The Mysterious Black Magician

Cinder Lupine sent another [Shapeless Flames] towards the three approaching Fortified Leaves. Her narrowed eyes, "What?!" Were replaced by surprise when the Fortified Leaves passed through unhindered into her [Shapeless Flames].

Before the Fortified Leaves hit her, [Lupine Flame Shield] Dense amount of burning flame burst out from her body. She looked like she was on fire. When the Fortified Leaves touched it, it instantly turned into ashes.

Yman squinted his eyes, "What kind of flame is that?" He subconsciously muttered while his body started to descend.

<It seemed like it greatly negates magical attacks.> Sistela whispered.

"I-I see…"

Yman summoned much denser crimson mana. When his feet landed on the ground he didn't stop and continued rushing forward while throwing another three Fortified Leaves.. But this time, he threw it one after another.

"That's useless!" Cinder shouted. Just as she said, the Fortified Leaves were again turned to ashes when they touched her shield of flame.

Instead of feeling disheartened that his second batch of Fortified Leaves still failed, he seemed not affected by it as he continued rushing forward.

Cinder's mouth broke into a glee. Looks like this person wanted to commit suicide as it continued rushing towards her even though all its attacks were useless against her.

Although she couldn't take a clear view of who it was because of its speed, she wasn't a bit bothered by it.

Cinder didn't stop attacking using her [Shapeless Flames].

15 meters away from her, the enemy suddenly disappeared then reappeared in front of her while raising his fist that was coated in crimson mana.

Yman was also surprised that this person turned out to be a beautiful girl with a stunning figure. Although he already saw different kinds of beautiful girls, this person in front of him had a different allure that was unique to her.

However, he wasn't a bit bothered by her looks. There was only one thing in his mind, that the girl in front of him was additional points to him.

"Eeehkk?!" She shrieked. She was shocked upon seeing the enemy in close distance. Because this person was familiar to her. This was the person who saved Miss Ella awhile ago.

Cinder felt a chill run down her spine and out of reflex, her body subconsciously retreated. Her instinct screamed danger from this person.

Just right after she retreated, his punch hit the empty air to where she was supposed to be. Although it did not hit her, it generated a mini shockwave and almost pushed her away just by force alone.

She followed up with another leaped backward to immediately increase their distance.

"Tsk, he's so strong…" she muttered while clicking her tongue. 'I have to use it!' She thought and lifted her hand in front of her face. Three rings with crystals of different colors gleamed on her fingers.

These three rings were her Artefacts. Before she could activate the power of it,

"!!" 

Her hand was grabbed by him! "Eh? H-how did-?!" The word escaped from her mouth as he grabbed her hand that was protected by [Lupine Flame Shield], but she immediately ate her words when she remembered that he had the ability to cancel a magic spell.

She tried to take her hand, but she couldn't budge it. 'Such strength!' She thought with a grim face. Yet she noticed that her [Lupine Flame Shield] was still protecting her. She felt relieved, because that person's hand although it was covered by dense mana energy of bright crimson color, her shield could lower the effect of it. In this regard, his hand would sooner turn to ashes.

Then again, she smirked and thought that this person was an idiot as she noticed his hand was burned. But gawked sooner, 'What, he can heal himself too?!'

Even his hand was getting burned, it healed the next second, his grip on her didn't even loosen up even for a bit. She was baffled if this person did not feel any pain for continued burns and healing. At Least a normal person would certainly cry in pain.

She wondered who this person was. Only his golden eyes were peeking underneath the hood. But in those beautiful eyes, there seemed to be another scary entity behind it, staring at her to the bone, like mocking her.

'He's scary!' Her mind screamed. She could even felt that he wasn't using his real strength yet.

She subconsciously closed her eyes and resigned to her fate when she noticed his other hand slowly lifted in a hand chop form. She could not budge her hand and could not activate her Artefact. Because at the moment, she felt scared and weak. Even her knees about to drop on the ground.

"!!"

After a couple of seconds of closing her eyes, she heard three unfamiliar dull sounds and a dull sound of metal crashing to the ground. She wondered if she already died, without even the sensation of pain.

She slowly opened her eyes, "Eh? What…hap—pen?"

Cinder was surprised to see the same scenery, and she was still standing in the same place beside the river. However, that person was gone in front of her.

Out of reflex, she looked around her. Then there she saw three headless bodies and three bodiless heads nearby with their eyes pierced by those Fortified Leaves and their head was cut. Based on their figure, they looked like some nobles in the Empire. However, not from the top great noble families.

Their bodies had slowly turned into light particles. She subconsciously massaged her neck. Not two far from the bodies, she also saw a broken Monitoring Device. The same as the dead bodies, it was also pierced by a Fortified Leaf.

In the distance, she saw his back walking towards the eastern part. His silhouette becomes smaller and smaller.

While they were fighting, she already felt another presence around them. Yet the Monitoring Device was what puzzled her. Why did he have to destroy it?! Is he a weirdo? She questioned herself.

Then she noticed her reflection in the river, which was at her left and only a step to the side distance. Being a self-conscious person, and always curling inside her room, letting others see her in such a naked state was already beyond her capability.

She yelped! Then hastily ran to get her clothes which she saw lying on the ground beside the river. But that person saw her at such a close distance! She needed to delete his memories! But… How can she do that? Was the big question mark. She doesn't want to come near that person again. If only she focused herself on training than playing games maybe she had a little chance. Then again, she needed to cross the border too.

In the distance,

<Partner, why you didn't finish that girl?> Sistela asked with a puzzled tone.

"Aaaa, there's no need to…"

<What do you mean?! Please answer me truthfully! I'm your deity you know!>

Yman scratched his face. "No need to kill her since we already gathered enough points. And besides, I don't want to gather enmity from the members of the higher noble family in the Empire."

<Higher noble family?>

"Well, I'm not too sure, but seeing her appearance, she must be one. Although like I had said, I'm not too sure."

<Then what's the connection of it for you to gather enmity from them? Wasn't the purpose of this game is to defeat the other participants? And see each one of you as enemies? So it's fine to kill them, you know!>

"I-I mean… If I killed her in that state… I'm not sure if she was still in her original dress when she revived outside. If she happens to revive in an almost naked state, she will probably come back at me later because of the shame she suffered.

And that will be problematic.

Although I have my disguise, my ability was noticeable. So it will be easy for them to unveil me," Yman laughed.

<Hmm…> Sistela shockingly fell silent at his words.

She was thinking that he's right. Although her partner had become strong, he was in his infancy. He could not even perform yet the 100% power of that demon. And besides, all his abilities —if not self-taught, mostly are basic abilities taught in the academy.

<...I see, but… isn't the real reason was that she is a beauty?>

"?!" 

"Well, she is indeed a beauty, however, a figurine one…" 

"And besides we are here for a very important reason. Whatever we can take advantage to, must take. And avoid the things that might hinder our main purpose."

<Mmm… Right! We needed to cure Sister Yana!>

"Mhm!"

<!?> Sistela suddenly remembered something.

<By the way, Partner, where are we going?>

"Eh? To the border…"

<What? You already knew? Are you kidding me?>

She couldn't believe what he was saying. Because yesterday, he was laying under that tree the entire day.

So what was he talking about going to the border?

"Haha, it wasn't like I did nothing yesterday, perhaps the moment we entered this place, I already started observing the movements of those above us," he said while pointing to the sky.

In the sky, Sistela noticed a flying device, hovering towards the direction of the east.

<Eh? Do you mean…..those big cross on the ground was to determine which way they mostly come and go?>

"Right, since those devices will mostly search for the fight scene around to play in the real world. So they mostly search for the participants.

Yesterday, those Monitoring Devices were moving a lot aimlessly, but now, most of them went to the eastern part. So probably, most participants are there. And the boundary is probably there too," he said.

Not only did Yman aim for the boundary itself, but also, he was waiting for the other participants to flock in one place. In this regard, he didn't need to trouble himself, searching for each one of them around this huge world. Doing it will only tire him.

<Mmm… I see!>

Just after Sistela said it, Yman caught some presence 70 meters away from them. They were hiding in the bushes ahead.

"Kuku," Yman chuckled.w