Ignoring the bizarre transparent screen before him, David ran away from Gazef.
However, the paralysis had worn off.
"Do you really think you could get away? Even if you did, I'd hunt you forever. Don't you realize you won't be able to sleep? That's useless talk. I won't let you escape."
Gazef disappeared into the shadows.
David heard a voice in his head.
"If you want to survive, then come back to me!"
"The old man?!" David exclaimed
"That's right. I'm still alive, although barely. If you can reach me, we can survive."
David mulled it over and decided to believe him.
"Alright, but how exactly do I get to you without being killed by Gazef?!"
"Listen to me very closely. The book you absorbed allowed you to gain a magic power like no other. All you need to do is focus the mana within yourself and manipulate it towards your legs."
"How am I supposed to do that?! I've never used magic before…"
"Shut up and stop overthinking, boy. Just do as I say, or we will die."
David had no other choice but to listen to Lucius and try it.
"Alright, I'm trying it, but I don't think it's working."
At that moment, David found himself 2 meters ahead of where he was previously.
[Skill: Thunderstep (lvl 1) Unlocked]
[Consumption: 1 Mana/Meter]
"Well done! You can use it to get to me now."
David paused, surprised by his newfound power.
"ABOVE"
David looked up and saw a black blade a few inches away from his eyes.
Almost automatically, his body replicated the actions he had just learned and channeled mana into his legs.
David found himself 3 meters away from the black sword.
Seeing the black sword again disappear into the shadows, David ran toward Lucius with all his might, trying to activate Thunderstep every second of the way.
[Mana Insufficient]
[Mana Insufficient]
[Mana Insufficient]
"Damn it! Why isn't it working anymore?!"
"You're out of mana, boy. Just run like you mean it."
David felt a sharp pain come from his right cheek as he saw a black sword fly past him.
"I won't let either of you live!"
David then saw where the dagger landed.
Lucius had a familiar black sword through his heart
"Do not be alarmed, boy. I have an artifact that protects me from stabs to the heart. You're almost here."
As David reached Lucius, David was unexpectedly grabbed by Lucius.
David felt the mana he had lost come back to his body.
"BOY, AIM YOUR HAND AT THE SKY!"
David did as he was told and pointed his right hand at the night sky.
What came out of his hand was a bright blue bolt of lightning, illuminating the whole slum area of the town.
The light was visible enough to be seen from outside the town.
It had caught the attention of a nearby group of people.
Almost instantaneously, they showed up.
A party of four.
A brown-haired swordsman, a green-haired female archer, a blonde priestess, and a large black-haired shield wielder.
"You finally gave the signal, old man Lucius!" the party leader, Ray, exclaimed
"So where is the enemy?" Asked the blonde priestess, Jess
"He's of the dark element. Use light magic to bring him out of his invisibility!" Lucius commanded
"Got it!" Jess said
"4th Holy Light!"
A luminous white aura burst from the priestess's staff, covering the whole road.
The same man covered in a ghastly aura came into view. Only this time, he seemed to be weakened.
The green-haired archer let loose three arrows from behind Gazef.
Gazef dodged, causing the arrows to fly toward Ray and Jess with Lucius and David behind them.
The tall shield wielder stood before the party and blocked the arrows.
Strangely, the arrows bounced off his shield and flew at Gazef with renewed vigor again.
Gazef cut the arrows midair this time and exclaimed
"SALAMANDER?! Why would a B rank adventurer party be here?"
"SO IT WAS ALL A TRAP?!" Gazef angrily shouted
His aura only grew, threatening to swallow the light of Jess's staff.
"Cassie! Cover me!" Shouted Ray, the leader and swordsman of the Salamander party
Ray charged at Gazef under the cover fire of Cassie's arrows.
Gazef dodged all the arrows as he also ran toward Ray.
"I don't care if I die. Killing the leader of Salamander would be a boon for my master!"
Ray released his controlled aura.
It was large enough to overwhelm the ghastly aura coming from Gazef.
"You'd be lucky if you laid a finger on me, weakling."
As Ray and Gazef were locked into battle, Jess returned to Lucius and David while maintaining her spell.
"Let me heal you, Mr. Lucius."
While receiving treatment from Jess, Lucius looked at David and sighed.
"Good job, boy. I didn't expect so much resolve from someone so weak."
"I know I'm weak, but can I do anything to help Mr. Ray? I don't want to be so useless."
"There's nothing for you to do now, boy… For Master Swordsman Ray doesn't need any help."
"AGHHH"
Gazef's screams were heard as his left arm was cut off.
The shadows of his cloak were beginning to look weaker.
"It seems there's no chance for me to kill the Master Swordsman of the Lurris Kingdom today…"
Gazef suddenly turned around and threw a hidden black dagger at Jess.
She was barely able to block it with her staff. Shattering it in the process
The holy light, stopping Gazef from using his shadow powers, disappeared.
And with the light, so did he, leaving behind a few words only David could hear.
"The pure lightning will rightfully return to its owner…My lord…"