SUPREME ARCH-MAGUS

Standing tall atop a sturdy tree branch, Kent gazed down at the commotion below. A mob of people, clad in strange, rugged clothes, stormed through the dense forest, their shouts ringing through the air. Their eyes burned with a vicious intensity as they chased a lone figure—an otherworldly beauty whose very presence seemed to radiate an ethereal glow.

Her milky-white skin gleamed under the dappled sunlight that filtered through the canopy, and her flowing garments shimmered as if woven from strands of moonlight. But despite her delicate appearance, she moved with astonishing agility, her every step a graceful blur as she dodged the barrage of weapons hurled at her—knives, arrows, even crude spears, all slicing through the air only to miss their mark.

Kent narrowed his eyes, his senses sharpening. Then, he saw it—the detail that sent a ripple of shock through him. Her legs. They were not entirely human. In that fleeting moment, he questioned whether she was a beast-woman who had evolved into human form, or something even more enigmatic.

The chase was fast approaching his position. Staying motionless among the thick branches, Kent concealed his presence, his breath steady, his eyes locked on the unfolding scene. Just as he anticipated, the mysterious woman veered sharply in his direction, her lithe form slipping through the gaps between the trees. With one final, swift movement, she disappeared into the dense undergrowth nearby, her presence swallowed by the thick bushes.

Kent remained still, his pulse steady but his mind racing. Who was she? And why was she being hunted?

Just then the mob also came to stop below the tall tree, on top of which Kent was hiding.

"Cha… Where did the animal go?" The leader spat, his deep voice cutting through the silence. "The Princess will have our heads if we return empty-handed! That shape-shifting beast must be captured at all costs!"

A younger man among them, clearly new to such brutal assignments, wiped sweat from his brow, his lips quivering. "I just got married last week… I don't want to die so early. My wife—she'll be a widow!" His voice cracked, causing a few of the men to shift uneasily.

The leader scowled, his glare like a dagger. "Then shut up and find her! You two, search the northern path! You two, take the west!" He barked orders, sending pairs of men into different directions.

"Do not engage in a fight. Check for any signs and foot steps. Do not forget the path." The mob leader shouted as the pair ran in different directions.

Kent remained still, his sharp gaze locked onto the bushes nearby where the mysterious woman had disappeared moments ago.

Through the gaps in leaves, she was watching him, her piercing golden eyes filled with tension. There was something unnatural about her—the way she moved, her elongated fingers, her non-human legs. He couldn't determine if she was truly a beast or a cursed human, but one thing was certain: the men hunting her were not to be trusted.

The woman had initially panicked when she realized Kent had seen her. Her instincts screamed at her to silence him before he exposed her hiding spot, but something in his calm gaze gave her pause. He was not making a move, not alerting the hunters. Instead, he remained as still as she did, blending into the environment like a predator in wait.

The group of men were searching around without going deep. The leader felt super angry after seeing their cowardly actions.

The leader grunted, his patience wearing thin. "Enough of this nonsense. I'll remain here and guard the area while you search! We are not returning until she is caught."

A heavy silence fell over the forest. The subordinates rushed off, moving deep with an unwilling look. The leader, a mid-Earth Immortal Wizard, stood tall and unmoving, his aura pulsing with deadly energy.

Kent's mind worked rapidly. He knew he had nothing to gain by helping these men. If anything, their conversation revealed their true intentions—they weren't here for justice or righteousness. They were hunting this woman to serve her as a mere gift to some princess. A cruel fate awaited her if she were captured.

His fingers tightened around the hilt of the inferior Emperor-rank sword gifted by his grandfather. Even with his power, facing an Earth Immortal Wizard head-on was reckless. Yet, letting the woman die here without at least trying to tip the scales was not an option. Till now, he thought of not getting involved in this mess. But the leader was not moving and the lady in the bushes was losing blood rapidly.

Their eyes met again through the thick leaves. An understanding passed between them, silent yet profound.

Kent raised three fingers.

The woman, blood trickling down her pale arm, hesitated for only a moment before nodding. Her fingers morphed into sharp, eagle-like claws. Whatever she was, she was ready to fight for her survival.

Three…

Kent steadied his breathing, his muscles coiling like a spring ready to unleash. The leader, still oblivious, was scanning the surroundings with narrowed eyes, his hands glowing with condensed mana.

Two…

The woman's claws twitched, her golden eyes burning with resolve.

One…

Kent leaped from the tree, sword raised high, while the woman lunged from the bushes with inhuman speed. Their combined strike was as swift as lightning.

The leader, however, was no fool. His instincts screamed of an ambush, and he reacted instantly, summoning a glowing rune in the air. "Foolish beast! You think you can—"

Before he could finish, a searing blade slashed downward with precise execution. Kent's strike was silent but absolute. The Emperor-rank sword, though inferior by name, was a blade of deadly craftsmanship. It cleaved through flesh, bone, and soul without hesitation.

The leader barely had time to register what had happened before his vision split in two.

His body collapsed in halves, lifeless. But before his death, the prepared spell blasted the lady into the ground with a loud bang.

After a loud bang the surrounding forest fell into complete silence.

Without a moment's pause, Kent rushed forward, catching the weakened woman as she staggered. She gasped, her claws retracting as her body trembled from the wounds and exhaustion.

"Hold on," Kent muttered, gripping her tightly.

Using his Evading Lotus Movement Technique, Kent propelled them through the thick foliage at an alarming speed, leaving behind no trace of their presence. The distant shouts of the returning subordinates echoed in the air, but by the time they reached the scene, all they found were the remains of their leader and a trail of blood that led nowhere.

Kent carried the woman deeper into the forest, eventually stopping by the waterfall, his secret nest. Setting her down gently, he retrieved a small vial of healing elixir from his storage ring and handed it to her.

She stared at him warily before taking it with cautious fingers.

"You helped me," she finally spoke, her voice smooth yet filled with exhaustion. "Why?"

Kent leaned against a nearby tree, exhaling. "I don't help people. I make decisions. I just made one."

A flicker of amusement crossed her tired features. "Practical. I like that."

He studied her closely. "You're not human, are you?"

A long pause. Then, a slow smirk. "I am. Do you think I'm a beast like all others? I'm just different and know a few forbidden-arts. And you're not as simple as you seem either."

Kent didn't reply. His hands moved fast to treat her body. Her body is more delicate and extremely fragile. Kent began doing everything he knew to treat her. Surprisingly, she is not feeling any pain from the bleeding wounds.