Parallel - A Virtual Reality.

After acquiring the Draconic Spatial Orb, we rested until we were in tip top shape to blitz our way out of this place.

But sadly, instead of being easier, it became way harder to get out than it was to come in.

- Fire Bird Elemental, Level: 347

- Wind Leopard Elemental, Level: 334

- Ice Serpent Elemental, Level: 315 (Elite)

Even Elites were coming out, and what was even worse, they usually attacked us from behind the other normal Elementals, making it especially tricky.

The level of the elementals increased after defeating the Silver Dragon and getting the Draconic Spatial Orb, but thanks to that we have been able to steadily increase our levels, especially so for Kagito, who was defeating monsters higher in level than him.

I tank for Kagito as I seal the routes of the two vanguard Elementals while attacking and Kagito uses that moment to blink besides the Ice Serpent.

Moving his sword as if it was cutting water, a fine line of space distortion appears on the Snake's body.

'Really, that move of his is becoming more and more rotten'

I grin as I watch the Snake moving around crazily as it had been inflicted a very critical hit, but sadly, no hits came to Kagito, and even then, its two companions got battered by its attacks because of the close proximity.

Kagito appears besides me while breathing slightly hard, no attack that crazy comes without strain.

I stomp hard in front and with a roar I drive my Three-Elemental Enhancing to its limits as I slash down with my two swords downwards.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

Two sword waves tyrannically destroying everything in its soon hit the bird and the leopard, both blown away.

I use the leftover strength to impulse myself towards the snake before the other two could move freely again.

I appear almost instantly in front of it and it tries to hit me with an ice breath. Sadly, for my dear icy enemy, I absorbed its attack as I was eating ice cream. Great amount of power enters my body, but it is soon redirected towards where it came from.

A wave of my two swords filled with scorching hot fire easily splits the snake.

Using my momentum, I rotate and throw the fire remaining in my swords towards the Wind Leopard as it was getting its mobility back from my previous attack.

Not bothering more with it, I throw myself towards the Fire Bird who was already going to help its companion.

I push it back with ease, and while it tried to stay away in the air, thanks to my control of the elements, I could move very well in the air despite not being able to fly.

I kill the bird very soon and look back Kagito beating down the leopard.

I grab the drops and give a satisfied smile. If there was something that I am grateful for the increase in level is exactly this.

- (Medium) Fire Mineral.

Now, most of the minerals that we are getting are (Medium), and even more, a few (High) have dropped, exactly from Elite monsters.

Though we went through another close call when we had to face 3 Elites and 10 common averaging level 350.

This fight was a breeze compared to that one.

I look towards Kagito, and he is already picking up the loot of the leopard, so I pick the ones left by the Ice Snake.

I hear the steps of Kagito coming from behind and I grin at him, "Progressing fast, ain't ya?"

He grins back and says, "All thanks to that friendly Dragon!"

I chuckled, but there is a lot of truth to that phrase, really. If we are to compare our "Spoils" then Kagito's leaves mine in the dust this time.

- Draconic Spatial Orb. Legendary Artifact (Sealed).

Holds the soul of a Space-Time Dragon. No more information can be obtained as it is sealed.

Restriction.

- Can only be used by a Space-Time user in its sealed state.

Bonuses.

- Increase the sensibility of the user towards Space-Time Elements.

- Can be used seal away Space. (Its capacity depends on the power and skills imbued)

Despite its sealed state, the bonuses were still quite terrifying. In fact, an item that could increase the sensibility to the spatial elements has not been found yet by the users, let alone Space AND Time. And its second bonus…

'So that's what is going to help us against our fight against Dorek…' I thought around that ability. While it looked very helpful, one would have to have the skills to be able to make it useful… and Kagito, by himself, is severely lacking.

Even if he used every ounce of power and squeeze his skills to the limit, let alone being able to seal away Dorek, he wouldn't even be able to seal me for a long time.

We simply shook it off and decided to talk it out with the Scardinians.

"Well, we are about to get out of here, so let's pick up the pace" He nods and prepares to get going again.

The echoes of our footstep's rungs out soon after, fading out little by little…

Soon, those sounds would be filled with battle.

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- Do you see something up ahead, Vladi?

"Not a thing, it seems the whole way is clear" I keep looking everywhere as I answer Isa. Thanks to my skills, unless someone was extremely proficient in hiding, I would be able to spot them easily.

- Ok, we'll be moving forward, at full speed then.

"Roger" I prepare myself to move ahead of the army, trying to register every little thing ahead.

After a few of skirmishes the first day we set off, no more fights have broken out. While that has helped in us moving faster, it still left me with a bitter taste.

'They are regrouping, huh' I think to myself as I scan ahead, finding only a few weak traps that I quickly command to disarm.

'It would have been great if we could have gotten rid of a few more of them'

I continue scouting for a while, not letting anything slip by, and then, a PM from Isa comes.

- Vladi, come back, we are stopping the march for now.

"Ok, I'll be right the—" Soon, I hear a very soft "sound". My brain sending alerts everywhere. I grab both of my guns as I try to pinpoint the exact place.

My hands move subconsciously to where my instincts lead me to. Both of them activating the strongest skill I could use in a short amount of time.

"Full Burst!" Although not charged previously, a powerful laser-like beam comes out of my guns, interweaving each other to that single direction.

I catch onto something, very briefly, as my gaze falls on my target. A looming dark shadow 'gazing' at me, but it soon disappears as my attack goes through the place it was.

I keep myself in place and in guard, trying to look and perceive everything in my surroundings. The ringing alarms in my head soon start fading away as I breathe calmly.

- What happened!?

Soon, a concerned PM from Isa comes my way, and I answer as I keep my guard up.

"I saw something dark, like a shadow, gazing at me, but it vanished as sudden as it came"

- Do you see or feel anything else?

"No, it seems that presence is gone… for now, at least" Soon, something came to my head, as I tell Isa, "It might be the Phantom General"

I fall silent as I said that and Isa too. The Wind General, or better known as the "Phantom" General was truly as swift as the wind itself. It sometimes appeared to kill stealthily and only a few times it has been seen fighting upfront. It is like a demi-human Wind Draco, and one tremendously tricky to encounter.

- The Phantom General, huh… that might be tricky if he tries to hinder our movements, but…

"But?"

- I don't know, I think there is something very fishy about this… anyways, I think it is better to hurry up, then. You should come back and stay close to the army.

I nod subconsciously as I look around, I do find it very fishy too, but I can't put my finger on where it is.

- Oh, and contact Ardha, tell him where we are and what happened… hehe.

As I was turning around, Isa says that with a mischievous voice and I freeze slightly. For some reason I feel that it has gotten slightly hot.

"Wh-Why me? Why don't you tell him yourself?" I tell her, biting my tongue slightly at the start.

- Well, you are the scout here, so you know our position better than anyone here…

I nod at that reasonable answer, but the Isa says,

- And he might be happier hearing your voice than mine, hehe. Anyways, tell him ASAP, I'll talk with the army.

"Hey!" I shout back in embarrassment, but Isa doesn't answer back. Yes, it has definitely gotten slightly hotter here.

I look at my PM list, and soon find my sword rival, the man categorized as the number one player in Parallel. But now, I felt another feeling mixed along with rivalry.

'His abilities are really admirable, really!' I shout internally as I try to order my head to contact him.

"H-hey! Ardha, something has come up!"

Very soon, an answer of Ardha comes back.

- What happened?

His serious voice resounds in my head, and I slightly become calmer. Truly, it doesn't matter when or where, but Ardha is always the quickest to react to anything. Without noticing, a slight smile appears on my face as I tell him everything.

Yeah, I really recognize the abilities of this person… this man that can run faster than anyone else I know…

But, one day, my bullet will catch up to him!