NOVGO.NET Chapter 485: We need to talk.
Chapter 485: We need to talk.
Zhahara froze, even forgetting to blink as Kael’s golden eyes stared directly at him.
And it wasn’t just him—every soldier around him was the same. No one dared to move. Their faces turned pale, their hands trembled around their weapons, and even their beasts—creatures trained for war since birth—began to shift uneasily in the air. Their wings twitched, their growls turned into whimpers.
No one needed orders anymore.
They all knew.
This wasn’t a battle.
It never was.
They had tried everything—spells, formations, artifacts—nothing worked before, and it definitely wouldn’t work against… whatever that being staring at them had become.
Not one thing.
Staring at the man who had just destroyed half an army and turned hundreds of beasts into ash in seconds, every single soldier understood the truth.
They could not win.
Even if ten captains fought together.
Even if a hundred soldiers surrounded him again.
They would still die.
Perhaps… if a Demi-God joined them—if one of the kingdom’s most powerful beings came and used everything he had—only then could they hope to stop him, or maybe if they were fortunate enough… maybe even defeat him—however unlikely that may sound.
Zhahara’s throat went dry.
He could feel sweat trickle down his neck despite the burning air. His beast shifted backward on its own, trembling violently as if begging to flee.
The same was true for the other soldiers and their beasts—Kael wasn’t even looking at any of them in particular, but every single one of them felt his gaze and the dread that came with it.
They wanted to run.
This fight, they no longer wanted to continue, but they were too scared to move since they feared that their movement might anger Kael and make him move. Yes, the Sky Soldiers were that scared.
But then—
The air changed.
The fiery red scales covering Kael’s body started to fade. The golden glow in his eyes softened, the molten light that surrounded him dimmed. His wings folded back and disappeared into nothingness.
His transformation… was undone.
Zhahara blinked.
For a brief second, he thought it was over.
“He’s… he’s done…”
Someone whispered from behind, thinking the same as Zhahara.
“Did we… did we survive?”
Another muttered.
The soldiers lowered their weapons slightly, disbelief and hope flickering in their tired eyes. Even their beasts relaxed a little, letting out slow breaths, their bodies trembling from exhaustion and fear as they all stared at Kael, waiting for him to make the next move.
Maybe… maybe the Hero was sparing them.
Wasn’t it said that the Hero did not enjoy killing? They were the ones who pushed him this far, yes, they were totally prepared to take the blame for it, but…
What if… what if the Hero was planning on showing them the mercy he was known for?
The more the soldiers thought about it, the stronger the hope in their eyes became.
But…
But Kael had no such plans.
He slowly lifted his sword again. The blade gleamed with a silver light as his Aura surged once more, sharper and denser than before.
His eyes—though no longer draconic golden—were colder than ever.
He… he had made up his mind.
This wasn’t going to end with mercy.
This was going to end with annihilation.
He pointed his weapon at the remaining Sky Kingdom soldiers, and their bodies went rigid. They could feel it—the next wave of death was about to begin.
And just as Kael took a step forward—
“KRRRRIIIIEEEEEEKKKK!!!”
A deafening screech tore through the air, a sharp screech that stopped both Kael and the soldiers who were in the middle of their preparations.
Everyone looked up, especially the Sky Kingdom soldiers. After all, they already knew who it was.
Vaya.
General Aurelia’s Thunder Eagle.
The beast had initially refused to take part in the battle, but maybe… after seeing the destruction it saw today—it might be willing.
After all, it couldn’t possibly let all of its master’s army be annihilated, now could it?
The more they thought about it, the more this line of thought made sense. Of course, they all did wonder if Vaya alone would be able to take on the monster they witnessed just a few seconds ago but…
That did not matter.
Vaya alone was a strong reinforcement that could change the outcome of the battle. If it decided to join their side—they… they might have a chance.
With these thoughts in their minds, the soldiers looked up, and from a far distance, a huge shadow rushed toward them, crackling with lightning. Its wings carried arcs of blue-white energy that tore through the air as it flew faster and faster.
“KRRRRIIIIEEEEEEKKKK!!!”
It screeched again, the lightning around its body flaring as it dove down toward the ground. The soldiers backed away instinctively, shielding their faces from the gusts and sparks that followed its descent.
Kael stopped too, his sword still pointed forward, his eyes following the beast as it landed near a motionless figure lying on the scorched field.
The Sky Serpent General herself.
“What is he trying to do…?”
Kael questioned in a low voice.
And Cirri—she already knew the answer to his question—
“She is awake.”
“What? Who—”
Kael was about to ask, but soon he realized the answer to his own question, and his eyes fell on the General.
Vaya let out another cry, lowering its beak to nudge its master.
And finally—
Aurelia’s eyes opened with a gasp, then she sat up.
For a moment, her mind was foggy, her expression sleepy.
But then it hit her—
The intense smell of blood, smoke, and fire—this strong smell woke her up, and her expression turned grim. Her mind spun; the world around her was different from what she remembered.
She looked above and noticed the sky, which no longer seemed clean and peaceful like before. Her gaze darted around in confusion, and then—she saw it.
Reed’s head.
Still attached to his blood-soaked spine, lying on the ground like a discarded doll.
Her stomach churned. She almost vomited at the sight; even for her, the sight was… unsettling, horrifying even.
Who did it…?
This question appeared in her head as she clenched her fists.
As she looked around, she realized it wasn’t just Reed—there were signs of intense battle. She saw more than a few dead bodies, bodies that had fallen and broken beyond recognition, and the more she saw it—the more her anger rose.
“Who…
Who did it…?”
She asked, her voice now turning hoarse in rage.
After all, even if most faces were unrecognizable since they were deformed beyond limits, she still recognized a few, not to mention…
Their blood-covered uniforms still had the Sky Kingdom’s insignia—that was all Aurelia needed to know. Her people were killed, and now…
Now she wanted revenge.
Finally, Aurelia turned toward Vaya, looking into her beast.
“Who…?”
She asked.
And Vaya…
The beast nudged her again, forcing her to turn her head—and when she did—she saw him.
Kael.
Standing in the air, calm, blood dripping down his arm, and his cold, merciless eyes now stared at her.
Aurelia flinched at that sight, especially when she recognized Kael. For a moment, she didn’t move.
Her mind went blank as she finally looked around—truly looked.
The soldiers that had surrounded Kael were gone.
The air was filled with smoke and falling ash.
Her men—her army—the proud Sky Kingdom soldiers who followed her every command—were either dead or burning alive.
The mages she trusted… the beasts she raised… the soldiers she trained for years…
All gone.
And that was when the entire story connected as the memories of everything that happened right before she lost consciousness returned.
The duel between her and Kael…
She…
She lost.
And…
Seeing the look on Kael’s face… and recalling Reed’s personality… Aurelia could guess what happened.
She lost, so according to the rules of the duel, the matter should have instantly been dropped and they should have retreated but…
Her men… had gone against her words.
Her men… they attacked.
And because of that… everything was gone.
Dozens of bodies fallen on the ground, their armor melted into their skin, their weapons burned to dust.
For a moment, Aurelia couldn’t believe it.
’Did he… really do that all alone…?
He was… that strong…?’
She wondered in her head, recalling her duel with him and how quickly he closed the distance between the two of them.
’Just… how much was he holding back against me…?’
As she thought about it, she looked up, staring at Kael—
And what she saw made her… momentarily freeze.
Kael stood there, unmoving.
Beside him was a Dragon and a Fox, and his expression… was unreadable.
He didn’t show anger.
He did not show pride, not even satisfaction.
It was just… cold silence.
And that… made her shiver.
“Hero Kael…”
She finally called out with hesitation.
“We need to talk.”
And Kael…
He looked into her eyes and—
“…do we?”
He asked without any change in his expression.
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