Liliana Flamberg was born with love.

Liliana Flamberg was raised with fear and contempt.

Her mother was a maverick among the elves, travelling across the world without a care, essentially abandoning her ancestral duty of protecting and cultivating the divine tree.

Furthermore, she came back carrying the child of a fire demon, whom are particularly abhorred from among the heinous demons.

Shortly after giving birth to Liliana, she died, leaving her child with no parent to look after her.

The elves wanted her out, but Kenrik wouldn't have a child fend for herself like that. He was sensible enough to make a rational decision.

Even so, bias and prejudice could erode even the mind of the most sensible and wise. He didn't help Liliana who was treated as an outcast, and never tried to understand her. While he had the opportunity, not once did he communicate or showed any interest in Liliana.

The situation escalated as Liliana grew older.

Her massive magic power caused flames to erupt uncontrollably. The forest burned many times because of her, and the whispering and looks of disdain worsened.

It all further shook her emotions unstable, which caused fire to erupt more frequently, that made others to shun Liliana even more, shaking her emotions more unstabel. It was a vicious without end.

After a burst that nearly burned the divine tree, Liliana couldn't take it anymore. She run as far away as possible.

Elizabeth found her days later. Her magic power was like a beacon that led the Sage to her. After joining the Solitary Wolves she found people who knew what she went through and didn't judge her. She found a family, and was even taught how to control her power.

And then there's Ark.

He was someone who didn't judge her based on race. He even complemented her hair, and saved her life.

In her eyes, Ark was invincible.

It was when they first synchronized that she felt his willpower. Even with meager mana, he dominated her fire with an unwavering will. It was his willpower that fascinated Liliana.

That's why she was worried, but thought in her heart that Ark would never lose.

All the fighters were chanting and communicating with their spirits.

Kenrik also didn't sit idle. He raised and maintained a barrier while managing the mages preparing a cooperative spell.

It was a relatively primitive barrier, Liliana observed, but the magic power it contained was significant. They probably had faith in this barrier to shield them.

They were wrong.

"Ark didn't die." She muttered, as if it was a magic spell. "He is alive."

But the fact is, only the Calamity appeared from within the thick forest.

With a wave of darkness, the barrier quickly shattered. Kenrik suffered the recoil and coighed blood, but his determination didn't waver.

"Now!"

The cooperative magic of all the elven mages combind their mana into one, taking three colors and making them interact in perfect harmony.

They chanted in unison. "Earth thy peril, drown thy adversary, gust thy enemy. Mundane Sealing Roots!"

As the chant took place, magic power dyed the world. Illusory waters towered over the monster, gusts of wind accelerated the flow of water, and the earth trembled, sinking beneath his feet.

Tree roots made of concentrated three elements mana sprouted out of the earth, wrapped the Calamity and pulled it down as it screamed.

Everyone breathed in relief.

"Wait, something is coming!"

Was it another monster? No, the figure coming out was a black-haired human covered in blood; it was Ark.

"Ark!" Rushing to his side, Liliana paved her way through the elves as if they weren't there. It was as if she was a wife reuniting with her husband who came back from a war.

"Liliana, it's good to see you're fine."

(Just had to sit on your ass and do nothing like usual, huh? Must be easy.)

It was a disgustingly sarcastic thought that is very rude, but believe it or not, Ark thought this with much less spite than usual. The exhaustion made even him to lose vigor.

"I thought something happened to you... and I..." Her voice shook, words jumbled up in her mind.

"Well, I was beaten very badly, even after I weakened it by much. So the moment my magic power ran out I hid myself. I was preparing another attack but it ran off for the divine tree."

(That and I projected a Phantom to lead it away, but who cares about the details? No one, that's who.)

So it was his fault, again.

Even after being in countless mortal situations, Ark usually stayed and fought. He expressed willingness to sell out his teammates but never actually ran out of a fight.

One would even think it was all just talk, and Ark is really soft on the inside. But no, he didn't hesitate leading the monster right into its original target, risking the entire world.

The people around him better prepare themselves, or Ark will lead them to their demise.

Kenrik came accompanied by his daughter and her group. He bowed deeply.

"Thank you, Ark. Your heroic actions and quick wits has saved our race. The time you provided for us was vital in the successful subjugation of the atrocity that attacked us."

"Well, as long as you destroyed it, it's all good."

(You were worse than Liliana. Sitting on your old arse and only stealing the final blow. Old fart.)

Now that held a sting to it.

There were a few more words, but Ark's thoughts derailed as he couldn't focus.

He wanted to sleep, but he couldn't.

It should've come easily considering his exhaustion, but his body was keeping Ark awake for some reason.

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The chill of danger remained still.

"Wait, that isn't right." Liliana noticed an incongruity. "They sealed the monster, not destroyed it."

...

"Are you trolling me?"

"What?" Everyone were confused by the unfamiliar term, but Ark was too agitated to care.

He viewed sealing as a stupid means to end a battle. Not only did the opponent survive, but he would also become a threat when the seal is undone, and it will always be undone eventually. The act of sealing is just trolling an unrelated party that's forced to finish what was started by the sealer.

"A Calamity is a lump of destructive intent. The spell will be corroded and destroyed."

"This sealing spell is powerful. It shouldn't break in a thousand years."

Ark inwardly clicked his tongue. The seal wasn't permanent even if it worked, and someone in the future would've had to deal with it in their stead. His hatred for sealing magic grew.

"Have you ever fought a Calamity before?" Ark asked in a questioning tone.

"I haven't, but I've heard stories. One was from someone who fought a Calamity on his own."

Kenrik didn't understand the terror of a Calamity, not the way Ark did. Age doesn't grant wisdom automatically, it has to be earned by experience.

Ark lost the patience to argue. His extreme fatigue impaired his judgement and set his tongue loose. "You doomed this village."

Saying so, he fell asleep.

And darkness gushed from the ground.

Liliana grabbed Ark's sleeping body and moved away to the back.

The seal shatteted as the Calamity climbed back, emitting an aura similar to before Ark weakened it.

"Impossible!" Exlaimed the elves. They exhausted their mana completely the first time they sealed the monster and couldn't fight anymore.

Nothing is worse from completely exhausting oneself chopping the boss' health, only for it to recover into full health. The elves learned of this bitter experience.

It was because the Calamity composed of darkness. Sealed deep in the ground with no light, it absorbed dark elements and made full recovery.

'Did he know it would happen?' Kenrik glanced at the sleeping boy who saved them all those years ago.

He was impressive then and even more now. As a magician, Kenrik admired Ark's skills that could conjure dozens magic formations in seconds, and create a large scale one from afar while in combat. In fact, he regarded Ark to have a talent above his own.

And his ability isn't weak at all.

"I'll be your opponent, Calamity." He declared.

Minted green hue gently envelops the old elf, swaying gently back and forth like a soft pulse.

And with that, Kenrik had plunged into battle.

"He isn't winning."

"No, his attacks barely deals damage."

The battle proceeded differently than how it was for Ark.

Kenrik deployed shields and casted mobility spells to maintain distance and avoid damage. In the little breathing space he had keeping the Calamity at bay, he fired the strongest spells he could.

It was realm every mage wished to achieve: being able to fight without support.

The firepower wasn't lacking. Every single spell is packed with plenty of mana and was of compound nature.

But the opponent was too bad. Its magic resistance is superb and it utilized darkness to counter and defend.

Although still rash and lacking skills, the Calamity overwhelmed Kenrik by using its superior specs.

"How did Ark even held it back for so long?" Anna wondered aloud.

"Well, I'd say I'm better at dodging."

Ark raised himself and massaged his temples.

"Ark, how did you wake up so soon!?"

"Relax, Liliana. I just dozed for a couple minutes, but I can't sleep when the job isn't done yet. Also, it's damn noisy."

He looked at the source of the noise. The Calamity got closer with every attempt, and soon Kenrik would lose.

"What's that green light? A spell?"

"Huh? It's my grandpa's Natural State. He is unified with the world and nature, and could use the magic power as his own."

It was a sacred technique of the elves that only selected few could accomplish. This is how Kenrik acquired a nigh inexhaustable supply of mana that allowed him not to hold back.

"Sounds useful."

Having said that, Ark takes a few breaths than stand on his feet.

"Well then, shouldn't we escape?"

"Escape? How could we do this as my grandfather is fighting on his own?"

"No, but we aren't doing anything. I can't fight at all so I will die if I stay here. So will you."

The words of reason coldly struck Anna. She wanted to be useful, but she had already emptied her mana helping with the sealing spell, and she couldn't do anything.

But then, leaving her grandfather to die was unacceptable for her. She was stuck in place.

It was then that Liliana spoke.

"Do you have anything? A plan that will help us defeat that monster?"

Ark eyed her in confusion. "Of course I have one."

He was simulating ways to kill that monster since they met, so he naturally found a way. It was Ark's specialty to crush those stronger than him.

"But it requires me in perfect condition, and I couldn't be farther away."

(So unless you a magical recovery item... come on, say yoy have!)

The conversation went in a good direction for Ark. He wasn't insistent, but there was something he wanted to accomplish since he came to this village.

"There is a way... the Divine Tree's sap."

"The Divine Tree's sap?"

(And there it is! The big prize!)

"It's a miraculous medicine. Drinking just a drop or two could perfectly heal and even more. Please, I will bring it here so save my Gramps!"

Anna was desperately begging for her grandfather's life. She didn't hesitate selling the elves' sacred elixer.

"Of course." He said, and she ran off.

He turned to the rest. "You evacute, a mage without mana is useless." he pointed at the swordswoman and assassin. "You and you, stand there and be ready to pull Kenrik away as soon as I shift its attention to me. Go."

Ark was decisive and bold. After asserting his dominance, he didn't cower from ordering people around, and they usually listened at that point.

Liliana pointed at herself. "What about me?"

Smirking, Ark whispered her role into her ear.

Though initially shocked, she quickly regained her compose. Taking a deep breath, she nodded.

Returning in less than a minute, Anna held an amber colored vial with glowing teal liquid.

"Two drops should be enough." He opened the vial and sipped two drops.

The effects were immediate.

"This is... incredible!"

Blood pumped throughout the body. Carrying the miraculous potion, Ark's body began to rapidly repair itself. The muscles and skin regenerated, bones mended and even the lost blood quickly recovered.

No, it went beyond healing just the body. The weariness and mental fatigue completely disappeared, and mana wasn't just recovered, but also increased by a full quarter. It was a substantial increase equal to a decade of training.

With his soul recovered, his spirit surged.

"Liliana, shout when you're ready. In the meantime, I'm off."

Wrapped with his spirit, Ark casted Ventus Potentia. The energy of wind increased his speed, making every step as light as a feather.

The ground shrinked and Ark faced the Calamity head on.

"Ignis Potentia!"

The energy of wind was ignited red, packing astonishing power into the fast blow.

Connecting with the face, Ark blew the Calamity away before it bypassed Kenrik's last shield.

"How about a round two? I haven't used spirit and magic enhancement together up 'til now, so don't think it will go the same as before."

Ark's physical strength is currently S rank, enough to compete with this particular Calamity, so he felt excited.

Taunted by Ark's arrogant demeanor, the Calamity gets up and charges with its fists clenched. It engages Ark in close combat.

Silverstar was stranded in the ruined forest during their bout so the two now fought unarmed.

In terms of power and stamina, he was still inferior to a Calamity, but Ark utilized feints and taunts to create weak spots and struck them effienctly. He had to work harder, but he could sense the attacks using Phantom.

If he could keep this up, he could buy enough time.

Unfortunately, time wasn't on his side.

The red energy dissipated as he run out of mana. It was inevitable as among the Potentia magic series, this one was the most wasteful.

"Damn it."

Ark became a punching bag.

The Calamity delivered a jab to the face, then moved to target various spots around the torso as Ark desperetaely tried to defend himself.

He glanced at Liliana, who wasn't ready yet, with despair.

"Relax." Ark took a deep breath.

(I can refill my mana if I use that, just like him.)

He synchronized with the natural mana surrounding him and tried to draw it to him.

It was ineffective, slower than meditation. Not only was it a difficult skill to pull off, he didn't have the spirits to assist like Kenrik had. Being able to understanding and reproducing Natural State alone is impressive, but it wasn't enough.

So Ark tried to empty his mind. To feel the world and strengthen the connection he made. Mana particles formed a constant flow as Ark immersed himself in that state for exactly one second.

In retrospect, he regretted losing focus like that, as the Calamity grasped that moment to strike a clean hit in the face.

The connection was severed and any tranquility he had achieved was gone. Instead there's the normal hot-blooded Ark.

(That bastard, he broke my nose!)

The after-effect of the sap healed the wound in real time, but killing intent still flared fiercely. It was a humiliation he couldn't forgive.

(Fuck this, and fuck you.)

Ark's killing intent was so fierce even a Calamity jolted back by instinct. Although it was directed solely at the Calamity, those who were in the vicinity felt a chill.

He synchronized his mana with the natural mana once again. This time, however, he wasn't in the mood to ask nicely.

Being one with nature? That required a sense of selflessness. Ark who only cares for himself will never be able to fully master this technique. He prioritized himself not caring how many flowers he stomped on, how much blood he spilled.

He didn't fight alongside nature. He exploited it according to his desires, shaped it to his needs.

(I won't suck up to the world. I will make it—)

The Phantom of his will touched the ambient mana, stirring it erratic.

He channeled pure will into a single word. A word encomassing his unruly, unreasonable nature.

"Obey."

And the ambient mana was devoured by the maelstorm of intent.