For a moment, the air grew deathly still.
His breathing, suddenly heavier, filled the silence as his massive green frame slowly turned.
Those cold, white eyes locked onto Sakeer.
"You're deliberately provoking me, human alchemist."
His deep, gravelly voice carried an indescribable weight.
There was no obvious change in his demeanor.
But the way his breath roughened—the fact that he had even paused to respond—all of it betrayed his unrest.
Sakeer's words had struck like a boulder into a still lake, shattering the calm surface of Go Gin's mind.
For the first time in years, a thought emerged:
Had he been in the Baharuth Empire for too long?
He had originally come to grow stronger.
That was his only goal.
Then he met Osk, the Imperial Arena's mastermind, and under his guidance, he joined the bloodsport.
To be fair, he had learned much in the arena—
The fighting techniques of warriors, the battle arts of humans—he had refined his skills.
But staying here…
What was the point?
Learning a few more martial techniques?
Is that all?
For the briefest moment, a flicker of uncertainty passed through Go Gin's eyes.
But it vanished just as quickly.
He turned his gaze toward the small, frail-looking Sakeer and scoffed.
"Don't be so full of yourself."
His voice carried a gruff, dismissive edge.
"I've seen plenty of humans like you—smooth talkers, sharp-tongued, but empty inside."
"You're not even particularly good at it."
His lip curled.
"And I am not some mindless troll for you to manipulate."
"If you think a few clever words can sway me, you underestimate me, human alchemist."
His tone darkened, low and guttural.
"Be careful… I might just kill you."
A subtle tremor ran through his hulking frame.
Then—
A terrifying presence erupted from him, raw and oppressive, like a beast on the verge of attack.
"Awoo..."
On the sidelines, the Little Barghest instinctively shrank back, whimpering as it slinked a few steps away.
Its bestial pupils were filled with fear.
Sakeer glanced at it and gestured for it to retreat.
Then, he turned back to Go Gin, his expression calm.
"How about a fight?"
He smiled, lifting a short staff, the loose sleeve of his priest's robe shifting as the magic item appeared in his palm.
Go Gin stared at him, momentarily stunned—
Then let out a low, incredulous laugh.
"Are you joking?"
His tone was laced with contempt.
"I've wasted enough time on you, ignorant alchemist."
Across the entire Baharuth Empire, there wasn't a single warrior who could match him.
And yet, this human, a man famous for his alchemy, dared to challenge him to a fight?
Go Gin suddenly felt bored.
This wasn't worth his time.
He turned to leave.
"Abelion Hills."
Sakeer's voice remained steady.
"You've heard of it, haven't you?"
Go Gin hesitated.
Sakeer continued, unhurried.
"A place teeming with all kinds of subhuman races… even beings from beyond our lands."
He paused.
"But what you don't know is this—
In Abelion Hills, there exist ten beings known as the 'Ten Masters.'
The strongest of all subhumans."
"By human standards, each of them has reached the realm of heroes—perhaps even beyond."
Boom!
Go Gin's entire body tensed.
Then, he turned back around—this time, facing Sakeer fully.
His eyes burned with undeniable interest.
"What kind of place is that?"
Sakeer didn't answer.
Instead, he simply lifted his short staff—
And activated it.
"I'll spare your life!"
Go Gin took a deep breath, his eyes sharp and predatory.
A low buzz filled the air.
The magic staff pulsed, releasing an invisible wave that quickly spread outward.
Go Gin remained motionless, unconcerned.
He let Sakeer prepare freely.
Sakeer smirked slightly.
"It's a sound-canceling magic item."
He casually explained as the magic spread.
Looking at the now-drained staff in his hand, he felt no regret.
Every activation charge had been spent.
To use it again, he would need to locate a specific magic chant and recharge its mana.
But that was fine.
This wasn't something worth wasting skill points to learn permanently.
It was just a tool—one that could be replaced with enough gold.
"Anything else?"
Go Gin's voice remained calm, but there was a glint of amusement in his eyes.
"Go on. I'll wait."
Sakeer chuckled.
"Then I won't hold back."
Go Gin was many things—brutal, powerful, relentless.
But above all, he was proud.
His warrior's spirit demanded true combat—
And as long as an opponent proved their strength, he wouldn't kill them needlessly.
For someone like Go Gin, words alone wouldn't be enough.
To earn his respect—
Sakeer had to show his power.
And he had every intention of doing just that.