"Guildmaster John."
Seeing who had arrived, both Leon and Amy cried out with joy.
John: "Sorry for being late."
Leon: "No, you came just in time."
Amy: "We're truly glad that you came."
In truth, another battle was raging simultaneously at that very moment.
From atop the mage tower, arrows of terrifying power continued to rain down without pause. The immediate result was clear: many civilians in the nearby area had fallen victim to the deadly barrage.
John had just finished helping evacuate the townsfolk before moving here to aid Leon and Amy.
From John's fingertip, a stream of special water appeared and poured down over Leon. Instantly, the wounds Nyxar had inflicted earlier were healed.
Seeing his troublesome injuries vanish so easily, Leon's face lit up with joy, while Amy's expression softened with relief.
Not far away, however, Nyxar frowned slightly as he looked toward the new enemy, one who now rode atop a massive horned fish.
Nyxar thought to himself:
'Purification and healing, is it? How troublesome.'
He grumbled inwardly, for this was not the kind of opponent he wished to face.
Yet despite the annoyance, Nyxar felt no fear or hesitation.
On the contrary, upon hearing the two call John "Guildmaster," he suddenly broke into a cheerful smile.
Seeing that smile, John was struck by a foreboding sense of dread.
Nyxar: "So, you must be the guildmaster of the adventurers' guild, correct?"
John studied Nyxar carefully before replying:
"…That's right."
Nyxar: "Then, does this spear look familiar to you?"
He drew a weapon from his spatial ring and waved it mockingly before John's eyes.
Seeing the spear's appearance, John immediately recognized it.
It was the weapon that Calvin, the guild's vice‑master, often wielded. Now that it lay in the enemy's hands, it was not difficult to guess what fate had befallen Calvin.
Though John had already received intelligence from Tris earlier and anticipated this outcome, witnessing it firsthand still struck him deeply.
Fury burned in his eyes as he glared down at Nyxar from above. Even knowing the enemy was deliberately provoking him, John had no intention of suppressing his emotions.
John: "You want to anger me? Then you've succeeded."
At his words, the great fish opened its mouth and spat a barrage of water bullets toward Nyxar.
Each bullet, though only the size of a fist, carried immense force, easily shattering even the sturdiest walls.
Facing the rain of projectiles, Nyxar merely smiled.
The blazing mist thickened around him, and his figure blurred, becoming as insubstantial as smoke.
The water bullets passed straight through the haze, missing their target in a strange, uncanny way.
Then, from Nyxar's back, two massive black wings unfurled. With them, he launched himself directly at John, the dense mist trailing along, resembling a great cloud in flight.
Not wanting to be drawn into the suffocating haze, John quickly maneuvered away, keeping his distance. At the same time, he tried to dispel the mist with streams of purifying water, as he had done before.
Seeing John's attempt, Nyxar decisively abandoned his defense with the mist, causing John's cleansing magic to strike nothing, wasting precious spiritual energy.
Meanwhile, the mist Nyxar had withdrawn did not vanish in vain. Instead, it condensed into small fireballs that immediately shot forth, attacking John.
John: 'Able to switch so quickly from defense to offense? What an irritating magic.'
He guided the fish he rode with skill, dodging the incoming fireballs. Those he could not evade, he blocked with a shield of water.
At the same time, John continuously unleashed offensive spells in retaliation. From water bullets to blades of wind, his attacks came relentlessly, striking at Nyxar from multiple directions.
Even without the protective mist around him, Nyxar easily evaded and defended against the assaults. He darted swiftly through the air, his twin blades flashing as they cut down every attack and obstacle in his path.
The battle between John and Nyxar quickly escalated into a high‑speed aerial duel.
Watching this clash, Leon and Amy realized they could hardly intervene or provide meaningful support. Worse still, any reckless attempt to interfere might be exploited by the enemy, putting Guildmaster John at a disadvantage.
Before they could decide what to do next, a sudden, fierce strike shot toward the top of the mage tower. It appeared like a thin streak of violet light slicing through the sky, visible only for a brief instant before vanishing without a trace.
Even in the midst of their fight, both John and Nyxar noticed the attack.
John felt a surge of curiosity, uncertain whether it had come from someone within their group.
Nyxar's expression, however, turned grave, as though he had recognized something ominous.
Then, his eyes caught sight of a small figure rushing toward the mage tower. Though not entirely certain, his instincts screamed that this was the one who had launched the earlier strike.
Without hesitation, Nyxar abandoned his battle with John and sped toward the figure. His blade rose, and with no pause or doubt, he swung it down.
"Clang!"
A loud sound rang out. His blade was intercepted with ease by a sudden black sword.
From that sword, a disturbing dark aura spread forth, striking at Nyxar's mind and forcing him to step back.
The wielder of the black sword continued to dash forward without pause, not stopping even after the clash. Seeing this, Nyxar pursued closely, attacking to prevent the opponent from escaping.
Witnessing the scene, Tris, the one being chased, no longer tried to flee.
Instead, while fighting against Nyxar, he secretly transmitted a message, sending information to Leon, Amy, and Guildmaster John not far away.
Upon receiving the message, the three hesitated, prompting Tris to send another urgent transmission, pressing them to act quickly.
At last, all three immediately moved, rushing toward the mage tower nearby.