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n“However, if you wish to proceed, there is no real obstacle. Roronora indeed meets the criteria to receive the legacy.”

nHaving said that, Code 1 lifted a hand, and a beam of light split from the orb, falling upon Roronora’s forehead.

n“I will modify his memories to make your oversight more manageable. But in the end, he remains a fierce beast, potentially turning on you at any moment.”

nCode 1 glanced at the orb and then at Roronora’s body on the stone platform.

n“You’d better be clear about what you’re doing, and what you’re about to do.”

n“I am clear,” Jelia nodded, saying, “How long will accepting the legacy take?”

n“Not long.”

nThere seemed to be a touch of melancholy in Code 1’s voice.

n“What will become of this place?”

n“The existence of this place is sustained by that legacy. Without it, this place will likely crumble soon.”

nCode 1 sighed, saying, “It’s a pity I can’t see the outside world now.”

n“There’s nothing to regret. It’s not a wonderful place out there,” Jelia shook her head, persuading Code 1 to abandon such impractical thoughts.

n“You don’t understand. No matter how bad it is outside, it can’t be worse than here. Staying here, I don’t even know if I’m alive or dead!”

n“Have you ever felt that way? Surrounded by emptiness, where any mana strand could destroy you, and you’re just hiding in a fragile matrix, barely clinging to life.”

n“I’ve been here for three hundred years! I’m merely a wisp of that person’s remaining soul, yet I have to bear all his responsibilities!”

n“You’ve begun to develop a sense of self?” Jelia looked at Code 1, her eyes reflecting a peculiar intrigue.

n“Perhaps. I’m not entirely sure about these things.” Code 1 shrugged, his crimson eyes shifting back to Roronora’s body.

n“Lastly, I have a request, one I hope you’ll honor.”

nJelia nodded, saying, “Speak.”

nCode 1 opened his mouth, but instead of sound, a voice directly resonated within Jelia’s mind.

n“I understand. I’ll do it for you.”

n“Thank you.”

nA burst of white light exploded, twisting the space around them just as the activation of the deep-red wolf’s head had done previously.

nJelia knew she was finally about to return to reality!

nThrough the swirling dust, two figures emerged, one towering and one diminutive, their footsteps a delicate patter against the silence.

nThe small dwarf, Jelia, had to nearly jog to keep pace with Roronora, whose single step matched two of hers.

nWhat was meant to be a majestic entrance turned comical as Jelia scurried behind Roronora, looking every bit the misplaced child who had stumbled into the scene.

n“Ali!”

nUpon seeing Ali confronting a group of cloak-clad figures on the clearing, Jelia excitedly waved her hand.

n“Jelia! How did you get out?”

nAli positioned his sword defensively, stepping forward to shield Jelia behind him.

n“And who is this stranger… No matter, now’s not the time for explanations. The moment I make my move, run, understand? Find somewhere to hide, and don’t let anyone find you. I’ll come for you after the battle ends!”

nAli, now elevated to the strength of a level 1 magus, would naturally find the cloaked adversaries manageable.

nHowever, dividing his attention to safeguard Jelia could prove challenging.

nGiven the unpredictability of a melee, it seemed wiser to have Jelia take cover.

n“Are they all enemies?”

nPeering from behind Ali, Jelia scrutinized the cloaked figures standing not far off.

nTheir movements and attire were uniform, in stark contrast to the eclectic assembly on her side.

nRoronora, gaunt as a skeleton, had indeed received the legacy but was far from regaining his prime strength, let alone any semblance of formidable presence.

nAnd there she was, a diminutive figure hardly worth mentioning in a battle.

nWith a pout, Jelia couldn’t help feeling somewhat displeased.

nJelia’s displeasure was a harbinger of misfortune for some.

n“Roronora, thrash them! Leave none standing!”

nRoronora, skeletal in frame, glanced at Jelia.

nA moment’s hesitation flashed across his crimson eyes, which soon solidified into resolve.

nHe focused on the cloaked figures some ten meters away.

nIf the little master demanded a brawl, a brawl she would have.

nA terrifying burst of mana ensued!

nRoronora vanished from sight, the sheer velocity of his movement whipping up a gale.

nWhoosh—

nThump!

nThe sound of fist meeting flesh!

nRoronora moved with a speed Ali couldn’t hope to track, ghosting through shifts and turns with the agility of a dragon weaving through the cloaked figures.

nNo one could keep pace with his movements.

nIn the span of a breath, all fell silent.

nRoronora repositioned himself behind Jelia, his gaze lowered, as serene as a statue.

nWith a thud, the fall of the first cloaked figure acted as a signal, triggering a domino effect.

nOne by one, the cloaked assailants collapsed in succession.

nIn a single move… annihilation.

nAli’s jaw nearly hit the floor in astonishment.

n“How… how… how strong! Jelia, where did you find such reinforcements? He must be stronger than Howard at full throttle, right?”

nAli scrutinized Roronora, a twitch forming at the corner of his eye.

nThough Roronora had not spoken a word, his actions clearly showed he was responding to Jelia’s commands.

nExactly how powerful Howard was remained a mystery to all, but by Ali’s estimation, he couldn’t be much stronger than Red Eye.

nWithout resorting to “Brave,” Ali doubted he could best Howard, but with the hero’s power, Howard would likely be the one outmatched, just as Red Eye had been.

nBut what about Roronora?

nAli found himself perplexed by this individual who appeared to be around his age.

n“Jelia! What exactly did you encounter?”

nNo sooner had the question left his lips than Ali paused, his gaze sweeping the surroundings.

nIt lingered on the heap of cloaked figures before he scooped Jelia onto his shoulder.

n“This isn’t the place for discussion. We need to find somewhere safer.”

nDid the cloaked figures have allies?

nThis was unknown to Ali.

nHowever, their decision to launch an offensive on the village indicated their confidence in eradicating all the subhumans within.

nAlthough the village lacked a magus, the subhumans, hardened by long-term training, were not foes a few preparatory-level magi could easily contend with.

nIt was almost certain the attackers had reinforcements.

nSeeking refuge elsewhere seemed the safer option.

nThough still uncertain, Ali had a hunch about who was behind these assailants.

nThat person had harbored ill intentions from the start!

nSeeing Ali scoop up Jelia, a faint crimson glow ignited in Roronora’s eyes, his gaze fixated on Ali in a way that sent shivers down his spine.

nIt was as if he were the target of a ferocious beast.

nJust what had Jelia brought back with her? 𝘦.𝘤𝘰𝑚

n“Roronora, relax! He’s my companion!”

n“Com…panion?”

nRoronora’s voice, unexpectedly youthful and slightly naive, sounded blurred, reminiscent of a sixteen or seventeen-year-

nold boy.

nMerely from his voice, one would never picture him as a skeletal figure.

n“That’s right, companion! Just like us!”

nJelia pointed first to herself, then to Ali and Roronora, “Companions! We are all companions!”

n“Com…panions! Roronora… protect companions!”

nThe crimson in Roronora’s eyes dimmed slightly, though it did not vanish entirely, merely receding into the depths of his gaze.

nHis eyes, even in their opening and closing, exuded a predatory aura.

nSeeing Jelia could command Roronora’s actions, Ali’s lingering worries dissipated.

n“Hold tight,” he said before accelerating.

nStaying in the village was clearly no longer an option.

nGiven the scale of the attack, the village itself was also ravaged by fire.

nThis incident would undoubtedly attract the attention of passing adventurers, known for their insatiable curiosity.

nGreedy and fearless.

nAs they departed, Ali cast one last glance back at the village engulfed in flames.

nThe village was destroyed, leaving the fate of its subhuman inhabitants uncertain.

n…

nUpon leaving the village, with Jelia perched on his shoulder and Roronora following closely behind, the trio wound their way through the forest in a bid to shake off their pursuers.

nDespite Ali’s swift movements, it was clear that their adversaries were well-prepared, possibly even having them as a specific target.

nThus, it wasn’t long after leaving the village that Ali noticed they were being followed.

nThe pursuer’s pace wasn’t fast, possibly due to some caution.

nYet, Ali found it impossible to completely lose them.

nHe resorted to meandering through the woods in hopes of muddling their trail, making it harder for the follower to keep up.

nTracking and counter-tracking, though not essential skills for a hunter, were subjects Ali had tackled back in his days with the elf tribe.

nRegrettably, his grades in both were consistently among the lowest.

nAfter some time, the strategy seemed to pay off.

nAli could feel the pursuer’s speed drop significantly, and the distance between them more than doubled.

nAt this range, continuing the chase would be pointless.

nIt appeared they had successfully given their tail the slip.

nAli breathed a sigh of relief, yet he didn’t slow down; instead, he picked up the pace.

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