How deep the influence of the Dragon Roar clan ran in the realm of paragon warriors was something Alex didn't fully know. Not yet.
But he already knew enough to be cautious.
The Pendragon knew things. Things most high clans didn't even whisper about. Because of that, Dragon Roar had resources—real ones. Information. Networks. Quiet advantages that never showed on the surface.
They didn't just train fighters.
They trained spies.
Not sloppy ones. Not amateurs. These were people who could melt into other organizations, wear their colors, follow their rules, and live their lives without raising suspicion. Clean. Patient. Dangerous.
And with the Pendragon system, Dragon Roar had a way to keep track of their own.
The system map.
It wasn't just a map. It was an identity marker. A silent signal that let members locate each other and confirm allegiance without words. No shouting. No gestures. Just a system-level acknowledgment.
That was how they survived in hostile ground.
As Alex moved closer to the four Khyphon members, he kept his face calm. Neutral. He planned to play along. Do what was needed. Nothing more.
Then it happened.
His system pinged.
Not a message. Not a notification. Just a sharp, unmistakable signal. Someone was reaching out, trying to identify themselves through the system.
Right there. Among the four.
Alex's steps didn't slow, but his mind snapped into motion.
'a system ping from within their group. That only means one thing,' he thought. 'Someone from Dragon Roar is among the Khyphon.'
His pulse tightened.
'is he a spy? An agent already embedded?'
'If we attack now… will we ruin his mission?'
In the Dragon Roar clan, one rule stood above the rest.
You do not obstruct another member's mission. Ever.
Because of that, Alex stopped.
He eased back a single step, then another. Slow. Careful. No sudden moves. He was no longer advancing with the others.
The shift was small, but not invisible.
"What is he doing?!" Isla whispered, teeth grinding. His voice was low, sharp, irritated. He didn't take his eyes off the targets.
"Leave him," Zephyr said with a sneer. "He's a coward. Just as expected."
Alex didn't react. No words. No defense.
At the same time, the Khyphon members moved.
Symbolic runes lit up across their cloaks, faint at first, then bright. Blue-white lines crawled along the fabric like living marks. The air around them changed. Moist. Heavy.
Water particles began forming out of nothing, pulled straight from the air itself.
"Attack!" Zephyr shouted.
The order dropped like a blade.
Immediately, attacks rained down on the Khyphon group. Qi blasts shot out from different directions, dark and violent, tearing through the space between them. Power crashed forward, fast and relentless, meant to overwhelm and erase.
From the outside, it looked decisive.
They were outnumbered. This should have been quick.
But it wasn't.
Water surged upward in a single motion. It gathered, spun, and sealed itself into a barrier around the Khyphon members. A full circle. Smooth. Flowing. Alive.
The attacks hit.
And failed.
Qi slammed into the water wall and rippled across it like stones thrown into a lake. Waves rolled. Energy bled off. No cracks. No breaks. No damage.
Still, the Wyndhams didn't stop.
They kept attacking. Again. And again. Pressure without pause. Hoping for collapse. Hoping for weakness.
Behind them all, Alex stood still.
He wasn't watching the attackers.
He was watching the Khyphon.
Inside the circular water barrier, all four Khyphon members stood with their hands raised. Palms open. Qi flowing steady. The barrier held firm, spinning slow and controlled around them.
Then one of them moved.
He released his grip.
The moment his hand dropped, the barrier reacted. It shrank slightly, tightening its shape. The water that peeled away didn't fall or splash. It flowed—clean and deliberate—straight toward him.
As he stepped through the barrier, the water followed.
It wrapped over his clothes, layering itself around his body like a second robe. Not heavy. Not loose. It moved as if it belonged there, hugging every motion.
The man was different now.
Without slowing, he dashed forward.
Straight at the Wyndhams.
"You must be out of your mind," Zephyr said, lifting his hand. He pointed, calm but sharp.
Qi fired out in a long, straight line, fast and bright. It cut through the air like lightning.
The attack hit.
And did nothing.
The moment it touched the Khyphon member's body, water rippled outward. The force spread across the liquid layer, rolled away, and vanished. No damage. No stumble.
The Khyphon member closed the distance in a breath.
He caught Zephyr's finger.
Firm. Precise. Ready to snap it clean.
Before he could, a fist slammed into his stomach.
Then another struck his ribs.
A third crashed into his jaw.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Each hit landed solid.
And yet, all it did was send waves across the water-cloth around his body. The man didn't flinch. Didn't step back. Didn't even blink.
But Zephyr did.
A cold sweat broke out across his forehead as the delay hit him—small, sharp, and terrifying.
The one who stepped in to help was Lennox.
But unlike Zephyr, he didn't get out in time.
The moment Zephyr slipped free, the Khyphon member reacted. No pause. No warning. His arm swung wide to the side in a loose, careless motion.
It hit Lennox.
The impact was brutal.
Lennox was lifted off his feet and slammed into the ground. He bounced once. Then again. His body skidded across the dirt before finally rolling to a stop.
The Khyphon member didn't chase him.
With his hood still intact, he turned his head slightly and looked in Alex's direction.
Just for a moment.
Alex couldn't see his face. The inside of the hood was unnaturally dark, like light refused to stay there. But that alone told Alex enough.
This man was Dragon Roar.
'That water coating his body… that's Reflection Effect,' Alex thought.
He narrowed his eyes.
'But he's not fully using it.'
Alex recognized the technique. It was one he had only recently learned himself. A dangerous skill. Powerful, but picky. Peace-energy techniques like that weren't handed out freely. Only those with the right talent could use them. For everyone else, learning it would stall their growth completely.
Still, the Dragon Roar clan didn't hide such things from their members.
They trusted their people to know their limits.
'Should I step in?' Alex thought.
His gaze flicked back to the fight.
'If he really has Reflection Effect, the Wyndhams won't win this head-on.'
That was the hard truth.
Alex wanted to move. His body leaned forward slightly. But he stopped himself. If he joined now without using his full power, he'd just be another body in the way.
And that wouldn't change anything.
Because of that, Alex shifted his focus and scanned the area for other targets.
He didn't rush in. Not yet.
Nearby, Lennox was still on the ground, dazed and struggling to push himself up. The Khyphon member had already moved on. He went straight for the others without hesitation.
He was fast. Too fast.
Attacks came at him from different angles. He slipped past most of them. The few that landed did nothing. They hit, rippled, and vanished like drops of rain on a lake.
Zephyr snarled and raised his hand. Lightning qi flared around his finger, sharp and bright. He thrust it forward.
The strike hit.
Nothing happened.
No burn. No shock. Not even a stumble.
'How is that possible?' Zephyr thought.
The Khyphon member kept moving through the battlefield, not rushing, not panicking. He flowed between them, disrupting their rhythm, forcing them to react instead of attack.
"What the hell are you doing, Clifford? Use your powers!" Gavalich shouted.
At that moment, Gavalich was locked in close combat with the Khyphon member. Fists were flying. Each blow came fast and heavy. Gavalich blocked one, took another to the ribs, then staggered back.
He was losing ground.
"Don't you think I already am?" Clifford snapped back. "I don't feel like I'm draining anything at all!"
Before Gavalich could adjust, the Khyphon member shifted targets again. He disengaged cleanly and moved toward someone else, smooth and deliberate.
That was when Alex finally saw it.
The pattern.
'He's not finishing them,' Alex thought.
'He's stalling.'
His eyes narrowed.
'He's buying time… for me to end this.'
Alex made his decision.
Without another word, he turned and ran.