It wasn’t only Amira, Fatty also seemed to have been affected by whatever the illusory old man had done, but unlike Amira, Julius had directly lost sciousness.

  Ace was moments away from victory, but he wouldn’t allow his need for reveo put those he cared about in harm’s way… ‘Not again!’

  He wao grab Amira and Julius so he could at least try and protect them, but he didn’t dare to move. He guessed the old man had used some type of spiritual teique to attack their souls.

  Whilst he k would have no effe him due to the barrier his master had told him roteg his soul, he also knew he wasn’t fast enough to get to Amira and Julius before the ghost-like figure could attack again. As much as it pained him to admit it, he was stuck between a rod a hard pce.

  But if anything happeo either of them, he’d sughter everyone here in the most brutal way imaginable.

  It might seem arrogant, sidering the old man was able to do so much damage with such ease, but Ace was fident that the old man was some sort of spirit.

  Of course, he had no idea what level he was at exactly, but as long as he wasn’t a deity, he wouldn’t be able to harm Ace’s soul, which meant all Ace had to do was take on Linley and his beast partner and, in their current ditions, her would be a match for him.

  “Don’t worry; I have no iion of harming you or your little friends any more than I already have,” Cowart expined when he felt Ace’s steadily rising killing i whilst hiding the shock he felt in his heart. “I just o get your attention before you killed my disciple’s beast panion.”

  Ace was right, he was nothing but a spirit at this point, but he was still a former saint-level mage. Even if he didn’t have a corporeal body, his soul was still at the saint level. So even though he couldn’t use spiritual attacks much without it weakening him, any casual attack should be more than enough to deal with a child.

  How could he be anything but shocked when the boy in front of him didn’t seem to eve?

  “Well, you have it,” Ace stated coldly.

  D Cowart could only sigh helplessly. He was telling the truth when he said he didn’t want to hurt Ace or his friends. He felt the boy and his family had gohrough enough already; he didn’t want to add to it.

  “Both of your little friends will be okay after a little rest,” Cowart expined softly. “To prove that I mean you no harm, I’ll eve y both of your friends over to your side. I just want you to listen to everything I have to say, and then what happe is up to you.

  I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, but you’re the one in the drivi here.”

  Aderstood that that was the spirit’s way of telling him he couldn’t harm him and that he would do whatever he could to protect Linley and his mouse.

  Ace moved like a fsh as he appeared behind Amira, lifting her carefully into his arms. “Are you okay?”

  Hearing Ace’s g voice, a gentle smile appeared otle amazon’s face. “I’m okay.”

  Ace didn’t even spare a g the old ghost or Linley, who was gring daggers at him. Amira’s well-being was the only thing on his mind. “I’m sorry. If it wasn’t for me, none of th-”

  “It’s fine, I’m fine,” Amira said reassuringly, not seeming to mind the fact that she was being carried like a princess by Ace. “What about fatty?”

  Making sure to hold her tight in his arms, Ace swiftly made his way to where Julius was lying unscious.

  “I ’t tell for certain,” Ace said as he lifted Julius over his shoulder and carried Amira in his other arm. “But I think he’s just unscious.”

  As he returned, Ace stopped 10 meters away from Linley and his master. He gently y Julius behind him ao put Amira behind him, only for her to stop him.

  “We handle whatever es ogether.”

  Ace waue, but when he saw the look in her eyes, he could only smile helplessly. But his heart felt a warmth he wasn’t used to.

  Whether it was this life or his previous one, he had many people he cared about, many of whom were more than willing to give their lives for him, but none made him feel like Amira did.

  It was only when the sound of D clearing his thr in his ears did Ace remember they weren’t alone.

  Amira was shocked as D allowed himself to bee visible even to her. Though she quickly regained her posure as she frostily gred at him uanding he was the one responsible for the sudden spiritual attack she received.

  The warmth in Ace’s heart was instantly repced by a frigid killing i as he locked eyes with the illusory old man who dared put his friends in harm’s way.

  “You have two minutes,” Ace stated directly. “Speak!”

  “First, my name’s D Cowart. I’d like to extend my si apologies on behalf of my disciple and his family,” Cowart said, not minding Ace’s rudeness.

  “Grandpa D…” Linley said unwillingly. “Why are you apologising? He tried to kill us after I already tried to apologise. He almost killed Bebe.”

  Though his injuries were far from fatal, Bebe’s jet-bck fur was stained red with his blood. He gred at Ace from Linley’s shoulder as if he would attack the sed Linley gave the order. Still, Ace remained pletely unphased as he silently waited to hear what the ghost had to say.

  “That’s probably because you were apologising for the wrong thing,” Cowart said softly, bringing no small amount of fusion to Linley. “You were apologising for the way your family treated Ad his family after they rejected your offer, but Ace is angry – and uandably so – because your mother tried to have his family killed.”

  “What? My mother would never do something like that!” Linley adamantly decred.

  D could only sigh when he heard that. He khat Linley deeply loved his parents, but he also uood what his mother was capable of. “Linley, your mother’s not the angel you believe her to be. At least not anymore.”

  “What are you talking about?” Linley asked, his tone sombre.

  “You remember when you were younger, and you overheard your father talking to that Hillman fellow about your mother’s attempted kidnapping but never finding out who did it or why?

  At first, I didn’t think much of it, but when I overheard people referring to your mother as a gentle and g person, I found it weird as that’s not the woman she was today.

  I know you love her, but I know you noticed the ges your mother’s been experieng over the years.” Cowart expined slowly.

  Linley didn’t say anything, but the former saint khat all things sidered, that was his disciple’s way of silently aowledging his point.

  “Well, if I’m right, it was likely done by the Radiant Church, or at least by someone hoping to gain their favour,” D expined, shog both Ad Linley.

  The only person who didn’t seem too surprised by this suddeion was Amira, who seemed to figure something out from the old man’s words.

  “First, you o uand, although it’s a secret to the masses, for as long as I remember, both the radiant churd the cult of shadows like to collect those born with pure souls and offer them up to their respective sns.

  I don’t know what those sns want with them, but I know that both forces will do almost anything for more pure souls.” He expined.

  “What are pure souls?” Ace asked when he remembered that his master had said his mother also had one.

  “Those with pure souls are sidered to be blessed by the heavens. They have incredibly high affio either the ws of life ht, allowing them to prehend those ws with unparalleled ease. Their souls also grow stro an almost ridiculous speed, ensuring they won’t meet a bottleill they bee rank-nine mages.

  The other on factor those with pure souls share is their extremely kind natures. Unfortunately, that es at a potential cost. If those with a pure soul e to suffer any kind of evil deed, their souls tend to bee tainted with darkness.

  Over time, that person will bee darker and darker in nature. Uhey somehow find a way to overe the darkness in their heart, they will eventually lose themselves in it pletely.”

  As his master said that, Linley felt a deep worry take over his heart. Like his grandpa D said, he noticed his mother’s dark ges over time. Though she showed him and Wharton nothing but love, she had bee arrogant and overbearing to everyone else, including his father – Hogg.

  “Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” Linley shouted at his master.

  As much as he loved his master, he wouldn’t be able tive him if something happeo his mother because he refused to tell him about the problem sooner.

  “Because whilst I do know a way to save her, it requires a certain potion, and several of the ingredients needed only be found in the depths of the wild. Pces where ra and nis run amok. There’s a good ce you’ll also have to go up against saint-level beasts.” Cowart sighed. “Unless your strength reaches at least the eighth rank, you should fet about attempting to hunt the ingredients down.”

  Linley couldn’t say anything in respoo that. If this trip had taught him anything, it was that as talented as he was, he was far from invincible.

  “You don’t have to worry too much,” Cowart said when he saw the sombre expression on his disciple’s face. “By my estimations, your mother should have aen years before all hope’s lost. As long as you reach the eighth or even ninth rank by then, you should be able to veo the wilderness and collect the ingredients.”

  Hearing that, hope blossomed in his heart.

  ‘Five years! In five years, I’ll reach the eighth rank, and then I’ll veo the wild.’ Linley vowed internally. ‘And after that, I’ll destroy the radiant church for ever daring to harm my mother!’

  Cowart could guess what his disciple was thinking, but he didn’t say anything to dissuade him. He knew better than anyone how talented Linley was; he was also very hard-w. Still, he had always been missing that ambition that was needed from true experts that aspired to reach the peak.

  This recisely what Linley o really make the most of his untapped potential. In the space of otle, he had found himself a bitter enemy and arguably most importantly, he’d found himself a rival, but for Ad Lio truly bee rivals, Ace would have to let go of his desire for vengea least until Linley was able to mature.

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  P.atreon./ACoilingDragon: Book 4 - Chapter 12