As Noel said, they began marching forward, killing all the demons they could find. There was a reason why they spared no one. Noel deemed it would be troublesome if there was a demon sneaking up on them whether it happened in this valley or when they encountered the hermit. Hence, it was decided to kill all demons even if they looked weak and unable to fight back.
They met the other two Superior Demons. But due to their coordination, they managed to kill them one by one, allowing them to emerge unscathed.
Though, killing all these demons took more than a day because they had to repeatedly recover their Spiritual Energy.
Before going inside the cave, they decided to make a camp where they conditioned themselves to their peak so that they could fight the hermit if it was necessary.
"Are you ready for tomorrow, Noel?" Anna asked while sitting next to him.
"Yeah." Noel nodded.
"How confident are you that the hermit won't attack us?"
"I'm not that confident." Noel shook his head. "There are a lot of reasons for attacking us, especially with the fact that our races are different. Even if we can somehow make a connection with them, it would be impossible for both races to reach a common ground in an instant."
"However, we're pretty lucky since both races are not meeting each other. And I don't have any intention to extend my hand either."
"Hmm? You don't?" Anna tilted her head in confusion. On the one hand, it would be beneficial if they cooperated with them since no one paid attention to the kingdom that was far beyond the border. On the other hand, Anna could understand Noel's worries.
"We have different cultures, boundaries, and egos. Both of us will think ourselves to be superior to the others. And that superiority will be the one that sparks a war between us. I mean, that's basically why humans have four kingdoms instead of a unified one even though we have a common enemy, right?"
"That's true." Anna nodded in agreement.
"Now that I think about it, I've given you a hint about my goal. How about you? Do you have any goals you want to achieve? Considering you manage to awaken your spirit, you should have one, right?" Noel asked.
"Why do you ask this? Don't tell me…" Anna gasped, appearing vigilant.
"It's fine if you don't answer it." Noel shook his head. "I'm telling you my goal so that you know what will happen if you continue mingling with me. You should know that my path will be far more arduous than anyone's imagination, but I don't have any intention to back down. If you have a goal, I can adjust myself to avoid getting in your way."
Anna couldn't help but smile when hearing about the reason. The past Noel wouldn't even think about it. After all, even if the hatred was solved, he didn't like or even trust her.
But this time, Noel trusted her enough to discuss something important.
Anna raised one finger. "I won't tell you my goal. However, I'll give you a hint as well. It's pretty simple to be honest. I want to reach the peak."
"Reach the peak? What kind of peak? Do you mean the Spirit King Stage, the highest stage? Or do you want to become the wealthiest person in the world? No, it's more like the most influential person…" Noel frowned. There were a lot of peaks to climb.
Anna chuckled. "That's the hint. I won't give you any more details. You can guess the rest."
"That's…" Noel let out a sigh, feeling a bit disappointed. That goal was also confusing because if she wanted to reach the peak, she shouldn't think about telling him the information from the alternate world since he could use it better than her, thus standing on her way to climb to the peak.
"Instead of my goal, why don't we discuss our plan for tomorrow?" Anna made an awkward smile. "After meeting the hermit, what should we do if he is hostile toward us?"
"We will, of course, fight him. At the very least, we are going to buy enough time until we have proven that we're not a threat to him and that we want to have a deep conversation."
"That's easier said than done. The hermit is supposed to be extremely powerful since he can live in this dangerous place for a long time, right? Don't you think it's impossible for us to buy a lot of time?" Anna sighed. Although she agreed with Noel's plan, time wasn't simply in their favor.
"Don't worry. I know what I have to say… Hopefully, that is enough to convince him. Nevertheless, I have to consider the situation first since what I can say will change depending on the crisis."
"I see. Then, in the worst case scenario, do you think we can somehow escape death and convince him?"
"I'm not very sure, but we should have a pretty high chance." Noel nodded with confidence.
"Hoh? What are you going to say to the hermit?" Anna asked, curious. But before Noel could reply, another person beat him to it.
"That's what I want to ask too."
Suddenly, an aged voice echoed within the camp. The voice was unfamiliar, yet calm and collected. It felt like he was saying those words, fully knowing that no one could react to him.
"!!!" This voice came from behind Noel and Anna. That was why the pair was the first one to react by turning around their bodies.
"Who—" Noel and Anna gasped. Their reaction was seen by the others as they found out that there was an old man standing near Anna and Noel. Without hesitation, they unsheathed their blades, ready to rush.
However, they couldn't do it because the old man was emitting fighting intent that was telling them if they dared to make a move, Anna and Noel would be dead.
The elderly made a gentle smile and repeated his words. "I want to ask that too. Do you think it's possible for you to convince me?"
