The next moment, a crashing sound came from the front door.
The wooden door was blasted open; a large amount of cold air poured directly inside.
The Ice Magister walked in; his robe was stained with blood, and his face was expressionless.
Qiu Meng decisively pulled the trigger; the bolt shot through the air straight for the Mage’s chest.
But the Ice Magister simply raised his hand; ice condensed in front of his palm. The bolt was frozen instantly, suspended in midair, then he flicked it lightly, shattering it into countless ice shards.
The Mage charged in without a word and delivered a vertical slash.
Qiu Meng dodged to the left, narrowly avoiding the vertical slash. The blade struck the Training Ground floor; white frost spread rapidly along the wooden boards. Her peripheral vision caught the lime powder her father had used during the day still on the workbench.
Her father had used that to interfere with the monster… but the Mage thrust at her again.
Qiu Meng immediately used his attack to lure him toward the workbench, then, after estimating the distance was about right, grabbed a handful of lime powder and threw it at the Ice Magister’s face.
The lime powder scattered in front of his eyes.
The Ice Magister clearly hadn’t expected a 12-year-old child to use such a despicable tactic; his movements froze for a moment. He immediately summoned an ice wall to block, but some of the lime had already gotten into his eyes.
He let out a low growl of anger for the first time.
Seizing the opportunity, Qiu Meng immediately grabbed the Long Axe beside her, put all her strength into turning around to chop the broken wooden bolt of the back door, and rolled out from the rear of the Training Ground.
As soon as she landed, she saw Telaika.
The blue-haired young man lay collapsed not far outside the yard; at least three ice spikes had pierced through his body. The ice spikes avoided vital spots but immobilized him. That wasn’t to kill him immediately, but to prevent him from continuing to protect her.
The opponent seemed like someone who found spiritual solace in torturing others.
“Mr. Telaika!”
She wanted to go to him, but heard footsteps approaching from behind.
The Ice Magister emerged from the broken door, his eyes reddened by the lime burn.
He raised his Staff; a cyan-blue magic array expanded at its tip.
Dense ice crystals shot out like a rainstorm.
Qiu Meng immediately retreated, rushing toward the bushes. The ice crystals continuously cut through the thin mist; some embedded into tree trunks, some she barely deflected with the Long Axe. But some ice crystals still hit her arm. Each collision of ice crystals numbed her arm.
She hid behind a tree, breathing heavily.
“Got some distance… but I have to hurry…!”
She tore part of her skirt and wrapped it around her arm to roughly treat the wound.
Then she dropped the axe and took out the Crossbow she had been carrying on her back.
“Now… I should be able to hit him.”
She stepped on the Crossbow, but this time, she was more skillful.
But when she raised the Crossbow to aim, there was no one in front.
‘He… where is he?!’
Her eyes scanned the left; nothing. The right as well.
Only the rustling sound in the fog.
Qiu Meng’s heart sank sharply.
She turned and saw an ice sword already slashing down.
She dodged to the right, but the blade still cut her right arm. The bandage ripped… blood splattered.
“It hurts…!”
A smirk curled at the corner of the Ice Magister’s mouth.
The blood flowed down his blade, then he used Ice Magic to shape it into a venomous snake, slithering along the sword.
He greatly enjoyed Qiu Meng’s fear.
Qiu Meng pretended to show a panicked expression, and in that moment of the pervert’s fascination, raised the Crossbow and fired a bolt.
This time, the bolt hit.
The arrowhead pierced the Ice Magister’s flank; blood immediately stained his cloak.
He stared at Qiu Meng in surprise, then quickly retreated to create distance, and in that brief moment, Qiu Meng saw an Emblem on his chest.
Four squares.
Like four concave small flags.
She seemed to have some impression… but couldn’t remember which faction it was.
The Ice Magister swung his sword to cut off the protruding half of the bolt, but didn’t pull out the arrowhead.
Then he raised his scepter, letting more mist spread. The thin mist refracted strange light, instantly illuminating the surroundings brightly.
Before Qiu Meng could figure out what that was, the Mage flicked his sleeve.
A mechanical sound rang out.
Sleeve Crossbow!
She reflexively raised the Crossbow to block.
The special bolt struck the Crossbow body; the powerful impact numbed her hands. The Crossbow cracked on the spot, parts scattering all over.
The Ice Magister drew another Short Sword and instantly slashed diagonally at her.
Qiu Meng dropped the broken Crossbow and rolled sideways. The blade struck the spot where she had just been; then the ground froze, and the wild grass turned into icy powder that burst apart.
Immediately after, the Staff came from the left, this time aimed at her temple.
Qiu Meng directly grabbed the broken Crossbow body and barely blocked the strike, but wood splinters pierced her left arm.
But just then, a breaking sound came from the distance.
Then, Dante’s voice pierced through the thin mist.
“Qiu Meng… where are you?!”
‘It’s Father…!’
She shouted with all her strength:
“I’m here!”
The Ice Magister looked up at the torchlight in the distance.
He raised his Staff and cast Light Magic. The thin mist immediately refracted the light, creating several false figures around, trying to interfere with Dante’s judgment.
However, Dante did not hesitate.
He immediately charged at the Mage, and the Mage raised his longsword to quickly block the attack.
The clash of blades suddenly exploded.
The Ice Magister looked in surprise at the man who had blocked his attack.
Dante’s complexion was very bad.
The pallor from Mana depletion still lingered on his face, and there was even a trace of dried blood at the corner of his mouth.
But his eyes were filled with killing intent.
Dante directly kicked away the Mage’s attack, closed the distance, and slashed five times, sparks flying, then grabbed dirt from the ground and threw it.
The Ice Magister had just been hurt by lime in his eyes, so he instinctively retreated, his vision again obstructed. Dante took the opportunity to throw his sword… the Mage deflected the attack with his sword.
“Petty tricks…!”
And when he looked at Dante again, three arrows flew out.
Those three arrows carried fire.
“How do you still have… Mana…”
Dante didn’t reply; then he picked up a crossbow bolt, infused it with Wind Magic, and threw it backhanded.
The bolt pierced through the mist like a bullet.
The Ice Magister again swung his sword to cut it, but the impact still left a deep dent on his blade.
Qiu Meng heard her father’s slashes so fierce for the first time.
He charged forward, leaning his body to the right, and his blade directly struck the Mage’s sword.
And Dante unexpectedly let go, spun around to draw a second sword and slash down, forcing the Mage to raise his sword to defend. The next instant, he caught the falling sword with his left hand and directly pierced the Mage’s left elbow.
Just as the opponent was about to chant, Dante quickly struck his chest with the sword hilt, preventing him from reciting the incantation, then used Wind Magic to accelerate again and backhandedly cut his chest with his right hand.
The Mage tried to retreat… but in the process of gaining distance, Dante threw the sword from his left hand and pierced his chest.
Dante reversed his grip on the sword embedded in the opponent’s chest and used Wind Magic to forcefully pull him back in front of him.
Two guards finally caught up.
They immediately pulled Qiu Meng to the rear and drew their swords in alert.
Qiu Meng saw Dante madly using his right-hand sword to rapidly slash vertically at the Mage’s blade; the firelight illuminated the surroundings again. He drew his hunting dagger from his waist, flicked open the Mage’s stance, and then smashed the sword hilt into the Mage’s face.
A sound of bone cracking rang out.
The Mage’s jaw was shattered; he could no longer chant completely. But he still tried to raise his Staff to cast Magic. Dante didn’t give him the chance; he used the Dagger to sever four of his fingers.
Before the scepter hit the ground, he threw the Dagger, piercing the Mage’s lower jaw, and then with a reverse grip, viciously hooked his head downward.
Dante grabbed the Mage by the collar, turned, and used the sword tip to cast Fire Magic, while his left hand gripped the sword blade embedded in the Mage’s chest. The amplified fireball blasted the opponent, sending the Mage tumbling away, and Dante used the momentum to pull out the sword, watching the Mage crash into a tree trunk.
The Ice Magister looked up.
What came at him first were two swords piercing through both his shoulders, pinning him in place.
And the next moment, it was his own Mage’s Scepter; the end of the scepter slammed heavily into his chest, and a large amount of Ice Magic’s ice crystals exploded, freezing him in place.
Before he could struggle, Dante had already pulled up the Noble Lance.
Wind Magic coiled around the lance.
The next instant, the lance flew out like a cannonball.
Boom—!
The Staff’s core was shattered; the explosion from the collision of the two elements shook the surrounding trees.
The lance pierced through the Ice Magister’s chest and also snapped the tree behind him.
The huge noise made Qiu Meng’s whole body tremble.
The mist began to dissipate.
The Mage lay on the ground, his chest pierced; under his torn robe, the Four Alliance Merchants’ Union insignia was revealed. The badge was stained with blood, but still gleamed coldly in the moonlight.
Dante stood still, looking down to check something. As for Qiu Meng… her body swayed and then she collapsed.
‘Finally, I can rest for a while…’
***
After who knows how long, Qiu Meng heard the chirping of birds.
She slowly opened her eyes.
Morning light fell into the room through the curtains. She instinctively raised her hand and found her right arm bandaged, and there was also a treated scrape on her forehead.
“…It’s morning?”
‘I… am I still alive…?’
She sat up and looked around… it was indeed her own room. Then she pushed open the door and went downstairs from the second floor.
In the living room, Dante was sitting on the sofa reading a book.
His complexion was still poor; there was a medicine cup on his left side, and his chest was also bandaged.
“Awake?”
Dante looked up.
“Mm.”
Qiu Meng replied softly.
She stood still, silent for a moment, then asked:
“Father, where did you go later yesterday?”
Dante closed the book.
“The Adventurer’s Guild. Went to seek help and also to confirm the scene.”
Then he looked at Qiu Meng.
“So, daughter.”
His voice turned serious.
“Why did you leave home without permission?”
Qiu Meng lowered her head.
“I just wanted to… learn from a distance…”
“That’s not an excuse. Are you putting yourself in danger and risking your life to learn?”
Dante interrupted her.
“You’re only 12 years old. If it had been a bit more dangerous, you would have died. Do you understand?”
Qiu Meng clenched the hem of her clothes.
“I’m sorry.”
“Telaika was also seriously injured protecting you.”
Qiu Meng’s shoulders trembled slightly.
“I’m sorry…”
She said again.
Dante looked at her and finally just sighed.
“Stay home and recuperate today.”
Qiu Meng nodded.
“Mm…”
After that, she didn’t say anything else, but in her heart, she had already made a decision.
Even if she couldn’t use magic and had no talent, she still had to learn how to use traps and techniques to fight enemies.
Just as Qiu Meng made her decision and walked toward the second floor, her peripheral vision swept toward the window.
Across the street, a guard was standing there. He had silver hair and a tall figure.
That guard was staring at Qiu Meng with eyes like he was looking at prey.
Qiu Meng ran to the window, her fingers unconsciously pressing against the window frame.
“Prey…”
She murmured softly.
“Prey… wait!”
And in the blink of an eye, that guard disappeared. Qiu Meng watched this with some worry.
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