Chapter 27: Encountered battle

A massive 3D map materialized out of thin air, marking their current location with a blue dot.

The next full-map scan was scheduled for ten minutes later, coinciding with the shrinking circle, and currently, the map displayed no other marked individuals.

Yet, the map revealed that this competition ground comprised more than just dense woodlands.

“Beyond the forest, to the north, lie deserts and lakes, but they are still some distance away from us.”

She folded the map, turning her gaze to Meilina.

“How do you feel?” she inquired.

“Have the side effects of Thorned Kiss subsided at all?”

Meilina nestled into Melo’s embrace, her face still pale.

Melo was gently dabbing the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief.

“I… I’m alright,” she managed, her voice strained.

She reached out, grasping Melo’s wrist.

“Melo, you don’t have to do this,” she pleaded.

“You must be in pain too, aren’t you?”

The thorny black markings on Melo’s wrist faintly pulsed with an ominous glow.

Yet, she offered a reassuring smile.

“Please rest assured, Young Lady,” Melo affirmed.

“I am perfectly fine.”

Meilina pressed her lips together, ultimately choosing to remain silent.

She herself was in such a state after bearing merely 10% of Melo’s pain, while Melo, conversely, had to endure the remaining 90% alone.

Observing Melo’s resolute and composed expression, Meilina’s heart ached with increasing tenderness.

Sephylia rubbed her temples, a hint of a headache in her voice.

“To be honest, I hadn’t anticipated such an intense price for Thorned Kiss,” she confessed.

“Given this, you won’t be able to engage in combat freely.”

Meilina, however, furrowed her brow.

“I’m fine,” she insisted.

“I won’t, nor do I wish to, become a burden to any of you.”

“But your condition…”

As Sephylia was about to continue her persuasion, Wyatt’s form slowly materialized from the surrounding shadows.

“While it pains me to interrupt your heartfelt exchange,” he stated, his voice flat.

“We need to move.”

He cast a brief glance at Meilina, who, though reluctant, understood.

“Let’s go, Young Lady,” Melo urged gently.

“A temporary retreat allows us to recover to our optimal state; it is, in itself, a valid tactic.”

With even Melo speaking up, Meilina had no choice but to cease her stubborn resistance.

She sighed softly, then followed Sephylia in the direction Wyatt indicated.

****

Within this dense forest, the surrounding trees soared to an extraordinary height.

Each trunk was so massive it would require five or six people to encircle it, and their towering stature was beyond compare.

Gazing upwards, the dense canopy of branches completely obscured the sky!

Only meager slivers of sunlight managed to pierce through the sparse gaps, casting faint beams upon the forest floor.

This very environment was Wyatt’s ideal domain, a place where he could truly shine!

At this moment, he transformed into the quintessential scout, his entire being melting into the shadows.

He continuously circled the two young women, diligently surveying their surroundings for any movement.

“Stop,” he whispered.

“There’s a small team at eleven o’clock.”

“They are heading our way.

Conceal yourselves.”

At Wyatt’s urgent warning, the trio swiftly took cover.

Moments later, the opposing team arrived at the exact spot where the trio had just been.

Clad in matching dark green camouflage, their movements were both agile and wary.

The three advanced in a precise triangular formation.

The leading young man wielded a peculiarly shaped short-handled scythe, its blade faintly wreathed in a wispy, cyan airflow.

He was clearly a Wind Vortex (TL Note: 风旋, Fēng Xuán, a type of Spirit User specializing in wind manipulation.) Spirit User.

Of the other two, one was sturdily built, his skin an unhealthy earthy grey, and his hands covered in a thin layer of rock.

He bore a resemblance to the “Rock Man” from the previous Fire Lizard mercenary trio, suggesting he was likely a Rock Wall (TL Note: 岩壁, Yán Bì, a type of Spirit User specializing in earth and rock manipulation.) Spirit User as well.

The third individual held a slender rapier, its blade seemingly vanishing amidst the refraction of the surrounding light, making their figure appear somewhat ethereal.

“Wait, something’s not right.”

The Wind Vortex Spirit User frowned, his gaze warily sweeping their surroundings.

The scythe in his hand quivered subtly, as if sensing the currents of the air.

“Indeed, the airflow here is unusual,” he murmured.

“Another team must have passed through, or perhaps…”

‘They’re hiding right here!’

At his words, the Rock Wall Spirit User cautiously crouched, pressing both hands to the ground to meticulously sense for vibrations.

From within the shadows, Wyatt silently pressed close to Sephylia’s feet, transmitting information via a psionic wave audible only to the three of them.

“[The Wind Vortex is sensing airflow, and the Rock Wall is detecting vibrations.]”

“[The one with the sword has very concealed psionic fluctuations.

I’m not sure what his Companion Spirit Weapon (TL Note: 伴生灵武, Bànshēng Língwǔ, a unique weapon or tool manifested through a Spirit User’s spiritual power.) is, but it appears somewhat similar to mine.]”

His voice, though cold, held a discernible edge of excitement.

Sephylia cast him a surprised glance.

It was a rare occurrence for Wyatt to encounter something that genuinely piqued his interest.

As another practitioner of Shadow Arts (TL Note: 幽暗, Yōu Àn, a spiritual power or discipline focused on shadows, stealth, and assassination.), this opponent had clearly captured his attention.

The thrill of battling an adversary with similar abilities!

As captain, Sephylia was not one to dampen spirits; a curve of excitement likewise played upon her lips.

‘We’re going to fight them anyway,’ she mused.

‘Might as well treat these three as an appetizer!’

She looked at Meilina, who offered her a reassuring gaze.

Though her face remained pale, Meilina’s condition had significantly improved after five or six minutes of rest.

Consequently, Sephylia gave a silent nod, her gaze locking onto the Wind Vortex Spirit User.

“Attack!” she commanded in a low voice.

Simultaneously, both the Wind Vortex and Rock Wall Spirit Users sensed the trio’s position.

“They’re over there!” both exclaimed in unison.

The sword-wielder, too, snapped his gaze in their direction.

Wyatt’s figure, like ink dissolving into water, instantly vanished from Sephylia’s shadow.

He silently merged with the vast shadow cast by a colossal tree, stealthily moving towards the sword-wielder.

“Radiance!”

With a low cry, a golden armguard instantly enveloped her right arm, and her 20% resonance rate erupted with full force!

Instead of manifesting her great hammer, she channeled her spiritual energy into her legs, her speed abruptly accelerating to its peak.

She transformed into a golden blur, charging directly at the Wind Vortex Spirit User!

“Look out!”

The Rock Wall Spirit User roared, instantly interposing himself before the Wind Vortex Spirit User.

He crossed his arms, and a surge of earthy-yellow spiritual energy instantly coalesced into a thick rock shield before him.

*Boom!*

Sephylia’s fist, encased in the golden armguard, slammed violently against the rock shield!

The immense impact forced the Rock Wall Spirit User to grunt, staggering back several steps as cracks spread across his shield.

Nevertheless, he had successfully parried the lightning-fast strike, buying precious time for the Wind Vortex Spirit User.

A fierce glint flashed in the Wind Vortex Spirit User’s eyes, and his short-handled scythe whirled rapidly.

“Wind Scythe: Strangling Vortex!”

Several incredibly sharp cyan wind blades materialized out of thin air, accompanied by a piercing whoosh.

They spun like deadly bladed wheels, crisscrossing to slice at Sephylia’s flank!

Sephylia remained unfazed.

Facing the incoming wind blades, she arched her body backward with incredible flexibility, simultaneously pushing off with her feet.

She slid across the ground, narrowly evading the blades’ cutting range.

The wind blades grazed past her hair, neatly severing several large fern leaves behind her!

Just as the Wind Vortex Spirit User prepared to launch his next attack, an unexpected turn of events occurred!

The sword-wielder behind him suddenly let out a short, sharp gasp!

Wyatt, like a phantom, had emerged from the sword-wielder’s very shadow, his icy dagger silently slashing towards his throat.

‘The rules permit lethal force,’ Wyatt noted inwardly.

Wyatt’s eyes were cold, his attack ruthless and clearly aimed at killing his opponent.

However, the man with the rapier remained unperturbed.

It was as if he had already sensed Wyatt’s presence, for with a simple flick and parry of his slender sword, he effortlessly deflected Wyatt’s dagger.

‘What!’

“Hmph, naive.”

Immediately after, the man raised his rapier with an incredibly strange movement, thrusting it towards Wyatt’s eyes.

‘He… he wasn’t holding back either!’