Malik and Cavirieth were facing each other in another dimension where everything was white, a dimension created by the two as they used their powers against each other. The main reason it was created was because the World Tree could not allow the fight to happen in the elves' dimension, so it was forced to create this space solely for this battle.
"Bird Magic and Wind Magic…"
Malik used his combined magics—bird magic created birds made of pure mana, and wind magic was added to the core of each one, enhancing their attacks and giving them the ability to control the wind. Of course, they were not sentient creatures, but he gave them a simple command.
'Kill Cavirieth no matter what'
This would make them use their magic in the most efficient way possible to eliminate their opponent. Meanwhile, Cavirieth condensed green magic at the tip of his finger. Once finished, he pointed forward, and a massive beam covered the entire white sky created by the World Tree. His magical affinity was natural essence, allowing him to control the magic surrounding nature itself, as well as his own essence considered magic in its purest natural state.
'This man is the only one I have to kill for myself… and—'
Cavirieth looked at Malik with his usual expression, as if he were simply enjoying himself, but inside he burned with years of fury. His eyes reflected that, as the main person responsible for his wife's death stood right in front of him. It was Malik who declared that elves should not unite with other races, and Elithia fulfilled that promise. She captured all the humans within the elves' dimension, and in the western city square, Malik himself killed each one.
'For my daughter'
At that time, he had not been able to protect them, as he had to flee with Elaris as quickly as possible after receiving a letter from her mother. Yes—Melivia, the mother of Elaris and Elithia, had warned him right after returning from a mission. In that letter, she asked for help and trusted him to join the battle that was about to happen. But he arrived late because the mission had gone wrong—one of the elves with him had been corrupted and was considered the strongest at the time.
'I'm sure they planned that… to keep me away'
Melivia had expected him to arrive at the exact moment she would confront her eldest daughter. In truth, the mission had seemed so easy that everyone believed he would return early. Melivia, being perceptive, likely brought her strongest guards and first tried to understand her daughter—but it seemed Elithia never truly listened.
'This is a mission I must complete'
Cavirieth surged forward, grabbing one of the birds and throwing it at Malik. Dodging the attack, Malik commanded all the birds to strike while summoning a hurricane-like wind in his hand.
'Good, let him come to me—then I'll finally become the strongest elf'
The mana birds advanced simultaneously, tearing through the white space with trails of cutting wind, adjusting their trajectories at the last moment like living blades. Malik kept his arm raised, controlling the airflow and compressing pressure, turning the attack into a precise and unavoidable storm. But Cavirieth did not retreat. He charged directly into the swarm as his natural aura expanded, making the environment itself react, as if the artificial dimension was being overtaken by pure mana.
"Ancient Essence"
At the moment of impact, he passed through the first bird with his body wrapped in green mana, letting natural energy absorb part of the damage. Spinning, he grabbed another midair, crushed it, and hurled it back, creating an explosion that distorted space. The remaining birds cut into his arm, side, and face with compressed wind, leaving superficial wounds that instantly began to heal through natural regeneration.
'This is nothing to me'
"You've gotten stronger. Did you deactivate all the barriers protecting your bases just for this attack?"
He heard a voice—Malik appeared above him, descending with a compressed hurricane in his hand. When the blow landed, it created a column of wind that slammed Cavirieth into the white ground, cracking the dimension like fragile glass.
"Of course I did. This mission will end this cursed war."
Cavirieth raised his arm and released a brutal pulse of magic, canceling part of the pressure and sliding back.
"And I also took this chance to kill you."
Without pause, he pointed forward again, unleashing dozens of natural energy beams that spread across the battlefield—not as a direct attack, but as a network restricting movement. Malik was forced into predictable evasions, and the moment he moved, Cavirieth was already there, delivering a direct strike with a fist wrapped in condensed mana.
"Natural Impact"
The blow sent Malik flying, but before he could stabilize, he spread his arms and released a wind explosion, destroying the beams and regaining space. More birds formed around him, spinning like a deadly swarm. Without hesitation, both advanced and clashed at the center of the white world.
"You're naive if you think you can defeat me."
"You speak as if you hold the title of strongest elf—you didn't even earn it by defeating your brother."
Malik narrowed his eyes and threw a punch—but to his surprise, Cavirieth caught it. More mana surged from his body. Tightening his grip, Cavirieth struck Malik's stomach, distorting space. The green mana was stronger than before, and multiple attacks followed immediately.
'What is this?'
"Why the surprise? My magic was still recovering—but now I'm at one hundred percent."
So his opponent had not been at full strength before. That realization distorted Malik's face for a brief moment.
'He's stronger than me?'
"I like that expression."
Malik barely dodged the next punch, but a knee strike sent him flying. For years, Cavirieth had fought two ninth circles alone while protecting the elves and maintaining those barriers—one of them being Malik himself. It was only natural that at full power, he would surpass him.
"I'll finish you."
"Sorry, but this guy might still be useful to me."
Just as Cavirieth was about to strike again, a massive hand covered the sky. It seemed to be formed from portal magic, forcing Cavirieth to dodge before being caught. Both he and Malik were surprised, but Malik seemed to recognize the boy standing atop that hand, with a giant portal construct above them.
"Who are you?"
"Aren't you Sairao's locator mage?"
The one standing on the hand was Jago—one of the enemies he most wanted to kill right now.