King Ele'hunda led Lone to an open courtyard that was tucked away behind the palace. "This is my private training area, though I hardly use it anymore. No one may enter or observe it without my permission, which is perfect just in case I somehow end up embarrassing myself today."

Lone looked around in wonder as he replied offhandedly. "There's no shame in losing to someone 'technically' weaker than you. Shame can only be found in not being humbled and learning from that experience."

Ele'hunda scratched his beard thoughtfully. "For someone so erratic, you can be fairly wise, hmm?"

Lone smiled wryly. "When I'm not a raging mass of fury, I am known to have my moments. I did used to be a teacher, after all."

"Is that so?" The King cracked his neck and stretched. "A teacher of what?"

"History," Lone replied as he patiently waited for Ele'hunda to finish getting ready.

"Interesting. I never pegged you as a scholar." Ele'hunda meant no insult by his words. It truly was rare for such a skilled fighter like Lone to have an interest in an academic field, even more so when that interest was great enough that the person in question actively taught others about it.

'A scholar, huh?' Lone shook his head and a small smile of longing spread across his lips. "It was a different time and place. Though it wasn't like any of my students ever paid any attention during my lessons. Well, except for one. I was a bit of a joke back then."

Ele'hunda raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "I find that hard to believe."

"I wasn't born this powerful, and besides, where I come from... personal strength didn't really matter much. Children have a particular talent for finding your weaknesses and latching onto them if they aren't fond of you." Lone's expression clearly stated that he missed these times he was speaking of despite how much it seemed to pain him.

"You are a very odd man, Lone," the King said honestly.

Lone chuckled. "I guess. Anyway, are you ready?" He didn't expect Ele'hunda to empathise with his desire to return home, and he had no plans to go out of his way to reveal his status as an otherworlder just to grant that understanding to the High Elf.

Ele'hunda nodded. "Shall I concede the first attack to you, or would you rather I attacked first?"

"Come at me to kill. I can survive whatever you throw at me. I need to test my strength," Lone sad as he covered his body in his Bone Armour and took our his alterion swordspear.

"Very well." Immediately after saying that, like lightning, Ele'hunda flashed towards Lone. His fist hit Lone right in the ribs.

Lone's bone armour didn't get destroyed, but it was visibly cracked and his face showed that he was in pain. A mere split-second later, and the damage had been repaired.

Congratulations! The host's unique subskill [Bone Armour] has levelled up! It is now Expert Level 8.

Lone attempted a counterattack. He used his skill, Dash, before he utilised a simple illusion that Eolande had taught him, Vivid Dreams. This was the skill that she had used on him during his 'training' session.

Congratulations! The host's active skill [Dash] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 3. Congratulations! The host's illusion magic skill [Vivid Dreams] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 2.

Ele'hunda halted his movements for a brief moment as he shook off the effects of Lone's magic, but that was more than enough time for his attack to hit.

All nine of his tails, as well as his swordspear, found purchase in the King's flesh. They barely even scratched the man's skin.

"I guess this is the difference of five ranks, huh?" Lone muttered.

King Ele'hunda grinned. "That tickled."

The two men continued to spar for close to six hours. Eventually, a winner was decided. Lone was sprawled out on the ground and he was covered in sweat. Ele'hunda stood above him with a very complex expression on his face.

Lone took a second to inspect the skill level-ups he'd gained.

Congratulations! The host's unique subskill [Bone Armour] has levelled up! It is now Expert Level 9. Congratulations! The host's unique subskill [Bone Armour] has levelled up! It is now Expert Level 10. Congratulations! The host's unique skill [Basic Regeneration] has levelled up! It is now Master Level 4. Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Swordspear mastery] has levelled up! It is now Master Level 5.

After resting for a short while, Lone got back up on his feet and sighed. "Well, a defeat is a defeat. To be honest, I overestimated myself, Ele'hunda."

The King shook his head slowly. "No, the only reason you lost was due to my stamina being greater than yours. If we had fought for another twelve or so hours, I'd have been in your shoes. Though I am amazed by your self-healing abilities. As you had requested, I was going at you with the intent to kill the entire time."

"I know. Thanks to that, you drained my magic points as well," Lone said as he frowned. "Still, I got what I wanted. Thanks for entertaining me for so long. I'm surprised you didn't cut our fight short to go do some paperwork or something."

Ele'hunda expression darkened. "I have to go."

Lone could barely withhold the laughter that wanted to escape from his lips. "Did you forget?"

Nodding grimly, the King explained, "I was too immersed in our battle. It's been a while since I've let loose like that. Lipsilk was never healthy enough to humour me, see? I really wish Head Maid Bel'lok would let me delegate the official nonsense at a time like this when Ythmagobla is banging on our doors."

"Well, good luck. Make sure to get enough rest before tomorrow, okay? I still need you to help fight off the generals while I'm busy with Ythmagobla," Lone said.

Ele'hunda chuckled. "I've recently started to wonder if I'm the king of this tree or if you are?"

Lone smiled. "If that was a sneaky job offer, I'll have to decline. I hate paperwork as much as any other self-respecting man does."

"Your wisdom truly is endless. It's such a shame I was an only child. I'd appreciate a more intelligent older brother or sister to do all of this ruler business for me while I focused on my strength," Ele'hunda admitted.

Lone had a sudden thought and made a somewhat outrageous proposition. "Why not just hand over the crown to Her Highness? I could tell when she brought me and my friends to the tree, but she's not an explorer at heart. She would claim otherwise, but I can tell. All she wants is to be by Al'ka's side. Let them marry and then step down. That should give you all the time in the world to find your own Divinity, no? Of course, after spending a few years or decades teaching her how to be the queen of the world tree first."

Ele'hunda scratched his beard. "That's an interesting idea, Lone. One that had crossed my mind many times before, but I'll consider it again. First thing's first, though. We need to send that smokey bastard back to the Primals, now don't we?"

"I guess so," Lone replied as he shrugged.

After that, Lone contacted Sophie and got her to teleport him back to the outsider mansion. He ended up spending the remainder of the day relaxing and watching Sophie play with Garadia.

It was only after he had fully replenished his magic points, that he decided to consume the rest of the spirit essence that Elestia had given him, bringing him to the peak of S-rank. He was only a few levels away from entering the folds of SS-rankers.

In a secluded garden in the palace, Her Highness fidgetted about nervously as she sat next to Al'ka.

Normally, Her Highness was extremely composed, even around Al'ka whom her heart yearned for. However, this was their second meeting not related to work or official matters, so the poor Elven princess couldn't shake the feeling of butterflies in her stomach.

It hardly helped that she had impulsively kissed Al'ka on the cheek after their first 'date', as Lone would call it. She was just too overjoyed that it had gone off without a hitch.

'I'm such a child!' Her Highness blamed her young age for her accidental show of affection. After all, she was three-hundred years Al'ka's junior.

Her Highness' flustered state hadn't escaped the eyes of the southern world tree's Prince. Al'ka grinned as he watched Her Highness mull about in her own little world. 'She really is rather adorable, isn't she? Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to let the politics be damned and just follow my heart...'

Al'ka shook his head lightly at his own thoughts. 'No. I can't be so flimsy in my resolve. I need a reason, something to achieve, otherwise, I don't deserve her hand in marriage.'

Al'ka was a very old-fashioned High Elf. While he could allow himself to entertain ideas of wooing Her Highness, he wouldn't allow himself to accept her feelings without first doing something to prove himself worthy of her love.

"Your Highness," Al'ka said, attracting the girl's attention.

"Please, Al'ka, use my given name," Her Highness requested somewhat unreasonable considering the meaning behind her words.

Al'ka laughed softly. "I can't."

Her Highness looked very disappointed, but she did understand. The first man that spoke her name to her would become her betrothed. Such was the custom of the High Elven royalty of the eastern world tree. This was why her name was such a tightly-sealed secret. Only the King and Al'ka actually knew what her mother had named her at her birth.

"However," Her Highness paid close attention to Al'ka's next words. "I will speak your name after I help in tomorrow's war and come back victorious. How does that sound to you, Your Highness?"

The young Elven maiden held her hands to her chest and her face flushed with a deep shade of red. "Al'ka..."

Her Highness was fighting every instinct in her body to avoid jumping on Al'ka right this instant and embracing him. She made a note to ask Sophie how she managed to do this when it came to fluffy things. Of course, both she and Al'ka were aware of Sophie's... peculiar addiction. It had been a topic of conversation quite a few times during their travels.

Al'ka slowly brought his hands to Her Highness' face and wiped away the tears of joy that had slowly been spilling out of her beautiful blue eyes. "I'm surprised that I moved you so much, Your Highness."

She batted his hand away lightly and blushed. "Just don't turn these tears of happiness into ones of sorrow. Please, Al'ka, I beg of you. Return tomorrow. Successful or not, there is no world tree without you in it. I cannot bear to stomach the thought of losing you to the foul spawn of that monster."

"I will certainly be careful, Your Highness. I also would like to request that you do not participate at all. I know you can be stubborn and won't heed my warning, but even if you are in the backlines acting as a healer, I cannot help but worry about you," Al'ka admitted.

"You needn't. I know of my importance to both the tree and to you. If there is any danger, I will make sure that I can escape at a moment's notice." Her Highness' seriousness was obvious to Al'ka.

"Good, that is all I can ask." Al'ka still held reservations about Her Highness participating in the coming battle, but he couldn't baby the girl forever, and if he ever wanted a relationship with her, he had to treat her as an equal, not as a thing to protect every waking moment.

Luckily for the both of them, Lone also held an interest in their budding love, so they were in far less danger than they thought they were.