Chapter 265: Wind Key
"Something is happening!"
The barrier before the two suddenly started to vibrate, causing their surroundings to become unstable instantly.
"We need to move!" said Eliana realizing the weight of the situation and without waiting for Zane's response she moved.
With a wave of her hand, gentle silver light engulfed both her and Zane's body and with a silver flash, appeared several miles away.
*BOOM!*
Just a second later they teleported away, the whole space and air before them got twisted, and with a huge explosion, terrifying power erupted.
"!"
Zane and Eliana could just watch in silence with stupified expressions on the following events while using their power to resist the powerful shockwaves.
The explosion that just happened before them was simply so big and powerful, that if it would have transpired on earth, several cities would have been filed off from the map in an instant.
Even they, who were on the God rank, had a hard time protecting themselves just from the shock waves! Then what would have happened if they don't react in time?
Deep in thought and shocked by the sight before them, the two experts waited for close to 10 minutes for things to turn back to normal.
"Just what had happened? Did he die?" asked Eliana, worried if Greg was unable to survive the explosion.
Without him, who had the Creator's Blessing, the two would lose the chance to open the Altar into the sealed soul of the Creator. Not only them but everyone else too!
That was why the two, especially Eliana was worried. Since she was a kid, she always loved solving mysteries, so for her losing Greg now, would be worse than dying.
But luckily, her worries didn't come true.
The moment everything had finally calmed down and the huge smoke cloud before them dissipated, a figure walked toward them with a nonchalant expression.
"Phew..."
With a sigh of relief, Eliana and Zane walked up to Greg and glanced at him in silence.
"Did you get it?" asked Zane after a small while, without caring about Greg's safety at all.
For Greg however, this was not a huge surprise so didn't take it personally. Instead, he just nodded calmly and extended his arm before his chest.
Though, the moment the two experts saw that nothing was above his palm, frowned and glanced at Greg in confusion.
"Look closer." said Greg with his still calm gaze and extended his arm toward the two a bit more.
Doing as he said, the two stared at his palm with greater concentration and it wasn't long enough when their eyes widened in shock.
Right above Greg's palm, a key made out of almost transparent wind blades could be seen, moving around with gentle motion like waves in the ocean.
If it weren't for Greg's indication to take a closer look, they would have been unable to notice it, which was quite startling.
Both of them were on the God rank, humanity's currently known highest rank. Even though they were unable to surpass that rank and start the Evolution Step with their Soul Stone, they were strong enough to detect things that others were unable.
But to see that right above Greg's palm, a key that was made out of simple and natural wind blades was hovering, made them stupified.
Eliana even used some of her power to strengthen her sight, but even with that was she unable to see the key in greater detail.
Just simply not concentrating enough could make both her and Zane to lose track of the key's silhouette. For them, it was extremely shocking.
"Well then, we should head back. I need to do a few things before we continue." Said Greg suddenly as he clenched his palm, making the wind key vanish in an instant.
"What do you need to do?" asked Zane with a frown, visibly confused about what Greg said.
From his point of view, currently, there was not a single thing that could be more important than collecting the keys. Not even one own cultivation.
They must act and collect the keys as fast as possible, because if not, then it was only a matter of time before unwanted problems emerged.
Greg however didn't agree with Zane's viewpoint. In his opinion, one's cultivation rank determined one's strength and life. If he wasn't strong enough before obtaining the final key and opening the Altar, he could die just as easily as an ant.
That is why, before collecting the last key, Greg needed to form his remaining two Layers in his body and reach the Mind Grade no matter what.
Alice told him that the final Temple, the Temple of Void which holds the darkness key, will be even harder than this one was.
That is why, no matter what they say, he first must reach the Mind Grade.
"I need to cultivate. Also, my body feels exhausted after obtaining the key, so I need to rest a bit too. I hope it's not a problem." Said Greg as he looked at Zane.
Zane however minded it and it was visible on his face too, but before he could have said anything, Eliana's voice sounded from the side.
"We still don't know where the next Temple's location is, so you are free to do what you want. Also, what Greg said is true. He needs to rest."
"Why? He looks perfectly fine to me." Asked Zane frustrated, but seeing Eliana's frown he calmed down.
"Maybe from his outer appearance he seems okay, but his body is not. Just the way his clothes are and his expression tells everything. Also, I don't think he had an easy time for 3 days straight inside there and I hope you neither."
Zane the moment heard this, glanced at Greg's figure and after thinking for a while sighed.
"Sure, whatever. Just make sure you help obtain the last key for us." said Zane with a wave of his hand and closed his eyes.
Greg on the side heard this and could just smile wryly. To think about it, he couldn't blame Zane's behavior toward him, not even in the slightest. It was obvious that since he took away his only chance to break through the God rank back in the Flake Zone, Zane kind of hated him.
Just imagine playing an insanely hard game, failing several times for God knows how long, and after things seem that you will be able to beat the final boss, a stranger comes and turns off your screen.
The emotion you would feel at that moment could be indescribable for sure!
As Greg thought about this, he felt a bit of a shame, but that's just hiw life works. They made a deal, and they accepted his term.
In exchange for his help, they agreed to make one of his wishes in the future, so if one looked at it like that, it was only business and nothing personal matter.
As Greg thought about this he smiled and glanced at Eliana.
"So, can you please take me back to Skyfall Mountain?"
***
While Greg was taken back to Skyfall Mountain by Eliana's and Zane's help, until then in a dark cave, a silhouette could be seen sitting in a lotus position.
It was man, dressed in a strange, ancient-looking robe, while out of his forehead, a single horn could be seen coming out.
He was the one who walked to Nos to warn him, if he fails, there will be huge consequences. Since then, he didn't choose to get in contact with Nos again and it seems the reason why was because he was cultivating in this cave ever since then.
He was sitting motionless in the cave, like he was one with the darkness itself, while the space around his body was continuously turning and twisting like dragons from ancient times.
"..."
While only silence filled the dark cave and nothing else, suddenly, the man opened his closed eyes slowly, revealing a pair of jade-like eyes.
Each eye was as beautiful as a single piece of diamond, shining with a mysterious light in the darkness.
Yet, the mysterious glow in his eyes was not giving any kind of pleasant sensation to others, but instead, it leaked a sort of dreadful aura. It felt like, just with a simple glance from the man could make anyone's body to be torn apart into several pieces in a single instant.
Those eyes were not only scary, but alarming at the same time.
"So it seems they have failed once again." sighed Ecron and stood up.
Gently patting his clothing to wipe off the dust, he crossed his arms before his back and walked outside of the cave.
Glancing up at the starry sky with the full moon above his head, Ecron raised his arm and flicked his wrist to the side.
"..."
Silence. Even though Ecron did what he did, nothing else could be heard but silence.
Yet, after he performed the act with his wrist, Ecron crossed his arms behind his back once again and sighed.
"I told you. If you fail once again, you must bear the consequences."
With that, the man turned back around, and with slow but steady steps, walked back into the cave.