"What did you say?!"
*Bang*
Inside the HoundGuards' Ironwood division's executive office, a middle-aged man with a few strands of white hair and a burly physique, his face covered in scars, violently slammed his fist, adorned with gemstone rings, onto the desk.
His action was so forceful that it frightened the already terrified female secretary in front of him, causing her to shrink back, fearful of getting ink from the overturned ink bottle on her clothes. The uniform of the HoundGuards was considered public property, and she, coming from a humble background, could ill afford to replace it.
"Yes, Vice-Captain Kenneth, the entire third execution squad, including your nephew Karl, has been incapacitated, with two members severely injured... If not for the emergency wound-sealing function of the new uniforms' fibres, they might have already..." The secretary's voice was as faint as a mosquito's.
"I didn't ask you to repeat that nonsense!" Vice-Captain Kenneth's fury intensified, seemingly enough to ignite the entire room.
"I asked you why! Three fully equipped First-Ringed mages! Including an experienced old Geomancer. I even went out of my way to equip them all with the latest synthetic Amplification Artifacts! How could they possibly be beaten to a pulp in just one morning, without even managing to send a distress signal?"
The secretary hurriedly lowered her head, daring only to answer in a trembling voice, "We found the Amplification Artifact they used, the ring you provided..."
"Then what in the world did they encounter? Why isn't it clearly stated in the report?!" Kenneth slammed the desk again, but this time there was nothing left for him to overturn.
"Well..." The secretary adjusted her glasses, somewhat hesitantly, "According to the local residents, it was a Nivian boy who took over a clinic. We thought it unlikely, especially since the clinic's doctor denied any hostage situation..."
"Then just find any witness to send him straight to the gallows! Don't you think I don't know about the times you and those boys ganged up on Nivian people to make them scapegoats for several cases. How come you can't wrap your head around this now?!" Kenneth interrupted her, his furious tirade continuing.
"The execution must be made a spectacle! Let everyone know that Ironwood is still ruled by the HoundGuards! Otherwise, those damned merchants will start their whining about taxes again..."
The secretary could only nod stiffly, "Understood."
Kenneth's brow, nearly fused into a single line from constant anger, furrowed further. For him, the priority was to maintain the image and reputation of the HoundGuards, ensure a high case-solving rate, and solidify his current position, especially now, with the Captain and the Baron away from Ironwood and rumors beginning to spread.
After all, executing a suspect without citizenship didn't require a solid chain of evidence to pass through the civilian court process; any random person's accusation would suffice. As for that Nivian boy? Surely, he must have done something thievish before, so executing him wouldn't be completely unjust, would it?
"How's the progress on investigating the real culprit?" he asked impatiently.
"Well... The two severely injured members are still unconscious, and Squad Member Karl insists he didn't see the attacker's face clearly, so we only have the results of the scene investigation." The secretary explained, "Due to the heavy rain, the only reliable evidence left was some charred white hair. We're preliminarily suspecting a Nivian mage not registered with the guilds, likely a member of the White Wolf gang, estimated to be a First-Ringed with eight stars, whose attack power could be considered on par with a peak ten-star First-Ringed."
"An attack specialization? Hmph, no matter how powerful, still just a First-Ringed. Are there any Second-Ringed mages available near Ironwood?"
"Rex is surveying the movements of the beast herds, while Joanna is confirming the activity of the Dragon Nest Volcano." After pulling out two detailed sortie reports from the documents cradled in her arms and placing them on the desk, the secretary quickly retreated to create some distance, "You're the only Second-Ringed mage left in Ironwood, Vice Captain."
"Ugh... A bunch of low-efficiency brats." Kenneth, impatiently pinching his slackened forehead due to age, said, "Fine, leave the personnel deployment and equipment to you. Gather all those experts in covert operations, outfit them with uniforms with inner armor and Artifacts."
"Understood. And... What about you, Vice Captain?"
"I'll head out first. Have them follow the coordinates of my uniform for reinforcement." As Kenneth spoke, a tangerine glow blossomed from his calloused hand, "It's been a while since this old thing has been on the front line. I ought to kill something for some fun... and a bit of practice."
Half a breath later, the tangerine light formed a circular structure. Unlike those of novice mages, it was two concentric circles of more contained light, but the energy fluctuations within were incomparably more intense, with four Magestars inscribed on its outer circle.
A Second-Ringed Pyromancer with four Magestars, a rank that qualifies one to follow the empire's main forces on expeditions. Not to mention when such capability belongs to a seasoned veteran, weathered by wars. Regardless of how power and desire have corroded him, his strength is not to be underestimated.
"Oh, speaking of which, what about Karl? Wasn't he said to have the lightest injury? Why is he nowhere to be seen?"
Just as the secretary was quickly finishing up the paperwork and about to leave, Kenneth suddenly remembered this detail. His nephew, who would always boast about his achievements on any normal day, was unusually quiet today, having disappeared without even a greeting.
"Your nephew? His right hand has become paralyzed. The stationed physician with said they couldn't cure him, so he went to seek treatment from old Doctor Randall in the commercial street." The secretary flipped through a stack of documents to pull out the medical report issued by the HoundGuards' physician, checking the time on it, "Strange, by this time, he should have returned..."
-Break-
Beneath the eaves in the backyard of Rosaline's clinic, Julius sat cross-legged with his eyes slightly closed, his consciousness diving deep into his own body like a diver plunging into the sea.
*Inhale—Exhale—*
The long and steady breaths repeated, each interval varying in length but revealing an inexplicable sense of rhythm. Meanwhile, with these peculiar breaths, his exhausted body swiftly regained strength. The burns on his skin from fireballs quickly scabbed over, regenerated, and then fell away, revealing new skin underneath.
"He——————"
After all the burnt areas healed, leaving only a layer of slightly pale scar tissue, Julius exhaled a final breath mixed with the impurities from within his body and opened his eyes.
The methods of Breathing Exercises and meditation still apply. It seems the human respiratory system in this world is not much different from the my previous world.
Using a special breathing technique combined with mental focus to enhance one's physical and mental regenerative abilities is fundamental for cultivators with a sect lineage. Although its healing effect is almost negligible for cultivators who have formed their Golden Core, it can still serve to ward off inner demons during cultivation.
Emerging from the meditative state, Julius felt his senses sharpened, allowing him to pick up the slight disturbances on the streets, with a wealth of information flooding into his mind.
HoundGuards have already dealt with those three and imposed some information lockdown. Efficient enough.
Leaving aside the other two severely injured, Pyromancer Karl would probably awaken soon with the help of healing magic—of course, his right hand could not be healed.
The last vestige of Unmatched Sword Intent extracted from that broken sword had "severed" all sensations in his right hand. Unless someone with a powerful will of a similar caliber undoes it, no one else can.
And if someone were to delve into the wound with spells in an attempt to forcibly heal the severance caused by the Unmatched Sword Intent—
*Shing—*
"Hm?"
At that moment, a faint sound carrying a specific sensation reached Julius from afar, drawing his attention.
It was an echo from the Unmatched Sword Intent, its "Severance" power had been unleashed.
"Ah, I was hoping my prediction would be wrong..." Julius sighed, shaking his head, "Nature is hard to change."
*Scream—*
Screams arose in the distance, followed by the bustling discussions of neighbors spreading from the source of the screams, reaching Julius's ears.
"What's going on? What happened?"
"It's the clinic! Something happened at old Rand's clinic!"
"A HoundGuard was cut in half right at the clinic's entrance! Blood and guts splattered everywhere!"
The sliver of Unmatched Sword Intent that had pierced into the wound would cause this outcome if someone tried to touch it with healing spells—the severance power would spread throughout the body, splitting it in half.
Although Julius knew Karl was unlikely to turn over a new leaf, he still chose to give him a chance. Unfortunately, it was Karl himself who failed to seize this opportunity.
The principle of eradicating evil is something Julius clearly understands. Yet, he still hoped for a slim possibility beyond his expectations, a chance for these irredeemable individuals to turn towards good—although, the end result is almost always their refusal to repent, followed by their ultimate elimination by him.
Withdrawing his attention from the street rumors, Julius began to reassess his first battle in this world.
Despite the three HoundGuards' unawareness, there were three, or at least three, instances where he could have been defeated.
The first was if the trio's attack spells had arrived simultaneously, Julius might not have been able to deflect them all, leading to injuries that could put him at a disadvantage in the subsequent fight.
The second was when the trio used those strange rings called "Artifacts." If the two other than Pyromancer had not opted to observe and probe but had attacked together, it would have certainly caused some damage to Julius's fragile body.
The third was in that alleyway, where Julius's physical strength was nearly at its limit. If there had been one more enemy or if reinforcements had arrived, he would have had to retreat.
Not knowing the enemy's movements, not understanding the magic of this world, having a too fragile body—excuses like these can be made by anyone, but insufficiency is insufficiency. Julius does not feel ashamed of this. Learning and growing from it is what matters most.
As for the gains from this victory, they were quite substantial.
At the moment, two items lay beside Julius, both war trophies from Karl, who had just been split in two: a HoundGuards elite's sword and the Artifact ring that had been used earlier.
The black and red HoundGuards uniform also piqued Julius's interest, but he could distinctly feel a sort of thread-like energy flowing in a certain direction from it, probably some tracking spell, so he did not take it.
Picking up the sword, it was evident even from its sheath, presumably made from the leather of some large animal, that this sword was not of the same class as those of the other two HoundGuards. It likely came from that man's connections with high-ranking relatives.
*Shing*
Gripping the hilt and drawing the sword, the weapon that symbolized the elite status of city security unveiled its exquisite sharpness.
image [https://img2.imgtp.com/2024/04/09/XhDh2L8u.webp]
Forged from fine steel, double-edged, and slightly longer than Julius's arm, the elegant ruby embedded in the central groove of the blade, the well-maintained and polished metal surface, and the beautifully carved HoundGuards emblem along with the dazzling etchings—if viewed by the average person, this sword would undoubtedly be considered a costly and coveted fine weapon.
Yet, Julius's eyes betrayed an unmistakable disappointment, and the slight interest he had initially felt was instantly doused.
The reason was simple: it was too ostentatious.
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Useless decorations, cumbersome balance, and an overly sharpened edge that compromised durability—such traits rendered it unfit to be called a sword; it was essentially a pretty toy, a piece of craftsmanship.
However, this was merely a minor inconvenience; with time and the right tools, Julius could modify it to be more suitable and practical, reducing his disappointment.
What truly caused his disdain was the Karma imbued within the blade.
Vanity, arrogance, deceit, corruption, greed—these were the only qualities found in the sword's Karma. Merely probing its consciousness made Julius feel sick.
From its forger to its wielders, the sword had been passed through many hands without ever being given a proper name, never infused with genuine affection, nor used in a true and honourable battle.
The only things it had been stained with were the blood of the weak, the tears of the innocent, and the dense corruption of decay.
In comparison,the broken sword named "White Slash," which Julius had used to refine his Unmatched Sword Intent, was like a loyal guard who had served its master with utmost devotion, exhausting itself until death. Dr. Rosaline's rapier, on the other hand, was like a stoic old general whose edges had been smoothed by countless battles, yet it remained experienced and lethal.
And this sword? It was akin to a maggot feasting on the corpse of a decaying city, destined to transform into a fly that spreads disease.
I had intended to extract the Unmatched Sword Intent from it, but it seems impossible now.
Unmatched Sword Intent, being the purest will of the sword, could only be distilled from positive intentions and karma. Extracting anything from such twisted karma would result only in something else—something Julius would resort to only as a last resort.
Sheathing the sword, Julius picked up a ring, known as an "Artifact," which was a silver ring set with a synthetic, multicolored spherical gem.
Unlike the rings of other two HoundGuards, this one didn't lose all its energy upon use; instead, the gem's brilliance dimmed, and several delicate, tentacle-like mechanisms extended, continuously drawing energy from the surrounding air.
Based on the previous battle, the ring's ability seems to temporarily elevate the user's rank to the level of a First-Ringed mage with six stars, similar in effect to some of the enhancement Treasures Julius encountered in his past life, though whether there are any side effects remains to be seen.
Judging by the gem's recovery, it would be a few hours before it could be used again, though it was uncertain if it would work for Julius, who was unfamiliar with the magic of this world.
Yet, more important than these acquisitions was Julius's burgeoning understanding of the magic of this world.
This omnipresent, intricate, and mutually neutralizing collection of energies in the air, maintaining an inert state, must be what they refer to as 'mana.'
The essence of these energies likely corresponds to different elements, and their mutual neutralization renders the mana inert.
Elemental mages, at least the lower-tier ones, seem to activate this inert mana from within themselves and the surrounding air, converting it into the energy of a single element, then mimicking a phenomenon related to that element to cast their spells.
For someone like Julius, who had once pursued immortality through cultivation, these magical concepts were not entirely foreign.
It was said that in the distant primordial times of HongHuang, the Great Floods, most of the cultivators did not train their bodies but used the surging primordial forces in the air to cast spells. However, such individuals could not go far on the path of cultivation, either hitting a bottleneck and giving up or dying weak under heavenly tribulations.
It's possible that this method is merely a beginner's technique, given that I have only battled First-Ringed mages so far.
From the neighborhood rumors, Julius also had a rough understanding of the world's mage hierarchy.
The colored halos summoned by mages during spellcasting, officially known as "Arcane Rings," signify the rank of a mage's power. Possessing one Arcane Ring denotes a First-Ringed mage, two signifies a Second-Ringed mage, and so on.
The star-shaped patterns inscribed on the Arcane Rings, called "Magestar," directly represent the amount of energy they can summon, ranging from 0 to 10 stars. A 0-star is a novice at their rank, while a 10-star is at the pinnacle. Advancing further means condensing a new Arcane Ring from ten Magestars, achieving a breakthrough in rank.
From this perspective, the growth of mages in this world seems somewhat similar to the path of cultivation, with quantitative changes in energy leading to a qualitative change in rank.
Yet, this gives rise to the most crucial question of all.
What is the ultimate goal of a mage's growth? This Mana Cultivation?
For cultivators, the end goal was to ascend to immortality, then to sovereign, and finally to ascend to the higher realms—yet this is merely a deception.
The supreme beings lurking in the realm of the end orchestrated complex schemes, luring countless individuals onto the path of cultivation, only to consume them or turn them into one of their own, perpetuating a million-year deception.
Despite never hearing rumors of ascension, eternal life, or godhood in this world, Julius dared not be careless.
Even at the peak of his powers as a Sword Sovereign, he had been defeated by that unspeakable abomination, not to mention his current, ant-like new body.
I must enhance my strength as soon as possible. The cultivation methods of the past, the magical techniques of this world, I must employ them to their fullest extent.
For most people aspiring to embark on the path of a mage, it is essential to participate in the Empire's triennial magical aptitude test, open to the general public. This test not only activates one's internal mana circuits but also reveals their elemental affinity and talent level.
The latest round of magical aptitude testing is scheduled to take place in the bustling market district in just eleven days. Anyone, regardless of their status and as long as their age falls within the specified range, is eligible to participate.
Julius is not one to seek quick success. For him, understanding his own level of talent before making plans to study magic is the prudent approach. The priority remains to enhance his physical capabilities using the Body Tempering methods known to cultivators, ensuring he at least possesses the strength to confront a peak-level First-Ringed mage head-on.
*Squeak—*
Just as Julius's expression grew solemn, intending to immerse his consciousness within his body again to strengthen it through meditation, the clinic's back door opened.
"All done, her treatment is complete."
Rosaline poked her head out, looking at Julius, who was sitting on the ground in a strange posture, playing with a HoundGuards' ring and a sword, unsure of what expression to make.
Despite appearing as a frail young boy, this individual had nonchalantly taken on multiple members of the HoundGuards single-handedly, without even resorting to offensive magic!
Who could he be? A self-awakened mage? The wandering son of a powerful figure? Or perhaps one of the Chosen, a group that hadn’t seen new members in over a decade? Rosaline’s mind teemed with questions.
"I apologize for the trouble," Julius said, while scanning Lucia's body with his consciousness wave. He added, "I'm afraid I cannot pay for my sister's treatment at the moment and will have to owe you."
Lucia had fully recovered under Rosaline’s dedicated care and still lay in the treatment room bed, basking in the rare tranquility of restful sleep and luxurious bedding. Given the debt of borrowing the sword and the favor of concealing Lucia's whereabouts from the Houndguards, Julius knew that a mere thank you was insufficient to repay Rosaline’s kindness.
"Don't mention it. I didn't become a doctor for the money..." Rosaline smiled and shook her head, her gaze drifting between Julius and the rapier propped against the corner of the room, seemingly lost in thought.
"It seems you're curious about the battle earlier," Julius, familiar with such a gaze, stated plainly.
"Was I that obvious? My apologies, I didn't mean to pry into your magic..."
In this world, the circulation of knowledge, especially knowledge related to magic, is often monopolized by the elite. Thus, for mages, attempting to unearth the magical secrets of an unfamiliar individual outside of academies is considered impolite, and in some contexts, even a provocation that could lead to conflict.
There was once an incident where a young diplomat inadvertently exposed the magical secrets of his opponent—a prince from a neighboring country—during a diplomatic duel, leading to escalating tensions and eventually, a war.
Yet for Julius, a former Sword Sovereign who had taught many students, such inquisitive looks were all too familiar, and he was always willing to share his techniques. Whether the students could learn them, however, was another matter.
"You have shown me kindness, so if you wish to know, I shall not hide it," Julius began. "As for them not being able to see me, it wasn't magic, but rather a trick achieved through a combination of swordsmanship and movement."
"A trick?"
Rosaline meticulously recalled the scene she witnessed through the treatment room window while tending to Lucia: the three members of the HoundGuards, standing back to back, scanning the surroundings, yet seemingly completely oblivious to Julius as he approached them with strange, shifting strides, effortlessly breaking through their defenses without them putting up any fight.
Even through the poorly crafted, somewhat murky glass window, she could clearly see Julius moving fluidly with his sword in the rain. Why then did those three HoundGuards seem as though they were blind to his presence?
"Not convincing enough, right?" Julius guessed.
"Yes... To conceal senses, I can only think of magic related to Umbramancer’s shadow arts," Rosaline pondered, yet found no solution.
"Perhaps a demonstration would make it clearer. I shall borrow the sword once more." Julius clipped the HoundGuards' sword to his waist and entered the clinic, picking up the rapier again. Then, opening the clinic's front door, he stepped into the pouring rain outside, again.
Although puzzled, Rosaline, intrigued by Julius's confident tone, decided to follow and watch closely.
*Tap, tap, tap*
On the cobblestone path outside the clinic, Julius lightly hopped, feeling the raindrops strike his entire body, while continuing to explain to Rosaline.
"Human vision is not all-encompassing; even when focusing on an enemy, blind spots still exist. Usually, as long as both eyes are unimpaired and attention is concentrated, supplemented by hearing and a sense of killing intent, one should not lose track of their target."
As his sensitivity to the rain increased, his jumps began to seem more ethereal, his body rhythmically vibrating with the wind and rain, though the sound of his movements grew fainter.
"But in a torrential downpour, that's a different story."
Rosaline quickly arrived at an incredible conclusion: it wasn't that the sound of his jumps had diminished, but rather, they were becoming indistinguishable from the sound of rain hitting the ground!
The next moment, to Rosaline's astonishment, Julius's figure seemed to vanish entirely!
"In the midst of a storm, other senses become dull, leading to an over-reliance on sight. Once visual feedback is absent, and the sound is indiscernible, one instinctively assumes nothing is around them."
Julius's voice, blending with the rain, reached Rosaline's ears.
"Hence, this part is merely a clever trick."
His figure reappeared, the rapier already positioned in a stance, aimed downward at the cobblestone, ready to strike.
*Whoosh*
In the next instant, a ring of sword shadows flickered, lightly grazing the cobblestone as if causing no harm.
Yet, when Rosaline took a closer look, she noticed the pathway was suddenly riddled with dense holes resembling raindrops, from which wisps of steam were emerging!
"This, then, is the 'Dao' a swordsman dedicates his life to mastering," Julius ceased his mystical steps, turning to face Rosaline. "The core of this sword art, Opaline Drizzle style."
Silenced, Rosaline was filled with disbelief, yet had to accept his explanation, thereby piecing together the full scope of the battle she had glimpsed.
Julius alone, predicting the visual blind spots of three enemies, mimicking the sound of a heavy rain with his ingenious steps, and launching attacks like raindrops with his sword, began taking down the most challenging opponents one by one, ultimately defeating three mages of the HoundGuards without using any mana, relying solely on his mortal prowess.
"The creator of this technique, nameless and titleless, was known to the world as the Rain Chaser Hermit,"Julius sighed softly at the thought.
The Rain Chaser Hermit, who lost his family at a young age and wandered the world without any talent for cultivation, devoted himself to swordsmanship, dancing in the rain day after day.
Despite mastering such an exquisite skill that seemed magical to ordinary people, he was never satisfied and continually sought improvement.
"Alas, his mortal body had a limited lifespan, and by the time we met, his temples were already streaked with white."
On that day, knowing his life was nearing its end, the hermit, with his aging body, performed a sword dance for the Sword Immortal Junlin, showcasing the essence of his life's technique.
Tragically, before he could perform the final move, his breath ceased, yet his body remained standing in the rain, sword raised high as if to split the downpouring skies and question the celestial beings that dictate fate.
"Who exactly are you...?" Rosaline couldn't help but feel puzzled.
Although the person standing before her was indeed a somewhat frail Nivian boy, his tone and demeanor inexplicably reminded her of other elders, people from memories she preferred not to revisit.
Rosalind, remember, everything we do is for the Empire.
The sword and magic I teach you, all these techniques exist solely for the purpose of killing.
And killing, warfare, all of it is for the Empire.
Hesitation is disloyalty, mercy is betrayal. This is the only answer, our destiny.
"Julius, at least, I am Julius for now," Julius's voice brought Rosaline back to reality. "But what about you now? Dr. Rosaline, have you truly become yourself?"
Although it was just fragments, when Julius released the Unmatched Sword Intent through the rapier, he indeed saw some visions brought by the Karma on the sword, belonging to the past of this young lady who claims to be a "doctor."
"I..." Rosaline found herself at a loss for words.
She didn't know how to respond. Whether in the past or now, she had never truly known what she wanted to do, could do, or should do.
Even her choice to come here and become a doctor was merely the result of a chance encounter with a professor at the academy who had persuaded her. It was less a choice and more an escape—an unwillingness to face reality, a lack of courage to make a change, leading to a helpless flight from it.
"The Rain Chaser Hermit's life was troubled by confusion, but his sword never hesitated. Teaching you his sword art today must also be a twist of fate," Julius handed the rapier to the still somewhat bewildered doctor. "I believe you will make good use of it."
"Teach? No, I'm not... I've already given up..."
"The calluses you've worn smooth on your hands, and the way you look at this sword, they don't lie."
Julius's pointed words broke through Rosaline's facade, leaving her with no choice but to awkwardly extend her hand and receive the weapon she was all too familiar with.
And at the moment she grasped the hilt, an anomaly occurred!
*Ding—*
A strand of fine silver-white light burst from the rapier, flowing into her mind, followed by visions, scene after scene, depicting an old man dancing in the rain with his sword, seeking truth through the blade, questioning the heavens, and finally meeting his end in the rain he had battled against all his life, without a hint of hesitation.
Those movements, each gesture and form, the profound art of the sword, as the light faded, all were etched into her memory, as if they had become a part of her.
"What? What did I just...?" As the visions ended, Rosaline could only stare dumbfounded at the weapon in her hand, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts.
Her confusion was understandable, for what she had received was a fragment of the memory of a sword sovereign from another world. Utilizing a trace of the Unmatched Sword Intent extracted from the rapier, Julius had carved out this memory from his own soul and bestowed it upon Rosaline as a form of repayment.
Although the sword techniques Julius had mastered would not be affected, his memories related to the Rain Chaser Hermit would henceforth become blurred—just like those largely lost memories in the endless void. He could recall many skills and knowledge, yet could never remember the significant figures associated with them.
"A sword does not have to be merely a tool for slaughter," Julius said gently, like a master instructing a disciple. "Your answer, your path, your true 'Dao', all of these can only be sought and chosen by yourself."
Just then, as Julius had anticipated, several figures cloaked in red and black rain capes appeared at the end of the street. Upon noticing his gaze, they quickly slipped into the gaps and shadows of the surrounding buildings.
Seven in total, one of them a scout from before. All are skilled in covert operations. It seems the higher-ups of the HoundGuards take this matter seriously.
With just a glance, Julius was able to discern nearly all there was to know about these individuals.
After the disturbance caused by the three HoundGuards had settled, several neighbors had come to inquire about Doctor Rosaline's condition, among them a disguised scout from the HoundGuards.
However, Julius had not chosen to expose the scout or hide himself at that time. Instead, he intentionally left behind his signature white hair and a series of clues in a nearby alley for them to find, diverting their attention away from the clinic and reducing the chance of them discovering Lucia.
The Unmatched Sword Intent leaves no residue, and the rain is getting weaker. Victory is not assured.
A three-to-one fight was manageable, but facing seven in weakening rain would risk the Opaline Drizzle style being seen through. While not a certainty, even a single direct hit from magic like Karl's triple fireball could result in defeat for his mere mortal body.
Moreover, engaging in a melee near the clinic made it difficult to ensure that the aftermath of the battle wouldn't harm Lucia.
"Please take care of Lucia."
After weighing his options, Julius left Rosaline with a complex expression and a request, then walked directly to the center of the street.
*Swish*
Lifting his hand to brush aside his pale, rain-soaked hair, Julius deliberately showed his face to the seven pursuers, then cracked a defiant smile, raising a finger in a universally recognized gesture of mockery.
"Think you can catch me? Feel free to try!"
Seeing the anger on the faces of the seven, who abandoned their stealth to charge directly at him, Julius dropped the taunt and ran towards the other end of the street at the same speed as them.