"So sly!"
Blanche stomped her foot angrily, feeling a bit unwilling.
Francis teased from the side,
"Senior, co on. It's not about being sly—you just slipped and couldn't hit the brakes, right?"
"You—!"
Blanche glared at him, flushed with anger, but there was nothing she could do now.
After that full-force sprint earlier, she was montarily exhausted, unable to mount any effective pursuit.
Seeing this, Fort began to activate his sharp tal elent bloodline again, preparing to chase down the escaped bounty hunter.
Alan quickly stopped him.
"Calm down. Let her go.
She's just a bounty hunter—no real threat to us."
"Besides, you've just finished a big fight.
Even though you're not injured, your mana must be heavily depleted.
Overusing mana can lead to backlash."
Alan wasn't exaggerating.
Back when he fought over the tier-diamond magic scroll in the miniature world, he had personally suffered from mana backlash.
The agony of that experience was sothing few could endure.
Especially considering Fort's bloodline—
His sharp tal elent body was naturally tough, but if he suffered backlash while not fully elentized, it could feel like enduring thousands of blades slicing through him continuously.
That's why Alan sincerely warned him.
Fort wasn't stubborn.
Seeing Alan's serious expression, he gave up on the idea of pursuing.
Alan then scanned the surrounding mana fluctuations carefully.
Confirming that no other enemies were lurking nearby, he said in a low voice,
"Let's return to the academy before any more unfriendly forces arrive."
"Everyone's condition is not at its peak.
If we encounter another group as strong as these bounty hunters, it could be dangerous."
"Dangerous? Ha! I thrive on danger!"
Francis struck a heroic pose and roared righteously,
"Alan, that's your one big flaw.
You always want to carry the burden alone!
What, you think your brothers are just decorations?"
"We're from the sa class, aren't we?
Helping each other and relying on one another is how it should be!"
"I'm warning you—
Next ti you run into a bunch of juicy... ahem, dangerous enemies, you better send us a signal!"
"Even if you can't spare mana for a full spell, at least shoot so fireworks into the sky!
Let us know!"
"Look at you—getting rich all by yourself without taking your brothers along.
No loyalty at all!"
The more he spoke, the more ridiculous he sounded.
Alan couldn't help but chuckle.
Fort walked up and clamped a hand over Francis's mouth, sighing heavily.
"Have so sha.
Alan chose to face the bounty hunters alone to protect us."
"You think everyone's like you—treating battles as a way to make money?"
After speaking, Fort glared at Francis before moving to stand firmly beside Alan.
"And unlike him, I'll prove with my actions that I'm Alan's best buddy.
Wherever he goes, I'll follow!"
"You bastard!"
Francis laughed despite himself, exasperated by Fort's shaless declaration.
Even Blanche couldn't hold back.
She covered her mouth and giggled.
After a few chuckles, she said,
"Alright, alright—you two are just as bad.
Neither of you has any right to mock the other."
"By the way, Francis, what was it you said about earlier?"
Before Francis could react, Blanche flashed right in front of him and pinched his earlobe tightly.
Francis's face contorted in pain as he frantically begged for rcy,
"Stop! Stop, stop, stop! Senior, I was wrong! I'll never speak recklessly again!"
"You dare even think about doing it again?!"
Blanche widened her eyes, looking genuinely furious.
Alan quickly stepped forward to diate.
"Alright, enough.
It's almost alti.
Save the bickering until after dinner."
"Tch!
Soone like him isn't even fit to sit at the sa table!"
Blanche muttered angrily, dragging Francis by the ear as they headed toward Sirius Academy's gates.
Just then—
A wide path of frost several ters across suddenly spread beneath their feet.
Almost instantly, both Blanche and Francis's legs were frozen solid—completely immobilized, just like what had happened to Alan before.
The mont the frost path appeared, Alan and Fort dashed forward, trying to rescue them.
But before they could reach them—
Two unfamiliar figures appeared and blocked their way.
The woman on the right was the white-haired frost mage who had escaped earlier.
Clearly, this icy path was her handiwork.
The man on the left was soone they hadn't seen before.
He wore a gleaming silver knight's armor without a helt, revealing his golden hair, piercing blue eyes, and high-bridged nose.
But what drew Alan's attention most was the long sword hanging at the knight's waist.
Even though it was still sheathed, Alan could feel a subtle but dangerous pressure radiating from it.
This man…
He probably also mastered mana Overpressure.
Fort had already fully activated his sharp tal elent body.
In a deep voice, he said to Alan,
"This knight... he's dangerous. I can feel it."
Alan nodded, his gaze sharpening as he stared at the golden-haired knight.
"Oh dear, such fierce eyes,"
the knight said with a laugh, brushing his bangs back with one hand.
"Allow to introduce myself—"
"I'm Ares, a wandering knight and also the leader of the bounty hunter guild Silver Hands."
After speaking, he squinted slightly, scrutinizing Alan closely.
"You must be Alan—the top target on the bounty list."
"No wonder the client hates you so much.
So young, yet so powerful.
If it were , I'd want to eliminate you too—before you beco truly unstoppable."
Alan's face turned grim.
He gestured to Fort to hold back.
Then he suddenly launched himself straight toward Ares.
"Oh?
So you prefer action over words?
Honestly, I don't mind that at all."
As he spoke, Ares swiftly drew his sword, aiming a precise thrust toward Alan.
Alan reacted without hesitation, summoning his holy sword staff to clash head-on.
He was prepared for a fierce sword duel.
But to his shock—
The mont their weapons made contact—
Alan's holy sword staff passed right through Ares's blade as if it was an illusion.
Even Ares's body flickered, turning translucent!
At that mont, Alan heard a mocking voice behind him:
"I thought you had so hidden tactic.
Turns out you just stupidly charged in?"
"Kid, battles are fought with brains, not just brawn.
Otherwise, we'd all be arm wrestling to settle things—
Whoever wins, wins the war.
Simple, right?"
"Tch!"
Alan gritted his teeth and abruptly cut off his forward montum.
He spun his holy sword staff fiercely, swinging it backward with all his might.
But once again—
There was no impact feedback.
He struck only another fading afterimage!
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