The next day dawned early, and Mr. F awoke before the sun fully broke the horizon. There was much to do before he left the city, and he intended to take care of every last detail. One of his priorities was to inform Tem of his imminent departure. He made his way through the quiet streets of the city, where the new towering tree now dominated the marketplace.

As he approached a modest-sized church near the marketplace, its once-proud aura now faded, he could see the signs of neglect. It was no surprise; the local priest was dead—by Mr. F's own hand—and many of the church's followers had perished during the battle to defend the city.

Stepping inside, the emptiness of the church echoed. The silence was almost eerie, the air heavy with the absence of the faithful. Tem emerged from a back room, her expression lighting up slightly when she recognized Mr. F. She quickly approached and bowed deeply, her voice respectful.

"What can I do for you, Master?"

Mr. F noticed the bow and frowned slightly. "In the future, I ask that you refrain from calling me 'Master,' especially when we are in public. It could lead to unwanted complications if we're seen.

The plans have changed. I will be leaving for the capital today to settle there for the next few years. I'll be working with the Silverblade family."

Tem straightened, her face neutral as she listened intently.

"Your task," Mr. F continued, "is to remain here until a new priest is sent by the church to take over. Maintain your rank 5 strength, so they won't consider promoting you to the priestess of this city. Once the new priest is appointed, you are to file for reassignment to the capital. Blend into the situation there and await further orders. When I need you, I—or someone else—will contact you."

Tem nodded without hesitation. "As you wish."

With that, Mr. F turned and left the church, walking at a leisurely pace toward Emma's estate. The journey took him about half an hour, but he wasn't in any particular rush. The streets were still relatively empty, and the cool morning air carried the smell of dew and earth. It gave him time to think about what lay ahead in the capital.

When Mr. F arrived at the estate, he saw a figure standing outside, surrounded by several large trunks. As he approached, the figure quickly stowed the luggage into a spatial pouch and turned to greet him.

"Good morning, Master," Betty said, her voice still thick with sleep.

Mr. F offered her a small smile. "Good morning, Betty."

He glanced around, noticing that something—or rather someone—was missing. "Have you seen Albert?" he asked.

Betty stifled a yawn. "When I passed by his room this morning, it was already cleared out. He should have been here by now."

Mr. F furrowed his brow. Something felt off. Albert had left earlier than Betty, so it didn't make sense that he wasn't already here. Even if he had decided not to join them, why would he have cleared out his room entirely?

Half an hour passed, and still no sign of Albert. Gustav emerged from the estate, greeting Mr. F with his usual air of authority.

"Good morning. Are you ready to depart?" Gustav asked.

Mr. F hesitated, his instincts on high alert. "Something's wrong," he said, his voice low and serious. "Albert should have been here by now. I need to check on something."

Gustav's face tightened, sensing the gravity of the situation. "Should I come with you?"

Mr. F shook his head. "No, I can handle this alone. But there is something you can do for me."

Within moments, Mr. F mounted Gustav's griffin, soaring swiftly toward the laboratorium. Once there, he immediately used his magic to survey the area around Albert's room. As expected, the room was empty, but more concerning was the complete absence of any trace of Albert himself. There was no indication of where he had gone.

Not satisfied, Mr. F cast a spell: "Spectral Steps." Instantly, ghostly footprints appeared, revealing the path Albert had taken. Mr. F followed the glowing trail, which led him out of the laboratorium and through the city streets. The footsteps eventually ended in a small, shadowy alley, not far from their original meeting point.

His eyes narrowed. This was no ordinary disappearance. Someone had taken Albert. He scanned the alley carefully and spotted something glinting in the dim light. A note was pinned to the wall with a dagger.

"Predictable," Mr. F muttered under his breath as he snatched the note from the wall and read it. The message was short and direct—the kidnapper claimed to know Mr. F's secret and demanded that he come alone to the north if he wanted Albert to live.

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Fury ignited in Mr. F's chest as he crumpled the note in his hand and set it ablaze with a flick of his magic. Whoever this fool was, they had made a grave mistake.

Turning to the griffin, he spoke softly but firmly. "Go back to your master. Tell him to follow me from a distance as I head north."

With a powerful leap, Mr. F propelled himself across the city rooftops, his magic fueling each bound until he reached the outskirts and vaulted over the city walls. From his vantage point, he could see a thin trail of smoke rising from the forest to the north. Without hesitation, he sped toward the source, his mind racing with possibilities.

Whoever had taken Albert had better be ready for what was coming. Mr. F's patience had worn thin, and he was in no mood for games. As he hurtled toward the distant smoke, a storm of fury built within him. He had already decided—whoever was responsible for this would pay dearly.

…

In the dense northern forest outside the city, a group of men lay in wait, hidden behind trees and boulders. At the center of their trap was Albert, unconscious and tightly bound on the ground. Even if he had been awake, there would have been nothing he could do.

"Everything is ready, sir," one of the men said quietly.

"Good," replied Levi von Daplumsebecken, his voice cold and steady. Levi had spent considerable time researching Mr. F, eventually discovering the true identity of the man he sought. His findings revealed that Mr. F was merely an alchemist, employed as an outside worker by the Silverblade family just weeks ago.

This was perfect for Levi, as it meant there was no strong bond between Mr. F and his employers. When Levi heard that Mr. F was planning to leave the city, he saw it as his last opportunity to exact revenge.

Any consequences could be dealt with later. Once Mr. F was dead, Levi would erase all evidence and dispose of Albert as well. If anyone from the Silverblade family traced the events back to him, Levi would simply pay them off. After all, in a world like this, loyalty was scarce, and money was king.

The Silverblades, not being fools, would surely value good relations with his family more than avenging a dead old man and his student.

In Levi's mind, this was harsh but undeniable reality. Everyone seeks the greatest benefit for themselves, and for Levi, that benefit was revenge against the one who had disgraced his family.

Suddenly, a scout's whistle—a sound mimicking a bird—pierced the quiet of the forest. It was a signal. Levi smirked and turned his gaze upward. In the next instant, Mr. F descended from the sky, landing softly beside Albert. He knelt to check his pulse, breathing a sigh of relief when he confirmed that the boy was still alive.

"Good thing I came looking for him," Mr. F muttered under his breath, taking a brief moment to compose himself.

Suddenly a massive dome of dark energy, spanning over 100 meters, erupted from Mr. F's position, enveloping both him and Albert. The barrier shimmered in a violet-black hue, allowing sunlight to filter in but obscuring any view from the outside.

From behind the trees and rocks, Levi's men emerged, their eyes fixed on the center of the dome.Mr. F could sense their magical energies—three rank 6 magicians and several rank 5 ones.

Among them were two rank 2 magicians Mr. F recognized from the city's defense. One of them could conjure storm clouds that fire bolts of lightning from the sky. The other was a meteor summoner, known for his explosive attacks.

Levi stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with malice. Mr. F immediately recognized him as the man he had swindled in the past.

"How does it feel to be at the mercy of someone more powerful?" Levi sneered. "Did you really think you could leave the city without paying for disgracing my family?"

Mr. F stared at him with an expressionless face, offering no response. He saw no point in indulging Levi's need for validation.

Levi's smirk faltered, anger flaring in his eyes at Mr. F's indifference. "You've made a grave mistake coming here," he spat, signaling his men to prepare for battle.

But Mr. F remained calm. "No," he said quietly. "The mistake was yours, rambling on like a fool instead of paying attention."

Before the words had fully left his mouth, Levi and his men felt the surge of magic in the air around them, but by then, it was too late.

The trees surrounding them came alive, their roots and branches shooting out like spears, impaling several of Levi's rank 5 magicians before they could even react. At the same moment, the lightning and meteor attacks were intercepted by thick, gnarled vines erupting from the ground, deflecting the magic with ease. Levi watched in horror as the lower-ranked magicians were crushed or skewered by the animated trees.

"He's using a spell of this magnitude?" Levi hissed through gritted teeth. "His magical reserves must be nearly depleted! Kill him now!" he barked, unsheathing a sword that began glowing with an ominous red light, powered by his own seething rage.

Levi charged at Mr. F with all his might, while the two rank 6 magicians fought off the vines, giving Levi cover. Mr. F's arms, now encased in protective vines, intercepted Levi's first strike, blocking the blade with his bare hands. Levi swung again, and Mr. F batted the sword into the air with a powerful right hook.

But Levi wasn't done. With lightning speed, he pulled a dagger from his belt and lunged toward Mr. F's chest. Levi's eyes gleamed with the anticipation of seeing the blade pierce Mr. F's heart, but at the last moment, thick vines coiled around Mr. F's torso, catching the dagger before it could strike.

Levi was forced to retreat as the vines lashed out at him, whipping through the air with deadly precision. One of his magicians called out to him, panic creeping into his voice. "Master Levi, we should retreat! We can't win this fight!"

Levi's fury had reached its peak, but he knew the magician was right. They were at a disadvantage, and continuing the fight would mean certain death.

With a snarl, Levi pulled out an artifact from his cloak, channeling his magic into it. The barrier around them dissipated, and all three surviving attackers scattered in different directions.

In a final act of spite, Levi hurled a dagger toward Albert's unconscious body, hoping to take one last life before fleeing. But Mr. F was faster, and a thick root shot up from the ground, intercepting the dagger mere inches from Albert's chest.

As much as Mr. F wanted to chase them down, his magical reserves were nearly drained. If the battle had continued even five minutes longer, it would have been his body lying lifeless on the ground.

He looked down at Albert, still unconscious but safe, and took a deep breath. The fight wasn't over, but for now, they had survived.