Kai has the Nigh-phantom imprint.

An imprint that allows him to lower his presence, blending him with the darkness.

If anyone could bypass her senses and intercept the woman, then Kai was the person who immediately appeared in Matilda’s mind. But if it was Kai the one behind this, then there’s no reason for him to remain hidden.

"Is there someone like that in the Ichor Legion?" Matilda stood up and walked around the tree, checking to see if the one behind it had left behind a clue or something. But there’s nothing like that. Then, she inhaled. A faint, unexpected scent touched her senses. "It smells like roses."

Shaking her head, Matilda quickly scoured the area, searching for any sign of Kai.

She didn’t forget to bring the corpse with her, remembering that Kai has a use for a corpse.

A few minutes was all it took for her to catch a glimpse of a figure.

Across from her, there was a silhouette that was walking slowly. It was dragging something, and from the posture, it looked like a man. Matilda pivoted her body—waiting for this figure to step into the light.

Just as she expected, when the moonlight reached the figure, Kai’s face was revealed.

But he was not in good condition.

Not at all.

Kai was bleeding all over. Cuts and bruises mapped his body like a war-torn landscape. One arm dragged a leather sack through the mud, while the other hung limp from its shoulder—most likely broken, but it could be dislocated or both.

It reminded her of his appearance when the Blood Rite ended.

More monster than a man.

However, one thing that caught Matilda’s attention the most was the air around him.

His presence was different, new, and sent a shiver down her spine.

’Seems like he had gotten stronger again,’ A small smile curled her lips at the thought.

"You survived. Whoever did this to you must have been strong." Matilda’s gaze swept over Kai’s body. Then she tossed the corpse at his feet. "I brought a souvenir. The one hunting you didn’t come alone."

Kai dropped the leather sack and went down to one knee with a painful hiss.

He absorbed the corpse using the Deep Slumber while still looking at Matilda.

For some reason, she looked troubled.

"I thought you’d already left again," Kai said with a flat tone. "Fighting will get you implicated in this... mess, you realize that, right?"

"I know," Matilda replied, matching his tone, but her face betrayed her. Kai’s words seemed to have landed somewhere deep. "I did leave you, but only in my mind. I thought of it. I have helped you more than enough, and this... this is way beyond what I signed up for."

She paused, voice tightening. "I have my family to think about."

"I know," Kai replied almost instantly. He had already taken those things into consideration, which was why he thought Matilda would’ve left him by now. "So, why didn’t you leave? What changed your mind?"

"..."

A tense pause choked the air as Matilda looked down at the mud.

Her golden eyes betrayed the thoughts in her mind; she was contemplating the answer.

Not because she was trying to be on Kai’s good side—but because she genuinely did not have the answer ready. "I did it for myself. Because I was angry," She whispered. Then, she raised her gaze again, staring at Kai. "But I deliberately stayed long enough so that she would do or say something to give me a reason to stay."

[You fed the House of Night with a low rating divine blood (Grade 3 Awakened Supernal)]

[Gained 25 exp]

"I see," Kai rose to his feet and grabbed the leather sack again.

He thought nothing of her answer and walked on ahead.

Perion had told him earlier that the other stashes of mana ores are fine, and he had also placed Iris in one of them. Dawn is breaking, and it was about time he headed back to the academy— and submit his weekly quota.

Hitting the bed sounded really nice.

Matilda caught his arm, stopping him mid-track.

"What?" He turned to look at her.

"Can you..." Her words trailed, almost like it was hard for her to force out the words.

Kai could see her lips trembling a little. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

For one, he never saw her acting like this, almost like she was on the verge of tears.

Vulnerable.

"It’s nothing," Matilda turned her face away and let go of his hand.

Kai didn’t walk. He stared at Matilda, thoughts churning inside his head. Earlier, she had said she stayed because she was angry. So, the woman must’ve said something to her. Something that shook her.

And it was then his mind clicked.

Information swirled around quickly in the academy.

Him being the Lesser Angel who killed Lion. And Matilda, who betrayed her team coldly.

He didn’t know exactly how, but students heard about these things quickly.

"Things wouldn’t end well if not for you staying," Kai whispered and continued ahead. "Had you decided to leave, right now, I’d be fighting with the senior you killed. I might still survive, but the chances of me dying definitely increased significantly."

Upon hearing that, a tear slipped past Matilda’s defense, but she quickly wiped it away.

She was facing away, too, so Kai couldn’t see it.

Even so, a smile bloomed across her face as Kai’s words swept the tightness from her chest.

She hadn’t understood why she’d stayed behind—why she’d fought the woman when she was not even the target. But now, hearing those words from Kai, the reason settled into place. She had needed this.

Needed to hear from him that she’d done the right thing.

Needed to hear that she made a difference, and this time, it’s something good.

Because of the wounds and battered bodies, the two traversed the swamp at a much slower pace. Fortunately, there are no Awakened Monsters nearby, probably either scared off or wiped out completely.

After all, Kai had killed more than a hundred steel-tusked boars earlier.

"Is it you who helped me earlier?"

"Helped you with what?"

"I saw a stabbing wound on the woman’s stomach, and I’m certain it’s not from me. Is it one of your summons?"

"I don’t have a summon with blades. She probably got ambushed by the fish-monsters."

Compared to the steel-tusked boars, the fish-monsters were far stronger and more organized. If the moment was right, even a grade-three Awakened Supernal like the woman Matilda killed could be harmed by those things.

And since the seniors had to search for him, they most certainly encountered a few monsters.

’But the wound wasn’t there before,’ Matilda thought inside.

Had the woman really suffered a stab from a fish-monster, then she would’ve most certainly spotted the wound the moment she encountered the woman. But there was nothing—no sign of being wounded, no blood, no weakness.

She was certain the woman had been at full strength when the fight began.

Matilda wanted to say something, but she was interrupted.

"Raargghh! Get away from me!!"

Both of them exchanged a look as the scream cut through the swamp, followed by the high-pitched squeals that were familiar to their ears by now. Steel-tusked boars. Someone else was here, deep in the Fire Swamp.

Confusion flickered between them, and they decided to investigate.

The source of the sound wasn’t that far away.

It took them fifteen seconds to find the source—a student with horns protruding out of his forehead was holding on for dear life on a tree branch. Underneath, three steel-tusked boars were headbutting the tree, shaking it with the hope of causing the student to stumble and fall.

"Just a student from Ichor Legion," Matilda shrugged. "Let’s go."

"Wait a minute," Kai stopped her.

"What? You know him?"

"I know him, yes, we met earlier. He was sent to scout by Chester."

"And? Do you need him for something?"

"One of the requirements to make a group is having five members. I invited Abigail, but I’m not confident she’s going to accept. Shame is the reason, probably," Kai dropped the leather sack and narrowed his eyes. "I want to recruit him to fill the quota, but how can I do that?"

Kai overheard the guy cursing Chester.

And since he was sent out to a dangerous, uncharted area to scout, he’s probably also pissed.

He wanted to use the spite inside the guy right now, but he didn’t know how.

"You want a guarantee for him to join the group when it’s made?" Matilda crossed her arms and smirked. "That’s easy. Just make him swear an oath to the King of Gods. Make him swear an oath with Zeus’ name. That way, he’ll be struck by lightning if he tries to back out from his words."

"Huh, you can do that?" Kai rubbed his chin. "In that case."

On the other hand, the guy was holding on for dear life.

He was hugging the tree branch, as falling from the tree would mean certain death.

But with his broken fingers and mud-slicked body, it’s hard to hold on.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!" He cursed aloud and squeezed his eyes shut in fear. "Mom, I don’t want to die! I haven’t experienced life to the fullest yet—I haven’t even driven a Lerrarri! Heck, I haven’t even experienced a woman! Fuck!"

"Hey, bull-face!"

"Fuck—these boars can talk?! And they’re roasting my face? You’re literally pigs!"

"Open your damn eyes and look at me!"

Scowling, the guy cracked an eye open, and both flew wide the instant he saw Kai. He thought his mind was playing tricks on him, but Kai was actually there, standing across the water body with a woman accompanying him.

Both of their bodies were wracked, but that’s not important right now.

"H-Help me!" His voice shattered into desperation. For the love of—we came from the same academy, right?! Fucking help me!"

"No, can’t do," Kai waved his index finger. "Not until you promise something."

"Can we talk about that after you save me?!" the guy roared, but he quickly hugged the branch tighter when the steel-tusked boar charged its head at the tree again, shaking it. "Please! For the love of Aphrodite, save me!!"

"Make an oath to Zeus that you’ll leave Ichor Legion and join my new group first."

"Fuck that, you’re a Lesser Angel! And I’m loyal to Chester!"

A vein bulged on Kai’s forehead and a strained smile crossed his face.

For someone who was begging, this guy still has the balls to look down on him.

"No need to shout," Matilda chuckled at the sight. "Look at him—he’s a wimp. Let’s pretend to leave, and I’m sure he’ll buckle."

"I don’t think it’s going to be that easy," Kai frowned, but heeded her words anyway.

Both of them turned to leave. Or at least, pretend to leave.

And almost instantly, the guy buckled.

"Zeus! Strike me down if I don’t join the Lesser Angel’s new group after he saves me!! Fuck Chester. I’ll join your new group!"

"Huh... It’s really that easy."