?Though unsure of the figure’s strength, and given the current situation, evidently much superior to his own, Howard couldn’t stand idly by and watch Ali perish.

Facing Red Eye alone, Ali didn’t even have the chance for a mutual destruction.

“If you draw your sword, your companion will die right now.”

The figure stepped back, its voluminous sleeves vibrating, emitting a sharp buzz.

Howard dared not gamble on whether the figure was bluffing.

Just facing Red Eye was already more than Ali could handle; if this figure joined the fray, Ali wouldn’t last ten seconds.

Even if Howard could lend a hand, the outcome would be the same!

Gritting his teeth, Howard took a deep breath and let go of his right hand, sheathing the sword in his left.

“Your employer had better be wise, or else, no matter how slim the chances, after killing Red Eye, I will come for him next!”

“There will never be such a day, the script has always been in my employer’s hands.”

The figure seemed to smile, but Howard couldn’t discern anything from the severely distorted voice.

“Follow me, it’s not far.”

As the figure turned away, Howard struggled mightily to suppress the urge to stab it in the back.

The figure’s strength was undoubtedly superior to his, possibly even surpassing Red Eye!

Provoking such an individual was unquestionably unwise.

Seizing the moment as the figure turned, Howard glanced at the battlefield between Ali and Red Eye.

The two seemed to be evenly matched, both maintaining high-speed movement, with the battle evolving from a flat plane into a three-dimensional conflict.

Red Eye’s left arm dangled, a horrifying, foot-long gash splitting open his upper arm, revealing the stark white of bone that should have been enveloped by muscle.

This was the result of that recent strike, costing Red Eye the use of one arm, a result that greatly exceeded Howard and Ali’s expectations.

Though Red Eye remained formidable, this development suggested Ali might have a chance.

Without turning back, the figure spoke, “No need to look any further. Even if you stayed, you couldn’t alter the outcome. I won’t allow you to interfere.”

Howard withdrew his gaze, observing the figure’s back, his eyes twitching.

“Who exactly does your employer want to see? Me or Ali? It feels like he’s more interested in Ali. If it’s Ali he wants, then please hurry up and deal with that Red Eye kid!”

“Stop trying to probe me. My employer wants you, specifically. The half-elf might be interesting, but you are far more so. As for that half-elf, rest assured, she won’t die. This has all been arranged by my employer from the start.”

“Your employer wouldn’t happen to be called a god, would he?” Howard scoffed.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t casually throw around that word here. And while he’s not a god, to you, isn’t it just a difference in name?”

“Your employer planned all this?” Howard caught the implication in the figure’s words.

“Is he a descendant of the Old Nobles? Or is he the Old Nobles himself?”

Howard had done his research.

Although the Pioneer Era spoken of by Antalya and the others had passed nearly a thousand years ago, the continent was not short of long-lived races.

Even a mixed-blood dwarf like Greg could live beyond three hundred years, and a half-elf like Ali would not have a lifespan shorter than two hundred years, not to mention those races of legend.

In such a context, Howard wouldn’t be too surprised if an ancient race with a history of over a thousand years suddenly emerged.

“Your speculation is intriguing, but it strays quite far from the answer.”

After saying this, the figure refused to speak further, silently leading Howard away from Oak Street from the other end.

On this long street, only Red Eye and Ali remained.

“Did you come for that girl?”

Red Eye moved rapidly between the rooftops and the ground, his mana swiftly transitioning between matter and energy under precise control, always morphing into the necessary form at the right moment.

This skill, a hallmark of a level 2 magus, indicated that Red Eye now possessed strength nearing that of a level 2 magus.

In fact, not just Red Eye—Antalya and Sorovo’s powers were similarly close to that of a level 2 magus.

It was this proximity in strength that allowed them to acutely sense the terror of Red Eye.

This fear was not in terms of combat power, mana flux, or mana capacity, but in mana control.

If Howard was still at a beginner’s level, Ali an excellent student, and Antalya and Sorovo considered decent teachers, then Red Eye was a scholar pushing into the unknown.

While they still tread in the footsteps of those before them, hesitantly moving forward, Red Eye had already begun attempting to leave his own marks.

This was the greatest difference between a level 2 magus and a level 3 magus.

Aside from lacking the corresponding magus sigil, Red Eye now had little difference from other level 2 magi.

An excellent student might challenge a teacher, but facing a scholar is entirely another matter.

Ali didn’t respond; she stood still, her eyes slightly narrowed, gradually slowing her breathing.

She was trying to catch a flaw in Red Eye’s movements.

Red Eye’s left arm was already injured; even with the aid of mana, maintaining high-speed movement for an extended period would not be possible without the use of both arms, and exerting too much force could cause the wound to reopen.

If she could seize that moment, she would have a chance to strike.

Unfortunately, Red Eye was like a shadow, or perhaps a ghost, darting around from every corner and angle, launching attacks from every blind spot Ali had.

Her short dagger vibrated, emitting a sharp ring, the only warning she had, because as Red Eye moved through the air, it seemed as if even the air itself was disregarded, leaving behind not the slightest sound of disruption.

More wounds accumulated on her body, but Ali still couldn’t find any moment that could be called an opportunity.

Although mana surged within her, aside from defense, there was no chance for any offensive release.

Without Howard’s cooperation, she didn’t stand a chance at retaliation.

“I’ll ask you again,” Red Eye stopped five meters away from Ali, his face wearing a cold smirk and a blood-stained clown mask. “Did you come for that little girl?”

It appeared to be an opportunity, but Ali didn’t move.

Red Eye’s voice sounded somewhat elusive, his figure slightly distorted—that was because he hadn’t actually stopped, just adjusted his movement speed, leaving a stable afterimage in Ali’s line of sight.

If Ali had acted then, she likely wouldn’t have had the chance to react before being killed by Red Eye.

“Yes.”

From the beginning of their confrontation until now, Ali had sustained more than a dozen wounds, her clothes soaked with blood.

And this was the first word she had spoken.

“Why?” Red Eye’s phantom moved a step forward, “Every action requires a motive, even if you’re a half-elf. So, why? Why do you care so much about someone unrelated to you, challenge a formidable enemy for her, even risk your life for her?”

“I don’t know, maybe because of regret.” Ali lowered her rapier, her right leg stepping back, mana pulsing in the palms of both hands.

“Dropping your only weapon, are you planning to give up?”

“Quite the opposite.”

Ali shook her head, shrugged her shoulders, brought her arms in front of her in a defensive posture, her back slightly arched, “I’m preparing to fight with all I’ve got.”

Red Eye vanished.

Two screeching sounds erupted simultaneously in front of and behind Ali!

The mana and muscular force in her calves exploded at the same time, propelling Ali forward like a blink, her fist aiming at the screeching sound behind her.

Though it seemed like attacks were coming from both sides, only one could be the real body.

Only by catching the real body would Ali have a chance to counter.

It was a gamble; if she guessed wrong, she would lose her only chance to evade Red Eye’s next attack.

There was no tangible sense of impact, but the screeching sound shifted direction.

A blurry shadow flashed across her vision.

That was Red Eye! She had gambled correctly.

No matter how proficient one is with a weapon, it ultimately remains an external tool, not as direct as one’s own limbs.

Though this gap might only be a tenth of a second, in a battle of this velocity, that’s enough to determine life or death. 𝘳.𝑐ℴ

With her left fist driving Red Eye back, Ali pressed forward, unleashing another double burst of speed to match Red Eye’s pace.

Her right hand formed a blade, mana wrapping around it to create an edge, slicing through the air, aiming straight for the shadow.

Though it was just a hand blade, the added speed and strength made this strike more threatening than most bladed weapons, its narrow focus meaning shorter distance and thus faster execution.

The hand blade tore through, instantly vacuuming the air it passed, a vacuum blade trailing right behind.

Invisible to the eye, Ali distinctly felt the hand blade cutting through something—perhaps mana, perhaps armor.

The shadow sharply changed direction, moving to Ali’s left.

With a fierce kick against the stone wall, Ali further accelerated amidst a thunderous noise, her left fist thundering out.

She saw a trace of blood!

Red Eye was injured!

Updated from 𝑖𝘳.𝒸ℴ𝑚