Flickering shadows of a group of powerful individuals could be seen dashing between the broken-down high-rise buildings, jumping and soaring through with incredible agility.
Eight magus-level individuals with one grand magus leading them; these people were an elite powerful group. Not only that, but there was one distinct characteristic shared among everyone in this group; all of them were half-bloods of the Tiger bloodline.
If Emery were to see the group, he would definitely realize that they were the ones teleported out of the Golden City after attacking the prison. However, after going through such a battle, only nine remained from their initial twenty-five members.
Small pouches that gave off a unique smell could be seen hanging from their waists, preventing the feared Nightwalkers from chasing after them as they streaked across the landscape. After running for four hundred miles, the leader grand magus finally stopped in his tracks at one of the tallest buildings and beckoned all of his men to gather.
"The southern outpost is just right in front of us. I need some of you to reinforce these areas."
"Elder, there are already those elves guarding them. I'd rather follow you to the battle," said one of the female half-bloods amongst the group when she heard the grand magus issue such an order.
ROOAARRR!!
Without a word, the grand magus let out an intimidating roar at those insubordinate words. Needless to say, the female magus quickly shut her mouth and nodded, following the orders she was given.
"Those elves can't leave the outpost. As for you, Nimeria, I need you to hunt any human rats that might pass through the area around here. The moment you find them, immediately fire a signal; I will not allow any of them to get past me!"
"I understand, Brother."
After saying those words, the grand magus of the group–Elder Shan of the Tiger bloodline–decided to leave three people including Magus Nimeria. to watch over the rear, while taking the other five with him to go through the barrier into the wilderness.
Exiting the barrier, Shan and his five subordinates ran through the desert plains in a loose formation where they were separated into groups of three with each in pairs.
As they headed towards the spaceship that was their objective which was detected to land 400 miles away from the barrier, they utilized all their senses to the fullest to ensure that nothing was overlooked both above and below ground.
Just as they were about to reach the ship, the Tiger elder suddenly perceived a powerful discharge of spirit energy a dozen miles away through his spirit reading, which prompted him to let out a roar calling all of his men to head in that direction.
When the Tiger elder got closer to the area, he was surprised to discover that the energy fluctuation had disappeared, replaced by a specific iron-like smell that he was very familiar with. The smell of blood.
It didn't take him long to find the source of the smell. His hands clenched tightly as he saw two of his magus subordinates. Both were in a horrible state, their bodies dismembered and dissected as their pieces scattered on the ground.
"I can feel you are still here! Come out and fight me, Lucius!!"
As if answering his words, a figure stepped out from the shadows with a confident gait. It was a middle-aged man with golden hair and wolf-like features, Lucius the Wolf Patriarch.
"Huh!!" Shan snorted when he saw that the man came out alone. "Where are the others? I will give you the opportunity to call them all out now, or tonight will be the day you die, Lucius!"
Hearing the provocative words, the Wolf patriarch sported a calm look on his face as he said, "It's just me, Shan. You will just be fighting me this time!"
At the same time, the other Tiger magus finally caught up to Tiger Elder and arrived at the area.
The situation now turned into a four against one; a pack of tigers against one lone wolf.
There was silence as the tension grew, before being broken by a loud voice.
"Then you shall die here!!"
Still calm, the wolf patriarch replied, "I finally get to pay for what you traitor did to my White Fang clans."
Soon after, a huge battle involving two grand magus had suddenly begun far south of the compound.
****
At the same time, hundreds of miles away, Emery and the other members of group B had been continuously dashing toward the central compound for the last half an hour.
As they were closing in on the central compound, Emery no longer dare to cast [Nature Grasp] to heal the man on his back. To prevent them from being detected through the use of spirit energy, he ultimately had to only depend on his [Health Regeneration Pill] to help the man recover.
When they reached approximately 30 miles away from the central compound, their steps promptly halted. In front of them, thousands of Nightwalkers filled the area, blocking their path toward the compound.
The six of them immediately moved away and looked for a hiding spot in tacit understanding. After all, they couldn't just recklessly charge especially with an injured person with them. They had to further discuss the details of how they should enter the compound.
Fortunately, by the time Eeshoo found a relatively well-concealed hiding spot, Abrafo had already regained some of his strength and a sufficient understanding of their situation shortly after, allowing the man to summarize the situation at the compound for them.
"The underground… It's the best way…" the dark-skinned acolyte said in a slightly hoarse voice.
Abrafo had previously spent a few days secretly studying the compound to find a way to break through the maze and the formation, and from that, he did his best to describe everything he knew about the inside of the compound; where they locked up the acolytes, the arena, and the place where the grand magus gathered.
After explaining what he knew, the dark-skinned acolyte looked toward Eeshoo in a regretful manner.
"Princess Jinkan… I failed to protect her."
Abrafo proceeded to explain the chaos they tried to escape in the midst of, and how he was sure that the princess was taken back into the compound by a female acolyte.
"She… was the half-blood that killed the Harlight acolyte."
Upon hearing him mention Annara, Emery couldn't help but feel a little relieved. the girl was dead helping him during his time dilation experience. Knowing that she was still alive, the group might have another ally inside.
"Thank you for your service, Abrafo," the Nephilim protégé said before returning to the discussion of the best entry plan for them. The main problem was still the fact that two grand magus were also present inside the compound.
And the most annoying of them all was Zenonia, who comprehended the Law of Space.
"For this matter, we can only wait until the other group has started."