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Moore tightened his grip on his black Waybreaker. His expression was grim as he fixed his gaze on the seemingly harmless blonde girl before him. Two punches. All it took was two punches from the girl before him incapacitate Mint, one of the best among the younger generation of Holy Dragon Empire.

And Moore was powerless to intervene. He could only watch it all happen before his eyes, unable to act in time. It was a humbling moment for Moore, who always took pride in his abilities.

The girl’s face was delicate and lovely as a porcelain doll. Her smile could pull anyone’s heartstrings at a moment’s notice. Both her appearance and chest suggested that she was no more than fourteen or fifteen in age.

Could such an overwhelming aura be attributed solely to innate talent? Did he himself possess such a terrifying aura before reaching the saint realm? Moore pondered carefully, but his answer was no.

Although he could be considered as one of the best among his peers back then, Moore doubted his own capacity to incapacitate a formidable opponent of similar standing with just two blows.

However, now that he had willingly demoted himself from the “saint” realm, Moore still stood apart from most of those in peak rank nine.

“Young lady, it appears we’ve underestimated you. I apologize for the disrespect earlier. You’ve proven yourself a worthy opponent for us to go all out,” Moore acknowledged solemnly.

“Really?” Lilith yawned before continuing, “But I’m not sure if you guys can make us go all out.”

“INSOLENT!” Calvin retorted angrily.

“Heh, I’m just stating the truth,” Lilith spoke nonchalantly as she flicked her wrists. She scanned the people around her, then smiled coyly. “Why don’t you surrender now? You may suffer less, unlike your comrade.”

“NEVER!” Calvin pounded his chest plate. “As a knight of my generation, flight is not an option. Isn’t that so, Captain Moore?”

“Indeed. My pride won’t allow me to surrender before a fight,” Moore replied. Myre, who was standing behind him, nodded vigorously too.

“How commendable,” Lilith applauded with a sly smile on her face. “But it would be a shame if we have to end our dance early.”

“Conceit invites defeat,” Moore cautioned. “Stand down,” he gestured for his companions to stand down.

“To me, it’s not conceit, but confidence—confidence born of strength!” Lilith declared, her foot striking the ground with force, leaving behind a web of cracks as she propelled herself skyward.

Is it magic… or martial technique?

Moore poised his longsword, tracking Lilith’s every move with unwavering focus.

It was obvious that the girl before him was a peak rank nine magic user and martial cultivator. In fact, she was on the cusp of reaching the saint realm.

What set her apart was her mastery of incantation-less, high-speed magic spells, coupled with an uncanny, unpredictable power that defied analysis with each graceful leap.

With insufficient intel, caution dictated a defensive stance.

Although this meant sacrificing momentary advantage, it allowed him to glean crucial insights into unknown opponents quicker—her combat style, magical tendencies, vulnerabilities… and even her dominant hand.

This knowledge would be the key to victory.

Drawing a deep breath, Moore created an imperfect domain—a shimmering black starry expanse that enveloped only a small area around him.

Now, what is she going to do next?

Moore dared not blink.

As Lilith ascended to a lofty vantage point, arms outstretched as if embracing the sun, a murmur escaped her lips.

[ Burn ]　

As the ancient word reverberated, a torrent of magic power surged forth from Lilith’s palm.

It’s a magic spell!

Reacting swiftly, Moore bellowed, “Myre, use Magic Disruption!”

“Right!” Myre nodded, expanding the Magic Disruption array she had prepared in advance to its limits.

Yet, Lilith’s attack diverged from expectation. Instead of hurling forth a sun-like orb as before, the flames gathered by the dragon language magic stayed in her palm.

Lilith pulled her hand backward and the flames condensed into a blazing longsword! Brilliant blue flame trailed behind it, making it look like a shooting star streaking across the sky. A pale white halo even materialized around Lilith’s palm!

In an instant, Lilith’s speed surged to staggering heights, catching Moore off guard as a smaller figure appeared before him in just a flash.

With barely a moment to react, Moore’s pupils constricted.

“Calvin!” he yelled.

Golden light erupted. In order to avoid repeating the tragedy that befell Mint, Calvin took precautionary measures. Little did he anticipate the immediate efficacy of his caution.

Divine Protection! It was the strongest defense spell, believed to withstand any assault until the caster’s demise!

The fiery tail traced a graceful arc as Lilith executed a mid-air pirouette, her lithe leg morphing into a hefty axe poised to cleave Moore in twain.

Traditionally, such a maneuver might be deemed inappropriate for a lady as her skirt’s hem was perilously close to revealing more than intended. Moore’s gaze involuntarily strayed toward that clandestine area…

“#%&#！！”

“#%&#!!”

The unexpected sight beneath Lilith’s skirt nearly knocked the air out of Moore’s lungs. It was actually %#&£…

Moore felt as though his eyes were on fire. He did not expect anyone to use such an advanced anti-peeping magic spell under their skirt! Should magic, a realm of noble pursuit, be squandered on such frivolity? Were safety shorts solely invented for the commonfolk’s sake?

Shaking off the unsettling thoughts, Moore focused on the imminent danger before him.

Lilith’s long leg cleaved through Moore’s domain akin to tempered steel. The black starry domain that was never meant for protection quickly fractured under the force of Lilith’s onslaught, giving way to a faint golden glow.

Finally, Lilith’s attack slowed as it encountered the full brunt of resistance. Moore could even marvel at the intricate golden details of her leather shoe.

However, Calvin’s face quickly turned pale. Although Divine Protection upheld its reputation as the strongest defense spell, the strain of repelling Lilith’s assault drained his magic power to perilous levels.

“Calvin!”

“I’m… fine…” Sweat beaded Calvin’s forehead as his legs threatened to buckle beneath him.

“Stay vigilant, Moore… Something’s off… about her…”

Lilith’s eyebrow arched in amusement as her full-powered assault met resistance. A subtle smirk graced her lips.

Good… this is getting interesting. Those who put up a fight are the ones worth vanquishing!

Using her supported foot as a pivot, Lilith launched another assault, aiming her other foot squarely at Moore’s neck.

“S̲h̲i̲t̲.”