“Wind!”
Perhaps because rain was imminent, a moderate wind was blowing through Hilos that night, bringing a slight coolness as it brushed past one’s ears.
However, as the girl’s slightly panicked shout fell, the air seemed to freeze in an instant, and those whistling winds halted as if they were soldiers summoned to attention, standing solemnly and resolutely in place.
Then, obeying the command from their queen, they transformed into the deadliest of blades, resolutely piercing toward their enemy!
Wind magic?
Ed’s expression remained unchanged as he surged forward with explosive force from his legs, shooting out like an arrow and swinging his sword at the witch before him!
“Hmm?”
He abruptly halted his forward momentum, raising his hand to slash away several wind blades, then without daring to pause, he dodged behind that pile of timber.
“Don’t run!” the silver-haired witch taunted.
Ed ignored her, frowning as he looked down to inspect himself.
The leather armor, made from beast hides reinforced with iron plates, was covered in densely packed fine scratches on its surface—the “achievements” left by the tiny wind blades in the wind.
Fortunately, he’d retreated quickly enough and hadn’t actually been injured.
The wind sounds still hadn’t stopped.
Ed poked his head out from behind the timber pile for a glance, then hurriedly pulled back.
“Whoosh—”
The wind blades grazed past with a shrill, piercing whistle.
Trouble.
Ed hesitated a bit.
He wasn’t sure about this witch’s mana reserves; if she could maintain wind magic on this scale for a long time, she might actually escape.
So, should he use spells?
Ed lowered his gaze to the sword in his hand. Before departing, his father had solemnly explained its origins.
It was said to be one of the works of the world’s most renowned swordsmith, incorporating special metals during forging, thus possessing excellent mana conductivity—it had no issue serving as a medium for casting spells.
In other words, this sword could be both a sword and a staff.
Ed stroked his chin, pondering for a short while.
Though he wanted to conserve ample mana for the upcoming battles, if he failed to capture the witch here, the plan would be hard to proceed.
Fine, fine—he’d make a small sacrifice for himself and that “adventurer companion’s” plan.
Ed exhaled a breath from his chest, holding the sword upright before him.
Bailis saw that “Nord” was no longer showing himself, so while maintaining her magic, she ran toward the exit.
Oh no, oh no, oh no! Why is the mana draining so fast…
Despite her earlier loud taunts, her heart was already in complete panic.
Was it because she wasn’t proficient enough?
Probably… After all, she almost never practiced this wind magic; it made too much noise and easily drew attention.
The girl bit her lip, feeling the mana within her body rapidly decreasing.
In just a short minute, this unfamiliar wind magic had nearly depleted more than half of her mana.
She glanced back again; that person with the ridiculously brilliant hair was still suppressed behind the timber pile by the fierce winds and blades, completely unable to move.
She let out a shallow sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
Good—at this rate, if she could just delay a bit longer, she’d escape this deep alley.
Once outside, she had plenty of ways to ensure this person couldn’t find her.
But right at that moment.
Amid the howling winds, Bailis seemed to hear a rapid and muffled voice suddenly rising from behind the timber pile.
“Furious wind, in the name of Ed Grieves, by the proof of the contract, I hereby command—”
It should be “Nord’s” voice, but what was he doing? Praying?
No, no, that wasn’t right—it sounded like he was chanting… a spell?
Bailis suddenly recalled her childhood, when her father had taken her past that grand and imposing tower; she’d vaguely heard obscure chanting coming from inside and begged her father to take her in to see.
But her father told her it was the Mages’ Tower, home to noble and powerful mage lords, and their family had no qualification to enter.
No way—was this person one of those legendary mage lords?
But just as she felt like today might be a bit too unlucky for her, the chanting voice still hadn’t stopped.
“Grant me the blessing of wind!”
She couldn’t wait anymore! She hadn’t wanted to go this far, but if she really let this guy finish that chant, who knew what would happen!
Bailis’s eyes sharpened, and she abruptly halted, shouting loudly.
“Wind!”
The wind elements around her rapidly gathered, no longer just in the form of blades but also condensing into several vague, massive wind spheres.
She aimed her eyes at the timber, then forcefully hurled the wind spheres over! At the same time, those wind blades, under her control, tightly encircled the timber pile!
Whether you’re a mage or not, taking this round head-on won’t feel good!
Boom!
The timber scattered in all directions, but before that, a black figure had already leaped into the air.
The person stepped on the wall mid-air for leverage, flipping to dodge several sharp wind blades, then landed and charged straight toward Bailis with clear intent!
“Wind shield!” he intoned lightly.
Something vague seemed to form in front of “Nord.”
Bailis had no time to wonder what it was; she waved her hand fiercely, and the surging wind waves reappeared, rushing straight at the golden-haired youth!
But the fierce winds that had been unstoppable before suddenly lost their effect this time.
Bailis watched wide-eyed as “Nord” didn’t even dodge, directly colliding with the gusts harboring wind blades.
Yet, he was unscathed.
It was as if an invisible barrier stood before “Nord,” blocking all attacks for him.
“This is way too cheating,” the girl murmured.
Since wind couldn’t break that barrier, should she try the more proficient and powerful fire magic?
But would the sluggish fire magic really hit him?
She hesitated.
But before she could decide, that obscure chanting voice abruptly rang out again.
“Furious wind, in the name of Ed Grieves, by the proof of the contract, I hereby command—”
“Grant me the sharpness of wind!”
“Wind enchantment!”
As the words fell, “Nord’s” sword was slowly enveloped by an airflow, forming an extremely thin, flowing cloud-like sheath over the blade.
Then, under Bailis’s terrified gaze, he aimed in the girl’s direction and casually swung a sword stroke.
A massive invisible fluctuation surged forth, condensing into a half-moon-shaped enormous wind blade in the air cleaved by the sword tip, slashing viciously over!
Boom!
Shattered stones and soil flew everywhere, pattering down onto the ground.
“Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!”
The girl clambered up from the ground in a sorry state, spitting out the dirt she’d accidentally bitten into.
What kind of move was that! The speed and power were both too unfair, right?
If she hadn’t dodged quickly, she’d probably be witch fragments by now!
But seeing “Nord” just a few steps away from her, she didn’t dare complain too much; she casually tossed out several flames, not checking if they hit, and continued running for her life.
“I say, you don’t look like one of those knights—why are you so fixated on me?”
As the girl ran, she shouted the question without looking back.
“Someone put a bounty on you.”
The person answered steadily, as if the one who’d just unleashed that terrifying attack wasn’t him at all.
“Who did it?”
She’d finally run out of the alley, turned a corner, and continued shouting, “The church?”
“…You guessed right.”
“Nord” chased closely after, his voice seeming a bit surprised and puzzled.
But he said nothing more unnecessary, simply swinging his sword forcefully, forming another wind blade just as massive as before.
“The church, always the church… Eek! Hey, wait! Aren’t we having a friendly chat? If you really kill me, how can we talk then!”
The girl leaped in fright, the wind blade grazing past her side.