As Remu’s voice suddenly halted at the word “hua,” his figure vanished without any warning right before everyone’s eyes! When Remu reappeared, he was already standing less than half a meter away from Agate, his right hand leveled and practically pressed tightly against Agate’s head.
“Huh?!” Agate’s nerves, already on high alert, instinctively tensed to their limit in that instant. He didn’t see it! In that split second, Agate realized he had actually failed to track Remu’s movement!
Linoah, the red-haired girl Xiao Xi, the female students from Almiceus Academy—all of them wore the same expression of shock as Agate.
Teleportation! Almost every person’s mind simultaneously thought of that very word.
However, compared to those who hadn’t seen Remu’s movement at all, Zhang Wen, who had managed to catch a glimpse of Remu’s actions, was probably ten times more shocked. Because only he knew that Remu had definitely not teleported just now! Instead, his movements had exceeded the limits of everyone’s vision!
Even now, with Zhang Wen’s vision enhanced by both the Spring Water Technique and the Primordial Stone, he still couldn’t keep up with Remu’s speed, only catching faint afterimages of his movement. Even more terrifying was that normally, when someone moved at such an incredible speed like Remu, they would create a gust of wind wherever they went.
Yet Remu had somehow managed to eliminate nearly all the air vibrations around him during his high-speed movement, making his movement appear as if he had teleported, leaving no trace at all.
What a terrifying guy! Zhang Wen thought bitterly.
“…You’ll die, you know,” Remu whispered softly as he stood abruptly beside Agate, a faint glow once again flashing casually from his palm.
As the glow passed, a shocking shockwave instantly exploded from where Agate stood as its epicenter. Where the shockwave reached, century-old trees were effortlessly snapped, everything was swept into the air by the gale. The ground itself seemed struck by a meteor, revealing a massive crater.
Agate, at the center of the shockwave, flew backward as if hit by a missile. The forest echoed with the sound of trees breaking, and dust filled the sky.
“Brother!” The red-haired girl cried out anxiously, rushing recklessly from the woods.
“Hehehe.” Remu licked his lips, a chilling smile appearing on his face. His figure vanished again without a trace. In the next moment, Remu had already appeared above the red-haired girl, his outstretched fingers perfectly covering her head.
“Ahh!” The red-haired girl finally screamed in terror the instant Remu appeared. Immediately afterward, the faint glow from Remu’s palm lit up again.
But just as Remu was about to replicate on the red-haired girl the same devastating blow he had landed on Agate—a strike she absolutely couldn’t withstand—his expression suddenly changed. Then, Remu abruptly raised his palm upward.
Boom!
A colossal dragon of flame appeared without warning above Remu, roaring as it lunged downward, violently colliding with a wall shimmering faintly with green light. The resulting explosion transformed the space above Remu into a hellish inferno of fire. Remu himself, bearing the full force of the fire dragon’s downward impact, was involuntarily pushed down slightly by the immense pressure.
Remu slightly furrowed his brow, his body vanishing instantly again and reappearing dozens of meters away. As Remu retreated, Agate, who had rushed to the girl’s side midair, caught the red-haired girl in his arms and quickly leapt backward.
“Are you okay? Xiao Xi!” Agate asked anxiously as they landed.
“Yeah. I’m fine. What about you? Are you okay?” The red-haired girl shook her head, glancing at Agate with lingering fear. Right now, she was more worried about Agate, who had just taken a hit from Remu.
“Don’t worry! I’ll send that bastard straight to hell right now.” Agate smiled at the girl, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and slowly turned around. The pair of eyes gradually overtaken by a deep red hue was enough to show that Agate, the Flame Demon, was truly furious this time.
“Hahaha! Get angry! Get angry! If you don’t give it your all, tonight won’t be perfect!” Remu continued smiling as he spread his palms toward Agate.
“Hmph! So eager to die? Fine, I’ll oblige you!” Agate roared furiously, the tip of his massive sword suddenly forming a nearly white-hot fireball.
Spinning rapidly, the fireball at the tip of the sword quickly expanded. In the blink of an eye, it had grown from the size of a ping-pong ball to one large enough to engulf Agate’s entire body.
Then, with a deafening roar that shook the forest, the front of the white-hot fireball suddenly exploded. A spiraling flame shockwave, like a laser cannon, roared toward Remu.
“Hehehe.” Remu chuckled faintly, his body vanishing abruptly again. However, this time Remu’s disappearance didn’t leave Agate helpless. In fact, Agate’s face showed a hint of relaxed amusement. He swung the massive sword in his hand, and the flame at its front seemed to merge with the blade itself, moving in sync with Agate’s actions.
Boom! The flaming sword swept across the ground. This time, the trees struck by the blade didn’t even catch fire—they were instantly vaporized. The ground itself melted under the terrifying heat, leaving behind a shiny crystalline layer.
After swinging the sword a few times, Agate suddenly seemed to learn teleportation himself and vanished from his spot. Linoah and the others all bit their teeth tightly, staying completely alert, fearing Agate might suddenly appear beside them like Remu had.
However, Zhang Wen knew that Agate hadn’t disappeared like Remu. Instead, he had charged into that blindingly bright white-hot flame! Using the massive sword’s enormous attack range, Agate had successfully restricted Remu’s movement area. Now, he was rapidly closing in on Remu’s position along with the flame’s path.
Less than a second later, Agate burst out from the white-hot flames, his massive sword raised high above his head.
Boom! Remu finally clashed head-on with Agate for the first time. Both of them flew backward simultaneously, and the violent shockwave once again swept across the already devastated ground.
“Damn! Not only is his speed impressive, his strength in a direct confrontation isn’t weak either,” Agate spat harshly as he landed almost simultaneously with Remu.
Although in the previous exchange Agate seemed to have the upper hand, forcing Remu into a direct confrontation, Agate himself knew clearly that it wasn’t because Remu couldn’t avoid a direct clash. Rather, Remu had seen through his actual condition.
After unleashing a powerful move like “Holy Blade” with all his might, even Agate, known for his abundant battle energy, couldn’t have much left to handle a direct confrontation. In that head-on clash, Remu had firmly maintained the advantage.
“Xiao Xi, you go first,” Agate waved at the red-haired girl.
“Okay, be careful!”
Though Agate still had some hidden cards yet to be revealed, judging from Remu’s current displayed strength, it wouldn’t be easy for Agate to achieve victory. The red-haired girl also understood that if she stayed, she would only be a burden to Agate. So, without hesitation, she nodded and turned to retreat into the dark forest.
Seeing this, Isaiya, who had remained silent all along, flashed her figure, seemingly attempting to circle around and chase the red-haired girl from the side. However, before she could run a few steps, Agate’s massive sword already blocked her path.
“Captain Remu!” Isaiya turned back in dissatisfaction, her gaze landing on Remu, who stood leisurely not far away. Obviously, Agate blocking her path was clearly a result of Remu’s deliberate permission.
“Hehehe, Her Majesty’s orders were only for the heads of the Society members. That girl doesn’t seem to be a member of the Society,” Remu shrugged casually with an indifferent smile.
“Hmph! Not a Society member? You’re just worried that if she stays here, Agate won’t be able to fight you at full strength, right? Otherwise, why didn’t you show even a bit of mercy when you used her to provoke Agate earlier?” Isaiya fumed internally. However, the female vice-commander, familiar with Remu’s personality, reluctantly dissipated the battle energy she had just gathered, and after several leaps, returned unwillingly to the side of Zhang Wen’s group.
“Come on!” Agate spun his massive sword, flames bursting forth from his body once again as he roared toward Remu with the explosion of his battle energy.
“Hehehe!” Remu laughed excitedly, his figure vanishing abruptly into thin air.
Boom! Boom! Agate swung his massive sword without restraint, each attack turning several meters, even dozens of meters around him into a flaming hell.
Remu’s figure kept flickering in and out of sight beside Agate. Although Agate’s attacks never managed to touch Remu’s body, the latter’s expression no longer held the earlier ease.
“Hmph! Is Agate trying to commit suicide with attacks like that? Even if he has battle energy more than twice that of a divine-level expert, his energy isn’t infinite, right?” Isaiya, who had unknowingly walked to the back of Zhang Wen, muttered to herself.
“No. Not like that.” Zhang Wen glanced at the female vice-commander and gently shook his head. “Right now, Remu does have the upper hand in this battle, but Agate definitely isn’t wasting his effort. He knows that Remu’s perception and speed are superior to his, so he’s using this exhausting method of fighting. Haven’t you noticed? Remu’s movements are becoming more and more predictable.”
Isaiya observed for a long time before gradually realizing that compared to when the two had just started fighting, Remu’s frequency of appearing had indeed increased.
“How is this possible?” The female vice-commander, well aware of Remu’s strength, widened her eyes in disbelief.
“Very simple.” Zhang Wen extended his hand, guiding Isaiya’s gaze to the ground beneath Remu and Agate’s feet.
Just as Remiu’s voice abruptly halted on the word “speech,” his figure vanished without warning in front of everyone! When he reappeared, he was already standing less than half a meter away from Agate, his right hand leveled, almost pressing against Agate’s head.
“Huh?!” Agate’s nerves instinctively tightened to their limit in that instant. He hadn’t seen it! In that split second, Agate realized he had completely missed Remiu’s movement!
Linoa, the red-haired girl Xiao Xi, and the female students of the Almitus Academy all wore the same expression of shock as Agate.
Teleportation! The word flashed through almost everyone’s mind.
However, compared to those who hadn’t seen Remiu’s movement, Zhang Wen, who had barely caught a glimpse of it, was even more stunned. Because only he knew that Remiu hadn’t teleported at all! His speed had simply surpassed the limit of what anyone’s eyes could perceive!
Even Zhang Wen, whose vision had been enhanced by the Spring Water Technique and the Primordial Stone, could only catch a faint afterimage of Remiu’s movement! And what was even more terrifying was that, normally, when someone moved at such an insane speed, they would create a gust of wind in their wake.
Yet, Remiu, while moving at such high speed, had somehow managed to eliminate almost all the air vibrations around him. This made his high-speed movement seem like teleportation, leaving no trace behind.
A terrifying guy! Zhang Wen thought with a bitter smile.
“…You’ll die.” Remiu, who had suddenly appeared beside Agate, whispered softly, a faint glow flickering in his palm.
As the glow flashed, a shocking shockwave exploded from where Agate stood. The shockwave effortlessly snapped century-old trees, sending everything swirling into the air. The ground looked as if it had been struck by a meteor, leaving a massive crater.
Agate, at the center of the shockwave, was sent flying as if hit by a missile. The sound of trees breaking echoed through the forest, and a cloud of dust rose into the sky.
“Brother!” The red-haired girl shouted anxiously, rushing out of the woods without hesitation.
“Heh.” Remiu licked his lips, a cold smile appearing on his face as his figure vanished once again. The next moment, he appeared above the red-haired girl, his outstretched hand hovering over her head.
“Ah!” The red-haired girl finally screamed in terror as Remiu appeared. Then, the faint glow in Remiu’s palm lit up again.
But just as Remiu was about to unleash the same devastating attack on the red-haired girl that he had used on Agate, his expression suddenly changed. He abruptly raised his hand upward.
Boom!
A dragon of fire appeared out of nowhere above Remiu, roaring as it descended, colliding with a faintly glowing green barrier. The explosion turned the space above Remiu into a sea of flames. Remiu himself was forced to crouch slightly under the immense pressure of the dragon’s impact.
Remiu frowned slightly, his body disappearing once again, reappearing dozens of meters away. As Remiu retreated, Agate, who had lunged through the air, grabbed the red-haired girl and pulled her back.
“Are you okay? Xiao Xi!” As soon as they landed, Agate anxiously asked the girl.
“Ah. I’m fine. What about you? How are you?” The red-haired girl shook her head, glancing at Agate with a hint of fear. She was more worried about Agate, who had taken Remiu’s attack.
“Don’t worry! I’ll send that bastard to hell right now.” Agate smiled at the girl, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth as he slowly turned around. The crimson hue gradually filling his pupils was enough to show that Agate, the Flame Demon, was truly enraged this time.
“Haha! Get angry, get angry! If you don’t go all out, tonight won’t be perfect!” Remiu still wore the same unchanging smile as he spread his palms toward Agate.
“Hmph! If you’re so eager to die, I’ll grant your wish!” Agate shouted angrily, a nearly white-hot fireball forming at the tip of his massive sword.
As the fireball rapidly expanded, it grew from the size of a ping-pong ball to something large enough to envelop Agate’s entire body in the blink of an eye.
Then, with a deafening roar that shook the forest, the white-hot fireball exploded forward. A spiraling wave of fire shot toward Remiu like a laser cannon.
“Heh.” Remiu chuckled lightly, his body vanishing once again. However, this time, Agate wasn’t caught off guard. Instead, a relaxed sneer appeared on his face. He swung his massive sword, the flames at its tip merging with the blade as it moved with Agate’s motion.
Boom! The flaming sword swept across the ground. This time, the trees it passed didn’t even catch fire—they were instantly vaporized. The ground itself was scorched into a layer of glowing crystal under the intense heat.
After a few swings of his sword, Agate suddenly seemed to have mastered teleportation, disappearing on the spot. Linoa and the others clenched their teeth in shock, fully alert, fearing that Agate might appear beside them just like Remiu had.
However, Zhang Wen knew that Agate hadn’t vanished like Remiu. Instead, he had charged into the blindingly bright white-hot flames! Using the massive attack range of his flaming sword, Agate had successfully limited Remiu’s movement. Now, he was closing in on Remiu’s position with the flaming sword.
Less than a second later, Agate burst out of the white-hot flames, his massive sword raised high above his head.
Boom! Remiu finally clashed head-on with Agate for the first time. Both were sent flying backward, the violent shockwave once again ravaging the already devastated ground.
“Pah! Not just speed, but your strength in a direct clash isn’t bad either.” Agate spat as he landed almost simultaneously with Remiu.
In the previous clash, although Agate seemed to have the upper hand, forcing Remiu into a direct confrontation, Agate knew better. It wasn’t that Remiu couldn’t avoid the clash—it was that Remiu had seen through his limits.
After unleashing a powerful move like “Holy Sword,” even Agate, known for his vast combat energy, couldn’t have much left for the ensuing direct confrontation. The clash between the two still left Remiu firmly in control.
“Xiao Xi, you should go first.” Agate waved at the red-haired girl.
“Okay, be careful!”
Although Agate still had some cards up his sleeve, given the strength Remiu had shown, it wouldn’t be easy for Agate to win. The red-haired girl understood that if she stayed, she would only hold Agate back. So, she nodded without hesitation and retreated into the dark forest.
Seeing this, Isaya, who had remained silent until now, darted forward, seemingly trying to flank the red-haired girl. But before she could take more than a few steps, Agate’s massive sword blocked her path.
“Captain Remiu!” Isaya turned around, her gaze falling on Remiu, who was standing nearby with a relaxed demeanor. It was clear that Agate’s ability to block her path was entirely due to Remiu’s deliberate inaction.
“Heh, the Emperor’s orders are only for the heads of the Society members. That girl doesn’t seem to be part of the Society.” Remiu shrugged nonchalantly.
“Hmph! Not part of the Society? You’re just worried that if she stays, Agate won’t be able to fight you at full strength, right? Otherwise, why didn’t you show any mercy when you used her to provoke Agate earlier?” Isaya grumbled inwardly, but knowing Remiu’s personality, she reluctantly suppressed her combat energy and retreated back to Zhang Wen’s side with a few leaps.
“Come on!” Agate spun his massive sword, flames erupting from his body once again as he charged toward Remiu with a deafening roar.
“Heh!” Remiu laughed excitedly, his figure dissipating into the air.
Boom! Boom! Agate swung his sword with all his might, each attack turning the surrounding area into a sea of flames.
Remiu’s figure flickered in and out around Agate. Although Agate’s attacks never landed, the ease in Remiu’s expression had vanished.
“Hmph! Is Agate trying to kill himself with this kind of attack? Even if he has more than twice the combat energy of a divine-tier expert, it’s not infinite, right?” Isaya, who had somehow ended up behind Zhang Wen, muttered to herself.
“No. That’s not it.” Zhang Wen glanced at the female adjutant and shook his head gently. “It’s true that Remiu has the upper hand in this fight, but Agate isn’t just wasting his energy. He knows that Remiu’s perception and speed are superior, which is why he’s using this exhausting strategy. Haven’t you noticed? Remiu’s movements are becoming more predictable.”
Isaya stared for a long time before she gradually realized that, compared to when the fight had just begun, Remiu’s appearances were indeed becoming more frequent.
“How is this possible?” The adjutant, who knew Remiu’s strength well, widened her eyes in disbelief.
“Simple.” Zhang Wen extended his hand, directing Isaya’s gaze to the ground beneath Remiu and Agate.
Only then did Isaya notice that, without realizing it, the area where Remiu and Agate were fighting was now covered in countless melted craters of various sizes. Moreover, in many of these craters, crimson combat flames still burned. It was these craters that were affecting Remiu’s speed.
“Hmph!” Isaya snorted, unconsciously clenching her teeth.
On the battlefield, the pressure Agate was exerting on Remiu was growing with each passing moment. Yet, the captain of the Eagle Guard showed no sign of tension, only a hint of excitement.
“Heh! That’s right. You truly are a once-in-a-century genius. In such a short time, you’ve come up with such a simple yet effective combat method.” Remiu kept muttering to himself, his gaze on Agate like that of someone admiring a rare treasure.
“Hmph! I don’t need your praise. Just prepare to go to hell.” Agate swung his sword again, creating a bottomless crater on the right side of the ground. The debris from the crater had already reached Remiu’s side, but just as it was about to hit him, a faint green glow deflected it away.
“Heh. It seems you still don’t understand. Didn’t I say it before? Confidence is good, but if it’s overconfidence…” Remiu narrowed his eyes slightly, a strange smile appearing on his face once more.
“Stop playing tricks, you bastard!” Agate swung his sword, a massive wave of fire roaring toward his side.
This time, Remiu’s figure flickered just as the flames were about to hit. “Hmph!” Agate couldn’t help but show a hint of triumph. But moments later, as the flames dissipated after hitting the ground, the triumph on his face vanished completely.
From the way the flames had struck the ground, Agate knew he hadn’t hit Remiu at all. Looking at the empty ground not far away, Agate instinctively clenched his teeth. Then, the faint red flames that had enveloped his body surged madly toward his massive sword.
“Ha!” Agate roared, slashing forward with all his might. Boom! A massive pillar of fire erupted in front of Agate, engulfing the area within a radius of dozens of meters.
But before Agate could catch his breath after unleashing such a powerful attack, he couldn’t help but widen his eyes in shock. Because just as he had unleashed that all-out attack, he could clearly sense Remiu’s position—the guy was right behind him!
“…You’ll die.” Remiu’s voice seemed to whisper in Agate’s ear. Exhausted, Agate gritted his teeth, swinging his sword behind him to barely block Remiu’s strike.
Clang! The sound of metal clashing rang out. Remiu grunted, sliding back several meters. Agate, on the other hand, was sent flying again. When he tumbled back to the ground, a trickle of blood had already escaped the corner of his mouth.
“Oh? You’re still not seriously injured after that? Haha! As expected of Agate the Flame Demon, a true genius!” Remiu let out an even more excited laugh.
“Hmph!” Isaiya snorted, unconsciously biting her lip.
On the battlefield, the pressure Agate exerted on Remu kept increasing over time. Yet the Hawk Captain showed no sign of tension, instead displaying a hint of excitement.
“Hehehe! That’s right, exactly like this. You’re truly a once-in-a-century genius. In such a short time, you’ve managed to come up with such a simple yet effective fighting method,” Remu murmured to himself repeatedly, his gaze upon Agate like that of someone admiring a rare treasure finally in hand.
“Hmph! I don’t need your praise. Just wait with your neck clean and get ready for hell,” Agate retorted, swinging his sword once again, creating a bottomless crater on the right side of the ground. From the crater, shattered stones flew out, some of which had already reached near Remu, only to be deflected aside by a quiet flash of green light at the last moment.
“Hehehe. Looks like you still don’t understand. Didn’t I say before? Confidence is good, but when it goes too far…” Remu narrowed his eyes slightly, his face once again showing an eerie smile.
“You conceited bastard!” Agate roared, slashing his sword forward. A massive flame roared toward his side.
This time, Remu’s figure happened to flicker slightly just as the flame was about to hit. “Hmph!” Agate couldn’t help but show a trace of satisfaction on his face. However, moments later, as the flame struck the ground and dissipated, the satisfaction on his face vanished instantly.
Just as Remiu’s voice abruptly halted on the word “speech,” his figure vanished without warning before everyone’s eyes! When Remiu reappeared, he was already standing less than half a meter away from Agate, his right hand leveled, almost pressing tightly against Agate’s head.
“Huh?!” Agate’s nerves instinctively tensed to their limit in that instant. He hadn’t seen it! In that split second, Agate realized he had completely missed Remiu’s movement!
Linoa, the red-haired girl Xiao Xi, and the female students of the Almitus Academy all wore the same expression of shock as Agate.
Teleportation! The word flashed through almost everyone’s mind.
However, compared to those who hadn’t seen Remiu’s movement, Zhang Wen, who had barely caught a glimpse of it, was even more astonished. Because only he knew that Remiu hadn’t teleported at all! His speed had simply surpassed the limit of what anyone’s eyes could perceive!
Even Zhang Wen, whose vision had been enhanced by the Spring Water Technique and the Primordial Stone, couldn’t keep up with Remiu’s movements. He could only catch a faint afterimage of Remiu’s movement! What was even more terrifying was that, normally, when someone moved at such an insane speed, it would create a gust of wind wherever they went.
Yet, Remiu, while moving at such high speed, had somehow managed to eliminate almost all air vibrations around him. This made his high-speed movement seem like teleportation, leaving no trace behind.
A terrifying guy! Zhang Wen thought with a bitter smile.
“…You’ll die,” Remiu whispered as he suddenly appeared beside Agate, a faint glow flickering in his palm.
As the glow flashed, a shocking shockwave exploded from where Agate stood. The shockwave easily snapped century-old trees, sending everything spiraling into the air. The ground looked as if it had been struck by a meteor, leaving a massive crater.
Agate, at the center of the shockwave, was sent flying as if hit by a missile. The sound of trees breaking echoed through the forest, and a cloud of dust rose into the sky.
“Brother!” the red-haired girl shouted anxiously, rushing out from the woods without a second thought.
“Heh,” Remiu licked his lips, a cold smile appearing on his face as his figure vanished once again. The next moment, Remiu appeared above the red-haired girl, his open palm hovering just above her head.
“Ah!” The red-haired girl screamed in terror the moment Remiu appeared. Then, the faint glow in Remiu’s palm lit up again.
But just as Remiu was about to unleash the same devastating attack on the red-haired girl that he had used on Agate, his expression suddenly changed. He abruptly raised his hand upward.
Boom!
A dragon of fire appeared out of nowhere above Remiu, roaring as it descended, colliding with a faintly glowing green barrier. The explosion turned the space above Remiu into a sea of flames. Remiu himself was forced to crouch slightly under the immense pressure of the dragon’s impact.
Remiu frowned slightly, his body disappearing once again, reappearing dozens of meters away. As Remiu retreated, Agate, who had lunged through the air, grabbed the red-haired girl and pulled her back with him.
“Are you okay, Xiao Xi?” Agate asked anxiously as soon as they landed.
“Ah, I’m fine. What about you? How are you?” The red-haired girl shook her head, glancing at Agate with lingering fear. She was more worried about Agate, who had taken Remiu’s attack.
“Don’t worry! I’ll send that bastard to hell soon,” Agate smiled at the girl, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth before slowly turning around. The crimson gradually filling his pupils was enough to show that Agate, the Flame Demon, was truly enraged this time.
“Haha! Get angry, get angry! If you don’t go all out, tonight won’t be perfect!” Remiu still wore the same unchanging smile, spreading his palms toward Agate.
“Hmph! If you’re so eager to die, I’ll grant your wish!” Agate shouted angrily, a nearly white-hot fireball forming at the tip of his massive sword.
As the fireball rapidly expanded, it grew from the size of a ping-pong ball to one large enough to envelop Agate’s entire body in the blink of an eye.
Then, with a deafening roar that shook the forest, the white-hot fireball exploded forward. A rotating wave of fire shot out like a laser cannon, hurtling toward Remiu.
“Heh,” Remiu chuckled softly, his body vanishing once again. However, this time, Agate wasn’t caught off guard. Instead, a cold smile appeared on his face. He swung his massive sword, the flames at its tip merging with the blade as it moved with Agate’s motion.
Boom! The flaming sword swept across the ground. This time, the trees it passed didn’t even catch fire—they were instantly vaporized. The ground itself was scorched into a layer of shiny crystal under the intense heat.
After a few swings of his sword, Agate himself seemed to have learned teleportation, disappearing on the spot. Linoa and the others clenched their teeth in shock, fully alert, fearing that Agate might suddenly appear beside them like Remiu had.
However, Zhang Wen knew that Agate hadn’t disappeared like Remiu. Instead, he had charged into the blindingly bright white flames! Using the massive attack range of his flaming sword, Agate had successfully limited Remiu’s movement. Now, he was closing in on Remiu’s position with the flaming sword.
Less than a second later, Agate burst out of the white flames, his massive sword raised high above his head.
Boom! Remiu finally clashed head-on with Agate for the first time. Both were sent flying backward, the violent shockwave once again ravaging the already devastated ground.
“Pah! Not just speed, but strength in a direct confrontation too,” Agate spat out as he landed almost simultaneously with Remiu.
In the previous clash, although Agate seemed to have the upper hand, forcing Remiu into a direct confrontation, Agate knew better. It wasn’t that Remiu couldn’t avoid the clash—it was that Remiu had seen through his limits.
After unleashing a powerful move like “Holy Sword,” even Agate, known for his immense combat energy, couldn’t have much left for a direct confrontation. The clash between the two still left Remiu firmly in the lead.
“Xiao Xi, you should go,” Agate waved at the red-haired girl.
“Okay, be careful!”
Although Agate still had some cards up his sleeve, given the strength Remiu had shown, it wouldn’t be easy for Agate to win. The red-haired girl understood that if she stayed, she would only be a burden to Agate. So, without hesitation, she nodded and retreated into the dark forest.
Seeing this, Isaya, who had remained silent until now, darted forward, seemingly trying to flank and pursue the red-haired girl. But before she could take more than a few steps, Agate’s massive sword was already blocking her path.
“Captain Remiu!” Isaya turned around in dissatisfaction, her gaze landing on Remiu, who was standing nearby with a relaxed demeanor. It was clear that Agate’s ability to block her path was a deliberate move by Remiu.
“Heh, the Emperor’s orders are only for the heads of the Society members. That girl doesn’t seem to be part of the Society,” Remiu shrugged nonchalantly.
“Hmph! Not part of the Society? You’re just worried that if she stays, Agate won’t be able to fight you with all his strength, right? Otherwise, why didn’t you show any mercy when you used her to provoke Agate earlier?” Isaya grumbled inwardly, but knowing Remiu’s personality, she reluctantly suppressed her combat energy and retreated back to Zhang Wen’s side after a few leaps.
“Come on!” Agate spun his massive sword, flames erupting from his body once again as he charged toward Remiu with a deafening roar.
“Heh!” Remiu laughed excitedly, his figure dissipating into the air.
Boom! Boom! Agate swung his sword with all his might, each attack turning the area around him into a sea of flames.
Remiu’s figure kept appearing and disappearing around Agate. Although Agate’s attacks never managed to hit Remiu, the latter’s expression was no longer as relaxed as before.
“Hmph! Is Agate trying to kill himself with these attacks? Even if he has more than twice the combat energy of a god-tier expert, he can’t keep this up forever,” Isaya, who had somehow ended up behind Zhang Wen, muttered to herself.
“No, that’s not it,” Zhang Wen glanced at the female adjutant and shook his head lightly. “Remiu may have the upper hand in this fight, but Agate isn’t just wasting his energy. He knows that Remiu’s perception and speed are superior, so he’s using this exhausting strategy. Haven’t you noticed? Remiu’s movements are becoming more predictable.”
Isaya stared for a long time before gradually realizing that, compared to the beginning of the fight, Remiu’s appearances were indeed becoming more frequent.
“How is this possible?” The adjutant, who was well aware of Remiu’s strength, widened her eyes in disbelief.
“Simple,” Zhang Wen extended his hand, guiding Isaya’s gaze to the ground beneath Remiu and Agate.
Only then did Isaya notice that, without realizing it, the area around where Remiu and Agate were fighting was now covered in countless melted craters of various sizes. In many of these craters, the crimson flames of combat energy still burned. It was these craters that were affecting Remiu’s speed.
“Hmph!” Isaya snorted, unconsciously biting her lip.
On the battlefield, the pressure Agate was putting on Remiu was increasing with time. Yet, the captain of the Eagle Guard showed no signs of tension, instead exuding a faint excitement.
“Heh! That’s right, just like that. You truly are a once-in-a-century genius. In such a short time, you’ve come up with such a simple yet effective combat method,” Remiu muttered to himself, his gaze on Agate as if admiring a rare treasure.
“Hmph! I don’t need your praise. Just prepare to go to hell,” Agate swung his sword again, creating a bottomless pit on the right side of the ground. The debris from the pit had already reached Remiu’s vicinity, but just as it was about to hit him, a faint green glow deflected it away.
“Heh. It seems you still don’t understand. Didn’t I say it before? Confidence is good, but if it’s overconfidence…” Remiu narrowed his eyes slightly, a strange smile appearing on his face once again.
“Stop playing tricks, you bastard!” Agate swung his sword, a massive wave of fire roaring toward his side.
This time, Remiu’s figure appeared just as the flames were about to hit. “Hmph!” Agate couldn’t help but show a hint of triumph. But moments later, as the flames dissipated after hitting the ground, the triumph on his face vanished completely.
From the sensation of the flames hitting the ground, Agate knew he hadn’t even grazed Remiu. Staring at the empty ground in the distance, Agate instinctively clenched his teeth. Then, the faint red flames that had enveloped his body surged madly toward his massive sword.
“Ha!” Agate roared, swinging his sword with all his might. Boom! A massive pillar of fire erupted in front of him, engulfing an area of dozens of meters.
But before Agate could catch his breath after unleashing such a powerful move, he couldn’t help but widen his eyes in shock. Because just after he had used all his strength, he could clearly sense Remiu’s position—the guy was right behind him!
“…You’ll die,” Remiu’s voice seemed to whisper in Agate’s ear. Exhausted, Agate gritted his teeth, swinging his sword behind him to barely block Remiu’s attack.
Clang! The sound of metal clashing rang out. Remiu grunted, sliding back several meters. Agate, on the other hand, was sent flying again. When he finally rolled to a stop on the ground, a trickle of blood had already escaped the corner of his mouth.
“Oh? You’re still not seriously injured after that? Haha! Truly the Flame Demon Agate, a genius worthy of the name!” Remiu let out an even more excited laugh.
“Roar!” Agate roared, slashing fiercely forward as if gone mad. Boom! A massive column of fire erupted in front of Agate, covering an area of dozens of meters in all directions.
Yet before Agate, who had just unleashed his ultimate move, could even catch his breath, his eyes widened in shock. Because right after he had released his most powerful attack with all his strength, he could clearly sense Remu’s position—right behind him!
“…You’ll die,” Remu’s voice seemed to whisper in Agate’s ear. With his strength completely drained, Agate gritted his teeth, swinging his sword behind him, barely managing to block Remu’s strike.
Clang! A metallic clang echoed. Remu grunted, his body sliding backward several meters. Agate, on the other hand, was once again sent flying. As he rolled and landed back on the ground, a trickle of blood couldn’t help but seep from the corner of his mouth.
“Oh? You’re not even seriously injured after that? Hahaha! No wonder you’re the Flame Demon Agate, a genius truly living up to his reputation!” Remu laughed with increasing excitement.
“Phew!” Agate spat out a mouthful of blood-tinged saliva and glared coldly at Remy. “You’re celebrating too soon. The second round has just begun, and it’s still hard to say who will win!”
“Hehe, that’s exactly what I was hoping for.” Remy spread his arms eagerly.
The two divine-ranked experts quickly prepared for another fierce battle. Intense combat energy once again enveloped the small area of forest already devastated by their previous clash. However, at that moment, a deep, magnetic voice suddenly echoed into everyone’s ears.
“Enough! Don’t make an old man wait. I despise waiting.” The voice was brief in content but carried an unmistakable tone of command.
Upon hearing it, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but feel startled. The voice struck him as extremely peculiar. With his current spiritual perception, he could clearly sense that the speaker was far beyond visual range. Yet, the words were as clear to him as if the speaker were whispering directly beside him.
Then, Zhang Wen noticed Isaiya and others nearby also wearing expressions of astonishment, evidently having heard the strange voice as well. Surprisingly, Agate sheathed his greatsword.
“Tsk! That wasn’t satisfying at all.” Agate muttered, his figure quickly vanishing into the depths of the forest. Remy, who had clearly gained the upper hand in the first round of battle, made no attempt to stop him, merely narrowing his eyes coldly as he watched Agate leave.
“Captain Remy!” Isaiya angrily shouted, her blue light flashing as she drew a pair of short blades, clearly intending to chase after and intercept Agate. However, Linoah, standing on the other side of Zhang Wen, suddenly wore an expression of shock as if she had seen a ghost.
Although Linoah’s murmuring was barely audible, it didn’t escape Zhang Wen’s ears.
“The King… It’s actually the King! The King has really moved!”
The King? Who exactly was this?
The title mentioned by Linoah made Zhang Wen frown. Having been familiar with Iron Mask, Zhang Wen vaguely recalled hearing the same title from his old friend’s mouth once before. When Iron Mask mentioned this title, even his usually expressionless face would show traces of reverence akin to that of low-rank gladiators facing Iron Mask himself.
“…Even the King has left his throne? The Syndicate… This survival competition of theirs really is full of unexpected surprises. Hehehehe.” Remy chuckled in a chilling manner, gazing into the distance for a long time before suddenly flashing his figure to appear beside Isaiya.
“Captain Remy, why didn’t you stop Agate? And who exactly was that mysterious person just now?” As soon as she saw Remy, Isaiya couldn’t help but furrow her brows and loudly question him.
“Agate? Hehe… He’s quite an excellent prey. If I were to kill him while he’s distracted, I wouldn’t be happy at all.” Remy shook his head with a smile, his gaze toward the distance gleaming with fanatical and dangerous excitement.
“Captain Remy, have you forgotten His Majesty’s orders?”
“Hehe, of course not. However, the Syndicate managed to get the King to leave his throne. Aren’t you curious to know why?”
“What? You mean… the person who spoke just now was… that King?” Isaiya’s eyes widened in shock following Remy’s words.
“Hehe… The real show has just begun. We should leave quickly. It wouldn’t be good to miss the exciting part.” Remy said with a smile, deliberately or not glancing at Zhang Wen nearby.
“Yes, Captain.” Isaiya followed Remy’s gaze, casting a cold glance at Zhang Wen and the others. “It’s dangerous here, as you’ve all seen. If you value your lives, leave quickly. Forget about the survival competition. With such an incident happening in Casares, there’s absolutely no way the princess can enter Almace Academy anymore.”
“…What did you say?”
“What are you talking about?!” Finally, Isaiya’s cold declaration caused the female students, who had been terrified all night, to erupt.
“You mean that all the risks we took to participate in this survival competition were completely meaningless?” Amelie, her beautiful face flushed with anger, was the first to speak. “You people, since you happened to appear here so conveniently, didn’t you already know that the Syndicate’s assassins would show up? If the princess was never going to stay in Casares, you should have told us earlier! If you needed us to act as bait to draw out the Syndicate, that would have been fine too! When Casares people sacrifice themselves for their country, we’ve never had any cowards! But what do you think you’re doing now? Do you take us all for gullible cowards?”
“…”
Amelie’s passionate challenge left Isaiya speechless. She silently looked at the young beauty, whose chest was heaving with emotion, and for the first time, a rare hint of embarrassment appeared on her icy face.
Indeed, Amelie was absolutely right. Before this survival competition even began, Princess Sophia’s fate had already been decided. Casares simply didn’t have the qualifications to accept the eldest princess.
Although the one who made this decision wasn’t Isaiya or Remy themselves, but rather Murat, the Hawk Captain who came with them, Remy ultimately acquiesced to Murat’s judgment. Moreover, the decision to hide the truth from Governor Temiso and Almace Academy afterward was undoubtedly made by Remy and Isaiya themselves.
“That’s right. If you think that way, then your participation in this survival competition really is meaningless.” Remy suddenly appeared beside Isaiya, chuckling with his chilling voice.
“What?” Amelie and the other two girls clenched their fists tightly. If they hadn’t just witnessed Remy’s terrifying power, they might have already rushed forward to punch him.
“Hehe, haven’t I made myself clear enough? If it weren’t for Princess Sophia’s enrollment, would you have even participated in this survival competition? The students of Almace Academy are truly no better than this. Your participation in this survival competition is indeed a meaningless waste of energy. As for deception… Before you question others for the truth, you’d better first consider whether you have the qualifications to know the truth.”
Remy completely ignored the girls’ anger. Without even turning his body, he merely half-turned his head to address the girls before disappearing into the forest with Isaiya.
“Captain, thank you.” Once the Almace Academy group was out of sight, Isaiya immediately thanked Remy.
“Hmm? Why are you thanking me?” Even while asking, Remy’s facial expression remained unchanged.
“Thank you for helping me just now. Those girls are students from Almace Academy, closely connected to Casares nobility. Given the Casares people’s unity and xenophobia, if they spread your words back to Almace Academy, it might be very detrimental to your future.” Isaiya also showed a barely perceptible hint of concern.
“Hehe… What does it matter? How could I possibly watch my dear Isaiya struggle while worrying about my own future?”
“Captain Remy, please don’t say such ambiguous things.” Isaiya’s concern instantly vanished, replaced by icy seriousness on her face.
“What a completely unlovable subordinate.” Remy shrugged his shoulders in boredom.
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