The two God Bodies moved at the same time.
Neither Jade nor Kelvin hesitated.
BOOM!
Jade vanished.
Kelvin vanished.
The chamber erupted.
Jade's crimson flames burned brighter than before, flooding the space with destructive heat. Every movement left behind streaks of red fire that twisted through the darkness.
Kelvin's darkness answered.
Black flames crawled across his body.
Dark energy poured from his hands.
The pressure between them became overwhelming.
They collided.
Again.
And again.
Neither gave the other enough time to breathe.
Jade suddenly pulled his right fist backward.
His two shadows wrapped around his arm.
Destructive crimson flames exploded around his fist.
Then—
He punched.
BOOOOOOM!
Kelvin raised his own fist.
He didn't dodge.
He met Jade head-on.
Their fists collided.
For one second...
Everything stopped.
Then the explosion came.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
A gigantic shockwave spread throughout the chamber.
Dust erupted from the floor.
The walls trembled.
The ancient runes flashed violently.
Yet...
The citadel didn't break.
Not even a single major wall collapsed.
Jade's eyes narrowed.
This place...
It's stronger than I thought.
The explosion created a massive cloud of dust.
Everything disappeared.
No one could see.
The five Awakened Mythics stopped fighting.
Ant Demon stopped.
Titan Devourer stopped.
Even Little Black froze.
All of them stared into the fog.
This was supposed to be a battle between two Initiates.
Yet the power being released was enough to threaten creatures far above their rank.
An ordinary Awakened Devil could be killed by an exchange like that.
And neither Jade nor Kelvin had even used their full strength.
The fog slowly began to disappear.
A figure emerged first.
Jade.
He was on the ground.
One knee pressed against the stone.
His white God Body was covered in cracks.
Blood-red flames flickered weakly around him.
His breathing was heavy.
Across the chamber...
Kelvin was still standing.
He slowly walked forward.
One step.
Then another.
His dark God Body remained almost completely intact.
Jade stared at him.
The difference was obvious.
He wasn't Kelvin's class.
Not even close.
Kelvin stopped several meters away.
"You understand now?"
Jade wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.
He didn't answer.
Instead...
He slowly rose.
His God Body continued burning.
Then his feet left the ground.
Jade floated upward.
His crimson flames became brighter.
Kelvin looked up.
Then he floated as well.
Darkness carried his body effortlessly.
His black flames grew stronger.
"You are a disgrace to the Jadeborn race."
Jade's eyes narrowed.
Kelvin continued.
"I can't believe our race has someone this weak."
Jade stared at him for several seconds.
Then—
He smiled.
"I'm not a Jadeborn."
Kelvin's expression changed slightly.
Jade's smile widened.
"But if you want to put it that way..."
"Then let's make a deal."
Kelvin stared at him.
"You?"
"You're too weak..."
He paused.
"...and you're ready to make a deal?"
Jade sighed.
"You know you can't kill me."
Kelvin's eyes narrowed.
"Why?"
"Because if you kill me..."
"...you won't get the treasure."
Silence.
Kelvin's expression remained unreadable.
Jade continued.
"You need that altar."
"You need whatever is inside it."
"And if I'm dead..."
"You lose your easiest way to retrieve it."
Kelvin suddenly laughed.
"You've forgotten something."
His dark eyes became colder.
"I'm a Necromancer."
"If you die..."
"I can search your memories."
"Your soul."
"Your spirit."
"Even your body."
"Everything belongs to me."
Jade smiled.
"And what makes you think I would keep the treasure with me?"
Kelvin's smile faded.
"I wouldn't take that risk."
"I already planned for something like this."
Jade pointed casually toward his shoulder.
"Little Black took it far away."
Kelvin looked at the cat.
Its silver eyes blinked innocently though in it's Gigantic form.
Kelvin sighed.
"So that's it."
Jade nodded.
"My cat took the altar."
"You can't kill me and expect to find it."
Kelvin stared at him.
He knew Jade.
That was the problem.
Jade hadn't lied to him.
Not once.
So why would he suddenly lie now?
Kelvin's gaze moved toward Little Black.
"I bet it's with that cat of yours."
Jade smiled.
"You don't get it, do you?"
"My cat took it far away."
Kelvin's expression darkened.
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
Finally Kelvin sighed.
"Then I'll simply kill you."
"I'll search your memories afterward."
Jade immediately answered.
"Or..."
Kelvin looked at him.
"We make a deal."
Kelvin raised an eyebrow.
"What deal?"
"Anyone who makes the other bleed first wins."
Jade's eyes sharpened.
"If you win..."
"I'll tell Little Black to bring the treasure back."
Kelvin remained silent.
"And if you lose..."
Jade smiled.
"Little Black leaves the treasure exactly where it is."
Kelvin stared at him.
The offer sounded ridiculous.
But...
It made sense.
If Kelvin won, he got the location of the treasure.
If Jade won, Kelvin would have to let him leave with it.
Kelvin slowly smiled.
"Fine."
Jade exhaled quietly.
Good.
He had no idea if this would work.
But he had no better option.
From everything Kelvin had displayed...
He was terrifying.
If Kelvin fought the Awakened Mythic sand beast Jade had encountered before entering Shadow Heart, Jade was almost certain Kelvin could kill it with a single strike.
Perhaps he was even stronger than the Shadow Knights.
That thought disturbed Jade.
Because Kelvin had been acting playful this entire time.
The jokes.
The smiles.
The casual attitude.
It had all been a disguise.
Behind that playful personality was an incredibly powerful Initiate.
Perhaps one of the strongest Jade had ever encountered.
Kelvin slowly raised his sword.
"Ready?"
Jade summoned his crimson greatsword.
"Always."
The five Awakened Mythics stepped back.
Ant Demon tightened her grip.
Titan Devourer lowered its body.
Little Black's tail flicked once.
Then—
Kelvin moved.
No warning.
No preparation.
Just speed.
Jade's eyes widened.
He's fast!
Kelvin's sword flashed toward him.
Jade twisted away.
The blade passed beside his chest.
Jade immediately countered.
His greatsword swung upward.
Kelvin dodged.
Jade followed.
Another slash.
Another.
Another.
Kelvin avoided every strike.
He wasn't simply faster.
He was reading Jade.
Predicting him.
Jade gritted his teeth.
I can't keep chasing him.
Then—
Pain exploded through Kelvin's arm.
His eyes widened.
He looked down.
A thin line of blood appeared across his arm.
For a moment...
He didn't understand.
Then he looked toward Jade.
Jade wasn't there.
His God Body had already disappeared.
His crimson hair had returned to black.
His white armor was gone.
The divine pressure had vanished.
Kelvin's eyes widened further.
Behind him...
Jade was already walking away.
Little Black sat casually on his shoulder.
Ant Demon stood several meters behind them.
Her bow was still raised.
One arrow remained suspended between her fingers.
Titan Devourer was already dissolving into countless particles.
Kelvin stared.
Then slowly looked at the blood running down his arm.
He had been so focused on Jade...
He hadn't noticed Ant Demon's attack.
Jade turned his head slightly.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Looks like I win."
Kelvin remained silent.
Then—
He laughed.
A genuine laugh.
"You..."
His eyes narrowed.
"...really are interesting."
Jade didn't stop walking.
Little Black quietly looked back at Kelvin.
The cat's silver eyes gleamed.
The treasure remained hidden.
The deal had been won.
At least...
For now.
But Kelvin's smile didn't disappear.
Because although Jade had won the first exchange...
Kelvin had learned something far more valuable.
Jade was hiding even more secrets than he had imagined.
And somewhere inside the ancient citadel...
The altar remained safely hidden within Jade's Soul Sea.
Waiting.
While the mystery of the Jadeborn race...
Had only just begun.