Faiser remained standing behind the tree… without moving.
He was not breathing deeply… nor was he tense…
He was simply watching.
The world before him moved, spoke, threatened…
But to him, everything felt like a slow scene, being reanalyzed piece by piece.
Then—
That man spoke again to his companion, his voice low but carrying clear caution:
"Wait a moment… did you feel something strange?"
The other replied quickly, glancing around with slight tension:
"What do you mean?"
The first hesitated a little, then said in a tone no longer as confident as before:
"I don't know… just for a moment… I felt as if someone was watching us, not from afar… but from a very close place, as if their eyes had been on us from the beginning."
A brief silence followed.
Then a third man said, placing his hand on his weapon:
"I think they've gotten close… the guards, they must have followed the trail."
The first responded, narrowing his eyes:
"Yes… and that means one thing."
He paused, then said coldly:
"We need to finish this here… and quickly."
Behind the tree…
Faiser's expression did not change.
But his thoughts moved.
"So… there is another party in this equation."
His gaze shifted toward the girl.
"And based on what she said… she is not just a target… but someone important enough to have people sent after her."
He fell silent for a moment.
Then—
A step.
A very faint sound… behind him.
He turned.
Slowly.
Without haste.
His eyes did not widen…
No confusion appeared on his face.
He simply… looked.
"So… they're not only in front of me."
Another voice came from among the trees, a bit farther away, but approaching:
"I think they're close to here…"
And in that moment…
Faiser smiled.
A small smile.
Cold.
But not spontaneous.
"Alright…"
He said it internally, in a very calm tone, as if everything was just a game.
"If these are the pieces available… then there's no harm in moving them a little."
He paused.
Then added:
"Even if it's a gamble."
He stepped out from behind the tree.
With slow steps.
Measured.
The moment he appeared—
All eyes turned toward him.
The men froze.
Then—
Faiser's features…
Changed.
Instantly.
As if another person had taken his place.
His eyes lost their coldness.
His shoulders dropped slightly.
His breathing became uneven.
Then he said in a voice carrying a convincing tremor:
"P… please… help me…"
Silence.
One of the men stepped forward, his eyes examining him from head to toe:
"Who are you…?"
Then he narrowed his gaze:
"And how did you get to this place?"
Another man replied with a mocking smile, waving his hand dismissively:
"Relax… no need for all that caution."
He looked at Faiser with clear disdain.
"This is just a weak cultivator… even the seed of power within him is still dormant, no danger at all."
Faiser paused.
But only internally.
"A dormant… seed?"
The idea was recorded.
"A new term… so this is related to the power I saw earlier."
One of them raised an eyebrow, then said mockingly:
"But still… boy, don't you see a group of cultivators in front of you? Isn't it strange that you didn't run? Or do you… still not understand your place?"
"…"
"It seems I should act as they expect…"
Faiser lowered his head immediately.
His voice came out hesitant:
"Y… yes… of course… I… I'm scared…"
Then he added quickly:
"I just… didn't know what to do… please… don't hurt me… I respect you… I respect your holiness…"
And inside—
"What is this nonsense I'm saying…?"
His eyes lowered, but behind that bow…
There was cold anger.
"Has it come to this… groveling?"
The man burst out laughing.
A loud laugh, filled with contempt:
"Hahahaha! Good! Very good! At least you know your place, boy!"
And in that moment—
Something happened.
Not a decision.
Nor a conscious act.
But—
An eruption.
From within.
The sensation that had been watching him…
That "pulse"…
Moved.
Violently.
…thump…
…thump… thump… thump…
The world froze.
Then—
An aura burst out from Faiser.
It was not clearly visible…
But its effect—
Was immediate.
The air grew heavier.
The light dimmed.
Silence—
Turned into pressure.
The man stepped back.
Then another step.
His face turned pale instantly.
"W… what…?"
Another almost fell to his knees.
"Th… this aura…!"
"Impossible… this is impossible! How can a weak cultivator… with a dormant seed… release something like this?! This… this is not human energy!"
A third man said as he retreated:
"This is not a normal aura… this is… a bloodshed aura… a demonic aura…!"
Even the girl…
Shuddered.
Clearly.
She began to cry.
"W… who is this…?! He's still at the seed level… and his seed is even dormant… so how… how can he release this aura…?!"
Faiser slowly raised his head.
He looked at them.
And said to himself:
"Why are they so terrified…?"
He looked behind him.
Then looked back at them.
"There's nothing behind me…"
Then he looked at the girl.
"A moment ago… she was calm…"
"And now… she's trembling like a little child."
And in that moment—
"Attaaack!"
The shout exploded from behind him.
Several shadows emerged from between the trees.
Men…
Heavily armed.
Their movements were fast.
Organized.
And at the front—
A young man.
Younger.
But his voice was sharp:
"Leave no one alive! Kill everyone who raised a weapon against the daughter of the sect leader!"
"…"
"So… the other pieces have arrived."
Faiser sighed internally.
"The timing… is perfect."
"Well done… the stalling was well-timed."
He paused.
"But… did he say… princess?"
He looked toward the girl.
"This… is a princess?"
And the battle erupted.
Swords clashed.
Sparks scattered.
Spears pierced the air like deadly arrows.
One man lunged with his sword, but a counterstrike cut his path, blood bursting from his shoulder.
Another tried to use that "power," the air trembling around him, but a sword passed through his chest before he could finish.
"Techniques…"
Faiser observed.
"Not just physical… there is something activated before the strike."
Their movements were not random.
They were calculated.
Deliberate.
One man leaped high, his sword glowing with strange energy, then came crashing down, shattering the ground beneath his feet.
Another circled his opponent and stabbed his neck with deadly precision.
Blood.
Screams.
Steel.
Amid all of that…
Faiser did not move.
He simply…
Watched.
One of the men who had been surrounding the girl glanced at Faiser during the fight.
He saw him.
Standing.
Calm.
His eyes…
Held no fear.
No confusion.
He was only… smiling.
"…"
"So…"
The man thought while panting:
"So… this monster was in cahoots with them from the start…"
"He just… waited."
After moments—
The battle ended.
Some men fell.
The rest…
Fled.
Among them—
That man.
The young leader rushed toward the girl:
"Princess… are you hurt? Did they do anything to you?"
She said while trembling:
"N… no, brother… nothing happened…"
Faiser paused.
"Brother?"
He looked at them.
"So their relationship… is clearer now."
The young man said with concern:
"But… why are you crying like this?"
The girl slowly looked…
Toward Faiser.
The young man froze.
Then turned quickly.
"You!"
He shouted:
"Who are you?! Did you do something to the princess?!"
Then he shouted to his men:
"Why didn't you attack this man as well?!"
One of them said:
"Sir… he is just a weak cultivator… he does not belong to any sect… and he does not bear the mark of the Red Bear Sect…"
The young man thought:
"They're right… his clothes are strange!!"
Then he said sharply:
"Who are you, you bastard?"
Faiser did not respond.
The young man stepped toward him.
Drew his sword.
And placed it under Faiser's chin.
"Aren't you going to answer…?"
The girl suddenly shouted:
"Stop, brother! He didn't do anything!"
She breathed with difficulty, then said:
"In fact… he's the one who saved me… he was stalling them… if he hadn't appeared… I wouldn't have lasted until you arrived…"
Silence.
The young man slowly lowered his sword.
He sighed.
Then looked at Faiser.
A sharp look.
And said:
"So…"
He paused slightly.
"Who are you… strange man?"
Silence.
Faiser slowly raised his head.
His eyes…
Returned to what they were.
Cold.
Calm.
But this time…
Deeper.
And he said to himself:
"It seems that I… have entered an interesting place, and it seems that this game… is starting to become truly enjoyable."