Earth exploded upwards, not as a barrier this time but a platform. He bent his knees and launched himself forward with explosive force while lightning surged across his body.

The ape’s fist descended... he stepped on it, then wind burst beneath his feet.

Atheline sprinted directly across the monster’s arm while drawing the dagger from his waist.

The ape tried to grab him with its other hand but water exploded around its wrist. The sudden pressure redirected the arm slightly off course.

Then lightning followed. The dagger pierced directly into the creature’s shoulder joint. Electricity detonated throughout the armored body violent enough to force the ape backward with a roar.

The damage wasn’t large enough but it was enough to destroy it.

Yander moved immediately.

She descended from above like a falling meteor, dark flames spiraling around her blade before condescending into a single devastating point.

Then, she thrusted downwards. The fire pierced immediately through the ape’s chest armour.

BOOOOM.

Crimson flames erupted from the creatures’ backs. The monster staggered.

Cassian grinned immediately.

"Nice."

Shadows beneath the ape expanded immediately outwards like a giant mouth. It swallowed both of the creature’s legs entirely.

The ape roared furiously and tried ripping free, but at the exact moment, the wolf broke from the bindings.

The black Scaled beast lunged towards Yander with killing intent, wind exploding around its claws. It was too fast to stop or even avoid.

Atheline noticed it instantly. Wind exploded beneath him, lightning followed, and then ice formed beneath the wolf’s feet mid-charge.

The creature slipped for half a second which was enough. Yander pivoted smoothly. Her blade flashed once, a thin crimson line across the air.

The wolf claw missed her by inches. Then, its front leg separated from its body completely. Black blood erupted violently. Its scream shaking the forest floors.

Yander’s expression remained beautifully cold. She stepped forward again immediately. Her flames spiraled tighter around her blade as she slashed repeatedly across the wolf’s body with terrifying precision.

Each strike exploded inwardly.

The wolf retaliated wildly, claws tearing through the forest in massive arcs capable of splitting apart stone.

But now, the three moved together naturally, like an actual team.

Atheline redirected attacks before they landed using wind and earth. Cassian distorted the monster’s movements constantly through shadow interference and Yander delivered the killing blows every time an opening appeared.

The battlefield became a chaos of claws, weapons, and elements. Ancient trees collapsed endlessly and yet, despite all the destruction around them, none of the three suffered any injuries.

It wasn’t because the monsters were weak, they were terrifyingly strong, but because their coordination had become terrifying.

The wolf lunged again. Cassian’s shadow grabbed its rear leg causing the beast to stumble. Wind shifted its balance further and then Yander’s blade pierced through its throat.

Dark flames erupted from inside the wolf’s body violent enough to split its neck apart completely.

The massive wolf crushed against the earth hard enough to shake the surrounding forest.

Two dead.

The ape roared immediately afterwards. Enraged by the death.

Its gigantic arms tore free from Cassian’s shadows while black blood poured from its wound in its chest.

The monster charged more wildly and recklessly now. There was no technique only pure wrath-filled destruction. Every step shattered the ground.

Atheline narrowed his eyes slightly then raised his bow.

Six elements gathered simultaneously around the arrow forming between his fingers. The surrounding air was distorted with pressure. Even Yander glanced briefly at him.

Cassian blinked once.

"Thats excessive."

He released it and the arrow vanished from everyone’s vision. The space around the arrow distorted from speed alone.

The projectile pierced through the ape’s open chest wound. Upon contact, all six elements activated simultaneously.

The explosion swallowed the battlefield.

BOOOOOM.

Fire detonated outwards. Lightning tore through flesh. Ice froze internal organs. Wind shredded armour plating. Earth compressed the impact force inward. And water destabilised Aether circulation entirely.

The ape’s gigantic body froze midstep. Cold silence followed. Cracks appeared slowly across its chest then its upper body collapsed apart a second later.

The enormous corpse crashed against the ruined forest floor with enough force to send dust and ash rising high in the air.

Silence finally returned afterwards. Heavy breathing filled the battlefield briefly. Burning trees cracked quietly nearby.

The three remained standing among the destruction.

Cassian stared at the ape’s corpse for several seconds before finally laughing under his breath.

"You two are absurd."

Yander calmly cleaned blood from her blade with lingering flames before returning it to its sheath.

Then her eyes shifted towards Atheline. Specifically towards the aether rotating around him.

"You seem different from before. "

A small chuckle left Atheline’s lips. He shrugged but didn’t respond to her. He looked towards his own hand briefly, wind curled around his fingers unconsciously.

Atheline couldn’t believe it, he had advanced again though negligible at best. He had moved from Lower SS to Middle SS.

Cassian noticed the change too but he couldn’t exactly place it.

And behind the relaxed smile slowly returning to his face, his thoughts deepened.

The queen’s husband was becoming dangerous far faster than expected.

.

.

.

The deeper they travelled into the forest, the stranger it became. The ruined battlefield eventually disappeared from their vision and now only trees larger than normal with roots twisted upwards from the ground, unnaturally parasited by glowing veins.

The three moved carefully through the forest after defeating the ape and wolf, their pace slower despite the victory.

They had become more cautious because the monsters near the true centre no longer attacked recklessly.

Atheline and his group could feel their gazes, observing them first instead of recklessly attacking first.

Several times during the journey, glowing eyes appeared between the trees before disappearing again moments later.

Atheline walked at the front silently, while the wind drifted lightly around him, constantly feeding him information from the surrounding area.

Behind him, Cassian stretched lazily while shadows roared beneath his feet like living water.

"I hate this place," he muttered evenly.

Yander glanced at him sideways.

"You haven’t stopped smiling since you entered the centre."

"Thats because panic is unattractive."

"I think I heard you scream earlier."

"You heard wrong"

Yanders chuckled at that.

Atheline ignored both entirely but suddenly the wind shifted.

His eyes narrowed.

"Left."

The moment he spoke, the undergrowth violently parted.