"So is it not this person that's the problem? Was I just overthinking it?"
Barbara thought she had found the answer, but couldn't help feeling confused again, "But just now the 'Warm Fire Order'... the Warm Fire Order clearly—"
Andrew saw that she was no longer questioning him and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He knew he had successfully concealed the truth.
The evidence was that the slight tingling sensation in his skin under her gaze had disappeared.
He felt a bit guilty since she had just helped him.
But the determination to hide his identity was just as strong as the determination to step forward earlier.
He thought for a moment and then spoke, "Um... thank you."
Concealing his strength aside, gratitude was still necessary.
He was honestly sincere: "Thank you for saving me." He added mentally, "Otherwise I could poke Raymond to death with a finger, yet he could probably punch me half to death."
At this, Andrew suddenly hesitated, glancing a few times more at the surrounding Crimson Knights.
The knights remained silent, so well-trained that not even the snorting of horses was heard.
Andrew frowned, feeling strangely uneasy.
The changes brought by the "Water Soul Constitution" were nearly complete at this point.
He could sense that the greatest improvement wasn't the "control power of small muscle groups," but rather his "perception ability"!
Seeing the world felt more transparent, like the sensation of opening his eyes after doing eye exercises.
Not only had his five senses obviously greatly improved.
There was also an indistinct sixth sense he never had before.
"This feeling... so strange."
Andrew kept staring at the silent Crimson Knights.
The vague sixth sense in his heart seemed to be telling him: Something's not right!
Something is happening here in Wildfire Town!
"Oh, you don't need to thank me."
Barbara waved her hand nonchalantly.
She no longer cared about Andrew, silently contemplating her own matters.
Seemingly she suddenly thought of something.
Barbara looked at Raymond on the ground, opened her rosy cherry lips, and gently blew.
Andrew, trying to capture the elusive sixth sense, saw:
A small, butterfly-like orange flame appeared out of nowhere as the girl blew.
The flame floated gently like willow fluff, or perhaps like a butterfly among flowers.
It softly landed on Raymond's body.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!
Raymond's body was consumed by the unremarkable orange flame in a breath or two, like water meeting a sponge!
The only thing left was a half-burned, charred boot.
"This..."
Andrew was taken aback.
What... what is this?
This Flame Magic, so beautiful and gentle without a hint of malice, yet so overpowering in strength!?
And the girl from Warm Fire Commerce Association, she seemed delicate and doll-like, but with a mere breath, she turned Raymond to dust?!
His body involuntarily tensed up.
Andrew was truly startled!
Though she had just saved him and Warm Fire Commerce Association had a good reputation, she was, after all, a Fire Mage.
And he was a Water Mage with the Fire Extinguishing Upgrade Method.
This made Andrew think involuntarily: "If this girl were my enemy and used this Fire Magic against me, could I... could I counter it?"
His mind churned tumultuously for a moment.
On the surface, however, he quickly returned to normal after a momentary lapse.
A "Seed of the Water Spirit" was constantly imprinted on Andrew's forehead, helping him remain calm and clear-headed despite any external disturbances.
But...
That momentary lapse was still noticed by Barbara.
"Hm?"
Barbara had planned to ignore Andrew, destroying Raymond's body for her own reasons.
But then her eyes narrowed as she caught a glimpse of Andrew's fierce, sharp glare, triggered by his intense emotional turmoil.
"Oh, so this guy still has secrets, huh?"
Barbara snorted coldly in her heart.
On the surface, however, she appeared indifferent, seemingly unintentionally stepping two steps closer to Andrew, casually saying, "How about my 'Flame Butterfly', not too shabby, right?"
"Ah? Oh, oh..."
Andrew instinctively noted the name "Flame Butterfly."
Still subconsciously gathering intelligence on this flame world.
Suddenly, he sensed something was off.
He saw the girl's eyes grow deep, like a vortex.
At the vortex's center was a faint flame, like a soul's fire!
"This—what is this?"
Andrew's heart skipped a beat.
He immediately recalled the terrifying feeling of facing old Mage Humboldt upon first arriving in this world, as if all his secrets were about to be uncovered.
What the girl was casting now was the same as what Humboldt had done then.
Heart Fire Series Magic: Heart Fire Eyes!
In comparison, Humboldt's "Heart Fire Eyes" brought a strong sense of oppression, but it lacked penetration.
Andrew remembered that at the time, he effortlessly dissolved it using the "Water Spirit Technique."
But the girl's "Heart Fire Eyes" in front of him had incredible penetration!
This is because the "Heart Fire Series Magic," including "Heart Fire Eyes," is one of the most classic legacies of the Warm Fire Commerce Association. Although Humboldt came from the Magic Guild, and as a fellow Fire Mage could perform the Heart Fire Series' magical legacy, he was overly domineering and lacked spirituality. He couldn't grasp the true essence of Heart Fire Eyes.
At this moment, what Barbara was using was the true "Heart Fire Eyes."
Claimed to be able to "see straight to the heart" with one glance!
Almost instantly, Andrew judged:
"This time 'Water Spirit Technique' alone won't be enough to handle it!"
But as soon as Andrew panicked a little, he immediately regained his composure.
This girl's Heart Fire Eyes are indeed stronger than Humboldt's.
But now, he was completely different from when he first crossed over.
Whoosh whoosh!
The water magic he had just acquired began to flow quietly.
Andrew used "Water Magic" to activate the "Water Spirit Technique," transforming it into a thin invisible membrane, covering his eyes!
The "Water Spirit Technique" is actually not a magic meant for primarily treating lung diseases, nor is it magic focusing on physical healing.
But rather a magic to protect the mind!
Under the activation of Water Magic, the defense of the Water Spirit Technique was several times stronger compared to when he faced old mage Humboldt before!
"Although I don't know what this magic is called, it should require 'eye to eye' contact to see through the mind, right?"
Andrew's mind was clear, "It was like that with Humboldt, and this time... it's the same! If it wasn't for the need for eye to eye contact, the girl didn't have to deliberately step closer to me before using this wicked eye magic!"
Barbara acted swiftly.
With just a glance, the magic activated.
Once locked by "Heart Fire Eyes," there was no avoiding the gaze, not even closing the eyes helped, and even if it did, it was useless.
Andrew's response was quick as well!
After the battle with Raymond, his combat experience indeed increased.
Coupled with the improvement in physical capabilities brought by the Water Soul Constitution, which enhanced not only his perception ability but also the speed of his reflexes—
There was a buzzing sound!
The magic power of both sides collided through their gazes, causing an invisible ripple between the two, which then spread out in waves!
A light "pop" followed.
A small cut opened at Andrew's eye corner.
Barbara, worthy of being the third miss of the Warm Fire Commerce Association, had fundamentals much stronger than Andrew, a novice mage still essentially at the "apprentice tier," and even while severely injured, she suppressed Andrew in their confrontation and gained the upper hand!
However, at this moment, Barbara visibly froze for a bit.
She could feel: her nearly semi-sneak attack "Heart Fire Eyes" was actually blocked.
The eye power she thought could see through his heart didn't even penetrate a bit into his eyes!
If it was just that, it would be fine.
Although the "Heart Fire Series" is strong and one of the strongest soul magics, it's not without rivals. The Magic Guild's "Desolate Language Series," for instance, is equally top-tier soul magic.
Barbara wouldn't lose her composure just because one of her "Heart Fire Eyes" was blocked.
What truly puzzled her was the way it was blocked. Her eye power felt as if thrown into the sea—a punch into cotton sensation!
Then she sensed: the magic attribute of the person in front of her... very peculiar.
A magic attribute she had never felt before.
But the contact was fleeting, and Barbara couldn't quite tell what magic attribute it was.
"Forget it, it's not important."
Taking a deep breath, Barbara dismissed the oddity in her heart.
This time, she stepped directly forward, pressing closer to Andrew.
No need to use "Heart Fire Eyes" again.
Because although her magic was blocked, the initial probing goal was already achieved.
"You indeed have something up your sleeve."
Barbara stared at Andrew, with a slight upward curve at the corner of her mouth, seeming to sneer, "Raymond was killed by you, right? The Flame Warrior's body defense is very strong, how did you do it?"
To this, Andrew remained silent.
Not even reacting to the small cut at the corner of his eye.
In fact, in the instant of their magical clash, Andrew seemed to realize something, stunned, and then his gaze turned strange: "This girl from the Warm Fire Commerce Association... how——?"
The instant of the clash, the perception was mutual.
While he exposed some of his own secrets, the other party revealed to him even more secrets!
The enhancement of perception by the Water Soul Constitution was not limited to one sense.
"Touch" as one of the five senses, also received significant strengthening.
And magic power is the product of the union of soul and body, in some sense, it's the energyized extension of one's spirit and flesh.
Precisely because of this, through "contact of magic power," Andrew, in some sense, touched the girl's body.
Then, Andrew discovered—
"You're injured?"
Andrew looked at Barbara who was stepping towards him.
Instead of answering her question, he asked, "You're injured, aren't you?"
Though in a questioning format, the tone was affirmative.
No need to confirm by speaking further, Andrew was now sure: the other party was indeed injured, and seriously so!
In the setting sun, there was no longer any expression on Barbara's exquisite face.
In her calm gaze at Andrew, there emerged... hostility!