Azaria had perfectly timed everything.

She arrived back in the kingdom of Ursula a few hours prior to the departure of the heroes on the set customary escort duties of the Saintess.

She tailed the group from a far distance behind, and was even more impressed by the rate of growth of not just the hero of blade.... But the rest of the other heroes.

However, the hero of blade was still the most talented.

The hero of stealth went through a strange moment at the catacombs of permafrost which put her at a level Azaria couldn’t quantify....

But she chose to omit that in her report to the demon council since after that incident, the young lady had returned to her usual speed and strength. It might have been just a fluke...

But there was the possibility of it being something else. Still, considering how it had went with telling the council about the item box hero, she chose to omit that part.

They asked for the most talented, and that was clearly Andrew.

Though the stealth hero was also quite talented, and can be even more lethal in a different setting, the blade hero still takes the cake.

So, if one person had to be removed for the good of the demonic army.... It had to be him.

Of course, Azaria was also observing the item box hero. Though he looked detached and playful as he does the bare minimum to assist on their journey....

She could instantly tell that he already has a majority of these heroes eating out of the palm of his hands.

But the item box hero wasn’t her target for this mission, so, even though he always rubbed her the wrong way just as he’s currently doing from such a far distance, she wouldn’t be tempted to risk making a move..... with so much uncertainties.

Azaria followed steadily behind the group as they made their way through the Algove forest, and when they were all settled in to rest for the night.....

She knew it was time to act.

Activating her trusty perception interference artifact, Azaria blended into the night, making all the knights on night duty unable to sense her presence in any way.

With her paragon realm speed, she had made it into the tent of the blade hero in a short while. And as she attempted to sink her curved blade into the sleeping young man’s throat....

Finally ready to complete her mission and bid farewell to her former unproductive life....

Something terrible happened.

She was interrupted by a voice. From right behind her.

No, it wasn’t just any voice, It was a voice she recognized quite well.

How this person had managed to sneak up behind her, a paragon realm being, was no longer the issue.....

She had to silence this person just as she was about to do to the blade hero.

It mattered now that it would mess with the plan.... Because there was no longer any plan.

Besides, knowing who was behind her, she was even more motivated to kill them too.

All this thought occurred to her in less than a millisecond, as the thought process of one at her realm was inhumanely fast.

Quick as lightning she swung her curved blade, aimed to cleanly cleave off the head of the unfortunate fellow who had trespassed on her final business ....

But half ways through her swing.... Azaria felt a sharp pain on the back of her neck, as she completely lost all strength from every part of her body....

Slowly, she found her vision clowding over, and the image of the young man she had always been weary of, still wearing that annoying smile on his face as he did something else...

He said her name.

She then passed out.

*****

Azaria wasn’t sure how long it’s been, but as she jumped awake with that pain behind her neck.

The first thing she did was reach into her storage bracelet as she pulled out her sword before casting a wide eyed look around herself.

She had been moved, as she was now surrounded by tall trees everywhere.

Her last memory was of the hero of item box, saying her name.... Her real name.

Most in the kingdom addressed her respectfully as the knight commander.

Only the royal family and the direct family of the real knight commander called her by the name Thalira.

Azaria was her real name, the name given to her at birth, and a name only demons who still regard her as someone other than the faceless one, remember her ass.

How does this person know her name.....

Even before that.... How did someone who is clearly at the early master realm, able to knock out a paragon realm being.

She had her aversion to this person right from the beginning, but she had never imagined that he would be a match for her.

"What in the world is going on?!"

As Azaria said those words, she saw the figure of a young man emerge through the large trees ahead.

He was shirtless, with strange unsettling markings all over his body, and he was also barefoot.

His bangs were almost covering his eyes, looking both dangerous and seductively handsome at the same time, with that ever present infuriating smile on his face that now made Azaria even more weary as she held her sword in a ready stance.

That this person was able to make her lose consciousness was enough reason for her to take him seriously..... deadly even.

"I knew there was something off about you .....Caleb Cole."

Zorat watched the knight commander in her tight silk of black assassin garb. How the outfit stuck to her, outlining her curvy build, with a generous round waist and large breasts.

Even as she tried her hardest to sound all confident... he could literally hear the rapid palpitations of her Heart through these quiet woods.

"So you won’t even bother pretending anymore, knight commander ?" He responded grinning as he walked closer to her.

"What’s the use.... After all, you even know my real identity....there is only one way this will end...."

Azaria said as she raised her blade channelling dense mana through it for a technique....

"You will die here.... Caleb Cole."