Clang!
Steel collided once again.
Kieran slid several meters across the rocky ground before finally regaining his footing.
His breathing had become heavier.
The muscles in his arms trembled slightly from the repeated impacts.
Across from him...
The Black Fang leader stood completely unharmed.
He casually rested his curved blade upon his shoulder.
His eyes, however, no longer carried contempt.
Instead...
They carried caution.
---
"Boy..."
He spoke slowly.
"You've never cultivated."
It wasn't a question.
It was a statement.
Kieran remained silent.
The man continued.
"And yet..."
"You can read movement."
"You understand distance."
"You waste no strength."
A smile slowly spread across his face.
"What kind of monster trained you?"
---
Kieran tightened his grip around his sword.
"My family."
---
The Black Fang leader chuckled.
"Then your family made one mistake."
He lowered his blade.
"They let you leave home."
Boom!
His Magna erupted violently.
The pressure swept through the mountain pass like a storm.
Several guards were forced to one knee.
Even the scarred bandit leader grimaced.
"So this..."
"...is a true Master Realm cultivator."
---
Without another word...
The Black Fang leader disappeared.
He reappeared directly above Kieran.
His blade descended.
Like a crescent moon falling from the heavens.
Kieran's pupils contracted.
Too fast.
He couldn't completely avoid it.
He twisted instinctively.
Slash!
The blade sliced across his left shoulder.
Blood stained his dark clothing.
The force sent him crashing into the rocky ground.
"Kieran!"
Roland shouted.
Lila covered her mouth in horror.
---
The Black Fang leader landed gracefully.
"I aimed for your neck."
He looked genuinely surprised.
"You moved."
Kieran slowly stood.
His left arm hung slightly lower.
The wound wasn't deep.
But it hurt.
A lot.
He looked at the blood upon his fingers.
Then...
He simply took a deep breath.
Crystal's words resurfaced.
«"Pain is information."»
«"Listen to it."»
He adjusted his stance.
Slightly shifting his weight to compensate for the injured shoulder.
---
The Black Fang leader smiled.
"You adapted already?"
"Interesting."
---
Suddenly—
A shrill whistle echoed across the valley.
Not from the Black Fang.
Not from the caravan.
From above.
A powerful gust of wind swept through the pass.
The next instant...
A silver spear fell from the sky.
BOOM!!
The earth exploded where it landed.
Dust and shattered stone filled the air.
The shockwave forced both sides backward.
Everyone instinctively looked upward.
A lone figure stood upon the cliff.
A young woman with long dark green hair tied into a high ponytail.
A dark green cloak fluttered behind her.
Pinned upon it...
Was the silver compass of the Wanderer's Guild.
Her calm amber eyes swept across the battlefield.
She sighed.
"I leave one escort mission..."
"...and somehow find another."
---
The captain's eyes widened.
"A Silver Wanderer!"
Roland visibly relaxed.
"Thank the Consortium..."
---
The woman leapt from the cliff.
She landed beside the embedded spear.
With one smooth motion...
She pulled it free.
Her gaze settled upon the Black Fang leader.
"Rogan."
"You've become quite troublesome."
The Black Fang leader clicked his tongue.
"Elena."
"So the Guild finally sent its favorite Silver Spear."
---
Elena rested the spear across her shoulder.
"The Guild received reports."
"Bandits."
"Missing caravans."
"Destroyed villages."
She looked at the terrified merchants.
"It seems..."
"The reports were accurate."
---
The Black Fang members exchanged nervous glances.
Their confidence had vanished.
One whispered,
"Boss..."
"She's Silver-ranked."
Another swallowed hard.
"I heard she once defeated three Master Realm cultivators..."
---
Rogan's expression darkened.
He knew the rumors.
More importantly...
He knew they were true.
---
Elena glanced toward Kieran.
Her eyes briefly paused on his injured shoulder.
Then on the plain sword in his hand.
Finally...
On the two unconscious bandits lying nearby.
"Hmm..."
"You did all that?"
Kieran nodded politely.
"I only defended myself."
She smiled faintly.
"Good answer."
---
Rogan suddenly laughed.
"You Guild people..."
"Always arriving at the perfect moment."
Elena twirled her spear once.
"Occupational habit."
---
The atmosphere became tense once more.
Everyone expected a fierce battle.
Instead...
Rogan slowly sheathed his blade.
He looked around.
Several of his men were already injured.
The ordinary bandits had regrouped behind the caravan guards.
The element of surprise was gone.
He had lost.
Not the battle.
But the opportunity.
---
He looked at Kieran one last time.
Then smiled.
"Next time..."
"I'll finish our duel."
Kieran calmly replied,
"There won't be a next time."
For a brief moment...
Rogan laughed louder than before.
"I like your confidence."
He raised one hand.
"Retreat."
The Black Fang Bandits vanished into the surrounding forest with astonishing discipline.
Within moments...
Only silence remained.
---
Elena didn't pursue them.
The captain frowned.
"Shouldn't we chase them?"
She shook her head.
"My duty..."
"...is protecting lives."
"Not gambling them."
She planted her spear into the ground.
"Besides..."
"They won't get far."
Roland looked puzzled.
"What do you mean?"
A faint smile appeared on Elena's face.
"The Guild doesn't send only one Silver Wanderer."
Far in the distance...
The sound of battle echoed faintly through the mountains.
Rogan had escaped the pass.
But elsewhere...
Other Guild forces had already begun closing the net.
The hunt for the Black Fang had truly begun.
And for Kieran...
His first journey beyond the Hidden Valley had taught him an important lesson.
The world was neither purely kind...
Nor purely cruel.
It was filled with people making choices.
Some noble.
Some desperate.
Some unforgivable.
The challenge...
Was learning the difference.
End of Chapter 54