Veil of Aether

Having been found out due to Hachi’s sudden evolution notice, Kei Y slipped on a simple wooden mask, smooth and featureless with no eye, ear, or mouth holes. The mask was adorned with intricate cherry blossom patterns flowing down its surface, its design simple but striking. With the mask in place, Kei Y quickly ran, disappearing into the shadows of the nearby structures.

The guards chasing Kei Y were growing increasingly frustrated. His presence had vanished as if he’d never been there, and they scrambled to figure out where he had gone. Sending out multiple force attacks at the spot he had been moments before, they found nothing but empty air.

"Come back out, you coward!" one of the guards shouted, his voice full of irritation.

"You dared infiltrate our area to steal our zones!" another bellowed.

"You woke me up, you bastard!" a third guard yelled, his tone filled with anger.

The insults flew as the guards tried to corner Kei Y, calling him all sorts of names and demanding he show himself.

Kei Y, still hidden behind a structure, couldn’t help but mutter to himself in frustration, "Tsk, I need to get into that zone, but they’re so annoying."

He peeked around the corner, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "You know, you guys have really nice eyes. It’d be a shame if something happened to them," he shouted out, his voice carrying through the air.

The guards’ anger flared even more at his taunt, their attacks becoming more intense as they hurled various force skills toward the area where they thought he was hiding.

"Get out here, you wimp!" one guard screamed.

"Show yourself!" another demanded.

"Thank you for complimenting my eyes. I’ve always been self-conscious about them."

As the guards were busy trying to locate the elusive trespasser, one of them suddenly howled in pain. "ARRGGGG!" The soldier-class guard clutched his eye, blood pouring out in torrents, staining his hand.

"What the…?" The specialist-class guard was momentarily stunned, confused by his comrade's sudden scream.

Then, all around the area, multiple guards screamed in pain, clutching their faces as more blood spilled from their eyes.

Kei Y, watching from his hidden position, couldn’t help but mutter to himself with a grin, "Gotta give props to the Ocular Puncture Proficiency passive skill, really is useful."

The chaos he’d unleashed left the guards in a panic, their colleagues writhing in agony as their eyes bled uncontrollably. The once orderly group was now in disarray, scrambling to comprehend what was happening to them.

The specialist-class guard roared in fury, his anger fuelling a powerful wind-based domain that erupted from his core. A violent gale surged outward from him, tearing through the area with destructive force. The gusts whipped up debris and sent the remaining guards stumbling back, trying to shield themselves from the storm.

Kei Y, still cloaked in Phantom Breeze, was temporarily caught off guard by the strength of the wind. The powerful gale tore through the air, knocking him back as it tried to force him into the open. He struggled to maintain his balance, feeling the pressure of the wind pushing him back.

Kei Y's eyes lit up as he realized the opportunity before him. "Ohhh, lucky me," he muttered with a grin, sensing the wind force around him.

The specialist-class guard was already above him, the spear aimed down at Kei Y's head. Kei Y quickly shifted, tapping into Pulsewind Force—the same force he had seen used by the participant in the Ironsworn Ravager raid. "It’s not Zephyr Wind or Stormwind Force, but it’s more offensive than Breeze Force, and it’ll have to do until I can reconnect with Zephyr Wind and Stormwind," Kei Y said, his focus sharpening as he prepared to use the force for himself.

In a split second, Kei Y unleashed the Pulsewind Force, sending a powerful surge of wind to propel himself out of the path of the downward strike. The force blasted him away just in time, as the spear smashed into the ground, creating a deep crater. Kei Y folded into the wind, disappearing and reappearing in a new location, out of the specialist-class guard’s immediate reach.

The wind chased Kei Y relentlessly, its power increasing with every moment. Inside the specialist class's domain, escaping was near impossible. The specialist could sense Kei Y's every movement within the domain, no matter how he tried to disappear. All of the projectiles Kei Y had been launching toward the specialist class were effortlessly blocked by the swirling winds of the domain.

The specialist class advanced, appearing in front of Kei Y in an instant, his spear aimed directly at him. Wind rushed around the spear, enhancing its speed and power. “I’m tired of chasing you around, kid. I’m just going to kill you,” the specialist class growled, his spear inching closer to Kei Y's vital points.

In that critical moment, the spear suddenly slowed down, much to the specialist class's confusion. "Huh?" He stared at the weapon, puzzled.

The distraction proved to be just what Kei Y needed. Pulses of wind surged around his limbs, and he quickly took the opportunity to counterattack. His strikes were swift and precise, each pulse of wind pushing the specialist class back, step by step, catching him off guard.

Shaking off his confusion, the specialist class redirected his domain, the winds surrounding Kei Y, swirling and tightening around him. "Kid, I'm getting really tired of you," the specialist class snarled, his hands tightening on his spear. "I’m going to rip that mask off your face and shove it down your—"

The wind spun faster, turning into a deadly tornado, its force ripping toward Kei Y with destructive intent. But just as the tornado was about to engulf him, the specialist class felt something strange—he wasn’t losing control over his domain, he was losing control over his force. The wind he had commanded was slipping from his grasp, and in a moment of realization, he heard Kei Y's voice, mocking.

"I actually never thought of attacking with a tornado. Thanks for the idea."

Kei Y had moved above the specialist class, and before the tornado could react, he gathered a pulse of wind around his fist, cocking his arm back. In one swift motion, he slammed a gale of wind downward, hitting the specialist class with such force that the man was sent crashing to the ground, bouncing off the earth.

The tornado of wind from the domain, no longer under the specialist's control, spun out of control, tossing him around. The wind carried him further away, sending him skidding across the battlefield. Kei Y adjusted the mask on his face, looking down at the specialist class as he spoke with a grin, “Thank you for the idea.”

The specialist class lay in the distance, struggling to regain his bearings as Kei Y stood confidently, his control over the wind now absolute. He had effectively ripped the specialist class's control over the wind force away from him. “Being able to do that before being a God Spark had been really useful, but this God Spark title really makes it much easier. Zeph would probably beat the life out of me once he realizes that his Zephyr wind is even more useless against me now,” Kei Y chuckled to himself, savoring the feeling of increased power.

The specialist class struggled to get up, still confused about how he lost control over his own attack and how it had turned against him. In his confusion, he was suddenly struck by a blinding pain in his eyes. His vision was swallowed by the agony, and his body jerked back as he desperately tried to process the overwhelming sensation.

“That should keep him down for a while,” Kei Y said, satisfied with the outcome. He turned away, heading toward his goal—entering the fractured zone.

Back at Kei’s clearing, the girls, now out of the hot springs and hastily dressed, stood with weapons drawn in response to the unexpected group of individuals who had appeared.

“Got to admit, they really are handsome,” Talia said, her daggers poised and aimed at the new arrivals, sizing them up warily.

“I don’t know who you guys are, but you’d do best to speak quickly,” Jenny added, her scythe ready as she extended a hand towards Lisa. The kinetic force from Lisa’s sound force flowed into Jenny’s scythe, empowering her weapon and enhancing her combat potential.

One of the figures, dressed in robes with long flowing hair, stepped forward and addressed the group. “Hello, we weren’t expecting any humans. We just sensed a creature evolving and came to check it out.”

Lisa, standing confidently with Hachi beside her, gave a reassuring smile. “Our Fangwolf cub here recently evolved into a Lycan, that’s most likely what you sensed. No need to worry about him, he’s rather friendly.”

The stranger tilted his head, studying Hachi with curiosity. “Hmm, I can see that. He seems rather... interesting.” His gaze then shifted back to the girls. “But why is it that you’re all looking at us with such suspicion?”

Jenny’s expression remained cautious, her grip on the scythe tight. “You guys came out of nowhere, and we don’t recognize you for rather obvious reasons. This is our first encounter with the likes of you, so we aren’t exactly sure how well you view humans.”

There was a brief silence as the stranger seemed to consider her words before responding.

“No way, are those…? Are those elves?” Reese's voice cut through the moment as he, along with Kai and Owen, noticed the new presences in the clearing, their attention immediately drawn to the girls, who stood in a standoffish manner. The sudden tension made the elves equally defensive.

“Tall, skinny, long hair, long-ass ears, good-looking… yeah, seems to fit the description of elves,” Kai said, making a casual observation, though his eyes never left the strangers.

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“A few weeks ago, seeing these guys would’ve given me a heart attack, but this sort of thing doesn’t even surprise me anymore,” Owen said with a sigh, activating his Bastion Force and preparing his Gaia skills. He planted himself into the ground, his boulder bear pet standing beside him, ready for action at a moment's notice.

“Hmmm... I guess these humans never seen elves before? Ah, that’s right, you all must be going through your first expanse. You’re from a trial world, I assume?” the elf, who seemed to be in charge, asked, his tone neutral yet curious.

“So you guys really are elves?” Talia asked bluntly, her voice still cautious as she kept her daggers ready. “What do you want here?”

“Oh, sorry for the intrusion,” the lead elf said, his expression softening. “Besides the evolution we sensed, there’s also a familiar presence we felt here, one that seemed to have saved my friends here from their enslavement by goblins. I was hoping to come and express my thanks.”

The other elves nodded, visibly relieved at the mention of being saved. “It’s been so long since we’ve been looking for who saved us,” another elf said, their voice tinged with frustration. “We were left trapped in a cage after all the goblins mysteriously died. It’s been so long we couldn’t find any clues about who helped us. Our only clue was the presence they left in a tree and the fact they accepted the quest we made to save us. No one came to release us from the cage, and we spent such a long time in there. At a certain point, we just figured that we were forgotten, as this world continued... Apex bosses being killed, quests being done, monsters hunted, etc. Feels like it’s been a long while since we were thought of.”

The elf paused, their frustration palpable. “Anyway, you wouldn’t happen to have seen someone with Windpiercer Needles, would you? They’re long, thin, silver needles, wind-based,” the young elf added, their annoyance clear as they relived the memory of being left in the cage with the dead goblins, feeling abandoned for so long.

The girls exchanged glances, tension still thick in the air.

Talia and the others exchanged knowing glances as the elf described the Windpiercer Needles. They recognized the description instantly—the same needles Kei had kept in his hair, the ones he had used to stab someone in their eye and throat. A chill ran down their spines at the thought.

Kai frowned, his mind racing as he thought of the potential horrors Kei could inflict with those needles. His scientific curiosity, coupled with his unpredictable tendencies, made the needles dangerous. "It’s probably for the best—and the safety of everyone—that Kei no longer has those needles," Kai thought, shaking his head at the thought.

"I'm sorry, I can’t exactly say those needles sound familiar," Owen said, his voice calm but with a hint of unease, trying to keep things neutral.

The lead elf sighed, disappointed but not deterred. "That’s such a shame. We’d really like to give that person thanks and offer them our hospitality," he said, clearly genuine in his desire to find the one who had helped his people.

“Hmmmm, seems like a unique living area here, a forge, crafting area, food, buildings, and so much more. You guys must’ve been really active and quite talented to provide such an area for yourselves,” the lead elf said as he glanced around the clearing. "If you're this capable, I’m sure you’ll do just fine in the final trial area of your first expanse. I do wish your world a good ranking and safe progression," he added with a nod, offering his well wishes.

The mention of the “final trial” caught everyone’s attention. Jenny raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. “Final trial? What are you talking about?” she asked.

"Hmmmm? You guys don’t know?" one of the elves asked, their surprise evident.

“Oh, right, you guys wouldn’t know,” Lisa said, as if the realization hit her. "This reality is new for most people."

"You know about this trial thing?" Jenny asked, her curiosity piqued.

Lisa shrugged.

"I can explain if you don’t mind, young miss. The final trial calculates your planet’s performance in an expanse trial," The lead elf began. "Your planet is graded by its participants' performance—quality of quests, dungeons, field bosses defeated, and of course, Apex bosses are included in that as well."

Jenny, Owen, and Talia listened closely, still not fully understanding the significance. The lead elf continued, his expression becoming more serious as he elaborated.

"Killing or defeating Apex bosses almost guarantees a world gaining a significant ranking," the lead elf explained, his tone shifting slightly. "The vast majority of worlds struggle to defeat even one Apex boss. I’m sure you can imagine how impossibly difficult killing one would be. Such feats are only accomplished by those who are destined to become the greatest legends of their generation."

He paused, his gaze turning thoughtful as he glanced at Zeph. "But it seems like your world is fairly talented, having killed three and somehow tamed the most difficult Apex boss. So, I look forward to seeing what grade and ranking your planet will receive," he said, a hint of respect in his voice.

The conversation left the group thoughtful. The weight of the words settled in, but there was something about the mention of the Apex bosses that made their achievements feel more real. They had truly accomplished something incredible. The reality of it was still sinking in, but as they looked at each other, they knew they were part of something much bigger than themselves.

Talia spoke up, breaking the silence. “So, this final trial is about how well we’ve performed in the expanse... and killing Apex bosses is the real game-changer?”

The lead elf nodded, confirming. “Apex bosses are the highest reward you can earn for your world. They’re not just monsters; they’re challenges that determine the strength of your world’s future. And from what I’ve seen, you’re all capable of achieving even greater things. I’m eager to see how your world fares."

"That still doesn’t answer what this final trial thing is, and why you seem to emphasize it having a significant impact on our rankings more than everything else you mentioned," Jenny pressed, her voice still cautious as she kept an eye on the elves.

"Oh, you're right," the lead elf realized his mistake, nodding. "All the stuff I mentioned is indeed important for your ranking, but the final trial is a separate, more critical event. It's essentially a way for all the worlds experiencing their first trials to measure themselves against each other. It’s a sort of display of talents to existence itself, as a means for special treatment, resources, and opportunities."

He paused to let the significance of what he said sink in. "The better your world does in the final trial, the more resources you will receive, and the more opportunities your world will have to progress and advance. It's not just about surviving or completing tasks—it's about proving your world’s potential to exist in a greater universe."

The elf's tone grew more serious as he explained further. "The final trial is a massive test where all the worlds' first-experience participants are pitted against one another. The five most promising individuals from each world's trial are automatically selected and transported to a tournament of sorts, where your world’s members will face off against other worlds. It involves quests, dungeons, and, of course, combat being the main event."

He looked at each of them in turn, his eyes scanning the group. "It’s a true test for worlds entering the greater existence—a way to display their worth and how much they’ve grown. The strongest of your world, the most capable, will be judged and rewarded accordingly."

The words were heavy, and as the elves finished explaining, Jenny’s mind raced. It was starting to make sense now—this was no simple test. It was a chance for their world to prove itself in the eyes of a much larger existence, with the chance to earn resources and opportunities for a better future. The weight of their actions and achievements had just grown exponentially.

“Sounds like a lot’s riding on this,” Jenny said, her voice a little softer now as she processed the magnitude of what they were being asked to do. “So, if we perform well, it’s not just about personal glory—it affects our entire world’s future?”

The lead elf nodded. "And as you’ve already shown, your world has potential. What you achieve in the final trial will shape the path ahead for all of you. Don’t take this lightly."

"Also, keep in mind not every world has humans as their dominant species," a young elf said, his voice carrying a mix of curiosity and mischief. "If you were surprised to see elves, I don’t know what your reaction will be when seeing three-eyed species, or those with tails, or cloud-like hair, or multiple limbs... or creatures that look like a mismatched blend of different beings..."

Before he could continue, his mouth was quickly covered by one of the elder elves.

"Ignore him, he's a bit unique," another elf said with an awkward laugh.

The lead elf, still composed, smiled softly and spoke. "But he is right. The faster you accept that there are multiple species out there, the better off you'll be. And species are ranked based on their potential and bloodlines. Unfortunately for humans, for as long as the universe has kept track, your species has always ranked at the very bottom. However, looking at what you've accomplished, that ranking isn't the end-all-be-all, so don't worry too much about it."

"What about elves? Where do you guys rank?" Reese asked, a mix of curiosity and challenge in his tone.

The lead elf's smile widened. "Oh, us? Our species is blessed by Aether. Those of the purer bloodlines are born directly from Aether itself, with special bodies that would seem like cheating in your eyes. But we are a scarce race, and we rank in the top 10 of all species in existence."

"Yet you were captured by goblins?" Kai raised an eyebrow, half in jest, half in genuine curiosity.

The lead elf’s face twisted in discomfort, and he quickly waved his hand, dismissing the comment. "Don’t remind us of that, please. We haven’t done anything to deserve such ire. But, well, if you ever come across our savior, we’d be eagerly waiting to thank them graciously."

As he finished speaking, the group of elves seemed to meld with the environment, their forms fading into the surroundings as their Aether emanated from them, displaying various force alignments that shimmered before they completely disappeared.

"That’s a lot of information dropped on us," Jenny said cautiously, her voice no longer laced with the usual carelessness. "This final trial seems like it’s going to be a lot of work," she added, her usual laziness nowhere to be found.

"Top 5 promising individuals?" Talia said thoughtfully, her eyes narrowing. "Kei is definitely one of them. As long as we have him, we’re more than certain to do exceptionally well in the final trial. We might even win the whole thing." She said this with the kind of absolute faith that only comes from knowing someone intimately, and trusting their abilities without hesitation.

The group stood quietly for a moment, the weight of the elves' words and the challenge ahead beginning to settle in.