Chapter 849 - 848: Stay Out Of The Way

Sonya and Akaza did not answer immediately.

Akaza studied Elara’s staff, then the ice beneath her boots. Meanwhile, Sonya turned her blind eyes toward the woman, listening to her breathing and the faint scrape of her fingers against the dark shaft.

Neither found the carelessness suggested by her earlier posture.

Then Sonya frowned.

"Why can’t I have the dog?"

Darius’s left eye twitched.

Elara glanced at him before he could speak, and his boots remained where they were.

"This Honourable thought you would give him to me," Sonya continued, sounding mildly offended. "I already know how to handle him."

"Because she is weaker than he is," Simon replied indifferently.

Elara’s fingers stopped moving for a moment and this time around, her left eye twitched.

"And if I am right, the more anger he feels toward an opponent, the stronger he becomes."

Sonya raised a brow and turned toward Darius.

The heat around him had increased with every insult. His Aether was not merely spilling out because he had lost his temper. Simon had noticed it becoming denser around his body and spear.

Whether anger alone caused that change remained uncertain.

He had no intention of finding out by letting Sonya provoke Darius while Akaza struggled beside her.

"A hunting dog with anger issues," Sonya said thoughtfully. "I take it back. Your master has done a terrible job."

A vein appeared on Darius’s forehead.

Heat washed across the ridge, turning the frost nearest his boots into steam.

"I really want to kill her," he said through his teeth. "And tear that mouth apart."

Elara did not respond.

However, a displeased expression had settled on her face.

Being called weaker than Darius was not what angered her. Hearing a demon announce it so casually, as though he had already decided how to dispose of them, was another matter.

Her pale-blue eyes remained on Simon.

A thin layer of ice climbed the foot of her staff.

Sonya folded her arms.

"Fine. This Honourable will take the dog’s sister and teach her a lesson or two."

"We will take her," Akaza corrected, his tone dry. "Remember that before you run off and start going on a rampage cause you want to enjoy yourself."

Sonya gave him a sideways look.

"Then keep up."

Simon looked between them.

"Be careful."

Something in his voice made Akaza stop smiling.

"Treat this as the most dangerous life and death battle you have ever faced. Not a spar. Not an opportunity to see how much punishment you can endure."

Sonya’s arms slowly unfolded.

Simon glanced at the dried blood along Akaza’s side.

"She can kill a Demon Lord. Neither of you can afford to fight her alone, especially in your current condition."

Akaza lowered his gaze briefly, then looked at Elara again.

"I understand," he said, his voice quieter now.

"Work together. If she separates you, close the distance before trying to counterattack. Do not let your pride decide which openings you take."

"This Honourable heard you," Sonya replied.

There was still irritation in her tone, but her feet had already shifted. One rested slightly behind the other, and the loose stones around her stopped moving.

Simon turned toward Virella and Rellis.

"You two will support them."

Virella swallowed.

"Against her?"

"Not head-on."

The roots near her boots tightened against the stone.

"Watch the battle. If either of them is in danger, interfere. Spoil an attack, pull them out of its path, give them room to recover. Do not try to exchange blows with her."

Rellis glanced at the enormous ice spears embedded around the ridge.

"Buying a moment instead of winning the fight," he said solemnly.

"Exactly. And do not both rush in to save the same person. Leave each other room to act."

Virella nodded, though her fingers still trembled.

Elara listened without interrupting.

Her gaze moved from the Kragh to the wounded Martial Demon, then to the two who would support them. She adjusted her grip on the staff.

Darius listened with renewed interest. Each order made it clearer that the one-horned demon intended to face him alone.

Simon finally looked toward Ammor.

Rathen stood nearby with his crescent axe. The two other surviving combatants remained close to the four Runemasters, one still protecting the limping demon.

"Your core stays out of the battle."

Ammor’s brows drew together.

"We could help," he said, unable to keep the resentment from his voice. "We are not all helpless."

"You would be more of a hindrance than help."

The answer came so coldly that Ammor’s expression stiffened.

Simon looked at the broken armour covering him.

"You are injured. Exhausted. You have recovered barely any demonic energy since nearly dying. Most of your core is in the same condition."

"We would not have to attack directly-"

"And you have never trained or fought alongside us."

Ammor stopped speaking.

"Sonya knows where Akaza will step. Virella knows when Rellis needs an opening. They can act together without stopping to explain every movement."

Simon’s gaze passed over Rathen and the others.

"You do not know those habits. An earth wall raised at the wrong moment could block a retreat. A swing meant to help could force one of them into her attack."

Ammor’s fingers curled.

He had wanted to prove that his core still possessed some value. Instead, Simon was explaining how their participation might kill the demons sent to save them.

And the humans were listening.

Heat climbed his neck despite the cold.

"So we stand here and do nothing?" he asked bitterly.

"You protect the cases."

Simon pointed toward the four Runemasters.

"Keep them alive. Keep the Bellows intact. Watch for anyone approaching from the terraces or behind us. That is not nothing."

Rathen glanced uphill.

Frostveil’s defenders had withdrawn, but their weapons and barriers remained. They would not stay idle forever merely because two powerful humans had arrived.

Ammor understood that.

He still hated hearing it like this.

Simon stepped closer.

"If your interference gets one of my comrades killed," he said quietly, "I will kill you myself, as slowly as possible."

Ammor looked into his eyes.

There was no raised voice. No sudden display of killing intent.

And that made the threat worse.

Even Rathen remained silent.

Simon had already protected their entire group from Elara’s barrage. Whatever resentment Ammor felt, he could not pretend the demon had abandoned his responsibility toward them.

He lowered his gaze with his jaw clenched.

Simon turned away.

"Focus on the cases. Do not let this mission fail behind our backs."

The dark emerald currents parted before him. Wind continued circling the wounded and the Runemasters as he stepped toward Darius.

Sonya moved beside Akaza.

"Stay close," she said, her voice losing its earlier playfulness. "If she freezes you, I’m breaking you out."

"Break the ice," Akaza replied with a faint smile. "Not me."

Across from them, Elara lifted her staff from the ground.

Darius watched Simon approach.

His fingers tightened around the deep-red spear, and a cold grin slowly spread across his face.

"Good," he said softly. "Now I can find out what you actually smell like when you stop hiding."