"What?!" Lone's eyes shot open as soon as he sensed an XXX-ranker coming towards him at incredible speeds. He wasn't naive enough to think that Ele'hunda or Lipsilk had already killed their general and had come to help him, so he was instantly on alert.

This approaching person suddenly stopped once they were a few hundred meters away from Lone. Regardless, he got up and looked around warily.

"The senses of foxkin sure are sharp, aren't they? Here I was thinking I'd hid my presence and everything," an effeminate but decisively male voice that was unfamiliar to Lone joked.

He spun around to see if this general was stood behind him, but to no avail. He just couldn't see this man at all. All Lone was able to sense, was that he was nearby.

The Divine Soul Prison orbited Lone defensively. It was ready to attack anything that came too close to its owner.

"What a curious trinket. Does that ball have sentience? I'll have to spend some time inspecting it once I've pried it from your cold dead hands, now won't I?" the voice asked as he laughed.

Lone scoffed. "Like you could kill me. You're welcome to try. I was saving my energy before I cooked an oversized lizard, but hey, I'm up for a starter meal."

"Oh, how... interesting. So you're the person designated to be consumed by my master? I was curious why the elf and the fairy were so eager to fight us generals instead of waiting for my master to show up. Thank you, you've given me some nice information," the voice said politely all the while maintaining a condescending tone.

"No, I'm not 'designated to be consumed', I'm designated to murder your pathetic master who is too much of a fucking coward to even show up today. What kind of loser lets his minions get wiped out before showing up? Seems inefficient to me if he's supposedly the 'biggest and baddest' guy you lot have," Lone said with heaps of sarcasm dripping out of his very being.

As if to back him up, the Divine Soul Prison rotated fiercely. It wasn't very menacing without having its blades out, so it looked more cute than threatening, but Lone appreciated the effort nonetheless.

"How entertaining. Is sarcasm a second language to you? You're rather skilled," the general responded chipperly.

Lone chuckled. "Nah, sarcasm is my first language. I'm a Scot, you see."

"A Scott? Nice to meet you, Scott. I failed to introduce myself earlier, didn't I? My Name is Va-"

"I don't give a fuck what you're called. Get out here now, attack me, or go back to the person you were paired with, you fuckhead." Lone was letting his temper get the better of him. He was making sure that Void didn't take over which was far easier now with Radiance's help, but he really didn't like people that messed around like this person. They reminded him too much of Clicker. "I have no time for clowns."

"Hahaha. It truly has been a very long time since I've been shown such disrespect. Is this bravery, or perhaps foolishness?" Van asked rhetorically.

"Well?" Lone wasn't going to humour Van. "Are you going to do something?"

"I'd be the fool here were I to attack you. I'm more than aware of your peculiar ability to immobilise your attackers. A very envious ability, if I do say so myself. Much like that human girl's teleportation. You'd make a fine addition to my collection as well, Scott." Lone could sense the sheer volume of longing in the general's tone.

"Hah, a mightly XXX-ranker is scared of a little S-ranker. Has anyone told you before that you're an absolute bitch?" Lone mocked.

Van laughed. "Something about your crude language is very... charming. I almost want to fight you to disprove you. Very intriguing. To think that a foxkin would have enough charm to almost sway me, a Monarch Vampire, into actually doing something." Van's laughter continued for a few moments before he sighed. "No, no. Unfortunately for you, Scott, I'm more than aware of my limits, but I know nothing of yours. That's why I'm here."

After having said that, from where he was hiding, Van took out a bag that was identical to the one he had shown to Ele'hunda. Tipping it over, several golems spilling out. Each one was actually an XX-ranker, unlike the X-rankers battling the King. Although, they only numbered ten, unlike the thousand assaulting Ele'hunda. As it turned out, collecting XX-ranked souls and affixing them to golems was infinitely harder than doing so for X-rankers.

"Since you so rudely interrupted me earlier, allow me to finish my introduction, Please. I am Van Gridslow Balosmaloth, general of the mighty and ancient Darkness Dragon, Ythmagobla. I'm also known as the Graverobbing Creation Mage," Van gestured grandly, even if Lone couldn't see him.

"Creation mage? You're actually one of those two-bit losers?" Lone wasn't impressed.

"Oh, now that, that actually hurt. I can tell that you are genuinely looking down on me and not simply trying to taunt me like earlier. Why, might I ask, do you have such a low opinion of Creation Mages, Scott?" Van asked as the XX-ranked golems slowly surrounded Lone.

Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

"My name is Lone, you fuckhead. And I don't see why being a creation mage is so special when I'm the only owner of true Creation Magic." Lone didn't even flinch when he checked the statuses of the golems encircling him.

"Oho? Is that so? Well then, Lone, why don't you tell me what true Creation Magic is?" For the first time since his arrival to the world tree, Van was actually offended by what someone had said to him.

Lone smirked. He looked at the Divine Soul Prison. "I need to name you since you have an ego and everything. Hmm... How about Saturn? That ring of yours makes you look kinda like a planet in your idle mode."

The Divine Soul Prison hummed happily in response. "Good. Saturn, why don't you reclaim these souls for me? They'd be better serving you, not this coward."

Saturn did as asked and whizzed through the air. Van was unsure of how to respond, so he ordered his golems to avoid the floating orb and attack Lone. He was determined to find the limits of this mysterious foxkin and his immobilising ability.

Lone readied himself in case Saturn wasn't as useful as he assumed it would be, but thankfully, his expectations weren't disappointed.

Saturn moved as fast as light. Within less than a few seconds, all ten of the XX-ranked golems had their souls sucked out of them and were sealed within the Divine Soul Prison while the Swordspear of Immortal Slaying completely decimated their bodies.

Saturn joyfully retracted the swordspear and returned to orbiting Lone. Glancing at the orb, Lone flicked it lightly. "Hey, would you look at that. You're really useful, aren't ya?"

Saturn brushed up against Lone's cheek playfully in response.

Van was understandably less than happy. "What on Altros is that thing?! Forgive my rudeness, but that was impossible! This must be an illusion! I had no idea that you were a greater illusion mage than I. I've truly been made a fool out of, haven't I?"

Lone grinned. "Denial is the perfect mindset for a coward like you. I told you already, I'm the only person with true Creation Magic. Those shitty golems of yours can't compare to the shit I make. But I do have to compliment you on your soul oracle abilities. Even I can't manipulate XX-rankers. Saturn can, but that's different."

"Well, I'm certainly flattered." Lone's first language was oozing out of Van. "I suppose I shall take my leave then. I do need to warn Master of this particular weapon of yours, after all."

Lone frowned. He still hadn't discovered where Van was hiding, and his low-levelled and weak illusion detection skills weren't picking anything up. This meant one of two things; one, Van wasn't hiding in an illusion, two, Van was a master with illusions as well as soul oracle skills and the mundane creation magic.

"Saturn, can you detect his soul?" Lone knew that Saturn possessed no such ability, but Lone was having no luck on his own with his soul skills or his illusion skills, so he figured it wouldn't hurt to check.

Saturn sadly bobbed around, indicating that it couldn't do what Lone had asked of it.

"You and your weapon might not be able to find him, but I sure as hell can!" a powerful and familiar voice boomed.

Ele'hunda came flying through the air like a rocket and brought his fist down onto a patch of the plains, turning it into nothing more than a crater.

As soon as Lone's eyes had adjusted to the dust and dirt flying everywhere, Lone could see a broken and battered Ele'hunda with blood all over him holding down a spindly pale man by the neck.

Energy coursed through Ele'hunda's thick arm as he tightened his grip around Van's throat. He grinned viciously. "You're a sneaky bastard, but not sneaky enough!"

"Wait... We- Keh! We can- Keh! Talk about this!" Van struggled and tried his best to claw away at the King's hand, to no avail, of course. As Van had stated himself, he was no match for Ele'hunda, even in his current state. Van wasn't a strength-focused XXX-ranker, so he might as well have been a newborn. It would make no difference either way once he was caught.

"Yeah, we can talk. I have something to say." Ele'hunda was thoroughly enjoying showing this vampire scum some punishment for that little golem army of his.

"Anything! Anything! Just- Keh! Just spare my life!" Van was far less loyal than Itchy was, so if it meant saving his skin, he would happily betray Ythmagobla right here and now.

"Good. Here's what I want to say. Warm up the Realm of the Primals for Ythmagobla. He'll be with you soon." Lone could feel the sheer bloodlust frothing over from Ele'hunda's entire being, and it sent chills all along his spine and made it difficult for him to breathe.

"Wait! No! I-I can be use-" Van's begging was cut short by the sound of his neck being snapped.

"Saturn, go grab his soul quickly. Fight it if you need to so you can weaken it. I can't let him get away," Lone ordered.

Saturn made a few humming noises before it flew off and hovered over Van's corpse motionlessly. Both Lone and Ele'hunda could tell that it was currently locked in a fierce battle with Van's soul. Lone could actually see this battle since he could see souls now, while Ele'hunda could merely sense that the fight was happening.

Normally, Saturn should be able to seal an XXX-ranker's soul with ease, but Van being a soul oracle made the whole process... complicated.

"You look worse for wear," Lone commented as he eyed Ele'hunda from top to bottom.

"Well, that'll happen when you're attacked by a thousand X-rankers. Imagine if you got surrounded on all sides by a thousand B-rankers," Ele'hunda said as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Sounds like an easy fight," Lone teased.

"I'm sure," Ele'hunda replied with a wry grin on his lips.

The fight between Saturn and Van was gradually coming to a close. Saturn was winning. Lone nodded his head pridefully. 'And that's why it's got no rating. It can even beat an XXX-ranked soul oracle's soul into submission.'

"You need healed?" Lone asked his High Elven companion.

Ele'hunda shook his head. "I'm fine. I can heal this much in a few minutes, though I have used up about half of my stamina."

"Okay. Once you're healed up, head over to the most powerful XXX-ranker and help whoever's fighting it. We got one, but there's still three left," Lone said as he sat back down and began meditating, making blue archaic runes surface onto his skin and tails.

"I know. I guess I'll go help Lipsilk then. That succubus gave me a bad feeling," Ele'hunda said as he closed his eyes and focused his energy on curing his wounds. Five minutes later, he was finished. "Good luck, and thank you for the help with this slimy bastard."

"You too, Ele'hunda," Lone replied.