To be honest, Barbara didn't originally want to make a move.
She knew she shouldn't intervene. For certain reasons, she actually didn't have much strength left.
But also for some particular reasons, she chose to step in!
There was a loud "gulp".
The sound of swallowing.
The henchmen's legs were almost unanimously trembling.
For people like them, courage doesn't exist.
If they truly had courage, they wouldn't bully the weak, but would hunt desolate beasts deep in the desert outside the town.
They had come out gleefully, just to find some fun with the boss as usual.
Who could have thought it would become the situation at hand—
The Crimson Knight Order of the Warm Fire Commerce Association, encircling them.
The leading magical girl in strong attire, who immediately subdued their boss upon making a move.
Damn, the boss is probably scared stiff too!
He was just shouting "let go oh come out to me", and now, like us, he can't even let out a fart?
But this chick who subdued the boss with one move...
Damn it, she's so beautiful!
His legs were trembling, yet his eyes couldn't help but stare hard at the magical girl in front of him, almost going blank.
They thought the "gulp" swallowing sound was because of fear, because their hearts were retreating? Not a chance!
It was because of the beauty in front of them!
Compared to An Ya, the most beautiful girl in Wildfire Town, the henchmen felt this magical girl in front was even more outstanding!
An Ya mainly excelled in temperament, but if you purely compared features, she was just above average in appearance.
This strong-attired magical girl in front seemed like a perfect sculpture, from her face to her figure, every detail, every angle, was nearly perfect!
Even because of her perfection, she exuded a kind of inhuman coldness.
If there was one aspect where the strong-attired magical girl fell short of An Ya, it would be her eyes.
It wasn't just purely aggressive.
But... too cold, like an exquisitely emotionless beauty magic puppet.
"Have you seen enough?"
At this moment, Barbara had already covered the girl who fainted after being saved with clothes.
Standing up, she looked at the henchmen staring at her and said indifferently, "If you've seen enough, get lost."
Her voice was very pleasant.
The tone didn't seem very harsh, she said "if you've seen enough, get lost," instead of "what are you looking at, all of you get lost" or "keep looking and I'll gouge your eyes out" which would be brash words.
However, the apparently calm tone and voice hit hard on the hearts of the henchmen like a heavy drum!
The henchmen staggered, feeling dizzy and faint.
A few with poorer constitutions even sprayed a mouthful of blood.
They were so shocked by "if you've seen enough, get lost" that they spat out blood!
In great shock and fear, they finally dared not look at the girl anymore and scattered in all directions.
At this moment, no one paid any attention to their boss, Raymond.
Compared to the giant entity that is the Warm Fire Commerce Association, Raymon, the mere sheriff of Wildfire Town, is worth nothing.
Not to mention that magical girl who was both unbelievably beautiful and cold, any random member of the Crimson Knight Order present could absolutely crush Raymond in strength!
"Hmph, a rabble..."
Barbara curled her lips, and only then did her calm, exquisite eyes reveal a trace of disdain and disgust.
Looking at Raymond, she said, "You too, can get lost."
While speaking, she activated her magic power, releasing the flaming rope that tied Raymond, "if you don't leave now, I could—"
The girl suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
Showing a trace of astonishment and surprise.
As the flaming rope loosened, Raymond's body swayed a few times and then fell straight backward—
Thud!
Raymond's tall body fell to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.
Barbara: "?"
Raymond's eyes were dim and lifeless, staring blankly at the sky dyed red by the setting sun.
Clearly devoid of life.
At the same time, Raymond's eyes were wide open, as if he had experienced something terrifying and unbelievable just before he died!
Seeing this, Barbara couldn't help but feel baffled.
Thinking to herself that she only subdued him, and didn't seem to go for the kill.
Could it be that due to her being so severely injured now, even her magical control is failing? Carelessly, she accidentally killed this big guy?
Thinking this way, she somewhat underestimated herself.
Even though Barbara is heavily injured for certain reasons right now.
Her casting control remains perfect, the rigorous training from childhood has made her foundational skills exceptionally solid!
She just didn't expect Andrew, an anomaly in this Flame Realm, to be present at the scene.
Time goes back to not long ago.
The moment Raymond was hit by Andrew's "Water Needle".
At that moment, Raymond understood the true meaning of the phrase "unstoppable force".
Andrew, on the other hand, remembered: "It's the Flame Warrior! Now I remember, this Raymond is a Flame Warrior!"
The characteristics of a Flame Warrior are "strength" and "defense".
In contrast, "speed" is not their forte.
If they were up against a Desert Hunter, who excels in speed, stealth, and assassination, a Flame Warrior would barely touch their shadow.
Conversely, it's also hard for a Desert Hunter to harm a Flame Warrior.
Because the strength of a Flame Warrior is formidable, with even stronger defense!
How strong is their defense?
Simply put, when Raymond fully channels his power, causing his muscles to swell and dons the "Flame Gauze Clothing", he can withstand some direct charges from a Desolate Beast!
Andrew finally recalled this point!
But then he furrowed his brow instead.
The "Water Needle" is strong; at the moment it struck Raymond, it pierced through the "Flame Gauze Clothing" on his body and began wreaking havoc on Raymond's bodily tissues.
The problem is, Raymond's body defense doesn't seem as good as that of the small fry he dealt with before?
Andrew felt like he had used all his strength to lift a bucket of water, only to find the bucket empty, leaving him stumbling backward due to the excessive force.
He was clearly aware: the feeling that "Raymond's defense is not as good as the small fry" is definitely not aligned with the reality.
So the only possible explanation is:
His water magic has a very great "countering" effect on Raymond's fire power!
That's the only explanation that makes sense.
Just like how his Water Spirit Technique and Seed of the Water Spirit counteracts lung injuries!
It's indeed a counter effect.
Raymond can testify to this.
The will to survive of this sheriff is still very strong.
After the initial shock and panic, he regained composure with his strong professional ethics.
Then he mobilized all the flame power within him to resist the invading finger power.
But soon realized: no matter how much power he mobilized to block, it was always breaking through his defense, breaking through again and again!
"What the hell is going on?"
Raymond finally felt he couldn't hold on anymore.
He could feel Andrew's finger power countering his flame power.
The flames that once burned fiercely within him now seemed to have a terrifying trend of being extinguished and put out in the process of being constantly broken through!
With this sensation, Raymond was nearly driven mad!
Yet still endeavored to discern.
Moments later, suddenly dumbfounded: this seems to be... the power of water?
Even in the extreme fear, Raymond was somewhat surprised by his own discovery, mixed with a bit of delight!
Although he didn't understand why Andrew's finger power contained water power that countered flames, it was undoubtedly, if he told Grand Mage Humboldt this information, it would be a great contribution! Maybe he could be promoted, possibly becoming the mayor of Wildfire Town?
Thinking about promotion, Raymond's spirits lifted!
He opened his mouth again: "Here, there's a Water Element guy here!
Damn, what's with that 'why is the opponent so weak' look on your face, punk?!
If I weren't tied up, I'd have smashed your face with one punch, get it?!
Forget it... that's all in the past, the important thing is you're done for next! I'm gonna call people to catch you!!"
Raymond's lips moved meaninglessly, failing to truly produce any sound.
His gaze gradually dimmed.
Andrew saw the gaze that Raymond fixed on him, filled with penitence, remorse, and a plea for mercy.
"I'm sorry, really sorry, I was wrong, I only now realize how those who bullied by me feel, I beg you, Andrew, please spare me, I'll definitely mend my ways! Everyone makes mistakes, please! Give me another chance! I'm begging you!"
Such seemed to be the message conveyed by Raymond's eyes.
So, Andrew silently channeled the remaining "Water Needle" magic power in his finger entirely into Raymond's chest.
This was because, in Raymond's eyes—in all the regrets and pleas for mercy, at the deepest part of his pupils—Andrew only saw a deep resentment!
The full power of the "Water Needle" exploded within Raymond. Ultimately, no traces were left on the scene.
This is the correct use of this magic artifact.
And the time limit for the artifact's use thus ended.
At the moment when the final wisp of the Fire of Life within him was crushed by Andrew, Raymond's body trembled, suddenly sparked like a flashback, exerting all his remaining strength, his eyes almost popping out as he stared at Andrew, gritting his teeth and asking: "You... what exactly are you, kid...?
He wanted to ask what kind of person Andrew really was.
But that final word "who" never came out.
I hate...
I am really unwilling!
Before consciousness sank into eternal darkness, Raymond's last thought was: If he could tell Humboldt that "Andrew might be a Water Mage", he would definitely be able to become the mayor in the future.