It felt hollow.

His eyes were focused, yet there was an emptiness within.

Yuni clenched her teeth hard.

'If I fight, I lose.'

It was an obvious fact.

Even in perfect condition, defeating Evan was impossible.

She pondered if it might be possible to escape by using up all her mana.

"Yuni Von Ristonia... Emily... is it?"

Evan looked at the two and spoke.

Emily's eyes widened, surprised that Evan knew her name.

"How..."

She wasn't a celebrity at the academy, yet he knew her name.

It would have been one thing if he had just said her name, but his hollow eyes while speaking it sent chills down her spine.

"Ugh..."

Just then, a person who had been smashed against the valley wall began to rise.

Extracting himself from the embedded wall, he slowly walked out.

It was Diark.

With a grimace, blood trickled down from his head.

Diark, wiping the blood from his forehead, looked towards Yuni.

"Yuni... right?"

"Yes."

Yuni looked back at Diark.

His clothes were torn, and there was a large sword wound on his stomach.

In contrast, Evan was without a single scratch.

Her fleeting hope of possibly escaping was diminishing.

Even after such a fierce fight, Diark hadn't managed to inflict even a scratch on Evan.

Yuni thought about how to escape this situation.

But Evan gave no opportunity.

He raised his sword, and green lights from the surrounding trees began to converge.

Yuni quickly made a decision.

"Emily, heal Diark!"

"What? Uh?"

Crack

Yuni activated her mana.

With Diark and Emily injured, they stood no chance against Evan.

There was no way to create an opportunity to escape.

Yet, she confronted Evan.

"Spark!"

Yuni launched several small currents at Evan.

"No!"

Diark shouted at that moment.

"If you use magic directly..."

Yuni didn't respond and continued her magic, charging towards Evan.

Her plan was to attack first, as electric magic was not good defensively.

"Hmm..."

Evan deflected the approaching currents with his sword.

'Done...'

Yuni inwardly smiled.

He couldn't deflect the current with his sword.

If the current touched the sword, it would travel through it, paralyzing him.

Yuni maneuvered her mana as she watched.

But Evan was not so easily overcome.

After deflecting Yuni's Spark, he quickly charged towards her.

"Ah...?"

He wasn't paralyzed.

Evan's characteristic.

Magic nullification.

A skill that nullified all magic.

Yuni was unaware of Evan's ability.

She didn't know that Evan's sword could not just block mana but completely obliterate it.

As Evan approached Yuni, he lifted his leg.

"Weak."

His raised leg glowed green as he struck Yuni squarely in the abdomen.

"Ugh...!"

Bang!!!

Yuni was kicked away by Evan, flying off into the distance.

"Yu, Yuni!!!"

Emily cried out in alarm.

Diark then grabbed Emily's wrist.

"Focus on healing! I need to step in."

"Ah... ugh... Healing!!!"

Emily nodded at Diark's words and cast her spell.

"Argh..."

Yuni, clutching the area where she was hit, struggled to her feet.

"It hurts..."

Yuni, who had lived a sheltered life, had never experienced such a powerful attack.

It was an excruciating pain that brought tears to her eyes.

Still, she staggered to her feet.

Being kicked was better than being stabbed.

If she had been stabbed by the sword, she wouldn't have been able to get up again.

Yuni clenched her teeth and stood up.

'I can't fall here.'

Despite the pain, she had to move.

She had to respond to her opponent.

It was a desperate situation, and it hurt terribly, but she endured and stood up.

She couldn't just collapse here in vain.

"Yuni Von Ristonia."

Then Diark spoke.

His expression was better than before, probably due to Emily's healing.

Drawing his sword, Diark stepped forward.

"I'll take the front, you follow up with an attack."

There was no talk of forming a team or anything else.

It was obvious that they had to join forces to stand against Evan.

Yuni took a deep breath and looked ahead.

"Got it..."

Evan watched them indifferently.

Then he spoke.

"Next time, I'll make sure you won't get up."

Light leaked from the surrounding trees again.

Green lights gathered, brighter than before.

Crack

The roots of the nearby trees burst out of the ground.

They moved as if alive.

The roots surrounded Yuni, Diark, and Emily, preventing their escape.

"Uh..."

Even in this desperate situation, Yuni moved her mana.

She tried her best despite the hopelessness.

Diark did the same.

"Here I go."

Diark, infusing his sword with sword aura, charged at Evan.

At the same time, Yuni also activated her mana.

"It won't work."

Evan charged back at Diark, who was rushing towards him.

"Ugh..."

Diark tried to stop his advance when Evan charged back at him.

However, Evan did not slow down.

The sword approached from the front.

Diark raised his own sword to block it.

Evan, seeing Diark raise his sword, swiftly withdrew his.

Then, he ducked and kicked Diark's lower body.

"Ugh...!"

The direct kick to his leg drained its strength, and Diark collapsed to the ground.

'The magic is still...'

Yuni's electric attack flew towards Evan.

Evan smoothly continued his motion, watching the approaching electricity.

He quickly raised his torso and brought his sword to meet the electricity.

"...What?"

As the electricity touched Evan's sword, it disappeared as if it had never existed, leaving no trace behind.

Confirming the magic had vanished, Evan lifted his foot and kicked Diark.

Diark was sent rolling across the ground by Evan's kick.

"...Is it over?"

Evan looked indifferently at Yuni, raising his sword.

The sight of Evan with his sword raised brought an overwhelming sense of intimidation.

Though she knew they wouldn't lose their lives in this assessment, the fear was great.

The thought of potentially losing her life filled her mind.

"Ah..."

Yuni tried to move her mana, but her body wouldn't respond.

Her face paled, and her legs trembled uncontrollably.

As Evan stared at her, he raised his sword high.

'No, this can't be happening.'

The moment that sword comes down...

It's the end.

Right here.

Just as Yuni was paralyzed with despair,

"Hey."

A voice suddenly called out.

It was a familiar voice.

"...?"

Startled by the unexpected voice, Evan stopped his downward strike and turned to the side.

A figure emerged from beside them.

"What are you doing?"

The voice was filled with anger.

A man emerged from the debris of the destroyed trees, walking towards Evan.

"Ha...!"

Evan looked at the man with a mix of wonder and annoyance.

There seemed to be a sense of welcome, mixed with rising anger.

Yuni looked at the suddenly appearing man.

"Se, senior?"

"That's enough of bullying these kids. Didn't I make a rule about that? What are you doing?"

The man, running his hand through his hair, spoke with an air of irritation.

It was Rudy Astria.

"Ha... Haha... Rudy Astria!"

Evan, ignoring Yuni and Diark, pointed his sword at Rudy.

"I've been looking for you."

Evan said, seemingly pleased.

Rudy looked at him with a disbelieving expression.

"If you were looking for me, why involve the others?"

Evan paid no heed to Rudy's words and took a fighting stance.

But Rudy just looked at Evan with disdain, making no move to engage.

"Ru, Rudy."

Yuni spoke, surprised by Rudy's nonchalant attitude.

Then Rudy slightly turned his head and raised his hand slightly.

It was a gesture that seemed to say, 'Don't move.'

"What, what's...?"

"Yuni."

Emily, who was behind her, grabbed Yuni.

Emily brought her index finger to her lips and whispered softly.

"Just do as the senior says..."

"Huh?"

"Look at Rudy."

Following Emily's direction, Yuni saw that Rudy was covered in wounds.

He looked as if he had already been in a fight.

"We can't fight because he's protecting us..."

Yuni muttered to herself.

Then, she thought.

So, he already knew about this situation and came prepared?

What's his plan?

Can he really win with those injuries?

Against such an opponent?

Yuni's mind was a whirl of thoughts.

Seeing Yuni stop her actions, Rudy smiled and looked at Evan.

"So, you found me? Why aren't you attacking?"

"Rudy... Astria!!!"

Evan, with his sword glowing in a green light, charged at Rudy.

Rudy saw Evan rushing towards him and jumped back a considerable distance.

Evan's sword, followed by swirling green lights, chased after Rudy.

And it wasn't just that.

The trees near Rudy started moving, attempting to grab him.

"That's right, come out like this."

Rudy spoke as if he was leisurely, but his expression was strained.

Rudy didn't confront Evan head-on and kept backing away.

Gradually retreating into the forest, he started to disappear from Yuni's sight.

"Yuni, now's the time!"

Emily grabbed Yuni's hand.

"We have to run. Now that Rudy has drawn his attention..."

"..."

Yuni bit her teeth and looked in the direction where Rudy had disappeared.

Then, she pushed Emily's hand away.

"...Yuni?"

"I'm going to follow them."

"Follow them? Yuni, Rudy intentionally distanced himself... If we go now, we'll just be a hindrance..."

"No, there might be something I can do to help."

Yuni started walking forward.

Despite feeling a tremendous sense of helplessness when facing Evan.

Despite being wrapped in fear.

She had to move.

Rudy was risking his injured self to save them.

'If Rudy senior falls back now...'

Then...

"Emily, take him and run."

Yuni pointed at Diark, who was lying on the ground.

"Yu, Yuni!"

Ignoring Emily's call, Yuni, with trembling legs, started running towards the direction Rudy had disappeared into.

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