Kaden accepted several more assassination missions and completed them. While Kaden was certain that such moves along with politics were relatively common, he felt like there was more activity than usual. This had indeed been the case, but he could directly sense it considering how Cari clans were behaving and what kind of targets Kaden's kills were.

In fact, Kaden could have picked far more missions, if he had wanted to, but Kranor called him back to the clan. There was no shortage of targets, but that a killing spree would create attention and paint a target on Kaden. It was good to take breaks and move around. To begin with, originally it had been hard to get Kaden such missions was simply due to the fact that he was a phoenix and he would be far more noticeable than a paid assassin that was not a phoenix. The list from which Kaden's targets had been picked were ones that were good targets for him.

"This is still power play", Kaden thought to himself. "Luckily, despite my worries, this has not escalated to continent wide internal chaos." After a moment he added one more thought. "Yet."

Such thing was already happening in the human empires. Yet, he wasn't sure of its extent. Detailed information from human terriotories was hard to come by. The most optimal thing was to have human empires descent into even deeper chaos while Cari, at most, had some internal problems. None of that would matter once Cari were strong enough to invade human empires.

Whatever was happening in Frika was still likely part of whatever the events at Madakar had been part of. Just some religious differences with likely some political background.

At any rate, Kaden was happy at the current level of chaos.

"I can take this moment and speak with Kranor", Kaden thought to himself.

Kaden quietly returned to the phoenix clan. Having just completed his missions, he did not want to draw any attention. There was always a chance for retribution, but since Kaden wasn't new to the concept of murder and how to get away with it, he knew how to avoid it.

There was something else Kaden had to avoid. That was Ciner back at the phoenix clan. Kaden was able to see her from far away and flew into the clan's defensive layers in a way that allowed him to avoid her.

"I will have to make sure she will not try to follow me out of Frika", Kaden made himself a mental note. "Any disruptions could prove fatal."

While he considered the possibility of luring her to be discovered by humans and subsequently hunted down, it also brough him more risk than he was willing to take simply to remove annoyance.

Kaden didn't go to speak with Kranor immediately. While Kaden did make note of his return, he went to his residence almost right away.

There were things to plan first. Ther was no point trying to leave Frika until he had a good idea on how and what exactly he was planning on doing afterwards.

One such matter was that he might run into humans. He might even need to interact with them, if the location he was looking for was inside the areas that the empires controlled.

Kaden had experimented while performing the assassinations. He still didn't have a reliable formation.

"Perhaps I can extend the same trick I used with Ciner", Kaden thought one solution. "It has no combat power and any direct interaction with it will reveal it as a fake, but I might be able to speak with it."

It wasn't a good solution and Kaden wanted a better one, but he lacked such thing.

Kaden even wondered whether he should continue as he had so far and work with the phoenixes until he was able to solve all his problems. He wasn't in a rush, but nor did he want to start slacking. He felt if he put down his plans for too long he would get used to it and he would never get anything done.

No... if he was going to wait, he needed a good reason for it.

Eventually, a few days later, Kaden decided to still bring up the matter to Kranor that he was planning on leaving. Suddenly doing so might even cause problems with Kranor even if the clan didn't care.

It had been Kaden's appearance that brought back Kranor from his madness. Originally Kaden had considered not even telling him anything, when he realized it could be a problem, but then decided not to. Kranor was a True Cari. If he didn't want Kaden to leave then he could easily prevent it.

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In other words, Kaden had to convince him, if he was against it.

"At worst, I will have to stay here for a hundred years or so and become powerful enough myself", Kaden thought to himself.

That would be a major setback for his plans, but it would be acceptable. The black pentagon and its invidual parts were likely ancient. They would keep functioning. His targets of vengeance were strong enough that they wouldn't die of old age. They might die in the chaos he had started, but True Magi and Archmagi were unlikely to suddenly die.

"Kranor", Kaden said to the phoenix. "Things are progressing and some other matters have come up. I would soon leave Frika once I can finish up my planning."

Kranor frowned.

"Why? It is very dangerous", Kranor said.

"I'm aware. Before coming to Frika, I was nearly hunted down", Kaden said. "Which is exactly the reason why I need to plan for a way to do things and avoid danger. Also, the clan has given me much and I'm not certain they will let me go yet, but the way I see it, I handed over the godless mana system. It is a near priceless thing that the clan has already had the chance take advantage of. So I'm not concerned about that much. What I am concerned is about is you."

Kranor didn't say anything.

"You are aware there are things I must do", Kaden continued. "Things that define me and my actions."

"No", Kranor said. "It is too dangerous. Your vengeance can wait. You can wait until the war with humans start. It is likely we all will enter the war at that time."

"Staying here will stiffle my growth", Kaden continued. He wasn't going to give up. "I would roam and grow by taking power with my own strength. There are limits what can be trained here."

"And what will you get away from here?" Kranor pointed out.

Kaden didn't answer.

"More of your secrets", Kranor merely continued. "Honestly, I'm not sure why fate has tied so many events to you. You have managed to get tangled in deep. It can be both good and bad. I cannot say whether you live or not through it all, but you are the last thing that remains of Anuu. I would not lose that."

"By keeping me here, I cannot grow to keep my promise to her", Kaden decided to press the matter from emotional point of view.

"You will not reach the strength required to clash with those able to harm Anuu even if I let you go", Kranor replied. "You are talented, but one does not reach the level of True Cari or True Magus so easily. Whatever you are looking for can wait."

"Perhaps so, but I believe what I seek is not ordinary", Kaden said. "I intend to stay out of sight and act through proxies as far as possible."

Kranor was quiet for a while. Then he sighed. "What are were you planning?"

"I intend to use clones or servants", Kaden explained and constructed his best version of his formation so far and described Kranor his experiments and their goods sides and bad sides. "I will only need to complete a working solution."

"This is based on those training formations", Kranor pointed out. "Those recond shape and behavior of souls before they dissipate to generate a copy."

"Indeed. I had hoped someone would have thought up a formation fit for my needs before me, but I could find none"

It seemed Kranor was at least interested how he was planning on staying hidden. That was a good sign.

"Why not use souls?" Kranor questioned. "That is what the formation is based on."

"At my level it is difficult to affect souls", Kaden replied. "Its either minor effects or by luck or some trickery that I could do so. Definitely not enough here."

"You have that nasty blade you managed to enchant", Kranor said.

"It reacts to only targets of my vengeance", Kaden answered. "For others it just sucks their mana."

"Nonsense", Kranor told Kaden right away. "It is able to touch souls directly. It will be able to act as a proper conduit. Find a way."

Was it possible afterall? Perhaps. Theoretically it could work, if souls could be interacted with properly.

"Why are you helping me", Kaden asked. "Completing this will only help me go."

"I would prefer if you stayed", Kranor replied. "Be it getting rid of those who oppose our clan or perhaps conducting useful research or anything else. I don't really care." He then pondered for a moment. "But if you can show me a working plan, such as completing this formation of yours, I will let you go. I don't like it, but I realized I can't force you to stay. Be it that unusual amount of fate or something else. I just want to see that you aren't commiting a suicide in your desire for vengeance." Then he added. "I for sure tossed all caution to the winds when I planned to go before I was stopped. I will not do the same to you, if you can show you are on different path than me."

"So if I will be able to present you a plan that you can approve, you will not stop me?" Kaden confirmed the 'deal'.

Kranor nodded.

"This is basically what I was thinking of doing and perhaps you also gave me a good hint", Kaden said. "I also do not intend to die any time soon. There are targets beyond the ones I'm aiming for next. I wont die yet."

Kaden felt Kranor's concern over the matter unnecessary. He felt he had grown a bit more patient and less reckless over time. Perhaps only if he was just about to strike at his targets, he might have problems, but that was not going to happen any time soon.

Obviously it was dangerous to go to or near human territories, but that he had planned to solve before going.

"Kranor is too emotional", Kaden thought to himself. "He may be far stronger than me, but my way of vengeance is far better. It makes me stronger and not cause weaknesses like for Kranor."

Kaden felt better about his idea of leaving. Staying too long might cause Kranor to become more reluctant to let him leave.