Chapter 165 : Don't interfere

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Sora and Kara sat side by side in front of the lake, smiles of quiet satisfaction on their faces.

“Who would have thought this place would be so lively one day?” Kara said, her voice warm as she gazed out across the tranquil waters.

Sora nodded, his eyes scanning the [Time Space], now bustling with activity. The once-empty dimension had transformed into a realm where players trained and grew.

“It feels like those kids have claimed the northern part of the space as their own. Ever since Karim succeeded in breaking his contract, their motivation went through the roof. Look at them—training like their lives depend on it.” He shifted his gaze to the southern part of the space, where powerful figures clashed in intense battles. “Alius is still focused on training his elite familiars and undead. Sarsha, on the other hand, seems determined to settle her grudge. She’s challenging Magnus and Nyx for the ninth time. Alius’ summons are something else.”

Kara’s attention turned eastward. “If you ask me, the real monsters are Netsu and Hiyoko. None of Alius’ generals can rival them. The Soul Links you have with them might be some of the best rewards you earned in the tower.”

Sora followed her gaze to see Netsu and Hiyoko lounging near Kara’s [Time Dragon], the three creatures exuding auras of undeniable power. A hint of pride swelled within him.

“They are strong,” he admitted, a slight grin on his face. “But Alius has to split his resources among so many familiars, so it’s only natural that these two are ahead. Yours isn’t bad either—it’s taking after its master, after all.”

Kara chuckled softly. “I think we’re ready for what’s next. We’ve been training here for so long. Even Sarsha has maxed out her level. We’ve polished dozens of skills, and we’re all countless times stronger than before. I'm honestly tired of training here.” Her voice carried both joy and a yearning for action.

“It’s time indeed,” Sora agreed, surprising her with his quick approval.

After sending a telepathic message summoning everyone to the lake, it didn’t take long for the group to gather. They arrived in moments, the sound of their chatting filling the air.

“We’re returning to the real world,” Sora announced, his voice steady and firm. Turning to the group of players who had once served Hannah, he added, “You guys can keep training here if you want. We can adjust the time flow for you. Just knock on the door of Kara's mansion if you need to contact us.”

Pausing, he turned to Karim and asked, “Do you want to leave with us? Hannah can’t touch you anymore.”

Karim hesitated but then replied, “I’ll stay with the others to help guide them. I won’t be of any use to you… You’re all so strong.”

Sora nodded in understanding before turning to Sarsha. “What about you? Do you want to come with us?”

Sarsha gave him a mysterious smile and responded with a question of her own. “Are we currently in the Human Kingdom?”

Her question puzzled Sora, but he nodded. “Yes, we are.”

“I can tell you the truth now. If we leave this space, I’ll be automatically expelled from your kingdom and sent back to mine. Unless…” She let the word linger, “someone gives me a [Diplomatic Pass] and sets themselves as my anchor. Foreigners can’t enter another kingdom without one.”

Sora frowned at the new information. “I need to buy one? It costs 5,000 War Points…”

Sarsha grinned mischievously. “You can earn much more any time. Just pay up!”

Reluctantly, Sora opened his system and purchased the [Diplomatic Pass,] linking Sarsha to himself as her anchor. As he handed it to her, he thought, 'So the anchor acts like a guide, and the visitor can’t stray too far. Interesting.'

Their preparations complete, Sora handed Sarsha a mask to conceal her identity. The group—Sora, Kara, Alius, and Sarsha—gathered at the exit and left the [Time Space].

--------------------------------------------

The moment they stepped out, they were met with an entirely different atmosphere.

The group stood amidst a dense, ancient forest in the depths of China. Towering trees stretched into the sky, their branches intertwined to form a natural net that filtered the sunlight into streams of light. The air was thick with the scent of moss and earth, the ground beneath their feet carpeted in a bed of leaves. In the distance, the sound of rushing water echoed faintly, accompanied by the occasional rustle of unseen creatures.

Taking deep breathes, the group seemed to enjoy the change of environments.

The area was marked as a level 180 zone, and the oppressive aura of the monsters hidden all around it confirmed it. Shadows moved between the trees, hinting at the presence of powerful monsters lurking nearby. 

Sarsha adjusted her mask, glancing around. “To think I'm already stronger than max level monsters. This feels so good,” she muttered. “Are we about to hunt the infamous Hannah that you keep mentioning over and over?”

Sora shook his head, his expression darkening. His voice turned cold as he answered, “No. It’s time to get rid of Rachel.”

Alius, aware of Sora's plan, added, "And Sarsha, you're not hunting anyone. You better keep that mask on and act human. If word gets out that we smuggled a Dark Elf into the kingdom, we’ll have a lot of problems."

Sora ignored the duo and spread his mental power to its limit, trying to sense the boundaries of his scanning ability. Feeling his mental power stop abruptly at the border of the level 180 area, he frowned.

"I can only scan one area at a time. It feels like the system is blocking my mental power beyond this region," he explained to the group. Pausing, he added, "I'll have to ask Sin Soo-Yun."

After a brief chat with his information broker, he received the update he needed.

"She's still in Japan," Sora said, addressing the group. "In a leveling area near Tokyo, to be precise. It's the perfect time to strike."

Adjusting the settings on his mask, he made a few changes to his appearance and the name displayed above his head.

Sarsha, noticing the transformation, asked in confusion, "Why are you disguising yourself as Alius?"

Kara sighed, shaking her head. "What a messy situation," she muttered as she noticed the name displayed above Sora's head:

[Sora Hashino - Level 49]

Sora smiled at the sight and said, "Who told this idiot to use this face in the first place?"

Alius scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Let’s just get moving," he mumbled.

Sarsha continued to pester them with questions about their disguises and Rachel, but the men consistently ignored her, leaving Kara to awkwardly mediate.

Traveling through [Void Tunnels], the group moved with incredible speed, the space around them warping to Sora's will. Vast distances disappeared in an instant, the usual resistance of the world nonexistent within the tunnels.

Sora led the way, his expression rigid and focused. The ancient forest from earlier faded as the serene landscapes of Japan came into view.

Soon, the leveling area near Tokyo appeared: another dense forest filled with high-level beasts. The area pulsed with energy, and monsters roamed freely between trees and scattered clearings.

Hovering in the sky, cloaked behind Sora’s [Veil], the group overlooked a clearing where Rachel was in the midst of battle. She moved quickly, her strikes fast and accurate. Each motion exuded ruthless efficiency, her actions that of a veteran warrior. Despite being under-leveled and alone, she dominated the clearing, turning it into her personal hunting ground.

The group remained hidden, watching in silence.

Kara's thoughts turned to Rachel. Rachel had once been Sora's childhood friend and brother's wife. After his death, she was the closest person to him. She had been someone he relied on when his world was shattered. Sora had told her of the bond they shared, the moments they spent together, and the deep trust he had for her.

Kara’s gaze shifted from Rachel to Sora. His eyes were locked onto Rachel, his cold stare sending a chill down her spine. It wasn’t the look of someone preparing himself to face an enemy in battle. It was deeper, and colder—a gaze of someone full of hatred about to commit something atrocious.

Kara’s heart clenched. She knew what Rachel had done to Sora when he was weaker, when he had been nothing but a level 49 player, trusting and vulnerable. And she knew that Alius, his alter ego, had lived seen and experienced the scene firsthand. However, at the moment Alius’s eyes betrayed no emotion.

To see Sora now, staring at Rachel with such coldness, she realized he had long buried those memories. There was no hesitation, no conflict in his eyes.

Kara’s voice gently broke the silence in the group’s minds. ‘Sora… are you sure about this?’

His response came instantly, calm yet devoid of the usual warmth when he talked to her. ‘I’m fine. I'm ready.’

Alius, standing beside him, interjected, ‘Let’s end this.’

Kara looked at Rachel once more. She was lying on her back now, catching her breath after dispatching a particularly large monster. Her face was facing the sky, coincidentally staring in their direction. For a fleeting moment, Kara wondered if Rachel sensed their presence, but shook her head, aware of Sora's ability.

Sora stepped forward, his voice colder than Kara had ever heard it. "Don't interfere."

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