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n?The third second.

nThe seemingly prolonged preparation came to an end.

nIn Howard’s perception, the world lost its color at this moment, leaving only the lean figure on the church spire and the drawn longbow in his vision.

nHe didn’t understand how a bow, consisting only of a string and frame, could launch an attack faster than sound, but he knew if he couldn’t dodge this strike, death would be his only fate.

nHe saw the figure release their fingers.

nThe terrifying energy stored in the bow was unleashed.

nHoward saw a ring of fine runes flash where the fingers had gripped the bowstring, a mass of air being compressed and condensed as the bowstring tightened.

nOn the empty bowstring, air itself was the enemy’s arrow.

nThis was why Howard couldn’t anticipate the attacks in advance; the enemy hadn’t shot anything physical, merely releasing a wave of energy that propelled the air forward in oscillation.

nHoward’s nerves stretched to their limit in the slowed-down world.

nAlthough unsure why, he found he could see the trajectory of Blindman’s attack.

nThe invisible oscillation of air was unmistakable to his eyes.

nHe watched the wave approach bit by bit, then, with a motion far slower than desired, swung the package.

nHe intended to block the strike with the long sword inside the package.

nAlthough this might be somewhat unfair to Greg, it was Howard’s only method of response.

nDodging the attack was impossible.

nEven if Howard were to burst forth at full speed, it wouldn’t be enough; the only viable strategy was defense.

nHe hoped the material of the sword was as sturdy as Greg had claimed.

nThe package traced a brief arc, barely intercepting the oscillation’s path just before it could reach him.

nTime, stretched like an elongated rubber band, snapped back under tension.

nHoward’s mind buzzed, the world instantly plunged into chaos, followed by an immense force transmitted through his hand.

nA violent collision occurred, the straight sword within the package emitting a crisp ring under the impact.

nHe had blocked the attack.

nThe forward momentum of his body and the immense energy contained in the attack exploded in unison at that moment, making Howard feel as though he would burst apart the next second.

nFortunately, it was an illusion.

nNonetheless, Howard was hurled from the rooftop by the strike. 𝑖.𝘤ℴ𝘮

nHad he not managed to block it, the consequences would have been far more severe than merely being knocked off the roof.

nHis entire shoulder could have been torn apart.

nExecuting several spins in the air to dissipate the force, Howard landed firmly, wasting no time in continuing forward.

nUndoubtedly, unleashing that strike was not without cost; otherwise, the enemy would have used that move in their first attack, leaving Howard with no chance to dodge.

nNow, the opponent was likely weakened.

nThough uncertain about the strange state he experienced, it led to a beneficial outcome.

nWithin that state, time seemed to slow down around him.

nBut setting aside the feasibility of slowing down time, given Howard’s current strength, it was unlikely he had the ability to influence time.

nThus, the most plausible explanation was that his brain’s processing speed had increased during that state.

nThe human brain remains the most mysterious domain, true even in this world where mana stems from a person’s spirit and soul, both intricately linked to the brain.

nDespite the advanced state of magic techniques in this world, to the extent of having floating armadas Howard had only seen in novels and animations, the realm of the brain is still largely uncharted territory.

nOf course, such a state likely comes at a cost.

nBut Howard cannot afford to concern himself with that now.

nPassing through this alley is his immediate priority.

nTaking advantage of the few seconds it takes for Blindman to recover, Howard successfully navigates the alley and arrives beneath the church.

nNow, he faces two choices: to leave directly in search of Ali or to give the assailant a thorough beating, possibly gleaning some information in the process.

nThe former is straightforward, while the latter could provide insights into their meticulously planned actions.

nTheir goal was clear from the start—not to kill Howard but to detain him here.

nConsidering this, the best course of action for Howard would be to immediately seek out Ali.

nHowever, Howard doesn’t take this route.

nInstead, he climbs to the church rooftop, confronting Blindman.

nNow, he finally gets a clear look at his attacker.

nThe man is tall and slender, more resembling a bamboo stalk than a person, likely in his thirties.

n“It’s my turn to return the favor now.”

nHoward, unwrapping the package to reveal the straight sword inside, speaks boldly, yet his actions are cautious.

nHe doesn’t see panic on Blindman’s face, suggesting the possibility of a contingency plan.

nHoward recalls Greg’s final warning: always remain skeptical and cautious.

n“This distance, truly inconvenient,” Blindman inhales deeply, his longbow suddenly aiming at Howard.

n“But, if you’re confident you can dodge, then try.”

nThe longbow is drawn, mana’s light coursing along the bowstring.

nSurprisingly, Blindman has already recovered.

nAlthough the bowstring holds nothing tangible, Howard can feel the invisible sharpness.

nAt such close range, intuition is useless; it all comes down to sheer reaction speed.

nCan he dodge it?

nHoward isn’t sure himself, but he knows showing any weakness could turn a slim chance of survival into certain death.

nHe was too rash, shouldn’t have approached so directly.

nThe situation appears to be at a deadlock.

nHoward dares not initiate an attack, uncertain he can evade Blindman’s shot.

nSimilarly, Blindman can’t risk releasing his arrow; if Howard dodges, at such close proximity, he won’t get a second chance.

nWhat to do?

nBoth Howard and Blindman are deep in thought.

nThe most direct solution would be to call for help, but just now, both realized their communications had been cut.

nIn such a scenario, it seems the only option is to maintain a standoff.

nHowever, the arrival of a third party would drastically alter the current balance.

nWhether it’s an ally of Blindman or any one of Greg and Ali, their appearance would completely shift the present equilibrium.

ncurrent balance.

nWhether it’s an ally of Blindman or any one of Greg and Ali, their “I mean… aren’t you tired, holding that bow all the time? How about you put it down, I promise not to kill you.”

nHoward swung the straight sword in his hand, pondering the feasibility of using it to block the incoming strike.

nHowever, after brief contemplation, he dismissed the idea internally.

nAt such close range, even if he managed to use the sword as a shield, his arm strength alone would likely be insufficient to withstand the blow, and the sword might end up hitting him anyway.

nMuch like a bulletproof vest, it may stop the bullet, but the kinetic energy still remains.

nAt this distance, even just the kinetic force alone could result in a fracture at the very least.

nWith the opponent’s close combat capabilities unknown, getting injured first wasn’t a wise strategy.

n“Why don’t you come down, then? I promise not to shoot you.”

nBlindman scoffed.

nBoth he and Howard understood that as long as it was just the two of them, this fragile balance would be hard to break.

nBecause once it was disturbed, the ensuing consequences would be unbearable for both.

nHowever, a turn of events seemed imminent.

n“You disappoint me.”

nA voice, both familiar and foreign, echoed in Howard’s ear.

nHoward paused for a moment, then saw Blindman’s eyes widen in terror, his fingers releasing the bowstring.

nInstinctively, Howard braced the straight sword with his hand, moving sideways, hoping to dodge or at least deflect the attack’s trajectory from the side.

nWould it be in time?

nThe moment the invisible arrow was shot, a sudden gust of wind arose.

nA blurred figure stepped in front of Howard.

nHoward recognized the voice.

nFamiliar, yet unfamiliar.

nA voice known to him, yet with a tone he had never heard before—cold, devoid of any emotion, like a dagger gleaming with frost.

nIt seemed smooth and benign, but in reality, it was a lethal weapon.

n“I said, stop.”

nThe voice sounded again, originating from the indistinct figure.

nMana waves spread out, akin to a mythological wishing lamp, with words commanding reality, the raging wind halted in that instant.

nNot just the wind, but everything came to a standstill.

nWithin a ten-meter radius, all things were frozen in this moment, even the dancing dust particles in the air were clearly visible.

nIt was an exceedingly strange experience.

nCentered around the blurred figure, within a ten-meter radius, everything ceased; no sound, no movement, as if it were a scene paused in a film.

nThen, the figure began to move.

nHolding a stick over a meter long, one step, two steps, three steps… it approached Blindman.

n“I thought I wouldn’t need to intervene this time.”

nThe murky voice seemed laced with a sigh, yet a hint of excitement was discernible.

n“Really, it’s been a long time since someone challenged me like this.”

nThe figure raised the stick above Blindman’s head, golden-red eyes, bright as candle flames, peering into his.

n“Do you have anything else to say?”

n𝑖.𝘤ℴ𝘮

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