Andrew made a quick decision: "Anyway, it seems there's no way to dodge Raymond's punch, so I'll go for a counterattack, exchange blows."
Andrew had some confidence in the healing power of his "Water Spirit Technique."
He thought that as long as he wasn't knocked out with one punch, he could always recover.
So defense was not important—mainly because it couldn't be defended!
The key is to poke Raymond to death with a single finger!
As long as he could poke to death this fire-element bully that plagues Wildfire Town, Andrew felt that perhaps he could unlock a water magic stronger than "Water Needle" from the "Tear of the Water God"!
"But if I can't poke him to death with this finger..."
Andrew gritted his teeth, "Pah, pah, pah, don't think about that, I can definitely poke him to death!"
The small henchmen, having withdrawn a bit, were still shaken. Seeing this scene, they couldn't help but shout out, panting, "Boss, kill him!" "Avenge the brothers!"
But the girl who had been rescued, seeing Andrew so desperate, thought he was about to be killed, couldn't help but cry out, "Stop!" She cried out loud and then fainted.
"Stop!"
Another sharp voice shouted almost simultaneously. That voice also called to "Stop!"
Before the words faded, a streak of orange-red flame shot from the street corner like a ribbon.
In an instant, it tightly bound Raymond.
This sudden magic rope was so tight that Raymond's previously unstoppable punch halted immediately, never reaching Andrew's face.
Andrew's eyes lit up.
At such a critical moment, there was unexpectedly such a sudden stroke of luck?
No matter who came, Andrew took advantage of the opportunity and poked Raymond in the chest with accelerated speed!
Originally, to get this poke, Andrew himself would most likely have to take a punch from Raymond.
But now it was a completely free chance for an attack.
Raymond was still struggling with the flaming rope on him, cursing, "Who? Who dares to come out! Do you know who I am? Huh? Do you believe I'll tie up your whole family today and throw them into the desert to feed the desolate beasts! Is it Cook? Or Brian?"
He thought it was one of Humboldt's best advanced magic apprentices who intervened.
He also noticed Andrew's poke, but Raymond wasn't worried at all.
He wasn't comparable to the lower small fry under him.
The body defense of a Flame Warrior was extremely strong.
Plus, the "Flame Gauze Clothing" covering his body surface acted as double protection.
Raymond was enraged by the magic rope on him, not by Andrew at all.
When he threw a punch at Andrew earlier, he planned to take Andrew's poke head-on with his body!
However, when Andrew's finger really hit him...
Raymond's expression suddenly froze.
His eyes first showed surprise.
Then some dread.
And finally... turned into shock and fear!
"This... this is...?"
He shouted loudly earlier, but now he suddenly fell silent as if he had lost his voice.
His mouth opened wide, seemingly wanting to say something, but no sound came out.
In his mind, there was only one thought: "What the hell is this!?!"
Everything happened in an instant.
Apart from Andrew and Raymond, no one else knew what had happened between the two.
The henchmen, although several had been killed by Andrew, still didn't think Andrew's finger would pose any real threat to their boss.
As professionals, Flame Warriors and ordinary people have a fundamentally different physique!
At this moment, everyone's attention was drawn to the suddenly appearing "Flame Chain."
Several young henchmen were yelling, "What the hell, who the hell is it?! Daring to ruin our boss's business? Come out here!" They had been terrified of Andrew earlier, but seeing their boss take action, their courage revived.
A few older ones, however, began to notice something was wrong: "This rope is clearly... magic!"
But in Wildfire Town, other than the Grand Mage Humboldt, no one should be able to control Raymond with magic so easily, right?
In his panic earlier, Raymond subconsciously thought it was one of Humboldt's advanced magic apprentices.
But in reality, even an advanced magic apprentice couldn't stop Raymond in his tracks instantly.
Note, it's about stopping instantly!
It's not simply "tripping" or "entangling," but "completely controlling" in an instant!
There's a fundamental difference between these.
"Step out."
A female voice, the same voice that ordered Raymond to stop, spoke.
The henchmen saw: a group of knights in fiery red armor rounded the street corner like the wind, soon surrounding and protecting the girl Andrew had rescued, then enclosing Raymond's henchmen tightly in the middle!
Under each knight was a pure-bred sweat horse.
On the chest armor of each steed, there was a small flame-shaped emblem.
Seeing this setup, this momentum, the previously shouting young henchmen immediately shut their mouths.
The oldest among them screamed instead:
"Warm Fire Commerce Association?!"
He had recognized the small flame-shaped emblem!
That emblem belonged to the second largest power on this continent, second only to the "Magic Guild": the Warm Fire Commerce Association!
This was something Andrew knew from memory —
Fire Mages are the rulers of this world, no doubt.
But within the Fire Mages, there are two factions.
One faction is the "Magic Guild," to which the Grand Mage Humboldt belongs.
The other faction is the "Warm Fire Commerce Association."
Like the Magic Guild, the Warm Fire Commerce Association is also a representative of fire, with top-level Fire Mages as well, and warriors loyal to it. For example, the knights in front were members of the world-renowned "Crimson Knight Order," comprised entirely of seasoned "Crimson Knights."
The difference is: the Warm Fire Commerce Association has a friendly and gentle attitude towards commoners.
One of the important propositions of the Warm Fire Commerce Association is to promote the "Flame of Extinguishing" among commoners, rather than just a privilege for the Magic Laboratory.
In the concept of the Warm Fire Commerce Association, if there's a fire, whether it's in a magic laboratory or a civilian residence, it should be actively put out.
Of course, extinguishing with water is still unlikely, but the Warm Fire Commerce Association advocates the use of the "Flame of Extinguishing."
This is the biggest difference from the Magic Guild.
"The question is... why would the people from the Warm Fire Commerce Association come to such a remote place as Wildfire Town?" The oldest henchman couldn't understand!
Suddenly, the circle of knights divided left and right.
A spirited girl with bright eyes and white teeth walked out.
Though she wore a combat outfit instead of a magic robe, the intense aura of fire magic around her was unmistakable.
This was a Magical Girl!
Recalling the earlier command to "stop," and without hesitation, immobilizing Raymond with a flaming rope...
The henchmen immediately understood—
This combat-dressed Magical Girl from the Warm Fire Commerce Association was the one who subdued Raymond!