Falyn Elway's P.O.V.

As we watched Renz disappear into the snowy forest and descend down the mountain, I motioned for my team to remain silent. From a distance, it seemed like Renz and his team had adopted the same strategy as us.

Hanz had ultimately made the right decision. His team still had time to recover and a chance at obtaining the shard. Their success depended on how quickly they could replenish their mana.

"Shouldn't we chase after them?" Lily questioned, her voice filled with urgency.

"We will," I replied calmly. "But we need to give them a little head start. If we make it too obvious that we're trailing them, it defeats the purpose. Fortunately, I've memorized Renz's mana signature, so catching up won't be a problem."

A sense of nostalgia ran through me a few minutes later as we began stealthily following Renz's team. Being a spy in my past life, I had done this a thousand times.

Ignoring my thoughts, my focus went back to my targets. Renz and his team didn't stop moving. They kept taking intricate turns, random left and rights as if they were going somewhere in particular.

Soon, I came to realize it was just as I expected. Renz's team came to a halt, and three more people appeared out of the snowy shadows.

"I saw," Renz laughed, pulling something out of his pocket. "And what about the other one?"

The caster bit his lip, his expression betraying a hint of concern. "We weren't able to locate them, but I believe you receiving the shard should satisfy you enough."

Renz licked his lips and tossed the caster a small sack of coins. "You got lucky that Hanz's team stumbled upon the Drowl. But no matter. We have what we came for."

Listening to their conversation, I pieced together that Renz had orchestrated this entire encounter with Hanz's team as a means to exhaust them. It seemed that capturing the shard was not his only objective. There was a secondary motive at play, and it involved another target they had failed to locate. The target that is most likely me.

“Stay here you two,” I said. “I’m going to draw in closer. If you don’t see spell fire, stay put. But if you do, come to my aid.”

They both shook their heads, and I turned my attention back to the scene.

As the team dispersed into the shadows, I seized the opportunity to draw closer, carefully navigating the snowy terrain to stay hidden. Moving with utmost caution, I narrowed the distance between us, making sure to remain undetected. The forest grew denser as I approached, its silence broken only by the sound of my own steady breaths.

Finally, I reached a vantage point where I could observe Renz and his remaining team members from a safe distance. They seemed relaxed, their guard momentarily down. It was the perfect opportunity to strike.

Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I prepared myself for what lay ahead. This was the moment I had been waiting for, the chance to face Renz and his team head-on.

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I knew they were strong enough to at least give me a little trouble. I also wanted the chance to fight against high-elemental mages, which had been a rare sight before I entered the school.

Now, should I hit him with a sneak attack, or...

No, let's keep it fair.

With calculated precision, I stepped out from my hiding place and made my presence known. The sound of my footsteps reverberated through the silent forest, catching Renz's attention. His eyes widened in surprise as he turned to face me, his team quickly assuming defensive stances.

"Renz," I called out, my voice steady and commanding. "The time for games is over. Hand over the shard, and we may spare you further trouble."

I tried my hardest to sound like the hero of some light novel, and my laugh almost slipped.

I’m never doing that shit again.

Renz's expression hardened, a glint of defiance in his eyes. "You think you can just waltz in here and take what's rightfully ours? You underestimate us, Falyn Elway. Prepare to face the consequences of your arrogance."

Renz raised his arm, and a surge of cold energy began to compact itself. An energy I was all too familiar with.

Utilizing my speed, I shadow-stepped forward and arrived not even a hairbreadth away, landing my mana-infused fist directly in his gut.

I saw Leiah, who was standing beside him, eyes widened in shock at my speed, and their other teammate, one I had yet to learn the name of, stumbled back in surprise, falling on his butt.

As Renz's body recoiled from the impact of my blow, a mix of shock and pain registered on his face. The force behind my strike had caught him off guard, momentarily leaving him vulnerable. I took advantage of the situation, swiftly transitioning into a defensive stance.

Leiah didn't hesitate. Mana surged through her as sand began erupting from the ground, whipping and lashing at me. I ducked and dodged every single one precisely, occasionally conjuring an ice wall for defense.

After Leiah’s onslaught, it didn't take long for my other two teammates to arrive.

As Leiah's onslaught of sand and earth continued, I swiftly maneuvered, evading her attacks with a combination of agility and well-timed defensive maneuvers. The ground beneath me shook with the force of her magic, but I remained steadfast.

Within moments, my teammates arrived at my side, their presence bolstering our collective strength. Lily, our skilled archer, took up a strategic position, ready to provide long-range support, accompanied by Lina, who was using her long-range casting.

As Leiah redirected her focus towards the rest of my team, I seized the opportunity to launch a counterattack. Channeling my mana, I unleashed a series of lightning-quick strikes aimed at exploiting any opening in Leiah's defenses.

I had yet to use magic in this encounter, not seeing a reason to, but to my surprise, Renz’s third teammate sent a barrage of light orbs at me with blinding speed. Having barely any time to react, I cast the only spell I could to dodge light magic with efficiency.

“[Dark Negate]” I yelled, and blackness began swirling around me, devouring every piece of light it encountered.

Renz’s teammate's eyes widened in shock.

“Kaden! Halt!” Renz yelled as he regained himself. “He’s mine.”

His attention whipped back toward me. “So, you can use dark magic as well as ice?” He said as he spat on the ground. “It seems I've severely underestimated you, Falyn Elway."

Renz's words hung in the cold winter air, his gaze filled with a mixture of surprise and disdain. The battle had taken an unexpected turn, revealing a side of me that he had not anticipated. I could feel the weight of his scrutiny, his mind racing to reassess the situation.

With each passing second, the tension between us grew, the forest holding its breath as if aware of the impending clash. Shadows danced around us, the remnants of my dark magic still lingering in the air, a stark contrast to the icy landscape.

I couldn't help but smirk in response to Renz's provocation. "You should never underestimate your opponents, Renz. It tends to be a fatal mistake."

As I readied myself for the next phase of the battle, a gust of wind blew through the trees, carrying with it a sense of foreboding. It was as if the very elements were anticipating the clash between Renz and me, aware of the stakes at hand.