The situation reversed so fast that the two remaining swordsmen were slightly dumbfounded. Despite everything, around a minute elapsed. Battles happened so quickly that mere seconds could drag out into hours. Usually, no one had the time for unnecessary thoughts. A second wasted was deadly! Therefore, these two did not consider the overall situation until now. But now… How could they not? Their four comrades were dead on the ground! They looked in each other's eyes. Horror was reflected in them. This was not what they planned!
On the side, Avin's battle also paused. These two were surprised that Shirley and Freon could possess such strong combat capability. Certainly, there were rough spots and glaring flaws, but results were results. They were alive, while four of their enemies were dead! Who could argue with that? Keep in mind, that these four were a combination of Fundamental Realm Experts or High Gaseous Fog Arcanists! This was an exceptional accomplishment, worthy to be proud of! Avin glanced at Freon with a raised eyebrow. Even a dull man could see their potential. Although it was far from the Arcellius Family's Bloodline true potential, it was a diamond waiting to be polished!
The two swordsmen's battle spirit was thoroughly broken but when they saw Yuna, who was cowering nearby, their eyes lit up. Freon, Shirley, and Avin's expressions rapidly changed. Without hesitation, one of them grabbed her and waved his sword around.
"If anyone makes a move, I'll kill her!" he shouted.
"You…" Shirley fumed. Anyone taking advantage of a poor bystander was a true villain in her eyes. Especially when Yuna began whimpering in fear, the last glimmers of restraint disappeared from Shirley. This was unforgivable!
"Calm down," Freon said slowly. "What do you want?"
"Hehe. We want everyone to drop their weapons," the two chuckled coldly. One of them pointed to Avin and said, "Especially him. Once all of you do that, we'll let her go."
Freon frowned. "This…" If they did, then the situation would spiral rapidly out of their control. Looking at Yuna, he was stuck in a dilemma!
"Very well, we shall do as you say," Avin said calmly. Everyone glanced at him with shock as he dropped his wand. Freon and Shirley exchanged a bitter expression, but they followed his lead.
"As long as you understand," the two swordsmen replied.
They began edging towards the door while facing the three. The air was tense. Even after the three disarmed themselves, they did not lower their guards at all! Avin was just too frightening and these kids were abnormal too. Once they were at the door, they sneered and pushed Yuna over. Freon heaved a sigh of relief before his face scrunched up in fury. Before he could reach Yuna, the swordsman slashed down on her back! A massive bloody wound opened and drenched her clothes in red! Their enemies sneered. After everything that happened, this was considered some payback! But they did not forget their goal. They were about to scurry out when Avin acted!
Avin was already prepared long ago and he shot across the house at ridiculous speed. The two swordsmen were stunned. They thought he was an Arcanist, not a martial artist! Because the time needed to master any one field was too high, common sense dictated that a person only trained in either magic or martial arts. Certainly, there were some pioneers who wanted to develop both fields simultaneously, but… None of them netted much success. Therefore, it became common knowledge that Arcanists were physically weak and useless in close quarters combat! But who was Avin? He was one of the strongest Arcanists in the human world! Common sense had no meaning to him!
He channelled ferocious energy into his kick, slamming into the two swordsmen with unstoppable power! In their eyes, they only saw a blur before they were sent flying away! They crashed into the nearby wall and sent a plume of dust into the air. From the kick alone, their ribs were fractured, and they were heavily injured. Just as everyone began to react, Avin darted in between Freon, Shirley, and Yuna. He pointed his wand upward. Unbelievably, he also retrieved his wand during his movements! Everyone's eyes nearly fell out as they began to realize how absurd this man really was!
In an instant, a magical circle manifested as a translucent barrier was raised around them. The two swordsmen were conveniently outside as they looked on in confusion. Avin grunted and executed double-casting! A second barrier was produced on top! However, it was not enough. He took a deep breath and used the remaining energy in his Core, even World Energy! Triple-casting! He instantly produced three massive magical barriers! There was not enough time. He had to substitute quality with quantity.
Freon was about to ask when his eyes opened wide in horror. The Arcanist outside, who fought with Avin, grasped this opportunity well. As soon as Yuna was caught, he began constructing a powerful spell to kill everyone in one shot! Naturally, Avin sensed everything with his Magic Perception. However, he dared not make a move until now. Outside, a large red beam, at least five times larger than the one that hit Avin, spiraled across the night sky towards the house. It crossed the distance in a heartbeat. Half-way, it split into thirty-six beams resembling meteors! They then accelerated to ten times their speed and instantly pierced into the house rooftop, smashing it into pieces! The roof exploded, the second floor collapsed, and the building was instantly turned to rubble! The shockwave travelled far enough to reach the Arcanist and the dust cloud was seen districts away.
Meanwhile, the man was breathing erratically with a frenzied expression. This spell was known as Thirty-Six Falling Meteors, a true bona-fide Peak Gaseous Fog fire-type spell. It was an upgraded version of the spell Thirty-Six Falling Stars, of which Freon once used during the Battle with the Emperor. It easily boasted one of the most ridiculous destructive power of any fire-type spell underneath Condensed Drop! However, it was also one of the most taxing to use. After taking a long look at the destroyed house, he fled. The commotion was too big. Although the battle took less than a few minutes, this was a residential area. Crowds were beginning to gather, and it was only a matter of time before the guards came. By then, it would really grow out of his control.
As he expected, after a minute, a horse carriage came stampeding through the streets. The crowds immediately parted to let the carriage through. Their faces were a mixture of disdain and bemusement. After all, the Adnire siblings had a special reputation around here. Although Nassandra was a Ten Dawn, standing near the apex of power in the Zino Kingdom, she deliberately decided to live here in the commoner's district. To these people, it was not a humble act, but an arrogant one! To these people, it was as if Nassandra was flaunting her superior status! While they grovelled on the ground, she was living like a queen! It was so unbelievably vexing that many cursed her. They were happy to see the heavens was fair and that there was some justice in the world.
Nassandra ignored everyone around her as she stepped off. Seeing the remains of her house, she froze. She was as pale as snow. Her eyes began filling with tears. For once, the people saw… The demeanor of a Ten Dawn fade and they began regretting their jealousy. How could anyone stay angry at this poor young girl? Many wanted to step forward to console her, especially the nearby mothers.
Suddenly, some rubble shifted, and everyone's eyes nearly popped out. Freon and Shirley were standing there, covered in dust and wood shrapnel. A perfect circle spanned the space around them, demarcating a zone with absolutely no debris inside. It was the same size as Avin's triple-casted magic barrier! Nassandra was over the moon seeing her brother okay. The house was secondary. As long as her brother was okay, then she was happy. However, Freon's expression was ugly. Yuna and Avin were both unconscious. Avin's injuries were not light, as he was forced to use World Energy, but it was still considered as good when compared to Yuna… Yuna's back was drenched in blood and she was losing blood by the second. She might really die soon!