"ACE," I mouth the words silently, for no sound can escape this dreadful void. However, the person fleeing from the chains isn't speaking either; it's a man suspended above him, accompanied by a small spirit. Both of them emit a radiant glow before unleashing the most powerful gust of wind I have encountered in this battle. The force pushes the other man downward, while a woman emerges from the darkness, seemingly ready to cast another spell of shadows. Trapped within the winds and faced with the woman's imminent threat, a sense of fear envelops him, albeit only to a degree of 75%. Yet, he also feels anger, curiosity, serenity, hope, and vitality coursing through him. Empowered by these emotions, he breaks free from the winds' clutches. A colossal spear materializes above him, shrinking to fit within his grasp. His mind operates with heightened swiftness, courtesy of his newfound calmness, while his physical strength surges due to the anger he harbors. Leaping upward, he effortlessly pierces through the whirling gale, aiming to strike at the wind manipulator.

The woman raises her gaze, her face filled with concern. She deploys five darkness spells directly at the spear-wielding assailant, providing enough time for the wind manipulator to regroup alongside her. A faint white thread connects their heads, indicating their telepathic link.

"He almost had me. I lost him. Stay alert," I convey.

Nonetheless, visibility remains scarce, even with our honed training in this strategy. Resting my back against a rock, she retreats into the shadows, severing our communication once more, only to reestablish the link upon resurfacing.

"He has left the void. It seems he awaits us beyond its confines."

"Damn it. Can you dispel the void? We're changing our plan."

The void begins to dissipate, starting from its upper regions and gradually receding toward the bottom. We search for the man ranked #992 in the world, Thomas Knight, a Human who achieved this rank half a century ago but has since remained stagnant. Before we can locate him, he spots us, and both of us are struck before we can react, hurtling us backward into the surrounding trees.

"Pierce through the heavens, my holy spear," Thomas whispers, and both our bodies tense immediately. Witnessing my fiancé summon a wind barrier before him, I dissolve into the shadows enveloping the trees. In the next moment...

BOOM.

The trees surrounding us vanish, extending as far as the eye can see, but my fiancé appears unharmed, despite his barrier being shattered in the onslaught. Rohan turns to face me, his expression filled with despair, somehow sensing my presence amidst the shadows. Springing forth from the darkness, I grasp his hands, and in an instant, we vanish miles away from Thomas. Thomas, not desiring further confrontation, lets us depart, no longer wishing to engage with us.

After materializing in a desolate location, Rohan collapses to the floor, overcome with tears. His lifelong dream has been shattered before his eyes, confronted by the immense power gap between himself and those in the top 1000. He had believed he was near the top 1000, but the truth reveals that if Thomas had desired our capture, we would not have escaped unharmed, possibly losing a limb. I try my best to offer comfort, but even with the assistance of Ace, his wind spirit, it fails to console him. It appears that only time can heal his wounds now.

****

The sound of sobbing resonates through a small hospital in a town situated in the western part of Greenzide country. Within a room, two remarkably formidable individuals can be seen, their presence undeniably noticeable. However, what's more striking is that one of them is crying while the other cradles a baby. Surprisingly, it is Rohan who sheds more tears than the baby. After a few days, they are discharged from the medical center and return to their lives once more. Naturally, life has transformed with the addition of a new member to their family.