In the midst of the tense confrontation, my master, Lady Calliope, landed between me and the mysterious man. His reaction was swift, immediately stepping back to create some distance. Lady Calliope's presence commanded respect, her eyes locked onto our adversary with a seriousness tinged with a hint of murderous intent. She didn't spare me a glance, focusing solely on the man who had attacked her disciple.
Concern laced her voice as she inquired about my well-being. "Are you okay, Lucas?" Her words were laced with genuine care, though her attention remained fixed on our opponent.
"I'm fine," I reassured her, wiping the sweat from my brow. "He's incredibly fast, Master. I couldn't keep up with him at all."
Lady Calliope's gaze hardened, her tone taking on a steely edge. "You dare to attack my disciple?" Her hand moved swiftly, drawing her sword from its sheath, a silent promise of impending battle.
The man brushed off her words casually, adjusting his tie with an air of indifference. "This is none of your business, Calliope. I merely want the boy," he declared, his voice void of emotion. His eyes flickered briefly towards me before returning to Lady Calliope. "Besides, finding a new disciple of your stature shouldn't be too difficult."
My master's face twisted with disgust and anger, her grip tightening on her sword. "As if I would make deals with betrayers of mankind," she spat, her voice dripping with contempt. "I promise you Judas, tonight your head will roll."
"I have no intention to fight you," Judas calmly responded.
"I do not care," Lady Calliope declared resolutely. With a blur of motion, she vanished from my sight, reappearing in front of Judas, sword poised to strike. Before her attack could connect, both disappeared from my view, leaving only the sound of thunderous clashes and the occasional blur as their fierce battle unfolded at blinding speeds. The force of their collisions wreaked havoc on the surroundings, shattering windows and damaging nearby buildings.
Reacting swiftly, I channeled my mana, shaping it into a formidable ice wall that encased the battleground. Its crystalline structure rose high, providing a protective barrier between the intense battle and the innocent bystanders. I couldn't partake in the fight, my abilities falling short in the face of such an opponent. Instead, I could only rely on my senses and fervently pray for my master's victory.
Abruptly, the clashing sounds ceased, replaced by an eerie silence that hung in the air. My heart raced, anxiety mounting as I strained to catch any sign of movement. Moments stretched into eternity until, to my surprise, Judas materialized right beside me, his fist charged and ready to strike. Before his attack could connect, he vanished in the blink of an eye.
Confusion filled my mind as I spun around to face the source of the crash behind me. There stood Lady Calliope, her sword embedded in the icy fortress I had erected. A mix of relief and concern flooded over me, relieved to see her unharmed yet concern about the fate of our opponent. It seemed that he had vanished completely, evading my senses even with the enhanced perception of my mana scan.
As I glanced at my master, I immediately understood what had transpired. "He escaped," I murmured under my breath, enhancing my mana-infused scan to encompass the entire city. Yet, to my dismay, I couldn't detect him anywhere. He was either eluding my scan or had managed to flee the city.
Curiosity piqued, I approached my master, who appeared unharmed but visibly frustrated, her clenched fists betraying her anger. "Who is Judas, master?" I inquired, seeking answers amidst the chaos.
"He is the leader of the Purifiers, an organization hell-bent on eradicating humanity from the world," she responded with a tinge of exasperation, withdrawing her sword from the ice wall I had conjured for our protection.
Swiftly, I dispelled the ice wall, revealing a crowd of onlookers peering out of their homes and a contingent of guards hastily converging on our location. Lost in thought, I muttered to myself, "Judas, huh?" I remember him from the novel—the one destined to meet his demise at the hands of the hero during his time at the academy. Ruthless and known for his astonishing speed , he also carries a hatred towards the unnatural 'humans'.
"Why were you out so late?" my master's voice dripped with anger as she turned her gaze towards me, her frustration evident.
"I was meeting with Ezekiel at the church when I noticed I was being spied upon," I explained, but her disbelief was palpable.
"No, you may have intended to meet Ezekiel, but your primary goal was to lure the spy, wasn't it?" She approached me, leaning in and locking her eyes with mine. "There's no way you could have known about the spy unless he wanted you to."
"You're right," I conceded with a shrug. My plan had indeed been to draw out the spy who had betrayed my location to the demons, and it had succeeded. Now I knew his identity and motivations. However, given the circumstances, I couldn't risk divulging any information to my master, in case the spy was still monitoring me.
She sighed, her disappointment palpable. "I am your master, Lucas," she said, gripping my shoulder firmly. "You need to share your plans with me and trust me. If I hadn't noticed your scan, you would have been killed."
Nodding, I understood her concerns. But in this particular situation, I couldn't bring myself to confide in her, even if I were given another chance. Besides, I now realized that I had unwittingly become the target of three formidable factions—the Chancellor, the Purifiers, and the Demons. It seemed I had a knack for attracting powerful enemies.
—-------------------
In the outskirts of the city, Judas stood in silence, his mind consumed by relentless thoughts. His frustration evident, he began removing his half-cut tie, a symbol of his mounting agitation.
"How was the child, Judas?" Suddenly, a dark figure materialized behind him, emanating a chilling aura. It was a short man, his presence unsettling.
"The child is talented, but we won't be able to deal with him anytime soon, given that Calliope is his master," Judas replied, his tone seemingly relaxed. However, anyone with a modicum of perception could easily discern his underlying frustration.
The man smirked, a sinister gleam in his eyes. "Well, Judas, we've discovered another star. This time, he hails from the west, the same age as Lucas De Clare." His voice dripped with calculated malice. "This child dominated in an academy tournament. Not a single opponent landed a punch. In my opinion, he poses a greater threat than Lucas."
"No, he isn't," Judas retorted quickly, a hint of irritation lacing his words. "Lucas is our primary target. Remove whoever you have tailing that kid and focus solely on Lucas."
The man's smile faltered, replaced by a trace of nervousness. "That's not possible, Judas. It seems the De Clare family enjoys the protection of the chancellor. If we make a move now, they will surely be alerted, and we risk losing several of our own."
"The Chancellor?" Judas's surprise was palpable, his mind racing to analyze the situation. "How are they being shielded by that man?"
"They've had members of the Silent Blades near the De Clare estate for the past year. If we make a move, they'll see us and likely eliminate a significant number of our forces," the man explained, his voice tinged with trepidation.
"Then we must keep a low profile for now. The Chancellor cannot catch wind of us again," Judas's voice quivered with a mix of fear and determination, memories of his past encounter with the Chancellor flooding back. "That man... he mustn't catch us."