Serena's backpack was huge, and packed with all sorts of gear. Sean watched in amazement as she kept pulling items out, unable to resist asking, "Isn't this heavy for you to carry?" Serena always brought three sets of everything—many items Sean didn't even recognize, but it was obvious these were tools for killing or survival.
"Not heavy. I'm used to it." This much weight was nothing to her; she could handle even more. Just because she had no martial arts didn't mean she was weak.
"Take it." Serena tossed Sean his share. "Originally, I planned to use these on Prince Damien's people at the summit, or for escaping down the mountain. I didn't expect they'd come in handy so soon."
Serena opened her own set and began arming herself piece by piece—wrists, waist, legs, back—fully outfitted for battle. As she equipped herself, she explained each item's function to Sean.
Tiger Claw Grappling Hooks, suction plates, climbing claws, safety ropes, silk gloves, even parachute gear—Sean stared, dumbfounded. "You've really come prepared." Ninth Royal Uncle must be lucky to have such a capable woman. Had he given up too soon? If he tried to win her back now, would he stand a chance?
"People without martial arts have to prepare more just to survive. Once these hidden weapons are set up, if anyone tries something during that last stretch, while we're suspended in midair, they'll save our lives." Serena didn't want to go to all this trouble, but unlike Nolan and Sean, she didn't have their skills. To avoid dragging them down, she had to be extra prepared.
"Got it." Sean didn't dare underestimate these gadgets. He imitated Serena, equipping himself with each tool. "These are really well made. Serena, who did you get to make them?"
Having martial arts didn't mean invincibility. With these gadgets on hand, they might just be the secret to survival. Sean couldn't help but be tempted.
"Left Shore." All the gear Serena brought was locally made—none came from the Smart Med-Pack. Most were built from her concepts, then crafted by Left Shore himself.
Hand-forged, limited in number, but each was a masterpiece—nothing like the mass-produced stuff from the future.
"You've found a real treasure." Sean said this to Serena, but his gaze drifted toward Ninth Royal Uncle. Nolan lifted his chin, looking quite pleased with himself.
Once all three were fully armed, they continued on. By now they'd left the flat ground behind; ahead lay only steep mountain paths. For Serena, climbing wasn't hard, but it was exhausting.
To conserve energy, Nolan carried Serena most of the way. Sean, worried Nolan might run out of inner power, offered to help, but Nolan refused to accept any assistance.
Nolan carried Serena almost in one go to the last thousand meters. When he finally stopped, his breathing was a bit uneven, though he didn't let it show.
As expected, only Nolan, Serena, and Sean were on this stretch of the path—so quiet it hardly felt like the site of a grand Martial Arts Conference.
"This plan is so crude." Thinking of the Moonvault Palace Lord and Fortress Lord Ling's moves, Sean curled his lip. Even as an outsider, he could see something was off—let alone Nolan and Serena.
"The enemy improvised, so getting this far is already impressive. Besides, if we hadn't caught on early, we wouldn't have thought this much about it." Serena refused to underestimate her opponents. Fortress Lord Ling had managed to build up Skyvault Fortress in just a few years; he was no fool.
"Either way, their plan won't work." Sean checked his gear, glanced up at the smooth cliff and towering summit, and said calmly, "It's getting late. The sooner we finish, the better—I have no interest in being the last one to arrive."
At this point, being last didn't mean you were important—it meant you were incompetent. Of course, arriving early wasn't anything to brag about either; it all depended on when you started.
Nolan and Serena nodded. As Nolan and Sean gathered their inner power and leapt up, Serena fired her Tiger Claw Grappling Hook from her wrist. The hook latched onto the cliff; Serena tugged hard to make sure it could hold her weight before pressing the retraction button and flying up to the rock face.
"I know Serena's prepared, but seeing her like this, I can't help but worry." Sean balanced on the pink vines against the cliff, secretly sweating for Serena.
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Serena waved at them, looking relaxed. "Let's hurry up. Who knows where those people are hiding? If it were just Moonvault Palace, I'd be fine, but now that Skyvault Fortress is involved, I'm a little concerned. Skyvault Mountain is their home turf—who knows what tricks they've set up?"
"No matter where they try something, it won't work." Nolan gathered his inner power and leapt up another step; Sean followed close behind. Serena clipped her safety rope to her Tiger Claw Grappling Hook, fired another hook from her wrist, and only detached the first after the new one was secure.
As Serena detached the hook, her body swayed and she accidentally glanced down. Her heart nearly stopped. She wasn't afraid of heights, but the sudden view was terrifying.
Nolan and Sean looked down and saw Serena's shocked face. Once they confirmed she was alright, both burst out laughing—only to be cut off halfway by a thunderous boom.
Boom! Nolan and Sean felt the cliff shudder. Snap—the tender vines in their hands broke instantly, and both plunged downward.
It's happening!
Serena didn't dare move. She fired both Tiger Claw Grappling Hooks, gripping the cables tight with her silk-gloved hands and pressed herself flat against the cliff.
As Nolan and Sean dropped past Serena, they stomped off the cliff to gain momentum, twisted midair, and fired their own hooks. The claws latched securely, and they grabbed the cables, swinging lightly to steady themselves.
Bang—a huge cavity was blasted into the cliff. Sand and dust scattered everywhere, showering Serena and Nolan.
Coughing and spitting, Serena was a beat too slow and ended up swallowing a mouthful of dust.
All three hung suspended on the cliff, when suddenly, as more explosions echoed, their assassins burst out from hidden compartments in the rock.
No time to react—a series of thick ropes shot out, followed by a squad of killers who seemed fused with the stone itself, leaping down along the ropes.
With Moonvault Palace and Skyvault Fortress making their move, they had no intention of letting Nolan and Serena leave alive. The plan might have been improvised, but every assassin was a master.
These assassins moved with deadly speed, eyes sharp and full of murderous intent. Not only were their cultivation levels high, they were seasoned fighters with countless battles behind them. With the location and preparation on their side, Nolan might not break through even on level ground.
On top of that, Fortress Lord Ling and the Moonvault Palace Lord had equipped them with weapons perfectly suited for this terrain—designed for sniping Nolan and Serena right here...
No matter the cost, they were determined to keep Nolan and Serena trapped on this cliff!