"What a great opportunity."
That was Mason's first thought when he heard about the club's trip. After all, he had been looking for a chance, and now was the time.
It was almost impossible to harm a student in the academy unless you could lure them to a remote location. But their target wasn't stupid and wouldn't fall for it so easily.
Mason had tried countless methods, often trying to lure her out at night, but to no avail. He had even used most of his power and many demonic artifacts before Sylvie became famous and caught the academy's attention.
However, none of it worked. According to his intelligence, the girl had shown signs of awakening, which made it even more difficult for him to act.
From her previous behavior, it was clear that she sensed something was wrong, which made Mason realize that she might already know his identity.
Therefore, after confirming the destination of the trip, Mason immediately prepared a squad for it.
He wanted to bring more people, but it was difficult to do so. Due to the researchers, Sioux City was heavily monitored by the Federation and the Magic Tower, so entering this place without spending a lot of resources was almost impossible.
And they didn't have much time to prepare for it, which made their options very limited.
Even so, this did not hinder Mason's plan. Moreover, there were no advisors accompanying the trip; he was recently busy with his thesis grades. He most likely believed that nothing unexpected would happen in such a safe place.
The only possible threat was the senior students, especially Maya Evergreen, but as long as he was careful, none of that would be a problem.
Just like that, Mason meticulously planned his scheme, preparing to take advantage of the opportunity presented by the trip.
As the group dispersed to explore Sioux City, Mason quietly followed Morse and Sylvie.
Mason's movements were light and stealthy, thanks to his demonic abilities and rich experience in covert operations. His keen eyes followed the two closely, watching them move through the city's narrow streets and alleys.
They wandered around for a long time. Most of the time, there was no opportunity to strike due to the attention of the surrounding people.
However, just then, the two suddenly walked into a deserted alley where there was not a single person.
'Heh... how foolish.'
Mason sneered, realizing that this was the opportunity they had been waiting for.
[Target confirmed, preparing to move.]
He signaled the team through his earpiece.
[Understood, Captain.]
After the notification was sent, the team was already prepared. They quickly surrounded the two and slowly created a small barrier with demonic energy to block the spread of sound.
Subsequently, Mason began to condense demonic energy, and a battle was about to break out.
......
Clang!
As the initial attack was deflected by a dagger, the attacker immediately followed up with an attack.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
However, almost all of the attacks were blocked by Morse with his daggers.
Clang!
As another attack was parried, Morse quickly looked around, observing the number of attackers.
"What?"
Sylvie was caught off guard by the attack, and she looked around. Unlike before, this time she immediately perked up and focused her attention.
"Stay close to me!" Morse shouted, and the two prepared to face the impending threat together. A group of hooded figures emerged from the shadows, their faces obscured, making it impossible to identify their appearance.
"Understood." Sylvie immediately took her position and began to provide buffs for Morse with her abilities. Although she didn't know how to fight effectively yet, she knew what she should do.
Whoosh!
The hooded figures moved with eerie speed, their weapons flashing coldly in the dim light.
Morse and Sylvie stood back to back, facing the approaching enemies. A tense atmosphere filled the air as the attackers circled around them.
Morse reacted very quickly, immediately intercepting the first attacker. His strength at this moment was far beyond that of a normal person; relying on Sylvie's buffs, his combat power doubled.
Swish!
His dual daggers collided with the attacker's weapon, creating the sound of metal clashing. The crimson aura around Morse became more intense, adding a touch of eeriness to his movements.
Sylvie focused her mana, creating a protective barrier around them. The hooded figures did not flinch and continued their relentless attacks.
Clang! Clang!
The sound of metal colliding echoed in the air as Morse parried each attack.
Whoosh!
An attacker rushed towards Sylvie, taking advantage of her position to launch an attack. However, Morse intercepted the attack, repelling the attacker with a powerful blow. The hooded figure staggered, his rhythm disrupted.
But this was not the end.
Whoosh!
Just as Morse had the situation under control, another attacker suddenly unleashed a surge of demonic power, launching an unexpected attack with astonishing force.
Clang!
Morse barely managed to block the blow, but the powerful force behind it caught him off guard. The impact made his daggers tremble violently, and he instantly lost his balance.
This brief stumble gave the enemy a fatal opportunity.
A spear made of demonic energy pierced through his shoulder.
"Ugh..."
Enduring the sharp pain, he clenched his teeth as the pain quickly spread throughout his body.
"Now's the time!"
Realizing the opportunity they had just created, the attacker quickly swung his blade to attack again.
Clang!
But unlike what he expected, his blade was blocked by Morse's dagger.
"What's going on?"
The attacker widened his eyes, realizing that the wound they had just inflicted had healed immediately. Then, he suddenly remembered the girl.
'That must be why they want to capture her alive.'
Realizing this, he quickly distanced himself from the two. Another attacker did the same.
[Kill the guy, don't leave him alive.]
Just then, a faint instruction came through his earpiece.
[Really?] the attacker responded in confusion.
[That's right, we only need the girl alive.]
After confirming, a cold smile appeared on his face. Since their leader had spoken, he could only obey.
'You can only blame yourself.'
He knew that Mason usually didn't kill people for no reason; it seemed that this guy had annoyed him.
Realizing that there was no need to hold back, the attackers intensified their attacks. Morse clutched his shoulder wound, preparing to face an even more violent assault.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three figures moved in synchronized attacks, each attack containing powerful demonic abilities. They attempted to take down Morse and Sylvie through sheer force.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Despite the excruciating pain from the shoulder wound, Morse skillfully parried each attack. The red light around him became even more dazzling.
Meanwhile, Sylvie focused her mana on healing Morse's wounds.
'This time, it's different.'
Her eyes flickered with a soft, healing glow, injecting energy into Morse's wounds, trying to heal the damage inflicted by the attackers.
She mustered her courage, prepared for this moment, and focused all her attention on Morse.
Clang!
However, even so, sometimes faith alone is not enough.
Stab! Whoosh!
An attacker charged towards Morse with a demonic spear, aiming for his weak spot. Morse anticipated the attack, dodged to the side, and quickly counterattacked with his dagger, causing the attacker to stagger back.
However, the other two attackers seized this opportunity. One launched a series of attacks, while the other condensed demonic energy, preparing to unleash a devastating blow.
Slash! Stab!
Their attacks hit Morse's body. The spear pierced through his body, and he couldn't help but let out a painful groan. Sylvie desperately maintained her healing mana, her heart filled with fear.
"No!" she cried out, her eyes filled with despair.
Despite the excruciating pain, Morse still insisted on standing up. His tenacious willpower kept him standing, while the attackers had already raised their weapons, preparing to deliver the fatal blow.
"Die!"
An attacker grinned coldly, his dagger raised high, ready to stab down.
"Stop!"
The attackers were stunned for a moment, turning their attention to Sylvie. Her face wore a determined expression, and her eyes flashed with intense light. Unexpectedly, she pulled out a dagger from her waist and held it against her neck.
"Let him go, or I'll kill myself right now." Sylvie said firmly, her voice resolute.
The attackers looked at each other, unsure how to respond. Sylvie's threat to her own life added a new variable to the situation; she was willing to risk her life to protect Morse.
She had clearly realized their intentions; she was their target, not Morse. From the beginning, they had not tried to kill her.
Morse's eyes widened, clearly not expecting Sylvie to take such extreme action.
"Don't... don't do it." he said with difficulty, trying to stop her.
However, the attacker holding the dagger couldn't help but shake his head.
"Heh..." he sneered, the smile on his face gradually widening.
"Hahaha..."
The attacker stared at Sylvie with a cruel gaze. "Come on, do it. If suicide is so easy for you, then go ahead. Little girl... do you really think you can end your own life?"
"Let him go." Sylvie's gaze did not change in the slightest, still staring firmly at the attacker.
Seeing Sylvie's determination, the attacker narrowed his eyes. He exchanged a glance with his companions, who remained vigilant, ready to respond to sudden situations.
"Little girl, put down the dagger." the attacker said, his tone tinged with impatience.
Sylvie still maintained her firm gaze, the dagger in her hand trembling slightly, but she did not put it down. The attacker's impatience gradually increased, realizing that Sylvie's determination was serious.
"Alright, have it your way. But if you dare to play any tricks, your friend will pay the price." he warned, retracting the dagger slightly.
After that, they left Morse behind, since his body was already battered and bruised.
"No..."
Morse weakly reached out, trying to grab Sylvie, but he was powerless.
The attackers suppressed Morse and successfully captured Sylvie alive, deciding to leave him on the ground. Morse's injuries were very serious, and the attackers didn't care about him, focusing on their captive.
"Let's go, little girl. If you care about his life, you better not play any tricks." he sneered, leading Sylvie away, leaving Morse for dead.
'At least I saved him.'
Sylvie looked at Morse, feeling a sense of satisfaction in her heart. This was the first time in her life that she felt like she had helped someone, and she didn't want to repeat her previous mistakes.
But one of the attackers, with a sinister smile, turned around. He summoned a demonic spear, injecting evil energy into it.
Morse, battered and weak, sensed the impending danger, but he was "powerless" to protect himself. He struggled to move, to escape this inevitable fate, but his body betrayed him. Sylvie's desperate cries echoed in the air, reverberating through the alley.
"No! Don't! Please, no!"
However, the spear filled with demonic energy still ruthlessly stabbed out, striking Morse's defenseless body.
This was the last thing she saw.
However, the attackers did not realize that a trace of green mana was attached to them, nor did they notice a small thing devouring the demonic energy they left in this place.
