Without even the duo moving, the boys got hitched in their throats, their legs became a bit wobbly, and their pupils dilated.

"Wait! Wait! Wait! Don't kill us! Don't-Don't yo-" As the leading boy tried to plead, an dramatic, massive increase in temperature had cut him off.

'Ssscch!!'

The blaring sizzling sound of fire swift past the leading boy ears. He picked up on a sickening crunch like a body was getting punctured. Yet he didn't hear any screams.

Slowly the leading boy turned to his other partners. And immediately, he felt his body run cold once seeing two of his partners state.

On the far right and left, both boys had a black fire hole of where their chest used to be.

Their corpse smacked into the group as the leading boy frightfully turned back to the duo. Who both held a single finger out and at the tip was ignited by black flames.

Smirking at the last remaining boys' expression, Darcel told them,

"You two have only one option. Roll over and die."