The elves where obviously displeased about Kaden's presence, but he didn't care. If they were going to get him to the remnant somehow with that tool they had, any scowls and grumblings were a cheap price. If they were going to attack, it wasn't now. If they did find an entrance, then the danger would begin.

Kaden had some plans to mitigate that problem a bit. There was a promising crack on the ground. Very few mana creatures came out of it. There were some soldiers around. A few weaklings, but among them were two Formation stage experts. It seemed they didn't want any of the mana creatures get far. They had not had the idea or time to explore the cracks.

"I'll take the stronger Formation stage expert", Kaden quickly pointed out while the elves were still pondering what to do. "Let me do a surprise attack. Emina's methods are not exactly stealthy since she uses sound. The rest of them are just weaklings."

"Why should we listen to you", one of the elves asked.

"Because you are like scared dogs, sitting in the bushes and wasting time", Kaden replied. "I thought you wanted to get in the remnant unnoticed? You do understand that the mana blast will surely have attracted saints too. It was so large that they won't just send a small team. Your time is running out."

"Lets do as he says", Emina said again. "He is a monster, but he acts on brutal efficiency."

Kaden smiled and made made his way towards the group. The elves were following behind. It was rather easy. Sacronan's soldiers were far more interested in observing the mana creatures. Once he was as close as possible, Kaden concentrated on his movement technique to make as quick move as possible at his target. Hopefully before there is any chance to react.

Just before acting, Kaden wondered for a moment, if the elves were going to try leaving him to attack by himself, but figure it wouldn't help them and would only alert nearby soldiers. He expected to be able to run away. He would then lead the soldiers to the elves and attempt to kill both sides or run away.

Kaden rushed right at the stronger Formation stage expert that was roughly his level. At least by human standards, that is. The man did notice, but far too late. Kaden used one of his claws to tear off part of the man's side and then the slammed another in and blasted a Fire Beam right inside the wound at close range. He basically roasted the insides. Then he finished off with a Fire Blast to injure and kill as many of the weaklings around him as possible. Then he continued tearing apart his main target to ensure death while most of the soldiers were in daze.

Kaden wanted to make it brutal. Show some strength that the elves would reconsider, if they were planning on something.

He wasn't exactly sure how strong the elves were. Their people had always tried to be away from rest of the humanity. Churches didn't like them since they were 'disobedient'. This would mean their mana cultivation methods likely were different. Weaker or stronger? Kaden didn't exactly know. Elves had their own gods that apparently were acceptable by the churches though. They were considered minor gods. There was also the matter that elves did have talent for mana usage. A weaker cultivation methods might result in stronger magic, but their physical strength was weaker and numbers fewer.

In short, Kaden had yet to measure their strength. He had only seen Emina, who had unusual method for fighting, but it had seemed effective and versatile.

So, the more brutality and strength he showed, the less likely the elves were going to be a problem. Regardless how strong they were.

Whatever the case was, these specific elves were good enough. Emina dealt with the other Formation stage expert quickly while, the ones that had been following her, dealt with the weaklings.

If that was their true strength or anywhere close, Kaden knew he would at least be able to survive, if they did try something. Kaden felt good. Things were going well!

While the elves were finishing off everyone else, Kaden charred and started to Devour the soldier he killed. He did it slowly at first to see, if his internal formation could take it. There was no discomfort or anything else so he started doing it at full power. He did not intend to waste these bodies. Too much time had been wasted for healing! It was time to get back on track!

If there was still left something to heal, it was no longer causing problems he could notice!

As usual, Emina only frowned while rest of the elves, yet again, looked in horror as flesh was consumed by Kaden who was indeed hungry. He had wanted to consume something for quite a while and finally there was a chance.

"We should put down that... thing!" One of the elves shouted to Emina.

"Just... consider him a beast. Intelligent, human looking beast. One that won't attack you on sight", Emina told him.

Kaden ignored it all. He didn't really care what the elves thought as long as everything continued as he planned.

"Why not look for the entrance?" Kaden only said as he stopped for a moment. There was enough meat around that Kaden felt he could eat some without Devour and have a good taste. "You are the ones with the trinket from the ancients, yes?"

Emina sighed.

"I guess that is one of the better ideas", she replied. It was good idea to separate the elves from Kaden.

The elves were more than happy to do so while Kaden started to gnaw on some fingers after he tore off an arm. He still kept eye on the elves. He didn't want them to disapear into some entrance while he wasn't looking.

After a moment Kaden stopped eating. He felt full and stored whatever remained into his bag. He still had Weils's leg. Condensation stage flesh didn't detoriate anytime soon and Kaden had even done things to it to preserve it better. Nosran's books had been very useful.

What he Devoured this time was enough to fill him and get him up to some kind of wall.

"Looks like I didn't actually lose much of my cultivation, if at all", Kaden surmised. "I just couldn't increase it. With a little bit more, I will be able to extend my internal formation a bit further and I will reach Advanced Formation stage for my human side. My core is still consuming everything I throw into it, but it shouldn't be far either. I should attempt to progress them at the same time, if possible. I can get them on the edge with what I have now and then use Weils's leg!"

That should give him enough materials. He had slowly used his mana system to cultivate his core. He had not been able to get his hands on fire nor wind type mana. He had some money, but he it would be expensive and no foreseeable ways to get large amount of money afterwards. Getting such things himself required luck and chances that he did not expect anytime soon.

"It has to be enough", Kaden decided.

Now done with eating, Kaden went to check how elves and Emina were doing. It seemed they had scouted a few smaller cracks and had to deal with some weaker mana creatures. By the time Kaden found them, they were on the edge of a large crack.

Emina quickly gave look at Kaden and motioned him to be quiet.

"There are two soldiers down there fighting a mana creature", Emina whispered. "The crack also seems to go deeper beyond the void. The device is getting stronger singnal here. This might be it. We will let the soldiers deal with the mana creature and then finish them off. Any complaints?"

Kaden looked down.

"Hopefully there aren't more soldiers inside", Kaden muttered.

"I doubt it", Emina replied. "These two were going around trying to stop more of the mana creatures from appearing. I believe they wanted to try stabilizing the mana in these cracks. They merely happened to be here by chance."

There happened to only be a single mana creature, but it was stronger. The soldiers really didn't mean much to Kaden. He could probably kill them easily. That left the mana creature as greatest concern. There was no need to sneak around. Kaden was still well aware that time was running out. Once saints came or Sacronan gets situation in control, its over.

"No time, back me up", Kaden said and leaped down into the crack while charging a Fire Beam. He ignored any protests. There was no need to be careful.

Mana creatures are not that difficult to kill. You just had to use mana directly. Any spell would do. If you only strengthened your muscles and attacked physically, it would be like striking air. Kaden's Fire Beam was most certainly spell made of mana. Once that little detail was handled, mana creatures could be swept apart like a smoke cloud or something similar.

In other words, as long as you used right kind of attack, mana creatures were not any tougher than people or beasts.

The Fire Beam scattered most of the mana creature's body as Kaden landed nearby.

"What?! Who", said one of the soldiers in surprise that had been fighting.

Kaden did say anything and quickly sprinted towards the man. He brushed aside a quick defensive attack and kicked the soldier backwards... towards the void. There was not even a scream as the soldier ceased to exist.

"Hmph, I should have leaped closer", Kaden muttered as he planned to kill the single soldier that had been fighting with the mana creature.

He had merely jumped a bit off. He had planned to kill a soldier rushing quickly after wounding the mana creature. Therefore Kaden executed his quick plan and rushed at the soldier. The void was indeed a good way to end the fight quickly. Due to his misplaced jump, the soldier had time to prepare a bit more defenses, but the elves shot a few more spells.

Kaden wasn't sure if they aimed at him, but at least the spells they shot to keep the mana creature weakened were at least good. With his far greater strength, Kaden crushed the soldier's defenses and tossed him towards the void where he disapeared.

After wondering a short moment what he was doing, Kaden attacked the mana creature again. He wanted to try something. While the mana creature was still trying to coalencence together Kaden started using Devour on it. The mana creature like this one was just chaotic mana. Perhaps in some other conditions it might have become a fire elemental or something, but this one was just chaotic mana. Technically while broken apart it was just dense cloud of chaotic mana that should be easy to consume. Human's wouldn't do something like that since it would be difficult for even the better mana systems to break apart dense chaotic mana and make it useful. It would just stick around and cause problems.

This was not problem for Kaden! He wanted to get his core to that wall just before it would advance to advanced High Beast core. It was just chaotic mana and not the ones Kaden wanted, but it was dense. Core would consume all what his mana system wouldn't be able to quickly refine.

Devour basically sucked the cloud of mana in. Kaden could almost hear the mana creature wail as it was being torn apart apart and consumed. Since he had already Devoured corpses, Kaden directed the mana towards his core. It was the only place with room to put all that mana.

"Haa", Kaden huffed after he was done. "Truly, nothing beats a good meal. I'm full."

The elves jumped down.

"I'm not sure what you were worrying about", Kaden said to them. "It was unguarded and only a single mana creature around, even if a bit more powerful, nothing to worry about."

Emina snorted and gave a better look on the device she had.

"The signal is strong!" Emina said soon. "If its not this crack, its one of the nearby ones."

Things were progressing well. The elves were useful. Kaden alone would have had to search through many cracks and fight with mana creatures and Sacronan's soldiers many times.

It was time to see, if things would work out. If not, Kaden planned to go out and try seeing, if he could loot Sacronan's supply storages for crystals and cultivation materials.