Chapter 54: Escort Request (4)

The Tower Master swiftly extended his hand, conjuring dozens of mana barriers in front of him. These barriers formed a curtain of pure mana, their sturdiness comparable to a fortress wall.

Ketal immediately felt resistance upon impact, but that only spurred him to apply more force.

Crack!

The barriers shattered like a spiderweb torn apart by human hands. In mere moments, they disintegrated, leaving the Tower Master in shock.

Even a ballista would struggle to penetrate my barriers!

he thought. He had hoped the barriers would buy him a little time, but they failed even at that. His mind began racing at an incredible speed.

Ketal’s hand would reach him in 0.5 seconds. Accounting for a 0.2-second margin of error, he had only 0.2 seconds to devise and execute a countermeasure. The Tower Master wondered what he could do within those 0.3 seconds.

His accelerated mind quickly found an answer. The Tower Master curled his fingers, allowing mana to infiltrate Ketal’s body. He intended to influence Ketal’s very physical structure through direct mana manipulation. However, the effort proved futile.

To his dismay, the mana surged forward as though racing across an endless horizon, never reaching its destination.

Then I need to use special distortion,

the Tower Master thought. By twisting the very fabric of space, he attempted to prevent Ketal’s attack from landing. Yet, even this measure failed. The distorted space forcibly reverted to its original state under immense physical pressure.

Next, he tried retaliation. Using mana, he mimicked the strength of Ketal’s attack, recreating an equal level of physical force to repel it. Remarkably, all these spells took less than 0.2 seconds to activate—a feat achievable only by someone at the pinnacle of their craft.

Still, none of it worked. The Tower Master was dumbfounded.

He’s ignoring all of my spells with sheer physical force!

In just that brief exchange, the Tower Master realized Ketal’s peculiar nature. Traditional methods of interference were ineffective. His only option now was to create distance.

A chaotic ripple of mana spread around the Tower Master as he prepared to evade. There was still a sliver of time before Ketal’s hand could touch him. However, in that instant, Ketal accelerated further.

He’s getting even faster!

Before the thought could fully form in his mind, Ketal’s hand gripped the Tower Master’s neck.

Boom!

The Tower Master was slammed into the ground with tremendous force. Ketal clicked his tongue.

I miscalculated my strength again,

he thought to himself. Something fell off, prompting him to increase his speed unnecessarily. Looking down at the Tower Master embedded in the earth, he noted that the man seemed relatively uninjured.

“I guess you’re fine. Maybe I’m finally getting the hang of controlling my strength,” Ketal remarked with a satisfied smile.

The Tower Master could only gape in disbelief.

Nonsense!

Had he not reflexively reinforced himself with mana, his body would have been torn apart.

Ketal hoisted him by the neck.

“I’d appreciate it if you handled me with care,” the Tower Master managed to say.

“If that’s what you want, I suggest you stop doing anything foolish. The moment I sense something strange, I will snap your neck,” Ketal warned, his tone calm but resolute.

“Haha...” The Tower Master laughed nervously, realizing the futility of resistance.

With the Tower Master in tow, Ketal turned and left.

***

The Tower Master dangled in midair, his neck firmly in Ketal’s grip.

Kain... is this how you felt when you faced this barbarian?

the Tower Master thought.

He had mocked Kain back then, but now he was in the same humiliating position. A heavy gloom settled over him. Adding to his misery, the young girl was staring at him with a strange expression.

Finally, Elene cautiously spoke. “Who is he, Mr. Ketal?”

“I don’t know. He was watching us from afar,” Ketal replied.

“Watching us? What do you mean? Since when...?”

“I’m not sure when exactly. He suddenly entered my detection range.”

He really detected me?

the Tower Master thought, dumbfounded. What Ketal claimed was something only truly powerful individuals could achieve—extending their sensory field to encompass a radius under their control, observing and monitoring everything within it. It was an ability that naturally developed upon reaching a certain level of mastery.

The problem was the distance between them. They had been at least a kilometer apart. He wondered how a barbarian, someone who didn’t even use mana, could detect him from such a distance.

Not even a High Elf could manage that,

the Tower Master thought.

“Are you sure he was watching us?” Elene’s face turned pale with surprise. Ketal, watching her reaction, calmly responded. “He is likely affiliated with the ones that are chasing you.”

Both Elene and Aron flinched at his words. Their mouths opened as if to deny it but quickly closed again. After a moment, Elene lowered her head, seemingly giving up. “You noticed...”

“Did you seriously think you could fool me? It was suspicious from the start.”

Their departure during the dead of night, the deliberate detour off the main road—anyone could tell it was an attempt to avoid meeting others Ketal’s remark left Elene flustered.

“Was it that obvious?” she asked.

“Yes. Even Rosa warned me about you. She said you were suspicious.”

“Oh, really?” Elene stammered, clearly not expecting that revelation.

Ketal shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. I accepted this job knowing everything.”

“Thank you...”

“However, since direct pursuers are now involved. I will need to hear the full story.”

“Yes,” Elene agreed, nodding firmly. “I will tell you everything.

“Wait, my lady,” Aron interjected.

“Aron.” She cut him off. “He’s trusted us enough to join our journey.”

Aron hesitated for a moment but eventually stepped back without a word.

“For now, let’s postpone that conversation. There’s something else I need to address first,” Ketal said, his gaze shifting toward the Tower Master.

Elene and Aron followed his head, their stares heavy and expectant.

This isn't how I planned this encounter,

the Tower Master thought. He had intended to approach them first and steer the conversation, pretending to be a mere traveler. However, this hostage-like situation had thrown all his calculations off.

Still, it wasn’t entirely bad. After all, he had achieved his primary objective—getting close to Ketal. That was half the battle won.

“What’s your name?” Ketal asked.

“Patrick,” the Tower Master answered. “Alright, Patrick. You’ve been tracking us, haven’t you? I assume it’s because of Elene and Aron?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Really?” Ketal, Elene, and Aron all wore skeptical expressions, and they had every reason to doubt him. All signs pointed to Patrick being after Elene.

Yet, the Tower Master felt genuinely wronged because it wasn’t true. To him, Elene and Aron were just insignificant nuisances following Ketal around—nothing more, nothing less.

Ketal turned to Elene. “What do you want to do? Do you want to hand him over to the soldiers of the Denian Kingdom, or kill him here?”

I really don’t want that to happen to me,

Patrick thought. He wasn’t overly concerned about his safety. After all, this body was merely a puppet. Even if it were torn to shreds, it wouldn’t affect him. However, such an outcome would prevent him from observing Ketal, the very reason he was here.

I guess I have no other choice.

The Tower Master opened his mouth. “I deeply admire you, Mr. Ketal!”

“Hm?” Ketal looked at him, clearly caught off guard. “Me...?”

“Yes,” the Tower Master quickly continued, not missing a beat.

Ketal was a mercenary who had accomplished numerous feats. He handled all sorts of requests, from mundane tasks to Dungeon explorations. Not only did he succeed in every mission, but he also showed kindness and consideration to others while residing in the Barcan Estate.

During this time, people had started to think of Ketal as more than just a skilled mercenary. His reputation solidified when he helped the Inquisitor of the Sun God defeat a demon. As a result, a number of young men in the region began to look up to him.

This kind of story wasn’t unusual. Throughout history, strength had always been an object of admiration for many. As a C-Rank mercenary, Ketal’s status was exceptionally high in the Barcan Estate, making him a natural role model for aspiring adventurers.

Patrick, or rather the identity the Tower Master had fabricated, was one of those admirers. So much so that

Patrick

had even left his hometown to follow Ketal on his travels. This backstory had been meticulously crafted in case things didn’t go as planned.

Ketal tilted his head. “That’s strange. I’ve never seen your face before.”

“That’s because... I’ve been too scared to venture outside...” Patrick replied.

Ketal raised an eyebrow, then nodded as if realizing something,” So you’re a couch potato.”

“Excuse me?” Patrick asked.

“Never mind. So, you decided to follow me to change yourself?”

“Yes, I thought following you might help me become a better person.”

The sight of someone as powerful as the Tower Master humbling himself to idolize a barbarian would have shocked any mage familiar with his true identity.

“I see,” Ketal muttered, staring intently at Patrick. “Then let’s test a few things.” “Of course,” Patrick replied, nodding quickly.

Ketal began questioning Patrick about various details—what he had done in the estate, what had happened there, and more. The Tower Master was momentarily taken aback. Ketal’s questions were astute, targeting information that only someone genuinely from the estate would know.

Had this been an ordinary tracker, they would have failed and lost their life. But Patrick had been watching Ketal ever since he met with Kain, so he had no trouble answering.

“Interesting,” Ketal remarked, finally releasing his grip on Patrick’s neck with a smile. “So you admire me, huh? Thanks, but you’ve chosen quite the risky path, following me on such a dangerous journey.”

“It’s fine. Risks are a part of any worthwhile challenge,” Patrick responded.

“You’re right! You’re absolutely right!” Ketal laughed heartily.

Observing this exchange, Aron voiced his concern. “Isn’t it possible he’s lying?”

“That’s unlikely. Even if he is, it’s clear he is genuinely from the estate. There’s no way someone could know all that just from rumors.”

Patrick’s answers had included even the minutiae of life in the Barcan Estate, details from long before Elene and Aron had arrived.

“If your pursuer has been living in the estate before you arrived, maybe, but that’s highly unlikely,” Ketal concluded.

“That’s true...,” Aron admitted reluctantly.

Ketal stroked his chin thoughtfully. “But I can’t just let him go.”

Patrick’s story made sense, but there was still no hard evidence. After a moment of contemplation, Ketal smacked his fist into his palm as if struck by an idea.

“This should work. Hold on a moment. “He rummaged through his pouch and pulled out a rope.

***

They resumed their journey, now with one additional member. Patrick followed, bound with a rope.

This is the first time I’ve been in such a humiliating position,

Patrick thought.

He was likely someone from the estate, and it didn’t seem like he was after Elene and Aron. However, since they couldn’t be entirely sure, they couldn’t risk letting him go. Thus, Ketal decided to keep Patrick bound and bring him along. Elene and Aron glanced uneasily at Patrick, who trudged along in his bindings.

Ketal gave Patrick an apologetic smile. “Forgive my rudeness.”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t mind,” Patrick replied, shaking his head. He meant it.

Though this situation is utterly miserable,

Patrick thought.

Despite his current state, he achieved his goal—observing Ketal up close and learning more about the man. While it wasn't how he had imagined things would go, it wasn’t entirely bad either. Patrick quietly observed Ketal.

The barbarian wasn’t just intelligent—he was sharp. His brilliance wasn’t about having knowledge but rather about being able to grasp the essence of objects and the crux of situations more effectively than most so-called geniuses. And most importantly, Ketal was strong.

Now I understand why Kain said he couldn’t comprehend this barbarian,

Patrick thought.

Ketal had closed an immense distance in an instant, moving at a speed that defied logic. Moreover, he had shattered Patrick’s magic with pure physical force, disregarding all its complexities.

He’s fast and strong.

Patrick wasn’t at his full power. As a lich, he had come here using an artificial vessel, not his true form. Controlling this body felt akin to operating a puppet.

Instead of drawing upon the nearly infinite mana of his true form, he was restricted to using the minuscule mana stored within the vessel. As a result, his magic was significantly weaker and slower—so slow, in fact, that compared to his original self, it was akin to a snail’s pace.

Additionally, as a mage, he thrived on preparation and planning. In sudden combat situations, he couldn’t fully demonstrate his capabilities. Even so, the Tower Master was still strong enough to handle most Transcendent opponents with ease.

This meant that for Ketal to overpower him, Ketal’s strength had to surpass the Transcendent level.

Is he as powerful as a Hero?

Patrick thought, skeptical.

Even among Transcendents, there were significant differences in power. Ketal had only demonstrated brute strength so far. And sheer physical power alone often crumbled in the face of extraordinary magical feats capable of shaking the world.

But then again, Ketal likely hadn’t revealed everything he was capable of either. The Tower Master’s mind raced as they continued forward. Elene approached Ketal with a determined expression.

“Ketal, I have something to tell you,” she said.

“Are you ready to talk now?” Ketal replied.

“I’m truly sorry for keeping quiet,” Elene said, bowing her head.

“I understand. You couldn’t be sure whether or not you could trust me,” Ketal said, his tone calm.

That trust, however, had now been earned. Ketal felt deeply satisfied. The time had come for his suspicious employers to finally open up and share the secrets they had been hiding.

“Honestly, we didn’t intend to tell you. Everything had gone smoothly so far, and there hadn’t been any pursuit. We hired you purely as a guide and to deal with bandits or thieves,” Elene admitted after some hesitation. She paused, considering her words carefully, before continuing. “If, after hearing everything, you feel you can no longer fulfill the request, please let us know. We apologize.”

As she was about to speak further, Ketal raised his hand, causing Elene to freeze. Fear flickered in her eyes.

Was I too brazen? Is he going to get angry for deceiving him?

Elene thought.

However, instead of lashing out, Ketal shook his head.

“Uninvited guests have arrived,” he said, his gaze shifting forward. The sound of rustling bushes echoed in the air. Ketal’s eyes narrowed. “I think, this time, they’re here because of you.”